Forecasting the Adoption of E-Books Essay

The size of the market for e-books in the long-run: 293.7 million x 46.7% x 8% = 10.973 million (Total US population x percentage of US population reading literature x Percentage of traditional paper books purchased online in 2003) It will take 10 years to reach 95% penetration of the potential market. Question 2 I predict that the sale of the e-book when it first became available is 0.751milion (pm) (Assumption: each innovator buy one book.) Question 3 The long-run total adoption of e-books would be 10.973 million. (Total US population x percentage of US population reading literature x Percentage of traditional paper books purchased online in 2003) Question 4 I do expect the market for e-books tend to be guided by imitators rather than innovators. According to the table above, I found that the weighted average for e-book of q (0.0684) is larger than p (0.2990). In addition, the word of mouth takes an important role in the adoption of e-books. The information about the e-book from the innovators contribute much to the adoption of e-books since people tend to hesitate to change their old reading habit. Question 5 S(t)=[p+(q/m)N(t-1)][m-N(t-1)] Year 1: [0.0684+(0.2990/10.973) X (0)][10.973-0] = 0.751 million Year 2: [0.0684+(0.2990/10.973) X (0.751)][10.973-0.751] = 0.908 million Year 3: [0.0684+(0.2990/10.973) X (1.659)][10.973-1.659] = 1.059 million Year 4: [0.0684+(0.2990/10.973) X (2.717)][10.973-2.717] = 1.176 million Year 5: [0.0684+(0.2990/10.973) X (3.893)][10.973-3.893] = 1.235 million Question 6 The adoption of e-book will be very different from digital music obtained online. The adoption of e-books face more challenges when comparing to the adoption of digital music. To most of the listeners, there is not much difference in experience between listening to a song from an iPod and a CD player. Therefore, they have a relatively low switching cost and more willing to change their habits. On the contrary, to most of the readers, it is definitely very different from reading an e-book to reading a printed book. The feelings of holding a printed book and flipping over a physical book are irreplaceable. So readers are loyal to printed book and hesitate to switch from traditional books to e-books. Hence, it is reasonable to predict that the pace of adopting digital music is faster than the pace of adopting e-books. Question 7 I think both of the attitudes about reading and purchasing e-content have changed a lot in recent years. In the old time, people could read e-content via PC only. Nowadays, people are able to read e-content through various mobile devices. Therefore, they spend more time on reading e-content especially during leisure time and even commuting time. However, the quality of the reading effort is diminishing as the overload of e-content available on Internet. In addition, people tend to rely more on the e-content since it is very convenient, environmentally friendly, high mobility and high accessibility. For the attitude about purchasing e-content, more people are willing to pay for the e-content in recent years. The advanced online payment system plays an important role. People feel more secure and also convenient when dealing online ever than before. Moreover, more well-known and large-scale publishers offer more choices of e-content for readers. Besides, in the light of the prevalent of mobile device, people have more time and chances to read the e-content regardless of the time and places. Thus, people are more willing to spend on e-content than before. Question 8 The hardware plays a paramount important role in the adoption of e-books. No matter how amazing the e-content is, the e-books would not be popularized if the hardware were not user-friendly. However, a good hardware is very likely to boost sales of the e-books. It is because the hardware is a fixed cost while the e-books are the variable cost to the readers. A portable hardware with proper size of monitor and high capacity is very attractive to the readers. They no longer need to neither carry the bulky printed books nor spare some places for storage. Moreover, the hardware enables readers to read comfortably when comparing to read via PC or smart phone. It is good for the readers’ eyes. Last but not least, the hardware contributed to protecting the environment as it saves much paper. Only when the hardware preforms better than the tradition printed books, the adoption of e-books will be success. Question 9 I do expect the size and also the pattern of diffusion are quite different globally as compared to the United States. The size and the pattern of diffusion depend on many factors. Population, culture, attitude to new products, technology and even literacy could be one of the variables of the size and pattern of diffusion. Take Africa as an example; though the population size of Africa is much larger than The United States, the potential size of the market for e-books must be obviously different from the United States. So it is not difficult to understand that the size and pattern of diffusion of various places will not be similar to the United States.

Black Power Movement

America has seen itself change over and over again. America is the home of the free and the brave. However, this beautiful nation has not always been like this. America has had to go through many ups and many downs to beautify. Racial discrimination has played a huge role in American society. Even today, there are still racial inequalities. These racial inequalities are not as bad as they were in the early and mid nineteen hundreds though. Two of the biggest reasons that positive steps have been made towards eliminating racial inequality is the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Power Movement.These two events helped shape who Americans are today. While these two events did not totally eliminate racial discrimination, they were huge rolls in shrinking it. These two events have many things in common, but also many differences. Without the Black Power Movement and the Harlem Renaissance, America would not be where we are today. Even though African Americans were enjoying the new terrain in the United States, they could tell that there was still something missing. They did everything in their power to help stop against racial discrimination.They created new culture and went out of their ways to be viewed as a regular American. They referred to themselves as â€Å"New Negro’s† because they defined themselves by a sense of racial difference. They believed that they were living a totally different life and a whole new culture. Discrimination continued so the African Americans left the south to head to bigger and better cities with more opportunity. Many African Americans headed to New York and mainly Harlem. While here the â€Å"New Negro’s† started an uproar of their culture called the Harlem Renaissance.This event started in Harlem, the upper portion of Manhattan. The event turned Harlem in to a center of art and creativity. The Harlem Renaissance gave birth to many important African Americans. Multiple novelists and artists were born. The â€Å"New Negro’s† began to explore American blackness in America during the nineteen twenty’s and it’s origins from Africa. One of the first noticeable events of the Renaissance came after a man named Charles Johnson organized a civic club dinner.Johnson constructed this dinner for the releasing of a book that had been written by a black author that Johnson believed had potential. The dinner was a total success and white people enjoyed the book. For the first time in history, white operated publishing houses published books that were written by Negros. Better than that, some white people started to promote the books as well. The Harlem Renaissance also helped influence black musicians to perform in front of white people. The Harlem Renaissance for the first major step that Americans took on the way to becoming civilized.The Renaissance gave birth to music, art, literature, and dance throughout Harlem and America. This wonderful event however came to an end in the mid nineteen thirty’s. The great depression played a role in ending this marvelous event. Financial needs became more important than the expression of art and music. Many Blacks artists from the Renaissance had to leave Harlem to find jobs in other places. Even with having to move some of the African American writers art continued to still be published. The Black Power Movement played out in a far more violent way than the Harlem Renaissance.More than 300 race riots broke out between nineteen sixty four and nineteen sixty nine. These riots really put the gap between a great society and the reality of an African American in to perspective. More and more violence was spread throughout Harlem when a fifteen year old Black boy was shot by a white police officer in nineteen sixty four. In August of nineteen sixty five things went from bad to worse. In just five days, more than one thousand fires had been burned, and thirty four lives had been taken in Los Angeles.The Bl ack Power Movement developed a saying. Stokely Carmichael said, â€Å"What we are gonna start saying now is Black Power! †. This saying was interpreted in many different ways. The most common interpretation cam from the Black Panthers though. The Black Panthers were initially started to protect the black neighborhoods from the white officers. The group was formed in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The Panthers also started schools and tried to promote peace. However, they ended up becoming known for their violence.Because of the Black Panthers violence, the Black Power saying became known as hostile to both blacks and whites. The Black Power Movement also sparked the freedom of speech movement at the University of California at Berkley in nineteen sixty four. Americans had not seen anything like the protests at Berkley and these protests lead to â€Å"counterculture†. Counterculture was all about rock and roll music, drugs, and sex. Countercultur e gave us bands like The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. Students then rebelled even further to demand that dorms should be a mix between male and female.The Black Power Movement brought a whole new outlook to America. Although there was a lot of violence going on during this time, America took positive steps as well. Americans are still affected by this movement today. The Black Power Movement slowly came to and end in the early nineteen seventy’s, yet we still feel the effects today. The Harlem Renaissance and Black Power Movement have many things in common, yet have just as many differences. Both of these crucial events blossomed very important black and white people.The Harlem Renaissance focused more on the art of music and literature, while the Black Power Movement was more about the reality of an African American. They both had a huge impact on Americans, whether the impact was positive or negative. These two events were very different as well. The violence in the Har lem Renaissance was nothing compared to the violence in the Black Power Movement. The Black Power Movement killed multiple people while the Harlem Renaissance did the complete opposite. The Harlem Renaissance sparked more of an art and literature movement.Without the Black Power Movement and the Harlem Renaissance, America would not be where we are today. These two events are major in American History. America is known as the home of the free and the brave. However, America has not always been this way and even today we still suffer from racism and segregation. Racial inequalities played a huge role back during this events. If there was no racial inequalities none of these events probably would have happened. America is shaped the way we are today because of the events of our country’s past.Works Cited http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/harlem-renaissance.jsp

