Tourism development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism development - Essay Example In fact, there are many unique and new developments in tourism. This paper will examine three types of tourism developments that have changed in recent years. The first item we will examine is the rise of ‘green’ or eco-tourism. Next, we will examine World Heritage Site tourism, which is a branch of more traditional style historic destination travel. Finally, we will look at ‘pro-poor’ tourism, or travel set up to benefit local impoverished economies. In addition to examining these three types of tourism, we will see the advantages of each and the overall benefits of each as compared to more traditional tourism. The first area of change in regards development approaches to tourism is with green or eco-tourism. Uddhammar (2006, p. 659) defines eco-tourism as tourism that: (1) contributes actively to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage; (2) includes the local communities in it’s planning, development, operation, and well-being; (3) interprets the natural heritage of the destination to visitors; and (4) lends itself best to independent travelers or small size organized groups. (Uddhammar,2006, p.659). Eco-tourism would encompass more than random nature tourism. Mergg (2007, p. 3) gives key elements that would distinguish eco-tourism, such as minimizing the impact of various infrastructures. This includes limiting hotels and other buildings by using local materials that are safe, recyclable, and sensitive in design to the ecosystem. Also, Mergg emphasizes how education is a substantial part of the eco experience. Before the trip, the tourists should have read educational materials on the area and be trained on how to minimize their impact to the environment. A code of conduct should be in place along with well trained guides to make sure the vacation goes as intended. Finally, before the trip occurs, partial revenue streams involved such as plane fare would help benefit the area. Mergg goes on to

Changes to McDonalds: An Analysis

Changes to McDonalds: An Analysis Introduction About the Report The main objective of this report is to actually look in depth on McDonalds, a fast food restaurant that has been there for so many years and analyze the differences between McDonalds in the past and at present which can be explained further using SWOT and PEST analysis. From there onwards, we are able to see and understand how McDonalds changes through time so that the company can compete with other companies and yet at the same time cater to the different needs of its consumer. Information gathered are from internet resources and my personal experience working in McDonalds for more than half a year. McDonalds History McDonalds is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 31,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in 118 countries each day. So ever wonder how the world famous McDonalds begins and who were the ones that started this business? The McDonald brothers Dick and Mac opened the first McDonalds restaurant at 1940 in San Bernardino, California. In 1954, Ray Kroc became the first person to gain the rights to franchise McDonalds; opening his first restaurant in Des Plain, Illinois on April 15 and the McDonalds corporation was created. Phenomenal Growth in the 1960s and 1970s In 1961, Kroc bought all the rights of McDonalds concept from the McDonald brothers for$ 2.7 million and at the same year, the Hamburger University was opened. During 1960s and 1970s, McDonalds success was i large part due to the companys skillful marketing and flexible response to customer demand, introducing new burgers like the Filet-O-Fish and Big Mac. The first restaurant outside of the USA opened in Canada and Puerto Rico. Fred Turner became the companys president and chief administrative officer. Kroc became chairman and CEO until 1973. Turner had originally intended open a McDonalds franchise, but when he had problems with his backers over location, he went to work as a grill man for Kroc in 1956. As operations vice-president, Turner helped franchisees get their stores up and running. He was constantly looking for new ways to perfect the McDonalds system, pointing out that seconds could be saved if McDonalds used buns that were presliced all the way through and were not stuck together in the package. Such attention to details was one of the reasons for the companys extraordinary success. In 1972 passed $1 billion in annual sales; by 1976, McDonalds had served billion hamburgers and system wide sales exceeded $3 billion. McDonalds in the recent years McDonalds had been recording declining profits since 2001. Although turnover was increasing, there was a continuous declining in its operating profit and net profit margins. To turnaround its fortune, the company adopted the â€Å"Plan To Win† strategy in 2003. The main purpose of the strategy was to bring about the improvement in the companys performance by building it around five key drivers of customer experience-People, Product, Price, Place and Promotions; and by identifying opportunities on the basis of the four basic aspects of its mission statement Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value. The strategy was also based on what McDonalds considered as three essential components of success-Operational Excellence, Leadership Marketing and Innovation. McDonalds Corp. has finally selected a new trans-fat-free oil for cooking its French fries, hash browns, all chicken choices, and Filet-O-Fish and has made the switch during 2008. This change has been made because consumption of trans fat increases the risk of getting coronary heart disease and customers are being more aware of that. Though McDonalds was among the first to say it would stop using unhealthy oils, it has been slow to make the change. On the other hand, its competitors like Yum Brands Incs KFC and Taco Bell and Burger King Holdings Inc had earlier swapped for trans-fat-free oil in 2007. Companys Mission and Vision statement McDonalds Mission statement Be the best employer for our people in each community around the world Deliver operational excellence to our customers in each of our restaurants; and Achieve enduring profitable growth by expanding the brand and leveraging the strengths of the McDonalds system through innovation and technology. McDonalds Vision statement â€Å"McDonalds vision is to be the worlds best quick service restaurant experience. Being best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.† PEST Analysis Political The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. (2001, 705) For instance, there are certain groups in Europe and the United States that clamor for state actions pertaining to the health implications of eating fast food. (2005) They have indicated that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food products. On the other hand, the company is controlled by the individual policies and regulations of operations. Specific markets focus on different areas of concern such as that of health, worker protection, and environment. All these elements are seen in the government control of the licensing of the restaurants in the respective states. For instance, there is an impending legal dispute in the McDonalds franchise in India where certain infringement of rights and violation of religious laws pertaining to the contents of the food. The existence of meat in their menus in India is apparently offensive to the Hindu religion in the said market. There are also other studies that point to the infringement of McDonalds Stores with reference to the existing employment laws in the target market. Like any business venture, these McDonalds stores have to contend with the issues of employment procedures as well as their tax obligations so as to succeed in the foreign market. Economical Organisations in the fast food industry are not excused from any disputes and troubles. Specifically, they do have their individual concerns involving economic factors. Branches and franchises of fast food chains like McDonalds has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. The customers consequently are faced with a stalemate of going over their individual budgets whether or not they should use up more on these foreign fast food chains. (2004) Hence, these chains may have to put up with the issues of the effects of the economic environment. Particularly, their problem depends on the response of the consumers on these fundamentals and how it could influence their general sales. In regarding the operations of the company, food chains like McDonalds tend to import much of their raw materials into a specific territory if there is a dearth of supply. Exchange rate fluctuations will als o play a significant role in the operations of the company. As stated in the paragraph above, McDonalds stores have to take a great deal of consideration with reference to their microenvironment. The companys international supply as well as the existing exchange rates is merely a part of the overall components needed to guarantee success for the foreign operations of McDonalds. Moreover, it is imperative that the company be cognizant of the existing tax requirements needed by the individual governments on which they operate. This basically ensures the smooth operations of the McDonalds franchises. In the same regard, the company will also have to consider the economic standing of the state on which they operate on. The rate at which the economy of that particular state grows determines the purchasing power of the consumers in that country. Hence, if a franchise operates in a particularly economically weak state, hence their products shall cost higher than the other existing products in the market, and then these franchises must take on certai n adjustments to maintain the economies of scale. Social Cultural Articles on the international strategies of McDonalds seem to function on several fields to guarantee lucrative returns for the organisation. To illustrate, the organisation improves on establishing a positive mind-set from their core consumers. McDonalds indulge a particular variety of consumers with definite types of personalities. (1994) It has also been noted that the company have given the markets such as the United Kingdom, an option with regards to their dining needs. (2005) pointed out that McDonalds has launched a sensibly valued set of food that tenders a reliable level of quality for the respective market where it operates. Additionally, those who are aged just below the bracket of thirty-five are said to be the most frequent consumers of McDonalds franchises. (2005) The multifaceted character of business nowadays is reflected in the harsh significance of the information on the subject of the existing market. This procedure is essentially identified in the field as market research. (1997) Information with regards to the appeal and potential fields of the market would double as obstructions to the success of the company if this area of the operations is neglected. In the case of McDonalds they establish a good system in determining the needs of the market. The company uses concepts of consumer behaviour product personality and purchasing decisions to its advantage. (1998) it is said to have a major influence on the understanding of the prospective performance of the organisation in a particular market. (2000) Technological McDonalds generates a demand for their own products. (2006) The Companys key tool for marketing is by means of television advertisements. There are similarly some claims that McDonalds are inclined to interest the younger populations more. The existence of play spots as well as toys in meals offered by the company shows this actuality. (1995) Other demonstration of such a marketing strategy is apparent in the commercials of they use. They employ animated depictions of their characters like Grimace and Hamburglar. Other advertising operations employ popular celebrities to promote their products. The like has become endorsers for McDonalds worldwide â€Å"loving it† campaign. Moreover, the operations of McDonalds have significantly been infused with new technology. Elements like the inventory system and the management of the value chain of the company allows for easy payments for their suppliers and other vendors which the individual stores in respective markets deal with. The i ntegration of technology in the operations of McDonalds tend to add value to their products. Basically, this is manifested in the improvements on its value chain. The improvement of the inventory system as well as its supply chain allows the company to operate in an international context. Conclusion Observations In order to gain any advantage over businesses in the same market, a company must find some sort of differentiation to exploit- McDonalds is no different. They have focused their marketing advantage on good food with fast service as well as their willingness to change and innovate. An example of this can be found with the implementation of Chicken McNuggets. At first, people were not thrilled with eating meat with their hands but McDonalds responded by adding BBQ sauce for dipping, which cause McNuggets to explode onto the scene. McDonalds successful name brands have spread all over the world, and with their competitive advantage, and marketing campaign dominating over competing companies, they look to stay at the top of the fast food business for the foreseeable future. Recommendations Implement new healthier food options in their menus. It is obvious they already did this to some extent with offering milks, salads and yoghurts, but they can do more to continue to flourish. In order to stay above negative press about health risks (â€Å"Supersize Me†, etc), McDonalds must bounce back by altering their menus in a positive, health conscious way-dramatically change their food choices. Refurnish restaurant franchises by changing their entire look of what the inside of McDonalds looks like. Instead of the old fashioned tiles and outdated table and chairs, McDonalds should employ a more contemporary ‘new age look. By doing this, they will change the way consumers think of McDonalds s just a fast food restaurant joint, instead sending them the message that is instead a high-scale restaurant. By simply changing the physical surrounding inside McDonalds (as well as adding few TVs and modern amenities), the restaurant will appeal to many more people who have been overexposed to â€Å"the same old thing†, as well as giving them more excitement/enthusiasm to come and eat at McDonalds. McDonalds should work more to expand beyond its namesake franchise. As a company they should take advantage of the name brand recognition associated with McDonalds brand and create other brands producing new, dynamic types of food. By moving to adjacent markets, McDonalds can use their current success to their advantage by starting to become involved in diverse food markets, which will increase revenue in the long run. Conclusion McDonalds is and will be the leading food services for the many years to come. But the company can do more by changing their menus into a much healthier menu by introducing more vegetables and fruits as there are a growing number of health conscious consumers and if the company is able to so, they can attract more customers and hold off their competitors such as Burger King and KFC. So with that in mind, there are still many aspects that McDonalds can improve on to continue their domination in this world of business.

