Essay on Christmas Shopping Chaos - 719 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Few events require as much skill and as much use of the five senses, or six if there is another sense (which can only give its possessor the upper hand at this highly competitive time), as Christmas shopping. Sight must be incorporated in the thrilling hunt for the perfect parking space, or in event of its absence, a parking space. Looking for empty spaces, cars leaving spaces, cars that will dart in front of other cars for a space, and gauging distance to dart in front of another car for a parking space. Also to be seen upon entering the shopping facility, usually a mall, are the large ornaments, lights, and other decorations reminding you of the season and why you are there. The crowds will be undeniably†¦show more content†¦Carrying a cell phone is smart in case someone is separated form the group, be sure to listen for the ring tone. Be prepared to hear a lot of really annoying ring tones from other cell phones. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Shopping trips like these tend to be lengthy, so a break should be taken to sit, eat, and consume vast amounts of caffeine by way of coffee or coffee like beverages. Leaving the mall and repeating the strenuous parking procedure is not recommended, making the food court and in mall restaurants the only options for sustenance. The food court offers dishes in varying tastes and textures, form crunchy taco shells to soft pizza crust. The warm rich flavor of coffee can alleviate stress and boost energy temporarily, however, this can leave a strange after taste in the mouth. Breath mints, or gum are a good remedy for this, especially if they have a mint of cinnamon taste. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;With so many people in one place, there are bound to be a lot of scents, some that will blend well, some that won’t. Inevitably, some of the gentlemen will apply too much cologne, and the ladies likewise with perfume. Such strong smells have a sick sweetness to them and can have a dizzying affect on the person inhaling them. Many of the stores will also smell of colognes and perfumes that they sell. Shops specializing in soap and body lotions will varying fruity smells that will beShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Christmas792 Words   |  4 Pages Around this time of year, it can be hard to get a good present for a friend or family member when you dont have enough money. Especially Christmas, you are expected to buy everyone in your family a present and it all adds up and it can get a bit pricey. But that cant stop you from finding a way to have something to give each other on Christmas morning. I am going to tell you how to pick out the perfec t present when your not looking to spend a lot of money. The first thing you want to doRead MoreThe City Of Orlando Is Divided Into 9 Districts Essay1158 Words   |  5 Pagesbusiness Saturday. Finally, Audubon Park was the 2016 Great American Mean Street Award winner. Ivanhoe Village celebrated its annual Sip and Stroll for the Small Business Saturday. They also had their annual Jingle Parade with Santa’s Village, Christmas Tree Lighting, and live performances. The district offers different memberships for their business and neighbors. Mills 50 offers a similar deal for their businesses. However, Ivanhoe Village offers more expensive deals with way more rewards thatRead MoreBranding And Its Effect On Society1567 Words   |  7 Pagescertain way and be this type of person. I don’t think any other type of advertisement could hit home and relate more to the idea of branding a product. Yet on the other hand, these branded advertisements give consumers direction. In Bernays Organized Chaos, it states â€Å"†¦if all men had to study for themselves the abstruse economic, political and ethical data involved in every question, they would find it impossible to come to a conclusion about anything† (Bernays, 11). Branding gives consumers choicesRead MoreThe Cure For New York City Agoraphobia1161 Words   |  5 Pagesfootball game when the UT football game was good.† Use this app to learn where to make a phone call without chaos around you, or just to hear yourself think—and here’s to hoping someone makes a mobile app that works across the country. 2. Avoid The Shopping Crowds This app is designed â€Å"to show you where all the cool people †¦ aren’t.† First built as an aid to busy Christmas shoppers, Avoid the Shopping Crowds logs tweets, Facebook posts and Foursquare check-ins to see where the people are so that you canRead MoreImportance of Family Dinners1367 Words   |  6 Pagesfamilies busier than ever, dinners offer a predictable routine and an opportunity for parents to monitor their childrens behavior. In the story The Best Christmas present Ever written by Warren Kliewer, we are transported to Uncle Petes farmhouse on Christmas day. Kliewers immediate and extended family is gathered there for a Christmas feast. The festivities began just after noon with the feast Ââ€" an enormous array of beans and corn and mashed potatoes and bread and rolls and relishes and pumpkinRead MoreBlack Friday Research Paper3205 Words   |  13 Pageswaiting in long lines with strangers. The New York Times says that Black Friday first got its name because it was originally thought that all retailers didn’t make a profit until the first Friday after Thanksgiving and the last day of the year. So by shopping actually does more good than some think. Wal-Mart is one of the biggest retailors that make extremely seducing deals for customers. This year 2012 first span of sale started at 8:00 p.m. it consisted of endless amount of video games that rangedRead MoreBlack Tuesday : Black Friday2509 Words   |  11 Pagesthe downward shopping period between July and August. This was the biggest time retailors saw the numbers, â€Å"in the red†. The Friday after Thanksgiving marked when retailors saw the profit go up, â€Å"in the black†; therefore, the term Black Friday arose. As Black Friday has progressed along with retailors marketing their products and their sales, it has become a national day of shopping to get the best deals. Americans mainly go shopping on this day to get huge deals for Christmas presents. StoresRead MoreBlack and Blue Friday Essay examples1899 Words   |  8 Pagesbargain hunter’s dream come true to a husband’s worst nightmare. Since the early to mid-sixties it was been given the name â€Å"Black Friday.† Black Friday is day where stores around the country open their doors early to welcome the start of the Christmas shopping season. This is the day if you get to the mall by five a.m., you are late and will not find a parking place. It is the same day where you start off by being cussed by a pregnant woman, and end by being beat-up by an elderly lady resemblingRead More The Black Friday Takeover Essay2565 Words   |  11 Pagesadvertisements in the media and holiday discount deals already visible on the shelves, it is no wonder that Black Friday and the holiday shopping season are creeping up closer and closer to Thanksgiving. Black Friday is a popular phrase used to describe the chaotic shopping frenzy that takes place every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In recent years, the chaos of this so-called â€Å"holiday† has only escalated; consumers are trampling one another to get the best deals, and retailers are scramblingRead MoreThe Sustainability Of The Activision Blizzard Corporation1857 Words   |  8 Pagesreleasing Warcraft: Orcs Humans for the PC becoming one of the most recognizable games in the PC gaming community, with the releases of Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness (1995), Diablo (1996), StarCraft (1998), Diablo II (2000) and Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos (2002) they became the most recognizable PC game developer in the U.S.. The release of World of Warcraft (2004), a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, cemented them as the #1 PC game developers. Supply and Demand As the industry continues

Teaching Philosophy Essays - 856 Words

Teaching Philosophy I take a completely humanistic view when it comes to educating children. I believe that Maslow was correct in his belief that people genuinely strive to reach the highest level of their capabilities. I also believe that everyone can reach his/her self-actualization if their lower hierarchy of needs are met first. I want to focus on three things: Maslows levels, how they affect children and educators, and what I feel is the best tool we can give our students before they head out into the world of independence. The first level of Maslows pyramid is basic physiological needs. I know that not every child will walk into my classroom having these needs fulfilled, and for me to expect them to gain much if†¦show more content†¦Phrases such as better carry a gun to class or better watch out for those kids in camouflage. these phrases dont make me afraid; they make me angry. If people would stop joking long enough to take classroom safety seriously, no child or teacher would feel threatened at school. I want myself included in my classroom community. I want everyone in that room to feel that they have someone else looking out for their care and safety. I will never give up on trying to make kids see beyond themselves to view the big picture. This does not have to be a dog eat dog, rat race world. If my goals of a true classroom community are reached, then I wont even have to work on Maslows third level of love and belongingness; it wont be a problem. Children have a keen sense of another childs self-esteem. They seem to have radar that can pick up on the weakest child in a classroom. A child that feels that he/she is not worthy of friendship or that he/she is a failure at all they do seem to send out signals that can be felt by the other students. Some children respond to that in a loving and protective manner. They are always the one rooting for the underdog. Most children, however, respond by picking on this child, taunting him until he cries, excluding him/her from group activities, and games, etc. It is the teachers responsibility to help set the acceptable standards of behavior in the classroom. Too many times I have seen teachers respond to these weakened children inShow MoreRelatedEssay on Teaching Philosophy Statement1037 Words   |  5 PagesTeaching Philosophy Statement â€Å"Teaching is not a profession; it’s a passion. Without passion for your subject and a desire for your students to learn and be the best in the world, then we have failed as a teacher and failure is not an option.† –John F. Podojil. In my opinion, this quotation is very true. If you do not have the passion to teach your students what is right in the world and what makes them be the best they can be, then you are not really teaching your students orRead More Teaching Philosophy Statement Essay922 Words   |  4 PagesTeaching Philosophy Statement Knowing that you have had an impact on someone and ending the day feeling like you changed just one life could be the best job in the world. To me those feelings and thoughts can only come from one profession-teaching. I have a family full of teachers and it is exciting to see them come home and have that satisfaction of influencing someone’s life. I want to be apart of that feeling and emotion. I have chosen the route to be a SpecialRead MorePersonal Statement Of Teaching Philosophy1254 Words   |  6 PagesStatement of Teaching Philosophy Stephanie Speicher, M.Ed. â€Å"I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all compassion† Hahn, K. (1957, p.10). Outward bound. New York City: World Books. Foundation – The Sunrise I stood watching the sunrise on the final day of a weeklong backpack/rock climbing training with my college orientation program. The tears streamed downRead More Teaching Philosophy Statement Essay1192 Words   |  5 PagesTeaching Philosophy Statement In the movie The Matrix, Morphis says to Neo â€Å"I can only show you the door, I can’t open it for you.† The door that Morphis is talking about is this incredible vast knowledge that is unknown to Neo. What better person to show, to teach, to inform Neo than his teacher, Morphis. You see, I see myself as Morphis, the teacher, whenever I step into a classroom. As I look across the room, there isn’t just one â€Å"Neo†, but there are thirty or forty Neos. This is an extremeRead More My Philosophy of Teaching Essay598 Words   |  3 PagesMy Philosophy of Teaching Education is an important aspect in the lives of all individuals. From the day we are born until the day we die, we are constantly learning. At a very young age, children begin attending school. Throughout their educational career, children have many different teachers who hold many different views, beliefs, and values. Methods of instruction, personalities, and classroom interaction are all unique to the teacher. Some teachers may come in each day justRead MoreMy Original Teaching Philosophy Statement946 Words   |  4 PagesI honestly would not make any changes to my original teaching philosophy statement because I believe that after reading through the entire phycology book, the things I read only supported the things I stated in my philosophy statement. When writing my philosophy statement I had not taken any previous education classes to aid my original teaching philosophy but I have been working with kids my entire life and so I have seen first hand what things work with children and what does not. This does notRead MoreTeaching And Coaching As A Philosophy2275 Words   |  10 PagesA philosophy can be defined as ‘a set of values and behaviours that serve to guide the actions of a coach’ (Wilcox and Trudel, 1998, p.41). By drawing from all facets of a person’s life, each is specific to the learner and distinguishes teachers and coaches from one another. It can be consciously developed as the professional, teacher/coach and student within education is exposed to a practice as well as other life experiences. It is believed that ‘clearly articulating one’s philosophy is a prerequisiteRead MoreThe Statement Of Teaching Philosophy1775 Words   |  8 PagesMy Philosophy Introduction â€Å"The statement of teaching philosophy (also called the teaching statement or teaching philosophy statement) promotes reflective practice by encouraging instructors to describe their teaching methods, to justify why they use those methods, to analyze the effectiveness of those methods, and to consider how they might appropriately modify those methods in future courses.† (Schà ¶nwetter et al., 2002) Stake holder motivation, engagement, cognitive associations, and personalRead MorePlato s Teachings Of Philosophy1487 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinguished philosophers. Although Plato’s teachings are not universally agreed upon, virtually anyone can agree that that he was a brilliant thinker and spurred many thoughts and beliefs that are carried into today’s teachings of philosophy. While the precise relationship of Plato and Socrates remains a heated disagreement among scholars, Plato states that he was, in fact, a devoted follower of Socrates. Plato was highly influenced by Socrates’ teachings and highly disturbed by his execution, eventuallyRead More My Philosophy of Teaching Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pages My Philosophy of Teaching In the field of education there could arise many philosophical ideas of each individual teacher. Many of the past philosophies have been and still are used in today’s education programs, such as the Socratic method. My philosophy will also contain some of the many philosophies of the past and possibly the future. I will state the nature of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose of public education, method, and curriculum according to my own philosophies

