Japanese Economy Essays - Public Finance, Fiscal Policy,

Japanese Economy How has Japan fared with it's economies booms and slumps? This investigation is based on stage 4 unit 1 of the Business and Economics A-level course, ?What happens in booms and slumps. The unit focuses how people and businesses are affected by booms and slumps, why they continuously appear and the governments role in helping to control these two events. The investigation will therefore focus on Japan and the way booms and slumps affect the Japanese businesses and people. To determine this the investigation will focus on Japanese economic growth, inflation, unemployment rates, trade and Government economic policies. It is true that in a boom there are large amounts of trade. High demand, high GDP, low unemployment and high inflation (more spending). In a slump the opposite is true. ?Recession - High Unemployment, low wages, low demand ?High Inflation - More spending, higher demand, higher prices, higher costs of production. ?Low Inflation - Less spending, low demand, low costs of production. ?Downward Multiplier Effect - This occurs when there is too much demand. Then when there is a slump a deficit occurs because of the surplus that might have occurred in the boom. It is difficult to begin to analyse the Japanese economy since the information about it is very mixed. On one hand we have the news that Japan is coming out of a recession and in the other that Japan is going into one. The information released by the government assures us that Japan is improving its economic stability, while the media and world banks tell the opposite story.The Bank Of Japan is looking to ease its monetary policy (control of interest rates to control bank lending) and to fight the deflation by creating inflation. While on the other side we are being told that the unemployment rate is easing from an unprecedented 5.0% to 4.5%. So which one is true. It is true that Japanese economy has improved, it has come out of it's recession but it still faces several problems that may keep it from expanding, these are: ?Consumer demand is still weak - Between the years 1989 and 1998 household savings have decreased from 7.6% to 7.1 per cent. This means people have started spending more but still in low quantities. ?Unemployment in Japan is at around 4.9%. - Although temporary workers and one day contract workers have increased full time employees have been laid off more. ?Corporations continue to restructure themselves. - The Japanese are adopting a more American industry. The relationship between workers and employers and the management is changing. This change is also a factor to the improvement of the economy. So what exactly pulled Japan out of its recession. One of the major factors is the low interest rate (montary policy) that encouraged people to save less and spend more thereby creating demand. By creating demand they initiated the circular flow of income. What this means is that households had more money which they spent on products and because there was demand once again the factories started producing, this led to the need for workers and the workers were paid wages which could then be spent. The other reason is major Government intervention, through fiscal policy. Although this large spending by the government to create aggregate demand to keep the economy alive worked, it has increased the countries national debt which has to be paid off and not only that but this active implementation of fiscal policy has created a fiscal deficit. So far the damage created by the fiscal deficit has been non-existent but because of the increased debt public spending may later become strained especially if interest rates increase and people stop spending money once again. Then where will the government get the money from. This fiscal policy can serve also as a mask over the economy because it is hard to estimate in how much trouble it really is if artificial demand is created. The government has spent $1 trillion US on their ?stimulus? budget and $500 billion to help sustain their banking system. Apart from the government intervention the recession has caused the Japanese to rethink their whole management structure. This now means instead of the rest of Europe trying to model themselves on Japan, Japan has started

House Calls - The Metaphors of Dr. Gregory House

House Calls - The Metaphors of Dr. Gregory House Before you can ask if theres a metaphor in the house, Dr. Gregory House will oblige: Have you guys heard any of my metaphors yet? Well come on, sit on grandpas lap as I tell you how infections are criminals; immune systems the police. Seriously, Grumpy, get up here: itll make us both happy.(Dr. Gregory House in the Mirror, Mirror episode of House, M.D.) Over the course of several years, the names of a dozen writers have appeared in the credits to the Fox TV program House, M.D. Each, it appears, owns a well-thumbed copy of the Merck Manual of Medical Information. And by now all must be collaborating on a new edition of the Dictionary of Metaphors. As regular viewers are aware, the shows deeply disturbed protagonist (played by Hugh Laurie) is inclined to deliver inflammatory eructations of festering figures of speech. Houses Medical Metaphors At times House relies on metaphors to translate complex medical conditions into language that his colleagues (and other true idiots) can understand. Cervical lymph node is a garbage dump. Very small onejust one truck comes, and it only comes from one home. Al Gore would be appalled. (97 Seconds)Saying there appears to be some clotting is like saying theres a traffic jam ahead. Is it a ten-car pile-up, or just a really slow bus in the center lane? And if it is a bus, is that bus thrombotic or embolic? I think I pushed the metaphor too far. (Euphoria, Part 1)Dr. House: You know, when the Inuit go fishing, they dont look for fish.Dr. Wilson: Why, Dr. House?Dr. House: They look for the blue heron, because theres no way to see the fish. But if theres fish, theres gonna be birds fishing. Now, if hes got hairy-cell, what else are we gonna see circling overhead? (Role Model)Dr. House: As far as youre concerned, the patient is Osama bin Laden, and everyone not in this room is Delta Force. Any questions?Applicant #11: Were protecting Osama bin Laden?Dr. House: Its a metaphor. Get used to it. (The Right Stuff)The tumor is Afghanistan, the c lot is Buffalo. Does that need more explanation? OK, the tumor is Al-Qaeda. We went in and wiped it out, but it had already sent out a splinter cella small team of low-level terrorists quietly living in some suburb of Buffalo, waiting to kill us all. . . . It was an excellent metaphor. Angio her brain for this clot before it straps on an explosive vest. (Autopsy) The liver is like a cruise ship taking in water. As it starts to sink, it sends out an SOS. Only instead of radio waves, it uses enzymes. The more enzymes in the blood, the worse the liver is. But once the ship has sunk, theres no more SOS. You think the livers fine, but its already at the bottom of the sea. (Locked In)Dr. Cameron: Idiopathic T-cell deficiency?Dr. House: Idiopathic, from the Latin meaning were idiots cause we cant figure out whats causing it. Give him a whole body scan.Dr. Cameron: You hate whole body scans.Dr. House: Cause theyre useless. Could probably scan every one of us and find five different doodads that look like cancer. But, when youre fourth down, 100 to go, in the snow, you dont call a running play up the middle. Unless youre the Jets.Dr. Cameron: I hate sports metaphors. (Role Model) But House is generally more intent on frightening than on edifying. As he once said: The point of metaphors is to scare people from doing things by telling them that something much scarier is going to happen than what will really happen. God, I wish I had a metaphor to explain that better. (All In) At other times the House metaphor is nothing more than a comic exercise in doctor-patient incivility. Once, after discovering that a young man had attempted self-circumcision with a utility knife, House snapped, Stop talking. Im going to get a plastic surgeon. To get the Twinkie back in the wrapper. House Metaphors About Life in General Of course, House himself is a walking, or rather limping metaphorhis crippled leg an emblem of his deformed spirit. And his acerbic metaphorical remarks may be read as symptoms of an undiagnosed malady. No, there is not a thin line between love and hate. There is, in fact, a Great Wall of China with armed sentries posted every twenty feet between love and hate. (Occams Razor)Dr. Wilson: Beauty often seduces us on the road to truth.Dr. House: And triteness kicks us in the nads. (Occams Razor)Lies are a tool: they can be used either for good orno, wait, Ive got a better one. Lies are like children: hard work, but theyre worth it because the future depends on them. (Its A Wonderful Lie)Dr. House: Nothing matters. Were all just cockroaches, wildebeests dying on the river bank. Nothing we do has any lasting meaning.Evan Greer: And you think Im miserable?Dr. House: If youre unhappy on the plane, jump out of it.Evan Greer: I want to, but I cant.Dr. House: Thats the problem with metaphors. They need interpretation. Jumping out of the plane is stupid.Evan Greer: But what if Im not in a plane? What if Im just in a place I dont want to be?Dr. House: Thats the other problem with metaphors. Yes, what if youre actually in an ice cream truck, and outside are candy and flowers and virgins? Youre on a plane! Were all on planes. Life is dangerous and complicated, and its a long way down. (Living the Dream) You know me. Hostility makes me shrink up like a . . .. I can’t think of a non-sexual metaphor. (Spin)You know its all nice when people start to dig these holes, but then they start to live in these holes and get angry when someone pushes dirt into those holes. Come out of your holes, people! (House vs. God)Dr. House: Im a night owl, Wilsons an early bird. Were different species.Dr. Cuddy: Then move him into his own cage.Dr. House: Wholl clean the droppings from mine? (Sleeping Dogs Lie) Every now and then, however, House finds himself on the wrong side of a metaphor, as in this exchange with a young patient: Dr. House: Are you going to base your whole life on who youre stuck in a room with?Eve the Patient: Im going to base this moment on who I am stuck in a room with! Its what life is. Its a series of rooms, and who we get stuck in those rooms with, adds up to what our lives are.(​ One Day, One Room) And how does House respond to the womans metaphor? As he must, by silentlyand literallywalking out of the room.

