Thursday, October 31, 2019

Global Water Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global Water Crisis - Essay Example In a global perspective, only a small proportion of water can be regarded as fresh. It is worth noting that much of the fresh water is not physically accessible by human beings. In fact, UNEP estimates that two-thirds of fresh water is tucked in frozen glaciers, meaning, it is not readily available for human and animals consumption, as well as for agriculture. In terms of accessibility, UNEP (2010) posits that approximately 1.1 billion people lack access to water, and a further 2.7 billion experience water scarcity at least a month annually. The World Bank estimates that 80 countries experience water shortages, translating to 2 billion people lacking access to clean water. One of the factors that has contributed to the global water crisis include population expansion. Figures from the World Health Organization (2012) points that population has undeniably doubled over the recent past. Consequently, this has led to transformation of water ecosystems, coupled with loss of biodiversity. Rapid population growth has contributed to overpopulation in many parts of the world and thus many people have been forced to inhabit or encroach on water basins and other water catchment areas. Consequently, increased human population, which increased from 1.7 billion to 6.6 billion people in the last century according, has also been linked with unsustainable use of water. Population growth has been accompanied by economic development in the last fifty years, and has also been supported by subterranean water resources which are non-renewable.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Coca Cola product life cycle Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coca Cola product life cycle - Case Study Example This concept holds that the life of any product can be divided into four distinct periods. The first one is the introduction phase, in which the initial sales are made to customers that like trying out new products, although sales in this phase are inadequate to recuperate costs of the product’s development (GecÃŒÅ'Evska et al, 2010: p209). The second phase is the growth stage, in which the sales rapidly increase with increasing product popularity and profits begin to be generated. The third stage is referred to as the maturity stage, which generates most of the product’s profits and sales and is the longest phase. Most companies seek to prolong this phase to increase profits by implementing extension strategies. The last stage is decline, in which the product sales begin to fall and being profitable. Marketing strategies should be adapted to external dynamics within the marketplace for every stage (Matsokis & Kiritsis, 2010: p789), which Coca-Cola has done to make it t he most consumed global soft drink company. Coca-Cola was founded in mid-1886 by John Pemberton and was first introduced in form of a soda fountain drink (Coca-Cola Company.com, 2012: p1). During this stage, it was sold at 5 US cents for each glass. Because John Pemberton’s partner and accountant Frank Robinson believed that C’s would be attractive in advertising, they settled on the name Coca-Cola. The objective of Coca-Cola during this phase was to generate initial awareness about the product and put it in the market for trial by the public, which exceeded Dr. Pemberton’s initial targets (Allen, 2012: p13). In addition, they only launched a basic product that was not even sold in bottles. Rather, they sold the product from soda fountains located strategically at Dr. Pemberton’s businesses. In addition, the company used a cost plus pricing strategy during this phase and it has been suggested it is most likely they used price skimming in order to

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Cathedral Short Story Written By Raymond Carver English Literature Essay

Cathedral Short Story Written By Raymond Carver English Literature Essay Cathedral is a short story written by Raymond Carver. The story unfolds as a first person narrative of a main character named Bub. The story is short and slow paced. . In fact, the whole conversations and drama in the story is an event that took place in one day. The story beautifully depicts the process of an individual who transforms from this unknowledgeable, ignorant being into a knowledgeable soul. The story was written more than three decades ago and still is relevant today. The story is fashioned in such a way that this timeless beauty will continue to awe and inspire people generations onwards. The cathedral, in this story is a mere subject brought up at the end of this story which becomes the object of Bubs enlightment. All in all this short story Cathedral tells a tale of Bub who through a blind man receives an eye opening experience. The beginning of the story describes Bubs feeling as a blind person is visiting his home for the first time. This blind man was a good friend of Bubs wife. Bub The blind man is visiting the trite emotions and thoughts going inside Bubs head as a Blind person is visiting his house for the first time. Through this mundane example of a cathedral through The story starts narrative story Cathedral he sheds light on the motif of ignorance through the first person narrator. The narrator starts as being intolerable but towards the end of the story, he gets an eye opening experience, ironically with the assistance of a blind man that makes him open minded. The author has chosen the right theme of physical and psychological blindness to beautifully achieve the goal of his exploration of the baseness and rawness of the narrator Bubs condition. Carvers treatment of this issue is proficient and he has the ability to stir up psychological dilemmas within the reader. Like other readers would consen t it is the narrator who is actually blind but not Robert the visually disabled. Appearance as it would seem is deceptive, the narrator could see externally and the blind man was the one without sight. However, the narrator was the one blinded by his own ignorance. This first instance of his ignorance is passing judgment on Robert before even meeting him despite knowing very little about him. And his being blind bothered me. My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed (202). Apparently it is evident he is unknowledgeable about Robert when he says, Id always thought dark glasses were a must for the blind or I remembered reading somewhere that the blind didnt smoke (206). He foolishly looked for any reason to detest the man, whether it was because he had married a colored woman named Beulah or because he had a beard on his face. Another example that shows the husband is blind in the beginning of the story is refering to Robert as This blind man (203) when Bub talks to his wife and never uses Roberts name or ass igns any human attributes to him. This shows that the husband does not really see Robert as a person, but just as a blind man who is different because he has a handicap. The blind man however antagonizes the narrator. He keeps an open mind to new experiences and states that he is always learning something because learning never ends, thus emphasizing his lack of ignorance. Roberts arrival at the couples house further brings out the narrators ignorance; the husband does not know what to say to him. He therefore begins to ask stupid questions about the view from the train: Which side of the train did you sit on? (205). The husband knows that Robert cannot see the view, but he asks him these questions anyway. Also, the husband thinks to himself, I didnt know what else to say (205), which is a clear indication that he is unable to establish a relationship with Robert. Both of these quotations show that the husband does not know what to talk about with Robert because he only sees Roberts handicap, instead of seeing him as a complete human being who has emotions, thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. Not only does the husband not know how to communicate with Rober t, but also he does not know how to act around him either. A good example of this, shown after dinner, is when all three of them go into the living room. This is how the husband portrays what happens when they first enter the room: Robert and my wife sat on the sofa. I took the big chair. We had us two or three more drinks while they talked about the major things that had come to pass for them in the past ten years. For the most part, I just listened. Now and then I joined in (206). The husbands discomfort is revealed through his actions when the wife went upstairs to put on her robe. I didnt want to be left alone with a blind man. I asked him if he wanted another drink and he said sure. Then I asked if he wanted to smoke some dope with me. I said Id just rolled a number. I hadnt, but I planned to do so in about two shakes (207). He shows that he does not know how to act around Robert because again he does not see Robert as a person, but only as a blind man. The narrator is asked to describe a cathedral later in the story by Robert. There is a need in the blind man to see, but there is nothing that will ever be able to fulfill that need. The narrator struggles to find the right words, the signifier that will provide a bridge to the thought in the blind mans head of the actual cathedral, the signified. When his language failed him, he relied on symbolism by drawing while holding the old mans hand to communicate to the blind man what he couldnt say with words. At this point he is introduced into the blind mans world and begins to see what it is like for him to have no sight. This allows the narrator to step outside of his own boundaries and give himself freedom from the ignorant world he used to live in. In the last few sentences of the story, he realizes for himself that he is free. My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didnt feel like I was inside anything (211). Bub was not only blind to his own ignorance but also blind to his wife and her feelings and needs. On the contrary, the blind man held a close relationship with the narrators wife, allowing himself to be an outlet for her to vent her feelings on the tapes she sent him. Her husband seemed insensitive to her feelings when he brushed off the poem she had written about the experience of the blind man touching her face. As a result of his insensitivity, the wife is easily angered by the narrator on a couple different occasions and sometimes shouts at her husband. Goddamn it, his wifes just died! Dont you understand that? The mans lost his wife.(203) In addition to his indifferent attitude towards her wifes feelings, the narrator appears to be jealous of the relationship between his wife and Robert. The jealous narrator expresses his envy when the three sit down after dinner to talk. I waited in vain to hear my name on my wifes sweet lipsBut I heard nothing of the sort. More talk of Robert (206). His jealousy even bleeds on Roberts relationship with his former wife. He contemplates and decides that it is beyond his comprehension that Robert could marry a woman and love a woman he has never seen (205). But the narrator himself, who can see his wife clearly with his own eyes, cannot see the depth of her feelings the way Robert is able to. His blindness to his wifes feelings isolates him from her and seems to drive him to use mind-altering substances in attempt to escape reality. He says that he smoked dope and stayed up as long as I couldMy wife and I hardly went to bed at the same time (209). Bubs conversation with Robert became clumsy but instead of dealing with them, he asks Robert if he would like to smoke dope. The narrator uses the drugs to achieve a sense of satisfaction. When people are starved of real love or a sense of satisfaction in their lives, they will repeatedly use material things in an attempt to fill this empty void which never becomes full. While th e narrator gets his self satisfaction from drugs and alcohol, Robert finds his from being with his former wife. The narrators wife called Robert and his former wife inseparable and recalls that she died in a Seattle hospital room, the blind man sitting beside the bed and holding her hand (204). The blind man seems to understand that time invested in people is much more worthwhile than any high one can get from a drug. Raymond Carvers choice of theme of blindness makes his goal of offering a deeper understanding of the nature of human a success. He is able to tell readers that there is physical blindness and psychological blindness. Those with the physical disability could see well than those who are not. This motif is accentuated by these examples from the storythe first is the demeanor of Bub which shows signs of disapproval of the imminent visit of his wifes blind friend, the second is his contemplating the basis of his wifes friendship with Robert, and the third is his verbal and sensory interaction with the blind man when he draws a cathedral on a paper bag.