How to Use a Stethoscope Essay -- essays research papers

How to Use a Stethoscope Perhaps one of the greatest abilities in today’s medical world is the ability doctors and nurses have to listen to heartbeats, pulses, and breathing patterns with simplicity. It doesn’t require any high-tech equipment. It doesn’t require a myriad of tests and examinations. It doesn’t cost thousands of dollars per minute to operate. In fact, the abilities that I just mentioned are made possible by this instrument: a stethoscope. The stethoscope that we know today is not the stethoscope that was invented nearly 200 years ago. In 1816, a young physician in Paris, France, named R.T.H. Laennec, created the first recorded stethoscope, thanks to his noble convictions. You see, Dr. Laennec was examining a female patient, and was embarrassed to put his ear to her chest. This was common practice among physicians in this time period, but Laennec was simply resistant. Instead, he recalled that sound travels through solid materials. He rolled up 24 sheets of paper, and placed one end to his patient’s chest. The other end he placed to his ear, and to his amazement, listened to the noises of her chest cavity. Not only could he hear the sounds his patient was making, he noticed the sounds were louder and clearer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of course, Laennec’s design was much like a paper towel tube, so it is not at all representative of this instrument: the modern binaural stethoscope. This design was created only years after the creation of the stethoscope a...

Bush and Branson: Dichotomies of Power

Jane Jacob’s book, Systems of Survival, discusses two types of ethical or value systems governing our working lives, with each one the complete foil of the other. These two systems describe the framework by which we operate day to day, procuring our needs and securing our own territories. It is interesting to note that while the two systems in question are polar opposites, there are several instances where organizations use a combination of the two.However, it is worth mentioning that while the two are indeed different, both, as products of their own unique environment, are equally necessary and valid to the circumstances in which they arise and within the context of their use. There are times when one system leverages another for its own advantage. The two systems are Guardian Moral Syndrome and the Commercial Moral Syndrome. From their names alone, it is easy to guess their differences from one another. The first model, the Guardian Moral Syndrome, generally refers to people or agencies that are protective or defensive in nature.Examples of guardians are the military and the police, organizations which employ force in order to achieve its goals. The Commercial Model Syndrome is used by commercial or business entities. The commercials use trade in order to advance its interests. The main argument of Jacobs’ book is that our world uses only two methods to acquire resources and those are to trade in an atmosphere of symbiosis, or take another’s resources by force under the pretense of a variety of reasons. As Paquet & Gilles explains, â€Å"Guardian moral syndrome underpinning hierarchical system, and commercial moral syndrome underpinning market-type organizations.(1999, p. 35)In this regard, this paper will try to differentiate the two systems more clearly by citing two famous personalities who embody each system or model and try to explain their actions in light of the values that define each system. Guardian Moral Syndrome: George W. Bu sh It is perhaps unfortunate to be the President of the United States at the time when the September 11 World Trade Canter attack took place. Imagine the burden of responsibility, made more difficult to bear with the whole world watching your every move. George W.Bush, the current President of the United States made the decision to retaliate and take an offensive stance against terrorism, saying that it was a necessary move to protect his country. Soon after the 9-11 attacks, the United States, backed by its international allies waged a war on Afghanistan to free the country from the iron grip of the Taliban rule. By doing so, Bush redefined the concept of terrorism from nameless, stateless entities, to one that is closely associated with the country that is giving them safe passage (Moens, 2004, p. 164).A country that harbors a terrorist shares in the sin and will suffer the consequences of doing so. Up to now, even the face of growing dissent, Bush has continued its war against te rrorism. After Afghanistan, Bush went on to attack Iraq and weed out Saddam Hussein. While he was successful at bringing Hussein down, the long drawn out war in Iraq is hugely unpopular in the United States. Bush is receiving increasingly heated criticism from his own country. From receiving the highest approval rating immediately following the 9-11 attacks, his ratings plummeted to a level lowest in recent history.According to Sammon, Bush defends his position by saying that terrorism is not a criminal offense, but an act of war. (2006, p. 25). It is very plain to see how Bush is exhibiting the Moral Guardian Syndrome. He does not hesitate to use force to advance his own cause. Perhaps encouraged by the success of the Afghanistan campaign, he truly believes that he can rid the world of terrorists. Values such as exert prowess, take vengeance, deceive for the sake of task, be fatalistic, can be seen in Bush’s leadership style.Primarily, it is the unflinching willingness to us e physical force that defines Bush’s presidency. In order to protect his territory and resources, he embraces force and stands his ground. The use of military might to exact vengeance and uphold a way of life holds true with the Guardian Moral Syndrome. In fact, the need for righteous revenge was what galvanized the United States soon after the World Trade Center was attacked, killing thousands of people. Bush capitalized on his country’s united call for justice in order to indefinitely maintain his war against terrorists and extremists.He protects his turf by actively seeking out and eliminating those who threaten his territory and he does so with firm belief in his cause. Bush personifies the guardian moral syndrome because the use of righteous force governs his thoughts and actions. He remains faithful to the cause and is more than willing to pay the price for his advocacy and beliefs. Commercial Model Syndrome: Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Brans on is the owner of the Virgin group of companies. He was born in Surrey, England and is currently the fifth richest man in the United Kingdom.Branson is a high school dropout because his dyslexia was getting in the way of his learning. His teachers, who did not know any better at that time thought he was a slow learner. Whatever shortcomings Richard had in his academic life, he made up with his entrepreneurial spirit, Richard has always been enterprising, venturing into businesses at a young age. He was 21 years when he opened his first record store in 1971. In the 1980’s, Branson’s Virgin record label grew rapidly, spurred primarily by his flamboyant and competitive style. What started out as a small record store is now a globally-recognized brand.A big part of Branson’s early success was the choice of name for his business, but foremost was his passion and faith for what he is doing. He was focused and had his eye on the goal from day one. He leveraged his sma ll successes in order to take on grander undertakings. Fridson describes Branson’s success. â€Å"The unconventionality reflected in Branson’s managerial style is a personality trait that made him a highly successful innovator throughout his career. † (1999, p. 226) Branson breaks the mold of the traditional successful businessman (Nelson and Quick, p. 111).Nevertheless, he is still remains to be a classic example of the commercial moral syndrome and is a good case in point. Among all the values embodied by the commercial moral syndrome, Branson is the epitome of optimism. He had explicit faith in his own success, and the positive expectations he had for himself became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as evidenced by his Virgin conglomerate. Aside from his optimism, Branson is also industrious and efficient, and does not balk at the competition. However, it should be noted that among all of Branson’s traits as a businessman.He best embodies the qualities of th e commercial moral syndrome with his willingness to innovate. Among the precepts of the commercial moral syndrome says that one should be open to inventiveness and novelty. There should be a willingness to try something new and keep redefining the current state of things. Branson, for all his successes, could have just chosen to rest on his laurels and enjoy the fruits of his hard work. But the need to raise the bar keeps him on the top of his game. This perhaps is the hallmark of every great businessman.The willingness to create something new, and accept the risks that go with it are what sets the Branson from the rest of the crowd and is perhaps the main reason for his success. Branson acquires resources and riches by engaging in business under a free market economy, and he expands on his territory by using what he has earned as funds in order to acquire more. He enters into agreements and partnerships to diversify and knows how to invest productively and is optimistic even as he takes calculated risks. Branson is a model for the commercial moral system because he represents all the best that this system embodies.He is perhaps one of the best arguments for this model. Branson has proved that with the right attitude, anyone can be successful businessman, even a school drop-out like he is. Indeed the concept of a dichotomy in business and government entities is dictated by the circumstances wherein they are being used. One model or syndrome is not necessarily better over the other because they were made for entirely different reasons. Guardian precepts are designed to strengthen the individual against fear and weakness, but it should be tempered with a strong sense of fairness and justice.The best guardians are that person who, while believing in the necessity of force, exhausts all peaceful means before using it. Force should always be a last resort, and must never be used to advance any selfish interests. Conversely, commercial precepts are designed for the accumulation of wealth under a free market environment. But it success in a commercial model should be tempered with civic responsibility and the willingness to give back to the community and help those who have not been so fortunate in life. The two people mentioned in this paper does embody the qualities of each system.They are operating within their own zones and are successful in their own right. However, I believe that the world is far too complex to be condensed into a black and white model. While there is no doubt that Jacobs has great insights on how we act to survive and keep our turf, most things in life are not as clearly defined. Depending on the situation, we can be guardians or commercials, or a bit of both. And while the two people discussed here typify one model or another, there is no saying how long will they stay that way and how will they act if their life circumstances were any different, or if something changes in their environment.

