European Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European Business - Research Paper Example A major reduction in demand in the largest market of EU, Germany, was the main reason for export reduction in countries like France, Italy and UK which are its main export partners for automobiles. The following figure shows that the proportion of companies exporting in the EU countries in 2006 had substantially declined over the 1997 period. The situation worsened post financial crisis of 2008 following which countries like Ireland, Greece and Turkey suffered deep economic downturn. The tourism industry also suffered immensely on account of the financial crisis of 2008. All the 27 members of the EU block suffered both resident and non-resident night spends decline since 2008 (Leviev-Sawyer 2010). With the exception of Sweden which saw a positive 0.1% increase in night spend, there was up to 23.3% reduction in member countries like Latvia (Leviev-Sawyer 2010). Another notable feature was that non-residents formed only 44% of nights spent in hotels and residents formed 56% of the nigh t occupancy in 2009 across all the EU member countries. This shows that the proportion of tourist movement across the member countries was much lower as compared to the internal tourist night spends. Thus, the present crisis had a major negative impact on cross border tourism industry within the member countries. ... ows the following pattern (Luff 2008): UK stands at the sixth position in the list of countries which had investments in Turkey between 2002 and 2007 (Luff 2008). If we look at the number of companies of British origin which have invested in Turkey, we can see a substantial rise since 2002. The following figure shows the pattern of investment (Luff 2008). All the major British companies like Tesco, Vodafone, HSBC, Shell, Imperial Tobacco and BP have their investments here. The following chart shows the top 5 FDI inflows into Turkey in 2006 (Luff 2008). The top 3 companies are from the EU member countries and have invested in telecom and banking sectors. This is mainly because of the opening up of these sectors by the Turkish government. Another industry which has substantial impact for the EU member countries is the outsourcing industry. Poland experienced the largest inflow of outsourcing business during the period 1995 to 2002 (Lorentowicz, Marin and Raubold 2005). Austria was the next in line. The following table shows the FDI patterns of Austria and Poland during the various periods. The pattern shows that Austria has substantially increased its investments in new member countries like Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria while investments into UK have decreased over the previous decades. If we look at Poland’s inflows, we can see that France, Germany and Netherlands accounts for around 51% of the FDI (Lorentowicz, Marin and Raubold 2005). This shows that Poland is a favorite destination for these countries for outsourcing businesses mainly because of the availability of low cost and highly skilled work force. The major drivers of outsourcing business to these new member countries are low labor costs and cultural affinity of these countries to the

Competitive Strategies Essay Example for Free

Competitive Strategies Essay The U.S. offers a free market where businesses are able to have free enterprise to open and operate an ideal to provide a product or service to the public. There are many businesses that offer similar products and create competition. Consumers are able to have the options in the marketplace. Energizer and Duracell are two companies that offer similar products to consumers. Energizer has been around since 1986 and has grown into a mutli- billion dollar company within the last decade. Duracell first got started in the 1920’s from two scientists, and finally become a brand in 1964. This paper will discuss the two companies’ background, the competition between the two, and how they will thrive to compete in the market place in future. Corporate cultures have both gross and subtle manifestations that provide clues to the underlying norms and beliefs. Paying attention to the work practices, environment, communication paths, and even the level of humor in a company, will give one a hint of the dominant organizational culture. Identification and understanding the culture is necessary to affect any minute or large scale changes in response to market imperatives. If one does not have a clear picture of the culture one cannot effectively modify it. Mowat, J (2002, September 3) Energizer ​Energizer is formerly known as Eveready Battery Company and changes its name in the late 1980’s. By the 1990, Energizer has established their brand and had over 30 percent of the domestic market. They were trailing Duracell by 10 percent, who at that time had 40 percent of the domestic market. Energizer is the manufacturer of dry cell batteries and flashlights, with a full line production of in three major categories: alkaline, carbon zinc, miniature and rechargeable batteries. They produce more than six billion battery cells annually and has became a global leader in dynamic business of producing portable power in more than 160 countries. They may not have been around as long as Duracell, but has established the brand well in the marketplace. Dewhirst, T, Davis, B (2005, January 01). Duracell ​Duracell started with a partnership with inventor, Samuel Ruben and businessman, Phillip Mallory in the late 1920’s. Their invention was used in World War II to help assist soldiers in battle. By 1964, Duracell branded their product and introduce a product line of hearing aid batteries, flashlights, vehicle jump starters, and even the batteries for the Iphone. Duracell was brought out by Gillette Company by the late 90’s. They still produce top notch products for consumers to choose from. ​Energizer has done a good job in branding their product and being recognized by consumers everywhere. They are taking their company to another level by making other products like sunscreen and household products. They are using technology to help the company advance in new markets. â€Å"Innovation is the cornerstone of the Energizer brand and at this years Outdoor Retailer show the company will reveal the latest innovations in advanced power and lighting solutions.† Business Wire (2012) Energizer is also developing USB port chargers, sleek car chargers, and flameless lanterns. They are using technology to provide better and brighter lighting for consumers. Duracell has improved their battery brand by introducing reachable batteries with a more long lasting effect. They already have loyal consumers who purchase their brand and focus on improving the brands they already have through innovation. ​Energizer and Duracell use the same adorable bunny as their mascot to associate their brands to consumers. The question is, who used the bunny first? Having a mascot to help with brand association can help increase sales and promotions of a product. Consumers can recognize and remember to product by having the image of a mascot in their mind. There is no exact record of who had the bunny first, but packaging can be found from Duracell that has the bunny before Energizer. Either way, the pink bunnies are different in design. Energizer bunny wears sunglasses and looks cooler that may attract a younger market. Duracell bunny is happy and easy displayed on all of their products. Energizer catchy phrase has attracted consumers from all over with â€Å"It keeps going† as Duracell can only been seen with having a bunny on its packaging. It is clear who took over the mascot and was able to have their brand associated better. (2011, February 18) ​It is clear innovation and technology that will help grow both brands and improve their brand positioning. Today, Energizer has focused on other products outside of batteries and flashlights. By making items like sunscreen and lotions that has allowed them to enter into new markets to advertise too. Duracell has been around longer and have a strong history behind their brand. The company’s history has helped them in landing collaborations with the Iphone and Gillette. The differences between the two companies are Duracell brand has been long lasting but has merged and been brought out by other companies that are bigger. As far as Energize, they are involved into new markets with better products. They will have a more variety of brands and have a better brand association than Duracell in the next five years. Dewhirst, T., Davis, B. (2005, January 01). Managements always promise discipline; not all stick to the plan. The reason I suspect Energizer will stay on course is that its already performing nicely as a strong No. 2 in batteries. Energizer batteries enjoyed at least as good display as Duracell’s, while commanding prices that were equivalent or higher. Business week (2003, March 16) ​Batteries will still be popular and will be used in consumer’s everyday life. Technology has change the way we use batteries and these two companies has done a great job of establishing their brand. Innovation will take both brands far and the competition will still exist. It will be interesting to see who can become global leaders and have better products in the next five years. References Mowat, J (2002, September 3) How can one identify the corporate culture The Herridge Group Dewhirst, T., Davis, B. (2005, January 01). Brand Strategy and integrated marketing Business Wire (2012, July 30) â€Å"Energizer Transform outdoor Lighting and portable power with new Technologies and materials Designed for the Modern Outdoor Enthusiast Travel trade Gazette, U.K. and Ireland. (2011, February 18). Mascot Promotions: It pays to get into character. TTG Bloomberg Business week Magazine (2003, March 16) Will Energizer Give Schick a New Edge

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Essay -- lily, society

Edith Wharton’s novel of manners The House of Mirth is a satirical representation of upper society. The personification of this satire is the character Lily Bart. The leader is led to believe that Lily is trapped by her upbringing in higher society, which is seen in Wharton’s use of characterization, imagery, and motifs throughout the novel. Wharton’s characterization of Lily Bart focuses on her beauty as the reason for her acceptance into high society. During the tableaux vivants at the Welly Brys’, Lily’s simple costume was the main focus of the men at the party: â€Å"This was the world [Lily] lived in, these were the standards by which she was fated to be measured! Does one go to Caliban for a judgement on Miranda?† (130). Wharton notes through Selden’s thoughts that Lily’s only place in high society is as a result from her beauty. The allusion to The Tempest by Shakespeare only furthers this fact, as Wharton then implies that without her beauty, Lily would not have a place in high society. Wharton’s concept of fate associated with Lily furthers the idea that Lily is trapped because of the predetermination of life and Lily’s upbringing culminate into Wharton’s trapped character of Lily Bart. The next time that Selden sees Lily again, it is on the train t o Nice when he comments on her beauty: â€Å"[At the Brys’, Lily’s beauty] had had a transparency through which the fluctuations of the spirit were sometimes visible; now its impenetrable surface suggested a process of crystallization which had fused her whole being into one hard brilliant surface†¦ to Selden it seemed like that moment of pause and arrest when the warm fluidity of youth is chilled into its final shape† (182). Wharton’s indirect characterization of Lily through Selden s... ...it to love because she still desires money and power. Wharton creates Lily with her character flaw of indecisiveness to lead her down her fated path; she is trapped by her desire of association in society and longs for the freedom that love would bring. Edith Wharton created The House of Mirth to mock the society that she lived in and gave Lily the negative traits associated with it. With these negative traits and Lily’s upbringing, Wharton creates a character that is trapped by her upbringing desire to have a permanent place in society but also yearns for love, expressed through Wharton’s characterization of Lily Bart, imagery associated with Lily, and the motif of Lily’s fatal flaw. The end result is Wharton’s fated demise of her heroine with neither love nor a position in society. Works Cited Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth. Toronto: Bantam, 1986. Print.