Art of Privacy Portrayed by David Bourne

Art of Privacy Portrayed by David Bourne In The Garden of Eden, David Bourne retreats into his writing to escape the complications of his life, complications located predominantly in the actions and moods of his young wife, Catherine. He keeps a space all his own in which he writes; a daily regimen regulates his work practices. He muses, â€Å"If you cannot respect the way you handle your life then certainly respect your trade. You know about your trade at least† (148). There is comfort in having something all his own that he understands well and can control. Yet Catherine attempts at every turn to undermine this one thing that he has, to cheapen it or appropriate it for herself. Marita, however, is appreciative and respectful of Davids work; she is not jealous of or threatened by his talent. With Marita he no longer must guard himself against incessant insecurity and jealousy; he willingly shares with her the ordered, insular world of his writing and makes himself vulnerable in a new way. His understanding of people and how best to interact with others in the world is altered, if only temporarily, and he is able to tap into a part of his writing previously unknown to him. In Africa, David learned to â€Å"never tell anyone anything† (181). One cannot trust others with anything, because people are apt to use anything given them to pursue only those ends personally beneficial, often destroying something meaningful or beautiful in the process. Thus, at the novels open, David is guarded; he is not free with the world he has established for himself where nothing exists saves those landscapes and characters he creates. Through writing, he achieves pure agency; he lets no one into this world, even peripherally. â€Å". . . [David] wrote from an inner core which could not be split nor even marked nor scratched† (183): because it is exclusively his own, no person is able to corrupt or destroy his writing. His art is the logical outgrowth of his philosophy. David desires total autonomy and he has found it in literature. Catherine is threatened by this part of David that she cannot touch. David is hers – and she has no one else, no friends, no family – and thus she must transform him totally as proof of this, to exercise her agency. She manipulates David into changing his appearance; she changes their sexual dynamic. She and David are â€Å"against all the others,† she says (37), and thus they must be together and equal in all things, or at least (contradictorily) be together and equal in the way she envisions. Davids reviews of his newest book, his â€Å"clippings†, infuriate her. She berates David for keeping them and reading them, as if he were obsessive. The clippings are something of which she is not a part; they are uniquely Davids, a part of his work. She approves of the â€Å"narrative† that he is writing, an account of their time together in Europe, because she sees it as a monument to herself. She fears that when she dies, all that she has done and felt wi ll fall away: â€Å". . . I dont want to die and it be gone† (53). Davids narrative is the solution. She gradually tries to appropriate the narrative for herself, making plans for it, and in her final letter to David actually referring to it as â€Å"my book† (237). Catherine despises his short stories inspired by the African experiences of his youth. Not only are they writings which he does not want her to read or engage with in any way, but they are very nearly autobiographical and therefore immediately personal to David, something which, of course, Catherine cannot tolerate. She says, â€Å". . . [T]he stories are just your way of escaping your duty† (190), his duty, apparently, to her and to documenting their life and experiences. Ultimately, she burns his stories and his clippings to illustrate this and to refocus his work back on the narrative. Catherine wants to take from David everything that is exclusively his – clippings, writing, individual identity, manhood – and she nearly succeeds. Marita is at first another complication brought on by Catherine. David finds her beautiful, but is averse to her presence in their small hotel, thinking it will further wrench he and Catherine apart; â€Å"The hell with her,† David says several times. He wishes Catherine would take her away. However, as Catherine drifts deeper into herself than ever before and becomes more eccentric and moody, David grows closer to Marita, realizing, eventually, his love for her: â€Å"Christ, it was good to finish [the second Africa story] today and have her there. Marita there with no damned jealousy of the work and have her know what you were reaching for and how far you went. She really knows and its not faked. I do love her . . .† (204) Marita adores his Africa stories and expresses properly complex feelings about them, where Catherines reaction is simply disgust – a feeling that is truly a disguise for her jealousy and annoyance that David chose to work on these stories rather than the narrative. Marita is secure in herself and kind, and David senses this. Unlike Catherine, she does not wish to â€Å"destroy† David or the products of his artistry, she admires his talent and wishes for it whatever David wishes. Her affection for Davids Africa stories and relative disinterest in the narrative makes her the metaphorical opposite of Catherine: she sees an especial kind of veracity and power in the Africa short stories, those deeply personal to David. His control over this literary world is not a site of contention, but of appreciation. His control breeds high caliber work, and thus it is worthy of respect. Catherine is too selfish and single minded to see this, or at least to express it; the fact that the stories are at a remove from her is sufficient for her to discount them as evidence of Davids betrayal. Davids time with Catherine only affirms his ideas about not telling anyone anything. Belief in innate human selfishness is at the core of such a philosophy, or rather, fear that human selfishness will lead to the ruin of something important. Indeed, in Davids case, Catherines selfishness and inability to accept his autonomy over one aspect of his life results in the destruction of two of his best stories, the product of weeks – months – of work. However, Marita and Davids flowering relationship calls this philosophy into question. Catherines leaving allows for David and Maritas romance to begin to become fully realized. Her sweetness is in direct contrast to Catherines cruelty. She comforts him and feels the pain of the loss of his stories the same as he does. In a crucial moment after finishing his second Africa short story, he sits and reads with Marita as she reads: â€Å"He had never done this before and it was against everything he believed about writing . . . . He could not help wanting to read it with her and he could not help sharing what he had never shared and what he had believed could not and should not be shared.† (203) He willingly shares with Marita the part of himself that he had for so long kept most carefully guarded: his writing. It is a symbolic affirmation of the difference between his relationship with Marita as compared to his relationship with Catherine, one in which he could never be fully who he was. With Marita, he can â€Å"tell† things, he can reveal himself intimately without fear of being used. David says to Marita after Catherine burns his stories that â€Å"[w]hen its once right you never can do it again. You only do it once for each thing† (230); he cannot rewrite what he has lost. And while this may have been true before, in the final paragraphs of the novel, David gets back his stories, every sentence intact. Opening himself up to Marita, exposing the part of him most sacred, caused a change, one that David recognized when it occurred, but forgot. Marita asks on their way out of the hotel after the two read the story together, â€Å"Do you think were really lucky?† David responds, â€Å"Yes . . . I think it changed this morning or maybe in the night† (205), and thus ends Book 3 of The Garden of Eden. This change, this opening up of himself, paved the way for something new. His luck had changed, and he says at the very end of Chapter 28, the third to last chapter, that when writing one must gamble. â€Å"So gamble,† he says (238). He does gam ble and he wins, his luck having changed; he regains what he had lost, without any â€Å"sign that any of it would ever cease returning to him intact† (247). His emancipation from Catherine – the troubled woman whom he still worries for – and his opening up to Marita allowed for the recovery of his prized stories. The novel concludes with David triumphing, yet there is an undercurrent of troubling ambiguity. The Garden of Edens final line echoes the final line of â€Å"Indian Camp†: â€Å"In the early morning on the lake sitting in the stern of the boat with his father rowing, [Nick] felt quite sure that he would never die† (95,The Short Stories). There is a romantic optimism in both, in Davids case, a kind of pre-lapsarian confidence. Marita in the final pages speaks as did Catherine once, saying, â€Å"Im your girl . . . no matter what Im always your girl† (245). He writes his and Maritas name in the sand as an officiation of their marriage, peculiarly as sand is the most ephemeral of writing materials. Do these instances portentously suggest that their relationship will end as did his and Catherines, that it will dissolve as will certainly their names on the beach? With time, Hemingway seems to suggest, their good luck will turn, but neither yet realize it.

A paper to explain the importance of the Pacing Guide Research

A to explain the importance of the Pacing Guide - Research Paper Example In addition, parents as well as guardians may use the pacing guides to know what their children are pursuing at a certain period of time and these study materials comply with the grade level indicators and State Standards. Moreover, these helpful pacing guides provide both students and teachers with a guideline for assessing instructions. Another importance of a pacing guide is that they help teachers to mark the essential concepts that they should teach and the amount of time they should devote for completion of one topic (Goldsmith, 2010). Pacing guides are also used by teachers to allocate time for assessments and instructions. Some of the pacing guides also provide teachers with assessment calendar as well as enabling them to effectively outline the curriculum to be used to cover all the skills in a certain assessment. Another important feature with pacing guides is allowing professional learning developments in communities of a certain district (Saricks, 2009). Since teachers in a certain district use similar teaching material, they discuss and come up with effective strategies for a certain assessment unity. Goldsmith, J. (2010). Pacing and time allocation at the micro-and meso-level within the class hour: Why pacing is important, how to study it, and what it implies for individual lesson planning. Bellaterra: journal of teaching and learning language and literature, 1(1),

