Steganography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Steganography - Research Paper Example The modern era of steganography is witnessed with the development of digital techniques in the late 20th century. Finally, the digital era of steganography is demonstrated to have greatly expanded the reach and complexity of these practices through visual, audio, and programming techniques. Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....4 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦.4 Modern Incarnations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Concerns with Ter rorist†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....10 Miscellaneous Uses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.14 Introduction Steganography is the art and science of constructing hidden me ssages in a way that nobody but the sender and receiver can sense its existence. While steganography was implemented to crucial importance in the 20th century, particularly in World War II, the process itself has been in practice since antiquity. Still, it wasn’t until the Renaissance period when steganography became a recognized term. In 1499 Johannes Trithemius wrote ‘Stegnographia: the art through which writing is hidden requiring recovery by the minds of men,’ a treatise on cryptography and steganography that was disguised as a book on magic (Sing, p. 10). Stenography takes on a variety of forms. Most prominently perhaps are forms of steganography that transfer one form of text to a cover-text. Still, steganography also includes messages that are transferred to images, articles, or even invisible ink. Steganography has often been confused with cryptography. The difference between these two forms, however, is that steganography is the concealment of a message, whereas cryptography is the writing of a message into code (Murphy, p. iv). The obvious advantage of steganography over cryptography is that the latter, because of its eccentric style, draws attention to its existence; conversely steganography is a more subtle form of communication. Steganography is an expansive discipline that throughout history has made a considerable impact on the world. This research essay examines the history of steganography, its various uses and dimensions, and a variety of ways that it has been enhanced over the years. Background As noted the earliest use of the term steganography was implemented by Johannes Trithemius. Trithemius was a German Abbot who lived between 1462 and 1516. His text ‘Stegnographia: the art through which writing is hidden requiring recovery by the minds of men’ was a three part tome. The first two parts are today recognized as some of the earliest books written on cryptography. The third part is ostensibly a book written on occult astrology. This third book contains a number of obscure tables containing numbers. In the late 20th century two researchers at the University of Pittsburgh – Thomas Ernst and Jim Reeds – became convinced that these tables of numbers were actually secret code. They began researching the text and uncovered a number of hidden phrases.

Gender Roles in Sports Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles in Sports Essay Gender Roles in Sports Ever since the beginning of the Olympics Games in Greece in 776 B. C. , women have always been put on the back burner when it comes to sports. To this day there are very noticeable differences in women’s sports compared the nature of men’s sports. Women and men alike experience their inequalities in sports. For example, of you were to ask a group of people what they would rather watch: women’s basketball or men’s basketball; generally speaking the majority of the group would favor watching men’s basketball. On the contrary, most individuals would rather watch women’s synchronized swimming as opposed to men’s synchronized swimming. Sports and all things involved are a business. Men playing professional sports get paid drastically more than women playing professional sports. It would be highly unlikely for a woman to get paid a 60 million dollar contract over six years like a man in professional sports would. According to www. therichest. org, soccer player David Beckham is currently worth 219 million dollars. He made 40 million dollars last year. If you compare that to the highest paid women’s athlete, Maria Sharapova, who made over 25 million dollars, this fact proclaims that fans pay drastically more to see males to play professional sports. According to www. therichest. org, the ten highest paid professional women’s athlete made 113 million dollars over the past twelve months, up only one percent from the year 2010. The ten highest paid, professional male sports athletes collectively made 449 million dollars. The reason they set up the Olympics Games like they did in 776 B. C. , by not allowing to participate or even watch, is because the spectators wanted to only have the strongest, fastest, and most durable to play and even witness the games. The games were a tribute to the Greek God Zeus. The people of Greece wanted to show Zeus the best of the best in their society. People don’t want to watch women play sports just like they don’t want to watch dumb people play chess or jeopardy. It’s logic, not sexism. When you watch the WNBA the most exciting thing you see is a backwards layup or a no look pass. When you watch the NBA, you see a man doing three hundred sixty degree slam dunks and all kinds of other cool tricks that naturally appease the like of their fans. The dynamic presence of men doing what women can’t inevitably draw’s a bigger crowd. Contact sports especially have a really addictive and enticing nature about them that women’s sports simply don’t have. All these aspects of contact driven sports are masculine, testosterone driven traits that are unlike the nature of women. This is the main reason their participation is absent and men dominate the sports fan’s wants. Gender inequality in sports has always been a growing problem up until June 23, 1973 when President Nixon signed Title IX. This law was a huge victory for women in the fight for equality in sports. â€Å"The law prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity within any institution any type of Federal financial assistance,† according to Duffy. This was women’s first chance to gain legal equality in sports. Women didn’t just get equality from this law, but they also got opportunity for equality. This law addressed the historical discrimination women have faced ever since the beginning of the Olympics first came about in 776 B. C. There is no women’s professional football team or any kind of football league for women. Men are not interested in watching women play the types of sports that men are always going to be better at. The only exception is women’s football where they play wearing lingerie; it’s sick how society works like that. The NBA is in a lock out as this paper is being typed. You can see the progress on the news every day. If the WNBA were to be in a lockout, the chances of it being on the news every day is highly unlikely. There are in fact sports that women are becoming more popular in like golf, gymnastics, figure skating, volleyball, and tennis. These sports complement the shape of a woman’s body. Also, figure skating, volleyball, and gymnastics are sports the women are especially better at due to their elegant figures and different bone structure. The stars of these sports are portrayed as sexy, curvy, graceful, and radiant. Men who are famous with sports like basketball, football, baseball, and soccer are known to be strong, dominant, and masculine. â€Å"The thought was that if women participated in strenuous activity that they would damage their reproductive organs, which would ultimately not fulfill an absurd belief that the primary role of women in society was to have children and care for the men,† heard from the thoughts of Murphy. Women in society in general are the face of modeling and sexy images. Commercials, advertisements, and every day television programs have sexy women posing with whatever it is they are trying to sell. This works the same way with them in sports. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition has a whole lot of sexy women posing in skimpy swimwear. That goes the same for the sports they’re involved in that are popular. For these reasons, women dominate those sports which lead to their popularity when it came to people watching them. There’s always the stereotype that women are lesbians or dikes for playing sports that require adequate physical strength and endurance. For instance, bodybuilding has always been a man’s sport. Women are always thought to be feminine and when you see a woman who is at least twice your size; judgments go through the roof not only with the judges, but with the audience as well. In Jennifer Banas topic of Women Athletes in Male Dominated Sports, she speaks her mind when saying, â€Å"Now, the contestants should be judged on muscle tone of the body right. Wrong. In order to define which women has the best and most well defined body, the judges feel compelled to define â€Å"body† in relation to â€Å"women. Recalling a time there was a girl at my old high school that graduated and went on to join a volleyball team at a college. After her first visit home, she was utterly disappointed to find her peers had started a rumor about her that she was a lesbian and that’s why she joined the team in the first place. It broke her heart to get that type of support, or lack thereof, from the people she grew up with who fully knew she was never a lesbian. Football is another example of this. If a woman decides she wants to become a football player, she should not have to worry about what her peers are going to say or think about her. She shouldn’t have to worry about being called those names like lesbian and dike if she wants to be a football player. When it comes to being in these competitions with lady football players, the judgments are a bit skewed and distorted due to the fact that men are typically associated with strong and large muscles. So when spectators have to look at a female figure, that has the typical aspects of a male’s figure, it can be a little confusing. The assumptions and discrimination still goes on to this day even if there is a law prohibiting it. It has been an issue since sports were first celebrated on a large scale in Greece 776 B. C. Although society is slowly but surely progressing towards a more open-minded view when it comes to sports, there is always going to be a gap when it comes to overall crowd appeal. Men’s sports are more interesting to watch simply due to the fact that they are better, faster, stronger, and intense. It all boils down to the money, and men’s sports generate more money. For these reasons gender inequality will always be a persisting problem in sports. Work Citied Page Duffy, Felice M. (2000). Twenty-seven years post title ix. http://heinonline. org/ http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/local/scisoc/sports02/papers/emurphy. html http://www. therichest. org/sports/forbes-highest-paid-female-athletes/   http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/local/scisoc/sports02/papers/jbanas. html

Mendels Peas and Hawkweeds :: Heredity Genes Mendel Research Essays

Mendel's Peas and Hawkweeds Works Cited Missing Many Scientists have contributed to the field of genetics. Yet the groundwork for today's modern genetics can be found in the work done by one man, Gregor Mendel. While there were many scientists who tried to answer the same questions before him, none were able to come to the successful conclusions he did. Before Mendel's experiments, many other theories had been in place to answer the questions about why we look like our parents. Many of these beliefs were myths, and the true reasons behind heredity were not sought, because creation was the belief of the majority of people. Some of these beliefs include "'The preformation theory"' (Bowler, 2), in which it was believed that "the embryo grew from a perfectly formed miniature already present in the mother's womb ( or the father's sperm)." (Bowler, 2) Another theory was that of "'blending inheritance' in which the offspring's characters were always intermediate between those of its parents." (Bowler, 3) It was in the time of these theories that Mendel did his work, which was dismissed as stated in the story. Mendel was a monk who taught in the monastery, and he did his experiments in the garden outside the monastery while teaching as said in the book. His main focus was on the garden pea, Pisum sativum. One peculiarity of pea reproduction is that the petals of the flower close down Tightly, preventing pollen grains from entering or leaving. This enforces a system of self-fertilization, in which sperm and eggs from a particular flower Unite with each other to produce seeds. As a result, individual pee strains are Highly inbred, displaying little, if any genetic variation from one generation to The next. Because of this uniformity, we say that such strains are true-breeding. ( Snustad, 42) In his experiments, Mendel tested many different traits. Among them were the following traits and the frequencies each appeared in: Mendel was successful in his experiments, because he tested one trait at a time, as compared to other scientists who tried to follow multiple traits. This is what allowed him to be successful, although with what we know now, it is easier to follow many traits at a time. In his first set of experiments, he crossed tall varieties with dwarf varieties. To do this, He carefully removed the anthers from one variety before its pollen had matured and then applied pollen from the other variety to the stigma.

