American revolution and its aftermath

The American Revolution marked the divorce of the British Empire and its one of the most valued colonies. Behind the independence that America had fought so hard for, there emerged a diverging society that was eager to embrace new doctrines. The ideals in the revolution that motivated the people to fight for freedom continued to influence American society well beyond the colonial period. For example, the ideas borrowed from John Locke about the natural rights of man was extended in an unsuccessful effort to include women and slaves. The creation of state governments and the search for a national government were the first steps that Americans took to experiment with their own system. Expansion, postwar depression as well as the new distribution of land were all evidence that pointed to the gradual maturing of the economic system. Although America was fast on its way to becoming a strong and powerful nation, the underlying issues brought about by the Revolution remained an important part in the social, political and economical developments that in some instances contradicted revolutionary principles in the period from 1775-1800.

The American Revolution stirred political unity and motivated the need for change in the nation. Because many Americans fought for a more balanced government in the Revolutionary War, they initially created a weak national government that hampered the country's growth and expansion. In the Letter from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, Mrs. Adams complained about the inadequacy of power that the American government had to regulate domestic affairs. The Articles of Confederation was created to be weak because many had feared a similar governing experience that they had just eliminated with Britain. The alliance of states united the 13 local governments but lacked power to deal with important issues or to regulate diplomatic affairs. Congress did not have the power to tax, regulate trade, or draft people for war. This put the American citizens at stake because States had the power to refuse requests for taxes and troops (Document G). The weakened national government could not do anything about uprisings or small-scale protests because it did not have the power to put together an army. The deficiencies of the confederation government inspired the drafting of the American Constitution. The document itself embodied the principle of a national government prepared to deal with the nation's problems. In James Madison's Federalist Paper, he persuades the American public to adopt the Constitution so that the government can protect humans from their nature and keep them out of conflicts. The government, according to Madison has to control the citizens and maintain order over the people (Document I). Under a bicameral legislature, the power of the national government was broken down into two houses, the power of the federal government is consolidated but sovereignty still originated from the people. Federalism and the three branches of powers created a representative democracy instead of a pure democracy that encompassed all factions. The ratification of the Constitution as a result of the American Revolution provided the country with stability and anchored it for further development.

The economic situation changed during the war period with respect to debts, taxes and the agriculture. The depiction of a farmer plowing a field next to a liberty statue (Document F) shows the strong will of the American economy to stay strong and independent. It represents how as a result of the revolutionary war, America feels the need to promote agriculture for the sake of domestic growth. Although the document is a form of propaganda, the North and the South did not agree in the direction of economic development that they wanted for the country. The North, especially Alexander Hamilton, advocated the development toward an industry-based economy with the key focus on urban growth. However, the Anti-Federalists imagined an agrarian society with a huge slave population. It was not until Jefferson became the president did the Republican party advocate for agricultural development and not commercial development. After the war, American trade prospered in the sense that it freed itself from trade restrictions and tariffs that Britain required of America. However, another change in economy that happened during this time was the postwar depression. The government lacked enough money to pay soldiers and many merchants cut off their ties with Britain. In addition to mentioning the inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation, Document G also mentions that rebellions from those who demand paper currency and an equal distribution of land. This alludes to the Shay's Rebellion where farmers demanded tax relief, paper money and in general relief from their indebtedness. Fighting the war was extremely costly and the huge amount of debt that America was accumulating at the time could not be paid off because Congress lacked the power to tax. Many farmers were dragged into debt and had their land taken away because most did not have enough money to pay the government and were taxed heavily. Even then, the economy was not prosperous enough to pay the soldiers who served in the war as many were paid in government bonds. Dissatisfied citizens protested for a better economy under the new government.

