State Legislators and Their Critical Role of Ensuring Resources Efficiency Free Essay Example, 2750 words

Some legislators a long list of legislation to improve the lives of seniors. They have introduced bills to expand case management services. Other recommendations have been to provide no-interest loans for home modifications and the requirements that those who abuse the elderly be immediately reported. Centers in which seniors dwell require have been required to include emergency operation plans. Many legislators have increased efforts towards building services infrastructure that allows seniors to remain in their own homes. The following are recommendations to legislative officers from the point of view of a legislator. The core helps to state legislators is adequate planning. The United States has a looming crisis since the number of the aged in the group meets an outdated service system. It is significant that there be an institution of comprehensive plans to address the needs of the aging. Funding is also critical to support the essential services. State legislators also need to do their research and get educated. Such materials can be got from offices that are responsible for the formulation of policies in order to give solutions. Building coalitions mean that legislators should combine efforts and bring all parties to the table. We will write a custom essay sample on State Legislators and Their Critical Role of Ensuring Resources Efficiency or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Policymakers lead the way, however, they need support from advocates, service providers, academia, as well as consumers in order to address the needs of an aging population in the US. It will involve a massive investment of time. However, they need to be patient. Legislators should also use the tools that are available to them. Legislators have a high opportunity of drawing attention to both innovative programs and critical areas to ensure that there is service expansion. For example, legislators can hold hearings, town hall meetings, record public service announcements and carry out mail campaigns. Some public health officials who have worked in the health and human services field for an excess of 27 years help legislators on what needs to be dome.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Essay - 466 Words

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost The Road Not Taken Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the map of the continuous journey of life. There is never a straight path that leaves someone with a single direction to head. Regardless of the message that Robert Frost had intended to convey, his poem The Road Not Taken, has left many interpretations for his readers. It is ones past, present, and his attitude with which he looks upon his future. In any case however, this poem clearly demonstrates Frosts belief that it is the road that one chooses that makes him the man who he is. It is always difficult to make a decision because it is impossible to wander what opportunity lies at the other end and what will be†¦show more content†¦As much as he strains his eyes to see how far the road stretches, eventually it surpasses his vision, to the point where he can not see where the road will lead. It is the way that he chooses here that sets him off on his journey. Th e traveler then took the other, just as fair, and having perhaps the better claims (stanza 2, line 1). What gave off the better claim is that it was grassy and wanted wear (stanza 2, line3). Obviously he wanted the path with less wear because the majority of the other people took the other path therefore calling it the one less traveled by (stanza 3, line 4). The fact the traveler selected this path over the more traveled one, indicates the type of personality he has. It is one that likes to be a leader and not a follower. This individuals personality is the type that likes to explore and expand beyond its limits. His experimenting personality noticed the leaves that covered the ground. His decision was made on which path he would take when he made the statement since the time they had fallen no step had trodden black (stanza 2, line 7). Perhaps Frost does this because each time a traveler comes to this point they have to make a decision, something new, somewhere they have never bee n before. He expresses the desire to travel both paths by saying I kept the first for another day (stanza 2, line 8). However the speaker realizes his decision is a permanent choice, knowing how way leads on to wayShow MoreRelatedThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost983 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken was written by Robert Frost, a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner in poetry, and also a special guest at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration (Robert Frost Biography). Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California and he died of complications from prostate surgery on January 29, 1963. Much of Robert’s popularity was gained throughout Europe (An Analysis of Robert Frost’s Poem: The Road Not Taken). Frost became a poetic force, and the unofficial poetRead MoreThe Road Not Taken by Robert Frost764 Words   |  3 PagesWritten by Robert Frost, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† deals with about making choices in life and how those choices affect your whole life. The meter of this poem is iambic tetrameter, for the most part. In most lines, the meter follows the rule with four iambs, which means that there is one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. But the meter is not normal since, in some lines, an anapest, which means there are two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable, is substituted forRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1173 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Frost, one of America’s well-known poets is highly regarded for his realistic illustrations of rural life and poetry which is still relevant in today’s society. After being honoured on numerous occasions, he became one of America’s most popular public figures. Frosts’ poems reflect his greatness and his life in a variety of ways after he was confronted with such despair and grief after the passing of his father due to tuberculosis at just eleven years of age and his mother who passed a wayRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost995 Words   |  4 Pagesthey can only move forward hoping for the best. â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Robert Frost, 1916. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken† a traveler is strolling through the woods and comes across two different roads he could take, and unable to travel both the poet eventually chooses which path to take. The theme conveyed is about making choices. Frost does this through the use of diction, the use of figure of speech, and the use of imagery. To start with, Frost displays the main idea of decision making by the wordsRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1055 Words   |  5 Pagesago. Either way, if you admit it now or in the wee hours of the night, like most people, you will come across this question at least once in your life. Robert Frost was able to grasp this raw, vulnerable life changing moment in the palm of his hand. Then he beautifully laid it out in the form of words in the narrative poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken†. Frost is able to take you back to a time when you have been faced with a life-changing decision. Then, causing you to ask yourself â€Å"Did I make the right choiceRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost940 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Road Not Taken† was written by Robert Frost in 1916, and it was the first poem in the collection Mountain Interval (Shmoop). Even though it was written many years ago, people of all ages still study this enticing poem. Frost wrote about coming to a fork in the woods and examining which path he should take and whether he might ever come back; the speaker believes each path is fine to take, but he takes the less used path (line 6). He wrote about this decision in clear, standard English. â€Å"TheRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost863 Words   |  4 PagesThe Poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, by Robert Frost is a detailed poem about a conflict in a person’s life, dealing with having to take the right path throughout life. The Narrator of this poem is faced with a predicament when he comes across two paths. The choices that he makes in his life, can alter the future for better or worse. This poem describes his attitude and emotion towards his choices as well as, shows examples of themes, mood, and different literary devices. The title of this poem canRead MoreThe Road Not Taken, By Robert Frost968 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Response 3 Title: The Road Not Taken Text Type: Poem Author: Robert Frost The poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost is about the â€Å"roads† and different paths we take in our lives. Frost wrote about a traveler who had to chose between two roads. He had to decide if he wanted to go down the well used or less used path. In the end, he went down the less used path. The theme of decision making and choices is shown in this poem. I think that this is a way of describing the choices we makeRead MoreRoad Not Taken, Robert Frost942 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 101 Burstrem October 7, 2009 The Road Not Taken Life is full of choices and decisions that could ultimately change the outcome of our lives. In the poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost, a traveler is destined to make that decision. This traveler man has to decide which road to take, one that is frequently traveled, and the one that is not. After contemplating which road to follow, he comes to the decision to take the road less traveled because he doesn’t want to follow inRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1100 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Frost reflects that poetry â€Å"begins in delight and ends in wisdom†¦.It runs a course of lucky events , and ends in a clarification of life—not necessarily a great clarification, such as sects and cults are found on, but in a momentary stay against confusion† (931). His poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a clarification of life. This paper will analyze and evaluate the formal elements of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† and consid er how these elements work together to fit the author’s purpose and clarification