Ethical Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Decisions - Essay Example The economic and social conditions surrounding us continuously evolve, new technologies are developed, and new products are introduced; above all, the social infrastructure is continuously being built and renovated, and the institutional arrangements concerning education, medicine, culture, and other fields are constantly changing. In the face of these complications, it seems almost impossible to reach a consensus about the intrinsic meaning of sustainabiliy with respect to the natural environment. Nuclear power, atomic weapons, gene engineering, genetically modified food and water pollution will cause great problems for future generations "unable to cope with these threats" (Lomborg 2001, 87). Out duty is to minimize harmful effect of modern technology and progress on our children and save out planet from dying. Our duty to people in the past is to remember their achievements and contribution to science, culture and economy which had a great impact on historical development and curr ent progress. Our duty is to value and keep their information and major achievements. Cultural and scientific heritage of the past should be kept because it impossible to render and reconstruct masterpieces and scientific knowledge. Children remain the prime source of old-age security, allowing many elders who can no longer work to achieve the cultural ideal of sitting by the fire and having food brought to them. 2. There should be a general statement of 'human rights' because all people are equal and should be equally treated in all countries across the world. The place of the individual is important as there is recognition of the normative and legal importance of protecting human rights over states' rights. All people around the world should be fairly treated according to the essential rights of man. The 'global human rights' should include such concepts as freedom, liberty and universal justice. Justice must be approached in practical terms that address the contradictions and complexities of the present-day world. These inquiries find relevance in contexts in which the pursuit of justice is a matter not of an imagined or desired future, but of an all-too-real present replete with dilemmas and risks. The main feature of justice is the pervasive need to find a balance between contradictory pressures. "Each individual aspect needs to be interpreted from the perspective of justice to assess wh ether its promise and performance is to be viewed positively" (Chandler Herman 2002, 51). Liberty and freedom is important because rights entitle people from one countries or social groups to equality with other social group or nationality. People should have universal rights such as freedom of movement, the right to take part in public affairs, directly or through elected representatives; and the right to free choice and practice of religion. Freedom means absence of restrictions and compulsion imposed on a person. The concept of freedom coexisted with the idea of liberty, which in effect relegated most dimensions of justice to the internal relations between state and society. With the separation of church and state that accompanied the rise of the modern state, the notion of freedom assumed a specifically and predominantly secular character that could no longer be interpreted merely as an extension of religious thought. These universal human rights should be introduced on the global scale because all

Individual project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Individual project 2 - Essay Example On the other hand, NASDAQ is highly automated in operations. Trading at NASDAQ happens in the invisible trading system. The second major difference is based on the types of stocks that are traded at each exchange. NASDAQ focuses on high growth IT and Telecommunications industry. Most of the Silicon Valley biggies are actively traded on NASDAQ. Even, IT companies from other countries are listing themselves at NASDAQ through the allowable investment routes. At the same time NYSE focuses on the traditional market consisting of auto, electronic and semiconductors, etc. The charges for listing in NYSE are as high as $250,000 while that for NASDAQ is $150,000. NASDAQ is seemed to be a highly volatile market while NYSE is less volatile. This is also known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act may be defined as â€Å"An act passed by U.S. Congress in 2002 to protect investors from the possibility of fraudulent accounting activities by corporations.† (Investopedia, 2012) The SOX was a result of various well known scams in the early 2000 such as Enron, Tyco and WorldCom. The act lays down various rules and guidelines that have to be followed mandatorily by an organization. The act applies to all publicly listed companies and its two main objectives are investor protection and prohibition of misrepresentation of financial data. The administrative authority of the act is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As per the Act, a business firm should maintain their financial records at least for a period of five years failing which the concerned authority will be subjected to fines and/or imprisonment. This Act also applies to those companies from other countries that are listed in the US stock markets. The act has brought about changes even to the composition of the board of an organization. Post the act, it is mandatory for all public companies to form an audit committee as part of the board of directors. Companies are also not supposed to

Visual Analysis and critical reflection Research Paper

Visual Analysis and critical reflection - Research Paper Example At the age of 16 he won a street painting competition that he entered into. He believes he is an autodidact who learns by doing. He has studied the techniques of old masters of street painting and started to make it his profession. Today he is a street painter and does not paint conventionally anymore. His early paintings led him to the title ‘maestro madonnari’ which means master street painter, and these paintings were mostly two-dimensional. As the street art developed, the three dimensional paintings came into effect. Muller first painted in 3D on a client’s car. He was eventually inspired by the ideas of Julian Beever and Kurt Wenner. He started painting illusion in 3D street paintings and his skills and drawing techniques made him the best in the world (WebUrbanist, 2013). Lava burst (Bored Panda, 2013) Mueller uses the street as his canvas and literally involves the viewers to the imagery. He uses hundreds of square meters of the pavement and paints to chal lenge the perceptions of the street walkers. This 3D painting of a lava burst was painted by Mueller on the 30th anniversary of international competition of street painters held in Geldern, Germany. He painted a large sized picture once more and created scenery which appeared apocalyptic. Mueller was 25 years old when he had given his entire life to street painting. He made several paintings all around Europe and aimed to earn through the transitory art. He became an organizer and committee member for street painting festivals and also set up the Internet board for street painters of Germany. This was a forum which promoted the solidarity amongst the various German street painters. He also presented the master works of old painters to people in his studio and drew perfect copied of those paintings. With the help of the old painters’ works, Mueller helped the ones interested in paintings to understand the depth of the art. Ice Age (Bored Panda, 2013) This is one of the best wo rks of Mueller and was completed in 5 days. It is a huge picture of the ice age and shows creative illusion. He needed about five assistants who helped him all day long in painting the huge painting. The illusion was painted by the application of the anamorphic technique to the huge pavement. The picture is approximately 250 square meters large. This was the most challenging painting made by Mueller and it was created for the Festival of World Culture in Ireland (2008). This painting was the most challenging one for Mueller because of the weather conditions of Ireland. Ireland’s weather often fluctuates and usually there are four seasons felt in one day. Sunshine, hailstorm and rain all were experienced within few hours. Mueller and his team of assistants did not think that they would get through with the painting, but they accepted the challenge and completed it. The street painters often face the difficulties with coping with weather conditions because all of their work is out on the streets. Rain is usually the biggest element to fight as the use of paints and chalks is done for these paintings. If the rain spoiled the painting overnight, Mueller would usually start a new one. Hence the weather issues are not a problem for Mueller as he says â€Å"once a painting is done, I somehow lose interest in it. It’s done and for me it is up to go for the next† (WebUrbanist, 2013). Gradually the changing trends have also redirected the interest of Mueller in his paintings. Thus he has

Religious Influence on Literacy and Politics in Western Civilization Essay

Religious Influence on Literacy and Politics in Western Civilization to 1750 - Essay Example This portrayed the importance of religion and religious doctrines at the time. Besides the major influence of religion in politics and governance, religion influenced the development of literacy in the societies as well. Islam and Christianity are two major religions that influenced the political and literacy development of the western societies prior to the 1750 as the discussion below portrays. The history of the western society portrays the important role of Roman Catholic Church. The church influenced the social structure by influencing the politics of the society. As the largest single unifying factor, the Roman Catholic influenced the formation of the Roman Catholic, which extended its territories to parts of Africa, as the largest political unit at the time the structure and development of the early Roman Empire portrayed the influence of religion in the political and literacy civilization of the western countries. Subsequent developments and restructuring of the society arose from the numerous internal religious wrangles. The development and spread of Islam from the Middle East to parts of Northern Africa and Eastern Europe coupled with the rise of Protestants in central Europe weakened the Roman Empire owing to the fact that they limited the religious influence of the Roman Catholic. This portrays the influence of religion in the formation and governance of the earl y western societies. Prior to the disintegration of the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic offered numerous services to the populace including medical services and schooling besides inspiring the development of arts, culture and philosophies. The church for example used strategic propaganda techniques to increase the influence of the church thereby providing an effective platform for unified governance. The Roman Catholic used such iconic artists as Michelangelo, Caravaggio and Da Vinci to propagate religious propaganda thereby succeeding in unifying the societies.

International Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Terrorism - Essay Example From this paper, it is clear that the first considered anarchist of his time was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon who went against the appropriateness of a central government calling for its abolition to be replaced by a system of autonomous groups and communities which was virtually governed by contract and mutual interest in place of laws. Mikhail Bakunin believed that only thru destruction can a society with a collective ownership of the means of production be created. The violent nature of anarchists saw its beginnings in Errico Malatesta’s theory that only thru the propaganda by deed can socialist principles are achieved. Thus began the murders of President Sadi Carnot of France (1894), Antonio Cà ¡novas del Castillo, the prime minister of Spain (1897), Empress Elizabeth of Austria (1898), King Umberto of Italy (1900), President William McKinley of the United States (1901) and Josà © Canalejas y Mà ©ndez, another Spanish prime minister (1912). August Spies wrote in 1886 that â⠂¬Å"A pound of dynamite is worth a bushel of bullets† and soon enough seven policemen were killed by a bomb thrown at them while dispersing a strike. France had its Restaurant Và ©ry dynamited in 1892. This paper makes a conclusion that as many writers would attest, their ideas only gain prominence thru publicity and the more they get exposed to the public, the more they will be discussed. And in addition, this presents a problem to the authorities especially now that information can be disseminated by just surfing the internet.... (Wikipedia, 2007) The problem with the definitions by these scholars and the institutions as well is that who determines who the terrorist are. For the government, any act that uses force to pursue a goal can be called a 'defense' act and the violence associated with it can be much more massive than what a suicide bomber can do. If we consider the actions taken, for example, by the CIA to topple governments such as that of Fidel Castro's Cuba, we see that it was not considered as a terrorist act but a matter of pursuing national security. However, in the definitions that these people offer, these acts uses deliberate force and violence to achieve a political goal. The arguments surrounding the definition of what is a terrorist is best summed up by the popular saying, "One man's terrorist may be another man's freedom fighter." 2.0 Justifications of Terrorists In the popular media, we are bombarded with pictures of men, women and even children tagged as terrorists. If we take a closer look, however, we notice that these people are actually ordinary people who we may have met in a public place. What concerns us now and to most people is to know what drives them to blow up themselves and take as many people's lives with them. We have mentioned that one's man's terrorist may be another man's freedom fighter. In this context, we find that most people give up their lives and kill people in the process in the belief that they are doing so as a service to their cause. Some organizations tagged as terrorist groups take on a religious color blended with political goals. According to the United States Department of State, the most prominent of these are Muslim organizations such as Islamic Jihad