Separation of Powers in the American Democracy

Separation of powers provides our government with a system of checks and balances, a way to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful. This concept was important in the creation of our government because it prevented one central government. Our Framers wanted to avoid a government that was run by one person, or one super powerful group. In order to effectively put their theory to work, they actually separated the powers between each branch of government. The three branches of our government consist of the Legislative Branch, The Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch. While each branch does hold some authority over the other two, they are still politically independent of one another. Let me explain further how the separation of powers works. The Legislative Branch’s powers include passing all federal laws, the ability to override a president’s veto, declaring war, enacting taxes, and it can even impeach the president. The Executive Branch’s responsibilities include veto power over all bills, making treaties, pardon power, and it ensures all laws are carried out. Lastly, the Judicial Branch has the power to try federal cases and it can also rule that laws or executive acts are unconstitutional. As stated earlier, each branch has authorities, or checks over the other two. We know that the Executive Branch has the power to carry out laws. The Legislative and Judicial branches check over the Executive Branch in this manner because even though they are enforcing the laws, the Legislative Branch is the one with the ability to fund the laws and other executive actions, while the Judicial Branch interprets them. And, though the Legislative Branch has the power to impeach the president, a Chief Justice (a member of the Judicial Branch) sits as President of the Senate during this time. Each branch works together to ensure the other is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. I believe the Framers thought separation of powers was so important because their goal from the beginning was to establish a government that was unlike any other. Our Framers wanted to make sure that the government they were creating would be able to withstand itself over time. The Framers wanted to show they had faith (not much, but a little) in their fellow citizens by giving them the power to vote and make decisions. Giving the power to the people was the aim of our new government. By leaving behind countries where dictators ruled the people, and where Kings and Queens passed down authority from generation to generation, our Framers did everything they could to make sure our new government would not become what they disliked so much. Separation of powers preserves the ideas and wants of our Framers, and that is why I believe a system of checks and balances to be so important. References http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_cnb.html http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/checks_balances.htm http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/12/what-separation-of-powers-means-for-constitutional-government

Scientific Method and Life.in Short Science

Do you know what is science? Generally, science is a body that seeks to organize knowledge systematically and in a way that is testable and that allow the process of prediction. We are always finding new discoveries, and we are using more modern tools that are more accurate. If it is in right hands then it is a blessing to man otherwise it can make life miserable. Science has made our live easy and comfortable but on other hands it has also created some destructive instruments which give much power to man that's why we should teach science technically not formally. first we will consider its merits .Science is man's helpmate. In the field of health modern techniques of science are being introduced. Difficult surgical operation have become routine in the field of medicines. it is the science that has helped the blind to see,deaf to hear and lame to walk. Life has been quick,easy and luxurious with the invention of many types of machines i. e air conditioner,mixture,refrigerator etc. I nvention of car,aeroplane and rockets etc have shortened the distance. Atomic energy is another recent scientific achievement. Atomic reactors are producing cheaper source of power and energy.The computer and internet has brought great change in our life. In short science is the key of success. On the other hand science has some demerits also. science has provided us with fearful weapons of human destruction. Science has given us atom bomb and hydrogen bomb. These inventions have opened up with frightful possibilities of bacteriological warfare,all of which can wipe out entire nation in no time. Computer is the most wonderful invention but the misuse of computer is creating many problems like student waste their time in net cafe's and in playing video games. People are going away from healthy way of life.Children learn from their parents, siblings, other relatives as well as from teachers. They learn from movies, television, radio, magazines as well as from schoolbooks and the schoo l environment. Science teachers should exploit the rich resources of the larger community and involve parents and other concerned adults in useful ways. It is also important for teachers to recognize that some of what their students learn informally is wrong, incomplete, poorly understood, or misunderstood, but that formal education can help students to restructure that knowledge and acquire new knowledge.Looking at the two aspects of modern science,we conclude that science by itself is neither good nor bad. it is the will and intentions of man,which makes him,put it to constructive use or take it to the path of devil. Science is knowledge of observation and analyzing facts. There is nothing good or bad with science. It is like knife, which may be used to cut branches of trees or vegetables and at the same time could be used to cut the throat of a man. It is all to man how he uses it.

Free Essays on Clinical Case Study Hypertension

Clinical Case Study-Hypertension- Name: Age: 66 Gender: Female Symptoms and complaints reported: Abrupt loss of vision and difficulty speaking. Reported sudden loss of strength and co-ordination(mostly in left side)accompanied by loss of balance. [The patient had suffered a stroke]. Because the clinical manifestations of hypertension cannot be diagnosed, it can only be recognized when complications occur in target organs, such as the heart in this instance. Medical History: Has history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Sedentary lifestyle. Heavy smoker. Absence of all other major illnesses noted. Family History: No siblings. Father is a heavy smoker and has had two strokes in the past three years. Mother suffers from obesity. Grandparents died of old age and not of a major illness. No other major illness noted. Social History: No heavy drinking. Smokes 2-3 packs of light cigarettes daily. Sedentary lifestyle. Lives alone. Works full time as sales executive. Physical assessment: High blood pressure of 130/95. High cholesterol. Overweight (height is 180cm at 120kgs. Pulse is 95bpm. Temperature is 36.6C. Respiratory rate is 18. Patient is somewhat confused and suffers from blurred vision, slurred speech and loss of balance. Tests: CT scan (Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross-sectional views of body organs and tissues. CT scans are used to image a wide variety of body structures and internal organs. Since the 1990s, CT equipment has become more affordable and available. In some diagnoses, CT scans have become the first imaging exam of choice. Because the computerized image is so sharp, focused, and three-dimensional, many tissues can be better differentiated than on standard x rays. Common CT indications include: Â · Sinus studies. The CT scan can show details of a sinusitis, and bone fractures. Physician... Free Essays on Clinical Case Study Hypertension Free Essays on Clinical Case Study Hypertension Clinical Case Study-Hypertension- Name: Age: 66 Gender: Female Symptoms and complaints reported: Abrupt loss of vision and difficulty speaking. Reported sudden loss of strength and co-ordination(mostly in left side)accompanied by loss of balance. [The patient had suffered a stroke]. Because the clinical manifestations of hypertension cannot be diagnosed, it can only be recognized when complications occur in target organs, such as the heart in this instance. Medical History: Has history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Sedentary lifestyle. Heavy smoker. Absence of all other major illnesses noted. Family History: No siblings. Father is a heavy smoker and has had two strokes in the past three years. Mother suffers from obesity. Grandparents died of old age and not of a major illness. No other major illness noted. Social History: No heavy drinking. Smokes 2-3 packs of light cigarettes daily. Sedentary lifestyle. Lives alone. Works full time as sales executive. Physical assessment: High blood pressure of 130/95. High cholesterol. Overweight (height is 180cm at 120kgs. Pulse is 95bpm. Temperature is 36.6C. Respiratory rate is 18. Patient is somewhat confused and suffers from blurred vision, slurred speech and loss of balance. Tests: CT scan (Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross-sectional views of body organs and tissues. CT scans are used to image a wide variety of body structures and internal organs. Since the 1990s, CT equipment has become more affordable and available. In some diagnoses, CT scans have become the first imaging exam of choice. Because the computerized image is so sharp, focused, and three-dimensional, many tissues can be better differentiated than on standard x rays. Common CT indications include: Â · Sinus studies. The CT scan can show details of a sinusitis, and bone fractures. Physician...

Worth Of Education Essays - Middle Schooler, Personal Enlightenment

Worth Of Education Essays - Middle Schooler, Personal Enlightenment Worth of Education Scholarship Essay A few days ago, as I was eating lunch with friends, I entered a heated debate about the worth of education. "I should not have to learn algebra and calculus because it will have no influence on my life," my opponent angrily shouted as I tried to defend the usefulness of mathematics. Three days later, I still mul l over the issue, trying to arrive at the origin of the disparity of views betw een my opponent and me. I treasure every bit of knowledge I gain, in or out of school. When someone contends that a particular academic field or realm of inf ormation has no applications, I feel compelled to demonstrate the fallacy of such an argument by citing an example from my life. As a middle-schooler in Moscow, Russia, I took English for three years. Many of my peers grumbled about having to attend the course, adamant in their belief that these skills would be never used. However, some, including myself, felt that any offer of knowledge was to be accepted and stored away for possible later use. Lo and behold, three years after I signed up for my first English class, I found myself living in the United States, sending sincere thank you letters to my English teacher for supplying me with survival skills. If I had not taken my class seriously, my integration into the American society would have taken much longer. My attitude toward learning has not changed since. Striving to excel in every class I take, I regard education in all areas as relevant to my life, rather than remote. I try to link each piece of new information either to my intended field of study (Physics/Mathematics) or to personal enlightenment. Living up to my motto, "The measure of learning is its application," I prepare myself for all situations and achieve well-roundedness.

