Diminishing American Pride Essay

The book Zeitoun basically talks about a Syrian American family’s experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. It was mainly divided into two story lines, one of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the main character, a Syrian American contractor; and one of Kathy, his wife, a white woman converted Muslim. Zeitoun had an extraordinary life, also an extraordinary experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. He was a successful well-known businessman in local area. When everyone else was fleeing their hometown before Katrina came, Zeitoun chose to stay to protect his house and business. Later then when the city was flooded, he travelled around with his small canoe, delivering help and resources. However, he was wrong arrested as a looting suspect then and was sent into jail. He was treated as a terrorist and taken away the right of fair trial, forced to confine in a maximum security prison for a crime he didn’t commit. At the end, Zeitoun was released and able to unite with his family again, but he was not compensated in any ways for his misfortune. As this book describes, everything in the time of Hurricane Katrina had gone crazy, including the American criminal justice system. The main objection of this book is to criticize racism phenomenon in America and the rotten criminal justice system. Racism is a main subject in this book. It was first mentioned in this book in Kathy’s story line about her past life experience. â€Å"Years earlier, Kathy and her mother had gone to the DMV together to have Kathy’s license renewed. Kathy was wearing her hijab, and had already received a healthy number of suspicious looks from DMV customers and staff by the time she sat down to have her picture taken. The employee behind the camera did not disguise her contempt. ‘Take that thing off,’ the woman said. † (Zeitoun page 58) From the mentioning of these kinds of past experience seemed irrelevant to Hurricane Katrina, we can see the author’s desire to insert the topic of racism into this book. Kathy’s case shrinks small comparing to Zeitoun’s case in his arrest. â€Å"‘You guys are al Qaeda,’ the soldier said. Todd laughed derisively, but Zeitoun was startled. He could not have heard right. Zeitoun had long feared this day would come. Each of the few times he had been pulled over for a traffic violation, he knew the possibility existed that he would be harassed, misunderstood, suspected of shadowy dealing that might bloom in the imagination of any given police officer. After 9/11, he and Kathy knew that many imaginations had run amok, that the introduction of the idea of ‘sleeper cells’- groups of would-be terrorists living in the U. S. and waiting, for years or decades, to strike- meant that everyone at their mosque, or the entire mosque itself, might be waiting for instructions from their presumed leaders in the hills of Afghanistan or Pakistan. (Zeitoun page 212) It didn’t surprise me at all that Zeitoun have those thoughts that might seem over-worried in some people’s eyes.. Indeed, another author Maysan Haydar had mentioned similar thoughts in her essay â€Å"Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering. † â€Å"Now some people hold their breath a bit longer, assuming I’m a fundamentalist or wondering if I’m there to cause them harm. I sense people studying me on the trains, reading the cover of the book in my hand and trying to gauge if I am one of ‘us’ or one of ‘them’. I grapple with the frustration that I can’t reassure everyone individually that my goals have everything to do with social justice and nothing to do with holy war. But I have seen suspicious fade in the eyes of the pregnant woman to whom I’ve given my subway seat or the Hasidic man whose elbow I’ve taken to help him up the stairs. † (Haydar pg 406) I feel very sorry for Haydar and Zeitoun’s experiences. Muslim people are always feared to be presumed as terrorist. American frightened by the traumatic event of 9-11 developed a stereotype against people from Middle East. The fear of being attack also again drove American crazy on national security. However, for whatever reason, racism has put upon so much harm on people we discriminate against. Muslim people like Zeitoun, hard working and honest people, are forced to live under the fear of being prosecuted for his race someday, taken away from his family, locked up in somewhere nobody would know he’s died or not. Those fears have made them coward under a lowly skin, live like second-class citizens. â€Å"In the weeks after the attacks on the Twin Towers, Kathy saw very few Muslim women in public. She was certain they were hiding, leaving home only when necessary. In Late September, she was in Walgreens when she finally saw a woman in a hijab. She ran to her. ‘Salaam alaikum! ’ she said, taking the woman’s hands. The woman, a doctor studying at Tulane, had been feeling the same way, like an exile in her own country, and they laughed at how delirious they were to see each other. † (Zeitoun page 46) Indeed, as part of international society, American allowed people to be exiled from their own country. In Edward Said’s essay, â€Å"States†, he escribed how they, Palestinian people was exiled from their own country and forced to scatter around the world, be denied of personal identity everywhere. †Some Israeli settlers on the West Bank say: ‘The Palestinians can stay here, with no rights, as resident aliens. ’ Other Israelis are less kind. † (Said pg 546) â€Å"The fact is that today I can neither return to the places of my youth, nor voyage freely in the countries and places that mean the most to me, nor feel safe from arrest or violence even in the countries I used to frequent but whose governments and policies have changed radically in recent times. (Said pg 547) In a documentary I have watched, in some cases, if a Palestinian wants to travel from points to points, they have to go through checkpoints set up by local military. They would be asked to show their prove of identity and relevant documents which sources were mostly denied. Nobody tell them what to do then, no laws protect them, some of them can’t even go to hospitals and schools like every other human being in the course that they don’t have a legal identity. We as adults, teach our kids not to bully in school, that it’s wrong to do so. In contrast, as a human, we allow our country, ourselves to bully on people with a different skin tone. Isn’t this hilarious? Another main subject posted in this book is the criminal justice system in America. Zeitoun was initially arrested in his house, then taken to the bus station, naked searched and put in jail. Throughout the whole process, he had never been told of his charges, no phone calls granted, no one had ever given him a chance to defend himself or to find a lawyer. He was treated as terrorist. In the course of his Middle-Eastern accent, everything about him seemed suspicious to the guards. He was kept in inhumane confinement, was given pork for food despite his religion. He had a deep wound in his feet but was never treated nor given any medical attention. There were basically no laws in effect, Zeitoun was treated as if he wasn’t an American citizen anymore, constitutions and laws don’t protect him. â€Å"Watching the evidence on the table mount, Zeitoun’s shoulders slackened. Most municipal systems were not functioning. There were no lawyers in the station, no judges. They would not talk their way out of this. The police and soldiers in the room were too worked up, and the evidence was too intriguing. (Zeitoun 215) But the most disappointing fact about this is what t I found out later in the book, that all of this happened to Zeitoun was not special cases happened once or twice, it was somehow permitted. â€Å"But knowing that Zeitoun’s ordeal was caused instead by systemic ignorance and malfunction- and perhaps long-festering paranoia on the part of the National Guard and whatever other agencies were involved-was unsettling. It said, quite clearly, that this wasn’t a case of a bad apple or two in the barrel. The barrel itself was rotten. (Zeitoun 307) This is totally different from what I learnt from my administration of justice class. The whole process is wrong. How could an innocent person be justified this way? Not even a phone call allowed. It is nothing better than abduction. Who gave government the right to treat people like this? I guess under the name of National Security, there’s nothing government can’t do, all laws and constitutions could be undermined. James Bamford, author of essay â€Å"Wired† pointed out the same point, says in his essay, â€Å"’They violated the Constitution setting it up. He says bluntly. â€Å"But they d idn’t care. They were going to do it anyway, and they were going to crucify anyone who stood in the way. ’† â€Å"Basically all rules were thrown out the window, and they would use any excuse to justify a waiver to spy on Americans. † (Wired pg 0843,, 084) National Security, initially served the principle of protecting Americans has become a tool to against Americans. â€Å"The NSA has turned its surveillance apparatus on the US and its citizens. It has established listening posts throughout the nation to collect and sift through billions of email messages and phone calls, whether they originate within the country or overseas. It has created a supercomputer of almost unimaginable speed to look for patterns and unscramble codes. Finally, the agency has begun building a place to store all the trillions of words and thoughts and whispers captured in its electronic net. † (Wired pg 81) Isn’t it scary to know our government has already gone this far for â€Å"National Security†? Anyone is a target of NSA. But who is more prone to be checked on? I believe this could be linked again to the topic of racism. Look back to Zeitoun and his fellows’ arrest; I believe they would never have been presumed as terrorists, despite the same context and evidence, if all four of them are white. The book Zeitoun serves more than a journalism. Dave Egger cleverly brought out these two important topics to us through the book. Could we still call our country States of freedom and equality after learning all these previously unknown facts? It’s time for people to stand up to protect the prides of America, fix our criminal justice system, drive racism into history and look forward to a better, true States of freedom and equality.

