Video Games Why The Gender Bias Essays - Childhood, Girl, Women

Video Games: Why The Gender Bias? This Christmas, like millions of other parents, I bought my two children, a boy and a girl, a popular home video game system. I thought they could share it and when asked if this was OK with them, they replied, "Sure mom, that would be great." So, we planned on installing the little goody onto the TV in the family room, so that both kids would have an equal chance to play. So, "What then?" you may be asking is the problem. The problem arose when we went to shop for games for the system. They weren't hard to find. They were in all the local toy stores and Walmart and Kmart too! But, there weren't any for girls! I looked high and low and came up empty handed. Why was this happening? Surely, girls must want to play video games as much as boys do! Why then, aren't game manufacturers producing any video games that feature girls as the main character? On a recent trip to our local Walmart store, I found over two hundred video game titles, yes I counted, for our game system, but of these only two had female main characters. One of them was, you guessed it, Barbie! The other one was a female warrior dressed in a scantily clad leather outfit. I'm pretty sure the latter was designed for young men, and not for young girls. Surely, a big retailer, like Toys-R-Us would have more of a selection. So, off I went on my merry way only to be once again disappointed. Toys-R-Us had over 300 titles in stock for our game system and only the same two titles I found at Walmart were available there with one new addition, which was the Spice Girls CD. It's price had been reduced, so I guessed it was left over from last year when the Spice Girls used to be popular. I ended up purchasing 4 games for my kids to play. I found a few with cartoon characters as lead characters, that I felt would be appropriate for kids. I bought Rugrats, Loony Tunes, Grand Turismo (race cars), and Tetras (puzzle). All, except the puzzle game, had male characters in the lead, but at least these were rated as non-violent. After some careful research, I found that video games are a 7 billion dollar a year industry that out surpasses even the movie industry by 2 billion dollars each year ( 2 ). Mostly, these games are being sold to boys and young men. Girls currently represent only about 20 percent of the market, having been pretty much written off by important manufacturers like, Hasbro, Sony, and Sega ( 3 ). Girls have extensive buying power though, nearly 84 billion dollars annually, and over 6 million of them live in households with gaming systems ( 3 ). From ages, 6 to 10, girls play video games as much and as often as boys in that same age bracket, and one survey reports that if there were more games out there that they enjoyed, 85 percent of girls surveyed would use their gaming systems more ( 1 ). Girls don't seem to like the same kinds of games boys do. Instead of the violent, time-limited games boys go for, the girls like games that offer strong narratives, interaction, and creativity. It's not enough to simply convert or replace existing software for girls; the basic structure should be changed. A 1995 survey in Children's Software Review found only 28 of the 344 games with female characters in leading roles ( 3 ), proof that few producers have created games exclusively for girls. I believe this is largely so, due to the male dominance in the whole computer and technological industry. Males are turning out a product for other males. Then why aren't women out there designing a product girls will enjoy? Some are trying, but I have found it a catch-22 situation. Men are leading the technology industry because they are the ones inviting other males to join their ranks by making only games geared towards boys and young men. Girls are less likely to deem this area as fun and inviting and thus, turn their attention to other areas of study once college bound. Some companies are beginning to look for ways to encourage girls to get more involved in information technology. Girl Tech is one such group, in hopes of reaching 3.4 million Girl Scouts, they are sponsoring a

Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essays

Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essays Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essay Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essay this is my major stumbling block, and in order to learn and develop, I must use the computer effectively. I now see the internet as my most valuable asset, and therefore I feel less stressed about my future learning needs.