Biography of Louis XV, Beloved King of France

Biography of Louis XV, Beloved King of France King Louis XV of France (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774) was the second-to-last king of France prior to the French Revolution. Although he was known as â€Å"Louis the Beloved,† his fiscal irresponsibility and political maneuvers set the stage for the French Revolution and, ultimately, the fall of the French monarchy. Fast Facts: Louis XV Full Name:  Louis of the house of BourbonOccupation: King of FranceBorn: February 15, 1710 in the Palace of Versailles, FranceDied: May 10, 1774 in the Palace of Versailles, FranceSpouse: Marie LeszczyÅ„skaChildren: Louise Élisabeth, Duchess of Parma; Princess Henriette; Princess Marie Louise; Louis, Dauphin of France; Philippe, Duke of Anjou; Princess Marie Adà ©laà ¯de; Princess Victoire; Princess Sophie; Princess Thà ©rà ¨se; Louise, Abbess of Saint DenisKey Accomplishments: Louis XV led France through a period of immense change, winning (and losing) territories and ruling over the second-longest reign in French history. His political choices, however, laid the foundation of dissent that would eventually lead to the French Revolution. Becoming the Dauphin Louis was the second surviving son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Princess Marie Adelaide of Savoy. The Duke of Burgundy was the eldest son of the Dauphin, Louis, who was in turn the eldest son of King Louis XIV, the â€Å"Sun King.† The Duke of Burgundy was known as â€Å"Le Petit Dauphin† and his father as â€Å"le Grand Dauphin.† From 1711 to 1712, a series of illnesses struck the royal family, causing chaos in the line of succession. On April 14, 1711, the â€Å"Grand Dauphin† died of smallpox, which meant that Louis’ father, the Duke of Burgundy, became first in line for the throne. Then, in February 1712, both of Louis’ parents fell ill with measles. Marie Adelaide died on February 12, and the Duke of Burgundy died less than a week later on February 18. This left Louis’ brother, the Duke of Brittany (also, confusingly, named Louis) as the new Dauphin and heir at the age of five. However, in March 1712, both brothers contracted measles as well. A day or two into their illness, the Duke of Brittany died. Their governess, Madame de Ventadour, refused to let doctors continue bleeding Louis, which likely saved his life. He recovered and became the heir to his great-grandfather, Louis XIV. In 1715, Louis XIV died, and five-year-old Louis became King Louis XV. The laws of the land required there to be a regency for the next eight years, until Louis turned thirteen. Officially, the role of Regent went to Phillippe II, Duke of Orleans, the son of Louis XIV’s brother Phillippe. However, Louis XIV had distrusted the Duke of Orleans and preferred that the Regency be held by his favorite illegitimate son, the Duke of Maine; to this end, he had rewritten his will to create a Regency council rather than a singular Regent. In order to circumvent this, Phillippe made a deal with the Parlement of Paris: annul Louis XIV’s changed will in exchange for the return of the droit de remontrance: the right to challenge the king’s decisions. This would prove fatal to the monarchy’s functioning and ultimately lead to the French Revolution. Regency and the Boy King During the Regency, Louis XV spent most of his time at the Tuileries Palace. At the age of seven, his time under Madame de Ventadour’s care ended and he was placed under the tutelage of Franà §ois, the Duke of Villeroy, who educated him and taught him royal etiquette and protocol. Louis developed what would be a lifelong love for hunting and horseback riding. He also came to have an interest in geography and science, which would influence his reign. In October 1722, Louis XV was formally crowned king, and in February 1723, the Regency was formally ended. The Duke of Orleans transitioned into the role of prime minister, but soon died. In his place, Louis XV appointed his cousin, the Duke of Bourbon. The duke turned his attention to brokering a royal marriage. After evaluating nearly a hundred candidates, the somewhat surprisingly choice was Marie LeszczyÅ„ska, a princess from the deposed Polish royal family who was seven years Louis’ senior, and they married in 1725, when he was 15 and she was 22. Their first child was born in 1727, and they had a total of ten children- eight daughters and two sons- over the next decade. Although the king and queen loved one another, the successive pregnancies took a toll on their marriage, and the king began taking mistresses. The most famous of those was Madame de Pompadour, who was his mistress from 1745 to 1750 but remained a close friend and advisor, as well as a major cultural influence. Religious dissent was the first and most enduring problem of Louis’ reign. In 1726, a delayed request from Louis XIV to the pope was fulfilled, and a papal bull was issued condemning Jansenism, a popular subset of Catholic doctrine. Ultimately, the bull was enforced by Cardinal de Fleury (who persuaded Louis to back it), and heavy penalties were levied on religious dissenters. De Fleury and the Duke of Bourbon clashed over the king’s favor, and de Fleury ultimately was the victor. Rule of Fleury From this point until his death in 1743, Cardinal de Fleury was the de facto ruler of France, manipulating and flattering the king into allowing him to make all the decisions. Although the cardinal’s rule produced an appearance of harmony, his strategies for keeping power actually resulted in a growing amount of opposition. He banned debate in Parlement and weakened the navy, both of which came back to haunt the monarchy in huge ways. France was involved in two wars in relatively quick succession. In 1732, the War of Polish Succession began, with France supporting the Queen of France’s father Stanislaw and an Eastern European bloc secretly agreeing to bypass him. Ultimately, Fleury spearheaded a diplomatic solution. Following this, and its role in negotiating the Treaty of Belgrade between the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire, France was hailed as a major diplomatic power and came to control trade in the Middle East. The War of Austrian Succession began in late 1740. Louis XV initially refused involvement, but under Fleury’s influence, France allied with Prussia against Austria. By 1744, France was struggling, and Louis XV went to the Netherlands to lead his army himself. In 1746, the French occupied Brussels. The war didn’t end, though, until 1749, and many French citizens were unhappy with the terms of the treaty. Louis’ Later Reign and Legacy With Fleury dead, Louis decided to rule without a prime minister. His first act was to try to reduce the national debt and improve the tax system, but his plans met with fierce opposition from the nobility and the clergy because it taxed them, rather than just â€Å"ordinary† citizens. He also attempted to purge Jansenists from a semi-religious organization of hospitals and shelters. War followed again, first in the New World in the French and Indian War, then against Prussia and Britain directly in the Seven Years’ War. The end result was the end of French rule in Canada and the West Indies. Louis’ government continued to falter; the Parlements rebelled against the king’s taxation authority, which would begin the pre-Revolution dissent. By 1765, Louis had suffered major losses. Madame de Pompadour died in 1764, and his son and heir Louis died of tuberculosis in 1765. Fortunately, the Dauphin had a son who became Dauphin in turn, the future Louis XVI. Tragedy continued: the late Dauphin’s wife died, followed in 1768 by the Queen. By 1769, Louis XV had a new mistress: Madame du Barry, who gained a reputation for crassness and impertinence. In 1770, Louis’ ministers began fighting back against the rebellious Parlements, consolidating royal power, imposing controls on the price of grain, and attempting to rid the tax system of corruption. The same year, Marie Antoinette came to court as the wife of the future Louis XVI. Even in his final years, Louis XV pursued new construction projects. In 1774, Louis fell ill with smallpox. He died on May 10 and was succeeded by his grandson Louis XVI. Although Louis XV was popular during his lifetime, historians point to his hands-off approach, his conflicts with Parlements, his expensive wars and courts, and his suppressive activities as laying the foundation for the French Revolution. The French Enlightenment took place during his reign, with the participation of brilliant minds such as Voltaire and Rousseau, but he also censored many of their works. A handful of historians defend Louis and suggest his negative reputation was created to justify the French Revolution, but that view is in the minority. Ultimately, Louis XV is typically viewed as a poor monarch who gave over too much of his power and in so doing set in motion events that would eventually lead to the destruction of the monarchy and the upheaval of France. Sources Bernier, Olivier. Louis the Beloved: The Life of Louis XV, (1984).â€Å"Louis XV.† Biography, https://www.biography.com/royalty/louis-xv.â€Å"Louis XV: King of France.† Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-XV.

Family Cultural Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Family Cultural Values - Essay Example Filipino Americans have created a language that includes elements of English as well as Tagalog known as ‘Tag-lish’- and this is commonly used, particularly in the younger generation of Filipino-Americans. Filipino society places great emphasis on the practice of ‘kapwa’ or shared identity. This society emphasizes on the importance of developing strong relationships between all members of society. In traditional Filipino society, there were domains of interactions that marked all social as well as communal activities (Espiritu, 2007). The external domain was marked by civility, known as pakikitungo, pakikilahok- or participation in societal activities, pakikitungo – or mixing with others, and pakikisama, which literarily meant adjusting one’s perceptions in order to fit better in one’s society. All these stages were essential before one could be held in full trust- or pakiisa- by the society (Espiritu, 2007). The enduring values extolled by Filipino society could be said to be the result of years of having to share more than 7000 islands even though just 1000 are inhabitable. Religion also plays a central role in Filipino society. There are traditional animistic religions that are still practiced in some sections of the Philippines. Moreover, most Filipinos are Catholics. There are small minorities in Mindanao and Sulu that are Muslims, though (Espiritu, 2007). The central place of faith even among Filipino Americans is such that even matters of health are given interpretations based on issues of faith. The importance of prayer and faith as important aspects in securing healing from disease is a reality in Filipino-American society.... This essay stresses that In America, most Filipino Americans tend to combine aspects such as maintaining balance, exercising the body, and sustaining harmony to ensure that they remain disease free or fight off opportunistic infections. There is also an emphasis on maintaining social relationships with various important people in one’s life in order to keep the psychological man happy as well. The stress on the significance of maintaining balance within the body’s humors can be utilized as a cultural strength to improve the management of chronic illness as the patient can be educated on other aspects, discovered by modern medicine that could result in the body being unable to heal itself. This paper makes a conclusion that Filipino Americans also still observe traditional rules about the consumption of certain foods. Medical practitioners can use cultural norms on the best foods to consume when ill to stimulate their patients to play an active role in the process of their own treatment. In the case of terminally ill patients, it would be necessary to make use of the family members as nurses for the ill person. In most Asian American cultures, including the Filipino-American culture, decisions on how a sick member of the family is treated are made by the heads of families after a moment of consultation. Most families are more likely to feel comfortable with their terminally ill patient being looked after in their own homes.

