Listicle - Definition and Examples of Listicles

Listicle is an informal term for an article made up of a series of facts, tips, quotations, or examples organized around a particular theme. Listicles, which may be numbered or bulleted, are particularly common in blogs and other online articles. Listicle is a blend (or portmanteau) of the words list and article. Examples and Observations on Listicles Something had happened to my brain during my long tenure at womens magazines. I wasnt sure if it was because my mind moved a million clicks faster than my mouth could keep up, or if I had edited one ​listicle, charticle, gridicle and relationship quiz too many. But I had developed a bizarre inability to speak before higher-ups without stuttering, which the creative director eulogized in a drawing of me with a stream of Er, ah, duh, durs coming out of my mouth.(Jessie Knadler, Rurally Screwed: My Life Off the Grid With the Cowboy I Love. Berkley Books, 2012)[H]is digressive narrative--which sometimes makes use of self-amused listicles--seems suspiciously influenced by styles that are popular on the digital platforms he inveighs against.(Review in The New Yorker [January 21, 2013] of The Missing Link by Philip Hensher)When Beyoncà ©s publicist emailed Buzzfeed earlier this week to ask that they kindly remove some unflattering photos of her client that were included in a listicl e of The 33 Fiercest Moments From Beyoncà ©s Halftime Show, little did she know that the Internet doesnt quite work that way.In fact, thats the exact opposite of the way in which the Internet works.Now, thanks to an unforgiving Internet phenomenon known as the Streisand Effect, those photos are not only everywhere--theyve become a full-fledged meme.(Neetzan Zimmerman, Beyoncà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Publicist Asks Internet to Remove Unflattering Beyoncà © Photos; Internet Turns Unflattering Beyoncà © Photos Into a Meme. Gawker, February 7, 2013) Writing for Readers With Short Attention Spans Editors at many newspapers and magazines welcome list articles because these features can be expanded or reduced as space allows. More important, list articles make great cover lines that motivate readers to buy magazines. When we put lists on the cover, our newsstand sales go up, said Mens Health editor David Zinczenko in a televised interview about the power of lists. In his blog, Zinczenko offers lists that inform readers on timely topics: the six worst foods to eat at the movies, the eight ultimate flat-belly summer foods and the six things your dad wants for fathers day. Lists are perfect for guys with short attention spans, jokes Zinczenko....List articles usually follow a two-part formula. First, you need an introductory paragraph that sets up the article by explaining the purpose of the list. Since these articles are straightforward, the introduction should be brief and to the point. Second the list is presented in either a bulleted or a numbered format. . . .Although list ar ticles seem simple to write, most of them require research.(David E. Sumner and Holly G. Miller, Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes, 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2009) The Appeal of the Listicle The list--or, more specifically, the listicle--extends a promise of the definitive while necessarily revealing that no such promise could ever be fulfilled. It arises out of a desire to impose order on a life, a culture, a society, a difficult matter, a vast and teeming panorama of cat adorability and nineties nostalgia. . . .The rise of the listicle obviously connects with the Internet’s much-discussed effect on our ability (or desire) to sit still and concentrate on one thing for longer than ninety seconds. Contemporary media culture prioritizes the smart take, the sound bite, the takeaway--and the list is the takeaway in its most convenient form. But even when the list, or the listicle, has nothing really to do with useful information, it still exerts an occult force on our attention—or on my attention, at any rate. (34 Things That Will Make ’90s Girls Feel Old. 19 Facts Only a Greek in the U.K. Can Understand. 21 Kinds of Offal, Ranked By How Gross They Look. ) Like many of you, I am more inclined to click on links to articles that don’t reflect my interests if they happen to be in the form of countdowns. And I suspect my sheep-like behavior has something to do with the passive construction of that last sentence. The list is an oddly submissive reading experience. You are, initially, sucked in by the promise of a neatly quantified serving of information or diversion. . . . Once you’ve begun reading, a strange magnetism of the pointless asserts itself.(Marc OConnell, 10 Paragraphs About Lists You Need in Your Life Right Now. The New Yorker, August 29, 2013)Despite the growing derision of listicles . . ., numbered lists--a venerable media format--have become one of the most ubiquitous ways to package content on the Web. Why do we find them so appealing?The article-as-numbered-list has several features that make it inherently captivating: the headline catches our eye in a stream of content; it positions its subject within a pr eà «xisting category and classification system, like talented animals; it spatially organizes the information; and it promises a story that’s finite, whose length has been quantified upfront. Together, these create an easy reading experience, in which the mental heavy lifting of conceptualization, categorization, and analysis is completed well in advance of actual consumption--a bit like sipping green juice instead of munching on a bundle of kale. And there’s little that our brains crave more than effortlessly acquired data. . . .But the list’s deepest appeal, and the source of its staying power, goes beyond the fact that it feels good. . . . Within the context of a Web page or Facebook stream, with their many choices, a list is the easy pick, in part because it promises a definite ending: we think we know what we’re in for, and the certainty is both alluring and reassuring. The more we know about something--including precisely how much time it will cons ume--the greater the chance we will commit to it.(Maria Konnikova, A List of Reasons Why Our Brains Love Lists. The New Yorker, December 2, 2013)

Compare and Contrast the Domestic Policies of Hitler and...

Fundamentally, both Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler had the same burning desire to each make their nation a respected and economically impregnable Great Power. Mussolini wanted to return Italy to its glory days of the ancient Roman Empire, a domestic policy amongst others which was used as propaganda and to ultimately consolidate his power. A strong economy and a united state were vital for both countries in case of the outbreak of yet another catastrophic war. Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state, stated Mussolini in need of desperate backup at home. Post WWI left both Germany and Italy with grave problems economically, which further repelled into social problems such as high unemployment and†¦show more content†¦Both dictators controlled imports, making it so that national goods were bought by the people instead of foreign ones. Overall, Mussolinis policies failed to make any significant changes and managed to do more bad than goo d to the economy, and as a result of the worsening situation in 1936 the Italian government was forced to devalue the lira. Hitlers economic policies succeeded in stimulating demand and raising the national income. This claim is supported by the GNP figures between 1933-36, which rose by 40%. In terms of women, both Mussolini and Hitler had similar policies. Firstly, contraception was banned in both countries. Mussolini tried to succeed in winning the Battle for Births on the home front using various methods. Young Italian men and women were encouraged to conceive marriage quickly and to procreate as many children as possible, similarly in Germany. ‘Il Duce believed that a countrys economic strength was directly linked to the size of its population. Furthermore, he wished to create a huge army in order to successfully carry out his plans of conquering areas such as Northern Africa, the Balkans and parts of Europe. In terms of males, Germany also had a shortage at the time due to the millions killed during WWI, so this was also something which concernedShow MoreRelatedHistory HL Paper 3 Europe6131 Words   |  25 Pagesto 16 marks] for structured analysis of the monarchy as cause and victim. [17+ marks] for balance, perception and perhaps different interpretations. –4– 2. M08/3/HISTX/HP3/ENG/TZ0/EU/M+ Assess the domestic policies of Napoleon I between 1799 and 1814. This question covers the domestic policies of Napoleon from First Consul to his defeat and exile in 1814, as many of his reforms were instituted before he became emperor. The main areas to assess are his legal codes, the Concordat with the ChurchRead MoreIb History Rise of the Single State Parties6245 Words   |  25 PagesTOMORROW (during exam): USE A BLACK OR BLUE PEN. 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Compare and contrast the motives of the their founders, religious and social orientation, economic pursuits, and political developments of TWO of the early colonialRead MorePaper Exam 2 History Ib9416 Words   |  38 Pagesindicate that the question is understood but not all implications considered. Knowledge is largely accurate. Critical commentary may be present. Events are generally placed in context and understanding of historical processes, such as comparison and contrast are present. There may be awareness of different approaches and interpretations but they are not based on relevant historical knowledge. There is a clear attempt at a structured approach. 13–15: Answers are clearly focused on the demands of the questionRead MoreGeorge Orwell23689 Words   |  95 PagesIn certain circumstances it can break down, at certain levels of civilization it does not exist, but as a positive force there is nothing to set beside it. 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But at the same time, without serious attention to the processes and misguided policies that led to decades of agrarian and industrial depression from the late 1860s to the 1890s, as well as the social tensions and political rivalries that generated and were in turn fed by imperialist expansionism, one cannot begin to comprehend the

Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced Essay Example For Students

Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced Essay Are You Experienced? The Jimi Hendrix Experience released its first album in early 1967. Popular music had been leaning towards psychedelics for a couple years already and Are You Experienced? came out at about the same time as the Beatles Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Are You Experienced? far exceeded the Beatles triumph in complexity, capturing the essence of the late 1960s culture. Naturally the newer band did not share the immediate success of the Beatles. But its staying power has been testified to by several generations. The British version of Are You Experienced? contained a few subtle differences. Most prominent were the absence of Purple Haze and the addition of Hendrix standard Red House. Purple Haze caught fire in America after the Monterey Pop Festival and became Jimis signature song. Although it was said to have endless verses, Jimi generally sang only the shortened version from the album with a few ad lib changes. The single was sent to radio stations with a note: This song was intentionally distorted. Do not adjust. Are You Experienced?, as with most of the Experiences music, sounds heavy no matter how many times you listen to it. In actuality, the stony Purple Haze is about as close as they ever come to hard rock. The next song, Manic Depression comes in strong with the opening chords and then reveals Mitch Mitchells trademark rolling drums. It also contains another of Jimis solos worth listening to by any new or Experienced fan. Chas Chandler chose the quietest song on the album to give the world its first taste of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Its first single was Hey Joe, a song written by turn-of-the-century bluesman Billy Roberts. The first bars of Hey Joe leave no doubt that it is being handled by a master. It quickly climbed the British pop charts, topping out at number 2 behind Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. No other song written or performed by Jimi Hendrix had as much success as this one. When there are other people around, it makes you feel alive. But when you sit alone and listen to the music, every chord catches in your throat. Love or Confusion has happened upon me more than once when I was suddenly realizing the dispair of yet another relationship. If the answer to his question is not obvious during the song itself, Jimi answers it for you with his very last whisper. Love or Confusion is a wicked twister of emotion. It shakes you up and when you lose your sense of direction, it drops out from under you, leaving you to fall mercilessly to the depths of reality. Thats when May This Be Love enters to let you down easily. Mitch turns on the soft roll. Jimi sings sweetly about his waterfall. The pace picks up, getting hectic for a moment when Jimi recalls the other people in this world, with their plans. But they can do whatever it is that they do. Jimi doesnt  care, and neither do I, as long as I have my waterfall. I Dont Live Today goes through a couple of lead-in verses, but it wastes little time getting to one of the most psychedelic minutes in rock. At the apex, Jimi cries, Ah, There aint no life nowhere! When you hear it the statement is oddly comforting. The song leads out with Jimi pleading repeatedly to you: Get Experienced. If a thousand bands havent covered The Wind Cries Mary, it is out of reverence. Short and simple okay, Im not a musician, this song is like a dream. The colorful descriptions the traffic lights turn blue tomorrow. are a hint of what is to become Axis: Bold as Love the Experiences second album. .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .postImageUrl , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:hover , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:visited , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:active { border:0!important; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:active , .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7770bc9473d108b389e53c818e7d835c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analysis of music in the film Grease EssayFire was one of Jimis favorite tunes to play live. Fast paced and funky, it leaves no guessing about Jimis desires. The lyrics petrified a million middle class mothers, as it turned on their daughters. A little advice: move over, Rover. Third Stone From the Sun stands alone in rock history as the only instrumental with words. It tells the story of an alien race which comes down to check out the planet Earth Mercury Venus Earth, get it?. It sees humans for what they are and comes to a natural conclusion. Obviously a case of supreme intelligence. Anyone who is trying to master guitar effects should start and end here. Youre so foxy, you probably think this song is about you, dont you? Youre not being paranoid. You are just a Foxey Lady. And you make me feel like saying Foxey. The album closes with the title song. Once again, Jimi wants to know, Are You Experienced? If your answer is no, youve been listening to the Hendrix singles. Buy this album and a pair of headphones. It wont be long now.

Are The Ethics of Business a Concern for The Auditing Function

Question: Are the ethics of business a concern for the auditing function?Discuss the ethical requirements relating to the audit of a financial report as detailedwithin the current set of auditing standards.Define Audit quality and detail steps on how increasing audit quality can address the audit expectation gap.Management has responsibility for prep ing the financial statements albeit part of the auditors role is to ensure that they comply with generally acceptable accounting principles (GAAP). In light of the following pictures discuss GAAP and how these principles can and are audited. Answer: Role of ethics in the function of audit The auditors and the professional accountants have to follow the sound code of ethics that have been established internationally by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants or IESBA. The conceptual framework of an audit is set on the following: Integrity Objectivity Professional competence Due care Confidentiality Professional behaviour The code of ethics illustrates as to what is expected in the profession form the professionals. The existence of awareness sis just not enough. The audit firms and the setter of the standards are engaged continuously so as to expand the knowledge base of the professional staff.Accounting and auditing are the 2 most complex and technical processes. When compared with ethics, it is considered to be the simplest form. The main point in ethics is knowing what is required to be done and knowing how to needs to be done. For ethics to be persistent, there must be an existence of the following traits: Truthfulness Honesty Care Loyalty Integrity There is a need to attract decent people into the professional so the following of the ethics could be made sure of.The Accountants come across the times when face the conflicts of upholding the values that are central to their profession and demands that exits in this world. There are some competing demands that speaks of the profession in contrast to having a simple job or performing a function. The professional are expected to exercise their judgement and experience that they have gathered during their tenure to perform their roles so that when the ways and the road gets challenging, they do not resort to the ways that could lose their judgement and the faith of the public. This will only bring disrepute to the profession. Objectivity Professional competence Due care Confidentiality Professional behaviour Integrity So that the faith in the profession is not lost. There are times when an auditor may be put under the pressure and face the difficult situations. These challenges may go on to revolve around the ethics, commercial pressures and the burden of regulation. Code of ethics in auditing The code of ethics is applicable on both the entities as well as on the individuals that perform the function of auditing.In order to ensure that the requirements of the ethical standards are followed, there is an independent standard setting body that serves the public by setting the robust and internationally appropriate standards of the ethics and includes the independence of the auditor for the professional accountants worldwide. This is also known by the name of the Ethics board, The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants. The code of ethics revolve around the following principles: Integrity: this means that the auditors must ensure a degree of trust and provide basis for their reliance on their judgement. The auditors are expected to be straight forward, honest and fair in all their professional commitments. Any person who acts with honesty and truthfulness and his actions are not influenced by anyone or by any act of the others, are described as having an integrity. Objectivity: this means that the auditors are required to exercise their highest level of degree, professional objectivity while gathering, communicating the desired information about the activity or the processes that are being examined. The auditors are required to make a balanced assessment of all the relevant circumstances that are not influenced by their own interests or other while framing their judgements. Objectivity means as to not allowing the bias, conflict of interest and not coming under the undue influence of the others. The main idea behind this is the fact that when a person is influenced by the others, then he may end up in making wrong judgements. Confidentiality: the auditors have to respect the value and must make sure that no piece of information is disclosed that they have gathered during their period of employment. They must adhere to this but an exception to this is when they are required to divulge the details in order to comply with the legal obligation. This means that no information must be disclosed unless and until it is either permitted by the entity, required by law or is permitted or is required by the professional right. Competency: they are required to apply their knowledge, skills and experience while dealing with their assignment. Adequate professional competence and due care must be exercised so that the high level of expertise could be offered to the client. And to make sure that the entity receives the services of the competent professional services that are in line and in conformity with the latest developments in the practice and the legislations and techniques. They must act due diligently and work in accordance with the technical aspects and the professional standards. As per the Auditing standard 102, Compliance with Ethical Requirements when Performing Audits, Reviews and Other Assurance Engagements too, the following are the fundamental principles of the professional ethics and the whole idea of professional ethics revolve around the same: Objectivity Professional competence Due care Confidentiality Professional behaviour Integrity The auditor independence is defined as the following of the integrity and an objective approach in the process of audit. Definition of audit quality The quality of an audit is defined as the meeting of the expectation of the investors of producing an independent and reliable audits and communicate robust communications on: Financial statements and this includes the related disclosures Assurances about the internal controls Warnings on the going concerns. The expectation gap is defined as the difference that exists between the levels of the performance that is expected as has been visioned by the independent accountant and by the users of the financial statements.The expectation is said to have the following components:Reasonableness gap: this is the gap between to what the society expects the auditors to achieve and what the auditors reasonably expect the auditors to accomplishPerformance gap: this is the gap that exists between what the society reasonably expects the auditors to accomplish and what the auditors perceive to achieve. An audit committee will go on play a very important role when helping the management so as to align the management and the board when it comes to mitigating the risks that are really important.This role has also gained momentum because some of the stakeholders of the company have elevated the expectations of the board so as to reduce or eliminate the risks that are most critical, fraud.The establishment of the audit committee is very important and will come into play when the management will fail to respond to the recommendations of the audit. The following are the main reasons behind the failure of the auditor to identify the red flags: Over reliance of the auditor on the representations made by the client Lack of awareness and recognition on the conditions that are observable that indicates the fraud Lack of experience Existence of the personal relationships with the clients Lack of the desire to know The failure to brainstorm the potential fraud schemes and the scenarios. The gap is expectation is usually driven by the variables such as the ability of the auditor to detect fraud and the ability of the efforts made by the auditor to detect frauds. An auditor does have the required skills and the experience that could help him in the detection of the fraud but he prefers to undertake the shortcuts in order to detect the fraud.Or in other cases, the auditor may have an access to the variety of the techniques that could help him in the uncovering of the red flags but he is unable to do so since he may lack the relevant experience.In such cases, the following are the ways that could help him in covering the expectation gap: Training and awareness Brainstorming Interviewing skills Discussing the various points with the management Meaning of GAAP and audit practices that could be followed in order to ensure the truthfulness of the management GAAP is the set of the broad and the specific guidelines that the companies must follow when the information has to be measured and reported in the financial statements and the related notes.It is the duty of the management to prepare the financial statements and it is the duty of the auditor to assess that the management has prepared the financial statements with the utmost reliability.SOX requires that the management must give in writing that they have prepared the financial statements.The following are few of the areas that could be examined: Existence of the accounts and the information: this could include the information like as to what is included in the accounts and whether inventory exists in all the locations where the amounts have been indicated. Whether the data is complete: it must be ascertained whether all the transactions have been recorded during the year. For example, whether all the legal expense that have been incurred have been duly recorded in the financial statements or has the firm forgotten to take the same into account. Value that the company owns: what is the value of the assets and the liabilities that the company owns and owes to the outsiders? In order to illustrate this, the value of the real estate, buildings, loans that the company owns and owes to the outsiders. The rights and the obligations of the company: the rights and the obligations of the company. This could include the title, the obligations that are owed to the outsiders at any given point of time. There are sometimes legal rights such as the rights of the leased assets that are required to be capitalised in the books of accounts of the lessee. This takes place even when the legal tile remains with the lessor. Disclosure of the information: the balances in the books of accounts must not only be adequately measured but must be described and disclosed. For example, the trade receivables, the advances that are given to the employees, the loans that are given to them and the loans that are extended to the related parties. But the presentation of the individual characteristics of the transactions on the business are very different.The audit procedures that are usually followed by the management involve the testing of the system, the testing of the transactions, the reviewing of the confirmation, the observing of the physical inventory, making the inquiries as and when the questions arises. The audit report hen produced will indicate as to whether the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the GAAP and whether they represent the true and a fair financial position of the company or not. In order to indicate the fairness of the financial statements, the auditors may include the qualified or a modified opinion that would state the aspects of the report when they are different from the requirements of GAAP. References Comlaw.gov.au, (2015). ASA 102 - Compliance with Ethical Requirements when Performing Audits, Reviews and Other Assurance Engagements - October 2009. Highered.mheducation.com, (2015). The Development of Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards. Icaew.com, (2015). Auditor independence | Ethics | Technical | ICAEW. Ifac.org, (2015). IESBA | International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants Ifac.org, (2015). Roles and Importance of Professional Accountants in Business Nysscpa.org, (2015). Reducing the Expectation Gap. Oag-bvg.gc.ca, (2012). 1031 Ethical Requirements Relating to an Assurance Engagement. Oapen.org, (2015). Professional ethics. pcaobus.org, (2015). DISCUSSION AUDIT QUALITY INDICATORS. Researchgate.net, (2015). Research Gate. www.pli.edu, (2015). GAAP. www.professionsforgood.com, (2015). Ethics, Trust and Auditing Conceptualizing a Tripartite Framework. www.pwc.com, (2015). How to close the expectation gap related to fraud prevention? Try enhancing the IA brand.

