SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2011 review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2011 - Movie Review Example Given below are some of the movies I had chosen to discuss about. HOW TO DIE IN OREGON The Sundance festival has always screened films for crazy movie goers who rush to occupy limits seats along with frenzied reporters who don't want to miss a moment of the 'Sundance Festival' madness. But this was not the case at the screening of the much acclaimed but brutally numbing to the soul movie ' How to Die in Oregon'. This film was directed by   Peter D. Richardson who worked for 4 years and spent close to 75,000 USD on it. This movie has been so heart wrenching that even the producers of the film, which is HBO, had a hard time finding an audience with their staff as they would be bursting into tears or tearing out of the room, not being able to stand the agony that Cody Curtis the real life protagonist faces every single day. Oregon is the only state that has legalized 'Physician-assisted-suicide' commonly referred to as euthanasia and this story is about a 52 year old mother of two, wh o battles Cancer and has to succumb to it eventually but nevertheless wants to die with some respect. She tries her best to be there for her children and crams in all the life's teachings. She wishes she could be alive for a longer period, but unfortunately she cannot because all she has left are a few precious months of her life. Nothing prepares her family for the hopelessness they feel when Cody is granted a lethal dose of   Morphine to give her permanent respite from her endless pain and agony.  This tragic story is so touching that it brings tears to the eyes, especially when they come to know that Cody is a real person. This film has won the Grand Jury Prize for American films at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival Awards ceremony. BEING ELMO: A Puppeteer's Journey. The 'Sundance Fim Festival' happens every year in the United States as an effort to bring to the forefront new and independent filmmakers who are exceptionally talented and need that big break.   Once such brilli ant movie is 'Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey'. Elmo is an international icon that millions of children from all over the globe love and adore. But, only a few know of the man behind the creation of this character, Kevin Clash. Having watched Captain Kangaroo and Sesame Street, Kevin always dreamed of creating his own puppets and becoming a performing puppeteer. As fate would have Kevin Clash got a dream break from none other than his idol and master puppeteer Jim Henson himself, paving way for one of the most favorite and famous characters in The Muppets universe. Kevin Clash has always been a very private person and the movie revolves more around his art and creation than the man himself.Even his colleagues focussed more on praising his talent than delving into any personal trivia about him. A steady, focussed and passionate Kevin Clash has shows us how perseverance and hard work really pays off through this film. This film has been selected in the following categories -   OFF ICIAL SELECTION - SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2011 OFFICIAL SELECTION - FULL FRAME DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 2011 OFFICIAL SELECTION - INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL BOSTON   OFFICIAL SELECTION - HOT DOCS (OUTSPOKEN OUTSTANDING) OFFICIAL SELECTION - DALLAS FILM 2011 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEERS JOURNEY HAS WON IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES -   WINNER - SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2011 LIKE CRAZY The 'Sundance Film Fest

Value Based Management Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Value Based Management - Research Proposal Example This project is therefore an effort to find out the importance of value based management and how companies are doing it. The realisation for a need to identify the key stakeholders in order to optimise their contributions towards the cause arose when the modern management principles were experimented with. Stakeholder concept was originally defined as, "those groups without whose support the organization would cease to exist". But the term 'stakeholder' as such was introduced by the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, for generalising the notion of 'stockholder' when the term was made a part of the internal memo (Zsolnai, 2006). These days management encompasses a range of issues involving various aspects like environment friendliness, adherence to rules and regulations, management of the human resources, ethical business practices and of course the profitability of the operations. Japanese management philosophy of commitment to serving the timely needs of a stakeholder has been at the back of the concepts like JIT, and Kaizen. Value based management, in a way is termed to carry forward these very p rinciples. Koller (1994) finds out that one of the key reasons behind the failure in delivering the objectives is the setting of unrealistic performance targets. While underlining the fact that value is created only when companies are able to invest the capital at rates exceeding the cost of that capital, Koller (1994) state that value based management helps companies in devising the targets in such a manner that they get strategic as well as operating advantages. Even an ordinary individual investor expects profits from investing in shares of an enterprise. As a result, the investor keeps comparing his or her holdings with other such investment opportunities. It is for the company and its management to retain the interest of such investors into the enterprise. While devising suitable strategies for value based management, it is equally important that the enterprise is able to take stock of the outcome as a result of implementing certain policies and decisions. Therefore, the search for suitable metrics in order to measure economic performance represents an essential area in theory and practice of company management. In these times of globalization, liberalization, market deregulation, cut-throat competition and industry consolidation, value-based company management becomes all the more important. The manner in which some of the reputed banks and companies have melted during the ongoing recession around the world, is an indicator that if the company is not able to make itself strong enough to take on uncertain times, it will have to face the heat. Rationale of the Study As the industrial activities see an upsurge on global scale, it requires the stakeholders to be more conscious about their investments, risks and operating conditions. For example, when the Lehman Brothers announced bankruptcy in 2008, the world community was taken aback. But, subsequently, stakeholders started taking more active interest and becoming more aware about the operational details and financial health of the companies. With an objective of maximizing the market value and using the 'shareholder value' enterprises have now started resorting to newer evaluation models. The idea

Visual Effects Development in Early Days

Visual Effects Development in Early Days Before the arrival of Cinema, there were some forms of visual entertainments in Europe. The first one was Chinese Shadow Puppetry. It was introduced in Europe in late 17 century from Far East. This type of light show is the one of the popular performances in shadow theatre. The second one was Panorama. It was started by a Scottish artist Robert Baker. Panorama is a simple illuminated view which tells the story from circular paintings. Another popular visual entertainment was the Camera Obsura. The inverted image of the outside world appears on the wall of a dark room through the small hole. This process was later adapted for the pinhole camera and magic lantern. Magic Lantern was like a today projector. The light source inside the room was used to project images through lens into the darken room. The stories were painted on large glasses. The illusions of Magic Lantern such as beheading and beatings were much more improved by making dissolve and using multiple layers. An optical toy called Zoetrope plays the animated sequences to be viewed through slits in a rotating drum.   {{Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Figure 1; Chinese Shadow Theatre Figures Figure 2; Illustration of the Camera Obscura Principle Figure 3; Illustration from Kircher, Projection of Death Figure 4; a modern replica of a Victorian zoetrope Kinetograph By late 1890, Edison and his assistant Dickson developed a device called the Kinetograph. A single viewer needs to bend down to watch the moving images through the keyhole. That is why the nickname was given as What the Butler Saw. Kinetograph can take rapid sequential images and displays images using the loops of 35mm film. But Kinetograph cannot project the moving images on the screen as the viewers demanded. {{Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Figure 5; 1895 Version of Kinetophone in use Cinematographe Lumiere Brothers developed a Cinematographe that is improved on Edisons Kinetograph. Cinematographe was an all in one device. It can be used as camera, film printer and projector. The device was lighter than Kinetograph because the film needs to be hand cranked rather than relying on electric motor. Lumiere Brothers used Cinematographe to show the short clip in the basement of Grand Cafà ©, in Paris. They charged one franc for a twelve strips. It was last for one minute. Since then, the world first cinema market had begun. Arrival at a station (1895) made by Lumieres Brothers shook the audiences. In that film, the viewers thought that train would burst through the screen as train was approaching the station. {{Pinteau, Pascal 2004; Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Figure 6; Auguste (1862 1954) and Louis Lumiere (1864 1948) Father of Special Effects Figure 7; Georges Melies (1861 1938) A pioneer who discovered many special effects and influenced the visual effects world till today was Georges Melies. He was a magician and a youngest son of a French shoemaker. He used to work in family shoes business until his father retired. He then bought a theatre to make his dreams come true. He designed the innovative stage illusions and performed in his way of comic style. Magic lantern show was one of his great attractions. George Melies realized the benefits of Lumiere Brothers Cinematographe device that brings together the theatrical projection and technology. Therefore, George attempted to buy the Cinematographe device from father of Lumiere brothers. But he was refused to own the device as Lumiere Family wanted to ensure the exclusivity of film production. {{Pinteau, Pascal 2004; Rickitt, Richard 2006}} George did not give up easily. He went to London and purchased a device developed by Robert William Paul to work together with Edisons Kinetograph. George then hired two e ngineers to build a new version of camera. The First Special Effect Trick George discovered his first camera trick by accident. When he was recording the traffic, the camera was jammed. After one minute later, he continued to record the traffic. When he joined the break, he suddenly saw the bus changed into a hearse and men changed into women. Since then, he realised the importance of effect by substitution called Stop Action Trick. Stop Action Trick was already used in the Execution of Mary Queen of Scots (1893) produced by Edison before his discovery. But this one became the first trick of his incoming special effects discovery. {{Pinteau, Pascal 2004; Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Georges produced many genres. Among them his fairy tales and fantasies films were more famous e.g. Cinderella. In Cinderella film, his stop action tricks attracted the audiences by turning pumpkin into horse cart and rags into Cinderellas dress. Figure 8; a scene from Cinderella (1889) Figure 9; stop action trick used in Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895) The Worlds First Special Effects Facility The Black Maria was the Edisons world first film studio constructed on the train rotating turntable so that studio can be oriented to face the sun like sunflowers. {{Ezra, Elizabeth 2000}} In 1896, Georges Melies also made a first special effect film called The Varnishing Lady in his first special effects glass studio in order to avoid the ruin of illusions by the weather. The studio was constructed by iron structure, glass wall and wooden floor. It was designed by Georges with trapdoors, winches, pulleys, mirrors and flying rigs. The studio was a most sophisticated one at that time. {{Pinteau, Pascal 2004; Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Figure 10; Edisons The Black Maria Film Studio Figure 11; Georges Melies glass studio Georges Split Screen Process Indian Rubber Head (1902) made by Georges Melies was used a split screen process. In order to create the illusion of an expanding head, Georges zoomed in on his head and superimposed this onto the film. Some areas of films were masked off to isolate the certain part of the picture to split the screen. {{VisualFx Hub 2017}} Figure 12; a scene from the man with the rubber head The First Science Fiction Film A trip to the moon was an earliest science fiction film made by Georges. The two minutes story is about a group of Victorian explorers visiting to the moon. In which film, Georges created the three dimensional depth illusion by painting. This is a very innovative film that covered a lot of Georges camera tricks such as superimpositions, double exposures, dissolves, stop-motion, matte paintings and miniatures. He even introduced the colour to the screen through hand painting and tinting. {{VisualFx Hub 2017}} Figure 13; the iconic image of the Man in the Moon Georges last days The masterpieces created by Georges were self-explanatory and visually stunning to be enjoyed by all audiences from all over the world without subtitling. But Georges films had been pirated and distributed illegally in United States and other countries. In 1913, Georges abandoned the filming after his wife death. In 1914, George was bankrupted and sold his all properties including his masterpieces to creditor. He spent the rest of his life just by running the toy shop at the train station in Paris. Nevertheless, his visual styles and special effects will never be forgotten. {{Pinteau, Pascal 2004; Rickitt, Richard 2006}} Other contributors in early days of Visual Effects There were many other innovators as well who had been developing the techniques for visual entertainments at the same time with Georges Melies. Robert William Paul was a scientific instrument maker from London. Robert built his own camera and projection for his production after he was refused by Edison to duplicate the Kinetograph. Although Robert was not a film maker, he produced a number of special effects featured films. E.g. The Motorist (1906) was the one of his remarkable films which is equally visual stunning as Georges Melies Masterpiece. The film was decorated with all available special effects to depict the story of a couple driving the car on the rings of Saturn in the space. In 1910, Robert abandoned film production and destroyed all his films. Another pioneer called Georges Albert Smith was an English photographer who built his own cameras and produced many trick films. Santa Claus (1898) was a notable film made by Georges A Smith. He created the earliest opening title s equence in Santa Clause film. He used the techniques of multiple exposures, stop action tricks and image within image in this film with the help of Georges Melies. {{Rickitt, Richard 2006; American Movie Classic Company 2017}}

