Is It a Threat of Terrorism?

It is my dream to live in a world where no country on Earth requires a military to protect its citizens from invasion, but like most Utopian fantasies, such a world will never exist. As the leader of the free world, America has built up a huge military to protect the nation’s interests, its allies, and its way of life for its people. After the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, and our senseless invasion of two Islamic countries, the nation is still engaged in war to prevent Islamic extremist attacks.In recent years, public officials in the United States and terrorism analysts here and abroad have warned of an increasing threat of Muslim homegrown terrorist attacks. The terrorist attacks in Madrid in 2004 and in London in 2005 perpetrated by European homegrown terrorists have contributed to these concerns, as has the surge in terrorist-related arrests in the United States in 2009 and 2010. A closer look at the evidence, however, reveals that the threat of Islamic extremist engaging in lethal attacks in the United States has been frequently overstated.Since 1985 there has been 3,178 deaths resulting from Islamic terrorist attacks; including the 2,977 Americans casualties on 9/11. However, the number of American casualties resulting from Islamic extremism is falling drastically; with only 28 Americans killed by Islamic Extremist since the 2001 terror attacks. Terrorist plots by American Muslims are not growing in sophistication, and terrorists' capacities to acquire skills from overseas training are limited.In addition, contrary to concerns that so-called â€Å"lone wolves† will increasingly attempt terrorist attacks that are difficult to foil, there have been only two shootings in the United States by American Muslims since September 11, 2011, despite a significant propaganda effort by leaders of Al-Qaida encouraging such attacks. The Islamophobes (people with irrational fear of Islamic people) claim that Islam is intrinsically a terrorist relig ion. The proof? Well, just about every terrorist attack is Islamic, they retort. Unfortunately for them, that is not true.More like six percent. Using their defunct logic, these Islamophobes can now conclude that nearly all acts of terrorism are committed by Latinos. Let them dare say it. They could not; it would be political and social suicide to say such a thing. Most Americans would shut down such talk as bigoted; yet, similar statements continue to be said of Islam, without any repercussions. The war on terror focuses on groups loosely affiliated with the Al Qaeda terrorist network, but it turns out that Islamic extremists do not pose the greatest threat to America according to numerous reports.One report from the Department of Homeland Security states that the biggest threat to America, its people, and government is actually from Latinos. Latino terrorist spew out acts of terror on American soil every day. According to the Los Angeles Times, these terrorist also control over 90 % of all the drugs that enter the United States. Latino gang violence has resulted in a shocking number of casualties. Over 2,199 innocent American lives have been lost since 2007 due to kidnappings, sex trafficking, and horrendous murders, committed by Latino Terrorist.These facts might throw you for a total paradigm in your thoughts, but what if I also told you that Latinos account for over 42% of all acts of terror on United States soil since 1985? The Islamophobes live in a fantasy world where everyone is supposedly too â€Å"politically correct† to criticize Islam and Muslims. Numerous people are critical of Muslims; but  can you imagine the reaction if I said that Latinos should be profiled because after all they are the ones who commit the most terrorism in the country. Islamophobes   always live in mortal fear–or rather, they try to make  you  feel that way.Do not be fooled, break the spellbinding ideology of Islamophobes. I am sure that you do not live in constant fear of radicalized Latinos; even though they commit seven times more acts of terrorism than Islamic extremist in America. Why then are you constantly fearful over Islamic radicals? The time has come where we can finally halt our fear of Islamic extremist, and focus our attention more frequently on the Latino terrorist If Islamic extremist had half of a brain they would have potential to be dangerous; but for now, they are no different then automated bots, with pre-programmed information and beliefs.They are taught at early ages that the â€Å"West† is their enemy; and that there is no higher appraisal then dying for Allah through acts of terror and suicide. Ignorance breeds ignorance. What we must do is teach the United States citizens the truth about terrorism. Nobody is saying that Islamic terrorism is not a matter of concern, but it is grossly exaggerated.

Oedipus Rex Essay

Oedipus Rex was written during the fifth century. A time when Rome was in power and Athens was the center of the world. In this time people beleived that gods controlled all. Fate and destiny could never be escaped and as is shown in this play, no one can change their own destiny. The fact that this play takes place in less than one day’s time means that many desicions are made in a rash and uninformed fashion. After finding out that his destiny has been fulffiled Oedipus blinds himself out of pain and the wish that he would never look upon the misery and horror that he himself has unknowingly created. The play is set in Thebes, recently a great powerfull city, but has been stuck by sickness and death. Most of the action takes place within the coutyard of the King’s palace. This setting represents power and arrogance. The fact that Oedipus does not go to anyone, everyone, including his wife comes to him suggests this arrogance. He still fears the destiny foretold to him, but he beleives that he can change that destiny by staying away from his family. Pg. 59 line 360 tells of this fear and belief. â€Å"As, that I should lie with my own mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; And that I should be my father’s murderer. I heard all this, and fled. And from that day Corinth to me was ony in the stars. Descending in that quarter of the sky, as I wandered farther and farther on my way to a land where I should never see the evil sung by the oracle. † Most other men in this time would except their fate, but his arrogance will not let him. His beleif that he can cheat fate is ultimatly what is destroying the people of Thebes. Oedipus’s family is a complicated tangle of lies made by people who also tried to cheat fate. The family that he beleives is his own in fact is not. The fact that he is even alive to recieve this family is not supposed to be. He left his adoptive parents never to return once he learned of his destiny thinking that he could prevent this from comming true. He denied to himself the knowledge that these were not his real parents. This is told on Pg. 59 line 345 â€Å"At a feast, a drunken man maundering in his cups cries out that I am not my father’s son. I contained myself that night, thought I felt anger and a sinking heart. † This tells me that in his heart he knew that it was a true statement but could not admit it to himself. His true father was Liaos, King of Thebes. Liaos had been told of his fate by the oracle that he would be killed by his own son. So like father like son, Liaos also tried to cheat fate as told by Iokoste on Pg. 59 line 260 â€Å"But his child had not been three days in this world before the King had pierced the baby’s ankles and left him to die on a lonely mountainside. † Oedipus celebrated the death of his father and therefore his succesfull escape from the prophesies of the oracle. But as he was told this news he was also told again that he was not his father’s son. The messenger on Pg 62 line 137 states † Polybos is not your. father. † This conversation continues on to tell the tale of how he was found as a child by a shepard with his ankles bound by a skewer. Polybos who had no children took in this baby as his own. This is when Oedipus finally starts to reallize that he was Liaos’s son but he will not accept it until he confirms this with the shepard who had found him. Iokaste, his wife obviously realizes that his destiny has become fullfilled and that she is not only his wife but his mother as well. She is angry and wishes that Oedipus will not know the truth of his parentage. She states on PG. 62 line 217. † You are fatally wrong! May you never learn who you are! † But as oedipus speaks with the shepherd he learns again of his horrible fate. on Pg 64 beginning at line 110 Oedipus finally admits to himself after being told numerous times that he has already unknowingly fufilled his own destiny. † Shepherd : For if you are what this man says you are, no man living is more wretched and oedipus. Oedipus: Ah God! It is true! All the prophecies! – Now, O light , may I look on you for the last time! I, Oedipus, Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage, damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand! â€Å"

An alien species Essay Example for Free

An alien species Essay An alien species (also known as ‘exotic or nuisance species’) is the entry of any species into the ecology of which in the past it was not a part of. This species can travel to the new ecosystem from a neighboring ecosystem or from another part of the world. An alien species can cause damage or harm to animal, plant and human life thus completely disrupting the ecosystem. Two of the alien species that have seriously affected the other inhabitants of the ecosystem in the US and the other parts of North America include the Green crab and the zebra mussel. In the home ecosystem, an alien species may not be able to thrive well due to the presence of certain factors such as diseases, presence competitors, lack of space, natural enemies, etc. However in the new ecosystem, the alien species is able to thrive uncontrollable due to the absence or restrictive factors. In the past, many alien species have been introduced into various environments. Some have entered due to human factors, whereas other may have entered due to certain natural factors. Some species may have benefited the environment, which they are entered, whereas other may have seriously destroyed the native population. Invasion by alien species can have both, economic and environmental implications. The Zebra mussel is originally from the Caspian Sea and the Green crab is from Eastern Seaboard. These are classic examples of ‘Aquatic Nuisance Species’ (ANS) (ACS, 2007, MDNR, 2006 & NOAA, 2007). The Zebra mussels were identified in the Great Lakes and later spread to the other parts of North America via the major rivers and waterways. They may have spread into the US from ships that have traveled through the freshwaters of Europe. They compete for plankton in the waters and in this way seriously jeopardize the food chain. They also damage parts of boats and ships. The Green crabs had spread into the San Francisco Bay region and later through California and Oregon States. They have a strong appetite for food in their territories and in this way deprive other organisms of food. The native crabs of US have seriously suffered from the invasion of the Green crab into their home territory (ACS, 2007, MDNR, 2006 & NOAA, 2007). An alien species. (2017, Feb 19).