The Rise of Blogs in Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Rise of Blogs in Media - Essay Example More important than any other factor, it means that the way of communication is changing. It also means that ideas and opinions are going to be a way of growing on the Internet, as opposed to the polished facts that were seen in mainstream media. The rise of blogs is one which is bringing a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly to those who are in media and communication. While most are excited about the boom in social media on the web, there is also two questions which many should ask. The first is: what does this mean about the information that is available? The second is: where will blogs lead in the future in creating new ways of communication and the interpretation of information. OKeefe, Kevin.   (2010).   "Blogging for Business by U.S. Companies on the Rise."   Retrieved from: http://kevin.lexblog.com/2010/09/articles/blog-basics/blogging-for-business-by-us-companies-on-the-rise-/.    One of the reasons why blogs are popular is because it gives room to design. If you just write a paper, essay or other print communication, you are limited to editing needs. However, with an online blog, you have complete digital freedom to do what you want with color, design and the overall look and feel, all which is a personal expression of what you want to retrieve to others. What most overlook with the designs of blogs is that it refers directly to the communication that you are using for others. Most don’t consider design as a strategic way of making a statement and instead get the best colors or the design that is most convenient. The number one problem with publishing blogs and the designs are used is the desire to put too much in too little of a space. Liquid content, calendars of posts, tag clouds, widgets and RSS feeds are some of the problems that are associated with blog design.  

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 75

Case Study Example In making sure, that their products gets well and be recognized worldwide with an aspect of reaching remote area, the company requires using cloud computing as a tool for marketing their products at large. The introduction of Apple iPhone and iPad products and Android smart phones (Trippy) are the best example of electronics devices that makes use of cloud technology in that with the access of internet on your device, you will be able to get hold of various contents on the web. In consideration of online web content and the aspect of cloud technology based on the online publication, Lonely Planet is required to unveil all of its publications into PDF files for other device be able to open it anywhere easily. However, analyzing the marketing channel conflicts, the issue of going online with its contents is expensive and requires special attention in terms of content update, changes on the web hosting articulations and the customer’s preferences since not all customers around the globe will be able to have this digital devices. However, engaging into digital travelling guide, Lonely Planet Company requires to adopt the strategic plans of using Google mapping to enable their customers specifically tap in the location to where they are going. This will help to resolve the issue of unnecessary pages that the customer do not requires at

Power point presentation about Firewall Technologies Essay

Power point presentation about Firewall Technologies - Essay Example These threats lead to the creation of the firewall technology in order to protect a computer or network of computer which is connecting to the internet. A firewall is defined as a "computer, router, or other communication device that filters access to the protected network" (Abie 2000). Thus, it gives the implication about the main tasks of a firewall. Accordingly, a firewall inspects traffic network passing through it and is responsible for permitting or denying access. In addition, Cheswick and Bellovin specifies certain processes which characterizes a firewall which include: "all traffic from inside to outside, and vice-versa, must past through it; only authorized traffic, as defined by the local security policy, is allowed to pass through it; and the firewall itself is immune to penetration" (Abie 2000). In summary, a firewall serves as a filter allowing the access of a trusted network and rejecting "untrusted" ones. The emergence of firewall technology occurs during 1980s far before the internet has gained popularity in global users. Traditionally, a firewall is a term used to denote a "wall to confine a fire or potential fire within a building (Firewall 2008)." The use of firewall in internet has been triggered by the attack of Morris Worm making internet connection vulnerable to its adverse effects. Because of what happened, the whole community becomes aware of the realities of such attack which can threaten the computers accessing the internet (Firewall 2008). Thus, the online community sought for a protection in order to ward off the threat of viruses, worms, and other which can be very harmful and disruptive to the internet users. This is when firewall technology came into being (Firewall 2008). The beginnings of first generation firewall technology can be traced to the paper released by engineers of Digital Equipment Corporation in 1988 (Firewall 2008). This is referred to as packet filter firewalls which lays down the foundation of a technology that will further be improved and developed. Thus, after the work of these engineers, companies like AT&T Bell Labs and scientists Bill Cheswick and Steve Bellovin continued the long process of research and released a more efficient and complicated versions (Firewall 2008). Packet filtering is a firewall technology which acts by "inspecting the packets which represent the basic unit of data transfers between computers on the internet" (Firewall 2008). A packet filtering router typically filter packets based on four fields namely, source IP address, destination IP address, TCP/UDP source port, and TCP/UDO destination port (Chadwick 2004). These functions of packet filter are used to block connection from specific hosts or networks, to specific hosts or networks, from specific ports, and to specific ports. Because of their relative simplicity, this type of firewall perform only basic operations including "examining the packet header, verifying the IP address, the port or both, and granting and denying access without any changes" (Abie 2000). Packet filters are regarded for their speed and

Money, Banking & Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fisher Theory of Nominal Interest Rates and Inflation Rate - Essay Example According to the economist, interest is ‘an index of a community’s preference for a dollar of a present (income) over a dollar of future income’ (Library of Economics and Liberty, 2008). The label that he has put to his theory of interest rate is ‘the impatience and opportunity’. Fisher has postulated in this theory that interest rate results from an interface between two forces: the time preference that people have for capital at present and the principle of investment opportunity (Library of Economics and Liberty, 2008). Irving Fisher’s theory of interest establishes a link of nominal interest rate (i) to the rate of inflation (П) and the real rate of interest (r). The rate which is derived after making an adjustment for the inflation is the real interest rate. This is the interest rate which the lenders should consider for lending their funds. The relationship that has been presented by Fisher between these three interest rates is: Thus, the above relationship states that if the rate of inflation increases by 1 percent, then the nominal interest rate increases by more than 1 percent. This means that there is a positive relationship between the rate of inflation and nominal interest rate (University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2010). In the next step of the analysis, the effect of taxes on the real rate of return will be taken into account. Let a country be considered with currency C. Then let it be the nominal risk-free rate of interest, rc be the real interest rate and Пc be the expected rate of inflation. Let to be the rate of tax on the interest income and r*c be the after-tax real rate of return. The after-tax rate of return is ic (1-to). Then, From the above expression, it can be explained that with the increase in the rate of inflation, the nominal interest rate also increases by a few proportion of the increase in inflation rate (Mulligan, 2002).  Ã‚  

Power point presentation about Firewall Technologies Essay

Power point presentation about Firewall Technologies - Essay Example These threats lead to the creation of the firewall technology in order to protect a computer or network of computer which is connecting to the internet. A firewall is defined as a "computer, router, or other communication device that filters access to the protected network" (Abie 2000). Thus, it gives the implication about the main tasks of a firewall. Accordingly, a firewall inspects traffic network passing through it and is responsible for permitting or denying access. In addition, Cheswick and Bellovin specifies certain processes which characterizes a firewall which include: "all traffic from inside to outside, and vice-versa, must past through it; only authorized traffic, as defined by the local security policy, is allowed to pass through it; and the firewall itself is immune to penetration" (Abie 2000). In summary, a firewall serves as a filter allowing the access of a trusted network and rejecting "untrusted" ones. The emergence of firewall technology occurs during 1980s far before the internet has gained popularity in global users. Traditionally, a firewall is a term used to denote a "wall to confine a fire or potential fire within a building (Firewall 2008)." The use of firewall in internet has been triggered by the attack of Morris Worm making internet connection vulnerable to its adverse effects. Because of what happened, the whole community becomes aware of the realities of such attack which can threaten the computers accessing the internet (Firewall 2008). Thus, the online community sought for a protection in order to ward off the threat of viruses, worms, and other which can be very harmful and disruptive to the internet users. This is when firewall technology came into being (Firewall 2008). The beginnings of first generation firewall technology can be traced to the paper released by engineers of Digital Equipment Corporation in 1988 (Firewall 2008). This is referred to as packet filter firewalls which lays down the foundation of a technology that will further be improved and developed. Thus, after the work of these engineers, companies like AT&T Bell Labs and scientists Bill Cheswick and Steve Bellovin continued the long process of research and released a more efficient and complicated versions (Firewall 2008). Packet filtering is a firewall technology which acts by "inspecting the packets which represent the basic unit of data transfers between computers on the internet" (Firewall 2008). A packet filtering router typically filter packets based on four fields namely, source IP address, destination IP address, TCP/UDP source port, and TCP/UDO destination port (Chadwick 2004). These functions of packet filter are used to block connection from specific hosts or networks, to specific hosts or networks, from specific ports, and to specific ports. Because of their relative simplicity, this type of firewall perform only basic operations including "examining the packet header, verifying the IP address, the port or both, and granting and denying access without any changes" (Abie 2000). Packet filters are regarded for their speed and