Race and Ethnicity Essay

?â€Å"ASSESS THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL FACTORS SUCH AS RACISM AND PUPILS RESPONSES TO RACISM IN CREATING ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT†. (20 MARKS) Ethnic differences concerning education achievement arise from numerous factors these including internal and external school factors such as racism, pupil responses, material and cultural deprivation which is faced by some ethnic groups and are the main reasons to explain why certain ethnic groups perform the way in which they do. Within this essay I will look at the previously stated factors and assess the importance of them and how much they actually impact on the educational achievement of these ethnic groups. Labelling and teacher racism is a factor of racism which creates an impact in educational achievement amongst ethnic groups for example teachers label Black and Asian pupils as being far from the ‘ideal’ pupil, as Black pupils are seen to be disruptive and Asian pupils as passive. These negative labels may lead to teachers treating ethnic minority pupils differently, Therefore disadvantages them and resulting to their failure. Gillborn and Youdell found teachers were quicker to discipline black pupils than others for the same before, this is due to teachers ‘racialised expectations’, found teachers expected black pupils to present more discipline problems and misinterpreted their behaviour as threatening or challenging to authority. They also found that African Caribbean’s as the best starters but became worst during their GCSEs found that attaching negative labels to different ethnic groups had negative effects, this link in with the self-fulfilling prophecy for those who conform to this role and those who reject it and are in turn successful. Pupil responses to racism also determine educational success this supported by Heidi Safia Mirza who studied ambitious black girls who faced teacher racism. Girls in Mirza’s study failed to achieve their ambitions because their coping strategies restricted their opportunities and resulted in under-achievement. Mirza found that racist teachers discouraged black pupils from being ambitious through the kind of advice they gave them about careers and option choices. In contrast to the Mirza’s study, the Fuller and Mac an Ghaill came to the conclusions through their study, that pupils may succeed even when they refuse to conform and that negative labelling does not always lead to failure as the girls from the study were able to reject the labels placed on them and they remained determined to succeed. This suggests that educational achievement is reliant on the pupils response to racism and how it is dealt this either by acceptance and conforming a anti school culture hence creating a self-fulfilling prophecy or by working against the label and achieving to a high standard without attracting the negative aspects of the schooling environment. Other factors such as material and cultural deprivation have been seen to make create ethnic differences in educational achievement. The material deprivation aspect can be explained through statistics showing children entitled to free school meals, by ethnic group. The highest ranking ethnic groups are Bangladeshis and Pakistanis entitled to free school meals, these inequalities parallel those seen in educational achievement. For example Indians and whites generally have a higher social class position than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis, who often face high levels of poverty. The material deprivation explanation argues that such class differences explain why Bangladeshi and Pakistani pupils tend to do worse than Indian and white pupils. Cultural deprivation is also said to cause differences within achievement as intellectual and linguistic skills, attitudes and values and family structure all play key role in determining educational success. Intellectual and linguistic skills are valued to be the most important as without this essential tool children are most likely to under-achieve as they unequipped for the school as they have not been able to develop reasoning and problem-solving skills. Bereiter and Engelmann consider language spoken by low-income black American families as inadequate for educational success. See it as ungrammatical, disjointed and incapable of expressing abstract ideas. There has also been concern that children who do not speak English at home may be held back educationally. Nevertheless, the Swann report found that language was not a major factor in under-achievement, while Gillborn and Mirza note that Indian pupil do very well despite often not having English as their home language. Attitudes and values perceived by black children are seen as unsatisfactory by many cultural deprivation theorists as their lack of motivation is the major cause of their failure as they are socialised into subculture which does not value education and has fatalistic attitude. Most other children are socialised into the mainstream ideology which instils ambition, competiveness and willingness to make the sacrifices for long term goals essentially equips them for success in education. Family structure and parental support, Ken Pryce sees family structure as contributing to the under-achievement of black Caribbean pupils in Britain. From a comparison of black and Asian pupils, he claims that Asians are higher achievers because their culture is more resistant to racism and gives them a greater sense of self-worth. By contrast, he argues, black Caribbean culture is less cohesive and less resistant to racism. As a result, many black pupils have low self-esteem and under-achieve. Argues difference is the result of differing impact of colonialism on the two groups. Experience of slavery was culturally devastating for blacks they lost their language, religion and entire family system. Asian family structure remains intact as, languages and religions were not destroyed by colonial rule. Sociologists argue racism in wider society is a factor which restricts educational achievement of certain ethnic groups this is supported by David Mason who puts it, ‘discrimination is a continuing and persistent feature of the experience of Britain’s citizens of minority ethnic origin’. It is also argued by sociologist John Rex who shows how racial discrimination leads to social exclusion and how this in turn worsens the poverty faced by ethnic minorities in housing for instance. There are links to employment also as on a basis of last names determine ethnicity and from that some are biased towards e. g. when being chosen for a job and the last names ‘Patel’ and ‘Evans’ have the same set of qualifications, the company would be interested in recruiting ‘Evans’ the white candidate more than ‘Patel’ who is from an Indian background. This explains why member of ethnic minorities are more likely to face unemployment and low pay, and this in turn has a negative effect on their children’s educational prospects. The concluded judgement suggests that the ethnic differences which arise within educational achievement are down to a mixture of material and cultural deprivation as these are most influential in determining educational success and addressing ethnic differences. Some pupil responses to racism and racism also have the ability to suggest why ethnic differences arise overall but are mostly dependent on the individual and how he/she perceives the educations system e. g. either negatively or positively due to experience or upbringing. This would then initially give an insight onto how well the pupil would perform. Criticism which occur are of internationalist who argue that you cannot generalise a whole ethnic group as all the different experiences, therefore any suggestions made about the whole ethnic groups education achievements may or may not reflect a true image.

45 Synonyms for Old and Old-Fashioned

45 Synonyms for Old and Old-Fashioned 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned† 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned† By Mark Nichol Our culture’s attitude toward age is reflected in the often-pejorative meanings of words synonymous with old and old-fashioned, though some are neutral or even reverent. Here are forty-five words that refer to people, places, and things that are, or are considered, old or old-fashioned. (Unrelated senses are also listed.) 1. Aged: advanced in age, typical of old age; also, at an age 2. Aging: advancing in age, or the concept of growing older 3. Ancient: aged, old-fashioned, or pertaining to long-ago times, or see venerable 4. Anile: pertaining to or resembling an old woman, or see senile 5. Antiquated: of advanced age, or out of fashion or style 6. Archaic: pertaining to an earlier time 7. Dated: old-fashioned; also, provided with a date 8. Decrepit: infirm because of old age, or dilapidated, run down, or worn out 9. Dà ©modà ©: unfashionable 10. Demoded: see dà ©modà © 11. Doddering: see senile 12. Elderly: pertaining to the late period of life, or old-fashioned 13. Fossilized: see outmoded; also, fixed or rigid, or converted into a fossil 14. Geriatric: old or out of style, or pertaining to older people or to the process of aging 15. Kaput: outmoded; also, broken, or defeated or destroyed 16. Long lived: characterized by a long life span 17. Medieval: see antiquated and outmoded; also, pertaining to the Middle Ages in Europe 18. Moribund: inactive, obsolete, or nearing death 19. Mossy: see antiquated; also, something similar to moss, or covered by moss or something similar 20. Moth eaten: see antiquated and outmoded; also, eaten by moths or their larvae 21. Noachian: see ancient and antiquated; also, pertaining to Noah or the era in which he lived 22. Neolithic: old-fashioned because a holdover from another era; also, a scientific term (always capitalized) referring to the later Stone Age 23. Obsolete: old-fashioned, or no longer useful; also, in biology, flawed or vestigial in comparison to similar features 24. Out of date: see outmoded 25. Outdated: see outmoded 26. Outmoded: out of style, or not acceptable or current 27. Outworn: see outmoded 28. Overage: too old to be of use, or older than normal 29. Over the hill: advanced in age, or past one’s prime 30. Passà ©: past one’s prime, and see outmoded 31. Prehistoric: see outmoded; also, in archaeology and language, from before written history 32. Quaint: old-fashioned; also, odd, elegant, or skillfully designed 33. Retro: see retrograde (however, the short form is from the French term rà ©trospectif, not from retrograde) 34. Retrograde: fashionable nostalgic, or trendily old-fashioned; also, various technical senses of moving backward or contrary to normal motion 35. Rusty: clumsy or slow due to old age or lack of practice 36. Senescent: old, or becoming old; also, the part of a plant’s life cycle from full maturity onward 37. Senile: pertaining to old age, especially to loss of mental faculties 38. Senior: older, or older than another; also, someone in the highest level in an institution or organization or with high rank or status 39. Spavined: see decrepit; also, afflicted with swelling 40. Stone Age: a period or a stage in the development of a field or institution considered old or old-fashioned; also, in archeology, the earliest period of human culture (always capitalized in both senses) 41. Superannuated: older than is typical, disqualified for active duty because of age, or old-fashioned 42. Tottery: infirm or precarious 43. Unyoung: old 44. Venerable: prompting respect because of age and attendant wisdom or skill, or impressive because of age; also, sacred or deserving of reverence 45. Vintage: old or old-fashioned; also, among the best (said of a particular person or thing), or of enduring interest or worth Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1Taser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?How to Address Your Elders, Your Doctor, Young Children... and Your CEO

Phycoremediation essays

Phycoremediation essays Mine wastewater accounts for the largest Superfund site, the Berkeley Pit, in Butte, Montana. Chlorinated solvent pollution accounts for at least 40% of all Superfund sites. These problems are very real, especially the latter in the greater Attleboro area. The former jewelry capital of the world, Attleboro was the home of early jewelry industry, and this industry has left a scar behind. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) were used in the manufacturing process as degreasers used to clean metal. Furthermore, at the time, the knowledge that the chlorinated solvents are carcinogens did not exist. Hence the ultimate purpose of this project, to find an alternative, cleaner, and more cost effective method of cleaning inorganic and organic aqueous pollution. Phycoremediation, or cleaning by the use of algae, is a novel technique when applied to aqueous pollution. Several studies have been performed using soil algae, but very little on heavy metals, and only one concerning chlorinated solvents. This experiment is innovative in its use in water environments. Heavy metal pollution, although not a major problem in this area, is intoxicating the west where most mining takes place. Several assays were performed using three species of algae, Chromulina freiburgensis, Chlorella ellipsoida, and Spirogyra porticalis. The heavy metals of most concern were tested: aluminum, iron, copper, manganese, and nickel (the use of arsenic is a violation of pre-college research rules.) Each was at a 1000 parts per million (ppm) concentration. Results showed that phycoremediation when applied to heavy metal pollution is highly effective, approximately 92% on average. The algae, as a response to the stimulus of high metallic ion concentration, increase the production of the peptide glutathion. This peptide acts as a reducing agent to the ions. The newly reduced ions can then be absorbed by the algal cells via active transport. Designs for an in...