Cinematography in Apocalypto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cinematography in Apocalypto - Essay Example The cinematographer for the film Apocalypto (2006) was Richard Semler, born in Australia in 1943. Semler had worked with Mel Gibson before while filming Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981). His work covers a wide genre of films, from comedy to action thrillers like Dances with Wolves, Waterworld, Nutty Professor II and The Last Action Hero. Semler had won the Best Cinematography Award for Kevin Costner’s Dancing with Wolves (1991) and won again for Apocalypto (2006). The film is deeply indebted to his brilliant work on capturing images and visuals of a decadent and cruel civilization that is nearing its endpoint even as it entraps and enslaves the lower class to work as slaves. Since the whole of the film is recorded in the Mayan language to accentuate its authenticity, English speaking viewers are forced to rely on the subtitles or just watch intently as the entire visual experience unfolds before their eyes. In the opinion of many a viewer, it is a visceral visual experience that speaks volumes through its cinematography. Evidently, Semler was just the right choice for picturizing this film. He loves ‘vast stretches of barren land, dark thrillers, and musicals’ (http://www.theasc.com/magazine). We see the film and hear and feel it through the eyes of Jaguar Paw played by Richard Youngblood who is in the lead role. About shooting the digital film on a Panasonic Genesis, Semler says: â€Å"it was a big moment for me, realizing we could now do things we never thought we’d be able to do. This is a revolution in cinematography†Ã‚  (Benjamin, 2-3). In digital cinematography, motion pictures are captured digitally, much like digital photography. The cinematographer can then alter shading, color and even speed of movement using the technical software at which some degree of expertise is required. Semler did all this work in a tent set up near to the filming locations in Mexico.

Canadian Local Governments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Canadian Local Governments - Essay Example This paper seeks to analyze the operation of local governments in Canada and try to answer the question of whether they should have recognition in the Constitution as a distinct level of government with guaranteed functions and sources of funds based on various schools of thought advanced by different scholars. Canadian local governments Canada as a country has different distinct levels of government that include the federal government, provincial governments, territorial governments, and local governments1. The federal government is the central governing organ, popularly known as the government of Canada, and works hand in hand with the territorial governments. It performs the roles of a state with such institutions as the prime minister’s seat, considered the country’s top leadership organ, and the legislature both of which are responsible such issues as national security, foreign relations, citizenship matters and law. The provincial level has a similar structure to the federal government with its own independent jurisdiction entrenched in the country’s constitution. It includes provision of health services, education, transport and the associated infrastructure, civil and property rights. The last level is the local government, which is generically responsible for policy matters that directly relate to the local grass root communities, whether in the rural or urban areas2. Just like the other upper levels of government, it has its own leadership structures comprising of commissions, boards, agencies, and political institutions with leaders like mayors, directors, and councillors. The local governments have varying roles depending on the province and the characteristics of the region under which they fall. For example, their role in a rural area is naturally different from those of an urban centre. However, their functions generally revolve around similar responsibilities. To begin with, they offer security to individuals and their prope rties including policing, emergency response, fire fighting, management of local transport that includes construction of local roads and their maintenance. They are also responsible for development planning, which entails zoning and provision of public utilities like electricity, sewerage services, water, and their maintenance. Other crucial roles of the Canadian local governments include provision of social welfare services like health, education, places of recreation and culture services at the local levels. Local government administrative structures Canadian constitution gives recognition to the independence of the federal and provincial governments, conferring to them the power and policy authority that require their approval for any changes. This is direct opposite to the local governments, which are organs of the provincial government, obtaining their power from municipal Acts formulated by the provincial parliament. This implies that they are under complete control of the pro vincial government, which has all the rights to change their jurisdiction without seeking their consent. This has seen major changes in the local structures, including abolishment and amalgamation of municipalities, as well as creation of new ones without their involvement3. Financial structures, powers, leadership selection criteria, and duties of local governments are also subject to decisions made at the provincial level. Provinces Influence their day-to-day operations significantly since the by-laws within which they

EMPLOYMENT LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

EMPLOYMENT LAW - Essay Example If the employee is under a contractual agreement with his employers, he/she is bound by the terms and conditions of the contract, and barring unforeseen circumstances which renders the performance of any terms, untenable or unenforceable; he/she has to strictly abide by such covenants. However in the case of agency workers, the contract would be one that is entered between the agency and the employee and this would form the locus of the employment. It is first of necessary to define what an employment agency business is about. It could be said to be a business of â€Å"providing services (whether by the provisions of information or otherwise) for the purpose of finding workers employment with employers or if supplying employers with workers for employment by them† (Employment agencies. 2006). of existing law but there are some agencies that indulge in malpractices that may bring the entire agency business into disrepute. Thus it is specifically to deal with issues that bring about a bad reputation to the business of employment agency that it has become necessary to enforce legal strictures. Prohibited  from charging fees from potential work seekers. This is because the law does not wish to make a commercial transaction of just employment seeking, and not work performed for gainful employment. The nine aspects under the Equal Status Laws in which discrimination is termed as illegal are: On the grounds of gender , marital status- whether married or unmarried, family status, sexual preferences, religion professed, age, race, color, nationality, ethnic or national origins, presence of disability, membership of traveler community (What is the Employment Equality Act? 1998). In a leading case law of James v. Greenwich London Borough Council, the claimant was employed in the Council’s services until 1997. She ceases work and subsequently began work again in September 2001 after moving

