Thursday, October 31, 2019

Week2 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week2 - Term Paper Example When brand attachment occurs, the consumer will often participate in brand communities, such as discussing the merits and benefits of the company and its products in social media. This is free word-of-mouth advertising that is highly valuable to a business brand. When a business includes social responsibility and ethical behavior as part of its strategic plan, trust in the company’s integrity is developed. According to Riegelsberger et al. (2005, p.383), trust is built on â€Å"reliability and predictability† of an organization. As one example, a company that contributes a small margin of their profit toward urban development can use press releases and promotional advertisements to illustrate their sponsorship or investment support in building a better local infrastructure. When consumers witness that the business believes in improving the human condition and lifestyle, trust in their brand, product and leadership is developed especially when these activities happen recurrently. Thus, having an ethical focus and a belief in social responsibility can assist in developing promotional strategies, charity as competitive advantage, and better consumer relationship development. One example of a company that overstepped ethical boundaries is Pulte Homes, a major national home and commercial builder with a significant profit margin. In 2006, the former president of Pulte Homes, Steve Seymoure, determined it would be a positive strategic decision to develop a variety of first-class, luxury vacation getaways in Mexico. Pulte Homes conducted considerable ethical and responsible preliminary research and legal negotiations to ensure that a disputed area of land cleared all ownership and construction laws for development of high-class condominiums for American tourists. However, well into the construction phase, a variety of expired commercial leases on the existing property where Pulte was building were

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Critique One Empirical Article Relating to Adult Education

Critique One Empirical Relating to Adult Education - Article Example Winn et al. (2006) wanted to test if two reading strategies applied to children and adolescents can also be used to improve the reading fluency of adult learners. Fluent reading is a skill in rapid and accurate reading (p.196). The researchers recognized the gap in adult education research in the context of fluent reading and believed that K-12 research can help provide teaching tools, when research on adult education strategies and practices is lacking. They hypothesized that it is important to enhance reading fluency, because this can also increase the preference for reading (p.197). They stated that non-fluent readers are less motivated, have less cognitive resource management success, and have weaker reading reinforcement; thus, it is critical to enhance reading fluency, so that comprehension skill and probability of reading among adults can also be improved (p.197). The study used three reading strategies: 1) controlled, 2) repeated reading (RR) and 3) listening while reading (LWR). The research design was an experimental design with a comparison made between pre and post-results. Their sampling included twelve (12) participants, who studied literacy skills in an adult education center. The dependent variables were words read correctly per minute and errors per minute (EPM). Researchers collected the baseline data for reading fluency using the 1996 Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). Findings showed that RR and LWR conditions showed higher scores in WCPM than the control condition. Errors per minute were lower in RR condition than control and LWR conditions. Furthermore, WCPM scores were higher when RR and LWR conditions were used. There were also no differences in words correct per minute using the LWR and RR conditions. Within subject comparisons of WCPM across LWR, RR, and control conditions showed greater reading fluency under LWR and RR conditions. Hence, RR and LWR both enhanced reading fluency more than the control condition. 3. Implications for Education The information in this article can be used by educators to improve adult education, because it underlines the importance of testing successful teaching strategies in the adult sector, using children or adolescent educational theories and research, it provided practical measures for improving reading fluency among adult learners, and it demonstrated the need for greater research on adult education literacy skills. First, this study showed that successful adult teaching strategies can be based on children or adolescent educational theories and research, although with some modifications. For instance, the topics of the reading materials were based on the interests of the adults, since this can improve the probability of reading. Second, the study gave practical tools and strategies for enhancing reading fluency among adult learners. RR and LWR conditions already h ave step-by-step procedures that can be easily applied to adult learning settings. These steps were also simple and feasibly applied for resource-stricken and time-limited adult education programs and centers. Third, the study recognized the gap in adult education research, such as lack of reading strategy studies for adult students. This points the direction for future studies, which include identification and evaluation of existing reading fluency

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Time To Rethink The Portfolio

