Rising Violence in the Schools Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rising Violence in the Schools - Research Paper Example It emerges that murders in the school are claiming more lives per event although they are unusual occasions. The media have publicized these multiple-victim occasions and in some cases, they have exaggerated the events. As a result, there are changes in the public discernments of school security and in laws and strategies that affect the lives of children and youth every day. Due to the publicity of these events, many people have cited them as a foundation for school expulsion or labeling of youngsters. Consequently, this may cause unfavorable effects on their learning opportunities and perhaps on their social performance and personality development (Verlinden et al., 2000). Redding and Shalf (2001) argue that impressive school shooting occurrences have contributed to students and parents' declining sense of safety in the schools. More and more students have been feeling very insecure while at school or campus since 1989. Studies indicate that 4% of students fear that their fellow st udents might attack them on the way to or from school while 5% feel that other students might attack them while at school. ... Kimmel and Mahler (2003) indicate that in spite of the notable similarities between the sexes on most violence occurrences, the most pigheaded gender disparity in aggression is the motivation to see it as a lawful means of resolving conflict and its real use. For instance, four times more adolescent boys than adolescent girls believe violence is suitable â€Å"when someone cuts to the front of a line.† Moreover, half of all adolescent boys engage in a physical fight each year. This is because they think that fighting is the best way of releasing hurt feelings and sentiments. Society laments over the unusual hostility of its children, while experts and parents strive to comprehend the causes of such deeds. In responding to the rash of school murders experts have endeavored to shape prospectively aggressive children psychologically. This would help teachers, experts and parents to recognize them before they instigate violence. Another response to the violence has been to typify the executors in a sociological framework to comprehend better the reasons for their anger (Lockwood, 2000). The consequential condition of fear in schools and campuses is having a great impact on the readiness and capacity of students to learn as well as employment and maintenance of teaching personnel. They also affect student rights to confidentiality, the emotional health of students and teachers, sincerity and openness of the campus and the general quality of the learning atmosphere. This has led to changes in school discipline strategies and processes, local and state laws as well as feelings and insights of youth and children concerning their security in school and in society in general (Verlinden et al, 2000). Causes of School Violence Gun control

Requirements for Research Essay Example for Free

Requirements for Research Essay Abstract This study entitled â€Å"Orange (Citrus Sinensis) Peelings Extract as an Alternative shoe Polish† aims to aims to determine if orange peeling oil extract be a good alternative for shoe polish specifically to answer the following questions (1) What specific properties of the shoe polish produced are present/ identified? (2) What are the physical properties of the orange peeling extract shoe polish as to texture, color, and odor? (3) Is there significant difference/s between the orange peeling extract and coconut oil shoe polish with that of the other commercially sold shoe polish in terms of: polish-ness, odor, and texture? The researcher then conducted a series of experiments to test the project. These processes are the extraction of oil from the orange peelings that would be then mixed with the coconut oil produced (cooked) from the coconut plant and the testing and comparing of the alternative shoe polish made with that of the commercially sold shoe polish. The test was conducted with the use of leather shoes as the test object. The results showed that the alternative shoe polish produced has almost the same qualities as to that of the commercially sold shoe polish in terms of its physical properties. The produced shoe polish made the shoes shine a little bit and produced a nice odor considering the natural scent of the orange oil which is added to the mixture. The researcher recommends  trying testing different ratios of each and seeing in what trial it produced the best shoe polish. Further reading about the project is also recommended to widen the scope of study and to produce an alternative shoe polish that would be of help in aiming for the alternative shoe polish with the nearest qualities with that of commercial shoe polish. Acknowledgement The researcher wish to extend her sincerest appreciation to the following people who helped make this research. They are the ones who helped and supported me in performing this research. First to our Project Adviser and Research Teacher, Ma’am Juliet Ilustre-Herreria for continuously guiding and helping me throughout the making of my investigatory project; asked some tricky questions and suggested some opinions that eventually helped a lot in making the project. Next, to my cousin, Sherwin Keith Saringan for helping me choose what project to make and giving some information that could be of great help. To my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Balcorta for me giving support and supplying the materials that would be needed for this project to be completed. To my classmates and friends for giving encouragement whenever I lose hope and most of all to the Lord, up above, for answering my prayers and continuously guiding me in doing this research. Without these people around me, my investigatory project entitled, Orange (Citrus sinensis) Peeling Extract as an Alternative Shoe Polish, won’t be finished.

The Future of Marijuana in the United States Essay -- Drugs

American politicians are constantly finding themselves in a heated debate concerning the legalization of marijuana. Currently the no’s have it but the real question is how long will they be able to keep it that way. Since, "To the agriculturist, cannabis is a fiber crop; to the physician, it is an enigma; to the user, a euphoriant; to the police, a menace; to the trafficker, a source of profitable danger; to the convict or parolee and his family, a source of sorrow" (Mikuriya, 1969). Introduction The future of marijuana in the United States is uncertain. Whether it is truly on the path to legalization on a nationwide scale, no one knows. But one thing is for certain: marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. It has currently; the move towards legalization on a small scale has taken even further strides with Proposition 19 gaining approximately 44% of the California’s votes. One of the leading causes of the gradual tolerance of marijuana use has been the change in the perception of the substance among the older segment of our society. Since 2000, there has been a drastic increase in the amount of frequent marijuana users that are age 55 and above. This paper will seek to examine some of the major factors that have contributed to the significant rise in the prevalence of marijuana use among baby-boomers, the short-term effects of marijuana with an emphasis on how those effects would impact older individuals, the long-term effects of heavy mar ijuana use, and the potential political and social implications of extensive marijuana use amongst the United States’ older individuals. The first decade of the 21st century was a particularly eventful time in history. Recent studies have shown that ... ... Psycho geriatrics 20, 1081-1089. Hendrix, S. (2009). Boomers see views relaxing on marijuana. From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/15/AR2009111503007.html. Mikuriya, Tod H. (1969). Marijuana in Medicine: Past Present and Future. California Medicine 110(1), 34–40. Stack, P, Suddath, C. (2009). A Brief History of Medical Marijuana. Retrieved November 4, 2010 from http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931247,00.html. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (December 29, 2009). The NSDUH Report: Illicit Drug Use among Older Adults. Rockville, MD. (Suggested Citation) Tashkin, D.P. (1999). Effects of marijuana on the lung and its defenses against infection and cancer. School Psychology International. Special Issue: Preventing marijuana use among youth 20 (1), 23-37. .

Customer Service Essay

Introduction: â€Å"The customer is always right† is a famous business slogan. The underlying truth behind this statement is recognizing that customers are the life blood for any business. Understanding the importance of good customer service is essential for a healthy business in creating new customers, keeping loyal customers, and developing referrals for future customers Important of Customer Service: Customer service is important because customer service does more than simply provide a means to drive sales. It is also said that when companies have a commitment to a customer service this raises the bar of competition. There are following tip for good customer services.  Excellent customer service begins at the initial greeting. In this situations, using good people skills will increase the chances for a positive first impression. For example, saying hello with a smile to a customer who just walked in the door will invite that person in and make them feel welcome. Acknowledge the customer within a minute of them entering the premises, no matter how busy you are. This immediately helps make the customer feel welcome and at ease. Make eye contact with the customer. This makes both you and the customer feel more comfortable with each other. Finally, In terms of the general ambience, make sure premises are kept at an adequate temperature. Make sure don’t skimp on heating in th e winter, and in the summer if it’s too hot install cooling systems. This doesn’t have to cost a fortune but can make a big difference to the environment your customers enter. Too hot or too cold, and your customers will turn straight round and leave. Key point to Friendly Service:- Smile Talk to customer whenever possible Show to regular customers that you recognise them Use the steps below as guide but, above all, be yourself 1.Promptly welcome the Guest 2.Take the order clearly 3.Collect the payment accurately 4.Assemble the order completely 5.Deliver the order politely. Conclusion: You need to give support and guidance to your team to encourage them to improve their customer service delivery. It is about having a passion for customer service and sharing this enthusiasm with your colleagues and staff team. It is about leading by example. Lead a team to improve customer service 1.Be able to plan and organise the work of a team 2.Be able to provide support for team members 3.Be able to review performance of team members 4.Understand how to lead a team to improve customer service Be able to plan and organise the work of a team 1.Treat team members with respect at all times 2.Agree with team members your role in delivering effective customer service 3.Involve team members in planning and organising your customer service work 4.Motivate team members to work together to raise their customer service performance Be able to provide support for team members. 1.Check that team members understand what they have to do to improve their work with customers and why that is important 2.Check with team members what support they feel they may need throughout this process 3.Provide team members with support and direction when they need help 4.Encourage team members to work together to improve customer service

