Using an Appropriate Framework of Analysis, Briefly Summarize

THIS CASE STUDY IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO WRITE UP AS YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT IF YOU WISH. SEE DETAILS OF ASSESSMENTS IN THIS MODULE STUDY GUIDE. Ready meal manufacturers ready to respond to a changing marketing environment CASE STUDY FOR DISCUSSION IN WEEK THREE It is often said that ‘we are what we eat’, but it can also be said that what is on our dinner plates reflects the broader marketing environment. One big change in recent years has been the growing demand for ready prepared meals brought from a supermarket.Previously dismissed as unpalatable and a poor substitute for ‘real’ cooking, their sales have grown rapidly in recent years in many western developed countries. An analysis of the reasons for the growth in the ready prepared meals indicates the effects of broader factors in the market environment on the size of a particular market. The research company Mintel reported in 2007 that the market for ready meals in the five largest European countries incr eased by 5% between 2006 and 2007 alone to reach â‚ ¬8. 4 billion.Moreover, it predicted a further 18% growth to reach the â‚ ¬10 billion mark by 2011. In the UK, the market was worth a total of â‚ ¬2 billion, with a much higher level of sales per head of population than in France or Germany. Intel predicted that between 2006 and 2011, UK ready meals sales would reach â‚ ¬3. 7 billion, with about a quarter of all Brits likely to eat a ready meal at least once a week. It seemed that the appetite for ready meals would grow more slowly in other European countries, for example Mintel predicted that by 2011, only 9% of Germans would eat a ready meal each week.What has driven the growth in the ready meals market in recent years, and why should there be differences in market potential between countries? Technology has played a big role in the growing take-up of ready meals. A report by the research body Leatherhead Food International described how new techniques have allowed co mpanies to develop ready meals which preserve taste and texture, while still making them easy to use by the consumer. Furthermore, great advances in distribution management, in particular the se of information technology to control inventories, has allowed fresh, chilled ready meals to be quickly, effectively and efficiently distributed without the need for freezing or added preservatives. The structure and values of society have contributed to the growth of the UK ready meal market, and may explain why growth here is greater than in France or Germany. Ready meals particularly appealed to single households, and those ‘cellular’ families in which individual family members tend to eat at different times.Mintel reported that the tradition of family meals together remains stronger in many continental European countries than in the UK, which may help to explain the greater popularity of individual ready meals in the UK. Some social commentators have reported that young peopl e have lost the ability to cook creatively, as cookery has been reduced in importance in the school curriculum. Furthermore, many UK consumers no longer feel a social stigma attached to eating a ready meal, something which would be anathema to many people in France a country which takes great pride in its national cuisine.Any remaining stigma has been reduced by the number of ‘celebrity chefs’ who have endorsed ready meals with their own brand image. The impact of the economic environment on sales of ready meals is slightly more ambiguous. As individuals grow richer, they can afford to buy ready prepared foods, rather than spend time and effort preparing it themselves. With a tempting range of ready meals now available, from duck a l’orange to beef bourguignon, the consumer with money in his or her pocket will be tempted to splash out on a ready meal, rather than stay at home with a ‘quick’ jacket potato or pizza.Although rising incomes have been ass ociated with rising consumption of ready meals, increased sales have also been attributed to a deteriorating economic environment. As recession bit in the UK in 2008. The manufacturer Northern Foods – a major supplier of ready prepared meals to Marks & Spencer – reported resilient sales. It seemed that consumers were trading down from expensive restaurant meals to the alternative of relatively cheap, gourmet ready prepared meals. Of course, marketers should be more interested in predicting future effects f environmental change on consumption, rather than merely charting historical trends. So what do current trends hold for future sales of ready meals? The growing pressure on individuals’ available time, matched with long-term rising disposable incomes, will doubtless continue to fuel the growth in UK ready meals sales. In a market that is in its maturity stage, more attention will need to be paid to competitive differentiation, and understanding the way in which customers attribute value to a product.Many consumers have become increasingly concerned about the health implications of the food they eat, and ready meal manufacturers will need to continue responding to such concerns. For example, they have responded with a range of low calorie meals, and addressed specific, sometimes transient, health fads, for example with respect to trans-fatty acids and Omega 3 supplements. Many consumers have also become concerned about the ecological environment, and some suppliers, such as Marks & Spencer, have incorporated sustainability agendas into their ready meals, for example by reducing packaging and sourcing supplies from sustainable sources.As other countries develop cellular household structures, with more professional, single people living alone, export opportunities may grow, and many companies in the sector have their eyes set on the Chinese and Indian markets, among others. Case study review questions 1. Using an appropriate framework of ana lysis, briefly summarize the effects of change in the marketing environment on sales of ready meals. (60%) 2. Discuss the factors that might affect sales of ready meals in your country over the next five years. (40%)

The Small Company with a Big-Time Motivation Program

Question 1 – How strong was the overall employee motivation program at Badger Mining? On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best, Badger Mining gets a 10! The company focuses on employees needs, is flexible with scheduling lets employees take off for family matters, matches 401k, generous profit sharing program, and a good health care package. This touches upon every aspect of a good employee motivation program. Question 2 – What evidence of participate management can you detect in this case? One key example was the example of the expansion to the Taylor plant. The company V. P. Dan Valiquette made sure to consult with the employees who would be affected by the expansion. He wanted the guys having to run the equipment involved in the redesign of the process, thus promoting employee buy-in, and the employees felt valued. He also included contractors and vendors involved with the change, which made everyone involved with project feel part of the process and take ownership. Question 3 – How well do you think open-book management would work at Badger Mining? I think it would very well at Badger Mining. The level of trust between upper management and their workforce is extremely high; they have a very cohesive group that is committed to excel. They already have several of the key blocks in place to be successful using OBM; trust and empower employees and profit sharing. Question 4 – Keys to successful employee participation programs. The examples of successful employee participation programs in this case are 1) Profit sharing, 2) long term security of employees working for Badger Mining and the company’s history, 3) the training programs and culture within the company, and 4) the protection of the individuals who work for the company by letting them have flexible schedules and take time off for family. These examples make Badger Mining perfect for participative management. The employees want to participate because they feel valued and that they have ownership in the company, in short they feel like they matter. Question 5 – Would you like to work for a small company like Badger Mining? Yes I would love to. Working for public education has its rewards, but they’re not financial, but I do feel very lucky to love what I do. However, it would be good to work for a company that I could work hard and e rewarded for the effort.