Bag the Elephant Book Review Free Essays

In this book authored by Steve Kaplan the setting was focus on the current business situation where in order to overcome the challenges you have to be like â€Å"elephants† where being smart is not the only way for you to win these big companies but you also need to be strong, clumsy and slow and must have huge memory like elephants. In this book, it also provides a way on how a business can truly succeed in getting large companies rather than getting small ones, which for some it still in the present trend business do, because for them it is easier for them to do transaction, but in this book Steve explains that getting the â€Å"big elephants† provides a huge lift in your business because it does not only give your big profit but also helps you sustain for longer years and established stability in the long run. Bag the Elephant book does not just provide how important doing business with large companies, but also it gives a clear idea on how these big companies help establish other businesses also. We will write a custom essay sample on Bag the Elephant: Book Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now Like take for instance if you work in big companies with their good financial standings and also partnership with other businesses, with that alone, it means that you could extend wider business connections and that would definitely give bigger opportunity for your business as well. In this book, Steve Kaplan also gives some advice on how to win big companies, like what attitude and character or right negotiations that are needed in order to win them and most especially how would you sustain this in the long period for your business to grow as well as how these companies would help sustain their business. II. Analysis and Evaluation In this book it provides why and how business people in particular focus on winning big companies rather than small ones, like the one that will put you over the top like improving sales and marketing strategy that can help you get that giant customer. How these Elephant helps you increase your revenue, profits and success. More than a strategy book, Bag the Elephant is packed with proven tactics, tools, and techniques along with real-world examples from the author’s vast experience that will demonstrate how you can put these powerful ideas to work. To prepare you for long-term success, this book â€Å"Bag the Elephant.. † also provides the 6 keys for a successful big-customer focus †¢ how to map and use a big company’s red tape to your advantage †¢ ideas and techniques for developing your own Elephant prospect list †¢ how to find champions who can become your inside sales reps †¢ how to build strong alliances that result in maximum sales †¢ secrets of negotiating with an Elephant without giving away your profit margins †¢ techniques for turning customer catastrophes into customer loyalty †¢ how to avoid the 5 killer mistakes that can put you out of business. This book also provides outlines on why getting big companies profitable rather than getting projects from small companies. The book Bag the Elephant is all about how smart and intelligent business owners can win and keep those all-important companies, make-or-break clients. This book also filled with dynamic advice and real-life examples, delivered in an energetic, straight-shooting fashion that gets right to the core of its powerful idea—how to land the account that will put you over the top. Here are six keys to achieving the elephant mindset and understanding the big customer. Mapping and using big company’s red tape and irregularities to your advantage. This book also outlines how these big elephant needs you as much as you need it and how to do effective negotiations. In he first part, Elephant is Waiting, it shows how important and how business people must think that there is really high potential in doing business with them and these big companies are just waiting for them, if only they know what their needs are for them to have better business with them. On the second part, The Secret life of the Elephant, it somehow focuses on learning the ropes of big companies, the way they do business and how they actually do transaction. This is very important because knowing how to do business with big companies are far different than getting into small or medium sized companies. Like from the simplest knowing the discount schemes, red tape transactions, etc. this are vital because that is how business works for big companies and that must be well adhered in order to succeed. (Kaplan, S, 2005). Reading this book has provided better way of understanding the way how business works and how it should be applied in the real world. This book also explains that it is still very common these days that for some companies it is still important to maximize profit and reduce expense. But, this has been a little bit changed as the demand for innovation and technology and the need for process improvement are becoming an important factor for success of an organization. With these latest developments and trend in the business, companies with their top executives would always look intently what they need to improve or in other case needed to innovate. The main reason is that, in any case the managers with the executives of the company must carefully look on this need and should not give any drastic and not well-studied decisions. It is also where managers’ inputs are very important and they should not be just deciding for their own sake but it should be for the betterment of the whole company. This book also provides better discussion how big companies can be a big factor for profitability which is currently the main issue for companies to sustain their business. Secondly, it also focuses on competitiveness, how a company can be competitive in the midst of hardships in businesses. Competitive advantage, how does this become a very important motivating factor for some companies, particularly the global companies? Actually, there are two very common questions that are commonly address when it comes to competitive advantage and these are: is with regards to attractiveness of industries for long-term profitability, there is no company that does not want to have a long-term profitability. This is one factor that really drives company to continually be competitive. Strategies and efficient approaches are really well-focused and well desired activities that company needs to focus carefully. That is why there was no doubt that there are companies would even invest for research and development because that is one factor that contributes to long-term profitability and not just focusing on the customer satisfaction and efficient internal management. The second question why competitive advantage needs to apply by a company is in order for them to know their current status in the industry. In the second question it is simply carefully studying the current status of the company, is the company effective in what areas? Does the company established effective long-term plans and strategies? These types of questions would even help in establishing a sort of knowledge base or baseline before actual process improvement take place. This also provides a better reflection to current business situation that in order to really implement the right process for any competitive advantage that needed to be implemented in a company, there should be an effective long-term strategy that should be establish. And this strategy should focus mainly on operations management, this is very important that every company needs to start improving its own operation, there are other companies that fails to do this, the main focus here is that these companies needs to make sure that they improve first their own turf and that they are well prepared enough to work on for bigger challenges ahead. Some of the key factors and priorities that relates to operations management are the following: studying carefully what operation management style needs to be applied, secondly, understand the current demand and supply, third, the company’s current product and service offered, and lastly is what are the current consumer demand, variety of needs, diversity concerns, need for flexibility and other important issues that need to be address by the company. That is why with regards to operations management, it does not particularly focus on operations within the company but also more importantly is the external factors that affect it. III. Lesson, Thoughts and Experiences One lesson in this book is that for anyone, you should always strive hard into the top even though it is hard and sometimes seems impossible. Like for instance in school, it is important that we work hard in our studies because this will also be our main passport to our future career which would give us advantage against the competition someday. The most important lesson in his book is that, businesspeople must now be afraid of getting big companies, because this can provide long term success in the business. This does not just provide businesses long term stability but more importantly it provides much greater opportunity in the long run because their business also works with other big businesses and that alone can give you more opportunity to grow and that can help you sustain your business. Secondly, this book also gives business people an idea that learning the ropes of these â€Å"big elephants† must also be taken into careful consideration because this is not the same and really far different than going into transaction with small companies. Lastly, it also provides better explanation on how competitiveness and quality on the way you operate with these big companies is needed and much more expected because it is not just as simple as doing daily business with them, they desire better results and that is a growing challenge as you go along dong business with them. The longer you do business with them the more new and exciting ideas is needed that would also help them re-define their business and that would not just help them achieve their goal but more importantly help you attain your goal as well. Like it is also being said that if the company has been enhancing its capabilities on how they can serve their customers, it also makes the company creates its own distinctive competencies and this is now where innovations, efficiency, quality, and customer responsibilities form together as a leverage by the company to be competitive and work effectively in its operation. If the company continues to strive and maintain its vision of improving its competencies, it also brings the company in performing value creation in the organization. This value creation will also be the main ingredient for success on doing business for these â€Å"big elephants† in the business. So expect challenge in life and be ready to face it with all your mind and strength because that is the only way you can overcome it and for sure at the end of it you will win it. List of References Kaplan, S. (2005). Bag the Elephant!. How to Win and Keep Big Customers. US: Bard Press How to cite Bag the Elephant: Book Review, Papers

Management and Career Development

Questions: 1. Feedback notes and development plan? 2. Reflective evaluation of the experience as an assessor and participant in the assessment activity? Answers: 1. Feedback notes and development plan: Going through the assessment activities it is clear that they are framed with sufficient thoughts for assessing the competencies of the participants. The survival activity is an efficient one to assess the persuading ability of the candidates. The candidate assessed shows a high level of communicative ability that assisted her in persuading the team members to take five items as per her suggestion. As asserted by Purce (2014), communicative efficiency facilitates the convincing power of an individual. The candidate here thus depicts a high level of convincing ability. However, the candidate failed in the second activity of solving the logic puzzle miserably. She was unable to solve the puzzle within the stipulated time and came second last of all the students. It highlights the inability of the candidate to analyse the information available, identify the exact problem, and thereby come up with a logical solution. As opined by Okun and Kantrowitz (2014), the ability to solve a problem need the efficiency of recognition, gathering, analyzing and then putting them into use. In this case, the candidate has shown the ability to put the information and resources to optimum use formerly in the earlier activity but she lacks the recognition and analytical skills. Strengths and weaknesses of the participants performance- Strengths Communication skill, presentation skill, team handling skill Weaknesses Analytical skill, decision-making skill, problem-solving skill Suggestions for performance enhancement- Development plan: Areas to improve Strategy Time Review and expected outcome Analytical skill Joining a psychometric performance improvement class 3-6 months Psychometric test Ability to solve analytical problems within minimum time Decision-making skill Handling small projects under experienced supervision with exposure to decision-making situations 4-7 months Critical project submission test Able to complete and submit the project within time Problem solving skill Attending a class and learning the 6-step process of problem solving (DIUGAC). It stands for Defining, Identifying, Understanding, Generating solutions, Analysing and Choosing the correct solution 3-5 months Solving critical problems as puzzles and projects which are obstructed due to some problem Ability to solve the problems faced and complete the assignments Table 1: Development plan (Source: Author) The candidate can go through the mentioned development plan to improve and enhance her areas of weaknesses. Since she lacks the analytical skill majorly, so the maximum time is allocated for the development of her analytical skills, which is vital in a Human Resource profession. The psychometric class can help her to develop this skill aptly within six months (Luke and Hogan, 2013). To develop the decision-making and problem solving skills of the student she needs to follow a strict practice and learning routine. As stated by Ycenur and Demirel (2012), the 6-step problem solving method is very useful to drive the individual towards an appropriate way of solving a problem systematically. Since, the candidate here is efficient in communication she can use this skill to identify the problem. However, her analyzing skill can be improved with more and more experience through exposure to problem-associated projects. 2. Reflective evaluation of the experience as an assessor and participant in the assessment activity: Considering the assessment activity from the view of an assessor, it is clear that the two main activities of survival and logical puzzle are framed to assess the major competencies needed for the job of HR (Human Resource) profession. However, some of the students seem to solve the puzzle and execute the survival activity too easily within much less expected time. The risk assessment of the activities clearly identifies the issue of underdevelopment status. It is probably due to the time limitations in framing them. Bartlett and Ghoshal (2013) conveyed that an HR business partner need to have a sound knowledge of the organization as well as the market. The ability to recognise the talent of the individual (interviewee) and applying relevant tests to assess the candidates skills is of vital significance. At the same time, the capability of solving problems logically and with precision is highly essential to ensure a smooth running of the business processes (Quinn and Strategy, 2013). The current activities are efficient in assessing the convincing ability of the candidate. From the viewpoint of a candidate, it can be said that problem solving capability is not completely assessed through the logical puzzle. There are times when critical situations relating to cultural, ethical and organizational goal achievement comes up that the HR partner needs to resolve (Glover and Butler, 2012). For this, the assessment of the candidates knowledge about culture, ethics and legalities are important. The assessment needs to have one such activity that identifies the level of knowledge that the individual possess regarding these aspects. The designing of the assessment activities in the concerned case seems to consider the overall capabilities avoiding the in-depth skills and talents. According to Ulrich et al. (2012), assessing the in-depth skills and knowledge of a candidate is necessary before recruiting her/him to an influential position. The HR partner is a significant pos ition that deals with the most important resource of an organization, the people. Therefore, a good and efficient knowledge of the legal, socio-cultural and ethical aspects is vital for the HR. The assessment activity needs to assess these qualities in the individual. The participants are seen to score average in the logical puzzle activity while a considerable number of students seem to perform well in the survival activity. Therefore, it is evident that the problem solving, and reasoning ability is lacking among the candidates. As asserted by Aarikka-Stenroos and Jaakkola (2012), the intervention of segmenting the candidates to small groups and assigning them individual projects with artificial problems can prove helpful to develop their potentiality of solving problems. Providing a qualified and experienced trainer or supervisor to guide them through the first 2 projects and then observe their performance in the following projects can assess and evaluate the efficiencies and competency of the candidates in terms of problem solving. It will not only enable them to develop the skill but also help in gaining experience and valuable insights from the trainers. References Aarikka-Stenroos, L., and Jaakkola, E. (2012). Value co-creation in knowledge intensive business services: A dyadic perspective on the joint problem solving process.Industrial Marketing Management,41(1), 15-26. Bartlett, C., and Ghoshal, S. (2013). Building competitive advantage through people.Sloan Mgmt. Rev,43(2). Glover, L., and Butler, P. (2012). Highà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ performance work systems, partnership and the working lives of HR professionals.Human Resource Management Journal,22(2), 199-215. Luke, A., and Hogan, D. (2013). 11 Redesigning what counts as evidence in educational policy.World Yearbook of Education 2006: Education, Research and Policy: Steering the Knowledge-Based Economy, 170. Okun, B., and Kantrowitz, R. (2014).Effective helping: Interviewing and counseling techniques. Cengage Learning. Purce, J. (2014). The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals), 67. Quinn, J. B., and Strategy, E. S. (2013). Strategic outsourcing: leveraging knowledge capabilities.Image,34. Ulrich, D., Younger, J., Brockbank, W., and Ulrich, M. (2012). HR talent and the new HR competencies.Strategic HR Review,11(4), 217-222. Ycenur, G. N., and Demirel, N. . (2012). Group decision making process for insurance company selection problem with extended VIKOR method under fuzzy environment.Expert Systems with Applications,39(3), 3702-3707.

