Sales Tax Needs to Be Imposed on Internet Transactions Essay

Sales Tax Needs to Be Imposed on Internet Transactions - Essay Example The tax-free internet goods and services tend to be cheaper than the retail goods. This distorts the consumer behavior by promoting the purchase of internet goods over the retail products hence reducing the efficiency of the sales tax system. Taxing the internet goods will lead to insignificant distortion of consumer behavior as the total expense of buying a commodity from a retail store and buying online will be indifferent. Tax needs to be equitable among the citizens. Purchase of tax-free commodities from the internet favors only the people who can afford an internet connection. This group of people who can access the internet will be able to â€Å"evade† the sales tax while the poor who can not access the internet will not be able to enjoy such advantage. This will lead to inequality in the tax system since only the poor will be burdened to pay the sales tax. A good tax system should have a wide enough tax base to enhance fiscal stability (Maguire). With the increasing trend in internet transaction over the traditional retail transaction as a way to increase reliability and efficiency, there is a likelihood of task base erosion if the internet transactions are left untaxed. Taxing the internet transactions will aid in preventing the potential revenue losses. Arizona like other states relies on sales tax. According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, the percentage sales tax base as a share of income is 47.3%. Encouraging the tax-free internet commodities will affect the state proportionately the same way the state depends on the sales tax. Eliminating the sales tax entirely so that the traditional retail transaction equals the internet transaction for equity purpose will force the state to increase the personal income tax in order to meet her budget. Tax rate tends to alter the consumer's behavior. Tax rates that are too high will tend to favor the purchase of tax-free internet commodities.

Holden in Catcher in the rye by J.R Salinger Essay Example for Free

Holden in Catcher in the rye by J.R Salinger Essay Holden is a complex person with many conflicting characteristics. He has many ambitions and desires for his life but he is faced with the basic conflict in the story, corruption. This corruption is what drives him and at the same time restricts him Holdens being surrounded by corruption disgusts him. There are a few main instances in which Holden encounters corruption directly. One type is Stradlater, the secret slobor Ernie, who performs for the people. Two that affect Holden very much is his brother D. B. selling out to the movies and Pheobe eventually having to grow up. This corruption is very evident in Holdens life and situation. Corruption is what Holden wants to avoid but can not because he wants to grow up and act like an adult. Drinking, ordering the prostitute, and using money are all things that grownups do but Holden yet still wants to remain innocent. Theses are few of the obvious ironies of Holdens personality. Holdens utter hate for the fact that we have to grow up and how he ties adulthood with corruption just shows how he has a large problem determining illusion from reality. He doesnt understand that to grow does not mean to become corrupt but to become wiser through experience. These experiences are what frighten Holden because this boy of sixteen has already been involved in many of the pleasures and problems that come from these experiences. Holdens catcher in the rye analogy shows how he wants to save the children from this corruption but he never will. Holden wants to be the great savior of a helpless cause and does not realize he has fallen into the evil hands of corruption. Holden idolizes Allie is little brother who died. The reason for this idolization is that Allie will never become corrupt. He will always be in Holdens mind a little boy not affected by the dirty hands of society. Pheobe, on the other hand, will have to enter the world sooner or later and then she too will become corrupt. D.B., though, has already submitted to that corruption by selling out to the movies. Holden realizes that D.B. has given his story to the movie business and does not like it because he wanted his brother to continue writing the little stories he loved so much. Pheobe, diametrically, has not yet been absorbed by society but is on her way and Holden nor anyone else can stop her. Holden finds corruption in almost everything he sees but does not yet even realize that he too is part of that corrupt world the minute he stopped being a child and wanting to be an adult. By doing many of the things he does he displays a desire to grow up, to act mature, to ultimately blend in with society but he is restricted by his ideals of innocence. The way he orders his drinks, dances with the two ladies in the hotel, and sends his money frivolously shows how Holden has accepted the reality of being an adult but can not come to terms with the fact that all children will also enter Holdens corrupt society. Holdens basic description of a corrupt person is a phoney. This characterization is often harsh and unjust to many of the people he attributes this characteristic to. But there are people that Holden does like other than Pheobe and Allie. James Castle, Jane Gallager, the two nuns he spoke to in the coffee shop, and the little child on the curb of the road are a few. James Castle is someone that Holden could possible identify with. He dies because of a refusal to take something back; something that was true. In respect to Jane Gallager Holden could possible be in love with her but does not ask her in fear of her saying no but if she says yes he would not be able to come through a attribute of adulthood Holden has yet to acquire. Holden has yet to acquire many different aspects of adulthood. This is what keeps his personality in a state of ambiguity. No one knows whether Holden wants to become an adult or stay a child. In my opinion, he wants to continue his life as an adult but a child at heart and mind. By doing this he destroys many incorrupt things that he has yet to experience. Holdens whole life revolves around the battle of corruption and innocence. This battle, through Holdens eyes, is one of adulthood verses childhood. this battle is an impossible one an until Holden realizes this he will never leave his land of illusion and adjust to the world.

