The Art Of Fear Essay Example For Students

The Art Of Fear Essay Fear is a pestilence. It poisons the mind, and paralyzes the body. It can easily mutate taking on the forms of paranoia and even phobias. It can manifest into an epidemic, spreading like a wildfire throughout our society. When put into natural situations, fear can act as a safety mechanism, which advises us to keep clear from danger, but when fear is manipulated by the wrong mediums, it can cause more harm than good. What exactly is fear, and can one really put a single definition to it? The definition of fear is universal, varying from one culture to another. Simply put, fear is in the mind of the beholder, its an art in and of itself. In American culture, the media, which I often refer to as the Powerhouse of Mass Manipulation, likes to dictate what we should fear-I call this constructed fear. We will write a custom essay on The Art Of Fear specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now These suggestions may range from fear of being overweight to your neighbor might be a terrorist. Speaking of terrorists, George Bush (haha get it?) used the fear of further terrorist attacks and weapons of mass destruction to fuel his tirade in Iraq. The American people blindly supported him and his war due to fear for their own safety. Only now, does the majority of Americans see through his smoke and mirrors when he comes out of Iraq empty handed. Perhaps Bush should have done his homework, he would have stumbled across the infamous Adolph who used the same trick, only he was successful. Unbelievably, there is such a thing good fear, such as the fear of God. Those who fear God obey his rules, and obeying his rules means living a morally clean life. In other words, no harm comes from this fear. Another example is the fear of the authorities, those who fear the police dont commit crimes, thus keeping out of jail. There is also a level of respect that comes with fearing God and the Police; when people rebel against these forces it not only shows disrespect but the fact that they do not fear someone higher then themselves. Fear can also be contagious. Take for example this passage from Grendel Grendel begins to shriek in pain and fear; the sound terrifies all who hear it. Grendel is the one who initially feels the fear, but his reaction caused those around him to be terrified, thus inflicting indirect fear. In England, 1485 a plague called the Sweat swept the land claiming thousands of lives, some that could have been spared. This unique sickness killed quickly, it had the characteristics of a severe fever. It was said that to avoid becoming sick, one should remain calm and keep from over perspiring. Now, this sounds simple, but many who have heard of this sickness began to panic, only thinking they were sick when they were fine. Ultimately, they stressed themselves out with the fear of dying and ended up dead. Theres nothing worse than death by irony. Fear is an illness that has sickened humanity from the beginning of time. Until society can learn to be more tolerant of things that were unfamiliar with, such as other cultures, constructed fear may remain with us for some time. Initially, fear was meant to be a tool used to maintain order, and keep us safe. Used correctly, we can live orderly, however, abused and it can be more destructive than any weapon of mass destruction.

