Maintaining Romantic Relationships

Maintaining Romantic Relationships When two people choose to forge an interpersonal involvement through communication and believe the bond to be romantic, they have chosen to be in a romantic relationship with one another. In the beginning, being in a romantic relationship seems effortless, magical, and exhilarating. This is before conflict arises and negative emotions cause things to get real and bring the relationship down from cloud nine.While enjoying the initial stages of the relationship is important, it is also imperative that the two individuals are simultaneously building a foundation of appreciation, respect, forgiveness, and trust. Without this effort, once the â€Å"honeymoon stage† is over, the relationship will most likely crumble and leave both partakers hurt and confused (McCornack 326). With this said, a romantic relationship is one of the most rewarding, complex, and significant entities in a person’s life, and though it seems as if maintaining one sho uld come easily, at times it can be one of the most difficult challenges.However, if effective communication is executed and both partners share the desire to be together, the challenges of misunderstanding one another and accepting shortcomings can be surmounted and a successful romantic relationship can be achieved. Because there are two people deeply invested emotionally, mentally, and possibly physically in a romantic relationship, the stakes are higher than those in a friendship.The chance of actions and words exchanged causing destruction to a point of no retribution is greater than in a platonic relationship, where forgiveness is more easily granted. In an intimate relationship, both people must meet each other halfway. The inherit nature of the human race is to focus primarily on personal needs, but in a committed romantic relationship it is important that the needs of the other partner are also taken into consideration, which may require compromise on how communication and expression of feelings are exchanged.Typically men are less sensitive than women, causing many unnecessary disagreements between the two. Men need to realize that at times the criticism or suggestions they believe will be helpful actually sound mean and hurtful to women, and women should realize that usually men do not have negative intentions with their blunt words but instead do not know any other way to communicate as they were created to interact that way.A helpful tactic in preserving an intimate relationship is for the couple to be able â€Å"to create and maintain ‘positive illusions’ about each other, that is to be less negative and more kind in their evaluation and feedback of their partners, [which] can help to enhance relationship satisfaction† (â€Å"How to Build & Maintain Happy Intimate Relationships†). This applies to both sides of the relationship. For example, the man can be gentler in his communication and the woman less harassing in hers , resulting in both of them being happier with the way they are treated, bringing them closer together. Partners are happier and more committed when positive interactions between partners outweigh negative ones by a ratio of at least 5:1† (â€Å"How to Build & Maintain Happy Intimate Relationships†). The risks are greater in a romantic relationship than in a platonic one, but so are the rewards, causing the necessary determination and effort worth the gamble. As life progresses, changes are inevitable, and relationships are affected by the continuing evolution of a person’s life.An individual’s wants and needs change as a relationship develops, and this change should be embraced as an opportunity for the relationship to grow and reach a deeper level instead of resisted and ignored. By periodically setting aside time to check in with one another on these changes, the couple can assure that they are aware of the other’s changing expectations and goals , therefore enhancing the intensity of their connection (â€Å"Building a Healthy Relationship from the Start†).Sometimes, couples forget that they must make the conscious effort to keep the relationship going, which leads to it falling into a rut. Thus the exploration of each other’s hobbies and interests is essential in maintaining the excitement of sharing experiences with one another (â€Å"Building a Healthy Relationship from the Start†). Having a significant other is like always having a best friend around, but better because there is affection and deeper feelings involved.The point of a best friend is to have someone to share enjoyable experiences with, so to not include one another in activities and adventures in an intimate relationship is counter-intuitive and defeats one of the main purposes of being in one. Long-term relationships are difficult because sometimes the couple loses sight of why they are together in the first place. They begin to view th e relationship as a job instead of a thrilling, positive addition to their lives.From personal experience, I know that even though avoiding this unfortunate situation sounds simple enough, it can happen all too easily, for I am guilty of it as well. A year ago, after I realized that my relationship with my boyfriend was becoming more stressful than fulfilling, I knew I had to make a change. I told him that I wanted to be â€Å"the cherry on top of his life sundae† and be a positive appendage to his life instead of an exhausting obligation. By this time it was too late and we broke up for a few months.I feel as though if my boyfriend and I had taken the time to sit down and talk to each other about the changes that were occurring in our lives and in our relationship, as well as make the effort to experience fun activities together instead of falling into a routine of going to each other’s houses with the occasional trip to the movie theater, our relationship might not h ave transformed into such a tense monster that seemed to spiral out of our control. When conflict arises, communication is the key to a resolution.Because a common source of conflict is unrealistic or unreasonable expectations, the two members of a relationship must be willing to be open and honest about what they anticipate from one another and whether these expectations are being met (â€Å"Building a Healthy Relationship from the Start†). Each of the romantic partners must be willing to attempt to see the issue from the other’s point of view. Sometimes, the way that conflict is dealt with speaks enormously about a person’s past experiences and family history.No two people have grown up exactly the same, so it is impossible for two people to have the exact same way of dealing with issues. In some families, communication is not a big priority, yet in others it is constant. It is important for an individual to be aware of his or her partner’s background s o that an understanding can be met and communication can effectively solve an issue instead of prolonging it. Another important aspect of solving a conflict is timing. There is no perfect time for a conflict to occur, but the partakers of one have control over when they solve it.In the past, it was believed that it was best to never leave a fight unresolved and that the issue should be fixed immediately; however, it is now recommended that people take some time to â€Å"cool off† so that hurtful things are not said that could potentially cause irreversible damage to the relationship (â€Å"Building a Healthy Relationship from the Start†). This personal time can allow each person to alleviate the initial anger or hurt and rationalize their thoughts.The most important aspect in the approach to solving a conflict is for both partners to do their best to communicate in a way that the other will understand. The main obstacle that makes maintaining a romantic relationship so challenging is that men and women communicate so differently, and it is impossible for them to ever communicate in the same manner no matter how much each of them try. When it comes to communication, men and women are on two completely different planets, stated by the best-selling book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.In this relationship guide, the author John Gray states, â€Å"Men are motivated when they feel needed while women are motivated when they feel cherished† (â€Å"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Quotes†). This could not be truer. Men approach the world with the mindset that they are an individual in a hierarchy where life is a contest of social order, while women engage the world â€Å"as an individual in a network of connections† where life is a community and the main focus is to evade isolation and sustain intimacy (Tannen, Ph. D. 24-25).For effective communication to occur, understanding and compromise must be implemented. This i s vital in maintaining a healthy romantic relationship because ineffective communication leads to frustration, confusion, and eventually termination. In order to avoid this, both the man and the woman in the relationship must be willing to accept each other’s way of interacting, even if it seems strange or ridiculous. To many people, opening the lines of communication seems impossible because they view the difficulty of communicating as an inevitable problem and a flaw of the other person.However, this is not the case, and it is achievable as long as both partners are prepared to attempt to see communication from the other’s point of view (Tannen, Ph. D. 297-298). There is no one set way to do anything in life; instead, there are many methods of approaching an issue or situation and the â€Å"right† one depends on personal preference. This applies to maintaining a romantic relationship as well. Each couple has their own unique way of interacting with one another , and in each of those couples, the man and the woman also have different ways of communicating and expressing themselves.John Gray also wrote in his book, â€Å"When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom† (†Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Quotes†). A relationship cannot grow without proper communication, and for this to be accomplished both partners must be willing to give up their stubborn pride and come to terms with the fact that their way of handling situations is not the only way. Once this level of respect is present, misunderstandings will be a misfortune of the past.The best approach to maintaining a healthy intimate relationship is to not overlook each other’s flaws and shortcomings but to accept and embrace them. Though this can be challenging and at times overwhelming, the success of maintaining a romantic relationship is one of the most fulfilling triumphs known to mankind. Work s Cited â€Å"Building a Healthy Relationship from the Start. † UT Counseling and Mental Health Center. The University of Texas at Austin. Web. 7 Mar 2013. How to Build & Maintain Happy Intimate Relationships. † Counseling Center Resources Articles and Brochures. Roosevelt University. Web. 9 Mar 2013. McCornack, Steven. Reflect and Relate, an Introduction to Interpersonal Communication. 2nd. Boston: Bedford/st Martins, 2009. 326. Print. â€Å"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Quotes. † Goodreads. N. p.. Web. 6 Mar 2013. Tannen, Ph. D. , Deborah. You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. NewYork: William Morrow and Company, Inc. , 1990. Print.

On Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther” Essay

Every piece of literature which alludes to the foolishness, audacity, and perhaps, sheer naivety of the age-old play that is love, in its passions, pursuit, and myriad complex jubilations and devastations, is bound to appeal to at least one individual or the other. Humanity is inherently blessed or plagued by this encompassing sentiment, however fraught with woes and literary tremors it may appear to be, which is why poems, short stories, novels, and other literary works of fiction, in the flamboyant manner by which it recounts aspects of humanity, serve as fitting stages or platforms for the overplayed drama that is love. The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe plays the aforementioned persuasion well, particularly in what many regard as a semi-autobiographical novel entitled, â€Å"The Sorrows of Young Werther† (1774). While the novel can be easily and automatically categorized as a ‘romantic’ piece of literary fiction based on the instance that it was published during the height of the Romantic period that is 18th century western Europe, it is also identified as such because it encompasses and reflects the spirit of the said era. â€Å"The Sorrows of Young Werther† constitutes, much like the title already aptly connotes, the pains of a young man named Werther, as he personally recounts the perennial tragedy of unrequited love, through a series of letters addressed to his friend Wilhelm. Werther is impassioned and consumed by attraction to a woman who doesn’t reciprocate his affections, much less pay attention to him, and who happens to be engaged to one of his friends. Werther culminates his long drawn poetic divulgings, outcries, and â€Å"sorrows† in the act of suicide. For most people, the concluding drama and tragedy which exists in Goethe’s novel is entirely plausible, or â€Å"realistic,† given that it was fueled by the obsessive nature of attraction. Goethe affords readers a perspective of an attraction, of a sentiment, of a proclaimed ‘love’ that may be juvenile and naive, but is far from healthy or harmless. It affirms and encompasses every romanticized idea or cliche of love as an immense force far greater than any individual; all-consuming and agonizing, especially – as in young Werther’s case – when it isn’t reciprocated. It also highlights the great lengths people rise or turn to for the sake of love, however convoluted, or different, and maybe even delusional, the form it takes may appear to be. These aforementioned â€Å"great lengths† aren’t always necessarily a good thing, in Werther’s case for instance, it meant death. It meant killing the pain, meant dying in flesh and bones in the same manner he already had inside. It meant consummating the proverbial death which he was only able to hold on to for so long. It may be achingly juvenile, and infinitely naive, but it is the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s take and translation of love, in its purest and unabashedly raw form; devoid of necessary standards, strictures and responsibilities of â€Å"reasonable love. † One which lives, and as already apparent, dies for the sole purpose of the said circus or charade of an emotion; so much so that it ascribes the instance of death, and particularly of suicide, as a course of action or undertaking which is suddenly deemed romantic, noble, or at the very least acceptable, where the passions of attraction and the agony of love is concerned. While this may appear utterly heartbreaking and romantic on the leaves of a paperback book, I have reason to believe that it should be limited to the said confines, and not translate to â€Å"the real world. † While most readers, and myself, may sympathize with Werther’s plight, agony, and his aptly titled ‘sorrows,’ I have reason to believe that love can also manifest in less explosive and immensely imposing ways. I believe that it exists and abounds throughout the greater part of humanity and the world we live in, despite what hideousness and ugliness which surrounds the current state of our country and the rest of the world may connote. It exists in something as mundane as an e-mail or phone call, a free car ride, to seeming hallmark or kodak moments as the flying of kites, a little league team at play, a shared sandwich; and to the familiar trivialities but authentic and wholly heart-warming dependability of broad shoulders, thin lips, welcoming cheeks, and the warmth of an embrace. Love exists in more than one definition and translates in varying degrees and circumstances, an individual shouldn’t decide to end his or her life because of a romanticized version of it. People should live through and for love, not die for it. As for sorrow, people should endure and keep every exquisite agony, because ultimately and essentially, sorrows affirm our humanity, and our capacity to love. Works Cited Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. (2006) The Sorrows Of Young Werther. Mondial.

Davis Humanics Case Essay

To: From: CC: Date: Re: DH Board of Directors Henry G Young James Barry 9/12/2010 CRM System In understanding that historically that all decisions re: capital investments were based on the ROI (Return On Investment) method. I asking the Board of Director to please see my attached outlined benefits and cost of implementation for the CRM System. While the results of my outlined benefits are calculated with a worst case scenario basis, I would request that the Board look at the long term gain for the company which is not only inclusive of the financial gains. DH use of the ROI method can be manipulated to suit those against or even for this system so this should not be the only method used for this project. The figures in the attached benefit and value proposal does indicate that the project will cost roughly $1,000,000. 00 – $2,000,000. 00 just to acquire the CRM system and another $1,000,000. 00 for all implementation, up-training , maintenance, etc. There are so many other methods that may be used whether it is a payback period or net present value or a net present value and payback period combined, the Board is encouraged to investigate or entertain future discussions on this matter until we can come to some agreement and move forward. In the meantime the company is growing and so are our clients acquisitions. DH closed $2 billion in sales with our 1000 employees using an inundated system last year. A CRM system this year would lend to efficiency, improved customer/client satisfaction and position in the marketplace. Henry Young Project Team Leader 1

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Operations Management - Essay Example The researcher states that in order to achieve and sustain a competitive edge in the market environment, every firm must attempt to achieve consistency in its manufacturing or service delivery in all aspects. Therefore, the firm must identify areas that are necessary for inclusion in the operations management plan; plan on the approach to take in order to achieve the stated objectives; implement the strategy in accordance to the guidelines formulated in the planning stage; monitor the process; and improve by making corrections and adjustments to the process. If a firm can succeed in maintaining the operations management cycle for a sustained long period, then the firm is likely to achieve long term success due to preparedness to keep up and cope with market changes. Market changes include both macroeconomic and microeconomic market changes, both of which have an effect on a firm’s operations. Macroeconomic factors include changes in the aggregate economy of a vast geographical region including political changes; economic changes; social changes; technological changes; ethical changes and legal changes. Economic factors include the effects of the economy on business; social factors include changes in beliefs and perceptions as they relate to the business; technological factors centre the changes that affect the production process. Ethical factors include changes in perceptions of the difference between moral rights or wrongs; and legal factors are aspects of policy and legislation that have direct or indirect effects on the market. Microeconomic factors are the changes that occur in the market or industry and involve stakeholders like customers, suppliers, competitors and the public (Wong and Wong, 2007). A company must endeavour to satisfy the needs of customers, who are the core source of revenue for business; and attract and retain the attention of the public, which is composed of potential customers and investors. In addition, a company should build i ts credit worth to increase the likelihood of obtaining credit from suppliers even in the absence of funds to make cash purchases (Grafton, Lillis and Widener, 2010). The general idea is that a company should strive to align its inner environment with the changes in the outer environment. According to Slack, Chambers and Johnston (2007), a company should identify its level of success in the five main performance indicators including price, quality, speed, dependability and flexibility. This essay highlights the advantages and disadvantages of basing a performance management system on these five operations objectives. Implementation The first step towards implementation of a performance management system based on the five core performance indicators is an analysis of a company’s current performance against the expected performance. The aim of implementing such a system is to narrow down or close the gap between these two phenomena; the strategy being the use of these indicator s to achieve and retain a competitive edge in the face of a rapidly changing market. However, many scholars argue that the system should not be geared on achieving full functionality but a firm should focus on one aspect and do it to its best capacity. Specialisation enables a firm to perfect one aspect of its performance and uses it to outdo the competition in the market; especially by having a competitive edge derived from its effectiveness to achieve the optimal result in a performance indicator. However, using price, quality, speed, dependability and flexibility has merits and demerits (Zeydan and Colpan, 2009). Cost Optimisation of the performance indicator of cost has direct monetary benefits to a firm, as it enables the firm to reduce the cost of production by cutting down on inputs, mainly by adopting the use of cheaper alternatives or by reducing the quantity of input but maintaining the production output. In this case, the firm has the capacity to achieve high profit margi ns due to a higher difference between revenue and expenditure. Moreover, it has

Contract law problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contract law problem question - Essay Example that even though it may have seemed to Jane that they were entering into a separate valid contract they never actually intended to conclude any such contract and the work done by Jayne was part of the original contract. Jane on the other hand will argue the opposite and claim that this particular trip was not part of the main contract and that this trip was as a result of a separate contract. This raises another subsidiary issue here which is not very clear on the facts available. She attended the conference as a part of the terms of her contract in September 2007. It remains ambiguous what the contract says in terms of her discretion is choosing to go to the conference and her entitlement of the bonus or any additional money. We shall not dwelve into this much due to the lack of clear instructions but shall proceed on the assumption that the contract remains silent on these issues. It is pertinent to mention here that the general rule adopted by the courts is that they will look at the intention of the parties objectively. This was decided in the case of Centrovincial Estates plc v. Merchant Investors Assurance Company Limited [1983]. In this case the claimants let premises to the defendants at a yearly rent of 68,320 but when they received the written acceptance they quickly informed the defendants that they intended 126,000. The courts held that there was a valid contract and that it was contrary to well-established principles that after the acceptance in the way stipulated by the contract, that the claimants turn around and say that they made a mistake which the offeree neither knew nor could reasonably have known when he accepted it. Here, Jayne can argue that while making the representation she could not have reasonably known that SE was making a mistake and that they never intended to make a separate contract. However, critics like Professor Atiyah basin g their argument on the case of The Hannah Blumenthal [1983] argue that a subjective approach should be adopted and that without any detriment to the offeree, the courts should not hold this to be a valid contract. In our situation the idea of detriment to Jayne is questionable. First, it is true that in admitting her son to the Westbrook Academy and paying the first year's fees of 5,000, she had acted to her detriment. The matter that is doubtful is whether she would have done that anyways or was it solely based on the expectation of a bonus of 4,000. The courts will probably also look at the fact that there was a difference of 1,000 between the fees and the bonus. But this is an evidential matter. The courts adopting an objective approach will look at what the objective man would have done in this situation and implement their own view. The courts will however also look at a subjective view if evidence could be led that Jayne somehow knew that the company was making a mistake or that the money will never be paid to her, this can be done on the pretext of SE's approach with reference to other employees experiences that Jayne knew about or her own previous experiences with SE (Scriven Bros. v. Hindley [1913]). It is however concluded

