Marc Chagalls I and the Village

The piece I have chosen for this assignment is Marc Chagalls I and the Village. This piece, done in oil paints seems to have taken on many of the characteristics of watercolors. Many of the colors are very translucent, and many bleed into each other. The subjects in this piece are very defined. However, I am unsure what point the artist is trying to make. The contrasting colors of green and red, along with blue and orange create movement, and keep your eye from staying in one place for very long. The ultimate effect of the whole piece is very tranquil and peaceful. There are no sharp points or angles, which helps create the effect of softness and calmness. In this painting, I feel that color is the predominant feature. I feel that the use of color in this work is very similar to the work of the Fauves in that it is liberally applied. Chagalls painting captures several scenes, occurring at the same time. These scenes being a women milking a cow, an man with a grass or hay cutting tool, and another man starring into the eyes of a cow. These subject matters really give you a sense of the past, and make the work quite nostalgic. I feel that there can be many reasons as to why Chagall chose to paint the subjects he painted. However, he feels quite differently, as shown in the following quote where he describes his work. I dont understand them at all. They are only pictorial arrangements of images that obsess me...The theories I would make up to explain myself and those which others elaborate in connection with my work are nonsense... My paintings are my reason for existence, my life, and thats all. I feel that Chagall chose the subjects of his past times because of everything that was going on in the world, while he was painting. This work was done in the beginning of a new century, of which had drastic changes in the everyday lives of many people due to new developments in technology

What Is an AP Test Perfect Score Do You Need One

What Is an AP Test Perfect Score Do You Need One SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you read your local newspaper, you may have seen an article about someone from your area getting a â€Å"perfect score† on an AP exam. But what is an AP test perfect score, and how is it different from a 5? Keep reading to find out what an AP exam perfect score is, what it means, how many students get one, and if it’s a goal you should be aiming for. What Is a Perfect AP Score and What Does It Signify? If you receive a perfect score on an AP exam, that means that you received every point possible on the exam.So you answered every multiple-choice question correctly and scored the maximum amount of points on every free response question. Pretty impressive! How does this relate to the score you get from 1-5? Well, if you get a perfect score you will definitely get a 5 on the exam. But your 5 won’t be worth more than anyone else’s 5. Additionally, you don’t need to get anything close to a perfect score to get a 5 on the exam. In other words, the fact that you got a perfect score doesn’t really increase the value of your standard score on the 5-point scale. In fact, your perfect score is not even reported on your score report- just the 5. When a student achievesa perfect score, the College Board usually informs the school directly in the fall. The school then informs the student. This often seems to lead to a level of minor local celebrity, with perfect scorers frequently being interviewed by local newspapers and having articles written up about them on school websites. As mentioned above, the perfect score doesn’t appear on your score report, but it’s certainly something worth reporting to colleges if it does happen because it is impressive and unusual. A perfect score would make you the slightly different yellow locker in this row of orange lockers. How Many Students Geta Perfect Score on an AP Exam? Just how unusual is it to get a perfect score on an AP exam? It depends on the exam, but no matter the test, it’s a rare feat. The College Board released a document of 2013 AP test perfect score stats, but it doesn’t appear they’ve created a similar document for 2014 or 2015. However, a series of tweets by the College Board’s head of AP, Trevor Packer, reveals all the info about how many students got perfect scores in 2015. I’ve assembled the info into a chart that shows how many perfect scores there were by number and by percentage of test-takers in 2015, as well asthe percentage of test takers who received a 5 in each exam. 2015 Perfect Scores as Compared to Fives Exam # Perfect Scores # Test-Takers % Perfect Scores % 5s Calculus AB 3 302,532 .00099% 24.6% Calculus BC 1 118,707 .00084% 48.4% AP Chemistry 3 152,745 .00196% 10.1% Computer Science A 66 48,994 .1347% 21.3% French Language 1 22,084 .0045% 18.4% US Gov and Politics 3 282,571 .00106% 11.9% Latin 1 6,571 .0152% 13.2% Macroeconomics 18 126,267 .01426% 16.1% Microeconomics 49 78,408 .0625% 15.9% Physics C: EM 1 22,789 .0044% 33.5% Physics C: Mechanics 6 52,678 .0114% 32.4% Psychology 4 276,971 .0014% 18.7% Spanish Language 7 144,561 .0048% 24.6% Statistics 2 195,526 .001% 14.3% As you can see, while at least ten percent of test takers scored a 5 on each exam,the perfect scoresare teeny, teeny, teeny percentages. Microeconomics and Computer Science A had the highest percentage of perfect scorers by a fairly large margin, but even those have minusculecounts of .0625% and .1347%, respectively. There were a small number of perfect scores for the AP Art portfolios, but since those aren’t graded via an exam, I left them off the chart. Otherwise, if a test isn’t in this chart, there were no perfect scores. AP Exams with no perfects in 2015 were: Art History, Biology, Chinese, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, European History, German, Comparative Government and Politics, Human Geography, Italian, Japanese, Physics 1, Physics 2, Spanish Literature, US History, World History. In sum: perfect scores on AP exams are a super-rare occurrence. Super-rare like emerald jewels. Is Getting a Perfect Score a Realistic Goal? Given how few students get them, it’s not a very attainable or realistic goal to actively try for a perfect score on an AP exam, even for a test where perfect scores are marginally more common like Microeconomics or Computer Science A. Even if you have total mastery of a subject, just one tiny mistake on test day will prevent you from getting a perfect score. Additionally,you will never know how close you were if you don’t get a perfect score- raw point totals aren’t reported to students.You could get 179/180 points and never know anything except that you got a 5. That makes a perfect score a frustrating goal in addition to a difficult one! The marginal benefit is also not that high- a small level of brief local celebrity and an impressive factoid for your college applications. If you really want to stand out to colleges, there arebetter ways to develop your applicationthat are more within your control and where your work will pay off more directly. In terms of test scores, it makes much more sense to work on getting top marks on your standardized college entrance exams like the SAT, the ACT, and SAT Subject Tests.Any solid preparation work you put in there will pay off in your reported scores, unlike on an AP exam, where you either get a perfect or you never find out your raw score. The truth is, based on local news profiles, most AP test perfect scorers are surprised to have gotten a perfect score and weren’t specifically aiming for one. So, while it’s not impossible to get a perfect score on an AP exam, particularly in a subject you are very gifted in, it’s not really worth your time to specifically aim for a perfect. Aim for a 5, do your best, and it could happen, but don’t stress overit. Reach for the stars! And by stars, I mean a 5. Key Takeaways While it won’t give you any more college credit or show up on your score report, a perfect score on an AP exam- full credit for all exam portions- is an impressive accomplishment. Only a small number of students get perfect scores each year. However, I don’t recommend making a perfect score your goal, simply because the benefits as opposed to getting a 5 are only marginal. You’d be much better served working for perfect marks on the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject tests. What's Next? Studying for your AP exams? Learn when you need to start preparing for your AP tests to get that coveted 5. If you're taking a variety of tests, figure out whether AP exams or Subject Tests are more important for you. Wondering what the revised SAT format means for you?Or maybe you're taking the ACT and looking for all of our ACT study guide resources! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Finance Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance Accounting - Essay Example The accounts above are made in light of portraying a true picture to the shareholders as well as any investors interested in the company. The true and fair view concept has been at the heart of financial reporting in the UK for over forty years. In recent years there has been a major increase in the international importance of this concept. This has come about with its adoption by the European Community in the Fourth Directive on company law and its implementation in all Community countries. However, this concept has never been defined in UK legislation, and a variety of meanings can be attributed to it. In view of the recent international developments and given that the UK is the source of the concept, this study sought to elicit the views of senior UK practitioners on the true and fair concept. The FRC has laid three points: that the concept of the 'true and fair view' remained a cornerstone of financial reporting and auditing in the UK; that there had been 'no substantive change in the objectives of an audit and the nature of auditors' responsibilities'; and that the need for professional judgement 'remained central to the work of preparers of accounts and auditors in the UK'. To support the application of the "true and fair view", accounting has adopted certain concepts and conventions which help to ensure that accounting information is presented accurately and consistently. The most commonly encountered convention is the 'historical cost convention'. This requires transactions to be recorded at the price ruling at the time, and for assets to be valued at their original cost. This is applicable when the calculations were made for the fixed assets of plant and machinery, fixtures and fittings and buildings. Under the...In view of the recent international developments and given that the UK is the source of the concept, this study sought to elicit the views of senior UK practitioners on the true and fair concept. The FRC has laid three points: that the concept of the 'true and fair view' remained a cornerstone of financial reporting and auditing in the UK; that there had been 'no substantive change in the objectives of an audit and the nature of auditors' responsibilities'; and that the need for professional judgement 'remained central to the work of preparers of accounts and auditors in the UK'. To support the application of the "true and fair view", accounting has adopted certain concepts and conventions which help to ensure that accounting information is presented accurately and consistently. The most commonly encountered convention is the 'historical cost convention'. This requires transactions to be recorded at the price ruling at the time, and for assets to be valued at their original cost. This is applicable when the calculations were made for the fixed assets of plant and machinery, fixtures and fittings and buildings. Under the "historical cost convention", therefore, no account is taken of changing prices in the economy. The other convention used is the monetary measurement concept.