Disney And The French Media Essay

Disney And The French Media Essay Disneys first theme park, called Disneyland, is located in Anaheim, California and opened in 1955. Its Floridian counterpart DisneyWorld, located in Orlando, opened in 1971. The success of these parks and the success of Tokyo Disneyland which opened in 1983 motivated the company to expand further in order to achieve optimal market domination. The fourth theme park was to be built in Europe. Spain was long in the running as future site, but eventually France was chosen in 1987. The theme park was to be built in the French town Marne-La-Vallà ©e, a town located 32 kilometers outside of Paris. The centrality of this location was deemed perfect, and it was easily accessible by plane, train and car. In addition, the French government also facilitated the decision making process by guaranteeing financial incentives and by extending its transportation network to include the park. These promises perfectly compensated for the northern French climate that initially troubled the Disney planner s. After the official implementation of the partnership between Disney and the French government, the Disney theme park was built on 4,700 acres of farm land. Euro Disney, as it was called in 1992, was the biggest amusement park and resort in Europe upon completion. Nevertheless, its opening on April 12, 1992 was not as successful as its grand scale suggested it would be. The coming months further exemplified this as attendance levels, souvenir and food sales, as well as Disney hotels occupancy rates remained painfully low. Euro Disney was labeled by the entertainment industry as being an ideal case study on how not to open a theme park. Many French critics echoed this argument. Euro Disney was called a cultural Chernobyl, and seen as culturally insensitive to European guests. Overall, antagonism towards American popular culture was widespread among French intellectuals. They were supported by a prevalent nationalistic sentiment that promoted French culture in order to protect it from t he supposed global hegemony of American culture. This anti-American context was the main problem that troubled Disneys search for acceptance. The park went nearly bankrupt in 1994 which forced Disney to reevaluate its strategies to counter the French anti-American mindset. In other words, the company soon realized that it was too focused on American culture instead of European culture, thus the company started to make essential modifications to cater to the local European context. Adaptations based on cultural differences were made on services, attractions, products and practices which eventually reestablished the Disney formulas appeal. The analysis of these adaptations and the context of the problems that predated them is the framework of this paper. Findings based on this analysis support this papers thesis statement: cultural hybridization spelled the success of Disneyland Paris. The first part of the research question that is related to this statement is: to what extent did French and other European responses to the park affect Disneys strategies? These responses are put into context by addressing the acceptance of American popular culture abroad. American popular culture was not easily accepted in France due to a long history of Anti-Americanism and this severely affected Disneys chances of success. This notion provides the foundation for the second part of the research question, namely in how far is cultural resistance towards the Disney theme parks automatic?. The latter of this research question is researched briefly by comparing Disneyland Paris reception to the reception of the Disney theme parks in Asia. The reception of Tokyo Disneyland was overwhelmingly positive as mentioned earlier, mainly because the Japanese preferred an exact copy of the American model. The reception of Hong Kong Disneyland was also very positive, mostly because of the adaptati ons Disney made to local tastes and because of its extensive marketing campaigns . All in all, this comparison further proves that the cultural resistance towards the Disney theme parks depends on the larger cultural attitude towards American popular culture. Studies including Disneyland Paris are often connected to debates regarding global American influence. However, most of these debates focus solely on the economic aspect of the venture as is exemplified by the large number of economic journals that discuss Disneys global expansion. Those journals talk of profits and marketing schemes, but they often neglect to take into account a cultural approach. In recent years, scholars have started to do in-depth research on the role that Disney plays in the development of culture, thus putting economics on the sideline. The book The Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney and the American Way of Life by Steven Watts is one of the first books which gives a detailed account of the huge role the Disney company plays within American society. Watts discusses topics ranging from Disney and American values to Disney and American identity construction, ultimately drawing the conclusion that Disney is a major architect of modern American culture. This premise is fre quently used as a foundation for studies dealing with the European Disney park, because Disneys Americanness is seen by some scholars as an obstacle for its reception in Europe. Especially French scholars prefer this standpoint as most of them view Disneys expansion as merely being part of Americas cultural imperialism. This standpoint is taken into account in the current academic debate on the European park, but it plays a limited role in discussions. Recent publications on Disneyland Paris focus on the idea that the park has a high entertainment factor, thus it is not solely seen as an entity which spreads American culture or philosophy. Andrew Lainsburys Once Upon an American Dream: the Story of Euro Disneyland is an excellent example of a book that discusses Disneys professionalism in the entertainment industry rather than its possible ties to cultural imperialism. Other publications such as Kathy Merlock Jacksons Disneyland and Culture: Essays on the Parks and their Influence t ie in with Lainsburys thesis as they put emphasis on the fact that Walt Disney invented the American theme park, consequently uniting professional entertainment with culture. The two sides of this academic debate are combined in cultural studies that take into account Europeans ability to pick and choose from American culture. As a result, drawing the conclusion that Europeans do not passively absorb everything that American culture has to offer. This paper will follow this line of thought by including theories put forward by scholars Rob Kroes, Richard Kuisel, and Richard Pells, who all acknowledge Europeans skill to adapt American cultural products to fit into local contexts. To conclude, doing this kind of research on Disneyland Paris is relevant within the American Studies discipline as it provides an interpretation of an American company in multicultural Europe. Moreover, it also illustrates that there are constant tensions between local adaptation and global standardization. Disney and the French: a difficult relation Disneys model for theme parks might be new for the French, but they were already accustomed to theme parks in general. Seventy parks could be visited in France before the opening of Euro Disney. However, not all of them were making profit. Zygofolies Park near Nice had to close down and Mirapolis Park and Smurfs Park had to make huge budget reductions in order to stay afloat. The general idea was that the French were not that interested in theme parks or that the parks were not extraordinary enough to impress French guests. Nevertheless, Parc Asterix which opened in 1989 is still open today and it is considered to be the most successful competitor of the Disney park. Many ascribe the parks success to its detailed theming, exciting attractions and its link to French nationalism. Asterix and Obelix are after all French icons. Still, some scholars believe that the existence of Parc Asterix could not have prepared the French for the arrival of a European Disney park as Christian Renaut e xplains in his article Disneyland Paris: A Clash of Cultures He states that few French people had actually traveled to the American parks in California and Florida, hence the majority of French were uninformed about the Disney theme park formula. Disney spokesman Nicolas de Schonen elaborated on this in the Kansas City Star in 1991: misunderstandings have arisen with the union because people in Europe do not understand what an American-style resort is . Renaut certainly has a valid argument, however one should not forget Disneys marketing expertise. The two American parks had been marketed extensively in France with the help of Disney films, television shows and comics, whereby the comic series Le Journal Mickey played a crucial role. This successful comic series was established as early as 1934 and it portrays all the Disney characters from Mickey Mouse to Daisy Duck, yet it has a very French feel to it. In other words, the characters are foreign, but they are put into a French context. This of course influences the Mickey character itself as he is often shown having more brains than its American counterpart, which might suggest why the French find the American Mickey less interesting. Moreover, the first commercials promoting the park were too American in style, something that put off many parents. In a teaser commercial from 1992, the parks bigness and extravagance was stressed with the help of bombastic music, fast Hollywood-sty le cuts and a voice-over telling the following: a new world of holiday dreamsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦come and discover the magicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Euro Disney Paris, the most spectacular holiday in Europe!. Clearly this was not a commercial that was adapted to European tastes, and its efficiency remains doubtful as these kinds of American oriented commercials could not erase the image that most French had of the Disney park, namely a piece of land filled with merry-go-rounds, and one or two Mickeys walking around to take pictures with. Surely not something which would spur many return visits. As for French intellectuals, they felt that they knew more about the Disney parks and the kinds of ideologies that they promote, consequently drawing the conclusion that the European park was part of a grand scheme promoting Americas supremacy over Europe. French editor Jean Cau called it a horror made of cardboards, plastic and appalling colors, a construction of hardened chewing gum. Others called it