Juliet is the Better Lover Essay

Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s greatest love story. With all the characters mixed up in love, hate, war and friendship, the bard’s tale spearheads a current debate on whether Romeo or Juliet was the better lover. This paper attempts to prove why Juliet is by far the better lover compared to Romeo. Experts have reason to believe that Romeo and Juliet were actually juveniles. Romeo was fourteen and Juliet was thirteen. This was evident in Elizabethan royalties where sons and daughters of the rich found themselves pre-arranged to sons and daughter of the same class. Girls were allowed to marry as young as 12. Between Romeo and Juliet, Juliet sacrificed more because she had to pursue her love to Romeo given the fact that she was a girl and was the younger of lover. Being a woman, much less a girl during the Elizabethan times meant following very strict rules. Breaking of these rules meant dishonor, disgrace and punishment from her parents. Although the Romeo deserves the same fate from his parents, the gender difference makes all the difference. â€Å"Elizabethan Women were totally dominated by the male members of their family. They were expected to instantly obey not only their father but also their brothers and any other male members of the family. The punishment for disobey was the whipping stool – the Elizabethan girls were beaten into submission and disobedience was seen as a crime against their religion. † (2005) Of the many definitions of love, Scott Peck describes it in his book The Road Less Traveled as; â€Å"The will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth. † (Peck, 1978) In this definition between Juliet and Romeo, it is Juliet who has extended herself. Trusting her life to the poison of the priest, she totally follows the plan hoping that through her sacrifice, Romeo and herself can live happily ever after. During those times when total faith is expected and practiced in society, the belief in earthly concoctions is almost equal to belief in witches’ ways. But because of her love for Romeo, Juliet allows her heartbeat to stop for three days choosing a life with her Romeo than a well-off life with her parents and Paris. Compared to the sacrifice of Romeo and Juliet, it is Juliet’s sacrifice that can be considered weighty because she became consistent with her selflessness for her lover. Romeo couldn’t sacrifice his vengeance for his friend who was killed by Juliet’s cousin which made the turns in the story. If love is self-sacrifice then Romeo is a better lover because he killed himself for the love of Juliet but love is not self-sacrifice per se. Love is the act of expanding oneself so that one could evolve from something to something better. To note, Juliet died twice for her Romeo. The first time was when she drank the poison and the second time was when she stabbed herself. So in the matter of the number of times the lovers tried to kill themselves for the love of the lover, it is still Juliet that outnumbered Romeo. She not only outnumbered Romeo in the time she killed herself but in the ways she did it. Romeo only used the poison once but Juliet used the poison and used the dagger to lead her to bleed to death upon her realization that her Romeo was dead. Juliet is the better lover because she was the first one who had to endure a lover’s loss. When Romeo was banished, she grieved for her Romeo more than for her cousin. If Romeo did not instantly grieve the death of his friend, maybe Juliet’s cousin would still be alive, but then again the greatest love story would not have been told. Romeo grieved for Juliet only upon knowing of her death, which made very dramatic and weighty due to his committing suicide. However, the drama did not climax at the end of his suicide but it further gained heights when Juliet took the dagger and impaled it into her chest. â€Å"Suicide is not something that happens for a simple reason. It is impossible to rap up in a nutshell the many reasons a person may want to die. The reasons for suicide range from critical injury and fatal illness to momentary sadness or a sudden and emotionally jarring shock. Some reasons may seem logical (if you are in pain and dying anyway, why prolong the suffering? ) while others seem ridiculous (a crush dumped on you in front of friends and you feel humiliated) but whatever the reason, to the person thinking of suicide, they are unbearable. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of suicides are the result of a complex combination of circumstances, emotions and a psyche in turmoil. † (Hardcastle, 2007) For Juliet, it was definitely a combination of perplexities during that very moment. But surely among them, she had the option of just continuing her life free of anything and everything. She could start anew because she was dead to her parents and families anyway. However, since she was also young and in shock about the death of her Romeo, the dagger was a quick solution to make her be eternally together with Romeo. Juliet definitely chose love. Physiologically, Juliet is more capable of being the better lover. At fourteen, boys will be boys as could be proven by the rage Romeo had when his enemy killed his friend. The clouding of the mind, never mind if he was about to kill his bride’s cousin but the rage of testosterone controlled Romeo. There are physiological differences between girls and boys that would prove their capability of experiencing true and mature love, as explained by Dr. Gurian, 1999. 1. Adolescent boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed as emotionally disturbed than adolescent girls. Given this, Romeo most likely had decided to kill himself but that decision may have been influenced with disturbed thoughts. 2. Adolescent males are four times as likely to commit suicide as adolescent females. Given this data, the suicide of Romeo would not count so much as Juliet’s suicide due to gender difference. 3. Adolescent males are routinely found to channel other primary feelings; hurt, pain, grief, into anger. Given this, there would be a possibility for Romeo to have committed suicide due to anger at the whole world than due to love for Juliet. 4. Adolescent boys are 15 times as likely as adolescent females to be victims of violent crime. Adolescent boys commit violent crime at a higher rate than adult offenders. Given this data, the suicide of Romeo does not count more in intensity than Juliet in terms of the violence confronting the adolescents. The shock, fear, courage and other emotions of putting the dagger towards her heart has more weight due to the gender difference. 5. Millions of adolescent boys experience post-traumatic stress due to family, cultural, and socio-economic situations. A post-traumatic boy is ten times more likely than his female peer to act out in a way that is dangerous to another person. Proving who the better lover is most difficult but like in any debate, the definitions must be stated clearly. For this paper, love has been defined as the act of self-sacrifice in the most mature circumstances. Love is an act where a person would consistently show in her actions and decisions that she is bound to another because she wishes the other person expansion of himself with her along with him. The sacrifice of Juliet comes early on in the play as can be taken from the excerpt; â€Å"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet. † The line illustrates that Juliet will decide not to be Capulet if Romeo do not relinquish his name. This decision also illustrates how Juliet was ready to sacrifice her whole identity just for the sake of her lover. Maybe, for Romeo to become the better lover, he should have been more mature than Juliet. Meantime, the bard’s tale is a unique example of truly big women’s capacity to love is. References: †¦. , 2007. Elizabethan Women. http://www. william-shakespeare. info/elizabethan-women. htm Peck, Scott. M. MD. 1978. The Road Less Travelled. P. 81. Touchstone New York Hardcastle, Mike. 2007. Teen Advice. http://teenadvice. about. com/mbiopage. htm Gurian, Michael. PhD. 1999. Ten things each of us should know about adolescent boys.

Chinese Starbucks Essay

Starbucks has found success in the USA because of marketing towards â€Å"20-40 year old men and women who are concerned with social welfare† thus creating the coffee house atmosphere-Heather Karr Employee of Starbucks in Madison, WI. The coffee house in the US includes college students studying, young professionals having casual meetings, â€Å"Soccer Moms† grabbing a cup of Joe after dropping the kids off at school, etc. All-in-all Starbucks is selling not coffee but the idea of a â€Å"coffee break†, a time during the day that one can sit back, relax, and forget about the daily grind. Starbucks had to consider this as part of their main success and research China’s culture to see this same possibility existed for them there. Luckily they found that it did. Due to China’s communistic government implementing a â€Å"One Child Law† the same age demographic surprisingly existed: 20-40 year old men and women who want a place to socialize and take a break from their lives. The Family Planning Law in China was implemented to control the growing population in China, has many exceptions, and began in 1978 (enforced in 1979). Learning about this law in a history class previously, I never considered it in a marketing aspect. These individuals have grown up as single children and may have a sense of entitlement. They are well educated as the US media is always reporting on their countries’ amazing international grade reports. So, this group of â€Å"Little Emperors† are more aware of western culture than generations previous and Starbucks had to of discovered that they could give these people a taste of the western world. Lastly, Starbucks had to consider China’s tea consumption before expanding. While the US likes their coffee, China prefers tea in their social events. How could Starbucks take their signature product of coffee and still be successful? They had to sell the coffee house experience and that’s exactly what they did. 2. Discuss the key political and legal factors Starbucks had to consider in the Chinese marketplace. What are the risks of entering a country with these factors? What changes have occurred in China’s polit- ical and legal structure to the advantage of foreign companies? The standout political/legal factor for Starbucks expanding into China is Communism. Starbucks company originated in a democratic capitalistic country where it became successful. Expanding into China requires a lot of research into not just foreign laws but a very strict and controlling government that frowns on western practices. In 1999 when Starbucks began its expansion they did it with joint ventures meaning they licensed the right for Chinese citizens to sell Starbucks coffee and use their logo. Joint ventures and dictatorship are risky ideas and Starbucks could have easily failed. They made their risk minimal by only receiving royalty fees for the license to use their logo. China became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2001 thus opening the ability for American companies to freely participate in their market. Starbucks took this opportunity buy out is partners and take control over the 60 stores in existence in 2006. From 1999-2006, Starbucks had plenty of time to learn about Chinese culture and educate themselves in Chinese business that allowed them to feel confident about expanding in the future. 3. What demographic factors were important for Starbucks to understand in China? What were the demographics they decided to target? As I stated in my answer to question one, Starbucks had to understand their own target demographic in the successful US market and see if they could replicate that in China. Luckily for them it did. Political factors like the â€Å"One Child Law† gave way to a culture shift among previous generations that allowed for the 20-40 year old demographic to thrive. These citizens are independent, educated, and desire to socialize amongst their peers with no where to feel at home in. Starbucks, by â€Å"tweeking† their menu slightly and adding more dining space than other shops in other countries, adapted to these Chuppy† demands and found success. 4. What was the initial global-market strategy Starbucks employed to enter China? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages to this early strategy. How has their strategy changed since then and why? Initially Starbucks implemented a joint venture strategy. Meaning, they licensed their company for use in China believing that Chinese business individuals could have a better chance at success than they could. They also took that opportunity to learn and educate themselves about Chinese culture and business all the while receiving royalties for the licenses. This was a minimal risk for them as China was not a country that allowed a global market place to exist until its membership in the WTO in 2001. Their membership created an opportunity for Starbucks to take control of its licenses and eventually to expand further into the country.

Reflecting Popes in Pieces of Art essays

Reflecting Popes in Pieces of Art essays The three pieces discussed in this essay are all closely related to popes of the Roman Catholic Church. Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment," Raphael's "School of Athens" and Pietro da Cortona's "Glorification of the Reign of Urban VIII" not only have their relation to a particular pope in common, but also are very good reflections of the artistic movements and historical events of the time in which each work was done. Raphael's "The School of Athens" was a work done on one wall of the Stanza della Segnatura, a former meeting room of the papal tribunal and Julius II's then current private library, at the request of Pope Julius II. Julius II had other artists working on the room when he saw some of Raphael's work. He then had the other artists stop work and called for Raphael to do the room instead. Raphael took over in 1508 (the same year Michelangelo was commissioned on the Sistine Chapel) and had completed the job in 1511. This piece is most significant in its reflection of the historical period. It was in this time during the Renaissance that the Medici family redefined business and people like Machiavelli brought about new political ideas in books like "The Prince." A new wave of thinking and reason was spreading. "The School of Athens" brings together all the ancient philosophies and their famous representatives while leaving out any reference to Christian themes. Tyhe painting personifie s the popular trend of the time. The painting is also completely representative of the High Renaissance style. The attention is completely on realistic, naturalistic portrayal of the figure. Notably the painting displays portraits of his contemporaries, Leonardo da Vinci (Plato) and Michelangelo (Heraklitos). The Leonardo portrait is assumed to pay tribute to his role as a thinker and artist in establishing the High Renaissance style. After returning back to Rome from Florence on the order of Pope Paul III, Michelangelo began work on "The...