Fire Protection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Fire Protection - Research Paper Example By so doing, possible damages that can be caused by occurrences of fire are likely to be reduced. On the other side, Ashmore contends that training is one of the best approaches to the issue of fire protection. In fact it will be of no use to install gadgets which people have no idea on how to use them. The two articles though, seem to approach the issue fully through the suggestions they propose to the practice of fire protection (Beattie 63). Both can prove very effective if implemented appropriately. Spiker, Joseph E., and Daniel Della-Giustina. Fire Protection in Underground Coal Mines. Professional safety, Vol. 42(9), 2000, pp. 20-23. According to Spiker & Daniel (20) fires that affect coals, have posed a major threat to the mining industry. A lot of government revenue has been lost through coal fires hence there is a great need to come up with solutions to the problem. Some of the problems associated with these fires include closing of mines and loss of personnel. To overcome this challenge adequate training has to done to the mining industries (Spiker & Daniel 22). Consequently, industrial managers should advice their manpower on the activities to avoid when in the sites that may be contributing most to such fires. Studies done on the causes of these fires indicated that most of them happen due to the ignorance of the people working there. From this article one can understand the loss caused by coal fires, hence the need to prevent the fires. Spiker & Daniel (23) is specific in his approach to the issue as he focuses on coal fires. He takes a deep study into what the possible causes of the fires can be and the d amage they can cause. While Spiker & Daniel study coal fires, Beattie, studies fire protection in general. He asserts that fires are generally very destructive and can cause great damages if one had no preparedness. According to him companies should install fire extinguishers in every apartment to be in a position to fight the fires in case of any occurrence. Two articles though have the same overall goal of preventing and reducing fires (Spiker & Daniel, 23). They both aim at empowering individuals so that they can be in a position of knowing what to do in fire emergencies. Messner, Michael. Fundamentals of Fire Protection for the Safety Professional. Professional safety, Vol. 51(3), 2006, pp. 40-45. Under this article the basis of protecting fires ranging from chemistry to physics are discussed. Messner (40) explain what fire protection is, what it entails and the challenges associated with the practice. In fact it is very important for one to understand what it means by fire prot ection since the practice demands more than the title suggest. Company owners should have all the OSHA regulation rules on their tips so as to know how to handle issues related to fires (Messner, 42). This is because they are required to provide a safe

Human Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Capital - Essay Example The qualification, skills and experience of an employee has an economic value for his employer as well as for the economy as a whole. Human Resource Practices are defined as those methods, processes, rules and procedures used in the field of HR. Examples include recruiting, hiring, firing, training, monitoring, reviewing performance, performance appraisals etc. Human Resource Behavior refers to interdependence of individuals in co-coordinating their activities in order to perform at a higher level. Firm Performance is usually measured in terms of financial health of a firm. There are numerous contributing factors which effect firm’s performance. Some of the prior mentioned variables are also leading factors which influence firm’s performance. Finally, Overlapping Tenure is the amount of time employees have worked together in order to achieve common performance outcomes. Relationship among prior mentioned variables Extensive researches have been performed in order to exa mine the relationship among these variables. Aldehayyat & Twaissi (2011) examined a strong positive relationship between Financial Performance and Strategic Planning. The empirical results of this research also supported the practice of firms’ strategic planning in small and medium sized business firms. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) studied the relationship between Overlapping Tenure and Firm’s Performance. In this study, Leana & Van Buren, (1999) focused on the overlapping tenure that is the amount of time employees have spent in working with each other as well as with their manager. The authors stated that it may take time for individuals to form relationships with their-co-workers and allows them to work for common goals. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) stated that some studies found positive long term relationship between the two while other found negative relation between overlapping tenure and firm’s performance. Research conducted by Carmeli & Schaubroeck, (2005), Takeuchi, Lepak, Wang, and Takeuchi, (2007) and Lopez-Cabrales, Valle & Herrero, (2006) found positive relationship between firm performance and human capital. These studies employed industry accepted measures of human capital in order to investigate the relationship between performance and human capital. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) conducted a study to determine overlapping tenure and its relation with firm’s performance. In this study, the main area of focus was the amount of time employees have worked with each other and the amount of time they have worked with their manager. Leana & Van Buren, (1999) concluded that human capital is influenced by stability of employees’ relations. By having flexibility and promoting stability among employees, organizations may enhance their social capital. Study of Huselid (1995) stated that firm performance and high performance work reduces employee turnover and increase employee performance. Also, high performance work by employees leads to greater organizational performance (financial and productivity) (Huselid, 1995). The behavioral perspective of human resource behavior facilitates relation between organization performance and human resource practices. Human resource practices are utilized to improve and control the behaviors and attitudes of human resource. Behavioral perspect

Ladership in customer service Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ladership in customer service - Article Example Leaders are flexible and adaptable unlike rules that are fixed and stiff. Leadership allows employees to be leaders for their customers in terms of decision making skills that makes customer feel more comfortable that benefits both customers and the company. Within the context of this paper is the role of leadership in customer service industry. What is takes to be a good leader and how it can benefit every stakeholder in return (Harris, 2002, p. 122). Leadership begins in oneself, to be an effective leader is to recognize oneself as a leader. A leader must be aware of own strength and weaknesses to be able to use these strengths as starting points and to overcome weaknesses. Identifying self strengths and weaknesses can provide a person self knowledge of leadership skills. A good leader is a change agent that entails changes that starts from oneself (Harris, 2002, p. 123). Also a good leader is confident and is open for criticism. Criticisms are analysed to change and become stronger as a leader (Harris, 2002, p. 124). There are several types of leaders. Formal leaders have the official authority of the position chosen by organization. Formal leaders may be formed through special trainings and have high accountability due to specific and defined responsibilities tasked upon the position. On the other hand informal leaders are an assumed role and have no official authority but have the ability to influence others. Informal leadership can affect formal leadership in an organization due to influence over people that can generate support or resistance within an organization. Both formal and informal leaders are essential in the success of customer service. Formal leaders can create a culture that empowers employees to serve as positive examples in the company performance. Informal leaders on the same context can create customer friendly culture, motivate co-workers, boost morale and can relate to co-workers in areas that a formal leader may

Case Study Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study Analysis - Assignment Example Rise of secondary ticket market is affecting the profitability and brand value of several leagues and sports teams. It is clear from the case study that the teams in NFL are facing several critical issues due to growth of secondary ticket industry. Issues and Problems It is true that the pricing of tickets is influencing by the organizational and economical factors along with the perceived value of the spectators. National Football League is the most popular and leading sporting event in United States. It is a seasonal event. Day-by-day, the popularity of this event is increasing significantly. Looking into these aspects, the brokers used to purchase large number of primary tickets from the ticketing management organizations of the league or several NFL teams. It is actually affecting the image of the organizations and team managements. Brokers or ticket agents generally sell these tickets to the spectators based in higher price comparing to the developed price by the organization. T he price of tickets is generally set depending on the previous year’s success, income, profit, revenue and demand of customers. This secondary ticketing process is making it difficult for the target audiences to buy the tickets at same price that is developed by the team management.

Urban Geography of Tokyo City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Urban Geography of Tokyo City - Essay Example    Development of Tokyo can be linked to its demographic and economic structure. The demographic structure is the study of a given population relating to employment, age, income, relation, and population among others. However, economic structure defines the balance of output, employment, and income among other factors relating to the economic sectors. Economic sectors include primary, tertiary, secondary, and quaternary sectors. Since Tokyo's is a metropolitan, its urban geography can be analyzed by comparing its population to that of Japan, focusing on its aged population, and considering its industrial sector.  In 2012, Tokyo’s population was approximately about 13.216 million. The population is a tenth of Japans’ total population. It is, therefore, the most populous prefecture out of the forty-seven ones that make up Japan. Tokyo has an area of approximately 2,189 kilometres squared which is equal to 0.6 % of the area of Japan. The figure makes the population den sity of Tokyo to be about 6,038 people per kilometres squared making it the most densely populated Japan’s prefecture. The statistics make Tokyo extremely populated compared to Japan. The population of the aged persons in Tokyo exceeds the standard set by United Nations. According to the United Nation's standard, the aged society in a given country should not exceed the 14 % mark.The Tokyo's "aged population" is approximately 20.14 % of the total population of the city. The percentage exceeds the recommended mark by 6.14% that is a huge margin.  

Investigation of Child Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investigation of Child Abuse - Essay Example Although more than six million children were involved in referrals by Child Protective Service Agencies in 2006, only "1,907,264 investigations received a disposition" (National Child Abuse Statistics, 2007: 1). A legitimate concern, therefore, is whether too many referrals are being made or whether the investigative process is somehow deficient. This essay will discuss and analyze the investigative process as it typically pertains to child abuse situations. As an initial matter, it is important to note that a uniform approach to child abuse investigations is complicated by the fact that each state has different statutory definitions of child abuse and neglect. There are federal standards that serve as guidelines, but states are free to create and enforce their own definitions so long as the state definitions do not conflict with federal law. There are two federal laws that define child abuse or neglect, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, and the basic federal standard states that "Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm" (Child Maltreatment 2006: 1). The threshold for the initiation of an investigation, therefore, can be cased on a positive act of child abuse or neglect when a paren t or caretaker is aware or should be reasonably aware that child abuse has occurred or is occurring. In addition, an investigation may be initiated for different types of abuse, whether physical, emotional or some combination thereof. Investigators, usually associated with local Child Protective Service Agencies, initially rely on tips from parents or other caretakers. These tips or referrals are used in conjunction with various signs of child abuse that have proven empirically reliable when making a determination whether to initiate a full investigation. Some of the physical signs of child abuse look for by investigators include such things as anti-social behavior, a fear of authority figures, or unexplained damage to the child's body. Some of the emotional signs include a lack of concentration at school and eating disorders that become increasingly pronounced. There are also some well-established signs of sexual abuse; for example, investigators are often alerted when children report bedwetting, nightmares, or a premature interest in or knowledge of sexual or otherwise age-inappropriate activities (Signs of Child Abuse, 2007: 1). In short, whether a tip is acted upon initially upon the information received, th e signs detected by the investigators, and any corroboration that the investigators can obtain. An investigatory problem sometimes arises, however, because of jurisdictional conflicts or confusion. The main conflict occurs between law enforcement officials and mental health or welfare professionals; indeed, as noted by McBride, "In virtually every state in the country, law enforcement has a legal mandate to be involved in child abuse and neglect investigations. The issues are not over whether they will be involved, but rather how and to what degree. What is expected of