the invasion of American culture and the symbol of the loss of European culture. Thus, the idea of a Disney park in Europe soon developed into a threat on European culture, more specifically French culture. Numerous intellectuals, journalists and politicians started to express their disagreement, sometimes transforming it into pure loathing. The backdrop to all of this turmoil is of course the relationship between the United States and France. From the moment that the Marquis de La Fayette set foot on American soil the relationship has been one of the love/hate category. Frustrated pol iticians and French-oriented journalists continue to emphasize this special relation. A recent event dealing with this is the 2003 Iraq war and the disagreement that the United States and France had over their involvement. As the conflict heated up, the American press urged the American public to boycott French products, ultimately relabeling French fries to Freedom Fries. However, the past of the relationship also shows the strength of it, as the French population owes much to the Americans, especially with regards to the post-World War II reconstruction period. I.e. the Marshall Plan was essential for France to get back up on its feet after it had been severely hurt by the German occupation. Furthermore, this plan aided the spread of American cultural products in France. Taking the love and hate aspects of the relationship into account it is quickly concluded that the French pay much attention to their identity. The French identity is one which is strongly defended, as throughout the years French generations have created categories such as the French, Frenchness, and the French way of life. Richard Kuisel elaborates on this Frenchness in much detail in his book Seducing the French: The Dilemma of Americanization since it greatly affects how the French viewed the Americans in the 1990s. They believed that their Frenchness was at risk due to the emerging power, prosperity and prestige of America, hence they were initially very critical of the country. Moreover, Christian Renaut makes clear that the French-American relation also has much to do with pride and jealousy. He explains how on the one hand, the French continue to find it difficult to accept that Americas multiculturalism resulting from cultural invasion does not seem to have an impact on Ameri cas economy. On the other hand, the Americans envy France for its artistic and cultural legacies, and how those legacies remain attractive despite Frances limited attempts to hide its arrogance about them. Taking Renauts arguments into account, it is not difficult to understand that when the Disney company decided to open a theme park in the country of Claude Monet, Victor Hugo and Voltaire with Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Dopey, many would not welcome them with open arms. In addition, the fact that the development of Euro Disney took place in the 1980s also hurt the companys chances of success in France. Its American theme parks were successful as well as its Japanese counterpart, yet Disneys animation studio was doing very poorly. The fact that its animation studio has to run successfully is crucial for Disneys reception around the world as the films spread the Disney message. After all, bad films create negative reviews for the Disney company. Both The Black Cauldron (1985) and Oliver and Company (1988) failed in France, as was the case in the rest of the world, hence those movies cannot be seen as good promotion material for a theme park. Later successes of The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991) had little effect on French critics view on Disney films. The idea that Disney harmed original European fairytales remained too popular in those circles. Very quickly, Ariane Mnouchkine, a successful French theatre director, labeled the E uro Disney park a cultural Chernobyl. This phrase would be recycled dozens of times by French intellectuals criticizing Disneys European venture. One of the most vocal critics was French Culture and Education Minister Jack Lang. At a Mexican UNESCO conference in 1981, Lang attacked certain great nations which have no other morality than that of profit, and seek to impose a uniform culture on the whole world. He called this intellectual and financial imperialism. Later on he labeled Euro Disney as being an enclave of American leisure industry in France. Still, he did not object to Disneys investment in the French economy and the many jobs it would create. This is confirmed by an article published in Panorama in 1992: After criticizing the American culture and denouncing its wild imperialism until 1981, the left wing government had but to negotiate with Disney to fight against unemployment and carry on with the development of the Ile-de-France region. Fortunately for Disney, not all intellectuals would take part in harshly criticizing the arrival of the park. Joffre Dumazedier, a sociologist, stated in Le Journal du Dimanche in 1991: at the time of Louis XIV, Europe spoke French. Then England fascinated the 19th century. Today it is up to the Americans, then it will be the Japanese. It is a stupid scare. Who cares Disney is American as long as it is well made. Basically the key to the project in France had to do with money issues and job opportunities. No government would turn down Disneys offer, as it had the potential to make a lot of money. In 1995, Right-wing President Jacques Chirac followed up Francois Mitterand. Chirac had a pro-Disneyland mindset as it fit with the right-wing tradition of admiring a sense of enterprise, whatever the cost, in addition to following the American model. Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, confirms this in his autobiography Chirac would prove more sympathetic to our project, but his arrival meant dealing with an entirely new group of officials. Overall, the reality of the presence of a Disney theme park near Paris started a wave of criticism, especially from left-wingers. Disney tried to counter this criticism by continuously repeating that a majority of Disney films were based on European fairytales, hence they reasoned that they were paying homage to those classic tales from France, Germany and Denmark. In addition, Disney promoted the strong link France had with the company, since it had been present in the country for many years, covering various generations. Disney even went as far as showing that Walt Disney himself had drawn inspiration from Tivoli Gardens of Copenhagen in Denmark for the construction of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Thus, uncovering Disneys European roots. These actions were successful to some extent, but they were not able to stop the negative views towards the park entirely. To conclude, Disney took into account these initial responses to the park and especially the Imagineering department acted upon French criticism. They designed the looks and feels of the park and tried to incorporate some aspects of European culture. Thus, the Imagineers attempts should be given some credit as they can be considered to be the first who acknowledged Disneys new European context. This raises the question, in how far were the Imagineers successful in creating a European style Disney park? Grand American designs with European details The parks architecture is an aspect which is very hard to criticize. The Imagineers knew that they had to design a park which was located in the very land of medieval castles and chateaus. Experience that they had gained from the construction of the American parks and Tokyo park was used to the fullest. One can therefore easily draw the conclusion that the European park is the most beautiful of them all. Popular American attractions such as Splash Mountain, New Orleans Square and Country Bear Jamboree are not included in the park, but this has no effect on its attractiveness. A key aspect of the European park is its landscaping. All themed areas have their own detailed gardens which brings a visitor immediately to the lands portrayed. For example, Fantasyland is filled with French garden architecture. This type of gardening has a mythical and magical feel to it that perfectly connects to the fairytales theme of Fantasyland. However, one has to remain critical when it comes to Disneys architectural adaptations that were made to fit the European context. Mostly because one has to look very closely in order to discover European traits. Victorian America is still represented in Main Street. Adventureland is not a place to pay attention to Europe as it is focused on Caribbean exotism. Best exemplified by the popular attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. Frontier land covers the heroic conquest of the West, also not a topic were Europeaness could be easily inserted. Fantasyland is the best area in the park when it comes to adapting to Europeans contexts, but Disney has not succeeded in reaching its full potential. The lands carrousel is called Lancelots Carrousel, but the Knights of the Round Table are never referred to. The same applies for attractions such as Peter Pans flight and the Mad Hatters Tea Cups. Literature refers to Alices Garden labyrinth as the key example of European adaptation by the Disney company, but it is based on Disneys version of the story and not Lewis Carolls. Thus, absolutely nothing has been done to add an extra European layer to the attractions. The only land where one finds some hints of E uropeanness of the park is Discovery Land. The Imagineers originally wanted to copy the American version of Tomorrowland with its emphasis on American technology and space adventure. But even the Imagineers agreed that this would be unsuitable for a park located in Europe. Thus, they constructed a land based on Jules Verne and gave it a nineteenth-century look. They included the Nautilus, a movie theatre showing documentaries on Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, created a Jules Verne inspired balloon for the faà §ade of Videopolis, and developed Space Mountain, a rollercoaster ride themed in Jules Verne style and following a Jules Vernes type of story. The remaining attractions in the land, Star Tours, and Michael Jacksons Captain EO completely lack any links with Europe, because they are exact copies of the American versions. Exiting the resort will also not bring guests into European atmospheres as both the Disney village as the hotels are American oriented. The Villages Planet Hollywo od, and its Buffalo Bill Wild West Show extravaganza are proof of this, as well as the themes of the hotels which can be drawn from their names: Newport Bay Club, Cheyenne Hotel, Santa Fe hotel, New York Hotel, Davy Crockett Ranch and Sequoia Lodge. As for the