Fast Food is Bad For Humans and Other Living Things Essay

â€Å"Grab and Go!† shimmer windows of many fast food restaurants in the new XXI century. â€Å"It is really comfortable and it saves time†, my old neighbor whispers to me as a secret. â€Å"Today is my birthday! Let’s go to McDonalds and order cheese hamburgers and fries!† – My niece is screaming with delight in her face. Finally, really big hamburger appears in TV screen during commercial and looking juicy with fresh green salads forcing every one of us to feel hungry. However, fast food restaurants serve not only food lacking of vitamins and nonnutritive value, but also are responsible for endangered species, biodiversity reduction, worsening human’s health, and risk to run out of natural food and medicine sources that can lead to human’s extinction.†¦show more content†¦So, agriculture has to do with that fact: Fast food chains serve the same food over the world. That means they serve the same French fries made from the same type of potatoes and the same salads made from the same type of lettuce and tomatoes in every country. Fats food chains move into countries where the fast food ingredients are quite different from traditional local ingredients. Local farmers abandon their traditional crops and try to grow food needed for the very limited international menus. This reduces diversity of local crops (Hiramoto 35-37) In September of this year in New York Times appeared a new article that demonstrated the fact that was observed by long year pediatrician Dr. Michalis Stagourakis. He stated that there is ratio between bad diet and maladies as sniffles, and stomachaches that â€Å"are interspersed with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol†. Bad diet resources were described as places were children could buy fast food: pizza parlor, vending machines and other shops supplying ju nk food (ROSENTHAL ). Tendency to obesity eating fast food was proven by many experiments. For example, Indian experts propose, there is ratio between growing malnutrition and obesity. According that normal humans diet was changed into â€Å"fast diet†, some changes in humans body was observed (Chatterjee 1948). The same fact was proven by American experts. Data from a nationally representative survey shown that fastShow MoreRelatedA Debate Between Organic Foods And Non Organic Food1689 Words   |  7 PagesOver the last few years, there are many things have changed such as, technology, agriculture and many more things. Technology is getting better and better day by day for humans need and survivenment, but one thing is that human will never be able survive without food. Food comes from farms and animals. There are many ways for farming like organic farming, conventional farming, commercial farming, multi-crop farming, factory farming and many more other technique of it. 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These principles include efficiency, predictability, calculability (or an emphasis on quantification), and control (especially via non-human technologies). All of these combined constitute the formal rationality or basis that makes up McDonaldization. In his works

How did Hitler gain power in Germany by 1933 - 1205 Words

How and why did Hitler gain power in Germany by 1933? Following the collapse of the Weimar government, Hitler managed to gain dictatorship over Germany by 1936. In fact it took Hitler just around 18 months, between February 1933 and August 1934, so how did Hitler gain autocracy over Germany so quickly? I am going to start with how the Germans had fear of Germany becoming a communist country like Russia. At the end of the war, many people hoped that democracy would spread to most countries of the world. They did not want to be controlled by a dictatorship which would lead them into a communist country. Another factor that assisted Hitler to gain power in Germany by 1933 was how Hitler wanted to demolish the Treaty of Versailles.†¦show more content†¦The Nazi party was the people s party. It tried to win everyone s support. Hitler would deliver speeches to German audiences in halls or sport stadiums. Groups such as the S.A and Hitler Youth gave sense of belonging and pride to all the Nazi’s audience. This factor is a social factor as it involves all groups of people to support and vote for the Nazi party. This factor links to Hitler’s ideas due to the fact that once Hitler’s ideas were emplacedShow MoreRelatedEconomics During the Years of Hitler Essay example862 Words   |  4 PagesEconomics During the Years of Hitler Adolf Hitler became leader of the Nazi Party in 1921; throughout the passing years he made various attempts to overthrow the Government. He became Chancellor in 1933 and his main aims included tackling depression and restoring full employment in Germany. Another key ambition Hitler had was to prepare Germany for a next possible war. Hitler took position as Chancellor in Germany in 1933, just after the Great Depression between 1929Read MoreHow Did Hitler Become Chancellor in 1933?1659 Words   |  7 PagesHow did Hitler become Chancellor in 1933? 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Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didnt speak up because I wasnt a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didnt speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and