Battle of the Monongahela in the French and Indian War

Battle of the Monongahela in the French and Indian War The Battle of Monongahela was fought on July 9, 1755, during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and represented a failed attempt by the British to capture the French post at Fort Duquesne. Leading a slow advance north from Virginia, General Edward Braddock encountered a mixed French and Native American force near his objective. In the resulting engagement, his men struggled with the forest landscape and he fell mortally wounded. After Braddock was hit, the British ranks collapsed and the looming defeat turned into a rout. Fort Duquesne would remain in French hands for four more years. Assembling an Army In the wake of Lieutenant Colonel George Washingtons defeat at Fort Necessity in 1754, the British decided to mount a larger expedition against Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh, PA) the following year. Led by Braddock, the commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, the operation was to be one of many against French forts on the frontier. Though the most direct route to Fort Duquesne was through Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia successfully lobbied to have the expedition depart from his colony. Though Virginia lacked the resources to support the campaign, Dinwiddie desired the military road that would be built by Braddock to pass through his colony as it would benefit his business interests. Arriving at Alexandria, VA in early 1755, Braddock began assembling his army which was centered on the under-strength 44th and 48th Regiments of Foot. Selecting Fort Cumberland, MD as his departure point, Braddocks expedition was beset with administrative issues from the outset. Hampered by a lack of wagons and horses, Braddock required the timely intervention of Benjamin Franklin to supply sufficient numbers of both. Braddocks Expedition After some delay, Braddocks army, numbering around 2,400 regulars and militia, departed Fort Cumberland on May 29. Among those in the column was Washington who had been appointed as an aide-de-camp to Braddock. Following the trail blazed by Washington the year before, the army moved slowly as it needed to widen the road to accommodate the wagons and artillery. After moving around twenty miles and clearing the eastern branch of the Youghiogheny River, Braddock, on Washingtons advice, split the army in two. While Colonel Thomas Dunbar advanced with the wagons, Braddock rushed ahead with around 1,300 men. The First of the Problems Though his flying column was not encumbered with the wagon train, it still moved slowly. As a result, it became plagued by supply and disease problems as it crawled along. As his men moved north, they met light resistance from Native Americans allied with the French. Braddocks defensive arrangements were sound and few men were lost in these engagements. Nearing Fort Duquesne, Braddocks column was required to cross the Monongahela River, march two miles along the east bank, and then re-ford at Fraziers Cabin. Braddock expected both crossing to be contested, and was surprised when no enemy troops appeared. Fording the river at Fraziers Cabin on July 9, Braddock re-formed the army for the final seven-mile push to the fort. Alerted to the British approach, the French planned to ambush Braddocks column as they knew the fort could not withstand the British artillery. Leading a force of around 900 men, most of which were Native American warriors, Captain Lià ©nard de Beaujeu was delayed in departing. As a result, they encountered the British advance guard, led by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gage, before they could set the ambush. Armies Commanders British Major General Edward Braddock1,300 men French Indians Captain Lià ©nard de BeaujeuCaptain Jean-Daniel Dumas891 men The Battle of  Monongahela Opening fire on the approaching French and Native Americans, Gages men killed de Beaujeu in their opening volleys. Attempting to make a stand with his three companies, Gage was soon outflanked as Captain Jean-Daniel Dumas rallied de Beaujeus men and pushed them through the trees. Under heavy pressure and taking casualties, Gage ordered his men to fall back on Braddocks men. Retreating down the trail, they collided with the advancing column and confusion began to reign. Unused to forest fighting, the British attempted to form their lines while the French and Native Americans fired on them from behind cover (Map). As smoke filled the woods, British regulars accidentally fired on friendly militia believing them to be the enemy. Flying around the battlefield, Braddock was able to stiffen his lines as makeshift units began to offer resistance. Believing that his mens superior discipline would carry the day, Braddock continued the fight. After about three hours, Braddock was hit in the chest by bullet. Falling from his horse, he was carried to the rear. With their commander down, British resistance collapsed and they began falling back towards the river. Defeat Becomes a Rout As the British retreated, the Native Americans surged forward. Wielding tomahawks and knives, they caused a panic in the British ranks which turned the retreat into a rout. Gathering what men he could, Washington formed a rear guard which allowed many of the survivors to escape. Re-crossing the river, the beaten British were not pursued as the Native Americans set about looting and scalping the fallen. Aftermath The Battle of the Monongahela cost the British 456 killed and 422 wounded. French and Native American casualties are not known with precision but are speculated to have been around 30 killed and wounded. The survivors of the battle retreated back down the road until reuniting with Dunbars advancing column. On July 13, as the British camped near Great Meadows, not far from the site of Fort Necessity, Braddock succumbed to his wound. Braddock was buried the next day in the middle of the road. The army then marched over the grave to eliminate any trace of it in order to prevent the generals body being recovered by the enemy. Not believing that he could continue the expedition, Dunbar elected to withdraw towards Philadelphia. Fort Duquesne would finally be taken by British forces in 1758, when an expedition led by General John Forbes reached the area. In addition to Washington, the Battle of the Monongahela featured several prominent officers who would later serve in the American Revolution (1775-1783) including Horatio Gates, Charles Lee, and Daniel Morgan.

GMO the Necessary Evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GMO the Necessary Evil - Essay Example The discussion of whether Genetically Modified Organisms are good or bad for consumption can go on without a conclusion. My goal in this paper is to bring out both the negative and positive effects genetically modified organisms have and to show how essential they are. To achieve this goal, we shall start by looking at the negative or the health risks associated with genetically modified organisms citing evidence from different authors, and then I will discuss the reason why genetically modified foods were introduced and why I think they are a necessary evil. Now that we have introduced GMOs, let us look at the health risks associated with this kind of food. Although Genetically Modified Organisms were introduced in 1996, their side effects on human health have already been noticed; there have been increased reports of allergic reaction, toxic hazards (Wald and Michael 46). These side effects may be seen as minimal, the most worrying are the long term effects which may be more drastic. Children with life threatening allergies are associated with GMOs increased intake. There have been 37 reported deaths of people associated with the side effects of GMOs (Smith 258). Moreover GMOs have been associated with birth defects, stillbirth, infertility, cancers and miscarriages (Bodiguel 45). Researchers claim that glyphosphate found in GMO are the cause of malformation chicken embryos and these effects were evident to human birth defects in areas associated with genetically modified soy production. To be precise the researchers found malformation of the head were the new borne had a single eye (Wald and Michael 44). With long term exposure to genetically modified organisms the data  relating to the diverse effects will only increase as we continue to feed on GMOs without giving thought the negative effects they can have on our health and reproduction of future