International Business Management Essay Example for Free

International Business Management Essay Briefly explain the concept of competitive advantage. The concept of competitive advantage is all about a characteristic of having an edge over another product or service that drives the customer to choose one product or service over another. This edge can be in the form of a functionality such as multi-simcard mobile phones, or mobile phones with a television feature. It could be in the form of product design that makes the product more attractive and aesthetically desirable among a certain age group, gender or social class such as those belonging to Class A market, such as cars of the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) class. On the other hand, competitive advantage could be in the form of a noted durability and quality of a product with such as Sony television set, or an IBM computer, both of which are noted for this quality feature. It can also pertain to the multi-feature of a product or service which increases its value but not much its price. It can be in the form of a cost advantage or differentiation advantage. In a market that is filled with competing products, the concept of competitive advantage drives the ultimate choice of the consumer on what product and service to patronize over the short, medium or long-term depending on the sustainability of the competitive edge. Hence, the concept of competitive advantage pertains to the uniqueness of a product of service. Explain the concept of economies of scale and show how it relates to competitive advantage Economies of scale represents the cost advantages that an organization or business obtains due to reengineering and expansion. Likewise, this pertains to the factors that cause a manufacturer’s or producer’s average cost per unit to decrease or fall as production scale is increased. It is also a long run concept and may refer to the decrease or reductions in unit cost as the size of a production facility, or scale, increases. Economies of scale may also pertain to the utilization of a production facility so that the manufacturing of a specific product becomes competitive in terms of cost. The reduction of the cost is due to the spreading of the fixed cost over a bigger volume of production to respond to an expanded market such as exports, special orders that likewise increases the number of units to cover a bigger demand or a bigger market. Why has Ford been unable to achieve full economies of scale in manufacturing and how is the new CEO planning to address this problem? Ford has traditionally been a producer of big cars that had not been able to bring competition to its doors. With the assumption of a new CEO from Boeing, the concept of small cars found its way into the manufacturing processes using the same platform in producing the compact cars for the North American as well as the European market. With the introduction of small compact cars in the North American market, identical platforms as that used in other markets can support identical cars being produced and marketed in other markets. Using the term global to describe the Ford Focus as a global brand, Ford Motors does not anticipate the model to manufactured differently which will entail higher production cost due to non-availment of that economies of scale. Thus, the rationalization of the production processes will likely result into a cost-savings advantage. . What does the Ford case show about the tension between Local and Global strategies? Local and global strategies, insofar as Ford Motors Company is concerned, vary greatly in terms of approaches. Local strategies are what defines the marketing approaches that are confined to the local market and its workings. Global strategies indicate a more sophisticated marketing approach to a wider area and which requires a more comprehensive management of resources to stay competitive and relevant. The Ford case is an eye-opener for Ford itself. Its traditional view of car manufacturing has been confined to its own culture of bigness. Thus, with smaller cars responding to a new global demand in and a response to the increasing world oil prices, the consumer market suddenly found an ally among oil producing and exporting countries. A new type of car, the global car is a sure winner for many. The tension between local and global standard at Ford Motors \company is an issue of sustainable competitive advantage in smaller cars that require common platforms, a lower production cost profile and a pocket friendly car with social relevance in terms of savings.

Global warming affecting fashion industry

Global warming affecting fashion industry Global Warming Affecting Fashion Industry According to an interesting article in Australias The Age, global warming is wreaking havoc on the clothing industry. In many parts of the world, there just isnt as much difference between the seasons anymore and overall the trend is towards warmer weather. The clothing industry relies on delineated seasons to sell different types of apparel. But if you can wear flip flops all year long (and not just in Southern California), clothing sales will drop. Warmer weather also affects the type of fabrics designers use and the styling. It is forcing fashion houses to ditch traditional seasonal collections for transeasonal garments that may lead to a drastic overhaul of fashion show schedules and retail delivery dates. The whole fashion system will have to change, Beppe Modenese, founder of Milan Fashion Week, told The New York Times last week. The fashion system must adapt to the reality that there is no strong difference between summer and winter any more You cant have everyone showing four times a year to present the same thing. People are not prepared to invest in these clothes that, from one season to the other, use the same fabrics at the same weight. Mr Modeneses comments came as New York fashion retailers blamed a prolonged Indian summer for poor autumn sales. Who needs a woollen pea coat when it is 30 degrees-plus? So worried are some fashion houses about the impact climate change is having on the way we dress and shop, they are calling in the climate experts. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that American retail giant Liz Claiborne Inc had enlisted a New York climatologist to speak to 30 of its executives on topics ranging from the types of fabrics they should be using to the timing of retail deliveries and seasonal markdowns. Other US fashion retailer giants, including Target and Kohls, have also started using climate experts to plan their collections and schedule end-of-season sales. And from January, Target will sell swimwear year-round. Closer to home, fashion designers say they are increasingly designing transeasonal collections using lighter- weight fabrics for a more temperate climate and readjusting their in-store delivery dates in line with the unpredictable seasons. Theres really no such thing as defined autumn/winter and spring/summer collections any more, says Margaret Porritt, of Melbourne fashion label Feathers. A lot of my garments are more transeasonal and rather than dropping them into store twice a year like I used to, I tend to move things in and out of store every couple of weeks, depending on the weather. Things were different when she started the business 35 years ago. Back then winter went into store in mid-January and summer in mid-June and that was it. There was nothing in between. I also used a lot more heavier wools and made great big heavy coats. I cant do that anymore; it just doesnt get cold enough, even here in Melbourne. They just dont sell. Its true that we dont buy as much heavy winter clothing as we used to, now that we think about it. And our boot purchases have also tapered off, which is a shame since we adore boots. But unlike Mary-Kate Olsen, we just cant wear sweaters, coats and boots on an 80 degree day. We adore winter clothes: cashmere sweaters, fabulous boots, wonderful hats and a gorgeous coat all make an appearance after the first frost. The thought of living year round in shorts is appalling to us. We may have to consider moving north in the future. Wednesday, February 07, 2007 10:51 posted by BlogMeister Anxiety, Addiction and Depression Treatments American Fashion Industry Issues, Fails to Enforce Health Guidelines New Yorks February fashion week is one of the industrys most lavish, celebrated events. Amid the lights, parties and big names, it would seem to be very easy to forget the issue that has wracked fashion for the past year: the increasing prevalence of eating disorders among models and the young women they influence. Where Spains Association of Fashion Designers passed a ruling to forbid the participation of models with BMIs lower than 18 (the World Health Organization states that 18.5 or below is underweight) and asserted that display clothes be no smaller than size 8 (the average American woman wears size 14), the Council of Fashion Designers of America issued a statement containing general guidelines but no plans for direct enforcement. Among their suggestions: There should be no models under 16 and no work after midnight for models 18 and younger; the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol on location should be forbidden; statements on the early signs of eating disorders should be officially issued to those in the industry; models identified as suffering from eating disorders should be required to receive professional help; the industry should develop workshops designed to address the impact of eating disorders and the negative effects of smoking; organizers should provide healthy snacks backstage during shows. Glaringly absent from this list are any mentions of body mass or plans for enforcing the guidelines proposed within. While designer-sponsored press releases and conferences convey some degree of responsibility on the industrys behalf, they ultimately amount to little beyond empty attempts to satiate the publics desire for some form of regulation. Designers attempt to shift blame to the modeling agencies themselves which, they argue, serve as the mother(s) of the models. The idea that these agencies should control the eating habits of their models while designers continue to showcase remarkably small clothing is difficult to rationalize. In another flaccid attempt to deflect criticism, the organizations executive director claims that A lot of the girls who work the runway are genetically thin. You go backstage and you see a lot of girls eating a lot of food and theyre not gaining weight. Statements like these strain credibility, and many eating disorder advocates are not satisfied wi th the measures taken thus far, believing that PR campaigns and suggested guidelines constitute an insufficient response to a very serious problem. In a society where more than 80% of ten-year old girls describe a fear of getting fat and one in two fourth graders are currently on some kind of diet, those who are even indirectly responsible for shaping the popular conception of beauty and body image need to reassess their own principles. After viewing photos of fashion models, 70% of young women described themselves as angrier and more depressed than they had been before. In surveys, three out of four women listed an ideal size at least 10% underweight. And despite the presence of eating disorders and body image issues across the social spectrum, most insurance companies hesitate to approve treatment for these conditions, essentially making the argument that the issue is not a matter of diagnosable disease but a faulty sense of self-control. Designers, advertisers and models themselves argue that they have no control over the state of their industry and the ideals it projects they simply go along with whatever sells at the time . Who, then, is responsible, if not the producers of the very images that encourage the epidemic? PR campaigns aside, consumers and public health advocates cannot tolerate this continued reassignment of blame. The fashion industry must own up to its pivotal role in the eating disorder debate and strictly enforce regulations designed to promote healthier, more realistic lifestyles. Category: Diet , Aging and Eating Disorders

