Privilege Privilege And Privilege - 1753 Words

Privilege Privilege applies to certain people who benefit more than other people in the same social, political or economic spaces (Henderson, L., week 1, 2014). Somebody might be privileged only because that person is wealthier or more powerful compared to the others. Privilege is an advantage enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most. â€Å"Privilege is expressed as an advantage based on status or rank that is used to maintain status quo† (Collins, J., et al., 2011). Privilege can applies to different concept, such as male privilege, white privilege and heterosexual privilege, all of which have implications for education. Although it is still taboo, with evolution, we have come far and we are now starting to accept equality between men and women, white and black and starting to acknowledge heterosexual. Growing up, I never thought of education as a privilege. Now I know how lucky and how blessed I am I had the benefit of a good education at a private school and college. Furthermore I now have the opportunity to study in Melbourne, something hard to do if you do not have the resources. Although education is free in most countries, a lot of children stop studying when they can to find a job to help the family. Invisibility â€Å"Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen† (Henderson, L., week 1, 2014). Invisibility usually involves objects. But because we cannot see it does not mean it is not there. A bachelor is not invisible, it can be seen inShow MoreRelatedPeggy McIntoshs White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay989 Words   |  4 PagesPrivileges are things that a person receives that gives them an advantage over most people (Merriam-Webster). These are benefits that only certain people receive for being in a certain group or discourse. Peggy McIntosh, director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, wrote â€Å"White Privilege and Male Privilege† and states â€Å"I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privileges, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege† (605). She argues that whites and malesRead Morewhite privilege1595 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ White Privilege: Reflection Paper Northeastern State University Abstract This paper is about my reflection of White Privilege in the United States. I got my information from four resources. The first resource was the handout provided for this assignment; White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, by Peggy McIntosh. The second resource was the website, www.jstor.com. Access is provided via Northeastern State University as a resource for peer-reviewed articles. ThirdlyRead MoreAttorney Client Privilege2121 Words   |  9 Pagesand written matter, all correspondence, emails and documents exchanged between parties should be prepared with a thought to potential litigation. Attorney Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine are two separate and distinct issues and should be treated within the legal world as separate disclosures. Attorney Client Privilege, which originated in Roman and canon law, has evolved into a recognized judicial doctrine and is necessary in order to provide clients with access to effective, wellRead MoreClient Attorney Privilege : The Code Of Silence940 Words   |  4 Pages Client attorney privilege is describes the code of silence that is a legally recognized right of the client to tell his attorney anything and the attorney will can not disclose this privileged communication. However, in some cases it s sad that you as the attorney have to refer to the code of silence in order not to be disbarred. I know I would want to give that mother of the five years boy some closure and stop the argany with the hopes that her five year old is still alive. I also understandRead MorePrivilege : Privilege And Privilege1297 Words   |  6 PagesPrivilege by definition is a special right, benefit, and immunity granted or attainable to only a specific person or group of people. As I went through the privilege activity, I realized many simple aspects of life are enormous privileges to others. Examples of privilege include getting an education, having the ability to visualize and vocalize, and the ability to travel or expand your experiences. In a society compiled with privileges, the wealthy are favored and privilege emerges inversely in manyRead MorePersonal Privilege, Privilege And Privilege843 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Privilege Personal privilege is privilege one receives based on unearned qualities such as skin color, gender, socioeconomic status, demographics, or cultural characteristics (Lee, 2007). Being White and growing up in a predominately White community limited my exposure to other cultures and races. While I was limited to my exposure to other cultures and races I have become aware of White privilege and who it influences interactions with different races and cultures. Whites tend to view â€Å"theirRead MoreThe Privilege For False Privilege1597 Words   |  7 Pages1. Does the absolute privilege for statements made in judicial proceedings protect defamatory statements made in letters to a judge submitted into evidence at a criminal trial? 2. Does the qualified privilege to publish to someone who shares a common interest or in defense of the interest of others apply when a party in a criminal matter solicited individuals to submit letters to a judge attesting to the party’s character? II. Brief Answers 1. Likely yes. Because the statements were related toRead MoreThe Privilege Of White Privilege Essay2660 Words   |  11 Pageschildren about white privilege and how it affects people. White privilege is something that white people benefit from just because of what they look like, but they have no control over it. This can range from having more opportunities for jobs to being more likely to have enough money to go to private school. I am focusing more on the idea that white people have these benefits and have the privilege to deny that such a divide exists. Being able to dismiss the idea of white privilege shows ignorance andRead MoreDiscomfort With Privilege And Privilege Essay2455 Words   |  10 PagesDiscomfort with Privilege Right on the first page in chapter six it discusses the privilege groups discomfort about discussing privilege. Yes, it is true for so many and for those who don’t feel discomfort, I call you brave and open minded. But, it is a hard thing to discuss especially with a non-privileged group of individuals. I, for one also feel discomfort and defensive sometimes in those situations, and that could be from a number of different reasons. Whether it is because I feel guilty, ashamedRead MoreWhite Privilege And Black Privilege1389 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"White privilege refers to the fact that in many societies, â€Å"white† people have access to greater power, authority, and privileges, than non-white people† (Robbins et al. 2013:81). It goes beyond letting white people get away with more than other races; it also discriminates against them. This is well illustrated by the history of white privilege in America and how it changed over time (Nkomo Ariss 2013) and ho w white privilege is used to benefit white people (Blum n.d). Without white privilege

“Buyer behaviour The consumer decision-making process and purchasing a car” Free Essays