Analysis of Strategy Essays

Analysis of Strategy Essays Analysis of Strategy Essay Analysis of Strategy Essay Jim’s Services was started from the emotions of Jim’s heart as apposed to the objectivity of his head. Jim did not adequately analyze and examine the market environment, the target market, the competition, and the market share he planned to enter. Jim used the, â€Å"fallacy of prediction† as his reasoning for starting Jim’s Services. His strategy did not identify all of the elements of the market environment, its activity and how it is driven. Jim did not have a clearly defined mission nor did he conduct an efficient environmental scan of the market. He identified the population size and the changes in that size during changes in season, however he failed to conduct a thorough systematic analysis of the target market and Mr. Bullard’s Services. Mr. Bullard had an established customer base and reputation that gave him a competitive advantage over Jim’s Services. Jim’s Services didn’t offer any distinct capabilities except for the fact that he could be available with little notice. This is only attributed to the fact that he didn’t have a large customer base. Jim failed to efficiently identify all of his strengths and weaknesses and match them with his opportunities and threats. Jim did not reach his broad goal of a $65,000 salary because he did not evaluate his environment, or formulate a specific strategy to reach his goal. Jim devised a broad goal of $65,000, however he failed to identify a specific strategy of how he would reach this goal. If Jim still wants to have Jim’s Services in the Petoskey area than he should differentiate himself from Mr. Bullard by offering services Mr. Bullard does not offer. References:

Quotes About Simplicity

Quotes About Simplicity Living in simplicity is about more than taking your time to soak in the warmth of the sun or stopping to smell the flowers, although those actions could certainly fit in a simple lifestyle. Simplicity is about deciding what is necessary and important in your life and then not being distracted by the business that fills our days. It is about focusing on the important, rather than the urgent. The term simplicity can also imply a lack of pretense or sophistication, although many would claim that the most uncomplicated life is the most sophisticated.   John Kabat-ZinnVoluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more. Albert EinsteinEverything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best for both the body and the mind. Charles WarnerSimplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough. ConfuciusLife is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Winston ChurchillAll the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. Charles de LintLife is like art. You have to work hard to keep it simple and still, have meaning. SocratesBeware the barrenness of a busy life. Dalai LamaMy religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. William MorrisHave nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Orison MardenThe waste of life occasioned by trying to do too many things at once is appalling. Ronald ReaganThere are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.   Warren BuffettThe business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective. Doris Janzen LongacreThe trouble with simple living is that, though it can be joyful, rich and creative, it isnt simple. Elizabeth SeatonLive simply that others might simply live. Henry David ThoreauAs you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness. Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify. Leonardo Da Vinci Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Hans Hofmann The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Stendhal Only great minds can afford a simple style. Oscar Wilde Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex. Arnold H. Glasgow Success is simple. Do whats right, the right way, at the right time. Lao Tzu I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.

Entrepreneurship Skills for Engineers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entrepreneurship Skills for Engineers - Essay Example Learning-based model minimizes time through a learning loop. The intention of the lecture to engineers and innovators is to preserve resources and make best uses of them while making discoveries. Business plan or business case serves as an executive summary of the highly detailed business plan. It gets an entrepreneur out of the building and tests the concept of the market. A detailed business case envisions benefits over a reasonable period that outweighs costs and risks. The weak business case does not justify moving forward with a comprehensive business plan. It renders it challenging to estimate the return on investment. Commercializing an idea involves building, measuring, and learning. The building is turning ideas into products. Measuring pertains to customers’ response to the products generated. Learning results in the decision made on whether to pivot or persevere. Innovation intersects invention and market insights. In essence, it is the process of changing ideas into products while market insight is identifying customers’ needs in the market. Innovation may also involve improvements on an invented product to improve acceptance in the market. The presenter outlines various steps to the nail it then scales its process. There are five distinct stages. First, nail the pain. Second, nail the solution. The third stage involves nailing the go-to-market strategy. The fourth stage involves nailing the business model. The fifth stage is to scale it. Nailing the pain is identifying the problem and the possible solutions. Nailing the solution is selecting the best solution to the problem. Nailing the go-to-market strategy involves marketing of the idea or product and evaluating the perception of potential customers. The business model has several sections that require an address. It ends at the completion of the business plan. Scaling the business entails knowing the potential competitors and determining the size of the business. Business model canvas has nine  key factors that a business must have.  

Business Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Tax - Essay Example on, whether an activity is considered as trading or non-trading depends on the specific facts of different cases as provided in the badges of trade (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). In this regard, this paper states the general rules relating to how HMRC determines trading and applies them to interpreted different transactions in different scenarios. The badges of trade aid in deciding whether a transaction after review, is a trade or non-trade for the application of corporation taxes. The first of the badges of trade is the profit-seeking motive which states that with evidence that the sole intention of purchasing an asset is to re-sell at a profit and not holding it as an investment leads to the conclusion that trading has occurred or is being carried on (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). The implication of the profit-seeking principle is not that a profit-seeking objective should definitely mean a trade is being carried on but that this motive should be weighed with the other factors provided in the badges of trade. For an example of a case law, Salt v Chamberlain (1979) case concerned losses that had been made by an individual in the transaction of buying and selling quoted securities with a motive of making profits. In that case, the prosecution asserted that the evidence that an individual is engaged in transactions involving speculative dealings in the stock market is considered as carrying on a trade (Great Britain & Hodge, 2013). In this case, the claim was that all the other badges of trade were present but the General Commissioners and the court declined to disturb the findings indicating that they were not trade transactions (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2015). This case implied that the motive of seeking profit is a question of fact that and is not determined by the professed intentions of the person and in most cases it is inferred from the surrounding situations. The second badge is emphasized on the number of the transactions and states that repeated and systematic transactions

Employment Law and Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employment Law and Relations - Essay Example ted from the codifying of various acts and legislations that were against different types of discrimination.Some of these legislations were the Equal Pay of 1970, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995.The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 provided a basis for the development of the 2010 legislation (Wadham et.al 2010, p. 3). The law also provides protection to employees against being discriminated for their religious faith or belief, age and their sexual preferences and also provides for equality when it comes to employment access to all people. The Equality Act of 2010 has nine characteristics that ensure that the same act protects every citizen in Britain. This essay will discuss the advantages and limitations of the Equality Act of 2010 concerning anti-discrimination within organisations in which the discussion will evaluate the provisions that protect individuals in employment relationships. Further, the essay will delve on disability and race as two out of the nine protected characteristics that are contained in the Equality Act. One of the notable advantages that the Equality Act 2010 attracts is that safeguards employees against any form of discrimination, which was established so as to strengthen the legislations that were there that prohibited discrimination. In 2010, the Act became the main law that prohibited any form of discrimination in the workplace.The Act placed emphasis on ageism, training, education, and employment (Smith, Wood & Baker 2013, p. 404). In essence, the laws cover areas pertaining to the ways in which individuals can be treated by higher education institutions and trade bodies other than just employment organisations. The law states that all individuals have the right not to be treated as disadvantaged or discriminated against because of their age. An additional advantage of the Act is that it protects the older citizens. After the implementation of the