Control by Heat and UV Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control by Heat and UV - Lab Report Example Some bacteria though have developed adaptive measures to sustain high-temperature exposures, for example, T. aquaticus that is used in PCR. Psychrophiles are those that require low temperatures of less than 20⠁ °C while mesophiles require 20-40⠁ °C. Thermophiles, on the other hand, require high temperatures of above 40⠁ °C to survive. Most bacteria that infect human are mesophiles and grow optimally at 35-37⠁ °C. Bacteria that have endospores are more likely to survive extreme environmental conditions such as high temperature and high UV irradiation (Prescott, John and Donald, 54) Three TSA plates were acquired and labeled with a name, lab time, and temperature. Each was divided into three sections. Each section was marked with the abbreviation of the test organisms. A single streak (about 1cm) of each organism was made on its respective section. They were incubated at temperatures of 35⠁ °C incubator, Room temperature (or 25⠁ °C incubator) and Refrigerator (~10⠁ °C). Four TSA plates were acquired for each bacterium. Each was labeled with the name, lab time and the organism name. The plates were then divided into half each and labeled control and UV on each side. A sterile swab was inoculated into the culture. Three zigzag lines were made on the agar surface at 45 degrees to each other. The plates were exposed to UltraViolet light for 3 minutes before incubation at 35⠁ °C for 48 hours. Four Trypticase Soy Broth tubes were labeled with name, lab time, organism and time. Each tube was inoculated with the appropriate organism. Each student in the team exposed the organism to different temperature of 40⠁ °C, 55⠁ °C, 80⠁ °C and ~100⠁ °C. Each organism was exposed to heat for a given length of time, that is, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes. The tubes were vortexed after every 10 minutes. After the appropriate length of time, the tubes were dried and incubated at 35 °C for 48 hours. The four types of bacteria exhibited different responses to

The attempt by the government Essay Example for Free

The attempt by the government Essay A Slum refers to informal settlements within urban areas or cities. The informal settlements depict inadequate housing and miserable condition with reference to living standards (Meade p 43). In the slums, numerous individuals seek housing facilities within small living spaces. The slums also lack basic local authority services such as sanitation, collection of waste, water, drainage systems, street lighting, and emergency roads. Most slums also lack schools, hospital, and public places that might offer adequate environment for social amenities. The experience of France illustrates the essence of slums within the modern society (Oberti p 58). Crime and unemployment are on the rise within the slums because of the poor living conditions and inaccessibility of the municipal services. UN-HABITAT offers a clear definition of the slum household as the group of individuals who live under the same roof in a city experiencing lack of durable housing facilities, enough living space, and access to clean water, sanitation, and security of tenure to prevent evictions that are forceful in nature. Development of Slums Development of slums in France results from two factors: population growth and governance. The modern society experiences almost half the population of the world within the cities. Migration of people from the rural areas to the cities in France arises from several factors. These factors include low income in relation to agriculture, push and pull migration forces, prospects of better jobs, survival strategy for the rural households, and accessibility of transport and communication facilities in urban areas. The other factor that contributes to the development of slums in France is poor governance. This is in relation to inadequate planning and distribution of resource consequently growth and development of slums. Development of slums is a reflection of the crime and unemployment within the nation creating an opportunity for the government to stamp its authority in enhancing the living condition for the citizens (W. L p 412). Preventing of Development of the new Slums Several activities are in place in France towards prevention of further development of slums. The first measure is acknowledging the fact that urbanization would continue to occur. This addresses the infective approach that involves the development of the rural areas a way of limiting the migration of people to the cities. The government needs to put measures in place to ensure an improvement of living condition of the citizens in the cities. This involves planning effectively and efficiently to address the inadequacies within the cities. Authorities should identify the essence of free land and plan on how to erect housing facilities to serve the overwhelming population growth in the cities. This would reduce criminal activities and unemployment thus the overall growth and development of the nation (Sheuya p 303). In Thailand, the political commitment, strategic planning, and constant monitoring of the economic development are crucial factors towards prevention of slums. The presence of active civil society in most parts of the world is an element that contributes in the prevention of slums within the modern society. This is possible through adoption and implementation of slum policies. Slum Upgrading and its Importance Slum upgrading is the act of improving informal areas. The process of improvement involves formalization, incorporation, and extension of land. The authority also provides the essential services to the city dwellers in the form of safe water and effective sanitation process. Slum upgrading in France involves the provision of social, economic, institutional, and community services similar to other citizens. The main aim of upgrading of the slums in France is to develop dynamic society with elements of ownership, inward investment, and entitlement within the informal areas (Parkinson p 142). The attempt by the government to relocate the slum residents is not practical a factor that has led to the adoption of upgrading techniques. Relocation of the residents expresses elements of high economic and social costs with reference to disruptions. The main beneficial aspect of slum upgrading is that the citizens enjoy fundamental right to live under decent conditions. Slums upgrading enables the city to address crucial challenges such as legality and social protection. The act is also essential in encouraging the development of the economy. This is in relation to minimization of the unemployment elements within the urban areas. Upgrading of the slums is also noteworthy in relation to the achievement of quality life. Slum upgrading also aims at reducing the level of criminal activities and unemployment from the economy. The governments need to restructure and change social paradigms in order to maximize the outcome of slum upgrading. Conclusion Slums are hindrance to the achievement of economic growth and development. It is the duty of the government to plan effectively towards the achievement of quality life within the cities. Slums contribute towards the presence of criminal activities within the cities and unemployment hence a significant force towards the overall economic development. Upgrading of slums is vital in the process of offering economic, social, institutional, and cultural services to the city dwellers like other citizens. Works Cited Meade, Eric. Slums: A Catalyst Bed for Poverty Eradication. Futurist 46. 5 (2012): 43-45. W. L. The Factors That Create a Slum. American Journal of Economics Sociology 45. 4 (2006): 412.. Oberti, Marco. The French Republican Model of Integration: The Theory of Cohesion and the Practice of Exclusion. New Directions for Youth Development 2008. 119 (2008): 55-74. Jalivay, Nita. Look Left, Look Wright: Observations From The City Of Light. Papers on Language Literature 44. 4 (2008): 416. Sheuya, Shaaban A. Improving the Health and Lives of People Living In Slums. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1136. (2008): 298-306. Parkinson, J. , K. Tayler, and O. Mark. Planning and Design of Urban Drainage Systems in Informal Settlements in Developing Countries. Urban Water Journal 4. 3 (2007): 137-149.