Led Zeppelin: A Decade That Changed Rock Music Essay

Led Zeppelin was formed in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. During that interval there were dramatic changes in rock music, its mythologies, the industry, and its audience. Through circumstance, design, and luck the band occupied a central position in some of the most significant of these developments. The band’s impact on rock was music was noteworthy: Led Zeppelin rewrote all the record books. All subsequent bands were measured by the standards it set. As with few other popular bands, the truth depends upon the perspective one takes. Since Led Zeppelin’s demise popular music and its institutions have changed significantly, in this paper, I will attempt to give both sides their due by sketching a measured image of the band and the role it played in the development of seventies rock music. It will be seen that the band emerged at a transitional period in popular music, and that partisans and critics alike hold it responsible for changes that characterized rock music in the seventies. Led Zeppelin was formed by Jimmy Page in late-1968. It rose from the ashes of the Yardbirds, a blues-rock band that, along with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, was one of the first-generation British groups. Despite the fact that it had been extremely successful in the United States, the group had little success in its native country. One of the band’s central claims to fame was that it employed in succession Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. Today, these musicians are revered as the holy trinity of white, English, rock-blues guitarists (Cole and Trubo 13-14). Page, a highly regarded session guitarist who played on numerous British hits, selected the musicians that would form his band. He first recruited another accomplished session musician, John Paul Jones, to play bass and keyboards. Discovering that his first choice for vocalist, Terry Reid, was unavailable he selected the relatively unknown Robert Plant. Plant, in turn, suggested a friend and former band-mate, John Bonham — â€Å"Bonzo† affectionately — to play drums. In their first rehearsal together, the four played the Yardbirds’ â€Å"The Train Kept a ‘Rollin. † The session has been described as â€Å"magic† by all present. The rest, as they say, is history (Yorke 21-3). Led Zeppelin, along with Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath, and Grand Funk, was a progenitor of the musical style known as â€Å"heavy metal† rock. As the name suggests, the genre features loudly amplified music that emphasizes the bottom register. Live or on a good stereo, its heaviness has a distinct somatic component — the throb of the guitar, bass, and drums can all be felt the in listener’s gut. Commentators interpret the genre as one of a number that emerged from the decomposition of psychedelic music in the late sixties (Straw 97-110), According to Straw, early heavy metal had three dominant stylistic traits; first, was the â€Å"cult† of the lead guitarist. Heavy metal bands were formed around guitar playing â€Å"geniuses† who were revered by fans for their instrumental prowess. As Weinstein reminds us, this extended to their use of, â€Å"A wide range of electronic gadgetry, such as wah-wah pedals and fuzz boxes† (Weinstein 23). Second, was the notion of the â€Å"power trio,† and other references to musical virtuosity. Unlike â€Å"pop† or commercial bands, whose relationship to musicianship was accidental at best, metal bands were made up of highly proficient musicians. Third, was the â€Å"supergroup† phenomenon, and the importance of extended solo playing that discarded the temporal limits of the pop song (Straw 97). As Weinstein observes, many of these attributes could also be discerned within pre-metal acts such as Hendrix or Cream (16-17). Later, the genre’s characteristics would sediment into distinctive stage shows, album cover designs, and audience dress and life styles. The success of this style has been interpreted as reflecting the emergence of a new rock audience, composed in Davis’ view, of, â€Å"Boys and young men between fifteen and twenty-four, an audience who like their rock to be loud, Anglo-Saxon, violent, 4/4, martial. The girls weren’t really at this party. It wasn’t a dance† (Davis 63). Audition tapes in hand, Led Zeppelin’s manager, Peter Grant, negotiated a five-album, ? 200,000 package with Atlantic Records in late 1969 (Lewis 45). In addition, the band was given complete artistic control over its music and album cover design. This was an unprecedented deal for a band that had yet to release a single album, and said as much for the negotiating skills of the principals as it did for the label’s expectations of the group’s potential for commercial success. In a move bound to raise more than a few eyebrows, the band removed the â€Å"a† from Lead Zeppelin, reportedly so that American fans would not mispronounce it. The magnitude of the deal would lead to charges that the band was based on â€Å"hype† rather than solid musicianship (Weinstein). Led Zeppelin’s early musical output fits squarely within the above stylistic categories. As Rockwell argues, its music was, â€Å"Essentially a prolongation of the nineteen-sixties British blues-rock tradition† (Rockwell n. p. ). Rather than offering a reinterpretation of the path laid down by its predecessors, the band’s music mutated the genre, creating a new offshoot. Two direct examples may be found on the band’s first album, Led Zeppelin: Willie Dixon’s â€Å"I Can’t Quit You† and â€Å"You Shook Me. † No mere covers, each song served as a point of departure for amplified, distorted, and shrieking musical efforts. Equally characteristic was the way Led Zeppelin offered up portentously expanded variants on American and British folk music. Songs such as â€Å"Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You† from the first album, or â€Å"Gallows Pole,† from the third, start with a vocal accompanied by an amplified acoustic guitar, building to complex tapestries of electrified sound and crashing drums (Yorke 72-4). These effects were realized by the way that Page used his guitar and electronic wizardry to explore the coloristic possibilities of distortion. Plant, on the other hand, used his voice like an instrument. This upset the vocal technique traditionally used by blues singers, which had required them to project emotion. Writing of this practice, Christgau argues, â€Å"Its influence on popular singing has been so widespread that, at least among males, singing and emoting have become almost identical — it is a matter of projection rather than hitting the notes† (n. p. ). Thus, singers like Bob Dylan or Neil Young who, by their own admission possessed little vocal talent, could be excused, or even revered, because of their ability to communicate not only lyrical content, but feelings. Plant’s vocals, in contrast, were devoid of feeling in the traditional sense. The expressive possibilities were found in the sound of his voice rather than in the lyric’s meaning (Lewis 67). No longer chained to lyrics, Plant used his voice as a sound rather than to express emotion, which often meant that a song’s lyrical content was often obscure or indecipherable. Led Zeppelin’s music did not emote in the traditional sense. Even the band’s acoustic work — sounds traditionally coded as â€Å"sincere† and â€Å"warm† — was sometimes interpreted as lacking feeling. The often meant that critics would interpret the band’s music as cold, or charge that it was just undifferentiated noise. With his characteristic penchant for hyperbole, Lester Bangs referred to Led Zeppelin’s music as, â€Å"The tonal equivalent of a 1933 Nuremburg rally (â€Å"Mighty† 62). An analysis of the band’s lyrical themes reveals a variety of topics and sources of inspiration. In Led Zeppelin’s early music, lyrical content, vocal style, and instrumental attack, often exemplify an aggressive, swaggering, male sexuality. All are found within the band’s â€Å"Whole Lotta Love,† one of its early hits. Recorded in 1969, the song has a â€Å"dirty† sounding, three-note riff, that has become one of rock’s most recognizable. Plant sung the lyrics, â€Å"borrowed† from Willie Dixon’s â€Å"You Need Love,† with his best histrionic ardor (Davis). Accompanied by the vocalist howling in orgasmic frenzy, the song’s middle section has churning, swirling, electronic sound effects that move from left to right speakers. On the same album, however, one finds â€Å"Ramble On,† a song that embodies and presages Robert Plant’s fascination with Tolkien-inspired imagery and Celtic themes. Undoubtedly, its lyrics owe a debt to traditional, blues-based tales of ‘ramblin men, who â€Å"have no time for spreading roots. † Ultimately, however, the song breaks from that mold by restating the narrative within the vernacular of an unrelenting, mythical quest for â€Å"the queen of all my dreams† (Lewis). Such songs are characteristic of Led Zeppelin’s output, and provide insight into what differentiated the band from its precursors. For Straw, one of the characteristics of their music was a, â€Å"Consistent non-invocation of rock history or mythology in any self-conscious or genealogical sense† (103). While he views this as a generic quality, it is particularly relevant to the analysis of Led Zeppelin’s music. Put differently, when Plant copped blues lyrics for a song it was rarely to evoke a specific musical mood or period. Instead, they became part of a larger musical dynamic. True, a song such as â€Å"Bring it on Home,† may have begun with the harmonica and voice mannerisms of an old, black, blues singer, but its inclusion was based primarily on architectural considerations rather than of a desire to pay homage to American urban music of the twenties and thirties. This misunderstanding is part of the reason that someone like Lester Bangs would write that Led Zeppelin’s, â€Å"Albums refine the crude public tools of all dull white blues bands into something awesome in its very insensitive grossness, like a Cecil B. DeMille epic† (â€Å"Review of Led Zeppelin† n. p. ). Rather than understanding the mechanics of the effect, or perhaps understanding but still not won over, critics found it easier to interpret the means Page used to achieve it. As it employed â€Å"inflated† or â€Å"excessive† means to achieve dynamic contrasts, Led Zeppelin’s music was often accused of being cartoon-like, the perfect intellectual nourishment for its young and uninformed audience (Cole and Trubo 49-50). According to Rockwell, â€Å"As it evolved from 1968 onward, Led Zeppelin became the first and greatest mass audience band built up through FM radio-play and live concerts rather than AM singles† (â€Å"Led Zeppelin and the Alchemy† 24). Christgau compliments this view, by observing that the band never â€Å"woodshedded† like Cream, that it had a mass audience from the start (n. p. ). Both facts reflected the changing structure of the music industry in the late-sixties and early-seventies. Traditionally, rock bands started at the ground floor. They toured in small venues and received local radio airplay, which they would then parlay into a local or regional base of support. Despite its commercial success, Led Zeppelin positioned itself as a band that lay outside the mainstream. Though it had a mass audience, the band’s fans felt as if they were members of a secret society. When their early albums were criticized by reviews in the Rolling Stone and other national music publications, they recoiled from contact with the music press. Unlike other bands, its members were rarely in the pages of music magazines (Lewis). Consistent with contractual stipulations, Led Zeppelin exercised absolute control over their artistic direction. They became known as a band that wouldn’t take shit from anyone. Tales of their contrariness have taken on mythic proportions. At a time when other popular bands were required to cut singles or engage in more subtle or obvious forms of merchandising, they were one of the few that had the power to abstain from these sordid affairs (Yorke 114-5). Despite many lucrative offers, the band refused to perform on television. These stories lent the band a distinctive mystique. Rockwell comments, â€Å"Led Zeppelin is a band that is almost a ritual among teen-agers and blissfully alien to the over-21-year-olds† (24). This combination of mass appeal and cult-like allegiance is an unusual and interesting phenomenon. In structure if not in meaning, the group was the musical equivalent of the Volkswagen Beetle. Even today, its status as a â€Å"people’s band† remains largely uncontested (Cole and Trubo 102). The hullabaloo surrounding the release of Led Zeppelin’s fourth album provides insight into how the band’s unique status was constructed. In 1971 it released its fourth album. Its jacket contained no words that would identify it as a Led Zeppelin album to â€Å"outsiders. † Inside, one found four â€Å"runes† at the top of the liner sleeve (Yorke 133). When asked to explain the rationale for this unorthodox packaging, Page replied, â€Å"We decided that on the fourth album we would deliberately downplay the group name and there wouldn’t be any information on the outer jacket. Names, titles, and things like that do not mean a thing. †¦ What matters is our music. We said we just wanted to rely purely on music†( quoted in Davis 141-142). Within the industry, confusion ensued over what to call the album. Critics labeled it â€Å"the fourth album,† or referred to it by catalog number, â€Å"Atlantic SD 7208,† while fans often referred to it as â€Å"Zoso,† a rough transliteration of the first rune. One does not have to challenge the sincerity of Mr. Page’s remarks to see how a belief that only music mattered, and that â€Å"Names, titles and things† had no relevance, might also function as an effective marketing tool. It played the game both ways: on the one hand, it affirmed the band’s distance from merchandising itself, while, on the other, it created an aura that drew suburban teens to record stores in droves (Cole and Trubo 73). Led Zeppelin toured North America every year from 1968 through 1973, returning in 1975 and 1977. The band had scheduled concert dates for 1980, although John Bonham’s untimely death halted their plans. The tours since 1973 were conducted with military-like precision. The band even went as far as leasing their own private jets to ferry them to and from shows (Yorke 142). The size of Led Zeppelin’s attendance and gate receipts were to become almost as legendary as its performances. In July 1973 the band broke the Beatles’ record for single concert paid attendance. The Beatles had drawn 55,000, with a $301,000 gross, to Shea Stadium in 1965. Yet that night 56,800 people paid $309,000 to see Led Zeppelin in Tampa, Florida (Robins 116). In 1977 the band played before 76,229 fans in Pontiac, Michigan, billed as the largest paid crowd for a single attraction in the history of rock. The band’s gross for the evening was $792,361, a record at that time (Swan Song Press Release). While its fans would proudly identify with the band’s â€Å"outsider† status, they also took a great deal of satisfaction in the band’s commercial success. This contradiction suggests that the rock ideology had mutated since the late-60, and that its oppositional stance had softened some, reflecting institutional changes that the genre and its audience had undergone during that time (Lewis). Plant and Page, around whom most of the show revolved, presented starkly different characters. On stage Plant was the front-man. He introduced the songs and chatted with the audience between them. The singer’s appeal was primarily to girls and young women. On stage he was, by turns, coquettish and phallic (Cole and Trubo 66-7). At one moment, he was a golden-curled, teeny-bop dream, provoking fantasies of castles and knights, at another, he was a groaning, pushing, back-door man, ready to break down the door to get what he wanted. Robins characterized his stage presence as, â€Å"Spirituality mixed with sexuality† (Robins 117). Unlike the singer, Page’s appeal was primarily to boys and young men. While the driving force behind the band, he almost never spoke to the audience. His is the silence of young boys, vulnerable and aloof. A waifish, Edwardian figure, Page’s guitar playing was accompanied by dramatic and grandiloquent gestures. On stage he often resembled a wizard marshaling the dark electronic forces at his disposal, an impression heightened by his reported dalliance with Satanism. He appeals to those who feel they have something important to say, but doubt their ability to say them (Davis). Led Zeppelin’s music always exceeded generic heavy metal boundaries. In the mid-seventies, however, these boundaries were eroding from developments within and without rock music. The stylistic diversity that marked its third and fourth albums was pushed even farther in later albums such as Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti. In each, the blues played a less prominent role, and the band’s lyrical concerns began to shift, in a generic sense, overlapping the terrain occupied by progressive groups such as Yes, King Crimson, and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. In the mid- to late-seventies the distinctions between the audiences for heavy metal and progressive rock began to fragment (Weinstein 29). By the mid 70s, Led Zeppelin’s audience had become more varied. While still holding much of its traditional audience base, new groups such as Boston, Aerosmith, or Kansas, competed with the band for the allegiance of young listeners. By contrast, its music became part of the mainstream. In 1976, for example, the daughter of the president, Susan Ford, said on the Dick Cavett Show that Led Zeppelin was her favorite group. Not able to let its historical commitment to youth be outshone, the Democrats responded in kind. Speaking at the National Association of Record Manufacturers convention, Jimmy Carter â€Å"reminisced about listening to Led Zeppelin records during all-night sessions when he was governor of Georgia† (Davis 296-7). While anecdotal, both accounts suggest that Led Zeppelin had become something of an institution. As a signifier of youth, one needed only to refer to it to become cool. As is common in politics, however, the symbolism rang hollow. Although the undisputed ruler of America’s high school parking lots in the early seventies, by the dawn of the eighties Led Zeppelin was no longer able to unite different youth factions under its sonic umbrella. Instead, these same parking lots were the sites of tribal warfare, with one area given over to New Wave, another to Disco or dance music, and still another to Metal (Straw 101-3). Led Zeppelin was, arguably, the most commercially successful rock band of the seventies, all the while maintaining an aura that made its young audience feel as if it were part of a secret society. From their standpoint, fandom was an entry into a â€Å"community† the size of which has not been seen since. It was also, arguably, the most significant and influential rock band of the seventies. Emerging from the decomposition of 60s psychedelia, the band played a leading role in the development of the decade’s musical, performance, and business practices. Works Cited Bangs, Lester. Review of Led Zeppelin III, Atlantic SD 7201. Rolling Stone. (November 26,1970): NP. Bangs, Lester. â€Å"Mighty War Machine, Familiar as a heartbeat,† Creem. (February 1972) 62-63. Christgau, Robert. â€Å"A Power Plant† Newsday. (June 15,1972): NP. Cole, Richard and Richard Trubo. Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. Davis, Stephen. Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga. New York: Ballantine Books, 1985. Lewis, Dave. Led Zeppelin: A Celebration. Omnibus Press, 1991. Queenan, Joe. â€Å"Bookshelf: Sex V Drugs ‘n’ Rock ‘n’ Roll. † The Wall Street Journal. (August 28,1992): NP. Robins, Wayne. â€Å"Led Zep Zaps Kidz. † Village Voice. (February 3,1975): 116-118. Rockwell, John. â€Å"Led Zeppelin Excites Crowd at Garden But Somehow Delirium Wasn’t There. † New York Times. (February 4,1975): NP. Rockwell, John. â€Å"Led Zeppelin and the Alchemy of a Rock Group. † New York Times. (June 5, 1977): 19-24. Straw, Will. â€Å"Characterizing Rock Music Cultures: The Case of Heavy Metal,† in Frith, Simon and Andrew Goodwin (eds. ) On Record: Rock, Pop, and the Written Word. New York: Pantheon, 1990, pp. 97-110. Weinstein, Deena. Heavy Metal: A Cultural Sociology. New York: Lexington Books, 1991. Yorke, Ritchie. Led Zeppelin: The Definitive Biography. London: Virgin, 1993.

