Developing Teams in Business Assignment Essay

What is a Team? A team is individuals whom are moulded into a group who work together to achieve an objective or task. Benefits of a team Being in a team is very beneficial as every individual has their own opinions and views , a whole team can manage to gather information and materials much easier than an individual , also within a team there is more creativity which is a benefit as there isn’t only one brain but more than one. Furthermore being in a team enables individuals to gain skills such as communication skills, listening skills and being able to be open willingly and share opinions. Team Recruitment Recruiting the right team members is the key to the success of your team. When the leaders of any group recruit new members, there are a number of skills, qualities needed as well as a process that each member has to go through in order for them to be an successful addition to the team. This process is called job analysis from where a person specification is drawn up and following all the qualifications and qualities that a new team member would be expected to have. There are different types of teams which consist of: Formal Informal Different size teams Temporary Permanent What is a formal team? A formal team is a team where individuals are put together for a specific  reason, each individual within the team is given a specific role. Formal teams are mostly permanent teams, for example within the supermarket Tesco they would have different formal teams likes, customer services team, marketing team, human resources these teams also have sub teams such as groceries and the butchery. All these teams work effectively to reach their objective What is an informal team? An informal team is a team which is less structured compared to a formal team, theses times are about the individuals within the team, the team its self has minimal rules and expectations compared to a formal team. This type of team would hold social events , have irregular meeting maybe at break times the team does not have a specific leader all team members are equal and take on the same role therefore there is no co-ordination. What is a different size team? A different size team is basically what the name of the team is, it is a team that has different sizes of team members. The size of team varies on the task that needs to be completed. Temporary teams A temporary team is a team that is set up for a short period of team, the team is not long lasting, the team would come together for their objective and as soon as their objective is completed they would split up. Permanent teams A permanent team is a team that works together continuously, the team is long term and work is reoccurring. What type of teams would Tesco use? As Tesco is a large company they would use all the above types of teams such as: Formal team: E.g.: The customer service team at Tesco represent  customers this team may consist of over 5 member it also may most likely be a mixed gender team. The team members would have all the same skills such as communication skills, attentiveness, positivity, the ability to read customers and a calming presence. Together the team should form a well-rounded team as individual has the skills for the position they are given. Informal team: E.g. A team of trainees at Tesco may hold informal sessions to track their progress within the company and their development within the company these meetings may not be compulsory and may not be happen all the time all the members in the team would be on the same level so in this case they would all be trainees within the company. Within the team they may talk to each other about their progress and what they think they could do better, but it wouldn’t be a case where the team would have a manager sit them down and speak to them. Different size team: E.g. Tesco could have a team of HR that could consist of 3 members but then they could also have a team of customer service employees that team could consist of 6 members. Initially in a team 5 is the magic number even though 5 is an odd number it is a good size for a team as the team is also small enough to involve all members in addition to that if a decision needs to be made having an odd team helps. Temporary teams: E.g. Within Tesco 8 different employees may be put together for a project for example to market a new product coming out within the company , therefore the members would all work together to put I’m ideas to market the product , after the product is published the team will disperse. Permanent teams: E.g. The administration team for Tesco would be a permanent team as that team helps the business function, this team would classify as a permanent team as it is a team that the business needs in order for it to function well. What is a leadership? A leader is a person who leads a group of people, an organisation or a team, being a. Leader doesn’t necessarily mean you do this but also being able to be a leader is a trait of leadership. A leader is being able to think on behalf of your group, being able to fix a crisis if one rises without hesitation, a leader is someone inspirational, confident, and assertive. Being a leader is not taught. Whereas being a mange can be taught. A leader  knows it’s members strengths and weaknesses for example a manager at Tesco could know that one of his/she’s employee is not as confident on tills but is good speaking to customers the leader would know to not put that employee on the sales team but with customer services where the employee feels comfortable. Leadership styles 1.Autocratic leaders : These leaders make decisions without consulting their team members, even if their input would be useful. Although these leaders do not consult their members this type of leadership can also be advantage for example when a decision needs to be made quickly/instantly the leader can make the decision without the input of members. On the other hand this role can also be demoralizing 2.Democratic leaders: These leaders are the ones who make the final decisions, but they would consult their team members and include their opinions in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and people are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. As a result, team members tend to have high job satisfaction and high productivity. This is not always an effective style to use, though, when you need to make a quick decision. 3.Participative leadership: This is a way leadership in which it involves subordinates in the goal setting with the problem solving team building. As well as retail the final decision making authority 4.Laissez-faire: These types of leaders give their team members a lot of input in how they do their task and how they set their deadlines. These type of leaders do not get involved but do support their team and offer advice if the team needs it. This type of leadership can damage a team as they do not have a lot of guidance as some members may lack time management, knowledge, skills or self motivation. Leadership skills and attributes What skills and attributes are needed to be a good / effective leader? A good leader must have the skills applicable to lead a team, these characteristics encourage members to follow the team leader. Within Tesco  the leader of sales has to have the right attributes and skills to control their team if they didn’t the team would not functional properly these skills consists of: Communication Effective team leaders communicate clearly. Quality verbal and written communication skills allow leaders to present expectations to team members in a way workers can understand. Effective communication skills also allow team leaders to listen to the input of others. Organization Effective team leaders possess exceptional organizational skills. Organizational skills help team leaders plan objectives and strategies, which allow team members to perform optimally. Organized team leaders put systems in place that maintain order and guide team members toward meeting company goals and objectives. Confidence An effective team leader is confident in his abilities, as well as confident in the abilities of his team members. A confident leader is secure in the decisions he makes that affect his team. A self-confident team leader also reassures team members of his authority within the organization. Respectful A quality team leader is respectful of his team members. A respectful leader empowers employees by encouraging them to offer ideas about decisions that affect them. This lets team members know that the leader respects their input and opinions. Fair A quality team leader treats team members fairly. He is consistent with rewards and recognition, as well as disciplinary action. A fair leader ensures all employees receive the same treatment. Integrity An effective team leader is honest and open with his team members. Leaders who possess integrity gain the trust of team members because he does what he says he will do and treats others the same way he wants to be treated. Influential Influential leaders help inspire the commitment of team members to meet  company goals and objectives. Influential leaders also help manage change in the workplace by gaining the confidence of workers through effective decision making and communication. Delegation Effective team leaders know how to share leadership through delegation. Delegating certain tasks to trustworthy team members allows the leader to focus on improving workplace functions and production. Facilitator Effective team leaders are powerful facilitators. As a facilitator, team leaders help workers understand their goals. They also help organize an action plan to ensure team members meet their goals and objectives more efficiently. Negotiation Team leaders utilize negotiation skills to achieve results and reach an understanding in the event of a workplace conflict. Team leaders who negotiate effectively streamline the decision-making process, as well as solve problems for the best interest of everyone involved. (http://smallbusiness.chron.com/10-effective-qualities-team-leader-23281.html