The social effects of the American Revolution can be examined through groups of women, slaves and Native Americans. It is also important to emphasize that the freedom of religion was states in the Statues at Large of Virginia (Document D). The fact that men are free to practice their desired religion or no religion at all differs significantly from the view of the Puritan, New England society. This set the precedent to the Bill of Rights, in which The Woodcut of Patriot Women illustrated how their role had changed dramatically during this time period (Document A). The fact that the woman in the depiction is holding a musket shows that she must be participating in the war at some level. As women's presence became more prevalent in the Revolutionary War, they demanded for an equal place in the society that Americans call free. Their slow but gradual advances in freedom were often met with rejection as the existing patriarchal structure strengthened. (Document J) For example, the Daughters of Liberty emulated the Sons of Liberty in their efforts to fight for freedom but did not find themselves at an equal level with the men. Slaves, another underrepresented group demand for freedom upon the victory of the American Revolution. The Pennsylvania Packet creates nationalistic feelings and prompts citizens to defend themselves and their rights (Document B). Although it may seem like those who take freedom away from Americans shall be banished, the slaves are still unable to control their own destiny. In the Ordinance of 1787, slavery is not permitted because it is incompatible with liberty (Document H). The Native Americans also seem to be excluded from the group. The Indians realize that the war with Britain took away their protection and now they are defenseless (Document C). Many wish to join the English cause because they are aware that the Revolution has weakened the position of Native Americans. American expansion took away most of their land and they seem to be in a hostile relationship with America because of this.

The American Revolution laid the foundation for America and its years to come. Not only did it initiate the serious of changes in several aspects of society, but it also allowed for future changes to be made. The shift in focus from the state to national government stabilized the nation and prompted economic development. The gradual recovery from the war also gave the economy a chance to take an alternate course, independent from that of Britain. The social changes did not immediately open up opportunities for minorities but in some cases (with slaves and women), it raised the awareness for underrepresented groups to be at an equal level.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST.

The tragedy of racism in america

Less than fifty years ago, America was a society of segregation and racism. Racism is defined as “the belief that a particular race is superior to another” (pg 3?) Although it is clear things have changed, racism is still visible in modern America. Relationships between African Americans and whites are generally better than they were in the forties and fifties. Today, it is not common to see a black man walk down the street and step off the sidewalk to let a white man walk by, or to see a black man sitting on a different section of the bus or train because a white man says he has too. But superiority of races is still occurring. A lot of this has the do with the ignorance of others. Passed down generation to generation, learned at school, or passed along through entertainment. Its accurate to say that racism is something learned through out ones life. Although it is not as bad as it was, it is unmistakably visible that racism still exists in present day society.

Thousands of years ago, the Portuguese sailors found advanced African cultures. When they couldn’t keep up with the Portuguese, they were looked upon as stupid. The Portuguese began to take them in as slaves. They weren’t considered human, more or less “subhuman” and they were called “beasts.” Slavery, of course, is the most manifest form of racism (Page 3). It is very clear that slavery used to be a significant problem in the country. Slavery was eventually abolished in the country, but before it was, the country split and the Civil War began. People were fighting to treat blacks horribly, keeping them as slaves, beating them, and not providing them with proper nutrition, education or shelter. After slavery ended, the violence grew worse. This is that the time Jim Crow Laws were enacted.

Jim Crow Laws began in Massachusetts. Although it was a Northern state (slavery and racism were common in the South more than the North), it allowed separation of blacks and whites on railroads. By 1900’s, laws had been established allowing separation like this all over the country (Cayton, Perry, Reed and Winkler). According to the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, blacks had the same legal protection as whites. The Supreme Court contradicted this when they allowed so called “restrictions” in the South against blacks. Those who supported Jim Crow generally lived in the South. They believed that whites were above the blacks, in things ranging from intelligence to morality. They thought sexual relations between the two races would ruin the nation, and violence could be used on blacks if needed. So, hospitals, beaches, parks, prisons, public restrooms and even water fountains were separated by color of skin. In certain areas, there weren’t even facilities for colored people (Pilgrim). African Americans also had to treat whites with respect, where as whites did not have to, and most of the time would not treat the blacks the same. Blacks had to use titles when speaking to whites, they could not eat with the whites, and black men could not offer to shake a white mans hand. Preachers did not help with the problem, but in some situations made it worse. They would preach that God supported segregation, “the whites were the chosen people, and Blacks were servants” (Pilgrim).

