Diminishing American Pride Essay

The book Zeitoun basically talks about a Syrian American family’s experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. It was mainly divided into two story lines, one of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the main character, a Syrian American contractor; and one of Kathy, his wife, a white woman converted Muslim. Zeitoun had an extraordinary life, also an extraordinary experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. He was a successful well-known businessman in local area. When everyone else was fleeing their hometown before Katrina came, Zeitoun chose to stay to protect his house and business. Later then when the city was flooded, he travelled around with his small canoe, delivering help and resources. However, he was wrong arrested as a looting suspect then and was sent into jail. He was treated as a terrorist and taken away the right of fair trial, forced to confine in a maximum security prison for a crime he didn’t commit. At the end, Zeitoun was released and able to unite with his family again, but he was not compensated in any ways for his misfortune. As this book describes, everything in the time of Hurricane Katrina had gone crazy, including the American criminal justice system. The main objection of this book is to criticize racism phenomenon in America and the rotten criminal justice system. Racism is a main subject in this book. It was first mentioned in this book in Kathy’s story line about her past life experience. â€Å"Years earlier, Kathy and her mother had gone to the DMV together to have Kathy’s license renewed. Kathy was wearing her hijab, and had already received a healthy number of suspicious looks from DMV customers and staff by the time she sat down to have her picture taken. The employee behind the camera did not disguise her contempt. ‘Take that thing off,’ the woman said. † (Zeitoun page 58) From the mentioning of these kinds of past experience seemed irrelevant to Hurricane Katrina, we can see the author’s desire to insert the topic of racism into this book. Kathy’s case shrinks small comparing to Zeitoun’s case in his arrest. â€Å"‘You guys are al Qaeda,’ the soldier said. Todd laughed derisively, but Zeitoun was startled. He could not have heard right. Zeitoun had long feared this day would come. Each of the few times he had been pulled over for a traffic violation, he knew the possibility existed that he would be harassed, misunderstood, suspected of shadowy dealing that might bloom in the imagination of any given police officer. After 9/11, he and Kathy knew that many imaginations had run amok, that the introduction of the idea of ‘sleeper cells’- groups of would-be terrorists living in the U. S. and waiting, for years or decades, to strike- meant that everyone at their mosque, or the entire mosque itself, might be waiting for instructions from their presumed leaders in the hills of Afghanistan or Pakistan. (Zeitoun page 212) It didn’t surprise me at all that Zeitoun have those thoughts that might seem over-worried in some people’s eyes.. Indeed, another author Maysan Haydar had mentioned similar thoughts in her essay â€Å"Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering. † â€Å"Now some people hold their breath a bit longer, assuming I’m a fundamentalist or wondering if I’m there to cause them harm. I sense people studying me on the trains, reading the cover of the book in my hand and trying to gauge if I am one of ‘us’ or one of ‘them’. I grapple with the frustration that I can’t reassure everyone individually that my goals have everything to do with social justice and nothing to do with holy war. But I have seen suspicious fade in the eyes of the pregnant woman to whom I’ve given my subway seat or the Hasidic man whose elbow I’ve taken to help him up the stairs. † (Haydar pg 406) I feel very sorry for Haydar and Zeitoun’s experiences. Muslim people are always feared to be presumed as terrorist. American frightened by the traumatic event of 9-11 developed a stereotype against people from Middle East. The fear of being attack also again drove American crazy on national security. However, for whatever reason, racism has put upon so much harm on people we discriminate against. Muslim people like Zeitoun, hard working and honest people, are forced to live under the fear of being prosecuted for his race someday, taken away from his family, locked up in somewhere nobody would know he’s died or not. Those fears have made them coward under a lowly skin, live like second-class citizens. â€Å"In the weeks after the attacks on the Twin Towers, Kathy saw very few Muslim women in public. She was certain they were hiding, leaving home only when necessary. In Late September, she was in Walgreens when she finally saw a woman in a hijab. She ran to her. ‘Salaam alaikum! ’ she said, taking the woman’s hands. The woman, a doctor studying at Tulane, had been feeling the same way, like an exile in her own country, and they laughed at how delirious they were to see each other. † (Zeitoun page 46) Indeed, as part of international society, American allowed people to be exiled from their own country. In Edward Said’s essay, â€Å"States†, he escribed how they, Palestinian people was exiled from their own country and forced to scatter around the world, be denied of personal identity everywhere. †Some Israeli settlers on the West Bank say: ‘The Palestinians can stay here, with no rights, as resident aliens. ’ Other Israelis are less kind. † (Said pg 546) â€Å"The fact is that today I can neither return to the places of my youth, nor voyage freely in the countries and places that mean the most to me, nor feel safe from arrest or violence even in the countries I used to frequent but whose governments and policies have changed radically in recent times. (Said pg 547) In a documentary I have watched, in some cases, if a Palestinian wants to travel from points to points, they have to go through checkpoints set up by local military. They would be asked to show their prove of identity and relevant documents which sources were mostly denied. Nobody tell them what to do then, no laws protect them, some of them can’t even go to hospitals and schools like every other human being in the course that they don’t have a legal identity. We as adults, teach our kids not to bully in school, that it’s wrong to do so. In contrast, as a human, we allow our country, ourselves to bully on people with a different skin tone. Isn’t this hilarious? Another main subject posted in this book is the criminal justice system in America. Zeitoun was initially arrested in his house, then taken to the bus station, naked searched and put in jail. Throughout the whole process, he had never been told of his charges, no phone calls granted, no one had ever given him a chance to defend himself or to find a lawyer. He was treated as terrorist. In the course of his Middle-Eastern accent, everything about him seemed suspicious to the guards. He was kept in inhumane confinement, was given pork for food despite his religion. He had a deep wound in his feet but was never treated nor given any medical attention. There were basically no laws in effect, Zeitoun was treated as if he wasn’t an American citizen anymore, constitutions and laws don’t protect him. â€Å"Watching the evidence on the table mount, Zeitoun’s shoulders slackened. Most municipal systems were not functioning. There were no lawyers in the station, no judges. They would not talk their way out of this. The police and soldiers in the room were too worked up, and the evidence was too intriguing. (Zeitoun 215) But the most disappointing fact about this is what t I found out later in the book, that all of this happened to Zeitoun was not special cases happened once or twice, it was somehow permitted. â€Å"But knowing that Zeitoun’s ordeal was caused instead by systemic ignorance and malfunction- and perhaps long-festering paranoia on the part of the National Guard and whatever other agencies were involved-was unsettling. It said, quite clearly, that this wasn’t a case of a bad apple or two in the barrel. The barrel itself was rotten. (Zeitoun 307) This is totally different from what I learnt from my administration of justice class. The whole process is wrong. How could an innocent person be justified this way? Not even a phone call allowed. It is nothing better than abduction. Who gave government the right to treat people like this? I guess under the name of National Security, there’s nothing government can’t do, all laws and constitutions could be undermined. James Bamford, author of essay â€Å"Wired† pointed out the same point, says in his essay, â€Å"’They violated the Constitution setting it up. He says bluntly. â€Å"But they d idn’t care. They were going to do it anyway, and they were going to crucify anyone who stood in the way. ’† â€Å"Basically all rules were thrown out the window, and they would use any excuse to justify a waiver to spy on Americans. † (Wired pg 0843,, 084) National Security, initially served the principle of protecting Americans has become a tool to against Americans. â€Å"The NSA has turned its surveillance apparatus on the US and its citizens. It has established listening posts throughout the nation to collect and sift through billions of email messages and phone calls, whether they originate within the country or overseas. It has created a supercomputer of almost unimaginable speed to look for patterns and unscramble codes. Finally, the agency has begun building a place to store all the trillions of words and thoughts and whispers captured in its electronic net. † (Wired pg 81) Isn’t it scary to know our government has already gone this far for â€Å"National Security†? Anyone is a target of NSA. But who is more prone to be checked on? I believe this could be linked again to the topic of racism. Look back to Zeitoun and his fellows’ arrest; I believe they would never have been presumed as terrorists, despite the same context and evidence, if all four of them are white. The book Zeitoun serves more than a journalism. Dave Egger cleverly brought out these two important topics to us through the book. Could we still call our country States of freedom and equality after learning all these previously unknown facts? It’s time for people to stand up to protect the prides of America, fix our criminal justice system, drive racism into history and look forward to a better, true States of freedom and equality.