Wheatley’s Poem On Being Brought from Africa to America Essays -- Poet

Wheatley’s poem, â€Å"On Being Brought from Africa to America† is part of a set of works that Henry Louis Gates Jr. recognized as a historically significant literary contribution for black Americans and black women (Baym et al. 752). Addressed to the Christians who participated in the slave trade, the poem is meant to reveal the inconsistencies between their actions and the Christian Ideal. Whether perceived as a work of sincerity or a work of irony, the poem conveys the message that an individual’s behaviors are influenced by the examples of others and that all people are equal. Understanding Phillis Wheatley’s intent in her poem, â€Å"On Being Brought from Africa to America,† is gained by considering all of the aspects of her existence when analyzing her work and even though perception is based on individual perspective, analysis and explication will reveal the contrariety Phillis Wheatley observed between society and the Christian Ideal and evidence her desire for the dissolution of every inequality. Phillis Wheatley was born in Gambia, West Africa around 1753 (Andrews et al. 770). She was forced into slavery when she was about seven or eight years old and purchased by John Wheatley in July of 1761 (770) for his wife Susanna Wheatley, who named her Phillis after the vessel that transported the young slave (Samuels et al. 543). The Wheatley’s, with their two children, Nathaniel and Mary (Brawley 12), taught Phillis to read and write in English and also tutored her in Latin (Samuels et al. 543). Wheatley studied the Bible, the Latin classical works of Virgil and Ovid, astronomy, geography, and history (Brawley 13). Much of her poetry consists of elegies (poetry written as a reflection on someone’s life) and many of her works are... ...//www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/phillis-wheatley>. "Phillis Wheatley." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 1 May 2012. . Puckett, Caleb. "Phillis Wheatley." American Writers, Supplement XX: A Collection of Literary Biographies: Mary Antin to Phillis Wheatley. Ed. Jay Parini. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2010. 277-91. Print. Samuels, Wilfred D, Loretta G. Woodard, and Tracie C. Guzzio. "Wheatley, Phillis." Encyclopedia of African-American Literature. New York: Facts on File, 2007. 543-45. Print. Wheatley, Phillis. "On Being Brought From Africa to America.† Baym, The Norton Anthology of American Literature 751-53. Wheatley, Phillis, and Margaretta Odell. Memoir and poems of Phillis Wheatley, a Native African and a Slave. Boston: Geo. W. Light, 1834. eBook.

Recruitment Of A Star Essay

In the case study of â€Å"Recruitment of a star† there are four candidates for the job offered by Stephen Conner. They are Gerald Baum, David Hughes, Sonia Meetha and Seth Horkum. Among all, my choice is Seth Horkum. There were several positive aspect which made him my first option such as his time management (being at interview before the schedule), his prior experience with PowerChip company (Upcoming client for RSH), his long term commitment (15 years of service @ Jefferson Brothers) which allows dependency and loyalty. With all the above aspects and the intelligence he exhibited in the interview makes him the best fit for the job. What problems does Stephen Conner face? When Stephen let Peter go, the biggest problem was to find the right replacement at the earliest. So the time was the key factor because it was the time when they were in need of a senior analyst to get started with the new client (PowerChip Company). Apart from that, he was facing a lot of concerns from the senior executives of the organization about his decision of letting Peter go. In fact they were more upset with his decision of making Rina who was an assistant to peter and joined the organization just 3 years ago as a substitute for Peter. What should Peter’s replacement look like, and which of the candidates best fits this description? (Page 4) Peter was extremely intelligent and his analytical skills were superior. So if one has to replace Peter must be of the same cadre and fit into the same shoe. He was always and achiever and go getter. His priorities were time management, resource management and competency at work. So to find the best replacement, there must be ano ther Peter with the similar skill set and attitude. So at this juncture, Seth and Sonia are the best fit because Seth is punctual, ambitious and if opportunity given, he can rank up to the higher position with his intellectual, technical and analytical skills. On the other hand, Sonia is also a very hard working. Even though she is working in a boutique, her performance since past three years has grown over and her clients also believes that she is a true up-and-comer and could become one of the best analyst on the wall street if given a better platform Put yourself in the place of each of the five candidates (include Rina),  what should each person highlight during the interview process? How could each person differentiate him or herself from the other candidates? Gerald Baum: The highlights of Gerald’s personality are that he is not only the star analyst in semiconductor industry but in past he was a lead analyst in electronics and electrical connectors industry as well. At Gotz and Loeb which is a specialized firm with an emphasis in technology industry has given an enormous opportunity to Gerald to grow as an analyst and also gain industry knowledge. David Hughes: The well seasoned aged David Hughes is also one of the candidate for the peter’s position. While working for big firms like Spenser’s and company, David got opportunity to tune into the global market and gain the best industry experience. Also learned writing business plans, progress reports and even year end reviews. Sonia Meetha: She is the candidate with both sales and technical skills. She is an excellent writer. Being a techno-managerial graduate and having dual experience of working both in engineering and sales team has gave her an edge over the other interviewees. Seth Horkum: He is a very promising analyst with a prior experience working with RSH future client PowerChip company and also have close contacts in that company. He has not just accessible and responsive for the clients but also gave long hours for the organization to fulfill the task which other analyst couldn’t do. Rina Shea: The most convincing point for her is the association she is having with the company and also her recent experience of assisting Peter. She is an excellent writer and had learned a lot of other skills from Peter which got her into the list of candidates to be considered for the senior analyst position. Analyze the selection processes being used. What are the strengths and weaknesses, and how could any weaknesses be mitigated? The process adopted by Stephen to select the replacement for Peter was pre-screening followed by a Face to Face Interview session with the Candidates. Strength: Past employment history Punctuality of the interviewees Soft Skills / Communication skills Technical Skills Personality Traits Weakness: I Do not see any weakness in the interview process adopted by Stephen (pre-screening and Face to Face). In fact it gave him an edge over just reading their profiles and listening to the word of mouth during pre-screening. How would the organizational entry and socialization process differ between Rina and one of the other candidates if chosen? SWOT for Rina Shea: Strength : Being junior to Peter, she had a good understanding of all the work that Peter undertook. With an association of over three years at the firm, she is well versed with the company culture and values. She has exceptional writing skills. Weakness: Rina is lesser experienced compare to other senior candidates She must be assertive while presenting her reports Rina must learn/ Enhance Decision making skills. She depends on other senior analysts for advices and suggestions most of the time Opportunities : Being familiar with the company, Rina would not need an induction and familiarization sessions. Threats: The vast experience that other candidates bringing to the table. If chosen, The other candidates shall grow up the ladder faster and better than Rina At times, she may be emotionally disturbed because of temporary promotion and again going back to the same assistant job which may result in losing confidence, loyalty and responsiveness.

