Monday, September 30, 2019

Hawaii Coffee Company Essay

I. Trading Position The company is well known for providing customers with quality grinded coffee in retail grocery format. Customers of the company are stores and coffee shops. The company should maintain this position because it is the most profitable for the company. However, there are also risks in the format. Selling in large packages will generate sales discount that will reduce corporate profit. II. Brand Decisions I believe that the company should maintain the presence of the Royal Kona brand because it means less pressure for the Lion Coffee brand. In other words, the two brands can help each other (financially or strategically) from time to time. III. Discount Selling I do not think it is possible to reduce the amount of discount selling for Lions Coffee Brand because the company sells in retail format where consumers will most likely want to get discounts from large amount of purchase. However, if conditions generate the necessity for such reduction, the price of coffee should be enhanced to cover the discounts given to special customers. This can be performed by using the numbers from previous period. Thus, the increase in price can be matched to the amount of discount given in the last period. There are also variations in the way we eliminate the looses from discount selling. For instance, the price increase could be based on average discount given in the last three years, etc. IV. Expanding to the Mainland Expansion to the mainland could generate enhanced market share if performed diligently. On the other hand, the wrong entry method could generate losses due to poorly calculated investments. First, manager of the expansion project must have thorough understanding on the coffee market in the mainland. A part of this is elaborated in the case study. The market is somewhat different with the Hawaiian market because in the mainland, people prefer to buy coffee beans and grind them in their houses and stores. In Hawaii on the other hand, there are significantly larger portion of the grinded coffee sales. Another difference of the coffee market in Hawaii and in the mainland is the nature of the competition. In Hawaii, the largest competition comes from drug stores and convenience stores. In the mainland on the other hand, competition comes from other coffee-selling companies like Starbucks, etc. In a sense, competition in the mainland exists in wider variation compare to the Hawaiian market. One of the upsides of such an expansion is the generation of additional markets that will relief the pressure from existing markets. Furthermore, the establishment of a presence in the mainland will generate knowledge sharing between the Hawaiian market and its subsidiary in the mainland. On the other hand, the downside of such an expansion is the unprepared system to face a considerably different business environment. The company might have to face considerable challenges from competitors and the increasingly demanding customers in the mainland. V. Starbucks Starbucks as the trendsetter in the coffee industry still have considerable influence for the company. In a sense, all products produced within the industry will be compared to Starbucks coffee. In the light of this condition, it is quite unwise to compete directly with the company. However, recent articles regarding the retail coffee market indicated that there are still plenty of rooms for development. Furthermore, analysts also stated that the retail coffee market has quite a unique appeal for investors. Despite the effects of popularity on sales, consumers of coffee are not ‘fanatics’ like in other industries. In a sense, there are still wide opportunities for development and winning the competition against others if one has the appropriate quality to please visitors (Duffy, 2007). VI. Opportunities and Threats Opportunities for the Hawaii Coffee Company are generated mainly from the nature of the industry which is always on the look for new tastes and new coffee experience. Threats on the other hand, come from the lack of knowledge on how to manage the retail coffee business. Some of the important points that deserve attention in order to avoid threats and generate opportunities include: Â · Designing the business plan One of the most frequent mistakes in managing the retail coffee business that could lead to failure is the lack of flexibility regarding corporate business plan. In a sense, managers should realize that they could never be done with the business plan. There are always little details that require attention and business change. Inability to understand this need is a threat toward corporate long-term survival. Â · Budgeting Studies indicated that 50% of new startups failed in the first three to five years. The reason of this failure is the lack of business expertise and insufficient funding. Therefore, the lack of a sufficient funding is categorized as a considerable threat for the coffee business. Â · Choosing the Location Most business understands that location is a crucial aspect of business endeavor. However, managers in the coffee business should understand that location is a critical determinant for business success or failure. The lack of ability in choosing the right location for business is a notable threat. Â · Understanding the Products Customers in the present day are much more critical than those of the old days. Tastes, cleanliness, quality of services are all under critical observation of visitors. Therefore, present day managers of coffee retailers must understand various aspects that would influence how customers perceived the products and services provided by the company. For instance, health issues are gaining increasing attention, therefore health considerations in designing coffee mixtures is important for business survival. The lack of comprehension toward the products and services offered and their implication to customers is a threat for the retail coffee business (‘Coffee Industry Goes Green’, 2007). Â · Knowing Customers A good product for a single segment could be horrible for other segments. Companies should never generalized their product and hope for a piece of all markets. There is always the need for targeting a certain segment of the market and focuses on developing products and services to meet the preferences of the segment. The lack of knowledge over the targeted segment could be a significant threat for corporate growth and survival. Â · Investing in Barista Barista and waiters are the ones who interact directly with customers. These are the people where managers put their faith upon. If a manager realized this, then he/she should realize the importance of investing into baristas and waiters. Training, bonuses and other types of compensation are important for the business. Ignoring Baristas is a significant threat for success in the retail coffee business.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Roger Mcgough Poem Analysi

Roger McGough was a well-known British poet who has written a lot of poems about inequality, life and unfairness between social classes. I have chosen to discuss and compare the following poem â€Å"The Commission†, â€Å"Nooligan† and â€Å"Streemin† of Roger McGough. The three poems I have chosen are mainly written in the area of inequality of this world and the unfairness of social class. In â€Å"The Commission† Roger McGough has written the contrast of the different social class and the difference between the wealthy and the poor. In the poem he wrote â€Å"In this poem there is a table.Groaning with food. There is also a child, Groaning for lack of food† this clearly stated out the different between the wealthy and the poor. In â€Å"Nooligan† he criticises the use of violence and bullying in school, he used the following lines â€Å"I’m a Nooligan don’t give a toss, in our class I’m the boss† to tell to the audience that everyone is born equal, no one should be hurt or to be treated differently to others. In the poem â€Å"Streemin† Roger McGough again criticises the inequality between the different social classes by using â€Å"But all these divishns aren’t reely fair†.Roger McGough’s poem is always very relaxed and smooth, never intense. Most of the time he seems like he is talking to himself or into his own deep thinking. In â€Å"The Commission† he used rhyme over the whole poem, with the relax tone, he presented his theme of the inequality like he was telling the audience about one of his dreams. However he used rhyming in the poem â€Å"Nooligan† to create a sense of humours, describing a bully in school, he presents his idea nicely to audience while giving them some fun.The poem â€Å"Streemin† isn’t written in formal language, slangs and short forms are used, this give the audience an idea that the person isn’t real ly educated, which presents his purpose for this poem perfectly. After reading Roger McGough’s poem, I have learned a lot about life and this world. His poem told me that everybody are born in to this world equally and that no one should be treated like slaves, no matter of this social class, skin colour, culture background or the wealth and poor.He presented this to the audience through his poem â€Å"The commission† in the first 4 lines of the first stanza. In the 2nd stanza Roger McGough have written that there was a photographer draws â€Å"a little Asian girl, Naked, wide-eyed, pleading† he points out the unfairness in this world very clear and sharp with just one sentence. After reading and a little thinking of the poem, I feel really tempered about the unfairness in this world and even a little sadness, I think this was also what the poet felt while he wrote down this poem.From his poem â€Å"Nooligan† it teaches me that everyone should deserve hap piness in this world, because to be born into this world and determined that they are going to die sooner or later was not a child’s choice, it was not their choice to be born in to a violence family, it was not their fault that the parents are devoiced. Therefore I think that everyone who was born into this world deserves to have their own happiness and no one should have the power to take it away from them. Roger McGough was writing about the bullies in school in this poem, they hurt people.The rhyme used in this poem have turned mood very humorous and he used the humorous to present to the audience about the bullies in his eyes. â€Å"Streemin† was one of the shortest poems Roger McGough has written. He described the feelings of the lower social class with just a few sentences. In the last stanza he written â€Å"But all these divishns arnt reely fair look at the cemetery no Streemin there† presents his idea of how the lower social class look at this world. T hey have not been educated, but this does not make them less of a person.They think it’s not fair that they have to be treated differently to all the other people who live in this world just because they don’t like reading and can hardly write. After reading Roger McGough’s poem I feel like I have learned a lot about this society, good side and bad side. I would strongly recommend Roger McGough’s to a young adult, or people who are about to walk into this society, because his poem taught me a lot of things and this might benefit people in a lot of ways. And personally I really like his poems, like the way he presents his ideas and like his idea about this society

