Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Assigment for Strategic management accounting Essay

Assigment for Strategic management accounting - Essay Example The business functions within Pear Ltd’s value chain encompass aspects such as research and development, design of products, services, and processes, production, marketing, distribution, and customer service. As such, cost management is critical component to the company’s operation in integrating and coordinating activities in all spheres of business function. Alternative Methods of Budgeting The traditional budgeting employs the incremental approach whereby the previous year’s budget is used a basis, subsequent to adjustments up and down, from that budget to mirror the changing assumptions for a new year. This incorporates employing the previous year’s budget, adjusted to accommodate known factors such as anticipated price inflation. Although, incremental budgets are crucial for planning, they may be less useful for control. The incremental approach to budgeting has the effect of incorporating last year’s inefficiencies into the present budget (Bhi mani and Bromwich, 2010). This necessitates the consideration of alternative methods of budgeting. Zero Based Budgeting Zero-based budgeting avails a better approach to dealing with the drawbacks associated with incremental budgeting. Unlike in incremental budgeting, zero-based approach does not necessarily start from the previous year’s budget level; instead, the existing operations remain evaluated and continuance of the operation or activity ought to be justified based on its utility and its need to the company (Bhattacharyya, 2011). Every plan in this case remain justified as per the total cost, and the total benefits and past performance are not in any way referred as a building block. Zero-based budgeting approach avails some distinctive advantages compared to traditional incremental budgeting such as it allocates financial resources based on planning requirements and results; and, in order to attain efficiency, zero-based approach encourages managers to search for alte rnative operation plans. However, the process can consume a lot of managerial time and may appear to be â€Å"too drastic a solution for the task at hand.† Moreover, short-term benefits may take precedence and obscure long-term planning and there may be annual conflicts over budget allocation (Bhattacharyya, 2011). In order to circumvent these drawbacks, especially concerning the managerial time required, one alternative may be to conduct a rolling budget every year and carry out zero-based budgeting perhaps three to five years, or in cases where a considerable modification that occurs within operations. This compromise may aid weeding out waste and inefficiency, especially within a period of intense competition and reengineering that is characteristic of the mobile phone industry (Bhattacharyya, 2011). The adoption of zero-based budgeting will aid Pear Ltd to save costs and exercise restraint in developing budgets, minimizing the entitlement mentality with regard to cost inc reases, and budget decisions to be more meaningful during review sessions. Zero-based budgeting approach is applicable to Pear Ltd in aiding the company to utilize the latest insights and business priorities that reveal fresh opportunities to minimize investments and costs in areas where Pear Ltd market share is lower than critical thresholds. Activity Based Budgeting