The Odyssey Is An Epic Poem, Which Revolves Around Odysseus And His Jo

The Odyssey is an epic poem, which revolves around Odysseus and his journey home from the war at Troy. Throughout his travels he is met with many obstacles and adventures. There are times when he thinks he will never make it home. But through perseverance, faith, maturation and heroics, he manages to survive and reach his homeland of Ithaca as a changed man. In The Odyssey, Odysseus, the main character must journey from Troy to his homeland of Ithaca. Throughout this journey he learns many lessons, faces obstacles testing his physical and mental strength and grows from an arrogant, self-centered hero into a humble, respectful survivor. With the help of the Gods he is finally able to return to Ithaca as an honorable man. In Book VI of the Odyssey, Odysseus wakes on the shore of Phaecia. The Goddess Athena has sent the beautiful Nausicaa a dream instructing her to wash clothes in preparation for an upcoming marriage. Athena makes Nausicaa brave and Odysseus handsome bringing them together in order to assist Odysseus to the house of the king. In this particular book the Gods assist Odysseus and he manages to come closer to getting home. Athena helps him out over and over again in Book VI. Everything seems to be done to help Odysseus and so he is lucky to have the Gods behind him. "but the grey-eyed Goddess Athena made her tarry, so Odysseus might behold her beauty and win her guidance to the town" (175). Here Odysseus is actually being led where he needs to go by Athena indirectly. All the places with lush greenery and the resting-place of Odysseus has even been made by Athena. "The sun was going down when they went by Athena's grove" (181). The manipulation by the Gods appears to lead t a common goal, the survival of Odysseus and the assistance of getting him home. The gods may not be able to stop fate but they help Odysseus learn to use their guidance to his advantage for his survival. In Book VIII, King Alkinoos calls an assembly asking the Phaeacians to help Odysseus. During this meeting there is competition to entertain Odysseus. After being insulted by one of the Phaeacians, ""The reason being, as I see it, friend, you never learned a sport, and have no skill in any of the contests of fighting men" (185). With that, Odysseus throws a discus farther than anyone ever has. "Anyone else for an edge for competition try me now" (186) This proves Odysseus has a problem with his pride. Although this pride does help him throughout his journey, he uses it here as a vice to show others his greatness. His arrogance really shows through here. By insulting his abilities, Phaeacians insulted his manhood and he defended it to the highest degree. In Book IX, Odysseus encounters the Kyklops and uses his cunningness and bravery to escape. Here we see a new side of Odysseus. First he vividly narrates his love for his home in this book. "I shall not see on earth a place more dear" (198). "Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass his own home and his parents (198)? Odysseus seems able to survive by using all his energy to find his way home. He uses this energy in his plot to get away from the Kyklops. His plan is both brave and ingenious. He tells the Kyklops his name is Nohbdy. Then after being blinded, Odysseus and his men are able to escape. The Kyklops yells to his friends, "Nohbdy, Nohbdy tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me" (207)! With this, he gets no help and Odysseus is free. However again his pride gets the best of him for as they are escaping he yells, "If ever a mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell them Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye" (210). This again proves to hurt Odysseus and make s his journey more difficult. His foolishness proves to be a thorn in his side throughout The Odyssey. By revealing his name he sets himself up for the angry God Poseidon. In Book X, foolishness again causes Odysseus trouble. As his Odyssey seems almost over and the men are close

An Inspector Calls †Theatre Essay

An Inspector Calls – Theatre Essay Free Online Research Papers An Inspector Calls Theatre Essay Introduction: This superbly crafted play by J.B Priestly ‘An Inspector Calls’ was written in 1945 and set in 1912. The play was written at the time of the Second World War. The specific setting is as the Titanic is to set sail for America. The world was also thinking about going to war with Germany for the first time. Life for the poor in 1912 was very insecure. There was a lack of a Welfare State, which didn’t help the poor. For women it was almost the same they were treated like they did not have a mind of their own and the dominant males controlled them. An example of this from the play is, â€Å"Oh- Gerald- you’ve got it- is it the one you wanted me to have?† (Act 1, P. 4) The play was structured well because it had dramatic and thrilling cliff-hangers one example is at the very end of the play when Mr. Birling receives a phone call form the hospital and he says, â€Å"That was the police. A girl had just died on her way to the infirmary- after swallowing some disinfectant†. The play was also set in real time like the classical Greek theatre, they believed a play should be set in real time. The several themes in the play are: treatment of women, love, jealousy, mystery/secrecy and sinning money/capitalism. To get these themes across to the world and show how 1912 was like in society then was Priestley’s purpose in writing this play. Section One- The Dinner Party: The opening scene of the play is in the dining room of the Birling’s house in Brumley, an industrial city in the North Midlands. An evening in spring 1912. Mr. Birling, Mrs. Birling, Sheila, Gerald and Eric are sitting around the dinning table discussing about Gerald and Sheila’s engagement. This suggests that the kind of lifestyle they have is very grand and that they are a close family. When the inspector arrives it is made dramatic by Mr. Birling asking questions about him and what he’s doing here, â€Å"An Inspector? What kind of inspector?† (Act 1, P.7) When the inspector enters the room his presents creates an impression of largeness and toughness. He also speaks carefully, and looks hard at the person he addresses which gives an uneasy feeling. The inspector shows a photograph of a young lady to everyone but Eric and Gerald. This builds the tension up a great deal because we now know that the photograph has something to do with them, but we don’t know quite what. Section Two Arthur Birling At the dinner party, Arthur Birling talks about how the Titanic is unsinkable and that Britain won’t go to war with Germany. He also talks about his knighthood, â€Å"I gather there’s a very good chance of a knighthood†. (Act 1, P.6) This reveals he is a proud and negative character of the play. Mr. Birling sackedEva Smith because she was one of the ringleaders of a strike over their pay. He shows no guilt on sacking Eva, the audience will respond by thinking he is insensitive and only cares about making money for himself. Arthur thinks his position is a high, powerful one because he is very bossy and thinks he can take charge of everybody else. Section Three- Shelia Birling Shelia feels a lot of remorse for Eva Smith being sacked she says, â€Å"I think it was a mean thing to do. Perhaps that spoiled everything for her.† (Act 1, P.14) Meaning that if Mr. Birling hadn’t of sacked her then she would have not committed suicide. The audience should respond better to Sheila because she is more considerate and will think she is the nice character of the play. At the end of Act One Sheila and Gerald arguing builds up the tension by Gerald begging Shelia not to tell the inspector what he did and Shelia tells him and laughs, â€Å"You fool- he knows†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (Act 1, P.19) Meaning the inspector already knows what he did and keeps the audience in suspense making the audience wonder if he knows. More tension is added when she leaves the room and the door slowly opens and the inspector appears. Section Four- Gerald Croft When Gerald dumped Daisy by saying he is engaged to another woman and leaving her, the audience feels that it helped. The audience might think he treated Daisy badly because he went behind her back by saying he wasn’t seeing any other women. Section Five- Sybil Birling She is very concerned and apprehensive to people in poverty because she strongly thinks it is very wrong. The tension is built up at the end of Act Two by the inspector when he says he is waiting â€Å"to do my duty† (Act 2, P.35) and they are thinking what he is going to do. Eric enters and Mrs. Birling says, â€Å"Look inspector, you’re not trying to tell us that- that my boy- is mixed up in this-?† This makes us think that Eric might have something to do with this. Conclusion Yes I think that priestly is making a point and all the characters in the play are to blame. At the end of the play there is a phone call of a suicide. I think Priestly put it in to add a final suspension to the play. And it makes a very good cliff-hanger. Also to make us ask ourselves questions, and wonder what might happen next, so he’s leaving it to out imaginations. Questions like â€Å"Who was Inspector Goole? How did he know about the suicide?† Learn more about An Inspector Calls Research Papers on An Inspector Calls - Theatre EssayHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Fifth HorsemanTrailblazing by Eric AndersonInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsWhere Wild and West Meet