Le Corbusier: Five Points of Architecture

Le Corbusier: Five Points of Architecture Five Points of Architecture Le Corbusier is one of the most significant architects from the 20th century. He is known as one of the pioneers of modern architecture due to many of his ideas and ‘recipes’ within architecture. One of his most famous was ‘The Five Point of a New Architecture’   that he had explained in‘LEsprit Nouveau’  and the book ‘Vers une architecture’, which he had been developing throughout the 1920s. Le Corbusier’ development of this idea altered the architectural promenade in a new way, which was presented in 1926.[1] The five points are as follows: pilotis, the roof garden, free plan, free faà §ade, and the horizontal window. Le Corbusier used these points as a structural basis for most of his architecture up until the 1950’s, which are evident in many of his designs. The essay ‘Les Cinq points dune architecture nouvelle’ by Le Corbusier focuses on questions that are raised within architectural design, suggesting a foundation and arrangement in it. Similar texts for example the progress of ‘cellule’  and figures of the Maison Standardisee, do not have relation to the design process of the five points. The Modulor, which is the study of proportions of the human body scale that is used as a system to plan a number of Le Corbusier’s buildings, is another theoretical attempt, which did not achieve a proper relation to the design process and also the architectural search for form that personifies the five points. On the other hand, these ideas can be portrayed more freely as ‘merely theoretical ideas’.[2] One exception is the concept of the tracis regulateurs (regulating lines), which uses proportions of geometry in buildings. It predicted certain ideas behind the five points in a number of aspects. The first point is the piloti, which are columns or piers that elevate a structure off the ground. The fact that the structure is lifted provides many functional advantages. As the pilotis raise the building off the ground, it allows circulation beneath the house, which frees the building site, and allows a driveway, parking space, or a garden to be placed beneath the house. The pilotis provides many advantages, and also new constructional possibilities. The artistic moments as well as the extended usefulness are the results of those ‘recherches assidues’ and those ‘acquis de laboratoire’[3]. The same area is also gained on the flat roof. This area is known as the next point, which is the roof garden. This is to balance the green area that was already used by the building and substituted it onto the roof, which is then used for domestic purposes. Free plan is the next point, which means the floor space can be arranged freely without the concern for supportin g walls into rooms. Replacing interior load-bearing columns from walls dividing the space, and moving the structure of the building to the exterior is a way to achieve this. Le Corbusier designed an open floor structure called the Dom-ino house in which the model removed load-bearing wall and the supporting beams for the ceiling. This invention was most unexpected at time; it was a ‘forecast of the potentialities of reinforced concrete, of mass-production, of human scale, of the modern factory.’[4] The frame did not depend on the floor plans of the house, giving the architect freedom when designing the interior. Free faà §ade is another point. It is the ability of designing the faà §ade freely as the walls are non-supporting, which is the result of the free plan. The next point is the horizontal window. This allows the faà §ade to be cut along its entire length. By doing so it allows maximum illumination, better ventilation and also gives views of the surrounding yar d, which is evident in the Villa Savoye. The five points were demonstrated in many of Le Corbusiers architecture throughout his career. One of first designs that Le Corbusier attempted to include the points in was the Maisons Citrohan. The house was developed through different versions. Numerous elements of the houses design turned out to be essential factors, which make up Le Corbusiers style. Certain characteristics of the Maison Citrohan can be detected in most of the villas in the 1920’s.[5] Maison Citrohan introduced the ‘five points of new architecture’. The house was elevated by pilotis allowing free circulation on the ground, and also consisted of a reinforced-concrete frame structure, which was achieved from the Dom-ino’s constructional system. The open space created by the pilotis and the flat roof increases the small area that already exists. It also had a roof garden/terrace. Le Corbusier voiced himself on the subject of the Maison Citrohan in the first volume of the ‘Oevre compl dte’: â€Å"Stuttgart, cest Ioccasion enfin!. Le Corbusier did not talk of individual objects or designs; he talked about the constant development of an idea stretched over many cases.[6] Le Corbusier studied the essential philosophies of Egyptian, Hindu, Byzantine, and Greek architecture in ‘Vers une architecture’, which is a collection of essays that supports study of the concept of modern architecture.[7] Egyptian and Greek architecture were particularly important for Le Corbusiers application of the five points. From Egyptian architecture, Le Corbusier acquired the idea of symmetry and repetition. In addition, Le Corbusier obtained the notion of movement and contraries from Greek architecture. The lesson of regular repetition from Egyptian architecture, as mentioned above, provided the idea of using repetition in vertical supports that Le Corbusier would later apply to his architecture as a constant scale, a rhythm, a restful cadence. Le Corbusiers design theories were put in practice to a certain level within a number of his designs such as the Maison Cook, the Villa Stein, and also at the Villa Savoye. In these buildings ‘the regular grid of columns served as a foil to the organic shapes of the curved walls and stairs, which together combined to organize a pleasant architectural promenade with asymmetrically balanced views’ according to the lessons of Greek architecture. [8] Similar to the Citrohan House, the Villa Stein had a roof, which became a terrace garden; regularly spaced structural piers, which allowed freely curved interior partitions, and also horizontal windows that extended across facades. The Maison Cook was a terrace house. The upper floors of the house were supported by concrete piloti, and the ground floor consisted of a open plan which had a parking space, entry, and a terrace. The roof was also used as a garden terrace. Le Corbusier wanted to show that the partitions of the rooms on each floor were independent of structural supports, thus the partitions were curved.[9] The Villa Savoye follows the five points best strictly, and can be considered as a built plan of Le Corbusier’s five points. The exterior maintains the idea of symmetry as all four elevations are really similar, which consist of horizontal windows and openings running the width of the faà §ade at the second floor level, supported by regularly spaced pilotis.[10] Within the points, the free plan is the most important in the design, where the large wall curves freely between the pilotis on the ground floor, which reflects the idea of the ‘free plan’ the strongest. As much as the five points have contributed to the development of modern architecture greatly, some points such as the horizontal windows are not necessary in terms of the designing of good architecture. Also the idea of the roof garden has been criticised over the years for leaking, it also would be considered very strange in domestic houses in countries such as the UK, as they use the more traditional pitched roof as it seems more homely. Furthermore, Le Corbusier abandoned the idea of the piloti shortly after some point; his later work does not strictly follow the points. Le Corbusier’s ‘Five Points in Architecture’ manifesto, as explained above, has had great influence on modern architecture. This is evident in The Villa Savoye, which summed up the five points, which turned out to be a masterpiece of the 20th century design and one of the greatest works by Le Corbusier. The five points have allowed a wide variety of ideas and possibilities within designing arc hitecture even to this day such as the use of free faà §ade in Zaha Hadid’s Performing Arts Center in Hague (2010).   Ã‚   [1] Le Corbusier, Choisy, and French Hellenism: The Search for a New Architecture by Richard A. Etlin. The Art Bulletin, Vol. 69, No. 2 (Jun., 1987), p.275 [2] Les Cinq Points dune Architecture Nouvelle by Werner Oechslin trans. Wilfried Wang. Assemblage, No. 4 (Oct., 1987), p.84 [3] Les Cinq Points dune Architecture Nouvelle by Werner Oechslin trans. Wilfried Wang. Assemblage, No. 4 (Oct., 1987), p.93 [4] Five Points of Architecture; the Promenade Architecturale, mimesis (copying), p.43 [5] Key Houses of the Twentieth Century:Plans, Sections and Elevations, Laurence King Publishing, 2006 , p.56 [6] Les Cinq Points dune Architecture Nouvelle by Werner Oechslin trans. Wilfried Wang. Assemblage, No. 4 (Oct., 1987), p.84 [7] Le Corbusier, Choisy, and French Hellenism: The Search for a New Architecture by Richard A.Etlin. The Art Bulletin, Vol. 69, No. 2 (Jun., 1987), p.275 [8] Le Corbusier, Choisy, and French Hellenism: The Search for a New Architecture by Richard A. Etlin. The Art Bulletin, Vol. 69, No. 2 (Jun., 1987), p.276 [9] A World History of Architecture by Marian Moffett, Michael W. Fazio, Lawrence Wodehouse, 2003 edition, p.509 [10] Design and Analysis by Bernard Leupen, 1997, p.51 What is white space? What is white space? What is white space? White space, also recognized by most as negative space, is the unmarked space between graphics, texts, and margins. To be precise, it is basically all spaces that possess absent of contents. Sandy Wheeler argued that, most people do not understand the role of white space and often consider them simply as ‘blank space.However, in my opinion, this perception is incorrect. Even though white space does not hold contents in the way that a photograph or text holds meaning, it essentially serves to carry meaning through context to both image and text. It is an important element of design which allows the objects in it to even exist. In addition, it may even make or break the effective transmission of image and text. As designers, we are trained to often use white space where it is appropriate in our designs. This is not limited to only graphic design, but also extends to other types of design such as web, product, interior, architecture, and many others. First of all, let us explore the use of white space in graphic design. White space can be categorized into 2 categories, the ‘macro white space which represents the space between major elements in a composition, and ‘micro white space which represent the space between smaller elements, several of which include those between list items, between a caption and an image, or between words and letters and the rest of the small spaces. White space is also often used to build a balanced and harmonious layout. The white space other than can be categorized into macro and micro white space, both marco and micro white space can also be divided into active and passive white space. The active white space is space which is left empty intentionally. Also, it serves to lead a reader from one element to another. As for passive white space, it is the white space that does not appear to be intentional. In other words, most passive white space is â€Å"unintentional† which means it is just the unconsidered space or left over space present within a composition.In my opinion, all white space in a good design, whether active or passive, should be planned out by the designer from the very first. If a designer only planned on the macro white space used and let the rest of the white space unconsidered, it will be just considered as poor design. Passive white space creates breathing room and balance and its role cannot be underm ined. A web design aims to allow visitors to subconsciously develop an impression and predict where the navigation and content areas will be as they navigate from page to page. A well-designed webpage includes active white space as an intentional page element that visually separates the navigation, content, header and footer. Lacking of which can result in the website appearing cluttered, and visitors might feel that the information they are looking for would be difficult to find and thus head to other websites. Micro white spaces often help improve legibility. Many people disregard the importance of the micro space and always feel that the small little spaces will not make much difference in design. In some cases, white space can be very limited and a lot of information has to be fitted into a page, for example newspaper, yellow pages and etc. When a lot of information is crammed together, the layout will eventually to be appearing messy and hard to read. This is when we, the designers come in to find ways to solve this problem. One good example is ‘The Economist newspaper, which has been redesigned as the owner of the company realized that their newspaper design was too heavy and the contents are too difficult to read. This is an important issue as the design and legibility of the newspaper affected the sales of the newspaper. The company hired Erik Spiekermann, a German designer and typographer to search for a solution. In newspaper design, information is often dense and many times, it is difficult to add in additional whitespace because of the content requirements. Spiekermanns solution to this was to use a lighter typeface for their body content with plenty of whitespace surrounding the characters. Spiekermann redesigned the typeface by adding more whitespace to the individual characters while retaining the quirkiness of the original Economist typeface. He proceeded to set the type slightly smaller and using leading. All these small changes added up to create more micro white space to the design, r esulting in the content being more legible. The overall feeling of the newspaper was lighter, while the amount of content remained the same.Spiekermanns successful redesign for ‘The Economist proves that the space between the â€Å"itsy-bitsy† stuff can have a big impact on the effectiveness of a design. This concept could essentially be applied to designs for other magazines, yellow pages, the web and other medium that require a substantial amount of texts. Shown below is the redesign of typeface from ‘The Economist by Spiekermann, illustrating how such small changes could make a big difference. The images below show two typical spreads, one before the redesign, when ‘The Economist was printed in black and white with bits of red, and another article after the redesign which has went on to full color. In addition, white space also plays an important role in brand positioning. On the surface of paper, white space is â€Å"that of chosen not to print†. From the perspective of economy and conservation, white space should then be at a minimum, and logically all space should then be used up and not come to a waste. In this case, white space is used for purely semiotic values. It is insisted then, that the image of what is presented is more crucial than what the paper that could save. In countries such as Japan, some printing jobs are very costly as they would still charge for the printing plates, separations, paper, and four-or-more color presses even to print white space.Therefore, average brands that have a limited budget would try to fully maximize the whole paper by including as much contents as possible. On the other hand, some designers utilize white space to create a feeling of luxury and elegance to upscale brands. With the sensitive use of typography and image, generous white space is seen over several luxury market products. Extensive white space is used in marketing material to sell to the target audiences the idea that the products are of the highest quality and extravagant value. Images below show the examples of white space used in some luxurious brands. Essentially, it all boils to which target audiences are designers after. There are indeed exceptions of which white space may not be necessary in design. For example, in direct-mail products, designs need to be appeared down-market to work. By adding white space to it, the design would appear to inherit an undesirably upscale quality, which may not appeal to the targeted mass audience in the community.Below is an example of direct mail versus luxury brand design. The contents shown above are the same, including the text information and image. However, the two designs stand at opposite ends of the brand spectrum. Such comparison illustrates how less white space portrays a cheaper image, while more white space portrays a more luxurious image. The discussion of white space is not simply restricted to the contemporary. In my opinion, the significance and role of white space has change and evolved over time. According to Ken Kelman, in older days, white space was not considered to play a too important role.However, I believe that designs in the past do utilize white space, such as to emphasize a particular content or object. However, a distinct difference between the use of white space between the past and modern days design would be that older designs tend to cram contents together. Even though compositions and macro white space within designs are considered, micro white space is often less regarded or even neglected. The posters below show examples of older days designs when an entire page is often filled up with text and image. The typefaces used in such posters are often big and bulky compared to modern day designs where white spaces hold more importance. Often, large crammed texts with little white space in between are often spotted in vintage design. I believe that in todays world with improvement in technologies, better designs have emerged as we designers are able to create even spaces between each lines of text. We are also able to experiment and play around with composition within design with ease, compared to the past when such hardware did not exist. With this, we could create design that look more professional and clean. Over the time, with the good use of white space by designers, more and more people start to appreciate and realized about the importance of white space in design. Therefore, more of better design pieces are born and white spaces are used more often by designers nowadays compared to the past. Examples of vintage design Example of modern design Not every posters of the past disregard the concept of white space. One such example is the poster below, which was considered to be a success in terms of delivery of its message content. This was partly due to the effective and unique design elements employed which were rarely seen in its counterparts during that period. Using short and straight forward text, with ample of white space around the contents, the importance of the contents stood out and its message was effectively emphasized. Another cause for the change of the signification of white space over time in my opinion is influenced by the changes in human lifestyles. According to a survey by Austin Mott Anastacia, people nowadays are getting busier, more stressful and impatient than ever before. Only 30 percent among 20 000 adults have enough sleep most days and the rest are too busy doing more â€Å"important† stuffs such as working, studies, playing games and so on.In my opinion, because of the busy lifestyle, people would not be willing to spend more time on anything else than what they want to do, not to mention spending too much time on an advertisement. Therefore, designers nowadays tend to use more white space and less content for that purpose. Taking a billboard advertisement for example, a simple, creative and straight forward advertisement is always more successful than the advertisement with a lot of contents as readers would need more time to read and too much contents make the advertisement appear messy. Most readers have busy lifestyle; they would only be willing to spend a limited amount of time on that advertisement. Moreover, billboards are mostly placed along road or highways which made the readers who are travelling in cars have much less time for it. The billboard advertisements would need to convey messages across to readers in a few seconds. Comparing to olden days where most people have more time to spare, they would have a higher chance to spend time on advertisements that are packed with contents. Below are two examples of advertisements for the purpose mentioned above. Another change of signification of white space over time in my opinion is that olden days design put in as much details to minimize as much white space as possible to represent luxury where modern days designers tend to use as much space for that purpose. Focusing on interior and product design as references, olden days tend to put in a lot of details and minimize white space in their design. Regardless of any country and culture, their olden days designs tend to share this same character. To support my point, shown below are the examples of olden days interior design from a few different cultural background such as Europe,   Modern designs In my opinion, olden days folks appreciate details and craftsmanship very much because with the lack of building and engraving technology and machine exist in the olden days, to have a piece of furniture engraved in detail, it needed a lot of effort, time and labour. Only rich people in the olden days could afford that craftsmanship. In another word, it represents status and luxury. As the saying goes ‘less is more. Such wisdom cannot be more emphasized in the concept of white space. Increasingly, white space is being regarded and recognized as part an important design element, and also a design technique. Once you know how to design and manipulate the space surrounding your content, youll be able to amazing feats such as giving your readers a head start in your design, position products more precisely, and last but not least, perhaps even begin to see your own design content in a new light.