castle, the Sleeping Beauty Castle is not an exact copy of the castles in the other parks, yet is it also not typically European. It is absolutely stunning, but it is not more European than its counter parts, since it remains a creation based on fantasy. The idea that it is based on the German Neuschwanstein castle is a poor attempt by Disney to give the castle a European background. However, there is one aspect of the Sleeping Beauty Castle which is very European oriented, and that is the fact that it has a second floor. In the first year of the park, the imagineers came aware of the different reactions Europeans and Americans have towards the Disney castle. Both Europeans and Americans were impressed by its outer design, but Europeans were also interested in its interior design. This is exemplified by the fact that many European visitors ran to the castles stairs to see what was located on the upper levels. The Imagineers were never aware of the notion that castle interi ors were also important, mostly because the American Disney castles are only decorated on the ground level. After all, castles are not part of the local scenery in America, so why would American visitors be interested in lavish interiors? Intrigued by European visitors reactions, the imagineers designed La Galerie de la Belle au Bois-Dormant located on the mezzanine level of the castle. This is a walk-trough attraction depicting the story of Sleeping Beauty by means of stained-glass windows, tapestries and illuminated story-books. The attraction ends on the balcony of the castle so that guests have the opportunity to view Fantasy Land from above which hopefully results in feeling like a prince or princess. Despite this European oriented addition to the castle, Disneys architecture in France remains very American in nature. However, other aspects of the park have been Europeanized based on European feedback or at least that is what the Disney company promotes to its guests. These Europeanized aspects will be discussed later on, but first one has to establish the differences between European and American behaviors towards and within Disney parks in order to fully understand the adaptations that were made by the Disney company. Thus, to what extent does European behavior in Disney parks differ from American behavior? American culture vs. European culture in the Disney park The park struggled economically in the early years of its existence. Mostly, because Disney forgot to realize that the American visitor is not the same as the European visitor. First of all, the European visitor will not spend his or her money in the same way, most often it is not even spend at all. Secondly, the European visitor does not have a close connection with American Disney culture. For most American families it is normal to be raised with the Mickey Mouse Club, Disney songs and television shows. This is not the case in France and the rest of Europe, because animation celebrities extent beyond Mickey and Minnie. The French have Asterix, and Obelix, whereby jokes from the these comic books have become staples in the French language. The Belgians have Spike and Suzy (Suske and Wiske in Dutch). The Dutch have Oliver B. Bumble and Tom Puss (Olivier B. Bommel and Tom Poes in Dutch) to name a few European comic celebrities. Mickey and company cannot therefore be considered to be t he most important characters in European upbringing. This suggests that Europeans are more reserved when it comes to the popular notion of a Disney park being a must-see attraction. Thirdly, European people, especially from France, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia, remain very reserved when it comes to showing excitement towards Disney characters. The American parks are traditionally filled with parents dressed up in Disney merchandise, trying to channel their inner child. The European mindset simply does not comply with this. Many researchers have tried to find reasons for this, yet no consensus among conclusions has been reached, although some researchers connect Europes reserved mindset to its old cultural heritage. The same cultural differences can be seen in visitors reactions to parades and shows. American entertainment is accompanied by much applause and audience participation, while Europeans often prefer distance between performer and audience. This is of course not the cas e for people from the south regions of Europe, as their social codes support close contact, yet their visitor numbers are lower than the ones from the north regions of Europe, hence their presence has little effect on the general European reaction. All of these cultural differences cannot be changed by the Disney company, as they are so deeply rooted within Europe, yet the Disney company was able and willing to change some aspects of the Disney formula to fit European tastes. It must be noted, however, that these changes were mostly motivated by financial loses. By 1993, the park was on the verge of bankruptcy and essential modifications had to be made in order to keep the park from closing down. Thus, in how far was the Disney company successful in changing traits of its formula to European tastes? And have these changes affected the parks appeal for European visitors?. Adaptations that will be the discussed are found in food offerings, merchandise and employee policies in order to examine the parks cultural hybridity. Disneys attempts to adapt to local tastes Food The European park originally copied its food offerings to the ones on offer in the American parks, however, the company soon discovered that European eating habits had to be taken into account, more specifically European meal times. French travel editor Pierre Alamou commented on this by stating: Unlike grazing Americans, all Europeans eat lunch at the same time,with the exception of Spanish and Italians, fortunately. Before the parks opening the Disney company had already catered to Europeans preference for table-service restaurants. Main Street is the home to Walts, a restaurant specialized in American cuisine and decorated to the life of Walt Disney. Located in Fantasyland is Auberge de Cendrillon, a restaurant themed to the Cinderella story. The restaurant is famous for its French cuisine and for its focus on French culture. However, its French culture is seen through Disneys eyes as it is portrayed as the culture of lavish royal banquets and dances. The Blue Lagoon Restaurant in Adventureland specializes in seafood and offers a perfect setting for quiet elaborate meals. Overall, the table service restaurants serve to European tastes, yet their popularity is frequently challenged by high menu prices. This was the topic of many newspaper headlines in the early 1990s, for example Europe chokes on Euro Disney! Food and drinks very expensive! and Pricey day out! Feedback like this motivated Disney to quickly begin to focus on counter-service restaurants which offer quick and relatively cheap meals. Examples of such restaurants are Captain Hooks Galley and Caseys Corner. The existence of one counter-service restaurant in particular is interesting, namely Toad Hall Restaurant. This restaurant is built in the English manor style and its interior refers to the adventures of Mr. Toad. These adventures probably do not immediately ring a bell with European customers as their popularity is mostly found in America. Despite the fact that it is based on a story that is popular in America, the restaurant offers English food, as in fish and chips. This shows how Disney planners welcomed international cuisine to cater to European tastes. In addition, croissants, croquet monsieurs and Italian pizza are also offered in the park. As a result, international cuisine and American-style food are both equally featured in the park, although typical American Disney food such as corn dogs, cinnamon rolls and turkey legs have not been imported. Probably because these types of food are still too foreign for European guests. Food that is quintessential Disneyland Paris is the pizza burger, which was invented in Buzz Lightyears Pizza Planet Restaurant. Its name covers its content perfectly, it is a burger with pizza buns. One could argue that it is a perfect example of Disneys Europeanization as it combines the American burger with the Italian Pizza. However, it still feels very American, despite the fact that it has never been introduced in the American parks. One can draw the conclusion that the pizza burger encapsulates Disneys attempts to portray American food to Europeans. It has European details, but those are dominated by American designs. The serving of alcoholic beverages in the Disney Park is a highly debated topic. Initially the park banned alcohol as it could potentially harm the creation of a safe family haven. An idea invented by Walt Disney himself. However, in 1993, alcohol was introduced in the park. It was first only on offer in table-service restaurants, but it slowly made its way to counter-service. In this way, Disney paid respect to European dining habits, but more importantly it created much more revenue. This decision definitely played a role in the rise of ticket sales. Next to adaptations made in food offerings and restaurant services, Disney also adapted its merchandise to European contexts. Souvenirs Expensive upscale goods initially dominated the Disney stores in the park. Disney planners decided to do this as those goods were very successful in Japan. Moreover, it would show that Disney merchandise was not tacky or distasteful, an image that dominated European views on Disney memorabilia. However, the high price of these products as well as their designs were not accepted by visitors. Some visitors wanted an exact copy of the American merchandise. i.e. big Goofy hats, Mickey Mouse tie-dye shirts and princess dresses. Other visitors preferred fashionable merchandise with underemphasized Disney symbols much in the style of Belgian fashion brand Donaldson. This brand was a Disney licensee and produced stylish trench coats with Minnie Mouse embroidery among other things. In general, Disney took the best of both worlds. It offers typical American merchandise, but it also offers a European oriented line, called Produit exclusive Disneyland Paris, as it name suggests , this line inclu des products that are only on offer in Disneyland Paris. Employee policy The imposition of American customs on French workers and management was disastrous for the Disney company. It clearly showed a cultural gap between French and Americans. The restrictions imposed by Disney on how one has to look for the company were very strict. Bill Bryson commented on this in an article he wrote in 1993 for Observer Magazine: No one on the Disney pay roll is allowed to smoke