Introduction â€Å"Consumer behaviour describes how consumers make purchase decisions and how they use and dispose of the purchase goods or services† (Lamb, 2009. p140), therefore we can understand the importance of consumer behaviour for a marketer and as a vital process during the decision purchase process. A marketer needs to identify who their consumers are in order to be capable of selling their products, generate revenue and profitability but also to be able to satisfy them for future purposes such as market share through recognition, and only once identifying their consumer’s behaviour can success be achieved. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Buyer behaviour: The consumer decision-making process and purchasing a car† or any similar topic only for you Order Now In relation to purchasing a car why would it be essential for a marketer to be able to understand its consumers behaviour in order to target them more effectively?, this is mainly due to the fact of the car industry having a wide range of variety’s that car manufactures offer its consumers making it competitive. The aim of this report will be to describe and explain the characteristics that affect consumer behaviour of a young adult named Tom aged 23, who is still in education but as well as part-time worker and currently owns a Volkswagen Golf. This young adult is recently doing his masters in university and wants a fairly cheap car that has a mature look to it but also delivers speed, outlining these characteristics will be the key in finding the best suited vehicle. Discussing the relevance of the decision-making process to Marketers of cars in general will be mentioned in this report as well as recommendations of how they can influence the stages of the decision-making process. Characteristics That Affect Consumer Behaviour â€Å"Identifying specific personality traits that explain differences in consumers’ purchase, use, and disposition behaviour† (Hoyer, 2010). Consumers have several needs which have to be observed and identified in order for the business to meet its consumer’s behaviour. Consumers behaviour are influenced during their purchasing process by four specific characteristics, such as cultural, social, personal and psychological factors, this is also seen mentioned by (Armstrong, 2009), â€Å"Consumer purchases are influenced strongly by cultural, social, personal and psychological characteristics, marketers cannot control such factors, but they must take them into account†. These four factors will be the key aspects towards what influential a consumer’s behaviour when purchasing a car. In relation to Tom, who’s in education and has a part time job would be influenced during his decision making-process through psychological, as Andrews, S (2009) suggested it relates to his motivation and attitudes. In relation to Tom as a young adult his attitude would be a car with good performance, brand image and a mature look. According to Mintel (2009e) Younger life stage groups place greater importance than other groups on a car’s performance, brand image, style and design. Another influence which would affect this consumer’s behaviour would be his personal characteristics such as his personal lifestyle, age and occupation, which can be also seen expressed by (Kotler 2010 p172-176). In Toms case this factor would related to firstly is occupation as a part time employee which means he has a limited purchasing power, but also a vehicle which fits his age range. According to Mintel (2009a) young singles seek the credibility of brand image, style and design but also the speed of the vehicle, from this understanding the most recommended choice of vehicle which would meet this customer needs would vary between an Audi A3 which is capable in providing the maturity at a cheap price, while a BMW 1 series which may be slightly more expensive offering speed and maturity. These two options may be ideal in terms of their brand image, however other factors needs to be put in to account to meet his suitability. The Types of Consumer Buying Decisions Following relates to Figure 1.1 â€Å"Consumers buying behaviour refers to the purchasing of products for personal or household use, not for business purposes†. William M. (2010). There are several factors which influence the buyers behaviour which can be defined as the decisions and actions of people involved in buying and using products, expressed by (William M. 2010). These factors which influence buyer’s behaviour are the following Complex buying behaviour, Dissonance-Reducing buying behaviour, Habitual buying behaviour and Variety-Seeking buying behaviour. Consumers go through complex buying behaviour when they are highly involved in a purchase and are aware of significant differences existing among brands. Dissonance-Reducing buying behaviour Consumers are highly involved in a purchase but sees little differences in the brand. Habitual buying behaviour Low consumer involvement and the absence of significant brand differences. Variety-Seeking buying behaviour Low consumers involvement but significant brand differences. Philip Kotler (2010). From the definition gathered from Philip Kotler (2010) on the types of buying behaviours, it allows us to identify that a consumer purchasing a vehicle would have a complex buying behaviour. A complex buying behaviour can be seen when a good is expensive and is high expressive, this is the reason to why a consumer would need to research on this product in order to gain knowledge on its strengths and weakness in relation to the consumers needs. This can be seen similarly expressed by Thelma J. Talloo (2007). In relation to this consumers who is in his early 20’s, will have various brands claiming to be capable of meeting his needs and for this reason it will make his buying behaviour a complex one as he will need to perform a deep investigation towards which brand is capable of meeting his needs. This will involve the buyer to construct a learning process which will involve developing his beliefs on the best suited product in order to make a purchase choice. This buying behaviour is a complex one because it involves a high amount of involvement due to the fact of their being a wide range of car brands to buy from which meet the needs of different characteristics of a consumers. This can be seen in Mintel (2009b) research on â€Å"Brand Preferences by Lifestage†, which showed that young singles compared to any other life stage commonly purchase brands such as BMW and Audi. The Components of the Decision Making Process Following relates to Figure 1.2 The buyer decision process is collectively five stages which consumers usually follow through before making their deliberate purchase. These five stages are, need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behaviour (Philip Kotler, 2008 p265). Consumers would often skip stages or even reverse stages, this is usually depending on the actually product and whether it is a complex or habitual buying behaviour (Philip Kotler, 2008). The first stage of the buying decision process involves the consumer recognising what the actual problem or need is (Philip Kotler, 2008 p265). This will also mean that the consumer will realise and thus become aware of his desired state compared to his actual condition (M. Pride, 2007), which could be the core factor in motivating the consumer to purchase. In relation to the Tom he might feel as though the vehicle he owns is not meeting his current needs due to being old, he needs more maturity to be able to look presentable and this shows that he has identified his problem and realises this particular need and thus need recognition has been achieved as the first stage. The next and second stage will involve the consumer to take up some research in order to broaden and gain in-depth information about his need recognition; this research however depends on the consumer’s level of drive towards the product (Philip Kotler, 2008 p266). The modern society has enabled consumers to conduct research through several options especially, such as the internet which according to Mintel (2001c) Over half (55%) of all internet users research products online before making a purchase. In relation to Tom it shows that he will be able to conduct useful research and thus gain a collective amount of vehicle which will suit his needs such as, Audi A3, BMW 1 series through the second stage being Information search. This follows up to the third stage which is when consumers get specific needs met whether basic or desired needs, it involves the consumer using the information conducted from the stage before, by evaluating alternative brands in the choice and thus narrowing down his choices. In relation to Tom’s purchasing behaviour he would narrow the brands depending on his characteristics, such as the his lifestyle being young but looking for maturity, also speed performance is a common need in young adults, as for Tom a desirable vehicle would be the BMW 1 series, however the price is quite expensive as seen in figure 1.4 even though it offers speed and maturity the value is too expensive, in relation to Tom its over his budget. We see from Mintel (2010d) â€Å"In UK, 43% of consumers say â€Å"Trying to add to my rainy day savings/emergency fund† is a priority for this year.† And for this reason why the Audi A3 would an alternative due to the price and this concludes the third stage being evaluation of alternatives. This brings us to the fourth stage of the decision making process being the actual purchase decision. The consumer needs to make the decision of purchasing or not purchasing the product. This particular stage could either go both ways of the two, the first being that the consumer purchases the product which means the decision making process has been successful, or the second being that the consumer has a change of mind in terms of his suitability thus will effecting his final decision making the decision making process was unsuccessful. For example in relation to Tom his intended vehicle to purchase may be the Audi A3 as seen in figure 1.3; which provides the his needs at a value of ?5,745 which is reasonable. However due to the vehicle holding a 1.6Litre it may result in Tom changing his mind due to fuel purposes; this act according to (Philip Kotler, 2008 p266-267) is called unexpected situational factors where factors may arise within the household that causes the decisions to change before going ahead. The last decision making process is the post Purchase which is the process undertaken after the actual purchase has been made, this is depending on the level of the customer satisfaction being met, this can be similarly expressed by (Philip Kotler, 2008 p271) This final stage also allows the consumer to gain first-hand experience of the vehicles performance and whether or not it met their need by meeting their personal expectations. This could also have both effects one being successful that it was worth the purchase or unsuccessful which brings a discomfort experience also known as cognitive dissonance. In Tom’s case he might feel as though his purchase bring speed and maturity is just right, however on the other hand he might feel as though he will be useless in the long run as time changes so doe’s characteristics and the society. Market Recommendation It is essential for the marketers to be to identify the needs of their target market, which will thus allow them to meet there needs effectively. According to Mintel (2009e) the top three priorities of all car owners when considering their next car are price, reliability and fuel consumption. The first Market recommendation would be to guarantee their consumers that there products are reliable, but also capable of meeting their needs in terms of the fuel consumption suiting them financially. For example a young adult who are limited in terms purchasing compared to older adults will need a fairly cheap car with a slightly small engine litre for fuel purposes. Marketers can take advantage of these needs by promoting them regularly. Marketer need to be able to meet the suitability of their target market, through the information gathered in the earlier topics such as the influential characteristics, or the components of their decision making. This will benefit marketers as it will allow them to intercept what consumers will be going through to make their purchase decision. For example the Audi A3 ‘The Audi A3 offers premium feel with low running costs. It is backed up by Audi’s impressive build quality and reliability’.(Autotrader 2009), this shows that it is capable of attracting young adults due to its reliability and low running cost. Conclusion Throughout this report we gain the understanding that consumer have several needs in which they may not be sure of, thus the reason why a decision process is needed. Marketers need to take account towards identifying the key aspects of their particular consumer target, in order for goods to be sold. This report has been able to identify these key aspects such as the various influential factors which affects consumers purchasing behaviours, for example personal factors. The report outlined the also consumer buying decisions, in which differs depending on the product level of usage and importance to the consumer, in this particular report we identified the purchasing of a vehicle a complex one. We were also able to analyse how the decision making process also allows the consumer to identify the best suited product beforehand. And lastly the market recommendations to manufactures of car brands on targeting their target market. Reference Andrews, S (2009). Sales Mktg:A Tb ForHospitalityInd.New Delhi: McGraw-Hill. p55 Adrian Hearn. (2009). Audi A3 hatchback (2003 –) expert review. Available: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articles/2009/03/cars/audi/a3/audi-a3-tdi-e-car-review. Last accessed 22 Mar 2011. Charles W. Lamb, Joseph F. Hair, Jr., Carl McDaniel (2009). Essentials of Marketing. 6th ed.Ohio, Mason : Marquardt, Neil. p140. David L. Kurtz, H. F. MacKenzie, Kim Snow (2010). Contemporary Marketing. 2nd ed.Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. p146. Gary Armstrong, Michael Harker, Philip Kotler, Ross Brennan (2009). Marketing: An Introduction. 8th ed.Essex: Pearson Education, Inc. Mintel. (2009a). Motoring Through the Lifestages – UK – April 2009. Available: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=447360/display/id=447919#hit1. Last accessed 09 Mar 2010. Mintel. (2008b). Brand Preferences by Lifestage. Available: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=447360/display/id=447921?select_section=447920. Last accessed 09 Mar 2010. Mintel. (2011c). Online Spending Habits – UK – February 2011. Available: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=479843/display/id=545218. Last accessed 15 Mar 2011. Mintel (2010d) Richard Cope. (2011). Consumer Trends. Available: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=479523/display/id=553377. Last accessed 22 Mar 2011. Mintel. (2009e). Motoring Through the Lifestages. Available: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=447360/display/id=447916?select_section=447914 . Last accessed 22 Mar 2011. Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong (2008). Principles of marketing . 5th ed.Essex: Pearson Education limited. p262-267 Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong (2010). Principles of marketing . 13th ed.New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. p176-177. Thelma J. Talloo (2007). Business Organisation And Management (For Delhi University B.Com Hons. Course) .New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing. p161-162. Wayne D. Hoyer, Deborah J. Macinnis (2010). Consumer Behavior. 5th ed.Ohio: Nelson Education Ltd. p374. William M. Pride, O. C. Ferrell (2007). Foundations of marketing. 2nd ed.Boston: George T.Hoffman. p180. William M. Pride, Robert J. Hughes, Jack R. Kapoor (2010). Business. 10th ed.Ohio: Nelson Education Ltd. p355. Appendix Appendix Reference Figure 1.1 (Mba lectures. (2010). Types of Buying Decision Behavior. Available: http://mba-lectures.com/marketing/principles-of-marketing/650/types-of-buying-decision-behavior.html. Last accessed 15 Mar 2011. Figure 1.2 (Ruben A. Bravo Castano. (2010). The Consumer Decision-Making Process. Available: http://wsivalueonnet.com/2010/11/12/series-digital-marketing-and-the-consumer-decision-making-process-1-6/. Last accessed 15 Mar 2011. Figure 1.3 Auto Trader. Audi A3. Available: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201110381722795/sort/priceasc/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/fuel-type/petrol/price-from/4000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/transmission/manu. Last accessed 17 Mar 2011. Figure 1.4 Auto Trader BMW 1 series. Available: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201109380813951/sort/priceasc/usedcars/engine-size-cars/1-4l_to_16l/transmission/automatic/model/1_series/make/bmw/page/1/radius/1500/postcode/ha98el?log. Last accessed 17 Mar 2011. Figure 1.5 Auto Trader. Fiat Stilo. Available: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201109381019908/sort/priceasc/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_4_years_old/model/stilo/make/fiat/page/1/postcode/ha98el/radius/1500?logcode=p. Last accessed 17 Mar 2011. How to cite â€Å"Buyer behaviour: The consumer decision-making process and purchasing a car†, Essay examples

