Compare and contrast the philisophical positions of Thales and Essay

Compare and contrast the philisophical positions of Thales and Anaximander - Essay Example He hypothesized several things that provided a logical pattern for the critique of natural phenomenon. For instance, he assumed that earthquakes are caused because the earth floated on something and this meant that some situation could cause the earth to shake and hence cause the earthquakes. This was something most people in his generation had never really thought about. Herodotus cites that Thales used logic and mathematics to predict the solar eclipse of 585 that ended the war between Lydians and Medes. Thales’ main methodology was to explain the logic of things through geometry and this included the long, square and cube of an object Anaximander was a student of Thales and as such, he took the teachings and principles of his teacher to the next level. Anaximander was mainly interested in the mechanics of the earth and how it related to the universe(Philosophy Basics, 2008). Therefore, he went beyond the basic geometry of Thales and studied the earth’s position in the universe with principles in cosmology, meteorology and geography. This was a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach that provided explanations about the origins and position of the earth. Thales and Anaximander were pioneering scientist in Pre-Socratic Greece. Thales was the first to question things using the logic of natural science instead of metaphysics. He developed methods including geometry to explain natural events. Anaximander, his student consolidated his basic ideas and integrated other elements of scientific testing and new disciplines to deduce the position of the earth in the

Case Brief No 1 Essay Example for Free

Case Brief No 1 Essay Citation: Harvestons Securities, Inc. v. Narnia Investments, Ltd., 218 S.W.3d 126 (2007) Plaintiff and Defendant: The plaintiff/appellant is Harvestons Securities, Inc. The defendant/appellee is Narnia Investments, Ltd. Facts: In year 2000, Narnia Investments, Ltd. sued Harvestons Securities, Inc. and several defendants in trial court of Texas. The trial court then granted a default judgment against Harvestons and in favor of Narnia that Harvestons has to pay $365,000, plus attorney’s fees, prejudgment interest, and postjudgment interest. Harvestons claimed that it had no actual knowledge of the pending litigation before November 15, 2004 and filed a timely restricted appeal. Harvestons contends that the service of process was defective due to the process was delivered to someone different than the one name in the citation, the person to which the process was delivered, JoAnn Kocerek, did not have a authority to accept the process on behalf of Harvestons or the Texas Securities Commissioner and the return of service does not show a valid manner of service. At last, the appellate court of Texas reverse the trial court’s default judgment and remand this case for further proceedings. Issues: (a) Did the return of service shows that process was delivered to someone other than the one named in the citation? (b) Did JoAnn Kocerek has the authority to accept process on behalf of Harvestons or the Texas Securities Commissioner? (c) Did the return of service show a valid manner of service? Holding: (a) Yes, the return of service shows that process was delivered to someone other than the one named in the citation. (b) No, JoAnn Kocerek did not has the autho rity to accept the process on behalf of the Harvestons Securities or the Texas securities Commissioner. (c) No, the return of service does not show a valid manner of service. Reasoning: (a) â€Å"The district clerk issued citation directed to Harvestons Securities Inc. by serving the Texas Securities Commissioner[,] 200 E 10th Street[,] 5th Floor Austin[,] Texas 78701. While â€Å"The return of service indicates that the citation was served on September 7, 2000, at 200 E. 10th, Austin, Tx. 78701 in Travis County . . . by delivering to Harvestons Securities, by serving the Texas Securities Commissioner, by delivering to JoAnn Kocerek defendant, in person, a true copy of this Citation together with the accompanying copy(ies) of the Petition attached thereto. â€Å"Though the letter states that the petition names Harvestons as a defendant, the letter does not state that the Commissioner received citation addressed to Harvestons. The documents attached to the certificates in question do not reflect a copy of any enclosure that may have accompanied the letter. Nor do these documents reflect that Harvestons received any letter from the Commissioner.† T herefore the names are not identified. (b) â€Å"The face of the record does not identify Jo Ann Kocerek or her status or affiliation, if any, with the Texas Securities Commissioner. Neither the return nor any other portion of the record designates Jo Ann Kocerek as an authorized representative of the Commission or indicates that she has the authority to receive service on behalf of Harvestons or the Commissioner. Indeed, it is simply not possible to determine [**21] from the record who Jo Ann Kocerek is or whether she is an agent authorized to accept service on behalf of either the Commissioner or Harvestons. Without an indication on the face of the record of her capacity or authority, if any, to receive service, the granting of the default judgment was improper.† So JoAnn Kocerek was not authorized to accept the process. (c) Here exist an invalid manner of services because of the reasons above and therefore, â€Å"Further, a return of citation does not cease to be prima fa cie evidence of the facts of service simply because the facts are recited in a form rather than filled in by the process server. It is the responsibility of the party requesting service, not the process server, to see that service is properly accomplished. This responsibility extends to seeing that the service is adequately reflected in the record. If proper service is not affirmatively shown in the record, then error exists on the face of the record and a default judgment cannot stand.†

Written and Unwritten Components of the Constitution Essay -- Politics

A constitution is a thing antecedent to a government, and a government is only the creature of a constitution. A constitution is not the act of government, but of people constituting a government, and government without a constitution is power without a right. (1) Thomas Paine A constitution is the system of laws, customs and conventions which define the composition and power of organs of the state, and regulate the relations of the various state organs to one another and to the private citizen. (2) According to Helen Fenwick and Govin Phillipson, the purpose of a constitution is to control the power of the state and ensure that that power derives from a legitimate source. (3) There are many ways to clarify types of constitutions but the most significant are monarch or republican, unitary or federal, and written or unwritten. The latter clarification has raised large debates for many centuries and was discussed by eminent scholars, starting with Walter Bagehot to Vernon Bogdanor. This essay will evaluate main strength and weaknesses of both, viz. a constitution as a single document, the doctrine of separation of powers, and flexibility and entrenchment of written and unwritten constitutions First of all, a written constitution is a codified single document which comprises rules of governing a country as well as rights, duties and freedoms of individuals within the country. However, an unwritten constitution, also termed as an uncodified constitution, is diverse of different pieces of legislation, customs and political conventions. There are only three countries in the world which have unwritten constitution, including New Zealand, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Usually, a constitution can be written after a m... ...ugh both Houses of Parliament and receive three-fifth majority (17). Professor John McEldowney(16) writes that the advantages of entrenchment of written constitution is that it limits powers of the government to interfere into different branches of government, namely the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. What is more, the entrenchment constitution, unlike flexible unwritten constitution, provides rational approach to social world in the way it does not depend on the government of the day, (18) However, Anthony Bradley and Ewing have more positive point of view towards flexible unwritten constitution relied on political principles rather than legal rules established by written constitution. (19) This point of view can be demonstrated by the capital punishment article of the American entrenched constitution, which infringes fundamental human rights.

Why Might Economic Growth Not Always Be A Good Thing? :: Economics

Why Might Economic Growth Not Always Be A Good Thing? When a country undertakes the challenge of economic growth, it does it for a number of reasons, but possibly the most important of these is to satisfy its population. At the end of the Second World War, South Korea wanted to grow economically in order to escape their predominantly farming lifestyles and to experience all of the benefits of consumerism. But instead what South Koreaand many other developing economies find themselves left with is far from their idealistic dreams. Growth is not always something to be welcome for the vast majority of economically growing countries and can have devestating effects. The problems we see today is endless. From the smallest microcosm to the entire earth, economic growth and waste is slowly destroying everything around us. As members of an industrialised society the effects are all too apparent. And in general, the destroying of the landscape and the pollution of air and water decrease our ability to enjoy the "real" amenities of life, thus questioning the accepted opinion that materialism brings more to our daily lives than for example, the life of someone in a pristine and enjoyable natural environment. As I sit here writing this essay, in front of me lie vast swathes of land ripped wide open, and in their place, concrete sits. To the growing economies of the world, we must pose one question and one question alone - Is this what you really want? Socially, one might argue that perhaps, economic growth might be a good thing. All of the stereos, holidays, mobile phones and apartments, some might say bring "enjoyment". But with this massive growth often society "wants" are often created faster than the industrial machine can satisfy them, leading to a continual, bitter desire that always rises beyond what can satisfy it. Human nature dictates this. I will not stop and be satisfied with my Jaguar, my Rolls Royce and my BMW - no, now I want a Mercedes. This leaves people often dissatisfied than before, when consumerism had been given a lower value. Today, in our "advanced" society, consumption exists not to satisfy consumer wants, but merely to justify production. Not only this, but also the demands of high economic growth and consumerism also place a huge toll on the cogs of the industrial machine, the workers. Why do some many people take depressants and commit suicide in developed nations if they are really enjoying the "real" amenities of life? The stress and high-paced lifestyle is not always what people in less developed countries or even in developed countries would necessarily want. So far, I have merely dealt with the problems that countries that have

Drama & horror Essay

Dickens gives more drama/horror to what the convict is saying by telling Pip he can ‘attempt to hide’ from the young man. He tells Pip he can ‘lock the door’, ‘be warm in bed’, ‘think himself comfortable and safe’, but the young man will find him and ‘tear him open’. Dickens uses words such as ‘safe’ and ‘warm’ to create a comforting mood to the reader and to Pip, which accentuates the drama and violence of the end ‘tear him open. ‘ This terrifies Pip as the convict makes it seem that the small boy cannot even be safe in his own home/familiar surroundings. The phrase â€Å"I am keeping that man from harming you at the present moment, with great difficulty,† makes the atmosphere even more erie as it sounds as if the man is so vicious it is hard to hold him back. In the next part of the story Dickens describes Pip watching the convict leaving the churchyard. Again we see a description of this horrible bleak place (i. e. ‘Among the nettles’ – ugly, harmful plants and ‘among the brambles’ – thorns, sharp, portraying the landscape). However this time we see how the surrounding’s depression have had an effect on the convict. For the first time we see a more hurt and vulnerable side of the convict. Pip describes him as hugging his ‘shuddering body’, ‘as if to hold himself together’, making the convict seem dishevelled and is if he is falling apart. He is also obviously feeling pain and loneliness, along with Pip and their environment. Next, dickens creates an extreme atmosphere of Pip being in a terrifying and hostile place with the description of ‘he looked in my young eyes as if he were eluding the hands of dead people, stretching up cautiously out of their graves, to get a twist upon his ankle and pull him in†. This graphic and scary description coming from a young boy suggests Pip also has been affected by his hostile surroundings. It also gives a sense that the convict is close to death (being dragged into graves). In the last section of the chapter, dickens creates a very dramatic visual image of Pip looking out at his surroundings. Dickens creates a striking vision of hell by describing Pip seeing the marshes as ‘a long black horizontal line’, then the rivers as another, ‘yet not nearly so broad, yet not so black’ and then the sky as ‘just a row of long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed. ‘ The descriptions of the colours red and black portray the vision of hell as the black represents death and the red blood/danger, these are colours often associated with pain, death and hell. Dickens describes the lines as ‘angry’, also suggesting the atmosphere is uneasy and volatile (like hell). Dickens adds to the drama of the description by adding the image of the gibbet (associated with death). We can see how Pip must be frightened as we can relate to the horror of this well-decorated/descripted image. We also see Pip having a childlike imagination, when he pictures the convict being a dead pirate to which the chains on the gibbet ‘had once held’. The chapter ends on an uneasy note, with Pip announcing his fear (‘Now I was frightened again’), bringing a sense of reality to the chapter, then him ‘running home without stopping’. This leaves the chapter full of mystery and encourages readers to find out what happens to Pip.