European Politics :: Essays on Politics

Throughout Europe, a complex political structure of government has emerged from the once simple Monarchial rule. These new systems of Government, with respect to specific nation-states, have developed domestic policies that people depend on for daily life. Of these many dependencies is the health care system. The nation-states of Europe are entitled to bring forth and confront these issues, in order to ensure a sense of safety and well being into the lives of everyday citizens. The significance of the health care system is that it is an issue people are always trying to reform and build upon. Working alongside this idea, is the notion that other countries will develop intellectual health care systems from understanding those system already put into effect. This was the case with the German system of insured care, and the subsequent formation of the Hungarian health insurance system. In laying out the design of both systems, it is evident that the Hungarian health care system was bas ed upon the founding principles of the German health care system. Established by Otto von Bismarck in 1883, the German system has been continually extended to reflect the changing assortment of diseases and technological progress. Germany may be the only country in which most beneficiaries of its long-term care system and related expenditures are in community-based rather than institutional settings, according to the authors of the German study. (Moran 77) Germany's attempt to improve coverage for long-term care reached a fever pitch in the early 1990s, when West German policymakers sought to bring means-tested, state-administered long-term care services into its universal health insurance fold. In 1994 the country enacted a universal-coverage social insurance program for long-term care, called Soziale Pflegeversicherung, which was administered by "sickness funds," quasi-public and quasi-private insurers regulated by the national government. Under this program, premiums are uniform-a straight 1.7 percent of salary, split between employers and employees. (Knox 13) Benefits include extensive institutional and home care services. Informal caregivers receive up to four weeks of respite care each year, as well as a pension credit for providing high levels of unpaid services. In 1998 alone, some 550,000 people received pension contributions as caregivers. Germany's program has succeeded in increasing the availability of nursing home and home care services, as well as the number of home care providers, the study authors report. Program costs stayed well below original estimates and led to surpluses of nearly $5 billion.

John Sutter and the Western United States Essay

During the mid-1800s, people were eager to explore most of the United States in search for a better place to live in. Those who came from Europe settled in most parts of the Eastern United States. But there are those who ventured further, going deeper into the West. One of them is John Sutter, born in Germany and of Swiss descent. He became a captain of the Swiss Army, and was driven away from his family because of debts, going to the United States to look for a greener pasture. According to Albert Hurtado in his book, John Sutter: a Life on the North American Frontier, John Sutter deserves to have a title of an entrepreneur. All his achievements were the product of his hard work and entrepreneurship (Hurtado). He roamed the United States by using these characteristics to earn enough money to fund his ventures. The Eastern part of the United States at that time were already populated, where trade and commerce is flourishing all over the place. He joined a trading venture to New Mexico, where he was successful enough, returning with wine, several mules and money. When he celebrated the Independence Day of 1839 in Monterey California, he met Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado. This meeting paved the way for a settlement grant of more than 48,000 acres of land for Sutter, the start of the monumental â€Å"New Helvetia Settlement† which pioneered American life in the Western United States. One of the few requirements for John Sutter to be awarded the land grant was to become a citizen of Mexico. This would give him thousands of acres of land where he can establish a pioneering settlement. In less than a year after becoming a Mexican citizen, he was awarded the vast lands in the central valley of California. In order to properly run this vast acreage of agricultural lands, he employed various Native Americans, as well as welcomed immigrants from different places. John Sutter’s Fort became a famous stop-over for those wishing to venture into new lands. With this account from Albert Hurtado’s book, we can see that the Western part of the United States at John Sutter’s time promises new beginnings to those who wish for a different life. The East was somehow been congested with various people migrating from other nearby countries. Because of this, some wanted, and even dared to explore other parts of the â€Å"foreign land† they have settled in. But not all parts of the west are conducive for living. In the account of John Bidwell, he describes most of the west especially California as â€Å"the country was brown and parched; throughout the State wheat, beans, everything had failed†¦cattle were almost starving for grass, and the people, except perhaps a few of the best families, were without bread, and were eating chiefly meat, and that often of a very poor quality† (Bidwell). This means that the west may promise a good life, but there are also risks in living there. It is still an uncharted territory for the migrants, and that they were all going to start from scratch. They have no clear idea on how to handle things at first, especially because they did not originate in the area. However, it is also filled with resources just waiting to be exploited. According to Bidwell, the place also has some good points, â€Å"there were no other settlements in the valley; it was, apparently, still just as new as when Columbus discovered America, and roaming over it were countless thousands of wild horses, of elk, and of antelope† (Bidwell). The Western part of the United States was truly a place of uncertainty, wherein you’ll have to risk everything if you choose to settle in the area. John Sutter was able to survive and was successful in establishing a settlement in the area. In a sense, we could say that Sutter was successful in taming the Wild West. Sutter’s Fort housed a number of people ranging from natives to settlers, even those who were lost in their way, and these people contributed well enough in cultivating the vast lands of the settlement. In a few years time, John Sutter became a major supplier of horses, cattle, and wheat (Doti). The Western United States became a melting pot of different cultures. These cultures blended well with each other despite of their differences. This is essential for the success of the settlement, where everyone has to do their part in order for their efforts to flourish. John Sutter bridged the gap between the settlers, the natives and even the bordering Mexicans. Sutter’s works not only gave rise to a new settlement, but also to a new world found in the West. This is a very important contribution in the history of the nation, as it expanded the country’s influence across the borders. The culture in the Eastern United States at that time was generally influenced by the countries which they came from. Most these are European countries that are why they have developed mixtures of various European cultures. On the other hand, the Western United States is not only a mixture of European cultures, but also accompanied by various customs of the Native Americans and the bordering Mexican culture. This diversity has proven great importance in the formation of the Western United States, because western settlements were the products of various cultures cooperating with each other in so that they would achieve peace and order in their respective communities. Works Cited: Bidwell, John. â€Å"Life in California before the Gold Discovery†. 1890. The Century Magazine. November 19 2007. . Doti, Lynne Pierson. â€Å"John Sutter: A Life on the North American Frontier Book Reviews†. 2006. Chapman University. November 19 2007. . Hurtado, Albert L. John Sutter: A Life on the North American Frontier. 1st edition ed: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006.