Time To Rethink The Portfolio Church Dwight Co. Inc. is a 160 years old company that has been working to build a market share on a brand name that is rarely associated with its name, Arm Hammer (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-1). The companys growth strategy was finding new ways to incorporate sodium bicarbonate in the lives of the consumer. The company shifted management thinking, as more emphasis has been placed on bottom-line profitability growth. Because of the acquisition of 80 different consumer brands since 2004, Church Dwight dealt with explosive growth that is producing challenges such as the companys small size and the ability to compete for market share with its giant competitors both domestic and international market (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-1 35-2). 2. Summary statement of the recommended solution: Church Dwight, a relatively small company, recognized the challenges of growing sales through acquisitions that it made to promote growth and competitiveness within those markets. They needed to grow the expansion of product lines into a variety of personal care, deodorizing and cleaning, and laundry products as well as specialty chemicals, animal nutrition, and specialty cleaners (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-6). Church Dwight expanded into international markets and gained footholds in product markets through acquisition of manufacturing assets. Penetrating international markets and removing barriers such as transportation cost will gain a competitive edge against the giant players in the market (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-11). B. THE SITUATION After 160 years, Church Dwight is a giant in the household domestic product market with a brand name recognition more commonly associated with Arm Hammer products. ARM HAMMER baking soda became a fundamental item on the pantry shelf because of its several uses other than baking, it can be used as a dentifrice, chemical agent to absorb or neutralize odors and acidity, a kidney dialysis element, a blast media, an environmentally friendly cleaning agent, a swimming pool pH stabilizer, and a pollution control agent (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). The companys brand portfolio included over 80 popular brands and competes for market share with other giants including Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Proctor Gamble, which have combined sales of over $100 billion (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-1). The company expanded over the past decade into other household product lines through acquisitions of consumer brands such as Mentadent, Pepsodent, Aim, Close-up, Trojan, Spinbrush, Oragel and Ox iclean. It achieved 85% of the sodium bicarbonate market share (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-6). Expansion in the domestic markets proved successful because of the management recognized the value of a major asset, the companys pristine balance sheet and made the decision to grow (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-5). Growth in the foreign markets proved more challenging than domestic markets as net sales in 2009 were only $393 million compared to domestic net sales of $1.8 billion (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-5). Finally, the company has achieved some success in foreign markets as 19% of revenue has been received through international market sales; primarily in consumer products (Case Author: Cook, R. A., p.35-1 35-12, 2012). A challenge against leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers is eminent. It is also experiencing head on collision with giant competitors such as Procter Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive. In spite of challenges Church Dwight transformed into much larger competito r not only across a broader range of products but also in geographic territory (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-6). Because of this, the company in order to maintain its continuous growth in both domestic and international arena needs to have the best strategy at their side. (Cook, pp, 35-1 35-12). II. ANALYSIS A. ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION Management The management of Church Dwight Co. Inc. was lead by Dwight C. Milton, a direct descendant of Austin Church, as CEO from 1969 to 1995. He remained on the board as Chairman Emeritus as he turned over the responsibility to the first non-family member to Robert A. Davies III. Again In 2004 the responsibility was transferred to another non-family member, James R. Craige, who remained focused on building a portfolio of strong brands with sustainable competitive advantage (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). The steadiness of the companys leadership can be primarily attributed to the fact that 25 percent of outstanding common stock is owned by descendants of the companys original cofounders, a tradition that continues today (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). This focused leadership style has enabled Church Dwight to overcome potential leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers with a series of calculated actions and savvy business decisions. These actions allowed the board of dir ectors and management to amend the companys charter and allowing shareholders four (4) votes per share after they hold their stock for four years. In addition to staggering the directors tenure, the company initiated employee severance agreements with key officials, providing a severance package agreement to provide a safety net should any of the board member positions be terminated by a hostile takeover or leveraged buy-out by an unwanted suitor. By providing these lucrative packages for senior managers, many were able to stay with Church Dwight and allowed for continuity of leadership styles, vision and mission focus. It is because of this steadfast devotion to principles that have promoted steady growth over the years that we find Church Dwight identified previously as a Star but more recently labeled a Cash Cow using the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Growth Share Matrix (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 221-222). However, as the company focuses more on international markets and ente rs other potential avenues of growing product lines, it will surely find itself back in the Stars range of the BCG Growth-Share Matrix. Operations 10 years ago, the Church Dwight Co. Inc. was a largely household domestic product company with an average annual sale of less than a billion dollars but because of major acquisitions, today it is has transformed into a company that has a capability of earning over 2.5 billion in annual sales. Church Dwight have come to the realization that they have major challenges to overcome if they are to compete with other giants in the industry and continue to thrive. Church Dwight also recognize they must remain vigilant to quickly and adequately deal with Porters Five Forces: Bargaining power of suppliers; Threat of new entrants; Threat of substitute products or services; bargaining power of buyers (customers); and Rivalry among existing firms (competitors) (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 110-113). When considering the force, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, the force rating could be considered MEDIUM as management must be constantly aware of any potential market shocks or trends. If an affiliate retailer is affected by unforeseen supply chain issues, like increased fuel prices, then those costs throughout the company may be affected to remain competitive. In addition, Church Dwight are well aware of the economic situations that may affect their trade customers who may reduce distribution of products in which sales may decline, or adversely affect the financial performance of the company (Craigie, 2010, p. 11). There was never historically a Threat of New Entrants into the sodium bicarbonate market prior to 1970. However, as the company developed new product offerings and other established consumer brands, they now face the same competition threats of mature and domestic and international markets for consumer products (Wheelen Hunger, p 35-7, 2012). In addition, this threat of new entrants has emerged over the past decades and may now be rated High on the Porters Force Rating Scale. In fact, the looming economic crisis may cause many trade customers to more c ritically analyze the threat of new entrants as HIGH as competition drives less efficient operators out of the market as new competitors are always trying to enter the market by under-selling products directly competing with Church Dwight. Of course, the Threat of substitute products or services is always considered HIGH as well because brand recognition is very important in todays mass-media marketing. The value of trademarks, copyrights, or brand recognition can be severely impacted if inferior or substitute products/services from an affiliate or emerging competitor are advertised or sold to consumers looking for products with reputations of value and durability. Of course, a substitute item may also find its way into the market where consumers might choose it as a suitable replacement, but at a much cheaper cost to them. This would definitely be a problem for any company. (Wheelen Hunger, p. 221-222, 2012). Bargaining power of buyers (customers) is generally a MEDIUM concern as consumer satisfaction is evaluated in a variety of ways. Otherwise, dissatisfaction can drive prices up or down based on demand (or the lack of). Quality is also a hallmark of Church Dwight and the perception by consumers of any potential lowering of standards to decrease prices will typically drive loyal customers away. And finally, Rivalry among existing firms (competitors) is HIGH as competitors try to achieve greater market shares to grow potential profit shares. To reduce industry competition, Church Dwight also have a very solid core of specialty products (Wheelen Hunger, p 35-9, 2012). Fortunately, Church Dwight has in an enviable position to profit from its dominant niche in the sodium bicarbonate products market since it controlled the primary raw material used in its production (Wheelen Hunger, p 35-9, 2012). Marketing The Church Dwight Co. Inc. sales are concentrated in United States and Canada where funnel it through mass merchandisers such as Wal-Mart, supermarkets, wholesale clubs and drugstores (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-7). Marketing strategy has been fairly simplistic in that its focus has primarily been on the sodium bicarbonate product lines for over a century, but since acquiring over 80 additional brands and the expansion into other product markets the brand recognition has become even more important than ever. As a result, marketing expenses for 2009 were $353.6 million, an increase of $59.5 million or 20% as compared to 2008 (Craigie, 2010, p. 29). Church Dwight catered to all demographics which allowed them to develop more and more organic products and services with large scale agreements to serve them. Unfortunately, attempts to enter international markets have met with limited success, probably for two reasons: (1) lack of name recognition and (2) transportation cos ts (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-11). Church Dwight decided to take their marketing tasks in house by having designed a campaign on one of their product that would shake people up particularly those who think that using condoms is not for them by airing commercials on prime-time television. This shock strategy increased its marketing strength and enabled the partnership with Quidel Corporation, a provider of point-of-care diagnostic test, to meet womens health and wellness needs (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-9). Product marketing is essential to reinforce brand name recognition so consumers never forget the value and quality of a companys name and its product lines. Finance Being the worlds largest producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate-based products, Church Dwight Co. Inc was able to maintain a steady growth in both sales and earnings. For the past 30 years, the average company sales have increased by 10-15% annually (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). The companys domestic markets have proven successful because of the companys pristine balance sheet (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-5). in 2009, Church Dwights performance worldwide has achieved an increase in sales of 4 percent; organic sales increased 5 percent, gross profit margin increased 44 percent while global marketing expenses only increased 20 percent; and the Net Cash Flow grew to a record level of $401 million even more significant to investors is the report of earnings per share grew 23% and dividends on investments increased by 35 percent (Craigie, 2010, p. 1). ). In contrast to the growing profits and expenses, the company also jettisoned noncore assets for the first time, i ncluding five domestic and international consumer product brands acquired during the 2008 Del Laboratories transaction (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-5). The long-term business model is based on annual organic growth of 3-4%, gross marginal expansion, tight management of overhead cost and operating margin improvement of 60-70 basis points resulting in sustained earning growth of 10-12% excluding acquisition. They have added a $1 billion in sales for the past 5 years while reducing the total head count by 5% (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). the CEO remains focused on building a portfolio of strong brands with sustainable competitive advantages and the long-term objective is to maintain the companys track record of delivering outstanding TSR (Total Shareholder Return) relative to that of the SP 500 (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). Administration (Human Resources) The Companys leadership at the top has remained a stable hallmark of the company. The Boards of directors are structures into three classes with four directors in each class serving staggered period of three year term (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). the former CEO, Mr. James R. Cragie, stated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[W]e have added $1 billion in sales in the past five years, a 72% increase, while reducing out total headcount by 5%, resulting in higher revenue per employee than all of our major competitors (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). Because of its continuous exposure to would-be suitors the company has entered into an employee severance agreement with key officials. It provides pay up to two times the individuals highest salary and bonus plus benefits for two years. As the company widens its coverage into the consumer products in early 2000s, the changes in its key personnel was noticeable by injected a pool of executives with wide range of experien ce in marketing and international background from known organizations such as Spalding Sports Worldwide, Johnsons Johnsons, FMC and Carter-Wallace (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-3). Technological advancements allow for increased productivity in various aspects of manufacturing and labor allowing for greater productivity without the added expense of additional manpower. The following is the companys published Ethical Standards: The reputation and integrity of Church Dwight Co., Inc. are valuable corporate assets, vital to the Companys success. Each Company employee, including each of the Companys officers and general managers and each Company director, is responsible for conducting the Companys business in a manner that demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of integrity. Specifically, we encourage among Company personnel a culture of honesty, accountability and mutual respect. Additionally, we provide guidance to help Company personnel recognize and deal with ethical i ssues. Finally, we have provided mechanisms for Company personnel to report unethical conduct. Dishonest or unethical conduct or conduct that is illegal will constitute a violation of these Standards and are grounds for disciplinary action (Church Dwight Co. Inc, 2010). SWOT STRENGTHS The Church Dwight Corporation has several strengths, the company controlled the primary raw materials used in its production of Sodium Bicarbonate through its companys mines in southwest Wyoming, production was completed in company owned plants located in Green River, Wyoming and Old Fort, Ohio and they manufactured almost two-thirds of the sodium bicarbonate sold in United States (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-9). The sodium bicarbonate product line has proven itself for over 160 years with uses in baking, cleaning, and deodorizing, and as an added ingredient for things like drain openers and neutralizing agents. WEAKNESSES A potential weakness within the company is the overextension of branding into many other product lines. Until 1970, it produced and sold only two consumer products: ARM HAMMER Baking Soda and a laundry product marketed under the name Super Washing Soda. The company enjoyed success domestically, but in the international arena where growth was more products driven and less marking sensitive, the company was less experienced (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-6 35-7). Other weaknesses are the lack of name recognition from consumers, the capability in entering the international market due to being hindered by the cost of transporting the product, and the cost is four times of its domestic transportation cost. Opportunities There is a wide range of opportunities for Church Dwight Co. Inc. when it come to their sodium bicarbonate products as it continues to explore new use. Church Dwight gained recognition when it was utilized successfully for the delicate task stripping the paint and tar from the interior of Statue of Liberty without damaging the fragile copper skin (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-10). Future expansion in acquisitions and assets may prove more advantageous as potential consumer products become even more attractive to increase the profitability as the manufacturing base is expanded around the globe. THREATS The primary threat to Church Dwight is competition. Competitors have an even greater market share and larger marketing campaigns to remain leaders in their respective niche. There are also threats of buy-outs or hostile takeovers of Church Dwight but because of the company entering into an employee severance agreement with key officials (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-3)it has kept this issue away from them. 7.) Products or services Church Dwight consists of several acquisitions that cater to almost 95% of all US Households. These products are based on differences in the nature of their uses and organized into three reportable segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International and Specialty Products (SPD) (Craigie, 2010, p. 2). The company currently produces 80 different product lines, in which (8) major brands make up a total of 80 percent of its business (Craigie, 2010, p. 1), including: ARM HAMMER, Trojan, Oxiclean, Spinbrush, First Response, Nair, Orajel, and Xtra Leading Deep Value Laundry Detergent (Craigie, 2010, p. 1). Church Dwight has a discreet marketing team focused solely on new product development which leads cross-functional efforts. In partnership withà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦RD colleagues, uses both internal and external resources to identify, design and market new productsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦accounted for over $400 million, or over 15 percent in total sales, in 2009 (Church Dwi ght Co. Inc, 2010). The products ranges from dentifrice, chemical agent to absorb or neutralize odors and acidity, a kidney dialysis element, a blast media, an environmentally friendly cleaning agent, a swimming pool pH stabilizer, and pollution control agent (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-2). The company is also focused on goals to develop differentiated products with new and distinctive features, increased convenience and value, and engaging outside contractors for research and development activities (Church Dwight Co. Inc, 2010). B. PROBLEM DEFINITION The problem presented in this case study was that Church Dwight needed to rationalize its expanded consumer products, while presenting a consistent operating profit and increasing market shares of the household product industry. Potential marketing problems arose when companys own products were placed along with its well-known brand name and confused consumers. The companys corporate objectives were: (1) to maintain a steady growth by staying focus on long term goals; (2) to provide best result to shareholders; (3) to continue seeking new uses of its core products (4) to maintain and keep cost under control; (5) to enter the international market and continually seeking for opportunity for growth. In order for Church Dwight to retain its position, it must continue to provide outstanding customer service, excellence in product quality, invest in cutting edge technology, and develop new uses for its primary product line. every market has its saturation point where products matures after reaching its peak because of this point the company must be ready to adapt to a continuous cycle of change. Church Dwight enjoy a considerably large loyal customer base, competing with Proctor Gamble and other industry giants and to get customers to switch competitors is no easy task. The company should explore ways of improving the life of the consumers while maintaining and protecting the environment, new products and competitors will always emerge and there are limitless opportunities for growth in international market. III. SYNTHESIS ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS Brand recognition for ARM HAMMER brand products has already been established within the domestic markets of the United States, but international markets continue to be a challenge due to cultural differences in market populations, marketing strategies, and language barriers that require new brand names to be more suitable for local languages/cultures. Church Dwight have been very effective in using its acquisitions to generate greater revenue but with the high cost of transporting its finished goods internationally, intense competition, and higher commodities costs it might be financially sound to entering into an agreement with an established international company. Another alternative could be to develop joint-business ventures with suppliers, manufacturers, distributers, and retailers. The benefit to this option would be to streamline production and sales and allow the ease of marketing products and services to its affiliates and partners. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION The best solution for this company is to be able to retain the best products while satisfying competitive pressures. The following recommendation and solution of reducing expenditures and continuing the company policy of continued growth through new product development and market expansion with hopes of reducing costs. The continuous seeking of new use sodium bicarbonate will still be very effective for this company in years to come that is why the focus on this should never be lost for Expanding into new markets with major competitors jockeying for shelf space and retailers seeking to rationalize their breadth of product offerings, more changes may be considered (Wheelen Hunger, 2012, pp. 35-12). Church Dwight should develop new product lines both in domestic markets and globally as those markets are offering a much bigger area to be explored. In conclusion the ultimate goal of achieving huge revenue while maintaining cost of operation as low as pos sible has been always part of Church and Dwight Co. Inc. For them to reach where they are now in spite of unpopular name is truly a testimony of greatness that a company can achieve. This company, backed with 160 years of marketing and production experience will have a much clear brighter path of success as long as they continue to focus on their long term goals.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Ancient greek art :: essays research papers