Enlightenment Essay Example for Free

Enlightenment Essay Immanuel Kant In December 1783 Johann Friedrich Zà ¶llner published an article in Berlinische Monatsschrift that stated his opposition to civil marriage, an idea proposed in a previous issue of the journal. Zà ¶llner wrote that the foundations of morality had been shaken in the name of enlightenment and concluded his piece with the question â€Å"what is enlightenment?† Zà ¶llner asserted that this question must first be answered before â€Å"one begins to enlighten†[1]. Immanuel Kant’s reply to Zà ¶llner’s question is often considered the most famous and most important. In his essay, Kant succinctly outlined his opinion on what enlightenment is, the obstacles to enlightenment and how individuals achieve enlightenment. Kant defined enlightenment as â€Å" man’s release from his self-incurred tutelage† and the â€Å"courage to use your own reason[2]†. Kant believed that â€Å"laziness and cowardice† were the prime reasons why many men remained un-enlightened[3]. Kant asserted that people refused to throw off the yoke of â€Å"self-imposed tutelage† because it was easier to pay people to think for them and run their lives[4]. As Kant put it a person could pay to buy a book to serve as understanding, a pastor to serve as a conscience and a physician to determine a diet. There was no real need for an individual to exert their own will or their own reason since these â€Å"benevolent guardians† would take over an individual’s life for them[5]. The act of enlightenment, therefore, was the act of rejecting this easy form of life and asserting the primacy of your individual reason to reject the conventions of the social guardians who Kant asserted herded soc iety like docile, dumb livestock[6]. It is necessary to understand Kant’s definition of enlightenment in order to gain some understanding of what Kant thought was an enlightened age and what was an age of enlightenment. Kant argued that obstacles to individual enlightenment went beyond self-imposed obstacles. Freedom was the essential ingredient for enlightenment. Society, however, imposed restrictions on freedom through laws and religion that constrained free thought through law, convention or threat. Knowledge was also a requirement but access to it was often very restricted and guarded in late eighteenth century Europe but attempts were being made to bring knowledge to the masses. An age of enlightenment was a time when obstacles to enlightenment were being removed or eroded, Kant believed that late eighteenth century Europe was in such an age. As a society allowed more freedom, it became more enlightened. An enlightened age, therefore, was an age when obstacles had been removed and individuals and society wer e enlightened and free to pursue self determination and self rationalization[7]. Kant did not try to assert that the only path to freedom lay on the path of revolution. Revolutions, according to Kant, merely replaced â€Å"old prejudices† with â€Å"new prejudices†[8]. Kant acknowledged that for a society to function properly, for a government to help its people, it was often necessary for an individual to â€Å"narrowly restrict† their reason in the pursuit of their job or duties. Kant defined this as private reason and deemed it a necessity. Kant used an example of how disastrous it would be for an office to question the appropriateness of an order rather than obeying it[9]. The private use of reason was offset by an individual’s public use of reason. In this form of reason the individual takes upon the mantle of a scholar who â€Å"has complete freedom, indeed even the calling, to impart to the public all of his carefully considered and well-intentioned thoughts†[10]. Private reason would compel an individual to pay a tax, pu blic reason would compel the individual to speak out against the necessity of the tax. These two forms of reason allow a society as a whole to move towards enlightenment on the thoughts of enlightened individuals who are active members of society serving as agents of change but not necessarily revolution. As a society becomes more enlightened, individuals are freer to act upon the enlightened opinions reached through their public role as a scholar. This is a gradual process and Kant’s defense of the necessity of private reason implies that a disobedient society itself is an obstacle to enlightenment[11]. The strength of Kant’s arguments lay in the context of when and where he wrote them. Kant lived in a monarchical society that allowed for little individual freedom or representation. Kant’s evolutionary nature of enlightenment worked well in a society that is essentially not free. History proved that societies that gradually allowed more and more freedom were able to maintain stability and encourage at least a small group of scholars to try to lead society’s trip to enlightenment. A steadily evolution towards enlightenment will work in a society that is more restrictive or less representative of the people because the slow rate of changes will still be perceived as changes and many will be patient with a slow but steadily progression of change. In a more representative form of government, however, revolutions are built into the government through elections. If the elected leaders do not implement the ideas of those who elected them, the people become dissatisfied and disobedient. So obstacles to enlightenment can be increased. However, such systems by nature are built to accept and expect a fairly rapid pace of change that would not be possible in a monarchy. New ideas can be implemented nearly every election so in this regard revolution, which in this regard are elections. If quick change is not implemented then the people grow frustrated and disobedient. The dynamic is more complex than in a monarchy. Freedom of thought is all that is required for individual enlightenment. Even the most repressive regimes find it impossible to block an individual from thinking. So to some degree Kant doesn’t allow for enlightenment to happen in the absence of freedom. The freedom to think and act upon those thoughts is the definition of Kant’s public reason. But Kant’s definition of private reason seems incomplete. While it is necessary for an individual to restrict their opinions based on duty or situation, that act does not restrict individual enlightenment. The full scope of what Kant described as a public scholar is the freedom to think and give voice to those thoughts, a private reason may also exist that allows an individual to think but not be able to give voice to such thoughts. This is different from sublimating their opinions to perform a duty. This is done perhaps more out of fear than a sense of duty. A soldier may not be free to question an order but in a more repressive society an enlightened individual may not be free to give voice to their opinions without penalty of death. In such a case is an individual a coward or lazy? Certainly it takes a high degree of courage to speak out but to call those not willing to die for their opinions but how are self realized enough to have those opinions cowards is not just nor fair. In a way Kant both argues against revolution but calls those unwilling to rebel in restrictive cases cowards. So he undercuts his own argument if it’s taken out of the context in which he wrote it where thought was tolerated as was the scholarly debate of enlightened ideas. Immanuel Kant’s essay â€Å"What is Enlightenment?† is justly considered an important work regarding the enlightenment and reason. Kant concisely argues his opinion and presented examples to illustrate his points. The arguments made are strong and logical in the context of the monarchal society Kant lived in that while restrictive, allowed for some freedom of thought and expression. Kant’s arguments lose some strength when applied to different societies and governments. †¨Sources Kant, Immanuel. What is Enlightenment? September 30, 1784. Naragon, Steve. Johann Friedrich Zà ¶llner. Manchester College. 23 June 2011. http://www.manchester.edu/kant/bio/FullBio/ZollnerJF.html.

Financial Statement Analysis A.G. Barr

Financial Statement Analysis A.G. Barr Financial Statement Analysis Introduction A.G. Barr p.l.c. is based in United Kingdom it maufacture, distribute, and sell soft drinks. A.G. Barr. operates in carbonates and water. Company has a wide range of brand’s which includes IRN-BRU, Rubicon, Barr Brands, KA, Strathmore, Simply, Tizer, D’N’B, St. Clement’s, Findlays and Abbott’s. Company also has some partnership brands which includes Orangina, Rockstar and Snapple. The manufacturing area located in United Kingdom. Findlays Limited, subsidairy of A.G. Barr P.l.c., is engaged in Rubicon Drinks Limted and natural mineral water as well as the manufacture and distribution of soft drinks. Schweppes International Limited is also a franchise partner of A.G. Barr p.l.c in United Kingdom, authorized for manufactures and sells Orangina. It also has collaboration with Rockstar Inc. in the United States to sell and distribution of energy drink, Rockstar brand in Ireland and United Kingdom. The following pie-chart represent market share of soft dr inks and low calorie drinks. They strategy have developed in a way to deliever long term growth in value and focusing on core brands and markets, brand portfolio, route to market, partnerships, efficient operations, people development, sustainablity and responsibility. Financial Review The business performance throughout 2013 of A.G. BARR has perform well in U.K soft drinks market especially in second half of the financial year with double digit growth rate. The economic conditions in the core market segments survied difficulties in 2012, as well as the increasing cost of promotion effect margins. A.G.BARR growth rate for volume and revenue increased more rapidly then the market in carbonates ans still segments. The overall growth of softdrinks experienced carbonates growth rate of 3.8% in value but decreases in terms of volume, showed growth of 1.9% with avolume declining 1%. In 2013 A.G. BARR carbonates volume increased by 6.0% and revenue increased by 7.1%. On the other hand stills also performed better with a growth of 4.3% in revenue and 4.1% in volume. In addition to delievering a growth higher then the market and much of the build program associated with their new production and storage facility at Crossley Road, Milton Keynes. The Milton Keynes site is an i mportant asset for future business developments. Adverse whether condition in 2012 impacted soft drinks category according to Nielsen research, reflects 0.7% decline while to volume grew by approximately 3%. Conumer participation in the carbonates category has remained at high level supported by price-driven promotions across the main brands. Ratios analysis over the last 3 years Profit Margin: According to the financial statements ended January 2013, Company declared a profit after tax of  £ 25.564 million which represent 10.76% of its sales. Current year revenue grew by approximately 7% from prior year and 3.42% on the basis of average growth rate from the last three year. Profit before tax and exceptional item in 2013 increased by 4.3% but profit margin was slightly reduced in 2013 as compare to 2012, due to higher cost of goods. In 2012, observed as a climate of continued economic uncertainty and increasing cost. Despite these challenges companys profit before tax and exceptional item increased by 6.2% from 2011. In 2011, Profit before tax increased by 13.3% from 2010. In 2011 AG Barr observed 10.4% growth in revenue as compare to 7% in UK soft drink market. Current ratio: measure the financial stability of a company to pay its current liability. According to the financial statement, in 2013 current ratio represent 1.31(in times) thus company has enough to pay its financial obligation. Current ratio in 2012 represent 1.46 (in times) which shows that company financial stability in 2012 is better among 2011 and 2013. Quick ratio: measures the financial stability after deducting inventories and prepaid expense because they cannot be easily converted into cash at fair value. Quick ratio show clearer picture then current ratio, the company’s financial stability in 2012 of having 1.043(in times) as compare to average 0.9 (in times) in the rest of year. Working capital: is defined as the financial ability of a company to pay its short term obligation. Working Capital is an important factor used to measure its financial health. Working Capital Management is the strategy of a company to maintain efficient levels of both asset and liabilities to improve their earnings. It is calculated as current assets minus current liabilities. It involves management of inventories, cash, accounts payable and account receivable. Working capital is required to support the day to day business operation it is treated as life blood for smooth and effective business operations. Working capital in 2013 and 2011 is less as compare to the 2012. In 2012 company has  £ 20.934 millions more than its liabilities. Thus in 2012 company has managed their day to day operations effectively. Dividend: A.G. Barr’s efficient performance through the year enabled them to distribute per share dividend. In 2012 company’s profitability reflected in its dividend, declared  £ 25.96 per share, which is high through the rest of years. Inventory turnover ratio: measures the number of times the company sold its inventory throughout the year. AG Barr have inventory turnover of 6.51(in times) in year 2013 which means that company has 1.84 month of supply of inventory on hand. In 2012 and 2011, company has 2.02 (in times) and 2.05 (in times) months of supply of inventory on hand. ROE ROA: Return on equity in 2013 is greater then return on asset by 12.55% across the year it means that company is utilizing its asset perfectly as well as optimizing its debt effectively. It also shows that management is generating good result from shareholders’ investment. Account receivable turnover: Account receivable shows credit policy of a company according to which average time allow to customer to pay their debt. In 2013, 12.64 days took to recover their credit sales. Among the three year, in 2012 company was recovering their sales quickly at the rate of 7.70 days as compare to the rest of years. Operating Risk: can be defined as the more the proportion of fixed cost and lower variable cost is said to be high operating leverage. A ratio which is commonly used to determine the effect of operating leverage at given level on the firm’s potential earning is calculated by dividing, % change in EBIT by % change in Sales. Financial Risk: is the use to debt in it is calculated by dividing % change in EPS by % change in EBIT. Financial risk is not dependent on sales because whether a company has high or low sales it has to pay fix interest. By calculating financial leverage of AG BARR it appears that only 1% change in EBIT, Earning per share would change by 0.93. Preparation of financial statement: Financial statements of A.G. BARR p.l.c. have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) as adopted by the European Union. They have been prepared under the historical cost accounting rules except for the derivative financial instruments and the assets of the Group pension scheme which are stated at fair value and the liabilities of the Group pension scheme which are valued using the projected unit credit method. FINANCIAL MARKETS AND THEIR IMPACT Financial market is a market where an individual and corporation can trade financial securities, commodities. This table shows classification of market and instrument through which corporations can raise funds. Raising funds from equity market may lead the investor to think that the company financial flexibility is weak, and they are unable to get funds from banks or other sources. Stock issue leads to decreased earnings per share. Raising capital from foreign investor involves two main risks which are relevant for foreign investor. They include economic risk and political risk. Economic risk is less in countries with strong and stable economy situation. On the other hand political risk is linked with the economic stability of a country. Political decision and policies plays an important role in an economy. Political risk also called sovereign risk, the ability of a company to pay its foreign financial obligation. Risk is defined as uncertainty. The indication of risk and reward guide the investor that it would have a possibility to loss some or whole of its investment, an investor may experience bullish trend on his investment. Risk and return are directly correlated. The more you take risk, the more the likely return is, because investor demands additional return for additional risk. In finance this relationship is known as the security market line. Common stock and corporate bonds are two asset classes. Corporate bond is a debt instrument and common stock is equity. Corporate bonds and, TFCs are issued by a corporation and sold to investors. Government bonds are less risky then corporate bonds. Common stock is riskier then corporate bond because if an organization goes bankrupt, common stock holders get last priority until debt holders and preferred stock holder have received their assets. But common stock holders have the possibility to earn greater or lower return as compare to stable return on corporate bonds. As far as A G BARR, capital structure for the last two years shows that debt weight-age of the total asset was 42.64% and 50.44% in 2012 and 2013 respectively. So the company has raised fund through debt in order to meet the financial need of company. One of the major benefits by using debt financing is tax advantage and borrowing has a fixed return to stock holder. It has positive impact on the firm but because company failed to control its operating expenses, net profit in 2013 is less than 2012. Future Prospects A.G. BARR has observed a healthy performance in a marketplace impacted by the mixture of very poor summer weather conditions and the continuing economic challenges faced by consumer goods companies, especially raw material cost pressures and unpredictable consumer demand. Looking ahead it is doubtful that these challenges will significantly change, however they remain carefully confident that the combination of our established operating model, continued focus on efficiency, building brand equity, sound balance sheet and ability for growth prospect leave them well placed to continue to build on this performance. In the year ahead, they expect some decrease in the pace of input cost inflation which we expect to be at a low single digit level. Current market pricing for PET is down year on year, fruit pulp costs are lower but the cost of sugar remains persistently high Conclusion A.G. BARR has delivered strong financial performance in challenging year markets. Their products continue to respond well to equity investors. They have driven strong growth in revenue and volume and have continued to increase market share across the soft drinks market. Product and supply chain innovation enabled numbers of consumers to their brands. They are further investing in assets, acquiring additional capacity that enables them to grow according to consumer demands and in line with the market pace. Following a challenging 2011, last financial year survived with strong in terms of operational performance. Last year reported growth in products availability and customer service has improved and cost managed effectively. During 2012 the potential merger received overwhelming shareholder support. In 2013, financials reported profit before tax increased to  £ 35.0 million, showed 4.3% increase from the previous years. Earnings per share increased during the year by 10.9%. Their ba lance sheet measures have improved, showed net assets of  £130.6 million, during the year company also generated free cash flow to the firm of  £ 22.0 million. A.G. BARR p.l.c. group brands, as well as their franchise brand Rock star, showed 8.6% growth. This performance is above as compare to the market reflects that they continued opportunities to develop availability, innovation and distribution among their brands. Their geographical growth rates grew by 4%, and investment except U.K. grew by 12%, showing both important long term growth opportunities and comparably important share from their brands. References A.G. BARR p.l.c. Annual report 2013 pages 70 124 http://www.agbarr.co.uk/pdf/Final Results Announcement January 2013.pdf [Accessed: 12th May 2014] A.G. BARR p.l.c. Annual report 2012 pages 62 – 94 http://www.agbarr.co.uk/pdf/Final results announcement January 2012.pdf [Accessed: 12th May 2014]