Definition and Examples of Ethnic Dialects

Definition and Examples of Ethnic Dialects An ethnic dialect is the distinct form of a language spoken by members of a particular ethnic group. Also called socioethnic dialect. Ronald Wardhaugh and Janet Fuller point out that ethnic dialects are not simply foreign accents of the majority language, as many of their speakers may well be monolingual speakers of the majority language. . . . Ethnic dialects are ingroup ways of speaking the majority language (An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2015). In the United States, the two most widely studied ethnic dialects are  African-American Vernacular English (AAVE)  and Chicano English  (also known as Hispanic Vernacular English).   Commentary People who live in one place talk differently from people in another place due largely to the settlement patterns of that areathe linguistic characteristics of the people who settled there are the primary influence on that dialect, and the speech of most people in that area shares similar dialect features. However, . . . African American English is spoken primarily by Americans of African descent; its unique characteristics were due initially to settlement patterns as well but now persist due to the social isolation of African Americans and the historical discrimination against them. African American English is therefore more accurately defined as an ethnic dialect than as a regional one. (Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone: An Introduction. Wadsworth, 2010) Ethnic Dialects in the U.S. The desegregation of ethnic communities is an ongoing process in American society that continually brings speakers of different groups into closer contact. However, the result of contact is not always the erosion of ethnic dialect boundaries. Ethnolinguistic distinctiveness can be remarkably persistent, even in face of sustained, daily inter-ethnic contact. Ethnic dialect varieties are a product of cultural and individual identity as well as a matter of simple contact. One of the dialect lessons of the twentieth century is that speakers of ethnic varieties like Ebonics not only have maintained but have even enhanced their linguistic distinctiveness over the past half century. (Walt Wolfram, American Voices: How Dialects Differ From Coast to Coast. Blackwell, 2006) Although no other ethnic dialect has been studied to the extent that AAVE has, we know that there are other ethnic groups in the United States with distinctive linguistic characteristics: Jews, Italians, Germans, Latinos, Vietnamese, Native Americans, and Arabs are some examples. In these cases the distinctive characteristics of English are traceable to another language, such as Jewish English oy vay from Yiddish or the southeastern Pennsylvania Dutch (actually German) Make the window shut. In some cases, the immigrant populations are too new to determine what lasting effects the first language will have on English. And, of course, we must always keep in mind that language differences never fall into discrete compartments even though it may seem that way when we try to describe them. Rather, such factors as region, social class, and ethnic identity will interact in complicated ways. (Anita K. Berry, Linguistic Perspectives on Language and Education. Greenwood, 2002)

Classical Realism and Liberal Internationalism Essay

Classical Realism and Liberal Internationalism - Essay Example Taking a look at the recent revolutions and uprising against the sitting governments in Libya, there have been calls for the interventions of foreign military support to the rebels. Proponents of this notion have been calling for the involvement of the United States to support the rebels with their military, as this would spread liberalism and save lives. It would provide an equal ground against the government, which had the disposal of the military in the country to deal with the rebels and seize the revolution. It can be observed that the revolution had an effect of bringing political chaos to both ends, as well as destruction to the nation’s wellbeing for a long period of time. Advocates of both interventions do not seem to fully comprehend the use of force in contributing to political order as in the first place the scenarios happening were created by the absence of a strong state to instil liberal norms, strong government institutions and a sense of nationalism to the cit izens. Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi was ready to kill Libyans; the same people he says love him but have a funny way of showing him as he refers to the rebels wanting him out of power. Humanitarians called for the intervention of the United States military to stop Gaddafi from killing his own people who were revolting against him. The successful overthrowing of his government was followed by elections in July 2012. A General National Congress was voted in and a political coalition widely regarded as the liberal option. accorded power, the National Forces Alliance having won 39 seats over the Justice and Construction party affiliated to a Muslim Brotherhood with 17 seats nationwide. I will rationally argue that classical realists’ works such as Morgenthau and Thucydides remain foundational texts for international relation scholars and are cited more frequently than their counterparts in the disciplines of social sciences. This can be attributed to the fact that international relations are still young in its field and feels the need to justify itself intellectually. It shows the need and resolve to have lucid, defensible readings of text that build reliable bridges between realism and the problems that will be of interests to the scholars in the contemporary world such as those formulating liberal internationalism. I will argue that internationa

Criticaly examine impact of economic globalization on KURDISTAN REGION Essay

Criticaly examine impact of economic globalization on KURDISTAN REGION - Essay Example The concept of economic globalization also greatly influenced the economic growth of this region. The emergence of economic globalization influenced the region’s government to change its economic policies in way that would encourage investments and cross border trade. The Kurdish economy has undergone significant structural changes over the last few decades, and this reshaping process could be attributed to the emergence of economic globalization. This concept has greatly benefited the region to improve the living standards of its people. Today the living standards of Kurds are far better than that of the people from other parts of Iraq. In addition, the Kurdish government has recognized the importance of private sector in enhancing economic stability and sustainability of the region. This paper will critically evaluate the impacts of economic globalization on Kurdistan. 1. Economic Globalisation: Definition Globalization can be defined as â€Å"the intensification of worldwi de social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa† (Giddens 2008, p.64). ... The Kurds were not trusted partners of the regime. There are many examples of actions taken that were not in the best interests either of the Kurds or the region, building less health centres, force evacuation from the villages, no primary highways to name few but many. This has resulted in an under-invested region both economically and socially. The Kurdistan region is unique at the present time in Iraq in having potentially three levels of government, National, Regional and Provincial. Still the roles and responsibilities of these levels of Government are not clear. The Kurdish society always tries to achieve self-dependence and retain the integrity of its borders. This concern is also shared by other national and international interests concern with the future of Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) receives both cash and in-kind allocations from Baghdad amounting to about 14 percent of projected Iraqi federal revenues (World Bank, 2007). The bulk of Iraq’s federal revenues are based on oil (96 percent in the 2006 budget). However the largest cash allocation to KRG is 17 percent of a divisible pool of funds, representing all federal domestic revenues net of a number of expenditure programs. KRG’s share is based on a national estimate of KRG’s population relative to the rest of Iraq1. 1.2 Current Policies or Economic Development Objectives: â€Å"Economic growth, being a summary measure of all of the activities of an entire society, necessarily depends, in some way, on everything that goes on in a society† (Lucas 1998). In order to analyze the impacts of economic globalization on the Kurdish region, it is vital to identify the current economic development objectives of the Kurdish government. KRG economic development objectives to date are

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 6 - Essay Example The issue was about a bill filed in the Congress of the Philippines of making Reproductive Health Services available to the general population. The argument was that, there is a high mortality rate of birth related deaths among impoverished mothers and such, mothers should be educated about birth spacing to reduce birth mortality and be given the means if they chooses to reduce their family size. Also, it was pointed out that the country being poor, where half of its population lives below poverty line and 21 % among them experiences hunger, family size should be managed according to their income. This can be done through the popular introduction of several methods of pregnancy prevention, including the usage of condoms and birth control pills. It was also discussed that condom can be used to stop the balloning HIV infection in the country which had exponentially increased in the last couple of years. This was however vehemently opposed by the Catholic hierarchy, and even went as far as threatening to excoummunicate the President of the Republic should he support the said bill.

New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc - Essay Example In reality, management seeks to develop a balance between product diversity and production feasibility. As markets mature and competitive pressures increase, more emphasis is given to product diversity. A challenging problem is the prediction of acceptance rates and market-development cycles. However, this cannot be done precisely at the start. But as companies gain better models and data, more precise market adjustments become possible. "If NB2E was to be successful-approaching Tompkins' goal of 100% availability within 24 hours while reducing inventory levels-manufacturing cycle times had to be dramatically reduced. These changes required complete realignment of factory operations" (Bowen et al 2008, p. 11). This pressing strategy has two sides: on the one hand it will require additional financial spending and restructuring within the company, on the other hand it will help New Balance to respond effectively to increased market pressure. "Doing this would require us to reduce work in process significantly and get the line associates and supervisors to embrace that change. The real challenge would be to keep making shoes every day while this transformation was ongoing." (Bowen et al 2008, p. 11). Product strategy is usually couched in terms of product success. However, management must be realistic about product failures -- new-product failure must be part of overall company expectations. Of course, newproduct failures can be eliminated by going out of business. But staying in business implies that new products will be developed and some will fail. Companies must determine an acceptable failure rate for their new products. Low failure rates are not always complimentary statistics, since they may indicate a lack of innovative ability and risk-taking (Crawford 2006). The second pressing strategy is structuring of supply chain. Successive channel stages attempt to overcome any discrepancy between product assortment and market requirements. Customer requirements of one or two units are at variance with supplier requirements of mass production. "In terms of manufacturing cost, labor and overhead each accounted for roughly 25% of the total, while materials accounted for the remaining 50%." (Bowen et al 2008, p. 9).Channels are thus used to overcome barriers. These barriers include the separations of time and space between producers and markets, the costs of moving goods, the communications barriers between producers and users of products, and the separation of demand. In surmounting such barriers, middlemen serve two groups -- manufacturers and customers. Their economic justification stems from performance of their functions more effectively than others. "New Balance continued to forge closer partnerships with its suppliers" (Bowen et al 2008, p. 9) . In order to improve the situation, New Balance could develop a new line of products targeted at low class consumers. The idea is to develop a product line which meets daily needs of a beverage consumer but its manufacturing process is based on professional sport shows technology and materials. In product development, for example, screening, consumer reaction,

Consequences of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Research Paper

Consequences of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy - Research Paper Example (Mian et al, 2008). Another source of captive demand was the money market funds. This boosted their yields since they were required to hold only the high rated securities. The managers that funded these securities knew well what gamble they were playing with these funds but could not resist the temptations and benefit it came with them. The managers also hoped that if any shock arose from these funds, their immediate competitors would also face the same consequences which would result in a reduced reputational cost and this may result in the government interference and may end up supporting these companies through incentives and lowering of taxation. The problem was even strict and severe in the short bond funds. In contrast to the market funds, short bonds fund are not restricted to the types of gadgets they can own. Generally the regulation relies greatly on credit- rating agencies procedures of risks without understanding the incentive created on the regulatory game system. As sta ted, (Morris and Shin, 2002) in circumstances where there are numerous equilibrium, an increase in public information does not necessarily to enhance welfare since it can direct to unproductive bank runs. (Diamond and Dybvig 1983 ). Lack of transparency The other major problem that contributed to the downfall to bankruptcy of the Lehman Brother company was the lack of transparency in big markets. In the last ten years the market for acclaimed default swaps grew uncontrolled from almost zero to 44 trillion, which was more than the of the us stock market in twice the number. Generally the levels of these contracts were very low and did not exist... This paper aims to summarize economic repercussions of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, that essentially marked the beginning of the global financial crisis. Many companies around the world are affected by bankruptcy at a certain time in their financial year. When a company is declared bankrupt, it can no longer invest in the stock exchange. The government declares the company insolvent. An example of such company is the Lehman Brothers, a housing and real estate company that went into bankruptcy in 2008. Regulatory constraints brought about the inflation demand for products thus seeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac getting the approval of investing in these securities. Another source of captive demand was the money market funds. This boosted their yields since they were required to hold only the high rated securities. The managers that funded these securities knew well what gamble they were playing with these funds but could not resist the temptations. The managers also hoped that if any shock arose from these funds, their immediate competitors would also face the same consequences. The effect that accrues from a company being declared as bankrupt is huge. Businesses and companies should ensure that they adopt proper measures that will make them stay healthy and avoid being insolvent. They should do this by getting involved and seeking support from the government especially if the business is new in the market. The business should also encourage investors from foreign and local to invest in them.