Art of ancient Greece My report is on ancient Greek art mainly sculptures and vase art I will also be writing about a day in the life of a Greek artist. Artists in ancient Greece varied from designing coins, mosaics, gem engravings, architecture, pottery and sculptures. I’m also going to talk about what tools the sculptors used and the various methods used to make pottery and vases. The second part of my report will be about a day in the life of a Greek artist for example how they were treated were they considered middle class, upper class or were they looked down upon also what were their daily tasks, how did they would start their day and end it. The main reason I picked this topic is because art is a very important key to learning about a cultures history and beliefs. Greek art has influenced many other countries especially Rome most of their art and art from the Italian renaissance were copies of original Greek works of art. Sculpture Sculpture is one of the most important parts of Greek art since it is almost the only art form that has survived in some quantity. The ancient Greeks were especially known for their sculpture because their sculptures were extremely life like and beautiful. It was important to the ancient Greeks to combine passion and reason in their sculpture. Greek sculptures were mostly of the human form since they looked at their gods as having a human form. All of the sculptures were nudes of males because society looked down upon female nudity until latter on in time when you started to see sculptures such as the Venus di Milo, which was modeled after Aphrodite (Wikpedia the free encyclopedia. Wikpedia.11 Nov 2004. 12 Nov 2004 http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Greek_art ). One of the most amazing sculptures is the colossus sculpture of Zeus in Olympia it was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Ancient writers said that it stood 12.40 meters high, 6.65 meters long and 9.76 meters deep the b ody of Zeus was made of ivory followed by a robe made of gold topped with a silver olive wreath and his throne was decorated with mythological scenes painted by Panainos and Kolotis the statue itself was created by Phidos. Michael Lahanas. 25 Dec 2002. 11 Nov 2004 (http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/ZeusStatue.htm). Another great sculpture is the colossus Athena Parthenos. This sculpture just like the colossus statue of Zeus was made of gold and ivory and had various mythological engravings in her shield, helmet and pedestal.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

English composition Task

Since my teenage I wanted to become a computer engineer and work for multinational organization which not only pays well but also will have the opportunity to travel abroad. I am from a middle class Indian family where bearing the costs of studying from an English medium school is hard and yet my parents helped me study in English medium school. I studied English medium during all my schooling which helped me develop my literacy skills. I started learning computers since my 10th grade..This was the time of mid 1995 when the computer classes were first introduced in my school in India and I was one f the member of the first batches that was offered the basics of computer and little bit of programming. This was the beginning and I was getting interested to learn more about computers. We also had to take up a exam at the end of the course to prove our competency in the subject though it was not part of the 10th grade board exam. I scored 83 out of 100 which gave me confidence that I can succeed in this field of study.From there on during my 1 lth and 12th grade I took computer science as my specialization and also completed Bachelor's Degree in computer science. After y graduation it was time to look for my dream Job but consulting with friends, family and seniors in college I realized that the degree that I earned is not Just enough to get my dream Job and due to my interest in Hardware and Networking I immediately Joined specialization course in computer hardware and networking which is a rigorous training for one year in a private institute to equip myself with the right skills and be competent to face the Job interviews.While pursuing the course, I got a Job from a small local computer hardware firm which I only worked for couple of days and quit as I was not able to continue the course. Immediately after completing specialization in computer hardware and networking I started looking for my dream job. I initially started attending Job interviews of non multina tional organizations to understand the interview process and also to know my weaknesses so that I could improve myself.The interview process usually includes four rounds, first round is the written test which comprises of aptitude test, English grammar, computer hardware and computer networking, second round is a group discussion or communication round where a topic will be given and we will need to effectively discuss about the opic with proper tone and confidence, third round is a technical round where I will have to face an interview with computer hardware expert and final round will be with human resources personnel who will talk about the Joining process and company policies and procedures if selected for the Job.After attending a few interviews for different organizations and not able to succeed through the interviews, I worked on my weakness and was able to finally obtain a Job in a multinational intormation technology organization Hewlett Packard in India as a Technical Supp ort Engineer with the help of my literacy skills and technical competency. It was August 11 2003, 9 pm when all the interview process was completed and confirmed that I got through the interview and secured a Job. That was the proudest and happiest moment in my life which was so sweet.My family also was so proud of me about my achievement. As I started working for Hewlett Packard I never looked back. I had to go through training process for another couple of months on Hewlett Packard products and also soft skills on how to talk to customers on phone. My Job included communicating with the United States customers of Hewlett Packard and help them fix any issues with the Hewlett Packard products. With the skills I obtained academically and professionally I was able to succeed in the Job which helped not only me to grow but also my family.After 2 years to further improve my literacy skills I pursued Master's Degree in computer applications from a distance education university in India w hile I was working. This further enhanced my competency and helped me secure a much better position at work. Thus my literacy skills helped me get my dream Job in a multinational organization which not only helped me grow personally and professionally but also my family grow economically. This is a dream come true.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Consumer Behavior Toward Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo Introduction: Dry shampoo is a spray that can be used to â€Å"clean† and freshen up the hair when it’s not possible to actually wash it. Dry shampoo works by stripping out all the excess oil–along with leftover sweat and general nastiness–that the hair is producing because you’re not washing it. Dry shampoo can revitalize greasy, limp hair if you don't have time to wash it As research suggests that washing hair too frequently can be really, really bad for it–especially using commercial shampoos and conditioners, often loaded with harsh, unpronounceable shit–and strips away the hair’s natural oils.Beauty experts recommend washing your hair less frequently to keep it healthy. Dry shampoo can be used in between washes if you’re trying to lengthen the life of your blow-out, for example, when you’re dashing to the office without time for a shower, or even in situations when water isn’t readily availa ble. It can extend that time between washing a few extra days, but keep you from looking like a greasy, drug-addled mess.It also helps to refresh any blow-dry for long lasting hairstyles and promise to offer â€Å"instant root lift, texture and body to hairs. It gives the hair a soft, warm and freshly-washed look. Though it is based on corn starch and oatmeal, it’s less chalky and contains volatizing agents that make it as much a styling product as a shortcut. Dry shampoo will only help to absorb excess oil and it won’t necessarily clean out the dirt and grime from a long day’s work, though it might mask it with a pretty scent.Good enough for your lunch break after a quick trip to the gym. Usage: * You can apply dry shampoo directly to your roots by spraying it over the portion of the hair working it through with a comb. * After applying dry shampoo, thoroughly run hands through hair until it has completely dissolved. After applying the product to the top of he ad, flip head upside down and massage some into scalp at the roots. If you scrunch up your roots before flipping your head upright, you’ll also get some added volume.Target market: It constitutes young females professionals or students who do not have much time to wash their hairs on daily bases and are much conscious to set their hairs in a better way. As our country is facing electric power crisis and we don’t even have proper natural gas facility especially in winters so the dry shampoo is the instant solution to the problem of time constraint of washing hairs regularly to avoid greasy, stinky and rough hairs.Demographics: name| gender| age| income| geography| profession| Social class| religion| lifestyle| namra| female| 21| 8000| Defence,Lahore pakistan| Teacher assistant and student| Upper-middle| Islam| Outgoing and social| beenish| female| 19| 5000| Cantt, Lahore pakistan| student| Upper-middle| Islam| Daring and social| asma| female| 24| 30,000| Model town, lah ore| Internee in nestle| upper| Islam| Trendy and try new things. raheema| female| 20| 3000| Cantt, lahore| student| middle| Islam| conventional| ayesha| female| 22| 5000| Askari X, Lahore| student| Upper-middle| Islam| social| ramsha| female| 20| 15000| Defence, lahore| student| Upper-middle| Islam| outgoing| shayan| female| 21| 6000| Johar town, lahore| student| Upper-middle| islam| trendy| Response and feedbacks regarding the new product (focus group): 1. What comes top of your mind while you buy a shampoo? Which attributes you prefer and the results associated with them? * it should suit our hair structure and should not over dry the scalp. It should give a moisturizing effect. * Moreover, the price should be reasonable and makes hairs more shiny and softer. 2. Does the price of the shampoo effects the quality of the product? * If the brand have a good position in the market and have a strong word of mouth developed regarding the product so they will surely pay whatever the pric e is. 3. How often you use shampoo? * Most of them wash hairs on regular basis which over dries the scalp and leads to hair breakage whereas if they do not wash regularly, it leaves the hairs greasier. 4. What comes in your mind when you hear about dry shampoo? It is unhygienic because they don’t feel satisfied of cleaning hairs without washing them with water. * It leaves whitish texture over the hairs * Don’t feel comfortable because washing hairs is a traditional way as it gives a feeling that we have took a bath to clean our hairs properly. * They are open for new products none of them said that they wouldn’t use it 5. Do you think that time is a major factor behind it as it saves times to wash hairs? * They agreed over the fact that it takes time to wash hairs. Sometimes it’s difficult to take shower and wash hairs due to emergency or time constraints. Furthermore, it should leave the same texture of hair when blow-dried or straightened to save time. 6. Sensation: * It should have good and convenient packaging that they can easily carry in their bags and size at the same time bottle should be attractive not very colorful but not too dull as well. 7. Exposure: * Word of mouth plays an important role in enhancing the exposure of dry shampoo. Individuals will share their experiences from the product and tell others regarding their experience that will induce attention of the consumer. 8. Memory: Target market will retain the concept of dry shampoo through common memories of events occurred. Every girl experiences times when she is unable to maintain herself because she has projects the next day or going through menstrual cycles or have a load of work. Lastly, we will relate their past memories and experiences in our advertisements. 9. Learning: * Instrumental learning suggests that through negatively reinforce the consumer, they will learn new concept in terms of dry shampoo. However, the product will be associated with negative f orces that will modify the behavior.For instance, if a girl does not have time to wash her hair and without rinsing them it would make them look greasy and smelly that would ultimately make other people away from her because of smell and untidy look. She won’t be appreciated or praised among her peers, friends and family members and loses her self confidence. 10. What would motivate you to buy a dry shampoo? * if the fragrance is good than that would be a big plus for the product because our hair normally don’t smell that good when we use hair sprays and since its being launched for the first time people have mixed views about it.So if the product promises to have good fragrance as well as freshness they would want to go for it. * Another thing is that pricing should be reasonably high. it shouldn’t be over the top because although the people understand that it can’t match their existing shampoo prices it should not exceed too much otherwise it might act as a demotivator and despite having the desired need people may decide that it’s not worth it but still some said that price should be high otherwise we would not totally trust the quality of the shampooMoreover, the dry shampoo contains natural ingredients that helps to clean dirt, grease and smell from hairs without damaging your hairs and maintains the natural oil leaving your hairs soft and shiny whereas the regular shampoo contains harsh chemicals that damages your hairs and eliminates natural oil. Problem/ values: The major constraint faced by the target market while conducting focus group regarding dry shampoo was that they denied over the concept of washing hairs without water as values and culture in Pakistan depicts the regular cleaning f hairs and body with water so all of them agreed on the cultural significance of taking bath regularly which condemns the purpose of dry shampoo that cleans hairs without water. However, it is a convenient solution to clean hairs wh en the time is running out especially on occasional basis. They would prefer regular shampoo over dry shampoo but keep it as alternative when they have short of time.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Two of a Kind essays