The Influence of Roman Engineering and Architecture

The ingeniousness and beauty of Roman architecture has not been lost on us in the 2000 years since it was built. Even today, we still marvel at what incredible builders the Romans were, and at the sheer scale and integrity of many of their projects. It is hard to argue that today’s architecture will maintain the same lasting grandeur as that which the Romans built. If we can still respect and admire the grandeur of Rome as it was in it’s day, one can only imagine how much of an influence people of the time felt, due to the incredible innovations that the Romans brought to the new regions of their empire.In fact, it is because of the superior engineering skills and architectural ideas possessed by the Romans, and respected by others, that allowed them to conquer, influence and rule such a vast area of the world, for such an extended period of time. Citizens of regions conquered by Rome were the beneficiaries of Roman innovations such as a (public) fresh water supply, bri dges over previously impassable rivers, roads linking all parts of the empire (especially to the capital) and incredible public buildings like the forums and baths.They were more easily persuaded into acceptance once the Romans arrived when they saw or heard of these innovations which they realized could have such a huge and beneficial impact on their lifestyles. The first thing the Romans did upon entering a new region, after winning the war that gained them their new territory, was construct roads and bridges. This was the best way to â€Å"Romanize† the new areas, as it permitted easier communication between the colony and the mother country.The roads all led to the capital, which solidified its position as the centre of power, and also allowed the rulers easier and faster access to the colonies when necessary. It has been said that at the peak of Rome’s power, one could travel from the English Channel all the way to Rome without ever fording a stream, simply becaus e the Romans had built so many bridges to link its colonies. As the Romans were the first to master bridge building on such a large scale, they had a huge influence on the people in even the most remote regions. Places that had been impassible could suddenly be crossed by bridge.The bridges were a commanding presence on the landscape as well, easily conveying the sense of who was in power and influencing the people of the region. The Puente Alcantara in Spain can perhaps best show the expansive influence that the Romans held through their bridges, (Images 1 and 2). Built in AD100 and still standing today, Puente Alcantara reaches 164 feet at its highest point, is 600 feet long and has spans of 92 to 98 feet wide. Such an example of architecture so far from the centre of power is a lasting monument to the influential power once held by the Romans.People were drawn into conformity when they saw the superior skills of the Romans, who also perfected pile driving for the construction of bridges and built each bridge arch as self-supporting to avoid damage to the entire structure if only one portion was damaged. The Roman use of the arch itself, which had never been used to such a great extent before, is itself the main reason they were able to build the huge and influential structures that they were. The use of the arch was of course not limited to bridges; it was common in all Roman architecture of the time.The next major use for it in the new colonies, however, was in the construction of a water supply system—the system of Roman aqueducts. Rome already had an extensive system of aqueducts to supply the city with fresh water, and the Romans used the same system in other regions to civilize the â€Å"barbarian† tribes they had just subdued. Such a system was unheard of in other civilizations. The Romans were a very sanitary and hygienic people to whom fresh water was very important. The new colonies had never been concerned about such sanitation.The R omans, however, were able to bring fresh water to the towns from long distances away by carrying it through tunnels and over valleys with their towering aqueducts. This water was then used for the public baths and toilets, besides the expected drinking water. The fact that this water was for the public, and not reserved for private use, pleased people in the new colonies even more, and made them even more accepting of Roman control. The actual aqueducts themselves, built by the Romans to carry the water, were perhaps even more influential.Aqueducts like Pont du Gard at Nimes (Images 3 and 4), or Segovia in Spain (Image 5), the latter of which still carries water today, were monumental landmarks in the colonies where they were built and still are today. That the Romans would build such magnificent and monumental structures for the sole purpose of supplying water to its colonies was likely overwhelming to those benefiting from it. So the Romans supplied the towns with water, and made travel between towns easier. But what about improving life within the town itself?It is in the public buildings such as the bath, the forum and the amphitheater, which people used and experienced daily, where Rome was able to exert its greatest influence. The fact that these buildings were open to all and not reserved for an elitist group of society only increased their significance. It is arguable that the grandness of the baths has yet to be surpassed in any public building since. These were huge, lavishly ornamented structures where citizens would go not only to bathe, but also for sports, club-life and exhibitions of art.The baths acted as a community centre, uniting citizens in the towns in which they were located. There was also the Roman invention of the forum, today’s equivalent of which would be city hall, the law courts, a marketplace and a church all combined in a single structure. It was a novel idea that one could go to a single building at the centre of town and find everything they needed. People were also allowed open discussion here and were able to publicly voice their opinions and socialize with fellow citizens.However, the forum’s accessibility and openness should not hide the fact that it was used by the Romans as a control centre, where legislative duties for the town were carried out, giving Rome further influence over the citizens. The amphitheaters cannot be forgotten, as they were used by the Romans to please and placate people through the presentation of spectacles. Their architectural grandeur was also influential, however, as they were usually four stories tall, could be covered by a canopy, and were the size of two theatres put together.The Romans didn’t build the public buildings just for their own good, they were used to show â€Å"who’s boss† and keep people appeased. These buildings were superior to anything else that had been or was being built, which helped Rome keep the territory it had co nquered. It is still difficult to comprehend that the Romans were able to create an empire as vast and as powerful as they did. Lasting several centuries and covering Europe, Asia Minor and Northern Africa and even overtaking their historical enemies the Greeks, their empire was of a magnitude that has been unsurpassed but often dreamed. When we look back at how they chieved such widespread influence there is no doubt that the principal factor in their achievements was due to their superior skills in architecture and engineering of the day. They brought fresh clean water to the towns and cities they conquered using the aqueducts which are still inspiring and influential monuments today. We can only imagine the significance they held 2000 years ago. As Frontius said of the aqueducts, they are â€Å"†¦a signal testimony to the greatness of the Roman Empire. † The water brought by the aqueducts was then distributed to the public and used in even more magnificent structures like the baths.How could people not be influenced by such great inventions as these and the forum and the amphitheater, which were used by the Romans not only to please the people but also to help maintain power? The Romans built bridges and roads to link their new colonies and built them so they were a lasting and powerful presence. These bridges were not just a show of power in their grandeur, but were also used by the Romans as quick access to the colonies they needed to keep under control. People of the world were not nearly as advanced in terms of the engineering ability of the Romans, and were persuaded to accept Roman rule.They respected and admired the Roman’s superior abilities and innovations and were therefore easier to conquer and less likely to revolt, allowing the Romans to expand their empire and maintain their influence for such a long time. The Romans no doubt improved their quality of life upon conquering them, and it is hard not to accept a new ruling class if such improvements are occurring. The greatness of the Roman Empire as it was is a direct result of the fact that they were such superior engineers and architects.

The Koh Phi Phi Islands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Koh Phi Phi Islands - Essay Example 90). Its premier tourist sites can be categorized into three primary geographical locations, Northern Thailand, Central Thailand and southern Thailand. Northern Thailand is celebrated for the cultural experiences it affords, such as trekking adventures in the hill tribe areas and exploration of the temples in the ancient Siam capital. Central Thailand offers the attraction of Bangkok, boasting high-end luxury hotels, cultural events and a burgeoning nightlife. Southern Thailand on the other hand is branded the relaxation area, where sun, sand and the sea meet (Nelson, et al., 2007, pg. 27). This diversified offering did not emerge spontaneously, but is a product of the country nurturing of its tourism sector (Nelson, et al., 2007, pg. 27). Tourism has since then become an important source of revenue in Thailand especially due to its beautiful beaches and exotic flavor. In 1982, during the economic slump, the government heavily promoted tourism to counter the slump. As a result, there was a large push to create new beaches and island resorts to attract foreign visitors (Baker, et al., 2005; Nelson, et al., 2007, pg. 28). However, tourism resources have been exploited to produce short-term profits rather than long-run gains for the entire economy and local development. This has resulted in the degradation of the environment and culture and many tourist attractions have subsequently closed down or lost popularity (Lebel, et al., 2010, pg. 210). This paper examines the case of Koh Phi Phi, an island in southern Thailand, which after the tsunami of 2004 was thinking of moving towards a more sustainable form of tourism after years of unchecked development. It will identify both sustainable and unsustainable practices in the tourism industry of Koh Phi Phi, and propose measures which can be undertaken to move the industry in a new sustainable direction. Introduction to the Koh Phi Phi Islands The islands of Koh Phi Phi are located in Southerneast asia, a short boat ri de from Thailand’s main tourist island of Phuket in the Andaman sea. It is located in a National Marine Park. Although there are a few international resorts on the island, developments are predominantly in Tingsai, the main town. The island started as a back packer destination but gained immense popularity and underwent intense costruction after The Beach was filmed on Phi Phi Leh in 2000 (Graci, et al., 2010, pg. 91). It is a delightful place to spend some days relaxing on its beautiful beaches, discovering its numerous coves and bays, as well as climbing its precipitous vertical peaks and investigating the huge caves that hide the edible nests of swifts Before 2004, tourism numbers had reached approximately 1.2 million years (Graci, et al., 2010, pg. 91). However, the island suffered from enviromental issues such as lack of or no fresh water, expensive generator-produced electricity, ineffective waste management , beach degradation and rapid development with no formal plann ing (Dodds, 2010, pg. 255). The residents faced appaling conditions; standing waste water, strong odours and ground water pollution from overflowing septic tanks. In December 2004 a tsunami struck Koh Phi Phi. The major reef was damaged and a large part of the infrustracture was destroyed this resulted to tourist numbers going down from 1.2 million to approximately 500,000 per annum. (Graci, et al., 2010, pg. 91). This thereby necesitated the need for the redevelopment of the Koh

Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Science - Essay Example eaning and inference that the researchers draw upon can be easily verified, computed, and weighed as a function of how greatly they relate back to the concepts that the author(s) is attempting to get across to the reader. In this way, this particular student has chosen the following paper to analyze as a function of how well the scientific and mathematical information related within it help to reinforce or weaken the arguments that the authors make: â€Å"Neurotoxicity of Penicillium crustosum secondary metabolites: Tremorgenic activity of orally administered penitrem A and thomitrem A and E in mice†. For purposes of analysis, one can quickly infer that the authors of this particular article have performed due diligence with reference to the use of mathematics and scientific research as a means to prove their point. Firstly, the introduction relates to the reader/researcher that the authors are highly familiar with the area of focus and the preceding literature and studies which have been performed. In this way, the authors are able to draw a firm line of understanding and scientific advancement based upon the research that has preceded this particular study. Although this is a nice touch to note, it should be further noted that the authors rely heavily on the results of three specific studies to set the background for their analysis. As such, the rigor of the study is called into question somewhat. I found that this lack of inclusion of other studies and resources significantly weakened the baseline from which the reader enters the research from. Furthermore, had a more rigid an alysis of prior and existing scholarship been performed, the starting point for the reader would be advanced and a need to accept some of the results printed within the study would have been reduced; thereby allowing the reader or researcher to focus on the most important points of the research that has been presented. To the author’s credit, the study does pay careful attention

