Fast food restaurant Essay

Introduction: Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. History: The concept of ready-cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development. In ancient Rome cities had street stands that sold bread and wine. A fixture of East Asian cities is the noodle shop. Flatbread and falafel are today ubiquitous in the Middle East. Popular Indian fast food dishes include vada pav, panipuri and dahi vada. In the French-speaking nations of West Africa, roadside stands in and around the larger cities continue to Sell—as they have done for generations—a range of ready-to-eat, char grilled. Meat sticks known locally as brochettes. Market size and major players †¢Dominated by McDonalds having as many as 123 outlets. †¢Domino’s pizza is present in around 274 locations. †¢Pizza hut is also catching up and it has planned to establish 147 outlets at the end of 2009. †¢Subways have established around 145 outlets. †¢Nirula’s is established in Delhi and Northern India. However, it claims to cater 50,000 guests every day. It has future expansion plans for more than 50 outlets every year, for next three years. Major players in fast food †¢McDonalds 132 outlets †¢KFC 72 outlets †¢Pizza hut 147 outlets †¢Dominos Pizza 274 outlets †¢Cafe Coffee Day 833 outlets †¢Barista 200 outlets Fast food contains high amount of †¢Calories †¢Saturated Fat †¢Carbohydrates †¢Sugar †¢Sodium †¢Proteins Why do people eat it? ?Quick and Easy ?Tastes good ?Provides satiety and comfort? It’s everywhere Dual Income families ?Work day-away from home ?Shifts in Traditional Food habits ?High income urban dwellers ?Variety of choice of foods ?Home delivery, take-away restaurants, American chains INDIA EMERGING MARKET FOR GLOBAL PLAYERS The percentage share held by foodservice of total consumer expenditure on food has increased from a very low base drastically. Eating at home remains very much ingrained in Indian culture and changes in eating habits are very slow moving with barriers to eating out entrenched in certain sectors of Indian society. The growth in nuclear families, particularly in urban India has decreased drastically. India, exposure to global media and Western cuisine and an increasing number of women joining the workforce have had an impact on eating out trends. Major players of fast food in India †¢ Mc Donalds †¢ KFC †¢ Pizza hut †¢ Dominos Pizza †¢ Coffee day †¢ Barista Kentucky Fried Chicken About the Company KFC Corporation, or KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky. KFC is a brand and operating segment, called a â€Å"concept† of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global Restaurants Inc. KFC primarily sells chicken in form of pieces, wraps, salads and sandwiches. While its primary focus is fried chicken, KFC also offers a line of roasted chicken products, side dishes and desserts. Outside North America, KFC offers beef based products such as hamburgers or kebabs, pork based products such as ribs and other regional fare. The company was founded as Kentucky Fried Chicken by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, Menu items. KFC’s specialty is fried chicken served in various forms. KFC’s primary product is pressure-fried pieces of chicken made with original recipe. The other chicken offering, extra crispy, is made using a garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine. Kentucky Grilled Chicken – This marinated grilled chicken is targeted towards health-conscious customers. It features marinated breasts, thighs, drumsticks,and wings that are coated with the Original Recipe seasonings before being grilled. It has less fat, calories, and sodium than the Original Recipe fried chicken. Nutritional value KFC formerly used partially hydrogenated oil in its fried foods. This oil contains relatively high levels of trans fat, which increases the risk of heart disease. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a court case against KFC, with the aim of making it use other types of oils or make sure customers know about Trans fat content immediately before they buy food. Advertising One of KFC’s latest advertisements is a commercial advertising its â€Å"wicked crunch box meal†. The commercial features a fictional black metal band called â€Å"Hellvetica† performing live, the lead singer then swallows fire. The commercial then shows the lead singer at a KFC eating the â€Å"wicked crunch box meal† and saying â€Å"Oh man that is hot†. In 2007, the original, non-acronymic Kentucky Fried Chicken name was resurrected and began to reappear on company marketing literature and food packaging, as well as some restaurant signage. KFC Business Strategy KFC fast-food chains are currently under the restaurant division of PepsiCo Incorporated. Some major threats include the changing attitudes of society toward healthier eating habits, KFC has more than 9,800 outlets located in 77 countries. In marketing, KFC restaurants are not restricted from locating within close proximity of other KFC restaurants. There are two alternative strategies for KFC. The first strategy involves keeping PepsiCo beverage division and snack foods division together, and a divestiture of PepsiCo restaurant division; selling Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. MC Donald’s About the company: McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 31,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in 118 countries each day. More than 75% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. The strong foundation that he built continues today with McDonald’s vision and the commitment of our talented executives to keep the shine on McDonald’s Arches for years to come. To read more about McDonald’s history, vision and executives, click on their links in the left menu. We drive our business momentum by focusing on what matters most to customers. Our owner/operators, suppliers and employees work together to meet customer needs in uniquely McDonald’s ways. The powerful combination of entrepreneurial spirit and System wide alignment around our Plan to Win enables us to execute the best ideas with both large-scale efficiency and local flair. Products McDonald’s predominantly sells hamburgers, various types of chicken sandwiches and products, French fries, soft drinks, breakfast items,and desserts. In most markets, McDonald’s offers salads and vegetarian items, wraps and other localized fare. Portugal is the only country with McDonald’s restaurants serving soup. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known, and one which is employed either to abide by regional food taboos (such as the religious prohibition of beef consumption in India) or to make available foods with which the regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in Indonesia). Advertising. McDonald’s has for decades maintained an extensive advertising campaign. In addition to the usual media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards and signage, sponsors sporting events ranging from Little League to the Olympic Games, and makes coolers of orange drink with their logo available for local events of all kinds. Nonetheless, television has always played a central role in the company’s advertising strategy. To date, McDonald’s has used 23 different slogans in United States advertising, as well as a few other slogans for select countries and regions. At times, it has run into trouble with its campaigns. PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRY I. Environmental friendly products cost high: Government is legislating laws in order to keep check on the fast food industry and it is emphasizing more on the usage of bio-degradable and environment friendly products. But associated with this issue is the problem that fast food player faces – the cost associated with the environment friendly product. They cost much higher than the normal products that companies uses for packaging or wrapping their products. II. Balance between societal expectation and companies economic Objectives: To balance a society’s expectation regarding environment with the economic burden of protecting the environment. Thus, one can see that one side pushes for higher standards and other side tries to beat the standard back, thereby making it a arm wrestling and mind boggling exercise. Health related issues: obesity I. Studies have shown that a typical fast food has very high density and food with high density causes people to eat more then they usually need. II. Low calories food: Emphasis is now more on low calorie food. In this line McDonald has a plan to introduce all white meat chicken. Mcnuugget is with less fat and fewer calories. Swot analysis of fast food industry Strengths †¢Quick service †¢Affordable †¢AttractionWeakness †¢Different preferences †¢Lack of customization †¢Unhygienic and unhealthy Opportunities †¢Growing nuclear families †¢Growing urban lifestyleThreats †¢Oppositions from various organization †¢Location †¢Ready-to eat †¢Health concerns ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION 1. How often do you use fast-food services? a. Daily b. Weekly c. Fortnightly d. Monthly 2. Which fast food restaurant would prefer? a. McDonalds b. KFC c. Pizza Hut d. Subway 3. What are the reasons for eating fast food? (You can tick more than 1) a. Appearance of products b. Price of the products c. Flavor of products d. Convenience of the products 4. What else do you buy when purchasing fast food’? a. Carbonated (fizzy) drinks b. Coffee, tea c. Ice cream d. Crushers 5. What time would you normally buy fast food? a. Before 12 pm b. Between 12-3 pm c. Between 6-9 pm d. 10pm or later.

