Nickelback A Rock Band that Brings a Message free essay sample

This paper is a very personal, subjective look at a local Vancouver based rock band called Nickelback. The author takes a personal approach by looking at some of their songs from inside and out. On Alternative radio, a new band has been jumping up the charts in the past few months. The band, from Vancouver, Canada, is called Nickelback. Formed by two brothers, Chad and Mike Kroeger, in 1996, Nickelback has reached major success starting in 2000 with the release of their first album The State, and now in 2001 with the release of their most recent album Silver Side Up (DynamicRock).

Brightening of the Night Essays

Brightening of the Night Essays Brightening of the Night Essay Brightening of the Night Essay The Brightening of the Night We live in a clip of great technological progresss and admirations. Merely to believe of all the fantastic things we have created in this twenty-four hours and age is reeling. Our houses are infiltrated with appliances and devices to break our lives or to assist us populate more productive lives. We are inundated with things that use electricity. Our places are lit by dark with bright visible radiations. Our nutrient is cooled and warmed by points such as electric refrigerators and microwaves. As we live and breathe, we are utilizing big sums of electricity. Electricity is non a bad thing ; in fact it has helped the U.S. to turn and bring forth more, and it has enabled us to salvage lives with new engineerings. Electricity, though, can be a double-edged blade. Like many other things on this Earth, electricity as produced by burning is a limited resource ( Chepesiuk ) . We have merely so much fuel to fire, and we burn dozenss of fossil fuels to make electricity to power our mundane lives. Just take a minute to look over a typical twenty-four hours. Wake up, wash, eat breakfast, look into our electronic mail or cell phone, get down our autos and turn on some melodies, acquire to school or work where visible radiations are used to light the dark inside. Even from this simple illustration, we can see that we use electric power in so many topographic points and in so many different things. The visible radiation we use to light the dark needs power to work, and that power must be made from something else. That something else happens to be powe r workss and other electric bring forthing installations. Not surprisingly, the huge bulk of electricity is produced by fossil fuel combustion workss ( Union of Concerned Scientists ) . In fact, 57 % of the power supplied to the U.S. is produced by coal powered power workss ( Pace University ) . What a good thing we have in the fantastic trade good of visible radiation. The visible radiation we use in our lives is non ever good. At times in life or even in the class of one twenty-four hours, we may happen the visible radiation we admire so much becomes an irritation. The jobs start to happen when good visible radiation turns into light pollution. Light pollution is a major job in our modern lives. We may non hold noticed the copiousness of light pollution, as it is so much a portion of modern society. Five signifiers of light pollution exist, viz. sky freshness, light trespass, over-illumination, blaze, and light jumble ( Chepesiuk ) . These are the names we have given to the fact that our usage of visible radiation has been irresponsible. The irresponsible usage of light creates a jeopardy to worlds and animate beings by altering our air quality and utilizing cherished resources. The point at which light becomes pollution is when that light becomes an irritation. Simply put, it is when the visible radiation is sent skyward and non where we need it, on the land ( Chepesiuk ) . We may believe that is of small importance. After all, what could a few small visible radiations that are excessively bright or are nt aligned right perchance do to ache us or the planet? The truth is a few simple visible radiations can make a batch to harm us and the planet. Just one 100 watt incandescent visible radiation bulb left on from morning to dusk for one twelvemonth will devour adequate power from the power works to bring forth a one-fourth of a ton of C dioxide ( Mizon ) . Now let s set that into position and believe about all the 1000s, nay, 1000000s of visible radiation bulbs in the US entirely which are left on to discourage offense, light up street marks or other assorted grounds. All those 1000000s of visible radiations, many of which are far more powerful than 100 Watts , will bring forth 10s of 1000000s of lbs of C dioxide in one twelvemonth. That s a batch of soiling of the ambiance in merely one twelvemonth. We might even see this to be a bigger issue, one of ailment wellness due to air pollution due to the increased CO2 and other harmful gases which are present in normal air. If we were to look at our air, we would happen that it is composed of largely nitrogen, O, C dioxide, and other hint sums of gas ( WeatherStreet ) . Now if we were to look at our air in the locality above a major main road or metropolis street, we would see a much higher concentration of C dioxide and lower concentrations of O. The same goes for countries near where coal and natural gas power workss operate. The pollution that is generated by these installations will finally lift into the ambiance and increase the already big sum of other green house gasess. The combustion of fossil fuels to supply electricity for our places creates a big sum of nursery gases. Not merely is the usage of electricity in our places a major subscriber to air pollution, but the visible radiations which get left on in the 1000s of concerns around the state besides play a big portion in the production of the abundant pollutants ( Mizon ) . As has been stated before, air gets dirty when we burn fossil fuels to bring forth electricity. The wellness effects of take a breathing polluted air are many. The hazard of respiratory complications and other jobs increase significantly with exposure to polluted air. Scientists estimate that 50 to 60 1000s Americans die each twelvemonth from air pollution ( Chiras and Reganold ) . Aside from the mortality hazards, air pollution besides causes chronic wellness jobs which are enfeebling. Looking back in merely the past decennary, we can see a large illustration in those who were at Ground Zero assisting those trapped in the autumn of the Twin Towers in 2001. Many suffer from chronic lung harm due to the big sum of particulates which were in the air ( Moore ) . There are besides big sums of particulates which are produced when coal and other dodo fuels are burned. These beginnings can do unwellness such as Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema and Lung Cancer ( Chiras and Reganold ) . In speaking about wellness concerns, we can non overlook the good effects that light dramas on us as worlds. We are animals of the visible radiation. Our eyes are of course adapted to see better in the daytime than in the darkness. In fact, we do merely about everything better in twenty-four hours visible radiation than in darkness. So of course, merely as we have changed engineering to better suit us, so we have done to the dark. We have made it to accommodate our demands as industrialised states ( Klinkenborg ) . As we have altered the dark, tailored in to suit us better, we have besides been altering us. Verlyn Klinkenborg stated in a recent article in National Geographic Unlike uranologists, most of us may non necessitate an unrelieved position of the dark sky for our work, but like most other animals we do need darkness. Darkness is every bit indispensable to our biological public assistance, to our internal clockwork, as light itself. The regular oscillation of waking and slumber in our lives- one of our circadian rhythms- is nil less than a biological look of the regular oscillation of visible radiation on Earth. So cardinal are these beats to our being that changing them is like changing gravity. In doing these alterations to the dark sky, or instead in the lighting of the dark, we have gone approximately, without the purposes to make so, the procedure of altering ourselves. Possibly an irregular light/dark beat has nt killed anyone yet, but it certainly causes a myriad of other jobs. Among other things, research workers have found that adult females who live in excessively bright suburbs in the US are at higher hazards for chest malignant neoplastic disease ( Klinkenborg ) . We so urgently need the dark merely as we need the Sun. Without a healthy balance of both, we most surely will be harming ourselves. Without that balance, jobs such as SAD can originate. SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a depressive upset which occurs in approximately 1.5 % to 9 % of the US Population during the autumn and winter months. SAD is caused by the instability of light and dark, with excessively much darkness and non plenty light ( The Mayo Clinic Staff ) . It is of import, hence, to equ ilibrate the benefits and hazards of visible radiation in our day-to-day lives. In add-on to the physiological alterations, injury can besides come from excessively much illuming during nighttime drive. The many security visible radiations which are in topographic point in many abodes and other edifices are overwhelmingly bright, therefore presenting a job for us as we drive at dark. The effects of bright dark visible radiations are a simple irritation for some ; nevertheless, drivers with impaired vision do happen it progressively difficult to get by with brighter and brighter visible radiations. These conditions exist for everyone as they experience nighttime drive, due to the manner our eyes map at dark and the blaze from bright visible radiations. ( Synergistic Motorsports Entertainment Corp. ) . The light which we see at dark is non merely from oncoming autos, but besides from severely placed street visible radiations and security visible radiations from places. While these visible radiations have been installed for good grounds, many of them were installed without detecting proper arrangement and electrical power. While bigger may be better in some instances, it does non compare in this state of affairs. When supplying a place with a security visible radiation, it has been advised by Britain s Institution of Lighting Engineers that the maximal electrical power should be 150 Watts ( Mizon ) . This electrical power is more than sufficient to illume up the infinite desired, as anything bright may merely be adding a convenience visible radiation for burglars ( Mizon ) . Bright visible radiations at dark are non merely a jeopardy and irritation for worlds, but for other animate beings as good. Migrating birds have a difficult clip directing themselves when really bright visible radiations exist in the dark sky. The job normally occurs in larger metropoliss where increased lighting. In the Gale Encyclopedia s subdivision on light pollution, we learn: The 100s of species of migrating birds that fly after the Sun sets, including most songsters and many shore birds, are premier illustrations. Normally they rely on configurations to steer them during their twice-yearly migrations. But scientists speculate that when they fly near urban countries, the bright visible radiations short-circuit their guidance sense. Numerous studies have documented birds winging off class toward visible radiations on edifices, towers, beacons, even boats ( Bower ) . Lighting up the dark sky with inefficient illuming creates a big jeopardy for birds that must utilize the stars as counsel. The sky freshness radiating from our metropoliss, the bright topographic point visible radiations illuming up our places and office edifices at dark all combine to make an huge blaze for birds that are winging south for the winter. Birds are non the lone illustration. We can look to chiropterans, sea polo-necks, and a host of other animate beings who depend on the natural night/day beat ( Klinkenborg ) . We can see that portion of the solution lies in the proper balance of light and dark ; but what of the larger image? Where do we get down as a state to repair light pollution and its amendss? The inquiry of course arises as we approach this job ; what do we make to repair the job of light pollution? Again, Verlyn Klinkenborg offers us an penetration into this in his article from National Geographic Magazine: Of all the pollutions we face, light pollution is possibly the most easy remedied. Simple alterations in illuming design and installing output immediate alterations in the sum of visible radiation spilled into the ambiance and, frequently, immediate energy savings. There is much hope in the fact that light pollution is easy, or at least easier than the many other pollutants in our planet, to repair. Many options exist for the rectification of light pollution. Most of them are simple and effectual solutions which can be implemented by the person, such as altering from candent visible radiation bulbs to more energy efficient Compact Fluorescent bulb. While visible radiations inside the place are a definite betterment, allow us non bury the exterior of the house as good ( Mizon ) . Some of the visible radiations used outside can be of even greater electrical power than those used indoors, and when electrical power additions so does energy ingestion. One can besides promote larger concerns to exchange to higher efficiency visible radiation bulbs inside and out. This will convey great betterments to light emitted and C dioxide produced therefore giving us cleaner air. Encouraging metropolis leaders to put in better visible radiation fixtures along m ain roads and interstate roads will assist the local authorities to cognize that we care and are concerned about this job. Ultimately the job of light pollution is an single one, with the power in the custodies of the general populace to act upon those in higher topographic points who can alter policy. The largest benefit we can hold on others is by populating in a responsible manner when it comes to visible radiations and pollution. Talking to others and sharing what we know about light pollution, the amendss it produces and the impacts on our environment it poses is a great measure to take in assisting others to alter. Let us together so retrieve to turn it off. If we do nt necessitate the visible radiation, there is no point in go forthing it on. We must retrieve that our environment stretches beyond the plane of Earth we can see, and into the sky. Our domain of influence is as far making as the visible radiations we project so randomly into the dark, dark sky. To appreciate the beauties of the sky at dark, it is about impossible but from distant and rural countries non touched by the widening influence of light pollution. We do so of all time necessitate the dark and its attach toing darkness to equilibrate our lives. We besides need the air we breathe to be of better quality to guarantee the wellness of 1000000s to come after us. After all, the jobs we face today will merely be amplified by the coevalss of tomorrow ; unless we can repair them so that we can give a cleansing agent, darker dark to our kids. Let us non bury our demand for balance and control. The visible radiation we do necessitate at dark, if unhindered in its way, will do us harm and injury. Therefore, allow us take action today and live for a darker dark to night. Plants Cited Bower, Joe. Light Pollution Is a Serious Problem. Opposing Point of views: Pollution. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes.San Diego: Greenhaven Press,2006.Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Spokane Community College. 28 Nov. 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? A ; contentSet=GSRC A ; type=retrieve A ; tabID=T010 A ; prodId=OVRC A ; docId=EJ3010157249 A ; source=gale A ; srcprod=OVRC A ; userGroupName=spok23643 A ; version=1.0 gt ; . Chepesiuk, Ron. Missing the Dark: Health Effectss of Light Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives ( 2009 ) : A20-A28. Chiras, Daniel D. and John P. Reganold. Natural Resource Conservation. New Jersy: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2010. Synergistic Motorsports Entertainment Corp. Driving Tips Night Driving. 2008. 28 November 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.racingschools.com/rs/Night-Driving-p-33.html gt ; . Klinkenborg, Verlyn. Light Pollution. November 2008. National Geographic. 30 November 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text gt ; . Mizon, Bob. Light Pollution: Responses and Remedies. London: Springer-Verlag London Limited, 2002. Pace University. Power Scoredcard: Electricity from Coal. 1 January 2000. 19 November 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.powerscorecard.org/tech_detail.cfm? resource_id=2 gt ; . Sicko. Dir. Michael Moore. Perf. Michael Moore. 2007. The Mayo Clinic Staff. The Mayo Clinic: Seasonal affectional upset ( SAD ) . 29 September 2009. 1 December 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195 gt ; . Union of Concerned Scientists. Clean Energy: Beginning of Energy. 11 Feburary 2003. 19 November 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/clean_energy_101/the-sources-of-energy.html gt ; . WeatherStreet. What is Air made of? 2007. 20 November 2009 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_air_made_of.htm gt ; .