The Power of Positive Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Power of Positive Thinking - Essay Example When a thought feels comfortable in people’s minds, it stimulates the development of neural pathways that turn out to be extremely resilient to transition (Quilliam 21). Over time, people’s routines of thought can turn out to be so profoundly entrenched that they are conscious of how they are nourishing their minds. Notably, how an individual perceives a glass as half full or half empty reflects on his or her general viewpoint on life and themselves. A positive thinking sees the bright side of things and yields delight, health, happiness, auspicious results in life, broadens the mind, and builds skills and healthy relationships. If an individual adopts a positive mind, they train their minds to anticipate noble outcomes, growth and success. Health Benefits Researchers have continued to explore the benefits of positive thinking on people’s health. Existing research indicates that positive thinking have a myriad benefits to an individual’s health. It reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases in spite of factors such as smoking habits, age and obesity. It also contributes to a longer lifespan, increased immunity to common cold, better adapting skills during hardships, and decreased levels of stress and depression (Mayo Clinic 1). A study carried out on college students at the begging and the end of the semester established that positive thinking is associated with low stress levels. Additionally, positive thinking lowers blood pressure and allows an individual to age gracefully. This is primarily because of reduced stress levels (Mayo Clinic 1). ii. Bringing Happiness and Healthy relationships When an individual thinks positively, he or she is surrounded by auspicious thoughts. This yields happiness, which is contagious. It makes the people that hang around an individual happy too. This also assists people shun negative thoughts and become more optimistic (Peale 32-4). On a different angle, this increases a person’s luck in love. People will accept an individual who is positive and will yield healthy and happy relationships, since they focus on the noble and favorable aspects of the other person (Quilliam 34). iii. Building skills set The benefits of positive do not just stop after feeling happy and healthy. Indeed, the most paramount benefit of positive thinking is the improved aptitude to build skills and develop resources that can be used later in life. For instance, a child who frolics, plays with colleagues and swings in branches outside develops his or her physical skills, social skills of communicating and int eracting with other people freely and creative skills of examining and exploring the world around them. In this manner, the positive feelings of play and happiness trigger the child to develop skills that are essential in daily life (Clear 1). These skills stay for a long time than the emotions that caused them. Later in life, the athletic skills obtained by the child may earn a scholarship into a college or the communications skills attained may assist him or her be a desirable and effective business manager (Byrne 27-30). The joy that prompted the exploration and generation of new capabilities is long gone in this stage, but the skills still remain. Researchers have named this phenomenon as â€Å"widen and build† because positive thoughts widens an individual’s sense of possibilities and opens his or her mind resulting to development of new skills and resources that offer value to other fields and aspects of life (Clear 1). iv. A broad sense of mind and Increased Pos sibilities When an individual thinks positively and experiences positive emotions such as joy, satisfaction and affection,

Visitor attraction management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Visitor attraction management - Essay Example The very definition of visitor attraction is as follows: A permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow public access for entertainment, interest or education; rather than being primarily a retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical or film performances. (ETC, 2001, p. 8 cited in Dewhurst and Dewhurst, 2005, p. 8). The â€Å"Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions† defines visitor attraction as something, of a permanent nature, which promotes education and entertainment, and for seeing which, it is reasonable to charge the tourists or day visitors that hold interest in it (Dale, and Oliver, 2005). The attraction is essentially open to public in the stated period every year without any need to have a prior booking for visiting that. Visitor attraction as defined by The Scottish Tourism Board (cited in Lubbe, 2003) is â€Å"a permanent establishment that draws tourists and day visitors†. According to Middletown (1988, p. 7 c ited in Mahmood, 2002, p. 122), visitor attraction is â€Å"A designed permanent resource which is controlled and managed for the enjoyment, amusement, entertainment, and education of the visiting public†.

Submit Negative Message based on ideas in Chapter 9 Essay

Submit Negative Message based on ideas in Chapter 9 - Essay Example When interacting with workers and other members of management, listening helps in avoiding confusion, helps in understanding task and the creation of a positive connection with the speaker. As a leader, one must be a keen listener of others so as to understand their ideas and concepts. The understanding these ideas are helpful in the developing of a compromised system of communication that increases the understanding of the information put across by the speaker. In order, to be an effective listener, a manager must be able to have face to face encounter with the customer and speak effectively. Words aptly spoken are like petals of gold in a silver lining. This statement is true even in leadership and organization management. Speaking must not be underestimated because it has massive influence on the people both customers and workers. It is indispensable as a leader to allow coworkers to speak. There is no sense to call a meeting and interrogate or lecture coworkers without giving them a chance to contribute their ideas. As a leader, allow coworkers to participate and write notes on the various points or issues mentioned by the workers. Do not cut the short to respond to their pleas to show courtesy and respect. In response to their ideas, share your argument with them in an orderly manner without forcing your idea or belittling their idea to make them feel inferior. It is necessary for the leader to highlight the points of argument and reasons for the decision choice made. This is noteworthy because it helps in maintaining the goals and objectives of the organization. Eff ective communication allows every member of the organization to participate in the running of the organization. During the conclusion of the meeting, the leader must summarize the main points and conclusions arrived at, so that every member present at the meeting is informed of the final decisions

SERVICE INDUSTRIES MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SERVICE INDUSTRIES MARKETING - Essay Example The food items were fully covered in order to maintain the hygiene. But it was especially done to uphold the pleasing aroma of the coffee in the store (Thompson, n.d.). The music played in the store was soothing and enthralling. It provided peaceful ambience. With this type of calm environment, it seemed to enrich the taste. The atmosphere was pleasant that pleased everyone especially the couples present in the store (Michelli, 2007). The ambience of the store provides a cozy and intimate atmosphere. It is a perfect place where one can break free from the clamor of the fast-paced world. People can relax, escape into a book; friends can huddle on a sofa and chat over a mug of coffee. Overall it provides a unique magnificent ambience (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2010). For the enhancement of the service level Starbucks has referred employees as partners. In the year 2002, Starbucks has employed 60,000 partners globally. When Mr. Howard Schultz was associated with the company he believed that satisfaction of the consumers will be generated and enhanced with the partner’s satisfaction (Tewell & Et. Al., 2006). The key success for Starbucks is through enhancement of the service. Starbucks being in the business of coffee retail chain needs to focus enormously upon the service quality that will enhance the satisfaction of the consumers aiming to attract them back to the store again. Providing warm reception and friendly service will make the consumers feel more satisfied and these will increase the sales (Tewell & Et. Al., 2006). There are numerous approaches for the service marketing in the coffee retail sector. Starbucks has been in this industry for a longer period of time and consumers have a set of perception towards the company. The biggest challenge for Starbucks is to enhance the service marketing thorough various applications of service marketing concepts. The extension in the

A look at why Gorbachev's reforms failed in the former Soviet Union Term Paper

A look at why Gorbachev's reforms failed in the former Soviet Union while Deng Xiaoping's reforms succeeded in China - Term Paper Example His policy of Glasnost or openness was also an integral part of his restructuring as well. The essence of these reforming exercises was largely the movement towards economic liberalization and plausible democratic transparency – to the extent as it augured well with the need for necessary change (Kessler, 1988, 651). Indeed, what Deng could foresee in 1978, Gorbachev and erstwhile Soviet political stalwarts took yet another eight years to conceive! China’s journey to realizing need for globalization began with Deng’s very first visit to United States for meeting President Carter. When USSR started with restructuring economy and polity, China was already way ahead in this process. Does it mean that Deng was better entrenched in the corridors of power in China than Gorbachev in Soviet Union? There can be quite few reasons behind this apparent ‘back bencher’ attitude of the Soviet Union. Despite other international political designs, China was not so globally involved with the cold war mutual vilifications and indirect fighting with the United States (US). The Soviet Union had to waste a lot of her resources and energy in the cold war with US. In view of Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and tremendous pressure upon it during cold war and dà ©tente, USSR’s weal ec onomy could not really bear the burden of a so-called socialist polity and economy – largely closed to the outside world. However, in order to critically analyze and compare both Perestroika and Deng’s reforms it is required to know the major aspects of both these perspectives. First, main aspects of Perestroika may be pointed out: The Gorbachev leadership, however, regarded its reforms in the USSR as a development of socialism, a â€Å"modernization,† as it were, of socialism to bring it up to date in the modern epoch. The policy of perestroika has †¦. The proposals of the reform movement

Problems of the Society Essay Example for Free

Problems of the Society Essay Many problems of modern society cannot be solved by laws and the legal system because moral behaviour cannot be legislated. The topic very well states that many of the problems faced by the modern world cannot be solved by laws and legal system for the reason that the moral behaviour responsible for these problems cannot be legalised. To start with the very usage of words like sorry , please , thanks cannot be forced by the law eventhough these words have a very high impact on the people in their day to day to activities. It is just the moral responsibility or a reflection of the moral behaviour of a person in doing so. Law can only confine or restrict a individuals physical presence but not his thoughts and perceptions. The very fact that people have a lot of rights in a democratic country restricts the law and puts it into a backseat in controlling the moral behaviour of the people. It is for the people to act justly. A number of Prohibition experiments conducted by the Government to control the consumption of alcohol failed miserably. People never gave up and found new ways of acquiring alcohol inspite of many restrictions from the govt. It is the people who have to understand the ill-effects of alcohol on the society and act accordingly. We have also witnessed a number of cases where people suffering with AIDS are ostracized by the community. Legal system can only help support these people physically/financially but not morally. It is the people who have to understand and act accordingly. One important problem faced by most of the countries is that of Pollution. There are many laws enacted by the Govt. to control pollution. No doubt that these laws are helpful in controlling pollution till a extent but the real control and effect of these laws is put to question. There are factories who would prefer to do away with the rules and regulation by paying up fine/penalty for not adhering to the norms instead of regulating their methods of production because they find it more convenient financially doing so. Air pollution can also be controlled by growing sense of awareness within the people using automobiles say the usage of multi-modal transport whenver possible instead of their personal cars and/or maintaining a sound condition of the engine of the vehicle. Instead law cannot make it mandatory for people to travel only by multi-modal transport system.