Set You Free by Gary Allan free essay sample

Gary Allan is one of country musics biggest stars. Set You Free is Allan’s first album after a hiatus of three years. The album is stellar through all twelve tracks. The album Set You Free tells the story of a person who has finally forgiven the events in his past and is able to move forward in life. The album’s title comes from a line in the album’s lead single, â€Å"Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain).† â€Å"Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)† is a ballad that has touched many country fans. Fans were so intrigued by the song, it just became the fastest rising song of Allan’s career. The song is easily relatable to those who have experienced many downfalls in their lives. Gary performs the track with honesty, affirming that the bad will not last forever. It is the perfect way to start off an album. We will write a custom essay sample on Set You Free by Gary Allan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If country fans fell in love with â€Å"Every Storm† they will continue to love the rest of what Set You Free has to offer. The following song is my favorite. â€Å"Bones† describes a relationship at the very end. Allan almost triumphantly sings of a hole he has begun digging at first for himself, but then realizes that he might as well dig the hole for his girlfriend, which has caused him so much pain. Yes, the lyrics may tell a dark story, but Gary Allan portrays an upbeat attitude and makes the song fun and enjoyable to listen to. These are the types of songs radio likes to snatch up. The singer has a tendency to mix in a few songs about new love and how he takes it differently than relationships in the past on songs like â€Å"Drop.† For Allan’s past few albums, you can see a more somber side of the singer. This new record is proof that he is on his way to recovery from the past. He sounds more confident and front and center than ever before. This album is indeed a reflection, but more positive than anything. A look to the future and it finally seems like Allan has been set free from his demons. I commend Allan for releasing such a honest album. There is no holding back here. The album is some of Allan’s most consistent material in that he doesn’t try to tell so many different stories. The album has a solid theme that carries through. There is a little bit of everything for fans. At times, songs are melancholy and then they pick up and you experience a laid back classic country rock album. Edgy but sophisticated. This is pure Gary Allan.

Profile on Michael Lee Chin free essay sample

As a matter of fact, Jamaicans are known to excel in just about everything we do. In my opinion, the epitome of Jamaican excellence in entrepreneurism is none other than Mr. Michael Lee- Chin. Michael Lee-Chin, Chairman, Portland Holdings Inc is regarded as a visionary entrepreneur whose philosophy of â€Å"doing well and doing good† as resulted in phenomenal and inspiring philanthropic initiatives. The eldest of nine children, Lee- Chin was born in rural Port Antonio, Jamaica in 1951. He came from a biracial parentage; his mom was a Chinese Jamaica and his father a Black Jamaican. His mother sold Avon products, and worked as a bookkeeper for various local firms, while his stepfather ran a local grocery store. Lee-Chin attended the local high school, Titchfield High, between 1962 and 1969. Lee-Chin acquired his first job in 1965 working as part of the landscaping team at the Frenchmans Cove Hotel. In 1966 he got a summer job working on the Jamaica Queen cruise ship, cleaning the engine room. We will write a custom essay sample on Profile on Michael Lee Chin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In 1971 he was able to obtain a scholarship sponsored by the Jamaican Government tofinish study Civil Engineering at McMaster University. After beginning post-graduate studies, Michael decided to explore career opportunities within the mutual fund industry (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). In 1977, he was motivated to start his own business when a friend told him about a shortcut to riches called mutual funds. Lee-Chin dropped his business studies, quit his job as a bouncer and took a one-week course in suburban Toronto with a mutual-fund company called Investors Group. In the first month when he started, he made $10,000. He figured that if it was so easy to sell mutual funds, then mutual-fund companies were the place to invest. In 1983, Lee-Chin secured a loan from the Continental Bank of Canada for CAD$500,000 to purchase a stake in Mackenzie Financial Group. After four years, this stock appreciated seven-fold, and Michael used the profits to make his first acquisition, a small Ontario-based investment firm called AIC Limited (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). Lee-Chin also set up the Berkshire group of companies, comprising of an investment planning arm, a securities dealership and an insurance operation. In Lee-Chin’s successful years he also received many awards such as Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Services Category which was presented by Ernst amp; Young, Canadian Business, Bank of Montreal, Nesbitt Burns, McCarthy Tetrault, and Air Canada; Doctor of Laws Degree Honoris Causa; 2004 International Humanitarian Award presented by the American Friends of Jamaica Inc. n New York; named Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Toronto Chapter); Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of Toronto; Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation for his outstanding contributions to Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit; honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University; an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of the West Indies; the Order of Jamaica – one of the country’s highest national honours, for his significant contributions to business and philanthropy; an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from York University; Luminary Award from the University of the West Indies and in 2011 he receives the McMaster University Distinguished Alumni Award for the Arts. Michael Lee-Chin is always giving back to the community; in 2001 he donated $5 million to McMaster University which is used to establish the AIC Institute of Strategic Business Studies at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. Michael pledged $30 million to Royal Ontario Museum’s Renaissance ROM Campaign. In 2004 he donated $10 million to the Campaign for the University of Toronto which is used to establish the AIC Institute for Leadership at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. Michael donates almost $4 million to Northern Caribbean University to build a world class nursing school – the Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing in honour of his mother. The state of the art facility accommodates 800 nursing students. In 2002, Portland’s interests expanded internationally with the acquisition of National Commercial Bank (NCB) Jamaica Ltd. and its subsidiaries. Since becoming part of the Portland group, NCB profits have increased to approximately US$100 million from US$6 million (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). NCB today stands as Jamaica’s largest bank with 45 branches, 2,400 employees, and offices in the Caymans and the United Kingdom. NCB was awarded the Latin Finance 2007 Bank of the Year Award (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). In April 2006, Portland Holding Inc. acquired an 85% controlling stake in the United General Insurance Company, the largest auto insurer in Jamaica, and renamed the firm Advantage General Insurance Company (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). A controlling interest in CVM Communications Group (consisting of radio and television stations and newspapers) was purchased at the same time. In the tourism sector, Michael Lee-Chin has guided Portland Inc. through a number of acquisitions in the Caribbean (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). Among them: the Trident Villas and Spa in Jamaica, Reggae Beach and Blue Lagoon. The first Portland acquisition in the health care industry sector was announced by Lee Chin in July 2006, when Medical Associates Limited, a privately held hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, joined the Portland group (Portland Holding Inc, 2007). Lee-Chin is separated from his wife of 23 years, Vera Lee-Chin who he married in 1974, with whom he has three children. He presently lives with Sonya Hamilton and their twin daughters in Hamilton, Ontario. . Conclusion Michael Lee-Chin was not born in riches, he had to fund his self through College. In my opinion Michael Lee-Chin is a self-determined entrepreneur. We see this when he was prompted to use his savings to fly back to Jamaica and convince then Prime Minister Hugh Shearer to sponsor his Canadian education. Through his own determination and the willingness of the Jamaican Government to invest in the future of one its young people, Lee-Chin was able to return to McMaster University after securing a C$15,000 scholarship to pay for his education. Michael Lee-Chin was not going to give up on his goals and he was determined to finish school and live his dream. Michael Lee-Chin journey was not an easy road. When he returned to Toronto with his wife he had to work as a bar bouncer to pay his bills. During his time as a bouncer, he was fortunate to meet a mutual fund salesman from the Investor’s Group, who advised him about the earnings potential of being a mutual fund salesman. Mr. lee-Chin applied to the Investor’s Group and this move changed his life forever. In the first month he started he made CAD$10,000. His determination to be a successful entrepreneur was shown here and also his motto â€Å"Buy, hold and prosper†. In 1983, the year when he decided to fulfill his dream, Mr. Lee-Chin secured a C$500,000 loan from the Continental Bank of Canada and invested it into the Mackenzie Financial Group at C$1. 00 per share. In 5 years, that investment became worth C$3. Million. This was a huge decision to make but a successful entrepreneur normally takes big risk. This newfound wealth allows Lee-Chin to establish a lot of companies including National Commercial Bank. Mr. Lee-Chin is also a generous philanthropist. He has made a lot of donations to many institu tions as mentioned above. He continues to invest heavily in Jamaica and in other Caribbean Islands, buying assets from real estate to communications infrastructure. Michael Lee-Chin is someone that I respect and look up to and hope to have the privilege to meet him one day. He exemplifies hard work and the sense of â€Å"never forgetting where you come from. With the challenges that Michael Lee-Chin faced, I see myself facing similar challenges. I am a very determine person, so I will ensure that whatever obstacles are in my way I will kick them to the curb. At this moment I want to start my own business but I am not a risk taker like Michael Lee-Chin so I am waiting on the right opportunity to go to my investors to market my services. I need to be more of a risk taker. I admire Michael Lee-Chin and reading about him motivates me to start my own business. In concluding, do I think entrepreneurship is for me? I am 100% sure that I want to be an entrepreneur.

