Knowledge Is Power Essay

Knowledge is Power, but knowledge does not always come with power. Knowledge is the state of awareness or understanding gained from experience or study learning specific information about something. This means a person has the resourcefulness to obtain and criticize useful and informative information in order to become well informed citizens who can make intelligent decisions based upon their understanding and awareness of everyday situations. Does this make them powerful? Is a question that creeps into ones mind? Well, power is said to be the ability or capacity to act or perform effectively. Without knowledge, how can this ability to perform effectively, be possible? Indeed, it cannot. This proves that knowledge is very much a necessity to gain Power. Education is the key to success is one of the sayings that one hears throughout their college life. It is invariably true that every person who is knowledgeable leads a successful life. Education plays an important role in promoting a nations economic growth, as well. When you look at Americaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s rise to power during the past war era it is easy as well as trivial to attribute it to the abundance of natural resources and surplus number of new inventions. But, really we must consider how those inventions came about and how those natural resources were utilized to a productive end. More importantly than what made America the most powerful country in the world is why it became the most powerful country. It wasn’t luck, or coincidence or the fact that they had abundant resources but because they laid a firm foundation for their people by educating them and making them valuable members of the society who could meet the demands of the competing world. Investment in higher education is worthwhile because how much you spend on it right now definitely will make up for the amount it makes you gain later in life.

12 Literary Piece

12 Literary piece that have Influenced the World 1. The Bible or the Sacred writings: This has become the basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and Greece 2. Koran: The Muslim bible originating from Arabia 3. The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source of Myths and Legends of Greece. They were written by Homer. 4. The Mahabharata: The Longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in India. 5. Canterburry: it depicts the religion and customs of English in early days. This originated from England and written by Chaucer. 6.Uncle Tom's Cabin: written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves. This became the basis of democracy. 7. The Divine Comedy: (A Dante of Italy). This shows the religion and customs of early Italians. 8. El' Cid Comedy: This shows the cultural characteristics of Spaniards and their national theory. 9. The Song of Roland: This includes the Doce Pares and Ronces Valles of France. It tells about the Golde n Age of Christianity in France. 10. The Book of the Dead: This includes the cult of Osiris and the Mythology and theology of Egypt. 1. The Book of the Days: This was written by Confucius of China. This became the basis of Christian Religion. 12. One thousand and One Night of the Arabian Nights: from Arabia and Persia(Iran). It shows the ways of government of industries and of society of Arabia's and Persians TOP 20 epics of the world 1. The Iliad by Homer (Greek) – Iliad is one of the most celebrated and well known epics of the world. It is believed to be written by in 9th century BC by Homer. This poem is based on the legend of Trojan war. Iliad means the tale of ilios or the tale of troy.It narrates the story of the Greek struggle to rescue Helen, from Trojans, the wrath of Achilles and subsequent destruction of Troy. 2. Mahabharata by Vyasa (Sanskrit) – Mahabharata is one of the great Indian epic compiled around 8th century BC. This epic poem has about one lakh cou plets in Sanskrit and it can be considered as the longest epic poem of the world. This ancient epic deals with the rivalry between cousins – Kauravas and Pandavas – of a great ruling family of India . The armies of the two groups meet at the battleground at Kurushetra in which the Pandavas can destroy the Kauravas.The epic consists of thousands of mythical and historical stories 3. The Odyssey by Homer (Greek) – Odyssey is believed to be written in 9th century B. C by Homer the great Greek poet. It describes the exploits of the Odysseus during his homecoming after the fall of Troy. This great epic follows the Aristotelian conventions of epic poem. The poem describes the obstacles faced by Odysseus, varied tests of gods that he had undergone, his affair with nymph Calypso on the homecoming voyage, and his return to his kingdom. 4. Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto (Italian epic) Orlando Furioso is a famous epic with full of supernatural, allegorical and romanti c adventures. The main theme of the epic is the war between Christians and pagans. Even though Ariosto, the writer, has depended much on the Graeco -Roman literary tradition of earlier writers for characters and incidents, it is a great epic poem due to his smooth versification and technical facility which make the poem vigorous and brilliant, with ironic and humorous contrasts. 5. Ramayana by Valmiki (Sanskrit) – Ramayana is a great Indian epic poem written in 5th century BC.It is the oldest and most popular epic of Indian sub continent, believed to be written by Valmiki. It is written in Sanskrit, one of the earliest Indo – European languages, and has around 2400 couplets in seven sections. Ramayana means â€Å"the journey of Rama†. It depicts the conflict between Rama, the incarnation of God Vishnu, and Ravana who can be taken as the representative of evil forces and the final victory of the God incarnated Rama in safeguarding the Dharma (Universal moral orde r). 6. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (Italian epic) Divine Comedy is a celebrated epic poem written by Dante in 14th century. The narrator is lost in a forest. The poet narrator meets Virgil who guides him through the world after death. Virgil takes him through Hell. They go through the base of the purgatory and he can see the terraces of it where the sins of those who are ultimately to be saved are cleansed away. Then Beatrice guides him to the ultimate heaven. The poem ends with his moment of illumination and the vision of trinity. 7. Beowulf Anonymous (Old English) – Beowulf, one of the earliest epic of the world, is based on a Scandinavian legend.It was written around 750 AD by an anonymous writer and it has about 3000 lines. Beowulf, the great warrior hero, saves Horthgar, the king of Danes, from the attack of Grendel, a terrible monster, by killing it. Grendel's mother attacks him to avenge the death of his son. In the fight, Beowulf kills the mother – mon ster also, but he gets a mortal wound in the fight and succumbs to it. This epic, the most celebrated survival from Old English  literature, is also the earliest extant poem in a modern European language. 8. Paradise Lost by John Milton (English) Paradise Lost is one of the greatest English literary epic based on the theme of fall of man given in the old Testament and it was written in 17th century by John Milton. The great poet wrote it † to justify the ways of god to man†. The epic poem begins with the the Satan's devilish plans to to take revenge against god for his expulsion from heaven. Some critics has opined that Milton's Satan is the hero of the epic poem due to the excellent depiction and exposition of that character. This epic is celebrated for Milton's grand style, his interpretation of Biblical myth and Christian doctrine. . Shahname by Firdousi (Persian) – Shah Name is great Persian epic based on the historical and mythical accounts of around fifty Persian kings. Shah Name means â€Å"book of kings†. The epic begins the mythical creation of Persia and ends in the narration of the stories of historical kings. The most famous story of Shah Name is about the legendary king of Rostam and Sohrab, his son. 10. Aeneid by Virgil (Latin) – Aeneid is a great epic which is based on the legend of Aeneas. It is Roman nationalistic and patriotic poem which narrates the evolution of great Roman mpire. This poem shows great dramatic skill of high order and power of description. Aeneas decides to establish a secure kingdom for his people in Italy. During the long and perilous voyage for it their ships are wreaked on the coast of Africa. The Dido of Carthage invites them which prolongs their voyage. In the next voyage, they reach Latinum, ruled by Latinus. Aeneas marries his daughter Lavinia after killing Turanus, another suitor of her. He establishes a city of lavinium which becomes a base for great Roman empire later. 11. Theogo ny (Greek mythology) Theogony is a Greek epic poem which describe the mythical cosmogony. It can be used as a sorce book of Greek myhology which tells about the origin of cosmos and it evolution. 12. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser – The Faerie Queene is considered as the first epic poem in modern English literature. This allegoric poem is arranged as a story for a twelve day feast, held by the queen of the fairyland. It is a national epic of England aimed at glorifying Queen Elizabeth. 13. The Epic of Gilgamesh – The epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest epic poem of the world.It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the ruler of Uruk and his companion Enkidu whose exploits are the described. The epic is equally fascinating for the window it opened to the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian cultures. 14. Buddhacarita by Asvaghosha (Indian epic poetry ) – Buddhacharita is considered as an authoritative work on Buddha's life. It describes the birth, early life , renun ciation, and teaching of Buddha. It is written in Sanskrit and has originally 28 cantos in which only 13 have been properly preserved. 15. Pharsalia by Lucan (Roman history) The Pharsalia is a celebrated Roman epic poem based on the Battle of Pharsalus which was occurred in 48 B. C. It depicts the civil war between forces led by Julius Caesar and the forces of Pompey the Great. This historical poem is considered as one of the greatest epic poem in the Latin literature. 16. Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – The theme of this great work is man's desire to transcend his physical limitations and his search for answers for eternal questions of mankind. 17. Raghuvamsa – Raghuvamsa describes the lives of the kings of the solar dynasty.It consists of 19 cantos. The epic chronicles the life of Rama and his ancestors. It is considered that Sanskrit epics have attained perfection in Raghuvamsa. 18. The Paradise Regained – The Paradise Regained is an epic poem from the master writer John Milton. It is not a sequel to Paradise Lost. The theme is the story of three temptations as revealed in the gospel of St. Luke. This epic is composed at the suggestion of Thomas Edward. 19. Don Juan – Don Juan is a the most effective and vigorous satire in the English literature.This poem reviews the social , political and economic condition of the Europe. It is a a kind of picturesque novel written in verse. The hero, don Juan ,wanders from one place to another and records his six adventures. Don Juan has visited Greece, Turkey, Russia, and England. 20. The Tale of Heiku – This is one of the most renounced Japanese epic poem based on the Buddhist law of impermanence. It tells the feud between two Japanese clans with elements of traditional folk narrative. Taira and Minemoto are the two clans mentioned in this great classic of medieval Japanese literature.