Violent rages began during the time of Jim Crow. The laws didn’t prevent one race from hurting another for reasons that are not acceptable. Lynching was the biggest form of violence, and mainly, blacks were the ones targeted. Lynching is the “public, murder carried out by mobs” (Pilgrim). Because blacks were apt to commit a crime, despite the fact that they were considered abhorrent, they were needed. Lynching’s resulted from blacks fighting for their rights, violating Jim Crow Laws or other reasons related. The most popular forms of murder were hangings, shootings and burnings. Rape was also had its toll on blacks. Sexual relations were not allowed between two different races. (What people don’t realize is that now and again, there are more genetic differences within a race than between two different races (ADL). One third victims were falsely accused of engaging in sexual activity with the opposing race. All to often, this accusation resulted in murder, or lynching (Pilgrim).

There were plenty of people who did not put up with the abuse. Bishop Turner, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Du Bois were just a few who spoke their beliefs. A group of about four hundred, also stood up for equal rights and started the Niagara Movement. Another group, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) had around 6,000 members trying to abolish slavery. Today this group still exists, working on other projects. Associations like these helped to open other associations that helped to teach colored people how to write, open businesses and study history and sociology. In 1896, an African American fought in court for equal rights and formed a case that would become very important in history. Plessy felt his rights were violated when a law passed separating seating on railroads. He fought back, fighting for his right to “equal protection of the laws.” But he lost. The court said if the facilities were equal it was legal because the fourteenth amendment “wasn’t to give Negroes social equality, only political and civil” (Cayton, Perry, Reed, and Winkler). People were not happy about this because it lead to the doctrine “separate but equal.” And the unfairness continued.

The African Americans were not the only ones being discriminated against. Now, Native Americans were involved. As the nation started to expand, the Natives were “in the way.” The whites forced the Natives to change their culture, to be like them. When the Natives didn’t leave the fighting began. Except the whites outnumbered the Natives (Anonymous). Crazy Horse said “I was not hostile to the White man” (1). And many were not. The Whites were typically the ones causing the disputes. Wild Cat wrote that “[the] Whites told the Coacooche they weren’t enemies but the Natives [knew] they were” (1).Families were running away to avoid the Whites, but in the end they were stuck out in the cold, hungry, but too tired to fight anymore (Nez Perce). The Whites came and took the Natives land because of selfishness. The difference in cultures caused past generations to go and force change upon the Natives. It seems that the same cycle is reoccurring today.

The idea the humans are born pure leads to the fact that they learn racism, hatred and stereotyping (What causes Racism?). When children are separated from other ethnic groups, they do not learn that those groups are not different than they, except in color and culture. Neighborhoods like this contribute to racism (Isley). Another large part of what contributes to racism is the feeling of being superior to another race. This mainly shows between whites and African Americans. A 2004 statistic said that the African Americans had a poverty level of 24.4% where as Whites only had a poverty level 12.5% (CNN). The fact that one statistic shows whites generally have more money makes one feel “above” African Americans.
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Norman Podhoretz, however, had the opposite problem. He grew up in Brooklyn, in a neighborhood that was dominated mainly by the African American race. He was tormented by the kids there, and because of that he lived, and still does live in fear of them. Podhoretz said he never understand why the two races were enemies, why they were enemies or why they hated each other (96), but it was apparent the two did not get along. Podhoretz had suffered from abuse from the blacks during several occasions, but never reported them to police in fear of the kids who hurt him (94). “They were tougher(…?) and better athletes” (93). Regardless of all the injustice, he still said “ . . . I am convinced that we white Americans are--so twisted and sick in our feelings about Negros. . . ” (100). Some still believe that it is going to be a long time until blacks gain full equality. It isn’t right for one to be treated less important because they have a different color skin. Baldwin states that color is a political reality, not a human, or personal reality (100). To be solved, the races must merge (101). But some whites feel guilt towards African Americans. And some whites let that guilt turn into hate (97). They look at the other race and see them as all the same. They refuse to actually look at them, so convinced and stuck in their ways that the African Americans are bad (Podhoretz, 97).

