Existential Therapy for Sexually Abused Children free essay sample

Theory practice, humanistic techniques, patient-therapist relationship, interventions, role of family and effectiveness. ABSTRACT This paper examines existential therapy for victims of childhood sexual abuse. The paper begins with a brief report on the incidence and effects of childhood sexual as well as a short overview of the basic objectives and strategies of the existential theory of therapy. This is followed by a delineation and discussion of various interventions utilizing existential principals and theory as their conceptual foundation. The paper ends with a formulation of conclusions based on the reviewed literature. Existential Theory For Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse Incidence and Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse According to Allgeier and Allgeier (1992) between fourteen and twenty-one percent of Americans (mostly women) have suffered..

Capitalization Rules for the Names of Games

Capitalization Rules for the Names of Games Capitalization Rules for the Names of Games Capitalization Rules for the Names of Games By Mark Nichol How do you style the first letter of words for games and similar entertainment? The default setting is lowercase, though of course there are exceptions. Names of card games are lowercased except for words normally capitalized, thus poker, but â€Å"Texas hold ’em.† Names for other games of chance, whether more or less â€Å"legitimate† ones like Russian roulette and bingo, those that straddle both worlds (like craps, which has two forms: casino, or table craps, and street craps), and confidence games like three-card monte, follow the same rules. Names of variations, and other terminology, aren’t capitalized, either. Those of strategy games such as chess and checkers are lowercased, too (but note â€Å"Chinese checkers†), as are names of tile games such as dominoes. Traditional children’s games like tag and hopscotch, and those with more complex names, such as capture the flag, hide-and-seek, and king of the castle, need no special emphasis, either. Brand names of trademarked games like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Chutes and Ladders are capitalized, but note that it is not necessarily to use registration symbols with them. (You will, of course, note the r in a circle adjacent to the brand name on the game itself and in printed and online literature published by the company, as well as in written materials of any company affiliated or in partnership with the trademark holder, but no other publication is required to include such symbols.) Names of electronic games follow the same rule. You may also see these names italicized or enclosed in quotation marks; the justification for these styles is that such games have a narrative and are therefore equivalent to films. However, names of kinds of software are capitalized but not italicized. Names for games like pool and its variants, foosball, air hockey, and other tabletop entertainments should not be capitalized. Names of competitive sports such as baseball, basketball, and football are lowercase, but note that Major League Baseball is not merely a description of the highest level of professional baseball in the United States but also the official designation and is thus capitalized. Names of large competitive events are capitalized: Examples include, in the United States, the World Series and the Super Bowl, and internationally, the Olympic Games (informally called the Olympics) and the Pan American Games. (But note that â€Å"Highland games† is a description and not the name of a specific event.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Comma Before ButHow to Write a Proposal

Research ethics and nature of practitioner research Literature review

Research ethics and nature of practitioner research - Literature review Example Even so, it has only been until recent that, in education, teachers began benefitting from the practice. Practitioner research has been employed as a means of bridging the gap between practices and theory. There have been the urges for teachers to cultivate action research as a way of improving education, as well as reconstructing knowledge (Berker 103). Other areas of practice have also not been left behind, all targeting to add to existing information, as well as bridging the gap between theory and practice. Various debates pertaining to practitioner research have emerged. As such, there have been deliberations pertaining to the real nature of practitioner research, as well as its values, qualities and the underlying activities. This paper explores the nature of practitioner research. Besides, ethical codes of conduct have been one of the areas that can not be overlooked as far as the efficacy of practitioner research is concerned. Putting this into consideration, this paper explor es various issues pertaining to ethics, in relation to practitioner research. Ethics and practitioner Research Ethics are about actions people or members of certain community should undertake. There is a close relationship between ethics and morality. Thus, a practitioner who behaves in a manner that is moral can be said to uphold ethics For instance, journalists who tell the truth would be said to be ethical. In the same way, soldiers ought to be courageous and a research practitioner should stick to ethics of research (Pewro 56). Ethics are also a set of desirable feature that an organization needs its members to uphold. Despite the fact that fact that ethics have often been associated with mannerism or etiquette, the two terms are not the same. In this regard, codes of ethics should not incline on areas such as a mode of dressing, as well as politeness of the research practitioners. Additionally, there is no association between aesthetics and ethics. Parallels can only be drawn b etween morality and ethics. Thus, ethical codes of conduct are based on principles of morality. Nevertheless, it also encompasses what is desirable. For instance, a mechanical engineer may insist on certain wheels because he is concerned about upholding safety. Research practitioners may insist on certain approaches because of reliability. Clearly, such may be beyond the stipulations of moral principles, as well as the law (Ayres and Braithwaite 23). Sanctions should only be applied in relation to minimum standards (morality), rather than the expected ideals (ethics). The perception that ethical codes of conduct are rules that delineate actions that are supposed to be carried out is not comprehensive. More often than not, ethics allude to virtues, such as those pertaining to integrity, and condemn vices such as those associated with dishonesty. In addition, codes of conduct ought to touch on attitudes such as empathy and sympathy (Bless 34). In all these cases, ethos and the culture of organization, society or community are what influence the ethical code of conduct. Culture can be viewed as attitudes of people towards certain subjects, people or actions. The subject of ethic is often inclined on culture; thus, any approach pertaining to ethics and ethical code of conduct should put into consideration various cultural aspects. In this regard, the ethical codes of

Richard Nixon-successes and failures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Richard Nixon-successes and failures - Essay Example Although started by the Kennedy-Johnson Administration, it was President Nixon who oversaw the peak of the war in Vietnam. This war would lead to loss of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese lives and 50,000 American lives. Waged on grounds of ideological defense against Soviet Communism, the Vietnam War proved to be a public relations disaster for the American government and depleted its treasury. Eventually, the war was called-off by President Nixon due to mounting public pressure and escalating domestic issues. But the most embarrassing episode in the career of President Nixon was his involvement in the Watergate affair, where he used unethical and illegitimate means to cover-up his wrongdoings. He also used threats and coercive tactics to undermine the Democratic Party who were at the case. When major newspapers in the country broke the news of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon had little choice but to resign from office and face trial. He spent the rest of his life in politica l wilderness, only rarely making public appearances, as he was burdened with shame and guilt. In sum, the career and Presidency of Richard Nixon is a mix of limited successes and glaring failures. Reference: John Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to U.S. History, ISBN 066933488X (0-669-33488-X), published by D C Heath & Co.

Public relations in music and media subject Article

Public relations in music and media subject - Article Example This "Public relations in music and media subject" article describes "Ears Music Limited" a fiction company utilised for the purpose of this work. On this basis, as a start up venture intending to establish a self sustaining operation by the end of the first three years trading within Ears Music Limited has decided to move away from the traditional music publishing model and set up a publishing company primarily geared towards the film and television industry and through licensing and synchronisation deals, combine the increasing demand and customer base in the lucrative film and television market with the increased use of digital music consumption through the placement of songs in online advertising. This part of Ears Music Limited’s development will be part of phase 1 in developing the initial growth of the company, which will include a combination of licensing deals, potential joint venture deals and signing staff writers for song placements. Ears Limited will utilise funds developed during phase 2 to further develop joint ventures with digital media agencies to grow the business in online song placement. The intention will then be to re-strategise the business and develop further by developing in-house recording facilities and key song-writer signings. The philosophy of Ears Music Limited is to look towards successfully exploiting opportunities in music publishing outside the traditional music publishing model and continue creating new opportunities in the marketplace to sustain longevity. Moreover, it is submitted that that the contemporary marketplace, the evolution of the internet business model has forced the music business in particular to rethink corporate marketing strategy and this is further highlighted by the proliferation of the multi-channel retailing paradigm as required retailers to "innovate" in order to maintain position in the marketplace (Levy & Weitz, 2008; Kusek, 2008; Gordon; 2008). As such, it is submitted

How Important Is Race In US Politics?