Critiquing Cosmetic Progression

Critiquing Cosmetic Progression Part One: About a decade ago, Dove Corporation released a controversial video, which, quite successfully, was able to subliminally banter the modern fashion industrys notorious inclination of distorting physical complexion for increased product marketing. Perhaps even more impressively, they accomplished this in less time than it takes to re-heat a leftover plate of spaghetti. Enter Dove: Evolution. Clocking in at just over a minute in length, this advertisement has achieved widespread appraisal for its unparalleled ability to challenge contemporary plights related to self- esteem (particularly in women) as a result of the constant degrading stimuli being solicited through media outlets. Upon watching this clip myself, I experienced an array of emotions ranging from calm, to apprehension, and even mild bewilderment. As the brief video has no dialogue, the importance of background music is noticeably enforced. At the opening, were presented with soothing classical piano chords, as our female su bject takes a seat before the camera inside of the contextual production studio. Alarmingly, the tempo begins to quicken; introducing heavy pulses of bass rhythm while simultaneously, bright lights are introduced as a means of hastily diminishing the facial blemishes of the woman. Her initially optimistic demeanor begins to steer toward that of a nerve wracked teenager as the videos speed becomes digitally modified cosmetologists bustle about, enhancing her hairstyle at an inhuman pace, while a quick series of bright camera shots catches the viewer off guard with a semi-photo sensitive intensity. Never ceasing in its rapid course, the video transitions to a final still-frame of the physically enhanced woman, at which point an Adobe PhotoShop heads-up display is introduced. Following a painstakingly meticulous series of alterations lip saturation, eye widening, shadow exaggerations, and a neck extension, the camera angle slowly pans outward; causing the viewer to witness a suburban street with our main characters revised complexion strung upon a billboard. A pair of young women, observe this obstruction in passing prior to the screens final fade to black. Subsequently, a credit appears to company, along with a statement concerning warped bodily perceptions. Theres meaning in the text and images here beyond what may be immediately apparent: theres a rhetorical framework and a message that suggests something more significant and complex than what observers may see on a first look. Part Two: Breaking down the advertisement further, it becomes quite apparent that a pathodic appeal to personal emotions is invoked on multiple levels. From the outset, the music puts us at ease, before abruptly shifting to incorporate drums and additional rock-based instruments on a dual track layer. Personally, this technique, coinciding with the changing facial expressions the woman was undergoing, resonated a sense of alarm within me (as if I was about to witness a pending act of brutality). With that said, I think any viewer experiencing similar emotions at this point would have found it appalling how relentlessly the hairdressers went about their business, seemingly void of any compassion. Maybe this was the directors intention, because a resulting feeling of sympathy for this woman blossomed in my soul. By now, Dove has its audiences feelings on autopilot, and is able to orchestrate them befittingly for the duration of the editing sequences. Im inclined to deduce that the photo-shopping was revealed in an attempt to drive the hammer into the nail of what we already knew this entire time nobody is naturally that attractive! That isnt to say, though, that the closing act couldnt be reaming with hints of ethos in addition to the aforementioned rhetoric. I noticed that the billboard hosting the end product pointed to another popular brand in the skin care sector. Do we sense a conspiracy at work amongst the conglomerates? Im going to circle back to this revelation later, as I believe its important to factor into the grand scheme of whats transpiring. Part Three: In continuance to the closing statement I made in the previous paragraph, there are a number of admonishments Id like to point out to my readers, in order to address the more metaphorical aspects of this video (or what may potentially be interpreted as such). First, something that caught my attention early on, was that the correction of facial blemishes on the subjected woman were given utmost priority to any other items on the touch-up task list. I would infer that on a larger scale, this hints at a hierarchical approach the fashion industry adopts when evaluating beauty. Following that logic, we could conclude that a raw human face warrants correction prior to any makeup, hair, or airbrush modifications conducted by modeling agency experts. Bluntly theyre judging your primary feature with heightened scrutiny. Secondly, the overall pace of the advertisement, as I previously mentioned, was extremely swift. Coupled with the background tunes, this probably assisted in delivering the broadest possible range of emotionally triggering stimuli to target audiences in the designated timeframe undoubtedly a premeditated play. The objective of this ad was essentially to call out the elephant in the room, (or in this case, perhaps the one in Hollywood) and in order to do that, Dove knew that relying on a pathos-based approach would prove to be a strategic ally to influence viewers with the desired message. Finally, the billboard itself was placed in a neighborhood which appeared to be centered on either: working-class citizens, high-school youth, and/or single parents aspiring for more. I gleaned this demographical hypothesis by noting the surrounding environment composed exclusively of brick apartment complexes, wire fencing, and used cars. Suffice it to say that if this is indeed a factual theory, it would correlate nicely with the idea that Dove wants to spread its agenda like a wildfire throughout the general consumer populace; many of whom may have otherwise remained in blissful ignorance to the proceedings commencing behind closed doors. Part Four: Primarily, I fathom that women of Millennial and X generations would be the most heavily impacted audience after watching this advertisement. Furthermore, I would ascertain that those impacts have mostly positive connotations, superseding the manipulative (unethical?) bodily practices exposed therein. In support of this claim, I located a research study conducted by Stephanie L Quigg in 2010. The purpose was to identify how a brief ad could mitigate the negative effects imposed on self-esteem through traditional media propaganda. The study consisted of exposing groups of women to one of three variants: a music video padded with standard commercials, the same music video padded with intervention commercials, and TV with non-human focused commercials. The outcome determined that seeing the music videos ultimately led to lower levels of self-satisfaction in test subjects, in contrast to the group that didnt. Interestingly though, in her subsequent book titled Body Image, Quiggreveals e xposure to the intervention commercial counter-acted this effect. Demonstrating the extent which media portrayals of women are artificially enhanced can mitigate detrimental effects on female appearance satisfaction (135-142). Earlier, I mentioned Id be elaborating on the concept of concealed marketing loaded inside of well-intentioned messaging. Taking a tip from Bob Garfield, a journalist reviewing the Ogilvy Mather Agency, (who represent the film) I quickly uncovered another mind who shares my chilling proposition. Quoting his article specifically, the bonus is, if they stay with this message come what may, theyll also turn over lots of whatever it is apart from the uncomfortable truth theyre selling (Garfield). That statement really makes me wonder if any act of good nature is pure these days; or is everything simply a clever ruse to boost a bottom line? Part Five: To culminate my analysis, Id like to reiterate to my readers, the importance of executing caution in response to all sources of mainstream advertising, regardless of implied positive messages. In this discussion, Ive brought to light how what was formerly thought to be a feat of goodwill by Dove, might actually constitute as a turncoat for a corrupted motive, depending on the eye of the beholder. Its crucial that we embrace this somewhat harsher truth going forward. In order to be competent citizens, its dire that we examine each aspect of a message. Otherwise, we become vulnerable to intelligently situated reverse psychology governing our buying impulses. Works Cited Quigg, Stephanie L., Stephen C. Want. Highlighting Media Modifications: Can a Television Commercial Mitigate the Effects of Music Videos on Female Appearance Satisfaction? Body Image, vol. 8, Elsevier, 2011, pp. 135-42. Science Direct, Elsevier, 2011, doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.11.008.Accessed 6 Mar. 2017. Tackling Ugly Truth, Dove Effort Evolves Beautifully. Review of Dove: Evolution, by Bob Garfield, 2006. Advertising Age, revision 2015, Crain Communications, 29 Oct. 2006, www.adage.com/article/ad-review/tackling-ugly-truth-dove-effort-evolves-beautifully/112837/.Accessed 6 Mar. 2017. Unilever Group. Dove: Evolution. The Evolution Video: The Use of Photoshop and Airbrushing in the Media, Unilever, 11 Jan. 2016, www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project/help-for-parents/media-and-celebrities/the-evolution-video.html.Accessed 6 Mar. 2016.