Classical Civilisation Essay

To what extent can we reconstruct the palace civilisation of Mycenae? What does the evidence tell us about their society and how they lived?  This Golden Age, kept alive by Homer’s poetry, tells the story of an advanced society during a period in history adorned by wealth and legends, believed to have been circa 1450 to 1100 BC. Assembling the limited evidence reveals the art and architecture of the Mycenaean World. The remains of the palaces show evidence of a rich civilisation. The later Greeks referred to this period as a Golden Age when â€Å"men were bigger and stronger than they are now† (Homer’s Iliad). This is a fascinating era glorified with heroes and victory, which almost three millenniums later, still captures the curiosity of so many. The evidence used to reconstruct this period is questionable. There are archaeological finds, which include the sites and the artefacts. It is difficult to draw accurate conclusions from these due to their age. Then there are literary sources such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The problem with using these sources is that many people believe that Homer lived around 700BC, which means the stories he tells will have been greatly adapted to his period. Additionally, others argue that there is little evidence proving that the books are not purely fictional. Architecture and construction proves wealth and culture. Increasingly influenced by Crete, the Mycenaeans began to build palaces of their own. Initially they modelled them on Minoan architecture. This implies that they sailed across the sea. Later they began to develop huge fortifications. Palaces were built throughout Hellas. The most famous Greek palace of the Mycenaean period was found at Mycenae, the city of the legendary Agamemnon who was anax of the expedition against Troy. Others were found in Pylos, Thebes, Athens and Iolkos. They were logically constructed and shared the same features, which proves there was a link between them. They were obviously not isolated from one another. One may assume Mycenae was the main palace and possibly had a primitive infrastructure connecting it to the other sites.  The centre of the palace was a columned porch called a megaron (figure 1). A throne would have also been found on one side. This implies they had a King who held an important role in society. The first floor appeared to have been used for storage and the second floor was where the women lived. The materials used to construct these buildings include stone blocks, mud brick, bonding timber and plaster, which proves the Mycenaeans were a resourceful, organised society. Their building technique is known as corbelling, where each successive row of stones in a wall is laid further out than the previous one below it. The palace of Pylos was the only one not to be fortified by huge walls, one of the main features of Mycenaean palaces. There were three types of citadels: polygonal (various shaped blocks neatly fitted together), ashlar (squared blocks neatly fitted  Cyclopean walls 2 The Lions’ Gate   together) and finally the famous cyclopean walls (huge, irregular stones yielding massive walls) called so because they were so large that it was believed only a Cyclops could have built them (figure 3). The walls at the palace of Mycenae, where The Lions’ Gate was uncovered in 1841, are 1100 meters long, protecting the dominating power of the Peloponnese (figure 4).  These massive defences also show that the Mycenaeans felt the need to protect themselves from external threats. Houses were built below the citadel, which implies a close community. They were generally self-sufficient homes with a kitchen, altar and hearth. Their furniture was varied and frequently included a plaster bench, tables, foot-stoles and even bathtubs. Their homes appear to have been comfortable.  More isolated homes were also uncovered in the hills (i.e. Mouriatada, on the west coast). The constructions were smaller and did not use such high quality masonry but did include a megaron and private houses. One may deduce from this that wealth peaked in and around the palaces. Water supplies were an equally important construction to ensure survival and well-being. The palace of Athens had a well, built within the walls, making it accessible, even if they were threatened by a siege.  The cistern built at Mycenae at the end of the 13th century, extended underground beyond the walls, making it more vulnerable (figure 5).  The Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans, in crafts, in efficient organisation and in writing. This is concluded from the similar architecture, tablets and pottery found. The wave of palace destructions on Crete around 1450 and the eventual fall of Knossos around1375 marked the start of the most flourishing period for the Mycenaeans. New pottery shapes and styles began. They produced three handled jars, kraters (large bowls) and kylikes (goblets with long stems). Backgrounds were being painted red or black as opposed to light, matt tones. Forms appeared more natural, like the Minoan art. They began to use floral decorations.  Next, the Mycenaean Age adopted geometric patterns and abstract forms on its pottery. They made stirrup jars, yet another indication of Minoan influence. As the civilisation reached its height, so did the art. Vases were mass-produced for export as well as for use on the main land. Evidence of objects from afar were found at the Palace of Knossos, in Crete, which shows signs of huge wealth, probably due to the position of the island, the cross road of the Mediterranean in circa 1400 BC. The Mycenaeans were equally as good tradesmen as the Minoans. Their pottery was found in Sicily, Rhodes, Cyprus, Italy, Asia Minor, Northern Syria and Miletus, which suggests they were good sailors and traded with the east Mediterranean and Europe. In some places their influence seems so strong that one could think that they had permanent strongholds there, what we may consider today a colonisation. However, they were not able to enter Asia Minor because of the Hittites, described as a strong, troublesome civilisation.

Macbeth †Study Notes †Act II Essay

1.Who accompanies Banquo at the opening of Act 2? What is his relation to Banquo? Fleance is the one who accompanies Banquo. He is his son. 2.What is Macbeth’s hallucination before he murders Duncan? What does this mean? Macbeth’s hallucination is a dagger which he wants to grasp but of course he can’t, and he realizes that he is seeing the dagger that he plans to use in the murder, a dagger which beckons him toward King Duncan’s door, and a dagger upon which appear thick drops of blood. He understands that â€Å"It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes† (2.1.48-49), but he is not horrified. Rather, he wants to be as deadly as that dagger. 3.What reason does Lady Macbeth give for not committing the murder herself? Duncan looks like a father and that is why Lady Macbeth does not want to commit the murder herself. 4.Why do Duncan’s sons decide to leave Scotland? They doubted something and by leaving Scotland, they’ll have a little additional safety, because no one will be able to kill them both at once. 5.In Scene 2, why couldn’t Macbeth say â€Å"Amen† when a voice said â€Å"God Bless Us†? In Scene 2, Macbeth could not say â€Å"Amen† when a voice said â€Å"God Bless US† because it was part of his hallucinations. 6.The images of blood and water are interwoven in lines 55-68 of Scene 2. What does each suggest? It is the blood on his hands that causes this horrible fascination, and he  feels that the blood can never be washed away. Before his hands are clean, they will make all the seas of the world turn red. The water usually represents being free of something, wiping away the guilt, and bringing back innocence even though just metaphorically. By washing his hands with water Macbeth thought he would erase the guilt that was behind it. 7.How do the difficult attitudes of Macbeth and his wife to their bloodstained hands serve to point up the basic difference in their characters? Both Macbeth and his wife want to clean their hands by using water, but Macbeth feels as if the blood will never go away because he is really feeling guilty for the crime he committed. While his wife, Lady Macbeth thinks that the water will clean the blood, and everything will be as before. 8.What is ironic about Macduff’s replying to Ross’ question, â€Å"Those that Macbeth hath slain† (Line 23)? Macbeth told them already what went on, but they were still discussing it because apparently Macbeth didn’t convince them much. It is ironic because Macbeth was the one who killed both King Duncan and the grooms.

Comparison of the Persian Gulf War of 1991 and The Iraq War of 2003 Essay

Comparison of the Persian Gulf War of 1991 and The Iraq War of 2003 - Essay Example War and reports of war have been a reality of our life, more so in recent times. After 9/11, the threat of war had been looming large, especially with the President George Bush coming out with knee-jerk jingoistic reactions, which was pardonable considering the shock and dismay generated by the incident.Then came the actual war in 2003. The question of the political expediency of the War of 2003 was drowned in a collective American fear of threats to security. George Bush's speeches were also engineered to keep the morale of the people high, in the tradition of past war leaders of the world (Churchill, for instance)In this war rhetoric, the image of the American soldier was glorified. The soldier was a savior and a friend. In the First Gulf War of 1991, George Bush, Sr. had done the same thing. He depicted through his speeches, the perfect image of an American soldier. Our soldiers, he said, are "some of the finest men and women of the United State of America" who "leave their spouse s and their children, to serve on the front line halfway around the world. They remind us who keeps America strong: they do." (Bush). He continues, "in the face of danger, they are brave; they are well-trained, and dedicated" (Bush) He mentions that they are willing to sacrifice their lives and their time to be with their families to fight for peace for the whole world (!)There is deceptiveness, conscious or unconscious, in a speech of this nature. It is implied that peace is brought about through war - a debatable statement. There is also an implication that those who fight are there, by their own free will. "There was an American soldier who said to an Iraqi soldier: 'it's okay, you are all right, you are all right'. . . Let us always be caring and good and generous in all we do" (Bush) The image is sought to be created as if the American soldiers have gone to have a party in Iraq. It needs a vigilant media to talk of an Abu-Ghraib or a Guantanamo Bay. Bush's American soldier is t he perfect gentleman (something like the British image of their 'bobby'- the gentle policeman - who nevertheless shot an innocent Brazilian immigrant on mere suspicion that he was responsible for the London train station bombings!) Bush's speeches are cleverly done, and achieve the purpose they want. In that sense they are masterpieces of their own genre of political writing. However, they seem to fall on the border of fact and fiction. Coming to Swofford's Jarhead- the irony is that this is 'fiction', but it gives a more real picture of war than do Bush's speeches! Swofford talks of the war from a soldier's perspective. There is no attempt to romanticize it. He talks of the dirt and the dust, and the rape, pillage and arson that taint war. He brings home to us that there is never a clean war or a good war. All war is terrible and dehumanizing. Swofford himself fought as a young marine in the Gulf War of the 1990's. He had written his memoirs then, and he uses this to liberally create the atmosphere of his story. He writes of writing to loved ones, " I was in the desert, sending out messages worldwide, claiming for love with my pen, and with each letter I wrote and sealed part of me escaped the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At time I thought I might write myself away" (Swofford, 37). Swofford's book is a powerful book about the truth of war. As a matter of fact, we must remember that throughout history, there have been many who have fought wars and have come back convinced that peace is the only solution for bringing about lasting comfort to all humanity. Swofford tells what we all perhaps instinctively know, that the real reasons for war are "the old white fuckers and others who have billions of dollars to gain or lose in the oil fields, the deep, rich, flowing oil fields of the kingdom of Saud" (Swofford, 11). Solyan's article, What Bodies talks about the attempt by the US government to hide truth from