From a different point of view, an African Americans point of view, this of course isn’t fair. He suffers exactly from what was mentioned above- the fact that some races will not look past the color of someone’s skin. Brent Staples writes in his 1986 essay, Black Men and Public Spaces, that he experiences episodes like that all of the time. One time, while walking at night, a woman saw him, or at least saw his skin color, grew afraid, crossed the street, leaving to get away from him. Another time, he went into a jewelry store. Instead of the lady helping him, she went and got a guard dog and refused to answer any questions. He began to make himself look less threatening, although that shouldn’t be something one should have to do, especially if they have never posed as a threat (Staples). The ignorance of the two ladies is the same ignorance in others that do the same thing. A man they have never seen before, who has never hurt them or attempted to, is frightening to them because he is black. Those two examples, prove that humans still find excuses not to trust another race, with no reason at all.

James Byrd had the same problem, but he was affected more than Staples. In 1998, Byrd was a father living in Jasper, a town that spilt the blacks and whites by a fence in a graveyard. They each had their side. But this all changed when three white men by the names of, John King, Lawrence Brewer and Shawn Berry murdered Byrd. After a night of drinking they found Byrd and chained him to the back of their truck. They dragged him for three miles. They laughed the whole time. They didn’t stop until he was dead. Byrd lived through most of it, but eventually his head was torn from his body (Film Description). American was shocked that something like this could happen. His family was devastated. They started speaking out against hate crimes. They tried passing the James Byrd Jr. Act, but the governor George W. Bush declined it. Byrd’s daughter, Renee Mullins said “It was like him dying all over again.” Eventually the law was passed, but not as quickly as it should have been. A year later, on January 20, 1999, the fence in the graveyard was taken down. It had separated the town for more than one hundred and fifty years. The Klu Klux Klan (A group that discriminates against Blacks, Jews, Catholics, Immigrants [ADL]) proved their anger to the Byrd family by leaving stickers and markers on Byrd’s grave. King and Brewer both remain on death row, both still stuck in their racists ways, not regretting the decision they made that night. Brewer has even bragged about what he did. Berry was only sentenced to a life in jail, rather than put on death row (Jasper Update). Others were not so happy about this. Others wanted murders like this to end.

Two best friends, a white and a black heard about the murder and were appalled by what happened in Jasper. Whitney Dow and Marco Williams wanted to learn more and share that information with everyone. To do this, they made the movie Two Towns of Jasper. Byrd’s death was the cause of the movie, but it was more about showing the two perspectives of the town- the white mans perspective and the black mans. Thirty citizens from the town were chose to be in the documentary. Dow interviewed fifteen white men and Williams interviewed fifteen black. While the movie was being made the white citizens didn’t like the negative attention from the viewers. Tons acted surprised by what happened. Except one man. He wasn’t shocked by the crime. He thought the reaction to it showed the true relationship between blacks and whites. African Americans on the other hand, thought it showed the danger that’s always there, but “beneath the surface” (Film Description). The murder occurred only thirteen years ago. How is it that segregation supposedly no longer exist, but this town had lived that way so long? How is it that three men can murder a man so brutally because he has a different color skin? How is it that one can say it is okay to be racist after something like that happens? How is this still happening?

It is clear that African Americans seem to be a main target for racist humans, but there are other races who are impacted by racists. The Muslims and Arabs are a very good example of this. One September 11, 2001, the Nation was devastated by the terrorist attack on the world trade center in New York. Nineteen Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four American planes. One plane was said to be initially head to the White House, but did not make it. Another crashed into the Pentagon. Then there were the two that hit the Twin Towers (September 11). The north tower was hit first, and very shortly after the south tower was hit. Around three thousand people died in this terrible incident. The nation became very patriotic after this happened. The most important change was the feelings Americans had towards those from the Middle East. Harassment, violence, etc. increased seventy percent in 2002. As the years went on, it did not get better either. Arabs are denied jobs, housing and are arrested for no reason (Smith). Random security checks are done at airports across the country. The random security checks always seem to be aimed towards Arabs or people of the Middle Eastern decent. Americans tend to exaggerate the danger of future attacks and “as a result they over estimate the effect of racially specific security measures“ (Akram and Johnson). “Singling out people for ethnicity is just plain racist, no fear or mistreatment ever seem to attach white folks” Tim Wise says. “Inconveniencing white folks after all, is never ones desire” (Wise). Arabs are now stereotyped as terrorists. Most feelings towards them are negative, but a lot of that is because of fear (Akram and Johnson). This is what terrorists want. They want us to live in fear of them. Except this is not what all Arabs want. Most Arabs are not terrorists, but they’re going to be treated like they are. It is hard for one not to have hostile feelings towards Arabs, but that does not mean they all should be treated differently, because of something people from they’re country have done. It seems that American feels they can do whatever they want. Going into another country and over running their government is fine, though it was never Americas business to do that. The problem there is the idea that our culture is the only right one, when maybe other cultures are thinking the same thing. Of course it isn’t right for them, only America.