Environment Influences Essay

There is a belief among experts that everyone is born as a blank slate. We do not know anything about the world and those around us and we spend our childhood years learning, emulating, adjusting, and finally creating our individual personas based on these experiences. Now the main question being asked by the other experts these days is â€Å"Does the environment influence people?† The environment has an effect on a person in more ways than one can fare imagine. My argument is that the environment does influence people, children most specifically, by building character and freethinking. We can also view the influence of the environment on people in terms of scientific and sociological aspects. In more scientific terms, one can say that an environment is based on the physical, geographic, biological, social, cultural, and political conditions that a person has to deal with on a daily basis and learns to equip himself regarding how best to handle those situations. In terms of so ciety links, the environment has a direct bearing on how lives and societies evolve. People, progress, development, and the environment are like an inter-linking chain where all of these varied aspects converge to form a new form of thinking or character in a person. In terms of childhood development, we can safely say that the environment has the heaviest influence over a child. A child’s environment is not the same as in his home environment where everything is controlled by his parents. Even though parents may raise and rear a child in the best way they know how, that is not the environment that influences him the most because he spends most of his time outside the house. The environment outside the house is where the child begins to develop his character and sense of ones self. Outside the home, a child tries to become part of and to identify himself with a peer group. A child does this by allowing himself to be influenced by the people around him and following their examples and making it suit their own individual needs. . His environment also influences the culture of a child. Culture, is something that a person must experience first hand in order to learn from it. Therefore, since you have to live in order to experience culture, one can consider culture to be a transmission from the environment of the child or adult. Just like influence, culture is passed on from person to person. Even though parents try to provide the â€Å"right† environment for their children, the simple truth is that there is no â€Å"right† anything. The environment will influence the child no matter how you try to control it because a parent can only do so much to influence the child who spends most of his time outside the home. Of course, aside from children, the environment that they interact in can also influence adults. The social environment of a person dictates the way he shall conduct himself in public. There are a large majority of studies that support the argument that the environment does greatly influence the personality of people because the way his environ ment views his physical appearance will determine how he will act out in public. It is this belief that has most experts, such as doctors and mental health professionals debating various theories regarding the mental development of people. Certain theorists are of the opinion that the environment a person grows up in has a direct effect on his mental health and mental development. So there must be a concentration on the environmental development of a person’s mind. So what do these developments and studies about how the environment influences people tell us? It tells us a number of major things. First of all, the environment is not just located in one localized place. It also cannot be in a controlled space for long. The environment of children proves to be a very delicate and intricate part of growing up. The environment of a person directly influences the mental development, and personality of the child or adult. Secondly, the social environment of an individual influences his behavior as these so called â€Å"norms† show us how to act and how to have other people treat us. It is this social influence that trains a person to conform, comply, and follow the dictated norms of the environment he exists in. Yes, the environment does have a direct influence on a person. The direct influence of the environment on people cannot be measured in terms of quantity. This topic is so vast and highly debatable that it will take more than a three page essay with which to defend my stand. Therefore, I would like to conclude my essay on the following note. Each man is placed in an environment where he will best grow as a person. Be it in youth of maturity, that person will have an equal amount of exposure to good and bad environments. The choice of which environment he will allow to influence him solely depends on greatly influenced he is by the environment and his peers. The influence of the environment ends when the person makes the conscious decision to follow a certain path for himself be it in along the path of his environment or in an opposite direction. At the end of all this, the environment gave the individual a unique personality and coping ability that is designed to best help him navigate the perils of his environment. An environment will only influence a person as far as he is willing to be influenced. Everything else pertaining to influencing the individual mentally, socially, and emotionally are all conscious decisions made by the person him or herself based upon the influences of his immediate and past environments Games and Violence Computer games have seriously caught the attention of Mass Media and nowadays every channel considers its duty to remind people how much damage these games cause to children and adults. The increasing amount of games with violent scenes sock the society and makes it very aware of them.It is already common knowledge that violent games cause violence in people. This fact is not even doubted by the majority of people. Every other person says that the reason lies in games being too close to reality. The opinion that games make violent actions normal for the player and therefore make the player pitiless can be often heard. In this case the game is the cause of violence and the act of violence by itself is a consequence. And can real-life violence exist in the reality of a game? Is the transfer of the definition of â€Å"violence† with all its peculiarities from one world to another justified only according to the external similarity of these two worlds? Games originally are entertainment. Contemporary games are very realistic and for this reason they are a source of great experience for the player and develop the imagination. Games are entertainment and even more then that. In addition, the statistics of the New York University lead by Green and Bavelier claim that the player preferring active games get an improvement of some types of brain activity, related to processing of visual information. In particular, game players cope with problems of simultaneously tracking several moving objects at the average level of 30% better then people who do not play active computer video games. The â€Å"gaming† violent experience may not be the cause of violent behavior in reality. None of the playi ng experience will become the priority in making important decisions concerning problems in real life. A game is an abstraction. A player gets abstract tasks and acts according to abstract rules.Games are also the possibility to be however a person wants to be and to rest from the outside world for some time. But what if a person gets so much excited with the game scenes that he becomes violent in reality? Then, it proves that the games cause people to become violent. Let us stop for a moment right at this point. Those who do not participate in this type of activity usually make the conclusion of presence of violence in the game-world. Nobody will ever hear this kind of statement from those who play, from those who know the rules of the game and understand that it is just a virtual world. A psychologically healthy person will never confuse or connect these two different worlds. A game is a virtual world with visual images very similar to human. These images represent by themselves nothing but simple playing obstacles. A game may potentially give the opportunity to â€Å"destroy the obstacles† that may not be destroyed according to the rules but it is more about personal choice whether to do it or not. This leads us to the conclusion that violence is not a consequence but the cause. People who are originally prone to violence may get irritated by games and perform violence in the â€Å"real world†. But in this case violence in games is a simple justification of the violent nature of the player. Is a College Degree Necessary to Become Successful The value of higher education cannot be underestimated considering the contemporary realities of the competitive marketplace. A higher education degree literally serves as the first impression of a jobseeker applying for employment. Namely a college degree is a person’s pass to the business world and so work-related opportunities are enormous. Truth is, college degrees are never the same if we take into account the reputation of higher establishment as well as the prestige of a particular field of studies. The today’s holders of college degrees have unprecedented opportunities of job search since the employment market has largely expanded throughout on-line domain offering freelance and part-time vacancies. Though, in both real and virtual employment, it is always a person’s CV (resume) that is initially considered by employer and in 95% of cases the inclusion of college degree is a must to get a well-paid job. The abovementioned proves that college degree always pays off, and therefore this essay aims to discuss the present-day realities in due respect. Overall, college education provides students with appropriate knowledge and skills to be used later in real life circumstances and working environment. At that career choices do not matter since the contemporary market is vast and enormous. In particular, college education enables students to gain preliminary information about many essential aspects required to cope with real-life challenges. At that students expand their knowledge and acquire practical skills by grasping abstract theories and concepts. A college curriculum teaches students how to clearly express personal standpoints and opinions both in conversation and writing. In most cases students acquire global thinking as well as that relevant to the solution of specific problems. Furthermore, students learn how to work in teams and solve tasks in cooperation; this enables to establish team spirit and ability to make personal contribution to overall mutual achievement. Various case studies based on real-life experiences teach students to better presume and therefore adapt to further complexities. To this end, it goes without saying that a college degree always means more employment opportunities since it is the identification of one’s academic qualification. In comparison, high school education is not enough to meet the ongoing challenges of today’s market place, and therefore the overwhelming majority of jobs require a college degree. In addition to the expanded job opportunities, a bachelor’s degree means higher earning prospects compare to a person with a high school diploma. Therefore, our earnings initially depend on the quality of diploma we receive, and to a great extent college marks (grades) may be compared to the monthly salary rate in the future In actual fact, there is a problem concerning studying at a college. College education does not depend only on student’s talent, successfulness or willingness to study. The cost of education is therefore high issue on the agenda which indicates the affordability of college education. Many students cannot afford college education due to various reasons and/or particular life conditions. Hence, most students rely on loans and/or other means of financial aid to afford their college courses. Apart from financial reasons, of course, the initial factor is high self-motivation to study at college. Whenever there is no family tradition or lack of overall interest, or nobody to recommend college education, a young person may easily opt for other (alternative) choices. In addition to this, college education a ssumes preliminary determination meaning that a person should choose a single subject area (law; medicine; architecture) to master in college and therefore build his/her career. However, the initial indecisiveness does not mean a student should know everything in advance. A college education is therefore designated to provide a student with proper and substantial knowledge and skills; nevertheless, the major direction should be chosen well in advance. One other initial problem is that young people mistakenly assume that a college education is rather difficult. To this end, it is worthy to note that studying at college involves student support and tutoring. Most western colleges are equipped with the necessary technological devices and easily accessible academic database to assist students while performing their assignments. Certainly, there are alternatives (e.g. community colleges) to four-year colleges that provide sufficient level of education, though only bachelor’s and master’s degrees are genuinely valued on the competitive marketplace, and therefore most students try to complete their education at four-year colleges (College Board, 2008) . Considering the aforementioned, the most important issue on the contemporary agenda would be not the importance of a college degree as such, but its real quality. This is actually the root answer to the problem of why some people are becoming more successful, while others not. Specifically, the quality of a college degree indicates that college graduates obtained certain amount of knowledge and managed to process and, most importantly, absorb it. A core subject, such as law or medicine whatever, requires proper understanding, a contribution of solid amount of time and additional resources to make it a future profession that would bring profits. This is to ay a college degree as such is not the panacea in a working world. A proper college diploma therefore assumes that a college graduate is able to prove it with a certain extent of academic knowledge. Regarding practical