Research paper( Violent Games Are Contaminating Childrens Paper

( Violent Games Are Contaminating Childrens Personalities) - Research Paper Example The games are designed in a manner that instills realism to the games and the moment one plays them it gives a natural feeling (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Initially, the games were developed for mere entertainment purpose but over time the objective has shifted to include other aspects that are unfavorable to young children who are mostly addicted to these games. For instance, the video game Grand Theft Auto vice city is a mission-based video game that incorporated wrong vices such as violence, crime and prostitution. This indeed is wrong as the games instill wrong traits to the people who play them. But despite the negative vices that comes along the games they also have positive impacts on the gamers as they help them develop a high degree of judgment & problem solving as the games provides them with dilemma situations where critical decision have to be made and which have great impacts on the overall progress of the game (Gunter, 1998; Child Development Institute, 2003). According to psychology, the personalities of human beings tend to vary and thus different people will possess different personality traits depending on certain factors that have influenced the growth of that particular person (Gentile, 2003). Research conducted by Pennsylvania State University indicated that children who play video games are prone to be more hostile if they are less conscientious, less agreeable and easily angered (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). This group of children is said to be the one that is negatively affected by playing video games. However despite impacting negatively on the said children violent games which are mainly mission based offer the players an opportunity to learn new skills especially rational and critical thinking skills that aid in solving complex problems (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). That notwithstanding, video games in general have always been associated with addiction as children and teenagers are perceived to be

Discuss The Metaphor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discuss The Metaphor - Assignment Example In addition, I confirm the idea that squealing is a metaphor for making the pigs cry in pain, when my classmate said: â€Å"By squealing, she means that the current regime will not be happy with her leadership style because there will be no room for them to squander public funds.† I agree that Ernst plans to make them squeal because she will make sure that they can no longer do their expensive or corrupt programs. Finally, I agree that being a mother is a good metaphor for being a caring leader. Ernst is suggesting that she can be a good senator because she knows how to take care of her children. Given these metaphors, I do not think that my classmate missed anything. I think my classmate misunderstands what a metaphor means. My classmate wrote: â€Å"One of the first things that I thought was an example of a metaphor was when Obama says all of us will prosper. This is a metaphor in my opinion because it uses the word will.† Using the word â€Å"will† does not mean that a metaphor is being used. I also did not see the visual metaphor of ships overseas. Obama said that tax incentives will not be given to companies that ship jobs overseas though. A ship is a metaphor for leaving, which applies to lost jobs due to outsourcing. Nevertheless, I agree that showing Americans working can mean that Obama wants for Americans to work hard for America. In addition, I believe my classmate missed the metaphor of the setting of the speech, which is a living room. Obama said it himself that, if he was in his audience’s living room, he would discuss his plan with them. The setting of the speech is inside the house, specifically the living room. For me, this is a visual metaphor for setting up intimacy with Americans. Obama wants Americans to feel that he is right there in their living room to talk about his plan. The setting adds sincerity to his speech. Furthermore, another missed metaphor refers to the words â€Å"double down† on the â€Å"trickle down.† Obama refers to

Importance Of Experts Opinions In Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay

Importance Of Experts Opinions In Search For Knowledge Philosophy Essay Searching through newspapers, TV news or radio I can easily find the so called: opinions of  experts. Almost every article in The Economist, Guardian consists of at least two quotations of economists, sociologists or lawyers who are mainly professors of the world most famous Universities such as  Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yell or workers of the specialised institutes. All these opinions may be useful in gaining knowledge yet would it  be  reasonable to uncritically accept them as  a  definite knowledge or call it my own knowledge? To answer the question of how important are the opinions of experts in the search of  knowledge I will carry out an in depth analysis of  three main aspects. First of all I  will try to examine who an  expert is and what conditions need to be completed in order to  call someone an authority in  a  specific field. Secondly, I will focus on the process of  transforming an  opinion into my  own knowledge. The last aspect will set down where do  experts gain their knowledge and what are the bases of their opinions. I believe that an  analysis of these three dimensions, extended by an examples of my everyday life and based on specific areas of  knowledge, will be,  to large extent, sufficient for answering whether experts and their opinions are able to  provide me  with an adequate evidence to accept it  as  a  reliable component of  my  knowledge. As I was thinking of how to define an expert I ended up realizing how complex the perception of experts is. I would say that there is no one, ideal definition. However as I think about it,  this is  a person who possess an in depth knowledge in a specific field and relying mostly on the empirical evidence makes researches developing his/hers own understanding of  a  specific phenomenon. My brief definition seems to find an  application in everyday life for example professors from Universities specify only in narrow fields and by probing particular factors, they form their own proven conclusions which are further presented in  magazines or books as  experts opinions. As  I  am most interested in  economics it seems most reasonable to evoke an  authority specialising in this area. Let me focus on Leszek Balcerowicz, who is considered an  expert in regulating the interference of  the government on  the market. First of all he  graduated from the economics faculty, performed in  the most respected national and European posts and was an author of the famous Balcerowicz Plan which transformed Polish economy what provided him with an  empirical evidence. To  my  mind he  possesses enough knowledge to form reliable conclusions of  what he  observes in  market. Yet we need to be aware that he  is  devoted to  a  specific economics school monetarism, therefore his opinions may be  to  some extent subordinate to  his personal beliefs or  biases. However whenever I see his opinion being expressed I know that it will for sure affect my understanding of a given case as  his authority based on experience, reasoning and although inevitably emotions and personal attitude are sufficient for me to call him an  authority whose opinion I base on when creating my own conclusions, point of view that I  call my own. It  may be claimed that I treat Balcerowicz as an expert just because I  am  sympathetic to his creed yet even people that have contradictory economical opinions do  accept his high appointments and take his opinion into consideration at least to confront their and Balcerowiczs ideas. Therefore an authority is not only a person that people agree with and share the same opinion but rather  someone who can  provide us with evidence of his claims. The process of transforming opinion into knowledge is also worth focusing. Studying in the IB programme I realized that experts opinions are only hints that help to interpret facts more widely. The most important thing for me was realising that even if  an expert does his/her best to be fair minded a bit of subjectivity is inevitable. Yet as I became aware of it the subjectivity turned out to have its positive effects. Historical experts seem to  thrive on the conflicts between their opinions about events in their search for knowledge and better understanding of  the past. The same event can attract vastly different opinions, for example the causes of the First World War. Marxist historians blame the development of capitalism whether as German historian, Geiss blames the failure of  diplomacy.  [1]  Hence being a critically thinking person the contradiction of experts opinions makes me understand the problem in  a  wider way, analyse of who I  trust more, whose evi dence is strongly supported and hammer out a compromise. Experts are not born specialists, they gain knowledge and due to  work and understanding of  specific processes they may start being perceived as authorities within the area of their interest. Yet my look concerns mainly history, natural sciences, human sciences but when it  comes to ethics the knowledge that books or expertises may provide becomes less usable. For example my mother is for me the expert of husband wife relations instead of  the fact that her knowledge is   based only on personal experience. Yet the evidence she can provide me with her successful relationship with my father is at that point sufficient for me. The evidence is in my opinion the most important thing while starting to believe in  something and gaining my own understanding of a given thing (note that in the presented essay I am not discussing religion beliefs). First of all the opinion needs to have rational grounds. This means that if my history teacher said that the First World War started as  a  consequence of the assassination of Grand Duke Constantine without giving any proof or  explanation I would probably doubt whether it  is reliable and true. However if he supported it with opinions of  other experts, primary sources (which may be for example some political documents) or  other evidence the thesis would became more reliable and therefore probably accepted by  me for further consideration of context. The last aspect of my concern is the origin of the need to rely on the opinions of experts. Looking for example at arts, what do I need experts opinions for? As it is the most subjective area of knowledge at first I almost saw no difference whether a painting was commented by  an expert or  a  non expert. The only difference that I considered worth pointing was the fact that experts may be more used to commenting on arts and therefore their language and ability to  express feelings may be clearer and more focused. However, as I thought about it more I realized that there is at least one more aspect. A good example is De Aardappeleters (The Potato Eaters) by Vincent van Gogh which I found to create different interpretations in  different context. When I showed the painting to my friends, almost all of them found it  ordinary and only one person out of ten recognized the author. However when I showed them the painting once more, but prefacing it with a history of masterpie ce and Van Goghs assumptions (therefore I was acting like an  expert) all of them changed their attitude towards the painting and started to see it with a wider perspective appreciating the atmosphere and bright idea. To my mind when it comes to history experts opinions are one of the most important aspects in  gaining knowledge for me. Even the primary sources, which seem to be most reliable and unspoiled source of knowledge, have to be interpreted as well. Therefore experts act like an interpreters. Due to their contrary opinions they create an  opportunity for me to see different attitudes to the same event. This not only extends my  perspective but also reminds me that looking at things from only one point of view is like not looking at them at all. To conclude in my opinion experts opinions are valuable in the search of knowledge. Authorities opinions may be sometimes misleading, lack evidence but as I take them into consideration while creating my own point of view I believe that it provides me with better analysis of the subject. Each opinion is somehow true therefore, whenever an expert or a  non expert expresses an opinion I think that it expends my perspective and hence makes me  think more specifically on the problem, analyse it and create my own conclusion.