Nero Burning Rome - Why Its a Myth

Nero Burning Rome - Why Its a Myth Separated by almost two millennia from a devastating event in the ancient city of Rome, came a software program called Nero Burning Rom that allows you to burn discs. The event in ancient Rome was so significant that we still remember it, albeit, with crucial details confused. Rome burned, true, in A.D. 64. Ten of 14 districts burned. The involuntary demolition paved the way for Neros lavish building project that culminated in his domus aurea or Golden House and colossal self-statue. Nero, however, didnt burn Rome  or at least didnt start the burning. [See: Nero as Incendiary, by Robert K. Bohm; The Classical World, Vol. 79, No. 6 (Jul. - Aug., 1986), pp. 400-401.] Even had Nero been present at the time of the burning, the other tale told in connection with Nero burning Rome is untrue: Nero did not fiddle while Rome burned. At most he played a stringed instrument or sang an epic poem, but there were no violins, so he couldnt have fiddled. Tacitus on Nero Tacitus (Annals XV) writes the following about the possibility of Nero burning Rome. Notice that there are others who were deliberately setting fires and that Nero acted with some compassion towards the suddenly homeless. A disaster followed, whether accidental or treacherously contrived by the emperor, is uncertain, as authors have given both accounts, worse, however, and more dreadful than any which have ever happened to this city by the violence of fire. It had its beginning in that part of the circus which adjoins the Palatine and Caelian hills, where, amid the shops containing inflammable wares, the conflagration both broke out and instantly became so fierce and so rapid from the wind that it seized in its grasp the entire length of the circus. For here there were no houses fenced in by solid masonry, or temples surrounded by walls, or any other obstacle to interpose delay. The blaze in its fury ran first through the level portions of the city, then rising to the hills, while it again devastated every place below them, it outstripped all preventive measures; so rapid was the mischief and so completely at its mercy the city, with those narrow winding passages and irregular streets, which characte rised old Rome. Added to this were the wailings of terror-stricken women, the feebleness of age, the helpless inexperience of childhood, the crowds who sought to save themselves or others, dragging out the infirm or waiting for them, and by their hurry in the one case, by their delay in the other, aggravating the confusion. Often, while they looked behind them, they were intercepted by flames on their side or in their face. Or if they reached a refuge close at hand, when this too was seized by the fire, they found that, even places, which they had imagined to be remote, were involved in the same calamity. At last, doubting what they should avoid or whither betake themselves, they crowded the streets or flung themselves down in the fields, while some who had lost their all, even their very daily bread, and others out of love for their kinsfolk, whom they had been unable to rescue, perished, though escape was open to them. And no one dared to stop the mischief, because of incessant me naces from a number of persons who forbade the extinguishing of the flames, because again others openly hurled brands, and kept shouting that there was one who gave them authority, either seeking to plunder more freely, or obeying orders.Other ancient historians were quicker to put the finger on Nero. Heres what the court gossip Suetonius says:38 1 But he showed no greater mercy to the people or the walls of his capital. When someone in a general conversation said: When I am dead, be earth consumed by fire, he rejoined Nay, rather while I live, and his action was wholly in accord. For under cover of displeasure at the ugliness of the old buildings and the narrow, crooked streets, he set fire to the city so openly that several ex-consuls did not venture to lay hands on his chamberlains although they caught them on their estates with tow and fire-brands, while some granaries near the Golden House, whose room he particularly desired, were demolished by engines of war and then set on fi re, because their walls were of stone. 2 For six days and seven nights destruction raged, while the people were driven for shelter to monuments and tombs.Suetonius Nero Nero at this time was at Antium, and did not return to Rome until the fire approached his house, which he had built to connect the palace with the gardens of Maecenas. It could not, however, be stopped from devouring the palace, the house, and everything around it. However, to relieve the people, driven out homeless as they were, he threw open to them the Campus Martius and the public buildings of Agrippa, and even his own gardens, and raised temporary structures to receive the destitute multitude. Supplies of food were brought up from Ostia and the neighbouring towns, and the price of corn was reduced to three sesterces a peck. These acts, though popular, produced no effect, since a rumour had gone forth everywhere that, at the very time when the city was in flames, the emperor appeared on a private stage and sang of the destruction of Troy, comparing present misfortunes with the calamities of antiquity.At last, after five days, an end was put to the conflagration at the foot of th e Esquiline hill, by the destruction of all buildings on a vast space, so that the violence of the fire was met by clear ground and an open sky. But before people had laid aside their fears, the flames returned, with no less fury this second time, and especially in the spacious districts of the city. Consequently, though there was less loss of life, the temples of the gods, and the porticoes which were devoted to enjoyment, fell in a yet more widespread ruin. And to this conflagration there attached the greater infamy because it broke out on the Aemilian property of Tigellinus, and it seemed that Nero was aiming at the glory of founding a new city and calling it by his name. Rome, indeed, is divided into fourteen districts, four of which remained uninjured, three were levelled to the ground, while in the other seven were left only a few shattered, half-burnt relics of houses.Tacitus AnnalsTranslated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb. Also see: Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned, by Mary Francis Gyles; The Classical Journal Vol. 42, No. 4 (Jan. 1947), 211‑217.

Pursing a Career as a Police Officer

Pursing a Career as a Police Officer A sociology degree is a very useful and relevant degree for any career in the criminal justice field. Police officers are one great example of this. As a career that is present in every city, town, and community across the country, becoming a police officer does not usually require relocation and is it is usually always in demand. One way that a sociology degree is especially helpful to a police officer is that it allows one to examine situations with knowledge of the structural issues that surround a society. For example, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and age are all especially important for understanding specific conflict situations. Understanding the Effects Stereotypes Have It is always important to understand the effects that stereotypes have in how people perceive a community problem. Witnesses to a crime, for example, might believe a stereotype about the criminal and will therefore bias the true events. By understanding this and asking very specific questions, the police officer may be able to get an accurate depiction of the crime without any stereotyped influences. In conducting police work, it is also important to understand that communities are composed of relational networks. These networks can be especially important in both investigating crimes and in preventing criminal acts. Since police officers are constantly interacting with community members, education on how to interact with and deal with certain types of people is crucial. In fact, it is often the case that less than half of police academy training has to do with laws, legal codes, and weapons, and the majority of training is spent on human interaction. How a Sociology Degree Is Extremely Helpful This is where a sociology degree is extremely helpful. Role-playing, modeling people’s behavior, and understanding group dynamics is crucial to be a successful police officer. An understanding of cultural diversity is also important. Those going into a career in law enforcement need to learn that there are other patterns of living and officers need to learn to adapt to those patterns when they enter certain situations. Job Description The primary duty of police officers is to enforce the law. They help the community fight crime by making arrests, assisting people with emergencies, investigating crimes, helping prosecute crimes, collecting evidence, testifying in court, and writing detailed reports of crimes. Educational Requirements The educational requirements for police officers vary by city and community. Larger cities often require four-year degrees while some small communities only require a high-school diploma. However, the majority of places are now requiring formal job training, commonly an associate’s degree. Additional training is provided at a federal or state law enforcement academy after an officer is hired. Salary and Benefits Police officers entering the field can expect to earn on average between $22,000 and $26,000, however, some areas pay as low as $18,000. Salaries vary by city and region. After six years of service, police officers earn an average of $34,000 or more. Benefits are offered by the majority of police departments, which typically includes life insurance, medical benefits, and retirement plans. Other Recommendations For those thinking of entering a career as a police officer, there are some other recommendations that will help you during your career. First, it is important to understand cultural diversity and be able to adapt to different cultural contexts. Foreign language capability, especially Spanish, is nearly essential. Other languages might be emphasized according to local needs. For example, Southeast Asian languages (Vietnamese, Cambodian, Chinese etc.) are needed in parts of California. Computer literacy is also a must, as officers compose written reports that are transmitted directly and immediately to the department for analysis. Finally, oral communication skills are essential to conduct good community relations. Search for jobs in law enforcement or other sociology careers in your area. References Stephens, W.R. (2004). Careers in Sociology, Third Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Criminal Justice USA. (2011). Police Officer. criminaljusticeusa.com/police-officer.html

Discussion Board 4-1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Board 4-1 - Assignment Example Suppression and denial of emotions leads to withdrawal and even development of antisocial behaviors that may spill to affect the nature of relationship with a family. The approach can be effective in treating a family with a depressed and withdrawn adolescent daughter who is experiencing first menstrual circle but fears to tell parents who discourage discussions about sex and sexual developments. In this case, the depression and withdrawal of the adolescent daughter may be the only causes of the presenting family problem. Parents may feel uncomfortable with emotional shifts in their daughter and opt to invite a therapist. Applying Experiential Therapy will enable a therapist directly and spontaneously interrogate the daughter about her concerns and reasons for emotional shift. Structural Therapy will not be effective because it can be possible that parents only prohibit discussions about sex with their children but encourage other topics. Interpersonal boundaries can be comforting to every member, and it may be difficult noting any inefficient boundary within the existing family

Neurotransmitters, Biology and Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neurotransmitters, Biology and Behavior - Essay Example Some of the identified neurotransmitters include acetylcholine, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). According to Brown (1994), "Neurotransmitters function primarily to communicate between nerve cells in the brain, central nervous system and autonomic nervous system" (p.10). They may be excitatory or inhibitory in function. Acetylcholine and norepinephrine belong to the former category, while dopamine, serotonin, and GABA belong to the latter category. Thus depending on the specificity of the function being performed, neurotransmitters can set in motion appropriate biological reactions and behavior. In the words of Giovannoli (2001), neurotransmitters "influence human behavior, attitude, perception, temperament, love, and aggression, among other things" (p.43). Neurotransmitters have been shown to affect almost every aspect of human life. They affect mood swings, retentive skills, aggression, shyness, paranoia, exhilaration, sleep and even sexual activity or inactivity. They are also associated with disorders like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Dopamine's effect on the body is profound. It plays a dual role in controlling movement as well as emotions.