Market Segmentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Market Segmentation - Essay Example Survey comprise of elemental phases like population sampling, adoption of appropriate research design, data collection, and finally analysis of resultant data into meaningful information. In order to maintain objectivity, researchers need to follow all these steps. In this essay, we will appraise utilization of survey methodology in obtaining information about market segmentation in Doha. The company conducting this survey plans to sell fast food to university students in the CBE. Hankin and Rhoads (2011) agree that from a theoretical perspective, fast foods are usually associated with negative effects on health concerns of consumers. In this case, the company needs substantial knowledge before deciding to roll out a fast food program within the university’s premises. The desired market segment within the selected consumer population aims at evaluating the potential of female students in purchasing fast food from the company’s outlets. In order to obtain informed data, we will customize research questions to evaluate the students’ concerns on consumption of healthy food. All the campuses of CBE have a vast number of students. Therefore, the survey started by obtaining a representative sample from the entire female student population. The sample comprised of students aged between 21-28years of age. Approximately 75% of the sample comprised of undergraduate students. The entire sample comprised of 100 students, all of which were female students. On the aspect of research design, the survey exercise adopted the use of questionnaires in acquiring information from the sampled students. Based on the work of Jessen (2008), questionnaires proved effective in acquiring first hand... The company conducting this survey plans to sell fast food to university students in the CBE. Hankin and Rhoads (2011) agree that from a theoretical perspective, fast foods are usually associated with negative effects on health concerns of consumers. In this case, the company needs substantial knowledge before deciding to roll out a fast food program within the university’s premises. The desired market segment within the selected consumer population aims at evaluating the potential of female students in purchasing fast food from the company’s outlets. In order to obtain informed data, we will customize research questions to evaluate the students’ concerns on consumption of healthy food. All the campuses of CBE have a vast number of students. Therefore, the survey started by obtaining a representative sample from the entire female student population. The sample comprised of students aged between 21-28years of age. Approximately 75% of the sample comprised of under graduate students. The entire sample comprised of 100 students, all of which were female students. On the aspect of research design, the survey exercise adopted the use of questionnaires in acquiring information from the sampled students. Based on the work of Jessen (2008), questionnaires proved effective in acquiring first-hand information from the target consumers; hence enhancing objectivity and reality of information obtained. In this regard, the exercise used primary sources in as the most appropriate mode of data collection.