The Old Man And The Sea :: essays research papers

This book takes place in the past and is about an old man that loves fishing in the Gulf Stream. The old man was a thin with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck and had scars on his hands from handling the fishing rope. He taught this young boy how to fish and the boy loved him. He even brought him fishing many times. But the past 84 days the old man had not caught one fish. After 40 days of not catching anything the boy left and fished on another boat. The boy still loved him and brought him food and fresh bait to fish. The old man and the boy always talked about baseball because they both enjoyed it. One day, the old man was out on the water fishing. The weather was beautiful, the currents were perfect, and he saw all birds flying over the water. He knew he had to catch a nice fish today. He saw one of his poles have a jerk so he pulled it in and it was a bonita fish, which he was goin to use for a nice piece of bait later in the day. The day progressed and he saw a real big jerk on the pole. He jumped up and held it, but the fish was not hooked yet. A couple more jerks he felt, but the fish was not taking it. Finally the fish did and he could feel that it had to be a fish of enormous size. He could not pull it up because it was so strong. He had to hold onto it until the fish was tired and decided to come up. Then when it would come up, he would take his harpoon and stab it in the heart so it would die. This fish was taking all the strength out of him and it was pulling his skiff farther and farther out. Now he wished that the boy was here with him to help him pull it up. It was 3 days later until he finally got the fish to jump out of the water. When it did he saw that it was the biggest marlin he ever saw. To regain strength and pull the fish in, he had to eat the bonita that he caught. He ate all of it and it helped his hand that was cut from the

Marijuana Within Today’s Society

There has been a long term controversy over the legalization of Marijuana in the United State. Some believe it should be legal in the United States because it could â€Å"create a source of additional tax revenues and police and courts would be freed up for more serious crimes†. Others believe it should be an illegal drug because of its health risks. Marijuana should remain illegal in the United States as a schedule I controlled substance due to the many physical and psychological effects it has on it’s users as well as the harmful effects it has on today’s society.Marijuana acts on the brains reward system which governs the response to pleasurable things. Users of marijuana seek the euphoric feeling or â€Å"high† caused by the drug. THC enters the body and creates the high the marijuana user seeks by stimulating brain cells to release dopamine, which is a chemical found in the brain. Marijuana has many effects on the body, both short and long, though the re is limited research on the long lasting effects of marijuana use. The acute effects present during intoxication may include but are not limited to impairments to the short memory, attention, judgment, coordination, balance and other cognitive functions.Smoking marijuana may also distort the user’s depth perception. The heart rate of a person during their intoxication increases as well as their blood pressure. Just seconds after inhaling marijuana smoke the persons bronchial passages enlarge and relax. Blood vessels in the eye expand which commonly makes the user’s eyes look red or bloodshot. Users begin to feel relaxed, have heightened sensory perception, and altered perception of time. A User may laugh and have an increase in appetite after smoking marijuana.Large doses of marijuana sometimes lead to acute psychosis including hallucinations, delusions or a loss of sense of personal identity. Some users may have psychotic episodes such as anxiety, fear, distrust, pa nic and paranoia. After the euphoric feeling subsides or fades the person may feel depressed or tired. There is limited knowledge or information on the long term effects of smoking marijuana. Some studies suggest that effects on the brain can build up and deteriorate critical life skills over time. Effects often are worse for people with mental disorders, or simply by virtue of the normal aging process.Schizophrenia like disorders have been associated with the use of marijuana in vulnerable individuals. Long term users may have sleep impairment or suffer from insomnia. Chronic abuse of marijuana increases the risk of chronic cough or bronchitis. Smoking Marijuana has the same, if not worse, respiratory problems as tobacco, such as frequent acute chest illness and a risk of lung infection. Using Marijuana has the potential to create cancer of the lungs and other parts of the reparatory tract because marijuana contains irritants and carcinogens up to 70% more than tobacco smoke.Some b elieve that marijuana may impair the ability to form new memories and focus which makes learning, doing complicated tasks, participating in athletics and driving difficult. The effects of marijuana use can last days or even weeks after the acute effects wear off, which mean a daily user is functioning at a reduced intellectual level most or all of the time. Contrary to popular belief marijuana is an addictive drug. The use of marijuana has many harmful effects to the users but it also affects others who do not participate in the use of marijuana.The World Health Organization ranks the United States first among 17 European and North America countries for prevalent use of marijuana. In 2008, 2. 2 million Americans used marijuana for the first time and greater than half were under the age of 18. Because marijuana affects brain systems that are still maturing through young adulthood, its use by teens may have a negative effect on their development. 42% of United States high school gradu ates have tired marijuana. Marijuana smoking students compared to non-marijuana smoking students tend to have lower grades and a higher dropout rate.It is easily assumed that while being under the influence of marijuana driving would become more difficult because of the loss of coordination, balance and the perception of depth. The National Highway Traffic Administration issued a report stating that 18% of motor vehicle driver’s deaths involved drugs other than alcohol. 6. 8% of drivers, mostly under the age of 35, involved in accidents tested positive for THC. There many questions about the use of marijuana while a woman is pregnant.Even low amounts of THC, when administered during the prenatal period, could have profound and long lasting consequences on the brain and behavior of the unborn child. Marijuana exposed children show gaps in problem solving, memory and ability to remain attentive in a classroom setting. Marijuana also affects places of employment. In a study amon g postal workers, employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55% more industrial accidents, 85% more injuries and a 75% increase in absenteeism compared to those who tested negative for marijuana.There is a higher job turn over rate for people who choose to use marijuana and be employed. Employees who use marijuana tend to have more absences, tardiness, accidents and worker compensation claims. Marijuana use has adverse physical, mental, emotional and behavior effects. It causes students to perform poorly in school. Marijuana use affects many of it’s users at their place of employment due to being absent and causing more accidents in the work place making it unsafe for others.Many children are born with defects and behavior problems due to the poor judgment of their mothers, who partook in the use of marijuana during the prenatal period. The roads in America are polluted with drivers under the influence of marijuana whose judgment and motor skills are impaired. Marijuana should remain illegal in the United States due to the harmful effects on its users as well as innocent bystanders.