Business Ethics, Invisble Hand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Ethics, Invisble Hand - Essay Example A business's biggest interest is profit maximization. All businesses, be it a small-scale or a large corporation or enterprise, seek to maximize their profitability as much as they can. After and in accordance to this, a firm aims to minimize costs. It is not hidden that when businesses attempt to achieve these aims, they crush many ethical values such as responsibility to the society in the form of, perhaps, pollution control guidelines. They leave, to the society, negative externalities only so that they can earn profits. Under such circumstances, you cannot expect a business to care for the environment or the people around them. True, that firms satisfy our material needs and this does lead to the general good. But in providing us with these services and goods, they will do whatever it takes to get to that level of profit maximization and cost minimization. I do not think that the 'invisible hand' furthers us to greater public welfare because firms forget all about ethics when it comes to power and profits. To support this, let's take the example of California's power market. The electricity industry was freed of regulations so that competition could be promoted and that the invisible hand could work. However, the opposite happened. They failed to provide the service; there were blackouts and prices were also very high. The sellers kept developing new ways of abusing the system until the State intervened (Shaw, W.H., 2004). My second argument is that with globalization taking its toll increasingly and hence, with competition growing immensely, it has become extremely important for firms to maintain and raise their positions in the global market. One would think that competition increases efficiency, along with which, prices are decreased. In any case, the customer, or the society as a whole, benefits. However, this is not usually the case. Globalization emphasizes on competition, true. But as a result it creates awareness in the society, gives customer choices, makes them powerful and hence, demanding. All this put together, puts great pressure on a firm operating in the free global market. Mostly, an average customer is not going to think of buying from a firm who is socially responsible and who has value for ethical guidelines and how it treats its employees or competitors. A customer would want to buy from a firm who provides the good or service, they don't care how, they just want the service. This leads to many businesses sacrificing their ethical values and moving towards the bigger motive of profit earning. Many businesses today in third world countries, especially, adhere to such unethical practices. An example of the water industry in Pakistan can be taken. Such filthy water is provided in the homes of people than many suffer from diseases such as hepatitis, yellow fever etc due to this. Conclusion In the end, it is important to note that not all firms yield to such unethical practices and not all situations demand such practices. Today, 'going green' is also a way of earning profits. However, the arguments presented above do take place and the society is exploited as a result. There are both sides to the pictures. It is only up to the business

Electronic Waste Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Electronic Waste - Speech or Presentation Example Developed nations have made several steps towards ensuring e-waste management. On the other hand, developing nations lag behind and so far policies enacted as not fully implemented. In most developed nations, there are no policies that govern the disposal of electronic materials (Karpus, 1). This, therefore, implies that e-waste is posing several challenges in many nations.   Electronic wastes are made up different materials that are extremely toxic. Some of these materials cannot be decomposed or decompose at a unusually slow rate (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Toxic Components of E-Waste  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smoke alarms contained in many electronic devices are made up of americium or carcinogen. This two materials are radioactive and take a very long to decompose. Mercury is used to make tilt switches, fluorescent tubes, flat screen monitors and thermostats. If mercury is absorbed into the environment, it results into serious health eff ects such as dermatitis, sensory impairment, general muscle weakness, and memory loss in human beings and reduced fertility, death, slower rate of growth and development in animals (Karpus, 1). Lead acid batteries are made up of particularly harmful chemical called sulphur. If absorbed into an individual’s body it causes adverse effects such as kidney damage, throat and eye irritation, and heart damage. When allowed to reach the clouds, it reacts with vapor.... o serious health effects such as dermatitis, sensory impairment, general muscle weakness, and memory loss in human beings and reduced fertility, death, slower rate of growth and development in animals (Karpus, 1). Lead acid batteries are made up of particularly harmful chemical called sulphur. If absorbed into an individual’s body it causes adverse effects such as kidney damage, throat and eye irritation, and heart damage. When allowed to reach the clouds, it reacts with vapor to form sulphuric acid (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). BFR is used in most electronics as flame retardants. It is made up of other several chemicals, which when allowed to the environment causes several health complications. These include liver problems, thyroid problems, and impaired nervous system development both in animals and human beings (Grossman, 1). Cadmium is used to make light sensitive resistors and nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries used in electronic devices. Cadmium has adverse effects if ex posed to the environment. If inhaled, it causes permanent damage to the lungs as well as causing kidney diseases. Due to its adverse effects, it was banned in Europe except for medical purposes (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Lead is a vital component of most electronic devices including monitors, solders, lead-acid batteries, cathode ray tubes and PVC. Lead if allowed into the soil will encourage leaching and destroy natural habitats for many micro-organisms. Beryllium is used as filler in thermal materials. These include thermal grease that is used in CPUs and heat sinks, X-rays ceramic windows, vacuum tubes, and gas lasers (James, 13). If all of these harmful chemicals are released into the environment then our future generations are threatened. Most animals will get extinct the generations that

Identify and Evaluate the Sources of Long-Term Finance Available to Essay

Identify and Evaluate the Sources of Long-Term Finance Available to the Company - Essay Example Thirdly, the result from the previous estimation will be analyzed. Finally, this study will give recommendation on how the project should be financed if the board of director decides to carry out the project. TASK 1: Estimate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital for Made-Up PLC The author will now undertake the estimation of the company’s weight average cost of capital (WACC) by estimating the cost of capital from each financial source of the company. The company currently has three long-term sources of finance, which are ordinary shares, preference shares and bond issuance. 1: The Cost of Ordinary Shares, Ko The company has 4,600m of ordinary shares currently sold on the market at ?1.55 per share. Hence, the market value of ordinary shares is: 1.55 * 4,600m = ?7,130m One method which can be used to estimate the cost of ordinary shares is Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). ... Hence, the rate of return on long term (10 years) UK government Bond will be used for this case. According to the data from Bloomberg, the rate was quote as 2.35% (Bloomberg, 2011). In estimating a beta (?) for the company, there are two estimation methodologies, using a ? of an existing firm in the same line of business and averaging ?s of several companies in the same industry. In this analysis, the ? is derived from that of an existing firm with similar capacity to Made-UP Plc’s. This estimation has an advantage over the average ? methodology since firms within the same industry could have very different ?s and the resulted ? could be unpredictable and unsuitable to Made-UP Plc’s. Since Made-UP Plc’s and TESCO are ones of the largest firms in the industry and have very similar lines of business, the TESCO’s beta will be used for this case, which is 0.7546 (Financial times, 2011). In the case of risk premium, the figure is taken from an empirical study b y Fernandez and Campo (2010). They investigated the average market risk premium used by analysts and companies in the UK in 2010. The result indicated that the average market risk premium used by analysts was 5.2 and 5.6 for the companies. The author will use 5.2 for this case. According to the figures above, the cost of ordinary share can be calculated as follows, The cost of ordinary shares = 2.35 + (0.7551 * 5.2) = 6.28% 2: The Cost of Preference Shares, Kp The company has 150m of irredeemable ?1 nominal preference shares with coupon rate of 5%, payable annually. The shares are currently selling at ?0.68 per share. Hence, the market value of preference shares is: 150m * ?0.68 = ?102m The Cost of preference shares can be calculated by

The most appropriate form of market research Essay

The most appropriate form of market research - Essay Example In the context of the study on 360 communication technique of marketing the market research process for the same is quiet identical to the concept of the old techniques. The processes conducted are implemented for the new techniques of communication to understand the needs of the new market and act in a more customer centric manner. The market research process first identifies the problem involved with the customers for the company. Identifying the appropriate cause of the problem helps to design the research in an effective manner. The main problem for the company is to conduct 360 communication techniques in a more cost effective manner by identifying the appropriate way of communication in a particular market. For generating more revenue from the new customers the company need to segment the market and choose the target market for the communication technique to be adapted. Then understanding the problems of the existing customers through various methods of 360 communication approa ch can help the company to cope with the issues and implement strategies accordingly. Finally the communication technique through public relation and social activity helps to convey the company’s approach towards the customers and receive feedbacks for the different strategies implemented by the company and understand the need of the target market which will help the company to improve in the sector in accordance with the market needs.Collection of data from the respondents through primary or secondary research reveals. the attitude of the

