Virginia Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Virginia Marketing - Case Study Example This case study is about the Virginia Tourism Corporation which is considered as a creative and dynamic organisation taking the advantage of historical relevance and beauty of the Virginia state. The corporation is also considered as one of the most important organisations in Virginia State and has been continuously involved into the various important innovative techniques of doing business which has capitalized the way tourism business has been done in the country. Due to its romantic appeal, Virginia has remained a hot spot for the tourists and it is because of this reason that Virginia Corporation is engaged into delivering tourism services to the many tourists coming from around the world to visit the aesthetic beauty of the region. As discussed above that the marketing mix is a combination of various marketing tools of strategic nature which when combined produce the results which attempt to support the organisational goals and objectives. Marketing communication techniques are basically the tools which are used by the organisation's different departments i.e. marketing, product development etc to decide upon the various important parameters. For a service oriented organisation, it is very critical that the various elements of marketing communication mix fit together to achieve the maximum results. ... oduct could have on the mindset of the customer may not be achieved through offering a service therefore service oriented organisations have to travel extra mile to reach and delight their customers and deliver value to them through combination of excellent marketing communication techniques. For this purpose, organisations therefore need to be more proactive as well as innovative in their approach to deliver value to the customers. This is achieved through the use of various tools available such as pricing through innovative means, initiating promotional activities which ensure that more and more customers come to use your services, broadening the base of channels used to generate the sales as well as engaging into effective public relation efforts so that all elements when combined deliver value to the organisation's stakeholders as well as the customers. This work will attempt to study and analyse the marketing communication techniques adopted by the organization as its effort to better place itself strategically against the competition and deliver value to both its customers as well as stakeholders besides ensuring that the organisation hold highest ethical values and social responsibility while working in an strongly service oriented industry. Analysis of Virginia Tourism Corporation The case study provided for preparing the analysis of the various marketing communication techniques relate to the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Virginia due to its natural beauty as well as historical context is considered as one of the most popular tourist spots in the country. It is very important to discuss here some of the basic characteristics of the Virginia state before discussing the various marketing communication techniques adopted by the VTC. Before discussing what is

Act of Concern Essay Example for Free

Act of Concern Essay The average Filipino generates 0.3 and 0.5 kilograms of garbage daily in rural and urban areas, respectively. A recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) 2004 study showed that 6,700 MT of waste is generated daily in Metro Manila. Annual waste generation is expected to grow 40% by 2010 These garbage come in many forms: the styrofoams used by a fast food chain, a broken pair of slippers and wrappers of various snacks are just some examples. For the past decades, issues regarding disposal of these large amount of waste have been a primary concern. Landfill sites continuously blow as more garbage is generated. However, economists would say resources are scarce and limited especially in land. Thus in 2002, the Supreme Court decided to pass Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999 making the Philippines the first country to ban burning or incineration of all wastes. Incineration is a waste treatment process which uses combustion. Waste materials are converted into ash, flue gas and heat. Incineration does not totally replace landfill sites but rather significantly reduces the volumes of wastes necessary for disposal1 (Wikipedia). But beneath this supposedly positive output lies the harmful effects of incineration to the environment. Environmentalists claim that burning waste materials result to numerous negative environmental, social and health effects. Some of these harms are: †¢ Poison to the environment, human body, and food supply with toxic chemicals. The release of gases like dioxin during the burning process is harmful to every human life. †¢ Production of toxic byproducts †¢ Undermining of waste prevention and recycling †¢ Contribution to global climate change †¢ Generation of waste energy and destruction of vast quantities of resources †¢ Violation of the principles of environmental justice When the ban of combustion was lifted, there went opposition from various groups that were directly affected. These groups were businessmen, firms and rich individuals involved in the business and industrialized sector, for the reason that they find incineration as the easiest and cheapest method of waste reduction. Such a self-centered way of thinking cannot be changed by any reasoning. And â€Å"nature’s revenge† has its means to get even. At the outset, www.hubpages.com reported that 377 people died, 32 still missing and Php 10 billion or over $200 million worth of damage to infrastructure, crops and properties were lost when typhoon â€Å"Ondoy† devastated the whole country last September 26, 2009. Even some parts of the Metro Manila had been temporarily removed in the map. It was noted as one of the most alarming catastrophes in the country’s history. Not only houses, buildings and establishments were destroyed but also families who have lost their beloved relatives. Indeed, the incident had left people nothing but sorrow. Other than this, the Payatas tragedy is also an alarming result of this garbage problem in the country. These incidences would not probably happen if the government has not failed to implement an effective and efficient waste reduction program. So, even though the government has its loop holes or shortcomings in terms of the full implementation process, everyone should be concerned in taking care of the environment. We must all be responsible for our actions. And to quote from one professor â€Å"even the smallest thing we do can make or break our resources.† In the end, if the state will not follow the rules and regulations those will be futile ones and should be abandoned.

Body Systems :: Human Body

Body Systems There are 10 body systems, one of them is the Integumentary (skin). It is composed of hair, skin, nails, sence receptions and oil glands. Its functionis to protect from outside, to regulate the body temperature, to make synthesis of hormones & chemicals and is used as a sense organ. Another one is the Skeletal System (bones). It is made of about 206 bones, that are divided in tho categories: axial bones (in the body by itself) and apendicular bones (arms & legs). We have Joints too. Thei`re divided in Ball Socket (like elbow and shoulders) and sattle (fingers). This system`s function are movement, storage of minerals, blood formation, support of the body and protection of body parts. The next one is the Muscular System. It is composed of muscles (dah). The muscles are divided in visceral or involuntary or smooth (The one in the organs, like intestines), skeletal or voluntary or striated (found superficial to the bones, like biceps, triceps...) and cardiac (heart). Their functions are movement, to maintain body posture & tone and in the production of body heat. Now its time for the Nervous System. Its constructed of the brain, the spinal cord and the nerves (neurons). Its functions are to communicate (fast with short duration), integration, and to control. The subsequent system is the Endocrine System (known as ductless too...). This is composed of a lot of things... They are:pituitary gland - below the brain (master gland), pineal gland - brain (It`s called the "third eye" by some, because its sensitive to light cycles), hypothalamus - also in the brain (it works with the pituitary), the thyrodic -

History of science, technology, society, and nature/environment Essay

Thomas Hughes is a symbol of technological advancement in relation to evolving scientific facts, environment and social order. He was initially trained as an Engineer and showed that technology consists of systems and not merely artefacts. This systems embodies social aspects as well as technological aspects. This led to the social construction of the technological system. He offers a means to look at the relations that exists between the society, technological advancements and the environment. Hughes looks at technology as a means by which changes in the society may be effected in relation to science, he also give room to the idea that the distribution of technology may not bring about a revolution in the social and science systems. A number of scholars have various expressed ideas towards the aspect of technological determinism in relation to technological system; Marx in 1994 supported the idea that technological determinism is the force that tends to drives history. The French scholar Jacques Ellul alludes that technology is the most powerful force in modern science and is beyond the control of humans. Other scholars reject this fact and claim that the distribution of technology is determined by the social changes that are present in the society and not the vice versa. Hughes adapts a middle ground by looking at the technological systems in the society which may include complex networks of artifacts, organizations and the people rather than the science that brought about the technologies. (Marx, Smith, 1994). The modern world is as a result of technologies evolving over a period of time and in the process they grow more complex achieving a certain kind of interconnection. This makes technology to be more difficult to control. (Cassidy, 1962). Hundreds and perhaps thousands of people are required to maintain the systems this brings out the aspect of society in technological distribution. Thomas Hughes therefore connects technology advancement to the presence of existing scientific knowledge and the presence of societal values that will maintain and advance the system. Ford claims that technology cannot be separated from the aspects of the environment; in this case he refers to the environment in terms of social, economic, political and cultural. The existing systems will determine kind of policies that will be put in place in order to direct the pace of technology. The other side of the idea also relates to the advancement of the various aspects of life due to the pace of technological improvement. There is need to relate the various aspects of the human life with technology, It is as important as nation building and constitution making. These are important societal values that have a significant effect on advancing the human life. Technological affairs are a mixture of several aspects of life, which also includes social concerns. The introduction of the e mail, facebook, twitter and other social sites is a technological advancement that has changed the way people relate with each other, it has brought people from across the world much closer and therefore a social concern whether it leans to a positive or a negative manner. The political concerns that have arisen due to technology cannot be ignored, In the United States, likely presidential candidates have used various advancements in technology to campaign, President Obama was able to appeal to a majority of the young voters as he was able to reach them on social sites through emails and short messages. This brings out Taylor ideas on how technology is connected to societal values and political factors. The interaction of technology and other subjects does not stop there it affects economic policies and scientific laws. Insull states that the policies relating to economy have changed throughout the world as a result of Advancement of technology. Apple Inc Company is a perfect example of this, its products such as the iphone has been well received in the market therefore building confidence in the trading of shares of Technological firms due to the interaction nature, the government therefore reduced tariff’s on technological firms due to the resources they were pumping into the economy and jobs they were creating (Cassidy, 1962). Hughes tends to bring out the relationship between technology, environment and the society through his advancement of the systems approach theory. Hughes tends to argue that the production, transmission and distribution of electricity occur in a technological environment. This environment does not only relate to the technology but economic, educational, administrative and legal factors also contribute to the process. Hughes therefore advocates for unity among these factors as much as they may be diverse, he also calls for coherence from the chaos that may result from the interaction of this factors. The technological system may only survive if it can withstand influence from the external environment, the only way it can do this is through incorporating this influences into their system. The systems theory advanced by Hughes above employs the notion of momentum which he defines as a combination of technological, organizational and attitudinal components this tends to maintain growth of the organizational system. Hughes also explains that the tendency to ensure that a technological system proceeds well when the actions of the numerous stakeholders such as educational, regulatory opportunities correspond with the work and culture of a particular technological system. This is an important, aspect in ensuring that technology relates well with the environment and society to achieve maximum results (Hughes, 1989) The idea of systems theory can be summarized by Hughes’s approach which indicates that human managers control a variety of elements which should be geared towards exploitation of the existing social environment, the technological system should resist alteration once it has incorporated all aspects of the environment, society and environment. The systems theory therefore shows that no technology should be treated in isolation as it is part of a bigger system. The relationship between technology and the environment can be understood by the changes that have occurred in the development of the bicycle, this was a technological milestone in the transport industry, however there was need to ensure that the bicycle created was safe for all individuals, this called for the collection and incorporation of the various views from the different social groups in order to come up with the required item. In the 18th Century when the ox plough was being developed a number of social interests’s needed to be addressed in order for it to be socially acceptable. This shows the relationship that Hughes shows in the relationship between technology and social life (McDermott, 1991). Technological momentum is a key aspect that Hughes advocates for as opposed to determinism and social constructionism. This will tend to merge the two and therefore creates a process that recognizes the different aspects of the environment that will have an effect on it. This involves giving due credit to socially shaped technologies as instruments of social change to achieve this historians are advised to go beyond determination of social roots of technologies to discussing the social effects of the technologies advocated for (Hughes, 1989). Oppenheimer has achieved a status whereby he highlights the need to consider the innovativeness that is associated with technology, as it creates a sustainable society. People would not be more stable if they do things efficiently but a lot easier, this can only be achieved in the case of innovation. A number of historical occurrences prove the relationship between technology environment, social order and government. This tends to place things in the perspectives of Hughes, in agriculture the planning, construction and control of even the least of the technology controlled methods of irrigation would have involved some group effort and support from the government forces. The draining of swamps especially in the early man’s time using technologies that are now considered outdated required social and political control to divert the water from the swamps (Misa, 1988). Thomas Hughes makes us think about technology and culture; he addresses the idea of technology as expressed through the history of the word. There is a tendency of too many people understanding the concept too reductively thus masking the real concept that is hidden there under. Technology consists of acts rather than artifacts as expressed by the reductively thinking individuals; it’s constituted through the creative and critical thinking of people who want to make their life better through creation of new models. This is through technology and creation whereby America was transformed from the natural built environment to a human built environment. (Hughes, 1987). He attributes this to the long standing of Christian culture that gave meaning to the technology. This shows the value that has been attached to the relationship between culture, environment and technology. Technology as a machine has been a major factor in the address of the relationship it assumes with other influences. There is need to chart a new line in the development of attitudes that relate to the advancement of technologies. The type of technologies recognized are systems of electricity, communication and mass production, the kind of enthusiasm that is associated with this technology has been great and need societal guidance in order to control. The dangers to the environment that have arisen due to technology have also been examined this especially relates to the environment and limitation of its degradation. Stem cell research and cloning is an idea that best illustrates the need to ensure that relationships between science, technology and societal values are upheld. The technology behind cloning would have not been well received in the world if the aspect of ethics and societal values would not have been incorporated. The technology involves altering the genetic make up of an organism in order to improve its qualities, this goes against the beliefs in a number of societies. Racheal expounds on the need to ensure that the aspects of technology fits into the existing structures of the society and not the other way round, this will create a harmonious co-existence between technology and society. Technology as systems, controls, and information is a theme has also been addressed in the process of achieving the relationship between technology, environment and the society. This addresses the complexity that defined the engineering in America. Hughes tends to focus less on what the outsiders of the technological arena think about and concentrates more on the introduction of systems that will be more comprehensive. (Hughes, 1987). This is in the view of the emergence of counter cultural mechanisms that tends to control and regulate technological advancement. There is need for the development of ecotechnological environment that appreciates the different aspects of life in the world. Hughes in his books has called for the redesign of system in order to protect the environment and return them to their original form (Hughes, 1989) . This shows the kind of appreciation he attaches to the environment in relation to technology. An example is the call to U. S Army Corps Engineers to reengineer the region back to its original state in order to increase the condition of the water. Hughes also recognizes Companies that are socially and environmentally responsible even in their pursuit for higher technological pursuits. Engineering relates to a larger cultural sphere.