Business Correspondence Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Correspondence Portfolio - Essay Example I have observed from your company brochure related to the product that the desired software package includes 4 different components, amid which Grammar Buster is one. In this regard, in order to finalize a purchase decision related to the stated software package, I would be requiring a quotation exemplifying the cost that would incurred for the 10 software packages. In addition, I would also like to gain certain amount of idea about your technical support services which you provide after the sales. I would be expecting information related to the timing of availability related to the technical support services and any other special features that need to be noted. Thus, it would be great if you can include an additional attachment regarding your technical support services with the quotation. An early reply from your end is highly solicited. Thank you. Sincerely, Emma Chaney PERSUASIVE LETTER Gomke Software Company Sales Personnel 340 Main Indianapolis, IN 46200 July 7, 2013 Emma Chaney Director of Purchasing for Clay Corporation 1340 Miller Street Jackson, MI 12345 Dear Emma Chaney: In response to your earlier letter, I would like to convey that Mr. Daniel Harrison, head of the Accounting Department has responded to your requirement for quotation which stands as follows: The final sales offer for software: 10 software packages = $4,000 12 software packages = $4,800 In this regard, I would like to point out that there is an exclusive offer made to you along with this quotation, which signifies that there will be a 20 percent discount if you make purchase of 12 software packages from us. Thus, the revised cost of 12 software packages would be $3,840. I believe that this can be a great opportunity for to avail such discounts if you desire to purchase more packages of this highly sought-after software package. I would deeply like to regard your concerns regarding the technical support of our company and want to state that the technical assistance provided by our comp any is 100% genuine and you can get any kind of assistance at any point of time as we provide 24/7 technical assistance. Thus, I would be expecting your reply in relation to this letter and would like to state that the best date for closing this deal would be before 10/7/2013. And, on the behalf of my company, we are looking forward to maintaining a long-term mutually beneficial business association with you. I am not attaching any enclosure form with this letter. Sincerely, ABC Salesperson, Gomke Software Company BAD NEWS LETTER Date: 14/July/2013 Dear Miss. Chaney: I would like to firstly acknowledge that we are extremely pleased to receive your voice message stating that you have agreed to our offer of increasing your order to 12 software packages. However, in this context, I would like to regretfully inform you that a grave mistake has been committed from our part for which I deeply apologize. The earlier quotation that was sent to you had certain misrepresentations due to overs ight on behalf of our company with regard to the current sales processes of the company. The company no longer sells a 4-pack of software. Instead, the Mark III Grammar Buster is now available only with the purchase of 5-pack, which I personally was not aware of. As per the revised calculations, the total cost on making the purchase of the 5-pack software package would be $4,406. And, unfortunately, the cost of the purchase order

E- Marketing for New Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

E- Marketing for New Companies - Essay Example Chatterjee (2009) has noted that the competition among start-up companies can be high. It is also explained that most of these companies need to reach a high number of customers, usually worldwide (Chatterjee 2009), a target that it is difficult to be achieved without the use of the Internet and social media. Â  The current paper focuses on a particular form of marketing, the e-marketing, which is often described as internet marketing. Reference is made specifically to the current status of e-marketing and its value for promoting the products/ services of a start-up company. The literature related to the specific issue has been reviewed and evaluated in order to decide whether and at what level e-marketing can be effective in promoting a start-up company. It is revealed that e-marketing would be the most appropriate form of marketing for developing such activity. On the other hand, there are many e-marketing strategies available to start-up companies that need to promote their products/ services. This means that e-marketing is a valuable tool for promoting start-up companies but it cannot perform high unless it is effectively managed, as all other tools that support modern business operations. Moreover, it should be noted that e-marketing cannot secure the success of start-up companies b ut only in cases when its involvement in the marketing of these companies is carefully planned and monitored so that unexpected failures, that can be major, are avoided. Â  In order to understand the role of e-marketing in the promotion of start-up companies, it should be necessary to explain the key characteristics and advantages of e-marketing, as a concept closely related to the advances of technology and the changes in customer trends worldwide.

Screening the Business Idea and Business Model Assignment

Screening the Business Idea and Business Model - Assignment Example The most fascinating feature of this restaurant service is that unlike any other hamburger restaurant, the Redneck’s Gourmet will cook burgers right in front of the customer. In addition, customers are encouraged to order their burger and demand whatever they want mixed in the meat. The well decorated surroundings, a full bar, and a stage for live music will be some other notable attractions of this restaurant. There will be uniqueness even in staff dress code. Even though it is mandatory for the staff to wear uniforms, they are permitted to personalize the uniforms to an extent. In short, all the settings and facilities of this restaurant service will be based on redneck lifestyle and values. Today there are not many places to sit down and eat a hamburger other than fast food facilities. Although many other restaurants have burgers on their menu, it is not the major focus of their menu. Most restaurants offer burgers only as a substitute product if their primary meals are not much demanded by customers. By giving primary emphasis to burgers, Redneck’s Gourmet will have a clear edge over fast food places and other similar facilities. Unlike a fast food restaurant, the Redneck’s Gourmet can promise customers great atmosphere to sit down and enjoy their meals. In addition, as Dupas (2011) points out, today’s people are increasingly concerned about their health and the dreadful repercussions of consuming foods prepared in dirty kitchens and surroundings. Hence, many people are reluctant to visit restaurants. In this context, Redneck’s Gourmet burgers can better serve the needs of health-conscious customers because burgers are prepared right in fro nt of the customer in this restaurant. Thus, no customer needs to worry whether or not his/her burger was cooked in a clean kitchen as he/she can witness the entire cooking process from start to finish.

Health Policy Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Policy Values - Essay Example This paper intends to describe my personal values and believes in health care policy. Value is a term that describes the worthiness of something. In health care, value would describe the extent to which people need the service and its benefit to them. Value dictates cost incurred in acquiring healthcare services (Marmor, et.al. 2005). I believe that health care policies should address cost in relation to outcome. The question at this point would be â€Å"does the cost commensurate to the value of health care in terms of satisfaction of patient’s needs, access to service or profitability to the healthcare provider. I strongly feel cost incurred in healthcare institutions do not cater for the value provided in terms of service out comes. Cost measures usually address factors, which would lead to reduction of current costs involved in healthcare delivery (The Federation's Pages). This means that cost must address total care that a patient acquires while in health facility. In ad dition, cost reduction approaches must address factors such as satisfactory services, efficiency, and effectiveness. In my opinion, cost incurred in health does not match the kind of service that people receive. This means that an attempt to reduce cost should be in the pipeline. It is apparent that health care encompasses many providers who offer services at different rates. However, the most important issue in health is the quality of service that these providers offer (Porter, 2010). I believe that a high quality service would cost more because the patient would need an extra attention, which calls for more costs. For instance, a patient at a care unit should get value for the costs he or she has incurred. Experts believe that quality delivered depend on the value of an individuals money. I believe that quality should be a factor that drives the health care providers. Unfortunately, this is not the case in some instances. Many patients fail to get quality services because of myri ad arguments, which surround the health care sector. In my opinion, quality and cost are inseparable in the health sector. In this regard, health care policies must address quality and cost as factors that influence value of health care. Some people feel that when health care provision does not meet the patient demand, then quality provided is low. I believe that quality in health care sector can exist even if the health care provider has met the demand of the patient. Health experts have observed that health provision involve several stakeholders, which include physicians, hospitals, pharmaceuticals, and others. Since the sector involves numerous units, inefficiency is likely to crop. This attracts proper measures, which intend to address value in terms of patient demand and cost incurred. I believe that patient requirement forms that foundation of measuring value in primary or preventive care. When patients of similar needs fail to achieve the requirement for their need it would b e apparent that value is absent in the health sector. For example, primary stages of healthcare provision offer advisory and preventive services, which prevent causes or reoccurrence of similar conditions. It is arguable that when this group of patients fails to achieve the core services at this level it would be apparent that value does not exists. Social issues such as insurance policies, poverty influence provision of health care. I believe

Music Publishing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Music Publishing - Essay Example Musicians are artists that are mostly hard working and unacknowledged. Making money with music is not an easy road. The way for any business to make money is through volume and this is no different in the music industry. Volume comes when one recording is sold repeatedly so that the money accumulates and makes the people who created and own the music money from its sales. What typically happens, however, is that those with the power ‘buy out’ the rights to what a musician plays so that they do not get paid for every use of the recording that is paid for by one entity or another. Musicians with power will continue to own their rights, but those who are hired for short term of only for the period of time to make a recording are bought out so that the re-sale of the music is not limited by a large body of ‘partners’ who all have rights to be paid (Harrison 2011, p. 232). There was a time when even the artists were not included in the group who was paid on the r eturn of selling the music. Paul McCartney can attest to the pain of that as he saw his entire catalogue of music sold to Michael Jackson after sharing with him that it was going up for sale. As a result of that sale, every time that McCartney wants to play â€Å"Hey Jude† he has to pay a royalty, even though he wrote the song. (Marinucci 2009). In order to create ownership to a piece of music the contract must include that ownership will be retained either in part or as a whole. The statement that is being addressed is whether or not â€Å"All musicians featured on a popular music recording are entitled to an appropriate share and interest in the music publishing copyright of the work performed on that recording†. In addressing the definitions of music, composition, and ownership, the answer is that it is not the case that all musicians would be qualified to gain as an author to a piece of music should they participate in its recording. Contribution is very specifical ly defined and if a contributor does nothing to qualify under the parameters that have been set, they are not eligible for an interest in the exploitation of that piece of music (McLeod and DiCola 2011, p. 78). 2. Defining Music The first thing that must be done in order to support a legal definition of ownership and the right to be paid for music is in defining what is meant by music. The written composition is not what is being discussed. Music is what is heard. Arnold (2009, p. 1) uses the example of a piece of music that is played by Louis Armstrong as it is compared to that of Peter Ecklund. The distinction is clear as the sound that Armstrong creates has a quality that is unique to his own personal nuances in the work. In modern collectives, however, it is not as simple as that. Burnard (2012, p. 68) discusses the creative process for musicians. It is a process that sometimes is led by one or done isolated, that can be done by only select members, or is most often a collective experience in which the philosophy and intentionality of the group is expressed through what is produced musically. This not only includes the musicians, but the producer and sometimes the managers as they all work towards the production of a type of audible expression. Burnard (2012), p. 69) states that this is a â€Å"non-linear, multifactorial, and relational†

Methods research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Methods research - Assignment Example Each of the 500 respondents will fill a questionnaire with 30 questions. The questionnaire will be based on a 5-point Likert type scale and ordinal scale with open-ended answers being measured using non-ordinal scale. Prior permission for interview will be obtained from the randomly selected schools. The respondents will only be allowed to participate after agreeing to the consent form. A pilot study will be conducted by randomly selecting a sample of 30 participants; 15 male and 15 female. Necessary adjustments will be made based on the outcome of the pilot study to assure validity and reliability of the research. The research assistants will administer the questionnaires to obtain the primary data. The researcher will administer both closed ended an open-ended questions through personal interview. The closed ended questions will be administered first. The open-ended questions will be administered afterword with an aim of clarifying some of the responses from the closed ended