Population Statistics of Mexico Essay Example For Students

Population Statistics of Mexico Essay Mexico is a growing country, whos population is gradually increasing every year by around 3 percent each year. In 1940, the population was recorded at 19,654,000 people. This population then increased to 25,791,000 people in 1950. This indicates a growth of 6,137,000 people in just a decade. The population in 1960 was then recorded at 34,923,000 people. This new raise indicated a growth of 9,132,000 people in another decade. In 1970, the population grew to 48,377,000 people; a rise of 13,45,400 people in ten years. The population of 1980 was recorded at 67,382,000 people. This indicated a rise of 19,005,000 people, in one decade. The current population in 1990 at 88,598,000 people showed a rise of 21,216,000 people in just ten years! The year 2000s estimation of the population of Mexico is set at 107,233,000 people. That would mean a rise of 18,635,000 people in a decade, showing that the population growth rate is slowly decreasing. The growth rate of Mexico is the result of its traditionally high birth rate, and its sharply reduced death rate. Many more people are being born, than dying. This causes a great increase in population each year. Since the 1930s, improved living conditions and expanded health services has cut the death rate by more than half, thus causing the population to increase every year since the 1940s. Perhaps now the Governments only chief problem is trying to provide housing , jobs, and schools for the rapidly increasing population. Therefore the government has tried to tell people to limit the amount kids they have (although no law has been placed under act. ) Another reason for population increase in the past 60 years is due to the fact that the majority of Mexicos population is Roman Catholic. And in this religion, no birth control is practised, leading to many unwanted pregnancies, and an increase in population. Families also prefer having more children, so they can work on the fields for them, and bring in money. This also causes a rise in population. In the area of comparing the indexed data of Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico, Mexicos rise was extremely drastic compared to the other two countries. Canada and the United States of America had relatively the same vertical climb, going from about 100-250 (Canada being the bigger increased one). Mexicos however went from 100 all the way up to 550, which is shown on the graph. The baby booms, fitness booms, and all the other fads increased the population growth rate of Canada and the United States of America, but had no comparison to the immense growth of Mexico. Mexico began its major increase during the early 1970s, and still has yet to start slowing down its growth rate. Mexicos growth rate will stay around the same for the next few years, maybe slowing down slightly, due to the impact of the recession, which posed many problems, for every country in the world. Mexico occupies one million, nine-hundred twenty-three thousand and forty square kilometres. Its climate ranges from Tropical (in the southerly regions) to desert (in the more North-Eastern regions). According to the 1990 population census, it has a population of 88.598 million people. It has an average population of about forty-seven people per square kilometre. Most of Mexicos population is located in South-Central Mexico, around Mexico City (Mexicos Capital City). This specific part of Mexico has over 100 people per square kilometre. This area ranges from about. 200 metres to approximately 500 metres above sea level. In the sub-tropical area of Mexico with a lot of flat land and good soil for agriculture. .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .postImageUrl , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:hover , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:visited , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:active { border:0!important; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:active , .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997 .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9b4c44caf1be59ca7fe0b7a7f667f997:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Stem cell ethics Essay There are many reasons for the majority of Mexicos population being located here and not somewhere else in the country. One of the main reasons is climate. In the Northern areas, there is a desert climate with very little or no rain. In the area where the main population is located, there is a sub-tropical climate that has distinct wet and dry seasons but still provides a good amount of annual precipitation. This leads to another reason which is availability of water (due to tropical and sub- tropical climate). Due to an influx of environment-polluting industries along with the countrys (sometimes) harsh environment, much of Mexicos water supply is very polluted. Water is needed for life and there for where there is no water, there is no life. In the desert areas, there is basically no water. When there is water up here, it is too polluted for consumption. In the central (mountainous) areas .

The Essence of Chinatown Essay Example

The Essence of Chinatown Essay It is Chinese New Year. The hustle and bustle of trade, the haggling of prices fills the air as people jostle through the crowd to buy that kilogram of barbecued pork, or that bunch of golden rat-shaped decorations to welcome the year of the Rat. However, many people simply run through the epicentre of joyful noise and energy that can only be Chinatown without stopping to wonder at the past it possesses and the reason for its existence in a predominantly Chinese Singapore. Modern day Chinatown I stand silently at the start of Pagoda Street and look down from my vantage point of an overhead bridge to see a place that embodies the very story of Chinatown is the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Sitting right in the center of Chinatown, it is a quaint shop house that has been converted into a wealth of memories and untold stories. These stories are showed to the public on three different levels and exhibit the lives of early settlers. It traces the evolution and growth of both Chinatown and the Chinese people of Singapore, from coolie workers and maids to bosses and politicians. The Heritage Centre shows why Chinatown is the way it is in modern day Singapore. It tells the story of a place that never really sleeps through an exhibit called â€Å"Where the day never ends† and tells us of how Chinatown was always rampant with festive mood during celebrations like the Lunar New Year. Like present day Chinatown, the Chinatown of the past was an energetic place whenever Chinese festivals were around the corner. We will write a custom essay sample on The Essence of Chinatown specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Essence of Chinatown specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Essence of Chinatown specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When asked about what the Heritage Centre taught him, a secondary school student whom I interviewed on location told me, â€Å"This place shows us that that every Chinese person had a stake in Chinatown. It also teaches me not to forget my roots,† The Heritage Centre, for many youth, also carries a cautionary tale against the four vices of life. An exhibit details the lives of people who have fallen to opium smoking, prostitution, gambling and secret societies and is still a relevant warning to today’s Chinese population in Singapore about the dangers of indulging in forbidden pleasures. A Prostitute’s Room I asked one shopper why she went to Chinatown to visit the Heritage Centre and I was told that, â€Å"Chinatown is the place many Chinese had lived in the past. I am a Chinese and I really like to know what my roots are,† What she said clearly highlights to us why Singapore needs a Chinatown: Cultural identity. The Heritage Centre tells us that Chinatown has existed ever since Singapore was conceptualised as a colonial state. The place was characterised by shop houses that possessed five-foot walkways and cramped quarters on the upper floors. Large scale immigration forced occupants of Chinatown to stay in small, cramped and sordid cubicles that lacked proper sanitation and facilities. People squeezed together, sometimes seven in cubicle. However, Chinatown was more than just a living quarter for the Chinese migrants who came by boat from mainland China. It was a retail location for uniquely Chinese goods, a uniquely Chinese socialisation ground which gave birth to the coffee shops that we see in contemporary Singapore. A life-sized model of such coffee shops can be seen in the Heritage Centre. Chinatown was, most importantly, a place representative of escape from oppression, poverty and injustice in mainland China. My late great-grand mother, who came from China with nothing but the clothes on her back once told me that, â€Å"Chinatown, although small, cramp and noisy, was the home away from home for many, a place where Chinese people put down new roots and built new lives for themselves and their descendants. † I believe that this spirit of emancipation and determination to make it in the world is what is so beautiful about Chinatown’s Heritage Centre. While Singapore is a multi-racial nation that does not discriminate creeds, race or religion, it is undeniably mixed in its racial denominations to a very high degree. As such, people need to hold on to their cultural identity. Unlike many other countries where Chinese are not the dominant race and thus need a Chinatown, Singapore’s Chinese population needs a Chinatown not to give them a sense of home, but to satisfy a deep-seated need to retain the uniqueness of being Chinese while becoming Singaporean all the time. Chinese, like all other races, need a place where we can identify with both culturally and, on a deeper level, spiritually. We need a place that tells us who we are and where we really came from and Chinatown provides us with that cultural belonging and identity. Chinatown is â€Å"where Chinese go to be Chinese and not worry about how we would be looked at, simply because it is Chinatown,† as said by a passer-by when I asked him what Chinatown meant to him as a Chinese person. When I started primary research, I did not expect such a deep-rooted sense of belonging to Chinatown in the Chinese people because even I, a Chinese, did not have great attachment for the place. However, I have come to understand that Chinatown is more than a place. It is a record book, a place that history has etched its mark on to educate and enlighten future generations of Chinese people. Therefore, the true idea behind why we need a Chinatown in Singapore is because the essence of the Chinese people is the essence of Chinatown.

Where are you going, where have you been - Loiuse Essays

Where are you going, where have you been - Loiuse Essays Where are you going, where have you been - Loiuse English 102 - Literature for Composition - Professor Stepp 09/15/2014 Where are you going, where have you been - Loiuse Where are you going, Where have you been " by Joyce Carol Oates' story is about a young girl, at the edge of adulthood. Just like any teenager she sneaks around, going to a drive-in restaurant to meet boys rather than to the movies like she told her family. She is rebellious and flippant and does not have a good relationship with her mother. She seeks to makes herself sexually attractive to explore he new self but her search for independence has a tragic outcome as she is yanked out of adolesence and places her firmly into adulthood. This habit of always needing to feel that she is beautiful is an indication that Connie is suffering from insecurity, or having an unstable sense of self. This insecurity makes her completely vulnerable to the will of others, and is one of the things that eventually leads her to run off with Arnold Friend at the end of the story. The character of Arnold Friend brings the magic of the evil type to the story. After much scrutiny it seems that Arnold is not just a simple villain. He takes great interest in Connie and he initially demonstrates his power by telling her details about herself as well as detailing what her family was doing. However, there is much more to Arnold. His supernatural abilities, though not particularly flashy, are definitely present. A closer examination reveals that Arnold Friend may be a personification of the devil. One hint is the fact that Connie could not figure out what his real age was; the devils reputation is that of agelessness. At first she describes him as a boy at the restaurant, then after she stares at him she realizes that he is much older than her when lines appeared at the corners of his mouth. although he pretends to be a couple of years older. She also notices that it seemed as if his hair was a wig. However, the most solid evidence that Arnold is the devil is the awkwardness of his stance. Connie noticed that it seemed that One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasnt in it. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle. As the story climaxes and comes to an end, the extent of Arnolds devilish power becomes evident as Connie, interestingly, succumbs to his bidding and goes with him. This follows the premise that the devil does not take a soul as he has the power to do; he entices the person to give it to him instead. Arnold friend was the obvious villain, while Connie was the distinguishable protagonist with a rebellious spirit. Like any fairytale, she jumped headlong into trouble, leading to her tragic end. In the conclusion of this story, Connie was taken somewhere from which she could not return. Though she was not the only one to blame, Connie had become a different person to her family than who she was to the world. In one sense, Connie had already sold her soul to the devil by not being true to herself; Arnold Friend was simply there to collect.