The Golden Lily Chapter 4

SONYA DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING about the mysterious encounter to the rest of the gang at Adrian's, so I respected her silence. Everyone else was too preoccupied with dinner and the experiments to notice much else. And once they conducted the second wave of experiments, even I grew too distracted to give much thought to the guy on the street. Sonya had said she wanted to see how Eddie and Dimitri responded to direct spirit. This was accomplished by her and Adrian focusing their magic at the dhampirs one at a time. â€Å"It's sort of like what we'd do if we were trying to heal them or make something grow,† Sonya explained to me. â€Å"Don't worry – this isn't going to make them supersized or anything. It's more like we're coating them with spirit magic. If Dimitri's got some lasting mark from when he was healed, I'd imagine it would react with our magic.† She and Adrian coordinated their timing and did Eddie first. Initially, there was nothing to see – just the two spirit users staring at Eddie. He looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Then, I saw a silvery shimmer run over his body. I stepped back, amazed – and unnerved – at seeing a physical manifestation of spirit. They repeated the process on Dimitri, with the same results. Apparently, on an unseen level, things were the same too. There was nothing notable about Dimitri's response. All of them took this in stride as part of the scientific process, but seeing that magic actually embrace the two men had creeped me out. As Eddie and I drove back to Amberwood that night, I found myself sitting as far away from him as I could in the car, as though residual magic might leak over and touch me. He chatted with me in our usual, friendly way, and I had to work hard to hide my feelings. Doing so made me feel guilty. This was Eddie, after all. My friend. The magic, even if it could've hurt me, was long since gone. A good night of sleep went a long ways to shake both my anxiety and guilt, leaving the magic a distant memory when I woke and prepared for classes the next day. Even though being at Amberwood was an assignment, I'd kind of come to love the elite school. I'd been homeschooled before this, and while my dad had certainly taught tough curriculum, he'd never gone beyond what he felt was necessary. Here, even if I surpassed what my classes were learning, there were plenty of teachers ready to encourage me to push farther. I hadn't been allowed to go to college, but this was a nice substitute. Before I could get on to it, I had to chaperone a training session with Eddie and Angeline. Even though he might want to avoid her, he wouldn't – not with Jill's safety on the line. Angeline was part of Jill's defense. I settled down in the grass with a cup of coffee, still wondering if he wasn't just imagining Angeline's interest. I'd recently acquired a one-cup coffee maker for my dorm room, and while it couldn't compare to a coffee shop, it had gotten me through a number of rough mornings. A yawn smothered my greeting as Jill sat down beside me. â€Å"Eddie never trains me anymore,† she said wistfully, as we watched the spectacle. Eddie was trying to patiently explain to Angeline that headbutting, while suitable in a bar brawl, was not always the best tactic with Strigoi. â€Å"I'm sure he will if he gets more time,† I said, though I wasn't sure at all. Now that he could admit his feelings for Jill to himself, he was nervous about touching her too much. That, and a chivalrous part of him didn't want Jill risking herself anyway. It was ironic because Jill's fierceness in wanting to learn self-defense (rare in a Moroi) was what had attracted him to her. â€Å"Angeline was recruited as protection. He's got to make sure she can handle it.† â€Å"I know. I just feel like everyone's trying to coddle me.† She frowned. â€Å"In PE, Micah won't let me do anything. After I had all that trouble starting out, he's now paranoid I'll hurt myself. I keep telling him I'm fine, that it was just the sun†¦ but well, he keeps jumping in. It's sweet†¦ but it drives me crazy sometimes.† â€Å"I've noticed it,† I admitted. I was in the same PE class. â€Å"I don't think that's why Eddie won't train you, though. He knows you can do it. He's proud that you can†¦ he just thinks that if he's doing his job, you shouldn't have to learn. Kind of weird logic.† â€Å"No, I get it.† Her earlier dismay shifted to approval as she turned back to the training session. â€Å"He's so dedicated†¦ and, well, good at what he does.† â€Å"The knee's an easy way to disable someone,† Eddie told Angeline. â€Å"Especially if you're caught without a weapon and have to – â€Å" â€Å"When are you going to teach me to stake or decapitate?† she interrupted, hands on her hips. â€Å"All the time, it's hit here, dodge this, blah, blah, blah. I need to practice killing Strigoi.† â€Å"No, you don't.† Eddie was the picture of patience and back in the determined, ready mode I knew so well. â€Å"You're not here to kill Strigoi. Maybe we can practice that at a later time, but right now, your priority is keeping mortal assassins away from Jill. That takes precedence over anything else, even our lives.† He glanced over at Jill for emphasis, and there was a flash of admiration in his eyes as he looked at her. â€Å"Seems like decapitation would kill Moroi just the same,† Angeline grumbled. â€Å"And besides, you did have a Strigoi problem last month.† Jill shifted uneasily beside me, and even Eddie paused. It was true – he had had to kill two Strigoi recently, back when Adrian's apartment had been Keith's. Lee Donahue had led the Strigoi to us. He was a Moroi who'd once been Strigoi. After he was returned to his natural state, Lee had wanted desperately to become a Strigoi again. He was the reason we'd learned that those restored by spirit seemed to have some Strigoi resistance. The two Strigoi he'd called to help him had tried to convert him but ended up killing him instead – a better fate than being undead, in my opinion. Those Strigoi had then turned on the rest of us and inadvertently revealed something unexpected and alarming (if not to them, then to me). My blood was inedible. They'd tried to drink from me and been unable to. With all the fallout from that night, no one among the Alchemists or Moroi had paid much attention to that small detail – and I was grateful. I was terrified that one of these days someone would think to put me under a microscope. â€Å"That was a fluke,† said Eddie at last. â€Å"Not one that's likely to happen again. Now watch the way my leg moves, and remember that a Moroi will probably be taller than you.† He did a demonstration, and I cast a quick look at Jill. Her face was unreadable. She never talked about Lee, whom she'd dated briefly. Micah had gone a long way to distract her on the romantic front, but having your last boyfriend want to become a bloodthirsty monster couldn't be an easy thing to get over. I had a feeling she was still in pain, even if she did a great job at hiding it. â€Å"You're too rigid,† Eddie told Angeline, after several attempts. She completely relaxed her body, almost like a marionette. â€Å"So, what? Like this?† He sighed. â€Å"No. You still need some tension.† Eddie moved behind her and attempted to guide her into position, showing her how to bend her knees and hold her arms. Angeline took the opportunity to lean back into him and brush her body suggestively against his. My eyes widened. Okay. Maybe he wasn't imagining things. â€Å"Hey!† He leapt backwards, a look of horror on his face. â€Å"Pay attention! You need to learn this.† Her expression was pure angelic innocence. â€Å"I am. I'm just trying to use your body to learn what to do with mine.† So help me, she batted her eyelashes. Eddie moved back even farther. I realized I should probably intervene, no matter what Eddie had said about handling his own problems. An even better savior came when the school's thirty-minute warning bell rang. I jumped up. â€Å"Hey, we should go if we want to get to breakfast in time. Right now.† Angeline gave me a suspicious look. â€Å"Don't you usually skip breakfast?† â€Å"Yeah, but I'm not the one putting in a hard morning's work. Besides, you still need to change and – wait, you're in your uniform?† I hadn't even noticed. Whenever Eddie and Jill trained, it was always in casual workout clothes – just like he wore now. Angeline had actually come out today in an Amberwood uniform, skirt and blouse, that were showing the wear and tear of a morning's battle. â€Å"Yeah, so?† She tucked in her blouse where it had started to come undone. The side of it was smudged with dirt. â€Å"You should change,† I said. â€Å"Nah. This is fine.† I wasn't so sure, but at least it was better than the jean shorts. Eddie did leave to put on his uniform and never came back for breakfast. I knew he liked his breakfasts, and since he was a guy, he could change clothes pretty quickly. My guess was he was sacrificing food to stay away from Angeline. I heard my name called as we entered the cafeteria and caught sight of Kristin Sawyer and Julia Cavendish waving to me. Aside from Trey, they were the two closest friends I'd made at Amberwood. I still had miles to go in ever being socially savvy, but those two had helped me a lot. And with all the supernatural intrigue my job involved, there was something comforting about being around people who were normal†¦ and, well, human. Even if I couldn't be fully honest with them. â€Å"Sydney, we have a fashion question for you,† Julia said. She tossed her blonde hair over one shoulder, her usual sign that what she was about to say was of utmost importance. â€Å"A fashion question for me?† I was almost ready to glance back and see if maybe there was another Sydney standing behind me. â€Å"I don't think anyone's ever asked that.† â€Å"You have really nice clothes,† Kristin insisted. She had dark skin and hair, as well as an athletic air that contrasted with Julia's more girly nature. â€Å"Too nice, actually. If my mom were ten years younger, cool, and had a lot more money, she'd dress just like you.† I didn't know if that was a compliment or not, but Julia didn't give me a chance to ruminate. â€Å"Tell her, Kris.† â€Å"Remember that counseling internship I wanted next semester? I scored an interview,† Kristin explained. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if I should wear pants and a blazer or a dress.† Ah, that explained why they were coming to me. An interview. Anything else they could have pulled from a fashion magazine. And while I could admit that I probably was the authority on such practical matters†¦ well, I was kind of disappointed that was what I'd been summoned for. â€Å"What color are they?† â€Å"The blazer's red, and the dress is navy.† I studied Kristin, taking in her features. On her wrist was a scar, the remnant of an insidious tattoo I'd helped remove, back when Keith's shady tattoo ring had run rampant. â€Å"Do the dress. Wait†¦ is it a dress you'd wear to church or to a nightclub?† â€Å"Church,† she said, not sounding happy about it. â€Å"Dress for sure then,† I said. Kristin flashed a triumphant look at Julia. â€Å"See? I told you that's what she'd say.† Julia looked doubtful. â€Å"The blazer's more fun. It's bright red.† â€Å"Yeah, but ‘fun' isn't usually what you want to portray at an interview,† I pointed out. It was hard to keep a straight face with their banter. â€Å"At least not for this kind of job.† Julia still didn't seem convinced, but she also didn't try to talk Kristin out of my sound fashion advice. A few moments later, Julia perked up. â€Å"Hey, is it true Trey set you up with some guy?† â€Å"I†¦ what? No. Where'd you hear that?† Like I had to ask. She'd undoubtedly heard it from Trey himself. â€Å"Trey said he'd talked to you about it,† said Kristin. â€Å"How this guy's perfect for you.† â€Å"It's a great idea, Syd,† said Julia, face as serious as if we were discussing a life or death matter. â€Å"It'd be good for you. I mean, since school started, I've gone out with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused and silently counted out names on her fingers. â€Å"†¦ four guys. You know how many you've gone out with?† She held up a fist. â€Å"That many.† â€Å"I don't need to go out with anyone,† I argued. â€Å"I have enough complications already. I'm pretty sure that would add more.† â€Å"What complications?† laughed Kristin. â€Å"Your awesome grades, killer body, and perfect hair? I mean, okay, your family's a little out there, but come on, everyone has time for a date now and then – or lots, in Julia's case.† â€Å"Hey,† said Julia, though she didn't deny the charge. Kristin pushed forward, making me think she was more suited to a legal internship than a counseling one. â€Å"Skip homework for once. Give this guy a shot, and we can all go out together sometime. It'd be fun.† I gave them a forced smile and murmured something noncommittal. Everyone has time for a date now and then. Everyone but me, of course. I felt a surprising pang of longing, not for a date but just for social interaction. Kristin and Julia went out a lot with a larger group of friends and love interests and often invited me on their outings. They thought my reticence was because of homework or, perhaps, no suitable guy to go with me. I wished it were that simple, and suddenly, it was as though there was a huge chasm separating me from Kristin and Julia. I was their friend, and they had welcomed me to every part of their lives. Meanwhile, I was full of secrets and half truths. Part of me wished I could be open with them and able to confide all the woes of my Alchemist life. Heck, part of me just wished I really could go on one of these outings and let go of my duties for a night. It would never work, of course. We'd be out at a movie, and I'd probably get texted to come cover up a Strigoi slaying. This mood wasn't uncommon for me, and it began lightening as I started my school day. I fell into the rhythm of my schedule, comfortable in its familiarity. Teachers always assigned the most work over weekends, and I was pleased to be able to turn in all that I'd done on my plane rides. Unfortunately, my last class of the day derailed all the progress of my mood. Actually, class wasn't the right word. It was an independent study I had with my history teacher, Ms. Terwilliger. Ms. Terwilliger had recently revealed herself to be a magic user, a witch of sorts or whatever those people referred to themselves as. Alchemists had heard rumors of them, but it was nothing we had a lot of experience with or facts about. To our knowledge, only Moroi wielded magic. We utilized it in our lily tattoos – which had trace amounts of vampire blood – but the thought of humans producing it in the same way was crazy and twisted. That was why it was such a surprise when Ms. Terwilliger not only revealed herself to me last month but also ended up kind of tricking me into wielding a spell. It had left me shocked and even feeling dirty. Magic was not for humans to use. We had no right to manipulate the world like that; it was a hundred times worse than what Sonya had done to the red lily on the street. Ms. Terwilliger insisted I had a natural affinity for magic and had offered to train me. Why she wanted this, exactly, I wasn't sure. She'd gone on and on about the potential I had, but I could hardly believe she'd want to train me without a reason of her own. I hadn't figured out what that might be, but it didn't matter. I'd refused her offer. So, she'd found a workaround. â€Å"Miss Melbourne, how much longer do you think you'll be on the Kimball book?† she called from her desk. Trey had picked up â€Å"Melbourne† from her, but unlike him, she seemed to constantly forget that wasn't my actual name. She was in her forties, with mousy brown hair and a perpetually cunning glint in her eyes. I looked up from my work, forcing politeness. â€Å"Two more days. Three at most.† â€Å"Make sure to translate all three of the sleep of spells,† she said. â€Å"Each has its own nuances.† â€Å"There are four sleep spells in this book,† I corrected. â€Å"Are there?† she asked innocently. â€Å"I'm glad to see they're making an impression.† I hid a scowl. Having me copy and translate spell books for research was how she taught me. I couldn't help but learn the texts as I read them. I hated that I'd been ensnared, but it was too late in the school year to transfer out. Besides, I could hardly complain to the administration that I was being forced to learn magic. So, I dutifully copied her spell books and spoke as little as possible during our time together. Meanwhile, I simmered with resentment. She was well aware of my discomfort but made no attempts to alleviate the tension, leaving us in a stalemate. Only one thing brightened those sessions. â€Å"Look at that. It's been nearly two hours since my last cappuccino. It's a wonder I can function. Would you be kind enough to run to Spencer's? That should finish us out for the day.† The last bell had rung fifteen minutes ago, but I'd been putting in some overtime. I was already closing the spell book before she finished speaking. When I'd begun as her assistant, I'd resented the constant errands. Now, I looked forward to the escape. Not to mention my own caffeine fix. When I reached the coffee shop, I found Trey was just starting his shift, which was great – not just because he was a friendly face, but because it meant discounts. He began making my order before I even placed it since he knew the drill by now. Another barista offered to help, and Trey gave him meticulous instructions on what to do. â€Å"Skinny vanilla latte,† said Trey, grabbing the caramel for Ms. Terwilliger's cappuccino. â€Å"That's sugar-free syrup and skim. Don't mess it up. She can sniff out sugar and 2% milk a mile away.† I suppressed a smile. Maybe I couldn't reveal Alchemist secrets to my friends, but it was nice to know they at least knew my coffee preferences backwards and forwards. The other barista, who looked to be our age, gave Trey a droll look. â€Å"I'm well aware of what skinny means.† â€Å"Nice attention to detail,† I teased Trey. â€Å"I didn't know you cared.† â€Å"Hey, I live to serve,† he said. â€Å"Besides, I need your help tonight with that lab write-up from chem. You always find things I miss.† â€Å"It's due tomorrow,† I chastised. â€Å"You had two weeks. I'm guessing you didn't get much done in your cheerleader study session.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah. Will you help me out? I'll even go to your campus.† â€Å"I'll be up late with a study group – a real one.† The opposite sex was banned from our dorms after a certain hour. â€Å"I could meet you on Central Campus afterward if you want.† â€Å"How many campuses does your school have?† asked the other barista, setting down my latte. â€Å"Three.† I reached eagerly for the coffee. â€Å"Like Gaul.† â€Å"Like what?† asked Trey. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. â€Å"Latin joke.† â€Å"Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est,† said the barista. I jerked my head up. Not much could have distracted me from coffee, but hearing Julius Caesar quoted at Spencer's certainly did. â€Å"You know Latin?† I asked. â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Who doesn't?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"Only the rest of the world,† he muttered. â€Å"Especially classical Latin,† continued the barista. â€Å"I mean, it's pretty remedial compared to Medieval Latin.† â€Å"Obviously,† I said. â€Å"Everyone knows that. All the rules became chaotic in the post-Empire decentralization.† He nodded agreement. â€Å"Although, if you compare it to the Romance languages, the rules start to make sense when you read them as part of the larger picture of the language's evolution.† â€Å"This,† interrupted Trey, â€Å"is the most messed-up thing I've ever seen. And the most beautiful. Sydney, this is Brayden. Brayden, Sydney.† Trey rarely used my first name, so that was weird, but not nearly as weird as the exaggerated wink he gave me. I shook Brayden's hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you.† â€Å"You too,† he said. â€Å"You're a Classics fan, huh?† He paused, giving me a long, considering look. â€Å"Did you see the Park Theatre Group's production of Antony and Cleopatra this summer?† â€Å"No. Didn't even know they performed it.† I suddenly felt kind of lame for not having known that, as though I should be up on all arts and culture events in the greater Palm Springs area. I added by way of explanation, â€Å"I only moved here a month ago.† â€Å"I think they have a couple performances left in the season.† Brayden hesitated once more. â€Å"I'd see it again if you wanted to go. Though I'll warn you – it's one of those reinterpreted Shakespeare productions. Modern clothes.† â€Å"I don't mind. That kind of reinterpretation is what makes Shakespeare timeless.† The words rolled automatically off my lips. As they did, I suddenly had one of those epiphany moments where I realized there was more going on than I'd initially thought. I replayed Brayden's words. Between that and Trey's enormous grin, I soon had a startling realization. This was the guy Trey had been telling me about. My â€Å"soul mate.† And he was asking me out. â€Å"This is a great idea,† said Trey. â€Å"You kids should totally go see that play. Make a whole day of it. Grab some dinner and hang out at the library or whatever it is you do for fun.† Brayden met my eyes. His were hazel, almost like Eddie's but with a little green. Not as much green as Adrian's, of course. No one's eyes were that amazingly green. Brayden's brown hair occasionally picked up glints of gold in the light and was cut in a no-nonsense way that showed off the angles of his cheekbones. I had to admit, he was pretty cute. â€Å"They perform Thursday through Sunday,† he said. â€Å"I've got a debate tournament over the weekend†¦ could you do it Thursday night?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Could I? There was nothing planned, so far as I knew. About twice a week, I took Jill to the home of Clarence Donahue, an old Moroi who had a feeder. Thursday wasn't a scheduled feeding night, though, and technically I wasn't obligated to go to experiment nights. â€Å"Of course she's free,† Trey jumped in before I could even answer. â€Å"Right, Sydney?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, shooting him a look. â€Å"I'm free.† Brayden smiled. I smiled back. Nervous silence fell. He seemed as unsure as I was about how to proceed. I would have thought it was cute, if I wasn't so worried that I looked ridiculous. Trey elbowed him sharply. â€Å"This is the part where you ask for her number.† Brayden nodded, though he didn't look like he appreciated the elbowing. â€Å"Right, right.† He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. â€Å"Is it Sydney with a y or i?† Trey rolled his eyes. â€Å"What? I'm guessing the former, but as naming conventions become increasingly untraditional, you never know. I just want to get it right in my phone.† â€Å"I would have done the same thing,† I agreed. I then told him my phone number. He looked up and smiled at me. â€Å"Great. I'm looking forward to it.† â€Å"Me too,† I said, and actually meant it. I left Spencer's in a daze. I had a date. How on earth did I have a date? Trey hurried out to me a few moments later, catching me as I was unlocking my car. He still wore his barista apron. â€Å"Well?† he asked. â€Å"Was I right, or was I right?† â€Å"About what?† I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what was coming. â€Å"About Brayden being your soul mate.† â€Å"I told you – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. You don't believe in soul mates. Still,† he grinned, â€Å"if that guy isn't perfect for you, then I don't know who is.† â€Å"Well, we'll see.† I balanced Ms. Terwilliger's cup on top of the car, so I could drink from my own. â€Å"Of course, he doesn't like modern Shakespearean interpretations, so that might be a deal breaker.† Trey stared at me in disbelief. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"No,† I said, giving him a look. â€Å"I'm kidding. Well, maybe.† The latte Brayden had made me was pretty good, so I was willing to give him the benefit of a doubt on the Shakespeare thing. â€Å"Why do you care so much about my romantic life anyway?† Trey shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Already, beads of sweat were forming on his tanned skin from the late afternoon sun. â€Å"I don't know. I guess I feel like I owe you for everything that went down with the tattoos. That and all your homework help.† â€Å"You don't really need my help with that. And the tattoos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, as an image of Keith beating on the glass flashed through my mind. Keith's vampire blood ring had resulted in high-inducing tattoos that had wreaked havoc on Amberwood. Trey, of course, didn't know about my personal interest in the matter. He just knew I'd gotten rid of those who were using the tattoos to unfair advantage in sports. â€Å"I did it because it was the right thing to do.† That made him smile. â€Å"Of course. Still, it's saved me a lot of grief with my dad.† â€Å"I should hope so. You don't have any competition on the team now. What more could your dad want?† â€Å"Oh, there's always something else he thinks I could be the best at. It's not just football.† Trey had hinted at that before. â€Å"I know what that's like,† I said, thinking of my own father. A moment of silence fell between us. â€Å"It doesn't help that my perfect cousin's coming into town soon,† he said finally. â€Å"Makes everything I do look completely lame. You got a cousin like that?† â€Å"Er, not really.† Most of my cousins were on my mom's side, and my dad tended to shy away from her family. â€Å"You probably are the perfect cousin,† Trey grumbled. â€Å"Anyway, yeah, there're always these expectations in the family†¦ always these tests. Football's given me some respectability for now.† He winked at me. â€Å"That and my awesome chem grade.† That last comment wasn't lost on me. â€Å"Fine. I'll text you when I get back tonight. We'll make it happen.† â€Å"Thanks. And I'll give Brayden a talking-to so he doesn't try anything on Thursday.† My mind was still full of Latin and Shakespeare. â€Å"Try what?† Trey shook his head. â€Å"Honestly, Melbourne, I don't know how you've survived this long in the world without me.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, blushing. â€Å"That.† Great. Now I had something else to worry about. Trey scoffed. â€Å"Between you and me, Brayden's probably the last guy in the world you have to worry about. I think he's as clueless as you are. If I didn't care about your virtue so much, I'd actually probably give him a lecture on how to try something.† â€Å"Well, thanks for keeping my best interests at heart,† I said dryly. â€Å"I always wanted a brother to watch out for me.† He studied me curiously. â€Å"Don't you have, like, three brothers?† Oh no. â€Å"Er, I meant figuratively.† I tried not to panic. I rarely slipped up on our background story. Eddie, Adrian, and Keith had all been passed off as my brothers at some point. â€Å"None of them are really that concerned about my dating life. What I'm concerned about, though, is getting into air conditioning.† I opened my car door, and a wave of heat rolled out. â€Å"I'll talk to you tonight and help you with the lab.† Trey nodded, looking like he wanted to get back inside as well. â€Å"And I'll help you if you have any more questions about dating.† I hoped my scathing look told him my opinion on that, but once he was gone and I was blasting the car's air conditioning, my arrogance faded. Anxiety took its place. The question I'd asked myself earlier repeated in my head. How on earth was I going to get through this date alive?

