historical fiction V.S. contemporary realistic fiction Essays

Mother was in Kingston, approximately 55 miles away from her daughter. Every day she called, hoping to talk to her, but kayana never listened for more than few seconds before running off to play. Then mother had an idea. She had read her favourite books so many times that she had memorize many of them. So the next time she called, she began by reciting one of her daughter?s favourite stories. Success! Kayana listened for 3 or 4 minutes before running off to play. Literature is a tie that binds mothers to their children and teachers to their students. This bond remains unbroken with the passing of the years. As a tattoo leaves an incredibly mark on the body, so does the written word leave on incredibly mark on the minds of children. Hearing literature set the stage for reading literature on your own. There are many types of children?s literature, and fortunate are the children who are exposed to them. Traditional literature and contemporary realistic fiction are two such genres that w ill be highlighted in the paragraphs to come. Traditional literatures are stories passed down through oral storytelling and from generation to generation fall. Over time and through many tellers, these stories altered, drawing upon each new generation?s truth to become the stories we are familiar with today. Rich in tradition and richer in language, traditional literature connects the future to the past. Traditional literature forms the basis for many pieces of modern literature and can help provide readers with knowledge of stories passed through various generations. Because traditional literature is that which has been passed from one generation to the next, it can provide readers with insight into the world's various cultures. Its main purpose is to provide entertainment. However, important themes often exist within traditional literature. Themes might include foolishness, emotional outlets, and cultural values, to name a few. Traditional literature comes in five different forms: folktales, fables, myths, epic and legendary h eroes, and the Bible. It often comprised of short, high-quality literature that facilitates the formation of a common, human bond. It typically has fast-moving plots that often offer humorous, happy endings. The characters are typically flat, being either completely good or completely evil. Rich language and a variety of language patterns are evident. Such language facilitates vivid imagery within the readers mind. Motifs, or the smallest part of the tale that can stand independently, are often evident in traditional literature. Motifs include magical powers, transformations, magical objects, wishes, and trickery. Sometimes, traditional literature includes variants, or a different version of a common story. According to Huck/et al (2004, p. 238), "each variant has basically the same story or plot as another, but it might have different characters and a different setting or it might use different motifs". On the other hand, Contemporary realistic fiction is fiction that accurately po rtrays life as it was lived in the past or life as it is lived today. (Norton, 2003, page 390). It is characterized by themes such as maturing, relationships with family and friends, understanding one self, dealing with problems, and more. Contemporary realistic books can help readers understand themselves, see the world through another person's perspective, understand universal problems and issues, experience role models, and prepare for living in the real world. Popular contemporary realistic fiction oftentimes includes humor, animals, sports, and mysteries. There is often an element of character growth or self-realization in the book. Titles can promote tolerance and understanding of others and their experiences. It "extends children's horizons by broadening their interests, allowing them to experience new adventures and showing them different ways to view and deal with conflicts in their own lives" (Through the eyes of a child (2003), p. 363 As mention in the paragraph above folktales is a sub- genre of traditional literature. Folktales feature common folks, such as peasants, and commonplace or events. There may be some ?make- believes? elements, like talking animals, but the stories, overall, sound logical ? even realistic. Folktales seek to explain things about life, nature, or human condition. Hunt (1994) also indicated that ?folktale emerges from the folk, or grass roots, culture and becomes folk literature when it is recorded in written form.? It would be useless