In Man and Superman Shaw Was Not Writing a Regular Play Essay

In Man and Superman Shaw was not writing a regular play; he only united up dialogue, discussion, arguments for the purpose of making them appear as plays. Still the incidents of situations in the play do in one way or the other perpetuate the pursuit of man by woman—of Tanner by Ann. The most interesting is the Hell Scene where the traditional Don Giovanni motif is most comically inverted in the spirit of parody to substantiate Shaw’s thesis that it is the woman basically who is boa-constrictor from whom the new Don Juan flies away to save his person. The Hell Scene has been grafted on the plot from outside and it does not grow from the soil of the story. Its central business is to highlight the central motive of the play—the chase of man by woman as part of the process of Creative Evolution as well as the edification of hell as a most dynamic, therefore desirable condition of existence which ensures happiness of humanity. The metamorphosis of the characters like Tanner and Ann suiting the atmosphere is amazing; but soon the dramatic interest wanes as the arguments start rattling the pros and cons of the Scene. From the point of view of the force of the arguments the Hell Scene has significance, otherwise it looks just bizarre and from the point of view of the force of the plot extraneous. It cannot be denied that the Hell Scene is a most powerful tour-de-force of Shaw’s imagination. Shaw had added to the play a lengthy Preface, rich in thought and content and at the end we get the Revolutionist’s Hand Book and Pocket Companion. The overriding Shavian pre-occupation with his philosophy gets to be continued in Hell Scene. Whenever Shae has an opportunity, he expresses his views (although comically) on happiness, love, marriage, sex relations, women, art, socialism, democracy, industrialisation, religion, morality, virtue, sin, death, peace, war, slavery and a host of other topics. Shaw has been impartial enough to allow even the Devil to have his say and freely express his point of view. The spur behind all this is the assumption that woman is far from weak and helpless and that sexually woman is Nature’s contrivance for the perpetuation of human race. A more intimidating fact is, sexually man is woman’s contrivance for fulfilling nature’s behest in the best possible way. Possessed by the blind fury of creation, woman searches for a male biologically most desirable and when she finds him, she is most ruthless in her pursuit of him. The Don Juan in Hell Scene lifts up this basic theme of life-Force and Creative Evolution with Superman and Superwoman into the realm of Shavian-Socratic dialogue. Shaw comically swaps the Superman of Nietzsche (who was a ruthless being and an embodiment of might! ) by a new Don Juan; Tanner who sees life as co-operation with woman in its upward struggle. If the evolutionist’s account is accurate, life has developed in the waters of the ocean and the slime of the beaches until it reached the gigantic and long since extinct creatures that peopled the earth in pre-historic times. In his vision Tanner hears Don Juan say this to him. Life is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organising itself. He further tells him that as long as he can conceive something better than himself, he cannot be easy unless he is striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it: â€Å"That is the law of my life. That is the working within me of life’s incessant aspiration to higher organisation, wider, deeper, intense, self-consciousness and clearer self-understanding. † The Devil in his turn expresses himself eloquently and forcibly about man’s conduct in the world and takes a pessimistic view of him. He holds that human beings are both stupid and evil and on the road to utter destruction. Shaw makes a firm distinction in the process between his two functions as writer: the function of an essayist on the one hand and on the other, that of a playwright. The important difference is that a playwright has to put on the stage a number of characters whose opinions differ and clash for the vital element in drama in conflict. It may be physical conflict, the conflict of emotions, of ideas or even of beliefs. The audience watches and hastens to the conflict; it hears the characters putting forward opposing views; and having heard the arguments the members of the audience use their own thinking powers and reach their own conclusions. Much of what is said by the Devil in Man and Superman is fair statement of the parts of human behaviour is endorsed in other plays by Shaw. What is in doubt is the conclusion the Devil draws from the facts. Can man be saved from his own destructive tendencies? The Devil declares that he cannot. Don Juan believes that he can if he is given the great idea to live for—the great idea, for example, that man can, if he wills, can carry out the divine purpose (read the purpose of Life-Force). The brain will not fail when the will is earnest to Life, the force behind the Man, and intellect is a necessity because without it he blunders into death. Just as Life, after ages of struggle, evolved that wonderful bodily organ, the eye, so that the living organism ould see where it was going and what was going and what was coming to help or threaten, and thus avoid a thousand dangers that finally slew it, so it is evolving to date in mind’s that shall see, not the physical world, but the purpose of Life, and thereby enable the individual to work for that purpose instead of thwarting and baffling it by setting up short-sighted personal aims as present: â€Å"I sing not arms and the Hero but the philosophic man; he who seeks in contemplation to discover the inner will of the world, in invention to discover the means of fulfilling that will and in action to do that will. The supreme triumph of Shaw’s dramaturgical dialectics is to be found in the renewal of renovation of the 18th century image of Don Juan or rather the Spanish Don Giovanni. It is important because Tanner receives the mantle of the incendiary from this super human image. Of course, the method has been one of conversion of old materials in to 19th century terms, both thematic and technical. He rejects altogether the schism oIn Man and Superman Shaw was not writing a regular play; he only united up dialogue, discussion, arguments for the purpose of making them appear as plays. Still the incidents of situations in the play do in one way or the other perpetuate the pursuit of man by woman—of Tanner by Ann. The most interesting is the Hell Scene where the traditional Don Giovanni motif is most comically inverted in the spirit of parody to substantiate Shaw’s thesis that it is the woman basically who is boa-constrictor from whom the new Don Juan flies away to save his person. The Hell Scene has been grafted on the plot from outside and it does not grow from the soil of the story. Its central business is to highlight the central motive of the play—the chase of man by woman as part of the process of Creative Evolution as well as the edification of hell as a most dynamic, therefore desirable condition of existence which ensures happiness of humanity. The metamorphosis of the characters like Tanner and Ann suiting the atmosphere is amazing; but soon the dramatic interest wanes as the arguments start rattling the pros and cons of the Scene. From the point of view of the force of the arguments the Hell Scene has significance, otherwise it looks just bizarre and from the point of view of the force of the plot extraneous. It cannot be denied that the Hell Scene is a most powerful tour-de-force of Shaw’s imagination. Shaw had added to the play a lengthy Preface, rich in thought and content and at the end we get the Revolutionist’s Hand Book and Pocket Companion. The overriding Shavian pre-occupation with his philosophy gets to be continued in Hell Scene. Whenever Shae has an opportunity, he expresses his views (although comically) on happiness, love, marriage, sex relations, women, art, socialism, democracy, industrialisation, religion, morality, virtue, sin, death, peace, war, slavery and a host of other topics. Shaw has been impartial enough to allow even the Devil to have his say and freely express his point of view. The spur behind all this is the assumption that woman is far from weak and helpless and that sexually woman is Nature’s contrivance for the perpetuation of human race. A more intimidating fact is, sexually man is woman’s contrivance for fulfilling nature’s behest in the best possible way. Possessed by the blind fury of creation, woman searches for a male biologically most desirable and when she finds him, she is most ruthless in her pursuit of him. The Don Juan in Hell Scene lifts up this basic theme of life-Force and Creative Evolution with Superman and Superwoman into the realm of Shavian-Socratic dialogue. Shaw comically swaps the Superman of Nietzsche (who was a ruthless being and an embodiment of might! ) by a new Don Juan; Tanner who sees life as co-operation with woman in its upward struggle. If the evolutionist’s account is accurate, life has developed in the waters of the ocean and the slime of the beaches until it reached the gigantic and long since extinct creatures that peopled the earth in pre-historic times. In his vision Tanner hears Don Juan say this to him. Life is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organising itself. He further tells him that as long as he can conceive something better than himself, he cannot be easy unless he is striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it: â€Å"That is the law of my life. That is the working within me of life’s incessant aspiration to higher organisation, wider, deeper, intense, self-consciousness and clearer self-understanding. † The Devil in his turn expresses himself eloquently and forcibly about man’s conduct in the world and takes a pessimistic view of him. He holds that human beings are both stupid and evil and on the road to utter destruction. Shaw makes a firm distinction in the process between his two functions as writer: the function of an essayist on the one hand and on the other, that of a playwright. The important difference is that a playwright has to put on the stage a number of characters whose opinions differ and clash for the vital element in drama in conflict. It may be physical conflict, the conflict of emotions, of ideas or even of beliefs. The audience watches and hastens to the conflict; it hears the characters putting forward opposing views; and having heard the arguments the members of the audience use their own thinking powers and reach their own conclusions. Much of what is said by the Devil in Man and Superman is fair statement of the parts of human behaviour is endorsed in other plays by Shaw. What is in doubt is the conclusion the Devil draws from the facts. Can man be saved from his own destructive tendencies? The Devil declares that he cannot. Don Juan believes that he can if he is given the great idea to live for—the great idea, for example, that man can, if he wills, can carry out the divine purpose (read the purpose of Life-Force). The brain will not fail when the will is earnest to Life, the force behind the Man, and intellect is a necessity because without it he blunders into death. Just as Life, after ages of struggle, evolved that wonderful bodily organ, the eye, so that the living organism could see where it was going and what was going and what was coming to help or threaten, and thus avoid a thousand dangers that finally slew it, so it is evolving to date in mind’s that shall see, not the physical world, but the purpose of Life, and thereby enable the individual to work for that purpose instead of thwarting and baffling it by setting up short-sighted personal aims as present: â€Å"I sing not arms and the Hero but the philosophic man; he who seeks in contemplation to discover the inner will of the world, in invention to discover the means of fulfilling that will and in action to do that will. † The supreme triumph of Shaw’s dramaturgical dialectics is to be found in the renewal of renovation of the 18th century image of Don Juan or rather the Spanish Don Giovanni. It is important because Tanner receives the mantle of the incendiary from this super human image. Of course, the method has been one of conversion of old materials in to 19th century terms, both thematic and technical. He rejects altogether the schism of Byron and Tanner can be the rake or a mindless Philanderer as Byron’s Don Juan has been. Shaw’s claim to be returning to a pristine Don Juan is valid to the extent that the theme had originally been less of psychological than of philosophical or even indeed theological interest. It is true that Don Juan runs away from them only after possessing them. Tanner in Shaw’s play runs away rather to prevent them from possessing them. That old motif has been deliberately turned upside down in a vein of parody, embodying Shaw’s standard new motif. Shaw substituted an utterly Scribean closed structure. The Don Juan episode in Act II is neither a well-made play, nor a portion of a well-made play. It stands out apart as something appropriately more austere and august. As Eric Bentley points out, â€Å"It is not a traditional work of any kind, not even a Platonic dialogue, the relation between Socrates and his interlocutors being quite different. † Nor is it s debate for two of the speakers, the Commander and Ann hardly present arguments at all. They simply represent a point of view. Do even the Devil and Don Juan discuss anything between them? A Devil is scarcely a being one can convert to a cause: â€Å"and if the Don is busy convincing anyone it is himself. † Certainly it is the philosophy of Bernard Shaw that he parrot-preaches. But one doubts if persuasion is exercised by that on the audience. Rather, the contribution of the four presences come together as a vision of life and an intimating of super-life—Man and Superman. The comedy of John Tanner of the vision of Don Juan Tenoria—Shaw and counter-Shaw thesis and antithesis are to be sure, of separate interests, and yet, as usual, the great Shavian achievement is to have related one to the other. Tanner seems a wise man, proves a fool. Don Juan passes for philanderer but proves an explorer and a missionary of the truth. In our trivial, tawdry, clever, Scribean world intellect is futile and ever at the mercy of instinct. Take away the episode in Hell and Shaw has written an anti-intellectual comedy! The episode assigns to the intellect the highest role. No longer, therefore, is Ann the centre and source of things—only a possible mother for Superman. Here Don Juan dominates. Here (or rather in Heaven) intellect is at home, and the Don is cured of that occupational disease of Shavian Heroes of homelessness. â€Å"He comes to a good end†Ã¢â‚¬â€only it is not an end, it’s an episode, and from these celestial infernal heights we must descend to earth with the shock of Shavian anti-climax, to earth and to tanner, from Superman. f Byron and Tanner can be the rake or a mindless Philanderer as Byron’s Don Juan has been. Shaw’s claim to be returning to a pristine Don Juan is valid to the extent that the theme had originally been less of psychological than of philosophical or even indeed theological interest. It is true that Don Juan runs away from them only after possessing them. Tanner in Shaw’s play runs away rather to prevent them from possessing them. That old motif has been deliberately turned upside down in a vein of parody, embodying Shaw’s standard new motif. Shaw substituted an utterly Scribean closed structure. The Don Juan episode in Act II is neither a well-made play, nor a portion of a well-made play. It stands out apart as something appropriately more austere and august. As Eric Bentley points out, â€Å"It is not a traditional work of any kind, not even a Platonic dialogue, the relation between Socrates and his interlocutors being quite different. † Nor is it s debate for two of the speakers, the Commander and Ann hardly present arguments at all. They simply represent a point of view. Do even the Devil and Don Juan discuss anything between them? A Devil is scarcely a being one can convert to a cause: â€Å"and if the Don is busy convincing anyone it is himself. † Certainly it is the philosophy of Bernard Shaw that he parrot-preaches. But one doubts if persuasion is exercised by that on the audience. Rather, the contribution of the four presences come together as a vision of life and an intimating of super-life—Man and Superman. The comedy of John Tanner of the vision of Don Juan Tenoria—Shaw and counter-Shaw thesis and antithesis are to be sure, of separate interests, and yet, as usual, the great Shavian achievement is to have related one to the other. Tanner seems a wise man, proves a fool. Don Juan passes for philanderer but proves an explorer and a missionary of the truth. In our trivial, tawdry, clever, Scribean world intellect is futile and ever at the mercy of instinct. Take away the episode in Hell and Shaw has written an anti-intellectual comedy! The episode assigns to the intellect the highest role. No longer, therefore, is Ann the centre and source of things—only a possible mother for Superman. Here Don Juan dominates. Here (or rather in Heaven) intellect is at home, and the Don is cured of that occupational disease of Shavian Heroes of homelessness. â€Å"He comes to a good end†Ã¢â‚¬â€only it is not an end, it’s an episode, and from these celestial infernal heights we must descend to earth with the shock of Shavian anti-climax, to earth and to tanner, from Superman.