Combating corruption in the developing world Essay

Combating corruption in the developing world - Essay Example Numerous studies have shown that corruption is deep- rooted in most of the developing countries. Most developing countries have mechanisms that encourage the spread of corruption thus making it normal practice in these countries to an extent that those opposed to it are punished. In spite of this complacency, the developing countries have witnessed the impacts of corruption and are fully aware of t its negative effects in the long- run economic progress of a country. As a result, they have taken several measures to reduce or possibly eliminate corruption in their countries. More developing countries have expressed their resolve to combat corruption especially in response to international pressure and initiatives. However, despites notable efforts made there have been minimal real progress recorded in most of developing countries. It is against this background that it is important to discuss the effectiveness of specific policies in combating corruption in developing countries. In order to fight corruption, developing countries have formulated a variety of policies

Harriet Tubman- the most respected personalitie of the 19th century Essay

Harriet Tubman- the most respected personalitie of the 19th century - Essay Example Harriet Tubman began working as an underground rail operator around 1850; this was immediately after the death of Edward Brodess in 1849. The death of Brodess left Tubman and the remaining members of her family at risk of being sold so as to settle some of her master’s debts. She ran away to freedom and found her way through the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, she began working as a domestic help in saving some of the money she was being paid with the aim of saving her family members from slavery. The Underground Railroad was not a real railroad but a way for slaves to escape to freedom in the north. She was an operator or a conductor (Bradford ). These are the people who helped the slaves run away to freedom. These conductors showed the slaves where to hide so that the slave-hunters could not get them. They also got the food to eat and clothing before they got an alternative source of income.  She worked hard to save money for the intended trip home. Immediately the money was enough she left her job to free her sister.  ... She ran away to freedom and found her way through the Underground Railroad to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia she began working as a domestic help in saving some of the money she was being paid with the aim of saving her family members from slavery. The Underground Railroad was not a real rail road but a way for slaves to escape to freedom in the north. She was an operator or a conductor (Bradfrod ). These are the people who helped the slaves run away to freedom. These conductors showed the slaves where to hide so that the slave hunters could not get them. They also got them food to eat and clothing before they got an alternative source of income. Tubman initial aim was to get her family to liberty after she had freed herself to Philadelphia. She worked hard to save money for the intended trip home. Immediately the money was enough she left her job to free her sister. This is where her work began that later gave her the recognition that she has had until today. Tubman felt bad about th e suffering experienced by her family, friends and relatives in the hands of their masters. In the process of freeing her sister she decided to include others on the first trip (Sernett 20-50). She managed to save her family including her father, mother, brothers and sisters, cousins and nephews. It is estimated that she made between eleven to thirteen trips saving and protecting many slaves from masters and slave hunters. The many trips to free slaves made her famous for her work at the same time risking her life. At one moment the slave hunters grew tired of her activities and in decided to offer an award worth $ 40000 to anyone who would bring them Tubman. This did not deter her in her endeavor to