Flooding in South Africa Free Essays

Assignment GEO 234 D Sonnekus 2011042526 Flooding In South-Africa A Deeper Insight to What Happens Around Us [pic] Photo: Ivan Sonnekus 2012 Index Page Number 1. Introduction3 2. The Nature Of Flooding3 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Flooding in South Africa or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Main Causes Of Flooding In South-Africa4 4. The Effect Of Development On Flood Hazards in SA5 5. The Effect Of The Economic Status Of People – Regarding Flood Hazards6 6. Conclusion7 7. Bibliography8 1. Introduction Floods play a major role in our everyday lives, and how we react to the daily changing climate is of course our way of surviving our planetary conditions. Floods determine our building styles and play a very large role in the economy by means of devastating destruction and environmental engineer specialists in terms of flood prevention. The hydrological definition for a flood states that a flood is a rise in water level in a stream to a peak point where after the water level will recede at a slower rate (UNESCO-WMO 1974).  Control Key and Word – Text and Graphics. A flood event can be described as a flow of water in a stream constituting a distinct progressive rise, culminating into a crest, together with the recession that follows the crest (Linsley, 1942). In this Assignment I will be explaining some key features about flooding regarding a South-African point of view. 2. The Nature of Flooding. Floods can be broken down into different classes or divisions between different types of floods in this section I will explain the main flood types and their nature. Floods can be divided between major floods, minor floods and flash floods. Major Floods: In the event of a major flood the flooding is caused by the overflowing of rivers and dams by means of breaks in dikes, levees, dam walls and other protective structures; by uncontrollable releases of impounded water in reservoirs and by the accumulation of excessive runoff. In the case of a major flood the floodwaters will cover a wide spread contiguous area and will spread rapidly to adjoining areas of relatively lower elevations. The flooding will be deep in most parts of the total flooded area and there is a highly perceptible current as the flood spreads to a greater extent. [pic] Minor Floods: In the cause of a minor flood the inundation may or may not be due to overbanking. If there is no bank overflow, flooding happens due to the accumulation of excessive surface run-off in lower lying flat areas. In these cases flooding will mostly be restricted to flood plains along a river channel or low-lying areas or terrain depressions around the direct source of the flood. The flood water will be shallow and there may not be a perceptible flow apparent or present. Flash Floods: Flash floods is as the name states a flood that happens relatively quick, normally no more than 6 hours to a normal flooding time of 12 to 24 hours or longer. Flash floods is the result of a short concentration time of the drainage catchment or a steep river slope, this means that the precipitation falling on a point in the catchment farthest from the river takes a very short time to reach the river itself and become a part of the stream flow. Thus the amount of flow will rapidly increase and the water level will rise, when the capasity of the river/stream is exceeded the channel overflows and the result is a flash flood. [pic] 3. The Main Causes of Flooding in SA. South Africa was subject to some intense floods over the last couple of years mainly as the result of cloud breaks and very heavy precipitation in very short time periods which leads to flooding of most small streams and rivers, what then leads to the larger rivers to flood. South Africa is also a victim of the Southern Oscillation which leads to El-Nino: dry conditions with high surface pressure and; La-Nina: low air surface pressure accompanied by cold and wet weather. See next page for simple diagram illustration [pic] As a result of the Earth surface temperature to keep on rising due to the greenhouse effect the results being a more and more drastically changing macro climate which in turn leads to more rain and eventually will lead Earth into another Ice-Age but that is a topic for another day. The heavy rains on a constant basis keeps the rivers and dams full up to their limits so in the event of a heavy cloud break the already full rivers and dams cannot enclose all the extra water and all that water needs to go somewhere thus leading to floods, in most cases in South-Africa the floods will be flash floods. But there is also the chance of major floods in the form of a dam overflowing and then breaking the wall or even minor floods like in the December of 2012 the Ncandu River flowing through Newcastle KZN overreaches its banks and fills the Trim park with water at least 1-2 feet deep as the trim park is adjacent to the rivers. . The Effect of Development on Flood Hazards in SA Right around the world the population keeps growing at an alarming rate as the birth to mortality rate is not balanced which leads to a world population always wanting and needing to expand city and/or town borders. In this case the chances are very good that eventually there will be building develo pments inside flood plains or lower laying terrain in the proximity of a dam or large volume of water. Thus the engineers of the modern world in developing countries like for instance South-Africa need to come up with new initiatives to improve building techniques to overcome the obstacle of flooding as the floods can be the cause of havoc among the inhabitants of developments within flood plains or beneath the flood level, and also cause a lot of structural and esthetic damage to a city or town. The MooiRivier Mall in Potchefstroom is a classic example of development within a flood hazard. The mall has been constructed on stilt type of tructures that allows the river to flow through underneath the mall but the engineers along with environmental specialists sought to come up with a few ingenious plans to prepare for floods of High hazard (1 in 20 years), medium flood hazards (1in 50 years) and low flood hazard (1 in 100 years) by means of designing a drop away wall where if a certain amount of water flows into a catchment a buoy lifts up and triggers a release on the wall which allows for the brick wall to fall down and allow water to flow into an drainage water way down to the central collection point at the bottom most point of the parking lot back into a stream (the release mechanism works on the same principal as a toilet bowls’ float valve). The parking lot has also been designed on a slope (no flat parking) to act as a funnel leading water away from the mall or danger zone and down into a sub stream or channel. The Mall had a few good tests in the last 5 years of its existence and the engineers and environmental specialists did a good job to overcome the developing in a flood hazard obstacle (Jan-Albert Wessels. IAIA North-West, 2012. ) [pic] Picture: (Viljoen, MF. The Application of flood lines in land use controll. 2009) 5. The Effect of The Economic Status of People Regarding Flood Hazards. Flooding can and have caused a lot of damage in the past and will continue to do so as the macro climate will keep changing in favor of floods so all we can to do is to prepare ourselves and adapt to the changes of climate, floods cost the head of states and countries a great deal of money to develop in flood plains as well as being prepared to deal with any floods and the cleaning up there after. But it is not just the people on top that lose money, the people who actually live in the house that gets swept away or drive the car that rolls over or submerges, it is them that lead the most damage to their financial stance in life and 80% of the time it will be people from informal settlements or rural areas that lead the damage as they do not follow proper procedure to build their houses and then they build in areas of a high flood risk without them even knowing. Thus the counties management somehow needs to get it under control as they have tried to do the in the past and actually still trying to do with regard to the housing subsidiary they offer to people of South-Africa. 6. Conclusion My conclusion regarding floods in South-Africa is that our main floods are flash floods that happen as result of heavy rains from the La-Nina time period of the Southern Oscillation, we as the people of our country need to stand together to make a difference in preventing people to build in dangerous high flood risk areas and also need to convince the children of today in developing countries to come up with fresh and new ideas to overcome development issues in flood risk areas. A countries economic development also greatly depends on its readiness for fighting disaster situations and keeping a disaster under control. A country like South-Africa can suffer great losses financially as result of floods that could have been prevented by means of making use of the right infrastructure on the key areas in developed areas as well as developing areas. Flooding is a natural occurrence and will never be fully under control but the minds of today can shape the ideas of tomorrow with that I leave my mark on the topic of flooding in South-Africa. [pic] 7. Bibliography †¢ Anonymous. 2012. Causes and types of floods. [Web: http://kidlat. pagasa. dost. gov. ph/genmet/floods/cause_types. html]. [Accessed: 14 March 2013] †¢ Department: provincial and local Government. 2009. National Disaster management centre. Flood awareness. PDF 5p. [Accessed: 15 March 2013] †¢ Anonymous. 2011. La Nina Influenced Flooding in South Africa. AccuWeather. [web: http://www. accuweather. com/en/weather-news/la-nina-influenced-flooding-in/44853]. [Accessed: 13 March 2013] †¢ SAPA. 2013. Floods Cause havoc across South Africa. Mail ; Guardian, Africa’s best read. [web: http://mg. co. za/article/2013-01-20-floods-cause-havoc-across-south-africa]. [Accessed: 15 March 2013] †¢ Anonymous. 2013. Definition and nature of flood. [web: http://kidlat. pagasa. dost. gov. ph/genmet/floods/def_nature. html]. [Accessed: 15 March 2013] †¢ SSC. 2011. The nature of flooding. Sunshine coast council, Queensland. [web: http://www. sunshinecoast. qld. gov. au/sitePage. cfm? code=flooding-nature]. Accessed: 13 March 2013] †¢ Department: Provincial and Local Government, Prof Viljoen. MF, Swiegers. C. 2009. The application of flood lines in land use control. Disaster reduction conference. [web: http://conferences. ufs. ac. za/dl/userfiles/Documents/00000/134_eng. pdf]. [Accesse d: 14 March 2013] †¢ Times Live. (2011, February 2). [web: Urgent flood warning along Orange River. ] [Accessed February 14, 2011]. †¢ United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks. (2011, February 10). Southern Africa: Risk of food insecurity in wake of floods. IRIN News. [Accessed February 14, 2011. ] †¢ Anonymous. 2011. Floods in South Africa. Earth Observatory, NASA. [web: How to cite Flooding in South Africa, Papers Flooding in South Africa Free Essays FLOODING IN SOUTH AFRICA INTRODUCTION The aim of this assignment is to give background information about flooding in South Africa. These would be carried out through the means of research on journal entries, web research and different literatures. The nature of flooding, the main causes of flooding, the effect of development of flooding hazards and the effect of the economic status of people regarding flooding hazards will be taken into consideration. We will write a custom essay sample on Flooding in South Africa or any similar topic only for you Order Now Definition of key terms Flooding An overflow of water onto normally dry land. The inundation of a normally dry area caused by rising water in an existing waterway, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch. Pounding of water at or near the point where the rain fell. Flooding is a longer term event than flash flooding: it may last days or weeks (MRX webmaster, 2010). Flash flooding Flooding whereby it takes a very short period of time to form. In most cases flash floods few form and take place Nature of floods There are few places on Earth where people need not be concerned about flooding due to their location. Rain is not the only impetus for flood even a broken dam wall can be the stimuli of a flood. A flood occurs when water overflows or inundates land that’s normally dry. This can happen in a multitude of ways. Most common floods are when rivers or streams overflow their banks. Excessive rain, a ruptured dam or levee, rapid ice melting in the mountains, or even an unfortunately placed beaver dam can overwhelm a river and send it spreading over the adjacent land, called a floodplain. Coastal flooding occurs when a large storm or tsunami causes the sea to surge inland (National Geographic Society, 2011). Most floods take hours or days to develop, giving residents enough time to prepare or evacuate. Others happen quickly and with little warning. These flash floods can be extremely dangerous and cause major damage to the landscape and the habitants of such an area. Disaster specialists have various ways of classifying floods according to their likelihood of occurring and the intensity of the flood. A hundred-year flood, for example, is an extremely large, destructive event that would theoretically be expected to happen only once every century. But this is a theoretical number. In reality, this classification means there is a one-percent chance that such a flood could happen in any given year. Over recent decades, possibly due to global climate change, hundred-year floods have been occurring worldwide with frightening regularity (National Geographic Society, 2011) MAIN CAUSES OF FLOODING IN SOUTH AFRICA South Africa has been experiencing above average rainfall since December 2010 that has caused devastation on a scale the country has not seen in many years . This unusual weather pattern is caused by the La Nina effect, and the resulting floods have caused unprecedented disruption of services, displacement of people, loss of livelihoods and even worse, loss of life . it is reported that over 20, 000 people have been affected by floods and an estimated 40 people have died. A national state of disaster has been declared in 28 district municipalities in 7 provinces, with more affected areas being reported THE EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT ON FLOOD HAZARDS IN SOUTH AFRICA. Floods caused havoc across South Africa . Heavy rain in a short period of time in the part of South Africa, caused more than hundreds of people to be homeless by heavy flooding. Floods caused many to seek refuge on rooftops and on trees. This catastrophe killed more than hundreds of people causing the death toll to rise. Recently these floods caused evacuation of the Kruger National, a game reserve in Northern South Africa. Floods also covered some farmlands and crops were killed as a result forcing farms to close. Most of the roads, dams and large buildings were damaged. Due to flooding some mines were forced to close, this the case of a coal mines in Limpopo. THE EFFECT OF THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF PEOPLE REGARDING FLOOD HAZARDS. Floods frequently causes major infrastructure damage of roads, railway lines, electricity supply systems, water supply and sewage disposal systems. Bribges over rivers are particularly exposed to damage and disruption of transportation systems follows. The economic effects of flooding are often great er than the flood itself. (Parker 2000) According to Parker (2000) because floods frequently destroy crops and livestock, food shortages are not uncommon in the aftermath. Floods may affect food availability in a number of ways. Food stocks may be damaged if storage areas are flooded. Serious flooding usually disrupts transportation of food deficit areas, particularly in towns, which are cut off from supply sources and have inadequate food stock. Impacts of flooding may hinder the economic growth and development that is the high cost of relief and recovery may adversely impact investment in infrastructure and other development activities in the area and in certain cases may cripple the frail economy of the of the region. Recurrent flooding in a region may discourage long-term investments by the government and private sector alike. Lack of livehoods, combined with migration of skilled labour and inflation may have a negative impact on a region’s economic growth. Loss of resource can lead to high costs of goods and services, delaying its development programmes. (Drep operation international federation of Red Cross and crescent societies). Figure 2 three kid were during floods in Limpopo CONCLUSION As discussed under various perspectives, it is clear from the assignment that floods had adverse impact on the socio-economic status of livehoods for people in South Africa more especially the residents of Limpopo. It is also evident that there are varying underlying causes of floods i South Africa. Places near the flood event are the most susceptible to the dangers of the floods. Proximity of these places and poverty were identified as being the main cause of vulnerability of people REFERENCES Drep Operation International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, 1. February. 2011. MRX webmaster, 2010. National Weather Services. [Online] Available at: http://www. srh. noaa. gov/mrx/hydro/flooddef. php [Accessed 13 March 2013]. National Geographic Society, 2011. Natural Disasters: floods profile. [Online] Available at: http://environment. nationalgeographic. com/environment/natural-disasters/floods-profile/ [Accessed 12 March 2013]. Parker, J. D2000. floods. Tangler and Francis, National Academy Press, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Thailand. SAPA. 2013. Floods causes havoc across South Africa, Mail and Guardian, 20 January 2013. How to cite Flooding in South Africa, Papers