skills, they are further acquired within internship, practice and actually working environment. Many people, howeve r, fail to prove their knowledge acquired during college years with practical skills and therefore are made to change profession/occupation. Historically education has been regarded as a key to prosperity, and college system of education starting from the 17th century has proved this approach to be right. Also, throughout historical evolution, conventionally males have gained better education compared to females. However, times have changed and starting from the second half of the 20th century the situation has been equalizing. The today’s working environment is highly diverse providing vast opportunities to the qualified specialists and therefore knowledge has been regarded as a decisive factor. Religious, sex, colour, socio-cultural diversities are more and more eliminated since companies need qualified college graduates that can prove their knowledge in practical conditions. This is the way most companies win a competitive advantage for qualified employees are regarded as an invaluable asset by most corporations. Such fair treatment based on professional qualities rather than individual features is reasonable an d justified. Based on qualifications, there is hardly any difference between pay rates; nonetheless, in most industries men still earn more than women. This indicates that discriminatory issues are more and more tolerated and the quality of education approved by a college degree is a real value at the contemporary marketplace (Leonhardt, 2008). One more aspect to consider is the vast employment opportunities accessible to college graduates. The point is that the modern world has become flexible and changing as never before. Internet and cutting-edge technologies indicate the permanent progress and thus success is now associated with s permanent change. Successful people permanently adjust to changing circumstances and diverse environments to reap most benefits. Thereafter, the work-related relationships between employees and employers have also altered dramatically. There are millions of freelance job opportunities enabling people to work form the comfort of their home and rationally maintain work-life balance. To keep workforce loyal most companies need to establish flexible working practices, including part-time jobs, paternity leaves, childcare leaves, swapping shits etc. Therefore, HR departments lessen work stress and enable their employees to lead reasonable (normal) lives. In addition to this, employees are granted with numerous bonuses and incentives that often serve as sound motivators to keep loyal to the corporate policies (Walton, 1985). Due discussion might be continued and further expanded – though the core theme remains the same – only proper extent of knowledge and skills approved by a college degree enable a person to change jobs and seek better option for career-building and professional advancement. A college degree is a precious asset we use during lifetime to properly build up our professional growth and development. Therefore, whenever there is a chance, a person should use four college years to acquire this asset and ensure his/her further career prospects. As a rule, college graduates make social strata regarded as elite and many of them are becoming very successful to donate money to charities and therefore reduce poverty. Hence, knowledge brings profit and profit is used for prosperity. In the 21st century this particular formula should be applied in all walks of life to make the world a better place. 1. Argumentative Topic (Alcohol danger for under age drinking) Alcohol addiction is largely featured by general tolerance for alcohol with periodically increasing amounts to achieve the same degree of satisfaction, having a persistent desire or the inability to lower the amount of consumed dozes, and continuing consuming great amounts of alcohol despite realizing that the habit causes physical, psychological and socio-economic problems. Such dependence is much intensified during the teenage period (13-19 years) when young organism acquires negative effects that eventually destroys the rest of a person’s life. Alcohol addiction is mostly featured by psychological and physical dependence on daily basis. Hence, physiological, behavioral and cognitive perceptions are mainly centered on alcohol rather other life values. Alcohol desire is deemed a central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome (Mental Health Matters, 2005). In addition, alcohol dependence is featured by irresistible desire or compulsion to frequent alcohol takings, and consequently difficulty to control alcohol-taking behavior including post-consumption consequences; disregard of outer difficulties caused by enormous alcohol consumption. As is proved by numerous under-age examples of alcohol consumption and addiction, the dependence syndrome is mostly revealed in either alcohol taking or a desire to take alcohol (Mental Health Matters, 2005). The need for alcohol is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit actual amounts or whenever a drinker enlarges alcohol consumption to feel high. Then, this state is called alcoholism which is particular to the majority of drinkers who practiced alcohol consumption during the underage stage. Differences between men and women at their workplace Introduction: A very important issue concerning diversity is the difference between men and women at workplace. As the matter of international experience of hiring people it is very important to point out that there have been a great number of cases connected with discrimination. We consider this to be a vital problem even nowadays, in spite of the change of the reasons for discrimination. If in the past it was a major problem for women to find a job and to prove that they can provide results equal to men, in the present time the situation has quiet changed. In addition to that women start getting benefits and are sometimes the only possible employees for a given workplace. Women establish a very strong emotional contact with the client; at the same time they are treated as being less professional than their male colleagues. Male workers according to the opinion of the employers are more rational. They complement and substitute the women’s emotional â€Å"contamination† by the rational aspect of the matter they are working with. Due to this employers sometimes prefer to eliminate either the â€Å"emotional†, or the â€Å"rational† factor and put â€Å"labels† on the employees taking their gender as an evaluating criterion. But nowadays everything has changed and men and women perform each other’s work excellently. We have observed in practice this difference, when a job, considered to be a â€Å"male job† was done perfectly by a woman but did not get the well-earned recognition in the company. One of the psychological reasons for that, as we assume, is the incapability of the authorities of the company to deal with a stereotype and change their ways according to the changing world around them. So therefore, it is the lack of flexibility. Women nevertheless are treated with a higher loyalty in any decent company. And sometimes their work results may be viewed as just needing some correction in comparison to the same work presented by men that would be considered wrong. But all these are exaggerated examples. The cultural component of this issue should be taken in count, too. For example is we take a black male and a white woman we may meet with a â€Å"special† treatment to the first one, due to the company’s respect and desire to show that they do not have any racial prejudices. We, believe, that the difference between men and women still exists and women and the quality of their work nowadays displace men. Nevertheless, we have examined another opinion that concerns women. Rose Mary Wentling suggested another point of view on the differences between men and women at workplace. The author asserts that women are still experiencing difficulties in their workplaces. The main arguments that are brought are the next: women are not given the standard of work performance when they apply for a â€Å"male† job, therefore do not get the detailed and clear picture of their involvement; women are not included in all the kinds of communication throughout a company; women lack the opportunity to †grow, develop, and contribute to company profitability†. According to this point of view women are not given the opportunity to introduce their ideas and innovations to the company’s functioning. But the main issue to work on is that the expectations of the employers concerning women are different than the ones concerning men. Conclusion: Women are ready to travel and move and relocate, and to make â€Å"the same commitment to the company as men aspiring to leadership positions† due to the reassessment of the woman’s role in the society. Analyzing this different point of view we came to a conclusion that both men and women face gender difficulties at any kind of job. So therefore we consider providing them with equal conditional vital for the benefit of the company itself in the first place. A modern company should not pay attention to the gender attribute. Both men and women need to have career advancement opportunities and counseling. Men and women are potential employees of any company, no matter what position we are talking about. From with combination of two points of view we get an understanding that both men and women have examples of being not treated properly at their workplace in spite of having the required skills for the place. And it is not possible to say that either men or women are facing greater difficulties in their professional lives. So it can be said that the difference did not disappear, but it is not a single-sided issue. Dorm life vs. Home life Almost every young person entering the period of college education faces the necessity to leave home and to live in the on-campus dormitory. The on-campus dormitories have been â€Å"survived† by many people and some of them have absolutely opposing opinions. The change from home to dorm life can be called one of the most important event in the life of any young person first of all because it is the first extreme life change and also because the consequences are still unknown. Home life and dorm life represent two different ways of living in different conditions. Nevertheless they have their similarities and differences that can be seen only after a deep analysis of the issue. The choice between home life and domestic life can lead to complete transformation of the life of a young man. On-campus life inevitably affects the life of the person and along with home life have their pros and cons. On-campus dormitories may be a pleasant experience for one person and a terrible test for another one. For some people dorm living is a necessity. There are several objective facts concerning dorm living. First of all any individual living at the dorm will have to face the necessity sometimes to live together with up to three students. Only those individuals who have an exclusive position within the university may count on having a room without roommates. The quality of the beds sometimes requires repair and the closet very often cannot fit in all the belonging of the roommates. The dorm does not provide the individuals with an actual kitchen and has small space for refrigerating food. The dorm offers public baths which are not comfortable under any condition. The next fact is about one of the most important ones – the dorm cuts individual space to its possible minimum as the person can hardly ever be alone. Another aspect of the dorm living is that the individual can make a lot of friends and find a lot of people who have the same interests. At the same time dorm living sometimes leads to early sexual intercourses and a false â€Å"feeling of complete independence†. Home living is another option sometimes chosen by young people. First of all home living proved the student with the possibility to get healthy food, freshly cooked on a normal kitchen. The fact that the meal can be actually cooked is a plus for the saving in the individual’s budget. Home living requires having personal chores and complete responsibility for the place the person lives in. As for personal hygiene at home, it is private and the individual can spend as much time on it as he desires. Home living guarantees the fact that people come to visit the person most often under the condition of a beforehand notice. The individual may do whatever he feels like doing and not get involved in activities he has no actually desire for. In other words, home living requires a lot of responsibilities but at the same time offers personal space and the opportunity to relax, study or work any time of the day. Home and dorm living have a lot of contrasts such as: food, privacy, hygiene, leisure, etc. and similarities such as certain expenses required for living. If to compare home living to dorm living a few fact are worth of mentioning. In home living the individual has at least one full room which is completely under his â€Å"jurisdiction†. Home living offers all the required personal space and the individual’s movement within the house are not limited as they are in the dormitory. The dormitory does not have a comfortable bed and also the individual cannot equip everything in the most suitable manner for him. A home living individual has all the required space for his belonging and an equipped kitchen to cook food. Nevertheless, in the dorm the food expenses can be spited among the roommates. The dorm’s public bath has obvious disadvantages as compared to a private home bath. Also home, as compared to dorm living provides more individual space as the person at home still has time to be alone and in the dorm it is practically impossible. If the person does not want to party all the time, home living is the best option. In order to conclude it is important to say that the basic differences between the dorm living and home living are the individual interests of the person and his aims in life. If dorm living is a necessity for one individual but he has a high motivated for education – dorm living will not change anything. And at the same time if a individual without motivation is a subject of home living there is no guarantee that all these personal space and freedom will lead to a better future. Therefore the main factor here is the personality of the dweller.