The dynamics shaping an organisations Financial reporting and Essay

The dynamics shaping an organisations Financial reporting and accounting procedures - Essay Example Previous research asserts that IAS, in contrast to domestic accounting standards, restricts and confines managerial discretion as far as the choice of accounting methods is concerned and necessitates a higher level of disclosure (Ashbaugh & Pincus 2001). In harmony with the idea that higher quality accounting standards pave the way for enhanced firm transparency, it was further affirmed that the adoption of IAS leads to lower analyst forecast error. In like manner, the act of having third parties to audit a firm's financial reports can improve the quality of the financial information reported by management (Dopuch & Simunic 1982; Watts & Zimmerman 1986). The significance and merit of an audit derives from users' expectations that auditors will spot, distinguish, correct and reveal relevant lapses or misstatements in the financial reports (DeAngelo 1981; Watts and Zimmerman 1986). To the extent that external auditors probe information in the financial statements to autonomous and impa rtial analysis, such external audit increases and enhances the consistency and integrity of financial statements. Company Overview Under the old Corporation Law of the Philippines, Act 1459, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) was incorporated on November 28, 1928, subsequent to the agreement of partnership of four telephone companies under common ownership by American entities. In 1967, effective control of PLDT was sold by General Telephone and Electronics Corporation (a major shareholder since PLDT's incorporation) to a group of Filipino businessmen. On March 24, 2000, NTT Communications Corporation, through NTTC-UK, became PLDT's strategic partner with roughly 15% economic and voting interest in the issued common capital stock of PLDT. Concurrent with NTT Communications Corporation's investment in PLDT, it acquired 100% of Smart Communications, Inc. PLDT's charter, like those of all other Philippine corporations, was initially limited to a period of 50 years but has since been extended twice for 25 years each, the last extension being for an additional 25-year period to 2028. Under its amen ded charter (Republic Act No. 7082), which became effective on August 24, 1991, PLDT is authorized to provide virtually every type of telecommunications service, both within the Philippines and between the Philippines and other countries. The Philippines' biggest and an extremely expanded telecommunications company, its business is categorized under three principal domains: Wireless, Fixed Line, and Information and Communications Technology. Philippine Accounting Practices - Brief Historical Background The Accountancy Act 1967, which substituted the Accountancy Act 1923, directed the standardisation of accounting education, set and specified the examination process for CPA registration, and synchronised the practice of accountancy. The Act permitted

Qualatative excercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Qualatative excercise - Essay Example However, employees still complain that they are abused verbally, intimidated, and, in general, made to feel inadequate. Situations in which employees are subjected to verbal attacks and to harassing and intimidating behaviors occur frequently in organizations (Namie & Namie, 2003; Rayner, Hoel & Cooper, 2003; Hochheiser, 1998, Hornstein, 1996). Incidents that have non-fatal endings leave employees frustrated; some quit their jobs or develop major health problems. Researchers who recently began examining these workplace behaviors conclude that the deliberate and repeated verbal aggression coupled with ridicule or harassing and intimidating strategies cause mental and physical harm which they regard as a complex phenomenon—workplace bullying (Middleton-Moz & Zawadski, 2002; Davenport, Schwartz, & Elliott, 2002; They adopted the term â€Å"workplace bullying† from their counterparts in England, Europe, Canada, Australia, and other countries around the world where research has led to legal and legislative interventions to highlight and prevent workplace bullying. However, American researchers have been slower than their counterparts around the world to investigate the nature of workplace bullying. While research into workplace problems in America has led to legal and legislative action to control assault, sexual harassment, stalking, and discrimination, workplace bullying has not been recognized in America as a unique phenomenon. In fact, the United States is viewed as being â€Å"at least twenty years behind [other countries] on focusing on workplace bullying† (Namie & Namie, 2003, p. 99). For some time now, requests for relief from the workplace bullying have not been very successful in the courts (Yamada, 2000). This interest in workplace bullying has generated studies about â€Å"the types of bullies that exist, the tactics

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner Essay

Government as a Social Tool or Business Partner - Essay Example It should be noted that when the governments prioritizes corporate subsidies and allocate less fund for welfare payments, it just emphasizes that corporations are much needy than the public. This is even more strongly felt now that the country is operating on a tight budget. Theory then states that the private sector should be solely responsible for the provision of social programs. This paper opts to offer an insight to this issue by looking at the economic argument for and against corporate welfare. It is irrefutable that corporate welfare is one of the most debated social and economic issues. The term "corporate welfare" is coined by Ralph Nader in 1956 in order to describe the "benefits conferred on corporations as compared to any corporate payment, or goods or services provided, to the government." With this definition, Nader looks beyond the benefits conferred and costs incurred by a particular program by looking at the government's costs and benefits. For example, if a program involves the government giving more to private companies than it gets back, then it is considered as corporate welfare. ... Corporate welfare can take the form of direct grants to business, programs that provide research and other services for industries, and programs that provide subsidized loans or insurance to business. A good example is the Ohio Loan Law in 1837 which "required the State to give tax revenues to private canal, turnpike, and railroad corporations while permitting them also to charge tolls" (Nader 1999). Others include the Market Access Program for the agricultural department, the Advanced Technology Program, and Technology Reinvestment Program (Stansel n.d.). These moves emphasize these companies importance to the local government. The common argument for corporate welfare is more economic than social. It should be noted that tax perks like tax holidays and tax breaks are commonly used by governments in order to encourage the inflow of foreign direct investment. This is more apparent in developing countries where the economy is largely dependent on foreign players. The main argument for this is that "economy is dependent on business stability and that corporate development is directly linked to job growth" (Perryman 1996). When tax breaks are offered, companies can operate more efficiently by cutting down on operational costs. Tax breaks are also potent ways to attract more companies thereby increasing the locality's production and income. The presence of corporate subsidies also ensures the stability of the business sector. When the government provides corporate welfare, it in fact, works in ensuring that companies continue to operate efficiently. It should be noted that corporate welfare includes provision o f funds, projects, and programs which aids business organizations in research and development, marketing, and in their production efforts.

The Trial Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Trial - Research Paper Example Population distribution In the 20th century both the number and distribution of Bornean orangutan has reduced tremendously to over 50% because of human activities that include unsustainable illegal logging, clearance of forests to provide land for agricultural purposes, hunting and mining. Large percentage of orangutans are currently found in Kalimantan because of the area has extensive forests still in existence. (Munn,63-65) Impact of humans activities on ecosystem Loss and degradation of orangutan Habitat The loss of habitat is the main threat to the survival of orangutan. For example, in Kalimantan, a large area of the forest has been cleared to create land for mega rice projects that have tremendously destroyed orangutan habitat. The situation is further worsened by the fact that even habitat in protected areas are vanishing at a high rate because of unclear delineation of the boundaries making it difficult to patrol. (Munn,59-62) Collateral damage a) Spread of fire b)hunting an d c) human-animal conflict. Hunting In south East Asia orangutans are hunted for meat and surplus hunt sold on pet market especially in most interior areas of Borneo. These because they can not run faster like other animals and therefore they are easily targeted by hunters even form a distance. This has resulted in the decline of the number of orangutan. This has been the main cause of low density of orangutans in the low hill forests especially areas around pawan river in the western Kalimantan) and katingan and basito river (central Kalimantan). The scale of hunting is increased because of forest fires which drive them away out of the forests where they are easily captured either for meat or sale in the pet markets. Furthermore, hunting is aggravated by destruction of forests either for timber or to create land for agricultural purposes. The forest is a source for food for orangutan and their destruction forces orangutan to venture out of the forests into the surrounding agricultu ral land destroying food crops and also acting as pests. Local people respond intolerantly to these apes by either shooting or poisoning them and taking the young orangutan which are either sold or slaughtered for meat.(Knott, 429-57) Conflict with human Orangutans are also killed when they move into farming land to destroy food crops. This happens when climatic conditions are adverse and the food available in the forest is less and hardly accessible. In addition, when the habitat of orangutan is destroyed either by fire or clearance of the forest where they dwell, they are forced to move to open field to look for food in agricultural farms where they are killed as to they are also regarded as pests The orangutans’ loss can also be attributed to Climate change. A great drought that preceded El Nino in 1998 had a negative impact on the survival of orangutan has it led to the great fire that destroyed a large portion of the forest cover in Sothern Asia. In the process, thousand s of orangutan was killed and it’s approximated that, over30% of orangutan in Borneo were destroyed by great forest fires in the last decade. Economic and political stability also played great role in the reduction of orangutan in south East Asia. Financial crisis and violent demonstration that led to the resignation of Suharto culminated into mass anarchy and political instability that increased both logging and poaching. In addition,

Investing in Gold and Silver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investing in Gold and Silver - Essay Example By depositing the gold and silver into the respective banks of nations, it was replaced with paper money based on the value of the gold and silver they deposited (Dunwiddle, 2008). The problem started to arise when the World War closed in and the countries required huge amounts of resources to fund the wars. Prior to the World War, the gold standard was in place in most of the countries. Gold Standard, as explained above is when people could convert their gold into paper money. Hence, the government is restricted in the amount of paper money it could print. The advantage of this gold standard upholds is that the inflation is kept under check, as the supply of money is limited (Haynes, 2005). To fund the war the United Kingdom and the United States both abandoned the Gold Standard, in 1920s and 1933 respectively. This was replaced by the Gold Exchange Standard, through which countries did no longer hold reserves in actual gold, but in dollars and pounds. Thus putting these currencies in a strong position in the world, while the other countries kept on piling up foreign currency thinking they were good as gold. In 1974 to further cut the ties between gold and currency, US government of Nixon abolished the link. Due to the need of yet more funds for the Vietnam War, the government abolished this link. The effects of this final blow, led to high inflation further helping the government and big businesses. Leslie Snyder in her book, â€Å"Why Gold? The One Sure Cure for Inflation and Economic Tyranny† named inflation as a vicious form of taxation on the common people, while the big corporations and government are the beneficiaries (Snyder, 1974). The importance and relevance of this historical background of Gold and Silver, is to understand how valuable gold and silver is even today. One thing to keep in mind is that even though the abolishment led to high inflation and budget deficits during the 1970s, the prices of gold and silver also increased with it. He nce the investment in silver and more importantly gold is always a safe bet. When inflation was at the highest in the United States during 1979 and 1980 the return on the gold was 130.4% on an average. It is a great hedge against high inflation; this holds true for the current market situation as well (BERU). Currently, the central banks are planning to announce unlimited liquidity to the financial sector. This would further fuel inflation and move it a step closer towards hyperinflation and top of the exhaustion of the savings and diminishing purchasing power, the metals such as Gold and Silver will emerge as winners. This is due to fact that the governments and central banks continue to print more and more money. According to William Bancroft, the gold is undervalued today in terms of the money being published. Considering this scenario the investors in the mining sector will be rewarded handsomely in the future. The opposite side of inflation is deflation. According to Bancroft, not only will a high inflation have a positive impact on gold, but a deflation will result in a desirable outcome. Due to the economics of deflation, it would put high pressures on the banks. Resulting in bank failures, depositors will find other means to safeguard their money. As history has shown, there is no safer investment than gold and silver. Due to the nature and high performance of these metals, gold and silver in tough times i.e., especially in times of hyperinflation is why most advisors encourage