Australian Dairy Industry for Economic Perspectives- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAustralian Dairy Industry for Economic Perspectives Answer: Introduction The study highlights on the structure of the Dairy Industry in Australia and the various stages of production of dairy products from raw milk and its distribution to the customers. Since 1970, the dairy industry in Australia has shown huge improvements in productivity of their farm. Implementation of advanced technologies as well as structural reforms within the sector has increased the efficiency in milk production (OBrien et al., 2012). This industry in Australia has commissioned ABARES for analyzing the productivity drivers within the industry for supporting huge information needs that is required to develop funds across the regions. The study also elucidates on the structure of their intermediate markets and implication of market structure in this industry. It also reflects on the current strategy of Inglenook dairy and its opportunities and threats to its long run profits. Furthermore, recommendations regarding this farms current strategy are also discussed in this assignment. Structure of Australian Diary Industry and identification of stages of production of dairy products Over the past 30 years, the structure of the dairy industry in Australia has changed in a huge way and is driven by various factors that includes removal of regulated prices of milk and reforms in market of dairy products. However, during this phase , the total number of farms in this nation has declined by about two-thirds and the processing as well as distribution segments of this industry have been rationalized (Tauer et al., 2012). Although few resources are being utilized in producing milk, restructuring has led to efficient industry. This has also led to increase in growth on production of dairy each farm in real terms. This industry contributes to 0.3 to 0.4% to GDP (gross domestic product) of the nation. In addition, the employment rate of Australia increases as large workers are engaged in this industry. The process that is involved in producing dairy products from raw materials and then marketing and distribution to the consumers in Australia involves few steps : Receiving milk or raw materials The dairy farms uses antibiotics for controlling infections in cows. The milk is then obtained from them. Storing- Milk is stored in clean and hygienic container . Standardization- It includes filtration as well as separation. Pasteurization and homogenization- During this process, milk is heated to 72 degree centigrade and is kept for 15 seconds. Chilling the product obtained- After that, it is cooled instantly to 4degreecentigrade. This treatment us required for destroying harmful bacteria present in the milk. Packaging Storage- the chemical inputs such as sanitizing agents are used for storage of dairy products. Distribution to the consumer Analyzing the structure of intermediate markets The oligopoly intermediate market structure is involved in the production as well as distribution of final dairy products. The dairy industry in Australia has few firms and they are interdependent with each other. However, each farm under Australian dairy industry considers the action of rival farms while setting their price on dairy products. In addition, non-price competition exist in this intermediate market structure as farms influences the products prices. Similar or differentiated dairy products are produced by the farms in this Australian industry. In addition, the farms in this industry adopts new technology that outcomes in the farms to become capital intensive as well as dependent on labor. As it has been seen that pricing arrangements had influenced productivity in past, implementation in new technologies helps them to attain competitive advantage in oligopoly market structure. As few dairy firms exists in the Australian market, the diary industry faces oligopolistic competition. In this competitive market structure, the dairy farms are forced to be interdependent as it aids one farm to monitor other farms actions for gaining competitive advantage. In fact, the behavior of the farms in dairy industry of Australia is explained with the help of kinked demand curve framework shown below: Figure 1: Kinked demand curve framework reflecting behavior of dairy farms in oligopolistic competition Source: (As created by author) At P1 , if the dairy farms raises the price of milk product, then consumers tries to purchase from other farms. This leads to loss of market share value of that farm and hence demand becomes elastic. Thus, farms incurs loss from raising the product price and hence farms in this market face huge competition in terms of product pricing. This model also recommends that price might be rigid as there firms achieve no incentive for changing their product price. Implication of market structure for market power distribution in this industry The oligopolistic market structure in Australian dairy farms has huge implications for the distribution of market power in the industry mainly over its pricing and accumulation of profits at different production chain stages. Price leadership occurs in the oligopoly as large farm in this industry affects the pricing strategy of other farms existing in this market. Therefore, if one farm raises its price of dairy products, then other farms will not follow it and stick to their set price. As a result, the quantity demanded for the products of that farm will decline considerably. On the contrary, if one farm declines the product price, then other farms will follow by reducing the product price for retaining their customers (Howley et al., 2012). Thus, it will prevent them from losing their market share and exist in the market. This market structures has some implications on the accumulation of industry profits at different stages of the production chain of the industry (Kilelu et al., 2013). The dairy farms in Australia focus on marketing activities such as advertising the products for attaining higher profitability. However, this increases the aggregate demand of the dairy products in this oligopoly market. Moreover, if one farm adopts new technology in production, then the total cost of production automatically increases. Now, if another farm sets lower price for the dairy product, then this farm will lower its price on their product. As a result, the farm attains lower profit or may face loss in manufacturing dairy products. Overall, it affects the industry profits leading to lowering of market share value. Inglenook Diarys current strategy Inglenook dairy farm currently strategizes to involve vertical integration while processing milk and activities for distributing dairy products (Gourley et al., 2012). In addition, the organization current strategy also includes differentiation of dairy products based on the needs and preference of the customers. They also strategizes to reduce the products cost and improve the production process by adopting new technologies. They also plan to develop unified brand in the market for attracting large number of customers and attain their trust and loyalty. Moreover, they try to update their product offering technique for improving their financial performance. They also focuses innovating new products using raw materials, providing proper customer services and setting lower product prices in order to attain competitive advantage (Ertl et al., 2015). This current strategy will facilitate in controlling larger share of this market as well as ensure in attaining sustainable profitability i n long term. Opportunities or threats to long run profits of dairy industry Inglenook dairy farm in Australia reflects good potential in growth and the factors that includes advancement of technologies and production as well as supply chains affects the producers abilities and hence provides huge opportunities to expand in future (Eastwood et al., 2012). The company also strategizes to set lower prices in comparison with other competitors in this industry. Moreover, technological advancement and extending customers channels also provides opportunities to the farms in the dairy industry as the international demand for the products grows in greater way. Thus, Inglenook management practices helps in generating employment opportunities and improving the labor productivity. The threats of this dairy farm occur from high level of competition in this industry. The competitors of this dairy farm pose huge threats on them in terms of pricing strategy and quality of products. However, this aids the farm in focusing on producing high quality products at lower price. In addition, intervention of the Australian government also affects the growth of Inglenook within the Australias dairy industry (Burton et al., 2012). As a result, this affects on the long run profit of the farm as this farms cost of production becomes higher than the total amount of revenue obtained during the particular year. Under investment in the infrastructure of dairy chain and trade liberalization, unsuitable development plans also poses threats to this farm. Recommendations to the current strategy of Inglenook Diary In order to be successful, the strategy of Inglenook should rely on the principle of value creation in each section of the dairy chain. The recommendations given to the current strategy of Inglenook Dairy will help them to achieve the goal of long run profitability. This includes: It is suggested that Inglenook farm should consult with their stakeholders for achieving the objective and goal of the farm and this helps in expanding the business. Given the rise in milk volatility and feed prices, it is necessary to integrate risk management system into the strategies of dairy development (Ahmad and Bravo-Ureta, 2012). Thus, it is suggested that the farm should implement risk management system for attaining higher profitability in long run. Agricultural development has been dynamic in regards to structure of the farm, input prices , product prices and perceptions of the consumer. Thus, it is suggested that Inglenook should monitor, evaluate and improve their strategy in order to avoid risk that comes from other rivalries. Before implementing the strategy, the farm should assess dairy programs that explore benefits of program for creating target beneficiaries. Thus, this will help them in improving investment returns in development of dairy. Conclusion Thus, it is concluded from the above assignment that implementation of proper strategy helps the dairy farm in attaining higher profitability and expanding the business. The market structures also influences the dairy farms in the nation. The business strategy of Inglenook also provides huge opportunities in the market and also helps in facing threats that comes from rival firms. Thus, it helps in gaining competitive advantage and achieve sustainable profitability in the long run. References Ahmad, M., Bravo-Ureta, B. E. (2012). Technical efficiency measures for dairy farms using panel data: a comparison of alternative model specifications.Journal of Productivity Analysis,7(4), 399-415. Burton, R. J., Peoples, S., Cooper, M. H. (2012). Building cowshed cultures: A cultural perspective on the promotion of stockmanship and animal welfare on dairy farms.Journal of Rural Studies,28(2), 174-187. Eastwood, C. R., Chapman, D. F., Paine, M. S. (2012). Networks of practice for co-construction of agricultural decision support systems: case studies of precision dairy farms in Australia.Agricultural Systems,108, 10-18. Ertl, P., Klocker, H., Hrtenhuber, S., Knaus, W., Zollitsch, W. (2015). The net contribution of dairy production to human food supply: The case of Austrian dairy farms.Agricultural Systems,137, 119-125. Gourley, C. J., Dougherty, W. J., Weaver, D. M., Aarons, S. R., Awty, I. M., Gibson, D. M., ... Peverill, K. I. (2012). Farm-scale nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur balances and use efficiencies on Australian dairy farms.Animal Production Science,52(10), 929-944. Howley, P., Donoghue, C. O., Heanue, K. (2012). Factors affecting farmers adoption of agricultural innovations: A panel data analysis of the use of artificial insemination among dairy farmers in Ireland.Journal of Agricultural Science,4(6), 171. Kilelu, C. W., Klerkx, L., Leeuwis, C. (2013). Unravelling the role of innovation platforms in supporting co-evolution of innovation: Contributions and tensions in a smallholder dairy development programme.Agricultural systems,118, 65-77. McDowell, R. W., Nash, D. (2012). A review of the cost-effectiveness and suitability of mitigation strategies to prevent phosphorus loss from dairy farms in New Zealand and Australia.Journal of Environmental Quality,41(3), 680-693. OBrien, D., Shalloo, L., Patton, J., Buckley, F., Grainger, C., Wallace, M. (2012). A life cycle assessment of seasonal grass-based and confinement dairy farms.Agricultural Systems,107, 33-46. Tauer, L. W., Mishra, A. K. (2012). Dairy farm cost efficiency.Journal of Dairy science,89(12), 4937-4943.