Review Of Film Breathless Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Review Of Film Breathless - Essay Example Basically, Michel seems to suffer from gradual exhaustion of his limited energy, passion, and courage. In the end, he is dead on his feet. Social power always punishes individuals who are rebellious and discontent with the original social system. Fighting against the social system often happens to be a doomed battle in which an individual like Michel either chooses to die or has no choice but to surrender. Faced with the looming prospect of death, Michel still believes in the motto â€Å"All or nothing† which identifies how a person can never be both a rebel and a bender. He famously claims in the movie, â€Å"You’ve got to have all or nothing†. Michel’s last moments are considered some of the most iconic moments in French cinema. Being a rebel chased by police, Michel naturally feels tired and drained from all the fuss. He craves comfort and warmth amidst much darkness. For example, waking up next to a woman seems like a very happy and fulfilling experien ce for him. He needs such a woman in his life who could make him feel fulfilled taking him away from all the drama in his life. He wants such a companion not only to become able to satisfy his sexual needs, but he also has other hidden desires embedded deep in his heart  Michel tells a story in the film in which a man who steals 5000000 francs finds a woman and together they spend their time as a happy couple pampering themselves. The thief in Michel’s story makes the woman he likes his partner by confessing to her

Proposal assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Proposal assignment - Research Paper Example Normally, employees in Genovia Technology Solutions do not live near the company. This calls for travelling every morning to the workplace. As a result of the distance, they usually consume a lot of fuel and money in order to be able to commute daily. Also, there is reduced flexibility due to the hustles and bustles of going to work in the morning and coming back late, and this inconveniences those people who have families. They cannot have quality time with their families. Telecommuting entails working from a location that can be regarded as remote, mostly from home. It entails the work arrangement where employees work without having to commute to the central workplace. This technology requires installation of telecommunication devices like a fax machine, internet and telephone. Also, the web conferencing capabilities allow employees to participate in all the business meetings. This project will entail installation of the telecommuting equipment, modem, phone, pager, and fax machine by Genovia Company, and the telecommuter should provide an office space which is free of distraction (Grensing-Pophal 25). The workers will be more productive; working at home will have few distractions because the company needs only to set up the production goals and what the workers should achieve by the end of the day. The company will reach the team members irrespective of the physical location; it is easier to reach members through the internet using collaboration software and other remote control apps. The company will conserve the office space and save money; the remote workers will be using their own water, electricity and other bills that the company would have paid. Reduced time in IT management and the equipment costs; apart from installation of security to check on the devices logging in to the company’s network, other expenses like the computer

El Filibusterismo Essay Example for Free

El Filibusterismo Essay Thirteen years after leaving the Philippines, Crisostomo Ibarra returns as Simoun, a rich jeweler sporting a beard and blue-tinted glasses, and a confidant of the Captain-General. He cynically sides with the upper classes, encouraging them to commit abuses against the masses to encourage the latter to revolt against the oppressive Spanish colonial regime. His two reasons for instigating a revolution are at first, to rescue Marà ­a Clara from the convent and second, to get rid of ills and evils of Philippine society. His true identity is discovered by a now grown-up Basilio while visiting the grave of his mother, Sisa, as Simoun was digging near the grave site for his buried treasures. Simoun spares Basilio’s life and asks him to join in his planned revolution against the government, egging him on by bringing up the tragic misfortunes of the latters family. Basilio declines the offer as he still hopes that the country’s condition will improve. Basilio, at this point, is a graduating medical student at the Ateneo Municipal. After the death of his mother, Sisa, and the disappearance of his younger brother, Crispà ­n, Basilio heeded the advice of the dying boatman, Elà ­as, and traveled to Manila to study. Basilio was adopted by Captain Tiago after Marà ­a Clara entered the convent. Simoun, for his part, keeps in close contact with the bandit group of Kabesang Tales, a former cabeza de barangay who suffered misfortunes at the hands of the friars. He was forced to give everything he had owned to the greedy, unscrupulous Spanish friars and the Church. Before joining the bandits, Tales took Simoun’s revolver while Simoun was staying at his house for the night. As payment, Tales leaves a locket that once belonged to Marà ­a Clara. To further strengthen the revolution, Simoun has Quiroga, a Chinese man hoping to be appointed consul to the Philippines, smuggle weapons into the country using Quiroga’s bazaar as a front. Simoun wishes to attack during a stage play with all of his enemies in attendance. He, however, abruptly aborts the attack when he learns from Basilio that Marà ­a Clara had died earlier that day in the convent. A few days after the mock celebration by the stu dents, the people are agitated when disturbing posters are found displayed around the city. The authorities accuse the students present at the panciterà ­a of agitation and disturbing peace and has them arrested. Basilio, although not present at the mock celebration, is  also arrested. Captain Tiago dies after learning of the incident. But before he dies he signs a will. His will originally states that Basilio should inherit all his property but due to this forgery his property is given in parts, one to Santa Clara, one for the archbishop, one for the Pope, and one for the religious orders leaving nothing for Basilio to be inherited. Basilio is left in prison as the other students are released. Basilio is soon released with the help of Simoun. Basilio, now a changed man, and after hearing about Julà ®s suicide, finally joins Simoun’s revolution. Simoun then tells Basilio his plan at the wedding of Paulita Gà ³mez and Juanito, Basilio’s hunch-backed classmate. His plan was to conceal an explosive which contains nitroglycerin inside a pomegranate-styled Ker osene lamp that Simoun will give to the newlyweds as a gift during the wedding reception. According to Simoun, the lamp will stay lighted for only 20 minutes before it flickers; if someone attempts to turn the wick, it will explode and kill everyone—important members of civil society and the Church hierarchy—inside the house. Basilio has a change of heart and attempts to warn Isagani, his friend and the former boyfriend of Paulita. Simoun leaves the reception early as planned and leaves a note behind: Initially thinking that it was simply a bad joke, Father Salvà ­ recognizes the handwriting and confirms that it was indeed Ibarra’s. As people begin to panic, the lamp flickers. Father Irene tries to turn the wick up when Isagani, due to his undying love for Paulita, bursts in the room and throws the lamp into the river, sabotaging Simouns plans. He escapes by diving into the river as guards chase after him. He later regrets his impulsive action because he had contradicted his own belief that he loved his nation more than Paulita and that the explosion and revolution could have fulfilled his ideals for Filipino society. Simoun, now unmasked as the perpetrator of the attempted arson and failed revolution, becomes a fugitive. Wounded and exhausted after he was shot by the pursuing Guardia Civil, he seeks shelter at the home of Father Florentino, Isagani’s uncle, and comes under the care of doctor Tiburcio de Espadaà ±a, Doà ±a Victorinas husband, who was also hiding at the house. Simoun takes poison in order for him not to be captured alive. Before he dies, he reveals his real identity to Florentino while they exchange thoughts about the failure of his revolution and why God forsook him, when all he wanted was to avenge the people important to him that were wronged, such as Elias,  Maria Clara and his father, Don Rafael. Florentino opines that God did not forsake him and that his plans were not for the greater good but for personal gain. Simoun, finally accepting Florentino’s explanation, squeezes his hand and dies. Florentino then takes Simoun’s remaining jewels and throws them into the Pacific Ocean with the corals hoping that they would not be used by the greedy, and that when the time came that it would be used for the greater good.