American history----assess the view that the success of the new deals Coursework

American history----assess the view that the success of the new deals 1933-41 has been over rated by historians - Coursework Example What is also significant to note about this whole initiative is the fact that it resulted into the strong economic recovery and a complete and new change in the way America society tend to work and behave. The intervention by the government in the economy allowed the economy to pick up and vital economic variables such as growth, unemployment and inflation started to show positive signs. It also brought forward a new political alignment in the country as the Democratic Party started to emerge as the sign of liberal ideas and newly empowered trade unions and minorities. (Edsforth, 2000) Though the New Deal left many important political, social, as well as economical imprints on the American society however, question remains as to whether the New Deal has been really successful or whether its success was overrated by the Historians. This paper will therefore attempt to discuss and argue as to whether the New Deal was really a success or it was overrated by the Historians. From economics point of view there are many reasons as to why the great depression happened however, the overall impact of the great depression has on the economy of US and its society have been great. During this era gross domestic product of the country greatly declined and there was a sharp increase in the unemployment level. High unemployment levels therefore created the general unrest within the American society and people were looking for change which can actually bring overall relief to the general masses of the society. (Weatherford & Sergeyev, 2000). What is also significant to note that before the great depression there was also a general political complacency in the country. Conservatives were ruling the country and they maintained a very strong stance of having minimum government intervention into the markets. Minimum interventions by the government therefore resulted into the over-hyped activity in the markets