Transport and Maritime Traffic Essay Example for Free

Transport and Maritime Traffic Essay Cost is an important factor which trading industries will have to consider. In Europe and North America the proportion of development of road and rail is the highest at 25 to 35 per cent. Thus, trade is predominantly transacted by road and rail. Cargo between countries without a common border is carried mainly by sea because of the growth rates for air freight are more than double those for shipping in recent years. In comparison to transporting via ocean freight and air freight, maritime traffic is considerably much cheaper. Airlines bills a chargeable weight. Chargeable weight is calculated from a combination of the weight and size of a shipment. Whereas, sea carriers charge per container rates for shipping in standard containers. For example; while a standard shipment shipped from Singapore to Europe costs Sgd5000, the same shipment might cost up to Sgd35,000 via air freight. While weight can factor into the price from sea carriers, their charge tends to be based more on the size of a shipment. Thus, with larger and heavier shipments, it is much cheaper to ship by sea. Thus, the main advantage of marine transportation is its economies of scale making it the cheapest per unit of all transport modes which is one of the important factors as to why maritime traffic is growing. According to data statistics UK, US, EU, NZ and many other countries marine government data statistics show that maritime traffic holds the highest transportation statistics in the country. Growth in World Trade via globalization As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, the main reason behind the growth in maritime traffic is the growth in globalization. In the past, the WTO provided a new cycle to world trade whereby China’s economic opening led to their admission to the WTO in 2001 causing its exports to increase 4times within 5 years. Another example of integrated markets boosting international trade are exports from Mexico to the USA within 6 years of NAFTA being established. This measure taken by WTO helped newly-industrializing emerging economies, particularly China and India, for energy and mineral resources. These resources had to be transported regionally via marine traffic. This led to increasing quantities of goods being transported from far-distant countries via ships. (http://worldoceanreview. com/en/wor-1/transport/global-shipping/3/WTO). The growth in globalization causes the growth in maritime traffic as well. This had and is still causing a steady growth in maritime traffic as well. This is evident via the statistics review by the United Nations marine trade which shows that Around 80 per cent of the volume of international trade in goods is carried by sea, and the percentage is even higher for most developing countries. Thus, globalization has played a huge role as to why maritime traffic has and is growing. †¢Effective mode of transportation Physical properties of the various modes of transportation available also play a key role as to why maritime traffic is growing. Due to the physical properties of water conferring buoyancy and limited friction, maritime transportation is the most effective mode of transportation to move large quantities of cargo. The approximate maximum takeoff weight for air cargo planes is~910,000. worlds longest, heaviest trains. Demonstration union train-WTO†). Road transportation have both weight and distance constraints which will be the least option to consider for bulk and far distance transportation. Whereas, bulk carriers ships are designed to carry specific commodities. They include the largest tankers, the Ultra Large Crude Carriers which are up to ~500,000 dwt. (Aragon, James R. ; Messer, Tuuli Anna (2001). Masters handbook on ships business. Cambridge, Md: Cornell Maritime Press). In July 2009,the global merchant fleet consisted of a total of 53,005 vessels. In all, the global merchant fleet has a capacity of ~1192 million dwt. (http://worldoceanreview. com/en/wor-1/transport/global-shipping/3/). Thus, it is evident that maritime transportation is the only feasible mode of transportation for bulk shipping such as coal, minerals, oil tankers and other bulky goods for companies which needs to ship a large amount of goods at once, with longer lead times. This is one of the reasons as to why there is a growth in maritime traffic. (III)Conclusion Despite the fact that maritime transportation has high terminal costs since port infrastructures are among the most expensive to build, maintain and improve; maritime traffic is growing. As mentioned above, due to reasons such as cost efficiency, global trading and most effective transportation of heavy and bulky goods with long lead times; as long as there is world trade there will definitely be a demand and growth in maritime traffic.

Funding For Space Exploration Philosophy Essay

Funding For Space Exploration Philosophy Essay July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong takes the first steps on the moon. All it took was 170 billion dollars in todays money to put a man on the moon. Mankind does not need to explore further than the moon. Neil Armstrong once said This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Forget giant leaps for mankind, NASA is a giant machine for spending money. This fact is backed up by the humiliating failure of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory, a $278 million package which blasted off from Vandenberg air force (DeGroot 2). Considering the debt that America struggles with in right now, NASA and space exploration is not the main priority. The United States government uses an excess of funds to explore outer space in an attempt to find other forms of intelligent life, they use too much tax money that can be put to better use, and many of the astronauts are at risk due to human spaceflight. A large portion of tax-payer money goes to NASA so that they can attempt to explore the unknown of space. Much of the money that NASA wastes on space exploration could be put to a much better and productive use. The United States government needs to focus on recovering their own planet before they discover others. Money that goes to NASA causes the national debt to increase. Instead, that money should go towards paying off the debt, or even fixing problems with unemployment. Back in the 1960s, when planning to put the first man on the moon, 58% of Americans opposed spending the estimated $40 billion or an average of about $225 per person required to send a person to the moon. Only a third supported the plan (Nasa Funding n.pag.). Many of the United States citizens opposed the plan because they knew that it should not be our main priority and it is a very large amount of money. The citizens were knowledgeable of how all of that money could benefit the country. In 2004, President Bus h presented Congress with a $2.4 trillion budget blueprint for the 2005 fiscal year (Nasa Funding n.pag.). The budget for the 2005 year is an extreme amount and there is to explore the depth of space when humans barely know their own planet. A vast amount of the Earth remains undiscovered which gives no reason to worry about space. Given the knowledge that humans have, there could exist absolutely nothing in space besides rocks and meteors. Earth is possible the only planet that sustains intelligent life. Scientists have searched the vast emptiness of space since the first moon landing in the 1960s. Although, in 40 years of searching, we have detected no such signal. In 1967, we thought we had one, but that turned out to be the entirely natural signal of a pulsar (Murray 2). Assume that NASAs scientists continue searching and finally reach their goal of discovering intelligent life 200 years into the future. More than $8 trillion will have gone toward that goal judging by the drasti c increases of NASAs annual budget from the years 2003 to 2009 (Returning to the moon n.pag.). However, intelligent life may not even exist on other planets, so all the hard work and money will go to waste if NASA does not find any aliens. In December of 1993, NASA embarrassingly sent astronauts into orbit to repair the Hubble, which cost taxpayers and extra $629 million. Due to this incident, NASA was put to blame for their incompetence and using billions in federal funds without accountability (Nasa Funding n.pag.). NASA has the ability to just soak up federal funds and tax money to fix their mindless mistakes. The plans of the space program to send men into space may endanger their well-being. Earth is a perfect habitat for mankind, which gives humans no reason to leave. Margaret Haerens writes, Animals never leave a comfortable habitat for a harsh one, unless they are forced to (Haerens 2). Haerens compares the astronauts to animals and how the astronauts should not leave Earth when they are perfectly find where they are. Space can kill humans very rapidly without a spacesuit. Astronauts willingly put themselves into space where they know if anything goes wrong they will die instantly. Haerens also writes that, Our vertebrate ancestors did not come ashore hundreds of millions of years ago because they decided to boldly go where no fish had gone before (Haerens 2). The author says that the race to the moon and outer space is foolish and just because an area has never been explored does not mean that someone should explore the area, which relates back to how in nature, animals never leave a favorable environment for a poor one. The fact that the presence in space negatively affects the human body reinforces why humans should not leave Earth. Scientists have discovered that prolonged weightlessness does terrible things to the bones and circulatory system. If God wanted us to live in outer space, we wouldnt have balancing systems in our inner ears (Haerens 2). Humans have evolved and adapted to live on Earth, if humans were meant to live in space, they would have adapted to suit the harsh conditions of space. Iain Murray writes that alien life is completely unknown to the human race and humans have no idea what aliens are capable of. Aliens could have the potential to completely wipe humans off the face of the earth (Murray 1). If aliens actually exist, no one knows what they have the ability to do. They could be very powerful and dominate humans and imperialize the planet, Earth. Although, aliens may be able to assist humans with space travel if we ever encounter them. However, there are many reasons that support space exploration, such as the risk of mass extinction that happens on Earth forcing humans to migrate to other planets. In the case of a mass extinction, humans must find a plan B in order to survive. Haerens talks about the possibility that the human race has to move from Earth to avoid a mass extinction. Possibly, in 500 million years, the sun may slowly boil the oceans and incinerate the Earth. Natural disasters are not the only possibility for a mass extinction, other epidemics such as climate change and overpopulation can also cause mass extinctions. Haerens also writes that the chances of an epidemic of such colossal size that it can cause a mass extinction are pretty low. However, an asteroid of sufficient size could cause the extinction of humans as it did the dinosaurs (Haerens 3). Earth may soon become over populated with humans; therefore, the human race must find other planets to make sure that mankind will live on. Jerry DeGr oot notes that Stephen Hawking has argued about how the human race must colonize other planets to ensure mankinds long-term survival. The Earth is indeed doomed, but where will all the civilians go? When comparing Mars to Antarctica, Antarctica seems like a paradise (DeGroot 2). It seems logical to desire to colonize other planets since if the human race becomes extinct, all of mans achievements and accomplishments over time would be gone. Space travel has a high chance of happening, humans will eventually learn to harness the energy of space as the cavemen learned how to harness the energy of fire. Enthusiastic supporters of the space exploration argue that exploring outer space is the next step in human evolution. Scientists believe that the colonization of other planets, beginning with the moon, should become a long-term human goal. Scientist also argue that colonizing the moon helps humans learn how to live on Mars by learning how to live with conditions of the moon first (Retur ning to the Moon n.pag.). One day a devastating event will happen to the Earth and change the course of life and only space colonization can save it. Although space exploration can greatly benefit the progression of mankind, it depletes a large part Americas resources and funds. Instead of humans trying to find intelligent life, they should leave them to find us. The billions of dollars that are used each year to fund space exploration could greatly improve everyday life on planet Earth. The American government funds NASA with a plethora of money in order for them to discover the unknown of the universe and much of the funds comes from tax-payers. Also, the astronauts are exposed to the outside threats of space which put them in dangerous situations. Perhaps, one day, once Earth has achieved a utopic state, humans can fund a space program that will discover extraterrestrial beings.

