Costco History

The History of Costco Wholesale DeAna Castro Wilmington University MGT 6501 Abstract Costco is a members only, international retail chain discount warehouse Club. They combine high quality merchandise with low prices. Costco began in 1976 as Price Club and restructured in 1997 as Costco Wholesales. Costco’s passion, mission, and ethics have been the key to the leading membership warehouse retail giant to supply their customers with low prices. Their low cost business strategies and dedication to their employees, suppliers and shareholders have proven success. The History of CostcoThe history of Costco began in July, 1976, in San Diego, California, and its name was Price Club. It was cofounded by Sol and Robert Price. The newly designed business was the first ‘warehouse’ business of it’s kind. This retail business originally targeted other business owners, but blended retail and wholesale. Price Club had unbeatable low prices and sold bulk items. Three years later, 1979, Price Club expanded two new locations. They acquired 200,000 members and profited 1 million dollars. Price Cub showed a loss of profits the first year, but the expansion proved profitable.Jim Sinegal is a key player to the success of Costco because he started his career being mentored by Sol Price. He worked in the warehouse business at Price Club and another warehouse business called Fedmart, both owned by Sol Price. (Cardon). In 1983, Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brottman would open their own warehouse club near Seattle Washington, and it was called Costco (Daft, 2012 pp. 605). One year later, Costco expanded to nine warehouses in five states. It was not long before Price Club realized they could achieve larger cliental if they served a selected audience of ‘non-business’ members.This payed off by the year 1984, Price Club sales would be greater than one billion dollars and is the first company to achieve this mark in a six year period. Almost ten years later, 1 993, Costco and Price Club, would merge and become PriceCostco. This merge was nicely matched because they were very similar in business model and size. The combined companies included 206 locations and generated $16 billion in annual sales. Jim Sinegal would also become Costco’s President and chief executive (Priceviewer). The merger only lasted about four years and, in 1997, PriceCostco became Costco.Jim Sinegal remained President and chief executer (Carden, 2011). Costco’s Mission statement: To continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices in order to achieve our mission we will conduct our business with the following Code of Ethics in mind: Obey the law, Take care of our members and our employees, and respect our vendors/suppliers. â€Å"If we do these four things throughout our organization, then we will realize our ultimate goal, which is to reward our shareholders. † Jim Sinegal. (Costco, 2011)Costco’ s operating philosophy is to keep costs down, and pass the savings on to their customers. To offer high quality brand name merchandise at prices below any other avenue of retail. They accomplish this several ways. They buy high volumes of merchandise directly from manufactures and not distributers. The merchandise is shipped directly to a selling warehouse and not a storage area, and this also reduces freight costs. Costco warehouses are located on sites where property costs are minimum not on high real estate locations. Merchandise, or stock, is placed directly on a selling floor and on the pallets that they are delivered on.By doing this, labor and handling, costs are reduced to save the customer money. Sales and service employees are kept at a minimal to also reduce overhead costs. Last, because Costco’s has such an incredibly large membership base they have influence and power to haggle prices with their manufacturers and suppliers. â€Å"Costco is able to offer lower pr ices and better values by eliminating virtually all the frills and costs historically associated with conventional wholesalers and retailers, including salespeople, fancy buildings, delivery, billing and accounts receivable.We run a tight operation with extremely low overhead which enables us to pass on dramatic savings to our members. † Jim Sinegal (corporate, 2012). Costco pride’s themselves as a leading warehouse/big box retailer. Sales volume exceeds that of their competition and they use a â€Å"consumer first† business model. This business model is a creative way that has expanded sales. Costco has developed additional ways to continue to save money for their customers. They did this by creating their own brand. Costco’s personal brand is ‘Kirkland Signature. Kirkland, Washington's the root of Costco and is where their headquarters is located. Kirkland Signature brand was introduced to Costco stores in 1995. It was designed to be equal or bette r quality than national brands. Kirkland Signature products include diapers, coffee, tires, clothing, film, housewares and more. (Priceviewer). Often, national brands are co- brands with Kirkland Signature products. Some manufactures realize the success and power of Costco and have agreed to manufacture products with the Kirkland Signature label. Some companies include Hanes and Whirlpool. Branch, 1999). â€Å"Costco continues to prove their â€Å"consumer first† business model, through the creation of new and unique business concepts, included Costco Pharmacy (1986) Produce and Bakery (1987), Optical labs (1987), 1-Hour Photo (1989), Hearing Aid Centers (1994), Costco Gas stations (1995), Costco business Centers (1996), Costco Travel (2000), Costco Home (2003), and Car Washes (2006)† (Walker, 2011). Costco’s structure and culture, meets customer needs further than low prices. Costco focuses on value of it’s products but also focuses on value of itâ€℠¢s employees.They believe that achieving a long term objectives of reducing employee turnover and enhancing employee satisfaction is beneficial. To accomplish this they hire employees at an above average hourly rate, they train and promote from within. Doing this, their employees feel loyalty and valued. Costco Continues to be financially successful today and has expanded internationally. Their mission and ethics have proved to be successful and beneficial to all that the organization is involved with to include, customers employees, suppliers/vendors and stockholders.What does organizational design truly mean? Have you considered how it can work best? If yes, how? If no, why not? Organizational design is a formal process for integrating people, information, and technology. Organizations are people that have a declaration of purpose, vision and strategy. This structure matches people to the purpose it seeks to achieve a common goal or purpose. It is designed to enhance communication , information, and resources to optimize human achievement. The end product is an integrated system of people and resources tailored to the specific direction of the organization.Organizational design basically is an execution of an administrative plan guided by a leader/leaders. The design of the organization can work best if the people work together as a team. It will also work best, if the mission, vision, strategy, purpose and needs of the organization are identified and the goals are achievable. Organizations also work best if it’s leader understands, guides and assures the process is followed and encourages creative thinking. If their is not an effective leader who does not have a mission, vision, strategy and followers, the organization can and will fail.Costco has proven to have a successful organizational design. Describe the â€Å"Trap of favored ways of thinking†? How did it impact your thinking? In Organizations ‘traps’ can be hazardous to thei r success. These traps can prohibit and restrict creativity, limits capabilities and limits ability to progress into the future. Some common traps are: Group Thinking- Productive conflict is critical if common traits are shared in a group because it prevents bad ideas from being implemented without discussion or consideration. Non productive conflict is not productive and can become a hostile situation.Group thinking is pervasive. â€Å"We have never done it like this before† If you always do what you do, you always get what you got. Be courages and attempt change. Make sure to make meaning changes. â€Å"You’re Gooder† syndrome- Respect is over emphasized to their authorities and lacks candor, honesty and courage. Inbred Culture When hiring employees is based on time, ore years of service and loyalty rather than exceptional performance. Problems will arise. The leadership chain of command will be incompetent and will breed more incompetence. Arbitrary Directive s and policies are determined by top management.If decisions and policies are made with randomness and for unknown reason then those are signs that indicates that the leader is disconnected and out of touch. This truly impacted my thinking because I was not aware and I learned many things! It made so much since why organizations struggle, fail and succeed. It caused many flashbacks to my military career, and also, my teachers, mentors and friends. When I think about this, in reference to Costco, any of these trapped ways of thinking could have jeopardized their success. â€Å"The Ugly Face† often stifles an organizations growth. How? Did you position to circumvent it in your design?The ugly face refers to organizations that exploit employees, the global economy, or the natural environment as instruments of domination that furthers selfish needs and dominance. Taking what they need and throwing or destroying what isn’t needed. â€Å"Whether by design or default, organi zations often have a large negative impact on our world. † (Morgan,1998 pp. 261). Pollutants, poisons and other cancer causing hazards are ingested or promoted by food and tobacco companies. Similar threats are caused from environmental pollutions that are legally and illegally dumped in water and land.Contaminated air, land and water hurt people causing cancer or other health problems and big corporations that cause these hazards are sometimes not penalized. These organizations place profits before human welfare. Foreign countries are easily manipulated by employment with hazards, disease, and degradation. Costco has circumvented many of the â€Å"ugly face† views by taking care or rewarding their customers, employees, and suppliers. They take care of their employees by giving them a substantially higher pay than other companies, they promote from within and they are rewarded and valued as people.Globally, Costco has expanded to foreign countries and has provided emplo yment and opportunities for others by creating employment, giving them higher above average salaries and valuing them as people with respect and appreciation. References Branch, S. (1999, 09 06). Inside the cult of costco. Fortune, 140(5), Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? [email  protected] Cardon, B. (n. d. ). Costco company history. Retrieved from http://goarticles. com/article/Costco-Company-History/4651134 Costco Wholesale Corporation SWOT Analysis. 2011) Costco Wholesale Corporation SWOT Analysis. Daft, R. (2013). Organizational theory & design. (11 ed. , pp. 54-61). Canada: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Walker, S. (2011, 05 16). The history of costco. Retrieved from http://www. vendor. com/_blog/VENDORCO_BLOG/post/The_Hisory_of_Costco Retrieved from http://www. costco. co. jp/eng/costco. htm Retrieved from http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=83830=irol-homeprofile Retrieved from http://priceviewer. com/costco/costco. htm Retrieved from h ttp://www. referenceforbusiness. com/history2/91/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation. html