Principle of Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Principle of Affirmative Action - Essay Example Hence, affirmative action involves in treating a minority class or group differently in order to provide improved opportunities to obtain certain good. There are trends to associate affirmative action with two lines; one is with compulsory quotas undermining the meritorious qualification and the other is with inequality where fairness is compromised for a preferential selection process. The origin of affirmative action can best be traced back to the Executive Order No.10925 of 1961 where then US President John F. Kennedy has urged federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure prospective job applicants and federal employees were treated in an equal manner without regard to race, creed, color or national origin. Later on, creating a definitive affirmative action policy, then president Lyndon B. Johnson expressed the need to go further by discussing how companies should increase their efforts to ensure minorities and women would have real opportunities for employment and pro motions. Thus, the aim of affirmative action is to eliminate discrimination and increase the representation of traditionally disadvantaged groups (Faundez, . 1994). For example, United Steel Workers of America, a union and Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation made a voluntary agreement to correct the years of racial discrimination against Black by reserving 50% of the openings in a training program sponsored by the corporation till the discrepancy was discarded. .

Gollum Character Study Essay Example for Free

Gollum Character Study Essay Even in the rare cases when he finds himself with someone else, as he does in chapter 5 of The Hobbit, he talks to others in third person, apparently not able to say ‘you’, and he refers himself as â€Å"my precious†. Gollum is a unique creature, only because his body has deformed over the years of living in the caves of Moria beneath the Misty Mountains for so long. He is the size of a hobbit, but with pale skin and large eyes. He wears only dark clothes and is extremely thin from eating only fish and goblins over the years. He has only six teeth which are sharpened into points and he has a vicious strength which surprises Bilbo. Gollum owns a magic, which he calls his â€Å"precious†. Gollum has one treasure, a golden ring he calls his â€Å"birthday-present† because it came to him on his birthday. This ring makes whoever is wearing it invisible and takes over their lives and personality. Gollum â€Å"uses it to creep† around the goblin tunnels to catch young goblins to eat when he gets sick of fish. In The Hobbit, Gollum tries to find his ring so he can become invisible and kill Bilbo. Bilbo, of course, finding the ring before meeting Gollum, just happens to put on the ring right as Gollum comes to attack him. He becomes invisible and follows Gollum out of the tunnels. As Bilbo takes his final look at Gollum, he nearly kills the ugly creature. But Bilbo is filled with a â€Å"sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror. † He sees Gollum’s â€Å"endless, unmarked days without light or hope of betterment†, and lets Gollum live. In exchange for this kindness, Gollum screams, â€Å"Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it for ever! † as Bilbo makes his escape. When Gollum first meets Bilbo, he is not hungry for hobbits, but he is afraid of Bilbo’s knife, so he tries to get on Bilbo’s good side by being friendly, showing that Gollum was once very similar to a hobbit, and challenging him to a game of riddles because â€Å"the riddle-game was sacred and of immense antiquity†. Bilbo accepts, because he wants Gollum to show him the way out of the goblin tunnels under the Misty Mountains. But the game makes Gollum both hungry and angry.