How Important Is Race In US Politics? I am the son of a Black man from Kenya and a White woman from Kansas, asserted Barack Obama in 2008; and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story possible. This speech came in March 2008; until this point candidates on both sides had avoided discussing race as an issue. Obama wished to establish himself as a candidate outside of race, yet ultimately this was not possible. Those opposed to this strategy ensured that race remained an integral factor in the 2008 election and the wider US political scene. Race can be seen to link to a variety of policy areas. For example, a recent New York Times article states that, four in 10 Black children are born into poverty [while] less than one in 10 White children are.  [2]  Statistics such as this demonstrate that race in connection with economics and class are central issues for US politics more generally. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention compiled an extensive report in January 20 11 detailing racial disparities in a broad array of health problems; highlighting the continual significance of race as a policy issue, particularly in popular discourse, as this report received much mainstream media attention.  [3]  Yet the subsequent issues raised by race have changed. No longer are blatant displays of racism socially or legally acceptable; so what is preventing us from deeming America a post-racial society?  [4]  Furthermore, why is a post-racial society the aspiration? On the one hand, it falls in line with the American principle of a united nation, yet on the other hand it is considered dangerous to attempt to embrace different cultures, after so many years of segregation. Furthermore, the absence of overt discrimination does not mean that exclusion has ended, rather, that the character of [such] discrimination has changed.  [5]   This paper shall argue the continuing importance of race in US politics, both through its overt influence on policy making as well as its implicit influence; as often discussions which avoid race are making an equally important statement. This essay shall consider race largely in terms of traditional binaries of Black and White. Incorporating an analysis of ethnicity will be too broad, particularly as language and immigration would need to be considered. Obamas election as a mixed-race American has brought traditional binaries of Black and White back to the forefront of discussions. While other minority groups do add another layer of complexity, analysis of this goes beyond the scope of this essay. A further constraint has meant that race will be discussed with regard to the domestic, and in particular, on a federal level. Historically race issues differed between states, and while there may still be variation regarding perceptions between more conservative or more liberal states, a discussion of federal policy regarding race will allow wider conclusions to be drawn. Race can be considered to encompass issues of governmental policy, party policy, public perceptions and political strategy. If race is viewed in this way it is possible to attempt to separate political and legislative conceptions of race from discussions of individual discrimination. The former is the focus for this paper. All of these factors become heightened during election years, where race continues to divide people, even within the same party. Notably, the emergence Tea Party faction on the Republican side, a platform for conservative populist discontent demonstrates views held are not true of all of the Republican Party; furthermore, it may not necessarily represent views of all Tea Party movements, as there is no single Tea Party.  [6]  It is the nature of US political parties to encompass huge variation within the main parties. Election years provide an increased awareness of the political, and as such will provide recent examples of the trends in racial politics. This c an be seen presently through the debate over Obamas place of birth; with the administration choosing to release the long birth certificate before the next election cycle. The argument will proceed through three substantive sections; firstly a discussion of race and the electorate; second, the factors which continue to shape racial inequality; and finally governing, including an analysis of candidate choice. Race and class Recent shifts in the American demographic are crucial to understanding how race as an issue has changed, particularly in the post-Bush era. This change in administration provided substantive change in some areas, but arguably not during the 2008 campaign period. Minorities did, and will, continue to be a secondary concern while White voters retain plurality status, this notion featured prominently in the 2008 general election, as voting statistics suggest parties will continue to bring White issues to the forefront in order to win elections. It can be seen that there is a glaring ideological disconnect between the desire and reality of a race-free society.  [7]  Teasley and Ikard, in their article The Myth of Postracism suggest the danger of complete investment in postracial thinking, particularly for the most economically vulnerable African American population. The prominent liberal view of racial policy suggests a cautious approach, favouring the idea of a colour blind society. While it is suggested that there is no currently viable alternative to a liberal vision of race, it can be inferred that at least racialism as a theory acknowledges the persistence of racism in America.  [8]  Critical Race Theory (CRT) favours a race conscious approach, reliant upon political organisation. In arguing the need for CRT, Metzler presents an argument for why the term postracial is meaningless as a critique.  [9]  Usefully, the theory also allows for intersections between race, class and sex. A basic premise is that while electoral decisions may claim to be colour blind they are actually steeped in racist ideology.  [10]  For example, it can be argued that race as a political factor will be avoided as much as possible; unless a politicians political survival depends on it. Example 2008 or Sotomoyar The premise of a race neutral campaign is to develop a coalition of support, regardless of race. Yet ultimately, there remains a divergence as to why different r acial groups voted for Obama, while many Whites voted for Obama as a way to move beyond race, many Blacks voted for him as a way to vindicate the entire Black race.  [11]  While the term vindicate may be unnecessarily emotive, the notion of collective Black support for Obama is significant as an example of the continual relevance of race in US electoral politics and the differing motives for voting behaviour. The mere suggestion that issues still exist as Black or White demonstrates the continuing importance of race. After his 2000 election victory, Bush was famously advised that if he did not improve his minority vote, he would be unable to win the next election. The pattern of immigration in the US has left the country with a large multicultural demographic. The nature of such immigration, being both forced through slavery, and voluntary, is a relatively unique phenomenon; as such racial issues are historically rooted in much of American society. This seems to make some of the electorate, particularly minorities, more inclined to talk about race, while often having the opposite affect among White voters. Due to the growth in minority populations, there has been a proportional decrease to the White population. In 2008, the Black population alone comprised 12.8% of the population. The national census of 2010 puts this original figure at 12.6%, demonstrating a further demographic shift, wi th African Americans no longer comprising the majority minority, with the Black population comprising a smaller proportion than other minority groups.  [12]  This suggests a limit to traditional oppositional binaries of Black vs. White, with new minorities gaining ever increasing populations, and in theory increasing significance. Binaries remain important, but it is important to realise that they do not always give us a complete picture; as an increasing number of citizens describing themselves as multi-racial, 3.4% in the last census.  [13]  However, in the 2008 election focus was not given evenly to each minority group. Perhaps because some minority groups are more valuable when translated into votes, or perhaps because some groups are more politically active than others. South Asian voters had a huge impact on the democratic primaries in 2008, particularly in California, yet the binary view continued to dominate discussions. This may have been a temporary fluctuation, en couraged by the race between a Black candidate and a White candidate for the presidency. Yet it seems that the trend is actually a continuation from a longstanding history of dealing in terms of Black and White issues of race. The Black community also remains much more vocal than other minority groups, particularly more assimilated Asian voters. Ultimately, binaries remain useful in demonstrating the importance of race in contemporary politics, as it remains that conflicts between Black issues and White issues are at the forefront of debate, particularly with regard to healthcare and education. In the 1990s, Bill Clinton restored the Democratic Partys competitiveness by mostly avoiding the race-specific rhetoric and policies that had helped drive disaffected White voters toward the Republican opposition. The boom he presided over produced political and economic benefits for African-American families as well as well as Whites, making him popular with both groups. Comparing this to the situation in 2008; a deeper analysis of Obamas poll numbers [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] indicates that very little changed in terms of voting habits in this election cycle.  [14]  Thus, on the surface it seems significant that Obama has successfully reproduced the polling numbers of Clinton, a White Southerner, adding substance to the post-racial argument.  [15]  Yet in context, Obama was nominated during a period of frustration with the outgoing Republican administration, at a time of economic uncertainty, and when a generation of African Americans had won elected office. Thus it can be seen how race as a domestic issue is closely interlinked with other factors, notably feeling toward the outgoing administration and the fluctuating state of the economy. As such, examples which are often cited to demonstrate the decreasing significance of race can actually be at least partially attributed to other factors. The socioeconomic divide in America is expanding; in a multiracial society where the races are unequal, there will often be a racial dimension to class differences, for class is an efficient recoder of racism.  [16]  Reed suggests that this is an historical trend, built on the back of enslaved Africans, as such, for Reed, race and colour have always been the ultimate determinants of socioeconomic status.  [17]  Yet it seems that the greatest divide came long after the period of reconstruction. Since 1970 the socioeconomic divide has become more evident; while the status of the most disadvantaged members of the minority population deteriorated, that of the advantaged has notably improved.  [18]  This is clearest in relation to the Black American population. As such, it seems that race becomes less important because of socioeconomic factors. The rate of improvement is also notable; in several areas, such as college attendance, Blacks [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] have made those improv ements at a relatively faster rate than the reported progress of comparable Whites.  [19]  Thus, the fact that the number of Blacks enrolled full-time at colleges and universities nearly doubled between 1970 and 1980 (to over 1 million) demonstrates that there is a growing economic schism between lower-income and higher-income Black families, with the lower members of the community being left behind.  [20]  Policies such as affirmative action enhance this trend, doing more for the more advantaged members of Black communities compared to those from lower incomes. With race being so closely connected to socioeconomic conditions, it only increases its importance as a factor in US politics as the subject becomes broader. Hooks divides the Black community into class groups, and suggests that this has a considerable impact on perceptions by both the Black and the White community.  [21]  The impact of this has been to divide the Black community into sub groups, with many of the higher-income families becoming increasingly assimilated with the White community. As a basic concept this is still relevant, yet much of what Hooks outlined has become dated. Hooks argued that class-based racial integration disrupted what he terms, racial solidarity in essence; that previously class standing was irrelevant to the Black community, but increased integration has erased this bond between communities.  [22]  While it can be accepted that there did exist a sense of community, it is not true to say this has diminished to the extent which Hooks believed. Significantly, it seems the nomination of Obama reignited a sense of Black community; the mobilisation of Black voters can be attributed to a growing sense of g roup consciousness and empowerment.  [23]  Yet what is more convincing, is Hooks argument regarding communities. The emergence of what has been termed, a Black middle class, has led to wealth being removed from communities, leaving the poor and underclass as isolated segregated communities.  [24]   Race and the media It is important to consider whether race can continue to be discussed independently, or if class is now a more important issue. It seems the two issues are, and have been, fundamentally intertwined, due to long standing inequalities linking back to before the Civil War. However, the extent of this has changed, and the emergence of Black middle class has led class to move toward the forefront of political discussions of race. It is significant to discuss how and why the public produce conceptions of race, with particular emphasis on the role of the media as a source. As a nation, America emerged from a unique system of oppression and slavery. As such, race remains deeply rooted in the lives of many Americans. In an age where post-racial politics seems to be a common aspiration, for electoral benefit as much as for issues of equality, it is important to realise how race continues to appear on the political agenda. Some significant events can be cited in contemporary American politics a s periods of change. The terrorist attacks of September 2001 permanently altered American domestic and foreign policy and new issues of race were raised with the growing politicisation of Islamophobia. More recently, with regard to the binaries discussed so far, came the political impact of hurricane Katrina in 2005. Worst affected by this disaster was the city of New Orleans, which had a substantial Black population. The suffering of the people of New Orleans allowed the Democratic Party to establish itself as an alternative; and allowed it to distinguish itself through the racial politics of hurricane Katrina. It gave the Democrats the chance to put race onto the political agenda, yet arguably Obama attempted to distance himself from this strategy. This task was made easier for the Democrats due to a period of highly publicised racial shaming. By the time of the 2008 election, the Democrats were seen as a viable alternative to the Republican Party, who were famously said not to ca re about Black people.  [25]  This quote from an influential Black performer became a popular sound bite, demonstrating the importance of the media, and as such it did much to contribute to Bushs unpopularity. Following hurricane Katrina, many people sought to answer the question of whether its social effects and the government response to the countrys biggest natural disaster had more to do with race or class. Or if again, they were unavoidably linked. An argument surrounds the prominence race received as a factor in the Katrina disaster. While liberals could be accused of citing race in an attempt to reference a wider, more historic discrimination against Blacks, it was not an effective strategy as it did little to alter government policy. Therefore, although addressing Katrina as a race issue had a profound effect on the electorate, it was only later that it began to really influence policy. However, it seems that concluding class to be a more significant factor, is to divert attention away from race, thus [discouraging] a deeper discussion about the ways race and class intertwine.  [26]  Ultimately, Katrina is a prime example of the intrinsic way race and class are intertwined, largely due to the historical nature of racism in the region, in relation to housing and neighbourhood distribution. Few comparisons were made between White and Black residents, but as Lavelle and Feagin suggest; only 17% of Whites lacked access to a car to evacuate with, compared to 60% of Black residents.  [27]  Media images showed nearly all those left suffering in New Orleans were Black Americans, making it seem like a race issue; however those in more financially stable positions were able to live in safer areas, those families most able to afford homes in safer flood-protected areas and that had resources to evacuate easily suffered much less than poorer families, seemingly suggesting a class issue. Furthermore, what is also significant about the Katrina example is the way in which the media reported the story. The media are one of the most effective methods of communication across the US, as such, what is reported is highly influential among the electorate; It is universally accepted that mass media hold great power, as they transmit information to the public and are free to highlight certain news items and ignore others, setting the agenda of public life and creating consensus or disagreement on certain issues.  [2 8]  However, it took until September, a month after the disaster, for the media story to shift from stories of Black crime to the failures of government in mediating the disaster. Representation of race in the media has often contained rigid stereotypes, particularly with regard to the traditional binaries. This becomes increasingly problematic when it is considered that the portrayal may equate to the only contact a member may have with a particular racial group. In a study carried out by Johnson, he highlighted this dilemma; questioning the consequences; If somebody is living in Boston, and all their information on Black Bostonians comes from the media, what does that look like?  [29]  Johnson purported that White owned media in Boston tended to report more according to stereotypes than the Black owned media. While it was the Black owned agencies that were said to carry more positive stories, alongside the negative. Conducting a follow up to this initial study in the 1980s, Johnson looked at the distribution of coverage at the turn of the century. While crime stories continue to top the kind of coverage given to African Americans, the percentage of this coverage has dropped. Among Black owned media, education stories became central, with crime stories being placed much lower. Perceptions are crucial in politics, particularly in such a vast nation as America. Kellstedt suggests that there is a lack of substantive evidence supporting the notion that media coverage of race actually affects public opinion in any systematic way, yet he goes on to assert that it is an underlying assumption that the media has helped shape the course of race politics.  [30]  Due to their communicative role, the way the media chose to relay stories, or even the choice in stories they portray, have a profound impact in the electorate; there is a discourse of racism that advances the interests of Whites and that has an identifiable repertoire of words, images, and practices through which racial power is applied.  [31]  However, although the media still dominate communication, candidates are having an increasingly close relationship with the electorate through mediums such as social networking. As such, it seems candidates are getting increasing access to the electorate, thus racial issues can be dealt with or avoided, as the candidates chose. Of course this is relative, and the media will always retain the power of scrutiny, as is the nature in a liberal democracy. If the media shape the political agenda in the aforementioned way, then what constitutes a racial issue? It seems any number of issues could constitute a racial issue. For example, with regard to education the percentage rates of high school graduates can be used to summarise that Black students are still failing at an alarming rate compared with White students.  [32]  Or with regard to housing; although overt discrimination is no longer practiced, other practices still take place to isolate minorities from the housing market. Issues regarding joblessness, healthcare and criminal justice all continue to disproportionally affect people of colour. But what is important to question is whether these issues should be framed as racial issues, or whether this in itself is an acknowledgement of a continual inequality. If the nation were to truly adopt colour blind policies, then the theory would suggest that issues should be discussed independently from race. As such, a policy about the environment should be isolated, even though it may impact disproportionately communities of colour. But if these issues are no longer treated in isolation, politicians can be accused of pandering towards affirmative action, which is still viewed sceptically by many of the electorate. To acknowledge that so many political issues can become issues of race acknowledges the uniqueness of race as an issue area. Whether the trade-off between isolating policies is acceptable, or desirable, gets to the heart of racial policy in the USA. Is Race neutrality possible? Finally, it will be useful to look at the last presidential campaign, in order to discuss whether it can be concluded that the campaign was race neutral, and why this may have been an aspiration to so many candidates.  [33]  While this may have been the intention, partisan strategy among other factors, ensured that race was not allowed to remain off the political agenda. This continued to be true in light of the 2010 midterm elections, even though Obama was not on the ticket, much discussion among the media was once again given to his African American status and the impact this would have. Race can be seen to affect politics both implicitly and explicitly. Candidate choice was undoubtedly the aspect of race occupied most by the media. The beginning of the campaign was in line with the notion of an inclusive America. Yet the campaign shifted with the widespread circulation of Reverend Wrights sermon, in which he controversially said, the government lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being a threat to the United States peace.  [34]  Obamas candidacy became very clearly race bound. At this point Obama had to justify himself in racial terms, which was a strategy which had been avoided until this point. The significance of what has since been termed Obamas race speech in 2008 is not just that it was the first point in the campaign that race became openly discussed, but it is rather what Obama did in this speech, he acknowledged the continual tensions; a part of our union we have yet to perfect.  [35]  He demonstrated that he was a clear personification o f both oppositional binaries, while offering an ability to transcend them. Black support can be seen to be both a strength and weakness for democrats. Black support can alienate other groups of voters, traditionally there have been tensions between the Black and Hispanic communities.  [36]  De-racialization is seen during campaigning when candidates attempt to avoid explicit references to race issues, in attempt to remain inclusive. Concurrently, candidates use implicit strategies such as using racial symbolic Black and Latino faces in their literature; while putting increased emphasis on issues which are perceived to be racially transcendent and ultimately, attempt to appeal to a broad selection of the electorate.  [37]  Thus even when race is not vocalised during an election, it still plays a vital role. Charles Hamilton first proposed a race neutral strategy in 1973,  [38]  Obama has been said to follow such strategy, in that he did so much to avoid discussing race as an aspect of his campaign.  [39]  The supposed advantage of such avoida nce is to encompass the widest possible selection of the electorate. With regard to voting behaviour, issues need to be directed at those who will provide the swing vote. There are limitations on the political power and influence of minorities, thus making it rational for parties to focus on the White majority, and to use deracialisation strategies.  [40]  For example, Democrats traditionally receive a disproportionate share of the minority vote, as such, it is in their interest to direct policy to White issues because they can rely on receiveing Black votes regardless; thus, the United States has racially polarized politics while race, itself, is depoliticised.  [41]  The running of a race neutral campaign is an acknowledgement in itself of the importance of race. If accepting that Black and White voters continue to prioritise different issue areas, it is also true to acknowledge that the running of a race-neutral campaign can be difficult to balance. The aim is to attract White voters without losing a connection to the Black community. Race will continue to be an issue even after the election period ends. With regard to Obama, it is again a new phenomenon; if it assumed that the race neutral campaign will extend to an attempt at race neutral governing, then Obama will continue to avoid the issue of race. This has been seen through the first half of his first term. Race issues are not overtly mentioned unless completely necessary. However this is not due to Obamas skilled pragmatism. In fact, it seems Obama may be constrained by those who elected him in the first place, as well as by the partisan tactics of the Republican opposition. If Obama had mounted a concerted series of racial policy issues, then White voters may have felt alienated. A lot of the early fears from the campaign would be perceived to be correct: for example that Obama was an African American; interested in prioritising minority issues. This goes against the intended pluralistic nature of US politics. Reed claims that Americans will have to mount a concerted effort to have Obama promote anything regarded as a Black issue.  [42]  Thus, have African American issues actually been side-lined and consequently jeopardised through the election of the countrys first Black president. If Obama does continue to down play racial issues, Conservative arguments declaring the irrelevance of race will be strengthened.  [43]  Conservatives use Obamas image as a sign that racism is dead, while at the same time evoking race strategies against him.  [44]  Race becomes an unavoidable issue of cont Toyota: Sustainable Strategies And Global Success Toyota: Sustainable Strategies And Global Success The global auto industry is a key sector of the economy for every major country in the world. A huge invests in research, development and production result in gaining high industry performance (OICA, 2010). The high competition of key players in automotive include; BMW, FIAT, Ford, General Motor, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot Citroen, Toyota, Renault, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Daimler à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..(Datamonitor, 2010). Toyota Motor Corporation has become one of the most successful companies in the world today. In 2010, Toyota was ranked number 5 of the worlds largest corporations (Fortune, 2010) and number 11 of the best global brands (Interbrand, 2010). It is also considered as the most profitable organisation of automobile (Datamonitor, 2010). For almost 15 years J.D Power and other research firms have consistently rated Toyota and its luxury line, Lexus, among the top automotive brand. Over 50 years automotive operation worldwide and its launched the world first commercial hybrid car, Prius, enhance Toyota more strengthen and gaining high competitive advantage over the rivals in term of its reputation and reliability, initial quality, and long-term durability (J.D Power, 2010; Stewart and Raman, 2007). Thus, study of Toyota international business operation could be provided distinctive knowledge for researcher in term of strategic implementation from some well-known literatures and an investigation of some facts and information could enhance more analytical skills. Therefore, this report will start with the analysis of automobile industry including; market overview, market size and it competition situation. Follow by the reviews of Toyota Motor Corporation. Then, it strategic management will be examined. After that, Toyota performance assessment will be scrutinized. Strategic analysis will be provided in order to obtain deep analysis of corporation. Finally, conclusion part will be summarised all information according to the researchers study. 