Strategy of Mercedes Benz in India

Mercedes-Benz India has evolved a four-pronged strategy towards passenger cars this year as it transfers its truck and bus business under Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV). The company had been selling buses — inter and intra city and Actros mining trucks — in the India market, which would now fall under DICV portfolio. Project as performance oriented brand by introducing new models. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch eight new products this year, invest in dealer network, improve overall ownership cost and double production at the Chakan plant. Going forward, Chakan will be for passenger cars and Chennai will be for trucks and buses.More sales outlets,?with the A-Class clocking in 400 bookings since its launch earlier in May 2013. Starting with the launch of G63, Merc plans to drive in its much-awaited premium hatchback A-class in diesel and petrol variants by end-2013. Other launches are the new GL in May 2014 and the B-class diesel variant around the same time. Mer cedes-Benz is doubling its production capacity from 10,000 units to 20,000 at Chakan by end of year 2013 to make space for the new models. Moreover, the company is looking at localisation in a big way to improve ownership cost to the customers.Mercedes-Benz assembles models like S-class, E-class, C-class and M-class at its plant with localisation ranging from 10% to 60% over various mentioned models. Pushes for pre-owned cars. According to an estimate, the domestic used car market is 1. 3 times the new car market. The pre-owned segment is largely unstructured in India and with new financing options, customers could upgrade to newer models at ease by returning used cars. Try to shred the old-man image associated with the brand. Bank upon the Modular Front Architecture platform to woo buyers. Marketing Strategy Audi IndiaPositioning in Luxury not as broad, but micro segment of luxury entry which will be having highest growth among all segment. All standard products, as Indian Market w ill be matching with the Global standards. Distribution of special zones with high and affluent people. Branding for Inspirational and aspirational attributes. Meeting high requirement of working capital through sustained market share and service bundling. Marketing Strategy BMW India India is one of the major growth markets for BMW and they are confident of maintaining their leadership in the premium segment through launches, dealerships expansion and customer delight.Planning to assemble more products in the country at our Chennai factory to increase volume growth. Plan to expand our completely-knocked down range in India. By April, the 7 series will be assembled in Chennai, which will be followed by the 1 series by the end of 2013. With this, the company will have six products (1 series, 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, X1 and X3) assembled in India. Market Analysis of BMW, AUDI & Mercedes In the Indian car market, the demand for new vehicles has been sluggish since the beginning of 2013. However, this is not the case for luxury car manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.Riding on the back of new model launches, the German triplet has made significant inroads in 2013. Mercedes-Benz, in particular, stepped up the ante as it introduced several new models and their facelift versions. The company had a revival of sorts in India as not only the demand for vehicles surged but the overall market share also rose considerably. According to estimates of Mercedes-Benz, the Indian car market is going to outpace the demand of other emerging regions like China, Brazil and Russia. http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. com/2013-10-05/news/42745251_1_audi-q3-bmw-india-luxury-car-market http://www.autocarindia. com/auto-news/audi-races-past-bmw-to-number-one-spot-341884. aspxLed by the new generation compact cars A Class and B Class, Mercedes Benz India has bridging the sales gap with a rapid pace. Mercedes Benz India was ahead of Audi by selling 151 units more. M ercedes Benz India sold 2,696 units in July to September of 2013 as against 2,545 units sold by Audi in the same period. Mercedes Benz first overtook its Munich based luxury car rival BMW in the first quarter of 2013 to regain the number two position and now Audi in the quarter 3, but for the full year, it is still number two.Audi is still pretty on the number one position for the calendar year starting January to September 2013, with sales of 7,391 units. Mercedes Benz India trails by a significant 930 units, registering sales of 6,461 units in the same period. Announcing the Q3 results, Eberhard Kern, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said: â€Å"Our year of offensive strategy yielded satisfactory result as we continue to improve our strong performance with each quarter, amidst one of the toughest market situations faced by the industry.We are confident of maintaining this positive momentum for the remaining quarter and achieve our targeted growth for 2013. † The main catalysts for Mercedes-Benz have been A-Class and B-Class models, which have further helped to increase the market share. Audi on its part with the locally produced Q3 and expanding dealer network is confident of holding on to its number 1 position for 2013 and aims at being the first luxury car maker in India to sell more than 10,000 units in India.After growing by 25-30 per cent since 2007 till 2011-12, the luxury car market too is facing the heat of the slowdown. Barring the entry level cars like Mercedes Benz A Class, B Class, BMW 1 Series and some SUVs like Audi Q3 and Q5, which brought incremental volumes in 2013, the traditional saloon segment of Mercedes Benz C Class, E Class, S Class, BMW 3,5 or 7 series and even Audi A4, A6 and A8 have remained sluggish.During 2013, Mercedes-Benz introduced eight new models in which the sales of performance oriented brand, AMG picked up by a fair bit. The German manufacturer is trying hard to shred the old-man image associated with the brand. It is banking upon the Modular Front Architecture platform to woo buyers as it has already helped the company to come at par with its rivals like Audi and BMW. Industry players, say the market is likely to post 10-15 per cent growth in 2013 only on the back of these entry level models and SUVs.In 2014, Mercedes-Benz aim to expand in double-digits faster than the market. † Industry experts have already predicted that Mercedes-Benz would come hard at Audi in 2014 banking upon of new model launches that include next generation S-Class. Mercedes-Benz is famed for producing high-end vehicles in the country. As a result of this, customers and luxury car aficionados have shown affinity Strategy of Mercedes Benz in India Mercedes-Benz India has evolved a four-pronged strategy towards passenger cars this year as it transfers its truck and bus business under Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV). The company had been selling buses — inter and intra city and Actros mining trucks — in the India market, which would now fall under DICV portfolio. Project as performance oriented brand by introducing new models. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch eight new products this year, invest in dealer network, improve overall ownership cost and double production at the Chakan plant. Going forward, Chakan will be for passenger cars and Chennai will be for trucks and buses. More sales outlets,†¨with the A-Class clocking in 400 bookings since its launch earlier in May 2013.Starting with the launch of G63, Merc plans to drive in its much-awaited premium hatchback A-class in diesel and petrol variants by end-2013. Other launches are the new GL in May 2014 and the B-class diesel variant around the same tim e. Mercedes-Benz is doubling its production capacity from 10,000 units to 20,000 at Chakan by end of year 2013 to make space for the new models. Moreover, the company is looking at localisation in a big way to improve ownership cost to the customers.Mercedes-Benz assembles models like S-class, E-class, C-class and M-class at its plant with localisation ranging from 10% to 60% over various mentioned models. Pushes for pre-owned cars. According to an estimate, the domestic used car market is 1.3 times the new car market. The pre-owned segment is largely unstructured in India and with new financing options, customers could upgrade to newer models at ease by returning used cars. Try to shred the old-man image associated with the brand.Bank upon the Modular Front Architecture platform to woo buyers.Marketing Strategy Audi IndiaPositioning in Luxury not as broad, but micro segment of luxury entry which will be having highest growth among all segment. All standard products, as Indian Marke t will be matching with the Global standards. Distribution of special zones with high and affluent people. Branding for Inspirational and aspirational attributes.Meeting high requirement of working capital through sustained market share and service bundling.Marketing Strategy BMW IndiaIndia is one of the major growth markets for BMW and they are confident of maintaining their leadership in the premium segment through launches, dealerships expansion and customer delight. Planning to assemble more products in the country at our Chennai factory to increase volume growth. Plan to expand our completely-knocked down range in India. By April, the 7 series will be assembled in Chennai, which will be followed by the 1 series by the end of 2013. With this, the company will have six products (1 series, 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, X1 and X3) assembled in India.Market Analysis of BMW, AUDI & MercedesIn the Indian car market, the demand for new vehicles has been sluggish since the beginning of 2013. However, this is not the case for luxury car manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Riding on the back of new model launches, the German triplet has made significant inroads in 2013. Mercedes-Benz, in particular, stepped up the ante as it introduced several new models and their facelift versions. The company had a revival of sorts in India as not only the demand for vehicles surged but the overall market share also rose considerably. According to estimates of Mercedes-Benz, the Indian car market is going to outpace the demand of other emerging regions like China, Brazil and Russia.http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-05/news/42745251_1_audi-q3-bmw-india-luxury-car-market http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/audi-races-past-bmw-to-number-one-spot-341884.aspxLed by the new generation compact cars A Class and B Class, Mercedes Benz India has bridging the sales gap with a rapid pace. Mercedes Benz India was ahead of Audi by selling 151 units more. Mercede s Benz India sold 2,696 units in July to September of 2013 as against 2,545 units sold by Audi in  the same period. Mercedes Benz first overtook its Munich based luxury car rival BMW in the first quarter of 2013 to regain the number two position and now Audi in the quarter 3, but for the full year, it is still number two. Audi is still pretty on the number one position for the calendar year starting January to September 2013, with sales of 7,391 units.Mercedes Benz India trails by a significant 930 units, registering sales of 6,461 units in the same period. Announcing the Q3 results, Eberhard Kern, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said: â€Å"Our year of offensive strategy yielded satisfactory result as we continue to improve our strong performance with each quarter, amidst one of the toughest market situations faced by the industry. We are confident of maintaining this positive momentum for the remaining quarter and achieve our targeted growth for 2013.† The main catalysts fo r Mercedes-Benz have been A-Class and B-Class models, which have further helped to increase the market share.Audi on its part with the locally produced Q3 and expanding dealer network is confident of holding on to its number 1 position for 2013 and aims at being the first luxury car maker in India to sell more than 10,000 units in India.   After growing by 25-30 per cent since 2007 till 2011-12, the luxury car market too is facing the heat of the slowdown. Barring the entry level cars like Mercedes Benz A Class, B Class, BMW 1 Series and some SUVs like Audi Q3 and Q5, which brought incremental volumes in 2013, the traditional saloon segment of Mercedes Benz C Class, E Class, S Class, BMW 3,5 or 7 series and even Audi A4, A6 and A8 have remained sluggish. During 2013, Mercedes-Benz introduced eight new models in which the sales of performance oriented brand, AMG picked up by a fair bit.The German manufacturer is trying hard to shred the old-man image associated with the brand. It i s banking upon the Modular Front Architecture platform to woo buyers as it has already helped the company to come at par with its rivals like Audi and BMW. Industry players, say the market is likely to post 10-15 per cent growth in 2013 only on the back of these entry level models and SUVs. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz aim to expand in double-digits faster than the market.† Industry experts have already predicted that Mercedes-Benz would come hard at Audi in 2014 banking upon of new model launches that include next generation S-Class. Mercedes-Benz is famed for producing high-end vehicles in the country. As a result of this, customers and luxury car aficionados have shown affinity.

