Arabs and isreal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arabs and isreal - Essay Example (Citron,25) This conflict has a religious background also as Israelis believe that this land was promised to them by God and have divine right to live and rule in this land. They consider this as their divine right because it was promised to them in Hebrew Bible. Muslims also consider this region as sacred because not only Muhammad stayed at Jerusalem on his night’s journey but they also believe that this land belongs to all children of Abraham and not to the children of his eldest Son Isaac only. Similarly, Christians also have religious reverence for the place and tend to accept the right of Jews to live and rule this land. Christians also view the return of Jews to this land as one of the important signs of Second Coming of Jesus Christ. All three major religions of the world therefore view this region as their own because this region is the center from where Judaism, Christianity and Islam emerged. There have been four large scale wars between Arabs and Israel on this issue including 1948 War of Independence, 1956 Sinai War, 1967 Six Day war and 1973 Yom Kippur War. All the wars resulted into damage to both the sides however, further complicated the overall relationships between various Arab States and Israel. As a result of 1948 war, Israel was also able to capture areas beyond its mandated boundaries and further demarcation in the land took place with Gaza Strip being controlled by Egypt and West Bank by Jordan. Many Arab States including Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with Israel. Peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was signed in 1979 whereas Jordan entered into a similar agreement in 1994 to end the conflict and hostilities while at the same time agreeing to resolve other issues. Israel’s relationships with other countries including Iraq and Iran however, remained volatile as Iraq attacked Israel during Gulf War in 1990s. Iran is also believed to be supporting Hezbollah and Hammas, the groups directly engaged with Israel in

The Two Revelations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Two Revelations - Essay Example The supporters of evolution and those of Christianity work for the same purpose. Beecher argues that the idea of human life has always been based on development. Christianity seeks to develop man from his simplicity and ignorance to a superior being (spirit). There are those who identify the truth live by it and eventually are rewarded to share in the glory of God. In the same capacity, evolution explains man in the same context as an animal who develops from the simplicity of life to have a superior mind and life. This is the reason for the apparent existence of contradictions. However, both ideas seek to understand the truth of life and should, therefore, be identified in the same spirit.The Bible will always be invaluable even though the human mind develops science to the wildest of imaginations. The truth is never complete, satisfactory or understood without adherence to its compatibility to life situations. This comprehensive fact concludes the whole argument. Beecher does not w ant the purpose of this deep insight to be diverted but he is subjective in purpose. Therefore, the evolutionists and people of varied age, class, denominations, and beliefs are reminded never to undervalue the wholesomeness of the holy book. He cites a man who has cursed the Bible facing so many tribulations that he finds consolation in his mother’s Bible. Overall, the pursuit of the truth should never compromise losing heaven or faith in God. The argument proves this beyond doubt. It is a clear masterpiece of its own kind.

Germany experienced a period of political Essay Example for Free

Germany experienced a period of political Essay Political calm, spd can’t compromise, Hindenburg causing problems, lack of cooperation between parties causing polarisation but no outright revolutions that happened during 1919-24, growing foreign relations lorcano/treaty of berlin Economic development, result of lorcano meant breathing space from reparations also dawes and young plan and rentenmark – dawes plan borrowed US money lead to increase in capital. Later though fulfilment still causing problems and unemployment pay is causing issues, increase in taxes Social progress, conservative right unhappy and manifests in literature and cinema expressing glory in WW1 contrasts with neue sachlichkiet modern Weimar culture, Bauhaus linking art and functionality. Highlighting social issues within Weimar Overall relative calm but lack of progress, economic development but in short term and social progress but not helping Weimar. The years 1924 to 1929 are often described as the ‘Golden years’ but it is debatable to what extent Germany actually experienced political calm, economic development and social progress during this time. Certainly there was not the turbulence of post-war Germany and the consequences of the crippling Versaille Treaty were not as harsh in this period but this does not mean it was a time of development and progress. It can be suggested that it was not a period ‘of political calm’, there was certainly a lot of tension between the various political parties that made up the many coalition governments in this period, the failure of so many governments alone suggests that there were serious political issues. The narrowing of the interests of each party meant that it was becoming increasingly difficult for effective coalition governments to be formed. The SPD were especially difficult in this time as they were against compromising with the ‘bourgeois parties’ as they felt a change in ideals would occur and proposed policies like the Heidelberg Programme which would see private ownership of industry be taken over by social owners. Obviously many parties from the left felt this but the SPD had the largest amount of seats in the Reichstag, over 150 at their peak in the 20’s, and therefore had the ability to put the government into a stalemate. The SPD’s inability to compromise makes the political stage even worse when Hindenburg is elected as president  in 1925. Hindenburg, being a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war and the general who won the battle of Tannenburg was already conservative and took as many steps as he could to reduce the power the SPD had. Hindenburg also believed the powers of the president should be unrestrained and even blocked a draft that would limit his ability to use Article 48. This incoduscive atmosphere meant that by the time the SPD were willing to cooperate with a coalition government, individual interests and polarisation of parties had developed and no one else was interested. Therefore this cannot be classed as a period of political calm due to the stagnant politica l system. However, it could be suggested that this tension is to be expected as people are still feeling the effects of the First World War and political calm could be defined by the lack of extreme political parties attempting to take over. When this era is compared to the years 1919 to 1924 it is by far a time of political calm as there were no outright attempts at revolution. The years before saw extreme right and left wing idealists try to take over and the fact that this was not attempted during the ‘golden years’ meant it was a time of relative political calm. This is not to mention the successes in Stresemann’s foreign policy, which put Germany back on track to becoming a serious European power once again. The admittance of Germany into the league of nations and the signing of various treaties, such as the Lorcano treaty, meant Germany were in a period of political calm; not experiencing the diplomatic humiliation of the years before. The various treaties signed by Stresemann also helped the economic development in this period. The Dawes gained significant investments from the US and the Young Plan reduced the reparations Germany would have to pay, and set a timescale for how long they would have to pay. This gave the country some ‘breathing space’ to repair and develop its own economy. The young plan, for example, reduced the amount they would have to pay by 1700 million marks than they would in conjunction with the Dawes plan. These plans, alongside the introduction of the rentenmark meant there was an increase in German capital in this period, which can certainly be classed as a period of economic development. Whilst there is definitely evidence of economic development in the mid-1920’s it did also experience financial issues. The increase in unemployment, 15% of the workforce were unemployed by 1929, put a heavy strain on the welfare system of Weimar Germany. The institution for paying unemployment benefits had to borrow money from the Government, 342 million reichsmarks, and the parties could not agree how to find this money. The SPD would increase taxes while the DVP would cut benefits. This can be seen as a backwards move in economic development, as the system did not address the problem of unemployment, but just found more money to pay it, with the decision of how to pay for the unemployment benefits was delayed until 1930. This can be seen as the government almost shooting themselves in the foot and making a short term fix for a long term problem. This short-sightedness can also be argued to be found in Stresemann’s policies, for borrowing money from the US. An international financial crisis would leave over-dependant-on-America Germany in a high amount of debt, which is what happened when the Wall Street Crash occurred. Therefore it can be said that these years were a period of economic development, but that there would be little long term effect on the country from these developments. Social progress is probably the only contention that can be absolutely agreed with, with very influential movements like the Bauhaus dominating this period of time, summed up as Neue Schlachkliet. This movement, saw a progression in modern views and an attempt to undermine the Weimar government by exposing the issues faced through literature, theatre and film. The need for educational and social reform was well documented and although this did not bode well for the Weimar government it definitely showed progress in attitudes of the general public. The conservative nature of many Germans could still be found and also classed as a social progress in the form of anti-democratic writings and films that promoted the glory of the First World war. The two social ideas both grew in this period, but neither celebrated the Weimar Government so whilst it was undoubtedly social progress it was not productive for the Weimar republic. There is definitely a case for political calm, economic development and social progress in the mid-1920’s but they were not necessarily the advances  that would warrant the term ‘golden years’. The political calm was only due to a lack of serious opposition to the government but still they could not successfully form an effective coalition government and whilst the economy did improve in this time the provisions made were short-sighted and the country was over-reliant on foreign investments. Whilst social progress was made in this era it is easy to see that the progress wasnot in the name of democracy and presented the Weimar government with future problems as popular ideology differed from what they promoted.

Why Was There a Spanish Armada Essay Example for Free

Why Was There a Spanish Armada Essay England and Spain have had religious differences since Henry VIII changed England into a protestant country as a result of the divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. When Henry died his son, Edward I, was a strong protestant and reinforced the protestant faith in England. When Edward I died at the age of 15, his half sister Mary became Queen. She was a strong Catholic, and this resulted in England returning to the Catholic religion which resulted in the persecution of non-Catholics. She married King Phillip of Spain who was also a devout Catholic. When Mary died, her half sister Elizabeth I became Queen of England, who immediately stopped the persecutions of non- Catholics and changed England back to protestant. The main reason for the Armada was because King Phillip of Spain wanted to take over England and to change it back to Catholic, just as Elizabeth had turned it protestant. King Phillip offered to marry Elizabeth thinking that he could have control over English politics and persuade her to keep the Catholic faith. After she refused his offer he made several failed attempts to kill Queen Elizabeth to replace her with a Catholic Monarch, Mary, Queen of Scotts. King Phillip was getting angry with Queen Elizabeth because she was letting English pirates attack Spanish ships as long as she got a percentage of the spoils. She also offered to help Protestants who rebelled against Spanish rule in the Spanish Netherlands. Elizabeth ordered the execution of her cousin Mary Queen of Scots, which convinced King Phillip to attack England. Queen Elizabeth knew that King Phillip had a big fleet of ships and lots of essential supplies. She sent the Royal Navy to do a surprise attack on the Spanish ships at the harbor in Cadiz. The British attacked and damaged several warships, some very severely. They also destroyed the barrels of food, water, and gun powder on the ships. They had to make new ones but they did not let the barrels dry long enough which caused the contents to spoil. The food rotted, the water became undrinkable, and the gun powder was useless. This delayed the Spanish Armada attack for one year.