Monday, October 28, 2019

Marketing Plan New Product Essay Example for Free

Marketing Plan New Product Essay Titles Page No 1) Executive Summary 4 2) Current Marketing Situation 5-6 3) Threats and Opportunities 6-9 4) Objectives and issues 9-13 5) Marketing Strategy 13-19 6) Action Programs 19-21 7) Budgets and Controls 21-23 8) References 24 Executive Summary on Apogee Apogee is a shoe which is completely made from old, unused soccer balls. After using a soccer ball for quite sometimes it becomes unworthy to use. So people throw out the old soccer ball to buy a new one. But what they don’t realize is how harmful this plastic material can be for our environment. To remove this problem and also to make brand new merchandise we are going to produce trendy shoes from these unused soccer balls. These shoes can be worn by the people of all ages. These are also going to be stylish so fashion concerned people can feel attractive in them. Next comes the huge issue of environment safety. There are many products in the market which are very useful but there deathly for our environment. But this shoe is completely made from recycling old soccer balls. So it does no harm to our environment. In fact it works to protect the environment. The third issue is price. People want to wear new and fashionable shoes. But most of them can’t afford such expensive products. As apogee is made from old soccer balls it is really cheap to produce. So we can offer people new and trendy shoes at a minimum price. Reviewing all the features of apogee we can assertively say that this product is going to be popular, environment friendly and last but not the least inexpensive. Current marketing situation We are planning to produce shoes from recycled soccer balls. In the current market people of all classes need shoes. They want more trendy sturdier shoes. Furthermore people are now more conscious about the environment they live in. So we choose this idea of making shoes from recycled soccer balls keeping in mind the environment as well as the customers both at international and domestic level. Our customers: In todays modern world there is a craze about sports, particularly about football.Soccer mania is here and everyone seems to be riding high on the popularity wave. Everyone watches football now a days, so what if they could use a product that not only served their purpose but also indicate their love for the game and that’s how we came up with the idea of making shoes from recycled soccer balls. Football is popular around the  globe , specially in Europe and south america. As we are planning for a global launch of our product we will concentrate particularly on these region. The youths of Bangladesh are quite interested about sports and of course football, so we are developing our product keeping in mind their taste and preferences. We are hoping we can go global with our product after we are successful in making it a success in our domestic market. Market segmentation: We are planning to divide our market on the differences of our customers trend,style and fa shion. We will develop these shoes for both boys and girls. For Boys and girls who are aged from 10 to 15, we will asses their current demand for new shoes and also we will customize them according to their needs. We will use the same strategy for customers aged 16 and above. Thinking internationally, we may think about the international preferences of our global customers. We will also give our customers the alternative to customize their product according to their need and taste. Current market competitors: currently adidas and nike are dominating the sports accessories business by providing state of the art merchandises specially sports shoes. But what we want to do is we want to create an positive image of our product by creating the ultimate soccer shoes that is available and most importantly affordable for the customers. Furthermore we are using recycling material to make this product that will also create a positive image. As they say â€Å" first impression is the last impression† and that’s exactly what we are planning to do. We wan to make a global impact. Opportunity We cannot sustain our consumerist lifestyle without getting inundated by garbage and exhausting the earth’s resources. Solid waste disposal experts engage in an uphill struggle to contain this virtual avalanche of garbage we produce every day. It is apparent that digging a hole, a landfill, is clearly not the answer. Sooner or later, the waste becomes uncontainable and will spill into our farming areas, forests, and water sources. Here we have shown some opportunities of producing shoes from recycling football soccer Good raw material: As football is an international game and it is produced for international purpose, we are getting almost best quality of product. If we recycle the  soccer and if we produce shoes from this waste material, ultimately we are getting good quality material for producing shoes. Less expensive: Many of we have the tendency to buy pure leather shoes. Sometimes we desire to buy but we step back when there is a question of money. If we use the useless soccer we will be able to reduce the cost of soccer and so ultimately we will reduce the purchasing price also. Save animals life: As we are using football soccer as our raw material which people consider as wastage, we are helping our environment to keep sound. When we are using animal leather, animal lives are in danger. So if we use the soccer we will be able to protect the life and it will be environment friendly. Proper utilization of resources: We are using the proper use of resources which is also good for environment. Environment friendly: Football is made with plastic, synthetic paper, leather and rubber. We know plastic, synthetic paper, plastic are discomposed material. When we get the utility, we throughout the ball in the dustbin that may causes problem to the environment. It may stick in the drain and can create problem in drainage system. Objectives and Issues of APOGEE: Marketing plans are written documents that help us communicate our marketing efforts for the following year. One of the most important parts of the marketing plan is the objectives and issues section, which helps internal employees or external stakeholders understand the marketing goals. 1. To save our Environment Our main objective is to save our environment through recycling. We will prepare shoes by recycling footballs. In recent years, scientists have been carefully examining the ways that people affect the environment. They have found that we are causing air pollution, deforestation, acid rain, and other problems that are dangerous both to the earth and to ourselves. With the help of recycling we can protect our environment to some extent. Recycling is a process using materials (waste) into new products to  prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for conventional waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. When a football gets old and rusty, it has no use. We often throw it into the dustbin or somewhere else. It is polluting our air and land. With the help of recycling we can convert these footballs into shoes. We hope it will reduce air and land pollution and thus we can protect our environment. 2. Sell quality shoes with low price: Another objective is to sell quality shoes with low price. People now are very concern about quality and price. They want high quality product with low price. So we will sell high quality products with low price. 3. Increase market share: Another objective is to increase our market share. With the help of marketing strategy we can increase our market share. In this case we have to invest a lot of money in promotion and distribution of the product. We are expecting to increase our market share up to 10% in the next year. 4. To be the number one in the existing market One of the most important objective is to be the number one in the existing market. For these reason we have to implement our market strategies properly which have been discussed later. Issues that can affect our objectives: 1. Environmental issue: Environment means everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earth. Today environmental issue is very important. There are many organizations who are working to protect the environment. They are creating pressure on the companies. So we will sell environment friendly product. We will not use any synthetic leather or any other chemicals that may cause harm to our environment. 2. Health issue: Today people are very health conscious. They want to know everything about the product. If they feel that  the product they are using are not safe, they will not use the product. APOGEE shoes are really safe because it is a green product. We will not use any chemical product in producing the shoes. 3. Social issue: We have to work in our society. So we have some social responsibilities. We have to think about our society and produce products according to their needs and wants. We should keep a friendly relationship with the people of our community. 4. Child labor issue: Another important issue is child labor issue. According to the labor act policy in 2006 child labor has been banned from all the industries. Showing respect to the law we will not use any child as our labor. 5. High quality with low price issue: People now are very concern about quality and price. They want high quality product with low price. So we will sell high quality products with low price. We will also give some discount to our customers. Marketing Strategy Of Apogee : Introducing a new product to the market can be a challenging task for a business. No matter how much confidence you have in the value of the product or how unique it is, there are still things to consider before unleashing it on the public. The marketing concept of building an organization around the profitable satisfaction of customer needs has helped firms to achieve success in high-growth, moderately competitive markets. However, to be successful in markets in which economic growth has leveled and in which there exist many competitors who follow the marketing concept, a well-developed marketing strategy is required. Such a strategy considers a portfolio of products and takes into account the anticipated moves of competitors in the mark. Customer Driven Marketing Strategies for Apogee : Making strategy decisions need to be customer driven as your end customers are the ones who will be making purchase to our products and services. The topic of Customer Driven Marketing is how to divide up the identified market into meaningful customer groups, choose which customer groups to serve, create market offerings that best serve targeted customers and position the offerings in the minds of customers – referred to market segmentation,  targeting, differentiation and positioning. The reason for having customer driven marketing strategies is companies today cannot appeal to all buyers in the marketplace. Buyers’ behaviors are difficult to predict, too widely scattered and too varied in their needs and buying practices. Companies must design customer driven marketing strategies that build the right relationships with the right customers. Why Customer Driven Marketing for Apogee : In a nutshell, with proper application of a customer driven marketing strategy, the we can focus our efforts on meeting distinct needs of individual market segment to target segments in which it can profitably generate and sustain customer value. It can then communicate deliver the chosen position with its resources available for an effective strategic marketing plan. With a customer driven marketing approach, the company has clearer direction to maintain its desired marketing position on targeted market segment(s) through consistent performance communications. Nonetheless, for larger companies such as Unilever and PG, they can offer complete range of products to serve all market segments to meet customers’ needs. We must divide up the total market ,choose the best segments and design strategies for profitably serving chosen segments. This process involves market segmentation ,market targeting , differentiation and positioning . Market Segmentation : As we are making shoes from recycled soccer balls and its for everyone ( Boys,girls,Childrens) we can divide our markets into 2 types – 1. Customers Aged 10-15. 2. Customers Aged 16 and above. Market Targeting : Footwear sales have been falling in developed countries and slowing in emerging countries due to lower income levels; and therefore, less spending on apparel and footwear. Consumers are  focusing increasingly on value for money, looking for simple, hard-wearing shoes that last . As children and young people are passionate about stylish shoes we are focusing them as our target market . Positioning : We will make our shoes more attractive than our market competitors . We will sell our shoes at a reasonable price . We will give them longer lasting shoes and will guarantee them for a certain period. We will use our distinctive shoe logo or Brand name so that we can hold our market for a long time. At the beginning we will give advertisements to acknowledge them about our products .We will give discounts for our special customers . Our shoe logo Differentiation : We will serve our customer a different service compared better than our competitors on the following basis : I. We will make our Shoes attractive. II. We will sell our shoes at reasonable price. III. We will give discount to our customers . IV. Will give them guarantee for our products . V. Will take orders from customers to make customized shoes . Marketing Mix : This section outlines how we will make strategies for each marketing mix element of our Apogee shoes and how each responds to the threats , opportunities and critical issues . Product : In order to outdo our competitors we will take specific strategies for our product .The strategies will be – 1. We will make a variety of products on some specific categories such as for boys shoes ,Sandals , Sport shoes for girls we will make clogs ,lace ups, heel shoes etc. 2. We will always promise them  100% best quality for our product . 3. We will follow Fendi ,DIESEL ,Armani , Burberry ,Moschino designs to make our shoes . 4. We will use clear shoe box, ,paper shoe boxes in packaging our shoes . 5. We will make it eco -friendly. paper shoe boxes plastic shoe box clear shoe box Price : We will always try to give customers good quality shoes at a reasonable price .For this we need to take some sort of incentives , they are – 1. We will give price tag on each of our shoes. 2. We will give 5% discount on our shoes at the starting of our business in order to get consumer attention on our shoes. Place : 1. We will open our branches in home and abroad. 2. We will try to open our branches in U.S.A , Canada , South-Africa .So we will obviously try to make an influence on consumers to buy our product. 3. We will always try to sell the shoes that were produced first. 4. As shoes will be produced in Bangladesh we need to transport them across national boarder and in home .We prefer to transport shoes to abroad by air and in home by our private transport . Promotion : 1. We will advertise our shoes on newspaper, magazines , and on t.v. 2. We will open our own branch in home and abroad . 3. We will show the positive sides of our products such as its durability, comfort ability , up to date with latest designs and customer choices . ACTION PROGRAMES A Marketing Action Plan is a way of putting in place a structured series of activities to get a predictable result. Here are the basic steps: 1. Define the service we want to offer. 2. Define our Target Market for the service. 3. Define additional outcomes 4. Plan the resources required 5. Plan of costing Financial Plan Our financial plan is based on receiving several loans to purchase/fabricate the production equipment, provide initial operating capital, and establish the customer value. We will achieve profitability early in the first year and due to the expected high growth rate, we will realize strong profits on sales by net year. APOGEE shoes are made with recycled soccer ball and produced in fair-trade factories. We also sell only to independent retailers worldwide in order to cycle money back into local economics. Our hope is that people with similar philosophies will be inspired by our experiment in grassroots capitalism and start their own business ventures. This company pretty much focuses on one thing: recycled material. In making shoes, we use 80% recycled material and other things. Our principles underlie on low cost, but effective marketing strategies. Budgeting Apogee develop and make use a effective budget plan that will make sure to achieve expected profit rate. The following is an estimate of the sources of our principal costs: Capital costs †¢ Land fees †¢ cost of special equipment and †¢ Cost of set-out containers. Operating Costs †¢ Labor; †¢ Supplies; †¢ Administrative and Overhead; †¢ Truck Maintenance; †¢ Fuel, Maintenance; †¢ licenses, insurance, registration fees; Cost of Production WE will establish a minimum cost estimate for producing hoe. As we use the useless soccer ball for producing hoe the cost will not be high than using the material. Recycling less energy and generate less pollution than using less material. So here we have low energy cost. Promotion cost Our budget include marketing cost. Because e need to advertise.issue pre release, and make calls to potential customer. We will determine the cost of each marketing element. Labor cost In Bangladesh, the labor cost is not high. Here at first e hire some labors who are expert in this work. We analysis that this cost will not exceed our budget. We will make sure that we can get maximum output from labor. Distribution cost Apogee first launch some testing product and when it reached at higher growth rate then it ill export it product to other country. Controlling Apogee practice a constant marketing control process. First it set specific marketing goal. Then we will measure it performance in the marketplace and then evaluate the cause of any difference between expected and actual performance. Finally it takes corrective action to close the gap between it goal and it performance. This may require changing the action program or even changing the goal. (RESOURCES) Recycling Benefits A Recycling Revolution www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-benefits.htm Threats on scrap sources accessibility: the loss of access and a new www.institut.veolia.org/recycling/recycling/recycling-threats.as Photos National Geographic Kids kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Nurse Practitioners as Primary Care Providers Essay -- Health Care, Th

Nurse Practitioners as Primary Care Providers Every individual in the world deserves to enjoy health and wellness. Maintaining or achieving proper health needs enables individuals to be productive at work and leisure. Traditionally, many people have had barriers obtaining adequate healthcare due to economic constraints or personal inconveniences. Despite impressive technological advances in medicine, the challenge of delivering quality healthcare to the Americans continues to be debated amongst the nation’s political and healthcare leaders. The aging baby-boomers and the increased number of uninsured people add to the equation of population growth which results in limited access to primary healthcare for the entire public. On the other hand, this has ignited the need for advanced practiced registered nurses to unveil the profession’s fullest potential. Nurse practitioners have been called to the public to meet the demand for safe and convenient healthcare. These academically and clinically well prepared nurs e practitioners demonstrate their knowledge, skill and leadership in the communities (Hansen-Turton, Miller, Nash, Ryan, & Counts, n.d.). Due to the magnified concerns for additional access to healthcare, ANA has supported nurse practitioners’ ongoing work in retail-based health clinics to reflect a positive movement towards accurate, quality medical care for all citizens. Since the year 2000, the nurse practitioners have been employed by convenience care clinics or retail clinics such as Minute Clinic and Take Care Health Systems. Either independently owned or as commercial chains, the retail clinics staff a family nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant that offer the convenient location and evening hours... ...istered nurse should have a clear understanding about the prevailing need for advanced practice nurses in our communities. Next, all nurses must realize the need to convene as one voice in order to participate in the transformation process that affects the nursing profession. In fact, the influential nursing voice representing the largest healthcare workforce can substantially impact the policies and reform that affect our communities. Equally important, nurses should prepare to improve clinical and communication skills in preparation to accept more responsibilities for promoting and managing today’s healthcare complexities. Nurse Practitioners in retail care clinics, demonstrating skill and artistry as primary care providers, symbolize the positive transformation the nursing profession is engaged with in fulfilling the urgent needs of the communities.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Moral Relativism Essay

Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint; for instance, that of a culture or a historical period, and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others. It has often been associated with other claims about morality: notably, the thesis that different cultures often exhibit radically different moral values; the denial that there are universal moral values shared by every human society; and the insistence that we should refrain from passing moral judgments on beliefs and practices characteristic of cultures other than our own. Historical Background Even though moral relativism did not become a prominent topic in philosophy or elsewhere until the twentieth century, it has ancient origins. In the classical Greek world, both the historian Herodotus and the sophist Protagoras appeared to endorse some form of relativism the latter attracted the attention of Plato in the Theaetetus. It should also be noted that the ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi (read as Chuang-Tzu) put forward a non-objectivist view that is sometimes interpreted as a kind of relativism. Among the ancient Greek philosophers, most people consider the ideas of Plato but I will explain about the ideas of historian Herodotus, because I found his arguments to be interesting and what we call thinking out of the box. The historian Herodotus tells the story of how the Persian king Darius asked some Greeks at his court if there was any price for which they would be willing to eat their dead father’s bodies the way the Callatiae did. The Greeks said nothing could induce them to do this. Darius then asked some Callatiae who were present if they would ever consider burning their fathers’ bodies, as was the custom among Greeks. The Callatiae were horrified at the suggestion. Herodotus sees this story as vindicating the poet Pindar’s dictum that â€Å"custom is lord of all†; people’s beliefs and practices are shaped by custom, and they typically assume that their own ways are the best. Herodotus’ anecdote is not an isolated moment of reflection on cultural diversity and the conventional basis for morality. In the early days, moral relativism was a concern of philosophy only but in modern times it began to shift into the concern of anthropology, and there was a need for somewhat a link or common ground between these two. An important early bridge from anthropology to philosophy was established by Edward Westermarck, a social scientist who wrote anthropological and philosophical works defending forms of empirical as well as meta-ethical moral relativism. He also ranks as one of the first to formulate a detailed theory of moral relativism. In the modern era the main push for such a position came from cultural anthropology. Anthropologists were fascinated with the diversity of cultures, and they produced detailed empirical studies of them. Early on anthropologists accepted the assumption of European or Western superiority. But this was challenged by the ideas of Franz Boas, Ruth Benedict, Melville J. Herskovits, and Margaret Mead all of which clearly expressed important forms of moral relativism in the twentieth century. The various views of Moral Relativism Defining moral relativism is difficult because different fields and also writers use the term in slightly different ways; in particular, supporters and antagonists of relativism often diverge considerably in their characterization of it. Therefore, it is important to first distinguish between some of the positions that have been identified or closely associated with moral relativism before setting out a definition that captures the main idea its adherents seek to put forward. a.Descriptive Moral Relativism Descriptive moral relativism is a theory about cultural diversity. It holds that, as a matter of fact, moral beliefs and practices vary between cultures and sometimes between groups within a single society. For instance, some societies condemn homosexuality, others accept it; in some cultures a student who corrects a teacher would be thought disrespectful; elsewhere such behavior might be encouraged. This particular view of moral relativism suggests that there are many different moral standards for moral judgments and we should just accept this differences. It denies that there are any moral universals, norms or values that every human culture accepts. None the less descriptive moral relativism only explains about the difference that exists, it does not tell us how we should base our judgments on these differences and does not necessarily support the tolerance of all behavior in light of such disagreement. b.Meta-ethical Moral Relativism Meta-ethical moral relativism holds that moral judgments are not true or false in any absolute sense, but only relative to particular standpoints. This theory first states that people disagree about moral issues and it also adds that terms such as â€Å"good,† â€Å"bad,† â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† do not stand as universal truth, rather they are relative to the traditions, convictions, or practices of an individual or a group of people. Some meta-ethical moral relativists focus more on the justification of moral judgments rather than on their truth. They focus on how the moral judgments are made and to what cause. For example, most people would agree that lying in court to avoid a fine is wrong, while lying to a madman to protect his intended victim is justified. Saying that the truth of a moral claim is relative to some standpoint should not be confused with the idea that it is relative to the situation in which it is made. c.Normative Moral Relativism Normative moral relativism is the view that it is wrong to judge or interfere with the moral beliefs and practices of cultures that operate with a different moral framework to one’s own, that what goes on in a society should only be judged by the norms of that society. The motive behind it is to avoid arrogance and promote tolerance. Normative moral relativists can also argue that judging other cultures is misguided since there are no trans-cultural criteria to which one can refer in order to justify one’s judgment. Normative moral relativism is mostly considered as an additional idea to that of meta-ethical relativism. However, what makes this view standout on its own is its stances on tolerance. Let us see these statements â€Å"we think it is moral to tolerate behavior† and â€Å"other people think intolerance of certain behaviors is moral.† Philosopher Russell Blackford says,† We need not adopt a quietism about moral traditions that cause hardship and suffering. Nor need we passively accept the moral norms of our own respective societies, to the extent that they are ineffective or counterproductive or simply unnecessary.† So according to normative moral relativists it is perfectly reasonable for a person or group to defend their subjective values against others, even if there is no universal instruction on morality and we can also criticize other cultures for failing to follow even their own goals effectively. Pros and Cons of Moral Relativism One of the main advantaged of moral relativism is giving response to the perceived problems with moral objectivism. Moral objectivism is a concept advocating the necessity of a universal or some common standpoint for view and evaluating all moral issues, since this non-existent, according to moral objectivism there would have been a major blockade. Never the less thanks to moral relativism which states such standpoint is not necessary, because each situation or moral issue is judged according to its own context. The other clear benefit of moral relativism is that it promotes tolerance. As you all know the world has a never ending conflict of ideas, though most of this are simple ones which can be dealt with a little compromise, some are quite serious which there is simply no way for agreement. These ones call for a more developed and acceptable solution that is tolerance. If it wasn’t for tolerance quarrel, fights, dispute and even war would be a day-to-day scene. Unfortunately like all human spawned ideas, moral relativism is not without flows. Moral relativist exaggerate cultural diversity; this is mostly directed against descriptive moral relativism. Every human culture has some sort of moral code, and these overlap to a considerable extent. There is a common core of shared values such as trustworthiness, friendship, and courage, along with certain prohibitions, such as those against murder or incest. Some version of the golden rule—treat others as you would have them treat you—is also encountered in almost every society. The existence of these universal values is easy to explain as they enable societies to flourish, and their absence would jeopardize a society’s chances of survival. Moral relativism undermines the possibility of a society being self-critical. Based on the definition of moral relativism we must judge every action in reference to its context. But if the rightness or wrongness of actions, practices, or institutions can only be judged by reference to the norms of the culture in which they are found, then how can members of that society criticize those norms on moral grounds? This dilemma make moral relativism a main means of bias for self-criticism; as a result, resistance to change. Conclusion To sum up moral relativism should be taken as a useful tool although it has many criticisms. I think it is a purely advantageous idea, and the criticisms come from extremists who take each and every proposition to its furthest practicality to make seem faulty. If we were able to overlook this small defects it is my strong belief, we would finally end the long lasting quest for an all-encompassing and universally justifiable standard for evaluating moral issues.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients Essay

