My top two career choices Essays - Computing, Computer Science

My top two career choices Computer Programming How to become a computer programmer. Knowledge- Bachelor's degree S kills - Concentration, attention to detail, analytical, problem solving T asks - Computer programmers are tasked with anything relating java or C++. They can take any given idea and engineer it into code. They then test their results make fixes to any bugs and then grow and advance their software through time. A ctivities - Revising through software keeping an eye out for bugs seems to be what programmers do the most. They are always trying to make their work perfect and easy to use. wages - 80-150k High School Education- Since I'm a senior this part is already over but I have taken business management classes and have always been pretty savvy with computers. According to learn.org algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and physics play a huge roll in becoming a computer programmer. Business Management and administration If I change my mind and don't want to become a computer programmer I would like to go into business and get a business degree. You can't go wrong with business. How to become a business major. Knowledge - bachelor's degree Skills - leader, sharp reading and writing skills, computer calculating skills, and problem solving Tasks- Handling Finances, marketing, customer service, and fulfilling orders Activities- Financing, investing and operating business activities wages- 50-500k High School Education- I have taken a business management class both my freshman and sophomore year at my old school they really did team me a thing or two about business and how to do all the complex sales calculating through excel and I am like an excel wizard now

A List of 100 Examples of Sweet Similes

A List of 100 Examples of Sweet Similes This list of 100 sweet similes (that is, figurative comparisons concerned with the quality of sweetness) has been adapted from an even larger collection in A Dictionary of Similes by Frank J. Wilstach, first published by Little, Brown, and Company in 1916. Although students should have no trouble understanding most of these similes, they may find them a bit old-fashioned or too poetic. If so, encourage them to create some of their own using more contemporary subjects for comparison. Sweet as odorous white lilies are. (Oscar Fay Adams)Sweet as a nut. (Anonymous)Sweet as a rose. (Anonymous)Sweet as a sugar plum. (Anonymous)Sweet as a vial of rose oil. (Anonymous)Kiss as sweet, as cool fresh stream to bruised and weary feet.  (Anonymous)Sweet as a honey bee.  (Anonymous)Sweet as honeysuckle.  (Anonymous)Sweet as lilies in May.  (Anonymous)As sweet as springs first song heard in the groves retreat. (Anonymous)Sweet as sugar.  (Anonymous)Sweet as the harmonies of spring.  (Anonymous)Sweet as the perfume of roses.  (Anonymous)Sweet as the solemn sounds of cherubs, when they strike their golden harps.  (Anonymous)Sweet as that which is forbidden.  (Arabic)Sweet as the last smile of sunset. (Edwin Arnold)Sweet as the honeyed dews that drip from the budding lotus-flower. (George Arnold)Sweet and calm as is a sisters kiss. (P. J. Bailey)Sweet as the infant spring. (Scottish ballad)Sweet as the joy which sorrow hushes. (Honorà © de Balzac)Sweet as new wi ne. (John Baret)Sweet as applause to the actor. (Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher) As sweet as April. (Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher)Sweet as the moonlight sleeping on the hills. (Sir William S. Bennett)Sweet as the light of the stars. (Robert Hugh Benson)Sweet as the look of a lover saluting the eyes of a maid. (Ambrose Bierce)Sweet, as when winter storms have ceased to chide. (William Cullen Bryant)Sweet as the dewy milk-white thorn. (Robert Burns)Sweet as matrimony. (Robert Burton)Sounds sweet as if a sisters voice reproved. (Lord Byron)​Sweet as May. (Thomas Carew)Sweet as the song of the wind in the rippling wheat. (Madison Cawein)Sweet as pity. (Hartley Coleridge)Sweet as the whispered breeze of evening. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)Sweet as the hopes on which starvd lovers feed. (Sir William Davenant)Sweet as some immeasurable rose, expanding leaf on leaf. (Aubrey de Vere)Sweet as are the orchards, when the fruit is hanging ripe. (Paul Laurence Dunbar)Sweet as the murmur of the brook and the rustle of the corn. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)Sweet as the rosy morn in May. (George Granville) Sweet as a youthful poets dream. (Charles Gray)Sweet as the harps that hung by Babels stream. (Judah Halevi)Sweet as summer days that die when the months are in the bloom. (Will Wallace Harney)Sweet as tropic winds at night. (Paul Hamilton Hayne)Sweet as the blossoms of the vine. (Robert Herrick)As sweet as dewy turf to wayworn feet. (Emily H. Hickey)Sweet as a meadow at noon. (Katherine Tynan Hinkson)Sweet as the dawn star. (Oliver Wendell Holmes)Sweet as the first snow-drop, which the sunbeams greet. (Oliver Wendell Holmes)Sweet as honey. (Homer)Sweet as scarlet strawberry under wet leaves hidden. (Nora Hopper)Sweet as the hills. (Richard Hovey)Sweet as a rosebud crowned with moss. (Victor Hugo)Sweet as music. (Victor Hugo)Sweet as the twilight notes of the thrush. (Helen H. Jackson)Sweet as jasmine. (Jami)Sweet as blue heavens oer enchanted isles. (John Keats)Sweet as love. (John Keats)Sweet as a cat with syrup in its paws. (Vaughan Kester)Sweet as mountain honey. (Charles Kingsle y) Sweet as the sigh of the spring gale. (Letitia Elizabeth Landon)Sweet . . . as the sad spirit of the evening breezes. (Emma Lazarus)Sweet as the sound of bells at evening. (Richard Le Gallienne)Sweet as a bell in the woods. (Amy Leslie)Sweet as morning dew upon a rose. (Thomas Lodge)Sweet as the cadence of a poets song. (John Logan)Sweet was her breath as the breath of kine that feed in the meadows. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)Sweet as heavens image in an unrippled lake. (George W. Lovell)Sweet as summers showers. (George MacHenry)Sweet as first love. (Gerald Massey)Sweet as first spring violets. (Gerald Massey)Sweet as Eden. (George Meredith)A secret sweet as songs of dawn / That linnets sing when mists are gone. (Richard Monckton Milnes)Sweet as the sweetest song of bird on summers eve. (D.M. Hervey)Sweet as Angel accents. (James Montgomery)Sweet as every-day sunshine. (John Muir)Sweet, like an angels sigh. (Mary R. Murphy)Sweet, like a silver whistle. (Ouida [Marie Louise Ramà ©] ) Sweet as violet-borders growing over fountains over-flowing. (Ambrose Philips)Music sweeter than the sweetest chime of magic bells by fairies set a-swinging. (Thomas Buchanan Read)Sweet as smiles to the lips that are pale. (Abram Joseph  Ryan)Sweet as the dew-drops that fall on the roses in May. (Abram Joseph Ryan)Sweet as the dreamings of the nightingales. (Charles Sangster)Sweet as damask roses. (William Shakespeare)Sweet as a summer night without a breath. (Percy Bysshe Shelley)Sweet as if angels sang. (Percy Bysshe Shelley)Sweet as a childs heart-lightening laugh to hear. (Algernon Charles Swinburne)Sweet as rest. (Algernon Charles Swinburne)Sweet as running streams to mens way-wearied feet. (Algernon Charles Swinburne)Sweet as forgiveness. (Algernon Charles Swinburne)Sweet as when earth was new. (Algernon Charles Swinburne)Sweet as the voice of a mountain brook. (Arthur Symons)Sweet as childrens prattle. (Pamela Tennant)Sweet as new buds in spring. (Alfred, Lord Tennyson)Sweet as the apple-blossoms. (Celia Thaxter) Sweet as the music of Apollos lyre. (Celia Thaxter)Sweet as the early pipe along the dale. (William Thomson)Sweet as the dawn star. (Wilbur Underwood)Wild and sweet as regret. (Marie Van Vorst)Sweet as the faint, far-off, celestial tone of angel whispers, fluttering from on high. (William Winter)Sweet as the lips that once you pressed. (William Winter)

Response to classmates-changes in attitudes toward sex Essay

Response to classmates-changes in attitudes toward sex - Essay Example ently, applying of phone-sex, cyber-sex and other latest techniques does not reflect the sex commercialisation to be a new or novel social characteristic altogether. Nevertheless, sexual discussions and their projections were extremely limited ones before the advent of television, internet and mobile-phones, as popularity and spread of these devices have turned the access to pornographic material quite easier, which have also multiplied the ratio of extra-marital and homosexual sex activities to a great extent (Aulette, 2010:197). No one could deny the reality that the topics associated with variety of sex could be discussed far more acquiescently in modern era society than they were used to be debated in past (Aulette, 2010:194). It is predominantly the case with the commercialisation of sex and sexual objects, which had witnessed tremendous growth in contemporary times (Weitzer, 2007:30-1). It is true that the women are represented as sex objects in advertisements through print, electronic and social media, as well as exploited for phone-sex and cyber-sex; somehow, women in most of the cases accept to become the sex symbol and object with free consent, rather than coercion. Another adverse impact attributed to the unrestricted sex permissions have certainly increased the percentage of teen-age sex and homosexuality (Kurdek, 2004:882). As a result, the proportion of unwed mothers and gay cohabitation and marriages has made their way in society. Despite the reality that civil liberty advocates the freedom of thought and action, it is also a bitter truth that the unbridled access to sexual activities and wide-scale commercialisation of sex have led to the ruination of the moral values of society at large (Aulette, 2010:199). Weitzer, Ronald. (2007). Prostitution: Facts and Fictions. Vol. 6, Number 4, pp 28-33. ISSN 1536-5042, electronic ISSN 1537-6052. Fall, American Sociological Association. University of California Press. Pp. 28-32 Retrieved from