J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

An inspector calls' - what is the main message and is it still relevant today? We get the impression that she is a when Priestly adds, ‘very pleased with life’. She is ignorant to the world of the working class, and is constantly surrounded by her riches without even considering the lives of other people. During the engagement party, Gerald gives Sheila an engagement ring. This is to represent their relationship and love. Her words on receiving the gift are ‘Oh –Gerald-you’ve got it’. The pause in her sentence indicates the excitement in her voice. She then becomes very involved with the present- like a child receiving a birthday gift. Mr. Birling is about to make his speech about the war and the Titanic, however, he pauses when he realizes that Sheila may not be listening, as she is only concentrating on her ring. This is what a child may do when receiving a toy. This as with both her ‘mummy’ and her father gives us the impression that these people are annoying and makes us dislike them. WHOM 2 BLAME After the inspector leaves the house, they are shocked, but then think about the idea whether the inspector really is the guy he pretends to be and they come to the conclusion that he is not an inspector after all. They find this out by contacting the police who then unfold the truth about him. The play finishes when the police calls saying a young lady died and an inspector is on his way to the Birling house. I think the whole play is very important and a good example of collective responsibility. You understand the problem which follows the behaviour of those people. The content shows the bad treatment of a â€Å"normal â€Å"family towards a person, who lives on a lower social standard, without realizing that they destroy this person’s life. This is as significant for the society of that time as it is for the society in our own time. This will never change. The play wants to show that poor people did not have a chance to change their lives to improve it. This is only possible in our world and in our time. My main reason for thinking that Mrs. Birling is responsible is because she was not only the last step before Eva/Daisy ended her life but because in my eyes she was the most powerful one. Eva/Daisy was at a time where she was most emotional and she must have been feeling J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls :: English Literature An inspector calls' - what is the main message and is it still relevant today? We get the impression that she is a when Priestly adds, ‘very pleased with life’. She is ignorant to the world of the working class, and is constantly surrounded by her riches without even considering the lives of other people. During the engagement party, Gerald gives Sheila an engagement ring. This is to represent their relationship and love. Her words on receiving the gift are ‘Oh –Gerald-you’ve got it’. The pause in her sentence indicates the excitement in her voice. She then becomes very involved with the present- like a child receiving a birthday gift. Mr. Birling is about to make his speech about the war and the Titanic, however, he pauses when he realizes that Sheila may not be listening, as she is only concentrating on her ring. This is what a child may do when receiving a toy. This as with both her ‘mummy’ and her father gives us the impression that these people are annoying and makes us dislike them. WHOM 2 BLAME After the inspector leaves the house, they are shocked, but then think about the idea whether the inspector really is the guy he pretends to be and they come to the conclusion that he is not an inspector after all. They find this out by contacting the police who then unfold the truth about him. The play finishes when the police calls saying a young lady died and an inspector is on his way to the Birling house. I think the whole play is very important and a good example of collective responsibility. You understand the problem which follows the behaviour of those people. The content shows the bad treatment of a â€Å"normal â€Å"family towards a person, who lives on a lower social standard, without realizing that they destroy this person’s life. This is as significant for the society of that time as it is for the society in our own time. This will never change. The play wants to show that poor people did not have a chance to change their lives to improve it. This is only possible in our world and in our time. My main reason for thinking that Mrs. Birling is responsible is because she was not only the last step before Eva/Daisy ended her life but because in my eyes she was the most powerful one. Eva/Daisy was at a time where she was most emotional and she must have been feeling

Sophocles Antigone :: Sophocles Antigone

Sophocles' Antigone 1. - Clearly define by specific traits the character of Antigone and Creon. After her mother committed suicide, her father died and her brothers fought until they killed each other, Antigone projects her strong character with interesting ways of showing it. As the main character with strong values and a stubborn way, she follows the laws of god, without minding the consequences. Antigone is a strong willed woman who wins the respect of the audience by the inner strength and resistance of manipulation she has, showing the potential of human kind. She becomes a heroine with noble qualities of mind, heart and soul because she is willing to sacrifice her life, doing what she believes it is right. With a sense of family ties, she is an ideal for humanity, the issue is that she must burry her brother Polynices with an appropriate ceremony since she believes it is the last right for every human being. At first she tries to convince her sister Ismene to join her in her plans, but Ismene refuses, she is not willing to give up her life at all, when Antigone is not only risking her life but also her marriage with Haemon. When Antigone meets Creon she proves her strength and spiritual power. Some say she is not a saint but a martyr. She combats Creon with insolence towards the civil authority, following always the laws of heaven.

The History and Impact of the Printing Press Essay -- Technology

Everyday people read newspapers and books, but where did printing begin? The movable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg made this all possible. Johannes first conceived of this idea of the printing press in the 15th century in order to speed up the slow process of producing books (Bantwal). The movable type printing press, the first real technology of its kind, helped to solve problems, but in turn also caused problems. This technology did influence many areas of life in its lifespan. This includes challenging the church and poisoning people with the increased toxins from mass products of materials. Depending on one’s point of view, this invention could be the best or worst thing to happen during the 15th century. Regardless of that, the printing press’s influence was widespread and therefore, was a great invention for the machine’s time. Despite the negative repercussions of Gutenberg’s movable printing press, the machine is a positive technology. Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press in the year 1452. Four other technologies that were more or less common to different parts of the world, made the printing press possible. The first technology was a wine/olive in the screw-press, which areas of Asia and Europe used to obtain oils and create wines. The second invention was block-print technology that Marco Polo originally brought to Europe. A third technology is oil-based ink that was invented in the eleven hundreds. Since this ink smears on vellum, printing did not use this ink. Vellum was costly, but durable so books that took awhile to make utilized this material. Finally, the fourth material was paper, which many process make different forms of all over the globe (Bantwal). Gutenberg used these old technologies ... ...to thank. Everyone should know the origins of many of the technologies in the world and many of those do lead straight back to the printing press. Without this invention, the world would have stayed in the dark ages for generations. People, as a species would not be anywhere close to what we have achieved. Works Cited Bantwal, Natasha. "History of the Printing Pres." Buzzle.com: Intelligent Life on the Web. Buzzle.com. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Beach, Justin. "Pros of the Printing Press." EHow. Demand Media, 08 Apr. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Jensen, Carolyn. "Jensen Review." Rev. of The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe. Lore. San Diego State University. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. "Printing Press." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. Ross, Tiffany. "Negative Effects of the Printing Press." EHow. Demand Media, 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

Crowdsourcing at AOL Essay

1. Is crowdsourcing, as used by AOL, a form of outsourcing? Why or why not? In a way yes because the work is †outsourced† to workers outside the company itself. The tasks are not done by companies employees instead the tasks are put on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and half a milion workers that are registered there could read about the tasks and decide if they wanted to perform them. Outsourcig means that the purchase of a god or service that was previously provided internally or that could be provided internally, but is now provided by outsource vendors. This is basicly the case with AOL, they could hire personell to perform the tasks but instead they †hired† workers outside the company and that is why it is a kind of outsourcing. 2. What steps do you think Maloney might have taken to ensure that the crowdsourcing would be success for the inventory project?7 Maloney broke the large job into micro tasks and described the tasks that needed to be done. Each worker was also asked to find webpages containing a video and identify the video ´s source and location of those pages. 3. What factors should be considered when desiding whether or not to crowdsource a particular part of a business? A couple of factors should be considered when deciding to crowdsource. One of the factors is the economy itself. As mentioned in question 4, crowdsourcing is usually much cheaper then hiring a professionall to do the tasks for your company, and also you pay when the task is done and take the best option. Hiring a full time professionall or professionalls with special skills can be very expensive and you might not need them for a long period and you also need to manage them. 4. Describe the advantages of crowdsourcing. Advantages: Main advantages of crowdsourcing is that is fairly low price comparing to the proce for hiring a dedicated professional. Also the high number of people who are ready to work for you anytime. You also dont need to envise tasks to be done, instead you get the finished form and then pay for the best option. Disadvantages: Cheap labor results less credible product compared to professionals. Also there is no contract in most crowdsourcing cases which  means that workers can run anytime they want, and your design might be reused in anytime. Also there is some critics that are saying that crowdsourcing can lead to †digital sweatshops† where workers work long days with little pay and no benefits and workers might also be underaged. You dont really know who is working for you.

Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is when a person is forced or under strong influence from their friends to do something be it good or bad. Peer pressure can have both positive and negative effects. Hence this essay will discuss about the positive and negative effect of peer pressure. Firstly, a little peer pressure can be a tool to motivate students to achieving great heights. For instance, when a weak student is struggling with his studies, his classmates can help by encouraging him in every little improvement he makes. This will not only make the weak student feel motivated to study, but also to improve his friendship with his friends. Secondly, with peer pressure, students can help their friends who are addicted to smoking. They can constantly remind, nag and scold the classmate who is smoking to not smoke. This will pressure the student who is smoking to quit his bad habit as all his friends are against it. This is another positive effect of peer pressure. Lastly, peer pressure can help in situations when 2 students are fighting. Students can use peer pressure to strongly discourage the two parties from fighting and instead, help to mediate and let them talk things out. Thus resolving all conflicts. However, There are negative effects to peer pressure too Firstly, there are numerous students who smoke in schools. These students may go around forcing their wills onto other innocent students to smoke. Because they are in groups and are intimidating the innocent students maybe forced into smoking. There is a high chance that they will pick up the bad habit too. Secondly, peer pressure can cause students to be depressed. For instance, when a student is being picked on in class by a group of ‘popular’ students. He might feel that he is unwanted and that the class hates him. Sooner or later, he will be depressed and hate coming to school. This is damaging to the student’s mental health as he is constantly afraid of people attacking him verbally or even physically. To sum up, there are many effects of peer pressure, both positive and negative effects. Peer pressure can be used to motivate, inspire and build up relationship with one another. However, they can also be destructive as they can corrupt and destroy people’s lives. ï » ¿Peer Pressure Have you ever been forced to do anything ? Have u ever felt that you are in a tight corner because of someone's comment? We all could face situations like that; we all could have faced peer pressure. What is peer pressure? â€Å"Peer pressure is when someone or a group of people influences or encourages others to do things they do not want to do or tries to change people’s attitude, or behavior towards something or it is the feeling that someone of your own age is pushing you towards making a certain choice, good or bad†( http://www.thecoolspot.gov/pressures.asp). Peer pressure is mostly common among teens, they could accept to do something they don't want to do as their friends would make fun of them or everyone is just trying to fit in.Because when you act in a different way you are considered an outsider and not cool. The desire to fit in can go as far as doing things you have never imagined. We all are influenced by our peers, both negatively and positively. It help s us to define who we are. It is how we chose to react to peer pressure that defines who we are as individuals. Are we a leader or a follower? Both types of people are needed to make the world go round or just you may lose yourself and forget who you are just to satisfy your peers. Peers influence your life, even if you do not realize it, just by spending time with you.You learn from them, and they learn from you. It is only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Peers can have a positive influence on each other. For example, a student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember something related to the subject. You might admire a friend who is always a good support for you and try to be like him, these are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day.Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, some people in school might try to get you to cut class with them, or your friend might try to convin ce you to try to start smoking or taking drugs with him, or your friend in might want you to shoplift with  him. The causes of peer pressure are so many, One of the main reasons that can lead to peer pressure is lack of self-confidence, the feeling of being alone, not accepted by anyone or by society, everyone is making fun of you and the desire to fit in, these reasons can affect anyone easily and put him under this pressure.One of the causes also is changing the environment you are used to, like leaving high school and going to University, meeting new people with different characters and personalities. Or the big problem might be in the way parents bring up their children. This can affect society in good and bad ways. The effects of negative pressure can lead to the presence of cloning minds different people but have the same mentality, thinking in the same way and acting in an inappropriate way that is unacceptable by the society. A question that always comes up.Why do people g ive in to peer pressure? People give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, may be Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that everybody is doing that thing can influence some people to leave their common sense behind and the way they judge things. How can people combat peer pressure? The normal way of just saying no does not work. Sure, it sounds good to say no but in reality, a person may want to say no, but just cannot as it is tough to be the only one who is facing this pressure, but on the other hand you can pay attention to your feelings and beliefs about the right and wrong things that can help you more self-confidence and having a strong pack up from parents, family even from your teachers can help you stand firm.One of the solutions that help you to run away from peer pressure is to have at least one friend, who is willing to say no too. This takes a lot of the power out of this pressure and makes it much ea sier to resist. Try to ask for advise from your teacher or your family and they will support you facing peer pressure, stay away from friends who use drugs, smoke cigarettes, or even lying. Also try to help a friend who is facing peer pressure or having troubles resisting it, it can be so powerful to one of them by joining the other in order not to  feel alone in this nightmare.To sum up peer pressure is like a nightmare chasing us all, so If you continued to face peer pressure and you are finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you can trust and don't feel guilty if you have made mistakes. Stand up again and continue your way and prepare youself for the next time you face peer pressure.