Answers for the question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Answers for the question - Assignment Example GSK wants a diverse portfolio, where it does not only focus on one specialty and product, but is open to different sources of research, services, and ideas. It also wants access to Sirtris’ unique entrepreneurial culture and distinctive scientific advantages. In other words, GSK wants to stay big but become nimbler by dividing its large bureaucracy into smaller scientific units. It has introduced several changes already to hasten its new product development process, but so far, its overall culture and design remain bureaucratic, at least for Sirtris which is a biotech firm and is used to less bureaucratic controls and processes. b) What challenges are facing the managers responsible for the integration process? That is, what must Slaoui be concerned about? Westphal is concerned that GSK’s bureaucratic design and culture is affecting Sirtris’ entrepreneurial culture and management system. In particular, his concerns are time management, people management, and othe r small, but important, issues (Weber 9). Time is essential to research work, but Westphal observed that GSK is eating most of his time through constant meetings with many people, who are not always critical to decision-making and other managerial processes. Westphal thinks that he should be doing more work, as well as his scientists, but the incessant meetings directly interfere with their research activities. Furthermore, people management is a key issue for Westphal. GSK has not provided him autonomy in making significant hiring, firing, and compensation decisions like he used to. Westphal wants to make these decisions that are crucial in keeping the entrepreneurial spirit of Sirtris. Finally, Westphal is concerned of small, but also important issues, such as media access, petty cash, and science publications. He wants some degree of autonomy on these issues because relying on GSK for these decisions only delays decision-making and can dampen the sense of control over these perti nent small tasks (Weber 9). Essentially, Westphal is wary that Sirtris is becoming more like GSK instead of the other way around. Slaoui generally has the same concern as Westphal, but more of macroeconomic in scope, because he wants an efficient and effective integration between Sirtris and GSK. Slaoui’s main concerns are employee retention, management integration, and DPU integration. He is concerned of employee retention, when scientists have different motivations, especially when biotech companies and big pharma companies attract different kinds of scientists. Biotech company employees are more focused on the science and tend to easily shift from one company to another as their interests change or if companies change, while big pharma scientists value stability and career progress (Weber 9). The right reward and management approach must appeal to these different motivations, but the right balance is tricky. Furthermore, Slaoui is unsure where to put Westphal and Dipp (Web er 9). He wants to retain them because of their valuable scientific and management capabilities, but he does not know if they are happy with

Optimal Educational Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Optimal Educational Environment - Assignment Example Under these constitutional rights, any student facing expulsion or removal from school would be entitled to a written notice. Where a student is facing long-term suspension, they would have right of hearing in which student may present their defense based on evidences. Although ABC School does not follow corporal punishment however any observation of such punishment violates Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment. For general search purposes, The Fourth Amendment right shall be followed by the administration on reporting of teacher. b) Optimal Learning Environment in Classroom 1. Guidelines for Teachers & Students The primary responsibility of acting as a role model for students in terms of civilized and disciplined conduct rests on teachers. Therefore, teachers of ABC School are expected to refrain from any action that can be categorized as malicious and uncivilized. These actions can further be divided under the categories of harassment including physical and mental abuse, intimidation, bullying, expression of hatred and sexual misconduct. Upon discovery of such actions by teachers, the matter will be dealt in accordance with policies of Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI, 2013). It is important to note that there are some researches that have criticized the regime of zero tolerance towards offenses committed by students (American Psychological Association, 2008). Therefore, punishments designed in this policy are provided to support positive enforcement and prevention from actions that can be considered as disciplinary breach. 2. Types of Violence ABC School’s administration strictly refrains from corporal punishment or any kind of physical abuse. In addition to that, any verbal instructions and reprimand is performed in isolation and not in front of other students. The purpose of doing so is to refrain from causing students to lose interest in attending school and causing damage to their self-esteem. Usual offenses may be divided into physical, sexual and emotional ones. Where physical violence can be dealt directly by teacher, any sexual violence will be addressed by the Office of Principal only. Where corporal punishment is not used in ABC School, in order to address issues of violence and breach of code of conduct by students, teachers may use demerits policy as a punishment. The actions that can be categorized as offensive are: a) Failure to follow teacher’s clear instructions’ b) Failure to follow guidelines provided in school orientation i.e. food and drinks in classroom, attire that can be labeled as sexually and racially offensive, actions that can cause damage to school property and endangers other students’ wellbeing including theft, c) Falsification of statement or cheating in exams d) Insubordination 3. Addressing Disciplinary Violations Depending on the severity of act, different demerits can be assigned by teachers including suspension of varying dur ations, loss of driving privileges, notifications/ warning letters issued and required to be signed by parents, community service or extra classes. In order to ensure that students are guided to operate in a disciplinary manner, a holistic approach will be followed which also includes involvement of parents (Osher, Bear, Sprague & Doyle, 2010).  

Money Supply Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Money Supply - Essay Example The second function arises from the previous one. Once two persons have their subjective values compared in the same equivalent they can settle the price of the initial 'something' they were talking about, or simply exchange it for the settled amount of the equivalent - therefore money can be a measure of exchange. Finally the third function, the storage of value can be explained as a way to keep value over time. For instance one person has 'something' that costs A. However in future, its value may change (e.g. furniture becomes antiques growing in value, or milk may turn sour losing value), and the person wants to fix it. He sells it to another person for A, and now despite all the changes that will occur with 'something', his acquired value is fixed. Of course, money was not always green papers with presidents, or coins from metal. In fact, there were so many forms of money that it is useless to talk about each one separately. It may time-saving, however, to classify all the forms into groups: barter, commodity money, fiat money, and credit money. Barter is considered to be the earliest form of exchange without any intermediary goods. For example, people simply settled the amount of cows they would like to exchange for a certain amount of pots, and exchanged the goods. It was inconvenient as someone who wanted your cows did not always have the pots you needed, and also it was difficult to determine the value of one cow: ten pots is too cheap and eleven is too expensive, but ten with a half is as much as ten. The next form was commodity money, which were tradable goods by themselves, but also an equivalent for everything else, like gold or silver coins. This form also had its drawbacks, such as unexpected inflation. For instance, in 16-17th centuries a lot of new deposits of gold and silver were discovered in new World, which led to terrible inflation in Europe: the purchasing power of gold and silver coins fell by 60-80% (Galbraith 1975). Such fluctuations were the main reason why most of the governments adopted new form of money. Fiat money is well known to us papers and coins, and also checks, e-money and other symbolic forms. Under this system symbols which are used as money, are not valuable by themselves. Therefore they can be easily restored if damaged without owner losing value. Another form, which is the youngest of all, is the credit money. These are not payable on demand, but rather present a claim that can be used for purchasing. The trick with credit money is that it is not current payment, but a promise of payment in future, which upholds additional risks for both sides of a deal. Thus, during the evolution of money forms following characteristics were developed for an ideal money form: durability, divisibility, homogeneity, and convenient for transportation and storage. Since money can be presented in such various forms, the question of calculating all the money available in one country, for instance, has become increasingly difficult. The notion of money supply is used to reflect different forms of money available within an economy. The narrowest measure of money supply is M0, which is the total of all physical currency (paper, coins), plus central bank accounts that can be exchanged for physical currency. In other words M0 shows how much cash with public are in the country. M1 includes M0 and the total of deposit balances without any