Apple Inc Development Essay Example for Free

Apple Inc Development Essay Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had withdrawn from Reed College and UC Berkeley, respectively by 1975. Wozniak designed a video terminal that he could use to log on to the minicomputers at Call Computer. Alex Kamradt commissioned the design and sold a small number of them through his firm. Aside from their interest in up-to-date technology, the impetus for the two Steves seems to have had another source. In his essay From Satori to Silicon Valley (published 1986), cultural historian Theodore Roszak made the point that the Apple Computer emerged from within the West Coast counterculture and the need to produce print-outs, letter labels, and databases. Roszak offers a bit of background on the development of the two Steves’ prototype models. In 1976, Wozniak started attending meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club. New microcomputers such as the Altair 8800 and the IMSAI inspired him to build a microprocessor into his video terminal and have a complete computer. At the time the only microcomputer CPUs generally available were the $179 Intel 8080 ($773.00 in present-day terms[11]), and the $170 Motorola 6800 ($734.00 in present-day terms[11]). Wozniak preferred the 6800, but both were out of his price range. So he watched, and learned, and designed computers on paper, waiting for the day he could afford a CPU. When MOS Technology released its $20 ($82.00 in present-day terms[11]) 6502 chip in 1976, Wozniak wrote a version of BASIC for it, then began to design a computer for it to run on. The 6502 was designed by the same people who designed the 6800, as many in Silicon Valley left employers to form their own companies. Wozniaks earlier 6800 paper-computer needed only minor changes to run on the new chip. Wozniak completed the machine and took it to Homebrew Computer Club meetings to show it off. At the meeting, Wozniak met his old friend Jobs, who was interested in the commercial potential of the small hobby machines. The Apple I was sold as an assembled circuit board and lacked basic features such as a keyboard, monitor, and case. The owner of this unit added a keyboard and a wooden case. The very first Apple Computer logo, drawn by Ronald Wayne, depicts Isaac Newton under an apple tree. The Apple logo in 1977 created by Rob Janoff with the rainbow color theme used until 1998. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had been friends for some time, having met in 1971, when their mutual friend, Bill Fernandez, introduced 21-year-old Wozniak to 16-year-old Jobs. Jobs managed to interest Wozniak in assembling a machine and selling it. Jobs approached a local computer store, The Byte Shop, who said they would be interested in the machine, but only if it came fully assembled. The owner, Paul Terrell, went further, saying he would order 50 of the machines and pay US $500 ($2.04 thousand in present-day terms[11]) each on delivery.[12] Jobs then took the purchase order that he had been given from the Byte Shop to Cramer Electronics, a national electronic parts distributor, and ordered the components he needed to assemble the Apple I Computer. The local credit manager asked Jobs how he was going to pay for the parts and he replied, I have this purchase order from the Byte Shop chain of computer stores for 50 of my computers and the payment terms are COD. If you give me the parts on a net 30 day terms I can build and deliver the computers in that time frame, collect my money from Terrell at the Byte Shop and pay you.[13] With that, the credit manager called Paul Terrell who was attending an IEEE computer conference at Asilomar in Pacific Grove and verified the validity of the purchase order. Amazed at the tenacity of Jobs, Terrell assured the credit manager if the computers showed up in his stores Jobs would be paid and would have more than enough money to pay for the parts order. The two Steves and their small crew spent day and night building and testing the computers and delivered to Terrell on time to pay his suppliers and have a tidy profit left over for their celebration and next order. Steve Jobs had found a way to finance his soon-to-be multimillion-dollar company without giving away one share of stock or ownership. The machine had only a few notable features. One was the use of a TV as the display system, whereas many machines had no display at all. This was not like the displays of later machines, however; text was displayed at a terribly slow 60 characters per second. However, this was still faster than the teleprinters used on contemporary machines of that era. The Apple I also included bootstrap code on ROM, which made it easier to start up. Finally, at the insistence of Paul Terrell, Wozniak also designed a cassette interface for loading and saving programs, at the then-rapid pace of 1200 bit/s. Although the machine was fairly simple, it was nevertheless a masterpiece of design, using far fewer parts than anything in its class, and quickly earning Wozniak a reputation as a master designer. Joined by another friend, Ronald Wayne, the three started to build the machines. Using a variety of methods, including borrowing space from friends and family, selling various prized items (like calculators and a VW bus) and scrounging, Jobs managed to secure the parts needed while Wozniak and Wayne assembled them. But the owner of the Byte Shop was expecting complete computers, not just printed circuit boards. The boards still being a product for the customers Terrell still paid them.[14] Eventually 200 of the Apple Is were built. Apple II Main article: Apple II series Wozniak had already moved on from the Apple I. Many of the design features of the I were due to the limited amount of money they had to construct the prototype, but with the income from the sales he was able to start construction of a greatly improved machine, the Apple II; it was presented to the public at the first West Coast Computer Faire on April 16 and April 17, 1977. On the first day of exhibition, Jobs introduced Apple II to a Japanese chemist named Toshio Mizushima who became the first authorized Apple dealer in Japan. The main difference internally was a completely redesigned TV interface, which held the display in memory. Now not only useful for simple text display, the Apple II included graphics, and, eventually, color. Jobs meanwhile pressed for a much improved case and keyboard, with the idea that the machine should be complete and ready to run out of the box. This was almost the case for the Apple I machines sold to The Byte Shop, but one still needed to plug various parts together and type in the code to run BASIC. Building such a machine was going to be fiscally burdensome. Jobs started looking for cash, but Wayne was somewhat gun shy due to a failed venture four years earlier, and eventually dropped out of the company. Banks were reluctant to lend Jobs money; the idea of a computer for ordinary people seemed absurd at the time. Jobs eventually met Mike Markkula who co-signed a bank loan for US$250,000, and the three formed Apple Computer on April 1, 1976. The name Apple was chosen because the company to beat in the technology industry at the time was Atari, and Apple Computer came before Atari alphabetically and thus also in the phone book. Another reason was that Jobs had happy memories of working on an Oregon apple farm one summer.[15] With both cash, and a new case design in hand thanks to designer Jerry Manock, the Apple II was released in 1977 and became the computer generally credited with creating the home computer market[citation needed]. Millions were sold well into the 1980s. A number of different models of the Apple II series were built, including the Apple IIe and Apple IIGS, which could still be found in many schools as late as 2005.[citation needed] Apple III While the Apple II was already established as a successful business-ready platform because of Visicalc, Apple was not content. The Apple III (Apple 3) was designed to take on the business environment. It was released on May 19, 1980. The Apple III was a relatively conservative design for computers of the era. However, Steve Jobs did not want the computer to have a fan; rather, he wanted the heat generated by the electronics to be dissipated through the chassis of the machine, forgoing the cooling fan. Unfortunately, the physical design of the case was not sufficient to cool the components inside it. By removing the fan from the design, the Apple III was prone to overheating. This caused the integrated circuit chips to disconnect from the motherboard. Customers who contacted Apple customer service were told to drop the computer on the desk, which would cause the ICs to fall back in to place. Thousands of Apple III computers were recalled and, although a new model was introduced in 1983 to rectify the problems, the damage was already done. Apple IPO In August 1980, the Financial Times reported that Apple Computer, the fast growing Californian manufacturer of small computers for the consumer, business and educational markets, is planning to go public later this year. [It] is the largest private manufacturer in the U.S. of small computers. Founded about five years ago as a small workshop business, it has become the second largest manufacturer of small computers, after the Radio Shack division of the Tandy company.[16] On December 12, 1980, Apple launched the Initial Public Offering of its stock to the investing public. When Apple went public, it generated more capital than any IPO since Ford Motor Company in 1956 and instantly created more millionaires (about 300) than any company in history.[17] Several venture capitalists cashed out, reaping billions in long-term capital gains. In January 1981, Apple held its first shareholders meeting as a public company in the Flint Center, a large auditorium at nearby De Anza College, which is often used for symphony concerts. (Previous meetings were held quietly in smaller rooms, because there had only been a few shareholders.) The business of the meeting had been planned (or choreographed) so that the voting could be staged in 15 minutes or less. In most cases, voting proxies are collected by mail and counted days or months before a meeting. In this case, after the IPO, many shares were in new hands. Steve Jobs started his prepared speech, but after being interrupted by voting several times, he dropped his prepared speech and delivered a long, emotionally charged talk about betrayal, lack of respect, and related topics.

Symbolism and Allegory in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

Symbolism and Allegory in Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown Symbolism, something that figuratively represents something else, is prominent in many literary works. One piece of literature that stands out as a perfect example of symbolism is Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown." This story is completely symbolic, and provides a good example of an allegory, or a story in which concrete items or characters represent abstract ideas. Hawthorne uses both objects and people as symbols to better support the allegorical tones throughout "Young Goodman Brown." Nathaniel Hawthorne uses different people as symbols throughout "Young Goodman Brown." The largest symbolic roles in the story are goodman Brown and his wife Faith. Both of the characters' names are symbolic and representative of their personalities. "'With Heaven above and Faith below, I will stand firm against the devil!' cried goodman Brown," is just one of many quotes that directly relates goodman Brown's personality with his name (189). Goodman Brown is truly a good man. Faith, goodman Brown's wife, also has a name that is indicative of her nature. The story directly supports this point in the phrase "Faith, as the wife was aptly named . . . " (184). Faith is persistent in trying to keep goodman Brown off the path of sin in the first part of the story: " . . . pr'y thee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night" (184). Hawthorne does an excellent job of turning the main characters into symbols that are prominent throughout the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne also uses different objects in the story as symbols. One of these is the staff of the devil : "But the only thing about him, that could be fixed upon as remarkable, was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake . . ." (185). This symbol shows the reader the evil that is involved with the devil character because the serpent is an archetype of the devil, or some sort of evil, which is prominent in many different cultures. Another object Hawthorne uses as a recurring symbol is the pink ribbon. The pink ribbon symbolizes the purity and innocence involved with Faith. "And Faith . . . thrust her own pretty had into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons in her cap," is a great example of how Hawthorne correlates Faith with the pink ribbons of innocence (184).