Barn Burning : Familial Bonds And Ethical Choices Essay -- Family, Mot

In Barn Burning, a 10-year old Sartoris Snopes must choose between sticking to his family and making righteous decisions. His father, Abner Snopes, is a Southern tenant farmer who repeatedly burns down the barns of his landlords, so he and his family never stay in one place for too long. During the course of the story, Sartoris vacillates between loyalty to his father and loyalty to society. Ultimately, Sartoris betrays his father by warning the farm owner that his father will burn his barn, getting his father killed. In his short story Barn Burning, Faulkner uses the various characters and their development to elucidate that a familial bond is a substantial force that is difficult to separate from, but breaking the bond is sometimes crucial in order to do what is right. The different characters in the story facilitate in illustrating that family ties are an enormous force in a person’s life and difficult to break. Above all else, Abner believes that family has to stick together since they are all anyone has. Believing that his son was going to turn him in, Abner strikes his son, explaining, â€Å"‘You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, any man there this morning, would?† (408). Having spent his whole life running, Abner has no relationships with anyone outside his family and fears losing his son. It is clear that he is unable to trust anyone, in this case, not even his own son. However, he trusts his family more than anyone else in the world. Sartoris’s sympathetic mother, Lennie, shares Abner’s emphasis on family and is unable to leave Abner, despite greatly contrastin... ... middle of paper ... ...pair remain, he is no longer scared. Like his father had hoped for, Sartoris was becoming a man, just not in the way his father would have imagined. Despite Sartoris being alone at the end of the story, Sartoris made the right choice, and â€Å"did not look back† (417). Sartoris is now free to pursue justice, no longer burdened by his family. Despite the difficulties one must face in order to break family ties, it is sometimes essential to preserve one’s integrity. Full of grief and despair, Sartoris transitions from being a slave to his father’s atrocities to being a virtuous citizen. Principled like his mother, yet determined like his father, Sartoris accomplishes what none of his siblings were able to do: Sartoris escapes his father’s forceful grasp to regain his integrity as a human being. Sartoris liberates himself from the cycle of crime his family imposed on him.

Business organisation and policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business organisation and policy - Essay Example Both large and small firms are confronted with huge demands to step up output but must stay creative and pioneering as they face mergers of immense scope, escalating health care costs, cost-control efforts, fast-changing population demographics and high-speed evolution of new technologies. Such development has pushed several major players in the pharmaceutical sector to persistently invigorate and maximize their R&D expenditures in order to enhance their pipelines and keep abreast with their competitors in the pursuit for high level, large scale operations. This is in harmony with the perception that for large companies to keep on satisfying its shareholders’ expectations, undoubtedly, it is not acceptable and tolerable for them to stick with the status quo. However, the cost of taking in a new active substance (NAS) into the market, projected at US$600 million (Kettler 1999) and the plummeting number of these substances launched lately (Van de Haak 2001) explicitly describe t he scope and magnitude of this challenge. The US$600 million figure per NAS introduced consists of a considerable contribution from the expenses of all NASs that didn’t make the grade in the R&D process. So as to minimize and lower the high gnawing cost, a lot of firms have put portfolio management systems into operation. Since development projects eat up 10 times or more the capital needed for a research project, project selection and prioritization have been strongly emphasized, before entry into the development process. For specific corporations, the expenditure per NAS is greatly influenced by the firm’s character and distinctiveness -- its product profile, type of technology being used, and the kind of activities the firm opts to conduct in-house and those it decides to outsource (Findlay and Kirmani 2000). For so many years, large pharmaceutical companies had wished and anticipated that the greatly increased number of compounds

AEGON Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

AEGON - Research Paper Example Apart from the qualitative methods of data collection named above, other quantities methods of data collection such as experiments and conducting surveys got used. Among the findings was that the organization has sought to improve personal and community development in different aspects as well as growing and developing worldwide. Some organizations, including learning and non-learning institutions, profitable and nonprofitable firm, have sought the need to expand globally in their fields of service provision. Other groups have realized the importance of developing in their service provision as well as introducing new ventures that can drive them in the realization of their set goals and objectives. Some have employed business experts to carry out researches on various available business opportunities around the world that they can venture in, with the primary goal of profit realization. In the process of exploring the different available business opportunities, some firms have sought to generate incomes and later use them for community development, personal development as well as the improving the general welfare of the society. To realize these, some organizations and other institutions have employed some strategies such as blueprint strategy, online marketing, product differentiation and improving product qualities among others. In this research paper, I am going to look at the AEGON organization, as a global firm that is seeking to realize its goals of global expansion and international business. I am going to see the growth of the organization, its international business, as well as the marketing strategies used by the institution in meeting the needs in various international markets. This organization is one of the top global organizations in the financial industry, offering financial services such as the provision of life assurance, pensions to the retired employees and management of various assets. The group got

Why reality television is so popular Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why reality television is so popular - Essay Example The intrigues and richness in presentations of reality television is facilitated by the existence of subgenres within the programming. Such subgenres include documentaries, game shows, social experiments, hidden cameras, makeover shows among others. Popularity of reality television is known to hit an all-time high following the airing of Big Brother and Survivor shows, which lie within the reality genre. As such, reality television has received global recognition with a massive following upsurge associated with the success of presentations put forth. There are various reasons that explain increased popularity of reality television, which will be highlighted in this paper. The popularity of any reality television show is directly linked to the level audience involvement, and as such the audience should be in a position to relate to the participants. The main catalyst for reality television popularity is money, which is pumped into the industry to produce a rich feature. Reality producers are known to offer large sums of money to participants who essentially may lack career skills, and transform them into productive members of the society (Soong, 2003). This is evidenced in games shows where participants are expected to indulge in define activities and are rewarded according to their proficiency. The promise of money and the associated excitement have heavily contributed to the unrelenting popularity of rewarding reality shows. In addition, instant fame often associated with participation in reality television shows contributes to popularity of the genre. The production of reality features is known to entail placing ordinary people in unique situations and gauging their reactions. This works to the advantage of individuals seeking to prove themselves by enduring set tasks in the show. Moreover, reality shows that offer no monetary rewards such as the MTV’s The Real World, receive thousands of

Perception of female leaders Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Perception of female leaders - Thesis Example This ideal would be wrongfully assumed to be true in general. In the same way that it is erroneous to presume that the current position of women has continued to progress backwards. In many industries it would be accurate to suppose that the trend of having ‘boy’s clubs’ is still at play. Businesses such as Information Technology and others that are similar in nature are well regarded as a majority men’s field. The ratio of men to women in population would no doubt be in favor of men. In such cases, it can be assumed that women will have a more arduous task in proving themselves in the workplace before they can gain the respect and opportunity to work in a higher position. This difference in gender is something that cannot be disregarded as such remains to be an underlying factor in and thus regarded deliberately in this paper. Women are identified towards what can only be regarded as instinctive leadership style in comparison to a more practical problem solving approach employed by men. This is not to say that one is extensively better than the other or vice versa. What it merely indicates is that there is a difference, nothing more and nothing less. Men and women are coexistent upon one another and both are fundamental in the workplace and in the broader spectrum of life. This is to say in a deductive manner that as constantly and as our creation suggests that men and women complement each other. In history, as the man hunts, the woman prepares the game and serves it to the family. Suppose that in the present the woman hunts and proves that she is as efficient, would her labor be regarded as any different? The answer is obvious and the answer is no. Just as the man was able to provide food in the table, the woman, in however diverse her hunting style may be supplied the same and equal nourishment for the household. If she turns out to be a good

TREASURY & RISK MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

TREASURY & RISK MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The TMEM’s president had to come up with a proposal, on how to reduce and even eliminate the losses, and present it to the company CEO in Japan. Therefore, this case analysis will seek to provide possible reasons that could have forced the company to delay shifting its manufacturing centers for European market to Europe. Also, analysis of both the effects that could have been experienced if the Euro had joined European Monetary Union and other factors on the company’s situation will be provided. Next, possible problems leading to the losses being experienced by the company will be categorized into either short term or long term. The final part of analysis will provide recommendation of appropriate measures that the company should have taken to resolve the problems. There are a number of reasons that might have forced Toyota to delay in moving its manufacturing for European sales to Europe. The most probable reasons could be associated with the depreciation of Euro against major currencies, the expected costs of setting up the plant, availability of labor, anticipated risks of either losing their intellectual property as a result of theft, need for up-to-date innovations, strategic problems as well as feeling of being unprepared. To begin with off shoring manufacturing to Europe without a clear thought of plan could have resulted into two strategic problems (Wood 2009). One of the strategic problems is logistical issues. Spreading out manufacturing activities without having a good plan in place could expose the company to unexpected disruption of important supplies. Although the need to offshore manufacturing to Europe could have been appropriate in enabling the company to compete with its rivals, responding to customers’ needs could hav e been a problem (Bessis 2011). The other reason that could have resulted to a delay in shifting manufacturing to Europe