Nestle Strategies Essay Example for Free

Nestle Strategies Essay Four competitive advantages In recent years the Nestle 4x4x4 Roadmap has helped us build both a strong alignment within our Company and a deep understanding of what we want to achieve, strategically and ? nancially, and how to go about it. Our people are better able than ever today to pursue our ambition to be the recognised and trusted leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. That trust is re? cted in the hundreds of millions of purchase decisions – made by consumers every day – enabling them to enhance their lives and those of their families by providing tastier and healthier food and beverage choices for all stages of life, and at any time of the day. True to our values and principles, and our commitment to environmental sustainability and compliance along every step of our value chain, we also seek to Create Shared Value in communities where we operate. We believe that this is the only way to secure long-term value creation for our shareholders. Our commitment is to provide Good Food, Good Life. Nestle’s product and brand portfolio ranges from global icons to local favourites. It is supported by an unmatched research and development capability, with clear priorities, focused on driving innovation and renovation that is relevant and attractive for consumers. Our Group has an unmatched geographic presence, due to the depth of our roots in countries all over the world, which often stretch back many generations. This has created strong relationships between our brands and their consumers, as well as an unrivalled understanding of consumers, enabling us to anticipate their needs and improve the quality of their lives. Our people, culture, values and attitude are our greatest strength. The Nestle culture, with its natural openness to diversity, binds our people together all over the world with a shared set of behaviours and values into a single way of doing business. Our culture combines a long-term mindset with shortterm action. It encompasses a passion for quality – in products, in relationships, in everything we do. It is focused on competitiveness, calculated risk-taking and an unswerving determination to deliver our goals, while creating value for society as a whole. Four growth drivers Leadership in Nutrition, Health and Wellness means offering tastier and healthier choices to consumers throughout the day; it means responding to speci? c nutritional needs through Nestle Nutrition; and it means pioneering ways to address critical illness through nutrition at Nestle Health Science. Emerging consumers are consuming our Popularly Positioned Products (PPP). We bring all our nutritional know-how to these consumers, the same brand promise and quality, and we strive to add the extra plus – such as forti? cation against nutritional de? ciencies. With premium products, consumers want an indulgent moment of pleasure, an everyday reward. Our premiumisation strategy, incorporating systems, services and products, is enhancing consumers’ lives, whilst creating additional value per consumption moment: many consumers are not looking to eat and drink more; they are looking to eat and drink better. Out-of-home consumption is a fast growing part of our industry. This covers leisure, from roadside kiosks in Asia to gourmet restaurants in the capitals of the world, and institutional catering, from schools to hospitals. Our focus here is on added-value branded food and beverage solutions and services. Four operational pillars We want to be the leader in innovation and renovation, whether of products, systems or processes. Some products will be entirely new, some will have a refreshed aspect. Regardless, we take an invigorating point of view to keep our consumers excited about our brands. We also need to have the most ef? cient supply chain – from farm to fork and beyond – to ensure that we have the best raw materials, the best processes and the freshest products on our customers’ shelves. Nestle Continuous Excellence is our approach to operational ef? ciency, with its objectives of eliminating waste, increasing ef? ciency and effectiveness, and improving quality in all operations. It is not enough, however, just to make the most innovative products in the most ef? ient way; we also need to ensure that our products are available sustainably whenever, wherever and however consumers want to buy them. And, of course, we need to engage with our consumers in a dynamic way: both to keep them abreast of all that is new and exciting, but also to learn from them, so that we can bring their experiences to bear on our new and updated products – helping us to achieve our ambition to be a leader in innovation and renovation. You will ? nd some of these aspects brought to life on the following pages.

Censorship Essay -- essays research papers

Censorship of Violence Why does anyone care if our society is aggressive? Does the kid who decides to fire a gun into his school do so because he watched Natural Born Killers? Is violence in our communities really causing anyone any abnormal amount of heartache? To the victims, and the families and friends of the victims, surely it does. Perhaps there are still some individuals who care just for the sake of caring, not because they are grieving a loss. But what does it all mean, and what is causing it? Some will point fingers at their televisions and movie theatres and assert that they are to blame. Not being one in the habit of pointing fingers and making absurd accusations, I will explain the free will of man and his inalienable rights to free speech. To censor television and motion pictures because of one faction's set of morals is earily similar to book burning. Censorship of media messages is an explicit violation of our constitutionally protected right to expression, and as such, should not be looked to as a solution for modern-day violence in society. The First Amendment states; "Congress shall make no law†¦ abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." (Jefferson, US Constitution). We are an enlightened population well-versed in the understanding of our constitutionally protected natural rights. Freedom of Speech protects us, as citizens, from being persecuted for expressing our thoughts and ideas. This transcends into the idea of freedom of expression. We all have the right and ability to express ourselves, and to analyze the messages we receive. Our republic was founded on what were then radical, controversial ideas. The founding fathers understood the importance of freedom of expression. So why today do we not? Cries for censorship ring loudly across the nation. Kids are killing kids. Schools are slowly becoming places of violence, not educational institutions, and the solution is not to infringe upon our rights. Information is power. New ideas and thou ghts propagate improvement. Without free expression, this is not possible. To control the free exchange of thoughts, ideas, and social and moral inquiry, is to severely handicap the intellect of our society. First and foremost, censorship is a blatant violation of free speech. Second, it is a poor approach to controlling the omnipresent problem of violence in society. In the novel... ...lines of communication so that what is being watched is discussed. Teach the difference between reality and fantasy. It is not the duty of the government to monitor and regulate what Citizens do. This is a personal responsibility we have to ourselves. Open your eyes, pay attention to the messages around you, and make a conscious effort to analyze what you are accepting into your head. Censorship of media messages is an explicit violation of our constitutionally protected right to expression, and as such, should not be looked to as a solution for modern-day violence in society. Infringing upon our freedoms of speech and expression is not a substitute for being a responsible viewer. Paternalistic Moralism by the government limits our thinking. A universal code of acceptability confines our thoughts to that of one narrow faction. We have the right to express ourselves openly in many outlets. Censoring these outlets not only hurts the artist- be he a writer, painter, or musician, it also denies our society the opportunity to elevate its' thinking. Censorship of violent themes in the media accomplishes little to nothing, and has the exorbitant cost of our personal freedom of expression