Cause And Effects Of Smog Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Cause And Effects Of Smog Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay Smog pollution is a major problem that this planet is suffering from everyday. It has affected our homes, weather, and health. It is a very dangerous situation for us if we do not do anything about it. Smog pollution is caused by chemicals, automobiles, factories and corporations. The greatest thing we can do as a society is try to find a way to help prevent and stop smog pollution. If the people on this planet do not do anything to stop smog pollution we are going to have a BIG problem and it will hurt us in the future. We need a plan and we need to put a stop to smog pollution. The American Lung Association (ALA) has been trying to find ways to help stop and prevent smog pollution from hurting us and the environment. If we can just do our part and find a way to prevent this problem from getting any bigger, it will benefit us all. We all have heard of smog pollution, but do we really know what it is. Smog pollution has many causes that can be hazardous and dangerous to our health and well being. The term smog pollution is also known as photochemical smog. It is formed by the interaction with sunlight with different types of chemicals in earths atmosphere (Oblack). The main component of smog pollution or photochemical pollution is ozone. Ozone is in the earths stratosphere, which the shields the earth from dangerous UV radiation from the sun. The problem with ozone is when it touches down on the earths surface it can be very dangerous and can cause serious health problems for people on the planet (Oblack). The ground level ozone is made by the emissions of automobiles that put nitrogen oxide into the air, which is caused by the vehicles exhaust fumes (Oblack). The organic components from the fumes combined with the ozone and fume evaporation that combines with sunlight, causes smog pollution on the planet (Oblack). Many people try to find ways to help avoid smog in a more planet friendly environment, so some people use substitutes for their everyday use. There is just one problem with that, and that is the sun. Many people dont understand that sunlight and warm climates cause pollution. For example, places like California, Florida, and Arizona and even North America are some of the most polluted places in the country (Oblack). Another problem that causes an increase in smog pollution is the increased usage of fossil fuels for industrial, heating, and of course transportation purposes (All that smog). Also, cutting down, burning trees, and disposing of agricultural and organic waste can also lead to emissions of smog pollution and harmful problems for the planet (All that Smog). Sunlight mixed with different types of dangerous chemicals (se condary pollution) also makes it difficult to stop smog pollution from occurring on the surface of the planet (All that Smog), which creates another big problem. Climate is a major factor for the cause of smog pollution. Many places in the world can try to be more environmental friendly to help save our planet. Some people ride bicycles instead of driving cars. Other people try to reduce their use of using fire to warm themselves. The only problem that these people cannot get away from is something that they cannot control, and that is the sun. California is ranked in the top 10 most polluted areas in the United States. Ozone pollution that is caused by the sun has a major affect on this planet. Smog and air pollution is having a serious impact on the environment and can condemn all ecosystems (seirraclub). The reason why the sun causes so many problems is because the ozone layer that is supposed to protect planet earth is practically destroyed. Without the protection, the sun is able to shine radiation onto the planet and is the main reason for many health issues that people go through every day. Issues like skin cancer, radiation poisoning, and sun burn are having fatal affects on people. This type of pollution not only harms humans, but it can also harm wild life and the environment. Smog can harm different plants, which can lead to damaging consequences. Because the plants are damaged, it makes it hard for plants to make and save food for themselves in their living environment (seirraclub). In addition, the sun and smog can destroy leaves and plants it would make many of the plants vulnerable to getting diseases. And, they cannot defend themselves from different types of bugs and insects that can cause a huge decrease in plant life (seirraclub). Smog pollution is a yearly problem for places like Texas, Georgia, Florida, and many other southern and sunny parts of the world, but there is also a big increase in smog pollution in the summer (seirraclub). This is caused by strong sunlight that burns the earths surface. However, the one thing that is helping smog pollution is all of the problems that are on this planet. A ll of the power plants, automobile emissions, industrial, and chemical vapors are other causes of pollution (seirraclub). Climate changes are part of the problem as well. Within the months of June, July, and August, it makes it harder to try and control the smog pollution, due to the sun. This planet has gone through billions of years of evolution. It survived dinosaurs, the ice age, and the black plague, but because of smog pollution this planet might not be able to survive this new attack. A major problem smog pollution is causing is health concerns for the public. Smog pollution is affecting human health because it is making it harder to breathe the smog induced air. Because of this and sun radiation, this is resulting in many fatalities, including skin and lung cancer. Peoples lungs and hearts can be dangerously affected by smog and air pollution (Oblack). Many people are still skeptical about smog pollution, but one thing that is known is long term exposure can result in dangerous and even fatal heath affects to people (Oblack). Some of the long term affects caused by exposure to smog pollution are problems breathing, coughing, wheezing, pneumonia, bronchitis, inflammation of the pulmonarys, lung cancer, heart problems, asthma like symptoms, pre mature aging of lungs, and last, but not least, death (Oblack). Smog pollution, even in small doses, can be very dangerous and harmful to all people. The American Lung Association estimated that 48 percent of people in the w orld live with very high levels of smog (seirraclub). Even though exposure to smog is dangerous, there are three types of people who can be severely damaged from smog, which include children, the elderly, and people with respiratory problems (seirraclub). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Air Quality Index which lets you check the air density and pollution level around your areas (seirraclub). Furthermore, The Department of Motor vehicles have been trying to develop a plan to reduce vehicle emission and try to improve on air quality for the planet and help save the planet (Malone). The DMV has also been trying to encourage the residents of the United States to help stop smog. They are trying to do their part by asking people to report anyone who has visible exhaust coming out of their automobiles (Malone). If we can all do our fair share and help support this plan we can be able to help stop smog pollution. In all, smog pollution is a major concern for our environment and this planet. If we do not find a way to try and stop smog pollution, we will have many more health problems. Fortunately, there are people who are trying to find ways to stop smog pollution. Many people who are trying to create plans that can help bring this planet back to a healthier state. In 1996, smoking vehicle program was passed that stated that anyone who sees smoking exhaust coming from cars, trucks, or any other motor vehicles were to voluntarily report it to the authorities as a way of preventing polluted air (Malone). It is also there to help educate people about smog pollution and what they can do to help stop it (Malone). The American Lung Association (ALA) also came up with certain help to bring attention to the issue of smog pollution. They advised people to pay more attention to the Air Quality Index (AQI) around their area. They tried to educate people about Ozone action days and how not to ignore them . Finally, ALA attempted to help people get familiar with how smog adversely affects their health (Oblack). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) takes it upon them to check evidence every five years to see whether or not the situation of smog pollution has changed for better or worse (seirraclub). It is very simple to stop smog pollution. We can all use our cars, trucks, and motorcycles, sparingly. We all must try to do our fair share and we must be able to bring awareness to how dangerous the sun can really be. We need to fight back against smog. If we do not do anything about it, this planet and everything on it will suffer. Group against Smog and Pollution (GASP) is a non-profit citizens group in Southwestern Pennsylvania working for a healthy, sustainable environment. GASP was founded in 1969, with a group of volunteers who were worried about air quality issues here in Pennsylvania. GASP has been a diligent watchdog, educator, litigator, and policy-maker on many environment al issues, with a focus on air quality in the Pittsburgh region. Their objective is to teach and enlighten the public about pollution and its remedies. Their Mission Statement is will act to obtain for the residents of Western Pennsylvania clean air, water, and land in order to create a healthy, sustainable environment and quality of life to which we are entitled (Groups against Smog and Pollution.) Obviously GASP is doing their part, but what are we doing as individuals to help?

Telecommuting and Human Resources Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Cou

Telecommuting and Human Resources Introduction On September 20, 1994, some 32,000 AT&T employees stayed home. They weren’t sick or on strike. They were telecommuting. Employees ranging from the CEO to phone operators were part of an experiment that involved 100,000 people. It’s purpose? To explore how far a vast organization could go in transforming the workplace by moving the work to the worker instead of the worker to work. Today AT&T is just one of many organizations pioneering the alternative workplace (AW-also known as telecommuting) – the combination of nontraditional work practices, settings, and locations that is beginning to supplement traditional offices (Apgar, 121). According to IDC/Link Resources, New York, approximately 8 million Americans currently telecommute. A survey conducted by Olsten Corp., Melville, N.Y., reports that 62 percent of North American companies encourage telecommuting (Riggs, 46). In addition, research shows about 50% of all employees either have a job that lends itself to telecommuting or want to get involved in telecommuting. Most researchers agree that telecommuting growth is fastest in companies employing more than 1,000 and in those with under 10 employees (Harler, 26). Current Situation Telecommuting came into existence out of necessity. First, increasing global competition has brought pressures and opportunities to businesses, consultants, and service vendors. As a result, the Yankee Group predicts that as many as 80 percent of all employers will have to adopt remote work in order to compete in world markets by mid-to late nineties (Manire, 51). Second, the Information Age necessitates that companies move faster and thus act and react to business conditions sooner. Third, telecommuting has been increasingly enforced at state and federal levels due to the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970, as amended in 1990. The CAA affects any firm with over 100 employees in areas with â€Å"severe ozone attainment levels†, which covers every good-sized city in the nation (Harler, 27). The Impact of the Internet on Telecommuting The Internet is widely becoming part of the plan when implementing and integrating telecommuting solutions. The Internet can add a powerful dimension to the management of both internal and external information functions and strengthen the organization’s human resource management informa... ...ivity remains an objective for management as we approach 2000. But we realize today that significant gains in productivity may not be achieved not through division of labor but by creating mechanisms for people to communicate more effectively and to manage information more efficiently. Bibliography: Apgar IV, Mahlon. (May/Jun 1998). â€Å"The alternative workplace: Changing where and how people work†, Harvard Business Review, pp-121-130. Berhard, Frank. (March 15, 1998). â€Å"Upside economics of telecommuting†, America’s Network, pp20-23. Harler, Curt. (March 15, 1998). â€Å"The good, the bad and the fattening†, America’s Network, pp26-28. Hein, Kenneth. (May 1997). â€Å"Virtually always at work†, Incentive, p9. Kuzmits, Frank and Santos, Brian. (Spring 1997). â€Å"The Internet: A key tool for today’s human resource professional†, S.A.M Advanced Management Journal, pp33-39. Manire, Ross W. (January 1997). â€Å"Remote access: The â€Å"drive to work† in the information age†, Telecommunications, pp50-55. Riggs, Lynn. (June 1997). â€Å"New approaches to management†, Credit Union Management, pp46-48. Thompson, Courtenay. (October 1998). â€Å"Telecommuting exposures†, The Internal Auditor, p67.