Anaximander Essays

Anaximander Essays Anaximander Essay Anaximander Essay Anaximander, a Milesian philosopher, was the first great influencer of Greek thought. He traveled, and presented his discoveries from the outside world to Greece. He is sometimes credited with the discovery of the gnomon, a type of sundial telling hours of the day, equinoxes, and solstices; however, it was most likely a transplanted invention from the Babylonians. He is also said to have constructed a celestial globe mapping the heavens. Anaximander can be considered the first geographer and although his maps suffered massive criticism from later philosophers, he completed a map of the world based on his own travels to Sparta and the Black Sea, and upon conversations with merchants and travelers. Anaximander also created a model of the universe using a geometric structure and basing measurements on multiples of three. He conjectured that the heavenly bodies were seen when fire showed through vents in the heavens. By using this single supposition, he was able to explain phenomena such as eclipses by a single occurrence: the blockage of heavenly vents. He can be considered the first metaphysician because he rationalized and hypothesized about the Aperion as the Arche. Unlike Thales, Anaximander speculated that the Aperion differed from the elementals and reasoned instead that since it was the fundamental source of all things and surrounded the heavens and worlds, it could not be any one of those things or possess their characteristics. This is why the earth does not move in space, because the Aperion has an equal relation to the extremes and there is no reason for it to move. According to Anaximander, the Aperion must be spatially unlimited because it environs the universe. As an unlimited material, if the Aperion possessed a definite set of characteristics, it would obliterate everything with opposing characteristics. It must perpetually be in motion for change to occur in the world. It is ageless and eternal, because if there was a time when the Aperion was not, then it must have come from something other than itself, and as the inspiration for the creation of all things, this would be impossible. Anaximander explains the existence of the world not through traditional divinities and mythology, but rather by elements separating off from the Aperion. He found explanations for the world that were logical and uncomplicated. Anaximander taught that either of any two opposites can overwhelm the other, but share equal influence, although they are constantly in conflict. When one gains greater power, it will eventually pay the penalty to the other, keeping the world in balance. Heraclitus was the dark, riddling philosopher who expounded the theories of eternal change. Heraclitus was very critical of past philosophers and peers. The former he condemned for valuing learning over insight, while the latter he denounced for being unreceptive to unfamiliar concepts, not caring for truth, misusing their senses and intelligence, and erratically following tradition and authority. Heraclitus was the first philosopher to connect human values to philosophy. He transcended physical theories in order to discover principled appliances and metaphysical fundamentals. He went beyond the Milesian philosophers study of the material foundation of the world to the rhythm of nature affecting the Logos. However, he did not believe, as Anaximander did, that opposites were in a universal unrest, but rather that they existed in a law like flux and transformational uniformity. For example, the sea water, which is most polluted for humans, but most pure for the sea creatures; it gives both death and life in different respects. He viewed conflict as a necessity in life, but not as an impediment to living. He stated that it is the inevitable law of nature for things that are hot to become cold and that since they are already hot, they cannot become hot. The potential for both extremes always exists within the same object. Heraclitus associated Logos with fire, the dramatic, violent, hot element of gradual change. However he also believed that fire, water, and earth were constantly changing into one another. This idea of constant motion of the elements reflects Anaximanders. He uses the example of a river: if the river stops flowing and changing it fails to remain a river, and becomes a lake. Just so, if the Kosmos ever stopped changing it would lose its identity and fail to exist as we know it. The existence of Logos keeps the world in order. Thus, he presents his idea of the Logos not only as elemental, but also relating to justice, law, and God. He criticized people for looking at the world as made of individual parts instead of looking at all the separate parts as they relate to the whole which they all come from. By fully grasping what the whole is, we can see the way individual things interact within it. Heraclitus put much emphasis on logic and relying upon the senses. He said that most people live in a private dream world, and while they are physically all in the same reality, they are not conscious of it. He disvalues things taught in favor of things learned for oneself through experience. He particularly valued knowledge gained through sight, but he warned that when the soul is barbaric, the persons reception will be skewed. The highest virtue that Heraclitus extols is that of understanding. Although only divinities can have complete insight into nature, is a virtue humans must work toward. He uses the Logos as fire to argue morals. Souls are made of fire, and to die is to be extinguished or become wet. He warns against drinking to excess because it moistens the soul; much the same, when a person is sick, it indicates that their soul is moist. Greeks believed it valiant to die in battle, with a fiery soul. Thus it was shameful to die of disease because the soul would remain impure. Heraclitus stated that the Logos was a wholesome cosmic fire and the fieriest soul was the wise soul. He warned that it was the individuals character and actions that determined his or her fate, rather than gods from any mystery religion. Parmenides was the first philosopher to combine the analytical logic with philosophy. He branched off from the theories of Anaximander, Heraclitus, and Pythagoras. Like Heraclitus, he emphasized the importance of learning the truth about existence and nature, except he believed the way to reach that understanding was through reason separate from the senses, because humans tend to deem whatever seems to be as unconditional reality. This principle led to forms of rationalism and influenced Platos writing. Expounding upon Pythagorean thought, Parmenides found explanations for the universe that were mathematical and logical. He also uses verse to present his philosophy, reiterating Greek tradition and thought. He plays up the images of chariots and wise steeds, referencing Achilles in Homers Iliad, he alludes to Hesiods work when describing Chaos, and although he doesnt use the term god, Parmenides employs Anaximanders Justice and opposition in his tale. In the poem, Parmenides presents three possibilities for reality and the state of the universe. The first way is to believe that everything is, the second is to believe that nothing is, and the third is to believe that everything is and is not. The way of Objective Truth is both unswerving and coherent, the Unthinkable Way is consistent but incoherent, and the way of Subjective Belief is incomprehensible and incoherent. (The first and second ways are both enlightened, but should not carry the same merit. ) Humans often fail to see the first way as feasible because they rely upon their senses. Parmenides argued that if something can be conceived, that on some level of existence it exists because it has properties that can be described. This is why the second way is incorrect. By talking about nothing, it is described with certain attributes and, itself, becomes something. There are benefits to the way of Subjective Belief, in looking at the universe and truth objectively. The fallacy comes when people on this path try to understand themselves or their immediate surroundings. The Kosmos does exist independently, but not to the omission of all other potential Kosmoi. The objective truth is that conceivably all Kosmoi are similarly existent, therefore Parmenides concludes that the Plenum is continuous, undivided, imperishable, timeless, motionless, and unchanging, which is utterly divergent from Heraclitus view of an ever-changing Aperion. Parmenides view of the world can be compared to a block of marble. It is possible to create anything out of that block until it is changed and one chunk is carved off. The possibility to create any number of designs is immediately eliminated. Therefore, since it is possible for every imaginable universe to exist, the Plenum can never change. It is also contingent on properties of time rather than space. Parmenides Plenum was made up from two opposites: fire which gives light and translucent, and night which is dark and dense. Much as Anaximander described it, Parmenides world was made from these two elements separating off in a type of vortex, and combining with each other; however they can never become one another. In Platos Meno, Socrates shows his idea of virtue and knowledge by questioning Meno, a high-class, educated man, and an uneducated slave. He begins speaking as if he knows nothing about virtue, and asks Meno to explain it to him. However, he quickly tears apart Menos confidence. He tries to discover what virtue is, because until one knows what something is, one cannot know its qualities, and it cannot be taught. Socrates eventually brings Meno to the conclusion that virtue is knowledge or temperance. Then Socrates defines teaching as remembering knowledge from previous lives. He questions a slave-boy in geometry much in the same style that he questioned Meno, first utterly bewildering him before leading him to the answer. The slave would have had no education, but was able to discover the truth by answering questions, and thus must have been remembering that particular truth. They determine that virtue is knowledge, and knowledge can be taught. Thus, divulging knowledge to a person is the same as divulging virtue. By teaching that virtue is beneficial, and supposing that a person would not choose to do something detrimental to them, then knowing that something is a virtue they will choose it, and since they are choosing virtue, they must be virtuous. Consequently, to teach virtue is simply to teach that virtue is knowledge. Therefore, Socrates teaches Meno virtue in the dialogue. However he contradicts this by saying that the slave discovered some true opinion, not knowledge, and Socrates did not teach him because he was not paid as teachers must be. Therefore virtue cannot be knowledge because virtue cannot be taught. He offers four ways in which humans may acquire virtue: teaching, practice, nature, or some alternative way. An alternative to virtue being knowledge is that it is true opinion, which cannot be taught. If it is not taught then it must be a divine gift.

Popular Culture (paraphrase) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Popular Culture (paraphrase) - Essay Example   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both heroes and celebrities are admired by the public, and as such amass followers or 'fans'.  This is for varying reasons: heroes for doing good, celebrities because they are ubiquitous and unavoidable.  Heroes are generally held in such high esteem for their personal achievements and qualities: Karoly Tacakz, for example, is a national hero in Hungary. After a 1938 accident in which a grenade exploded in his shooting hand, making an amputation necessary, he trained with his left hand and won Olympic gold medals for shooting in 1948 and 1952 (Ruben). Celebrities, on the other hand, can become famous for less admirable traits, such as their looks, wealth, or acting ability.  Some celebrities are even focused on for doing bad things, O.J. Simpson being one prominent instance of this.  The nature of celebrity is  that  they accumulate vast numbers of fans all around the world, whereas heroes may not be widely known, partic ularly outside of their native country  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  most non-Hungarians have never heard of Karoly Tacakz. The wide fanbase of celebrities, and  typically  narrower fanbase of heroes, reflects the fact that both heroes and celebrities are leaders in their chosen fields.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heroes are recognized as leaders and pioneers because they are most often knowledgeable or skilful, with abilities beyond the realm of common experience. However, some celebrities clearly fall into this category: in England, many actors and actresses have been recognized by the same institution which recognized, for example, Sir Isaac Newton, and at the same level. Dame Judi Dench is one of these hero-celebrities, who has been awarded a damehood for her impressive and expressive acting skills. However,  it is demanded of celebrities  to make public appearances in a way that heroes are not – both male and female celebrities are expected to present th emselves  happily  for  often cruel  judgment on their clothes, body and looks. The daily movements of heroes are not generally recorded in tabloids or magazines, whereas sensationalized facts and even speculation of celebrities' whereabouts are readily available. Every detail of a celebrity's life, however irrelevant,  is scrutinized, such as in the recent  Rolling Stone  interview of Justin Bieber  in  which, inexplicably,  the teen pop star  was asked  his opinion on abortion (Grigoriadis).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both heroes and celebrities have great influence on society, regardless of the level of exposure society has to them (greater for celebrities and less for heroes). Usually, although not always,  heroes inspire whereas celebrities influence: women such as Aisha Humad, whose achievements teaching Sudanese women about their rights, inspire others to follow her footsteps (McKellogg). Celebrities, on the other hand, can i nfluence people's beliefs by speaking out about certain issues, such as the Canadian athlete Clara Hughes. Her campaign to help people battle depression is an example of celebrities' words affecting how people think. Similarly, the typical lifestyle of a