Friday, October 25, 2019

A Man with a Vision :: essays research papers

My search began with personal interest about a man by the name of Howard Coffin. I knew him as the founder of Pirates of the Spanish Main, a local organization that he established in 1931. His purpose in founding the club was to welcome dignitaries, promote the Golden Isles, and aid the community. As a member of the club today, I thought it might be interesting to trace the roots back to the founder. Little did I know, Mr. Coffin was much more than just the founder of a club. He was also a man with a vision, who made huge strides in developing much of the Golden Isles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Coffin was born in 1873 and grew up on an Ohio farm, and in Ann Harbor, Michigan. He first discovered one of his visions while attending the University of Michigan. His vision was somehow to produce a low cost car, which would sell for less than a thousand dollars and that would attract a mass market. In 1902, Howard Coffin went to work for the Old Motor Works of Detroit, where he began his phenomenal career as an automobile builder. After the Olds Company decided to stay with their expensive car, he worked at other companies until he was finally able to achieve his dream. With the financial support of the Hudson Department Stores of Detroit, he invented the Hudson Car. The car was the first model of a four-cylinder roadster that sold for about $900.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first visit that Mr. Coffin made to the coast of Georgia was in 1910 to attend the Savannah Road Race. Early automobile manufacturers liked to watch their cars perform, but also they made it a vacation trip. While attending the races and enjoying their vacation, Mr. and Mrs. Coffin fell in love with the beauty and history of the Golden Isles of the Georgia coast. Since Mr. Coffin was well able to afford just about anything he wanted, he and his wife decided to purchase the 20,000 acres that made up Sapelo Island. They would have a place to vacation, a wonderful place to entertain, and a reason to return to the Georgia coast.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Howard Coffin’s real importance to Golden Isles history was in the vision that he had for development with the ongoing process of automobile roads. After the end of World War I, the sales of automobiles far surpassed the condition of roads for their travel.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Problem Behavior Syndrome Essay

Problem Behavior Syndrome (PBS) are a number of antisocial behaviors that cluster together which may include family dysfunction, substance abuse, smoking, educational underachievement, suicidal thoughts/attempts, unemployment and even crime. (Siegel, 2011) There is one person that comes to mind that has a criminal record and also possesses numerous antisocial behaviors listed in the text. That person, sadly, is my ex boyfriend/ baby’s father, Jonathon. He is only 27 years old and already has two strikes against him. The antisocial behaviors that pertain to him are: family dysfunction, smoking, substance abuse, unemployment, and educational underachievement. I personally believe his mother is to blame for that. She’s a lazy, unemployed alcoholic and possibly bipolar. She picks fights with him whenever possible and has even gotten him arrested once or twice. She is and most likely never was a positive role model for Jon. Maybe it has to do with his father never being around. Who knows? He had gotten a chick pregnant while he was only 15 or so. I have met that kid and the mother; I feel she is already heading down the road he went. That is exactly why I will not let him be in my daughter’s life. I don’t want her to be like him in any way. I am not sure how or who introduced him to drugs but that is his biggest downfall. Drugs (crystal meth) are why he’s been arrested. That fact that he smoked it as well didn’t make things better. He has never harmed anyone or robbed anything either so thank god for that. Since he has a record, it’s very hard for him to find a decent job. But the fact that he is trying to turn his life around and make something of himself, is what makes me know for a fact that he won’t become another PBS statistic.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Blue Zuma Part 2

After further analysis and the additional resources made available by Mr. Martin to the Blue Zuma Project, we have determined the following recommendations be implemented immediately to ensure that our retailers have the product by February 1, as established by our Mr. Lane. The concern with the original project plan revolved around three activities not having enough resources to complete the project per the timeline identified above.Those three activities were: Detailed Product Design, Detailed Marketing Plan and Manufacturing Process. With the additional resources made available, we are confident we can improve the process within the three activities identified above. 1. Which additional personnel assignments would you choose to complete the project before the February 1st deadline? Explain your choices as well as the reasons for not choosing other options. It appears an additional marketing specialist would be best utilized for this job.The resource sheet depicts that the marketin g specialist is still overallocated; however the other resources appear to be allocated correctly when we added the additional resources provided by Mr. Lane. Cost would be an important factor in determining if any additional employees will/would be needed. However, we can approve overtime to address some concerns. 2. How have these changes affected the sensitivity of the network? Once the changes are in place, the duration of the project has been reduced from 290 days to 274 days.This improvement has reduced the overall length of the project, thus allowing the deadline set by the Mr. Lane (President). We are confident we can now complete the project by January 27. By allocating the additional and available resources, we were able to reduce the amount of critical paths to one. In doing so, we increase the slack in non-critical activities, thus reducing or decreasing the sensitivity of the network. One critical path is now identified in the project.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Teenage Conformity essays

Teenage Conformity essays Teenagers today face many issues. One of the most common but often overlooked is that of finding their own true identities. Although some teens will find themselves, most simply choose to conform. To conform means "to be or become of the same form". They become like everyone else is. In other words they become like sheep, following and never leading. Instead of being an entirely unique entity with their own mind and thoughts, they become a carbon copy of numerous others. Take clothes for example, teenagers will buy incredibly overpriced clothing. They are willing to pay any price for clothing made by Calvin Klein, Tommy Hillfiger and Gap. They are willing to spend all the money they make from their jobs on these clothes instead of doing something much wiser like saving for college. Some teenagers will even go as far as having more than one job in order to have enough to purchase those $120 jeans. Why? Is it that these clothes are of better quality? More durable? No, they purchase them simply because they don't want to be different or stand out. The people they conceive to be their friends or those they wish to be friends with are wearing these labels and so they feel compelled to wear them too. They see the ads in magazines, on television and hear them on the radio. We also can't forget the fact that the stars are wearing these labels, and if famous people are wearing them they must be cool, right? Teenagers need to step back and say to themselves, "Is it really that important that I dress like my friends? Would it be that big of a deal if I dressed the way I wanted to?". In the past the next issue has been primarily focused toward girls, although recently it is becoming an increasing concern for young men. Teenagers today open a magazine and see skinny models, so thin in fact that many of them are forced to maintain unhealthy habits to remain that way. They watch TV and again, on ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Cell Cycle essays

Cell Cycle essays Cell reproduction is the leading cause of growth and developement in our bodies. This reproduction is caused by the cell cycle, which is defined as the life of a cell from its origin in the division of its parent cell until its own division into two. Genetic continuity, cytokinesis regulation, and tumor formation are three parts of the cell cycle. Mitosis and Meiosis are main events of the cell cycle that assure reproduction of cells. The process of meiosis affirms genetic continuity from a parent to a child, while mitosis affirms a genetic clone from one cell to the next. Meiosis takes place in order for sexual reproduction to occur, while mitosis regulates growth and repair among cells and tissue. Both processes incude: interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase as their main steps during divisions. During interphase, the cell prepares itself for division. In this stage, the chromosomes and centromeres are replicated. Chromosomes are still undistinguishable due to loosly packed chromatin fibers. The nucleus is well-defined and bounded by a nuclear envelope, containing one or more nucleoli. When prophase occurs, changes take place in the nucleus and cytoplasm. The nucleus and nuclioli disappear, and the chromatin becomes visable to the naked eye, forming chromosomes. The cytoplasm begins to form microfibrils radiating from the two centromeres that move to opposite sides of the cell membrane/wall. Metaphase, the next phase in cell division, involves the lining up of chromosomes at the metaphase plate of the cell. The chromatid are attatched to the microfibrils. The cell is now prepared for anaphase, the following step, which is where the chromatid detach from one another and travel to opposite poles of the cell. During the last phase, telophase, daughter cells arise from the single parent cell. The chromosomes once again become chromatin, and the nuclei become distinct. In addition, cytokinesis takes place, ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Chains and Sustainable Development Essay Example for Free