Advantages Or Disadvantages Of Internet

The computer was a fundamental innovation which flipped the world upside down. Some argue that it is a blessing whilst others insist that in spite of all the commodities it brought about with it, it is a curse.Computers are necessary in all spheres of life. To begin with, the computer has a vast array of software which is beneficial for both young and old people. Young children can enjoy playing games on the computer whilst beginning to learn reading and writing. It is much safer that having children playing around in the streets since there is a high risk of someone being hurt. Computer studies are proliferating in our schools because the computer has become so important throughout our lives.In business, the computer, is a surely a real blessing. Apart from being more organized nowadays one can also extend his business and adverts throughout the world with e-commerce. Creating a website is easy and cheap to sustain. One can also work from the commodity of his home as well as doing s hopping and having the products delivered in a short time.It has become second nature for us to chat with friends and socialize through networks. One can communicate with his relatives abroad easier and it is far cheaper than phoning overseas. For students it is a real gem. Computers are a huge source of information. There is software such as encyclopedias which are very useful when doing a research for school. Besides, one can also spend less time searching in vain in books.It is also a truism that computers have their negative aspects as well. Being seated on the chair in front of the screen for a long time can lead to back problems later in life. One can even damage the wrist. Another disadvantage is that children of the computer era are lazier than the ones before. They are not adventurous at all and are brought up with the mentality of living life without pain or any effort.Many children are obsessed with gaming and some become spendthrifts as time passes by because they buy pl enty of games and upgrades for their computers. On the internet there is not enough data protection and having children surfing the net on their own is bad. Parents must be aware of the potential harm their children may be exposed to and they must be computer literate for the sake of the benefit of their own children.Life without computers is unimaginable and in the long run the computer is very useful. Although it has some negative effects, it needs to be utilized properly with proper supervision and knowledge so that all the benefits of the computer are exploited.

Health and safety issue for contractor company in oil and gas industry The WritePass Journal

Health and safety issue for contractor company in oil and gas industry ABRSTACT: Health and safety issue for contractor company in oil and gas industry ABRSTACT:DISCUSSION:1. Isolation of Equipment:2. Accident caused by Human Error:3. Entry to Vessel4. Liquefied Flammable Gases:5. Modification:Reference:Related ABRSTACT: Exploration and production of petroleum is highly profitable sector, but on the other hand, it is very risky business. Catastrophe in refineries and oil rigs like Mexico II (1983) in the Gulf of Mexico, Pipe Alpha, has totally changed the script of safety procedure and risk assessment. It is evident from the past history, 65 % of disasters resulted due to Human Organizational error. That’s why it is highly recommended to the oil operating and contractor companies to identify the risk, potential hazard and consequence of hazardous incident. Health and safety measure are always seems to be an overburden for project, but in reality they are preventing the tragic accident which would be result in damage of assets, loss of valuable human lives, demoralization of team and hazardous environmental impact. In last 35 years of North Sea, average yearly accidental cost is  £200M (except in 1988-1989 cost  £1200 M due to Piper Alpha) and loss of 485 precious human lives (ROYAL INSTITUTION OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS 1991). In this report, we will try to discuss the critical issues of health and safety faced by a contractor company in oil industries. Furthermore, we will try to show what was done wrong in past and will try to suggest how similar incident might be prevented in the future. DISCUSSION: â€Å"Nation have passed away and left no traces, Any history gives the naked cause of it one single simple reason in all cases; they fell because their people were not fit.†Rudyard Kipling. Unfortunately, the history of the oil and process industry indicates that a lot of incidents are repeated after a lapse of a few years .Because people move and lesson are forgotten. Accidents caused during the following activities are very common, many of them are not resulted in death, serious injury or serious damage they were near-miss. But they could have had much more serious consequence. We will discuss few of them in detail. Isolation of Equipment. Accident caused by Human Error Entry to Vessel Liquefied Flammable gases Modification Storage Tanks Stacks Leaks Pipe and Vessel Failure Hazard of Common Material I don’t know that (Like Ammonia can explode, Hydraulic pressure can be hazardous, Diesel engines can ignite leaks. 1. Isolation of Equipment: Case I: Three people were killed and the plant was destroyed during a pump repair. Dismantling was done to repair the pump. When the cover was removed, hot oil, which is above its ignition temperature, came out and caught fire. From several days, a pump was waiting for repair work and work permit was issued. On the day of accident, the foreman who issued the permit should check the drain valve should be opened and suction delivery valves were shut. But suction valve was opened and drain valve was closed by someone. Maintenance team only intend to change the pump bearing and they decide to open the pump and inform the process team but no further checks and isolation was done. It is not habitual in company concerned to isolate the equipment under repair by slip plate, only by close valves. Similarly, failure in permit to work procedure was the major reason for the disasters of Piper Alpha. Recommendations: Permit to work will be withdrawal and new one is issued, if there is any change in the nature of work. Isolation of equipment must be done when it is under repair. Bleed valve and double blocks must be installed, where fluid at having gauge pressure above 600 psi or temperature above or near auto-ignition point. 2. Accident caused by Human Error: Case I: (Warning Ignored) During the working shift, it had been noticed by the operator that the level of fluid in tank is falling rapidly. He informed the instrument department that the level gauge is not working properly. After few hours, when they were changing the gauge, they found that the previous gauge was correct and there was a leaking in the drain valve. But it is quite late and they has been lost 10 ton of material. Case II: (High Temperature Alarm) After a modification pump was installed, it was used to transfer some liquid. When the transfer of liquid completed, operator pressed the switch off button, he saw the pump is â€Å"running off† light went out. After a several hours, high temperature alarm of pump sounded. Operator supposed that there was a fault in alarm and he ignored it. Soon afterward, there was a huge explosion in the pump. During the modification of pump, an error in the circuit was introduced and stop button was not working properly. Recommendations: Proper training should be given to the operators; they must take a necessary action upon unusual reading. Always respond to alarm. They might be correct. Training should be emphasis the importance of alarm. In record sheet, control limit must be defined. 3. Entry to Vessel Many incident have been happened which killed no of peoples because they entered inside the vessel or any other confined space which had not been thoroughly cleaned or tested. Case I: (Unauthorized Entry) Contractors mostly unfamiliar with the operating companies rule, have frequently got into the vessel without authority. A contractor foreman entered in a vessel which was opened and disconnected, setup for entry, but it was not yet tested. The foreman was estimating the cost of cleaning, he supposed that there was no need of permit for entering the tank just for inspection and got affected by the gas. Similarly an incident happened during the lunch time, a process foreman was taking a last look of vessel before boxed up. There was an old gas mask lying on the floor, he decided to go and remove it. While going inside he slipped from the ladder and fell and was knocked. His tongue blocked his throat and he suffocated. Case II: (Entry into vessel with Irrespirable Atmosphere) A contractor entered in the combustion chamber of a gas plant watched by two standby men but without waiting for the breathing apparatus to arrive. He lost consciousness halfway up when he was climbing out of the chamber. He was hanging between the chamber wall and the ladder. Rest of the men could not pull him out with lifeline. One of the men reached to the person without breathing apparatus and he also lost consciousness. Both of them were rescued, but standby man was died by this time. Case III: Vessel was generally split up into two halves by a baffle which had to be removed. The vessel was cleaned out, inspected, and a permit issued for a worker to enter the left hand side of the vessel to burn out the baffle. It not possible to see on the right hand side of the vessel but as the left hand side of the vessel was clean and because no combustible gas was detected it was assumed that the other half was also clean. While the welder was in the vessel, some deposited in the right hand half caught fire. The Welder came out side without a sever injury but wounded himself in his rush. Recommendations: Vessel should assume to contain hazardous material, if a portion of the vessel can not be tested and it seems to be safe. Only gas test are not enough. When the vessel will be heated or disturbed it may produce gas which was present in the sludge. For any addition work inside the vessel, new work permit for confined space should be issued. People should now put their head inside the vessel unless entry has been authorized. Manhole should be covered with barrier if the vessel is opened but entry is not yet authorized. Rescue person should be available at the spot with necessary equipment. Always use breathing apparatuses before entering the vessel. Do not relay on contractor reading rule, just follow the safety procedure of operating company. 4. Liquefied Flammable Gases: Case I: (Fire and exploration at processing plant at Mexico City) November 1984, there was a worse incident at processing plant (LPG-actually Propane 20 % and Butane 80%) in San Juanico, Mexico. About 542 people were died, 4,248 were injured and 10,000 become homeless. The main cause was the rupturing of 8 inch line. During investigation it was revelled that the tank was overfilled and the inlet pipeline was overpressure. It is not known why the pressure relief valve was not lifted. The gas was spread in the area of 200m by 150 m before it caught fire. Most of the people got killed and injured are pubic, who were living near the plant. Recommendations: There was not gas detector in this area. This should be present. Plant was at congested place about 160 m away from town. It is recommended that for LPG plant it should be 600 m away from the town. There was no fire insulation on equipments. Vessels and tank should be fire insulated. The water deluge system was inadequate. 5. Modification: Many accidents have happened just because modifications were carried out in plant and these modifications were not fulfilling the safety criteria. Case I: A reactor was cooled by a providing of brine to the jacket. There was a repair work in brine system and it was to be shutdown so water from town was used instead. This town water pressure (130 psi gauge pressure) was more than that of brine, so the reactor collapsed. Before the modification, a modification approval form was approved which had twenty important questions. But this form was filled as a formality. Recommendations: Before modification, however inexpensive, temporary or permanent, is made to a plant or process or to a safety procedure, it should be authorized in writing by a manager and an engineer. They manager and engineering who authorized modification can not be expected to stare the drawing and hope that the consequence will be show up. They must provided with an aid such as a lost of questions to be answered.   The foreman should not be authorized to make any modifications at field work. We have discussed few of the above critical issues which are very important for a contractor company to work in oil and gas industry. Furthermore, critical issues of a plant are also indicated in logical tree analysis in figure 1. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this report is to indicate the safety issues for a contractor company in oil and gas industries. The purpose of giving the cases and recommendation is to understand what they had done wrong in the past and to advise how similar disaster might be prevented in the future. After reading this report just analysis your plant, are you doing the same wrong thing which people did and resulted in disasters? Development of a safety culture is necessary, culture which would be committed with safety; safe work practise would be encourage and people do insist for safe work for every one, their attitude must be toward safe work practise. Leadership and top management should have to set a meaningful safety program by providing sufficient training and experience. Moreover, communication played a significant role; proper training and safety induction should be given to supervisor level, so that the correct information should be transmitted to them. Figure no. 1 Logic Tree Analysis Reference: The integration of Quantitative Risk Assessment and Reliability centered Maintenance to optimize platform Design and Operations by R.M Marshell, S.T.Maher, P.R. Stevenson B.C.Morris

Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV Essay Example

Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV Essay Example Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV Essay Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV Essay Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV? Name: Institution: Do We Need Ratings for What We Watch on TV? Introduction Every time one turns on the television to watch, there are countless programs to watch as there are many television stations. Most of these programs or almost all of them have some rating depicted with some letters such as TV-Y, TV-7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14 and TV-MA. All these letters represent the appropriateness of the program’s content to the different age groups. For instance, TV-Y programs are designed for young children while TV-MA programs are designed for adult only. The rating is determined by content such as explicit sexual nudity, suggestive dialogue and violence amongst other ratings. The main question is whether we need these ratings for every program that we view on television. These TV ratings have been around for almost two decades now. It is a television content rating system that was first introduced in December 1996 but became effective in January 1, 1997 in the United States. Before it was introduced, other ratings existed, established in 1968 by the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system, MPAA which had set the standards (Linder Gentile, 2009). However, the newer TV ratings were aimed at establishing standards that would allow voluntary rating for the broadcast and cable networks. It was adopted by most of the major United States broadcast as well as cable networks, which was in response to public concern about the increasing level of explicit sexual material, graphic violence as well as strong profanity within the television programs. There are several reasons why it is important to have these ratings for television (Linder, 2011). The main reason is because of children who are sensitive and vulnerable to content such as violence that would affect them at an early age. This research paper seeks to answer the question of whether we need ratings for what we watch on television. Literature Review A lot of research has shown that watching of television is related to hosting negative outcomes in children. Several studies have found that television watching especially with violent content is associated with increasing aggression amongst children as well as increased fear due to such violence (Linder Gentile, 2009). Currently, it is inevitable that children will watch television everywhere they go considering that almost every household in the United States have a television set. Therefore, the ratings come in to indicate what programs are suitable for them in order to avoid exposure to content that does not suit their age. This is especially important for parents in order to protect their young ones from content that could affect them negatively (Linder Gentile, 2009). The Rating System Before going even further towards answering our question, it is important to look at the ratings and what they represent in order to understand why they are needed. The TV-Y means it can be watched even by young children. This is a program designed for young children, with the theme being specifically designed for the young children aged between 2 and 6 years. The content is not likely to frighten them. TV- means the content is designed for seven of ages 7 and older. The content can contain some comic violence that would not be suitable for children below these years who are yet to understand between reality and make-believe content. TV-G is designed for general audience, meaning anybody at any age can watch including children even without parental guidance. However, this does not mean the program is specifically designed for children. The content contains hardly any violence or sexually oriented scenes (ParentsTV.org, 2010). TV-PG on the other hand means that children can view the c ontent under parental guidance since it may contain some scenes of mild violence, suggestive dialog and sexual context. TV-14 on the other hand means that the program is not suitable for children under the age of 14 years. Such programs may contain scenes with violence, sexual activity, drug use and profanity. Children under the age of 14 should be cautiously monitored if they have to watch such content. The final rating is TV-MA, which means it is designed for adults only. Therefore, children under the age of 17 should not be allowed to view such content. Such programs contain more scenes of violence, sexual nudity, profanity and drug use (ParentsTV.org, 2010). Exposing children to such content at an early age could have negative impact on children. Effects of Adult Content on Children Research shows that exposure to explicit material for children have a negative effect that could affect their future life. Such content has the tendency to sexualize children at an early age (ParentsTV.org, 2010). In the recent years, sexual content has been on the on the increase with many television programs showing a good amount of it even during primetime when children are most likely to b watching television. According to ParentsTV.org (2010), it was found that children are exposed to more than 10.8 incidents of explicit adult content every hour, which meant exposure every five and a half minutes of watching television (ParentsTV.org, 2010). The study carried out showed that children viewing PG rated content were likely to be exposed to sexual content at an early stage since the ratings have continue to under rate some of the programs. With such exposure to sexual content at an early age, the children become sexualized at an age they should not. The findings further show that a child watching a PG rated program in a period of two weeks would be exposed to 181 instance of sexual content, 239 instances of exposure to offensive language and 217 instances with violence. The finding further suggest that not only were the children exposed to the explicit adult content after every five and a half minutes while watching PG rated content, but also that the rating lacked the sub-ratings that indicate what content is contained in the program (ParentsTV.org, 2010). There were no descriptors to indicate the specific type of content. The descriptors include ‘S’ indicating sexual content, ‘D’ indicating suggestive dialogue, ‘L’ indicating coarse language and ‘V’ indicating violence. Without the descriptors, parents would not know the content that makes the program TV-PG. Thus; they have no clue about what the children are watching. This makes it hard to protect the children from inappropr iate content. The findings shows very minimal use of these descriptors, where 92% of explicit sexual content was aired without the ‘S’ descriptor, 36% of offensive language was aired without its descriptor, while 24% of this language included very harsh language (ParentsTV.org, 2010). Much of the content that children were exposed to from such content include words about sexual body parts, partial nudity, implied sexual intercourse, dialogue, curses, offensive epithets such as ‘Bitch’ and ‘Jackass,’ amongst others (ParentsTV.org, 2010). Violence included beatings, weapon violence such as shooting and stabbing, dismemberment amongst others including mutilation that is quite harmful to the children (ParentsTV.org, 2010). All these content is not appropriate for young children that are vulnerable to such language and scenes of violence and other behaviors including sexual disorientation. In particular, violence and coarse language has a far more effect on children since it can develop negative behaviors. According to KUNKEL (2006), violence on television affects children in three ways. The first one is through enhancing learning of aggressive behavior and attitude, the second one is desensitization where children’s callousness to victims of violence increases and finally, increasing fear of becoming a victim of violence. Of the three effects, it is the first one that has more adverse effects where violence in television is known to increase the propensity for violent behavior. â€Å"The statistical relationship between children’s exposure to violent portrayals and their subsequent aggressive behavior has been shown to be stronger than the relationship between asbestos exposure and the risk of laryngeal cancer†¦,† (Kunkel, 2006). Further, this study shows that violence in the television landscape is widespread, meaning that every child is lik ely to see some at some point as aforementioned. Additionally, the violence is presented in a manner that is sanitized as well as glamorized, which has the potential to affect children more. Finally, presentation of violence has remained quite stable and continues to increase daily with more and more entertainment releases all the time (Linder Gentile, 2009). After watching much of such content, the children are usually eager to know more and seek an explanation if they do not already know. Further, young children are known to try some of the things they see on television. It is not surprising to find children at a young age imitating what they see on television. With such behavior resulting from watching inappropriate content, it is worth having ratings that clearly indicate the content in the programs in order to protect the younger generation. Much of the behavior that is imitated is the violent ones and sexual acts they see on television. More literature indicates that children are aware of the ratings and some of their meaning. In a study conducted to find out what the children know about the ratings, it was found that some children had negative comments about programs rated G and PG. some said that these programs are â€Å"looser ones,† (Hamilton, 2000). Some made comments that programs rated as PG-13 would be scary. Clearly, the children understood that the ratings have to do with the content of the program of film, where higher rated ones meant more restrictive content that in fact got their curiosity. This Hamilton (2000) called the ‘forbidden fruit’ effect where one wants to have what is restricted especially for older children. However, the positive comments from children concerning the advisory given by parents concerning what to watch said it was good, meaning that parents did take the rating issue seriously. Therefore, TV ratings are important for helping the parents in selecting the best programs for their. Additionally, Hamilton (2000) cites that, â€Å"Children’s positive comments about the parental advisory and the PG-13 rating demonstrate how restrictive labels not only can enhance the attractiveness of the labeled material, but may reduce the appeal of less restricted fare,† (p. 202). Findings From this literature review, several things were evident that indicate the need for not only having ratings on what we watch on television, but also the need to tighten up the ratings or enforce them to protect the young children. The first finding is that some of the content that is viewed by children that is not appropriate for their age affects them in various ways including behavior where children can increase their aggressiveness while in other areas such as objectifying of the woman body through sexual material, a young girl would feel victimized if she does not look sexy as the programs suggest a woman should be (Linder, 2011). The other finding is that there is increased level of explicit and adult material on PG rated programs than it should be, which means children are watching a lot of adult content even on programs that they are not restricted(Linder Gentile, 2009). Finally, children as well have some understanding that the ratings mean some restrictive material, which m any have different opinions such as being scary. This further brings in the forbidden fruit effect where children want to watch what is not for their age. Further, parents are aware of the ratings and help it helps them in selecting the appropriate films. However, the rating is not sufficient considering majority of the programs are aired without the descriptor labels. Conclusion It is clear that we should have ratings on what we watch on television in order to protect the children. With the increasing programs aired on televisions during prime time that contain adult material, it is important that parents know what content is in this programs to know whether it is appropriate for their young ones. With repeated exposure to such content, it might become a norm to children who may not distinguish between the reality and make-believe images they see on television. However, despite the ratings, they have not been effective. In other regions such as the UAE, there are ratings similar to those established in unites states but whose effectiveness is not commendable. Haine (2013) provides a perfect example of how violence can affect children who are yet to distinguish reality and make-believe situations. In a cinema hall, three children playing at the front charges up the stairs screaming when a serious loud gun battle from the movie. It is clear these children thou ght it was real and were scared. Therefore, we do need to have ratings for what we watch on television in order to protect the young ones from harmful content. References Haine, A. (2013). Guns, blood and violence: is the UAE cinema ratings system effective? The National. Retrieved from thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/guns-blood-and-violence-is-the-uae-cinema-ratings-system-effective Hamilton, J. (2000). Television, Violence and Public Policy. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Kunkel, D. (2006). The Effects of Television Violence on Children. University of Arizona: retrieved from apa.org/about/gr/pi/advocacy/2008/kunkel-tv.aspx Linder, J. R. Gentile, D. A. (2009). Is the television rating system valid? Indirect, verbal and Physical aggression in programs viewed by fifth grade girls and associations with behavior. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30 (3): 286-297. Linder J. (2011). A Content Analysis of Indirect, Verbal and Physical Aggression in Television Programs Popular Among School Aged Girls. American journal of psychology, 4 (4): 24-42. ParentsTV.org. (2010). What Kids can see when it is rated TV-PG. Parents Television Council. Retrieved from parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/TVRatings2012/2012_RatingsStudy.pdf