According to a study on the government of Canada’s website, in 2003, 1.7 million people were on government assistance and that number has continued to grow. The current unemployment rate in Canada is 7.2% and many of those families rely on the government to put food on the table, a roof over their heads and clothes on their bodies, meaning that money is absolutely necessary. However, working citizens are often resentful of the citizens taking the money that they earned and some are demanding that welfare recipients be drug tested in order to be eligible. Although nowhere in Canada requires drug testing to receive welfare, several states in the United States do. However, this idea fails to consider that drug testing recipients punishes children, ignores that drug addiction is a disease that needs treatment, and that it has proven to not save money. Therefore, drug testing in order to be eligible for welfare is callous and nothing but a symptom of discrimination and selfishness in society. Taking away money from a citizen that tested positive for drugs would unfairly punish their children, who are innocent and didn’t choose to have the parents they were born to. 81.5% of assistance recipients in Oklahoma are children (Richey), which means that many children could suffer immensely because of their parent’s actions. If a person on welfare were to test positive for drugs and their funds were to be taken away, their children would lose their entire source of income, which would mean they would suffer infinitely more than they already did. The kids born to drug addicts would have no lunch money or clothes for school while alcoholics’ children still received funds. This would be extremely hypocritical and it is cruel to disadvantage children that already have the odds stacked against them. Living in poverty could  cause them to do poorly in school and possibly turn to drugs themselves, completely obliterating any chance they had for a better future. It is possible to argue that if parents are using drugs, they are already wasting the money that could go towards their children. Although this argument is true, completely taking away all of the money is not going to solve the problem. More over, sending more children into the already crowded foster care system would also only cause more problems, a fact that American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor all agree with as they oppose all laws mandating drug testing in order to receive government funding (Richey). Finally, the money that families receive could help struggling parents get into rehab and back on their feet, allowing the children to overcome poverty and live a better life. The blatant disregard for how drug testing those on welfare would ruin children’s lives proves that the policy is callous and selfish. In society it is common for citizens to discriminate and stigmatize drug addicts. They are stereotyped as lazy but in reality, drug addiction is a disease that needs treatment. A person addicted to drugs cannot simply quit when they want to. Continued drug use changes the chemistry of the brain, alters its structure and its ability to function normally. Moreover, images taken of drug addicts’ brains show that the areas that are necessary for proper judgment, and behaviour control are greatly damaged. Once someone is addicted to drugs it is no longer a conscious choice to use, but something their body needs to function. It is wrong to discriminate against addicts because it is first and foremost, a disease, just like any other mental illness and there should not be any stigma attached to it. Therefore, entry into a medically supervised treatment centre is necessary so taking away that addict’s only source of income will not help them in any way and will only result in an increase in the homeless population. It is possible that some people on welfare may be waiting to get into a treatment program and need the money to support themselves while they do so. The blatant disregard that the policy of drug testing welfare recipients has for the physical and neurological effects that drug addiction has on a person clearly indicates the callousness and discrimination that the policy demonstrates. The final and most important argument is that drug testing does not save any money. In  fact it wastes it. The entire idea for drug testing is that drug user’s assistance could be terminated, and therefore save taxpayers from wasting their money however, this is not the case. The costs of producing and administering the tests have proven to cost more money than the governments saved from terminating those found to have been using drugs. Utah spent $30 000 drug testing people on welfare and only 12 people tested positive. Similarly, only 2% of people receiving government assistance in Florida failed the test, compared to national drug usage rate of 8% (Covert). This suggests that the majority of drug users are not those living in poverty, and hints at the unjust discrimination they face. Additionally, a recent New York Times article stated that testing in Florida cost the government an additional $45 780, which is grossly wasteful. Comparably, out of the 8 states that are enforcing legislation, none of them are saving money. In Arizona, only 1 person in 3 years tested positive (Kelly). Every single study done has shown that the state governments are losing money but more and more states are proposing it and citizens of Canada are pushing for it as well. As of 2013, 29 states have proposed the legislation, which is completely nonsensical. If no money is being saved, why are so many people behind the policy? The only possible reason has to be selfishness and the reluctance of citizens for their taxes to be going toward fellow citizens less fortunate than themselves. This exemplifies how drug testing the poor is simply a symptom of discrimination in society and not a means to save money. With all of the evidence considered, there is no rebutting the fact that drug testing in order to be eligible for welfare is callous and nothing but a symptom of discrimination and selfishness in society. The testing punishes children, which is unfair, ignores the fact that drug addiction is a disease and most significantly, doesn’t save any money. So many people are supporting this legislation but being poor should not result in someone being labeled as less than and a delinquent. It is unfair that the only standing reason for implementing or sustaining laws requiring drug testing is that people don’t want their money going to the less fortunate that ultimately, need it for survival. For any person that supports these legislations the main question that should be pondered is why? Why should the poor be drug tested when everyone receives government funds in one way or another? The fact is, they should not. Bibliography Covert, Bryce.†Utah Spent More Than $30,000 To Catch 12 Drug Users On Welfare.† ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Kelly, Brian P. â€Å"An Inane, Money-eating Sham: Drug Tests for Welfare a Huge Failure.† Saloncom RSS. N.p., 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Richey, Kate. â€Å"Five Reasons Not to Drug-test.† Oklahoma Policy Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Laser Dentistry essays

Laser Dentistry essays Laser dentistry is a relatively new form of dental care. Laser Dentistry uses lasers to perform surgery, prepare cavities, and harden dental resins. This use of lasers has allowed dentists to perform tasks with less pain and with improved results. There are many different types of lasers used in the dentistry field. Theses lasers included the argon laser, the diode laser, the neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, the holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Ho:YAG) laser, the erbium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser, and the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. Each laser has different properties, such as wavelength, that allow the laser energy to be absorbed by different compounds. A laser that is well absorbed by water would be used on blanched tissue, and a laser that is well absorbed by skin pigments would be used on skin or gums. The argon laser is most commonly used on skin tissue because it well absorbed by melanin and hemoglobin. The argon laser operates at two wavelengths of 488nm and 514nm. The 488nm wavelength is used to catalyze dental resin polymerization. This use of the argon laser allows for faster curing of dental resins, and causes the dental resin to have a strong bond to the tooth. The argon laser is also used for laser teeth whitening. One of the downsides of using the argon laser is that the laser requires a large amount of energy to create lasing, and to cool the laser cavity. The diode laser is a useful tool because it allows for a smaller more reliable unit. The diode laser operates at wavelengths of 820nm and 830nm. These wavelengths are absorbed by pigmented tissue. This laser is used on gums and other skin tissue for some types of dental surgery. The diode laser is a very useful laser in dentistry because of its compact size. The Nd:YAG laser is the most commonly used laser in dentistry. The Nd:YAG laser operates at a wavelength of 1064nm. This wavelength is absorbed by both pigmented tissue an...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Fixed Mindset Will Destroy More Than Your Wardrobe

Fixed Mindset Will Destroy More Than Your Wardrobe Everyones Talking About Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset On Saturday I went to an expo for Lu La Roe, a women’s fashion company that sells dresses, skirts, and leggings at home parties and online. I hadn’t been planning to go, mind you. I was actually headed to a different event – but something told me I should wander in and explore. I didn’t realize I was about to get a lesson in fixed vs. growth mindset – a topic that seems to be popping up everywhere in my life lately. First, there was a conversation at the Wright Foundation on what keeps us from training people to be better than we are. Then, fixed vs. growth mindset arose as the main focus of the ActionCOACH workday I attended on Friday. The next day, I was not surprised to see an article posted via LinkedIn by Susan Howington, My Best Career Advice to You, extolling the virtues of a growth mindset. Fixed mindset, just as it sounds, is a stuck frame of mind that will keep us exactly where we are. It tells us there are no options, that things won’t work, that we can’t do it or learn new things. People living in a fixed mindset are rarely the type of leaders we look up to or who triumph over adversity. They are more likely to be the people complaining. With a growth mindset, in contrast, we see possibilities. We know we can grow and change. We keep getting better and taking risks. People with a growth mindset are open to the ideas other people have for them. It is satisfying to contribute to them. Growth Mindset for My Wardrobe Back to Lu La Roe. I walked into the exhibition hall and my brain immediately told me I would not fit into anything there. I am 4’10† and when I looked at some of the XS tops and they looked huge to me. Instead of keeping my opinion to myself, I said to one of the vendors, â€Å"It seems like there aren’t a lot of things here that would fit me.† That was my first good move. I recognized my fixed mindset and voiced it. The woman immediately called over reinforcements, â€Å"Hey Tiffany! This lady thinks there’s nothing here that will fit her!† Tiffany pulled a dress from her rack and began to show me how wrong I was. Soon, not only was I trying on dresses, but I was learning how to MAKE them fit me! There’s a trick that worked on the first dress, bunching it up from underneath and tying it with a hair band to create a nice diagonal look. And another method worked on a dress that I initially saw as way too long (it was as tall as I am)! I was so excited to have gotten past my fixed mindset that I bought three items from this miracle worker, plus one from another vendor she referred me to. It was pretty easy to get past my fixed mindset about clothing. And it was fun! Creating a Growth Mindset Everywhere Will blasting through my fixed mindset about certain things in my business be as easy? I have some challenges I’m facing and I’ve been pretty hopeless about some of them. But my coaches have helped me see some possibilities there too. In fact, the email you may have received from me today about my college essay price increase came out of one of those conversations. To help understand fixed mindset, I invite you to watch this video clip from Facing the Giants: Brock’s coach literally had to blindfold him to get him past his fixed mindset so that he could not see his own perceived limits. And since Brock was a leader on the team, once he broke through his fixed mindset, his team could break through theirs as well. Note: Brock did not get past his limiting beliefs by himself, as many of us fool ourselves into believing we can do. He needed his coach to believe what he did not believe, just like I needed Tiffany and the coaches at ActionCOACH to get me past some of my stuck thoughts. I have a lot more work to do, and I know I will have to keep stretching my comfort zone. This week I’m taking new actions on my business, including reaching out to executive recruiters and past leads. As for my new Lu La Roe friend, we are talking about going shoe shopping together. Believe it or not, I have a fixed mindset about how I can’t wear dresses in the winter because I wear orthotics and don’t have decent shoes to wear with dresses. I’m ready to have that thinking blown out of the water too. Where do you see you have a fixed mindset that you want to shift? Please share in the comments! 🙂 Log in to Reply Carol says: June 20, 2017 at 9:40 am Thank you for this great article Brenda. It came just when I needed to hear it. I am a writer and am 61 years old. I work part-time for a wonderful nonprofit, but Im struggling to make ends meet. I know I view my age as a big limitation regarding work. I like your idea of receiving coaching as I tend to try to do everything on my own. Any ideas of where I can find low-cost coaching options? I live about an hour north of San Francisco. Than you. Log in to Reply Brenda Bernstein says: June 20, 2017 at 12:42 pm Thanks so much Carol. Im glad my article was so helpful! You might look for coaches trained through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). Sometimes new coaches have lower rates. For career coaching, I would recommend contacting Thea Kelley! https://www.linkedin.com/in/theakelley/ Log in to Reply Susan Thomson says: June 20, 2017 at 9:44 am I am a work in progress on this! Its been an interesting journey to seek out opinions that are different than mine, question my fixed beliefs about how I invest my time and even how I see other people. Carol Dwecks book MINDSET has helped a lot on self-awareness. Log in to Reply Brenda Bernstein says: June 20, 2017 at 12:40 pm We are all works in progress right? Otherwise wed be in a fixed mindset! Thanks for the book recommendation, and for inspiring this blog!! Log in to Reply Dolores Priegnitz says: June 21, 2017 at 4:49 pm Excellent advice thanks for sharing. I will practice a growth mindset as I pursue new learning opportunities. Log in to Reply Brenda Bernstein says: June 21, 2017 at 5:05 pm Great Dolores! Make sure to have a coach its hard to keep a growth mindset when youre relying on your own mind :-). Log in to Reply