1. Automobile Industry 1.1 Market Overview Due to the progressive globalization, the climate change and the idea of air quality improvement, automobile manufacturers have put more efforts to create sustainable development which is to minimise fuel consumption and exhaust emission (UNEP, 2002). They have also made use of advanced technological solution to reduce waste and emission in the factories as well as to improve the vehicle safety and recycling ideas (Oliver Wyman, 2010; UNEP, 2002). Moreover, it is very crucial for the industry to continue the concept of great product design and innovative development such as the initiative in hybrid technology (Sturgeon, 2009, Oliver Wyman, 2010). In addition, Sturgeon et. al. (2009) explained four characteristics of the automobile industry which are: A small number of huge firms have more power than small companies. Eleven huge and dominant companies from three countries including Japan, Germany, and the USA. The automobile industry has developed strong regional structure along with globalisation integration. The final product assembly of vehicle has been moved to the home market due to political sensitivity issues. There are only few generic parts and component systems that can be fit to all products. Therefore, it has to be customised before production. The automobile markets condition has also been driven by globalization which can be divided into four categories Market globalisation drivers, Cost globalsation drivers, Government globalisation drivers, and Competitive globalisation drivers (YIP, 1992). The firms should understand and recognize these drivers in order to evaluate and gain their competitive advantages. Analysis of the globalisation drivers for the automotive industry is demonstrated in Figure 1. Figure 1: Yips globalization drivers of automobile industry Source: Authors own 1.2 Market Size The global market of new cars has been recovered from a decline in value in 2008. In 2009, the market rose by 2.7% and reached a value of $1,019.2 billion while its combined annual market growth rate was just 2.1% during 2005 2009. According to the pie chart shown on Figure 2, Toyota Motor Corporation took a 15.3% share of the markets volume being a leader in the market, compared to Volkswagen (14.2% ) and Ford (8.1%) (Datamonitor, 2010). Figure 2: Market size and share of automobile Source: Adapted from Datamonitor (2010) 1.3 Porters Five Forces Porters five forces (Porter, 1980) is the crucial tool to be used to analyse the important forces that determined the competitive power of automobile industry as illustrated in figure 3 understand both the strength of your current competitive position, and the strength of a position youre considering moving into. Figure 3: Porters five forces Source: Authors own Threat of New Entrants It can be said that there is low threat of new entrants in the automobile industry since it has reached the mature stage of the product life cycle. If a new company wants to enter the market, it needs to achieve economic of scale cost reduction and mass production. Consequently, the new comer is required to have a huge amount of capital in order to own its automotive manufacture and innovative technology. Moreover, it is quite difficult for a new player to have its distribution channel and dealers due to the strong channel of the key companies and their reputation. Bargaining Power of Suppliers In order to produce a vehicle, it consists of many components perform final product assembly. A lot of suppliers are then involved in production process. They are very similar due to the fact that raw materials are not different. As a result, it will be very easy to change suppliers since they have low bargaining power. Bargaining Power of Buyers Consumers are the main players in this industry since the automotive business depends on them. It is not difficult for them to switch the brands if they are not satisfied. However, in order to purchase a new car, they have to deal with a dealer only. Therefore, it can be said that there is moderately high bargaining power of the buyers in the automotive industry. Threat of Substitute Products Public transport, walking, cycling etc. can be substitute products for automobiles. Also, the geographic location has considerable effect on consumers purchasing decision. People in Venice, for example, travel by boat only. However, it will be more convenient to use automobile in order to go to most places. Consequently, threat of substitute products is moderately low. Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors There is very high intensity of rivalry among competitors due to a lack of product differentiation. It is found that the key players in the industry are fairly balanced; therefore, one can easily gain the others market share. As a consequence, in order to advertise a product, the company has to consider and compare all aspects including quality, price, durability, and others to its competitors. 1.4 Strategic Groups Analysis Porter (1980) defined a strategic group as a group of companies in an industry which implement similar strategy. According to figure 4, it can be seen that the mass market follows cost leadership strategy while differentiation strategy is implemented by the luxury group (Peng, 2009). The ultra-luxury group generally utilises focus strategy (Peng, 2009). For Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota and Scion brands are developed by cost leadership strategy to compete in the mass market whereas it distributes Lexus brand for Luxury market (Toyota, 2010). Figure 4: Strategic group analysis Source: Adapted from Peng (2008) and Henry (2008) Furthermore, Oliver Wyman (2010) suggested that the automobile industry can be split up onto two different types of companies including mega groups and independent champions. Mega groups have their own manufacturers, technologies, platforms, and engines whereas independent champions depend on channel resources and their networks. Consequently, Toyota has been considered as maga groups due to the reasons above. This can be illustrated by successful OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) paradigm as shown in figure 5. Figure 5: Successful OEM diagram Source: Adapted from Oliver Wyman (2010) 2. TOYOTA Motor Corporation 2.1 Company Background Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese automaker, was established in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda (Toyota, 2010). Owning to its solid finance and an increase in demand of vehicles, it had become one of the strongest carmaker around mid-2008 (IHS, 2010). This is also because of its potential business strategy focusing on product innovation and its production efficiency (Takeuchi, Osono, and Shimizu, 2008). Finally, in 2010, Toyota was ranked number 5 of the worlds largest corporations (Fortune, 2010) and number 11 of the best global brands (Interbrand, 2010) 2.2 TOYOTA Global Vision 2020 Toyotas vision is to investigate and balance the relationship between the cycles of nature and the cycles of industry. Thus, its slogan is Open the Frontiers of Tomorrow which expresses the desire of Toyota and the efforts of its employees toward the realization of societys dreams in order to build a way to a new world. The Toyota group believes that it can be accomplished though the energy of people and technology (Figure 6) (Toyota, 2010). Figure 6: Toyota global vision 2020 Source: Adapted from Toyota (2010) 2.3 TOYOTA Biodiversity Guideline Biodiversity framework (Figure 7), one of the sustainability principles of Toyota, was developed in order to emphasise on three areas; contributions through technology, collaboration and cooperation with society, and information disclosure (Toyota, 2010). Figure 7: Toyota biodiversity guideline Source: Adapted from Toyota (2010) 2.4 TOYOTA Corporate Social Responsibility Toyota CSR policy consists of three main areas including social, environmental, and economic aspects (Figure 8). Based on its guideline principle, Toyota implements all business activities in order to create harmonious and sustainable society in each country (Toyota, 2010). Figure 8: Toyota CSR policy Source: Adapted from Toyota (2010) 3. Toyota Strategic Management 3.1 The Toyota Way In 1935, Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the company, originally purposed five key principles to develop company and its employees beliefs (Toyota, 2010). After that, in order to provide rigorous training to the new generation of its employees, the company realised that these five important principles should be documented and divided into two pillars (Figure 9) which are Continuous improvement and Respect for people (Toyota, 2010, Stewart and Raman, 2007). For the first pillar, Continuous improvement can be called Kaizen which is Toyotas basic business management (Liker, 2004). It also focuses on individual learning and improvement by evaluating ones self and being creative in order to achieve goals. Also, Toyota presents its second pillar by providing employment security and developing employees participation and responsibility in order to build understanding, trust, and loyalty among the team members (Liker, 2004). Figure 9: The Toyota way Source: Adapted from Toyota (2010) 3.2 New JIT a Management Technology Strategy Model of Toyota A unique business strategy of Toyota called New JIT (Figure 10) has brought about its successful management and operation in the global market. New JIT is a management technology strategy model including three key areas; Toyota Marketing System (TMS), Toyota Production System (TPS), and Toyota Development System (TDS) (Amasaka, 2002, 2007). Figure 10: A management strategy model Source: Amasaka (2002) 3.3 Toyota Production System (TPS) Toyota production System (TPS) is the distinctive production system which enhances Toyota gaining higher competitive advantage over it competitors (Toyota, 2010; Amasaka, 2002; Takeuchi, Osono, and Shimizu, 2008). Taiichi Ohno invented TSP strategy in late 50s. Today this strategy became one of the most production efficiency in the world and many leading company use this platform extensively as an ideal prototype (Toyota, 2010; Takeuchi, Osono, and Shimizu, 2008). TPS designed House platform which mean that everyone can understand how it works (Figure 11). Toyotas global strategy on production is simple: Toyota Production Systems (TPS). TPS was designed by Taiichi Ohno who was in charge of production for Toyota after WWII. Ohno implemented this strategy in the 1950s and 60s and today Toyota is one of the worlds most efficient factories because of TPS. The goal of TPS is to provide the best quality, lowest cost, and shortest lead time through the elimination of waste (Toyota, 2010, Amasaka, 2002). Below is the actual Toyota Production System layout in its form of a house.