Globalization and Sport Essay

â€Å"Sport is where an entire life can be compressed into a few hours, where the emotions of a lifetime can be felt on an acre or two of ground, where a person can suffer and die and rise again on six miles of trails through a New York City park. Sport is a theater where sinner can turn saint and a common man become an uncommon hero, where the past and the future can fuse with the present. Sport is singularly able to give us peak experiences where we feel completely one with the world and transcend all conflicts as we finally become our own potential. † This quote by George A. Sheehan taken from Quote Garden definitely says it all. They say if there’s one thing that binds a country and its people despite political differences and social struggles, it is sport. Sport is the most universal characteristic of pop culture. It defies language barriers and national boundaries to a common language of obsessions and desires. Globalization and Sport by Miller, Lawrence, McKay, and Rowe mediates between sport and culture, sport and globalization, or culture and globalization. It discusses that sport is not only an apparent means of one’s pleasure, but also a part of government, economics, and socials of daily life. Sport is also scrutinized as a major guise of globalization. As I have earlier said, sport unifies organizations, communities and brings forth economic abundance. What makes world championships or Olympic Games enticing is the fact that the world is so focused on a specific country or organization. The fight for victory, power, and recognition are mainly the goals of competing countries showing off their skills and strength via television to countless expectant viewers. The fight of their country is the fight for globalization. What then is globalization? It is a â€Å"process through which space and time are compressed by technology, information flows, and trade and power relations, allowing distant actions to have increased significance at the local level† (Miller et al, 2001, p. 131). Also, globalization simply means autonomous movement for goods and people. This movement is said to have a definite influence on intellectual, economic, social, and governmental practices. Thus, it is regarded as the keyword for the international trade plans of the sports industry and the business sector. What are the effects of globalization of sport in the local and national scales? Debates are strong and fierce in globalization. There is a sudden emergence of a pro-globalist and anti-globalist. This new concept is to some extent viewed in two opposing perspectives. Globalization is considered as an indication of progress or advancement, especially for Third World countries who attest to utilizing sport for nation building objectives. But for some people, globalization is an adversity to the world economy. Little nations or few developing countries still do fear of being taken over, completely ruled and dominated by the much industrialized nations such as the United States and Europe through the intervention of sports entertainment. They blame globalization for confusing the true identity of the country and the culture of its people, undermining nationalism. In fact globalized sports in media influence people’s opinions regarding their own origin and other countries as well. Similar writings about sport, globalization, and cultural imperialism offer a full description as to how sport connects with distinct mentalities within the historical and national frameworks. But only time will tell which perspective is correct, if a nation’s transformation towards globalization is actually healthy and significant. Lest we forget that there also people who are standing just in the middle of things, waiting for good endings to happen. The authors see globalization as ugly and dangerous. Our sense of space and time through media is questioned, and jobs are unlikely accepted by individuals on the basis of price and docility rather than work conditions. The authors are also interested in the governmentalization, Americanization, televisualization, and commodification which they see as altogether important to globalization. Globalization process needs to address a lot of political or cultural issues, and so as not to merely be considered as a brand name for economists and sociologists disguising in the world of sports, because it is not only the so-called ruling class that tries to profit from the worldwide focus on a given country or event, but even the opposing forces also try to generate news-value to get the attention of the media. The book is enthralling, ideas are thoroughly researched and written, and evidences are vividly shown through eventful phases in the history of sports and media. It is a fascinating book that discusses the theories and effects of globalization in the sports industry. It brings down a very extensive and critical analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of global sports, its historical and cultural considerations, and the role of media in globalizing it. Television is a particular marker of globalization and thus, inseparable with global sport. Remember how sport communicates with advertising, promotion, and commodification as it collects experiences between nations. The author and contributing writers made a wonderful job in collating data from previous to the current events that are taking hold in the nation. Presenting their sample ideas and evidences in their arguments are great means to fully comprehend the parameters of sport and globalization. In this case, it is not misleading its readers. It is highly recommended to academicians, sports enthusiasts, and even to the newbie in the sociology of sports. The major author Toby Miller is an editor and a professor who studies media, sport, labor, gender, race, citizenship, politics, cultural policy, textual analysis, archival research, and ethnography. Co-author Geoffrey Lawrence is foundation professor of sociology and the executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Regional Development at Central Queensland University, Australia. Co-author Jim McKay teaches pop culture in the Co-author David Rowe is an associate professor in media and cultural studies. Everyday is a lingering moment of reflection. We wake up and see ourselves on a different plane. We sleep and hope that tomorrow will still remain. But again, we wake up and find that who we are yesterday is not who we are now. What we think is real is almost dead and gone in our dreams. Globalization is storming over every nation like angry wind and rain. It is painstakingly taking over each life every single day, changing the course of an individual, a society, and eventually the whole nation. If we cannot escape the evolution in civilization, then our lives will continuously revolve on our country’s political axis. They say the bearing of a man remains to be seen in the culture of its nation. What happens to our culture if we are eventually drowned by globalization? Even in the most entertaining way to release our frustrations, which is sport, globalization has taken over. If we are globalized, are we surely free? Can you clothe the naked with your global brands of sports clothing? Can you feed international recognition and power to the hungry? Can you house the homeless in your house of victory? Can you water hope to the hopelessly stricken? Then each poor man in this world will have to painfully battle against economic modernization or industrialization. Therefore, men should not live in a world where he feels condemned to this kind of fake freedom, and if losing one’s self is the price of it. But that wishful thinking remains up to this day impossible. Reference Miller, T. , Lawrence, G. , McKay, J. , Rowe, D. (2001). Globalization and sport: playing the world. London: Sage.

The Comparison of Poll Tax Country” to Black Like Me

â€Å"The Comparison of Poll Tax Country† to Black like Me John Griffin was a normal white man living an average life. He like many other whites knew that people of color were discriminated against, but he never really knew how much the color of one’s skin made a difference in the way people act. If Griffin had seen â€Å"poll tax country† he would have seen racism in a new light. Griffin’s experiment was to go down south as a colored man to learn the truth of how life was a black man. By look at the painting â€Å"Poll Tax Country,† one can see who had the power in early-1900s Southern society.After slavery blacks were still discriminated against and had to travel miles just to find a bathroom for blacks. â€Å"Poll Tax Country† shows a new perspective on how blacks were treated as people and how was each others back was the only thing that kept them going. In â€Å"Poll Tax Country,† a detail that stood out was the columns that held up the roof of the platform. One of the columns matches those of the Supreme Court and the White House. The different columns symbolize different branches and groups of people that came together to makes laws to keep blacks in debt in certain areas.The column have historical significance: columns have been used since the times of the ancient Egyptians and Romans. Both civilizations had slaves to build monuments that would withstand the test of time. Similarly, the people who built the New World were indentured servants who came to the New World with the hope of starting a new life. Slaves have played a big role in society as far back as the ancient Egyptians, building towns and monuments that still stand today. The columns connect to slavery – without slaves, many of today’s wonders might not exist.Slavery is a dark time in every society’s history. However, slaves had a major contribution to the forming of nations. The first slaves of this nation came with the s ettlers that came from England. As time when on, Africans were packed on ships and brought here to be sold into slavery. Many whites like John Griffin, knew about slavery and heard many stories about it. However, in the 1940’s they never understood the extent of racism down south. When John Griffin went down south as a black man the way he was treated was very different from how he was treated as a white man.As a white man masked in black he was able to see how black people really interacted with each other. Also, he was able to see how whites really saw blacks and how they interacted with them. As one white hunter who gave Griffin a ride in Alabama said, â€Å"I’ll tell you how it is here. We’ll do business with you people. We’ll sure as hell screw your women. Other than that, you’re just completely off the record as far as we’re concerned. †(Griffin111). Griffin described this man as an ordinary, respectable family man. It is only t o black people that he revealed his ugly, racist sickness.Sadly, his words reflect the attitude of many white racists in the South. What John Griffin learned that day was very important because although slaves did the work, they are not glorified in textbooks and were mostly forgotten. John Griffin talked about how an educated black that could afford to vote, answered many questions that many people would not know how to answer; he did not get to vote because the government work would give him a poll test he could not pass. The court system was not always fair and laws were made to keep African Americans from voting so whites could keep control.In â€Å"poll tax country,† in the middle of the gazebo among all the different people is a priest. A man of god that should fair to all people is on the side of the men trying to keep you down. They had no god or person to turn to in their darkest hour African American were being squeezing down on to feel pressured. As slaves, they ca nnot not trust outsiders; they had to live in packs and work back to back. In the picture the works were almost on top of each working an area that could be manned by two to three people at the max. doesn’t make sense. This was a gang – they worked together and protected each other to survive.John Griffin saw many things in his experiment that put things into perspective. As a black man he was degraded by whites who felt that they were superior to him. Society strived to keep African Americans controlled so whites would remain dominant. Down south that made it hard for blacks to vote, get good jobs, or even use public bathroom. The whites that cashed their cash always seemed to need more that what was on the check. Doesn’t make sense the poor working black was always in debt. Griffin brought up a story about a well educated black man who wanted to vote but was never able o because the official gave him a test that was unfair and they both knew that he would not pass it. â€Å"I can read the headline†¦ It says this one negro in Mississippi who’s not going to get to vote this year. † (Griffin, 81). In this joke by P. D. East about the voting rights for blacks in the South, a black man who wants to vote is given a newspaper in Chinese in order to test his literacy. East tells the joke to shine a light on the problem facing blacks being prohibited from voting in the South. By preventing blacks from voting, whites removed their voice in matters.This way the law stayed on the side of the whites, and blacks never had a chance to make changes. In the painting, a congressman stands in front preaching to the people and filling their heads with empty words. However, shadowing the congress man is a KKK member that looks as if he is in control of what the congressman says. The audience has stopped listening to the words they have heard many times before. They have lost hope in their government that represents only the white people, k nowing that the people who lynch them are the same ones who hold public offices.Many have lost hope in seeing the change that they were promised, still working like slaves 90 years after the Civil War. John Griffin had never known how blacks felt about politicians because he had never faced laws that made it harder to get by everyday as a white man. To him the government was a government by the people for the people, but in fact government was mostly run by white, racists and even members of the KKK. Being black showed Griffin the double standards of this government of, for, and by the people.As a white man he could go to white facilities or black facilities if he chose, and he could enter, do, and say as he pleases. However, as a black man he could only go to black facilities and he had to respect whites. A white man when into a black facility on day and put up a file stating that any black man willing to bring young black female to them will get paid. The fact that white men had t he power to do such things is degrading both to a man as well as to the entire African- race. While whites were promoting pimping and prostitution, the government was simply looking the other way.However, the government imposed a steep fine on hunting alligators. The fact that a poor sawmill worker who lived on the swamp with his wife and six children could not hunt the alligators endangered his family every day: â€Å"I’ll tell you—if we don’t have meat to cook with the beans, why she just goes ahead and cooks the beans anyhow. † (Griffin111). When Griffin traveled through the rural swamp country in Alabama, he met a poor black sawmill worker who offered him a place to stay on the floor of his shack. Griffin is touched by the man’s generosity.The man and his wife are thankful for what they have. If there is no meat to cook, the man notes, his wife doesn’t complain; she just serves beans. Realistically, the man has enough meat around his hom e to feed his family for many years to come. However, because governments know that most blacks would benefit from alligator meat, they impose fines that whites could afford to pay off but not blacks. That night John Griffin thought of his kids and how they were living right now, and how if he and his family were not white they too might be reduced to this squalid standard of living.Griffin had been black for a couple of weeks and was sick to his stomach from his experience he couldn’t handle it anymore. Blacks had to handle much abuse from whites that want to keep controlling them on a daily basis but yet they stood strong to the end. â€Å"Black like me† and â€Å"Poll Tax Country† share many ideas of what racism was really like down south. John Griffins experiment showed how a normal, kind-looking family man could become so cruel to another human due to the color of the skin. He showed how the government squeezed down on anyone that was not white by any means available.Blacks could not turn for help from the government, or the even the men of god. They were made into second class citizens that had little to no rights and every apportioned was give to white society. Courts were run by whites who were prejudice, the government was filled with racists and the rest was manipulated by the very men that felt they were the only one’s fit to roam the lands. Blacks were being degraded to keep their hopes down and to control them. Keeping control by making them second class citizens and in debt there whole life makes them less likely to rebel because they would feel less likely to win.