Armed Robbery Sentence Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Armed Robbery Sentence Proposal - Essay Example As with the case of Timothy Stuart Ring and his accomplices, John Magoch and James Greenham in 2004, when they committed a planned armor car robbery, killing Wells Fargo, the armored car driver in the process.   The case was presided by the Honorable Gregory H. Martin, Judge of Arizona Supreme Court.   It was stated in the court’s decision that the defendants â€Å"are entitled to a jury determination of any fact on which the legislature conditions an increase in their maximum punishments. (Arizona Supreme Court Decision, 2002)†Ã‚   This means that since all court litigation, the maximum sentence, or the degree of punishment is based on how the jury would find the defendants.   In Ring’s case, the crime was cruel and horrendously committed even if Ring only has a minimal criminal record.  In the year 2004, with a population of 21, 593, Nogales Police Department of Arizona’s Crime Index shows a total of 1,310.60 per 100,000 total violent crimes whic h includes Robbery with gun, Robbery with knife, Robbery with other weapon, and Strong Arm Robbery.   The overall total crime index of the state of Arizona for the year 2004 and 2005, armed robbery crimes totaled 7,721 and 8,579 respectively and the record has shown to have increase in 2006 with a total number of armed robbery 9,226 in the state of Arizona alone.   Instead of showing a decrease in crime rates, it seems as if that â€Å"bad people† have more courage to commit armed robbery even with the death sentence and life sentence given to those who committed such crime.  ... Some can even get away of such heinous crimes due to the fact that people today become more ingenious. Let us not only look at the horrifying crime scenes that happened during the committal of the crime. Let us also look at the reason as to why and what these people are experiencing that pushed them to commit armed robbery even murder. Some would say that they rob because they need money to buy food for their family, poverty and being out of a job are some causes that would push these people to rob. While some are only due to an influence of alcohol and even prohibited drugs. Most often that than not, plans started out to be simple without any intention of bloodshed, however when things get out of hand, it starts to get messy and the criminals are forced to get their hands dirty. As far as the state of Arizona is concerned, and basing on the statistics of the Arizona Law Enforcement Agency Uniform Crime Report, the increase of armed robbery for three consecutive years since 2004 until 2006 is already alarming and something should already be done about it. Remember, it is not only that armed robbery that cause so much concern for the people of Arizona, there is, murder, rape, assault, burglary, larceny and many others that keeps our people from living in peace and enjoying life. Therefore, to foster peace and progress, the people of Arizona should be protected from armed robbery, and in so doing, it is proposed that whatever is the degree of the crime, still with the help of the jury, Life Sentence should always be the verdict whether the accused is a celebrity or an ordinary citizen. Rationale The rationale behind this verdict is simple.

Reflective Learning Journal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reflective Learning Journal - Research Paper Example These businesses are faced with various challenges in marketing and each has adopted a different marketing strategy to succeed in the market. In each marketing strategy, technology has played an important role. Pre-Visit Research and Analysis Mr. Miikka Vaahtera, the CEO and founder of Malja Company, did the first presentation. During his presentation, he emphasized on the importance of agency’s roles. The choice of media as evidenced in the presentation was an important tool for the marketing agencies. For instance, electronic sponsorship such as smartphones and internet were going popularity across the board. In order to gain the market, the company made use of the marketing 4P’s (product, price, promotion, and place) through the agencies. The main problem facing the company was the use of traditional sponsorship (like magazines and radio) which were already going down. Therefore, event marketing became an important tool for the company. The second guest speaker was M r. Noel Mooney, Marketing Manager of UEFA. Football is my passion and was interested to see how it is promoted and expanded in the international scene. The marketing strategy used by UEFA is sponsorship marketing and a big question was how they manage to compete in a world of ambush marketing. The greatest threat in sponsorship marketing is ambush marketing. ... The company has made use of all the forms of media to promote their client’s brands. For the company, successes lies within an integrated campaign, that is, going viral in marketing. Social media has found a big place in the heart of the company because of its popularity and use across all ages and nations. If one wants information to reach as many people as possible within the shortest time, social media is the solution. In any form of marketing, creativity is very crucial and I was intrigued by the fact that the company emphasizes more on creativity from its employees. Without creativity, viral marketing is not possible. On the other hand, the work should not offend the intended audience. The last presentation was from Expedia and the company works with various hotels to promote their products. I am an avid traveler and I was amazed by how the company is able to collect information about and promote it. The company links various hotels and travel destinations around the worl d and the client are able to get all information they need within a click of a button. From the presentation, it was clear that the company has realized the importance of technology in marketing, that is, it has employed powerful marketing. The company also assists the hotels to reach their customers across the world through the same technology. How that is possible, lies within the strength of powerful marketing and the use of technology. Discussion and Analysis Event marketing is simply doing the correct thing and making people understand that you are doing the correct thing. The biggest challenge in this case is knowing what constitutes the