Operations management and organizational improvement Assignment

Operations management and organizational improvement - Assignment Example Tesco initially began as a food and drink store, but it now offers a wide range of products through its diversified operations including, but not limited to, clothing and consumer electronics, as well as services such as telecoms, health, internet, in addition to, insurance and financial services. In addition to the conventional physical stores, Tesco operates online stores that provide, among other things, groceries, home retailing, and music downloads. The operating processes at Tesco have undergone massive transformations since its inception to date (Kelly, 2000); for instance, the firm’s operating processes are centered on the customers, the suppliers, the employees, the community, as well as the shareholders. The customers are highly valued by Tesco, as the only people that bring revenue to the organization, the suppliers ensure the success of the firm’s operations; Tesco is interested in attracting employees with the relevant skills to carry out the firm’s operations to achieve its goals and objectives (Chubb, 2007). The firm has adopted a customer centered business approach that aims to enhance value creation by focusing on providing products and services that adequately satisfy the particular needs of their customers at affordable costs and convenience accordingly. Tesco is currently exploring new spaces, reaching over to non-food retail services (Tesco Corporation SWOT Analysis, 2012), extending existing stores, as well as, adopting a multi-format approach, and it heavily relies on its ICT infrastructure to deliver consistent and profitable business operations. Operating through group skill is a great part of Tesco’s operation processes as the firm constantly tries to identify the best practice in each market to improve its offerings for the group as seen in the US’s Fresh and Easy models, which have also been introduced in the UK and China (Tesco PLC, 2012). Nevertheless, it should not be assumed that the firm believ es in the â€Å"one size fits them all† strategy, because it also recognizes that customer tastes and lifestyles are not uniform, and it focuses on contextualizing the customer experiences. Tesco adeptly creates value for its customers by developing its people because it is great service that can enhance customers’ satisfaction; Tesco’s success is built on its people’s commitment to their core values of ‘No one tries harder for customers’ and ‘Treat people how we like to be treated’ (Marr, 2009). In return, the people side of Tesco operations ensures they are awarded great job and career opportunities through training, to enhance their engagement, motivation, and commitment to value creation and quality performance. Tesco prides in the best-located and best-designed stores, which in international markets are mostly whole malls that are anchored by a Tesco hypermarket; this makes the firm one of the greatest mall operators in the world. The company is keen on enhancing its sustainability by operating responsibly by bringing real benefits to the communities in which it operates through good, affordable, quality and safe products to the customers, as well as, responsible

Anything that is commonly discussable or interesting Research Paper

Anything that is commonly discussable or interesting - Research Paper Example In Medieval Latin, it was considered to be a â€Å"crime against nature†. In today’s world, some believe that it is a natural desire, not an acquired behavior or lifestyle choice, therefore, it is moral. On the other hand, some believes that this behavior is an adaptation, not inherent nature of human being. It distorts the divine mandate (procreation), marriage, physical and psychological health of human being, therefore, it is immoral. This research paper posits that homosexuality is unnatural and it defies the sanctity of marriage, divine purpose of procreation, and therefore, it is immoral practice. One of the major reasons behind the opposition of homosexual relationship is that it is unnatural, therefore, immoral and must not be practiced. Corvino argues that most of the opposition for homosexuality stems from five basic interpretations of â€Å"naturalness†. He exclaims what unnatural really means for opponents. There are many things that people value and consider ethical are unnatural, for instance, clothing, housing, medicine, government or organizational systems. On the other hand, people detest many natural things, such as, death, misery, disease. Later events are entirely natural but people find it hard to accept them (309). In order to understand opponents’ idea of unnatural, Corvino borrows its five definitions from Burton Leiser. Firstly, Leiser believes that what is unusual or abnormal is unnatural. It implies that homosexual relationship deviates from the norm and what most people practice. It is obvious that most people get into heterosexual relationship; however, Corvino argues that it does not make homosexual relationship wrong. He asserts that most people don’t learn Sanskrit, play mandolin, pilot ships, breed goats, or write with both hands, yet none of these are considered immoral on the basis of their unusualness (310). He further quotes Ramsey