Career plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career plans - Essay Example I have garnered invaluable knowledge with my stint in both the lower and upper echelons of the organizational structure. My exposure to this dynamic organization and interaction with my highly diverse and brilliant colleagues and subordinates have stimulated my interest in finance and impelled me to pursue further studies along this line. With the advent of myriad challenges in today's world, I reckon that this is the most opportune time for me to accelerate and make my career move. Given the rapid advancements in the field of business coupled with the fast-paced technological changes, I deem that it would be gainful for me to embark on the necessary steps to sharpen my business acumen and enhance my finance and management skills needed to become a good, if not an exceptional CFO. In this regard, I would like to gain admission to this prestigious academic institution. I fervently believe that undertaking the comprehensive graduate program offered by the school would adequately equip me for this new position I am aiming to fulfill. Its curriculum would be instrumental for my practical training in light of the modern financial breakthroughs. Moreover, it is in my best interest to improve my skills under the tutelage of the school's premium faculty, which is comprised of highly competent teachers who possess

Consequences of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Research Paper

Consequences of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy - Research Paper Example (Mian et al, 2008). Another source of captive demand was the money market funds. This boosted their yields since they were required to hold only the high rated securities. The managers that funded these securities knew well what gamble they were playing with these funds but could not resist the temptations and benefit it came with them. The managers also hoped that if any shock arose from these funds, their immediate competitors would also face the same consequences which would result in a reduced reputational cost and this may result in the government interference and may end up supporting these companies through incentives and lowering of taxation. The problem was even strict and severe in the short bond funds. In contrast to the market funds, short bonds fund are not restricted to the types of gadgets they can own. Generally the regulation relies greatly on credit- rating agencies procedures of risks without understanding the incentive created on the regulatory game system. As sta ted, (Morris and Shin, 2002) in circumstances where there are numerous equilibrium, an increase in public information does not necessarily to enhance welfare since it can direct to unproductive bank runs. (Diamond and Dybvig 1983 ). Lack of transparency The other major problem that contributed to the downfall to bankruptcy of the Lehman Brother company was the lack of transparency in big markets. In the last ten years the market for acclaimed default swaps grew uncontrolled from almost zero to 44 trillion, which was more than the of the us stock market in twice the number. Generally the levels of these contracts were very low and did not exist... This paper aims to summarize economic repercussions of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, that essentially marked the beginning of the global financial crisis. Many companies around the world are affected by bankruptcy at a certain time in their financial year. When a company is declared bankrupt, it can no longer invest in the stock exchange. The government declares the company insolvent. An example of such company is the Lehman Brothers, a housing and real estate company that went into bankruptcy in 2008. Regulatory constraints brought about the inflation demand for products thus seeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac getting the approval of investing in these securities. Another source of captive demand was the money market funds. This boosted their yields since they were required to hold only the high rated securities. The managers that funded these securities knew well what gamble they were playing with these funds but could not resist the temptations. The managers also hoped that if any shock arose from these funds, their immediate competitors would also face the same consequences. The effect that accrues from a company being declared as bankrupt is huge. Businesses and companies should ensure that they adopt proper measures that will make them stay healthy and avoid being insolvent. They should do this by getting involved and seeking support from the government especially if the business is new in the market. The business should also encourage investors from foreign and local to invest in them.

Reconstruction Writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reconstruction Writing - Assignment Example Notably, President Lincoln wanted people to forgive one another and the defeated states to rejoin the Union immediately (â€Å"Houghton Mifflin Company† 1). Conversely, the Radical Republicans in Congress sought to change the South and protect the rights of African Americans (â€Å"Houghton Mifflin Company† 1). Ideally, the United States Congress passed four statutes known as Reconstruction Acts after the civil war, which sought to support Reconstruction by creating five military districts in the South (â€Å"Houghton Mifflin Company† 1). Most specifically, President Lincoln assumed that the defeated states did not seceded from the Union and hence should suffer any punishment. Nevertheless, the Congress opposed his plan. Indeed, when Lincoln died, his successor, President Johnson adopted Lincoln’s plan to the dismay of the Congress. In the reconstruction plan, President Johnson pardoned all Southerners under oath and recognized the governments of defeated states (â€Å"Houghton Mifflin Company† 1). Indeed, by the end of 1865, only one Southern state lacked a new government and suffered from slavery. Nevertheless, the results of the mid-term elections in 1866 eliminated the Presidential Reconstruction and instituted the Congressional Reconstruction as the Radical Republicans gained dominant control in both houses. ... The Congress Reconstruction plan included the establishment of a Freedmen's Bureau to help freed slaves, enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to protect the freed slaves from black codes, passing the 14th Amendment to protect the Civil Rights Act, and passing the Passage of Reconstruction Acts to bar defeated states from rejoining the Union. More specifically, the Reconstruction plan guaranteed universal manhood suffrage, mandated public school systems, and established progressive tax structures. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Reconstruction Amendments to the United States Constitution sought to help in the implementation of the Reconstruction plan after the Civil war. The amendments empowered the national government over the states where the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery, Fourteenth Amendment gave blacks full citizenship, and The Fifteenth Amendment recognized the right of African American men to vote (â€Å"Houghton Mifflin Company† 1). Nevertheless, Pre sident Andrew Johnson attempted to veto Congress Reconstruction plans where the Congress had curtailed his powers through the Tenure of Office Act. However, President Andrew Johnson violated the restraining act, which propelled the Congress to impeach him (â€Å"Digital History† 1). Personally, the Congress Reconstruction plan is seemingly the best plan subject to its encouraging results. Indeed, under the Congress Reconstruction plan, black and white people were able to access public schools, homestead exemptions, and there was equal distribution of public resources (â€Å"Prentice Hall† 1). Furthermore, although President Johnson’s plan was significant in appointing military governors to