Answer the two thought experiments 'the direction of happiness' and Essay

Answer the two thought experiments 'the direction of happiness' and 'the experience machine'. Based on your answers to the thoug - Essay Example In his argument against hedonism, philosopher Robert Nozick used the thought experiments based on â€Å"the direction of happiness† and â€Å"the experience machine† as he attempted to answer this question. The notion of hedonism, which is manifested by the belief that pleasure should be the ultimate purpose of life, disregards the provisions of a meaningful life. By showing that there are more values to life than happiness, this paper will answer the two thought experiments and discuss what happiness is and whether a happy life is the same thing as a meaningful life. Nozick uses the model of a machine capable of giving people the experience of whatever their desires and pleasures are, which cannot be distinguished from those that can be experienced apart from such machines. People would have a choice to live inside the machine and experience all their pleasures or outside in a lower degree of pleasure. Under such circumstances, where hedonism would opine that the sole intrinsic value is pleasure, most people would choose to remain plugged in to the experience machine. That would show a preference of a more pleasant but less meaningful life than a less pleasant and more meaningful one. However, according to the concept of direction of happiness, the amount of happiness in different lives is exactly the same, only that one tends to slope upwards with increasing happiness while the other slopes downwards with declining happiness. Mistakenly, people would still choose the life with happiness that slopes upwards. It is a mistaken choice because people still care and are concerned about their connection with reality, and it is the factor that the experience machine lacks. People still want their experiences to develop from reality rather than fantasy even if both feel the same. From this, it can be said that what people ultimately seek in life are not merely feelings of pleasure, but also to be in a particular way. Feelings of happiness and pleasure ar e desirable but not enough. People would want to go beyond the simple experience of doing things and actually do them. Therefore, there are more values than happiness and experiences of doing things. The experiences of the experience machine only limit people to their own man-made realities that are constructed within the confines of their perceived important values. Although the experiences of reality may be simulated by the experience machine, no contact is made with deeper and meaningful reality. When one envisages an experience machine and then appreciate that they would not use it, they learn that there are other things that matter more than experiences. The definition of happiness provides that it must contain meaning, pleasure and engagement. The part of meaning is in reference to the contribution to a broader cause while pleasure comprises the part of feeling good. Although a happy life and meaningful life have overlapping aspects, they are fundamentally distinct and a happy life is not necessarily a meaningful one. Happiness may occur as either or both emotional and mental well-being that is characterized by pleasant and positive feelings, which have different meanings to different people because it is quite a subjective matter. It can be a spontaneous feeling caused by positive emotions and last for a moment, as well as a continuous one. The overlap between a happy and meaningful life is mainly manifested by the fact that meaningfulness is among the causal factors

Study guide Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study guide - Assignment Example 2. Both Christians and Jewish had their own deities and worshipping method and Romans had many gods like Neptune, Venus and other Isis. Which were of Greek and Egyptian origin. Christian community homes serve elderly people and Jewish community home give affordable shelter to old people and catacombs are places of worship and these places are called â€Å"Home care centre† and church for worship in modern times. 15. Lux Nova depics Gothic architecture in its art form where stained glass on windows are given artistic expressions. In this architecture the window glasses of a building had stains in different colours. 1.Byzantine Church in San Vitale was consecrated in 547 and is situated in Italy and has exclusive mosaic work especially the space around the altar. This church has great religious significance has its has connection with Jesus Christ and his apostles .It is a surviving example of Byzantine architecture and Justinian i posted in the central of the mosaic chanel . It has a rectangular choir and apse which project from the eastern side. It was the sole major church built during the Emperor Justinian. The interior of the church had a theology of color. 2. The church was destroyed in fire and was changed in exterior and interior. The cathedral’s West Front, North Porch, and South Porch all have 3 huge doors. The stained glass of the church remained after fire but the type of window of 12th century disappeared when renovated .The interior lighting was same and the stained glass was unique to the Gothic architecture. The royal were integrated into new cathedral and was reinventing gothic style which attracted visitors. And the jamb statues were the figures of kings and queens. 3. Giotti was a completely innovative painter of Italy and has been an evolution maker in Roman art history. He was born near Florence in 13th century and was a painter and architect. He has contributed much to the Italian artistic world and is considered