The Global Fast-Food Industry

Colonel Harland Sanders signed up his first franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952. In 1956 he sold the Corbin, Ky. restaurant he owned, and began traveling across the United States to sell new franchises. Later that year he sold his first international franchise in Canada. By 1960 there were more than 200 Colonel Sanders Recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets. In 1963 revenues were over $500 million and the number of outlets had increased to over 300. In 1974 at the age of 74, he sold the business to Jack Massey and John Brown for $2 million, one of the great bargains in business history. The Colonel stayed on with the company in a ceremonial role, often helping to open new franchises. Brown and Massey grew the business throughout the United States over the next several years and in 1966 took the company public, listing it on the New York Stock Exchange and the Colonel was allowed to purchase the first 100 shares. The year 1969 was a crucial one in the history of the company with the first major penetration into international markets outside North America by acquiring franchises in England and Japan. By 1971, there were more than 2400 franchises and 600 company-owned restaurants spread throughout the United States and 47 other countries. 1971 became another key year in company history with the sale of KFC to Heublein. This was Heublein†s first significant entry into the restaurant business and it did not go smoothly. By 1977 restaurant quality had declined and the Colonel was upset. Only about 20 new restaurants were being opened per year. In response, Heublein implemented a new strategy emphasizing clean restaurants, product consistency across franchises and better service. Old franchise buildings were remodeled. In 1982 R. J. Reynolds Inc. (RJR), in an attempt to diversify beyond the tobacco business, acquired Heublein for $1.2 billion. KFC was profitable and growing again, but Colonel Sanders never saw the end result of Heublein†s strategy in the late 1970†³s, because he died in 1980. RJR continued to run KFC as an autonomous business for several years. In 1985 it acquired Nabisco and in 1986, in preparation for the subsequent move to take RJR Nabisco private, it sold KFC to PepsiCo Inc. for $840 million, over the objections of former Heublein chairman, Stuart Watson. Also this year the Colonel Sanders Technical Center in Louisville, Kentucky was established. The acquisition by PepsiCo was a significant turning point in the company†s history. In previous acquisitions by Heublein and RJR, KFC had been operated as a separate entity, although in different ways. Heublein tried to use its own managers to operate KFC, while RJR adopted a completely hands off approach. PepsiCo was looking to the acquisition of KFC to create some synergy within its other operations. Recently restructured into three major divisions, soft drink, snack foods and restaurants, PepsiCo could cross-pollinate between divisions, for instance by selling its soft drinks in restaurants. PepsiCo†s culture was also much different than KFC. PepsiCo placed a strong emphasis on employee performance, while KFC†s culture was more laid-back in the southern tradition. In 1991 a change was made that was to have unintended consequences. Kentucky Fried Chicken decided to change their name to KFC for several reasons, according to the web site Snopes.com, A move to de-emphasize â€Å"chicken† because KFC planned to offer a varied menu that included other types of food. (The Boston Chicken corporation took the same approach for the same reason, changing their name of their retail food outlets to Boston Market.) A desire to eliminate the word â€Å"fried,† which has negative connotations to the increasingly health-conscious consumer market. A recent trend towards the abbreviation of long commercial titles, as demonstrated by other companies' employing shortened forms of their names, such as The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) and Howard Johnson's (HoJo). As a result of this name change, rumors later began circulating throughout the internet that the government had forced KFC to change its name because it was no longer using chickens. According to the rumor, KFC was producing a genetically altered chicken with more than the normal amount of appendages. In spite of the fact that some of these claims, such as chickens without beaks, feathers or feet, are beyond scientific capabilities, the rumors have persisted. Over the next several years, KFC continued to prosper and undergo changes. It refocused its strategy to increase the traffic in individual franchises by expanding the menu to appeal to a larger group of consumers. In 1993 the company added non-fried chicken to menus in the U.S. and Australia, and in 1994 KFC officially opened its 9,000th restaurant in the world, in Shanghai, China, and announced a $200 million investment over the next four years for 200 restaurants in 48 Chinese cities. 1995 saw the introduction of Colonel's Crispy Strips and Chunky Chicken Pot Pie. The first KFC restaurant in Moscow was opened. In 1996 KFC introduced Tender Roast chicken pieces and brought back one of the world's most recognized packages, the bucket, and in 1997 the company introduced Honey BBQ-flavored Tender Roast, Spicy Buffalo Crispy Strips and Chicken Twister, which are wrapped up chicken and vegetables. In spite of all these innovations and improvements, PepsiCo had become increasingly unhappy with the restaurant division. Aging facilities were requiring much of the parent company†s revenue to be spent on remodeling restaurants and thereby neglecting investment in the soft drink and snack food businesses. In an attempt to return to its roots, PepsiCo spun off the entire restaurant division into a publicly traded company, Tricon Global Restaurants in October 1997. In May 2002, with the acquisition of A&W and Long John Silver's, Tricon changed its name to Yum!. One of the main strategic issues presented in this case is the question of whether or not KFC should continue to expand globally and where. Since the early days of its inception, KFC has been involved outside the United States, having expanded to Canada in 1956 and then in a major move in 1969, to Japan and England. As of 2000, of the thirty-five largest fast-food chains, KFC was second only to McDonalds in the number countries penetrated. It is an arena where KFC has had enormous success and should continue to be involved. As of 2001 KFC had more than 500 outlets in China compared to only about 400 for McDonald†s. KFC beat McDonald†s to China by five years, opening their first outlet in Beijing in 1987. Market surveys in China by AC Nielson have indicated a preference for KFC over McDonald†s, both in terms of products and the outlets themselves. In addition, the Chinese have cultural bias in favor of chicken over beef. This is certainly an area where KFC should continue to exploit its advantage. Latin America is another global area where KFC has a strong presence. In the Central American, Caribbean and Mexican area, KFC is very competitive with McDonald†s and Burger King in terms of number of outlets. It has a particularly strong presence in Mexico and the Caribbean. Only in the Southern part of Latin America does KFC fall sharply behind McDonald†s. With the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) the environment has changed in Mexico. A helpful factor is that one of KFC†s major suppliers, Tyson Foods, has major chicken facilities in Mexico. The political environment has changed with the election of Vicente Fox. KFC†s already strong presence should be expanded aggressively. They should also use this base in Mexico as a means of investing capital to further expand the franchise base throughout South America, in order to negate a first-mover advantage by McDonald†s and Wendy†s. Franchise outlets require less capital than company-owned restaurants, and are thus a quicker way in which to expand. Anther strategic issue facing KFC is the decision to franchise or expand by company-owned restaurants and whether to refranchise. The original strategy of Colonel Sanders and his immediate successors was to franchise and not build company-owned restaurants. This allowed them to grow quicker than they would have if KFC had primarily invested in company-owned restaurants. This strategy continued until the purchase of KFC by PepsiCo. Because of a clash in corporate culture between KFC and PepsiCo, and the presence of a strong franchisee group within KFC, PepsiCo embarked on a strategy of repurchasing weaker franchises and running them. At the time of the spin-off of KFC and the restaurant division into Tricon Restaurant Group in 1994, the percentage of company-owned restaurants was about 40%. After the spin-off, Tricon management began to divest of many of the company-owned outlets. This was the result of a change in attitude on the part of Tricon management. They did not believe in absolute control of all aspects of the local business and were willing to admit that the franchisees knew the local business better than they did. By the year 2000, the number of company-owned outlets had dropped to 27%. As shown in the SWOT analysis below, there are a number of factors in the external environment that KFC should consider when formulating and implementing strategies. Some of the more important aspects are brand name awareness, global market expansion, shrinking resources available to outlets and attacks by activist groups such as PETA. On the positive side, the brand name awareness is a tremendous asset for KFC. The move in 1996 to bring back the bucket was one of the best decisions in its history. Likewise, global market expansion presents an enormous opportunity to KFC to grow. They should build on their existing international base and continue to grow franchises. On the negative side, KFC, along with other fast-food companies, is facing a shrinking of the available potential outlet locations. The proliferation of fast-food outlets in this country has absorbed many of the prime locations. This is another reason to justify continued overseas expansion, where many prime spots remain. Just as potential locations have dwindled, so too has the labor pool. In spite of increased unemployment since 2000, there is still a problem attracting workers in the eighteen to twenty-four year old range. An interesting aspect of the external environment that has negatively impacted KFC has been the virulent attacks on KFC by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other similar groups. A number of celebrities have joined the campaign against KFC, which is focused on trying to force them to change the process of defeathering chickens. KFC has consistently refused to meet with the animal rights group for years, but because of concerns of losing market share in the inner city, has recently attempted to mediate this dispute through the offices of hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Examining the list of top fifty U.S. fast-food restaurants for those sectors and companies that might be good investments we observe several companies that have a dominant position in their section. McDonald†s has a 35% market share among sandwich chains, Pizza Hut has a 44% share among pizza chains, KFC a 55% share among chicken chains, Golden Corral a 32% share among grill buffet chains and Dunkin† Donuts a 43% share among non-dinner concepts. Each of these companies would seem to be a good investment over the near term because of that dominant position in their sectors. In addition, financial data available for these companies confirm that the reason each is dominant in their sector is because they consistently produce above average financial returns. KFC continues to have a bright outlook for the future. It is well-positioned both domestically and international for continued growth. While it is unlikely ever to overtake McDonald†s, either in the domestic or overseas market, it is dominant in certain countries such as China and Mexico, and should be able to leverage this advantage to fend off other competitors, like Wendy†s and Burger King. Over the next five years look for KFC to have a strong number two position in the industry, particularly if it can address the problems with activist groups.

Free Essays on Imagery Of The Lion In Agamemnon

Imagery of the Lion in Agamemnon In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, symbolism is prominent throughout the play, and it is used to represent the feelings of the characters. The Greeks concentrated heavily on symbolism in their everyday life. Worshippers of many gods, the Greeks obviously felt the need to allow one thing to represent another. Their gods were symbols of things on earth that they did not understand; using these gods enabled them to make sense of certain things and/or feelings. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Aeschylus, an obvious product of his idealistic time, would incorporate this belief of symbols into his writing. Agamemnon is overloaded with symbolism; on of the most prominent is the animal imagery. Humans who cease to control themselves legitimately tend to be personified as animals. This statement is justly proven throughout Agamemnon through the use of several different animal symbolisms. One in particular is the lion. The lion can be seen as a powerful animal, as well as be noted for its slyness and deceitful tendencies. This â€Å"king of beasts† is known to be a bloodthirsty creature that is ruthless and threatening. Lions are also said to be protective, social beasts, and this seemingly contradictory trait is mirrored in some of the characters. In Agamemnon, Aeschylus makes known the similarities between many of the characters and this beast through their common lion-like qualities. In contrast to the play, another characteristic of the lion is that they will often abandon or leave their cubs to die of starvation for their own self-gain. This is ironic to the play because the character most referred to as a lion is Clytaemnestra, the mother. Her motivati on for killing her husband is because he has sacrificed the daughter. This is one paradoxical trait that is not shared between Clytaemnestra and the lion. To the contrary, Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter is in concordance with the behavi... Free Essays on Imagery Of The Lion In Agamemnon Free Essays on Imagery Of The Lion In Agamemnon Imagery of the Lion in Agamemnon In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, symbolism is prominent throughout the play, and it is used to represent the feelings of the characters. The Greeks concentrated heavily on symbolism in their everyday life. Worshippers of many gods, the Greeks obviously felt the need to allow one thing to represent another. Their gods were symbols of things on earth that they did not understand; using these gods enabled them to make sense of certain things and/or feelings. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Aeschylus, an obvious product of his idealistic time, would incorporate this belief of symbols into his writing. Agamemnon is overloaded with symbolism; on of the most prominent is the animal imagery. Humans who cease to control themselves legitimately tend to be personified as animals. This statement is justly proven throughout Agamemnon through the use of several different animal symbolisms. One in particular is the lion. The lion can be seen as a powerful animal, as well as be noted for its slyness and deceitful tendencies. This â€Å"king of beasts† is known to be a bloodthirsty creature that is ruthless and threatening. Lions are also said to be protective, social beasts, and this seemingly contradictory trait is mirrored in some of the characters. In Agamemnon, Aeschylus makes known the similarities between many of the characters and this beast through their common lion-like qualities. In contrast to the play, another characteristic of the lion is that they will often abandon or leave their cubs to die of starvation for their own self-gain. This is ironic to the play because the character most referred to as a lion is Clytaemnestra, the mother. Her motivati on for killing her husband is because he has sacrificed the daughter. This is one paradoxical trait that is not shared between Clytaemnestra and the lion. To the contrary, Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter is in concordance with the behavi...