Sonnet 104

Essay: Sonnet 104 Sonnet 104 is one of 154 sonnets written by the English poet William Shakespeare. It's a member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet expresses his love towards a fair friend. Each stanza expresses Shakespeare’s relationship with his beloved. The sonnet deals with the destructive forces of time as humans grow older and makes a commentary on the process of aging. In the first quatrain, the poet focuses on his beloved, exploring the theme of beauty and aging. The very beginning of the quatrain begins with â€Å"To me†, and in the second line, ends with â€Å"eye I eyed. These two phrases signified that what he was writing was from his own perspective. The poet did not consider the opinion of the reader and later in the quatrain, continues this theme when he states, â€Å"Such seems† in the third line. This quatrain was a commentary on the beauty of his beloved friend. The poet acknowledges that this is his perspective; yet he does not ack nowledge the perspective of anyone else. These lines also discuss that his beloved friend is as beautiful as when they first met and that his opinion of beauty is not judged upon the reader.In the second quatrain, the poet focuses on time passing the significance of evolution. This theme progresses with the continual mentioning of seasons. The poet wants to emphasize the three years that have passed. The natural cycle between seasons emphasizes the time passing. â€Å"Summers pride† gives way to â€Å"winters cold†, â€Å"beauteous springs† give way to â€Å"yellow autumn†, and April perfumes make way to the â€Å"hot Junes burnd†. This is not only a commentary on how much time has passed, but also a commentary on how beauty can fade.As stated in the phrases listed above, the changes in seasons always lead to a different landscape. With this evolution, it is only natural that beauty fades. However, the poet makes is blatantly clear in the eighth li ne that his beloved never changes. This last line of the quatrain shows that his beloved is a fresh beauty. The use of the words â€Å"green† and â€Å"fresh† signify his beloved’s youthfulness and prove that he has defied nature. This breaking of the cycle proves to be a powerful use of language and diction.In the third quatrain, the poet recognizes that his beliefs are unnatural, and creates a shift in the sonnet. The ninth line instigates the shift once the poet writes, â€Å"Ah, yet†. This sign tone and shift in perception help him come to a realization. This recognition proves that the poet is fooling himself about his friend’s beauty. The â€Å"dial-hand† mentioned in the ninth line signifies that even though his beloved friend is actually aging, he only sees him to be beautiful. This metaphor is a perfect representation of his perception of beauty.As the quatrain continues he explains that his eye deceives him of reality. Like a clock hand moves slowly, he slowly recognizes reality. In conclusion, sonnet 104 is a commentary on the poet’s perception versus reality. The poet ends the sonnet by announcing that no one, after he and his beloved die, could ever understand what beauty really is. The height of beauty was when his fair friend lived. Beauty was and will always be understood as a part of his writing. Though his friend may not be living, his beauty still lies within the poet’s literature.