A Profile of the Bonnethead Shark

A Profile of the Bonnethead Shark The bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo), also known as the bonnet shark, bonnet nose shark, and shovelhead shark is one of nine species of hammerhead sharks. These sharks all have a unique hammer or shovel-shaped heads. The bonnethead has a shovel-shaped head with a smooth edge. The head shape of the bonnethead may help it more easily find prey. A 2009 study found that bonnethead sharks have a nearly 360-degree vision and excellent depth perception. These are social sharks that are most often found in groups numbering from 3 up to 15 sharks. More About the Bonnethead Shark Bonnethead sharks are about 2 feet long on average and grow to a maximum length of about 5 feet. Females typically are larger than males. Bonnetheads have a grayish-brown or gray back that often has dark spots and a white underside. These sharks need to swim continuously to supply fresh oxygen to their gills. Classifying the Bonnethead Shark The following is the scientific classification of the bonnethead shark: Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: GnathostomataSuperclass: PiscesClass: ElasmobranchiiSubclass: NeoselachiiInfraclass: SelachiiSuperorder: GaleomorphiOrder: CarcharhiniformesFamily: SphyrnidaeGenus: SphyrnaSpecies: tiburo Habitat and Distribution Bonnethead sharks are found in subtropical waters in the Western Atlantic Ocean from South Carolina to Brazil, in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from southern California to Ecuador. They live in shallow bays and estuaries. Bonnethead sharks prefer water temperatures over 70  F and make seasonal migrations to warmer waters during the winter months. During these trips, they may travel in large groups of thousands of sharks. As an example of their travels, in the U.S. they are found off the Carolinas and Georgia in the summer, and further south off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico during the spring, fall and winter. How the Sharks Feed Bonnethead sharks eat primarily crustaceans (especially blue crabs), but will also eat small fish, bivalves, and cephalopods. Bonnetheads feed mostly in the daytime. They swim slowly toward their prey, and then quickly attack the prey, and crush it with their teeth. These sharks have a unique two-phase jaw closing. Instead of biting their prey and stopping once their jaw is closed, bonnetheads continue to bite their prey during their second phase of jaw closing. This increases their ability to specialize in hard prey, like crabs. After their prey is crushed, it is suctioned into the sharks esophagus. Shark Reproduction Bonnethead sharks are found in groups organized by gender as spawning season approaches. These sharks are viviparous... meaning that they give birth to live young in shallow waters after a 4- to 5-month gestation period, which is the shortest known for all sharks. The embryos are nourished by a yolk sac placenta (a yolk sac attached to the mothers uterine wall). During development inside the mother, the uterus becomes separated into compartments that house each embryo and its yolk sac. There are 4 to 16 pups born in each litter. The pups are about 1 foot long and weigh about half a pound when born. Shark Attacks Bonnethead sharks are considered harmless to humans. Conserving Sharks Bonnethead sharks are listed as least concern by the IUCN Red List, which says that they have one of highest population growth rates calculated for sharks and that despite fishing, the species is abundant. These sharks may be caught for display in aquariums and used for human consumption and for making fishmeal. References and Further Information Bester, Cathleen. Bonnethead. Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed July 4, 2012.Cortà ©s, E. 2005. Sphyrna tiburo. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. Accessed July 3, 2012.Carpenter, K.E. Sphyrna tiburo: Bonnethead. Accessed July 4, 2012.Compagno, L., Dando, M. and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press.Krupa, D. 2002. Why the Hammerhead Sharks Head is In the Shape Its In. American Physiological Society. Accessed June 30, 2012.Viegas, J. 2009. Scalloped Hammerhead and Bonnethead Sharks have 360 Degree Vision. Accessed June 30, 2012.Wilga, C. D. and Motta, P. J. 2000. Durophagy in Sharks: Feeding Mechanics of the Hammerhead Sphyrna tiburo. The Journal of Experimental Biology 203, 2781–2796.

Christopher Morleys Classic Essay on Laziness

Christopher Morleys Classic Essay on Laziness Critically and commercially popular during his lifetime while unfairly neglected today, Christopher Morley is best remembered as a novelist and essayist, though he was also a publisher, editor, and prolific writer of poems, reviews, plays, criticism, and childrens stories. Clearly, he was not afflicted by laziness. As you read Morleys short essay (originally published in 1920, shortly after the end of World War I), consider whether your definition of laziness is the same as the authors. You may also find it worthwhile to compare On Laziness with three other essays in our collection: An Apology for Idlers, by Robert Louis Stevenson; In Praise of Idleness, by Bertrand Russell; and Why Are Beggars Despised? by George Orwell. On Laziness* by Christopher Morley 1 Today we rather intended to write an essay on Laziness, but were too indolent to do so. 2 The sort of thing we had in mind to write would have been exceedingly persuasive. We intended to discourse a little in favour of a greater appreciation of Indolence as a benign factor in human affairs. 3 It is our observation that every time we get into trouble it is due to not having been lazy enough. Unhappily, we were born with a certain fund of energy. We have been hustling about for a number of years now, and it doesnt seem to get us anything but tribulation. Henceforward we are going to make a determined effort to be more languid and demure. It is the bustling man who always gets put on committees, who is asked to solve the problems of other people and neglect his own. 4 The man who is really, thoroughly, and philosophically slothful is the only thoroughly happy man. It is the happy man who benefits the world. The conclusion is inescapable. 5 We remember a saying about the meek inheriting the earth. The truly meek man is the lazy man. He is too modest to believe that any ferment and hubbub of his can ameliorate the earth or assuage the perplexities of humanity. 6 O. Henry said once that one should be careful to distinguish laziness from dignified repose. Alas, that was a mere quibble. Laziness is always dignified, it is always reposeful. Philosophical laziness, we mean. The kind of laziness that is based upon a carefully reasoned analysis of experience. Acquired laziness. We have no respect for those who were born lazy; it is like being born a millionaire: they cannot appreciate their bliss. It is the man who has hammered his laziness out of the stubborn material of life for whom we chant praise and alleluia. 7 The laziest man we know- we do not like to mention his name, as the brutal world does not yet recognize sloth at its community value- is one of the greatest poets in this country; one of the keenest satirists; one of the most rectilinear thinkers. He began life in the customary hustling way. He was always too busy to enjoy himself. He became surrounded by eager people who came to him to solve their problems. Its a queer thing, he said sadly; no one ever comes to me asking for help in solving my problems. Finally, the light broke upon him. He stopped answering letters, buying lunches for casual friends and visitors from out of town, he stopped lending money to old college pals and frittering his time away on all the useless minor matters that pester the good-natured. He sat down in a secluded cafe with his cheek against a seidel of dark beer and began to caress the universe with his intellect. 8 The most damning argument against the Germans is that they were not lazy enough. In the middle of Europe, a thoroughly disillusioned, indolent and delightful old continent, the Germans were a dangerous mass of energy and bumptious push. If the Germans had been as lazy, as indifferent, and as righteously laissez-fairish as their neighbours the world would have been spared a great deal. 9 People respect laziness. If you once get a reputation for complete, immovable, and reckless indolence the world will leave you to your own thoughts, which are generally rather interesting. 10 Doctor Johnson, who was one of the worlds great philosophers, was lazy. Only yesterday our friend the Caliph showed us an extraordinarily interesting thing. It was a little leather-bound notebook in which Boswell jotted down memoranda of his talks with the old doctor. These notes he afterward worked up into the immortal Biography. And lo and behold, what was the very first entry in this treasured little relic? Doctor Johnson told me in going to Ilam from Ashbourne, 22 September, 1777, that the way the plan of his Dictionary came to be addressed to Lord Chesterfield was this: He had neglected to write it by the time appointed. Dodsley suggested a desire to have it addressed to Lord C. Mr. J. laid hold of this as an excuse for delay, that it might be better done perhaps, and let Dodsley have his desire. Mr. Johnson said to his friend, Doctor Bathurst: Now if any good comes of my addressing to Lord Chesterfield it will be ascribed to deep policy and address, when, in fact, it was only a casual excuse for laziness. 11 Thus we see that it was sheer laziness that led to the greatest triumph of Doctor Johnsons life, the noble and memorable letter to Chesterfield in 1775. 12 Mind your business is a good counsel; but mind your idleness also. Its a tragic thing to make a business of your mind. Save your mind to amuse yourself with. 13 The lazy man does not stand in the way of progress. When he sees progress roaring down upon him he steps nimbly out of the way. The lazy man doesnt (in the vulgar phrase) pass the buck. He lets the buck pass him. We have always secretly envied our lazy friends. Now we are going to join them. We have burned our boats or our bridges or whatever it is that one burns on the eve of a momentous decision. 14 Writing on this congenial topic has roused us up to quite a pitch of enthusiasm and energy. *On Laziness by Christopher Morley was originally published in Pipefuls (Doubleday, Page and Company, 1920)

Monetary Economics in Developing Countries Essay

Monetary Economics in Developing Countries - Essay Example The two exchange rate systems have their advantages and disadvantages in their application in a country’s economy. The advantages of the fixed exchange rate system include stimulating international trade as they offer much more stability for both importers and exporters and as such, they do not have to worry about the effects of currency appreciation and depreciation. Fixed exchange rate systems are also said to have a bit of control over the speculative nature of importers and exporters and thus reduce to a certain extent speculative activity in trade practices. This regime disadvantage can be depicted in the inefficiency of a country’s economy. This happens as a result of the government’s artificial support of the exchange rate which means it does not change accordingly with changes in the prevailing economic conditions and thus may loose out from the benefits that would be felt in the economy if the rate was adjusted according to the existing conditions. Furth ermore, the dependence of interest rates on the exchange rate can lead to reduced economic growth of a country in cases where they differ greatly with those being experienced in the market. In cases where one of the countries involved in the fixed exchange rate system agreement has a weaker economy, it may be dominated by the country with a stronger economy and at the same time undermine the prevailing market situation in the country with the weaker economy. Similarly, the flexible exchange rate regime has its advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage of this regime is its flexibility as it allows a country’s economy to adjust quickly to prevailing market conditions. This system also determines the interest rate in a country allowing for effective control of the economy in order to create balance. Despite its advantages, the flexible exchange rate system may lead to volatility in the market as it does not encourage

Right attitude in a medical office setting Essay

Right attitude in a medical office setting - Essay Example 93), it must be a decision or a choice that will have to be made. One can therefore choose to have positive or negative and like in any work setting, the positive attitude must be the preferred choice to contribute to the business of providing care to the patients. A positive attitude of employees can help a lot in the recovery of patients. Since attitude affects and influences other’s behavior, a responsible medical employee must behave positively to influence people in office including the patients and other co-workers. A medical assistant for example will be able to transmit positive attitude towards the patient if he or she accepts the patient as a unique individual who with rights of treatment with dignity and compassion in a non-judgmental manner (Southard, 2008). The employee needs demonstrate empathy, interest and concern by telling patient or letting the latter feel that he or she is important to the employee (Southard, 2008). Such a caring attitude exerts a positive influence on the sick person’s attitude, behavior and response. The same could help in promoting the fast recovery of the patient. An employee’s good personal appearance can help the patients to perceive a positive attitude of the person and how the medical office values them. Every employee must also have a positive image to the patient. This can be done by showing good health and good grooming present.

