Porter 5 forces on Tourism industry and explanation Essay

The UK Inbound Tourism IndustryIntroduction:Tourism is seventh of the largest industries in the UK, worth  £74 billion to the UK economy. There are currently 2.1 million jobs in the industry. Within the inbound Tourism to the UK, 30 million overseas visitors who came in 2005 spent  £14 billion on holidays 2005 was a record year for UK inbound tourism both in terms of volume and value. The UK ranks fifth in when compared international tourism earnings league behind the USA, Spain, France and Italy. Within UK home Tourism, UK residents in 2005 took 59.3 million holidays of one night or more spending  £11.5 billion. They even took 22.5 million overnight business trips spending  £5.3 billion and  £52.7 million overnight trips to friends, family& relatives spending  £5.4 billion (Mintel 2008)(Visit Britain, ). Porters Five Forces:Fig 1:Threat of New EntrantsThreat of new entrants into the tourism industry is very high; there were a handful of low-priced carriers in the UK, flying mostly to holiday destinations. The market valuation of Ryan air become more than that of British Airways. Since then, there are many more new entrants in the low-cost carrier sector, posing major threats to the front runners, Ryan air and Easy Jet. A shake-out of the low-cost segment is taking place. The share price of Ryan air has begun to decline because of the threat of new entrants (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 1 – Economies of ScaleNew entrants have to match existing providers to be able to survive and grow. One appeal for new airline entrants is the forecast increases in UK air travel from 200 million at present to 500 million journeys in 2030. The World Tourism Organisation estimates the doubling of air journeys over the same time period. Matching the cost base of existing new careers, new entrants could control a share of the air journeys. Within this long-term trend, there are likely to be reductions caused by events of and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This can lead to consolidation through takeovers, as this happened through the merger of Klm and Air France, TUI taking over Thomson and Thomas Cook merging with German-based tour operators. These have led to companies with a global presence in the tourism market (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 2 – Product DifferentiationA new entrant has to have a unique selling point to attract customers. In tourism, there is a major tendency among tourists to be tempted by special offers in the form of discounts, add-ons and novelty value. Tourists have changed destinations, or choose different offerings in the same destination, depending on what was on offer and at what price and quality, or have moved from high-cost to low-cost carriers for their travel. There are companies that look to develop a unique product and branding, such as Thomas Cook (offering Club 18-30) and Saga (providing holidays and other products for the 50+ age group), and ecotourist holidays by TUI (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 3 – Switching CostsThese are one-time for the customer in switching from one supplier to another. In booking a holiday, travel agents shops tend to be in close immediacy to one another, and can be accessed by the internet and the telephone. Customers are used to shopping around and especially, in a culture driven by bargain hunting. Selecting which country to visit is influenced by whether it offers value for money (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 4 Capital Investment and Working CapitalThis can be a considerable entry barrier. For example, Iberostar are expanding by creating resorts in Croatia and the Caribbean. These require large capital investment and operating costs and a long-term commitment, which is predicted on an assessment of economic and political stability in these destinations. Existing resorts will need renewed investment to preserve their competitiveness (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 5 – Access to Distribution ChannelsConsolidation in the holiday market means that organisations such as Thomas Cook and TUI have considerable vertical integration involving hotels, airlines and travel agents and by market development have expanded their distribution channels. Independents have to develop their own networks. However, telesales and internet intermediaries have created new opportunities for new entrants to sell their services (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Factor 6 – Government Policy and Regulation:Laws passed by governments can act as an individual to new entrants. Some governments require investment to be linked to a local partner. The Maastricht Treaty of 1991 freed up the free movement of capital from one member state to another within the European Union. In the Mallorcan resort of Palma Nova/Magaluf, the local organisation of tourism businesses is lobbying municipal and regional government not to allow the development of all inclusive resorts because their members will lose sales to these tourists (Beech and Chadwick, 2006). Threat of SubstitutesThe threat of substitutes is low for the tourism industry. British people took their holidays in UK resorts before the 1960s. However, since the late 1950s, the development of jet travel has opened up travel to European destinations that leads to the decline of UK resorts. However, there has been the potential to develop sales to UK destinations. Power of CustomersThe power of customers is high, because they can have a huge power and influence profitability. Tour operators such as Thomas Cook and TUI purchase large volumes of hotel accommodation at the lowest prices. A common complaint by hoteliers is that if they do not comply, tour operators take their custom elsewhere. Tour operators identify a new destination with low start-up costs, and compete with existing destinations, which are then forced to lower their prices. Holiday-makers make choices based on quality at the lowest price and choose destinations different from the previous year . Power of SuppliersPower of suppliers is low. When suppliers have bargaining power, they can vary prices and quality of their services. In tourism, suppliers include raw materials, equipment, financial services and sources of labour. Tour operators have been evading travel agents by selling direct to holiday-makers through telesales and the internet . Intensity of Competition RivalryIntensity of competitive rivalry is very high, because organisations can face direct and indirect competitors. In tourism, direct competitors will depend on the sector of activity. In hotels, there are companies providing an economy, mid-range or top-level service, for which they charge an appropriate price. They compete within their own segment. By contrast, low-cost airlines operating short hauls were better able to survive and grow. The high-cost airlines were forced to engage in price cutting and competing with low-cost airlines to retain business. The long haul airlines have learnt to reduce turnaround times between flights, reduce operating costs and become leaner and meaner. The low-cost airline sector is competitive with 50 firms in Europe alone. There is the threat of high cost carriers competing in the no-frills sector as British Airways is threatening to do (Beech and Chadwick). Conclusion:To sum it up, competition in the UK tourism industry is fierce. Investment is so risky that responsible ethical investment companies withdraw from investing, and therefore the opportunity of ethical investment power is lost. It has become harder for travel companies to compete, because the products they offer are relatively the same. They have higher margins because of lower price sensitivity of wealthy customers. After all, companies goal is to have high profits and high sales. The nature of the relationship between a small business firm and its customers is trust. The answers to certain questions concerning practices with probable ethical consequences can be used by small business owner to prevent the perception of unethical practices. Refrences: Mintel Reports Accessed from http://reports.mintel.com/ Dated 8th of November. Robert M Grant (2008) Contemporary strategy analysis,6th Ed, BlackwellBeech, J. and Chadwick, S (2006) Accessed from The Business of Tourism Management on Dated 8th of NovemberVisit Britain (2006). Booking Patterns International versus Domestic Tourism Travel Accessed from www.tourismtrade.org.uk on dated 10th of November.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-six