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina Essay

There are lots of effects which DotA brings to our society, to be particular, the youth. With no doubt this game is one of the hottest game in the market. In every Cyber Cafe you can see gamers stick with their screen and mouse and  keyboard, with their face that full of concentration and excitements finding ways to defeat their opposing team or enemies. Actually Computer games or DotA serves as a platform for youth to communicate. Teenagers who initislly don’t know each other can easily become friends through Computer games or playing DotA. Chapter I Introduction DotA effects have been continue for several years since the launch of the War of War Craft and the Frozen Throne. Almost every people especially the youth has played this game at the very beginning of the years. What is the content that DotA offers to the gamers? And how’s the excitements that brings towards the gamers. And you may ask a key question, how long will DotA effects last? The lifestyle of the youth who have been playing Computer Games especially DotA is affected by the game. There are both advantage and disadvantages for them. Let’s talkl about the advantages first. As one of the most playable games online, DotA can make the players become alert in the mental, They will also turn to be strategic and cooperative through computing the magic, damages, gold, physical reduction, present and other stuff, they will get more lore in mathematics. Thus the youth can also get some benefits on playing Computer games. Statement of the problem or Thesis Statement Why is Computer games or DotA so Addicting to Students? 1. A Time killer Boredom is the most common problem of most people today. DotA can consume a lot of time without you even noticing it . you just say after the game â€Å"WTF !, Im late !† 2. Non-exhasuting game Unlike basketball or other physical sports , you can play DotA until you can still mangae to sit, look at the monitor, use mouse and keyboard and think, Yes , using your is aslo tiring but it’ll takes an average of 3 games before you’d want to take a rest 3. Fame Source Most players want to be the best in this game to gain fame which I find natural but technically nonsense. I have to admit that thirst for fame drove me to practice and improve my game. After getting the fame I wanted, I asked myself â€Å"Now what?†. For players who don’t have plan on having DotA as their profession ,Fame isn’t that important. 4. Team work game – When we were kids, we already love having team battles. That’s why a lot of team sports games cames up and multi-player computer games have been invented. Playing with teammates is more addicting than playing alone. 5. Tranquilizing DotA makes you forget your problems and make you think of simpler problems (like how to win the game) 6. Non violent war We love wars. That’s why there are shows like Wrestling, UFC ,Action films , etc. DotA is a chance to engage in wars safely. We can fight all day long and just stand up from our computer without even having a scratch on our face. 7. Easy to play Surveys shows that DotA is played by more people thatn other strategy like Starcraft. One of the reason is its simplicity. You only have to control one hero (great news for people who are not into doing micros.) 8. No height or physical disadvantages In basketball you cannot have a team composed of 5 short players. In Rugby , you should be muscular. In DotA you can be as thin and as short as you want and still own everyone. 9. Losing makes you thirsty to win On the other hand, losing is still addicting because you become more urge to have that wonderful feeling of winning. 10. Winning feels Good Yup, winning in every game makes you feel good and addicting. Background of the Study Significance of the study How to overcome DotA Addiction ? 1. Accept responsibility The problem lies within the individual, not within DotA. No attempt at beating addiction can succeed until the individual accepts its existence. 2. Identify the Impact How many hours a day do you spend playing DotA? Do you normally go out on the weekend?When was the last time you read a book?Identifying the negative impacts of the addiction will help you focus on positive improvements and getting back the things that you really are missing. 3. Avoid Blame Blaming others for problems that you alone must face does not solve the problems. 4. Set limits If you decide that you have 1 hour per day to spend playing DotA. Since DotA requires many hours of gameplay to have fun, you likely should consider a different game or different genre of games. 5. Stay positive Be positive whenever possible. While negative reinforcement is sometimes necessary, positive reinforcements will always go further in the end. What is DotA ? DotA is basically game expanded from version of War of War Craft, which initially a strategic game similar to Red Alert Series. But eventually evolved into current state. Gamers can play Dota in a Wide range ; from single player, local LAN, or LAN over internet connection with various country’s gamers. There contain variety of Heroes to be chosen as your character, There are many type of gaming modes , and different type of map for the game modes. There are lots of gamers who are more expert in the world of playing DotA . Chapter V Summary and Conclusion Summary and Conclusion We know that Playing computer games especially DotA brings bad effects to the students, they influenceed by the other gamers like â€Å"trash talks† they know how to gamble because they are playing DotA for â€Å"pustahan†. DotA really affects the lifestyle of the youth who are into this game, although it has one good benefit, but it corrupts the mind and the way the youth think. It also weakened the body system, money and moral values were not given importance because of this game.

Tradition Hinders Progress Essays

Tradition Hinders Progress Essays Tradition Hinders Progress Paper Tradition Hinders Progress Paper Tradition is the enemy of progress Weather its religious traditions preventing the study of the dead for better understanding of the living to the churches traditions stopping the progress into the realization that the Earth is not the center of the universe or to take something recent Umbilical cord debates over weather to use them for life saving stem cell research. Tradition is the common enemy among Progress into the future people want the results of science we live our lives due to science but often many of our general populous does not agree with the means we use to get the radical discoveries of science. I can see how traditions can hinder progress:if you subscribe to past ideals it can deter from advancement. If we are going to look back at what Mary and John did in the past to solve a problem every time, then how are we going to move forward? What am saying is that look back once or twice get the formula then learn and apply that knowledge, improve on it then build but we keep going back and back and back and back!! It is in fact the enemy for progress. I think that traditions do prevent progess. The best example of this can be seen rulal areas where knowledge is just passed over from one generation to another and children are not allowed to study more they are just used as a labour. Another example is of early marriage of girls who are married at an age of 10 or 11 which ruin their lives. in the end i would like to conclude that these tradions r blocking our way to new things. First, what is tradition? And also what is progress? Tradition is a natural enemy to progress because progress is the antithesis to tradition. The words are antonyms. However, if you mean, for example, the belief in God being an obstacle to progress, or anything along that line, that is beyond a question of tradition and progress. I hope we are speaking just of scientific inquiry. Otherwise, this topic doesnt work well as an argument because the natural and supernatural are different, and thus cannot be easily compared. in many ways it is. hings like religion, and marriage stand in the way. religion is telling people how to think and what to do rather than have people think for themselves and adjust to the times and environment appropriately. yes tradition is an obstacle to progress. TRADITIONS ARE UNWRITTEN BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS THAT ARE HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATIONS TO GENERATIONS .. PROGRESS MEANS TO ADVANCE FROM ONE STAGE TO ANOTHER WE HAVE NEVER BEEN DEVELOPED FROM OUR ANCESTORS RATHER WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS DESTRUCTION BY BREAKING T HE TRADITIONAL VALUES. TRADITION INVOKES THE PRINCIPLE THAT OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS ARE MORE SAFER, MORE RELIABLE AND HENCE BETTER THAN THE NEW ONES , WHICH ARE BASED ON UNTESTED WAYS . IN SHORT OLD IS GOLD . IN TRADITION OLD PRACTICES HAVE VALUES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE OLD OR AT LEAST THEY GIVES US A SENSE OF CONTINUITY WITH THE PAST . IN CONTRAST MODERN CONCEPT OF PROGRESS DISCARDS TRADITION AS OBSOLETE AND DISPROVEN . THE MODERN CONCEPT SAYS IF IF THE OLDER TRADITIONAL IDEAS ARE SUPPOSEDLY THE BETTER ONES THEN THE MODERN TECHNOLOGICAL IDEAS ARE EVEN SUPERRIOR think that traditions are just what we believe in blindly. take an example of superstitions we say if we sneeze once then it is a bad omen but if we sneeze twice it becomes our lucky charm. how many of us in this busy life pay attention n count their sneezes. we have often beliefs that if we wear this ring our future will be fruitful and also we see many now if that would be the case then there would be no need to study well wear a ring and not s tudy hard and get a gud result. hat we need is good judging of things taking place in our society. we say we come across a badluck when a black cat cuts our way. if it is so then if a student is studious n he is going to give interview n he is well deserved but when he is on his way a cat cuts off his path it means no need to go to give interview u r failed. we should change our mentality as we emerge into new time being or else well lag behind still following old and useless customs which have no value and no profit in this time.

Chapter Notes Essays

Chapter Notes Essays Chapter Notes Essay Chapter Notes Essay The Ranching in Uruguay and Argentina also felt the economic decline. As all of these businesses were failing, investors from other countries lost interest and went back to their own countries or others to invest. Also the Latin States had introduced a large role in developing a sense of national identity which I think has a lot to do with their well kept independence. Nearly each country was divided by their own region, language, ethical and racial diversity. This made the development of a steady, stable political system possible as each region became its own. Because of this already established national identity, and lack of interest in declining economy, I believe other countries didnt want to waste their time and money to take on Pawl 2 seemingly worthless countries. This thus left the Latin American states independent during the age of Imperialism. 2. Assess the full-blown individualism that characterized American domestic and foreign policies after 1865. Were domestic corruption and foreign aggressiveness symbolic of the New America? Domestic corruption and foreign aggressiveness were indeed symbolic of the New America. I believe this caused for the American people to loose sight of ethical practices like making African Americans second class citizens. Leading up to this is many internal incidents by authoritative figures. An example being the corruption of New Works Williams Tweed stealing state money. President Ulysses Grants term was also publicized with scandals and frauds. Financiers Jay Gould and Jim Fish Examples had also found a way to tamper with the nations financial stability. Acts of corruption done by those of higher order had sent a message out to the public that brought forth the issue of domestic corruption. Other more typical forms of such corruption and aggressiveness include the railroads being put in, forceful movement of the Indian people, changing the natural pathways of animals, and with other methods of expansion such as gold mining and foreign policy is to spread democracy, it gave others the impression of foreign aggressiveness. So yes, domestic corruption and foreign aggressiveness are symbolic of the New America. This was also proven with the many incidents of Americas first 25 years like going to to the Mediterranean to fight pirates, fighting naval war France and battle with Britain. Pawl 3 3. If you were in charge of the U. S. Foreign policy toward Latin America before 1914, how would you change American diplomacy? American foreign policy form 1865-1914 was isolationist to say the least. At this time America wanted to abstain from political and economic relations with outside countries. The creation of alliances were to be avoided. The reasoning behind all this is that during this time period, we did not have the finances or resources to get involved with other countries, our focuses were solely internal. If I was in charge of the U. S. Foreign policy before 1914, I wouldve Just left the Latin Americas alone and limited the involvement with them to be strictly trade based. I would not help nor hinder the Latin Americas and allow their countries to do they wish until they show harm or threat to my own country and my people. Essentially, I wouldnt change anything. Why? Because 100 years later, American diplomacy is still strong and kicking. National security is still among some of the highest, our trade market is well off, and democracy is a well known thing. Americas focus had been at where it should be, human rights, seeking peace, trade/commerce, war, and the economy. For that, I wouldnt change a thing.