Boston Beer Essay Example for Free

Boston Beer Essay The biggest strength of the company is the brand image it has among the consumers . Boston Beer , specifically the Samuel Adams ,well known from the superior quality and expensive ingredients used along with the traditional brewing techniques which give it an excellent flavor , which cannot be easily copied by the other competitors . In addition the use of less water in its products also has given it a positive advantage in terms of product quality . Weaknesses: Opportunities: The idea to continue to grow in the already overcrowded market of specialty brewers is critical to the success of this company. There are currently over thirteen hundred micro-brewers in the United States with The Boston Beer Company ranked number one in overall sales and sixth in the overall domestic market. Currently the Heineken and Corona brands rank ahead of Samuel Adams in this category in the world market. In the near future the company is leaning towards owning more breweries and cutting back on the contract brewers. Currently the different cost associated with contract brewing involves raw materials, excise taxes and deposits for pallets and kegs and specialized equipment required for beer production. Brewery ownership would involve significant capital investment which could easily exceed $50 million for the combination of purchase, expansion and improvement, or for original construction. Threats: In recent years, all brewers have had to contend with a stagnant beer market and per-capita consumption that is on the decline. The reasoning behind this ongoing trend are attributed to underlying factors such as the low carbohydrate diet rave that has taken off in recent years, the unstable economy, and an increase in market share of wines and spirits. BBC should attack the light beer market. Light beer is the largest selling type of beer on the market, and accounting for five of top ten best-selling beers. As light beer becomes more popular, BBC should listen to customers and follow the trend not to be behind, while others all producing light line of beers to catch more potential customers. BBC already has their own light beer, so they can save time and money to develop the whole new product. From the taste testing, Lightship receives the highest mark, implying that it has a strong potential to success when they approach in right way. It is more about how they introduce the product to the market, rather than inventing a new product. To survive in the strong competition and grab customers’ attention, BBC clearly need to differentiate the image of Lightship from other light beers. Research shows that most of current customers of light beers want different aspects from what Lightship is designed to be. Instead of targeting the same customers with other light beers, Lightship needs to focus on other, untouched customer segment, who seek for full flavor and body with lower calories. As the market tends to trade up to high-end brands, BBC’s brand image will help launch Lightship, emphasizing its high quality and authenticity. To attract first-try customers’, the label should be changed to be more vibrant and energetic, stressing the major images that people think of light beers. There is lot more to gain by having light beer segment than to lose by giving up. Each form of research performed gives the specific contribution depending on its characteristics. A taste test is exploratory research to gain ideas and customer insights. It is designed to explore customer’s perspectives, especially how customers sees Lightship among other competitors in this case. The result shows how much drinking beer counts for part of their lives and who the potential customers of Lightship are, and the valuable comments about major characteristics of beer that they find in each competing brand. This test tells what value customers seek for the most in light beer segment, giving ideas about how BBC should approach to market. Despite of strong brand recognition of Amstel Light, Lightship is ranked in first place, implying BBC should adopt a new way of advertising to increase the brand awareness. This test would be better with questions asking what aspects participants think Lightship should have. ZMET provides hidden knowledge with more depth by eliciting customers’ deepest feelings and emotions about the product. ZMET is a projective method that uncovers the thoughts and feelings associated with the experience of light beers. Even though there are some down sides of drinking beers, people find a lot more positive sides as they see drinking light beer as some kind of rewards, refreshing and energetic activity. This implies there is enough potential for light beer segment to grow much further. ZMET result also gives direction and guideline to BBC. Conducting ZMET certainly contribute to project underlying attitudes and feelings to help BBC to understand their target customers more deeply. However, because of small sample size, there could be limitation of getting broader perspectives. I would divide the sample by age and beer consumption level to get more clear ideas to attract more focused target intensely and effectively. Another qualitative research HBS students conduct is retail research, done through interviews, which generates general ideas of current market situation and how competitors are doing. This also gives brief hints of the price points Lightship should target. I would recommend HBS student to divide the sample groups by visiting habits of customers for each type of retailers. If BBC can find out the place where most potential customers of Lightship frequently goes, it would help reduce waste and backlog of the products produced in distribution process. For example, if customers of sport bar seem to prefer light beer than customers of chic French restaurant do, BBC can save their time and money by focusing on developing improved distribution line with sport bar. The summary collage of ZMET gives valuable ideas that consumers have about their experience with light beers. The most important image associated with light beer is energy and energy giving by offering refreshment. Another image the light beers have is being simple yet great in appearance and in taste. There is duality of the experience, while they see it as rewards but effects of alcohol makes them self-conscious. Sailing represents both calmness and thirst quenching flavor which is refreshing and cold with structure. There are several images representing group activity. People see drinking light beer as the activity that they do with others, which give them group awareness. They want to be in group but to be different from others by having control. People think that the types of beer they drink tell their social status, providing them with group identity. The dilemma of light beer is shown through the hula-hoops representing the balance and control. There are tensions between control and need of releasing inhibition, blandness and simplicity, need for self and group identity, being active and being passive. Since light beers seem to be more attractive to energetic young generation and people who do not drink beers regularly and do not enjoy the heavy taste of beer, having more knowledge of their potential customer group helps BBC to target their customers more effectively without wasting effort of targeting wrong customers. BBC also could have done research about what feature of Lightship people like and dislike. The feature that customers like about Lightship should be kept, and the feature with lower mark given should be altered or discontinued. What BBC can do now is to consider the appropriate way of advertising for Lightship. Research results prove that light beer market is still growing and there is nothing wrong with the quality of Lightship. It turns out to be the awareness of Lightship is low, implying their advertising methods are not eye-catching. By altering their way of advertising, BBC can gain more trial customers, who can be turned into loyal customers. Lightship also needs to target different customer segment, which looks for full body and flavor beer with lower calories. Rather than fighting directly with strong rivals, BBC should target other customer segments by stressing its unique quality and flavor. It is worth trying launching light beer segment.

How Technology Affects Library Referencing Essay Example for Free

How Technology Affects Library Referencing Essay It is indeed obvious and true how technology generates most of the things that humans deal with today. The global economy as for example is being controlled by massive computer programs for the sake of considerable advancements for the human society. Alongside with this particular advancement, educational sectors also take advantage of the major innovations made through the use of science and technology. As for this matter, it could be noted that library referencing have also been recreated to be able to support the needs of the present generation from referencing the books that are available through the libraries. How is this possible? The existence of numerous technology-based systems that are primarily made to ease the problems of file-fixing in the field of library-based jobs entirely makes the jobs of the Librarians quite easy to deal with today. As it could be noticed, years before, librarians are expected to type in several details with regards a certain book in card catalogs. Not to mention, alphabetizing them and in tall and long ended cabinets is not that easy to do. The procedure indeed takes time and the filing up takes so much space form the library. Seeing this situation, it could be observed that the technological changes that are appreciated by the libraries of the present generation are now able to increase the capabilities of the libraries to hold more students in terms of space and enhance the skills of the librarian in meeting the issues that concern the students in terms of library-based queries since they already have time for this unlike that of the past years? Furthermore, the question: â€Å"How is this possible† points out to one particular focus of discussion; knowing that technology causes changes to the system of cataloging in the libraries, how do these procedures of filing the book-informations so far helpful both to the students and the librarian as well regardless of the obvious disadvantages mentioned earlier? How are the students able to benefit from the technology-fixed files and informations of books? Does technology really affect the procedures of referencing in the future? These questions are the primary discussions that shall be tackled within the context of this paper. Library and Technology Cataloging is an olden time procedure that is made to arrange the collection of books within libraries. Of course, since libraries are considered to have a large collection of reading materials, arranging them into categories helps in the process of researching for the students or plain readers alone. However, this procedure of arranging the files and taking notes of the information with regards a certain book takes much time and effort from the librarians that they are already incapable of doing the primary responsibility that they should be addressing in their profession, assisting the readers. Today, the development of technology aides in libraries have created a radical change within the systems of arranging the files as well as redefined the role of librarians in completing the tasks appointed for them to finish. Several operating systems are created to be bale to assist the librarians and the readers in browsing the books that are collected by a certain library. What is an operating system, and how does it help in the procedure of making cataloging much easier for librarians? What are Operating Systems? Every computer system is controlled by an operating system. A pre-programmed system controls the operations that the computer system is supposed to perform. This mainly pertains to the responsibilities of the computer and how it is able to complete the tasks that are further addressed to its performance. At present, the operating systems are referred to as computer programs that are supposed to manage both the hardware and software systems of the entire computer facilities. There are . five main tasks that the OS performs as a program: †¢Controlling and Allocating Memory This task mainly focuses on the capability of the computer programs to assimilate the memory priorities of the entire computer system. To allocate the memory means designating the memory priorities on which its performance is most needed. †¢Prioritizing System Requests Most of the time, the system follows a â€Å"first Come First Serve† arrangement. As a result, in multi tasking systems the operations are carried on basing on what request came first, and what has been allocated by the system to come in priority. †¢Controlling Input and Output Devices The input devices are the ones used to enter information within the computer memory while the output devices are the ones used to produce hardcopy of the informations entered within the system. The operating systems that is present within the computer makes it possible for the computer device to perform well and do as it is programmed to. †¢Facilitating Networking To be able to connect to others, networking the systems is needed. Once an operating system is programmed to perform such tasks, it would be able to connect two different systems together to be able to have a connected exchange of information and communication as well. †¢Managing Files To manage files means to arrange them on what part of the memory should be utilized by the files. It also sorts out the files with the necessary section of the computer memory should it be stored in. (Source: Warford, J. Stanley. (2005). Computer Systems. Jones Bartlett Publishers; 3rd edition.. )