Criminology Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminology - Movie Review Example Danny Ocean recruits his old friend Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), and they pool a dream gang of criminals, each of whom has a special role. There is a computer expert, a destruction expert, a con man, a pickpocket etc. When the plan is on move, Danny Ocean goes to the Bellagio. Benedict sees him and has him confined in storeroom to be tortured by the Bruiser. But, Bruiser his is friend and allows him to escape via a ventilation shaft to join his group in the vault. Linus pretends to be a gaming agent and informs Benedict that one of his workers is a former con. Linus and Frank stage fight in presence of Benedict so that Linus can steal codes to access the vault written on a paper inside Benedicts coat. Yen joins the team in the casino vault to help in activating the explosives from the inside. Posing as rich arms dealer Saul sneaks explosives into the casino and then fakes a heart attack that is treated by Rusty pretending to be a doctor. The group triggers a stolen device to briefly interrupt the casinos power system, allowing them to break the vault unnoticed. As Benedict tries to restore calmness resulting from the power outage, Rusty secretly calls him and informs him that the vaults is being robbed and that all the money will be damaged if he fails to cooperate in stocking some money into a car waiting outside . After observing video footage of the vault, he cooperates in loading the money but orders his team to follow the car after it leaves and calls security to safeguard the money left in the vault. The men following the car find out that it is being remote controlled and instead of money its carrying flyers. Benedict realizes that the vault video footage he had been watching was pre-recorded and was pre-recorded. A flashback shows that Danny had used the vault replica to produce the false video Benedict had watched. The rest of the group posed as security officials and steal the money in the

Re evaluating Quebec Tuition Fees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Re evaluating Quebec Tuition Fees - Essay Example It is in this light that this paper aims to re-evaluate Quebec's Universities Tuition fees. Education in Canada is the responsibility of each province, with this; educational system varies from province to province. The provinces have their respective department of education, which exercises control over most facet of the educational system from teacher's certification, to development of curriculum as well as the nature of the yearly provincial appropriations to mention a few. With regards to post-secondary education, responsibility likewise goes to the individual provinces. The provincial government contributes majority of the funding to their post-secondary institutions and the balance of the funding come from tuition fees, federal government and research grants among others. Quebec's educational system requires children to attend school until the level of Secondary V. All Quebec residents are entitled to pre-school, elementary and secondary school services which are free of charge in public schools. The province likewise, has a high percentage of children going to private schools. It can be inferred from the table below that, the provincial government grants a pro-rata subsidy for a child attending a private school upon its compliance with its prescribed criterion. However, despite of this subsidy, the tuition fees continues to be very high. Similarly, it fosters a debate regarding subsidies to private elementary and secondary schools over the years.Table 1- Revenues of Private and Secondary Schools Revenue1 On the other hand, for the post-secondary education, most students continue to Collge d' enseignment general et professional or CEGEP, which is a preparation for university studies. Table 2- Average undergraduate tuition fees for academic year 2006-2007 2 What is note worthy about the educational system of Quebec is that it subsidizes post-secondary education and is known for the low cost of university education. Table 3- Universities and colleges revenue and expenditures, by province and territory 3 (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) 2006 Canada Que. Ont. Man. Sask. $ thousands Total revenue 31,850,915 7,176,352 12,605,754 933,762 1,213,474 Own source revenue 14,578,584 2,148,493 6,917,595 361,069 528,743 Sales of goods and services 11,333,439 1,436,158 5,481,395 258,623 405,998 Tuition fees 6,649,086 633,503 3,403,665 169,500 206,646 Other sales of goods and services 4,684,353 802,655 2,077,730 89,123 199,352 Investments income 945,312 172,044 419,446 15,473 43,526 Other own source revenue 2,299,833 540,291 1,016,754 86,973 79,219 Transfers from other levels of governments 17,272,331 5,027,859 5,688,159 572,693 684,731 Federal government 2,902,432 797,580 1,099,060 78,255 105,641 Provincial governments 14,335,434 4,225,137 4,574,457 494,416 578,531 Local governments 34,465 5,142 14,642 22 559 Total expenditures 31,842,146 7,261,714 12,549,219 946,624 1,245,584 Education 31,211,530 6,897,337 12,368,743 942,819 1,243,143 Postsecondary education 30,902,499 6,797,332 12,182,495 942,819 1,225,760 Administration 5,861,237 1,230,038 2,173,167 214,395 214,133 Education 15,600,477 3,605,818 6,084,588 483,984 618,001 Support to students 1,111,258 169,969 617,910 12,091 30,916 Other postsecondary education expenses 8,329,527 1,791,507 3,306,830 232,349 362,710 Debt

Strategic finance and accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Strategic finance and accounting - Essay Example For one reason, mergers are undertaken so as to increase the growth rate of the organization. For this case, the chairman’s statement means that, through the merger, a stronger organization with a stronger financial base to acquire more and better assets and improve the management condition will be formed. In this light, with good management, when a new team of management personnel will be put in place, the chairman is visionary that the newly formed organization will be able to provide better services to the passengers at affordable prices as well as make better profits. Through the merger, there is reduction in competition that was there before between the two firms, and this can make the shareholders now run a more profitable business. The staff will also enjoy since new management comes with new management systems so that, the former problems that were being experienced earlier, must be sorted before the merger takes place. For instance, there has been a cabin crew dispute and strike in the airlines, which will be solved by the merger (TheGuardian, 2010). Therefore, the merger is compelling since it has several advantages, strategic in terms of tax benefits and reduction of competition and financial logic as it brings finances together for investing and improving the face of the new organization to result to better management, customer service and good profits. Considering a recent example of a merger between two cement companies; Lafarge and Holcim, the two companies had an intention of coming together to create the world’s biggest cement maker with combined sales of 32 billion pounds. The merger was aimed also at reducing competition which has made the two firms become the biggest rivals in the

New position is to develop a project portfolio management process and Essay

New position is to develop a project portfolio management process and then use this process to select projects for your Strategic Business Units portfolio - Essay Example Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is regarded as an effective set of practices that enable organizations to gain the capability of managing projects. The set of practices within the PPM ensures to make proper alignment of different required project activities and working elements in accordance with the postulated goals and objectives of the projects that undertake by a particular company (Morris & Pinto 94-112). With respect to the predetermined business goals of the company, the proposed portfolio process has been characterized into few major stages including project initiation, planning and execution along with controlling stage. The following discussion briefly discusses these key phases of the proposed PPM procedure. Project Initiation Stage. The initiation stage of the project will focus on identifying its potential scope regarding the products and/or services offered by the company to the clients (Levine 85-108). In relation to the business practices of the SBU, the activities in the initiation stage will help the company to recognize the project scope along with the objectives while expanding business to the markets of Europe and Alaska. Project Planning Stage. The planning stage of the respective project will focus on three major key areas such as scheduling activities, resource planning and cost planning associated with different operational services linked with production/selling actions of the SBU (Levine 85-108). With regards to the proposed PPM process, the activities relating to the determination of potential risks, quality related issues and different change management obstacles can help the managers of the company to formulate effective decisions. Executing and Controlling Stage. During this phase, all the processes, plans, activities and schedules are properly utilized, ensuring that the respective