Research Paper on Snowboarding

Research Paper on Snowboarding Snowboarding is a new sport that is very challenging and is attracting new fans all around the world. Snowboarding has really changed since it was first invented. It has become one of the fastest growing sports in America and the world. People everywhere including me are waiting for the snow to get a chance to go snowboarding. Snowboarding is the cross between surfing and skateboarding. Snowboarding has evolved into a great new sport but when it was first invented in the early 1900’s it was thought to be a child’s toy. Since that time it has changed from a child’s sport to a new competitive sport that features men and woman. Now days there are many competitions for snowboarding. Some people saw snowboarding as an alternative to surfing, skiing, and skateboarding. People who couldn’t buy surfing boards like Jake Burton used snowboarding as an alternative. It was a new sport and cheap to buy a snowboard. People who liked skateboarding saw snowboarding as a new sport that they could make their mark on. Nobody knows who invented the snowboard but in 1929 M.J. â€Å"Jack† Burchett invented one of the first snowboards. He cut out a piece of plywood and tried to secure his feet with some clothesline and horse reins. Thirty years later the next step in snowboarding was taken when Sherman Poppen, a chemical gases engineer invented â€Å"The Snurfer† as a toy for his daughter. Poppen made the â€Å"Snurfer† by bounding two skis together and putting a rope at the nose, so that the rider could hold it and keep it stable. Soon many of his daughter’s friends wanted a â€Å"Snurfer† too. So Poppen licensed his idea to a manufacturer and in 1966 â€Å"The Snurfer† sold over half a million times. In 1979 Poppen left the snowboarding business after Burton came up with the bindings and went back to his old profession. Another inventor was Jake Burton who became interested in snowboarding after taking part in Poppen’s â€Å"Snurfer† competitions that Poppen organized. His parents wouldn’t buy him a surfboard so riding the â€Å"Snurfer† was a new cool thing to do. In 1977 after he finished college Burton moved to Londonderry, Vermont to make money building different types of the Snurfer. He made his first boards out of laminated hardwood. While at a Snurfer competition in 1979 Burton shocked everyone by using his new board which had the first binding. The new binding made a big difference for handling the board and the binding made it easier for him to beat the other riders. In 1969 Dimitrije Milovich started making snowboards after he got the idea from sliding down a hill on a cafeteria plate in college. His snowboards were based on surfboards combined with the way skis work. In 1972 Dimitrije started a new company called â€Å"Winterstick†. He produced lots of snowboards and even got articles in magazines like â€Å"News Week†, â€Å"Playboy†, and â€Å"Power† which gave snowboarding lots of notoriety. In 1980 Milovich left the snowboarding business. He was still known as a very important pioneer of the sport. At the same time that Jake Burton was producing his snowboards Tom Sims produced his first snowboards in 1977. Sims was an avid skateboarder who made a â€Å"snowboard† in a junior high school shop class. He made his out of carpet wood and aluminum. He glued some carpet to the top of a piece of wood and put an aluminum sheeting on the bottom. He started making snowboards in 1977 in his garage with his friend and employee Chuck Barfoot. Barfoot actually made the boards and came up with the â€Å"Flying Yellow Banana†. It was a skateboard deck on top of a plastic shell with skegs. During 1980 Sims signed a skate-snowboarding deal with a big company Vision Sports. Signing the deal helped Sims get out of his financial problems but his friend Barfoot was left out and tried to go into business for himself but couldn’t compete with big competitors like Sims and Burton. The first modern competitive snowboarding contest took place in Leadville, Colorado in 1981. Then snowboarding competition took off from there and became world wide. In 1982 the first national snowboarding race was held in Suicide Six, outside of Woodstock, Vermont. Because of the conditions of the hill the goal of the race appeared to be mostly just surviving the race. The race was on a steep icy downhill run called â€Å"The Face†. Paul Graves put it on and Tom Simms and Jake Burton competed. Doug Bouton wins first place overall. This race marked the last time that snowboards and snurfer’s raced together. In 1983 Jake Burton puts on the national snowboarding championships in Snow Valley. A couple of months later Tom Sims holds the inaugural World Snowboarding Championships at Soda Springs Ski Bowl in Lake Tahoe. That contest featured the first contest with a half pipe. In 1986 the World Snowboarding Championships move from Soda Springs to Colorado. In 1986 a new European snowboarding generation is launched. Then the Europeans began to organize their own regional events like the Swiss Championships in St. Moritz. In 1987 a group of riders and manufacturers form N.A.S.B.A. who’s main goal is to create a unified World Cup tour with the Europeans. In 1988 N.A.S.B.A. got its wish and the first world cup was held in both Europe and the United States. On a interesting note one million dollars is spent on the Victoria World Cup in Japan. It was the most expensive snowboarding contest ever. In 1994 everybody was happy because snowboarding was declared a Winter Olympic sport. It was finally accepted as a real competitive sport. In the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan it was the first time ever that snowboarding was in the Olympics.

Design Principles and Applications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Design Principles and Applications - Assignment Example A client brief is, therefore, a rough draft or sketch of the project design that the architect uses in making sure that the client’s preference in designing is not compromised or lost completely. Generally, clients’ make their requirements list to be met by the architect without much professional information and they are usually faulty but not always a waste of time. Client-oriented designers and architects always consider having the clients requirements incorporated in the final design. The need for the client brief is to ensure that the project is clearly thought out between the client and the architect, with reflections, information, budgeting, and assessments easily facilitated for the project. Involvement of the client makes sure that discontent is eliminated at the earliest possible instance and clarifications sought well enough to facilitate the development of a good design. In this case, Moulton College will be required to submit a client brief which does not necessarily have to be very complicated. Enough information and detail should be availed of the design requirements for the farm manager’s house. To ensure that the designers’ ideas based on professional principles are in congruence with the clients’ needs and specifications, the clients’ are assisted by the designers in understanding some design concepts. While it is not possible to have all clients’ needs incorporated due to some technicalities, some requirements may be useful in the design when the designer understands them. â€Å"Firming up the brief† involves the understanding of the clients’ specifications in the design work. Communication and effectiveness of the client brief are faced by some challenges which both the client and architect should be prepared for in case they arose. Designers and architects have a higher propensity to ignore and assume the input of a client in the design.  