Funding of Media Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Funding of Media Venture - Essay Example It is the main concern of the following paper to discuss with examples of the key requirements for, and obstacles faced when, seeking funding for a media venture. For a media firm to be able to secure funding, one of the requirements in many cases is a business plan which contains a solid business concept. This is because the funding agencies like the donors, banks or sponsors expect a return out of the funds they invest in the media venture. For this reason, they believe that a media firm with a good business concept would be able to compete effectively with other media firms and in the end make profit. However, the media firms that do not have sound business concepts will in most cases find it hard to acquire funds because they are perceived to be risky businesses that may not compete effectively in the media industry. A good business concept in this case will include details of the winning product and services in form of quality advertisement and creative thinking by the media per sonnel especially the journalists, the presenters and writers. Hewlett-Packard Company for example required that those media companies that seek funding must first ensure that they have a sound business plan. Product viability is another key requirement that venture capitalists tend to look at before providing funding to the media firms. They first look at the probability of success of the product that the media wants to offer in the market. If they realize that the products that the media wants to offer have high chances of success, the funds will be provided with relative ease since they assume that their investments are not going to be put in a business that is too risky with limited chances of survival. Picard noted on the contrary that venture capitalists are in most cases reluctant to provide funds to media firms if they establish that the products on offer have very low chances of success2. Capital Threshold Most companies that provide funding to media ventures require that t he latter have a given amount as part of their financial base before they can be offered funds. This situation was witnessed when HP Company announced their funding program to internet startups in which they required interested media companies to have a financial base of $250000 in capital before they could be considered for funding3. This capital threshold is meant to indicate the seriousness of the media company. The capital base also ensures that the company can provide security to its customers and clients before the business can pick up. This means that those media companies that were seeking funding to venture into the internet services but lacked the stated amount could not get funds from Hewlett-Packard4. Compliance with Government Regulations Before the media venture can be provided with funding from outside sources, they are normally required to be in compliance with government regulations and policies5. This is to ensure that the business that is being financed is a legal entity and operates within the legal framework. The media ventures that comply with the government regulations show signs of seriousness in doing business as opposed to those that fail to comply. Those who provide funding to

Law of Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law of Contract - Essay Example The magnitude of the contract was such that notice of termination would be at least three years. The appeal court that decided for the defendant held that there could be no assumption of a contract for an indefinite period. The lower court had observed that in order for the contract to be enforceable, parties intention must be so certain without the court having to write a contract for them. And that in the instant case there had been no certainty as to the continuance of the contract for an indefinite period or a requirement of sufficient notice for termination of contract. It also stated that no implied contract to that effect could be inferred.2 Although the facts and circumstances of the case would appear to make it a deserving case for the plaintiff, they are denied of the relief for want of certainty which could be ascertained only by way of reducing the required terms to a written contract to that effect. This paper examines whether the requirement of certainty has to be much too rigid. Meaning of certainty The fact that the defendant had deliberately avoided making any such written commitment to the plaintiff as averred by the plaintiff themselves shows that they had been aware of uncertainty involved and that they had a forewarning that they should reduce such terms of notice period termination to writing. Their inaction proves to be fatal to the contract’s continuity. Thus, even after compliance with the rules of offer and acceptance and other elements essential for the formation of contract, a contract cannot be enforced by a court if it is marred by ‘vagueness and incompleteness’. In long-term contracts, parties may not be able to set a fixed price because of fluctuation in market conditions. A contract without a fixed price is not necessarily vague or incomplete. Therefore, The Sale of Goods Act 1979 makes a provision in section 8 for price to be agreed after the contract formation.3 As early as in 1932, the issue of vagueness a nd incompleteness was dealt with in Hillas & Co V Arcos Ltd. 4 The court in this case heavily relied on the formality so as to put the agreement strictly business-like unlike in social relationships. In this case, the seller Arcos contracted with the buyer Hillas for supply of Russian timber for one year 1930. The seller also agreed with the buyer for his option to purchase timber of ‘fair specification’ for the next year 1931 also. But the seller could not supply timber to the buyer for the next year as he had fully sold out his timber to another party. When sued by Hillas for breach of contract, it was argued that agreement for supply in 1931 was uncertain and hence void for uncertainty. House of Lords disagreed for the reason that the words ‘fair specification’ were sufficient to lend precision i.e certainty to make a binding contract. Lord Wright explains how certainty in law and flexibility in business could be aligned. He states that most of the busin ess agreements are recorded in crude and summary fashion. The words that appear to the business community as sufficient and precise may appear to others as incomplete and imprecise. As such, the court is entrusted with the responsibility of interpreting documents fairly and broadly without being fault-finding. At the same time, it is not for the court to write contract for

Describe three controversies that led to the distinctions between Essay

Describe three controversies that led to the distinctions between Orthodox and Western Christianity - Essay Example On the other hand, the bishop of Rome governed the western group implying its administration was under a single bishop. As a result, basic theological differences emerged between the eastern and the western Christians (Vidmar 47). Separation between the Roman Catholic Church rather the western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox Christianity was primarily based on deviation by Rome from the seven ecumenical councils’ original conclusions. This included the universal papal supremacy claim. Similarly, â€Å"Filoque controversy† is noted as another contributing factor to the difference between the two religions. The insertion of the phrase into the Nicene Creed changed the implication of the Holy Spirit source. Rather than in the usual perception of its origin from the Father, the â€Å"Filogue† which meant from the son, changed the Creed to imply both the Father and the Son were the source of the Holy Spirit. Despite the western emphasis of Christ’s divinity, the Orthodox Christians were against the alterations and the emerging meaning after the insertion. According to the Eastern Christians, the Father defines the origin of both the Son and the Holy Spirit (Ware 56). The concept of â€Å"Sola Scripture† is another area that distinguishes the western Christianity from the Orthodox. According to the western Christians, the â€Å"Scripture alone† rather the â€Å"Sola Scripture† claim that God’s word can be clearly comprehended and construed by an individual believer. Therefore, it is sufficient to be defined as the final authority under the western Christianity; however, the Orthodox posits that the Holy Scripture in the Holy tradition are of equal importance and value. Their definition of the Holy Scripture stems from the definition and interpretation affirmed in the first seven ecumenical council’s teachings by the church. In addition, the difference in theological approaches explains the distinction that exists between the Western Christianity and

Quality Management principals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality Management principals - Essay Example The backbone of an organization is its clients or customers because of the mutual independence and this forces the organization to strive to meet and exceed the customer expectations. Customers will stick to an organization that upgrade its services and develops new products that are genuine. A leader should always ensure that there is unity and purpose for the internal environment of the organization that he or she guides. Leaders must be people whose intelligence quotient is very steady and high in order to make wise decisions. This means that a leader should clear visualize the mission and vision of the organization in the future (Robbins & Coulter, 2012). Leaders should develop a participative environment through the formation of partnerships. Other important principles that a leader should consider are encouraging innovation, change and operating in a secure environment. Individuals at all points are the core of the firm and their proper participation makes their ideas to be an important factor for the firm’s benefits. Workers will also perform perfectly in their areas of specialization when the appropriate work tools are available. Goals set for the employees must be realistic and empowerment of the various cultures of employees should be empowered and this will facilitate the idea of group work (Robbins & Coulter, 2012). Processes in an organization should satisfy customer needs. If they don’t then they are not the required processes. Processes are always flowing and focus on creating the appropriate methods for converting products into finished goods and services. Effectiveness and efficiency of an organization is done through identifying, understanding, and managing a system of interrelated process to a given objective. Since a system is identifying all interrelated processes and their interdependence then they should be properly managed. There are three factors to consider in order for

Sap (Enterprise resource planning) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sap (Enterprise resource planning) - Essay Example The ERP system enables the company to communicate with its customers, suppliers and business partners easily through the system. There is standardization of every procedure and employees throughout the organization can easily communicate with each other. Also, because of standardization the processes become simpler and easier to understand. Every vendor had its own practice of implementing an ERP system. The software developers have introduced some practices, through their experience that are the best. These are then known as the best practices. These best practices maximize efficiency and help the ERP Company carry out a transaction in the best possible manner. These best practices are mainly beneficial for the larger organizations or when the process is a commodity or also when there are compliance requirements. The best practice modification is one of the options that are given to the customer when he installs the system. After the Enterprise Resource Planning system has been implemented, the organizations usually have four functional departments, mainly, advertising and sales, human resources, accounting and finance and supply chain management. These are the four basic functional areas of the ERP system. Within a company, the ERP system is mainly utilized by these four departments. These four departments are vertically and horizontally integrated because of the ERP system. 8. What is management's role regarding ERP systems The management's role in the ERP system is to comply with the process and to be willing to share information. The management should not regard this as a threat. They should lead their employees to adopt the system as soon as possible and integrate it into their everyday use. As the ERP system is useful for the company and a move towards the future, the management in no way should hinder the process. The managers should take a horizontal view of the company this would help them be comfortable with the integration achieved from the system. 9. Why do some companies have more success with ERP than others Some companies are more successful at implementing the system because they are motivated from the beginning. These companies want to improve efficiency and maintain a competitive advantage. The companies which fail in implementing the system do so because, the employees don't see the need for the new system and are comfortable with the system that is currently being used. Sometimes companies have very high expectations and when the ERP system does not fulfill these they are disappointed. Lack of training and knowledge hinders them to accept the system. There may also be technical difficulties and the basic data input into the system may be inaccurate. L2