Daenerys The Horse Gate of Vaes Dothrak was made of two gigantic bronze stallions, rearing, their hooves meeting a hundred feet above the roadway to form a pointed arch. Dany could not have said why the city needed a gate when it had no walls . . . and no buildings that she could see. Yet there it stood, immense and beautiful, the great horses framing the distant purple mountain beyond. The bronze stallions threw long shadows across the waving grasses as Khal Drogo led the khalasar under their hooves and down the godsway, his bloodriders beside him. Dany followed on her silver, escorted by Ser Jorah Mormont and her brother Viserys, mounted once more. After the day in the grass when she had left him to walk back to the khalasar, the Dothraki had laughingly called him Khal Rhae Mhar, the Sorefoot King. Khal Drogo had offered him a place in a cart the next day, and Viserys had accepted. In his stubborn ignorance, he had not even known he was being mocked; the carts were for eunuchs, cripples, women giving birth, the very young and the very old. That won him yet another name: Khal Rhaggat, the Cart King. Her brother had thought it was the khal's way of apologizing for the wrong Dany had done him. She had begged Ser Jorah not to tell him the truth, lest he be shamed. The knight had replied that the king could well do with a bit of shame . . . yet he had done as she bid. It had taken much pleading, and all the pillow tricks Doreah had taught her, before Dany had been able to make Drogo relent and allow Viserys to rejoin them at the he ad of the column. â€Å"Where is the city?† she asked as they passed beneath the bronze arch. There were no buildings to be seen, no people, only the grass and the road, lined with ancient monuments from all the lands the Dothraki had sacked over the centuries. â€Å"Ahead,† Ser Jorah answered. â€Å"Under the mountain.† Beyond the horse gate, plundered gods and stolen heroes loomed to either side of them. The forgotten deities of dead cities brandished their broken thunderbolts at the sky as Dany rode her silver past their feet. Stone kings looked down on her from their thrones, their faces chipped and stained, even their names lost in the mists of time. Lithe young maidens danced on marble plinths, draped only in flowers, or poured air from shattered jars. Monsters stood in the grass beside the road; black iron dragons with jewels for eyes, roaring griffins, manticores with their barbed tails poised to strike, and other beasts she could not name. Some of the statues were so lovely they took her breath away, others so misshapen and terrible that Dany could scarcely bear to look at them. Those, Ser Jorah said, had likely come from the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai. â€Å"So many,† she said as her silver stepped slowly onward, â€Å"and from so many lands.† Viserys was less impressed. â€Å"The trash of dead cities,† he sneered. He was careful to speak in the Common Tongue, which few Dothraki could understand, yet even so Dany found herself glancing back at the men of her khas, to make certain he had not been overheard. He went on blithely. â€Å"All these savages know how to do is steal the things better men have built . . . and kill.† He laughed. â€Å"They do know how to kill. Otherwise I'd have no use for them at all.† â€Å"They are my people now,† Dany said. â€Å"You should not call them savages, brother.† â€Å"The dragon speaks as he likes,† Viserys said . . . in the Common Tongue. He glanced over his shoulder at Aggo and Rakharo, riding behind them, and favored them with a mocking smile. â€Å"See, the savages lack the wit to understand the speech of civilized men.† A moss-eaten stone monolith loomed over the road, fifty feet tall. Viserys gazed at it with boredom in his eyes. â€Å"How long must we linger amidst these ruins before Drogo gives me my army? I grow tired of waiting.† â€Å"The princess must be presented to the dosh khaleen . . . â€Å" â€Å"The crones, yes,† her brother interrupted, â€Å"and there's to be some mummer's show of a prophecy for the whelp in her belly, you told me. What is that to me? I'm tired of eating horsemeat and I'm sick of the stink of these savages.† He sniffed at the wide, floppy sleeve of his tunic, where it was his custom to keep a sachet. It could not have helped much. The tunic was filthy. All the silk and heavy wools that Viserys had worn out of Pentos were stained by hard travel and rotted from sweat. Ser Jorah Mormont said, â€Å"The Western Market will have food more to your taste, Your Grace. The traders from the Free Cities come there to sell their wares. The khal will honor his promise in his own time.† â€Å"He had better,† Viserys said grimly. â€Å"I was promised a crown, and I mean to have it. The dragon is not mocked.† Spying an obscene likeness of a woman with six breasts and a ferret's head, he rode off to inspect it more closely. Dany was relieved, yet no less anxious. â€Å"I pray that my sun-and-stars will not keep him waiting too long,† she told Ser Jorah when her brother was out of earshot. The knight looked after Viserys doubtfully. â€Å"Your brother should have bided his time in Pentos. There is no place for him in a khalasar. Illyrio tried to warn him.† â€Å"He will go as soon as he has his ten thousand. My lord husband promised a golden crown.† Ser Jorah grunted. â€Å"Yes, Khaleesi, but . . . the Dothraki look on these things differently than we do in the west. I have told him as much, as Illyrio told him, but your brother does not listen. The horselords are no traders. Viserys thinks he sold you, and now he wants his price. Yet Khal Drogo would say he had you as a gift. He will give Viserys a gift in return, yes . . . in his own time. You do not demand a gift, not of a khal. You do not demand anything of a khal.† â€Å"It is not right to make him wait.† Dany did not know why she was defending her brother, yet she was. â€Å"Viserys says he could sweep the Seven Kingdoms with ten thousand Dothraki screamers.† Ser Jorah snorted. â€Å"Viserys could not sweep a stable with ten thousand brooms.† Dany could not pretend to surprise at the disdain in his tone. â€Å"What . . . what if it were not Viserys?† she asked. â€Å"If it were someone else who led them? Someone stronger? Could the Dothraki truly conquer the Seven Kingdoms?† Ser Jorah's face grew thoughtful as their horses trod together down the godsway. â€Å"When I first went into exile, I looked at the Dothraki and saw half-naked barbarians, as wild as their horses. If you had asked me then, Princess, I should have told you that a thousand good knights would have no trouble putting to flight a hundred times as many Dothraki.† â€Å"But if I asked you now?† â€Å"Now,† the knight said, â€Å"I am less certain. They are better riders than any knight, utterly fearless, and their bows outrange ours. In the Seven Kingdoms, most archers fight on foot, from behind a shieldwall or a barricade of sharpened stakes. The Dothraki fire from horseback, charging or retreating, it makes no matter, they are full as deadly . . . and there are so many of them, my lady. Your lord husband alone counts forty thousand mounted warriors in his khalasar.† â€Å"Is that truly so many?† â€Å"Your brother Rhaegar brought as many men to the Trident,† Ser Jorah admitted, â€Å"but of that number, no more than a tenth were knights. The rest were archers, freeriders, and foot soldiers armed with spears and pikes. When Rhaegar fell, many threw down their weapons and fled the field. How long do you imagine such a rabble would stand against the charge of forty thousand screamers howling for blood? How well would boiled leather jerkins and mailed shirts protect them when the arrows fall like rain?† â€Å"Not long,† she said, â€Å"not well.† He nodded. â€Å"Mind you, Princess, if the lords of the Seven Kingdoms have the wit the gods gave a goose, it will never come to that. The riders have no taste for siegecraft. I doubt they could take even the weakest castle in the Seven Kingdoms, but if Robert Baratheon were fool enough to give them battle . . . â€Å" â€Å"Is he?† Dany asked. â€Å"A fool, I mean?† Ser Jorah considered that for a moment. â€Å"Robert should have been born Dothraki,† he said at last. â€Å"Your khal would tell you that only a coward hides behind stone walls instead of facing his enemy with a blade in hand. The Usurper would agree. He is a strong man, brave . . . and rash enough to meet a Dothraki horde in the open field. But the men around him, well, their pipers play a different tune. His brother Stannis, Lord Tywin Lannister, Eddard Stark . . . † He spat. â€Å"You hate this Lord Stark,† Dany said. â€Å"He took from me all I loved, for the sake of a few lice-ridden poachers and his precious honor,† Ser Jorah said bitterly. From his tone, she could tell the loss still pained him. He changed the subject quickly. â€Å"There,† he announced, pointing. â€Å"Vaes Dothrak. The city of the horselords.† Khal Drogo and his bloodriders led them through the great bazaar of the Western Market, down the broad ways beyond. Dany followed close on her silver, staring at the strangeness about her. Vaes Dothrak was at once the largest city and the smallest that she had ever known. She thought it must be ten times as large as Pentos, a vastness without walls or limits, its broad windswept streets paved in grass and mud and carpeted with wildflowers. In the Free Cities of the west, towers and manses and hovels and bridges and shops and halls all crowded in on one another, but Vaes Dothrak sprawled languorously, baking in the warm sun, ancient, arrogant, and empty. Even the buildings were so queer to her eyes. She saw carved stone pavilions, manses of woven grass as large as castles, rickety wooden towers, stepped pyramids faced with marble, log halls open to the sky. In place of walls, some palaces were surrounded by thorny hedges. â€Å"None of them are alike,† she said. â€Å"Your brother had part of the truth,† Ser Jorah admitted. â€Å"The Dothraki do not build. A thousand years ago, to make a house, they would dig a hole in the earth and cover it with a woven grass roof. The buildings you see were made by slaves brought here from lands they've plundered, and they built each after the fashion of their own peoples.† Most of the halls, even the largest, seemed deserted. â€Å"Where are the people who live here?† Dany asked. The bazaar had been full of running children and men shouting, but elsewhere she had seen only a few eunuchs going about their business. â€Å"Only the crones of the dosh khaleen dwell permanently in the sacred city, them and their slaves and servants,† Ser Jorah replied, â€Å"yet Vaes Dothrak is large enough to house every man of every khalasar, should all the khals return to the Mother at once. The crones have prophesied that one day that will come to pass, and so Vaes Dothrak must be ready to embrace all its children.† Khal Drogo finally called a halt near the Eastern Market where the caravans from Yi Ti and Asshai and the Shadow Lands came to trade, with the Mother of Mountains looming overhead. Dany smiled as she recalled Magister Illyrio's slave girl and her talk of a palace with two hundred rooms and doors of solid silver. The â€Å"palace† was a cavernous wooden feasting hall, its rough-hewn timbered walls rising forty feet, its roof sewn silk, a vast billowing tent that could be raised to keep out the rare rains, or lowered to admit the endless sky. Around the hall were broad grassy horse yards fenced with high hedges, firepits, and hundreds of round earthen houses that bulged from the ground like miniature hills, covered with grass. A small army of slaves had gone ahead to prepare for Khal Drogo's arrival. As each rider swung down from his saddle, he unbelted his arakh and handed it to a waiting slave, and any other weapons he carried as well. Even Khal Drogo himself was not exempt. Ser Jorah had explained that it was forbidden to carry a blade in Vaes Dothrak, or to shed a free man's blood. Even warring khalasars put aside their feuds and shared meat and mead together when they were in sight of the Mother of Mountains. In this place, the crones of the dosh khaleen had decreed, all Dothraki were one blood, one khalasar, one herd. Cohollo came to Dany as Irri and Jhiqui were helping her down off her silver. He was the oldest of Drogo's three bloodriders, a squat bald man with a crooked nose and a mouth full of broken teeth, shattered by a mace twenty years before when he saved the young khalakka from sellswords who hoped to sell him to his father's enemies. His life had been bound to Drogo's the day her lord husband was born. Every khal had his bloodriders. At first Dany had thought of them as a kind of Dothraki Kingsguard, sworn to protect their lord, but it went further than that. Jhiqui had taught her that a bloodrider was more than a guard; they were the khal's brothers, his shadows, his fiercest friends. â€Å"Blood of my blood,† Drogo called them, and so it was; they shared a single life. The ancient traditions of the horselords demanded that when the khal died, his bloodriders died with him, to ride at his side in the night lands. If the khal died at the hands of some enemy, they lived only long enough to avenge him, and then followed him joyfully into the grave. In some khalasars, Jhiqui said, the bloodriders shared the khal's wine, his tent, and even his wives, though never his horses. A man's mount was his own. Daenerys was glad that Khal Drogo did not hold to those ancient ways. She should not have liked being shared. And while old Cohollo treated her kindly enough, the others frightened her; Haggo, huge and silent, often glowered as if he had forgotten who she was, and Qotho had cruel eyes and quick hands that liked to hurt. He left bruises on Doreah's soft white skin whenever he touched her, and sometimes made Irri sob in the night. Even his horses seemed to fear him. Yet they were bound to Drogo for life and death, so Daenerys had no choice but to accept them. And sometimes she found herself wishing her father had been protected by such men. In the songs, the white knights of the Kingsguard were ever noble, valiant, and true, and yet King Aerys had been murdered by one of them, the handsome boy they now called the Kingslayer, and a second, Ser Barristan the Bold, had gone over to the Usurper. She wondered if all men were as false in the Seven Kingdoms. When her son sat the Iron Throne, she would see that he had bloodriders of his own to protect him against treachery in his Kingsguard. â€Å"Khaleesi,† Cohollo said to her, in Dothraki. â€Å"Drogo, who is blood of my blood, commands me to tell you that he must ascend the Mother of Mountains this night, to sacrifice to the gods for his safe return.† Only men were allowed to set foot on the Mother, Dany knew. The khal's bloodriders would go with him, and return at dawn. â€Å"Tell my sun-and-stars that I dream of him, and wait anxious for his return,† she replied, thankful. Dany tired more easily as the child grew within her; in truth, a night of rest would be most welcome. Her pregnancy only seemed to have inflamed Drogo's desire for her, and of late his embraces left her exhausted. Doreah led her to the hollow hill that had been prepared for her and her khal. It was cool and dim within, like a tent made of earth. â€Å"Jhiqui, a bath, please,† she commanded, to wash the dust of travel from her skin and soak her weary bones. It was pleasant to know that they would linger here for a while, that she would not need to climb back on her silver on the morrow. The water was scalding hot, as she liked it. â€Å"I will give my brother his gifts tonight,† she decided as Jhiqui was washing her hair. â€Å"He should look a king in the sacred city. Doreah, run and find him and invite him to sup with me.† Viserys was nicer to the Lysene girl than to her Dothraki handmaids, perhaps because Magister Illyrio had let him bed her back in Pentos. â€Å"Irri, go to the bazaar and buy fruit and meat. Anything but horseflesh.† â€Å"Horse is best,† Irri said. â€Å"Horse makes a man strong.† â€Å"Viserys hates horsemeat.† â€Å"As you say, Khaleesi.† She brought back a haunch of goat and a basket of fruits and vegetables. Jhiqui roasted the meat with sweetgrass and firepods, basting it with honey as it cooked, and there were melons and pomegranates and plums and some queer eastern fruit Dany did not know. While her handmaids prepared the meal, Dany laid out the clothing she'd had made to her brother's measure: a tunic and leggings of crisp white linen, leather sandals that laced up to the knee, a bronze medallion belt, a leather vest painted with fire-breathing dragons. The Dothraki would respect him more if he looked less a beggar, she hoped, and perhaps he would forgive her for shaming him that day in the grass. He was still her king, after all, and her brother. They were both blood of the dragon. She was arranging the last of his gifts—a sandsilk cloak, green as grass, with a pale grey border that would bring out the silver in his hair—when Viserys arrived, dragging Doreah by the arm. Her eye was red where he'd hit her. â€Å"How dare you send this whore to give me commands,† he said. He shoved the handmaid roughly to the carpet. The anger took Dany utterly by surprise. â€Å"I only wanted . . . Doreah, what did you say?† â€Å"Khaleesi, pardons, forgive me. I went to him, as you bid, and told him you commanded him to join you for supper.† â€Å"No one commands the dragon,† Viserys snarled. â€Å"I am your king! I should have sent you back her head!† The Lysene girl quailed, but Dany calmed her with a touch. â€Å"Don't be afraid, he won't hurt you. Sweet brother, please, forgive her, the girl misspoke herself, I told her to ask you to sup with me, if it pleases Your Grace.† She took him by the hand and drew him across the room. â€Å"Look. These are for you.† Viserys frowned suspiciously. â€Å"What is all this?† â€Å"New raiment. I had it made for you.† Dany smiled shyly. He looked at her and sneered. â€Å"Dothraki rags. Do you presume to dress me now?† â€Å"Please . . . you'll be cooler and more comfortable, and I thought . . . maybe if you dressed like them, the Dothraki . . . † Dany did not know how to say it without waking his dragon. â€Å"Next you'll want to braid my hair.† â€Å"I'd never . . . † Why was he always so cruel? She had only wanted to help. â€Å"You have no right to a braid, you have won no victories yet.† It was the wrong thing to say. Fury shone from his lilac eyes, yet he dared not strike her, not with her handmaids watching and the warriors of her khas outside. Viserys picked up the cloak and sniffed at it. â€Å"This stinks of manure. Perhaps I shall use it as a horse blanket.† â€Å"I had Doreah sew it specially for you,† she told him, wounded. â€Å"These are garments fit for a khal.† â€Å"I am the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, not some grass-stained savage with bells in his hair,† Viserys spat back at her. He grabbed her arm. â€Å"You forget yourself, slut. Do you think that big belly will protect you if you wake the dragon?† His fingers dug into her arm painfully and for an instant Dany felt like a child again, quailing in the face of his rage. She reached out with her other hand and grabbed the first thing she touched, the belt she'd hoped to give him, a heavy chain of ornate bronze medallions. She swung it with all her strength. It caught him full in the face. Viserys let go of her. Blood ran down his cheek where the edge of one of the medallions had sliced it open. â€Å"You are the one who forgets himself,† Dany said to him. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything that day in the grass? Leave me now, before I summon my khas to drag you out. And pray that Khal Drogo does not hear of this, or he will cut open your belly and feed you your own entrails.† Viserys scrambled back to his feet. â€Å"When I come into my kingdom, you will rue this day, slut.† He walked off, holding his torn face, leaving her gifts behind him. Drops of his blood had spattered the beautiful sandsilk cloak. Dany clutched the soft cloth to her cheek and sat cross-legged on her sleeping mats. â€Å"Your supper is ready, Khaleesi,† Jhiqui announced. â€Å"I'm not hungry,† Dany said sadly. She was suddenly very tired. â€Å"Share the food among yourselves, and send some to Ser Jorah, if you would.† After a moment she added, â€Å"Please, bring me one of the dragon's eggs.† Irri fetched the egg with the deep green shell, bronze flecks shining amid its scales as she turned it in her small hands. Dany curled up on her side, pulling the sandsilk cloak across her and cradling the egg in the hollow between her swollen belly and small, tender breasts. She liked to hold them. They were so beautiful, and sometimes just being close to them made her feel stronger, braver, as if somehow she were drawing strength from the stone dragons locked inside. She was lying there, holding the egg, when she felt the child move within her . . . as if he were reaching out, brother to brother, blood to blood. â€Å"You are the dragon,† Dany whispered to him, â€Å"the true dragon. I know it. I know it.† And she smiled, and went to sleep dreaming of home.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that begins in childhood and is characterized by worrying that is out of proportion to the situation of temporarily leaving home or otherwise separating from loved ones. Approximately 4%-5% of children and adolescents suffer from separation anxiety disorder. Separation Anxiety Disorder is more common in children with family histories of anxiety. Also, children whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy with them tend to be more at risk for developing this disorder.A majority of children with separation anxiety disorder have school refusal as a symptom and up to 80% of children who refuse to go to school qualify for the diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder. Approximately 50%-75% of children who suffer from this disorder come from homes of low socioeconomic status. The Physical effects and symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder are: orepeated occurrence of physical symptoms (nausea, stomachache, headache, vomiting, etc. on occasions that involve separation from a major attachment figure, such as leaving home to go to school; opersistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without being near or next to a major attachment figure; oExcessive, recurrent distress (as shown by anxiety, crying, tantrums, misery, apathy, or social withdrawal) in anticipation of, during, or immediately following separation from a major attachment figureSocial effects and symptoms are: persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school because of fear about separation There are no immediate effects on the spiritual dimension of health Psychological effects and symptoms of separation anxiety are: orepeated nightmares about separation; opersistent inappropriate fear of being alone at home during the day; oan unrealistic, preoccupying worry about possible harm befalling major attachment figures or a fear that they will leave and not return; oan nrealistic, preoccupying worry that some untoward event, such as the child being lost, k idnapped, admitted to hospital, or killed, will separate him or her from a major attachment figure; If left untreated, Separation anxiety disorder puts its sufferers at risk for depression and anxiety problems as adults, as well as personality disorders, in which anxiety is a major symptom. Teenage separation anxiety is not as common as separation anxiety in younger children, however, it does exist.Most cases of teenage separation anxiety have an earlier onset that went undiagnosed, but some recent case studies suggest there are some teens and young adults that have all the symptoms and a later onset. You can imagine how disruptive this could be to a teen’s life! Not only may these feelings prevent them from going to school, but from working, having normal social and peer relationships, and accomplishing the everyday activities of normal adolescents.