Saturday, September 28, 2019

One Team One Dream

One Team One Dream! Lights shinning all around you, like you're on stage at a concert. With the light gleaming on your face and announcers recognizing everybody as if they were at a boxing match. Even before we start the game fans and parents are screaming their lungs out already. Seeing the determination on our opponents faces while shaking their hands going down the line got our team pumped up for the start of the game. Every team member giving everything they have to come out on top and win that trophy. Nervously waiting on the court for the referee to blow his whistle.Jump ball! Who has it? Game on. Our high school team was ranked number one in the district. All of us girls on the team have been playing together since kindergarten. We were so close and knew each other like the back of our hands. knowing every play by heart and where every person would be on the court, we had confidence in each other and throwing a no-look pass was easy. We were like a huge family which made us ve ry successful on the court. Our team had won four district games and twenty league games. Leaving one district game left to take us to the District championship.Our last game was played against our biggest opponents in high school going back and fourth with us taking either victory or tears. Both teams were competing for the front page of that daily newspaper. To the people of the community, we were famous. Down by ten or more at the half we realized we needed to kick it into gear. Fourth quarter came around and we pulled ahead in the last final minutes and won a great victory! We were heading to state. Tears of joy ran down our faces. Everyone frantically ran across the basketball court like a stampede of Merkle 2 lephants escaping a lion's grasp. State was one of the biggest tournaments for basketball. Every team from the district, about 30 teams, were in the state championship. The last time our school made it to state for any sport was back in 2002. Our school was so proud of us , and even the staff. Our principal got our team a shuttle to take to the games and the school provided us with ten dollars each day for food. State was only three days but free money is always good! Our amazing family and friends were so supportive of our team. They made us tons of signs and provided us with lots of candy.One of our teammate's mom's made us all key chains that had our names on them along with our team motto: â€Å"One Team One Dream†. Our coach was so proud of our success this season. He also surprised us with one of the best gifts of all. Coach Rob went out of his way to get us new warm-up jerseys with our last names and our numbers on them. It was so exciting we all ran and jumped on him as he fell to the ground laughing hysterically. For the last couple practices we had before the state games we all wore our warm-ups to practice. We all loved them that much!Getting ready in the locker room we were all getting in the zone, and listening to gangster music t o get us pumped up. Game day was finally here, we were all waiting for this day for so long. Walking out of the locker room one by one the teams were looking at us while fans of the other teams glared at us. As we were warming up on the court we blocked them out of our heads. The first game we played was a breeze and we beat them by a great number of points. They were good sports and all wished us good luck in our next games. The second game was not quite a breeze, we ended up winning by a whopping 5 points.That amazing win got us to the final game in the state championship. Jumping up with parallelism, tearing up with joy, and taking pictures for the newspaper we all felt famous. Although we could not get ahead of ourselves because we still had one more game to go! All sitting in the locker room listening to coach talk our hands sweaty and locked, and our legs bouncing from anxiety. Walking on that court we saw fans packed from topped to bottom of the Merkle 3 bleachers all squishe d together. Jump ball? We lost the tip, now on defense, they scored the first two points.Another 2 points then 3. Our whole team was freaking out. We had to call a timeout. Our coach stood up and said one thing to us, â€Å"One team One dream†. We all knew exactly what that meant and couldn’t help but smile. Game on after screaming WHOO! . We got back on that court and took over that whole first half, baskets one right after another. I started dribbling down the court taking the opposing girl one on one across half court. I passed it to my teammate Ashlee, she dribbled it into the key where she was facing the basket and then dishes it off to Jamie our post.Who then skips the ball to the opposite side where I was standing behind the three point line. I got the ball and took my shot. As it sank through the net, I felt great because that shot got us ahead by three points right at half time! Second half comes around and we lose our heads, we all just let go. None of us wer e in it to win it. None of our shots were dropping and the other team was just dominating the game. Final buzzer rang we ended up losing 56-48. We did not drop our heads we all just got together in a circle and cried a bit, raised our heads and hands to the fans.While also bowing our heads to God and thanking him for giving us this amazing journey to state basketball. Everyone stood and clapped, even the winning team came and gave us hugs. We may have lost that state championship game but we gave it our all. Even though we were sad, we were happy at the same time. We had made it so far and accomplished so much. We had a huge section in the paper on us. It talked about our accomplishments and how we grew as a family. Even the paper recognized us as â€Å"One Team One Dream†

Friday, September 27, 2019

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Globalisation - Essay Example Microsoft has been known to possess monopolistic power in the manufacture and market for operating systems for most Personal Computers, in addition to being involved in far-ranging attempts to defend its operating system monopoly through using a wide range of exclusionary practices .Finally, Microsoft activities have been harmful to innovation and by extension to consumers (Eisenach & Lenard,2000). 2. Microsoft’s monopolistic practices are harmful to consumers in that the corporation being the sole provider of operating systems can set practically any price that they want, a process known as price-fixing. Price –fixing can be easily done in spite of demand, since the company is aware that consumers have no choice. Secondly Microsoft can even supply products that are inferior a practice that can further injure the consumers. Thirdly Microsoft’s monopoly kills innovation simply because the company lacks the incentive to innovate and thus fails to offer new as well as improved products; something that makes consumers enjoy what they want and how they want it (Gow, 2007). 3. Companies like Microsoft should be regulated because their dominance can hurt consumers by allowing the corporation to overprice its products in addition to suffocating innovation by competitors, keeping them out of the market fearing demolition by the main player. Microsoft therefore should not be permitted to dominate as it had done before for instance through abusing its operating system through incorporating its own Media Player capable of playing films and music, into its Windows operating system. This practice shut out other competitors such as RealPlayer. Microsoft therefore should be regulated so that other companies can grow and innovate especially in this information economy. 1.One of the most profound experiences I have had of globalisation is with Amazon.com.Amazon.com is the biggest internet-based retail store in America which began as a bookstore

Thursday, September 26, 2019

DOES AGE MATTER IN A RELATIONSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

DOES AGE MATTER IN A RELATIONSHIP - Essay Example According to the authors, people will engage in relationships that they feel respected, appreciated, protected and comfortable to carry on. Psychological satisfaction is the basic importance that relationships such as marriage ought to achieve in an individual’s life. The importance of social satisfaction inside the marriage must always come from the individual, with personal life playing the important part. In this discourse, various perspectives of age gaps in a relationship are discussed to illustrate the importance of psychological interpretations in a relationship among various social settings and perspectives. Relationships have several considerations that ought to be made when individuals are planning to look for partner, probably to end up with in a marriage. There are differences of interpretation of the importance of age difference between compatible partners with regard to cultural and social settings. While there is a general observation that the majority of cultural settings prefer a relationship in which the male partner is expected to be slightly older than the female partner, there are more important psychological issues involved than the age consideration. To a large extent, age consideration can be categorized as an incidental factor that almost always compliments the other considerations that an intimate relationship needs. Social changes continue to be experienced across the human society at an unprecedented rate, paving way for a more liberal approach to relationship issues. For instance, it was a difficult consideration to make in earlier days on racial differences when ch oosing a marriage partner but with the numerous changes on social fronts, it has become easier for people to date and marry anyone from any race (Buhrmester and Furman, pp104-103). The human community is getting integrated and old order of perceptions is experiencing a huge departure to a

Disability and Economic Change in Africa Research Paper

Disability and Economic Change in Africa - Research Paper Example The analysis is from poverty and being employed to economic responsibility and social participation. According to statistics, 2 persons in 20 are disabled and most live in the upcoming countries. The World Bank also, estimates that 1 in 6 is the poorest. Poverty and disability are closely related directly and inversely, they are causes and consequences of the other. Households subjected to poverty are exposed to disabling situations by lack of diet, little access to medical health care, vulnerability and high chances of accidents. It has a great capacity to destroy the lives of the disabled and burden their families (Ashgate, 698). In this study, the aim is to show the variation of income of homes with and without disabilities. Households with members who are impaired are grouped as the affected households and the others, unaffected households. The research showed that about 300 of 5000 selected households had one or more impaired person, relatively poor. Despite these challenges, there is ignorance concerning the economic importance of focusing on the growth and development of people with disabilities and their supporters. In the country, the source of income is in the agricultural sector therefore, the employment level is very low. The supply is lower than the job demand and the non-disabled are the only employed (Ashgate,712). The marginal farmers do not hire workers rather they depend fully on their physical strengths thus, the impaired have catastrophic consequences. Only males are employed in large number and females left to care for their disabled, so the loss of income by the men results in the high amount of debts (Ashgate, 722). The level of unemployment leads to poor living standards of the family members.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Response to Client Request Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response to Client Request - Essay Example Since, in this case the client holds the position of the lessor and the customer that has reached the client would fill the place of the lessee in this agreement. Therefore, from the client’s perspective, the leases from the standpoint for lessor hold significant value. Sales-type leases are the leases that give rise to a profit or loss to the lessor with the lease agreement as it would have done had the leased property been sold. This is because the leased property is given to the lessee at the fair value of the property which may be higher or less than the actual cost of the property. Direct financing leases are a very important type of leases as they are widely used in the lease agreements. There are certain criteria that must be met in order for a lease agreement to quality for direct financing lease. ... following criteria; the lease agreement includes three parties that are lessor, a long term creditor and a lessee, the financing provided by the long term creditor is nonrecourse as to the general credit of the lessor, the lessor’s net investment in the lease declines during the early years and rises in the later years. Any other types of leases, other than those described above, are classified as operating leases. In case of this client, the following points should also be taken into consideration. In case of direct financing lease or sales-type lease, it is also important for the lessor to ensure that the collectability of the minimum lease payments is reasonably predictable. A lessor shall not classify a lease as a direct financing lease or a sales-type lease merely on the basis of an estimate regarding the collectability of the minimum lease payments based on the prior experience with the lessee or prior experience with similar groups of receivables. The lessor should also make sure that no important uncertainties surround the amount of reimbursements to be made by the lessor to the lessee in relation to the performance of the leased property. The uncertainties might arise due to extensive guarantee provided by the lessor regarding the performance of the leased property. In this case, lessee might retrieve the amount of loss, if any, incurred by the lessee due to the lack of performance of the leased property as opposed to what was promised by the lessor. These factors shall apply in the case of the client as the client must ensure that the customer that has reached the client would be able to pay the minimum lease payments without any default in the payments. This can be ensured by conducting a market survey regarding the integrity of the customer. If the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Organisational begaviour management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organisational begaviour management - Essay Example By gaining a deeper understanding of individual differences an organisation will be able to proactively address organisational issues (Pearn 2002). In times when individual differences produce tension and conflict in an organization, the most viable solution entails the identification of a common ground where in spite of the differences, there is a possibility of a compromise. Therefore, performing a thorough analysis is the key ingredient in finding this common ground. The main argument of this paper is that individual differences bring about a variety of behaviours in the organization. Hence, managing organizational behaviour would require synergy of a plethora of concepts and principles to generate potent strategies towards organizational effectiveness. In order to identify the common ground among individuals in an organization, the following key points condensed from the theme of the researches included in the annotated bibliography should serve both as a guide in this discussion : (1) positive organizational behaviours should be cultivated; (2) organizational citizenship complements positive organizational behaviours; (3) moods, emotions, and diversity are significant factors influencing organizational behaviour; (4) organizations can benefit from recognizing emotional intelligence as scaffolds in forging healthy relationships in an organization; and (5) researchers need to sustain their exploits in discovering how the management of organizational behaviour can enhance the effectiveness of organizations. Positive behaviours should be cultivated in an organization. Youssef and Luthans (2007) revealed that hope, optimism, and resilience share a positive relationship with job performance, job satisfaction, work happiness, and organizational commitment. Optimism is a key factor in attaining occupational success. Optimists are observed to be: motivated to work harder; more satisfied; experience high levels of morale and aspiration; persistent in the face of obst acles and difficulties; views personal setbacks as temporary and not as personal inadequacy; and more likely to feel good and invigorated. Meanwhile, hope provides individuals with willpower and waypower. On the other hand, resiliency allows individuals to bounce back from stressful situations (Hoffmann, Farrell, Lilford, Ellis & Cant 2007). Meanwhile, Giachetti and So (2009) posited that: (1) the impact of positive organizational behaviours on strategy implementation may be mediated by organizational culture and leadership strategy articulation; and (2) positive management impacts organizational strategy and performance through collaborative management. In addition, the authors suggested the evaluation of the relationship between employee behaviour and capabilities on implementation of organizational strategies by managers on future researches. Luthans and Youssef (2007) emphasized the need for employees to capitalize on their strengths and improving on their weakness. Though signi ficant progress has been observed in the research and practice of positive organizational behaviour, the authors suggested further research on enhancing POB understanding and utilization with the aim of affecting work performance. Organizational citizenship complements positive organizational behaviours. Based on the analysis of LePine, Erez, and Johnson (2002) a strong association was uncovered among most of the dimensions of