Taylorism and Scientific Management: Work Design Influences

Taylorism and Scientific Management: Work Design Influences The origin of modern management consulting dates back to the early 1900s when Frederick Winslow Taylor, an American mechanical engineer published his work, The Principles of Scientific Management. In his study, Taylor argued that scientific management consisted in devising the one best way to complete a task and then ensuring the workman closely followed the rules, by supervision and incentives. This essay will primarily attempt to discus a proposition that Scientific Management in the 21st century dominates the work design within large firms. Starting with what scientific management is and how it evolved, we will analyze some modern day examples of firms that have adopted Taylorist approach in their businesses. Further, we will highlight both strengths and weaknesses of this approach and also touch base with the works of other authors in the similar domain. Evolution of Scientific Management Adam Smith, the father of Economics, originally developed scientific management in the 1800s. Interested in a factory that operated and produced pins at the rate of 20 pins per employees per day, he applied division of labour i.e. breaking down of complex tasks into numerous simple tasks. As a result of this change, each employee produced 4800 pins per day, a staggering 23900% increase in productivity. However, the greatest breakthrough in scientific management came during the industrial revolution when factories were only focussed on mass production. Workers were trained through lengthy apprenticeships and followed Rules of Thumb i.e. they enjoyed much initiative and control on how their tasks were completed. Also, there was a need to systemize managerial practices. It was here when Taylor, an advisor at the Bethlehem Steel plant, started working towards improving worker productivity after observing gross inefficiencies during his contact with the steel workers. He conducted time st udy and measured performance standards to calculate a full, fair days standard for each task and then emphasized on selection of workers who could meet those standards when motivated by the differential piece rate system. In his book, Taylor (1967, p.10) states prosperity for the employer cannot exist through a long term of years unless it is accompanied by prosperity for the employee, and vice versa; and that it is possible to give the workman what he most wants high wages and the employer what he wants a lower labour cost for his manufacturers. Taylor further suggests that maximum prosperity for a worker can exist only when he has reached his highest state of efficiency and to implement scientific management, the management had to assume much larger share of the responsibility for result rather than the worker and that a managers job is to tell employees what to do and a workers job is to do what they are told and get paid accordingly. Taylor, through various experiment, proposed the four principles of scientific management. First, replace rule-of-thumb work methods with methods based on a scientific study of the tasks. Second, scientifically select, train, and develop each worker rather than passively leaving them to train themselves. Third, cooperate with the workers to ensure that the scientifically developed methods are being followed. And finally, divide work nearly equally between managers and workers, so that the managers apply scientific management principles to planning the work and the workers actually perform the tasks (Taylor, 1967). Taylorism in Industry The First major firm to adopt the principles of scientific management was the Ford Motor Company in 1914. Henry ford believed that the more cars they produce, the more they can sell. His main objective was to mass-produce. Hence he built an assembly-line system, with a constantly moving conveyor belt and minute subdivision of labour. Through subdivision, a complex task was broken into a series of simple tasks for which workers had instructions on how to do it and when to do it. Taylors system insured the most efficient work process was selected and standardized. This way, Ford could employ staff for as cheap as possible and yet keep the quality and efficiency at a satisfactory level. The difference in the productivity levels was striking. Before the assembly line was setup, each car chassis was assembled by one man, taking a time of about twelve and a half hours. Later, with standardization and sub division, the total labour time was reduced to ninety-three minutes per car. This movement of Ford was given the name of Fordism. Taylorism in the 21st century In the 21st century, you can hardly find a successful business enterprise that does not implement the principles of scientific management. It is not that managers study Taylorism before adopting it; in fact these methods of working are so logical that its quite natural to base an efficient business on these principles. McDonalds, the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants can be seen as a major implementer of scientific management. They have setup their business on the similar lines of a what Henry Ford did to his manufacturing plant, by implementing a human assembly line, where they use food items instead of car parts, and churn out Fast Food instead of automobiles. They follow the highest levels of standardization and sub division. George Ritzer (1996) in his book, The McDonaldization of Society says that the impact of Taylors time and motion studies is very strongly felt at McDonalds. He reiterates Taylors philosophy that the most efficient ways of performing a task has been codified and taught to managers, who further explain to workers. The degree of standardization at McDonalds can be perceived when Ritzer (1996, p.46) mentions, For instance, hamburger chains strive to discover and implement the one best way to grill hamburgers, cook French fries, prepare shakes, process customers, and the rest. One of the major characteristics of Taylorism was the separation of planning, designing and decision making unit of a firm from the production unit. Braverman (1974) supports this attribute of Taylorism in his claim that the production unit operates like a hand that is watched, controlled and corrected by a distant brain, i.e. the management unit. This aspect of Taylorism is very evident in the design of a firms customer care call center. Companies operating in one part of the world often setup/outsource their customer service call centers into countries in another part. For example, an organization based in the UK has its service call center setup in India where labour is very cheap and government policies are favorable. The workers, who may not be skilled, are trained to repeat ad infinitum the same scripted words over and over again and function as a human assembly line. While manufacturing may be moving away from Taylorism, for reasons we will see in the later part of the essay, but the service sector is readily embracing it (Batt Moynihan, 2002). Limitations However, adapting such high levels of standardization and division of labour has some serious limitations. Performing the same simple task, over and over again makes a workers life monotonous and boring. The worker in such an environment is as good as a robotic arm. Ritzer (1996, p.110) criticizes Taylor by stating, Taylors attitude is one precursor to the contemporary effort to reduce human activities to robot-like actions so that humans can actually be replaced by robots. Because Taylor did not have Robots at his disposal, all he could do was hire humans, then dictate to them in great detail what they were to do on the job. To illustrate this further, a Taylorist environment is analogous to software development. Software applications are developed by programmers who write the program code and machines that execute the code and generate output. By giving detailed instructions to workers on what to do and when to do, managers act as programmers and workers as mere machines that execu te the given instructions and generate output. They are not allowed to apply their ideas or exercise any kind of control. As a critique to McDonalds highly scientific and standardized approach, Ritzer (1996, p.15) states that People have the potential to be far more thoughtful, skillful and creative, and well rounded than they are now. If the world were less McDonaldized, people would be better to live up to their human potential. Braverman (1974) substantiates this claim in his statement, Taylorism dominates the world of production; the practitioners of human relations and industrial psychology are the maintenance crew for the human machinery. Hence, in such a work environment, it is hard to motivate employees since money is not always a motivating factor. Some people work for reasons other than financial reward. Also, workers are not homogeneous in their attitudes, work and personality. So the one best way may not be the best for all. By following this approach, firms are de-skilling workers and encouraging them to underperform. Another limitation of the Taylorist approach was that it inspired bureaucracy. According to Warring (1992, p.206), by centralizing power with managers, separating planning from performance, and specializing tasks, firms were encouraging excessive bureaucracy. Managers did not visit the production floor and were thus ignorant of many production matters. They manipulated people like any other factor of production. There was thus a quest to develop an alternative to Taylorism, which called for a stop to treating employees as factors of production, and begin treating them as respected members of community. Human Relation Management The limitations of Taylorism along with practical problems caused by it led to the birth of the human relations school of thought. The movement was established by Elton Mayo, when he conducted a series of behavioral experiments called the Hawthorne Experiments (1924-1933). Two-way communication was encouraged i.e. from worker to chief executive and vice versa for effective management. McGregor (1960) in his book Management and Scientific Knowledge argues that the human relations school is a movement forward from Taylor by inculcating social science into scientific management. He advocated the contribution of social science towards greater productivity in the firm and stated that without predicting human behavior, the control over workers was even harder. He suggested that incentive structure for employee motivation should be aligned with human nature and also claimed that Taylor did not care about ethical values. Conclusion While its is not quite clear that Taylor did not care about ethics and worker motivation as he himself was once a worker at the steel plant. He had also given the idea of setting up suggestion boxes for workers on the shop floor. His main emphasis was on finding the best man for a particular task and motivating him through an incentive structure. Manufacturing today, is moving away from Taylorism. Customers now have more specialized and customized interests. They are willing to pay extra for quality and a differentiated product. Hence, the interest in mass production is declining. Also, with the advent of technology, firms can afford to be more flexible in their production process and reduce the involvement of humans in Repetitive tasks that do not require skill. It is difficult to summarize if Taylorism in its exact sense is dominantly implemented in the 21st century. Just like Henry Ford, Firms have interpreted and modified the scientific management principles in ways to suit their style of business, however, the crux of their efficient existence lies in the principles stated by Taylor. References Batt, R., Moynihan, L. M. (2002). The viability of alternative call center production models. Human Resource Management Journal, 12, 14_/34. Harry Braverman book was Labor and Monopoly Capital: The Degradation of Work in the Twentieth Century McGregor, D., (1960) Chapter 1, Management and scientific knowledge. from McGregor, D., The Human Side of Enterprise. pp.3-15, McGraw-Hill Companies Nelson, D. (1992), Epilogue, in D. Nelson (ed.), A Mental Revolution: Scientific Management since Taylor, Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 237-40 Ritzer, George. (1996) The McDonaldization Of Society. Pine Forge Press Taylor, F.W. (1923).ÂÂ   The Principles of Scientific Management.ÂÂ   New York: Harper Warring, SP., Peter Drucker, MBO, and the Corporatist Critique of Scientific Management. In: D. Nelson, ed.1992. A Mental Revolution. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. Ch. 9. Achieving Competitive Advantage: IKEA Case Study Achieving Competitive Advantage: IKEA Case Study Strategic business units in IKEA Each country is a strategic business unit in IKEA as they are all a part of the organisation but for which there is a distinct external market for goods or services and distinct competitors that is different from another SBU. Also, the financial performance of each country can be clearly evaluated. From the case, it can be noted that each SBU faced the same class of customer the class, but customer behaviors in each SBU are different. For instance the American had a different set f measurement system. Therefore, each SBU needed to tailor its product and service and have particular business strategies in order to satisfy distinct needs in each market segment. Porter (1980) asserts there are basic businesses strategies differentiation, cost leadership, and focus and a company performs best by choosing one strategy on which to concentrate. However, many researchers feel a combination of these strategies (hybrid strategy) may offer a company the best chance to achieve a competitive advantage (Cross, 1999; Karnani, 1984; Miller and Friesen, 1986;; Miller, 1992;). There is much debate as to whether or not a company can have a differentiation and low-cost leadership strategy at the same time (Helms et al., 1997). Porter felt differentiation and cost-leadership were mutually exclusive (Helms et al., 1997). However, research shows this is not the case (Kumar et al. 1997). This case study is an example of how IKEA employed a hybrid strategy and successfully maximize its competitive advantages. Generic strategies can be successfully linked to IKEA performance through the use of key strategic practice. IKEA positioned itself as both a cost leader as well as differentiator. It distinguish itself from its competitor by providing a better shopping experience, a new concept of lifestyle, a wider range of product, a simultaneous service which involved customers participation. As customer have to delivery and assemble the flat packed furniture by themselves, this unique delivery system also partly contributed to IKEAS low cost strategy. Differentiation Differentiation is one of Porters key business strategies. When using this strategy, a company focuses its efforts on providing a unique product or service (Hyatt, 2001; Porter, 1980). IKEA managed to distinguish itself from other furniture merchants by successfully making its customers around the world believe that instead of selling furniture, it was selling a lifestyle by offering a much wider range of home products. It has been commented by Retail Consultant Bryan Roberts that there were other retailers offer affordable furniture, but there is no one else who offer the whole concept in the big shed. In fact, there were 7000 products from kitchen cabinets to candlestick. Thus, the focused diversified production choice is a decisive advantage. And: Hybrid Strategy With a Hybrid strategy, IKEA was simultaneously achieving differentiation and a price lower than competitors which enables it to achieve greater volumes. It counterbalances the risk of just using one generic competitive strategy, such as the loyalty problems caused y cost leadership strategies (Cross, 1999). In fact, it has been found out that when an organization follows a hybrid strategy, they exhibit higher performance than those following either cost leadership or differentiation alone (Kumar et al. 1997). Similarly in their research on the UK wine industry, (Richardson and Dennis, 2003) found the hybrid focused differentiation approach was best for niche segments. (Spanos et al., 2004) studied the Greek manufacturing industry and found hybrid strategies were preferable to pure strategies. and how they can be applied to the case. You dont do so with every argument however, sometimes you simply offer opinions such as: These product differentiations fulfilled customer need and involves tailoring the product or service to the customer. This allows IKEA to capture market share. The differentiation strategy is effectively implemented as IKEA provides unique and superior value to the customer through product quality. Also, the message of differentiation reached its clients (McCracken, 2002). It s vital to the effectiveness of the strategy as the customers perceptions of the company are important (Berthoff, 2002). These senses of differentiation created strong brand loyalty among IKEA customers and lower their price sensitivity. This helps to insulate IKEA from competitive rivalry. Second, the lack of perceived acceptable alternatives with comparable combinations of features and costs increases the IKEAs power over customers. Third, with the existing customer loyalty, potential competitors need to overcome the attractive uniqueness of IKEA product so it creates substantial entry barriers. While some researchers suggested that when using differentiation, firms must be prepared to add a premium to the cost (Hyatt, 2001), as customers perceive the product or service as unique, they are loyal to the company and willing to pay the higher price for its products (Cross, 1999), price therefore is not the main focus, IKEA went for a different approach. It employed a hybrid strategy which combined differentiation and low cost and focus strategy. Which, whilst they cite references do not offer justification and support for the views that you are expressing. And in other places you merely summarise the theory without providing clear linkages to how this relates to the case such as in saying: Sustainable competitive advantage Sustainable competitive advantage can be achieved through the following methods. Achieving Low Prices Operate with lower margins Develop a unique cost structure Create efficiency in Organizational capabilities Focus on market segments with low expectations Achieving Sustainable Differentiation Create difficulties of imitation Create a situation of imperfect mobility Establish a lower cost position Establishing Strategic Lock-In Size or market dominance First-mover dominance Self-reinforcing commitment Insistence on preservation of position Paraphrasing or summarising the theory is not, on its own, proof that you know how to apply it in a practical situation such as the case study. Be careful of simply offering assertions and opinions you need to cite evidence and draw in facts from the case, compare and contrast them to the models and frameworks from the course and then draw strategic conclusions from that process. When you actually try to apply the concepts explicitly such as in saying: The CAGE Framework The CAGE of Distance framework can be applied in this case study of IKEA in a large extends. The four dimension of distance namely cultural distance administrative and political distance, geographic distance and economic distance between the Sweden and its foreign markets indicated how different is the foreign market and what strategy should IKEA adapt accordingly (Ross, 1999). It has been illustrated by the IKEAs difficulties in reaching the California Hispanic market. Hispanic is geographically far away from Sweden, socially different in term of having larger family size and different color preference. Also there was economically different. Thus IKEA designers need to customize product and pricing strategy according to the particular market needs. The result is more seats were added to dining tables and sofa. Showroom color was warmed to avoid the more subdued Scandinavian palette. you are demonstrating a level of understanding and application of some of the marketing concepts in this response that is at least the sort of thing we are expecting from a postgraduate student at this point in your studies, and sometimes even better than expected. These demonstrate an understanding of the concepts that is appropriate and explicit. Whilst the way that the concepts have been described and applied is really sound, and I was pleased to see the use of a wide range of concepts but remember that you need to use them to analyse (explain and interpret) rather than simply to observe and comment and throw in some course references as headings or citations such as in saying: Strategic position Strategic capability Internally, some strength of IKEA can be identified in the case. IKEAs core competences lay on it low cost distribution system and innovation product design which ease manufacture and distribution which enable the organization to become cost leadership. Besides, with the company creative flair, strong capability in research and product engineering, IKEA can put its differentiation strategy into practised effectively. Macro Environments Externally, IKEA was benefited from the opportunities identified below. Economically, the growing size of the world middle class especially in China, India and Russia implies that there will be an increasing need of IKEAs product (contemporary household furniture with value of money). Also the growing wealth with the worlds population means middle class with higher purchasing power. Socially, the fact that the new emerge middle class are more aware of their home design present an opportunity for IKEA to expand. In conclusion, it e be seen that IKEA has successfully generated strategic choices that utilized its strength to take advantage of opportunities The difference between analysis and commentary is the capacity to interpret and make explicit what the facts are telling you. Commentary on the other hand describes what you see and asserts (rather than proves or demonstrates) a set of conclusions. So, if you take the wide range of course concepts that you are obviously familiar with and compare and contrast a little more explicitly facts and evidence from the case itself, it will make your arguments flow much more directly, and more reasoned conclusions emerge. From time to time, what you offer here is like an explanation of the theory and an assertion that X is true at IKEA! without always providing specific evidence and analysis to substantiate the comments. Understanding how you get to conclusions from your analysis is as important as setting out what the conclusions are. However while it strikes me that your observations about could use some more reasoning your other answers are sound and reflect a good understanding of strategy . Overall, this is well-structured and laid out piece of work and offers a clear indication of your emerging understanding of this subject and ability to apply it in practice good work.