Two of a Kind essays Within the past few decades, the world has experienced an incredible boom in technology, leading to such things as space travel, the internet, and wireless phones among others. The field of medicine has been no exception. With vaccines that have almost completely wiped out tuberculosis and smallpox, there is no doubt that the field of medicine has experienced some incredible advances. However, one such advance seems to have more harmful effects than beneficial ones: cloning. Four years ago, the world was introduced to Dolly the sheep, the first successfully cloned animal. With this achievement, scientists have no doubt begun to look at the benefits of cloning humans. Organ donors shall no longer be needed, and any experimental drugs can be tested on a clone rather than animals. However, the benefits of this are a double-edged sword. While creating as many organs as needed will help increase the human life expectancy, it will also help to disrupt the balance of an already overpopulated planet. While it may sound heartless to deny someone a genetically engineered organ, one must look at the whole picture. In using genetically engineered organs to save lives, scientists are helping to decrease the death rate, and in turn increasing the population of this planet and the depletion of the worlds limited natural resources. Likewise, the military has also undoubtedly been studying the benefits of cloning humans. Whichever country has the ability to clone has the potential for a completely indispensable army of any number of clones. However, this brings about the issue of morality. By creating clones that are nothing more than indispensable killing machines, we degrade this fantastic gift from God. With such an army, what is to stop any country with the ability to clone from invading any countries that they want? With absolutely nothing to lose, this a very likely scenario that any government would chanc ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Buying Essay

Buying Essay Buying Essay Buying Essay: Do Not Hesitate A lot of times no matter how hard you try you simply can not get something done or are constantly displeased with the results of your work. This also concerns the students, when they face the necessity of writing an essay and meeting all the requirements. Writing an essay requires good writing skills, and if you are not sure of yourself it is all right. Some people have good writing skills, others are good at speaking, and some people are good at economics, finance, and literature. You can easily find people who are skilled at writing. Everyone has his own advantages and talents. So, if you fall in the category of those, whose writing skills are not perfect, there is a solution of your problem buying essayfrom the custom writing service. You should not write an essay no matter how just to write it. And you should not let your grades fall only because of luck of needed skills, it is not fare. Successfully completing an essay, by the way, is not a sign that you know the subject. So, do not hesitate and use buying papers online. Buying Essay: Advantages If you buy your essay you can be absolutely sure to get your paper before your deadline. The format will be the one you need. So buying essay will save you from the important but boring and hard work, as writing several drafts and making researches. When you buy your essay or paper, you get excellent piece of writing. Plagiarism free report. Professional companies can honestly guarantee you, that the essay you will get is original, written especially for you. Also, it is properly edited and structured and follows citation and referencing guidelines. To buy an essay is as simple, as adding two and two: Buying Essay: Simple Steps Visit order page of the company you have chosen. Point the topic of your essay, state number of pages you need, the style you have to write in, also mention the peculiar details, which were provided to you. Leave your contact information. Choose the method of payment. Provide the information about your preferred payment method. Get your essay. When you get the paper, check it carefully to be sure that you are absolutely satisfied with it. Buying Essay: Writing Help If you do not want to spend your valuable time providing researches and brainstorming for ideas, work with us and you will get all the advantages of getting professional, excellent work. Popular posts: Reconstruction Term Paper Need Help Writing a Paper MLA Style Term Paper Islamic Religion Term Paper High School Term Paper

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Analysis On The Man To Send Rain Clouds

Reply from Rain Cloud Reader This is a very interesting story. Three parts of the story broke the story at three different times of the day. These characters are very cold, when he discovered that the old Theophilus died, he showed some emotions. This story aroused our interest, but that does not lead to a clear path and there is no real climax. This story needs to be read many times in order to be truly appreciated. Helen Johnson Analyzed paper sent by a man Yuyun essay author writer ethics paper ethics paper alarm banarasi explanatory article hometown first quarter analysis paper gossip comrades essay bmat 2016 thesis wife and her wife iyer analytic paper killing mimicry bird prejudice killing research paper writing Cheap gas comparative analysis paper my own biffle johnson savings essay on editorial articles excellent payment teacher research paper why people move papers cage animal thesis cats thesis the truth and lies bbc dangerous research papers on household chemicals , Resear ch papers on psychology on dreams, essays on environmental degradation leading to ceremonial research papers, and the consequences of boys in dealing with rationalism and empiricism, this article talks about an unprecedented frontline analysis thesis of the West A common core application essay article about my own articles article chinmon enfan jussi kukkola The thesis paper The alchemist Theme paper Population explosion paper Marathi pictures de laborem exercens paper Why the abolition of the pamphlet of the death penalty sentence 2 sonnet 2 Analysis thesis explanation article Important person quotation, Nicholas  · Goonie Illustration article Wafudato college entrance paper Children Labor papers 100 words University workload thesis patriotic thesis 2 military anniversary military leaders near anniversary Google research papers 500 words Macbeth Paper Image pdf Invoice Education Jay Papers Your Papers at a Future College 300 Workload Papers Philosophy Papers Just one person sends a paper on rain clouds George Shigler thesis sem break paper writer dbsv Research papers Diabetes Article medeniyaet Analyzing articles to light your corner in essay pop culture and social paper interview Explanatory paper discussing articles on cyber bully cpt code 58571 descriptive paper vuw New Zealand

Friday, October 18, 2019

Cast study- Iron Deficiency Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cast study- Iron Deficiency Anemia - Essay Example Mrs. A hemoglobin and hematocrit levels fall below those of a healthy person. Her reticulocyte levels, erythrocyte count and RBC smear are also short of those of a healthy person. In addition to the below healthy values, the low blood pressure, increased temperatures, elevated respiratory rates and heart beat rate noted by the physician points to low oxygen levels in the cells. The low oxygen levels emerge from poor oxygen supply. Based on the cases and values represented, it is convenient for doctors to diagnose the type of anemia such as megaloblastic, pernicious, aplastic and iron deficiency anemia. Mrs. A values shows that she has iron-deficiency anemia. For 10-12 years, Mrs. A has dealt with menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea. Menorrhagia is the excessive losses of blood during the menstrual period while dysmenorrheal refer to the painful cramps that accompany the blood loss. Quite a number of women with bleeding disorders experience the two gynecological complications. Since it has been a long time that Mrs. A has experienced the blood loss, there is develops a high likely hood of developing iron deficiency anemia. Essentially, medical evidence points out that frequent menorrhagia and poor management of blood loss during the menstrual cycle increases the chances of getting iron-deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia in adults, especially women, comes from blood loss (Meselson, 2013). The fact that Mrs. A ingests 1000 milligrams of aspirin after every 3 or 4 hours for six days during her menses increases the chances of further blood loss. Additionally, the ingestion of Aspirin to reduce the stiffness in her joints while playing golf i s dangerous to her well-being. Aspirin is non-steroidal in nature and it can trigger gastrointestinal bleeding. According to Burke and Deakin (1998) adolescent females that engage in endurance training bear higher risks of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Medical studies also identify