Effect of CSR on Child Labour

Effect of CSR on Child Labour Abstract Child labour is an issue that is detrimental to sustainable development of any society. The underlying cause of child labour has been identified as poverty. The cocoa sector where this practice has been reported to be widespread is the backbone of most economies in West Africa. Chocolate and other cocoa based products are in high demand and so consumers and manufacturers alike are implicated in fuelling this trade. Corporate Social Responsibility is an important tool which if implemented and monitored properly could eventually lead to the elimination of child labour. This dissertation explores how industry with the support of the governments is engaging in programmes and projects as part of their CSR strategy in tackling child labour. Chapter One â€Å"We are the world’s children. We are victims of exploitation and abuse. We are street children. We are the victims and orphans of HIV/AIDS. We are denied good quality education and health care. We are victims of political, economic, cultural, religious and environmental discrimination. We are children whose voices are not being heard: it is time we are taken into account. We want a world fit for children, because a world fit for us is a world fit for everyone.† (Statement from the Children’s Forum to the United Nations, May 2002). Introduction 1.1 Definitions A: The definition of child labour as derived from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child (CRC) stipulates that â€Å"children should be protected from economic exploitation and any work that is hazardous, interferes with schooling, or is harmful to their health and development†. The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) defines it as â€Å"as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development†. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 138, minimum age convention in 1973 which sets the minimum age for admission into employment and ILO Convention182 on the worst forms of child labour refers to child labour as: all work that is harmful and hazardous to a childs health, safety and development; taking into account the age of the child, the conditions under which the work takes place, and the time at which the work is done. The Uni ted Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) defines child labour as â€Å"work that exceeds a minimum number of hours, depending on the age of a child and on the type of work†. B: According to the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO), Cocoa Certification is the process of certifying that the commodity has passed the performance/quality assurance tests/qualification requirements stipulated in the regulations/code: it complies with a set of regulations governing quality and minimum performance requirements: product certified may be endorsed with a quality mark or display a certification mark: it involves auditing, accredited certifying bodies, standards organisation, independent verification bodies and transactions costs. C: The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation defines fair-trade as a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in International trade 1.2 Background Information The successful elimination of child labour in the world is almost certainly one of the most vital policy objectives of today. It is at the forefront of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as adopted by all 198 United Nations Member States in September 2000 (Grimsrud, 2003). As part of broader efforts towards a sustainable solution to child labour, the ILO, UNICEF and the World Bank initiated the interagency Understanding Children’s Work (UCW) project in December 2000. This project, which is guided by the Oslo Agenda for Action unanimously adopted at the 1997 International Conference on Child labour, elaborated the priorities for the international community in the war against child labour. Through a variety of data collection, research, and assessment activities, the UCW project is broadly directed towards improving understanding of child labour, its causes and effects, how it can be measured and effective policies coupled with stronger international cooper ation for the elimination of the practice. The issue of the worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector came into the public glare when a UK media network, Channel 4, in a documentary in September 2000 alleged the massive use of children as the labour force on Ivorian cocoa plantations. The backbone of plantation work is backbreaking labour, done using rudimentary tools under gruelling conditions. At the time it was alleged that 90% of cocoa farms in Cà ´te dIvoire, which is the worlds leading cocoa producer engaged child labour in their operations. The government of Cà ´te d’Ivoire strongly refuted these allegations at the time but eventually admitted there was a problem in the use of child labour but not to the magnitude as alleged in the documentary (Afro News, September 2000). In 2001, following the allegations of child labour in cocoa farms, U.S. Representative Eliot Engel and Senator Tom Harkin decided to adjoin a clause to the Trade and Development Act (TDA) proposing a federal system to certify and label chocolate products as slave free. The cocoa industry successfully lobbied against this on the premise that the supply chain was too complex. A compromise was eventually reached. A protocol entitled Protocol for the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products in a manner that complies with ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor, signed in September, 2001. Industry agreed to establish a task force made up of government, non-governmental organisations to work towards its elimination in cocoa plantations. A critical part of this agreement was the commitment to design and implement â€Å"standards of public certification† in all of West Africa by July 1st 2005. All cocoa from this area would be certified as free from child labour. The governments would also be required by the protocol to establish monitoring systems and also issue certificates which describe the current state of child labour and forced labour in the cocoa sub-sector and efforts being employed to improve on the situation where necessary. Given the competing interests and values involved, child labour cannot be eradicated solely through domestic regulatory mechanisms and actions (Garcia and Jun, 2005). The inclusion of social responsibility and in particular avoidance of child labour in corporate strategies became inevitable for chocolate manufacturers to avoid the wrath of the public. A greater commitment to social responsibility on the part of corporations has been one solution put forth by some academics, government agencies, and development institutions to mitigate some of these negative impacts and help companies contribute more to socio-economic development in its broadest sense. Can the industry live up to its CSR commitments in relation to the cocoa industry? The concept of CSR is not new. Steiner Steiner (2006) trace its origins to the philanthropic work of John D. Rockfeller and Andrew Carnegie who gave away millions for social causes. The more contemporary understanding of CSR can be traced to Bowen (1954) who argued that managers have an ethical duty to take into consideration, broader social impacts of their decisions, and those corporations who act differently should not be seen as legitimate. In the elimination of child labour, the concerns include reducing and eliminating the use of persistent toxic pesticides and fungicides, preserving the value of cocoa agro forests, improving the social and economic status of the smallholder and labourers as well as maintaining a fair price for the commodity. These measures would ensure a sustainable production of the commodity and at same time increase household incomes and as a result reduce and eventually eli minate incidence of child labour. 1.3 The dissertation seeks to: Highlight the steps taken by countries involved to tackle child labour; Draw attention to country responses and responsiveness, to the initiatives employed by chocolate manufacturers. Elaborate on the industry response in the wake of child labour allegations within the cocoa industry. Identify CSR initiatives employed by chocolate manufacturers both individually and collectively to combat child labour. The issue of child labour has been alleged in all the five cocoa producing countries of West Africa namely Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Cameroon. However, due to lack of available data, this study will be limited to two countries: Cà ´te d’Ivoire which is the leading world cocoa producer and Ghana whose economy also largely depends on cocoa production and export. The first chapter has provided the background information on child labour and the purpose of this study. The remainder of the dissertation is structured as follows: Chapter two provides information on literature on the causes of child labour, corporate social responsibility as an essential tool to combat child labour, the link between the chocolate industry and child labour and the steps taken to eliminate the practice in the cocoa chain. Chapter three discusses the methods use in carrying out the study. Chapter four provides information on Cà ´te d’Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries involved in the present study. It also outlines their contribution to the elimination of child labour. Chapter five is a case study analysis of three chocolate manufacturing companies to get an insight into their CSR strategies. The case study will show the commitment and the strategy employed to approach the issue of child labour. Chapter six draws upon the case study findings. The final chapter will draw conclusions to support the hypothesis formulated in this study. Recommendations will also be formulated based on the results from the case study analysis. Chapter Two 2.1 Literature Review Introduction In recent years, there has been a surge of empirical work on child labour as well as literature regarding the plight of children working as child labourers in cocoa plantations in West Africa. The issue has attracted considerable policy and public attention over the last decade either due to self recognition or outcry from the public. Public interest in child labour seems to have been motivated by increased theoretical work and publicity by the press. Documentaries exposing the conditions to which the children are subjected aroused public awareness. The rise in interest could also be attributed to increased trade and globalization which have raised awareness about the pervasiveness of child labour and elevated concerns among rich country residents about their role in its perpetuation (Edmonds 2007).The unease about child labour as a human rights issue and its implication for the long term growth and development through its interaction with education is of great concern not just for individual countries but also for the international community. This practice is viewed as a threat to sustainable development in developing countries. Articles published between 2001 and 2002 in the wake of the child labour accusations highlighted the immorality of the practice. The horrors experienced by the children who are sometimes trafficked and even sold off by their families. The treatment meted out to them is inhumane even as they work under unacceptable conditions (Edwards et al, 2001). Some of the children engage in activity that is physically damaging or even morally objectionable (Cigno 2004). It can also be said that objectionable forms of child work have an opportunity cost in terms of forgone education. It can also bring immediate benefit to families who in this case will be the only means of survival. Child labour not only hampers the growth of human resources, it also reduces the individual’s education achievement as well as the effect and quality of the education system thereby continuing the poverty cycle (Rena, 2009). Udry 2003, further buttresses this fact by stating that the primary cost of child labour is the associated reduction in investment in the child’s human capital which occurs primarily because child labour interferes with schooling. With conflicting reports on the extent of the practice, a research â€Å"Child labour in the Cocoa Sector of West Africa† (IITA, August 2002) revealed that the figures of children working was not as high as was initially thought but that the children worked under unacceptable conditions exposed to long work hours, pesticides and other hazardous spraying agents. In addition, the Financial Times, (Circulation 477, 476 of August 7, 2002) and Business Respect (Issue Number 37 of August 20, 2002) agreed with the conclusions. These findings go to buttress the earlier conclusions of a meeting of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Minister of State with representatives of Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana and members of the cocoa and chocolate industry. (Anti-slavery news, May 4th 2001). The successful elimination of this form of labour is one of the most urgent policy objectives of this decade (Busse et al, 2003). It has gradually developed from a matter of regional and national concern to one that would trigger International debates and global persuasion as well as policy intervention (Basu and Tzannatos (2003). Busse et al (2003) carried out an empirical study on the notion that multinationals invest in countries where the incidence of child labour is relatively high and, secondly, the concern that countries may gain an unfair comparative advantage in trade by using child labour. The results indicate that multinationals are highly sensitive with respect to the location of their subsidiaries and prefer countries with lower levels of child labour for fear of aggression from the public and international community. Causes of Child Labour Poverty is the major cause of child labour. In a landmark paper on The Economics of Child Labor published in the American Economic Review (1998), Basu and Van argue that the primary cause of child labour is parental poverty. Grootaert (1998) and Udry (2003) argue that poverty and child labour are mutually reinforcing: given that children of poor parents end up working and not attend school and the cycle of poverty continues. Kruger (2004) concludes that children only work when the family is unable to meet their basic needs and poorer children stand the greater risk of being withdrawn from school during production periods. This is further accentuated by Kruger et al (2007) which states that increased parental wages and household level of income are associated with lower child labour and higher school attendance. Household poverty is a very powerful motive of child labour and working comes at the expense of schooling because the income is essential for survival (Strulik 2008). Edmonds and Schady (2008). Basu et al (2007) provide recent discussions on the extent to which child labour is influenced by the income among poor households to show that the strong causal relationship between poverty and child labour. Increased trade and globalization might have contributed to the awareness of child labour but it could also be a reason as to why child labour is in demand. In trying to link globalization and child labour, Dinopoulous and Zhao (2006) cite Maskus (1997) two-sector specific factors model, in which child labour is modelled as a specific factor employed in the exportable sector and adult labour is modelled as the mobile factor. They conclude that trade liberalization raises the output of the exportable sector and increases the demand for child labour as well as child wage. They also state that trade liberalization raises the price of unskilled-intensive goods as well as guarantees a market for goods produced using child labour and reduces the returns to education. This can clearly lead to an increase in the incidence of child labour. In analyzing the effects of trade openness in a dynamic model of child labour and debt bondage, Basu and Chau (2004) discovered that trade openness increases the short run supply of child labour but this does not affect the long run incidence of child labour. In a 2005 study carried out by Neumayer and DeSoysa in which they used both Foreign Direct Investment and trade openness to explain child labour, they concluded that countries with higher levels of trade and FDI had lower incidences of child labour. Davies and Voy (2007) finds that there is no robust effect of either FDI or International trade on child labour. Using 1995 data for 145 countries, they find that FDI is negatively correlated with child labour but when controlling per capita income, the effect disappears. Even cost benefit analysis by Nielsen (1998), Canagarajah et al (1998), show that annual Gross Domestic Products (GDP) decreases by 1-2% due to the use of child labour. Why then is child labour still being utilized if it is marginally less costly than adult labour? Levison et al 1996 suggest that it might be because children are less aware of their rights and more willing to take orders without complaining. Mehra-Kerpelman (1996), further explains that in households where parents are poor this is regarded as cheap labour that makes it possible to maintain the household budget. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR may be defined, consistent with McWilliams and Siegel (2001), as actions on the part of a firm that appear to advance the promotion of some social good beyond the immediate interests of the firm/shareholders and beyond legal requirements. While some scholars argue that CSR type programs and policies were originally adopted in the mid twentieth century to avoid criticisms of social and environmental misconduct (Gutierrez and Jones, 2005); Micklethwait and Woodridge (2005) argue that many more companies are viewing CSR as a way to reduce the negative social and environmental impacts their businesses have and to maximize the positive impact of their investment, particularly in developing countries (Blowfield, 2005). There is a growing body of evidence which asserts that corporations can be profitable not only by protecting the interest of their shareholders but by also engaging in actions that will be beneficial to their stakeholders (Pohle and Hittner, 2008). Davis et al (2006) state that while CSR came into existence largely out of commitments by companies to their employees and to communities where they were located, all that has changed in that, corporations can now be held accountable for practices within their supply chain. Amaeshi et al (2006) further states that CSR often makes multinationals uncomfortable as they are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices that could occur along these chains. The mere possibility of the existence of irresponsible practices puts firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of independent groups along their supply chain. Some studies have shown that socially responsible firms will financially outperform rival firms by attracting socially responsible consumers (Bagnoli and Watts, 2003), and will eliminate any concerns from activists and pressure groups (Baron, 2001). Well-known companies have already proven that they can differentiate their brands and reputations as well as their products and services if they take responsibility for the welfare of the societies and environment in which they operate. These companies are practicing CSR in a manner that generates significant returns to their business. CSR, though a major instrument to tackle child labour could have a limited effect on eliminating child labour if codes are not specific, strictly implemented and monitored, and combined with alternative arrangements (Kolk and Tulder, 2004). In offering an institutional theory of CSR, Campbell (2007) argues that the relationship between basic economic conditions and corporate behaviour is linked by several institutional conditions: public and private regulation, the presence of NGO’s and other organisations that monitor corporate behaviour, institutionalized norms regarding appropriate behaviour, associative behaviour among corporations themselves, and organized dialogues among corporations and their stakeholders. It is therefore not surprising that chocolate producers are encountering extensive pressure from consumers, community groups, government, non-governmental groups and other pressure groups to engage in CSR as a means to eradicating child labour (Morrison et al, 2006). From an economic perspective, companies would be expected to engage in such activities if the perceived benefits could exceed the associated costs which in this case could be a total boycott of their products. Some theories in CSR show that companies engage in â€Å"profit-maximizing† CSR based on anticipated benefits which might include reputation management (Baron, 2001), (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). Davis et al 2006 argue that â€Å"CSR (understood as actions a company takes that are not legally mandated but are intended to have a positive impact on stakeholders, broadly construed) is challenged by the changing shape of the contemporary multinational corporation†. Should large firms be involved in poverty alleviation instead of simply contributing to output and employment? (Hopkins 2003). The UK’s Department for International Development suggests that businesses have an important role to play in the economic growth of a country which is essential to reduce world poverty. This they can achieve through their own policies and practices. â€Å"By following socially responsible practices, the growth generated by the private sector will be more inclusive, equitable and poverty reducing† (www.csr.gov.uk). CSR by its very nature is development carried out by the private sector, and it perfectly compliments the development efforts of governments and other multilateral development institutions. There is evidence to show that a firm cannot maximize value if it ignores the interest of its stakeholder (Jensen, 2001). This is further buttressed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development publication Making Good Business Sense†, Lord Holmes and Richard Watts, define Corporate Social Responsibility as â€Å"the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. The recent concerns of how profit should be considered in a broader context of productivity and social responsibility and how corporations can better serve both their employees and surrounding society. The European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) at the Round Table Conference on Child Labour and Corporate Social Responsibility in May 2008 remarked that â€Å"recent progress on corporate accountability has been dominated by the development of voluntary initiatives†. These voluntary initiatives have not succeeded in preventing continued abuses of corporate power, because they do not provide strong enough incentives for compliance to offset the financial gains for non-compliance. They also fail to empower citizens and stakeholders to hold the companies accountable for their actions. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD, 2000) calls for multinationals to â€Å"contribute to the effective abolition of child labour and â€Å"contribute to the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour†. Ignoring these guidelines could lead to damage in reputation (Orlitzky et al., 2003). â€Å"A good reputation enhances the value of everything an organisation does and says. A bad reputation devalues products and services and acts as a magnet that attracts further scorn† (Dowling, 2001). There are a number of challenges faced by states in the implementation of the OECD guidelines, but these are surmountable by strengthening the existing implementation system of the National Contact Points. However, there are positive growing trends movement arguing for more effective regulation of corporations relating to human rights at national and international levels (Cernic 2008). Chocolate Industry Response To Tackle Child Labour A: The link between chocolate and cocoa implicates the consumers in the encouragement of child labour (Raghavan et al 2001 article in the Knight Ridder Newspaper). This is further emphasized by the Ted Case Studies Number 664, 2002 which implicates the entire international economic community, the Ivorian government, farmers, the chocolate manufacturers and consumers who unknowingly buy chocolate in encouraging this practice (Samlanchith Chanthavong, 2002). The cocoa and chocolate industries, in conjunction with the ILO, other non-governmental organisations, the United States (US) government agencies and the affected African governments signed a voluntary and non-legislative protocol. The Harkin-Engel Protocol 2001, signed by the World Cocoa Foundation and Cocoa Manufacturers Association was aimed at developing a â€Å"credible, mutually acceptable system of industry-wide global standards, along with independent monitoring and reporting, to identify and eliminate† the worst forms of child labour as defined by ILO Convention 182 and certification that cocoa used or related products is void of child labour. ILO Press Release (ILO/01/32) of October 1, 2001 lauded this initiative and pledged to work in partnership with the cocoa industry to eliminate this form of labour. In 2001, with the establishment of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) whose main objective was to work towards responsible labour standards for cocoa growing, it was clear that the entire cocoa sector was ready to get involved and this proved their committed to the fight against child labour. A general statement by the European Cocoa Association (ECA) on 19th April 2001, affirmed it was fully committed to sustainable development in cocoa producing countries and does not tolerate practices such as slavery and child labour [and that it] remains fully committed to maintain pressure on the relevant authorities, and to pursue all avenues in order to eliminate such practices where they are proven to occur. In a further communiquà © on August 2, 2001 the ECA was concerned about the allegations and the extent of the problem and decided to first update the information they had on the scale of the practice. B: Despite general acceptance that child labour is harmful and in spite of international outcry and Accords aimed at its eradication, progress on lowering the incidence has been very slow. Child labour eradication is at the top of the agenda of the millennium development goals which hopes to achieve this by 2015. Rena 2009, states that the research on child labour represents a new area of knowledge for policymakers especially regarding education and poverty reduction programmes. It further states that increased opportunities and increased welfare reduces child labour. Industry enforcement can only be effective depending on the mode of enforcement. As many labour relationships are in informal settings within family enterprises, enforcement is often very difficult (Basu and Tzannatos (2003). Krueger and Donohue (2002) conclude that an economically active child is less likely to receive education. If income gained by the economically active child is significant for the household, then the policy makers deciding whether or not to adopt child labour legislation would face important trade-offs between distorting private decisions and correcting potential inefficiencies arising from externalities. Doepke and Zilibotti (2005) discuss the introduction of laws from an historic perspective. They suggest that child labour laws can be triggered by skill-biased technological change that induces parents to choose smaller families as occurred in the U.K. in the nineteenth century. Regulations were introduced only after the factory system which was preceded by a period of rising wage inequality, and coincided with rapidly declining fertility rates. On their part, Ceroni et al (2003) present their study as a two-stage game. Firms decide on innovation and households decide on education. In equilibrium the presence of child labour depends on parameters related to technology, parents’ altruism and the diffusion of firm property. When child labour exists, it is as a result of either firms reluctance to innovate or households unwillingness to educate or both. Therefore, the elimination of child labour would largely depend crucially on its underlying cause. They conclude that, in some cases, while compulsory schooling laws or an outright ban on child labour are both welfare-reducing, a subsidy to innovation is the right tool to eliminate child labour and increase welfare. Garcia and Jun (2005) consider that International trade sanctions are a logical avenue to confront child labour, by eliminating the commercial opportunities available for such goods. However, they state that it is not clear if domestic child labour sanctions would survive legal challenges under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) law as currently interpreted. For international trade law to serve as a viable strategy for the elimination of the practice there must first be a clear theoretical and doctrinal case for the WTO-consistency of domestic child labour-based sanctions. Basu and Van (1998), caution against the rush to exercise a legislative ban against child labour. They argue that this should only be put in place when there is clear reason to do so especially if, it would lead to a rise in adult wages which will adequately compensate the household of the poor children. If this is done otherwise, then it will only lead them to more extreme poverty. Conclusion Despite the global initiative, the incidence of child labour shows no sign of decline as it brings immediate benefit to some families buttressing the fact that the root cause is abject poverty (Cigno, 2004). International organisations as well as national development agencies are embracing and encouraging CSR in the hope that the private sector can play a lead role achieving developmental goals which include eradicating poverty, and developing the social infrastructure in the rural communities such as providing education and health improvements. However, in a recent report published by the International Labour Organisation in 2006, it confirms that the challenge in the fight against child labour in the world continues to be daunting but there is evidence that a breakthrough was in the making. The report highlights that there is already evidence of encouraging reduction in child labour, especially its worst forms. The number of child labourers globally fell by 11 percent between 2002 and 2006. They are confident that with the combination of political will, resources and the right policy choices, this evil practice could definitely be put to an end. Exasperating and discouraging for developing countries is the fact that exports remain severely hampered by massive domestic support and export subsidy programs in developed countries through high tariffs and the difficulties in the implementation of the tariff-quota system (Chaudhuri and Kumar, (2005). More damaging for the cocoa export market is the adoption of Directive 2000/36/EC by the European Union which allows chocolate manufacturers to replace cocoa butter with cheaper vegetable fats. This in itself threatens the domestic food security of cocoa producing countries and undermines their export potentials (High beam Research, 2003). This position is further highlighted by a report to the European Union by LMC international on the impact of Directive 2000