Resolution of Sin in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Resolution of Sin in The Scarlet Letter    Hester Prynne is a young, beautiful woman who was sent to Boston by her husband who planned to join her but was persumed lost at sea. She looked to Arthur Dimmesdale for comfort and spiritual guidance. Their solace became passion and resulted in the sin of adultery and the birth of their daughter, Pearl. This sin had a huge impact on them and changed their lives forever. It is what the book The Scarlet Letter is all about and how different the characters dealt with it.    Hester Prynne has a strength of character. She is very honest so she openly acknowledges her sin. Hester stands on the scaffold, exposed to public humiliation, and wears a scarlet letter on her dress for the rest of her life as a sign of shame. Her beauty and warmth go away, buried under the burden of the elaborate scarlet letter on her bosom. Hester settles in a cottage at the edge of town, lives a somber life with her daughter, and earns a living with her needlework. She has to bear the contempt of the townspeople and she has nothing but her strength of spirit to sustain her.    Dimmesdale has not the strength of Hester, or her honesty, so he cannot stand alone to confess. He is a good minister and his effectiveness betrays his desire to confess. Sin and agony have enabled Dimmesdale to recognize and empathize with other sinners, but still his congregation loves him, and this tortures him even more! Dimmesdale struggles with his knowledge of his sin, his inability to disclose it to Puritan society, and his desire for penance. In an attempt to seek salvation he fasts until he faints and whips himself until he bleeds. These punishments are done in private and do not provide the cleansing Dimmesdale seeks and needs.    The life of public repentance, although bitter and difficult, helps Hester retain her good sanity while Dimmesdale seems to be losing his. His agonized suffering is the direct result of his inability to disclose his sin. Hester's ex-husband also tortures Dimmesdale very badly because of his jealousy. Dimmesdale becomes very ill as a result of his unconfessed sin.

Consilience, by Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig :: Philosophy Term Research Papers

The Philosophy of Science in Consilience, by E. O. Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Wendell Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig Introduction The plot where the fields of science, ethics and religion intersect is fertile for study, and the crops it yields often represent the finest harvest of an individualà ­s mind. In our time, modern philosophers of science have tilled this soil and reaped widely differing and important conclusions about the nature of humankind, its relationship to the natural world and the role that science should take in the discernment process. Through the comparison and contrasting of three important worldviewsà ³as expressed in Consilience, by E. O. Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Wendell Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsigà ³the seeds of philosophy and faith can be sown in the budding scientistà ­s psyche, and a bumper crop of beliefs cultivated. History of the Philosophy of Science The surest foundation for the origin of science in its practical form is to be found in the à ¬co–rdination and standardization of the knowledge of common sense and of industry.à ®[1] One of the first occurrences of this co–rdination can be traced back to 2500 BCE in the form of edicts from the ancient Babylonian rulers, who issued royal standards of length, weight and capacity. Non-Semitic Sumerians also laid down the elements of mathematics and geometry at that time, making use of fractions, decimals, circles and radial angles. But knowledge as we know it today was tightly woven with magical notions, and as both spread westward they instilled in European thought a reverence for à ¬special numbers, their connections to the gods and the application of geometrical diagrams to the prediction of the future.à ®[2] As well, the ancient Babylonians were fascinated by the heavens. They were the first to make a map of the stars and associate them with animals like the Ram, Crab and Scorpion, names that we still use to this day. They also realized the periodicity and reliability of astronomical movement and phenomena, and were soon able to predict many of them. Tablets have been found dating to the sixth century BCE that predicted the relative positions of the sun and moon, as well as forecasted the occurrences of eclipses.[3] Out of all this knowledge the Babylonians built up a fantastic system of astrology, through which the starsà ³which were thought to fix and foretell the course of human affairsà ³would give up their secrets. Consilience, by Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig :: Philosophy Term Research Papers The Philosophy of Science in Consilience, by E. O. Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Wendell Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig Introduction The plot where the fields of science, ethics and religion intersect is fertile for study, and the crops it yields often represent the finest harvest of an individualà ­s mind. In our time, modern philosophers of science have tilled this soil and reaped widely differing and important conclusions about the nature of humankind, its relationship to the natural world and the role that science should take in the discernment process. Through the comparison and contrasting of three important worldviewsà ³as expressed in Consilience, by E. O. Wilson, Life is a Miracle by Wendell Berry and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsigà ³the seeds of philosophy and faith can be sown in the budding scientistà ­s psyche, and a bumper crop of beliefs cultivated. History of the Philosophy of Science The surest foundation for the origin of science in its practical form is to be found in the à ¬co–rdination and standardization of the knowledge of common sense and of industry.à ®[1] One of the first occurrences of this co–rdination can be traced back to 2500 BCE in the form of edicts from the ancient Babylonian rulers, who issued royal standards of length, weight and capacity. Non-Semitic Sumerians also laid down the elements of mathematics and geometry at that time, making use of fractions, decimals, circles and radial angles. But knowledge as we know it today was tightly woven with magical notions, and as both spread westward they instilled in European thought a reverence for à ¬special numbers, their connections to the gods and the application of geometrical diagrams to the prediction of the future.à ®[2] As well, the ancient Babylonians were fascinated by the heavens. They were the first to make a map of the stars and associate them with animals like the Ram, Crab and Scorpion, names that we still use to this day. They also realized the periodicity and reliability of astronomical movement and phenomena, and were soon able to predict many of them. Tablets have been found dating to the sixth century BCE that predicted the relative positions of the sun and moon, as well as forecasted the occurrences of eclipses.[3] Out of all this knowledge the Babylonians built up a fantastic system of astrology, through which the starsà ³which were thought to fix and foretell the course of human affairsà ³would give up their secrets.

Marijuana Should be Legalized Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Medica

Marijuana Should be Legalized The legalization of marijuana is a subject that has been debated for many years. Marijuana should be legalized for medical use and it should be decriminalized for recreational use.By decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use, the penalty will no longer be jail time, but a simple fine if caught using it in public.Furthermore, marijuana offers many medical benefits to very ill patients.In short, the benefits of marijuana outweigh the drawbacks, especially for medical purposes, so it should be legalized.First, marijuana should be decriminalized for recreational use. Marijuana should be decriminalized for recreational use because it really is not that dangerous of a drug, and there are many people that smoke it responsibly.Responsible smoking, as outlined by the NORML Board of Directors, is defined to be: adults only; no driving; set and setting; resist abuse; and respect rights of others (http://www.norml.org/).The first two aspects of responsible smoking speak for themselves and require no explanation.With the third aspect, set and setting, set refers to a smoker’s, â€Å"values, attitudes, experiences, and personality.† (http://www.norml.org/).Setting refers to a consumer’s physical and social conditions (http://www.norml.org/).Resist abuse means that the, â€Å"Use of cannabis, to the extent that it impairs health, personal development or achievement, is abuse, to be resisted by responsible cannabis users.† (http://www.norml.org/).The final aspect, respect the rights of others, is rather straightforward.It means th at no smoker, no matter if they smoke marijuana or cigarettes, has the right to violate the rights of others around them (http://www.norml.org/).This also means that responsible smokers m... ...9 . 3. The Issues at Hand: Legalization of Marijuana. 15 Apr. 1996. The University of Michigan-Dearborn. 8 Dec. 1999 4. Legalization of Marijuana Long Overdue. 8 June 1993. Albuquerque Journal. 1 Dec. 1999 . 5. NORML Statement on the Medical Use of Marijuana. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. 1 Dec. 1999 . 6. Rose, Joan. â€Å"Two More Steps Along the Road to Legalization.† Medical Economics (1999) 76.8: 28. 7. Sager, Ryan H. â€Å"Grass Roots.† National Review 51.21 (1999): 30-32. 8. Testimony of R. Keith Stroup, Esq. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. 1 Dec. 1999 .

Major Managerial Skills Needed by Every Supervisor Essay

1.Identify the major managerial skills needed by every supervisor. Why are these important? The major managerial skills are technical, human relations, administrative, conceptual, leadership, political and emotional intelligence skills. The Managerial skills which are required by managers working at different levels of management. The top-level managers require more conceptual skills and less technical skills. The lower-level managers require more technical skills and fewer conceptual skills. Human relations skills are required equally by all three levels of management. Technical Skills A technical skill is the ability to perform the given job. Technical skills help the managers to use different machines and tools. It also helps them to use various procedures and techniques. The low-level managers require more technical skills. This is because they are in charge of the actual operations. Human relations Skills Human relations skills are also called Interpersonal skills. It is an ability to work with people. It helps the managers to understand, communicate and work with others. It also helps the managers to lead, motivate and develop team spirit. Human relations skills are required by all managers at all levels of management. This is so, since all managers have to interact and work with people. Administrative Skills Administrative skills are required at the top-level management. The top-level managers should know how to make plans and policies. They should also know how to get the work done. They should be able to co-ordinate different activities of the organization. They should also be able to control the full organization. Conceptual Skills Conceptual skill is the ability to visualize the organization as a whole. It includes Analytical, Creative and Initiative skills. It helps the manager to identify the causes of the problems and not the symptoms. It helps him or her to solve the problems for the benefit of the entire organization. It helps the manager to fix goals for the whole organization and to plan for every situation. Leadership Skills The development of a leadership style that emphasizes collaboration, trust, and empathy; engages followers in all aspects of the organizational; and helps followers to better themselves. Political skills the savvy to ascertain the hidden rules of the organizational game and to recognize the roles various people play in getting things done outside and to formal organizational channels. Emotional intelligence skills The â€Å"intelligent† use of your emotions to help guide your behavior and thinking in ways that enhance your results. You can maximize your emotional intelligence by developing good communication skills, interpersonal relationship, and mentoring relationships. 2. Summarize the difficulties supervisors face in fulfilling managerial roles. The supervisory position is difficult and demanding role. Supervisors are â€Å"people in the middle† that between higher-level managers and employees. In illustrate many of the challenges a supervisors faces, effective supervisors must be adaptable and be able to maintain their perspective in the face or rapidly changing conditions. The supervisors must also be a competent subordinate to higher-level managers. In this role, the supervisors must to be a good follower. The position of any supervisors has two main requirements. Fist the supervisors must have a good working knowledge of the jobs to be performed. Second, and more significant, the supervisors must be able to manage the department. It is the supervisor’s managerial competence that usually determines the effectiveness of his or her performance. 3. Explain the difference between management and leadership. †¢The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing. †¢The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. †¢The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. †¢The manager administers; the leader innovates. †¢The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. †¢The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. 4. What are the obstacles that the supervisor may encounter when trying to gain cooperation by coordinating the department’s various activities? †¢Developing and maintaining the problem control process †¢Reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of the problem control process †¢Producing management information †¢Allocating resources for the support effort †¢Monitoring the effectiveness of error control and making recommendations for improving it †¢Developing and maintaining problem and error control systems †¢Reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of proactive Problem Management activities. 5. Discuss why the supervisor should not attempt to ignore or circumvent the labor agreement, even if it seems like the right thing to do. As members of management, supervisors have the right and duty to make decisions. A labor agreement does not take away that right. However it does give the union a right to challenge a supervisor’s decision that the union believes to be a violation of the labor agreement. For example, virtually all labor agreements specify that management has the right to discipline and discharge for â€Å"just† (or â€Å"proper†) cause. The supervisor who follows â€Å"just cause† Standard for disciplinary action requiring tests of fairness and elements of normal due process, such as proper notification, investigation, sufficient evidence, and a penalty commensurate with the nature of the infraction.