The Second Coming

Lowes Companies Inc. Essays - Financial Ratios, Free Essays

Lowe's Companies Inc. Essays - Financial Ratios, Free Essays Lowe's Companies Inc. Home Renovation Retail Industry - Risks and Opportunities The home renovation retail industry is a vast industry with high competition to gain market share. This is industry also heavily relies on the economy when it comes to sales and customers. The crisis in 2008 led to a decline in industry sales for a connective two years but the sluggish economic growth recovery, led to a gradual increase in sales growth which averaged 3% in 2010-2011. (Case pg.2) This shows when the economy is down and the interest rates have lowered, home owners are more willing to invest into their property to raise its value. This case highlights that about 75 % of homeowners completed a renovation project on their property at least once a year, with the average cost of a single renovation being around $4,100. (Case pg.2) This poses a huge risk for this industry if the economy starts to steadily increase. The data shows that the amount of customers would decrease. This means if you don't capture enough market share before the economy increases you could face man y financial problems such as being liquid enough to meet financial obligations Other than the interest rates effecting this industry the weather also plays a big role in sales. During the first couple winter month's sales tend to decline or be much lower than the warmer season. (Case pg.2) This can be considered a huge risk especially if the economy rises. Winter months also provide a huge opportunity in this industry. If a company like Lowes can develop a strategy to attract customers and move the same amount of merchandise as they do in the other 3 seasons, have a huge potential to capture a large portion market share and develop brand loyalty. Lowe's Current Strategy Lowes current strategy is based on their core values which is currently states as to "offering quality home improvement products at the lowest prices, while delivering superior customer service." (Case pg.4). This shows Lowes has decided to focus on offering the lowest price. Lowes strategy is also broad because they offer over 40,000 different stock units which suite the needs of many demographics to obtain the most market share. (Case pg.3) Lowest obtained this strategy based on their relationship with their manufactures. Unlike many other companies in this industry at the time, Lowes bought their inventory directly from the manufacture instead of buying from distributors. This allowed them to offer lower prices than their competitor. These prices were also lower than average consumer of this industry was accustomed to. This method of strategy helped develop the company's name and reputation they currently holds. (Case pg.3) Competition The home hardware market is highly concentrated with as many as 23,000 stores in the US at the time of the case. Also at this time Lowes had three huge competitors in this market which together controlled 90% of the market revenue. (Case pg.2) currently in Canada Lowes, Home depot and RONA are the major players in the hardware/home improvement industry. Home Depot was currently the world largest home improvement retailer in the world. Their current vision is "vision to provide customers with the know how and tools to performs task while saving. (Case pg.3) This vision helped Home Depot obtain a huge portion of the market share and a strong position in this industry. Their second competitor RONA was founded in 1939 by a group of hardware store operators. They joined forces together to pool their orders for products to obtain an economy of scales to gain better prices on their merchandise. RONA was also crowned, largest retailer and distributor of home renovation in Canada in 2012. (Case pg.3) These competitors offering vary similar products and services offering the lowest prices and quality services are crucial to compete in this industry. Current initiatives Lowes current initiative is to change form a total home improvement retailer to a home improvement company. (Case pg.4) By changing from a retailer to a company Lowes plans on offer not only products but also motivation, inspiration and support to their customers in an on-demand manner. This new strategy Lowes plans to implement is to continue to obtain substantial gown and capture larger market

Chinese Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chinese Art History - Essay Example Artistic features did not only feature in religious matters but, also the politics of the community. History indicates that political dynasties in China had a specific symbol. For example, Han dynasty (206 B.C –A.D 220) used bronze horse as its symbol. Within the Hans territory, the sculpture of the horse appeared in various centers. This enabled the society to recognize the ruler of that time. The painting of the emperors appeared in most public places as a means of promoting their interest to their communities. For example, the painting of the Han dynasty founder Liu Bang was critical in demarcating Liu’s territory. Ideally, the political figures instituted their rules by placing the sculptures or portraits in various temples or public places. In most cases, the subject of the emperor swore their allegiance to the temples where their rulers resided. When a political dynasty collapsed or when a change of power transfigured in the Chinese communities, the new ruler coul d build his dynasty. The portraits of the predecessor could no longer feature in public places. Further, territory demarcation could follow by placing the portraits of the new ruler. This system did not only, helped the community to identity their leaders but also swear allegiance to them. The politicians expanded their territory by placing their sculptures among the communities they ruled. For example, Wu Di expanded his territory to areas such as Mongolia, east of Korea among other places by instituting the sculpture of his Terra Cotta Army. (Wang 84). 2. Many Chinese works of art deliberately refer to the past in one way or another; using examples from at least three different historical periods, discuss some of these references and explain how they affect the viewer's understanding of the meaning of the work. The Chinese community used art to promote various interests such religion, education, or philosophy. For examples, during Confucianism period, Zhou Dynasty (1122-221 B. C), artists sculpted portraits that illustrated Confucian principles as the guide to the society (Wang 85). The viewers of the portrait were to remember the Confucian principles whenever they saw the portrait. The portrait of Confucian symbolized moral aspects in the community such as humanness as found in the legendary writings of Confucian. The Confucian period emphasized morality above divinity thereby influencing the Chinese community to incline towards the principles of Confucianism. The viewers of the Confucian portrait reflected the Confucian philosophy. In essence, the portrait served as a reminder to the Confucian philosophy. The viewers of the Buddha portrait used it to illustrate the divine nature proclaimed by Buddha. His followers used his