Lone Parenting Social

Lone Parenting Social Definition The issue of lone parenting is quite clearly one that is of significant importance and impact in the modern social context. It is also one that has different viewpoints, which are important to recognise in the context of this report. While the actual term of ‘lone parenting is a given, it is important to understand the various views which are taken in order to address this problem. For example, ‘New Labours social policy towards lone parents is generally governed by the attitudes epitomised in the mantras â€Å"reforming welfare around the work ethic† and funding a system that â€Å"believes in empowerment not dependency† (Millar and Rowlingson, 2001, p xv). This quite obviously conflicts with the view which was held by previous governments, which is said to maintain the view that poverty is â€Å"relieved by cash handouts† (DSS, 1998, p 19). It is also said that the differences between these two viewpoints epitomises the differing views of ‘old Labour and ‘new Labour (Millar and Rowlingson, 2001, p xv), and also highlights the shift between the welfare state policy to a more capitalist approach to addressing the lone parenting issue. Main Issues Given the discussion of the United Kingdoms approach to lone parenting, it might be relevant to compare these provisions with those of other jurisdictions. Take, for example, New Zealand which categorises ‘solo parents as: (a) A woman who is the mother of one or more dependent children and who is living apart from, and has lost the support of, or is being inadequately maintained by, her husband: (b) An unmarried woman who is the mother of one or more dependent children: (c) A woman whose marriage has been dissolved by divorce and who is the mother of one or more dependent children: (e) A woman who is the mother of one or more dependent children and who has lost the regular support of her husband because he is subject to a sentence of imprisonment and is- (i) serving the sentence in a penal institution; or (ii) subject to release conditions or detention conditions (as those terms are defined in section 4(1) of the Parole Act 2002) that prevent him undertaking employment: (f) A man who is the father of one or more dependent children whose mother is dead or who for any other reason are not being cared for by their mother (Social Security Act 1964 (NZ), s 27B(1)). Arguably, in consideration of the above, it is clear that the New Zealand social security system is geared more towards caring for a woman who may be a lone parent, as opposed to a father. It might also be noted, however, that social security benefits are only paid to lone parents in New Zealand if the parent is of the minimum age of sixteen (16) years, unless emergency circumstances exist (Social Security Act 1964 (NZ), s 27B(2)). Compare this situation to that across the Tasman Sea in Australia, where the Australian Bureau of Statistics has recorded a three-fold increase in lone parenting families in the last thirty (30) years, from 7.1% in 1969 to 21.4% in 1999 (ABS census). However given this increase, it might also be worthwhile to note that lone parenting in Australia remains at lower levels than other English-speaking countries, but still higher than some countries in continental Europe (Millar and Rowlingson, 2001, p 61). Further to this, it has generally been the attitude of Australian governments to extend social security benefits to all classes of lone parenting families, irrespective of the cause of the lone parenting situation (Millar and Rowlingson, 2001, p 65). Around 47% of lone mothers were employed in 1999 and around 63% of lone fathers, and approximately 9% of both lone mothers and lone fathers were unemployed (ABS, June 1999). This perhaps symbolises a non-dependency on the welfare system, a nd that lone parents in Australia generally try to work at least part-time to supplement their welfare incomes and provide for their family. Key Dilemmas The key dilemma that has been the recurring theme throughout this paper is the need to balance income support and welfare with the need for non-dependence on the welfare system. There is a conscientious push by governments in the above countries to not encourage reliance upon welfare handouts and to push these people to seek active employment, but also recognises the various situations of lone parents who may be unable to work full time for any number of reasons. The United Kingdom obviously recognises this problem in a social context, and took steps to address it though social policy reform. Some say that this was a more ‘heavy handed approach to the social problem, and this argument may have some merit given the approaches of other countries. New Zealand prescribes certain circumstances where welfare can be paid, and Australia has a more liberal approach to the welfare system, however all of these approaches seem to function appropriately in their individual contexts. Conclusion In consideration of the above points, it is quite clear that lone parents are a significant social problem. However, the more prominent problem is that of how to address the issue. It is quite clear that the United Kingdom has a more recent history of reforming social policy on this issue and limiting the distribution of welfare benefits. Is this the most appropriate course of action? Some would suggest no, given the experience of other countries. However, regard needs to be had for the statistics: approximately one in four of Britains seven million families are headed by a lone parent, and less than four in ten lone parents in Britain work full time (which is a piecemeal 16 hours a week statistically) (Millar and Rowlingson, 2001, p 11). This only serves to fuel the debate further, and one needs to consider the legislative and policy-based approach of the United Kingdom in context before judgement on this issue can be passed. Bibliography Books Millar, J., and Rowlingson, K. (eds), Lone Parents, Employment and Social Policy (2001), Bristol: The Policy Press Journal Articles Hughes, J., ‘Lone Parents and Social Security (2005) 36 Victoria University Wellington Law Review 1 Soley, C., ‘Lessons of the Lone Parenting Battle (1997) 126 New Statesman. Legislation Social Security Act 1965 (NZ) Social Security Act 1991 (AU, Cth) Other Sources Australian Bureau of Statistics, June 1999 Australian Bureau of Statistics, census 1969 and 1999 DPI, census 1999

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide - Who Wants It? :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia - Who Wants It?      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Los Angeles, former respiratory therapist Efren Saldivar was charged with six counts of murder in January for allegedly giving lethal injections to patients at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in 1996 and 1997. Saldivar has reportedly called himself an "angel of death" and confessed in 1998 to hastening "anywhere from 100 to 200" deaths, but later retracted the confession. He is also the plaintiff in several civil suits for wrongful death, though some of these have been dismissed for lack of evidence. A hearing in his criminal trial is scheduled for the end of March [Los Angeles Times, 3/10/01, 1/13/01, 1/11/01].    In Springfield, Massachusetts, jury deliberations began February 23 in what has been called one of the most sensational murder cases in western Massachusetts history. Kristen H. Gilbert, a 33-year-old nurse, is accused of killing four patients at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northampton and trying to kill three others in 1995 and 1996, using unauthorized injections of adrenaline [Springfield Union-News, 2/25].    Cases of involuntary euthanasia keep making headlines, but who wants it?    Certainly not the elderly and terminally ill. Numerous studies have established that the Americans most directly affected by the issue of physician-assisted suicide -- those who are frail, elderly and suffering from terminal illness -- are also more opposed to legalizing the practice than others are:    * A poll conducted for the Washington Post on March 22-26, 1996, found 50% support for legalizing physician-assisted suicide (Washington A18) Voters aged 35-44 supported legalization, 57% to 33%. But these figures reversed for voters aged 65 and older, who opposed legalization 54% to 38%. Majority opposition was also found among those with incomes under $15,000 (54%), and black Americans (70%).    * An August 1993 Roper poll funded by the Hemlock Society and other euthanasia supporters indicated that voters aged 18-29 supported "physician-aided suicide" 47% to 35%; voters aged 60 and older opposed it 45% to 35%. Hemlock's newsletter commented that "the younger the person, the more likely he or she is to favor this legislation." The newsletter added that "this is somewhat at odds with how Hemlock views its membership," since it sees itself as defending the interests of elderly citizens. (Humphry; Poll 9) A study of cancer patients found that terminally ill patients experiencing significant pain are more opposed to physician-assisted suicide than other terminally ill patients or the general public.

In-class Internet Use and Grades Essay

The use of internet in a classroom has provided only a few visible advantages to the students: search immediate answers to questions asked by the instructor, and familiarity with the use of technology, which may be used by them in the later stages of their professional career. However, an in-class internet use has several adverse consequences, including, distraction to oneself, neighboring students as well as the instructor, and abuse of internet technology when the students watch porn, or indulge in chatting, whereas their attention should be on the valuable focused content being taught by an experienced professor. Based on the findings from University of Colorado in Boulder, Fischman (2009) reported that a professor was instrumental in reducing the use of laptops in her classroom when she proved to the students that their grades were lower when they used the laptops in the classroom, while the grades were much higher when they stopped using the laptops in the classroom. Fischman highlighted that the internet connectivity of classrooms was a major problem all over the country since the students distract others by watching movies in the classroom. As a result, several universities had banned the use of laptops in the classrooms, while some had declared laptop-free zones. Anderson (2006) summarized the shocking results of a survey conducted by Michigan State University, which revealed that 20% of students using excessive internet, had either withdrawn from a course, or had shown lower grades; in comparison to only 8. 5% students with alcohol abuse problems, who had shown poor academic performance. Timmer (2009) claimed that in-class internet use spoils discipline in a leaning environment since the students from US Military Academy at West Point were distracted when they indulged in internet chatting. Thus, it can be concluded that in-class internet use is more of a bane than a boon for the inquisitive students as well as the experienced instructors. References Anderson, N. (September 20, 2006). Internet replaces Jack Daniel’s as â€Å"Best excuse for a C Average. † Ars Technica. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://digg. com/d12unJ Fischman, J. (March 16, 2009). Students stop surfing after being shown how in-class laptop use lowers test scores. Wired Campus. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://chronicle. com/wiredcampus/article/3662/when-shown-how-in-class-laptop-use-lowers-test-scores-students-stop-surfing Timmer, J. (March 16, 2009). In-class laptop use sparks backlash, possibly lower grades. Ars Technica. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://arstechnica. com/science/news/2009/03/in-class-laptop-use-may-be-sparking-a-backlash. ars

