Moral Standards in the 1960s-1970s Essay

The English social activist Constance Mary Whitehouse was often renowned for her opposition to social liberalism and mainstream media, which she often claimed to be root cause of a more permissive society in Britain. Although, the extent to which we can deem this view valid is debatable. There is evidence leaning on both sides of the argument; but of course it is unquestionable that Britain did see a sudden uprising of permissiveness and overt moral decline to which Whitehouse responded briskly, founding and setting up the ‘National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association’ via which she campaigned against the BBC n the 60’s. The question is; was she justified in going to these lengths to essentially try and censor media? Surely, if she injected such a vast amount of effort into doing so, then she must have some sort of validity in her view? Or perhaps, there were other factors which she did not take into account. The notion of Television being the main medium of influence of this period is irrefutable, with 95% of British households owning one by the end of the 1960s. Although the fact that the government set up the Committee of Inquiry on Broadcasting could in itself suggest that media had partial censorship (thus disallowing any real explicit broadcasts which could lead to a moral decline), they did little to stop, and actually welcomed the hard-hitting ‘social realist’ plays such as ‘up the junction (1965)’ and ‘Come Home Cathy (1966)’, as they were a replacement for the supposedly ‘vulgar’ American style programmes on ITV such as ‘Take Your Pick (1958-66)’ and the Westerns/Crime Dramas which they feared would erode British culture and make people more violent. Though, these plays did could be argued to have ‘worsened’ the situation as, for example, ‘Up the Junction’ depicted quite a graphic and powe rful home abortion scene, and it is suggested that this may have been one of the causes of the 1967 Abortion Act to be passed; which of course consequently lead to relaxation in attitudes towards sex as there was now an passage, or a ‘life-line’ a woman could use if any accidental impregnation occurred, thus increasing levels of promiscuity. Furthermore, in ‘a taste of honey’ (also part of this social realism movement that swept through theatres in the 60’s), as well as abortion again being key factor in it, there is also an occurrence of a ‘one night stand’, not an ordinary one night stand however, an interracial one night stand. Although this was a very extreme case of moral rebellion, critically it could have lead to the British public to perceiving promiscuity as well as interracial relationships (seen as immoral, abnormal at this time) to be more acceptable, a norm. In other words, the British public would in theory be bellowing â€Å"if she can do it, why can’t I?!† . The Press also have a part to play in this; they contributed largely to a new permissive air in the media when they initiated their launch of colour supplements, sexualised adverts and scandalous news stories and significantly the first female nipple was published by media tycoon Rupert Murdoch who believed this would help the circulation of his paper, The Sun. This conveys the extent to which media was now overtly promoting permissiveness, and could suggest that this directly influenced a more permissive society as the public were fully exposed to these new developments which eased them into a new, more open and bold mind set. Conversely, there is evidence to suggest that Media was not only responsible for the ‘decline in moral standards’, as quoted by Whitehouse. Touching back onto the subject of ‘press’, although it did absolutely encourage some air permissiveness, the Obscene Publications Acts of 1959 and 1964 to an extent conflict that view. These acts were designed to ‘strengthen’ law around public obscenity, in particular the publication of obscene articles and materials used in them. This could thus suggest that there were in fact some restrictions on media, and that they couldn’t possibly fully hold the blame for arousal of permissiveness and decline in moral standards in this period. Additionally, although the ‘powerful’ scene in ‘Up the Junction’ could be blamed for the passing of the Abortion Act in 1967,it is commonly known that it only eased the passage of it, and it was primarily David Steel’s campaign that led the way to this debatably radical change. Prior to the Abortion Act, there were approximately 106,000 illegal abortions a year, and many were sceptical about the idea that the number of abortions would increase when the act was passed as they believed although people had the freedom, it wouldn’t necessarily mean they would exercise it. They were wrong, after a year in 1968 the number of abortions per annum rose by 35,000 to 141,000 a year. This strongly suggests that the Abortion Act itself influenced a more permissive and unmoral society as it offered more freedom to the public in regards to sex and promiscuity. Prior to the passing of the Divorce Act of 1969, divorce was only permitted when there was sufficient evidence exhibiting that one party of the relationship had committed adultery, and statistics show that there were few than two divorces per 1000 married couples. The Divorce Reform Act allowed couples to divorce if they had lived apart for two years and both wanted it or if they had lived apart for five years and one partner wanted it. Following the reform there was a huge increase in the number of divorces, by the mid-1970s nearly one in every two marriages ended in divorce. Although it could be argued that this was due to the growing independence of women, it’s hard to deny that the act had a large effect on this. This thus indicates to us that media was not entirely responsible for the lack or decline of moral standards as legislation such as this, did essentially promote more promiscuity as it gave married couples the freedom to split up and do as they please. In analysing the range of factors, we can conclude that Mary Whitehouse’s view that the media was responsible for the morale decline of the 60’s and 70’s was somewhat valid, as there are a spectrum of sources and pieces of evidence that intrinsically link together and in turn paint a picture where the British society are heavily influenced by media. This was perhaps due to fact that the public at this time, and still to this day, are heavily consumed by the media and are enthralled in its controversy, and although it may not have so much of a profound effect on us today it is obvious people of that period were more vulnerable to it as just coming out of a period of Austerity and slight deprivation, more likely than not they were seeking for something new something fresh, something that kept up with the social norms of other major influences such as America- and perhaps unfortunately, these new trends often entailed social rebellion and permissiveness. And althoug h legislation had a part to play in it, this only ensured de jure change, not always de facto, where as media more times out of 10 had de facto and more profound effect on the British society of the 1960s/70s.

Abigail williams Essay

In 1692, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, several young girls experienced a conjured illness, triggering the beginning of mass hysteria in the town. The unexplained illnesses were thought to be the devil’s doing; using witches to stain the town. The hysteria spread within the strictly religious town and allowed for revenge and old jealousies to be rekindled. Women and men fell victim to the young girls and were condemned to hang. The unimaginable events that took place became known as the Salem Witch Trials. The trials brought Arthur Miller to write The Crucible, depicting the unfortunate events. Throughout The Crucible, a young girl named Abigail Williams uses her cunningness and deceitfulness to get what she wants. Her jealousness and lack of moral and ethics gives her the ability to condemn innocent beings to death, without any questions. Abigail Williams is seen as â€Å"seventeen and strikingly beautiful† (138). However, she is selfish, and an excellent liar. When questioned about what had happened in the forest, she saves herself by saying she and the girls were only dancing. Abigail lies with the intention of keeping herself out of trouble. Abigail is later interrogated about the night before. She says it was Tituba’s idea and Tituba immediately confessed. Abigail is jealous and sees how Tituba is praised after she confesses; as Gods light in the world, looking for evil. Abigail accuses several women of working with the Devil so she too can be praised (158). Everyone looked beyond her deceptiveness and thought what Abigail was saying true. Abigail’s jealousness of Tituba provoked her to accuse innocent women of witchcraft. Abigail is also dark and cruel. She says to Betty and Mercy that if they speak a word of what happened in the woods, â€Å"I will come to you in the black of some terrible nights and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you† (144). Abigail proves she would do anything to keep herself out of trouble, even if it meant murdering her cousin. Abigail transforms to a terrifying young woman, who has the capability of accusing innocent townspeople. This power fills Salem with fear to speak out against her. Her elaborate strategies and devotion make her undefeatable. She becomes more ruthless and bold in her accusations. She accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, who was a good woman and well respected within the Salem community (172). Abigail stabs herself in order to put Elizabeth in the blame, revealing her dedication to the  accusations. Her perseverance and conniving schemes give the townspeople no other choice but to believe what she is saying. Abigail is a merciless villain, who acquires the power to accuse several more women in the town of Salem. What was once fourteen accused escalates into thirty nine, almost overnight. Fear is present in all the townspeople, who are afraid Abigail would seek revenge on them. When Proctor states Mary must tell the courtroom Abigail is lying, Mary warns Proctor she will accuse Proctor of lechery (174). Proctor is surprised Abigail told anyone about the affair. Abigail evolves into a cold-hearted girl who would do anything to get what she wants, including accuse the man she claims she loves of lechery. Abigail’s transformation into a villain motivates Proctor to go to the courtroom and prove Abigail is not blameless. Abigail continues to be a heartless girl, set on destroying lives of women and men in Salem. Her humanity seems to disappear completely, as she accuses more and more women. She has a huge impact on the girls, who are too terrified to confess they were only pretending to be witched. Abigail targets and manipulates weak Mary Warren, a girl who used to be her friend. â€Å"†¦A wind, a cold wind, has come (her eyes fall on Mary Warren)† (188). Abigail lost all the emotions she had for Mary Warren and Proctor, accusing them both of witchcraft. She evolves in to a selfish girl, who craves the attention and power she receives from Salem. Her power seems too much for Mary Warren to bear, as she returns to Abigail’s side. She becomes lustful for power and control, denying any accusations made against her. By first accusing the town drunk and homeless woman, her credibility sky rockets. She had the confidence to accuse Elizabeth, a woman who is highly respected. In order to fulfill her fantasy with John Proctor, Abigail losses her conscience and condemns anyone who interferes with her plan. Her continued ruthlessness and confidence invokes intimidation in all of Salem. She takes complete advantage of Salem’s ignorance to satisfy her desires. The trials end in nineteen innocent people being hanged. The town’s attitude towards the execution changed into sympathy for the people who had fallen victim to the girls. Mass hysteria can turn seemingly innocent girls into cold-hearted killers who inflict pain on others. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. McDougal Litell Literature: American Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Litell.132-208. Print