Factory Gate pricing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Factory Gate pricing - Essay Example either directly to the stores or to his retail ware houses. The retail got the finished goods at reduced prices than before. Prior to the implementation of the FGP the supplier used to incur the transportation costs and the retailers the inventory costs at the warehouses. The factory gate pricing give the option to reduce the investment cost on maintaining the inventory for the distribution centre at times as the retailer will have he option to transport the goods directly to the shops. The retailer has the option of making the entire supply chain operations under one roof. FGP brings the control of primary transportation from the factory to distribution centers and inventory into one hand which likely leads to generate cost savings operations. In addition FGP offers two other sources for savings. Firstly, retailers generally have a vast product range for which they can make the transportation-inventory trade-off at one point of time. The orders from different suppliers that are located close to each other may be synchronized in time, such that they can be combined in the same vehicle route. Secondly, under FGP, primary and secondary distribution can be integrated and can be handled by one single entity. The supply chain initiative can be improved by optimizing the usage of space by the retailer by using the same vehicle to deliver the goods to the shop and to the distribution centre on one single trip.Significance of factory gate pricing The significance of FGP is that it removes traditional geographic transport boundaries where an assigned logistics provider controls all vehicle movement within a particular region for a... The significance of FGP is that it removes traditional geographic transport boundaries where an assigned logistics provider controls all vehicle movement within a particular region for a retailer. Better vehicle utilization as suppliers shares vehicles in order to reduce costs by sharing the space with the vehicles. Removal of uneconomical vehicle movements through combining additional products from different sources to ensure every lorry is full when it sets out on its delivery route. Benefits of implementing factory gate pricing. The benefits of factory gate pricing are Effective Transportation as the retailer is involved with the supplier and the time for transportation reduces to a considerable extent. Effective transportation may lead to Improved Availability of the goods in the stores and sustainable stock can be maintained in the shops. The decrease in transport costs leads to reduced prices on the finished goods. Environmentally it will be a positive aspect as the vehicles wi ll fully carry the goods of different supplier thus reducing the repeat trips to the same route thus reducing the vehicular traffic which results in reduced air pollution. Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment â€Å"CPFR is the sharing of forecasts and related business information among business partners in the supply chain to enable automatic product replenishment†. CPFR is designed to link the supply and demand processes allowing for a more consumer driven supply chain. CPFR aims to seamlessly link the industry from manufacturer to consumer.

Project management week 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project management week 7 - Essay Example There is need for dedication of all the stakeholders in the company so that these opportunities can benefit the company. As a company we believed in order to grasp these opportunities there is the need to commit the resources that will be used to venture into them. It believed resources can do marvelous things in making sure that these opportunities and goals of the business are achieved easily. Also, adequate resources will mean that the company will have a competitive advantage as compared to the rivals (Cavusgil, 2009). Furthermore, a market opportunity will present itself service or product in the company meets the newly identified need or of a market with a new or enhanced solution better than the competition. While assessing and identifying the opportunity, the managers and the executive should analyze real as well as perceived value of the opportunity, the competitive environment, risks and returns of the possible opportunity, creation and length of opportunity. This opportunity assessment will answer the many questions that include the potential market the company will venture in order to reap the fruits of this opportunity (Zisa, 2011). The opportunity in this case is the new video markets in China. The video industry in China has been growing in the past two no video company has entered this lucrative markets. Therefore, this implies this is the right time the company should enter this market bearing in market that China will present the company with other opportunities. Furthermore, venturing into China market with our video products is a suitable market. First, China presents a promising economy in the world that will boost the video business. The China’s environment will boost our business global competitiveness and sell more products. The country has extensive infrastructure that will promote the growth of the business towards attaining its goals. Furthermore, China has friendly investment policies to foreign firms. These policies

Thursday, October 17, 2019

4 journal questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

4 journal questions - Essay Example When children go to school they acquire civic development. The school also plays the role of emotional development to the children. The school plays the role of cognitive, vocational and social development to the children. In the recent, the role of school has been changing as the parents take their children to school at early age. Parents take their children to school at early age in for the purpose of being taken care. Parents who go to work decide to take their children to school instead of employing house help to take care of them. School also plays the role of career development as children are told to study hard in order to get a good job (Clark 71). Economic, gender, culture and learning style factors helps the students to succeed in different ways while at school. Economics helps students to develop management skills. Economics enables students to understand how they can manage their fund and budget their income in future. Gender helps the student to develop social skill. Gender interaction makes the students to be more social and know how to interact with people despite their gender. Culture helps the students to develop interaction skills and socialization. Students learn different culture and how to interact with people from different cultural back ground and ethnic groups. Learning styles helps the student to be critical thinkers. Through the use is different learning styles, students become critical thinkers (Clark 64). Parents expect their children to learn new concepts and ideas in school. Parents expect the students to be in the hands of effective and committed staff who can not expose the children to drugs, harassment and bullying. Students also expect their children to learn democratic values of multicultural and also the society culture. Parents also expect their children to develop social competencies in school. Parents are left home believing that children learn positive things and not negative things like alcoholism and

Analyzing Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Popular Culture - Essay Example Although this trend was not suitable for occasions in the past, it has been taken up by stylish people and stars all over the world and has become trendy and â€Å"chic† in the year 2014 ("Farewell to Faux Fashion." 23). Unlike the thoughts of many, the thesis of this paper is that ripped jeans can look good in many different forms and different styles of dressing. The ripped jeans can be dressed up or down, in different styles as either short or long, or even oversize or skinny, but still maintain its goodness in the different styles. A great challenge comes in trying to maintain the comfort while at the same time aiming at portraying an effortlessly pulled together distressed jeans ("Fashion Trends; Ripped Jeans." n.d.). Ripped jeans are a style of denim jeans that features tears and ripped parts which may include the knees, thigh, elbow and many others. Some think of ripped jeans as a sign of overuse. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, glam metal artists and rock and roll punk artists had begun to appear on stage wearing ripped jeans, in an attempt to create a casual punk statement. A good example is the American Poison band for glam metal music back in the 1980s were known for their ripped jeans fashion. After that, the popularity of the ripped jeans began to increase until it attracted designers and teenage fans. In the past couple of years, we began to find ripped jeans in almost all the designer brands and stores. Those who wear ripped jeans were no longer considered shabby. They are instead considered chic and stylish. Even celebrities such as, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Kendall Jenner who are popular musicians seem to love them, and wear them on a regular basis especially during stage performance s. Various controversies have existed about this kind of fashion. Some people have usually had a thought that ripped jeans has no place in the fashion. The

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Project management week 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project management week 7 - Essay Example There is need for dedication of all the stakeholders in the company so that these opportunities can benefit the company. As a company we believed in order to grasp these opportunities there is the need to commit the resources that will be used to venture into them. It believed resources can do marvelous things in making sure that these opportunities and goals of the business are achieved easily. Also, adequate resources will mean that the company will have a competitive advantage as compared to the rivals (Cavusgil, 2009). Furthermore, a market opportunity will present itself service or product in the company meets the newly identified need or of a market with a new or enhanced solution better than the competition. While assessing and identifying the opportunity, the managers and the executive should analyze real as well as perceived value of the opportunity, the competitive environment, risks and returns of the possible opportunity, creation and length of opportunity. This opportunity assessment will answer the many questions that include the potential market the company will venture in order to reap the fruits of this opportunity (Zisa, 2011). The opportunity in this case is the new video markets in China. The video industry in China has been growing in the past two no video company has entered this lucrative markets. Therefore, this implies this is the right time the company should enter this market bearing in market that China will present the company with other opportunities. Furthermore, venturing into China market with our video products is a suitable market. First, China presents a promising economy in the world that will boost the video business. The China’s environment will boost our business global competitiveness and sell more products. The country has extensive infrastructure that will promote the growth of the business towards attaining its goals. Furthermore, China has friendly investment policies to foreign firms. These policies

Analyzing Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Popular Culture - Essay Example Although this trend was not suitable for occasions in the past, it has been taken up by stylish people and stars all over the world and has become trendy and â€Å"chic† in the year 2014 ("Farewell to Faux Fashion." 23). Unlike the thoughts of many, the thesis of this paper is that ripped jeans can look good in many different forms and different styles of dressing. The ripped jeans can be dressed up or down, in different styles as either short or long, or even oversize or skinny, but still maintain its goodness in the different styles. A great challenge comes in trying to maintain the comfort while at the same time aiming at portraying an effortlessly pulled together distressed jeans ("Fashion Trends; Ripped Jeans." n.d.). Ripped jeans are a style of denim jeans that features tears and ripped parts which may include the knees, thigh, elbow and many others. Some think of ripped jeans as a sign of overuse. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, glam metal artists and rock and roll punk artists had begun to appear on stage wearing ripped jeans, in an attempt to create a casual punk statement. A good example is the American Poison band for glam metal music back in the 1980s were known for their ripped jeans fashion. After that, the popularity of the ripped jeans began to increase until it attracted designers and teenage fans. In the past couple of years, we began to find ripped jeans in almost all the designer brands and stores. Those who wear ripped jeans were no longer considered shabby. They are instead considered chic and stylish. Even celebrities such as, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Kendall Jenner who are popular musicians seem to love them, and wear them on a regular basis especially during stage performance s. Various controversies have existed about this kind of fashion. Some people have usually had a thought that ripped jeans has no place in the fashion. The

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Legalized gambling Essay Example for Free