Civil War Study Guide :: essays research papers

1. Alexander Hamilton - He was one of the earliest and most active nationalists, believing that the continental congress needed to be strengthened or overthrown in favor a new, more imposing federal government that could legislate within the states, which the continental congress could not do. Hamilton was the spokesman for an active government, stressing the principle of government "Responsibility", against the Jeffersonian/Madisonian principle of public vigilance and suspicion of government power. Recent scholars have argued that these two philosophies form the thesis-antithesis of the post-revolutionary era—Alexander Hamilton being the figurehead of responsible government. 2. Thomas Jefferson - Jefferson's idea for the United States was that of an agricultural nation of yeoman farmers, in contrast to the vision of Alexander Hamilton, who envisioned a nation of commerce and manufacturing. Jefferson was a great believer in the uniqueness and the potential of the United States and is often classified a forefather of American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism is the idea that the United States and the American people hold a special place in the world, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity, derived from a unique balance of public and private interests governed by constitutional ideals that are focused on personal and economic freedom. 3. Henry Clay – Henry Clay was known as â€Å"Mr. Whig† because he was one of the founders of the party. He was a 3 time presidential loser. In 1824, he advocated high duties to relieve the prevailing economic distress, which he pictured in a brilliant and effective speech. Although they were caused by the reactionary effect of a disordered currency and the inflated prices of the War of 1812, he ascribed the problems to the country's dependence on foreign suppliers and markets. He said that the United Kingdom was a shining example of the wisdom of a high tariff; and no nation ever flourished without one. He closed his principal speech on the subject in the House of Representatives with a glowing appeal in behalf of what he called the "American System."Henry Clay's American System was a plan to strengthen the nation's economy by tying the North, South, and West together. It called for: Federal funding of infrastructure improvements (such as the Erie Canal and a series of highways) funded by a raised tariff on imported goods. Using protective tariffs to encourage development of domestic industry, and Reliance on domestic financial resources. Henry Clay was only twenty-two, when, as an opponent of slavery, he vainly urged an emancipation clause for the new constitution of Kentucky. Civil War Study Guide :: essays research papers 1. Alexander Hamilton - He was one of the earliest and most active nationalists, believing that the continental congress needed to be strengthened or overthrown in favor a new, more imposing federal government that could legislate within the states, which the continental congress could not do. Hamilton was the spokesman for an active government, stressing the principle of government "Responsibility", against the Jeffersonian/Madisonian principle of public vigilance and suspicion of government power. Recent scholars have argued that these two philosophies form the thesis-antithesis of the post-revolutionary era—Alexander Hamilton being the figurehead of responsible government. 2. Thomas Jefferson - Jefferson's idea for the United States was that of an agricultural nation of yeoman farmers, in contrast to the vision of Alexander Hamilton, who envisioned a nation of commerce and manufacturing. Jefferson was a great believer in the uniqueness and the potential of the United States and is often classified a forefather of American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism is the idea that the United States and the American people hold a special place in the world, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity, derived from a unique balance of public and private interests governed by constitutional ideals that are focused on personal and economic freedom. 3. Henry Clay – Henry Clay was known as â€Å"Mr. Whig† because he was one of the founders of the party. He was a 3 time presidential loser. In 1824, he advocated high duties to relieve the prevailing economic distress, which he pictured in a brilliant and effective speech. Although they were caused by the reactionary effect of a disordered currency and the inflated prices of the War of 1812, he ascribed the problems to the country's dependence on foreign suppliers and markets. He said that the United Kingdom was a shining example of the wisdom of a high tariff; and no nation ever flourished without one. He closed his principal speech on the subject in the House of Representatives with a glowing appeal in behalf of what he called the "American System."Henry Clay's American System was a plan to strengthen the nation's economy by tying the North, South, and West together. It called for: Federal funding of infrastructure improvements (such as the Erie Canal and a series of highways) funded by a raised tariff on imported goods. Using protective tariffs to encourage development of domestic industry, and Reliance on domestic financial resources. Henry Clay was only twenty-two, when, as an opponent of slavery, he vainly urged an emancipation clause for the new constitution of Kentucky.

Which Stakeholders Can Currently Be Considered to Be Part of the “the Company” for the Purpose of the Director’s Duty to Act in the Best Interests of the Corporation?