Hip hop music

Hip hop music Muziekstijl 20e eeuw HIPHOP Voorwoord Ik heb voor de muziekstijl hiphop gekozen omdat ik vind dat hier de laatste tijd de meeste aandacht naar uitgaat. Ik wil graag weten hoe de hiphop, rappers en alles eromheen was ontstaan en hoe dat is uitgegroeid tot de hiphop die we nu kennen. Geschiedenis van Hiphop. DJ Kool Herc Het hiphop verhaal begint met Kool Herc, een immigrant van Jamaicaanse afkomst. Op buurtfeesten (blockparties) intorduceerde hij het Toasting. Hij rijmde over de reggae muziek heen. Hij gebruikte hierbij twee draaitafel waarmee hij wisselde tussen verschillende liedjes, een heel ander geluid ontstond hierdoor. Het rijmen kreeg een naam: MCing, dit staat voor Master of Ceremony. Het DJ-en beviel Kool Herc wel en hij liet het rappen totaal over aan Coke Ja Rock en Clark Kent. Het eerste rapteam was geboren en ze kregen de naam: Kool Herc and the Herculoids. Kool Herc was de grondlegger van de rapmuziek, maar hij was niet de uitvinder van het scratchen. Hierbij wordt een plaat in de tegengestelde richting gedraaid en dit geeft een typisch krassend geluid wat veel wordt gebruikt in de rapmuziek. Het verhaal gaat dat Grand Wizard Theodore het scratchen per ongeluk heeft uitgevonden. Toen zijn moeder hem riep dat de muziek te hard stond, hield hij de draaiende plaat tegen en hierbij hoorde hij het scratchende geluid dat de plaat maake Evolutie van hiphop Sugarhill gang RUN DMC heeft ook nog een twee primeur op zijn naam staan, ze waren de eerste die samen een song componeerde met een rockgroep, aerosmith. Dit nummer is vrij bekend: walk this way. Hierna ging het snel met de rapmuziek, sterren volgden elkaar op en eind jaren 80 kwam er een nieuwe stijl op de markt. Het geluid was minder ruw en er werd gebruikt gemaakt van samples. Een sampler is een apparaat waarmee een stukje muziek zoals een baslijn of een drumritme apart kan worden opgenomen. In die tijd ontstonden er ook copyrights. Artiesten klaagden andere artiesten aan omdat er stukjes van hun muziek werden gebruikt. Begin jaren 90 word door velen het creatief hoogtepunt genoemd. Er ontstaan veel nieuwe groepen met een nieuwe sound. Hierbij gebruikten ze veel samples uit oude soul-, funk-, en jazzplaten, dit gaf hun producties een rustiger en artistieker geluid. Tegenwoordig is de rapmuziek een muzieksoort waarin miljarden dollars per jaar worden omgezet. Er valt veel geld te verdienen in deze industrie en daarom proberen veel nieuwe artiesten door te breken! Tegenwoordig worden veel stijlen gemixt, zoals Rap met RB of heavy metal. Sommigen vinden dat dit ten koste gaat van de muziek, omdat zij de muzieksoort liever underground houden en vinden dat de huidige hiphopcultuur niks meer te maken heeft met graffiti en breakdance. Anderen zien in de huidige en nieuwe rapmuziek een nieuwe commercià «le muziekstroming die gewoon lekker in het gehoor ligt. Waarden en normen van hiphop vroeger Orgineel is hiphop begonnen als een underground sfeer die altijd moest opboksen tegen het onbegrip van de media. Hiphoppers waren in die tijd zeer op zichzelf aangewezen. Hierdoor was het voor buitenstaanders in die tijd heel moeilijk om de hiphoppers te begrijpen. De hiphop werd praktisch door elke radiostation geweigerd en dit zorgde voor een bang tussen de hiphoppers onderling. Hiphop bevat ook altijd een boodschap, deze was meestal niet al te kleurrijk want het schetste meestal een beeld van de uitzichtloze toestand waarin de mensen in de zwarte gettos in leefden. Orginaliteit is ook een belangrijk element in de hiphop, je kan bepaalde elementen overnemen van andere artiesten, maar zorg ervoor dat je altijd je eigen stijl eraan toevoegd. Waarden en normen van hiphop nu Hiphop heeft een enorme opmars gemaakt, dankzij de commercià «le wereld is hiphop groot geworden. Hiphop werd vroeger genegeerd, maar tegenwoordig is het niet meer weg te denken uit de hitlijsten. Dit is wel ten koste gegaan van de oorspronkelijke waarden die de hiphop zo interessant maakten. De orginele band die hiphoppers met elkaar hadden, heeft plaatst moeten maken voor geld. Hiphoppers passen zich tegenwoordig vaak aan aan de consument. De oorspronkelijke waarden hebben moeten wijken voor het geld. Maatschappij In de hiphop van nu hoor je niets meer van de oorspronkelijke waarden. De teksten zijn in tegenstelling tot de eerdere hiphop inhoudsloos en de deuntjes zijn troef. Orginele nummers worden niet meer gedraaid want alles gaat op kijk- en/of luistercijfers en niet op echtheid. De nummers die duidelijke maatschappelijke meningen of zwarte statement bevatten worden achterwege gelaten, terwijl dit de hoofdwaarde van de hiphop is. Uiterlijke kenmerken van hiphop Gedrag In de hiphop draait het vooral om respect. Niet alleen respect voor jezelf, maar ook voor anderen. Dit krijg je door je skills, goed rappen of dansen, gewaagde graffiti te maken, veel van je muziek te weten of de juiste kleding te dragen. Maar ook je houding is erg belangrijk. Cool zijn, echt zijn, rustig blijven en stoer doen. Hiphop draait om originaliteit, je mag best dingen kopià «ren, maar dan moet je je eigen draai eraan geven. Je moet jouw manier van denken en verwerken in je muziek, graffiti, breakdance of iets anders. Je moet je eigen ding doen en geen kopie zijn van een ander. Het spelen met woorden, het anders dan anderen zijn. Een hiphopper is maatschappijkritisch hij heeft respect voor anderen, maar hij maakt zich niet zo druk over wat anderen van hem denken. De allereerste hiphoppers waren heel clean. Drugsgebruik en sigaretten waren taboe onder breakdancers. Maar hiphop komt van de straat en drugs raken vooral de jaren negentig snel geÃÆ' ¯ntegreerd in de scà ¨ne. Veel hiphoppers gaan blowen en drinken alcohol. Voor veel jongeren is de hiphop een leerschool. Door hiphop ontwikkelen ze hun eigen identiteit en krijgen ze zelfvertrouwen. Hiphop geeft je de ruimte jezelf te ontdekken. Wie je bent, wat je voelt, maakt niet uit. Hiphop gebruikt wijsheden, over het leven, over de maatschappij. Het ideaal van veel hiphoppers is om van hun hiphopactiviteiten te kunnen leven. Die activiteiten kosten vaak veel tijd en energie waardoor niet zelden school en werk op een tweede plaats komen te staan. Religie Religie neemt geen bijzondere plek in binnen hiphop. Een bescheiden aantal rappers draagt wel een religieuze boodschap uit, maar het komt vaker voor dat een spirituele, oosterse denkwijze in de teksten verweven zit. Taalgebruik en muziek Hiphop is een levensstijl, een sub- en straatcultuur waarbij rap de taal van de straat is. Hiphoppers en rappers gaan creatief met taal om. Rappers, DJs en producers bedenken bijnamen en hiphoppers creà «ren met een mix van Amerikaans en Nederlands taalgebruik hun eigen ding. Hiphop word ook gekenmerkt door de grote hoeveelheid woorden die in een nummer zit. Dit heeft ervoor gezorgd dat de inhoud van raps in de media terechtkwamen. Daarbij ging het om de opschepperij over zichzelf, of bijvoorbeeld door de schockerende teksten die op de platen te horen was. Hiphop gaat nog steeds vaak over woede, vergeldig, het zware leven, seks, relaties en de samenleving. Kleding Vanaf de begin jaren 80 dragen hiphoppers al sportschoenen, honkbalpetter, trainingsbroeken in felgekleurde stoffen met de bijbehorende kettingen. Hierbij is de hophopcultuur de eerste jongerencultuur die het traingspak omarmt. Als hiphop na 1985 aan terrein wint, verandert ook de hiphopmode. De glimmende, kleurige trainingspakken maken geleidelijk plaats voor strakke spijkerbroeken, leren baseballjacks, sweaters met capuchon, sportschoenen van Adidas en baseballpetten. Begin jaren negentig dragen hiphoppers wijde broeken, houthakkersblouses, T-shirts, sweaters met capuchon en sportschoenen. Ook dunne en dikke bodywarmers zijn populair. Nadat de hiphopscà ¨ne begin jaren negentig een vermainstreaming ondergaat, raakt het uiterlijke vertoon van luxe artikelen in een opmars. In clips voeren regelmatig grote autos, geld, dure merkkleding en gouden kettingen de boventoon. Rappers hebben iets bereikt en willen dat laten zien. Veel hiphoppers gaan van authentieke straatkleding over op het dragen van steeds duurdere merken. Veel rappers hebben tegenwoordig hun eigen kledingmerk. Inmiddels zijn de wijde oversized broek, (sport)schoenen (Nike, Adidas, Timbaland), T-shirts, sweaters met capuchon en een baseballpet in trek. De kleding is dus over het algemeen oversized, gemakkelijk zittend en veel bewegingsruimte toelatend. Het kapsel is over het algemeen kort. Kapsels die populair zijn, zijn onder andere dreadlocks en grote krullen. Voor meisjes was het ook populair om gekleurde plukken in hun haar te doen en hun haar te ontkroesen Doordat hiphop in de loop der jaren is veranderd en aan populariteit heeft gewonnen, is ook de kledingstijl veranderd. De gedachte dat je origineler moet zijn dan de ander maakt dat tevens de kledingstijl regelmatig veranderd. Kleding is om op te vallen, het kopià «ren van een stijl is fout binnen hiphop. Het gaat om het ontwikkelen van je eigen stijl en identiteit. De basis van hiphopkleding is om rebellie en being different uit te drukken. Instrumenten De instrumenten die werden gebruikt in de hiphop waren vooral de draaitafel, de drumcomputer en samples. Maar het allerbelangrijkst, vooral in de vroegere hiphop was dat je muziek kon maken zonder instrumenten. Met meerdere mensen kon je een hele goede beat maken. De een beatboxde, de andere deed aparte beatjes erbij, weer een andere deed de bas met zijn stem en de ander rapte. 4 onderdelen van de hiphop 1. DJ Turntablism Turntablism vat alles samen wat met turntables (draaitafels) te maken heeft. De turntablist (dj) maakt gebruik van twee turntables en probeert daar het maximale uit te halen aan geluiden, ritmes en beats. Alhoewel djs oorspronkelijk alleen de MCs begeleidden zijn er ook veel djs die zich alleen bezig houden met het creà «ren van de instrumentale vorm van rapmuziek. Er worden jaarlijks grote battles (wedstrijden) gehouden waarin de djs met de beste skills worden gekozen. De meest toonaangevende toernooien zijn de ITF (International Turntable Federation) en DMC battles waaraan djs uit de hele wereld deelnemen. De meeste Turntablists maken deel uit van collectieven. Enkele bekende collectieven zijn: X-ecutioners, The Allies, Beat Junkies, 5th Platoon en The invisble Skratch Piklz. Enkele termen zijn: Beat juggling Hierbij wordt een continu ritme gecreà «erd door de beats van twee verschillende platen af te wisselen. De snelheid kan aangepast worden waardoor een nieuwe beat ontstaat. Het handmatig op en neer draaien van een plaat waardoor een scratchend krassend geluid ontstaat. Er zijn met het mengpaneel verschillende geluidseffecten te maken terwijl wordt gescratched. In Turntable battles is het de kunst zo origineel mogelijk te zijn in het creà «ren van nieuwe geluiden, ritmes en effecten. Een jury bepaalt wie de winnaar is. De jongste winnaar van alle toonaangevende battles Is DJ A-Trak uit Canada. Op zijn vijftiende won hij zijn eerste wereldtitel. A-Trak zat toen nog gewoon op de middelbare school en versloeg alle turntable-grootheden. Tegenwoordig zit hij bij The Allies en is nog steeds een van de beste Turntablists. Dat mag ook wel, hij oefent zon 4 a 5 uur per dag. 2. Graffiti. Sinds het begin der tijden hebben mensen op muren geschilderd. De Neanderthaler deed het de Egyptenaren deden het, de Romeinen deden het enzovoort. In WOII werd er veel gekalkt, het was een vorm van verzet en daarom ook levensgevaarlijk. Na de oorlog werd er minder op de muren geschreven. In de jaren 50 bakende Amerikaanse jongerenbendes hun territorium af met op de muren gekalkte merktekens te zetten. In de jaren 60 werd het mode zijn politieke keuzes op allerlei gebouwen te zetten. Groepen jongeren wilden de maatschappij duidelijk maken dat opvattingen en verhoudingen aan vernieuwing en verandering toe waren. Dankzij de technische ontwikkeling werden er naast krijt ook spuitbussen en viltstiften gebruikt. Graffiti is à ©Ãƒ ©n van de 4 pijlers van de hiphopbeweging en het verspreide zich samen met de hiphop over de hele wereld. Maar jammer genoeg is niet alle graffiti legaal, hier en daar komen er legale zones waar de graffitispuiters hun gang kunnen gaan, maar op de meeste plaatsen blijft graffiti nog illegaal. Zo is er een nieuw graffitibeleid aangekondigd, zodat de daders voortaan op gevangenisstraffen kunnen rekenen. Ondanks alles groei de acceptatie van de kunstvorm. Steeds meer mensen komen tot de conclusie dat graffiti niet alleen maar ongecontroleerd kladwerk is. De meeste houden er na een vrij korte tijd mee op, niet zelden na een dure ervaring met het gerecht. Diegenen die het wel volhouden en het nodige talent hebben, ontwikkelen een eigen stijl en maken na verloop van tijd werken die het bekijken waard zijn. Rizon uit Antwerpen is zo iemand, hij staat bekend om zijn spectaculaire 3D-werken. Andere termen van GRAFFITI BALLONLETTERS: dit zijn letters waar geen hoeken aan zitten en dus door ronde vormen zijn opgebouwd OUTLINEN: de letters of de tekening terug omlijnen HIGHLIGHTS: een soort glans die je ziet als je het werk van ver bekijkt TOY: beginner WRITER: artiest KING: volleerde spuiter Redenen voor GRAFFITI soms alleen maar uit verveling om de kick, het opwindende gevoel iets te doen dat niet mag, omdat het illegaal is omdat de kunstwerken in het openbaar gemaakt worden, hierdoor krijg je bekendheid om het straatbeeld of stadsbeeld te veranderen, vrolijker, kleuriger en minder saai TAG: de naam of het herkenningsteken van een graffitispuiter, men noemt het ook wel een gestileerde handtekening. Het bestaat ui een met kleur gespoten woord, naam, figuurtje, of soms zelfs alleen maar een letter, het dient als herkenningspunt voor de andere spuiters of voor diegene die hem kenen. Het is bijna altijd een schuilnaam, dit zet je meestal onder een kunstwerk. THROW UP: dit is een word of een simpele tekening. Het is meestal met 2, soms 3 kleuren gespoten, deze soort werd ontwikkeld doordat graffiti verboden werd. De graffitispuiters moesten sneller werken en konden dus niet meer als 2 of 3 kleuren veroorloven STAMP: dit is een geà «volueerde vorm van de throw up. Deze stijl maakt gebruik van letters die een driedimensionaal effect veroorzaken. Dit kan d.m.v. schaduwen of lichtere kleuren lijntjes binnen het werk. Deze vorm maakt meestal gebruik van 3 of 4 kleuren PIECE: dit is meestal een groot geheel en er is de tijd voor genomen. Alles wordt hierin erg goed uitgewerkt en er wordt met veel kleuren gewerkt. Er wordt gebruik gemaakt van een omlijning, schaduw en dergelijke. Er is een ongeschreven graffitiwet dat je nooit over een ander piece heen mag spuiten. 3. Breakdance Breakdance wordt in de VanDale beschreven als acrobatische danse waarbij de danser zich ook liggend en draaiend op de grond beweegt. Ik vind dit persoonlijk een vrij eenvoudige beschrijving van breakdance, want in werkelijkheid is het veel meer. Ik denk niet dat het alleen een manier van dansen is, maar vooral een manier van jongeren om zich te uiten. Breakdance wordt ook vaak gebruikt om met en tegen elkaar te dansen. Afkomst Breakdance is ontstaan in Amerika, breakdance is ingevoerd door Afro-Amerikanen die het oorspronkelijk als een tijdverdrijf toepasten. Daarom zijn de eerste bekende breakdancers bijna allemaal zwarte Amerikanen. Breakdance heeft allerlei bewegingen overgenomen uit de traditionele Afrikaanse dans, de Braziliaanse vechtsport en de Chinese vechtsporten ook capoiera genoemd. Breakdance is de lichaamstaal van het hiphoppen, daarbij is het een mix van grond-, vechtsport-, acrobatische en dansbewegingen. Onderdelen breakdance: Powermoves. Dit zijn snelle acrobatische bewegingen die vrij veel kracht vereisen. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn de spins. Headspin(zie rechts), backspin, kneespin, hierbij draai je snel rond op je hoofd, rug of knieà «n. Deze bewegingen zijn het belangrijkste onderdeel van breakdance, het is dus belangrijke dat je deze goed onder de knie hebt. Electrics. Deze kun je weer verdelen in 2 onderdelen. Je kunt mensen de illusie laten wekken dat je heel soepel bent, het lijkt dan net of je geen botten hebt. Een ander onderdeel is dat je heel schokkerig beweegt, je probeert het zelfde effect te creà «ren als bij een robot.   Freezes. Dit zijn stilstaande moves, waarbij je in een keer stilstaat in een powermover. Het is pas een freeze als je langer dan 2 seconden stilstaat. Battles. Als 2 breakdancers tegen elkaar gaan dansen dan spreekt men van een battle. Daarbij probeert men elkaar steeds te overtreffen en wie de moeilijkste moves kan vertonen wint de battle. Battles gebeuren vooral in groep, dan gaan 2 groepen tegenover elkaar staan en gaan alle leden zo moeilijk mogelijke moves laten zien om zo de andere groep te overtreffen. Maar dikwijls hangt het niet alleen af van de moves want het publiek beslist wie de battle wint. Dus de groep die het publiek het beste kan entertainen wint meestal de battle ongeacht of ze nu de beste moves hebben vertoont. Daarom proberen de groepen elkaar te imponeren door te bluffen en verbaal geweld te gebruiken. Er worden in verschillende landen heel veel grote battles georganiseerd zoals battle of the Benelux of freestyle sessions in Amerika. Elk jaar wordt er in Duitsland ook het onofficià «le wereldkampioenschap gehouden dit evenement noemt the battle of the year. 4. Rappen Rappen is 1 van de vier belangrijkste elementen van de hiphopcultuur, naast DJ-en, graffiti en breakdance. Rappen wordt ook wel MCen genoemd en is een vorm van rijmend praten en zingen. De letterlijke vertaling van rappen is slap auwehoeren of er uit flappen. Meestal gebeurt het rappen in samenwerking met een dj die via zijn draaitafels (turntables) voor een beat zorgt. MC staat voor Master of ceremony in de hip hop,de rol van de MC is de platen van de DJ aan elkaar te praten door te rappen.De beste MCs zijn degenen die razendsnel een tekst kunnen improviseren. Er worden MC-battles (wedstrijden) gehouden, waarbij het de bedoeling is dat twee MCs elkaar verbaal proberen in te maken. De MCer gebruikt meestal de hulp van de human beatboxer dat letterlijk staat voor menselijke drummachine. Beatboxers doen met hun mond een drummachine na en maken zo een ritme waarop de rapper kan rappen. Sommige zien beatboxers als het vijfde element van de hip hop. Dankzij de human beatboxer heeft de rapper geen dure apparatuur nodig en kan hij zonder problemen op elke hoek van de straat een show opvoeren. Nawoord Ik vond het heel interessant om dit werkstuk over hiphop te doen. Ik ben dingen tegengekomen die ik niet wist. Interessante dingen over bijvoorbeeld het breakdancen en hoe de hiphop is ontstaan. Ik vind het een mooie stijl, persoonlijk hou ik meer van de oudere hiphop omdat daar meer diepgang in zit. Het feit dat de rappers het daar hebben over het moeilijke leven en hoe ze zich wouden afzetten tegen de maatschappij spreekt mij erg aan. Ik vind het erg jammer dat de hiphop de laatste jaren om geld, vrouwen en status gaat. De oudere hiphop was veel puurder. 2