Effects of parental marital instability to children Essay

Parental divorce has a substantial effect on children which can be long-term or short term. Long term effects can range from long-term financial difficulties, psychological, mental, physical and also social problems. This could be as a result of lack of both emotional and social support that is derived from stable families. Divorce entails separation of parents leaving the family broken, a situation that denies the children a safe and steady informal environment for learning. It also minimizes the ability of parents to guard their children against negative influences from the surrounding environment. However, there are some cases where divorce brings about short term relieve to children especially where violence that is directed to children and a parent is involved. Although this may reduce short-term physical together with psychological effects, long-tem effects are bound to occur (Amato, 2000). Financial effects: this arises due to the break up of the family’s financial structure forcing each of the parents to rely on their personal incomes for survival unlike previously when they could pool their incomes together. Since the success of children relies on both financial and social support from parents, children who are brought up in a family with two parents are likely to have high achievements compared to those with one because of the presence of both parents who could offer complementary resources when needed. Each of the divorced parents will be forced to use available resources in trying to set up a new home at the expense of the children’s needs of quality education and better health services. In some cases where fathers start new families, the possibility of children being affected financially rises because the father could end up spending less on them (Cherlin, Kiernan & Chase-Lansdale, 1995). Social impact: the social impact of divorce on children has been found to be massive. Children whose parents divorce during their formative years have been found to be greatly affected compared to those who their parents divorce at a later date. These children become prone to divorce in their later lives. This is so because, during formative years, children require both parents for effective development of skills and values that are necessary in development of stable relationships in future. It is evident in men who grow with single mothers who tend to behave in a deviant way with violent natures who eventually end up being involved in criminal activities (Amato, 2001). Because the children are not able take sides during divorce, they feel as if they are the cause of the divorce. As a result, they may end up getting depressed and eventually becoming suicidal. Their personality and sense of confidence is affected by the regular arguments and fights that their parents may have had. Eventually, after divorce if proper measures such as counseling are not taken, they may become emotionally destabilized which may lead to drug abuse and suicide (D’Onofrio et al, 2003). When the non custodian parent moves far away from the other and does not communicate frequently or in totality to the children, they may feel a sense of loose of a parent. Girls get affected by their father’s absence whereby they may become emotionally withdrawn from both boys and men during growth and later on in life. Divorce cases tend to affect boys more than girls. Boys tend to show signs of violent and criminal behaviors while girls become neurotic depressive which mostly depends on their mother’s behavior. They carry these behaviors to their relationships in future which explain why most marriages of such children do not last (Furstenberg & Teitler, 1994). According to Cherlin, Chase-Lansdale & McRae (1998), divorce may cause long term mental disorders for children between the age bracket 0 and 4. This is so because of lack of care that is essential for full development of the child. An example is when the father is given custody of the child, the child misses an opportunity to breast feed and receive post-natal care which may lead to mental defects later on in life. This affects their ability to perform in sports and school activities (D’Onofrio et al, 2005). To enhance adjustment of the child to the situation, it is recommended that: parents should discuss the impending divorce to ensure that its done at a level where it will not have a great effect to the child, they should be able to answer any question that the child could be having about the situation, the child should be assured that it was not by his/her fault that they separated, the child should be assured that both parents will continue loving him/her, the child’s needs should be the parents’ priority, the parent in custody of the child should not expect his/her emotional needs to be met by the child, parenting should continue as usual, continued visitation of the child by the other parent who doesn’t have custody of the child should be ensured, parents should avoid being critical of the other and avoid interrogating the child about visits made by the other parent (Caspi et al, 2004). In conclusion, the effects of divorce to children are damaging to the child’s development leading to both physical and psychological disorders. This affects the child’s ability to develop social skills which are important in developing stable relationships later on in life. It also affects both financial and social well being of the children involved. The effects can be controlled through ensuring that the affected children are surrounded by an enabling environment which will help them acquire the required social, emotional and financial support. This will help reduce the long-term effects that result from such cases. Other ways that could be considered in trying to reduce these long term effects include looking for a step family or introduction of special mentorship programs in schools. Because of the effects involved, there is need for child mental health specialists who are familiar with the wide range of complications that divorce may have on the child so that they can help reduce if not prevent the effects. References Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children: Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 1269–1287. Amato, P. R. (2001). Children of divorce in the 1990s: An update of the Amato and Keith (1991) meta-analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 15, 355–370. Caspi, A. , Moffitt, T. E. , Morgan, J. , Rutter, M. , Taylor, A. , Arseneault, L. , et al. (2004). Maternal expressed emotion predicts children’s antisocialbehavior problems: Using monozygotic-twin differences to identify environmental effects on behavioral development. Developmental Psychology, 40, 149–161. Cherlin, A. J. , Chase-Lansdale, P. L. , & McRae, C. (1998). Effects of parental divorce on mental health throughout the life course. American Sociological Review, 63, 239–249. Cherlin, A. J. , Kiernan, K. E. , & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (1995). Parental divorce in childhood and demographic outcomes in young adulthood. Demography, 32, 299–318. D’Onofrio, B. M. , Turkheimer, E. , Eaves, L. J. , Corey, L. A. , Berg, K. ,Solaas, M. H. , & Emery, R. E. (2003). The role of the children of twins design in elucidating causal relations between parent characteristics and child outcomes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44, 1130–1144. D’Onofrio, B. M. , Turkheimer, E. , Emery, R. E. , Slutske, W. S. , Heath, A. C. , Madden, P. A. , & Martin, N. G. (2005). A genetically informed study of marital instability and its association with offspring psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 114, 570–586. Furstenberg, F. F. , Jr. , & Teitler, J. O. (1994). Reconsidering the effects of marital disruption: What happens to children of divorce in young adulthood? Journal of Family Issues, 15, 173–190.

Health and Safety Essay

Health and safety questions one; Health and safety is implemented through the settings health and safety policy which all staff must read and follow and is available from the school office. The health and safety at work act 1974 places a duty on all employers to safeguard so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of all their employees. In addition to this, duties extend to cover the health and safety of persons not employed but who may be affected by the work activities undertaken such as pupils, visitors, contractors, ect. The authority retains the above responsibilities under local management of schools as an employer in the same way the governing body of academies, aided and trust schools, but it is important to realise that all employees have legal duties under the health and safety at work act, to co-operate with their employer so far as is reasonably practicable to ensure a safe and healthy place of work. This local statement of safety policy is not intended to replace the wirral local authority’s policy but to detail individual schools’ arrangements and organisation for health and safety. The settings governing body will strive to achieve the highest standards of health, safety and welfare consistent with their responsibilities under the health and safety at work act 1974 and other statutory and common law duties to provide a safe and healthy work place for all its employees, pupils, visitors, and other persona who may be affected by its activities. The head teacher and governing body will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the authority’s safety policy is implemented and, that local authority’s policy and guidance documents are followed and monitored throughout the school. This policy will be brought to the attention of, and/or issued to all members of staff on induction and annual refresher at the start of each school year. it is essential for the success of this safety policy that all employees recognise their responsibilities in co-operating with management on health and safety issues and taking care of themselves and other persons whilst at work.