Edward Tufte put forward a series of principles for visualisations Essay

Edward Tufte put forward a series of principles for visualisations - Essay Example There is an importance of ensuring that such visual graphics are presented in a way that attracts and not repels the audience. There are various ways in which this might be achieved, and may include ensuring that the graphics are captivating to the eye and proper arrangement of the graphics is attained systematically in the graphical representation. The important aspects of presenting these visual graphics was investigated and presented by Edward Tuft, who presented an influential, approach of presentation of visual graphics through several principles. Tuft argues that graphical excellence in statistical graphics for example, must have complex ideas that are communicated with clarity, efficiency and precision (Seintra, Adriaansen & Liere 2009, 163). Therefore, tuft put forward a few principles that any graphical excellence has to abide with. ... These principles by tuft have to guide the design and presentation of any graphical presentation that effectively serves its purpose as was designed for. According to (Seintra, Adriaansen & Liere 2009, 163), Tuft further considers visualizations that have cluttered graphics, that are incomprehensible as tempting to remove the data. Cluttered information is therefore an aspect of poor design and cannot be considered as being affected by the data presented by such design. (Source: http://www.shadedrelief.com/world/) Fig. 1 example of a well designed geovisualization The geovisualization to be investigated against the Tuft principles of visualization is a man showing the physical features of the globe that is found in the following link (http://www.nacis.org/data/world_map/map1/world1/world_map1.html. ). This geovisualization has been selected due to its unique presentation aspects that the designer of this map incorporated and the different perspectives in which the map can be viewed a t. This geovisualization also portrays contrasting features as presented the designer and offers a good model through which Tuft principles of visualization can be well understood. The geovisualization portrays aw old map with all the important physical features visible and with descriptions well embedded in the map. It is an informative geovisualization that can be used to make decisions concerning this subject. One of the conditions as given by Tuft in designing visualization is that such visualization has to be clear and present the graphics and data with precision (Seintra, Adriaansen & Liere 2009, 163). The geovisualization in question has well portrayed these conditions in that the maps as representing the continents are clear and well visible with precision, it is

Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essay Example for Free

Differences and Similarities turning into One person despite of being Two Essay Question: Phillotson says that Sue and Jude `seem to be one person split in two.What does he mean by this? Phillotson’s statement that Sue and Jude seems to be one person split in two was because of the cousins’ life. Their huge similarity with each other especially when it comes to their goals was more like of just one person’s goal. Their single identity and the same belief drove them into being with each other thus they are more associated with their characters and identity. From the first part of the story, we must understand and realize at the same time that Jude was a little kid and his cousin Sue was of the same age also or younger of a few years. His dream of going into college however was his ultimate goal in life which was suddenly trapped when Arabella, his girlfriend said that she was pregnant. Believing that he must do the right thing despite of Arabella being a not ideal wife, he married her. Afterwards, he asked her regarding the pregnancy and she said that she mistakenly figured out her situation which made Jude more miserable. Losing his chance of going into the university, he even thought of killing himself and upon waking up one morning, he found out a note from his wife who was out of his sight saying that she will go to Australia with her parents. Jude became happy and when to the place he wanted to go and there he tried to find a job and upon finding a job, he tried to find Sue. When he saw her, he decided and told to himself that he must not fall in love with her because they were cousins but as time goes by, he learned to thus when she decided to leave, he asked her why and arranged her to be a student teacher assisting Phillotson. Later on in the story, Sue and Phillotson got married and Jude was saddened by this fact but maybe they are somehow destined to be with each other. The husband of Sue allowed her to leave thus she moved in Jude’s house and the two lived together as their divorce were all good with their respective partners. Jude later on found out from Arabella that they have a son thus she gave it to him and along with Sue and Jude’s two children, they lived together but it was getting hard for them to sustain their life and without an apartment of their own, Jude decided to find lodging house. They soon found one but Jude must leave separately with his family. One night Sue together with Arabella and Jude’s son went out to find an apartment and was saddened by the fact that there was none and the boy was pissed off when he found out that Sue is pregnant again. The morning came and Sue went to Jude and on when they went back home, they found the children hanging in the closet. Although they tried to revive them, it was impossible. In the end, the two decided to go back to their respective partners and thinking that they were cursed, they separated ways. Jude died in the end. In the circumstances which happened in the account of the lives of both Sue and Jude, we have to understand that they were really the same except that Sue was a girl and Jude was a boy. Despite of their differences, what happened in their life brings them so much closer to each other despite of the fact that they once lived together. The tragedy they experienced only shows that they were indeed person of neither bad nor good fate thus we have to take it into account that probably the circumstances and the instances they both have in common were just coincidences but it is also in high regard that these circumstances happened when they were still together. As a child, these cousins were both fond of studying and as they grow up, both tried their best to enter in a university. Both of them were not happy with their marriage thus they somehow committed adultery but they did not stop simply from being the same in those terms. A month after the divorce of Arabella and Jude was granted, Phillotson and Sue’s divorce followed. At the end of the story, both were taken back by their divorced half thus they were reunited and got married again. Upon knowing the summary, one can determine that even in the start, the two have qualities which are highly similar with one another. Although their attitude was not compared nor contrasted, their goals and their life experiences seem to be the same. Their fate which brought them together perhaps was a big reason why Phillotson was able to say those words. It is undeniable that they were of the same fate that even in the end of the story, both of them suffered the same way thus they thought they were being punished because of their relationship. Their life experiences which brought them together was the same thing which make people understand that they were indeed a single person split into one by circumstances and experiences. Works Cited Hardy, Thomas. Jude the Obscure. 1895