Impact of Evo Morales and the Cocaleros in Bolivia

Impact of Evo Morales and the Cocaleros in Bolivia Elected President on December 18th 2005, Evo Morales’ victory into power was a significant and meaningful event for Bolivia. Not only was he the first President of indigenous Aymara Indian descent, of which a majority (62% according to a 2001 consensus) of the country is populated, but also a leader of the coca-growers union and the Movimento al Socialismo (Movement for Socialism, MAS). After a long and bleak history of colonialism, natural resource exploitation, incomplete revolutions and neoliberal oppression in Bolivia, with a democratic government long occupied by elites who did not represent the interests of a vast majority of the Bolivian population, the victory of Morales heralded the potential for a new era for the poorest country in South America and a radical shift in the country’s history (Webber, 2011; gthomas2219, 2013). Following two landslide electoral victories in 2005 (53% majority vote) and 2009 (64% majority vote) SAM gained a two-thirds majority in Bolivia’s two parliamentary bodies, and with that, arguably the stage was set for a revolutionary change â€Å"ending both the persistent exclusion of the (often poor) indigenous majority of the country, and undoing the neoliberal legacy of the three preceding decades, installing a local brand of socialism† (Salman, 2013: p625). However, soon thereafter critics from the left have begun to argue that the revolutionary promises made by Morales on the campaign trail and his strong socialist rhetoric that fostered the support of left indigenous movements (such as militant coca farmers) that largely contributed to his election victory have been foregone, broken, and replaced by relatively minor reforms (Webber, 2011). In this essay I will explore and assess the main interpretations of the Morales government’s performance since being elected, highlighting the debate around the issue, among scholars and social commentators alike, of the on-going struggle for national and social liberation and analyses of the steps Morales has taken in achieving this. Firstly, it is necessary to briefly examine how Morales came to power and the context within which his eventual presidential campaign was won. In the 1980’s Bolivia underwent radical neoliberal restructuring, â€Å"undertaking market liberalisation at the same time as political democratisation† (Kohl, 2006: p305). The hegemonic neoliberalisation processes in Bolivia at this time resulted in the poor becoming poorer as they were continuously excluded from economic practices, with multinational corporations and elites emerging as the dominant force. The scholarly consensus acknowledges this tendency as a fundamental characteristic of neoliberal restructuring that can be seen empirically across countries that have experienced this also (Kohl, 2006). Coupled with this, when the price of tin (one of the country’s most lucrative export industries) dropped, many Bolivian mines were closed making over 25,000 miners redundant (Howard and Dangl, 2006). Thousands of miners then proceeded to relocate to the coca growing region of Chapare as their only hope of making a living. From there, the miners used their militancy and organisational skills that had been honed by the revolution in 1952 (wherein the mining industry was heavily nationalised and unionised) to influence and help the coca growers who were facing crop eradication as a result of the boom in demand for cocaine and the subsequent war on drugs (Howard and Dangl, 2006; gthomas2219, 2013). The miners began unionising the coca growers, helping them to organise and coordinate in their resistance against the eradication of coca crops and leaves which have long been a fundamental symbol of indigenous Andean culture, and against the US imperialism in the form of neoliberalism they were facing at the time (gthomas2219, 2013). It was this organisation and unionisation that led to Morales becoming a distinguished figure, coupled with his charisma and apparent leadership skills he eventually became the leader of the largest coca growers union. Eventually the coca growers and other social movements developed and organised into a political party (MAS) with Morales at the helm, so they could have their socialist views represented in government. On top of his indigenous Aymara lineage, it has been argued that Morales’ best attribute was his ability to â€Å"galvanise and shape a vast array of indigenous and social protest movements into a unified political project† (gthomas2219, 2013) that has secured the MAS’ success. As a charismatic, likeable and relatable leader, Morales fostered support for his presidency by appealing to the air of discontent among the indigenous majority of the population. He pledged on the campaign trail to enshrine the rights of the indigenous people of Bolivia in a new constitution (ibid), and as the title of the party suggests, make cogent moves towards Socialism. Nevertheless, throughout the now-nine years of his tenure, critics from the harder left current have emerged claiming that Morales and the MAS have not kept the promises that were made on the campaign trail, and have forgone the opportunities for substantial change, settling for moderate reformism over revolution (Web ber, 2011). Of the esteemed critics such as Sven Harten and Luis Tapia, Jeffery Webber takes the most condemning standpoint in his interpretation of the MAS and Morales, insisting that since elected they have deserted their revolutionary gusto and have resolved to implement moderate reforms and preserve the capitalist foundations in Bolivia. He contends that many supporters of the Morales government are disillusioned as to what the MAS actually represent and the apparent contradictions that have emerged. For Webber, who claims to hold a â€Å"responsible perspective, authentically in solidarity with the popular struggles for socialism and indigenous liberation† (Webber, 2011: p2), the period between 2000 and 2005 is described as a â€Å"revolutionary epoch in which mass mobilisation from below and state crisis from above opened up the opportunity for fundamental, transformative structural change to the state and society† (ibid). However, his extensive analysis suggests that the MAS proceeded to discard the potential for revolutionary structural change and instead settle for a modest push beyond neoliberal orthodoxies as ‘moderate reformism’. He bases these assertions on such things as the supposed failures of economic transformations, nationalisations, redistribution policies and attempts at sustainable development and industrialisation (Salman, 2012), citing examples to emphasize that the MAS did not represent the more radical popular rebellion such as the Huanuni mine affair wherein the MAS administration opted to oppose the miners who demanded nationalisation so not to warn off foreign investment, as well as many others (ibid). Ultimately, these things, among many others, could be a result of the inherent contradiction that has led to the meagre attempts at reform, stemming from the institutional context and the shift towards electoral politics (Hines, 2011) which inevitably presents a clash of interests when an administration, supposedly bent on pushing towards socialism, operates within a neoliberal, democratised framework. It is this that Webber claims has played a substantial role in the MAS retaining â€Å"its core faith in the capitalist market as the principle engine of growth and industrialisation† (Webber, 2012: p232) and implementing ‘reconstituted neoliberalism’ having made no real attempt to remove or disassemble the capitalist economic and political basis, and limiting the potential for popular movements and significant social change. Naturally, many other commentators hold opinions along similar lines. As a Bolivian who had once had intimate involvement with key ideological aspects of many currently implemented policies, Luis Tapia offers a political-philosophical reflection of how he believes the Morales administration have again, not delivered what was implied and promised (Salman, 2012). What appears to be a common thread and prevailing sentiment among Morales’ critics is that Bolivia’s prior revolutionary potential was wasted and has now subsided. Esteemed and respectable analyses such as Webber’s warrant appreciative consideration, as most would certainly agree that Bolivia undoubtedly remains a capitalist nation which is exhibiting no considerable maturation into socialism. However, not all share such a pessimistic outlook. Some would argue that Webber and others along similar lines are â€Å"measuring the Bolivian government against an impossible standard, against the ideal program of a hypothetical mass socialist movement† (Riddell, 2011). For some, emphasis and support should instead be placed on the accumulative, tangible achievements of the MAS with moves that have been made towards â€Å"national sovereignty, social progress, and effective action on global warming† (ibid), as opposed to adamant criticism over the lack of implementation of an absolute socialist regime outright. The ‘refounding’ of Bolivia as a plurinational state and rewriting the constitution to enshrine the rights of the indigenous majority who have historically been marginalised against formidable odds are regarded by many as a significant accomplishment in and of itself. Despite the lack of a socialist revolution, some would argue that a â€Å"political revolution† has taken place, in that the MAS coming into power simply represents a sufficiently profound change in the form of substituting political elites and â€Å"shifting the hegemonic balance of forces in Bolivia more to the side of the subaltern classes† (Fidler, 2013). This perspective embodies a much more positive, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ outlook than the harder leftist critics. Many who fall into this category tend to examine Morales’ active policies and actions to reveal the more positive aspects of his regime. For example, cited by Riddell (2011) in response to Webber, Bolivia led the meeting of 50 governments in Cochabamba in 2010, a gathering that was distinctly anti-capitalist, in that it rejected the imperialist-imposed Copenhagen accord that produced no positive results. It promoted the ‘rights of mother earth’ against the effects of climate change, and encouraged action to be taken by ordinary people as opposed to the governments and corporations that have contributed the most to potentially cataclysmic climate change, creatively applying an indigenous perspective to this crisis. Even Webber acknowledges that this was â€Å"a genuine step forward for the construction of international, eco-socialist networks† (Riddell citing Webber, 2011). This (the Cochabamba meeting) in itself is perceived as symbolic of Bolivia and the MAS’ goal for sovereignty (Riddell, 2011), and is but one example of steps taken by Morales and the MAS cited to warn off U.S. imperial intrusion, others include the refusal to accept any more loans from the IMF or World Bank, ending dependency on such institutions; rejecting U.S. drug policy to reinforce the indigenous importance of cultivating coca leaves; and the decision to leave the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); as Riddell asserts, â€Å"Bolivia’s campaign to free itself from U.S. tutelage and assert national sovereignty is an outstanding achievement, which was spearheaded by the Morales government† (2011). Critics such as Webber would certainly claim that this perspective is naà ¯ve, and that the underlying capitalist roots remain strong which is indicated by the MAS’ policies, yet for others it is the small, tangible wins that have impacted the country in a positive way that really matter, and present hope for the possibility of more substantial change in the future. After all, since his initial election in 2005 Morales and the MAS have won 6 consecutive elections, two of which were presidential, seeing a 10% increase in poll majority; upon doing so Morales became the first leader in the history of Bolivia to secure two consecutive electoral victories and rule democratically and stably for an unrivalled period of 8 years (Petras, 2013). Based on the accounts from the harder left current that criticise Morales for abandoning the pursuit of socialism and settling for moderate reformism in spite of the views of those that encouraged his victory, questions arise as to why Morales is still so popular in Bolivia and how his presidency has been sustained. One author for the Centre for Research on Globalisation, based on his interpretation the MAS’ policies, contends that â€Å"a brief survey of his ideological pronouncements, foreign policy declarations and economic policies highlights a very astute political regime which successfully manipulates radical rhetoric and applies orthodox economic policies with a populist style of politics which insures repeated electoral victories and an unprecedented degree of political stability and continuity† (Petras, 2013). According to him the key to Morales’ success has been his ability to implement orthodox economic policies while building a political and social coalition (ibid). What this implies is that Morales has made just enough of the right political and economic moves to ensure support from both the left and right, yet ultimately uphold the status quo of neoliberal capitalism in Bolivia, utilising his unique position as an indigenous Indian to essentially manipulate his huge base of support with near impeccable execution, making use of the remarkable leaderships skills that allowed him to come to prominence through the coca-growers union. Based on Petras’ analysis, that can be the only explanation as to why the MAS remain in power in what this author ironically calls ‘the most radical conservative regime’. Unfortunately, the more positive outlook in this debate is seemingly scarce, with the negative interpretations coming from far and wide. As for some of the cocaleros themselves, in particular the Federation of Organic Coca Producers of Yundas Vandiola , the impact of the Morales administration has in fact been disproportionate generosity. Despite being promised by the former coca-growing President, support to the coca growing regions has proved to be discordant, with some areas and groups (Chapare in particular) being favoured and experiencing substantial development with others going unnoticed, often the ones who operate outside of the designated traditional regions yet have no other opportunities to make a living. With that, there is surprisingly little being done to help the poorest of the country, most of which continue to live below the poverty line (Oikonomakis, 2014), and as Morales continues to face vehement pressure from the international community to reduce coca cultivation , this issue is likely to worsen. The poor coca growers who have spoken out about this issue serve to substantiate the claims of the critics and cynics who claim that despite the radical rhetoric and illusory agenda, Bolivia remains a neoliberal government like any other, favouring neoliberal economic and political strategies that often don’t consider a large percentage of the poorest people who represent the basis upon which Morales came to power. Unquestionably, changes are happening in Bolivia under the Morales administration, perhaps not on the scale that might have been anticipated by some, but arguably positive changes nonetheless. But is this just part of a strategy to defend the status quo of neoliberalism in Bolivia? Many would contend that it is, as the critical and condemning outcries overshadow the more modest and seemingly naà ¯ve, positive voices. Many of the careful analyses and apparently authentic perspectives claim to see the MAS with Morales at the helm for what it is, a noticeably astute regime that has managed to justify and maintain orthodox neoliberal economic and political practices with radical socialist rhetoric. Or, in fact, the apparent majority of social commentators and scholars could be wrong and Morales could be biding his time, securing substantial economic development until the country is ripe for a socialist revolution, at which point he will initiate it. Theories like this certainly do exist , but only time will tell whether they are accurate or an idealistic miscalculation. Bibliography Fidler, R. (2013). Bolivia: Why is Evo Morales still so popular?. [online] Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal. Available at: http://links.org.au/node/3437 [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Fuentes, F. (2012). BOLIVIA: The Morales government: neoliberalism in disguise?. [online] Global Research. Available at: http://www.globalresearch.ca/bolivia-the-morales-government-neoliberalism-in-disguise/30148 [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Gelder, S. (2010). Climate Game Changer. [online] Yes Megazine. Available at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/sarah-van-gelder/climate-game-changer [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. gthomas2219, (2013). The Cocaleros and the rise of Evo Morales. [online] Aletho News. Available at: http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/the-cocaleros-and-the-rise-of-evo-morales/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Hines, S. (2011). Bolivia Under Evo Morales. [online] Newsocialist.org. Available at: http://www.newsocialist.org/545-bolivia-under-evo-morales [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Howard, A. and Dangl, B. (2006). Tin War in Bolivia: Conflict Between Miners Leaves 17 Dead. [online] Upsidedownworld.org. Available at: http://upsidedownworld.org/main/bolivia-archives-31/455-tin-war-in-bolivia-conflict-between-miners-leaves-17-dead [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Kohl, B. (2006). Challenges to neoliberal hegemony in Bolivia. Antipode, 38(2), pp.304326. Oikonomakis, L. (2014). Bolivian cocaleros on Morales: â€Å"what a monster we created!†. [online] Roarmag.org. Available at: http://roarmag.org/2014/03/bolivia-morales-cocaleros-repression/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Petras, J. (2013). The Most Radical Conservative Regime: Bolivia under Evo Morales. [online] Global Research. Available at: http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-most-radical-conservative-regime-bolivia-under-evo-morales/5363248 [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Riddell, J. (2011). Progress in Bolivia: A reply to Jeff Webber. [online] John Riddell. Available at: http://johnriddell.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/progress-in-bolivia-a-reply-to-jeff-webber/ [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Salman, T. (2013). Book Review: From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia. Class Struggle, Indigenous Liberation and the Politics of Evo Morales – By Jeffery R. Webber. Journal of Agrarian Change, 12(4), pp.625-627. Salman, T. (2013). The MAS Six Years in Power in Bolivia. European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Revista Europea de Estudios Latinoamericanos y del Caribe, (92), pp.8998. Webber, J. (2010). From rebellion to reform: Image and reality in the Bolivia of Evo Morales. [online] Isreview.org. Available at: http://isreview.org/issue/73/rebellion-reform [Accessed 20 May. 2014]. Webber, J. (2011). From rebellion to reform in Bolivia. 1st ed. Chicago, Ill.: Haymarket Books.