Speeding Up the Germination Process

Speeding Up the Germination Process Imagine you are the owner of a greenhouse which produces bedding plants. A customer orders 100 flats of begonia seedlings and wants to pick them up in a month. You begin to panic, as begonia seeds are sometimes slow to germinate and occasionally germinate unevenly. What Is Seed Priming? Your answer may be to obtain primed seeds. Seed priming is used by seed producers and growers to control germination. Mainly, seed priming is used to shorten germination time, which, as in the case of the begonias, is often desirable. The various seed priming processes have been carefully designed to allow for some of the early germination processes to take place, but not for the completion of full germination. Therefore, a grower can plant primed seed which has much of the germination process completed and expect early emergence. The process can also allow for more uniform, even germination of the treated seeds. It can also increase germination over a wider temperature range, and reduce disease incidence in seeds. In some plant species, priming is necessary, rather than merely desirable, in order to overcome seed dormancy. How Does Seed Priming Work? Seed priming allows for the regulation of the water content in the seed, either by soaking the seeds in water or in a solute; or, by exposing the seeds to water vapor. The seeds imbibe water for a predetermined time interval. After the time interval, the process is halted right before the first root, called the radicle, emerges from the seed. A high amount of water is needed for radicle emergence, so the priming process is ceased to prevent full germination from occurring. The primed seeds can then be dried and sown when ready. You may be wondering why the seed doesnt dry out during the priming process and become unable to germinate. If the process is properly controlled, the hydration treatment is stopped before the desiccation tolerance is lost. There is a limit for each plant species as to when the line between priming and pre-germination is crossed. Safe limits have been calculated as to the maximum length of time for which seeds can be primed. If the maximum length is exceeded, it can lead to seedling damage. Seed Priming Methods There are four common methods utilized for priming seeds: hydropriming, osmotic priming, solid matrix priming, and drum priming. Other methods are proprietary, which means they are trade secrets or patented, so someone would have to pay to use those methods! Hydropriming- Hydropriming is the simple soaking of seeds in water, although aerated distilled water is preferred. This process is especially useful in economically disadvantaged, arid crop growing areas.Osmotic priming- Osmotic priming, also called osmopriming or osmoconditioning, is the soaking of seeds in solutions containing chemicals such as mannitol, potassium nitrate (KNO3), potassium chloride (KCl), polyethylene glycol (PEG), or sodium chloride (NaCl). Plant hormones, which control or affect various stages of seed germination, or beneficial microorganisms (which help control fungal and bacterial disease) can be added to the osmopriming solutions.Solid matrix priming- Solid matrix priming involves the incubation of seeds in a solid, insoluble matrix, such as vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, or another highly water-absorbent polymer, with a limited amount of water, allowing for slow imbibition.Drum priming- Seeds are hydrated by placing them in a rotating drum into which a cont rolled level of water vapor is released. Who Benefits From Seed Priming? Seed priming is most often used for high-value crop seeds, but the steeping process of hydropriming has been used in arid countries to help overcome soil deficiencies and improve crop production. The disadvantages to seed priming include the fact that primed seeds are difficult to store in some cases, as they need cool storage temperatures- not to mention the fact that the process is a sometimes time-consuming extra bit of effort. However, in most cases, seed can be primed overnight, surface-dried, and sown the very next day. In cases such as the one involving begonias, outlined at the beginning of this article, seed priming can be a necessary and even simple part of growing plants.

Using the Spanish Verb Salir

Using the Spanish Verb Salir Although salir is a very common verb that means to leave in the sense of to depart or to go out, it also has a variety of other meanings that may not immediately be obvious. Fast Facts Salir is a common verb that most often means to leave or to exit.In some contexts, salir can have other meanings that generally refer to the change in status, appearance, or location of someone or something as the result of an action.Salir is conjugated irregularly. Salir Meaning 'To Leave' Here are some examples of sentences with salirs most common meaning: Los Cubs salieron de Los ngeles con una victoria. (The Cubs left Los Angeles with a victory.) ¿Cundo saliste por primera vez de tu casa con tu bebà ©? (When did you leave home for the first time with your baby?)Mi avià ³n sale a las nueve con destino a Tijuana. (My plane leaves at 9 for Tijuana.)Voy a salir a comprar leche. (Im going out to buy milk.)Propongo que salgamos a la calle a celebrar el campeonato. (I suggest we go out to the street to celebrate the championship.)Saldrà © muy motivado pero sà © que no ser fcil. (I will leave very motivated, but I know it wont be easy.) Salir With Other Meanings Here are some other meanings of salir with sample sentences: to turn out: Me salià ³ bien la prueba. (The quiz turned out well for me.) Salà ­ enoja en la foto. (I turned out looking angry in the photo.)to appear (often said of a bodily condition): Me sale pus de los pendientes. (Im getting pus from my earrings.) Si lo tocas te saldr urticaria. (If you touch it youll break out in hives.)to rise (said of astronomical bodies): El sol sale hoy a las 7:12. (The sun rises today at 7:12.)to be published or disseminated: Estaba viendo el televisor cuando salià ³ las noticias de lo que habà ­a pasado en Nueva York. (I was watching the television when they told the news of what had happened in New York.) El libro salià ³ a la venta en los primeros dà ­as de noviembre. (The book went on sale in the first days of November.) In a negative form with an indirect object, salir can indicate the inability to accomplish something: No le salià ³ como esperaba. (It didnt turn out as he hoped.) No me sale este problemita de distancia entre 2 puntos. (I cant figure out this simple problem about the distance between two points.) In the reflexive form, salirse sometimes refers to some type of overflowing or leak: Pese a que hace seis meses se crearon las nuevas canalizaciones, el agua se salà ­a inundando las calles. (Despite it being six months since the new pipes were installed, the water leaked, flooding the streets.) The phrase salirse con la suya usually means to get ones way: Chvez se salià ³ con la suya y Coca-Cola retirà ³ el producto de la venta. (Chavez got his way and Coca-Cola took the product off the market.) Salir can also be a part of some common phrases: salir con (to go out with) - Teresa sale con Josà ©. (Teresa is going out with Jose.)salir de (to come from) - La leche es un alimento que sale de las vacas. (Milk is a food that comes from cows. Salir de more commonly means to leave or to exit.)salir caro (to be expensive): Sale muy caro deportar indocumentados. (It is very costly to deport undocumented people.) As always with words that have more than one meaning, pay attention to context in order to determine what is meant. Related Words La salida is a common noun with meanings related to those of salir. They include an exit or way out, the solution to a problem, a departure, the rising of the sun (or other astronomical body) and various kinds of output. The adjective salido can refer to something that is bulging or protruding. It can also refer to an animal in heat (or the human equivalent). The adjective saliente can refer to someone or something thats important or prominent, or to a politician who is leaving office. Conjugation of Salir Salir is often regular, but it adds a g to the stem in some forms and also modifies the ending in the indicative future and conditional tenses. Here are the irregular forms: Present indicative: yo salgo Future indicative: yo saldrà ©, tà º saldrs, à ©l/ella/usted saldr, nosotros/nosotras saldrà ­amos, vosotros/nosotras saldrà ©is, ellos/ellas/ustedes saldrn Conditional: yo saldrà ­a, tà º saldrà ­as, à ©l/ella/usted saldrà ­a, nosotros/nosotras saldrà ­amos, vosotros/nosotras saldrà ­ais, ellos/ellas/ustedes saldrà ­n Present subjunctive: yo salga, tà º salgas, à ©l/ella/usted salga, nosotros/nosotras salgamos, vosotros/nosotras salgis, ellos/ellas/ustedes salgan Affirmative imperative: sal tà º, salga usted, salgamos nosotros/nosotras, salgan ustedes Negative imperative: no salgas tà º, no salga usted, no salgamos nosotros/nosotras, no salgis vosotros/vosotras, no salgan ustedes.

What are Behavioral Interview Questions and How Should You Answer Them

What are Behavioral Interview Questions and How Should You Answer Them When you hear the phrase â€Å"behavioral questions,† it might call up unpleasant memories of sitting outside the principal’s office, waiting anxiously while you come up with all the reasons it wasn’t your fault. But really, it’s just a type of question used by job interviewers to help suss out a candidate’s likely performance beyond the bullet points on the resume. This type of questions are among some of the hardest interview questions. Behavioral questions are discussion topics like, â€Å"Tell me about a time you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"How would you handle it if X happened?† They’re an important part of the job interview because they give the interviewer a sense of what you’re like in action. These questions tend to fall into a few different categories, so let’s explore those (with some samples of each).Communication QuestionsCommunication skills are an essential part of every job, whether you’ll be connecting with clients or vendors, internal employees, or customers. Everyone and his brother lists â€Å"strong communication skills† on his resume, but you should also arm yourself with some concrete examples of how you have communicated successfully in the workplace.Examplesâ€Å"Tell me a time when you had to communicate a complex situation to someone else. What did you do, and what was the result?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tell me about a time when you had to communicate bad news to a client or stakeholder. How did you handle it?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"How would you persuade someone who doesn’t agree with your point of view?†Time Management and Prioritization QuestionsTime management is another biggie for interviewers. After all, your resume might have an amazing lineup of completed projects, but if it took you a year and a half to complete something that should have taken six months, that could be a red flag. They also want to know whether you’ll be able to prioritize tasks on the job.Examplesâ€Å"You have two deadlines on the same day. How do you decide which one to prioritize?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tell me about a long-term project you managed. How did you keep your team on deadline?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe your busiest time at work. How did you juggle all of the projects that were going on?†Personal Creativity and Accomplishment QuestionsThis is usually an attempt to get to know your motivations, or understand how you see yourself. It’s similar to the common â€Å"what are your strengths/weaknesses† questions that pop up in a majority of interviews.Examplesâ€Å"What has been your biggest professional accomplishment so far?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe a time when you had to be creative to get a task done.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Give an example of a time you had to think on your feet to overcome an obstacle.†Problem Solving QuestionsThis is perhaps the most common type of behavioral question in an interview, because it helps the interviewer really fill i n context for your resume. In any job, accomplishments are often the end result of problem solving, but the bullet points tell very little about what led up to that point.Examplesâ€Å"Tell me about a time when you saw a problem and took initiative to solve it.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe a situation where you faced conflict on a team. What did you do to resolve that?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What has been the biggest challenge in your career, and how did you deal with it?†Ahead of interview day, if you can come up with specific examples in each of these areas, you’ll be ready to impress with your quick thinking. You don’t need to come up with every possible instance of problem solving or workplace creativity- one or two anecdotes per area should cover you, and make you a model of candidate behavior. No principal’s office necessary!