Domestic monetary systems Essay Example for Free

Domestic monetary systems Essay With a population of 170 million, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is strategically located in South Asia, sharing borders with India to the East, China to the North East, Afghanistan to the North West and Iran to the West. To the south lies the Arabian Sea, this provides close proximity to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The country is predominantly Muslim with a major portion of the population (65%) residing in the rural areas. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, the country still lags behind as far as social infrastructure and human development are concerned. (Bajwa, 1999) Structure of Government and Politics: The constitution of the country, promulgated in 1973, holds out the country as a parliamentary democracy with all powers vested in the parliament. However, for much of the past decade, Pakistan was run along the lines of a military dictatorship, with Parliament subservient to the President and vast powers vested in his self. After the gradual transfer of power to democratic forces following an election on the 18th of February, the resignation of General (Retd) Pervaiz Musharraf, and the election of Asif Ali Zardari as the new President, parliament is reviewing the balance of power between the Presidential Palace and the Parliament House and it is expected that, soon, the country would revert back to the old format of the President being a ceremonial Head of State and the Prime Minister running the country independently with Parliament backing. (Malik, 2001) At present, there is a coalition government in place that comprises the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). It is led by the President of the country, Asif Ali Zardari, who happens to be the widower of famed democratic leader Benazir Bhutto, assassinated by terrorist elements during an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi last year. Other coalition partners include the MQM (Muthaida Quami Movement translated as United National Movement) and the ANP (Awami National Party). The Opposition is deeply divided and primarily consists of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N). The main political issues on the domestic front are, as mentioned above, the repealing of anti democratic laws enacted as part of the constitution by the outgoing military regime and the issue of the deposed judges of the supreme court that were sacked by the former military regime when they refused to remain puppets. Apart from this, there is the dire issue of reconciliation between neglected provinces. However, the inability of the new coalition government to actively address issues of popular appeal and an over indulgence in issues of power sharing and power consolidation lend it ever decreasing credibility in the eyes of the general public. Although the new government has been in power for almost an year, its performance has been dismal. The popular mandate of democracy that has shot the PPP and its coalition partners into power has not been implemented. The Prime Minister, Yousuf Reza Gillani, remains a puppet and the Presidential Palace remains the main power fort. Despite the fact that the opposition is ready to support the government on national issues, such as the reinstatement of deposed judges and the repealing of undemocratic laws, the government has so far shown quiet restraint to address these issues. Foreign Policy: â€Å"Pakistans foreign policy has been marked by a complex balancing processthe result of its history, religious heritage, and geographic position. The primary objective of that policy has been to preserve Pakistans territorial integrity and security, which have been in jeopardy since the states inception. † (US Library of Congress) The aforementioned paragraph adequately describes Pakistan’s foreign policy ever since it came on the map of the world in 1947. Being predominantly Muslim, the country finds itself sentimentally attached to the Islamic World, in particular the Middle East. A developing country, lacking skilled manpower and capital to exploit the wealth of natural resources that its lands have been bestowed with, the country’s foreign policy has had to take in account the economic impact that relations with other countries can have. Moreover, traditional enmity with the giant neighbor on its eastern borders (India) has forced it to make balancing measures with staying in the good books of China and supporting pro Pakistan elements in Afghanistan. (Bajwa, 1999) Pakistans foreign policy is deeply aligned with the United States goal of War on terror. After the September 11 attacks, Pakistan renounced terrorism and became a frontline state in the war against terrorism. The country is the main supply route to NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan and is a major non NATO US ally. Despite this close alignment with the United States, the country often finds itself in a tricky situation when it comes to its tribal belt bordering Afghanistan. These areas are largely unregulated since independence from the British in 1947, operate with full autonomy while pledging allegiance to Islamabad. Pakistan is blamed for â€Å"not doing enough† to quell terrorist incursions from these tribal areas. Tribes here are said to be providing safe havens to terrorist and Taliban elements with the theory that the top brass of Al Qaeda and the Taliban is hiding here. NATO led forces have made several air strikes in the area which Pakistan declares as encroachment on its sovereignty but takes little steps to discipline these tribal belts. Part of this inaction is based on the fact that a stable Afghanistan, aligned with India is not in the best interests of Pakistan. Traditional enmity with India over the Jammu Kashmir disputed territory has led the two countries to fight three full scale wars in 1948, 1965 1971 and one limited war in 1999. Pakistan perceives a pro Pakistan Afghan government or an unstable Afghanistan as a hedge against encirclement by India. It is this threat to its security that leads it to, introvert if not extrovertly, refrain from taking any drastic steps to quell those destabilizing elements in Afghanistan that originally emanate from its terrotiry. (Bajwa, 1999) On the economic front, Pakistan is primarily an exporter of textiles accounting to about 57% of the country’s exports. Prime markets are North America and Europe. Good relations are important with these two blocks of nations as they provide trade facilitation and, at the same time, help with soft loans and aid to help in social and economic development. Remittances also play an important part in the country’s balance of payments and a large amount of Pakistani’s work in the Middle East, Europe and America. The country’s foreign policy also has to take account of these factors. (Malik, 2001) Thus, to sum up, as implied earlier, the country’s foreign policy is driven by its perceived security threat, religious affiliation with the Islamic fraternity of nations and the dependence upon economic aid and facilitation by friendly countries. While the policy has been largely successful in maintaining the country’s territorial (if we exclude the secession of East Pakistan in 1971 due to Indian intervention) integrity and safeguarding its economic interests, continuing on such lines indefinitely is not an option and it is important that the country makes a strategic review of its policy and seek alternative ways of addressing outstanding issues. Domestic Monetary Systems: Speaking In purely political economic terms, the government of technocrats that took power in October 1999 was faced with a huge crisis. Business confidence was low, investors were hesitant and the economy seemed to be heading for a deeper depression. Political legitimacy for the regime was another issue. Quite smartly, the policy makers then decided to lower interest rates. The idea was that low interest rates would encourage private sector borrowing, push up aggregate demand, increase corporate sector profitability, help in the generation of employment and quite importantly provide legitimacy to the regime. The concept to create this artificial boom was not a bad idea at all, but the fact that this approach only stocks problem for the future are alarming. While banking is referred to as â€Å"the refined management of money†, during the last 9 years, the country bore witness to the greatest mismanagement of scarce resources in the history of the country. The rise of consumer banking in an undocumented economy meant that people borrowed cheap and spent it on unproductive activities like buying consumables, investing on a volatile stock market vacationing in Europe. New investment in capital was made, but the bulk of the corporate sector used the low interest rates to either replace existing machinery or reschedule existing loans at cheaper rates. Thus, the economy was inflated by the use of an expansionary monetary policy that increased the dependence on oil and fuel. Worse, the effect is more severe as a high proportion of petroleum consumption is used by private car owners. Had the government tried to balance total economic and social benefit with total economic and social costs, by for example, encouraging public transport as opposed to private car ownership, the economy would have been less affected by the oil price hikes. Switching to Compressed Natural Gas was instead provided as a viable alternative but the result was lower gas supply for domestic and industrial use. Today, the Pakistani economy is representative of an over inflated balloon and attempts to deflate it are having serious repercussions. The state bank of Pakistan has raised interest rates to 15. 5% in attempt to curb inflation running as high as 20%. Measures have been introduced to reduce the money supply. This would help ease inflationary pressures on the demand side. However the argument goes that high interest rates would discourage investment, lead to low business confidence result in excessive saving as people would consume less and save more. This would mean that a â€Å"general glut† would appear in the economy with high inventories and unused capacity. Unless there is adequate demand outside the economy, employment levels may fall and output would decrease, leading to further slow growth, possibly complete stagnation. Given the current world economic scenario, with recession in the US, the sub prime mortgage crisis, competition from low cost producers such as China and India and the overall geo political scenario, monetary contraction is only making matters worse. Another important problem is the fact that unethical business practices like cartelization and hoarding are ever prevalent in this country. Moreover, the country is highly dependent upon imports of fuel and other items to aid its industries. Thus, a major portion of the inflation that the country faces is cost push in nature. However, the aim remains to target aggregate demand. (Janjua, 2008) This policy of the government makes some sense as the economy is artificially inflated. However, by not targeting the cost push factors and solely targeting the demand factors by reducing money supply, the government is not helping consumer and business confidence. The government’s inaction can be explained by two reasons. First, the country has recently obtained a hefty loan of USD 7. 6 billion from the IMF. A condition of this loan is to restrict money supply further. This is typical of many IMF financings which focus on monetary betterment as opposed to the level of unemployment and GDP growth. Secondly, many of the cartels have representation in the government and due to the absence of a strict legal system; any action against them is made impossible. Foreign Trade: A very interesting scenario is presented in the Economic survey of Pakistan 2007-8, which states that exports â€Å"suffer from serious structural issues which need to be addressed primarily by the industry itself, with government playing its role of a facilitator. † It then goes on to tell how textiles are the most important contributor to exports (56. 67%) and the issues that the industry faces as a result of its inability to innovate, become efficient and embrace fashion trends in its primary foreign markets. A new surprise is found in the face of food items (the country is running out of water, by the way) accounting for 13% of total exports, petroleum products (meager resources at best) accounting for 6% of total exports, manufactured leather products 3. 7% and chemicals and pharma products almost 3. 27% of total exports. Aggregate these and you find that the top five exports make up 83% of total exports. (Ministry of Finance, 2008) The point of doing this analysis is to show that as an economy; Pakistan is heavily exposed to, what is called in financial management terminology, unsystematic risk. Its lack of diversity makes it more prone to microeconomic shocks in the prime exports that it makes. Another worrying problem is the terms of trade, (a monetary measure of the price of exports upon the price of imports). Sadly, whereas the terms of trade were highly in favor of Pakistan until 1998-99 (115. 7), they have since then nose dived to stand at 58. 35 (2007-8). What this implies is that although the country has been exporting a lot more in volume, in value terms, international trade is becoming increasingly disadvantageous for Pakistan. Even if you take the effect of rising oil prices out of this analysis, the terms of trade had, never the less had fallen to 73. 6 by 2004-5. This lack of value addition makes us it more suspect to microeconomic level industry shocks that could further damage its standing in the export market. (Ministry of Finance, 2008) The previously mentioned most accurately describes the Pakistani government’s policy towards foreign trade. Although it has been working tirelessly to gain access to markets in Asia, Europe and North America for its export industries, the emphasis has remained towards increasing textile exports. This support of textiles and agricultural items to a certain extent has not fared well for other industries and sectors. Export diversity is low and so is value addition. Moreover, the country has not been able to reposition itself with regard to reliance on imports. So in so, that even though the country is an agricultural country by definition, due to poor harvests and lack of support, in certain years, we see that staple food items are imported by this agricultural country. Although natural consequences favor that Pakistan produces and exports textiles and food items, unfortunately, but both these industries have certainly lost their efficiency at doing the job that is intended of them. The textile industrys inability to change coupled with power shortages and political nightmares and our lack of water resources for agriculture coupled with reluctance from commercial banks to serve this sector means that there should be a policy change at the federal level. The high level of competition that these industries face means that the government has to take steps not only to help these industries blossom and at least maintain their market share, but to ensure that comparative advantage is exploited in other fields as well. The Pakistani government has been providing support to the traditional industries for some time now with mixed results. Therefore, instead of a status quo â€Å"wait and see† policy, a change is warranted. Thus, a policy shift should be made towards growth of value adding, job and export oriented activities. Exchange Rate Policy: Interest rate parity and purchasing power parity holds that changes in exchange rates between currencies can be explained by differences in interest rates and inflation rates respectively between countries. Building on this premise, the Rupee Dollar (PKR:USD) exchange rate remained range bound between PKR 59/USD to PKR 62/ USD for almost 8 years, starting 2000. The reason was that the country followed a managed float, with the central bank intervening in the market whenever the exchange rate would go out of range. This was happening against the backdrop of the fact that interest rates and inflation rates were considerably high in Pakistan and the currency was expected to depreciate. (State Bank of Pakistan) This managed float policy changed in early 2008 when the new government took power and the country reverted to a floating system. The rupee has since lost 33% of its value against the US dollar and currently stands at PKR 80/USD. (State Bank of Pakistan) The current policy is more realistic in its economic nature as the country, lacking substantial foreign currency reserves and a permanent balance of payment deficit could not continue to support an artificially strong exchange rate. Furthermore, this new policy of floating exchange rate systems will benefit the country with regard to its exports becoming cheaper when priced in USD. However, whether demand for the country’s exports picks up is another issue. More over, the effect of the rise in the prices of imports also has to be considered as many inputs in the production process are imported. Conclusion: The analysis of Pakistan’s monetary, foreign trade, exchange rate and foreign policy reveals the tendency in many developing countries to take decisions regarding economy based on politics. The short term benefits include lending credibility to the person in power, but the long term effects are almost always devastating. References: Bajwa Naseem, F. (1999) Pakistan : A Historical and Contemporary Look. Karachi : Oxford University Press. Asif Malik, M. (2001). Ideology and Dynamics of Pakistan. Karachi: Publishers emporium. Lipsey G. , H. Harbury, C. (1992) First Principles of Economics. London: Oxford University Press. Library Of Congress. For Researchers. Retrieved from http://www. loc. gov/rr/ State Bank Of Pakistan. Publications : Financial Stability Review. [Data File] Retrieved from http://www. sbp. org. pk/fsr/2006/index. htm Janjua Ashraf, M. (2008).. Government Borrowing and State Bank’s Authority. The Daily Dawn Economic and Business review Retrieved 12th december 2008 from http://www. dawn. com/2008/11/24/ebr14. htm