Monday, September 23, 2019

Which is and will be the most powerful institution guiding human Essay

Which is and will be the most powerful institution guiding human activity in the next century... the state... the market ... or NGOS and IGOS - Essay Example Why is this so? First, most issues will have continued to be supra-national in nature to which the state is inherently constricted by its territorial boundaries. Hence, there is the increasing need for global governance (UBUNTU Foundation 94). As such, this makes IGOs most in demand, because the very supra-national nature of IGOs enables them to transcend the limitations of the state, while allowing them to act just like the state. In short, IGOs can govern globally. Where the state cannot intervene into the peace and security problem of a neighboring state, IGOs can. As defined, IGOs are created through a constitutive treaty involving two or more nations that come together in good faith for a common issue of interest. They are meant to create a mechanism through which nations of the world could work collaboratively more successfully concerning peace and security, economic and social issues. (Koteen, par. 1-2) Thus unlike NGOs, IGOs, Pease explains, have international legal personali ty. Meaning, IGOs are authorized to act under international law. For example, they can enter into international agreements with other international organizations and states; they can file a case in national courts; and they are also given immunities similar to the state. (6-7) Therefore, IGOs can be as powerful as the state in a much broader framework. Second, the unregulated dominant position of the market in the world economy, as manifested by the pervading powers of transnational and multinational corporations, is perceived not only to have increasingly threatened the sovereignty of nations but also to have caused poverty and to have widened inequality as it polarizes the world between the rich North and the poor South (Lodge and Wilson 9), which to many are enough reasons for violent conflicts to further intensify and for rebellion and terrorism to be justified. Though it may be argued that poverty is not the main cause of terrorism, Von Hippel sustains that there exists a signi ficant relationship between economic vulnerability and radicalism and terrorism (52-53). Suffice it to say therefore that the market, given its greed for profit, tends to exacerbate rather than mitigate violence and insecurity. Given this negative perception of the market, the need for global governance to regulate the market in order to lessen its impact on global economic inequality, consequently lessening possible sources of global insecurity, will become a necessity. Hence, the IGOs will become more influential. In fact, history shows the consistent trend that every after major world conflicts (i.e., Russo-Japanese War, World War I, and World War II), the emergence of IGOs for peace and security sharply increases (Jordan 18). Since the threats of world conflicts, though may no longer be in the form of world war, remains; the necessity for IGOs stands. Third, IGOs have consistently shown their effectiveness not only in finding ways to help resolve interstate conflicts but even in helping nation-state deal with its intractable conflicts (Brahm, par. 1). Hence, the prime usefulness of IGOs rests on their capability to provide states with a forum through which they can sit down and resolve their conflicts – Something that the market and the nation-state have not shown to be capable of. This cited effectiveness of IGOs could be attributed to the very purpose of their creation, which Brahm

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Scarlett Letter Feminist Criticism Essay Example for Free

Scarlett Letter Feminist Criticism Essay While Hawthorne is influenced by stereotypes, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne does serve to criticize patriarchy as he creates a plausible individual who is strong in the face of patriarchal opposition. Hester turns her punishment into a life changing experience by becoming a better, stronger, and more independent person than she was at the beginning of the novel. The way she handles her punishment does not make it right but it did make her a strong woman to be admired. It is when Hester takes on the task of owning the punishment all on her own that she shows she is a feminist well efore her time. She does not do what is expected of women during the time in which the story takes place. Hester demonstrates that she is strong in the face of patriarchal oppression and the scrutiny of the community in which she lives. Hawthorne writes â€Å"But under the leaden inflictions which it was her doom to endure, she felt at moments, as if she must needs to shriek out with the full powers of her lungs. † (49) The town’s people are watching Hester so disapprovingly that she is tempted to scream out at them, but Hester remains silent hile the whole town is looking down upon her and her infant child because of her sin of adultery. Hester would not let the people see her as weak or show how it humiliated her to be standing before the crowd with the letter A embroidered upon her bosom. It is here Hester shows such strength and courage, at a time when women were thought of as weak. Hawthorne continues to write, â€Å"Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast. † â€Å"Never! Replied Hester Prynne. † (58) It is here that Hester refuses to answer the Reverend Mr.  Wilson, as is expected of her, when the head of church ask her to name thy baby’s father. Women were expected to obey men of authority and for Hester to refuse to name her baby’s father, shows that she is very strong even in the presence of authority and will not be submissive. She holds steadfast in keeping quiet and not naming the baby’s father and therefore taking on the punishment all on her own, as she will not speak out the father’s name as demanded of her. It is through her silence that Hester showed great inner strength and does not succumb to how she was feeling on the inside. Hawthorne tells us â€Å"It may seem marvelous, that this woman should still call that place her home. † and further writes â€Å"With the world before her,-kept by no restrictive clause of her condemnation† â€Å"free to return to her birthplace, or to any European Land. † (67) Once Hester’s confinement is over she is free to leave town, but she stays and makes a home for her and her daughter Pearl. Hester of her own free will did not flee when she was free to go. Instead of leaving where she would have been free from judgments and ridicule, she chooses to stay and face her punishment. It is ecause Hester chooses to face her punishment alone and remains adamantly silent when asked to name her baby’s father, that she is strong in the face of patriarchal oppression and authority. Hester quietly takes up a productive place in the oppressive society in which she lives. Hawthorne describes how Hester provides for herself and her child by saying â€Å"She possessed an art that sufficed, even in a land that afforded comparatively little scope for its exercise, to supply food for her thriving infant and herself. † (68) It is because of Hester’s fine sewing skills that she is able to provide an income for her and Pearl. Hester’s needlework is so delicate and beautifully done that women of court or those of wealth sought her out for their intricate embroidery needs. Hawthorne shows us how Hester is charitable when he says â€Å"Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wrenches less miserable than herself and who not infrequently insulted the hand that fed them. Much of her time, which she might readily have applied to better efforts of her art, she employed in making coarse garments for the poor. † (70) This proves that even though the people in her community shunned her, Hester was kind hearted and willingly o help those less fortunate than her, even when they would insult her and talk among themselves behind her back. Hester did not have much in ways of means, but she selflessly gives her time and efforts to make clothes for the poor. Hawthorne tells us how Hester mothers her daughter Pearl when he writes â€Å"In this little lonesome dwelling, with some slender means that she possessed, and by the license of her magistrates† â€Å"Hester established herself with her infant child. † (68) Hawthorne further writes â€Å"She early sought to impose a tender, but strict, control over the infant immortality that was ommitted to her charge. † (76) Hester is mindful of her own faults in life that she is careful not to be too strict and to show tenderness to her child. Sometimes not knowing how to mother, Hester would stand aside and let Pearl act on her own accord and let her become her own person. Hester with her sewing skills, her charitable deeds for the poor and raising Pearl on her own shows how she quietly takes up a productive place in the oppressive society in which she lives. Even though the towns people continued to look down on Hester, she did not let it stop her from living her life and he lping others in need. Hawthorne creates a plausible individual in his central character, Hester Prynne as she is not the typical Puritan woman and goes against the grain and what is expected of her. Hawthorne shows us how Hester is self-reliant when he states â€Å"What others might seek in vain, or because Hester really filled the gap which must otherwise have remained vacant; it is certain that she had ready and fairly requited employment for as many hours as she sees fit to occupy her needle. † (69) Hester shows that she does not need a man in her life to provide for her and her baby. She is self reliant, when women of her day were dependent upon their husbands to provide for all their needs. She works hard and works as long as she needs to provide the necessities that she and Pearl need all on her own. Hawthorn demonstrates Hester’s bravery by standing up for herself when he writes â€Å"I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this! Answered Hester Prynne, laying her finger on the red token. Women it is thy badge of shame! Replied the magistrate. It is because of the stain which the letter indicates that we would transfer thy child to others hands. (92) Hawthorne further says â€Å"God gave me that child! Cried she. He gave her in requital to all else, when ye had taken from me. She is my happiness! -she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me in life! † (94) Women were not to speak out against authority especially male authority, but Hester stands up for herself and defends why Pearl should not be taken away from her care. This shows great bravery and her deep love for her child. Hester shows personal strength everyday during her punishment when Hawthorne writes â€Å"When strangers looked curiously at the scarlet letter,- and none ever ailed to do so,- they branded it fresh into Hester’s soul: so that, oftentimes, she could scarcely refrain, yet always did refrain, from covering the symbol with her hand. † (72) When ever Hester was to walk into town those who did not already know her would stop and stare at the letter upon her chest. Even though Hester wanted to hide the shame of the letter she did not, she forced herself not to cover the letter and to carry on. It is because of Hester’s strong will that she is able to face her punishment everyday, wearing her sin bravely out in the open. She did not let it stop her from living her life and going about her daily routine or making a good life for her and her daughter Pearl. Women in Hester’s day would have been too weak to venture into town all by themselves, instead they would have chosen to stay hidden, as to not having to face their sin. Also, they would not have walked with their heads up, instead would have kept their heads down as to not see the stares upon them, the fingers pointing at them or to hear words of insult directed at them. They would have been too weak to handle the daily scorn as bravely as Hester did. In conclusion one can see how Hester is a plausible individual who is strong in the face of patriarchal opposition and authority. Women during this time were seen as fragile, submissive, totally dependent upon and controlled by the men in their lives. Hester proves that she is neither of the above mentioned. She alone provides for her child, she was not dependent on anyone, she stood up for herself when threatened to lose Pearl, she did not submit when asked over and over again to name her baby’s father. What should have made Hester weak and shameful only made her a stronger, and better erson who learned to be self-reliant. In the end Hester’s good deeds and the way she carried her punishment turned her sinful letter â€Å"A† for adultery, into a new meaning among the people in her community. The letter â€Å"A† was now redefined by society as someone who was â€Å"Abel† capable and strong. The way Hester handled her punishment made her a strong and independent woman who defied the way a women was expected to be and act during patriarchal times, she showed us over and over again how she was a feminist before her time and in the end she finds favor with the women folk who now sought her out for advice.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Science And God In Frankenstein