John G. Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice

John G. Roberts, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Glover Roberts, Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is the 17th chief justice of the United States, serving on and presiding over the United States Supreme Court. Roberts began his tenure on the court on September 29, 2005, after having been nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate following the death of former Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Based on his voting record and written decisions, Roberts is believed to have a conservative judicial philosophy. Fast Facts: John G. Roberts Known For: 17th chief justice of the United States Supreme CourtBorn: January 27, 1955 in Buffalo, New YorkParents: John Glover Roberts and Rosemary PodraskEducation: Harvard University (B.A., J.D.)Wife: Jane Sullivan (m. 1996)Children: Josephine Roberts, Jack RobertsNotable Quotation: â€Å"You cant fight for your rights if you dont know what they are.† Early Life John Glover Roberts, Jr., was born on January 27, 1955, in Buffalo, New York, to John Glover Roberts and Rosemary Podrasky. In 1973, Roberts graduated at the top of his high school class from La Lumiere School, a Catholic boarding school in LaPorte, Indiana. While a student, Roberts wrestled, served as captain of the football team, and was a member of the student council. After graduating from high school, Roberts attended Harvard University, earning his tuition by working in a steel mill during the summer. After receiving his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in 1976, Roberts entered Harvard Law School and graduated magna cum laude in 1979. Legal Experience From 1980 to 1981, Roberts served as a law clerk to then-Associate Justice William H. Rehnquist on the United States Supreme Court. From 1981 to 1982, he served in the Reagan administration as a special assistant to U.S. Attorney General William French Smith. From 1982 to 1986, Roberts served as associate counsel to President Ronald Reagan. After a brief stint in private practice, Roberts returned to government to serve in the George H. W. Bush administration as deputy solicitor general from 1989 to 1992. He returned to private practice in 1992. D.C. Circuit Roberts was nominated to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit- also known as the D.C. Circuit- in 2001. Tensions between the Bush administration and the Democrat-controlled Senate, however, prevented Roberts from being confirmed until 2003. As a Circuit Court judge, Roberts ruled on a number of major cases, including Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, which concerned the legality of military tribunals. The court decided that such tribunals are legal because they are sanctioned by the United States Congress and because the Third Geneva Convention- which outlines protections for prisoners of war- does not apply to U.S. courts. Appointment to U.S. Supreme Court On July 19, 2005, President George W.  Bush nominated Roberts to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court created by the retirement of Associate Justice Sandra Day OConnor.  Roberts was the first Supreme Court nominee since Stephen Breyer in 1994. Bush announced Roberts nomination in a live, nationwide television broadcast from the East Room of the White House. Following the September 3, 2005, death of William H. Rehnquist, Bush withdrew Roberts nomination as OConnors successor, and on September 6, sent the United States Senate notice of Roberts new nomination to the position of chief justice. Roberts was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 78-22 on September 29, 2005, and was sworn in hours later by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens. During his confirmation hearings, Roberts told the Senate Judiciary Committee that his philosophy of jurisprudence was not â€Å"comprehensive† and that he did â€Å"not think beginning with an all-encompassing approach to constitutional interpretation is the best way to faithfully construe the document.† Roberts compared the job of a judge to that of a baseball umpire. â€Å"Its my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat,† he said. Roberts is the youngest chief justice of the Supreme Court since John Marshall served more than 200 years ago. He received more Senate votes supporting his nomination (78) than any other nominee for chief justice in American history. Major Decisions During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Roberts has handed down rulings on a number of major issues, from campaign finance to healthcare to free speech. Roberts concurred with the majority in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, one of the courts most controversial rulings. The decision asserted that the First Amendment protects the rights of businesses, non-profit organizations, and other groups to make unlimited expenditures, including those intended to influence political campaigns and elections. Critics of the ruling believed it has allowed for an influx of corporate money into elections, weakening the democratic process. Proponents, on the other hand, believe that such money is a form of protected speech. In the 2007 case Morse v. Frederick, Roberts authored the majority opinion, which held that educators have a right to regulate student speech expressed at or near school-sponsored events. The litigation concerned a student who held a banner reading BONG HiTS 4 JESUS across the street from a school event. Roberts, invoking the school speech doctrine, wrote that the school principal had reason to restrict this speech because it was promoting illegal behavior. In a dissenting opinion, Justices Steven, Souter, and Ginsberg wrote that the Court does serious violence to the First Amendment in upholding...a schools decision to punish Frederick for expressing a view with which it disagreed. Personal Life Roberts is married to Jane Marie Sullivan, also an attorney. They have two adopted children, Josephine (Josie) and Jack Roberts. The Robertses are Roman Catholic and currently live in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Legacy Roberts has played a significant role in Supreme Court history, often serving as a key swing vote on divided rulings. In 2012, he sided with the liberal side of the court in voting to uphold key provisions in the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) as part of the decision National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. He sided with the conservative minority, however, in the case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage throughout the United States. Sources Biskupic, Joan. The Chief: the Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts. Basic Books, 2019.Liptak, Adam. â€Å"Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law, 5-4, in Victory for Obama.† The New York Times, 28 June 2012.Toobin, Jeffrey. â€Å"Money Unlimited: How Chief Justice John Roberts Orchestrated the Citizens United Decision.† The New Yorker, 14 May 2012.