Ed Sullivan, Variety Show Host Influenced American Culture

Ed Sullivan, Variety Show Host Influenced American Culture Ed Sullivan was a newspaperman who became an unlikely cultural force during the early decades of television. His Sunday night variety show was considered a weekly event in homes around the country. The Ed Sullivan Show is widely remembered for giving The Beatles their first exposure in America, an event in early 1964 which seemed to change the culture overnight. A decade earlier, Elvis Presley had also made a huge impression on Sullivans stage, generating a national controversy while turning many young Americans into instant fans of rock n roll. Fast Facts: Ed Sullivan Born: September 28, 1902 in New York CityDied: October 13, 1974 in New York CityKnown For: As host of a weekly variety show broadcast on Sunday nights, Sullivan had enormous influence on American show business.Parents: Peter Arthur Sullivan and Elizabeth F. SmithSpouse: Sylvia WeinsteinChildren: Betty Sullivan Besides showcasing musicians, Sullivans weekly show was marked by its eclectic, and often simply odd, array of performers. Broadway stars might perform a scene from a hit musical, nightclub comedians would tell jokes about their wives and mothers in law, magicians would perform elaborate tricks, and circus performers would tumble, juggle, or spin plates. What happened on Sullivans show became part of the national conversation. By the time his show ended in 1971, it was estimated that more than 10,000 performers had appeared. During the 1950s and 1960s a mark of success in show business meant appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. Early Life and Career Edward Vincent Sullivan was born on September 28, 1902, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. His father, a customs inspector, was the son of an Irish immigrant, and his mother was an amateur painter who loved the arts. Sullivan had a twin brother who died in infancy, and as a child his family moved out of New York City to Port Chester, New York. Growing up, Sullivan was influenced by his parents love of music. He attended Catholic schools, and at St. Mary’s High School he wrote for the school newspaper and played several sports. After high school an uncle offered to pay his college tuition, but Sullivan chose to go directly into the newspaper business. In 1918 he got a job at the local Port Chester newspaper. He briefly worked for a newspaper in Hartford, Connecticut, but then moved on to New York City. In the early 1930s he became a columnist for the New York Daily News. He covered Broadway and show business in general, and began appearing on radio broadcasts. To augment his income, Sullivan would moonlight as the emcee at Times Square theaters that featured live vaudeville acts and movies. After appearing on an early television broadcast, an advertising executive thought Sullivan should host a regular TV show. On June 20, 1948, he first appeared as the host of a CBS variety show, â€Å"The Toast of the Town.† Ed Sullivan. Getty Images   Television Pioneer Sullivans show was not immediately successful, but after obtaining a new steady sponsor, Lincoln-Mercury automobiles, and a new name, The Ed Sullivan Show, it caught on. His 1974 obituary in the New York Times noted that Sullivans appeal was often baffling to anyone seeking to explain it. Even his onstage awkwardness became part of his charm. His weekly promise to the audience was that he was presenting a really big show. For decades, impressionists, playing on Sullivans peculiar diction, mimicked his catchphrase as a rilly big shew. The core of Sullivans lasting appeal was his credibility as a judge of talent. The American public came to believe that if Ed Sullivan put someone on his show they were worthy of attention. The Elvis Controversy 10/28/1956-New York, NY: Elvis Presley, rock and roll sensation, as he rehearses with his band for The Ed Sullivan Show. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images In the summer of 1956, Elvis Presley appeared on television on â€Å"The Steve Allen Show.† But it wasn’t until his appearance on Ed Sullivan’s program on September 9, 1956, that mainstream America was shocked by what they saw. (Sullivan, recuperating from a serious auto accident, didn’t host that night; actor Charles Laughton was the guest host.) Some viewers, appalled by Presley’s â€Å"suggestive† dancing, criticized Sullivan harshly. The television critic of the New York Times, Jack Gould, published a denunciation of Presley the following Sunday. Gould wrote that Presley was a â€Å"gyrating figure† generally found on the fringes of show business, and that his â€Å"bumps and grinds† could â€Å"overstimulate† teenagers. The following month, Elvis returned for a performance on the night of October 28, 1956. Sullivan was back hosting, and again criticism followed. Sullivan hosted Elvis again on January 6, 1957, but CBS executives insisted that the singer only be shown from the waist up, keeping his swiveling hips safely out of sight. Cultural Milestones on Sunday Nights Ed Sullivan with The Beatles. Getty Images Eight years later, Sullivan made more cultural history by hosting The Beatles on their first visit to America. Their initial appearance, on February 9, 1964, set ratings records. It was estimated that 60 percent of American televisions were tuned into their performance. Coming less than three months after the assassination of President Kennedy, Sullivan showcasing The Beatles seemed like a very welcome bit of fun. In the following years, Sullivan would host a number of musicians who were changing the culture, including The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, James Brown, Janis Joplin, The Doors, The Jefferson Airplane, Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles. When network affiliates and advertisers suggested he should avoid booking black performers so as not to offend viewers in the South, he refused. Sullivan’s show endured for 23 years, ending in 1971. He produced some TV specials after giving up the weekly show before becoming ill with cancer. He died in New York on October 13, 1974. Sources Ed Sullivan. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 19, Gale, 2004, pp. 374-376. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Coletta, Charles. Sullivan, Ed (1902–1974). St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, edited by Thomas Riggs, 2nd ed., vol. 5, St. James Press, 2013, pp. 6-8. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Goldfarb, Sheldon. The Ed Sullivan Show. Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America, edited by Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, vol. 3: 1940s-1950s, UXL, 2002, pp. 739-741. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Time Expressions in Spanish

Time Expressions in Spanish Here are some miscellaneous words and expressions of time, with an example of each used in a sentence: al cabo de (after) - Al cabo de una semana, si el paciente no ha respondido al tratamiento, la dosis puede ajustarse. After a week, if the patient hasnt responded to the treatment, the dose can be adjusted.  ¿A cuntos estamos?  ¿A cuntos estamos hoy? (What day is it?) cada dà ­a (each day, every day) - Cada dà ­a te quiero ms. I love you more each day. el fin de semana (weekend) - Disfrute de un fin de semana romntico en nuestro hotel. Enjoy a romantic weekend in our hotel. de hoy en ocho dà ­as (a week from today) - De hoy en ocho dà ­as nos parecer que fue todo un mal sueà ±o. A week from now it will seem to us like it was all a bad dream. pasado/a (last) - La semana pasada fuimos a la ciudad. Last week we went to the city. prà ³ximo/a (next) - La vacunacià ³n masiva comenzar la semana prà ³xima.The mass vaccination will begin next week. (Prà ³xima can also be placed before the time designation.)  ¿Quà © fecha es hoy? (What day is it today?) que viene (next) - El DVD estar disponible la semana que viene. The DVD will be available next week. quince dà ­as (two weeks, fortnight) - Cada quince dà ­as se extingue una de las 6.700 lenguas del mundo. Every two weeks one of the worlds 6,700 languages goes extinct. un rato (a while) - Y despuà ©s saltaba a la piscina y nadaba un rato. And afterward I would jump in the pool and swim for a while. todos los dà ­as (every day) - Jugar todos los dà ­as con los hijos es fundamental para su desarollo. Playing every day with your children is essential for their development.

Accounting (CASH FLOWS IN BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS) Coursework

Accounting (CASH FLOWS IN BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS) - Coursework Example Comparatively, net cash flow is defined as the difference between the amount of cash that come in and go out of a company within a period. To begin with, to understand the underlying factor causing the difference in these two major accounting items, it is important to recapture the fact that the estimation of a company’s net profit is guided by some rules provided by the GAAP. Unlike net profit, cash flow determination is not affected by any rules established by GAAP (Robbins 2014, par. 1-11). Second, it is important to note that net profit is determined by subtracting the operating expenses incurred in the process of producing goods from revenues generated by the sales proceeds of those goods and services. On the other hand, cash inflows or outflows of a business are not generated from the sales of goods and services. Instead, cash inflows come from sources such as loans and gifts whereas cash outflows arise due to activities such loan repayment. Therefore, a company can make losses but have a positive net cash flow, balance due to a substantial amount of borrowed money. Below is a hypothetical illustration of the difference. With reference to the provisions of the international accounting standards 7 (IAS 7), the indirect method of cash flow preparation involves commencement with the net income, which is adjusted for other transactions in order to obtain the net cash flow. Whereas, the direct method simply outlines cash inflows and outflows that form part of the operating activities of a company. In the latter, the difference between the negative figures (outflows) and the positive figures (inflows) gives the net cash flow. Illustrations are provided under appendix A and B (Gowthorpe 2005, pp. 212). Operating activities: appendix 2 and 3 contains a copy of the two companies cash flow statement. In the year 2011 and 2012, the following transpired as shown in the cash flow

Business problem analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business problem analysis - Assignment Example An effective business plan should take factor in its calculations the costs, revenue, and flow of cash on a regular basis. This is used to calculate the business’s profitability or discover incidents of loss. Such a plan can be used to project future expenditure plans and guide managers’ decisions about such decisions. The task of understanding such accounting techniques should not be left solely to accountants as managers’ knowledge is critical. Information on the business plans can be presented on a number of models in excel such as charts, graphs, tables, and other presentational formatting. These are further divided into sub-models such as frequency distributions, cumulative frequency distributions, scatter grams and time series distributions. Such presentations provide the selling points for one’s ideas, therefore, they have to be accurate and self-explanatory and simple to understand. The mode of presentation depends on the audience and channel of presentation to be used. Business planning is a strategy that all managers need to learn. Basic accounting techniques are a requirement for all managers and they cannot afford to leave all the accounting to the accountants. Business planning is crucial for a business’s survival and sustenance as it elaborates the business’s future, making vivid aspects that have great impact on the business such as unforeseeable