Abuse of Legal and Illegal Drugs

Substance abuse is the use of substances with a maladaptive pattern that causes clinically significant damage or distress (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. 114-115). The difference in the use of drugs and drugs of abuse depends on three factors: drug use, drug usage, and drug influence on humans. Drug abuse usually involves drugs that use drugs in excess regardless of whether they are legal or illegal. For example, marijuana is illegal in some states, but illegal in other states. In this article I will explain issues of legal substance abuse and illegal substance abuse. I will explain the four medicines in each category. Among legally abused drugs, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and herbs will be discussed. Illegal drugs that are often exploited in this article are drugs that are the most commonly used or abused drugs in the world for cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin. Among these drugs, the risk of the drug itself is discussed and several types of treatments that at tempt to interrupt the use of drugs will be discussed. Drug abuse occurs when people voluntarily consume illegal substances or legal prescribing medications to change their mood or to become high. Regular drug use can lead to drug addiction or other physical harm. Drug abuse usually involves the sale, purchase or abuse of these substances, which can lead to arrests, criminal charges and imprisonment. The term substance abuse is often associated with illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana. Recently, dangerous design medicines such as bath salt and club medicine such as ecstasy are becoming increasingly popular. Legitimate substances such as tobacco and alcohol are also associated with dangerous abuse. Drug abuse includes both legal and illegal drugs. Defining a drug as a legitimate or an illegal substance does not determine whether the substance is responsible for dependence or abuse. Substances include alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, amphetamine, cocaine, inhalants, opioids, sleeping pills, and the like. Most people can safely use various substances as social conditioners (eg beer or other drinking alcohol or social alcohol). Heroin and cocaine can be used to treat pain under medical supervision, but it is well known that it is an addictive substance. The prevention and treatment of damage is often related to the problem of drug abuse. The use or abuse of legitimate or illegal drugs or illegal drugs or crimes before a crime may be a relevant factor for the victim and some victims may be injured after a crime as a means to alleviate pain or trauma Use and abuse. Studies have shown that victims of drug and alcohol abuse may be at risk of further damage and lead to a series of repetitive violent acts that gradually become destructive without intervention (Substance Abuse Treatment Center, 1997).

Los Zetas Drug cartel as an Explanation of Marginalization and Research Paper

Los Zetas Drug cartel as an Explanation of Marginalization and Violence in Mexican Politics - Research Paper Example Los Zetas operates successfully as a criminal gang due to its affiliation to powerful politicians in the provinces that it controls. The influence of drug cartels in Mexican politics is historical with wide ramifications on the people of the area. Los Zetas explains the historical and current trend of marginalization, violence, corruption and influence of illegal drugs on Mexican politics. This people will discuss by giving illustrations on how Los Zetas explains marginalization, violence, corruption and illegal drugs influence in Mexican politics. Background of Los Zetas Los Zetas started as security group for the top members of the gulf cartel in 1999. The founding members of Los Zetas were fourteen former Mexican Special forces who offered security services for the Gulf cartel, which is considered the most notorious drug cartel in Mexican history. Osiel Cardenas Guillen who was a member of the gulf cartel since the Mid 90’s founded Los Zetas. With the help of three Military personnel, Guillen managed to consolidate himself as the kingpin of the group on the Mexican gulf through the elimination of his rivals in the Gulf cartel. The ruthless and professionalism of the group made it easy for Guillen to effectively scare and take over the territories of his enemies. By 2004, Guillen had been captured and his main bodyguard Arturo Guzman had been killed. The remaining members of the group took over the reins but with Guillen still controlling the group. Accusations of Guillen and Los Zetas being protected by powerful politicians in the state of Tamaulipas has always been considered as one of the reason that made it easy for Guillen to operate easily in the gulf of Mexico. ... Los Zetas transformed itself into a full drug cartel with the weakening of the Gulf cartel and the ascendancy of Heriberto Lazcano who was a founding member of the security group. Los Zetas success is attributed to the disintegration of the Gulf cartel. By 2010, Los Zetas had fully made itself independent from the gulf cartel and with Lazcano as its head, furthermore, the group recruited its members from states as far as Texas in the US and in Guatemala. it increased its financial base from being simply a drug cartel, into assassins for hire, running prostitution rings, casinos, music piracy, controlling the mining industry and even working as muscles for some politicians. Currently, Los Zetas and its allies face the rivalry from the Sinaola cartel, which is the other powerful cartel in Mexico. Areas that Los Zetas controls Los Zetas is considered a newer drug cartel compared to its rivals. It is estimated that los Zetas controls 11 states or more in Mexico. Apart from Mexico, Los Ze tas can be found actively in Texas and in Guatemala. The drug cartel is considered the biggest one in geographical terms when compared to the Siniola drug cartel, which is the chief rival of the group. Los Zetas is found in states such as Nuevo Laredo, Coahuila, tabasco, Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan, Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacan, Oacxaca and even parts of Mexico City. The group has become ruthless because of its ability to recruit corrupt members of the police force. The group is also known to have training camps where members of Guatemala military train new recruits. All those happens even in the presence of elected government, judicial and police officials. Marginalization as a cause of thriving of Los Zetas success In order to understand the success of Los

The case of Hamdan v Rumsfeld Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The case of Hamdan v Rumsfeld - Essay Example de by Senate and Congress and the changing of the language in the bill whereby even though the courts would be stripped off jurisdiction in Guantanamo Bay cases, the pending cases would still be heard by the court. The fact that the legal language and points argued presented by the defense was based strictly on law and almost every one of them had the Supreme Court judges agree to them was evident that the case and ruling were solely based on strict construction. The ruling would however have been based on judicial activism had it been based on Columbia or Virginia as the ruling would have been political. The decision for the judges to base their ruling on strict construction was an indication of the judicial arm of the government being impartial and this boosts the society’s trust in this arm of the government. Allegation shave been made in the past about how the court prejudiced the courts are and the judges show much support to the politics and administration of the day rather than do what is right. This decision however completely changed that view and especially for the immigrants and people of other races who are considered minority like the Yemeni driver. The society will also start believing in the bill of rights as the decision which was based on the sixth amendment and the third Geneva Convention upheld fairness for all and accorded the prisoners in the military prison in Cuba a fighting chance for their cases to be heard and for them to be proven guilty or not as prisoners of war. The society can now start having more faith in the judicial system and believing that everyone has a fighting chance and a chance to be heard in court and the ruling made fair (Walsh and Craig 28). The social contract emphasizes that the individuals are the real people behind the government and even though they have appointed leaders as state people to govern them, they are just considered the guardians of the people’s rights (Rousseau, 26). These guardians are supposed