Pasteurized Milk Essay Essay Example

Pasteurized Milk Essay Essay Example Pasteurized Milk Essay Essay Pasteurized Milk Essay Essay Millions and 1000000s of people drink cow’s milk every twenty-four hours. Milk has become an evident necessity in an copiousness of peoples’ lives. Many people use milk for breakfast such as on cereal. seting in their java or merely as a glass of milk with toast. At most food market shops. the picks are fat free. one per centum. two per centum. and whole milk. It is believed that milk as a beginning of Ca leads to strong castanetss. but this belief has its disparagers and has become controversial. Ads such as â€Å"Got Milk† have brainwashed us into believing that we â€Å"need† it. But most of the clip this cow’s milk is contaminated with growing endocrines and pesticides. In add-on. pasteurisation destroys about all the nutritionary value in cow’s milk. The disadvantages to imbibing cow’s milk far outweigh the advantages. Drinking milk causes increasing wellness jobs. and may even take to an over-intake of Ca which can be merely every bit debatable as non plenty. In the late nineteenth century. a turning figure of influential people throughout the state believed that American metropoliss had a milk job. Newspaper articles exposed the dismaying conditions in which cattles were fed slop. The state of affairs was known as â€Å"the milk problem† . ( Group III ) Named after Louis Pasteur. pasteurisation is a procedure that requires heating the milk to kill bacteriums and prevent spoilage. It was introduced for safety grounds. but because of the manner it depletes the milk. pasteurisation has led to many wellness jobs throughout the universe. Pasteurized milk is said to be much safer than natural milk and bring forth less wellness jobs. But how could it be when rBGH is injected into cattles doing them to bring forth between 10s and 20 per centum more milk? RBGH-treated animate beings have a 25 per centum greater opportunity of developing mastitis ( a potentially deathly redness of the bag ) . an 18 per centum greater opportunity of going infertile. and a 50 per centum greater opportunity of going square. ( Debating the Safety ) And if one thinks about it. it is upseting to believe we drink the milk that comes from those cattles. Prostate and chest malignant neoplastic diseases have been linked to ingestion of pasteurised milk. chiefly related to additions in a compound called insulin-like growing factors. Milk ingestion can besides lend to important sums of fat and cholesterin in our organic structures. ( Markoff ) Statisticss have besides shown that low milk consumption during childhood was associated with a higher opportunity of low bone denseness taking to osteoporosis. But statistics have besides shown that excessively high milk intake during childhood increased the opportunity of low bone denseness! ( Kalkworf 257-265 ) Along with bone denseness. adult females in the U. S. are the biggest consumers of milk in the universe. yet have the highest degrees of osteoporosis. ( Karpf ) Children grow up imbibing cow’s milk as portion of their mundane life non cognizing that it is harmful to them and their future wellness. Cow’s milk can impair a child’s ability to absorb Fe. Combined with the fact that milk has virtually no Fe of its ain. the consequence is an increased hazard of Fe lack. Children can besides hold reactions to milk proteins that show up as respiratory jobs and skin conditions. ( Markoff ) Cow’s milk proteins are a common cause of gripes. and now the American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that there is grounds that cow’s milk may good lend to childhood-onset diabetes. Equally good as diabetes. fleshiness has become a job in the United States. Consumption of pasteurized cow’s milk has contributed to this due to the high degree of concentrated fat in it. ( Kalkworf ) Osteoporosis can be caused by non adequate Ca. but besides by excessively much Ca. That is because one time bones become saturated with excessively much Ca the ability to absorb more is inhibited. As many kids grow they start demoing marks of osteoporosis and it is from unstable Ca degrees. Pasteurized cow’s milk is a really common nutrient beginning of Ca. But there are other nutrient beginnings than milk and dairy merchandises that provide Ca. Foods such as leafy green veggies. nuts. beans and seeds. fish and shellfish. and addendums all are a beginning of Ca. Calcium beginnings such as Spinacia oleracea. benne seeds and Prunus dulciss have even more Ca than milk. ( Jamerson ) Humans are the lone mammals that drink another animal’s milk. There are many other milk options such as soy. Prunus dulcis and coconut. One ground that cow’s milk is non every bit good as a bastioned option is that milk contains lactose doing it more acidic. Approximately 75 per centum of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. which means that they are unable to to the full digest dairy merchandises. Lactase is the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar. and most people stop bring forthing it around the age of 5. ( Calcium and Milk ) Another ground cow’s milk is non good is its nutritionary value. When cow’s milk is pasteurized it kills bacteriums but it besides destroys the healthful foods. increasing sugars and fats and transforming proteins into unnatural amino acids that are less than healthy. hence bring forthing less Ca. ( Mercola ) Ever since we were immature. we believed that milk was good for us and our parents ever told us. â€Å"Drink your milk. so you grow up to be strong and healthy. † It is true that Ca builds strong castanetss. but it doesn’t mean that the sum in cow’s milk needfully does. Due to pasteurisation. cow’s milk is said to hold less Ca. ( Mercola ) It is frequently argued that pasteurised cow’s milk is much safer than other milk due to the violent death of bacteriums and pesticides. Of class. many would see the benefits ; nevertheless. pasteurisation kills the good bacteriums and much of the foods to supply a healthful diet. ( Debating the Safety ) Opposing positions claim that cow’s milk helps cut down the hazard of osteoporosis. In fact. they go every bit far as claiming that it will wholly forestall osteoporosis and aid strengthen castanetss. On the other manus. statistics show that consumers of milk have a greater opportunity of osteoporosis. ( Karpf ) Cow ownership and the many resources cattles provide have been a portion of our history for centuries. Cow’s milk has been a pillar in the human diet. For most of this clip it was natural milk that was consumed. and it was non until the last hundred old ages that pasteurisation came into drama. By this clip. milk as a fundamental in our diet had been established. so doing it safer by killing harmful bacteriums seemed a great thought. However. imbibing pasteurised cow’s milk has led to a complex array of wellness jobs such as high cholesterin. diabetes. gripes. lactose intolerance. and osteoporosis. There is dissension over the sum of Ca really in cow’s milk. and whether or non ingestion of cows’ milk contributes to osteoporosis. Although doing milk safer to imbibe. pasteurisation is said to compromise the nutritionary value of milk. and hence alternate Ca beginnings should be considered. Cow’s milk genuinely does non supply the benefits that the â€Å"Got Milk† commercials would wish us to believe. â€Å"Calcium and Milk: What’s Best for Your Bones and Health? † Harvard School of Public Health. President and Fellows of Harvard College. n. d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. . â€Å"Debating the Safety of Milk from rBGH-Treated Cows ( sidebar ) . † Facts on File Issues and Controversies. Facts on File. 12 Feb. 1999. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. . Group III. Edward F. . Dr. â€Å"Pasteurized V. Natural Milk: Which One Is Healthier for You amp ; Your Family? † Global Healing Center: Natural Health and Organic Living. Global Healing Center. 28 Sept. 2009. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. . Jamerson. Ann. â€Å"Sources of Calcium Other Than Milk. † Livestrong. Demand Media. 8 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. . Kalkworf. Heidi J. . Jane C. Khoury. and Bruce P. Lanphear. â€Å"Milk consumption during childhood and adolescence. grownup bone denseness. and osteoporotic breaks in US adult females. † The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 77 ( 2003 ) : 257-65. Print. Karpf. Anne. â€Å"Dairy Monsters. † The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. 12 Dec. 2003. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. . Markoff. Steven C. â€Å"Is Drinking Milk Healthy for Humans. † ProCon. N. p. . 6 Aug. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2013. . Mercola. Joseph. Dr. â€Å"Why You Shouldn’t Drink Pasteurized Milk. † Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost. 3 June 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

British Telecommunications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

British Telecommunications - Assignment Example 2) BT's current focus on cost savings and retained earnings to fund operations has created heightened investor confidence and has made the company leaner, which will help it compete effectively in markets facing price pressures (Engebretson 2003). 3) As BT makes capital structure decisions going forward, it should adhere to the 'pecking order' philosophy of capital structure, which states that a firm's first choice for financing should be internal funding, followed by debt and then the issuance of equity (Liesz 2001). Like many firms throughout the world, BT became caught up in an acquisition frenzy during the late 1990s and at the turn of the century. In the process, BT relied on a capital structure that was very dependent on bank debt to finance its activities. Richard Fairchild points out that BT management consistently increased the company's level of debt from 1998-2001 and, in the process, investor confidence eroded (Fairchild 2003). Perhaps BT, as a former government monopoly, does not attract investors looking to assume a high level of risk. At any rate, investors took notice of BT's mounting debt and BT's stock price suffered. From 1998-2001, BT's debt increased from 4.8bn to 31bn, mostly from acquisition activities, particularly the licensing rights for 3G (third generation) in the United Kingdom and Germany (Fairchild 2003). Fairchild points out that, during this period, BT's stock price decreased by approximately 65%, eventually leading the company to use a rights issue in 2002, to decrease its debt to 18.4bn (Fairchild 2003). It is hard to blame BT management for increasing the company's bank debt during this period, as this path was followed by several other European telecommunications companies. BT competitors France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and KPN all have sold or spun-off divisions in the past five years to protect their credit ratings after acquiring high levels of debt (Asset sales to provide new challenge for telco 2006). Analysts described the problem faced by telecommunications providers as a "damned if they do, and damned if they don't" scenario (Asset sales to provide new challenge for telco 2006). In BT's situation, the market clearly was nervous about management's decision to base its capital structure around bank debt. Fairchild points out that when BT increased its level of debt to 31bn, Standard and Poors downgraded BT's credit rating from AA+ to A, which is a reduction of four levels (Fairchild 2003). One could argue that the market was ignoring the various positive aspects of debt in a company's capital structure. As Fairchild indicates, capital