Chains and Sustainable Development Essay Those of us who preach the gospel of agriculture with evangelical zeal find the text compelling and convincing. We are regularly possessed by the spirit only to look around and see out colleagues, in other sectors, in country management, or even our senior management doubting, yawning or subtly edging towards the door. We face the implicit query, â€Å"If agriculture can do such great things, why have they not yet happened? †1 The past decade has been one of agro-pessimism. The promises that agricultural development seem to hold did not materialise. This pessimism seemed to coincide with pessimism about Sub-Saharan Africa. Especially for Sub-Saharan Africa the hope was that economic development would be brought about by agricultural development. After the success of the green revolution in Asia, the hope was that a similar agricultural miracle would transform African economies. But this hope never materialised, agricultural productivity did not increase much in SSA (figure 1), and worse, the negative effects of the green revolution in Asia became more apparent, such as pesticide overuse and subsequent pollution. Also in Asia the yield increases tapered off. The sceptics put forward several arguments why agriculture is no longer an engine of growth2. For instance, the liberalisation of the 1990s and greater openness to trade has lead to a reduction in the economic potential of the rural sector: cheap imported Chinese plastic buckets out compete the locally produced pottery. On the other hand, it does mean cheaper (imported) supplies. With rapid global technical change and increasingly integrated markets, prices fall faster than yields rise. So, rural incomes fall despite increased productivity if they are net producers3. The integration of rural with urban areas means that healthy young people move out of agriculture, head to town, leaving behind the old, the sick and the dependent. It is often also the men who move to urban areas, leaving women in charge of the farm. This has resulted in the increased sophistication of agricultural markets (and value chains) which excludes traditional smallholders, who are poorly equipped to meet the demanding product specifications and timeliness of delivery required by expanding supermarkets. The natural resource base on which agriculture depends is poor and deteriorating. Productivity growth is therefore increasingly more difficult to achieve. Finally, multiplier effects occur when a change in spending causes a disproportionate change in aggregate demand. Thus an increase in spending produces an increase in national income and consumption greater than the initial amount spent. But as GDP rises and the share of agriculture typically decreases, the question is how important these multiplier effects are, especially when significant levels of poverty remain in rural areas, which is the case in middleincome countries. The disappointment with agriculture led many donor organisations to turn away from agriculture, looking instead to areas that would increase the well-being of poor people, such as health and education. Those organisations that still focused on agriculture, such as the CGIAR, were put under pressure to focus more on reducing poverty, besides increasing agricultural productivity. However, since the beginning of the new century, there seems to be a renewed interest in agriculture. A review of major policy documents5, including the well-publicised Sachs report and the Kofi Annan report, show that agriculture is back on the agenda again. The most influential report, however, has been the World Development Report 2008 of the World Bank6. This report argues that growth in the agricultural sector 1 contributes proportionally more to poverty reduction than growth in any other economic sector and that therefore alone, the focus should be on the agricultural sector when achieving to reach MDG 1. A reassessment of the role of agriculture in development seems to be required. This policy paper addresses several timely though complex questions: †¢ First, how can or does agriculture contribute to economic development, and in particular how does it relate to poverty? †¢ Second, the agricultural sector has changed considerably in the past decades: what are the main drivers of this change? †¢ Third, what is the relationship between economic or agricultural growth and pro-poor development? †¢ Fourth, how does agriculture relate to other sectors in the economy? †¢ Fifth, who is included and who is excluded in agricultural development, specifically focusing on small farms? †¢ And finally, if agricultural development is indeed important to economic development, then why, despite all the efforts and investments, has this not led to more successes? 2. Agriculture and economic growth This section presents a number of factual observations describing how the agricultural sector changed in terms of productivity, contribution to economic growth, and indicating the relevance of the agricultural sector for poverty alleviation in different regions. Background: some facts In the discussion of the role of agriculture in economic development, a leading question is how agriculture contributes to economic growth, and especially to pro-poor growth. There seems to be a paradox in the role of agriculture in economic development. The share of agriculture contributing to GDP is declining over the years (see figure 1). At the same time, the productivity of for instance cereal yields has been increasing (see figure 2). It seems that as agriculture becomes more successful, its importance declines in the overall economy. Of course, other sectors in the economy can be even more successful, such as the Asian Tigers. Chains and Sustainable Development. (2016, Sep 07).

Friday, October 18, 2019

Refutation in Thelogical Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Refutation in Thelogical Religion - Essay Example futation of religion does not involve only a refutation of theories regarding God and his kingdom but it necessarily involves a refutation to all possible authorities at once. Dostoevsky finds Nihilism to be the only alternative of religion and thus he supports a religious anarchy as a system which may allow human beings to dwell on earth with a piece that he compares to heavenly kingdom. However, on the other hand, handing over complete political authority to church had already shows threatening result which Dostoevsky himself had seen and considered as a result of political and economical lust in theological authorities which must choose to refute all worldly facilities and charms in order to sit on an authoritative position in religion. Compared to religious view of Dostoevsky, Freud and Sartre- who had borrowed a large part of their theories from Dostoevsky- proposed two analytical alternatives to understand the theory of religion. In his Origin of religion, Freud examines the idea for why men must find out a God whatever his situations are. In Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky mentions there things that are necessary to mankind other than the Heavenly Bread of Bible, those are: Mystery, Miracle and Authority. Freud chooses authority as the reason why men always look for a superior creature that must be controlling at least some of his fate, if not all at once. Parallel to this idea, (Sartre) describes his theory of ‘bad faith’ to explain for how human being is infinitely free to choose just anything that he is afraid of his freedom and he seeks for a surrender to anything that provide him an alternative of facing his infinite freedom. As most of the empirical theories, including science, necessarily fails to describe about the nature of consciousness (or soul, spirit), the necessity of laws in nature and secret of life, people find out religion as providing them a shelter from their naked responsibility to find out a meaning in their existence. Resultantly,

1968 in U.S. History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

1968 in U.S. History - Essay Example The period is characterized by the entrenching of the U.S in an unpopular war in Vietnam, while violence, experimentation, unrest, and outspokenness spread throughout the nation. Leaders were assassinated on an outwardly regular basis, the Civil Rights Movement got more powers, and psychedelic music and social experimentation were rampant in most parts of the country. Many scholars view this year as shameful, divisive, or sometimes as a year that galvanized change in America. 1968 was an apex of the gradual upheaval of the 1960s. Tension that had been accumulating for the past years ultimately came to head, across a whole year of violence, revolution and grief. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy were assassinated; unrest was rampant in Democratic National Convention, as the media covered the Tet Offensive to expose the horrible account of the Vietnam War. The fighting in the Saigon streets during the Tet Offensive or New Year made the Vietnam too real. According to one UPI reporter, the Vietnam in this year meant a first look at death. Photographers scampered from building to building gathering photos on the fighting in the outcasts of Saigon. The North Vietnamese communist groups’ launch of the Tet Offensive in January and its success against South Vietnamese and U.S troops caused discontent and shock across the home front and marked the most intense times of anti-war disputes to date. Apart from being the most difficult and saddest year in America, 1968 was also a presidential election year. President Lyndon Johnson was on the forefront in promoting civil rights legislation but he had also greatly increased American possibility in involving in the Vietnam War. It was therefore not easy for him to leave the White House without protesters being involved; he no longer had majority support and thus announced that he would not contest for the presidency. Eugene McCarthy, a senator from Minnesota engaged in these elections and succeeded in the pri maries. Following his success, New York’s Senator Robert Kennedy decided to enter the campaign too. For a long time then, Kennedy had served in one of the highest legal offices in the nation as Attorney General in the administration of his late brother, John Kennedy. Upon his announcement to run for presidency, most citizens were very pleased with his massage, where he promised to end the Vietnam war, and to reduce racism and poverty both in America and in the whole world. Another serious event was noted in April fourth, the same year; Martin Luther King, America’s top civil rights leader was shot to death in Tennessee. He was helping to negotiate a strike between the management and sanitation employees. This made Kennedy to deliver a speech to black citizens, convincing them that what had happened was against the wishes of Americans, since they disliked hatred, lawlessness, and violence, but embraced wisdom, love, and justice. However, these words did not calm down th e black community. Their leader, Luther had peacefully led civil rights movement, yet his death cultivated violence in more than one hundred cities nationally. Soldiers were called upon to settle the riots, and hundreds of citizens lost their lives or were injured. As the primary elections went on, Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy tried to show how their ideologies differed, but voters could not notice the differences. They both opposed the Vietnam War; sought enhancements in civil rights; and both promoted social reforms. Kennedy led in primaries in Nebraska and Indiana, while McCarthy led in Oregon. California had the next big primaries, and Kennedy stated that he would withdraw if he was defeated in this significant contest. He won the elections and

Models of Criminal Justice System in England and Wales Essay

Models of Criminal Justice System in England and Wales - Essay Example These delegate the Police with the responsibility of the control of crime (Lea 2002, pp.32,67); the Prison Service, to run prisons; the Probation Service with the role of rehabilitation; the Crown Prosecution Service, for bringing action against those suspected of committing a crime; the Magistrates' Courts and the Crown Court with the responsibility of dealing with the trial of suspected criminals; the Court of Appeals for the final conviction of the perceived criminal; the Prison Service, for running prisons; the Serious Fraud Office for the investigation of frauds and other similar offences that affect trade the corporate world (Davies, Croall & Tyrer, 1995, pp.274, 342, 121, 152, 156, 274, 133). A new CJS agency in England and Wales took effect in 2001. The new Criminal Defence Service was established by the Access to Justice Act of 1999 which also established a Legal Services Commission which supervises this new agency (Wheeler 2006,p.165). This provides state-employed defence counsel that serves as lawyer to indigent defendants (Hirschel et al 2007,p.176). The CJS in England and Wales is essentially rooted in three principles. The first is that an accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty by proof beyond reasonable doubt. The second is that the criminal justice system is basically adversarial in nature i.e. that the accused is aided in his defence by a counsel while a prosecutor tries to prove that he is guilty and both parties face each other in court as adversaries (Davies, Croall & Tyrer 1995, p.193). The third principle states that there is criminal liability only when there exists in the actor