Canterbury Tales :: essays research papers

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of accounts about a journey pilgrims made to and from the Canterbury Cathedral, composed by British writer Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 1300’s. â€Å"Chaucer greatly increased the prestige of English as a literary language and extended the range of its poetic vocabulary and meters† (Encarta 1). In the tales, the host offers a contest to the pilgrims which requires them to tell four stories during their trip . Chaucer ingeniously integrates the episodes with one another and also resplendently describes the personality, behavior, and general way of life of a variety of aspects of society in the Medieval Ages. The Canterbury Tales consists of twenty-four tales, two of which are unfinished. One of these unfinished accounts is the Tale of Sir Thopas. The Tale of Sir Thopas begins with the narrator describing a fair and gallant knight who is from the far country of Flanders. It continues on characterizing this knight, Sir Thopas, as a handsome man who was skilled at hunting, horse riding, wrestling, and archery. All of the woman of the land longed for him, but Sir Thopas forsake all of them. Then one day, riding through the forest, the knight hears beautiful birds singing songs of love. Upon hearing this, Sir Thopas hurries to ride away because his heart is sore as there is no woman in the world to his make.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The knight then recalls a dream he had where his darling would be an elf-queen. He continued riding until he found a secret place called the Land of Faery. There he met a great giant whose name was Sir Oliphant. The giant threatened Sir Thopas to leave the land where the Queen of Faery resides or he would be killed. After hearing this Sir Thopas answered that when he has his armor both of them would fight to the death. This scene is an example of how Chaucer â€Å" Gives the Tale of Sir Thopas a hilarious send-up as opposed to other more serious tales that indirectly disparage English literature† (Payne 33).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sir Thopas returned to his kingdom where he prepared himself for his battle against the giant. His merry men cheered him with tales of old romances, they brought him sweet wine, a royal spicery of ginger bread, and fine linen to cover himself. Then he dressed himself in ornate armor. He had a spear of fine cypress wood, a saddle of rewel bone, and a shield of solid gold.

Prejudice in Telephone Conversation and Dinner Guest-Me Essay -- Wole

Prejudice in Telephone Conversation and Dinner Guest-Me In the two poems, ‘Telephone Conversation’ and ‘Dinner Guest-Me,’ each poet uses their poetry as a means of confronting and challenging prejudice. In ‘Telephone Conversation’ by Wole Soyinka, a phone conversation takes place between an African man and a very artificial lady about renting out a room. When the lady finds out he is African she becomes very prejudiced and racist towards him. ‘Dinner Guest-Me’ by Langston Hughes is about a black man going to a dinner party where he is the only coloured person there, like he is the ‘token black.’ Anger and a sense of humour are shown in both of the poems. In ‘Telephone Conversation’ the African man is angry at the â€Å"peroxide blond† and is disgusted at her for being so rude and racist towards him, â€Å"HOW DARK? ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?† The capital letters emphasises the loudness in her voice, whereas, in Langston Hughes poem the other dinner guest are not being prejudiced to the only black dinner guest directly. Although they would ask him â€Å"the usual questions that come into white mind.† Here they are set apart from him as a different race, â€Å"to be part of a Problem on Park Avenue at eight is not so bad.† He’s angry because he is still part of the Negro Problem even though he is with elegant, upper-class people. Hughes is laughing at the white people complaining about not being black, â€Å"I’m so ashamed of being white,† also at the democratic process and him self. He uses satirical humour at the dinner party by poking at establishment. He acknowledges that â€Å"I know I am the Negro Problem† and is aware they have to be polite about him. Wole Soyinka uses sarcastic humour and makes fun of the landlady when he wr... ...ws plenty of anger from Wole Soyinka towards the artifical, white, public. Hughes also seems to be mad at the white populace and thoroughly benefits from poking fun at them. I think Soyinka is trying to make a point of the phony and vulgar individuals there are and draw everyone’s’ attentions to them, Hughes is trying to make us realise just how obnoxious some can be to different races, likewise to Soyinka. I believe both poets succeeded, the poems did make me consider how prejudice many persons are. In conclusion I prefer ‘Dinner Guest-Me’ by Langston Hughes because I enjoyed the satirical humour he used in his poem and how he made the ‘token black’ stand out from all the other guests. Although I think that both use their poetry well as a means of confronting and challenging prejudice that was around back in the 1900s when the two poems were written.

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne three main characters are taught that they are forced to live with the mistakes they have made. 'One must be response for his/her own actions and be willing to accept the consequences of those actions.'; Hester, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth must all face these 'consequences.'; If you do something in life and you know its wrong that means yu are willing to accept the consequences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester knows she has done something wrong. She has committed a sin and knows she will be punished for it. She is punished by being forced to wear the letter 'A'; on her bust and never remove it and to also stand in front of everyone on the scaffold in the center of town. She is reminded of her sins because of her daughter who was a result of the affair. She sees her everyday and cherishes every moment she has with her. They try to take Pearl away but Hester will not allow them to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dimmesdale has also committed adultery with Hester. As a result he is forced to keep this secret deep with in. His punishments are for it to eat him alive and slowly tear away at his heart until he is actually dead. He knew what he did is wrong he just could not tell anyone because he was ashamed of it, but this is not saying that he's not in love with Hester because that's why it happened. That is his second punishment being denied the wish of spending the rest of their lives together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chillingworth committed the worst sin out of all of them. He wanted to get back at Dimmesdale so he was trying to commit revenge. In fact his punishment for this was watching Dimmesdale dye but not by any fault of his own but by the secret he had kept from everyone else. Chillingworth fate was to dye knowing what happened and be able to do anything about it because he is a cold-hearted evil man.