Number theory and RSA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Number theory and RSA - Essay Example At this stage, the message is sent to the recipient, for the receiver to get the clear message, the message is decrypted back to original plaintext. The whole process usually rely on a key, this key give a way to encrypt the message by the sender and a way for the listener to figure out what the message says (decrypt). This can be enabled with the use of the old cryptosystem which used the symmetric keys or the newly and more advanced public key cryptosystem. In symmetric keys one had to possess the key that was used to encrypt the message so as to decrypt back the message at the other end; but for the public key cryptosystem knowing the message does not mean one can decrypt the message (Stinson, 2006). For example, the trapdoor function; in this idea, a function ? is for encryption, so, to decrypt one has to find the inverse, ; which is difficult to find, this means that even if you have ? and you understand the output is A, it is still hard to find (A). However, if it happens that you know k, (extra piece information that acts as a lever that lets the inverse fall through by opening the trapdoor), then from ?, A and k one can easily come up with (A), so in this system k is kept secret but the whole message can be displayed or heard by anyone and it does not pose any threat because nobody can decrypt the message. Number Theory In Number theory, theorems have been derived to explain the public key cryptosystem and the key exchange problem (Martin J. Erickson, 2008). Some studies introduce the sage commands to aid in performing basic number theorems such as Euler’s phi function and greatest common divisor. This happens when coding the algorithms and functions, but mathematically it is not a requirement as we will notice in the examples. In definition, integers greater than 1, and their positive divisors are only 1 and itself, then that is a prime number, otherwise if not then it is a composite number (Martin J. Erickson, 2008). The fundamental theorem of arithmetic is the base equation when dealing with number theory is; n The greatest common divisor of k and m, (gcd (k, m)), is the largest number that can divide both k and m. this two positive integers greater than 0 are relatively prime if gcd (k, m) =1. This can be shown by the extended Euclidian algorithm below (T. H. Cormen, 2001), Input: k, m Output: (d, x, y) subject to d=gcd(k,m) and kx + my = d d=k; t=m; x=1; y=0; r=0; s=1; While (t>0) { q = _d/t_ u=x-qr; v=y-qs; w=d-qt x=r; y=s; d=t r=u; s=v; t=w } return (d, x, y) In the above algorithm, these Invariants were used gcd(k,m)=gcd(d,t) kx + my = d kr + ms = t using the Chinese Reminder Theorem(CRT) (Loxton, 1990), we Let m1, m2, ,,, mk be integers subject to gcd(mi, mj) = 1, i j, and †¦ This means that there exist a unique solution modulo m= and this solution is given by (a1, a2,†¦ ak) = (? ) mod m, Where = m /, and = mod This idea can be proven by these four steps; 1. Set M = 2. Find such that + = 1(this is a Bezou t). 3. Note that = 1 if j 4. Therefore, the solution to the system equation becomes: Mentioned above is the Bezout’s Identity, which is a property in the greatest common divisor (Martin J. Erickson, 2008). The Bezout’s identify states that for any two natural numbers k and m, there exist integers x

Systems and Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Systems and Operations Management - Essay Example Competition has progressed from one that is based on specific organisational practises to one that is highly influenced by the supply chains of an organization. Supply chain management has been conceptualized into five dimensions that posses the potential to determine the competitive advantage of a business especially in the manufacturing sector. Supply chain dimension are the determinant factors that influences the excellence of a specific supply chain model adopted by a company specifically in the chemical specialty sector. These dimensions include but are not limited to alignment of the overall business strategies and the supply chain strategy and the execution of such strategies. Strategic depth of every supply chain management plan also forms an important element of supply chain dimension that a company must consider. All the steps taken in enhancing the competitiveness of a business targets the customers who must register utmost satisfaction with the supply chain performance, a n important dimension in strategic management of supply chains. Proper supply chain management also creates competitive advantage by providing the link between demand creation and demand fulfilment by improving the ability of a business to design its products based on the desires and tastes of the customers. ... Speciality chemicals include materials such as adhesives, agrichemicals, polymers, fragrances, food additives and surfactants. As products that are majorly used based on the basis of their performance and function, supply chain management plays a significant role in the development of proper products that can suit the demands of other industries and individuals. Speciality companies belong to different associations depending on their country of origin and the nature of products that they generally produce. In the United Kingdom, speciality industries belong to the British association of chemical specialties while American version is the society of chemical manufacturers and affiliates. Apex industrial chemicals is a British based company with its headquarters in Aberdeen and supplies companies and individual client’s different products for use in specific specialty industries. The products manufactured by the company include cleaners, degreasers, scale dissolvers, lubricants, corrosion preventives and hand care products. The products form Apex industrial chemicals targets players in other industries including the vehicle exterior cleaning and maintenance, electrical equipment maintenance and fabrication and engineering among others (Berning et al, 2002). Apex also manufactures products that targets offshore marine companies that are used in mining and offshore oil drilling. The widespread market presence of AIC across Europe and other parts of the world can be attributed to the sound supply management strategy that the company has employed. This has enabled the company to manufacture products that meets the demands and specifications of the clients found within different sectors of the economy. Example would be low cost