The Dresden Triptych and Marcel Duchamp Coursework

The Dresden Triptych and Marcel Duchamp - Coursework Example The paper "The Dresden Triptych and Marcel Duchamp" focuses on The Dresden Triptych and Marcel Duchamp clip for the "Shock of the new". Dix massively applied the principles of realism, a movement that greatly influenced art at the time of his existence. The images of wounded and dead soldiers indicate how the war caused a lot of sufferings to the people. These were meant to sensitize people on the dangers and brutalities of war. Indeed, the experiences of soldiers during the World War I are a clear proof that this artist was concerned about catastrophes that made life quite challenging for the society. The second clip is about an interview in which Marcel Duchamp, a France artist, was giving an insight on his painting styles. True to his arguments, Duchamp produced quite controversial artworks that elicited mixed reactions from his supporters and critics. Having keenly listened to his arguments, I would like to point out that this artist really revolutionized the painting industry. H e did not join the bandwagon of European painters who merely concentrated on the physical outlook. Instead, Duchamp went ahead to produce 3 dimensional artworks that appealed to the eye and elicited mental thinking to the viewers. This was seen in paintings like the Nude Descending a Staircase and Portrait of Chess Players. These were not ordinary paintings, but were artworks which were produced to create a sense humor and express the ideas of the futurists and cubists that the artist in which the artist strongly believed.

Californias Cultural Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Californias Cultural Evolution - Essay Example There are many literatures romanticizing the richness of its civilization but the fact remains that these social groups were hunters and gatherers with some already having some semblance of agricultural knowledge. When the Spaniards came with their swords and their cross, the bow and arrow wielding natives were forced to become 'civilized' which stood for adapting and tailoring their customs and habits according to European culture. The Native Americans who were conquered soon became mini Spaniards because they shifted their beliefs and customs to mimic those of the colonizers and most importantly, they traded their native tongue for Spanish words. Although many native groups which were left alone resumed their hunting and gathering orientation, most of the inhabitants of California have become agriculturally oriented especially with the establishment of Ranchos. These areas were the land where cattle and sheep were raised. It was granted by the Spanish and Mexican regimes to encourage settlement. The domestic animals soon became important exports such as cow hides and fat used to make candles and soaps. Not only were they affected in language and way of subsistence, they also experienced the religious transformation that had become the mark of Spanish colonies. This was due to the California Missions which saw the construction religious outposts of major sects of Christian religion such as the Dominicans and the Jesuits. These missions were also the avenue thru which European livestock, fruits, vegetables and industry entered the California region. From their old set of animistic beliefs, which others in the past would call as pagan, the Native Americans became Christian primarily because they had no choice but to wield to the interests of the colonizers who had superior arms. The Gold Rush Mexicans broke the Spanish rule only to be replaced by Americans during the Mexican-American War in 1846. American domination paved the way for the occurrence of events which would radically transform the society of California. Two years after the American conquest of California, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The discovery led to a remarkable event in California's history and is aptly termed as the Gold Rush. With the discovery came an exodus of miners, merchants and bankers into the region. It was estimated that in 1855, about 300,000 Forty-Niners or those hoping to get a piece of gold arrived in the region. California saw a precipitous rise in settlements especially along San Francisco Bay. The significance of the Gold Rush was that it transformed the formerly agricultural region to a mining and profit oriented society though agriculture was still an integral part. This had the effect of bringing in capital to the region thereby sponsoring a boom in infrastructures and developments in housing and education. The immigrants were by no means illiterate and untrained. In fact, they were highly skilled and trained in their profession. The immigrants had knowledge as teamsters, draymen, lighter men, riggers, stevedores, bakers,

Gated Communities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gated Communities - Essay Example This is because the living in enclosed compounds reduces the chances of suffering insecurity. Since the compounds have an enclosed surrounding, the parents also have a feeling that their children have a safe playing environment.Security is also a result of exclusionary Zoning. This is a scenario that occurs when certain type of people or group are excluded from a given community. The same is being practiced in Pennsylvania , and it fosters security in the community in the sense that people likely to cause chaos are excluded from the community.Secondly, a gated community also fosters affordability. This is because gated communities have houses of a variety of qualities. This shows that houses are available for people of various classes. The main advantage of buying a house in gated communities is because it is cheaper that buying land on an individual plot. Also, Common services are shared among residents in a gated community and this makes them to be more economical. Services such as street lights, solar panels, borehole and the community center are shared between people living in the same community. This forms a fundamental part of the economic structure of the community since it saves a lot of money that could be spent to pay for the same services in individual plots. The supporters of gated communities have the idea that reduction of people from passing through makes strangers recognizable with ease. The truth is that not all strangers are harmful to the community1. Therefore, this view is unrealistic because only a very small percentage of the strangers are potential criminals. Secondly, security in gated communities is more of illusion than reality. In the United States, the crime rates in gated communities in suburbs areas is the same as he crime rate in non-gated communities. Another disadvantage of gated communities is that it renders individuals to be homeless in instances where they have to be vacated due

VAGINITIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VAGINITIS - Assignment Example However, the majority of the people do not develop the symptoms of the condition. Moreover, the infection is most likely to be found in women as compared to men. At the same time, older women are most likely to be infected as compared to younger women (CDC, 2015). The infection occurs through sex. In women, the infection occurs in the lower genital tract while in men infection occurs in the urethra (CDC, 2015). Infection is not likely to occur in other body parts. There are various symptoms of the disease in men and women, but various factors such as age influence presentation of symptoms. The paper will discuss the presentation, characteristics, and a treatment plan for Trichomonas diagnoses of vaginitis. There will also be a review of diagnostic tests before the treatment plan as well as educating patient taking into consideration the health disparities that may affect treatment. The disease presents with various signs and symptoms in men and women. The challenge is that the majority of infected men and women will show no signs and symptoms. The signs are usually evident in four weeks after coming in contact with the parasite (Family Planning Association (FPA), 2015). There are various signs or symptoms in women. The first thing to note in women is soreness, swelling, and itching in areas around the vagina (FPA, 2015). This has significantly been associated with challenges that occur when one is having sex. Secondly, there is a change in the discharge coming out of the vagina. One may have increased discharge that has an unpleasant smell and may be thick or thin will some yellow coloration (FPA, 2015). The condition is also associated with pain when urinating in women. In men, there is discharge from the penis and may be thin and whitish (FPA, 2015). At the same time, the affected person may experience pain while passing out urine. The other sign although no t extensive in men is swelling

Hilton Hotel Corporations Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hilton Hotel Corporations Strategies - Essay Example Hilton Hotel lays a major focus on the local growth in the lodging sector through expansion of operations into casinos and holiday ownership. In the year 2000, the hotel acquired Promus Hotel Company adding the statistical summation of their properties to 1700. The hotel as a brand management corporation devotes to offering excellent care of its guests accounting for more than 100 million room nights in America yearly. The corporation carters to the needs of both the customers and the owners accounting for approximately billions of dollars of real estate investments in its brands. The corporation earns more profits through other people’s monetary input into the corporation. The corporation has information technology (OnQ) intertwined with its brands. The company’s approximate cost of OnQ is 93 million dollars,40 dollars accounting for application development. The remaining portion of the 93 million estimate accounts for hardware and infrastructure realization. In 2007, the corporation registered 102 dollars growth through investment in OnQ. Maintenance of the OnQ infrastructure accounted for 60 million dollars annually. The corporation earned 750 million dollars through the cross-selling of the branded products. The corporation strives to satisfy the goal of each of its diversified brands. Through the Customer Really Matter (CRM) initiative, the corporation incorporates technology to enhance its relationship with the customers. The company established CRM in 2002, and it has ensured that its employees offer excellent and high-quality service to their clients. The high-quality service in terms of hospitality offered by the hotel employees ensures that it is sort after by a broader extension of clients. In the estimation of CRM’s performance involves calculations as an ROI for the most corporations’ project. An ROI value of the venture is the product of the total number of calls, increase conversion ratio and net revenue per call deducted by OnQ.  

VAGINITIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VAGINITIS - Assignment Example However, the majority of the people do not develop the symptoms of the condition. Moreover, the infection is most likely to be found in women as compared to men. At the same time, older women are most likely to be infected as compared to younger women (CDC, 2015). The infection occurs through sex. In women, the infection occurs in the lower genital tract while in men infection occurs in the urethra (CDC, 2015). Infection is not likely to occur in other body parts. There are various symptoms of the disease in men and women, but various factors such as age influence presentation of symptoms. The paper will discuss the presentation, characteristics, and a treatment plan for Trichomonas diagnoses of vaginitis. There will also be a review of diagnostic tests before the treatment plan as well as educating patient taking into consideration the health disparities that may affect treatment. The disease presents with various signs and symptoms in men and women. The challenge is that the majority of infected men and women will show no signs and symptoms. The signs are usually evident in four weeks after coming in contact with the parasite (Family Planning Association (FPA), 2015). There are various signs or symptoms in women. The first thing to note in women is soreness, swelling, and itching in areas around the vagina (FPA, 2015). This has significantly been associated with challenges that occur when one is having sex. Secondly, there is a change in the discharge coming out of the vagina. One may have increased discharge that has an unpleasant smell and may be thick or thin will some yellow coloration (FPA, 2015). The condition is also associated with pain when urinating in women. In men, there is discharge from the penis and may be thin and whitish (FPA, 2015). At the same time, the affected person may experience pain while passing out urine. The other sign although no t extensive in men is swelling

Harry Potter and the Prince of Azkaban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Harry Potter and the Prince of Azkaban - Essay Example Although the school and the village are closely connected, students still need permission to visit the premises. Students usually visit High Street which is filled with plenty of shops, pubs, and other extravagant places. These shops are a great place for students to socialize and discuss recent events. One of the candy shops Honeydukes Sweetshop is owned by a wizard called Flume. According to a student’s description in the Harry Potter and the Prince of Azkaban, â€Å"candy shop is filled with shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable† Moreover, the owner of the candy shop makes his own delicious fudge, which is irresistible and delicious. The candy shop also has a secret passageway and a trap door, known to only a few people. Another shop that popular amongst Hogwarts students is Zonko’s. Zonko’s is a specialty store also which is a heaven for any prankster that carries great products such as Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and Nose-Biting Teacups. Clearly, this shop has gained a lot of popularity among students.