Science And God In Frankenstein What is science? In the nineteenth century many believed it was attempting to play God. During this era new scientific discoveries in Europe were immense, and controversy over them was extreme. Not only did this new movement challenge the principles of Christianity but the belief in God. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein through Victor Frankensteins perilous journey shows the destruction behind mans thirst for scientific knowledge and the ethical reasons as to why man should not play God (cite). Victor Frankenstein attempts to go beyond human bounds and undertake in the greatest mistake of his life. Victors experiment created in the name of science holds the key to which Victor believes is his future success (cite). The Accomplishment of his toils is described as a wretched male figure formed from the corpses of others (Frankenstein, 34). Through his efforts, Frankenstein brings this figure to life, and his desire to succeed and discover impel him to play God. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that [he] desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied [him] (22) (cite.) However, Frankenstein is so deeply captivated with bringing about life that he fails to recognize the moral affects the creature will have on society, and most importantly that there could possibly be an explanation we cant create life unnaturally or be immortal. After the completion of his experiment, Frankens tein begins to recognize some of the consequences when he states, how can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pain and care I had endeavoured to form?(34) (cite). Is it not irresponsible and foolish to create life from death, while what is alive is not fully comprehended? When Frankenstein saw his creation and admitted his dissatisfaction, some may ask why he would create such a monster knowing it would definitely not fit into society. The clear explanation would be he fears his own death, thus trying to obtain the knowledge of life to prevent it. Frankensteins scientific pursuit is for his selfish means, not for the betterment of society. Frankenstein remarks by saying, The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind (34). The novel goes on to prove this could be no farther from the truth. By simply addressing the issue that some scientists may be erroneously directed, Frankenstein shows he is considering the ulterior motives of his plans. He is recognizing that his motives may not be for the advantage of mankind, and that this would be simply a bi-product of his creation. Frankenstein also fails to realize what society would think of his creature and how the creature would be affected by the general public. The creature is sent out into the world with the temperament of man, but entirely lacking the guidance and nurturing that all creatures need. This role playing of God is not what man was intended for, and children are made of a sperm and egg, not the hands of man. Who could handle the responsibility of controlling life? Only a Divine Power could control such an intricate process, and is a responsibility no person could endure. Victor takes many simple things for granted in his life, which are symbolized through the monster. I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me (129). All the monster requests is someone to share his life with, to live happily, and be loved; and through these pleasures the monster witnesses happiness. Victors scientific pursuit interferes with his life and ruins his happiness. He loses the desire for companionship because of his endeavors, and though Elizabeth longs for his return, he is too engaged in his work. Frankenstein has an opportunity to be happy, but the monster is never given the chance. This presents Shelleys argument that when you allow things such as science to get in the way of your true needs, such as love, you will not live a life worth living. Frankenstein and his monster are both miserable because they both live their life without love. He solved the most incomprehensible question, he reached the peak of scientific understanding, he accomplished his goals, yet he is miserable. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart (42). Shelley purposely lets Frankenstein accomplish his goal, but she makes a point that if the scientific knowledge of life cant bring happiness then no scientific knowledge can. Victor is so infatuated with completing his task and achieving fame that he fails to realize the lasting affects or consequences of his breakthrough. Shelley makes a valid argument that in many ways, we would all be better off without complex scientific thought: Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (38). Victor advises Walton by declaring, Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries (200). This passage evidently discusses Victors selfishness in fulfilling his objective. Shelley argues that scientists who are only seeking fame and fortune do not consider the long term effects and will be considered notorious.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Historical And Contemporary Examples Of Moral Panic Criminology Essay