Pubs in the Uk

This report intends to determine why pubs in the UK are increasingly transforming into gastro pubs. The first part of this study will review recent statistics to give an overview of the pub sector’s position in the hospitality industry, to describe the size, scope and decline of this individual sector. The second part will evaluate how macro factors have affected this industry, both in the last 10 years and currently, using PESTEL analysis. This analysis will then be used to forecast directions for the pub sector.The Palmerston, a pub turned gastro pub, will be referred to, to illustrate these findings and profitable recommendations will be made for the sector and The Palmerston Although the report focuses on pubs, statistics used represent bars and nightclubs as these are commonly perceived to be the same sector. PESTEL factors have, where possible, been analysed in separate sections even though some can be related to one another. Sector Overview Traditionally, pubs existed s olely for selling alcoholic drinks as they represented a retail dimension for breweries (Market & Business Development (MBD), 2000).This has changed to pubs focusing on other features to attract customers, such as providing more entertainment and becoming a food-led outlet. According to statistics from people 1st (2008), the pubs, bars and nightclubs sector is one of the biggest within the hospitality industry in terms of labour force size, number of enterprises and establishments and turnover (see appendix 1, 2 and 3 ). The majority of the workforce is part time and female (see appendix 4 and 5). Although a large sector, pubs are in decline.Pub closures in the UK have increased to five every day partly due to dropping beer consumption (British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), 2008). This market has seen a constant drop over the last 30 years with only one small rise in 1988 (see appendix 6). Independent pubs are constantly adapting to keep negative impact to a minimum. As Blyth (2002 ) notes, many pubs are finding success when moving away from the traditional concept. Past PESTEL Factors Political: After the successful smoking ban in Ireland, the UK Government announced plans for a smoking ban in 2004 (http://www. forestonline. rg/output/Public-Smoking-Bans. aspx). Baker (2008) suggests a significantly higher proportion of adults were more likely to visit a smoke-free pub. However, some pubs did not agree with this so looked to change their image and concept. Economical and Sociological: A prosperous economy increased disposable income and improved standards of living. Huxley (2003: 8) highlights that â€Å"increasing number of women working and/or opting not to have children† had increased wealth. A report (Peach Factory, 2007) showed women dined out more than men and preferred casual dining formats hence a boom in such outlets.Pubs lost customers as lifestyle changes saw people spending more time in outlets serving good value food. Consequently, pubs lo oked to invest in becoming more food-led. Technological: The introduction and improvement of satellite television allowed pubs to supply entertainment at their premises, attracting more customers (MBD 2000). Some pubs were unable to adopt this as licences proved too costly resulting in loss of customers. Environmental: Climate Change Levy, energy tax introduced in 2001, encouraged pubs to introduce energy-efficient measures to reduce energy consumption.Companies that cooperated were rewarded (caterer search, 2002). Legal: Drug dealing was common in pubs as ample distractions allowed dealers to work (caterer search, 2001). Legislations, such as the Public Entertainment Licence (Drug Misuse) Act 1997, allowed licensees to prohibit drug dealing and thus improved the number of desired customers. Pubs sought to create more inviting premises. The Palmerston The Palmerston recognised changes were important so closed for refurbishment in 2003. Upon opening in 2004, the improved menu and aes thetics (including a segregated section for smokers) was an instant success. Current PESTEL FactorsPolitical: The government is trying to reduce binge drinking and alcohol-linked violence by imposing policies on pubs to display alcohol-unit levels, health warnings on drink labels and banning ‘happy hour’ promotions (Ford, 2008). Failure of cooperation will lead to legislation. Pubs may suffer with this costly process. Economical: The UK economy is currently attempting to stabilise as it faces recession. The Chancellor announced in the latest pre-budget report that duty on alcohol would be raised (Thomas 2008), creating more problems for pubs already experiencing major losses with the â€Å"above-inflationary duty increases† (BBPA 2008).Sociological: Duce (2006) suggests that pubs cannot compete with supermarkets (which are cutting prices) as more customers are buying alcohol to drink at home. Pubs have looked to increase revenue elsewhere and have led to more foc using on being food-led. Technological: As wireless technology continues to expand globally, pubs are installing wireless internet connections within the premises to compete with other outlets supplying this popular format (Walton, 2007). Environmental:A report (The Peach Factory, 2007) shows increased awareness of global issues, such as the impact of food miles on the environment, has made pubs focus on locally and organically produced food. Those providing for this trend are popular due to being perceived as supporting the local community and environment. Legal: The Smoking Ban was legalised on 1st July 2007 and, as Baker (2008) states, â€Å"has had a devastating effect on pub trade†. Many independent pubs have not been able to compete with the large pub chains that have invested in outdoor smoking areas. This is a major reason why many pubs are closing.The Palmerston: The Palmerston adjusted to the smoking ban and integrated a wireless network in 2004 so negative impact w as minimal. It focuses its services to families and promotions are food related. Although alcohol sales may be down, food sales are high. Future PESTEL Factors Political and Legal: The All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (caterer search, 2008) advises the government to make changes to improve pubs’ viability. Suggestions have ranged from reducing the rate of beer duty to banning supermarkets from selling alcohol at minimal prices (Thomas, 2008).If the government recognises and acts on these concerns, pubs may find business improves. Economical: The hospitality industry is predicted to take 50-70% of the possible ? 1. 4b-? 2b profit from the London Olympic Games 2012, reports Thomas (2006). This may inject the economy with prosperity, if it has not by then, and provide pubs a chance to increase sales and attract visitors who want to experience UK’s national drink – beer. Sociological: The hospitality industry employed over 152,000 migrant workers at the beginning of 2008 according to Home Office figures (2008).However, Walton (2008: 7) learned â€Å"migrant workers are increasingly turning their backs on the UK hospitality industry because of the falling of the pound†. Pubs that currently employ migrant workers may implement long-term recruitment processes to attract more UK workers. Technological: Bentley (2008: 34) acknowledges there is â€Å"evidence that greener approaches to computing are moving into the mainstream†. Pubs may demand this, if made mainstream, to reduce power consumption, which would be valuable if energy costs continue to rise. Environmental:Climate change is increasing flooding in the UK and northern Europe, causing heat waves and droughts in southern Europe and Australia. As this causes major problems with harvests, food prices are more likely to rise, suggests Vaughan (2008). Pubs must find ways to absorb the rising costs. The Palmerston: The Palmerston sources its food produce locally, helping both the environment and their costs. The low staff turnover indicates it has a successful training process. Conclusion With falling beer consumption and increased tax on alcohol, pubs are closing at rapid rates.Negative media, such as binge drinking and alcohol-related violence, poses to be a real threat to pubs as policies are introduced. After a decade of prosperity, the economy is now in decline which is presenting more problems for pubs. Those that have survived have become food-led pubs as more people have been dining out due to higher disposable income from an increasingly affluent economy. Due to immense competition in the food industry, pubs have concentrated on creating traditional menus prepared to the highest-quality.To reflect this and cope with changing clientele from the smoking ban, premises have been updated to create more inviting and family-friendly surroundings. The combination of all these features, and considerable transformation, creates the present gastro pub. The Pal merston underwent all these changes and declared a successful gastro pub when it re-opened in 2004. Recommendations The pub sector is in decline and may continue because of the current economic situation. Pubs must find different ways of increasing revenue as alcohol sales plummet.This may include introducing attractive menus and hiring professional chefs to maximise its potential. Available technology for customers is essential and pubs should install their own wireless network. The Palmerston has already adapted to many macro factors that have negatively affected other pubs. However, in order for it to continue succeeding it must keep adjusting as the economy declines. Since food is one of its most popular products it must ensure this remains attractive and consistently prepared to a high standard.As food costs rise the menu should be analysed and any item that is being incorrectly sourced should be replaced by an adequate substitute, but still maintaining the quality. Families ar e one of the main targets for The Palmerston, so every care should be made on satisfying both parents and children. Re-introducing traditional board games is suggested as they typically inspire family unity. Pubs in neighbouring areas supply these games and have proved to be popular. The Palmerston could introduce affordable ‘themed evenings’ to attract the local community to congregate and socialise in a relaxing atmosphere.