Essay --

RECRUITMENT PROCESS Job classification is to group job positions and then value them in a fair and transparent manner according to various functions as well as geographically. Job titling is to provide a title to each job classification in order to define and recognise the responsibility and level of the position. At ArcelorMittal, they use a customised statistical tool known as the LDA methodology which rates the function of the job, its content and the responsibility involved. Factors such as value added by a given business area, scope of function covered by the position, level of skill and professional know-how, geographical scope of the position – regional, national or global, autonomy – reporting levels and several Macro and Micro-economic environmental accountabilities and challenges are considered to obtain a numerical value termed ‘JOB POINTS’, based on which jobs are then classified. After this step an evaluation is carried out by the current incumbent and the manager in order to have a detailed understanding of the position. A report is then prepared on the...

Mobile Commerce in Developing Countries Essay

Mobile Commerce or M-commerce as it is more commonly referred to is simply the ability to do business electronically without any physical limitations or barriers. This is more popular with the use of smartphones today and other mobile devices. After researching several journals and articles, it is obvious at this point that there is no standard definition of the term â€Å"Mobile Commerce. † Many authors and writers have coined phrases and come up with definitions that are similar to each other; the general idea is similar but the words in the different definitions vary somewhat. However, one acceptable definition is used and this comes from Liang and Wei (2004), â€Å"M-Commerce generally refers to the use of wireless devices (particularly mobile phones) to conduct electronic business transactions, such as product ordering, fund transfers, and stock trading† (p. 7). M-Commerce was formed as a result of the Internet and mobile computing coming together to create a new business area. The benefits of Mobile Commerce are almost endless and a few will be discussed later in the analysis. However, the focus of this paper is the emergence of this trend in developing countries with emphasis on Africa- Nigeria to be precise. The population of Nigeria is over 150 million boasting one of the largest markets in Africa. Akpan-Obong (2009) states that â€Å"Nigeria is a major actor in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in Africa, Nigeria has so far recorded significant achievements in ICT utilization, and has recorded higher growth rates in the penetration and diffusion levels of ICT† (p. 208). With Mobile Commerce rapidly taking over the business world, it is important to gain an understanding of how the so called major actors are fairing on the playing field hence the emphasis on Nigeria in the topic of Mobile Commerce. Article Summaries Liang (2004) and Akpan-Obong (2009) in their separate articles introduce the concept of Mobile Commerce and present generally accepted definitions of the term. While Liang focuses on the likely successes and failures of M-Commerce applications, Akpan-Obong specifically suggests electricity and infrastructural inadequacies as the reasons for the underutilization of M-Commerce in Nigeria. Greengard (2008) goes on to discuss the general impact of mobile phones on the world as a whole. He talks about the development opportunities that the presence of mobile phone technologies has created with the transformation of commerce, banking and healthcare. In his article, he states that the most profound changes and biggest dividends are being realized in developing countries. Formulation of a series of hypotheses from a research model developed by Peter, Philip and Victor (2005) identifies some of the factors affecting the use of mobile ICT in the least developed countries. Ayo and Agboola (2006) delve into the uses of M-commerce in Nigeria and how this technology is becoming widespread in the country. Solutions are also offered to deal with the issues of underutilization of the technology. Generally, these articles discuss the current practices and also anticipated future implementations of M-Commerce. The Internet, which is a form of electronic commerce has been in existence for years but it has been difficult to cover as much of the market as it could especially in some parts of the world where amenities like a computer are not only unaffordable but considered a luxury. With the emergence of mobile phones, â€Å"an important fact to consider is that M-Commerce is gaining relevance because the penetration of mobile phones is much larger than the penetration of Internet access (Duffey, 1998) in most countries. Greengard (2008), highlights a few of the relevant uses of this technology: â€Å"Although mobile phones have already transformed the more affluent nations, they are ringing up some of the most profound changes- and biggest dividends- in developing countries. Today, people are using mobile phones to track crop prices in Kenya and manage micropayments in the Philippines. They are tapping into these devices to handle healthcare information in Nicaragua and oversee bakery orders in Nigeria† (p. 17). Gone are the days when Africa as a whole was considered backward and inconsequential when it came to matters of technological advancements, infrastructure and amenities. Like most developing countries, Nigeria in particular has not yet implemented M-Commerce on a full scale. However, the trend is beginning to emerge with the appearance of mobile phones in every nook and cranny of the country. Now, unlike before, devices like mobile phones are no longer seen as sacred or only for the rich and famous in society. Rotberg was spot on when he stated, â€Å"it is the first time in the history of technology that social class and geography are largely irrelevant† (as cited in Greengard, 2008, p. 18). Almost anyone who is of talking age owns a cell phone in Nigeria. From the executives at the renowned industrious firms, the students attending public schools who cant even afford to buy textbooks and even the farmers in the villages and rural areas; the fishermen selling fish at the local market and even the housewives who grow vegetables and cultivate livestock in their backyards. Owning a mobile phone is no longer considered a luxury and does not cost an arm and a leg like it used to only a few years ago. This singular reason that the phones are now easily affordable and available for purchase by every Tom, Dick and Harry is what has fostered the emergence of Mobile Commerce in Africa, Nigeria to be precise. With the mobile phones gaining more popularity with the people in Nigeria, so also has the technological benefits been exploited. The wireless handheld devices have orchestrated the use of e-banking services in Nigeria. According to Ayo et al. (2007), â€Å"virtually all the 25 banks that survived the recent capitalization exercise engage the use of ICT as a platform for effective and efficient delivery of banking services. Consequently, electronic cards, Internet banking and mobile banking services are gradually being introduced. However, M-Banking activities are limited to mobile finance information, download or ringing tones and music as well as telematic services, particularly, vehicle tracking, theft protection and emergency services† (p. 13). As more and more advancements are pursued, banking will become not only flexible but also more convenient. Customers now have the luxury of checking their bank accounts on their mobile device without having to take a trip to the local branch of their banks nearest to them. They also enjoy the comfort of immediacy, information at their fingertips. The banking sector is one of the first and more important aspects of Mobile Commerce that has emerged in Nigeria. However, there is also much hype about the little things that are being derived from this technological advancement. Ayo et al. (2007) states emphatically â€Å"the success of M-Commerce has partly been due to developments in mobile communication techniques. Cellular networks were originally designed for voice-only communication. To support M-Commerce transactions, which are data based, there has been an evolution of these networks from analogue to digital and from circuit switched to packet switched networks. Today a number of these mobile communication technologies are available† (p. 11). Some of the strengths of Mobile Commerce in Nigeria are attributed to the GSM operators and the services that they render to their customers. The three major operators are MTN, Celtel and Globacom. Their services include: Voicemail, WAP services, SMS, customer services, call forwarding, international dialing, Celtel mobile office, faxmail, roaming, customer care and Broadband Internet Access that offers Broadband Internet to residential users just to name a few. These services allow customers to derive utmost satisfaction from the emerging trends in the advancement of Mobile Commerce. In his article, Greengard (2008) talked about one incidence in particular. â€Å"A Nigerian baker started taking orders for cakes via SMS and quickly expanded his presence beyond his immediate neighborhood. He experienced a 30% increase in sales† (p. 17). Many small-scale businesses are now enjoying the benefits of this technological advancement and they are using its features to broaden the scope of their businesses and gain competitive advantage over their competitors in the industry. If not for anything else, the customer relationship that exists between the business owners and their customers has been strengthened by the ability of the owners in providing their services directly to the consumers via these mobile handheld devices. The emergence of Mobile Commerce in Nigeria has brought with it both advantages and disadvantages. As with the mobile banking, of course it is fast, convenient and nowadays very affordable, there is also the threat of security and the complex systems and expertise needed to run some of the programs. There is a gap between those who are more technologically savvy and the layman who grows crops on his farm. This gap in knowledge does not allow the features on some of these hand held devices to be fully utilized. The phones being so affordable that even the most basic of the devices could probably browse the Internet assuming all the features are purchased, makes it likely that the phones are being underutilized to the most of its capabilities. Most senior management and more well to do individuals are more concerned about the security of their transactions over this mobile devices. Research by Agboola (2006), revealed â€Å"38. 2% of the respondents considered security as a major threat, while 4. 3% and 5. 4% considered complication of services and cost respectively as other factors† (p. 3). Apparently, the cost of mobile telephone service is higher in Nigeria than other African countries so it only reasonable that the cost of this service would be a major threat to Mobile banking as a whole. Another threat is the unavailability of basic infrastructure to support this system such as electricity, among others. The lack of electricity as a basic infrastructure in Nigeria has a ripple effect because it affects every device that makes up the system. Without electricity, individuals cannot charge their mobile phones when the battery is depleted. This in itself, defeats the purpose of Mobile Commerce, as there is no fulfillment in owning a phone when you cannot use it when you want to. The systems in the banks that perform the updates to customer accounts and provide information to the customers would also shut down as a result of lack of electricity. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which are one of the first occurrences of Mobile Banking in Nigeria, would have to be shut down as well. With all the features of the mobile phones these days, it is only a matter of time before the developing countries of Africa begin to enjoy all of the benefits that countries like America are enjoying now. Although, seeing as how the advancement in America has not come to a halt, it is more than likely that developing countries would always play catch up. However, countries grow at different paces so it is only wise to perform according to the capabilities of the systems set up in the country until it can withstand the test of time. Synthesis Mobile Commerce as a concept has a lot of prospect for patronage dependent on the available services. First of all, there were no mobile phones at all in a country like Nigeria and then mobile phones were introduced and the craze cannot be contained. Now, the monumental growth of mobile devices all over the world, with over one-third of the world population having access to it has given prominence to M-Commerce. With technological advancements emerging everyday in different areas and industries, Mobile Commerce can only get better as more provisions are made to handle the loop holes and reduce the threat that are presently facing the market. There would most likely come a time when Mobile Commerce is not only the fastest way of doing business but the most common, the most trusted and also the safest. It would soon become a way of life. According to Peter et al (2005), â€Å"the country had experienced a phenomenal growth from a teledensity of 0. 49 in 2000 to 25. 22 in 2007. This trend has brought about a monumental development in the major sectors of the economy such as banking, telecoms and commerce in general† (p. 140). Nigeria, being the fastest growing telecoms nation in Africa and the third in the world, it is almost inconceivable to imagine how much is yet to come by way of technology and other infrastructure. Today, African countries may be struggling to hold their weight in the area of technological advancement in comparison with more advanced countries like the United States. Tomorrow, the tables might just be turned. One can only wait and see, behold the future!