Role of Exercise in Reducing Insulin Resistance

Role of Exercise in Reducing Insulin Resistance By: Pranav Maddali Abstract The major pathway of glucose regulation in the body is via the Glucose Transport System (GTS) in which cells stimulated by insulin cause an upregulation in expression and translocation of a glucose transporter protein, GLUT4, to the cell plasma membrane, resulting in increased glucose transport into the cell. Thus, insulin is directly responsible for regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. However, increased dietary intake and the lack of physical exercise has been implicated in creating a condition known as insulin resistance, whereby the cells fail to uptake glucose in response to insulin stimulation, leading to hyperglycemia and significantly increasing the odds of acquiring insulin-dependent (Type-1) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type-2). However, recent studies have shown that skeletal muscles, the major consumer of glucose in the body, possess an alternative mechanism to elicit glucose uptake using GLUT4 instead of insulin stimulation, which is tr iggered by exercise. This review elucidates glucose transport mechanisms in both normal and insulin resistance states and the role of physical exercise in potentially reversing insulin resistance and helping regulate blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. INTRODUCTION Glucose, Insulin, and the Glucose Transport System Glucose is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with fructose and galactose, which is directly absorbed into the bloodstream during digestion. This simple monosaccharide serves as both, the main substrate for energy production as well the precursor to the synthesis of many other carbon containing molecules in the body [1]. In relatively healthy individuals, following a meal, glucose absorbed from the gut during digestion stimulates the release of insulin, a peptide hormone, from pancreatic ÃŽÂ ²-cells. This results in glucose uptake by skeletal muscles and adipose tissues, promptly returning plasma glucose levels to the normal range (approximately 4.4-6.1 mM) [1]. During resting conditions, the absorbed glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles, and as triglycerides in adipose tissue [1]. In times of fasting or increased energy demand, these stores are quickly re-converted back to glucose and released into the blood stream, helping maintain homeostatic blood glucose concentrations. By promoting postprandial glucose uptake by muscle and adipose tissues via the Glucose Transport System (GTS) and suppressing hepatic glucose production, insulin is directly responsible for regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body [1-3]. Given that the cell membrane is impermeable to glucose, specific carrier proteins or transporters spanning the cell membrane allow the binding and uptake of glucose across the hydrophobic lipid bilayer. Mammalian cells possess two general classes of these carriers/transporters: 1) ATP-dependent Na+/glucose co-transporters that transport glucose against a concentration gradient and 2) facilitative glucose transporters which work in the direction of the glucose gradient [4, 5]. Following digestion, the Na+/glucose co-transporter transports glucose from the lumen of the intestine into polarized epithelial cells where subsequent facilitative transport of glucose moves glucose out of the intestinal epithelium and into the blood. Given that different tissues have different physiological energy needs, their uptake of circulating blood glucose is mediated by tissue-specific glucose transporter proteins called GLUTs [1, 4]. 14 different GLUTs have been identified in mammalian cells that are further divided into three subclasses on the basis of sequence similarities and biochemical properties, of which   the roles of GLUT1-GLUT4 in the GTS are the most well characterized [6, 7]. INSULIN-MEDIATED POSTPRANDIAL GLUCOSE TRANSPORT During resting conditions, GLUT1/3/5, constitutively localized to the cell plasma membrane, provide low-level of basal glucose uptake required to sustain respiration in all cells [1]. However, during postprandial conditions, high glucose in the blood stimulates the release of insulin from the ÃŽÂ ²-cells found in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. This secreted insulin regulates the uptake of blood glucose in stimulated skeletal muscles and adipocytes by binding to the insulin receptor (IR) on the surface of the cell (Figure 1). Following insulin binding, the ÃŽÂ ²-subunit of IR undergoes autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues activating its tyrosine kinase activity. The activated IR then phosphorylates Insulin Receptor Substrates (IRS-1) which serves as a docking protein for Phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), activating it. The serine phosphorylation cascade initiated by PI3K activates PI3K-dependent serine/threonine kinases (PDK), which activates downstream Akt k inase, resulting in the translocation and exocytosis of intracellular GLUT4 vesicles to the cell surface. This upregulation of GLUT4 localization on the plasma membrane results in an increased rate of glucose transport into the cell [1, 4, 5, 8, 9]. The necessity of each of these activation steps has been established by in vitro studies on muscle and adipose tissue that used specific kinase inhibitors or mutant proteins and observed the complete ablation of the stimulatory effect of insulin on glucose uptake in insulin stimulated cells. Furthermore, the translocation of GLUT4 specifically in response to insulin approximately 1% pre- vs. almost 40% post-stimulation, suggests a mechanism of regulation to restrict glucose uptake during low-insulin states [1, 9]. Given that GLUT4 translocation is a critical regulatory site for glucose uptake, abnormal GLUT4 regulation in response to insulin stimulation can have a significant impact on glucose homeostasis in the body. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that mice fed with high caloric diets show significantly decreased glucose uptake in muscle and adipocytes despite stimulation with insulin [8, 10]. Further analysis revealed significant down regulation of PI3K and its downstream substrate PDK in addition to increased expression and activity of Protein Kinase C isoform theta (PKC-ÃŽÂ ¸) in these mice, suggesting impaired insulin mediated signaling and a direct co-relation with high caloric diets (red boxes/arrows in Figure 2) [8, 11-13]. This lack of response to insulin stimulation has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of Type-2 or Non-insulin dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) and is commonly referred to as insulin resistance. INSULIN RESISTANCE FINDING A SWEET SOLUTION The term insulin resistance is used to describe a combination of a lack of insulin-mediated glucose uptake in cells stimulated by insulin and a defect in the ability of insulin to suppress hepatic glucose production; the former commonly attributed to dysregulation of GLUT4 trafficking [14]. Over time, together with reduction in in insulin secretion by the pancreas, these aberrations have been directly linked to causing Type-2 Diabetes mellitus (T2D). Diminished insulin function at sites of insulin action, such as skeletal muscles and adipocytes (insulin resistance) and a decrease in the ability of pancreatic ÃŽÂ ²-cells to secrete insulin in response to postprandial increase in blood glucose levels, are two hallmarks of   T2D [15]. In recent years, Type-2 Diabetes mellitus has emerged as one of the major non-communicable chronic diseases around the world [2]. According to the CDC, that number is currently estimated to be about 26 million in the US alone. Recent epidemiologic data point to excess caloric intake combined with increasingly sedentary lifestyles as factors significantly contributing to this trend [16]. Although both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in causing these malfunctions, researchers have increasingly suggested that obesity, caused by a chronic imbalance between energy expenditure and energy intake, as one of biggest risk factors for developing insulin resistance and T2D [16]. Given that skeletal muscles constitute approximately 40% of human body mass and have relatively high energy requirements, they account for almost 50-75% of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in the body [17]. Thus, skeletal muscle is considered the most important tissue with regards to insulin-stimulated blood glucose disposal, and correspondingly maintenance of glucose homeostasis, especially during postprandial periods. Interestingly, both in vitro and in vivo studies dating back to as early as 1987 have shown that in muscle cells, stimuli other than insulin can activate the glucose transport system, namely GLUT4 translocation, to a similar magnitude, albeit likely via a separate (insulin independent) signaling pathway [3, 9, 17]. Furthermore, while GLUT4 gene expression was reduced in adipose cells in insulin-resistant states such as obesity and NIDDM, skeletal muscle GLUT4 expression remained normal [9]. This finding prompted the thinking that insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is most likely due to alterations in the translocation, docking, or fusion of glucose transporters at the plasma membrane, and not defects at the transcription or translational levels. Additionally, researchers observed that in rodents, various modes of exercise and muscle contractile activity such as running exercises, swimming exercises, contraction of hind limb muscles via sciatic nerve stimulation, or contraction of isolated muscles, caused GLUT4 translocation in these skeletal muscles [18]. Additionally, similar studies published by the Goodyear, Holloszy, and Hargreaves groups over the past three years using human models have demonstrated that a single bout of exercise significantly increases glucose transport by upreguatling both GLUT4 expression and translocation in muscles, adding significant support to the hypothesis suggesting that exercise induced muscle contraction can improve glucose uptake by increasing both GLUT4 expression and translocation, potentially reversing the effects of insulin resistance and T2D [3, 5, 10].      Ã‚   WORKING THE GLUTs EXERCISE INCREASES GLUT4 TRANSLOCATION AND GLUCOSE TRANSOPORT Despite the fact that insulin stimulation and exercise-induced muscle contractile activity induce similar magnitudes of increases in muscle glucose transport via upregulation of GLUT4 vesicle translocation to the plasma membrane, the mechanisms of action of these two stimuli are very distinct [19, 20].Studies using cellular fractionation techniques have shown the presence of two distinct intracellular pools of sequestered GLUT4 vesicles, both containing the insulin-responsive amino peptidase (IRAP) and vesicle-associated membrane protein-2 (VAMP-2) that assist in in regulating endocytosis/exocytosis [20, 21]. However, the contraction stimulated GLUT4-vesicle pool was not recruited during insulin stimulation and the important components of the insulin signaling cascade IR, IRS-1, PI3K, etc., were not phosphorylated or activated by exercise [22-24]. Additionally, Wortmanin, a potent PI3K inhibitor, did not inhibit glucose transport stimulated by muscle contraction as it does the insul in-stimulated pathway, clearly indicating the presence of a distinct pathway [24]. Intracellular calcium, 5AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), nitric oxide (NO), and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38, have been implicated regulating GLUT4 translocation in the exercise-medicated effect, although the exact mechanism of how each of these exerts its influence is currently being explored (Figure 3) [9]. These acute effects of exercise, in conjecture with dietary restrictions and pharmaceutical interventions, can and are currently exploited by individuals and pharmaceutical companies in an attempt find a cure to insulin resistance and T2D. Although the mechanism of how chronic exercise training improves insulin sensitivity is unclear, muscle levels of GLUT4 as well as the activity of glycogen synthase have been shown to be elevated in athletes compared to sedentary controls with muscle GLUT4 expression increasing in individuals who exercise regularly[25]. This likely due to the fact that many genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism (hexokinase, GLUT-4) appear to be jointly upregulated together with mitochondrial enzymes in response to increased muscle contractile activity [10, 18, 19, 22] . CONCLUSIONS The recent drastic increase in the prevalence of T2D has been attributed mainly to decreased levels of physical activity and increased caloric intake. Several studies discussed in this paper have shown that higher levels of habitual physical activity results in increased glucose uptake in skeletal muscles via an insulin-independent mechanism. Furthermore, regular exercise has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in subjects with insulin resistance and T2D. Thus, regular exercise together with diet and weight control, could be the answer to overcoming insulin resistance and significantly reducing the risk of acquiring Type-2 diabetes, and in turn decreasing the odds of developing dilapidating conditions such as atherosclerosis, glaucoma, and stoke.   References 1. Bogan, J.S. (2012). Regulation of glucose transporter translocation in health and diabetes. Annual review of biochemistry 81, 507-532. 2. Oliveira, C., Simoes, M., Carvalho, J., and Ribeiro, J. (2012). Combined exercise for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. Diabetes research and clinical practice 98, 187-198. 3. Hansen, P.A., Nolte, L.A., Chen, M.M., and Holloszy, J.O. (1998). Increased GLUT-4 translocation mediates enhanced insulin sensitivity of muscle glucose transport after exercise. J Appl Physiol 85, 1218-1222. 4. Stephens, J.M., and Pilch, P.F. (1995). The metabolic regulation and vesicular transport of GLUT4, the major insulin-responsive glucose transporter. Endocrine reviews 16, 529-546. 5. Thorell, A., Hirshman, M.F., Nygren, J., Jorfeldt, L., Wojtaszewski, J.F., Dufresne, S.D., Horton, E.S., Ljungqvist, O., and Goodyear, L.J. (1999). Exercise and insulin cause GLUT-4 translocation in human skeletal muscle. The American journal of physiology 277, E733-741. 6. Joost, H.G., and Thorens, B. (2001). The extended GLUT-family of sugar/polyol transport facilitators: nomenclature, sequence characteristics, and potential function of its novel members (review). Molecular membrane biology 18, 247-256. 7. Thorens, B., and Mueckler, M. (2010). Glucose transporters in the 21st Century. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism 298, E141-145. 8. Yu, C., Chen, Y., Cline, G.W., Zhang, D., Zong, H., Wang, Y., Bergeron, R., Kim, J.K., Cushman, S.W., Cooney, G.J., et al. (2002). Mechanism by which fatty acids inhibit insulin activation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1)-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity in muscle. The Journal of biological chemistry 277, 50230-50236. 9. Goodyear, L.J., and Kahn, B.B. (1998). Exercise, glucose transport, and insulin sensitivity. Annual review of medicine 49, 235-261. 10. Hussey, S.E., McGee, S.L., Garnham, A., McConell, G.K., and Hargreaves, M. (2012). Exercise increases skeletal muscle GLUT4 gene expression in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, obesity metabolism 14, 768-771. 11. Samuel, V.T., Petersen, K.F., and Shulman, G.I. (2010). Lipid-induced insulin resistance: unravelling the mechanism. Lancet 375, 2267-2277. 12. Malhotra, V., and Campelo, F. (2011). PKD regulates membrane fission to generate TGN to cell surface transport carriers. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology 3. 13. Summers, S.A., Garza, L.A., Zhou, H., and Birnbaum, M.J. (1998). Regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose transporter GLUT4 translocation and Akt kinase activity by ceramide. Molecular and cellular biology 18, 5457-5464. 14. Tanaka, S., Hayashi, T., Toyoda, T., Hamada, T., Shimizu, Y., Hirata, M., Ebihara, K., Masuzaki, H., Hosoda, K., Fushiki, T., et al. (2007). High-fat diet impairs the effects of a single bout of endurance exercise on glucose transport and insulin sensitivity in rat skeletal muscle. Metabolism: clinical and experimental 56, 1719-1728. 15. Kaufman, R.J. (2011). Beta-cell failure, stress, and type 2 diabetes. The New England journal of medicine 365, 1931-1933. 16. Shuldiner, A.R., Yang, R., and Gong, D.W. (2001). Resistin, obesity and insulin resistancethe emerging role of the adipocyte as an endocrine organ. The New England journal of medicine 345, 1345-1346. 17. Frosig, C., and Richter, E.A. (2009). Improved insulin sensitivity after exercise: focus on insulin signaling. Obesity (Silver Spring) 17 Suppl 3, S15-20. 18. Hayashi, T., Wojtaszewski, J.F., and Goodyear, L.J. (1997). Exercise regulation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle. The American journal of physiology 273, E1039-1051. 19. Douen, A.G., Ramlal, T., Rastogi, S., Bilan, P.J., Cartee, G.D., Vranic, M., Holloszy, J.O., and Klip, A. (1990). Exercise induces recruitment of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter. Evidence for distinct intracellular insulin- and exercise-recruitable transporter pools in skeletal muscle. The Journal of biological chemistry 265, 13427-13430. 20. Coderre, L., Kandror, K.V., Vallega, G., and Pilch, P.F. (1995). Identification and characterization of an exercise-sensitive pool of glucose transporters in skeletal muscle. The Journal of biological chemistry 270, 27584-27588. 21. Kristiansen, S., Hargreaves, M., and Richter, E.A. (1996). Exercise-induced increase in glucose transport, GLUT-4, and VAMP-2 in plasma membrane from human muscle. The American journal of physiology 270, E197-201. 22. Treadway, J.L., James, D.E., Burcel, E., and Ruderman, N.B. (1989). Effect of exercise on insulin receptor binding and kinase activity in skeletal muscle. The American journal of physiology 256, E138-144. 23. Goodyear, L.J., Giorgino, F., Balon, T.W., Condorelli, G., and Smith, R.J. (1995). Effects of contractile activity on tyrosine phosphoproteins and PI 3-kinase activity in rat skeletal muscle. The American journal of physiology 268, E987-995. 24. Yeh, J.I., Gulve, E.A., Rameh, L., and Birnbaum, M.J. (1995). The effects of wortmannin on rat skeletal muscle. Dissociation of signaling pathways for insulin- and contraction-activated hexose transport. The Journal of biological chemistry 270, 2107-2111. 25. Youngren, J.F., and Barnard, R.J. (1995). Effects of acute and chronic exercise on skeletal muscle glucose transport in aged rats. J Appl Physiol 78, 1750-1756.