Struggle College Short Essay Essays

Struggle College Short Essay Essays Struggle College Short Essay Essay Struggle College Short Essay Essay The sun hit our backs hard as we ran through the picturesque Niles hills. â€Å"Two more miles to go†, yelled my teammate who was a few yards behind me, â€Å"and then man, we can finally get some water. † Well, there was not going to be any water for me; I was fasting for the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan, running on an empty stomach, and knew that the next drop of water entering my body would only come at sunset. Running those ten miles every day on nothing but the strength of will, epitomizes my true character and hunger for challenge in life. It is hard to imagine life without one having to face any challenges. A lot of the challenges we face as human beings are similar but what makes each person different is the way we face our challenges. Some people shy away from challenges and then there are others who do not push themselves to their limits and reach short of their goals. Then there are others that are able to overcome some of the challenges but eventually back down because they can not take the heat. I, on the other hand consider myself a fighter, someone who does not back down from life’s hardships and strive to fulfill my goals. And then we have a rare bread of people that are fighters. When the going gets tough and people around them start falling, these people stand tall while overcoming adversity. I describe my self as a fighter who doesn’t back down from a challenge but feeds on the pressure. I understand that life is not made up of smooth sailing all the time and you need to always fight through the thick and thin of life. I consider myself a fighter, someone who will work hard and push himself to his limits in order to achieve his goals and ambitions. Through such experiences I have come to believe that if I can put mind over matter there is nothing that I can’t accomplish.

Synthesis Reaction Description Plus Examples

Synthesis Reaction Description Plus Examples While there are many types of chemical reactions, they all fall into at least one of four broad categories: synthesis reactions, decomposition reactions, single displacement reactions, and double displacement reactions. A synthesis reaction or direct combination reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which two or more simple substances combine to form a more complex product. The reactants may be elements or compounds, while the product is always a compound. General Form of Synthesis Reactions The general form of a synthesis reaction is: A B → AB Examples of Synthesis Reactions Here are some examples of synthesis reactions: Water:2 H2(g) O2(g) → 2 H2O(g)Carbon dioxide:2 CO(g) O2(g) → 2CO2(g)Ammonia:3 H2(g) N2(g) → 2 NH3(g)Aluminum oxide:4 Al(s) 3 O2(g) → 2 Al2O3(s)Iron sulfide:8 Fe S8 → 8 FeSPotassium chloride:2 K(s) Cl2(g) → 2 KCl(s) Recognizing Synthesis Reactions The hallmark of a synthesis reaction is that a more complex product is formed from the reactants. One easy-to-recognize type of synthesis reaction occurs when two or more elements combine to form a compound. The other type of synthesis reaction happens when an element and a compound combine to form a new compound. Basically, to identify this reaction, look for a product that contains all the reactant atoms. Be sure to count the number of atoms in both the reactants and the products. Sometimes when a chemical equation is written, extra information is given that might make it hard to recognize what is going on in a reaction. Counting numbers and types of atoms makes it easier to identify reaction types.

Positive Feedback Mechanism

Positive Feedback Mechanism From a natural sciences perspective, a positive feedback mechanism is often referred as a feedback loop. Therefore, a certain action can be referred as a causative factor of a specific reaction. The reaction within the systems also leads to further action by a system as it reacts. In natural sciences, positive feedback mechanism is responsible for explosive reactions in certain elements of the ecosystem.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Positive Feedback Mechanism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sometimes, a positive feedback mechanism can cause a positive or a negative reaction. An example of a negative result from a positive feedback mechanism is global warming. This research paper introduces positive feedback in clouds as an accelerating factor in global warming. Scientifically, high-level clouds have been found to have a net cooling effect (Pickering and Owen 36). From various researches, it has been fou nd that a decrease in low-cloud cover is caused by warm atmospheric pressure. This warm atmospheric pressure is evidenced once the sea surface becomes warmer. However, a consequent rise in temperatures causes a negative feedback mechanism. This means that more clouds will be formed as a result of warm sea temperatures. Eventually, the feedback mechanisms from the rising sea temperatures directly harness global warming.  From a scientific point of view, atmospheric water is responsible for the upper-level clouds. In this respect, a positive feedback mechanism from clouds is harnessed by the net greenhouse effect from the upper-level clouds. Another reaction as a result of the upper-level clouds is an increase of the global temperatures and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Woodward 39).  Another fact that validates the assumption that clouds harness global warming is the ability to reflect incoming sunlight. High-level clouds have the ability to prevent a direct radiation of heat from the earth and water surfaces. In this respect, an impact on the global energy equation is created. It is also important to note that high-level clouds releases heat, once they start to precipitate. From a scientific perspective, such heat is transferred into the atmosphere and affects the equation of the global heat. However, a feedback loop is evidenced once the clouds start to react to the prevailing climatic conditions. Global warming can be described as the prevailing earth temperature. However, low-level clouds can alter this temperature. The interaction between low-level clouds and wind systems is considered to be a contributory factor towards global warming. Low-level clouds are thick and have the ability to trap heat than upper-level clouds. However, this depends on the control mechanism fostered by atmospheric winds.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn Mor e There are two common types of high-level clouds. The first high-level cloud is known as cirrus. Cirrus is characterized by weak reflection and strong greenhouse. The second high-level cloud is altostratus. Altostratus is characterized by intermediate reflection and intermediate greenhouse. From the above discussions, it is important to note the following cloud feedbacks. First, any cloud feedback can also cause certain changes in cloud properties. Secondly, cloud sensitivity and emissivity is affected by a change in water properties. For example, there is a change in cloud properties once the ice changes to liquid and eventually to vapor. Thirdly, the reflectivity of clouds increases with an increase in condensation of water. All these factors are crucial elements in feedback mechanism that leads to an increase in global temperatures. Pickering, T., Kevin and Owen, A., Lewis. An introduction to global environmental issues. Routledge, 1997. Print. Woodward, I. F. Advances in ecological research V22: The ecological consequences of global climate change. Academic Press, 1992. Print.

Responce ta a reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Responce ta a reading - Essay Example Thus, when credit card companies use this perception to get to the college students, it clicks with them. They relate to the advertisement and see themselves in those advertisements. This perception is quite difficult to break since college students are more affected by peer pressure than by parents who do not control their lives any more. If the perception of fun and toys has to be broken, it should be through the help of peers. Seniors could serve as role models for these students when they explain to the freshmen students about the problems that they may have to face with plastic money. The impact of parents would be highest when the children have not yet left for college. Manning has presented great tips for financial advice that parents can give to their children. The idea of earning money or toys is quite effective, even though it would take time given the fact that peer pressure is highest when it comes to owning things. Overall, a collaborative approach is required. Good parenting along with peer education is important to overcome the strong effect of advertisements promoting plastic toys and financial

MANAGEMENT RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MANAGEMENT RESEARCH - Essay Example I have been continuously using this approach until now. The second reason I want my dissertation to be deductive is that it will be more logical. On the other hand, if I followed the inductive approach (sometimes known as "bottom up" approach) it would lead me to a degree of uncertainty in my dissertation. In addition to this, inductive reasoning may not be handy in proving and providing arguments. Although I read some dissertations that used both approach, I noticed that deductive reasoning is a valid form of proving. On the contrary, if I would be using inductive reasoning as a writer, I must observe a number of situations in which patterns exist. Unfortunately, that doesnt mean that pattern observed is true for all situations. This would not be helpful in my subject which is banking and finance since I need a lot of proof. In short, using a deductive approach would be most suitable for my dissertation. In conclusion, this is only my standpoint about inductive and deductive approach, this is not meant if I have chosen deductive approach, inductive approach was wrong approach. Both approaches are correct but choosing is different from person to

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

GAP - Research Paper Example In as much as it is a publicly traded company in the United States of America, Gap’s brand is known all over the world. Currently, it is a billion dollar company that has over one hundred thousand employees in all its stores spread all over the world. Gap Inc. headquarters is currently in San Francisco, California. However, it also has some of its design offices London, San Francisco and London. The company’s brand name is Gap, and it sells clothing to all groups of people ranging from males, females and children. Gap operates five principal divisions namely; Banana Republic, Piperlime, the namesake banner, Athleta, and Old Navy. The Piperlime is its online store that sells handbags and shoes to its customers; the Banana Republic brand demonstrates a high quality and a luxurious brand; Athleta is a novel brand that was created by athletic women to make and sell athletic clothing to active women; and Old Navy brand which meets the demands for all the cost-conscious customers (Rosenbloom, 2008). From all these, it is evident that Gap Inc. covers and all people and meets the demands of almost all age groups. From its inception, Gap Inc. has remained the largest specialty retailer in United States of America despite being surpassed by Inditex Group, a Spanish-based company, as a the world’s leading apparel retailer. Some of its strengths that have enabled it to remain relevant in the market include; brand recognition, multiple stores worldwide, segmented markets, product utility, among others (Maheshwari, 2012). However, it failed to acknowledge the importance of its customers by paying lots of attention to its expansion strategies, instead of meeting the customer needs. It is a fact that expansion strategies can only be successful when apposite research is done. Concentrating on expansion strategies is correct for several stores only when they have a strong foothold in the market, or when their customers are extremely loyal. However, these two fundamental