Effects of Alcoholic Drinks to College Students Essay Example for Free

Effects of Alcoholic Drinks to College Students Essay Although alcohol may give you a feeling of elation and aroused senses due to a lessening of inhibitions during the early stages of alcohol intoxication, alcohol is a depressant. It depresses the central nervous system—leading to slowed reactions, slurred speech, and ultimately, to unconsciousness. Alcohol progressively affects different brain areas. Alcohol first affects the part of the brain that controls inhibitions. When people lose their inhibitions, they may talk more, get rowdy, and do foolish things. After several drinks, they may feel â€Å"high,† but really, their nervous system is slowing down. Alcohol acts fast because it is not digested like food. Instead, it moves directly into the bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. It takes a long time for alcohol’s effects to wear off—as it takes approximately one hour for the liver to process the alcohol in one drink. ALCOHOL’S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory: Clearly, alcohol affects the brain. Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety. Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today. We do know that heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple â€Å"slips† in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. And even moderate drinking leads to short–term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking on driving. A number of factors influence how and to what extent alcohol affects the brain (1), including * how much and how often a person drinks; * the age at which he or she first began drinking, and how long he or she has been drinking; * the person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism; * whether he or she is at risk as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure; and * his or her general health status. BLACKOUTS AND MEMORY LAPSES Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events. Blackouts are much more common among social drinkers than previously assumed and should be viewed as a potential consequence of acute intoxication regardless of age or whether the drinker is clinically dependent on alcohol (2). White and colleagues (3) surveyed 772 college undergraduates about their experiences with blackouts and asked, â€Å"Have you ever awoken after a night of drinking not able to remember things that you did or places that you went? † Of the students who had ever consumed alcohol, 51 percent reported blacking out at some point in their lives, and 40 percent reported experiencing a blackout in the year before the survey. Of those who reported drinking in the 2 weeks before the survey, 9. 4 percent said they blacked out during that time. The students reported learning later that they had participated in a wide range of potentially dangerous events they could not remember, including vandalism, unprotected sex, and driving. Binge Drinking and Blackouts| †¢ Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking, for a typical adult, is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women. | ARE WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE TO ALCOHOL’S EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN? Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. For example, alcoholic women develop cirrhosis (5), alcohol–induced damage of the heart muscle (i. e. , cardiomyopathy) (6), and nerve damage (i. e. , peripheral neuropathy) (7) after fewer years of heavy drinking than do alcoholic men. Studies comparing men and women’s sensitivity to alcohol–induced brain damage, however, have not been as conclusive. Using imaging with computerized tomography, two studies (8,9) compared brain shrinkage, a common indicator of brain damage, in alcoholic men and women and reported that male and female alcoholics both showed significantly greater brain shrinkage than control subjects. Studies also showed that both men and women have similar learning and memory problems as a result of heavy drinking (10). The difference is that alcoholic women reported that they had been drinking excessively for only about half as long as the alcoholic men in these studies. This indicates that women’s brains, like their other organs, are more vulnerable to alcohol–induced damage than men’s (11). SUMMARY Alcoholics are not all alike. They experience different degrees of impairment, and the disease has different origins for different people. Consequently, researchers have not found conclusive evidence that any one variable is solely responsible for the brain deficits found in alcoholics. Characterizing what makes some alcoholics vulnerable to brain damage whereas others are not remains the subject of active research (34). The good news is that most alcoholics with cognitive impairment show at least some improvement in brain structure and functioning within a year of abstinence, though some people take much longer (35–37). Clinicians must consider a variety of treatment methods to help people stop drinking and to recover from alcohol–related brain impairments, and tailor these treatments to the individual patient. Advanced technology will have an important role in developing these therapies. Clinicians can use brain–imaging techniques to monitor the course and success of treatment, because imaging can reveal structural, functional, and biochemical changes in living patients over time. Promising new medications also are in the early stages of development, as researchers strive to design therapies that can help prevent alcohol’s harmful effects and promote the growth of new brain cells to take the place of those that have been damaged by alcohol.  ¦ As well as damaging their health, university students who drink too much alcohol may also be damaging their academic performance. Alcohol: The Benefits of Moderate Drinking Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can have positive influences on physical and mental health. While alcohol is one of the most widely abused substances on the market, it is also one that features certain benefits for drinkers who consume it in safe amounts. For individuals who consume low levels of alcohol, benefits like reduced stress, increased cardiovascular health and decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes offer a wealth of reasons for consumers to drink in moderation. Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Tension. Research shows that the consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts can lead to certain psychological benefits. Low levels of alcohol can trigger stress reduction, easy feelings of anxiety and help consumers to reduce tension. In addition, low levels of alcohol consumption can also cause the consumer to feel more pleasant and relaxed. Studies on sleep show that people who drink in moderation get more sleep on average than do those who indulge in excess. These psychological effects of moderate drinking are positive ones that can be beneficial to the consumer. A Longer Life The positive psychological effects of drinking in moderation can be associated with the studies that show moderate drinkers tend to love longer than people who dont drink at all or those who drink in excess. Studies from a number of different countries including China, the United States and England indicate that longevity is highest among groups of people who drink alcohol in moderation. Increased Cardiovascular Health Several studies have shown that drinking alcohol in moderation has a positive correlation with certain aspects of cardiovascular health. In particular, the risk of developing coronary artery disease is significantly lowered in conjunction with moderate consumption of alcohol. Another link between alcohol and cardiovascular health shows that moderate consumption of alcohol has a positive correlation with survivability in the event of a heart attack. Those who drink low levels of alcohol are more likely to live and less likely to experience another heart attack. Alcohol produces several positive effects on the body when consumed in low levels. For example, it increases levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Alcohol also acts as a blood thinner once it enters the human body, much like common aspirin does. Thus, when consumed in moderation, it can reduce the likelihood of developing blood clots in arteries. Decreased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes While consuming alcohol in large quantities has been proven to put drinkers at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, some studies show that drinking in moderation might have the opposite effect. The relationship between alcohol and type 2 diabetes is the focus of a great number of ongoing studies. Findings show, however, that moderate drinkers are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than heavy drinkers. All of these health benefits associated with moderate drinking serve as an incentive for consumers to limit their levels of alcohol intake. Too much alcohol eliminates the health benefits described above. The best way to maximize on the health benefits of alcohol is to consume it in low levels. Negative Effects of Drinking Alcohol on Physical Fitness While occasional alcohol use may not have a major impact on physical activity, there is a clear link between sports, exercise and drinking alcohol. In fact, alcohol is the most widely used drug by athletes which is why alcohol related difficulties seem to be more common among those who exercise regularly. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Studies done to determine the influence that alcohol has on exercise Studies have shown that consuming alcohol has the following influence on exercise: *Diminishes the use of amino acids and glucose by the muscles of the skeleton *A detrimental influence on the supply of energy *An impairment in metabolism while exercising In addition, persuasive evidence implies that continual use of alcohol is connected with unfavorable effects on systems of the body and organs, including the liver, brain, heart and blood vessels. Exercising while under the influence of alcohol Drinking alcohol has a negative influence on motor skills, stamina and aerobic ability. Alcohol has the following effects on motor skills: *Delayed reaction time *A decrease in hand-eye coordination *Less precision and balance Alcohol has the following effects on strength training and short term athletic functioning: *A decline in athletic performance as a whole. *Decreased times in cycling and running *Weakened pumping power of the heart *Impaired temperature control while exercising *Weakening of grip strength *Decreased jump altitude *Lower 200 and 400-meter running performance *Becoming tired more quickly while participating in high-intensity workouts Alcohol has the following effects on aerobic performance: *Dehydration *Considerably diminished aerobic performance *Hindered 800 and 1500-meter running speeds *An increase in health risks after working out in hot atmospheres for an extended amount of time Working out with a hangover. A hangover is caused by a number of factors including, dehydration and toxicity from the alcohol. The symptoms include a gloomy mood and headache. Unfortunately, these side effects can cause a decline in athletic performance. Working out with a hangover has been shown to considerably decrease aerobic adequacy by as great as 11 percent. Long term effects that alcohol has on exercise performance Long term, heavy (more than two drinks each day) alcohol use can impair exercise in the following ways: *Hindering the cardiovascular reaction to exercise *Cause nutritional deficits from changes in nutrient consumption, digestion and metabolism. *Cause muscle injury, wasting and feebleness in several muscles, including the heart. *Changing the bodys hormonal atmosphere It is also important to note that women might be more susceptible to the toxic results of alcohol on the heart. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Alcoholism is a growing problem in the United States and is even a problem in teenagers, too. Unfortunately, there are a variety of negative effects that are associated with the consumption of alcohol. While the negative effects can either be long term or short term, all of them start with the first drink of alcohol. Negative effects may not become apparent immediately, but as time goes on, the adverse effects of alcohol will become more and more noticeable and, in some cases, they can even lead to death. Diseases One of the negative effects that alcohol tends to have is the increased risk for multiple serious diseases. Increased consumption of alcohol can lead to serious medical problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, which often results in death. Infections, sleeping disorders and sexual dysfunctions can also be caused by consumption of alcohol. Recent studies have also shown that consumption of alcohol can actually raise the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer, throat cancer and intestinal cancer. Consuming alcohol can be very serious and there are many grave negative effects that are caused by alcohol. Avoiding alcohol can help you avoid these adverse effects and perhaps even save your life.

My Hair and I Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

My Hair and I At some point in a woman's life, she is, if like most women, unhappy with her hair. A woman with straight hair wishes for curly ringlets. A woman with curly hair wants stick-straight locks. Thick and coarse desires to be fine and thinner. Fine and thin begs for thick hair. I was one of those women. My hair has an energy, personality, and life of her own. I refer to my hair as "she" because, although by technical definition my hair is not a separate living being, and although I have no proof of her life to show others, I know that she not only grows and reproduces (two characteristics by which many measure life), but she responds to stimuli, shows emotions, and can reason. For much of my life, my hair and I were diametrically opposed in appearance, personality, and temperament. On my head is a thick mane of jet-black coarse curly hair. Each hair is muscular, with enough heft and hutzpah to hold a 5-pound dumbbell. I, in contrast, am a very petite girl with the arm strength of a gnat. My hair is wild. I am demure. My hair is boisterous, I, except occasionally, am composed. My hair is an extrovert, gaining energy from those around her. I am an introvert, preferring to curl up with a good book. For many years, I coveted anyone's hair that was anything that my hair wasn't. Despite our differences, we have come to a mutual understanding. And, now, I can say, with some confidence, that my hair and I are friends, not just forced to be together because of genetics. But I can admit this only after years of hard lessons and experience. I can't remember the day my hair and I parted ways. We used to get along when we were young! Displayed in the ponytail fountain on top of my head, she was quite cooperative.... ...at night, I loved my hair, every single strand of it. I loved her ability to be straight or curly, sleek and sexy or fun and bouncy. I found myself brushing my hands through my hair, and she cherished the affection. I bought every hair product Pamela used in my hair, hopeful I could shape my hair myself. And, although it took a few weeks to learn Pamela's styling techniques, my hair and I quickly found a rhythm. We realized we didn't have to be enemies. We experimented with dozens of different hairstyles, lengths, products, and appliances, and my hair was amused by all of them. As much as possible, I tried to enjoy her assets, and she tried to respect my needs. Of course, occasionally, my hair would turn her mood at an inopportune time, but I was no longer caught by surprise when this happened. My hair and I have happily co-existed like this for many years.

An Analysis of the Correlation Between Socioeconomic Status and Obesity Essay

Conflict theory is based entirely in power and how those in power do all they can to hold the majority of the population down and to keep them from gaining power, so as to secure their own position. Conflict theorists would say that obesity is a product of the living conditions, stress and poor quality of food and health education. Obesity is seen as deviant and problematic and therefore conflicts with the ideal society of being fit and thin. The more obese the less power and stature you have in society. Conflict theorists might say that those that are in power, law makers, Fortune 500 CEO’s, for example, make cheaper good, make goods more unhealthy, and so the poor might only be able to afford cheap, unhealthy bulk food and become susceptible to obesity. Conflict theorists might say that food education might be controlled by larger government forces, for example the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture. These are the members of society who look out for their own bottom line and corporate interests from sponsors and lobbyists. They might limit education about food intake and what is healthy and unhealthy, they might suggest certain foods like beef or milk is healthy to appeal to the dairy industry, to keep our politicians funded with billions of dollars in donations. There is also the argument that by keeping people obese it allows for discrimination at work, in which they must work harder at getting raises because they cannot keep up with their thinner counterparts. Obese people have difficulty with their social lives and early death and numerous health complications that might further ensure the status of the powerful few at the top of the food chain. The Structural Functionalism theory argument is that obesity is a necessary part of society. Functionalist’s major argument is that everything that exists must have a meaning and must be useful towards society as a whole. Functionalists might argue that obese people will bring attention to the problems in health care and obesity might help in teaching those in power more our emotional connection to food and to further explore man’s relationship with eating and nourishment. The obese population might inspire others to be healthier and might inform and educate society as a whole about the dangers of obesity and its overall impact. Functionalist would say that to the obese would be bring an overall benefit to society. The symbolic interactionist theory demonstrates the effects towards obese people when they feel they are being perceived in a negative or unflattering way. The verbal and nonverbal cues that a fit or thin person demonstrates might create an obese person to withdraw even further from society and or turn to food as a coping mechanism thereby increasing weight. Obesity is most correlated to social discrimination and a feeling of being unworthy or weak due to the inability to resist food, for personal and emotional reasons. Obesity in society is a symbol of unhealthiness and unattractiveness which produces feelings of disgust, but obesity is a symbol in and of itself because our society makes us associate those things with obesity. There are cultures and societies around the world where being obese means status and power and it was seen as sexy and desirable. Everything we do is socially constructed as is our reactions and treatment of obese people.