Case Study 11 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Study 11 - Research Paper Example There is extreme competition to be the first to market between the three major companies. The first company to market with new capabilities has historically been able to capture the major suppliers of video games for each console. Once the console is able to capture enough game titles, the company console will have secured the main amount of revenue. With the gaming industry, although the console companies might attempt to be the low-cost provider, the discount and retail companies do not attempt to sell the consoles below a certain standard price. Among manufacturers of consoles there is a price effect for products with similar capabilities and this was evident when the Nintendo DS was able to continue to hold the leader in sales of hand-held consoles. The Nintendo DS was $130, and the PSP was $150. The industry is highly focused on graphics and having the best resolution for the games. The focus of the major consoles has been to capture the avid gamers who want High definition grap hics and higher computing power. â€Å"The processing capabilities of the Sony PlayStation 2, in particular, allowed game developers to create complex games that were presented at a high screen resolution.† 2. ... This part of the industry is important because consumers will not purchase the system unless there are enough games to warrant such a purchase. The strongest competitive force are the competitive rivalry between each game console and the customers bargaining power. The reason the competition is the strongest force is due to the fact that each of the companies rush to be the firs to market with the next great thing, causing great pressure on rivals to produce something either similar or better. When Sony tried to compete with the new Xbox, it rushed the PS3 along too quickly and lost sales in the process. The weakest force is the threat of new entrants who would have to pay large amount of research and development costs in order to enter into the market. The costs are between $2-7 million for research and development and then production would be even more costly. The emerging competitive force that would have the great effect on industry attractiveness is the bargaining power of buyer s. A new console would enter into a market with a lot of buyers, who as shown by the Nintendo Wii would like to play an interactive game within the family or in a group setting. Once the technology is available the new entrant could also produce a new console, undoubtedly at a higher cost and possibly capture some of the new market. The fact that the market hasn't competed on price in most cases also is an attractive factor for a new entrant. 3. How is the video game system industry changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those driving forces individually or collectively change competition in the industry? The video game industry is

Curriculum review circle Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Curriculum review circle - Research Paper Example The reviews may think they have all the time and end up taking a lot of time in the review process. Another major problem that is still notable with the LaCrescent-Hokah School District Curriculum Improvement Plan is the fact that the various stages at some point seem to overlap one another. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (1999) explained on the need to be able to distinguish the various stages in the review process. However for LaCrescent-Hokah School District, stages five and six seems to be similar. Almost same activities are carried out with the only distinction being the two parts. This makes it not so easy to distinguish which stage the review has reached. This may become difficult to determine the progress of the review. A look at the three programs however shows that there is some similarity in the way they are structured. The initial stages involve the determination of what is there at present. This is the data collection. The information obtained is then analyzed and reviewed to determine what needs to be added onto the curriculum. It’s tested for what is working and what is not with proper revision made on them. Then the proposals are implemented as planned. While this is taking place, issues that may arise are dealt with. What does not work is avoided while any revision necessary are made. Then full implementation is ensured. For the success of any change to be implemented in any organization or sector proper involvement of the stakeholders is absolutely import. The same case applies to the implementation of the Curriculum Review Cycle. The various stakeholders as identified by Office for standards in education (OFSTED), (1995) must all be brought on board the development and implementation process. The teachers whole are the leading implementers in the review process must be all provide with the knowledge,

People and Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

People and Organisations - Essay Example Additionally, the paper analyzes the changes that are required to make the 21st century project leadership authentic. The authors argue that the environment for conducting projects in the 21 century have changed from that of 20th century. There has been increased alliancing between companies for project purposes. Therefore, the authors suggest that there is need for development of new leadership style that suits the current as well as future environment. The authors are persuasive and believable. By making use of previous study findings, the authors compare the past and present project environments. The comparison depicts changed environment, which supports the authors’ argument on need for changes in leadership style to enhance authentic leadership. LIoyd-Walker & Walker (2011) provide empirical data to show the different attributes required by project leaders in the 21st century that were unnecessary in the 20th century. Toor and Ofori (2008),Thiry & Deguire (2007), Avolio & Gardener (2005), and Sirias, et al., (2007) agree that the project environment for 21st century is different from that in the 20th century. Additionally, their views are similar to those of LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) who argue that there is need for modification of transformational leadership to make it an authentic leadership style for the 21st century. Just as Alvolio and Gardener (2005) had suggested, LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) argue that trust and commitment are among the most important feature of authentic leadership and they distinguish authentic leadership required for 21st century from that in the previous years. LIoyd and Walker state that authentic leadership entails enabling or empowering the followers to self-regulate their activities b y supporting their development. As opposed to leadership in business alliances, project alliances require collaboration between the participating teams. This requires that the team members

Strategic Implementation and Alignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Implementation and Alignment - Essay Example Harrison-Keyes is currently facing numerous problems in its internal operations and from its various stakeholders. One of the most pressing concerns is the dual publication as a part of its strategy of diversifying into e-publishing. As opposed to its traditional operations, Harrison-Keyes will not only undertake publications of books but is going to enter the rapidly expanding e-publishing segment. This requires publishing an e-book in three months amidst the company's growing concern on the underperformance of Asia Digital Publishing, the service provider outsourced to format the e-books to be published. The company is also worried about the promotion and sales of their new products. Even though e-publishing is the current trend in the industry and the industry experts have expressed with optimism the forecasted growth in the sector, Harrison-Keyes' board are still filled with skepticism and are cautious of publishing books in digital media. Harrison-Keyes is also concerned about t he problems of security and infrastructure as a result of venturing into e-commerce. Another problem is the unpleasant response that the company is getting from its writers especially Will X. Harper. Amidst from this, Harrison-Keyes have yet to improve its image as they are bombarded with appalling publicities which cannot only damage their reputation but can significantly contribute to the crash of their stock price. Other issues are the company's control over production. This section will address the company's problems such as the dual publishing issue, producing an e-book in three months time, marketing the company's products, and control over production. Harrison-Keyes should pursue its e-publishing strategy in order to take advantage of the emerging industry trend in the shortest possible time. It is very essential that Harrison-Keyes conquer the e-publishing segment at the shortest possible time in order to reap the first-mover advantage (First Mover Advantage, 2001). The prod uction of traditional products won't be a problem as it is already the primary operation of Harrison-Keyes. The publication of the e-book will be the main concern as there are problems with the service providers from India. The e-book should be published in three months time and that leaves the company a very short period for the boot processes.  

People and Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

People and Organisations - Essay Example Additionally, the paper analyzes the changes that are required to make the 21st century project leadership authentic. The authors argue that the environment for conducting projects in the 21 century have changed from that of 20th century. There has been increased alliancing between companies for project purposes. Therefore, the authors suggest that there is need for development of new leadership style that suits the current as well as future environment. The authors are persuasive and believable. By making use of previous study findings, the authors compare the past and present project environments. The comparison depicts changed environment, which supports the authors’ argument on need for changes in leadership style to enhance authentic leadership. LIoyd-Walker & Walker (2011) provide empirical data to show the different attributes required by project leaders in the 21st century that were unnecessary in the 20th century. Toor and Ofori (2008),Thiry & Deguire (2007), Avolio & Gardener (2005), and Sirias, et al., (2007) agree that the project environment for 21st century is different from that in the 20th century. Additionally, their views are similar to those of LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) who argue that there is need for modification of transformational leadership to make it an authentic leadership style for the 21st century. Just as Alvolio and Gardener (2005) had suggested, LIoyd-Walker and Walker (2011) argue that trust and commitment are among the most important feature of authentic leadership and they distinguish authentic leadership required for 21st century from that in the previous years. LIoyd and Walker state that authentic leadership entails enabling or empowering the followers to self-regulate their activities b y supporting their development. As opposed to leadership in business alliances, project alliances require collaboration between the participating teams. This requires that the team members

Air pollution in Beijing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Air pollution in Beijing - Essay Example As this has occurred, countless thousands of factories have been erected to support this growth and to keep up with the increased demand. In the end, this has resulted in an unstable equation when considering pollution and the environment. It is well documented that pollution is a problem, particularly for the very old and very young among us. Pollution can upset the state of the ecosystem, cause children to miss out of valuable outside playtime, prohibit adults from free exercising, and contribute to a host of long-term illnesses such as cancer and breathing problems. There are many factors contributing to the pollution in Beijing, many being attributed back to the massive growth in the urban sector and the burgeoning number of factories and automobiles operating within the city. Couple that with the growing deforestation to make way for more buildings and urban development, and it does not take long realize the seriousness of the pollution issue in Beijing, China. This paper will d iscuss the problem of pollution in Beijing, its effect on the general population, and the problem that it poses for the environment if recent trends are not reversed. The Problem of Pollution Pollution is causing numerous problems in Beijing City. The situation affects the ecosystem and the health and safety of every person residing with the city limits. Ma, Lu, and Sun (2008) sum up the severity of the problem by pointing out, â€Å"The landscape pattern change in Beijing led by rapid urbanization has negatively influenced urban ecosystem health and has caused several environmental problems† (326). It is important that these issues be discussed openly, solutions proposed and implement, and that everyone does their part to begin to reverse the recent trends of over polluted air. Beginning with the changing landscape best approaches the problem. The past half-century has seen Beijing gradually lose must of its land to over development. Not only has this building boom created a n overabundance of polluting agents in the air, but it has deteriorated the very ecosystem that is designed to give new life to the city and to help rid the air of those very particles that cause damage (Ma, Lu, & Sun 327). While it is true that 50% of the world now live in Cities (United Nations, 2005), China far surpasses even this fact. It is important to examine the factors that lead up to the current pollution problem in Beijing by examining the reasons why the cities within the country has expanded so. China has the largest population in the world. This population explosion in the past century has greatly contributed to the rapid urbanization of its cities, and urban areas have seen record percentages of population growth. Beijing is not only the capital of China, but it is the third largest city in the country and it continues to grow and develop at a frightening and frantic pace. It is estimated that the urban density within Beijing itself is now up to a staggering 84.3%, wh ich is the second highest in China and one of the highest in the world (Ma, Lu, & Sun 328). In just the last 20 years, this urbanization and population growth has drastically changed the entire landscape pattern of the city, causing pollution to become an even greater problem as the pollutants simply have no where to go. The Chinese are notoriously quiet about problems existent in their communities, but recently there has been a public uproar against the air