Coaching Plan for Addressing a Key Employee Behavior Term Paper

Coaching Plan for Addressing a Key Employee Behavior - Term Paper Example In addition, it is never obvious that the new employee will turn out to be more productive and thus the manager might have to go through the same expensive process severally before obtaining a productive workforce. On the other hand, coaching enables a company to utilize the resources for its betterment since the productivity of the employee is increased without having to undergo costs of hiring and training new employees. In most instances, the employees only require minimal coaching to realize their faults or weaknesses. Adopting the option of coaching employees other than firing also increases the job satisfaction and loyalty of employees towards the employer. There are several coaching strategies, but they all aim at improving the performance of employee both qualitatively and quantitatively hence overall organization success (Emerson and Loehr 5-10). This paper is a case study of Joan, an employee in research institute, who has a problem with her productivity but is adamant abou t her performance. She does not appear to be well organized and constantly misses meeting deadlines. The paper seeks to establish a five step coaching process that can be used to assist Joan improve her performance. Joan is a research assistant in a medical research institute and has been working with the institute for the last one year. Joan was employed immediately after graduating and received minimal training since she was academically qualified. She also had some experience in medical research as she had attended a three months attachment in a different medical research institute during her college training. Her roles include visiting hospitals to collect samples for laboratory tests, recording the results, and writing the reports on the research experiments. Some reports are required for publishing thus strict deadlines are occasionally set. From the start, Joan has never been prompt enough in forwarding the reports, which has resulted in delaying the publishing process hence lowering the overall performance of the institute. Another problem is that her reports are disorganized at times such that the chief technician has to correct several errors before publishing. The chief technician realized Joan’s problem and wanted her sacked by the management. However, the manager felt that the poor performance was because Joan was new in the company and thus suggested they give her some time to get oriented after which they would asses her productivity. Seven month later, Joan’s performance improved slightly but she was still disorganized and failed to meet deadlines quite often, which worried the manager. At one time, the manager had moved her to a different position but he noticed she disliked the position, seemed unsatisfied and her performance had not changed. The manager realized that sacking Joan would not be the appropriate solution since he has used this strategy severally while attempting to replace underperforming employees, but he keeps en countering the same problem or a different problem with new employees. The Manager thus decided to try a different approach of coaching which had been suggested to him some time back but he had ignored it thinking it was time consuming and expensive. When he first requested Joan to see him, she gladly accepted. However, when the manager told her of his

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay Example for Free

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay The emergence of technology has brought about different social effects. Some have lost while others have gained from the technology. A great part of technology involves working with machines and this has resulted into less human labor and most of the people have been rendered jobless by the machines. This is a negative effect on the social group that was working together since some have to be laid off to give way for the machines. Some people have become wealthier while others have become poor and this has created a gap between the two groups. This has changed the expectations of many people in the social environment (Langdon, 1986). For those who have studied how to work with the machines they are enjoying and getting closer to their social groups. People can easy work from home and this has made working easier. Social groups can work together on the internet and they can even share a network. Most of the technology lies in the computer and through the computer; people can easily talk with all their friends in the social websites. People also find spouses and lost friends on the internet and this is a merit of technology since people keep in touch even when they are far from each other (English-Lueck 1998). In social groups like families, technology has led to breakups of close family ties sine the family members can communicate by sending an email and chatting. They feel that they are close to their relatives even when they are in distant places hence they do not bother to travel home. This has made most of the parents to lose control over their children. This is a way in which technology has created freedom for the young generation (Ruth. 1989). References 1. Ruth Schwartz Cohen, (1989), More work for mother; The Ironies of Household Technology from the open hearth to the Microwave, London, Free Association Books 2. Langdon Winner, (1986), The Whale and the Reactor; A Search for Limits in an Age of High Technology, Chicago, University of Chicago press 3. J. A. English-Lueck, (1998), Technology and Social Change; The effects of family and community retrieved October 31, 2008 from website; http://www. sjsu. edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPcosa. html

The Clostridium Difficile Infections Biology Essay

The Clostridium Difficile Infections Biology Essay The organism known as Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive bacillus bacteria which has the ability to form spores, as well as produce a number of toxins. The toxins produced by these bacteria are presently considered to be one of the forefront causes of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).In addition, infection of this bacteria and the subsequent damage which is instigated by the organisms invasive toxins can lead to several serious gastrointestinal conditions including pseudomembranous colitis (PHAC, 2011). According to the Centre for Disease Control (2012), Clostridium difficile is proposed to be the causative of between 15 and 25% of all AAD cases in Canada. Due to its specific pathogenesis, this organism is easily spread throughout a given population, with increased risk attributed to various factors which contribute to a higher level of exposure. Given this, there are often outbreaks experienced within healthcare facilities, as well as within community settings. In addition , the organism has well known epidemiology, with certain patient attributes, exposure to high-risk environment, medical conditions and various medications contributing to an increased risk of both the asymptomatic Clostridium difficile colonization (CDC) or the symptomatic and sometimes deadly Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Infection by Clostridium difficile can also lead to various chronic and adverse effects after the initial recovery such as recurrent infections, surgeries being required to rectify the damage which has been caused by the toxins effect on the patients bowels (3). As a result of this persistent organisms observable damage and tendency to spread, any sort of CDI outbreak has definite implications on the healthcare system, both from a fiscal as well as a resource and time-allocation standpoint. CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE Pathogenesis Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) are gram positive, spore-forming bacillus bacteria which, as an opportunistic pathogen, inhabit the anaerobic conditions of the human gastrointestinal system. It is also the leading cause of health care-associated diarrhea (Bourgault, 2011). As reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), Clostridium difficile can be isolated from the stool of 3% of healthy adults and up to 80% of healthy newborns and infants (Kujiper, 2008). The reason that it can be so detrimental in the case of an infection is that along with a number of other virulence factors, it produces two toxins, known as toxin A and toxin B (CDC, 2012). In patients who display either a colonization or infection, the normal gastrointestinal flora is depleted due to a number of extenuating risk factors. Provided with these circumstances, the C. difficile bacteria are able to flourish and overrun the patients bowel. The major agressins (Borriello, 1998) of C. difficile are u ndoubtedly toxins A and B, however, there are a number of other virulence factors possessed by the organism which contribute to its potential to cause harm. According to Borriello, C.difficile is influenced by its ability to adhere the intestinal wall, which may be caused by the organisms intrinsic slight positive net charge. This attracts to the negatively charged host cells [and] may contribute to gut colonization (Borriello, 1998). Both toxins A and B are cytotoxic to a very large number of different cell types, both cause increased vascular permeability, and both cause haemorrhage (Borriello, 1998). In addition, toxin A appears to cause fluid accumulation, whereas toxin B does not (Borriello, 1998). Clinical Features Immediate clinical symptoms of C. difficile can include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain and tenderness (PHAC, 2011) as well as watery diarrhea. The diarrhea is a by-product of the toxins produced by the multiplying bacteria as they invade the mucosa of the intestines. This causes profuse inflammatory diarrhea secondary to destruction of the lining of the colon (4). In more severe cases, it can cause pseudomembranous colitis, bowel perforation, sepsis, and even death (PHAC, 2011). Diagnostic Methods There are currently several reliable, widely-used laboratory tests which are used in the diagnosis of C. difficile colonization and infection. Microbiological stool culture is the most sensitive test available (CDC, 2012) and is considered the confirmatory test, but it also carries the highest incidence of false-positives. This occurs when the patient is infected with a non-toxigenic strain of C. difficile. PCR assays have been developed for the gene which encodes for toxin B. In addition, antigen detection by either latex agglutination or immunochromographic assays (CDC, 2012) provides a fast way to detect the presence of Clostridium difficile. Again, it is non-specific for toxigenicity. Toxin testing tests for specificity to toxin B, while enzyme immunoassays can detect either toxin (CDC, 2012). As studied by Kinson in 2009, additional testing for various markers is also being investigated as a means of detecting infections. Examples of this include fecal lactoferrin, a marker for intestinal inflammation (Kinson, 2009) as well as glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), which is C. difficile-specific [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] however GDH positivity is independent of toxigenicity in strains of C. difficile (Kinson, 2009). Although its presence does confirm Clostridium difficile is present in the patient, it does not confirm that the strain present in this patient is toxigenic. Therapeutics According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, mild cases of CDI can resolve with only supportive treatment such as intravenous fluids to combat dehydration (PHAC, 2011). Additionally, the Centre for Disease Control states that up to 20% of cases will resolve within two to three days of discontinuing the antibiotic to which the patient was previously exposed (CDC, 2012). In more severe cases, the infection can usually be treated with an appropriate course (about 10 days) of antibiotics, including metronidazole, vancomycin (administered orally), or recently approved fidaxomicin (Aylin, 2011). If the bacteria have severely damaged sections of the bowel, it may have to be removed surgically as well (Louie, 2004). EPIDEMIOLOGY Risk Factors for Infection The incidence of infection by Clostridium difficile is affected by a number of risk factors, which is depicted in Figure 1 (Owens, 2008). Being hospitalized greatly increases the chances of becoming infected with C. difficile. These bacteria are shed in the feces, and are usually transmitted between patients either by healthcare workers, or by surfaces or equipment not being fully sanitized between patients (Louie, 2004). However, there has been an increasing trend of community-acquired infections as well. In a study performed at Harvard Medical School, it was found that community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection may account for more than a third of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea overall (Leffler, 2012). In addition, the use of medications such as antibiotics, particularly fluoroquinolones (Bourgault, 2011), as well as proton pump inhibitors (used to supress production of gastric acid in gastrointestinal conditions) have been shown to increase the risk of a Clostri dium difficile infection. In a study by Haider et al, it was shown that while the use of proton pump inhibitors appears to lead to an elevated risk of developing severe CDI (Haider, 2012), another widely used type of gastric acid suppressant medication known as histamine 2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) actually appears to decrease the risk of an infection (Haider, 2012). Gastrointestinal surgery is also a known risk factor for severe infection with Clostridium difficile (Louie, 2004). According to Public Health Ontario, infections are more likely to be considered severe in an elderly or immunocompromised patient (OAHPP, 2011). However, it has been shown that the presence of multiple medical conditions, or co-morbidity, is actually a better predictor then age as to the outcome of the infection. Severe CDI occurs more frequently with advancing age. However, age, per se, has no effect on mortality (Dharmarajan, 2000). IMPLICATIONS IN PUBLIC HEALTH Resource Allocation It has been shown that both the financial implications, as well as the allocation of resources within the health care system produced by Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) are quite significant. Public Health Ontario stated at the time of their study in 2010, that the cost of CDI readmissions alone is estimated to be a minimum of CAD $128,200 per year per hospital (OAHPP, 2011). A more extensive look in to the associative costs was completed in 2008 at Washington Universitys School of Medicine. Dubberke studied a population of CDAD patients and proposed that a cost of $2454 was attributed to each case of CDAD, with that cost increasing to $5042 per patient if their stay exceeded 180 days of hospitalization (Dubberke, 2008). According to the study conducted in by Dr. Forster et al (2011), an infection with C. difficile extends the patients hospital stay from an average of 8 days to an average of 34 days (Forster, 2011). This not only increases the burden on health care wo rkers, but also utilizes time and supplies which are quite preventable. CONCLUSION