Violence and Rock & Roll: Hand in Hand? :: essays research papers fc

Violence and Rock & Roll: Hand in Hand? People that have been to concerts know what kind of damage goes on, and how many innocent people are hurt by the violence that goes on at these shows. This is something that needs to end. Many people have been punched, kicked, shoved, thrown, hit by flying objects, fallen, trampled, crushed and, sadly in many cases, sexually assaulted. Concert-goers have suffered from concussions, wounds, rape, and death. All this violence can be ended, but it’s getting worse and worse by the day. The more the fans get out of hand, the more injuries people will undergo. Many people don’t want to go to concerts any more, because of the fact that there is too much hostility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Concerts nowadays are too brutal. This violence needs to end. Even the artists that play at these shows are outraged by this aggression. Even they want to make this end. â€Å"Concerts get such a band name, because of all the [violence] and everything like that,† said Limp Bizkit (a ‘flavor-of-the-month’ band) guitarist Wes Borland. Sprains and broken bones resulting from moshing (a violent form of â€Å"dance† in which fans careen off one another) and crowd surfing (a practice in which fans are passed over head by the members of the crowd) have been common at concerts for many years. As many people remember at Woodstock ’99 the destruction at the festival was at its peak. This shows how degraded popular culture has become. â€Å"The thing that I felt was unfair, in the follow-up in the press, was the demonization of a generation,† said guitarist Tom Morello of, a popular band, Rage Against the Machine, â€Å"There was jus t this vilification of a whole generation and the bands that they like, based on this concert. I think it’s ridiculous.† (Arizona Republic, 10-3-99) But who’s to say that this violent behavior doesn’t go on at other concerts? Well, in fact it does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One trend that has occurred at concerts, are the numbers of sexual assaults. Many girls have been groped, sexually harassed, beat, and even in many cases raped. Just at Woodstock ’99 alone there were 8 sex offences, which included an alleged mosh pit rape, which police were aware of. Tom Morello also added that, â€Å"The one thing that is absolutely unforgivable or unpardonable are the reported sexual assaults.†(Arizona Republic; Phoenix; Oct. 3, 1999) The mosh pit scene at a recent Vans Warped Tour show in Asbury Park, N.