Character analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Character analysis - Essay Example He wishes to do so through his son, Biff who had shown great promise in his early life. Willy’s ambition finds an outlet through his son, whom he hopes would become something more than just what he was, a salesman. This desire of his, however, stifles his son and he is not able to rise to his potential. He however, is able to see that he is like his father and this gives the reader an insight into the character of Willy. I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are you. You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them! I’m one dollar an hour, Willy I tried seven states and couldn’t raise it. A buck an hour! (Miller, 98). This outburst of Biff enables one to understand the reason behind the play’s importance. The play talks about the character of a common citizen who is unable to accept his own circumstances in life. The life of the very ordinary Willy is deemed fit to be shown on stage and this, in a sense, satirizes the notion of the ‘Great American Dream’. The ordinariness of Willy can also be a negative aspect as it makes him prone to what may be perceived as mistakes. His rendezvous with a young woman in a hotel is an example of this. This provokes the decline of his son, Biff, who no longer finds his father to be a role model for himself and loses direction in his life. This can be said to be similar to the life of Willy, who had to live his life without his father. The question of whether this affected his life is one that the playwright leaves unanswered. The character of Willy thus also symbolises the breakdown of the family as a social unit in the United States of America. The history of his family over three generations is able to exemplify this. The ordinariness of the character is something that Miller introduces so as to burst the bubble of American greatness that had emerged after the Second World War. Most of the positives and

How do you plan to fit the Wharton MBA Program for Executives into Essay

How do you plan to fit the Wharton MBA Program for Executives into your busy schedule over the next two years What will pose the greatest challenge and how will you deal with it - Essay Example Fitting a rigorous academic program into an already vigorous professional and personal life, however, is not a new or novel experience for me. During 2002 to 2004, I managed to study and finish the MSc (Investment Management) program at the HKUST (Hong Kong), while working full-time at my company. To be sure the challenge was tough; my time was taken up with extensive readings of technical textbooks, long hours in discussion with my classmates on group projects, a heavy workload from a typical Asian audit firm, as well as frequent travel between Hong Kong and cities in China. At the beginning, I felt challenged in keeping up with all the demands from both sides. However, I gradually realized that by applying better time-management skills, I could manage both of them rather well. I don't view time-management strategies in the abstract sense; quite the contrary, I utilized concrete time-management strategies such as listing out all the tasks for study and work, prioritizing these tasks according to different criteria, and focusing on the important issues rather than becoming bogged down by minor details or peripheral matters. In the final analysis, I managed to succeed in handling a busy schedule.