which stakeholders can currently be considered to be part of the â€Å"the company† for the purpose of the director’s duty to act in the best interests of the corporation? Company is a form of corporation and regulated by the Corporations Act. The legal significance of being as a company is it exists as a separate legal entity and dependent upon human beings to make decisions on their behalf. The person who makes or participates in making decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the company’s business can be defined as a director. The legal definition of director is stated under section 9 of the Corporations Act[1] which indicates that, it is more appropriate to look at the function of the people rather than at the job title itself. Duties are imposed on the directors to regular illegal behavior and ensure that they act for the benefit of the company. All directors and officers of a corporation are bound by a number of general law and statutes which include that: a) act in good faith in the interests of the company; b) act for a proper purpose; c) avoid conflicts of interest; and ) retain discretion Moreover, care, skill and diligence in the performance of their duties must exercised by directors. Stakeholder can be defined as a party that affects or can be affected by the actions of the business[2], which may be include shareholder, creditors, employees, customer, supplier and government. Under the principle of the company law, directors and officers owe duties to the company as a whole but not to the other p erson or group rather that shareholder as they are the residual owners of the company’s assets. As a result, it can be said that a scope is limited by the statutory duties to the company’ director and officer is to act the best interest of shareholder, any benefit is acting on the other group of the stakeholder (such as the creditor) will beyond the scope of director’ power. In addition, an essential problem might be arisen between the director and the shareholder is known as â€Å"agency costs† that is the cost incurred by company to ensure that the director (who manages the company) is acting on the behalf of shareholders (who is the owner of the company) and make decisions onsist with their best interest. The duty will be breached by each director if there is no action done to avoid a conflict of interest[3]. A director can not use his or her power to profit personally interest at expense of the company. An action may be brought against the company where it has managed in an oppressive, unfairly prejudicial or unfairly discriminatory against shareholderà ¢â‚¬â„¢s interest. Therefore, it seems that the company (shareholder) is the only beneficiary by the regulation of director’s duties. In other words, the enforcement of director’s duties is for the benefit of the shareholders. 2) Should directors duties, and corporate responsibilities, be extended to a wider group of stakeholders? What are the lessons from the James Hardie and the Waterfront Dispute experience? It is a challenge for the current legal framework to consider a wider group of stakeholder’ interest, as in modern society that greater deal of business and activities conducted by a company. Elena suggests that balance between the different groups of stakeholders is essential to the long-term viability of the corporation and the long-term shareholder’s value can be increased by taking account of the other group of the stakeholder. 4] For example, an under market salary is paid to the employees or the employees are scheduled in an inefficient way w ill result in a decreasing of shareholder’s wealth as the productivity of the company is affected by the dissatisfied employees. Hence, according to the definition of the stakeholder, employee can be classified as a stakeholder who will maximize shareholder’ wealth in a long-term. As a result, the maximization of stakeholder’ value goal might not only be concentrated on the shareholder but the other group such as creditor and employee. The reasons why the director’s duty might be extended to the group of creditor can be stated as: creditor is a important stakeholder in the company and their interest should be taken into account; and also, based on the judgments of the decided case, it also indicates that there is a demand for director to regard the interest of creditor. Firstly, a company is a separate legal entity[5]. Therefore, the debt of the company is separated from its directors and shareholders. In addition, the money borrowed will be recorded under the name of the company and the creditor will sue the company if there is any unpaid account. However, creditor is playing an important role in providing funds to assist company to manage its cashflow and expansions. Hence, it can be said that creditor is the stakeholder and can effect the action of the business. Nevertheless, according to the passage Re New World Alliance Pty Ltd (1994) 122 ALR 531 at 550,[6] there is not direct duty owed by the director and officer to the creditors because their duties are owed to the company. However, in the situation when the directors of company consider a high risk project or it is in a financial distress, the creditor has to occupy a weakness position. This is because, if the project fails, shareholder will lose nothing but the money they have invested due to the limited liability then the risk of filature will shift to the creditor. Hence, it seems unfair for creditor who has not fiduciary protection and whose right is limited by the contract. On the other hands, according to the passage Re New World Alliance Pty Ltd (1994) 122 ALR 531 at 550,[7] there is not direct duty owed by the director and officer to the creditors because their duties are owed to the company. The only time that the director’ duties are owed to creditor is when company is insolvency[8] and during that time, the creditor is entitled to displace the power of the directors and shareholders to deal with the company’s assets[9]. It can be argued that it is riskless for the secured creditor who holds a charge over a part or all of the company's assets during the company’s insolvency. If the company is in financial distress, a receiver is appointed by the secured creditor to collect and look after the company’s asset in order to obtain money for them[10]. However, it is not easy for the creditor to claim all their money back according to: firstly, the money collected has to pay the certain priority claims, including employee entitlements (such as wages, superannuation contributions and leave payments) before paying to creditor; and secondly, director does not owe directly duty of care for the interest of creditor, this might result in a less consideration of managing and taking care of the asset that is held by the creditor. Therefore, creditor who provides fund for company to operate or expand is playing a significant role to a company and their weakness position should be taken in to account and redeemed by the director’s duty and the corporate responsibilities. In addition, duty has been referred to the judgments of the decided cases. The emergence of the issue to regard the creditor’ interest is from the leading judgment by Mason  J in Walker v Wimborne. 11] His statement has been acknowledged by the other courts such as in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Also, according to the obiter comments in the recent case Spies v The Queen, the court has again acknowledged that there is an existence of the duty to creditor. As a result, it seems that protection for creditor’s interest is required in some certain circumstances. [pic][pic][pic] ———————– [1] Section 9 defines a director as: a) a person who: ) is appointe d to the position of a director; or ii) is appointed to the position of an alternate director and is acting in that capacity; regardless of the name that is given to their position; and b) unless the contrary intention appears, a person who is not validly appointed as a director of: i) they act in the position of a director; or ii) the directors of the company or body are accustomed to act in accordance with the person’s instructions or wishes. [2] http://www. scu. edu. u/schools/gcm/ar/arp/stake. html [3] Relevant section under the Statue Law: Section 182(1) – Use of Position; Section 183(1) – Use of Information; Section 191(1) – Disclosure of Interest. Also, under the Common Law – Fiduciary Duties. [4] â€Å"Corporate governance: shareholders’ interest and other stakeholders’ interest. † http://www. virtusinterpress. com/additional_files/journ_coc/full-text-papers-open-access/Paper006. pdf [5] The principle is established in Salomon v Salomon & Co ? 1897? AC 22 [6] Harris, Hargovan and Adams: Australian Corporate Law, 1st ed, Page417. [7] Harris, Hargovan and Adams: Australian Corporate Law, 1st ed, Page417. [8] A company is insolvent if: 1. It is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. 2. Its assets are less than the amount of its liabilities, taking into account its contingent and prospective liabilities. [9] Kinsela v Russell Kinsela Pty. Ltd. (in liq. ) (1986) 4 NSWLR 722. [10] In some special circumstance, it may appointed by the court. Eg: where there is a dispute between the owners of the company or the property over which the receiver is appointed [11] His Honour said: In this respect it should be emphasised that the directors of a company in discharging their duty to the company must take account of the interest of its shareholders and its creditors. Any failure by the directors to take into account the interests of creditors will have adverse consequences for the company as well as for them.