Bloodlines Chapter Nineteen

IF I'D HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING BEFORE, Adrian's dream only made things worse. Even though I was safely back in my own bed, I couldn't shake the feeling of violation. I imagined that my skin was crawling with the taint of magic. I'd been so anxious to get out of the dream that I'd only half-realized what I'd been agreeing to. I respected Adrian's desire to go to college but now wondered if I should really be helping with that after my father's chastisement about â€Å"getting friendly† with vampires. I wasn't in the greatest of moods when I finally got up a few hours later. The tension in our room was thick as Jill and I prepared for school. Jill's defiance from yesterday was gone, and she kept watching me nervously when she thought I didn't notice. At first, I figured my outburst from last night had made her uneasy. But as we walked out of the room for breakfast, I knew there was more to it. â€Å"What?† I asked bluntly, breaking the silence at last. â€Å"What do you want to ask me?† Jill gave me another wary glance as we joined the rush of other girls heading downstairs. â€Å"Um, something happened yesterday.† A lot of things happened yesterday, I thought. That was my overtired, bitter self talking, and I knew that wasn't what she was leading up to. â€Å"Such as?† I asked. â€Å"Well†¦ I was starting to tell you about how Lee took me to that store. That clothing boutique where he knew the owner? Her name's Lia DiStefano. We talked, and she, uh, offered me a job. Kind of.† â€Å"The modeling job?† We reached the cafeteria's food line, though I had little appetite. I selected a yogurt, which looked sad and lonely in the middle of my otherwise empty tray. â€Å"We talked about that. It's not safe.† Still, it was ironic that a random visit could land Jill a job when three formal interviews had failed for Adrian. â€Å"This isn't for posed pictures that would be in a magazine or anything, though. It's a runway show of local designers. We told her this story that we're part of a religion that has rules about photos and identity. Lia said she'd actually been thinking of having her models wear half masks. Like the kind you wear at a masquerade? Between that and the lighting and the movement†¦ well, it'd be hard to identify me if any candid shots got out. It's just a onetime event, but I'd have to see her beforehand for fittings†¦ and to practice. She'd pay me too, but I'd need rides to get there and parental permission.† We sat down, and I spent an unnecessary amount of time stirring my yogurt as I mulled over her words. I could feel her gaze on me as I thought. â€Å"It's kind of silly, I guess,† she continued when I didn't answer. â€Å"I mean, I don't have any experience. And I don't even know why she'd want me. Maybe it's some gimmick she's going for. Weird models or something.† I finally ate a bite of yogurt and then looked up at her. â€Å"You're not weird, Jill. You really do have the ideal body type for modeling. It's hard to find. For humans, at least.† Once again, I tried not to think about how hard it was for us humans to live up to Moroi perfection. I tried not to think about how, years ago, my dad had criticized my figure and said, â€Å"If those monsters can do it, why not you?† â€Å"But you still think it's a terrible idea,† she said. I didn't respond. I knew what Jill wanted, but she couldn't bring herself to directly ask me for it. And I couldn't easily give it to her yet. I was still too upset about yesterday and not feeling kindly toward any favors. On the other hand, I couldn't tell her no either. Not yet. Despite how irresponsibly she'd behaved, her words about how miserable her life was here had hit me hard. This was something positive and good that would fill her time. It was also a muchneeded ego boost. Laurel had thrived on using Jill's unusual features against her; it would do Jill good to see that others viewed them positively. She needed to realize she was special and wonderful. I didn't know whether to curse or thank Lee for this opportunity. â€Å"I don't think we can decide anything until we go talk to Mrs. Weathers,† I told her at last. I glanced at a nearby clock. â€Å"In fact, we need to meet with her now.† I took a few more bites of my yogurt before throwing it away. Jill took a donut to go. When we returned to our lobby, we found out a delivery had arrived for Jill: a bouquet of perfect red roses and an apologetic note from Lee. Jill melted, her face filling with adoration at the gesture. Even I admired the romance of it, though a snarky part of me said maybe Lee should've sent flowers to Eddie and me instead. We were the ones he needed to apologize to. Regardless, the flowers were quickly forgotten when we sat down in Mrs. Weathers's office and learned the verdict on Jill. â€Å"I spoke to the principal. You aren't being suspended,† she told Jill. â€Å"But for the next month, you are restricted to your dorm when not in class. You are to report to me immediately after classes end so that I know you're here. You may go to the cafeteria for meals – but only your dorm's. Not the one on West Campus. The only exceptions to this policy are if an assignment or teacher requires you to go elsewhere outside of school hours, like the library.† We both nodded, and for a moment, I was simply relieved that Jill hadn't been expelled or anything like that. Then the real problem hit me like a slap in the face. I'd told Jill this meeting would impact any modeling decisions, but there was something much worse on the line. â€Å"If she's grounded to the dorm, then she can't leave the school,† I said. Mrs. Weathers gave me a wry smile. â€Å"Yes, Miss Melrose. That is what ‘grounded' generally means.† â€Å"She has to, ma'am,† I argued. â€Å"We have family gatherings twice a week.† Ideally, we had them more than that, but I was hoping a lowball number might buy us freedom. It was absolutely essential Jill get blood, and two days a week was about the minimum a vampire could survive on. â€Å"I'm sorry. Rules are rules, and in breaking them, your sister has lost the privilege of functions like that.† â€Å"They're religious,† I said. I hated to play the religion card, but that was something the school would have a hard time countering. And hey, it had apparently worked on the fashion designer. â€Å"We go to church as a family on those days – us and our brothers.† Mrs. Weathers's face showed me I had indeed gained ground. â€Å"We'd need a signed letter from your parents,† she said finally. Great. That had worked so well in PE. â€Å"What about our brother? He's our legal guardian here.† Surely even Keith couldn't drag his feet on this, not with blood on the line. She considered this. â€Å"Yes. That might be acceptable.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I told Jill when we walked outside to catch the shuttle. â€Å"About the modeling. We're going to have a hard enough time getting you permission to leave for feedings.† Jill nodded, making no effort to hide her disappointment. â€Å"When's the show?† I asked, thinking maybe she could do it when her punishment was over. â€Å"In two weeks.† So much for that idea. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I repeated. To my surprise, Jill actually laughed. â€Å"You have no reason to be. Not after what I did. I'm the one who's sorry. And I'm sorry about Adrian too – about the interviews.† â€Å"That's something you have no reason to be sorry about.† It struck me again how easily everyone made excuses for him. She proved this with her next comment. â€Å"He can't help it. It's how he is.† He can help it, I thought. Instead, I said, â€Å"Just hang in there, okay? I'll get Keith to sign off on our religious experiences.† She smiled. â€Å"Thanks, Sydney.† We usually parted ways when the bus reached Central Campus, but she held back once we got off. I could see again that she wanted to tell me something but was having trouble getting the courage. â€Å"Yes?† I asked. â€Å"I†¦ just wanted to tell you I really am sorry for giving you so much grief. You do a lot for us. Really. And you being upset, it's because†¦ well, I know you care. Which is more than I can say for other people back at Court.† â€Å"That's not true,† I said. â€Å"They care. They went to a lot of trouble to get you here and keep you safe.† â€Å"I still feel like it was more for Lissa than for me,† she said sadly. â€Å"And my mom didn't put up much of a fight when they said they were going to send me away.† â€Å"They want you safe,† I told her. â€Å"That means making hard choices – hard for them too.† Jill nodded, but I don't know if she believed me. I gave Eddie the morning report when I reached history. His face displayed a range of emotions with each new development in the story. â€Å"You think Keith will write the note?† he asked in a low voice. â€Å"He has to. The whole point of us being here is to keep her alive. Starving her to death kind of defeats the purpose.† I didn't bother telling Eddie that I was in trouble with my father and the Alchemists and that in two weeks, there was a good chance I might not even be around. Eddie was clearly upset over Jill's situation already, and I didn't want him to have one more thing to worry about. When I met up with Ms. Terwilliger at the end of the day, I turned in the last of the notes I'd made for her on the old books. As I was settling myself at a desk, I noticed a folder of articles sitting on a table. Carlton College was printed on the folder in embossed gold letters. I remembered now why I'd thought the name was familiar when Adrian had mentioned it in the dream. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger†¦ didn't you say you knew people at Carlton College?† She glanced up from her computer. â€Å"Hmm? Oh yes. I should think so. I play poker with half of the history faculty. I even teach there in the summers. History, that is. Not poker.† â€Å"I don't suppose you know anybody in admissions, do you?† I asked. â€Å"Not so much. I suppose I know people who know people there.† She turned her attention back to the screen. I said nothing, and after several moments, she looked back at me. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"No reason.† â€Å"Of course there's a reason. Are you interested in attending? Goodness knows you'd probably get more out of there than here. My class being the exception, of course.† â€Å"No, ma'am,† I said. â€Å"But my brother wants to attend. He heard classes haven't started yet but isn't sure if he can get in on such short notice.† â€Å"It's very short notice,† agreed Ms. Terwilliger. She scrutinized me carefully. â€Å"Would you like me to make some inquiries?† â€Å"Oh. Oh no, ma'am. I was just hoping to get some names I could contact. I'd never ask you to do something like that.† Her eyebrows rose. â€Å"Why ever not?† I was at a loss. She was so difficult to understand sometimes. â€Å"Because†¦ you have no reason to.† â€Å"I'd do it as a favor to you.† I couldn't muster a response for that and simply stared. She smiled and pushed her glasses up her nose. â€Å"That's impossible for you to believe, isn't it? That someone would do a favor for you.† â€Å"I†¦ well, that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, still unsure what to say. â€Å"You're my teacher. Your job is to, well, teach me. That's it.† â€Å"And your job,† she said, â€Å"is to report to this room during last period for whatever mundane tasks I have for you and then turn in a paper at the end of the semester. You are not in any way required to fetch me coffee, show up after hours, organize my life, or completely rearrange your own to meet my ridiculous requests.† â€Å"I†¦ I don't mind,† I said. â€Å"And it all needs doing.† She chuckled. â€Å"Yes. And you insist on going above and beyond in your tasks, don't you? No matter how inconvenient for you.† I shrugged. â€Å"I like to do a good job, ma'am.† â€Å"You do an excellent job. Far better than you need to. And you do it without complaint. Therefore, the least I can do is make a few phone calls on your behalf.