Common Sense :: essays research papers

The Declaration of Independence And the work of Thomas Paine: Common Sense   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pamphlet Common Sense, made by Thomas Paine, was invaluable to informing the people of how they owed no loyalty to Britain. I am also a strong believer that this document indirectly helped lead to one of the key parts leading to the American Revolution, The Declaration of Independence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thomas Paine had failed in other lines of work as a corseter, seaman, and tax officer. He then met Benjamin Franklin who helped him immigrate to Philadelphia, where his journalism career began. He wrote the pamphlet Common Sense, which was a very strong defense of American Independence from Britain. Without his passionate, convincing words we may never have had as many colonists with a patriotic state of mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I’m sad to say that after this great contribution to his country he returned to England, engaging in other mishaps. He was incarcerated for not endorsing the execution of King Louis XVI. While in jail he became an atheist and wrote â€Å"The Age of Reason† which became the first section of the deist-atheist text. At least he helped influenced the American Revolution, and that’s what I think we should remember him by. As for the Declaration of Independence, I believe that his words influenced the representatives of the states, as well as the average American. On July 4th 1776 the thirteen states unanimously passed the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson. He was chosen because of his well-known skill of legible writing. It was not that the ideas shown of the document those of his own, but the shared ideas of many representatives, who would later on proof-check Thomas’ work to make sure no crucial ideas were left out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Declaration of Independence rights that still exist today are first installed.

Expectations in the Movie The Hours Essay -- Movies Film Woolf Brown V

Expectations in the Movie The Hours We expect those endowed with a gift - be it artistic, intellectual or circumstantial - to cultivate that gift and use it as a vehicle for excellence in life. In the movie The Hours Virginia Woolf, the 20th Century British author; Laura Brown, a doted-upon 1951 Los Angeles housewife; and Clarissa Vaughan, a 2001 New York editor; struggle with their gifts and the expectations they, and others, have for themselves. All three women are obsessed with finding the right balance between living, freedom, happiness and love. The Hours attempts to use one day to reflect Woolf s life and the impact her work has had on others. In the movie, Woolf is writing Mrs.Dalloway which Brown is reading and Vaughan sort of lives out. Woolf s novel connects the three women and affects their actions. It should be noted that Vaughan gets a lot less attention than Woolf and Brown and seems to be more of a manifestation of Mrs. Dalloway. Vaughan, like Mrs. Dalloway, is a great party planner and is in the process of planning a party for a friend. Vaughan also projects Mrs. Dalloway's outward confidence and inward confusion. THE GIFTS AND THEIR PRESSURES A main theme throughout the movie is freedom. All three women actively seek it and at the movie's end each woman chooses what she thinks is best: Woolf drowns herself, Brown leaves her family and Vaughan finally lets go of her longtime friend and past lover, Richard. Each woman's decision, fueled by the circumstances which surround her, is reached after much thought and deliberation. Woolf s concern is Leonard's sanity and happiness. She realizes the great pressure she puts on him and sees her suicide as a way of freeing him from being responsible for ... ... Biography, Volume 6: Modem Writers, 1914-1945. Gale Research,1991. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *"(Adeline) Virginia Woolf." Feminist Writers. St. James Press, 1996.Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *"Virginia Woolf." Gay & Lesbian Biography. St. James Press, 1997. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *Gay, Peter. "On not psychoanalyzing Virginia Woolf."American Scholar. Spring 2002 *Lee, Hermione. Virginia Woolf: A Biography Chatto and Windus, 1996. *Bell, Quentin. Virginia Woolf: A Biography Harcourt (New York, NY), 1972 *The Hours (The movie) DVD Extras Expectations in the Movie The Hours Essay -- Movies Film Woolf Brown V Expectations in the Movie The Hours We expect those endowed with a gift - be it artistic, intellectual or circumstantial - to cultivate that gift and use it as a vehicle for excellence in life. In the movie The Hours Virginia Woolf, the 20th Century British author; Laura Brown, a doted-upon 1951 Los Angeles housewife; and Clarissa Vaughan, a 2001 New York editor; struggle with their gifts and the expectations they, and others, have for themselves. All three women are obsessed with finding the right balance between living, freedom, happiness and love. The Hours attempts to use one day to reflect Woolf s life and the impact her work has had on others. In the movie, Woolf is writing Mrs.Dalloway which Brown is reading and Vaughan sort of lives out. Woolf s novel connects the three women and affects their actions. It should be noted that Vaughan gets a lot less attention than Woolf and Brown and seems to be more of a manifestation of Mrs. Dalloway. Vaughan, like Mrs. Dalloway, is a great party planner and is in the process of planning a party for a friend. Vaughan also projects Mrs. Dalloway's outward confidence and inward confusion. THE GIFTS AND THEIR PRESSURES A main theme throughout the movie is freedom. All three women actively seek it and at the movie's end each woman chooses what she thinks is best: Woolf drowns herself, Brown leaves her family and Vaughan finally lets go of her longtime friend and past lover, Richard. Each woman's decision, fueled by the circumstances which surround her, is reached after much thought and deliberation. Woolf s concern is Leonard's sanity and happiness. She realizes the great pressure she puts on him and sees her suicide as a way of freeing him from being responsible for ... ... Biography, Volume 6: Modem Writers, 1914-1945. Gale Research,1991. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *"(Adeline) Virginia Woolf." Feminist Writers. St. James Press, 1996.Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *"Virginia Woolf." Gay & Lesbian Biography. St. James Press, 1997. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRCÆ’Ã ¡ *Gay, Peter. "On not psychoanalyzing Virginia Woolf."American Scholar. Spring 2002 *Lee, Hermione. Virginia Woolf: A Biography Chatto and Windus, 1996. *Bell, Quentin. Virginia Woolf: A Biography Harcourt (New York, NY), 1972 *The Hours (The movie) DVD Extras

Causes of Childhood Obesity Essay -- Causes of Obesity in Children

When speaking of her 8-year old daughter's obesity, a prideful mother replies "Oh it's no big deal, she just still has her baby fat." Unfortunately, chances are that the daughter's obesity is not caused by her baby fat, but can be contributed to a combination of diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. Studies show that obesity among children 6-17 years of age, has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11 (Axmaker, 1). This obvious epidemic has raised great concern in the medical community because widespread childhood obesity has increased the prevalence of the once rare juvenile diabetes and pediatric hypertension (Bastin, 45). This concern has prompted intense investigation of the causes of childhood studies, aside from socioeconomic status, three major causes have been shown: diet, genetics or biological factors, and lifestyle. Because fat must have a source from which to increase, diet is an obvious contributor to obesity in children. Dietary guidelines recommend that children between the ages of 6 and 11 should receive about 1800 calories a day, with 50% from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein (Bastin, 47). With the ready availability of high calorie/high carbohydrate soft drinks, fruit juice, and high carbohydrate snacks, children?s diets have become increasingly less nutritious. Surveys conducted among children and teenagers have shown that 7 out of 10 children eat fruit once a day, and 5 out of 10 teenagers eat fruit once a day (Bastin, 47). Because children are replacing the missing fruit servings with high calorie snacks, weight gain will occur dramatically over time. An over consumption of 50-100 calories can lead to a gain of 5-10 pounds a year (Oklahoma Cooperative, 1). Many parents mistakenly encourage carbohydrates with a high-glycemic value as substitutes for fat and protein. Hig h-glycemic carbohydrates prevent fat breakdown and drive fat into fat deposits, causing fat to accumulate, which occurring in high levels is obesity. The era of home cooking has all but disappeared from our society, with meals being replaced with pizza, or fast food creating yet another innutritious aspect of children?s diets. Carbohydrates also take far less time to empty from the stomach than do those foods high in fat or protein, causing hunger (Buffington, 14). A child having eaten a b... ...ould be limited, while active play should be encouraged. If parents and children alike can create a healthy balance between genetics, diet and lifestyle, the growing issue of obesity may one day be no longer a concern, and generations will live to be healthier. Works Cited Axmaker, Larry. ?Childhood Obesity Should be Taken Seriously.? Online Posting 24 November 2004. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1-4. Bastin, Sandra. ?Perils of Childhood Obesity.? American Academy of Pediatrics Quarterly. Volume 31 (11/2001): 44-49. Retrieved Medline 9 April 2005. 1-5. Buffington, Cynthia. ?Causes of Childhood Obesity.? Beyond Change: Information Regarding Obesity and Obesity Surgery. Volume 17 (12/2003): 12-17. Retrieved Academic Search Elite 9 April 2005. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services. ?Special Issues: Childhood Obesity.? Online Posting 7 July 2003. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1-5. Reading, Richard. ?Increasing prevalence of obesity in primary school children: cohort study.? Child: Care, Health & Development; Vol. 28 Issue 2 (03/2002): 189-197 Retrieved Academic Search Elite 9 April 2005 Rush, Traci. ?Childhood Obesity.? Online posting 13 October 2002. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1.