The Increasing Need For Sustainable Development Environmental Sciences Essay

The Eastern Cape Appropriate Technology Unit ( ECATU ) nucleus map is support Government policy aims in the country of socio -economic development and poorness obliteration by be aftering funding and transporting out undertakings associating to allow engineering in all development Fieldss in the state Undertake research and development of bing and proposed engineerings in the public and private sectors into any field of rural development and poorness obliteration. Provide proficient advice, where necessary, to authorities on inventions to back up policy and determination devising Promote sustainable development techniques and methodological analysiss The Entity focuses on bettering the quality of life for rural communities, without increasing the usage of natural resources beyond the capacity of the environment to provide them indefinitely. ECATU besides operates in line with the Millennium Development Goals, for illustration: Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poorness and hungriness Goal 3 Promote gender equality and empower adult females Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Goal 8: Develop a planetary partnership for development Sustainable development may specify as development that meets the demands of the present without compromising the ability of future coevalss to run into their demands The Entity utilizes alternate sustainable engineerings in the edifice, H2O, energy and nutrient security sectors -household gardens and community agriculture. For this undertaking the chief focal point will be on agricultural activities the Entity undertakes with rural communities. The widespread inequality and crunching poorness impacting half of the population in the South Africa ‘s Eastern Cape consequences in unequal and unstable nutrient supply, hapless nutrition and weak exigency nutrient direction systems Inadequate societal safety cyberspaces, high unemployment and high prevalence of HIV/AIDS farther exacerbate nutrient insecurity. The chronic deficiency of nutrient security experienced by more than a 3rd of the state ‘s population further high spots severe, endangering inequalities in South African society The nutrient programme increases the capacity of the beneficiary communities by supplying them with preparation and support for sustainable nutrient horticulture. Those trained are so expected to each train and impart support to five other families in set uping vegetable gardens. In this mode, wider community is promoted. Training is based on environmentally friendly rulesSustainability HazardsEnergyEnergy deficits have increased the monetary value of production, therefore increasing nutrient monetary values in for communities. Planting has become expensive therefore the community is unable to works.WaterThe deficiency of sustainable agribusiness harms the environment by sucking rivers, lakes and belowground H2O beginnings dry, increasing dirt salt and thereby destructing its quality, and by rinsing pollutants and pesticides into rivers that in bend destroy downstream ecosystems such as corals and engendering evidences for fish in coastal countries. Insufficient nutrient production and harmful agribusiness subsidies are doing deforestation, H2O deficits and pollution. The chief causes are: – leaky irrigation systems, uneconomical field application methods, pollution by agri-chemicals and cultivation of thirsty harvests non suited to the environment. The waste and pollution of H2O is made worse by misdirected subsidies, low public and political consciousness of the crisis, and weak environmental statute law. The agricultural sector is the largest consumer of H2O resources, and variableness in H2O supply has a major influence on wellness and public assistance in hapless countries. With H2O scarceness and utmost conditions events expected to increase under climate alteration, H2O security could worsen significantly in rural countries. Consequently, it is of import to understand the impacts of planetary alteration ( in footings of clime, human ecology, engineering, and so on ) on agribusiness and natural resources our developing state.Unpredictable conditions conditionsAdverse conditions conditions, peculiarly the heavy rains delay harvest home and Vegetables like will be in short supply, so their monetary values will besides lift. Increased vaporization and decreases in dirt wet could decline dirt eroding and related deposit, worsening a job disputing the agribusiness The degree of regional alteration in temperature and precipitation including variableness and extremes ( for example, late spring hoars, hail, storms, etc. ) ; the magnitude of the C dioxide fertilisation consequence on harvest output ; the ability of husbandmans to accommodate to potentially new clime conditions ( e.g. , holding H2O and/or irrigation installations available ) ; dirt restrictions that could forestall some harvests from being able to take advantage of a warmer clime ; and the province of the planetary market ( e.g. trade good monetary values and entree to planetary markets ) However, the impact of each or all of these factors is hard to foretell because they are extremely interconnected with other biological and socioeconomic ( including authorities policies ) factors.PollutionPollution is an environmental job disputing harvest agriculture, could decline with the effects of clime alteration. The agribusiness industry is already lending to pollution in T through the usage of pesticides, ensuing in bio-accumulation of these substances. Higher temperatures are besides likely to let the endurance of plagues that usually do non defy cold winters, ensuing in extra menaces to harvests and farm animal and the heightened demand for pesticides. Using these pesticides has the potency of making extra environmental concerns.HIV/AIDSSince most agricultural activities take topographic point in rural countries, where husbandmans chiefly utilizing labour intensive techniques live, and have been much vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, it has resulted into diminution of agricultural production in general, and nutrient production in peculiar. Many communities whose beginning of income, nutrient and general support is agriculture have registered negative growing due to HIV/AIDS. A figure of factors, all related with HIV/AIDS explain the general pattern/trend of reduced agricultural production such as depletion of labour force and increased work load due to increased dependence load, loss of accomplishments and cognition, and income break. AIDS undermines agricultural systems, affects the nutritionary state of affairs and nutrient security of rural households. Families face worsening productiveness every bit good as loss of cognition about autochthonal farming methods and loss of assets ( Focus, 2001 ) . Labor intensive farming systems with a low degree of mechanisation and agricultural input are peculiarly vulnerable to AIDS. Given the fact that AIDS is concentrated among the 15 – 45 old ages old, who are most able bodied, so agribusiness suffers most in footings of production and market for the accruing merchandises.Sustainability OpportunitiesEnhancing the Carbon Sink FunctionSignificant sums of CO2 can be removed from the ambiance and stored in dirts through a scope of farming patterns, such as organic agriculture, zero or decreased cultivated land systems that avoid or cut down dirt perturbation, turning protein harvests, and transition of cultivable land to grassland. Organic agribusiness does non foul watercourses with nitrates or toxicants, it doubles C segregation, it is more efficient, both in H2O and non-solar energy footings and it improves biodiversity.Supplying Renewable Resources for Bio-energies and Bio-productsBio-energies produced from agricultural biomass can replace other emanation intensive energy beginnings, such as fossil fuels. Increased engagement of husbandmans in turning energy harvests for bio-fuels, little power Stationss or for farm combined heat and power workss. An addition for usage of renewable agricultural resources in industry such as agro-materials, bio -plastics and bio-chemicalsEnhanced Research and Development in Agricultural MethodologiesSoil Conservation: Farmers ‘ specific version options listed in this class include mulching, planting of screen harvests, using fertiliser and organic manure. Changing Planting Dates: This covers early planting and late planting options. Changing Cultivated land Operationss: The options in this class are utilizing minimal cultivated land operations, full cultivated land operation and excavation ridges across inclines in the farm against eroding. Planting Autochthonal Trees: This specifically involves seting trees in the farm to function as shadiness against rough temperature. Irrigation: As the name implies, it involves providing H2O to the farm. The informal type is used here.Carbon TradingProvides a strong fiscal inducement to cut down energy ingestion it is an easy and powerful tool for authoritiess to drive emanations down civilization Pull offing emanations is one of the fastest-growing sections in fiscal services.Water Recycling and Rain Water HarvestingThe Free Basic Water – every family in South Africa is entitled to a free 6 000 liters ( 6 M3 ) per month ( for domestic usage: imbibing, cookery and hygiene ) Much of the domestic H2O can be recycled at a family degree and used to turn nutrient. Soap and other drosss can be removed through flocculation and gravitation fed sand filtration. A current research undertaking is developing, â€Å" Guidelines for sustainable usage of gray H2O in small-scale agribusiness and gardens in South Africa † In add-on to supplying a reliable, locally-controlled H2O supply, H2O recycling provides enormous environmental benefits. By supplying an extra beginning of H2O, H2O recycling can assist us happen ways to diminish the recreation of H2O from sensitive ecosystems.Hazard Assessment-QualitativeProbabilityVery High – occurs more than twice a month High – occurs one time every three months Medium – occurs one time every nine months Low – occurs one time every twelvemonth Very Low – occurs one time every three old agesIntensityHigh – impact is regional Medium – local impact over a period of months Low – limited to site and easy returned to normal1=Energy, 2=Water, 3=Adverse Weather Conditions, 4=Pollution, 5=HIV/AIDSHigh Medium Low 1 Very High Hydrogen Hydrogen Meter 2 High Hydrogen Hydrogen Hydrogen 3 Medium Hydrogen Meter Meter 4 Very Low Meter Meter Liter 5 Low Hydrogen Meter Meter The Entity adheres to two pillars of the ternary underside line, viz. the Economic Sustainability, Social Sustainability. It does non hold schemes to mensurate and supervise the impact on the environmental resources. A scheme to step and proctor impacts and to implement systems to guarantee that resources are used in a sustainable mode and that negative impacts are reduced or minimized and uninterrupted betterment is achieved demands to be developed An audit was done on the communal agricultural sites, presently the sites there is no monitoring of sustainability patterns or the sum of resources used or generated, such as H2O, energy, waste and pollutants. Post the environmental audit the Entity will follow an environmental and societal direction system.-EMS as this is an of import tool to guarantee that Entity undertakings are complaint with regulative and entity demands and cognizing the impacts it has on society. This will assist concentrate the Entity on precedences for all actions and will function as a model for seting thoughts into pattern.Sustainability Management Tool -Cradle to SculptThe traditional manner to turn to environmental jobs was to concentrate on a works or a site of production and most frequently on one peculiar pollutant. However, this attack frequently leads to job shifting, either from one phase of the life rhythm to another or from one environmental job to another, merely by change overing the pollution into another signifier. In order to minimise the environmental impacts of a merchandise or a service, one needs to compare the overall ( â€Å" cradle-to-grave † ) environmental efficiency ( impact per k g [ kg ] of merchandise or per unit of service ) of different ways of bring forthing it and for a comprehensive scope of environmental jobs. Covering the whole life rhythm of a merchandise besides allows placing the hot musca volitanss where most additions can be achieved with least attempt and costs. Life rhythm Assessments Life Cycle Assessment ( LCA ) is a quantitative method used to mensurate the energy and stuff flows associated with all phases of a merchandise from cradle to sculpt. The application of LCA to agricultural and nutrient production processes is get downing to increase. LCA to maintain the entireness of the system in head when sing the sustainability of certain constituents. This involves sing all of the procedures associated with the production of the harvests. Life rhythm believing merely adds another dimension to our position of the agricultural system as a whole. In LCA surveies the full production system should be considered, i.e. for harvest production systems the analysis includes non merely the on-field activities, but besides all impacts related to the production of natural stuffs ( minerals, fossil fuels ) and farm inputs like fertilisers, works protection substances, machinery or seeds. The LCA method will measure the impact of emanations and resource ingestion associated with harvest production on the undermentioned environmental effects: depletion of a biotic resources, land usage, clime alteration, toxicity, and acidification, In order to enable decisions on the overall environmental impact of alternate harvest nutrition systems, an collection process to cipher indexs for resource depletion ( RDI ) To guarantee future sustainable harvest agriculture below are some patterns that may help in accomplishing sustainable development.Safeguard natural resourcesProtect the unity of water partings, wetlands and grazing lands to continue ecosystem services and biodiversity. Invest in engineerings and techniques to advance water-use efficiency, such as improved irrigation systems, preservation agribusiness and better H2O allotment systems. Retain dirt wet, construct up dirt organic affair and prevent eroding by using techniques such as preservation cultivated land, alimentary direction and the usage of renewal Facilitate drought-preparedness and extenuation through appropriate engineerings, including usage of remote detection, local conditions prediction, drought-tolerant harvests, early warning information systems, improved irrigation engineerings ( based on works demands through evapo-transpiration ) , fertilisation techniques and constructing the resiliency of rural communitiesShare cognitionCreate international programmes to portion best patterns for the acceptance by husbandmans of bing water-efficient engineerings by doing them more low-cost, accessible and efficient in usage. Promote the usage of pilot undertakings and presentation secret plans and develop â€Å" develop the trainers † programmes for wider airing of cognition. Use Integrated Crop Management ( ICM ) best patterns ( notably by deploying the right food and other inputs, at the right rate, right clip and in the right topographic point to better alimentary consumption and prevent N and phosphate overflow or escape to waterways ) Encourage improved cropping systems ( e.g. the usage of screen harvests and appropriate harvest rotary motion methods, such as nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants ) , cultivation patterns ( e.g. by restricting fallow periods and cut downing cultivation ) and soil-quality patterns to increase overall resource productiveness and protect dirt wet. Provide entree to information through â€Å" schools on the air † improved media usage, and nomadic phones. Build local entree and capacity Invest in infrastructure-building of appropriate, efficient irrigations and fertilisation systems. Repairing the worst leaks in irrigation channels or puting in low-volume and low-pressure micro irrigation ( such as trickle and micro-sprayers ) will convey immense nest eggs. Modest H2O storage can enormously better outputs in rain-fed agribusiness. Pumping H2O into natural aquifers is much cheaper than edifice dikes, as it prevents waste of H2O through vaporization. Protect cropsProtect CropsReduce H2O usage by understating pre- and post-harvest losingss. Support attempts to heighten nutrient quality and safety and to cut down waste along the nutrient concatenation through to end-consumers. Improve safety proving for food-handling and processing equipment, every bit good as storage techniques, conservation-chain systems ( cold concatenation, desiccation, drying ) and transit substructure.Enable entree to marketsBuild substructure that allows merchandise to be stored safely and moved to market expeditiously to cut down waste. Establish market wagess for utilizing sustainable agricultural patterns and acknowledge husbandmans ‘ critical function in supplying ecosystem services. Support husbandmans ‘ organisations, enabling them to run as aggregating bureaus conveying together single husbandmans to better entree to fiscal mechanisms, support and C markets.Prioritize research jussive moodsInvest in R & A ; D aimed at scaling up a wide scope of new H2O efficiency engineerings and patterns. Develop clime information services and early warning systems, every bit good as best possible estimations of conditions and clime impacts on harvest or eatage production, Promote partnerships between husbandmans and scientists to develop equal and fit-for-use engineerings every bit good as land and H2O direction tools where they are at a temporal and spacial graduated table utile for vulnerable rural communities. Better the capacity of a wide scope of harvests to turn in harsher climes, developing locally-adapted drought-tolerant, salinity-tolerant, and heat-tolerant. Science and modern engineering should be utilized to heighten autochthonal cognition that has sustained rural communities over the decennaries. Research and adapt best patterns from other developing states. In add-on the Entity must follow ISO 9000 quality confidence system in the undertakings they run because this criterion will supply a really utile extra counsel in nomenclature and apprehension and using QMS construct to their system. They mapped the ensuing system processes to demands identified in ISO 9001. They planned to seek enfranchisement to ISO 9001 to derive acknowledgment and credibleness from all stakeholders By accommodating The National LandCare Programme1999 which aims to hold communities and persons adopt an ecologically sustainable attack to the direction of the environment and natural resources, while bettering their quality of life. This means people use the dirt, H2O and flora resources in a responsible mode to guarantee that future coevalss will besides be able to profit from the same resources. LandCare is implementing incorporate attacks to natural resource direction which are efficient, sustainable and just. LandCare is a community-based programme supported by both the populace and private sector through series of partnerships South Africa has great policies and schemes in topographic point and is even a signer to the Kyoto protocol. The programme of action in traveling frontward should be crafting an execution program on how these policies are to be put into pattern by the ordinary adult male on the street to advance sustainable usage of natural resources.