Social, Political and Economic Impacts of Thatcher

Social, Political and Economic Impacts of Thatcher There is little doubt that the Thatcher administration had a social, political and economic impact on Britain during its years of reign. The push for privatisation of the public sector, the subsequent unemployment, and the drive to divert housing away from the control of the state and into the control of private parties are, among others, the key events that shaped the influence that Thatcherism had on the British public. It has often been argued that the concept of Thatcherism goes against the grain of traditional Conservative political thought since the end of the Second World War in 1945, and that Thatcher’s â€Å"New Right† set out challenge the elements of classic liberalism that were traditionally embraced by the Tory’s up to her victory in 1979.[1] However, others have also argued that Thatcher’s New Right still embraced one key factor of traditional Tory political thought: the concept of tradition.[2] The most accurate definition of the New Right s chool of thought is the fact is combines elements of both liberalism (the need for freedom) and traditionalism (the preservation of concepts of heritage) into a new form of ultra-conservative thinking, which is said to have first come to prominence during Ronald Reagan’s election to the White House in 1980.[3] Thatcher’s foreign policy embraced the US as a close ally during Reagan’s presidency, and as such they shared political thoughts and ideas on certain issues.[4] The Thatcher government is attributed as being responsible for the reformation of the labour market during the 1980’s. One main method of achieving this was through the reformation of the income tax system, which dropped the top marginal tax rate for the extremely wealthy.[5] The basic tax rate was cut from 33% to 25%, and the top tax rate was reduced from 83% to 40%.[6] This reduction in taxes is said to have lead to an increase in big business and skilled workforce interest in Britain, rather than having to shift their operations offshore to avoid the high taxes. Having large business back in Britain, set up through the encouragement of a foreign skilled workforce to set up in Britain through lower income tax, meant that the economy would subsequently strengthen due to an increased import/export market and foreign trade deals, regardless of the fact that the government would initially lose up to half its revenue from the top marginal tax bracket. The labour market also faced a shake-up in terms of union involvement, with Thatcher legislating extensively to restrict their involvement in industrial relations, and effectively disabling their ability to call strikes.[7] This meant that the common man’s rights at work were severely challenged by the Thatcher legislative agenda, thereby effectively distancing government from the middle to working classes of British society. This is somewhat contradictory to her proclamation that, upon arriving to Downing Street, her vision was of an â€Å"open, classless Britain†.[8] Rather it could be argued that, in some areas at least, her agenda has somewhat reinforced the class system in Britain, and created a breed of ‘working poor’ class, where encouragement to own property and shares has lead to the inability to create free capital, on which a family can survive. Thatcher also believed that state ownership of many companies was hampering growth in other sectors. Famous firms such as Cable Wireless, British Aerospace, British Petroleum, Rover, British Airways, and British Telecom are now quite largely owned by the public, as well as basic suppliers of gas, electricity, water, telecommunications, road and rail.[9] With the transfer from public to private enterprise meant subsequent deregulation of those companies, allowing them to make changes to the company as their respective boards of directors saw fit. This also could be argued to mean that many employees would no longer be government employees that were provided with government benefits, such as generous superannuation contributions. Rather, superannuation would be at the discretion of the employer, and those that did not receive such benefits would be reliant upon the welfare of the state come unemployment or retirement. This is especially relevant where a mandatory retirement age is enf orced. Again, this further demonstrates the position of the Thatcher administration in terms of providing for middle to lower classes of British society, and only looking out for those that are wealthy enough to own stock in such privatised companies (20% of Britons in 1990, compared with 7% in 1979).[10] Interestingly, under Thatcher in 1980, the Royal Family was given an increase in its allowance from the British government by several million pounds, while cuts in expenditure were being made in most other areas![11] Britain began to pay a price for Thatcher’s cost cutting and privatisation during the 1980s. While the Thatcher administration had inherited high inflation from the preceding Heath Labour government,[12] methods still had to be put in place to control this. Within a few years, inflation was down to 5%, however as a result of strict money control as a method of control, unemployment had risen to around 3 million (or 6%) in the mid 1980s.[13] However, 70% of the British public now owned their own homes, which promoted Thatcher’s importance of personal wealth as a fundamental policy.[14] The economy was favoured over infrastructure and social welfare, with roads and railways showing â€Å"signs of neglect† and homelessness having â€Å"visibly increased†.[15] An example of Thatcher’s favouritism towards the economy is demonstrated by the Local Government Bill 1988, which would have made it illegal to promote homosexuality, or to promote the teaching of homosexuality in any school.[16] It could be argued that this Bill was introduced in the wake of a perceived AIDS epidemic that was striking Britain at the time[17] and, rather than spending money to combat this problem through social welfare programs, it seemed much more economically sound to eradicate the problem at a political level. This again demonstrates the distance between the Thatcher government and the social sphere of Britain, also considering proposals in terms of their ‘pounds-and-pence’ value, and not at a grassroots social level. Upon considering various commentaries and statistical data on the issue, it become clear that the success of the Thatcher administration from 1979-1990 can only best be judged in a two-pronged sense: economically and socially. From an economist’s (and upper class) perspective, it is clear that the Thatcher government achieved success in stabilising the British economy and made life in Britain generally more appealing for those of a higher socio-economic status. This was highlighted by the push for people to own their own homes, own stock portfolios and the ability for people in the highest tax bracket to retain 43% more of their earnings. This is in stark contrast to those of middle to working class populations, where the basic tax rate was cut by a mere 8%, union representation was cut and state-owned enterprise was sold to the public, creating a deregulated corporate anarchic sphere. This meant unemployment rates rose, due to the government having less ability to undertake r emedial programs in the formerly state-owned companies, such as job placement. Rather these people became reliant upon the welfare of the state, which was lacking due to the â€Å"classless† approach of the Thatcher government. In short, Thatcherism is critical of any form of post-war political thought in Britain up until the victory in the 1979 election, due to the ‘one nation’ approach of the New Right. From an economic perspective, it was a godsend. From a socialist’s perspective, it has its flaws. But there is no disputing the fact that Thatcher has left a lasting legacy in British political thought, one which continues in part today through Tony Blair’s New Labour. So what of the future? With the rise of big business, one would assume that corporate deregulation and denationalisation will continue in the future, putting more peoples’ jobs at risk. However, the Labour government have traditionally taken a kind view towards the working man and their union representations. So will this mean more rights for the common man? Only time will tell Bibliography Books Barker, R, Political Ideas in Modern Britain: In and After the 20th Century (1997, 2nd ed), Routledge, London. Hickson, K (ed), The Political Thought of the Conservative Party Since 1945 (2005), Palgrave MacMillan, Hampshire. Marquand, D and Seldon, A, The Ideas that Shaped Modern Britain (1996), Fontana Press, London. Robertson, D, The Penguin Dictionary of Politics (1993, 2nd ed), Penguin, London. Journal Articles Hitchens, C, ‘This Thatchered Land, This England’ (1980) 231 Nation 3. Nelan, B, ‘A Legacy of Revolution’ (1990) 136 Time 24. Stelzer, I, ‘What Thatcher Wrought’ (1992) Public Interest 107. Legislation Local Government Bill 1998 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/Ukpga_19880009_en_5.htm Footnotes [1] Kevin Hickson (ed), The Political Thought of the Conservative Party Since 1945 (2005), 28. [2] Rodney Barker, Political Ideas in Modern Britain: In and After the 20th Century (1997, 2nd ed), 224. [3] David Robertson, The Penguin Dictionary of Politics (1993, 2nd ed), 348-9. [4] Ibid, 460. [5] David Marquand and Anthony Seldon, The Ideas that Shaped Modern Britain (1996), 154. [6] Bruce Nelan, ‘A Legacy of Revolution’ (1990) 136 Time 24, 66. [7] Nelan, as above n 6. [8] Ibid. [9] Irwin Stelzer, ‘What Thatcher Wrought’ (1992) Public Interest 107, 33-6. [10] Nelan, as above n 6. [11] Christopher Hitchens, ‘This Thatchered Land, This England’ (1980) 231 Nation 3, 72-3. [12] Hickson, as above n 1, 42. [13] Ibid. [14] Nelan, as above n 6. [15] Ibid. [16] Local Government Bill 1988 (UK), s 2A. [17] Stelzer, as above n 9, 49.