The Issue of Pesticide Content in Soft Drinks Essay Example

The Issue of Pesticide Content in Soft Drinks Essay Example The Issue of Pesticide Content in Soft Drinks Essay The Issue of Pesticide Content in Soft Drinks Essay In the August 10, 2006 news article of The Times of India, reports were made that after coming out from a cabinet meeting of the state’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Kerala’s Marxist Achuthanandan said, â€Å"Neither Coke nor Pepsi can manufacture or sell their products in Kerala. Their licenses are being scrapped as well† (Surendran, 2006). Although LDF has been hostile towards the two multinational companies due to the over-extraction of groundwater by their bottling plants in Palakkad, it was the Centre for Science and Environments (CSE) campaign against alleged pesticide residues in colas produced and sold in India by Coke and Pepsi that has influenced the pronouncement. Though the cola producers might have not directly applied pesticide to the crops and instead, the traced pesticide residues might have come from the groundwater as seepage from other plants to which chemical have been applied, the fact remains that there is pesticide in the colas that are being used in Coca Cola production in India. In the latest news regarding traces of pesticides in colas in India, Sunita Naraian, a director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and a New Delhi-based NGO, said that â€Å"the governments own committee had found pesticides in the products† before the Supreme Court. She further maintains that the government must agree to fix a mandatory standard for the drinks (Surendran, 2006). Conclusion In the beginning, soda’s or soft drinks were the natural choice preferred by drinkers because they equated bubbly drinks to wellness of health. But as time progressed, various additions and revisions have been made to soft drinks, which tickled the palates of its drinkers such as changing the sweetening agents and enhancing its appearance and packaging. These are the factors that cannot be found in water which makes millions of its drinkers prefer sodas or soft drinks over water, or any other noncarbonated beverage. Further, too many of its drinkers formed the habit of consuming it because of the addictive properties contained by some of its ingredients, thus resulting in the continuous patronage of the product regardless of the health problems found to have been caused by consuming it. The manufacturing processes involved in the production of sodas or soft drinks have changed in various ways too, from backyard operation to the modern soft drink industry operation. Although primitive to our standards today, the owners back then used to make the final products by themselves and were in close contact with their customers to check for comments or criticisms and to make necessary actions accordingly before the final product is produced. In modern times, the syrup mixture is produced by the soft drink companies and then delivered to the independent bottling companies all over the world that are licensed to sell the drink. One problem that faces the industry and questions the above-explained practices of soft drink companies is the issue of the pesticide residue in colas, which are used to produce soft drinks in India. Since there is no ample supply of safe drinking water in India and companies have to get underground water to supply their production needs, there comes a problem of quality soft drink production. Since underground water is susceptible to pesticide seepage, due in part from the agricultural practices of this region, the ingredients for making soft drinks becomes susceptible to pesticide contamination as well. Here is one specific display of the effects of soft drinks in the food web. Since the primary producers, which are the plants that produce the key ingredients for the soft drinks formula are contaminated by pesticide, so will the soft drinks be affected. These soft drinks will then be consumed by people and in some cases, by pet animals. Since pesticide causes harm to the human body, it can be said that its consumption can be detrimental to human beings as a whole. This is true not only for the case of pesticide content in soft drinks in specific, but also for the other empirically proven problems that soft drink could be causing to the health of human beings such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, liver cirrhosis, osteoporosis, and many more. When human beings incur diseases due to soft drink consumption, or worse when human beings die untimely, a crucial element of the food web is taken away. It could be said that human beings are the largest consumers in the food web. In view of the worse case scenario, take them away from the system and the entire system could collapse. In a more simplistic term, soft drink consumption affects the food web because soft drinks become more preferred substitutes to the natural products of the food web such as milk, water, natural fruit juice, and even for solid food. Thus, when human beings deviate from their natural consumption pattern in terms of the food web because of soft drink consumption, the entire food web could be altered too. On a lighter note, soft drink companies have been aware that people aspire to have a healthy body. Reports linking sodas or soft drinks to obesity and to many other grave diseases are causing concern for both consumers and the makers of soft drinks. These propelled external agents to make guidelines for soft drink production, to which soda or soft drinks companies hope to comply by marketing ‘healthy sodas’. Observably, this is why the trend now is to fortify soft drinks with minerals and vitamins. However, it must still come into question whether or not these healthy options really do eliminate or minimize the negative effects of soft drink consumption in the human body, and thus in the food web too. Whatever warnings concerned organizations give to soft drink consumers against soft drink consumption, it still boils down for the public to decide whether they will continue patronizing and consuming soft drinks or not. And in as much that there has been an advent of the so-called ‘healthy options’ nowadays, there comes a need for people to develop ‘healthy decisions’. References American Association for State and Local History, Society of American Historians (1947). American Heritage. (pp. 11-12). New York, N. Y. : American Heritage Pub. Co. Bellis, M. (2007). The History of Pepsi Cola Caleb Bradham. Retrieved March 31, 2007 from http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/blpepsi. htm

Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essays

Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essays Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essay Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essay Question: Phillotson says that Sue and Jude `seem to be one individual split in two. What does he intend by this? Phillotson’s statement that Sue and Jude seems to be one individual split in two was because of the cousins’ life. Their immense similarity with each other particularly when it comes to their ends was more like of merely one person’s end. Their individual individuality and the same belief drove them into being with each other therefore they are more associated with their characters and individuality. From the first portion of the narrative. we must understand and recognize at the same clip that Jude was a small child and his cousin Sue was of the same age besides or younger of a few old ages. His dream of traveling into college nevertheless was his ultimate end in life which was all of a sudden trapped when Arabella. his girlfriend said that she was pregnant. Believing that he must make the right thing despite of Arabella being a non ideal married woman. he married her. Afterwards. he asked her sing the gestation and she said that she erroneously figured out her state of affairs which made Jude more suffering. Losing his opportunity of traveling into the university. he even thought of killing himself and upon waking up one forenoon. he found out a note from his married woman who was out of his sight stating that she will travel to Australia with her parents. Jude became happy and when to the topographic point he wanted to travel and at that place he tried to happen a occupation and upon happening a occupation. he tried to happen Sue. When he saw her. he decided and told to himself that he must non fall in love with her because they were cousins but as clip goes by. he learned to therefore when she decided to go forth. he asked her why and arranged her to be a pupil instructor helping Phillotson. Later on in the narrative. Sue and Phillotson got married and Jude was saddened by this fact but possibly they are someway destined to be with each other. The hubby of Sue allowed her to go forth therefore she moved in Jude’s house and the two lived together as their divorce were all good with their several spouses. Jude subsequently on found out from Arabella that they have a boy therefore she gave it to him and along with Sue and Jude’s two kids. they lived together but it was acquiring hard for them to prolong their life and without an flat of their ain. Jude decided to happen lodging house. They shortly found one but Jude must go forth individually with his household. One dark Sue together with Arabella and Jude’s boy went out to happen an flat and was saddened by the fact that there was none and the male child was pissed off when he found out that Sue is pregnant once more. The forenoon came and Sue went to Jude and on when they went back place. they found the kids hanging in the cupboard. Although they tried to resuscitate them. it was impossible. In the terminal. the two decided to travel back to their several spouses and believing that they were cursed. they separated ways. Jude died in the terminal. In the fortunes which happened in the history of the lives of both Sue and Jude. we have to understand that they were truly the same except that Sue was a miss and Jude was a male child. Despite of their differences. what happened in their life brings them so much closer to each other despite of the fact that they one time lived together. The calamity they experienced merely shows that they were so individual of neither bad nor good destiny therefore we have to take it into history that likely the fortunes and the cases they both have in common were merely happenstances but it is besides in high respect that these fortunes happened when they were still together. As a kid. these cousins were both fond of analyzing and as they grow up. both tried their best to come in in a university. Both of them were non happy with their matrimony therefore they somehow committed criminal conversation but they did non halt merely from being the same in those footings. A month after the divorce of Arabella and Jude was granted. Phillotson and Sue’s divorce followed. At the terminal of the narrative. both were taken back by their divorced half therefore they were reunited and got married once more. Upon cognizing the sum-up. one can find that even in the start. the two have qualities which are extremely similar with one another. Although their attitude was non compared nor contrasted. their ends and their life experiences seem to be the same. Their destiny which brought them together possibly was a large ground why Phillotson was able to state those words. It is undeniable that they were of the same destiny that even in the terminal of the narrative. both of them suffered the same manner therefore they thought they were being punished because of their relationship. Their life experiences which brought them together was the same thing which make people understand that they were so a individual individual split into one by fortunes and experiences. Plants Cited Hardy. Thomas. Jude the Obscure. 1895

Ethical implications of Sixth Sense Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical implications of Sixth Sense - Assignment Example As an inventor, Mistry did well. However, the invention might put the security and privacy of people at risk. This brings us, then, to the third dimension and third and fourth steps, which consider and link the principles to the associated applicable values (Backus and Ferraris 226). One ethical philosophy to be considered is the utilitarianism theory. Will the gadget bring happiness to the majority? The answer is most probably "no," because not everyone can afford such gadgets. Another ethical philosophy to be considered is the natural law. Will the SixthSense cause individual to respect others, or will the gadget cause an individual to do what is not naturally good and then suffer with his or her conscience? Owning such a powerful device can easily lure individuals to do things that could hurt another individual’s privacy and security. Finally, as according to the fourth dimension of the Potter Box, loyalties should be considered. Should one choose to be loyal to the majorit y? Is the public (majority) deserving of loyalty? The answer to both questions is â€Å"yes.† While it is true that progress should be supported, this progress should be for the betterment, and not the detriment, of the whole

Micro economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Micro economics - Essay Example But the other side of picture is also being supportedby many economists. They are of the view that UK is still in the grasp of double dip depression. According to a study, in the year 2008 peak the growth rate of economy was less than 20.1% and in the year 2010, the overall growth rate is around 6.1% which shows a serious plunge during the great depression. International monetary fund issued a forecast about the growth rate in between 0.6% to 0.8 % and this is not considered as a gratifying rate. Since 2008, the government of UK has stimulated up to 380 billion pounds into the economic machinery to increase liquidity rates but due to the lack of â€Å"trickle down† effect, the money has not shown its benefits and didn’t reach the core level of the industries. Many unconventional and out of the way step and initiatives are being taken to solve the problem of liquidity. Massive job lose statistics showed that there were around 750,000 public sector jobs that were cut off but this problem has been sorted out after the pact between democrats and conservatives. During the nine months of double dip depression, the economy of UK shrank up to around 1.1 pc (Kirby et al, 2011) and there is now a rise in the growth that shows that depression has ended. The economists are feeling the fear that the depression can come because economic depressions re-appear and do not go away easily. The measures by the ONS say that the economy grew by 0.7per capita and many other independent sources for example a renowned economist named as Samuel Tombs is supporting the view that growth will touch around 0.6pc. Till 2012, depression was still badly affecting the UK’s economy as this was the consequence of bankruptcies of major banks like Lehman brothers and the stock markets of UK were falling to the lowest records since the great depression. The measures from NIESR says that double dip depression was still there until September 2012 as after pumping thousands of doll ars in the banking systems , there was no rise in the growth of the economy (Hay, 2012). Question 2 There are mainly four categories of unemployment, as follows 1) Structural Unemployment 2) Frictional Unemployment 3) Cyclic Unemployment 4) Seasonal Unemployment (Boyes& Melvin, 2012) The first type of unemployment is when the competent work force is available but there is a huge lack of demand for them. This kind of unemployment is highly proliferated in the world. The second type refers to the unemployment that is caused due to high â€Å"switch rate† of employees between different jobs. The third type is because of the effects of overall growth of the economic conditions and fourth type is because of the fluctuations of international economic trends and developments. Diamond Mortensen Pissarides (DMP) model illustrates the unemployment as a function of limited variables ad the rate of unemployment is directly proportional to the number of variables. If people have limited m eans and skill sets, unemployment will expand automatically. This model is regarded as the most practical one. According to DMP model, the bargain rate between employee and employer is also affected due to unemployment rate. If unemployment rate is high, bargain will be low because hiring is a difficult process altogether. As shown in the above figure, if the productivity in decreased, there is also a decline in Nash’s wage line. A high rate of wage line depicts less unemployment and sound economic condition