Risk Management - Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk Management - Review - Article Example He defines moral hazard as a case where a person is responsible for another’s interests but puts his or her interests first. He matches this with the CEOs who put their interests first but are responsible for the interests of the taxpayers. The CEOs give themselves excessive bonuses out of the funds they manage. The subprime scandal is one case he cites where he addresses how banks issued mortgages with the aim of holding them to maturity. It became a disaster and a contributing factor to the financial crisis because the banks used to make losses due to defaulting on the mortgages. More so, the banks used to sell the mortgages to other parties without considering whether they will default or not, as they were only interested in the initial payments received (Kelvin, 2009). The subprime was, as such, a greed game dubbed as â€Å"privatizing gains and socializing losses.† He, however, does not blame the CEOs only, but also cites the failure of financial risk management. He says that the assumptions made in risk management were not viable, for instance, assuming that financial risks follow the Gaussian distribution, assumptions involving market liquidity and so forth. More so, there were modelling errors in risk models that focused too much on the normal market conditions. The article has content relating to risk management and gives several examples of scandals and disasters happening to particular companies, and most of them leading to financial losses. The financial crisis is the basis for all of them. Several concepts of risk management are applied in the cases provided. Some of the corporations mentioned made some deliberate efforts to counter the losses, and took other measures to recover from the economic shock. Thus, there is risk response and recovery. Response is where the organization counters the disaster, and recovery is the restoration to the

Big Five Basic Trait Clusters Essay Example for Free

Big Five Basic Trait Clusters Essay In the general field of psychology, the concept of trait of each individual comprises collectively their attitude, behavior, motivational factor, and other significant characteristics relative to their individuality. These specific traits manifest and determine dominantly their actions, perception, and other reasoning in which the characteristics of their trait become the foundation of their personality. In particular to this field, the empirical field of psychology establishes five major personality traits significant in the determination and classification of personality characteristics. These major classifications are established based on the manifested characteristic of the involved individual and its influence on the person’s social characteristics and behavior. In the empirical field of psychology, the five major trait clusters are established as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The trait characteristic of openness is mainly related to the affiliation and sensitivity of the person towards the field of art, adventure, emotion, unusual ideas and eccentricity, with a commonly heightened passion for creativity and imagination. The trait of conscientiousness display great tendency towards self-discipline, responsibility, ductility in action and behavior, and inclination towards achievements. The trait of extraversion is characterized dominantly by restfulness, positive emotion, and a significant motivation from social companionship. The fourth trait namely agreeableness display great tendency towards being compassionate and cooperative towards others with minimal antagonistic behavior in their social relationship. The last trait cluster namely neuroticism is characterized by the person’s susceptibility to unpleasant emotions such as vulnerability towards depression, anger, behavioral instability, and anxiety. Considering the characteristics and fundamental concepts behind each behavioral cluster, this author particularly find much connection towards the group classification of openness and conscientiousness manifested with the behavior and personality of this author. Based on personal assessment, among the dominant behavior of this author are his artistic expressionism, adventurous personality, imaginative design, ingenuity, and a great value towards curiosity. Based on this, this author determine that he is inclined towards an opened behavioral trait yet, his perception towards personal responsibility and discipline makes him also a conscientious person. Based on these factors, the author of this paper belongs to both traits with an equal manifestation of their characteristics. Bibliography Wiggins, Jerry S. (1996). The Five-Factor Model of Personality: Theoretical Perspectives. The Guilford Press. 1st Edition. ISBN-10: 157230068X.