Quality Assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Quality Assurance - Essay Example Total quality control thus means that a system is developed and implemented which delineates the procedures, policies, specifications and standardizations to be followed by the entire organization. This system is developed and continuously improved by maintaining a cross- functional viewpoint at all times involving all the departments: the issue of quality thus becomes the concern of all departments, not that of the quality control department alone. This means quality and process manuals need to be rigorously followed, and updated from time to time based on cumulative work experience to improve productivity and quality. Total quality control also means that the organization is specialized and prefers to work with its core strengths, outsourcing peripheral goods and services to other organizations specialized in those areas: a car manufacturer, for instances, focuses on assembling cars and leaves the business of manufacturing machine parts to its suppliers. Outsourcing in this way is geared to improve efficiency, but may go totally wrong if the goods supplied are not the right quality, or run in short supply. This brings us to the issues crucial to just-in-time inventory management strategies, which are indispensable not only in terms of economy and cost cutting, but also crucial in terms of maintaining control over purchase. Just-in-time implies that a company times the purchase of the correct kind and amount of goods or services exactly as and when needed for its production processes: the right material, at the right time, at the right place, and in precisely required amounts, thus eliminating the need for warehousing or other infrastructure. This ensures that a lot of expenses made on storage are eliminated, which is absolutely according to the principles of total quality control that insists on continuous identification and eradication of waste in a company's manufacturing process. Having no inventory to call from, it obviously follows that all the goods procured have to be of a quality level certified for use in the manufacturing process, otherwise the process gets delayed or experiences frequent stoppages. Possible supply shocks also need to be prevented by anticipating changes in demand for the goods required for the process, so that the process does not come to a halt because of lack of material f or processing. Certified quality levels in goods purchased from vendors can only be maintained if the total quality regimen extends to supply quality assurance as well. The organization has to work with various entities such as supply stream managers, internal customers, technical staff, relevant field personnel, and last but absolutely not the least, suppliers. These different groups need to be integrated as part of on-going supply management processes, which may include product and supplier selection, assessment, and providing support in quality and performance improvement. Since the supplier needs to be top-notch with all its goods each and every time, it follows that the purchasing organization would have to invest in training, auditing and testing, and build up a great, long-term relationship with hand-picked vendors. The organization woul

Research Methods for Professional Practice Essay

Research Methods for Professional Practice - Essay Example Throught this paper, there will be clear and evident focus on research based practice. The paper will analyse the data analysis element of research methods in relation to the two articles. I chose data analysis because it provides a vital base to the decision making process. Data analysis is the crucial element in a research process since mere data collection is not important to a researcher. Research is mainly aimed at helping people make informed decisions in different fields. The current blooming interest in evidence informed health and education promotion is part of an on-going strategy to base professional practice and policy on sound research evidence (Ritchie, 2002). Many evidence based research types can inform practice or policies. For example, narrative, conceptual, and statistical data methods can inform practice. Often, studies take the form of evaluations which determine the effectiveness of policies or studies which collect the views of people about an intervention, acceptability of a policy or their needs and requirements. Moreover, conducted and designed research provides vital and significant information covering a wide array of issues which are vital to people in practice. In today’s era, knowledge about the research process is mandatory in the healthcare industry. Consequently, midwives and nurses need to comprehend the research findings. Moreover, they should grasp the implications of research methods in transforming the health care industry. Non statistical methods were employed in analysing the collected data. Descriptive statistics were categorized and analysed based on various categories. Comparison techniques were used in the descriptive analysis process. The information got from the nurses and midwives was related to the study hypothesis and research question. According to Buetow (2010) one of the most reliable and accurate way of determining

Consumer choices regarding food and other items related to their Essay

Consumer choices regarding food and other items related to their income and social status - Essay Example The main query behind all the research effort was to determine how social inequality dictates the consumption of products. To answer this question, the research questions posed were as follows: 1. How does the lower-income buyer view their consumption habits in relation to government, politics, or corporate employment? 2. What role, if any, does television usage (volume and content) dictate lower-income buyer preferences and consumption behaviours? 3. In relation specifically to food, how do food insecure individuals view the food products they purchase in relation to needs or environment? 4. What is most important to the lower-income buyer- peer opinion or price sensitivity and to which types of products does either/or apply? In other words, this sociological research project is expected not only to draw a relationship between income, consumption and lifestyle but also to determine how the lower class of society respond to the jobs provided to them in terms of daily living, purchasing and consumption activities. Obviously the highly relevant factors of media advertising and peer group recommendations had to be included as these factors cannot be ignored in the consideration of modern lifestyle choices- no matter what strata of society we are dealing with in a typical Western economy. The methodology involves first of all the creation of a Food Log, followed by a multi-purpose Survey covering the purchasing habits of the lower class families in selected areas. The multipurpose survey will have three distinct sections- one about general consumption behaviours, the second about the influence of television and peers on decision-making, and the third about any physiological restrictions that each participant maintains in their lifestyle. These surveys were distributed by the researcher in an environment where low-income shoppers frequented in the region, while guaranteeing anonymity to the participants. However the expected sample to be collected was 50-100 individuals of varying demographics and socio-cultural backgrounds to gain a broader perspective of what drives product consumption as it relates to their social inequality as compared to other more resourceful consumers. The data gathered from the study was then analysed and correlated

To what extent have the processes of globalization resulted in a Essay

To what extent have the processes of globalization resulted in a decline in the relative importance of the TRIAD economies - Essay Example This paper looks into the processes of globalization, the triad economies and the extent to which the processes of globalization have resulted in a decline in the relative importance of the TRIAD economies (The triad consists of the European Union, Japan and the United States). Globalization is not new especially so considering the fact that people, for thousands of years, and later, corporations, have been buying from as well as selling to each other at great distances lands, for example, through the renowned Silk Road across Central Asia that in the middle ages connected Europe and China. Similarly, people and corporations for centuries have invested in ventures in other nations. In effect, several of the prevailing features prior to the First World War outbreak in 1914 are analogous to those of the current wave of globalization. However, during the past few decades, there have been developments in policy and technology, which have stimulated increases in cross-border investment, trade as well as migration. The increases are so large that majority of observers believe that the world has gotten into a qualitatively new phase as far as its economic development is concerned. For instance, the world trade volume has risen by 20 times since the year 1950, and foreign investment flows almost doubled from 468 billion dollars in the year 1997 to 827 billion dollars in the year 1999 (Globalization101.org 2). According to Chase-Dunn, the processes of globalization include political, cultural and economic processes. The modern-day transnational corporate networks’ growing stature as well as the growing interconnectedness of services, goods, markets and finances heavily influences these processes. Cvetkovich and his co-authors note that this influence entails the formation of a new global culture, new transnational political organizations and a new world market. This globalization process involves a dialectical relationship between its political, cultural and

Battle of Algiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Battle of Algiers - Essay Example Of particular interest is Algeria, a country in the Northern part of Africa. Earlier in the nineteenth century, Algerians used to attack European ships, and this led formation of French a representative in Algiers to ensure that piracy never occurred. One event led to another and the result was the capture of Algiers a matter that saw a war emerged between the French and Berbers who were the primary occupants of the city. After many years of war, Algeria was separated paving way for the creation of Morocco as an independent state. However, the war between French government and Algerians still continued. Further, as time passed by there were many French people in Algeria. Their population increased and as a result France sought to have Algeria as one of its colonies. After the end of the Second World War, much happened that encouraged Algerians to rebel against their guardian, France. Rebellions ensued, and there was war in every region leading to the killing of many settlers and also many of the Algerian people. The Algerian freedom fighters organized themse lves in a manner that they had earlier planned back in the days when they were under French citizenship. This was from organized labor rights groups and others who were opposed to France’s governance1. Most Algerians as any other Africans were treated as lower race to the colonialists. This angered Algerians and motivated them to revolt. Those who had been educated under the French governments system were at the forefront of the struggle. Groups had been formed as early as 1926 although they had been formed to fight for other interests other than revolting against the government of France. One of them was known as the "Star", and it was the first to call for the liberation of Algeria. The Star had grouped itself as a clique of workers of African origin but worked in France. They had come together to fight for their rights as

MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Essay Example DMG’s goals are to upgrade healthy living by producing high quality products, to preserve the environment and to create sustainable returns for stakeholders. The model will focus on five attributes that make up the competitive environment namely supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, the risk of substitution and lastly the risk of new entrants. With regard to the supplier powers, the suppliers play a minor role, if any, at raising the prices of DMG products (Oz, 2009, p.18). This is because the company owns most of the critical factors of production. For tea and Coffee production, DMG own farm estates for production of the crops, suppliers only provide packaging materials (Beynon-Davies, 2013, p. 376). A higher cost of the packaging materials would result in DMG transferring the additional cost to consumers by raising prices. The same applies for yogurt production, as the company owns dairy livestock, suppliers come in to provide flavours and packaging materials. Buyer power is detrimental to affecting the nature of prices within the market. DMG has a fairly larger number of consumers for its products. Essentially, the company cannot, under any circumstance dictate the terms of buying (Beynon-Davies, 2013, p.402). Given the fact that other brands of tea, coffee and yogurt the buyers may easily switch to other supplier of the same. Rivalry from competitors does not really lower the attractiveness of the market (Betz, 2001, p.29). Two firms in agribusiness provide competition to DMG but the major threat is one firm that enjoys a large market share because of an extensive information technology system (Proctor, 2011, p.16). DMG is taking measures to turn the tables in the industry and extend the domestic market share. Substitution seems to be a minor threat for DMG because of the coffee and tea are substitutes. In