The “Homeless”

Children†s health Many people call or write the National Coalition for the Homeless to ask about the number of homeless people in the United States. There is no easy answer to this question, and in fact, the question itself is misleading. In most cases, homelessness is a temporary circumstance — not a permanent condition. A more appropriate measure of the magnitude of homelessness is therefore the number of people who experience homelessness over time, not the number of â€Å"homeless people. † Studies of homelessness are complicated by problems of definitions and methodology. This fact sheet describes definitions of homelessness, methodologies for counting homeless people, recent estimates of homelessness, and estimates of the increase in homelessness over the past two decades. Additional resources for further study are also provided. As a result of methodological and financial constraints, most studies are limited to counting people who are literally homeless — that is, in shelters or on the streets. While this approach may yield useful information about the number of people who use services such as shelters and soup kitchens, or who are easy to locate on the street, it can result in underestimates of homelessness. Many people who lack a stable, permanent residence have few shelter options because shelters are filled to capacity or are unavailable. A recent study of 30 U. S. cities found that in 1998, 26% of all requests for emergency shelter went unmet due to lack of resources (U. S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). In addition, a review of homelessness in 50 cities found that in virtually every city, the city's official estimated number of homeless people greatly exceeded the number of emergency shelter and transitional housing spaces (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 1999). Moreover, there are few or no shelters in rural areas of the United States, despite significant levels of homelessness (Aron and Fitchen, 1996). As a result of these and other factors, many people who lack permanent housing are forced to live with relatives and friends in crowded, temporary arrangements. People living in unstable housing arrangements who lack a permanent place to stay are experiencing a kind of homelessness, but because they are not â€Å"literally homeless,† they will not be counted. Researchers use different methods to measure homelessness. One method attempts to count all the people who are literally homeless on a given day or during a given week (point-in-time counts). A second method of counting homeless people examines the number of people who are homeless over a given period of time (period prevalence counts). Choosing between point-in-time counts and period-prevalence counts has significant implications for understanding the magnitude and dynamics of homelessness. The high turnover in the homeless population documented by recent studies (see below) suggests that many more people experience homelessness than previously thought, and that most of these people do not remain homeless. Because point-in-time studies give just a â€Å"snapshot† picture of homelessness, they only count those who are homeless at a particular time. Over time, however, some people will find housing and escape homelessness while new people will lose housing and become homeless. Systemic social and economic factors (prolonged unemployment or sudden loss of a job, lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, etc. ) are frequently responsible for these episodes of homelessness. Point-in-time studies do not accurately identify these intermittently homeless people, and therefore tend to overestimate the proportion of people who are chronically homeless — particularly those who suffer from severe mental illness and/or addiction disorders and who therefore have a much harder time escaping homelessness and finding permanent housing. For these reasons, point-in-time counts are often criticized as misrepresenting the magnitude and nature of homelessness. There is another important methodological issue that should be considered. Regardless of the time period over which the study was conducted, many people will not be counted because they are not in places researchers can easily find. This group of people, often referred to as â€Å"the unsheltered† or â€Å"hidden† homeless, frequently stay in automobiles, camp grounds, or other places that researchers cannot effectively search. For instance, a national study of formerly homeless people found that the most common places people who had been literally homeless stayed were vehicles (59. 2%) and makeshift housing, such as tents, boxes, caves, or boxcars (24. 6%) (Link et al. , 1995). This suggests that homeless counts may miss significant numbers of people who are literally homeless, as well as those living in doubled-up situations. There are at least four widely used national estimates of homelessness. Many are dated, or based on dated information. For all of the reasons discussed above, none of these estimates represents â€Å"how many people are homeless. The most widely cited example of a point-in-time estimate is the approximately 500,000-600,000 homeless people found in shelters, eating at soup kitchens, or congregating on the street during one week in 1988 (Burt and Cohen, 1989). 700,000+/night; 2 million/year (1999) The 500,000-600,000 estimate is sometimes updated by using a projected rate of increase of 5% a year to produce an estimate of over 700,000 people homeless on any given night, and up to 2 million people who experience homelessness during one year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 1999). In 1990, a national telephone survey identified formerly homeless people and produced life-time and five-year prevalence estimates of homelessness. Seven percent of the respondents reported that they had been literally homeless at some point in their lives, and three percent reported being homeless at some point between 1985-1990 (Link et al. ,1994). The Clinton Administration's Priority Home! The Federal Plan to Break the Cycle of Homelessness uses this data, corrected to include children, to estimate that between 4. 95 million to 9. million people (with a mid-point of 7 million) experienced homelessness in the latter half of the 1980s. A second study was undertaken in 1994 to refine the analysis with more explicit definitions and detailed information. This study found that 6. 5% (12 million adults nationwide) of the respondents had been literally homeless at some point in their lives, and that 3. 6% (6. 6 million adults nationwide) of the respondents had experienced homelessness (literal or doubled up) between 1989-1994 (Link et al. , 1995). Thus, it appears that 12 million of the adult residents of the U. S. ve been literally homeless at some point in their lives. Dennis Culhane's study of turnover rates in shelters in New York City and Philadelphia is another example of a period prevalence count. This study revealed that 3% of Philadelphia's population used the public shelter system between 1990 and 1992, and that in New York, 3% of the population received shelter between 1988-1992 (Culhane et al. , 1994). The Culhane study also found that in New York City, a single shelter bed accomodates four different people in the course of a year; in Philadelphia, each bed accomodates six different persons per year. Because this study did not include persons in privately funded shelters or on the streets, the findings underestimate homelessness in both cities. A study by Martha Burt compared these rates with data from seven other jurisdictions (Burt, 1994). The comparison showed that the New York City and Philadelphia rates fall well within the range of data from other regions of the country. One limited measure of the growth in homelessness is the increase in the number of shelter beds over time. A 1991 study examined homelessness â€Å"rates† (the number of shelter beds in a city divided by the city's population) in 182 U. S. cities with populations over 100,000. The study found that homelessness rates tripled between 1981 and 1989 for the 182 cities as a group (Burt, 1997). A 1997 review of research conducted over the past decade (1987-1997) in 11 communities and 4 states found that shelter capacity more than doubled in nine communities and three states during that time period (National Coalition for the Homeless, 1997). In two communities and two states, shelter capacity tripled over the decade. These numbers are useful for measuring the growth in demand for shelter beds (and the resources made available to respond to that growth) over time. They indicate a dramatic increase in homelessness in the United States over the past two decades. By its very nature, homelessness is impossible to measure with 100% accuracy. More important than knowing the precise number of people who experience homelessness is our progress in ending it. Recent studies suggest that the United States generates homelessness at a much higher rate than previously thought. Our task in ending homelessness is thus more important now than ever. The National Coalition for the Homeless provided leadership in the successful effort to pass the Stewart B. McKinney Homelessness Assistance Act in 1987. Since then, NCH has continued to monitor the reauthorization and appropriations process for McKinney Act programs and other programs affecting poor and homeless people. NCH supports legislation to provide an adequate supply of affordable housing, jobs which pay a living wage, and universal access to health care. Legislative Alerts Learn about homelessness-related legislation being considered by Congress and what you can do about it. General Homelessness Issues NCH's 2000 Federal Legislative Agenda This document provides an overview of NCH's federal legislative priorities for 2000, including housing, health, education, income, and civil rights. The McKinney Act The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was the first — and remains the only — major federal legislative response to homelessness. This fact sheet provides a brief history of the McKinney Act, describes its content and evolution, and summarizes recent trends in McKinney Act legislation and funding. Funding and Budget Issues Appropriations for Federal Homeless Programs Table of FY95-00 funding levels for homeless programs. FY2001 Budget and Homelessness This page summarizes the most recent budget and appropriations legislation and provides NCH's recommended funding levels for federal homeless programs. Housing and Shelter Issues Community Housing Investment Trust Discusses key provisions of an NCH-sponsored initiative to create one million units of high-quality, affordable rental housing for persons whose annual incomes are less than the minimum wage, including persons with disabilities, elder age, or low-wage incomes. McKinney Side by Side Side by Side comparison of major components of proposals to amend HUD homeless legislation (July 2000). Housing and Welfare Reform: Background Information Prepared by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this paper explores the impact of welfare policy on housing and the impact of housing policy on welfare. Welfare Issues Welfare to What: Early Findings on Family Hardship and Well-Being Published by the Children's Defense Fund and the National Coalition for the Homeless in November 1998, this report examines the impacts on families two years after the signing of the federal welfare law. It presents national and local findings and compiles more than 30 state and local studies. The Executive Summary is available at http://nch. ari. net/w2wexec. html. The full report may be downloaded below. Welfare to What (Full Report – 246K) Note: To view this file, you will need Acrobat Reader. Using TANF to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness: Effective Practices and Strategies. Published in May 2000, this paper was written to provide specific examples of how states and communities have used TANF productively to reduce and prevent homelessness. Other Internet Resources on Welfare and Poverty Links to online organizations and sources of information on poverty and welfare. Education Issues School Segregation and Homeless Children and Youth This overview summarizes available information on integrated homeless education programs (those programs that help homeless children enroll, attend, and succeed in mainstream schools) and segregated classrooms or schools (those that separate homeless children from housed children on the basis of their homelessness alone). For more detailed information, including program examples, please see School Segregation and Homeless Children and Youth: Questions and Answers Reauthorization of the McKinney Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program Congress will consider legislation to reauthorize the McKinney Act's Education of Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program in 1999. The EHCY program works to ensure homeless children and youth's enrollment, attendance, and success in school. This page provides up-to-date information on reauthorization for advocates, teachers, service providers, and administrators, including analyses and summaries of reauthorization legislation, links to relevant committees, and more detailed action alerts. America's Homeless Children: Will Their Future Be Different? A Survey of State Homeless Education Programs The McKinney Act is responsible for significant improvements in homeless children's access to public education. However, increasing homelessness among families with children and a simultaneous reduction in federal funding threatened the progress that states and communities had made in helping homeless children and youth enroll, attend, and succeed in school. This 1997 40-state survey examines the accomplishments and challenges of homeless education programs faced with increasing demand for services and decreasing resources. Making the Grade: Successes and Challenges in Educating Homeless Children and Youth The 1996 Position Document of the National Association of State Coordinators for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. This report summarizes the history and progress of efforts to educate homeless children and youth, profiles 30 selected state homeless education programs, and offers recommendations for improving the McKinney Education for Homeless Children and Youth program. Health Issues No Open Door: Breaking the Lock on Addiction Recovery for Homeless People This NCH report examines what has been learned in the last decade about the barriers that homeless people face in accessing addictive disorder services and the treatment and recovery interventions that are effective with the homeless population. The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Program Describes the function and accomplishments of the McKinney Act's Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, as well as NCH's recommendations for expanding and strengthening PATH. Homeless Treatment and Recovery Competitive Grant Program Describes NCH's initiative to reauthorize and appropriate funds for a national competitive grant program to develop and expand addictive and mental disorder treatment and recovery opportunities for homeless persons with addictive and mental disorders Increased Demand, Decreased Supply: Challenges to the McKinney Act's Health Care for the Homeless Program Changes in the health care marketplace, in public policy, and in the face of homelessness itself are creating new demand for health services for homeless people according to this study published by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care.