Congressional District of Texas Campaign Plan

Congressional District of Texas Campaign Plan Khizer Zamani The 23rd Congressional District of Texas is an interesting congressional district. It is a district that shows how the demographics of Texas, and of the United States more generally, are changing. The district is a predominantly Latino one and until the 2014 election, had a Democratic representative; however, the 2014 election caused Republican Bill Hurd to win, unseating Democratic representative Pete Gallego (Ballotpedia, 2014b). As is often the case in politics, it is important to look ahead to the next opportunity. For 2016, how can someone defeat Bill Hurd? One important aspect is, naturally, campaigning. The role of money in politics is increasingly strong, yet it is also important to spend money on media that reaches the target demographic. The 23rd Congressional district is an important one for politics: â€Å"Texas 23rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014 due to the fact that the seat was held by a Democrat, but the district had a slight Republican lean and was won by the Republican presidential candidate in both 2008 and 2012† (Ballotpedia, 2014a). The district is more than 70% Hispanic (Ballotpedia, 2014a) and has a 70% high school graduation rate (Ballotpedia, 2014a), a median household income of approximately $46,000 (Ballotpedia, 2014a), and a college graduation rate of about 21% (Ballotpedia, 2014a). The unemployment rate is 6.5% (Ballotpedia, 2014a), and the population is just over 650,000 (Ballotpedia, 2014a). The area is largely rural: â€Å"About the closest thing to a swing district would be freshman Rep. Quico Canseco’s (R-Texas) big and rural 23rd district, running from San Antonio to El Paso† (Blake, 2011). All of these factors indicate that this â€Å"swing† district is winnable by the opposition if they consider how this type of voter works. Marketing segmentation will help here (Weaver, 2013). Dividing up the potential voters on the basis of identity categories will help identify key issues and approaches to meet voters in order to achieve victory. Marketing segmentation is closely related to analyses of voting turnout (Nagler, 2013, p. 27). The typical voter in the 23rd Congressional District in Texas is a relatively lower middle class individual. He or she is likely to be a high school, but not college, graduate. He or she is likely Latino and a hard worker with aspirations for a better life. He or she is likely relatively concerned about their personal economy and is slightly more socially conservative than Texans in other districts, but likely advocates for gay rights. He or she is likely a nominal Catholic or grew up in a culturally Catholic home that informs their ideas about life (Kemp, 2005). This means that the voter may have certain ideas about gender roles, which in turn could influence their votes. The younger median age in this congressional district means that the voters are likely far more digitally connected than the older generation, and they tend to get their news from less traditional sources such as Facebook and even The Daily Show (Baumgartner, 2006). This means that they are actually rather well informed, but have an expectation for immediate responses and irreverence. Despite the problematic aspects of these trends (Popkin, 2006), it is still important to respond to them if victory is the most important thing. Therefore, the hypothetical, proposed campaign – which will be discussed below – will be digital, yet tailored to the demographics of this specific district. Therefore, the ideal candidate for 2016 will be a male of Latino heritage who can appeal to the working class, ideally because he exemplifies the American dream and has worked his way up from humble circumstances. The ideal candidate would be the owner of a blue-collar business and whose personal narrative goes something like he came to the United States at a young age, overcame poverty due to a strong family relationship, went to trade school and now owns a successful, but relatable, business in a blue collar field such as plumbing or HVAC. This would ensure that the candidate is relatable to the economic and cultural dynamics of the congressional district. This does not mean that the path to a democratic victory involves simply dragging out an average Joe or Juan and convincing him to run. It will be a difficult campaign, partly because â€Å"The traditional view in electoral research holds that Congressional election campaigns are principally aimed at highlighting the virtues of the individual candidates† (Kim Leveck, 2013, p. 492). Further, incumbents have a distinct advantage, because they are more experienced at campaigning, because voters often go for that which they already know (Kim Leveck, 2013, p. 492), and because they tend to be higher quality candidates (Kim Leveck, 2013, p. 492). Redistricting has changed the 23rd district in a way that arguably made it more susceptible to voting Republican (Blake, 2011). This means that the incumbent candidate will find it easier to campaign, too, because the voters there are already well matched to his outreach programs know (Kim Leveck, 2013, p. 492). This means that the proposed challenger will have to engage in a campaign that reflects several different aspects. One of these will have to be funding. Money matters in politics, and money changes votes. The individual will have to have much of his own money and will have to obtain support from many powerful people. In terms of the campaign itself, the candidate will likely find success by focusing on the economy and on the Republicans’ distaste for Latinos. Playing up the opponent’s Tea Party ties, if any, could be a useful strategy given that the Republicans in the 23rd district tend to be more moderate and have rebuked the Tea Party in this district (Martin, 2012). The campaign should therefore be heavily focused on digital engagement that dismantles arguments by the incumbent, plays up the hyper-conservative, Tea Party nature of Republicans and their vicious disapproval of Obama’s amnesty policies for undocumented workers. The campaign should still focus on the candidate’s relatability, particularly in terms of his personal narrative and economic success (Coleman Manna, 2000). The campaign should have manifold opportunities for younger people to interact digitally. This could include official social media accounts, contests, and opportunities within the geographically large district for people of all ages to interact with the candidate in person. The gerrymandering that has been undertaken in Texas may have redrawn the district maps, but it has not changed the increasing tide of changes in the state’s demographics. It has not changed overall social trends towards a growing Latino population, increasing economic uncertainty, a more tenuous existence for the middle class, and skepticism regarding rigid belief systems such as homophobia. At the same time, it still means that the district has a large population of conservatives, although they are moving towards a more economically conservative and socially moderate viewpoint. It is possible to flip the 23rd district back in 2016, but it will require planning beginning now. It will require a strong candidate who has an impeccable personal record, yet is still relatable enough for the humble lifestyle of this region. It will also require someone who is capable of traveling across the vast geographic expanse of this district in order to make an impact with constituents and potential voters and to meaningfully campaign in person. This is all doable, but it is important that the right candidate be found immediately and that the campaign launch as soon as possible after the candidate is vetted. Works Cited Ballotpedia. (2014a). Texas’ 23rd Congressional District Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://ballotpedia.org/Texas’_23rd_Congressional_District Ballotpedia. (2014b). Texas’ 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014 Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://ballotpedia.org/Texas’_23rd_Congressional_District_elections,_2014 Baumgartner, J. (2006). The Daily Show Effect: Candidate Evaluations, Efficacy, and American Youth. American Politics Research, 34(3), 341–367. doi:10.1177/1532673X05280074 Blake, A. (2011). The GOP’s big Texas gerrymander. Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/the-gops-strong-texas-gerrymander/2011/06/02/AGP56VHH_blog.html Coleman, J. J., Manna, P. F. (2000). Congressional Campaign Spending and the Quality of Democracy. The Journal of Politics. doi:10.1111/0022-3816.00032 Kemp, C. (2005). Hispanic Health. bearspace.baylor.edu. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/hispanic_health.htm Kim, H. a., Leveck, B. L. (2013). Money, Reputation, and Incumbency in U.S. House Elections, or Why Marginals Have Become More Expensive. American Political Science Review, 107(03), 492–504. doi:10.1017/S0003055413000245 Martin, G. (2012). Canseco concedes to Gallego in District 23 San Antonio Express-News. MySanAntonio.com. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Canseco-concedes-to-Gallego-in-District-23-4023778.php Nagler, J. (2013). Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality, and Turnout in the United States. Demographics, Issues, Inequality, and Turnout in the United States. Princeton. Popkin, S. L. (2006). Changing media, changing politics. Perspectives on Politics, 4(02), 327–341. Weaver, J. (2013). Market Segmentation. Bournemouth University Foundation Degree Southwest. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://media3.bournemouth.ac.uk/marketing/07segmentation/04strategies.html

An Analysis of Beyond Parental Control (BPC)