Spanish Flu Pandemic That Killed Millions in 1918

Spanish Flu Pandemic That Killed Millions in 1918 Every year, flu viruses make people sick. Even the garden-variety flu may kill people, but usually only the very young or the very old. In 1918, the flu mutated into something much more virulent. This new, deadlier flu acted very strangely; it seemed to target the young and healthy, being particularly deadly to 20 to 35-year-olds. In three waves from March 1918 to the Spring of 1919, this deadly flu spread quickly around the world, infecting hundreds of millions of people and killing 50 million to 100 million (upwards of 5% of the worlds population). This flu went by many names, including Spanish flu, grippe, Spanish Lady, the three-day fever, purulent bronchitis, sandfly fever, Blitz Katarrh. The First Reported Cases of the Spanish Flu No one is quite sure exactly where the Spanish flu first struck. Some researchers have pointed to origins in China, while others have traced it back to a small town in Kansas. The best recorded first case occurred in Fort Riley. Fort Riley was a military outpost in Kansas where new recruits were trained before being sent to Europe to fight in World War I. On March 11, 1918, Private Albert Gitchell, a company cook, came down with symptoms that at first appeared to be a bad cold. Gitchell went to the infirmary and was isolated. Within an hour, several additional soldiers had come down with the same symptoms and were also isolated. Despite the attempt to isolate those with symptoms, this extremely contagious flu quickly spread through Fort Riley. After five weeks, 1,127 soldiers at Fort Riley had been stricken with the Spanish flu; 46 of them had died. The Flu Spreads and Gets a Name Soon, reports of the same flu were noted in other military camps around the United States. Shortly thereafter, the flu infected soldiers on board transport ships. Although it was unintended, American troops brought this new flu with them to Europe. Beginning in mid-May, the flu started to strike French soldiers as well. The flu traveled across Europe, infecting people in nearly every country. When the flu rampaged through Spain, the Spanish government publicly announced the epidemic. Spain was the first country to be struck by the flu that was not involved in World War I; thus, it was the first country not to censor their health reports. Since most people first heard about the flu from its attack on Spain, the new flu was named the Spanish flu. The Spanish flu then spread to Russia, India, China, and Africa. By the end of July 1918, after having infected people all around the world, this first wave of the Spanish flu appeared to be dying out. The Spanish Flu Becomes Incredibly Deadly While the first wave of the Spanish flu had been extremely contagious, the second wave of the Spanish flu was both contagious and exceedingly deadly. In late August 1918, the second wave of the Spanish flu struck three port cities at nearly the same time. These cities (Boston, United States; Brest, France; and Freetown, Sierra Leone) all felt the lethalness of this new mutation immediately. Hospitals quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of patients. When hospitals filled up, tent hospitals were erected on lawns. Nurses and doctors were already in short supply because so many of them had gone to Europe to help with the war effort. Desperately needing help, hospitals asked for volunteers. Knowing they were risking their own lives by helping these contagious victims, many people, especially women, signed up anyway to help as best they could. The Symptoms of the Spanish Flu The victims of the 1918 Spanish flu suffered greatly. Within hours of feeling the first symptoms of extreme fatigue, fever, and headache, victims would start turning blue. Sometimes the blue color became so pronounced that it was difficult to determine a patients original skin color. The patients would cough with such force that some even tore their abdominal muscles. Foamy blood exited from their mouths and noses. A few bled from their ears. Some vomited; others became incontinent. The Spanish flu struck so suddenly and severely that many of its victims died within hours of coming down with their first symptom. Some died a day or two after realizing they were sick. Taking Precautions Not surprisingly, the severity of the Spanish flu was alarming. People around the world worried about getting it. Some cities ordered everyone to wear masks. Spitting and coughing in public was prohibited. Schools and theaters were closed. People also tried their own homemade prevention remedies, such as eating raw onions, keeping a potato in their pocket, or wearing a bag of camphor around their neck. None of these things stemmed the onslaught of the Spanish flus deadly second wave. Piles of Dead Bodies The number of bodies from the victims of the Spanish flu quickly outnumbered the available resources to deal with them. Morgues were forced to stack bodies like cordwood in the corridors. There werent enough coffins for all the bodies, nor were there enough people to dig individual graves. In many places, mass graves were dug to free the towns and cities of the masses of rotting corpses. Spanish Flu Childrens Rhyme When the  Spanish flu  killed millions of people around the world, it affected everyone. While the adults walked around wearing masks, children skipped rope to this rhyme. I had a little birdIts name was EnzaI opened a windowAnd In-flu-enza. Armistice Brings Third Wave of the Spanish Flu On November 11, 1918, an armistice brought an end to World War I. People around the world celebrated the end of this total war and felt jubilant that perhaps they were free from the deaths caused by both war and flu. However, as people hit the streets, gave kisses and hugs to returning soldiers, they also started a third wave of the Spanish flu. The third wave of the Spanish flu was not as deadly as the second wave, but still deadlier than the first. Although this third wave also went around the world, killing many of its victims, it received much less attention. People were ready to start their lives over again after the war; they were no longer interested in hearing about or fearing a deadly flu. Gone but Not Forgotten The third wave lingered. Some say it ended in the spring of 1919, while others believe it continued to claim victims through 1920. Eventually, however, this deadly strain of the flu disappeared. To this day, no one knows why the flu virus suddenly mutated into such a deadly form. Nor do they know how to prevent it from happening again. Scientists and researchers continue to research and learn about the 1918 Spanish flu in the hopes of being able to prevent another worldwide pandemic of the flu.