My Experience in Contact Center Essay

Throughout my working experience, I have been a part of the contact centre family for 13 years to date. Today when I look back at how I spent those years and what kind of an individual I have turned out to be, I am glad that I made the right choice because this process has the capability to bring the best out of anyone, anywhere. Imagine getting the opportunity to provide a top draw service on behalf of an organization only by assisting the customer over the phone. Just with a few amendments and clicks, the customers issue is resolved there is self-satisfaction recognition gained from a CSE’s point of view. Besides that, being able to work together with a bunch of supportive colleagues even in unpleasant times, when there is a tense situation for instance and a customer’s call goes to the extent of escalation, I was able to control myself and work with my senior executive to get this issue resolved once and for all. From this experience that I have had, in the past and until today I do not feel abandoned, because I am willing to ask and my fellow colleagues are willing to share their ideas and opinions with me on how to confront the obstacle and make it a learning curve in my career. It is this special family like bond that I have been a part off for so many years now, and I couldn’t wish for any other challenge which constantly educates and provides me with a new direction of approach apart from being here, where I am happy, and best of all, I am home. The Malaysian contact center industry continues to grow despite competitive pressures from other markets like India and the Philippines, even though Contact Center Industry in Malaysia is relatively young but the growth has seen to be very positive. The main reason I believe is because Malaysia has multi language skills ethnics group and this is unique in the region, therefore we offer a good communication infrastructure that is a critical requirement for any good contact center service location. In this industry apart from taking calls, we can utilize as knowledge seeking & career enhancement environment. Providing more humane technical is support with diverse services & products. I feel proud that I am able to do my bit to help more Malaysians aware about broadband which is in line with the government’s National Broadband Initiative (NBI). And the main reason why I choose my career in Contact Center is because I enjoy challenging job that makes me think. I enjoy working with people and this is a job that will help me do that, at the same time my job in the contact center involves helping people meet their full potential.

Discuss whether Microsoft's monopoly position is in the public Essay

Discuss whether Microsoft's monopoly position is in the public interest - Essay Example From an economic point of view, the question that may be asked by many people is whether this kind of monopoly is good for the public or the consumers or not. Microsoft has achieved a number of monopolistic positions in the market due to its bundling activity. In its early years, Microsoft entered into a deal with the main hardware manufacturers to compel them to sell each of their PC with Microsoft operating system and other application software. This meant that even those who did not intend to use Microsoft’s software had to pay for it then buy other software. Bundling other products such as a web browser and a media player with its operating system software has led to the firm gaining unfair advantage over competitors. However, it is the bundling of the java Runtime Environment that has caused the greatest commotion. JRE was developed by the now defunct Sun’s Microsystems and was meant to deliver a platform free programming environment through java. When Microsoft bu ndled it in its OS, it corrupted it and this was seen to work against the very idea of having a platform free programming environment. Monopoly has never been seen as good for the end consumers. In a country like America, monopoly or monopoly-like business situations have been seen to be harmful to the consumers as they make the producers so powerful that they can abuse their power, much to the consumers’ disadvantage (Geisst, 2000). Every firm looks and dreams of a monopoly in the market. Even for those businesses which operate in highly competitive markets, they always seek to create monopolistic environments, for their own advantage and not to the advantage of the consumers (Lele, 2007). With regard to Microsoft’s monopoly, the effect can be seen as both good and bad. Microsoft’s monopoly position is bad for consumers Microsoft’s monopoly is not in the public interest because monopoly in itself means that the firm can control the prices as well as the quality of the products it sells to the consumers. Monopoly, as Clark (2011) argues, is the opposite of perfect competition. Perfect competition is what is seen to be the ideal situation for consumers because the firms in a perfect completion market environment engaged in perfect competition and have to continue reducing their prices in order to entice the consumers (Machovec, 1995). Above, diagram showing how completion affects prices of products. Source: http://www.revisionguru.co.uk/economics/perfcomp.htm As Klein (2007) says, in perfect competition also, the firm also seek to improve the quality of the products in order to have an advantage over the other firms. These two factors, that is, quality and prices, are very important for the consumer. Above, diagram showing perfect competition in the long run equilibrium, Source: http://www.bized.co.uk/reference/diagrams/Perfect-Competition---Long-Run-Equilibrium When competition is eliminated and one firm or a group of few numbers of firms have a monopolistic position in the market, the firms don’t have to reduce their prices or increase the quality of their product (Khan, 2007). In this regard, Microsoft’s monopoly is not good for the consumers because it means that the firm will not be motivated to revise the prices of its products and they will also not be motivated to increase the quality of their products. In the current situation, it means that Microsoft can decide how much to sell its software, especially its operating system and the office suite.

Near Failure at Nagasaki Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Near Failure at Nagasaki - Essay Example The same problem is observed relating to Sweeney’s relation to flight engineer Kuharek such that when the latter firstly identified the lack of proper fuel in the tanks, Sweeney declined from communicating with Kuharek and moved over to Tibbets for gaining advice. Sweeney also reflected lack of self-confidence that is a significant necessity for a leader to govern combat operations. Firstly owing to his lack of proper knowledge of the combat he was highly dependent on the knowledge and expertise of Ashworth such that the latter exerted significant influence on him. Sweeney’s lack of self confidence owing to his limited knowledge again required Ashworth to help him identify and reach the target. Sweeney also lacked self-confidence in dropping the bomb effectively on the target for which he aptly depended on Beahan, the bombardier incorporated in the flight operations. Similarly other non-leadership qualities are also evident relating to Sweeney in which it is found that how Sweeney shifted the responsibility for the Nagasaki Mission’s fault to the shoulder of Hopkins. ... ation to be rendered to Hopkins regarding the position of the instrument aircraft which in turn deferred the operations much and made things complicated. Thirdly owing to the extra time spent by Sweeney further deferred his operations in being able to find the effective target of Kokura. This only required Sweeney to counter shift in his original plans. Thirdly inability of Sweeney to find both the effective and alternative targets and his dependency on Ashworth delayed the operations much creating threat of excess consumption of fuel. Fourthly owing to the incapability of taking decisions in a fast and timely fashion and dependence on his followers made Sweeney counter excess time loss in dropping the bomb over the target effectively. He shifted between dependency on the radar or on visual sighting to drop the bomb. Fifthly, Sweeney acted on a strange note on going on continuously circling above the target, Kokura when it was clear to be bombed that further deferred the operations. Evaluation made later on reflects that Sweeney had lost around one and a half hours in his failure to take decisions on time leading only to circling over the target a number of times. This failure to calculate the time required for the operation to be completed made Sweeney suffer from the threat of loss of required fuel to charge for the alternate targets. This continuous and unused circling over the rendezvous point made Sweeney also counter the threat of proper landing. The time being spent in an unused fashion thus triggered the need for Sweeney to prepare for a harsh landing than preparing for a crash landing. Sweeney’s failure to take decisions in a timely fashion also made him fail in catching sight of the instrument-carrying carrier. His failure to catch up with the

Emerging leadership theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Emerging leadership theories - Essay Example However, Greenleaf believes that there must be a soul of the organization that does not change and is always there to help people with the change. This unchanging core that helps should be the core principles of the organization and should be determined by laws that are predetermined and are universal (Greenleaf & Spears, 2001). According to Greenleaf (2001), servant leaders live by the conscience which is the inward sense of what is morally right and wrong. The difference is that other leadership styles including servant work but the one that always endures is servant. The Servant leader has learned how to respect others and yet work toward organizational goals. The vision of that leadership is often integral to the character of that person. For example, the leader may believe that "I do Servant leadership because that is who I am." (Bell & Habel, 2009). In Servant leadership one would have a basic set of values which they would always use. In comparison, Full Range Leadership Theory (FRLT) is a rendition of the Transformational leadership style which affects the nine dimensions of leadership behavior. Transformation leadership as well as FRLT is very popular leadership styles at this time. This type of leadership is about charisma and the ability to move people forward because they want to work for you. Transformational leadership according to the literature works (Northouse, 2010), but is it as Greenleaf asks, enduring The answer to that is not really known at this time due it being a farily new style. Ethical leadership is the ability to understand ones core values and to use them to lead and advance the common good. Thos leaders that are concerned with ethical leadership have a core value of integrity. They find who they are and then the reach out and develop a vision as to how the world could be different and then use their voice to help change it. They also lead by example using values, vision, voice and virtue (ethicaleadership.org, 2010). These three leadership styles do have some things that are alike and some that are different. Each one has a dimension of moving the organization forward by helping employees to understand "get aboard the train" where the organization needs to go and why. In all three cases, the employees want to follow these leaders so they do. Transformational or FRLT leaders have charisma which makes them well liked by the staff and therefore the staff likes to work for them. Ethical leaders are always doing what is needed for the common good so the staff feels cared for and in Servant leadership, it is all about the staff but from the perspective of a leader who has strong core values and is the stable part of any change. A Situation Leadership in nursing must deal with many things. It is a field of caring and sometimes in a task environment that is forgotten. That can and does happen easily when one of our own is in need. Leadership then becomes more important than ever. In this case, the nurse was diverting drugs. At first, this is a strongly ethical issue for us that are quite difficult to figure out. One must remember, however, that a Servant leader has a strong core that does not change, even

Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire Instrument Critique Research Paper

Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire Instrument Critique - Research Paper Example In the development of the instrument, studies describing critically ill patients’ patterns of sleep were used as a theoretical basis for various items incorporated into the instrument. The instrument was validated against the polysomnograph and found to be an improvement in measuring sleep quality for patients in intensive care (Richards et al, 2000). As currently used, the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire reflects five items that are used for measuring sleep quality in ICU patients. These are the depth of sleep, ability to fall asleep, number of times the patients wake up, percentage of the time the patients are awake, and the overall sleep quality of the patients (Richards et al, 2000). The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire, on top of these five items, also includes a rating for noise during the nighttime, which are scored using a visual analogue scale. The five scores for the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire is averaged, and the mean score used in determining sleep quality. Night shift nurses are required to complete the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire with regards to the sleep quality of their patients overnight, while the patients also fill in the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire after they wake up. The instrument was modified to measure how many awakenings the patient had during their sleep in order to d ifferentiate between patients who woke up frequently and those who did not wake up during their sleep. Further advances in the instrument involved the requirement that the items and directions on the questionnaire be read out to the patients in intensive care (Richards et al, 2000). This was because, while patients have been found to have little trouble in completing it if nurses read the items and directions out to them, majority of the critically ill patients had problems when completing the questionnaire without provision of assistance. However, for obvious reasons, this survey is only useful if the patients are awake and non-delirious. The visual analog nature of the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire scales means that, as a measure of the latency of sleep, it is not very sensitive in comparison to other modalities of scaling (Richards et al, 2000). For this reason, there is a need to revise the instrument. This could be done in order to improve the Richard-Campbell Sleep Ques tionnaire’s ability to predict the efficiency of sleep in intensive care patients. For example, the instrument could be revised by adding more items in an attempt to predict sleep efficiency with an improved percentage of variance. However, this will be done at the risk of decreasing the practicality of outcome measurements for patients who are critically ill (Richards et al, 2000), especially as increasing the number of items may be too much for nurses who are overworked and patients who are critically ill and may be too weak to answer them. The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire’s predictive ability could also be potentially improved by adding another section with more items for nurses. This additional section would consist of additional observations that the nurses make for the critically ill patients’ quality of sleep (Richards et al, 2000). The Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire could also be revised to account for sleep characteristic

Healthcare marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Healthcare marketing - Essay Example When the members had bad blood against Gary, she ensured she instituted good conflict resolution skills to ensure that the team worked in harmony. According to Patti Ferguson, Inez did the right thing through undertaking the jobs she was awarded since it was what she intended to achieve. In addition, she also displayed good leadership skills to her team which made her unique. In addition, through team building activities, Inez managed to bring her team more together compared to when they were before. According to Autumn post on the discussion, it is evident that Inez made the right choice when she decided to take a leadership role. We are amazed by her amicable skills in leading others despite having a number of conflicts in her team. According to Kyrie Robertson, Inez is a wise lady in leading such a team. She exhibited good skills in being a leader. For example, her team had trust and faith in her, a component which all leaders have. All in all, he manage to unite all the members including Gary to work as a team for a common

Teleconferencing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teleconferencing - Research Paper Example Same way, lack of communication results in failure of the organization to know more about the employee needs. Internal organizational communication can occur both in the verbal and nonverbal forms. Some people have the misconception that the internal organizational communication occurs through paper works alone. In fact paper works is only one among the so many internal communication methods available. This paper analyses teleconferencing as an internal organizational communication method. Teleconferencing is the process of telephonic communication between more than two parties. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems available in organizations help the employees of an organization to communicate properly through teleconferencing method. Every telephone is wired to the PBX system so that all the people who attend the different telephone lines can talk each other. While normal teleconferencing methods provide only the audio exchanges, video teleconferencing methods can exchange video also. In other words, video teleconferencing enables an organization to communicate each other face to face. The figure given below illustrates a typical teleconferencing system in an organization. There are basically three kinds of teleconferencing device: one that allows audio conferencing and verbal communication, which is carried out using the telephone, one that allows video conferencing, and one that allows computer and printed conferencing via computer terminals (Furnem). Modern technologies allowing fast streaming of audio and video media and hence the quality of teleconferencing has improved a lot. It is possible to communicate instantly without any interruption using videoconferencing or audio conferencing methods now. Teleconferencings advantages are that the technology is familiar to anyone who uses a phone, its easy to set up, and it offers good audio interactivity for small groups (Teleconferencing). Teleconferencing