† She laughed again. â€Å"That startles you most of all, doesn't it? Having someone praise you.† â€Å"Oh no,† I said lamely. â€Å"I mean, it happens.† She took off her glasses to look at me more intently. The laughter was gone. â€Å"No, I'm thinking it doesn't. I don't know your particular situation, but I have known a lot of students like you – ones whose parents ship them off like this. While I appreciate the concern for higher education, I find that more often than not, a bigger piece of students coming here is that their parents simply don't have the time or inclination to be involved with – or even pay attention to – their children's lives.† We were dealing with one of those interpersonal areas that made me uncomfortable, particularly because there was an unexpected element of truth in them. â€Å"It's more complicated than that, ma'am.† â€Å"I'm sure it is,† she replied. Her expression turned fierce, making her look far different from the scattered teacher I knew. â€Å"But listen to me when I say this. You are an exceptional, talented, and brilliant young woman. Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you're less. Do not ever let anyone make you feel invisible. Do not let anyone – not even a teacher who constantly sends you for coffee – push you around.† She put her glasses back on and began randomly lifting up pieces of papers. At last, she found a pen and grinned triumphantly. â€Å"Now, then. What is your brother's name?† â€Å"Adrian, ma'am.† â€Å"Right, then.† She took out a piece of paper and carefully wrote down the name. â€Å"Adrian Melbourne.† â€Å"Melrose, ma'am.† â€Å"Right. Of course.† She scribbled out her mistake and muttered to herself, â€Å"I'm just glad his first name's not Hobart.† When she was finished, she leaned back casually in her chair. â€Å"Now that you mention it, there is one thing I'd like you to do.† â€Å"Name it,† I said. â€Å"I want you to make one of the spells from that first book.† â€Å"I'm sorry. Did you say, make a spell?† Ms. Terwilliger waved a hand. â€Å"Oh, don't worry. I'm not asking you to wave a wand or do an animal sacrifice. But I'm terribly intrigued by how complex some of the formulas and steps of the spells were. I have to wonder, did people actually follow them in such painstaking detail? Some of these are quite complicated.† â€Å"I know,† I said dryly. â€Å"I typed them all out.† â€Å"Exactly. So, I want you to make one. Follow the steps. See how long it takes. See if half the measurements they ask for are even possible. Then write up the data in a report. That part, I know you excel at.† I didn't know what to say. Ms. Terwilliger wasn't actually asking me to use magic, certainly not in the same way vampires did. Such a thing wasn't even possible. Magic was not the province of humans. It was unnatural and went against the ways of the universe. What the Alchemists did was based on science and chemistry. The tattoos had magic, but it was us bending vampire magic to our wills – not using it ourselves. The closest we came to anything supernatural was the blessings we called down on our potions. She was only asking me to reenact a spell. It wasn't real. There was no harm. And yet†¦ why did I feel so uneasy? I felt like I was being asked to lie or steal. â€Å"What's the matter?† she asked. For a moment, I considered using religion again but then dismissed it. That excuse had come up too often today, though this time, it was actually semilegitimate. â€Å"Nothing, ma'am. It just seems weird.† She picked up the first leather book and flipped to the middle. â€Å"Here. Do this one – an incineration amulet. It's complicated, but at least you'll have an arts and crafts project when you're done. Most of these ingredients should be easy to come by, too.† I took the book from her and scanned it. â€Å"Where am I going to get nettle?† â€Å"Ask Mr. Carnes. He has a garden outside his classroom. I'm sure you can buy the rest. And you know, you can give me receipts. I'll pay you back whenever I send you out to get something. You must've spent a fortune on coffee.† I felt a little better when I saw how random the ingredients were. Nettle. Agate. A piece of silk. There wasn't really even anything flammable. This was nonsense. With a nod, I told her I'd start soon. In the meantime, I typed up an official letter to Amberwood on Keith's behalf. It explained that our religious beliefs required family church attendance twice a week and that Jill needed to be excused from her punishment during those times. It also promised that Jill would check in with Mrs. Weathers both before and after the family trips. When I finished, I was rather pleased with my work and felt that I'd made Keith sound far more eloquent than he deserved. I called him up when school ended and gave a brief rundown on what had happened with Jill. Naturally, I got the blame. â€Å"You're supposed to keep an eye on her, Sydney!† Keith exclaimed. â€Å"I'm also supposed to be undercover as a student here, and I can't be with her every second of the day.† It wasn't worth mentioning that I'd actually been out with Adrian when Jill had run away – not that Keith could do any more to me. He'd already done his damage. â€Å"And so I have to suffer the consequences,† he said in a world-weary voice. â€Å"I'm the one who gets put out for your incompetence.† â€Å"Put out? You don't have to do anything except sign the letter I wrote for you. Are you home right now? Or will you be? I'll drive it over to you.† I figured he'd jump all over the offer, seeing how annoyed he seemed to be by the matter. So, it was a surprise when he said, â€Å"No, you don't have to do that. I'll come to you.† â€Å"It's not a problem. I can be at your place in less than ten minutes.† I didn't want him to have any more reason than necessary to go on and on about how I was inconveniencing him – or complain to the Alchemists. â€Å"No,† said Keith, with surprising intensity. â€Å"I'll come to you. I'm leaving right now. Meet you at the main office?† â€Å"Okay,† I said, totally puzzled at this change of heart. Did he want to check up on me or something? Demand an inspection? â€Å"See you soon.† I was already on Central Campus, so it took no time at all to reach the main office. I sat outside on an ornate stone bench with a good view of the visitors parking lot and waited. It was hot out, as usual, but being in the shade actually made it pretty pleasant. The bench was situated in a little clearing filled with flowering plants and a sign that read The Kelly Hayes Memorial Garden. It looked new. â€Å"Hey, Sydney!† Kristin and Julia were walking out of the building and waved at me. They came and sat down beside me to ask what I was doing. â€Å"I'm waiting for my brother.† â€Å"Is he cute?† asked Kristin hopefully. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Not at all.† â€Å"Yes, he is,† countered Julia. â€Å"I saw him in your dorm last weekend. When you all went out for lunch.† It took me a second to realize she meant Adrian. â€Å"Oh. Different brother. They don't have a lot in common.† â€Å"Is it true your sister's in big trouble?† asked Julia. I shrugged. â€Å"Only a little trouble. She can't leave campus, except for family stuff. It could be worse. Although†¦ it did cost her a modeling job, so she's sad about that.† â€Å"Modeling for who?† asked Kristin. I racked my brain. â€Å"Lia DiStefano. There's some show in two weeks, and she wanted Jill to walk in it. But Jill can't practice because she has to stay here.† Their eyes went wide. â€Å"Lia's clothes are amazing!† said Julia. â€Å"Jill has to do it. She might get free stuff.† â€Å"I told you. She can't.† Kristin tilted her head thoughtfully. â€Å"But what if it was for school? Like some kind of career or vocational thing?† She turned to Julia. â€Å"Is there still a sewing club?† â€Å"I think so,† said Julia, nodding eagerly. â€Å"That's a good idea. Does Jill have an activity?† Along with a sport, Amberwood also required its well-rounded students to participate in hobbies and activities outside of class. â€Å"There's a sewing club she could join†¦ and I bet she could get working with Lia counted as some kind of special research.† In attempting to fix a loose thread on her cardigan the other day, Jill had nearly unraveled the entire sweater. â€Å"I don't think that's really Jill's thing.† â€Å"Doesn't matter,† said Kristin. â€Å"Most of the people in it can't sew anyway. But every year, the club volunteers with local designers. Miss Yamani would totally let walking in the show count as volunteering. She loves Lia DiStefano.† â€Å"And they'd have to let her go,† said Julia, face full of triumph. â€Å"Because it'd be for school.† â€Å"Interesting,† I said, wondering if there was any chance of it working. â€Å"I'll tell Jill.† A familiar blue car pulled into the driveway, and I stood up. â€Å"There he is.† Keith parked and got out, scanning around for me. Kristin gave a small sound of approval. â€Å"He's not bad.† â€Å"Believe me,† I said, walking forward. â€Å"You want nothing to do with him.† Keith gave the girls what was probably supposed to be a charming smile and even winked at them. The instant they were gone, his smile dropped. Impatience radiated off of him, and it was a wonder he didn't tap his foot. â€Å"Let's make this fast,† he said. â€Å"If you're in such a rush, you should have just let me come by when you had more time.† I took out a binder containing the letter and handed it over with a pen. Keith signed without even looking at it and handed it back. â€Å"Need anything else?† he asked. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Don't mess up again,† he said, opening the car door. â€Å"I don't have time to keep covering for you.† â€Å"Does it matter?† I challenged him. â€Å"You've already done your best to get rid of me.† He gave me a cold smile. â€Å"You shouldn't have crossed me. Not now, not back then.† With a wink, he turned around and began to leave. I stared, unable to believe the audacity. It was the first time he'd directly referenced what went down years ago. â€Å"Well, that's the thing,† I shouted at his retreating figure. â€Å"I didn't cross you back then. You got off easy. It's not going to happen again. You think I'm worried about you? I'm the one you need to be scared of.† Keith came to a halt and then slowly turned around, his face awash with disbelief. I didn't blame him. I was kind of surprised myself. I couldn't ever remember a time I'd so openly countered someone in a higher position of authority, certainly not someone who had so much power to affect my situation. â€Å"Watch it,† he said at last. â€Å"I can make your life miserable.† I gave him an icy smile. â€Å"You already have, and that's why I've got the advantage. You've done your worst – but you haven't seen what I can do yet.† It was a big bluff on my part, especially since I was pretty sure he could still do worse. For all I knew, he could get Zoe out here tomorrow. He could get me sent to a re-education center in a heartbeat. But if I went down? So would he. He stared at me for a few moments, at a loss. I don't know if I actually scared him or if he decided not to dignify me with an answer, but he finally turned and left for good. Furious, I went inside to deliver the letter to the office. The front desk secretary, Mrs. Dawson, stamped it and then made a copy for me to give to Mrs. Weathers. As she handed it to me, I asked, â€Å"Who's Kelly Hayes?† Mrs. Dawson's usually dimpled face grew sad. â€Å"That poor girl. She was a student here a few years ago.† My memory clicked. â€Å"Is she the one Mrs. Weathers mentioned? Who went missing?† Mrs. Dawson nodded. â€Å"It was terrible. She was such a sweet girl too. So young. She didn't deserve to die like that. She didn't deserve to die at all.† I hated to ask but had to. â€Å"How did she die? I mean, I know she was murdered, but I never heard any details.† â€Å"Probably just as well. It's pretty gruesome.† Mrs. Dawson peered around, as though afraid she'd get in trouble for gossiping with a student. She leaned over the counter toward me, face grave. â€Å"The poor thing bled to death. She had her throat cut.†