Analysis of Soft Drink Industry

Coca cola and PepsiCo are the major players of soft drink industry in South Africa. Coca cola dominates the market with a market capitalization of around 30 percent higher than PepsiCo’s (DAFF, 2014). Coca cola dominates the market by investing heavily into the advertising and campaigns to increase its social visibility (Statista, 2010). Coca cola’s share a coke campaign spurted the sales and market growth of the company in a diversified country like South Africa (CCRED, 2015). The company has connected with the consumer through its relationship marketing (CNB Africa, 2014). Further, there are small players who have also witnessed growth in their volume sales through their low price strategy. Further, the industry has also witnessed introduction of new flavors in the market with the increasing demand of the consumer. The soft drink companies have introduced innovative flavors to offer a wider range of products to the consumer to differentiate themselves. Other important players of the industry are red bull, mountain dew, pepsi, 7up, fanta, dr. pepper and vitamin water. Coke is the leader in terms of market share followed by red bull leads, mountain dew and pepsi. Porter’s Diamond Model provides a method to explain national competitive advantage of a country. Porter developed this model to analyze the international competitiveness of countries and evaluate how a country becomes successful in a specific industry (Porter, 2011). The model aims to evaluate the characteristics of the country in order to assess the firm’s achievements and success across the globe. The model suggests that the characteristics and attributes of the country affect the success and growth of the firm internationally. There are six elements of Porter’s National Diamond Model which assesses the national competitiveness which includes factor (input) conditions, demand conditions, government, related and supporting industries, chance and firm strategy, structure and rivalry (Porter, 2011). The home country which is taken for analysis affects the company’s strategies and provides a direction to build its structure.  Ã‚   Factor conditions account for the availability of the resources within South Africa which includes human resources, physical infrastructure, administrative infrastructure, capital resources, information infrastructure, scientific and technological infrastructure and natural resources. Human Resources: Human resource contributes towards the cost of production of soft drinks in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the factors to be considered are cost, quality and availability of unskilled labor, cost, quality and availability of skilled labor, administration cost for management of skilled labors and merchandising cost. South Africa has abundance of unskilled labor but the production cost is constraining the competitiveness because of unavailability of quality skilled labor and high cost of labor in South Africa (The Economist, 2014).   Physical infrastructure: South Africa lacks the quality and availability of proper physical infrastructure facilities which are required by the industry (Deloitte, 2013). Physical infrastructure is very essential for the set up of production process and operational process, thus, lack of a physical infrastructure would be a hindrance for the entrance of the company.    Administrative infrastructure: The cost of administrative infrastructure is very high in South Africa which would adversely affect the company (Rooyen, Esterhuizen & Stroebel, 2011). Administrative set up is again an importance parameter for the long term sustainability of the firm. Capital resources: Capital resources such as loans and finance are very essential to set up the company operations in a foreign market. South Africa lacks sufficient capital resources which would hinder the establishment of the company (Rooyen, Esterhuizen & Stroebel, 2011).   Information infrastructure: Information regarding the markets and suppliers are required to enter any new market so as to analyze the market favorable conditions and cost of production. The cost of information infrastructure is very high in South Africa (Rooyen, Esterhuizen & Stroebel, 2011). Scientific and technological infrastructure: The cost of technology is very high and constrains the growth of soft drinks industry. The quality of the scientific infrastructure does not have a great impact on the industry but it is not easily available in the country (Rooyen, Esterhuizen & Stroebel, 2011). Natural resources: The natural resources are present in South Africa, though not in abundant quantity, but support the production of the soft drinks (Rooyen, Esterhuizen & Stroebel, 2011). Thus, the overall factor conditions do not provide a great support to the soft drink industry in South Africa. The demand conditions indicate the need and requirement of the company’s product or service in the country which include market demand and size, potential market and overall market growth and sophistication. Market size of South Africa does not support the industry and constraints the industry. The market growth would help to analyze the future perspective of the industry. The market growth has been estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.8 percent during 2016-2021 which would support the company. The market information is easily available for South African market with low cost and great quality. The quality of products also supports the soft drink industry in the country with the increasing average income of the people in the country (Toit, 2006). Also, South Africa is one the most sophisticated market in the African continent which positively affects the industry. The demand conditions favor the company to enter the market of South Africa because of estimated market growth for the next few years and availability of the market information. Related and supporting industries provide the existence to the industry through cost-effective processes, innovation and internationalization. Soft drinks industry requires suppliers and partners for packaging and bottling of the soft drinks. Financial institutions presence provides capital sources to the industry, which is present in the country. The presence of financial institutions supports the ongoing operations in the soft drinks industry. The research institutions support the development of new products as per the customer demand. The presence of research institutions in South Africa supports for research and development activity within the industry. South Africa also has abundance of transport companies to ensure proper logistics and transportation of the soft drinks and carry out the supply chain activities effectively. The other basic necessities such as electricity are also available in South Africa to support the day to day operations of the industry. The suppliers for soft drink industry are also present in the country to support the bottling and other related processes of manufacturing and production. Thus, related and supporting industries support the soft drink industry in South Africa. This factor assesses the parameters of company which includes their goals and objectives, management and structure, policies and regulations. The presence of competitive firms also affects the industry because it triggers product innovation for the sustainability of the firm. The soft drink industry has many players in South Africa such as Coca cola, pepsi, mountain dew, red bull, fanta and others. This creates tough competition within the industry which has led to the invention of innovative products such as flavored soft drinks. South Africa’s sound legal system and strong investor and property protection supports the existence of soft drinks industry in the country by providing them the land and infrastructure for the manufacturing and production of the soft drinks. Further, South Africa has a great connectivity with the international markets which is again a positive influence on the industry (South African Consulate General, 2017). Restriction on capital flow and strong labor union is also a positive influence on the strategy of the firm. Though, there is a threat of substitutes and new entrants because of emerging small players in the soft drink industry who have introduced flavor drinks to provide a substitute of the soft drinks. Thus, overall factors have a positive influence on the strategy, structure and rivalry of the companies in the country. The government support has a strong influence on the sustainability of the firms of soft drinks because a government can either promote or hinder the activities of the firms. The government decisions and policies affect the consumer demand of the country which affects the overall industrial growth. PESTEL analysis would clarify the impact of government on soft drink industry. South Africa is going through political crisis because of corruption allegations charged on the country’s President Jacob Zuma. Further, the Finance Minister has filed an affidavit regarding some suspicious transactions (Gaffey, 2016). These events have destabilized the country which affects the businesses very adversely. Further, the soft drink industry is affected by the country’s demography because consumption of soft drink is high for children and youngsters. South Africa has 30 percent younger population below the age of 15 which influences the soft drink business positively (Statistics South Africa, 2014). South Africa is facing an economic crisis with decreasing currency rates. The Reserve Bank is intentionally keeping the currency low which is affecting the environment for businesses. The economic scenario of the country is effecting the business decision of the companies such as expansion of the business has become a costly affair with a high exchange rate (The World Bank, 2017). Thus economic instability of the country adversely affects the business operations of the companies of soft drink industry. The decreasing currency of the country has an impact on the buying capacity of the people of South Africa. Further, increasing unemployment has also lowered the demand in the country. Though, the country has become more sophisticated with the social upliftment of society and people are moving towards living high standards of life. This is a positive factor for the soft drink industry, but there is also a tension of rising obesity and overweight in the country. Obesity and overweight leads to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The cause of these diseases has been found to be sugared drinks which lead to obesity and excess weight. Therefore, the socio-cultural factors give us a mixed opinion about the soft drink industry. The soft drinks contain added sugar and preservatives which affects the health of the consumers and leads to obesity and other health issues. The rising obesity in the country has forced the government to take some preventive action to reduce the consumption of carbonated drinks (Business Tech, 2015). The government has imposed sugar tax on the sugared products which adversely affects the soft drinks industry (Rensburg, 2016). Further, the government is also taking measures such as food advertising regulations and enhanced food labeling to reduce the consumption of soft drinks. Chance is the risk factor for an industry which is beyond the control of the firm. This includes economic and political stability, aids, price stability and crimes. The economy of the South Africa has seen ups and downs in the recent years. The country’s political stability has a positive influence on the sustainability of the company. The country has a record of high crime rate which affects the overall growth of the company. Further, there is no aid and support in case of any war or conflict in the country. Thus, there is a great amount of risk involved for the soft drink industry in South Africa because of unstable economy and rising crimes. A company can enter a market through non-equity mode or equity mode. Non-equity mode is through licensing, exporting and contracting. Equity mode is also called foreign direct investment (FDI) method which involves merging and acquisition with the established businesses in the market (Dunning & Gugler, 2008). The company makes investment by acquiring the assets of the company to establish its control or substantial influence over the business. As per the guidelines of the OECD acquiring a minimum of 10 percent ownership stake is required by the company (Dunning & Gugler, 2008. Joint venture and wholly owned subsidiary are the two different methods for a company for foreign direct investment. Joint venture is the collaboration of two business parties by pooling their resources to pursue a common objective. JV formation is the common strategy used by the companies to enter a foreign established market to expand their business operations internationally. Joint venture gives access to th e existing sales and distribution network of the country (Prescott & Swartz, 2010). SoftBev is a local soft drink of South Africa and has established a strong hold over the market through market penetration. The company’s capital is approximately R650m after merging with a local player (Drink Stuff, 2014). The company has its own production plant in South Africa and is manufactured and packaged locally. Further, it provides quality products and services to its customers (Softbev, 2016). The company could form a joint venture by partnering with the local manufacturer Softbev brand to establish its strong hold over the market. The company would benefit by partnering with the local company in terms of accessibility of market. The company would gain an access to the domestic market from the distribution network of the SoftBev. The company would be able to establish a trust factor among the consumers by partnering with a local firm because SoftBev has already established its own trust in the market. Further, the company would also gain access to the domestic suppliers which would assist the company to set up its own production operations in the country to maintain its sustainability. The company could gradually start its own production house once it has gained access to the market suppliers and distributors. Thus, the