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Remembering the Murder of Shanda Sharer

Remembering the Murder of Shanda Sharer Few crimes in modern times caused more public horror than the grisly torture and murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer at the hands of four teenage girls on Jan. 11, 1992 in Madison, Indiana. The callousness and brutality exhibited by the four teenage girls, ages 15 to 17, shocked the public then, and it continues to be a source of fascination and revulsion as the subject of dozens of books, magazine articles, television programs, and psychiatric papers.   The Events Leading to the Murder At the time of her murder, Shanda Renee Sharer was the 12-year old daughter of divorced parents, attending school at  Our  Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic school in New Albany, Indiana, after transferring the previous year from Hazelwood Middle School. While at Hazelwood, Shanda had met Amanda Heavrin. Initially the two girls fought, but eventually became friends and then became entered into a youthful romance.   In October of 1991, Amanda and Shanda were attending a school dance together when they were angrily confronted by Melinda Loveless, an older girl that Amanda Heavrin had also been dating since 1990. As Shanda Sharer and Amanda Heavrin continued to socialize through October, the jealous Melinda Loveless began to discuss killing Shanda and was observed threatening her in public. It was at this point, concerned about their daughters safety, that Shandas parents transferred her to a Catholic school and away from Amanda. The Abduction, Torture, and Murder Despite the fact that Shanda Sharer was no longer in the same school as Amanda Heavrin, Melinda Loveless jealousy continued to fester over the next few months, and on the night of Jan. 10, 1992, Melinda, along with three friends- Toni Lawrence (age 15), Hope Rippey (age 15), and Laurie Tackett (age 17)- drove to where Shanda was spending the weekend with her father. Just after midnight, the older girls convinced Shanda that her friend Amanda Heavrin was waiting for her at a teenage hangout spot known as the Witchs Castle, a ruined stone home in a remote area overlooking the Ohio River. Once in the car, Melinda Loveless began to threaten Shanda with a knife, and once they arrived at Witchs Castle, the threats escalated into an hours-long torture session. It was the details of the savagery that followed, all of which came out later in testimony from one of the girls, that so horrified the public. Over a period of more than six hours, Shanda Sharer was subject to beatings with fists, strangling with a rope, repeated stabbings, and battery and sodomy with a tire iron. Finally, the still living girl was doused with gasoline and set ablaze in the early morning hours of Jan. 11, 1992, in a field alongside a gravel county road.   Immediately after the murder, the four girls had breakfast at McDonalds, where it is reported that they laughingly compared the look of the sausage to that of the corpse they had just abandoned.   The Investigation Uncovering the truth of this crime thankfully did not take long. Shanda Sharers body was discovered later that same morning by hunters driving along the road. When Shandas parents reported her missing in early afternoon, the connection to the discovered body was quickly suspected. That evening, a distraught Toni Lawrence accompanied by her parents arrived at the  Jefferson County Sheriffs office  and began to confess the details of the crime. Dental records quickly confirmed that the remains discovered by the hunters were those of Shanda Sharer. By the next day, all the involved girls had been arrested.   The Criminal Proceedings With compelling evidence provided by Toni Lawrences testimony, the four girls involved were all charged as adults. With a strong likelihood of death penalty sentences, they all accepted guilty pleas in order to avoid such an outcome.   In preparation for sentencing, defense attorneys spent considerable effort assembling arguments of mitigating circumstances for some of the girls, arguing that these facts reduced their culpability. These facts were presented to the judge during the sentencing hearing. Melinda Loveless, the ringleader, had by far the most extensive history of abuse. At the legal hearing, two of her sisters and two cousins testified that her father, Larry Loveless, had forced them to have sex with him, although they could not testify that Melinda, too, had been so abused. His history of physical abuse to his wife and children was well documented, as well as a pattern of sexual misconduct. (Later, Larry Loveless would be charged with 11 counts of child sex abuse.) Laurie Tackett was raised in a strictly religious household where rock music, movies and most other trappings of normal teenage life were strictly forbidden. In rebellion, she shaved her head and engaged in occult practices. It was not entirely surprising to others that she could have participated in such a crime.   Toni Lawrence and Hope Rippey had no such troubled reputations, and experts and public onlookers were somewhat baffled at how relatively normal girls could have participated in such a crime. In the end, it was chalked up to simple peer pressure and a thirst for acceptance, but the case continues to be a source of analysis and discussion to this day.   The Sentences In exchange for her extensive testimony, Toni Lawrence received the lightest sentence- she pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Confinement and was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years. She was released on December 14, 2000, after serving nine years. She remained on parole until December, 2002. Hope Rippey was sentenced to 60 years, with ten years suspended for mitigating circumstances. Upon later appeal, her sentence was reduced to 35 years. She was released early on April 28, 2002 from Indiana Womens Prison after serving 14 years of her original sentence.   Melinda Loveless and Laurie Tackett were sentenced to 60 years in the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. Tacket was released on Jan. 11, 2018, exactly 26 years to the day after the murder.   Melinda Loveless, the ringleader of one of the most brutal murders in recent time, is due to be released in 2019.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Smoking and Depression by Dr. Jon Kassel and Dr. Benjamin Hankin Article

Smoking and Depression by Dr. Jon Kassel and Dr. Benjamin Hankin - Article Example Dr. Jon Kassel and Dr. Benjamin Hankin in their essay â€Å"Smoking and Depression†   delve in the nooks and crannies of smoking, the numbers of deaths per year, and the different pathways that lead to cigarette smoking. This paper intends to evaluate this particular source in order to ensure that it holds reputable and credible content that can be used to the completion of the researcher’s third essay.Dr. Jon Kassel is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago.   His primary research interests are on the better understanding factors that underlie tobacco smoking behavior (UIC n.p.). Dr. Kassel received his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh in 1995 and since then has become a faculty member of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Liberal Arts and Science. He is the director of the Substance Use Research Laboratory and has already authored more than 70 articles and chapters. He is also a multi-awarded researcher on substance abuse. He has received numerous recognitions including the Ferno Award for Innovative Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and is also a recipient of the Outstanding Early Career Contributions Award. Dr. Benjamin Hankin is a psychology professor at the University of Denver. His research interests include depression and mood disorders in youth, developmental psychopathology, and the GEM study (University of Denver n.p.). He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a notable author for 95 publications and has co-edited two books. He was awarded with the prestigious APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology in 2010.  Ã‚  

Friday, October 18, 2019

(EAST ASIA) 20th century korean history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

(EAST ASIA) 20th century korean history - Essay Example When the Catholics were massacred by Taewon-gun, one of Korea’s prominent leaders, the incident gave France a good excuse to put up aggression against Korea whose forces, however, resisted the French invaders. The latter pulled out in failure in October of 1866. Japan started its plans to have control over Korea in 1868 and was impliedly encouraged by the Americans and, in 1871, the United States government gave orders for its Asian naval war chests to occupy the island of Kanghwado in an attempt to compel Korea to open its ports. Despite their might, the American soldiers did not succeed in gaining entry and withdrew from Korean territory. Japan finally got control of Kanghwado with full combat equipment on January 16, 1876. Under intimidation and vitiated consent, the Koreans were coerced to enter into a very one-sided treaty consisting of twelve articles all advantageous to the Japanese while onerous against the islanders. The pact gave what appeared to be a legal basis for Japan to win some more concessions in its favor. Gradually, Japan established further prominence and influence in Korea in 1881 when its Wonsan and Inch’on harbors were opened. As Japanese presence and supremacy became apparently burdensome, the Korean people started to differ in their inclinations. Some were against the corrupt foreign intervention while others were for reforms in the domestic landscape. Koreans who were advocates of the theories and principles of Confucius despised the entry of foreigners including European capitalists. These idealists considered the intrusions disturbing and destructive. In the process, the Confucian creed followers initiated alliance with other ethics with whom they can work toward restoring Korean preeminence. At this point, there were already deprivations in spiritual, political and financial aspects. As a matter of fact, many local schools with Taewon-gun orientations were closed. The characteristics of this

Winning Military Battle Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Winning Military Battle - Article Example The researcher has taken this research as an opportunity to study the results of the battlefield in relation to the leadership style. Different aspects of this research proposal are as follows: This study will be primarily based on secondary sources. This research will help to find out factors responsible for the success of a leader. The research has been designed in such a way that it meets all the research objectives set by the researcher. The first researcher tried to identify the area of research and set his objectives and aims from this research. The next step was to analyze various data collection tools and methods. In this particular research, researcher felt that the objectives can be meet the best with secondary research methods. Leadership is all about leading a group of people to a certain direction t accomplish common goals or achieve common objectives as chosen by the leader. A leader can influence his followers, motivate them to do certain tasks, bring people together and ensure the contribution of all his followers for the well-being of the overall community. Leadership can vary based on the controlling factors of the leaders. A leader can be from a political background, military, religious group, business, education and many others. The important factor is leaders’ ability to influence and motivate their followers. Leadership can be formal or informal. Leadership in an organization can be formal types where people are initially abiding to listen to their bosses whom they find good enough to follow later on. In informal leadership, a leader may not have any formal relationship with his followers, but they have influenced their leader and follow him. Leaders have an impact on the psychology of peo ple. They have the ability to provoke thoughts and ideas in the minds of people. A leader can be highly educated or with basic knowledge and practical approach. A leader can be result oriented or charismatic. He can develop role models for others to follow.  