The Analysis Of I Want A Wife English Literature Essay

The Analysis Of I Want A Wife English Literature Essay The second wave of the feminist movement in the United States began during early 1960s and lasted throughout late 1970s. The purpose of the feminist movement was to have a right to vote and have the same equal rights as male citizens. Judy Bradys essay I Want A Wife first appeared in the Ms. Magazines inaugural issue in 1971. The genre of the article is a classic piece of feminist humor and is depicted as satirical prose. In this essay Brady aims to convince her readers to look objectively at a mans viewpoints and expectations of what he thinks a wife is and what she should be. Brady skillfully uses clear arguments, repetition of key words and stylish language to make her essay strong and convincing. Exigence: Judy Brady writes in her essay about the demands that are required from wife. She emphasizes the point that the roles of wife are unfair to the role of husband, and that there is an obvious difference, inequality, between the roles of husband and wife. Brady writes about this because she is tired of the feeling of inferiority to men and that the work that wife undertakes is overlooked. Brady illustrates her point by listing the numerous tasks that are commonly expected from wife. I want a wife who will have the house clean, keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it . After listing all this numerous outrageous tasks, she concludes the article with an emotional statement, My God, who wouldnt want a wife? Audience: Clearly Judy Brady is writing to married men and women. This can be inferred because the article is about expectations of a wife in a marriage. But not only does she write for married couples, she also writes to men and women in general. The fact that person is married or not doesnt matter in this article. The audience is expected to know a little bit about divorce and marriage life. The audience is also presumed at least to have a high school level of reading and basic understanding of words such as adherence, monogamy, and nurturance. She is trying to get out to the public that these expectations and these stereotypes of roles of women, should stop. This goes back to her exigence, which is the unfairness of roles of women. Purpose: Why should people read and act upon her statements? With her arguments, she is trying to say, All women stop! You dont have to act this way. She wants women to stop immediately acting as slaves. Her constant phrase I want a wife to rattles up emotions of readers, which in turn, might encourage people to take action. The reason she wants people to read it is because she wants people to understand that the roles of women is demoralizing to them. Brady classifies what a wife is through husbands eyes. Brady connects wit and sarcasm, effective use of language, and rhetoric to make a very strong piece of influential writing with the purpose to show how men see their wives. This piece of rhetoric ultimately implies the husbands selfishness and laziness, and his want to be left free. This article was made to make the audience to think and ponder. Brady effectively uses the Greek umbrella term, Rhetoric, which is clearly organized and very well thought out. Rhetoric means the art of using language to communicate effectively and images to affect an audience. Brady uses Rhetoric throughout her essay involving three audience appeals: Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Ethos: She establishes her credibility in the first couple of paragraphs of her argument. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am A Wife, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother. Not only does her being a wife make her creditable, she also seems to have a lot of knowledge and this gives the audience to know that she really knows something about her subject. And all that knowledge of what the wife roles are does not come from anywhere. She must have experienced it herself to know what the roles of women are. She lists numerous jobs that are expected of a wife and her language sounds that of a fed up and annoyed wife. In addition, her article was printed in the spring 1972 issue of Ms. Magazine which sets her credibility for the article. Moreover, she was an activist for the feminist movement. Pathos: When reading her article, she wants people to take action. She wants people to get angry at the topic. She also wants the men who expect this from women to feel jealous. She does this by first stating who she is. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. She addresses the stresses of everyday life and exaggerated expectations of a man from their wives. Then she goes on by listing the jobs required by women. After couple pages of jobs she says, My God, who wouldnt want a wife? This conclusion is very emotional towards the argument and it makes the readers to conclude that, This is wrong! Brady says that to discourage men who think the practice of treating women as inferior human beings. Brady also appeals to readers who are clueless or curious. Many women do not now what things they are doing wrong. By reading this essay, women can evaluate their life and determine if they are expected too much from their husbands. Logos: Judy Brady arguments are clear in her article. One of her arguments is that women are required to do too much. She doesnt say this directly, but says this by listing the role of women. Another argument that she presents is the inequality of men and women. In her article she writes that she is a man that wants to go to school and be supported financially. And there is a female spouse that must take care of the house, kids, appointments, money, and social life. She argues that this must stop and that people are expecting too much from women. Her arguments are very effective. Her credibility attracts readers to her article. And by listing the jobs of women, one by one; she captivates her readers into her arguments. Her simple words are extremely effective in getting out her views.

Euthanasia is the Best Option :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia is the Best Option    Euthanasia is a very controversial topic. People argue as to whether or not a person who is terminally ill, or handicap, should have the right to die by euthanasia.   People say that dying by euthanasia is to die with dignity,  instead of living an artificial life on respirators and other life support machines. If a person is terminally ill, and there is nothing anyone can do for them, why should they have to suffer?   Not only do they suffer but their family does also.   They will watch as their condition gets worse, and then the vision in their head of the loved one who has finally died many months after they were diagnose as terminally ill, is a memory of a person lying there helpless, not able to feed themselves, get out of bed, or talk to you.    One notable euthanasia case would be Sue Rodrigous.   She had a disease known as Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS, which is a rare incurable disease of the nervous system. ALS gradually destroys the nerves that control the muscles.   The results of which are weakness, paralysis, and eventually death.   That is what Sue Rodrigous was suffering from for well over a year.   Knowing that her condition was only going to get worse, and eventually, after the pain and suffering, would result in death, Sue wanted to die. She wanted people to remember her as a lively healthy woman, not just a body lying helpless in a hospital bed. With that thought in mind, Sue went to court to fight for right to die by euthanasia. The courts did not agree with her though.    Dr. Jack Kevorkian, proposed the creation of a new medical specialist, the "obitiarist," who would assist terminally ill patients to take their own lives, subject to strict guidelines.    His patient also suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease.   She was in bad shape, struggling to hold her head up, could not talk, and had to communicate using a computer keyboard.   She was deteriorating quickly.   "She was very smart," he said, a note of sadness entering his voice.   Kevorkian built a machine called the "mercitron," a jumble of tubes and bottles that would allow patients with little mobility to inject themselves with a lethal cocktail of drugs.

Douglas N. Husaks A Moral Right to Use Drugs Essay -- Husak Moral Rig

Douglas N. Husak's A Moral Right to Use Drugs In Douglas N. Husak’s A Moral Right to Use Drugs he attempts to look at drug use from an impartial standpoint in order to determine what is the best legal status for currently illegal drugs. Husak first describes the current legal situation concerning drugs in America, citing figures that show how drug crimes now make up a large percentage of crimes in our country. Husak explains the disruption which this causes within the judicial system and it is made clear that he is not content with the current way drugs are treated. The figures that Husak offers up, such as the fact that up to one third of all felony charges involve drugs, are startling, but more evidence is needed than the fact that a law is frequently broken to justify it’s repeal. Husak attempts to discuss drug use legality aside in order to prove his argument. He looks at drug use in a three fold manner exploring; the reasons Americans use drugs, the justifications behind the war on drugs, and a discussion on which drugs, if any, should be affected by the law. In understanding Husak’s beliefs on the reasons for drug use it is first important to look at his definition for recreational use verses drug abuse. Husak defines recreational use as either consumption for enhancement of an experience, such as at a concert, or for alleviation from boredom, like while doing household chores. Husak admits that there are gray areas between this recreational approach and the universally reviled drug abuse. However, Husak is right in saying that drug use that occurs in the ghetto is not recreational, and goes on to explain that rich white people are even more likely to use certain drugs, notably ... ...enough time explaining the benefits of legalization. I agree with his assertion that the burden of proof should lie on the heads of those limiting our freedoms and therefore I personally am not bothered by his attack strategy, but in the grand scheme of trying to further his cause Husak would be served well by discussing the issue in terms of why legalization would help our society. I respect this piece a lot and what I would really like to see is some of Husak’s ideas form implementation, such as educational programs. This article does a lot to tear down the old beliefs that are hurting our society, which is an important first step. Yet, those of us who favor change must remember that removing old views does not bring freedom, it leaves a gap. Freedom is attained when we replace that gap with a morally and legally sound new set of ideals and rules.

Anthony Comstock †The Father of American Censorship Essay -- Explorat

Anthony Comstock – The Father of American Censorship Anthony Comstock was the most prominent American advocate of censorship in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.   Born in Connecticut in 1844, Comstock fought with the Union in the Civil War and upon release became an influential member of the Young Men’s Christian Association.   His personal quest to rid America of indecent and immoral literature made his name synonymous with the epithet â€Å"Comstockery† or the excessive pursuit of moralistic censorship.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Comstock soon realized that the YMCA was an insufficient front for his rigorous efforts to protect children from the corruptive effects of demoralizing publications.   In 1873 he helped found the Society for the Suppression of Vice, an organization of gentlemen from New York City.   In a November 1882 article in North American Review, Comstock describes the mission of this society, â€Å"the enforcement of the laws for the suppression of the trade in, and circulation of, obscene literature and illustrations, advertisements, and articles of indecent and immoral use.†...