Technology Essays (782 words) - Mobile Phones, Smartphones

Technology Essays (782 words) - Mobile Phones, Smartphones Auckland, 10 December, 2013 64% of New Zealanders aged between 15 and 65 currently own a smartphone, and ownership levels are expected to grow strongly reaching 90% penetration in 2018. Andriod (64%) leads over the Apple iOS (24%) as the preferred operating platform. As smartphone suppliers continue to improve their functionality at cheaper price points, Apples market share is predicted to drop further over the next few years. Frost & Sullivans new research, New Zealand Mobile Device Usage 2013 reports that over the past five years, mobile devices have transitioned from being used primarily for voice and text to more sophisticated multi-functional usage based on their mobile media capabilities. Phil Harpur, Senior Research Manager, Australia & New Zealand ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan says, 44% of New Zealand smartphone users mainly utilise their smartphones to regularly engage with mobile media. 61% of smartphone users access social networking via an app or via an internet site at least once a month while the other activities that are becoming more common include job search (36% at least once in every six months), house buying (29%) and car purchase (29%). Smartphones are also widely used in the shopping process. Harpur elaborates, 51% of smartphone users have used their smartphone to locate stores, 31% to compare prices, and 28% of all New Zealand internet users aged between 15 and 65 have purchased physical goods online during the last 12 months via a smartphone, whereas 18% have purchased via a tablet. As smartphone functionality improves with higher resolutions and larger screens, faster internet access via 4G networks, higher data downloads and more intuitive user interfaces, mobile media capabilities will increase and smartphones will be the preferred device over laptops/PCs and tablets. Boosted by improvements to processing speeds and upgrades to screen sizes and resolution, over 56% of smartphone users are watching user generated content such as videos on Youtube at least once a month, while 26% do so most days. Driven by portable tablets such as Apples 2013 releases of the new iPad Air, usage for consumers on the move will also rise, mentions Harpur. Aided by a plethora of globally produced and hosted web content, an increasing amount of video content is being viewed on laptops, tablets, smartphones, internet connected TVs and gaming devices in preference to the traditional TV set, and this trend is expected to increase significantly over the next five years. Additionally, mobile devices are integrated into the overall lounge room experience through applications such as social media, Harpur added. Just under half of all smartphone users read newspaper articles on a smartphone via internet / m-sites at least once a month; 31% do so on a daily basis. Although consumers increasingly read news, books or other digital content on smartphones, viewing levels of e-books and e-magazines are much lower than newspaper articles which are generally more suitable for shorter or on-the-go viewing. 32% of consumers download an album or a song from sites such as iTunes at least once a month and 27% do so from a streaming or cloud-based service such as Spotify. Streaming music content is proving to be a major disrupter to the business model of the traditional music industry as fewer consumers opt to for individual albums, whether CDs, DVDs or through iTunes, opting instead to access music libraries from sites such as Spotify or Pandora via a monthly subscription 26% of New Zealanders aged between 15 and 65 currently own a tablet and 42% of all households have at least one member who owns a tablet. Tablet ownership and usage is expected to grow strongly over the next few years. Penetration of tablets is predicted to increase from 44% in 2013 to 78% in 2018. Apples iPad market share in New Zealand is predicted to drop from 59% to less than 40% over the next five years, as more vendors enter the market at cheaper price points. 62% of tablet users read a news article on an internet site / m-site or via an app at least once a month. However, a significant proportion of tablet users do not read newspaper articles at all online. Media publishers can boost readership by offering a more content optimised for the tablet. Within five to ten years, tablets and

Jurrasic Park essays

Jurrasic Park essays Jurassic Park takes place on an Island off the Coast of Costa Rica which is owned by a multimillionaire, John Hammond. On this island he has set up a genetical engineering facility which permits him and his scientist to create dinosaur from blood extracted from prehistoric mosquitos, that have been preserved in amber. Before he opens this living attraction to the public he needs specialist to approve the park. He brings them to the island and begins to show them what he has accomplished. While they are touring the island one of the computer programmers, Dennis Nedry, is secretly planning to steal dinosaur embryos from the park and sell them to a company that is trying to compete with Hammond. The only way Nedry can obtain these embryos is to immobilize the park by interrupting the parks normal function, so that he could sneak in and steal the embryos. This all takes place while the visitors are out in the park touring, and in the mist of a terrible storm. After Nedry has executed a virus in order to steal the embryos the storm hits, and the park power goes out. As the power goes out the visitors to the island are stuck in the middle of nowhere, with an escaped T-Rex. Everyone flees and is scattered through the park. The animals begin attacking the control building, while they are search for food. Since all the power is out there is no way to stop them, or containing them. In the hysteria a scientist , Wu, discovers that the dinosaurs have been mating, which they thought wasn't possible, because they were only cloning females, but the dinosaurs have adapted and have found a way to reproduce. They think they got the power back on so they try to put all the animals back in their holding areas. Little did they know that the whole time the park was running on auxiliary power, and once this power ran out they could not restore the main power. When all the power finally ran out the ...