The Tell Tale Heart E. A. Poe Essay Example for Free

The Tell Tale Heart E. A. Poe Essay The Tell Tale Heart is one of Edgar Allan Poes famed tales of macabre terror. Many of his short stories include delusional characters, insanity and many abominable deaths. The Tell Tale Heart is no different. In a first person narrative we follow a man mans mind with suspense and horror. Im not mad fights back the narrator but the obsession with an old mans eye takes control, ending with a gruesome death. Maybe this is similar to Poes lifestyle, in which he became an alcoholic, drug addict and picked up maniacal tendencies. The narrator defends himself to put his own mind at res, over his own accusations that hes mad. His mind is taken over from an eye, which assembled that of a vulture. When hes relaxed he enjoys telling us the story, but the next line could be back to his nervous, conscious, sadistic-self. Is he mad? Does he kill? Will he get caught? These are all questions we can ask as each line contradicts the next. Poe is keeping us in suspense. Its the feeling of anxiety. Where, what or when will something happen next? Suspense is kept through out the story, and starts at the first line True! Nervous VERY, very, dreadfully nervous. Why is the narrator nervous? The reader is going too want to read on to find the answer. Dashes, commas and a use of a rhetorical question implies the narrator is addressing the reader in a dramatic manner. The commas and dashes also slow down the pace of the first line. This will lengthen the first line, keeping the reader in suspense. The rhetorical question Why will you say that I am mad? addresses the reader. Although rhetorical the read wants to answer, but doesnt know the answer. This is another way in which Poe makes the reader wanting to read on. Poe changes the pace of the story. Sometimes, very slowly and other times very fast. This is all to create suspense. As you can see suspense plays an important part in the story. I undid the lantern cautiously oh, so cautiously, so cautiously cautiously (for the hinges creaked) I undid it just so much that a single ray fell upon the eye. This is an example of where the pace is slow. Deliberate pauses emphasise his confidence and cunningness. The line also portrays the time-taking actions of the narrator, displaying his credence. He uses repetitive word choice (cautiously) not just to slow the line down but also to show hes a perfectionist. Dashes and commas are also used to keep the sentence at an unhurried pace. Another example of where the speed is slow is: For a whole hour I did not move a muscle and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in bed listening, just as I had done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall. The narrator is waiting for the right opportunity, once again stressing his cautiousness. The narrator did not move a muscle in an hour, obvisously portraying the image of the slow moving pace. The line also tells us it was a planned murder. Another example of him showing us his cunning is: When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily until, at length, a single dim ray, like the thread of a spider. Time also goes fast within the story. For example: In an instant I dragged him to the floor I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. This is the description of the death of the old man. These are the only details the narrator tells us, implying hes a perfectionist. We retrieve this view of the narrator because of the swift speed of which he kills the old man. The narrator is also a sadistic person, due to the way he smiled gaily after the quick death. Other examples of a quick pace are towards/ at the end. Villans! I shrieked, dissemble no more! I admit the deed! tear up the planks! here, here! it is the beating of his hideous heart.' From the final line of the story we have the impression hes mad because of the way he admits the deeds. Short sentences, which are straight to the point, increase the pace of the text. Also, due to the fast pace, it implies he has lost the control, the perfection and intelligence he once had. Poe uses and mentions time a lot in the story. He changes the pace to achieve the different effects. From the waiting of the old man to sleep to the breakdown of the narrator. The difference paces are varied. This is because if the pace were slow throughout, the story would become tiresome to the reader. If the pace was of a fast speed the reader would not be able to grasp the entire story, miss parts out and even forget segments. Poe repeats words a great deal in the story. Creating the effect that the narrator is panicking or even to emphasise something. In the following line he uses the repetition to emphasise his confidence and cunning. I undid the lantern cautiously oh, so cautiously cautiously (for the hinges creaked) I undid it just so much that a single ray fell upon the vulture eye. The narrator is also under the impression that he has planned, and now performing the perfect crime. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The speed of the old mans heartbeat creates a traumatic experience for the narrator affecting his mind, upsetting to him but the narrator shows us his guilt. Where Poe repeats words, the pace tends to be quicker creating a dramatic scene. As mentioned earlier the narrator seems to be a sadistic character, other evidence of this: he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him The repetivtive phrase, all in vain, tells us of the narrators joy at the old mans terrified state. He also used a capital D in death. This implies he is using the word death as a name, suggesting he is death. The repetition of words and in-depth descriptions show us how precise the narrator is. The commas and dashes indicate an intensity of emotions. Poe uses noises to create atmosphere in the story. Such noises are the sound of the old mans heart beating louder and louder. The phrase is repeated through our, suggesting that the narrator is becoming guiltier and guiltier. It also implies that the narrator weakness has got the better of him because he then confesses his guilt in committing the brutal murder. Poe uses other phrases to convey the guiltiness of the narrator such as: It was a low, dull, quick sound such as a sound as a watch makes enveloped in cotton. This is repeated simile further accentuating the narrators guilt conscious. Poe sometimes uses sounds to create the effect of a horror scene: for the hinges creaked Before this the narrator was describing his consciousness, implying the surroundings were silent. Then they hear the hinges creaking reminding the reader of the hellish, horror-type story. Of course, this would make the reader curious of whos behind the door. Poe uses evil words in the story such as hell, murdered etc. This is to add and emphasise the fear and terror of the story. It also emphasises the old mans feelings. I heard many things in hell. This shows us the madness of the narrator and confines his sadistic character. Apart from evil word choices he uses evil phrases. After the narrator viscously murdered the old man I then smiled gaily. At some points of The Tell Tale Heart you are under the impression that the narrator has done it before. This is because he seems so calm and relaxed describing how he killed him. After the death he deposited the body. Deposited in this sense would imply a heartless or ruthless person. This is how he makes the death disgusting. Not just by describing the horrific violence I cut off the head, the arms and then the legs. but by the emotionless way the narrator tell us, as if this was his job or a day-to-day activity. Throughout the story, he defends himself of madness. He tries doing this by describing the eye (the reason for the death) revoltingly. One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture. The old man is being described as a greedy, ruthless person. He continues to describe the eye as if it made his blood run cold. This makes the eye sound evil and he tries to construct a valid reason for killing him. Poe has written the story in a first person narrative, making us apart of the story. but why will you say that I am mad? The use of the rhetorical question suggests the narrator is addressing the reader in a dramatic method. He brings us into a conversation and grabs our attention straight away making us want to read on. By addressing the reader it also makes the story more realistic. This question is repeated throughout trying to persuade us to thinking hes not. He makes us form opinions and answers. Another example of where Poe drags us into the story is: And now have I told you what you Other reasons for addressing the reader is a plea for us to listen and pay attention. Poe has the murderer tell us the story. this is mainly for realism, suspense and to hear the unusual, murderers point of view. The story would also create more dramatic impact on the reader. The reader may also feel that the narrator is putting a lot of trust into the reader, because the narrator is describing the death in great depth. Due to the first person narrative we would have more information and details, whilst gaining a better knowledge of how his mind works. The Tell Tale Heart grips the readers imagination, by mysterious and unpredictable behaviour. The reader decides to read on as the narrator shows an intensity of emotions and feelings from one paragraph to the next. At the beginning of the story we see an obsessive man over an old mans eye. From the obsession of the eye we get the feeling of a mentally disturbed or mad man. Although he may be disturbed, he is a confident, personal person, which suggests a split personality. Towards the end he reveals more information, but were still left with questions to ask. The slip of information indicates the narrator losing his confidence. Other examples include the continuous crescendo beat of the heart. The narrator finally breaks down due to the paranoia as the police come to the slaughterhouse. Suspense is produced by the array of emotions, and irrational behaviour as the unpredictable story continues. The Tell Tale Heart shows an excessive man where a vulture eye haunts him. The mysterious obsession with an old mans eye leads to a gruesome death. Then we see the narrators sadistic behaviour. The story ends with the narrator breaking down. The narrators unpredictable feelings maintain the readers interest and suspense. The Tell Tale Heart compels the reader to read on to find out whats happening next. The narrator experiences feelings of confidence and joy (possibly because hes sadistic) on certain occasions but he can soon transform into an adjitated and anxious man. The narrator speaks with a relaxed, confident tone, which can some times turn into arrogance. As the story moves on, we witness the loss of control; he then displays irrational and sinister behaviour.