CS346-1501A-01 User Interface Design Phase 2 Individual Project Coursework

CS346-1501A-01 User Interface Design Phase 2 Individual Project - Coursework Example All these attraction sites are located miles away from each other, hence the need for a tour agent to help travelers move around the city with ease. Given that the tourists are usually new to this environment, there is a need to develop a tour guide agent to help them move around the city with ease. The many categories of areas that each person visiting this attraction site need to access are also distance away and in various locations. Some of the area that the user should consider visiting area: Entertainment area, tourist attraction sites, sand beach zones, hotels and direction, boarding rooms and direction, refiling station locations (Todd Simcock). A tourist mostly will be new to his or her environment. In such cases it is possible to get confused and visit sites that he/she never intended to visit. To avoid this, this application provides functionality that assists users make decisions before visiting some of these tourist zones. To achieve this, the application will be required to provide the different capabilities of a tourist guide. The user interface of this application in multimedia in nature. Users will have to interact with graphics, text, voice, and touch screen. This environment can be availed through computer screen not less than 480x600. The screen is optimized to accept these form of inputs. The kiosk should also provide keyboard, microphone and text display capabilities. This will help users maximize their interaction with the system. The system shall provide good graphics within the user interface that can be used by any person in his/her daily work. Maps and guided displayed will be of high quality, making sure correct delivery of services to the clients. The application is to be used both for kiosk units and mobile devices. The application shall be able to support screen not devices with small to high resolution (780x1024). The screen

COmpare and Contrast Human RIghts Instruments in groups Essay

COmpare and Contrast Human RIghts Instruments in groups - Essay Example People across the globe can be categorized into different groups according to their needs. In order to uphold the rights of different recognizable groups, there are different instruments that are used. Thus, according to the United Nations (2006, p.3), the following human rights instruments are used to protect the rights of different groups: â€Å"Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966, Article 9 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (ICERD), 1965, Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 1979, Article 19 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), 1984, Article 44 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 1989 and Article 73 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, (ICMW), 1990.â₠¬  In every nation, there are different political groups and they represent diverse views and interests. However, there is a tendency by dominant political groups to suppress other groups with diverse ideological view but this should not be the case since any person according to the United Nations has a right to join a political group of desire. In this regard, it can be seen that Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966 is the instrument used to protect the rights of people belonging to different political groups. Similarly, it can be seen that people across the whole globe belong to different races and it can be seen that they have a right to equal protection under international law. The instrument that can be applied is Article 9 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (ICERD), 1965. In the same vein, it can be observed

English as the official language of the U.S. Essay Example for Free

English as the official language of the U.S. Essay The English language has already been established as the official language in 28 States; this would beg the question, what made these States pass such an Act, especially since the Courts already designated such a law as being unconstitutional and infringing upon the First Amendment speech rights (Feder, 12). This question will be addressed throughout the paper, which will first consider the legal proceedings that have occurred thus far for this ‘Official English’ movement. The finding of this paper is self-evident in that the objections to this movement have been rendered invalid, largely due to a lack of irrefutable arguments as the paper will demonstrate. The numerous advantages that will be highlighted will argue for, and show, the benefit to the nation – to both the majority as well as the minorities – of making English the official language of the U. S. U. S. Legislature As of the publishing of the CRS Report in 2007, 28 states in the United States have declared English as the official language in their state constitutions. On the flip side, the U. S. Constitution has enacted several laws such as the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act in an effort to protect the language rights of the country’s minorities. These Acts authorize, amongst others, the use of voting materials in states and political subdivisions, with instructions in two languages at the same time, as well the use of languages other than English, when deemed essential, to provide effective and efficient public and private services. The U. S. Congress initiated its effort towards the Official English movement in 1984 with ‘The English Language Amendment’ that was proposed for the Constitution, and it culminated when ‘The Language in Government Act’ passed the House in 1996, but failed to do so in the Senate. Amendments to ‘The Language in Government Act’ were later introduced, with the Inhofe Amendment passing in the 109th Congress which affirmed English as the ‘national language’, and later as the unifying language of the U. S. ; at the same time, ensuring the rights of minorities (Feder, 4). Consequent to Amendments that were later introduced, the passage of such Legislature would now largely be a symbolic one with negligible or zero actual effect on the inhabitants of the country, with regards to the legal aspects. This is largely because â€Å"†¦ an affirmation by the Congress of the central place of English in our national life and culture †¦ would not, of its own force, require or prohibit any particular action or policy by the government or private persons. Nor would it, without more, imply the repeal or modification of existing federal or state laws and regulations sanctioning the use of non-English for various purposes,† as stated in Feder, 4-5. Benefits The basic principle upon which the proponents of this movement rest their reason for making English the official language of the United States is that it serves to create a bond of unity. While this bond can be used in order to address any issues through more effective communication between the relevant parties, it also does not rob anyone of their heritage. As stated by Adams, 111, â€Å"All languages and cultures are precious in our history and are to be preserved and maintained. These are not, however, public responsibilities. † Parsimonious equity is another, much touted reason for the movement. Where equity states that all judicial hearings should allow a defendant the right to be heard in the language (s)he is most conversant and comfortable with so as to permit the population to be served by the government. Parsimonious equity, on the other hand, maintains that in order to ensure that the government is not bogged down under administrative costs of ensuring an interpreter for each individual need, an official language must be recognized that will ensure that all legal and government related proceedings be dealt with in English. Such a system remains equitable, as well as, limits the costs associated with such activities (Fishman, 59). With regards to the ‘language-rights’ argument it must be noted that while protecting the rights of minorities in of itself is a sufficiently altruistic and, in the case of the U. S. , required task of the government, it must be ensured that the majority not be discriminated against either. Such a paradox would result in the formation of extreme political parties that would effectively shut out the minorities, due to their large, and united, numbers. In light of this argument, the proponents stress that by officiating the role of the English speaking majority in the United States the government will preclude the establishment of such highly biased and extreme parties, and maintain the unity and equity of the nation. Therefore, while it may be historically justified for minorities to seek redress for past acts of subjugation, as usually happens with minorities, and oppose the majority, it would be more I keeping with the â€Å"interest of [the] linguistic minorities to seek a balance,† as stated by Joseph, 62. To an extent it seems understandable that the minorities might feel as if they are being presented with a raw deal, but when the minorities themselves start supporting the cause for making English the official language this argument against the movement is rendered void, and is in fact turned into another reason for supporting the movement. Such a case was witnessed in Alabama, where the black-majority counties voted for the movement by a significant margin (Tatalovich, 244). Learning from Canada Looking at the northern neighbor of the United States, proponents of the movement have found several examples that corroborate their stand of maintaining a single official language for the country. The numerous political conflicts that Canada has faced over its bilingual official languages status have merely served to show how not to operate in one’s own country, in addition to clearly distinguishing the effect of considering the language issue as irrelevant and trivial. As stated by Ricento, 37, â€Å"the disconcerting strength gathered by separatism in Canada contains a lesson for the United States and its approach to bilingual education. † In trying to placate a larger amount of people by using its dual official language system, Canada has only shown to its more powerful neighbor how it is sometimes in the interest of the minorities to ignore their protests and support the decision of the majority. By catering to the Quebec speaking individuals in their country Canada has given them the right to lose out on greater economic benefits as shown by the research conducted by Li, 135-136: the effect of the use of an official language is signified by the â€Å"†¦$911 [male earnings] above the mean even after controlling for other variables,† and similarly, in the U. S. (Zavodny, 449). Conclusion The English language is the language of the majority as far as the U. S is concerned. There has been a movement towards making it the official language of the country in addition to it being so in over half the States already. However, this movement has subsequently led to the minorities crying foul over the perceived loss of their rights and the perceived inequitable behavior that they expect. The proponents of this movement, on the other hand, cite the greater cause of national unity, as well as that of parsimonious equity to vie with the concern of future lost income of minorities. It is the duty of the Government to now realize the potential benefits that will result in letting Acts based on making English the official Language through Congress. Especially since the greatest objection of minority language rights and perceived subjugation by the majority has been proven to be baseless in light of the Alabama vote. The remaining minorities should seek to overcome their emotional attachment to their original heritage, and understand that this movement will not necessarily threaten their roots; instead, it will result in greater opportunities for them through a more equitable treatment at court and business. Beyond these realizations, the government should initiate a budget towards facilitating the teaching of English to immigrants who cannot afford to learn it through their own devices. This is in light of the view that current instructions for the English language, in the United States, are inadequate to prepare them for their future life in the country (Citrin, 108). With Canada serving as an example of the effects of having more than one official language, the United States can ensure that it does not fall into the same trap by creating the equivalent Spanish-speaking enclaves in their country. Economically, politically, and culturally, having only English as the official language will help deal with a lot of problems along these facets of life that will prove to, over time, strengthen the role of equality in the society – a value that is immensely appreciated in the current era, especially in these neck of the woods. Eventually this movement will succeed, because it not only enjoys widespread support from the majority and a few minorities of the U. S. , but it has also managed to secure enough political support behind it to make it a key bill: one that is presented to the Congress in almost every sitting since the mid-1890’s. Works Cited Adams, K. L. Brink, D. T. Perspectives on Official English: The Campaign for English as the Official Language of the USA. Walter de Gruyter. Fishman, J. A. The Rise and Fall of the Ethnic Revival: Perspectives on Language and Ethnicity. Walter de Gruyter. (1985). Joseph, J. E. Language and Politics. Edinburgh University Press. (2006). Ricento, T. Burnaby, B. Language and Politics in the United States and Canada. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (1998). Tatalovich, R. Nativism Reborn? : The Official English Language Movement and the American States. University Press of Kentucky. (1995). Citrin, J. â€Å"Language politics and American identity. † Public Interest. (1990): p96-109. Feder, J. â€Å"English as the Official Language of the United States: Legal Background and Analysis of Legislation in the 110th Congress. † CRS Report for Congress. (January 25, 2007): pp18. Li, P. S. â€Å"The Economics of Minority Language Identity. † Canadian Ethnic Studies. (2001):