Thursday, October 17, 2019

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

International Relations - Essay Example The Great Debate of Realism vs. Idealism: The North Korea Nuclear Problem Since the introduction of International Relations Theory during the World War I era, two conflicting arguments have helped to shape and guide the United States' foreign policy. Realists advocated seeing the world as it is; a conglomeration of self-interested states where military might and economic strength produce positive results. In contrast to the realists, the school of idealism advocated a foreign policy based on what the world could become; a cooperative system of member states and an international code based on freedom and order. US foreign policy in the last 100 years has ebbed and waned in and out of realism as a second World War, a Cold War, and a post-Cold War period challenged the State Department for a coherent policy theory. Nuclear capability in the hands of rouge nations has made it even more difficult to define the two theories. The North Korea nuclear problem is a product of the US's dual nature of realism and idealism. Since the Clinton administration, the US government has taken a hard line against the North Korean nuclear capability. The US was not working to persuade North Korea to become democratic or hold free elections. In addition, there have been few credible attempts to bring North Korea out of isolation, with the exception of South Korea's unification policies.

Enhancing CSR in Saudi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enhancing CSR in Saudi - Essay Example This is in contrast to the Saudi government’s attempts to normalize the practice as a core business of the private sector. Moreover, social responsibility under Islamic teachings is obligatory with the Quran holding that there is due share for the deprived and beggars in wealth (Emtairah et al, 2009). This paper will seek to address what can be done to enhance CSR in Saudi Arabia at the government level, society level, and at the individual level. The belief held by sections of the Saudi society and corporations that CSR is a government responsibility requires concerted efforts by the government in steering debate by the public towards enhancing the acceptance by corporations of their CSR duties (Emtairah et al, 2009). This will also benefit the creation of a healthier society and stimulate growth of enterprise. The government’s role in convincing the private sector and motivating them to accept their obligations under CSR, however, may be inconsistent with free-market practices. Theoretically, the state should desist from forcing the private sector to act in any manner that is not dictated by market forces. Private corporations are, primarily, assumed to offer shareholders reasonable returns for their capital and Saudi business-people have interacted with Western capitalism for a while (Emtairah et al, 2009). Therefore, it will be difficult to alter perceptions, especially as there is increasing emphasis on profit and giving shareholders the highest returns financially. However, unlike the business community in the capitalist West, the government should take advantage of the fact that Saudi Arabia’s objectives of profit maximization do not mean that social problems cannot be solved economically as part of CSR. The government should seek to engage the private sector in debate about CSR from the perspective that there are differences between non-market factors and market factors, treating each aspect

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Models of Criminal Justice System in England and Wales Essay

Models of Criminal Justice System in England and Wales - Essay Example These delegate the Police with the responsibility of the control of crime (Lea 2002, pp.32,67); the Prison Service, to run prisons; the Probation Service with the role of rehabilitation; the Crown Prosecution Service, for bringing action against those suspected of committing a crime; the Magistrates' Courts and the Crown Court with the responsibility of dealing with the trial of suspected criminals; the Court of Appeals for the final conviction of the perceived criminal; the Prison Service, for running prisons; the Serious Fraud Office for the investigation of frauds and other similar offences that affect trade the corporate world (Davies, Croall & Tyrer, 1995, pp.274, 342, 121, 152, 156, 274, 133). A new CJS agency in England and Wales took effect in 2001. The new Criminal Defence Service was established by the Access to Justice Act of 1999 which also established a Legal Services Commission which supervises this new agency (Wheeler 2006,p.165). This provides state-employed defence counsel that serves as lawyer to indigent defendants (Hirschel et al 2007,p.176). The CJS in England and Wales is essentially rooted in three principles. The first is that an accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty by proof beyond reasonable doubt. The second is that the criminal justice system is basically adversarial in nature i.e. that the accused is aided in his defence by a counsel while a prosecutor tries to prove that he is guilty and both parties face each other in court as adversaries (Davies, Croall & Tyrer 1995, p.193). The third principle states that there is criminal liability only when there exists in the actor

Enhancing CSR in Saudi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enhancing CSR in Saudi - Essay Example This is in contrast to the Saudi government’s attempts to normalize the practice as a core business of the private sector. Moreover, social responsibility under Islamic teachings is obligatory with the Quran holding that there is due share for the deprived and beggars in wealth (Emtairah et al, 2009). This paper will seek to address what can be done to enhance CSR in Saudi Arabia at the government level, society level, and at the individual level. The belief held by sections of the Saudi society and corporations that CSR is a government responsibility requires concerted efforts by the government in steering debate by the public towards enhancing the acceptance by corporations of their CSR duties (Emtairah et al, 2009). This will also benefit the creation of a healthier society and stimulate growth of enterprise. The government’s role in convincing the private sector and motivating them to accept their obligations under CSR, however, may be inconsistent with free-market practices. Theoretically, the state should desist from forcing the private sector to act in any manner that is not dictated by market forces. Private corporations are, primarily, assumed to offer shareholders reasonable returns for their capital and Saudi business-people have interacted with Western capitalism for a while (Emtairah et al, 2009). Therefore, it will be difficult to alter perceptions, especially as there is increasing emphasis on profit and giving shareholders the highest returns financially. However, unlike the business community in the capitalist West, the government should take advantage of the fact that Saudi Arabia’s objectives of profit maximization do not mean that social problems cannot be solved economically as part of CSR. The government should seek to engage the private sector in debate about CSR from the perspective that there are differences between non-market factors and market factors, treating each aspect

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Dream of the Red Chamber Essay Example for Free

Dream of the Red Chamber Essay In the first chapter, the author first writes about the origin of the stone. Then it comes to the very end of the story and writes a conversation between the stone and the Taoist called Vanitas. Next, it starts to talk about the story which first starts with the decline of Shi-yin Zhen`s family. When reading the origin of the stone, I find the description of the stone provides me with a great sense of mystery, which keeps me reading forward. Maybe it is because the stone is of magic power which makes it unreal from the reality. However, the story happens in the real world. As a result, it forces me to read and explore what will happen if the unreal meets with the real. Then it continues to write about the conversation between the stone and Taoist after â€Å"countless aeons†. The conversation suggests a lot of clues about the whole book. According to the self description of the stone, the story`s main theme is love, and purpose of this story is to record the real events and make those who indulge in the eroticism aware of their wrongdoing. Although it gives some clues to the story, but it never gives the detail to readers. Thus, it is just like it gives you soul of the book, but it never gives the appearance or skin of the book, which makes the reader know something about the book but not everything about it. Consequently, as one of the readers, there is no doubt that I want to get to know more about the book. It is very surprising that the whole story starts with the tragedy of Shi-yin Zhen`s family. Personally, I myself very compassionate him. Before I read the book, I thought the book should be very light and happy since it was a book about love among young boys and girls. It is widely acknowledged that the first impression about one thing will keep affecting your view for a long time. Maybe the author wants to suggest something about the later story, so he writes such a tragedy and makes the atmosphere sad and dark. Shi-yin is a good man who helped Yu-cun. He does not deserve such misfortune. Maybe it is the â€Å"Fate† that the author wants to focus on. Another feature that I find in the first chapter is that Taoist and monk frequently appear in the context. In my impression towards Taoist, such kind of people, who are totally different with the ordinary ones, have higher-level thoughts towards the world. They always have deeper thoughts towards everything. I am quite confused by the frequently appearance of Taoist. Is it very common at that time to have Taoist or is there any other reason? What does the author want to express with the use of Taoist? According to my point of view, maybe he wants to compare the Taoist and the ordinary people to emphasis what ordinary people do are always secular and profane, which is because they lack of the understanding of the true life and indulge in the real material world. The first chapter tells us much and also leaves many unsolved questions which force us to explore the answer by reading the rest of the book. I will keep on reading and figure out the answer myself.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Primark Internal and External Analysis