The New SAT Writing Whats Changing

The New SAT Writing What's Changing SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips March 5, 2016 shall be a monumental day in SAT history. The format of the SAT will officially change for the first time since 2005. Each section of the test, including SAT Writing, will undergo significant changes. In this article, I'll explain the content and format changes to SAT Writing and provide guidance for how to prepare for the SAT Writing and Language section. If you follow the advice in this guide, you'll be prepared to get an amazing score on the SAT Writing in2016 and beyond. Big Overall Changes SAT Writing will now be known as SAT Writing and Language. Furthermore,SAT Writing and Language and SAT Reading will be combined to give you one section score out of 800, and the maximum score on the new SAT is 1600. You’ll receive an SAT Reading and Writing score out of 800 and an SAT Math score out of 800. On the new SAT Writing, you'll have 35 minutes to complete 44 questions, and Writing and Language will always be the second section of the test. Also, the essay is no longer part of SAT Writing. The essay is separate, and it’s optional for test-takers. However, keep in mind that some of the colleges you apply to may require you to do the essay. Sorry. milena mihaylova/Flickr 4 KeyChanges to Format and Content In addition to the significant overall changes to SAT Writing, the content and look of the SAT Writing section will be dramatically different. #1: All Questions Will Be Passage-Based On the new SAT Writing, none of the questions will be based on individual sentences in isolation. There won't be anysentence improvement or identify the errorquestions. All of the questions will come from 4 passages, and the presentation of the questions will look almost identical to that on the ACT English section.This is what the SAT Writing questions will look like: The questions will ask you to edit an underlined portion of the passage, direct you to a specific location in the passage, or have you think about the passage as a whole. You'll be tested on your knowledge of grammar, writing style, and the content of the passages. #2: There Are Fewer Grammar Questions and More Style Questions The old SAT Writing emphasized specific grammatical rules like subject-verb agreement, parallel structure, and equivalent comparisons. The questions testing your knowledge of these grammar rules could be tricky because these rules are often violated, and the grammatical errors were presented in ways that made them difficult to spot. The old SAT was notorious for using tricks to disguise common grammar errors. On the new SAT, there are far fewer questions testing your knowledge of these rules, and there are more writing style questions. The new SAT emphasizes writing style topics like wordiness and redundancy, word choice, and macro logic. Instead of focusing on specific grammar rules, the new SAT focuses on testing your knowledge of clear, concise, and logical writing. #3: It TestsPunctuation On the old SAT, punctuation was only really tested on questions having to do with run-on sentences. However, on the new SAT, you’ll have to know when and how to use commas, semicolons, and colons. Don't be too scared, though; the punctuation rules for the new SAT aren't that complicated if you take the time to learn them. Here’s an example punctuation question from one of the College Board’s practice tests. Check out #4: This type of question didn’t appear on the old SAT. For this question, you need to know that commas separate items in a list. The comma after â€Å"yogurt manufacturers† indicates that you shouldn’t use a semicolon or colon after â€Å"food scientists.† In answer choice D, the comma after â€Å"and† is unnecessary. The correct answer is C. #4: You'll See Graphs and Charts Additionally, on the redesignedSAT Writing, there will be data interpretation questions on which you'll have to determine how and if the data from a graph or chart fits in the passage. On the old SAT Writing, there were no graphs or charts, so this is a significant change. Take a look at this example question: We’re looking for the lowest temperature; therefore, we need to find the lowest average daily low in the winter, which is 12 degrees. The correct answer is B. How to Prepare for the New SAT Writing Now that we know the major changes to the redesignedWriting section, let's discuss how to study for SAT Writing and Language. #1: Focus on Writing Style On the old SAT Writing, memorizing and understanding a handful of grammatical rules would enable you to get a good score.Now, because writing style is emphasized, you should pay more attention to word choice, sentence construction, and paragraph construction. There is more reading comprehension incorporated into the redesignedSAT Writing. You need to understand why certain words or sentences are used in a given passage, or if they should be replaced with other words or sentences. On the old SAT Writing, improving paragraphs was the smallest subsection. On the new version, those types of questions have become more important. I recommend reviewing the content-based style questions on the improving paragraphs subsection because there are more content-based style questions on the new SAT. What are content-based style questions? Basically, they're the questions that require reading comprehension. On the old SAT Writing, on the improving paragraphs subsection, there were grammar questions asking how to revise or combine sentences. Additionally, there were style questions that asked whether to add or delete sentences from the passage and where to place certain sentences within a passage. These questions testyour reading comprehension and understanding of the passage, and you'll see a lot of themon the new Writing section. Here's an example of a content-based style question from the old SAT Writing improving paragraphs subsection: The correct answer has to logically follow sentence 7 and connect to sentence 8. It's essential that you understand the content and purpose of these sentences to determine the right answer. These types of questions rely on your reading comprehension, and they play a larger role on the new SAT Writing. You can use these types of questions from the old SAT Writing to help prepare for the new test. There are more reading comprehension questions on the new SAT Writing. (cheerfulmonk/Flickr) #2: Study ACT English The new SAT Writing is strikingly similar to ACT English, and even though there is limited information about the new SAT, there is a wealth of information about the ACT. Undoubtedly, studying for ACT English will help you get ready for the new SAT Writing. Many of our previous articles on ACT English will help you prepare for the new SAT Writing. You should review these articles: The Best Way to Approach ACT English Passages Everything You Need to Know About Commas for the ACT Punctuation on ACT English Wordiness and Redundancy in ACT English Macro Logic in ACT English Transition Questions on ACT English Add and Delete Questions on ACT English Relevance Questions on ACT English Formality on ACT English Furthermore, even though there are no graphs or charts on ACT English, there are on the ACT Science section.If you need more practice interpreting data from graphs or charts, you can practice with questions from ACT Science. Keep in mind that most of the ACT Science questions aremore complexthan the data interpretation questions on the new SAT Writing. #3: Don’t Completely Neglect Studying Grammar There are still grammar questions on the redesignedSAT Writing, even though knowing grammar rules isn’t as important on the new SAT. Check out this grammar question from one of the new SAT practice tests: This question tests two grammar rules that were often tested on the old SAT: subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement. The subject of the sentence is Harvey Houses, which is plural; therefore, you must use a plural verb. Furthermore, because the pronoun â€Å"its† refers to the Harvey Houses, you must use the plural pronoun "their." The correct answer is B. Here are some of our grammar articles that are relevant for the new SAT. The links are for ourACT English grammar articles because the presentation of the questions is basically the same as that of the new SAT: Verb Tenses and Forms Pronoun Agreement Subject-Verb Agreement Run-on Sentences and Fragments Idioms Make sure that you know and understand each of the grammar rules that is tested on the new SAT Writing. Also, you should be able to correctly answer practice questions related to each rule. Grammar nerds like me can still have fun on the SAT!(George Williams/Flickr) #4: Review the New SAT Practice Tests The College Board released four SAT practice tests.You should practice the SAT Writing questions and review the answers and explanations.From my experience with the old SAT and the ACT, the best way to prepare is by practicing with real or realistic questions. Khan Academyalso has practice questions and videos explaining examples from the new SAT. Use these free resources available to you to get ready to get a wonderful SAT Writing score. #5: Get Your Read On As I've mentioned, on the new SAT Writing, reading comprehension is more important than on the old SAT Writing. Additionally, theredesignedWriting section more strongly emphasizes knowledge of vocabulary and an intuitive grasp of English. The more you read, the more you’ll strengthen these skills that are necessary to do well on the redesignedSAT Writing.High-level reading willbe especially helpful. If you can do college-level academic reading or read articles from The New Yorker or The Atlantic, you’ll be preparing yourself to excel on the new version of the test. Do You Even Have to Take the New SAT? If you’ve already taken the old SAT and you’re in the class of 2017 or 2018, you may not not need to take the new SAT.However, if you’re not happy with your score on the old SAT, you should take the new SAT or the ACT. Find out if you got a good score on the old SAT. Also, read our guide on the new SAT vs. the ACT to help decide which test is best for you.For current high school juniors, we generally recommend taking the ACT because there is much more available material to prepare for the ACT vs. the new SAT. However, you should still take a look at the new SAT practice tests to determine if the new SAT may be a better fit for you and your skill set. What's Next? Because the maximum score will be different on the new SAT, find out what a good score is for your target school on the new SAT. There are only 4 new SAT practice tests, solearn more about smart alternatives for SAT practice tests to be able to better prepare yourself. Finally, if you plan to do the essay, make sure you familiarize yourself with the new essay prompts. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Islam - Essay Example west as the Islamic religion today is actually more than a religion, but rather an explanation and an alternative to the centuries of confusion of idolatry and paganism in the Arabian world, which unified a system of diverse beliefs and practices into a single religious perspective (Aslan, 6). The traditional Arabian paganism had many gods but all of them were supplicating to al-ilah, which then became the Allah of the Islam religion, to mean the creator. The other origin source of Islam religion was a counter-ideology to replace capitalism that was fast replacing the traditional Arabic values of collectivism, after the nomadic lives of the Arabs had quickly transformed into rampant and ruthless capitalism (Armstrong, 71). On the other hand, Islamic religion traces its origin back to the instability of the only dominant religion by then, Christianity. Christianity was characterized by struggles and wrangles amongst the rival camps and even worse, by a streak of persecutions that created a vacuum for a unifying ideology in the Arabian world as advocated by Muhammad the Prophet, which then became Islam (Islam, 83). In this respect, Islam, contrary to what the west considers as a religion, arose as an ideology to create a unification of the traditional values of the Arabs, while also replacing the Christian doctrine existing back in the 6th century, which was

Motivation College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivation College - Essay Example At the same time, people represent the highest single cost figure, they also are considered to be the most unpredictable, difficult to control, and they are by far the one critical factor that nothing much can be done about. Much of the industry have turned its energies to solving more technical issues and has turned away from dealing with human factors as the primary key to improving profit. (Gerry, 45-57) Motivation is the key factor in influencing humans to work better, so an increase in motivation will result in higher productivity and more profit, which is the ultimate goal of the construction industry. Understanding and having knowledge about motivation theories can help to create a motivational atmosphere, and application of these theories can result in achieving higher productivity. The leadership style of a manager has a lot of influence on the motivation of workers. Construction is still considered as a tough guys business. Most construction managers and supervisors consider a democratic leadership style as a weakness. However, research has proved that democratic supervisors have achieved higher performance and better results than any other leadership style. (Iain, 78-85) Motivation is defined as, "a person's active participation in and commitment to achieving the prescribed results". (Gerry, 45-57) The concept of motivation is somewhat abstract, different strategies produce different result at different times, and there is no single strategy can produce guaranteed favorable results all the time. One of the difficulties in motivating workers is that they all are different and react differently to the same kind of change or action. Many motivation researchers agreed that managers can create a positive motivational atmosphere that can help in motivating workers for higher productivity, but they will likely not motivate everyone, because everyone is motivated by different things. Most companies are looking into ways to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality. The question is how to make workers work more productively This is a question of fundamental importance to any manager. The answer to this question is both complex and vague. Flannes and Levi n (2001) explained it by saying, "the project manager must effectively and comfortably wear many different hats when leading a project". (Levin, 2001) A construction manager's job is to get work done by the workforce. The construction manager's leadership style has a significant role in workforce motivation. Researchers have identified the major leadership styles as, laissez-faire, democratic, and autocratic. According to behavioral scientists, the democratic leadership style has achieved higher productivity and effectiveness. Concept of Motivation Concepts of motivation are somewhat abstract. To analyze factors that influence motivation, five motivation theories will be discussed in detail in this paper. Figure 1 shows a conceptual model of motivation. (Gerry, 45-57) At point A, a person has needs and tries to fulfill those needs. At point B, the person finds the sources of fulfilling those needs. At point C, he engages or motivates himself to achieve tasks to fulfill his needs. At point D, once he achieves his goal, new needs or variations of those original needs will be