France History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

France History - Essay Example He goes further to explain how the French revolution and Haitian revolution; influenced the eradication of slavery through enactment of new laws. His claim is valid, as well as the rationale she provides in establishing his argument. In the essay, the writer has outlined the positive effects brought about by French revolution and Haiti revolution. As a way of illustrating, he argued that the French revolution has inspired the American Revolution. In addition, he has stated how declaration of freedom was written. It resulted into freedom from slavery in both Haiti and France. In my opinion, these illustrations were explained properly. Furthermore, the writers attempt to explain the hierarchy of leadership and challenges affecting the two countries; creates a clear impression. From my point of view, discrimination of slaves as being less human is ruthless. It goes a long way to affecting social aspects of an individual. In conclusion, the writer’s argument was expressed clearly. However, the points offered were less. As stated before, the revolution of France was more important in terms of enacting new enlightenment principles; is certainly true. In my opinion, the argument was not properly covered; there was a need for more supportive points. There was need to include extra materials on the related topic; this meant to play a significant role in shedding more light. Moreover, it would provide more points necessary in supporting the thesis statement. There are many sources of information regarding revolution of France and Haiti; although, my focus will be limited to sources with great depth of information. To start with, A Concise History of The Haitian Revolution provides a clear overview of the revolution in Haiti. It elaborates on the impacts of the revolution (Popkin 22). Secondly, The French Revolution of 1789 And Its Impact provides information about the factors that led to the revolution and its effects (Rubenstein 82). Finally, Haitian

Individual Assignment 10 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Individual Assignment 10 - Article Example In addition, the malware will insert unwanted advertisements in the non-affiliated websites like spawn pop-ups that require the internet user to click the advertisement message (Solomon and Tuten 18). Another unethical practice in generating and nurturing sales leads is semantic marketing and behavioral targeting. Semantic advertising on the social media involves semantic analytics that can interpret the meaning and the main topic in a subject thus populating such visited websites with targeted advertisements even though not requested by the users. Behavioral targeting involves monitoring the behavior of the internet users especially the websites visited and hours spend on different websites. These practices are unethical since they interfere with the autonomy of the user and lead to other unethical practices such as spamming and violation of privacy and confidentiality of the internet users (Solomon and Tuten 24). Behavioral tracking is a practice whereby the advertisers monitor the electronic shopping patterns of the internet users together with the sites visited. In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission announced plans to require the advertisers to permit ‘do not track’ or ‘turn off the tracking switch’ and even disclose their monitoring activities (Solomon and Tuten 33). From the ethical perspective, advertisers should disclose their intentions or permit the internet users to turn off tracking. According to the rights perspective of ethics, internet and social media users have the right to privacy thus advertisers must disclose their intentions or permit the switch off tracking option. It is the right of internet users to control their activities on the internet, their images and information that is shared over the internet. According to the egalitarianism or fairness approach to ethics, disclosing the tracking intentions or permitting the switch off button is fair to users of the

The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies Essay

The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies - Essay Example The essay "The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies" talks about the Toyota company marketing strategy, its history from the company's inception and its main goals for the company's future. Toyota was initiated in the year 1933 as a branch of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works with the main purpose of vehicle production under the direction and control of Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of the founder. It initial automobiles was the G1 and the A1 passenger car produced in the year 1935. In the year 1937, the Toyota Motor Company was initiated as a separate and independent company. In the year 2008, the Toyota Motor Company became numbers one globally in terms of sales; it surpassed the sales of General Motors. In the year 1924, Sakichi Toyoda came up with (invented) the Automatic Loom of the Toyota Model G. this invention ensured that the automobile stops itself automatically when a problem occurs. This automatic loom thereafter became part and process of the Toyota car production process. In the year 1929, Sakichi Toyoda sold the automatic loom patent to a British company; and hence automotive development startup capital was found. In August 1937; the name of the company was changed and trademarked as Toyota Motor Company. As from September 1947; Toyota Motor Company sold a small vehicle under the Toyopet name; for example Toyopet SA, Toyopet SB truck, and Toyopet Crown. However, in 1957 the Crown name was not well received in the United States of America because of connotations to toys or pets.

France History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

France History - Essay Example He goes further to explain how the French revolution and Haitian revolution; influenced the eradication of slavery through enactment of new laws. His claim is valid, as well as the rationale she provides in establishing his argument. In the essay, the writer has outlined the positive effects brought about by French revolution and Haiti revolution. As a way of illustrating, he argued that the French revolution has inspired the American Revolution. In addition, he has stated how declaration of freedom was written. It resulted into freedom from slavery in both Haiti and France. In my opinion, these illustrations were explained properly. Furthermore, the writers attempt to explain the hierarchy of leadership and challenges affecting the two countries; creates a clear impression. From my point of view, discrimination of slaves as being less human is ruthless. It goes a long way to affecting social aspects of an individual. In conclusion, the writer’s argument was expressed clearly. However, the points offered were less. As stated before, the revolution of France was more important in terms of enacting new enlightenment principles; is certainly true. In my opinion, the argument was not properly covered; there was a need for more supportive points. There was need to include extra materials on the related topic; this meant to play a significant role in shedding more light. Moreover, it would provide more points necessary in supporting the thesis statement. There are many sources of information regarding revolution of France and Haiti; although, my focus will be limited to sources with great depth of information. To start with, A Concise History of The Haitian Revolution provides a clear overview of the revolution in Haiti. It elaborates on the impacts of the revolution (Popkin 22). Secondly, The French Revolution of 1789 And Its Impact provides information about the factors that led to the revolution and its effects (Rubenstein 82). Finally, Haitian

The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies Essay

The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies - Essay Example The essay "The Changes in Corporate Governance of Japanese Companies" talks about the Toyota company marketing strategy, its history from the company's inception and its main goals for the company's future. Toyota was initiated in the year 1933 as a branch of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works with the main purpose of vehicle production under the direction and control of Kiichiro Toyoda, the son of the founder. It initial automobiles was the G1 and the A1 passenger car produced in the year 1935. In the year 1937, the Toyota Motor Company was initiated as a separate and independent company. In the year 2008, the Toyota Motor Company became numbers one globally in terms of sales; it surpassed the sales of General Motors. In the year 1924, Sakichi Toyoda came up with (invented) the Automatic Loom of the Toyota Model G. this invention ensured that the automobile stops itself automatically when a problem occurs. This automatic loom thereafter became part and process of the Toyota car production process. In the year 1929, Sakichi Toyoda sold the automatic loom patent to a British company; and hence automotive development startup capital was found. In August 1937; the name of the company was changed and trademarked as Toyota Motor Company. As from September 1947; Toyota Motor Company sold a small vehicle under the Toyopet name; for example Toyopet SA, Toyopet SB truck, and Toyopet Crown. However, in 1957 the Crown name was not well received in the United States of America because of connotations to toys or pets.

The Percentage of Men and Women in the U.S Essay Example for Free

The Percentage of Men and Women in the U.S Essay In 1950, 86 percent of men and 34 percent of women age 16 and older were in the labor force (See Figure 1). Although the 1964 Civil Rights Act had outlawed employment discrimination based on race and gender, gender quotas in education had not yet been challenged effectively, and enforcement of the law lagged behind its adoption. Women who entered law, medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine before 1970 did so despite discrimination based on gender. At the time of the 1970 census, sample data revealed that about 20,000 women held jobs in engineering, 13,000 as lawyers or judges, and nearly 26,000 as physicians or dentists. By 1970 women had clearly succeeded better in entering some male professions than others; one physician out of ten was a woman, but only one in twenty veterinarians was a woman. In cognizance of the rising population of working mothers, new womens magazines arose in the 1970s like Ms. and Working Woman, which offered advice and encouragement to the working mother, but the real problems of juggling family needs with employment responsibilities had grown no easier. The dilemma of the working mother stemmed partly from the nations refusal to mandate child day care at local, state, or federal levels (Blackwelder, 1997, p.197). In the face of the inadequacy of affordable day care and continued public rhetoric undermining working mothers’ confidence, working mothers of the 1970s turned to each other for support and for advice. A â€Å"handbook† for working mothers published in 1977 addressed the issue of guilt before turning to advice on the emotional, career, and logistical issues confronting working mothers. The author, Niki Scott, reached a not overwhelmingly affirmative conclusion about the situation of the working mother: â€Å"Perhaps youll learn . . . that some of your guilt is unwarranted; that though . . .guilt in working mothers is nearly universal, most women do not do it allthey just do the best they can; that children are not quite as vulnerable as we might think, given a chance to develop; and that you are not alone† (Scott, 1978). By 2002, wide gaps of men and women in the workforce had converged to 74 and 60 percent, respectively (BLS, 2003). BLS expects the male and female labor force participation rates to continue to converge to 73 and 62 percent, respectively, in 2010 (Fullerton Toossi, 2001). In general, converging labor force participation among men and women visualize that the number of workers that are women is increasing. It was 47 percent in 2000 and is expected to be 48 percent in 2010 (See Figure 1). Currently, U. S. employers are under constant pressure to ensure equality for women with respect to employment, advancement opportunities, and compensation. They also need to accommodate working mothers and fathers through parental leaves, part-time employment, flexible work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, and child care assistance. In addition, because more women are working, employers are more sensitive to the growing need for policies and procedures to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. Some organizations have special orientation programs to acquaint all personnel with the problem and to warn potential offenders of the consequences. Indeed, globalization has the potential to improve women’s economic achievement. For example, increased employment opportunities for women in non-traditional sectors might enable them to earn and control income, giving a source of empowerment and enhancing women’s capacity to negotiate their role and status within the household and society (Bailey, 2005). In addition, the World Bank’s report entitled Enhancing Women’s Participation in Economic Development stated that women’s economic development will benefit their households and society as a whole: â€Å"International experience has proved that support for a stronger role for women in society contributes to economic growth through improved child survival rates, better family health, and reduced fertility rates. † (Bailey, 2005) Work or Family? With women’s entry into workforce participation came concerns about work-family balance, especially as women began to consider whether and at what points in their careers to have children (Orenstein, 2000). Work-family issues were depicted as either/or dilemmas in which women had to pick or choose sides (Williams, 2000). If they chose both work and family, they were labeled as superwomen or second shifters (Schwartz, 1989). Work and family women still reported exhaustion and guilt over time and energy conflicts between competing (public-private) realms (Edley, 2001). They sought to manage double binds of managerial and feminine identities, career and relational time, and embodied (feminine) differences from professional, rational, and masculine norms (Nadesan Trethewey, 2000).