Why Do People Like Scarry Movies

For years people have been scared by horror movies and they continue going back. Alfred Hitchcock once said, â€Å"drama is life with the dull bits left out. † Why do people like to watch other people get hurt and die while being scared enough to make them jerk in their seat? Movie goers like horror movies because people in general have dull lives. Males just use it as a opportunity to get close to their partner, while females like to get scared while in the presence of their â€Å"man. † Every day people simply get up, go to work, and come home for supper before going back to bed. People believe that their lives are boring. That is why horror movies are popular. Movie goers like to be able to see blood, guts, fingers and toes, while having the ability to simply walk away. People in general want to have suspense in their lives but want to be able to turn it off. As for men, they like to be frightened as well as women, but most of all men like the sex appeal of horror movies. Almost every horror movie made in the last 20 years has a young attractive female actor running around mindlessly. If men were not attracted to this, then producers obviously wouldn’t make movies this way. Men would also rather take their partner with them to see these kinds of movies. Men know their â€Å"female friend† will want to cuddle up! Women on the other hand want to have the fear factor but want their partner to be by their side. Most women movie goers will NOT watch a horror film alone. They want to feel the protection of their â€Å"man. † It allows them to be scared while feeling secure at the same time. Men of course don’t mind this at all. They planned on it! Most horror movies are made for the viewing age of 17 – 30. The people in this age group still enjoy going out on the weekends to get away from the pressures of school and work. Horror movies give excitement and suspense in the lives of movie goers. It presents trust between partners when the girl jumps in her seat and clenches the arm of her boyfriend. It makes men feel strong as if they are protecting their partner. Horror movies allow movie goers to have a little bit of the real world while knowing they can go home and rest comfortably in their own bed.

What is an Art?

In her article â€Å"A Shark in the Mind of One Contemplating Wilderness†, Terry Tempest Williams effectively defines what an â€Å"art† is and what is not. It goes beyond its traditional definition as a product of human creativity in which materials are outlined and selected to convey visually interesting forms. Williams reveals the ongoing battle within the biodiversity – human versus nature – and equates human life to the characters in the wild to create a vivid description of Art. Like a shark suspended in formaldehyde and being viewed as a unique work of art, Williams sees the same scenario for human beings when nature is totally devastated. Who’s to blame? The increased level of extinction that is likely to lead to the disappearance of about two-thirds of all kinds of living organisms by the end of the next century is driven by only one species: human (Raven 4). Human is inseparable from nature. His survival depends inextricably on other life forms. Life is the common force that connects man to animals. Williams recognizes this connection through an encounter with a shark in a tank, â€Å"I press my hands on the glass, waiting for the shark to pass by again, and when it does I feel my own heart beating against the mind of this creature that kills. However, this bond is unfastened little by little by man’s activities that are detrimental to the nature. Civilization overwhelms man that he neglects the reality that his existence rests on the subsistence of the natural world. Rather than protecting his source of life, he becomes the author of its destruction. Logging and mining, whether legal or illegal, are two of the most common damaging human activities. For pharmaceutical companies, â€Å"Wilderness is a cabinet of pharmaceuticals waiting to be discovered. † Taking her own experience where an open space once used by children to lie on their backs was now converted to a food court, Williams realized how fast people can transform something into another thing. Quoting her observation, â€Å"What was never before seen as art, as dance, as a painting in motion, but imagined only through the calculations of biologists, their facts now metamorphosed into designs†¦. † Just imagine how man has gotten so much from the nature and exploited a very huge part of it. As Williams noted, â€Å"The natural world is becoming invisible, appearing only as a backdrop for our own human dramas and catastrophes. Landslides, flashfloods, earthquakes, and tornadoes are signs that nature is too much burdened of man’s destructive activities. Wilderness is a work of art. People shape this natural wasteland just like how an artist makes a mosaic. The development of agricultural lands into subdivisions, the burning of forests to produce industrial m aterials, and even the changing color of water in the rivers from blue to black, reflect how an artist designs and colors his work. â€Å"What is true for wilderness remains true for humans. Human society is the mosaic of field and forest, of city blocks, of subway tiles. It is to this mosaic that we should turn in order to understand what it really means to be human† (Amato-Grill 5). Like humans, other forms of life need a habitat where they can build their own community. â€Å"We are animals, in search of a home, in relationship to Other, an expanding community with a mosaic of habitats, domestic and wild,† Williams explained. In the same way that we have seen performances on stage, we have set our eyes on how the leaves of the trees dance in the wind, how animals hide and catch their prey, how whales and fishes create waves in the oceans, and how flowers patiently wait for its bud to bloom. Wilderness, according to Williams, is a grand piece of performance art that can embody or inspire. To preserve them is to let the next generation witness the grand performance arts of nature. The nature is a work of art itself creatively designed and created by its Artist. It is a spring of inspiration for the artists who are also masterpieces of the One who created the nature. Art, as implicitly described by Williams on her article, is the exploration yet preservation of these natural creations.