Market Segmentation, Positioning and targeting for BMW :: Business and Management Studies

Market Segmentation, Positioning and targeting for BMW 1.1 Introduction This report aims to examine the market segmentation, positioning and targeting of BMW (automobile company). BMW will be examined giving information about the company and where it is now and any recommendations that we feel are appropriate. 1.2 BMW Company Profile BMW was formed in 1917, from the merger of two small aero engine makers. Their famous blue and white symbol stems from the colours of the Bavarian Luftwaffe and is said to resemble the view of the one of their plane through a propeller. BMW is renowned for its sporty, sophisticated & luxury image which has been built up since the 1970's with many motor sport victories ranging from Touring Car to Formula 1. BMW Group's worldwide mission statement is: "To be the most successful premium manufacturer in the industry."[1] 1.3 BMW's Marketing Mix To examine BMW we must first look at the marketing mix. A company's marketing mix is made up of four main points these are Price, Product, Promotion and Place. Through these points we can examine the specifics of a company to gain an insight into their segmentation, targeting and positioning. 1.4 Product The products produced by BMW are prestigious, high performance, technologically advanced automobiles. These start from mid-range cars up to the most prestigious and luxurious. The present models are: BMW 3 Series - Saloon, Coupe, Convertible, Touring, Compact ----------------------------------------------------------- BMW 5 Series - Saloon, Touring BMW 7 Series – Saloon BMW Z3 - Roadster BMW Z4 - Roadster BMW Z8 - Roadster BMW X5 - 4WD BMW M - M5, M3 Coupe, M3 Convertible, M Roadster, M Coupe Mini Cooper - an independent brand within the BMW Group[2] 1.5 Price BMW price ranges are from $17,000 to $80,000. There are many options that affect their car prices such as engine size, equipment levels and motor sport versions. This means you can purchase a base model (which is the cheapest) and then add options which may cost as much as ?20,000 more per car. Examples of price: Model ----- Lowest Price. Highest Price cc: BMW 3 Series ?16,265 ?32,870 BMW 5 Series. ?23,540 ?42,010 BMW 7 Series ?52,750e ce. ?60,000 BMW Z3 ?