Trading Strategies Essay Example for Free

Trading Strategies Essay The Dutch Tulip Boom (1636-1637) The tulips, a beautiful flower usually associated with the Netherlands are flowers that have a very notorious economic history in that country. The tulip is not a native Dutch flower. Like many other products in western Europe, such as the potato and tobacco, tulips came to the Netherlands from another part of the world. Tulip was introduced to the Dutch on the year 1593. It was said that the tulip was first seen by Europeans in Turkey. Scholars now believe that the Turks had been cultivating tulips as early as AD 1000(Sykes, T. (2003),‘Tulips from Amsterdam). Most of these tulips probably originated in areas around the Black Sea, in the Crimea, and in the steppes to the north of the Caucasus. Back then it used to command a very steep price which could be amounting to a small fortune, today the said flowers are available at modest prices. When the Tulip was first introduced to Holland, tulip ownership was primarily limited to wealthy nobles and scholars. Antwerp, Brussels, Augsburg, Paris, and Prague are among some of the cities where such tulips first began to circulate. The exorbitant price as well as the great demand for this commodity gave rise to an extraordinary event in Dutch history – The Tulip boom of   1636 – 1637. The Tulip Boom was an economic phenomenon which   took place on the year 1636. This craze lasted for a year. (McGuigan, B. (2007), ‘What is a Tulip Craze?’, Conjecture Corporation) The cause of the said phenomena was the sudden surge of the demand for tulip flowers and bulbs. The Tulip was prized back then for its rarity, beauty and because of the fact that it takes around 7 years to grow a tulip seed into a bulb. It was said that a reasonable purchase price for an ordinary   single tulip-bulb of the Viceroy variety consists of: â€Å"two [loads] of wheat and four of rye, four fat oxen, eight pigs, a dozen sheep, two ox heads of wine, four tons of butter, a thousand pounds of cheese, a bed, some clothing and a silver beaker. This price roughly estimated to be amounting to   2,500 guilders (Dutch Currency) is of course ridiculously exorbitant nowadays considering that it is only for a piece of bulb which does not even guarantee that it will produce a flower. The said price however during those days   is deemed a Fair and reasonable† purchase price   for an ordinary tulip bulb. Rarer species during the height of the Dutch ‘tulip mania’ in the seventeenth century would be double or triple that price, a Semper Augustus, considered to be even more precious than the Viceroy tulip, could bring in close to 6,000 guilders. (Schulman, B. (2007), ‘Tulip’, The Regents of Minnesota University) Eventually, some tulips were sold at the rate of a single bulb for the value of a house, and lots of bulbs were exchanged for large estates. Tulips became a commodity on the Dutch stock exchanges, allowing people who weren’t cultivators or traders to try to take advantage of this boom. It was noted that many people began putting enormous amounts of wealth into speculation on the tulip market — in extreme cases, even their entire savings or properties. The Tulip craze reached a fevered pitch in the year 1636, which witnessed a lot of   money pouring into the market, as well as speculation on tulip futures offered by traders who had not yet planted bulbs. At around 1637, the market became saturated with the said product, and some traders began to sell, often in large amounts. This caused panic on the so called tulip merchants making them want to sell their tulips immediately even up to the point   of selling cheap. Needless to say the said   speculation caused an enormous downturn. As a   result the   tulip craze ruined many thousands of people financially, as tulip bulbs that had been purchased for the price of a great estate were nearly devalued overnight to the price of common onions. To stop the economy from plummeting and because of the fact that   tulip prices and the practice of tulip speculation became so excessive and frenzied the States of   Holland passed a statute curbing such extremes in the year 1637. (Jones, S. ((2005), ‘House Prices Tulip Mania A lesson from History !’) II.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Current Global Mining Resources Boom As of the present, Mining companies are in the midst of an immense economic boom, accompanied with high levels of demand and   an above average boost in revenue and profits. It is apparent that   the Global   demand for metals is closely related to global GDP, although rapidly expanding economies tend to have a higher intensity of use of some metals, particularly steels, than advanced countries (Mandaro, L(2006).   ‘Joy Global: No end to mining boom in sight’,). Many analysts believe that the current peaks may represent long-term strength in the market, driven largely by the economic engines of China and India. The rapid growth of   Chinese and Indian economies seem to have been inversely affected by   the   growth of Western economies. The advancement being enjoyed by the two countries is showing   no signs of imminent slump or stagnation. The said Phenomenal levels of this demand were not expected nor anticipated(Achieving High Performance in Mining: Winning Today, Succeeding Tomorrow (1996-2007). The mining industry may not have the same nature of cycles as typically perceived by investors, but the current level of high metals prices appears to be holding up and the predicted peak keeps on moving. Amidst the apparent boom   which the mining sector is experiencing presently, some measures still need to   be implemented   by the   executives of the mining sectors to focus on the opportunities that todays high commodity prices present, it is apparent that the mining sector needs to keep an eye on significant challenges that lie beyond the current boom to achieve high performance. It is a known fact that   although   prices are not likely to drop to the lows which occurred a few years back, the said prices   are likely to fluctuate and fall below todays levels. This assessment is considered accurate given the number of players globally, there is a high risk of investing in future excess capacity. Production costs are skyrocketing, especially energy and input material costs, these variables seem to have diminished the positive effects   the benefits of the commodity boom has in store for the mining industry. In a global industry, commodity price and currency volatility have the potential to erode the benefits coming from the profits being enjoyed by the Mining industry (Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’). Todays strong market gives companies an opportunity to invest in preparing to meet those challenges. Mining companies need to plan for a potential downturn as well as for continued high demand. In short, they need to balance the ability to exploit todays boom times with well-founded strategies that will continue to deliver value to shareholders in the post-boom period. They also must pay close attention to a range of issues to drive the triple bottom line and focus not only on economic results, but also on the social and environmental impact of their operations. In an era of global competition, mining companies must constantly look for ways to improve those operations, mostly by applying modern technology on the mining equipments used from mines to concentrators to smelters (Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’). III. The New York Stocks Exchange Commission (NYSE) Stock exchange transactions are basically transactions that involve the day to day activities of brokers and dealers. These individuals facilitate the buying and selling of financial assets. Brokers execute trades on behalf of clients and receive commissions and fees in exchange for matching buyers and sellers. Dealers, on the other hand, buy and sell from their own portfolios (Stock Exchange(2007)) Microsoft MSN Encyclopedia Encarta) .They earn income by selling a financial instrument at a price that is greater than the price the dealer paid for the instrument. Some exchange participants perform both roles. The said transactions occur frequently nowadays and is governed primarily by Stock exchange commissions, the most noted of these organizations would probably be the New York Stocks Exchange Commission.   The New York Stocks Exchange Commission is the worlds largest marketplace for securities. It was   organized back in 1792 by a group of stockbrokers who wanted a more orderly way to sell and buy company stocks (The New York Stock Exchange) (2007),   Encyclopedia Britannica Online). The New York Stock exchange was formerly located at number 40 Wall Street in New York City, But As the said establishment grew it was   later moved into what is currently the New York Stock Exchange Building. Membership was   limited to 1,366 since 1953, and is obtained by purchasing a seat from a current   existing member. Major stock exchanges in the United States include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), both in New York City. The NYSE is   operated by a board of directors, whose primary role is to   list down   securities, to set policies and to supervise the stock exchange and its member activities. Another important function of the NYSE is to oversee the transfer of members seats on the Exchange, which would involve judging whether a potential applicant is qualified to be a specialist. Stock exchanges perform important roles in national economies (New York Stock Exchange – NYSE (2007), Investopedia). Most importantly, they encourage investment by providing places for buyers and sellers to trade securities. This investment, in turn, enables corporations to obtain funds to expand their businesses. The Stock market, is of course the mirror of the current economic situation of a country. The NYSE, being the largest of them all,   would of course imply that any fluctuation occurring in the NYSE stock market   would of course mirror the   economic situation of the U.S. This would best be illustrated by the economic turmoil experienced by the said country on the year 1929. It was an event remembered by many because of a lot of unseemly things happened within a blink of an eye. In the 1920s, things were really rocking in the US and around the world. The rapid increase in industrialization was fueling growth in the economy, and technology improvements had the leading economists believing that the up rise would continue. The enormous amount of unsecured consumer debt created by this speculation left the stock market essentially off-balance. It was on the 24th of October 1929, when   the stock prices began to fall and brokers began to sell. By noon of the same day, millions of shares had been sold. The selling frenzy continued all afternoon. Before the close of the day, 13 million shares had been traded and the market dropped an estimated amount of four billion dollars. Many investors, tried to even things up, and as a course of action they invested their life savings, mortgaged their homes, and cashed in safer investments such as treasury bonds and bank accounts. After some time the realization of what had happened began to sink in, and a full-blown panic ensued. People who had invested their entire life savings during the boom became destitute. Many of the banks which had speculated heavily with their deposits were wiped out by the falling prices, and these bank failures sparked a run on the banking system. As a result many banks and businesses were forced to close. Each failed bank, factory, business, and investor contributed to the downward spiral that would drag the world into the Great Depression. Five days later, the worst possible scenario took place. On that day, over 16 million shares of stock were sold and the market fell over 14 billion dollars. By comparison, the entire budget of the U.S. Government that year was three billion dollars. In one day, the United States lost more capital than it had spent in all of World War I. And so it came to pass that thousands of investors many of them ordinary working people, were financially ruined. By the end of that   year, stock values had dropped by fifteen billion dollars (The Crash,   NYC Architecture. Retrieved August 29, 2007). Bibliography    The Dutch Tulip Boom Schulman, B. (2007), ‘Tulip’, The Regents of Minnesota University, Retrieved August 28, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     http://bell.lib.umn.edu/Products/tulips.html McGuigan, B. (2007), ‘What is a Tulip Craze?’, Conjecture Corporation,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Retrieved August 28, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tulip-craze.htm Jones, S. ((2005), ‘House Prices Tulip Mania A lesson from History !’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Retrieved August 28, 2007   http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article18.html Sykes, T. (2003), ‘Tulips from Amsterdam’, Retrieved August 27, 2007 http://www.rba.gov.au/PublicationsAndResearch/Conferences/2003/Sykes.pdf The Current Global Mining Resources Boom Mandaro, L(2006).   ‘Joy Global: No end to mining boom in sight’, Marketwatch Retrieved August 29, 2007 http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/5VZZZjDn3fVvlBkkp9z78Ht Achieving High Performance in Mining: Winning Today, Succeeding Tomorrow (1996-2007),   Accenture, Retrieved August 29, 2007. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Services/By_Industry/Mining/R_and_I/WinningTodaySucceedingTomorrow.htm Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’ Ernst Young Global.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved August 29, 2007. http://www.ey.com/global/content.nsf/International/Mining_Private_Equity The New York Stocks Exchange Commission The New York Stock Exchange (2007),   Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved August 29, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9055541/New-York-Stock-Exchange New York Stock Exchange – NYSE (2007), Investopedia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nyse.asp The Crash,   NYC Architecture. Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/LM036-NEWYORKSTOCK EXCHANGE.htm Stock Exchange(2007), Microsoft MSN Encyclopedia Encarta. Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560145/Stock_Exchange.html Gongloff, M. ‘Attacks could hit economy’. CNN Money. Retrieved August 30, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://money.cnn.com/2001/09/11/economy/wtc_econ/