(Figure 11). Figure 11: Toyota production system Source: Toyota (2010) 3.4 Key Management Drivers Takeuchi, Osono, and Shimizu (2008) pointed out the key of Toyotas success called Toyota six forces. It is influencing contradictions inside Toyota organisation can be divided into three forces of expansion and three forces of integration. Three forces of expansion causes changes and improvements in the company which are include setting impossible goals or near-unattainable goals from the view point of senior executives, local customization by producing products to suit local market needs and customise business operations under the same platform in each country and region, and experimentation that Toyotas eagerness to experiment helps it clear the hurdles that stand in the way of achieving near impossible goals. Another three forces of integration controls the balance between expansion and transformation. It can be seen this integration from values from the Toyota founders vision commitment and performance, up-and-in people management, and open communication to all level of employee closely. 4. Assessing Toyota Performance 4.1 Brand and Product Performance In the market of passenger cars, Toyota owns and operates 3 major brands; Toyota, Lexus and Scion (Toyota, 2010). Toyota offers more than 116 models distributing through different segments and provides customised models to attract local customers of each region in order to increase its sales volume (IHS, 2010). It can be seen Toyotas model strategy as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12: Model strategy Source: Adapred from Toyota (2010) 4.2 Global Operation and Expansion According to figure 13, on March 31st, 2010, Toyota had got 300,000 employees and 66 plants in 27 countries and regions with approximately 170 distributors and 8,000 dealers worldwide (Toyota, 2010). The efficient Toyota Production System (TPS) and high RD lead Toyota to a stronger position than its rivals in the automobile market (Takeuchi, Osono, and Shimizu, 2008). According to Toyota (2010) the number of vehicle had produced in FY2010 were 6,809,000 units. It was decreased slightly when compared to last four years. The major products which distribute worldwide came from Japan plants (58.1%) follow by Asia (15.6%) and North America (15.3%) (Figure 14) (Toyota, 2010). Regarding to distribution strategy, there are two main logistical concepts which are regional bases approach and dock-based approach are implemented by Toyota (Toyota, 2010). Despite the fact that Toyotas head office is located in Japan, its subsidiaries were founded over the world in order to create multiple regional headquarters including North America, Asia, Europe, and others ; (IHS, 2010). This means that the company can utilise localisation strategy to satisfy different customers needs in each country. On the other hand, dock-based operation is used to manage the inspections and quality control before distributing to the regional dealers again (Toyota, 2010). Figure 13: Toyota operation Source: Toyota (2010) Figure 14: Toyota production Source: Toyota (2010) 4.3 Financial Performance During FY 2010, Toyota posted better-than-expected results despite the global massive recall saga, which affected almost 10 million vehicles worldwide. For the 12 months ending 31 March 2010, the automaker returned to profitability on the back of swift cost-cutting measures and strong sales recovery in major markets, including Asia, rebounding from its first-ever annual loss posted during the previous fiscal year. The automaker posted a net profit of  ¥209.4 billion (US$2.25 billion) during FY 2010, compared with a net loss of  ¥437.0 billion during the previous fiscal year. Operating profit stood at  ¥147.5 billion, versus an operating loss of  ¥461.0 billion during the previous fiscal year, while pre-tax profit at the company stood at  ¥291.4 billion, compared with a pre-tax loss of  ¥560.4 billion, respectively. The significant improvement in operating earnings was largely thanks to  ¥520 billion in savings through cost-cutting efforts, and  ¥470.0 billion in savin gs through a reduction in fixed costs. Revenues at the company declined by 7.7% y/y, however, from  ¥20.5 trillion to almost  ¥19.0 trillion, as a result of the drop in vehicle demand in major markets, including North America and Europe, and unfavourable currency translation effects. Figure 15: Financial performance Source:Toyota (2010) 5 Toyota Strategic Analysis 5.1 Competitive Strategy According to Porters generic strategy (Porter, 1980), it can be said that Toyota is placed in the group of stuck in the middle. However, Thompson and Strickland (2008) mentioned this strategy could be named as Best-cost provider since Toyota offers customers more value for money low cost products with comparable quality and features. This is because of Toyotas revolutionary lean production system based on product differentiation strategy with understanding of customers, rather than a relentless pursuit of cost reduction in the cost leader category (Thompson and Strickland, 2008). As shown on Figure 16. Figure 16: Toyotas competitive strategy Source: Authors own 5.2 Core Competency One main characteristic that Toyota always emphasises is Quality. Consumers make their decision to buy this brand because of its reliability and its durability. Moreover, in order to stress its quality, it has been said that the vehicles are Made by Toyota. This means that the quality of its vehicles is exactly the same even though they are produced from different part of the world (Toyota, 2010). However, there is another remarkable feature that Toyota has made efforts to create and present in order to change consumers perception. It is Innovation. In 2000, Toyota launched Pirus Hybrid to introduce its sustainable technology (Toyota, 2010). This product gained customers attention and were sold out about a million in the mid of the year. As a result, Full hybrid has become its core competent technology in 2010 (Toyota, 2010). Last but not least, it is its unique production system called Toyota Production System (TPS). This system includes Just-In-Time (JIT), one-piece flow, Kaizen (continue to improve), Jidoka (automotive stop), and Heijunka (leveled production) leading Toyota to provide the best quality, the lowest cost, the shortest lead time, and the best safety (Amasaka, 2002). Consequently, Toyota can achieve highly competitive advantages over its competitors. 5.3 SWOT Analysis Strengths The strong reputation and brand image is a significant competitive advantage to boost companys sales in both domestic and international market. Consumers recognize Toyota brand and its popularity so they are more willing to pay for its premium products. Research and Development (RD) has been emphasised to ensure and enhance its quality and its safety. Also, Toyota always pays more attention on environmental compatibility when developing new products. With its strong and powerful distribution channel and dealer network, Toyota can distribute and sell its products through 170 distributors and 8,000 dealers across the world. Toyota Production System (TPS) has been successfully developed leading Toyota to gain efficient production with the best quality, the lowest cost, and the shortest lead-time. Weaknesses Due to two safety recalls announced by Toyota, consumers have less confidence in its products and its brand image. This also has a significant impact on companys share price causing a drop of stock exchanges in Japan and overseas. Employees pension fund has been decreasing owning to the financial instability. Toyota has been forced by regulation about unfunded pension; therefore the company cannot control its liquidity position. Opportunities Regulation about energy saving and emission provides a great opportunity to Toyota since it has been developed Prius, a hybrid vehicles over the years. Hybrid technology is one of the most valuable competitive advantages of Toyota enhancing it to gain higher market position. In the next ten years, China, India, and South East Asian countries are forecast to be a key driving automotive market. Therefore, Toyota should take this opportunity to obviously present its brand in the Asain markets which could help increase its market share effectively. Due to many new cars launched by Toyota during 2009-2010, the company will be able to gain higher customer interest contributing greatly to companys sales growth. The global automobile industry has been recovered from the economic recession and is expected to gradually accelerate in next year. Toyotas products and service can be expanded since they can be sold and distributed through its distribution network over the world. Threats Since there is high competition in the automobile industry, sale of Toyotas vehicles may be low and affect the companys finance and operation. Due to the different emission standard in different country, Toyota who sells and distributes products and service to more than 100 countries has additional cost in order to test, develop, and manufacture each product for each country. Toyotas financial status is quite sensitive to foreign currency exchange fluctuation, especially the Euro, and the US dollar affecting material cost and price of products sold in foreign currencies. Conclusion The key success of Toyota based on the integration of its competitive advantage and its business philosophy of understanding people as well as balancing cycles of nature and industry. The constant RD and excellent product innovation have a massive effect on Toyotas performance its market growth and its market share. The operational excellence is implemented as a strategic weapon in order to improve its products and quality through its production strategy. The Toyota Production System (TPS) is efficiently developed and effectively integrated with Toyota Marketing System (TMS) and Toyota Development System (TDS). Local customisations and multi-segmentations build Toyota more powerful than its rivals and gain positive perception from local consumers.