Renaissance and how this Era influence fashion trends and designers Essay

Renaissance and how this Era influence fashion trends and designers now days - Essay Example zed clothing became more popular as sewing and stitching technologies became widespread and the world moved into the era of industrialization (Breward). It was then precisely that the fashion industry was born; henceforth the concept of fashion came into existence. Renaissance is one of the hallmarks of fashion and cultural movements spanning from 14th to the 17th century (Zirpolo). It encompassed not just art and fashion but also influenced science, literature, politics as well as many other aspects of human life having a profound impact on the way of life (Zirpolo). It is no surprise, therefore, that designers also fell prey to the fashion marked by this movement which are followed to date. Works from famous fashion designers from Italy and Germany, including Rene Ward, Andrew Mc Clellan and John Sir Michael Struck were the hallmarks of the Renaissance movement. The fashion trends that emerged in this era were diverse, ranging from flares and broad barrel-shaped attire to narrower, slimmer gowns. Perhaps majority of the trends that emerged from the Renaissance era bear resemblance to contemporary fashion. Garments were considered a symbol of wealth for the nobles and riches as is the case today; although it was more so back then in the Renaissance era. Garments were viewed as adornments of wealth, creating stark divisions between the rich (nobles) and the poor. This continues to be a trend to date. Dark colors in particular were preferred in an attempt to showcase ornaments, jewelry and other accessories (Moose). The more articulate the tailoring (with cuts and flairs) the higher the prestige of its owner and the more highly exquisite the clothing was considered. (Breward). The riches did not compromise on clothing even during tough times, as is the case today. Clothing is still seen as crucial to the portrayal of prosperity and wealth (Mack). This is evident to date in, for instance, Great Britain where the Royal Family continues to extravagantly

The Mozart Effect Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Mozart Effect Theory - Research Paper Example The science backing this theory has not been shown to have reliability as it cannot be duplicated through subsequent testing of the same hypotheses. The popularity of the idea, however, has inspired political use of the theory in order to appeal to a public that seems to like the idea that music can affect learning in their children. The romanticism of the science has been turned into a public set of myths that have yet to be proven. The development of the Mozart Effect Theory gives power to the music written by the young composer that extends well beyond its beauty, suggesting that intelligence is affected by exposure to his writings, but the theory only has support and has yet to be definitively proven. According to Don Campbell, â€Å"Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy who saw, spoke, and listened to the world in creative patterns† (xiv). Campbell discusses the idea of the Mozart Effect in terms of it being miraculous. He lists a series of events that suggest that the music can do wondrous things, including that in Britain there are monks who believe that through playing Mozart’s music to their cows, the cows produce more milk. He reports that in the Washington State Immigration Department they play Mozart and other baroque music during classes for students learning to speak English because it increases learning. He also states that in Japan the Ohara Brewery will use Mozart to increase the density with which the yeast for their sake rises, creating a higher quality drink. Campbell believes that the power of music is far more than in the enjoyment of listening. Brown and Volgsten state that â€Å"the enhancement seen with Mozart is not produced with music per se but occurs with rhythmic auditory or visual stimuli of diverse kinds, and is primarily localized to operations underlying mental rotation† (146). The effect of hearing the music of Mozart or music in general seems to be that the brain responds to the rhythms produced, cr eating a sort of re-organization of thought patterns towards a reception to the information that is in the process of being learned. Brown and Volgsten suggest that the stimulation may simply be arousing, that the effect is caused by the auditory system as it is ‘perked up’ through the rhythms and sounds it is hearing. Campbell, on the other hand, cites that research done at Irvine by Francis H. Rauscher and her colleagues has shown that increased spatial reasoning occurs for about ten to fifteen minutes after listening to ten minutes of Mozart’s music. This effect may go deeper than simple stimulation of the auditory nerves which in turn stimulate brain activity. Neil-Palmer discusses how â€Å"the findings for all of the studies supported the theory that music lessons lead to an improvement in spatial reasoning, but there are contradictions as to which specific skills are affected† (33). One of the theories that Neil-Palmer discusses is that phonemic awa reness may be a part of how music stimulates increased learning. Phonemic awareness involves the way in which language is learned and how a child learns to read through the phonetics of how a word sounds. She cites a study published by Gromko in 2005 in which children were divided into an experimental group and a control group where the experimental group

Assess the management of the Canadian Wolseley company Research Paper

Assess the management of the Canadian Wolseley company - Research Paper Example These processes include frequent reporting on the status of internal control and risk management from the Audit Committee, and annual objectives’ and strategic plan reviews before the approval of the strategies and budgets of the company. Management exercises control at business unit level by monitoring monthly performance against forecasts, budgets, and cash targets. The Board regularly visits the Managing Directors and Group Chief Executive of the different geographical regions for effective communication and collaboration on all strategic matters. â€Å"The Board has formal procedures in place for approving investment, acquisition and disposal projects, with designated levels of authority, supported by post-investment review processes for major acquisitions or disposals and capital expenditure† (â€Å"Risk Management†). The management of Wolseley comprises a large team of highly qualified and competent professionals with years of experience in their respective fields. The efforts of the management are directed at developing a healthy organizational culture at Wolseley where organizational personnel can feel comfortable and reach their optimal

My Educational goals and why I would like to participate in the TSA Essay

My Educational goals and why I would like to participate in the TSA Associates program - Essay Example This would give me an opportunity attain new skills, knowledge, and tools and be in a position to improve my skills in customer service. I have always wanted to pursue a degree in higher education, and I believe that enrolling in TSA will be a step towards achieving my dream. Enrolling in TSA will offer me an opportunity to take classes while working for TSA at the same time.  Being part of a dynamic security team has enabled me to contribute in protecting our airports. However, I believe that I need more skills to make me more efficient in my duties. I would wish to enroll in all the three of the classes offered in the TSA Associate Program, which include Introduction to Homeland Security, Intelligence Analysis, and Transportation and Border Security. Getting an opportunity to enroll and complete the TSA Associate program will enable me attain an Associate degree in homeland security later, receive a TSA Certificate of Completion in addition to an Academic Certificate from the Institute of Higher Education. Attaining more education through the TSA Associate program will make me a better candidate for future positions in TSA. I believe that getting this opportunity and attending TSA  Associates  Program  will offer me appropriate  educational  foundation that I require to perform better in my current position within TSA and achieve more in both  my  academic and personal  goals. I understand that I need to have excellent communication skills to be able to get this opportunity since apposite communication skill are crucial thus I have already completed my Complete Foundations of Grammar SkillSoft course in

The Effects of Autism on a Familys Social Participation From a Fathers Essay

The Effects of Autism on a Familys Social Participation From a Fathers Perspective - Essay Example In this study, the researcher conducted a qualitative investigation regarding the impact that autism has on a family's social participation from the father's perspective. The researcher will explain how using the Person-Environment-Occupation model may both increase levels of social participation and increase the overall wellbeing and mental health of family's of autistic children. The nature of Autism, a complex developmental disorder, remains largely elusive up to the present time. However, there have been myriad advances and discoveries regarding this condition (Rutter, 1999). Compared to other developmental disorders, Autism is being diagnosed at a rapid rate with an annual growth rate between 10 and 17% (Autism Society of America, 2007). This disorder has a prevalence rate in one out of every 150 births and affects approximately 1.5 million Americans (Autism Society of America, 2007). There is both a desire to treat the devastating effects of this disorder and a fascination to understand the nature of social interaction of patients with this condition. Large proportions of autistic patients exhibit differences in sensory processing and motor performance that may affect social participation and day-to-day functioning (Chawarska, Klin, Volkmar, & Powers, 2008, 104). In their research, Domingue, Cutler, & McTarnaghan (2000) found that family members that care for autistic children have been shown to have greater difficulty in developing and sustaining vital social connections both at work and at home. Social activities such as dinners, weekend outings, and vacations are greatly reduced and marital difficulties often arise from the difficulty of effectively supporting their autistic child (Fisman, Wolf, & Noh, 1989). In their 2005 study, Rodrigue, Morgan, and Geffken pointed out that fathers have been largely neglected in previous research of families with autistic children. They found that fathers of children with autism reported frequent use of both wish-fulfilling fantasy and information seeking as coping strategies. In addition to this, fathers with autistic children reported a greater financial impact and disruption of family activities when compared to fathers that did not have children with this disorder (Rodrigue, Morgan, and Geffken, 2005). While the researchers found that fathers adapt reasonably well to the needs of their autistic children, they also noted that autism had a significant impact on the family's social participation from the father's perspective (Rodrigue, Morgan, and Geffken, 2005). Cost of Care Numerous costs are involved in the treatment and care of autistic patients. When calculating the price of treatment, it is necessary to include direct medical, direct non-medical, and lost productivity costs. A complete treatment plan for an individual with autism may cost the public $3.2 million over the patient's lifetime (Moldin & Rubenstein, 2006, p. 476). In addition to this, the combined societal cost to treat all individuals with autism may amount to $35 billion over the pa

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Case Study

Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Case Study Example Examples like Wal-Mart and Benetton are in front of us where logistics transformed the form of core competence which is strategically positioned for bringing market success for the organization (Drew & Smith 1995). This, on one hand, gives a competitive advantage to one organization, on the other hand, it is achieved at the cost of exploiting the other. Such exploitation in market terms can be labeled as 'weapon' that once used against the competitor provides benefit at the cost of bringing loss to the competitor. This can be illustrated by the fact that an organization can increase or decrease the goods supply to the market or can purchase the services of major supply chain companies irrespective of the fact he uses them or not, but to choke other companies particularly competitors from getting supply chain services for their goods supply. Unless the competitor is efficient enough to detect what is going on behind the curtain, he is unable to rectify the cold war being played agains t him by his rivals. However, Drew & Smith (1995, pp. 24-33) points out that excessive exploitation can produce dangerous results if the organization adopts a rigid behavior. Similarly, this 'explosive weapon' can result in fatal blind spots if used in a single direction without considering other factors. For instance, supply chain integration once stops at the factory door may annoy large organizations to exploit more but since logistic firms are aimed to improve their performances, such exploitation will probably not work. Traditional supply chain delivers limited value to companies for which there is a political competition going on among competitors. In contemporary fast-paced supply chains, managers or CEOs lack insight into the ripple effects of their decision (Boyson et al 2004, p. 99). Logistical challenges are confronted by the firms who not only assume a static environment but look at each problem individually. For instance, a company when switches from long-term contracts to short-term buys it suffers temporarily for the decision will influence the logistic options available to the organization including short-term variability, the price of the product and supplies.   With the lengthening of supply chains, logistics executives are increasingly taking the onus on their shoulders for anticipating and eliminating a greater number of risks. Though contemporary stakes are high that what they were five years ago resulting in an average profitability loss of 107% (Logistics 2009). But at the same time CEOs are struggling to prioritize the overwhelming number of risks that indirectly leads to unfocused plans and poorly coordinated responses (ibid). Competing with others become critical for the logistic firms when there is a concern to reduce costs while continuing to guarantee the quality of products. This requires ensuring efficient execution of outsourced activities in a complex trading and production scenario which is a difficult phenomenon in a compet itive environment. In this context, it is indispensable to identify, evaluate and extenuate potential disruptions in SCM in a systemic manner so as to control or minimize the risk of product recalls (Gomer 2009).