Mining in the Philippines Essay

A. Introduction The Philippine Government believes that a well-developed minerals industry is an option that can catalyze economic development and community empowerment. Minerals are part of its national patrimony, hence there is a big responsibility to maximize the benefits that can be derived from their utilization with due regard to the protection of the environment and without sacrificing the interests of communities. The legal and administrative framework governing the minerals industry in the Philippines is contained in Republic Act No. 7942 (otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995) and given flesh by its revised implementing rules and regulations (Administrative Order No. 96-40) and its subsequent amendments. These policies advocate the sustainable development of mineral resources in the country. While both the Mining Act and its regulations provide a strong focus on environmental and social management, they continue to be the subject of debate by some non-government organizations who are questioning the compatibility of extraction and utilization of minerals with sustainable development. Also, they have questioned the constitutionality of the major provisions of the Mining Act governing the participation of foreign-owned corporations in the exploration, development and utilization of these mineral resources by filing a case at the Supreme Court in February, 1997. After eight years of study, the high court initially decided to sustain the charge of the contesting parties. However, after successful presentation of arguments by Government and industry on the merits of allowing foreign investors to participate in the development of the minerals industry, the case was finally resolved in December 1, 2004 when the high court reversed its earlier decision and upheld the constitutionality of the contested provisions in the Mining Act. With this legal impediment removed, exploration and development activities in the Philippine minerals industry is due to become vibrant once again. Compared to previous policy regimes on mining, the Mining Act calls for a greater responsibility from Government and the industry. Mining companies are expected to work closer with stakeholders to improve the quality of life within the communities where they operate. As regulator, Government, on the other hand, has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining the enabling environment for a sustainable development of the industry. Minerals development in the country is led by no less than the President of the Republic of the Philippines. In her declaration of a policy shift in mining â€Å"from tolerance to promotion†, minerals development was elevated among the priority economic activities in the country during her presidential tenure. Early this year, she signed Executive Order No. 270 which approved a national policy agenda on revitalizing the minerals industry based on the principles of sustainable development. From this order, a Minerals Action Plan (MAP) was subsequently formulated by Government to chart a roadmap for the future development of the minerals industry. Minerals development is now an important component of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010.

The Legal Environment of Business Essay Example

The Legal Environment of Business Essay Example The Legal Environment of Business Essay The Legal Environment of Business Essay Assume that you are the supervisor of an employee who has been accused of sexually harassing a fellow co-worker. What steps would you take to handle the situation? What are the potential legal issues of which you must be cognizant? How would you help your company avoid a potential charge of discrimination (by the employee bringing the internal charge) and/or retaliation (by the individual charged with the alleged violation)? Harassment of any kind can be down right nasty. The role of a supervisor is twofold. They must protect the well being of the company they represent as well as keep their employees informed and safe. It takes special innate and learned character traits to be an effective supervisor. One important trait I suppose would be the ability to represent three different parties at the same time. The parties being: the company, the staff in which they supervise and self. Let’s take this scenario as a case to study. For the sake of this illustration, I am Ashley. Jamie is hired as a set designer for a major company in L. A. She is a young, educated, spirited and married. One of the things that Ashley liked about Jamie when she hired her was her personal sense of style. The company sends Jamie all over the world to build movie and theater sets, whoever, most of her work is done in the companies L. A. warehouses. Given Jamie’s natural personality, she is always smiling, complementing others on their work as well as their personal appearance. A typical greeting from Jamie would be, â€Å"Good morning Gwen. I love your shirt. That color really looks great on you†. Another example would be, â€Å"Mr. Thomas, looking sharp†! That’s typical of what she would say to one of the board members. The industry Jamie works in is all about fashion, style and design and she is no exception. She always wears outfits that show she thought about it. Everything about Jamie demands attention in the most unintentional way. She isn’t loud and grandiose. In fact, even though she loves to give complements and highlight the good in others, she doesn’t like a lot of attention placed on her. Miles was hired one year after Jamie, also as a set designer. He was about five years Jamie’s senior and was recently engaged. Just as Jamie was with everyone, she smiled when she talked to Jamie and complemented his work and his appearance. Well one day, Miles made a comment to Jamie that made her feel uncomfortable. He said, â€Å"Jamie, what is your husband doing that keeps you smiling all the time†. She was really offended but she didn’t want to make a big deal out of what could very well have been nothing. She just ignored him and kept working. She thought that would be the first and last time he would say anything so inappropriate to her again so she just went on about her work as usual. But it didn’t stop. In fact it got worse. The comment that pushed Jamie over the edge if you will, is when the crew was working on a new set in Hawaii. It was during summer so it was really hot and humid. Jamie was wearing a simple white tank top and some blue jeans that had been cut off just above her thigh area. She was sitting straddled about a huge palm tree that had fallen down during the island’s last hurricane. Miles says, in front of everyone, â€Å"Hey Jamie, I sure would like to be that palm tree right about now†. Jamie was livid! She told him off real good and then went to talk to her supervisor Ashley about the sexual harassment she feels she has been experiencing at the hand of her co-worker Miles. Brabners says, â€Å"It is now unlawful for an employer to subject an individual to harassment. Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct on the grounds of a recipients sex or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. (2008) Ashley is genuinely concerned about the accusations that has been brought to her attention and takes immediate actions. According to the Supreme Court, in order for the company not to be held liable for Miles’ alleged misdeeds, Ashley has to be sure to use reasonable care to prevent and correct the sexually harassing behavior. If everyone involved unreasonably failed to take advantage of the complaint procedure or other preventive opportunities provided by the company and termination, demotion or reassignment is a result, then the company is clear of liability. (391, Beatty) The first thing Ashley did was talk to both Jamie and Miles separately and they gave written statements to their perception of what happened. She was conscience not to take sides or express favor of one side over the other. During this process, she had each of them bring someone out side of the company with them for personal support as well as to be a witness to Ashley’s none biases position. Both Jamie and Miles were instructed to keep the situation confidential and to not discuss any parts of the accusations at work or to anyone in affiliation with the company whether during company hours or not. After a month long internal investigation, Miles was offered a lower paying position in another department. He refused and threatened to sue. He didn’t stand a chance at winning because evidence had proven that he had indeed been sexually harassing Jamie as well as other female and homosexual employees. Ashley really could have fired him but instead she offered him a position that he more than likely would refuse. He voluntarily ended his employment as predicted. The way Ashley chose to handle this situation save the company from a law suit from either Jamie or Miles. She also saved the company from having to pay unemployment because Miles quite voluntarily. He was never denied employment. Even after he was found guilt of sexual harassment, he could have continued working for the company yet he refused. Prevention is the best tool for the elimination of sexual harassment. An employer should take all steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, such as affirmatively raising the subject, expressing strong disapproval, developing appropriate sanctions, informing employees of their right to raise and how to raise the issue of harassment under Title VII, and developing methods to sensitize all concerned. Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Sex U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission After that incident, the company had everyone go through sensitivity training which dealt with handling every thing from race to religion in the work place. The company also developed a peer mediation group system. This process is to be used before it goes to upper management. This way an issue can be resolved without the treat of unfavorable consequences. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government. Title VIIs prohibitions against sex-based discrimination also cover sexual harassment. According to The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, this includes practices ranging from direct requests for sexual favors to workplace conditions that create a hostile environment for persons of either gender, including same sex harassment. (EEOC) Harassment of any kind is unacceptable and more laws are being passed to protect the civil rights of all people. We all have a responsibility to make where we work safe in every way. This includes sanity. Reference: Beatty, Jeffrey F. nd Samuelson, Susan S. (2008). Legal Environment Third Edition. Thomson Higher Education. Mason, OH. Brabners, Chaffe, and Street. (2008). Discrimination on Grounds of Sex. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from discriminationonline. com/employer/sex_discrimination. asp Lectric Law Library. (2008). Guidelines For Employers On Sexual Harassment. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from lectlaw. com/files/emp32. htm The U. S. Equal Emplo yment Opportunity Commission. (2008). Sex-Based Discrimination. Retrieved May 5,2008 from eeoc. gov/types/sex. html

What are the TWO most important things we need to create, and what are Essay - 1

What are the TWO most important things we need to create, and what are the TWO most important obstacles we need to overcome, in dealing with the digital divide - Essay Example consists of the people who have effective access to computer and information technologies and second category comprises of those who do not have accessibility to such resources. There is no doubt that digital technologies and computer have revolutionized the human life largely (Dickard & Schneider, 2002). The paper emphasizes on the importance of equal distribution of resources in all segments i.e. race, education, socioeconomic status etc. Other factors that affect digital divide are existing social economic cultural and learning inequalities. In purview of the complexity of the issue, US federal and state government, internet and computer industry have formulated various focused strategies to spread computer and internet accessibility to every individual. Education is probably the most important issue that affects the ability to gain from technology and minimize the issue of digital divide at greater extent. Generous quantum of time and financial resources are required to provide quality computer education to children at schools and especially to those students who do not have facility of computer at their homes. In this article, Harouna Ba (2009) also explains and throws light on the generalized access model consisting of four universal categories. This model includes technology for disabled people, youth development plans to boost youth leadership, research policies and youth media. Moreover, the introduction of home level programs is mandatory to educate society to its. Another significant thing, on which we need to exercise our focus, is formulation of product and services design industries. The prime drivers of this mission includes the goal of widening and extending the use of internet by developing alternative designs, maintaining lower cost of computing and technical training, and easy accessibility of the training institutes (Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, 2000). These procedures are most likely to help making technology designs and