Law and policy for social work practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law and policy for social work practice - Essay Example 2012, p. 1423). To provide better health and safety services to the children require all stakeholders to work together according to the laid down policies. It is important for the organizations and individuals to understand their roles in protecting and sustaining the interests of the children. Every action and decisions made should also be aimed at achieving the intended outcomes for the benefit of the child and the entire family (Johnson and Cahn, 1995, p. 16). Case Study Rochdale Child Abuse Case: Exploited Girls Faced ‘Absolute Disrespect† In Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case) there is a case of an institution that deals with sexually abused adolescent girls in United Kingdom. The institution was faced with a situation in which some young girls were discriminated by the people who were supposed to take care of them. For instance, there were nine guys who had jointly slept with five girls after enticing them with material things and then added drugs in their in their foods (The policy, Ethics and Human Rights Committee. 2012, p.17). However, the protection council assumed that the young girls had submitted to the sexual molesters out of their own accord. Among the council members who were assisting the victims, three of them left their jobs. Most of the cases handled by the Rochdale were not adequately solved as was discovered by a Local Safeguarding Council. On contrary to the reasoning of the Rochdale council, the Crisis Intervention Team believed that the girls were abused by the rapists. Most cases are now transferred to Sunrise group who are presently assisting 106 teenager girls (Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case) This case was faced with several quandaries, with one being the inability to distinguish the issue of young girls and those of adult ladies. For example the assumption that the young ladies had contended to sexual performance out of their own accord yet they were below majority age (The policy, Ethics and Human Rig hts Committee. 2012, p.13). These adolescents needed protection of the law under child Act which never happened. Also most of the staff members working with the group had left the organization before the issues were settled. Therefore, there was no one to confess in favour of the victims thereby resulting to injustice of the young girls. Consequently, the justice for the victims was delayed as the team sought for vital information to help them convict the suspects as anyone who have not attained the age of 18 years (Williams (2012, Rochdale Child Abuse Case). The 1989 and the 2004 children Acts refers to a child Section 17 of the Children’s Act 1989 define â€Å"children in need† as those who are not able to achieve a satisfactory level of health or development, those development has been impaired, those who lack service. Under section 17(10) of the Children Act 1989, the disabled are also referred to a children in need (Oxford Journals, 2012, p.1437). The various poli cies set out in the children act 2004, indicates that the child should be health, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution to the society and be able to sustain themselves economically in future. Children need to feel loved, valued, and supported by a chain of individuals who are reliable and shows affection. They also need to feel respected, understood, listened to and to have their emotional feelings being considered and attended to. In the case of Rochdale, the institution neglected children who had been victims of rape

Homeland Security of the USA Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security of the USA - Term Paper Example One of the initial challenges that faced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the days immediately following 9/11 was to identify the nature of the terrorist threat. Suddenly, everything became a target and scores of known terrorist groups became potential enemies threatening imminent attack. Nuclear generating plants, chemical industries, water systems, the electrical grid, the food supply, and the information network all have value as a potential terrorist target. In general, terrorists will target "high-value symbolic targets" such as the world trade center, "high-value human targets with the goal of assassination", and "deliberately lethal attacks specifically targeting the public" (Hoffman, 2006, p.167). Delivery may come from airplanes, vehicular bombs, planted explosives with a remote control detonator, or individuals carrying a bomb in a vest or backpack designed for manual detonation (Hoffman, 2006, p.166). The device may be a weapon of mass destruction, nuclear, bio logical, or chemical. This illustrates the comprehensive concerns that security had to focus on and attempt to reduce to a workable security policy. Over time, security agencies have been able to make certain facilities more secure, such as airports, but have also been met with some resistance in other industrial settings. One of the important trends that has characterized the face of foreign terrorism in the past 20 years has been the increasing role that private groups, rather than governments, have played (Pillar, 2001, p.ix). Many of the terrorist groups that have their origin in the Middle East are privately funded and have no direct governmental involvement, instead drawing their recruitment and support from the religious aspect of their cause. This motivational factor has become more pronounced in the post Cold War era, as ideology became less important and the preponderance of terrorist acts began to have a more significant

The Principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty Research Paper

The Principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty - Research Paper Example The principle of parliamentary sovereignty was held high in Jackson v Attorney-General by Lord Bingham. Jackson v Attorney-General was a pivotal House of Lords case that brings to fore the legality of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 in the context of banning fox hunting by passing the Hunting Act 2004. The Hunting Act 2004 was passed while ascribing to section 2 of the Parliament Act 1911, which was amended by section 1 of Parliament Act 1949, in the sense that the Act was passed sans the consent of the House of Lords after the expiry of the prescribed delay. In that sense, Jackson v Attorney-General stood to be an important case lies within the scope of the principle of parliamentary sovereignty. Within the sphere of the parliamentary sovereignty, Jackson v Attorney-General raised the question raised the questions regarding the validity of all the legislation passed under 1949 Parliament Act as the appellants argued that the Hunting Act passed under the 1949 Parliament Act was inv alid, because the parent act was passed while ascribing to the 1911 Act, a privilege that the 1911 Act never intended to allow. Since the Enrolled Bill Doctrine enunciated that the courts of law could not look into the procedural aspects of passed legislation, the bigger question that this case raised was that whether it was allowable to courts to challenge an Act passed by the Parliament. Lord Hope put an end to this controversy by referring to the principle of pre-enactment practice when he said that: â€Å"The political reality is that of general acceptance by all the main parties and by both Houses of the amended timetable which the 1949 Act introduced.

Services Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Services Marketing - Assignment Example 4). The organization, Esquires Coffee House, deals with coffee products and it is the only franchised coffee house in New Zealand with more than 40 stores (Esquires Coffee House, â€Å"About Us†). Service provided Service is an intangible offering to the customers with little or no transfer of physical products to the customers. Esquires Coffee House provides services to its customers by serving coffee made from 100% fair-trade organic beans (Esquires Coffee House, â€Å"About Us†). The company makes high quality coffee making it available across the globe with standardized service as well as in stylish and comfortable outlets attracting more customers. The symbol of the coffee house makes its intangible products tangible to the customers. USP of the service USP stands for Unique selling proposition and for Esquires Coffee House, USP lies on its coffee beans. The coffee beans are obtained from fair-trade organic coffee along with the latest technology used by the organi zation and every item is made out from topmost and fresh ingredients. As customers enjoy the coffee they can earn loyalty dollars and hence enjoy the reward by FairShare card adding to its USP (Esquires Coffee House-a, â€Å"FairShare†). ... Coffee houses tend to follow the service process including people as its service which takes places directly with the customers. The service process in Esquire’s coffee houses is as follows Figure 1: Service Blueprint of Coffee shops Service as system Esquire’s coffee houses aims to deliver its customers with the best coffee beans available and it is done through effective operations of the beans. The selection of beans is important in the process of making coffee perfect. The operation teams make sure that the best and organic beans are used to make coffee. The marketing department has made use of all the promotional strategy to create and generate awareness among the customers. The customers in the coffee house are served within few minutes after place the order and it can be said that the delivery process is an advantage to the firm. Service management trinity model The service trinity model talks about the three functional areas, marketing, human resource and operat ions (Blythe & Zimmerman, p.158). Operations includes the people, the facilities such as the ambience of the coffee house in Esquire’s coffee houses and the equipment such as the latest technology that is being used by the coffee house to bring out the best quality coffee beans for the customers which is highly invisible to the customers. The operation service also includes marketing but it also highlights components such as advertisements, billing, sales and others that takes place in Esquire’s coffee houses to create awareness. The human resources should be able to recruit and train the people to fit them in the operations and marketing areas. Services marketing environment PESTEL Analysis Political: The political condition of New Zealand is at par with the

The Principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty Research Paper

The Principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty - Research Paper Example The principle of parliamentary sovereignty was held high in Jackson v Attorney-General by Lord Bingham. Jackson v Attorney-General was a pivotal House of Lords case that brings to fore the legality of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 in the context of banning fox hunting by passing the Hunting Act 2004. The Hunting Act 2004 was passed while ascribing to section 2 of the Parliament Act 1911, which was amended by section 1 of Parliament Act 1949, in the sense that the Act was passed sans the consent of the House of Lords after the expiry of the prescribed delay. In that sense, Jackson v Attorney-General stood to be an important case lies within the scope of the principle of parliamentary sovereignty. Within the sphere of the parliamentary sovereignty, Jackson v Attorney-General raised the question raised the questions regarding the validity of all the legislation passed under 1949 Parliament Act as the appellants argued that the Hunting Act passed under the 1949 Parliament Act was inv alid, because the parent act was passed while ascribing to the 1911 Act, a privilege that the 1911 Act never intended to allow. Since the Enrolled Bill Doctrine enunciated that the courts of law could not look into the procedural aspects of passed legislation, the bigger question that this case raised was that whether it was allowable to courts to challenge an Act passed by the Parliament. Lord Hope put an end to this controversy by referring to the principle of pre-enactment practice when he said that: â€Å"The political reality is that of general acceptance by all the main parties and by both Houses of the amended timetable which the 1949 Act introduced.

International trade and economic growth of China Essay

International trade and economic growth of China - Essay Example China before 1980s was agriculture based economy and almost all the businesses, factories and commercial activities were under the state control. Capitalism was a forbidden and a hated world (USChina, 2011). This section examines the growth of the Chinese economy and trade. 2.1. Growth of the Chinese Economy After the people revolution, China closed its doors to external influences, seized all private factories and businesses and nationalised all the industries and banks. The result was a total shut down of free enterprise. Capitalists and scholars were hunted down and all trade, industries were state owned. As a result, the nations stagnated and led to a sharp increase in poverty. While the rest of the world saw booms and busts, China had a stagnant and stable economy that was controlled by the state. The standard of living was slow and bicycles were the main mode of transport in the city. From 1979 onwards, the Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping started the measures of liberalisation, a llowed trade with foreign nations, allowed FDI and created industrial zones along the eastern coast so that foreign firms could set up manufacturing activity (Zhang, 2007, p. 12). This far-reaching vision paid off and very soon, China started its upward trajectory of growth. The growth in the GDP and other economic indicators are given in Appendix â€Å"Table A1. China Economic Indicators – 1 of 3† to â€Å"3 of 3† that gives details of the economic indicators. Growth figures of the economy have been given for 19 indicators for the years 1980 until 2013. Projections for 2012 and 2013 are estimated figures. Following graph illustrates the growth rates in GDP, PPP and the CAB in USD billions from 1980 to 2013 (IMF, 2012).... This paper presents a comprehensive review of various trade and economic policies that China has used to promote the growth of its economy, which is illustrated with the help of analysis of data from different databases on the Chinese economy and trade. It is clear that China, which was lagging far behind the west has grown its GDP by more than 30 times from 1980 to 2011. This huge growth in GDP was brought out by growth in many sectors such as construction, industry, agriculture and trade. China has used its trade policies in a very clever manner to trap the western nations at their own games. The western nations came to China initially to make use of the low labour costs. However, the lure of China proved to be very strong and hundreds of western nations moved to China. China set up huge manufacturing centres where low cost labour was available and other benefits provided to western firms. Hundreds of firms from the west set up their factories in China and exported the goods to USA, Europe and many other nations. China carries out trade with a large number of countries. However, the maximum trade in terms of value of goods is done with only a few nations. After the acceptance of WTO treaty, there was shift in the balance of trade in Chinas favour. In the previous decade, China was a net importer since it could not manufacture many of the products. However, with increase in the manufacturing sector, exports have grown. With a positive trade balance, China offers a unique competitive advantage to western nations.