Minimum Wage in the United States Essay

A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly wage that employers may legally pay to employees or workers. The debate over minimum wage in the United States has been ongoing for over 100 years. It is a hot topic in labor, human interest, and especially in economics. Is the minimum wage too low? Is it too high? Should we have one at all? Does having a minimum legal wage help those who it is intended to help, or does it actually make them worse off? Theses questions are asked on a daily basis by interested parties. While there may not be one definitive correct answer, there are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue, and those who represent their â€Å"side† are passionate about their opinions. This is one of a few social topics about which people are generally not indifferent. Much of the adult workforce in the United States has worked a minimum wage job at some point in their career, so we can easily relate to the challenges that face today’s minimum wage workers. This paper is not intended to solve the debate over minimum wage, nor will it attempt to persuade the reader in one direction or the other regarding what should be done concerning minimum wage. The pages that follow will present a brief history of the minimum wage debate in the United States, and then present some of the arguments offered by both sides of the debate. A Brief History of Minimum Wage Although New Zealand was the first country to formally enact minimum wage legislation in 1896,[i] the United States was one of the first major industrialized nations to set a national wage floor for their workers. For decades during the industrial revolution, workers in the United States endured work environments that consisted of long hours, dangerous working conditions, and low wages. Small movements to develop a national minimum wage by labor unions and activist groups were met with predictable resistance from business people, and ultimately struck down by the U. S. Supreme Court. [ii] Finally, in 1938 President Roosevelt and Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. This act was intended to alleviate some of the poor working conditions that mostly women and young children were subject to. Additionally, this act imposed a federally mandated minimum wage of $0. 25 per hour, with some exceptions. [iii] There have been subsequent pieces of legislation that continue to address and improve workers’ rights since that time, focusing more on quality of life issues rather than eliminating abuses by employers. Additionally, individual states now have the right to enact their own minimum wage, so long as it is no lower than the federally mandated minimum wage. Since 1938, the national minimum wage has been raised 21 times, most recently in 2009, and is currently $7. 25 per hour. Today, more than 90% of countries in the world have some sort of wage floor for their work force. [iv] The Case for Minimum Wage Those in favor of a minimum wage argue that it increases the standard of living of workers and reduces poverty. [v] Those workers that are paid minimum wage are unskilled laborers, perhaps first entering the job market. Without any marketable skills, the worker needs some protection that they will be paid a fair rate that will enable them to be self-sufficient until such time that they have learned a skill or trade that will allow them to work their way up from the low wage jobs. Without a minimum wage, employers would have significantly more market power than the workers – a monopsony – and that could result in the intentional collusion between employers regarding the wage they will offer. [vi] Absent this protection, workers would be forced to accept the artificially low wages, resulting in a very low quality of life. Additionally, the argument can be made that paying a â€Å"livable† minimum wage incentivizes workers to not only get a job, but to work hard to keep that job. When minimum wages are significantly greater than payments received through a social welfare system, people are rewarded for their hard work. If a person could receive an amount close to what they would earn at minimum wage through the welfare system, what motivation would they have to work the minimum wage job? In contrast, if workers are paid an amount that is considerably more, they will find and keep work. This serves another purpose, to decrease the cost of government administered social welfare programs by getting people off of welfare and onto payrolls. Another common argument made by those in favor of the minimum wage is that it actually helps to stimulate spending, improving overall economic conditions. [vii] The theory behind this argument is that low wage earners typically spend everything they make. Whether on necessities or luxury items, minimum wage earners are likely to spend their entire paycheck. If there were an increase in the minimum wage, the people who would receive the pay increase would turn around and spend their new money. This would help to cover the costs of the increased wages as many businesses would see an almost immediate return through increased sales. While this argument seems to make sense, it must be clarified that no empirical evidence to support this claim could be found. Another argument made is that an increase in minimum wage helps to improve the work ethic of those who receive the increase. The implication is that if their employer is forced to give them a raise, they will be compelled to work harder to improve their efficiency and increase their productivity in return. Again, there is no evidence to either support or refute this claim, and opinions run strong regarding this argument. Perhaps the most basic and most often made argument in support of a national minimum wage law is that it is simply the correct thing to do, morally speaking. The idea that we should want to take care of each other and make sure that everyone made a comfortable wage is one of the most basic tenets of the philosophy of those who support it. Arguments against Minimum Wage Laws: On the other side of the argument are those who are opposed to increasing the minimum wage, as well as some who think it should be abolished altogether. Many businesspeople and economists are on this side of the debate, and they present some pretty compelling arguments. They argue that imposing an increase on the federally mandated minimum wage actually will