Migration Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Migration - Assignment Example Individuals may migrate because of social reasons such as family miss understandings, political turmoil, poverty or the intense desire for adventure. In its content, ‘the Bridge’ journal looks at some of the reasons why gender has been one of the core reasons for migration in many parts of the world. Gender roles, inequalities and relations highly influence migration in the current generation (Jolly S., Reeves H 2005 pg. 1). Gender oppression has been a key fight in many parts of the world. The current system of education provides equal opportunities to all people regardless of their gender. Women have the power to manage big institutions and to own property worth million and billions of dollars. This is unlike in the past where men were the dominant species and women were required only to act like companions and servants of the man. Gender movement erupted from the discovery of various abilities by oppressed parties which include both women and men depending on the envi ronment. It is not logical to say that only women are prone to oppression in the modern world. Every form of gender is prone to oppression that can in turn lead to migration. Migration is currently viewed as a problem caused by development but if deeply analyzed; sex segregation in the world’s labour market is one of the major causes of migration. Policies of gender migration in relation to labour markets provide different opportunities to men and women which at time cause unskilled women to more risky migration conduit (Jolly S., Reeves H 2005 pg. 4). Due to this fact, cases of human trafficking have become common in many parts of the world with Africa and Asia being the most affected regions. Economic imbalance, gender oppression and lack of employment cause many women to be lured into human traffic business with them being the commodity of trade. Their desire for a new

Nectar Fruit Juices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nectar Fruit Juices - Essay Example During the analyses of different elements and factors, there have been several recommendations made which can be beneficial for the officials of NFJ to discuss, follow, and execute them in their December 2011 meeting. One of the main recommendations made in the light of analysis is the introduction of more flavors of nectar fruit juices that intrigue more of the children under 15 years of age, as the analysis has shown majority of the NFJ users to be under 15 years of age. The report will be consisting of 5 sections in total (including the section 1 of introduction). Second section will be presenting analyses of the data collected through the collection of answers of the questions, where the questions will be discussed and analyzed one by one. Third section will be presenting different options that may be considered by the management for key decision making purposes. The fourth section will be presenting the validity of this analysis and describing the use of this report for future r eferences. The final section will conclude the report and will provide general recommendations. 2. Results and analysis This section will present the findings and analysis based upon the answers taken from all the surveyed students. The section will analyze the questions one by one in the form of subsections, where the results will also be mentioned. 2.1. Racial or ethnic group: The students who were chosen to take part in the questionnaire were of different ethnicities as they mentioned in their survey forms. The final data collected from that scheme has been provided in the form of a pie chart below in figure 1: Figure 1: students’ ethnic groups The figure shows that more than half the students were white or European, as the survey was being filled in a European country. Therefore it was highly likely that majority of the participants will belong to the white community. The second major number participants were the Asians. This is because of the immigration of more than 100 million Asians who are residing in different countries of Europe and its normal perception of Asian people to take part in the social activities in Europe. Other people belonged to West Indian, African, or other ethnicities. 2.2. Ratio of male to female participants: As the graph in figure 2 suggests, the ratio of male to female participants who filled the surveys was nearly 55:45, which means almost an equal number of males and females invited to participate and give their views about NFJ. Figure 2: Male to female ratio of participants. 2.3. Drinks per week by the groups: The data shows different age limits and their consumption of drinks on weekly basis. The data shows the average number of drinks that are consumed by the people of different ages. Referring to the figure 3 given below, the people between 6 to 10 years of age consume the largest number of nectar fruit juices, as this suggests that the children are more intrigued by the tastes and flavors in which these juices are available in the market. Figure 3: Percentage of drinks per week groups The figure also shows that the children of 1 to 5 years of age, as well as the teenage from 11 to 20 years of age also consume NFJ more on weekly basis compared to those who are more than 21 years of age. Another important finding in this graph is that around 13% of the people have claimed to never use the nectar fruit juices. There are two points that this analysis will lead the managers to think about. First one is that

Crime and Punishment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crime and Punishment - Assignment Example As a result, countries like America reflect increasing number of prisoners as recorded over the years. However psychologists are still continuing their researches on the causes of crimes and trying to decipher why individuals are entering the criminal justice system (Benson 2003). The basic roles of a prison system include: social isolation and confinement, repentance, punishment and deterrence, protection and reformation. A prison system leads to an isolation of the prisoner from the society such that the man’s violations of the legal system do not affect the lives of the common people. It is expected that he would repent on his wrong deeds if kept isolated. Also, with some pain and suffering, it would create some fears among the criminals. It is also the role of the prison system to protect the society from criminals which can be achieved through captivating the criminals. Reformation is the role that is focused on changing the attitude and mental condition of the individual s such that they do not repeat crimes (Bura 2012). Rehabilitation proves to be an essential role of the prison system since it is the prime motive of the justice system to rehabilitate the individuals who have committed crime. If rehabilitation is not focused, then bad people would only turn into worse. Instead, rehabilitation functions to restore the lives of the criminals by changing their mental condition, health conditions and their attitudes trying to prevent them from committing crimes again. Only then these individuals would be able to live normal lives once they are back into the society (Tanner 2012). Effectiveness of Prisons for Rehabilitation: The Present Day Situation: With the rates of punishment being increased and less focus being given on the resettlement needs of the criminals, the rehabilitation of the offenders in the prison system has become less likely to achieve in the present times. It is observed that most of the prisoners who are released are re-offending an d are taken back to prisons. This reflects the fact that the present day prison system is not proving to be effective in rehabilitating the prisoners and instead turning the mental state into worse through punishment measures (Cavadino 2006). Conclusion: Thus from the above study, it can be realized that although it is the role of the prison to make the criminals realize of their wrongdoings and rehabilitate them such that they can lead normal lives without affecting the society, yet in the present times the prison systems have proved not to be effective enough for rehabilitation of individuals, with their focus being more eon punishing the criminals and not correcting them as is needed. Task 2: Prison Does Not Work: Introduction: Prison punishments have been expected to prevent crimes and correct the mental attitudes of the criminals. Yet in the present times it is observed that prison overcrowding has become one of the major causes of concerns, particularly in countries like the A merica. Similar situation is observed in other countries as well presenting a doubt on whether the modern day prison system works or not (Big Question: Does the modern prison system work? 2013). Prison: The Dominant Form of Punishment: The use of prisons for punishing criminals had been into existence since over 200 years ago. Before

To what extent can russian agriculture companies develop and compete Essay

To what extent can russian agriculture companies develop and compete - Essay Example asing flows of labor.†2 However, it should be noted that globalization is not solely economic in nature but that it also includes cultural, technological, educational and other similar forms of exchanges among nations. Being such, it can be claimed that globalization plays a very integral role in the creation and understanding of the economic impetuses and policies of each and every country in the world today. And it is in this sense that Russia today is no different. It too since the reform period of 1990 to the present is trying to integrate in its economic policies and strategies the demands made by globalization. And this effort is congruent with the sentiment of experts in the fields of economics, business and politics who hold the idea that a global â€Å"exposure may help make the Soviet economy more efficient†3 In recognition of the vast potentiality of Russia in the global market, the researcher deems to look specifically into Russian agricultural sector focusing on AGRICO’s role in the further development of Russian agricultural sector both in local market and in the global sector. And this is done with the hope that despite the humongous problems within the sector which is rooted historically, Russian agriculture together with AGRICO manifest fundamental role of agriculture in Russian economy in particular and in the global economy in general. As stated earlier, this research will primarily focus on Russian agricultural sector with AGRICO as its focal point. In order to be able to clarify the pivotal role of AGRICO in understanding Russia’s effort in achieving global competitiveness in the agricultural sector of the global market, there are four questions which will be addressed. These are: Being such, this research will not touch on the entire Russian economy and politics but will zero-in only its agricultural sector, the researcher does not deny the interconnectedness of all the industries within the economy but for the purpose of