Primark Internal and External Analysis There are lot of internal and external factors which may influence the performance of Primark. Over recent years, this topic has come up as the most asked question in Business and Economics lessons.   Specifically, is it ethical to buy low priced goods produced in poor countries?   My personal answer is an emphatic yes.   Its hard to see how our refusal to open some markets to free trade particularly in agriculture helps the worlds poor.   But the debate seems to hinge on the rights, conditions and dignity of the producers.   For this reason, retailers like Primark (who like Tesco find themselves on the front line of this debate because of their public profile) seek to anxiously protect their reputations as ethical employers.   Recently Primark has fired three Indian suppliers because they used child labour to finish goods. The suppliers sub-contracted smaller firms, which were using child labour to carry out embroidery and sequin work. A Panorama special on Primark will be broadcast on BBC1 at 9pm on 23 June: during their six-month investigation, the BBC uncovered the evidence which they passed to Primark. The information provided by the BBC enabled us to identify that illegal sub-contracting had been taking place and to take action accordingly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the sub-contracting involved home working and in some instances children were also found to be working at home.   We take this lapse in standards very seriously indeed. Under no circumstances would Primark ever knowingly permit such activities, whether directly through its suppliers or through third party sub-contractors. According to Primark, the garments affected accounted for 0.04% of the retailers worldwide sourcing. It currently has more than 170 stores and made a  £200m profit in 2007 on total sales of more than  £1.6bn. Primark: An Overview Primark Stores Limited is an Irish clothing retailer. Its stores are located in various regions like United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. Within this area of responsibility, Primark stores outnumbered other clothing retailer business, with one hundred sixty one stores overall distributed in three major regions: one hundred twenty-five in the United Kingdom, thirty-four in Ireland and eight in Spain. The company positions itself as marketing fashionable at cutthroat prices.   The original clothing store was established by Arthur Ryan and his collaborator Micaela Mitchell in Dublin Ireland in 1969. After various success in clothing business, great profits and gross income led them to open stores in local and regional areas. It acquired various premises in different business centers within its local and regional areas which eventually generate more profits and income. Primark is known for selling clothes at the budget end of the market. Its success is based on sourcing supply, making clothes with simple designs and fabrics and targets young, fashion-conscious individuals ages 35 below, offering them simple yet high quality clothes and apparels. Hence, these successes brought significant changes on Primarks retail business. The relevance of global trends and consumers demands on lifestyle made Primark Store Limited reinvent its business scheme and management structure. Primarks management and business structure As a famous clothing retail store, recently, Primark embarks in different retail products not only restricted on manufacturing clothes but also other related products such as apparels and accessories available to all human sizes. Primark employs simple managerial operation on its stores structure. Each store has its own manager responsible in overseeing the status and business operations. With managers inherent authority, they are given the power and control to manage the store within his/her point of responsibility. Moreover, in smaller or larger branches, assistant and deputy managers are assigned to control and manage the store. Within the store, there are different subdivided departments in which a manager is assigned like senior department managers and junior department managers who are in charge for individual departments. Moreover, under management, there are supervisors in charge of staff on a sales floor, on different departments like stock room staff, customer service staff, customer service desk, cashiers who work on the tills, cash office staff and staff responsible to look after fitting rooms. This management and business structure posits a simple way of managing human labour force, however, simple it may seem, yet inevitably creates serious problems and issues if and when proper assessment of the structure will be undervalued. Analysis on the internal and external environment of Primark retail industry The Primark clothing retail industry is a member of Ethical Trading Initiative, a collaborative forum bringing together businesses to work on labour rights issues in their supply chains. In fact, Primark developed ethical strategy in order to promote labour rights issues within its organization. Certain guidelines and code of conduct must be defined in relation to the ethical implications of work to human labour rights. Primark, initiated and defined its ethical trade strategy in 2006, focusing on assessment of employees working conditions, factories operations concerns and addressed necessary improvement. Primarks annual report of activity should be passed to the Ethical Trading Initiative Board. Moreover, Primark stands to a principle that shared learning and collaboration is one of the most successful ways to achieve sustained positive progression with its suppliers factories. However, climate change within and outside Primarks environment changes as it faces the challenges posed by the global business market. Using PESTLE and SWOT analysis, let us examine the ins and outs environment of Primarks retail clothing industry. The PESTLE analysis allows us to examine the external factors affecting the environment of an organization while SWOT analysis aids us to assess organizations internal strengths and weaknesses and further identify threats and opportunities external to its environment. Hence, these methods are helpful for us to understand and underline positive and negative factors affecting the external and internal environment of an organization like Primark. In assessing the political, social, and economic factors external to the environment of Primark, we must consider different issues. Primarks business operations are subject to government policies and regulations. The business firm should conform to the set of policies and regulations stipulated and enforced by the government and policy making body while conforming to the set of regulations and policies, the firm should assume social responsibility as demanded by the global consciousness. Nowadays, business sectors no longer busied themselves to produce bonds of profits and income but deeply involved in social programs to promote social awareness and equality. Cultural and social behaviors of different consumers are important to consider when establishing or venturing business in the global landscape. Furthermore, economic, environment, laws, and technology are inseparable entities in which influence the business operations. The economic stability of certain region can contribute allot to the business condition of certain firm, like Primark. Technology on the other hand, brought a tremendous effect to the status and development of business operations and marketing programs. It generates new trends in a rapid movement, which if organizations are unaware will impede growth and development. Hence, Primarks must constantly assess its strategy with consideration to its PESTLE as external factors that in one way or the other affects its internal and business operations. Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Primark, we go back to its established management or business structure. The need for re-tracking the management or business structure is important in analyzing its SWOT. As to my knowledge upon my encounter with Primarks business operations, its strengths are gained in its simple, systematic and organized business structure, having assigned proper authorities to proper positions. Moreover, its recognition for valuing high quality of products and quality services with its customers garnered more strength to attract more people. On the other hand, Primarks weaknesses can be found in its way of managing people. Although, Primark is a member of Ethical Trade Initiative, study shows given different negative issues concerning its business operations and transactions like child labour, purports less value on ethical matters. Different issues were attacking Primark concerning exploitation and abuse on labour force, other env ironmental concerns, poor working conditions, and disvaluing workers rights. Primark in different surveys was labelled as a fashion industry with oppressive regime. The primacy of autocratic and rigidity on standard structures can be a weakness as well as threats to the life of the company. Since, it goes globally, opportunities are in wide array not only on the part of venturing into regions with much income and profit to gain but also an opportunity to share and provide quality products to fashion-conscious people with vogue to fashion lifestyle. Conclusion Given this analysis we come to realize that each organization has its own external and internal problems to handle. The process in which we enable to identify and analyze such problems is by using proper management method of analysis like SWOT and PESTLE. The importance of these methods is squared to the importance of the business itself. No.2: discuss the various business strategies that firms can implement to take Advantage of different markets or trading blocks? For this purpose Porter has proposed his generic strategies which are the best to implement, in my point of view, to take advantage of different markets. These strategies are given as below. Segmentation strategy Differentiation strategy Cost leadership strategy Michael Porter has described a category scheme consisting of three general types of strategies that are commonly used by businesses to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. These three generic strategies are defined along two dimensions: strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a demand-side dimension (Porter was originally an engineer, then an economist before he specialized in strategy) and looks at the size and composition of the market you intend to target. Strategic strength is a supply-side dimension and looks at the strength or core competency of the firm. In particular he identified two competencies that he felt were most important: product differentiation and product cost (efficiency). He originally ranked each of the three dimensions (level of differentiation, relative product cost, and scope of target market) as either low, medium, or high, and juxtaposed them in a three dimensional matrix. That is, the category scheme was displayed as a 3 by 3 by 3 cube. But most of the 27 combinations were not viable. Porters Generic Strategies In his 1980 classic Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, Porter simplifies the scheme by reducing it down to the three best strategies. They are cost leadership, differentiation, and market segmentation (or focus). Market segmentation is narrow in scope while both cost leadership and differentiation are relatively broad in market scope. Cost leadership strategy This strategy involves the firm winning market share by appealing to cost-conscious or price-sensitive customers. This is achieved by having the lowest prices in the target market segment, or at least the lowest price to value ratio (price compared to what customers receive). To succeed at offering the lowest price while still achieving profitability and a high return on investment, the firm must be able to operate at a lower cost than its rivals. There are three main ways to achieve this. The first approach is achieving a high asset turnover. In service industries, this may mean for example a restaurant that turns tables around very quickly, or an airline that turns around flights very fast. In manufacturing, it will involve production of high volumes of output. These approaches mean fixed costs are spread over a larger number of units of the product or service, resulting in a lower unit cost, i.e the firm hopes to take advantage of economies of scale and experience curve effects. For industrial firms, mass production becomes both a strategy and an end in itself. Higher levels of output both require and result in high market share, and create an entry barrier to potential competitors, who may be unable to achieve the scale necessary to match the firms low costs and prices. The second dimension is achieving low direct and indirect operating costs. This is achieved by offering high volumes of standardized products, offering basic no-frills products and limiting customization and personalization of service. Production costs are kept low by using fewer components, using standard components, and limiting the number of models produced to ensure larger production runs. Overheads are kept low by paying low wages, locating premises in low rent areas, establishing a cost-conscious culture, etc. Maintaining this strategy requires a continuous search for cost reductions in all aspects of the business. This will include outsourcing, controlling production costs, increasing asset capacity utilization, and minimizing other costs including distribution, RD and advertising. The associated distribution strategy is to obtain the most extensive distribution possible. Promotional strategy often involves trying to make a virtue out of low cost product features. A cost leadership strategy may have the disadvantage of lower customer loyalty, as price-sensitive customers will switch once a lower-priced substitute is available. A reputation as a cost leader may also result in a reputation for low quality, which may make it difficult for a firm to rebrand itself or its products if it chooses to shift to a differentiation strategy in future Differentiation strategy Differentiation is aimed at the broad market that involves the creation of a product or services that is perceived throughout its industry as unique. The company or business unit may then charge a premium for its product. This specialty can be associated with design, brand image, technology, features, dealers, network, or customers service. Differentiation is a viable strategy for earning above average returns in a specific business because the resulting brand loyalty lowers customers sensitivity to price. Increased costs can usually be passed on to the buyers. Buyers loyalty can also serve as an entry barrier-new firms must develop their own distinctive competence to differentiate their products in some way in order to compete successfully. Examples of the successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike athletic shoes, Perstorp Byproducts, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. A differentiation strategy is appropriate where the target customer segment is not price-sensitive, the market is competitive or saturated, customers have very specific needs which are possibly under-served, and the firm has unique resources and capabilities which enable it to satisfy these needs in ways that are difficult to copy. These could include patents or other Intellectual Property (IP), unique technical expertise (e.g. Apples design skills or Pixars animation prowess), talented personnel (e.g. a sports teams star players or a brokerage firms star traders), or innovative processes. Successful brand management also results in perceived uniqueness even when the physical product is the same as competitors. This way, Chiquita was able to brand bananas, Starbucks could brand coffee, and Nike could brand sneakers. Fashion brands rely heavily on this form of image differentiation. Some research does suggest that a differentiation strategy is more likely to generate higher profits than is a low cost strategy because differentiation creates a better entry barrier. A low-cost strategy is more likely, however, to generate increases in market share. This however, may result from a limited understanding of profits. Differentiation strategies are indeed likely to result in higher gross and net profit margins due to the pricing power created by perceived uniqueness and high customer satisfaction. However, these higher prices will also likely result in lower sales volumes and lower asset turnovers. As such, the effects on Returns on Capital are likely to be neutral. As illustrated in the Dupont ratio therefore, a firm can achieve high profitability and Returns on Capital by being either a successful differentiator (with high margins and low volumes) or a successful cost leader (with low margins and high volumes). One strategy is not necessarily more profitable than the other. Variants on the Differentiation Strategy The shareholder value model holds that the timing of the use of specialized knowledge can create a differentiation advantage as long as the knowledge remains unique. This model suggests that customers buy products or services from an organization to have access to its unique knowledge. The advantage is static, rather than dynamic, because the purchase is a one-time event. The unlimited resources model utilizes a large base of resources that allows an organization to outlast competitors by practicing a differentiation strategy. An organization with greater resources can manage risk and sustain losses more easily than one with fewer resources. This deep-pocket strategy provides a short-term advantage only. If a firm lacks the capacity for continual innovation, it will not sustain its competitive position is over time. Criticisms of generic strategies Several commentators have questioned the use of generic strategies claiming they lack specificity, lack flexibility, and are limiting. In particular, Miller (1992) questions the notion of being caught in the middle. He claims that there is a viable middle ground between strategies. Many companies, for example, have entered a market as a niche player and gradually expanded. According to Baden-Fuller and Stopford (1992) the most successful companies are the ones that can resolve what they call the dilemma of opposites. A popular post-Porter model was presented by W. Chan Kim and Renà ©e Mauborgne in their 1999 Harvard Business Review article Creating New Market Space. In this article they described a value innovation model in which companies must look outside their present paradigms to find new value propositions. Their approach fundamentally goes against Porters concept that a firm must focus either on cost leadership or on differentiation. They later went on to publish their ideas in the book Blue Ocean Strategy. Q.No.3: analyse how the firms and industries are benefitted by globalization and the role technology has played? Globalization, since World War II, is largely the result of planning by politicians to break down borders hampering trade to increase prosperity and interdependence thereby decreasing the chance of future war. Their work led to the Bretton Woods conference, an agreement by the worlds leading politicians to lay down the framework for international commerce and finance, and the founding of several international institutions intended to oversee the processes of globalization. These institutions include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), and the International Monetary Fund. Globalization has been facilitated by advances in technology which have reduced the costs of trade, and trade negotiation rounds, originally under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which led to a series of agreements to remove restrictions on free trade. Since World War II, barriers to international trade have been considerably lowered through international agreements   GATT. Particular initiatives carried out as a result of GATT and the World Trade Organization (WTO), for which GATT is the foundation, have included: Promotion of free trade: elimination of tariffs; creation of free trade zones with small or no tariffs Reduced transportation costs, especially resulting from development of containerization for ocean shipping. Reduction or elimination of capital controls Reduction, elimination, or harmonization of subsidies for local businesses Creation of subsidies for global corporations Harmonization of intellectual property laws across the majority of states, with more restrictions Supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions (e.g. patents granted by China would be recognized in the United States) Cultural globalization, driven by communication technology and the worldwide marketing of Western cultural industries, was understood at first as a process of homogenization, as the global domination of American culture at the expense of traditional diversity. However, a contrasting trend soon became evident in the emergence of movements protesting against globalization and giving new momentum to the defense of local uniqueness, individuality, and identity, but largely without success.[33] The Uruguay Round (1986 to 1994)[34] led to a treaty to create the WTO to mediate trade disputes and set up a uniform platform of trading. Other bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including sections of Europes Maastricht Treaty and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have also been signed in pursuit of the goal of reducing tariffs and barriers to trade. World exports rose from 8.5% in 1970, to 16.2% of total gross world product in 2001 Advantages of Globalization Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. People around the world are more connected to each other than ever before. Information and money flow quicker than ever. Products produced in one part of a country are available to the rest of the world. It is much easier for people to travel, communicate and do business internationally. This whole phenomenon has been called globalization. Spurred on in the past by merchants, explorers, colonialists and internationalists, globalization has in more recent times been increasing rapidly due to improvements in communications, information and transport technology. It has also been encouraged by trade liberalization and financial market deregulation.Globalization offers a higher standard of living for people in rich countries and is the only realistic route out of poverty for the worlds poor. Pro-g lobalization groups e.g. World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum believe that globalization helps to reduce poverty and increase living standards as well as encourage a better cultural understanding. Also, due to globalization, there can be international co-operation to solve environmental and social problems. Technology has now created the possibility and even the likelihood of a global culture. The Internet, fax machines and satellites have swept away the old national cultural boundaries. Global entertainment companies now seem to shape the understandings and dreams of ordinary citizens, wherever they live. Globalization leads to better cultural understanding and tolerance. Because of improvements in travel, more and more people are traveling to different countries, thereby spreading their culture to other parts of the world. Advantages of Globalization We have moved from a world where the big eat the small to a world where the fast eat the slow, as observed by Klaus Schwab of the Davos World Economic Forum. All economic analysts must agree that the living standards of people have considerably improved through the market growth. With the development in technology and their introduction in the global markets, there is not only a steady increase in the demand for commodities but has also led to greater utilization. Investment sector is witnessing high infusions by more and more people connected to the worlds trade happenings with the help of computers. As per statistics, everyday more than $1.5 trillion is now swapped in the worlds currency markets and around one-fifth of products and services are generated per year are bought and sold. Buyers of products and services in all nations comprise one huge group who gain from world trade for reasons encompassing opportunity charge, comparative benefit, economical to purchase than to produce, trades guidelines, stable business and alterations in consumption and production. Compared to others, consumers are likely to profit less from globalization. Another factor which is often considered as a positive outcome of globalization is the lower inflation. This is because the market rivalry stops the businesses from increasing prices unless guaranteed by steady productivity. Technological advancement and productivity expansion are the other benefits of globalization because since 1970s growing international rivalry has triggered the industries to improvise increasingly. Goods and people are transported with more easiness and speed  the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases  free trade between countries increases  global mass media connects all the people in the world  as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic  there is a propagation of democratic ideals  the interdependence of the nation-states increases  as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones  the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases  the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases  environmental protection in developed countries increases   Effects of globalization Enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations The global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital There is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies  worldwide production markets emerge Free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits Global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions More transborder data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones etc. International criminal courts and international justice movements are launched The standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase Corporate, national and sub national borrowers have a better access to external finance Worldwide financial markets emerge Multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation International travel and tourism increases Worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held Enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture Local consumer products are exported to other countries Immigration between countries increases Cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place There is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture Free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs Due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced Subsidies for local businesses decrease Capital controls reduce or vanquish There is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions i.e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages of globalization in the developing world It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberties are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations. It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1.5 billion to 1.1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such people decreased fr om 40% to 20% in such developing countries