company would benefit from the partnership with the domestic firm. Green field investment is another mode of foreign direct investment through which a company builds up its entire operations from the ground in the foreign company. The company has the complete control over the business from plant construction to employee policy and regulations the specifications are laid out by the company (Shenkar, Luo, & Chi, 2014). Acquisition is another FDI strategy in which company acquires certain shares of the company to establish substantial control over the company (Bruner, 2016). It is better to understand the advantages of FDI for the company and the country before taking any step to make a major investment. The benefits of FDI are enjoyed after a long period by capturing the new market and accessing cheaper production facilities. The company and country both enjoy the benefits mutually wherein the country benefits from the transfer of technology and expertise from an advanced country. Joint venture formation with SoftBev would give access to the local market resources of South Africa (Brand South Africa, 2011). The company would gain through market penetration and establish its own market. Further, through a joint venture with SoftBev, the company would enjoy the existing distribution network of SoftBev in South Africa. The companies forming a JV would complement each other by offsetting each other’s weaknesses and forming a stronger company by maintaining their individual identities (Trost, 2013). The Green field investment strategy would help the company to reduce its transportation cost by setting up its own production plant in South Africa (CFO Africa, 2016). The tariff barriers would also be eliminated from the cost of product which would increase the firm’s profitability (Lee & Rugman, 2012). Through mergers and acquisition with SoftBev, the company would get an opportunity to gather the information on the domestic markets of South Africa. The company would now be able to develop strategies to tap the local market by gaining better insight of the existing market (Finkelstein, 2010). It becomes difficult for a firm to roll back its process and projects after deploying Green field investment in the country and can also be financially devastating. Green field investment also demands huge amount of money and time for the research and development process to evaluate the feasibility of entering the foreign market (Shenkar, Luo, & Chi, 2014). Acquisition process requires borrowing of money which increases the company debts. Culture clash is another disadvantage of acquiring a company (Finkelstein, 2010). Formation of a joint venture is time consuming because it takes time to build a relationship with another business entity such. The goals and objectives in a JV are also not clearly communicated which affects the productivity of work (Trost, 2013). JV formation with SoftBev would disturb the balancing the level of expertise within the company by partnering with another business unit. Integrating two different business units is a challenging job because of different management and leadership styles incorporated within the company (Trost, 2013). A successful joint venture would require deep research and analysis of the goals and objectives of the company. After, thoroughly analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of FDI, following can be concluded: Green field investment would require huge amount of money and time for research and development to evaluate the feasibility. Further, setting up operations in a foreign country from the ground level becomes very challenging. Acquisition would also not be a wise choice because it would increase the liability of the company and checking the financial security and credibility of a firm would again waste huge amount of time. The company needs a strategy which does not require investment of money, manpower and time and also has an exit strategy to refrain from future risks. Though Joint Venture also has some disadvantages but is the most preferred option for the company to expand its business internationally. The company could go for a joint venture with one of the local firm which has been analyzed as SoftBev. SoftBev is one of the largest firms of South Africa and has a huge consumer base. Joint venture formation with SoftBev would give access to the local market resources of South Africa (Brand South Africa, 2011). The company would gain through market penetration and establish its own market. Further, through a joint venture with SoftBev, the company would enjoy the existing distribution network of SoftBev in South Africa. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the company chooses Joint Venture with the local firm of South Africa which has been identified as SoftBev. After a thorough analysis of the soft drink industry in South Africa, there are two contemporary management issues which have been derived. Unfavorable factor conditions: Factor conditions would support the growth of the company by providing human resources, infrastructure, technology, information and natural resources. South Africa has abundance of unskilled labor, but does not have sufficient skilled labor, which is essential for production process. Further, the cost of administrative labor is too high. Unavailability of the human resources would increase the overall cost of production. South Africa also lacks physical infrastructure facilities which would not support the establishment of production and operational processes in the country. The high cost of administration, information and technology would hinder the development of the company in the country. The unfavorable factor conditions would not support the establishment of the company’s production and operational processes. If the company plans to set up its operations in the country then the high cost of production and administration would hinder the overall growth of the company. FDI may seem to be a lucrative choice for the company but there are many risks involved in foreign direct investment. First of all, selection of a FDI methodology is a costly affair because it would involve research and analysis of all the methodologies. Once the methodology has been selected, then selecting the appropriate local partner would be very challenging. The company needs to choose the right partner who has the required resources that would complement the company’s resources. The resources for a soft drink industry are distribution network and market accessibility, production facilities and manpower (Yan & Luo, 2016). The next thing that company needs to access is the performance of JV partner and their perception about collaboration. Further, the company needs to check the financial security of the partner to analyze the credit issues of the JV partner. The management practices also need to be reviewed by the company. Reviewing the production and marketing performance would help to analyze the market credibility of the joint venture partner (Yan & Luo, 2016). The company also needs to consider an exit strategy in order to protect company once the mission is achieved. The terms and conditions need to be considered by each firm to avoid any misunderstanding in the future. Greenfield investment would again be a costly affair because setting up operations in a new country requires research and analysis to create suppliers and distributing partners. Brand South Africa. (2011). South Africa ‘has investment advantage’. Brand South Africa: Official Custodian of South Africa’s Nation Brand. Retrieved from: https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/investments-immigration/business/investing/sainnvestment-030611 Bruner, R.F. (2016). Applied Mergers and Acquisitions. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Business Tech. (2015). Soft drinks and juices lead the way to obesity in SA. Business Tech. Retrieved from: https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/107483/soft-drinks-and-juices-lead-the-way-to-obesity-in-sa/ Business Tech. (2015). South Africa’s sugary drinks shock. Business Tech. Retrieved from: https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/102895/south-africa-is-one-of-the-unhealthiest-countries-in-the-world/ CCRED. (2015). Reflection on the Coca-Cola Bottling Merger. Centre for Competition Regulation and Economic Development. Retrieved from: https://www.competition.org.za/review/2015/11/20/reflection-on-the-coca-cola-bottling-merger CFO Africa. (2016). What are the advantages of investing in South Africa?. CFO Africa. Retrieved from: https://www.cfoafrica.net/advantages-of-investing-in-south-africa.html CNB Africa. (2014). Brand marketing starts with consumer. CNB Africa. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/southern-africa/2014/01/06/brand-marketing-starts-with-consumer/ DAFF. (2014). Quarterly Economic Review of the Food and Beverages industry in South Africa. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Vol 1(3). Retrieved from: https://www.nda.agric.za/doaDev/sideMenu/AgroProcessingSupport/docs/Quarterly%20review%20food%20beverages_Jul-Sep2014.pdf Deloitte. (2013). Enhancing Manufacturing competitiveness in South Africa. Deloitte. Retrieved from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/dk/Documents/manufacturing/manufacturing-competitiveness-South-africa.pdf Drink Stuff. (2014). SoftBev set to be SA's No 1 locally-owned soft drink company.Drink Stuff: South Africa. Retrieved from: https://www.drinkstuff-sa.co.za/sa-drinks-stuff/550-softbev-set-to-be-sa-s-no-1-locally-owned-soft-drink-company Dunning, J.H., & Gugler, P. (2008). Foreign Direct Investment, Location and Competitiveness. London: Elsevier. Finkelstein, S. (2010). Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions, Volume 9. UK: Emerald Group Publishing. Gaffey, C. (2016). Two major, interconnected issues have plunged South African politics into crisis. Newsweek. Retrieved from: https://europe.newsweek.com/south-africas-political-crisis-key-players-510715?rm=eu Lee, H., & Rugman, A.M. (2012). Firm-specific advantages, inward FDI origins, and performance of multinational enterprises. Journal of International Management. Vol 18(2). Retrieved from: https://www.henley.ac.uk/web/FILES/international-business-and-strategy/2012_-_JIM_-_FSAs_inward_FDI_origins_and_performance_of_MNEs_Paper.pdf Porter, M.E. (2011). Competitive Advantage of Nations:  Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Simon and Schuster. Prescott, D., & Swartz, S. (2010). Joint Ventures in the International Arena. Chicago: American Bar Association. Rensburg, D.V. (2016). Gearing up for the soda wars. City Press. Retrieved from: https://city-press.news24.com/Business/gearing-up-for-the-soda-wars-20160722 Rooyen, J.V., Esterhuizen, D., & Stroebel, L. (2011). Analyzing the Competitive Performance of the South African Wine Industry. 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The Israel-Palestine Conflict - Research Paper Example Generations upon generations of civilians have lived and died amidst this protracted war, victims of and witnesses to the seemingly limitless capacity of human beings for violence. The struggle for peace is indeed an aspiration that the whole world shares – and yet, history is rich with examples that tell us that peace without justice is an unsustainable project. The atrocities perpetrated in the context of the conflict must be accounted for, and there must be redress for the injustices wrought to the nameless and faceless victims. However, justice is not a one-size thing that fits all propositions. Efforts towards its introduction in a region as divided ethnically as Kosovo need to include clear-cut and streamlined efforts to address horizontal inequalities – defined by Stewart (137) as â€Å"inequalities among groups with shared identities – identities formed by religion, ethnic ties or racial affiliations, or other salient ways that bind groups of people toge ther†. Certainly, this includes looking at the broad and multiplex power dynamics that underlie these identities and become the basis for the conferral or denial of economic, political or social privilege. This is of course exacerbated when set against the backdrop of a conflict economy. Kamphuis (185) describes a conflict economy as one â€Å"that leads to the breakup of administrative and social institutions, the flight of human capital through migration, and the destruction of infrastructure for education and health care† – the clear contextual backdrop of the Israel-Palestine crisis. There are also political complexities that come into play. Writers like Danny Rubinstein write that Palestinian nationalism is on the wane and that â€Å"about twelve thousand Palestinians from East Jerusalem have received Israeli citizenship† (1). But almost on a daily basis, we are besieged by news report on intensified â€Å"terrorist† attacks by Palestinian figh ters. Indeed, it is hard to make a clinical assessment of the situation. I argue that investigating the extent to which horizontal inequalities were addressed may be done using the multiple dimensions of justice enumerated by Hellsten (79) as analytical tools or criteria – (1) justice as the establishment of public safety and individual security, securing the lives of civilians from acts of violence; (2) justice as reconciliation and redress for past grievances, embracing the concept of restorative justice; (3) distributive and social justice, which focuses on social and economic well-being on a more long term period, and (4) political justice, involving participation and inclusion is governance. This means that all these imperatives must be addressed and dealt with, rather than one criterion alone and sacrificing the rest, e.g. reconciliation at the expense of resource redistribution, economic growth at the expense of political participation, governance, without rectifying i ndividual criminal responsibility. In countries fraught with sharply-drawn ethnic lines where political and economic privileges are denied or granted on the basis of ethnicity, satisfaction of the requirements of these dimensions of justice cannot take place without addressing horizontal inequalities. In a similar vein, aspiring to address horizontal inequa