American Political Arena and Labor Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Political Arena and Labor - Term Paper Example There is no unity and consensus between the union leaders. The most panic event is while labor has played a major role in U.S. politics for at least 70 years, union workers are not united in their political choices. In "Race, God, and Guns: Union Voting in the 2004 Presidential Election," Donald Beachler explains that a substantial percentage of white union members vote for Republican candidates. 37% of voters in union households in 2000 and 40% in 2004 voted for Republican candidates. Again, 46.8% of white voters in union households voted for President Bush in 2004. From a practical point of view, due to some inherent beliefs and rituals like abortion, gay rights, gun control and prayer in school, many white workers prefer the Republican party and choose themselves to be turned as Republican. Again, once it was unimaginable in the south to think that any party except the Democratic party would win the majority or secure the mandate of the people. But, historically, after Democratic President Lyndon Johnson pushed through the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1964-65, the Republican Party has had great success in becoming the party that most southern whites identify with. Democratic politicians have some inherent traits.  It is an established practice in America that No Democratic candidate can ever completely disavow unions, but Clinton's strategy was to distance himself from unions and to embrace the conservative economic policies of the Democratic Leadership Council in order to appeal to suburban white middle-class and upper-class voters. The Democratic leaders are also seen to be rigorously prone to social welfare and economic reforms rather to adopting strategies spoiling the force of the country's economy.  Ã‚  

Principles of marketing management (case study) Essay

Principles of marketing management (case study) - Essay Example s is more focused upon the internal factors i.e., strengths and weakness and the external factors i.e., opportunities and threats which is observed from the analysis of the organizational situation. It helps to satisfy what our target market wants. SWOT analysis helps the company to do better in fields where it lacks and also gives information as to where there strength lies (Ferrell and Hartline, 2005). Another analytical technique used by marketing professional is known as PEST which stands for Political, Economic, Sociological and technological factors and how these might affect the organization. This analysis helps to identify the external issues that the product and the organization might face and which might ultimately hinder the growth of the product (Williams and Green, 1997) Technology is an important key factor that helps to achieve quality products in a cost effective manner. The utilization of better technology in New product development department of company is helping to achieve new quality products. Essential market planning serves as an important base for the market planning. The analysis depends upon the statistical analysis of everything that makes up the market such as the households, business and even the number of workers in a market. The market analysis is further divided into market segmentation and focus on the target market (Berry, 2008). The STP model stands for market segmentation, market targeting and product positioning. This model is particularly helpful in prioritization of the important factors within a market and the delivery that concept to the relevant audiences (Hanlon, 2013). Market segmentation is one of the ways to specifically focus on the target market. With the help of market segmentation, the target market is divided into groups of people with similar needs and wants. This helps in the analysis of the markets to achieve an upper hand in the market (Weinstein, 2004). Market Segmentation: Two groups includes those who

Interpretation of Compernicus in the 16th century Research Paper

Interpretation of Compernicus in the 16th century - Research Paper Example This essay will deal with the interpretations of Copernican cosmology among his contemporaries, with special attention being paid to views on Copernican theory exhibited by leading theologians of the epoch, both Catholic and Protestant. In addition, an account of interpretations of Copernicus in non-European historical environment will be presented, with Ottoman Empire serving as a case study. It will be argued that the dominant interpretations of Copernican astronomy in the 16th century were far from overwhelmingly hostile, as might be inferred from the treatment of Giordano Bruno and later Galileo Galilei, and that established ecclesiastical authorities in most cases lacked a coherent policy towards Copernicans until the 17th century. THE EARLY LUTHERAN RESPONSE TO THE COPERNICAN THEORY. MELANCHTHON, RHETICUS AND THE WITTENBERG INTERPRETATION Although the notion of existential hostility of Lutheran thinkers towards Copernican astronomy, presented by White in his famous account of L uther’s alleged derisory remark on Copernicus (White 1:126-7), is widespread, it seems that such a conclusion would be premature. While Kuhn asserts that Luther and Melanchthon viewed Copernican theory as contravening the Scripture and constituting near blasphemy (Kuhn 191), Barker and Westman strongly oppose such a view, instead suggesting that the attitude of Lutherans to Copernicanism was more nuanced (Barker; Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches†). First of all, it is significant that the presentation of Copernican heliocentric theory itself was conducted not by Copernicus himself, but by Georg Joachim Rheticus (1514-1574), a young mathematician from the University of Wittenberg, which was the spiritual centre of Lutheran current in the Reformation (Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches† 81). In fact, Rheticus was entrusted by Copernicus with publishing Narratio Prima, the draft version of the Copernican master work, De Revolutionibus, i n 1540. Together with another Lutheran scholar, Andreas Osiander (1498-1552), Rheticus published De Revolutionibus itself in 1543, with a special notice that the latter was an astronomical and mathematical, rather than philosophical, work. It is assumed that this notice was added in order to prevent possible backlash by conservative theologians and scholastics against Copernican theory (Westman, â€Å"The Copernicans and the Churches† 81). Such interpretation of Copernicus’s work, i.e. not as a work aimed at uncovering physical truth, but as a mathematical treatise that was merely to provide mathematically consistent observations was to become a basis for the so-called Wittenberg Interpretation of Copernicus. It is interesting to note that Melanchthon seems to have been initially critical of Copernicus’s ideas, but later acknowledged their validity, especially with regard to Copernican planetary parameters and theory of moon movements (Westman, â€Å"The Melanc hthon Circle†). Although Melanchthon never recognized the claims of Copernican heliocentrists with respect to cosmological issues, he obviously regarded Copernicus’s mathematical calculations on celestial body movements as superior to the Ptolemean ones. Melanchthon dismissed Copernican observation on the earth’s motion, finding it to be incompatible with the Scripture and the Aristotelian idea of simple motion, according to which each simple body has only one type of motion inherent in it (Westman, â€Å"

Mexican Politics and Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mexican Politics and Culture - Research Paper Example Since it gained independence from Great Britain, America has chosen the federal presidential form. Canada has long been federal parliamentary. Mexico on the other hand, seems to base its government structure with America. The United Mexican States (commonly known as Mexico) has no royal families unlike Canada. Mexico appears to have a very similar political system with United States due to the following factors: (1) presidential system (2) three autonomous branches (executive, legislative and judiciary) with checks and balances (3) federalism with a good amount of local autonomy. Notably, despite their sameness in political system, America and Mexico do not have the same economic status (Stacy, 2002). Like Canada, United States is one of the developed and industrialized countries of the world whereas Mexico belongs to the developing nations (Stacy, 2002). In lieu of that fact, this research paper will explore the respective political system of Mexico and United States. This will be f ollowed by a brief analysis of their similarities. At the end, an assessment shall be provided on whether or not their similar political structure is the reason for their economic disparity. The Mexican Political System Rogelio Hernandez-Rodriguez (2003) described the Mexican government as authoritative and the most successful to maintain a system which is dominated by one party. The PRI or the Institutional Revolutionary Party has long been controlling Mexican politics. This political party has ruled Mexico for almost seventy-one years (Klesner, 2005). Majority of the elected government officials of Mexico are affiliated with PRI. The authoritative nature of Mexican government is attributed to this fact. Nevertheless, despite the hegemony of PRI, Mexico has been politically stable (Rodriguez, 2003). The other political parties have done nothing bad for the government. It has been stressed that the country’s single party and presidential type of government are the major eleme nts of its effective institutional structure (Huntington, as cited in Rodriguez, 2003, p. 97). This is quite logical since a political party which continues to rule for several years can always focus on implementing its platforms. A one-party system promotes continuity of projects and more social services. Nonetheless, it does not allow other parties to contribute ideas to a great degree. The interest of the dominating party is always at the forefront of every political move. In fairness to Mexican citizens, they have been observed to recognize the reign of a single political party. Social acceptance of this reality has been imminent (Rodriguez, 2003). It could even be asserted that to a certain point, these citizens have been passive about the party’s dominance. Significantly, PRI experienced defeat in the last 2000 presidential election. The outcome of the election has shocked many journalists and politicians (Klesner, 2005). It was almost unbelievable on the part of Instit utional Revolutionary Party. One possible reason for the party’s defeat is the Mexican citizens’ discontentment or dismay with the administration largely controlled by PRI. The National Action Party’s (PAN) Vicente Fox won that particular election and served as Mexican president from 2000 to 2006 (Klesner, 2005). In the 2006 presidential race, a PAN candidate was also elected named Felipe Calderon (Klesner, 2005).

Enhancing the efficacy of fresh produce washing operations Essay

Enhancing the efficacy of fresh produce washing operations - Essay Example The KKT allows for the actual translation of the research findings into pragmatic applications and commercial possibilities (OMAFRA 2010). Moreover, KTT facilitates a real life platform to the researchers so as to enable them to test the viability of their findings in the light of the real life problems and issues (OMAFRA 2010). One other salient aspect of KTT is that it helps in the identification of the possible commercial applications of a research finding, thereby making way for a rapid commercialization and actual application of the research findings (OMAFRA 2010). In a way KTT effectively bridges the gap between the scientific research and practical application, thereby accelerating the transfer of the research generated knowledge into commercially viable products and services. This paper intends to furnish a KTT plan for a research project to be presented to the University of Guelph, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Food Science. The research title is Enhancing the Efficacy of Fresh Produce Washing Operations. In the last few years the fresh produce washing industry has witnessed an immense growth. It has been estimated that the fresh cut industry produces approximately 6 million bags of salad daily (Bowen et al. 2006, Doyle et al. 2008). The per capita consumption of the fresh cut vegetables has increased by 30 percent in the period 1991 to 2006 (Doyle et al. 2008; Warriner et al. 2009). This translates into an average market growth of 1.7 percent per annum (Doyle et al. 2008; Warriner et al. 2009). However, this impressive growth of the processed fresh produce to a great extent has been eclipsed by a rising incidence of the food borne illnesses associated with the fresh cut produce (Bowen et al. 2006). No wonder, the fresh cut produce is a viable source of disease causing pathogens. In fact more cases of food borne illnesses have been

Logistics within the Business Organization Coursework

Logistics within the Business Organization - Coursework Example One of the most important strategies that can be used in encouraging management to pay closer attention to the supply chain management is to call the attention of senior management to the effective â€Å"sales† coming out of their competition and other business models that utilize a concentration on the supply chain. According to Dutton, this is a highly effective strategy because it demonstrates the better supply/logistics processes or use of technology that can result in reduced costs for inventory items. It is best that the manager knows how to frame his thoughts and words in such a manner that will make the supply and logistics discussion an interesting and important topic for the managers. Rudski agrees with the observations and suggestions of Dutton. But he adds that the supply management must be able to favorably impact 5 areas of supply management. These include: (1) exceeding performance and earnings expectations, (2)growing revenues year on year, (3) reducing risk an d the  volatility in revenues and earnings, (4) continuously improve the return on investment capital and return on equity, and finally (5) will it create a unique business model that others cannot copy? Furthermore, Dutton calls attention to some additional tips that can help interest business managers in the demands of supply chain management.