A script written for television by Willy Russell Essay

A script written for television by Willy Russell In my essay I will write about the three most important scenes in the script. The story (set in the 1980’s) about a group of friends who fail a test of loyalty. They talk of community spirit and yet they can’t respect another’s decision. Their idea of community spirit is making and standing by one decision and not taking into account that not everyone wants that choice. The majority of the street act as sheep, following and not making decisions for themselves. This is shown when they follow Eddie’s decision to paint their houses yellow to show support for the local football team ‘Northside United’. Danny decides that he does not want to paint his house yellow! Eddie (who started the idea) tries to bully Danny into doing it, but he refuses and Eddie disowns him as a friend. Danny’s wife Susan and son Michael move out when he refuses to paint the house because Susan is embarrassed about his decision over the house. She eventually tricks Danny into leaving the house while it is painted yellow by other members of the street. Danny, who is angry and devastated that his family and friends care more about being on television that his feelings, leaves his house, the street, his wife and his son and walks away. The play is both dramatic and sad in many ways. The tension mounts as the reader goes on to discover what each character is like, and can almost predict the main events in the script -but then there’s a twist. The first dramatic scene is when Susan is first asking Danny to get on with painting their houses yellow. He asks her, if no one else was painting his or her houses yellow would she want it yellow? Her answer is no, she tells him that she doesn’t even like yellow. He then tells her that he won’t be painting the house. Susan tells him that it’s not his decision, the street has decided. This is important because it shows that the majority rules. Susan believes that if the ‘street’ wants the houses to be yellow then they should paint them yellow. She then goes on to say ‘don’t you support the team? ‘ and Danny replies that he does, but painting his house yellow is not the way he does it. The second most dramatic scene is where Danny decides that he will paint the house when his son Michael comes home crying because his friends wont play with him. He picks up some paint tins and brushes and heads for the door, but then there is a note pushed through the letterbox. It’s from Eddie and is threatening him to paint the house. When he opens the door Eddie and the others and stood outside. Danny pours the paint down the drain and then throws the empty can at Eddie. Just as he was about to ‘give in’ and paint the house he sees that Eddie wont stop until he gets what he wants and that makes Danny all the more determined not to be bullied into painting the house. Susan and Michael move out because Susan says that she is ashamed of Danny and their house. This scene is important because it tells us that Danny realizes that the other residents are ‘bullying’ him. If they cant get what they want then they will force him into it, if they can. The final most dramatic scene is where Danny receives a phone call saying that Michael was in hospital and he rushes out. He begs a friend to take him to the hospital but his friend says no because he knows that Michael isn’t really in hospital. Danny soon finds out that Michael is not in hospital but painting the house yellow with the rest of the street. Danny shouts at them, and knocks over the ladders. He asks them how far they will go just to get on television? Although he doesn’t say it, this line is like saying â€Å"is this worth sacrificing a friend†. Its important because it shows that Eddie and the others don’t really care about Danny and don’t really believe in the community spirit they keep talking about. Later on he locks the doors of the house and settles down to read the paper when Susan knocks at the door. She says that she wants to talk; she misses him and wants to move back in. He opens the door and lets her in before locking it again. Whilst they are talking Susan opens the door with her hand behind her back and Eddie and the lads come in. The stop Danny from getting outside whilst the house is finished painting. When it’s done, they let him go, he looks at the house, then at Eddie, Susan and the rest of his neighbors and walks away. Danny decides that there is nothing he can do, if this is what the people are truly like, then he doesn’t want to be there. He doesn’t shout or fight, he simply walks away as though tired of fighting and arguing because he knows that he can change nothing. Terraces is an important play, is serves as entertainment but also has a moral to the story. Just because the majority thinks something is right, it doesn’t mean that your own opinion doesn’t matter because it isn’t the same. This is relevant to everyday life because choices and decisions are made and the majority usually makes the final choice.

Health Policy

Value Dimensions of the Affordable Care Act President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted in March 2010 will increase health insurance coverage to millions of Americans. This is the first significant reform in health care in over 40 years and targets closing the gap of uninsured Americans by mandating insurance. There has been debate over the individual health insurance mandate and whether it is constitutional. Opinions on the individual mandate and the values it impacts are conflicting among all stakeholders.This talk will concentrate on the following stakeholder groups: (1) Insurance companies and (2) uninsured individuals who might otherwise choose not to purchase health insurance or do not have the means to do so (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012). It is no secret that health care has become increasingly unaffordable; cost of medical treatments and insurance premiums keep rising and society feels a moral obligation to insure that its citizens do not suffer from the una vailability of health care. The individual mandate provision has been and will continue to be one of the most controversial elements embodied in the ACA.This provision requires individuals to maintain minimum essential coverage each month or pay a penalty. This new law allows the American people to choose health insurance plans that work best for them by providing a short, plain language summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) as well as a glossary of commonly used insurance terms to all patients. Coverage includes those who, until now, have continuously been denied because of their existing health conditions Beginning (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, 2010). January 1, 2014, all U. S. esidents are required to maintain the previously mentioned essential coverage unless the individual falls into certain categories including the following: religious conscience exemption, incarcerated individuals, undocumented aliens, when contribution exceeds 8% of household income and individua ls with a coverage gap of less than 3 months, individuals in a hardship situation as defined by the Secretary of Department of Health & Human Services, individuals with income below the tax filing threshold, and members of Indian tribes (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, 2010).The Affordable Care’s Act does decrease the number of uninsured compared to if this legislation did not pass. The policy of mandating insurance provides an incentive for individuals to purchase insurance or face paying fines. Tax benefits induce employers to provide coverage to their employees. Employers may even provide more health awareness programs to reduce health costs. Provisions under this legislation also decrease the number of underinsured including the healthy young individuals who might otherwise choose not to purchase health insurance.The ACA will also eliminate barriers for interstate insurance providers and encourage more competition to provide a low-cost advantage for the uninsured. This may also lead to nonprofit agencies being developed to provide a low cost option for the uninsured. The Individual Mandate and the entire ACA will impact the health of all Americans. The ways the individual mandate may impact consumer access to healthcare, healthcare quality and costs and insurance companies is still debatable depending on which stakeholder group you are aligned with.The ACA will expand coverage to nearly 95% of consumers that reside in the U. S legally (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012). Consumers previously not covered under government programs such as Medicaid will be able to receive healthcare benefits through those programs. In addition, preventive care will be free and seniors will have access to cheaper prescription drugs. The ACA also provides incentives to primary care providers to practice in underserved areas which will also expand consumers’ access to healthcare.On the other hand, cuts in Medicare will take place at a time when millions of bab y-boomers become eligible for Medicare and some Americans could lose access to their current health care plans as a result. The ACA also establishes several new rules and controls for insurance companies including requiring that they cannot deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, must spend a certain percentage of premiums collected on actual patient care costs.These new rules provide protection for consumers and ensure insurance companies are held accountable for the care and services provided to patients that are enrolled in their plans (Friedman & Becker, 2012). Another major issue that has raised considerable debate and even led to law suits being filed is the constitutionality of the ACA. Those who oppose healthcare reform argue that it is unconstitutional for Congress to require that every person purchase health insurance. However, the ACA improves ccess to healthcare which promotes the general welfare of consumers, and thus congress has the power to spend money to promote general welfare. Although the ACA has several short-comings that are currently being debated and others yet unknown, the bill’s potential to improve access to care for the uninsured, reduce healthcare costs and make insurance companies more accountable make it worth the trouble. As with any major change, working out the problems over time will be required to allow the ACA achieve the goal of improving the health status and overall life quality of consumers (Friedman & Becker, 2012).References Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island. (2010). Federal Healthcare Reform. Patient protection And affordable care act individual mandate & subsidy. Retrieved from: https://www. bcbsri. com/BCBSRIWeb/pdf/Individual_Mandate_Fact_Sheet. pdf Friedman, A. & Becker, N. (2012). Understanding the Individual Mandate’s SCOTUS Pivot Points. Justices ponder adverse selection, a potential death spiral and severability. Retrieved from: http://ldihealtheconomist. com/he000023. shtml Kaiser Famil y Foundation (2012). Health reform. Retrieved from: http://healthreform. kff. org/