Immigration is helping to create feelings of hate towards non-Americans. Illegal immigration seems to have turned into a problem in the country. Eight years ago it was estimated seven million people in the country were illegal immigrants (History of Immigration, 17). Things have been debated about what should be done to take care of this problem. Some want higher fences at the borders, more patrols at the borders, or tougher laws and enforcement. Others say it can be fixed by extending the number of legal workers, requiring proof of legalization and demanding employers to refuse to hire undocumented people (History of Immigration, 23). A major complaint made by Americans is that immigrants are taking all the jobs. Immigrants come to this country and work the jobs that Americans won’t. They get a very low salary, they work in terrible conditions and they get treated horribly. So when one is saying “they took our jobs,” its clear they haven’t really thought about what jobs they’re really taking. In some ways it help the immigrants do that, because the people complaining probably would never work under the conditions the immigrants do.

CONCLUSION

It used to be an American is a white, blonde haired, blue eyed person. Of course that is not the typical American. Most people don’t have blonde hair and blue eyes. Furthermore, plenty are not Caucasian. To some though, the right skin color to have is white. Having black skin makes one dangerous. Looking middle eastern makes one a terrorist. Hispanics are illegal immigrants. These are just a few of the stereotypical views whites have against others. Segregation was abolished, yet some towns are still separated by race. America has gotten better over the years, especially within the last sixty. The formation of nations, legal codes, wars and obviously slavery were all influenced by racism (ADL). The problem should be solved. Clearly it isn’t though, as more kids learn what it means to be racist and are faced with the decision to become a racist or not. But still one would think, after all these years that nation should be able to figure something out, and racism should be something that’s coming to an end. At this moment, the exact opposite is happening. Less than a week ago, Osama Bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaeda attack on September 11, was killed by Navy Seals. America rejoiced, celebrating the death of one of the most hated names in America. As they danced at the site of ground zero, they probably weren’t thinking of what would happen when the picture of that gets to Osama’s people. They probably weren’t thinking of all the things that could happen now, with his people so angry with us. With this killing, racism isn’t coming to end. Its coming to a new beginning.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST

Employee reward and recognition

Companies have to break the bad habits of recognizing employees only by occasionally giving them mugs, t-shirts or pens with the company logo stamped upon it. They must realize that for most employees, most of the time, how they are treated on a daily basis matters more to them and more effectively communicates that they are trusted, respected and important to the company.

Potential employees coming to FedEx Home Delivery, whether newly graduated university applicants, transferees from other companies or internal candidates, are looking for different things from their work life than they were just 10 years ago. Today's employees are looking for some balance in their lives. Many employees will give up a portion of their lives for the 50-hour work week, but there has to be some benefit associated with that amount of labor.

Home Delivery employees have some expectations of their company. They are looking for an integrated approach to life. Work is a piece of a bigger picture to them. For the amount of labor that they give, they expect that they will receive important benefits. Benefits like competitive pay, family leave, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance programs, flexible hours and financial planning programs. They also expect that FedEx will enable the "soft" cultural values such as the company's commitment to society, the environment and diversity.