Music and dance an aspect of Caribbean culture Essay

Music and dance an aspect of Caribbean culture - Essay Example It is acknowledged that the creolization of the Caribbean culture may well be the key to understanding the numerous and interrelated forms of music and dance expression. In Caribbean music and dance, one can find an ever-changing mixture of percussion and vocal styles traceable to West Africa; as well as melodic and harmonic forms derived from European culture. Caribbean musicians have blended and simmered these musical influences, transforming the various ingredients into something new and unique. And of course, there is continual cross–fertilization among the islands, as variations are made to keep the music fresh, making for the Caribbean’s vital input into the international music scene. One by one rumba, beguine, calypso and reggae have taken not only the United States but the entire world by storm. Part of the power and allure of the Caribbean music is its constant rediscovery of the island’s African heritage. The steel drum of Trinidad evokes the drum choirs of West Africa, salsa and even reggae are drawn from the call-and-response style of West Africa. The music and dance culture of Caribbean lands have changed with the growth of national pride and numerous American influence. In recent years, Jamaican reggae has exerted the greatest influence on the international market of any Caribbean music. The music of the Caribbean is dance music, meant to provide a few moments of freedom from the routines of daily existence. According to, â€Å"the dances of the Caribbean nations mostly are comprised of social dances..†

Introduction to Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to Counseling - Essay Example This is what I call building. Yes, building or making my plans realized. Indeed, the choices we make affect our future. My decision today will shape my future. Before I have to make my choice of a course, and eventually a career that will accompany me for the rest of my earth's life, I have to get back to where I came from, of what led me to this institution to study. I can't think of any possible career. There is one story of my life however that is forever fresh in my youthful mind - a story of my childhood. Some humble beginnings nurtured my mind to an environment that values life above anything. I would prefer seeing people counseling others, giving them a touch of a loving hand, and young ordinary folks sacrificing personal happiness and pursuits for the service of people in the countryside, ordinary human beings who really come from the grassroots. Though I may not be them to the letter, I'll try to follow a path where my life will be focused of the goals set forth in my childhood - that of helping and counseling people. Most courses focus on improving. Improving ways to look for money. Improving or finding ways for fortune and fame. Others focus on serving not just with pay but with an enormous amount of pay. Simply put, they are not gratifying, albeit satisfying or comparable to helping people unselfishly by counseling them. What can be more rewarding than touching people and letting them feel that here's someone who cares, who prefers to listen rather than dictate. With my planned career of helping people I need to be more unselfish, to have a lot of sacrifices and concern. I have to be broadminded, and need to understand other areas of human relationship like the emotional, spiritual and social environment. On the other hand, I may further need a firm determination, lots of sacrifice, and some thought that by helping others I am making a profound difference on the life of another human being. This is a challenging and rewarding endeavor - to feel the needs of a patient, to listen and guide someone through a more secure and promising path through life. 3. My choice of my career is an extension of my personality What we want to be reflects what we always think of life, from the beginning when we build dreams and castles in the air, until we start a process of fulfilling those dreams. But these dreams and plans are usually influence by the environment, or how we were brought up, until we acquire a personality that we embrace all throughout. I have always planned of a helping career. My goal is to compassionately share my knowledge and resources to people in need of these resources. I have exhibited this since I was too young, and now it is high time that I start to frame and reflect what is really inside of me. 4. How an internship can help me develop as a professional Internship can help a lot because it is through this that I will be able to feel the real job of counseling, a true hands-on experience. It is like an on-the-job training that young graduates pass through before they go on with real work in the office or any workplace. I will be encouraged and challenged to work professionally, see for myself what really are the

Business Email (100 words) and Attachment (400 words) Essay

Business Email (100 words) and Attachment (400 words) - Essay Example We have already prepared several copies of our business card that has a Korean translation to help us communicate our official rank in the company. (Kwintessential Ltd. 2008)2 When it comes to exchanging business cards, our sales team has been informed to use both hands when giving or receiving a business card. We have also informed our team to read the business card first before keeping it in a case or a pocket. Unlike the typical handshake as a business practice in North America, our sales team have been taught that they should greet South Korean businessmen with their family name combined with a â€Å"slight bow† and a handshake while maintaining a good eye-contact with the other party upon the first meeting the Korean business people in an informal reception, just before the presentation and the evening meal starts. (Kwintessential Ltd. 2008) Calling them by their surname remain a practice until the Korean businessmen to tell us to simply call them with their first name. We have also made the sales presentation as short as possible so as not to avoid over-selling our expertise as a consultant company. (Movius et al. 2006) Instead, we aim to develop a stronger business relationship with them. "Communicaid." Doing business in South Korea| South Korean Social and Business Culture. 2008. http://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/culture-for-business-and-management/doing-business-in/South-korean-business-and-social-culture.php (accessed June 14,