Aristotle Life Story Essay Example for Free

Aristotle Life Story Essay Aristotle was born in Greece approximately 384 B. C. , to parents Nicomachus and Phaestis. His father Nicomachus was physician to King Amyntas of Macedon, and his mother was of a wealthy family from the island of Euboea. When he was 17 he went to study at Plato’s Academy in Athens, where he stayed for around 20 years. Aristotle did very well at the Academy, but when Plato died he was not chosen to be among the leaders. Soon after Plato’s death he left to tutor Prince Alexander, later to be known as Alexander the Great. Aristotle later returned to Athens to open his own school which is known as the Lyceum. Aristotle was more interested in science than other philosophers in his time, maybe because his father was a doctor. He’s sometimes referred to the father of science. One of Aristotle’s most important contributions was sorting and classifying the various knowledge of science into branches. He thus laid the foundation of science today. Aristotle is also thought to be the father of the scientific method. In ancient times, gods were thought to be the cause of events in nature. Early Greek philosophers questioned the roles of gods as the cause of these events. If the gods weren’t the cause of these events, who was? Philosophers advanced explanations based on philosophical principles and mathematical forms. Aristotle found that unsatisfactory. He was the first to realize the importance of empirical measurement (measurement based on observation and experience), believing that knowledge could only be gained from building on what was already known. Aristotle’s contributions were measurement and observation, which is what science, is built upon. He was the first to propose the idea of induction as a tool to gaining knowledge, and understood that theoretical thought and reasoning had to be supported by real world findings. His method is summarized as follows; Study what others have written about the subject, look for the general consensus about the subject, and perform a systematic study of everything even partially related to the topic. This is the very first sign of a scientific method. Aristotle loved categorizing and organizing things. For instance, with the soul he thought it was composed of two components: a rational and irrational part. The rational half was subdivided into â€Å"scientific† and â€Å"calculative† sections, and the irrational half was made up of a â€Å"desiderative† (desire) part and a â€Å"vegetative† part. A person operates by combining all the workings of these parts. The vegetative part may be hungry. The desiderative part may want lots of candy instead of, say, vegetables, but the scientific part knows candy will be bad for teeth and weight. The calculative part will then try to work out a compromise. Problem solved! Aristotle assumed that there must be some basic commodities that combine to make all things. These basic four groups are, earth, water, air and fire, and each of these are a combination of two of four opposites, hot and cold, and wet and dry. For example, fire is hot and dry. He claimed that all materials were made from various combinations of these elements. His love of categories also led him to divide people into three groups. The big group, who loved pleasure, a smaller group -includes politicians- that love honor, and the smallest, but most elite group, who love contemplation. The latter were the philosophers. Aristotle’s next task was to find the key reason that separated humans from animals. His answer was our ability to reason. Aristotle’s really great contribution was that of biology. Having established the division between humans and animals he set out categorizing all he could of the biological world. He grouped animals with related characteristics into genera and then divided these genera into species. This same process is used today, though subsequent research has caused some of the individuals to be moved around. He wrote in detail about five hundred different animals in his works, including a hundred and twenty kinds of fish and sixty kinds of insect. He was the first to perform dissections on living things, so he could try to make sense of how they worked. He described how a chick develops within an egg and realized that dolphins and whales were different from fish. He noted that ruminant animals, like cows, had multi-chambered stomachs, something that separated them from simple-stomached animals. Not only did he study large animals, but small ones as well, such as bees. He also made lead way in botany. He attempted to classify over 500 plants into trees, shrubs, and herbs and, while he was not entirely successful in this, he certainly understood which features of plants were necessary for making distinctions. This time he has earned the title of father over botany. Aristotle made many other contributions to science, one of which was proving the Earth was a sphere, although he wrongly thought that Earth was the center of the universe. Plato disagreed with this theory; he sided with Copernicus who rightly thought the sun was the center of the universe. Aristotle also studied physics. He did not have many tools for experimentation so he could not measure time or speed. He did not allow for invisible forces, so he did not study gravity. Things fell to Earth and the moon circled the earth because that’s what they did. In spite of his limitations, Aristotle made some remarkable contributions to physics and laid the groundwork for Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. He reasoned that infinite velocities could not exist, that time and movement are continuous and inseparable, and that time was even flowing, infinite, and the same everywhere at once. These are all true, and are part of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. That’s amazing considering the limitations he had to work with. Anti-Macedonian feeling broke out in Athens around 323 BC. The Athenians accused Aristotle of irreverence. He chose to flee, so that the Athenians might not twice sin against philosophy (by killing him as they had Socrates). He fled to Chalcis on the island of Euboea. Aristotle died in 322 BC. After he died a lot of his work and research was lost. It is thought that today we only have about 1/3 of what he had originally written. Aristotle was an amazing scientist, but even he was not without mistakes. For example, he wrongly assumed that force is required to keep an object moving at constant speed. This error held progress back for years. He also, as I stated before, thought the Earth was the center of the universe. But, really isn’t that what science is about? Trial and error, make mistakes then learn from them, that’s how you make real progress in science. Aristotle is proof of this. Look at all the progress we have made today, from his mistakes. Bibliography Bibliography 1. http://www. ucmp. berkeley. edu/history/aristotle. html 2. http://www. enotes. com/topics/aristotle 3. http://www. philosophypages. com/ph/aris. htm 4. http://jcmooreonline. com/2010/12/28/aristotles-enduring-contribution-to-scien ce-education-and-physics/ 5. http://www. iep. utm. edu/aristotl/ 6. http://galileo. phys. virginia. edu/classes/109N/lectures/aristot2. html 7. http://www. valpo. edu/geomet/histphil/test/aristotl. html 8. http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/aristotle-biology/#LifWor 9. http://leavis. tripod. com/science. htm 10. http://www. experiment-resources. com/history-of-the-scientific-method. html 11. http://www. sciencekids. co. nz/sciencefacts/scientists/aristotle. html 12. http://www. historyforkids. org/learn/greeks/philosophy/aristotle. htm 13. http://www. mlahanas. de/Greeks/AristotleBiol. htm 14. http://www. thocp. net/biographies/aristoteles. html 15. Info from class 16. Physical Science Book.

International Studies Essays Global City Process

International Studies Essays Global City Process The global city is not a place but a process (Castells, 1996). Discuss. Castells, 1996, P. 377, deals with the complexity of the interaction between technology, society, and space. It presents the new spatial logic of the information age which Castells famously terms the space of flows. This new space is, according to Castells, the material organisation of time-sharing practices that work through flows (p. 412). It has three layers: 1. The electronic impulses in networks 2. The places which constitute the nodes and hubs of networks, and 3. The spatial organisation of cosmopolitan elites in terms of work, play and movement. Here we focus upon the second layer. Castells identifies global cities as the most direct illustration of hubs and nodes (p. 415). Cities as nodes of these networks are directly linked. Cities are increasingly important in terms of networking on a global scale. The spatial organisation of the information age is characterised neither by focal point of activities nor scattering of settlements and activities. Its both centralisation and decentralisation using the influence of new technologies. The space of the information age is made of architecture of nodes and networks. Territories are united across distance in their function and meaning in the spatial flows, but places continue to exist as privileged locales of experience. The global city is not limited to special cities. Its the global functions of each city in the world connected through electronic and telecommunication links. The financial district of every city, and of every major city in the world, is part of the global network functions. Cities are sources of innovation. Innovation is the source of value addition in our kind of economy and society. Silicon Valley is a node in a major network. One cannot understand Silicon Valley without Mumbai or Bangalore or Munich or other places. Saskia Sassen showed that advanced services are made of global networks anchored in global cities. Networks of innovation are in spatially different dimensions. Network innovation in science is different than in finance, is different than in high-tech or multimedia. But access to these networks, and belonging to these networks, need specific sets of features which are directly related to major metropolitan regions. Metro regions have 1. The connectivity links to fast transportation and telecom systems. 2. They have the largest concentration in quality and quantity of human resources for innovation. 3. They are the spaces of freedom and free communication. Culture and institutions of tolerance are essential to innovation. The ability to attract capital and labour also depends on the visibility of the milieu of innovation and this visibilitys link to media exposure which is centred in major metropolitan areas. The internet is the tool for free communication. Global cities amass immense concentration of economic power while cities that were once major manufacturing centres suffer excessive declines. The business centres in metropolitan areas receive massive investments in real estate and telecommunications while low income urban and metropolitan areas are starved for resources. Highly educated workers in the corporate sector see their incomes rise to unusually high levels while low or medium skilled workers see theirs sink. Financial services produce super profits while industrial services barely survive. Global elements are localized. Immigration has a set a process in international labour markets. Cities are the terrain where people from many different countries are most likely to meet and a multiplicity of cultures comes together. The international character of major cities lies not only in their telecommunication infrastructure and international firms: it lies also in the many different cultural environments in which these workers exist. One can no longer think of centres for international business and finance simply in terms of the corporate towers and corporate culture at its centre. Todays global cities are in part the spaces of post-colonialism and indeed contain conditions for the formation of a post colonialist discourse (see Hall 1991; King 1990). The least spatial patterns of white collar work which are harmonious with its existence, is beginning to emerge in some rural and peripheral areas of major cities of the world. The more highly skilled home-based workers are predominantly immigrants, exploiting skills and market contacts developed. These workers may be of particular significance for the wider development of such regions through the particular competencies and contacts that they bring, as well as the effective demand for locally produced goods and services. The use of electronic data interchange technology is used primarily for the transfer of commercial documents can be extended for use in the home environment. These electronic data interchanges have created the electronic cottage. Extensions to this technology have provided the users and suppliers with new message structures to perform their tasks. This has lead to the increased use of the system for the exchange of information without the necessity for there to be a transaction involved. The use of structures has aided the provider and the user of the information in giving an appropriate vehicle for the exchange of data. An early proponent of this utopia was futurist Alvin Toffler (1980), explained, The electronic cottage rises once more on a mass scale the possibility of husbands and wives, and perhaps even children, working together as a unit. Toffler predicted a decline in the need to commute to work, an increase in the ability to change jobs without having to move ones home to a new location. He foresaw greater community stability and a renaissance among voluntary organizations like churches, womens groups, lodges, clubs, athletic and youth organizations. So in a world of international networks, Castells idealization of flow of information without borders has began to transcend cultural barriers and the impact on employment, work, business, society and culture is profound. Castells suggests that local governments might mobilize local civil societies to support a collective strategy toward the reconstruction of the meaning of the locality in a conflictive dynamics with the placeless powers. (Castells, 1989, p.352) He uses the term placeless powers because of the less evident and more subtle nature of control exercised by the classes, corporations and governments who own and operate the means of production in the new techno-economic paradigm. But the counter-strategy he suggests is organic and slow to take root. The nature of Castells call indicates the difficulty of getting a solid grasp on a global phenomenon composed of such intangible fundamental elements as data, information and knowledge. The flow of information made possible by g lobal networks of communications technology and flexible manufacturing facilities is the key component redefining space in the information age. References: Alvin Toffler (1980) TheThird Wave Castells, Manuel (1996) The rise of the network society. The information age Vol. I Sassen, S (1991) The Global City. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press Sassen S (1994) Cities in a World Economy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press King, A.D. 1990. Urbanism, Colonialism, and the World Economy: Culture and Spatial Foundations of the World Urban System. The International Library of Sociology. London and New York: Routledge.