Intellectual Property Rights and the Piracy War in China Essay

Introduction With a population of 1.357 billion (2013)3, China is the most populated country in the world. Along with the huge population comes a market that is unmatched by any other country of the world. Both domestic companies and foreign companies want to tap into this large market that just recently embraced capitalism and entered into the World Trade Organization. China also provided a labor force that is able to tackle both white-collar and blue-collar job positions. This made foreign companies rush both monetary and technological resources into China to utilize the manufacturing and development power. Both Microsoft and Sun have created research and development centers to implement and design software applications in China. Domestic companies are not far behind either, for example, China's own Evermore Software is on the rise to challenge Microsoft's office suite with its own.4 With the boom of technology in China and the new capitalism ideas, China also has a huge piracy problem. According to the International Intellectual Property Alliance's 2003 report on China, the piracy problem in China creates $1.85 billion in 2002 alone with 90% piracy rates for all copyrighted materials.5 This piracy problem affects negatively on China's global relations and economic improvements. China's current copyright laws are still in its teenage years, and the fast pace of technological advancement isn't helping either. In this paper, I will attempt to describe the piracy problem in China, discuss how the Chinese government is dealing with it, present the global effect, and finally arrive at what would be an ethical solution to piracy fitting for China's situation. The Piracy Problem Asia... .../ch.html#top 4. Joris Evers, IDG News Service, Chinese company to challenge Microsoft's Office, http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/01/26/HNdemochina_1.html 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17. International Intellectual Protection Association Country Paper on China http://www.iipa.com/countryreports.html 13. Fan Zhang and Dennis Xie, Chinese Copyright Protection Has Storied History, Strong Future, http://www.sourcetrix.com/docs/Whitepaper-China_Intellectual_Property.pdf 14. Cheng-China Huang, A Brief Chronology of China's Intellectual Property Protection, http://www.american.edu/ted/hpages/ipr/cheng.htm 15. The Copyright Law of China, http://www.ncac.gov.cn/ 16. Copyright Protection Center of China, http://www.ccopyright.com.cn/ 18. June 11, 2002, People's Daily, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200206/11/eng20020611_97613.shtml

Computerised accounting system. :: Computer Science

Computerised accounting system. Please Specify which product you need when ordering. Sage Line 50 training software is available both with and with out a comprehensive assessment system.. The sage line 50 product contains Basic and Advanced tasks for operation of the Sage accounting software. Sage Line 50 uses a powerful "show and tell, then have a go" style training. This makes it easy for users to understand new concepts and provides then with a chance to "have a go in a safe training environment". Use of multimedia simulation aids retention of learning and ease of use. Learn To Use Sage is ideal for both novice and experienced users. The software provides a great foundation in basic tasks, Intermediate and Advanced tasks are also taught. Many advanced users keep the software by their PC, its great reference, have a problem? simply pop the disk in, run the topic that covers your need, its that simple. Learn To Use Sage Task List Basic: * Add a new customer * Open an existing customer record * Add a new supplier * Open an existing supplier record * Add a new nominal account * Open a blank record * Add a new product code and save * Open a product record * Add a sales invoice * Add a credit note * Enter purchase invoice / Credit note * Allocate customer receipts * Allocate supplier payments * Add a nominal payment / receipt * Preview / Print aged debtors report * Enter sales invoices * Enter sales credit notes Advanced: * Transfer funds * Add a nominal journal * Create a skeleton journal * Blank reconciliation * Display VAT return * Analyse VAT totals * Print VAT return * Add a fixed asset * Posting depreciation * Add a prepayment * Posting prepayments and accruals * Write off, Refund, Return * Set access rights * Contra entries * Add receding entry * Correcting errors * Check and print Computerised Accounting System ============================== How does a computer works? Data Input Process Data Output Type of data processing: 1. Batch processing Transaction data are accumulated until a large volume can be processed at one time. Eg. Payroll, customer account and general ledger 2. On - line processing Processing transaction as they occur so that a user can obtain current information at any time. Eg. Accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventories. Manual vs. Computerised systems =============================== Manual accounting systems consists of source of documents, journals, ledgers and reports. In a computerised accounting system basically the same source of documents can be used but must be converted into a machine - readable format to be accepted as an input to the computer. Eg. Computerised receivables system Input : accounts receivable master file at the beginning of the period and the aacounts receivables transactions files required to update the beginning balances. Computerised accounting system. :: Computer Science Computerised accounting system. Please Specify which product you need when ordering. Sage Line 50 training software is available both with and with out a comprehensive assessment system.. The sage line 50 product contains Basic and Advanced tasks for operation of the Sage accounting software. Sage Line 50 uses a powerful "show and tell, then have a go" style training. This makes it easy for users to understand new concepts and provides then with a chance to "have a go in a safe training environment". Use of multimedia simulation aids retention of learning and ease of use. Learn To Use Sage is ideal for both novice and experienced users. The software provides a great foundation in basic tasks, Intermediate and Advanced tasks are also taught. Many advanced users keep the software by their PC, its great reference, have a problem? simply pop the disk in, run the topic that covers your need, its that simple. Learn To Use Sage Task List Basic: * Add a new customer * Open an existing customer record * Add a new supplier * Open an existing supplier record * Add a new nominal account * Open a blank record * Add a new product code and save * Open a product record * Add a sales invoice * Add a credit note * Enter purchase invoice / Credit note * Allocate customer receipts * Allocate supplier payments * Add a nominal payment / receipt * Preview / Print aged debtors report * Enter sales invoices * Enter sales credit notes Advanced: * Transfer funds * Add a nominal journal * Create a skeleton journal * Blank reconciliation * Display VAT return * Analyse VAT totals * Print VAT return * Add a fixed asset * Posting depreciation * Add a prepayment * Posting prepayments and accruals * Write off, Refund, Return * Set access rights * Contra entries * Add receding entry * Correcting errors * Check and print Computerised Accounting System ============================== How does a computer works? Data Input Process Data Output Type of data processing: 1. Batch processing Transaction data are accumulated until a large volume can be processed at one time. Eg. Payroll, customer account and general ledger 2. On - line processing Processing transaction as they occur so that a user can obtain current information at any time. Eg. Accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventories. Manual vs. Computerised systems =============================== Manual accounting systems consists of source of documents, journals, ledgers and reports. In a computerised accounting system basically the same source of documents can be used but must be converted into a machine - readable format to be accepted as an input to the computer. Eg. Computerised receivables system Input : accounts receivable master file at the beginning of the period and the aacounts receivables transactions files required to update the beginning balances.

Shangri-La Hotels and Landmarks Berhad (Malaysia)

For the hospitality industry, the average revenue they earn through their continued operations within year 2007 to year 2009 increased in year 2008 and then decline in year 2009. The reason revenue decline in year 2009 is probably is the side effect of the bad economy during end of year 2008. For Landmarks Berhad, their business decline for three years continuously. This shows that their management level is not done their job perfectly. The average revenue for year 2008 should be higher than the previous year; this is happened on the Shangri-La Hotels but not on Landmarks Berhad. They could use the bad situation of our economy as the main reason for the decline in revenue for year 2009 but not for year 2008. Besides that, when we look at the average liquidity of hospitality industry, their average should be around 1. 5 or less since the largest inventories held by a hotel are in the form of guest rooms, and these are included under property, plant and equipment which is a part of fixed assets. Therefore hotels can operate with a liquidity ratio less than 1. 5. Creditors might prefer to see a high ratio of current assets to liabilities since it provides a positive indicator of that particular company’s capability to repay its debt obligations. However for the owner of the company in hospitality industry, a high ratio in liquidity may indicate that more money is being tied up in working capital and is not used nicely. Generally the owner of a hotel company will try to maintain the current ratio which is at the acceptable to ownership and creditors. Furthermore, when we look at the activity ratio, Landmarks berhad’s average collection period and average payment period is much higher than Shangri-La Hotels; and the inventory turnover ratio shows that Landmarks is not being used their total asset effectively. These show that the risk taking by the company operation is higher as well. May be we can’t deny that the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 is very higher compare to the average revenue of Shangri-La Hotels, but majority of the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 were earned by sold their current asset (total asset held for sale) from discontinued operations. The average revenue of Landmarks Berhad gained from sale was actually much lower than the average compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. This shows that their return is very unstable compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. Thus, we could suggest that Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad is the best company compared to Landmarks Berhad.

Obesity In Children And Adolescence Essay

Obesity in children and adolescence has become a major issue throughout America. Parents do not realize the health problems that their children have or will acquire later on in life. Obesity is a huge health issue, although it can be avoided by children becoming more active, changing their diet, or even taking away their video games. Children do not know any better, therefore, when parents over indulge them; eating large amounts becomes a learned behavior leading to obesity. Parents should encourage their child(ren) to become active as one of the ways to avoid obesity. Signing their children up to play in local sports leagues that their community may have such as t-ball and wee-ball for smaller kids or soccer, baseball, and basketball for older kids is a great way to keep them active. These sports are seasonal, which may help the child not feel overwhelmed with so much at once, then again being seasonal will help keep the child active all year around. Extra-curricular activities are a great way to keep older kids or teens active. High schools all over the country participate in track, cross-country, volleyball, swimming, even dance teams. Being active and working on physical fitness are just a few ideas to keep your body’s metabolism high and avoid obesity. A child’s diet has a massive impact on their weight, therefore maintaining a healthy eating routine will also prevent obesity. Although now a days America’s nuclear family has developed into a single parent family, the parent cannot slack off. Time is very limited but is not an excuse to tell the children â€Å"Hey kids we’ll grab some McDonalds on the way!† Even as a single parent there is still time to sit down and plan a menu with better food choices. Since the kids are at school all week that just means the menu only has to be for breakfast and dinner except on the weekends and days off. Taking time for the child’s eating routine is necessary and could save worry and struggles later on. Eating less fast food will definitely cut calories and over indulging, drinking more water, juice, and less soda will help as well. Video games! Children and teens absolutely love their video games, but are they playing on them too much? Video games encourage plenty of inside time, take away from the child running around and getting dirty because of eating a mud pie, and the child develops bad eating habits. By taking away the video game for a few hours you could go outside and run through the sprinkler in the summertime, or rake leaves in the fall. Going to the park could also be an alternative for the video games. Some chores would be helpful, having the child active to earn some Xbox or game time is an idea. It is surprising to think that burning calories and working out by just doing a little bit of cleaning around the house actually helps. Obesity is a huge health issue, although it can be avoided by children becoming more active, changing their diet, or even taking away their video games. These three solutions are just some food for thought, there are plenty more ideas and fun ways to stay away from the big issue; obesity. Children cannot avoid it on their own, it all starts at home. As a parent take charge and guide your child through a healthy life and lifestyle.