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Black Thursday :: essays research papers

The book ‘Hard Times’ takes you back to the early 20th century. This book also talks about one of the hardest times in American history. Hard Times talks about the causes of the great depression. This book gives original testimonies of people who lived during these hard times. Studs Terkel, prize-winning author and radio broadcast personality was born Louis Terkel in New York on May 16, 1912. Terkel attended University of Chicago and received a law degree in 1934. He chose not to pursue a career in law. Terkel credits his knowledge of the world to the tenants who gathered in the lobby of the hotel and the people who congregated in nearby Bughouse Square, a meeting place for workers, labor organizers, dissidents, the unemployed, and religious fanatics of many persuasions. In the roaring 1920s, the United States bathed in previously unheard of prosperity. Industry and agriculture alike profited from the thriving economy. Average income grew steadily throughout the decade and production soared. Levels of investment grew to new heights. However, the economy began to slow down in 1928, and the trend continued in 1929. Agricultural prices slipped, a result of production surpluses and a downturn in business activity. Despite this and other warning signs, patterns of investment continued much as they had in the mid-20s, giving little recognition to the economic slowdown. The stage was set for a major market correction. On October 24, 1929, dubbed Black Thursday, the stock market crashed. Investing froze. As a result, the national economy fell into an unprecedented period of depression. National income slipped lower each year from 1929 to 1932, and did not return to pre-depression levels until World War II. Unemployment became arguably the foremost problem of the depression. Hard Times talks such a major part of American History and was reviewed by many. Stud Terkel did such an excellent job when describing the depression and his accounts were so accurate according to the New Times, which states â€Å"In Hard Times, Studs Terkel captures the Depression in all its vast complexity, assembling a mosaic of memories as told by those who faced destitution as well as those who stayed rich†. The Saturday Review says, â€Å"It vividly illustrates the Depression's effect on those who lived through it, and shows how bitter memories can transform into a surprising nostalgia. The book ultimately serves as "a huge anthem in praise of the American spirit".