Aristotle Essay example -- Biographies Bio Biography

Aristotle was born in 384 BCE at Stagirus, a Greek colony and seaport on the coast of Thrace. His father Nichomachus was court physician to King Amyntas of Macedonia, and from this began Aristotle's long association with the Macedonian Court, which considerably influenced his life. While he was still a boy his father died. At age 17 his guardian, Proxenus, sent him to Athens, the intellectual center of the world, to complete his education. He joined the Academy and studied under Plato, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years. In the later years of his association with Plato and the Academy he began to lecture on his own account, especially on the subject of rhetoric. At the death of Plato in 347, the pre-eminent ability of Aristotle would seem to have designated him to succeed to the leadership of the Academy. But his divergence from Plato's teaching was too great to make this possible, and Plato's nephew Speusippus was chosen instead. At the invitation of his friend Herm eas, ruler of Atarneus and Assos in Mysia, Aristotle left for his court. He stayed three year and, while there, married Pythias, the niece of the King. In later life he was married a second time to a woman named Herpyllis, who bore him a son, Nichomachus. At the end of three years Hermeas was overtaken by the Persians, and Aristotle went to Mytilene. At the invitation of Philip of Macedonia he became the tutor of his 13 year old son Alexander (later world conqueror); he did this for the next five years. Both Philip and Alexander appear to have paid Aristotle high honor, and there were stories that Aristotle was supplied by the Macedonian court, not only with funds for teaching, but also with thousands of slaves to collect specimens for his studies in n... ...sofar as they are properties of all existence. Aristotle argues that there are a handful of universal truths. Against the followers of Heraclitus and Protagoras, Aristotle defends both the laws of contradiction, and that of excluded middle. He does this by showing that their denial is suicidal. Carried out to its logical consequences, the denial of these laws would lead to the sameness of all facts and all assertions. It would also result in an indifference in conduct. As the science of being as being, the leading question of Aristotle's metaphysics is, What is meant by the real or true substance? Plato tried to solve the same question by positing a universal and invariable element of knowledge and existence -- the forms -- as the only real permanent besides the changing phenomena of the senses. Aristotle attacks Plato's theory of the forms on three different grounds.