Qualititve research preposol Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Qualititve preposol - Research Proposal Example Thus it is imperative for the managers of the organizations to have detailed understanding of the changes taking place in the organization and adequate knowledge of change management for accommodating their organization in this rapidly changing business environment. Paton and McCalman (2008) emphasizes on the fact that for adaptation to any change in an organization, it is necessary to have a well management of the organizational change process. This includes designing, planning, implementing, sustaining and assessing the changes taking place within the organization (Lientz & Rea, 2004). Winch and McDonald (1999) emphasized on the fact that change management is somewhat different when it comes to SMEs. One of the major rationales behind such statements by Winch and McDonald (1999) was that SMEs often lack the required managerial skills and also have limited experience of managing change (Tilley and Tonge, 2003). Moreover, SMEs are less formal and as a result of that they have less st ructural resistance are obvious to be more agile. Nevertheless, it is important for the SMEs to make use of these changes as the means of gaining edge over the competitors. Yet, at times due to inadequate technological know-how and managerial skills, they fail to plan and execute the change. The subject of change management in SMEs is not new as a number of studies about the change management in SMEs have been carried out previously. Majority of the studies have tried to underline the hurdles faced by the SMEs in the implementation process of change management. For example, the studies carried out by Macri, Tagliaventi and Bertolotti (2002) are such studies that explain the challenges of SMEs in driving and managing change. Apart from highlighting the challenges, these studies have also offered recommendations regarding how these challenges will be tackled. Studies have been also conducted that focused on the appropriate methods and approaches of change management in SMEs