Newspapers -How have newspaper changed overtime? Essay

Newspapers have changed so much overtime. It’s changed in so many different ways. Many of them are obvious such as use of colour, text size etc. The first printed newspaper was published in 1605; the World Association of Newspapers recognizes Johann Carolus’s ‘Relation aller Fi rnemmen und gedenckwi rdigen Historie’, published in 1605, as the world’s first newspaper. ‘ However, when the English started printing their own papers in London, they reverted to the pamphlet format used by contemporary books. The era of these news books lasted until the publication of the Oxford Gazette in 1665. Text size has changed drastically as in the early 1900s the text size was so small you needed a magnifier. This was because in the 1900s ink was expensive, very expensive. The newspapers, newsprint (paper) was also very expensive. So the editor had to cram in as much words as possible in the smallest size available. Nowadays the text size is much bigger and not crammed as its given space; even sometimes they make the font bigger when there is less information. This is because people are becoming lazier; they tend to want to read less but also want to know more. They are not prepared to read longer articles. Many popular tabloids are encouraging a ‘culture of ignorance’. Apparently nowadays ‘less is more’ this is referring to the text sizes. There are many studies that shows, people are more likely to read newspapers with fewer words than a newspaper with more words. Anther reason is that the ink is also much cheaper nowadays and so is the manufacturing of newsprint (newspaper paper). The highlighted areas in yellow show how the text many years ago is different to modern newspapers. In the 1903 newspaper the writing is really tiny you can hardly see it whereas in the 2005 newspaper the writing is really big and can be seen from far, so it will catch a passers bys attention. On the other hand in areas highlighted in red is the headline of the story. As you can see in the 1903 newspaper the headline is barely visual as they want to cram in as much information as possible into a tiny area so that they don’t have to pay a lot of money for paper as it was really expensive in the past. However in the 2005 newspaper the headline is really, really big so it can be seen from far. The headlines as you’ve would have guessed are also much bigger this is because the editor wanted to catch the reader’s attention. It reflects less loyal readership. Using the newspapers above the headlines is highlighted in red see how different they are? The 1903 Daily Mail shows that the headline is really small, if you compare it with the 2005 Daily Mail you will see a 20x bigger difference between the headlines. If you saw the 1903 Daily Mail headline in a 2005 newspaper you would think that it was the date, or a little reminder of what is inside the newspaper. Because you wouldn’t even see that type of small font in a newspaper at this date as the newspapers are becoming more modern. That is the really big difference of newspapers and how they adapted to culture. The order of newspapers are really important as you don’t want to clash too many of the sections together and make it appear all incorrect e. g. Fashion section and sport section together, this will confuse people and make the newspaper look unorganized. In the early stages of newspapers there used to be notices of the births, deaths of people etc on the front page of the newspapers, a few newspapers still do it till this day (The Times, Daily Telegraph) but it is hidden, either in the middle or the end of the newspaper. Because it’s no longer important to insert it into the papers to the wider audience, this is because we find out about deaths and births through a wider range of technology such as mobile phones, telephones, and internet etc. And also, there is no longer a target market for this as people are no longer interested to find out about this in newspapers. Newspapers are clearly split into sections. Society has changed therefore newspapers have changed to adapt to the society, and it reflects societies different priorities. For example, sport is more important than the death and birth notices therefore there is always a huge section on sports at the end of the newspaper so it is easier to find and shows the most important story as a front page but at the back. It is also more socially acceptable for newspapers to have a section for fun and enjoyment. In the middle to end, depending on the newspaper, there is a section which includes; crosswords, Sudoku (easy, medium, and hard), horoscopes, mini cartoon strips etc.

Write About the Ways Hosseini Opens the Story in Chapter 1

Write about the ways Hosseini opens the story in chapter 1 Chapter 1 opens with a unknown first person narrative. We are not introduced to the narrator until the end of Chapter 2, Amir. The effects of this remaining unnamed makes us concentrate on what the narrator is introducing us to. He is the central character of this story is coloured by Amir's personal reactions and emotions. It opens with â€Å"I became what I am today† and ending with the same focus. The result of this referring back to the first line exposes a situation that has happened between the past and the present. It has changed him in a substantial way. Hosseini doesn't let us know what has made him his way but he alludes this with the imagery and brief information of the past of which Amir already foreshadows, building dramatic tension. Hosseini uses dates to open the story â€Å"December 2001† to locate the present as he immediately refers back to the past in flashbacks. We know this because he says â€Å"in the winter of 1975†. It's been twenty-six years since the event that he has been referring back to, so there has been time for Amir to think everything over. Hosseini uses pathetic fallacy to open the story â€Å"on a frigid overcast† which mirrors the mood of the character and the scene. The imagery of this helps us understand that something unpleasant has happened because of the weather is also unpleasant. Flashbacks mostly fill the whole story underlining that somewhere after the event, Amir already knows what has happened which he is telling us. In chapter 1, we are immediately pulled back to a more recent time â€Å"last summer† where he got a call from Rahim Khan from Pakistan. He knew it wasn't Rahim Khan but his â€Å"un-atoned sins† of his past. The call from the past makes it seems like something dead coming after him. In the first paragraph in chapter 1, the past is personified. Amir can â€Å"bury it† but it â€Å"claws it's way out† like the call, he can't hide from the past as it comes to haunt him. Hosseini uses personification to exaggerate the past of Amir that invokes imagery of something dead rising from it's grave. It also shows that Amir has been hiding from his past but on this very day, he can't really escape from it. Back into the present Amir takes a walk at the Northern edge Golden Gate park, San Francisco where he saw 2 blue kites which reminded him of Afghanistan, his past. The juxtaposition is clear here of USA and Afghanistan which are two very opposing countries. A city with a Golden Gate Bridge with miniature boats in the lake. At night, sparkling lights cover the bridge. Compared to the memories of Afghanistan now war torn, corrupt and run by the Taliban. Hosseini purposely displays this juxtaposition to reveal the massive differences between them. Hosseini introduces Hassan as â€Å"the harelipped kite runner† This identifies Hassan as the Kite Runner of the title showing the significance of this character against all the other characters been mentioned. He also mentions kites in the story reinforcing the Novel's Title; The Kite Runner. The effect of him seeing these kites is what triggers his memories of Afghanistan and Hassan. Hassan's voice is heard by Amir â€Å"For you, A thousand times over†. Hassan would do anything for Amir. Hosseini shows this to represent his kindness and how Amir feels about him, portraying comradeship. The language that Hosseini uses in chapter one is informal mimicking a real life person in the story. This is also a reflection of a biographical fictive story as the character is going through his life in flashbacks which are embedded for the stories to come. An after thought comes into Amir's mind from the phone call â€Å"There's a way to be good again† the phone call being displayed as the past that is claws it's way out and then the call saying there's a way to be good again makes us think of his sins he's left behind that needs to be atoned. It displays the narrator as guilty and sorry for his past. Also, it invokes the theme of this story of Redemption and something that revolves around his friend, Hassan. Hosseini writes chapter 1 short and brief but sets the scenes, dates and introduces characters. Also, addressing the massive themes played throughout of this story. Friendship and Redemption.