Historical And Contemporary Examples Of Moral Panic Criminology Essay Mods, rockers, teddy boys, Muslims, the Irish, Hoodys, gangster rap, hip hop, raves, ecstasy, Victorian garrotters, muggers, video games, gang culture, the Miners, single mothers, children, benefit scroungers and an infinite more have been victims of moral panics. Fundamentally, the concept of moral panic is a tool that is utilised to maintain the social order. Moral panics are an inaccurate or exaggerated accounts of events that are applied to issues that stand outside of the dominant norms and values of society, in an attempt to shape public opinion about an issue, or a type of individual, or a certain group of people which in turn constructs negative identities and behaviours as being located outside of the moral boundaries. This often results in behaviours being criminalised. It also leads to laws and justice being redefined in the light of a moral panic. The most obvious one in terms of redefining the law is the trial-by-media case of the James Bulger murder by two-ten-year-old boys who through moral panic, shaped opinion which justified and legitimised the age to be tried as an adult be reduced to ten. Drawing first on Stanley Cohens deviancy amplification spiral model I will contextualise moral panic in various contexts to provide evidence that moral panics are nothing new and are still a powerful method for maintaining the social order by stigmatising identities and defining the moral boundaries. On Whitsun bank holiday in the 1960s in Clacton, a journalist observed a minor scuffle between the Mods in their Mo-hair suits and the leather-clad Rockers. However, this minor dispute was a very different event according to the reports the following day that the severity hit filled the headlines of national papers; The Daily Express; Beat Up Town 97 Leather Jacket Arrests, The Daily Mirror; Wild Ones Invade Seaside 97 Arrests, in Belgium; West Side Story on the English Coast as the story took the mass media by storm on a global scale (Cohen, 2002:18). Such deviancy was amplified as what was fast becoming a youth subculture spiralled out of control thus leading to this initial myth becoming a reality providing justification for the negative label attached as these skirmishes turned to riots on the beaches thereby becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy in the media and subsequently saw the subcultural gangs increasing rivalry. Similarly, the 1970s produced moral panics surrounding race and ethnicity as the negative stigma attached to Irishmen began to be linked with terrorism and subsequently treated disproportionately in the media. This occurs today towards Muslims who are the focus of intrigue, suspicion and fear following 9/11 attacks in the U.S.A. This is discursively rooted in the fear of the Other from the early 1970s which defined and constructed a new crime mugging and the falsified criminal identity of mugger which were young black men (Hall, Critcher, Jefferson and Clarke, 1978:74). The headline A Judge Cracks Down on Muggers In City of Fear led Hall et al. to argue that the only actors privy to information are the police, the media and the ventriloquist of a Judge upholding the moral framework thus the primary definers are the first-hand and only eye-witness to the said crime (The Daily Mirror, 26 September, 1972 in Hall et al. 1978:75). In sentencing the three (innocent) black youths to three y ears the judge said it was in the public interest as a deterrent measure. The Daily Mirrors editorial supported this claiming that Judge Hines is right if mugging is not to get out of hand as it has in America, punishment must be sharp and certain. This moral panic justified new policies giving police the right to stop and search young black men without due reason. In protest, this spiralled into riots which justified the moral panic as a reality and legitimised the subsequent disproportionate black male over-representation in prison. Thompson claimed the underlying reason for this false construction was to distract public attention away from Britains serious economic downturn which was said to be on the edge of bankruptcy (Thompson, 1997:46).Thus moral panics became attributed to a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests (Cohen, 1972:9, cited by Hall et al, 1978:16). The underpinning of moral panic as the articulation of the political, the judicial and the media was toward social control of anything that fell out of alignment with the dominant norms. Britains exceptionally high rate of moral panic is therefore a political and moral programme created to re-regulate social change specific to social pluralism and fragmentation of identity. Furthermore, moral panics are created when a serious national, political or economic issue needs to be masked as in the stereotyping of black youths and more recently Muslims. Trial by media notably increased in the 1980s and 1990s highlighting the enormity of political implications in terms of the Othering of diverse identities, aided by global media moguls like Rupert Murdoch. However, the tensions between enterprise and heritage undermined the extent to which audiences interpret representations of news or entertainment. While many would be happy to disagree, Thompson argues from the right-wing stance the positi ves of The Sun newspaper, which represents white working class Britain, overtly supported the ideologies of the New Right thus manipulating its readers to re-elect the Conservative party until 1997 (Thompson, 1997:47). Parents who act god like with their childrens life underpins parents moral panic of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) when torn between the damage caused by measles, and the autism said to be inherent in the MMR vaccine. Similarly, moral panic surrounds the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination to prevent a type of cervical cancer in women. Anxiety was exacerbated following the death of a fourteen-year-old who health experts say had a major underlying complication. Yet the alternative is allowing a daughter to contract cancer. Whatever stands outside of the dominant norms that define natural, normal and moral is vulnerable to moral panic (Thompson, 1998:72). Homosexuality is no exception and the moral panic surrounding HIV and Aids threw aside all taboos when mediating exaggerated tales that blamed a highly promiscuous gay culture. Prostitutes and drug addicts sharing needles posed an equal threat as by 1995, 75 per cent were infected via heterosexual transmission (World Health Organisation; in Benson, 1997:152). Benson argues that although stigma of HIV and AIDs is prevalent everywhere, in western societies it attaches to a particular stigmatised identity such as an addict, a prostitute or a gay man which is subsequently classified as symbolic by association and not accidental as in other locations such as Africa. Ultimately, it elevated anxieties as the risk of partners being secretly bisexual, unfaithful or gay. These anxieties were imbedded in media portrayals of the disease thereby creating an epidemi c of signification (Treichler, 1987, in Benson, 1997:153). This anxiety was well-founded as by the end of 2008, women represented 50% of the 33.1 million infected adults worldwide (http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm). Again, moral panic surrounding sexual deviance is not a new phenomenon as syphilis was rife in the Victorian era alongside the Victorian gin drinkers which can be likened to the binge drinkers of today. Drugs also form contemporary moral panics, this time Ecstasy which emanated from the death of Leah Betts, daughter of a police officer. As Daly (1997) reports the campaign that emerged took form in giant posters with a smiling Leah and the words Sorted as well as a picture of Leah on her deathbed. This circulated to all the national press to convey the harms of ecstasy, despite coroners reports claiming ecstasy was not a cause to her death. Soon after, musician Brian Harvey became the scapegoat when claiming he enjoyed Ecstasy which promptly saw to the demise of the musical band East 17. This was despite research by BBCs Horizon team proving that alcohol, tobacco and even aspirin are more dangerous than ecstasy and that if these were rated within the ABC classification, alcohol would become a Class A drug (Horizon, 2008, Ecstasy or Alcohol www.bbc.co.uk). Alcohol underpins moral panics surrounding the Street Rats, as defined by one teenagers description of the Bluewater shopping centres stereotypical drinking, smoking, swearing Hoody (Barkham, The Guardian, 14th May 2005). Britains youth are constantly demonised and alienated by ongoing moral panics that have justified the installation of pigeon alarms in shopping centres which send out a low frequency noise that only the under-25s can hear thus driving youths out of the area, in which they once congregated (Barnett, 2006, in Mooney and Talbot, 2010:49). The demise of youth clubs, recreation centres and prohibition from parks renders young people with nowhere to go. There is no coincidence therefore that moral panic coupled with increasing policing and surveillance has justified the current incarceration of 60,000 children throughout Britain (Goldson and Coles, 2005:1). Alongside stern penalties for the parents of truanting children and antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are the demonization of parents of teenage mothers. The Williams sisters all got pregnant during school, with the first being just twelve (The Evening Standard, 23rd May, 2005). The other two daughters were fourteen and sixteen respectively followed suit and all shared the three bedroom house with their divorced mother who blamed school-based sex education. The moral panic focused on their collective annual receipt of thirty thousand pounds in benefits and absence of financial support from the fathers. Currently in todays society the mediating of moral panics have taken on new forms like TV chat shows such as Jeremy Kyle and Trisha. Ultimately, moral panics are deployed in an attempt to divert attention from the inequalities both structural and material that are inherent within neo-liberal societies such as the UK (Drake, Muncie Westmarland, 2010:27). Thus they target on the less privileged in society and seem to ignore the seemingly untouchable elite members of parliament who are proven to have transcended moral boundaries when stealing tax payers hard-earned money when fiddling their expenses as revealed through much publicised unravelling throughout 2009. In conclusion, the evidence above reveals that moral panics are not a new phenomena as they have been a tool utilised to negatively construct stigmatised identities in conjunction with media and political rhetoric that shapes public opinion, that justifies the subsequent policies that discursively marginalise such social groups to prevent the normalisation of such deviance that would drain society. Many think it is a strange world that prefers children and young people to be cold and no longer wrap up warm to avoid being demonised or arrested for loitering in charge of a Hoody an item of clothing. It is dangerous when making parents gamble on their childrens lives. Nevertheless, when analysing society in relation to moral panic, it just goes to show that the deregulated press are able to write anything about minority groups in society that demonises, targets, punishes and criminalises discursively according to class, race, gender, age, religion and sexuality. Overall it would appear that moral panic is not a new concept; it has been around for centuries with people accepting it as societys aberrant ways. Today we have given it a name, but it does not alter the fact that it is nothing new. Bibliography-Moral Panic is nothing new. Discuss this statement using historical and contemporary examples of moral panic. Word Count 1,843 Barnett, L, 2006 We Are Not Pigeons in the Borehamwood Elstree Times, 9th March, 2006 Benson, S, 1997, The Body, Health and Eating Disorders in Woodward, K. 1997 Identity and Difference, London, Routledge. Cohen, S, 2002, Folk Devils and Moral Panics, 2nd Edition 2002, London, Routledge. Drake, D., Muncie, J. Westmarland, L, 2009, Criminal Justice: Local and Global, Devon, Willan Publishing Goldson, B. Coles, D, 2005, In the Care of the State, London, Inquest. Hall, S., Critcher, C., Jefferson, T., Clarke, J. Roberts, B, 1978, Policing the Crisis: Mugging, the State and Law and Order, London and Basingstoke, Macmillan http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-18811322-teenage-mothers-on-30000-of-benefits.do http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ecstasy-and-leah-betts-the-bouncers-tale-1266192.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/may/14/ukcrime.immigrationpolicy Mooney, G. Talbot, D, 2010 Global Cities, Segregation and Transgression, in Muncie, J., Talbot, D. Walters, R Crime: Local and Global, Devon, Willan Publishing Thompson, K, 1998, Moral Panics, London, Routledge. Treichler, P, 1987, AIDS, Homophobia and Biomedical Discourse: An Epidemic of Signification, Cultural Studies Vol.1, No.43, pp.31-70

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Consuming Kids (summary) :: essays research papers fc

Technology & Society (HUM110-80) CONSUMING KIDS Summary on Article, â€Å"Pubic Attitudes Toward the Youth Marketing Industry & Its Impact on Children† â€Å"Few public opinion polls exist concerning the burgeoning youth marketing industry. We therefore conducted an online survey of 978 U.S. residents in the Spring of 2004. Results suggest that a large majority of respondents believe: a) that the youth marketing industry is harmful to children and has questionable ethical practices: b) that the industry contributes to a variety of problems common in youth: c) that most of the marketing which takes place in schools is unacceptable: and d) that marketing directed at children under 8 years of age should be prohibited†, (Kasser and Linn). This survey was born out of concern that there are few statistics on the effects of marketing industry’s impact on our youth. Just as the article on â€Å"Consuming Kids† raises awareness about children being lured into believing they can’t live without things and the problems rising out of it. This survey makes us aware of how this market is willing to sacrifice the sanctity of family life by undermining the parents via their television while children watch mega hours of uninterrupted commercials aimed at them. These surveys were compared with a couple of sparsely completed other ones. The respondents felt that problems such as: aggressiveness, materialism, obesity, lack of creativity, overly sexualized behavior and self-esteem, were detrimentally influenced by the youth marketing industry. The solutions were simple enough, over half believed that schools should be commercial free zones, children’s television should be commercial free, (PBS has it), marketing to children should be subject to more government oversight, marketing to children 12 and under should be prohibited. There has got to be a stemming of the tide of the marketing industry exploiting children at such young ages. The survey results suggested the marketing industry’s is compromising its ethics for sales, is potentially harmful, needs regulation, the school should not be the place to market their products, even though the schools say it is helping them financially.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