Ideology And Hegemony In James Bond

Ideology And Hegemony In James Bond The aim of this essay is to investigate the issues of ideology and hegemony in the James Bond franchise, with particular emphasis on the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Over the forty-four years the Bond films have been running the depictions of men and women in these films has developed and changed. Negative stereotypes were used in the first few Bond films to portray women, such as requiring a male rescue and being a sex object for a male audience. This was the ideology of the era, that women were less dominant than men. With movements such as Feminism these representations have been allowed to evolve into a more realistic depiction of women in the latest Bond films, especially Quantum of Solace. The portrayal of men is much more consistent throughout the Bond films, except a few changes that are made to Bonds character in Quantum of Solace. Ideology and hegemony exist in all the Bond films as they affect the way gender is represented. Ideologies form associations between types of power and the media. They are ideas that give an explanation of the social world. The ideas are usually seen as normal and expected but are frequently only biased and one sided (Branston and Stafford 2006,p.174). However, contrasting ideological views that contain different ideas can sometimes instigate battles within media texts (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.165). In comparison, hegemony is a theory that is related to ideology and power. It shows how societies deal with power (Casey et al. 2008,p.142). An Italian Marxist, Antonio Gramsci believed that ruling groups in societies can use either strength and force or consent to keep their power (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.169). This was allowed due to their importance in society. Gramsci also believed that certain democracies across the world would find themselves fighting for control. In some cases they would rely on force whilst in others they try the subtle approach of persuasion to gain hegemony (Branston and Stafford 2006,p.177). Hegemony suggests that certain ideas become common sense or natural to people (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,pp.169-170),particularly those of the ruling class and so called the dominant ideology (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.165). Marxists studied the differences between the working class and the industrial manufacturers who were all part of Capitalism, and believed your cla ss determined your political views (Branston and Stafford 2006,pp.175-176). Marxists also believed that people in charge of production were able to distribute the dominant ideas into a society. Therefore the working class could be led to believe that mistreatment was expected and normal through dominant ideas and power relationships in the media (Branston and Stafford 2006,p.176). Ideology and hegemony can affect how people are represented in the media. In the past there were striking differences between men and women. In recent times this has become less so, though still exists. This brings about the question as to whether or not the representation of gender in the media has changed over time due to the ideologies of eras changing as well. Sreberny and Van Zoonen defined gender as a contested and relatively unstable discourse (2000,p.13), showing how representations of gender are frequently changing in the media. The representations of James Bond throughout the Bond films have been quite similar: as a quick witted, physically strong man who is attractive and is able to use his charms to seduce many different women. Croteau and Hoynes believed that men would less likely be shown in the household, as this is usually the womans place. Instead, they would more likely be shown in highly regarded jobs (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.149). Bond films highlight this as Bond works as a secret agent for MI6 which shows his intelligence and authority in the workplace. In Quantum of Solace, Bond still contains many of his conventional characteristics , for example, his physical strength. It is suggested that men are represented as being more dominant than women, whilst also shown as being involved in much more violence (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.149). This can be seen in Quantum of Solace as Bond is involved in many fight scenes, such as, when he attacks the bodyguards in the hotel lift. However, the representation of Bond develops in this film as we see a vulnerable side to Bond that isnt present in the other Bond films. Many other men in Quantum of Solace are represented as powerful, for example, Dominic Greene owns his own company. Greene is portrayed as greedy and manipulative as he is storing water in order to sell it for extortionate prices. Mr White is another enemy who is portrayed as important and secretive as he is part of a top secret organisation, Quantum. These portrayals of men are stereotypical as they depict them as intelligent, pow erful and authoritative. There hasnt been much change in the representations of males in the Bond films, other than in the latest two films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace we have seen a more realistic portrayal of men. Bond is shown to have fallen in love with the character Vesper and when she dies he is shown as emotional as he wants revenge. This vulnerable side to Bond is representative of men today, as strong men can still have sensitive sides. This shows how the ideologies of the past may be changing. Bonds enemies have always been represented as powerful masterminds and so have not changed much since the films began. In comparison the representation of women in the Bond films has changed much more significantly over the years. This development of the Bond girls may have been instigated by the growth of Feminism. Feminism believed that men treated women as less superior to themselves (Casey et al. 2008, p.121). By the 1970s one of the main issues feminists believed was that many of the representations of women in the media were negative and based on stereotypes whilst also lacking in variety (Casey et al. 2008,p.122). The first Bond film, Dr No, made in 1962, supports this argument with the Bond girl, Honey Ryder. She played the damsel in distress saved by Bond and came across as very naive. She was easily seduced by Bond showing she was submissive and he was in power. In 1975, Laura Mulvey came up with the theory of the male gaze in which texts include women that are sexualised in order for them to appeal to men (Casey et al. 2008,p.122). Honey Ryder appealed to the male gaze as she appeared in s kimpy clothes several times, including the iconic scene of her in her swimming costume. This iconic scene also relates to the fact Hole and Levine (1971:249) argued that feminists believed that some women in the media were trying to make men purchase products by becoming sex objects (Van Zoonen 1994,p.66). Due to the ideologies of this era men were seen as more dominant and in control. This meant that women frequently appeared in films, but often only in secondary, minor roles (Croteau and Hoynes 1997,p.147). This was no different for Honey Ryder, as the main protagonists of Dr No were Bond and his enemy Dr No and she played more of a minor role. By 2002, when Die another Day was released the representation of the Bond girls had evolved. Die another Days Jinx was every bit Bonds equal being one step ahead of him for the majority of the time. She was physically strong and killed several people which represented her as mentally strong. This shows how Feminism may have begun to have an impact on media as it shows a female who is almost equal to the main male protagonist, which would have been very unusual in films before this point. However, she was easily seduced by Bond showing she hadnt become superior to Bond as he still had a certain control over her. Over time film production has developed and with it female stereotypes were questioned, leading to an increase in variety of characters for women in film (Casey et al. 2008,p.124). This can be seen in Quantum of Solace as there are two Bond girls, Miss Fields, who is a conventional Bond girl and Camille who is more of a realistic representation of women today. Miss Fields is quick witted as she helps Bond on numerous occasions. Still, she is represented as vulnerable as she is easily seduced by Bond within a short time and she is killed by Bonds enemies. However, Miss Fields is quite a realistic representation of women today as she works for MI6 which highlights how more women have jobs in highly respected work places now, than in the past. Camille is different to the other Bond girls. For instance, she is attractive but not perfect as she has burn scars on her back. She is also the first ever Bond girl to walk away from Bond without being seduced into bed by him. This suggests that womens roles in film may be becoming more realistic as the majority of women arent perfect and many have the self control to reject mens charms. However, Camille still possesses some of the Bond girl conventions as she needed saving by Bond in the fire. Both Bond girls in this film are very attractive and Liesbet van Zoonen argued that Hollywood cinema has a long standing tradition of constructing women as a spectacle for voyeuristic pleasure (Van Zoonen 1994,p.87).This suggests that even though some ideologies have changed over time others havent and even though Camille has the imperfection of burns on her back she is still a very attractive lady and thus still appeals to the male gaze and the voyeuristic pleasure of men. Another interesting representation of women in Quantum of Solace is that of M. M is represented as a strong female who is very authoritative as she is Bonds boss. She is intelligent as she works for MI6 and so is a powerful lady. However, she is also vulnerable as she is betrayed by one of her bodyguards. The growth of Feminism in the twenty-first century has gained so much for the representation of females in the media. That now even some women believe it isnt essential as the representations have gained in variety and accuracy (Casey et al.2008, p.125). An important issue to note about M is the fact that for the first eleven Bond films M was in fact a man, until it changed to a woman, played by Dame Judi Dench. This choice may have been made to follow the ideologies of the time as women were becoming more involved and important in society and even in the workplace and so by this point it wasnt unusual to have women in highly valued workplaces. Croteau and Hoynes argued that Feminis m and people who fought for womens rights put strain on the media. Therefore, making the media create more varied representations and roles of women in the media, whilst eradicating many of the negative stereotypes of women (1997 p.147). Overall, ideology and hegemony are present in all the Bond films through the representation of gender. The portrayal of gender roles allows us to observe how the ideologies have changed over time. It is most likely that certain ideologies have been influenced by movements such as Feminism, for example due to the strain feminist groups put on the media, the roles and representations of women have become more diverse and a more accurate representation of women in society. The ideologies of gender in the Bond films have changed with the times. This is noticeable with characters such as M, at one point in time women wouldnt have been associated with high earning jobs in the MI6. It is also shown with Bond as he becomes more vulnerable in Quantum of Solace, which is a more accurate representation of men in todays society as they can be sensitive as well as strong. In the future Bond films, the representations of gender may continue to change to fit the ideologies of gender in society at t hat time. Word count: 2000

City Boy versus Country Girl :: Mama Day Gloria Naylor Essays

City Boy versus Country Girl Gloria Naylor’s novel, Mama Day, shows how two loving people can unite in marriage, while being from two separate worlds. The way that Naylor creates the anxiety between these two characters is by the differences in their backgrounds--including their families, traditions and their geographical origins. Cocoa and George are extremely different; however, this is what makes their marriage so strong. Raised by the two most respected women in the town, Cocoa grew up on a small southern island with a loving family, while George grew up in a boys’ home without a family in urban New York. These differences in background bring George and Cocoa together, while helping to instill traditions and values in George. In the end, George has changed his point of view of the island and the way Cocoa acts in her home so dramatically that he sacrifices his life for her. Mama Day illustrates differences that are all around us through one couple’s marriage and the two places they call home. Willow Springs, the island on which Cocoa spent her childhood, lies between Georgia and South Carolina. Set apart from the rest of the world because it belongs to neither state, Willow Springs has many traditions unlike the world around it. Candle Walk, for instance, the tradition that created Willow Springs, goes back to the legend of Sapphira Wade, Cocoa’s great-great-great-grandmother. Saphira Wade had walked to the ocean in hopes of returning to her mainland with only the light of a candle showing the way. Thus, each year since that time, the island celebrates the memory of Saphira Wade during Candle Walk, takes place at night and encourages every neighbor to give homemade gifts to others in the community. Coming from the city, George has personality issues because of his non-existent family background. As a young child, his prostitute mother abandoned him to be raised by the state in the Wallace P. Andrews Shelter for Boys. George explains to Cocoa how the shelter treated him as though there were nothing out of the ordinary about a home without love in it. â€Å"They may not have been loving people, [Mrs. Jackson] and Chip–or when you think about it, even lovable. But they were devoted to their job if not to us individually† (Naylor 23).