Pollution in History Essay -- Essays Papers

Pollution in History Since the beginning of human existence, pollution has been a problem rapidly increasing with the growth of the world’s population. Throughout history, it has been a major source of diseases and plagues such as the bubonic plague. Many steps have been taken to help solve the pollution problem, a problem that still hasn’t been completely solved. One of the earliest forms of pollution was a result of defecation. Bacteria from the human feces would pollute water supplies causing illness for prehistoric man. Other forms of pollution evolved as man evolved from hunter to farmer. Poor drainage on irrigated farmlands would raise the water level, polluting the fields with salts leaving the land unusable. Salinity is still "one of the most significant and certainly the most widespread forms of groundwater pollution". 1 With the birth of each pig, waste removal in medieval Europe increased. Pigs would eat the garbage thrown in the streets by the citizens, and what the pigs didn’t eat, the rain would wash away. Of course, this left the town smelling horrendous and the waste washed into the local water supply by the rain, contaminating the drinking water. Unfortunately, the garbage littering the ground created an ideal home for rats, which aided in their population growth. Fleas carrying bacteria spread disease to rats. Famine had struck Europe at this time setting up the perfect conditions for the spread of the bubonic plague. The unchecked plague is estimated to have killed one third of Europe’s population in two and a half years.2 The industrial revolution spawned a large increase in the population of cities. People emigrated from their country farms because of the promise of jobs in the cities. Howe... ...almost certain that the world will ever be without pollution. All that can be done is to minimize the amount of pollution in the world and try to keep it from getting out of control. However, with massive consumerism and population growth, this definitely no easy task. Notes: 1 Markham, Adam; A Brief History of Pollution. New York: St. Martins Press. 1994. 2 Markham 6. 3 Jenner, Mark; "Underground, Overground." Journal of Urban History Nov. 1997. 4 Markham, 24. 5 Markham, 21. 6 Bryson, Chris; "The Donora Fluoride Fog." Earth Island Journal Fall 1998. 7 Jenner, 2. 8 Markham, 61 Works Cited - Bryson, Chris; "The Donora Fluoride Fog." Earth Island Journal Fall 1998. - Jenner, Mark; "Underground, Overground." Journal of Urban History Nov. 1997. - Markham, Adam; A Brief History of Pollution. New York: St. Martins Press. 1994. Pollution in History Essay -- Essays Papers Pollution in History Since the beginning of human existence, pollution has been a problem rapidly increasing with the growth of the world’s population. Throughout history, it has been a major source of diseases and plagues such as the bubonic plague. Many steps have been taken to help solve the pollution problem, a problem that still hasn’t been completely solved. One of the earliest forms of pollution was a result of defecation. Bacteria from the human feces would pollute water supplies causing illness for prehistoric man. Other forms of pollution evolved as man evolved from hunter to farmer. Poor drainage on irrigated farmlands would raise the water level, polluting the fields with salts leaving the land unusable. Salinity is still "one of the most significant and certainly the most widespread forms of groundwater pollution". 1 With the birth of each pig, waste removal in medieval Europe increased. Pigs would eat the garbage thrown in the streets by the citizens, and what the pigs didn’t eat, the rain would wash away. Of course, this left the town smelling horrendous and the waste washed into the local water supply by the rain, contaminating the drinking water. Unfortunately, the garbage littering the ground created an ideal home for rats, which aided in their population growth. Fleas carrying bacteria spread disease to rats. Famine had struck Europe at this time setting up the perfect conditions for the spread of the bubonic plague. The unchecked plague is estimated to have killed one third of Europe’s population in two and a half years.2 The industrial revolution spawned a large increase in the population of cities. People emigrated from their country farms because of the promise of jobs in the cities. Howe... ...almost certain that the world will ever be without pollution. All that can be done is to minimize the amount of pollution in the world and try to keep it from getting out of control. However, with massive consumerism and population growth, this definitely no easy task. Notes: 1 Markham, Adam; A Brief History of Pollution. New York: St. Martins Press. 1994. 2 Markham 6. 3 Jenner, Mark; "Underground, Overground." Journal of Urban History Nov. 1997. 4 Markham, 24. 5 Markham, 21. 6 Bryson, Chris; "The Donora Fluoride Fog." Earth Island Journal Fall 1998. 7 Jenner, 2. 8 Markham, 61 Works Cited - Bryson, Chris; "The Donora Fluoride Fog." Earth Island Journal Fall 1998. - Jenner, Mark; "Underground, Overground." Journal of Urban History Nov. 1997. - Markham, Adam; A Brief History of Pollution. New York: St. Martins Press. 1994.

Is Fast Food Killing People? Essay

Nowadays obesity has become one of the vital problems in the USA. The quantity of overweight or obese people has been increasing dramatically through the past decades, carrying the raise in number of young people suffering from heart diseases, diabetes and other weight-related diseases. Maintaining healthy weight among the citizens has become one of the most significant tasks for the contemporary health professionals. The nutritionists and therapists name several reasons that lead to obesity in children, adolescents and adults. They say that while the lack of physical activity plays its part in this process, it is mostly improper ration that leads to the progress of this disease. The thing is that most Americans eat more than they should. They overeat every day, and, in addition, their food is mostly high in calories and fat. One of the reasons of this process is that the fast foods are gaining popularity in throughout the USA with each passing year. The excessive consumption of fast foods leads to developing dangerous diseases, which often lead to lethal outcome. A contemporary pace of life often doesn’t allow time for cooking at home, thus the families either eat out, or order food home. It is rarely that families order home healthy foods like salad. Most of Americans prefer pizza, where it is lots off fat and carbohydrates. In addition lots of parents prefer to stock the fridge with high-calorie snacks the children can eat while watching TV or playing computer games. Chocolate bars, soft drinks, and chips are the main ration for many American children. Over and above, there are few kids in the USA that are involved in some kind of physical activity. It’s no wonder the statistic says that 11% of children are obese in the USA and there is also the significant percent of those, who are overweight. (World Heart Federation Fact-Sheet, 2002). The situation with adult obesity is even more threatening. If we consider the fact that being overweigh is having body mass index higher than 25, and obesity is defined as having BMI 30, or greater, the statistical data, gathered in 2003, shows that 39. 8 million American adults, more than 57% are overweight. One-quarter of American adults are also obese. (CDC, 2006) Television and computer games contribute greatly to the weight problems, as today 43% of American adolescents watch TV more than two hours a day, sitting still near the TV set, and often eating snacks. Genetic predisposition factors also shouldn’t be neglected, as their combination with the unhealthy lifestyle usually leads to the severe weight problems. And it is often that obese teenagers become obese adults. Most Americans love fast food, and some of them are dining there two-three times a week. As you understand, no weight loss is possible in such a regime, as the foods offered in McDonalds and similar restaurants are full of empty calories. After a snack in the fast food a person often still feels hungry, even thus he /she consumed twice more calories than he/she needed. As we can see, fast food is one of the factors that determine obesity epidemic that exists in the U. S nowadays. Of course, the McDonalds and other fast food restaurants’ officials try to disprove this fact. Nevertheless, the movie Super Size Me, filmed by Morgan Spurlock, proved it convincingly. Mr. Spurlock, the author and the director of this film, put his own body on the line. He decided to live on nothing, but McDonald’s food, during the entire month. The results were that he gained lots of weight, developed depression, and sugar cravings. As we can se, fast food influences the physical and psychological health of its consumers badly. Healthcare professionals state that consuming fast food leads to obesity, which is one of the causes of diabetes, heart diseases, and other dangerous conditions. Moreover, obesity influences the psychological condition of the patient, leading to development of eating disorders, like Anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa, or Binge eating (Levy, 2000). It is obvious that consuming great amounts of fast food is mortally dangerous. References 1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Overweight and Obesity: Obesity Trends: U. S. Obesity Trends 1985–2004. Retrieved 12 March, 2006 from URL: http://www. cdc. gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/ 2. World Heart Federation (2002). World Heart Federation Fact-Sheet. Obesity/Nutrition. 3. Supersize Me. A film of Epic Portions. (2002). About the Movie. Retrieved 12 March, 2006 from URL: < http://www. supersizeme. com/home. aspx? page=aboutmovie> 4. Levy, L. (2000). Understanding Obesity: The Five Medical Causes. New-York: Firefly Books Ltd. , p. 11.

How Can 1984 Be Read and Interpreted Differently?

How can a text be read and interpreted differently by two different readers? 1984  by George Orwell (1949) is a political novel written with the purpose of warning readers of the dangers of totalitarian government. The book can be read and interpreted very differently by two different readers, especially when they were born in a different time. In this essay the viewpoint of two Western readers, one from 1950 and the other from 2012 will be compared to look at the possible difference they could experience in interpreting the story.First of all, the fear of being watched and controlled is more recognizable for a reader in 1950. During World War II, the media was controlled by the Nazi’s. Radio’s for example, only transmitted positive news for Germany. In order to ensure nobody secretly listened to something else, houses were checked regularly. That was not only to see if people listened to an illegal radio-channel but also to see if they were hiding Jews. When they wer e founded guilty, they were send to a concentration camp immediately. In the book this is compared with Thought Crime and the Ministry of Love.P 21: theyll shoot me in the back of the neck i dont care down with big brother they always should you in the back of the neck i dont care down with big brother This is a quote from Winstons’ diary. Even writing something in his own private diary, in his own house is a crime since he didn’t obey Big Brother, the Party’s leader. The fact that he scribbled it down so quickly and full of mistakes shows the fear being caught and watched. Second of all, the concern of totalitarian governments was more relevant immediately after World War II.The reader in 1950 could easily recognize the similarities between the totalitarian government of Hitler and the totalitarian government described in 1984. Before World War II Germany was in an economic downturn. Hitler was a magnificent speaker who offered a reason for this occurring; he b lamed the Jews. No one wants to hear that the problem with their country are their own so the German accepted this as an answer. In Oceana the same happened: P 13: â€Å"The hate had started. As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the enemy of the people, had flashed onto the screen. The leaders of The Party use the same way to gain power as Hitler did, so readers from 1950 are likely to . For readers in 1950 this is all fresh and easily recognizable and therefore more relevant than for readers from 2012. Lastly, the fear of being spied on and eavesdropped by telescreens and secret microphones was more realistic to a reader from 1950. That is because around 1950 more and more people started to own a television and therefore it became a real possibility that everybody’s house would have a telescreen one day. Nowadays this fear has become a reality, only in a different way.The government is able to control and check a lot of things through cameras and social media and there is little privacy. But to a reader from 2012 this is not strange or frightening, it is absolutely normal. For this reason you could say the actual fear is not realistic because a reader from 2012 doesn’t have to fear it anymore. To conclude, the fear a reader could experience while reading the book in 1950 is more realistic, more relevant and easier recognizable than the fear possibly experienced by a reader in 2012. Therefore, 1984 can be read and interpreted differently by two different readers who were born in a different time.