Issues in global political economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issues in global political economy - Essay Example The relationship between the natural environment and free trade focuses on the trade policies impacts on the ecological environment, the impacts on the trade flows and use of trade measures in order to attain environmental policy objectives (Irwin, 2009). Free trade impacts on the environment drew international attention in 1991 when Mexican government challenges United States laws on ban of exports of tuna to the US from Mexico. The United States Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited the import of tuna and dolphin from countries that used fishing methods that killed the dolphins (Mitchell, 2009). In its case, Mexican government argued that General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) allowed free trade between the two countries. Accordingly, the World Trade Organization (WTO) outlined that countries could restrict free trade in instances when the measures are necessary to protect the safety and health of the citizens. In the ruling, GATT panel clearly outlined that the US governm ent had violated GATT agreements since it could not utilise its domestic legislation to control and protect dolphins that were outside its territory (Geradin, 1997). This case opened new controversial issues on the impact of free trade on the environment since Mexico did not press for the implementation of the panel ruling. Thesis statement: International free trade and environmental protection can never be compatible. Free trade increases the global economic activities and leads to higher national incomes. The total global trade volumes have increased significantly due to trade liberlisation and free flow of labour among the trading partners (Irwin, 2009). The growth in free trade has been supported by advancements in transportation networks, increase in outsourcing, industrialisation and emergency of global trade organisations. Proponents of free trade assert that it leads to efficient resource allocation due to the comparative advantage of nations in producing certain commodities . Garber (1993) asserts that free trade increases global economic output due to expanded market for excess output and elimination of market access tariffs and regulations of the domestic economies. Accordingly, free trade encourages competition among various firms thus leading to high quality products and low prices to the consumers. It is acknowledged that free trade will foster technology transfer that contributes to human advancements and better quality of life in the society. Accordingly, free trade enables multinational companies to reduce the costs of production through attracting high qualified skill force at a lower cost and moving their manufacturing plants closer to sources of raw materials (Michalos, 2008). In addition, free trade will contribute to growth in domestic gross product by ensuring higher employment levels and consumer incomes thus ultimately contribute to increase in consumption levels in the economy. However, environmentalists assert that free trade leads to market externalities like pollution and thus stringent domestic environmental regulations are necessary in order to check the standards of goods imported in the economy (Esty, 1994). The WTO established a committee to deal with trade and environment in 1995 in order to deal with issues concerning domestically prohibited goods and eco-labelling. A major concern for the committee is the relationship between multinational environmental agreements

The UK Government is Increasing the Retirement Age Literature review

The UK Government is Increasing the Retirement Age - Literature review Example Therefore, increasing the retirement age will mean more advantage to the elderly employees in the UK construction industry, considering that employers are reluctant to offer employments positions to older workers. Age discrimination could worsen, considering the negative attitudes that exist with regards to performance of the aged. Negative attitudes claimed that Low performance of the aged has contributed largely to early retirement among employees (United Nations, 2009, p. 52). The negative attitudes with regards to low performance of the aged could be improved with good performance and contributions of the older employees who have for a long time been denied the opportunity to prove their efficiency at an old age. Employee Age Discrimination According to Lewis, Lewis, and Thornbory (2006, p. 160), older workers are discriminated against on the claims that at an old age, employees tend to have less physical strength and incapability to endure hard conditions in work environments su ch as the construction industry. More to this, the older employees are also discriminated on claims that their cognitive capacity is low compared to younger employees. However, eliminating age discrimination in the UK construction industry would be attracting, motivating, and retaining the aged staffs that are fit for leadership and motivation of the younger employees. More so, employers could gain much reputation as transparent and an equal opportunity employer for development of skills and empowerment to the members. Direct discrimination involves treating individual employee less favorably with regards to their perceived or actual age associated with the individuals where no legitimate aim is justified. Indirect discrimination occurs in situations where policies, procedures and practices that apply to all employees exist, but in specification to the individuals perceived to be old. These practices, procedures, and policies may include application requirements for a particular job that excludes a particular group of disadvantaged individuals, where no legitimate aim is justified. This practice amounts to violation of the law, since the UK legislations demand that employers should not discriminate against employees by their age and incase so, the case must be justifiable fact as a legitimate objective of the organization (Fineman, 2011, p. 59). Harassment implies situations where unwanted behavior towards the aged employees has the purpose and impact of violation of a person’s dignity with regards to intimidation, human degradation, hostility, and humiliation of employees. On the other hand, victimization refers to an unfair treatment brought forward as a complaint by an employee who is regarded to have been treated unfairly based on age. The threat and complaints of age discrimination in the construction industry seem to be rampant at an early age compared to other industries. The increase in the retirement age by the UK government may lead to increas ed case of discrimination against the aging employees. Older workers are often put under pressure by both employers and fellow young employees to retire against their wish (Adams and Beehr, 2003). The UK construction industry is faced by rampant age discrimination claims among employees who are entering their phases of prime

Problem solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Problem solving - Essay Example techniques that has been majorly studied, scientifically, involves skin penetration with thin metallic needles which are either manipulated by hands or electricity to bring about pain relief. Acupuncture has been traditionally used in China and other Asian countries; however, it is steadily gaining grounds all over the world in the wake of globalization. NCCAM (2012) confirms this fact by stating that millions of Americans use acupuncture every year to relieve pain. It is evident that acupuncture is being used to relieve pain among patients, but we should ask ourselves whether it is really effective. NCCAM (2012) documents that researchers have studied the effects of acupuncture in managing neck pain, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain, and chronic headache and established that it is an effective pain reliever. This finding defeats the notion that acupuncture is a mere placebo and calls for more clinical referrals and research to improve it. Considering that convectional medicines, p ain killers, have myriad of side effects, some of which may be fatal, it is my opinion that alternative medical practices like acupuncture should be explored and developed to accord medical solutions. Further, research has given robust evidence that acupuncture is useful in pain management, and it is imperative that the same be embraced. However, acupuncturists should take serious precautions to deter its negative effects like allergic reactions and nerve damages. There has to be more research to make acupuncture more effective and to manage its side effects. NCCAM. (2012). Acupuncture; Acupuncture May Be Helpful for Chronic Pain: A Meta-Analysis. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Retrieved from:

John Locke Short Introduction Essay Example for Free

John Locke Short Introduction Essay John Locke, who is widely known as the Father of Liberalism, is a great writer, philosopher and physician of the 17th century. He was born on 29 August 1632 and died on 28 October 1704 when he was 72. He was baptized on the same day as he was born. He was a gifted man and David Hume once described him as â€Å"wrote like a water-drinking local councilor, his style ungainly, his idioms commercial, his imagination puritanical, his humor labored, his purposes wholly practical. † As he is a talented thinker and uses different perspectives to see and think on certain things, he revolutionized the Theory of Mind to the world in his masterpiece, â€Å"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding†. On the other hand, he also developed the idea of liberty among people in society. His contributions to the world are incredible as his ideas of social contract and state of nature laid the theoretical foundation of the Constitutions of the United States of America. In Locke’s life, he came from a very intelligent and faithful Baptist family that gave him a good education and took him to a good school Christ Church, Oxford. Though he studied medicine but not philosophy or other critical thinking courses, he met prominent people (e. g. Robert Boyle, Thomas Wills) who inspired him immensely in every perspective. One eminent scholar was Thomas Sydenham, who imposed a huge impact on the idea of how man accumulates knowledge. Thanks to Sydenham, Locke wrote one of his famous works – â€Å"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding†. Thomas Sydenham gave advice to Locke in treating Shaftesbury’s liver cancer. Locke realized in the file of Shaftesbury that knowledge in a book could be different from the circumstances Locke was facing. Hence, he raised the pivotal question in his essay: â€Å"Is the foundation of knowledge based on theory or experience? † This essay stimulated several fresh ideas to philosophers in the 17th century. One of the famous philosophers who were greatly influenced by Locke was David Hume, who described John Locke as a magnificent man. After Shaftesbury survived from the liver cancer, he became Lord Chancellor and led Locke to be involved in the field of politics. In the political struggle of Shaftesbury, Locke assisted him by writing another famous work – â€Å"Two Treatises of Government. It is believed that the ideas mentioned in the essay were influenced by Hobbes’ thinking, but Locke never referred or mentioned the name of Hobbes. Locke countered the statements raised by Hobbes in the book of Leviathan that â€Å"everyone is living in terror† and â€Å"war of every man against every man†. Locke raised a counter statement that everyone is created equally and everyone in society has rights to fight for their life, freedom and property. To accomplish it, we shall hold together and grant greater power to protect ourselves. This also explains how civilization works. The original purpose of this piece is an argument to attack Shaftesbury’s opponents (supporters of Absolute Monarchy). However, the ideas of natural rights and a new reformation of government mentioned inside the essay are recognized as the most influential ideas on the political system in the 17th century. The basis of liberty was widely used by the founding fathers of the United States of America to write the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions. The influences of John Locke did not just stop in the 17th century. They still last today. Every time we hear about liberty and freedom, the basis of these concepts had been defined by Locke clearly. Besides, the issue of free religion which is still discussed nowadays was also originated by Locke. The theory of religious tolerance was one of the most controversial ideas during Locke’s lifetime. In this perspective, some historians even regarded the European War as the war between religions. In some statements made by Locke, he argued human knowledge was possibly false unless there was definite proof. By the same token, he considered that religion, which did not have clear proof, was possibly false. Because of this, religious tolerance was necessary. Religious tolerance is still being debated nowadays and it has greatly changed the outlook of modern society after this idea was promulgated. Locke’s life was a legend. He was born in a Baptist family and his writings are full of elements related to Christianity. From the statement of â€Å"All men are created equally†, it clearly shows Locke’s belief in the perspective of equality. Besides, he was also greatly influenced by the idea of knowledge. He questioned the fundamental of knowledge and questioned whether knowledge is true as always. I believe he wrote such ideas because of his experience in the treatment of Shaftesbury’s cancer that led him to start questioning that the things he had learned from the medical books were not really practical. Instead, to him, they were much more proper to be described as imaginary notions. From this perspective, he was inspired to write the essay concerning human understanding. Besides, Locke also influenced the world and created waves of revolutionary ideas in many fields. The great philosophers Voltaire and Rousseau were deeply inspired by Locke’s theories. Ultimately, Locke – Father of Liberalism – was not simply a gifted person born to be the father of liberalism, but also because of circumstances, situations which he encountered in his life to make him the father of liberalism.