Account for the continued existence of gender inequalities at work

Despite the laws and movements, women still do not enjoy equality in the workplace, in position or wages. In this essay I will discuss the origins of gender inequality in an effort to find out where this was first instigated. Initially I will talk about the historical motives of gender inequality and the work of the earlier women's movements and campaigns for equal rights in the early 1900's. I will then discuss various feminist theories of gender inequality, including recent government statistics. Finally I will conclude with my own viewpoints on gender inequality in the workplace in an attempt to discover why it continues to exist today. Ann Oakley 1981(cited in Haralambos and Holborn) gave a historical analysis of the changing role in society for women from before the industrial revolution in the 19th century to the 1970's housewife. Oakley says that men and women and also the children of the working class were employed in the factories. 1819 saw the beginning of the factory act that gradually restricted child labour. From 1841 to 1914 (the beginning of World War 1) women were seen as a threat to men and their employment. In 1852 women's employment was greatly reduced by The Mines Act which banned women from working in the mines, tradition said women should be in the home as a housewife and mother. In 1851 only 1 in 4 women were in paid employment by 1911 it was 1in 10. With the combination of these various acts passed and the growing restrictions on women's employment, more and more women began to stay at home but not by their own choice. Harolambos and Holborn 2000 p. 144) World War I saw many women return to the workforce while men were away fighting in the war; the economy needed women in the workforce even though they were paid less than they were worth. In February of 1918 the representation of people's act gave 2 Women the right to vote for the first time. Under this act only women over 30 were allowed to vote if they were householders, wives of householders, paying annual rent over i5, or graduates of British universities or women who were qualified although not graduates. About eight and a half million women were able to vote in the 1918 election. Women also became eligible to stand as MPs. Several suffragette campaigners stood for Parliament in the 1918 election. None were successful. Between 1914 and 1950 many women returned to work, but their primary role was still seen as that of the housewife/ mother, the industrial revolution had initiated many significant changes for women. Men were not happy about this as seen in the words of Jack Tanner: â€Å"We, as an organisation are opposed to the introduction of women as a general principal. â€Å"(Cited in Walby 1987). Braverman (1974) disagreed with Tanner saying there was a strong case for women being encouraged into the labour force, and that necessity for cheap unskilled labour was a requirement created by employers. Jack Tanner (at the time the leader of the Amalgamated Engineering Union in 1940) was doing his utmost to prevent women entering the male dominated workplace. The reason why men like Tanner should be so opposed to women to work in his male dominated union was not just because of their fear that women would work for fewer wages than men it was more a system of patriarchal objections which women's employment threatened to disrupt. Walby 1987 p2-3) 1970 saw the Equal Pay Act, which meant that women were to receive equal pay to men if they were employed to do similar work of the same value. In 1975 the Sex Discrimination Act was brought in to stop discrimination on the grounds of sex in employment, education and equal chances of promotion. Women in work i. e. paid employment have recently increased, between 1971 and 1997 (E. O. C. briefings, Work and Parenting) the percentage of women in work has increased so that women have now caught up with men in the labour market. The main reason for this is that more and more married women are going outside the home to work, although lone mother's statistics have dropped. (Harolambos and Holborn) 3 Sylvia Walby in Gender Transformations (1997) agrees with these findings, saying that since the 1980's integration of women in the male dominated workplace has increased dramatically, the number of women occupying higher ranking positions mainly in the professional and managerial careers has risen by 155% as opposed to a 33% rise by men. An increase in women's educational qualifications is seen as one of the main reasons for this remarkable boost to women's participation in higher ranking jobs. (Cited in Robinson and Richardson 1997) Norris (1987) says unquestionably women have always worked, but it is in caring for children and the elderly and the preparation and serving of food and looking after a household, known as unpaid labour, this has constantly been invisible in official statistics. One of the most significant changes for women in the labour force since the 1960's has been the percentage of women returning to the workforce and the decline of men's employment. Recently for every 6 men in paid employment there were 4 women, it has been predicted that these trends will continue to increase. However there are visible differences between some countries, in Scandinavia and North America, for example, women make up half the official labour force compared with less than a third in Spain, Ireland and America. In countries such as Canada Portugal and Norway the number of women in paid employment doubled. However in countries such as France, Britain and Germany, Women have been known to leave the workforce to start a family only to return in later years, this is known as the ‘M' curve. (Politics & Sexual Equality1987) Women in work i. e. paid employment has recently increased, between 1971 and 1997 the percentage of women in work has increased so that women have now caught up with men in the labour market. EOC briefings, work and parenting1997) The main reason for this is that more and more married women are going outside the home to work, although lone mother's statistics have dropped (Hood 1997) 4. Barron and Norris (Haralambos and Holborn2000) argued that there are 2 not 1 labour market as outlined below: Primary labour market is made up from good salaries, job security, good working conditions and good promotion prospects; secondary labour market is made up from lower paid jobs, less job security, lower working conditions and less opportunities of job promotion. These work side by side but it is near impossible for someone from the secondary labour market to be promoted to the primary labour market. Primary sector workers include professionals and managerial, highly skilled manual workers, secondary include unskilled and semi skilled workers manual and non manual workers. Dual labour market results from employers using these methods to keep the type of labour they require so incentives are offered to keep highly skilled in the workplace, secondary sector are seen as dispensable, easily replaced, no incentives for high wages, job security, or promotions is offered to them. The dual labour market can apply to both men and women but mainly women, who are seen as easy to replace and having no interest in learning new skills and less concerned with high wages. Men are still seen as the major bread winner and women's seen as having low status in society and not normally belonging to unions is one of the reasons why they are not as likely to aim for primary sector employment. Normally once a woman begins secondary employment there is little chance she will progress to the primary sector (Haralambos and Holborn 2000) Gender divisions and inequality has been linked to feminist campaigners who have tried to put an end to sexual discrimination and inequality in the workplace. The dominance of males throughout society is known as Patriarchy. Patriarchy explains gender and radical feminist explain male power. Radical feminists like Susan Walby in 1997 explains that ‘Patriarchy is seen as the primary form of social inequality' the domestic area is not the only one that women participate in. She shows how the idea of patriarchy is useful in explaining the relationship between women's restriction's in 5 he private and public area by showing that they work equally to achieve this dependence as well as maintaining patriarchy. Walby explains that it is men who are to blame for women's oppression; women are treated unequal because of their unwaged position in society and also because of household commitments. (Robinson and Richardson 1997) Recently in America there have been various discussions about the Glass Ceiling Syndrome and that there is a certain plateau that women can progress to in the workplace, then reach no further. Below are the three methods by which these are implemented; . Networking by word of mouth – most large companies fill vacancies through word of mouth connections, employees are sometimes identified and interviewed (at lunches, dinners or clubs) and then made an offer of employment outside normal working hours 2. Networking by Employee Referrals – an employee refers another employee from a group of (mostly) men mainly from within their own social group; this again does little for the promotional prospects of women. 3. Executive Search Firms – some companies use executive search firms to fill a large number of highs ranking jobs. Some companies have not made some of these firms aware of the equal opportunity obligations under the law. (www. theglassceiling. ) One of the projects that the government has recently introduced is the Work track Programme; this was said to benefit long term unemployed and to help them gain new skills and also to help them back into the workforce. It was said to be particularly beneficial to single parents (mainly women) with children as the family credit top up could be claimed. The downside of this was that it only lasted for 6 months. It created a false feeling of wealth and it was short term, the after effects are longer lasting. Personally I participated in this programme and although I thoroughly enjoyed my work experience it was very difficult to go back to income support. Many other non Work track jobs I applied for were not as flexible, wages were a lot lower and childcare was not as easily accessible, and there was also no follow on programme 7 either which would have been very helpful. On completing this Programme participants are informed that they will be ineligible to partake in any other Worktrack courses for the next three years. Personally I believe this is very unfair, on one hand he government is giving long term unemployed the opportunity to get a taste of what it is like to get back into the labour market, many of the women in this project had not worked for a long time either because they had stayed at home to raise a family or because of lack of skills or educational qualifications and just when they believe they are getting out of the poverty trap the government takes it away from them. Basically it looks to me like another way for the government rigging the unemployment benefit statistics to look as though there are more women in employment than there actually is. Unfortunately I can only account here for some of the reasons I believe exist for the continued gender inequality in the workplace today, in my remit of 2000 words it would be impossible to cover everything. It is, I feel significant and ironic that it had to be a woman, Ann Oakley, who undertook the first ever study on women and housework, she was incidentally told by her boss (probably a man) ‘to go away and come back with a proper topic'. (Harolambos and Holborn 2000)) In my research for this assignment I have to confess to feeling at times more than a little angry at the blatant and visible discrimination of women in the workplace down through the years. Gender equality in the workplace is still a myth that I personally believe will not be solved in the immediate future, although it has certainly improved in past few decades. I acknowledge that men have been somewhat discriminated against also but nowhere near the same level that women have been and not for such a long period of time. In an ideal world men and women would share equal rights, equal pay and equal status in all societies.

Race

Race Race appears very "natural" because it is normal to want to classify certainpeople into different groups to make it easier for us to understand. However, our skincolor was the reason that protected us from the environment. So basically, we are all thesame and we should not be put into certain categories of race just because we all camefrom different climates which affected our skin color. Our bodies just had to adapt to thesun's rays so therefore it is not natural to have different races.For example, most individuals are not white or black but brown .There is noracial category for being brown which is quite ironic if most people are brown. When youfill out an application you check off Hispanic, African American, or Caucasian. There is nomixed category on that application like African American and Caucasian.Furthermore, "brown skinned ancestors may have been shared by modern dayblacks and whites as recently as 10,000 years ago.Dennis Kearney (1847-1907), Irish-American politic...It is so infamous due to the fact that it was the first bill that discriminated against any one particular race. Restrictions on immigration may seem to have been eradicated from current history but that is an oversight. Even in the 'politically correct' society we live in today allows for these discrepancies, for in the Immigration Act of 1990 which brought up controls for immigration.Behind all these legal documents there are reasons that spurred these causes. Certain prejudices against certain races or religion. The prejudices were not always a color issue as the current immigration problems are. In the beginning it was primarily Europeans. In particular the Irish and German were thought of negatively. The percentage of the Irish in the Mid-Atlantic went from 45.9% in 1870 to 48.5 in 1930. Germans in 1870 went from 31.4% to 35.6% in...