Investment and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Investment and Analysis - Essay Example I would like to point out that the conventional wisdom of wisdom may not necessarily break down in situations of extreme market volatility. This is because making investments is all about diversifying in the right manner using the relevant tools. In 2008 and 2009, there was the occurrence of a serious stock-market cataclysm that led to massive loss of wealth in the US. Market reports estimated that investors lost approximately $6 trillion worth of wealth. The stock-market cataclysm not only led to massive loss of wealth but also eroded investor’s faith in the conventional wisdom of diversification. However, the failure of the diversification does not arise from the concept of diversification itself. This is because diversifying investments does work especially when done with the appropriate tools. In the newspaper excerpt, the writer noted that there is a tendency of assets correlating hence limiting the opportunity for investors to diversify. Investors who record losses durin g periods of high market volatility are the ones who do not manage to establish a well rounded portfolio. A well rounded portfolio consists of assets that do not have the tendency of swinging up and down in correlation with each other. This means that investors need to diversify their assets to include those that have very the least correlations.In recent times, starting from the year 2000, investors who have diversified their investments among companies that have different sizes have managed to record positive gains. This can be supported by the 2002-2003 performance of the bear market (Satchwell, 2004, p. 24). During this period, the S&P recorded a loss of 47.4 percent but small and undervalued companies produced a gain of 1.6 percent. Real investment trusts also managed to record a gain of 36.6 percent. The market has also in recent times recorded losses as a result of diversification. The latest occurrence of a bear market resulted in small, undervalued companies losing 59.6 percent and REITs losing 68.5 percent. This clearly indicates that what many investors seem to count as diversification does not count any further. This is attributed to the prevailing market dynamics that have changed the correlation between different assets in the market. Despite the mixed results, there is one better approach of utilizing the conventional wisdom of diversification (Jones, 2009, 200). This approach involves paying attention to the correlations of the different assets within a portfolio. Investors should consider diversifying their investments in assets that do not move in sync with each other in terms of market volatility. This can be demonstrated by an example that relates to the stock and bond markets. Given two assets that include Stock S and Bond A, the investor has to first to determine the correlation between the two. Let us assume that the two assets have a perfect negative correlation and are in a similar

The Israel-Palestine Conflict Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Israel-Palestine Conflict - Research Paper Example Generations upon generations of civilians have lived and died amidst this protracted war, victims of and witnesses to the seemingly limitless capacity of human beings for violence. The struggle for peace is indeed an aspiration that the whole world shares – and yet, history is rich with examples that tell us that peace without justice is an unsustainable project. The atrocities perpetrated in the context of the conflict must be accounted for, and there must be redress for the injustices wrought to the nameless and faceless victims. However, justice is not a one-size thing that fits all propositions. Efforts towards its introduction in a region as divided ethnically as Kosovo need to include clear-cut and streamlined efforts to address horizontal inequalities – defined by Stewart (137) as â€Å"inequalities among groups with shared identities – identities formed by religion, ethnic ties or racial affiliations, or other salient ways that bind groups of people toge ther†. Certainly, this includes looking at the broad and multiplex power dynamics that underlie these identities and become the basis for the conferral or denial of economic, political or social privilege. This is of course exacerbated when set against the backdrop of a conflict economy. Kamphuis (185) describes a conflict economy as one â€Å"that leads to the breakup of administrative and social institutions, the flight of human capital through migration, and the destruction of infrastructure for education and health care† – the clear contextual backdrop of the Israel-Palestine crisis. There are also political complexities that come into play. Writers like Danny Rubinstein write that Palestinian nationalism is on the wane and that â€Å"about twelve thousand Palestinians from East Jerusalem have received Israeli citizenship† (1). But almost on a daily basis, we are besieged by news report on intensified â€Å"terrorist† attacks by Palestinian figh ters. Indeed, it is hard to make a clinical assessment of the situation. I argue that investigating the extent to which horizontal inequalities were addressed may be done using the multiple dimensions of justice enumerated by Hellsten (79) as analytical tools or criteria – (1) justice as the establishment of public safety and individual security, securing the lives of civilians from acts of violence; (2) justice as reconciliation and redress for past grievances, embracing the concept of restorative justice; (3) distributive and social justice, which focuses on social and economic well-being on a more long term period, and (4) political justice, involving participation and inclusion is governance. This means that all these imperatives must be addressed and dealt with, rather than one criterion alone and sacrificing the rest, e.g. reconciliation at the expense of resource redistribution, economic growth at the expense of political participation, governance, without rectifying i ndividual criminal responsibility. In countries fraught with sharply-drawn ethnic lines where political and economic privileges are denied or granted on the basis of ethnicity, satisfaction of the requirements of these dimensions of justice cannot take place without addressing horizontal inequalities. In a similar vein, aspiring to address horizontal inequa