Germany An International Business Plan Economics Essay

Germany An International Business Plan Economics Essay Abstract This paper will examine the country of Germany from the aspect of a corporation looking to do business there. It will consider aspects from the culture, people, technology, government, and their economic system. A business environment analysis report has been conducted to examine things corporations must consider when doing business in Germany. A report on opportunities for market entry has been conducted to identify potential import and export prospects for a potential firm in Germany. A market entry strategy assignment has also been conducted to develop a market strategy for launching new products in Germany. Germany: An International Business Plan MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT Profile The official name of Germany is the Federal Republic of Germany. The head of state is currently Christian Wulff and the head of government is Chancellor Angela Merkel. The population of Germany is 81.8 million people, with about 8% of the people being of foreign origin. Protestants and Catholics each make up third of the religious population, with an assortment of other religions filling the other third. German is the official language spoken in Germany; however, the vast majority of the population also speaks English. Geography Germany is a very temperate country located in Europe. It is much cooler and rainier than most of the United States. It is approximately 137,000 square miles, about the size of Montana. The largest city is Berlin with a population of about 3.5 million people. The next three largest cities, Munich, Cologne, and Hamburg all have populations over a million. As far as the terrain is concerned there are low plains in the north; high plains, hills, and basins in the center and east; mountainous alpine region in the south. People Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. However, there are also more than 7 million foreign residents, a lot of those who are related to guest workers. Guest workers were foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population (2.4% at the beginning of 2010). Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany (Germany, 2012). Most foreigners do not have German citizenship, even if they were born and raised in Germany. This is due to highly restrictive German citizenship laws. However, change is coming, and with the citizenship and immigration law reforms that took place in 2002, many foreign citizens have been getting their citizenships and have gained the ability to naturalize. Germany has one of the worlds highest levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are among the worlds best (Germany, 2012). Germany, as country, is mainly middle class. The social welfare system that is set up in Germany provides universal medical care, generous unemployment compensation, and provides for many other social needs. Germans also travel extensively, and millions of Germans travel abroad every year. It is estimated that the population of Germany will decline from the current 81 million people to around 77 million people by 2050. Due to this demographic change, the available workforce aged 20-64 will shrink by more than six million by 2030, resulting in a marked shortage of skilled workers. In the absence of appropriate and timely policy action, demographic change threatens to become a constraining factor for prosperity and growth (Germany, 2012). When unification happened in 1990 Germany began a major undertaking. Their goal was to bring the standard of living of people living in the former German Democratic Republic to where it was in western Germany. This has really been a struggle for Germany because of how inefficient business had been in the former German Democratic Republic. There was also the issue of property ownership that had to be settled. On top of all of that, there was a tremendous amount of environmental damage from communist rule as well. Economic uncertainty in eastern Germany is often cited as one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from the political right. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence (Germany, 2012). Economy Market Overview The state department has done a thorough overview of Germanys market and concluded the following: The German economy is the worlds fourth largest and, after the expansion of the EU, accounts for more than one-fifth of European Union GDP. Germany is the United States largest European trading partner and is the sixth largest market for U.S. exports. Germanys social market economy largely follows free-market principles, but with a considerable degree of government regulation and generous social welfare programs. The German economythe fifth largest in the world in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms and Europes largestis a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment and benefits from a highly skilled labor force. Like its Western European neighbors, Germany faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and declining net immigration are increasing pressure on the countrys social welfare system and have compelled the government to undertake structural reforms. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economywhere unemployment can exceed 20% in some municipalitiescontinues to be a costly and long-term process, with total transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $3 trillion so far. In 2011, gross domestic product grew by 2.7%. The countrys export-dependent economy is growing more quickly than the euro-zone average. In 2010, gross domestic product grew by 3.6%, and the German economy experienced its strongest rate of growth since reunification. Domestic demand is becoming a more prominent driver of growth. The German labor market also showed a strong performance in 2010 and 2011, with the unemployment rate dropping to 5.5% in October 2011. Economists attribute the decrease in unemployment to structural reforms implemented under the government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and to the use of government-sponsored short-time (Kurzarbeit) work programs. The German economy so far has been largely unaffected by the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone, but a recession or slowdown of Europes largest economy is expected for the winter half of the 2011-2012 year, mostly due to declining exports to the countrys European partners. The European Union (EU) gave Germany until 2013 to get its consolidated budget deficit below 3% of GDP, and the governments 4-year fiscal consolidation program worth approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬80 billion (U.S. $109.6 billion) is intended to meet deficit targets. Germanys deficit decreased from 3.3% of GDP in 2010 to 2.0% of GDP (est.) in 2011 thanks to the strong economy and low unemployment. In May 2011, Chancellor Merkel announced Germanys plan to phase out nuclear energy power by 2022. It is expected that this policy will further accelerate the growth of the renewable energies sector. Germany is the largest consumer market in the European Union with a population of over 82 million. However, the significance of the German marketplace goes well beyond its borders. An enormous volume of worldwide trade is conducted in Germany at some of the worlds largest trade events, such as MEDICA, Hannover Fair, Automechanika, and the ITB Tourism Show. The volume of trade, number of consumers, and Germanys geographic location at the heart of a 27-member European Union make it a cornerstone around which many U.S. firms seek to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies. Market Challenges The German economy has improved markedly in recent years. The economy took a serious hit during the economic crisis, but recovered quickly. The German economy has been steadily improving recently. There was a serious setback during the economic crisis, but recovery occurred quickly. Like most other OECD countries GDP declined significantly in 2009 (by 4.7%), but grew by 3.6% in 2010, the highest rate since unification. Following a 3% growth in 2011, the pace of expansion is expected to slow in 2012 (Germany, 2012). Most of the market research organizations had been predicting the GDP of Germany in 2012 to be around 1%, but are lowering that to around 0.6%. Labor The United States State Department (2012) had this to say in regards to Germanys labor market: The labor market remained resilient during the economic crisis and continued to be strong in 2011. In addition to a series of labor and social reforms implemented in recent years, many experts credit the government-funded short-time work program for limiting unemployment. Other factors, such as moderate wage increases, flexibility in bargaining agreements, numerous company-level alliances to retain jobs, and employers willingness to accept higher unit labor costs, also contributed to the stability of the German labor market. Job cuts in logistics and manufacturing have been offset by job creation in other sectors, such as services and health care. Also due to a declining workforce, average unemployment dropped to 2.976 million over the course of last year, with an average jobless rate of 7.1% down from 7.7% in 2010. For 2012, the government expects unemployment to decline to an average of 6.8%. Although unemployment is still higher in the east of the country than the west (11.3% versus 6.0%), it dropped to the lowest level in 20 years. The number of persons in employment living in Germany reached an all-time high (about 41.6 million) in November 2011, an increase of 521,000 from a year ago. The wages in Germany, when compared to the rest of the world, are among the highest in the European Union and worldwide. German labor is also known to be very productive and highly skilled. German quality is known throughout the world. Labor Law The unions in Germany are incredibly large and powerful. Strong labor laws protect the workers and give them many rights. The laws in Germany are much more substantial than in the United States. Ordinary dismissal of workers must be preceded by notice, which depends on the duration of the time the employee was with the company. It may vary from 1-7 months. The employee may also challenge the dismissal in court. The Mother Protection Law grants a mother a total of 36 months leave. 6 weeks prior to birth and 8 weeks thereafter are on paid leave. The mother and the employer can agree on a parental leave (max. 36 months), after which the employer provides her with the same job prior to the birth of the child. Social Security and Health Care cost are equally split up between the employee and the employer. Average working hours are 37.5 hours/week and annual leave varies between 20 and 30 working days (Export.gov Home, 2012). Trade Barriers There really are not a lot of formal barriers concerning trade with the United States or investment. The only one that could be considered substantial would be Germanys participation in the EUs Common Agricultural Policy and their continued restrictions on biotech agricultural products. This does place some barriers on U.S. goods. Germany has continually tried to get the EU commission to ease up on the regulations to help and try to promote innovation and help the EU members become more competitive. The government under Merkel has made the case for widespread reform in Germany. Specifically, there is a drive to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and reduce the costs due to the complex nature of their bureaucracy. The complexity, in and of itself, offers a certain degree of protection to the local businesses because the complexity of the regulations makes it that much more difficult for foreign competitors to do business in Germany. There are very stringent safety standard and environmental standards that are zealously applied that cuts back on the access available to U.S. products. As a result, any American companies considering exporting to Germany really need to evaluate the standards that would be applicable to their products and insure that they met them on a timely basis. Foreign Relations Germany continues to be close with the United States of America. They maintain their membership in NATO, and they continue to be a vital component of the EU. Germany made sure that after the war that they were actively involved in closer cooperation politically, economically, and defensively with other countries of Western Europe. Germany has been, and will continue to be, one of the largest contributors to the EU budget. After the war, Germany made great effort to repair its relationship with the countries of Eastern Europe. They started by establishing trade agreements and worked their way up to actual diplomatic relationships. When Germany unified in 1990, their relationship with other democratic countries in Europe blossomed even further. Government The government is parliamentary, and a democratic constitution emphasizes the protection of individual liberty and division of powers in a federal structure. The chancellor (prime minister) heads the executive branch of the federal government. The duties of the president (chief of state) are largely ceremonial; the chancellor exercises executive power. The Bundestag (lower, principal chamber of the parliament) elects the chancellor. The president normally is elected every 5 years by the Federal Assembly, a body convoked only for this purpose, comprising the entire Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates (Germany, 2012). The Bundestag, which serves a 4-year term, consists of at least twice the number of electoral districts in the country (299). When parties directly elected seats exceed their proportional representation, they may receive additional seats. The number of seats in the Bundestag was reduced to 598 for the 2002 elections. The Bundesrat (upper chamber or Federal Council) consists of 69 members who are delegates of the 16 Laender (states). The legislature has powers of exclusive jurisdiction and concurrent jurisdiction with the Laender in areas specified in the Basic Law. The Bundestag has primary legislative authority. The Bundesrat must concur on legislation concerning revenue shared by federal and state governments and those imposing responsibilities on the states. Germany has an independent federal judiciary consisting of a constitutional court, a high court of justice, and courts with jurisdiction in administrative, financial, labor, and social matters. The highest court is the Bundesverfassungsgericht (Federal Constitutional Court), which ensures a uniform interpretation of constitutional provisions and protects the fundamental rights of the individual citizen as defined in the Basic Law (Germany, 2012). Technological Status Information technology, without a doubt, is the single most important factor in transforming the world into a global economy. As the rankings are starting to point out, how a company ranks as far as its advancement with information technology is also how it ranks in the overall global economy. Technology is what differentiates a superior economy from that of an inferior