Definition and Examples of Complement Clauses

Definition and Examples of Complement Clauses In English grammar, a complement clause is a  subordinate clause that serves to complete the meaning of a noun or verb in a sentence. Also known as a complement phrase (abbreviated as CP). Complement clauses are generally introduced by subordinating conjunctions (also known as complementizers) and contain the typical elements of clauses: a verb (always), a subject (usually), and direct and indirect objects (sometimes). Observations and Examples A  complement clause is  a clause which is used as the complement of some other word (typically as the complement of a verb, adjective or noun). Thus, in a sentence such as He never expected that she would come, the clause that she would come serves as the complement of the verb expected, and so is a complement clause.(Andrew Radford,  Syntax: A Minimalist Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 1997)Complement Clauses as Noun ClausesComplement clauses can be that-clauses, wh-clauses, ing-clauses or infinitive clauses. The most common type is a complement clause following a verb. . . . In versions of grammar that use the concept of complement clause, it largely or entirely replaces the concept of nominal clause (or noun clause) referring to a clause that can occur in positions where noun phrases occur. For example, in Id like to carry on, the infinitive complement clause is the object of the main clause, filling a position where a noun phrase could occur.(Geoffrey N. Leech, A Glossary of English Grammar. Edinburgh University Press, 2006) Types of Complement ClausesRecently, linguists working in the influential theory known as generative grammar have used the term complement to refer to variously closely related kinds of subordinate clause, namely:Subordinate clauses which on their own serve as the direct object of verbs such as believe, tell, say, know, and understand; the subordinate clauses are the complements of these verbs.Subordinate clauses which modify various nouns such as story, rumour,  and fact, and adjectives such as proud, happy, and sad; the subordinate clauses are the complements of these nouns and adjectives.Subordinate clauses which on their own act as the subject of sentences with such predicates as be a pity, be a nuisance, be unfortunate, seem, and happen. These clauses are called subject complements or subject complement clauses.. . . Sometimes the term complement clause is extended to the adverbial type of subordinate clause as well.(James R. Hurford, Grammar: A Students Guide. Cambridge Unive rsity Press, 1994) Examples- You may call me Bob. From now on, I am Bob. I can assure you that Bob is quite proficient at electronic data manipulation. Without question one of the worlds finest.(Ted Dekker, Heavens Wager. WestBow Press, 2000)- Imagine that Frank is a fan of his towns soccer club. He always wears the same shirt when he watches his club play. He believes that they will win if he puts on the shirt at just the right time before the game starts.(Joshua James Kassner,  Rwanda and the Moral Obligation of Humanitarian Intervention. Edinburgh University Press, 2013)- She said she was approaching 40, and I couldnt help wondering from what direction.(Bob Hope)- The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence.(Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969)

Free Essays on Life on the Mississippi

After reading the selections from Life on the Mississippi, I couldn’t help but feel a little confused and let down. From our past readings, I had begun to appreciate Twain and his style of humor more and more only to be surprised by what I feel is a surprisingly dull book with nothing to really laugh out loud about. From the get go, I was expecting something more like The Innocents Abroad, or Huck Finn; what I got was facts, followed by boring recollections, toped off with more facts. If I was looking forward to reading this book from a historical sense, and had I been in the proper mind state, I might be able to say that I enjoyed it on some level, but because I had my expectations set on humor and some good, quick witted ribbings my opinion of this book found itself falling as the page numbers increased. Now I don’t want to outright bash the book and say it was no good, I simply want to say that I was caught off guard by its straightforwardness. I would compare it to this scenario. Take a master photographer like Anne Geddies, an artist who’s work is almost entirely children. If she was to take a photograph of a dying elderly man, no matter how esthetically perfect and pleasing it is to the photographic community, I still wouldn’t fit in the description of what is expected of her even though the work was done with the same skill and attention. One passage that illustrates my point perfectly is the beautiful description of the river captures in beautifully graphic detail. Twain speaks of what he sees as the natural beauty of the river and then goes beyond to speak about the underlying scientific values of such sights. The Twain that I enjoy reading is not the kind of guy who gets sentimental about such things, but makes fun of the guy who is sentimental of such things. There are some points in Life on the Mississippi that, to me, stand out where twain tried to make the book more attractive to the skeptical Twain read... Free Essays on Life on the Mississippi Free Essays on Life on the Mississippi After reading the selections from Life on the Mississippi, I couldn’t help but feel a little confused and let down. From our past readings, I had begun to appreciate Twain and his style of humor more and more only to be surprised by what I feel is a surprisingly dull book with nothing to really laugh out loud about. From the get go, I was expecting something more like The Innocents Abroad, or Huck Finn; what I got was facts, followed by boring recollections, toped off with more facts. If I was looking forward to reading this book from a historical sense, and had I been in the proper mind state, I might be able to say that I enjoyed it on some level, but because I had my expectations set on humor and some good, quick witted ribbings my opinion of this book found itself falling as the page numbers increased. Now I don’t want to outright bash the book and say it was no good, I simply want to say that I was caught off guard by its straightforwardness. I would compare it to this scenario. Take a master photographer like Anne Geddies, an artist who’s work is almost entirely children. If she was to take a photograph of a dying elderly man, no matter how esthetically perfect and pleasing it is to the photographic community, I still wouldn’t fit in the description of what is expected of her even though the work was done with the same skill and attention. One passage that illustrates my point perfectly is the beautiful description of the river captures in beautifully graphic detail. Twain speaks of what he sees as the natural beauty of the river and then goes beyond to speak about the underlying scientific values of such sights. The Twain that I enjoy reading is not the kind of guy who gets sentimental about such things, but makes fun of the guy who is sentimental of such things. There are some points in Life on the Mississippi that, to me, stand out where twain tried to make the book more attractive to the skeptical Twain read...

Varying Assignments to Enhance Student Learning Styles

Varying Assignments to Enhance Student Learning Styles Methods for Varying Assignments Each student comes to your class with their own learning style strengths and weaknesses. Some will be stronger at auditory learning or learning through listening and sound. Others might find they learn better visually, gaining understanding through reading and writing.  Ã‚  Finally, many  students will be stronger kinesthetic learners, learning better through hands-on activities. Therefore, it is important that we present lessons to students through a variety of techniques that play to each of their strengths. While most teachers know this and try to vary presentation techniques as much as possible, it can be quite easy to forget about changing up assignments. In other words, if your student is an auditory learner, their understanding of the material will be reflected better through an auditory method. Traditionally, we have students present us with what  they have learned through written means: essays, multiple choice tests, and short answers. However, some students might do a better job reflecting their comprehension of what they have learned through either verbal or kinesthetic means.   Therefore, requiring students  to vary their responses can not only help more of them shine by working in their dominant learning style but it can also allow all students the chance to find new ways to learn.   Following are ideas for activities that you can have students complete in each of their dominant learning styles. Realize, however, that many of these actually play to the strengths of more than one category.   Visual Learners Typical Written Activities - These include assignments like essays and short answer questions.  Outlining - Students can outline a chapter in a book or other reading assignment.  Flash Cards - Students can create flashcards that they can not only submit as an assignment but also use for review.  SQ3R - This stands for  Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review and is quite an effective reading comprehension method.   Auditory Learners Cooperative Learning Activities - Activities that include auditory interaction between students can be quite powerful.Class Discussions - Students can discuss the lesson with teacher support.  Debates - Students can work in groups to debate an issue.  Recitations - Having students memorize and recite poetry or other readings also has the added benefit of helping improve their memory.  Musical Activities  - Students can use music in a number of ways. For example, in an American History class, students might find songs that represent the turmoil of the 1960s protests. You might also have students write their own lyrics to songs as a way to present the information that they have learned.   Kinesthetic Learners Dramatic Presentations - Having students present their information through a play or other dramatic presentation not only helps kinesthetic learners, but also auditory learners as well.  Speeches With Props   - Students can stand before the class and speak about a topic while using props.  Teacher  for the Day Activities - Give students parts of a lesson that they are to teach to the rest of the class. You can choose to have the students work individually or in small groups.  Simulations - Getting students moving around the classroom as they simulate an event like a presidential election can build  interest and excitement in learning.  Manipulatives - Students enjoy being able to use manipulatives in classes like mathematics and science.Incorporating Dance or Exercise - While this might not work in some  classes, allowing students the ability to choose to incorporate dance or exercise  as a method of lesson presentation can open up a whole new avenue of learning.  Outdoor Activities - Students  can be given assignments that require them to go outside and move around.    Obviously, your subject matter and classroom environment will impact which of these would be the best fit for your students. However, I challenge you to move outside your comfort zone and try to find a way to not only represent lessons while incorporating all three learning styles, but also giving students assignments and activities that allow them to use different learning modalities as well.