Sustainable Tourism in Developing Countries

Sustainable Tourism in Developing Countries To what extent can tourism be  sustainable in developing countries? Introduction Tourism Sustainability Conclusion References Introduction When one looks at monetary flows, along with the creation of jobs, the tourism sector represents one of the largest industries globally[1]. The preceding aspect is an important one, as tourism provides the opportunity for small and medium sized (5 through 500 employees) businesses to form, along with micro enterprises that typical consist of fewer than six people, and usually represent family operations[2]. These types of enterprises create employment opportunities, and in tourism, particularly in developing countries, the influx of tourist money provides openings for street vendors, cart food services, transport, and other self employment[3]. An example of the importance of micro enterprises and SME’s is provided in an International Finance Corporation report authored by Hallberg[4] that states these types of firms represent the majority of employment. She points out that in Ecuador firms with less than 50 employees represents 99 percent of all enterprises in that country, an d 55 percent of employment[5]. In the case of Bangladesh, enterprises with less than 100 employees represented 99 percent of all companies, employing 58 percent of all workers[6]. The preceding has been brought forth to provide the context for this examination in the extent that tourism can be sustainable in developing countries. The point being made is that the hard currency flows represent an economic benefit that is important not only in tourism monies spent, but also as a basis for foreign investment and the creation of opportunities for foreign businesses to set up operations, with tourism as the entree. The foregoing economic benefits represent a critical facet in approaching and understanding the importance of tourism to developing countries. The preceding importance also holds true for developed countries as well. The importance of tourism in developed countries is brought forth by the Assistant Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, Geoffrey Lipman, who stated â€Å"Showing the full economic impact of the sector in the Index will enhance travel tourism’s relevance for policy-makers†¦The Index makes clear that, although industrialized states currently dominate, poorer countries have a massive potential to be the leading force in international tourism,[7]. The significance of mentioning this Report in the context of this examination is that it provides an analysis of key drivers regarding competitiveness, which are thirteen pillars, as represented by â€Å"1. policy rules and regulations, 2. environmental regulation, 3. safety and security, 4. health an d hygiene, 5. prioritisation of travel and tourism, 6. air transport infrastructure, 7. ground transport infrastructure, 8. tourism infrastructure, 9. information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, 10. price competitiveness, 11. human capital, 12. national tourism perception, and 13. natural and cultural resources[8]. The benefits to a country and its populace as a result of tourism can have long term implications economically, however, the foundations, as set forth by the foregoing pillars, indicates that attaining such a goal requires commitment and a national plan to achieve. Tourism Sustainability The preceding brought forth the complexities involved in conducting tourism, highlighting that it is not a segment that can be entered into lightly if long term and sustainable results are to be achieved. An example of the Index illustrates the foregoing: Chart 1 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index – Regulatory Framework Segments 1 through 5[9] Pillars 1. Policy 2. Environment 3. Safety 4. Health 5. Priority Rules Sustainability Security Hygiene TT Country Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Albania 104 3.69 93 4.08 71 4.93 59 476 104 3.55 Argentina 91 3.95 107 3.94 98 4.45 40 5.62 70 4.23 Austria 22 5.04 53 4.63 21 5.85 37 5.72 32 4.92 Bangladesh 114 3.31 121 3.71 129 2.83 117 2.11 122 2.77 Bolivia 127 2.88 104 3.98 92 4.53 14 6.51 91 3.81 Botswana 74 4.13 68 4.42 50 5.26 97 3.24 82 3.95 U.K. 5 5.54 10 5.56 65 5.01 41 5.58 43 4.69 U.S. 19 5.22 100 4.02 119 3.75 44 5.50 21 5.26 Chart 2 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index – Regulatory Framework Segments 6 through 10[10] Pillars 6. Air 7. Ground 8. Tourism 9. ICT 10 Price Transport Transport Infrastructure Infrastructure Compettive Country Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Albania 112 2.20 116 2.55 86 2.53 86 2.16 90 4.33 Argentina 67 2.94 90 3.05 53 3.91 54 3.03 41 4.94 Austria 29 4.25 10 6.03 1 7.00 20 4.88 104 4.17 Bangladesh 116 2.12 69 3.56 122 1.29 122 1.52 10 5.44 Bolivia 108 2.25 114 2.59 99 2.21 106 1.81 14 5.32 Botswana 77 2.72 72 3.50 78 2.80 92 2.05 6 5.49 U.K. 4 5.65 11 5.85 16 6.18 9 5.46 127 3.44 U.S. 2 6.34 19 5.45 6 6.74 13 5.23 105 4.18 Chart 3 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index – Regulatory Framework Segments 11 through 14[11] Pillars 11. Human 12. Affinity 13. Natural 14. Cultural Resources Resources Resources Country Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Rank Score Albania 58 5.03 6 6.32 130 1.87 75 2.17 Argentina 60 5.01 74 4.69 12 5.01 41 3.29 Austria 19 5.62 23 5.45 37 4.00 11 5.59 Bangladesh 107 4.26 125 3.95 100 2.61 109 1.44 Bolivia 98 4.60 116 4.18 15 4.86 62 2.45 Botswana 124 3.36 58 4.85 31 4.20 113 1.37 U.K. 7 5.87 90 4.54 27 4.35 4 6.28 U.S. 5 5.91 114 4.29 2 6.04 7 5.83 The preceding Charts provide a summary look at the varied areas that a country needs to consider in order to make tourism work in the face of the high rate of competitiveness. It points out the comparative facets inherent in generating tourism as well as a basis for understanding areas of deficiency and potential strengths in crafting a plan for sustainability. In order to increase and build the tourism sector, the country, its business community as well as populace need to be able to contribute as well as participate in the process. Britton[12] helps us to understand that tourism entails â€Å"†¦travel flows; microscale spatial structure and land use of tourist places and facilities; economic, social, cultural, and environmental impacts of tourist activity; impacts of tourism in third world countries; geographic patterns of recreation and leisure pastimes; and the planning implications of all these topics† as vital areas. In order to arrive at the point of sustainability in tourism, third world countries have to have or be in the process of developing the underlying structures that create and generate attraction for potential visits, with the understanding that other locales are engaging in the same objectives[13]. Thus, sustainability means building upon what currently exists via definitive plans to maintain present levels, and of course enhance them in order to compete effectively. Richards and Hall[14] advise that sustainable tourism represents a broad range of issues, which the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index illustrated[15]. It, sustainable tourism, includes cultural facets, social accountability, environmental practices, economic considerations, quality of life, safety and security issues in terms of crime and policing. Universally, there is no agreed upon framework for sustainable tourism as the conditions, circumstances and allied facets for countries differ. However, sustainability in tourism is a real factor, one that demands the coordinated and concerned effort of the government, businesses and populace to work. In understanding the sustainability aspects and why such is important, one needs to be mindful of the economic ramifications that are the foundation for the importan ce attached to tourism by all countries, not just developing ones[16]. Tourism is an economic pursuit, and as such it aids a country, and more specifically city and or region to grow, improve and earn currency from travellers, investment, and new business openings[17]. The importance of tourism as an economic force is evidenced by the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which developed the first legally binding multilateral agreement that deals with trade in the tourism sector[18]. Its main provision sets forth the elimination of barriers to prevent foreign service providers and investors from participating in market access[19]. In order to make tourism sustainable, governmental policies, standards and practices need to ensure that there are a series of planned steps to enhance the efforts in the tourist sector, which unfortunately is not usually the case in developing countries[20]. Usually, in developing countries, efforts to promote tourism have been initiated and implemented by the private sector as well as in some cases citizen’s groups[21]. The foregoing represents a core issue in that these types of efforts are doomed to be short term actions based upon surges in popularity of an area generated by avant garde travellers that have discovered a quiet, generally unspoiled location, and other disjointed means that does not have an official plan behind it[22]. As shown by the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index[23], competition in the tourism segment is marked by a broad number of underlying foundations that require concerted efforts and involvement on the part of the aforementioned government, private business sector, and community. Obvious facets that require government participation on a defined level represent marketing and promotional activities through an official tourist agency, the long term and consistent development of infrastructure related areas such as airports, transport, roads, and other support factors[24]. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development[25] points to the importance of national, regional and local governments in planning for sustainable development as the â€Å"†¦providers of social services, builders of economic infrastructure, regulators of economic activity, and managers of the natural environment, local authorities have many direct instruments at their disposal to influence development†. The U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development[26] adds to the preceding by telling us that planned tourism activities are essential to ensure that the local communities have a level playing field in terms of inclusion and involvement concerning the economic wealth generated by tourist activities, along with planning to minimise environmental impacts, and improvement of the social welfare. Tourism is an industry that competes with like locations on the international stage, with many developing countries organised for this area in a concerned manner. To compete on this level, sustainable tourism must operate like a business. Place or destination marketing is a hallmark in the process, which Gold and Ward[27] advise â€Å"†¦ is defined as a process whereby local activities are related as closely as possible to the demands of the targeted customer †¦ (with the intention) to maximise the efficient social and economic functioning of the area concerned, in accordance with whatever wider goals have been established†. Each locale has to identify its special features and communicate the advantages that it has to prospective travelers through concerted efforts. Products and services offered by companies are geared toward the long term, noted by their comprehensive marketing, promotional and related plans to seek competitive advantages, and induce consumer trial[28]. To be effective over the long term, sustainable, destinations need to treat their locales in the same manner that companies do. Conclusion Sustainable tourism in developing countries represents an important economic aspect that can help to spur foreign investment in a broader sphere of industrial areas outside of tourism if conducted in a concerted manner. The importance of the preceding is that tourism is an important economic tool that can be utilised for broad range of areas that can benefit a developing country if its government has the vision, commitment and foresight to see the real world implications and demonstrated successes that tourism can bring. As pointed out, tourism represents a commitment to infrastructure, marketing, promotion, and the involvement of the private business sector along with the local communities that will be impacted to set the foundation for programs, facilities, business opportunities and commercial realisations that benefit the locale. Tourism is a means to change external opinions and perceptions of an area through internally directed programs such as place marketing. While some destinations may have been discovered by travellers or writers and became trendy ‘in spots’ that position will dwindle for the next ‘in spot’ unless the government takes notice and seizes the opportunity to make the location one that stays on the tourist radar. In other instances, locales can be put into the tourist arena as a result of their special circumstances and conditions, such as weather, beaches, lakes, snow, forests, wild animals, monuments and ancient cities, cultural festivals and the like , Whatever the nuance, the building of travel requires planned infrastructure to enhance the experience. Easy transport access, rent cars, power, Internet lines, police, etc. Sustainable tourism requires sustainable efforts in order to make it work. References Apostolopoulos, Y., Gayle, D. (2002) Island Tourism and Sustainable Development: Caribbean, Pacific, and Mediterranean Experiences. Praeger Publishers. Westport, CT, United States Beirman, D. (2003) Restoring Tourism Destinations in Crisis: A Strategic Marketing Approach. Allen Unwin. Crows Nest, New South Wales Britton, S. (1991) Tourism, capital and place: towards a critical geography of tourism. Vol. 9. No. 4. Environment and Planning Development Bull, A. (1995) The economics of travel and tourism. Longman Press. Melbourne, Australia Coleman, S., Crang, M. (2002) Tourism: Between Place and Performance. Berghahn Books. New York, New York, United States Duffy-Smith, M. (2003) The Ethics of Tourism Development. Routledge. London, United Kingdom Font, X., Bendell, J. (2002) Standards for Sustainable Tourism for the Purpose of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. World Tourism Organisation. Madrid, Spain Gold, J., Ward, S. (1994) Place Promotion: The Use of Publicity and Marketing to Sell Towns and Regions. John H. Wiley Sons. New York, New York, United States Hallberg, K. (2001) A Market-Oriented Strategy for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises- International Finance Corporation. Discussion Paper 40. Washington, D.C., United States Mahdi, A., Osman, M. (2000) An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Small and Micro-Enterprise Finance in Employment Creation. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.iceg.org/NE/projects/labor/epicfinal.pdf Mowforth, M., Munt, I. (2003) Tourism Sustainability: Development and Tourism in the Third World. Routledge. London, United Kingdom Richards, G., Hall, D. (2000) Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. Routledge. London, United Kingdom Porter, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques of Analysing Industries and Competitors. Free Press. New York, New York, United States The U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development (1999) Tourism and Sustainable Development: The Global Importance of Tourism. The U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development. New York, New York, United States UNCTAD (2002) Growing Micro and Small Enterprises in LDCs. UNCTAD, New York, United States United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (1999) Tourism and Sustainable Development: Sustainable Tourism, A Local Authority Perspective. United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, New York, New York, United States World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease World Travel and Tourism Organisation (1999) The Global Importance of Tourism. Commission on Sustainable Development. World Travel and Tourism Organisation, New York, New York, United States 1 Footnotes [1] World Travel and Tourism Organisation (1999) The Global Importance of Tourism. Commission on Sustainable Development. World Travel and Tourism Organisation, New York, New York, United States [2] UNCTAD (2002) Growing Micro and Small Enterprises in LDCs. UNCTAD, New York, United States [3] Mahdi, A., Osman, M. (2000) An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Small and Micro-Enterprise Finance in Employment Creation. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.iceg.org/NE/projects/labor/epicfinal.pdf [4] Hallberg, K. (2001) A Market-Oriented Strategy for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises- International Finance Corporation. Discussion Paper 40. Washington, D.C., United States [5] Ibid [6] Ibid [7] World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease [8] Ibid [9] World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease [10] World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease [11] World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease [12] Britton, S. (1991) Tourism, capital and place: towards a critical geography of tourism. Vol. 9. No. 4. Environment and Planning Development. p. 451 [13] Mowforth, M., Munt, I. (2003) Tourism Sustainability: Development and Tourism in the Third World. Routledge. London, United Kingdom. p. 6 [14] Richards, G., Hall, D. (2000) Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. Routledge. London, United Kingdom. P. 9 [15] World Travel and Tourism Organisation (1999) The Global Importance of Tourism. Commission on Sustainable Development. World Travel and Tourism Organisation, New York, New York, United States [16] Bull, A. (1995) The economics of travel and tourism. Longman Press. Melbourne, Australia. p. 23 [17] Apostolopoulos, Y., Gayle, D. (2002) Island Tourism and Sustainable Development: Caribbean, Pacific, and Mediterranean Experiences. Praeger Publishers. Westport, CT, United States. p. 11 [18] Font, X., Bendell, J. (2002) Standards for Sustainable Tourism for the Purpose of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. World Tourism Organisation. Madrid, Spain [19] Ibid [20] Duffy-Smith, M. (2003) The Ethics of Tourism Development. Routledge. London, United Kingdom. p. 9 [21] Beirman, D. (2003) Restoring Tourism Destinations in Crisis: A Strategic Marketing Approach. Allen Unwin. Crows Nest, New South Wales. p. 222 [22] Ibid [23] World Economic Forum (2007) The World Economic Forum’s First Ever Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report. 1 March 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2009 from http://www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest Press Releases/Tourismpressrelease [24] Coleman, S., Crang, M. (2002) Tourism: Between Place and Performance. Berghahn Books. New York, New York, United States. p. 53 [25] United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (1999) Tourism and Sustainable Development: Sustainable Tourism, A Local Authority Perspective. United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, New York, New York, United States [26] The U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development (1999) Tourism and Sustainable Development: The Global Importance of Tourism. The U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development. New York, New York, United States [27] Gold, J., Ward, S. (1994) Place Promotion: The Use of Publicity and Marketing to Sell Towns and Regions. John H. Wiley Sons. New York, New York, United States. p. 41 [28] Porter, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques of Analysing Industries and Competitors. Free Press. New York, New York, United States. pp. 34-36