Ducati Essay Example

Ducati Essay Example Ducati Essay Ducati Essay Ducati Q) How did Ducati become a profitable motorcycle maker despite its small scale? Before its takeover by the American private equity firm Texas Pacific Group (TPG), Ducati went from being one of the top manufacturers of the high performance sport motorcycle industry to being on the verge of bankruptcy. TPG identified Ducati as a high end product with enormous potential for growth but realized that serious change was required if Ducati was to ever fulfill this potential. TPG decided to appoint Federico Minoli, an expert in turnaround management as the CEO of Ducati. When Minoli arrived he saw that the company had no distinct overriding strategy, there was no management structure and no set goals to guide the direction the company would take. The first thing that Minoli did was revamp the entire management team, he looked for personnel that were not only talented but would also be passionate about Ducati. He believed that these characteristics, combined with very little internal rigidity would lead to creative decision making by his management team. Ducati had everything that it required to be successful in its market niche of high performance sports motorcycles; It had a top notch uniquely beautiful product, a world class team of passionate designers and engineers and a brand name with very strong potential. Its customer base was one of the most loyal in the motorcycle industry with about 56% expressing repeat purchase intentions. All Ducati needed was a direction. Minoli set 2 targets; double digit growth and to reach Harley’s profitability levels the highest in the industry. At that point Ducati faced two alternative strategies it could either focus on its product or focus on the Ducati brand. The first strategy would mean designating all of Ducati’s energy on producing a better, faster and more powerful product. However Minoli deliberated that Ducati was not about having the fastest bike with the most powerful engine; it was about the unique feeling, the unique sound, the dream, the passion that is evoked by a Ducati. This focus on the brand, the â€Å"World of Ducati†, was going to be Ducati’s fundamental strategy. This fundamental strategy combined with a very vigorous effort to increase its market share, improve overall quality, reduce all inefficiencies and significantly cut down on costs was to be the basis of the future success of Ducati. The 5 signature features that every motorcycle was going to have, that were going to collectively represent the universal image of Ducati were the desmodromic distribution system, the L-twin engine, the tubular trestle frame, the Italian style and Ducati’s unique sound. Previously, Ducati produced only sport motorcycles, specifically hyper sport, super sport and naked. These bikes were based on high performance and superior design and were geared towards younger customers. Ducati decided to expand in the sport touring category in order to produce bikes that were going to cater to an older population. Ducati also decided to introduce more variety in each of the categories by introducing both higher and lower end models. This proved to have a very good impact on revenues as it enabled them to cater to more price sensitive customers and at the same time, charge premiums of up to 30% on some of their higher end and more ‘exclusive’ models. Furthermore, Ducati made a lot of improvements in the use of its side businesses of spare parts, accessories and apparel. Both production and distribution of spare parts was outsourced to 2 companies in the local Emilian mechanical district. This led to an increase in availability, more efficient distribution and better prices which meant a significant increase in revenues from spare parts. On the accessories and apparel side it offered custom made components to improve performance and customization of the bikes, high performance racing gear and fashionable apparel which represented the style and exclusivity of Ducati. It soon became the second most successful brand in motorcycle accessories and apparel, only led by Harley. By 1999 Ducati, despite its small size, became the most efficient producer of sport motorcycles in the world. Ducati had managed to successfully establish itself as a producer of high quality, reliable and stylish motorcycles. They did this through an aggressive outsourcing policy, using strict supplier criteria, using the platform approach to production and by leveraging the advantages of being located in the highly sophisticated Emilian mechanical district. Ducati outsourced around 87% of their production, which was the highest in the industry. By outsourcing to highly specialized components producers in the Emilian district Ducati could focus on the key value adders such as design, RD, the production of strategic parts and quality control. Ducati was very selective and placed great emphasis on the quality of its suppliers, so its number of suppliers decreased from 200 to 130. It typically identified at least 2 suppliers for each component and signed only short term contracts with them. This provided Ducati with a pool of highly competitive and dedicated suppliers. A big factor in the efficiency of the production process was the platform approach to production. Ducati would divide motorcycles into a small number of large components which would consist of smaller subcomponents. A key supplier would then be made responsible for a component and managing the suppliers for the respective subcomponents. Heavy investment in RD was made and an internal design division (Ducati Design Centre) was created which led to a 50% decrease in time to market for product launches. These approaches combined with a very high level of standardization – Ducati only used 2 crank cases and 3 cylinder heads in making all of its motorcycles – proved to be extremely profitable as they enabled Ducati to successfully reduce costs, increase quality and efficiency all while preserving the essence of Ducati. Ducati also launched a new 3 step distribution strategy in line with the firms overall branding strategy. Firstly, it took control of distribution and marketing in strategic markets by creating subsidiaries. Then, it revamped its network of dealers, instead of focusing on quantity it started placing greater emphasis on factors such as quality of services and showrooms greatly reducing the number of dealers. And lastly, it created a chain of â€Å"Ducati Stores† in major cities across the world which provided superior technical assistance and emphasized Ducati’s unique and exclusive brand image. The new distribution strategy combined with the unique â€Å"World of Ducati† strategy proved to be a hit as Ducati’s market share grew and the company reaped the benefits. Ducati launched its first global marketing campaign in 1998 called â€Å"Ducati People† which focused on all the characteristics that really identified Ducati; the Italian style, the history, the young and fashionable customers. It also initiated many marketing campaigns with fashionable brand names such as DKNY and Harrods and was really successful in establishing itself as a designer motorcycle. Its state of the art Ducati museum in Bologna which gets around 10,000 visitors a year is another symbol of the fashionable and exclusive â€Å"World of Ducati†. Similar to the â€Å"Harley Davidson owner’s club† Ducati also tried to create a â€Å"Ducati owner’s club† and held yearly events to create hype and interest in the brand. It also offered Ducati club members exclusive access to Ducati Race teams through various social events and dinners. In conclusion Ducati, through the implementation of a set strategy of focusing on its brand, combined with structural changes in production and distribution was able to not only retain but successfully expand its market niche and establish itself as a successful and profitable motorcycle maker.