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 11

Final exam - Essay Example Therefore, the company can use the Miller Act as a legal entry point (Cihon, Patrick and Castagnera 110). Mr. Johnny should be aware that the Miller Act primarily minimizes the difficulties that subcontractors encounter in claiming payments from the prime contractors. Furthermore, the Contract Disputes Act waivers government indebtedness only to lawsuits involving contracts to which government is part, not subcontractors. The Johnny Johns flooring company has the option of seeking payment under the Miller Act and section 8(d) or the Small Business Protection Act. It is also worthwhile that the Prompt Payment Act provides immunity to subcontractor’s payments on government contracts. The Act obliges the federal agencies to include a clause in the contract that imposes the prime contractor to remit payments to the subcontractors for â€Å"satisfactory† performance in the contract within seven days of their receiving payments from the contract owner. In the event, that the flooring company fails to verify the provision of the commitment clause, they have no legal provision to sue the government or the contractor under the Prompt Payment Act. Intellectual property rights are creations including inventions, literary and arts, designs, symbols as well as images used in commerce. The Property rights are regulated to enable the owners obtain recognition and financial benefits from their creations. The rights balance between the interest of the innovators and that of the wider public to ensure an environment in which innovation flourishes. Under the United States Copyright law, the designer of any file retains the ownership of the property rights, but the client acquires the ownership of the end product. In this case, United States Air Force is the customer and the ITI Inc. the designer . Therefore, the United States Air Force owns the new command and control system developed by ITI Inc. However, the Corporation retains ownership of the

Ethical issue and its relationship to the ethical and legal aspects of Article

Ethical issue and its relationship to the ethical and legal aspects of nursing or other health care professions - Article Example The practitioners are required to identify the legal, ethical and professional values and determine how they can be applied to enhance quality practice in the health care profession (Gillogly & Molly, 2004). According to the nursing ethics, the practitioners in the health care sector are required to demonstrate expertise however they may not be certain about their responsibilities and accountabilities in relation to the legal and ethical issues (Debra , 2009). The main responsibilities entailed in the nursing profession include autonomy, decision making, accountability and great leadership. Ion The decision making process mostly involves the qualified practitioners as they are called upon to apply their expertise skills in developing the guidelines, policies and procedures governing the practice (Tingle & Cribb, 2002). Similarly, the qualified practitioners are involved in research and learning so as to apply their expertise, ethical aspects and the policies to give advice on the rel ated area. Therefore, the nurses and all the practitioners in the healthcare profession are required to be aware of all the guidelines and policies related to the practice as well as understand the requirements of ethical decision making (Heaton, 2008). Nurses and other practitioners in the healthcare sector face various ethical and legal issues in their career as they should combine both the legal and ethical aspects of health care to enhance professionalism in the practice. It is very important for the nurses to understand the difference between ethics and law. The laws are the rules and regulations governing the practice while ethics are meant to ensure appropriate values as well as monitor the actions of the peoples. One of the issues the nurses may face in their profession is where they are faced in acts that are ethical according to the practice but are not legal according to the laws (Tingle & Cribb, 2002). For example the nurses are required to allow cancer patients to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes which are an appropriate measure according to the nursing practice ethical but illegal according to the governing laws. The nursing ethics could also allow the nurse to conduct an aborting in extreme cases so as to save the life of the mother whereas abortion is illegal according to the governing legal structure. Similarly the nurses and other practitioners could also be faced by situations where the practice is neither legal nor ethical but it has to be carried out (Tingle & Cribb, 2002). The issues faced by nurses in their practice are rapidly increasing and the resolution of the issues need careful research and assessment of all the causes and facts related to the cases. To resolve the issue faced in the nursing practice, most institutions implement ethics committees made of professional from all the related areas such as the healthcare professionals, lawyers, ethicists and the clergy among others (Sandra, 2008). This committees are assigned the task of assisting in the decision making process where they resolve the ethical issues faced by the practitioners using the developed guidelines and policies. The nurses are also required cooperate with the other professional in the healthcare sector to educate the public on the on the importance and ways to meet the health requirements so as to enhance ethical practices in the profession

Tesla Motors Essay Example for Free

Tesla Motors Essay Elon Musk successfully established Tesla Motors as one of the leaders in the electric vehicle industry since his induction as CEO in 2008. Tesla Motors designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars and powertrain components. The company also provides services for the development of powertrain systems and components, and sells electric powertrain components to other automotive manufacturers. It markets and sells its vehicles through Tesla stores as well as over the internet (Mora 2014, 1). Consumers and companies are looking to save at the pump, and what better way to do so than with electric vehicles (Mora 2014, 1)? Through government support and raised capital, Musk has put Tesla in an advantageous position to capitalize on the growing electric vehicle market. Battery electric vehicles will increase at a 31.5% compound annual growth over the next seven years (Navigant Research 2013). With Musk’s leadership and innovation, Tesla plans on boosting sales by increasing current production of the Model S, introducing the Model X SUV in 2015, and introducing the more affordable Gen III by 2017 (Recharge Now, Forbes 2013). â€Å"Tesla has now crept onto the top ten list for brand perception, as ranked by Consumer Reports† (Ingram 2013, 1). Tesla is exceeding their own expectations as more consumers are becoming familiar with their company. In 2013, sales totaled to 22,450, while forecasts were set at 21,500 (Ohnsman). All of this success has resulted in Tesla’s stock rising nearly $100 this past year (Yahoo Finance 2014). With people increasingly worrying about the harmful effects of combustion engines on the environment and the limited supply of oil, the market for electric cars has a ton of potential. While there is tons of potential for Tesla, the truth is that they have yet to make an annual profit. Yes, they did raise their revenue from $413 million to $2 billion in the last year, but this still resulted in a net loss of $74 million (Yahoo Finance 2014). This loss is primarily due to the high cost of goods sold, which is why it is so important to keep researching and developing cheaper ways to produce their technology. â€Å"Few expect to trim electric-car battery costs by more than 20%-30% by the planned 2016† (Recharge Now, Forbes 2013). Increasing sales indicates a positive future for Tesla, but if they are unable to effectively reduce the cost of goods their financial condition will suffer. Next, we will examine the opportunities that Tesla could capitalize on with their substantial growth over the past few years. Being that oil is a limited resource, it’s only a matter of time before the supply becomes extremely scarce, resulting in skyrocketing oil prices. This event should cause a major shift to the use of electric vehicles. The average consumer cannot afford the $90,000 and up Model S, but many are still interested in owning an electric vehicle. Musk realizes this opportunity and has begun developing a more affordable model known as the Gen III. In order to launch this model at a price point of around $35,000 Tesla must drastically reduce the cost of batteries. Tesla unveiled details about a plan to build a â€Å"gigafactory†. It will cost them $5 billion, but it will reduce battery costs by an impressive 30% in the first year (Trefis 2014, 1). At peak production, this factory will be able to produce 50 gigawatt-hours of batteries in a year, more than the entire world’s current production (Trefis 2014,2). At this point, Tesla could provide surplus batteries to the electronic industry and potentially become a leading producer of energy storage. Despite all of this, there are potential threats to Tesla’s business, mainly the competition they face in the alternative fuel vehicle market. Many established and upcoming automobile manufacturers have entered, or plan on entering this market. For example, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, and Audi are promoting new plug-in models aimed at affluent consumers (White 2013, 1). Established luxury brands are muscling on to Teslas turf in part because government policies are forcing them to, and in part because they see Mr. Musk peeling away influential trendsetters they dont want to lose (White 2013, 2). The impact of these new luxury plug-ins on Tesla will depend on whether they are trying to expand the segment, or merely go after the same consumers. With Elon Musk’s plan to increase production of the Model S, while introducing two new vehicles by 2015 and 2017, the Model X and Gen III, we  should expect to see continued success from Tesla Motors. If Musk successfully reduces operational costs and offers consumers an affordable Tesla model, he may trigger an amazing turning point in the auto industry and leave a lasting impression on the world. Works Cited Alpert, Bill. â€Å"Recharge Now!† Forbes. 10 June 2013. Web. 16 October 2013. â€Å"Electric Vehicle Market Forecasts. Navigant Research. Navigant Consulting Inc, 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. Ingra, Antony. Tesla Gains In Brand Awareness. Green Car Reports. High Gear Media, 4 Feb. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. Mora, Victor. Is Tesla Motors an Attractive Investment? Wall St. Cheat Sheet. Wall St Cheat Sheet, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. Ohnsman, Alan. Tesla Rises After Model S Sales in 2013 Exceed Forecast. Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. â€Å"Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA).† Yahoo Finance. Web. 13 March 2014. http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=tslaql=1. Trefis. Gigafactory Will Cost Tesla $5 Billion But Offers Significant Cost Reductions. Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. White, Joseph B. BMW, Cadillac Aim to Pull Plug on Tesla With Pricey New Cars. The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones Company, 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.