Capital Punishment :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each year there about 250 people added to death row and only 35 of them are even executed. The death penalty is the harshest form of punishment actually enforced by the United States government. Once the jury has convicted a criminal offense they go to the second part of the trial, the punishment part. If then the jury considers the death penalty, then the judge agrees that the criminal will have to face a form of execution. Lethal injection is the most widely used by todays death row criminals. For a period between 1972 to ‘76, capital punishment was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. There are many reasons for why they thought that. The death penalty was looked at a cruel and unusual punishment under the eighth amendment. This decision was switched when a new method of execution was formed. Capital punishment is a difficult issue and there are many opinions as there are people on this earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of the United States there has been over 13,000 legal executions. Texas has executed the most people since the death penalty has been reinstated in 1976. There are only about 30-60 prisoners killed yearly. â€Å"The Bible requires the death penalty for a wide variety of crimes, including sex before marriage, adultery, homosexual behavior, doing work on Saturday, and murder. It even calls for some criminals to be tortured to death by burning them alive†(SOURCE 1). Some of the things stated in the last quote were a little morbid, and made me question in what I truly believe in. John Stuart Mill once stated, â€Å" When there has been brought home to any one, by conclusive evidence, the greatest crime known to law; and when the attendant circumstances suggest no palliation of guilt, no hope that the culprit may even yet not be unworthy to live among mankind, nothing to make it probable that the crime was an exception to general character rather than a consequence of it, then I confess it appears to me that to deprive the criminal of the life which he has proved himself to be unworthy--solemnly to blot him out from the fellowship of mankind and from the catalogue of the living-- is the most appropriate as it is certainly the most impressive, mode in which society can attach to so great a crime the penal consequences which for the security of life it is indispensable to annex to it†, this was stated before Parliament on April 21, 1868. I find that in this passage a lot of good is said.

Serving the Public and the Animals Essay -- Zoology Zoos Wildlife Essa

Serving the Public and the Animals From childhood, most of us have fond memories of going to the zoo. We were entertained by the variety of animals that we were not able to see on a regular basis. Visitors of a zoo get to see exotic, and local animals of that area. Going to a zoo gives children and adults a chance to learn about different animals. Certain zoos also promote the conservation of endangered species. To people of all ages, zoos are just plain fun. This essay will support the operation of zoos based on their entertainment and educational value, and their ability to save some species from extinction. Most zoos, depending on the location, house animals from all over the world. Each zoo needs to be in a place where local animals, as well as exotic, can survive and live comfortably. That’s one of the main reasons why people go to zoos. Visitors are able to view unique animals through glass, and see how they might act in the wild. The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, features primates, big cats, birds, and reptiles. It also features large mammals like hippos, giraffes, and bears. They have recently built a new part of the zoo that houses panthers, sloths, and exotic birds. The Wildlife Zoo in Phoenix, Arizona takes care of hundreds of wild animals, with even more variety than the Reid Park Zoo. These zoos have special activities for children and adults that involve awareness and education of every species. There are also zoo employees who walk around with small animals and snakes that can be petted and held by zoo visitors. Zoos are a popular place to bring students for a field trip. Besides the entertainment value, children can learn about the different animals of the world and see how ea... ...d their viewers. There are so many benefits from having zoos. They give many gifts to the viewers and the captive animals. They aid in conservation, education, and entertainment. Without zoos, humans would not know enough about animals to treat their diseases, or to help wild animals with injuries. Many people would go without knowledge of the world’s different animal species. Several species would have seen extinction already. Zoos are a highly valuable commodity that should not be terminated. Works Cited Bostock, Stephen, Zoos and Animal Rights: The ethics of keeping animals, 1993 â€Å"Conservation in Zoos†, www.wag.co.za/root_news, Accessed 3/24/03 Markowitz, Hal, Behavioral Enrichment in the Zoo, 1982 â€Å"Programs†, http://desertmuseum.org, Accessed 3/24/03 â€Å"Zoos: Pitiful Prisons†, http://www.peta.org/mc/facts, Accessed 3/29/03

An Analysis of the Epic Poem, Beowulf - Bravery in Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Bravery in Beowulf Bravery is like a very trusted friend, it will never let you down. That statement holds true in the great epic of "Beowulf." "Beowulf" is the story of a great hero who comes to the aid of a troubled king. Beowulf hears that king Hrothgar is having trouble and immediately comes to help with no questions asked. he defeats the monster, Grendel, with his bare hands. Beowulf then defeats Grendel's mother along with a dragon until he is fatally injured. Bravery is a very admirable characteristic that few people possess. First of all, Beowulf came to help Hrothgar on his own free will. Hearing of the troubles that Hrothgar was having with a monster terrorizing Herot, his mead hall, Beowulf bravely offered his help not knowing what he was up against. When he arrived, Beowulf did not ask the king for either money nor fame. The only favor that he asked of Hrothgar was that he and his men were to fight the monster, Grendel. Coming away from one's homeland to help get rid of a man-eating monster and asking for nothing in return takes much courage and is an extremely brave deed. Next, Beowulf decides to fight Grendel with his bare hands. He could have easily obtained some kind of weapon to fight with. Beowulf was the first warrior ever to have enough sheer bravery to go up against such a monster with neither help nor weapon or shield to aid him. he was a warrior that believed somewhat in fate and in God. Believing that God made the decisions and was in control, Beowulf trusted that his life was in good hands. Defeating Grendel with his bare hands, Beowulf not only proved his bravery but also his loyalty. After defeating Grendel, Beowulf came back twice in order to kill Grendel's mother and a fire-breathing dragon. Although during his bout with the dragon, Beowulf was fatally injured. As his services were needed, he always prevailed; Beowulf's bravery never tired. He even had to fight and kill these monsters in their homes where nobody had ever ventured. Successfully defeating Grendel's mother lead Beowulf into his third and final battle with the last monster.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic barriers Essay