How Has Tourism Changed Hawkshead Essays

How Has Tourism Changed Hawkshead Essays How Has Tourism Changed Hawkshead Essay How Has Tourism Changed Hawkshead Essay Essay Topic: Our Countrys Good Hawkshead is located in the Lake District, in the North West of England. It is a small village, home to many retired or second homeowners. The village receives its main source of income through tourism. This becomes evident after spending even a short while in Hawkshead, as there are numerous amounts of Bed and Breakfasts located in and around the village. Tourists come to Hawkshead to admire the scenery, to take long walks or more generally they come to escape from their busy lives and relax for a weekend. Hawkshead is located on a rural hilly landscape (much of which is used for farming) and is an extremely beautiful part of England.Here are some maps to show the location of Hawkshead, all maps are obtained from the website www.multimap.com.The first map shows the location of Hawkshead in the Lake District.The second map shows the location of Hawkshead in the NorthwestThe last map shows the location of Hawkshead in the United KingdomThere are many forms of transport to reach Hawksh ead, the most accessible are by car or ferry. To drive to Hawkshead from Southport it takes on average an hour and forty minutes, but depending on traffic it can differ. To drive from major cities such as Liverpool it takes around two hours and from Manchester it takes about one hour forty-five minutes. These times were obtained from the website http://rp.rac.co.uk/routeplannerTourists visit Hawkshead for its beautiful scenery, quaint stone cottages and its general relaxed atmosphere. Most of the cottages were built in the 15th century, but have been updated and have received lots of necessary maintenance work since then.One of the biggest changes that have affected Hawkshead is that it has become a national park. Hawkshead and the surrounding area of Hawkshead (the Lake District) is all part of a national park. The Lake District became a national park in 1951. This is because it was seen as a beautiful part of the countryside, and therefore needed to be protected to ensure that it would stay in the same condition, and would not be ruined as many other parts of the Britain have been. The Lake District has been put under the protection of the national park, so that the community and tourists alike can all visit the Lake District and enjoy the peace and quite along with the preserved natural beauty.In recent years Hawkshead has been visited more often than ever, this is mainly due to the fact that more people have better jobs and a higher salary, which therefore means they can afford to go on more holidays, and better day trips. Also tourism has increased throughout the world as it has become easier and quicker to travel, think of the Euro Tunnel, which can get us to France in half an hour. This makes it much easier for tourists to get around and to visit places further away.MethodologyI have used five different methods to investigate how tourism has changed Hawkshead. The first method I used was in the form of a questionnaire. This is a primary data collection technique. I used this method to find out what the residents of Hawkshead and the tourists that visited Hawkshead a number of times thought about the question How Has Tourism Changed Hawkshead? I also used my questionnaire to see out of the twenty people I asked how many of them were tourists, by doing this we could then compare the amount of tourists with the amount of residents and see whether we asked more of one than the other. We used our questionnaire to obtain some primary data as it was an easy clear way of collecting detailed information about peoples views of Hawkshead.Before going to Hawkshead, my group made up our own original question to ask in our questionnaire, it was; do you feel Hawkshead has changed since your last visit? We chose this question to find out about tourists opinions, but most of the tourists we asked had not been to Hawkshead before and therefore could not answer this specific question, if we were to repeat this investigation we would choose a questio n that could be answered by everyone and would therefore give us more data to work from. We also tried to survey different age groups but most of the people walking around seemed to be around the same age.When we were in Hawkshead carrying out our questionnaire we stood by a fairly busy street so we would have enough people to ask our questions to. Some people in my group suggested standing outside the tourist information centre, but we realised this would make are results bias as we would questionnaire more tourists than homeowners and as a results not obtain a good range of data. We spoke to 4 residents, 2 second home owners and 14 tourists and asked them our questions. We asked anyone as we wanted to obtain fair data and instead of asking all the residents or all the tourists we ended up asking a mixture of different people.For a tiny quiet village experiencing some very wet weather it was surprising how many people were actually out walking along the streets, the rain was not pu tting people off going out, as proof, you could witness the many tourists clad in brightly coloured plastic anoraks walking along in the rain seeming to quite enjoy being outside in the bad weather. We completed are questionnaire around 11:30, as people were making there way out to eat lunch, and for that reason it was quite busy when are questionnaires were completed.These are the questions I asked in my questionnaire, for each question I will explain why we used them and what the possible answers obtained could tell us:1. Are you a tourist, resident or second home owner? I asked this question so I would be able to see out of the 20 people I questioned how many of them were tourists, if there were a lot of tourists compared to residents and second home owners this would tell us that generally more tourists visit the village than people that have homes near it.(Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 only apply to tourists.)2. Please name your home town. By asking the tourists to name there home to wn we are able to see the range of places people have travelled from and how far people are willing to travel.3. How long is your stay in Hawkshead? I asked this so we would be able to find out what the how long people usually stayed for.4. How did you travel to Hawkshead today? By asking this we could find the most popular mode of transport used to get to Hawkshead. From this we would be able to investigate further things such as do tourists pollute Hawkshead by travelling by car rather than on public transport.5. What do you find attractive about Hawkshead? I asked this to find out what Hawksheads best assets are, and to understand more what people travel to Hawkshead for.(Questions 7 and 8 only apply to home owners)6. How long have you lived in Hawkshead? By asking this question we can discover whether most residents are new to Hawkshead or have lived there all there lives. This would show whether Hawkshead has become more popular over the years.7. In your opinion what effect do tourists have on Hawkshead? This question was asked so we could receive residents views on the positive or negative things the tourists bring to Hawkshead, this would show us whether the residents were in favour of tourists visiting Hawkshead.(Lastly are group created our own question which was ;)8. Do you feel that Hawkshead has changed since your first visit? We asked this to see whether people could recognise the changes that tourism may have created.My second technique was to carry out a landscape evaluation this shows whether certain characteristics of the village can benefit Hawkshead or not and it shows us whether the fact that tourists visit Hawkshead effects the overall look of the village. This technique is also primary as we are collecting the data first hand. For this landscape evaluation we surveyed three different places; the car park, the centre of the village, and the bypass road that goes around the village. We looked at the different factors below and gave them a s core from + 4 to -4.1. The attractiveness of the buildings2. The car park facilities available3. Toilet availability4. The pedestrianised village centre5. The well kept gardens and hanging baskets6. The shops for tourists7. The shops for locals8. The narrow pavements9. The coach parking facilities10. The cost of parking11. The bypass around the village12. Whether the modern buildings fit in with the rest of the villageThe advantage of using this method is we are evaluating each part of the village, using a scoring system makes it easy for people to understand and shows the results clearly. The disadvantage is the information is based on my opinion and therefore is subjective to other peoples views and opinions. The information we collected from this enquiry is useful as we can clearly see the things that have been affected more than others as a result of tourism.The third technique I used was a land use survey. We were provided with a map of Hawkshead and had to shade in the differe nt functions of the buildings, we used a colour key to do this. This technique is a primary data collection. The main advantage of this technique is it is really clear to see what the functions of each buildings are. The disadvantage is it doesnt give much information other than what the functions are. It would be better if we had an old land use survey from say 50 years ago so we could compare the amount of holiday homes and bed and breakfasts found on each map. This would show us whether tourism had increased or not.My fourth technique was a building transect, although this was a time consuming enquiry I think this is a good way to collect evidence that houses in the village have changed or been restored. We walked from south to north through the village noting down whether the houses were modern (after 1945) or old (before 1945) and what the obvious changes on each houses were. We did this for 25 houses. We only chose to do a transect of the village rather than the all of it as w e wanted to concentrate on the main street were most of the tourists where, and were the main shops could be found, also we wouldnt of had enough time to evaluate the whole village. This again is a primary data collection as we collected the information ourselves. This information is not subjective as it is based on facts, if the house is newer than 1945 it is therefore modern, this is a fact.At first it was difficult in some cases to know whether the houses were old or modern but as we surveyed more and more it became