An Analysis of Beyond Parental Control (BPC) Over the years, parents seeking Beyond Parental Control (BPC) order from the Juvenile Court has increased drastically, in particular during economic downturns. When Singapore was gripped by an economic recession from 2008 2009, the number of applications for BPC increased. 744 applications were filed last year, compared to 720 in 2008 and 673 in 2007 (Eisen, 2009). In any case, it is worthy to note that the perennial issue has seen an increased in delinquent girls forcing parents to apply for BPC and handing over to the court to take control of their daughters. This essay will attempt to discuss the background of BPC and critically analyse the issues faced by the parents and youth. The second part of the essay will define the relevant theories which will be applicable to the issue and relate examples to further illustrate the theories. Thirdly, media effect and their role of reporting the juvenile crimes especially on the problematic girls will also be discussed upon. Last but not l east, recommendations on the way forward for juvenile crimes and prevention methods will be deliberated. Background and Trending of BPC In light of the increasing juvenile crimes over the years, the Beyond Parental Control order was instituted in 1997 and Singapore is the only country in the world which instituted such an order to deal with juvenile delinquency (Balhetchet, 2010). According to Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports (MCYS, 2010), Children Beyond Parental Control refer to children below 16 years of age who is observed to display certain behavioral problems in school or at home. The gathered statistics proved to be alarming as the number of BPCs applied by parents or guardians has tripled over the last decade. In February 1999, one of the Subordinate Court research bulletins (1999) highlighted that an average of 200 BPC complaints were lodged at the Juvenile Court annually. However, in comparison, an increasing trend of BPC applications was observed for the past 3 years (2009: 744, 2008: 720, and 2007: 673). Moreover, the statistics gathered seems to suggest that an economic downturn between 2008 to 2009 could have attributed to the incremental trend. This was also observed during the recession in 2001 when the number of applications for BPC doubled from 244 to 598 cases in the following year (Eisen, 2009 Serene, 2010). According to another set of statistics from Singapore Police Force, there was an increase of 1.2% in the overall crime rate for the last 2 years (SPF, 2010). Elsewhere in United States, while arrests of male juveniles have increased since 2002, statistics for female juveniles have spiked alarmingly. According to US federal statistics in 2003, 25% of the arrested juveniles were females. In comparison to ten years ago, female juveniles only clocked approximately 10% of the arrest made by the police (Geoffrey, 2005). Social Demographics of BPC cases One of the researches conducted by Subordinate Courts in 1999 studied on 379 BPC cases. To understand the nature of the complaints filed, the study includes their family and social backgrounds and demographic profiles. From the research, 49% of the juveniles parents were married, while a substantial figure of the juveniles parents were either divorced (37%), widowed (7%), single parents (3%), separated (3%) or cohabiting (1%). Most of their parents are low-skilled workers and the average household income is less than $2000. The reported figures somehow lead to the assumption that more than half of the BPC cases came from low income and broken families. Most of the parents already spend so much time earning for a living so that the earned money can be given to their children. As they have been working and tend to neglect their children, they have little energy left to gain their attention and communicate with them (Serene, 2009). However, Dr Carol Balhetchet, director of Youth Service s at the Singapore Childrens Society feels otherwise. She shared that the generation has evolved and in recent years, most of the problematic children who face court orders or under warrant arrest by the police come from a complete home (Joan, Chia, He Ong, 2008). Similar to Dr Carols claim, 69% of new probation cases (according to MCYS) in 2006 involved delinquent youth who come from 2 parent families. Another worrying data collated from the study by Subordinate Courts revealed that a total of 65% of the BPC cases were committed by girls whereas male only constituted the remaining 35%. Although a recent trending (as of Sep 10) by Youth Services Centre as elaborated by Dr Carol during a face-to-face session with her, revealed that BPC cases involving girls has generally decreased over the decade (boys: 49% and girls: 51%), 267 BPC cases (out of 523 cases) involving girls is definitely of a concern not only to parents, but to the society as well (Balhetchet, 2010). The next part of the essay will critically discuss and analyze some of the causal factors and problems faced by parents, the children and the society. Why did it happen and who to blame? One may ask, why are some of the girls wilder and getting into trouble? According to a social worker, the sharp increase of problematic girls could be a result of changing attitudes towards bringing up daughters (Roaul, 1997). While parents claimed that they will raise their daughters no differently from their sons, studies by experts have shown that boys and girls are nurtured differently due to the fact that by virtue, boys and girls behave differently due to the genetic differences (Ames Haber, 1989). Boys are perceived to be active and often get into trouble, but when their daughters behave similarly, parents gave up and hand them over to the Court. This may breed resentment in the girls and inadvertently cause Parent-Child relationship to be severely strained. Henceforth, the girls may run away from home and skip school (Roaul, 1997). A typical case is that of a 13-year old girl whose parents applied to the Juvenile Court for BPC order when she is reported to have skipped schoo l and hang out with men twice her age. She became resentful and stay away from home when she is aware that her parents have handed her to the Court (Radha, 2008). Moreover, girls running away from home are often susceptible to committing a variety of crimes, such as shoplifting, rioting, theft and even to the extent of prostitution to survive (McCormack et al., 1986; Phelps, McIntosh, Jesudason, Warner, Pohlkamp, 1982).When a child commits a deviance act, parents tend to ask why do you do that? Based on the Control and Social Bond theories, control theorists hypothesize that crime and deviancy is a natural occurrence in the society simply because all human beings have an innate to commit crime (Jones, 2009). Therefore, when parents need to deal with their deviant children, they should explain to them Why you should not do that. Similarly, Hirschi (1969) claimed that there is no requirement to explain why people commit such acts because delinquency is not caused by beliefs that requ ire delinquency but rather, it is only possible by the absence of effective beliefs that forbids delinquency. In essence, child nurturing starts from young and good child rearing practices will definitely facilitate positive socialization process within the family and the childs circle of friends. Conversely, bad parental skills and negative influences are contributing factors to deviancy acts committed by their children. Studies have revealed that the quality of parent-child relationships is largely associated with some of the high-risk health behaviours such as consumption of alcohol, smoking, drug abuse and sexually risky behaviors. For instance, several large-scale pediatric surveys have discovered that parents who are smokers themselves are more likely to have children who smoke (Green et al., 1990). Another research by Berk (1997) has shown that family members behavior and habits, socialization patterns, environmental influence and a childs inborn personality traits will shape the childs cognitive development and behavior as they grow up. In addition, positive parenting styles with a balance of control and warmth are very beneficial to the childs development in which a rational and consultative approach by parents and children rights are mutually agreed and respected (Subordinate Courts, 2001). On the contrary, parents who are only interested in making money and neglect their children unknowingly must bear the responsibility when their children are recalcitrant and belligerent. A study by Ozawa and Loh (2000) analyze that most fathers of the juvenile offenders appear to be uninvolved, neglecting and permissive towards their child. Generally, fathers, being the bread winners of the family are often not involved in their childs growth and development. The treatment for gender differences is that fathers tend to exert more authority on boys whereas for girls, fathers are usually more permissive and leave it to their mother to handle. As for mothers, they ar e generally observed to be permissive. Although mothers tend to be more caring and loving, their permissive attitudes could ultimately lead to teen delinquency because they may not be exercising control over their children and thus indirectly allowing them to continue with their misbehavior. From the analysis made by Ozawa and Loh, it appears that a deadly combination (which is common in the society) of permissive-neglecting and uninvolved father, matching with a permissive mother is a formula for disaster to happen at home. What we can hypothesize is that low control of children especially female juveniles can potentially lead to delinquency. Behavioral Problems of Youths Nevertheless, looking at another perspective, the parents may not be entirely at fault because the children could be influenced by the environment. According to the Anomie and Strain theory, Merton (1997) described the materialistic dream of being successful and wealthy. Not everyone is entitled and have the opportunity to achieve the goal. Hence, this dissonance between the goal of being wealthy and the structural limitations that prevent people from achieving the goal causes strain within the community. Such strain will therefore cause people to commit deviant acts illegitimately to achieve such desires. As the cognitive development of a juvenile is still premature at this stage, the thought of committing crimes to fulfill certain desires will supersede the moral values that are taught in the school. Accordingly to statistics, the top 3 crimes committed by juveniles are shoplifting, theft and rioting (Subordinate Courts, 2004). When they are in need of money, they will resort to st ealing, extortion and bullying, and prostitution for girls. Typically, a case of a 13-year old girl joined a gang and inherited all the bad habits such as smoking, drinking, glue-sniffing, stealing and rioting. When her father applied for Beyond Parental Control and eventually remanded in Girls Home, she was only 14 year-old (Joan, Chia, He Ong, 2008). Besides that, more girls, as young as 10, are also experimenting with sex. In 2006, teenagers constituted 12,000 abortions that were done in Singapore. Girls who turned to prostitution gave reasons such as financial problems and needed money to buy branded goods. For instance, a 15 year-old girl who needed money and turned to prostitution was pregnant (Carolyn Kimberly, 2009). Many girls have reported that sexual exploitation has somehow affected their eventual entrance into prostitution (Silbert Pines, 1981). At times, they might have been wronged or abused by their parents or guardians as much as they have done wrong. Take it for instance, a girl who had run away from home, was molested by her father before she turned to prostitution. Before she was even 16, she has had slept with countless men and contracted Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) (Serene, 2010). But in the eyes of the law, having sex with girls below 16 years old can be charged for statutory rape. If found guilty, offenders can be jailed up to 20 years and fined and caned. More parents are giving up on their delinquent daughters than sons and seeking assistance from the Juvenile Court. According to the Research Bulletin from Subordinate Courts (1999), some of the more serious delinquent behaviors that were encountered are beyond control, running away from home, involve in gangs, taking drugs and unlawful sexual experiences. Other problems such as rude and violent to teachers, smoking and play truancy in school were also observed in the study. Another aspect of delinquency is the youths exposure to various media such as the internet. In the current Information and Communication Technology (ICT) era, the child and even the parents are constantly engaged in their I-phones, laptops and internet. Because of such exposure and freedom to use the internet, Professor Winslow, a psychiatrist said that teenagers find it a thrill in obtaining and watching pornography on the internet and they are far more sexualized (Shuli, 2008). Besides that, coupled with lack of parents or adult supervision and boredom, things can get complicated when teenagers are left alone. Even when parents are at home, they have little energy left after a long day at work especially when both parents are working. Some parents faced the difficulty of gaining their childrens attention, who even if they are physically at home, are preoccupy with their online games, chatting with friends online and surfing the internet. Gone are the days where children and parents share a family phone, television, or even computer (Serene, 2010). Problems and issues between the children and parents begin to escalate when there is a lack of proper communication as well as mutual trust and support. The cognitive development of a child is largely dependent on their parents. Juvenile delinquency is often traced back to the youths family and social life. Other than trust and support, parents must show that they are keen to engage in their children. Such care and concern from parents would definitely enable their children to open up and share their woes and problems (Jonathan, 2010). Besides medias influence on juvenile, cyber bullying among girls is another worrying trend, abetted by the constant usage of the Internet and mobile phones today. Victims are exploited and bullied by unknown culprits hiding behind the computer screens. For example, on the blogs, victims are abused using expletives and obscene messages, pictures are vandalized and vicious rumours about the victims are broadcasted and made known to everyone. Studies made by Janssen, Craig, Boyce and Pickett (2004) proved that these groups of people are often victimized. In addition, children who are labeled as having lower levels of social acceptance and higher levels of social rejection among their peers are often found to be victims of bullies as well. (Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Bjorkqvist, Osterman, Kaukiainen, 1996). As the internet is easily available and as simple as one click, the bully does not need to face the victim and their doings can spread like wildfire (Joan, Chia, He Ong, 2008). However , cyber-bullying does not constitute to be a crime. Where cyber-bullying could be serious and consequential, it may be relevant and appropriate for the law to step in to impose penalties on bullies. Under the Penal code, the only law that can be associated is Non-Physical Acts under Section 13b of Cap 224 where offenders display any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting may be fined not exceeding $2000 (Singapore Statutes). Likewise for other countries like Australia, under the NSW Crimes Act, harassing or intimidating a school student while the student is at school is considered a criminal offence. But this offence has its limits as it can only be applied to traditional off-line bullying and activities happening in school (Abrahams Dunn, 2009). Although laws are institutionalized, but such laws do not bring charges to cyber-bullies. That is why victims have been reported to retaliate against the bullies, in horrifying ways elsewhe re (Boulton, 1993). In one of the reports by United States Secret Service cited by Dake, Price, and Telljohann (2003), students who were involved in those deadly shooting in United States cited bulling as one of the strong motivation factors to commit such crimes. The report highlighted that 25 out of the 37 school shootings examined, involved attackers who felt marginalized, bullied and persecuted before the attacks took place. Some even reported that such bullying and harassment had in fact been ongoing for awhile (Dake et al., 2003; Mayer, Ybarra, Fogliatti, 2001). On the other extreme, there were cases reported that children committed suicide after being bullied by classmates. In fact, numerous cases of such incidents have been reported in the media (Kumpulainen et al., 1998; Smith, Talamelli, Cowie, Naylor, Cauhan, 2004). Medias Influence and Portrayal of Crimes Even in Singapore, a newspaper reported a 16-year old girl who committed suicide after being bullied by classmates for several years (The New Paper, 26 September 2005). Sometimes, one may wonder why such incidents were not spotted by the schools especially by the teachers. Had this incident be spotted by the teachers timely, it could have been prevented. In such incidents, the medias portrayal of crime transmits a strong signal to the public and at times, may have amplified the deviance. Such messages are crucial to serve as a warning for schools or parents to observe their children if there are certain tell-tale signs that indicate their children have encountered bullying cases. However, medias amplification of a criminal or deviance acts may result in moral panic and warrant greater scrutiny by the relevant authorities. The generation of moral panic will instill fear and public outcry within the community. For example, the recent incident of a teen who was hacked to death by 4 yout hs at Pair Ris Downtown East, amplified the criminal act (Straits Time reported the incident 5 days in a row in the headlines) and cause public outcry on such incidents (The Straits Time, 31 Oct 4 Nov 10). This would have an effect on the judges as they cannot ignore public opinion and hence might be influenced when passing the sentence (Jones, 2008) in view of media or public pressure. Studies from Leslie (1964) and Stan (1972) have shown that media is seen as an agent of deviance amplification and has the capability of influencing the publics opinion. In fact, the media does not have a role in the criminal justice system and they are supposed to only disseminate to the public about certain crimes and the governments official response to such crime. The media often uses phrases like the public is alarmed by or the public demands that. Ironically, the editors or journalists do not have a direct line to the publics opinion and they are seen to be the creators of opinion and not refl ecting the right message. An interview with a few people from the public does not necessarily represent the opinions from the entire population or the nation (Jones, 2008). Punishment and Treatment of Youths Beyond Parental Control As highlighted previously, Singapore is the only country that has instituted BPC order in Juvenile Courts. Essentially, these children are neither criminals nor offenders, but their rebellious and uncontrollable behavior may warrant serious attention by parents in which they apply to the Court for assistance to manage their children. By doing so may adversely strain or affect the parent-child relationship if such complaint made to the Court is successful. When the parents or guardian of a child can prove to a Juvenile Court that they are unable to control the child, the Court judge, under the Children and Young Persons Act Cap 38 Section 49, may order the child to be (1) remanded to an approved home not more than 3 years or (2) placed on Statutory Supervision for a specified period, of up to 3 years, under the supervision of a social worker (Subordinate Courts, 1999). Punishments meted out by such system are usually acted as a form of deterrence to juvenile from committing wrong doin gs and may eventually commit more serious crime when they grow up. Therefore, this kind of system is more inclined towards a classical approach as this theory is very policy oriented and concentrates on establishing and operating a criminal justice system that is rule-based, consistent and predictable (Joyce, 2006). End of the day, classicism focus on the act rather than the person committing. Unlike a criminal justice system where criminals are punished for their wrong doings, BPC act is not classified as a crime. As such, classical and positivist approaches are usually applied to such acts. During the process of the BPC application (which is seen to be positivist approach), parents and child will be advised to seek further assistance and treatment in the school or other social services such as Family Service Centre, Community Development Council, religious institutions and Youth Service Centre. Besides that, the child can also be referred to Beaconworks (a 6-month structured progr am) for counseling program. In addition, the Juvenile Court Judge has the prerogative to send both the parents and the child for additional counseling program with Singapore Children Society for a 4-week program (BPC, 2009). Rather than focusing on the law and the offence committed, the positivist approach (during the BPC application) looks into the contributing factors leading to deviance act committed by juvenile. It advocates treatment and rehabilitation over punishments (Jones, 2008). Ultimately, a deviance act may not be a product of rational choice but, rather, due to factors such as prematurity, influence from parents and peers over which juveniles have no control in. As youths who are still undergoing the process of growing up and maturity, the BPC order, which perceived to has a combination of punishment and treatment approach is appropriate and will therefore reduce overemphasis on rationality and idealistic, and yet do not overly concentrating on healing and treating the juvenile when the need arises. For example, when the child do not learnt the lesson and continue her delinquent act despite efforts made to treat her, the Juvenile Court will order her to be remanded in an approved Girls Home. Certainly, to prevent juvenile from leading astray and eventually being convicted, prevention measures must be implemented to arrest such situations from further developing. Recommendations and Preventions Problems and heated argument arise when there is a lack of communication and mutual support between youths and their parents. The development of a child is very much dependant on whether both the parents and the child have mutual understanding and support. When Juvenile delinquency is traced back, it is often the actions of the parents that ultimately will affect how the child behaves (Jonathan, 2010). If a child has established a positive relationship with the parents, it is postulated that they are more likely to disclose information to parents (Trost, 2000). Therefore in order to do so, parents must constantly show that they are keen in the childs interests. In essence, parents who are warm and supportive in interactions with their children are more likely to establish a positive parent-child relationship. In addition, it is also noted in one of the studies conducted by Steven and Daniel (1998) where greater parental involvement will improve the childs academic performance in scho ol. To put myself in a position of the role of parents, we should play an active role and constantly involved in our childs education, consistently demonstrating good parenting skills, interested in the childs development and show love, tender and care to their children. Furthermore, education, socialization and transmission of good values to the child should take place within the family environment. Values such as filial piety, respect, honesty, responsibility, contributing to the society, are critical building blocks that parents must advocate to their child (Zaleha, 2005). Nevertheless, youths cannot be strapped and controlled by parents all the time. Excessive control of their child might result in counterproductive and could lead to recalcitrant and belligerent behavior. Sometimes heavy-handed methods may not work for stubborn and strong headed youths. Therefore, parents should explore other methods and avoid using authoritarian style to deal with their child. Sometimes, treating yo uths as adults may be useful and they are given sufficient time and space to ponder the consequences of their actions (Ng, 2010). While parents play an imperative role in child nurturing, many are still being blamed for being incompetence in handling parenting challenges of this era. Increasingly, parents are facing difficulties domestic issues such as stabilizing their marriage, generating sufficient incomes for the families, taking care of their children and at the same time educating and nurturing them (Zaleha, 2005). However, such issues should never be part of parents excuses to dish out their parental responsibility to others such as appointing a guardian for their child, grandparents or even to the government. According to Dr Carol, too many parents are seen to farm out their parental responsibility to the State. In 2007, out of the 676 parents who applied for BPC orders, only 44 parents agreed to join the Beaconworks counseling program. Most parents cited reasons such as wor k commitments and since the counseling program is targeted for their child, they see no reason attending. One of the suggestions would be mandate parents to attend such counseling programs together with their children because parents may not realize that they also require professional help. In order for a mandatory counseling program to be effected, the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) is recommended to be reviewed and amended to exert tighter rein on parents. Another recommendation would be imposing fine on parents if they fail to fulfill their parental responsibility. In UK, parents of delinquent children are fined up to  £1,000 (S$2,670) if they fail to improve their childrens behavior. Current in CYPA, parents may be fined if they fail to comply with any court order pertaining to BCP cases. Perhaps the Juvenile Court can look into imposing such orders into the CYPA to deter frivolous and irresponsible parents (Radha, 2008). Conclusion In summary, ever since BPC order was introduced in 1997 to curb juvenile delinquency, the number of applicants for BCP cases has increased drastically, from an average of 200 complaints in the 90s, to an average of 700 cases over the last 3 years. However, it is worthy to note that although number of BPC applicants has increased, the number of BPC cases awarded by the Juvenile Court has dipped dramatically in the recent years. According to Dr Carol, more than 50% of the BPC applications were dismissed due to lack of concrete evidence to proof that the child is beyond parental control. In most cases, the child could return to normalcy after counseling sessions are conducted. While it is unclear that the statistics gathered can commensurate to the effectiveness of BPC order, the uniqueness of BPC order in Singapore does help and enable juveniles to build self-confidence, self-esteem, positive outlook and instill sense of social responsibility. Besides that, counseling and training prog rams for parents and youths such as Parent Management Training, Parent Support Group, Youth Mentorship Support Program, Beaconworks Program and etc were introduced by the Singapore Children Society to assist parents and youths in terms of counseling, psychological or psychiatric consultations and more importantly, to harmonize the parent-child relationship that might be strained previously.