Salt Flats Formation, Activity, and Examples

Salt Flats Formation, Activity, and Examples Salt flats, also called salt pans, are large and flat areas of land that were once lake beds. Salt flats are covered with salt and other minerals and they oftentimes look white because of the salt presence. These areas of land generally form in deserts and other arid places where large bodies of water have dried up over thousands of years and the salt and other minerals are the remnants. There are salt flats found around the world but some of the largest examples include the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the Bonneville Salt Flats in the state of Utah and those found in California’s Death Valley National Park.   Formation of Salt Flats   According to the United States’ National Park Service, there are three basic things that are needed for salt flats to form. These are a source of salts, an enclosed drainage basin so the salts do not wash out and an arid climate where evaporation is greater than precipitation so the salts can get left behind when the water dries up (National Park Service).   An arid climate is the most important component of salt flat formation. In arid places, rivers with large, meandering stream networks are rare because of a lack of water. As a result, many lakes, if they exist at all, do not have natural outlets such as streams. Enclosed drainage basins are important because they hinder the formation of water outlets. In the western United States, for instance, there is the basin and range region in the states of Nevada and Utah. The topography of these basins consist of deep, flat bowls where the drainage is enclosed because water draining out of the region cannot climb up the mountain ranges surrounding the basins (Alden). Finally, the arid climate comes into play because evaporation must exceed precipitation in the water in the basins for the salt flats to eventually form. In addition to enclosed drainage basins and arid climates, there must also be an actual presence of salt and other minerals in the lakes for salt flats to form. All water bodies contain a variety of dissolved minerals and as lakes dry up through thousands of years of evaporation the minerals become solids and are dropped where the lakes once were. Calcite and gypsum are among some of the minerals found in water but salts, mostly halite, are found in large concentrations in some bodies of water (Alden). It is in places where halite and other salts are found in abundance that salt flats eventually form.   Salt Flat Examples   Salar de Uyuni Large salt flats are found around the world in places such as the United States, South America, and Africa. The largest salt flat in the world is the Salar de Uyuni, located in the Potosi and Oruro, Bolivia. It covers 4,086 square miles (10,852 sq km) and is located at an elevation of 11,995 feet (3,656 m). The Salar de Uyuni is a part of the Altiplano plateau that formed as the Andes Mountains were uplifted. The plateau is home to many lakes and the salt flats formed after several prehistoric lakes evaporated over thousands of years. Scientists believe that the area was an extremely large lake called Lake Minchin around 30,000 to 42,000 years ago (Wikipedia.org). As Lake Minchin began to dry up due to a lack of precipitation and no outlet (the region is surrounded by the Andes Mountains) it became a series of smaller lakes and dry areas. Eventually, the Poopà ³ and Uru Uru lakes and the Salar de Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa salt flats were all that remained. The Salar de Uyuni is significant not only because of its very large size but also because it is a large breeding ground for pink flamingoes, it serves as a transportation route across the Altiplano and it is a rich area for the mining of valuable minerals such as sodium, potassium, lithium and magnesium.   Bonneville Salt Flats   The Bonneville Salt Flats are located in the U.S. state of Utah between the border with Nevada and the Great Salt Lake. They cover about 45 square miles (116.5 sq km) and are managed by the United States Bureau of Land Management as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and a Special Recreation Management Area (Bureau of Land Management). They are part of the United States’ Basin and Range system.   The Bonneville Salt Flats are a remnant of the very large Lake Bonneville that existed in the area about 17,000 years ago. At its peak, the lake was 1,000 feet (304 m) deep. According to the Bureau of Land Management, evidence for the lake’s depth can be seen on the surrounding Silver Island Mountains. The salt flats began to form as precipitation decreased with a changing climate and the water in Lake Bonneville began to evaporate and recede. As the water evaporated, minerals such as potash and halite were deposited on the remaining soils. Eventually, these minerals built up and were compacted to form a hard, flat, and salty surface. Today the Bonneville Salt Flats are about 5 feet (1.5 m) thick at their center and just are just a few inches thick at the edges. The Bonneville Salt Flats are about 90% salt and consists of about 147 million tons of salt (Bureau of Land Management).   Death Valley The Badwater Basin salt flats located in California’s Death Valley National Park cover about 200 square miles (518 sq km). It is believed that the salt flats are the remnants of the ancient Lake Manly that filled Death Valley about 10,000 to 11,000 years ago as well as more active weather processes today. The main sources of Badwater Basin’s salt are what was evaporated from that lake but also from Death Valley’s nearly 9,000-square mile (23,310 sq km) drainage system that extends to the peaks surrounding the basin (National Park Service). During the wet season precipitation falls on these mountains and then runs off into the very low elevation Death Valley (Badwater Basin is, in fact, the lowest point in North America at -282 feet (-86 m)). In wet years, temporary lakes form and during the very hot, dry summers this water evaporates and minerals such as sodium chloride are left behind. After thousands of years, a salt crust has formed, creating salt flats.   Activities on Salt Flats   Because of the large presence of salts and other minerals, salt flats are often places that are mined for their resources. In addition, there are many other human activities and development that have taken place on them because of their very large, flat nature. The Bonneville Salt Flats, for example, are home to land speed records, while the Salar de Uyuni is an ideal place for calibrating satellites. Their flat nature also makes them good travel routes and Interstate 80 runs through a portion of the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Levels of Analysis, Realism, and Liberalism Essay