Legalized gambling Essay The Economic Impacts of Legalized Gambling Introduction The effect of gambling on the standard of living will be pronounced if the gambling activity is regressive, meaning that the rate of participation (as a percentage of income) declines as people earn higher incomes. In other words, if most gamblers are poor, then gambling is more likely to affect the standard of living among the poor. One study showed many forms of gambling to be regressive. Impact on Surrounding Communities Much of the economic research investigating the ancillary economic benefits of casinos has focused on riverboat casinos. Riverboat casinos are a uniquely American establishment. They began operating in Iowa in 1991 and quickly expanded throughout the Midwest. By 1998, over 40 riverboat casinos were in operation in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa. 2 Nearly 50 riverboat and dockside casinos were in Louisiana and Mississippi (NGISC, 1999). There does not appear to be empirical evidence of economic growth as a result of the expansion of riverboat casinos. In terms of generating local tourism, riverboats seem to have been most successful in places such as Galena, Illinois, where the tourism industry was already established. Case studies suggest that the bulk of patrons of riverboat casinos are day-trippers who spend virtually no time at local non-gambling establishments (NGISC, 1999). There, thus, appear to be few, if any, positive economic spillovers to the local hotel or restaurant industry. In support of the cannibalization hypothesis, Siegel and Anders (1999) provide empirical evidence that riverboat gambling in Missouri led to a displacement of revenue from industries that constitute substitutes for gaming activity, such as entertainment and recreation services. 3 Evans and Topoleski (2002) conduct a rigorous examination of the economic and monetary impacts of Indian casinos for both Indian tribes themselves and surrounding communities. Impact on Native American Tribes An explicit goal of the IGRA was to promote tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments. Tribes frequently refer to casinos as the new buffalo, meaning the new source of economic sustenance for their communities. The tribes point to repaired infrastructure; diversifying economies; rising employment; augmented health, housing, education, and monetary budgets; greater indigenous language retention; and generally renewed community vitality (Taylor, Krepps, and Wang, 2000). Evans and Topoleski (2002) find that four years after tribes open casinos, tribal population is up by 12 percent and tribal employment has increased by 26 percent, resulting in an increase in tribal employment-to-population ratios of five percentage points (12 percent). Because the current program seems to be generating jobs does not necessarily mean that granting reservations a monopoly in a particular industry is a desirable policy. 9 Impact on Public Revenue Casino businesses are subject to taxation and, therefore, have a direct impact on public revenue. Maximum tax rates on gross gaming revenues in American casinos range from 6. 25 percent in Nevada to 35 percent in Illinois. Taxes on casinos are not an important source of public sector revenues for most states in the United States; only Nevada is heavily dependent on tax revenue from casino gaming. Non-Indian casinos paid over two billion dollars in taxes to states on gaming revenues in 1997, compared to state lottery revenues of approximately ten billion dollars in the same year (Eadington, 1999, p. 187). By law, states cannot tax the profits of tribal businesses. But in some states (e. g. , Connecticut, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, and New Mexico), tribes have agreed to make annual payments to state governments. These fees are typically payments for the monopoly rights the state have granted the tribe to provide certain forms of gambling. In 2003, tribes contributed over $759 million to state and local governments via various forms of revenue-sharing (Meister, 2004, p. 1). Table 2 lists tribal contributions to state and local governments by state. As shown, there is tremendous variability across states. The two tribes that operate Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut alone account for over half of these payments. 10 Casinos might indirectly affect public revenue as well. Insofar as casinos generate additional business income, they might indirectly increase other forms of tax revenue. Insofar as they cannibalize sales from other businesses, they might decrease net tax revenue. Anders, Siegel, and Yacoub (1998) find that as a result of the introduction of two Indian casinos into Maricopa County, Arizona in 1993, employment and retail sales in the restaurant and bar sectors declined. Popp and Stehwien (2002) estimate a similar model to examine the effect of New Mexicos 11 Indian casinos on gross state tax receipts using quarterly data from 1990 to 1997. They also find a negative effect of Indian casinos on state sales tax revenuesthe introduction of a single Indian casino is found to be associated with a one percent decrease in county tax revenues, but the introduction of a second Indian casino in the county if found to reduce sales tax revenue by more than six percent. While suggestive, these analyses are limited in scope and their results do not necessarily generalize to the experiences of other states. Additional research on the link between casino gambling and state sales tax revenue is warranted. Casinos could also cannibalize sales from state lottery operations. Three studies offer evidence suggesting that they do. Siegel and Anders (2001) investigate the relationship between Indian casinos and state lottery revenue in Arizona. The authors empirical analysis finds that a ten percent increase in the number of slot machines is associated with a 2. 8 percent decline in lottery sales. Elliott and Navin (2002) examine the impact that the introduction of riverboat casinos between 1989 to 1995 has on state lottery sales. They find that riverboat gambling expenditures have a negative and statistically significant impact on state lottery revenues. Fink and Rork (2003) build on this work by examining data on 48 states from 1988 to 2000 and using actual tax receipts from all forms of commercial casinos. Also, like Elliott and Navin (2002), the authors perform a Heckman two-step selection correction, but in the first stage, the authors model the adoption of a commercial casino, rather than the adoption of a state lottery. Their analysis finds a strong cannibalization of state net lottery revenue by commercial casino tax revenue. Specifically, they find that an increase of one dollar in commercial casino revenues reduces net lottery revenues by $0. 56. Economic Impacts on States Casinos are good business, say their proponents. Case studies show that legal casino gaming can increase tourism, employment, sales of noncasino goods, and tax revenues. In Nevada, gaming employs 211,000, or 24. 41 percent of the workforce. Direct annual state gaming taxes total over $500 million, or more than 42 percent of the state budget. In contrast, the cost to regulate the gaming industry was less than $21 million. Las Vegas alone attracts thirty million visitors annually. New Jersey, the second state since 1931 to legalize casino gaming, also realizes significant revenues. In 1996, total direct tax revenues were over $232 million. Since casino gamblings inception, the state has realized $3 billion in direct taxes and millions more in property and luxury taxes. Gaming has resulted in 91,600 direct and indirect jobs, and community reinvestment money from casinos has totaled about $500 million. In South Dakota, the government predicted that it would generate $1 million in tax revenues in the first year of operation. From November 1989 to August 31. 1990, the City of Deadwood alone received more than $4. 3 million in taxes. Taxable sales increased 41 percent in the first year of operation. Tourism increased 300 percent. In this formerly depressed area, the casinos created more jobs than there are residents. Consequently, some workers must commute from surrounding communities. Perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of casinos have been some Native American tribes. While previously plagued by high unemployment, poor medical care, poor infrastructure, and other problems, many reservations now enjoy employment, job training, new schools, new hospitals, and college scholarships, all provided by casino gambling. Some tribes have wisely invested their revenues in new businesses that are not casino-related to provide diversity and a new economic base. Effects of Gambling on Local Economies Gambling has expanded at all levels and has even brought a rise in attendance at church bingo games. The new gambling outlets were impressive for their variety: electronic slot machines in rural South Dakota bars; imitation Wild West casinos in old Colorado mining towns; riverboats along the Mississippi River, from the distressed industrial communities of Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico; and gambling establishments on Indian reservations from coast to coast. (James, 2000) New Orleans was now building what promoters tout as the worlds largest casino, while the mayors of Chicago, Philadelphia, and other big communities enthusiastically embrace gambling proposals. (James, 2000) Casino companies often enjoy economic advantages that are available to few other businesses. Since they are usually granted exclusive government franchises, they are able to generate short-term profits on a scale that proprietors of other businesses can only dream about. (James, 2000) Earnings of five to eight percent of revenues are the norm for most American businesses. In the gambling industry, however, yearly profits between 30 and 50 percent are not unusual. It is not extraordinary for companies to be able to pay off their total investments in one or two years. One Illinois riverboat company reportedly tripled the return on its investment in just six months. (Laurence Armand French; 2000) More and more Americans are being persuaded to try their luck. According to casino industry sources, the number of American households in which at least one member visited a casino doubled between 1990 and 93 from 46 million to 92 million. More than three-quarters of this upsurge was the result of community people visiting casinos outside Nevada and Atlantic City. (James, 2000) In 1994, gambling industry leaders and other business observers were predicting even more spectacular growth. By the year 2000, said Phil Satre, president of Harrahs Casinos, one of the worlds largest casino companies, 95 percent of all Americans will most likely live in a state with legal casino entertainment. (James, 2000) A Large Business Since the governor signed Fort McDowells compact, the tribe has expanded twice, more than tripling the casinos size. Completed in 1994, this is the building that stands today. Now it has 475 slot machines, more than 70 poker tables and a 300-seat restaurant. As Fort McDowell has grown bigger, so has its purchasing power. Businesses come to the reservation now, seeking contracts for everything from the satin jackets sold in the gift shop to office furniture and bingo cards. They visit us just like they would a factory outlet center, says Nunez. The casino has become one of the areas largest businesses, employing 1,300 workers, most of whom commute from nearby cities like Phoenix, Mesa, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale and others. It takes a mix of talent to run a casino: everything from skilled accountants, managers, slot technicians and poker dealers to minimum-wage food servers and money changers. Many people think that Americans/Canadians enjoy gambling, that the gaming industry brings new jobs and money with them when they come to a community. Government sees it as an important source of revenue. Moreover the funds and support that gambling business provides for monetary sector especially for education is significant. In my opinion, our society should be more open to the expansion of gambling that will benefit the whole community. The devastating Hurricane Katrina, which squashed New Orleans, may hit the business and revenues generated by the Casinos operating in the region. End Notes 1. Thomas Barker, Marjie Britz; 2000, Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-First Century Praeger Publishers, 2000 2. Ambrose I. Lane, Esteban E. Torres, Terry L. Pechota; 1995, Return of the Buffalo: The Story behind Americas Indian Gaming Explosion Bergin Garvey, 1995 3. Laurence Armand French; 2000, Addictions and Native Americans Praeger Publishers, 2000 4. Gambling with Our Future? The Costs and Benefits of Legalized, March 5, 2004, 5. http://collection. nlc-bnc. ca/100/200/300/fraser/fraser_institute_digital/gambling_with/gamblingwithourfuture. pdf 6. Scheherazade Daneshkhu et al. , Online Betting Operator Jailed: Internet Gambling Decision Could Slow Growing Business, FIN. TIMES, Aug. 11, 2000 7. James W. Prado Roberts, Jail Unlikely to Slow Cyber-Gambling, ASBURY PARK PRESS, Aug. 13, 2000 8. Michael D. Cox, The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act: An Overview, 7 ST. THOMAS L. REV. 769, 770 (1995). 9. Indian Reservations and the New Mexico Economy: Monograph 2: Tourism, April 6, 2004, 10. http://www. sandiapueblo. nsn. us/sandia/gaming/car_tourism. html Works Cited Ambrose I. Lane, Esteban E. Torres, Terry L. Pechota; 1995, Return of the Buffalo: The Story behind Americas Indian Gaming Explosion Bergin Garvey, 1995 Gambling with Our Future? The Costs and Benefits of Legalized, March 5, 2004. Accessed, November 30, 2005, from: http://www. sandiapueblo. nsn. us/sandia/gaming/car_tourism. html Indian Reservations and the New Mexico Economy: Monograph 2: Tourism, April 6, 2004. James W. Prado Roberts, Jail Unlikely to Slow Cyber-Gambling, ASBURY PARK PRESS, Aug. 13, 2000 Laurence Armand French; 2000, Addictions and Native Americans Praeger Publishers, 2000 Michael D. Cox, The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act: An Overview, 7 ST. THOMAS L. REV. 769, 770 (1995). Scheherazade Daneshkhu et al. , Online Betting Operator Jailed: Internet Gambling Decision Could Slow Growing Business, FIN. TIMES, Aug. 11, 2000 Thomas Barker, Marjie Britz; 2000, Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-First Century Praeger Publishers, 2000.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Relationship Between Racist Symbols and Prejudice