Christ in the Old Testament Essay

The Old Testament was like a world where God would unexpectedly appear to humans and interact with His creations. The main reasons for this particular action was to inform that person of what He was about to do. God would also use his appearances as a way to to strengthen and encourage his people. In this world, where God sneaks down to conform into the physical form of a human, was for the purpose so that His creations would be more easily able to relate to Him and receive His message more adequately. These appearances are known as Christophanies, and are shown throughout the Old Testament. James Borland writes a book named Christ in the Old Testament. Borland paints a detailed picture of what this world of Christophanies consisted of during that time. Appearances of God date all the way back to the early chapters of Genesis. Even though God appeared several times in throughout the book, not all those appearances are considered theophanies. It is difficult to find a comprehensive definition of what theophany is. For an example, God’s brief appearances to Abraham, Joshua, and Gideon are different than the appearances made in Shekinah, or as Jesus the Messiah. Borland quotes The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, which states â€Å"the idea of theophany is something temporary and not permanent† (15). There are Several different connotations of the term theophany, that will help better formulate the term Christophany. The different connotations can be distinguished in dreams, visions, shekinah glory, incarnation of Christ, after his resurrection, his second coming. They all differ from Christophany. Borland presents the idea of Christophany as concrete reality of the time before God began to reveal an ample amount of the Scriptures. The book is divided into different chapters that are in logical order. In the beginning of the book Borland first defines a Christophany, distinguishing and making it clear from other types of God’s manifestation. The primary difference between the Old Testament Christophany and the incarnation of Christ according to Borland,â€Å"Is not only in the transitory nature of the one and the permanency of the other. More importantly the incarnation of Christ involved a permanent union between God and complete manhood†(20). Christophany and incarnation are two different ideas. Christophanies were actual occurrences. They were not imaginary, or a hallucinatory experience. Borland said that a Christophanies must stand or fall with the entire word of God and cannot be separated out as later additions to legitimatize certain holy places (21). These were very special events. Some Characteristics of a Christophany that were included in the book: Christophanies could only be initiated by God, and He revealed Himself as He willed. Christophanies were revelatory or revealing. Each had an immediate purpose, such as the assurance of promises, warnings, or instruction. Christophanies were for individuals rather for multitudes, That is why the incarnation of Christ would not be considered a theophany. Christophanies were intermittent occurrences. There was no predictability as to when a Christophany might occur. They were random. Christophanies only lasted several minutes and they were always audible and visible. The recipient were not â€Å"hearing things† as the world today might say if a Christophany were to happen. Because of the incarnation of Christ, Christophanies are no longer necessary today (33-34). In the other chapters Borland offers several proof that the Old Testament Christophanies were actually appearances of God, Such as Scriptural, and theological. the person that appeared in the Old Testament was all deity and was proved to be the Father Son and the Holy spirit. The author often addresses the objections of various dissenting theologians, and various Scriptures that seem to preclude Christophanies. In the case such as in the book of Joshua where the text explains that Joshua saw a â€Å"man†, Borland is convinced that this is still an appearance of God, or Jehovah. In the last few chapters Borland explains the form of Christophanies. He explains that they are visible and were not through a vision. They were audible, and completely put in a human form in every and any recognizable way. Borland examines in depth several individual passages in where God appears or speaks. Borland also focused on the theology of the Christophany in the last few chapters, relating these appearances to four major forms of theology: bibliology, theology proper, Christology, and biblical theology. The main point that is made is that God had a purpose for revealing Himself in each Christophany. The world that existed during the time of the Old Testament is evident that it is not the same world that exists in the New Testament. Throughout the years since the Old Testament, God has appeared to humanity in different ways. Ways that are not considered Christophanies. It is amazing how God is willing to step out his throne and step down to communicate to a sinful person. The whole idea of God making an effort to communicate with his creation Whether it was in the old testament or in modern times, demonstrates his humility and love. As Christians we should respect and honor him for that. In writing this book James Borland did a wonderful job writing this book. It was very informational, and this book should be passed down for generations to come.

Engaging Generation Y Employees Essay

The ability of employees to combine their commitment to the organization and the organization’s values and to work hand in hand with the other team members creating a comfortable work place that lifts up their morale to competently perform their duties is referred to as employee engagement (Bullivant 2005). These efforts enable employees to make decisions that cater for the success of the organization creating a strong bond between the employees and the organization. The virtue of self confidence and trust to the organization is developed as employees categorize themselves, as core members of the organization. Assets and resources provided by the organization are efficiently used and taken care of in an attempt of securing the future of the organization. Although employee engagement has been studied for a long period of time, its implementation seems difficult as the concept behind it has not been fully understood by employees and employers. The attempt of including employee engagement into the education curriculum has also not been successful (Bullivant 2005). The change in industrial relations has lead to the increased need of organizations to recruit an engaged workforce that assures the development of the organization. The upcoming generation Y that occupies about 40 % of the employment sector in Europe has raised concerns in their performance capability (Bullivant 2005). Employers complain about their inquisitive attitude towards the workplace culture which is not replicated into their work output. To overcome this hurdle generation Y has devised motivational schemes that help them to form an engaged workforce. A change in the order of preference between the public sectors and the private sectors is evident in this generation as a higher percentage has been employed in the public sectors comparing with the percentage of generation X and boom that are employed in the public sector (Townsend & Gebhardt 2007). Generation Y attributes job stability in the public sectors as the security of employment is enhanced. Generation Y comprises individuals that are still growing financially and require stability in employment to enable them fulfil their needs. Generation Y also associates public sectors with the ability of enhancing good employment relationship that links the employer to the employees by providing a balance between work and the personal life of the generation. In the public sectors opportunities for career development training are unending and are also provided outside work hours resulting to a quick progression of employees, because of the fairly well defined career path. This organizational culture attracts generation Y to work in the public sector, fully formulating an engaged workforce (Cook 2008). A plethora of campaigns wants the inclusion of generation Y into political activities thus increasing the desire of the generation towards politics. Public sectors provide opportunities that advocate for the development of the community to improve their welfare by improving the economic status (Milner 2000). This prevails an opportunity for the generation to actively be involved with the community and thus create better opportunities of winning their votes during political rallies. Also the recognition of their views by third party organizations results to a good development of their reputation especially since they are the future generation. Public sectors offer an attractive sum of money in their entry points thus encouraging generation Y to be fully engaged in the fundamental functions of the sector which leads to the growth of the sector and increase in the profit margins (Terry 2000). Problem statement The economy of Europe has seen its better taste in the 21st century as it has steadily grown, however due to the economic stability that the world is facing Business Secretary John Hutton of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has announced a review on the importance of employee engagement in the performance capability of British organizations (BERR 2008). The role undertaken by the public sector which mainly comprises the government and local authority departments in engaging generation Y employees aged between 27 years and below needs to recognize the generation as valuable assets to the organizations. The public sector needs to invest more on the generation by devising mechanisms which will advocate creation of an engaged workforce that will be more beneficial towards the performance of the sector. Therefore, this proposal will formulate strategies that will engage generation Y employees in public sector and recommendations of the evaluation criterion to be used (BERR 2008). Significance of the study (practical and ethical issue) Organizations that strive to invest in their employees so as to improve their skills and engagement usually have big profit margins which depicts a positive growth of the organization. Therefore this study is congruent in fulfilling the research objectives depicted in the problem statement as it will advocate for the establishment of business environments that will encourage employee engagement. This will help the public sector to view the employees as valuable assets thus creating an employment relationship that is long lasting. Hence this study will identify strategic measures to be implemented during employee engagement processes to help improve the productivity level of the British sector. The study will also explain the benefits British industry will attain in regards to the UK business competitiveness which depicts a progression career path for the employees. The study advocates for the abolishment of trade regulation and market barriers that affect the capability of the public sectors to stipulate policies which would help them ensure employee engagement. The study also encourages adoption of the practice by outlining the achievements of employee engagement. The study will also correlate employment engagement with business ethical behaviour that are in accordance to human, economic and social norms through the use of compliance programs that help to implement the stipulated government policies and regulations to govern the behaviour of team members in organizations. Literature review Statistics show that employee engagement creates a workforce that works with passion as it find a profound connection to the organization it is working for, resulting to the accomplishment of the organization’s policies which include the mission, vision, goals and objectives. The functions of the organization, customer service, and cost of production and marketing processes are advocated by the personal growth and unification of the common goal because of employee engagement (Bullivant 2005). A flexible organization culture that involves inclusion of team members in decision making, training programs to improve the competence of the team members and the incentive pay systems are supported by incorporation of employee engagement (Bullivant 2005). Organizations that advocate employee engagement have the advantage of retaining their employees as approximately 13% are likely to seek other employment opportunities (Milner 2000). Therefore, the need for government departments to review the importance of employee engagement in the performance capability of British organizations has increased (Bullivant 2005). To enable the public sector to engage generation Y employees they should re-evaluate their work culture to help improve employment relationship that exists between the sector and its employees. This will help the managers of the sector to value the rights of the employees and devise strategies that will lead to the respect and provision of their rights such as sick offs and company infringements. This will enable employee engagement to prevail, as the employees will connect with the managers of the sector improving their correlation (Tamara 2008). Management communication will help to spell out the functions of each team members and regularly evaluate the performance of the organization in regards to the work output of each employee. Trust and integrity will prevail as the team members will freely air their comments and grievances to a listening ear, thus helping the development of employee engagement (Fitz-Enz 2009). This will help the sector to effectively distribute their duties in accordance to the capability of generation Y thus improving their work performance. An instance where the team members will look after the welfare of the others will crop up as team work will be depicted. Through management communication the managers of the sector will be able to recognize the effort of the team members rewarding them accordingly through provision of benefits and promotion schemes which will lead to career development. This will result to retention of the dynamic generation Y employees who will take pride in the sector and thus maximize their capabilities to also develop the sector (Cheese, Thomas & Craig 2008). Offering training programs that will help the employees to understand the sector’s vision, ethics and improve their competence should be among the strategies the mangers of the public sector will use to engage generation Y employees. These programs will help the employees to increase their self confidence and knowledge thus adhering to the ethical codes stipulated by the policies of the public sector (Johnson & CIPD 2004). The managers of the sector will also attend training programs that will help them to learn strategies, values and tactics that will help them in the engagement of generation Y employees into the public sector. This will further increase the credibility of the sector as employment engagement will improve the reputation of the sector thus marketing it. The sector will also increase its scope of customers and thus strive in the stiff competition presented by the private sector (Pinnington, Macklin & Campbell 2007). Research design The research methodology used in this study will measure on the generality and applicability of engaging generation Y employees in the public sector to improve the British industry. Action research that identifies the problem of this study in the existing business practice will be used, as solutions that will be immediately incorporated into the business plan and organization culture of the public sector will result. The study will also rely on the historical perspective of the study problem to help determine the success and failures of previous attempt in engaging generation Y employees in the public sector. The scope of the research will be controlled by the information availed by library and field research. The information collected will be ordered in a descriptive manner to effectively elaborate issues that correlate with the study problems.