Battle of Algiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Battle of Algiers - Essay Example Of particular interest is Algeria, a country in the Northern part of Africa. Earlier in the nineteenth century, Algerians used to attack European ships, and this led formation of French a representative in Algiers to ensure that piracy never occurred. One event led to another and the result was the capture of Algiers a matter that saw a war emerged between the French and Berbers who were the primary occupants of the city. After many years of war, Algeria was separated paving way for the creation of Morocco as an independent state. However, the war between French government and Algerians still continued. Further, as time passed by there were many French people in Algeria. Their population increased and as a result France sought to have Algeria as one of its colonies. After the end of the Second World War, much happened that encouraged Algerians to rebel against their guardian, France. Rebellions ensued, and there was war in every region leading to the killing of many settlers and also many of the Algerian people. The Algerian freedom fighters organized themse lves in a manner that they had earlier planned back in the days when they were under French citizenship. This was from organized labor rights groups and others who were opposed to France’s governance1. Most Algerians as any other Africans were treated as lower race to the colonialists. This angered Algerians and motivated them to revolt. Those who had been educated under the French governments system were at the forefront of the struggle. Groups had been formed as early as 1926 although they had been formed to fight for other interests other than revolting against the government of France. One of them was known as the "Star", and it was the first to call for the liberation of Algeria. The Star had grouped itself as a clique of workers of African origin but worked in France. They had come together to fight for their rights as

Spread of Islam in the Post Classical Period Essay Example for Free

Spread of Islam in the Post Classical Period Essay The Sassanid Empire served as the revival of the Persian Empire from 244-651 C.E., Persian traditions had endured during this time period and kinships as well as Zoroastrian religion were part of their everyday life. Bedouin or nomadic societies inhabited the Arabian Peninsula as well, with a culture based on goat and camel herding. However, life styles and interactions changed with the introduction of Islam in the Post Classical period. In the 7th century Islam began a series of conquest and conversions, making their potential to become the first truly global civilization unstoppable. Once the Muslim raids began in India in 711 C.E. Islam’s influence changed the Hindu way of life and cultural unity between these and other civilizations began. The introduction of Islam to the Middle East and India from 622-1450 C.E. brought cultural, political, and economic continuities and changes to these societies. Cultural and economic continuities included architecture and the growth of a strong trading system; however, there were changes in political systems from kinships and Persian influence to religious based kingdoms and rulers. Cultural unity became one of the leading characteristics of the Empire. Architecture was one of the ideas that spread throughout the continents as well. Not only did it reach India and Africa, but the European continent as well. The mosque is a place of worship for those who follow the Islam faith. The first mosque to be built was the Quba Mosque in Medina, which was built when Muhammad arrived from the hijra back in 630 C.E. After the construction of the first mosque the idea of a place for worship spread. The first mosques had dome shaped roofs and minarets to call people for prayer. As these ideas spread they became continuous in different societies as they adopted the same architectural techniques. As Islam spread, and architecture spread with it the idea of the mosque, a place for worship, and full devotion to Allah remained throughout its history. India adapted many of the Islam-Persian ideas for construction such as domes and minarets. The idea of the mosque is prolonged until this day. However, within this continuity changes arose. India and the Middle East were located in nearly the same region and shared a common climate. Their architectural ideas didn’t differ to extremes. What did affect their differences was their idea of beauty and the materials available to them at that time. Both civilizations developed nearly isolated from each other until the first raids in 711 C.E. and the formal establishment of a political Islamic power in India on 1206 C.E. By that time each of them had developed their own concept of beauty, which they introduced to architectural designs. For a long period of time Hindus had used wood as their primary material in construction, and had learned to modify it and use it to their taste. When this material became scarce they started using brick or stone like the Arabs. Both civilizations used the same materials, but Hindus managed stone differently since they brought many of the ide as and techniques they used with wood to this material. Nevertheless, a mosque can be clearly recognized in most societies, and although cultures introduced their concept of beauty into it, the idea of a place of worship to Allah was and still is continuous. Trade, no matter where and when, has always been an economic continuity throughout history. Dar al- Islam referred to the freedom to practice the religion in different places. As the religion spread, Dar al- Islam became more prominent among societies. Religious beliefs arrived at different civilizations and were soon adopted by them. Trade had been seen before in civilizations, however with Islamic conquests it flourished. In Bedouin society tribes and towns traded with each other on a small scale. With the introduction of Islam landmasses were linked by important trade routes like: the Silk Road, the Trans- Saharan trade, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The Middle East was in the middle of this trading business and so it benefited from this constant interaction. For the Post Classical part of its history, the Middle East controlled much of India’s trade with other civilizations. As trade flourished, new demands for materials took place. Although trade was sustained throughout history and it became a continuity in every society, during this time period some of the ways it was used and some of the demands for materials changed. In the Indian Ocean trade grew bigger each time, and demands for silk, porcelain, spices, gems, cotton, horses, and even slaves increased. Changes in the demand for goods reflected in the prosperity of the civilizations. Now, people mainly traded luxurious, and beautiful objects, which they couldn’t find where they lived but were not really essential for their survival. The materials they traded may have changed, but trade flourished during these years making many economies dependent to its growth. Many changes were seen once the Muslims adjusted the Persian society to a religious based empire. Politically, many traditions and cultural influences from the Persians changed during the early development of Islam. The Middle East was a mix between nomads, Kingdoms, and empires ending with the Sassanid Empire in 651 C.E., Past societies used kinships to choose their rulers, unlike Islamic ones who used religious leaders as successors of Muhammad. The same happened with India, which was a Hindu society ruled by the caste-system. The religion did influence the civilization politically if we take the caste system into account, but aside from that no Hindu beliefs and traditions were used in the government. Islam changed this idea completely. The religion believed in a government fully merged with Islamic beliefs. The Zakat, for example, was a tax for charity obligatory for the new faith, the places under Islamic control most be involved in paying this tax. Islam caused unity as well, warriors and leaders were given a common cause and strength to glorify their new religion, and so this encouraged them to spread to other regions. Jihads, which were holy wars, took place, all because of the words of Allah in the Qur’an. Everything being done was influence by the word of Allah. Sharia, which is the moral codes and laws of Islam, became the fundamental set of laws to follow. This set of moral codes and laws are derived from the Qur’an, showing its strong influence in politics from the reign of Muhammad to today. India was influenced by all these changes as well, which in a way mixed with Hinduism. The idea that men and women both could reach heaven promoted equality, and it was something that the Hindus adopted from the religion. However, the Arabs also adopted some of the Hindus ideas like the veil and harem, which still placed women as inferiors and submissive. Historically, Arab culture did not show this type of behavior towards women. In fact, Muhammad’s first wife Khadija was actually of great importance in Islamic religion, often referred to as â€Å"mother of Islam† and being the first real adherent of Islam. Khadija was given great value and respect among with other women who became adherents afterward. After this huge change however, Islamic politics became continuity throughout the whole Post Classical Period and even to present day. An Islamic based government was soon incorporated into their culture and became normal from there on. With the introduction of religion to the government a significant change was made from Persian culture to Islamic beliefs, after the fall of the Sassanid Empire, however once this change was made it became perpetual to the society. The Post Classical period, raging from 622-1450 C.E., was a period of change and continuous growth. Islam became the first global society in history, extending its territory and providing similar cultural aspects like architecture and economic aspects like trading to different societies. Political changes were prominent in this era, and they changed the way civilizations under Islamic power functioned, from kinships and clan leaders to religious based empires. Islam had a rapid growth and with the growth of Dar Al-Islam, the religion was able to spread to different continents and change past traditions, but at the same time integrate with local traditions and create a lasting influence in various societies.