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Leadership :: essays research papers

Leadership When Ronald Reagan said, "What I'd really like to do is go down in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves again", he probably was not thinking too much about the definition of leadership. However, without realizing, he pretty much defined it. I believe the definition of leadership is having a impression on others, and not only inspiring them, but making a physical difference in their lives (hopefully in a good way). Without that aspect, there is not only no effective leadership, but there is no leadership at all. To have this ability to make impressions and differences, you need communication skills. One who can not communicate well will never be a leader. A leader must know how to speak so his ideas are understood in the correct way. Ronald Reagan very own nickname was "The Great Communicator." The examples that prove his nickname true are his great acting skills, the fact that his talks with the Soviet Union push to the Russian move toward capitalism. The next aspect of effective leadership is the ability to make decisions to change, and not always stick to the status quo. What good is a leader who is afraid of change? Despite economic setbacks, President Reagan reduced government spending tremendously, and cut back on business regulations to strengthen the business sector of the economy. By making this change, the inflation rate fell 13% to 2%, and created thousands of jobs for Americans. When Reagan entered office, the unemployment rate was 10.8%, when he left it was 5.3%. This economic growth would have never come if Reagan did not have the will to change. Even though Reagan's term sounds successful, there were many problems. Failure is an aspect of leadership whether we want to believe it or not. The drug menace, loss of international competitiveness, falling standards in education, and the rising national debt were all of Reagan's flaws. However, to be an effective leader, one must realize that there will be flaws such as Reagan experienced in his term, and it is the effective leader's duty to try to

Friday, October 11, 2019

My thoughts and reflections Essay

Sustainability I hadn’t considered the inter-plays that exist between the social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, I subscribe to the three pillars of sustainability (figure 1), that is each has an impact but they are independent of each other. Figure 1: Three pillars of sustainability Source: Wallis, A. M., Graymore, M. L. M., & Richards, A. J. (2011) p.596. Class discussions and research enabled me to see the interactions between these pillars and I started to contemplate sustainability more as an interactive process aligned with the three spheres of sustainability (figure 2) which I interpret as being of equal importance and that is you connect them all you will achieve sustainability. Figure 2: Three spheres of sustainability Source: Wallis, A. M., Graymore, M. L. M., & Richards, A. J. (2011) p.596. My ecological footprint gave me personal insights into my impact on the environment. I reflected on what I could do to reduce my footprint; an all-electric house, job with extensive car travel and I am a meat eater. What future was I leaving my children and what could I change? I could reduce my consumption of red meat, saving a planet, however the economic and social impact on our farmers for me outweighs the impact on the planet after all that is their livelihood. I can reduce my energy usage by turning appliances off at home and work and I can use technology for meetings to reduce my travel imprint. I watched a number of documentaries on natural disasters and asked myself why we have done nothing to prevent these and what have we learnt. I reflected  on the impact of the recent drought throughout Victoria. Ballarat almost ran out of potable water, our lake ran dry and tourism was in decline. This environmental event was impacting on our economy and the social impact was and is still being felt today. Human behavior changed, current water demand remains at levels of the 1930’s therefore I’ve concluded that humans need a crisis in order to change behaviour for the good of the environment. But have we really learnt from this, the drought of the 1930’s suggest not, evidence was there that we over used the land having a significant impact socially, economically and environmentally but yet natural disasters droughts still occur due to inadequate consideration of all aspects of sustainability. Worldviews and values A light bulb moment – I hadn’t considered sustainability worldviews. Was I more inclined to lean towards the atomistic (individual-centred) view or the holistic (earth-centred) view? On reflection I think for me it is both, unless you hold strong beliefs one way or the other I believe we hover in between; we all interpret data differently based on our starting assumptions and values and are less likely to change our worldview. In particular I reflected on Indigenous Australians who hold to a traditional value, the land is sacred to them; by holding this view they have a positive impact on the environment; they only take what they need, they give back and believe in the spirit of the land. They didn’t need politicians to develop policies and legislation to make them reduce their carbon emissions or to look after the land. I am faced with the dilemma of how we as a nation can make a difference; it appears that I have more questions than I have answers. Sustainability phases Most organisations are slow adapters to change and usually do so as a result of compliance activities being enforced upon them due to new or reformed legislation, a good example of this is OH&S legislation in Australia. Are we doing enough through education to ensure the next generation of leaders will consider sustainability more than a buzz word? We have created a throwaway  society, landfill is becoming scarce and yet our propensity to have the latest gadget is not decreasing, locally, nationally and internationally we need to look at ways in which we can recycle or reuse the materials on a large scale that has a positive impact on the planet. Another light bulb moment came when we researched companies that we believe are sustainable and consider what phase of sustainability they are in. We looked at Acciona Energy and concluded that they are in sustaining corporation phase as they are paving the way in sustainability. Not all would agree as there are people in Ballarat who are opposed to wind farms and their worldviews are strong in the belief the turbines are more harmful to your health and nothing will persuade them otherwise. This re-emphasises that our assumptions and values in many ways holds much stronger than any evidence that may be presented to us that may refute our views. My journey I have discussed and debated the values I hold and how by changing one small thing we can make a difference to our ecological footprint. If everyone made one small change in their lifestyle it may grow into something that will impact positively on the planet; e.g. Earth hour which started as a national event and is now a global phenomenon. I’ve planted a vegetable garden, my meat consumption has decreased and I actively shop for locally produced vegetables and fruit. I have moved my thinking to that of the ‘bullseye’ model (figure 3) which â€Å"shows that the human system, which is broken up into social and economic systems, must stay within the capacity of the social system to be sustainable.† (Wallis, A. M., Graymore, M. L. M., & Richards, A. J. 2011. p.597) Figure 3: Bullseye model Source: Wallis, A. M., Graymore, M. L. M., & Richards, A. J. (2011) p.598. I have contemplated how we move sustainability from a buzz word without introducing legislation which may not change people’s worldview. I work in the not-for-profit sector we are at the compliance phase of sustainability,  we can move to the efficiency phase by building the capacity of our community leaders; raising their awareness of sustainability, allowing them to experience the impact of their decisions and making a change that positively impacts the environment. I have seen sustainable behavioural change occur; such as water demand, if the reason for change is compelling but we have to recognise that change is a journey and for each of us we have to subscribe to the view that we want to change. Bibliography Wallis, A. M., Graymore, M. L. M., & Richards, A. J. (2011) Significance of environment in the assessment of sustainable development: The case for south west victoria. Ecological Economics, 70(4), 595-605.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Stoning