Moral Wisdom Review

The first main point that Keenan covers in chapter 1, Love, is about union. He does this to reinforce what drives love between individuals, whether it’s romantic or platonic love. The story that he tells about everyone holding hands on an airplane stricken with turbulence is very familiar to me. My parents and I go to the Bahamas every year, just the three of us. One year there were terrible storms on the day we were supposed to fly home. As delayed as we were we finally made it off the island late at night, in the dark. It was a small plane, maybe 20 passengers, and when it was struck with terrible turbulence every one began holding hands there too. This idea of union is the driving force in any kind of love. It is how we as humans express our compassion and connectivity with one another. Our love for God is driven by union as well, a need to be connected. We are united with God because He is essentially â€Å"in† us all, meaning His love is within us. Next, Keenan begins a discussion on why theological teachings should start with love. He roots his reasoning in the demands of scripture, the fact that love precedes all other teachings in theology, and that love is the driving force behind the human experience. To elaborate on his second reason, I would go so far as to say that one couldn’t have freedom or truth (points he used to begin his teachings with) without having love. To have freedom and truth one must have the respect for humanity that love brings. Further, Keenan emphasizes his last point with the comparison of the Michelangelo vs. Caravaggio paintings of the conversion of Paul. The last main point that Keenan makes about love is the â€Å"threefold love†, stemming from agape, eros, and philia. From the reading we learn what each type of love is, but to bring this full circle to Keenan’s point about union defining love, all three types of love are driven by union and themselves united. Agape, the love for God, is selfless and purely for God. That love cannot be shared among humans, but only between God and his individual children. However, accepting God’s love and returning love to God unite all humans that encompass, and we are united by doing so. Further, this gives us the ability to experience the eros and philia types of love. Keenan then moves to a discussion about conscience. He starts by discussing the Christian call to grow, to move forward in life, progress, and to do so in love. In his discussion of growth and developing a conscience, Keenan emphasizes three main points, the voice of conscience, the formation of conscience, and the erring of conscience. The voice of conscience is rooted in the development of an individual’s superego. The superego is the voice in everyone’s head that tells them what to do or not to do, it is like a watchful eye over one’s self. It tells us not to do things that would make us feel guilty. Keenan discusses the formation of conscience by reinforcing that we as adults should grow in our experiences, rather than be intimidated by a superego. The conscience is like the â€Å"big boy†, new and improved version of the superego, for grown adults. My favorite line that Keenan uses in this section is â€Å"the conscience calls us to aim more at being the one who loves than being the beloved†. I think that really drives home what it means to have a conscience. While wanting union and love drives both conscience and superego, that statement shows that wanting to give love rather than take it motivates the conscience. It is about wanting to do what is right for others, not just one’s self. Finally, Keenan makes a point about the erroneous conscience. The erroneous conscience may cause someone to do something that is actually wrong, but to do so in searching for the right. He also discusses the development of the ideas about whether a person acting with an erroneous conscience is good or not, ultimately concluding that it depends on intent. If the intent is good or right, then the person is excused.

Film by Bahz Luhrmann Essays

Film by Bahz Luhrmann Essays Film by Bahz Luhrmann Paper Film by Bahz Luhrmann Paper Essay Topic: Fear Of Flying Baz Luhrmann uses a number of techniques in mise en scene in the film, romeo and juliet to help the audience understand the story. The first scene brings us a news reporter placed within a television set. This suggests to us that this version of Romeo and Juliet will be more modern than most of Shakespeares Medieval plays. The reporter reads the prologue, which summarizes the entire situation this leads us to believe that everything has already happened and will be experienced in flashbacks. Afterwards, an extremely long shot of the city of Verona appears, first of all focusing on a statue of Christ in a defeated and downtrodden stance, telling us that perhaps religion has been betrayed or forgotten, and that maybe difference in religious beliefs is at the heart of the dispute. The camera zooms in and out of different sections of the shot, making it hard for ones eyes to settle on one particular aspect of it. Two identical towers are featured in the middle of the city, one belonging to the Montagues, the other Capulets. The towers indicate that the two families are both equal in status. We see various advertisements on other large buildings, belonging to either of the two families, and so this gives us an idea that in their feud, they are monopolizing and dividing the city. Another long shot of the city from a helicopters point of view shows us the immense size of the city, and so the extent of the impact that the ancient grudge is wreaking upon it. : Freeze-frames introduce the main characters soap-opera style in the opening sequence, which show us whos going to be important in the story. Luhrmann has decided that this is a more effective way of introducing the characters rather than gradually through the dialogue, as it will take the strain from the audience for trying to learn the characters names and roles from the Shakespearean language used in the script. The characters are dressed wealthily which also gives a clue towards their high status. A frantic orchestral melody is used as background music to help create a tense atmosphere for the audience, and a powerful, booming voice summarizes again the situation of Romeo and Juliet. This focuses on the tragic side of this love story, rather than the romantic. In the next scene, the tension is suddenly broken as we are shown a cheerful medium shot of the Montague boys. We know automatically who they are automatically from the visual clues that are left, for example, the Montague tattoo on the back of one of the characters heads, and the close-ups on the cars MON 005 number plate which states clearly who they are. A medium shot is used to display the Montagues brightly-coloured Hawaiian-style shirts, and their car which is also a cheery yellow. These colours reflect the Montagues playful, childish and fun-loving nature. During the scene, non-diegetic hip-hop music compliments their wild behaviour to justify their joyful attitude and their tendency to be loud and outgoing. Also, it is an unexpected contrast to their immense skyscraper that would lead us to believe that they may be high-classed businessmen rather than carefree youths. Now, the Montague boys arrive at a petrol station. We see the Capulets vehicle also pull in nearby, the engine revving which gives a sense of the Capulets violent nature. We hear a short guitar melody, which mimics the music in a lot of traditional Western films, and this gives us a feel for the familys sly and sinister nature. A close-up shot of a Capulets metal-heeled shoes, which also link to the Western genre, emerging from the car and extinguishing a cigarette further increases their sense of anonymity and potential danger. We see that the way the Capulets are dressed contrasts greatly with the Montagues attire instead of casual, brightly-coloured clothing, they are wearing classier, more formal garments, in darker colours such as blues and blacks with an abundance of religious references. This allows the two families to be easily visually distinguished from one another, and also indicates their differences which might be another reason for their conflict. It shows that they are more serious and ominous than the light-hearted Montagues. When the Montagues discover the Capulets presence, they begin to panic. A Capulet, Abra, intimidates them by flashing his metal teeth at them, which has the word SIN engraved on them, and hisses ferociously perhaps being compared to an animal like a snake, which is also sly and sinister. This shows us that he feels that hes a bad boy, and is shown as an extreme close-up to make it more intense. The Montagues begin to mock him afterwards, but Abra spots this in the side-mirror of his car and consequentially, is further enraged. The camera closes up on the petrol stations sign swinging in the breeze, which reads Add more fuel to your fire this is a metaphor which implies further provoking someone in a feud or bad situation and silence ensues, which suggests the calm before the storm, building a suspenseful atmosphere. It is also exactly what happens later on in the scene. Then Tybalt, a Capulet, returns to find the Montagues. He lights a cigarette, which shows his tendency towards being a daredevil and his fearlessness, disregarding the danger of igniting anything in a petrol station. He questions the Montagues, being mocking in his polite manner, and then raising his voice to shout. He and Benvolio then face each other, and reveal the butts of their guns, which have their family emblems inscribed on them. The emblems themselves show that again their families are both equal in status and so have similar weapons. Tybalt has two guns, which suggests his violent attitude, and also sport images of Christ. In the next scene, the tension erupts into a full-blown brawl, with Tybalt in particular showing off his moves, being more inclined to violence than the Montagues, and it also shows that he is initiating the fight. A low-key non-diegetic bass melody in this scene builds tension and suspense, a sense of dread and the feeling that something worse is brewing just under the surface of this heated situation. Luhrmann adds diegetic sounds such as Tybalts swift spinning motions making a whirlwind sound, which shows his skilful precision at movement, but at the same time sounds like a cats growl (Tybalt is introduced as the Prince of Cats in a freeze frame earlier in the scene). Finally, the bass background music surmounts to a crescendo, and the Montagues escape the Capulets, and we see Benvolio fleeing past a heavy traffic jam outside the petrol station as Tybalt shoots at him. It is a medium long shot of the street and shows that in their disagreements, the two families are causing chaos in the city and preventing people from living their everyday lives in this example blocking the roads for the publics fear of flying bullets. Tybalt drops his cigarette on the petrol-soaked ground in the station and thus it ignites and a tumult of fire erupts the connotations behind the sheet of flames suggests burning rage, and that this conflict will unfold into something more extreme later on.