Agritourism Development In Sri Lanka Tourism Essay

Agritourism Development In Sri Lanka Tourism Essay Sri Lanka is an agricultural country and agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of the country contributing 12 GDP and 38 employment opportunities (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2010). Majority of the population of the country is in rural areas and the livelihood of most of these people is directly or indirectly related with agriculture. However, agriculture now has reached a relatively stagnation situation due to many problems in the sector such as high cost of production, low productivity of farm lands, poor marketing and processing facilities for agricultural products. Because of these problems, most of the people are moving out of agriculture and migrating for urban places finding jobs. This creates many socio-economic problems in rural as well as urban areas. Hence, adding extra income generating activities either through new enterprises on the farm or off-farm employment to sustain the field of agriculture would certainly enhance the economy of rural people. One of these ac tivities is agritourism that can help to find extra income, employment, and economic stability on their existing assets in a sustainable way. Agriculture is the most familiar industry for the rural people in the country and also barriers to entry the agritourism are fairly low as in comes under Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Small-scale farms already have many of the assets that visitors seek. It can absorb the extra labour available in rural areas. When these factors are concerned, agritourism is highly suitable for Sri Lanka. 5.3.1 Agritourism development in Sri Lanka Looking at the current situation in Sri Lanka, it is not specifically recognized for agritourism as a part of the tours. The government promotion of the field is relatively very low compare to other tourism sectors. Focusing to currently available agritourism  options in Sri Lanka, some of the major attractions are the privately owned farms such as CIC Farm (Windsor park) in Hingurakgoda, Paradise Farm Kitulgala, New Zealand Farm Nuwara-Eliya, Ceylinco Fruit Farm Midigama are the famous ones. Few local Community-based agro tourism and Individual Operations are also in practiced in a small scale (Malkanthi and Routray, 2012). However, in the country, the potential for agritourism is high. There is a good agriculture sector in the country with attractive rural landscape. Also variety in agricultural climate helping to cultivate different crops in different parts of the country, the countrys complex paddy-cultivation system, tea, rubber, coconut, fruit farming and horticulture are some examples of this diverse agritourism potential (Malkanthi and Routray, 2012). The country has an agricultural heritage which is 2,500 years old. Visitors not only learn about modern agricultural processes but also appreciate traditional methods employed many centuries ago. The ancient irrigation systems comprise more than 25,000 tanks ranging from small water bodies to those that are colossal, such as the Parakrama Samudra in Polonnaruwa. The opportunity to intertwine agritourism with heritage tourism will definitely add more flavour to the niche-market experience. (Galappatti, 2012). http://lmd.lk/2012/01/01/sustainable-tourism-3/ With the end of the war, provision of basic infrastructure such as road facilities, clean water, and electricity for many rural areas is now going on successfully by the government. Country is economically and political stable and now peaceful. Furthermore, a large number of local and foreign visitors travel across the country annually. Most of these visitors can be easily attracted if the operations are managed well. Resources rich culture and cultural diversity, geographical characteristics, and socio-cultural entities, smiling faces, visitor friendly behavioural pattern, and delicious culinary would essentially be helpful in promoting agritourism in rural Sri Lanka (Senanayaka an Wimalaratana, 2010). Hence, there is a possibility to give the tourists a wider choice in Agritourism in the country. 5.4 Tourism policies in Sri Lanka Tourism is a vital area in the policy framework of a country. The present government has identified tourism as an effective driving force in the countrys socio economic development. The programs vision for the tourism sector is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian Region (Ministry of economic Development, 2010). The program believes that the human resources, natural and cultural endowments values and ethos will be fundamental in transforming Sri Lanka into a centre of excellence and offer tourists the highest values of authentic experiences in its unique setting. http://www.sltda.gov.lk/ Tourism policy in Sri Lanka has a quite long history. At the early stage (1960-1980) the policies were formulated focusing the development of mass tourism in the country. Since it was a big investment to run a tourist operation with lots of facilities, ordinary people couldnt do it and so, most of the benefits of tourism in this period had gone to the affluent society such as main hotel owners and tour operators. But, with the introduction of sustainable tourism concept in 1980s, a turning point of the tourism policies of the country took placed. As a result of it, rural tourism, ecotourism, nature tourism like niche tourism operations were initiated making the opportunity to engage in tourism by the local community and get some benefits. The Development Policy Framework of the Government of Sri Lanka is committed to a sustainable Tourism Development Strategy. Protection of the environment and distribution of economic benefits to the larger cross section of the society are key components of this overall vision. It aims at positioning Sri Lanka as a model tourist destination benefiting from the countrys natural advantages of having the highest biodiversity in Asia backed by a strong culture, historical artefacts, exotic beaches, green environment and friendly people all of which are solid building blocks for tourism development. The Sri Lanka Tourist Board was the primary agency of charge in promotional and organizational responsibilities of the tourist industry in Sri Lanka until 2005. It was the main regulatory and administrative authority of tourism facility development and activates in Sri Lanka as per the Tourism Development Act No.14 of 1968. Under this Act, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board approves registers and license all tourist establishments and proposed developments. In the year 2005, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) was established under Section 2 of the tourism Act No. 38, as the apex body for Sri Lanka Tourism, replacing the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. Currently, Sri Lank Tourism Development Authority is dedicated towards converting Sri Lanka to be Asias leading tourism destination by developing diverse, unique and quality tourism services and products that would make Sri Lanka as a unique destination in the world. Recognizing and developing tourist specific, unique products and servic es, preparing and executing Tourism Development Guidelines, and assisting and implementing the legal and executive process for new services and products development are the main responsibilities of it (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 2010). Exiting plans for the development of tourism industry in the country are; Tourism Master Plan, Sri Lanka in 1993, Southwest Coast tourism and community infrastructure development study in 2000, Ecotourism Development Strategy of Sri Lanka in 2003 and Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, Northwest Coast Sri Lanka in 2006-2007 (Government of Sri Lanka, 2007). The Tourism Development Strategy 2010-2016, the Future-Development Policy Framework is implementing in the country successfully. The government believes the multiplier effect of tourism development in formation of employment opportunities and distribution of wealth through a variety of economic activities predominantly in the SME sector, taking the advantage of SMEs being able to link micro enterprises from one side and large scale corporate sector on the other side. The tourism sector has been identified as one of the key sectors propelling the countrys economic growth. According to the core philosophy of the present master plan for tourism development, the ultimate beneficiaries of tourism development strategy should be the people of the country: the farmers who supply rice, vegetables and fruit, the fishermen who deliver the catch of the day, the craftsmen who produce souvenirs, the guides who escort the visitors and the young men and women serving in the industry with the unique Sri Lankan hospitality. 5.4.2 Strategies involved There is a great scope for promoting tourism particularly within the region due to historic and cultural ties of Sri Lanka with the South Asia, Middle-East and Far-East. Sri Lanka is part of a region which includes already industrialized economies such as Japan, Korea, and Singapore and rapidly emerging economies such as India and China which are capable of altering the economic landscape of the world during the next few decades. Sri Lanka also with its unique geographical location, diversity, quality human resources, peace and stability has all the ingredients in place to play a key role in the regional development as a fast emerging market economy in Asia (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 2010). The Tourism Development Strategy 2010-2020 is addressing the wider important issues related to the industry including the government policy, capacity and manpower build-up requirements, infrastructure development, improving service standards, marketing and promotions, regulations, guidelines, public relations, tourist safety and improvements to domestic tourism (Table 5.4). In this ten year master plan, several important strategies that are going to be covered are creating an environment conducive for tourism, attracting the right type of tourists to the country, ensuring that departing tourists are happy, improving domestic tourism and contributing towards improving the global image of Sri Lanka (Tourism Development strategy in Sri Lanka, 2010). Table 5.4 Summary of Tourism Policy strategies and targets Source: The Department of National Planning of Sri Lanka, 2010 5.4.3 Policy Framework to Support Investors and the Industry The government has addressed several policy related issues that are affecting the industry such as, (a) the restoration of a simple tax regime to obtain benefits for the stakeholder (b) simplification of licensing procedures to make easy and quick procedure of getting license (c) reduction of the high electricity tariffs to overcome to cost of tourism operations (d) unification of the regulatory environment and creating a single authority for tourism promotion to make efficient and effective management mechanism,(e) creating opportunities to promote shopping of internationally reputed branded products and entertainment to enhance the quality standards, (f) simplification of the investment approval process by setting up of a One Stop Shop for tourism related investments to motivate the investors, (g) streamlining the process of alienating government land for tourism development projects to overcome the space problem, (h) attracting internationally reputed tourist hotels to enhance the standard of the industry and, above all (i) environmentally friendly, clean-city concept for urban development to make cities attractive for the visitors, (http://srilanka.travel/catalog/view/theme/default/image/pdf/English.pdf, 2012) 5.4.4 Ecotourism policy in Sri Lanka There is no separate policy for agritourism or rural tourism. They are still under the ecotourism policy guidelines. Ecotourism policy was formalized in the recent past and therefore, it has a very short history. With the expansion of the ecotourism sector and the related institutions, in year 2003 government has taken the initial step to develop the ecotourism sector with the help of the Norwegian Technical Assistance program and prepared the document ecotourism policy guidelines. It is a detailed document and all policy aspects regarding ecotourism have been explained clearly. The main features of the policies have been summarized in the table 5.5. This national ecotourism policy outlines the principles, objectives and actions that necessary to facilitate the development of a sustainable tourism industry that contributes to resource conservation while optimizing economic benefits for the current and future generations of the country. The regulations have been compiled as to help al l those involved in tourism in Sri Lanka to ensure that the industry is developed, managed, and regulated in a sustainable manner, to appropriate standards. By highlighting the core requirements of ecotourism, it is intended that the regulations will enable planning bodies to make fair and informal assessment of proposed ecotourism development, activities and facilities (Sri Lanka Tourist Board, 2003) . 5.4.5 Need for Agritourism policy As mentioned before, agritourism is similar to ecotourism in several ways. Both are rural tourism sectors and niche tourism operations. They have very close links with local residents, natural environment, rural development and local governments. So that, most of the aspects of agritourism development such as establishment, management, can be handled by the ecotourism policy in the country. However, when agritourism is concerned, it has a strong forward and backward links with one of the big sectors agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of Sri Lanka. The ecotourism policy is unable to handle the agricultural side of agritourism such as agricultural land management, loans and credits, training and education, quality control of farm products, marketing of agricultural goods and services etc. As per the present statistics and future estimations of visitors in the country in the chapter 6.3, there will be a good demand for agritourism in near future. Moreover, as explai ned in the chapter 6.2, the present visitors are not satisfied with many attributes of agritourism operations due to poor levels. Furthermore, according to the chapter 6.3 regarding the local residents perception on the contribution of agritourism for the local development is not so high. In this context in order to have a better satiation, it is important to have a separate set of policy for agritourism development. Fortunately, the current government has realized the importance of agritourism and it has been included in the future development agenda (Ministry of Finance and Planning, 2010). Therefore, it is timely important to pay attention on important policies by now to motivate the agritourism development in the country Table 5.4: Ecotourism Policy in Sri Lanka Aspect Description Principles of Ecotourism 1. Minimize alleviate negative environmental, social cultural impacts. 2. Optimize revenues for industry and for re-invest in conservation. 3. Optimize the active involvement of equitable distribution of economic benefits to local communities. 4. Educate visitors and citizens about the importance of conserving Sri Lankas natural cultural heritages. 5. Promote ethical behaviour responsibilities towards the nature cultural environment. 6. Manage operations such that there are long term benefits to the resource, industry and the local community. 7. Deliver a high quality, value-for-money, enlighten and participatory natural resource and culture-based experience for visitors. 8. Encourage travel in a spirit of humanity, respect and learning about local hosts, their culture and the natural environment. Objectives of ecotourism 1. to promote facilitate the development of ecotourism sites, activities and facilities in a manner that is consistent with the principles of ecotourism. 2. to educate all stakeholders about the concept of ecotourism, the economic opportunities that it offers and the actions that are required to develop a successful industry in Sri Lanka. 3. to expand the range of ecotourism products, services and facilities available in Sri Lanka. 4. to increase the number of Sri Lankans involved in ecotourism and facilitate the development of community-owned and managed ecotourism enterprises. 5. to contribute to and influence a more sustainable form of tourism in Sri Lanka, through a diverse range of measures: incentives, education, guidelines, regulations and marketing. 6. to contribute to conservation of natural eco-systems. Ecotourism policy interventions 1. In the planning and regulation of the ecotourism sector. 2. In developing, managing and operating ecotourism facilities and activities. 3. In ecotourism at natural and cultural heritage sites. 4. In Community/local economic development. 5. In conservation, education and awareness and 6. In Ecotourism implementation. Source: Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka, 2008 5.4.6 Agritourism Policies in Other Countries The development of agritourism raises substantial policy issues. Two reasons for this are that agritourism may generate significant externalities and that it is of considerable economic importance as an activity. Development policies are decisions taken by the government for the improvement of particular sector/aspect of a country and agritourism development policies are decisions drawn by the government for the improvement of the agritourism sector of a country. Many countries that are conducting agritourism have developed agritourism development policies according to their own context. Many government agencies have introduced policies and programs with the aim of encouraging agritourism development. A wide variety of government laws and regulations are essential for the smooth functioning of agritourism Operations and sustainable development in future. After reviewing the many policies and programs aimed at agritourisrm development, support can be categorized into three areas: fina ncial aids, technical information and marketing strategies. These broad strategies tend to promote agritourism development by affecting either supply or demand. Financial Aids Incentive policies and programs directed at increasing agritourism development have been launched in many countries (Hjalager, 1996; Frater, 1983). In Britain, the Farm Diversification Grant Scheme came into effect in 1987 and provided financial assistance to farm operators wishing to set up an ancillary business on or adjacent to their farm (Gasson, 1988). This policy was aimed at maintaining the farmers income while the government reduced support prices for agriculture products. Unfortunately, the policy did not prove to be successful, since many farm operators chose not to participate in the program (Ilbery, 1992; Gasson, 1988; Winter, 1987). Financial assistance for agritourism development continues to be provided throughout many parts of Europe (Williams, 1996; Greffe, 1994; Frater, 1985). In France, farmers can obtain grants or loans to finance the conversion of farm buildings (Greffe, 1994). In West Germany, financial aid is available for agritourism facility development withi n the context of village renewal and regional development programs (Williams, 1996). Authorities in Portugal, Belgium, Spain and ltaly also provide financial assistance for rural development. The Irish government created the Operational Programme for Rural Development as a mechanism to diversify the rural economy (Williams, 1996). Initially this policy met with limited success, until it was modified in 1991 to expand its financial support and accept a wider range of participants (Williams, 1996; Reid et al., 1993 Technical Information Another type of action taken by authorities is the provision of technical information and consultation services to farm operators. In the United States, the Small Business Administration organized advisory and training services (Greffe, 1994). Workshops are devoted to such subjects as retail trade, home-based businesses, promotion of tourist products and managing businesses in the hospitality sector (Gustafson, 1997). In particular, the state of New York has developed several publications on how to open and operate a farm based bed and breakfast business. Authorities in this state have also initiated conferences for agritourism fanners. These sessions focused on issues such as promoting and merchandising your business, insurance and legalities, making your business multi-seasonal and thinking like a tourist(Williarns, 1996). In certain European countries, the systematic labeling of agritourism businesses has become a primary objective for some authorities. Onicials in France, Germany and Austria have developed a national system to ensure high standards amongst al1 agritourism operators (Williams, 1996; Greffe, 1994). The guidelines used by authorities are very detailed and are strongly enforced. Many countries have organized information through training sessions. The Nordic countries have responded to the needs of agricultural universities by providing courses through universities and colleges (Greffe, 1994). In Austria, the Farm Holiday Association provides training sessions on tourism trends, marketing and sales, investments and public relations. These services are provided for both the farm operators as well as staff members (Embacher, 1994). German officials offer training sessions to local farm operators which focus on the needs of paying guests (Williams, 1996). In Wales, a specific program has been set up, Getting into Rural Tourism, which is intended to train people in the management of paying guests (Greffe, 1994). Marketing Strategies In many parts of the world, government agencies are trying to bridge the gap between agritourism businesses and their potential customers by offering marketing support. Promotion could include such strategies as the development of brochures and also participation in tourism trade shows. In Belgium, it is the Office de Promotion Touristique that assumes this marketing role (Greffe, 1994). It is the Austrian Farm Holiday Association that promotes agritourism in Austria. This association is a w-operative marketing organization which links individual farm businesses on a regional, provincial and federal level (Embacher, 1994; Bramwell, 1994). In France, the Gites De France Services, Logis de France Service and the WF Tourisme were al1 created for advertising and marketing purposes (Greffe, 1994). The federal and state governments in Germany are instrumental in promoting farm-based accommodations, especially for the small and medium-size farms. (Oppermann, 1996). The Australian State Tour ism Industry Association plays an intricate role in marketing and promoting host farms (AFACT, 1997). Finally, in New York State, the promotion and marketing of host farms is accomplished through Farm Tour brochures (Hilchey, 1993). 5.4.7 Issues and Challenges of the Agritourism sector in Sri Lanka Firstly, strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of agritourism were analyzed the operators point of view. After that, these factors were also discussed with key informants and local government officers of the area to examine them in different point of views to get a complete picture of it (Table 5.5). Finally main challenges (weaknesses and threats) were clearly identified. Table 5.5: SWOT Analysis for policy related issues of agritourism using Operators, Key Informants and Local Government Officers Strengths Availability of farm land/s for the operators. Use of traditional knowledge and skills in farming and agritourism activities. Ability to use family labour Ability to integrate with other tourism sectors and arts and crafts industry. Positive attitude and enthusiasm of the operators Weaknesses Mostly small size farms Problems on ownership of some farm lands Less variety in supply of agritourism Lack of knowledge on foreign languages (especially English) of operators Lack of necessary skills Poor level of processing of farm products Problems with quality control of goods and services Limited scope for direct sales of the produce Poor publicity and promotion of operations Opportunities Natural scenic beauty, clean environment and attractive climate in farming areas Availability of human resource (labour) for farm and tourism work. Some support form government and some NGOs for the operations (credit facilities/ training programs). Support from local people (community participation). Since agritourism is getting popular in the world, raising demand and potential for expansion. Up coming supportive infrastructure development initiatives at national and provincial levels. Threats Lack of organization, a responsible authority for development, marketing, facilitation and regulation. Unavailability of a common agritourism development fund at local level Competition among agritourism operations Lack of systematic taxation for agritourism operations Weak management of negative impacts. Poor distribution of positive impacts Tourism development by operators merely focused on income generation. Poor level of infrastructure facilities. Insufficient government intervention Monopoly of tour operators. Lack of stakeholder collaboration. Political influences Low number of visitors Lack of community participation and participation readiness due to low socio-economic conditions. Insufficient capacity of local community to take part in agritourism development successfully. Unavailability of insurance policy for many destinations Lack of research in agritourism There are significant challenges facing by the agritourism sector at present. This requires designation management approach to come up with solutions resulted from a clear strategic thinking process. Further, to fully realize the opportunities assuring mutual benefits through tourism, capitalize on strengths, understanding shared responsibility of industry stakeholders and communicates it appropriately expecting strategic commitment from the industry. 5.4.8 Policy Suggestions for Agritourism Development in Sri Lanka Policy formulation is a systematic process. Identification of policy goal, formulation of policy objectives based on the policy goals, understanding of policy action for each policy objectives and identification of strategy for each and every policy action is the general procedure. When a policy is formulated, it is very important to follow all the steps of the process to have accurate policies. The policy goal of this study was to reach the agritourism development in the country. According to the SWOT analysis, a number of challenges (weaknesses and threats) of agritourism development were identified. In order to overcome these challenges, three broad policy objectives were drawn as agritourism development, visitor satisfaction and community development. Under each policy objective, relevant problems, suitable policy suggestions and policy strategy for each and every policy suggestion were formed. Several discussions with university lecturers were conducted in this regards. Results are present in the (Table 5.6). 5.4.8.1 Broad Policy Objectives of the Development of Agritourism Sector a. Agritourism Development in the Country Agritourism will be able to bring some support for life and prosperity of the country that is capable of sound economic prospects facilitating integrated development. It may require minimal additional investment and may utilize excess capacity of labour, capital, land, and natural resources. There are potential benefits of agritourism for local agriculture and rural communities. Tourists bring in money to local communities that keep rural communities alive and prosperous. Partnering of tourism and the green industry will help create and strengthen rural economics. b. Visitor Satisfaction in Agritourism Tourist satisfaction primarily reflected the service quality and is crucial to the continued viability of any service business, including agritourism businesses. Therefore, consideration on the aspect is important to successful destination marketing because it influences the choice of destination, the consumption of products and services, and the decision to return. Consideration should be on local and non local visitor satisfaction. It is vital to understand the areas such as how do visitors assess their satisfaction with tourist attractions as well as the factors influencing visitor satisfaction. c. Community Development and Agritourism It is obvious that the diverse communities that involve in agritourism seek fair rewards for their involvement, commitment, and resources deployed for development. The proposed agritourism development should focus on this aspect and be reasonable for delivering such rewards for the communities who actively take part in every aspect of agritourism from planning and development to operations. Table 5.6: Policy Goals and Respective Policy Suggestions and Strategies Policy objective Issues and challenges Policy suggestion/s (at different government levels) Relevant Policy Strategies Policy objective 1 Agritourism development Farm lands are small in size Provision of lands for needy agritourism operators by the national government Distribution or long term leasing of government lands Provision of access to public lands around the destination Introduction of Community-based agritourism for the farmers Networking of small scale agritourism operators Problems in the ownership of some farm lands Provision of ownership to the operators by the national government Provision of real ownership or user right. Avoid land disputes. Lack of capital for agritourism development Promotion of financial support systems by the national government Loans at concession rate for medium and scale farmers Loans at normal interest rate for large-scale operators Lack of knowledge and skills on agribusiness management Provision of required education and training, information technology and related extension services for relevant personnel by the provincial governments Workshops, seminars, awareness programs, lectures on agritourism development and marketing should be conducted in suitable time durations Unavailability of a responsible authority for development, facilitation and regulation of agritourism Formation of an Agritourism Management Group for relevant provinces by the provincial governments Agritourism management group should include representatives of all the categories of stakeholders and it should be the responsible body for coordinating, development, marketing, facilitation and regulation of agritourism activities. Low number of visitors due to poor level of promotion and marketing of agritourism Formation of marketing strategies by the Agritourism Management Group of the Province National government supported advertising and promotions Marketing via websites , face book, at