Tao Heung Case Study Analysis

Tao Heung Case Study Analysis ABSTRACT Tao Heung is a listed company focusing on Chinese restaurant business in Hong Kong and Guangdong. By utilizing Porters five forces model, Chinese restaurant industry is identified to be intensively competitive. Nevertheless, Tao Heung still recorded slight growth by 2009 through successful cost control measures and operational efficiency. The company has strengths of strong financial position, cost efficiency, and good marketing and management capabilities, and weaknesses of imbalanced market presence, business portfolio, and capital structure. The business environment provides it new opportunities for developing new markets and businesses because of improving living standard and purchasing power. Major threats include severe inflation leading to soaring costs related to labour, rent, and food ingredients. TOWS matrix is a technique to formulate possible strategic alternatives matching internal factors to external opportunities and threats. In corporate level, Tao Heung is suggested to adopt market development strategy by using merger and acquisition and leveraging of debt. In business level, enhancing currently adopted cost leadership strategy is recommended. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Tao Heung is a catering company, focusing on operating Chinese restaurants and mainly operating in Hong Kong and China market. The company was founded in 1991 and was listed on the main board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 2007 (Stock code. 0573.HK). It is now operating 66 outlets, including various styles of restaurants, in Hong Kong and more than 10 outlets in Mainland China. The business philosophy of Tao Heung is Delicious and Value for Money. It is well known for its quality foods and quality services at relatively low prices, and innovative marketing campaign, such as One Dollar Chicken, at the minds of Hong Kong consumers. One Dollar Chicken campaign was a marketing promotion during the period of financial tsunami in 2008. Consumers could enjoy a dish of chicken for only One Hong Kong Dollars at the restaurants of Tao Heung. The campaign effectively enacted the companys Value for money philosophy. Chinese restaurant is a traditional industry in which there are many inherent shortcomings and flaws. However, Tao Heung is renowned for the use of innovative marketing strategies and modern management techniques in running this traditional business. The objectives of Tao Heung are to become one of the most esteemed and premier Chinese restaurant groups in Hong Kong and China, recognized for innovations and its capabilities to provide high quality food and restaurant service that promise customers exceptional dining experiences (http://www.taoheung.com.hk/eng/corporate/overview.jsp). The goal of strategic management is to leverage a firms capabilities to accomplish its strategic objectives with the balance of all stakeholders interest. Mr. Chung Wai Ping, who is one of the founders of Tao Heung, owns 36.7% of shares in Tao Heung and must be the key stakeholder. However, share owners of a firm are not the only group of stakeholders of the firm in the sense of strategic management. Stakeholders refer to the groups of people who have interests in a firms activities and affect or are affected by the achievement of the firms objectives (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Therefore, creditors, suppliers, customers, competitors, employees, governments, and public in the communities are the stakeholders of Tao Heung. Tao Heung tries to maximize profit through providing quality foods and exceptional dining experiences to its customers. As a result, it has the capability to repay loans to its creditors, pay taxes to governments, share profits with employees, satisfy the business need of suppliers, and contribute to communities. Meanwhile, its status as one of the most esteemed and premier Chinese restaurant groups in Hong Kong and China inevitably has impact on its competitors. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY Strategy is defined as a firms theory about how to gain competitive advantages (Barney Hesterly, 2010). Therefore, strategic management is a set of managerial decisions and actions that generates the firms competitive advantage, and, hence, gains above average return (Wheelen Hunger, 2010) (see Figure 1). Mission Objective External Analysis Internal Analysis Strategic Choice Strategy Implementation Figure 1 Strategic Management Process This article aims to critically evaluate the strategic position and direction of Tao Heung. Johnson and Scholes (2007: 16) point out that understanding the strategic position is concerned with impact on strategy of external environment, internal resources and competencies, and the expectations and influences of stakeholders. Therefore, this article will present external environmental analysis and internal analysis of resources and competencies for Tao Heung and evaluate its strategic options accordingly. By conducting external analysis, the critical opportunities and threats in external environment of Tao Heung will be identified, including macro-environment and industry environment in which the firm operates. Porter (1980) contends that a firms profitability is determined by the intensity of competition within the industry it competes. As a result, he developed Five Forces Model for examining the intensity of competition of an industry. In addition, generally adopt PESTEL framework for analyzing a firms macro-environment. The following factors are included in the analysis: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors (Harvard University Press, 2007). By conducting internal analysis, the organizational strengths and weaknesses of Tao Heung will also be identified. The resources and capabilities which are the source of competitive advantage will be identified by internal analysis (Barney Hesterly, 2010). Porter (1985) proposed that Value Chain Analysis is a technique for analyzing source of competitive advantage of a firm. However, according to the Resource-based View, competitive capabilities must be rare, durable, valuable, robust, and not easily be imitated (Grant, 2002). Then, external analysis and internal analysis are synthesized into a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym used to describe the particular Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that are strategic factors for a specific company (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Utilizing the result of SWOT analysis, a number of strategic options can be generated. A TOWS Matrix is produced to show how the external opportunities and threats facing a particular firm can be matched with the firms internal strengths and weaknesses (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Finally, this article will critically justify the strategy that Tao Heung is using and suggest corporate and business level strategy that Tao Heung should use to improve its performance. Corporate level strategy refers to the strategy that creates value to the firm in line with the overall purpose and scope of the firm. Diversification, merger and acquisition, are examples of corporate level strategy. Business level strategy refers to the strategy about how to compete successfully in particular market and achieve competitive advantage (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Porter (1980) suggested three generic competitive strategies: cost-leadership, differentiation, and focus. They are examples of business level strategy. Secondary data from company annual reports, Internet, government statistics, academic journals, CEO interviews, magazines and newspapers will be collected for conducting analysis. 3. ANALYSES Four analyses will be presented here: Industry analysis, Macro-environment analysis, Internal analysis, and SWOT analysis. 3.1 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS According to Five Forces Model, the intensity of competition within Chinese restaurant industry in Hong Kong is determined by five competitive forces (Porter, 1980): Threat of new entrants New entrants are threats to the existing firms within an industry because they bring new capacity to the industry, and a new desire to gain market share and resources. If the entry barrier to the industry is high, the threat of new entrants is lower. The relatively high capital requirements and sunk costs create certain degree of entry barriers for Chinese restaurant industry. According to the information provided by Trade and Industry Department (2006), the capital requirements for opening a Chinese style cafà © was HK$1,275,500. The scale of a Chinese restaurant is 10 to 20 times greater than a cafà ©, the capital requirements are estimated to more than HK$15,000,000. Most of the investment is spent for decoration, facilities, and marketing activities. They are all sunk costs that cannot be recovered. Economies of scale also help establish barriers to entry. Therefore, the major rivals of Tao Heung are big Chinese restaurant groups such as Maxims and Star Seafood. Companies with limited capital have been not easy to start up a new Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong recently. Rivalry among existing firms Hong Kongs Chinese restaurant industry is dominated by several large restaurant groups now. They are Maxims restaurants, Federal Restaurants, Hsin Kuang Restaurants, East Ocean Victoria City Restaurants, Star Seafood Restaurants, and Tao Heung Restaurants. The relatively small number of competitors and roughly equal in size create intensively competitive environment. In addition, the growth rate of this industry is slow. The value of Chinese restaurant receipts and purchases for the first half of 2010 was HK$19,600 million, accounting for 6% increase compared with last year (Census and Statistics Department, 2010). Moreover, the exit barriers of this industry are high because of high sunk costs. Diversity of rivals and differentiation are low. These factors contribute to fierce competition within this industry. Threat of substitute There are many substitute products that can satisfy the same needs of dinning in Chinese restaurant. Consumers would like to gather to mingle and socialize in Chinese restaurants, besides of the dinning needs. But they could satisfy the same needs by going to Western restaurants, fast food restaurants, or even at home. According to Porter (1980), substitute limits the potential returns of an industry by placing a price ceiling. Chinese restaurants cannot charge profitably beyond the perceived values of dinning experiences. Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers in this industry is high. The major reason is that consumers can choose their favorite restaurants free of switch costs. The restaurants can create greater product and service differentiation by introducing innovative recipe, and leveraging quality foods and services, in order to erode the bargaining power of buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers The major suppliers of Chinese restaurants are the food suppliers. They are numerous in the market. The products are not unique and restaurants have almost no switch costs to change suppliers. Substitutes are always readily available. Therefore, the bargaining power of suppliers is low. Overall, collective strengths of five competitive forces determine high level of competitive intensity in Chinese restaurant industry. The profit potential of this industry is limited. 3.2 MACRO-ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS PESTEL framework is employed for analyzing macro-environment: Political factors The economic transition policy of the government of Guangdong province intended to change the manufacturing-based economy into high-value-added economy. The results lead to severe factory closure in Southern China. It is a drawback for the market development strategy of Tao Heung since its physical presence in China is mainly in the cities in Guangdong province. On the other hand, after the 2008 financial tsunami, Chinese government introduced measures which aimed at promoting domestic demand and increasing welfare benefits. The purchasing power of Chinese consumers has been increased. Tao Heung is definitely benefited from these measures. Overall, the market potential for Chinese restaurants business seems to be optimistic in the long run. After all, factory closure in Guangdong province is a temporary phenomenon. It will recover when the transition is successful achieved. Economic factors Financial tsunami in 2008 created a very volatile economy for catering industry. Tao Heung recorded a relatively low revenue growth of 5.5% only in 2009 (Tao Heung, 2010). Fortunately, economic conditions both in Hong Kong and China are gradually recovering. However, another economic force has been negatively affecting Chinese restaurant industry since economic recovery. Inflation has been very serious for the recent two years. As a result, the costs of raw materials have been soaring. The profitability of Tao Heung is inevitably eroded. In addition, Tao Heung also faced rental and labour market pressure because of severe inflation. Indeed, rent, food and labour are three major inputs to Chinese restaurant industry. Increased Costs associated with rent, food and labour cause significant negative impact on the Chinese restaurant industry. Social factors Living standard is high in Hong Kong. Besides, as economic growth in China is substantially, living standard is improving accordingly. Thus, there is increasing demand for quality cuisine. Restaurant goers both in Hong Kong and China are not only seeking for food, but also for specialty recipe, quality service, and excellent atmosphere. In addition, there are rising concerns for food safety also. It may be because of recent food safety problems in China and the emerging environmental conservation sentiment. Increasing demand for quality and safety will impose challenges to that industry. On the other hand, it may be opportunities for Tao Heung. Tao Heung is a pioneer in adopting modern management and marketing skills to operate traditional Chinese restaurants. If Tao Heung can cope with the challenges, they can outperform its rivals. Besides, improving living standard in China means more market opportunities, for example, banquets market. Technological factor Advanced information system technology is an enabler of modern supply chain management. Tao Heung has utilized bulk purchase and direct food supply from its logistics centres to enhance cost efficiency. The advancement in food processing technology also creates new opportunities for food catering industry, chilled food trading business. Environmental factor Chinese restaurant operations pollute water when washing foods and dishes. According to the Polluters Pay Principle, restaurants need to pay additional sewage charges. Because of the increased environmental concern in our society, the sewage charges are expected to rise. Besides, consumers are more concern about food safety now because of severe pollution problems. Legal factor The minimum wage legislation process is about to complete in Hong Kong. The initial minimum wage rate will be HK$28 per hour. It is expected to come into force on May 1, 2011 (Labour Department). Tao Heung will face increasing labour costs and human resources pressure. 3.3 INTERNAL ANALYSIS Internal analysis is concerned with identifying a firms internal strategic factors which is the firms critical resources and competencies for success (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). With reference to resource-based view of strategic management, Grant (2004) suggested that an organizations sustainable competitive advantage is primarily determined by its strategic resources and competencies. The following internal strengths are identified to be critical for the success of Tao Heung: Strong financial position Tao Heung has very low debt ratio (about 1%). The value of cash and cash equivalents asset is 428 million at the end of 2009 (Tao Heung, 2010). In addition, Tao Heung is listed company so that it has capability to raise funds from shareholders or public when needed. The strong financial position can support Tao Heung to grow naturally or grow by merger and acquisition. Logistics centres Tao Heung owns a logistics centre in Tai Po (Hong Kong) and Dongguan (China). The logistics centre in China enables it to achieve bulk purchase of food ingredients from their sources. Logistics centres have another role of supplying food products to restaurants of Tao Heung. Foods have been processed before delivering to restaurants. The semi-processed food ingredients can help (1) save the cooking time in restaurants, (2) use less skillful chef, and (3) save kitchen space. Besides, the excess capacities of logistics centres are utilized to manufacture pre-packing chilled food supplied to its own outlets, supermarkets and food centres, providing another source of revenue. Marketing and management capabilities Tao Heung has profound marketing capability. The marketing team has launched some excellent promotion campaigns such as One Dollar Chicken. They have also developed brand awareness in China and have won some awards such as Top 500 Quality Brands in China 2009 and Top 500 Overseas Chinese Merchants in Chinas Market (Tao Heung, 2010). Tao Heung has a lot of innovations in Chinese restaurant management, for example, achieving cost efficiency by using operation of logistics centres. Moreover, Tao Heung will establish a training institute providing professional training to restaurant workers with the cooperation of VTC. The program can ease labour pressure of the industry. Although the economic situation was bad in 2009, Tao Heung could still achieve growth through stringent cost control measures and streamlining of operations. On the other hand, Tao Heung has some weaknesses. It has been too focus on Chinese restaurant business and Hong Kong market. Its peripheral businesses including airline catering, chilled food trading and bakery accounted for a relatively modest amount of total turnover (HK$52 million) in 2009. Besides, Mainland China business accounted for only 17.3% of total turnover in 2009. In addition, its use of debt has been too little. Better use of debt can enhance returns of shareholders, although high level leverage of debt will increase business risk. 3.4 SWOT ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis summaries the key issues from the external environment and the strategic capabilities of an organization that are most likely to impact on strategy development (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Figure 2 shows the internal strengths and weaknesses of Tao Heung, as well as the opportunities and threats from the external business environment. The strengths are strong financial position, cost efficiency, and marketing and management capabilities. The weaknesses are imbalanced market coverage, business portfolio, and capital structure. Opportunities include increasing purchase power, living standard, demand for quality cuisine, and advanced IS technology. The threats include inflation pressure, minimum wage, intense competition, and food safety concern. Strengths Strong financial position Cost efficiency through the use of logistics centres Good marketing and management capabilities Weaknesses Imbalanced market coverage Imbalanced business portfolio Imbalanced capital structure Opportunities Increasing purchasing power in Mainland China Increasing living standard leading to new business opportunities such as banquet Demand for quality cuisine Advanced IS technology enabling efficient supply chain management Threats Severe inflation pressure leading to rising costs related to rent and food. Minimum wage legislation leading to higher labour market pressure Intense competition in Chinese restaurant industry Concerns about food safety Figure 2 SWOT Analysis for Tao Heung TOWS matrix is used to illustrate how the external opportunities and threats facing a particular organization can be matched with that organizations internal strengths and weaknesses to result in four sets of possible strategic alternatives: SO strategies, WO strategies, ST strategies and WT strategies (Wheelen Hunger, 2010) (see Figure 3). Strengths (S) Weaknesses (W) Opportunities (O) SO strategies Generate strategies that use strengths to take advantage of opportunities WO strategies Generate strategies that take advantage of opportunities by overcoming weaknesses Threats (T) ST strategies Generate strategies that use strengths to avoid threats WT strategies Generate strategies that minimize weaknesses and avoid threats Figure 3 TOWS Matrix The possible strategies are listed in the Figure 4. In summary, Tao Heung is suggested to develop new markets, enhance its operation efficiency, rapid expansion into Mainland China, and better use of debt. The strategies can be consolidated into two levels of strategies: corporate and business level. Strengths (S) Strong financial position (S1) Cost efficiency (S2) Good marketing and management capabilities (S3) Weaknesses (W) Imbalanced market coverage (W1) Imbalanced business portfolio (W2) Imbalanced capital structure (W3) Opportunities (O) Increasing purchasing power (O1) Increasing living standard (O2) Demand for quality cuisine (O3) Advanced IS technology (O4) SO strategies Expansion to various food catering businesses (S1O2O3) Rapid expansion into Mainland China (S1O1) Enhance capacities of logistics centres (S2O4) WO strategies Acquire other catering businesses (W2O2) Merger and acquisition in Mainland China (W1O1) Threats (T) Severe inflation pressure (T1) Minimum wage legislation (T2) Intense competition (T3) Food safety concerns (T4) ST strategies Leveraging the use of logistics centres (S2T1) Stringent quality control (S3T4) More stringent cost control (S2S3T1) Improved employee training (S3T2) WT strategies Diversify into other market segments (W1W2T3) Figure 4 TOWS Matrix for Tao Heung 4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Ansoff product/market growth matrix (Figure 5) suggests that a business attempts to grow depend on whether it should market new or existing products in new or existing markets (Johnson Scholes, 2007). Existing Products New Products Existing Markets Market Penetration Product Development New Markets Market Development Diversification Figure 5 Ansoff Product/Market Growth Matrix Concerning with Tao Heungs corporate level strategy, market development is a more suitable strategy. Both new geographical markets and new segment markets should be explored. Although Tao Heung has established its presence in Chinese market, it has only less than 15 restaurants in China by the end of 2010. All of these restaurants are located in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Tao Heung should expand more rapidly in China market and open more new restaurants in other cities within Guangdong province. Regarding to segment markets, most of restaurants in Hong Kong are seafood restaurants targeting to medium income level families. Tao Heung has adopted multi-branding strategy. The different brands are targeting similar segments using different products. For example, Hak Ka Hut, Chao Inn, and Shanghai Inn provide different style of dishes but target the same segmented customers. Chao Inn and Shanghai Inn even located at the same place. HIPOT is a new brand of Tao Heung. This new brand target young customers. It is a good direction. Tao Heung is encouraged to explore more new segment markets by building more new brands. Tao Heung has mainly used internal development for growth. The only acquisition in the past few years is the acquisition of Tai Chong Bakery. Using companys own resources to develop new businesses is actually a play safe game. However, Tao Heung is suggested to use more merger and acquisition to expand into China market in a more rapid pace. Since Mainland China is a massive market, growth by acquisition could be better than by organic growth. Besides, Tao Heung can better use of debt to balance its capital structure. Porter (1980) suggests three generic strategies to compete with rivals in a market. They are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus strategies. Cost leadership is the strategy that Tao Heung is currently adopting. Tao Heung put much effort on achieving cost efficiency by utilizing logistics centres and stringent cost control measures. . It is a correct direction since Chinese restaurant is a very intensively competitive industry. However, Tao Heung is suggested to focus on maintaining quality cuisine while achieving cost efficiency. To complement cost leadership strategy, diversifying into other food catering business such as bakery and school catering to balance its business portfolio.