Career Paper – Fashion Buyer

Career Paper April, 8 2013 My career goal is to become a fashion buyer, I chose this career because this is something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life, becoming anything that has to do with fashion had always been a child hood dream of mine. I’ve always wanted to partake in something with fashion but didn't really know what it was until I started working at my current job. Working at a jewelry store helped me learn a lot with deciding what part of the fashion world I would like to choose to become my career.Working at a jewelry store and helping the owner also gave me all the experience and knowledge about being a buyer. I finally realized that this is something I would Sparingly do when is something I would even do it for free. In addition, fashion Buyer also get the opportunities to travel certain places regarding work related tasks. all in all, I see myself waking up with a smile on my face knowing that I am going to do something I enjoy with this career. The job description of a fashion buyer is to be responsible for a variety of tasks that connect the design world to the retail industry.For instance, a fashion buyer’s main duty is to select and buy products, according to market trends, customer demands and sales forecasts, which a retailer will sell. Buyer also try to maximize profits by obtaining the highest quality products at the lowest cost. According to BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), buyers employed by small retailers are usually responsible for deciding the store’s entire merchandise assortment, whereas buyers for large retailers may specialize in one type of merchandise, such as women’s outerwear or mens suits.According to the BLS, there are no strict education requirements for becoming a buyer, but employers typically prefer applicants with a college degree. Candidates with bachelor's degrees in business, marketing or merchandising may enjoy higher employment opportunities. Students should select courses that focus on sales forecasting, business operations, commerce and inventory. The salary of a fashion buyer it really depends on the level and the type of company but on a range of $34,832 a year on an entry level and a great amount of $72,772 for a senior buyer.A fashion buyer needs to be versatile and flexible as the buying schedule may include sitting behind a desk one day writing reports and communicating by phone or email, traveling out of the country to identify forthcoming trends the next week, then flying to another the following month to meet and negotiate with suppliers. A good buyer needs stamina but should also be enthusiastic,professional,decisive,creative and well motivated. To succeed in this career buyers need to have foresight and develop skills in people management and time management.It is rare to find someone with an equal balance between these qualities and skills and many buyers will excel in some while being only adequate in others. In conclusion although the y do ask for a lot when it comes to being a buyer I believe the skills are learnt within the job,and to succeed, one must be passionate and persistent. Resources Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, â€Å"Buying Managers, Buyers, and Buying Agents, on the Internet ‘ [visited April 07, 2013]. â€Å"Buyers. † Riley Guide. The Riley Guide, 07 APR 2013. Web. 7 Apr 2013. .

Quality Compliance at the Hawthorn Arms Essay

1. Consider the three candidates in Exhibit A below. If forced to make a decision tomorrow, which candidate should Alistair choose for the job? What major factors should determine his choice? * Every candidate has different strengths and weaknesses * Marie: good technical as well as administrative abilities * Janos: knows Hungarian culture and speaks the language, experience with the local products * Sinead: has experience in the organiyational and administrative part of joint ventures, knowledge about local and global products * The different abilities have to be compared and analyzed in relation to the vacant position * Marie: is the best choice * Long experience with Trianon in different areas * Became acquainted with different cultures even if not the Hungarian * Good technical education / background * Fitting family status (child in university) * Good language skills * Janos: * Cultural aptitude * Knowledge of Hungarian language * Fitting family status * Short experience with Trianon * Contacts to politcs may be a problem * Lack of technical experience * Sinead: * Great technical experience even in joint ventures and the appropriate technology * Weak cultural aptitude * Weak language skills * Family status might be a problem (3 underaged children) 2. We are told nothing of the process that Trianon uses to recruit candidates for ths level of final selection. Given what you know about the firm from the case, outline a general recruitment and selection process for Trianon. Describe how your proposal fits with `best` selection practices as well as the strategic needs of this company. * Job requirements: * Technical experience * Cross cultural aptitude * Family status * Company`s requirements, period of employment * Language skills * Selection procedure: * Selection on the basis of the application * Style of writing, education, marks, completeness of documents * Interviews * Personal appearance, answering questions, flexibility, adaptability * Selection tests * Completion of tasks, presentations skills, mental qualities, soft skills 3. Should HR staff be involved in strategic decisions relating to international business operations such as finalizing a joint venture agreement? * Yes, HR staff should be involved to assure that all personnel changes regarding the future project are organized and planned properly. It is important to integrate HR well enough in advance, because a potentially necessary recruitment and selection process takes time.

Analysis of “He” by Katherine Anne Porter

Katherine Anne Porter’s â€Å"He† In Katherine Anne Porter’s short story, â€Å"He†, Mrs. Whipple has the misfortune of a mentally retarded son. While struggling to feed and clothe the hungry mouths of her family, Mrs. Whipple tries to camouflage hatred toward her son by putting up a facade of love and concern for him in an attempt to look like a better individual. Mr. Whipple and Mrs. Whipple’s neglect toward their son is evident right from the start by his lack of a name. He is only acknowledged as â€Å"He† or â€Å"Him†. Nance explains that this, â€Å"failure of the boy’s parents to recognize his personality, symbolized by their failure to give him a name, is the root of their error and suffering† (Nance 19). If Mr. and Mrs. Whipple would take the time to understand their son as a person and recognize his abilities, they would be able to accept his situation more easily and Mrs. Whipple could be less concerned with what people say. The distortion of Mrs. Whipple’s concern for her son is first evident when she says, â€Å"I wouldn’t have anything happen to Him for all the world, but it just looks like I can’t keep Him out of mischief. He’s so strong and active;He’s always into everything; He was like that since He could walk. It’s actually funny sometimes, the way He can do anything; it’s laughable to see Him up to His tricks. † (Porter 493) The truth is that Mrs. Whipple fails to put any considerable effort into keeping Him out of trouble in the first place. Mr. and Mrs. Whipple give the boy more chores because they say that He is bigger than average, and wont think twice about taking some of his blankets if the other children get cold in winter. On more than one occasion she intentionally puts Him in harms way. After receiving a letter saying that her brother and his family is coming for a visit, Mrs. Whipple insists on sacrificing a baby pig that would be worth a substantial amount of money by Christmas. With the mama pig being a great fighter, Mrs. Whipple asks Adna to retrieve the piglet. After Adna refuses the challenge, Mrs. Whipple believes it would be a great joke to make Him do it. After the boy manages to steal the pig, with the sow raging at His heels, Mrs. Whipple takes the pig from the boy without showing gratitude for the great favor He did. On another occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Whipple allow the boy to lead a full grown bull home. Both knowing that the bull could easily tear the boy to pieces, they still allow him to bring the animal three miles home. She mustn’t make a sound nor a move; she mustn’t get the bull started. The bull heaved his head aside and horned the air at a fly. Her voice burst out of her in a shriek, and she screamed at Him to come on, for God’s sake. He didn’t seem to hear her clamor, but kept on twirling His switch and limping on, and the bull lumbered along behind him as gently as a calf. Mrs. Whipple stopped calling and ran towards the house, praying under her breath: â€Å"Lord, don’t let anything happen to Him. Lord, you know people will say we oughtn’t to have sent Him. You know they’ll say we didn’t take care of Him. Oh, get Him home, safe home, safe home, and I’ll look out for Him better! Amen. † (Porter 497) Without concern for the boys safety Mrs. Whipple cries out at the boy to hurry up knowing that her actions could startle the bull. She then runs inside, not waiting to make sure her son made it all the way safely, and prays. Her prayers to get Him home safely bear more on what people will say about her if he does not make it. â€Å"[This] is a prime example where Mrs. Whipple’s superficial mask of love and concern is taken over by her abhorrence toward Him because of her personality flaw† (Makoid). Year after year the Whipple’s condition slowly dwindles. Adna and Emly move to the city for jobs, and He gets more chores placed upon his shoulders. One winter the boy slipped on some ice and fell over and started having convulsions. From then on He had to stay in bed. His legs swelled up and his condition didn’t improve. With the Whipples on their last legs, the doctor suggested they put the boy into the County Home. Mrs. Whipple, still worried about what people will say, refuses to see the boy go. She thinks that with Adna and Emlys’ help the family will be able to get back on their feet by next summer and take care of the boy. Eventually Mrs. Whipple understands what has to be done. Her neighbor and the doctor drive Mrs. Whipple and Him to the hospital. On the ride to the hospital He starts to cry. This is when Mrs. Whipple realizes that He is going away forever. His tears signify that maybe He knew that He was going away and He was finally happy; Happy to get away from the distortion and confusion of his parents. Mrs. Whipple understands her err, and is now truly concerned about his feelings. Mrs. Whipple and her family are poor southerners struggling to feed and clothe their children. With the addition of a mentally retarded second son, situations become more complicated for the family. Mrs. Whipple tries to mask the neglect of her disabled child by showing false love and concern for him. Only if she could grasp reality and accept her situation, would she be able to overcome her position and truly be happy. Instead Mrs. Whipple insists on hiding her conditions and doing whatever is possible to appear as a great family that is better off than they actually are. Works Cited Makoid, Terence. (2003, April 23). Katherine Anne Porter: Analysis of Mrs. Whipple in â€Å"He†. Retrieved April 24, 2011, from University of North Carolina website: http://www. unc. edu/home/tmakoid/english/he. html Nance, William L. Katherine Anne Porter & the Art of Rejection. University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill , 1964. 18-23. Porter, Katherine A. (1927). He. In L. McDougal, American Literature (pp. 493-498). Evanston, IL: McDougal.