Essay --

Ganguly, Rajat, and Ray Taras. Understanding Ethnic Conflict: The International Dimension. New York: Longman, 1998. Print. This book offers interesting insight on the role nationalism plays in the cause of violence ethnic conflict. It does this by looking at the overlapping aspects of nationalism, conflict, social cleavages, and the reaction of the international community. They also take and explain three main approaches to ethnic identities: primordialist, instrumentalist, and constructivist. They then explain how the mobilization and polarizing of groups ultimately led to conflict and the goals of their perspective political movements. Samarasinghe, V. "‘A Theme Revisited’? the Impact of the Ethnic Conflict on Women and Politics." JOURNAL OF WOMEN POLITICS & POLICY 33.4 (2012): 345-64. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. This article focuses role and impact ethnic conflicts have on the shaping of a nations ideology towards women of the ethnic majority. It looks at the case of ethnic civil war in Sri Lanka, and more specifically that of Sinhalese women. The research done in this article was primarily conducted through field work and field surveys of educated urban women. The work concludes that the ethnic conflict enforced the areas â€Å"ethno-religious identity† as well as creating a space for its inclusion in the nation’s political arena. Okoye, Festus (ed ). Victims: Impact of Religious and Ethnic Conflicts on Women and Children in Northern Nigeria., 2000. Print. 12 Feb. 2014. This book looks at how conflict in Nigeria has impacted women and children. It looks at the social, political, and cultural impacts of such violence at entire generations of Nigerian people. It looks at the the potential future impact on the countries development,... ... challenge the patriarchal hierarchy of society† where women and girls were subordinate to their male counterparts. Therefore, this article reflects on how gender is impact in post-conflict interventions. Lives Blown Apart: Crimes against Women in Times of Conflict, Stop Violence against Women. London: Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 2004. Print. This book looks at specific cases of violence and questions not only why these acts happened, but what can be done to prevent further violence. The book maintains that government and media play a role in both creating and ending such atrocities. It explores the ways in which sexual acts of violence impact women and their society at large. The book seeks to explain how the long-lasting impact of such events play an active part in the rebuilding of society, and how this impacts all levels of the culture.

The Lost Treasures of Architecture

The Lost Treasures Time progresss, people come and go, same destiny for the old and out-of-date edifices. The hoarded wealths we one time had were long gone ; our lifetime memory ; the familiar odor ; the familiar sight ; the familiar sound ; the familiar touch ; the familiar gustatory sensation. The rapid development in this small ruddy point forces reclamation of edifices every now and so, there is non a individual country without building traveling on. Our places’ individuality easy fade out, or immerge into a new signifier of infinite. Every topographic point we know is a location that has its peculiar significance in our head. It can be your first dating topographic point ; your front-runner haunt topographic point ; or the nearby promenade that you are so familiar with, you go to the specific shop you want to without believing but subconsciously. Emotions are attached to this specific topographic points. It might non hold to be a strong, lovesick emotion but decidedly an emptiness followed when the specific topographic point is deconstructed. A infinite is an about abstract impression, except it ‘s filled with things ( can be the eco-nature, can be semisynthetic ) . The biggest difference between a infinite and a topographic point, is that you will non hold any emotional fond regard to a infinite. Spaces such as the nearby grass spot, workplace lavatory, canal along the route you walking place. This besides mean that certain attractive topographic points for others could go a meaning-less infinite to you, or a topographic point in your head could be a meaning-less infinite for others. However, it is possible to transform an impersonal infinite into a personal topographic point. Since a personal infinite involve personal emotions and memories, we could perchance retroflex the atmosphere/items that trigger ones’ emotions and memory into an impersonal infinite which hence become a personal topographic point for the individual. For illustration, planing and adorning a trade name new empty room for yourself. The empty room itself give you a sense of strangeness, uncomfortableness, doing you want to go forth the infinite every bit shortly as possible. However, with walls flush with your favorite coloring material ; old new furniture that you have been long for, and the perfect cozy ambient you created, the infinite has become a trade name new topographic point that is personal to you. A topographic point to rest and acquire comfy in. Yet, retroflexing a similar atmosphere/items into a infinite might non be a fool cogent evidence solution to transform an impersona l infinite into a personal topographic point. After all, a replacing will ne'er make full emptiness, but cover it. However, reproduction is non the lone possible solution. By understanding your ain demands and day-to-day experiences, you can make a personal topographic point for yourself out of a infinite. The intent of the place-making is the first thing to see. What is the infinite for? Is it for working? Playing? Resting? Eating? If a desire topographic point is created that does non work good for the intent, the full topographic point go a nuisance, a infinite that you do non wish to come in, doing the topographic point to be place-less. For illustration, a topographic point for working should hold basic air airing, sufficient lighting, table and chair. You can non anticipate to hold wok and oven right beside your working desk, it is infinite devouring and non utile for your day-to-day experiences in this specific topographic point for work. Figure 1 when a topographic point lose its intent, it become a infinite How approximately big graduated table undertakings? How do we counter the job of place-less-ness in infinites like hotels? Hotels edifice is a ne'er stoping procedure. As more and more people travel for leisure, hotel is a must-have installation for the tourers. Yet, designs of hotels are extras of one after another, you can hardly distinguish the hotels except the fact of holding different names board allocated at the tip top of their hotels. Possibly all it takes is to add in a subject for the hotel’s design ; a historical subject ; a centripetal subject. Waking up in the forenoon or from a short sleep being able to smell the aroma of your mum’s cookery is a alone experience you have that no 1 else does. The colliding sound of Turner against the sauteing pan ; the odor of place fried rice ; the nonliteral shadow of Dendranthema grandifloruom in the kitchen, it is a similar yet wholly different experience from anyone else. When this experience can be considered as centripetal subject into the hotel, it start to go a topographic point with significance, with a certain emotional fond regard made, despite the experience is unreal, illusionary, partly similar. Or could we include the historical/geographical facet into design? Take a expression of our Singapore’s Airport. Art installings such as the Kinetic rain, is designed due to Singapore’s conditions where rain is a common sight in the Torrid Zones. Or the Floral Inspiration, it resembling a bunch of elephantine seedpods, their corrugated surfaces symbolizing the realistic texture of botanical beings, an look of Singapore as a garden metropolis that continues to shoot and boom. The installings decidedly represent certain looks the creative persons want to demo instance, but do other people really feel positively towards this art installings, or merely a impersonal emotions and take exposures of it in awe. In this state of affairs, this installings could non alter the infinite into a personal infinite, even though geographical and historical factors are considered for the ornaments for the infinite ( airdrome ) . Figure 2 Floral Inspiration @ Terminal 3, Singapore Figure 3 Kinetic Rain @ Terminal 1, Singapore Indeed, modernization pushes us to follow the technological tendency, and our desire for new is ne'er stoping. Historically meaningful constructions were lacerate down ; topographic points filled with memories were lacerate down ; transeunt locales such as airdromes and Stationss become place-less-ness. Treasures were lost. Ancient hoarded wealths. Treasures which include our past memories, our possible centripetal experiences. However, is these hoarded wealths still a hoarded wealths to the younger coevals? Their past memory do non include street peddlers walking about ; nor merry-go-round or bouldery airplanes in pasar malam ( which have been replaced by air-pumped playrooms/slides ) . It is besides rare to hold parents cooking for kids in the early forenoon. The centripetal experiences have been reduced down to the tiniest spot possible. The thought of holding topographic points all over infinites is simply a wild phantasy, it can non get the better of the current state of affairs of the universe, where net incomes are the exclusive ground of why corporates continue vertical edifice after edifice, with the demand of clip efficiency and cost efficiency, with a small ornament of art to spice up the market. Bibliography Blesser, Barry. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? : Experiencing Aural Architecture, ( The MIT Press, Cambridge, 2009 ) Gibson, William. Disneyland with the Death Penalty, September/October 1993, Wired magazine issue 1.04. Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/gibson.html? topic= & A ; topic_set ( Last Accessed on 20th May 2014 ) Pallasmaa, Juhaini. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses, ( John Wiley & A ; Sons, erectile dysfunction. 2005 ) List of illustrations Fig 1 — – Irwin Tan, TREKKING THE KTM TRACKS: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE Last updated 21stJuly 2011. Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //ashutterbugslife.wordpress.com/tag/ktm-railway-tracks-singapore/ ( Last accessed 4th May 2014 )Fig 2 — – concern traveler, New & A ; Noted at Singapore ‘s Changi Airport Last updated 31stMay 2010Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.businesstraveller.asia/asia-pacific/archive/2010/june-2010/special-reports/new-and-noted-at-singapores-changi-airport ( Last accessed 4th May 2014 )Fig 3 — – Kingrant, Guess which race? Kinetic Rain Siao charboh Last updated 4th November 2013.Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php? 167643-Guess-which-race-Kinetic-Rain-Siao-charboh ( Last accessed 4th May 2014 )