Human Relations Bad/ Good Experience

On Tuesday Sept. 5 I signed my daughter up for cheerleading at Jefferson elementary school. Upon arriving you are required to pay $60.00 for sign up and also a $7.00 registration fee, pom poms are $25.00 and the uniform is $50.00. According to the flier there is a team for girls between the ages 5-7 and another for the ages 8 and over. During practice I noticed that the other girls were much younger and also shorter then my daughter and I felt it would be a better fit for my daughter to cheer with the older girls. I asked the coach since my daughter will be turning 8 years old next month if she could join the team with the older girls, The coach â€Å"said no , I was very upset, so I requested my money back. My money was returned and I found a new cheerleading program for my daughter with a more understanding coach. Good experience On Wednesday Sept.6 I went to the Taco Bell located in Alhambra Ca just off Fremont street. I ordered several taco’s with no tomatoes and 2 small drinks to go. When I arrived home and begun to eat my food I noticed the tacos had tomatoes. I called the taco bell to inform them a mistake was made on my order. The manager was very apologetic and asked if I could come back to the restaurant to replace my order, â€Å"I agreed. When I arrived I asked for the manager he replaced my order and gave me 3 free tacos and a coupon for a free meal. I was very thankful and will continue to shop there.

The Peloponnesian War, 431404 B.C.E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Peloponnesian War, 431404 B.C.E - Essay Example Athens feared for war with Corinth and Sparta and hence it tightened its Potidaea colony by ordering then to bring down their city walls. Against Athens wish, Potidaea rebelled and refused to obey the Athens. Corinthians on the other hand feared the long term growth and strength of the Athens power and were anxious to contain it. They resulted to sending help to Potidaea eventually violating a 30 year old truce of never to help groups considered enemies to the Athens.2 Sparta’s decision to go into war came after they noted a rise in Athenian power and feared that if left to be too strong they might destroy Sparta. Corinth played a role by creating a false allegation on Athens that they were breaking the 30 years truce they had signed. Consequently, Sparta found every reason of war with Athens but missed their main worry of rise in Athenian power. The Peloponnesian war was divided into phases by historians. First, was the Archidamian war; a phase that included the Sparta invading the Attica. Athens on the other side, due to their naval supremacy raided the coast of Peloponnese which resulted to unrest in its empire. The first phase was marked with signing of the treaty known as Peace of Nicias though the treaty never stayed in place for long.3 Athens undermined it and renewed the fighting in Peloponnese and went ahead to use extreme force against Syracuse though it failed immediately. Decelean was the final phase of war and at this level Sparta got support from Persia and hence supported Athens’ rebellions leading to the undermining of the Athens Empire resulting to extinction of Athens supremacy. The end result saw Athens bow down in the year to follow.4 Peloponnesian war had its effects to the fighters and Greece in general. The war resulted to the reshaping of the ancient Greek. In terms of international relationship, Athens which was up to then the strongest city

Reliability of Standardized Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reliability of Standardized Testing - Essay Example If we take into account the basic ideology of standardized testing, it deals with providing information about performance of individual students and also provides an evaluation of the program. In short, we can say that standardized testing makes not only teachers accountable for the poor performance of the students, but also holds the administration equally accountable for the result as well. This is quite pertinent, because the administration is responsible for providing the teachers the basic facilities in order to carry out their jobs, hence the teachers cannot be made scapegoats under this system. Hence this system does have reliability in the sense that every body involved in the education system is accountable to some extent. The reliability of standardized testing has been put under the scanner several times in the past, in fact, as early as in the summer of 1977, at the National Consortium on testing. In this consortium it was decided to "promote a wider understanding of standardized testing among educators, legislators and public at large" (p.2). At that point itself, there was a lot of criticism from a segment of educators and administrators who felt that there had to be changes made in the system. According to Monroe (1924), the standardized tests provided "scientific" and "standard units" (p.7) for measuring the achievements of a student. These arguments are totally valid and indicate the reliability of standardized testing. However, considering there have been enormous changes in the education system, since these comments were made. If we take the current scenario into question, we have to address a host of issues in order to answer this question. There have been a number of testing methodologies that have emerged since then, and in the current scenario, we have to take these into consideration while evaluating the reliability of standardized testing. One of the strongest proponents of standardized testing was Atkinson (2001), who had argued that for use of only standardized tests in admission process in U.S Universities, as he believed that they were quite reliable and provided were fair. He was right in the sense that standardized tests not only provide comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the student, but also strengthen the basic foundation and principles involved in teaching. There are may be varying opinions over standardized testing, but there is no doubt that standardized testing is quite effective efficient. The reliability has often been questioned partly due to the efficiency and effectiveness of this methodology. As mentioned before standardized testing not only evaluates the performance of student, but also tests the efficacy of the teachers, administration and the school itself. In this way everybody involved in the system is accountable and that raises doubts that people involved may get desperate and adopt illegal mechanisms, so that they are not held accountable and this is the reason why the reliability of standardized testing has been questioned. However, the opponents of standardized education system believe that the problem with accountability is that it could cause a cascading effect; in the sense that the teachers may be influenced to design the

Clinical psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Clinical psychology - Essay Example A licensed clinical or counseling psychologist usually requires a doctoral degree for employment. Psychologists with a Ph.D. qualify for a wide range of teaching, research, clinical, and counseling positions in universities, elementary and secondary schools, private industry, and government. To work in a clinical position a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is usually required. (College Grad.com.) The prospects for job growth are expected to be faster than the average for all careers through 2012. The average yearly income of clinical psychologists in 2003 was $58,640, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Psychologists study about the human mind and behavior. They formulate hypotheses and collect data to test their validity. Depending on the topic under study, the research methods may vary. Controlled laboratory experiments, personality, performance, aptitude, and intelligence tests may be used to collect information. In addition, other methods like observation, interviews, questionnaires, clinical studies, and surveys may also be used. The knowledge gained by psychologists is applied to health and human services, management, education, law, and sports. Clinical psychologists constitute the largest specialty in psychology. They often work in counseling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals, or clinics. Some clinical psychologists work in physical rehabilitation centers. Others may work in universities and medical schools, where they train graduate students in mental health and behavioral medicine. Some are involved in community mental health programs. The range of work includes helping mentally and emotionally disturbed persons, helping people deal with personal crisis like divorce or death of a close person, helping medical and surgical patients to deal with their illnesses or injuries, treating patients with spinal cord injuries, chronic pain or illness, stroke, arthritis, and neurological conditions. They often

Business proposal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business proposal letter - Essay Example ng light regarding the concerns about the practical aspects of Constitution of the United States of America.   This declaration is the supreme legal authority of the US and confers the kinds of privileges that the people of the US could enjoy within the ambit of the law. There have been twenty seven Amendments to this Constitution, the first ten of these amendments now being known as the Bill of Rights. Perhaps, one of the main objectives that the drafters of the world’s oldest and shortest written Constitution had in mind while drafting has undoubtedly been the protection and safeguard of the prerogatives and rights of the people of the country, perhaps against authoritarian administration and the potential threat of infringement of individual rights as autonomous citizens of a free and sovereign State.   Paradoxically, however, there has been no mention of the word ’slavery’ anywhere in the US Constitution, although its ominous portent is one of the fundamental motives of the framing and enunciation of the American Constitution.   The American Constitution is subdivided into three parts- Executive, Legislative and Judicial. They have their roles and responsibilities carved out and more often than not, there is no overlapping, or transgression between these three constituent divisions. The political process, including appointment of Presidents and other important matters require the approval of Senate too. Perhaps the farsightedness of the crafters of the American Constitution is now evident. â€Å"When viewed through the lens of the twenty first century, the creation of a durable, democratic nation among thirteen disparate and far flung sovereign states assumes an aura of inevitability.† (Beeman). A research study of this genre in the realms of American Constitutional laws is as interesting and absorbing as it is challenging. This research would fundamentally seek to convey the modern views and perspectives on an important piece of constitutional laws,

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Critical Thinking - Essay Example s and ideas, to understand them at a deeper level or to make judgments about them, to make connections between them or even to develop beliefs and ultimately to arrive at appropriate relevant action derived from these thoughts. Critical thinking has been defined in many different ways. Scriven and Paul (2007) define critical thinking as â€Å"the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action†. However in order to understand what it means to think critically one must look at the components of critical thinking and the attributes of people who think critically. The best description of what it means to think critically is the ability of the thinker to take charge of their own thinking. In order to do this it means that the thinker is engaging in a number of processes including questioning, interpreting and evaluating information, assessing and analyzing information, examining their own beliefs and assumptions and weighing up opinions against facts. One of the important criteria for thinking critically that differentiates it from other kinds of thinking such as creative thinking is that the thinking leads to reactive behaviors that are rational. To think critically therefore means more than just having thoughts; it means analyzing and evaluating an assessing not just thoughts but beliefs to improve life. Scriven, M. & Paul, R. (2007). The Critical Thinking Community. Retrieved February 12, 2008, from Foundation for Critical Thinking Web site:

Managing oganisational relationships Essay Example for Free

Managing oganisational relationships Essay Introduction No Organisation can hope to keep up with the fast pace of change of the world today without enthusiastically embracing change within itself. [www.thecommonwealth.org 2005] The above statement is very powerful, but one I strongly agree with, because changes are taking place everyday and if managers dont respond to these changes then the business is most likely to suffer. Managers may have little ability to prevent change, but awareness that change is coming can make it easier to deal with. If an organisation is prepared to handle an event, then many problems can be prevented or solved without difficulty. Management versus Leadership There is a continuing controversy about the differences between management and leadership. I think its obvious that a person can be a leader without being a manager and vice-versa. According to the management theorist Mary Follett: Management is the art of getting things done through people [M.Follett 1989] However, the idea that a Manager only manages people I think is over-simplified. This is because managers hold many responsibilities. I have outlined below the role of a manger: Decision Maker Are held responsible for results Have conflicting goals to achieve Need to Plan and Budget Work with and through people organise staff. Whereas, leadership is; the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organisation. [House et al., 1999] From the above statement I can gather that the role of a leader is to mainly to: Communicate Motivate and, Encourage employees Leadership is a managerial activity where employees work together towards achieving company goals. The difference between managers and leadership is that managers are elected to supervise the work of other people in the organisation and carry out formal duties. While, leaders influence the behaviour or actions of others. Managers value stability, order and efficiency. Meanwhile, leaders value flexibility, innovation and adaptation. Managers are concerned more about how things get done and try to get people to perform better. Whereas, leaders are concerned with what things mean to people and try to get people to agree about the most important things to be done. As you can see there are many differences between management and leadership. I believe leaders are more effective than managers, as they influence workers to achieve company targets and their leadership approach is usually very effective. At Morrisons the leadership style is very effective as the leader has many good characteristics. I have outlined these below; * Good communication skills * Is decisive * Good at delegation These characteristics help employees feel more valued as they know what is going on in the company and so try harder for the company to achieve targets. There are many approaches leaders can emphasise on: Trait approach Behaviour approach Power-Influence approach Situational approach Integrative approach There are strengths and weaknesses to each of these approaches and the approach used highly depends on the nature of the organisation and the situation they are in. I would say that at Laurens cake factory, the managers implements a behavioural approach. They are very authoritarian where they focus on power, decision making and hold authority with the leader. The management style they hold is Task Management. This is when they: * Focus on production * Expect schedules to be met * Problems arise from other peoples mistakes I dont believe, that this approach is very effective because employers dont involve employees in decision-making and dont provide opportunity for training and development. I think this would make staff feel less valued and not part of a team so, will not motivate them to perform better to achieve targets. Performance Management performance management includes activities to ensure that goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient manner. [www.managementhelp.org 2005] Performance management can focus on performance of an organisation, a department, processes to build a product or service, employees etc. Performance management reminds us that training, strong commitment and working hard alone are not results. The major contribution of performance management is its focus on achieving results. Performance management redirects our efforts away from business and gets managers to think towards effectiveness. Recently, organisations have been faced with challenges of increasing competition from businesses across the world. This means that all businesses must choose effective strategies to remain competitive. Employees must commit to these to ensure strategies are implemented effectively. This situation has put more focus on effectiveness, to achieve results. All of the results across the organisation must continue to be aligned to achieve the overall result for the organisation to survive and thrive. It is only then that organisations can really tell if they are performing. Culture of an Organisation Every organisation has its own unique culture, based on values of the top management who direct the organisation. However, over time individuals attempt to change the culture of their organisations to fit their own preferences or changing marketplace conditions. This culture then influences the decision-making processes and effects styles of management. Mullins defines the culture of an organisation as: a collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organisation. [Mullins 2002] A key role for culture is to differentiate the organisation from others and provide sense of identity for its members. At Accordia the culture is very democratic as the manager delegates responsibilities on others. It is also creative and innovative because they are always open to new ideas. They build their culture around quality based upon commitment to the company as a whole. Cross Culture As a business becomes more global the need to understand cultural differences is critical to success. [M. BERGER 1996] Berger highlights the importance of cultures. I think it is essential to understand the basics of good cross-cultural relationships, because when people do things differently, they are not necessarily wrong they just dont follow this in their culture. I have drawn out a table below giving an example of how UK and France have different styles of conducting meetings: UK France Purpose of meetings is to agree actions and make decisions Acceptable to astray from agenda in discussions Stick to agenda, deviate only if new priorities emerge Purpose of meetings is to give input to decisions, not necessarily to make decisions Time conscious Dont challenge the Big Boss Defined follow-up actions are generally agreed The key decision-maker may not be at meeting People are expected to attend on time and stay through out the entire meeting Not time-conscious people come and go during meetings, there can be side discussions. Figure 1 [M. Berger 1996] As you can see there are many cultural differences. The UK and France have completely opposite managing styles. From respect and understanding people can find ways to work together based on mutual strengths. I think cultural values affect attitudes and behaviours around the world and we need to examine how one can adapt their skills to the cultural approach in which they find themselves in. Flexible Working Flexible working is the term used to describe the ability to employ people when and where required in the interests of everybody. [R. Pettinger 2002] There has been a huge movement towards flexible working over the years and Neatly Hurstfield found that: Employers were making increasing demands on all employees to become more flexible, both in working hours and in functional flexibility. [Hurstfield 1995] Flexible working involves the creation of work patterns and arrangements which are based on the need to maximise organisational output, customer and client satisfaction and staff expertise and effectiveness. I found out that there are many approaches to flexible workforce Atkinson was one of them, where he produced the flexible firm model in 1984. Diagram flexible firm I believe that this model has more relevance today because when we look at the retail sectors every employee is flexible. For example; At Woolworths they have their core managers who work contracted hours. And then all the other employees are part time workers with high flexibility hours. I think they take advantage of the functional flexibility, where they recruit more staff and create short-term contracts when sales are likely to be high, eg) Christmas. This maximises flexibility as they are getting workers in only when needed. I think the flexible firm model shows that the environment is more competitive and the need for cost effectiveness is important. I think Atkinson was well ahead of his time and predicted accurately. I consider the greatest emphasis was based on the flexibility in part time working as many retailers implement this model. Psychological Contract The term Psychological contract is; the perceptions of the two parties, employee and employer, of what their mutual obligations are towards each other. [www.adelphi-associates.co.uk] It is the psychological contract that effectively tells employees what they are required to do in order to meet their side of the agreement, and what they can expect from their job. There has been conflict in employees not commiting to their contract, but due to the changes occuring recently, employees have been persuaded to taking the contract more seriously. I have listed the changes below: The nature of jobs more employees are on part time and temporary contracts, so, functional flexibility is more popular Organisations have downsized and delayered so individual employees are carrying out more tasks. Markets, technology and products are constantly changing customers are becoming more demanding. So, quality and service standards need to be of high standards Traditional organisational structures are becoming more inflexible so, new methods of managing are required. The effect of these changes is that the ability of the business to add value, rests on employees, where they are seen as the key business drivers. Organisations that wish to succeed have to get the most out of their resources. In order to do this, employers have to know what employees expect from their work. This is where the psychological contract is used as a framework for monitoring employee attitudes. Since 1990s employees have low job security due to the impact of globalisation. This has completely changed the traditional contracts where there is no job for life. The new contract mainly focusses on fair pay and treatment and also opportunities for training and development notion of continuous learning. On this analysis, employers can no longer offer job security and this has underminded the basis of employee commitment. Conclusion To conclude, I have found out that change within an organisation is inevitable and managers need to respond to these changes for their business to remain successful. The trend towards globalisation is accelerating as foreign competition intensifies. This leads to a change in managerial responsibilities where managers must be able to understand and communicate with people from different cultures. Cultural diversity is increasing within the workforce where managers require the understanding of values, beliefs and attitudes of people from different cultures. I believe it is necessary for managers to have the understanding of building mutual relationships and have respect for diversity so they can work together without difficulties. Flexible working has also become very popular, where employers are constantly seeking flexible staff. This is so they can fully utilise their resources effectively. Organisations are familiar with the notion of high-quality staff willing to work when required. This is due to the fact that the staff, expertise and resources have to be engaged when customers and clients demand. The psychological contract enables employers to look at the welfare of employees. eg) what employees want: fair pay, continuous learning, opportunity for training and development etc. Overall, I have found out that the nature of organisations are changing with the times and both employees and employers are benefiting from these particular changes. Also, these changes have a huge impact on Managerial theories today. References Books: STREDWICK. J. (2005). An Introduction to Human Resource Management. Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann: Oxford. PETTINGER. R. (2002). Managing the Flexible Workforce. Capstone Publishing: Oxford. BERGER. M. (1996). Cross-Cultural Team Building, McGraw-Hill: London. BJERKE. B. (2001). Business Leadership and Culture. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham. MARTIN. G, KEATING. M. (2004). Managing Cross-Cultural Business Relations. Blackwell: London. MILES. R. (1975). Theories of Management: Implications for Organisation Behaviour and Development. McGraw-Hill: Oxford. WATERS. M. (1995).Globalization. Routledge: London. STREDWICK. J, ELLIS. S. (1998). Flexible Working Practices. Institue of Personnel Development: Wiltshire. YULK. G. (2002). Leadership In Organisations. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. ATCHINSON. T. (1978). Management Today. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: New Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: New York. Web Sites: (2005). Culture of Organisations. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn/business/aim/culture [Accessed on 20/1/2006]. (2003). Employee Peformance Management. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.managementhelp.org [Accessed on 20/1/2006]. (2005). Psychological Contract. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/ [Accessed on 21/1/2006]. (2005). Academic leadership: Online Journal. [online]. Available at: URL:http://www.academicleadership.org/ [Accessed on 27/1/2006].