Abdullah Badawi’s Effect on Political Economy

Abdullah Badawi’s Effect on Political Economy 1.0 INTRODUCTION Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the fifth Malaysia’s Prime Minister (2003-2009), was born on 26th November, 1939 in Kampung Perlis, Bayan Lepas. He was greatly influenced by his family religious background and further strengthened it through the subject of Islamic Studies in Universiti Malaya, and graduated in 1964. After he was graduated from Universiti Malaya, Abdullah was working as a civil servant, including Assistant Secretary in the Public Services Department and Head Assistant Secretary in the National Operation Council (NOC) (Welsh, 2003). At that time, he also was also being a Director in the Ministry of Youth and Sports; and since 1974, Deputy Chief Secretary in the same ministry. In 1978, Abdullah resigned in the civil service and had been elected as the candidate for Kepala Batas Parliament seat For the year 1978-1987, Abdullah has won the 1978 elections for the Kepala Batas Parliament seat (Sivamurugan Rusdi Omar Mohd Azizuddin, 2010). He was then elected as Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy Minister in the Federal Territory Ministry. He was also been Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (1981-1984), Minister of Education (1984-1986), Minister of Defence (1986-1987). From the year 1987 to 1990, it was climax in Abdullah’s political leadership. The growth of Anwar Ibrahim and the presence of opposition leaders in UMNO had not feared by Abdullah (Sivamurugan Rusdi Omar Mohd Azizuddin, 2010). By this, he finally get the highest position in the party and government. He was trusted by Dr.Mahathir to offer him for involving in 1990 General Elections. He was also elected as the part of Cabinet. The support gained by Abdullah not only particularly on inner support but also because of his inner confidence and strength that had given him a trust by peoples (Sivamurugan Rusdi Omar Mohd Azizuddin, 2010).. Abdullah was served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during 1991-1999. At that time, Abdullah also succeeded in winning back the UMNO Vice President seat in the 1996 elections after the failure to win Vice President seat in 1993 (Case, n.d). He gained the Dr. Mahathir’s trust and was finally elected as the UMNO Deputy President in 1999 and Deputy Prime Minister, the fourth under the leadership of Dr. Mahathir. In Jun 2002, Dr. Mahathir announced to retire, and announced to the public that he had given trust to Abdullah to be his successor of Prime Minister. The main objective to conduct this case study is to critically examine the political economy throughout his reign of nearly six years. The specific objectives are; firstly, to critically review Abdullah’s political performance by providing the election report between 2003-2009 and figure out the reason why the mass supported him; secondly, to interpret the international economy oil price and its problems; thirdly, to identify issues and challenges during his tenure, whether Abdullah’s political policy affects the Malaysia’s economy or vice versa or both. To complete our research, we will assess the data from books in library, journals articles, newspapers and electric sources to prove whether our argument is valid or not. The research is conducted by 3 members, everyone from each will be divided to collect sources based on their own task. Our finding will dramatically advance our understanding of political economy under the administration of Abdullah. 2.0 LEADERSHIP OF ABDULLAH BADAWI During Abdullah’s premiership, the government policies did not change much. To him, he was presiding over an individual change rather than regime change. Abdullah implemented his promise to address corruption. Abdullah is widely admired for his religious knowledge and credentials, and can confront Islamic radicals (in his own quiet way) while maintaining respect from mainstream society (McCreedy, 2003). Abdullah’s personal style—mild, incremental, consensual—will differ from the fiery tone of his predecessor (Tun Mahathir), and likely improve relations with the West (McCreedy, 2003). Not having as Mahathir aggressive personality as Mahathir had, Abdullah showed an early willingness to listen and work as a team. He attempted to bring economic liberalisation, declared war on corruption, improved governance, and opened up democratic space (Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid Muhammad Takiyuddin Ismail, 2012). To reform policy, he re-attached importance to agriculture, re-emphasized poverty eradication, highlighted human capital development, and shifted focus to regional development which was been practiced by the second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak. Abdullah was so much emphasing on religious and he attempted to establish Islam Hadhari, a progressive approach towards understanding and practising Islam as a modern rather than conservative religion. Thus, Abdullah’s leadership style was soft-personality, but under his premiership, many plans were proved to be more than just declare. 3.0 ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY TUN ABDULLAH BADAWI 3.1 The Global Financial Crisis (2008-2009) The global financial crisis (GFC), caused by the bursting of a speculative bubble in the US housing market in 2008, affected the capital flows, trade flows, and commodity prices of the world (Athukorala, 2010). Different countries have been affected differently, depending on the nature of their financial/trade linkages with the rest of the world, the quality of financial institutions and polices. As we will see below, for Malaysia, the financial and economic development had worsened in 2008 and 2009. Our GDP remained declining in the year of 2008, ultimately 0.1% growth of GDP in third quarter of 2008. The GDP felt by approximately 3% in the fourth quarter of 2008, which was also the first time in negative territory since 2001 (figure 1) (World Trade Organization, 2011). From the data interpreting above, we could imagine that during Abdullah Badawi’s premiership, the main challenge affected by global financial crisis was the declining of GDP in Malaysia in 2008 and the exportation of Malaysia declined. 3.2 International Oil Price Crisis The second issue and challenge faced by Abdullah Badawi is international oil price crisis by 2008. The oil price has skyrocketed to levels never predicted by the strategists and economic planners, estimated from USD170 per barrel in end 2008 to USD200 in 2009 (D-8 Secretariat Istanbul, 2008). The increasing of oil price at that time also caused the price of food increased beyond the normal abilities to pay by the poor. Abdullah Badawi (2008) said that the oil price crisis was required global-level solutions, and Malaysia was needed to bring up this issue to international community to resolve together. It is undeniably that the oil price crisis also caused the most urgent challenge facing by Malaysia was the food shortage in the world. As the global oil price increased, the food price also increased, and believed to reach more than 75% since 2000 (D-8 Secretariat Istanbul, 2008). These had threatened to the Malaysia’s economic growth under Abdullah Badawi’s tenure. Thus, the methods that used by Abdullah Badawi to solve the issue were to cut off the government subsidy on fuel (since the increasing of oil price has burdened the government subsidy on fuel) and also suggested to produce or creating alternative sources of energy, such as bio-fuels and agriculture. From Table 1, fuel subsidies had raised from RM2.4bil or 3.8% of total operating expenses (OE) and 0.7% of GDP in 2001 to RM7.3bil in 2006 or 6.8% of total OE and 1.3% GDP (Ministry of Finance, 2008). While in 2007, it rose further to RM8.8bil or 1.4% of GDP (Ministry of Finance, 2008). In estimated 2008, fuel subsidies would escalate to estimate RM15.5bil or 12% of total OE and 2.3% of GDP (table 1) (Ministry of Finance, 2008). From Table 2, the petroleum product subsidy had increased from RM16.0bil in 2005 to RM16.2bil in 2007, but had decreased from 43.7% of total subsidy in 2005 to 37.3% in 2007 (Ministry of Finance, 2008). It could be said that the government had begun to cut off the fuel subsidy due to the increasing of oil price in 2007 but had put more effort on gas price subsidy due to Abdullah Badawi’s recommendation policy on replacing the fuel energy. 4.0 POLITICAL POLICY AFFECTS ECONOMY OR ECONOMY AFFECTS POLITICAL POLICY? During Abdullah Badawi’s tenure, whether his political policy had affected Malaysia’s economy or the economy had affected his political policy? Based on our research, we would critic that during Abdullah Badawi’s era, the economy had affected his politcal policy. We would provide few facts at the following to support our critical analysis. The first fact is, the rising of world oil price to between US90 and US100 a barrel is expected to force Abdullah Badawi administration on reduction in fuel subsidies in 2008. According to Asia Times (2008), the fuel and gas subsidiaries approximately cost US12bil a year. The global oil price crisis had put increasing burdens on the family budgets, especially the middle-income family from developing country. Not only that, the oil price crisis also forced governments to curtail expenditures or reallocate resources for development in order to meet the more immediate needs of societies (D-8 Secretariat Istanbul, 2008). Thus, from our analysis, we could comment that the rising of oil price had affected Abdullah Badawi to reduce or cut off the fuel subsidies policy to societies. However, we could not find any other long-term solutions yet to stabilize the price of oil in the market. Perhaps, the reduction on fuel subsidies would be the best alternatives for controlling the government exp enditures. However, Abdullah Badawi’s reduction fuel subsidiary policy had been implemented until today. It could be proven by Malaysian government now (Najib Razak’s era) is following Abdullah Badawi’s step to cut fuel subsidy on ron95 fuel (Athukorala, 2010). In our opinion, there are pros and cons on abolishing fuel subsidy in Malaysia. The pros definitely would be the Malaysia takes advantages of falling global oil price and reduce the burden of government. If cut off fuel subsidy be implemented, the oil price would be followed international oil price, thus, if global oil price reduces, then Malaysia would pay lesser to import oil (McAleavey, 2014). Moreover, abolishing fuel subsidy could benefits government because government could save up the money to use it on other field of subsidiaries. The con on abolishing fuel subsidy in Malaysia would be widen the wealth gap issues. Dismissing fuel subsidy would be benefited to high-income households instead of protecting the l ow-income workers (Palatino, 2014). Nevertheless, in our point of view, if the reduction on fuel subsidy policy would be announced and get opinion from the societies first, it would be more beneficial to both societies and government to achieve a win-win situation. The second fact that we could provide to prove that the economy had affected Abdullah Badawi’s policy is the recommendation on Bio-Fuel Policy in 2006 (D-8 Secretariat Istanbul, 2008) by Abdullah Badawi as a renewable sources of energy to encounter the increasing of oil price issue. The goal to implement this policy is to promote the use of bio fuels as an alternative to petroleum in Malaysia. Examples of bio-fuel or bio-gas could be natural gas vehicles (NGV). Based on our finding, National Biofuel Policy (NBP) provided an alternative to reduce the dependency on petroleum in Malaysia. Palm oil is used as the alternative resource to replace the depleting petroleum as it is more environmental friendly and it could produce investments for it value added-finished products. Oil palm is an energy-efficient crop and the adoption of renewable energy resources started as the crisis of increasing oil price and depletion of crude oil reserve. Palm oil contribute the largest part in Malaysia’s economic. NBP was being launched to sustain the economic growth. Few objectives were formulated to mobilize the local resources for biofuel production and explore new technology to generate energy as an alternative resources (table 2). In 2009, the use of B5 blends (Envo Diesel) of 5% diesel biofuels and 95% petroleum diesel was introduced (Majid, 2015). This was to create an environmental friendly and renewable energy resources. The use of biofuel is definitely a great idea yet the usage of diesel biofuel in Malaysia is still low. Moreover, diesel engined-vehicles is more expensive than petrol engined-vehicles. Thus, less people supported the biofuel policy. It is in fact that until today, the Najib Razak’s era, this policy was not implemented yet in Malaysia. The current prime minister could only implement the reduction of fuel subsidy policy, instead of carrying up the bio-fuel policy. Based on our research, there are a few weakness of this National Biofuel Policy which launched by Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2006. Ccsenet.org (2011) mentioned that the weakness of this policy is that the demand from market is small. There is only few diesel users compare to petrol users. Thus, the biofuel policy only benefits some of the populations. Figure 2 shows the difference of energy consumption between petroleum products and biodiesel in Malaysia. The minuscule domestic market could not gain much profits and supports from the people and lastly would fail to reach the objectives of the policy. Besides that, the biofuel infrastructure which could fulfill the basis of nation was not sufficient. People might feel interested and wish to try something which is new and environmentally friendly yet the lack of infrastructure had made the policy unsuccessful. According to Phys.Org (2009), 16 biofuel plants were built but due to low price of biofuel was not being operated. The infrastructure that being built was wasted and made the people feel not confident with the good side of biofuel. The lack of market opportunities of biofuel had also lead to the failure of this policy. Development of biofuel always related to the rain forest deforestation which lead to biodiversity loss. Malaysia has chosen a solution of land-clearing to get plant oil-palm for biodiesel. Climate changes and global warming had become the issue in few conferences and lead to the failure of this policy. Resources and skilled workers and research were not fully utilized to conduct the policy. Thus, National Biofuel Policy is indeed a good policy if we have sufficient manpower, resources and technology intelligence to make it successful and increase the nation’s economic growth. However, the lack of skilled labour and technology and high dependency towards petroleum had caused the implementation of the mandate of B5 biodiesel sale to be delayed in February 2010. 5.0 CONCLUSION The difference in Abdullah Badawi’s leadership style with his predecessor brings about cause for some to consider it as a weakness and loss of control (Utusan Malaysia, 19 September 2006). Under his tenureship, Malaysia had experienced two big challenges, which are the global financial crisis and international oil price crisis during 2008-2009. These two challenges yet never came into a long-term solutions to solve these issues until today. Therefore, in our opinion, the international oil crisis, cut off subsidiaries on oil and increased of oil prices in Malaysia perhaps are the reasons to let him lose his mass support on general election in 2008. REFERENCES Welsh, B. (2003). Malaysias transition: Elite contestation, political dilemmas and incremental change. Washington, D.C: Asia Program Special Report. Sivamurugan, P., Rusdi Omar., Mohd Azizuddin. (2010). Work with Me, Not for Me†: Malaysia under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (2003-2009). Asian Culture and History, Volume 2, Issue 1. Case, W. (n.d). Abdullah Badawi’s first year as Malaysia’s Prime Minister. Austrialia: Griffith Asia Institute. McCreedy, A. (2003). Passing the mantle: A new leadership for Malaysia. Washington, D.C: Asia Program Special Report. Welsh, B. (2003). Malaysias transition: Elite contestation, political dilemmas and incremental change. Washington, D.C: Asia Program Special Report. Welsh, B. (2003). Malaysias transition: Elite contestation, political dilemmas and incremental change. Washington, D.C: Asia Program Special Report. Welsh, B. (2003). Malaysias transition: Elite contestation, political dilemmas and incremental change. Washington, D.C: Asia Program Special Report. http://www.energyglobal.com/downstream/refining/30102014/Malaysia-reduces-fuel-prices-1527/ http://thediplomat.com/2014/10/why-malaysia-reduced-its-fuel-subsidy/ http://www.twn.my/title2/ge/ge26.pdf APPENDIXES Figure 1: Real GDP and trade growth of Malaysia, 2008-10 Source: World Trade Organization, 2011. https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres11_e/pr628_e.htm Figure 2: The Difference of Energy Consumption between Petroleum Products and Biodiesel in Malaysia. Source: National Energy Balance 2012 (Retrieved from Malaysia Energy Statistic Handbook, 2014) Table 1: Malaysia’s Fuel Subsidies 2001-08 Table 2: Malaysia’s Subsidies and Financial Assistance (RM bil) 2005-07 Source: Ministry of Finance, Bank Negara, Department of Information, Malaysia CIMB/GK Research, 2008.