Armenian Language

anNadine Abo Laban 900113591 Gap paper 2 (Armenian Language) Introduction The guest speaker who graced us with her presence was Alyssah Depoya, who is of Armenian origin. According to Alyssah, all pure Armenians last names end with â€Å"yan† which acts as an indicator of whether the person is of pure Armenian origin. Armenia is a mountainous country located in the South Caucasus region in Eurasia. It is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran (â€Å"Armenia†, n. d). Armenian people have a very rich and dense culture. It is one of the world’s oldest civilizations.Armenia was also the very first country to embrace Christianity as its religion. The Armenian culture has been shaped and influenced by many other countries due to the several invasions that their people had to endure. It has been conquered by the Persians, Greeks, Mongols, Byzantines, Ottomans, Arabs, Romans and Russians. The most brutal invasion was when the Ottoman Turks took over Armenia, ki lling its people and leaving them to starve to death. During the Ottoman take over between 600,000 and 1. 5 million Armenians were killed, leaving this massacre to be the very first genocide of the 20th century.Moreover, Turkey denies such a massacre having occurred and claims till this present day that death casualties were a minimum. Armenia houses a population of 3,140,000 citizens. However the total Armenian population is 5,924,320. They are wide spread over Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, France, Greece, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, united states and Syria (Lewis, 2013). Facts about the language According to my research from the Ethonologue and Wikipedia, there are 5,924,320 speakers of Armenian all over the world.The language belongs to the Indo-European language family and has several dialects. Most linguists identify the language as a separate branch under the indo European family. You can also call the Armenian language by Armjanski Yazyk, Ena, Ermeni Dili, Ermenice, Somkhuri. Before the creation of an Armenian alphabet, the Armenians used Greek and Aramaic characters. In 405 AD, the 36 characters of the Armenian alphabet were introduced. However, during the middle ages two more characters were introduced to the already existing alphabet so they can spell out borrowed foreign words.There are two different dialects of the Armenian languages used till this day. There is the Eastern classical Armenian, and the western, which is more commonly spoken by the people. The western dialect is mainly used outside of the republic of Armenia, whereas eastern is used both inside and outside the country. Report on the speaker’s presentation Fortunately, everything Alyssah informed us about coincided with my research. She was very entertaining and did not miss a detail about what we needed to know.