Independent research into retailing of (lace wigs) Lacehairwigs.co.uk Essay

Independent research into retailing of (lace wigs) Lacehairwigs.co.uk - Essay Example They have earned the reputation of been more realistic looking and less detectable. To attach the wig to wearer, they are glued to the head scalp and are long lasting. They are resistant to various climatic conditions thus the wearer can swim, shower as well as engage in other activities without causing damage to the wig. Although the lace wig may seem a new idea, it has existed for a very long time now. It was first invented in France by Leguet in the early 19th century (Institute of Textile Technology, 1994). However the patent rights holder of the lace wig is Telier who, after long court battles with other wig creators, won the patents rights custody. Some cultures have embraced wigs so as to protect bald heads from the ultra violet rays of the sun. The European counties embraced a different approach in dealing with wigs. Wigs were worn simply to boost people’s status in the society. In some contemporary societies, wigs are worn as a symbol of respect and mainly found on official proceedings like court cases (Lhboutique, 2010). The lace wigs have been in use for quite a long period now. They have been used by the health practitioners, artists in the entertainment industry, kings, the young as well as the elderly. They have been used for various reasons like health problems, ornamental and others just for fun. In the past the lace wig was mainly worn for prestige as it was expensive thus could not be afforded from the low income earners. The lace wigs have also been worn by people for criminal reasons as the wig creates a new look for the wearer. In the contemporary society, wigs are worn by a range of people all with different motives which range from ornamental to criminal activities. The modern man has resorted to wearing wigs, and in particular the lace wig, instead of natural hair for various reasons. One of the reasons for doing this is health problems especially among cancer patients. Cancer treatment through chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Discussion point Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion point - Essay Example The point in this scenario is to make a choice in regard to prioritizing which debt to clear first. Michael needs to understand that it his legal obligation to pay his mother since it was a loan which is legally binding. However, the loan seems to have been unsecured because it was leased and in line with the evidently missing Personal Property Security Act (PPSA). There are two critical legal concepts that Michael need to understand in regard to his mother. It is not indicated if they perfected any collateral towards the loan and this means that in the event he could not raise the loan, the mother cannot claim anything. However, considering the case of Golf, in the event that Michael failed to honor his lease obligation, VW would repossess the Golf. In an attempt to avoid bankruptcy from the debts including the loan he owes the mother, Michael has Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act at his disposal in which he can make a proposal of paying only a portion of the debts e.g. paying back 50 c ents for every dollar

Global Culture And Cultural Imperialism Media Essay

Global Culture And Cultural Imperialism Media Essay Some scholars believe that globalization is a process that human race constantly across the spatial barriers, institutional, cultural and other social barriers so that we can achieve fully communication (material and informational) on a global scale and reach more consensus and joint-action. This process is a multi-dimensional, both unified and diverse and constantly conflictive. On this basis, the â€Å"cultural globalization† is considered as a process of looking for cultural integration and sharing within the conflict and the unity, which means all national cultures through the exchange, integration, infiltration and complementarity continually break their own cultural patterns and geographic limitations and move towards the world; continuously go beyond the boundaries of the national culture and get cultural identity under human judgments; constantly change the national cultural resources into human sharing resources. This kind of process is a formation and evolution of fo rce. In this way, â€Å"globalization† seems to be such a force, which is the source of capitalist countries in Europe and now mainly is the United States. They are in an attempt to maximally transform or digest the various differences or conflicts of the worlds national culture into the same. However we have to clarify that culture, which is the human-specific phenomenon, as the crystallization of human civilization and progress, permeates through all areas of social life. It plays an irreplaceable effect for the people to foster a correct world outlook, philosophy of life, conception of history and sense of worth. National culture is the soul of a nation and the spiritual symbol. It is the core of culture. Any nations culture, including mode of production, social structure, ideology, religion, ethics, customs etc, is the sign of the existence of this nation and the premise of continuation of development. In the context of globalization, the reason cultural diversity still can be maintained is because this closely linked by national independence maintaining. One of the basic characteristics of culture is ethnicity. This is the cornerstone for this nationality based on the worlds nations. If one nation completely denies their own cultural traditions, loses the national self-confidence, and is willing to accept the alien to assimilation, it is the beginning of this nations decline. Once any kind of culture losing their national identity, it does not exist as an independent culture any longer. Establishing of the so-called globalization which are dominated by one specific kind of culture, its essence is to implement a cultural hegemony. It is a typical cultural imperialism. The term of â€Å"cultural imperialism† is one of the numbers of terms emerging in the 1960s to criticize of society in a radical-spirit way. Since then this term is widely used by the intelligentsia. However its definition and connotation has always been fragmented and ambiguous. The referent is extremely broad and similar to one another in a high degree. This term came originally from the mixture of two words culture and imperialism, and these two words in itself is extremely complicated and prone to doubt. The objective for synthesis of this word is to provide a concept which is similar with a protective umbrella, meanwhile it accommodates a very a wide range of topics. In certain circumstances, it can be defined as: â€Å"The use of political and economic power to exalt and spread the values and habits of a foreign culture at the expense of a native culture† (Tomlinson, 1991). Such a definition itself tends to think that the essence of cultural imperialism is to pro mote and spread the values in the habit, and in this process, â€Å"political† and â€Å"economic† power only plays an instrumental role. However, many of the discussion about cultural imperialism, in fact, more emphasize on the significance of economic role. While all cultural factors, but is a tool, is one used to support political and economic domination. In other words, the process of the imperialist countries controls other countries is cultural advanced. The imperialist countries export to other countries cultural forms of supporting the imperialist relations, and then complete the state of the imperial domination. Just like American scholar Jameson pointed out in 1986 that the First World countries master the worlds cultural output initiative. They can mandatorily indoctrinate their own values and ideologies to the Second World through media. At the same time however, the disadvantaged and marginalized Third World countries can only passively accept. Their cultu ral heritage is at risk, and their cultural values and ideologies are under constant infiltration as well. The aggression and infiltration of the First World culture provoked opposition from Third World culture, and the struggle against cultural colonial and hegemony which resulting the cultural conflict is inevitable. For a curtain period, many countries from Europe to the Americas, from Africa to Asia, a lot of new content have been appearing for the popular culture and daily life. Jeans, McDonalds, rock and roll, Hollywood blockbusters, or even the Western middle-class lifestyle, taste and pursuit, etc., have been becoming the new kind of fashion. People enjoy the Western civilization through eating, drinking and being merry; accept unconsciously the edification and influence of Western culture. Such cultural infiltration is more effective than the wars using of aircraft and missiles. Some cultural infiltration could lead many countries lose not only their national identity, but themselves as well, and then accept the Western values and institutions involuntarily. The external violence, such as missiles, is not very terrible, but more frightening than the missile is the economic and cultural which is a sort of subtle and underhanded soft knife. If the old imperialism mainly used guns to conquer the world and enslave the weak peoples, the â€Å"cultural imperialism† in virtue of cultural infiltration, quietly conquers the hearts of people from other countries and allows them to consciously obey the superpower hegemony. In the context of economic globalization, any country with the independent cultural tradition must safeguard their own cultural tradition, cultural benefits and cultural security by taking positive measures. Many countries and even some western developed countries use â€Å"multi-polar cultural theory† to against American â€Å"unilateral cultural strategy†. For instance, in 1989, the European Parliament passed through the â€Å"Television without Frontiers Directive (TVWF)† to ensure the playing time for the European film and television works; At the same time EU determined the six standards of â€Å"cultural exception†; In 1993, France, Canada and other countries in the Uruguay Round negotiations put forward the â€Å"cultural exception† concept which states that cultural exports should be treated differently than other goods in trade negotiations because national cultures should be protected. In my point of view, economic globalization and economic integration is indeed a tide and trend which cannot be stopped. However in contrast, the culture probably cannot be fully integrated. Generally speaking, there are both globalization and integration factors for culture, but also exist factors that cannot be completely globalized and integrated. The anti-globalization demonstration in Seattle and the protest by German people when the U.S. president visiting to Germany demonstrated that even in the west itself, there are widespread anti-globalization voices. Culture is far beyond the simple material production. It is a more advanced and more complex human spirit activity. The cultural homogenization which right followed of globalization should not be prematurely optimistic estimated. However these issues are well worth pondering: what aspects of culture is the ability to globalize and integrate; what are not the factors? To answer these questions, a special study on â€Å"culture† should be necessary. First of all, there is a commonality side between human feelings and ideas. In the process of creating its own history, human beings also create their own spiritual and emotional world. Although for the different regions and different ethnic people, their display form for the emotional and other spiritual activities are varied, there are some common areas that are communicable and blended with each other. Only in this way, humans can be closely linked rather than gapped. In this sense, cultural globalization is feasible and should be. Secondly on the other hand, factors for culture which cannot be globalized and integrated still should not be ignored. These cultural factors constitute the core of the different national cultures. Language is one of such cultural factors. Language is the carrier of any culture; moreover also constitute the core of different cultures. We can see that the globalization of strong languages, such as English, is contributing to the demise of many minority languages. In nowadays, about 20 kinds of languages are disappearing around the world every year. With the disappearance of these languages, those related natural cultures of disadvantaged groups have been becoming extinct. What is more, discussing literature and art is inseparable with the language. For a nations culture, literature is the most distinctive and ethnic. If the language can be globalized, in addition to those nations who use strong languages, the literature works with other languages will also completely eliminate as the languages disappearing. Language for literature is not just a medium. Disappearance of the various and colorful national languages could lead the spirit of literature to be sameness and narrow. The demise of literature which is the most characteristic is a symbol of the demise of the national culture. Therefore linguistic, as the core element of culture is not possible to or should not be integrated. The idea of cultural globalization is not able to fully become a reality. On the one hand, it is a consequence of increasingly frequent cultural exchanges in the process of economic integration; it is a real-life activity within an era of communication and dialogue. On the other hand, different cultures must keep their own unique contents and large or small differences, so that it can be able to communicate and dialogue. Homogenization of culture, unlike the process of economic activities, is not straightforward. It has many extremely important and unintegrated factors. Moreover, cultural diversity is a basis for the harmoniously existence of human civilization world. In the same way, diversity of literature and arts make a healthy and vibrant future. However at the same time, we have to admit that a fact that cultural globalization is an irresistible historical trend. The reason is decided by the cultures own characteristics. The cultures all have their own roots and soil of survival and development. They inevitably have regional, local, special and relatively stationary characteristics. Once the national cultures abandon their traditional forms, thus it means giving up their history and losing the foundation and conditions for further development. Meanwhile, the cultures possess universal, dynamic, penetrative and expansive features as well. Although culture always manifested itself through the specific form of history, showing of human nature, strength and scale aspects during the activities of human beings changing the world also outlines the indispensable common elements of different nationalities and different cultural systems. Any culture, regardless how unique the form is or how varied the content is, is based on certain modes of production and a certain form of society. Any variety of large or small size of cultural system subordinates to the â€Å"mother system†. It has the most general feature of culture, which is the bi-directional convective. This characteristic determines any kind of national culture is the unity of the static and dynamic. It is both single and diverse; it belongs with both nation and the whole world. The â€Å"aboriginality† for any local culture, in fact, is only a relatively significance. At the present day, as the earth becoming a village, the trend of â€Å"one world one family† is increasingly obvious. Cultural globalization has become an unstoppable tide. Cultural globalization, in brief, is that while economic globalization, the local culture opening active dialogues to the exotic culture with an open posture, developing and replenishing itself during the mutual exchange. So that the global culture can present that both unity and diversity, univers ality and uniqueness can be accomplished without coming into conflict. In short, inexistence of the state of cultural isolation, interdependence and development of multi-culture, and co-existence of the particularity of local culture and the universality of the worlds culture constitute the organic content of the cultural globalization. It can be seen that cultural globalization must not be understood as an assimilation of different global cultures or â€Å"westernization†. On the other hand, it precisely shows a kind of scene that the world multi-cultural existing at the same time, interacting with each other and mutual constructing. Apart from this, with the trend of cultural globalization, there is an objective necessity for the various ethnic, regional and major cultural systems to occur â€Å"value conflicts† within the interaction. It is because different cultural patterns producing different culture bred factors, and they all have their own quality requirements and the specific scope of application. Therefore the â€Å"value confl icts† generated in the multi-cultural interaction is normal and inevitable. Undeniably, the entirely different cultural patterns formed under differentiation can create an advantage. On the other hand, occupying a higher position, including all of the cultural differences together could maintain an advantage as well. An Indian religion organization named â€Å"Baba† or can be said â€Å"Zaire† is a great example. The logo for â€Å"Baba† is a flower composed of two-layer petals and each layer contains 5 petals. Inside the 5 petals involves all kinds of the identity of the worlds major religions: Hinduism Europe Mother Fu, Christian Cross, Zoroastrianism fire, Islam Crescent and Buddhism The Wheel of Dharma. Each of the traditional logo is the product under the cross-culture, creation and new meaning. Such a strategy holds all the different religions that come from various cultures into one same faith: â€Å"Religion is only one, which is love; Language is only one, which is soul; Race is only one, which is human; God is only one, which is self†. This compatible spirit of the universe make â€Å"Baba† expand to the whole world, and its followers, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Mauritius, etc., have set up a total of more than 2,000 centers in 137 countries. In this case, it is no doubt that â€Å"Baba† is also a perfect successful example indicating the importance of creativity for cultural integration. Globalization has both advantages and disadvantages. Whether the globalization can benefit on national cultures development primarily depends on the definition of â€Å"globalization†. If the â€Å"globalization† aims to make a variety of culture develop and prosper jointly, that globalization is undoubtedly useful; if â€Å"globalization† is to make the western culture to dominate the development of entire world culture or advocate the â€Å"cultural imperialism†, this â€Å"globalization† is not acceptable from a cultural perspective. The impact of cultural globalization has big drawbacks on small nations. Under the powerful impact of globalization, the weak nations must give serious thoughts in order to avoid losing of autonomy for their local culture, and even assimilating by foreign cultures. Reference: Hamm, B. (2005). Cultural imperialism. Broadview Press. Jameson, F., (1986). Third-World Literature in an Era of Multinational Capitalism. Tomlinson, J., (1991). Cultural Imperialism. London: Printer. Yuanzi H., Xiaoyuan X.,(1998). Globalization and China. Beijing: CCTP.