do more economic harm than good. [viii] The main argument deals with the elasticity of demand regarding employment. A minimum wage increase actually reduces the quantity demanded of workers, either through a reduction in the number of hours worked by individuals, or through a reduction in the number of jobs. ix] Simply put, employers are likely not going to increase their salary budget, so if the hourly wages increase, then they must reduce the number of hours of work that they are paying for. This could result in the exact opposite impact of that which is intended. Those earning the minimum wage and are facing reduced hours or even being let go will find themselves much worse off as a result of an increase than leaving it at its current rate. Additionally, often the way out of e arning minimum wage is through skills learned through those minimum wage jobs. If there are fewer of these jobs as a result of the wage being higher, fewer people will be able to learn the skills needed to move up on a career path and break the cycle of poverty. Secondly, if employers are unwilling or unable to reduce the number of hours they pay their employees, they will simply attempt to make up the increased salary expense through increased prices. On a small scale, this may not have a large impact on the overall economy. When this is done on a large scale because many employers need to cover their increased costs, this is likely to lead to inflation. x] Higher salaries necessitate higher prices which will erode most if not all of the benefits of the increase in pay. The minimum wage workers will have the same buying power as before, but because of unnecessary inflation, the lower middle class will actually face the biggest impact because their wages will not have increased but their purchasing power will also have eroded. Another area that may be impacted by a mandated wage increase is training. As most workers who earn the minimum wage typically have little education and training, their biggest chance to work their way into a higher paying job is through on the job training. One part of an employer’s budget that could face cuts would be for providing training to employees. Often employers provide training to their employees that would help them advance in their career, but may not be completely necessary in their current position. Unnecessary expenses such as this will most likely be trimmed, resulting in fewer opportunities for the working poor. [xi] Perhaps the simplest argument is if a minimum wage worker is producing $4. 00 per hour worth of product, and then the federal minimum wage is raised to $5. 0, the employer must find a way to increase the workers marginal productivity or face operating loses due to underproductive employees. One final thought from opponents is that once all of the aforementioned arguments are considered, there are more effective ways of helping address the issue of poverty. The Earned Income Tax Credit is pointed to as a strong example of one of the more effective ideas, rather than putting the burden of poverty on em ployers, it is shifted to the government. [xii] Empirical Data: When considering both sides of this debate, it is important to realize who are the workers earning minimum wage, and what role they have in providing for their families. Of the 1. 9 million workers in the United States who were paid the minimum wage in 2005 (most recent information available), more than one half (53%) are between the ages of 16-24. These workers are most likely high school and college students, and most of them do not work a full time schedule. Two thirds are members of families who have a combined income of at least 2 or more times the official poverty level based on their family size. Less than 17 percent are the only wage earners in their families, and less than 6 percent are poor single mothers. [xiii] What does this information tell us? The most important thing is that an increase in the minimum wage would target a majority of people who may not be living in poverty and are otherwise not in need of direct assistance. The far-reaching effects of raising minimum wages across the board in order to get help to the approximately 22 percent of earners who are truly living in poverty seems to be at the least ineffective, and at worst it could epresent a terrible misstep in economic policy. It is difficult if not impossible to identify the jobs lost because of minimum wage, but it is very easy to identify the additional income for a minimum wage worker. This is often the first retort from minimum wage advocates in response to arguments made by the other side. Alison Wellington’s research found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage resulted in a 0. 6% decrease in teenage employment, with no effect on unemployment rates. [xiv] A study along the same lines by David Neumark and William Washer in 2008 found contrasting results. They concluded that minimum wage resulted in a reduction in employment opportunities for low skilled workers, it was most harmful to poverty-stricken families, and that it lowers the adult wages of young workers by reducing their ultimate level of education. [xv] There are countless studies on both sides of the issue, and each one only solidifies each side in their existing opinion. No matter what position one takes regarding the minimum wage debate, there are a multitude of studies available to support it. The seemingly obvious fact is that these small increases that are enacted every few years are never enough to truly make a difference in bringing a person or a family out of poverty. A fifty cent increase in the minimum wage results in about $20 more per week for a full time worker. In my estimation, it is quite unlikely that small amount is making the difference in a person or a family living in poverty and living comfortably. A study of PhD members of the American Economic Association found that 46. % of respondents wanted minimum wage completely eliminated while 37. 7% want the minimum wage increased. [xvi] Such division among even the most expert economists shows exactly how contentious this issue is, and that there is no black and white, right or wrong answer to solve the debate. Perhaps as time goes on and there is more historical data to review, there may be a more definitive answer regarding this debate. Until such time, both sides will most likely remain entrenched in their current position.