Characteristics of Japanese Employment Relations

Characteristics of Japanese Employment Relations Changes in the some national factors such as institutions, labour markets, capital markets, national relations, businesses, economy, culture and rule triggers the employment relation practices and its changes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Characteristics of Japanese Employment Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering the Japanese employment relations, it has some key aspects, which include the lifetime, enterprise based and seniority based amalgamation that determines employment relations. Japan is a country considered as highly cultured but the cultural practices that seem hinder development appear to face sidelining in the resent past. For instance, the trade unions had a significant consideration of enhancing interrelationship between the member groups and the government. This has not been the case recently. According to Bamber et al, (2004, 283) effects on the union show a constant decline due to the general improvement of the living standards. The work ethics of Japan today face influences from customs, traditions, cooperation, collectivism, respect, relationships and handwork among the social members. People consider these as the key elements influencing employment relations and practices form the company’s level. (Havey, 2005, 187) The labour market of Japan indicates features of a declining growth rate, increasing aging workforce and increasing rates of unemployment. National factors and employment relations Management training or practices are not universal they ought to have a developmental basis at the national level or the company’s level. The national or external environmental factor that influences the relations mainly entails the labour markets, culture of the nation and business and economical factors.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Considering the national and other internal factors, they provide a better and more integrative perspective that makes it easy to vary but still relate employment focusing on other independent and developed country’s forces. Every external force has to pass through a management system according to the Lewin’s Change Theory. This means that for a proper examination of the changes that affect practices of employment relations, one should analyze the internal and external forces or the dynamics of the factors. (Sato, 1999, 27) The contingency factors such as magnitude of the employees, technological advancement and the culture or internally developed policies, cause the organizational or countries to change, thus influence the employment relationship. Today the increasing pressure in the domestic and global markets of a country causes the evident changes in the employment relations. As a developed country, Japan’s employment relations directly connect to the in ternational factors such as the economy or political changes. Like the U.K. and the U.S. markets, it mainly depends on the competitiveness at the international and domestic levels. The employees and company practices at the domestic level have stabilized the business environment. After the economic crisis experiences, Japan was able to consciously restructure and rationalize majority of the white collar jobs for better efficiency and under similar compensation rates as before or better. The labour force of 73% in 2000 indicated a growth of over 1 million from 1995 with 83% being employees. (Bamber et al, 2004, 272) This consensus regarding employment practices and industrial relations brought about firm, stable and supportive relations among employment thus the stability of the economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Characteristics of Japanese Employment Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Factors influenci ng the Japanese Employment relations Beside the institutes, labour markets, economy and the business environments discussed above other factors, include the institutes and culture. National institutions A national institute refers to the practice, customs, the relationships and the culture. The national institutes are government, educational, training, trade unions and associations. The national policies, rules and regulation introduced by the government on these institutes are the micro economic policies frequently governing the labour policies and therefore enhancing the relationships in the employment sector. When the institutes are vigilant to maintain the enforced policies then the country is in a position to maintain its social-economic status at the international level. (Blanpain et al, 2008, 85) As a major source for the human resource of main companies, the education institutions play vital role in recruitment and development. They increase competition thus the need for the in-house training evident in majority of the firms in Japan. A lot of mismatch between the job openings and the seekers is evident in the Nation due to differences between the careers. In line with Bamber et al, (2004, 278) unemployment rates have steadily grown. The young people are not able to find a career matching their qualifications. The IT industries are also subsiding human workforce. Argumentatively, most of the institutes fail to adhere to specification, advocating for creativity and technicality that divert students’ qualifications but equality benefiting the country’s technological advancement evident in most industrial manufactures. (Deery et al, 1999, 172)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More National Culture These are the social groups in which employees exist they entail the process of building rapport, making reports and enhancing communication between the employer and the employee. Culture shapes and influences the way people interact thus determining the employment relations practices. Influence of globalization on the Japanese employment relation The Japanese economy is arguably the second largest economy after the U.S. (Bamber et al, 2004, 272) The County has been to deep economic crisis but managed stronger comebacks and enhanced innovations for instance the oil crisis catalyzed huge investments into the energy saving products. The country’s business highly integrates to the global economy as evident with the appreciating and depreciating in the growth of the economy. There was a fall on the economy growth of minus 0.75 in 1998, although the employment relation had grate regards as a fundamental element to the economy growth of the country. (Bamber et al, 2004, 272) Currently, there are eminent differences on the size, employee’s number and the sectors of the firms. There is a considerable amount of reduction on the labour force, which is a concern especially for the future endeavours of most companies. Thus might be the cause of the current latent economic growth averaging at 2%. (Bamber et al, 2004, 292) The increase in competition has made companies to consider cutting operation costs, investing in recruitments and utilizing the contractual basis of operational labour forces. Globalization has made the performance-based system to replace the earlier senior-based systems gradually for both the medium and big-sized companies. By the year 2000, the working hours were as low as 1853 per annum and currently they are even lower due to the part-time engagement and contraction. (Bamber et al, 2004, 279) The issue of globalization has also led to decline on the number of employees in member unions. The growth of the service industri es structure cause more part-time employment. These employment practices are mainly because of globalization and increase in competition among the markets both globally and locally. â€Å"In Japan, most of the union’s organization occurs through enterprises as opposed to occupation or job industries.† References Bamber, G., Lansbury, R. D. and Wailes, N. (2004) â€Å"International and comparative  Employment relations: Globalisation and the developed market economies†. (Forth Ed) London: Sage. Blanpain, R., Lansbury, R.D. and Wailes, N. (2008). â€Å"Globalization and employment  Relations in the auto assembly industry† Kluwer Law International Publishers Deery, S. and Mitchell, R. (1999). â€Å"Employment Relations: Individualisation and  Union.† Exclusion Federation Press. Harvey, D. (2007). â€Å"A Brief History of Neoliberalism†. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sato, K. (1999) â€Å"Japan at a Crossroads,† in K. Sato the Tr ansformation of the  Japanese Economy, London: An East Gate Book, 1999.