Narrative Essay Trip to 6 Flags Essays

Narrative Essay Trip to 6 Flags Essays Narrative Essay Trip to 6 Flags Essay Narrative Essay Trip to 6 Flags Essay Shemp D. Howard Writin clas 9/21/112 Since my friends and I were seniors this year we decided that we needed to do something to celebrate us leaving Catskill. We spent many lunches at Subways trying to decide what we should do. We started out wanting to go to Cape Cod for the weekend. Then it went from Cape Cod to Boston, Massachusetts. Finally it ended up a day at Six Flags, New England. We decided that the best time to do this was on a Monday morning when everyone else is in school. That way their wouldn’t be as many people there and we could get to the lines quicker. We made a list of all the best rides that we wanted to go on. On June 8th I left my house around seven A. M. in the morning to go pick up my friend Jim from his house we went to Tim’s house to pick Tim up. Then we arrived at Brent’s house, we left my car there and took his. Once we got to I-90 we stopped at a rest stop to get some food. After we all ate we headed straight over to Six Flags. On the way there we talked about a lot of random things. Once we got to Six flags we already had our season passes so we headed to the main ride that we wanted to go on, â€Å"The Superman. There was no line there so we headed straight to the first cars. I sat next to Jim. Ben was behind me and next to Tim. The first drop was 220 feet straight down. On the left side I was right next to the river, on other side Jim was facing the park. For about ten seconds we were all weightless. At the bottom of the drop we were going 75 miles per hour. It was the best roller coaster I have ever be en on. We all decided to go on it two more times in a row before we finally decided to go find another ride. After â€Å"The Superman† we decided the next ride we should go to is the â€Å"Mind Eraser. On this roller coaster our feet were hanging beneath us. This ride had the most twist and flips in it that I have ever been on. With one part that goes into a double loop. I was impressed but it wasn’t as good as â€Å"The Superman. † I started to get hungry after that coaster so we decided that we might as well get some food before we went on the next ride. After eating some food, we decided to go over to the â€Å"Batman. † In the middle of the ride it started to sprinkle. I thought they were gonna close down some of the rides after we got off. The ain stopped though very quick so we got to keep going on rides. Even though the rain stopped, me and Ben and Tim didn’t feel like going on any more roller coaster right then since we just got done eatin g. We went walking around for a bit before we found something to do. They had these old bumper cars, we went over to them figuring it wouldn’t make anyone else sick. Since there was no line the guy let us keep going on. After seven times on we decided that it was finally time to get off and go do something else. When we were walking to the next ride on our list we saw there new thrill ride. Its called â€Å"The Catapult. † Ben and Tim still didn’t feel like going on a ride yet so Jim and I went. This ride flung us all over the place. First it goes in a clock wise motion spinning faster and faster. Then it goes in counter clockwise, flipping us upside down. After â€Å"The Catapult† Tom and Brent finally felt like going on some more rides. So we went to their very first roller coaster. This was the worst roller coaster because the whole ride was so jerky and sketchy. At some points it felt like the train actually went off the tracks. I decided that we weren’t going to go on any other older rides. It started to get hot and I still wanted to go on a water ride so we started to head over the â€Å"Blizzard River. † This is a huge raft ride that we actually had to wait in line for about 30 minutes. This was one of the best raft rides that I have been on as long for as I can remember. After the water ride it started to get late and I wanted to do other things that night. So we decided to go on â€Å"The Superman† one final time before heading out . Once again we had to wait in line for 30 minutes before we got to go on. I didn’t think it was as good this time because we were sitting near the middle of the train before we were in either the first car or the second. After this final ride we started to make our way out of the park. Before we go back on the thruway I was hungry again. So we went to a Friendly’s for the final part of our trip. After relaxing for awhile and eating we figured it was finally time to go home. So we go back in the car and headed home. Before we even got to the thruway Jim was asleep in the back seat. I fell asleep right after we got our toll ticket.

Difference Between Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, Fascism

Difference Between Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, Fascism Totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and fascism are all forms of government. And defining different forms of government isnt as easy as it might seem.   The governments of all nations have an official form as designated in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. However, a nation’s own description of its form of government can often be less than objective. For example, while the former Soviet Union declared itself a democracy, its elections were not â€Å"free and fair† as only one party with state-approved candidates were represented. The USSR was more correctly classified as a socialist republic. In addition, the boundaries between various forms of government can be fluid or poorly-defined, often with overlapping characteristics. Such is the case with totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and fascism. What is Totalitarianism? Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany September 1937. Fox Photos/Getty Images Totalitarianism is a form of government in which the state’s power is unlimited and is used to control virtually all aspects of public and private life. This control extends to all political and financial matters, as well as the attitudes, morals, and beliefs of the people. The concept of totalitarianism was developed in the 1920s by Italian fascists who attempted to put a positive spin on it by referring to what they considered totalitarianism’s â€Å"positive goals† for society. However, most Western civilizations and governments quickly rejected the concept of totalitarianism and continue to do so today. One distinctive feature of totalitarian governments is the existence of an explicit or implied national ideology, a set of beliefs intended to give meaning and direction to the entire society. According to Russian history expert and author Richard Pipes, Fascist Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini once summarized the basis of totalitarianism as, â€Å"Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.† Examples of characteristics that might be present in a totalitarian state include: Rule enforced by a single dictatorThe presence of a single ruling political partyStrict censorship, if not total control of the pressConstant dissemination of pro-government propagandaMandatory service in the military for all citizensMandatory population control practicesProhibition of certain religious or political groups and practicesProhibition of any form of public criticism of the governmentLaws enforced by secret police forces or the military Typically, the characteristics of a totalitarian state tend to cause people to fear their government. Rather than trying to allay that fear, totalitarian rulers tend to encourage and use it to ensure the people’s cooperation. Early examples of totalitarian states include Germany under Adolf Hitler and Italy under Benito Mussolini. More recent examples of totalitarian states include Iraq under Saddam Hussein and North Korea under Kim Jong-un. What is Authoritarianism? Fidel Castro circa 1977. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images   An authoritarian state is characterized by a strong central government that allows people a limited degree of political freedom. However, the political process, as well as all individual freedoms, is controlled by the government without any constitutional accountability In 1964, Juan Josà © Linz, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Political Science at Yale University, described the four most recognizable characteristics of authoritarian state as: Limited political freedom with strict government controls imposed on political institutions and groups like legislatures, political parties, and interest groupsA controlling regime that justifies itself to the people as a â€Å"necessary evil† uniquely capable of coping with â€Å"easily recognizable societal problems† such as hunger, poverty, or violent insurgencyStrict government-imposed constraints on social freedoms such as suppression of political opponents and anti-regime activityThe presence of a ruling executive with vague, loosely defined and shifting powers Modern dictatorships, such as Venezuela under Hugo Chvez, or Cuba under Fidel Castro, typify authoritarian governments.   While the People’s Republic of China under Chairman Mao Zedong was considered a totalitarian state, modern-day China is more accurately described as an authoritarian state, because its citizens are now allowed some limited personal freedoms. It is important to summarize the main differences between totalitarianism and authoritarian governments. In a totalitarian state, the government’s range of control over the people is virtually unlimited. The government controls nearly all aspects of the economy, politics, culture, and society. Education, religion, the arts and sciences, even morality and reproductive rights are controlled by totalitarian governments. While all power in an authoritarian government is held by a single dictator or group, the people are allowed a limited degree of political freedom. What is Fascism? Rarely employed since the end of World War II in 1945, fascism is a form of government combining the most extreme aspects of both totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Even when compared to extreme nationalistic ideologies like Marxism and anarchism, fascism is typically considered to be at the far-right end of the political spectrum. Fascism is characterized by the imposition of dictatorial power, government control of industry and commerce, and the forcible suppression of opposition, often at the hands of the military or a secret police force. Fascism was first seen in Italy during World War I, later spreading to Germany and other European countries during World War II. Historically, the primary function of fascist regimes has been to maintain the nation in a constant state of readiness for war. Fascists observed how rapid, mass military mobilizations during World War I had blurred the lines between the roles of civilians and combatants. Drawing on those experiences, fascist rulers strive to create a rabidly nationalistic culture of â€Å"military citizenship† in which all citizens are willing and prepared to take on some military duties during times of war, including actual combat. In addition, fascists view democracy and the electoral process as an obsolete and unnecessary obstacle to maintaining constant military readiness and consider a totalitarian one-party state as the key to preparing the nation for war and its resulting economic and social hardships. Today, few governments publicly described themselves as fascist. Instead, the term is more often used pejoratively by those critical of particular governments or leaders. The term â€Å"neo-fascist† is often used to describe governments or individuals espousing radical, far right political ideologies similar to those of the World War II fascist states.