Japanese Pearl Harbour Bombing

By the end of WWI, Japan had emerged as a global superpower gaining recognition from Western Powers like the British and Americans. Japan’s influence in the Asia Pacific region during WWII was of particular concern to the Americans and European powers especially in regards to Japan’s imperialistic activities. With growing opposition from the US who were against Japan’s policies of nationalism, militarism, and imperialism, tension built up to a Pacific war. In response to a series of US foreign policies and the breakdown of international diplomacy, the Japanese decided to attack the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour Hawaii on December 7th 1941. The Japanese hoped that this surprise attack would prevent war with the US for at least two years, allowing time to conquer the Asia Pacific. Ultimately, the bombing of Pearl Harbour is a result of the growing tension in Japanese – American relations due to conflicting interests, and triggered when a compromise between these countries could not be agreed upon. One significant factor that led to the bombing of Pearl Harbour is the Nationalistic and militaristic attitudes of the Japanese. Japans desire for recognition as a strong military power saw the implementation of many aggressive foreign policies. The outbreak of WWII provided an opportunity for Japan to conquer Eastern Asia since the European powers were focused on war with Germany, leaving the USA as the only country that could thwart Japanese goals. Along with adopting nationalistic policies, Japan also saw that militaristic policies were needed to maintain its power status. The militaristic nationalists rise to power in the 1930s like PM Tojo, saw Japan inclination towards military action should there be conflict in the Pacific, and this inclination was enhanced by the rivalry between the Army and the Navy. The Navy wished to match the glory of the Army who succeeded in many military campaigns, which eventually led to the bombing Pearl Harbour, a plan developed by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Finally, Japan sought to end the restrictions placed on their navy at the Washington Conference in 1922 and entered the Tripartite agreement with Germany and Italy which increased tension with the US and Allies. Thus based on these policies, when Japan implemented martial law in 1938 the militarists and nationalists who supported Japanese expansion urged an attack on Pearl Harbour to increase Japanese world status and maintain colonial interests. Japan’s introduction of imperialism in the late 1800s stemmed for the Japanese sense of nationalism and desire to build empires like the West is the driving factor that resulted in the Pearl Harbour attack. The main imperialistic aim was to create the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere. This was to end Western influence in Asia but was in fact an excuse to conquer Asia and facilitate the growth of the Japanese empire. Japan’s invasion of China and Indo-China resulted in the establishment of embargoes and economic sanctions by the US. With little resources left because of these sanctions, Japan began preparing for Pacific war. Peace talks failed and the Japanese now certain that the US would enter the war wanted to achieve their imperial aims of conquering the resourceful lands of Malaya and Dutch East Indies before the Americans intervened. This lead to the bombing of Pearl Harbour to destroy the US Pacific Fleet in order to postpone American interference with Japanese imperial expansion. Knowing that the US would recover within two years the Japanese believed that they would have conquered South East Asia by then, obtaining resources like rubber and oil for war, and a strategic position to fight the US. Ultimately, the attack on Pearl Harbour was a tactic used by the Japanese to postpone war with the US as to achieve imperial aims. After WWI, the US attempted to remain neutral to international conflicts that did not concern them under their Isolationism policy. This policy allowed the Japanese to expand their empire without American intervention and also led to the Pearl Harbour attack. Despite the isolationist stance many including President Roosevelt wanted to intervene, as Japan’s invasion of China violated America’s Open Door policy whereby China was to be left independent so that trade was to be left unimpeded by other dominant powers. Since Japan’s resources came mainly from America, the US implemented a series of sanctions and embargoes, attempting to pressure the Japanese into stopping their expansionist activities. This began in 1938 with the ‘moral’ embargo to restrict aircraft support. By 1941 all Japanese assets in US were frozen and oil exports reduced by 90%. Having lost their primary supplier of war resources and left with a minimal amount of resource, Japan had to make a decision of whether to give in to American demands or conquer South East Asia for its resources. The militaristic Japanese government decided to respond to these US policies bombing of Pearl Harbour, hoping to prevent the US from thwarting their imperialistic goals. By the time the Americans recovered, Japan hoped to have gained a large empire and resources thus no longer requiring American trade and hoped that the Americans would realise war would be to costly. Reaching the height of tension between the Japanese and Americans diplomatic dialogue may have prevented the bombing of Pearl Harbour and thus preventing a Pacific war. However in 1933, Japan left the League of Nations thus destroying any platform for international dialogue to resolve disputes. With the establishment of the American embargoes, the Japanese took a dual approach on the situation. This was to negotiate with the Americans for peace agreements whilst preparing for war. The Japanese High Command offered to withdraw from Indo-China and in exchange they would maintain control of the Chinese regions they have conquered and America would reopen trade and unfreeze assets. The American Secretary of State Cordell Hull refused this offer, stating that trade and unfreezing assets would only happen if Japan left Indo-China and China and abiding the US Open Door Policy in China. Feeling unsatisfied, the High command of Japan rejected this offer on December 1st 1941 during the Imperial conference and so proceeded to bomb Pearl Harbour on December 7th. As mentioned, this was a dual approach; the breakdown of international diplomacy triggered the Japanese Navy to proceed with the bombing of Pearl Harbour hoping that this surprise attack would prevent the Americans from entering war before Japan could conquer South East Asia. Governed by a nationalistic and militaristic government that focused on the imperialism, tension between Japan and the US accumulated during the 1930s. The outbreak of WWII saw Japan’s desire to conquer South East Asia for resources. To accomplish this the Japan needed a tactic to prevent US intervention with their expansion for two years and this attack on the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour was a reasonable plan. While many argue that the US government’s foreign policy forced the Japanese to attack as an excuse to go to war, ultimately the build up of tension between the two countries due to conflicting interests based on nationalism, militarism and imperialism and the inability to reach a compromise due to lack of diplomacy is what caused the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941.

Ethical Theory, Business Practice and the Corporation Essay

If I would be about to handle the situation of Speedy Motors, there are some things that I would consider first before making decision especially the crucial ones like this. I think it would be best to solve this problem by finding the equitable welfare for all the stakeholders of the company. Given there are only a few more time before the company shuts down, I would call for a meeting for all of the employees and workers of the company and explain to them the real situation of the company. Moreover, I would also stressed out that they would be receiving additional separation pay for the damages that will be done by the company regarding the short notice of shutting down of operation. I could also possible give them educational plans for their siblings and refer some of them to other close companies of Speedy Motors to enable them to find a job right away. With the said structure of giving information of the company as with the current situation of the operation, there is a big possibility that they would understand the urgency and need to shut down the operation. Although there is a lot of stakeholder that would surely be affected by the said shutting down of the operation of Speedy Motors, at least, the management did made efforts not to happen the worse for all of them. One of the stakeholders of the company would be the workers, of course. With the additional separation pay and other benefits, I think it would be enough to compensate the welfare loss of the workers. Aside from the workers, the community is also part of the stakeholders of the company especially those community that relies on the jobs that are being offered by the company to them. Well, for them, through referring the employees coming from these communities to other close companies of the Speedy Motors, then, in one way or another, the possible loss in the welfare of the community will now be compensated. The last but not the least part of the stakeholders of the company would be their stockholders. With the shutting down of the company, there is a possibility that these investors would earn less from their investments in the company which could pissed them and lost trust on the domestic companies and in order to prevent this kind of scenario, one possible way of compensating the losses of this investors would be to give additional dividend rate for them. The funds that will be used in this strategy are the funds that were produced from the liquidation of the fixed assets of the company like land, building and machineries. The reason why I come up with this kind of solutions would be for the primary reason that it is the responsibility of the company to put the right things into place since in the first place the management of Speedy Motors did made wrong for not disclosing to the stakeholders of the company the financial condition of the company on the right amount of time (O’Toole, 2005). Although competition is already a natural phenomenon in the market, still, the financial aspect of the company, which is an internal matter, should be disseminated to the stakeholders especially to the workers that rely most on their job to the company. One way of informing the workers or disseminating the information would be to release a memo to various department of the company stating the current status of the company and that the management did done its best to prevent the shutting down of the company but unfortunately it did not work out. As for the media, press release would be an effective ways of disclosing the information of the shutting down of the company. With the mass coverage of media, disseminating the said information would be now easier especially in tapping the community that relies on the company and also the loyal customers of the company. Aside from press release, another way by which the company would inform the community regarding the shutting down of the company would be through public announcements to be posted on locations that mostly visited by the members of the community. With this kind of strategy, the welfare of the stakeholders of the company is all considered and I do believe that the efforts of the company to somehow compensate the losses of the identified stakeholders are already enough.