The Concept Of Property In The Philosophy Of The Enlightenment Essay

The Concept Of Property In The Philosophy Of The Enlightenment - Essay Example John Locke is considered one of the precursors of American democracy, and his political concept is based predominantly upon social contract theory and natural rights of human beings. He believed that the state should have legislative and executive power, as well as the right to decide whether to start military actions or not (the right for war and peace). However, it is very important that he refused to grant the state with the right to handle people’s lives and property: according to J. Locke, these two were the natural rights of people, and they could only be restricted if the security of other citizens was endangered. In Locke’s ideal state, therefore, the government could not take property from people, nor could it even collect different kinds of payments without previous agreement of the majority of people (or their representatives) to pay this money. Talking of freedom as the natural condition for all the citizens of his ideal state, John Locke stated that the main natural right of people (the right of property) should necessarily be secured using legal regulations, so that no conflicts arise. Locke believed that the political society is formed by means of concluding a "social contract", and as a result the government is formed which has to be responsible to people: "The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule. The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it." (Chapter IV (Of Liberty), Section 22) All in all, John Locke's idea of state was concluding this social contract that would restrict the freedom of people to a certain extent, but the right of property was viewed by him as the right that can by no means be violated. J. Locke believed that the reason why some people have more property than others is because though all children are born equal, in the process of development some of them get more knowledge and prove to have better abilities, and therefore the result of this labour (property) should not be alienated from its owner. it is very easy to conceive, without any difficulty, how labour could at first begin a title of property in the common things of nature, and how the spending it upon our uses bounded it. So that there could then be no reason of quarrelling about title, nor any doubt about the largeness of possession it gave. Right and conveniency

The Effect Music Has on the Brain Essay Example for Free

The Effect Music Has on the Brain Essay Music has been around for centuries and centuries. We have heard that different types of music can be helpful and harmful. There are so many genres of music out there and it continues to grow. This research will look at studies done on music and how it effects and influences us and the Human Behavior. The Effect music has on the brain There have been many studies done on music and how or if it affects your brain, whether positively or negatively. There is no direct answer to this but we will take a look at why that is and the variety of reasons. years ago, when I became pregnant I tried something that is fairly common amongst new moms that I had heard about. I put on classical music and placed earphones on my belly. Like most moms I did not research the benefits or if what the rumors said were true. The idea behind this method was â€Å"If you play music while you’re pregnant so the baby can hear it, your baby will be smart†. Janet DiPietro a psychologist for the University of California at Irvine says â€Å"There are no studies done on the effects of stimulation before birth on intelligence, creativity, or later development†. However a study has been done on older children in who have had music lessons. Scientists at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, whose research was published in the journal Nature in 1998, say kids who have at least six years of music lessons before the age of 12 learn more words than those who go without. (Robledo). The Psychology of Music â€Å"Studies indicate that music can have profound physical and psychological effects not only on people but also on animals and plants†. (Copley, 2008 sec. 1). In 1997 a high school student by the name of David Merrill conducted a study for his school science project using mice, a maze, and music. There were two types of music used for this study the first being classical music, the second being hard rock. David wanted to see how music would affect the ability to learn new things. David let each mouse run through the maze and timed them using a stop watch to record their initial running times. On average the mice needed a good 10 minutes to find their way through the maze. He separated the mice into groups; the first group of mice was exposed to music of Mozart for ten hours every day for three weeks. The second group of mice listened to the heavy metal music from the group Anthrax for ten minutes as well. The volume was set at seventy decibels, which is about the same level as a vacuum cleaner or a television set from one meter away. The last group of 24 mice served as a control group and was not exposed to any music. What happened was extremely shocking. At the end of each week, David let all the mice run through the maze three times in a row while timing them. Group 3 of the non-musical mice only needed half the time. They completed the maze in five minutes. The Mozart mice completed the maze in one in a half minute!! The Hard Rock Mice stumbled around as if they were drunk, bumping into walls and took a whopping THIRTY minutes to complete the maze. What is even more interesting was this experiment ha to be done twice because the Hard Rock mice in the first experiment showed aggressive behavior and ended up killing each other off. A similar study has been conducted using plants as well. A scientist by the name of Dorothy Retallak conducted a study on plants and the effects different genres of music has on them. She used a group of petunias and separated them into two groups. The first group had a speaker on one side playing classical music for 3 hours of the day, the second group played rock for 3 hours of the day. She found that the petunias that listened to rock music refused to flourish and the petunias who listened to classical music developed beautifully. But that’s not all. In the second week of the experiment the petunias exposed to classical music leaned towards the speaker where the classical music was playing, and the Rocker Petunias did the exact opposite. They actually leaned away from the music and grew unevenly. Within the month the rocker petunias died. We’ve read about the effects that different music can have on animals and plants†¦ but what about the smartest creatures on the planet, I’m referring to you and me, Humans. Music Lyrics Influence on Human Behavior When I was younger I would hear about the older generation talk about â€Å"our music† today and how it has changed. They frowned upon the lyrics and the fast rapping, saggy pant wearing rappers. As a follower of hip hop I felt, they just didn’t understand. It’s not about the lyrics or what they’re saying, I defended; I just like the beat to dance to. But for some reason when I listened to RB like Jodeci, Aaliyah, R. Kelly, etc. , I knew it word for word and wanted to find what they were singing about, â€Å"Your love is one in a million† (Aaliyah, 1996). Personally when I’m having a horrible day I would put on music to make me feel better, something uplifting like gospel, or RB. But when I go out to have a good time and I know I’m about to dance I put on something a little more fast paced and up tempo such as hip hop and rap to get me ready for a night out on the town. The Association for Psychology Science (APS) says that intelligence boys between the ages of 6-15 who took music lessons scored higher on tests of verbal memory than a control group of students without musical training. Also Music is used as a therapy particularly with children who are diagnosed with autism. These children have a hard time interacting with peers and teachers and become annoyed very easily in noisy and changeable environments. Studies show that children with Autism respond very well to music therapy, it helps keep them calm when under duress and helps these individuals socialize effectively. Music Therapy uses musical interaction to help individuals with their cognitive and emotional challenges to improve their ability to function. By interacting with adults and children on the autism spectrum, musical therapists can build skills, lower anxiety, and even develop new communication skills. (Rudy, 2012) I grew up in hip hop and rap and can sing every word to any rap song that comes out on the radio lyric by lyric. But has it had an effect on me? I have been guilty of referring to myself as a â€Å"bad Bitch† which is defined as a hip hop term referring to â€Å"a self-respected, strong female who has everything together. That consists of body, mind, finances, and swagger. Also, a female who does gets hers by any means necessary†. And this is something I picked up from the hip hop generation in 2012. But if I picked this up as an adult what are younger more influential children picking up from this type of music that music that they may hear their older siblings or parents listening to? As a young female hearing the words you may not understand them at the time but once you have a song stuck in your head repetitively you begin to break down some of the phrases. I listen to Lil Wayne who has some of the catchiest beats and punch lines in hip hop. But I don’t hear the clever analogies until the third or fourth time I hear the song. Violent Music Lyrics â€Å"We’re not against Rap, We’re not against rappers, but we are against those thugs† (Lyrics to Bone Thugs and Harmony 1994 hit single Thuggish Ruggish Bone). American Psychological Association reports â€Å"Violent music lyrics increase aggressive thoughts and feelings†. Aggressive thoughts can influence perceptions of ongoing social interactions, coloring them with an aggressive tint. Such aggression-biased interpretations can, in turn, instigate a more aggressive response -verbal or physical than would have been emitted in a nonbiased state, thus provoking an aggressive escalatory spiral of antisocial exchanges. (Anderson, 2003, sec. 5) New hugely popular 17 year old Rapper Chief Keef from Chicago, Illinois raps about Guns, Killing, Gangs and violence. He has a criminal record, is currently on probation for a gun charge and has a huge following in his hometown. The violence rate in Chicago also happens to be the highest it’s ever been. In the first 127 days of 2012, 169 people were murdered in Chicago. â€Å"In Chicago, more than 530 people under the age of 21 have been killed since 2008 and many more have been shot or have otherwise suffered violence—often at the hands of their peers and particularly in the city’s African-American and Latino communities. Nearly 80 percent of youth homicides occurred in 22 black or Latino communities on the city’s South, Southwest and West sides—even though just one-third of the city’s population resided in those communities. The rate of youth homicide in West Englewood on the city’s South Side, for instance, was nearly five times higher than the citywide mark† (The Chicago Tribune reports). You cannot look at these facts and simply think it is a coincidence, if you do so I believe you may be deeply in denial. What I call the 90’s and Millennium babies, aren’t like the 80’s babies of my generation where we could listen to music as feel good music. In this later youth society I feel they cannot differentiate entertainment and real life. They want to live out what they hear and see on music videos and hear on the radio. In Chicago that life is shooting and killing your enemies, keeping it real with a non- remorseful attitude, and welcoming street life. The audience of the music from chief keef ranges from as young as 14 – 21 years of age. The questions of â€Å"where are their parents† always comes up in situations like this, and rightfully so. But that is a whole different article. In conclusion Music can be helpful, therapeutic, sensual and downright good for the soul. But there has and always will be music that reflects what we perceive as violent and or negative. Music is Just like food, what we put into our bodies is what we get out of it. If all you put into your body is poison, you then become poisoned. Vice Versa if you nurture and take of your body with positive nutrients you flourish like the flowers on classical music. You can drink here and there but when you become an alcoholic the damage can be fatal. Mix up your selection its ok to get a little loose with the beat and the rhythm but when you become what you hear. You are what you eat. Music can have an effect on your brain. Weather positive or negative depends on your choice of music, your mental state, and how you perceive the world and the things in it.