Something You Do Well on

Something that I learned to do non academic is a to play cymbals. Why cymbals you may ask? Well I was never really interested in band even though I was in it for a year. I wasn’t interested in playing a wood, horn, or drum. I never knew that my school had cymbals cause my class period there were none. The first time that I ever seen actual cymbal players was at TSU football game. I saw how they twirled and danced as they played the instruments. My cousin was in the drum line he bounced around to instrument to instrument.Then he found his last option cymbals. He told me â€Å"Keandre why you don’t play in band anymore? † I said â€Å"they don’t have any interesting instrument s†. He said â€Å"you should play cymbals†. I immediately joined again. On my first day I had to learn the three basic skills on cymbals choke chase and crash. First was the crash. Crashing the cymbals you had to hold the left or right at an angle the hit it with the othe r. I could do this step it was the easiest. I never could mess up this step. Crash, crash, crash, one after another left then right then again.Most people that first learn the cymbals this step should come naturally. Next was choke a little more complex. I had to put my hands in the a certain way then had to act as if I was clapping my hand and then move the cymbals forward. I couldn’t do this motion right, I tried and either it was wrong or wasn’t loud enough. My instructors told me that I couldn’t keep moving forward unless I learn this step. I took my pair of cymbals home the next few days. Came back and perfected it like I was one of the cymbal players.The last step is chasing, when I do a little crash to a chock, right before you do the choke you turn your cymbals towards you. I couldn’t do this difficult step. I tried to watch the others do it but couldn’t, I was thinking of quitting but that wasn’t a factor this time. This is somethin g I wanted to do. So I took my cymbals and watched an instructional video on Youtube. I found out that something difficult could be so simple. Once I got this step then I was allowed to play with the rest of the band. As time went by, I learned most of the songs. Then they taught the best part of cymbals to me.Twirling, I was already watching videos on Youtube. They said â€Å"what you got? † then they showed how to call other cymbal players out. Put my cymbals in the air and twirl them towards each other. I started to learn the call outs and soon called out everyone even though I would either get beat or win. Someone from Stafford called me out then I raised my cymbals and battled. Once I was done, he sat down. I can hear all of my fellow band members cheering behind me. Once I actually felt like I was a part of an activity. People were actually proud of me.

Veja Sneakers with a Conscience Essay Example

Veja Sneakers with a Conscience Essay Example Veja Sneakers with a Conscience Paper Veja Sneakers with a Conscience Paper I. Background Morillion and Kopp founded Veja, an eco-sneaker company to serve the ethical fashion industry. This case focuses on the development of sustainable business practices in organic cotton, natural rubber and leather. Veja shows that they can create a product that is both appealing and conscientious. The company grew rapidly due to praise from the media and word of mouth. What leads to their success is the fact that they can integrate sustainable practices into a holistic and ever improving offering, which engages multiple supply chain participants (employees, consumers, suppliers, partners, even artists) in co-devising a value proposition that appeals not just to our sense of fashion, but also to our conscience. II. Challenges and Opportunities Veja encountered challenges due to their small-scale operation at first and the inherent fierce competition from big players in the market. Customers expect ethical products in the first place, so having eco-shoes in Veja’s production line may raise unnecessary costs. Since Veja does not spend on advertising, they may not be able to get the message to the customers that their stores are different from everyone else. In addition, supply for organic materials such as cotton and rubber are limited, which may hinder Veja’s future growth and interrupt their supply chain should adverse weather affect their sources. However, being the few players in the ethical fashion industry, Veja enjoy their first-mover advantage of selecting the finest suppliers. Also, Veja entered the market at the right time because this niche market is growing at a fast rate. Customers are also embracing the green lifestyle and being more aware of ethical fashion. In addition, the corporate culture at Veja allows the employees to be happy, which in turn contribute to the success of the company. III. Veja’s business model vs. conventional model Veja’s business model resembles that of a small business with an entrepreneurial spirit. Since the company started very small, Veja founders were able to control every aspect of their business. The founders knew very little about the fashion industry, aside from the fact that both of them are sneaker addicts. The difference in Veja’s model is that the company learns by doing and making mistakes and willing to take some risks. Veja’s distribution is also different. Instead of having their own store or section for display, the company decided to place their products next to non-ethical brands. This may lead to consumers thinking that their products are just the same as the other name brands. However, this model works for them because Veja’s products are appealing to the mass and the fact that the products were placed in trendy avenues increased their appeals. Veja’s corporate culture is also different from that of conventional model. The company treats the employees well, allowing them lots of freedom and flexibility, paying higher wages than most fashion companies. Veja also encourage work-life balance which show they care for the employees’ happiness. As a result, Veja was able to keep a lot of the original talents. The founders created a supply chain that was based on sustainable relationships. Whereas the fashion industry was accustomed to contracting new parties as soon as a factory could deliver on time or cut costs, Veja tried to improve living conditions and to work cooperatively with supply chain to jointly develop the best product they could imagine. Veja bought raw materials directly from producers. The company paid a fixed price, which, though higher than the market price, was calculated by the farmers. This allowed the farmers to have a higher standard of living. Veja also works solely with cotton and rubber families to produce organic materials. Doing so not only help preserve the Amazon rainforest, but also employ the families in the poverty-stricken area of northern Brazil. Also, Veja continues to research ways to make leather sustainable and works in collaboration with specialist in the field to ensure a sustainable product. This type process improvement mentality is rarely seen in the fashion industry. In contrast to conventional business model, Veja employs two distinct strategies: zero ads and zero stock. Since most of the cost of producing a sneaker was dedicated to marketing, Veja was able to save on cost by having a no advertising policy. Veja benefitted widely from media coverage, blogs, and word of mouth due to their eco-friendly products and ethical business line. Also, most outlets had fewer Veja sneakers than they could sell. Veja did not produce extra, only according to orders placed six months in advance. Doing so ramped up Veja’s popularity because their products are now becoming scarce. Veja’s main business goal was not to make money only by having large volumes, but they want profitability with a conscience.

I Am Legend Analysis Essay Example

I Am Legend Analysis Essay Example I Am Legend Analysis Paper I Am Legend Analysis Paper Essay Topic: I am Legend Novel Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable and manmade. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. But he is not alone. He is surrounded by the Infected victims of the plague who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can only exist in the dark and who will devour or infect anyone or anything in their path. For three years, Neville has spent his days scavenging for food and supplies and faithfully sending out radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. All the while, the Infected lurk in the shadows, watching Neville? s every move, waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind? s last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But his blood is also what The Infected hunt, and Neville knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time. MY THOUGHTS. From my personal point of view for Smith to play a character thats alone throughout an entire film and to pass it off so well, he deserves a round of applause. What attracts me to the film so deeply is not just the story but the elegance of how well the film adapts and plays out. The audience are straight away emotionally connecting with Robert Neville (Smith) and i found myself striving for him to find the viral cure and some means means of civilization. The audience are teared through themes of honour, pride, passion, love, hate, determine, i felt as though i was close to shedding a tear many times throughout the film. Up until the very end of the film things got gradually worse for smith. For me the most sad but beautiful shot in the entire film is when Roberts god Samantha gets killed and smith drives off in his SUV. The camera pans out from Smith to show a spectacular view of road and cars just justifieing how alone Smith really is in the world and how emotionally, mentally and physically lonely he is. Not only is he the last man in New York but his only means of interaction that happened to be with his dog are also lost, even the most manly of men became in touch with the femanine side there. Overall i rate this film 9. 5/10, to me the only downside to the film was that i found it to be a little short in length. My favourite aspect has to be that ironic contrast of Robert Neville not only living inside New York but in Washington Square. In Henry James Novel Washington Square the characters within the novel loose everything they have and own much like Robert does. Within the novel only one character composes them self (Catherine) and strives for what she believes in. Catherine wont and doesnt let her farther take control of her. Robert Neville wont let everything destruct and leave the world to fray, I wont let this happen. Catherine and Robert share many comparisons in character and are unquestionably alike. Bear in mind I am legend was wrote after Washington Square. A definate must see film, real action, real emotional and plenty of determination. KP. Analysis The Will Smith blockbuster I Am Legend was an undeniable box office success. Having set the record for the highest grossing December opening ever ($77. 2 mil. ), it is safe to say that audiences everywhere loved the film. Yet there were many who were left feeling cold and empty with the rather incongruous ending. Why was there this sudden tangible shift in the narrative during the last 10 minutes? It wasn’t until the recent release of an alternate version of the film on DVD that those who were left bewildered in the theaters finally found the ending they had hoped for. So why was one version so much more emotionally fulfilling than the other? Hollywood executives are terrified of downer endings and this was, without a doubt, a bona-fide Tragedy. In this version, Neville (Will Smith) not only failed to find a cure, he also came to discover that he was responsible for murdering hundreds of sentient and evolving beings who were fully capable of that all important human quality love. Despondent and disgusted with himself, he could do nothing more than crumple to the floor in shameful hopelessness. http://storyfanatic. com/2008/04/08/i-am-legend-analysis/