Modern Labyrinth Essays -- Literacy Analysis

Film is a form of storytelling, and all stories are, in essence recycled, contemporary films must modernize a story of the past to make it accessible to modern audiences. This is the case with the film, Pan’s Labyrinth. The myth of â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur† has been rewritten and modernized in the 2006 film, Pan’s Labyrinth. The myth â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur† and the morals that exist within it, present a context in which it will be possible to interpret and analyze the film Pan’s Labyrinth as a modern day rewriting of the myth. In order to understand how Pan’s Labyrinth has been rewritten, it is important to first understand the original myth of â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur†. According to Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, the story of Theseus and his quest to slay the Minotaur begins long before Theseus’s birth. â€Å"Minos, the powerful ruler of Crete, had lost his only son†¦while the young man was visiting the Athenian King† (Hamilton 211). In order to seek revenge, Minos invaded Athens and â€Å"declared that he would raze it to the ground unless every nine years the people sent him a tribute of seven maidens and seven youths† (Hamilton 212). When the victims reached Crete, they would be sacrificed to a beast that was â€Å"half bull, half human†, known as the Minotaur (Hamilton 212). The Minotaur was housed in a labyrinth where â€Å"escape was impossible† (Hamilton 212). â€Å"To this place, the young Athenians were each time taken and left to t he Minotaur† (Hamilton 212). This ritual continued until one year, Theseus, son of the Athenian king and heir to throne, offered to be one of the victims. Unbeknownst to the people, Theseus had every intention of slaying the beast. â€Å"When the young victims arrived in Crete they were paraded before the inhabitants o... ...ce to bravely and defiantly act against authority rather than blindly remain obedient. This film shows the power of innocence over evil and the triumph of imagination over colorless servitude just as the original tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, but with a darker new interpretation. Works Cited Filmtracks Modern Soundtrack Reviews. (2007, January 05). Retrieved May 04, 2012, from http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/pans_labyrinth.html Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. https://content.ashford.edu Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. 1942. N.p.: Back Bay Books, 1998. Print VC. (2010, September 23). The Vigilant Citizen. Retrieved May 05, 2012, from The Esoteric Interpretation of Pan's Labyrinth: http://vigilantcitizen.com/moviesandtv/the-esoteric-interprentation-of-pans-labyrinth/