Vietnamese culture

Vietnamese culture VIETNAMESE CULTURE Totally this topic needs a wide knowledge about Vietnamese culture. Although I am a Vietnamese but maybe my knowledge is still not enough to talk about everything I want you to know. So, my entire essay is my result in finding from Internet and from my understanding about my country. Actually, there are some words I dont know how to translate into English, and then I let them in Vietnamese. That thing means keep tradition of Vietnam. Thank you for your attention! Some website you can find more information about this topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1945.html#dien Vietnamese Culture and Tradition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Vietnam http://www.vietnam-beauty.com/vietnamese-culture.html http://www.vietnamtradefair.com/en/vh.htm http://www.trekkingtravel.com.vn/about_vietnam_list/14/1/VietNam_Culture.html http://www.adoptvietnam.org/vietnamese/index.htm http://www.vietspring.org/ http://www.terragalleria.com/vietnam/ http://www.photosbymartin.com/asia/vietnam_pictures.htm http://www.bugbog.com/gallery/vietnam_pictures/vietnam_pictures_door.html http://www.vietnam-photograph.com/ http://history1900s.about.com/od/vietnamwar/tp/vietnamwarpictures.htm I) INTRODUCTION Vietnam has a very rich culture that has been shaped by many different civilizations throughout history. Through many long struggles, the Vietnamese have created our unique culture. Our culture has been influenced by many other civilizations: the ancient peoples that once inhabited the land, the Chinese, the French, and most recently, the Americans and Russians. From all these outside influences, and centuries of war, oppression, and hardship, we have formed, and maintained our culture. The people of Vietnam are hard working and feel strong ties to our families. We are well versed in the arts, and have made several contributions to the world of literature. Aside from our painful history, the Vietnamese people have a culture and many customs, all our own. We can begin with wars of Vietnam. II. BODY: 1. Vietnam wars: We had to struggle many years to take the government back from enemies. Vietnam was split into two in 1954, as part of the Geneva accords. It had a communist government in the north, and a democratic south. A series of events led up to a full scale war between the two countries which included not only the Vietnamese, but people from America, Australia, and other nations. The Americans supported the widely unpopular southern regime, and although in the beginning they attempted to keep their involvement limited, they sent millions of soldiers to war in Vietnam to prevent the spread of Communism. Years of bitter guerrilla warfare in the rugged jungles and villages of Vietnam eventually resulted in a North Vietnamese victory and the reunification of Vietnam. Millions of people, American and Vietnamese alike died in the war, and the country today still struggles to reestablish itself after the damages on its economy, land, and people the war caused. Especially, we have Vietnam war which also known as theSecond Indochina War, was aCold Warmilitary conflictthat may be said to have occurred inVietnam,Laos, andCambodiafrom September 26, 1959to April 30, 1975. The war was fought between the communistNorth Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government ofSouth Vietnam, supported by theUnited Statesand other anti-communist nations. TheViet Cong, a lightly armed South Vietnamesecommunist-controlledcommon front, largely fought aguerrilla waragainst anti-communistforces in the region. TheNorth Vietnamese Armyengaged in a moreconventional war, at times committing large units into battle. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied onair superiorityand overwhelming firepower to conductsearch and destroyoperations, involvingground forces,artilleryandair strikes. The United States entered the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment.Military advisorsarrived from beginning in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with U.S. troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962.[13]U.S.combat unitswere deployed beginning in 1965. Involvement peaked in 1968 at the time of theTet Offensive. After this, U.S. ground forces were withdrawn as part of a policy calledVietnamization. Despite the Paris Peace Accords, signed by all parties in January 1973, fighting continued. TheCase-Church Amendment, passed by the U.S. Congress in response to theanti-warmovement, prohibited direct U.S. military involvement after August 15, 1973. U.S. military and economic aid continued until 1975.[14]Thecapture of Saigonby North Vietnamese army in April 1975 marked the end of Vietnam War. North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities, including 3 to 4 million Vietnamese from both sides, 1.5 to 2 million LaotiansandCambodians, and 58,159 U.S. soldiers. But after all the difficult time we had to struggle, there was one day, when Vietnamese had our independent day. From that day, our country became an independent country, an free country. On 2 September 1945,Ho Chi Minh(leader of the Viet Minh) declared theindependentDemocratic Republic of Vietnambefore a crowd of 500,000 inHanoi.In an overture to the Americans, he began his speech by paraphrasing theUnited States Declaration of Independence:All men are created equal. The Creator has given us certain inviolable Rights: the right to Life, the right to be Free, and the right to achieve Happiness 2) People: Although there are as many as 60 different groups of people living in Vietnam, the majority of the populations are the Viet people. Of the 78 million people living in the country, 85 percent are what we refer to as Vietnamese. They live primarily in the lowlands of Vietnam. Three-quarters of the population of Vietnam live in rural villages. A vast majority of the citizens are rice farmers, and live in the lowlands where there is fertile, easily irrigated soil. Where the ancestors of the Viet people came from is not completely known. They were probably farmers that moved gradually into the northern part of Vietnam from China, and slowly moved south, pushing other native people like the Champa out or up into the mountains as they migrated along the coast. One of the larger minority groups in Vietnam are the Chinese. They immigrated to the lowlands of Vietnam during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Before the war between North and South Vietnam, they were involved in foreign and rice trade, and remained somewhat independent from the Vietnamese people. Later, however; new laws and regulations forced most to abandon their ways of life, and many fled the country. Two other minorities living in the lowlands include the Cham and the Khmer. The Cham are descendants of the Champa kingdom that existed along the central coast for thousands of years. Now there are only about 50,000 of their people left living as fishermen and farmers in scattered villages along the coast. The Khmer, of Cambodian decent, live and have lived for a long time in the swampy Mekong Delta, south of Ho Chi Minh City. They are more numerous than the Cham people. The other residents of Vietnam live in the mountainous regions of the country. They, as a group, are commonly called the Montagnards. In the northern mountains, along the Chinese border, live tribes that have migrated there in the last several centuries. Some of the more common of these include the Tai, Nung, Meo, Yao, Muong, and the Tay. The Tay are by far the most numerous of the northern people. To the south, in the central highlands, are the Rhade and the Jarai peoples. They are descendants of nomads who came to the central coast in the third or second millennia BC, and have since been pushed up into the highlands. Now they live mainly by slash and burn agriculture. For centuries, the mountain people lived in isolation and were suspicious of lowlanders. They maintained only limited communication and trade with the Vietnamese. In the last fifty or so years, Vietnamese people have tried both peace and force to integrate them into their society, and finding themselves in the middle of several wars. Now the Vietnamese government is implementing programs to improve and develop communities, bring lowland Vietnamese people into the mountains, and educate the children of these Montagnards, while still allowing them to maintain their heritage. Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. Its official language, Vietnamese is spoken throughout the country, but dialects vary between the north, south, and center. English is common in larger cities and is taught in schools, and French is also spoken in various parts of the country. Vietnam has an 88 percent literacy rate. Their national script is called Quoc Ngu. It was introduced by European colonists, and utilizes the Roman alphabet (the alphabet used for English †¦ but Vietnamese alphabet has some letters different from English). Nowadays, in a lot of school, besides English and French we can also learn many foreign languages such as: German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and Canada †¦ Those languages service to our new economy, we join with world, with other developing country and so on. The Vietnamese people and the many minority groups living with us have created a unique culture and form of society. We have held onto their heritage and pride throughout countless struggles and wars, and are still striving to integrate and unite all parts and people of their incredible country. 3) Food: Typical Vietnamese food varies from one region of the country to another. In the north, spices are mild and no used often. In central Vietnam, food is much spicier, and uses ground chilies often. Foods in the south often include spicy seasonings such as curry. Tropical fruits, stir fries, rice, and soups are eaten all over. The same as almost other country in Asia, rice is the main grain for the Vietnamese people. It can be served plain, sweetened, stir fried with meat or vegetables, added to soups, made into rice cakes, or into flour to make rice noodles or thin rice paper. Rice paper is often seen wrapped around meat, vegetables, and noodles, and then fried to make Vietnamese egg rolls. Rice is eaten at almost every meal. Beef and other meats are uncommon; they are too expensive and spoil easily without refrigeration. Instead, the people of Vietnam eat seafood, eels, frogs eggs, and the occasional duck, chicken, or pork. In the mountains, they hunt birds and other animals, and eat or sell the meat they obtain. Vegetables, grown on plots near the house when possible, include onions, soybeans, bamboo shoots, yams, and other roots. Common fruits include bananas, mangoes, coconuts, and other tropical fruits. Tea, soda, beer, and rice wine are the main beverages. A common sauce is nuoc mam, a fish sauce used to flavor many things, including rice. Dishes of meat, vegetables, seafood, and rice are placed in the center of a table. People choose what they want, and mix them with their bowls of rice. Soups, also with mixtures of meats and vegetables, are also popular. The Vietnamese eat with chopsticks, and raise their up off the table to eat. Vietnam also has a large variety of noodles and noodle soups. Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colors, etc. For breakfast, people often eat a soup called pho. This soup can contain whatever the cook wishes to put in, but usually includes rice noodles, beef broth, onions, seasonings such as ginger, and bits of meat. Street vendors sell snacks and meals at all times of the day. As people go to or from work or school, they can pick up a bowl of pho, rice cakes, tiny meatballs, and noodles with sauces, candy, or any number of other treats. This food has become famous in the world. It is considered the symbol of Vietnamese food. If you are a tourist traveling Vietnam, that is the food you cant ignore. It has the private taste, so delicious and unforgettable. Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, often divided into three main categories, each pertaining to Vietnams three main regions (north, central and south). It uses very little oil and many vegetables, and is mainly based on rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavors are sweet, spicy, sour, nuoc mam (fish sauce), and flavored by a variety of mint and basil. Currently, Vietnamese cuisine has been gaining popularity and can be found widely in many other countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Laos, Japan, China, Malaysia, and France. Vietnamese cuisine is recognized for its strict, sometimes choosy selection of ingredients. A chef preparing authentic Vietnamese cuisine may incorporate the ingredients provided in these countries, but generally will prefer ingredients native to Vietnam. 4) Life style: In each region of Vietnam, lifestyles differ, but there are some aspects of life which remain fundamentally the same. The family is the center of Vietnamese life. Many homes support large extended families with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all living under the same roof. Although the government encourages, and rewards people for small families, the average number of children per couple is four. Respect is important in the family. Each person has his or her own place with the father or eldest son as the head of the household, and the one who gets the most respect. Every member of a family must work hard. Eighty percent of the populations of Vietnam live in rural villages scattered throughout the lowlands and mountains. Villages in the north consist of a group of houses with a temple or central building as a town center and social meeting place. Southern villages are houses lined up along a central road. Many houses are built on stilts to keep above flood waters. Many rural families dont want or cant afford to have running water or electricity. People living in the lowlands make money by farming. There are several state owned farms as well as private, family run ones. People grow rice, fruits and vegetables, sugarcane, tea, or coffee. Some families raise livestock for extra money. Along the coast, in addition to farmers, there are many fishermen. People who live in the central highlands and the northern mountains are very self sufficient. They only buy things that they can not make, grow, trap, or hunt. To obtain money, mountain dwellers grow certain types of rice, harvest the rubber trees, and work with coffee and tea. Some are also involved in the illegal growing and harvesting goes the opium poppy. The life of a farmer is hard. People must rise before the sun comes up to get started on their work. They take a break in the middle of the heat of the day, and then return to the fields. Each member of a family has certain jobs to perform. Men do heavy labor like plowing and digging. Women work around the house, and help with the harvest, planing and weeding. Elderly people do light labor. Girls clean, cook, and work in the vegetable garden; while boys carry water, and help the men in the field. The entire family helps out during planting and harvest. Typical clothing worn by farmers is lose pants and shirts (or skirts for some women) that can be easily rolled up and kept out of water an mud. Most people wear sandals or go barefoot. All over Vietnam people wear conical shaped hats called non la to protect them from the scalding sun and heavy rains. The other twenty percent of the inhabitants of Vietnam live in cities. They have jobs just like the jobs people living in cities all over the world have. There are construction workers, office secretaries, merchants, street vendors, teachers, government workers, factory workers, and many other occupations. Cities experience more of the western influence than rural areas do. People wear western clothing such as jeans and T-shirts, and do things like people in Europe and America do. Most families live in small, crowded apartments, or in government housing. The city is very crowded, and streets are often crammed with bikes, motorbikes, scooters, and some cars very early in the morning. Street vendors are all over. One can pick up a meal or snack from them as soon as he gets hungry. Overpopulation is a problem in cities. The government encourages couples to have only to children, but many have more. They are also trying to resettle families into the less crowded mountains. City life is also hard, crowed. Many people must take two jobs to get enough money to support their families. Both men and women work, although men do most of the heavy labor and hold positions of authority. Everybody gets up early in the morning. Work starts at about 7, but before that people are up and about, and in public parks exercising, or at open markets buying the days groceries. Children go to school for half the day; either in the morning or afternoon shift, then go home to work, study, or play. Women buy food and necessities on the way to or from work. Most families eat at about 6 or 7 PM and go to bed at about 10 or 11. Homes are small and sparsely furnished. Straw mats are used for both sleeping and sitting. Meals are eaten on a low table, in low down chairs. Food is often cooked outside, or on three legged wood or coal burning stoves in the main room. In the country, electricity and running water are rare. In cities, they are in many homes, but most families dont have appliances such as refrigerators or TVs. 5) Religion: Although only about half of the people of Vietnam belong to organized religions, religion, and the beliefs arising from religions play large parts in the lives of most Vietnamese. They are often very superstitious, and believe things must be done right, or the family will have bad luck. Most Vietnamese practice ancestor worship. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors come back to earth on specific days, and throughout the year they pay high respect to them. In many homes there is a small alter to the ancestors of the family where they burn incense, have food offerings, and pictures of their deceased family members. Certain beliefs of many religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, animism and Catholicism are incorporated into the lives of the everyday, not seriously religious, Vietnamese person. Of the people who are members of organized religions, the greatest number is Buddhists. Buddhism came to Vietnam from India, during the Chines rule. This religion concentrates on self improvement and the belief of more lives after death. People must carry themselves well and improve and realize themselves in this life in order to pass on to a better life in their next one. There are slightly different beliefs between the north and south. The members of the Hoa Hao sect in South Vietnam are more radical in their beliefs than members of the more passive sects in the north. Hoa Hao is the largest major sect of Vietnamese Buddhism, was founded during the early 20th century in South Vietnam, and has over one million followers. Catholicism is another major religion. It was brought to Vietnam by the French colonists and has about four million followers. Many Catholics were against communism, and many fled the country when it was split up in 1954 and when it was reunited in 1975. Other Christian churches have sent missionaries to Vietnam, but were not widely adopted. Many of the mountain tribes practice spirit worship, or Animism. There are differences between what each tribe believes. In general, Animism is an ancient religion centered on the belief that clouds, rivers, forests, animals, etc. all have spirits. It used to be believed all over the world, but now only in scattered regions, including the Vietnamese highlands. Confucianism is more of a philosophy than a religion, but it has a strong influence on Vietnamese life. The Vietnamese took many of the Confucian morals and ethics. Confucianism, introduced by the Chinese, teaches respect, honest government, formality, and that people should be rewarded for merit. Another Chinese religion that influences Vietnamese philosophy today is Taoism. A few of the teachings of Taoism are belief in the spirit world, and the importance of how things line up. People must be very careful where they build houses, dig graves, or face doors, or it could be very unlucky. Perhaps the strangest Vietnamese religion is Cao Dai. It was founded in 1919 in the city of Tay Ninh and has as many as one million followers today. Cao Dai was established to bring together the best of all religions. There are little bits and pieces of many religions as part of it. Among its saints are religious figures from other faiths as well as famous people from history such as author Victor Hugo, and comedian Charlie Chaplain. They have statues and icons that are mixtures of important Vietnamese mythical animals, and things found in other religions, with a little bit of their own innovation included. Many seriously religious people are activists. They believe in justice for all, and the government may not completely trust their loyalty, so it discourages strong devotion to some religions. Vietnams diversity of people and religions throughout history has helped make Vietnam the fascinating country that it is today. Religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by the East Asian mix of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, the so-called Tam Già ¡o, or triple religion, but today it has become more diverse including other religions such as catholism, etc. Vietnamese Buddhism has typically been the most popular. The country also has a strong cultural norm of ancestor worship as well as animism. This fits perfectly with the triple religion; making it difficult for many Vietnamese to express exactly which religion they practice. Of the three, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been the most popular with commoners. Besides the triple religion, Vietnamese life was also profoundly influenced by the practice of ancestor worship as well as native animism. Most Vietnamese people, regardless of religious denomination, practice ancestor worship and have an ancestor altar at their home or business, a testament to the emphasis Vietnamese culture places on filial duty. Along with obligations to clan and family, education has always played a vital role in Vietnamese culture. In the old days, scholars were placed at the top of society. Men not born of noble blood could only wish to elevate their status by means of studying for a rigorous Imperial examination which could potentially open doors to a position in the government, granting them power and prestige as Mandarin officials. A part we must to mention in this part is temples, pagodas †¦ Architecture in Vietnam today is a mixture of French colonial manors, and Chinese pagodas and temples. Many traditional Vietnamese buildings were destroyed by nature or war. Many big buildings and cathedrals resemble French Gothic architecture. Other buildings have pointed roofs and curving eaves, like Chinese buildings. There are remains of ancient stone buildings built by previous inhabitants of Vietnam. In cities, many buildings contain stores on the bottom floors and homes on top. Homes are small. In rural and mountain areas, houses are larger, one or two room wooden dwellings. 6) Recreation: Elementary schools dont have sports teams, but secondary schools do. The most popular sport is soccer. Schools also have track, tennis, and volleyball teams. In large cities, the government sponsors sports teams in soccer, swimming, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, tennis, and other sports. Children, in their free time, like to play games similar to those played in other countries. They swim, jump rope, play kickball, marbles, card games, and many other games. People enjoy playing musical instruments and having any number of friendly contests. In rural areas, they have competitions in things that help people with tasks that they must complete in day to day life. Although the Vietnamese are not very competitive, they enjoy friendly games and competitions. Teens in the cities like to hang out in the streets, ice cream parlors, or in cafes. The like listening to music, and going to movies, dances, and cafes where they can eat and watch movies. Many people in cities exercise early in the morning in public parks. Thai cuc quyen, a form of slow motion shadow boxing related to kung fu, is very popular among young and elderly women. Martial arts are often taken up by boys. People also attend dance and music lessons. Most free time is spent with friends and family. In the cities there are many things to do, and in rural villages, people are never lost for something to entertain them with. When families go on vacation, they usually go to one of Vietnams many beautiful beaches or to the mountains near the town of Da Lat. 7) Customs: The Vietnamese have many unique customs. They have a great respect for their families and ancestors. Children obey their parents, and wives obey their husbands. Many people practice ancestor worship. They have shrines in their homes where they burn incense for their deceased family members. They believe that they must treat their ancestors well, or bad things could happen. If a special pet dies, a family might bury it as if it were one of the families. People, especially in the highlands, believe that everything has a spirit. They respect and even worship things like trees, animals, clouds, and streams. Sacred animals of Vietnam include dragons, turtles, and more. The Vietnamese are very suspicious. Things must happen right on special occasions such as Tet, or the family will have bad luck. There are numerous signs that could mean bad fortune is imminent. Geomancy is another superstition. It is centered on the belief that all things in the universe must line up. Before the building of any important structures or buildings, geomancers or pepole who understand the principals of geomancy are consulted. Confucianism introduced a strict moral code, formality, harmony with nature, and established a social order centered on society, family, and male dominance. Buddhism stresses self improvement, and greatly influences Vietnamese life. The French colonists brought industrialization, the idea of individual importance, and the equality of men and women. Nowadays, there are a bit of all shape Vietnamese life and traditions. 8) Clothing: In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status and strict dress codes were enforced. A part of that relates to the way people design them. Its art.Vietnamese art shows a strong Chinese influence, but has the delicate Vietnamese twist. Ceramics are common in Vietnam as is silk weaving, and elaborately engraved furniture. A popular art form is wood block printing where a design or picture is carved into a block of wood, then painted. The paint is pressed onto a sheet of paper, and a beautiful picture appears. Mother-of-pearl inlay originated in Vietnam over 1,000 years ago. Pieces of colorful mother-of-pearl shells are inlayed in wooden bowls, boxes, furniture, or other things. Silk screen painting is also popular. Before photography, portraits and scenery would be painted onto pieces of white silk. Lacquer ware, introduced by the Chinese is found all over Vietnam. Wooden objects are painted with black and a design, and coated over and over with a clear, glassy liquid. When the coats dry, there is a glossy layer over the object that protects it from the humid Vietnames e climate. Dragons and turtles are two very important animals in the Vietnamese culture. There are many beautifully crafted sculptures of those and other important animals, people, and things all over the country. Many of these arts have been used in Vietnam for centuries. Commoners had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for every day use, as well as being limited in the colors they were allowed to use. For a period, commoners were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white (with the exception of special occasions such as festivals), but in actuality these rules could change often based upon the whims of the current ruler. The à o tá » © thà ¢n or four-part dress is one such example of an ancient dress widely worn by commoner women, along with the à o yá º ¿m bodice which accompanied it. Peasants across the country also gradually came to wear silk pajama-like costumes, known as à o cà ¡nh in the north and à o bà   ba in the south. The headgear of peasants often included a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the head (generally called KhÄÆ'n Ä‘á »â€˜ng), or the stereotypical Nà ³n là ¡ (conical hat). For footwear peasants would often go barefoot, whereas sandals and shoes were reserved for the aristocracy and royalty. Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the color gold, while nobles wore red or purple. Each member of the royal court had an assortment of different formal gowns they would wear at a particular ceremony, or for a particular occasion. The rules governing the fashion of the royal court could change dynasty by dynasty, thus Costumes of the Vietnamese court were quite diverse. The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national costume is the à o Dà  i, which is worn nowadays mostly by women, although men do wear à o dà  i on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. à o dà  i is derived from the Chinese Qipao, although it consists of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over cotton or silk trousers. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in the 18th century or in the royal court of Huá º ¿. White à o dà  i is the required uniform for girls in many high schools across Vietnam. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear à o dà  i. à o Dà  i was once worn by both genders but today it is worn mainly by females, except for certain important traditional culture-related occasions where some men do wear it. In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles. Traditional clothing is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the white Nowadays, throughout the lowlands of the country, people dress in loose pants or skirts with long sleeve shirts that can easily be rolled up. In cities jeans and T-shirts are common as well. Most people wear sandals or go barefoot. The ao dai are a traditional garment worn for special occasions and commoly seen with high school girls in Vietnam. The mountain people wear traditional dress made on looms. The material often has a repeated pattern and is decorated with beads. Each mountain tribe has a different style of clothing, and wears different colors. Conical hats, made out of tightly woven straw or bamboo are worn by people all over Vietnam to protect them from the scalding sun, and heavy rains 9, Literature: First, its the trend of music in Vietnam. Vietnamese music has a sad eerie quality to it and is quite mesmerizing. Often it takes the form of poetry that is sung. It is very interesting because the tones of music must rise and fall as the Vietnamese language does. There are three main types of Vietnamese music: folk, classical, and choral. Folk music includes childrens, work, festival, and funeral songs, and is sometimes accompanied by instruments. Classical music, based on the Chinese opera, is played by a large orchestra. Choral music is sung by a chorus with instrumental accompaniment. Common Vietnamese instruments include bamboo fl