Relationship Between Racist Symbols and Prejudice Pre-test measures Image and question selection was twofold, primarily, the author identified possible images against three criteria political, general and racial, selected from a general cross-section of images located on internet sites identified by the search race hate groups white supremacy and political symbols. Various Discussion groups were then facilitated, one prisoners and one civilian group[1]. The dual grouping was to negate any prisoner only bias. Twenty selected images were displayed in each of the three categories to each group separately. The means of display was in a room which had reduced lighting and the individual images being projected onto screen. A semi-structured discussion then followed with the facilitator noting each image, which appeared to raise awareness or interest within the group. The images selected for treatment use were seven racial, five political (with a balance between parties) and two general (see appendix A). Further discussion groups with different prisoners a nd civilians; incorporating a variety of closed and open-ended questions being tabled around a different selection of images, which were similar in design to those already selected for use in the experiment. The responses from within these groups were noted as to which questions appeared to raise awareness or interest from each pilot group. Thus the questions selected were: Three scales were used as outcome measures in this experiment: British Prejudice Scale: The British Prejudice Scale (BPS) (Lepore Brown, 1997) is the amalgamation of several existing instruments: the Modern Racism Scale, the New Racism Scale and the Subtle and Blatant Prejudice Scale. The authors subtly altered these scales post-amalgamation to make them appropriate for white British respondents. The scale is designed as a general measure of anti-black prejudice. This scale was chosen because it contains a substantial component of anti-immigration, anti-foreigner sentiment. This sentiment closely approximates out-group hostility, distance and perceived worldview threats that are central to the theoretical argument being developed in this thesis. The internal consistency for this scale is high, Cronbach a=.92 (Lepore Brown, 1997).The scale consists of 15 questions answered on a scale from 1 7 (strongly agree to strongly disagree) and are summed indicating a range from 15 (high prejudice) to 105 (low prejudice). Thus a respondent scoring lower on this scale will be deemed more racist than a person with a high score. Social Dominance Orientation Scale: The Social Dominance Orientation Scale (SDO) (Pratto, Sidanius, Stallworth Malle, 1994), measures individual differences in the extent to which respondents prefer inequality among social groups. There are four separate versions of this scale; the 16-item scale has been selected for use in these experiments to allow other measures to be included. According to the scales authors, SDO is not a direct measure of racial attitudes, but, like authoritarianism, is a focal part of social ideology that predicts a wide range of political and racial attitudes. The measure has strong internal consistency, Cronbach a= .84 (Pratto et al., 1994). SDO conceptualises the importance of racial and political attitudes and therefore will be a direct measure of racial attitudes. It is purported that a person high in SDO will quite probably develop a negative attitude towards some group that is low in status or prestige. Further indications are that for those respondents high in SDO display a tendency to favour hierarchical relationships within groups and suggest an alignment of superior-inferior dimensions. According to the authors, individuals high in SDO accept legitimising myths that include racial and ethnic prejudice, nationalism, patriotism, separation between high and low culture, sexism, meritocracy and political conservatism (Pratto et all., 1994). Scale items are scored on a 1-7 (very positive to very negative) scale and scores are averaged across items. Thus a respondent scoring higher on this scale would indicate a stronger social dominance orientation or more prone to racist thinking than a person with lower scores. Selection of this scale was important to the study because those high in SDO display out-group hostility or denigration and would therefore likely seek to ensure a greater social distance from members of those out-groups. In addition the scale has been designed to independently indicate racism as apart from traditional pol itical ideology. Social Distance Scale: The Social Distance Scale (SDS) (Bogardus, 1933) was designed to measure the extent to which people want to keep a distance and avoid intimate contact between themselves and people from different racial, ethnic, national or social groups. The scale has a high internal consistency, with Cronbach a greater than .90 (Kleg Yamamoto, 1995, Mielenz, 1997, Osei-Kwame Achola, 1981). The scale consists of measuring first feeling reactions to a list of social, racial, ethnic and national groups ranging from regarding distant social contact (e.g., as visitors to ones country) to the most intimate (e.g., as a family member by marriage). In Bogarduss original scoring method (1933) a low score on this scale indicates the person is less inclusive or welcoming of out-group members than those respondents with a high score. Unlike the British Prejudice Scale and the Social Dominance Orientation Scales, which utilise closed-ended questions and Likert scales, the Social Distance Scale design is based on the uni dimensional Guttman-type scale. Clear written instructions on how to respond to the questionnaire and each scale were provided to all respondent prior to each scale. The British Prejudice Scale and the Social Dominance Orientation Scales being of the closed question style were pre-coded and the response sets were in a Likert scale, this allowing for ease of analysis. The Social Distance Scale design is based on the uni-dimensional Guttman-type scale, with increasing levels of intimacy. Clear written instructions on how to respond to the questionnaire and each scale were provided to all respondent prior to each scale. The main body of the questionnaire, as previously noted, was pre-determined by the use of existing scales. Consideration at this stage was given to a methodology of image presentation, due to the social undesirability of racial comments, and it was further considered unlikely that respondents would answers openly and honestly if they were fully aware that they were being questioned about racist attitudes. Furthermore, fully informed consent was not realistic prior to the experiment. The selected scales were already of a political nature by being measurements of political attitudes. The scales used dictated the information required, therefore consideration only had to be given to the construction, format ordering and filler questions required to ensure the deception was successful. The filler questions were selected by using a pre-general election governmental questionnaire[2] . It has been acknowledged that the style of question can influence the reported response, thus this method, by which elimination of any bias from the researcher is effected was deemed the most appropriate methodology. The questions were subsequently piloted,[3] with random introduction, the facilitator noting the level to which questions appeared to lead or invoke discussion or a better response from the group members. These questions were then used to fill the questionnaire and disguise the real intention of the measure. The design of the questionnaire was against two specific criteria, simplicity of administration and level of cognition of intended recipients prisoners. Instructions and layout were deliberately simple with additional concentration on ensuring the design was short, thus ensuring a minimisation of respondent fatigue and high response rate. The demographics were selected to identify length in prison, first or further prison sentence, number of previous prison sentences, age and level of education, thus allowing for statistical tests for possible influence or bias. Post-test measures The study investigated whether exposure to racist signs and symbols impacted participants scores on measures associated with hate and prejudice. The hypothesis was tested in seven different ways, firstly against the British Prejudice Scale, which was designed as a measure of anti-black prejudice; Secondly, against the Social Dominance Orientation Scale, the Social Dominance Orientation Scale conceptualising the importance of racial and political attitudes, therefore being a direct measure of racial attitudes. The next five tests of the hypothesis were sub-components of the Social Distance Scale which measures the extent by which people want to keep a distance and avoid increasing amounts of intimate contact between themselves and people from different racial, ethnic, national or social groups. A Man-Whitney U[4] test was conducted to determine whether the experimental and the control groups were comparable, on the demographic information from the sample. The demographic variables used in this experiment were length in prison (time spent in present establishment), first time in prison (whether or not this was a first custodial sentence), previous times in prison (number of previous custodial sentences), length of sentence (length of present custodial sentence), age and education. Independent t-tests were also conducted using the British Prejudice Scale, and the various elements of the Social Distance Scale scores. In order to take into account multiple testing, a Bonferroni adjustment[5] was also calculated. Analyses of covariance[6] were considered but no variances in dependant variables were apparent. Hypothesis The primary hypothesis of this research is that viewing racist signs and symbols increases prejudice against out-groups and factors associated with racism and hate. FINDINGS British Prejudice Scale On average, the control group scored significantly higher on the British Prejudice Scale (M= 64.67, SD= 16.41) than the experiment group (M= 36.68, SD= 18.46). The results of the test were significant (t(126) = 9.08, p=

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Is America Bashing warranted? :: essays research papers

America bashing is not warranted in the world, it is based on loose facts that have been manipulated. America is blamed as the source of all the world’s problems because it is seen as the most prominent country. Through the analysis of two works- Richard Neville’s Oh Say, Can’t You See? and Chris Middencorp’s God Diss America- this paper will prove this to be the case. Richard Neville begins his argument for America bashing by citing George W. Bush’s decision to renounce the Kyoto treaty as an example of the poor decision making the American government has made that hurts not only itself, but the entire world. In his article Neville seeks to denounce several myths that America still possesses. He starts by arguing against the myth that America is the land of the free. He states that America in actuality has the highest percentage of its citizens imprisoned over any other country. In fact, a quarter of the world’s prisoners are incarcerated in the United States. He goes on to diminish the idea that happiness is honored. He argues that if this is true, how can the country exhibit one of the highest rates of clinical depression. He cites Eli Lilly as saying â€Å"Prozac changed everything, and that’s just the beginning? America promotes global expansion and human rights is his next target. Neville points out that the United State s spurned vital treaties on war crimes, as well as land mines, the prohibition of juvenile executions, arms controls, test bans and the Rights of Children. Neville then goes on to discuss the myth that America is the land of the free. If this is true, Neville argues, then it is unjust that the richest one percent of the population have more wealth then the lowest ninety percent, the largest inequality in the world. He points out that over forty million Americans are without health insurance, a number which increases every year. While these facts do not shed a kind light on America, Neville does point out some of its brighter aspects. Neville goes on to discuss some of the good and admittedly â€Å"irresistible?parts of American culture. Austin Powers, jazz, and the first amendment are among these. He even admits to enjoying McDonald’s on occasion although he is quick to assert that they are destroying the world’s crop varieties by making every country they have a store in grow their standard potato- Idaho Russer.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Mama Day by Gloria Naylor :: Mama Day Gloria Naylor Literature Essays