The Rwandan Genocide: Overview

The Rwandan Genocide: Overview During the Rwandan genocide in 1994 about one million Tutsi and Hutu opposition members were slaughtered by the extremist Hutu government the Hutu, the majority ethnic group in Rwanda. Their aim was to exterminate the Tutsi, the minority ethnic group which comprised of only about 25% of the population. In order to discuss the source of the Rwandan genocide it is important to analyse the nature of the concept so that it can be applied with the aim of establishing why the genocide took place when it did and whether an ancient ethnic hatred was the origin of the Rwandan genocide. Genocide is an essentially contested concept that is hard to define. Horowitz states that is empirically ubiquitous and politically troublesome, because there are both limited and extensive classifications of the term.  [1]  The narrow interpretation of genocide states that genocide is almost always a premeditated act calculated to achieve the end of its perpetrators through mass murder.  [2]  Horowitz detects that a core principle is that genocide must be conducted with the approval of, if not direct intervention by the state apparatus as part of a political policy.  [3]  Chalk and Jonassohn go on to say that genocide is one-sided mass killing. They point out that one-sided mass killing is also essential in order to exclude from the analys[is] the casualties of war.  [4]  The broader definition of genocide according to Chalk and Jonassohn can also include the destruction of a culture without an attempt to physically destroy its bearers, which suggests that genocide i s a more common occurrence.  [5]  Consistent with this broad definition, the United Nations Convention on Genocide defined genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, such as: killing member of the group. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on a group conditions of life calculated to being about physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measure intended to prevent births within a group; forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.  [6]  The expansiveness of the UNs definition is itself a function of the ambiguity associated with the operationalisation of this term in the international policy field. A key feature of the definitions of genocide is the decisive role the state plays in marginalizing and exterminating an ethnic, racial or religious group. For the purpose of this essay, the narrow definition i.e. one sided mass killing in which a state or other authority intends to destroy a group, will be used.  [7]  This essay argues that the Rwandan genocide was caused by a combination of political, social, economic and international factors and not solely the result of ancient ethnic hatred. It supports the views of Totten, Parsons and Charny who argue that contrary to the image conveyed by the media, there is nothing in the historical record to suggest a kind of tribal meltdown rooted in deep seated antagonisms, or longstanding atavistic hatreds.  [8]  While ethnic tensions contributed to the injustices administered to the minority groups in this devastating event, to reduce the cause of the genocide to ancient ethnic rivalry is simplistic given the historical and contem porary evidence on the subject. Historical events such as colonialism and the civil war created long lasting ethnic tensions. The conflict may not have followed had political and socio-economic circumstances not been exacerbated through the use of propaganda and the ethnic rivalry concocted during colonialism. Ethnic tensions were clearly rooted in colonialism. According to Horowitz One of the fundamental characteristics of nineteenth century European imperialism was its systematic destruction of communities outside the mother country.  [9]  Rwanda had been a German and Belgium colony. The Germans saw the Tutsi as the more superior race, different from the majority of common and savage negroes, because their physical features when compared to the Hutus appeared to bear more resemblance to European features, therefore they were born rulers.  [10]  As a result they were educated and given jobs in the military and public administration while the Hutus were relegated to menial tasks. This created resentment towards the Tutsis among the Hutu which was further exacerbated when Rwanda became a Belgian colony. Under Belgian imperial rule the Tutsis and Hutus were all given identity cards indicating which ethnic group they belonged to. The strict classification system further heightened the distinction between the two groups and the construction of these separate identities in conjunction with propaganda methods became a main part in inciting ethnic hatred. Mamdani observes that these identities were the fault lines along which political violence exploded. The violence started with colonial pacification which took on genocidal proportions.  [11]  This also supports the claim that the Rwandan genocide was partly rooted in colonialism. The combination of resentment and the segregation between Tutsi and Hutu contributed significantly to the ethnic tension that existed during the Hutu governments rule. However the development of ethnic tension during the colonial years did not necessarily have to lead to genocide. In addition to the ethic divisions created during colonialism, propaganda in the post-independence period further aggravated ethnic tensions. The Tutsi were portrayed as foreigners in Rwanda by the Hutu government through a successful propaganda campaign. Melvern explains that according to the Hutu the Tutsi were proud, arrogant, tricky and untrustworthy, describing them as aliens, and cockroaches.  [12]  The Hutu regime created a stereotype using specific language on national radio broadcasts (e.g. Radio Tà ©là ©vision Libre des Mille Collines) and in printed media which the Hutu extremists used to incite ethnic hatred. Totten, Parsons and Charny note that through the use of language the enemy was demonised, [and] made the incarnation of evil, which dehumanised the Tutsi and contributed to the willingness of numerous Hutus to participate in genocide.  [13]  In direct contrast with the Tutsi the Hutu people were depicted as modest, honest, loyal, independent and impulsive.à ‚  [14]  In doing this the Hutu government created collective memories from colonialism that historically the Hutu had always been enslaved and mistreated by the Tutsi and their foreign allies. This validated the Hutu extremist policies and violence but also created resentment which was intended to fuel the already festering hatred. Again, we see that as in the colonial era, the political system and the ideology on which it is based contributed significantly to conflict in the society. Though ethnic tensions existed, these influences contributed to climax of ethnic hatred in 1994. The portrayal of Tutsi people as outsiders was restricted to the 1990s and was based on political manipulation showing that the tension was not based on ancient Rwandan history but instead it had been stage-managed. Exaggerating the differences between the Hutu and the Tutsi through political propaganda can be viewed as part of the reason why the genocide took place in 1994 and not before. It is therefore apparent that the Rwandan genocide was not mainly caused by ancient ethnic hatred but instead by the aim to amplify ethnic tension during the 1990s. It is worth noting that the Tutsi and Hutu had coexisted peacefully for years despite having had a historical background rife with ethnic tension. Mills and Brunner maintain that for centuries they have spoken the same language, lived on the same hillsides, and intermarried to such an extent that the physical characteristics stereotypically attributed to each tall, thin, lighter skinned for the Tutsi; short, stocky and darker skinned for the Hutu are often blurred.  [15]  This shows that the Rwanda genocide was not caused but ethnic hatred as there would need to be evidence of serious ethnic disputes prior to 1994. Also because the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups were intertwined one has to question whether ethnicity was the only grounds for extermination. The Hutu government emphasised ethnicity. However opposition to the Hutu extremist government and Tutsi sympathisers were also massacred along with the Tutsi. The division is debatably not in fact ethnic although that is how it w as portrayed. Rather it is more likely to have been based on class and occupational lines as this was the case before colonisation. This reveals that there must have been another explanation for the genocide other than ethnic hatred. The true motivation behind the Rwanda genocide was in fact fear. One of the reasons why genocide took place when it did is because the Hutu government feared a Tutsi invasion from neighbouring Burundi and Uganda. Shelton agrees with this argument pointing out that the Hutu government called for the extermination of the Tutsi fearing the loss of its power in the face of a democracy movement and a civil war.  [16]  The RPF (Rwanda Patriotic Front) consisted of Tutsi refugees in exile that had formed in Uganda following the expulsion of thousands of Tutsi in 1959 in opposition to the Hutu extremist government. Since the October 1990 invasion by the RPF into Rwanda the Hutu extremists feared another attack and as a result their ethnic policies became more extreme. The Hutu extremists saw the Tutsi in Rwanda as an internal threat which they associated with an external enemy, the RPF. The Hutu government nationalised the fear of this internal threat by instilling it in the Hutu populat ion using propaganda. Uvins view supports this position stating that they successfully sought to spread ethnic fear throughout society, to organise and legitimise the forces of violence and genocide and to desensitise people to violence.  [17]  In the context of civil war although ethnic tensions are central to the conflict it is clear that the origins of the Rwandan genocides does not lie in ancient ethnic hatred but extensively in fear. This fear was intended to mobilise the masses and it can therefore be said that the spread of fear among the population was an important cause of the Rwandan genocide because it put pressure severe pressure on ethnic divides. Ethnicity was allegedly what the Hutu government claimed to be the basis of their aim to create a truly Rwandan state where Rwanda belonged to the Hutu.  [18]  In order to achieve this state a social revolution, was necessary which involved purging the state of outsiders, the Tutsi  [19]  . The Tutsi were seen as being ancestrally from North Africa and on this basis they were to be excluded from the creation of a true Rwandan state. It was this exclusion as well as the fear of Tutsi rule that motivated the extremist Hutu government and their radical propaganda policy. Melvern observes that when the first political parties were formed, they were created along strict ethnic lines, in line with ideological principles.  [20]  This development of ideology adds to this set of ideas that can be used for both internal and external legitimisation, which with the support of the church as well as the international community further justified the Hutu governments actions despite the radical nature of their policies  [21]  . It is clear that when examining the Hutu government their policies on ethnic hatred were not entirely based on an ancient feud as ethnic distinctions did not exist in early Rwandan history, but instead were largely embedded in extreme ideology that ironically this did not represent the majority Hutu opinion. Instead the combination of fear and the aim to create the ideal Hutu state escalated ethnic hatred. As well as the civil war other significant events widened the divide between the Tutsi and the Hutu. Rwanda was a recently independent fragile state and domestic affairs were put under pressure by the 1990 rural crisis which damaged the agriculturally based Rwandan economy. Uvin highlights that this decline is a result of a combination of factors, conjunctural and structural: a set of drought s in the middle of the late 1980s; the effects of erosion, land degradation and poverty.  [22]  Additionally the dramatic fall in the price of coffee, a major export intensified the pressure on the Hutu government because it greatly reduced the earnings of the Rwandan state.  [23]  As a result of this the Rwandan government had to ask the IMF for a state loan which increased the pressure the Rwandan government experienced in a rapidly declining economy. The Hutu extremist government were able to use this as part of the propaganda ploy to blame the Tutsi and label them economic exploiters , thus further contributing to ethnic resentment and hatred. These internal pressures show how the creation of ethnic hatred was a multifaceted strategy and not solely the result of ancient tensions. The Rwandan genocide was also caused by the build up of ethnic hatred in the context of civil war. The assassination of Juvenal Habyarimana was a turning point in that it served as the spark that set the plans for genocide in motion.  [24]  The Hutu government used this event to propel the masses into action. They accused the Tutsi RPF of assassinating the president because he resisted signing the Arusha Accord, the Rwandan peace agreement. Although this event triggered the genocide it was far from being a spontaneous popular uprising.  [25]  According to Shelton the 1994 genocide had been carefully planned and coordinated by a small group of government and military officials who used the administrative structure and coercive force of the state to invigorate the genocide and extend it across the country.  [26]  This highlights the fact that the origin of the Rwandan genocide was not merely rooted in ancient hatred but was made possible by contemporary government policies which resurrected and reconstructed old ethnic tensions. In conclusion it is clear that from the arguments set forth, the Rwandan genocide was not merely caused by ancient ethnic hatred but instead was caused by an amalgamation of events and policies. The propaganda used to incite fear was instrumental in creating an environment that turned the Hutu and Tutsi against each other, thus allowing the 1994 Rwanda genocide to take place. Mamdani supports this view and comments that Violence has been motivated by a mutual fear of victimhood.  [27]  The complex combination of imperial ethnic division aggravated by propaganda in the context of a civil war and RPF threat as well as economic pressure all came together to create a society and environment that allowed for and committed genocide. Mills and Brunner explain that there is no such thing as a simple tribal meltdown not anywhere, and that the view that the Rwandan genocide was prompted by ancient ethnic hatred does not explain why it took place when it did.  [28]  Although ethnicity w as an important contributing component of the Rwandan genocide it was not the only definitive factor. It is therefore a limited view to claim that the Rwanda genocide was rooted in ancient ethnic hatred when it is clear that the issues involved were significantly more complicated.