easier to know what to look for, e.g. if the guttering was U.P.V.C it would tell us the house was modern or had been updated, if the lintels on the windows were stone it would mean the house was old, we also looked at the changes that had occurred on purpose to increase the look of the property such as hanging baskets and outdoor lights this could be to make the village look better for tourists.This tells us the specific things that have changed about Hawkshead, and f rom this we can decide whether some of these changes have been an effect of tourism such as some of the new buildings were public toilets, they were most likely built to cater for the tourists needs, also in the village there is a tourist information centre, this was built specifically for the tourists. We can also understand whether the changes have damaged or benefited Hawkshead, by looking at what the changes are, e.g. if the function of the buildings have changed. One of the buildings we looked at had been changed into a bed and breakfast, the outside of the building was still in keeping with the theme of the village, but instead of staying as a house, the person running the bed and breakfast was taking advantage of the growth of tourism and was earning money from it without damaging the look of the building in any way. This is a good example of why Hawkshead benefits from tourism; as it keeps the local economy going.The fifth technique I used was my own original idea; I decided to look at how many bed and breakfasts, hotels etc. could be found in Hawkshead. By doing this I am able to see how important tourists are to Hawksheads local economy then compare the amount of places that tourist can stay in Hawkshead with the amount of places there are to stay in Formby, a village slightly smaller that Hawkshead but with tourist attraction such as the beach and the red squirrel reserve. By doing this it would be evident whether Hawkshead was a good attraction for tourists by the amount of places there are to stay and if there were more places for people to stay in Hawkshead than Formby we would know that Hawkshead is a tourist town. I have made a table to show my results. As I obtained my results from a website the data is secondary. It is not subjective as the data I acquired is factual.HawksheadFormbyHotel60B;B31Guest houses30Self-catering cottages32Caravan sites22These results were obtained from www.information-britain.co.uk and www.touristnetuk.comFrom these results it is evident that Hawkshead is a tourist town and they obviously have the need for so many places for tourists to stay, therefore you would say Hawkshead is a tourist town. Obviously the hotels and B;Bs etc. were never always used for this function. I would guess that most of these hotels etc. have been built purposefully for tourists or the buildings have changed there functions, to suit the needs of the tourists. As a result this shows me that tourism has changed Hawkshead, and therefore I can use this data to back up my enquiry.Data InterpretationIn Hawkshead a lot of things have changed over the years. We are carrying out this investigation to find out whether most of these changes are due to tourists. This is what I found out from the information we collected.We carried out a building transect, from this building transect I could see that only 4 of the 25 buildings we looked at were new (after 1945.) I also found out that the 24 buildings that were old (before 1945) ha d been changed a lot. Here are examples of some of the changes that were made; plastic guttering, satellite dish, velux windows, repainted brick walls, new slate on the roof and one of the main changes that were obvious in the buildings we looked at was that most of their functions had been changed e.g. a large house had been changed into a hotel.There were also things in the village that made it obvious to see that things had been changed and updated. There were double yellow lines along the busy streets, which we know are put there to stop any parking along the designated areas. I think these are a new feature to the village and were probably put in place as more and more tourists started parking their cars along the streets. Also a car park has been created to compensate for the fact you are not allowed to park in the village, and to make a place for coaches to park.The village also has public toilets located right next to the car park; again I think this is mainly for tourists a s these would be unnecessary if Hawkshead didnt receive many visitors or tourists.We also carried out a land use survey, we labelled the pubs and restaurants, the buildings mainly for tourists, the shops, the hotels and B;Bs and the houses. We found that there were around 100 houses 2 shops and 2 pubs and restaurants, we also found that there were 6 buildings mainly for tourist plus the hotels and BBs which there were 18 of. So this means there were a round 1010 buildings that tourists probably wouldnt use, and 24 buildings that tourists probably would use. 24 buildings for tourists in one small village is a big amount and shows us that tourists play a key part in Hawksheads economy.Hawkshead is a slowly growing village with its population increasing steadily. More houses are being constructed on the edge of the village as the demand to live there is high. When we were in Hawkshead we didnt see any houses for sale.I think the reasons things are changing in Hawkshead is its increasin g popularity with tourists. Also it is getting more popular for elderly retired couples to move to Hawkshead or to buy a second home there. People have more money then ever before and so travelling or buying second homes is becoming more popular as people have more money to spend and a wider choice of places to go as transport has also improved. As Hawkshead relies on tourists to feed the local economy the village has to change to suit their needs and to keep the flow of tourists coming.This photo shows a Beatrix potter gallery located in the centre of Hawkshead. This is where Beatrix potter used to live, and now it is a gallery showing all of her original drawings and selling small ornaments based upon her drawings. This shop is purely for tourists and is one of Hawksheads biggest attractions.Most of the people we interviewed were tourists but there were 3 second home owners and 4 residents that we also interviewed. This tells us that on the day we visited there were more tourists out, which is unusual as it was raining and it was on a week day. This just shows how popular Hawkshead is if people are willing to visit in the rain!In Hawkshead there is a tourist information centre right next to the car park, which is good because as soon as tourists enter Hawkshead they can go straight to the tourist information centre and see what they can do in Hawkshead. This is only really useful to tourists as residents already know the activities available.As the car park is so large in Hawkshead this suggests that they receive huge numbers of tourists in one day. This is probably most likely in summer on a bank holiday. All the evidence suggests that tourists benefit Hawkshead but there probably are damages such as paths being worn away and excess litter and traffic pollution but overall tourists dont affect Hawkshead in a bad way.All my interviewees were from the U.K but some came from as far as London so it is obvious that Hawkshead has a good reputation and people are willing to travel a long distance to visit it. This is good evidence to say that Hawkshead is a worth while place to visit. If you compare question 4 (how far did you travel to Hawkshead today?) with question 5 (what do you find most attractive about Hawkshead?) we can see that most people travel a long distance to find village charm and peace and quite.In my landscape evaluation survey I gave the edge of the village and the centre of the village either 4 marks (greatly improves Hawkshead) 2 marks (improves Hawkshead) or 0 (does not affect Hawkshead) I did however say that the narrow effected Hawkshead little, as people had to walk on the road or squeeze past each other on the pavement, but if there were bigger pavements this would look odd and put of place so am I not sure about that one.I completed my own original piece of work which was to compare the amount of lodgings in Hawkshead with the amount of lodgings in Formby. From this data I could see that Hawkshead was a much more p opular tourist village than Formby as the amount of lodgings in Hawkshead was much greater than the amount in Formby. So my own original idea supports the other evaluations I produced in Hawkshead.I think the aims of the Lake District national park have definitely been met. Hawkshead is a well managed and controlled part of the countryside. There are places that you can walk about with freedom and places that are being reserved for future generations to share the beauty of.Data evaluationI think my method was quite well thought out as all the results seemed to be accurate for the day we visited Hawkshead. I think that perhaps it would have been better to questionnaire more people as then the results would be more fair or maybe consider questioning the same amount of tourists as residents to compare their thoughts on Hawkshead, as then are results would be less bias. The results were probably affected quite a lot by the weather as it was raining at the time we carried out our investi gation which means there would have been less people around and the village would have been less congested than usual.To improve my experiment I think you would have to visit Hawkshead on a number of days such as a bank holiday as then you could find the average results, which would ensure that the experiment wasnt bias. If I went to Hawkshead in the middle of winter there would perhaps not be as many people visiting as there would be in the middle of summer. To help us carry out the land use survey map we could have obtained one from the local library which would have been more accurate. We also could have got one from 50 years ago to compare whether the amount of buildings for tourists had increased.I think the land use survey was the most useful data we collected as it shows the amount of buildings for tourists and this could easily be compared with past land use survey maps which would support our investigation even more as we could present a past map with our recent map and sho w that the amount of tourist buildings had increased.We investigated how the land had changed in Hawkshead and discussed reasons it has changed and in conclusion our investigation has shown that tourists do not damage Hawkshead much but are a great benefit to its economy.