Minorities in Congress Essay -- Congress Racism Politics Essays

Minorities in Congress In forming a government for the people, by the people, and of the people, our Founding Fathers developed the idea a bi-cameral legislature. This Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and Senate, thus became known as the people’s branch of government. American children are taught in schools that anyone can be elected to Congress, so long as they meet the qualifications of the Constitution. So long as you meet the age and residency requirements you are indeed qualified to be a candidate for Congress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If we take a more in-depth look at the composition of Congress we see a body disproportionate with its Nation. Congress has maintained a fairly homogenous make-up since its founding even into the year 2001. This conclusion raises no eye brows as both the executive and judicial branches of government have also maintained a very white, male, Protestant resemblance. However, Congress was formed for a distinct purpose: to represent the people of the United States of America. The melting pot of America’s huddled masses has been slow in placing leaders that truly represent its demographics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a number of simple and complex reasons as to why this under-representation of minorities has occurred. Who is the real minority in Congress? This is not a simple partisan question, though it seems partisanship is a factor. An examination of the composition of the current, 107th Congress will lend greater light on where Congress stands as a representative body. A quick laundry list of the minorities in the United States being under-represented might read as such: African-Americans, Women, Black Women, Hispanics, Gays and Lesbians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, Indians (Native Americans). All of the above groups have a unique history in struggling for greater representation. We now examine some of those histories in trying to answer why America’s Congress does not look like America’s people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While Voting Rights legislation had a great impact on changing the composition of Congress, other factors exist as barriers to minority representation in Congress. One of these is the use of single-member districts. Of great debate as to whether it is helping or hindering minority candidates is the establishment of minority districting and the use of racial gerrymandering. The question of constitutionality and these dist... ...tion has focused attention on the problems of our current system of voting. With the disproportionate amount of minorities being represented in Congress today, a change in the voting system is inevitable unless the two parties make a concerted effort to draw larger minority support and offer up minority candidates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Political reforms other than proportional representation may prove to favor minority candidates. Those looking to narrow the gap in Congress have looked at term limits and campaign finance reform. The idea that term limits would aid minorities comes from the fact that incumbents are so much more successful in elections. While there is always a call by reformers of government to implement term limits, the probability of this occurring seems quite slim. However, campaign finance reform is making headway this year in Congress. Supporters of reform argue that it would open access to greater candidates seeking election and not just those supported by the â€Å"big money† interests or soft money backing of parties. This augmentation of viability for a candidate would enhance the chances of minorities becoming candidates, thus enabling their representation in Congress.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

My Life Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every person in life must go through changes in their lifetime. Some are drastic changes and some are minor changes, but either way, a person must learn to cope with all of sorts of them. Change can take the best out of someone or it can bring the worst out in someone, for example, going to a new school, getting a new haircut, anything can make a difference in a persons life. In my situation, the most enormous change must have been coming to the United States with my family and trying to adjust to a new lifestyle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While growing up in a family of five people including myself, coming to a new country was a horrid experience. Being ten years old myself, things became harder while living with 4 other people, especially when they are all counting on you. Similar to Edite’s life, my first few years in the U.S. became difficult to deal with, considering how I was only a ten year old girl doing things for my family that a normal ten year old child would not do, for example, translating television to important phone calls, it became overwhelming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the problems, which I dealt with for the first few years, were very consistent. Everyday things such as, watching a movie or watching a sitcom became more of a headache than a relaxing moment. I would spent the program translating what people are saying rather than watching it for myself and being able to enjoy it. Since I was the only one in t...

Sugar :: essays research papers

Clarke 1 Sweet Foods And Peoples Moods   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Probably some of the most pleasurable and enjoyable memories of a person has to do with sweets. When thinking back to birthdays, there is always the memory of the wonderful cake that mother beautifully made and decorated with frosting and glazes. A typical night out with dad can be transformed into a magical evening with a trip to the ice cream parlor. The end of a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner turns heavenly when a hot apple pie is brought to the table and topped with delicious, melting vanilla ice cream. A good wedding is never complete without the cutting of the splendid multi-level wedding cake, when the happy new couple gets to playfully shove and smear cake and white frosting into each other’s smiling faces. Everyone knows that as a child, the only good part about going to the dentist is getting the candy bar at the end of the visit. Why do some people get sick after eating too much suger? Some people do not even know that the abuse of sugar can lead to negative effects on your body. There is something strangely enjoyable and resplendent about the consumption of sugar. Why is it that sugar is so deliciously enjoyable and at the same time a food product that has many negative affects on people’s health? For years doctors have been saying that refined sugars are empty calories and consist of absolutely no vitamins or minerals that people need to survive. Dentists warn that sugary foods encourage tooth decay. Many people avoid sweet food because it can lead to obesity, heart problems, diabetes and cancer. These negative responses by people’s bodies are actually warnings. Maybe people eat sugar for other reasons than the sweet taste. The human body's negative responses to sugar may be a similar purpose to the reason kids feel pain when they are playing too roughly. People’s consumption of sweet foods might also serve as a sign of defiance against their bodies’ health limitations. What many people do not realize is that their tasty treats can affect their mind and emotions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many parents may be surprised when they realize how sugar can affect their children. All parents want their kids to be well behaved and do well in school. To encourage their kids to behave themselves in school and get good grades, parents often reward their children with sweets such as candy, a special trip to the ice cream parlor, or any other store full of great treats to motivate the young children to keep up the good work.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17