We as young adults, deal with many social and emotional issues, which can be seen through depression. Depression, is a state of having low moods and can be described as feeling â€Å"blue†or unhappy. Depressed people may feel so sad at times that they withdraw and lose interest in activities that they once loved to do. In worst cases, some people even commit suicide. Generally, depression does not result from a single event but from a combination of multiple events in life and other personal factors. The number of factors that may cause depression varies from person to person. There could be abuse that happened in the past, conflict from family disputes and personal factors. It could also be from a death or loss and the person cannot get over their grief. Some depression just comes from having an illness. The normal ups and downs in life means that everyone feels sad or "blue" from time to time, but if emptiness and absence of hope have taken place and will not go away, there may be depression in life. When depression is in someone's life they can get very hopeless and not even enjoy thin...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

5 Bases of Power and Leadership Essay

When we mention the word â€Å"Power† most of the people will think that power is evil, corrupt, self-serving, manipulative and hurtful. However, there is a positive face to addressing power acquisition, power-base development, and power use. When power is used in an ethical and purposeful way, there is nothing evil about it. Leadership is â€Å"interpersonal influence, exercised in a situation, and directed, through communication process, toward the attainment of a specified goal or goals. (Tannenbaum, Weschler, & Massarik, 1961, p. 24). Sales Leadership regularly acquires and uses power to accomplish specific work goals and to strengthen their own positions to empower salesperson rather than dominate them. There are five different powers that affect leadership which include expert power, referent power, legitimate power, reward power and coercive power. Expert power is define as a major source f personal power is expertise in solving problems and performing important task. (French & Raven, 1959) Expert power is needed for those employees who need task direction. It also builds confidence in the leader’s ability to teach and delegate tasks that the team needs to accomplish. The more important problem is to the target person, the greater the power derived by the agent from the possessing the necessary expertise to solve it. With the expert power it helps the leaders to develop and maintain a reputation for technical expertise and strong credibility. Moreover, Charisma leader have the expert power and also have insight into the needs, hopes, and values of followers and are able to motivate commitment to proposals and strategies change.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Independence Day: India Essay

Good Morning! Respected chief guest our principal, teachers and my dear friends we have assembled here to celebrate the 65th anniversary of our Independence Day. As a citizen of India, I am so proud to talk to you about, my mother land. On the night of August 14, 1947, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru rose to make a maiden speech in New Delhi, â€Å"When the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom.† And now, this day 15th August of every year is a golden day engraved in the history of the world. We got freedom on this date and it is a day worth a celebration.. On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It was he who emphasized the need to observe human values in conducting the affairs of the country. He taught us Ahimsa and Non-violence We shall never allow that torch of his values to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest. Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death. We regard these martyrs who laid their precious lives for our sake.. And now 65 years later, we stand here today, and so much has changed. India is the largest democratic country in the world. But are we very successful in using our freedom in the right manner? If so, why are there so many bomb blasts, bribery cases, corruption charges? We have strayed from the Gandhian philosophy and his path of development. Well my dear friends, what can a student do at this juncture? Should we go and catch the terrorists? Should we fight against the corrupted politicians? No, we are not expected to do all these things. We will have our own day. Before that, let us do our duty of preparing ourselves to be well-educated citizens of tomorrow. Let us do our duty sincerely and study hard to achieve a goal.. Let us get rid of illiteracy and take India to a bright future. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. On 15 august 1947, new hope came into being, a vision long cherished materialized. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed! Jai Hind !

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Netiquette: Meanings, Definitions, and Interpretations

Netiquette has several different meanings, definitions, and interpretations between people. It can either have the literal definition or it can be someone's concept of what they think it means, to me whether the person uses their definition or the literal one Is what makes them have the â€Å"Netiquette† factor on their side. As an example to my previous statements everyone has a different spectrum of what they believe Is netiquette or not, and what they use as netiquette. To me you never want to lead off an essay with â€Å"First off', it's too casual and sounds horrible.You want to draw the reader In and get them Involved, Its stuff you learn In reading and writing 101. The most Important netiquette rules are things such as, use spell check and grammar check, don't talk or type In â€Å"slang†, don't type In all â€Å"CAPS†, being fluent In your words knowing the meaning of what you type, and of course common sense. If you are trying to do a formal paper of so me sort please use common sense when It comes to everything from punctuation to spelling and not using shortcuts, such as typing in â€Å"text† etc.As far as least important netiquette rules, I don't think you can have a least important one. All in all if you want to have an impact on your audience and draw those in you can use netiquette to accomplish this. As far as â€Å"golden rules† go I believe all the netiquette rules I have mentioned above are good golden rules. People should definitely use netiquette rules when preparing papers for college or for a Job where you need to have an impact on your readers. Netiquette is a good skill to have and is valuable anywhere and with anything you do.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Water Salinity Water Quality Guidelines Environmental Sciences Essay