Customer-perceived value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Customer-perceived value - Essay Example Customer-perceived value Thus marketers should really work hard so as not only to attract customers, but also retain them by providing the maximum customer perceived value. For instance, Nike which is a well-known brand, endorsed Michael Jordan who is a professional NBA player and came up with a unique line of shoes known as Air Jordan(s).Thus Nike seems to know all too well the importance of developing customer-perceived value that is strong. Eventually all the publicity about the unique line of Air Jordans together with limited edition of Jordans, are all consumer-perceived. Thus such a product is perceived to be having more benefits than the one offered by its competitors making consumers more willing to pay the hiked price so as to get it (Gale & Wood, 1994). Total customer satisfaction is the ability of a product or a service to satisfy the needs of a customer. It is clear that when a business taxes expands or grows more market share than its competitors, the company should focus on the needs of satisfying the customer. Moreover, ensuring that the customers’ needs are met should be a fundamental goal of any business. Customer satisfaction is thus a term constantly used in marketing and is a measure of how services and products that a company supplies meets or surpasses customer expectations.. It is mostly taken as major performance indicator in business and mostly is an aspect of a Balanced Scorecard. Customer satisfaction is taken as a main differentiator in competitive marketplace where companies are in competition for customers and has progressively become a core aspect of business strategy. It is therefore very important for enterprises to efficiently deal with customer satisfaction.

Research proposal needed - on alumni from the University of Kentucky Paper

Proposal needed - on alumni from the University of Kentucky Prestonsburg, KY and Hazard, KY Masters of Social Work Programs - Research Paper Example This research will be based on approximately a hundred and forty graduates of the social work masters program from both campuses. Information of respondent candidates who will be reached will represent the different outcomes between the two campuses with regards to their participation and progress in the community. The research seeks to gather information from both female and male graduates to equally represent all graduates of the two campuses. The results may be consistent with the hypothesis of the author. We suspect that graduates from the Prestonsburg Kentucky campus are more active in their community volunteer projects than graduates from the Kentucky Hazard campus are. More graduates of the University of Prestonsburg Kentucky campus social work masters program are probably licensed clinical social workers and may be more involved in the National Association of Social Work as than graduates of the Social work masters program from the Kentucky Hazard campus. The research seeks to come up with tangible evidence concerning field applications of the program. The results points out why MSW graduates of the Kentucky MSW Hazard campus should be encouraged to engage themselves in more meaningful community volunteer activities and the National Association of social work. The research also highlights the reasons why the program should incorporate measures of encouraging and motivating its students to be more involved with activities of social work after successful completion of the program. According to Kentucky annual report (2009, p25), alumni of the social work programs engage in humanitarian activities such as caring for the elderly, school social work, and mental health counseling. However, the hazard program is proved to have limitations in graduate field applications with regards to community volunteer programs. Moreover, some MSW graduates are found to

Impact of external debt on fiscal stability and economic development Case Study

Impact of external debt on fiscal stability and economic development. a of Nigeria - Case Study Example Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the NEW administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history. (Country Profile: Nigeria, Cia.gov) Although some gains were made because of this return of revenue to the regions of derivation, the proportions were actually less than 20% of national revenue totals so in fact the regions experienced very little financial or budgetary momentum, setting up an easy move toward hyper-centralisation of the revenue-sharing system during the era of military rule from 1966-1979. (Suberu, 2002). By the early 1980's Nigeria had become very dependent on oil, which accounted for 96% of export earnings, 81% of government earnings and 22% of GDP (Ogbe, 1992). Oil wealth increased dependence on imported goods while local industries were ignored. Consumption of imported goods became the order of the day. The 1981 oil glut cau... The 1981 oil glut caused the economy to suffer from price distortion and an overvalued currency. Heavy dependence on importation left the government unprepared to deal with a prolonged period of depressed international oil prices. The sharp decline in oil prices affected domestic production, leading to deterioration in the balance of payments and government finances. The government financed the shortfalls by borrowing, drawing down on external reserves, and amassing of debts on external trade payments. Chapter 2 Literature Review (Historical View) The president had shown greater commitment to implementing liberal economic reforms in his second and last term in office, but still faces a huge task to if he is to turn around the corruption ridden, heavily indebted and oil dependent economy. Mr. Obasanjo may also pursue controversial reforms, such as constitutional changes, to shake up Nigeria's crisis-prone political system. However, these are likely to be resisted by powerful groups with vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Given the background of ethnic and religious divisions, widespread poverty and political disillusionment, there is a risk that the reform drive could destabilize the country if not properly managed. However, assuming that the president is able to navigate Nigeria's turbulent political waters and achieve some progress with reform-against the background of ongoing growth in the oil and gas sector. Political outlook - Legislation had been presented to the National Assembly seeking to curb the powers of the trade unions. Given the controversial nature of the proposed reform, the government may have opened a battle with the unions that proves difficult to win while diverting energy from

Personal Philosophy of Leadership Development Assignment

Personal Philosophy of Leadership Development - Assignment Example A leader is different from a manager. Qualities define a leader. These qualities are inborn and it means leaders are born. Skills that a person acquires make him or her manager. This means that not all managers are leaders. Leadership means service to the people. A leader is a servant to the people he leads. He is bestowed with the responsibility of bettering the lives of his or her followers. Leadership development is useful to individuals who aim at improving their leadership skills. Leadership development is important as it creates a passion in leaders to lead their followers and serve them accordingly. This paper articulates my personal philosophy of leadership development and my development as a leader. Unique qualities characterize a leader. First leaders must possess character. Actions define character. Leaders understand that success is founded on character. An ideal leader possesses strong character, which assures the people he leads, that he will provide success. First impressions create lasting impression. A leader has to seal the deal with a first impression. Charisma does it for first impressions. Making others feel good is the best way of having charisma. A leader has to be courageous. People cannot put their trust in a coward. Courage builds confidence, and self-confidence is leadership at work. An ideal leader has focus. Focus entails prioritizing important factors and concentrating on them to accomplishment. Priorities without concentration gets nothing done, resulting to no progress. Concentration without priories limits growth and progress.

The gravedigger scene may be taken as a key to the play Hamlet as a Essay

The gravedigger scene may be taken as a key to the play Hamlet as a whole. Why - Essay Example Thus Hamlet says, "that skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once: how the knave jowls it to the ground, as if it were Cain's jaw-bone that did the first murder." This aspect of the scene also shows how Hamlet, whether he likes it or not, constantly returns to the same themes whatever situation he is in. The fact that the jawbone could be that of Cain, leads him to the subject of murder which in turn leads him to the fact that he believes his father was murdered by his Uncle and mother. Hamlet makes fun of all the titles, property and pride that make him a "Prince", but which will eventually disappear into that great equalizer. The fact that he has felt uneasy with the idea of being a royalty occurs through the play and is persistent in this scene as he looks at skull that might have been "a lawyer's" or a "great buyer of land". They are all equal now within death. The theme of death taking away the innocence of childhood appears as Hamlet says the famous line, "alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well". Death's bit is even more keen when it has occurred to someone that we fondly remember from out childhood. Again, Hamlet asks a series of questions that he knows the answer to before he has spoken them. These are perhaps the ultimate rhetorical questions: "where be your gibes now, Your gambols Your songs Your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar Not one now, to mock your own grinning." The fact that Yorick, who apparently displayed all the vitality and zest for life that Hamlet sorely lacks, is dead, makes Hamlet's own attempts to both cheat death and to avenge it seem rather pathetic. The idea that there is no-one to "mock" the permanent "grin" that Yorick's skull is showing is perhaps the most telling fact of all. Hamlet suggests that death is mocking all mortals - so no mortal mocking is actually needed. The unfairness of death is a theme that resounds throughout the play. It is unfair that his father has been killed while his useless uncle lives. It was unfair that Polonius was killed needlessly (even though Hamlet cares little himself), and it is unfair that Ophelia has been driven to madness and hence to suicide. Death, it seems, takes those who are most innately suited to life. While those such as Hamlet himself, so thinks the Prince, are left to suffer within a tortured life. The fact that death makes all equal is expounded upon by making the dead seem to be part of death's joke on the prideful ambitions of life. Thus the stinking skull that Hamlet is handling (that of Yorick) brings him to consideration of the fact that the "imagination trace the novel dust of Alexander, till he find it stopping a bung hole" Throughout Hamlet the title character is unable to stop his flights of imagination, and all of these turn into a kind of reduction ad absurdum in which the whole of life is rendered meaningless and somewhat laughable by the cold facts of death. Life is very short, mutable and transient in its importance while death is eternal and majestically terrible in its permanence and resonance. Alexander may be the dust bunging up one hole or another for much longer than he was ever a great ruler. This sense of futility is resoundingly summed up within the following rhyming couplets: Imperious Caesar, dead and turn'd to