Good morning to one and all of you present, my task for today is to enlighten you about what Inclusive Education is and what intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to learning and development are. One of the many challenges facing education in post-apartheid South Africa is that of realising the constitutional values of equality, freedom from discrimination and the right to a basic education for all learners, including those who experience barriers to learning. Under apartheid, learners were not only educated separately according to race, but a separate special education system served those learners with disabilities or impairments. To address this and bring educational practice in South Africa into line with the international trend of including learners, who experience barriers to learning, in general or mainstream classes, South Africa has enacted legislation and formulated policy which establishes an inclusive education system. Inclusion is broadly understood as the process by which learners who previously might have been taught in a separate special education system, because of the barriers to learning they experience, would now be taught in regular schools that have taken the responsibility of changing and improving to provide the support necessary to facilitate access and participation. What is Inclusive Education? Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by their neighborhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. Inclusive education is about how we develop and design our schools, classrooms, programs and activities so that all students learn and participate together. Neighborhood schools are the heart of our communities, and Inclusion BC believes they are essential for a quality inclusive education system. Therefore we believe it is important to support a public education system in B.C. Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with special educational needs. The Department of Basic Education is committed towards the building of an Inclusive Education system at all levels as outlined in Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education System, 2001. Such an inclusive system will facilitate the inclusion of vulnerable learners  and reduce the barriers to learning, through targeted support structures and mechanisms that will improve the retention of learners in the education system, particularly learners who are prone to dropping out. Benefits of Inclusive Education All children benefit from inclusive education. It allows them to: Develop individual strengths and gifts, with high and appropriate expectations for each child. Work on individual goals while participating in the life of the classroom with other students their own age. Involve their parents in their education and in the activities of their local schools. Foster a school culture of respect and belonging. Inclusive education provides opportunities to learn about and accept individual differences, lessening the impact of harassment and bullying. Develop friendships with a wide variety of other children, each with their own individual needs and abilities. Positively affect both their school and community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on a broader level. Why is Inclusive Education Important? It’s important because as South Africans, we value our diverse communities. These communities start at school, where all students learn to live alongside peers. They learn together; they play together; they grow and are nurtured together. Is inclusive education for everybody? The simple answer is YES. However, individual needs may mean that some students need to spend time out of regular class for a particular purpose. There are always exceptions, but they are in fact EXCEPTIONS: if needed, they are individualized in the student’s community school. What should I expect? You can expect the school to provide a plan to support teachers and students through good inclusive practices —like collaboration, team work, innovative instructional practices, peer-strategies, and more. ************************************************************************************* We now move on to the Second part of the discussion what intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to learning and development are? Barriers to learning  acknowledges that educational difficulties may arise from a number of sources, and may be intrinsic or extrinsic to learners. What is Intrinsic Barriers? Intrinsic barriers include physical, sensory, and neurological and developmental impairments, chronic illness, psycho-social disturbances and differing intellectual ability. What is Extrinsic Barriers? Extrinsic barriers are those factors that arise outside the learner, but impact on his or her learning. They may arise from the family and its cultural, social and economic context and include lack of parental involvement in education and family problems like divorce, death, and violence. Schools themselves may constitute barriers to learning when learners’ mother tongue is not used for teaching and learning and when schools are not safe. Therefore learners will experience barriers differently depending on the family of which they are a part, the extent to which their schools facilitate access and participation and the resources in the communities and societies in which they live. Support for learners who experience barriers to learning can be understood as all those actions that increase schools’ capacity for responding to diversity Inclusive practice is an important component of support and refers to strategies adopted, technical support provided, structures and procedures applied and actions carried out in the pursuit of including learners who experience barriers to learning. A focus on inclusive practice, while not denying the importance of inclusive culture and policy, ensures that attention is given to what is actually happening in schools, rather than wishful thinking or rhetoric about inclusion. Intrinsic factors – born with problem -physical/physiological impairments that may become disabilities if society and the system of education do not make provision for these learners (impairments, genetic factors, brain damage) -personality factors, especially types of temperament and unsatisfied emotional needs Extrinsic factors – problem not in learners self but in circumstances they grow up in -Environment – unfavourable socioeconomic circumstances, urban areas (apartments, little supervision), rural environments (poor school attendance), prosperous areas (bored, drugs, pressure) -Education – poor teaching (lack of qualifications, unmotivated or lazy), incomplete participation on the part of learners, inappropriate study material, inefficient school organisation, crowded classrooms -Language – many learners taught in English (not home language), often the teachers can’t speak proper English either. They perform poorly due to a lack of understanding -Culture – need to accommodate diff cultures, we learn, think and do things differently – keep that in mind (religion, language, food, sense of humour) -Job prospects – many learners leave schools but there is no jobs available so they get depressed and discouraged = underachieve at school To conclude Schools of a variety of classroom practices that acknowledge the diversity among learners and differentiate according to individual learning suggests that these practices should be encouraged in inclusive classrooms. In these ways, schools can learn from one another and can increase their repertoire of strategies that enable support, address barriers to learning and provide quality education for their learners. Thank you.

Individualism in “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Essay

Individualism is a very important thing in everyone’s life, its part of our personality as portrayed in the story called, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Taking away that individualism is taking apart some of that person. The book in many ways shows what would happen if no one was different and all the people in the world were the same, or basically how disastrous. One example is when the Bergeron’s were watching TV and the announcer came on to announce. He started out enthusiastically and with fire, but automatically got a shock. He tried to act out and be the announcer man with energy, but since everyone was the same he just gave up and let the ballerina read the announcements in monotone voice. Now I for one would never want to hear n announcer that talked in one tone the whole entire time. I addition Vonnegut shows another example is how all the smart and beautiful people have to wear mental and physical handicaps. They wear those handicaps because the government wanted to make everyone equal. So basically if you were even a little bit smart, you would get a handicap and that went with physical attributes too. Finally, the author uses the character Harrison as how most people should act, but being someone different. He acted out and rebelled against the government when they were forcing everyone to be the same. Instead of going with the flow he chose to be himself, and literally broke the chains that the government was using to handicap him. Overall, being you is the best thing to do in life, but society today is portraying the perfect kid that everyone is trying to be.