Phosphate will excite the growing of plankton and aquatic workss which provide nutrient for larger beings, including: zooplankton, fish, worlds, and other mammals. A Plankton stand for the base of the nutrient chain.A Initially, this increased productiveness will do an addition in the fish population and overall biological diverseness of the system.A But as the phosphate burden continues and there is a build-up of phosphate in the lake or surface H2O ecosystem, the aging procedure of lake or surface H2O ecosystem will be accelerated. A The overrun of lake or H2O organic structure can take to an instability in the food and stuff cycling process.A Eutrophication, is enhanced production of primary manufacturers ensuing in decreased stableness of the ecosystem.A Excessive food inputs, normally nitrogen and phosphate, have been shown to be the chief cause of eutrophication over the past 30 old ages. This aging procedure can ensue in big fluctuations in the lake H2O quality and trophic pos ition and in some instances periodic blooms of blue-green algae. In state of affairss where eutrophication occurs, the natural rhythms become overwhelmed by an surplus of one or more of the followers: foods such as nitrate, phosphate, or organic waste. The concentration of algae and the trophic province of lakes correspond good to P degrees in H2O. The system so reacts by bring forthing more phytoplankton/vegetation than can be consumed by ecosystem. This overrun can take to a assortment of jobs runing from anoxic Waterss ( through decomposition ) to toxic algal blooms and lessening in diverseness, nutrient supply and home ground devastation. Eutrophication as a H2O quality issue has had a high profile since the late eightiess, following the widespread happening of bluish green algal blooms in some fresh Waterss. Some bluish green algae can at times produce toxins, which are harmful to worlds, pets and farm animate beings. Under aerophilic conditions ( presence of O ) , the natural rhythms may be more or less in balance until an surplus of nitrate ( N ) and/or phosphate enters the system. At this clip the H2O workss and algae Begin to turn more quickly than normal. As this happens there is besides an extra dice off of the workss and algae as sunshine is blocked at lower degrees. Bacteria attempt to break up the organic waste, devouring the O, and let go ofing more phosphate which is known as â€Å" recycling or internal cycling † . Some of the phosphate may be precipitated as Fe phosphate and stored in the deposit where it can so be released if anoxic conditions develop. Water PH The pH value determines whether H2O is difficult or soft. The pH of pure H2O is 7. In general, H2O with a pH lower than 7 are considered acidic, and with a pH greater than 7, basic. The normal scope for pH in surface H2O systems is 6.5 to 8.5 and for groundwater systems 6 to 8.5. Alkalinity is a step of the capacity of the H2O to defy a alteration in pH that would be given to do the H2O more acidic. The measuring of alkalinity and pH is needed to find the corrosiveness of the H2O. In general, H2O with a low pH ( & lt ; 6.5 ) could be acidic, soft, and caustic. Therefore, the H2O could incorporate metal ions such as Fe, manganese, Cu, lead, and Zn†¦ or, on other words, elevated degrees of toxic metals. This can do premature harm to metal piping, and have associated aesthetic jobs such as a metallic or rancid gustatory sensation, staining of wash, and the characteristic â€Å" bluish green † staining of sinks and drains. More significantly, there is wellness hazards associated with these toxins. The primary manner to handle the job of low pH H2O is with the usage of a neutralizer. The neutralizer feeds a solution into the H2O to forestall the H2O from responding with the family plumbing or lending to electrolytic corrosion. A typical neutralizing chemical is soda ash. Neutralizing with sodium carbonate ash, nevertheless, increases the Na content of the H2O. Water with a pH & gt ; 8.5 could bespeak that the H2O is difficult. Difficult H2O does non present a wellness hazard, but can do aesthetic jobs. These jobs include an alkali gustatory sensation to the H2O, formation of a sedimentation on dishes, utensils, and wash basins, trouble in acquiring soaps and detergents to flog, and formation of indissoluble precipitates on vesture. While the ideal pH degree of imbibing H2O should be between PH 6-8.5, the human organic structure maintains pH equilibrium on a changeless footing and will non be affected by H2O ingestion. For illustration our tummies have a of course low pH degree of 2 which is good acid that helps us with nutrient digestion. A pH scope of 6.0 to 9.0 appears to supply protection for the life of freshwater fish and underside home invertebrates Turbidity Turbidity is a chief physical feature of H2O and is an look of the optical belongings that causes visible radiation to be scattered and absorbed by atoms and molecules instead than transmitted in consecutive lines through a H2O sample. It is caused by suspended affair or drosss that interfere with the lucidity of the H2O. These drosss may include clay, silt, finely divided inorganic and organic affair, soluble coloured organic compounds, and plankton and other microscopic beings. Typical beginnings of turbidness in imbibing H2O include the undermentioned ( see Figure 7-1 ) : A · Waste discharges ; A · Runoff from water partings, particularly those that are disturbed or gnawing ; A · Algae or aquatic weeds and merchandises of their dislocation in H2O reservoirs, rivers, or lakes ; A · Humic acids and other organic compounds ensuing from decay of workss, foliages, etc. in H2O beginnings ; and A · High Fe concentrations which give Waterss a rusty-red colour ( chiefly in land H2O and land H2O under the direct influence of surface H2O ) . A · Air bubbles and atoms from the intervention procedure ( e.g. , hydrated oxides, lime Softening ) Simply stated, turbidness is the step of comparative lucidity of a liquid. Clarity is of import when bring forthing imbibing H2O for human ingestion and in many fabrication utilizations. Once considered as a largely aesthetic feature of imbibing H2O, important grounds exists that commanding turbidness is a competent precaution against pathogens in imbibing H2O.Turbidity ‘s Significance to Human HealthExcessive turbidness, or cloud cover, in imbibing H2O is aesthetically unsympathetic, and may besides stand for a wellness concern. Turbidity can supply nutrient and shelter for pathogens. If non removed, turbidness can advance a regrowth of pathogens in the distribution system, taking to waterborne disease eruptions, which have caused important instances of stomach flu throughout the United States and the universe. Although turbidness is non a direct index of wellness hazard, legion surveies show a strong relationship between remotion of turbidness and remotion of Protozoa. Dissolved O Dissolved O analysis measures the sum of gaseous O ( O2 ) dissolved in an aqueous solution. Oxygen gets into H2O by diffusion from the environing air, by aeration ( rapid motion ) , and as a waste merchandise of photosynthesis. When executing the dissolved O trial, merely grab samples should be used, and the analysis should be performed instantly. Therefore, this is a field trial that should be performed on site. Environmental Impact: Entire dissolved gas concentrations in H2O should non transcend 110 per centum. Concentrations above this degree can be harmful to aquatic life. Fish in Waterss incorporating inordinate dissolved gases may endure from â€Å" gas bubble disease † ; nevertheless, this is a really rare happening. The bubbles or emboli block the flow of blood through blood vass doing decease. External bubbles ( emphysema ) can besides happen and be seen on fives, on tegument and on other tissue. Aquatic invertebrates are besides affected by gas bubble disease but at degrees higher than those deadly to angle. Adequate dissolved O is necessary for good H2O quality. Oxygen is a necessary component to all signifiers of life. Natural watercourse purification processes require equal O degrees in order to supply for aerophilic life signifiers. As dissolved O degrees in H2O bead below 5.0 mg/l, aquatic life is put under emphasis. The lower the concentration of O, the greater the emphasis. Oxygen degrees that remain below 1-2 mg/l for a few hours can ensue in big fish putting to deaths. Water temperature Why is H2O temperature of import? Most aquatic beings are inhuman, intending they are unable to internally modulate their nucleus organic structure temperature. Therefore, temperature exerts a major influence on the biological activity and growing of aquatic beings. The higher the H2O temperature, the greater the biological activity. Fish, insects, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and other aquatic species all have preferred temperature ranges. As temperatures get excessively far above or below this preferable scope, the figure of persons of the species decreases until eventually there are few, or none. For illustration, we would by and large non anticipate to happen a thriving trout piscary in pools or shoal lakes because the H2O is excessively warm throughout the ice-free season. Temperature is besides of import because of its influence on H2O chemical science. The rate of chemical reactions by and large increases at higher temperature, which in bend affects biological activity. An of import illustration of the effects of temperature on H2O chemical science is its impact on O. Warm H2O holds less O that cool H2O, so it may be saturated with O but still non incorporate adequate for endurance of aquatic life. Some compounds are besides more toxic to aquatic life at higher temperatures. Temperature is reported in grades on the Celsius temperature graduated table ( C ) .

Friday, September 13, 2019

I have three topic you can choose anyone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I have three topic you can choose anyone - Essay Example Involuntary servitude became a federal crime that was punishable and male suffrage became guaranteed, while the US congress became the protector and enforcer of the amendments, as well as sustainer of the national government. Despite congress having the above roles, a number of things saw the rights of the black people being violated on a massive scale; moreover, this congress saw the people being violated. In this light, congress was made up of a majority of people from the north, who were voted into government by a majority. Therefore, for the northern people, the rights of the newly freed African Americans did matter much as their main idea was to have the United States resume their status as a union, as they were before the civil war. With this in mind, the rights of African Americans did little to achieve this goal thus; they were ignored for their bigger goal of restoring the union. This was in spite of having African Americans receive some degree of freedom and rights that the y could practice, but political ambitions crowded the congress and saw them denied of that which they required most, rights. To enjoy the freedoms and rights warranted to them during the reconstruction period, there was the Ku Klux Klan Act that was set against states and individuals that came between freed men and their rights that the federal government enforced with vigor. Some of the limitation to their rights and freedoms during this period included punishments that were a lot stricter than those given to white people for the same crimes were. As such, African Americans were harshly punished for breaking their contracts in that they were beaten, arrested, and forced into labor, in spite there being laws against people who offered higher amounts of money for the African Americans to break their contract. This shows how much they were violated in the labor scene as the law that the people applied only worked on one side, which was against the newly freed African Americans. In add ition, despite African Americans being in a position to testify in a court of law and state their case, African American women were violated and denied the chance to do so. This happened especially in cases where white men raped black women, as the law did not recognize black women as being in a position to attract white men, as they were even viewed by society as being vulgar and drawing attention to themselves. In addition to the issue of work, some employers forced African Americans to work in gangs, which was out rightly against their freedoms and rights, as they could choose where to live and how to work. These violations, based on the analysis of historical facts and occurrences were the result of mass election of northern people into congress, which saw public opinion shift to southerners being viewed as radicals. This is because the southerners spearheaded the reconstruction of African American lives by fighting for their and ensuring that they were protected. The violations also happened due to the presence of terrorist organizations that kept people away from the polls to elect their own candidates, which was further aggravated by the presence of black codes. These codes were in place since democrats did not want African Americans

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Applying for Entrance at Oxford University Essay

Applying for Entrance at Oxford University - Essay Example Relative to the foregoing, I have had the pleasure of giving Mr., Zhigzhitov academic instructions pertinent to the Comparable Politics Course while studying in the Political Department of Moscow State University; where he constantly deferred to me for scientific consultations on different problems. Moreover, he passed all his examinations within the given curriculum and attained no grade mark lower than A. Sergey has also been recognized by the University for his achievements since he received a gold medal and red diploma that was awarded by Viktor Sadovnichiy - rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University (only distinguished students are awarded a medal by the rector). Aside from his impeccable academic achievements, Sergey’s extracurricular activities also put him ahead of his peers. In this arena, he was recognized for actively participating in the â€Å"Electoral Processes and Social Cleavages in Regions of Russia† – a project that was organized by A. Ahremenko, a Doctor of Political Science and a political specialist analyst in Russia. In addition, he made a remarkable accomplishment by winning the first prize in a nationwide scientific competition, which was organized by both Moscow State University and the Fund of Perspective Researchers â€Å"Bastion†. Again Sergey’s scientific intellect manifested itself through the ten (10) scientific published works he has done in specialized editions which are considered quite a feat for a student. Having confidence in Sergey Zhigzhitov’s intellectual capabilities, the Political Science Department of Moscow State University allowed him to engage in practical teaching activities. H

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND Essay

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND - Essay Example And the products should not be similar to those that are available in the other restaurants. The interior of the restaurants also was clearly describing that how much the founders are in touch with an eco-friendly environment. In case of the interiors also, James and Justin had a different opinion. And their prices were such that even a single item will not cost more than that of the present minimum wages. The menu choices were like DIY (Do It Yourself). That means the restaurant will provide the different items to the customer and they themselves have to mix the items and fill it to eat. Through this the customers can understand the items used in the salad and can also have a choice in the ingredients. A wide variety of foods are available such as soup, honey, hot cakes, juice etc. The staffs got a shift of 2 to 4 hours per day. So the university students were also working as staff on part time basis. The growth of Kapai is resulted from the local support; this is because they depen ded mostly on the local suppliers. The extraordinary performance leads them to a high profit and thus, James started drawing a salary as an office staff. Since, the demand for the fast food was very high and a number of competitors such as Mc Donald’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut already existed, Kapai had to boost up their business. The more usage of fast food led to an over-weighted society and people started behaving very health conscious. All the restaurants tried to balance the fast food and salad items. But the health parts were ignored. The main competitor is a salad store called Reload. The urge to open the franchise increased in their minds. But the competition was very stiff. So the decision was taken to reduce the overhead costs and other expenses. And they planned to start the franchise at their preferred location. Kapai always had the first mover advantage and they wanted the people to accept it as their own. ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGES Every entrepreneur had to face some sort of challenge during their business life. This is because risk is inherent in each business. From the very stage, where the idea was generated for the venture to be closed down the challenge had to be faced. The possible challenge is â€Å"Finance, management† (Richter Meyer, 2003) for the firm i.e., naming of the firm, staff selection etc. In this case, the challenge is more like when they were running the business rather than in the start-up stage. A number of players were existing in the fast food industry in New Zealand and all of them were having a number of outlets and they were very successful entrepreneurs such as KFC, Mc Donald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut etc. Even though there were a lot of competitors who existed, Kapai could succeed only because they have studied the eating habit of the people and accordingly started their business and earned relatively a good profit. The next thing is that about the location for the next two stores . Their prices for each food were lower than the minimum wage rate of the country and thus the revenue-expense part was a challenge. This is because they had to pay the rent for the building, employee’s salary, purchasing of vegetables etc. Moreover, they were mostly depended on the local suppliers and tried to serve bio-degradable packaged salads and the availability