Oscar Romero Essay -- essays research papers

Remembering a Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You can only describe him as a man of determination. Someone who demonstrates extraordinary courage in the face of injustice and inhumanity. He had a resolute intent to do what is right, true, and just, which made him the Archbishop that people remember and make movies about. Because of him, the world was informed about basic human rights and dignities and how this was being ignored in his country of El Salvador. He took it upon himself to use the church as a light of hope to the oppressed and a challenge to the oppressors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oscar Romero was born in 1917 and taken away in 1980. He was appointed Archbishop in 1977. Before he served his term, the Church in Central America was being protested by two political ideals. One was those priests who wanted non-confrontation with the Church and the state. And those who thought the Church should have say in the government and what it was doing. Romero was chosen because he was thought to be a â€Å"middle man† whom all could agree with. Although, soon after being appointed Romero’s close, personal friend Father Rutillo Grande was assassinated by the government’s soldiers. Obviously, this had a significant and intense effect on his life, changing him from a moderate and equal lookout to a ferocious and impetuous activist against injustice. His dramatic and passionate change in view shows how if you put your mind behind...

Some Beneficial Features of the Unix Operating System

Some Beneficial Features of the UNIX Operating System CIS 155 Some Beneficial Features of the UNIX Operating System Safety issues have always been one of the major aspects of effective operation of human beings and systems invented and implemented by individuals all over the world in different periods of human history. The rise of the personal computer in the market is another potential threat; nowadays this threat comes from the internet through computers and other devices.As stated in the study by Garfinkel, Spafford, and Schwartz (2011), â€Å"in today’s world of international networks and electronic commerce, every computer system is a potential target† (p. 3). Computers and servers store information that can be damaged or retrieved by hackers that are not interested in keeping the operating system safe and sound. As such, the UNIX operating system can be considered one of the safest for your network activities with a minimum threat to your operating system and the computer in general. Benefits of the UNIX Operating SystemThere are many benefits of the UNIX operating system when viewed independently or in comparison with other operating systems. It is natural that UNIX has supporters and those who oppose the use and benefits of this OS. Nevertheless, everything depends on the purposes for which the operating system is installed and the activities for which it operates. In other words, the scope of commands makes UNIX one of the cheapest and compatible operating systems on the market (Afzal, 2008). With the option of being installed on any type of hardware regardless of the brand and price, UNIX is a viable option for any information technology professional.In addition, it is important to mention that UNIX became the basis for other operating systems generally referred to as the UNIX-like ones as they use UNIX codes and are rather competitive compared to non-UNIX-like systems (Afzal, 2008). Simplicity and Origins The UNIX operating system becam e one of the first attempts of the information technology age to make the computer popular among average users. The contribution was made in the form of this beneficial operating system that helps people all over the world get access to the internet and surf the web for hours without being under threat of getting a virus or damage to software.It is simple and user-friendly compared to other operating systems. One of the examples of simplicity in UNIX is the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), â€Å"an Internet standard for transferring electronic mail between computers [implemented by UNIX] with programs or systems called Message Transfer Agents† (Garfinkel, Spafford, and Schwartz, 2011, p. 347). The overall simplicity of the UNIX operating system can be traced in all its utility programs and other supportive agents that help the system to operate effectively without application of complicated schemes and codes.In other words, the simplicity of the system makes it attractiv e for programmers and people working with codes and programs to be written (Afzal, 2008). So, simplicity, toolbox, democratic approach, flexibility and stability, as well as virtual memory and cheap hardware are the basis for making this operating system an attractive solution for people that need a good and reliable OS for their personal or professional purposes. Open Standards and Portability The open standards and cross-platform portability of the UNIX operating system is another great beneficial feature of this operating system.As stated in the study by Liu, Yue, and Guo (2011), â€Å"since most of the networking protocols were initially implemented on UNIX and most of the Internet services are provided by server processes running on the UNIX operating system, UNIX has a fundamental and profound influence on computer networking† (p. 316). The impact of UNIX on the development of other operating systems and the overall progress of information technology so far has been und eniable. However, it is necessary to emphasize the applicability of this operating system to a small number of computers due to the users’ preferences.Different types of machines can be considered valid for the UNIX operating system, because it is treated as highly portable. Various computing machines can host UNIX, which would be only advantageous for them. The UNIX operating system was not coined for the expensive machines with the hardware changing every six months or less and upgrades available for even higher prices. Its flexibility and cross-platform portability make it an integral part of the democratic approach used by the creators of the operating system. Main-frame and micro-computers can benefit from the UNIX operating system and all its features (Afzal, 2008).Stability of the operating system is another beneficial feature that can be treated as a competitive advantage compared to other systems, such as Windows, with regard to maintenance and related procedures. Se curity features as well as processing power can also be treated as beneficial features of the UNIX operating system, especially when compared to other operating systems. Prerequisite software is something pertaining to all operating systems except the UNIX operating system, because it does not require additional upgrades in terms of hardware and software being absolutely cheap in maintenance and administration (Afzal, 2008).Besides, users can use UNIX on the cheapest and simplest hardware regardless of the brand. Most effective operating systems operate on the codes designed and introduced to the market by AT&T that created UNIX and contributed positively to the development of personal computers. The UNIX operating system is aimed at solving problems in the field of information technology: It uses simple tools, agents, and codes that are free of charge and helps the users operate effectively and safely on this basis (Afzal, 2008).Application programs compared to the simple tools by UNIX are too complicated to be beneficial for users and the overall effective performance of the system. The memory of the UNIX system is protected and considered to be as secure as the overall operating system and the number of programs that can be launched with no threat or compromise to other running programs in the same instance (Afzal, 2008). The benefits of the virtual memory should be described in another section, whereas it is necessary to mention that UNIX security, customization, and controls options make users select this operating program out of dozens of other existing ones.Open standards enable the UNIX operating system to share its codes and achievements with the users and other developers. As stated in the study by Raymond (2004), â€Å"Unix is still the only operating system that can present a consistent, documented application programming interface (API) across a heterogeneous mix of computers, vendors, and special-purpose hardware† (p. 8). Moreover, no othe r operating system can compare to its applicability and open standards as well as its cross-platform portability.Along with all other advantages of this OS, open standards attract more users that can value the portability of UNIX and its simplicity. Virtual Memory, Toolbox, and Customization The benefits of the UNIX operating system are numerous with the virtual memory and customization options as well as the authorization procedures and the general security of it all. So, the virtual memory of the UNIX operating system is on the high level: Low or medium levels of physical memory cannot compromise the virtual memory of the operating system (Afzal, 2008).So, users can launch many programs at once with no threat to the performance of the UNIX OS. The resources of the system are capable of running many programs being active which will not make the work of the entire system less effective. In other words, more complicated and proficient tasks can be performed with the help of other com mands and utility programs combined in the framework of UNIX (Afzal, 2008). Files are unified to make the operation of UNIX more efficient in terms of times needed to respond to commands and costs necessary to upgrade the overall system.As such, all types of data and devices are identified by UNIX as files, making it better and more appropriate for different purposes. Access to the computer is reached only via application of valid passwords and keys that are aimed at making UNIX rather protected and security-based (Afzal, 2008). Authentication is another tool that helps the system to operate effectively. Accounts and their owners are subject to the owner of the personal computer with the UNIX operating system to decide whether he or she wants anyone else to use the computer or not.The toolbox is designed in a way that makes the operations fast and efficient. Utility programs and commands are used to perform specific tasks; so, they are created for very particular purposes. This appr oach is contrasted to the one when commands and utilities serve for a variety of complicated tasks rather than simple ones. In other words, the UNIX operating system can be referred to as a box with all necessary tools that carry out their tasks in a corresponding manner (Afzal, 2008). Customization enables the users to adjust the system to their needs and purposes without being designed for particular settings and menus.As such, a user owning the UNIX operating system can change the options and settings unlike the user of other operating systems with pre-configured settings. Overall, the UNIX operating system is used all over the world due to the approach selected by its developers: they made it a free-access tool that can be used by any individual that has a personal computer and needs an operating system. Main-frame computers and mini-models of personal PCs can operate on UNIX without visible or invisible threats to their effectiveness. It can be used on different platforms regar dless of their origin and compatibility.UNIX is a well-documented system with everything stocked within that a user would need. References Afzal, A. (2008). CIS155: UNIX Operating System: Custom edition (5th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson Custom Publishing. Garfinkel, S. , Spafford, G. , & Schwartz, A. (2011). Practical UNIX and internet security (3rd ed. ). Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Medis, Inc. Liu, Y. , Yue, Y. , & Guo, L. (2011). UNIX operating system. Beijing: Springer. Raymond, E. S. (2004). The art of UNIX programming. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley Professional.

The Peters Projection and the Mercator Map

The Peters Projection and the Mercator Map Proponents of the Peters projection map claim that their map is a good, fair, and non-racist view of the world. Theyre comparing their map to the almost-defunct Mercator map. Unfortunately, geographers and cartographers agree that neither map projection is appropriate for use as a map of our planet. The Mercator vs. Peters controversy is truly a moot point. Both maps are rectangular projections and are poor representations of the planet. But heres how each came to prominence and in most cases, misuse. The Peters Projection German historian and journalist Arno Peters called a press conference in 1973 to announce his new map projection that treated each country fairly by representing area accurately. The Peters projection map used a rectangular coordinate system that showed parallel lines of latitude and longitude. Skilled at marketing, Arno claimed that his map more fairly displayed third world countries than the popular Mercator projection map, which distorts and dramatically enlarges the size of Eurasian and North American countries.   While the Peters projection does (almost) represent the land of equal area equally, all map projections distort the shape of the earth, a sphere.   Peters Picks Up Popularity   Proponents of the Peters map were vociferous and demanded that organizations switch to the new, fairer map of the world. Even the United Nations Development Programme began using the Peters projection in its maps. But the popularity of the Peters Projection may have been due to a lack of knowledge about basic cartography.   Today, relatively few organizations use the map, yet the evangelizing continues.   Peters chose to compare his strange-looking map to the Mercator map because he knew that it was an inappropriate map of the earth. Defenders of the Peters projection claim that the Mercator projection distorts the size of countries and continents in the Northern Hemisphere and a  place like Greenland appears to be the same size as Africa, yet Africas land mass is actually fourteen times larger. These claims are certainly all true and correct. The Mercator map was never intended to be used as a wall map and by the time Peters started complaining about it, the Mercator map was well on its way out of fashion anyway. The Mercator Map The Mercator projection was developed in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator as a navigation tool. Like the Peters map, the grid is rectangular and lines of latitude and longitude are all parallel. The Mercator map was designed as an aid to navigators since straight lines on the Mercator projection are loxodromes or rhumb lines representing lines of constant compass bearing perfect for true direction. If a navigator wishes to sail from Spain to the West Indies, all he has to do is draw a line between the two points and the navigator knows which compass direction to continually sail to reach their destination. The Mercator map has always been a poor projection for a world map, yet due to its rectangular grid and shape, geographically illiterate publishers found it useful for wall maps, atlas maps, and maps in books and newspapers published by non-geographers. It became the standard map projection in the mental map of most westerners. The argument against the Mercator projection by the pro-Peters folks usually discusses its advantage for colonial powers by making Europe look a lot larger than it actually is on the globe. Mercator No Longer Widely Used Fortunately, over the past few decades, the Mercator projection has fallen into disuse from many reliable sources. In a 1980s study, two British geographers discovered that the Mercator map did not exist among dozens of atlases examined. But some major map companies still produce wall maps using the Mercator projection.   In 1989, seven North American professional geographic organizations (including the American Cartographic Association, National Council for Geographic Education, Association of American Geographers, and the National Geographic Society) adopted a resolution that called for a ban on all rectangular coordinate maps. The resolution called for the complete elimination of the use of the Mercator as well as the Peters projection. But what to replace them with? Alternatives to Mercator and Peters Non-rectangular maps have been around for a long time. The National Geographic Society adopted the Van der Grinten projection, which encloses the world in a circle, in 1922. Then in 1988, they switched to the Robinson projection, on which the high latitudes are less distorted in size (but more so in shape). Also in 1998, the Society began using the Winkel Tripel projection, which provides a slightly better balance between size and shape than the Robinson projection. Compromise projections like the Robinson or Winkle Tripel present the world in a more globe-like look and are strongly encouraged by geographers. These are the types of projections youll see on maps of continents or of the world today.