Between Harrison Bergeron and a&P

Tim Kenda English 102 Short Story Essay 2/28/10 Heroism Through Choice When people think of heroes, they often think of muscle bound men in spandex with unrealistic powers of flight, strength, or x-ray vision. But in real life, heroes are often determined based on the smallest of situations and their outcomes. In both of the stories I have chosen (A&P and Harrison Bergeron), the main characters are classified as heroes because of their willingness to defy the authoritive forces around them, whether it be the store manager Lengel in A&P or the Handicapper General in Harrison Bergeron, as well as their willingness to strike out on their own instead of adhering to social norms. In Harrison Bergeron, the main character Harrison stands up to a society that attempts to dull his individual qualities by ripping off his physical handicaps and temporarily liberating all of the oppressed people watching the television for a moment. In A&P, the main character stands up to his dreary, Sunday school teaching boss when he feels as though his boss has embarrassed three female customers in a grocery store. Both Harrison and the cashier pay the price for their defiance (Harrison gets killed and the cashier loses his job), and it is because of the character’s selflessness that the actions appear heroic. Both characters fit the definition of a hero, the cashier for his willingness to lose his job over what he deems an inappropriate action by his manager, and Harrison for ripping off (literally) the shackles that his society has placed on him in a fight to show his individualism. The fact that they performed these actions with no thought towards their own outcome helps outline their true heroic qualities. In the story A&P, the cashier exhibits a heroic quality when he quits his job due to a perceived insult made by his manager to three young ladies. While it first appears to be a dangerous and rash decision (quitting your job over an apparent slight made by your manager to a girl you do not know), the underlying factors actually make this a very heroic choice. When the cashier quits the A&P, he is not quitting as a direct result of that one insult but rather he is quitting because he does not want to work in what he views as a strict and religious workplace. After he quits, he looks back and sees â€Å"Lengel in [his] place in the slot, checking the sheep through. † and then goes on to describe Lengel by saying â€Å"His face was dark gray and his back stiff, as if he’d just had an injection of iron. †(Updike 529). When he sees Lengel in this state, he realizes that moments before that had been him. At the end of the story, the cashier becomes a symbol of the thoughts of many young people during the late fifties and early sixties. He does not want to work in the same dreary place for his whole life. He does not want to be just like his parents and Lengel. And despite that fact that he knows it will be hard, he makes the decision to strike out on his own, and consequently to fight back against what he views as a dreary and depressing reality. That is a hard decision to make, and a heroic one as well. As a result of his actions, the cashier in A&P not only commits a heroic gesture, he also becomes a symbol of the change that was taking place in the late fifties and early sixties. Many young people at that point in time were breaking away from what their parents were doing and were bravely striking off onto their own paths, just like the hero in our story. The overall theme of the story mirrors the same path, showing the drear and the tension and the uncertainty that crept into the American conscious following the start of the cold war and the adolescent urge to do something better than what ones parents did. The cashier represents many of America’s younger generation in that aspect. In the story Harrison Bergeron, the main character is a â€Å"genius and an athlete† and is sent to jail for â€Å"suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. †(Vonnegut 536). He then breaks out of jail and declares on national television that he is the emperor. Now in our society, these actions would be considered those of a madman or a lunatic. But in his society, Harrison’s actions are very heroic. When Harrison rips off his handicaps and declares to the world he is emperor, he represents the idea that individualism and competition are superior to similarity and monotony. His actions also represent the destruction of the limitations that society has attempted to place on him just because he was different. Also, the fact that he did this and was then killed makes it even more heroic. This shows us that Harrison’s real intent was not to simply take over the world, but rather his intent was to show everyone that they could be different and they could fight the limitations imposed on them. The theme of this story is one of oppression and normalcy, and idea that Harrison attempts to destroy. Harrison becomes a symbol of freedom and liberation, showing us as readers that it is possible to break free of social normalcy despite the possibly grave consequences. In both Harrison Bergeron and A&P the main characters in the story are considered heroic for their willingness to stand up against authority and their ability to commit what they perceive as â€Å"good† actions regardless of the consequences they face. In both stories society is a dull, oppressive place, and the characters fight against the oppression in their own unique ways. And ultimately each character suffers a consequence as a result of their actions. But despite these consequences, which in the story were apparent before the characters committed their actions, both characters made their choices based on what they believed was right. This is why the cashier and Harrison are both heroic figures in their stories. Works Cited 1. Updike, John. _A&P. Literature and its Writers. Ed. _Ann Charters, Samuel Charters. Bedford/St. Martins, Boston. 2009. 2. Vonnegut, Kurt. _Harrison Bergeron. Literature and its Writers. _Ed. Ann Charters, Samuel Charters. Bedford/St Martins, Boston. 2009.

Female Knights

Female Knights There are plenty of fierce women who have battled their way through history in politics and warfare. Although from an academic standpoint women could not generally carry the title of knight, there were still many women in European history who were part of chivalric orders and performed the duties of female knights without the formal recognition. Key Takeaways: Female Knights During the Middle Ages, women could not be granted the title of Knight; it was reserved for men only. However, there were many chivalric orders of knighthood that admitted women and female warriors who performed the role.Documented stories of women- primarily high-born- prove that they donned armor and directed troop movement in times of war. Chivalric Orders of Europe The word knight was not just a job title, it was a social ranking. For a man to become a knight, he had to be formally knighted in a ceremony, or receive an accolade of knighthood for exceptional bravery or service, usually in battle. Because neither of these were typically the domains of women, it was rare for a women to carry the title of knight. However, in parts of Europe, there were chivalric orders of knighthood that were open to women. During the early medieval period, a group of devout Christian knights joined together to form the Knights Templar. Their mission was twofold: to protect European travelers on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, but also to carry out secret military operations.  When they finally took the time to write down a list of their rules, around 1129 C.E., their mandates mentioned a pre-existing practice of admitting women to the Knights Templar. In fact, women were permitted as part of the organization during its first 10 years of existence. Lorado / Getty Images A related group, the Teutonic Order, accepted women as Consorores, or Sisters. Their role was an auxiliary one, often related to support and hospital services during times of war, including on the battlefield. In the mid-12th century, Moorish invaders laid the town of Tortosa, Spain, under siege. Because the towns menfolk were already off at battle fighting on another front, it fell to the women of Tortosa to set up defenses. They dressed in mens clothing- which was certainly easier to fight in- picked up weapons, and held their town with an array of swords, farm implements, and hatchets. In the aftermath, Count Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona founded the Order of the Hatchet in their honor. Elias Ashmole wrote in 1672 that the count granted the women of Tortosa numerous privileges and immunities: He also ordained, that at all publick meetings, the  Women  should have precedence of the  Men; That they should be exempted from all Taxes; and that all the Apparel and Jewels, though of never so great value, left by their dead Husbands, should be their own. It is not known whether the women of the Order ever fought in any battles other than defending Tortosa. The group faded into obscurity as its members aged and died out. Women in Warfare During the Middle Ages, women were not raised for battle like their male counterparts, who typically trained for warfare from boyhood. However, that doesnt mean they didnt fight. There are numerous examples of women, both noble and lower-born, who defended their homes, their families, and their nations from attacking outside forces. Margaret of Anjou directed troops during the War of the Roses. Hulton Archive / Getty Images The eight-day siege of Jerusalem in 1187 relied on women for success. Nearly all of the citys fighting men had marched out of town three months earlier, for the Battle of Hattin, leaving Jerusalem unguarded but for a few hastily-knighted boys. The women, however, outnumbered men in the city by nearly 50 to 1, so when Balian, Baron of Ibelin, realized it was time to defend the walls against the invading army of Saladin, he enlisted the female citizens to get to work. Dr. Helena P. Schrader, Ph.D. in History from the University of Hamburg, says that Ibelin would have had to organize these untrained civilians into units, assigning them specific, focused tasks. ... whether it was defending a sector of the wall, putting out fires, or ensuring that the men and women doing the fighting were supplied with water, food and ammunition. Most astonishing, his improvised units not only repulsed assaults, they also sortied out several times, destroying some of Saladin’s siege engines, and two or three times chasing the Saracens all the way back to the palisades of their camp. Nicholaa de la Haye was born in Lincolnshire, England, around 1150, and inherited her fathers land when he died. Married at least twice, Nicholaa was the castellan of Lincoln Castle, her family estate, despite the fact that each of her husbands tried to claim it as their own. When her spouses were away, Nicholaa ran the show. William Longchamps, a chancellor of Richard I, was heading to Nottingham to battle against Prince John, and along the way, he stopped at Lincoln, laying siege to Nicholaas castle. She refused to yield, and commanding 30 knights, 20 men-at-arms, and a few hundred infantrymen, held the castle for 40 days. Longchamps eventually gave up and moved on. She defended her home again a few years later when Prince Louis of France tried to invade Lincoln. Women didnt just show up and perform the duties of knights in defensive mode. There are several accounts of queens who traveled into the field with their armies in times of war. Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Queen of both France and England, led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She even did it while dressed in armor and carrying a lance, although she didnt personally fight. During the War of the Roses, Marguerite d’Anjou personally directed the actions of Lancastrian commanders during battles against Yorkist opponents while her husband, King Henry VI, was incapacitated by bouts of madness. In fact, in 1460, she defeated the threat to her husband’s throne by calling on the Lancastrian nobility to assemble a mighty host in Yorkshire that ambushed York and killed him and 2,500 of his men outside his ancestral home at Sandal Castle. Finally, its important to note that over the centuries, there were countless other women who donned armor and rode into war. We know this because although medieval European writers documenting the Crusades emphasized the notion that pious Christian women did not fight, the historians of their Muslim opponents wrote of crusading women battling against them. The Persian scholar Imad ad-din al-Isfahani wrote, a woman of high rank arrived by sea in late autumn 1189, with an escort of 500 knights with  their forces, squires, pages and valets. She paid all their expenses and also led them in  raids on the Muslims. He went on to say that there were many female knights among the Christians, who wore armour like the men and fought like men in battle, and could not be told apart from  the men until they were killed and the armour was stripped from their bodies. Although their names have been lost to history, these women did exist, they simply were not granted the title of knight. Sources Ashmole, Elias. â€Å"The Institution, Laws Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Collected and Digested into One Body.†Ã‚  Early English Books Online, The University of Michigan, quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A26024.0001.001?viewtoc.Nicholson, Helen, and Helen Nicholson. â€Å"Women and the Crusades.†Ã‚  Academia.edu, www.academia.edu/7608599/Women_and_the_Crusades.Schrader, Helena P. â€Å"Surrender of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187.†Ã‚  Defending the Crusader Kingdoms, 1 Jan. 1970, defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2017/10/surrender-of-jerusalem-to-saladin-in.html.Velde, Francois R. â€Å"Women Knights in the Middle Ages.†Ã‚  Women Knights, www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm.