The Punishment of Homosexuality in Germany Essay -- Homosexuality Nazi

The Punishment of Homosexuality in Germany As the Nazis rose to power, they constructed strict laws regarding male homosexuality for many reasons. The Nazis were primarily concerned with preserving and reproducing people of pure German blood. Consequently, in order to catalyze the purification of the German population, the Nazis sterilized those who were not fit to reproduce and forced those who were fit to procreate. The Nazis wanted all able men and women to produce and bear offspring, however homosexual males would not take part in the male role of reproduction because of their sexual orientation. As a result, many of Germany’s two million male homosexuals were imprisoned and/or incinerated for their homosexual acts and desires. In order to further cultivate the population of Aryans, the Nazis tried to construct a heterosexual society by creating or revising new laws and documents that aimed to discriminate male homosexuals. This goal of discrimination was an attempt to decline the rate of male homosexuality i n order to persuade able men in becoming heterosexual and produce children to support the Volksgemeinschaft. Although female homosexuals existed in Germany, they were not targeted and discriminated against like male homosexuals. Male homosexuality posed a greater threat to the Nazis because it was considered to be a waste of procreation for men to be gay. It also posed a greater threat because it went against â€Å"man’s nature-given position† to woman. Male homosexuality was also far more hazardous because it posed a moral threat to the German â€Å"Volk† and its morals. In the report â€Å"Attacks on Morality† presented in the Humanities Core Course Reader (270-273), Prof. Dr Wenzeslaus Graf von Gleispac... ...e fit to produce into reproduction. The Nazis goal of producing a pure bred German blood race contained problems not only with the Jews, but also with the homosexuals within the nation. The homosexuals were going against everything the Nazis wanted. Because they were homosexual, they were not able to procreate due to their sexual orientation. Along with their lack of procreating, they attacked the morals of the â€Å"Volk† and degraded the nation’s image. They didn’t want to produce offspring to preserve the nation and was only concerned about their own pleasure. They also made Germans appear frail and sickening. Because of this, the Nazis had to find a way to keep homosexuals from their nation. And in order to do so, the Nazis created and revised strict laws to rid the nation of male homosexual activity to fulfill the ideals of the Volksgemeinschaft.

Impulsiveness in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Romeo and Juliet Essays

Impulsiveness in Romeo & Juliet "Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast"(Pg 91, Line 97) those words spoken by Friar Laurence. Words we must listen too. Impulsiveness leads to downfall, and therefore people must strike a balance between being impulsive, and being pragmatic. Time and time again Shakespeare showed us how impulsiveness leads to tragedy. First off, Capulet was a prudent, well-balanced person most of the time. When Paris told Capulet that he wanted to marry Juliet, Capulet said "Let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride"(Pg 27, Lines 10-11) because he wanted to look out for Juliet and wanted to make sure she was ready. Though he did tell him to "woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;/My will to her consent is but a part" because he was still not passing up this opportunity for his daughter. Capulet was also practical when Tybalt spotted Romeo during the Capulet feast, Tybalt wanted to do the impulsive thing and kill Romeo, but Capulet thought for a second about the consequences. Tybalt said "I'll not endure him" and Capulet told him emphatically "he shall be endur'd"(pg. 57, Lines 77 & 78). In this scene Capulet prevented a huge Montegue and Capulet confrontation by thinking first and not doing the impulsive suggested by Tybalt. Through thinking these actions through, problems were prevented. However, Capulet was at times, a very rash person, and that lead to much of the misfortune in this play. Hours after Romeo killed Tybalt, Capulet acted on haste in Act III, Scene 4 and told Paris "I will make a desperate tender/Of my child's love: I think she will be rul'd/In all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not....And bid her, mark you on me, on Wednesday next-" and then continued to sound delirious saying "Wednesday is too soon;/ O' Thursday let it be:...She shall be married to this noble earl" and at this point Capulet has become selfish and impulsive. His daughter does not love Paris, but Capulet is not thinking because Tybalt had just died. When Juliet refused to marry Paris, Capulet exploded, and didn't think at all by telling Juliet, "get thee to

Human Genome Project :: essays research papers

It all started back in 1953 with two men by the names of James D. Watson and Francis Crick when they discovered the double-helical structure of DNA. Little did they know they were opening the door to the creation of a perfect world. In 1986, the Human Genome Project, led up by the National Institution of Health(NIH), took a giant leap through this door. They began the long process of mapping out the entire genetic makeup of the human body. The main purpose of the HGP was originally for the use of preventing inherent diseases. However, as studies continue to progress, increased opportunities arise for genetically altering the unborn. You are now able to choose the sex of you child before they are born with great accuracy. What is on the horizon now, is the possibility of designing your child to be “perfect';. Over the years, there has been heated, ethical controversy on each of these issues, especially designer babies. How far will we let biotechnological discovery take us? What will come of the world if designer babies become standard procedure?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest and maybe simplest use of genetic manipulation was in the selection of the sex of an unborn child. In Vitro Fertilization(IVF - A procedure in which a woman’s eggs are removed from her body, fertilized outside using sperm from her husband or another donor, and then transferred back to her body.) was originally limited to couples that were infertile. Even the use of IVF for the infertile was unheard of at one point. “But growing demand makes it socially acceptable, and now anybody who’s infertile demands IVF,'; says Lee Silver, a Princeton University biologist. Several years ago, fertility clinics announced the new possibility of sex selection. It was obviously an exciting breakthrough, but when these clinics were inquired about their results, they only had about a 50 percent success rate. “Its affluent clients could have achieved exactly the same outcome by leaving a note for the tooth fairy, requesting a girl or a boy';(Riddell). In the same way, there were many who were opposed to the idea at first especially with the results they were getting, but over time the procedures have been almost perfected and it has become socially acceptable.(Lemonick)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many issues have arisen from the possibilities sex selection will provide. In cultures where males are valued more than girls, such as China and India, assured sex selection could really throw off an already out of balance society. In the United States it may not be as likely for there to be a favored sex, generally speaking. In our case, it is more of a weighted