Whether text-speak (or texting language), as used in instant messaging Essay - 1

Whether text-speak (or texting language), as used in instant messaging and SMS messaging, is contributing to language decline or decay - Essay Example ed children to acquire a better literary understanding (Crystal) but might also be used to mask dyslexia, incorrect spelling or simply laziness to write rather than optimizing the text per se. The ultra conciseness of the words tailored for the short message service and instant messaging on the internet chats has taken the shape of a new English dialect. The massive increase in SMS has boosted up the mobile company earnings significantly. Britain, in the English speaking world is responsible for amounting up to 6 billion text messages a month (Huang) while Pakistan has taken one of the top positions after Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia for sending the most short text messages in the world adding up to 151 billion in the year 2009 alone and moving up to the third highest SMS sender in the year 2010 (Malik). This puts a new angle to the point of views debating the influence of IM and SMS on the literature and language. A developing country like Pakistan that has English as its second official language and to be used mostly in the higher education, hence being a notable part of the English speaking world, will be affected in a unique way by the way of SMS. The largely less educated population or atleast not as much educated and affluent in the English language have rather learned the language by the use of quick SMS messaging. The extremely low rates and encouraging services by the service providers have further ensured that the SMS trends leap ahead in a cut throat competition (Malik). It might be noted that the phonetic, orthographic and optimized approach of the SMS language makes it easy for even the relatively uneducated individuals to learn or process the English language (Chim). While this was not yet enough to be dealt with by a likely opponent of the SMS language, the new smart phones that come with the feature of predicting the next words and spell correction or auto completing ensure quick growth and ease of SMS (Chim). These features might be seen as

Future of Parole in the United States Research Paper

Future of Parole in the United States - Research Paper Example ing that early believers in the program thought offenders committed offenses through no fault of their own, forced into unfortunate circumstances, and therefore should be rehabilitated. The federal parole board increased to eight members in 1950, appointed by the President, with three of them assigned to youth corrections. By October of 1974 due to a pilot reorganization program the US Department of Justice had five regions with one member and five hearing examiners. Through the Parole Commission and Reorganization Act in 1976 the Board of Parole became known as the United States Parole Commission, independent of the DOJ (USDOJ: USPC: Our History). They adopted explicit parole guidelines, became affiliated with the Senate, disbanded from youth corrections, and created a Comprehensive Crime Control Act in 1984. The use of intermediate sentencing is the only sentencing that actually involves parole boards and they receive complete power in determining who is to be released. Intermediate sentencing does contain some positive factors and allows for full implementation of the rehabilitative ideal. It offers the highest and strictest level of protection from the more violent criminal offenders and also offers feasible alternatives to capital punishment. Parole decisions are also made with considerably more behavioral observation noted since the original trial and does not force corrections to release an inmate before they are ready to return to society. Negative factors involved with intermediate sentences are many with mostly criticism and onslaughts of impossibilities. Treatment is too expensive, training and rehabilitation not done, and even if treatment were honestly attempted by staffs, psychotherapy with involuntarily committed patients is generally considered difficult; indeterminate sentencing supplies only negative motivation, which will be insufficient for long-range results and the list continues. One of the most important factors I considered in this area

Homeland Security Measures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homeland Security Measures - Essay Example This has remarkably revolutionized the basic framework, but has created numerous security threats at the same time. Unfortunately, both the state and out of state cyber criminals are becoming more coordinated and strong, which has really put the United States government in a fix. (OUR NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE; AN IMMEDIATE STRATEGIC CONCERN IN NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY) According to the author of the article, the oil and gas companies seem to be the main targets for the hackers, because of their widespread businesses, which are even established in far fledge places, where contact can be made only via satellites. As a result, it becomes easier for the cyber criminals to extract private information, without the security companies knowing about it. Furthermore, the energy sector, which includes these oil and gas companies, would be affected the most if cyber-attacks were carried out at a significant scale, in the near future. Global projects, intercontinental partnerships and contractors, make the energy sector a vast industry spread over the world. Keeping in check who is accessing the data and extracting valuable information becomes a herculean task. The oil and gas companies are packed with important data, which if it gets in the wrong hands, can be have detrimental effects. Not only is there financial information to be protected, but also confidential customer information and various facts and figures. The author is accurate in his argument that the energy sector is the most vulnerable of all the other sectors and thus, a key target for cyber criminals. In today’s world, there is an ongoing energy crisis. Oil and gas companies are the main industries that contribute to the energy production in the world. The energy sector takes care of the economy, national defense and the well-being of the people. If the energy sector is attacked, then the world will be facing serious problems. U.S. owns twenty percent of the natural resources and a large num ber of oil reserves, which is not only necessary to maintain its own economy but to stabilize the economy of the world as well. Therefore, U.S. oil and gas companies are spread in almost every area of the world, and an attack on these is considerably easier than on any other company. Furthermore, cyber-criminals can gain power and dominance by getting their hands on valuable information related to these companies, as it basically controls the world’s economy. (Information Security in the Oil and Gas Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Sectors). SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. It is used to control automated industrial operations on wide scale. These industrial operations include the energy sector as well. SCADA system if implemented properly can be very helpful to the companies. There will be no need for visits and monthly inspections by an official. It can make changes to the system, solve errors and reduces operational costs (Why SCADA?). How ever, it has become vital for the companies to keep the SCADA and other industrial control systems in check. This is because what these operating systems contain is private and valuable information, which at no cost can be leaked to any criminal organization. The interlinked information of U.S. national infrastructure has made it easy for criminals to extract information and cyber security has come under serious threat. In addition, there have been concerns that

Road Project Management Essay Example for Free

Road Project Management Essay In any project, there should be proper management of the project to be successful. Different projects have different fulfillment conditions, and in our case, it is not spared. Construction of the road requires a great deal of designing and application of various guidelines to make it fulfill the requirements and suite future generations, and their relevant application plus its effects to the social-economic and culture-political nature of situation. Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK, contains a tailored five phases that guide implementation of a project even though these phases sometimes overlap: Initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing processes are the five phases (James 2006, pp. 66 – 70). Initiating process is usually important; this is because the necessary details that are required for successful completion of the project are devised. At this time, features like the Activity Completion Report (ACR), should be considered and developed through out of the project (John 1992, pp. 23 45). The idea of refining and defining the objectives of the project should be analyzed in the planning process. Other conditions such as project plans and sub-plans should be developed and obtaining the required funding should be a forefront issue before the project begins. The longest and most important phase is the executing process. This is when the project plan is implemented; this is through coordinating different human resources and other resources that are required to lead into successful completion of the project plans. Another important phase is controlling the general process. This is ensuring that the project objectives are met; this can be checked by use of measuring and monitoring the project development through regular inspections. This phase overlaps the different phases to enable it in tracking variances and changes that may occur (Subhankar 2003, pp. 56 – 70). The last phase is the closing process phase. This stage ensures that the project is brought into an orderly end. This can be obtained by formalizing, and then communicating the conclusion of the project and passing over the completed project to the accountable sector. Other activities that are common in this part of phase are completion of the Activity Completion Report and since this is a major project, it requires post implementation review. When the project phases are under control, the main issue is how the project will be managed. Various issues are brought into consideration to successfully manage the project. Issues such as contracting, environmental impacts, maintaining the project within the plan and human resource distribution are common. Project contracting is the most important in management since it allows the delivery of the materials, equipments and services to the road region. Contracting is usually affected by the funds that are available and engineering considerations. This may result into poor coordination between the different contractors. This can be prevented when each contract process is well defined in advance. Project safety and environmental considerations should be monitored at each step of the project. Human resource that is within the area including the inhabitants of the area should be ensured that they will be safe throughout the project, and if possible safety measures and parametric should be on stand by. The environment should be preserved and maintained to reduce issues that are related to pollution. This may be due to factors such as disposing of the excess amount of soil that was dug out, oil that the machines use as examples of environmental sensitivity in this case (Subhankar 2003, pp. 56 – 70). Risk is inevitable; it is like a natural thing. The risky areas run from contracting to the process at the scene should be analyzed and techniques such as SWOT, brainstorming should be applied in developing a risk matrix. This when applied will reduce issues such as late delivery by contractors and collision of project interest. Project control process comes into plan when trying to maintain the objective of the project. Issues such as the width of the road, road signs, vertical cross-section and environmental should be maintained within the original plans. All project steps should be maintained into the most original proposal plan. Human management is the tricky part since the required human resource should be at the right place at the right time, and it includes issues like team building and delegation of responsibilities. In addition, issues like how leadership should be accorded e. g. authoritative should be checked. In delegation of duties the use of X – Y theories may be applied so result into satisfaction of the human resource that are involved (James 2006, pp. 66 – 70). Total quality management (TQM) is a strategy that is employed by management in ensuring that the quality is observed. This brings around the issues of the type of materials that are used and the level of human expertise. The material quality should meet the required standards and during the executing of the process the right mixture of various materials should be observed. An example is the mixture between sand and cement, or the types of beams and steel that is used in construction of the required bridges and culverts (Dwigt 1990, pp. 96 100). After the completion of the project, project close out process is brought into light. The key elements that are associated with this stage of development are: Completion of the Post Implementation Evaluation report (PIER) †¢ Completing and archiving the project records. †¢ Disbursing the resources e. g. facilities and staff. †¢ In addition, recognizing outstanding achievements When the project is completed an issue arise, was the project successful and what was used to measure the level of success. Like quality that requires conformance to the requirements or specifications and fitness for use in the project, also, project success usually requires a combination of project management and product success. Three means that are frequently used to show that the project was successful are; cost, schedule and scope objectives. The cost that was required in the completion of the project is within the standards that was set; Budget. This means that the amount of funds that was used did not pass the estimate. Another issue is the schedule – time. The question arises whether the project was completed within the time scale that was proposed. If this was met, then the project is successful in terms of time. Lastly, the issue that relates to the product which in our case the road. A question such as whether the road was able to accommodate the different types of tracks that are supposed to access it and the traffic issue, if all the conditions that were initially set are met then in terms of project scope is successful. In success of any project, various issues are brought into focus. Starting from the project phases to the success of the project should be managed well, and viewed through different angles. Various issues should be brought into focus, which results in meeting the original plans of the project, and at the same time meets the required quality level.