The Reggio Emilia Approach

The Reggio Emilia Approach Introduction Environment consists of what surrounds us. It is a very important component since it influences the way an individual grows and develops. While to adults, environment may not be of much importance; for a developing child it is very important.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Reggio Emilia Approach specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Kerka (1999), an environment which provides children with learning opportunities is very important since it gives them a chance to investigate and explore the world around them. The importance of the environment to a developing child (one at preschool and also in primary school level) shall be discussed using the Reggio Emilia approach. The Reggio Emilia approach The Reggio Emilia approach focuses on the importance of the learning environment to a child and how it affects how the child learns and relates with other people. The approach indicates that it is always important for children to be able in a way to control how they conduct their education. This would be easier if the environment could offer opportunities through which the developing child could learn through touching and seeing. The approach tries to promote the intellectual development of the child through a systematic focus on images and symbolic representation. The approach also notes that it is very important for the children as they develop, they be exposed to an environment which allows them to express themselves freely without feeling intimidated. The approach also indicates that the environment should allow developing children to explore and discover the relationship between them and others as well as the surrounding environment (New, 2000). The curriculum focuses on interactions which move in line with the children interests. The ability of the environment to construct a knowledge base through which children are able to interact with leads to it being referred as the thir d teacher. The importance of the learning environment The importance of the environment in which a child develops in depends on the services that it is able to provide the child with. One of the major importance lies on its ability to give a child a space through which he or she can have a meaning and relate to. In this case, the environment offers various experiences and it is through these experiences that children are able to change the way they relate to each other, experience different life experiences and change their way of thinking towards some issues.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An environment through which a child develops also affects learning and relationships due to the different surrounding which a child is exposed to. For example, if we take an example of preschool, when children are exposed to others at young ages; they are able to learn through playing, photographs, pictures and so on. They interact freely and this gives them a chance of being innovative. In this case, the environment offers them a comfortable space where they are able to learn from each other. When the same kind of environment is provided in the classroom, the children are able to learn since the environment communicates and engages with them efficiently. Another importance of environment lies in its ability to provide the aesthetic value to the developing child. Aesthetic value enables children early in their development stages to express their feelings using colors, drawings and design. It is important to note that the aesthetic value of the environment does not have to be achieved by visiting places like museums rather the materials provided in the classroom can be able to provide this kind of environment. The way the environment is organized helps the child in concentrating on whatever activities they are engaged in. It also motivates the child in doing work i n creative ways. References Kerka, S. (1999). Creativity in adulthood. Washington, D.C. Office of Educational Research and Improvement. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED429 186. New, R. S. (2000). Reggio Emilia: Catalyst for Change and Conversation. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from: https://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/reggio.htm

The World's Most Ethical Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The World's Most Ethical Companies - Essay Example Blue Shield was started in 1939 by the Medical Association of California. It is based at San Francisco, California. It is one of the oldest health insurance companies and has over 3.5 million members and approximately 65,000 physicians (Richards, 2010). The company has developed several health plans. The main ones are individual health plans and family health plans as some of its products, as it offers to the community. The main purpose of the company is to ensure quality provision of health care services and effective costs favorable to the community. These outstanding motives make the company excel in meeting the needs of the consumers, its approach to the environment, and general employee treatment. 2. Determine at least two (2) ways in which the chosen company behaves in a morally responsible way toward each of the following: a. Consumers  b. The environment c. Employees 2.0 Ethical Behaviors practiced by the company towards the Environment The company wants to develop to be a responsible health care institution. This has been defined by its support of the community development and commitment in taking care of its consumers, who are mainly registered members. The effort made in this case is working hard to be socially responsible. This includes reducing the environmental pollution, recycling of material wastes and provision of composite services as explained below. 2.0.1 Reducing environmental pollution This is one of the vital steps taken by the company. It aims at maintaining good health in the surrounding community, as well as the whole environment. Blue Shield believes in a healthy environment as a critical contribution to the well being of the people of California. Pollution has been reduced by curbing air pollutants that come from the Bay Area including treatment of chemical wastes and dumping products in a safe and environment friendly manner (Reece, 2004). These pollutants are presumed to carry substances that make asthma condition of the affected patients worse. It is in the company’s mission not to only see profitable activities but also to strengthen and protect both the community and environment. 2.1.1 Providing Recycling and Compost Services This has been one of the company goals in its intention to maintain a healthy environment. The company recycles several materials that are environmentally unfriendly but reusable. Items such as plastics, bottles, and used cans and paper are recycled. These materials are not just from the company’s outputs, but also those by the community delivered to the company through a third party. In addition, to ensure a clean environment, there is an effort to use recyclable wares by Blue Shield. The materials can decompose, hence contributing as important nutrients to the soil. The company has also employed the services of a vendor, who takes IT materials for recycling (Reece, 2004) 2.1 Ethical Behaviors of the Company towards Customers The company service to customers is explai ned in their goals, which state clear adherence to complete and satisfactory service to its consumers while ensuring quality and affordable health care. High customer retention rate and ability to have repeat clients are the measures through which the company uses to gauge the effectiveness of ethical behavior and Blue Shield has realized the customers are satisfied. Secondly, the employees mandated with the responsibility to serve and take care of customers and attend to

Signs of American Life (McDonald's Restaurants) Essay

Signs of American Life (McDonald's Restaurants) - Essay Example A country's culture can be judged by many things, such as its language, films, drama, literature and of course, its cuisine. Although there are many regional variations of its cuisine, the single most visible form of American culture as exemplified by its cuisine is its fast foods. Fast food service restaurants are invented in America and McDonald's is its foremost example that combines the can-do spirit, its stringent individualistic attitudes towards life in general; a hurried pace of life, such that even eating is hurried and harried. In old Europe, eating is done in a leisurely manner as shown in its fine dining establishments but in America, it is different. A general mood is do things quickly in order to achieve material things in life and get ahead. Alexis de Tocqueville hit it on the right spot to have observed this restlessness in Americans; a general tendency to acquire material things that lead to disillusionment, disquiet, unhappiness and an unstated feeling of getting le ft behind by the faster, next fellow. (Tocqueville 1). Long before the term â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† was coined or invented, Alexis de Tocqueville had already put it succinctly what one single trait to describe the Americans. In his statement, â€Å"it is strange to see with what feverish ardor the Americans pursue their own welfare; and to watch the vague dread that constantly torments them lest they should not have chosen the shortest path which may lead to it† in which an observer gets the impression most Americans are always outdoing each other, not wasting even a single moment by eating fast. Instant coffee, instant meals and instant gratification are exemplified by McDonald's Restaurants in which a customer can order a quick bite and have it within a matter of minutes. McDonald's has been immensely successful because it catered to this American trait of having everything at once, not a minute longer than necessary. People who are always on the go who ne ed a quick bite can hop into any McDonald's outlet and expect to be served very