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Rising trend of government media censorship programs(intenet) Essay

Rising trend of government media censorship programs(intenet) - Essay Example Internet has a role to play in whatever activity we are interested in, be it banking, shopping, reading, entertainment or research. It is no more just a luxury but has become an obligation in today’s world. With the passage of time the face of Internet has undergone a sea change; it has developed into a double-edged sword and has been under the scanner for censorship and control. With the increase in popularity of the Internet, the cases related to Internet crimes have also increased substantially. Statistically speaking, â€Å"there are about 20,000 pornographic photographs posted on the Internet each day.† (Bells, 2010). Internet has many ill effects on its users. Owing to its free accessibility, it has been misused and mishandled. Internet has become easy medium to commit crimes and express emotions, which are embarrassing and risky to carry out in the real world. The anonymity that the virtual world offers has added fuel to such activities. There had been innumerabl e instances of people being influenced by Internet to commit heinous crimes. A student playing long hours of online shooting games might set out on a shooting spree in the university in his real life. This is only one of the thousands of possibilities that might take place on a regular basis all around the world. As observed by a freelance content writer, â€Å"The Internet has become counter productive not for what it offers but because of what it causes† (Otter, July 2006). As the Internet offers the facility of easy and hassle free banking and financial transaction facilities it also provides an added risk of hacking and controlling of personal information for financial gains by some unscrupulous individuals. Internet has become an easy medium for individuals to commit crimes like scams, fooling people by alluring them for job, lottery prizes and even lead to committing sexual assaults. (Hinders, 2003). The social networking sites have made life of an

Sustainable Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Sustainable Tourism - Essay Example In order to conduct an in-depth analysis a literature review consisting of the existing literature has been carried out. This has been followed by a primary research which would provide firsthand information about the means to ensure sustainable tourism in the nation. A questionnaire survey has been created for the purpose which would be followed by a section that would contain a set of plausible recommendations about the means to bring about sustainable tourism in a nation so as to bring about greater economic and social prosperity in the tourism industry. Introduction The twenty first century has been often cited by critics as the age of globalization which has been categorized by organizations trying to breach across geographical boundaries to reach out to new and potential market regions. This has bolstered and fuelled the economic growth of many nations whose citizens have reported considerable rise in disposable income. This has in turn enhanced the demand for leisure activitie s like tourism. Tourism has evolved in a major way with global tourism hotspots being termed as generators of revenue for the economy and the nation. According to World Tourism Organization sustainable tourism is defined as â€Å"tourism which leads to management of all resources in such a manner that social, economic and the aesthetic needs could be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity and life support systems† (United Nations Foundations, 2002, p.1). The significance of tourism as an industry segment could be analyzed from the fact that global tourism industry contributes approximately 11 percent towards the global GDP of the world. This sector employs approximately 200 million individuals across the globe serving approximately 700 million customers across the world. Experts point out that this figure is expected to increase to exactly twice its present value. Much of the value of this global tourism comes from the developed nations which contribute approximately seventy percent of the total revenues generated from tourism. The developing nations have grown by approximately 9.5 percent since 1990 which is quite comparative as compared to the annual growth of the global tourism industry which is pegged at 4.6 percent. Tourism generates precious foreign exchange, employment as well as GDP for the nations. There are a large number of nations and islands whose economy is entirely dependent on the tourism industry (Roe & Khanya, 2001, p.1). The present study would try to analyze the aspect of sustainable tourism and would also discuss about the different factors affecting global tourism with regards to certain issues related to the environment. Literature Review Social and Economic Sustainability of Tourism The sustainability of tourism industry is largely dependent upon other sectors as many economic and social factors are said to be correlated with the tourism industry. Presence of infra structure and political stability are factors that have a deep impact on the success and growth of the tourism indus

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Rising trend of government media censorship programs(intenet) Essay

Rising trend of government media censorship programs(intenet) - Essay Example Internet has a role to play in whatever activity we are interested in, be it banking, shopping, reading, entertainment or research. It is no more just a luxury but has become an obligation in today’s world. With the passage of time the face of Internet has undergone a sea change; it has developed into a double-edged sword and has been under the scanner for censorship and control. With the increase in popularity of the Internet, the cases related to Internet crimes have also increased substantially. Statistically speaking, â€Å"there are about 20,000 pornographic photographs posted on the Internet each day.† (Bells, 2010). Internet has many ill effects on its users. Owing to its free accessibility, it has been misused and mishandled. Internet has become easy medium to commit crimes and express emotions, which are embarrassing and risky to carry out in the real world. The anonymity that the virtual world offers has added fuel to such activities. There had been innumerabl e instances of people being influenced by Internet to commit heinous crimes. A student playing long hours of online shooting games might set out on a shooting spree in the university in his real life. This is only one of the thousands of possibilities that might take place on a regular basis all around the world. As observed by a freelance content writer, â€Å"The Internet has become counter productive not for what it offers but because of what it causes† (Otter, July 2006). As the Internet offers the facility of easy and hassle free banking and financial transaction facilities it also provides an added risk of hacking and controlling of personal information for financial gains by some unscrupulous individuals. Internet has become an easy medium for individuals to commit crimes like scams, fooling people by alluring them for job, lottery prizes and even lead to committing sexual assaults. (Hinders, 2003). The social networking sites have made life of an

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Critiquing nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critiquing nursing research - Essay Example In order to answer the above question the background questions were created, for example what is stress incontinence? Stress incontinence can be defined as involuntary urine loss due to sudden extra pressure, produced by activities such as sneezing, laughing, jumping or coughing. Therefore pelvic floor muscles and urethra cannot withstand the extra pressure BMJ (2009). What is the prevalence of stress incontinence? Its estimated around one in three women get SUI at some point in their lives. It can happen at any age, although its more common in women between the ages of 35 and 60 says Foldspang et al ( 1992 ) . What causes USI? Most cases of stress incontinence are due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. The common reason for the pelvic floor muscles to become weakened is childbirth, pregnancy, being overweight, hysterectomy, smoking, and menopause. Some medication can affect the pelvic floor. Examples are alpha-blockers used to treat high blood pressure, some antidepressants and sedat ives, and some muscle-relaxant drugs as quoted by BBC (2009) Another background question to conceder would be What are the current treatment available? According to BBC ( 2009) the wide range of treatments available include pelvic floor exercises, which helps to strengthened muscles by doing exercises, which prevents involuntary leakage and vaginal cones . These are small plastic cones that are put inside vagina. The cones come in a set of different weights. At first, the lightest cone has to be used. Patient has to use pelvic floor muscles to hold the cone in place. In that way patients exercise the pelvic floor muscles. Electrical stimulations include a special electrical device, which is used to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles with the aim of making them contract and become stronger. In surgery various surgical operations are used to treat stress incontinence. The operations aim to tighten or support