Emilias Contemporary Stand :: essays research papers

Emilia’s Contemporary Stand In equation with the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare offers us a male dominated society in his renowned tragedy, Othello. Consequently, this definitely persuades a negative attitude and demeanor towards the women of the times. The female characters in the play: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca; play relevant roles in contributing to one’s understanding of this exhausted Elizabethan view. In contrast to the larger portion of the play, Emilia, spouse to the scandalous Iago, takes an opinionated stand for Desdemona in relation to her wholesome gone sour relationship with the Moor of Venice, Othello. I recognize Emilia’s â€Å"Betrayal lecture† as a justified outlook in accordance with today’s period and events surrounding Desdemona’s and Othello’s fatal misunderstanding. In Act IV, scene ii and iii, Emilia shows her contemporary views about relationships to the audience and talks to Desdemona while doing so. She believes that many men and women are commonly guilty of cheating and betrayal of their partner. At this point, Othello’s worries of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness have wholly increased, and he begins to accuse her of cheating on him. Desdemona then hopes Othello sees to her honesty and truthfulness of the matter. â€Å"I hope my noble lord esteems me honest† (Act IV, scene II line 67). Othello counters her begging by beginning his sarcasm and request for her to never have been born. He says, â€Å"O, ay. As summer flies are in the shambles,that quicken even with blowing. O Thou weed, Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne’er been born!†(Act IV scene II lines 68-70) As Desdemona constantly denies his accusations, Othello becomes very angry. He asks for her forgiveness (jokingly) and says â€Å"I took you for that cunning whore of Venice† (Act IV, scene ii, line 93). Desdemona is left mad by Othello’s ridicule and listens to Emilia’s contrasting attitude. As Othello and Lodovico leave the scene, the Moor commands Desdemona to exit Emilia’s presence and exclaims, â€Å"get you to bed on th’ instant.(Act IV scene iii line 7). Emilia fervently disagrees with Othello and graces us with her pro- female attitudes once again by saying, â€Å" I would you had never seen him†, with Desdemona agreeing light-heartedly as well.(Act IV scene iii lines 19-20) . Emilia displays to Desdemona a helping hand and says to leave Othello if she is so hurt by his â€Å"understandings†. â€Å"†¦Having the world for your labor, ‘tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right† She is basically explaining to Desdemona to leave Othello for his ludicrous antics.

Life Without Technology Essay

If someone told me that I would have to be technology-free for 24 hours I would probably have asked them for a tranquilizer so I could sleep through the horrid day. From the moment my alarm clock goes off in the morning to the time I set it at night I am using some sort of technology. I couldn’t even eat lunch at school without the help of those little machines that take our meal plans. Last week I did my best and tried as hard as I could to be free from technology. Obviously, being at college made it impossible but it was a good experience nonetheless. After my alarm goes off, it’s time to take a shower. The lights aren’t necessary so I leave them off. I come back from my shower with sopping wet hair and decide to suck it up and leave the blow dryer in the closet. It’s Monday so I only have one class, which means I have more time to torture myself. On the way to lunch my roommate and I take the stairs; I live on the 7th floor so we know this won’t last long. On my way out I contemplate whether or not the lock on our mailboxes is too technologically advanced for me to use. Honestly, I would have to admit that my day was not all that bad. My wet hair eventually dried itself from running up and down the seven flights of stairs. There is so much that we take for granted it is unbelievable. Even if I wanted to be absolutely free from technology I couldn’t. Lights are on everywhere you go and someone always wants you to listen to the message on their cell phone from their boyfriend. There are unavoidable motion sensor lights and unavoidable automatic doors. Car trips, if driving in the car were even allowed, would be extremely boring not to mention dangerous. Without traffic signals there would be a lot of accidents; for some reason I don’t think people would pay attention to little men in bright orange vests  waving flags. I am convinced that without technology smoking and drug use would increase and people would be fat. While people would be forced to walk most places I think that they would just choose to stay closer to home. Sleeping would probably take precedence over most activities, except maybe those associated with reproduction. So basically if you think about it the world would literally be one big, fat, high, drunk family. On Mondays I have geography and my teacher lectures with the help of PowerPoint. Since there is no way I can copy notes from just listening I once again must give in to the machine. On the way back from class my roommate and I cut through the Science building to make our trip shorter. It isn’t until I am through the second door that I realize the doors are handicapped accessible and automatic. It’s amazing the little things we take for granted. When I get back to the room, seven flights later, automatically the first thing I do is flick on the lights. I then shake my head and turn them off.