British expansion into Africa between 1868 and 1902 Essay

To what extent were humanitarian and missionary motives the most important reason for British expansion into Africa between 1868 and 1902? Although there had been British presence in Africa from the start of the 19th Century, with British areas of control including Cape Colony, Orange Free State and areas along the West coast, prior to 1880 Britain had in reality very few possessions in Africa. Only when the ‘Scramble for Africa’ was triggered did Britain, along with many other European great powers, begin its campaign for territorial acquisition. The fundamental motives for British expansion into Africa were essentially the economic interest Africa held for Britain and its entrepreneurs, the rivalry Africa created between the Great European Powers, its strategic value and what was commonly presented to the British public as being the most important motive, humanitarian purposes. For many, including Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain, it was believed that Britain had a moral obligation to bring civilization and Christianity to the native population who were considered to be ‘uncivilized’ and racially inferior. Moreover, the Church strongly promoted the idea of missionary work in Africa; the Church encouraged the notion that a fundamental element of imperial occupation was the extension of Christianity which therefore was a motive behind imperialism in Africa. Many missionary societies were created such as the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel which conducted fund-raising activities and lectures. An example of a well known missionary was Mary Slessor who went to carry out her mission in Africa. Particularly concerned with tribal customs viewed as ‘un-Christian’, she set out to end human sacrifice, slavery and other forms of brutality. However, in reality humanitarian motives were of very limited significance in motivating British expansion into Africa; Britain was not simply guided by altruism and a quest to help the native populations, but instead was largely led by the economic and strategic interests the continent represented for it. Ultimately, it is likely that missionary incentives were simply conveyed as significant in order to win over public opinion and support, particularly through the media and popular entertainment. Of considerably greater significance to Britain was the strategic value that Africa held. Africa had always been strategically vital for Britain’s trade route to the Jewel of its Empire, India. Although Britain had few possessions in Africa before 1880, the few it did have included Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Cape Colony, all of which were deliberately very strategically situated along the coast. This provided Britain with stopping points and allowed it to ensure the security of its position along the long trade route to India. After the construction of the Suez Canal in 1969 Africa, and in particular Egypt, became of even greater strategic importance as the canal provided a quick route to India. As a result the canal attracted considerable British investment in Egypt and in the canal itself. This was illustrated when Britain invaded Egypt in 1882 in response to nationalist riots. British intervention demonstrated how Britain recognized the need to protect the financial investments in Egypt, and most importantly secure the route to India, despite Gladstone’s own personal policy of non-intervention. Moreover, it demonstrates how strategic considerations were ultimately only significant in order to protect Britain’s trade routes and its economic interests in Africa. However, the British occupation of Egypt in 1882 resulted in a turning point in European attitudes towards Africa. It was after this occupation that the ‘Scramble for Africa’ by European powers began, thus creating the issue of extreme rivalry between the Great powers, something which was very important in motivating formal British control in Africa. Until the 1880’s Britain felt no real need to establish formal territorial control, instead it relied on an ‘informal empire’ in which they had established a purely economic influence. Britain had not wished for territorial control in Africa which they recognized absorbed time, people and money but rather economic exploitation at minimum cost. Yet British seizure of Egypt meant that other European nations began to show expansionist interest in the region which in turn threatened Britain’s informal arrangement, particularly in West and Southern Africa. For example, Britain had an interest in Nigeria but a danger was that important trade along the River Niger would be under threat from French expansion in the area. Similar pressure came when Germany seized Togoland and the Cameroons in 1884 and the Belgians set up the Congo Free State in 1885. As a result the government granted a Royal Charter to the Niger Company, out of which eventually emerged the colony of Nigeria. It is unlikely that the government would have regarded the interests of the Niger traders very sympathetically had it not been for its determination not to allow France, Belgium and Germany from grabbing land which would threaten British trade, something which was of foremost importance to Britain and it would not allow to be compromised. The scramble in West Africa had also resulted in Berlin West Africa Conference which laid down rules for future annexation of territory. The treaty stated that in order to gain land a nation had to prove that they were in ‘effective occupation’. This meant that before taking formal control, an economic influence had to be established in the region by private investors and entrepreneurs. For example, a noted ‘man on the spot’ was Cecil Rhodes. At the age of seventeen Rhodes went to Arica and became a multimillionaire through diamond and gold mining enterprises. In 1889 he founded the British South Africa Company and used this organization to push British control northwards from Cape Colony to establish Rhodesia, a colony named after himself. The role of the individual itself was of limited importance in driving or furthering British expansion into Africa as few entrepreneurs managed o push forward territory as Rhodes had. However, it was ultimately motivated by economic interests and it allowed the British government to most significantly protect British influence in an area by proving ‘effective occupation’ which therefore allowed Britain to compete in the scramble with other nations and thereby protect its trade and economic interests in Africa. Finally, of foremost importance in motivating British expansion into Africa was the economic interest the continent held for Britain. Firstly Britain’s colonies along the west coast had always been strategically important for the vital trade route to India and later North Africa became equally as vital in Britain’s route to India via the Suez Canal. However, beyond this Britain was extremely keen to exploit the continents abundance of natural materials and extremely valuable minerals. This is evident as Britain was clearly only interested in seizing colonies that, if not strategically important, were rich in materials to exploit. For example, Egypt was seized by Britain due to its vast economic importance as it provided the quick route to India and additionally produced high quality cotton which was much sought after by British textile manufacturers. Furthermore the attraction to the British of Nigeria lay in the palm oil trade as palm oil was used in the manufacture of soap and candles and as an industrial lubricant. Britain also saw great potential for trade in East Africa; Zanzibar imported significant quantities of manufactured goods from Britain and India. It was a major trading point from which came ivory and leather goods and into which went textiles, brass and steel from Britain. Britain’s primary interest was trade and economic gain. Without any economic potential in an area Britain was not interested in colonization, in contrast if a region held great economic investments, for example Egypt, Britain was quick to occupy the area despite its reluctance to extend formal control which it viewed as consuming time, people and money. In summary, Africa’s economic potential was clearly the primary reason for British expansion into Africa 1868-1902. Britain was not a solely altruistic nation which became involved in the continent purely to help the people, instead it was driven by its own gains. It is true that rivalry from other great European powers was vital in turning British control in Africa from informal into solid occupation, however essentially Britain’s determination not to allow other nations to grab land was to avoid threat to its trade and economic interests in a region. Moreover, Africa’s strategic importance was also highly valued by Britain, yet once again its ultimate value lay in its path along the crucial route to India and therefore the protection of Britain’s economic interest.

Analysis of brand tribalism

Analysis of brand tribalism In the view of earning profit, marketers should develop as deeper, more affective relationship with their customers as they can. Some scholars reveal that competitive advantage can no longer be sustained on the basis of product attributes and perceived position. Today’s Consumers are now developing unique and vibrant relationships with their brands (McAlexander et al 2003). And strong brand relationship has also been characterized as cults or tribes (Cova and Cova, 2002). In this sense, the brand gathers passionate consumers in a structured social relationship, binding members together through a shared social and interpersonal experience (Cova 1997, Muniz and O’Guinn 2001). Brand managers are advised to go beyond the common marketing theory to establish a more stable relationship with the group of tribal people. In this case, the discussion of the way to make stable relationship with these tribal members is receiving more and more attention. The aim of this paper is to analyze the definition of brand tribe and some relevant literatures to evaluate how marketers engage with the phenomena of brand tribe to build a long term relationship with tribes. Overview Concept of Brand tribalism â€Å"A brand tribe can be defined as a social network of varied persons -who are linked by a shared belief around a brand; its members are not simple consumers, they are also believers and promoters† Patrick Dixon (2010) Says. A brand tribe does collective action and therefore it is implicated as post-modern business. The emergence of brand tribalism represents tribal consumptions. Some scholars define the concept of tribal consumption as â€Å"Tribal Based Views of Brand†. Cova (1997) says that Brand tribalism emerges because there is a group of consumers who adore this brand emotionally connected by some values and usage of consumption, using the social â€Å"linking value† of products and services to create a community and express identity. Ac cording to Bagozzi’s (2000) concept of international social action, social associations are the most important influence on an individual’s consumption decisions. In terms of this point, the phenomena of tribes can be presented as an expression of both self and social identity. Furthermore, Maffesoli (1996) establishes that consumer social identities and consumption choices shift depending on situational and lifestyle factors. So, the phenomena of Brand tribalism can also be understood and accessed through their shared beliefs, ideas and consumption. Due to this point, one individual consumer who has different categories of identity, may be involved in several different brand tribes at the same time. Practical Analysis Socially interconnected groups have been found to act loyally as a group because personal relationships are maintained through shared, regular consumption (Gainer, 1995). Brand just likes an art and consumers just like its diverse audiences bounded by a shared passion for â€Å"performance†. Meanwhile, studies of consumer-consumer relationships and their influence on individual consumption have focused on brand communities (Berger et al., 2006; Muniz and O’Guinn, 2001; Schouten and McAlexander, 1995). This research expands the focus on social relationships in the consumer behavior area and looks into the dynamics of a group of consumers focusing on one brand (brand tribe) for marketing opportunities.