The Assessment of Greenwich Town Centre A Case of Visitor and Destination Management Plan

The Assessment of Greenwich Town Centre A Case of Visitor and Destination Management Plan Executive Summary Tourism is defined as the activity of persons moving from one place to another, naturally beyond their usual place, for the purpose relaxation, business and other purposes. Thus, a tourist can be said to be the person who moves, stays and visits a place for the purpose of deriving pleasure.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Assessment of Greenwich Town Centre: A Case of Visitor and Destination Management Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tourism has become a diverse industry in our economy, due to the range of the economic opportunities that it provides to the society at large (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 341). The management of visitors has increasingly become an important issue in tourism destination. Greenwich, having attained a world heritage site status, has seen significant growth in the number of visitors. This has been attributed to the diverse use of time in the society, the ability t o travel at reasonable cost, and the extensive media publicity given to Greenwich as a tourist destination. The market is also reported to have matured; this has made tourists to be more discerning, and they have great expectations regarding access to such destinations. This has created pressure on the destination, prompting the need for visitor management (Flanagan 2002, p. 23). The dilemma associated with visitor management, is the one demanding a balance of tourist interests on one hand, and the provision of education and recreational opportunities for the members of the public. On the other hand, it is important to note that visitors expose the destination, to a range of harmful risks and particularly to the artifacts. Tourism is associated with overcrowding, congestion at specific bottlenecks, and the physical stress on sensitive parts of the site. It is therefore important to have a visitor management mechanism, which best controls the visitors, by balancing the interests of t he tourists with those required for safeguarding and managing the tourist destinations (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 43). There is need to examine the various approaches that have been applied in the management of tourism, in order to facilitate good management of the increased levels of tourist visitation. Tourism is said to be an irregular movement, and this calls for appropriate management strategies. The potential of Greenwich as a tourist destination is high, and an effective management plan has to be developed. The development of an effective management plan demands a good documentation for the facilitation of development of the appropriate infrastructures (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 51). In addition to this, detailed policies are important. The management plans helps in the maintenance of the tourist destination and management of the visitors.Advertising Looking for case study on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Lear n More The management of visitors includes their safety as well as the accessibility of the destination by the visitors, and particularly the disabled. There is also need to manage aiding and interpretation of the tourist destination to the visitors, through the use of the tour guides, booklets that create a synopsis of the tour destination, and other information boards (Howie 2003, p. 178). Problem Statement Greenwich is a world heritage site and the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group is responsible for the management of the site. The site has demonstrated effective partnership with both the public and private sectors in terms of service delivery and other management plans. The Greenwich town was established and managed on the voluntary basis, and this makes it a unique approach in regard to destination management. The management of the Greenwich tourist site developed this management approach after the World Heritage Site Marketing Group failed to financ e the management of the site, due to lack of funding. The priorities were set in terms of collaboration in the setting and developing of annual marketing schedules, between the stakeholders of the destination. This explains the fact that the activities of the Steering Group are facilitated and co-ordinate by the council on behalf of the partners. This management feature has made Greenwich Town a unique case, and it was selected as an appropriate destination (Flanagan 2002, p. 202). This paper seeks to identify the key organizations that are involved in the management of the Greenwich tourism. The paper also seeks to draw an analysis of the management strategies of the Greenwich town as a tourist destination. This paper will draw an analysis of Greenwich as a tourist destination, and the key features in appealing to visitors. In addition, the paper will draw an analysis of key issues facing the destination. This will include the experience of the visitors. These issues will be develo ped in accordance with the SWOT/PEST principles. The appropriate recommendations will be considered as likely to promote sustainable approach to the provision of quality visitor experience (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 254). Analysis and Evaluation Greenwich as an Appropriate Destination Greenwich is a World Heritage Site and also home of Greenwich Mean Time as well as the meridian time. These are famous landmarks in addition to the National maritime museum and the royal observatory. The Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Naval College is also placed within the Greenwich Town.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Assessment of Greenwich Town Centre: A Case of Visitor and Destination Management Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are also other attraction features which make Greenwich a suitable destination for many. There is a park which allows tourists to walk and experience the hospitality of the place. The re are restaurants, shops that are excellent, quite and independent. There are also friendly staffs that enhance the hospitality industry in Greenwich. A lot of information is provided to the tourists and this helps tourists in keeping them abreast with events at the events which are either sporting events or entertainment events (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 89). Greenwich town is about 20 minutes from London and is accessible through the Docklands Light Railway, rail, tube, river boat or bus. The tourists have access to the map and this helps them to find their way around the various attraction sites, accommodation facilities and other social facilities. Greenwich is an appropriate destination that has various strengths; the fact that it is a World Heritage Site makes it an appropriate destination for tourists. Many people around the globe appreciate a lot of history that is related to artifacts that are available within the Greenwich Town (Howie 2003, p. 178). The fact that Greenwich i s a UNESCO World Heritage Site means that it is an endangered tourist destination and this could mean that the future prospect of its development is at a threat. There is limited development that should be done to the facilities that are available in the World Heritage site to retain the historical value of these facilities. This is because such facility should not be modified or developed because this would change their value. This makes them vulnerable to due to exposure to tourism and environment changes. The fact that the destination has the status of a World Heritage Site makes it popular among tourists, this creates a lot of pressure on the resources and it is a challenge to manage the tourist population (Flanagan 2002, p. 77). There are various opportunities that are associated with the Greenwich Town. This means that a lot of economic gains are made from the many tourists who visit this destination. There are direct gains to the management of the site as a result of the reve nues that are realized from the fees that tourists pay. It also facilitates the existence of a sound investment environment, the members of the community benefit through direct and indirect investment that is facilitated by the tourism sector. There are threats associated with the management of Greenwich and particularly the management of tourist, irregular visits and this means that the tourists’ number may be high during certain seasons. This demands good management strategies that ensure that the tourists get the benefit of visiting the destination.Advertising Looking for case study on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is the challenge of providing security measures that ensures that tourists are safe and secure. There is need to provide enough tour guides who provide assistance to the tourists. Tourists also cause a threat to the artifacts at the heritage site. There is need to ensure that the historical value of the tourist destination is maintained. The management of the Greenwich Town is under the council and the steering group. The marketing plan is run by the organizations, this exposes it to political controls and this brings in the issue of political factor (Laws 1995, p. 48). The payment of taxes to the government, laws regarding the employment of staffs, environmental regulations that are associated with its management, there are also other trade restrictions that are applied by the government regarding the issues of human traffic and the political stability of the country and this has greatly been affected by the development of terrorism. The world is also experiencing challenges that are economical in nature and Greenwich is not spared. The issue of growth of certain economies, variation of interest rates and the exchange rates that has been attributed to inflation. The influence of the British Empire makes many common law states to identify with the Greenwich, tourist across the globe wish to identify with the many features that are found in Greenwich. There are challenges that are associated with this issue, health concerns, the population of tourists is overwhelming and this challenges the safety of the town and owing to the fact that different tourists have their own attitude which may not be easily pointed out. There is a lot of technological development in the world. Greenwich is a well automated tourist destination and this makes it accessible. The marketing of tourism in Greenwich has also been changed through advertising and online marketing. There are also legal issues that are involved in the management of Greenwich as a tourist destination. Thes e includes health laws, consumer related laws, traffic laws among others (Flanagan 2002, p. 142). The Identification of Key Organizations Involved in the Management of Greenwich as a Tourist Destination and their influence in it The Steering Group and the World Heritage Site Marketing Group are responsible for the management of Greenwich. The World Heritage Site Marketing is reported to have developed the annual marketing plan which is shared between the stakeholders (Elper 2002, p. 71). The group’s activities are managed and coordinated by the council on the account of the partners. This is done with the objective of ensuring that Greenwich remains a sustainable economic and a cultural destination of the international repute. These groups work towards value addition through marketing efforts which are either long-term or short term. They also work towards the promotional projects that are designed to place Greenwich close to the marketing segments. The groups generate econom ies of scale for the individual organizations by means of corporation in marketing strategies. They also work towards the creation of sustainable image and identity of Greenwich as a leisure and business destination. This is only possible through the adoption of strategic approaches in planning. The organizations also take the responsibility of breaking down the funding as per the agreement in the marketing objectives. This naturally depends on the size of the organizations as well as the level of funds availability. These organizations have also developed alliances with other key organizations for strategic contribution and this makes the promotion and management of Greenwich Maritime which includes the Greenwich Town Centre Traders Association and The Greenwich Royal Pack. The plan is locally administered through the World Heritage Site Steering Group and each of the representatives from the delegated group is assigned responsibility. The Greenwich Council administers the budgets on the account of the World Heritage Site subject to any administration voluntary partnership. The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group undertakes the responsibility of managing the plan for the site. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the Public Private Sector partnership that is used in the achievement of sustainable destination promotion and management approach (Elper 2002, p. 63). The strengths of this approach are that there is an extended visitor numbers. It also establishes sustainable destination management systems through the recognized public private partnership that attracts funding. There is also the opportunity that rises through such marketing approach and particularly the effective use of limited financial and human resources that are collected through such approaches. The effect of the world Heritage Site marketing strategy activity is that there is an overall effect of visitor spending and this means more income. The only weakness that rises o ut of this sustainable approach is that the contribution and participation by group members is not compulsory and this can be a potential threat to the development of long term project. The interest of these groups could change thus compromising the very existence of these sustainable visitor management and promotion. The interest of the groups is subject to political influence and controls. The most common political factors that may affect these plans include the laws that regulate the employment, taxation policies, environmental regulations, political stability which cannot be termed as a threat at the moment because the country is not known for political instabilities (Elper 2002, p. 50). There are economic factors, in this case group members contribute depending on their willingness and ability as well as the economic growth, the interests in the market is not stable and this may have great impact on the implementation of long terms goals and objectives. The issue of economic in flation that is being experienced in the European Economic Zone may also affect the tourism industry because many visitors will not be willing to spend on leisure activities. The social factors with the society and the world at large, there issues of health which are highly associated with the movement of the tourists. There is need to enhance the control mechanisms in a way that will effectively manage the high number of tourists without harming the Heritage Site. There is emerging technological development, the group should move towards using technology in advancing the development of good approaches that will facilitate the appropriate approach. The Analysis of Greenwich as Tourist Destination Greenwich as a tourist destination has peer review programs that regulate the implementation of the World Heritage Site Marketing plan. This involves the checking and review programs that advance the standards of delivery through constant improvements. The approach is designed to collect re sources through the Marketing Group. This is achieved through collective bargaining of various supplies such as advertising and designing of well recognized institutions. It ensures that the Greenwich Town is preserved, maintained and promoted in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. The Greenwich Marketing Plan ensures key objective of the heritage site Marketing Plan broadens the appeal to a wide audience of visitors. This is illustrated by the Civic Trust Award of 2004 where it was categorized as the most accessible tourist destination. In addition the coherent approach to the destination analysis has demonstrated that the process in Greenwich is appreciated as a great visitor’s destination. Another factor is that the management has successfully secured funding for the delivery of Greenwich Counsel’s Public Service Agreement. This focuses on the increasing Dockland due to good service delivery to the visitors. It is a strength which makes it app ealing to visitors. There is a limitation of how to handle the challenges that are associated with the high number of visitors and other developing challenges. The issue of service delivery has been well dealt with in the meaning of the hospitality industry making it a popular destination for many. The plan has also managed to balance the needs of the local communities and those of the tourism sector. This is a wise way of striking a balance and it doubles the gains for the visitors who benefit from the members of the community through service delivery like tour guides among others (Barney 2001, p. 143). This is a positive way of ensuring that the visitors appreciate the services. The community hosts the visitors who buy thus sustaining promotions, physical development, and commerce consultation services to the visitors, engagement and the regeneration of the site. This is a fundamental plank in the empowerment of the local communities and it also facilitates the management and deve lopment of tourism at the grassroots level through research, analysis and other forms of engagements. The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site partnership is appreciated by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for facilitating the achievement of the beacon council through sustainable tourism. This is regarded as the best tourism Initiative and more so after the foundation of the Best Tourism Initiative in the Visit London Awards 2004 (Elper 2002, p. 96). It makes this planning strategy a strong approach that is appealing to the visitors. The visitors are given value for their money through service delivery. There is less limitation to this approach and this make it more popular to those who seek its services. The awards accredited to the institution are great opportunities because they inspire the visitors with a degree of satisfaction. There are less or no threats in regard to the needs of the visitors. This is a show of satisfaction to aspiring tourists who intent to visit th e heritage site, they are assured of what kind of services to get. The analysis of Greenwich as tourist destination (key features and appeals to visitors) while examined under the PLEST tool of strategic management. The evaluation of the project planning process is that there are political factors that may influence choice of Greenwich as a tourist destination. The laws of the place are well legislated and this encourages the tourist chances of making it their destination of choice (Yeoman 1999, p. 40). Although there are other laws that influence the chances of a tourist making Greenwich their travel destination, the involved parties should mobilize the legislation of laws that encourage the visitation. This may include that adoption of new tax policies that favor people who visit this historical site. The strategic plans should also be compliant with the tax policies, employment laws. The fact that it is a heritage site should be taken seriously through compliance with the relevan t environmental regulations, the available trade restrictions (Barney 2001, p. 127). There is also need to consider the relevant economic factors. This may be established through the assessment of how much the visitors are willing to spend and the specific mode of spending. This will help overcome speculation which is a rather inaccurate way of establishing the visitor’s behaviors and practices. The fact that most of the visited areas could be part of the market that is undergoing recession and this may mean a reduction in the level of visitation, there may need to encourage the visitation during financial crises through offers and waivers that would encourage tourism all year round. Culture should be well addressed to encourage the visitors find a sense of identity whenever they visit Greenwich. This will be an effective way of encouraging tourism. The increase in population is also anticipated and this can be managed through planning for expansions of social structures to e nsure needs of visitors are met. It will also help to manage the population of visitors (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 53). Technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to exploit the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. Social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destination and getting the needs and expectations of the visitors (Elper 2002, p. 88). Analysis of Key Features Facing the Destination There is a world heritage site that is surrounded by buildings and a landscape setting. The Royal Park creates an architectural symbol of the English artistic, the scientific as well as other institutional endeavor. The most notable is the era of the 17th Century to the 19th Century. The Queen’s house as the first Palladian building in the English empire while the old Royal Naval College, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Hawks Moor and it gives nothing but the English Baroque. Th e landscape and the ensemble of the buildings at Greenwich Town give a potent architecture (Barney 2001, p. 87). The Greenwich Park has also been re-planned with a historical attribute to Andre Le Notre dating back to the 1660s. It surrounds Royal Observatory, a scientific designed building which has served as a research centre for over 250 years. It has also been used for the purpose of time keeping and other forms of taxonomy. This led to the navigational and temporal Greenwich Meridian dating back in the 1884. The Royal Hospital for the seamen was established in the 1696-1869. These institutions create many historical features that are part of the Greenwich. They entail what is regarded as the early modern history of the British Empire which is attributed to British maritime power, scientific development, educational development and the British culture. This gives a historical account to the very existence of the modern day role of these historical institutions (Gibson 2005, p. 3 4; Papatheoderou 2006). The World Heritage site status indicates the significance of the site to the world. The management plan is reported to be reviewed after every five years with the objective of preserving the character of the Greenwich. It promotes cultural and educational resources. This makes it very important for the welfare of the society. The set guidelines help in the conservation and also ensure that the sites maintain its interpretation to the posterity. This has had significant impact on the Greenwich as it was demonstrated with the opening-up of the Old Royal Naval College to the public. The Queen’s house, Greenwich is one of the great features of the Greenwich gives a detailed account of the historical development of the British Empire. The Queen’s house creates a history and thus serves as a learning institution for many who visit it (Flanagan 2002, p. 60). The Alfege Anglican Parish which lies at the centre of the Greenwich is more than one thousand years old and brings the memory of Archbishop Alfege who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. It forms part of the long British history. The Trafalgar Tavern is also a feature that forms part of the Greenwich making it a symbolic figure in the history of the British Empire. The National Maritime Museum gives a detailed history of the British Empire with collection of exploration collections. It gives a detailed history of the rise of the British Empire. The Royal River which creates beautiful scenery is also one of the great features within Greenwich. Any visitor would not resist visiting all this destinations and this informs the need for an effective management policy that would ensure that all stakeholders benefits (Mearns 2011, p. 63). Analysis of Issues Involved in Destination Visitor Experience There is need to understand the behavioral trends of the visitors, consumer experience is an issue of concern in the development of an effective plan. The understanding of the consumerâ₠¬â„¢s behaviors regarding the artistic, entertainment, sporting activities is an important issue for the purpose of information processing. There is need to identify the leisure experience of the visitors for the emotional perspective. This is important for the purpose of understanding the appropriate destination management (Barney 2001, p. 67; Shackley 1998). There is need to change from the rational to the emotional perspective which the visitor use in decision making. This is an effective approach because it evaluates the exact expectations of the visitor. This mode eliminates the traditional assumption which assumes that people come with vague expectations. It helps assemble the actual feelings that are associated with the experience of the visitor. This is an efficient mode of evaluating the level of satisfaction of the visitor and it informs the development of effective strategies that are designed to meet the actual expectations of the visitors. This can be termed as a checkl ist on the discrete of an actual experience of a visitor. This is a move that can be regarded as strength in strategic planning as it eliminates the weaknesses that are attributed with the overall assumption that a visitor is satisfied without actually verifying the same (Gibson 2005, p. 34; Shackley 2003). The plan is effective because it indicates an effective change from assuming the expectations to satisfying the actual interests. It is clear that a consumer will settle on a destination that they are congruent with or one that enhances his or her ideals. It is important to understand that a visitor would naturally settle for one convention beyond the daily hustles. The challenges and pleasures of the visitor should not be physical. This is because experience offer intellectual stimulus for learning and growth (Gibson 2005, p. 79; UNCSD 2001). There is need to have an understanding of the role of the visitor as the active participant. This is because tourist could have experiment al experience that is formed by their motivation. This approach has its limitation, it would be difficult to access all the visitors and establish their true experience. There is also the issue of ideological difference that could be attributed to test and preferences. The test of one visitor could vary with that of another. There is also the issue of cultural experience. There are also other reasons that could be used to verify the validity of such a plan. Technology may be used to evaluate the experience of the visitor through the social media (Barney 2001, p. 46). Recommendation for a Sustainable Approach to Provide a Quality Visitor Experience There is need for positive changes that would facilitate the full realization of the potential of the promotion of a sustainable approach in the provisions of a quality visitor experience. The following areas have been recommended as deserving more enhancements (World Tourism Organization 2007, p. 58). In order to provide quality services to the visitors, there is need for the review of the implementation of the World Heritage Marketing Plan. More efforts should be placed on the quality service delivery. It is recommended that the improvement be realized through constant improvements. It is recommended that more focus be placed on the changing consumer expectations. This would provide quality accommodation and more visitors would appreciate the value and attention they get. This may be realized through encouraging the stakeholders to be more innovative. This can be achieved through working together as the social agents of change that would facilitate effective realization of effective plans for the visitors. The achievement of quality tourism services can only be attained through close engagement of all the stakeholders. It has been observed that the local authority has a critical role in the management of the destinations and have a role in supporting the delivery of services by the partners. The technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to capitalize on the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. The social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destinations and getting the views on the needs and expectations of the visitors. References Barney, J 2001, Strategic capabilities and knowledge transfer, Arturo Publication, Oxford. Eagles, P et al 2003, Tourism and protected areas: benefits beyond Boundaries, Martin Publication, London. Elper, W 2002, Ecotourism: principles, practices and policies sustainability, Longman, New York. Flanagan, S et al 2002, Tourism destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin. Gibson, H 2005, Understanding sport tourism experience, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. Howie, F 2003, Managing the tourist destination, Thomas Learning, London. Laws, E 1995, Tourist destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin. Mearns, F 2011, Using sustainable tourism indicators t o measure the stability of community based ecotourism ventures, Pink Trek, Lesotho. Morgan, N et al 2004, Destination Branding: creating the unique destination proposition, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. Papatheoderou, A 2006, Managing tourism destination, Edward Edgar, London. Shackley, M 1998, Visitors management: case studies from the World Heritage sites, Oxford Publication, London. Shackley, M 2003, Managing sacred sites: service provision and visitor experience, Thomson Learning, London. UNCSD, 2001, From theory to practice: indicators for sustainable development, UNCSD, New York. World Tourism Organization, 2007, A practical guides to destination management, World Tourism Organization, Madrid. Yeoman, T 1999, Heritage Visitor Attractions: An operations management perspective, Cassel Publication, London.