Reproductive Strategies in Birds

Reproductive Strategies in Birds Catherine Carrick Introduction Birds, like any other organism, constantly struggle to find a balance between the benefits of reproduction and the costs of reproductive effort expressed as adult mortality (RICKLEFS, 1977). As well as behavioural differences among species such as brood size, protection of young or the effort required for foraging, environmental factors influence avian reproductive strategies. This includes bionomics, for example; how efficiently a bird procures and utilizes available resources, and how it protects its investment (offspring). During the last 50 years it has become the consensus that reproduction and mortality rate among birds are directly proportional, and that the age of sexual maturity increases with adult survival rate (RICKLEFS, 2000), where reproduction rate is determined by the length of the breeding season, the clutch size, and nesting success. The evolution of optimum clutch size was one of the first studies conducted by David Lack (1947) where food supply directly influenced fecundity. Later studies showed that in most cases, birds with a longer life span such as albatrosses had decreased clutch sizes, postponed sexual maturity and decreased reproductive success due to greater parental investment and thus a greater risk of parental death. Environments are often unpredictable and birds such as the black kite (Milvus migrans) produces more offspring early on it life (SERGIO, 2010). Competition, resources and hazards change in such a way and often so rapidly that the kites would die before being able to reproduce if sexual maturity occurred much later. Life Histories When understanding reproductive strategies, is it important to understand what is meant by life history. It is the history of adaptations and genetic modifications of a population in response to changes in the environment. It is not to be confused with a life table, which shows the interactions of adaptations and genetic modifications with the environment. Genetic variation gives rise to an evolutionary response in the gene pool to variation in the environment. Changes in the environment tend to change the density and age structure among a population making the population either crash, or revert back to a state of equilibrium. Sex Ratio Aspects of birds lives can vary up to 10-fold among species with opposite life histories (RICKLEFS, 2000) and the theme of this evolution include several components. The first is sex ratios. Fishers principle states that when male births are less common, those male offspring have better mating potential than the female offspring and so the males have more offspring. This then means the genes for male procuring tendencies spread, male births become more common and a 1:1 sex ratio is approached (the equilibrium). This reduces again as being born male becomes less advantageous (Hamilton, 1967). A study by Neville et al (2008) showed the sex ratio of 298 nestlings from 81 nests of golden-winged warblers Vermivora chrysoptera to be approximately 50:50 (1:1). However, Daan et al (1996) observed some raptor species producing excess daughters early in the breeding season and males later in the season, whilst other species showed the opposite. The deviation may be explained by specific enviro nmental conditions having different consequential outcomes for male and female offspring (DAAN et al, 1996). Sexual Selection Males and females differ through sexual dimorphism and secondary sexual characters such as elaborate tail feathers. If there is heritable variation in a trait that affects the ability to obtain mates, then variants conducive to success will become more common over time. Peahens select for male peacocks with the largest most elaborate tail feathers, and so this character is genetically passed on and becomes more common. Access to mates is a limiting factor for males and it was predicted that sexual selection will be a stronger force in the evolution of males than females (BATEMAN, 1948). This leads to stronger competition over mates in males and means that females should be choosy as they invest heavily in reproduction, yet another reason why males have large plumage to advertise to females. There are two theories as to why a female would choose a male with costly characters. Firstly is the sexy sons theory where cost arises as the end product of a runaway process. Secondly is the go od genes theory where females choose mates with good genes to maximise viability of there offspring (TRIVERS, 1972). For example, those peacocks with the brightest, largest and most elaborate plumage indicate to a female their probable resistance to parasites. Parental investment This can be described as any parental interactions with their offspring that increases the offspring survival rate, at the cost of the parents ability to invest in other offspring (TRIVERS 1972). Social monogamy with biparental care (BURELY, JOHNSON, 1992) is common among avian species. However, this has evolved from a very  different diapsid lineage in the fact that most extant and extinct diapsids show promiscuity and mainly lack parental care (with exceptions like crocodilians). Fig. 2 shows the stages of evolution from limited parental care in the basal archosaur leading to increased biparental care and ultimate monogamy among extant avian species. In contrast, social parasitism can avoid the risks of parental investment as seen in North American cuckoos (Coccyzus sp.) where the cuckoo lays its eggs in a hosts nest and the host incubates and raises the parasitic cuckoo chicks. Parent-offspring conflict The conflict is at its peak during the parental care period. It is loosely divided into intrabrood conflict where the offspring favour different division on parental investment that that preferred by the parent (KILNER, 2007) and interbrood conflict where the demands made by the offspring are too great that the parent withholds investment for future reproduction. An example is given in a study by Stamps et al (1985) on budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates) where in female-fed families the parent controlled food allocation as they did not favour begging, whereas, in male-fed families the offspring had the greatest control, as the male parents were susceptible to allocating food to those who begged. Optimization in a Variable Environment D. Cohen (1966, 1968) reached the conclusion that fluctuating environments always favour greater reproduction, whereas constant environments select for small litters (SHAFFER, 1974). A case study by Jetz et al (2008) examined clutch size from 5290 avian species worldwide and correlated the environmental influences with the comparative approach (the relation of clutch size to other biological traits) in one analysis. It showed conclusive evidence that backed Cohens theory. For example, avian species in more stable seasonal environments had larger clutch sizes than those of tropical birds where the climate changes unpredictably and rapidly. Nest predation Prolonged incubation and nestling periods increase the probability that those nests will attract predators. The opposite can be said for minimal incubation and nestling periods. Therefore it can be assumed that those species with larger clutch sizes, prolonged incubation or nestling periods have adopted and evolved strategies to evade predation. For example, Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) eggs and chicks are extremely well camouflaged (Fig. 3). Niko Tinbergen (1967) found that in the case of the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), the adult would remove the eggshell a short time after its chick had hatched, and place it away from the nest. This meant leaving the chick alone momentarily, but the advantage of removing the white, un-camoflaged egg shell outweighed the cost of cannibalism of the chick from neighbouring gulls. This behaviour is heritable among all black-headed gulls. Birds that evolve in areas with few or no predators should then exhibit larger clutch sizes, prolonged incubation and nestling periods. This is seen in island species that have had time to evolve in the absence of predators. However, a study preformed by Trevelyan and Read (1989) showed no significant differences in reproductive strategies between mainland Australia and New Zealand species. Trevelyan and Read interpreted these observations to be due to the arrival of humans, stimulating reproductive strategies similar to those on the main land. Conclusion Birds expend a great deal of energy providing parental care, breeding and courtship, whether or not the offspring are precocial (an advanced state if development) or altricial (completely dependant on the parent/s). It is clear that productivity of breeding is intrinsically linked to an avian life span and environmental factors which constantly encroach on avian fecundity and mortality. Of the 10,000 known extant avian species, each has developed a unique reproductive strategy, whether its be elaborate plumage to attract a mate as seen in tropical birds (genetic); removing egg shells to avoid cannibalism of offspring (behavioural); or laying a large clutch to ensure survival of the next generation in an erratically changing environment.