The Cinderella Myth Essay Example for Free

The Cinderella Myth Essay The tale of Cinderella is encoded as a text of patriarchal moral instruction in which a sense of female agency will always by definition be absent. In this folk tale, which is also a fairytale, female character is positioned in terms of what it is not: not dominant, not powerful, not male. Cinderella herself, non-hero of a dubious tale, evinces more depth than most archetypes. She is capable of developing relationships, meting forgiveness, manipulating her own destiny, even of attracting magical help. This latter suggests a divine personage, with whom ancient myth is rife, but in fact there is never any indication that Cinderella is inhuman. On the contrary, her essential humanity is her salvation. These qualities on their own make Cinderella an anomaly among fairytale principals: she is given no journey, no quest, no troll to enrage or woo, but permitted to stay at home (albeit in a life of unrelieved drudgery). Although one of three sisters, she does not best them in riddles or games of strength or chance; even the sewing for which she is punished is not her own. Cinderella does not return from the party with a prize but (as I will show, I will shout) the opposite: she comes home missing what she had when she set out. Cinderella does not experience any perceivable growth or transformation with the exception of the tangible one directed by her magic guide—one which is also undone. We can read Cinderella as a mythical character only because of what she means to us as women. But that is enough. By virtue of what Cinderella represents to contemporary women, the character of Cinderella passed from her fairytale origins to mythical proportions. Cinderella has escaped the bounds of her own story. Cinderella defines girls first choice for a romantic partner, the strictures of friendship and obedience that girls are trained to uphold, unconditional family love and, not least, ideals of personal appearance and deportment. Cinderella demonstrates the potential of even the least socially advantaged female to achieve public success, the ability of the meek to triumph over the (female) competition, the trick of appearing to be what one is not. These are important techniques in the battle for male approval. If we have impressed Cinderella into service as a myth, it is because we need to look up and forward to a figure who has successfully navigated the obstacles on the distinctly female journey. Cinderellas rags-to-riches story inspires females to prevail against improbable odds. We do not believe  in myths because of some inherent truth in them, but because they substantiate what we most wish to be true: Cinderella is a falsehood painted as possibility. What we worship in her is not what she is but what she gets; by subscribing to the myth of Cinderella, we sustain our collective female belief in wealth, beauty, and revenge. New Origins Folktales had their origins in oral accounts, stories told by people before the advent of writing, or before someone determined them worthy of literary transcription. Grimm Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm did not, in an original creative act, write the tales published under their names, but went out as folklorists (before there was such a profession) into the countryside, like anthropologists in their wilds, and listened. What they brought back they then edited, like the good ethical binary German men they were: anything that didnt suit their Christian standards simply disappeared. I have read transcriptions and abstracts of their notes and wondered at the absence of certain types of tales. Stories about children surviving on their own, or women leaving the husbands who beat them, somehow never made it to press; concurrently, stories about Jews being robbed and hung in thorn trees, or torn apart by dogs while (mendacious) villagers laughed, stayed in. The Grimms were very careful not to let what they heard get in the way of what they wrote. Charles Perrault held the same view, concerned lest women and other children go astray. Both Perrault and the Brothers Grimm published these folktales as if they were their own—under their own professionally upstanding names, and not as anthropological records but as literary fictions. The performance of meaning for fairy tales becomes both an intratextual and an extratextual matter, one enacted by (re)writers of the tale, who rescript stories passed on to them, and by its readers, who collaborate with the (re)writers to negotiate yet another production of textual meaning (Tatar 277). Although old wives may have originally imparted the stories we read today, the power and authority of writing sat fast in the hands of male scholars; publication, moreover, was granted to the wealthy. For each fairy tale, Kindermà ¤rche, folk legend and myth with which we are now familiar, there are possibly thousands for which there is no record. Folk legend, like history, is selective. Cinderella was similarly written (or transcribed) from oral accounts as a piece of moral instruction.  A Cinderella by any other name exists in a variety of languages and cultures,1 with many culturally-revealing alterations to the basic storyline, most telling us of a poor but beautiful girl who, by going to a party on the hill, wins the attention of a wealthy man. Look what the right pair of shoes will do for you. Cinderellas story is a curious one. Many of us know this tale in its modern extensions but cannot say how we know it—whether we read it in a childs picture-book, watched Disneys animated version, saw a movie with human actors unanimated by comparison, or fell in love with the ash-girl in her other forms (including in Dickens revival). Indeed, Cinderella is legion: as Barbie in diversely perfect incarnations, the heroine of almost any romance novel, new and sometimes relevant literary concepts (for instance, the Cinderella complex, the whore with a heart of gold). 2 Bernard Shaws drama Pygmalion presents another instance of male bonding conducted through the service of a woman, in this case one who believes that she can only win by trying, as she has started with nothing. To his credit, Shaw allows the character to shove off at the end, bearing her body away, but to have true love and devotion this Cinderella must give up all pretenses to education. Education therefore becomes a pretense. Further transformed as the Lerner and Lowe musical My Fair Lady,3 the music ends with a new-made woman who newly makes man: Eliza converts her creators. The underlying message is one Mary Shelley crafted a hundred years earlier: Frankenstein has no loyalty. But in this case the monster manages to marry one of the scientists. Both Pygmalion stories are commercial perversions of an ancient Greek myth that performed a service for its culture. In the original, a male artist falls in love with his own sculpture, surely an intriguing commentary on the power of art to seduce even its own creator, and a warning to gaze on verisimilitude with suspicion. This brings us to Hollywoods contemporary Pretty Woman and another Disneyized threat, The Little Mermaid (if there is a hell, then Hans Christian Anderson is now in it). In these movies Cinderella transforms from foul and fish into a lady that only proves how far women will go to change for their men. As Oedipus provides a model for the male (kill Daddy, bed Mommy), so Cinderella serves the female, directing us to similarly anti-social behaviors and antipathetic familial relations: to hate and compete with other females, suffer in silence, and seek rapport with males  through the mysteries of flirtation, fashion and marital fitness. Fortunately for women, this involves only virtuous activities, easily enough acquired in the observance of girlhood duties: cleaning, cooking, sewing, nurturing and displaying ourselves publicly, all the while taking up little space. Taken to its logical conclusion, woman herself at last disappears from view. This is true in the story of Cinderella, as we shall see. Absence Let it be known that the ballerina is not a woman dancing; that, within those juxtaposed motifs, she is not a woman, but a metaphor that summarizes one of the elemental aspects of our form, sword, goblet, etc., and that she is not dancing, suggesting, by the wonder of ellipses or bounds, with a corporeal writing, that which would take entire paragraphs of dialogued as well as descriptive prose to express in written composition: a poem detached from all instruments of the scribe (Mallarmà ©, Oeuvres Completes4). One of the first absences in the text occurs in translation of Cinderella from an earlier publication in French5 to English—the absence of a word. It is a simple word and a little loss that heralds an enormous and important one: exchange of the French velours (velvet) for verre (glass). In the centrality of the image conjured by its sign, this Word reads as Logos for the remaining popularized text. It is an understandable mistake given the hardships of transcribing in the field (from which Charles Perrault, at least, copied out his manuscripts), of hearing and absorbing frank orality and then transforming it to arid print. The terminological difference, however, leaves women literally walking on glass, each step a faux pas. How does one navigate on such a fragile basis? This may be interesting to women who wonder how Cinderella got through the night in those shoes. Cinderellas new shoes are truly, clearly, invisible, her feet naked to all eyes. But worse —she must dance in an unforgiving shoe (dancing for the first time in public, mind you)—which at any moment threatens to break, replace her barefoot, bloody, and utterly helpless. How carefully she must step. A good thing the Prince has learned to dance. To comprehend the magnitude of this error—estrangement of the word and actions of our young charwoman—we are forced to retrace the steps of that perilous slipper, magicked into being with the rest of Cinderellas fancy outfit. There is no honest explanation for why the slipper remains as testimony—why, if the shoe fits, it drops. Moments earlier, we are told, the young woman was gaily dancing in this very shoe; surely it would have fallen off then, in the endless (and, as dancers know) breathlessly swift rounds of the older Austrian waltz. But after a night of aerobics indoors, the woman rushes outside and immediately loses a shoe. This mistranslation points us towards understanding the slipper as a prominent signifier, rather than towards seeing some more substantial object: glass operates as a red flag, leading us to a fanciful but ultimately unnecessary correction of an image. Glass breaks, it is true (although in the story it does not, at least overtly). But in the French source material the shoes were velvet. Velvet, a word strongly associated with skin (more so than glass), tears. It is strong, soft, stretchy and pliable. A velvet slipper can be left on the road and retrieved and can still be worn in a ragged condition. Not so glass. So while glass attracts our attention, velvet rubs us better. Something velvet has been lost. And found. If the slippers loss signifies another loss, the slipper signifies another slip. It is troubling that only one item retains its shape (the shape of magic) after the ball, when everything else has returned to its poor normalcy, right down to the golden pumpkin. If everything is magical, then the slippers exclusion makes no logical sense in the story. But without the slipper as a calling card, a sort of invitation to be stepped on, the Prince may never find Cinderella in the sea of women vying for his notice. Conversely, it is not clear to me now why the Prince has to find her. The story dazzles us with finery, which we all too readily see as refinement. In the spell of the lost slipper, we overlook the more obvious intrusion of the Prince himself, and in the absence of honest cogitation conclude that he must be the one for Cinderella. (Its true he is the only one, but in modern times that is not as good a reason as it once was.) Having had no time to know Cinderella as a woman apart from her unpleasant family, we have certainly failed to meet the Prince, and know nothing of this man except that he is extraordinarily superficial, a late bloomer, and wholly dependent upon his parents. In the remainder of the tale he develops as a foot fetishist. At no point in the story are we logically convinced that these two should be together, that the Prince is worthy of our supposed heroine, or heroic himself. Cinderella is not particularly romantic, even after the finding of the slipper that initiates a sordid (wo)manhunt. The  objective of this search is a stranger who clearly wants to hide; otherwise she would have answered the call. (Her sequestration at home in a locked house is far from likely, given that a principal domestic duty is emptying the char outside, and her name signifies her as that domestic.) And despite his hunting, there is no reason to think that a prince is going to be excited to end up with a poor ragged girl with ashes on her hands—never mind the in-laws. On the face of it, what Cinderella lost at the ball is a shoe, but we do her an injustice if we look only at her instructions (particularly as she has already ignored those of her stepmother) and neglect her feelings at the moment of flight. Cinderella is now in a palace, a place of possible refuge, safe from her family. The Prince likes her. But at the striking of the clock—no, the calling of the watchman or ringing of the bells—she gets scared and runs away. Modern detectives would phrase this differently: Cinderella exits the party late, leaving behind material evidence of her existence. (Without this the Prince might have thought that Cinderella was a fantasy.) She runs as fast as she can in an effort to beat time and find a way home. (If shed had a mother she would have known better than to go to a party where she doesnt know anyone: anything can happen at a party.) Then Cinderella loses her velvet, and the Prince gets it. (You decide what went on at that party.) And there is another ending, suggested by what is not stated in the story: Cinderella disappears from the party, last seen in the company of a prince. Passers-by report having seen a poor woman in tattered clothes, sitting in the middle of the carriage-track massaging her feet. This is the last either woman was seen. Police are now searching for this beggar whom, they believe, may have murdered a foreign princess as she left the party, probably for money. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of (but what is her name?) an anonymous princess, please contact this writer. Presentation of any story results in commission of at least two versions—the story that is told and the one we hear. I propose a tertiary rendition, that of the story we do not hear because it is not told—not, that is, forcefully sounded. Were we to listen to the spaces, as artists from Aaron Copland to Noah Ben Shea have reminded us, we would hear those speaking parts. The heard Cinderella is, despite its magic and fantasy, the authoritative edition; the unheard Cinderella is the practical, plodding story that might bring us to furious tears rather than ecstasy. A moment ago I suggested how  Cinderella might seem to an outsider, one not as privy to events as she. Underlying that suggestion is another one, that the writer or teller of the well-known Cinderella is either Cinderella herself or a close companion, as indicated by the naï ¿ ½ve credulity of the story itself. But that quality we have come to accept in the folktale genre, one which causes us to reflect upon the medieval notion of story-telling and which tells us much about religious tradition of belief in that period. Now I wish to produce something different: a case history of poor Cinderella, the pieces and bits of her life which may have been discarded by her original creator/story-tellers. Again this is an unheard story, but now it is also unspeakable. I speak as a caseworker in the Womens Shelter: Cinderella gave Intake the following story: Her mother died when Cinderella was perhaps five. Her father remarried a year later. Two older stepsisters were at the wedding, aged between eight and twelve; the stepmothers first husband died when a nearby witchs cottage burned down suspicion of arson. Almost immediately, and for the next twelve years, Cinderella was beaten regularly by her stepmother; she showed us an early scar, located on the upper left thigh, from a fire poker. Cinderellas father fell ill probably Plague and died date uncertain. The sisters began to kick, taunt, pull her hair and feed her bugs. When Cin began her menses, she was locked in a closet for? some extended time. There seems to have been a change in the familys finances at this point; the last remaining servant was let go, or left, and Cin took over all chores. She was probably eleven years old when she was first sexually assaulted, by the eldest stepsister. The abuse was repeated periodically until this day. Cin believes that her stepmother does not know of this, but C- does not dare tell her. C- sneaked off to watch the Grand Ball and, once in the estate and aided by strong drink says she had a bout with a stableboy she made it upstairs disguised as a maid, entered a room and borrowed a gown. She then appeared in the ballroom. The Prince danced with her, drew her into a private room, and seduced her not rape? C- wont say the word then returned to the party. C- fled wearing only underclothing and carrying her shoes in her hands. Outside she dropped a shoe without noticing until she got home; the other shoe is in her garret. We have all received, of course, the Royal  Proclamation, and know that Prince Ode is hunting for the owner of something in his possession. Cinderella came to the Shelter because she believes that he means to find her, take her away, and kill her. The case above, common enough in the lives of women, is not what we know as Cinderella but, given the circumstances of the folktale, its bizarre elements and strange silences, it could have been. In re-telling it I invite the reader to think how reading that as a child might have influenced her life, her love for housework, her attitudes towards men, and her desire to marry early. My Cinderella Confession A current trend in scholarship, at least printed scholarship, is self-reflexivity. The speaker is expected to identify herself, admitting her biases (as if the reader could not detect them) so as not to hide behind the formality of academic writing. In this vein I step forward and make confession, presenting some personal limitations regarding the story of Cinderella. Despite all I know about Cinderella, regardless of all that currently annoys me in the story, I confess that as a child I did identify with Cinderella. I liked animals. I liked pumpkin. I lived in a small room. When I went to parties I had a curfew —and it was unreasonable. I couldnt sew, and needed help in home economics. I went barefoot most of the time. It seems I never got dessert, possibly because I often lost things on the way home. I had to do such hard chores that I investigated child labor laws. I had two older sisters and, although they are regular sisters rather than stepsisters, they often seemed very wicked indeed. So what if they werent ugly, my feet were much smaller than theirs. (Then.) Because of them I wore hand-me-downs. (Then.) You see how it all fits. So although I was not a beautiful golden-haired orphan (my natural color is sun-bleached brunette), kept in a dungeon or an attic (I adored my aunts basement), forced to clean ashes from the hearth (we had a wall furnace) and befriended only by mice (we had large dogs), I did think that eventually someone would come and take me away from all this. I even learned to waltz. But I didnt meet any princes. The Conventions of Class Cinderella begins with Cinderellas primary absence: her mother. In fairytales, motherlessness indicates an absence of quality attention and the  necessity (given the staggering amount of handiwork done at home) for men to remarry. Their second wives are invariably brutish, and fathers die off like flies. Female children raised by these monstrous women are lucky to be married, while still children, to ugly old men —thus escaping beatings, beheadings, being poisoned, cooked, frozen, sold, or accidentally left somewhere awful. Male children with stepmothers tend to seek their fortunes at an early age, so as to find their own women to punish. The next absence in Cinderellas life is a father. Is it only that absent parents are common to the childhood fairytales which govern our memories and learning patterns, thus wending their way into our literary texts, or does this trope stand for more a founding absence, like the founding murder Oedipus is said to represent? The next absences we hear about in Cinderella are, in order: clothes, shelter, appropriate work, friends, and opportunities to socialize (with humans). It is at this point in the story that Cinderella encounters magic, something generally absent beyond fairytales. Or does she merely recognize the magic in her life? For it seems as if the Fairy Godmother were always there, available, like Glinda the Good Witch, to drop in when you needed direction. From that point on it is apparent what else Cinderella lacks: transportation, a formal dress and decent shoes. The final absence is Time. Even her Fairy Godmother gives her very little— as we find out later, just enough. After Cinderella loses the shoe in escaping (too late) from the party, she is plunged back into the animal world she dominates, shorn of finery, reduced to essentials. She returns to the level of minimal survival. Thank goodness the Prince is already searching, his spies canvassing for little feet. Cinderella will soon be lifted up, placed on a horse or in a carriage, and transported to a world of wealth and satisfaction with a big house and a good family. (I hope I didnt ruin the story for you.) On a basic moral level the instructions are clear as glass: good triumphs over bad, beauty over its repulsive opposite. Cinderella is intimately associated with nature, as we are told several times: through the animals which, like she, become domesticated; through her beauty which, in the tradition of the Aesthetic experience, demonstrates its superiority over homeliness. (Homeliness? What is homely, really, but housewifely, comfortable, and familiar —and therefore contemptible?) From our perspective of identification with Cinderella (wed hardly choose to identify with ugly,  nasty women) these females, older than she and more mature, are females prepared to party, women rather than girls, and not real (biologically real) sisters. Partly because of the brevity of the story and paucity of detail, this suggests that they, mere step-sisters, are somehow unnatural. Beyond the natural beauty that testifies to Cinderellas (yet unrealized) status, her elevation over this unconnected family is physically represented by spatial signifiers: imprisonment in an attic, conveyance in a horse-drawn coach, and finally marriage into a royal family. Above all, Cinderellas most natural gift is magic: the girls beauty and (its) charm shine brightly through mere rags. This is so apparent that it is noticed immediately by a prince—a man born into an entirely different milieu, to wealthy and indulgent parents. The story asks us, among other things, to anticipate that such a wedding of opposites will work. In fact, fairy tale happenstance and happily-ever-afters aside it just might, and because of Cinderellas nature. The Prince, culturally her Other, is the aesthetic brother of Cinderella. The kinkiness is just beginning. We customarily avoid class in reading and rewriting folklore, but Cinderella affords a remarkable discussion. Before the Prince lays eyes on her, Cinderella does not exist in the legal and economic awareness of her country. She pops into being at a party, relatively mature, decorated, and provocatively displayed. It is not a party for poor people; poverty is absent from the ball. But that in itself is an absurd notion: naturally the castle is full of servants, and most are penniless; one can only say that no poor people are present because poor people are beneath the notice of the wealthy population, invisible. This fact has not changed. Cinderella gets the invitation because it goes to the house in which she lives, a place where she is kept captive by her poverty. She seems not to have been born into the lower class (otherwise she would never have been able to get through the castle gates, let alone waltz), but fell into deprivation through the death of her parents. Who can really blame the stepmother for not wanting to take care of a girl with whom she had no real relation? Biology speaks: woman must protect her own offspring—particularly if the physical attractiveness of another female threatens their own reproductive success. The absence of Cinderellas own mother is unremarkable, superficial, unless one regards it as a fundamental absence, the one upon which the half-orphans  rags-to-riches story is initially built: through the fathers emotional absence, Cinderellas mother is replaced by a non blood-relation whose own issues of reproductive success create class strife and difference within the family; the girl is faced with rival kin; and finally a mystical figure intrudes from the other world, faintly identifiable as her mother (the magic helper styles herself a Fairy Godmother) but granting no more than material assistance. Transformation of animals into human servants,6 and their disappearance at midnight, symbolically expresses the absence of the lower classes, which serve the upper class as if animals. When we observe how Walt Disney attempted to fill in the absences in the text with additional animal habitation, this concept becomes clearer. Disney explains Cinderellas primary absence by the increased presence of animals that evidently take the place of a mother. With the appearance of the stepmother and two daughters the animals are replaced, and abandoned as Cinderella had been. An absence of family acknowledgement is discernible in Cinderella herself who, regaining the humble form of a scullery maid, becomes unrecognizable—virtually invisible—to her own family. The means by which Cinderella will eventually succeed is over-determined by class: she must physically impress her Prince and lord at court, and later fit his image of the perfect (small) woman at home. Still she requires a bit of magic. The story presents an array of questionable absences, none of them textually answered. Why is there a ball? Only because of the Princes failure to get a date on his own. His folks have to arrange something, to find women for him. Cinderella attends a party meant not for her but the beautiful people associated with money and fame. We privately know that Cinderella really belongs to this group; therefore we suspend our disbelief at the unlikelihood of her ever getting there. At the moment of Cinderellas entry, a representative of the poor actually becomes visible to rich people. But she is not really poor, is she? The tale does not end with Cinderella speaking in the public square, peasants invited up to the castle for lunch—in short with the French Revolution. (If it did, Cinderellas own head would roll.) She ascends, making aliyah; the rest of the lower-class remains in galut (the Diaspora). In fact, in the hands of Disney, Cinderella turns into a girl (few of Disneys female heroines are women)7 who sings as she is dressed—oh, those happy peasants!