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Analysis - Legalizing Marijuana - Essay Example legalizing cannabis for medicinal in addition to general purposes would prove a benefit to society, evidence which is well-known throughout the scientific, political and public arena but this collective knowledge has yet to be acted upon. Illegal substances most frequently linked with drug-related fatalities include opiates such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and barbiturates. Alcohol, particularly when used in combination with harder drugs, is also linked with drug-related deaths. Marijuana has been widely known to be a gateway drug for harder substances. Heroin and other drugs that are injected into the bloodstream are often associated with the deadly disease HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV causes AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Besides being spread from the use of shared, contaminated syringes, AIDS is also contracted by sexual contact, from transfusions by contaminated blood and in the prenatal stages from mother to baby. Procedures involved in the preparation and injection of drugs present various opportunities for the transmission of HIV and hepatitis. (Normand, Vlahov & Moses, 1995). Supporters of legalization invoke the theories of John Stuart Mill, who espoused that adult citizens should have the right to make their own choices regarding whether or not to participate in harmful activity as long as it does no harm to others, a theory that has been largely ignored in the decisions regarding alcohol and tobacco, but not cannabis. (â€Å"How to Stop The Drug Wars,† 2005) Eleven states allow the use of marijuana for medicinal use, Rhode Island the most recent joining California, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Washington and, Vermont and Maine. The prohibition of marijuana makes little sense and disallowing the medicinal use to cancer patients living every day with agonizing pain and glaucoma patients who depend on marijuana to see better, for example, should be unthinkable in a civilized society. The