Alternate Worlds Essay -- Movie Film Matrix Essays

Alternate Worlds We are all living our lives day-to-day, thinking that everything we encounter is truly in existence. But what if we are all in a dream world? With many science fiction forms of media, they pose this question: Is there any way to tell that everything we do is really happening? One movie that embraces this topic is The Matrix. The matrix could almost be called a dream world. The world outside of the matrix is basically the real world, where humans are not controlled by computers. Zion is the only real city left in the movie. Morpheus, a main character in the movie, states, the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. In Ursula K Le Guins The Lathe of Heaven there is also a confusion of the real world and the dream world. In the movie The Matrix and the book The Lathe of Heaven there are many similarities, even though the story lines are quite different. The curiosity that comes from both the movie and the book is the fact that the world is not what is seems to be. The main characters in the movie The Matrix and Le Guins book The Lathe of Heaven both have many similarities. The main character in the movie is Neo, a computer hacker, who is seeking the truth about the matrix. However, when he finds the truth, he ends up discovering more than he expected. After being discovered by Morpheus, he is taken into the real world where he becomes 'The One' and receives computer generated powers. In The Lathe of Heaven the main characters name is George Orr, who is a man who has the capa bility to dream things that can become reality. His dreams become such a nuisance that he begins taking prescription drugs, which later get him in trouble. He is punished by having to consult a psychotherapi... ...way to find close similarities, seeing how science fiction has one common theme based on speculative scientific discoveries or changes. There are many arguments showed that could link this book about a man who discovers his ability to dream things that became reality, to the movie The Matrix, which is about a computer generated reality. In these science fiction stories they both contain strong characters that all posses a pivotal role in each story, which makes it easier to compare these two different narrations. After reading The Lathe of Heaven and seeing The Matrix, the importance shows Neo and Orr and how they affect the world around them. Works Cited Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1971. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski, Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, and Carrie Ann Moss. DVD. Warner Bros, 2001. Alternate Worlds Essay -- Movie Film Matrix Essays Alternate Worlds We are all living our lives day-to-day, thinking that everything we encounter is truly in existence. But what if we are all in a dream world? With many science fiction forms of media, they pose this question: Is there any way to tell that everything we do is really happening? One movie that embraces this topic is The Matrix. The matrix could almost be called a dream world. The world outside of the matrix is basically the real world, where humans are not controlled by computers. Zion is the only real city left in the movie. Morpheus, a main character in the movie, states, the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. In Ursula K Le Guins The Lathe of Heaven there is also a confusion of the real world and the dream world. In the movie The Matrix and the book The Lathe of Heaven there are many similarities, even though the story lines are quite different. The curiosity that comes from both the movie and the book is the fact that the world is not what is seems to be. The main characters in the movie The Matrix and Le Guins book The Lathe of Heaven both have many similarities. The main character in the movie is Neo, a computer hacker, who is seeking the truth about the matrix. However, when he finds the truth, he ends up discovering more than he expected. After being discovered by Morpheus, he is taken into the real world where he becomes 'The One' and receives computer generated powers. In The Lathe of Heaven the main characters name is George Orr, who is a man who has the capa bility to dream things that can become reality. His dreams become such a nuisance that he begins taking prescription drugs, which later get him in trouble. He is punished by having to consult a psychotherapi... ...way to find close similarities, seeing how science fiction has one common theme based on speculative scientific discoveries or changes. There are many arguments showed that could link this book about a man who discovers his ability to dream things that became reality, to the movie The Matrix, which is about a computer generated reality. In these science fiction stories they both contain strong characters that all posses a pivotal role in each story, which makes it easier to compare these two different narrations. After reading The Lathe of Heaven and seeing The Matrix, the importance shows Neo and Orr and how they affect the world around them. Works Cited Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1971. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski, Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, and Carrie Ann Moss. DVD. Warner Bros, 2001.