Comparing Imagery in Flying a Red Kite and The Lamp at Noon :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Imagery in Flying a Red Kite and The Lamp at Noon Imagery is used by many authors as a crucial element of character development. These authors draw parallels between the imagery in their stories and the main characters' thoughts and feelings. Through intense imagery, non-human elements such as the natural environment, animals, and inanimate objects are brought to life with characteristics that match those of the characters involved. Sinclair Ross uses vivid imagery of nature to reflect and influence the emotions of his characters in his short story The Lamp at Noon. The wind is a powerful force that changes with the emotions of Ellen and Paul. Sinclair describes the wind as two separate winds: "the wind in flight, and the wind that pursue[s]" (Atwood/Weaver, 74). Like the wind in flight which cannot escape the wind that pursues it, Ellen cannot escape her isolation. The wind in flight always returns to "quake among the feeble eaves, as if in all this dust-mad wilderness it knew no other sanctuary" (74). Ellen is also forced to seek refuge within her small home, which is also the place where she feels the most secluded. The wind outside often contrasts the silence that is encased inside. During an argument between Paul and Ellen, there is an uncomfortable silence, "a deep fastness of it enclosed by rushing wind and creaking walls"(76). This noise around them makes the silence within even more uncomfortable. Paul later finds the silence comforting when he is in the stable. It is described as a "deep hollow calm within, a vast darkness engulfed beneath the tides of moaning wind" (78). The silence protects him and brings him relief from the dangerous world outside. Unfortunately, the walls seem to weaken against the powerful wind, and "instead of release or escape from the assaulting wind, the walls [are] but a feeble stand against it" (78). Paul begins to understand what Ellen is feeling, and the wind screams like Ellen's cries. As he thinks of ways to restore the land and make Ellen happy, the wind starts to slacken. For a short moment, he feels relief. When he returns to the house, he realizes that Ellen is gone. At this point, the wind whimpers and moans as if it knows Ellen's isolation and Paul's despair. The imagery of the wind is used by Sinclair to intensify the characters' emotions and help the reader understand what the characters are experiencing.