Critical Analysis of a Project Business Case Essay

Critical Analysis of a Project Business Case - Essay Example A business case is used to present the strategies and evaluate the alternatives associated with the project plan. To critically analyze the business case regarding the proposal of Affordable Housing for Essential Workers in Port Hedland town in Western Australia, the business case can be looked into with an aim of reflecting on the goals and objectives of the business case as proposed, the valid opportunities and scopes that the case effectively addresses, evaluate the costs and benefits as proposed in the business case and identify the various economic, legal and non- economic benefits as well as the strategies and risks involved in the business case report. Also the business case should be analyzed critically to understand the level of alignment that it has with the vision and objectives of the organization undertaking the project. The rationale for developing the business plan and the risk factors and benefits of implementing the alternatives should also be critically evaluated. B ackground Port Hedland is located in Western Australia on the coastal region of Pilbara region. Due to the presence of a natural harbour, the area has developed as a service centre hub for many industries like gold mining and pearling. In 1960, large iron ore deposits were discovered in Pilbara which drove major changes in the townscape with developments in the construction of railway lines, harbours, accommodation and other facilities for the increase number of mining workers and their families moving into the town. Since then, Port Hedland saw major investments towards resource projects which established Port Hedland as a prominent administration and service hub. In the current scenario, Port Hedland has a huge service population constituting of more than 20,000 full time workers and around 3000 hour based workers. This is referred to in Appendix 1. The accommodation of the rapidly expanding work population has become a major challenge for the town (Government of Western Australia , 2012). The Western Australian Government has become much focused towards improving the living standards and qualities in port Hedland and turning the city into a modern and diverse city with several facilities, infrastructure and services being provided for the population in Port Hedland. The Analysis The greatest challenges for the government of Port Hedland are to develop sufficient infrastructure, land and housing to match the accelerated and unpredictable growth in the population and service workers number (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). The business plan for Affordable Housing for Essential Workers in Port Hedland town can be analyzed to be in alignment with the current developments in the town area. The region is experiencing huge demand from the resource boom and has to particularly focus on the land and infrastructure projects to match up with the current and the future growth trends in the town. There are extensive plans made for Port Hedland city growth plan to offset the complex development, infrastructure and planning constraints. The business case under study is streamlined with the requirement of more developed infrastructure, housing facilities and other amenities to make the economy more diversified. The economic outlook in the town of Port Hedland looks perfect for new business investments particularly in the housing

The American welfare program encourages abuse and Entitlement Research Paper

The American welfare program encourages abuse and Entitlement - Research Paper Example The welfare program in the U.S. encourages abuse and entitlement by altering the resilient attitude of vulnerable groups. â€Å"Members of vulnerable populations have often displayed remarkable resilience and ingenuity in addressing their own needs† (Jansson 5). In low income communities, informal support systems are usually in place. Neighbors and church members help each other. For some groups, demand for welfare services is even lower. â€Å"Foreigners have lower health expenditures than native-born Americans and contribute more to the economy, both in productivity and taxes, than the public service they may receive† (Viladrich 825). When welfare programs broadly target certain groups without considering particular needs for purposes of determining eligibility, the attitude of resilience can shift to dependence. â€Å"In a welfare state context, multiculturalism may not be beneficial for immigrants at all, because it may lead to dependence on welfare-state arrangeme nts and thereby to social and economic marginalization†. Dependence can lead to abuse. The American welfare program encourages abuse and entitlement in not addressing social barriers to employment. Welfare recipients commonly face â€Å"low or few job skills, low educational attainment, lack of jobs in the community, and problems with transportation as barriers to finding and sustaining employment† ... When social welfare acts as a buffer for low income families without being linked to empowerment, this encourages dependent attitudes that breed abuse. The welfare program in the U.S. encourages abuse and entitlement by altering the resilient attitude of vulnerable groups. â€Å"Members of vulnerable populations have often displayed remarkable resilience and ingenuity in addressing their own needs† (Jansson 5). In low income communities, informal support systems are usually in place. Neighbors and church members help each other. For some groups, demand for welfare services is even lower. â€Å"Foreigners have lower health expenditures than native-born Americans and contribute more to the economy, both in productivity and taxes, than the public service they may receive† (Viladrich 825). When welfare programs broadly target certain groups without considering particular needs for purposes of determining eligibility, the attitude of resilience can shift to dependence. †Å"In a welfare state context, multiculturalism may not be beneficial for immigrants at all, because it may lead to dependence on welfare-state arrangements and thereby to social and economic marginalization† (Koopmans 2). Dependence can lead to abuse. The American welfare program encourages abuse and entitlement in not addressing social barriers to employment. Welfare recipients commonly face â€Å"low or few job skills, low educational attainment, lack of jobs in the community, and problems with transportation as barriers to finding and sustaining employment† (Blalock, Tiller, and Monroe 134). Welfare is only one component of the poverty alleviation formula. These barriers have to be

The World Of Vampires Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The World Of Vampires - Essay Example As with all forms of culture, a great deal can be said with regards to society and the mores and norms that this society integrates with regards to the types of popular culture that are exhibited within our current system. As a function of this brief analysis, the author will seek to understand the core complements of the female action star as well as to relate these attributes to present dynamics within current culture and society. It is the hope of this author that such a process will help the means by which seemingly trite, or otherwise simplistic films, speak to broader issues within culture and society. Further, by utilizing these movies as a vehicle to understand feminism, society, and the current culture that we live in, it is the further hope of this author that these two film franchises will be able to shed a degree of light on the means by which feminist concepts are displayed and integrated. The first determinant that can of course be seen with regards to these female acti on stars is the fact that they are almost invariably highly sexualized. In the case of the vampire Selene from the Underworld franchise, the viewer is presented with a dynamically powerful yet conflictingly feminine heroine that displays unbelievable prowess with regards to the use of weaponry, assassination, and coldhearted murder; however, also represents the fragile qualities of stylize womanhood in the fact that she has the capability to love and ultimately becomes a mother. This represents a unique dynamic due to the fact that the highly sexualized nature of the star is of course intended to draw in male audience members to the plot line. Speaking candidly, the plot in and of itself is quite weak (Stein 133). However, due to the fact that an impressively attractive Kate Beckinsale plays the lead role, arrayed in a skintight leather one piece, the degree to which the male audience will integrate with such a film is radically increased. This dynamic becomes even more interesting as the viewer realizes that the empowerment that is displayed within the film is ultimately representation of feminism; i.e. a backlash against traditional male oriented entertainment that features brawny men in explosive action movies. This complex dynamic becomes even more complicated when one realizes that the feminist agenda that is incorporated into these films is necessarily weakened by the fact that the women portrayed as the lead characters must sexualized themselves as a means of integrating the story with the audience. Much the same is true with Mila Jovovich’s main character in the Resident Evil film series. Whereas the character of Selene in the Underworld movies fights against werewolves, Mila Jovovich’s character within the Resident Evil franchise fights against throngs of the undead. However, regardless of the differential and plot lines, the very same approaches followed. Ultimately, Jovovich’s character is represented as a reluctant wife and pro fessional who is dragged into the abyss that the Umbrella Corporation creates with regards to an experiment gone wrong. Following specifically and almost identically the same mechanism whereby Kate Beckinsale’

A critical assessment of Morrisons approach to strategic HRM Essay

A critical assessment of Morrisons approach to strategic HRM - Essay Example A critical assessment of the approach Morrisons takes to its strategic HRM, in this context will help to justify The Personnel Review’s (2009)iii notion that if a big organisation is to function successfully, strategies at different levels need to inter-relate. Furthermore, an evaluation of the extent to which Morrisons’ SHRM approach contributes to organisational effectiveness substantiates TIJHRM’s (2004)iv view that focusing on the alignment of SHRM with firm strategy is a means of gaining competitive advantage. However, in order to effectively measure the extent to which SHRM contributes to the overall organisational effectiveness, an important aspect requires to be taken into consideration which is moving away from sole reliance on financial measures of organisational success. Instead, holistic frameworks are applied such as Kaplan and Norton’s (1996) Balanced Scorecard, which seeks to judge Morrisons’ performance on the basis of a range of indicators. The report’s conclusion observes that the approach which Morrisons’ managers implement, SHRM policies and exercise leadership, is strongly related to positive employee views in respect to a range of issues that facilitate motivation and productivity (e.g. worker-management relations, reward and recognition, coaching and guidance, communication and quality control (Morrisons 2010). Having said that a noticeable recommendation recognises that since pay mix is related to financial performance (Gerhart and Milkovich, 1990)v, in order to simultaneously improve employee ownership and promote high wages, staff and managerial remuneration, compensation should be based on Morrisons financial performance. This paper applies associated theory & practice to critically assess the approach Morrisons takes to its strategic HRM. This will be achieved by critically examining the definitions of personnel

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Globalization - Essay Example It has been argued that everything that man does and lives for in this world is all rounded to IT. In his essay â€Å"Civilization and its discontents† Sigmund Freud affirms this by reckoning that â€Å"it is simply the pleasure principle which draws up the program of life’s purpose.† A four hour track of my communications and interactions with technology As stated in the introduction above, technology is almost inevitable in our day to day activities. The following table is a distribution of my activities from the time I wake up in the morning to noon. Both the four hours are spent within the world of Information and Technology. Time Activity 8.00 - 8.30 AM Respond to Emails 8.30 - 9.00 AM Watch the morning news while taking breakfast 9.00 - 10.00 AM Attend the gym on my TV via recorded instructions 10.00 – 12.00 PM Went to the studio to record my demo. My daily activities start from eight in the morning as I sleep late from my night shift job. My first i nteraction with technology involves reading and responding to E-mails. This activity takes place between 8.00 AM to 8.30 PM. Being an online student, my lecturers send me reading materials and assignments online. This has made it possible for me to communicate with my lecturer at school and deliver my homework on time. Also, I use the internet to communicate with my fellow students and share information. If possible, we hold a group discussion via Skype every Wednesday. On my side, I can say that the availability of Information Technology has made it possible for easy conveyance of information. My next thirty minutes of the hour are spent taking breakfast while watching the morning news. After breakfast, I go to the gym on my television for one hour from 9.00 AM to 10.00AM. Since I do not have enough time to visit the gym in my locality, I use recorded instructions stored in a compact disc (DVD). This has helped me a lot in keeping in shape even regardless of my tight schedule. Agai n, this makes inevitable for me not to use Information Technology in my life. My next two hours (10.00 AM to 12.00 PM) of the morning are spent in the studio. This is where I go to do reviews and recordings of my upcoming school project. The presentation is supposed to be done in the next week, so I have to be well prepared and ready for the presentation. According to my own life experiences and requirements, I feel that I cannot survive without technology. This is because technology is the backbone of modern communication and makes our day to day operations much easier. Part two Nowadays to stay away from technology has become a very hard thing to do, almost impossible to do. Coincidentally, just a week ago, me and my colleagues were trying to evaluate how it could be to live a world with no technology. We all came to the conclusion that in the world of today it’s impossible to separate technology from our lives. However, we also noted that there are some instances where we can operate efficiently without technology. Following the discussion with my peers, I decided to put myself in to test by staying away from technology for one hour. This one hour was during my lunch time break. As usual, during my lunch hour break, I attended a prayer session at the prayer hall right next to my school.