MKTG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

MKTG - Essay Example The main goal of the new product is to capture the upcoming healthy food segment, penetrating the market with a strong presence, grabbing market share and contributing to the revenue. The proper combination of the Marketing mix, which is product, price, place and promotion and the determinant attributes can lead to a successful product. As far as the product is concern, it is just fit for the upcoming healthy food market. People can’t resist the finger licking fast food irrespective of alarming rate of the obesity in the United States. However, in this scenario if the Fast food lovers get an option to have the same tasty food but with lower calories as just 250 units instead of 470 units in Wendy’s single sandwich and 670 units in Burger king’s Whoppers respectively. The vegetarian option is very promising, it has been seen that only three percent of Americans are completely vegetarian. However, almost sixty percent prefer food which is meatless (Campbell, 2008, p 91). This revealing data says that American want foods which are vegetarian in nature. And they would love to have that with the brand name of McDonald’s. The pricing is very much important. McDonald’s has always adopted the penetration pricing strategy. And that is the reason it is the largest seller of the fast foods in the world. The combo healthy meal price is only $ 3.59, which is very much competitive and the individual price for the baked patties burger would be only $ 1.09, the mash potatoes at $ 1.50 and the smoothies at $ 2.29. The interesting part is the combo gives a saving of $1.29 with respect to the individual items if they are bought all by any customer. This pricing strategy would definitely help the new product to penetrate the market easily. The place for the pilot project for the healthy meal has been chosen wisely. The Colorado is famous for the McDonald’s. Once a McDonald’s

Choicepoint and Sony, an Ethical Analysis Essay Example for Free

Choicepoint and Sony, an Ethical Analysis Essay Ethics refers to what comes off as right or wrong to an individual’s conscience .The internet age has brought about new ethical issues, not only for an individual but for the society as well as it has eased anonymous manipulation and distribution of information, creating new and easier paths for committing crimes like piracy, identity theft, infringement of an individual’s privacy etc. In this paper we will be analyzing the Choice-point case and the ‘Sony data breach ‘case from an ethical point of view. (Laudon Laudon, 2010, p.128) Background: The ChoicePoint Data breach: On September 27 of 2004, ChoicePoint,a company that aggregates and stores personal information, suspected that some of its small business customers were involved in suspicious activities and informed the police. (Paine, Phillips, 2008)On February of 2005, ChoicePoint only notified those residents of California whose data had been leaked to the illegal customers, since a certain law in California requires it. A protest from the public, however, forced the company to notify the details of the breach to the other involved parties residing in the other states. The swindlers who scammed ChoicePoint had created over 50 accounts with previously stolen identities over the course of a year or even longer. (Pantesco, 2006) Look more:  the issues concerning identity theft essay Changes in business practices (Otto, Anton Baumer, 2007): ChoicePoint made numerous changes after the 2004-2005 data breach. The company closed the 50 fake accounts and made a policy to refuse any faxed business licenses in the future .The Company formed a new policy, that all nongovernmental organizations need to be re-credentialed in order to do business with it, and increased its procedures in verifying the identity of the company. More stringent and better business policies in ensuring the safety of their customer’s data, for e.g. partial masking of social security numbers were employed. The company continued its investigations of its databases for further indications of foul play and brought in outsiders to assess and rectify their practices. The Sony Data Breach: The Sony data breach was a result of an intrusion from an outsider party, causing an outage in the PlayStation Network and Qriocity’s services between 17th April 2011 and 19th April, 2011.A confirmation from Sony revealed that pieces of personal information had been stolen from each and every 77 million accounts. This breach resulted in Sony shutting off the PlayStation Network for 23 days. (Hirai, 2011) Sony stated that the chairman of the company had submitted explanations wanted by United States House subcommittee regarding the attack and that they were taking some measures to prevent further breaches. When questioned about the delay in making the breach public, Sony explained that they’d sought help from outside officials to conduct an investigation in order to comprehend the nature and magnitude of the incident; and hence forensic analysis and investigation had caused the delay since they wanted to have all the necessary details before making the breach public. On May 14, 2011, Sony released a security patch called PlayStation 3 firmware version 3.61 requiring users to change their password upon signing into their account in the PlayStation Network. (Seybold, 2011) Compensation: In compensation for this outage, Sony announced hosting of special events for their users. Sony wanted to appreciate the loyalty of the customers who stuck to using Play Station network and didn’t look for other alternatives. Hence Sony announced an extension of free 30 days of its various services for its existing users. Also, few of their games in the PlayStation network were made free, though these games are available only in some regions or countries. In addition to that Sony also offered one year’s worth of â€Å"free identity theft protection’ to all of its customers. (Wesley, 2011) Ethical Analysis According to Culnan and Williams (2009, p.679),the two aspects of morality that are principal to the relationship between information aggregators and information providers are vulnerability and avoiding harm. Aspect of Vulnerability Analysis: Since the customer gives away his data in exchange for something in return, he loses control on how that information would be used in the future.(Culnan Williams, 2009, p. 681) The firm that is aggregating the data has the duty to exercise caution in protecting the consumer’s vulnerability, not only for the sake of the customer but also to build its own reputation. However, in the cases of both ChoicePoint and Sony breach, the consumers were vulnerable. Individuals whose data ChoicePoint and Sony stored lacked knowledge about the risks posed by Choice Point’s credentialing procedures or the way personal information was stored by Sony. Aspect of â€Å"Do No Harm† Analysis: Most ethicists are of the opinion that data aggregators have the minimum duty of doing no harm whenever there is an issue concerning information privacy rights (DeGeorge 2006; Goodpaster 1987; Marcoux 2003; Valesquez 2003 as cited in Culnan Williams, 2009), even more so when their treatment of the consumer’s sensitive personal information makes the consumers unnecessarily vulnerable. (Culnan Williams, 2009, p. 682) In both the cases of ChoicePoint and Sony Data breach however, the ‘DO NO Harm’ principle was violated and moral responsibility was clearly absent in the behavior of the officials of these firms. (Culnan Williams, 2009, p. 682)ChoicePoint’s questionable intentions in delaying the notification of the breach to the public and the fact that ChoicePoint only bothered to search records that were leaked within 15 months to the date of the search ,until pressurized, were criticized heavily.( Evers, 2005)Further investigations revealed that ChoicePoint had been subjected to a similar scam in 2002.( Paine, Phillips, 2008) The fact that ChoicePoint could be duped so easily within two years proved that ChoicePoint hadn’t done anything to improve its practices since the last breach. Similarly, Sony also had a delay in notifying the users of PlayStation network about the breach. The public disputed Sony’s reason for its delay by speculating that, if Sony judged the situation to be so grave that it felt the need to shut down its PlayStation network, then they should have warned the public without any delay as well. Moreover, Sony failed to give any concrete reports regarding the breach and merely stated that they cannot rule out the possibility of a ‘username or password ‘leak. One more thing to be noted is that the fiends could have possibly gotten information like email addresses and first names of the customers who had consented to receiving information about new deals or products from Sony or its partners.Now, there is a pretty good chance that the fiends might send emails in the format of a Sony webpage template and extract valuable information from those customers. Hence this breach indirectly paved the way for more unintentional breaches in the future. (Eddy, 2011) According to, (Laudon Laudon, 2010,p.135),the basic Concepts of ethics are as follows: Responsibility: where the individual or the organization should accept the duties, costs and obligations for the decisions that it made. Accountability: where the organization should be aware of what decision is taken by whom. If it is impossible to find out who was responsible for what action then that organization is basically incapable of ethical analysis. Liability: this basically extends the concept of responsibility to legal actions where the affected individuals should be able to get compensation for their damages. Analysis : In my opinion, both ChoicePoint and Sony showed half-hearted ethics on these incidents as a whole. While Choicepoint did inform officials about the breach as soon as it found out, yet it only felt necessary to inform the public because of the California law. The people in the other states were notified because of public outcry. Also limiting the search results for leaked records to only 15 months prior to the date of the search just because it was necessary by the law was another mistake on ChoicePoint’s part. Thus ChoicePoint violated the ethical concepts of responsibility and accountability yet they seemed to have understood their mistake when they were making changes in their policies and practices after the 2004-2005 breach, and were willing to take corrective actions. But it is debatable whether ChoicePoint’s corrective measures were taken to save its own business or whether it genuinely cared for the affected individuals. Similarly, though Sony did do necessary investigations, it failed to concretely identify which parties had been affected or what kind of information have been stolen. Similar to ChoicePoint, there was a delay in notifying the public regarding the breach. Hence, there is a dearth of responsibility and accountability from Sony’s side as well .The compensations given can similarly be argued to be a ploy for keeping itself in the market. While, ChoicePoint and Sony offered free credit monitoring and free identity theft protection respectively for one year, they disregarded the possibility that the thieves might lie low and take advantage of the stolen information after the passage of a year. Hence these companies showed half-heartedness in being ethically liable as well.