English Essay – US Summer Camps

They work with the children; they teach them sports, play with them ND educate them. The Europeans, whom experience to work at a summer camp, will not only benefit from an extraordinary experience and growth as people. They will also learn a very useful lesson in the English language. More than a thousand Europeans come to the US, to work at summer camps every summer. The Europeans work with the children as instructors, careers or maintenance workers at the camps.The Europeans get a chance to work with kids and youngster, and obtain skills in leadership. They will meet a whole new culture, when they arrive at the camp. Some will get surprised, because hey might have prejudged the Americans, and their expectations to a summer camp. The young European will also grow as a person. Any shyness or fears will be vanished, because of the interaction with the children. Their confidence level will also rise, and become more independent. It can be kind of a culture shock, for some of the Europe ans.The biggest culture difference is the food, and when you are at summer camp there is no fast food, so the new food might be weird at first. The Religion is also different. The Europeans meet many different religions, and it can be hard to Geiger out what is inappropriate to say to some religions, and what is not. Some Europeans might have trouble with the language. When you are working at a camp and your job is to play and educate the children, it might seem frustrating at the beginning.But when the only language the children know is English, you are being forced to try and talk to the kids, and the only language you hear around you is English, it will improve. Their vocabulary will also improve, and expressing themselves in English will be easier. The job as an instructors, careers or maintenance workers, will benefit the nouns Europeans in the future. As a maintenance worker you will learn to think practically, learn to solve problems on your own.As an instructor, you will lea rn leadership, which can be useful for the rest of their lives. As a care you will learn to take care of children, and it will be a good thing to have on your C.V., if you want to work with children in the future. If was to work at a summer camp during summer, I think I would very much enjoy it, due to the reasons mentioned before. I think all people will benefit from working at a summer camp. They will all get an extraordinary experience, and others will benefit from their stay in an educational aspect.Personally think I can learn a lot from working at a camp, not only as a person, but also my English will improve. Overall I think summer camp is a great way to spend summer, not only for the children, but also for the workers. The young Europeans, whom go to America to work with the children, will grow as people. They will obtain new skills, become more self-aware, and learn about new cultures. Some Of the Europeans might be a little shocked about the new cultures, the foods and eli sions are very different from what they are used to.

United States v American Online, Inc Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

United States v American Online, Inc - Assignment Example Firstly, the two companies involved, AOL and PPRO, deal with computer-related business. For instance, AOL is an online business partner of PPRO, a software services provider. Additionally, the matter involves accounts entry, in which AOL is accused of illegal entry. Ordinarily, company's accountings are executed using computer software as paperwork accounts are already outdated (Chung, Park, Lee & Kang, 2012). For the revenues to be inflated there has to be unreal transactions such as contracts and ghosts sales. Therefore a computer has to be used to prepare the contract agreements and invoices for such fake transactions. Q2: In the probe of the AOL’s alleged frauds, the involvement of some professional experts would be crucial in establishing the prosecution evidence. The first relevant professional is a certified public accountant. As the Department of Justice (2007) explains, the case involves an alleged piloted error in accounting. Therefore, a professional accountant would elaborate to the court whether indeed there were illegal entries in the AOL books of accounting. Additionally, a forensic Information Technology (IT) expert’s, particularly a computer forensic professional, would be relevant in this case. A computer forensic expert’s testimony would have been used to add weight to the prosecution claim. The expert would retrieve deleted communications from the two alleged parties, the AOL and PPRO. Apparently, the two are believed to have engaged in a conspiracy. Thus, the computer forensic specialist would have been used to unmask the conspiracy through retrieving past com munications. Q3: There are various techniques and tools that could have been employed in the US v AOL case investigation. For instance, the cross-drive analysis method could have been used to establish any correlation or lack of it between the information found on AOL.

How the Impact of the Internet has Affected the Music Industry Essay

How the Impact of the Internet has Affected the Music Industry - Essay Example The Internet has had a profound impact in many areas of life but one of the earliest and greatest of the cultural (and business) impacts has been on the music industry (DiMaggio et al, 2001) both positive and negative. This is an important issue because the growth of the Internet and faster Internet connections has been accompanied by an increase in downloading and filesharing. Once a file is in digital form and on the Internet, it can easily end up anywhere in the world. This is the negative impact, and one of the worst affected industries of this problem has been the music industry (Peitz & Waelbroeck, 2005). The Internet has been both a blessing as a great distribution channel, especially for budding artists, but at the same time, it has posed serious problems because money is not flowing into the music industry as it used to. The situation has therefore spawned efforts for greater digital rights management (Hilts, 2003). The major companies in the music industry are Universal, Wa rner, EMI, BMG, and Sony, and they are all concerned for their very existence.

Windows OS Upgrade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Windows OS Upgrade - Essay Example In this process they have been continuously creating & releasing new versions of their products and managing obsolescence of their old products via seamless migration procedures. However, every migration comes at a huge cost to an organization and hence an in-depth analysis of business benefits, risks and return on investments should be carried out by the IT managers before a technology migration project should be proposed to the management. This paper presents a detailed comparison of windows XP with Windows Vista & Windows 2000 with Windows 2003 and the corresponding business benefits such that the management of Riordan Manufacturing can take a decision regarding the migration of their existing desktop and server operating systems to the most suitable next versions of Windows Desktop and Server OS. Riordan Manufacturing has windows 2000 workstations and Windows 2000 servers in their network. Because of implied obsolescence of these two operating systems in the industry, the management of Riordan Manufacturing wants to upgrade their existing windows operating systems to the new versions of Windows that are most feasible for the business and can justify tangible return on investments. In this context, this paper presents an objective analysis of the new operating systems that can be the potential choice for deployment at Riordan Manufacturing. Microsoft has been proactively releasing new pr... as been proactively releasing new products with the features that are not yet recognized by the business as potential enablers to enhance employee productivity and customer satisfaction. In this context, upgradation to the latest available version may be an over-kill. Also, upgradation of operating system invites a number of other parallel investments in terms of hardware capacity, application compatibility, user training, administration training, related software upgradation, peripheral upgradation, etc. Hence, the new version of OS should have as much backward compatibility as possible to ensure that the related upgrades are minimized to as minimum as possible. The existing Windows operating systems and the future choices available for Riordan Manufacturing: The existing operating systems in Riordan manufacturing are Windows 2000 workstation and Windows 2000 server that have been very successful in the industry in meeting the business objectives of a variety of business domains. Given that Windows 2000 is an Active Directory Server based system, upgradation to Windows 2003 is seamless and an easy process. Many organizations have been able to carry out such project within a weekend without the users knowing about the migrations. However, upgrading from Windows 2000 to Windows XP or Windows Vista is not that easy because the change will be highly visible to the users and hence risk of reduction of user comfort levels & the corresponding reduction of user productivity is very high. Windows 2003 possesses enhancements of the features that are already built in Windows 2000 along with new technologies and features. Hence, it makes lot of business sense to upgrade from Windows 2000 to Windows 2003. However, transitioning directly to Windows 2008 may be quite a large

Presbycusis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Presbycusis - Essay Example The process of normal hearing starts when sound waves are conducted through the outer ear canal to the eardrum. The eardrum in return vibrates to set the malleus, the incus, and the stapes of the middle ear in motion. These three bones which terminate in the fluid filled opening within the inner ear particularly the snail like structure, cochlea responds to vibrations from the surroundings that are the basis of sound. The chain of command from these three bones triggers the fluid which relays the oscillating currents to the organ of corti. Currents are transferred with the help of the tiny hair projections lining the internal membrane of the cochlea and waving like the smooth underwater plants to move the sound that stimulates nerve endings. Thousands of these nerving endings which merge at the end of the cochlea unite to become the auditory nerve which carries nerve impulses to the hearing area of the cerebral cortex in the brain (Wagman, 1992). Presbycusis which is a progressive he aring loss is caused by defects in the outer, middle or inner ear. Presence of congenital deformities in the outer ear may interfere with the capture of sound waves from the environment that maybe funneled to the ear canal.

Varying European and Native Motives and the Collision of Cultures in Essay

Varying European and Native Motives and the Collision of Cultures in North America - Essay Example Through the clashing of these interests and motives, a collision of cultures sprung up in North America, resulting in the multicultural society that is North America. The conflicting motives began at the initial stages of European invasion of North America. In 1666, George Alsop asserted that poor Europeans should come to America as indentured servants bound by legal contracts that reflected debts or purchase obligation. On the contrary, Gottlieb Mittelberger was of the opinion that poor Europeans should not come to America as indentured servants. This thus paper explores the influence that the natives’ and the Europeans’ motives had on the collision of cultures in North America (Dudley & Chalberg, 1996). The Motives The clashing of the natives’ and the colonists’ interests and motives has been described by historians and political scientists as a major factor in the current collision of cultures in North America. In fact, the collision of cultures has per meated various aspects of peoples’ lives in North America including food, religion, law, political dispensation and art such as music and literature (Henretta & Brody, 2009). Importantly, it is noteworthy that the collision of cultures occurred as the largely diversified immigrants came from all corners of the world. The motives of the natives and the Europeans were equally diverse. While some of these immigrants came for economic reasons, others came for religious and political motives such as to colonize the Americas. Consequently, there had to be struggles among the natives and the Europeans who formed the bulk of the immigrants coming into North America. These collisions of cultures took different forms ranging from ethnic, religious, economic, and political dimensions. Importantly, it should be noted that the conflicting interests did not only pit native North Americans and the European immigrants against each other but there were also conflicts with African slaves in No rth America and the other nations with vested interests in North America (Henretta & Brody, 2009). Fortunately, the efforts made by all the stakeholders to reduce the cultural, political, religious, and economic conflicts of interests have made North America the multicultural society it is today. The European Colonization of North America The European colonization of North America and the enslavement of West Africans presented a collision of the three cultures that had been developing and existing at different lines since time immemorial. Central to the collision of these cultures were the various individual and collective/national ambitions and impulses of the European colonists and North American Natives. Among the goals targeted by the colonizers of the New World for which their ambitions were burning included long-standing demographic changes, religious expansion, international rivalries and economic gains. At the forefront in the efforts for religious changes were the Protestan t Reformists who wanted to spread their religion to the New World. The collision of cultures in North America thus not only yielded biological exchanges but also new religious dispensations that re-defined both the Old and New Worlds (Henretta & Brody, 2009). The attitudes of the immigrating colonizers towards the Native Americans and the African slaves were thus shaped by their