Continuation from Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Continuation from Assignment 2 - Essay Example The project plan includes the project organisation, project practices and measurements, project objectives, and project execution phases. In terms of project organisation, Starbuck’s project will consist of a project manager and four members of the management team including a member from each of the organization’s main departments – HR Department, Marketing Department, and Finance Department. Each of the members will have specified duties and responsibilities depending on their skills, abilities and qualifications; and all of them will report to the project manager. In terms of project practices and measurements, the project will be implemented through a series of activities: hiring independent contractors, purchasing materials, laying foundation of the stores, building the stores, furnishing and upgrading motorcycles to be used in marketing. These activities will be measured in terms of percentage to completion. Each of the phases of implementing the project wil l be headed by one of the project managers, and it will depend on the percentage to completion. Each phase will be undertaken after the completion of the preceding phase in order to ensure that there is no overlap of activities in the project management. The project will be run by a specialized group of staff composed of members with special knowledge and skills to run the project. The staff will be categorised as support staff or infrastructure staff. The staff will be trained on regular basis during the project progress in order to enhance effective project execution and development of new insights on project execution (Packendorff, 1995). Each member of the project team will be allocated specific tasks needed to execute the project depending on their levels of skills, knowledge and experience. The staff will work in groups in order to achieve higher results. The importance of staff working in groups is that it

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business law - Essay Example The following are the people who were present during the court session Chief justice: I. Beverly Lake List of judges on the panel 1. Justice Sarah Parker 2. Justice Robert Orr 3. Justice Mark Martin 4. Justice Robert Edmunds 5. Justice George Wainwright 6. Justice G. K Butterfiel Bailiff: Corporal Mike Baker Various Attorneys were present during the session. The various functions of the people shortlisted above during the court session included: Bailiffs The main function of the bailiffs who were present in the room was to provide security. When they arrived at the court, they first ensured that the court room was clean. They checked for things that might have been hidden in the court, which might interfere with the security such as bombs or grenades. When people were checking into the court room, they conducted a search to ensure that no one entered the court room while armed. As the session moved on, they declared the entrance of judges in the courtroom and ordered that everyone st ands in honor of judges moving into the room. They also made sure that judges have case files and other supplies that they needed for their work. The bailiffs also apprehended anyone who tended to disrupt peaceful procedures of the court and ensured that there was no contact between the judges and the members of the public so as to enforce security. In addition, they were charged with the mandate of ensuring that people do not enter the court room when juries are giving instructions to the court. The last function that was performed by bailiffs was escorting the judges to places like restraints to keep their security after they are through with the session. Judges The panel of judges who were present in the court room had their first duty as listening to all that was said in the court room. Everyone in the court referred to the judge as â€Å"your honor† whenever they, as a matter of demonstrating respect to them. They listened carefully to whatever was said and compared it t o the law that they know with a purpose of understanding whether a crime has been committed or not. They were dressed in the court official robes meant for judges. Seated on an elevated seat that is referred to as a bench, the chief justice together with the other judges were able to control the whole courtroom and what went on. Attorneys Lawyers of each party were seated at the counsel table as the proceedings went on in the court room. They took turns when speaking to the judges and were keen not to interrupt the proceedings of the court when not allowed to speak. Whenever each lawyer was given time to speak, he or she presented facts that would have put the case at hand more favorable to them. The prosecutor who represented the government and society as a whole was also present within the court room. There were no defendants who were acting pro se in the cases that were being heard on that day. Witnesses They were concerned with giving facts about the case that was under dispute in the court room. They sat on the witness stand when they were giving out their testimonies and were asked questions by the other party that they were witnessing against. They were in most cases referred to as defense witnesses. Courtroom Deputy They were seated next to the judges and are tasked with the responsibility of administering oaths to witnesses and also marking the exhibits. They however assisted the judges in ensuring that the activities of the court ran smoothly. Court reporter They sat near the witnesses and their