Explore That Claim That a Consumer Society Is Always a Throw Away Society

Explore the claim that a consumer society is always a throw away society. There is no doubt that our environment is becoming more polluted. An increase in the amount of waste people produce is one of the main causes for this issue. For example, households in the UK throw away approximately 30 million tonnes of rubbish a year. Our population is rising, therefore the amount of goods required to meet people’s demands has increased. Living standards have improved, as have the qualities of products and the choice of them thereof, all of which is facilitated by the increasing demands of a growing market.The subsequent waste that this increase in population, demand and consumerism creates provokes the question – is a consumer society always a throw away society? Rising affluence is a key factor in today’s increase in waste and rubbish. In today’s society the majority of people are able to afford the higher standards of living and more luxurious items. Take a tele vision for example; in the 1950’s televisions were regarded as a luxury. Those families that had a black and white television were regarded as wealthy or rich.However, skip to today’s society and everybody has a television and they are now seen as a necessity rather than a luxury item regardless of a families’ on individuals’ financial capacity. As well as the increase in households there has also been an advance in technology; we are now seeing plasma, HD or 3D televisions as the luxury item to be had in households (Making social lives, P. 109, 2010). Due rising levels of affluence people are able to buy more products and replace them with new rather than paying for the old products to get fixed.In today’s society it has become normal to throw away broken items such as washing machines, dishwashers, DVD players, televisions or microwaves rather than getting them repaired. A lot of electrical items such as these are cheaper to buy brand new than it is to pay for them to get repaired. Since the 1st department store opened in 1869, Bon Marche, fashion and clothes shopping was sold to customers as a luxury, however department stores were able to produce products for the less wealthy clientele as well.This was the beginning of mass produced items, which meant that the price was affordable for a wider range of the population. Clothes and accessories were being produced with new technology, which was able to produce these products a lot faster than if they were handmade. Department stores were also the central point in the movement of people expressing their individuality and personal character identities. Department stores had cracked it; seducing customers into buying what appeared to be luxury items produced at a low cost so a wider range of people were able to afford them (making social lives, P39, 2010).If we skip forward a few years and look at today’s shipping society we see the same problem I spoke about earlier, eve rything is now mass-produced from outside the UK. Such products are exceptionally cheap to buy and, unfortunately, this is an extremely influential point in the facilitation of a throwaway society. A lot of families that are fortunate enough to go on holiday to a hot country abroad will find themselves buying specific items only appropriate for the holiday and then disposing them after one or two wears due to the low cost of the items.As well as throwing away clothes after holiday there are a large number of clothes thrown away due to an increase in society’s interest in fashion. Facilitated and accelerated by increased coverage by different media formats, demand for new fashion cycles from designers has emerged, for example, spring, summer, autumn, winter – all cycles that would not have existed at one point. Rather than people customising and adjusting clothes like they would have done years ago, old, ‘unfashionable’, clothes are thrown away to make way for newer, more fashionable, ones.Supermarkets produce one of the cheapest clothing sources in our country, they buy mass produced items from places such as India, Bangladesh and China. This is due to the cheap labour and material costs that these countries provide. (making social lives, P87, 2010) Supermarkets are taking over our country. They have made themselves extremely accessible to all people, from all backgrounds and classes, with a huge range of different products, all sold at very low prices. Not surprisingly then, supermarkets are responsible for a huge percentage of our country’s waste. Any food that is out of date or past its shelf life date gets thrown way, any food that is not cosmetically perfect gets thrown away as well. This, in my opinion, is unnecessarily wasteful and instead of throwing it away could be used in a more productive and resourceful way. As well as the amount of food supermarkets waste they produce a lot of rubbish through the packaging used t o keep the goods safe and fresh for consumers. It appears that every product you purchase is over packaged, it could be in a plastic tub, wrapped in plastic film, and surrounded by a cardboard advertising sleeve, this is again completely unnecessary waste ready to be thrown in the bin.Although we have been a throw away society over the last century, recently the media have made a conscious effort to increase society’s awareness of what is going to happen to the environment if everybody carries on being as wasteful and blase as they have been in the past. There has been a lot more advertising to create awareness with regards to recycling and looking after the environment. As a homeowner these days we are expected to recycle as many items as possible and are asked by the government to separate them into categories to help the country be able to dispose of the high volumes of rubbish produced.There has been a significant rise in recycling and now 27% of homeowners recycle as bef ore they would have been just thrown theses items in the bin. (Making social lives, P118, 2010). As well as recycling food, we as a nation are now beginning to recycle our clothes. Certain charity shops post refuge bags through people’s doors, asking the owners of the household to fill them with unwanted clothes that are then re-sold in charity shops at a lower price for people who are not as wealthy to purchase. Some clothes are also sent to other countries that may need emergency clothing.Supermarkets are also doing there bit for the environment; they now produce ‘bags for life’ which are designed to minimise the amount of plastic bags used and thrown away by customers. Supermarkets in some countries, such as Wales, have even begun charging for normal carrier bags, enticing customers to make a one-off payment for a ‘bag for life’, save some money and help the environment all in one go. Supermarkets have also started distributing unsold food to home less and needy people. Our rubbish can be given value again in many ways, for example – hand-me-down clothes, car boot sales or selling unwanted items on EBay.Currently there are a lot of charities that are aware of how much rubbish we waste as a society and are helping society to do something about it. An example of how they are doing this is that currently all un-wanted tents that are left at festivals are sent to countries that need emergency accommodation after natural disasters or war. Another way of giving rubbish value is by transporting all our unwanted waste around the world to places with lower wage costs, who in return separate it, clean it, and process it into something usable again, for example using scrap aluminum to make bottle tops and food cans.China are on board with recycling their rubbish into value items, they send their consumer goods over to England and take back our unwanted rubbish to be recycled in China (making social lives, P118, 2010). With the wo rld’s population increasing, consumer demand from food to electrical goods has increased likewise. Subsequently, society has evolved to adapt to this change in both positive and negative ways. Positively, cheaper, mass-produced foods provide us with a necessity.Negatively, advances in technology are not as key to our survival, for example the HD TV. The media, and an increase in the world’s general economic well-being, until recently have been partly to blame for the facilitation of society’s wasteful approach to life. Supermarkets have been beneficiaries not facilitators of the behavior of their consumer environment. However, the media have now turned full-circle and are promoting a more recyclable approach to life since we have learned the consequences of our wasteful tendencies.Therefore, I believe the argument that consumer societies are always throw-away societies is false. I think the pivotal point in a society becoming a throw away society is in their edu cation of the damage such an approach can do to their planet in the long run. Word count:1283 Bibliography Martin Wainwright. (2012). hundreds of tents. Available: hundreds of tents. Last accessed 21st march 2013. Hinchliffe,S (2009). Making social lives. Milton Keynes: Latimer trend and company Ltd. 105-119. Staples, M (2009). Learning companion 2. Milton keynes: Bell and Bain Ltd. 1-29.

“1984″ vs. Nazi Germany Essay

I have always been fascinated with Adolf Hitler and World War II. It seems that throughout my education and lifetime, the topic of how Hitler’s Germany almost ruled the entire world was constantly mentioned in conversations, books, movies, or television programs. After reading George Orwell’s â€Å"1984†³ I saw that there were big similarities between the town of Oceiana and Nazi Germany. Both types of government were extremely similar; in 1984as well as in Nazi Germany, they killed and vaporized people with no remorse and had no respect for humanity. Therefore, when I read the quote, â€Å"it is impossible to found a civilization on fear and hatred and cruelty. It would never endure,† I immediately thought of Nazi Germany. Hitler’s evil drive for success clearly proved this quote to be true and shows that hatred and fear can’t in fact create a stable civilization. The Nazi’s ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945 when Germany surrendered and admitted defeat in their war of aggression, World War II. This was similar to the war that Oceiana was involved in throughout the book. Also, many German’s were taken to and killed at the concentration camps, just like Winston, along with many others, were taken to the Ministry of Love to be â€Å"taken care of.† In the book as well as in Germany there were no rights granted to citizens and freedom was merely a thought. Moreover, many children had to work at young ages and did not learn the proper skills in order to read or write. See more: Basic Economic problem of Scarcity Essay In the fictional Oceiana, children were also not allowed books and they were taken away because The Party was afraid that people would become too smart and try to overthrow the government. People in both of these countries were treated as slaves and humanity seemed completely outside the realm of possibility. Now, it is a known fact that Adolf Hitler was one of the 20th century’s most powerful dictators. He was responsible for World War II and the death of millions. Hitler saw a nation in despair and used this as an opportunity to gain political power. He saw a nation of unemployed and hungry citizens and promised them economic prosperity in return for absolute power. During his time he caused such a great deal of death and destruction He was indeed a great leader, yet his kingdom’s basis is what caused it to fall. Hitler’s racial and political hatred, along with the fear he instilled in his people were the major causes of the disintegration of his nation. Therefore, this event in history is a prime example of the fact that â€Å"it is impossible to found a civilization on fear and hatred and cruelty.† No one wants to be ruled by someone cruel and full of hate. This form of government didn’t and couldn’t ever endure. Citations * Adolf Hitler.† Jewish Virtual Library – Homepage. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. . * Adolf Hitler.† Spartacus Educational – Home Page. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. . * Adolf Hitler.† Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. .