The next day was only a partial shift at work for me, but when I saw how busy things were, I suspected I'd have a hard time dragging myself away. Seth wasn't working in the caf? ¦, but I found a note on my desk. He'd apparently already been there earlier. Thetis – Have some errands to run, but I'd like to see you later. I miss you and don't like how we left things. Come on over later when you get the chance. I'll be home all night. Love, Seth I had some things of my own to take care of, and after reading his note, I suddenly wanted them done as soon as possible so that I could go see him. As I was about to leave, Maddie caught a hold of me and covertly led me into the history books. To my astonishment, she pushed down her shirt collar, baring her shoulder. â€Å"Whoa,† I joked. â€Å"Don't you think things are moving kind of fast?† â€Å"Look,† she whispered, pointing at the lacy bra strap that had been revealed. â€Å"It's red.† â€Å"That it is,† I agreed, still a little puzzled. â€Å"It's number one.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"My three adventurous things. I bought a red bra.† I stared in astonishment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you said my idea was ridiculous?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"I thought it was†¦but then, well†¦I heard about Seth. What happened to him. You were there, right?† My favorite topic. â€Å"Yeah, I was there.† â€Å"Didn't it freak you out? I mean†¦right there in front of you: life and death.† â€Å"Yeah. Kind of.† Shaking her head, she looked back up at me. â€Å"Hearing what happened to him just kind of shook me up. I told you it wasn't that easy to be adventurous, but suddenly I decided that maybe it was. I just had to take control.† I smiled. â€Å"With a red bra.† She flushed. â€Å"Hey! All your lingerie may be red and edible, but this is the first bra I've ever bought that isn't white or black.† I reined in my humor and gave her a genuinely pleased smile. â€Å"I'm proud of you, Maddie. I really am.† â€Å"Don't patronize me,† she warned. â€Å"I'm not. It looks great. You get matching underwear?† Now she really looked embarrassed. â€Å"A thong.† I repressed the urge to whistle. â€Å"Nice work, soldier.† She wandered off, back to the registers. Moments later, I felt an immortal signature and a touch on my shoulder. Spinning around, I found Tawny's enormous chest practically shoved into my face. I'd heard little from the succubus since I'd called to tell her she had a job at Simon's. Niphon's presence at the poker game had been the only indication that she still hadn't bagged a guy. â€Å"Georgina – † she wailed, lower lip trembling. â€Å"No, no,† I interrupted. I grabbed her arm and dragged her toward my office. â€Å"Not here.† I managed to close the door just before she burst into tears. I groaned. â€Å"Now what's happened?† â€Å"I met a guy last night.† She flounced into my chair, and it was a wonder her breasts didn't hit her in the face. I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my own chest in a sort of protective gesture. â€Å"Okay†¦that's not a bad thing.† She swallowed a sob, and it was all I could do not to clean up the mascara smudges on her face. Honestly, how much did that woman wear? â€Å"We had a great time†¦had drinks and talked and all that.† â€Å"That's not a bad thing either.† She shook her head. â€Å"But at the end of the night, he told me he just wanted to be friends.† â€Å"He – wait. You got the friends line from someone you just met?† Tawny nodded. â€Å"What did you say to him? Like†¦did you proposition him?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I asked him if he wanted to meet me in the bathroom and try out this edible mint chocolate warming gel I have.† â€Å"You – what?† Tawny reached into her purse and started to pull out a tube of something. I waved her off. â€Å"No, no. I don't need to see it.† â€Å"What went wrong?† she cried. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wasn't sure if I should laugh or weep. Tawny was never going to pull this off. Never. â€Å"You might have come on too strong. And honestly†¦that gel thing? That's just weird.† â€Å"I thought guys were into that kind of thing.† â€Å"Some are†¦but, I don't know. What kind of guy is he? What's he do for a living?† â€Å"He's a cashier.† â€Å"Hmm. Okay. That's not too bad.† â€Å"Over at Blessed Images.† â€Å"Over at – you propositioned a guy who works at a religious supply store?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I wanted a good one,† she told me. â€Å"There's no better place.† â€Å"Oh my God. Tawny†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I didn't even know where to start. There were so many nuances to seduction, so many tactics and strategies. She didn't know any of them, and seriously, I didn't even know if she could learn. â€Å"I got you the strip club job†¦why are you trolling religious supply stores? Guys should just be coming up to you after your sets.† Something troubling occurred to me. â€Å"You do still have the job, don't you?† I believed Simon would stick to his word, but one never knew for sure with his type. â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she mumbled. â€Å"But those guys aren't – â€Å" â€Å"For the last time! Forget the good ones. You can't afford to be choosy.† I studied her. She was clearly low on energy again. Frowning, I recalled my date with Liam. â€Å"So†¦Tawny†¦things really didn't work out with Nick the auctioneer?† She took a tissue from the box on my desk and blew her nose loudly. â€Å"Nope. I told you. I called, and he said he wasn't interested.† I was good at reading people, very good. It was, well, what made me a star succubus. And looking into those teary blue eyes, I searched for some sign of deceit. Any sign. I found nothing. So who was lying? Tawny or Liam? And why would either one of them lie? Liam had no reason to – not about Tawny. Tawny, I supposed, could be in league with Niphon. Maybe he wanted to prolong things simply to annoy me. That was a dangerous game for both of them. His animosity couldn't be strong enough to risk pissing off Jerome. And I knew Jerome would be pissed off if he found out Tawny's orientation was being used for ulterior motives. There was also the fact that Tawny's energy had shown no post-sex glamour the day after Liam saw her and Nick together. She hadn't gotten any. That was my only hard evidence in all of this. All of these thoughts flitted through my mind in a heartbeat. If Tawny really was pulling a poker face on me, she'd soon learn that she wasn't the only one who could do it. Keeping my expression exasperated and unsuspecting, I said, â€Å"Tawny†¦I†¦I just don't get this. Any of this.† â€Å"That's it?† she asked. â€Å"You're my mentor, and that's all you've got for me?† â€Å"I got you the job! I don't know what else to do. Maybe we can go out together and†¦God help me†¦do a three-some or something.† I could imagine few things more horrible than that, but these were desperate times. The expression on Tawny's face showed similar sentiments. â€Å"I don't know about that,† she said. â€Å"I don't think I really do that.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"In another century or so, you'll find you do everything.† She blew her nose again. â€Å"Well†¦I want to keep trying on my own before anything like that. Until then†¦do you think†¦do you think you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Could what?† â€Å"You know.† â€Å"No, I really don't.† From her, a request could be anything. Tawny gulped. â€Å"The kissing thing again.† â€Å"No! I told you that was a one-time deal.† â€Å"But†¦but†¦I'm so low†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She burst into tears again. And yeah, she was low on energy. Really low. By tomorrow morning, she could be in danger of losing her shape again. Fuck. This wasn't possible. I had to be getting played here, but why and how? Was all this hassle worth it to Niphon, just to keep irritating me? Fuck. â€Å"This is the last time,† I growled. She stopped mid-sob. â€Å"Really?† I sighed. â€Å"Come here.† With a sense of dread, I kissed her again. My discomfort had less to do with the act of kissing her than it did with me realizing I'd just pushed myself into dangerous energy limits. I was the one who'd need a fix before morning now. And if I got an energy fix, it was likely my dream stalker would return†¦. With the influx of life, Tawny was able to shape-shift away her disheveled appearance. â€Å"Thanks, Georgina! You're the best!† She started to hug me, and I jerked away. â€Å"Just go out and get laid, okay?† Doug stuck his head in just then, asking for my help. He didn't seem to have heard my charge to battle, thankfully. His eyes widened when he saw Tawny. I shooed her out, warning her not to forget what we'd talked about. â€Å"Is she single?† he asked, watching her walk away. Her pleather pants were riding up. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"Very. But she's high maintenance.† After I finished my survey of the bookstore, I went off to take care of assorted errands. When I finally made it to Seth's place, I found him lying lengthwise on his couch, laptop open as usual. He sat up and closed it when I stepped inside. â€Å"Hey, Thetis,† he said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. I sat down beside him, and silence fell as we regarded each other. The air between us wasn't angry, but it wasn't bursting with love either. It was speculative. We were sizing each other up. He reached into the V-neck collar of my sweater, and I flinched. Then, I felt his fingers brush by the chain I'd been wearing his ring on. He pulled the ring out and ran his fingertips over the dolphin. â€Å"Around your neck, huh? What is this, high school?† â€Å"Might as well be,† I said, â€Å"seeing as how we haven't even made it to second base yet.† He smiled and released the ring, moving his fingers up to my cheek. â€Å"Yes, we have.† He sighed. â€Å"We sure do seem to be fighting a lot lately, huh?† â€Å"Yeah.† I settled back into the couch's softness. â€Å"It's not even about sex anymore.† â€Å"I noticed that. It's boring stuff, actually.† â€Å"Boring?† He shrugged. â€Å"You know. Typical relationship stuff. Spending time with each other. Trust. Communication. Love isn't always about grand forces of the universe keeping us apart.† Unless, I thought, you considered the difference in length between a mortal life and an immortal one. I didn't know why Seth's lifespan was bothering me lately. I'd understood the complications on an intellectual level when we'd first started dating, but I hadn't really had such visceral reactions until recently. Him getting shot hadn't helped, I supposed. And speaking of which†¦ â€Å"I never thanked you,† I told him. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For risking your life for mine.† â€Å"But you can't di – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah. We've already established that, like, a hundred times. And the wisdom – or lack thereof – of your actions aside, it was sweet and brave and†¦and, well, thank you.† Seth moved his hand over mine and squeezed it. â€Å"There's nothing to thank me for.† I stood up. â€Å"Well, now that we've got the sentimental stuff out of the way, let's get down to business. Take off your clothes.† Seth started. â€Å"Wai – what?† â€Å"Well,† I amended, â€Å"except for your boxers.† â€Å"Are we going to second base after all?† â€Å"Just do it.† While he stripped, I gathered some things from his kitchen, as well as from a tote bag I'd brought. When I returned to the living room, he was sitting in the center of the couch in boxers only. They were soft gray flannel. Adorable. I sat down on the floor in front of him, moving a bowl of warm water beside me. After dipping a washcloth into the water, I slowly began rubbing it over his feet. Seth was quiet for several moments. Then: â€Å"You getting Biblical on me? Didn't somebody wash Jesus' feet?† I rewet the cloth and began moving up one of his legs. â€Å"Don't worry,† I told him. â€Å"I don't expect you to turn this water into wine. At least not until I'm done.† I moved the washcloth over Seth's calf. It was leanly muscled, covered in tawny brown hair. â€Å"The foot washing tradition is bigger than the Bible. You find it everywhere, long before New Testament times, in lots of other cultures. Kings. Generals. They all got this treatment.† â€Å"You wash a lot of kings' and generals' feet?† he teased. â€Å"Yeah, actually.† â€Å"Oh. Well. I don't think I'm really in that league.† I smiled and moved on to the other calf. â€Å"Not true. Poets and bards used to have as much prestige as kings. Lots of them got this too.† â€Å"I miss the good old days. Now we're lucky if we get paid.† I washed his thigh, careful to avoid the bandaged wound. â€Å"Yeah, true. But people also don't threaten to behead you if they don't like what you wrote.† â€Å"You obviously haven't read some of my reviews.† â€Å"I only read the good ones.† I finished both legs and dropped the washcloth into the water. I scooted the bowl away. Seth started to get up, but I shooed him back down. â€Å"Nope. Not finished.† I reached for a bottle of massage oil I'd brought and poured some on my hands. It smelled like almonds. â€Å"That was just to get you clean.† With as much deliberation as I'd performed the washing, I massaged the oil into his skin, starting with his feet once again. Washing can be sensual, but rubbing someone with oil is doubly so. Triple, even. The light banter faded between us. Seth simply watched, wonder and arousal on his face as I worked my way up. And as I met his gaze, I saw more than just those feelings. The love in his eyes was so powerful, I needed to look away. Seth had an amazing grasp of the English language, but there were days when that skill was nothing compared to what he told me in his looks. When I finished his legs, I climbed up behind him on the couch and worked on his back and chest too. I'd been giving massages almost as long as I'd been dancing. I knew exactly what to do, knew where all the muscle groups were and how to unkink them. Seth had a lot of stiffness and knots in his back, either from bad laptop posture or stress. Maybe both. At last, the job was complete. Heedless of oil on me or the couch, he leaned back and pulled me to his chest. My cheek rested on his smooth, slick skin, and the scent of almond and Seth enveloped me. â€Å"Ah, Georgina,† he sighed. â€Å"I wish I could return that.† â€Å"I'll just pretend you did.† He sighed again. â€Å"I hate the pretending.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"I mean it. Really hate it.† The vehemence in his voice startled me. I lifted my head up. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I'm just†¦I don't know.† He shook his head. â€Å"Frustrated, I guess.† â€Å"Sexually frustrated?† â€Å"Sure†¦but it's more than that. Do you ever think about us†¦just, you know, doing it maybe once?† â€Å"No,† I said immediately. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"I'd take the risk.† â€Å"The shooting addled your brain. You've always been the strong one, remember?† â€Å"The shooting's made me think about what life means, that's all.† He sounded just like Maddie. How could such a foolish gesture on his part be inspiring so many people? Was I too jaded? Could I no longer relate to humans? â€Å"And I mean, I can't even reciprocate a simple massage. You perform all the time for me†¦but what do you get? You must be the one who's sexually frustrated. The stuff you do on the side†¦well, that doesn't matter. Sometimes I think Hugh was right. You do suffer more than me.† â€Å"No, I don't. The sex stuff bugs me, but I can handle it.† â€Å"I hope I can,† said Seth. â€Å"When I was in the hospital, I had this weird moment where I started thinking about how I write about all these action-packed things but don't live any of it. O'Neill has dozens of great romances, but me? I can't even have one.† â€Å"It sucks,† I agreed. â€Å"But with the risks†¦well. We know this is how it has to be.† â€Å"What about the rest?† â€Å"Hmm?† Seth shifted slightly so that he could look into my face. â€Å"Do you really think about me dying? Do you worry about me?† â€Å"Sometimes.† â€Å"Am I going to cause you pain in the end?† â€Å"No,† I said breezily. â€Å"Of course not.† He pulled me back to his chest. â€Å"I love you, Georgina. You give me more joy than I ever expected to find in this life. I want to be with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ran a hand through my hair, tangling it in his fingers. â€Å"But not if it's going to do more harm than good. I don't want you to hurt. I don't want you to spend the rest of my life worrying about my body and my soul. I don't want you to cry when I'm gone.† A lump formed in my throat, and I thought I might actually start crying then and there. There was something in his voice, a strange and ominous note that scared me for reasons I couldn't entirely explain. I dug my fingers into his skin and pressed myself closer to him. â€Å"No more,† I whispered. â€Å"I don't want to talk about this anymore. It isn't relevant.† Seth tightened his grip on me and didn't respond. We went to bed after that, speaking little. He snuggled against me, resting his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair, taking in his scent and his feel. As he slipped into sleep, I thought about what he'd said about what puts meaning into life. I thought about wanting and needing. And what I needed right then was energy. Tawny'd wiped me out, and there was no way I was going to start shifting back to the body I'd been born with. Still touching Seth's hair, I thought how easy it would be to just lean down and kiss him. Really kiss him. And kiss him and kiss him†¦ Wanting and needing. Regretfully, I slipped out of bed. Seth was a heavy sleeper and simply rolled to his side, never coming close to waking. With a wistful look, I left the condo and used my last bit of energy to put on a different shape. Finding a victim wasn't hard – further reinforcing how absurd the whole Tawny thing was – and in less than two hours, I was back in bed with Seth and recharged. That creepy voice didn't speak to me, for which I was grateful. Sad but sated, I fell asleep. And I dreamed.