Mama Day by Gloria Naylor Mama Day by Gloria Naylor is a fantastic novel filled with vivid imagery and intriguing characters. Naylor weaves a realistic tale, despite the fantastic events that she describes. Her characters are believable and behave like "real people". However, Naylor's greatest asset is her descriptive powers, which not only sets the scene, but enraptures readers into Cocoa's dual worlds of New York City and Willow Springs, imprisoning us with her words. The plot centers around the three main characters: Ophelia/Cocoa/Baby Girl, George and Mama Day. Mama Day is by far the most dominant personality, although we are not inside her mind the same way we are with Cocoa and George. Mama Day represents the power and resilience of nature and the town of Willow Springs itself. She seems to literally be upholding the town, and to be so indispensable, I wonder what the town will do when she is gone, left with only Dr. Buzzard as the resident "medicine man." But Mama Day seems to have no intention of leaving anytime soon. Naylor enhances the connection of Mama Day with nature by associating her with natural imagery. We always see Mama Day in her gardens, or the forest, nursing the land with her skill. She has a connection to nature, and can understand it, as seen by her prediction of the storm. Mama Day represents the last vestiges of the power of the African wise woman, a role that is dying out as society becomes more and more urban. Cocoa straddles the worlds of nature and the city. Her roots are in Willow Springs and she cannot forget that. However, we can never see her taking up the role of wise woman after Mama Day is gone. She has been too changed by the city and its disappointments and heartaches. This division causes much of the conflict between her and George, since she often lashes out when her soul is divided. George Andrews represents, of course, the world of the city. He cannot accept Mama Day's primal power, and loses his life for his lack of belief. His angry retaliation at the helpless chickens represents the urban idea of attempting to control nature. George tries to control something he can't understand, and thus pays the consequences. Each character is associated with their own imagery and language. When each of them speaks, it is with their own unique dialect.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Surfing Practice Expository Essay

Practice Essay – Academic Writing Many people say surfing isn’t a sport, it’s a lifestyle – but, it’s more than that. From the moment you first step in the ocean to the day you die it is a part of you. It becomes the way you think and what plays across your mind when you are in that subconscious state between awake and asleep. It has an affair with your emotions and embeds itself in the depths of your heart. You cannot get rid of the ocean once it’s made its mark on you. It is unlike any other addiction on the planet. They say too much of anything can kill you, but, when it comes to surfing – you can never get enough.Surfing began in the islands of Hawaii, the first ever report written by Lieutenant James King of Captain James Cook’s ship Discovery. In this report he described the art of surfing over two pages in the narrative portion of Captain Cook’s journals. Surfing was an extremely spiritual and important part of Haw aiian life, so much so, that places were named after particular surfing incedents. When the Calvinistic Christian Missionaries arrived in Hawaii the number of surfers in the water declined rapidly as the missionaries claimed the sport, amongst others, was â€Å"Against the laws of God†.For years it was rare to see a surfer in the water, the surfing culture had almost died out. However, in 1907 Jack London a famous author took a vacation in Hawaii – staying in Waikiki – and was introduced to surfing by Alexander Hume Ford and George Freeth. Being an author, it was no surprise when Jack wrote of his surfing experience in his book entitled A Royal Sport: Surfing in Waikiki. This new publicity breathed life into the dying sport – and not long after – George Freeth was asked to put on a wave riding demonstration in California, bringing surfing to America.Now days, surfing is a huge sport. There are approximately 23 million surfers worldwide, a stark con trast to the late 1800’s in Hawaii. Surf companies are popping up all over the place – their main aim to provide surf equipment and apparel to the surf community and those who fancy the style. Surfing has grown, not only as a leisure sport, but also in competition. Currently, there are 34 men and 17 women competing on the WCT (World Championship Tour), and millions more taking to the water in small town events and larger professional or amateur competitions.Surfing is also making its way into the film industry, with surf photography and documentaries becoming increasingly popular. With all the hype and inflation of surfing, it will still remain a magical and adrenaline pumping experience. There are many surfers who surf for the pure joy of being out in the ocean, at one with rising and falling swells, no matter how far it is extracted from its humble, spiritual beginnings in Hawaii. These surfers are known as soul surfers – and it is these people that will conti nue to keep surfing alive for generations to come.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

American Dream or American Nightmare Essay

Be The American Dream is something that can be easily defined for some people, and for others it can be very difficult to put into words. The American Dream is a combination of a few things. I firmly believe that Americans should have equal access to this ideal of an American Dream in order for it not to be considered just mere notion. My idea of the American Dream is also built on freedom. Our fore fathers who built this great nation were on the right track when they wrote our nations Constitution and amendments. To motivate the people the men who fathered these documents wrote grand statements that promised all men life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the right to bear arms, and my favorite statement is that all men are created equal. With these ideal in mind our great nation was forged. Look just a little bit closer at the Constitution and amendments and discover that the Constitution and amendments that this country was built upon was produced and approved by a panel of all White men. At the time there was not one person of color nor a woman’s signature of approval or voice involved in its creation. In other words it was not written to protect women or people of color. In those days women had no voice and African American slaves were considered to be property and only partial human. Therefore, was the American Dream ever meant to be used by me? My American Dream can be best summed up by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his I Have a Dream Speech, King (1963) stated: In a sense we have come to our Nation’s Capital to cash a check. When the architects of our great republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed to the inalienable rights of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. (King, 1963) Racism still exists today in our great nation. The American Dream is centered on the foundation of equality, without equality the American Dream quickly turns to an American Nightmare giving hopelessness to unfortunate people born the wrong color. Imagine going to a good college where you excelled in academics and graduated at the top of your class only to be passed over for a job that you applied for. To add insult to injury the Caucasian that got the job instead of you had no college education at all nor was he more qualified than you. That is the world that we live in where it is not what you know but what color you are. My experience pursuing the American dream has been quite an amazing journey. As a child my mother promoted how important it is for my siblings and me to become doctors and lawyers. I often wondered why she insisted that her children pursue such demanding and powerful careers. I no longer wonder why she did so my mother simply wanted her kids to be doctors and lawyers because we could be. In my mother’s time there was this little word called segregation that made equality almost impossible. My mother grew up in Alabama in the 1950s where separate but equal was the norm. Separate but equal was far from equal, my mother had no choice but to attend the poorest schools for the absolute cheapest education that was available. Since my mother was at a great disadvantage during her pursuit of the American dream she figured we had a better chance of being successful in equaling the playing field by becoming doctors or lawyers. Sadie Woodfin’s American dream was for my siblings and me to have an equal chance in America. She was not insisting that we all become doctors and lawyers or she was not going to be proud of us. She wanted us to realize that we could shoot for the stars, to take full advantage of the freedom that was not allotted to her generation. Since my mother had no formal education or degrees she, was forced to work in industrial steel mills where she developed black lung. Her American dream was believed to be all but lost until it was reborn in us. My vision of the American dream consists of not only equal opportunities in education but also income equality. Even in 2013 women of all color African Americans and Latin Americans are paid significantly less for the same job as their White male counterparts. According to, the National Partnership for Women and Families full-time working women alone are paid an average of 10,622 less than men. With their income inequality gaps in excess of over 10,000 just for a difference in gender. Kind of makes the American dream seem like an American nightmare. This practice in America of unequally compensating anyone solely based on their age, race, religion or sex is not only wrong it is total unfair practice. Is the American dream more so suited for a man than a woman? Does the American dream favor a white man over a black man? If income inequality affects one of us it should affect all of us. I am almost certain that no one wants to go to the same schools, go through the same struggles, make the same sacrifices and ultimately have the same qualifications only to be paid far less. This ideal is not even remotely appealing to the lowest of idiots. Statistically speaking being a minority or a woman the odds are already stacked against you in the pursuit of the American dream and income equality. The American dream is still alive and well in this country today. It just needs to be tweaked a little. For starters women should be equally compensated as men for the same job. Second, Latin Americans and African Americans must have access to the same schools, neighborhoods, and programs that their Caucasian peers have access to. If collectively we as a society want this American dream to be fair and applied to all Americans we have to even the playing field. Our very own government even recognizes that there is a problem so they had to implement strategies and programs geared toward equality, such as affirmative action. If the American dream was already achievable for all citizens we would have no need for such programs. If we take time to analyze the American dream and ask simple questions such as, when and who set the original guidelines for the American dream it would not surprise you regarding why things are the way they are. The American dream was born from this nation fore fathers who were successful, powerful and influential white men. At the time the Constitution was written there were no women, African Americans, or Latin American signatures nowhere to be found on any documents or amendments pertaining to the direction our great country were headed. I think it is safe to say that our voices and opinions were not heard when this nation was being forged. Neither women nor African Americans were allowed to vote while the foundational stones of the American dream were being laid in place. Latin Americans were not even considered during this pivotal time the dream was being processed. Women, African Americans and Latin Americans were not considered at all we merely adopted the idea of this American dream in hopes that we could someday partake in the notion that all men are really created equal. The fact still remains we are not all created equal, some of us are born women, black or brown. Because of our unfortunate birth your color or sex may make achieving the American dream not impossible in 2013 it just makes it a little more difficult. As a child my version of the American dream was not my own it was my mother’s vision to be equal to all my peers. As a father my American dream is just as my mother’s, I want my three daughters to attend the best schools in hopes that they will pursue careers that they will not only enjoy but also be treated, respected and compensated the same as any American citizen should expect. If we as a country openly advertise that we adopt all religions sexes, and races as equals under the veil of the United States and its Constitution then all of us must have an equal opportunity at the pursuit of the American dream. Until barriers such as color, sex, and religious preference are broken women, Blacks and Browns still have an unfair disadvantage in obtaining the so called American dream.