Haroun And The Sea Of Stories :: essays research papers

Haroun and the Sea of Stories I thought the book â€Å"Haroun and the Sea of Stories† was well written and a fun book to read. This is a story about friendship, fight for justice and honesty. It makes the reader feel like a child again. Rushdie showed in this book his good knowledge of human imagination. This is a reminder of that magical world with bad creatures and the ones with big hearts that always win a war. The book is about the land where stories are made, Rashid who is "the Shah of Blah, with oceans of notions and the Gift of the Gab," and his son Haroun. When Rashid loses his gift, his son embarks on a quest to recover it. This story is comparable to other stories like â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† in that it is a fairy tale, since the novel is based around this place, Kahani, the earth’s second moon, where stories are made and kept alive. Rushdie's characters and dreamlike settings are deliriously inventive. It is similar to â€Å"Alice in Wonderland† where Alice is in her own fantasy land. In this tale are some powerful moments dealing with freedom of speech and expression. The force of evil in this story is silence, an enforced silence, the quashing of language, fantasy, satire - even the truth itself. There are plenty of allegories and light-hearted commentary woven into the tapestry. The Princess Batcheat is a bit much to put up with, as are the people we must sometimes defend on principles such as freedom of expression. I found the ending interesting when you find out that the city Haroun and Rashid live in, â€Å"the city that forgot its name,† has the same name as the â€Å"fantasy land,† Kahani, that Haroun was just in. Also, during the story Haroun would hint that people in the fantasy land reminded him of people he knew in his own city. Also the fact that what made Haroun’s father lose his talent of telling stories, Soraya, Rashid’s wife, left him for someone else, was back and she referred to the man she left the same as Khattam-shud.