Business Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Taxation - Essay Example Theoretical findings have however undermined the notion of state spending. This has been backed up by an important strand in political science that have argued a declined trust and accountability on most state institutions. On the other hand, sociology has claimed that citizens have become more individualistic, reflective and more oriented on the responsibilities for meeting their own needs. Bilodueu, M (1996) Considerable increases in health expenditure were inaugurated by Gordon Brown in his substantial speech in 2002. This however was implemented in the year 2003 and was spread over a period of 5 years cumulatively. Long term reviews were evaluated where increased taxes were realized to support the health domain. The implicit is that the biggest ratios of the enhanced taxes in the exchequer's receipts were responsible for the rates of NICs for employees, employers and self-employed. The rate of the NICs rose by 1% point to a rate of 11% on cumulative earnings between basic threshold and the upper earning limit. The NIC in this case was levied an increased 1% percentage point to a 12.8% earning rate above the elementary threshold. The NIC was increased by 1% to appoint of 8% on collective earnings between the lower profits limit and the upper profits limit. The income tax personal allowance was therefore to be frozen at this stage from 2002-2003. The report of the Royal Commission on th e Taxation of Profits and Incomes (1955) The measures rose to 8.6 million by 2003-04; the collective increasement in employee's NICs was 3.55 billion, the total increase in employer's NIC was at 3.9 billion and the total increase in self employment NICs was at 0.45 billion. The freezing of the NICs threshold brought about 0.25billion. This was the government's decision that was hinged on supporting a holistic insurance policy that meet the rising costs of medical advances and hence offering a security measure upon the Britons in a required manner. In supporting the health sector the renewal of the shared national agreement encompassing the NHS was to be run through taxation. The way forward was through initiating of new audit systems that integrated money paid to benefits received and having also resolved after deliberation to exempt the elderly and the vulnerable. Troup, E. (1992) Introduction One on the concrete reasons for levying taxes on goods such as alcohol and tobacco is the culture that consumers hold inconsistence preferences for these goods and that it's the obligation of the government to protect the consumption of these harmful elements by deterring consumers from partaking of the same. Alcohol and tobacco pose a potential threat on the consumers and also on those who do not indulge into the usage. This grants the government the rationale to enter the market and hike the price of harmful goods that could otherwise endanger the society; this reduces the levels of demand. The harmful commodities pose a health hazard known as the merit good. From the categorical perception of equity, taking harmful goods could otherwise help in revamping health conditions, which is financed using taxed revenues. It has been agreed that excise tax levies generate colossal monetary value for the governments. The causality of taxing this goods however spark a lot of controversies sin ce it's not clear whether

Astronomy 101 for 2 year college Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Astronomy 101 for 2 year college - Lab Report Example 5% of them seem to split in two facular points; (h) they disappear simply by fading away in an intergranular space; (i) they never merge with another facular point or with a granule. C. Small dark regions called sunspots. Sunspots are cooler regions on the photosphere. Since they are 1000--1500 K cooler than the rest of the photosphere, they do not emit as much light and appear darker. B. During a total solar eclipse, an exceptional situation occurs, and for a few fleeting seconds, an emission spectrum can be observed. This happens at the very beginning of totality and just after the last bit of photosphere has been covered by the Moon. (Picture 1) For a period of several to perhaps ten seconds the chromosphere is visible as a red arc. (Recall that the chromosphere is a very thin layer just above the photosphere.) Often prominences are seen jutting from the chromosphere. The deep red color of the chromosphere comes from very strong emission in the hydrogen-alpha line at 656 nm. Because the chromosphere is quite rare and hot (with a temperature of about 10,000 K) it shows an emission spectrum in the absence of any light from the much brighter photosphere. Of course, the advance of the Moon soon covers the chromosphere and then the much rarer corona becomes visible as a broad white halo. Within minutes totality reaches completion, the chromosphere reappears on the o pposite side of the Sun followed seconds later by the overwhelming brightness of the photosphere. (Picture 2) Because the chromosphere is so thin, it forms an ideal subject for spectral imaging. A diffraction grating inserted in the light path of a telescope separates the light according to wavelength (just as in your spectrometer). An attached camera will then record the chromosphere imaged in each of the component wavelengths in its emission spectrum. This is the flash spectrum, so-called because of its brief accessibility. B. Because the chromosphere is quite rare and hot (with a temperature of

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper - Essay Example t disease, high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes, back pain, respiratory problems, kidney disorders, gallbladder problems, osteoarthritis, excess fatigue, sleep apnea, metabolic syndromes and urinary incontinence. There are various factors that could lead to obesity or an accumulation of body fat which occurs due to an imbalance in the calories consumed and burnt by the body. Other contributing factors include a lack of physical activity, increased consumption of fat, sugar, alcohol intake, overeating, chronic use of corticosteroids, hormonal imbalances and other related metabolic problems (Body composition and Health, 2002). Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating have serious effects on the physical and mental health of individuals and in extreme cases can also lead to life-threatening problems. This is mainly because such disorders do not exist for a particular period of time; rather they have the potential to become lifelong disorders in cases where they are not treated. In such cases they could affect the mental, emotional and physical well-being of individuals and also put tremendous strain on their relationships with other people. In the case of anorexia nervosa, in which individuals starve themselves the body becomes severely depleted of vital nutrients and hence there is a slowdown of metabolic process in order to conserve energy. As a result a number of medical problems arise some of which warrant immediate medical attention. The health consequences of anorexia nervosa includes an abnormal decrease in heart rate and blood pressure which increases the risk of heart failure, bone density reduction, loss and weakening of muscles, severe body dehydration increasing the risk of kidney failure, increased fatigue and general body weakness, dryness of skin and hair with hair loss and growth of lanugo all the body in an effort to maintain body temperature (Health Consequences of Eating Disorders, n.d; Eating

A Natural and Privatized life Essay Example for Free

A Natural and Privatized life Essay Haruki Murakami, a Japanese writer of short story, The Year of Spaghetti. The depiction of Murakami’s stories with point-of-view narratives provides certain distinctiveness to the characters, depending on how the dialogue is conveyed. The abstract things the narrator says and does provide the idea of human isolation with little feelings of fear. Although the story has no definitive plot, it grabs hold of conflicting emotions between fear and loneliness. The unnamed protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti, illustrates the meaning of loneliness through naturalization and privatization. According to the Article, Murakami Haruki and the Naturalization of Modernity, â€Å"Privatization is the process that makes naturalization possible.† (Cassegard 87) The first paragraph of Haruki’s story, The Year of Spaghetti, already shows how alone and private his life it. He says, â€Å"I cooked spaghetti to live, and lived to cook spaghetti.† (pg. 178) It already seems as if his mind is made up for the rest of his life. That he has found his life’s calling to cook spaghetti every day and every night. That is what is natural to him. Naturalization means, â€Å"that one has grown used to an environment that was once shocking.† (Cassegard 83) Nothing really phases him, however, he could not have reached naturalization without having privatization occur first. Privatization is: The process whereby individuals â€Å"become used† to solitude, or—to be more precise—their instinctual needs and fundamental impulses become channeled in such a way that their gratification is made less dependent on relations to other people. The term does not imply that human interaction decreases, but stands for the subjective process whereby such interactions become less important as sources of gratification for individuals. (Cassegard 87) This explains how the protagonist in this story can be conveyed as someone who is lonely, hurt, and avoiding the rest of the world, but could actually just be content with life. Privatization explains that the interactions with other people are not necessarily something he is bad at or is avoiding, but  just has less interest in it. The story then goes on to how the protagonist’s phone rang and how he could barely even recognize the fact that someone was calling him. This was due to the fact that he does not call nor get calls regularly. This is a shock to the protagonist because he was not expecting anyone to call or talk to him. As he answered the phone it was his friend’s ex girlfriend and by the sound of her voice he already knew she needed some kind of help. He then says to himself, â€Å"whatever trouble was brewing I knew I didn’t want to get involved.† (Murakami 180) Before even knowing what the girl’s problem was he already knew he did not want any part of it. This is part of his privatized life. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Their peace of mind is paid for by loneliness.† (pg. 87) Cassegard is trying to say that Murakami’s protagonist likes being alone and therefore, knows, getting involved in any type of way with this girl or anyone else for that matter will interfere with him being alone. He is so use to his everyday life of buying different types of spaghetti every week, cooking it in his, â€Å"huge aluminum cooking pot, big enough to bathe a German shepard in.† (Murakami 178), then eating it all by himself. Perhaps the German shepard is also a symbol of loneliness because this is all he did in 1971. He did it everyday and that is what he sees as normal. He kept his life privatized like this and that is why nothing is a shock to him, because it is natural to him. The protagonist’s tone in the story sounds content with subtle undertones of fear. It is like the spaghetti has some type of deeper meaning in accordance to his loneliness. When explaining how spaghetti is cooked a specific type of way he also mentions more than once how he must eat it alone. He even says he expects to be alone, and him subconsciously thinking people are at his door proves how lonely he really is. The protagonist says: Every time I sat down to a plate of spaghetti- especially on a rainy afternoon- I had the distinct feeling that somebody was about to knock on my door. The person who I imagined was about to visit me was different each time. Sometimes it was a stranger, sometimes someone I knew. Once, it was a girl with slim legs whom I’d dated in high school, and once it was myself, from a few years back, come to pay a visit. Another time, it was none other than William Holden,  with Jennifer Jones on his arm. (Murakami 179) Although he may be content and satisfied with being alone, you can still tell how lonely he really is by his actions. Whenever, he eats spaghetti alone he imagines people coming to visit. He especially imagines people up when it is a rainy day. The rain symbolizes the mood of sadness and loneliness, therefore, especially on rainy days he would doze off. The protagonist in the story shows his loneliness because he has to daydream of random people that are visiting him but do not actually come inside. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Few things are as striking in the protagonists of Murakami as their loneliness, even when they are with other people.† (p. 83) Cassegard is saying that Murakami’s protagonists are always perceived to be lonely even when interacting with others. For example, when the protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti is talking to the girl on the phone, he makes up a lie so that he can hang up with her because he does not want to speak or help her with her problem of needing to contact her ex boyfriend, the protagonist’s friend because he owes her a sum of money. He is not happy to have a phone call because he likes to be alone, so therefore, he lies about cooking spaghetti just to cut the conversation off. After he lies he thinks to himself, â€Å" I lied. I had no idea why I said that. But that lie was already a part of me- so much so that, at that moment at least, it didn’t feel like a lie at all. (Murakami 181) That line can make us idealize the fact that he has been cooking spaghetti for the purpose of a lie that has turned true. Him cooking spaghetti symbolizes his way of privatization. Eating spaghetti provides allusion to the idea of a tangled relationship that he is avoiding with anyone, especially the girl he was speaking on the phone to. His constant rejection to the world has lead him imagining a pot with water, on his stove, and an imaginary match. (Murakami) This collectively provides the constant isolated relationship between him and his world. Murakami is a different kind of Japanese writer. He adapted his writing style from the Western side. DiConsiglo says, â€Å"Growing up, he dreamed of America. He read American detective novels, and listened to American music  on the radio. Even the defining moment in his life was distinctly American. At age 29, while watching a baseball game, he suddenly realized he wanted to be a writer.† (pg. 1) Murakami then says, Writing in Japan for Japanese people is in a particular style, very stiff. If you are a Japanese novelist you have to write that way, Murakami has said. But I am different in my style. I guess Im seeking a new style for Japanese readership, and I think I have gained ground. Things are changing now. (DiConsiglio) Murakami was always teased for the way he writes. He was a disgrace to the older Japanese people because of the way he wrote. Japanese people would tease Americans and call them names like batakusai, which literally means, â€Å"stinking of butter.† (DiConsiglio 1) Murakami has been different from everyone else as he group up because of his interests and that is possibly why his characters in the stories he writes are so lonely, privatized, but also natural. His characters in the stories never seem to be shocked by anything because they accept everything as they are. They do not have any desire to figure out or question why certain things are the way they are. The characters just exist neither happy nor sad. And that is how the protagonist in Murakami’s story The Year of Spaghetti is like. His character shows not much emotion to anything else except his love for spaghetti and his few day dreams of random imaginary people. That is really lonely but does not seem to shock the protagonist nor phase him, because as said, t hat is what is natural to him. (DiConsiglio) In conclusion, the point of view narration has emphasized the point that gives his stories uniqueness and relatable aesthetic. It’s tone helps a reader to understand the author and protagonist’s ideas of privatization from the world that became natural to him. It is only then the symbolism of spaghetti provides a greater and deeper meaning to why the protagonist acts in the certain way that he does- a privatized and natural life. Works Cited Cassegard, Carl. Murakami Haruki And The Naturalization Of Modernity. International Journal Of Japanese Sociology 10.1 (2001): 80-92. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. DiConsiglio, John. Haruki Murakami Stinks. Literary Cavalcade 51.4 (1999): 15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Murakami, Haruki. The Year of Spaghetti. (2005): 178-83. Web.