Rebuilt Marketing Machine Essay Example for Free

Rebuilt Marketing Machine Essay Per the article The Rebuilt Marketing Machine by Victoria L. Crittenden, the additional 4C’s of strategic marketing are customer centrality, competitive capabilities, company collaborations and cynical connections. Starting with customer centrality, studying what the customer needs and wants are. Creating solutions for all of the different customers wants instead of forcing the customer into a product. Consumers are all about the customer and the customer experience, ensuring the best service. Competitive capabilities open the door with worldwide web allowing most business to have an opportunity to portray themselves as worldwide leaders. Competition leads many businesses to strive for success and beyond. Therefore competitive capabilities allow business to think of ways to improve their businesses. The third C, company collaboration, is an advantage to companies where you can take superior business and combine business to provide customers the best of both worlds. Company collaboration allows marketing to interfere with other departments to ensure high quality of services. The last C in strategic marketing, cyclical connections are vital to the business world through its strategic planning, great marketing skills will be proved through the outcome of business. In order for a company to succeed, a strong formula must be implemented. Although the 4Ps still remain popular in marketing, the matrix needs to be rebuilt due to it no longer being successful for businesses. Business men all know the 4Ps marketing mix framework, due to its common sense there are no longer any advantages. In today’s world, marketing is the key to success and finding ways to better concepts for business success all around the world since marketing is always changing. The gist to marketing is impleme nting new ideas for business success, using the aged idea of the 4Ps is no longer comparative to the advancement of the business world today. Comparing the 4Cs to 3Cs, Porters 5 Forces, SWOT analysis, BCG Matrix is important since they all support different ideas. Starting with SWOT analysis, finding out what the strength and weaknesses for business allows better strategy for business growth. SWOT analysis defines the pros and cons of the business where as the 4Cs finds ways to improve the weaknesses. SWOT analysis bring consistency to a business, however if combined with 4Cs it would allow great marketing strategy. Porters 5 forces focus on competition and striving for the top name in leading business. This strategic plan uses the strength and weaknesses of other companies through their own annual reports, financial statements, and mysterious shoppers, etc, to find ways to better business. Whereas company collaboration in the 4Cs, focuses on marketing function in conjunction with other areas in the organization. This allows companies to make decisions on ideas as a whole and not just one team making a decision. The BCG Matrix only focuses on two items the SBU market growth rate and the SBU relative market share, this matrix is based on assumptions and is biased. Due to this the 4Cs implements greater ideas since the BCG focuses on profitability and market share and does not support other marketing ideas. The 3Cs is somewhat similar to the 4Cs however the 4Cs are more thorough in the idea of marketing. The 3Cs provides types of questions to ask yourself when opening a business which are common sense. However, the 4Cs are in depth details of important marketing strategies for building a successful business. In my opinion the marketing mix framework is consumers oriented and fits better in the movement for mass marketing to niche marketing. However, it is out dated and needs to be revised with careful consideration of what the customer wants and needs are. Adding new elements to the framework to ensure better marketing techniques, such as adding another â€Å"P† for customers (people) because without business from the customers, companies will not grow. Also, finding ways to better the customer experience so that customer will be a returning customer and not only focus on making money. The customer will be using social media to rate businesses, speak to family and friends about that customer service experience and are the key for business success.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Hamlet Fortinbras Death

Hamlet Fortinbras Death Hamlet Analysis Hamlets Last Soliloquy â€Å"Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means / To dot† (IV. iv. 46-47). Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is a tragic narrative poem that tells the story of a prince named Hamlet, whose father was murdered by his uncle. Avenging his fathers death and deciding whether to kill his Uncle Claudius becomes a mental struggle for Hamlet throughout the narrative. There are different characters in the play that Hamlet interacts with, but the answers Hamlet needs end up coming from within him. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to show a characters thoughts by speaking them aloud, as the character walks alone in the scene. Hamlets last soliloquy in Act IV, Scene IV shows a dramatic transformation of his character. He begins as a coward, continually postponing the murder of his uncle. After his transformation, he decides to be true to himself and carry out what he intended from the beginning and the death of Claudius becomes inevitable. Scene IV begins at the coast of Denmark with the character Fortinbras, who is the prince of Norway and good friend of Hamlets. Fortinbrass army is preparing for a march on the kingdom of the Danish king as he previously promised would occur. Hamlet learns from the captain of Fortinbrass ship that Fortinbras is preparing to engage in war so that the extent of Norways land can be obtained. Hamlet admires and respects Fortinbras for his ability to take action when Fortinbras promises he will: Witness this army of such mass and charge, Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puffed Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death and danger dare, Even for an eggshell (IV. iv. 48-54). When Hamlet states how he admires Fortinbras, he points out how youthful and superior Fortinbrass qualities are by calling him â€Å"delicate and tender.† Hamlet points out Fortinbrass bravery by saying he makes mean faces (â€Å"makes mouths†) at what lies ahead. This is to be held in high regard in Hamlets eyes because what lies ahead is never really known and most likely to be feared. Hamlet admires that no matter what fortune, danger, and death could do to Fortinbras and his army, they still march on. The admiration in Hamlets tone and words for Fortinbras inspires him to be the brave prince that Hamlet desires to be. The impression given in the text is that Hamlet hears his own words for Fortinbras and wants that esteem and honor for his own name. Hamlet begins to compare himself to Fortinbras. It is implied that Hamlet realizes his weaknesses by comparing himself to the noble Fortinbras. Hamlet covets Fortinbrass ability to control his army and his state. The narrative shows Hamlets inability to control himself, or his own actions so using Fortinbras as a model is what will end up pushing Hamlet to become the honorable man he wishes to be. â€Å"Rightly to be great / Is not to stir without great argument, / But greatly to find quarrel in a straw/ When honors at the stake† (IV. iv. 54-57). He is implying here, as Fortinbras would agree, usually true greatness does not mean rushing into a battle over something insignificant; however, when defending ones honor, even something that seems minor deserves action to be taken immediately. From the text, the impression given describes how Hamlet is being questioned when he knows his father was murdered by his uncle and has yet to do anything about it. Here, it appears that a cha nge is coming over Hamlet. He is no longer debating in his mind whether or not Claudius should be killed, but realizing what he must do in order to protect his own honor and that of his fathers. He continues here with â€Å"How stand I, then, / That have a father killed, a mother stained, / Excitements of my reason and my blood,† (IV, iv. 57-59). Hamlet now knows that he has been living with this shame of knowing his father was killed by his own blood and questions himself as if to say â€Å"How am I standing here living my life knowing what has happened?† â€Å"O, from this time forth / My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!† (IV, iv. 66-67). This is the pivotal point of the play. It as if an epiphany finally comes over Hamlet and all of his cowardice and second-guessing himself is over. Hamlet is now ready and brave enough to do what he has been set out to do all along. Unlike the famous, â€Å"To be or not to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  soliloquy, Hamlet is no longer fearing the consequences of his future actions. Before his last soliloquy, Hamlet could be described as virtuous and full of integrity, but he was still a coward. Hamlet never followed through with the murder of his uncle. He would even try to make excuses for his actions. When Claudius was praying and talking to God, Hamlet used his being â€Å"holy† at the moment not to kill him. Hamlet was always putting off his uncles death. Hamlet became progressively more confused and the struggle between his thoughts and the consequences seemed to get worse—until the inspiration of Fortinbras and his good virtues and leadership skills helped Hamlet to see clearly what needed to be done. At the end of the narrative, most every character dies, including Hamlet. His death cannot be looked at as heroic nor can it be looked at as shameful. He avenged his fathers death. That was much of the focus of Hamlet and he succeeded in doing so. Fortinbras had an immense influence on Hamlets logic and helped him to get his revenge. Hamlets last soliloquy in Act IV, Scene IV shows the metamorphosis Hamlet needed to draw the courage to kill the king. Shakespeare accomplishes a dramatic transformation of character and uses it to convey no matter how great the change is, it can still end in tragedy.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Information Theft Essay -- Internet Net World Wide Web Media

Information Theft The world grows continually smaller. Each passing day interconnectivity amongst personal computers becomes increasingly normative. These electronic bridges are at the foundation of the networks of networks which comprise the Internet, which was initially a concept developed as a means by which both communication and vast archives of information could be preserved in the event of a nuclear war. The design was simple: a system of information exchange which was indestructible in its redundancy. In other words, Russia would need to vaporize North America entirely to with the Cold War. In the absence of a real war, for years the Internet remained inhabited largely by members of academic and scientific communities who prized and throve upon instant exchange of information. It was these individuals who became the first denizens of cyberspace, a new frontier characterized, like the wild west, by anarchy and governed, similarly, by the good sense of inhabitants. With interest in the Internet as a phenomenon increasing steadily over the past decade, however, it is evident that those now living are witnesses of a bizarre transformation whereby technological experience becomes wholly integral to our daily routine. As scores flock to experience the new online realm, tiny enclaves of similarly-interested individuals coalesce into electronic communities engaging in facilitated exchange of ideas, goods and information. As these communities continue to grow, codes of conduct are frequently established, challenged, and broken. People begin to engage in ecommerce, to establish eculture and to discuss being a good netizen. These are the inhabitants of today's cyberspace. Among these inhabitants are some individuals whose ... ...being said, it is intuitively understood that on some level Kevin Mitnick did engage in the theft of information. What remains unclear is how we as a society should respond. It does not seem that he ought to be severely punished for what amounts to curiosity. Certainly he could have made a great deal of money and caused extensive damage, but there is simply no evidence of this being his intent. In the absence of a precedent, it is difficult to judge wisely. The only certainty is that as more people come to inhabit cyberspace, more of these cases will come to the forefront of our imagination and attention, more legal decisions will be made and more precedents set which will have real bearing on your very own little corner of cyberspace. Works Cited Littman, Jonathan. The Fugitive Game: Online with Kevin Mitnick. Little, Brown and Company. New York: 1997.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Points of Machiavelli in “The Prince”