Analysis of Marks Gospel Essay -- essays research papers fc

This research assignment aims to analyse and interpret an influential part of the New Testament – Mark’s Gospel. An analysis of Mark and his community will be discussed as well as interpreting Jesus’ teachings and his significant theme of Discipleship as it was then and in present society. A Gospel in general, is a textual document written in narrative form of the good news and teachings proclaimed by Jesus to announce the power of God. Mark’s Gospel is one of four others (Matthew, Luke and John), where each Gospel has its differences in structure, language and theological slants. Mark’s Gospel is divided into three main sections: The Ministry of Jesus, Jesus’ prologue of foretelling his Passion, and his Passion and Death. Mark set out on a mission of God to carry on the word of Jesus with Paul, where Mark was traditionally known to be closely linked to one of Jesus’ disciples – Peter, which many of the stories in the Gospel relate to his perspective and point of view. Much of Mark’s stories may have originated from Peter through oral transfer (as it was common in those times) and discussions with Paul, as well as accounts from the Old Testament. Mark’s community mainly consisted of Gentiles who lived in Rome as opposed to Jesus followers in Israel who were Jews. Gentiles are classified as people of any religion that are not Jewish, and of non-Jewish origins such as the Romans. In particular the Roman Centurion (army officer) who professed that Jesus was truly the Son of God (15:39), is one of many reasons that suggest Mark’s community to be Gentile. This is a significant part in the Passion narrative, as the Centurion – being a Gentile is one of the first people to have faith and believe in Jesus after his death, which is relevant to the Kingdom of God. Also, many of Jewish customs are explained for non-Jewish followers as well as Mark’s translation of Latin words written in Greek (Mark: A Gospel for Today, 1989). Mark’s community endured much suffering under the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero that was persecuting Christians for practicing their Monotheistic faith and preaching the word of Jesus. For Mark’s community, in continuing the word of Jesus and to spread the good news, the people faced many difficulties as to convert to Christianity. These barriers included the geographical differences of Rome and Jerusalem as well as having their own opinions... ...l their possessions behind to follow Jesus. Though Discipleship does not result in poverty, but living a true live in accordance with God, and the Messiah. However, recontextualised in modern contexts - priests have also undergone this concept and discarded monetary values to serve under the authority of Jesus and to spread the good news and give guidance to those who are lost, just as Jesus’ disciples did. Nevertheless, this does not stipulate the right for people in such high ranks of ‘Holiness’ to exclude or criticize others’ views, and to make unaccountable judgments on the behalf of God. We should persist on the tolerance and respect of other’s viewpoints. This theme also gives hope to ‘Jesus Followers’ that it is not the end for God’s people. Written By: Marcus Huynh Copyright Bibliography: Danes, Christopher & Simon. (1989) Mark: A Gospel for Today. Lion Publishing, England. Geddes, Gordon & Griffiths, June. (2001) St. Mark’s Gospel. Heinemann Publishing, Melbourne. Cooper, Robin. (1970) Mark’s Gospel: An Interpretation for Today. Hodder & Stoughton, Abington. Available: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rsposse/marcanpassrb.htm. Last Accessed 22/05/05

Overpopulation in India Essay -- Environment Environmental Essays

Overpopulation in India: The Need for Improved Quality and Diversity of Contraceptive Options On May 11, 2000, Astha (Faith) was born in the Indian capital on New Delhi.[1] Her birth was not only a significant occasion for her parents, but for the entire Nation of India. Astha’s birth was designated the official point at which the Indian population crossed the one billion human beings mark.[2] India was thus officially inaugurated into the very exclusive one billion inhabitants of one nations club, and the world was left to ponder the repercussions of such a development. Stepping over the one-billion line brought into question all the policies, efforts, and difficulties that the Indian government had implemented and fought for over a half a century in order to prevent just such a joyous occasion from happening. The Indian Family Planning Program, initiated in 1952, was a sign of the desire of Indian leadership to develop the nation and take the steps necessary to do so. The program has evolved throughout the years, meeting varied success; however, in the year 2000 one aspect of the program has become blatantly clear – it has not succeeded in slowing India’s rapid population growth to a population replacement level. One of the major reasons India has failed to reach the replacement rate is because of a family planning program that emphasized sterilization as the main method of contraception and de-emphasized temporary methods. The services provided by the program were of poor quality. If the Indian government can even hope to reach its ultimate total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 in all of its states and provinces, it must shift its policy from the emphasis on sterilization as the main method of birth con... ...could be a good alternative for women who forget to take daily birth control pills. The ring is inserted into the vagina where it releases estrogen and progestin. The benefit of the ring is that it can be inserted for three weeks at a time thus disposing of the daily pill-taking requirements of traditional oral contraceptives. The widespread availability of such a method could have a similar effect as that of centchroman. Another contraceptive method, the female condom, could help alleviate cultural resistance to birth control. The female condom would perhaps increase participation in family planning by those couples who do not wish to use methods that have more side effects, but whose male partner is reluctant to use condoms. [47] Government of India. Department of Family Planning. National Population Policy. 2000. http://mohfw.nic.in/ppolicy.html.pdf

Pursuing Perfection: Society, Media and Beauty

Beauty has been long defined as a set of attractive features a certain individual appreciates. It is a generally accepted notion that beauty remains to be declared by the one who sees. However, as time went by, people’s sight blurred and along the chaos, this individual’s notion of beauty became the one and only truth. Being sensitive to what is real beauty is as dull as it sounds inefficient.To simply redefine what is beauty is never simple. Influenced from certain icons, highlighted by flashing media, and affirmed by many socialites, beauty has become more than a description of the face. Women had to be always pretty and slim.Men had to be muscular and strong. It has become a high demand in the market where hobbies and little appreciation became obsessions. The American society would almost chant miracles by cosmetic surgeries. The media plays a major influence, the society tolerates the subtle imposition, and the person within grasps the whole idea with both arms. Me dia Affirmation Media affirms the silent speculation of how people define beauty. People think they will not fit in with other people and ad commercials will show them how they can be happier when they are as beautiful as their models. It will be a challenge, the ad would say, but worth doing so.Little did the audience know that they were simply trying to sell their products that truthfully caring for their lives. To be young and full of physical life is the only key to happiness. According to website Media Awareness Network, ads take advantage of the insecurities of the people. Those who are not beautiful should use their products. When they use the products, and achieve the kind of beauty they desire, then their lives would be worth living. These ads could be as simple as the right clothes to wear for the season or the latest trend in cosmetic surgery available in the market today.Regardless of what product it is, it will make their lives perfect, or so their ad says so. Media has presented different options: shampoos, soaps, perfume, lipstick, make-up, clothes, accessories, shoes, bags, and even underwear. Media would allow people to choose to make them feel the freely did so. But each item on the racks and shelves of malls and grocery stores lead to say one thing: if you want to be beautiful, use it until you are. Society and the Tasty Bait In this regard, media hands over a product as a bait, and society takes a bite on it.In any generation of people, what others think and feel about a certain person mattered a lot to that person. It dictates how they should fit in into society and how they can be truly happy when they are truly beautiful. When the ads say a person will have to be slim so that others would even find true friends, then it would seem then that the basis of relationships is shallow to begin with. For every culture, beauty is defined differently. However, in the latest trends of fashion and influences, and the rise of a global market, one con strued definition has crossed borders.It made the world want that kind of beauty. The kind that is rather superficial than appealing to certain existential individuals and society is most appealed by it. It is one thing to have all forms of media present a definition of beauty, it is another when the rest of society applies these bait to everything it was intended for. Website Associated Content noted that media distorts the meaning of beauty but the society takes as it is. One could even say that society even confirms the ads and everybody else should follow. People should always be beautiful and sexy no matter who or where they are.Weakling Within There will always be the option to not follow the trends and be themselves no matter how eccentric they are. But as the society dictates, the individual is more inclined to follow. This means that other affairs associated with that person is influenced by the constantly changing trends. YGoY Beauty Tips even noted that even in employment , employers also consider the physical attributes of a person before hiring them under their wing. However, as observed of majority of America, they failed to consider other attractive qualities of a person that cannot be observed by the eye by first glance.Being intelligent with a great sense of humor can also be considered as beautiful. The individual is weak and insecure. It has made them quite gullible and the companies have taken advantage of this by blasting all avenues of media possible solutions. They are saying, one will have to feel beautiful to be less miserable. With ads presenting mostly physical beauty than essential beauty, an individual will assume that beauty should start from the skin, instead of from the heart. Companies catered to the fears and insecurities and turned them around to make them buy the product to solve their problems.These assumptions, according to the abovementioned website, were affirmed by a research study. People strongly believe that physicall y beautiful people are happy and content with their lives. It has become their personal goals to reach this level. They failed to see that without being the epitome of beauty, one can achieve great happiness as well. But because the society applies what the media says, an individual bends to these trends. As another article from Associated Content said, beauty is demanding. Conclusion In the end, the definition of beauty today is the misconception of what is really most important in life.It deludes the public and make them feel secure enough to get into the next day. It pushed people to believe that you always have to fit in. Little did these people know that they are just being succumbed to buy certain products and make other people happy. Certain people bend for it and others end being obsessed with it. Beauty became a form of evil when it should be most appealing even with eyes closed. Beauty has been defined by media, as a marketing strategy to continually have their products on sale. Society takes on the definition beyond that an economic exchange. They made it as a way of life, indulging at what the media offered.The individual succumbs to the manipulation to alleviate their own insecurities. With this, one loses the essence of being an individual. Being who you are no longer mattered and fitting in did. Being happy is not being able to express oneself completely. Instead it is about being beautiful and always appealing to anyone’s eyes. They pursue perfection. But how could anyone continuously look at a person’s face, and appealed by it, if the words that come out of their painted lips are not as the plastic face has promised? References (2005). What are the notions of beauty in society. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://beautytips.ygoy. com/general-tips/effects. php. (2006, December 20). Society and the pursuit of society. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/103679/society_and_the_pursuit_of_b eauty. html? cat=9. (2008). Beauty and body image in the media. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www. media-awareness. ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty. cfm. Little Lady. (2006, November 8). Media distortion of beauty. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/84381/media_distortion_of_beauty. html? page=1&cat=60.