History 1A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History 1A - Essay Example The narrator argues that slavery especially in Africa had denied him the chance to live peacefully and in harmony with her family members. As Europe grew, the relationship between Africa and Europe came into focus. The description of African religious theories was essential in the evaluation of histography of European academic orientations. The triple religious African heritage, which includes indigenous religion, Islam and Christianity, were the pivot that formed the three main themes of discourse. The accounts describing religion in African or the superficial terms lead to an influence in the perception of philosophers who were enlightened about Africa. In turn, perception about Africa was influenced by progress and reason. The European occupation was often legitimized because of the argument that Christian civilization was introduced, officials in the colonial government realized that changes in African societies may lead to stability loss. The states that he witnessed the sale of slaves to Dutch people while in West Indies. At that time, he was not bought but instead, transported and sold to North America where he was assigned to work in the Virginia plantations doing house chores and light field works. He did not stay for long in time Virginia when a British royal navy lieutenant bought him as a present to his friends in England (Equiano 94) The spread of Islam was neither simultaneous nor uniform, but followed an adaptive and gradual path. However, aesthetic and political influences on the African community are difficult to access. Islamic resistance to representation of animals and people, its interaction with the Africans visual arts was one of the forms of Islam that were accommodated by the local residents. Islam also helped in the reinforcement of the fondness of Africans to geometric design. It was also evident in textile decorations and objects that were crafted. Weaving by the locals was also

Research on a Rental Car Company Called Easycar Case Study

Research on a Rental Car Company Called Easycar - Case Study Example Easycars strives to offer its customers service quality that is redefined. Easycars offers the best in car rental services: latest cars in excellent condition with maximum efficiency and mileage. From efficient no - nonsense hatchbacks to shining limos, they have it all. Each car comes with a personalized service: an attendant/ chauffeur who knows the ins and outs of the car and would only be too happy to help a new customer, GPS equipment to help navigate the customer, a laptop charger, mobile phone charger, easy to read maps of the city with location of major landmarks and hotels. Only experienced drivers with a clean record are hired and made to undergo a rigorous training session before they start work with the company. Each car also comes with a complementary snack hamper and mineral water bottles that are replaced on a daily basis. Booking an Easycar is as easy as booking a flight ticket. Just login, register and book a car through the company's website or through a travel agen t. So, there you go! As easy as a click and go. Reliable and dependable are two words to easily describe the company's services. Easycars has a record of delivering excellent services in terms of reliability and dependability. In the rare event of a car breaking down, the company promises to send a replacement or a trained mechanic within half an hour. This is possible because of its partnership with other local, smaller auto companies and garages in smaller towns across the country. Thus, without investing in an office or personnel, Easycars is able to provide the customer reliable service and replacement in case of breakdowns. The employees are friendly, courteous, competent and trained to handle emergencies. Drivers have to undergo a strict background check through a reputed security agency before they can join the company. Each driver also has to provide two referrals before joining Easycars. So, the customer knows that he is in safe hands when hiring a car and a driver from Easycars. Easycars not only has booking staff, but an exclusive customer care section too. The staff is young, enthusiastic and ready to help. The Branch Manager, who would represent the face of the company can be reached on his cell number 24/7.The support staff has different plans suitable to each customer's budget and preferences. They are also willing to accommodate a few changes if requested by the customer. They do not go into forced selling or other gimmicks, instead discreetly allow the customers to make the choice. They just guide the customer in picking the best plan and tariff. The company has a tie-up with major luxury hotels and a few budget hotels across major cities in Hong Kong, Singapore and India. There are plans on the anvil for corporate discounts and offers, tie-up with airlines and hospitals too. The tie-up with hospitals is the unique selling point of Easycars as there has been a tremendous increase in people from the U.S and Europe coming to India for cost-effective medical treatment. In Singapore, the company offers discounts and attractive packages to groups of 20 or more tourists at Changi airport itself. 2.) Discuss cultural barriers and required adaptation when Easycar enters the Asian market. As Erica Walsh puts it "Many people can feel overwhelmed when planning a vacation to the Far East. The distance, language and cultural barriers