Challenges to Gender Equality in Syria

Challenges to Gender Equality in Syria It is without a doubt that Syria is currently passing through the most critical crisis since its modern birth in the beginning of the twentieth century. The U.N. recently declared the Syria conflict the biggest humanitarian and peace and security crisis currently facing the world as the fighting enters its fourth year. Since the onset of the conflict in March 2011, there have been more than 100,000 fatalities half of whom are believed to be civilians. Syria has become the worlds leading country of forced displacement with around 40 per cent of Syrias pre-conflict population uprooted from their homes. There are more than 6.5 million people internally displaced and another 2.5 million registered refugees who fled mainly to the neighboring countries of Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey. The number of refugees, however, is much higher as hundreds of thousands more await registration while many others choose not to register. Though nearly all of Syrias population is affected by the conflict, the U.N. estimates that over thirteen million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Syrias youth and children are paying the heaviest toll with acute shortage in nutrition and vaccination and lack of education. Moreover, with the deteriorating security situation in the country, Syrian women have become increasingly exposed to a range of violations from the different parties in the conflict. Women have become the main victims of the consequences of the dreadful conflict. Thousands of civilian women have been killed in the conflict and many others have been raped, arrested, tortured, taken as hostages and often used as human shields. Sexual violence has also been systemically used against Syrian women in this conflict as a means to terrorize them and their families. Despite all these atrocities and crimes committed against them, Syrian women remain outside the politicians’ agendas who continue to ignore their rights especially to full participation and equal citizenship. Even before the war, and although Syria has ratified a number of international conventions including CEDAW, women’s participation in general and in political life in particular has been extremely low. The social values of the society and its negative view of women have led to the exclusion of women from most decision-making positions all over the Syrian social, economic and political life. Challenges Facing the Coalition Apart from the external constraints caused by the Syrian crisis, the Coalition of Syrian Women for Democracy faces a number of challenges that must be considered and overcome. These include finding and agreeing on common goals and means. The following strategic plan will clarify a clear focus and set realistic objectives on what the Coalition has been formed to accomplish. Nevertheless, the Coalition needs to form a coordination committee that will have to deal with a number of issues that if unaddressed might weaken the Coalition. The Coordination Committee needs to form a center of operations to deal internally with the members of the Coalition and externally with the partners, donors and other relevant actors. The Committee needs to work on boosting the motivation of the members and develop clear methods and mechanisms to resolve conflicts within the Coalition. Members need also to have a sense that each one is doing their fair share of the workload and contributing to what is exp ected of them to achieve the Coalition’s goal. The Coalition, through its statutes and bylaws, must also ensure that there is a clear decision-making mechanism and that there is a clear understanding among members and partners as to how decisions in the Coalition are made. The Coalition needs also to promote a culture of trust within the Coalition where all members can feel that their agreements and dealings are open, forthright and transparent and that all members have equal status. Other challenges that the Coalition will need to address is credit and visibility of the members where all members need to feel that they are receiving the credit and visibility they deserve unless they want to remain anonymous for one reason or another. The Coalition’s advocacy efforts will gain more strength and efficiency provided that the Coordination Committee also works on prioritized and consistent issues through sharing the priorities of the Coalition as a whole and agreeing to work towards the shared goal. This can be achieved by developing clear lines of communication between members and learning how to utilize each member’s skills and resources. Last but not least, joining efforts together, while definitely offering a range of advantages, might also be hampered by a set of weaknesses. For the Coalition to be effective and sustainable, it requires the active participation of all the members of the Coalition. The fact that many coalitions and networks are dominated by one individual can be a major obstacle. In his/her absence, no decisions will be taken and no communication will be activated, etc. It is important that all members contribute – and are encouraged to contribute – to the workload and that information is disseminated across the Coalition. This requires sharing information continuously and not just passively receiving it. The Coalition need to set the pace for planning, initiating and participating in joint activities and not merely waiting for things to happen. Our Values Gender Equality We believe that all human beings have the right to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by gender roles. We believe that men and women have the same intrinsic value and thus are equally valuable to society and have equal rights and responsibilities. We believe that there should be equality in outcomes rather than simply equality in opportunities and that all forms of discrimination should be completely abolished. Equality Equality implies that everyone has equal rights, a fact that enables us to create a fairer society where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Because real equality will only exist when we recognize and value difference and work together for inclusion, the Coalition recognizes, respects, values and embraces difference for the benefit of everyone. The Coalition also believes in gender equity and that men and women should receive fair treatment in all aspects of life. Democracy We believe that democracy is more than just the right to vote; democracy requires that people be allowed to defend their legitimate interests and rights and have the means to influence decisions affecting their lives. Democracy also requires people to make informed decisions, to have the freedom to express their views and to participate in political processes without fear of retribution. Freedoms The Coalition believes that the inherent dignity and the equal rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedoms and justice in the world and as such all people should have the freedom of speech and expression, freedom to assemble peacefully and without arms, to move freely and to practice any profession, trade or business and to follow their dreams and aspirations. Participation and Empowerment We believe that women must be well prepared and empowered to participate effectively in making decisions that affect their lives and future. Women need not only learn about their rights but they should also learn to acquire skills that would facilitate their access to decision-making positions in times of peace and war. Citizenship We believe that citizenship goes beyond the status of being a citizen of a particular community or state. Citizenship means the right of living together in dignity with other citizens and sharing a common home with them. Citizenship requires a sense of a mutual interest and a relationship that includes rights, duties and privileges. Thus, we believe that citizenship, democracy and equality are integrally three interlinked concepts. Justice The Coalition believes in the fair and proper administration of laws irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, gender, race and religion, and that all people should be treated equally and without prejudice and should have the right to access justice as a main component of their human rights. The Coalition believes that justice holds individuals and groups accountable for their actions and thus protects everyone’s rights. Justice should lead to establishing power balances within the society and reinforcing gender equity. Social Justice We believe that each person has a unique value as an individual and is thus entitled to have fair access to resources according to his / her capacities and abilities. We believe that attitudes of respect for one another should be developed as well. We also believe that proper policies and patterns of behavior should be shaped to protect and enhance the value of each individual. Rationale of Strategy One Syrian women, like most women in Arab countries, do not enjoy equal rights or equal opportunities with men. This is reflected clearly in their lack of access to political rights, civil rights, education, decision-making positions and key jobs. Even well educated women have to struggle against ancient traditions and restrictive social values that stereotype women and limit their abilities and fair access to power and resources. Democracy and human rights are integrally intertwined to one another. Human rights can only be protected when there is a true democracy and rule of law in a country. A functional democracy would embrace diversity and would allow power to ultimately rest with the people. The Coalition believes that such a model has to provide fair opportunities for women to become full partners within the Syrian society at all levels. However, democracy and human rights are interdependent. Without human rights, democracy is meaningless. The Coalition realizes that true democracy cannot be achieved unless there is a focused advocacy on human rights, women’s rights, civil and political rights as well as social, economic, educational and cultural rights. These rights can only be accomplished and protected through a modern democratic constitution that would specifically guard Syrian women’s rights and equality. The Coalition will strive to advocate for a constitution that not only grants equality to women but also sets a framework that would adopt measures of positive discrimination in favor of women – such as a quota for neutralizing the cumulative political and socio economic disadvantages and marginalization that they have experienced for decades. The Coalition will work towards achieving a constitution that would ensure gender equality before the law as well as the equal protection of the law, prohibit discrimination against any citizen on grounds of sex, religion, or ethnicity and guarantee equality in opportunity and outcome to all male and female citizens. Rationale of Strategy Two The human sex ratio in the world, as well as in Syria, is almost equal. As such, women represent half the society; without their full and meaningful participation, the society is crippled with half its capacities. Using only part of its resources, a society is destined to fail. Syria is no exception. Women should be considered as full partners in a world that both men and women equally share. Women’s participation in Syria continues to be limited; per se, effective participation remains a top priority and a critical element for achieving gender equality. The Coalition plans to lobby on behalf of the Syrian women to change all legislations that impede their full participation in political, economic and peace-making processes across all sectors and throughout different levels of life in Syria. The goal is to establish a more stable and just society in Syria. This can only be accomplished by increasing women’s capacities and skills and by adopting favorable laws and policies that would provide the proper motivation and opportunity for women to advance, flourish and achieve. Moreover, with the devastating conflict going on in Syria, the imperatives for peace and peacebuilding are enormously substantial. It is obvious that at some point that peace building and conflict resolution will be sought but such a process cannot be accomplished without the critical participation of women. Therefore, women have to be active participants at the negotiating table as negotiators, mediators and technical experts. Gender issues must be integrated into all the negotiation processes. The interests and concerns of women in Syria, as well as those displaced internally and across neighboring countries, must be discussed and addressed properly. The absence of women from formal peace negotiations is quite discriminatory and unfair given the fact that women have not only become parties to the conflict but also its main victims. The continued marginalization of Syrian women in related peace efforts that aim at preventing, addressing and resolving conflicts means that the local and international communities need to take more decisive action to remedy this injustice. The Coalition adopts UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security so as to increase Syrian’s women’s participation in all efforts related to peace and security, and to strengthen their protection in the armed conflict the country is passing through. The Coalition will concretely lobby for the participation of Syrian women in key decision-making processes related to peace and security. It will also ensure that Syrian women’s contribution is important in preventing, managing and resolving the current conflict and later in building up the society after the conflict has been resolved. Rationale of Strategy Three A coalition is a union of people and organizations that come together for the purpose of gaining more influence, outcome and power than the individual organizations can achieve on their own especially in advocacy efforts. As such, there is a need to spend time and energy to build a coalition and amass the power necessary to accomplish the intended change. Goals range from information sharing to coordination of services, from community education to advocacy for major environmental or policy changes. The Coalition of Syrian Women for Democracy seeks to influence the Syrian constitution and all relevant policies and legislations that deprive Syrian women of their rights and prohibit them from fully participating in all aspects of political, economic and social life in Syria. The Coalition, however, is faced with several significant organizational challenges. Among these are the ability to function under the dynamic changes that Syria is passing through at the moment; the ability to make better use of the limited resources it has access to; the ability to increase the capacity and accountability of its members and the ability to preserve its mission course and ultimately achieve the Coalition’s goals and objectives. The Coalition realizes quite well the urgency to respond to these organizational challenges as soon as possible. Moreover, the coordination committee needs to get more involved in the steering, communication, monitoring and guidance processes. The Coalition aims to develop the structures, strategies, methodologies, processes and procedures that would serve the Coalition best and ultimately increase its capacity and resilience. This cannot be achieved without investing in the capacity building of the members of the Coalition. This would require development of the members’ human resources, strategies, policies and procedures as well as leadership. The Coalition will embrace two values when developing its members’ capacities. These are: 1) humanistic values that relate to equality, openness, honesty and integrity and 2) democratic values that relate to social justice, freedom of choice, and involvement.