Levels of Analysis, Realism, and Liberalism - Essay Example In the individual level, it is posited that a particular war -- which is a form of an international phenomenon -- is caused mainly by an individual, generally or specifically. Further, the factor at the individual level is substantially an immediate one (Cashman and Robinson 4). It is widely believed that the immediate cause of the 2003 Iraq War was primarily in the individual level. More specifically, U.S. President George W. Bush was the mastermind on why America went to war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. His personality or belief system was an important factor in realizing the war. If Al Gore had been the U.S. president, Levy and Thompson assert that America would probably have not invaded Iraq in the post-9/11 era (212). In the state level of analysis, war -- such as the Iraq War -- is significantly caused by the nature or form of the state, government, or political party. Hallenberg and Karlsson contend that the 2003 Iraq War had materialized due essentially to the Republ ican Party’s neo-conservative stance (233). Also known as neo-imperialism, the Republican Party believes in the so-called â€Å"manifest destiny† in which America is tasked to free the â€Å"savage† countries from fascism, terrorism and others. It must be noted that Iraq, in the pre-Iraq War, was dominated by a dictatorial leader. To free the Iraqi people from bondage and oppression, America via the Republican Party went to war against terrorism. ... Particularly using the realist paradigm, scholars and people are able to view this war phenomenon in a more objective fashion. Perhaps it is true that the individual level is somewhat compelling in saying that it is immediate cause of the Iraq War; nevertheless, the whole picture elucidates that there are bigger forces or factors that greatly shaped the realization of war: power politics. In the pre-Iraq War period, the U.S. arguably felt threatened, real or imagine, with Iraq’s rising military power under Saddam Hussein. Based from the realist framework, the logical action for the superpower U.S. to do was to invade Iraq in order to secure America’s survival. The system level provides a much bigger picture in analyzing why America went to war. Compare and Contrast: Realism and Liberalism D’Anieri differentiates the two popular paradigms prominent in the field of international politics: between realism and liberalism. These two theories or praxes differ markedly on how they generally view the world politics. On the one hand, realism sees the international political arena in a more pessimistic way (D’Anieri 60). As its fundamental precept, the praxis of realism stipulates that states or nation-states greatly vie for power. D’Anieri notes that realism highly considers the theories of hegemonic stability and balance of power. Their similarities basically define the concept of realism: (1) anarchy is the major condition that constrains state action and/or policy, (2) rational/unitary states are the fundamental actors in the international political scene, (3) distribution of power defines and confines the system, among other things

Foreign Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign Relations - Essay Example The September 2001 terrorist attack in the United States motivated the formulation of new strategies. Such strategies moved the United States to attack Iraq, drawing support from its European allies. Louise Fawcett and Raymond Hinnebusch are two of the analysts who have sought to define how the Iraq war redefined the global political arena and the positions held by certain states in the global society. Evidently, the war caused a shift in the understanding of foreign relations trends. However, these two analysts express competing perspectives on the shift on the global foreign relations. This paper will address the competing perspectives. Hinnebusch considers the effects of the Iraq war, stating that the smaller states were under a surging threat as a consequence of the war. After the September 2001 attack, the United States heightened its surveillance and vigilance system. Such heightened systems provided a timely expose that Iraq had become a growing hub of nuclear weapons that cha llenged global security. The United States made the move to wage war against Iraq, in a bid to destabilize it, and eliminate the threat it was posing to the global societal welfare. Evidently, political and security trends are some of the critical issues that determine the direction taken by social agendas. As expected, the United States received support from Europe, specifically from closest ally in the region, United Kingdom. According to Hinnebusch, such support served as a restraint for the emergence of some form of constraints to the development of the war in 2003. In his argument, he makes it evident that the United States was a hegemony that made all the critical decisions determining the direction of the war (Hinnebusch 453). After the attack, Bush sets new strategies that would define the war on terror. The evident position of America on a global front compels it to prove highly decisive in sensitive issues such as the emerging terror. America decided that it would engage t he Iraq because of the threat it posed. Hinnebusch argues that all the other states only had to choose their stand depending on their relationship with the United States and the Middle East. The United Kingdom and japan exploited the opportunity to their advantage, a factor that altered the trends taken by foreign relations between these countries and the United States. However, smaller states had limited choice because they faced the greatest threat. The war affected numerous sectors of the global business front that in turn affected societies directly. The United States pursued personal interests, especially those tailored to promote its hegemony in the global economy. According to this critic, some countries defied the opinion expressed by their publics and confirmed their support for the united states because of the perceived benefits (Hinnebusch 457). The author describes how the hegemony stability order defines the strategies used by America to continue prevailing unconditiona lly. He further describes the global empire that America creates, that would serve to disadvantage the third world states because of the pressure it exerts on global economic and political scenarios. On the other hand, Fawcett explores the same issue, shedding new light on the effects of the Iraq war. According to him, may of the objectives of the war as never materialized despite the perception of the United States (Fawcett 328). Acting as a global hegemony, the United States