Part 15 of Machiavelli's The Prince, entitled Of the Things for WhichMen, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed, states that, in order for aman to maintain control of a government and better that territory, he mustengage in certain actions that may be deemed immoral by the public he serves. Machiavelli argues a valid point, that the nature of man is twofold,encompassing good and evil, right and wrong. The effectiveness of his argument,however, relies on the fact that the person reading his essay is an objectiveobserver of human nature. Not leaving this to chance, Machiavelli plays apsychological game with the reader in order to convince them of his argument. Machiavelli prefaces his thesis with commentary that attempts to placethe reader in a subordinate state-of-mind. He confesses to the reader that hefears sounding presumptuous for writing about a subject covered many timesbefore by others and differing from their opinion in the matter. This statementplaces the author at the mercy of the reader and prepares them to hear an ideathat may not be popular. Having been asked forgiveness for the pride of theauthor, the reader drops barriers that he may have against arguments driven byego and opens his mind to Machiavelli on a personal, sincere level. By placinghimself at the feet of the reader, Machiavelli puts himself and his argument ina position of power. He wastes no time in using this power to gain more controlover the reader. In the next sentence he states that his intention is to createan outline for behavior in public office † of use to those who understand†. Thisstatement compels the reader to agree with the points that the trustworthy,forthright Machiavelli argues, or be relegated the ranks of those ignorantdullards that do not understand. Machiavelli then presents his thesis, that aruler must use both good and evil in order to maintain his power over the state. The reader has almost no choice but to accept this idea before any proof hasbeen given. With the reader in the palm of his hand, Machiavelli needs only tomake a very general argument of his point to convince the reader of its validity. The author states that there are actions for which a prince is eitherpraised or blamed. He lists many examples of good qualities and their opposingattitudes. Instead of labeling them good and evil, however, Machiavelli titlesthem imaginary and real. By calling the good traits and the leader who possessesthem imaginary, he removes the bite that the mention of evil doing may have onthe reader. Removing this emotional punch makes his thesis, that evil behavioris necessary to properly rule, obvious. Machiavelli applies the rules he sets out for successful management of anation to his own writing. He is cautious not to offend the reader with a statement that is too specific. He manipulates the mind of the reader in orderto quell his emotions and make him more accepting of his opinion. He seems weakwhen he is most powerful and seems powerful when he has no legs to stand on. Heis cautious and polite when his foe's defenses are up and attacks with all ofhis resources at his foe's weaknesses. Machiavelli writes a strongly convincing essay. The proof for his opinion lies not only in the words he speaks but in the flow and believability of the work itself through the utilization of the very techniques he exhorts.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

International risk management Essay

A Letter of Credit is a document issued by a bank at the request of its customer promising to pay the exporter for the goods and services provided that the exporter provides all the documents as stated in the terms and conditions. To the exporter a letter of credit guarantees payment and reduces production risk if the buyer has a change of his order. It ensures that buyers cannot refuse to pay due to complain raised over the goods. It also provides a chance to get financing incase of delayed payment. The importer can structure their payment plan, it helps confirm the shipment of the goods, helps them reduce pre-payment, it as well ensures that the exporter delivers exactly what the importer required it also creates confidence for bigger transactions in future. A bill of exchange is a document that acts as the evidence of a debt and informs the importer to pay the exporter a certain fixed sum of money at a certain specific time. They act as a guarantee that goods of certain stated specifications have been shipped and that and that that require payment. The Export-Import Bank of United States of America helps in financing sales of goods and services by proving guarantee of working capital loans, it helps crate jobs through export of goods, the bank guarantees the repayment of loans to foreign purchasers, it also provides credit insurance for U. S. exporters against. The disadvantage of the Export-Import Bank is that for it to support the products at least 50 percent of them must be from U. S and they should not have any negative effect to the economy. It also does not offer help to importers outside U. S. In conclusion, the letter of credit, the bill of exchange and the Export-Import Bank are very important for the import-Export business to prosper not only in U. S but also any where in the world.

Journal Entry African American

Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member June 18th, 1963 Hello my precious unborn child. I am not really sure where to begin. The doctor is saying that I might not make it through this pregnancy but they will make sure you live to see this crazy world that we live in. I want to make sure that you understand your history and where you come from! What a journey our family has been through. They just don’t make it easy for an African American Family. Here we are and we have struggled just to make it here to the Deep South. We settled here in Ole Miss just like lots of other black folks and you would think that after they freed us from slavery they could just leave us be. I guess I should tell you a little about who we are and what we have been through so you have a clearer understanding. Well it started when we got here. Brought over on ships, our family was slaves to the white folk right here in Mississippi. There have always been stories told. Why, I remember when I was a little girl my grandma telling us the story of Nat Turner. (1998) He went on a rebellion right here in the South. He was on a mission fighting for what he believed in. He may not have gone about it the right way but he fought until his death on October 30, 1831. After that it seemed to be one person after the next until finally Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This was issued in 1863. (1998)This was a valiant attempt at freeing the slaves here in the United States but it technically only freed slaves in the states that were under the jurisdiction of the Confederacy. You would think that would make things better. Nope! There was a 12 year period after that that they worked hard on trying to make things fair for us. Your great-great-grandma was around through the reconciliation period. She said that we were finally awarded citizenship and in 1870 an amendment went in that stated you could not deny us the right to vote because of our race. (1998) My great-Grandma told us that just when things started looking up†¦It got worse. The Democrats came in and changed everything. They started doing every thing that they could to put us back to having no rights. But we as a race stayed as strong as we could. What you have to remember is that making our way in this world has been and remains a consistent struggle. We made leeway though! A young lady buy the name of Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles were able to establish a college for the â€Å"Negros† as the white folk like to call us. This was the first college for African American females. Spelman College’s goal at the time was merely to teach black women to read and write. And that they have done. But here I sit in 1963. A 33 year old female who isn’t sure what is going to be in her future. They call us free. I have to ask myself daily though, â€Å"Am I really free? † I mean we have separate schools. We eat in separate restaurants. 2010) They give us totally different bathrooms to use and all this is because of the color of my skin. I look at this world and I think to myself, â€Å"I put my clothes on the exact same way as everyone else. † Should the color of our skin really make things so much different for us? Every single day we have leaders out there fighting for what is fair and what is right. Take M artin Luther King for instance. (2007) He is on a mission. He is part of a group called the SCLC. (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) He has made major strides. I mean in Montgomery Alabama the black folks get to ride on the same buses with the same rights as the white folks. I can only hope that by the time that you grow up and are able to read and understand all this that you look at all this and have a hard time believing it. As I sit here and write to you and I look across the street of this tiny little home I live in I see the neighbors and in their front yard is a cross that someone has lit on fire. Why, because today he walked a white girl to school. Rumors started and now everyone knows that this little girl likes him. Yet he is being punished for it. It shouldn’t matter. If there is one thing that you need to know and one thing that I can teach you through this letter it is to be you. Know yourself. Never let anyone tell you that you can not do something. Most importantly, remember that loves has no boundaries. It sees no color. It does not understand hate. It does not segregate nor does it discriminate. I hope that you never have to endure the hardships that we have to endure during these trying times. Always remember to live with no regrets and never look back! I love you with all my heart- Momma Works Citied Page African American Slavery (1998) Long Island University Retrieved from http://www. liu. edu/cwis/CWP/library/aaslavry. htm#turner Timeline Search for African American History (2010) Google Search Engine http://www. google. com/search? q=african+american+history&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=p&tbs=tl:1,tll:1850,tlh:1899&ei=lrPUS9avLoK78gbfpL3qDw&oi=timeline_histogram_nav&ct=timeline-histogram&cd=8&ved=0CIcBEMkBKAg History of African Americans Information Please Database. (2007) Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://www. infoplease. com/spot/bhmtimeline. html

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Strength finders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strength finders - Assignment Example The signature theme that seems most strongly connected to my school activities is achiever. In order to do good in studies, it is imperative that a student has a lot of stamina and that he/she works hard. Studies can be boring some times, but the good grades are worth the hard work. I can find a connection between all my critical activities and my signature themes. Different signature themes apply to different critical activities, though some signature themes do not apply to some critical activities e.g. the signature theme of context doesn’t apply to the critical activity of goal setting. Three strategies I can implement to capitalize on my signature themes to achieve success include learning to plan and schedule things, adhering to them, and improve my communication skills. This can be achieved by reading books, socializing with people more, and planning things and making schedules for them whether manually or on

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

FINAL EXAM PLEASE GET ME AN A Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FINAL EXAM PLEASE GET ME AN A - Term Paper Example counts, narrative fiction and academic studies which delve into the experiences of such journeys refer to a complex process which affects all parts of a person’s life. The person’s language, religion, physical appearance and sexual identity are all framed as problematic in American mainstream culture, and the Latino or Latina individual has to come to some kind of accommodation between conflicting expectations of family, self, and external reality. It is the solving of these contradictions that leads to the construction of a new and vibrant meaning which in turn influences mainstream American culture. Achy Obejas describes the moment of first contact between a Cuban family and the United States in a way which highlights the contradictions which immigrants have to negotiate. She describes the arrival of a ten year old Cuban girl to Miami using two different narrative techniques. The first technique is to use a first person description of the innocent child’s first impressions. The second, contrasting technique is to use a much more ironic perspective on events through the eyes of that child’s adult persona. The child has an instinctive suspicion of attempts by well-meaning officials and volunteers to enforce an acculturation process. The blonde doll and the grey clothing, for example, are rejected as being self-evidently inappropriate for a Cuban girl. There is a spirited defence of the pride and self-respect that the family feels in the face of enforced poverty during the initial months of settling in to the new environment. Second hand clothes are pressed upon the family, but the child notes approvingly that they will never wear them (Obejas, 1994, p. 118). The child clings to the green, synthetic sweater that she wore on the hazardous boat trip to America if it were a lifeline back to her beloved home in Cuba. The excesses of capitalist America are described using the image of a supermarket which is like a flying saucer in this fantastic â€Å"land of