Children rights of protection and participation

Children rights of protection and participation Introduction This research paper focuses on the childrens rights and the participation that the children have in their implementation. It is every childs right to have a say on the things that affects its life. However, some children are either too young or too truant to make solid decisions. This research paper discusses on these rights and to what extent that the children can decide on their way of life. Child Rights on decision making Children have the same rights as adults. As a vulnerable group, children have particular rights that recognize their special need for protection and also that help them develop their full potential. Children are not helpless objects of charity or a property of their parents. They are recognized as human beings and the subjects of their own rights. A child is an individual, a family and community member with rights and appropriate responsibilities for his or her age and development stage. Children should enjoy the basic qualities of life as rights rather than privileges accorded to them (CRC, 2006) Every child whether a boy or girl irrespective of age is unique and has value importance as a person with a right for their human dignity to be respected. It has a right to have a say in all decisions and matters that concern him or her, to be listened to and his or her opinion taken seriously (CRIN, 2002). This will enhance understanding and mutual respect between children and adults. The participation of children protects them more effectively from abuse and exploitation. When we understand and respect childrens own experiences, we are able to create better protection mechanisms and the children themselves can act as active agents in their own protection. This helps to develop and build recognition of children as independent bearers of rights with a sense of identity and a positive implication for their self esteem (CRIN, 2002). Childrens rights are defined in a wide spectrum of economic, civil, political and social rights. These rights have been labeled as the right to protection and right to empowerment. Some of these rights are: Right to provision: Children have a right to be provided with a good standard of living, education and services, health care and a right to play. These include access to schooling, a balanced diet and a warm bed to sleep in. They also have a right to be protected from neglect, abuse, discrimination and exploitation (CRC, 2006) Children also have a right to participation. They have a right to their own programs and services and to take part in them. This includes decision making and involvement in libraries. Some rights allow children to grow up healthy and free. This include; Freedom of speech, Freedom of thought, Freedom from fear, Freedom of choice and to make decisions and Ownership over ones body. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) provides a framework for addressing not only rights to child protection care and adequate provision, but also for participation. A child who is capable of making his or her own views shall be assured by the parties of the state a right to express them freely (CRC, 2006) The views of the child are given weight according to the maturity and age of the child. A child can participate in the sense of taking part or being present or participate in the sense of knowing that ones actions are taken note of and may be acted upon. The extent to childrens participation will vary between and within societies (CRC, 2006) There has been a clash between the childrens protection and participation rights. Protection rights protect the children against exploitation and abuse for the best interest of the child while in participatory rights; children take part in decisions concerning their lives and a right to freedom of conscious and to hold an opinion. Adults and their childrens views may not always coincide. Many childrens wishes and views are ignored by the adults for the best interest of the child. For instance; (CRC) Every child is entitled to acquire a name and a nationality. All children registration should be upon birth. The childs name, birth date and parents names are recorded. When a child is given a name at birth, he or she is not given an opportunity to choose a name for himself or herself. The parents do this for the best interests of the child (CRC). The child may however, decide to change its name upon reaching the age of maturity. In this case the child is denied a right to participate in choosing its name at first but at later stages of development; the same child can participate in the same by changing to its desired name (CRC).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child has a right to be protected from all forms of punishment or discrimination regardless of their age, race, sex, religion, status, their expressed opinions, activities and beliefs of the family members. As much as a child has a right to religion, to express their opinion, or equality regardless of their age, these are sometimes restricted by their parents or legal guardians. For instance, a child is not at liberty to join a religion cult without the parents interference. It is not because the child is denied its freedom to worship but its for the best interest of the child (CRC). Children also have a right to get and share information and to express them. In exercising this right, they are supposed to be careful not to damage themselves or the freedoms, rights and reputations of others. They may share information through talking, writing or drawing. A childs wishes may be ignored if it is for the best of the child. For instance, a child may be denied the right to express dislike or hatred towards a particular person by hauling insults at the person. On the same, the child may be restricted on the manner of expression. For instance through shouting or screaming or demanding instead of asking politely (CRC). Children have a right of association. They have a right to meet and to join groups and organizations. Not all groups joined by children are acceptable by their parents or guardians; this brings a clash between the childrens right of association and prevention of joining them. Children are also restricted from joining into these groups if they stop other people from enjoying their rights. For instance a rioting group which will probably cause peace disturbance to others, or an outlawed group will not be acceptable that the children join (CRC). Children have a right to privacy. They are protected from attacks in their way of life, their name, families and homes. However, their way of life can be invaded by their parents or guardians if its for their best interests, for instance, when parents suspect that the child may be involved in drugs or other unlawful activities they may be forced to ransack the childs room or personal effects (CRC). Its a right for the children to access information. This they get through the radio, newspapers, television, internet and childrens books. They have a right to choose what kind of information they would like to access and in which manner. However, not all information is suitable or helpful to them (CRC). Most of the information provided by the mass media especially the radio, television and internet is unsuitable to children. It may contain violence, obscenity or strong language. Since these are harmful to the children they dont have a right over them and so their parents or guardians have to protect the children from such by deciding on what is good or bad for them. The parents also have to protect on what their children browse on the internet since they can access pornography or sites with violence which are harmful to the child (CRC). It is a childs right to live with its parents. The child can however be separated from the parents when the conditions are not favorable for the child. Such conditions may be neglect or abuse by the parents or separation by the parents hence the state has to decide on which parent has to live with the child. If the child has no parents the state decides on a home or an institution for the child to live. In this case the child may not have much of a say in the choice of who to live with. Sometimes children run away from their birth homes to live with their relatives or even live on the streets. This may be as a result of poverty or rebellion. The best interests of the child are considered first before the child is taken back to its parents home (CRC). Conclusion Children have a right to participate in decisions that shape their life and therefore should be given a chance to express their own opinion. However, this right is only exercised considering the maturity and the best interest of the child. Not all decisions that a child makes will be supported by their parents or guardians. For instance, a child cannot make a decision not to go school. For the best interests of the child the child will be forced to attend school. References CRC (Convention on the Rights of the Child). (2006). Retrieved on February 25, 2010 from: http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30168.html CRC (The Convention on the Rights of the Child). (n.d). Retrieved on February 23, 2010 from: http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Participation.pdf CRIN (Child rights information networks). (2002). Retrieved on February 23, 2010 from: http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/childrenaspartners/CAP-outcomes-Mtg%203.pdf

Jean Paul Sartres Writing - No Exit Essay -- essays research papers

Jean Paul Sartre’s Philosophical Writing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jean Paul Sartre personally believed in the philosophical idea of existentialism, which is demonstrated in his play No Exit. His ideas of existentialism were profoundly outlined in the play. Based on the idea that mental torture is more agonizing than physical, No Exit leaves the reader with mixed emotions towards the importance of consequences for one’s acts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Set in Hell, the vision of the underworld is nothing the characters imagined as they are escorted to a Second Empire styled hotel. This is all ironic, in the fact that Sartre never believed in perdition. He uses this fictitious place to persuade his audience. Hell is used as a foundation to prove his point. The characters, Garcin, Inez, and Estelle, are all brought together by some kind of complicated design that they try to unveil. Each character has a story and a reason for their damnation, but what they look for is an answer for their presence with each other. Garcin, a journalist and pacifist that took 12 to the chest, was the first to attempt to mend matters in the room. His idea to be courteous to one another is later contradicted when he begins to fight with Inez. Estelle, a self-absorbed instigator, appears to suffer from denial.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As these three people sit and argue about their past, their visions of life on earth are gradually fading. When they see how things are not going as the...

Constructions of Gender and the Treatment of PTSD within the U.S. Milit

Constructions of Gender and the Treatment of PTSD within the U.S. Military The U.S. military shows a surprising sensitivity and openness to the emotional difficulties of being stationed abroad, especially in a conflict zone, and it is making great efforts towards preventing/easing depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among its members (although it varies by branch). Group therapy is made available at Veteran's Administration hospitals and the Department of Veteran Affairs is connected to the National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which provides many helpful resources including literature that speaks openly about "private," "domestic," and "relational" issues. This is in shocking contrast with the predominant military culture which is hyper-masculine and hierarchical. The question of whether or not you have "been in" is not asked to determine your understanding of military lingo and procedure; what is being asked is: Are you one of us? Romantic, and even realistic, accounts of combat almost always include stories about the particular love and selfless dedication that develops between soldiers and their buddies. Servicemembers frequently describe their units as families. "Basically, this was their family for the last thirteen months," said First Sergeant Dana Morgan, describing the 140 th Quartermaster company just returned from Iraq. He was attending their welcome home ceremony at Fort Totten in New York. The 128 reservists of the 140 th spent thirteen months (March 2003 - April 2004) in Iraq providing laundry and bath services to other troops. Pacifists often drudge up the dirty details in order to de-mystify, and thus de-glorify, war. It is difficult to deny, howeve... ...sonal interview: April 4, 2004, Fort Totten, New York. Katz, Lori S., Sexual Trauma Education and Assessment for the Primary Care Provider , Veterans' Association Healthcare System. Morgan, Dana. First Sergeant, U.S. Army. Personal interview: April 4, 2004, Fort Totten, New York. Newland, Miriam. Women Veterans Coordinator, Military Order of the Purple Heart. Personal interview: March 24, 2004, New York Harbor Veterans' Administration, New York City. Ignatieff, Michael. The Warriors Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience , Henry Holt and Company, New York: 1997 Sadler, Anne, et al. "Factors Associated with Women's Risk of Rape in the Military Environment," American Journal of Industrial Medicine , 2003. Scotti, Mike. Former First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps. Personal interview: April 13 and April 26, 2004, New York City.