The Rise of Vampires Essay Example for Free

The Rise of Vampires Essay Vampires have become prominent protagonists and antagonists in numerous books, poems, movies and television series. As such, their origin and basis have become quite vague. The rise of the concept of vampires is capable of many interpretations in various cultures and localities. However, this scattering of cultural roots only serves to promote the theory that vampires are real. This paper will show that vampirism is nothing more than a misunderstood medical condition manifesting in particular groups of persons. Moreover, vampirism has evolved to become simply a literary tool for creative writers and film makers. At the present time a vampire is typically characterized as a creature that feasts on the blood of humans (Barber, 6). Literature has adorned vampires with several other features other than the typical drinking of blood. From the different interpretations of authors it may be shown that a vampire was believed to have fangs, to be vulnerable to sunlight, and to be immortal (Bunson, 131). During the early descriptions of vampires they were also characterized as having purplish bruises on their skin or as having dark skin. In recent literary descriptions however the vampire has taken on a simple depiction as having pale white skin. The most popular depiction of a vampire is Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dracula was portrayed as an antagonist in the story and he became quite feared because of his prowess in victimizing those whose blood he sought. In later years the vampire would also play the role of protagonist either fighting against its own kind, such as in the 1998 movie Blade. The vampire would also be pitted against other folklore creatures such as the werewolf, as in the 2003 movie Underworld or in the Stephenie Meyer saga Twilight. Despite the changes that vampires have undergone the literary creations have to be set aside to understand whether there is factual or historical basis to support the claims propounded. It was found that a Romanian prince, Vlad, had once used unusual methods of executing his enemies by having their heads chopped off and impaled on top of a long pole (Florescu, 148-149). The blood dripping down the pole would then be collected into goblets from which Vlad the Impaler would drink (Florescu, 149). He is said to have partly inspired the creation of the character Count Dracula. The Countess Dracula is far removed from Vlad the Impaler. Elizabeth Bathory was said to have participated in the killing of numerous virgins and women (McNally, 59). The killing of 600 women were imputed upon Bathory although she was only convicted for the killing of 80 (McNally, 59). Rumors as to her purpose for doing so grew and expanded to involve vampire-like attributions. Apart from the imputation of vampire evolution on such historic figures, vampirism has also been theorized to be related to the onset of porphyrias. This is an illness which manifests with purplish bruising on the skin and with heightened sensitivity to sunlight (Warren, Rohl, Hunt, 54). Because these symptoms were closely related and similar to the characterizations of early vampires, patients suffering from this illness were often subjected to suspicion, fear, and stigma. However, the associations between vampirism and porphyrias have been largely disqualified and greatly contested. The symptoms related to vampire characteristics are few and paint a limited picture of what porphyrias truly is. Vlad the Impaler was found to have suffered from this disease, showing why people may have established a connection between vampires and the disease. However, many historical figures were found to have suffered from the disease as well and the only attributable cause was the in-breeding practices of nobles in the old days. Porphyrias is a genetic disorder and so the probability of manifestation is increased when both parents have histories of the disease in their bloodline (McNally, 148). King George III is suspected of having suffered from this disease as evidenced by his actions evidencing delusion and insanity (Warren et al. , 294). This theory finds a stronger foothold in light of the lineage of King George III. Mary Queen of Scots, a direct ascendant of King George III was found to have had well documented attacks attributable to porphyrias, as did her father James V of Scotland (Warren et al. , 285). The above discussions show that vampirism is no more than a series of atrocities conducted by historical figures and related diseases associated with them. The misconstruing of the relations between the atrocities and diseases have led to the evolution of a mythical creature known as the vampire. However, despite the historical bases, there is no evidence to show that the vampire of lore exists or ever existed. The incontrovertible conclusion is that vampires are mere character tools in literature and filmmaking injecting mystery into a setting similar to our own surroundings. Works Cited Barber, Paul. Vampires, Burial and Death: Folklore and Reality. New York: Yale University Press, 1988. Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. London: Thames Hudson, 1993. Florescu, Radu R. , and McNally, Raymond T. In Search of Dracula. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. McNally, Raymond T. Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill, 1983. Warren, Martin, Rohl, John C. G. , and Hunt, David C. Purple secret: genes, madness and the Royal houses of Europe. London: Bantam, 1998.

International Marketing Objectives of honey manufacturer

International Marketing Objectives of honey manufacturer Australian by Nature plans to enter the US market with its 100% pure honey by targeting the business to business market. This will be done by supplying honey to an existing and reputed honey packer through whom the product will enter the US market. This will lead to a reduction in the marketing costs at the initial stages and also minimise the risk of entering the new market. All this will help Australian By Nature to increase its demand in the market and thereby increase its production capacity. In short term the company plans to attain high brand awareness and brand knowledge. After working with existing honey packers for about 24 months, the companys brand will be well established and based upon that it can start packing the product itself and also start spending money on marketing the product. International Marketing Strategy Drivers for Australian by Natures Decision to enter United States According to Stonehouse et al. There are four main forces of internationalisation which are categorised as market, government, cost or competitive drivers. But these drivers may vary from industry to industry as well as market to market. The main drivers for Australian by Natures decision to internationalise relate to the market, government and cost drivers. As seen from the analysis in Part A above the drivers from markets basically include customer needs, marketing channels and other main countries exporting to US. But based on the above geographic analysis particularly the topography aspects which show that the bees have contracted diseases in USA will lead to a good and in future increased demand of Australian by Nature honey which is 100% pure and will be a huge success in the USA market. The United States and Australia have extended investment relations by forming the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). This agreement will lead to little hassles for Australian by Nature to start exporting honey to US. Going further the company will also face competition from other countries exporting honey in US, but due to its good reputation and being an Australian brand it is always at an advantage compared to its competitors. Large Companies which have high fixed costs are more likely to go global, so that these high costs can be offset by increased sales volume as result of going global; this is because higher sales volume leads to reduction in high fixed costs in turn resulting in economies of scale. This is also a driving factor for Australian by Nature because it will benefit from higher sales by internationalising. From all the drivers we can conclude that United States will be a good country for Australia by Nature to enter and become successful in long term. Foreign Market Entry Strategy As per the environmental and internal analysis done in part A we have selected United States of America as our target country. Not only it is an attractive market for all the aspects of our decision making process, but also bring in different varieties of the product in a market flooded with brands from so many countries with China being one of the main competitor. There are many methods of entry such as exporting, direct sales, franchising, internet, licensing, joint ventures and foreign direct investments. We will launch Australian by Nature honey in US through an Export Distributor. An export distributor is on who will buy the goods from the Australian producer that is Australian by Nature and will resell the product in the US at a profit. In other words the export distributor will be the sole distributor of the product in the country and will supply the goods purchased from Australian by Nature to all the retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores etc. The distributor will be handling all the customer complaints about the product in the foreign country which US in our report. The export distributor will trade under its own name and at the same time maintain an on- going relation with the exporter. Also the distributor will have sale rights in United States. The main reason for selecting direct distribution channel for entering the US market is that it will save a lot of marketing costs for the company in initial stages of the product because the export distributor will be committed to provide all the product support in the foreign country. Another advantage of this type of distribution is that the already well established distributor has existing relationships with all the supermarkets, retailers and convenience stores and based on this the company can rely on the know-how and familiarity of the market conditions to attain the best retail position. In addition to that creating a distribution network in new foreign country is a time consuming process, as well as a costly process especially where it is concerned with launching new products in the foreign markets. Possible Foreign country exit strategy As this is our first move to start operations in international market, we are prepared for a less than enthusiastic market. In case this happens we are going to do more deep market research as to the possible causes of the product failure that may be due to our marketing approach, may be the pricing, the distribution channels etc. If after further approach there is no improvement in the sales of the product in US, we are simply going to downmarket our product. Down marketing the product involves repositioning the product from high end category to a middle one, may be reducing the price of the honey. As a result of repositioning the product will cater to the middle income group also and because of which marketing costs also will be reduced because this type of consumer group doesnt demands expensive advertisements to make them believe that our product is unique from others. But there may be a further possibility that even after the repositioning the product may not be selling well; in that case we shall put off our operations completely from US by simply ending our contract with the export distributor who was the sole distributor of the product in the United States. International Marketing Program 1. Marketing Mix We will now analyse Australian by Natures marketing mix based on the following seven Ps: Product and Service, Place, Promotion, Price, People, Process and Physical Environment. 1. (A) People Providing a good quality product is important when the company is entering the foreign market. The consumers will judge the companys reputation based on the quality of the product. The exceptional expertise, knowledge and skills of the people working in the production of the Australian by Natures will be of significant importance for the success of the product in the foreign market. At the same people involved with the export of honey products will be also very important for the success of the product. The personnel working for the production of the Australian by Nature products are a source of competitive advantage. Australian by Nature must ensure that sufficient personnel have been allocated for the increased production as a result of its exports to United States. Furthermore they should be provided with up to date training so as to handle the increased production or if possible might be new machinery for production. As the more personnel will be required to cater the demands for exports, the company should invest in training them how to effectively handle the exports demands. 1. (B) Promotion As this is the first time that the company will be selling its honey products outside Australia and its initiation of entry in a broader United States market, the promotional activities are very important. This can be done by first building the awareness about the product in the market which can be done through trials and then purchases. Moreover it is also important to establish the brand personality of our product in the new market.