Hotel Rwanda

Roberto Cutout. It was released into the United States on December 22, 2004, but it released elsewhere in the world throughout 2005. The three main stars of the movie were Don Cheated, who plays Paul Reassigning the hotel manager, Sophie Conned, who plays Titian Reassigning, Pall's wife, and Nick Molten who plays Colonel Oliver, the United Nations peacekeeper.I watched this movie about a week ago on July 27th with a few of my friends who are also taking this course. The movie is not part of a series, but it is based on a true story. It is inspired by the novel An Ordinary Man by Paul Reassigning and Hotel Rwanda: Bringing the True Story of an African Hero to Film by Keri Pearson and Terry George. In Rwanda, there are two main ethnic groups, the Tutsis and the Huts , who are constantly fighting for power and control of Rwanda. Genocide constantly cleanses Rwanda streets as people turn away in fear.Paul Reassigning is a hotel manager for the Hotel Des Mille Isoclines in Kigali, Rwanda. He being a Hut helps his family and other people they know, most Tutsis like his wife, take refuge from the Hut army in his hotel. Before they even reach the hotel, they get taken by the Huts and Paul has to pay General Beginning one hundred thousand Francs to spare the lives of his Tutsis friends that first took shelter in their home and another ten thousand Francs for his wife and kids' lives.As they try to settle the few amounts of people they have in the hotel already plus the current guests, the Red Cross and other Huts and Tutsis arrive at the hotel taking refuge adding the total from one hundred to over eight hundred Rwanda. As the genocide increases, the Europeans staying at the hotel are flown out of Rwanda by the United Nations and sent back home to avoid the danger. Paul tries to get help from the Belgians and the French after the fighting grows, but the countries refuse to get themselves caught up in Rwanda problems. The U. N. Sakes a list of refugees able to leave the country and attempt to take them on trucks across the border, but Tutsis rebels ambush the trucks forcing them to return to the hotel. Paul and his family later get to escape to a U. N. Refugee camp where they find Titan's nieces, but her brother and sister-in-law nowhere to be found. They end up crossing past the rebel nine and drive to their new home in Tanzania, away from the war. In ten years, one million Rwanda, both Hut and Tutsis, were left for dead because of the genocide and hatred between these two ethnic groups.Which I believe is an unreasonably irrational thing to happen all due to hatred between human beings. The characters in â€Å"Hotel Rwanda† are based on real people and events that actually happened in Rwanda during the sass. Paul Reassigning was a real person that actually took care of hundreds of people in his hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. The people played in the film were accurate as to the real situation in the sass. The dates in the film were also right. So me online people, mostly Rwanda, say that the movie does not tell the story of the genocide correctly as it happened.These sources are not official since they are only people of Rwanda that live there and claim they fully and correctly know the story of the genocide and what happened with Paul Reassigning and his family. The events in the film were based on true events that happened in Rwanda during the sass, ending in 1994. â€Å"Hotel Rwanda† was mainly filmed on the spot in Kigali, Rwanda and Johannesburg, South Africa. The Hotel Des Mille Isoclines set was filmed in South Africa, but the original Hotel Des Mille Isoclines is located in Kigali, Rwanda.The scenes showing the city streets and most fighting scenes are shot in Kigali. The camp scenes along with some road scenes were filmed in South Africa. These locations were shown very accurately since they filmed part of the movie in the actual city where the movie takes place. The movie was filmed during 2004 and it releas ed on December 22, 2004. The wardrobes of the people shown in the film are accurately represented like the Huts, Tutsis, and militias wore during the sass in Rwanda. The ears and clothes of the people were portrayed very well as to how they were back then.The producers did a great Job of showing the time period during the movie Just by the clothes the actors wore. All around this movie was accurately shot and shown as the real actual thing. â€Å"Hotel Rwanda† was a very dampening movie because of the killing of innocent people and children, but it was very good. The actors were great, especially Don Cheated, playing Paul Reassigning, the most important role in the movie. The strongest points in the movie were how real they represented and filmed the Unicode as well as the emotions in the characters throughout each scene.The weakest point in the movie, I believe, is the ending where it ends with the Russianness on the road after they got off the bus. I was curious why they di dn't show the rest of their Journey to their new home in Tanzania and what happens after they get there. Which is most likely due to the length of the movie, which is understandable. It was kind of like a cliff hanger for me, so I did not really like the ending as much as I expected I would. I also enjoyed how the movie rose to a great lima and then stayed at a climax for a while until it dived towards the end once the family reached the U.N. Camp. The movie really kept me on â€Å"the edge of my seat† throughout the whole thing . After watching â€Å"Hotel Rwanda†, I was well aware of what happened with the Hut and Tutsis genocide. I did not realize how much damage was caused in Just one hundred days of the killings. The movie would have been better if it continued on about the Russianness' lives in Tanzania and how they managed to survive. I would definitely recommend â€Å"Hotel Rwanda† to anyone that enjoys watching historic events that keep you on the edge of your seat. Hotel Rwanda Textual Analysis: Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004) The horrible evidence of what Kant variously called the wickedness, corruption and perversity of the human heart is, unfortunately, not encountered only in memory, it is also met with among our current experiences. We are daily obliged to witness fresh atrocities as ethnic and racial hatreds seek to express themselves in the annihilation of their proponents’ enemies. Copjec, 1996;9) The above quote effectively demonstrates that debates on evil are not only still suitable for the issues emerging in a post-modern world, but are perhaps more suitable than ever before. The film which I will be discussing, Hotel Rwanda (2004), relates the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a man who sheltered over a thousand refugees in the hotel he managed during the Rwandan genocide of 1994.The film is useful as a focus point for the discussion of evil since the situation surrounding the events that took place during those months are often referre d to in terms of evil – not only on the part of the Hutu militia that perpetrated the atrocities, but also of the international community and the UN in particular, which did not intervene to stop the massacre – and it would be useful to analyse a couple of key points in this film more closely.After World War II, it was believed that the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis would never be allowed to happen again, but events in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, to name but two examples, have proven that the potential for acts of evil of this magnitude to occur are not specific to one culture or even to a place in time, but are expressions of – to use the words of Immanuel Kant – ‘a natural propensity to evil’ (1960;20) that is embedded in the human race.It might therefore prove useful to turn to psychoanalysis for a partial explanation with regards to how it is possible for people to change their behaviour in such radical ways, readily adopting new moral max ims that often oppose their previously adopted ones. According to Freud, when in a group situation, ‘the individual gives up his ego ideal and substitutes for it the group ideal as embodied in the leader’ The other members of the group are, according to this theory, ‘carried away with the rest by ‘suggestion’, that is to say, by means of identification’ (1921;161-162).According to this theory, the group – small or large – surrenders its free will to that of the leader, which makes them less likely to make their own moral judgements with regards to their actions and more likely to blindly follow the leader as well as the other members of their group. The issues of identity and legitimisation are also crucial to understanding how the Hutus felt justified in brutally murdering their former friends and neighbours. As is explained in the film, tensions between Tutsis and Hutus were virtually nonexistent prior to the arrival of the Belg ian colonists. The two ethnic groups are actually very similar – they speak the same language, inhabit the same areas and follow the same traditions†¦It was the Belgian colonists who saw Hutus and Tutsis as ‘distinct entities, and even produced identity cards classifying people according to their ethnicity’ (BBC News Website). In other words, there were no violent issues of ethnic difference until the Tutsis were made – to use the definition provided by Richard Kearney – into â€Å"aliens†.For Kearney, this term refers to ‘that experience of alterity associated with selection†¦or sometimes with suspicion’ (2000;101). He goes on to say that ‘Aliens proliferate where anxieties loom as to who we are and how we demarcate ourselves from others (who are not us)’ (2000;102). This means that, in order to legitimise their own identity, groups must necessarily create a group of ‘aliens’ with whom they ca n misidentify. The tendency to use members of this group as scapegoats and perceive them as threats is clearly demonstrated in the build-up to the Rwanda massacre.As the economic situation in the country worsened, Tutsis were used to divert anger from the Hutu government. Subsequently, when the airplane carrying the Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down, the incident was used to make Hutus feel as if they were under attack. As one Hutu – who actively took part in the massacre – later relates; ‘Because the RPF were blamed for the death of President Habyarimana, we thought that they had started with the high-ranking officials and that they were going to end up doing the same to us ordinary people’ (BBC News Website).In other words, ‘When faced with a threatening outsider, the best mode of defence becomes attack’ (Kearney, 2000;104). The other side of evil as portrayed in the film, however, is the international community’s fa ilure to act. The UN soldiers in Rwanda are portrayed as good people who have their hands tied, yet their refusal to go against their orders is portrayed almost as cowardice in that they are failing to ‘do what is right’ and use their weapons in order to save lives.In a scene where the UN convoy – transporting refugees from the hotel to a secure camp – gets stopped at a militia roadblock, the refugees’ lives are in dire peril, and the fact that the soldiers will not shoot the Hutus that are about to kill unarmed men, women and children stands for what is now widely thought of as shameful unwillingness of the Western nations to recognise and stop the genocide. The outcome of this particular scene is that the UN soldiers do not use their weapons but most of the refugees are saved by the belatedly arrived local police force.The outcome of the lack of intervention from Western nations was the death of an estimated 1 million people. The crucial question for the purpose of this paper is whether the actions of those soldiers were evil. It could be argued that if they had used their guns against their explicit orders, many lives could have been saved, but it could also be said, on the other hand, that this act would have give the hostile militias a justification to kill the UN soldiers as well, which would have saved even fewer lives.In determining the evil nature of actions or people, should we consider first and foremost the intention or the consequence of action? It might prove useful at this point to outline a practical definition of morals in contrast to ethics in relation to this particular example. I would argue that morals are result-orientated whilst ethics in the true Kantian sense are interested solely in the consistent obedience of the law, a maxim which once adopted by an individual must be followed for its own sake, regardless of consequence or relative circumstances.Whilst morals must consider a situation in light not o nly of the law, but also taking into account the surrounding circumstances and possible outcomes, ethics dictate that anything short of upholding the law for the law’s sake is evil. Within this framework it is then possible to argue that the soldier’s actions were ethical but not moral. While it would have been impossible for them not to consider the outcome of their action, we could conclude that their decision to uphold the law overrode their need to help the refugees.Operating under a law that dictated that they would not use their weapons to protect the refugees, going against that would be – in Kantian terms – evil, as they would be breaking the law, and even if countless lives were saved as a result of that, Kant’s unforgiving sense of ethics would not spare them in the least, for the outcome of actions simply does not feature in his theoretical framework. By choosing to uphold the law the soldiers fulfil another crucial requirement of Kantia n ethical behaviour (or as he calls it, the ‘moral law’); the categorical imperative.In stating that one should never act except in such a way that they should will that their maxim should become universal law, Kant established that the most important factor of his ethics is consistency, as no double standards can be tolerated. It would seem reasonable to assume that the moral maxim of the soldiers in question is that violence without due procedure and full backing of the law is never justifiable.With that in mind, it could be argued that they would be happy to see that moral maxim adopted as universal law, since a world in which this maxim was universally adopted would most probably not have seen the Rwanda genocide taking place. BIBLIOGRAPHY Copjec, J. (1996) (Ed. ) Radical Evil, Varso Books Freud, S. (1991) Civilization, Society and Religions: ‘Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego’, ‘Future of an Illusion’ and ‘Civilization and its Discontents’ (The Penguin Freud Library) Penguin Books Kant, I. 1960) Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone, New York, Harper Collins Torchbooks, Australia Kearney, R. (2000) ‘Others and Aliens: Between Good and Evil’, in: Geddes, J. (Ed. ) Evil After Postmodernism: Histories, Narratives, and Ethics, Routledge Singer, P. (2004) The President of Good and Evil: Taking George W. Bush Seriously, London, Granta Books ‘Taken Over By Satan’ http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/3582011. stm Accessed on 14/03/2006 ‘Rwanda: How the genocide happened’ http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/africa/1288230. stm Accessed on 17/03/2006 Hotel Rwanda Textual Analysis: Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004) The horrible evidence of what Kant variously called the wickedness, corruption and perversity of the human heart is, unfortunately, not encountered only in memory, it is also met with among our current experiences. We are daily obliged to witness fresh atrocities as ethnic and racial hatreds seek to express themselves in the annihilation of their proponents’ enemies. Copjec, 1996;9) The above quote effectively demonstrates that debates on evil are not only still suitable for the issues emerging in a post-modern world, but are perhaps more suitable than ever before. The film which I will be discussing, Hotel Rwanda (2004), relates the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a man who sheltered over a thousand refugees in the hotel he managed during the Rwandan genocide of 1994.The film is useful as a focus point for the discussion of evil since the situation surrounding the events that took place during those months are often referre d to in terms of evil – not only on the part of the Hutu militia that perpetrated the atrocities, but also of the international community and the UN in particular, which did not intervene to stop the massacre – and it would be useful to analyse a couple of key points in this film more closely.After World War II, it was believed that the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis would never be allowed to happen again, but events in Yugoslavia and Rwanda, to name but two examples, have proven that the potential for acts of evil of this magnitude to occur are not specific to one culture or even to a place in time, but are expressions of – to use the words of Immanuel Kant – ‘a natural propensity to evil’ (1960;20) that is embedded in the human race.It might therefore prove useful to turn to psychoanalysis for a partial explanation with regards to how it is possible for people to change their behaviour in such radical ways, readily adopting new moral max ims that often oppose their previously adopted ones. According to Freud, when in a group situation, ‘the individual gives up his ego ideal and substitutes for it the group ideal as embodied in the leader’ The other members of the group are, according to this theory, ‘carried away with the rest by ‘suggestion’, that is to say, by means of identification’ (1921;161-162).According to this theory, the group – small or large – surrenders its free will to that of the leader, which makes them less likely to make their own moral judgements with regards to their actions and more likely to blindly follow the leader as well as the other members of their group. The issues of identity and legitimisation are also crucial to understanding how the Hutus felt justified in brutally murdering their former friends and neighbours. As is explained in the film, tensions between Tutsis and Hutus were virtually nonexistent prior to the arrival of the Belg ian colonists. The two ethnic groups are actually very similar – they speak the same language, inhabit the same areas and follow the same traditions†¦It was the Belgian colonists who saw Hutus and Tutsis as ‘distinct entities, and even produced identity cards classifying people according to their ethnicity’ (BBC News Website). In other words, there were no violent issues of ethnic difference until the Tutsis were made – to use the definition provided by Richard Kearney – into â€Å"aliens†.For Kearney, this term refers to ‘that experience of alterity associated with selection†¦or sometimes with suspicion’ (2000;101). He goes on to say that ‘Aliens proliferate where anxieties loom as to who we are and how we demarcate ourselves from others (who are not us)’ (2000;102). This means that, in order to legitimise their own identity, groups must necessarily create a group of ‘aliens’ with whom they ca n misidentify. The tendency to use members of this group as scapegoats and perceive them as threats is clearly demonstrated in the build-up to the Rwanda massacre.As the economic situation in the country worsened, Tutsis were used to divert anger from the Hutu government. Subsequently, when the airplane carrying the Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down, the incident was used to make Hutus feel as if they were under attack. As one Hutu – who actively took part in the massacre – later relates; ‘Because the RPF were blamed for the death of President Habyarimana, we thought that they had started with the high-ranking officials and that they were going to end up doing the same to us ordinary people’ (BBC News Website).In other words, ‘When faced with a threatening outsider, the best mode of defence becomes attack’ (Kearney, 2000;104). The other side of evil as portrayed in the film, however, is the international community’s fa ilure to act. The UN soldiers in Rwanda are portrayed as good people who have their hands tied, yet their refusal to go against their orders is portrayed almost as cowardice in that they are failing to ‘do what is right’ and use their weapons in order to save lives.In a scene where the UN convoy – transporting refugees from the hotel to a secure camp – gets stopped at a militia roadblock, the refugees’ lives are in dire peril, and the fact that the soldiers will not shoot the Hutus that are about to kill unarmed men, women and children stands for what is now widely thought of as shameful unwillingness of the Western nations to recognise and stop the genocide. The outcome of this particular scene is that the UN soldiers do not use their weapons but most of the refugees are saved by the belatedly arrived local police force.The outcome of the lack of intervention from Western nations was the death of an estimated 1 million people. The crucial question for the purpose of this paper is whether the actions of those soldiers were evil. It could be argued that if they had used their guns against their explicit orders, many lives could have been saved, but it could also be said, on the other hand, that this act would have give the hostile militias a justification to kill the UN soldiers as well, which would have saved even fewer lives.In determining the evil nature of actions or people, should we consider first and foremost the intention or the consequence of action? It might prove useful at this point to outline a practical definition of morals in contrast to ethics in relation to this particular example. I would argue that morals are result-orientated whilst ethics in the true Kantian sense are interested solely in the consistent obedience of the law, a maxim which once adopted by an individual must be followed for its own sake, regardless of consequence or relative circumstances.Whilst morals must consider a situation in light not o nly of the law, but also taking into account the surrounding circumstances and possible outcomes, ethics dictate that anything short of upholding the law for the law’s sake is evil. Within this framework it is then possible to argue that the soldier’s actions were ethical but not moral. While it would have been impossible for them not to consider the outcome of their action, we could conclude that their decision to uphold the law overrode their need to help the refugees.Operating under a law that dictated that they would not use their weapons to protect the refugees, going against that would be – in Kantian terms – evil, as they would be breaking the law, and even if countless lives were saved as a result of that, Kant’s unforgiving sense of ethics would not spare them in the least, for the outcome of actions simply does not feature in his theoretical framework. By choosing to uphold the law the soldiers fulfil another crucial requirement of Kantia n ethical behaviour (or as he calls it, the ‘moral law’); the categorical imperative.In stating that one should never act except in such a way that they should will that their maxim should become universal law, Kant established that the most important factor of his ethics is consistency, as no double standards can be tolerated. It would seem reasonable to assume that the moral maxim of the soldiers in question is that violence without due procedure and full backing of the law is never justifiable.With that in mind, it could be argued that they would be happy to see that moral maxim adopted as universal law, since a world in which this maxim was universally adopted would most probably not have seen the Rwanda genocide taking place. BIBLIOGRAPHY Copjec, J. (1996) (Ed. ) Radical Evil, Varso Books Freud, S. (1991) Civilization, Society and Religions: ‘Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego’, ‘Future of an Illusion’ and ‘Civilization and its Discontents’ (The Penguin Freud Library) Penguin Books Kant, I. 1960) Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone, New York, Harper Collins Torchbooks, Australia Kearney, R. (2000) ‘Others and Aliens: Between Good and Evil’, in: Geddes, J. (Ed. ) Evil After Postmodernism: Histories, Narratives, and Ethics, Routledge Singer, P. (2004) The President of Good and Evil: Taking George W. Bush Seriously, London, Granta Books ‘Taken Over By Satan’ http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/3582011. stm Accessed on 14/03/2006 ‘Rwanda: How the genocide happened’ http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/africa/1288230. stm Accessed on 17/03/2006