Odysseus Cannot Return Home in Homers Odyssey Essay -- Odyssey essays

Odysseus Cannot Return Home in Homer's Odyssey   Ã‚  Ã‚   Webster's College Dictionary defines home as: An environment offering security and happiness" and "a valued place regarded as refuge or place of origin." Anyone can build a house but the emotional security a home provides is created by the people who live there. In Homer's Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus leaves his home in Ithica to fight in the Trojan war. The Odyssey tells the story of his treacherous journey back to Ithica, and the turmoil he experiences. Due to his strong desire to return to the place he remembered as home, Odysseus endurs the hardships of his journey. He hopes his homecoming will return him to the same home, and same life he built twenty years ago. Odysseus will never truly return home because he is not the same king, husband, or man he once was; He is not capable of recreating the home he once had. Ulysses' quote," I am part of all that I have met," is the epitome of why Odysseus can never again truly return home. Throughout his journeys he has experienced multiple life changing events. As the quotation states, he has become a part of everything he has experienced. Victimized by kleos, arrogance, and emotional weakness, Odysseus is forever changed from the Trojan war, and his journey home. Fighting on the battle grounds of the Trojan war, left Odysseus narcissistic, and controlled by his desire for kleos. Odysseus desire for recognition is demonstrated often before he reaches Ithica. It eventually leads to the death of all of his men. An earlier example is the manner in which he dealt with the Cyclops. When Odysseys and his men were sailing back to sea, after escaping the beast, he called out to the already furious Cyclops,... ...the suitors and the women who were in some way connected to them. Odysseus will never be the same husband, because he broke the trust between himself and Penelope, and the security of marriage. Emotionally damaged and belligerent, Odysseus is not the same man and will never be able to play the role of the person he was. The home he once had, the security, attachment, and people that are associated with it, will all be effected by him. The home Odysseus, the all mighty Trojan hero once built, will never again be more than a memory. Works Consulted: Bloom, Harold.   Homer's Odyssey: Edited and with an Introduction, NY, Chelsea House 1988 Crane, Gregory.   Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: 1996 Tracy, Stephen V. The Story of the Odyssey Princeton UP 1990

Relating to Teaching Personnel Essay

Providing for the professionalization of teachers, regulating their practice in the Philippines and for other purposes Whereas, the constitution provides that â€Å"all educational institutions shall be under the supervision of; and subject to regulation by, the state†, and requires that â€Å"the state shall establish and maintain a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development†; Whereas, in the pursuit on these objectives, the department of education and culture has adopted ways and means of overseeing all the educational institutions in the country; Whereas, in recognition of the vital role of teachers in nation-building and as an incentive to raise the morale of teachers, it is imperative that they be considered as professionals and teaching be recognized as a profession. Now, therefore, i, Ferdinand e. Marcos, president of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the constitution, do hereby decree and order: Section 1. Title. – this decree shall be known as the decree professionalizing teaching. Section 2. Declaration of policy. it is hereby declared a policy that teacher education shall be given primary concern and attention by the government and shall be of the highest quality, and strongly oriented to Philippine conditions and to the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people even as it seeks enrichment from adoptable ideas and practices of other people. Section 3. Definition of terms. – as used in this decree, the following shall be construed as follows: (a) teaching refers to the profession primarily concerned with the classroom instruction, at the elementary and secondary levels, in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by national board of education, whether on part-time or full-time basis in the public or private schools. b) teachers refers to all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary and secondary levels, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, (c) board refers to the national board for teachers duly constituted under this decree. Section 4. Creation of the national board for teachers. – there is hereby created a national board for teachers, hereinafter called the board, to be composed of the Section 5. Powers and duties. – the board shall have the following powers and duties: Section 19. Effectivity. – this decree shall take effect january 1, 1977. Done in the city of manila, this 22nd day of se ptember, in the year of our lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-six.

Communication Essay

A career defines who I am and what am I all about. It is true that a majority of people will choose to work for what pays and offers them the most, especially living in today’s economy. However, I believe that my chosen career path should base on the source of my passion and interest in order to ensure a long term success in life. Therefore, when it comes to my interest and passion, the first thing that came into my mind would be dancing. Being a dancer since I was three years old, I always dreamt of having a company of my own which manages dancers from all around the world. To be specific, my chosen career would be the director of a dance company. The main reason for choosing this career, of course, is because of my passion in dancing. Therefore it would be great if I could spread my passion in this healthy sport to the society as well. In order to understand further on the requirements I need for my chosen career path and also the challenges I might face in the future, the company I decided to interview is the owner of a dance company named Redmouse Dance Academy. Person Interviewed (Ms. Pearl Wong Huei Woon, Director of Redmouse Dance Academy) In her mid-30’s, Ms. Pearl Wong Huei Woon has been working as the director of Redmouse Dance Academy, which is based in Dataran Mentari Bandar Sunway for the past 3 years. As a dancer herself, she has been to different countries and explored different dance companies from all around the world after graduated from high school, but focus mainly in Asian countries such as Korea and Japan. She has a vast amount of knowledge in the dance industry. She even brings over dance instructors all the way from Korea for her company in Malaysia knowing that Koreans are well known as great dancers. Besides that, knowing that the Korean pop songs are the current trend in Malaysia, Ms. Pearl Wong encourages her Korean staffs to teach Korean Pop Dances in order to meet the needs of the society. Throughout the interview, Ms. Pearl Wong Huei Woon shared many experiences of working in her career and how rewarding this career can be. Brief Background Information of Ms. Pearl Wong Job Scope i) Maintaining Company’s Image According to Ms. Pearl Wong, as the director of the company, it is very important for her to maintain the company’s image. In order to do so, she has to ensure from time to time that the Korean Instructors she hired did their job well in providing high quality dance instructions to her customers. She also accepts feedbacks and suggestions from her customers so that more improvements could be done to maintain the company’s reputation in the dance industry. ii) Planning and Organizing Ms. Pearl Wong has always been active in planning and organizing dance-related events occasionally to promote and gain attraction from the public towards her dance company. She offers opportunities for her students to perform in the events she organized and also events in collaboration with other dance companies so that the public could witness the quality of her dance company. iii) Managing  As the director of the company, Ms. Pearl Wong is responsible in coordinating and oversees the work of her staffs in the company. According to Ms. Pearl, it is important to allocate the right person to the right job. She analyzes the specialty of her employees in dancing and divides their job accordingly. She believes by managing her employees effectively, it helps to lead them to a path of efficient work and increases productivity. iv) Plotting of Future Expansion Possibilities of the Company Every decision the director make will bring a huge impact towards the company and the employees. (Sullivan, 2012) Even though it is risky to expand the company, however, Ms. Pearl Wong believed that a successful business expansion may lead the company to an exposure towards a wider audience which helps in increasing potential customers. Benefits of the Position To Ms. Pearl Wong, bringing up the young generation to let them show off their talents is already one of the benefits and happiness she could obtain in her career. Furthermore, having Korean instructors as her employees, it brings an international presence to her company and that helps her to learn more about the Korean culture and languages. In addition of that, it also gives her a new perspective and new ways to do things. Challenges The main challenge that Ms. Pearl Wong faces in her career is the changing customer preferences which is unpredictable. Customers’ preferences and expectations such as trends, economic conditions and the pace of their busy lives changes from time to time. (Miles, 2012) Ms. Pearl Wong has to keep herself up to date about the latest trend in dancing so that she could meet up the expectations of her target customers, which are the generation Y’s. She also adjusts prices for the dance classes so that it is affordable for her customers but in the same time, she needs to take into consideration of her profits and earnings. Therefore, these are the challenges she often face in her career. Job Requirements According to Ms. Pearl Wong, â€Å"Having a business of your own does not require a high level of education; instead, it requires passion, commitment and experiences.† Being just a graduate in SPM level, Ms. Pearl Wong explored and gain experiences from dance academies in different countries to learn their ways in doing the business. Years after years, she finally has her own dance company in Malaysia, which is also the first ever Korean Pop Dance Academy in Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, to her, it is all about the effort in learning and showing your passion in your career that counts. Personal SWOT Analysis i) Strengths My biggest strength is having good public relation skills especially in communication. I am able to communicate clearly no matter in writing or verbally. (Joseph, 2012) Besides that, I am always willing to learn new things in order to gain more knowledge and experiences. I also show full passion and commitment in my own interest and would spend time trying to improve myself. Last of all, I am able to think creatively and generate new ideas no matter in what I am doing. ii) Weaknesses  One of my weaknesses that often become the obstacle of my life is being lack of confidence. I often feel nervous and assume that I could not do well even before I try, this indirectly lower down my efficiency in work. Besides that, I have poor time management skills especially when it comes to completion of assignments and preparation for final exams. I always have this habit of completing my assignments at the very last minute which is one of my weaknesses that should be corrected. iii) Opportunities Being the Public Relation Manager and Event Coordinator in my club in University, I have the opportunity to organize events and meet people from different industries. Throughout the process of planning and organizing, I am able to gain a lot of new knowledge and experiences which would help me in my future career. Besides that, I am a part time trainee in Redmouse Dance Academy; therefore I am able to learn the ways to run a dance company. Of course, I am able to obtain extra knowledge in business through the current course I am studying in campus. iv) Threats The only threats I am currently facing are no specific training qualifications and no working experience which will definitely bring disadvantages to me in the future. Proposed Plan Short term plan For my short term plans, I would try my best to score my degree with flying colors. In the meantime, I would like to enhance personal development by being more active in participating activities and competitions in order to improve my self-confidence. Last of all, I must complete my degree program and graduate as an International Business and Marketing student so that I could equip myself with more knowledge and that will help increase the opportunities and chances others would offer to me in the future. Long Term plan For my long term plan, I would like to gain more working experiences at overseas for five years after completing my Degree Program as an International Business and Marketing graduate so that I could learn and explore more in other countries to get a wider view in business operations. After five years of working experience, I will continue pursuing my studies in Taylor’s Master in Management Program for 18 months to improve and upgrade myself so that I have enough knowledge to achieve my dream. After my completion in Master Program, I will continue working hard for at least three years and start my own business as an Entrepreneur of a dance company. Conclusion This interview has provided me a clearer view on my future career path and also increased my knowledge in the requirements of being an entrepreneur. Doing what I love to do and doing the best is always what I am trying to achieve in the future. I believe that my passion in dancing and managing will always be my motivation to study hard so that my dreams can be reached. Last but not least, I appreciate Ms. Pearl Wong’s help in spending her time to share her experiences with me throughout this interview.