Enjoying Life

Study Questions on Eveline for Yud Bet Five test Thursday, December 26, 2002 Some of the questions below are the ones that will appear on your exam, so study them well. (NOTE: you will NOT be allowed to have the text in front of you during the test, so make sure that you study beforehand! ) 1. Why didn’t Eveline go with Frank? Was it a rational decision or more of an emotional response? What do you think about her decision? What do you think the writer thinks about her decision? 2.Where in the story is Eveline compared to an animal? Why does the writer compare her to an animal? 3. After reading Eveline, what impression do you get of James Joyce’s attitude towards the Catholic Church? Find evidence in the story to prove this. 4. Discuss the motif of dust which pervades the story. What does the dust symbolize? 5. There are two points of view present in this story: that of Eveline herself and that of the narrator. How can we differentiate in the story between these two poi nts of view?What is the purpose of having these two points of view? 6. Describe Eveline’s state of mind at the port. What descriptions indicate this most clearly? 7. a. Fill in the following table: |Contrasting Symbols and Images Between | |Eveline’s life and Frank’s life | |Eveline’s life |Frank’s life | |a. ust |a. | |b. Margaret Mary Alacoque |b. | |c. |c. the open sea | |d. |d. â€Å"awfully fond of music and sang a little | |e. |e. face of bronze | |f. â€Å"her head was leaned against the window curtain† |f. | b. Based on these symbols, what can we say that Eveline’s life represents? c. Frank’s life?

A financial quagmire Essay

The whole world is in a financial quagmire. A myriad of financial woes have engulfed financial institutions and any other corporations in this domain all the world round. This financial meltdown came to the light following the collapse of Lehmann Brothers, after which this financial crunch came to be addressed in the open and by all the governments. The United States of America was at the core of this crunch. This was further aggravated by the fact the Bush administration was finalizing on its clench to power. A presidential election was looming and the major rivals; Barack Obama and John McCain were faced with the uphill task of unveiling their plans regarding keeping the crisis at bay and mitigating the effects. Both unveiled their economic plans to the American public and the public chose to go as per Mr. Obama’s plans; a bailout through a federal stimulus package (BRUNE, para 4). After his election, the Congressional Democrats in partnership with President Obama came forth with an $825 billion dollar fiscal recovery package known to many as the Federal Stimulus Package. This would give the unemployed Americans a chance to improve their lives and ensure that each and every American faces little or no difficulty in dealing with the costs of living during this period. Analysts have come forward and allegedly claim that the effects of this crisis would be felt for the next several years. The package would be used on education, aid to states for Medicaid costs, increase in unemployment benefits and on an arena of public works and projects in order to increase the jobs available to the public (HERSZENHORN, para 2 ). The proposal of the stimulus came under serious criticism and has become subject to a lot of intense haggling, fierce lobbying by the Republicans and its core details have come under intense negotiations. A lot of pessimism has been expressed over this stimulus. Many bear the taciturn notion that it will only plunge the country into deeper waters. The Americans would have to face an ugly recession, which is in its all-time high, and a nationwide unemployment rate of 12%. The plan, christened by the Democrats as â€Å"American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009†, has been President Obama’s core agenda as many see it as the determining factor of the direction of his presidency. The fact that it was one of his major campaign promises that gave him an edge over his rivals leaves him with no choice but to be more pragmatic and see to it that this succeeds. A breakdown of the package includes $87 billion towards the aid to states for Medicaid costs, $79 billion for colleges and local public schools to avoid cutbacks, $90 billion for infrastructure, $54 billion to push for the production of energy from renewable sources, $10 for science and research, $6 billion for enhancement of broadband services in rural areas, $13 billion for the disabled students, $1 billion towards technology enhancement and $43 billion to extend jobless benefits and retraining; to name but just a few. Though viewed by critics as a step of misplaced ambitions and misdirected energy, it is a major leap and a good example of walking the talk rather than sitting back to let nature take its course (HERSZENHORN, para 8). Economic experts are quick to add that though the stimulus is huge, it is not close to enough in stabilizing the economy of the United States of America. This is the highest amount of bailout that a single government has ever instituted on its economy. It is a great effort and jolt to the American economy, seen as a move to curb economic catastrophe. Bearing in mind that there is no other viable fiscal plan at hand, the stimulus package is worth a try. Many are wise enough to note from history of The Great Depression that counteraction is the measure and any procrastination would translate to nothing short of economic suicide. Work Cited: HERSZENHORN, D. M., Congress Moves on Stimulus Bill and Bailout Money. Retrieved on 2nd April 2009 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/business/economy/16webstimulus.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1, 2009 BRUNE, T., Economic stimulus package could reach $1.2T. Retrieved on 2nd April 2009 from: http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-usstim085956982dec08,0,5280976.story, 2008