American Songs that Record Culture and History Essay -- Music Communic

American Songs that Record Culture and History As has been said many times over, songs are a reflection of society. They give insight into feelings, moods, historical changes, and the overall atmosphere of the society. Our American society is diverse and so too is our music. There are many genres of music and there were many evolutions to create those genres. Further, what happens in society, the historical changes, also effect those changes. Sex, drugs, alcohol. They are influential substance/actions by all accounts. Love, hate, sadness, desire, fear. They are strong emotions. In songs played on the radio there are many songs with references to both the good and bad of the topics mentioned above. However, just because there are songs in reference to drugs and alcohol does that make all Americans druggies and alcoholics? Not by any means. However the group singing a song may represent one portion of American society who deals with such issues at all times. Let’s take the song â€Å"Tipsy† by J-Kwon, a young rap artist for example. â€Å"Teen drinking is very bad...

Essay --

Yevette Collier Term 2 FTZ ACUTE RENAL FAILURE Instructor Michelle Earixson-Lamothe 12/05/2013 Explain the pathophysiology of acute renal failure. Include pre-renal, intra-renal, and Post- renal causes. In the Human body there are two kidneys which are predominant component organs that transport waste and other unwanted toxin chemicals out of the blood stream. When the kidneys stop working all the waste backs up into the body which causes several different illnesses. Renal Failure is one of many illnesses that occur. This usually happens because the powerlessness of the nephron in the kidneys that keep fluid, electrolytes, and acid base balances; expel nitrogen waste products; and act upon regulatory functions such as maintaining calcification of bones and producing erythropoietin, cannot maintain homeostasis according to Timby B & Smith N (2010). There are two types of renal failure Acute and chronic. I’m going to elaborate on the most common type acute renal failure. Acute Renal failure Acute renal failure is distinguished by an abrupt rapid diminishing kidney function but, is usually reversible. Pre-renal, Intra-renal, and Post-renal are three general categories that cause acute renal failure. 1. Pre-renal acute renal failure is manifested when a sudden severe decrease in blood pressure (shock) or (renal hypo-perfusion) interruption in blood flow to the kidney from a severe injury or illness (Urinary power point, 2013). According to Williams & Wilkins (2008) in pre-renal ARF, there is nothing wrong with the kidney itself. Affected renal blood flow may result from hemorrhage; third-spacing, MI; primary renal artery stenosis or anything that reduces systemic blood pressure, severe blood loss or volume deple... ...s several times a week. †¢ Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen, called the peritoneal membrane, to filter your blood. This dialysis treatment can be utilized at home when using a continuous peritoneal dialysis. †¢ Renal transplant is a surgical treatment for end stage renal disease. Normally theses transplants are obtained by deceased donors, which are limited and require a close match between blood and tissue type (preferably a twin or family member). Transplant rejection occurs when transplanted tissue is rejected by the recipient's Immune system, which destroys the transplanted tissue. Transplant rejection can be lessened by determining the molecular similitude between donor and recipient and by use of immunosuppressant drugs after transplant. What are the short term nursing goals and long term nursing goals for a client with acute renal failure?

Women in an Inferior position in China

The view of women in china may have changed over the years but they all have lived in a male dominated world. The past has been like many cultures, in the legal and cultural suppression of women. The culture of china's past has placed women as a far inferior position to men. In this environment gaining power and rights was extremely difficult. Despite this there are stories of important and powerful women in china's history. This is different than many cultures of the world where the suppression of women's rights was total through their history. The culture has become more open to women's rights over the years, allowing for more power and more control for them as they years went on. Education has slowly been allowed along with greater human rights. Modern women are allowed to travel, be educated, marry and be the sole wife. They commonly participate in politics, as well as all other fields of work. Women of modern times in china have greater possibilities and fewer limitations, but things are not perfect, there is still a social bias lingering from past inequality. The women of china's past lived in an intensely male dominated world. Men dominated china both in law and in culture. Legally women were in servitude to men in the forms of marriage polygamy was common practice for men. For the most part women did not ever participate in the governing of the country. There were Dynasties that were less conservative, women were allowed more power at times. This is evidenced by the rule of Empress Wu. She rose to power from the status of concubine to rule china. This was more exceptional rather than the rule. When the Sung dynasty took over, men dominated again. Any ability of women to gain political power was taken away. It is in the culture that the real domination can be seen. Without this the legal repression would not have happened. Many practices reinforced the view that women were inferior. From basic philosophy, Yin and Yang, equated, darkness to women and light to men. The beliefs of Confucianism said that women weren't meant to do outdoor work, thus construing them as weak and inferior. The idea of having them not do outdoor work was reinforced by the practice of foot binding. Again started in the Sung dynasty, this practice along with the other preferences on the appearance of women objectified them and put barriers on what women could do or be. Women were seen as property, as seen by the practice of concubines and polygamy those of high status had many women and having many sons was an even higher symbol of status. Despite these legal and cultural blocks on women, the domination was not total. There were many female figures that were looked up to and honored, both legendary and real women. At times the culture changed enough to allow women to participate in politics, and more rights were given to them. Powerful women of the past were looked up to and revered. The Queen Mother of the West was mixed with legend and history, but she was worship at times by men. Other legends indicate that women could be respected. Although Disney has probably distorted it a bit, the legend of Mulan even by being passed down shows a respect for women. Not only legends were respected. There were several times in the past that women have risen to power Empress Zhen (AD 182) was fought over and had power through her beauty and high status. Other women had even more power, Empress Wu, actually had power, and ruled china for a time. The culture of china's past has surpressed women, through it's culture and laws, with brief periods of cultural change, in which women gained rights and respect were brief and followed by periods which they were again taken away. These limitations on women, were reinforced by the isolation that china had, continuing into the twentieth century this isolation prevented women from leaving if they could not stand their situation. Despite the few legendary women the opportunities for advancement or power for women were few and difficult. Things have changed in recent times. Women are gaining power and rights in modern times. There are international groups protecting their rights as well. The first good example of this is in the ways of marriage. Arranged marriages, and those for money are no longer the norm. They are allowed to maintain their own names with marriage. Without this they are did not have as much of a separate identity. Also in modern times, women have gained the rights of inheritance from their families, equal to that of their brothers. Other aspects of women in marriage have changed. They are not as expected to bear children, and the culture is changing to give them a voice in this decision. In the areas of employment, there are opportunities as well. Women now make up 38 percent of the total workforce. In most major parts of the work force women play a part. Women even play a part in politics, representing a major part of their official government. These women are not legendary, or exceptional. It is just accepted and considered normal. Women have made advances in the field of education as well. Illiteracy among women has fallen as well and education is accepted. Women are allowed in universities and even given funding to continue education. These opportunities, encouraged by many international organizations are also backed by Chinese law. The law states: 1.Equal rights for men and women. The Constitution stipulates that â€Å"Women enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life, political, economic, cultural and social, including family life†; 2.Protection of special rights and interests of women; and 3.Banning of any discrimination, maltreatment and persecution directed at women. In addition Other laws have been enacted concerning their rights. These explicitly state aspects of life that women are equal to men. For example equal, equal votes, and rights to political power, freedom, and protection. These laws being stated are the only thing that I can see evidencing that there are not equal opportunities for women. The fact that they have to be stated so explicitly probably indicates a problem. It is difficult to find out what the cultural views of women are from the outside, but it appears that they have all the major opportunities that men do and that their power is increasing. One thing that has really changed is in the area of the world. There is the opportunity to leave the country and go to another culture. Granted the rest of the world is still mostly male dominated in culture, but the opportunity to emigrate is still there. The only lingering restrictions are from tradition. Lingering views of women as being inferior are probably the only thing that could keep them back now. These things can be seen through the increasingly seldom seen practices of mail order brides and foot binding. In addition, I came across a large industry of pornography featuring Chinese women when searching for information. These things limit the respect that women have in society. The opportunities for women have grow through history. Starting from the possessive view of women, giving them no rights, and giving men utter control, has changed in recent history to the to allow women more power, rights and education. Women have had their limits striped away, partly with law and partly through changing culture. The physical limitations have gone as well. The opportunities for travel have grown as well, the world is more open, and the ability to find a place more accepting exists. With fewer limitations, opportunities for women are increasing.