Continuation from Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Continuation from Assignment 2 - Essay Example The project plan includes the project organisation, project practices and measurements, project objectives, and project execution phases. In terms of project organisation, Starbuck’s project will consist of a project manager and four members of the management team including a member from each of the organization’s main departments – HR Department, Marketing Department, and Finance Department. Each of the members will have specified duties and responsibilities depending on their skills, abilities and qualifications; and all of them will report to the project manager. In terms of project practices and measurements, the project will be implemented through a series of activities: hiring independent contractors, purchasing materials, laying foundation of the stores, building the stores, furnishing and upgrading motorcycles to be used in marketing. These activities will be measured in terms of percentage to completion. Each of the phases of implementing the project wil l be headed by one of the project managers, and it will depend on the percentage to completion. Each phase will be undertaken after the completion of the preceding phase in order to ensure that there is no overlap of activities in the project management. The project will be run by a specialized group of staff composed of members with special knowledge and skills to run the project. The staff will be categorised as support staff or infrastructure staff. The staff will be trained on regular basis during the project progress in order to enhance effective project execution and development of new insights on project execution (Packendorff, 1995). Each member of the project team will be allocated specific tasks needed to execute the project depending on their levels of skills, knowledge and experience. The staff will work in groups in order to achieve higher results. The importance of staff working in groups is that it

Applications in Corporate Finance (Buidalot from a corporate finance Essay

Applications in Corporate Finance (Buidalot from a corporate finance perspective) - Essay Example The company lacks cohesion in terms of pulling the efforts of different subsidiaries together and this is the main reason why it is performing poorly. Therefore, there are certain issues that should be taken into account by Buildalot in order to improve its operations as going to be shown in the recommendations section of the report. 6 Market economy 6 Market competition 6 Equity capital structure of the company 7 PEST analysis 7 Major construction projects 8 Office building construction 9 House building construction 10 Business operational issues 11 Mayo project issues 12 Corporate social responsibilities 13 Financial statement analysis 13 Trend analysis 13 Ratio analysis 14 Recommendations 16 Referencing 18 Bibliography 20 Introduction This report deals with business analysis of Buidalot from a corporate finance perspective. This is an Ireland based Construction Company and it has been experiencing cash flow difficulties due primarily to the slow selling of houses and offices in th e Mayo development project. This study will assess the major issues affecting different sectors of business in this construction company. A detailed SWOT and PEST analyses of the situation of the company will be conducted to evaluate the causes of the problems it is currently facing. This study will also evaluate the financial situation of different projects being undertaken by the company through business strategy techniques and financial strategy techniques like re-forecasting, cost of capital, net present value and business valuation. Then appropriate recommendations will be provided at the end of the report in order to effectively deal with the issues raised. Background of the company Buildalot is a 50 year old construction company and it is based in Ireland. The company was incorporated 30 years back as a group of companies. This consists of different wholly owned subsidiaries that operate in different segments of the construction industry. The three major segments that are the main focus of the company’s business include the following: major construction projects, house building construction and office building construction. The subsidiary that operates in major construction projects is based in different countries but it mainly focuses on Ireland. Office building subsidiaries undertake projects related to office constructions. It operates in Europe and Middle East along with successful penetration in the home country of Ireland. The company House building subsidiaries also operate internationally. The company initially used to engage in residential house building in Ireland and it started construction of these major segments after incorporation about 30 years ago. Situation analysis (SWOT) Basically, SWOT stands for strengths (S), weaknesses (W) while on the other hand the external environmental factors are regarded as either opportunities or threats. The aim of performing a SWOT analysis is to critically analyze all the internal and external fac tors’ that may affect the operations of the organization (Strydom, 2004). The table below summarises the SWOT analysis for Buildalot. Strength Weakness 1. The current ratio of the company’s working capital is high 2. The fixed asset turnover of Buildalot is also high 3. Employees are able to deal with

The Columbian Exchange And The Colonization Of America Essay Example for Free

The Columbian Exchange And The Colonization Of America Essay The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of diseases, ideas, food crops, and populations between the New World and the Old World following the voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492. While some had cataclysmic results for the indigenous populations, other interactions led to exchanges of ideas and resources. These exchanges altered life on both sides of the Atlantic. In North America many native cultures had lived and thrived across the continent. Meanwhile, in Europe, the thirst for knowledge and discovery had led to a competition among. European nations to establish and dominate trade routes to acquire the exotic resources of Asia. Each country began to finance voyages of exploration to see who could find a quick and profitable trade route. Spain, England, the Netherlands and France began to travel west, across the Atlantic, to places that were unknown, at that time, to Europeans. Unaware of how large the world actually was and equipped with basic and inaccurate maps, many decades passed before any of these early travelers realized that they were not traveling to Asia, but actually had stumbled upon a land previously unknown to them. However, these lands were well known to their native inhabitants. By the time Africans and Europeans came to the Western Hemisphere, most peoples of the Caribbean and the coastal mainland lived in sedentary villages or semi- permanent encampments. They had organized themselves into clusters of families and hierarchical communities that were recognizable to Europeans, and they identified among themselves leaders, servants, and specialists of many kinds, American Indian society had not been static before it came into contact and conflict with Europeans. The native people hunted, gathered, and grew an array of foods that nourished millions of people. In short the Americas were not an empty land when the Europeans arrived. (HBG 1) Indigenous North Americans exhibited a remarkable range of language, economies, political systems, beliefs and material cultures. (HBG 25) The Old and New World gained from the Columbian Exchange in a number of ways. The Spanish introduced a wide variety of domesticated livestock to the Americas, including cattle, goats, swine, and horses. Of all the animals introduced by the Europeans, the horse held particular attraction. Native Americans first encountered it as a fearsome beast ridden by Spanish conquistadors. However, they soon learned to ride and raise horses themselves. In the North American great plains, the arrival of the horse revolutionized Native American life, permitting tribes to hunt the buffalo far more effectively. Several Native American groups left farming to become buffalo-hunting nomads and, the most formidable enemies of European expansion in the Americas. The Native Americans, in turn, introduced the Europeans to a variety of beans and squashes, as well as the potato and tobacco. Tobacco, was so universally adopted that it came to be used as a substitute for currency in many parts of the world. The exchange also drastically increased the availability of many Old World crops, such as sugar and coffee, which were particularly well-suited for the soils of the New World, Agricultural discoveries ultimately proved more important to the future of Europe than the gold and silver the conquistadores valued so highly. (Brinkley 20) The transfer of foods between the Old and New Worlds during the Columbian Exchange had important consequences for world history. There are two channels through which the Columbian Exchange expanded the global supply of agricultural goods. First, it introduced previously unknown species to the Old World. Such American foods as squash, pumpkins, beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes, also found their way back to Europe and in the process revolutionized European agriculture. (Brinkley 20) Second, the discovery of the Americas provided the Old World with vast quantities of relatively unpopulated land well-suited for the cultivation of certain crops that were in high demand in Old World markets. Crops such as sugar, coffee, soybeans, oranges, and bananas were all introduced to the New World, and the Americas quickly became the main suppliers of these crops globally. The primary benefit of the New World staples was that they could be grown in Old World climates that were unsuitable for the cultivation of Old World staples. This benefit of New World crops has resulted in their adoption in all parts of the world. The exchange not only brought gains, but also losses. European contact enabled the transmission of diseases to previously isolated communities, which caused devastation far exceeding that of even the Black Death in fourteenth-century Europe. Most areas of the New World experienced a demographic catastrophe, as least as grave as, and in many places far worse than the Black Death. (Brinkley 20) Europeans brought deadly viruses and bacteria, such as smallpox, measles, typhus, and cholera, for which Native Americans had no immunity, Native groups inhabiting some of the large islands and some areas of Mexico were virtually extinct within fifty years of their first contact with whites. (Brinkley 19) On their return home, European sailors brought syphilis to Europe. Although less deadly, the disease was known to have caused great social disruption throughout the Old World. The effects of the Columbian Exchange were not isolated to the parts of the world most directly participating in the exchange: Europe and the Americas. It also had large impacts on Africa and Asia. Europeans used the new lands as sources of precious metals and plantation agriculture. Both were complex operations that required labor in large, closely supervised groups. Attempts to enslave native peoples failed, and attempts to force them into other forms of bound labor were slightly more successful but also failed because workers died of disease. Europeans turned to the African slave trade as a source of labor for the Americas. The native populations could not meet all the labor needs of the colonists because of disease and war therefore, European settlers began importing slaves from Africa. (Brinkley 21) During the colonial periods of North and South America and the Caribbean, far more Africans than Europeans came to the New World. The slave trade brought wealth to some Europeans and some Africans, but the growth of the slave trade disrupted African political systems, and robbed many African societies of their young men. Millions of Africans were shipped to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, the largest involuntary migration in human history. The trade was fueled by the high demand for labor in the Americas, which was driven, at least in part, by two aspects of the Columbian Exchange: The first was the spread of Old World diseases to Native Americans, which resulted in extremely low population densities in the New World. The second was the cultivation of highly prized Old World crops, such as sugar and coffee, which were particularly well suited to New World soils and climates. The result was the forced movement of slaves from Africa to the Americas which had devastating consequences for the African continent. In addition to economic motives for colonization there were also religious ones. It became required that Catholicism be the only religion of the colonies. Missionaries were sent out to convert Native Americans to Catholicism, Priests or friars accompanied almost all colonizing ventures. Through their zealous work, the gospel of the Catholic Church ultimately extended throughout South and Central America, Mexico and into the South and Southwest of present United States (Brinkley 16) The Columbian Exchange brought about the greatest interchange of different people, ideas, plants, and animals that has ever been known in the history of the world. Some positive effects, like the agricultural growth and use of the potato and other staple crops in the Old World enhanced people’s lives. The trading of livestock also greatly enhanced the opportunities for the settlers and Native Americans. Still, some results were negative, such as the exploitation of the Native Americans by European colonists, and their depopulation due to the communicable diseases of the Old World that came from across the ocean. The Columbian Exchange had a significantly negative impact on the African slaves. The European success story in the Americas was achieved at horrendous expense for the millions of Native Americans who died and for the millions of Africans who were enslaved. The most perplexing fact about the Columbian Exchange is that it cannot be truly described as completely positive or negative, but just that it happened.