Best Quotes to Pair With Vintage Photos on Social Media

Best Quotes to Pair With Vintage Photos on Social Media Sharing old photos of people, places, and events on social media is a good way to reminisce and add nostalgia. If youve decided to share your favorite images on social media during a Throwback Thursday, Flashback Friday, or some other tagged event involving sharing, there are some great ways to make your contribution even more special - and good things to know about sharing photos in general: Share one photo a week or less. Dont overwhelm your friends and followers with too many old photos. Just because you found an album of old photos doesnt mean you should bombard your social media followers. Choose one day a week, such as a Throwback Thursday or a Flashback Friday, and maybe even skip a week between postings.Be certain youre sharing only old photos. Dont make the mistake of incorrectly tagging recent photos with something like #tbt (Throwback Thursday), for instance. Stick with the old  pictures you would find in a photo album or a stack of Polaroids. Vintage pictures are hugely popular, so the older, the better.Make sure you choose the best photos - ones that tell a story. For instance, if you were a baseball player, post a picture of the time when you scored your first home run. Post pictures that were taken with your entire family  on vacation. Share a picture of a younger you doing something you still do today.Choose photos that might make people laugh. Unflat tering pictures of yourself from the past always make people smile. The goofier you look, the better. That said, if someone else looks unflattering, you might want to get their permission first. After all, this is supposed to be fun. Add other elements that make the sharing more special, such as a special quote from a famous person. The next time you are sharing vintage images online, try pairing them with some of the following vintage quotes from famous poets, novelists, storytellers, and others - these are sure to give an extra appeal. John Banville The past beats inside me like a second heart. Julian Barnes Memories of childhood were the dreams that stayed with you after you woke. Deb Caletti Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you’re not required to be who everyone thinks you are, and that cut-grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool give you a courage you don’t have the rest of the year. You can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you, and no past. Summer just opens the door and lets you out. Willa Cather I guess everybody thinks about old times, even the happiest people. Sidonie Gabrielle Colette What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner. Walt Disney All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. Albert Einstein Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. Ralph Waldo Emerson â€Å"For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.† William Faulkner How often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home. Neil Gaiman I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled. I could not control the world I was in, could not walk away from things or people or moments that hurt, but I took joy in the things that made me happy. Kahlil Gibran Yesterday is but todays memory, and tomorrow is todays dream. Arsene Houssaye Always have old memories, and young hopes. Charlotte Davis Kasl A lifelong blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood. Elizabeth Lawrence There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again. Laurie Lee Bees blew like cake-crumbs through the golden air, white butterflies like sugared wafers, and when it wasnt raining, a diamond dust took over which veiled and yet magnified all things. C.S. Lewis Gratitude looks to the Past and love to the Present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead. You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Cesare Pavese We do not remember days; we remember moments. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Marcel Proust There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favorite book. Vladimir Nabokov One is always at home in ones past. Eleanor Roosevelt The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Dr. SunWolf Some things can only be understood when you’re in a tree house. With a pile of warm chocolate chip cookies. And a book. Charles R. Swindoll Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. Oprah Winfrey The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. Lisa Whelchel Theres something about childhood friends that you just cant replace. The Wonder Years Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Essay

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod - Essay Example Numerous famous artists performed at Llangollen which included Red Army Ensemble, Luciano Pavarotti, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Julian Lloyd Webber. The Sunday Evening Gala concert, which is the final event, features performers like Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Kiri Te Kanawa, Montserrat Caballe and James Galway. In the year 2009, performances by Sir Willard White, Barbara Dickson, Natasha Marsh and Blake were given. In addition to this, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera performed the spectacular James Bond 007.Public relation is very important for any business or event. Without spreading the word and creating goodwill, the business or event would be lost in this globally competitive world. It is a process through which maximum communication can be managed and maintained by the public and the organization. Public relations are required to build the rapport with customers, employees, the general public, voters, and investors. Public relation includes corporate communication, media relations, analyst relations, internal communication, investor relations and labor relations. A balance and agreement in all these dimensions will make the business and event a success (Gregory, 2004).Earlier, due to the absence of internet, the PR campaign used to be limited and a hard thing to do. The word of mouth and few posters were used to spread the word. In the modern technological revolution with the Internet, PR building has become easier, fast and very lucrative.... The Sunday Evening Gala concert, which is the final event, features performers like Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Kiri Te Kanawa, Montserrat Caballe and James Galway. In year 2009, performances by Sir Willard White, Barbara Dickson, Natasha Marsh and Blake were given. In addition to this, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera performed the spectacular James Bond 007 (Pruett and McGuirk, 2004). PR Campaign and Llangollen International Musical Festival Eisteddfod Public relation is very important for any business or event. Without spreading the word and creating goodwill, the business or event would be lost in this globally competitive world. It is a process through which maximum communication can be managed and maintained with the public and the organization. Public relations are required to build the rapport with customers, employees, general public, voters and investors. Public relation includes corporate communication, media relations, analyst relations, internal communication, inves tor relations and labor relations. A balance and agreement in all these dimensions will make the business and event a success (Gregory, 2004). Earlier, due to absence of internet, the PR campaign used to be limited and a hard thing to do. The word of mouth and few posters were used to spread the word. In the modern technological revolution with the Internet, PR building has become easier, fast and very lucrative. Llangollen Eisteddfod is an international platform that welcomes performers from all around the world. It would not only require the local public relations campaign but global representation and connection to increase the number of participants and audiences. Eisteddfod music and dance festivals has