Human Rights Research Task| Stoning In Iran| Daleen Conradie 11(O)| â€Å"You are a human being. You have rights inherent in that reality. You have dignity and worth that exists prior to law. † Lyn Beth Neylon Definitions Human Rights: Human rights are the basic freedoms as well as rights that all humans are entitled to. These human rights include the right to life, freedom of thought and expression as well as equality. Human Rights Violation: A violation of Human Rights is when someone has been discriminated against or has made it unable for someone to receive their basic freedoms or rights. Cultural Relativism:Cultural Relativism is the principle when someone’s activities and beliefs have to be understood according to their own individual cultures. Religious Relativism: Religious Relativism is the principle when someone’s activities and beliefs have to be understood according to their own individual religions. Stoning In Iran What is Stoning? Stoning is a way o f punishment where stones are thrown at the victim until they die. As a group complete this punishment no one can be held responsible for killing the person. This form of execution can be seen as a form of torture as it is slower than other forms.It is also said to be one of the oldest forms of execution that has been practiced in many areas of the world however most commonly in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. There are certain crimes that by the law of the country or community are punishable by death from stoning. If someone is accused and it is agreed by the people in power of the community they are put to death by stoning, even if there is no evidence to support the accusation. If the victim is a male they are buried up till their waste while a female is buried up until her shoulders. They are then thrown with stones by the volunteers in the community.These stones are picked specially to their size as they must be able to cause physical pain without causing death immediat ely. The stoning lasts until the person has died which on average is between 10 to 20 minutes. The family of the victim are forced to watch as well as sometimes take part. It all depends on what the punishment entails. The law of stoning however also allows the person to go free if they are able to escape however this is not always followed as many that escape are then shot. Human Rights Violation: When someone does not allow them to have their human rights it is seen as they treat them as if they are less than human.It creates the sense that they do not deserve respect or dignity. All individuals are entitled to justice, life and physical safety in order to grow in a safe and nurturing environment. There are many ways to violate rights but governments have created laws to restrict the â€Å"crimes against humanity† however individuals as well certain groups of people till break these law for their own selfish reasons. Unfair trial: In cases of stoning the judges are allowed to someone sentence someone to stoning without asking for permission from the government as well as often without proof of the crime.Iran law allows a judge to sentence someone based on their â€Å"knowledge. † This means that someone will be put to death not based on evidence but rather on the feelings of the judge. This means that many cases are unfairly tried. Abuse towards Women: â€Å"Right to life, liberty, and security of person without distinction of any kind, including sex† (Articles 2 and 3 of the UDHR) (http://www. stop-stoning. org/node/10) Most of the victims of stoning are women who have been discriminated due to their statutes, customs or values.In actions that can be seen as violating normal behaviour, women are more likely to be assigned the guilt especially in the cases of adultery. The women in these relationships have a higher chance of being stoned to death while the men will receive less severe or even no punishment. Cultural or Religious Context: In past history, stoning has been seen as tradition in many cultures and religions including Jewish and Greek communities. Stoning now is associated with Islam and Muslim cultures however there is no mention of stoning in these their religion book, the Quran (religious text of Islam. The only mention is implied in the Hadith (narrations concerning the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) when the Prophet Muhammad dealt with the Jewish Law. There have been many debates within Muslim religious communities as well as many people have spoken out against stoning saying it humiliates and defames Islam even though it is not accepted as Islamic Law. Due to this many Muslim nations have now banned death by stoning however there are still many countries that either under law or due to the community still uses stoning as a form of punishment.In Iran many Muslim people believe that stoning can be seen as Islamic however there is no proof to show that this is part of either religion . Effects on Society due to Violation of Human Rights: As there is an unfair treatment the people in the community then become afraid as well as they are unable to prove their innocence due to them being convicted based on a feeling of the judge. The people within the society live in fear and therefore there is then no unity in the community. Friends are lost during stoning as they can be the ones who are throwing the rocks. Women are treated the worse as they are seen as weaker and less important.This means that the word of men over power those of women. If a women is able to prove her innocence yet a man is has evidence to prove she is guilty even if the evidence it is not sufficient, the word from men will be taken and women will be punished. The violation of human rights creates an environment of fear and discrimination. How Violations of Human Rights Restrict the Dignity and Development of Human Beings: â€Å"Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to respect and ethical treatment. † en. wikipedia. org/wiki/DignityWhen someone does not receive their human rights they lose a part of being a human being. Those who violate rights take away something from humans; they do not give them the respect or treatment that they deserve which means that they do not have dignity. It has been taken away from them with no reason. The effect of this is that the person can then live in fear or they do not fully develop as they do not have the basic forms of security. Unfair trials or accusations mean that humans are not treated as equal. They need to have certain material objects or statuses in society in order to receive treatment that they deserve.They are not seen as innocent until proven guilty; they are seen as guilty based on one person’s opinion. When women are abused or seen as less superior they are also not treated as equal. They are discriminated against which can make them feel worthless. This can cause them to be unable to fully grow and develop into independent human beings as they have not been given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. When humans grow up in hard situations they are more prone to making wrong live decisions or they just do what they are told as they have not be exposed to the freedom of making their own choice.Unique cases show how the human spirit can’t always be broken so these people are able to fully develop however if they are never exposed to this hope, to certain human rights, they will conform and live by societies rules even if it mean stoning someone to death. As of 2010, stoning is still practiced in: Saudi Arabia Afghanistan Somalia Nigeria Sudan Iraq Iran â€Å"If cultural and religious practice is protected by the constitution, do you believe that it is then acceptable/ justifiable to practice the specific example you have researched. Certain cultural and religious practices are protected by the const itution as they are protecting the human rights that state one is allowed to practice the religion or culture they chose without being discriminated against. However there has to be a balance between human rights and beliefs as one can’t neglect one of them as they are both protected by the constitution. There have been many negotiations between these two points of view and many religions and countries have reached an agreement. This is not however.Stoning is seen as part of the Islam cultures however it is not stated in the Quran. This means that the cultural and religious point of view is not justifiable as stoning is not a religious practice. Many of the countries where stoning still takes place, such as Iran and Afghanistan, are part of the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights. Article 6 of the ICCPR states that â€Å"in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes† (http:/ /www. stop-stoning. rg/node/10) Adultery is not a serious crime however people are still executed cause of these crimes as well as they are tortured which is a violation of the Human Rights, ICCPR and the Law of certain countries. If a cultural and religious practice is protected by the constitution it can be accepted to practice it if it is within the boundaries of human rights as human rights are also protected by the constitution. Death by stoning is not a religious practice therefore it isn’t protected by this part of the constitution as well as stoning for the crime of adultery is not allowed according to agreements made.Bibliography Information oregonstate. edu/instruct/anth370/gloss. html en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cultural_relativism wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn http://www. iran-e-azad. org/stoning/ en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_Rights_(Women_in_Armed_Forces)_Amendment_Act_2007 http://community. babycenter. com/post/a22865769/the_stoning_of_suraya_m. http://rayh arris57. files. wordpress. com/2009/12/human-rights-day. jpg http://science. jrank. org/pages/9933/Law-Human-Dignity. htmlhttp://www. stop-stoning. org/node/13 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Adultery#Stoning en. wiktionary. rg/wiki/human_rights en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_rights http://www. quotegarden. com/h-rights. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hadith http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dignity en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rights http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_rights http://www. stop-stoning. org/node/10 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stoning http://www. dhushara. com/book/sakina/stoningetc/stoning. htm Bibliography Information http://www. unglobalcompact. org/aboutthegc/thetenprinciples/humanRights. html http://civilliberty. about. com/od/capitalpunishment/ig/Types-of-Executions/Death-by-Stoning. tm http://www. worldinconversation. org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/freedom. jpg http://meydaan. net/English/showarticle. aspx? arid=133&cid=46 http://answers. yahoo. com/question/ind ex? qid=20100706003525AASKrvg http://hubpages. com/hub/The-Stoning-of-Women-in-Iran-Its-global-impact http://www. nypost. com/p/blogs/capitol/message_for_president_obama_regarding_5uChiwg2KiCzjn7V3OnxyM http://www. unglobalcompact. org/aboutthegc/thetenprinciples/humanRights. html http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/human_rights_violations/

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Beyoud The Sex

Young Beautiful, it tells us a story about how a 17-year-old girl named Isabella became a prostitute, and how did she get out of it. It happened in Sociables 17, because 17 is a special age for us. When we are 1 7, we are passionate and full of novelty. We want to get out of control from our parents; we want to become mature rapidly; we expect to leave the teenage world and become an adult; we eat the forbidden fruit on a sly; we attempt to explore who we are, and what the world is.But eventually, all of us will find the answer, though some Of us may take a detour. In the movie, Isabella works as a prostitute and lives in a secret life. Once one of her client John died when he was having sex with her, and her job was exposed to the police and her parents. When she went to the psychologist, the psychologist doubts why she wanted to do the job. Indeed, every audience is curious about it. Why? Her family is not poor, and her mother gave her enough money to support her school life. She doesnt buy luxuries, and she just saved all the money she earned in the closet.Then why, why would she still do this filthy job? But Isabella replied, It was simpler, cleared. Apparently, it is simple. The old rich men with lots of money want to have sex with young beautiful girl. The purpose is undisguised and straight. It doesnt need any word, promise or flatter. And she charged the money to assess the worth of herself. It seems like she is exploring something. She is discovering her sexuality, and the relationship between male and female. She is eager to know everything about the complex world. However, why did she choose such a way? Ink it is related to her family and her childhood. Maybe it is a compensation for her natural father. So she is more curious about the sexuality and love. Her parents took apart when she was young. Though her stepfather is very kind, she still feels that she is the extra person in her family. And there is a large gap between she and her mother. She wants to have a rebellion. She needs a shortcut to be quickly independent and mature. She wants to jump out of the moral encumbrance. Maybe it results of her unsatisfactory fist time. And in the end, the talk withJohns wife seems to awake her. When the dark over, the dawn comes, all of these things seem like happening in the dream. The director left an opening ending for us, and he didnt show exactly what happened in the end. More importantly, it leads us to think above the girl, above the sexuality. Female sexual desire, self-recognizing, self identity, middle class interests, youth and growth, young and beautiful All Of them are leading us to a deeper exploration and meditation. And thats what beyond the sexuality; thats what movie brings to us.