An Analysis of George Orwell’s “Why I Write”

George Orwell and Joan Didion, in their essay, â€Å"Why I Write,† imply that writing has affected each author to abdicate adversity and to accept failure. Orwell and Didion support their implications by explaining how each author attempted to embrace the abstract ideas in writing, but learned to view themselves as mediocre writers, neither good nor bad, whose self-reflection in writing produced a solemn atmosphere.Their purpose is to educate the reader on relevant motives and authenticity associated with writing to help them conceive a profound piece of work through self-reflection. Both authors establish a formal but moderately depressing tone, appealing to young Americans who hope to become writers.George Orwell, in the essay, â€Å"Why I Write† utilizes the rhetorical strategy of explanation in order to effectively deliver his message to the attending audience. Orwell, at first, introduces a statement about his childhood and his ambitious goals to become an inspirin g writer. Suffering from depression and solitude during his adolescent years, Orwell often constructed solemn pieces of literature in order to reflect upon his current lifestyle.This idea of self-reflection assisted Orwell in becoming an exalt writer. Through exemplification, Orwell introduced the â€Å"four great motives for writing.† Orwell reflects upon the subject of sheer egotism, arguing that writers often write to be remembered.The author further elaborates on this idea, stating that serious writers care more about personal self-reflection than making money. In the motive of aesthetic enthusiasm, Orwell views himself as a moderate writer, illustrating how writers make their writing sound and look good by appreciating the aesthetics.The author eventually provides an  example for these motives, by appealing to the pathos in his Spanish-civil war poem, often concentrating on emotion and expressing remorse. Through explanation, George Orwell was able to effectively deliv er his message to the attending audience.Joan didion, in the essay â€Å"Why I write,† utilizes the rhetorical strategy of explanation to appeal to her audience. Joan introduces her essay with the topic of self-reflection, by illustrating the act of saying I.In addition, Joan elaborates on this idea of self-reflection, explaining how writing allowed her to create a mind of abstract ideas. Similar to Orwell, Joan experienced several obstacles that impeded her writing. The author focuses on a particular issue, in which Didion became distracted while writing.The author reflects upon this idea, by providing an example of how her attention diverted simply to a â€Å"flowering pear outside her window† or the â€Å"lights on in the Bevatron† while writing at Berkley.Didion additionally conveys her attitude towards these distractions, often wondering why such events occur. As a result, Joan often ponders upon the abstract ideas in order to enhance her writing. Through t he use of explanation, Joan didion was able to effectively deliver her message to the attending audience.George Orwell and Joan didion, in their why I write, employ the rhetorical strategy of explanation in order effectively attend to their audience. Though each author provided examples in order to support their implication, their appeals to pathos and emphasis on pondering the abstract ideas in writing further attracted their audience.

Latin America’s Access to International Capital Markets: Good Behavior or Global Liquidity?

Latin America gained independence in early 19th century. From that time on, it showed active participation in international business endeavors through borrowings. The active participation of Latin America in international capital markets started when independence wars emerge in the history of the region. The series of borrowings by Latin America to international capital markets was stopped when several Latin American countries defaulted in its payments. Hence, international markets disappeared before the Latin American countries as a source financial aid. In the year 1970, Latin America participated again in having access to international capital markets. But, that participation became short-lived due to the fact that Mexico defaulted in its financial obligations with international capital markets. As a result, all Latin American countries lost access to international borrowings. There are three main questions that trigger the people’s minds in relation to the research study. The first question is anchored on whether or not the erratic international capital markets affect the boom-bust pattern in Latin America’s participation in international borrowings. The second question is posed on whether or not the volatile nature of Latin America’s economies caused the boom-bust pattern in Latin America’s participation in international borrowings. And the third question pertains to whether or not international primary gross issuance is vital to Latin America’s economic condition. In line with that, a collection of issuance data for twenty Latin American countries was completed which resulted to the discovery of three groups of typical economies. The first group of typical economies pertains to those Latin American countries with active participation in international capital markets which include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela (Fostel & Kaminsky, 2007, p. ). The second group of typical economies is one with more limited access to intentional borrowings which is composed of Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay (Fostel & Kaminsky, 2007, p. 1). The third group of typical economies is one without participation in international markets and with no international issuance bond and equity which is composed of Haiti, Nicaragua, and Paraguay (Fostel & Kaminsky, 2007, p. 1). The first group is the focus of the research study for the purpose of examining whether or not good behavior or global liquidity is the cause of the boom-bust pattern of Latin America’s participation in international capital markets business activities. Basically, the research paper revolves around the explanation on Latin America’s access to international markets. The performance of the trade account and the development of financing in soaring, average, and stumpy income countries are discussed with clarity. Besides, the skillful presentation about the evolution of transfers involving official and private capital flows is apparent. The in-depth discussion about the three international capital markets like bonds, equity and syndicated loans of which some Latin American countries gained access provides readers the necessary knowledge about the topic. The data presented by the researchers with respect to international gross issuance among the countries that belongs to the first typical economies is useful in understanding the development of the participation of Latin America in international capital markets. Hence, the research paper is successful in giving complete and reliable information regarding Latin America’s access to international borrowings. Finally, global liquidation may be considered vital to access in international capital markets for Latin American countries, but still good behaviors matters most. This fact was exemplified by the positive performance of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile in terms of financial obligation payments during the 1990s (Fostel & Kaminsky, 2007, p. 1). The result of such superior performance is eventual macroeconomic stabilization.

CA eng 1st Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CA eng 1st - Essay Example I believed that my father, being an illiterate man, was able to achieve enough respect in his life and I would be able to achieve the same by joining him eventually. I did not believe that education had anything to do with being successful and reputed. One day, when I was 16 years old, my father surprised me and told me that it was about time I came along and participated in a meeting with a supplier. He explained to me that this meeting was extremely important and it would be like a dream come true if the contract was signed. The contract was to export lights to another country and expand the business globally. I was extremely excited! I could see the enthusiasm in y father’s eye and he was hopeful that the deal would fall through. The meeting was with a man who had come from a foreign nation. He was unable to speak the national language and the issue started when he realized that my father was illiterate and he could not converse in English appropriately. The man seemed disappointed and he judged my father instantly as soon as he realized he wasn’t educated. Throughout the meeting I felt my father was constantly struggling to convince him to make the deal but he failed. The man had made up his mind. He did not want to do business with an illiterate businessman. I saw the grief and disappointment in my father’s eyes. His dreams had been shattered. He looked at me feeling helpless and asked us to leave. Seeing the helpless, disappointed look in his eyes made me decide instantly that I would not let my father down and I would fulfill his dream by being literate and moving his business forward. He would not be disappointed anymore and I would achieve in my life what this contemporary world requires out of business men. This was the moment of truth where I understood that in order to fulfill your dreams education plays a vital role. I stand here in front of you a proud man as

Cuts the Word Peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cuts the Word Peace - Essay Example This essay gives various definitions about terrorism and traces back its origin. Further, it seeks to explain different types and forms of terrorism and its effects to the society, environment, and government. Terrorism bears itself the words destruction and violence. To some, it means death and hell. Probably, all over the world, this word has gone every corner of the society. Indeed, terrorism can be found anywhere, as long as there is life. Different walks of life especially the children, probably if asked, as to what they understand about it would answer, â€Å"terrorism is what the ‘Justice League’ (super hero characters) combating against.† Or, other school children might say, â€Å"Oh! It’s something I play with in the computer; don’t you play counter strike and plants versus zombies?† The dangerous influence brought about by terrorism has entered even into the young little hearts. It seems like everyone knows it, even a five year old c hild. Since the beginning of the recorded history, terrorism has been evolving with its meaning and image. As technology grows, there are many kinds of terrorism emerging in like a root of plant that enormously increases in length. Perhaps, it would continue to grow more until it reaches the depth of limits. The term terrorism comes from the root word ‘terror,’ which means overmastering fear (â€Å"Terror†). But if somebody would ask who created fear? ... Thus, terrorism was used to resist occupation. All countries upon the face of the earth have witnessed and even some had participated in the act of terrorism like invasion and war. The September 11, 2001 attack in the US World Trade Center is one work of terrorism. The terrorists behind this terrible thing intimidated the government and the society. Political leaders, analysts, and even the students of Political Science discipline know that this is a game played by a single or group of persons aiming to overturn the government and destroy its very foundation--the common people. Hence, here terrorism is defined as â€Å"the destroyer.† A boy playing counter-strike enjoys the thrill that the game creates. He might say, â€Å"This is good, I like the feeling of becoming a terrorist.† In addition, terrorism brings ‘horror’ in the minds of the ones who are fond of playing unusual games. It is like â€Å"putting the horror in the minds of the audience, and not n ecessarily on the screen† (Garrison 12). In addition, fear, horror, and terror are somewhat synonymous to the term terrorism. In an author’s point of view, where they usually define terrorism with concise examples, illustrations and provide the reader’s with a scene ‘like horror’. They used to claim that this term is a political act. Some described this word â€Å"as both tactic and strategy, a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination† (â€Å"What Is Terrorism†). In addition, the FBI used to view the term as the unlawful use of force to further political or social objectives through violence. However, nowadays, terrorism has been into many forms--either small or great. In fact, it has reached the surface of cyberspace. The