—in accordance with the tradition of  musical theatre to sing instead of enjoying a useful discussion. Everything stops while we listen to the same few lines being repeated. The formula recurs in nearly every Disney movie: when animals, peasants and racial minorities show up its time for a song.8 Do children want a story interrupted with a song? As a child I hated that sort of thing. Surely we must question for whom these stories, and their cinematic adaptations, are truly meant, written, animated, shown and sold. Jacqueline Rose points to the impossibility of childrens literature as a genre ostensibly for children, but written by adults, while in the marketplace it is adults who (because of their economic position) are the true consumers. It is even the adult who reads the book (aloud) to the children. Thus it is an adults version of the childs world which is manufactured through the aegis of childrens literature. Childrens fiction, says Rose, sets up a world in which the adult comes first (author, maker, giver) and the child comes after (reader, product, receiver) (Rose 1-2). So what is it that adults want children to understand from the story of Cinderella? Female Relationships One of the horrors of Cinderellas tale is the moment when she flees the castle and its famous ball. She is running, running, running away from the bright lights, the fun, the food, the nice guy, running to keep a date imposed by the Good Witch. This is a moment of horror not because she has to leave the party: shes pretty young, high time she went home. (Anyway she wouldnt want the Prince to think she was easy.) No, it is horrible because of the Fear of Public Exposure. If there is one thing that would compel me to leave a good party it would be the fear that my clothing would disappear. She runs out the door, the gate, goes down those steps, shes just off the grounds, and poof! there it goes. Fortunately she is not standing there naked, but we couldnt be sure of that beforehand. For a child to imagine being naked in public is terrible; so what if only the animals can see? There is no good explanation why the Fairy Godmother add this potential punishment to the assistance she gives Cinderella, there is no point. In my mind, something is missing from the story, something vitally important. Why is she set up in this way? What we do see in Cinderella is a tale of perfidy and female treachery. The bad characters are all female. How can one speak of a female absence in Cinderella, when it would seem that almost all of the  characters are female? But these people consist of a good but romantically stupid girl who prefers to accept the ill treatment of her step-family rather than to pack up the mice and leave; two step-sisters, ugly mean and very ugly, who are indistinguishable from the other, except through Disneys putrid use of color; an evil step-mother, also ugly; a strange woman who shows up once in a lifetime, twice if you subscribe to the Disney account. (Where was she the previous sixteen years? Thanks a lot, Mother.) Female hatred. Female sabotage. Female jealousy. These are all shown us repeatedly in Cinderella as is. We discover that the way to win a prince is over the ugly bodies of our competitors, who are similarly trying to cut our throats. Beauty on its own is not enough: you have to be seen by the right people. You must triumph over those who would hide your beauty. You must outdo them. No wonder female friendships are so problematic, when this is how we are trained to see our relationships with other women. Hatred, sabotage and jealousy are also present in earlier tellings of the story which, though present in the current Disneyized version, is absent at its end, when Cinderella rides off into the horizon and the bad family vanishes from sight and mind. In Aschenputtel, the Grimm version of Cinderella, birds attack the evil stepsisters and bite out their eyes. But in many other accounts Cinderellas goodness is almost saintly: she forgives her stepsisters horrible behavior and sometimes even manages to match them up at court. This is certainly not what I would do—but I also have an opportunity to rewrite this story at the point of my retelling it. I have already reinterpreted the story for you using a metaphoric polemic on absence. In my story, what is most important about Cinderella is the shoe. Ways of Seeing This article concerns metaphors and ways of seeing, particularly ways of seeing what others are not looking at. The logical assumption is that a non-subject is therefore trivial, unworthy of serious study. Conversely, my response was and is to question why these are non-subjects, to investigate decisions made by others about what is likely to be important to me or to anyone else. So my work begins with a rejection—of the canon, of the politics of literature and its publication, of academic appropriateness, of the legislation of opinion. One of the ways that academics seem to operate is through the posing of binary or structural opposites. It is comforting to  know that if a thing is not this it must be that; what is not cold is hot. Never mind that we are capable of thinking about and experiencing an enormous range of temperatures, that heat is a relative term as is cold; structural opposition (Là ©vi-Straussian construction) enforces binary coding, usually with the additional motivation of fixing, or affixing, moral values. Because one is already conditioned to look at things as this or that, cold or hot, the value indicators are similarly binary: negative and positive. We need both, of course, and not only in our flashlights: polarity is a dependent relationship. But because of this tendency towards a tension of opposites, we end up limiting our transactions, our thinking, to bad and good. This is the outcome—if not the point—of childrens literature: it conditions us to distinguish bad and good, and to make a number of other associations with these terms; that which is considered good is that which beautiful, smart, nice, polite, fair or even white, obedient, tall, slim, quiet, and so forth. In fairy tales, the basis of what we now call childrens literature, a persons inner qualities are instantly discernible from external attributes. Good and bad are physiologically, physiognomically manifest: the dark little crooked old woman in black with the wart on her nose is not going to be the hero. Thus a good person is also pleasant to look at and (as we know from television) has clean clothes, fresh breath, and carefully styled hair. I have gone into an extended discussion of binarisms and ethics because I invite you to suspend binary judgements, to move beyond an evaluation of absence as the opposite of presence, and to consider absence in a different way: as something present—but not. That which is not not present is absent. When something present is not looked at, not recognized, not seen, it acquires a certain invisibility—in part, what I call absence. Absence is what is always there but overlooked, or there but unheard, or seen and heard but never mentioned. We do not immolate the story in reconsidering what it conceals. We literally unveil nothing of her, nothing that in the final account does not leave her intact, virginal (he loves only that), undecipherable, impassively tacit, in a word, sheltered from the cinder that there is and that she is (Derrida 41). 9 Those characteristics of Cinderella left un-addressed support this view of absence: somewhere behind the story sits another story, the one we are not meant to hear. Were we to hear it we would walk away with an entirely  different perception of the poor beaten Cinderella—or several different perceptions.10 We might be inspired to question the value of the hidden features, to wonder where issues of class, aesthetics, nature, superstition, parenting, hunger or politics fit in our founding myths, to wonder at the importance of such a myth as Cinderella in our female lives. We might be sufficiently moved to overturn the patriarchal texts, insert others in their place (Nature filling its vacuum). Not, that is, to rewrite Cinderella, but instead to find a more feasible model for contemporary female behavior. Perhaps even to acknowledge that there can be no models except those we embrace through personal experience. Absence is something more than its frail partner presence—a location for the political, for what is challenging for societies and social conditions, for what must not be looked at, not seen, not noted, not touched. Not presented. Absence is dangerous. To locate absence is to chart life, history, sociology, in a specific way. The Cinderella story presents an array of questionable absences, textually unanswered because unquestioned. This discussion does not pretend to provide closure, but rather to enjoin readers to ask questions of their own. Unlike other ways of seeing, this strategy does not limit or eliminate the text, but it does subvert it. By examining our essential stories, those we encountered at the knee, and those we teach to children, we begin to see in other ways, to discover culture as a tool for moral education, sexual regulation and female containment, and to locate female absence very close to home. 1I do not wish to repeat the excellent extensive historical scholarship on Cinderellas origins here. Cinderellas lengthy and interesting histories, irrelevant in this discussion, can be found in the following brief bibliography: Bruno Betelheim, The Uses of Enchantment: the Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (New York: Knopf, 1976); Alan Dundes, ed., Cinderelle: A Folklore Casebook (New York: Garland Pub., 1982); Walt Disney, Cinderella [Videorecording], (Burbank: Walt Disney, 1949); Nai-Tung Ting, The Cinderella Cycle in China and Indo-China (Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, 1974). [ Return to the article ] 2A cursory review reveals these addenda: Colette Dowling, The Cinderella Complex: Womens Hidden Fear of Independence (New York: Summit Books, 1981); Barbara Einhorn, Cinderella Goes to Market: Citizenship, Gender, and Womens Movements in East Central Europe (London: Verso, 1993); Eugene Paul Nassar, The Rape of Cinderella: Essays In Literary Continuity (Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1970); a curious history of something entirely other—D. C. M. (Desmond Christopher St. Martin) Platt, The Cinderella Service: British Consuls Since 1825 (Hamden, Conn: Archon Books, 1971); Cinderella considered as an anti-fairy tale in Robert Walser, Robert Walser Rediscovered: Stories, Fairy-Tale Plays, and Critical Responses, ed. Mark Harman (Hanover, NH: Published For Dartmouth College by University Press of New England, 1985); Margarita Xanthakou, Cendrillon Et Les Soeurs Cannibales: De La Stakhtobouta Maniote (Grece) A Lapproche Comparative De Lanthropophagie Intraparentale Imaginaire (Paris: Editions De Lecole Des Hautes Etudes En Sciences Sociales, 1988). For a subversive and extensive recovery of what cinder (cendre) is (or to what cinder is reduced/reducible), see Jacques Derrida, Cinders, ed. and trans. Ned Lukacher (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1991). [ Return to the article ] 3Rodgers and Hammersteins music backed a movie produced as a musical in the same year: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Cinderella [Videorecording] (Hollywood: Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1964). [ Return to the article ] 4Mallarmà ©, Oeuvres Completes, Plà ©iade edition (Paris: Gallimard, 1945) 3-4. [ Return to the article ] 5It would be difficult to ascertain where the fable had its first expression, as scholars trace it to Germany, France and even China; a student tells me of the Hungarian version, in which the young woman is named Hamupipoke, and her shoes, curiously enough, are made of white diamonds. The symbolism could not be clearer. On form and structure, see also Vladimir Propp, The Morphology of the Folktale. Translated by Laurence Scott (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1968). [ Return to the article ] 6This is given greater consideration in my article Travesty, Peterhood, The Flight of a Lost Girl, New England Review, forthcoming (August 1988). James M. Barrie also wrote a play named Cinderella not very surprising in view of the fairytale quality of Peter Pan and many of his other writings. [ Return to the article ] 7One of the few exceptions is Mary Poppins, who is also depicted as an aberrant, desexualized creature. For one thing, she is a woman without children of her own, who literally takes, and seduces, other peoples children. Here again is a magical woman, a witch, dressed in black, like a widow; appropriately,  her boyfriend is also a witch of sorts, having the luck of the chimneysweeps. Does it not seem curious to anyone that he is able to impart good fortune through physical contact—and is this not somehow frightening? (As parents wouldnt you tell your children, Just say no?) Marys relationship with Bert does not stray from what we expect, even demand, of her class—her boyfriend (neither is married, nor do they discuss it, at least onscreen) is also a working-class Victorian London stiff (which is to say that he is also poor), with the robust happiness we need to ascribe to poor people, as well as a tendency to copulate below stairs; still we never see or are even permitted to imagine the content of their romantic holidays, interrupted by a song or some bit of magic. Because of her magic, and an understanding of what children really need that surpasses the ordinary, Mary is cleverly depicted as being able to breach the class zone: here her magic characteristics are essential for an explanation of this otherwise scandalous, and (in terms of class distinctions) uncomfortable flexibility. She doesnt know her place—the moral that the childrens father ends in teaching, as he rescues his children from the unsavoriness of their relationship with this queerly unmarried woman and her odd friend. Marys ability to tread between classes, however, elevates her even from Berts league: we know that she will leave him too, and are secretly satisfied. He is, for one thing, truly from the lowest class, as his mangled Cockney accent tells us, while Marys impossibly perfect speech distinguishes her as something quite different (though this is never really acknowledged); Bert is also, if only figuratively, black, while Mary is, however trenchantly, white. [ Return to the article ] 8The modern movie Ace Ventura, Pet Detective contains a wonderful quotation of a scene from Disneys Snow White. Actor Jim Carrey stands in the center of a room and the animals fly, run, walk, creep and slither to him as he belts out a high note. [ Return to the article ] 9I have re-rendered the parenthetical phrase (only), which Ned Lukacher translates as thats the only thing he loves, because of its (increased) ambiguity in the context of a feminist reading. [ Return to the article ] 10In her book Cinderella on the Ball: Fairytales for Feminists (Dublin: Attic Press, 1991), editor Margaret Neylon offers re-readings of the classic folktales. In the Cinderella story, it is the two sisters who emerge supreme: ugliness is a cover for intelligence and political feminism. [ Return to the article ]