A Linguistic Analysis of Two Newspaper Articles Essay

Analyze two newspaper articles with respect to the tools of linguistics. This work includes two newspaper articles. Article one is called â€Å"Pakistan’s alternative tourism industry† by Shyema Sajjad (Pakistani perspective) and article two is named as â€Å"CIA Contractor Raymond Davis is Free—Now Is the Time to Reconsider Our Support for Pakistan’s Government† by Christian Whiton (American perspective). Firstly, this assignment will work at two levels of analyzing article discourse. The first level includes the structuring of propositions and the second includes their sequence. Furthermore, the examination of individuals and actions fall under the first stage and the sequencing of these actions into a coherent whole follow it. Any discourse analysis moves from micro- level examination to macro-level examination. Likewise, newspaper discourse moves from word level (lexis) to sentence level. All these linguistic tools gradually progress from minor root-scale study to group-scale research. Starting off with level one, the lexical habits of the given articles would be firstly stated separately, than, contrasted. LEXICAL ANALYSIS:- The analysis of particular words used in a newspaper text is always the first stage of any textual analysis. Article one:- In this article, words belong to various categories to instigate some important questions. The lexical categories in this article includes the words of business, words of war and racial animosity, words of falsehood and propaganda, words of currency and lastly words of predator versus prey. Words of Business: – These include exchange, ticket, breezing in and out, plan, deal, package transaction. Words of war: – These include shoot, risk, despair, control, attack, zeal, panic, get-away, masterstroke. Words of racial animosity: – sheer panic on America’s face, US law-makers. Words of falsehood and propaganda: – hide-outs, compensation, cloudy circumstances, murky status, fumbled and mumbled, diplomatic immunity fed various lies. Words of Currency: – lots and lots of money, transaction, price. Words of predator versus prey: – kill, risk, shoot at will, deaths, rescue, Pakistan is a playground. Article two:- Words of racial animosity: – supposed US ally, arrangement Pakistan broke, unlawful for Pakistan, over-all incident is outrageous, Pakistan is too corrupt. Words of money: – blood money, pouring money, US support, payment, pay handsomely, paying bribes, month’s check, massive hand-out of cash. Words of doubt and mistrust: – debate on our reliance to Pakistan , scandalous, lawless behavior, insulting, signing off, Pakistan is too corrupt. Words of war: – negligence, kill, hostages, adversaries, killing spree, hunted. LEXICAL COMPARISON OF BOTH ARTICLES:- In both these articles, words exhibit clear meanings. The racial characteristics have been displayed in wholesale manner by contrastive words of animosity and rage. Irony and satire has been used which contends with human absurdities. Disparity of opinions and rivalry has been depicted through the words like shoot at will, scandalous, bribes etc. Collapse of friendship and feelings of hostility are prevalent throughout the text. Money has been tagged as a corrupting factor for both the governments. Likewise, the theme of predator versus the prey, hunter versus the hunted has been depicted by showing Pakistan as a â€Å"playground†. Moreover the concept of us and them has been portrayed. Certain negative words have been used to show the negligence of Pakistani government through the phrases like â€Å"now† is the time to â€Å"reconsider† â€Å"our† support for â€Å"Pakistani Government† and â€Å"what will â€Å"our† adversaries conclude?†etc. Thus both of the articles stand apart from each other. We notice that how the roles of the participant are reversed through the choice of strong words. Both the writers have used convincing lexis to support their case. And we as the readers are easily able to draw different connotations through the choice of strong words. NAMING AND REFERENTIAL STRATEGIES:- The way people are named in news discourse can have significant impact on the way in which they are viewed. Article one:- This article by a Pakistani writer takes an explicitly projected sarcastic mood. All the text has been explained as an ironic commentary castigating the new tourism packages Pakistan has recently offered. In this article America has been named openly as a predator on Pakistani â€Å"playground†. The writer gives America a symbol of a â€Å"tourist† who avails the â€Å"adventure package† and makes it back home â€Å"unharmed†. Another important naming strategy is the indirect use of â€Å"You† to connote Raymond Davis at an individual level and also America as whole, at a more advanced level. Calling America and Davis with the â€Å" you-perspective† takes an ironic atmosphere- both verbal irony and irony of situation. The word â€Å"you† also magnify the separated statuses of us and them . Article two:- In this article, Pakistan has been awarded words connoting hatred and disrespect. All through the length of the article, the American writer explicitly isolates Pakistan by the use of words like â€Å"Pakistani Government†, Pakistani officials, reliance on Pakistan. Pakistan has been given a simile of â€Å"a corrupt system†. On the contrary India has been mentioned as â€Å"democratic India† showing friendly allegiance with her. Davis has also been called in terms of a national hero through the words like â€Å"US Official†. On another point Davis has been flaunted by an isolated â€Å"Mr. Davis† highlighting his raised and respectful stature for America. Pakistan has also been constantly insulted by ironic remarks as a â€Å"supposed US ally†. Comparison and analysis:- The colloquial stance characterized by a simplicity yet directness of diction pervades the two articles. Both articles are crisp and taunting in their expression of hatred and disgust. War-like enmity and hunting themes are recurrent through the alienation of naming techniques. Pakistan, US and Davis stand clearly and shine independently throughout the textual canvas. PREDICATION:- This technique bears similarity with referential strategies. It means linguistically assigning qualities to persons, animals, objects, events, actions and social phenomenon. Article one:- The Pakistani newspaper article has a redundant use of predications for example words like â€Å"not revealed, not disclosed, don’t despair, don’t worry† shows the writer’s covert stance. Also verbs like â€Å"targets, accused, and shoots† connote war-like imagery. The most significant verbs in this article belong to the theme of treachery and conceit. For example, â€Å"taking us for a ride over and over† and â€Å"we will be fed various lies, contradictions, pacifications and denials†. Here, riding a dangerous joyride and feeding poisonous contaminated food could be the hidden analogies the writer wants to make. Article two: – The American perspective is also full of sarcastic lashings and derogatory remarks about Pakistan. The writer calls Pakistani behavior as â€Å"insulting†. Moreover, Pakistan’s money dependency on America has been bitterly mentioned again and again so as to hammer Pakistan’s greed. For example â€Å"sending† billions of US dollars to Islamabad and â€Å"paying bribes† does â€Å"nothing† to help these matters. Another example is â€Å"pouring money† into a corrupt system â€Å"encourages† corruption. Comparison:- Verbs of contrastive meanings have been used to highlight pessimistic atmosphere of rage and fury. The collapse of human relationships in the destructiveness of today’s racial frustration is a major motif in both the texts. SENTENCE CONTRUCTION : SYNTAX AND TRANSIVITY Transitivity describes the relationships between the participants and the roles they play in the processes described in reporting. According to Simpson, in any process there are three components that can be changed. These components are the participants, the process and the circumstances. Noun phrase is used for participant, verb phrase for the process and the adverbial and prepositional phrase for the circumstances. The process is further subdivided into verbal process, mental process, relational process and material process. Material process further includes the transitive actions and intransitive actions. All these points will be explored in both articles. Article one: – The first article enumerates an indirect depiction of Raymond Davis incident. The audience immediately becomes attuned to the story-like arrangement of the incident in terms of â€Å"a tourism package†. The recurrent themes of the article keep the readers at the edge of their seats enjoying every bit of information the story reveals. In this article, there is a biting sarcasm which forces the readers to feel the brunt of their absurdity as Pakistanis. Taken as mere puppets, Pakistanis are the â€Å"participants† along with Raymond Davis, America and Pakistani government. Their roles have been described through the nouns mentioned earlier in the assignment. The whole process is that of â€Å"current political unrest† between the two states. This process further takes on a separate tinge as the two governments try to hide their incentives. This process has been described by the words like â€Å"grilled† â€Å"fumbled and mumbled†. All the four process es have been used. All four kinds of processes are used. The verbal processes include the verbs like, hitting, speaking, working, trying and rejecting etc. Mental processes include the words like accepting. There are different sentences which includes the relational processes, like â€Å"what’s the harm in putting a price to someone’s life’ ‘what a fantastic master-stroke it was’ As far as the material process is concerned it includes the transitive and intransitive action. The transitive action involves the agent and the object of the action while the intransitive involves only one participant. The transitive action is evident when the writer states that: ‘to know more about the US Drone strike experience, you will be given access to information† The intransitive action is missing in this article. Article two:- The process is again the Davis issue. Participants are Davis, American and Pakistani government. India and Afghanistan have also been mentioned. The mental process includes conclude, reconsider. The material processes are present. The transitive action is represented through the sentence â€Å"We should take this opportunity to reconsider our support to Pakistani government†. Only these processes are present. SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION: MODALITY Modals are a tool to evaluate and judge. They play a significant part in sentence structure. They are the opposite strategies to transitivity. Article one:- In this article modals have been used. The modal of may have been used in the sentence â€Å"Regarding the deaths-blood money may need to be pain†. Here may is used as a modal for probability. Modal of will in the sentence, â€Å"Will the US ever contradict over Davis’s immunity?† has been projected as a modal of future intention and prediction. This stance is showing the writer’s evaluative stance. Article two: – This article is redundantly occupied with modals. Sentences like â€Å"Aid to Pakistan should be halted†, â€Å"the bribe paid for Mr. Davis’s release should be subtracted from this month’s check for Islamabad†, â€Å"Congress should act†. Here should have been used as a modal of obligation, necessity and prediction. Modals of can have also been applied. For example â€Å"From this, Congress can at least mitigate the damage†. This modal depicts ability, possibility, and request. Modal of would is exemplified in the sentence, â€Å"Some would conclude that our largesse for Pakistan buys us access to neighboring Afghanistan†. This modal has been applied to show condition, habit and preference. Comparison:- Modals have strengthened the author’s stance in both the articles. All the participants are fully embroiled in action and continually leash out negativities. The startling fury and terse comments predates the articles and alert us to meanings beyond the common core of the words spoken. Where the Pakistani author embeds her exposition of situation into the flow of the dialogue, the American author echoes his speech with successive poison-drenched words of accuse and mistrust. Hence, the modal choices are an indication of the attitudes, judgments or the political beliefs of the writer or a speaker. PRESUPPOSITION Presupposition is the relation between form and function. These are hidden and presupposed meanings in a text. It is an implicit claim hidden in the explicit claim of the text. Article one:- The hidden stance in article one is clearly that the release of Davis is â€Å"not† justified. The hidden stance can be expressed through the use of articles, nouns and verbs. In this article, the use of â€Å"You† shows a mocking point of views. The cynicism is directed towards the Pakistani authorities to have swallowed the blood money. Verbs like paid, underestimated, and hunting all show the implicitness of war between the two nations. Adjective used for showing the height of irony is â€Å"fantastic masterstroke† to express the mockery of the blood money transaction. Wh-questions are also present like â€Å" who will pay that-you wonder†. Article two:- There is hidden or covert stance in this article. Although the author bluntly states his hatred for Pakistan, his stance could be presupposed to some extent. His attitude is direct and cutting. The sharpness of tongue and use of modals defends his political perspective. On top of that, the author successively throws questions at the government and people to reconsider their mode of action. The presuppositions in this article are triggered by the use of â€Å"wh-questions† For example â€Å"what will our adversaries conclude?† RHETORICAL TROPES:- Rhetorical devices are used for persuasion and convincing. It has five sub-catagories. 1. HYPERBOLE:- It means excessive exaggeration. Article one: – Hyperbole is prevalent in the sentences like â€Å"Pakistan tourism offers a new package which has been tried, tested and proven successful†. This extended image of tourism package is a hyperbole to clarify the image of free trespassing on Pakistani grounds. Later this hyperbole has been further explained through descriptive phrases like â€Å"Adventure package†, â€Å"adventure plan†, â€Å"Pakistan is a playground—you can take anything and anyone on a ride†. All these words show overelaborated images of Pakistani naivety and vulnerability. Article two:- This article is full of exaggerated frustration on part of America. For example the sentences like â€Å"Assistance from US taxpayers to Pakistan has increased to a sky-high average of $ 1.5 billion per year. The gal of asking for an extra $ 2.3 million payment on top of it is insulting†. Here exaggeration is depicted through words like â€Å"sky-high†, â€Å"extra†, â€Å"on top of it†. Moreover, sentences like â€Å"Pakistan is far too corrupt for economic system to work†, â€Å"Pakistan still uses and supports terrorists as tools for national policy†. All these accusations are false and are based on misinformation.