FedEx can also expect that the employees will have their own set of ethical values. They know that their employees exhibit high standards of honesty, trust, professionalism and ethical behavior. Home Delivery employees are open communicators and share what they know freely with each other. They work together with respect and dignity upholding diversity, ethnicity and different work cultures. Home Delivery employees provide excellent customer service and attempt to promote the brand identity wherever they happen to be.

In devising an award system to complement such employees, one must realize that traditional forms of recognition such as achievement awards, cash substitutes (gift cards), nominal gifts or food and public perks (parking spots) have diminished in importance for most of today's employees. These types of awards have become ranked near the bottom in employee surveys across the country. It is sad, but true that most certificates of achievement end up in a drawer collecting dust and not proudly displayed on the cubicle wall.

In many companies across the United States, the average employee's faith in his/her company has dramatically declined. The employees view themselves as working for other people rather than working for their organization. It is those people they work for (and with) that can most make recognition meaningful and special.

At FedEx Home Delivery, I wish to design a rewards system that will meet the needs of our highly skilled workforce. We cannot pull the wool over their eyes by offering them t-shirts or squeezable trucks as an award incentive. We must recognize them by offering them our sincere thanks in whatever form that will take: be it personal, written, electronic or public. Those persons whom the employee holds in high esteem will give it, and it will be given in a timely, sincere and specific manner.

Another form of recognition will be support and involvement. Giving the employee the information they need to do their jobs, involving employees in decisions (especially those that affect them) and asking employees for their opinions and ideas. How many managers go this far in rewarding their employees? Most managers would rather give a large cash award, than invest 1 hour of themselves into their employees.

Yet another motivator is giving them autonomy and authority, such as allowing them to decide how best to do their work, allowing them to pursue ideas they might have for improving things in the workplace. We will give them the "reward" of flexible working hours, learning and development opportunities and most importantly, the availability and undivided attention of their managers.

I recognize that this type of award and recognition program is intangible and highly situational. But I feel that granting this type of response to good work when it occurs is the most desired form of recognition cited by today's employees. This form of recognition lets the employee know that the manager is a real person and not just their boss. This lets the employee know that the manager will be there for them when the employee needs them. In my own personal managerial existence, I experienced an example of being a real person. My admin clerk is a top-notch performer and goes after his job with much enthusiasm and competence. About a year ago, he started experiencing difficulties at home and it was starting to wear him down at work. I went to him one day and told him I wanted him to take some time off (with pay) to deal with his anxieties. He accepted my offer and took 3 days off from work. At the end of those three days, he came back his old self again with problems in hand. He realized what this cost me, as I had to pick up his slack and do his work while he was gone. He later told my boss that he still thinks about this great kindness that I had extended to him in his hour of need.

I believe that this type of award and recognition system will fit well into our organization. I know that most of my peer managers do not want one more article that has the FedEx logo on it. Our company would benefit greatly from moving toward less formality when it comes to recognition. Instead of relying on some cold, impersonal award, managers should recognize their team members in a more personal manner. Cash awards can still be given, but they must be done personally by the employee's immediate supervisor. I do not think that we have to "throw out the baby with the bathwater" in redesigning a new award system. We can still have formal recognition, but we need to systematically move away from those things that our employees no longer value and move towards those that they are excited about.

Conclusion

I personally believe that FedEx Home Delivery will get the best from our employees and will retain them the longest when we show them that we personally care about them. The best and easiest way we can do this is through our daily efforts in recognizing and thanking employees when they do good work, and not waiting until the end of the year to formally recognize them on one special day.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST

The car industry

In the U.S., the 2007 market was approximately 15.9 million cars and light trucks sold, down from about 16.5 million the previous year. Production in North America, during 2006, including cars and trucks of all types, totaled 11.8 million produced in America, 2.6 million produced in Canada and 2 million produced in Mexico. Globally, about 53 million new cars were sold in 2007, up from about 49 million the previous year. These estimates are from Scotiabank Group.

There are approximately 244 million vehicles in operation in the United States. Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007. By 2020, that number will reach 1 billion. Currently, those vehicles burn nearly 260 billion gallons of fuel yearly.