Reflective Portfolio

Abstract This is a reflective essay looking at the author’s career expectations and working background. Models of reflection are used to examine the author’s experience and self learning in terms of career aspirations. Past working history, and the situation with jobs in the airline industry, are discussed. A model of ideal characteristics for the author’s desired job is presented, and the areas in which the author is lacking are set out. The tools and approaches which can be used to improve these characteristics and hence become more like the ideal candidate are set out. 1. Introduction In the following paper, I am going to look at my career aspirations in the context of available careers in my chosen industry: the airline industry. I want to work in a customer services / management capacity at British Airways, building upon my existing skill-set and experience. I will discuss this subject in terms of approaches and insights I have gathered from studying international tourism management and travel tourism management, as well as what I have learnt in this particular module on career development. I will be looking critically at my experience and self-learning in order to identify the characteristics which I have that I feel equip me for this role. I will also be identifying areas which need to be further worked on. I will be combining intuitive writing about my experiences and capacities with academic research, textbooks and theories. In reflecting on my experience, I have been influenced by a number of models of learning through reflection, including Gibbs’ an d Kolb’s. Both these models show a way to structure learning. In Kolb the learner is encouraged to look at an experience and make observations then form concepts and general theories, which are then tested against more new experience. Gibbs suggests a similar process of describing, analysing feelings, evaluating, analysis and conceptualisation (Moon 2013). I have used models like these to first describe to myself or others my experience, then build conceptual models, abstract key ideas and theorise about what happened in order to do things differently in the future. Overall, I will be demonstrating how and why I feel I fit the role of Customer Service Manager within the airline industry, and how I might fill the current gaps in my knowledge and experience. 2. The Airline Sector and Available Careers In this section, I will look at the airline industry globally and in the UK, outline the areas of work, discuss the different possible job roles, and suggest the one which is right for me. I will also look at the career possibilities associated with this role, and look at the relationship between the ideal candidate for this role and my capabilities. My aim is to work in management within the airline industry. Although I have had a variety of jobs in my career so far, I have always wanted to work for British Airways. I was drawn to the opportunities for travel, as I see it as a way of learning and personal development. The old saying that travel broadens the mind seems true to me, although it also seems that travel and tourism research has so far concentrated more on why tourists select the destinations they do, rather than the impact on travellers psychology and perceptions (Chon et al 2012). Initially, I felt I should wait until the right job came along, but I was advised by a friend that I should take any job within the organisation and then work my way into the position I wanted. Many jobs are advertised internally first in many employers, not just B.A. (Williams 2010). The airline industry as a whole is large, and is likely to expand particularly if the trend for cheap air travel continues. Globally, there are approximately 2000 airlines with 23,000 aircraft serving over 3500 airports. By 2006, air travel growth was approximately 5% year on year, and capacity was thought likely to double by 2021 (Hencke 2006). Within the UK, aviation is a significant contributor to the economy, with UK airports handling 230 million passengers a year. UK manufacturing, technology and service providers in the industry are considered world leaders. Nearly 150,000 people are employed in the UK directly within the industry, and the sector contributes nearly ?10 billion to GDP (The Air League [online] 2014). The strength and likelihood of growth of the sector, while not directly motivating me to want to join the industry, certainly give me confidence that I will be able to have a life-long career within the industry. In terms of different organisations, the industry is d ominated by a few large organisations, although low-cost players have changed the situation somewhat. British Airways is the largest operator, followed by Virgin Atlantic Airways. British Midland and Easy Jet are also well known. UK companies face competition from overseas providers as well (Belobaba et al 2009). I was especially drawn to working for British Airways as they are the largest provider in the UK, and as such I feel I will have more opportunities for career development. But because many other companies operate globally, I feel I am in a good position to move to different organisations in the future, not least because I speak a number of languages. Given the large number of jobs in the sector, it is unsurprising that there are a wide range of occupations and roles. The type of jobs available can be divided into three main sections: ground handling services (e.g. baggage handling), airport operations (e.g. terminal manager, customer support) and airline operations (e.g. ground handling, cabin crew etc) (National Careers Service 2014). Of the choices, I have decided to focus on roles which directly progress out of the role I am now occupying. In particular, I have mapped out a possible career development path. First, I will go for a Future Talent Customer Service Manager (FTCSM) position, which I can move to after 12 months in this role. After this I can progress to a Customer Service Manager (after 2 years), and, beyond this, to an In-Flight Business Manager (IBM). I have chosen this particular development path having considered and rejected another. In the other path I would take a less customer-facing role, becoming a Duty Off ice Manager (DOM) or Turn Around Manager (TRM). The first looks at the management of crew, while the second deals with the mechanics of putting aircraft back in the air quickly and efficiently. My decision to go for the first career route was guided by my skills in dealing with people. I feel I have demonstrated empathy with different types of people, and am practiced at dealing with people’s problems. I care about people, want them to enjoy their experiences and want to continue to be very hands-on, if not with the public then with other employees. I also feel that there’s a more defined and visible career path in the first set of roles, as I can move from FTCCSM to CSM and to IBM, and beyond. In terms of my chosen career progression, there are a number of skills and abilities the ideal candidate will have. These are not specific to B.A. or the aviation industry, but are needed across all customer service and people facing roles. A CSM/FTCSM should have: Good leadership skills Planning ability Understanding and acting on feedback Communication ability Networking ability Flexibility The ability to manage stress and pressure as well as cope with job challenges Be able to deal with conflict (Evanson 2011) In terms of this ideal checklist, I believe I already possess several of these requirements. That is, I feel I am able to deal with conflict in a low-key, non-confrontational manner (a skill honed during my time as a bouncer), I can manage stress and pressure, I am fairly good at planning, understanding feedback and communication. This is not to say I cannot improve in these areas, but I feel that the areas in which my personal profile is most mismatched with the ideal job candidate profile are: Leadership Networking Flexibility I will explore in more detail my personal circumstances and their match to the ideal profile in the next section. 3. Current Career & Circumstances This section looks at my background in terms of career history, strengths and weaknesses. I then assess my competencies in terms of the ideal candidate profile I outlined in the last section. Finally, I identify areas for improvement in relation to this profile. Currently, I am working as a member of cabin crew. I have 6 months experience. I felt this position will help me advance in the industry as a whole. My previous career history has given me some very useful experience. I have had a variety of jobs from modelling to being a bouncer. While many of these positions might be considered ‘low level’ I feel they have taught me to deal with many different types of people, particularly people who are aggressive or who attempt to manipulate. Having dealt with so many tricky people, I feel I have a strong intuition about what people’s real motives are, as opposed to what they say they are motivated by, and also an ability to communicate with all sorts of people without making situations worse. Before I started my current job, I knew I wanted to work within the airline industry. I was also attracted to B.A. as I had heard they were a good employer (indeed.com [online] 2014). I treated the application process as a way of learning how to improve my interview skills. I applied to some organisations not because I especially wanted the advertised job, but in order to brush up on these skills, and become familiar with a range of the interview styles which exist in different companies. Some organisations, for example, use stress techniques to see how you cope under pressure (Parkinson 2002), others put you in either a very structured or an unstructured situation, both of which elicit different types of responses and require different approaches (Lehman and DuFrene 2010). During my 6 months in this job, I have come up against a number of new challenges which have made me more aware of my strengths and weaknesses in terms of the job I am ideally looking for. I have found that people tend to assume that working as a member of the cabin crew is easy particularly for men. Indeed, there’s a strong ‘trolley dolly’ stereotype (Bolton & Boyd 2003), which I have found frustrating at times. In fact, cabin crew work is a difficult job demanding good time management, concentration, the ability to think ‘on your feet’ and solve problems quickly, and an ability to get on with many different sorts of people. In addition, you need to pass a number of tests. For example for the BA mixed fleet crew the tests include health, criminal record and different aircraft licenses. I have found out in this job that I am good at listening to others. I feel I have a natural empathy with others and want to listen to what they are saying, rather than try and organise them into my way of doing things. However, and perhaps this is connected with this strength, I am not naturally forceful and good at leading others. In fact, if I am faced with a domineering or overpowering customer, I tend to give in and do what they want. This creates problems for me, for example if what they want is against the company rules. I think if I had more leadership ability, I would be better able to convince such people that the way I want them to behave is the right one for them as well. I also feel I do not currently demonstrate leadership skills. When in group meetings I tend to hang back and do not put my point of view across. I also feel I do not make the best use of situations. For example, I was asked to train up a new member of my team, but I felt I did not do this well, I felt und er-confident of what I was doing and I think I confused the person I was training. In addition to the areas of improvement I need to work on, which I will discuss more in the next section, I need to look at ways in which I can achieve my goal of a management position. I believe that my experience so far has helped a great deal. I have already had 6 months experience working as a member of cabin crew, so I understand the mechanics of this industry, but also of this particular job. After all, many people have to spend several months, if not years, volunteering to get similar experience of their desired industry, and I have had the luck to be paid for getting to this stage. Another benefit of being in the industry is that I have had a chance to build contacts already. Networking is an extremely powerful tool for getting the job you want (Souza 2010) and continues to be useful once in the job. After all, networking can be defined simply as creating opportunities, improving relationships with other people and making useful contacts. In a job, these benefits deepen over time, as you develop a more permanent network (Fisher 2011). As such, it is useful to career progression. Another skill I need to learn is flexibility. After all, as Pryor and Bright (2011) point out, the 21st Century workplace is characterised by change. Being able to adapt to change, not to expect the workplace to stay the same for years (or even months) and having a portfolio approach to a career are becoming increasingly important. I recognise that I am somewhat inflexible, and that change scares me. I naturally prefer the security of some sort of routine. However, there are things I can do to become more flexible. To some extent, working as cabin crew has helped improve my adaptability and increased the extent to which I can have a positive response to change, as I am never 100% sure where I’ll be going over the next months, and I have become aware that people can be very different in their demands and expectations. As I deal so much with members of the public, I have learnt to adapt to circumstances as they come up in a consistent way. I think there is more I can do in this area though. To summarise, there are some key areas which I need to work on: developing my management skills (including communication) and improving my networking, as well as being more flexible and open to change. I have covered networking and flexibility in this section, and will look at leadership in the next section. 4. The Development of Key Skills: Leadership This section evaluates the personal development tools I have used to improve my leadership skills, as it has been identified above as one of the areas I need to work on. I have had extensive working experience in a variety of positions, but have not really worked in a position where I have had to lead others. This initially made me wonder if I had what it takes to be a leader, but a number of things we covered in the module have convinced me that I can lead others. Other gaps include networking skills and flexibility. Theoretical learning about leadership has helped expand my horizons in terms of career development. Before I started the module, I believed that leaders are born, not made, and that one either is or is not the sort of person who can lead others. However, we learnt about different theories about leadership, and also about ways leadership can be developed. The idea that leaders are born is also known as the ‘great man’ theory of leadership (Daft 2007). A similar theory is the ‘trait’ model (Komives et al 2009). Although these are old models, they were still influential in my thinking. My experience on the course opened my eyes about different leadership theories. Many hold that leadership can be learned, for example behaviour-based theories, contingency theories and transformational theory (Komives et al 2009; Bragg 2008). Of the three, I have been most influenced by transformational theories. Behavioural and contingency theories seem to lack soul for me. It seems to me, based on my working experience, that people need to relate to and be inspired by leaders. Transformational theory, introduced by Burns (1978), suggests that transformational leadership is related to â€Å"morality, charisma, vision and values† that is, the leader must inspire people. Leaders also need to work with the people they lead, sharing information (Lucas 2005, p.20). One problem I found was that while there is a lot written about transformational leadership, there is not so much about how it can actually be put into practice. I did find a model based on Burns (1985) ideas. Manktelo et al (2005) suggest a 4 step process involving Creating a picture of the future to inspire people Getting people to ‘buy in’ to the picture Manage the way the vision is made to occur Improve relationships between people involved in delivering the vision They also suggest ways in which each stage can be achieved. In order to attain my desired career goals I will certainly be using this model to help me. I also found some textbooks recommended for the module useful. Chapman and O’Neill (1999) broke leadership down into 6 practical steps. I found this useful as I find it hard sometimes to translate theory into practice. I also found Covey (1999) useful. This approach teaches one how to base leadership around principles. I have always felt that management should be to do with treating people fairly and involving them in decisions, no matter what level of the company they are working at. Gardner and Laskin (1996) have given me ideas about how to watch what other leaders do and incorporate their behaviours into my own approach. One writer I found less helpful was Watkins (2013). He suggests getting to understand the â€Å"pivotal† people in the organisation quickly, through understanding their motivations and the pressures t hey are working under as well as the way they see their choices. The strategy is then to apply tools of influence to sway them. I have two issues with this approach. First, I believe every worker in an organisation is equally important. I would rather get all people agreeable to a course of action than concentrate on those he sees as ‘pivotal’. By concentrating on a few, resentment might arise. I would also suggest that it might not be possible to get to know people as quickly as he thinks. Watkins (2013) assumes that people will be honest and open about their motivation in a short conversation, and from my experience this often is not the case. Overall, I believe that learning more about leadership and finding practical approaches to being a better leader, including coaching skills, is the key way to address the gap I have talked about in earlier sections between my current skill set and the skill set required for my ideal position. 5. Conclusion In conclusion, I have examined my career in the context of my past working experience, where I am at the moment, and where I want to be. A number of tools I have learned during this module, as well as through self-learning, have helped me work out the ideal profile for my desired job role. I have also identified how I might turn my current skill set into the desired one. In particular, I need to work on leadership abilities. I have found a number of practical tools to help me do this, and have explored them above. My networking skills and flexibility can also be improved. 6. References The Air League (2014) ‘UK Aviation’ [online] (cited 8th February 2014). Available from http://www.airleague.co.uk/about/position-papers/uk-aviation/ Belobaba, P, Odoni, A and Barnhart, C (2009) The Global Airline Industry, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ Bolton, S C and Boyd, C (2003) ;Trolley Dolly or Skilled Emotion ManagerMoving on from Hochschild’s Managed Heart’, Work, Employment and Society, 17:2, 289-308. Bragg, D J (2008) The Application of Transformational Leadership, Proquest, USA. Chapman, E N and O’Neill, L S (1999) Leadership: Essential steps every manager needs to know (3rd edn.), Prentice Hall, USA Chon, K S, Pizam, A and Mansfeld, Y (2012) Consumer Behaviour in Travel and Tourism, Routledge, UK Covey, S R (1999) Principle-centered Leadership, Simon & Schuster, London Daft, R (2007) The Leadership Experience (4th edn.), Cengage Learning, Mason OH. Day, D V, Zaccaro, S J and Halpin, S M (2004) Leader Development for Transforming Organizations: Growing Leaders for Tomorrow, Psychology Press, Bristol D’Souza (2010) Brilliant Networking: What the Best Networkers Know, Say and Do, Pearson, UK Evenson, R (2011) Customer Service Management Training 101: Quick and Easy Techniques That Get Great Results, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn, USA Fisher, D (2011) Professional Networking For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ Gardner, H and Laskin, E (1996). Leading Minds: An anatomy of leadership, Basic Books, NY. Gladwell, M (2001) Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference Abacus, London Hencke, E (2006) ‘Airline Industry Overview’, [online] (cited 8th February 2014) available from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/consultingclub/Resources/Airlines_Eric_Henckels.pdf Indeed.com (2014) ‘British Airways’ [online] (cited 8th February 2014) available from http://www.indeed.com/cmp/British-Airways/reviews Komives, S R, Lucas, N and McMahon, T R (2009) Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference (2nd edn.), John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Lehman, C and DuFrene, D (2010) Business Communication (16th edn.), Cengage Learning, Mason, OH Lucas, D B (2005) A Study of the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Constructive Organizational Culture in Small Manufacturing Companies, Proquest, USA Manketelow, J, Brodbeck, F and Anand, N (2005) How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You, Mind Tools, Swindon. Moon, J A (2013) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development: Theory and Practice, Routledge, Oxon National Careers Service (2014) ‘Finding out about aviation’ [online] (cited 9th February 2014) available from ttps://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/LMI/Pages/aviation.aspx Parkinson, M (2002) Your Job Search Made Easy, Kogan Page Publishers, London Pryor, R and Bright, J (2011) Chaos Theory of Careers: A new perspective on working in the twenty-first century, Routledge, Oxon. Watkins, M D (2013) First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, Harvard Business Press, USA Williams, C (2010) Management (6th edn), Cengage Learning, Mason, OH