Cold War1 :: essays papers

Cold War1 The Cold War was a major conflict between the U.S. and the Soviets. The U.S. had its own allies and the Soviets had theirs. The Cold War lasted until the end of 1980’s and began in the 1940’s. These two countries were as two titans of great power. It was a fight between the communism of U.S.S.R verses the democracy and capitalism of the United States. This was a fight without an actual warfare. It was more of a competition of who has better weapons and whose government is more stable and appropriate. Every country tried to get its own allies. They did this by helping each other out. For example, the United States helped Korea in the Korean War. The U.S. got involved in the war under the United Nations. The Cold War led to the creation of NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was created in 1949 to have a twelve-nation mutual defense treaty aimed at the Soviet Union. One major, positive, important event that was created by the Cold War was the formation of the United Nations or the U.N. On April 25, 1945. The U.S formed an alliance or a pact with Great Britain, the Soviet Union France, and China. This showed the Soviet Union that United States wants to keep peace in the world. The Communist government of U.S.S.R gave the United States ideas that their ownership of nuclear energy might lead to a take over. Joseph McCarthy provoked the beginning of the Cold War. He led people to belive that the Communist government would take over and crush democracy and capitalism. The media took McCarthy’s side and gave the American people a message that communism is wrong and harmfull to their freedom. His message was to punish all communists. He kept the American people blind folded for a long time, untill the people started realising that he is just making a big deal out of nothing and without any proof. A spark of the Cold War was when President Truman made a policy of Containment. It was military aid to countries under the threat of Communism. He also established the Marshall Plan, which offered aid to every European country or a recovery program after WWII. The Federal Employee Loyalty Program helped ensure that there was an executive order designed to guard against a possible disloyalty of â€Å"Reds, Phonies, or Parlor Pinks.† He also passed the Berlin Airlift Policy during the Marshall Plan.

class size Essay -- essays research papers

In 1998, President Clinton sparked a debate when he "proposed the first national effort to reduce class size in the early grades." People who supported this proposal argued that the result of smaller classes (especially in the younger grades) would be more effective teaching and learning and higher student achievement. Critics say reducing class size is costly and that decreasing class size does not mean that teacher effectiveness will improve, and other less expensive alternatives could be used that might achieve the same educational goals. Today, this debate continues. To say every district should reduce class sizes is wrong. Each district is different and has different needs, but one goal all districts share is to maximize teaching and learning in their schools. If a district believes reducing class size is the best way to achieve this goal, and they have the money, the facilities, and the teachers, reducing class size should be done, but if a district believes the money that wou ld be spent on reducing class size could be better spent on alternatives to achieve this goal, reducing class size should not be done. Critics mainly oppose reducing class size because of the shortage of buildings and quality teachers and the conflicting research that has been done. Decreasing class size means more classrooms need to be built, and more teachers need to be hired. In some districts, this could be a problem because they have a problem hiring quality teachers as it is, and they might...

Discuss the following Essay

A staff meeting has been called for all members of the administrative department at the hospital where you work. Due to a change in patients’ needs, the hours of operation need to be modified.   Several scheduling options are presented and a decision has to be made. Should this decision be made by a majority vote, or a consensus? Support your choice with   reasoning from the decision making section on page 98 of your GMC. I think that due to the time and hours of operation that it should be a majority vote for the reason or reasons outlined below: 1.Since there is only the matter of counting votes, decisions can be reached much more quickly with majority rule. Majority rule does not require the same level of interpersonal communication. It is a democratic process which ultimately comes down to simple mathematics. This method of decision-making, outside of registration, is often anonymous. The nature of the process, in many cases, allows individuals to maintain their privacy, as others cannot know with certainty, for whom or what a person has voted. A disadvantage of majority rule is the majority’s ability to vote against the interests and preferences of those in the minority without those groups or individuals being heard or involved in the discussion. Those in the minority may be disenfranchised and remove themselves from the decision-making process because they are aware they do not have the numbers to win or significantly impact the vote.

Gender Roles in United States Essay

Gender role can be defined as number of professed personality trait and manners observed by males or females in a given society.   Different culture imposes a different set of expectations on men and women (faqs, n.d). Every culture has a different number of norms that they use to differentiate a perfect male or female with an imperfect one. Who sets these gender roles? What if one is unable to be the perfect male / female? Is it right to restrict people to grow out of the perceived roles into something that is entirely opposite? Why is it assumed that a female will stay home to cook and clean while a man will be the sole bread earner of the house? An extensive debate has been going on for years regarding this topic. Looking around us a commercial selling razor blade will show a man who is rugged and well built and in a shampoo commercial will have a female who couldn’t be any prettier yet she still does the normal things in life. A magazine will always cover a top model and not a housewife. Why does media always shows beautiful, perfect physique females and tall, handsome men, be it an advertisement of food product or a house or any cars? Though over the years, people are being acceptable towards deviation in gender roles. Men and women are working together to understand and adjust to the shift occurring in gender roles Women work hand in hand with men to support living, media shows program covering normal people from the streets and both genders of a family are involved in taking major decisions. This change will defiantly result in better environment at workplaces, better atmosphere at homes, better standards of living for the young generation and an air of equality will amongst the upcoming generation. References Faqs. â€Å"Gender Roles† (Internet), www.faqs.org (Accessed on January 11, 2009)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/8/Gender-roles.html

Nature verses nurture Essay

The nature versus nurture debate is an argument over whether nature plays a primary role in the development of an individual (heredity), or the environment (nurture). Nature, as understood by Psychologists, refers to physical characteristics that are biologically inherited, such as the color of skin, eye or texture of hair. Nurture on the other hand, refers to environmental influences after conception, such as our experiences (McLeod 2011). The debate has been controversial and ongoing for decades; Psychologists have tried to determine whether a person’s development is predisposed by DNA or his environment. So the questions exists, is it inherited gene or is it the driving force such as upbringing and nurturing from parents and caregivers that influences a child to grow up to become a lawyer, doctor, or a professional athlete. Both theories are essentially at opposite ends of the spectrum. Those who adopt an extreme hereditary approach (nativists) are of the belief that the characteristics or the human specie are a product of evolution and that our individual differences are due to the unique genetic makeup of the individual. At the opposite end of the spectrum, are environmentalists (empiricists) who believe that at birth the human mind is a blank slate that during development is gradually filled with our experiences (McLeod, 2007). In this paper we will look to two studies exploring the controversial nature versus nurture debate, make comparisons between them and discuss the conclusion of each study. John Bowlby (1907-1990) was a psychoanalyst who believed that mental health and behavioral problems could be attributed to early childhood. In his evolutionary Theory of Attachment developed after World War II, he suggests that children come into the world â€Å"biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others,† as this is a means of survival. According to his original theory, infants have a universal need to seek close proximity with their caregiver. He observed that children experience intense distress when separated from their mothers and this shaped his belief that there is a fundamental link between early infant separations with the mother and later maladjustment (McLeod, 2009). Many subsequent theories have developed in support of this theory; Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson in 1964, studied 60 babies at monthly intervals for the first 18 months of life. The children were all studied in their own home and involved visiting the babies monthly for approximately one year. During this time, the caregivers were interviewed and all interactions with the babies were observed (McLeod, 2009). In contrast, Albert Bandura developed the Social Learning Theory in support of the nurture debate. He believed that people learn from each other through the process of observation, imitation and modeling. In 1961 he conducted an experiment called the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment,† to investigate if social behaviors can be acquired by imitation. The methodology of his study involved testing 36 boys and girls from the Stanford University Nursery School between the ages of three and six years. One male and female adult role model was chosen to demonstrate aggressive behavior. 24 boys and girls were allowed to watch a role model behaving aggressively towards a toy called a â€Å"Bobo doll. † The adults were told to attack the doll in destructive way, using hands, feet, weapons, or abusive language. Another 24 children were exposed to a non-aggressive model and the final 24 children were used as a controlled group and not exposed to any model or aggressive behavior at all. All the children were tested individually through three stages; â€Å"modeling, aggression arousal and delayed imitation† (McLeod, 2011). When the two studies are compared, many differences can be identified, but only a few similarities. In both studies, the subjects used were children. The researchers used an observational approach to undertake their study, the results of which support each theory. During both studies, the subjects were observed during normal activities and their behaviors evaluated through a series of stages. The first identifiable difference between studies was the type of study undertaken. A longitudinal study was undertaken in The Attachment Theory. It was conducted over a period of 18 months; while the Social Learning Theory was an experiment conducted over one day using matched pairs design. The second difference between studies was where they took place: the Attachment Theory studied infants in their own homes, while the Social Learning Theory conducted the experiment in a play nursery. Children at different ages were used in both studies: from birth to 18 months in the Attachment Theory, and from three to six years in the Social Learning Theory. In the Social Learning Theory experiment, all the children were pre-tested for aggression before the behavior was introduced to one group. No behavior was introduced in the Attachment Theory study, infants were observed in their normal routine and daily interactions. One final observable difference between the studies was that a controlled group was used in the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment† of The Social Learning Theory, while no controlled group was used in the Attachment Theory study (McLeod 2009, 2011). The Attachment Theory study results indicate that babies develop attachment in the following sequence: (1) up to three months of age where the baby responds equally to any caregiver, (2) after four months where there is a preference for certain people, (3) after seven months where there is a special preference for a single attachment figure, (4) and after nine months where they develop multiple attachments. The conclusion of the study proved babies look to particular people for security, comfort and protection. Fear and unhappiness is shown when separated from that special person. According to the study the most important thing in forming attachment is not who feeds and changes the child, but who plays and communicates with him or her (McLeod, 2009). In the second study, the â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment† findings supported Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Children learn social behavior such as aggression through the process of observation learning, i.e. watching the behavior of another person. During the â€Å"experiment† the children exposed to the violent model tended to imitate the exact behavior they had observed when the adult left the room. The children in the non-aggressive group behave less aggressively than those in the control group, and boys behaved more aggressively than girls. The study also showed that boys who observed an adult male behaving violently were more influenced than those who had observed a female model aggressive behavior. Boys were more likely to imitate physical acts of violence, while girls were more likely to imitate verbal aggression (McLeod, 2011). Many experts believe today, that behavior and development are influenced by both nature and nurture; one does not exist without the other. Some psychologists believe that learning continues even through adulthood. While few people take the extreme inherited or extreme environmental approach, researchers and experts are now consumed with the degree to which biology and environment influence behavior. References McLeod, S. A. (2011). Albert Bandura/ Social learning theory- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/01/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/baddura. html McLeod, S. A. (2009). Attachment Theory – Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/04/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/attachment. html McLeod, S. A. (2011). Bobo Doll Experiment- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/03/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/bobo-doll. html McLeod, S. A. (2011). Nature Nurture in Psychology- Simply psychology. Retrieved 10/05/2013 from http://www. simplypsychology. org/naturevsnurture. html.