Drug Courts

The drug court is a unique effort that uses the occasion of a drug offence arrest as an intervention opportunity for drug offenders even though historical problems in criminal justice diversion and referral programs the Dade County success rates have shown that these problems can be overcome through unique collaborative relationships, innovative treatment design, and the elimination of conventional gaps in the referral- treatment-monitoring process. It is the purpose of this paper to explore the concept that drug courts are a far more effective method of punishment for drug offenders than the traditional route of incarceration. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 provided a potential one billions dollars for the subsequent five years to set up drug courts. As jurisdictions move forward in the establishment of such courts, it is essential to consider the conceptual and clinical elements that have made drug courts successful in drug rehabilitation and crime prevention far more than incarcerations. The first drug court in Dade County, Florida, created in 1989, was the prototype. The three-phase Miami program for first and second cocaine offenders begins with arrest and overnight incarceration in the Dade County Stockade, and appearance the following morning before the drug court judge. The program was developed under the direction of Dade County Superior Court Judge Herbert Klein, with the assistance of Michael Smith, MD, and Director of Substance Abuse. After two years of the drug court's operation, 4296 felony drug possession arrestees had been diverted to the program. Of these, 1600 had graduated the three-phase program with a 3% re-arrest rate 1153 were still in the program with a 7% re-arrest rate; 500 had their charges dismissed after program entry; and 1043 failed to comply with the program. Also, 90% of the arrestees who were offered the program accepted the program the other 10% were arraigned in regular Supreme Court no screening for â€Å"treatment-readiness† was conducted, meaning that this was a non-selected, typical group of cocaine addicted offenders; 60% of the program graduates required at least a brief in-patient stay during their treatment most of the â€Å"failure to comply† drop-out group left the program in the first three weeks of participation 30% of the dropout sgroup later returned to the program either voluntarily, by summons, or by repeat minor arrest. The cost was given at $750 per client, per year. Clients pay mandated fees for the program, and the program is partially funded by a special fine levied on a certain class of traffic offense. When the program began, seized assets were used for part of the program startup costs. References WWW. DDRS. COM Promptly at 8 o’clock on Tuesday night at the community church in my home town largo, Maryland, there are life changing effort from alcoholics in the community, I have had the pleasure of witnessing these efforts with my own eyes and I must say it is truly eye opening. The reason for these meetings is for alcoholics to have time to relate to others and share their feelings and concern with their peers. At the start of the meeting the group leader leads the group with a prayer and words of wisdom, shortly after they allow the person in a attends to help themselves to snack and drinks alcohol free, normally the administer name tags but on the particular day on my attendant they were out. The group leader made it clear that if you were not in the mode to speak all you have to do was say pass in order for me to not insult the others in attended at the meeting I sat in the circle with the group. The group leader asked each individual person to introduce there selves being that the name tags where not at the groups disposal, after being ask for their names they were given an opportunity individual to share what was on their mind most of everyone spoke, A guy named Louis who shared said he is ready for the rain to end and broke down in tears. Right then and there I realize that being a alcoholic was not a life chose but more so a sickness. The group leader would often lecture as well as ask others very specific questions to different individual. At the end of the meeting the group leader close with more words of wisdom as well as a prayer. The A. A meeting was a great experience as well life changing I was very proud to see others with courage talk about their biggest life problems. I would defiantly recommend these meetings to anyone with addiction, on the simple fact of other and peers being able to relate to the same problem that you have make you feel like you’re getting thru it together. {copied directly from the notepad I brought to the meeting wanted to keep it authentic sorry for all the eras}

Enlightenment/Romanticism Essay

The age of man is rife with varying motivations and personal reasoning. Over millions of years, life shifted from mere survival, with our minds drawn to food and shelter, into times of political intrigue and welfare reform. Buried in the layers, the Age of Enlightenment and the (difficult to define) Age of Romanticism are found. Within these two periods are some of our history’s most profound shifts in thinking. The Age of Enlightenment brought scientific reasoning to the forefront of everything. Life was distinct, understandable and predictable. Man contemplated his purpose empirically, studied methodically to come to a true conclusion. According to Anne Branham, the enlightenment allowed our founding fathers to question man’s natural rights in the world of the living. She uses Benjamin Franklin as the incomplete figure of true enlightenment. The one man who had his hands into all things scientific and technological fought actively for the â€Å"earthly rather than heavenly rewards† (55). Our most important living document, the American Constitution, finds its epicenter in the freedom to choose our own representation after careful contemplation and consensus-driven selection (59). Paintings reflected life as a physical entity. Portraits of people became the chosen artwork of the day, a marking of life in that moment. American History portraits painted by John Trumbull show the events in a concise manner, the emotions of the people stern and musing. Other artists, to include Anton Van Maron and Antonio Visentini, of this period (late Enlightenment) follow this same theme of capture rather than sensitize (GroveArt Online). Writers such as Locke, Paine, and Smith questioned preconceived beliefs, broke them down in their parts, studied them empirically, then transformed them into new ideals and theories; changing the way things were done for centuries. Their articulations of thought changed the way business and politics were conducted, a system we still hold to today. Burnham suggested when we take a good look at these writers (Locke in particular) we can see the seed of transformation that inspired Thomas Jefferson (58). The line between the Enlightenment and Romanticism appears quite blurred. It is not as though humankind stopped short all of a sudden and agreed to change their thinking. What is evident, however, is that change took place. Today, we are no longer as ideal in questioning what is right for man. This period began as a revolt of sorts against the aristocracy and their accepted norms. People began to concern themselves with emotions and the feelings of things. Psychologists such as Freud and Jung came into play. Not only what is wrong with you, but also why, and how does it feel to have that problem? Peckham questions the validity of an actual movement in that the need and subsequent fight for revolution does not in fact mean an actual change in thought amongst the world’s people. Was there in fact a change in mind away from the scientific and toward the ideal and the emotional (6). In terms of government, America found itself growing out of control. States began to fight over the issue of slavery and valuing one man’s right to property over another man’s right to dignity and the ‘pursuit of happiness’ as it were. Civil War breaks out, the basis set against the colder ideas of the Enlightenment. These ideas one can conceivably see as justifying slavery if numbers add up. Authorship offered a new selection during this era, the novel. Mary Shelley writes about the timeless battle of man versus nature with her creation of â€Å"Frankenstein.† Man’s emotional struggles in life marked the center of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, Jane Austen’s Emma, and Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Peckham, writing in the time of Picasso, states: â€Å"Picasso has in his painting expressed profoundly the results of the freedom that romanticism has given to the creative imagination, but he is detested by most people who have seen his cubist or post-cubist painting – as well as by a great many who has not. He is at home in the universe, but not in his society† (21). This simple statement takes us back to a time when the questioning of fundamental things, like shapes and colors, was not appreciated. One forgets Picasso died in 1973 – only 33 years ago. Although these two distinct ages followed each other in general timeframe, there are some obvious similarities. In some ways, the transcendentalists, modernists and post-modernists, have all maintained the basic trend in life, which is to ask questions and present the answers in a way that society will gain from them as well. The questioning being the most serious of crimes against the calm nature of a society, with the actual answer following a close second. The difference lies in the questions asked, the answer given and the format preferred. For each successive generation, the questions drive a little deeper, the context of the situations a little more complicated. The answers are increasing more personal, much to the chagrin today of the older citizens. Art today is far racier and stressing in it nature. Artists have the freedom to push the observer to his or her max. Life seems to be struggling toward a certain height where all questions are ok, all answers accepted. Works Cited Branham, Anne K. â€Å"Teaching the Enlightenment in American Literature: Shedding Light on Faith and Reason.† The English Journal 87.3 (1998): 54-59. GroveArt Online. (18 Oct 2006). Peckham, Morse. â€Å"Toward a Theory of Romanticism.† PMLA 66.1 (1951): 5-23.