The arch Deceiver and Spiv in love Essay Example for Free

The arch Deceiver and Spiv in love Essay In Tony Kytes Tony uses a horse-drawn carriage, so it is expected that he and his family were not poor, but do not own a vast amount of wealth. In Spiv the main character deals on the Black Market, and also appears to be a classy dresser so he owns some amount of money. The way the characters and presented in each story is radically different. Tony Kytes is presented as someone who is looking for a wife and is engaged to Milly, so we expect to find Tony settling down with Milly. The Spiv is presented as someone who takes a small amount of liking to himself. He opens with She was a bit of a drip was old Myra, but absolutely gone on me. Immediately we may think that hes popular with women. He cares a lot about his appearance, and the womens appearance aswell, saying, I cant turn my back on a woman who looks up to me even if I cant bear the sight of her otherwise. He also enjoys a bit of the old flannel, which is flattery, and likes being complimented on his dress sense. Tony Kytes appearance isnt described in as much detail, but he was quite the womens favourite, so we understand he is popular with women. The female characters arent described in as much detail as the main characters, but the females in both stories appear to be lead on by the main characters. In Spiv, Myra is described as someone who he had no intention of sticking with. On one occasion when the spiv is explaining this to Myra, after acknowledging what he says, she goes back to talking about clothes, which is one of his favourite discussion topics, believing she can win him over with it, and it works for so long. In Tony Kytes the females all seem to crave Tonys attention, in particular the character Unity Sallet, who questions Tonys decision to marry Milly. Unity asks him if hes seen anything to complain about, if she is prettier than Milly, and reminds Tony that they have known each other for a long time, since childhood. In Spiv we dont learn much about Eunice, the spivs steady, other than that she was a real classy dresser and different as chalk from Myra. Generally the stories arent intentionally humourous, but do contain small amounts of amusing parts. In the spivs story it is funny to learn how in a rough-house with the Hammersmith Gang, he cares more about his bleedin titfer (his hat) then he does about his black eye. In Tonys story an element of slapstick comedy is used where the three girls are quarrelling in the cart, and as the cart tips over, out roll the three maidens into the road in a heap. Despite the stories not being intentionally humourous, in the end it is amusing how both men struggle to find happiness with more than one woman, and end up with either the woman they started out with in the first place, or alone (in Tony Kytes and Spiv respectively). Both stories are narrated in the first person, and both stories are narrated in a similar style to the dialogue of the characters. In Tony Kytes the narrator uses thee and ee, and in Spiv the story is told by the spiv himself. This technique places a sense of realism in the story, bringing us closer to the story than if the narrative was written in standard English. During the times these stories were set, a womans career was to marry and look after the home. A man leading women on or taking on a couple of women wasnt too uncommon, because the man was, without being too sexist, the dominant sex, and needed to find a good woman to settle down with. Times have changed since then, and so by reading this I find that the behaviour of the main characters is not strictly unacceptable, but immoral. Over the last century, women have become more independent and have earned more respect, and will not be lead on by a man as easily as in the stories. During the times in which they were set it wouldnt have been seen as wrong as such, but still during both settings a woman might have taken offence to either Tonys or the spivs actions. I think that placing the stories into different social and historical contexts would bring out different reactions, but the idea of a woman not being a slave to a male is the issue raised in both stories. Shaun Collier 7/2/2001 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Challenges to the UK Building Industry Regulations