The Relationship Between Host Community And Guest Tourism Essay

The Relationship Between Host Community And Guest Tourism Essay 2.0 Introduction Tourism is a product that relies totally upon simultaneous production and consumption. The implication of this for the destinations host community is that it will come into contact with an alien population during the production process. This contact can be beneficial or detrimental to the host community depending upon the difference in cultures and the nature of the contact. Tourism can develop and grow when host community has a positive attitude toward it and when they see their role in the process of the tourism development. At the point when a tourism destination is born, the quality if the life of the local hosts goes through radical changes, which are not necessarily negative. Literature suggests that tourism development has created both positive and negative impacts on communities. As a consequence, community residents hold different attitudes towards tourism development. Residents who do not support the development of tourism have been identified in almost all segmentation studies concerning attitudes towards tourism, namely Haters (Davis et al. 1988; Madrigal 1995), Cynics (Williams and Lawson 2001) or Somewhat Irritated (Ryan and Montgomery 1994). Host communities do see new business opportunities in tourism and are motivated to explore them. At the same time, they know that some negative physical, cultural, social and economic impacts will emer ge. The most complex problems that accompany tourism development, reside in the relationship between local host and tourist. Furthermore , there are limits of tourism growth that are closely associated with the place capacity and with the quality of life in the local community. The most complex problems that accompany tourism development, reside in the relationship between tourists and local host. Furthermore, there are limits of tourism growth that are closely associated with the place capacity and with the quality of life in the local community. When these limits are exceeded, local residents develop negative attitudes towards tourism. When negative attitudes become beliefs, tourism development obstacles appear. The beliefs of the local hosts become the most reliable indicator of the limits to the growth of tourism. 2.1 Tourism Development Tourism development is an expression that encompasses not only destinations, origins, motivations and impacts, but also the complex linkage that exist between all the people and institutions of that interconnecting, global supply and demand system ( Pearce, 1989). It has been widely recognized that tourism development is a double-edged sword for host communities. Not only does it generate benefits, but it also imposes costs (Jafari, 2001). By evaluating these benefits and costs, host community develop their perception toward tourism. Tourism is an industry which uses the host community as a resource, sells it as a product , and in the process affects the lives of everyone ( Murphy,1981). In general, tourism development within a host community often impacts the community both in negative and positive ways. These Impacts have been well documented and are usually classified as socio-cultural impacts, environmental impacts and economic impacts ( Allen et al., 1988; Ap, Farrell et al., 2001; Liu and Sheldon, 1987; Liu and Var, 1986; Nepal,2008; Pappas, 2008; Van Winkle and Mackay,2008). Residents attitudes will be positive if they can use tourism resources such as recreational facilities or if they perceive that tourism development will protect or preserve the environment ( Lankford et al, 2003). Conversely attitudes towards tourism were found to be negative if residents perceived the impacts as negative, or if the resources within a host community diminish as a result of tourist activity ( Lankford et al.,2003; Perdue et al., 1990). Tourism development initiatives usually center around the economic benefits derived from tourism. This typically includes job creation, taxes and other indirect income. 2.2 Tourism Planning Based on the World Tourism Organisations Hainan Declaration in December 2000, it is noted that one of the reasons for the failure of tourism planning in the past can be attributed to the lack of consultation with the local residents (Yahya et al. 2005:According to Williams and Lawson (2001) and Gursoy et al. (2002), research on residents reactions to tourism can help tourism planners understand why residents support or oppose tourism. Such information can help planners select those developments that can minimize the negative impacts and maximize support for tourism development amongst certain members of the local population. It has now become widely recognized that planners and entrepreneurs must take the views of the host community into account if the industry wants to pursue the goal of sustainable development (Allen et al. 1988; Ap and Crompton 1993). Success of a regional tourism development plan depends on the successful involvement of the community (Inbakaran and Jackson 2006: 64).Difference between success and failure could be location or temporally based so this research aims to set the foundation for continuing studies and inform local policy makers, planners and managers. This is particularly relevant in light of recent changes to local government structures in the region. Moreover, the successful development of a tourism industry requires effective planning that both recognises tourists demands and emphasizes the values of the local host community (Lankford, 1994). 2.3 Host community According to Sherlock (1999), it is difficult to define the term community precisely; nevertheless, the word can be used to refer to a group of people who exist in one particular location. Aramberri (2001) suggests that host societies are in fact communities, made of one piece. For Williams and Lawson (2001) community is defined as a group of people who share common goals or opinions. Host Community is particular is defined by Mathieson and Wall (1982) as the Inhabitants of the destination area. Similarly, Swarbrooke (1999) defines it as all those who live within a tourist destination. According to Gursoy et al.(2002) and Williams and Lawson (2001), the community consists of different groups of people who live in the same geographical area, which does not mean they necessarily belong to the same community. In the light of the previous definition, it can be concluded that a host community consists of all those people in the destination, whether they are homogeneous or heterogeneous an d regardless of whether the impacts of tourism are beneficial or otherwise. Tourism is an industry which uses the host community as a resource to sell it as a product, and in the process affects the lives of everyone (Murphy, 1980). The community as a product of amalgam of the destinations resources. As such the tourism industry is dependent on the host communitys hospitality, and therefore it should be developed according to the communitys needs to desires. Before host communities begin development of tourism resources, it is imperative to gain an understanding of hosts opinions regarding development. Tourism development in a community is not simply a matter of matching product supply with tourist demand, local acceptability must also be considered ( Menning, 1995). Moreover, it is the host community to who has a voice in concluding which tourism impacts are acceptable and which impacts are problems. However, the host is community is often the last to be notified of tourism development (Thyne and Lawson,2001) and quite often they are not given a chance or encouraged to give their opinioin on tourism issues. 2.4 Relationship Between Host Community and Guest A good relationship between local hosts and tourist is essential for the long term development of tourism destination. ( Ap and Crompton, 1998). The relationship between host community and tourists is mainly affected by the socio-cultural impacts that are caused due to tourism development (Smith, 1995). The variation in the relationship between hosts and tourists depends on the level to which the benefits of tourism are perceived to exceed costs ( Faulkner and Tideswell 1997). In other words, this mean that if the tourism industry brings in benefit rather than cost to the host community, the relationship between both parties would be much more stronger. Smith (1989) conclude that contacts between tourist and host community if different cultural background take the form of direct face to face encounters between tourists and host of different cultural groups. The interaction between hosts and international guests raises another issue linked to cultural tolerance. As argued by Bochner ( 1982), the mutual understanding between cultures can create an opportunity for acquaintance leading towards enhanced understanding and tolerance and, consequently, reduce prejudice, conflict and tension between hosts and tourists.This type of contact is experienced by tourists when they travel from home culture to a host culture by hosts when they serve tourists from a foreign culture. That is, both tourist and the host community participate in exploring each others culture. Tourist exploring the host culture by learning and exploring it and on the other hand the host community is interacting with tourists, who are of foreign cultures. 2.5 Host community perception towards tourism development Research has been conducted for the convenience of tourists, while local community perceptions and attitudes towards the industry have been given less of a priority (Murphy 1985). Butler (1980) claimed that there is a correlation between the development of tourism and the attitude of the domestic people towards the tourists. The domestic people show a very positive attitude towards the increasing number of tourists in the region at the beginning because they have high expectations from the tourist in long term basis. However this positive attitude is gradually replaced by the negative attitude as the time passes. Local residents perceptions are strongly influenced by the benefits and costs of tourism development. Those who received benefit from tourism stated that they are dependent on tourism, but the case was contrary for those who received nothing For instance, destination communities have been inconvenienced by congestion and some other negative impacts brought by tourism (Brunt and Courtney 1999). Any impacts from tourism causing annoyance or anger in the host community may lead to problems for the long-term development of the industry. Therefore, Murphy (1985: 133) argued if tourism is to merit its pseudonym of being the hospitality industry, it must look beyond its own doors and employees to consider the social and cultural impacts it is having on the host community at large. Studying host community attitudes and the antecedents of resident reaction can help both residents and planners (Williams and Lawson 2001).Williams and Lawson argued that it was possible to select those developments that can minimize negative impacts and maximize support for the industry. By doing so, on one hand the quality of life of residents can be maintained or enhanced; and, on the other hand, the negative impacts of tourism in the community wil l be reduced. 2.6 Tourism Impacts Researchers in the early years of the twentyfirst century list an impressive range of both positive and negative impacts on the host community as a result of tourism development (Fredline and Faulkner, 2000; Upchurch and Teivane, 2000; Gursoy et al., 2002; Besculides et al., 2002) The study of impacts from tourism on local communities takes in a range of literature that includes both the positive and negative effects of hosting tourists to a community. Andereck and Vogt (2000) point out that residents of a tourist community differ with respect to the impacts resulting from tourism development. However, researchers agree that a necessary condition of successful tourism development strategy is the inclusion of residents of the entire community if tourism investment is to yield substantial returns (Allen et al., 1988, 1993; Jurowski Uysal, 1997; Long et al ., 1990; Snepenger Johnson, 1991). 2.6.1 Socio-cultural Impacts Tourism is a socio-cultural event for both the guest and host (Murphy, 1985) and the contact between host and tourists can be beneficial or detrimental to the host community depending upon the difference in cultures and the nature of the contact .Tourism development also affects the social, cultural and environmental aspects within a destination. Socio-cultural impacts are concerned with the ways in which tourism is contributing to changes in value systems, individual behaviour, family relationships, collective lifestyles, moral conduct, creative expressions, traditional ceremonies and community organization (Pizam Milman, 1984, cited in Haralambopoulos Pizam, 1996, p.503). Host community has always been viewed as victims having to accept the social and cultural changes that are brought by tourism development (Sharpley and Telfer, 2002), while guest who imposes their own values on the host communities are viewed as the villain. Socio-cultural aspects within a destination may be positively affected through increased tourism Research (Ap Crompton, 1998; Easterling, 2004) suggests that tourism brings an increased understanding of other cultures, and strengthens the cultural identity of the host destination and increases community pride. Furthermore, tourism development increases and promotes cultural exchange between tourists and residents. Tourism can also be a force to preserve and revitalize the cultural identity and traditional practices of host communities and act as a source of income to protect heritage sites (Easterling, 2004). Tourism on the socio-cultural aspects can contribute to the revitalisation of arts, crafts and local culture and to the realization of cultural identity and heritage. In order to attract more tourists, architectural and historical sites are restored and protected (Inskeep, 1991). According to a study by Isik (2005) in Denmark, it was common that local people are not happy because tourism narrowed their alternatives of life, they do not have jobs, for children and the youth there are no activities for fun, no cinemas and entertainment. Life is too monotonous. Many years ago, citizens were very happy; there was a perfect friendship between the neighbors but now they do not even greet each other. However, the same study was carried out in Gà ¼zelà §amlÄ ± in Turkey reveals that hosts are very happy with tourists and every summer they organize festivals to get more tourists From a cultural perspective, tourism development and the appearance of tourists could cause a series of changes in host communities, such as increased price and identity, cohesion, exchange of ideas and increased knowledge about cultures ( Stein Anderson 1999). In other word, meaning that the host community will gain in about the tourist culture, helping them to expand their knowledge. Other changes included assimilation, conflict and xenophobia as well as artificial reconstructio (Besculides, Lee McCormick 2002). Relevant literature acknowledged that perception of host community on such impacts ambivalent that is they have a feeling of both hate and love towards changes occurring with the tourism development. To others, the cultural changes caused by tourism threatens to destroy traditional cultures and societies (Brunt Courtney 199, p 495) and to others it represented an opportunity for peace, understanding and greater knowledge ( Brunt Courtney 1999, p.495).With an expansion in the international tourism, the contact between guest and host would increased automatically. Such an increase would deepen the cultural impacts of tourism on host communities. In an extreme situation, the host communities could become culturally dependent on the tourism generating country ( Sharpley 1994). 2.7 Factors Influencing Host community perception towards tourism development Tourism development does not only generate benefits, but it also imposes costs ( Jafari, 2001). By evaluating these benefits and costs, host community develop their perception toward tourism development. However, previous research indicates that the development of locals hosts attitudes toward tourism is not determined by those perceived benefits and costs but is modified by various moderating variables ( Lankford, 1994). Those tested variables are classified as the intrinsic dimension which includes residents socio-cultural economic and demographic attributes , but the results are mixed.