Media Influence and Ethnic Identity

This paper gives a critical review of the literature on media depictions of minorities in Canada. I propose that the research tends to center on tabularize the under-representation and misrepresentation of ethnic minorities. Media Influence and Ethnic Identity The depiction of ethnic minorities in Canadian media serves to play an alarming part in determining the structure of Canadian minority identities. Researchers have insisted that it is imperative to research media-minority relations because the media play a crucial part in the creation of social identities (Henry). The media gives a vital source of data through which people gain information about their country, and our approaches and viewpoints are formed by what the media distinguishes as public information. The media is directly accountable for how Canada, in all its multiplicity, is interpreted among its people. Simply put, the media is accountable for the ways that Canadian society is interpreted, considered, and assessed among its habitants. The media influences attitudes in Canada by siphoning and selecting the data we receive to make choices about our day-to-day realities. Though, this selection procedure is governed by a series of vitals. Media images of Canadian ethnic minorities are not just a random panoply of depictions. Verdicts about depictions of cultural multiplicity must be envisaged within a series of opposing discourses taking place within media institutions. In spite of what we would like to consider, Canadian media is not just and democratic, nor objective in nature (Hackett, Gruneau, Gutstein, Gibson and NewsWatch). Ethnic Minority groups are regularly disqualified and marginalized, and the leading culture is reinforced as the custom. As researchers have established (Fleras and Kunz; Henry) the media push certain traits, most often negative, about ethnic minorities into the limelight, at the same time as others are downplayed or totally absent from depictions. How does this influence identity creation among ethnic Minority groups? Negative depictions of ethnic minorities teach ethnic minorities in Canada that they are hostile, abnormal, and inappropriate to country-building. Canadian media persist to transmit negative and conventional images that only serve to degrade ethnic Minority Canadians. In other words, ethnic minorities do not see themselves precisely mirrored in Canadian media, and that marginalization effects feelings of segregation. In Canada, questions adjoining the association between identity development among ethnic minorities and media are mainly weighed down because of multicultural policy. It has been recommended that in countries where official multiculturalism is legislated, multifaceted forms of racial discrimination can materialize through a variety of media depictions of ethnic minorities (Dunn and Mahtani, 163-171). Ethnic Minority Depiction: Under-representation And Mis-representation Since its beginning in the late 1960s to the 1980s, research on media-ethnic minority relationships was largely distant with probing the two main ways in which ethnic minorities are problematically treated in media accounts. First is the under-representation (or absence) of ethnic minorities. The second refers to the misrepresentation (or negative depiction) of ethnic minorities A) Under-representation The under-representation of a variety of cultural groups in Canadian media has been evocative of their insignificance or their nothingness. Most of the early research on ethnic depiction was concerned with inducting their nonexistence in the media sequentially to exhibit this argue. Different researchers have found that regardless of the culturally miscellaneous nature of Canadian society, that very multiplicity is frequently missing from media depictions (Fleras and Kunz 2001; Fleras 267-292). As Fleras (1995) spots out, the lack of ethnic minorities in the Canadian media is the law, rather than the exemption. In Canada, interracial relationships in spectacular series are rare. This efficiently reveals that the media is not exactly providing a mirror in which ethnic minority Canadians can see themselves — and their dating models — mirrored. In a study of ethnic minorities' depiction in Canadian amusement programs, MediaWatch scrutinized eight made-in-Canada dramatic series and exposed that only 4 percent of the female characters and 12 percent of the male characters were from diverse ethnic or racial locale (MediaWatch). This exposes that ethnic minorities (and in particular ethnic minority women) are relentlessly underrepresented in equally dramatic series and in news. Miller and Prince (1994) gave a comparable assessment from a news point of view by looking at the photos and news stories printed in six foremost Canadian newspapers. They concluded that out of the 2,141 photos printed, ethnic minorities were presented in only 420 images. Media researchers have specified that the impact of ethnic Minority eccentricity in the media merely serves to more embed the invisibility of ethnic minorities in the general public (Fleras 1995). Ethnic minorities in Canada do not see themselves mirrored in the media, and this effects feelings of refusal, belittles their assistance, and lessens their part as people in their nations (Jiwani 1995). For example, in their paper â€Å"Media (Mis)Depictions: Muslim Women in the Canadian Country,† Bullock and Jafri give extracts from their focus groups where Muslim women met to talk about the representation of Muslim women in the media. (35-40) B) Mis-representation A helpful result of these before time studies was that it gave a momentum for media researchers to examine how the media portrays ethnic minorities when they are actually represented. Researchers have recommended that the depiction of non-prevailing cultures normally prolonged in recent decades (Fleras 1995). One of the means in which Eurocentric domination is maintained is by restraining the kinds of depictions of ethnic minorities in the media to unconstructive or striking stereotypes. Ethnic minorities have persisted that media images of their elements disclose a remorseless pessimism in their description. Media researchers have pointed to the negative depictions of ethnic minorities in a variety of studies. In studies emerging in the 1970s, researchers in Canada have time after time pointed out that the media â€Å"rot †¦ on race-specific and culture cognizant characterizations of people†. Canadian media keep it up to rely on both negative and conservative depictions of ethnic minorities (Roth 1996; MediaWatch 1994; Fleras 1994; Zolf 13-26). Fleras (1994) has explained how ethnic minority images in Canadian media are constantly conservative ones, â€Å"steeped in groundless simplifications that swerve towards the comical or bizarre† (Fleras 1994:273), where the examples of ethnic minorities as â€Å"social problems† are regularly employed: namely, as pimps, high-school dropouts, homeless teens, or drug pushers in Canadian dramatic series. Fleras argues a modicum of media depictions of First Nations people, counting â€Å"the noble savage,† â€Å"the savage Indian,† â€Å"blood-thirsty barbarians,† and â€Å"the drunken Native,† among other damaging stereotypes (Fleras 1994; see also Fleras and Kunz 2001). In television and newsprint and political cartoons, media's fighters were altered primitives, colossal depictions of Indian activists† (Valaskakis 224-234). Gender is a relatively unfamiliar feature of studies about ethnic Minority depiction, as Jiwani (1995) has designated. Several actors and news anchors have spoken out candidly about their apprehensions about ethnic falsification in the media. Rita Deverell, senior producer of Vision TV, has expressed her views about the awkward interpretation of ethnic minorities in television. Deverell has pointed out that, compared to American images, â€Å"we have very few negative, wicked depictions of women of color. Undoubtedly, many researchers be in agreement that in typical media in Canada, ethnic minorities are offered as intimidation, with explicit positionings of â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† in which the former is an understood mainstream audience, and the latter is the ethnic minority (Fleras and Kunz 2001). This occurrence is unhappily not restricted to television dramas — it happens in newspapers and television news too. In a study of ethnic minorities and First Nations peoples' depiction in two major Winnipeg papers, a report conducted by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg (1996) found that ethnic minorities are often shorn of admittance to the media and quote the problematical reportage of ethnicity when it is inappropriate to the event or incident. Tator (1995) has established that ethnic minorities are continuously being â€Å"singled out† and identified as the cause of a â€Å"social problem† in media depictions. Using the example of the â€Å"Writing Through Race† Conference held in Vancouver of 1994, she explains that the media continually misrepresents and distorts issues of importance to ethnic minorities. A few of the most inquisitive work on the continuation of typecasts has discovered the ways ethnic minorities have been normalized in Canadian news reports. Numerous government reports furnished through official multiculturalism have scrutinized the reporting of variety in the media, closing that stereotypes and negative images flourish (see Karim 1995). Ducharme (1986, 6-11) scrutinized national newspaper reporting of the Canadian immigration policy for a five-year period. Through the early 1990s, researchers gave a helpful Canadian equivalent to U.S. studies that were worried with anti-Islamic images reproducing in American news. Support groups have also added toward this discussion — a working example includes the report created by the Afghan Women's Organization, which appraises research, local activism, and community viewpoints on the portrayal of Muslim women in Canadian media. Supported on a six-month assessment of coverage of numerous Canadian newspapers, the MediaWatch Group of the Canadian Islamic Congress carried out a study of anti-Islamic media exposure, advocating results to the media industry (Canadian Islamic Congress 1998, 51). Henry et al. (1995) propose that this type of racism remains acutely surrounded within media institutions, where structuralist racism still permeates depictions, and regular patterns of under- and misrepresentation continue to strengthen uneven power relations. The tapered range of images of ethnic minorities has successfully reduced the aptitude of ethnic minorities to be distinguished as optimistic providers to Canadian society. Media researchers have pointed out that these unconstructive stereotypes are reason for concern because it creates a divide between ethnic minorities and so-called â€Å"real† Canadians — visible ethnic Minority Canadians are seen as â€Å"others† or â€Å"foreigners† who potentially have the power to threaten the country (Fleras 1995). The reinforcement of negative stereotypes ethnically pathologizes ethnic minorities, advancing racial divides. †¦Through examining the depictions of people of color in the media †¦ [it seems clear that the] dominant culture continues to establish its power and protect its supremacy by inculcating negative and conservative images of ethnic minorities †¦ generating a indistinct awareness on the part of the conventional of ethnic minorities. (Henry, 1999:135-136) Conclusion This paper maintains that the ways the media expose and account on ethnic minority groups in Canada very much affects the ways the public distinguishes ethnic Minority groups in Canadian society. Wide-ranging research crossways disciplines show that ethnic minorities are frequently typecasted in mass media. Media images can promote manners of acceptance and agreement or of fear and pessimism. When media representations fail to represent Canada's ethnic minorities with compassion, the entire country undergoes the consequences. Media workers require believing and creating substitute depictions of ethnic minorities and it may well be our duty to build up coalitions with them to give confidence other sorts of images. Works Cited Bullock, K., and G. 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