one. Technological innovation always lies at the core of any long-term potential of any economy, and Germany is no different. When looking at Europe as a whole, technological capability runs the gamut. In Great Britain and Ireland, they are much higher on capability than the rest of Europe. On the bottom end there is Greece, Italy, and Spain. Germany, and the rest of Europe, is somewhere in the middle. There is a lot of advancement in IT in fields that would necessitate that, such as aerospace, mobile phones, and pharmaceuticals. However, it is very poor in the service sectors. The general consensus is that Europes information technology infrastructure not only lags behind the U.S. and Japan, but that the technology gap is rapidly closing between Europe and Asias new tech powerhouses (like China, India and South Korea). Europe risks being squeezed between the high end challenge posed by the U.S. and Japan and the catch-up challenge posed by the rapidly developing countries (Hamilton Quinlan, 2008). Where Germany is a little stronger in the technological exports is within the realm of medium-high tech exports. According to Hamilton and Quinlan (2008): When it comes to high-tech exports, Germanys share (20.5%) lags behind the EU15 average (25.7%), and is well under the share of the U.S. (36.1%) and China (36%). Against this backdrop, as Germany edges closer to being a knowledge-based service economy, it must keep and embellish its competitive strengths in high-tech goods and services, or suffer a loss in average economic welfare. In a world economy where the application of technology and innovation increasingly dictates both the pace of change and the level of economic prosperity, Germany is challenged to raise its innovation-intensity production and capabilities, while continuing to attract the investment capital and IT core competencies of foreign technology leaders. However, this is not to say that Germany does not have its strengths. In fact, Germany was the third ranked company in 2006 for global patents. The regions in Germany account for nine of the 20 innovation regions in Europe. Germany is more advanced in IT usage and applications than most of Europe and is a favored destination for IT leaders looking to tap indigenous RD talent (Hamilton Quinlan, 2008). Germany is also way ahead of the rest of the EU in terms of their citizens using the internet and using computers at home and at work. Underpinning this dynamic, Germany is ahead of the EU in general in the use of the internet and computers at home and at work. Germany has also become the world leader in alternative energy technology, and has produced a third of all solar cells and half of all wind turbines worldwide. BUSINESS EVIRONMENT ANALYSIS REPORT Center of European Economy Largest Market in Europe. Of all the markets within Europe Germany is by far the largest. It makes up 20 percent of Europes gross domestic product. It also contains close to 20 percent of the total population of the European Union. The GDP has grown about 1.8% every year for the last five years. The economy of Germany is very industrialized, with a very heavy focus being on service and production. They are also very forward thinking in Germany, evidenced by the large amounts of money earmarked for research and development. Belief in Exportation Even though there has been a tremendous amount of shakiness in the world economy, Germany has somehow managed to stay stable. They continue to export worldwide on a grand basis. In fact, in 2003, Germany became the worlds leading exporter, having overtaken the United States for that title. Germanys biggest trading partners include France, UK, the Netherlands, Japan, China, and the United States. Foreign Direct Investment Preparing for FDI Free and Open Markets. An attractive part of the German business environment is how welcoming Germany is towards foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment, in its classic definition, is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country. The direct investment in buildings, machinery and equipment is in contrast with making a portfolio investment, which is considered an indirect investment (Graham Spaulding, 2004). The interesting thing is that Germany treats German investment into business the same way as they treat foreign investment into business. There is no distinction made. There are also no restrictions or barriers to capital transactions or currency transfers, real estate purchases, repatriation of profits, or access to foreign exchanges (Germanys business environment:, 2009). Attracting FDI Globally. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Germany ranks among the worlds leading countries for foreign direct investments with more than EUR 476 billion in FDI stocks in 2008. Official German statistics further underscore Germanys attractiveness as a business location. Bundesbank (German Central Bank) FDI stock statistics indicate a growth of 2.2 percent in 2007 to EUR 459billion (Germanys business environment, 2009). New Investment Projects Foreign Direct Investment Projects. There are over 45,000 foreign companies that operate within the borders of Germany, and these companies employ over 3 million people. Every year more companies realize that operating from Germany is a financially sound decision. Diverse Industry Opportunities. When looking at the different markets that foreign companies are invested in, one will note that it is quite diversified, including 39 different industry sectors. Most of the new investment from foreign companies is invested in to the IT and software industry. In fact, this industry accounts for 20% of every foreign direct investment project in Germany. Business and financial services, and automotive and industrial machinery and equipment are the next top industries. Research and Development High-Tech Germany High Turnover with Innovative Products. Over 27 percent of German manufacturing company turnover is generated from innovative products. These products are new to the enterprise and to the market. In France and the UK, this ratio is comparatively low at around 16 percent, whereas in Finland the level is at 21 percent. The European average lies at 19 percent (Germanys business environment, 2009). Technological Leader. Germany has always been known for their high quality and innovation, and they are one of the worlds leaders in developing new technology. They are also one of the largest exporters of high-technology goods as well. In 2007, Germany exported high-tech goods to the value of EUR 114 billion -making it the top exporter in Europe and third worldwide (Germanys business environment, 2009). Knowledge Base of Workers. Germany is also known for the knowledge of their population, namely scientists. Germany has the largest population of scientists in all of Europe. German scientists work on projects all over the globe. Business Climate Cost Effectiveness High Productivity. In the last decade, Germany has become incredibly efficient in their industries. Their overall productivity rose much faster than the labor cost increase. Because of this, it costs them much less to produce things than many other countries. This gives them a competitive advantage. As a result, much of the world views Germany as having the best process technologies in action. Labor Costs. Another reason Germany is favored by many companies considering foreign direct investment is the stable and low labor costs. Germany has the lowest labor rate growth in the last decade in all of Europe, at two percent. This has not been the case for the rest of Europe. Since 2000 wages have risen in most European countries -at a rate significantly above that of the EU-27 average increase of 3.7 percent (Germanys business environment, 2009). Competitive Tax System. The tax system in Germany is one of the most competitive in the world. Corporations only have to pay a 30% tax rate. Trade taxes have also been drastically reduced. Labor Market Highly Skilled and Educated Workforce. The workforce in Germany contains over 40 million people, the largest amount of labor in Europe. However, the sheer volume of Germanys labor force is not the main attraction. Germanys work force is highly skilled and educated. Eighty percent of Germanys workforce has had vocational training or is a college graduate. German government ties the amount of investment into education to Germanys gross domestic product, ensuring that the two stay linked. Germany also has one of the highest rates of workers receiving doctoral degrees. Germany also employs what is known as a dual education system. In this system, workers receive on-the-job training while they are attending school, for a period of two to three years. This system has over 300 occupations that are accepted in this program, and because it is regulated, a certain level of quality is guaranteed. Closer to Market Logistics. With state-of-the-art transportation networks by road, rail, sea, and inland waterways as well as a dense network of both national and international airports, Germany provides easy access to domestic and international markets (Germanys business environment, 2009). As a result, Germany is a major player in the logistics game globally. Their logistics account for 28% of the European logistics market, making them a huge player in Europe. In fact, more goods pass through the country of Germany, than any other country in Europe. Germany has the second busiest port in Europe, located in Hamburg. They also have Europes largest port container terminal in Bremerhaven. If that was not enough to cement Germanys stature as a global logistics force, there are also the companies in Germany themselves. In fact, the worlds largest logistics services provider is a German company Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN). Deutsche Bahn is the worlds second largest transportation and logistics company and Lufthansa Cargo is the global air freight services leader (Germanys business environment, 2009). Excellent Business Environment Good Legal System. Germany has an incredibly stable and transparent legal environment, and has been globally ranked as one of the safest places to conduct business. Germans was also ranked as the safest country in the world concerning the security of intellectual property. Secure Place to Conduct Business. Germany has a growing business landscape and is becoming well known for the safety in which that business is conducted. White-collar crime is lower in Germany than most of its neighbors. Laws are upheld, and private property laws are strong. Easy Start Up. Corporations and enterprises looking to set up shop will find that the process to do so could not be easier. The rules and regulations for starting up an operation in Germany are simple and thus, very efficient and quick. REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARKET ENTRY An organization should not only determine whether the business environment of Germany is conducive to their operations but also whether their product is within the growing industries of Germany. There are many industries blooming in Germany, but two stand far above the rest: management consulting services and medical equipment. Management Consulting Services Germany is the largest consulting market in Europe. Consulting took off in Germany during 2011 and overall revenues were up around 10 percent. This growth trend is supposed to continue through 2012 as well. Demand was especially strong in the automotive (up 19 percent) and consumer goods (up 14.3 percent) industries. The two largest consulting fields are strategic and organizational/process consulting (Germanys business environment, 2009). Projects that have to deal with growth and innovation, or business development, have great growth potential. Medical Equipment Germany also has the largest European market for medical devices, and is third in the world. Demand will mainly be driven by demographics and a substantial increase in the number of patients and by the need for more efficient procedures. The German medical market expects a sales growth of approximately 6% this year, with continued upwards trends predicted for next year as well (Germanys business environment, 2009). This industry sector has the most potential for corporations that can bring innovative products to the table at competitive prices. The medical technology sector continues to be strong on innovation and growth and will provide excellent potential for U.S. suppliers of innovative and price-competitive products. MARKET ENTRY STRATEGY ASSIGNMENT When considering how to undertake a successful market entry into Germany, there are two things to consider: high quality and modern styling. Germans are responsive to the innovation and high technology evident in U.S. products, such as computers, computer software, electronic components, health care and medical devices, synthetic materials, and automotive technology (Germanys business environment, 2009). Price is not that high of a priority for German buyers, the emphasis remains on quality. Germany also has a very high rate of Internet access, and as more and more Germans gain access, products and services relating to that will grow as well. In speaking about the German market, the United States State Department (2012) had this to say: The German market is decentralized and diverse, with interests and tastes differing dramatically from one German state to another. Successful market strategies take into account regional differences as part of a strong national market presence. Experienced representation is a major asset to any market strategy, given that the primary competitors for most American products are domestic firms with established presences. U.S. firms can overcome such stiff competition by offering high-quality products, services at competitive prices, and locally based after-sales support. For investors, Germanys relatively high marginal tax rates and complicated tax laws may constitute an obstacle, although deductions, allowances and write-offs help to move effective tax rates to internationally competitive levels. Direct Marketing Germans do quite a bit of shopping from catalogs and they are starting to do more shopping online. Three-fourths of German companies use direct marketing in some fashion. Email marketing is by far the most common form of direct marketing and a company looking to gain market entry would be wise to consider the virtues of this method. Selling Strategies The key to selling in Germany is realizing that there has to be some form of long-term commitment. There is a feeling in Germany that U.S. corporations give preferential treatment to their domestic sales, at the expense of their global market. There is also the concern of corporations from the United States being in it for the long-haul and sticking around for after-sales support. Addressing these concerns will alleviate worry and establish credibility. The German customer also expects superior customer service. They expect to be able to call and talk with someone from the organization for help and would require this immediately. American exporters should avoid appointing distributors with impossibly large