Freedom and Equaity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Freedom and Equaity - Essay Example As this manifesto had influenced many of the communist countries such as Korea, Cuba, China, Vietnam and of course many countries in Europe, both Marx and Engel can be considered as two important people that shaped world history. Marx and Engels ideals and principles declared publicly evolved the Marxism principle which is now an interesting subject and topic under political science. The principles embodied in the manifesto had developed the so called communist form of government. Marx had considered communism in relation to socialism very closely. As an advanced form of socialism, communism is very near to anarchism, viewed freedom and equality as vain, illusionary and incomplete. Generally, the right to freedom is considered as equality. Engels and Marx had issued freedom as bounded with fullness of material considerations. Freedom in morality also considered the absence of alienation and that man is the only bearer of this so called freedom. The manifesto pointed out that freedom is achievable only in the community when a man submits his total will and desires to serve the community and its demands. â€Å"Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Burgeoisie and Protletariat† (Marx and Engels). There are two classes of men stated in the manifesto: the bourgeoisie- the so-called owners of the production living off with man’s profit; and the proletariat- the one who labored and lived on their salary. These men live in a community where there is difference in their life style and status. There are men who labored hard to survive in this world while there are men belonging to chosen few who derives their means of living in behalf of the other working class. This capitalist world has been criticized by Marx and Engels. There are human struggles produced in the lower striving class which are demonstrated in strikes, riots, and other revolutionary actions in search for enlightenment. The manifesto criticizes this kind of society. Accordingly, there is the absence of equality and freedom among the two classes of men. Individuals make up the society. Engels and Marx are calling in behalf of the lower class in search for freedom, that is, the Marxist way, to liberate society from the capitalist way of living. As quotes from the Communist Manifesto: â€Å"The executive of the modern state is but a committee for the managing of the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie†¦..They are unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that is has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. Society can no longer live under this bourgeoisie, in other words, its existence is no longer compatible with society.† In the same manner, Engels pointed out in his book â€Å"The Condition of the Working Class in England† about his concerns of the citizens laboring themselves physically during the Industrial age. He considered the working class as being exploited and being subjected to societal crimes. In his point of view, there is no freedom and equality in the time of the industrialization period as these working men are being subjected to labor for the food the upper class of men. He even described the

The purpose of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The purpose of Education - Essay Example The current culture is fighting for the fulfilment of the educational standards. One should also admit that the author is rather dissatisfied with the one-sided view on the notion of liberal education. These usually deal with the concrete embodiment of abstract values including such important ones as "freedom" and "growth". The notion of cultural literacy is rather complicated. Also, the education is formally connected with the notion of human freedom (Lauro 147). The requirements show the tendency to vary from institution to institution. The complex curricular tables and credit formulas exist in combination with each other. The itemization that is traditionally used by education institutions does not adequately defines the meaning of liberal education. Education that is perceived as a process of educating future individuals that will be developing their talents. The basis for these talents development will be the idea of freedom and personal growth (The Art of Instruction 25). Education is described as the process that is more focused on the life of the mind and citizens as critical thinker. "Social capital in the collegiums, is build from ab investment of rime and commitment by individuals" (Downey 102). Civic engagement often involves experience-based understandings. All these things are fostered through activities. One of these activities is the community service (Education and the Democratic Island 17). The authors pay much attention to the development of the connection that should be present between liberal education and civic engagement. Education should be perceived as the finished product of person's cultural development. The specific thing achieved by this author is the picturing the connection that exists between culture and liberal education. Education is multidimensional notion. In practice it means that there are different ways of understanding education. That is the main reason of the numerous approaches that are used while defining the noti on of liberal education. The main point of contrast is the different perception of the notion education (Lauro 147). This thing is related to students' ability to facilitate their personal or deep engagement with their subject-matter. Engaging students in mathematical problem solving process is rather complicated issue (Education and the Democratic Island 17). The issue is projected to stimulate intellectual activity of the group as well as to build a deep mathematical understandings. When combined together, these issues are very important for a further development of the education. No less important issue is associated with encouraging in students to acquire a number of new personal characteristics. When combined together, these characteristics will contribute to speed the mathematics research in the future. Critics admit that "A school cannot be expected to instill distant behaviors in those whose moral education has been disregarded" (Education and the Democratic Island 16). The core of the whole process lies in recognising the education as an appropriate tool for a further research. The knowledge is appropriate for acquiring and interpreting the mathematical results. A number of the capabilities are helpful in developing 'ideas workers'. Developing this ability is important for cutting edge work.

Effect of Taxation on the Investment Decision in Firms Research Paper

Effect of Taxation on the Investment Decision in Firms - Research Paper Example The government dishes out sops to specific sectors and fulfills its task of generating enough growth in high risk sectors. The investment decision of firms depends upon various factors like the political will and stability, the infrastructure and the tax regime. The taxes levied on corporate investments also have a direct bearing on the profitability of these firms; hence they become a vital factor while taking any investment decisions. This therefore makes tax rates an important instrument with governments who manipulate it to ensure economic growth of a country. This paper examines the effect of taxes on investment decisions of the firms. It explains the various factors that affect firms functioning in the high risk taking sectors and the various instruments available with the government by which they can assist these firms to attain a better economic growth both for the firms and the country. In the end a case study of the steps taken to promote investments in the European Union amplifies the points made in the paper. The profits that a firm earns are directly affected by the rate of taxes that are levied on its produce. This has a bearing on its investment capacity. The poor infrastructure and institutional facilities combined with high tax rates can make any country a poor investment destination for firms. The tax system is an effective tool in the hands of the government to encourage those sectors which require investments of long gestational periods or poorly developed sectors where there is a need of capital investment. By altering the tax rates governments can shift the investments from more lucrative to high risk sectors by giving cuts in corporate tax and accelerated depreciation so as to increase the post tax profitability of the firm. This will lead to long run growth of the business as well as the economy. The effects of the proposed tax cuts like the capital gain tax, import duty exemption or local indirect taxes should be measured in relation to the expenditure change that they can offset. Such reductions in tax rates increase the firm's investment capability. Lower taxes help to reap a higher profit by the firms. The role of the government The government hands out large incentives to firms that are keen to invest in high risk sectors but which are good for the overall growth of the country. These sops can be in the form of tax holidays, import duty exemptions, exemption from custom duties etc. The firm's investment decision is greatly influenced by these tax exemptions. Other major factors that also affect the investments are the political and economic stability of the nation, infrastructure facilities, transport system, roads etc. These factors have an important bearing as they make the environment more conducive for investment, tax rebates are important but cannot be the sole incentive for investment. Especially in the case of MNC and FDI, studies reveal that the investors are mostly influenced by the market, political factors and tax rebates which are being offered. The government attracts foreign investment in targeted high risk

The Research Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

The Research Project - Assignment Example s a global state of change. The average tourist has different expectations and desires when traveling today than they did in previous generations, and this greatly impacts the way the tourist industry must adapt across various sectors (Hamzah & Hampton, 2011). One area of particular interest in the young traveler. Young people are choosing to spend a considerable portion of their traveling internationally in record numbers. Many of these individuals will choose to spend extended periods of time in lone geographical region, becoming immersed in the culture and providing a potentially positive source of tourism related revenue to the region. These individuals most commonly travel as ‘backpackers’, and they are more interested in local culture and the way of life of indigenous people than they are in staying in resorts or going to more traditional holiday designations (Allon, 2004). The rationale for this study, therefore, is to look at the country of Thailand and determine how the revitalized backpacker industry is reshaping the way the tourism industry is viewing the young traveler today. While backpackers have been around for generations, they have not typically made the impact on this hospitality industry in large numbers as they are today. As such, more information is needed in order to capitalize of this part of the industry, which well positions a research study of this scope. 1.3 Critical Review of Key References It might be plausible to think of backpacking today in the same vein as it was decades ago. Current research into the discipline, however, reveals a completely different story. While the time was not along ago that young people were expected go from secondary school right into the university, or to launch their own career, that is no longer necessarily the case today. Whereas there was no time afforded to this particular demographic to get out and see the world, that option is now available today. The concept of a ‘gap’ y ear, by way of example, has recently been introduced into hospitality and tourism vocabulary to describe the idea of taking a year or two off, as a young person, to explore and broaden horizons before embarking on a career or educational path (Arnett, 2000). Some young people have opted to turn their adventures during this time into a working holiday, or to simply backpack a particular region of the world for an extended period of time. Backpackers truly desire to encounter and learn from different cultures, and experience different ways of life that they have never encountered before. This gives young people a unique perspective of life that was previously unavailable to them (Arnett, 2000). This new phenomenon, particularly in the context of Southeast Asian tourism, is certainly worthy of further study in order to determine the true impact of backpackers on the industry moving forward. There are positive market trends being demonstrated today in the backpacker segment of the touri sm industry around the world. Some areas of the global are reporting record numbers of