Jetblue Airways: Managing Growth

Jet Blue Airways; Managing Growth 1. Jet Blue? s Business- level strategy; value and cost drivers Jet Blue uses to create and maintain ist competitive position Founded by the discount airline veteran David Neeleman in 2000, JetBlue Airways has quickly become one of the largest discount airlines in the United States. Starting primarily by serving the East Coast, the airline has since expanded throughout the country and entered the international market.The reasons for its early success are numerous: JetBlue entered the market with one of the largest levels of liquidity of any start-up airline; it met the needs of customers’ whose primary concerns are price and route; and it successfully defined its brand and differentiated itself from competitors by offering an above average customer experience and amenities for a discounted price. They are offering fares with the â€Å"point to point† system. JetBlue? s business-level strategy is therefore a mix of cost-leadership and di fferentiation.David Neeleman’s idea behind JetBlue was to start a company that combined the low fares of a discount airline carrier with the comforts of a small cozy den in people’s homes. His vision involved both business and leisure customers to have cheap and affordable flights throughout the United States and abroad on newer aircraft that are not only comfortable, but are equipped with modern entertainment options, and a customer centric business model which makes customer service a number one priority.In contrast to its competitors, for example, JetBlue offers fares up to 65% lower but added comfort features such as assigned seating, leather upholstery and satellite TV on individual screens in every seat. Moreover, they are practicing a â€Å"get-to-the-destinations-at-all-costs† culture, which makes it their declared aim never to cancel a flight. JetBlue Airways does not operate to a traditional mission statement; rather, it operates to a set of core value s: Safety, Caring, Integrity, Fun, and Passion. 2. Strategic group map of the airline industry; positioning to create a strategic competitive advantage ompany| Routes serviced| Prices| size| Continental | 292| 1,586| 44939| Delta| 587| 1,009| 118856| Southwest| 97| 0,775| 77693| JetBlue| 71| 1,371| 14729| American| 336| 0,186| 745700| United| 180| 1,706| 67000| The biggest and simultaneously oldest airline companies are United, American, Delta and Continental Airline. This is why they are referred to as legacy carriers. Their strategic competitive advantage is the hub and spoke system. In this system, airlines created hubs at specific airports where thousands of passengers were shuttled to their connecting flights, the so called spokes.In doing so, these airlines can ensure to keep costs low and protect market share. Another argument strengthen this strategy is that passengers can travel between numerous destinations without changing airlines. Delta uses this strategy to dominate ge ographical segments of the market, for example Atlanta. Southwest Airlines on the other hand established a completely different strategy. They take passengers direct between cities, which is referred to as point to point. Additionally, Southwest is using secondary airports serving major metropolitan areas.With their different strategic advantage, they are able to attract another target market. Because they offer fares between cities that are often less than 500 miles apart, they targeted customers that would have otherwise traveled by car. In this way Southwest maintains high levels of plane utilization while keeping its operating costs low enough to support its discounted fares. Another part of their strategy is their reliance on a single type of plane, the Boing 737. This allowed them to standardize ground and flight personnel training which decreased the airline? average turnaround time between landing and starting again. Moreover, Southwest focuses on customers whose priority is low-cost, on-time performance. There are no complications for customers, like seat assignments. Therefore, Southwest as well as Jet Blue are considered as low cost carriers (LCC). Jet Blue offers fares up to 65 per cent lower than legacy competitors. Jet Blue Airways positions itself by connecting large, typically northeastern, US cities with warmer cities in the southeast. Jet Blue? s emphasis is like Southwest? s on low fares and point to point transportation.Jet Blue entered the market like Southwest with only one machine, the A320. In this way they could ensure serving a variety of medium- and long-haul routes and numerous overnight flights. Jet Blue could also standardize its training and servicing processes around the aircraft. This allowed them to gain flexibility in scheduling and capacity management. Another feature for customers to make travelling with this airline more attractive are added comfort features such as assigned seating, leather upholstery and satellite TV on individual screens in every seat.Their key principle was that flight cancellation should be avoided at all costs. In 2005, Jet Blue broadened their portfolio in entering the market of medium-sized cities, which was served only by regional airlines. They entered this market using a new midsized aircraft called E190. In launching this new machine, they were able to use synergy of combining the A320 and the E190 profitably while serving now smaller and bigger airports. This portfolio mix gives Jet Blue a yet matchless, strategic competitive advantage compared to the other airlines.Their goal now should be to improve the synergy between the two machines and the profitably run their fleet with the optimum amount of aircrafts. 3. Strategy/ structure needed to support the A320 versus the E190; reconcilable differences? ; opportunities for synergy The new developed strategy of Jet Blue was to acquire enough E190 aircrafts to serve medium- sized cities to provide a steady flow of passengers to fill the seats on the longer-haul routes of their A320 aircrafts. A big advantage of this system was that it also worked the other way around.Jet Blue turned out to have an enormous advantage in comparison to the regional airlines, because the E190 had more seats than the traditional RJ. They could use the best option for efficiently serving medium-sized markets while offering passengers more comfort, because they did not had to face limitations on the size of the planes as RJ did. Therefore, Jet Blue has to overcome some essential problems caused by significant differences between these two aircrafts. On the one hand, the E 190 is operated at 12 per cent greater costs than the A320, therefore 34 per cent less costs than for a typical RJ.The E 190 was a great innovation because it could target a wider range of profitable destinations with a greater seating capacity to feed into A320 flights. This results in higher loads and improved economics for Jet Blue. The breakeven load for the E190 of 75-80 per cent was much lower than for the A320, which made is easier to introduce service into new markets. One of the problems is that it takes up to 40 to 50 airplanes before a company benefits from economies of scale. And while taking delivery of the new E190, Jet Blue continued its purchases of A320 aircrafts.Reasons therefore are that this machine had proven to be an extremely reliable machine, and Jet Blue had standardized its operations around this plane. Another concern is the dual certification for pilots . It was simply not feasible for a pilot to simultaneously obtain enough flights as an E190 captain and as an A320 captain. This means pilots could only fly one of the two machines. This brought up another issue: An A320 captain received higher hourly wage rate than an E190 captain.This is why they had to keep pace with the A320 deliveries. The short-haul routes served by the E190 increased revenues but they also increased costs. The reason therefore is as mor e frequent flights required E190 aircrafts to spend more time on the ground than the A320 for taxiing, loading, and unloading between flights because the processes were not standardized yet. This resulted in a disadvantage in accumulating flying hours for pilots, because they get only credit for time spend in the air.Any time spend on the ground was not included. This affected their whole seniority and income availability, which is tied to the number of airplanes they take. Additionally, the E190 has non-skid flooring on the cargo bins as a safety feature to prevent baggage handlers from slipping on the floor while loading and unloading. Although it was intended to be a good thing, it increased loading time and also increased the potential for strains and back sprains as handlers had to lift bags they previously have slid.Also flight attendants had to make significant adjustments. The E 190 had smaller galleys from which to serve customers. The shorter duration of E190 flights provi ded less time for the attendants to provide the high level of service to which jet Blue passengers had become accustomed. The work of the employees in charge of servicing and maintaining Jet Blue? s fleet also increased considerably. They had now two completely different machines to take care of manufactured by different companies. This created additional operating complexity.This is why they decided to invest in maintenance capabilities. The last and most important group affected by the differences between the two machines is customers. Changes in their behavior and expectations are required. Especially concerning to the carry- on baggage, because the storage bins are from different sizes. This means passengers can take the same baggage in one machine as hand luggage, on the other machine they need to check it at the gate. There are enough opportunities for synergy effects.The system of the two machines working together is still in its introductory phase. Once these difficulties an d maintenance and special level of service for the customers are overcome, the synergy should run pretty well as it was intended to be. 4. Efforts of JetBlue to repair damage to its reputation; successful efforts? Necessary/ successful change in CEO? The Valentine ? s Day crisis that would later be referred to as „the worst operational week in JetBlue? s seven-year history,â€Å" began on February 14, 2007 when flights from JFK were heavily booked.Although the snow lingered longer than expected, JetBlue boarded its flights. As the snow turned to freezing rain the FAA prohibited domestic flights from taking off. This winter storm that enveloped the New York metropolitan region and JetBlue’s hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport left hundreds of the company’s passengers stranded aboard planes on the tarmac, some for as many as ten hours. Hundreds more waited in vain in the terminal for flights that the airline would eventually cancel.The flight disruptions at JFK plunged JetBlue’s entire operation into chaos, forcing the carrier to cancel more than one thousand flights over a six day period. In the morning of this Wednesday, JetBlue? s executives and employees had no idea that an operational catastrophe was about to happen, one that would threaten the company’s financial stability and tarnish its otherwise sterling public image. David Neeleman stepped down after the Valentine’s Day incident in 2007 only because his organization failed to deliver on its principles of excellent customer service.To restore its reputation, JetBlue embarked on a bold and unconventional image restoration campaign that included issuing disarmingly candid public apologies and a radical new covenant between the company and its customers called the â€Å"JetBlue Airways Customer Bill of Rights. † The change of management was instituted to help rebuild JetBlue’s tarnished reputation and to develop innovative strategies which wo uld prevent situations like that from ever happening again. The CEO described the bill of rights as a written covenant between the company and its customers.The bill of rights specified in no uncertain terms the monetary compensation customers would receive if JetBlue failed to meet certain performance benchmarks, such as ground delays after landing. The Bill of Rights, allowed JetBlue to strengthen its brand among loyal customers and even those who were affected in the airline’s operational difficulties at JFK and other airports across the country. Additionally, the announcement of the Bill of Rights served as a powerful introduction to countless other air travelers who had yet to fly with the airline.In addition, the Valentine’s Day crisis taught the Corporate Communications group valuable lessons about using the Web and social media. For example, the corporate communication team arranged for Neeleman to appear on more than a dozen television news and talk show progr ams on February 20, including The Today Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. Neeleman had already starred in videos posted to JetBlue’s Web site and YouTube in which he said he was â€Å"humiliated and mortified† by the company’s failures.Through numerous written and spoken mea culpas, Neeleman begged JetBlue’s customers for forgiveness. I feel that JetBlue? s powerful brand, corporate structure, and agility as a smaller airline should enable it to rebound from the Valentine? s Day crisis in 2007 and beyond. Of course, the events that began at JFK will not soon be forgotten by the public or the organization, but the issuance of the JetBlue Airways Customer Bill of Rights and the apologies demonstrated the airline’s commitment to its patrons over the long term, not just in the days and weeks following the onset of the crisis.