Why Workplace Sarcasm is a Great Thing

Why Workplace Sarcasm is a Great Thing Workplace Sarcasm is so often hilarious- and just as often annoying and borderline insulting. But new research on sarcasm actually seems to show that finding a healthy balance between humor and alienation can bring employees together and make them more productive. It Challenges the BrainThe first benefit of sarcasm, of course, is that it’s an effective mental workout. Both the sarcastic speaker and the listener have to very quickly interpret the comment and divine the truth between the literal and the actual meaning of the utterance. It requires abstract thinking and fuels creativity by keeping people mentally acute.It Creates BondsThere’s evidence that employees actually perform better under sarcastic conditions than in an environment of total sincerity or even a neutral environment. The sarcastic comments are both team-building, humor-inducing, and can make the whole team perform better and more productively.Of course, none of this is to suggest that sarcasm should be undertaken as the dominant office norm. And it should not give anyone carte blanche to be as sarcastic as they care to be at any time in their professional life. Sarcasm, wielded effectively, requires trust and a solid existing basis for effective communication. It’s not to be undertaken lightly, or between parties who don’t like or trust one another- but for everyone else, it’s not totally off the table.

Strain Gauge Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strain Gauge - Lab Report Example Effect of Temperature Variations on the ResultsAn increase in temperature would cause the object to undergo thermal expansion hence increase in size. Resultantly, the change in size will be detected by the gauge as strain with its resistance and that of the connecting wires changing. However, the constantan alloys that make up the gauges are made in such a way that they counter resistance changes that are recorded due to thermal expansion. It is upon the person carrying out the experiment to select the best alloy for the object being experimented on because thermal expansion varies among various materials.ErrorsThe zero Offset – after connecting the strain gauge to the source of force, a zero offset would occur if the impedance of the four arms of the gauge are different. However, this can be rectified when one uses a resistor that is parallel to one of the arms. Temperature Coefficient of Gauge Factor is an error that occurs due to effects of temperature on the recorded strai n. As discussed earlier, changes in temperature would cause changes in the size of the object hence this change would in turn be recorded as strain. To correct this, a fixed resistance should be introduced at the input pole with voltage minimizing temperature sensitivity. Linearity error occurs when the sensitivity of the value of strain is affected by pressure in a function of thickness and quality of bonding. Overloading error may also occur if the strain gauge is loaded with weights it is not designated to accommodate.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Leadership - Essay Example Thirdly, the leader should provide the knowledge and methods needed to realize the vision and influence others to buy into the idea. As passion is contagious, the leader must communicate in a passionate and clear way. Consequently, the leader should coordinate and balance the conflicting interests in stakeholders and be able to think and act creatively in difficult situations. There are traits that a leader should posses. Integrity, honest deals, controlled emotions with a predictable reaction to issues and an absence of harsh outbursts. Dedication is spending more time and energy to realize the vision by inspiring other members by example. Magnanimity is to give credit where it is due and be responsible for failures and humbleness to elevate everyone (Daft & Lane, 2011). A leader should have an open mind to listen to new ideas and suspend judgment while listening to others ideas, check the facts before passing judgment to gain trust and respect. Leaders are to be creative to think d ifferently and lead to new directions. Humor fosters good camaraderie. Humor is vital for a leader to relieve boredom, tensions and defuses hostility. This paper examines my leadership in terms of the participative theory and presents the plan of action to improve my motivation and leadership skills. Leadership theories, styles, and their influence on motivation The skills theory states that knowledge and abilities acquired by learning are significant factors for effective leadership. The argument in this theory is that skills and qualities learned, developed and acquired are keys to leadership performance. Skills are what leaders can accomplish, whereas traits are who leaders are (Northouse, 2009). Technical skills are knowledge, competency and proficiency in a specific work. For instance use of computer application software as MS office. Human skills assist us get along and communicate with people. Conceptual skills help leaders better decide and comprehend the actions and measure s for ideas and concepts. To some extent, the theory disavows a connection between the inherited characteristics and capacity to be an effective leader. However, it brings confusion when someone holds the skills and qualities but do not become a leader. This is one of the difficulties in using skills theory to explain leadership (Northouse, 2009). The situational theory, suggests that one needs to adjust and adapt to the circumstances in different situations to be an effective leader. The choice of action is based on situational variables. Factors to determine how to adapt are the competence and commitment of the stakeholders. Either aggressive decisions are made or there is room for negotiations (Ortimiere & Meese, 2010). In this theory, the leader may involve all members when making a critical decision and be task relevant. To determine the duties to assign, the leader should know the maturity level of followers in relation to a specific task. Therefore, situational leadership inf luences activities of individuals towards goal achievement in a given situation. According to the contingency theory, success depends on the leadership style, the qualities and traits of the followers and the aspect in which the situation is. It advocates for a positive approach towards unforeseen incidents. There should be a match between the leadership style and the unique situation or setting. It is different from the situational theory since, in situational the focus is on adapting to situations while in contingency effective leadership depends on the degree of fitness between a leaders qualities, style and that of a situation (Daft & Lane, 2011). The elements to be looked