Challenges to the UK Building Industry Regulations Literature Review The Building (construction) industry is complex in nature. It involves several stakeholders with different procedure, process and perception; therefore, there are bound to be conflicts and disputes amongst them. Jaffar et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] noted that a study undertaken by Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998] provided a good reference of the common sources of construction disputes that are likely related to contractual matters, including variation, extension of time, payment, availability of information, quality of technical specification, administration and management, failure to meet clients expectations and determination. Conflict may be as a result of difficulties in communications between individuals, barriers between personal and professional relationships, informal agreements etc. Conflict are also known to produce tension and distraction amongst team members or stakeholders, from performing their agreed task. Gould [Gould] explained that conflict may arise in construction project, and taking adequate steps in avoiding them is very important. Effective communication, identifying objective solutions and avoiding conflict can help in achieving a hurdle-free project lifecycle. In the construction industry, commercially based settlement is frequently used, either in negotiation or by mediation. Time and money can be saved by using a mediator or other ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) process. The literature review of this research will cover the UK building Industry; the building regulations applicable in the UK; causes of conflict and how they can be managed. The UK Building Industry The UK construction industry employs 2.9 million people, approximately 10% of all jobs (in over 280,000 businesses). It contributes nearly  £90bn to the UK economy, 6.7% of the total. The global construction output is expected to increase from around $8.5 trillion today to $12 trillion in 2025. The UK is considered to be the sixth largest green construction sector in the world, with around 60,000 jobs to support the insulation sector alone by 2015 [HM Government]. As stated by HM Government [HM Government], the population of 2.9 million people is divided into the following trades: Executive and managerial 11% Painters and decorators 3% Civil, mechanical, electrical engineers 5% Bricklayers, masons, roofers, tilers 3% Metal, electrical and mechanical trades 10% Architects, town planners, surveyors 6% Carpenters and joiners 7% Plant and machine operatives and drivers 7% Plasterers, glaziers and other trades 5% Plumbers and heating ventilation engineers 5% Other occupations 37% Building Regulations in the UK In the United Kingdom, Building regulations are statutory instruments that ensure that the policies set out in appropriate regulations are carried out as required. Building regulations that are applied across in Scotland are set out in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 while across England and Wales, Building regulations applied are set out in Building Act 1984. The Building regulations for the UK are generally divide into three: England and Wales; Scotland; and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales, the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) is responsible for Building Regulations. The Building regulations legislative framework principally made up of the Building Regulations 2000; and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000. The aim of these regulations is to provide standards for most aspects of buildings construction, including its structure, fire safety, thermal efficiency, sound insulation, drainage, ventilation and electrical safety. Furthermore, Electrical safety was included in January 2005 to reduce the number of fatality, injuries and fire caused by faulty electrical installation [KnaufInsulation]. As stated by England and Wales Planning Portal [UK National Archives], the Building Act 1984 is the primary legislation under which the Building Regulations and other secondary legislation are made. The many powers of the Building Act 1984 include those for: Setting the status of Approved Documents Setting the status of Approved Documents Dangerous structures Demolition of buildings The role of Approved Inspectors Enforcement of Building Regulations Powers of entry to premises etc. As noted in the Building and Buildings, England and Wales The Building Regulation 2010 [Legislation.gov.uk], the regulations covers the following: Control of Building work Notices, Plans and Certificates Supervision of Building Work Otherwise than by Local Authorities Self Certification Schemes Energy Efficiency Requirements Water Efficiency Requirements Water Efficiency Information to be provided by the Person Carrying Out Work Testing and Commissioning Miscellaneous In Northern Ireland, the department of Finance and Personnel (DFPNI) for Building regulations. The Building regulations (Northern Ireland) Order was enacted in 1972, which was subsequently amended in 1978 before finally replaced by the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (as amended 1990). The current regulations are the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009. The Building Regulations set the requirements and standards that can be attained reasonably, having regard for the health, safety, welfare and comfort of people in and around buildings and others affected by buildings or building matters [KnaufInsulation]. The Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA) is responsible for the Scottish building standards system. The Building regulations legislative framework in Scotland is principally made up of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The Scottish Building Standards Agency will work on behalf of Scottish Ministers to [KnaufInsulation]: Promote the health, safety, welfare and comfort of people in and around buildings; Encourage the conservation of fuel and power; and Encourage the achievement of sustainable development. Planning permission are different from Building regulations; they are concerned with appropriate development, the neighbourhoods appearance, and nature of land usage while Building regulations control how buildings are designed and construction (building specifications). Definition of conflicts Most people do not recognise the difference between conflict and dispute. Many scholars have differentiated between the two terms. As defined by Burgess et. al [Burgess and Spangler], Disputes are defined as short-term disagreements that are relatively easy to resolve. Long term, deep-rooted problems that involve seemingly non-negotiable issues and are resistant to resolution are referred as Conflicts. A dispute can result when a claim or assertion made by one party is rejected by other party and that rejection is not accepted [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998]. This shows that a dispute is more likely to occur when the conflicting parties exhibit an action or arguments to a controversy. Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] noted that according to Thomas [Thomas 1992], there are three themes among the definitions of conflict. The first, it is regarded as a perception issue, whether conflict exist or not. The perceived difference may not be real but conversely if the difference is real but not perceived, there is no conflict. The second, there is interdependence among parties (i.e. each has the potential to interfere with the other). Thirdly, there are issues of opposition, blockage and scarcity. Resources (money, power and prestige) are limited. Their scarcity creates blocking behaviour. Conflict and dispute are two distinct notions. Conflict tends to exists where there is incompatibility of interest, and it is pandemic. Conflict can be managed to an extent at which a dispute is avoided to occur from the conflict. Dispute require resolution, and it is associated with defined justiciable issues and third party intervention [Fenn and Lowe 1997]. Costintino and Merchant [Costintino and Merchant 1996] defined conflict as the fundamental disagreement between two parties, of which a dispute is one possible outcome (conciliation, conflict avoidance, or capitulation are other outcomes). Furthermore, conflict is a state rather than a process. Participating parties with different interests, values, or needs may be in a state of conflict, which may be considered to be latent (meaning ignored) or manifest resulting in a form of dispute or disputing process. Therefore, a conflict can exist without a dispute, but a dispute cannot exist without a conflict [Yarn 1996] Conflict can be defined as a social phenomenon which can arise when people interact and pursue common goals. The beginning of a disagreement if often when two people or parties have differing interests and work against one another in order to achieve their set objectives. Furthermore, conflicts only carry destructive potential, they can also offer many opportunities for change, development and innovation [Proksch 2016]. Gorse [Gorse 2003] defined conflict as any divergence of interest, objectives or priorities between individuals, groups or organisation, or non-conformance to requirements of a task, activity or process. Conflict is not only inevitable in the construction industry, it is often desirable. The numerous definitions shows that scholars look at conflicts and disputes from different angles. However, most researchers are of the opinion that conflict and disputes share the same definition that is generally involve disagreement regarding interests or ideas [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998]. This research adopts the view that conflict and dispute are the same. Types of Conflicts Identifying what type of conflict that exist is very important, as it will reduce the risk of tackling the wrong problem. Each conflict has a multitude of different facets. In resolving a conflict, it is often necessary to determine the root cause before solving the actual problem. Depending on the causes, there are six different basic forms of conflict, namely [Proksch 2016]: Circumstantial conflicts Circumstantial conflict are referred to those conflicts that are caused as a result of differing, insufficient or incorrect information, as well as differing interpretations of this information. An example is A car accident resulting in damage to property. Solution to such conflict is normally on factual level: obtaining all required information, clarify all facts, establish agreement on facts assessed and if necessary, employ the assistance of independent experts. Circumstantial conflict is more about who compensates whom for the damages caused and in what amount. Emotions that arises in this type of conflicts usually disappears after clarification of the issue. Conflicts of interest This type of conflict is not about facts but differing interests. For example in a neighbourhood, conflict between a bar owner and a resident due to noise disturbance, the former has a legitimate right to have as many customers as possible. In this context, the bar owner may be required to play loud music. The resident also has a legitimate interest in peace and quiet. It is advisable to identify the respective interest and requirements. These are sometimes not clear by the positions of the parties involved. Once legitimate interest are revealed, it makes it easier to resolve, as requirements are often broadly-based. Consequently, these increases the possibility of various options. Relationship conflicts Relationship conflict is caused by problems of an emotional nature. These conflicts are as a result of feelings like fear, frustration, similar emotions, envy, unmet expectations or reoccurred misunderstandings. Something of value to one person may not be of interest to the other person e.g. punctuality. A relationship conflict may arise amongst parties where one perceive the unpunctuality of the other as a gesture of contempt. The parties involved should be given the opportunity to express their feelings; and the underlying aspirations and needs of each individual should be understood by parties. Conflicts of values Differing ideals and principles clash may result in Conflicts over value. A classic example of this form of conflict is disparate religious norms, but a more general example is when values such as seniority on one side and performance orientation on the other come into conflict. In some cases, both principles in varying degree are valued. Establishing a common value footing will aid conflicts of values resolution. In an event where a common basis for discussion cannot be determined, a decision should be taken at a higher instance or by a court. Structural conflicts This form of conflict does not result from difference between people but from differences in structural factor. There is typically an area of tension between sales and construction areas of a company, a latent conflict, because they set definite priorities and pursue different goals. Another example is the tension that exist between two opposing lawyers in a trial, they engage in conflict with one another based on the logic of the legal system. In search of a solution, It is advisable to focus on the development of regulatory and coordination processes, in a view to constructively manage the permanent tension. Inner conflicts This form of conflict is the world of thoughts and feelings of one person. Everyones desires, goal or role requirements varies; therefore, contradict one another. For example, the thought of Shall I finish the assignment today and get home later, or put it off until tomorrow and have dinner with my family? In this instance, the role of a family person and the role of a professional come into conflict. Open conversation with someone may help in dealing with serious inner conflicts. Figure 1: Types of Conflicts As explained by Gorse [Gorse 2003], conflict can be perceived to be natural, functional and constructive or unnatural, dysfunctional, destructive and unproductive. Challenges, disagreements and arguments relating to tasks, roles, processes and functions, may result from functional conflict which often involves detailed discussion of relevant issues. The advantages of function conflict are: Helping to expose problems; Reduce risks; Integrate ideas; Produce a range of solution; Develop understanding; Evaluate alternatives; and Improve solutions. Unnatural conflict can be defined as where a participant enters into encounter intending the destruction or disablement of the other party. Dysfunctional conflict can be as a result of personal insults, criticism that encourages self-ego and comments that lack regards for others feelings. This type of conflict is not aimed at improving task performance [Gorse 2003]. Causes of Conflict in Construction Industry Conflict develops in multidisciplinary building teams as group members tend to impose their team objectives on others, in order to change others beliefs or actions. Furthermore, conflict may result due to a failure to develop and manage peoples expectations. For example, the inexperience of some clients means that when explaining the construction process, it has be detailed. Explanation should broken-down to their level of understanding. When problem arises and decision need to be made, clients require unbiased and professional responses but this is often inconsistent because information or responses are offered from different professionals. Information from professionals may differ even if they provide the same service because they tend to concentrate on aspects closely associated with their profession, training and experience [Gorse 2003]. Conflicts are often not conspicuous, they are mostly recognisable by their symptoms which may include [Proksch 2016]: Opposition, rejection: The conscious or unconscious attempt to prevent the opponent in achieving his objectives, in the work that is carried out carelessly or information is not communicated. Withdrawal, indifference: The parties involved loses motivation to work as well as the need to open up emotionally. This often referred to as inner resignation. Kumaraswamy [Kumaraswamy 1997] identified 20 common causes of construction conflict and disputes, which are as follows: Failure of respond to issues on time Lack of communication among the team members The mechanism is not clear in providing information Poor management, control and coordination Failure to determine responsibility in accordance with the contract Estimation error Delayed in providing information Design errors and specifications Pictures and specifications are incomplete Calculation of incorrect work progress Lack of experience of consultants Lack of contractor management, supervision, and coordination Delay of jobs Failure of plan and implement change of work The failure to understand the price of the work or the offer price correctly Lack of understanding of the existing agreement in the contract Employment contracts and the complete lack of construction documents The lack of clarity of document in the distribution of work flow Non clarity of terms in the contract documents The big difference in understanding of contracts in foreign languages within the same contract As noted by Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011], Hohns [Hohns 1979] opined that construction disputes have their instinct nature and characteristics; therefore, the sources of disputes will vary from one project to another. In his study, he identified five primary sources of construction disputes that includes existence of errors, defects or omissions in the contract documents, failure of someone to count the cost of an undertaking at the beginning, changed condition, consumer reaction and people involved. Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] explained that conflict causes identified by researchers are summarised into three categories, namely: causes due to behavioural, contractual and technical problems. Conflicts causes due to behavioural problems Human interaction, personality, cultures, perception and professional background amongst team members are common behavioural problems. Other causes of conflicts in human behaviour are individuals ambition, frustration, dissatisfaction, desire or growth, communication and level of power, fraud and faith. It is one thing to lose money in a contractual issue, but it is a lot to lose face. People tend to protect their integrity and pride no matter the cost. Once ones ego involved can survive, disputes tend to be more easily resolved. Everyone wants a better future and the opportunity to increase the self-recognition; therefore, goal realisation and increase of authoritative power will help in resolving disputes. Conflict causes due to contractual problems The stakeholders in a project are governed by a contract which defines their obligation to each other, and also the exchange of construction materials and services for money. MacNeil [MacNeil 1974] defined contract as a promise or the set of promises for the breach of which the law give a remedy or the performance of which the law in some way recognises as a duty. As indicated in a study undertaken by Kumaraswamy Yogeswaran [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998], the sources of construction disputes are mainly related to contractual matters including variation, extension of time, payment, quality of technical specification, availability of information, administration and management, unrealistic client expectation and determination. Standard contract documents in the building industry are guided by codes and regulations. They provide common ground for contractual definitions clarifications, thereby making conflict less likely in construction operations and specific project requirements. Conflict causes due to technical problems Projects come with uncertainty, most times surrounded around the technicality of the project. Technical disputes due to uncertainty are considered as the most common issues. Technical disputes include engineering clarification which is considered as a part of engineering making processes. For example, Request for Information (RFI) which is a tool used for clarifying differences in understanding during project operation, is used to resolve issue onsite before they develop to technical dispute. Such dispute can be resolved by project personnel with appropriate expertise. The engineering decision making process is quite straight forward and reasonably justifiable for all participants. The ways of resolving technical disputes in project management is different from the resolution of contractual disputes during project operations. The design deficiency is generally regarded as being beyond an error of omission. Design error significantly alter the means, methods, environment, duration, or the conditions of the construction process. In the construction industry, design errors are common in foundations, frame and enclosure, and in space utilisation. As explained by Rauzana [Rauzana], Susila [Susila] opined that on one hand the contractors attention is on project completion in accordance with specified schedule and attempt to gain financially, while on the other hand the owner needs excellent asset at economical prices. Each party goal contradict with another; therefore, it may result in circumstances which could lead to conflict. The factors of conflicts are owner, consultants, contractors, contracts and specifications, human resources and project conditions Conflicts in the building industry: Negatives or Positives? Proksch [Proksch 2016] explained that conflict has its negatives and positives, and may consumes valuable resources: time and money. When conflict escalate and develop into power struggle or paralyses an organisation, this becomes a commercial problem. The risk that arises from conflicts in an organisation affect various areas, which are as follows [Ref. 6]: Stress and pressure on employees: Conflict experienced by participant are often stressful and are associated with anxiety, aggression, excessive demands, lack of esteem and similar feelings. Decline in productivity may be as a result of stress, which may further cascade to demotivation, inner resignation and absenteeism spread. Fragmentation of teams: Communication behaviour between opponents is passive or aggressive. Participants are disparaged and increasing value may be placed on allies. Avoiding or insulting each other arises. In some cases, it may result in deception, theft, sabotage and hostile behaviour. Unproductive usage of time: The time that should be spent on carrying out work is taken up by conflicts. Colleagues focus more on talking about the conflict, speculating about causes and relationship, people blaming each other or scheme, seeking information, inflict agony on one another, etc. Staff turnover and sick leave: Lengthy conflicts results in higher levels of absenteeism due to stress or sickness. Chronic unresolved conflict are suggested to cause up to 90% of dismissals as well as in at least 50% of employee resignations. Running costs increases as a result of staff losses, recruitment and training of new employees. The comments above does not mean that conflicts are principally negative. As earlier noted, conflict has its advantages as well. Conflicts are perceived as the rule of human co-existence; the way it is being manage determines how successful organisations are in solving their problems, and consequently in protecting their future. Conflicts have positive aspects, which are as follows [Proksch 2016]: Conflicts indicate problems: Problems or misunderstandings become visible and noticeable through conflicts. Tension between participants is an indicator of Need for Action. Conflicts trigger change: Conflicts provide opportunity for change. At this point, actions or decisions are taken to trigger change and thereby prevent deadlock. Conflicts arouse interest and curiosity: Conflicts encourages great enthusiasm to human co-existence. They would lead to tension, curiosity, fostering interest and stimulating the search for creative new solutions and innovations. Conflicts strengthen relationships: When conflicts are successfully overcome by both sides, they provides enduring relationships. Friendship tend to get stronger when they go through through and thick and finally settle their differences. Conflict free relationships are often cursory. Frictions will produce understanding amongst participants which will improve trust. Conflicts strengthen group cohesion: Having constructive debate will result in knowing preferences, strengths and weaknesses of colleagues or participants. Making it easier to develop trust and to recognise ones weaknesses. Conflict Management in Organisations Proksch [Proksch 2016] noted that the survey carried out by the working group Internal Mediation concluded that methods of conflict management can be reduced to four basic forms. In attempting to settle conflict, the parties to the disputes can be separated or brought together. However, attempts can be made to resolve the conflict on an issue-related or individual -related basis. The four basic forms of conflict management are as follows: Separative measures Issue related measures Integrative measures Individual related measures TraditionalComplementary Figure 2: The four forms of conflict management [(Proksch 2016)] Separative Measures Separative measures are focused on separating the parties, thereby eliminating the conflict. Examples of this are dismissal or transfer of an employee or employees from their work base to other locations of the organisation. Another example is where the Project manager in a conflict with the site engineer, one of them is transfer to another location to avoid issues. These forms are often used and constitute a classic form of conflict management, whereby existing conflicts are made to vanish from the face of the earth relatively quickly and effectively [Proksch 2016]. Proksch [Proksch 2016] suggested that if a similar conflict arises frequently, that means it is probably a structural conflict. Therefore, the conflict is not related to the person but to his/her organisation and the management system. On this occasion, it is advisable to apply an integrative form of conflict management to get to the root cause. Issue-Related Measures Issue Related Measures is implemented where the organisational or technical solution is sought independently of the conflict participants. First step is to identify the mistake and analyse it; then draw up regulations, guidelines or standards aimed at preventing the recurrence of the same conflict. In the construction industry, regulations, guidelines and standards that are in relation to the industry and tasks should be consulted. Effective tools such as work procedures, organisational chart, procurement procedures, business process models and so forth should be used to organise the way in which people work together. An example of issue related measure is increasing scarce resources, and they are a frequent cause of conflict. The basis of the conflict is eliminated as result of the lower degree of mutual dependency when the bottleneck is removed. These methods are bound to be successful if the conflict is caused by unclear guidelines or boundaries or when assignment are not explicit thereby resulting in misinterpretation. Method fails when the causes are perceive to be only a pretext, and other underlying problem such as personal issues or organisational culture are the main causes. Individual Related Measures Individual Related measures focuses on seeking solution at an individual level. Sometimes personal discussions are conducted or coaching offered to the affected individual. If the conflict cannot be resolved through discussions, the task of resolving the conflict may be delegated to someone. Disagreements by the categorisation of events into good or bad, right or wrong make it easily to resolve. The judicial system operates on this principle in order to ensure order and security. In the professional context, this approach has its shortfall because conflicts do not only arise on individual level but a large number of influencing factors play a role together that result in conflict: organisational frameworks, customs, power structures or limited resourc