Genetic Essentialism :: Science Scientific Papers

Coming to live in a new country offers the unique opportunity to look at life from a profoundly different vantage-point. So, during my first two years as a scientist in the United States I’ve often found myself reflecting on how societies differ in fundamental ways in their basic orientation toward life. Many experiences and impressions during this time have dramatically increased my awareness how much all bodies of knowledge — about the ways the world works and the way the world, and we ourselves, are — need to be understood as ‘local knowledge systems’. The concept of local knowledge systems has been developed in post-colonial studies of science, and has been applied in assertions that ‘indigenous’, i.e., non-western, and western ways of knowing are both local in the sense that both are culture-dependent and neither has a claim to universality. (1) From that one could conclude that western science at least functions as a more or less monolithic enterprise. However, although western science as a whole is based on a shared methodology and epistemology, distinct preoccupations of the cultures in different regions of the western world exert powerful influences over the construction of scientific discourses. In the United States, there appears to be a strong need in middle class culture to define oneself through ‘one’s biology’. This ‘biology’ however does not signify the body itself, but a metaphorical, linguistic construction of the self around which many aspects of contemporary life are becoming organized. (2) The central metaphor of one’s biology is one’s genes, and ‘one’s genes’ are seen as the essence of the person. For complex historical, political and cultural reasons, the human genome is increasingly equated with the ‘essence’ of human-ness. Com ing from New Zealand, this definition of identity through a genetically oriented ‘biological’ discourse is anything but self-evident, in fact, it seems deeply culturally determined. Within the scope of this paper, I will not attempt to identify what drives the need for this view of the self, but would like to stress the importance of seeking answers to this question. It seems to me to be a central concern in any critique of the contemporary gene cult(ure) in American society. The growth of a biotechnological economy and the promotion of matching societal attitudes are obviously contributing to this phenomenon, but they alone do not explain the deep resonance a genetically defined construction of human-ness appears to invoke in people’s psyches.

Making High Fructose Corn Syrup is an Unnecessary Process :: Artificial Sweetener HFCS Food

An Unnecessary Process: Making High Fructose Corn Syrup The process of making High Fructose Corn Syrup is a long and complicated one. It was first discovered in 1900’s. High Fructose Con Syrup has been used as an artificial sweetener for decades. It involves the change of sucrose sugar into fructose sugar. It is a complicated process involving many changes on the molecular level. It also needs specific temperature and pH changes throughout the process to insure that the chemical changes and the enzymes all function properly. If the enzymes and chemical reactions don’t all work properly, the sucrose won’t change properly into fructose and the outcome will not be High Fructose Corn Syrup. The specific change from sucrose sugar into fructose sugar is vital so the process for changing it must be accurate. The fructose sugar is sweeter than the table sugar or sucrose sugar, which is why the fructose sugar is used instead of the sucrose sugar. This extra sweetness makes it favorable for commercial uses. The other factor mak ing both useful and favorable for commercial businesses to use it is its low cost. High Fructose Corn Syrup is cheaper to make and therefore is sold cheaper than regular table or cane sugar. Many commercial food-processing businesses are using High Fructose Corn Syrup because of this meaning and therefore making High Fructose Corn Syrup a common ingredient in many food items. The process of creating High Fructose Corn Syrup started in the 1800’s. Food industries have known about using microorganisms to produce new foods and increase the shelf lives of foods. In the corn industry, wet millers have used the process of isomerization, or converting D-glucose to D-fructose. The process of isomerization used to be done by treating glucose with alkaline catalyst at a high pH. This technique was unsuccessful because the conversion created large amounts of by-products, which tended to create a dark color and also develop off-flavors. Despite these side effects, isomerization was continually used with most of the research being done in carbohydrates. This research led to the discovery in the 1950’s that showed that when given right enzyme, the monosaccharide outside the cell the cell would undergo ketolisomerization. This enzyme discovered was xylose isomerase. This discovery was made by biological and medical scientists. More research then worked on how to change the molecular structure of glucose molecules with 5 carbons to fructose molecules with 6 carbons. An enzyme prepared from pseudomonas hydrophilia provided this structure change creating D-fructose.