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition

Water Analysis to Determine River Tees Chemical Composition Water analysis to determine the chemical composition within a section of the River Tees, and the difference between freshwater samples and Sea water. Introduction Water is one of the most fundamental requirements for man’s existence on earth; it is required in so many functions such as for drinking, cooking agriculture and even transportation either biological, (blood) or non-biological such as cargo ships, (Hunt Wilson, 2002). Without water, life as we know it would simply cease to exist; Water is one of earth’s most renewable resources. As such, it is vital that water content is analysed to monitor toxic and non-toxic chemicals entering the water systems, monitor global anthropogenic impact, react rapidly to chemical contamination through accidents or industry, and to enable safe water systems for domestic and agricultural use. One such example of where water analysis has been instrumental is after the recent floods in the UK where overflow from sewers, rivers and run off from industrial sites has allowed chemicals to enter into water systems. Analysis of these systems allows for the damage to be assessed and necessary action to be taken, (Environment Agency, 2014). Our aim of the practical was for us to understand the different methods of water analysis. We conducted a number of tests on a number of freshwater samples and one sweater sample to determine the levels of pH, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate content, ammonia and phosphate content within the water samples; this enabled the analysis of whether there were differences in chemical content between the freshwater samples and sea water. Hypothesis: â€Å"That there is a difference in chemical composition within water samples taken from three sites along the river Tees and a difference between freshwater and sea water†. Method pH Water samples from the Durham University section of the River Tees were analysed using a mixture of both a hand held ultrameter (Myron) and a probe meter. A 10ml quantity of water from all the samples taken was placed in a test tube. A pH probe meter was inserted and the pH results recorded. Using the electronic hand held analyser, the samples were analysed by placing a small amount of the sample into the analysing cup attached to the device. The lid was replaced and the pH button pressed to start the analysis. The results were recorded as shown in table 1. Salinity Water salinity was measured by using a hand held salinity meter with a salinity range of 0-100% (density 0.001sg). A small amount of the water sample was placed onto the deviation prism. The cover plate was closed and the instrument was held up to a light source (natural light) and the reading taken from the salinity gauge and recorded. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 2. Conductivity As per pH but using the Conductivity function on the Myron multi-meter. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 3. Dissolved O2 As per pH but using the dissolved O2 function on the Myron multi-meter and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 4. Nitrate (Nitratest) Nitrates in the water samples were reduced to nitrites using a zinc based reduction agent, (Nitratest powder and Nitratest tablet). The solutions were then transferred to a clean test tube where a re-agent was added, (Nitrocol tablet). The solutions were then analysed for nitrate levels using the Palintest 8000 photometer and the analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 5. Ammonia We tested the water samples using the indophenol method by the addition of chlorine and catalysts that react with ammonia to form a coloured solution, (Indophenol complex). fig1. Reagents in the form of tablets were then added and the sample solutions analysed using the palintest 8000. The analysis was repeated for all the samples and the results were recorded as shown in table 6. Note: For the Sea water sample (Sample 1), Ammonia conditioning agent was added to prevent the precipitation of salts. Fig 1. Water samples in Indophenol complex form prior to testing for Ammonia. Phosphate LR We tested for phosphates by reducing the samples by ascorbic acid as phosphates react under acidic conditions with ammonium. Catalysts were added to ensure a rapid colour movement as well as an inhibitor to deter any influence from silica present in the solution. Reagents were then added and a period of 10 minutes elapsed prior to placing the samples for analysis testing using the palintest 8000. The results were recorded as shown in table 7. Results: pH The pH values of both the fresh water and sea water samples analysed all fell within close proximity to each other and within the parameters of normal surface water of pH>6.5 – pH Table 1. pH values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Salinity: Only one sample (Sea water) registered for salinity when tested. The Reference -Composition salinity (SR) was 30, (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Table 2. Salinity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Conductivity: Electrolyte conductivity recorded in the samples ranged from 8.4 S/m in the sea water sample and between 9.6-10.85 S/m in the freshwater samples. The Seawater sample was higher than the normal range of 5 S/m, and the fresh water samples were within normal parameters 5-55 S/m. (California State Water Resources Control Board, 2004). As shown in Table 3. Table 3. Conductivity values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater Dissolved Oxygen: Sample 1, (Seawater) falls within the normal range for DO2 as recommended USEPA of >80% DO=83.6. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999). Samples 2-4 (Freshwater), also fall within the guidelines of freshwater DO2 based on CCREM guidelines of 65% and 100%, DO=76.2-98.7% (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999), as shown in table 4. Note: All samples were analysed in lab conditions at room temperature and as such are subject to the relevant physiological conditions such as pressure and temperature which should be considered, (Henry’s Law etc). Table 4. Dissolved Oxygen values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Nitrate: All the samples tested were within the safe limits of nitrogen content in water, (0-10mg/l), as shown in table 5. (Seawater = 0.82mg/l and freshwater =0.047mg/l to1.52mg/l). (World Health Organisation, 2011). Table 5. Nitrate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Phosphate: Phosphate levels found in sweater were within the normal range (1.2 mg/l and 1.6mg/l), (Paytan McLaughlin, 2007). The phosphate levels found within the freshwater samples exceed the recommended limits = . Table 6. Phosphate values from water samples taken from the Durham University area of the River Tees and one sample of seawater. Discussion The ocean contains approximately 97% of all the Earths’ water. (Hunt Wilson, 2002). The ocean and fresh water although have similar properties such as the molecular structure H2O, the chemical properties can be quite different. There are many factors that affect the chemical properties of both fresh and sea water, such as pollution, natural occurrences (e.g Algae blooms) and acid rain, and it is imperative that constant monitoring of our water systems is undertaken to be able to act proactively and swiftly to any changes. (Environment Agency, 2014). When considering the results of our analysis, we can see similarities on pH and dissolved oxygen, (Table 1 and table 4 respectively). Both these chemical properties give a clear indication as to the health of the water systems being analysed. A high pH in the seawater sample for example could suggest an increase in acidification, or pollution in the freshwater should a high pH have been found, especially in an area of high industrial manufacturing such as Stockton and Middlesbrough. The most noticeable difference between the samples was the salinity of seawater against freshwater, (Table 2). As one would expect, seawater salinity is considerably higher due to the output of weathering of the Earth’s surface being transported into the oceans. This makes the ocean a different habitat than that of freshwater. Conductivity increases as salinity increases, however this was not found in our analysis. One possible reason could be the time that the sample took to be analysed and the sample temperature as these factors could have affected the results. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008). Nitrate content was lower in seawater. Nitrates are a naturally occurring compound in the water system whether fresh or sea water. However the slightly higher levels of nitrates shown in freshwater could indicate anthropogenic influences due to farming. (World Health Organisation, 2011) High Nitrate composition is also harmful to health as this could cause methemoglobinemia. Nitrates reduce the ability of blood cells carrying haemoglobin resulting in infant deaths. This would also add weight to the higher levels of Phosphates present as it has been suggested that Phosphate increases could be attributed to fertilizer usage and above the levels suggested as acceptable. (White Hammond, 2006). In Summary, the water chemical composition of both freshwater and seawater in general fall within normal expectations and are good indicators of the quality of the water system within an industrialised zone. The hypothesis that there is a chemical difference between the two sample types, freshwater and seawater was proven if only somewhat marginal. Further testing for different chemical composition could find a different result. Exercise Chemical differences between saltwater and freshwater. The major difference between fresh water and salt water is salinity. Freshwater has little or no salt content ( The chemical composition differences between seawater and freshwater can be outlined in order of abundance in table 8. (SCOR/IAPSO Working Group 127, 2008) Table 8. Chemical composition of seawater and freshwater in order of abundance. Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen concentrations, (DO), in water is an important factor for all aquatic life. Should DO levels exceed 110%, it can become harmful to marine life and could case the blockage of gas exchange in what is known as â€Å"gas bubble disease†, whilst water that has a DO of less than 5mg/l or lower over a longer period of time can result in fish kills on a large scale and puts stress on all aquatic life. (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, 1999).