How Maps Can Distort Space and Deceive Us

How Maps Can Distort Space and Deceive Us Maps have become increasingly present in our everyday lives, and with new technology, maps are more and more accessible to view and to produce. By considering the variety of map elements (scale, projection, symbolization), one can start to recognize the innumerable choices that mapmakers have in creating a map. Why Maps Are Distorted One map can represent a geographical area in many different ways; this reflects the various ways in which mapmakers can convey a real 3-D world on a 2-D surface. When we look at a map, we often take for granted that it inherently distorts what it is representing. In order to be readable and understandable, maps must distort reality. Mark Monmonier (1991) puts forth exactly this message: To avoid hiding critical information in a fog of detail, the map must offer a selective, incomplete view of reality. Theres no escape from the cartographic paradox: to present a useful and truthful picture, an accurate map must tell white lies (p. 1). When Monmonier asserts that all maps lie, he refers to a maps need to simplify, falsify, or conceal the realities of a 3-D world in a 2-D map. However, the lies that maps tell can range from these forgivable and necessary white lies to more serious lies, which often go undetected, and belie the agenda of the mapmakers. Below are a few samples of these lies that maps tell, and how we can look at maps with a critical eye. Projection and Scale One of the most fundamental questions in mapmaking is: how does one flatten a globe onto a 2-D surface? Map projections, which accomplish this task, inevitably distort some spatial properties, and must be chosen based on the property that the mapmaker wishes to preserve, which reflects the maps ultimate function. The Mercator Projection, for example, is the most useful for navigators because it depicts accurate distance between two points on a map, but it does not preserve area, which leads to distorted country sizes. There are also many ways in which geographic features (areas, lines, and points) are distorted. These distortions reflect a maps function and also its scale. Maps covering small areas can include more realistic details, but maps that cover larger geographic areas include less detail by necessity. Small-scale maps are still subject to a mapmakers preferences; a mapmaker may embellish a river or a stream, for example, with many more curves and bends in order to give it a more dramatic appearance. Conversely, if a map is covering a large area, mapmakers may smooth out curves along a road to allow for clarity and legibility. They may also omit roads or other details if they clutter the map, or are not relevant to its purpose. Some cities are not included in many maps, often due to their size, but sometimes based on other characteristics. Baltimore, Maryland, USA, for example, is often omitted from maps of the United States not because of its size but because of space constraints and clut tering. Transit Maps: Subways (and other transit lines) often use maps that distort geographic attributes such as distance or shape, in order to accomplish the task of telling someone how to get from Point A to Point B as clearly as possible. Subway lines, for instance, are often not as straight or angular as they appear on a map, but this design aids the readability of the map. Additionally, many other geographic features (natural sites, place markers, etc.) are omitted so that the transit lines are the primary focus. This map, therefore, may be spatially misleading, but manipulates and omits details in order to be useful to a viewer; in this way, function dictates form. Other Manipulations The above examples show that all maps by necessity change, simplify, or omit some material. But how and why are some editorial decisions made? There is a fine line between emphasizing certain details, and purposefully exaggerating others. Sometimes, a mapmakers decisions can lead to a map with misleading information that reveals a particular agenda. This is apparent in the case of maps used for advertisement purposes. A maps elements can be strategically used, and certain details can be omitted in order to depict a product or service in a positive light. Maps have also frequently been used as political tools. As Robert Edsall (2007) states, some maps†¦do not serve the traditional purposes of maps but, rather, exist as symbols themselves, much like corporate logos, communicating meaning and evoking emotional responses (p. 335). Maps, in this sense, are embedded with cultural significance, often evoking feelings of national unity and power. One of the ways that this is accomplished is by the use of strong graphical representations: bold lines and text, and evocative symbols. Another key method of imbuing a map with meaning is through the strategic use of color. Color is an important aspect of map design, but can also be used to evoke strong feelings in a viewer, even subconsciously. In chloropleth maps, for example, a strategic color gradient can imply varying intensities of a phenomenon, as opposed to simply representing data. Place Advertising: Cities, states, and countries often use maps to draw visitors to a particular place by depicting it in the best light. A coastal state, for instance, may use bright colors and attractive symbols to highlight beach areas. By accentuating the coasts attractive qualities, it attempts to entice viewers. However, other information such as roads or city-size that indicate relevant factors such accommodations or beach accessibility may be omitted, and can leave visitors misguided. Smart Map Viewing Smart readers tend to take written facts with a grain of salt; we expect newspapers to fact check their articles, and are often wary of verbal lies. Why, then, dont we apply that critical eye to maps? If particular details are left out or exaggerated on a map, or if its color pattern is particularly emotional, we must ask ourselves: what purpose does this map serve? Monmonier warns of cartophobia, or an unhealthy skepticism of maps, but encourages smart map viewers; those that are conscious of white lies and wary of bigger ones. Sources Edsall, R. M. (2007). Iconic Maps in American Political Discourse. Cartographica, 42(4), 335-347. Monmonier, Mark. (1991). How to Lie with Maps. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Evaluating Environmental Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Environmental Regulation - Essay Example Research reports that, the vast percentage of ecological damage is done before a product reaches the consumer, not afterwards: For every ton of post-consumer waste there are 20 tons of hidden pre-consumer waste, as the manufacturing process makes its way from forest, field and mine to supermarket shelf. An estimated 94% of the materials extracted for use in manufacturing durable products become waste before the product is even manufactured. Only 6 per cent of minerals and renewable materials extracted each year are embodied in durable goods. Humans have always created waste. In medieval Europe, for example garbage was damped on the streets where the crows and dogs took advantage of it. When the streets got too smelly, they were collected in carts and dumped it outside the city walls. Consequently, there is certainly a lot to dispose of waste. Americans produce 800kg of post-consumer waste per person per year. Europeans produce 400 kg. Between 1980 and 1985 every OECD country (except Germany and Japan) increased its flow of municipal solid waste - Ireland by as much as 72%. Between 1940 and 1976, the USA consumed more minerals than the whole of humanity did prior to 1940.