Creationism and Evolution

Creationism and Evolution Introduction The bible in the book of Genesis describes the origin of heaven and earth and everything that is in it; God created everything. However, scientist have come up with a theory suggesting that all living creatures came from a common ancestor as opposed to the story of creation. This essay is a summary of what the bible says about the beginning of the world; a personal opinion is given on whether Christians should oppose what the science claims or not.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Creationism and Evolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The beginning of the universe as described in the bible In the book of Genesis, God created heaven and earth and everything that is in it. The story of creation is found in the book of Genesis chapters one and two: â€Å"The earth was then formless and void, darkness was all over and the spirit of God hovered all over† (The Bible 1). God went on and separated ligh t and darkness and he called light a day and darkness a night. He also separated water and dry land after which He commanded land to produce seed bearing plants and trees and just by that word, there were seed bearing plants and trees. Living creatures were also created. Lastly, God created man in his own image and blessed him; he gave him power to rule over all his creation and commanded him to fill the world (Mueller 41). Adam and Eve were later placed in the Garden of Eden and God gave them access to all fruits except fruits from the tree of knowledge of good and evil which was at the middle of the garden. Adam and Eve went against God’s command and ate the fruit they were commanded not to eat. This signified the fall of humanity and a new beginning for the human race (Mueller 40). Christians believe in the story of creation because, according to their faith, this Supreme Being (God) is able to perform things beyond their understanding. They believe in supernatural things that God can perform and no man can explain. To Christians, the bible is a very important book as it helps them to know who they are, what they ought to do, the right choices that they ought to make and the consequences of those choices. In addition, the teachings in the bible on the right choices that one should make have been proven to be the best choices since better consequences have been experienced. Christians believe in the bible because many prophecies that were prophesied long time ago have come to pass. Compatibility of the story of creation and evolution There is a conflict between scientists and Christians which has been brought about by the evolutional theory. According to the evolution theory, all living organisms descended from a common ancestor. According to Charles Darwin (the person who developed the theory), human beings developed from a common species of an animal known as ape. This contradicts the bible since the bible does not state anything close to that. I am therefore of the opinion that these two concepts, creation and evolution are not compatible.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In evolution there is no creator. In fact, we are not even told where the ape originated from. According to the bible, God is the creator of all living things. From the bible we are able to understand our origin, our purpose in life and this helps us to develop an insight as to why we should make some choices (Guenther 1). Some geologists have also presented theories which suggest that the earth existed even before the biblical creation. I strongly believe that this is not true as there is no evidence to support this. As stated earlier, many things that were written in the bible have come to pass and therefore I have no doubt that the story of creation is true and real (Robinson 1). Should Christians choose faith against science? The debate o n evolution is a big dilemma. Some people advocate that evolution education should be taught in schools while others oppose this idea. In particular, many Christians oppose evolution theory as it contradicts what the bible says. I am of the opinion that significant changes in species have occurred but the idea of one species evolving to other is quite questionable. However, Christians have a choice to believe or not to believe what the scientists say. They should therefore be careful as they make this decision, as they need to consider the impact it may have on their faith. Conclusion Heaven and earth with everything in them were created by God according to the bible. Through faith, Christians strongly believe that God is the owner of the universe and everything that is in it. Scientists on the other hand have come up with a theory that says otherwise and it is therefore very crucial for Christians to decide what to believe in, keeping in mind their faith. Christians should also tru st the bible as it is a prophetic book whose prophecies have come to pass. Guenther, Allen. Creation: A Hermeneutical Study in Genesis 1:1-2:3. Direction Journals, 1977. Web. https://directionjournal.org/issues/gen/art_237_.html Mueller, John. Saint Mary’s Press Theological Foundation Concepts and Methods for Understanding Christian Faith. New York, NY: 2007. Print.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Creationism and Evolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Robinson, Alex. A brief history of the conflict between evolution and creation science. Religious Tolerance, 2005. Web. religioustolerance.org/ev_hist.htm The Bible. The Holy Bible. New International Version. New York, NY: Zondervan. Print.

Impacts of internet usage on Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia Essay

Impacts of internet usage on Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia - Essay Example In Arab countries like Bahrain and, Saudi Arabia bloggers were captured and affirmed. They have been slaughtered by their administrations in certain cases. The infrastructures development started in Arab countries on spring 2010 that increased the question of Internet’s right to use as a human right and disclosed the sort of force certain dictator legislature holds over the folks and the Internet (Abdulla, 2007). On the night of January 27, 2011 the Egyptian administration under President Hosni Mubarak closed down the Internet. On January 27, 2011, certain sites were blocked in Egypt. On Tuesday, January 25, 2011, the State Security examination Service, Amn El Dawla, requested Twitter administration to block it. On the next day, Face book was also closed down. The Short message service (SMS) was blocked additionally on Thursday. Renesys reported that practically all tracks to Egyptian systems were brought down in the meantime. It was ‘in addition reported that the Egypti an’ legislature closed down official Domain Name Servers (DNS). Issues concerning Egypt, Syria and Tunisia Around then the Egyptian legislature principally regulated, what informative data traversed the nation and took care of the nation through the Internet. ... Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo. The whole inner framework was handicapped. Jim Cowie, the head innovation officer of Renesys commented, â€Å"With the scope of their blackout and the extent of their connected inhabitant total, it is an uncommon event† (Hachten and Scotten, 2011). In Egypt during that timeframe, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were sanctioned by the administration. There existed just four ISPs such as Link Egypt, Vodafone Egypt/Raya, Telecom Egypt, and EtisalatMisr. The legislature authorities requested them to close down through telephone calls. Vodafone stated on its web space that portable drivers in Egypt had been constrained to cut off utility in certain zones and had no decision in the matter. By and large, influenced by the Internet power the working-class of Egypt had no Internet admittance at their homes. According to the absence of qualified data, numerous demonstrated against the shutdown of the internet services in Egypt. Some have contended that th e shutdown's effect was a counter to the legislature's expectation as a large number of people left their homes to get informative data and consequently united to face challenges (Relations, 2011). One extending Ramses Street in Cairo was explicitly focused on the grounds that the house had an association with five main system groups in Egypt that furnished a substantial part of the Internet flood taking care of the nation. It has been discussed, if the legislature surgically tampered with the programming that aids correspondence between the Internet organizes or if they essentially slice off the ability to the routers. Face book, Twitter, and Youtube Effects Both, Face book, and Twitter were in a new way and

Bonnie Raitt and the Boom Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bonnie Raitt and the Boom Generation - Essay Example In 1945, the number was 2.8 million births; it marked the beginning of the Baby Boom. In 1946, the first year of the Baby Boom, new births in the U.S. skyrocketed to 3.47 million births! A contributing article on about.com further detailed that new births continued to grow throughout the 1940s and 1950s, leading to a peak in the late 1950s with 4.3 million births in 1957 and 1961. (There was a dip to 4.2 million births in 1958) By the mid-sixties, the birth rate began to slowly fall. In 1964 (the final year of the Baby Boom), 4 million babies were born in the U.S. and in 1965, there was a significant drop to 3.76 million births. From 1965 on, there was a plunge in the number of births to a low of 3.14 million births in 1973, lower than any year’s births since 1945! The Boom Generation produced children that would one day become leaders throughout their respective fields and leave long lasting impacts among all who they have come across. Such examples of these people include Ge orge W. Bush and Bonnie Raitt. Bonnie Raitt was born November 8 1949 in Burbank, California, and raised in Los Angeles, in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to social activism. The daughter of John Raitt, a famous Broadway star who featured in productions of ‘Carousel’, ‘Oklahoma!’ and ‘The Pajama Game’, and Marge Goddard, a skilled pianist and singer, she was exposed to music from a very young age. As such, she took up playing guitar at the age of eight, when she received one as a Christmas present. (Helium.com, Biography: Bonnie Raitt) While growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many growing interests. In the late '60s, restless in Los Angeles, she moved east to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social Relations and African Studies, she attended classes and immersed herself in th e city's turbulent cultural and political activities. Raitt was already deeply involved with folk music and the blues at that time. Exposure to the album Blues at Newport 1963 at age 14 had kindled her interest in blues and slide guitar, and between classes at Harvard she explored these and other styles in local coffeehouse gigs. Three years after entering college, Bonnie left to commit herself full-time to music, and shortly afterward she found herself opening for surviving giants of the blues. From Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sippie Wallace, Son House, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker she learned first-hand lessons of life as well as invaluable techniques of performance. Each generation views the world with a different perspective. This perspective is often shaped by key events (national catastrophes) in their lives as well as cultural influences (such as music) at the time. Understanding some of these viewpoints can greatly enhance successful communication and working relationshi ps. The Baby boomer generation grew up with the Vietnam War, the space race, and assassinations of Martin Luther King and President John F. Kennedy. Their childhood was typically modeled with very conservative mores. The civil rights movement, women’s liberation, the advent of television, rock ‘n’ roll, and the hippie movement caused them to question and rebel against the establishment. This constant