Ethnic Foodways or Ethnic Globalization Essay

Globalization has indeed been a global osmosis of culture that includes dress habits, language and food habits. The melting pot that is often used as an analogy for globalization best describes what happens when several different cultures meet. Each adds its own flavor to local culture and what results is an amalgam that includes elements from all contributing cultures. Globalization results in the movement of factors of production through capital transfers and labor migration. Migration gives rise to a transfer of cultural elements. What has been seen in the recent past is the fast paced globalization through the multi national firm. In the cultural context, this global mix has been seen in the migration of culture through large clothing chains, retail supermarkets and food products. Phillips (2006) talks of how the increase in labor mobility has helped cuisine and food transfer across borders. In the nineteenth century itself, the movement of indentured labor for work in plantations in the West Indies and the Pacific enabled the movement of food habits from Asia to North America. Even earlier it was African cuisine that had gained a foothold in the US. The multinational food chain now ensures that similar food is available in each of its outlets across the world. MacDonald’s USP is indeed that the Big Mac would taste the same in each of its 25000 locations across the world. However, with this standardization is also the need to cater to local markets and take advantage of the local raw material to satisfy local tastes. Sometimes large multinational food chains have to localize to be able to gain larger market shares and that is the reason. In other cases, local tradition dictates nutrients that restaurants may choose and may avoid. Hence the MacDonald outlet in the Middle East does not serve ham while it avoids beef in India. Therefore one can see that globalization results in a two way exchange of cultures by way of food habits and tastes.

Characters Analysis What You Pawn I Will Redeem

Characters Analysis What You Pawn I Will Redeem Abstract â€Å"What you pawn I will redeem† is a short story about an Indian who shows extra ordinary strength in a tough time. Jackson the main character in the story is a homeless Indian who is on a quest to get back his grandmother’s regalia. This story has many interesting characters that collectively make the story an intriguing one. (Porter, 2006)Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Characters Analysis: â€Å"What You Pawn I Will Redeem† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Been a homeless Indian in Seattle is enough problems but when you are faced with the task of raising nearly one thousand dollars in 24 hours it compounds a person’s problems. Jackson the central character was determined to get back his grandmother’s stolen regalia at the pawn shop but his care free friends always led him astray. In the course of the story, the narrator tell how he spent any money he got on alcohol with his friends. Though he got the regalia at the end of the story but that was due to the sympathy of the pawnbroker who felt he had been through enough trouble. In this essay, we would be identifying and analyzing the various characters in the story. One character that is flat Jackson’s friends in the story can be described as the flat and rigid characters throughout the entire story. Jackson was on the quest to save his grandmother’s regalia at the pawn shop and he indulged in different ventures to get the money the pawnbroker had requested. But rather than be encouraged and motivated by his friends, they instead led him astray. (Porter, 2006) The friends are described as been rigid because all the wanted throughout the course of the story was to have fun at the expense Jackson’s happiness. Perhaps if Jackson’s friends were not included in the story there would have been no humor in the story. He would have simply saved and paid the pawnbro ker. Jackson’s friends as characters added humor to the entire story. There carefree attitude made the story hilarious. (Porter, 2006) One character that is round The pawnbroker can be described as a round character in this story due to his complex attitude. The pawnbroker had initially insisted that Jackson had to come up with the sum of $999 before lunch time. This had prompted Jackson to plot different ways of coming up with the money. (Porter, 2006) However, Jackson spent whatever he was able to raise on food and drinks for his friends.Advertising Looking for critical writing on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At the end, the same pawnbroker who had insisted that Jackson came up with the money within a stipulated time frame changed his mind. This character enhances this story in a very positive way. If the pawnbroker had not given Jackson a time frame, he would have possibly been relax ed. The entire story is about showing strength in the face of adversaries and the pawnbroker made Jackson realize his potential. (Porter, 2006) One character that is Dynamic Jackson can be defined as the dynamic character in the story due to various reasons. His youthful exuberance and carefree attitude even in tough situations go a long way to show his type of person. At the beginning of the story, Jackson went to the pawn shop with his two friends where he saw the regalia he believed belonged to his grandmother. He wanted the regalia back in the family but the pawnbroker asked him to get $999 within a short time frame. (Porter, 2006) This prompted him to devise ways to get the money rather than work for it. But after going through all that, he ends up spending the money on food and drinks. This change in character makes Jackson a very dynamic character. Jackson’s attitude was meaningful and believable. His character is meaningful because he went extra miles trying to get hi s grandmother’s regalia back. It is also believable for a person to squander money he/she saved for something. Jackson squandered the money due to the influence of his friends. (Porter, 2006) Reference Porter, S. (2006) 30/30: Thirty American stories from the Last Thirty years. Purdue University: Longman