The Club Culture Essay -- Hip Hop Dancing Cultural Essays

The Club Culture The club culture-hundreds of thousands of young people across the country, covered in sweat and rhythmically throbbing to a beat- has long been filled with stigmas and stereotypes; the idea that hip-hop music is only for people of African descent, or solely for the "impoverished youth" as Dale Kleinschmidt, an ex-DJ and amateur break dancer from Dallas, puts it, has been a common view associated with the hip-hop scene by the masses. Dale got interested in break dancing because, as he says, "he wanted to look cool." In the beginning, the idea of being able to break dance was funny to him- he had already been involved in the dance scene, but he had never been a b-boy, he just DJed. A lot of Dale's interest in the dance aspect of the clubs came from his DJing experiences. Dale really started dancing when he met up with a group of Hispanic kids- that he had known from the scene already- and discovered that they had formed a break dancing crew. They decided to take Dale "under their wings." The fact that the Hispanic kids were the ones dancing, and that they were so accepting of Dale- a middle-upper class white kid- says a lot about the falseness of the racial stereotypes involved in the scene. "& it's a very embracing culture," says Dale, "which a lot of people find surprising, but if you go out there no one's gonna give you crap for trying& " According to Dale, the only people that the club kids typically dislike are the ones that detach themselves from the scene. "& say you go to a club and just sit in the back corner, or you just try to hit on girls, that's fine, but the break dancers are probably just gonna look down on you& " The thought that a person should interact in any of what Dale calls "the fou... ...petitive nature of the scene-but the fact remains that the break dance circles seem to be filled with masculine face. Despite the stereotypes I have heard about the hip-hop culture, and the apparently male-dominated scene, after my interview with Dale I would have to dispel those accusations. Of course there will be "purists" as Dale said, and people who believe that they deserve more respect because they have been involved in the scene longer, but in the bigger view, the dance culture seems to be one of the most accepting scenes that exists. If you have a genuine interest in the culture, as in anything, there is no reason that you shouldn't attempt to take part in it. The scene from the beginning was a do-it-yourself scene, and in break dancing there are no rules. Get out there and do what you want- if you honestly respect the scene you should have no problems.

Fixing the American Justice System Essay -- Criminal Justice Crime

Fixing American Justice In Lynn, a car pins a woman against a wall. The driver is charged with driving drunk for the third time. In Quincy, a pregnant mother is rushed to a hospital and her baby delivered by an emergency operation. Police say she was hit by a man already convicted of drunk driving four times. In Springfield a fifteen year old girl is crushed by a man who has been convicted of drunk driving almost a dozen times and has even served a prison term for it. She will never walk with her own legs again. This is only a small part of the small state of Massachusetts in our large country And sadly this is not just with drunk driving. Within less then 3 years, 5% of all convicted and released rapists will carry out another rape. Within the next 3 years 2% of all convicted murders will achieve another murder. The 272,111 offenders discharged in 1994 had accumulated 744,000 charges within 3 years of release. Criminals everywhere are stepping up as they find loopholes in our American justice system. Cali fornia has even instated a state wide repeat offender program. Why is the r...

Management of Old-growth Forests in the Pacific Northwest Essay

Management of Old-growth Forests in the Pacific Northwest When westward expansion brought settlers to the Northwest in the 1800s, they discovered that coniferous trees â€Å"forty feet in circumference [that] shot two-hundred feet straight up† flourished in the forests of the Pacific coast (Ervin 55). These early pioneers found the opportunity for economic growth in logging these vast forests of towering trees unlike any they had seen before. Today, the timber industry still remains the backbone of economic support for Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California, but an inevitable conflict has arisen between humans and our environment. A struggle over the control of the use of the old-growth forests threatens the balance of the ecosystem and the stability of the economy in the Pacific Northwest. Each year, 55,000 acres of Northwest forest land succumb to chainsaws to feed the ever-increasing foreign and domestic demands for lumber (Time 21). To profitably satisfy these demands, old-growth trees, those of two hundred years or more, are sought by Northwest logging companies. At this rate, environmentalists believe the unique ecosystem created by old-growth forests is in danger of being destroyed. To protect the old-growth forests and the plants and animals found there, a reduction must be made in the amount of old-growth trees logged each year. Yet reducing the amount of logging in the Pacific Northwest decreases the current number of jobs involved in harvesting the forests and the revenue received by both the companies and the government for their processed logs. To fully understand the current conflict over the old-growth forests, we must look at what each side stands to lose and then suggest a possible balanced sol... ...reach an agreement before it is too late. At our current rate of logging, the old-growth forest, its ecosystem, and its loggers will disappear in less than 15 years (Watkins 12). References Abate, Tom. â€Å"Which bird is the better indicator species for old-growth forest?† Bioscience Jan. 1992: 8-9. Carey, Andrew, Janice Reid, and Scott Horton. â€Å"Spotted Owl Density in Northwest California.† Journal of Wildlife Management 54.1 (1990): 11-18. Davis, Phillip A. Congressional Quarterly 4 Sept., 1991: 2611-12. â€Å"Environment’s Little Big Bird.† Time 16 April 1990: 21. Ervin, Keith. Fragile Majesty. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1989. Gup, Ted. â€Å"Owl vs. Man.† Time 25 June 1990: 56-65. Satchell, Michael. â€Å"The Endangered Logger.† U.S. News and World Report 25 June 1990: 27-29. Watkins, T. H. â€Å"The Boundaries of Loss.† Wilderness Spring 1991: 12-16.