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Dangers of Genetically Altered Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dangers of Genetically Altered Foods - Essay Example However, the studies revealed that it was not the added lectin that was responsible for these side effects, but the engineering process itself. This is because a control group that was fed with potatoes containing the substance was not affected as they had not undergone the genetic modification processes (Pusztai, p.1). According to the researcher’s studies, food genetics should therefore not be altered for the purpose of making them disease-resistant or improving production to feed the hungry people since the process may bring adverse effects on humans. Regulation and testing of the process of modifying foods genetically has inefficiently been carried out in the past with interventions coming from various interested parties. For instance, in order to quell the public furor that was caused by the researcher’s studies, Philip James, a director at Rowett Institute, fired Pusztai because he had been influenced to take the action by a biotech firm located in the U.S. throug h a $224,000 grant they had received (Pusztai, p.2). In the U.S., their administration on food along with drugs has slowly drifted away from their regulation that food companies within the country should ensure the safety of their products before releasing them to the consumers. The foods are currently being introduced in a stealthy and quiet manner according to reports despite the public’s lack of comprehension concerning the risks that are posed by these foods. It is only due to the criticism that these foods have received across the nation and on the international arena that the American regulators are now thinking of creating new regulations to govern their manufacture (Pusztai, p.3). The production of genetically modified foods should not be advocated since they have many disadvantages that they come with. This is mainly because the engineering may bring imprecise technologies, different side

Employment Laws and HRM Strategy Research Paper

Employment Laws and HRM Strategy - Research Paper Example Small, medium and large organizations all have diverse employees who should be treated with respect and appreciated according to their differences (Cihon, & Castagnera, 2010). Globalization in the world has resulted in diversity in all regions of the world. The diversity is reflected in all areas of the workforce such as when hiring and recruiting employees. The law is very strict in the protection of employee rights as specified in the different labor laws of different states. Nowadays, most organizations also ensure that they give employees from either gender an equal chance in employment for all available positions. The needs of both groups need to be taken into consideration since both are different in their own ways (Armstrong, 2011). The state of Texas is no exception and requires all employers to refrain from discriminating from individuals based on their race, gender or any physical features (Texas Employment Law, 2012). Individuals from different backgrounds have different b eliefs, values, and traditions. Some of these values might be reflected in the way that they work hence affect the workplace. However, no employee at the workplace should be treated differently just because they have different values, beliefs or traditions from other employees. Diversity in the workplace improves the image of an organization in the eyes of the customers. With the growth of information sharing in the world, target clients of an organization can easily rate an organization in terms of employee treatment (Cihon, & Castagnera, 2010). Customer awareness groups are likely to boycott the products or services of an organization that does not promote diversity. Many human resources management gurus have also cited that diversity in the workplace encourages innovation and creativity among employees. HRM Plan to manage the HRM situation within the confines of the law The human resources management department of the organization should develop relevant classes for their supervi sors on current issues in the workplace. The classes should be interactive to ensure that there is the complete understanding of relevant issues. The human resources department should also conduct periodic demographic monitoring to ensure that the workforce is balanced. The workforce should have diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity and physical traits (Cihon, & Castagnera, 2010). The disciplinary action that is taken by the supervisors on the employees should be uniform among all existing employees in the organization. Such an action sends a message of equality even in diversity. The human resources department should also communicate the importance that it attaches to equal opportunities and diversity in its workforce. Current and potential employees of the organization should have access to the opportunities that are available in the organization. The human resource management part of the organization should use modern methods of managing the employees. The top management and ex ecutives’ should be close to employees to encourage them to achieve the set objectives in the organization. To ensure inclusion of the diverse group of employees, the human resources management department can come up with a culture day. The culture day should be held regularly such as on Fridays.  Ã‚  

Monday, September 9, 2019

How Brunelleschis Duomo Influenced the Qualities of the Emerging Essay

How Brunelleschis Duomo Influenced the Qualities of the Emerging Renaissance - Essay Example This included arches and column of Rome and the domes of Byzantine Ravenna and even of the baptistery in Florence building of the 11th century which Brunelleschi and his colleagues believed to be a cathedral of Mars reshaped for Christian worship (King, 2000). His primary objective was to abandon entirely the medieval heritage even if the lack of historical knowledge makes the break through less absolute than he intends. Brunelleschi’s rise to fame in his day is connected with a medieval building rather than Renaissance. His childhood Florence’s cathedral (Duomo built during the 14th century) had only a temporary covering over the space where the transepts and the nave cross. In 1418, the fathers of Florence addressed a monumental problem that they had been ignoring for decades; the immense hole in the roof of their cathedral. Years after years, the winter rains and the sun had streamed in over Santa Maria del Fiore high altar or the preferable place for the altar. Their forefathers had begun the cathedral in 1296 to display the status of Florence as one of the cultural and economic capitals in Europe developing productive on high finance and the wool and silk trades. There was a decision that the structure’s enormous crowning glory would be the largest cupola on Earth, ensuring the cathedral would be â€Å"more beautiful and useful,† more honorable and influential† than any other building ever built. The Cupola was the fitting evidence of a culture that was fighting for the ideology of the immortality of the individual soul and struggling to frame a constitution that would unite individual liberty for the highest common good. For many decades later, no one seemed to have an advancing idea of how to build a dome nearly 150feets across, more so starting 180 feet above the ground and atop the existing walls. Their building

Sunday, September 8, 2019

IranianSyrian Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

IranianSyrian Relations - Essay Example Border clashes between Israel and Syria, occurring throughout 1960s, culminated into Arab-Israel war of 1967. After six days of war, Israel who fought against the Arab States of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, annexed much of Arab territory, including Golan heights southwest of Syria. Fighting around the Golan Heights continued between Israel and Syria because of mounting tension from the Palestine refugees entering Syria en masse. This resulted into Syria and Egypt going to war against Israel in 1973. Claiming a legal authority by Israel in the Golan Heights, quite antagonist to Syria's demand for Israel to relinquish its claim, further aggravated the hostilities in 1981. Tension between Syria and Israel aggravated when the former demanded the return of the Golan Heights and the creation of the sate of Palestine. As Syria plays a major role in the Middle East, she sent peacekeeping troops in Lebanon to stop a civil war there. But this force remained in Lebanon as late as 2005. In the meantime, however, Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. An alliance of many countries including the United States and Syria was formed to oppose Iraq's illegal annexation of Kuwait. Over 20,000 Syrian troops fought against Iraqi forces to finally oust them from Kuwait in February 1991. After the death of Syrian president Hafiz-al- Assad in June 2000, his son Bashaar al-Assad succeeded him the same year. Many countries insisted Syria to withdraw its forces f... An alliance of many countries including the United States and Syria was formed to oppose Iraq's illegal annexation of Kuwait. Over 20,000 Syrian troops fought against Iraqi forces to finally oust them from Kuwait in February 1991. After the death of Syrian president Hafiz-al- Assad in June 2000, his son Bashaar al-Assad succeeded him the same year. Many countries insisted Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon. Rafik Hariri, a former premier of Lebanon was killed by a car bomb in Beirut, Lebanon. Accusations from all over held Syria to be responsible for Hariri's death. The assassination of Hariri triggered massive demonstrations and protests against Syrian for its withdrawal from Lebanon. Syria eventually withdrew from Lebanon in 2005. (Abu-Khalil As'ad, n.d.) Iran - A Brief Introduction Iran is one of the ancient countries in the Middle East and is situated to the southwest of Asia. It has snow-capped mountains, and its land abounds with green valleys, and barren deserts. Tehran, which is the largest city of Iran, is the country's capital. According to the ancient history of civilizations, Iran ranks as the world's oldest countries. The origin of human settlements in Iran is traced back in history to almost 5,000 years ago. The Persian Empire, which covered a vast territory of southwestern Asia and parts of Europe and Africa, had its seat of civilization based in what is now Iran. (Ansari Ali M, n.d.) Map of Iran Fact File - Iran Official Name: Islamic Republic of Iran Capital: Tehran Area: 636,372 sq miles Highest point: Mount Damavand (18,386 ft above sea-level) Official language: Persian (also called 'Farsi') Currency: Iranian Rial Population: 72,048,000 (two-third of Iranian people are of Aryan origin; 60 percent are