Introducing The Essay Expert’s College Application Essay Series. College Essay Tips for Ivy League Bound Seniors

Introducing The Essay Expert’s College Application Essay Series. College Essay Tips for Ivy League Bound Seniors For each of the next four weeks, I will be writing an article with tips for writing college application essays.   I will cover the popular essay themes of â€Å"my grandmother,† â€Å"my sport,† â€Å"a famous person† and â€Å"a fictional character.† These topics are extremely popular, and if you choose one of them it is paramount that you don’t sound like everyone else!   If you’re applying to Ivy League schools in particular, your essay can make or break your application.   Bore the Yale admissions committee or the Harvard admissions committee and you’re done for. In my upcoming articles, there will be 7 writing tips for each type of essay so that yours is unique and keeps the admission committee’s attention. If you’re not a member of my blog already, sign up now to make sure you get every nugget of wisdom I have to offer! And if there’s another topic you want me to cover, let me know and maybe your pick can be topic #5.

HRM Policies of Microsoft Incorporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HRM Policies of Microsoft Incorporation - Essay Example The present research has identified that the role of HRM is significant in this respect, where it synchronizes employees’ potential with company’s objective. The sales team looks from a perspective of sales generation alone however, the HR team looks through a broader window to cover customer intentions and corporate environment to synchronize the company’s strategy with the market needs. As said earlier that HRM is a very diverse and broad subject, therefore, the fields of supply chain management, promotion and marketing strategies, recruitment and employee satisfaction all fall in the domain of HRM. Therefore it can be said, that no matter what the size and nature of the company is, the unit of HRM cannot be separated from the management as it is integrated with all the functional units of the company. Moreover, factors of globalization and inflation crisis have intensified internal and external competition for a company. The internal competition is between emp loyees battling for higher costs and benefits. This has further augmented the role of HRM in the internal matters of the company, to ensure sound working environment and ethical practices. This illustrates that the bigger the company the more will be the need for proper HRM. Microsoft is the leading name in the IT world that changed the trend in computing through its tremendous technology of Windows Operating System. It has set many landmarks since its date of foundation in 1975, by Bill Gates (Chairman) and Paul Allen. The key aim of the company is to provide computing solutions that are accessible and handy for all. Their technology, following this mission, has been able to earn huge acceptance and has taken Microsoft to heights that no other company had ever touched.

Financial Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Services - Essay Example The paper tells that economic activities, financial services, and banking have experienced quite a few changes in the last couple of decades. As the industrial activities see an upsurge on the global scale, it requires more funds to sustain the upsurge together with enough money with the consumer, for being able to use those products and services from the industry. The institutions, in turn, are supposed to make their operations and services attractive enough for the industry and the customer. The value that is addition done by both operations management and operations strategy happens to be fundamental to any organization. The articles mentioned in the paper have one thing in common; they underline the need for effective management of financial aspects of a business. Providing services or goods are the basic forms of operational activities. All organizations try to provide a combination of products and services, using available sources with them. Opening a bank account, taking a mea l in a restaurant, visiting a hospital, buying pair shoes, ensuring a vehicle, a hotel stay etc. are all operations activities and their management is central to the successful provisioning of goods and services. Such value addition helps the banks and financial institutions help in making them friendly institutions to the customer base at large. Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create, and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer. Relationship management, the very basis of running financial services, asks for earning the loyalty of customer. This in turn calls for keeping the workforce motivated enough, while extending valuable services to the customers. The global economy has made it almost mandatory for retail stores, banks, financial institutions etc. that an effective strategy is adopted for managing the workforce and the diversity at the organisation so that everybody is able to enjoy a better working environment and the customer too feels valued. This helps the company in taking on the competitors with fullest potential. The bank (or any company for that matter) can acquire competitive advantage on its rivals on account of marketing efforts, brand building, value creation, innovation, supply chain management, operational efficiencies etc. But more important is to sustain the advantage. The value configuration helps in sustaining the advantage. It describes how value is created in a company for its customers, how the most important business processes function to create value for customers and the way a particular company/ organization conducts its business. In this study