Archetypes In The Lion King :: essays research papers

Archetypes In The Lion King John Berry Edwards Per. 2 4/18/96   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Lion King is a story containing many archetypes. Archetypes are patterns or models of literature that reoccur in many stories. In this paper I will discuss three of these archetypes. They are the hero, death & rebirth of the hero, and the symbolism and associations of water vs. desert. These archetypes can be noticed easily and help things come together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Lion King has a very evident hero, Simba. Simba meets many of the characteristics of an archetypal hero. Among these is the way that he is taken away from his home, the Pridelands, and grows up with Timon and Pumbaa. After Simba arrives with Timon and Pumbaa, we see very little of his life until he is fully grown. When the film returns to Simba, he soon decides to return to Pride Rock and face his past. He returns to save his kingdom from its desolation caused by Scar and the hyenas, and to restore it to its glory. The hero of a story commonly goes through some of these events.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simba faces a common archetypal situation, death and rebirth. Although Simba never physically dies, in spirit he does die. The spiritual death of Simba is when he runs away from the Pridelands into the desert. Everyone in the Pridelands thinks that he has physically died. In fact, he nearly does die in the desert. Luckily, Timon and Pumbaa find him and keep him alive. The spiritual resurrection of Simba occurs when he returns to his home at Pride Rock. Everyone discovers that Simba is alive. It seems as if he has risen from the dead to them because for such a long time they believed that he was dead. At Pride Rock, Simba returns to his previous life and faces all of his problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The symbolism of water and desert in the Lion King is very important. Water often accompanies a change in a story. Water can also be a sign of birth and rebirth. An example of water foretelling a change is Simba's lie when he says that he and Nala are going to the water hole. They actually visit the Elephant Graveyards. This visit causes Simba to get a view of reality, not from his sheltered world. When Simba is found by Timon and Pumbaa in the desert, they splash him with water to bring life back into him. Another example of the symbolism of water is the rain when Simba defeats Scar and assumes his position on the throne of Pride Rock.

Bachs Art of the Fugue :: Art of the Fugue Essays

The silence hangs heavily in the air, creating a single moment where one can feel the weight of the absence of sound. But a lone D cuts through the stillness, a flicker of light amidst black oblivion. It is followed by eleven other notes, a simple melody, but one that will be the very core of one of the greatest musical masterpieces to ever be conceived. This twelve-note melody becomes entwined and enveloped in an intricate accretion of variations, counterpoints, and modified themes, all based on the original twelve-note motif. The entire collection of variations comprises what is considered to be Bach’s most ambitious undertaking, the Art of the Fugue, meant to serve as an intensive study of the fugue as an entity. Already a complex and multifaceted piece, Art of the Fugue gains a whole new level of depth and significance when placed inside its historical context, amidst the story of its creation and the demise of its creator. During the two hundred and fift y years of its existence, Art of the Fugue has acquired quite the reputation, as it has become enshrouded in a web of mystery and mystique. However, when we strip away these layers, the piece retains its magnitude, as the sheer mastery of the piece is enough to merit substantial renown and reverence. In the early 1740’s, Bach began work on what many consider to be his most monumental project ever, Art of the Fugue. Bach intended this piece to be an extensive study of â€Å"the art of fugal counterpoint,† exploring the possibilities and various outcomes that can be produced by manipulating a single theme (â€Å"The Art of the Fugue†). Bach was not commissioned to compose this piece, nor was the idea inspired or suggested to him by anyone else; in creating Art of the Fugue, Bach was â€Å"alone in his genius† (Herz, 4-5). The result of Bach’s endeavors was a collection of eighteen fugues, all in the same key, and all based on the same principle theme. This principle theme was modified and transformed into an astonishing number of over twenty different major variations and one hundred minor variations (â€Å"The Art of the Fugue†).

Be an Environmental Advocate Essay

As times have changed, so has our planet. Global warming has become a critical issue in today’s society, and it will not go away unless we do something about it. There are people all around the globe who have made the change and decided to be conscious of the health of our world. Unfortunately however, it is not enough. As long as the majority of society continues to rely on fossil fuels, continues to waste energy, and continues destroying forests, our planet will continue to suffer. If we are to change the fate of our beautiful planet, society as a whole must take immediate action. To make the world a better place, we all should become environmental advocates, and take a stand to save humanity. We must make environmentally conscious changes in our own lives, teach those around us, and lead by example to make a difference. Above all else, every single person on the planet must change the way they live day to day. We must be aware of every potential harmful affect of every activity we engage in. Every gallon of gas saved, light turned off, and computer unplugged will impact the future of the Earth. Emissions from fossil fuels are the cause of global warming, and presently our society relies on these fossil fuels to function on a daily basis. By carpooling, walking, turning off the air conditioner, and unplugging appliances that we are not using, we can each save a substantial amount of energy. If everyone does just a little, it will add up to a lot. Next we should each take the initiative to teach others about the importance of being environmentally conscious. Some people do not understand how critical global warming has become, and therefore, can only change by learning. Others do not realize how easy it is to make small changes in life that will make a big difference, such as switching to energy efficient light bulbs. If we all would simply casually mention energy saving tips to our families, friends, and co-workers, or even strangers in the light bulb aisle, we can really affect the thinking of those around us. Finally, we can lead the way by setting a good example ourselves. People do as they see more often then as they are told. If our children, friends, and even strangers see us saving energy or planting trees, they are likely to follow our lead. If enough people become example setters, the idea of living green will become a trend. Just as we strive to be fashionable by what we see on the television or in magazines, if we are constantly bombarded by stories and images of people saving the planet, more people will strive to fit in. Every single person counts, and if we can set a responsible example for even one person, it is worth the effort. Our environment is suffering at the hands of its inhabitants. Still, global warming does not have to destroy our planet or the future of mankind. If we ignore the problem it will not go away, but if we take action now, before it is to late, we can save the Earth, one person at a time. By making small changes in our lives, teaching others the importance of living green and how easy it is to do so, and setting examples for others to follow, we can each make a difference. By becoming environmental advocates, globally, we can make the world a better place.