In the U.S., as of 2006, the industry included about 21,200 new-car dealerships, 1.07 million manufacturing employees and 1.12 million retail new and used car dealership employees. Total revenues at new-car and light truck dealers exceed $675 billion, according to NADA.

The years of 2004 through 2006 will long be remembered as a pivotal period in the automobile industry. It was a period during which high gasoline prices started a sea change among U.S. consumers that is finally creating significant demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. Gasoline prices of approximately $2.00 per gallon started taking a huge bite out of family budgets in 2004, and many middle-class consumers who owned fuel guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks began to wish they had vehicles that were much less expensive to operate. By 2005-2006, with gasoline prices in the $3.00 range, the party was over for traditional, large SUVs. While gasoline prices moderated during much of 2007, they were still in the $2.70 range in most markets.

One result was the phenomenal demand for Toyota's Prius hybrid car. Toyota responded by raising the price and planning production increases. Meanwhile, Toyota made investments in its Georgetown, Kentucky plant to enable it to manufacture 48,000 hybrid Camrys yearly there by late 2006—Toyota will likely wish it had created even more hybrid capacity. Meanwhile, there has been good demand for Toyota's Lexus RX400h hybrid crossover. Ford launched its first hybrids, and other carmakers, including GM, were greatly encouraged in their own efforts to bring more hybrids to the market. However, response to hybrids from U.S. makers has been lukewarm at best. Consumers generally aren't as impressed with U.S. hybrid technology as they are with that of Toyota models, and actual mileage results on the road have been disappointing, largely due to driver habits such as quick acceleration which uses more fuel. Over the mid-term, many hybrids will be available from a wide variety of makers, and technology will steadily improve.

Other fuel-efficient vehicles, such as BMW's MINI Cooper, have enjoyed soaring demand. Consumers and emissions regulators started to take a renewed interest in advanced-technology. Clean diesel engines, like those offered in new cars from Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, offer exceptional performance and fuel economy while providing the quiet, vibration-free running associated with gasoline engines. Clean diesel offers a particularly attractive alternative over hybrid technology in the U.S. market, and is already widely used in passenger vehicles in Europe. In addition to clean diesel, the use of ethanol as a gasoline additive will grow rapidly in the U.S., thanks to encouragement by Congress.

Meanwhile, sales of heavy SUVs lagged miserably, and automakers such as Chevy, Hummer and Cadillac offered large dealer incentives and rebates in an effort to move these vehicles. Ford cancelled production of its larger-than-life Excursion SUV in which some owners reported getting as little as 11 MPG in the city, and GM cancelled production of the massive Hummer H1.

Car consumers outside the U.S. made history as well. The rising affluence of consumers in China created both huge opportunities and huge problems. China has become one of the world's largest importers of petroleum products, largely to fuel its burgeoning fleet of cars and trucks. Streets and highways are clogged with new cars, to the extent that traffic and smog are a nightmare. Some Chinese cities are trying to cut down on new traffic by requiring car owners to purchase expensive permits. Meanwhile, automakers from all nations are racing to establish plants and partnerships in China to produce cars both for domestic use and for export. In fact, low labor costs and increasing product quality in China threaten auto plants located in high cost nations such as the U.S.

Vehicle sales in the booming nation of India are soaring as well. While motor scooters continue to sell at a rapid clip, a growing middle class is also creating great demand for cars. Local industrial giant Tata hopes to launch a no-frills Indian car at a base price of about $2,200 U.S. Other rapidly growing automobile markets include Russia and Mexico, along with many markets in South America.

Not to be overlooked are the vast changes taking place in automobile manufacturing. Flexible factories are reducing man-hours and costs per car, while offering a much wider range of choices for customization to consumers. Today, more than ever, car manufacturers and their suppliers are cooperating in the design and manufacture of new cars in ways that are revolutionizing the entire process.

Inexpensive cars manufactured in China will soon be on the market in the U.S. The question is not whether China will export cars and trucks, but whether consumers will be convinced that they offer safety and reliability. Meanwhile, U.S. automakers are making intense demands on their component suppliers for lower prices—these suppliers are, in turn, looking to low-cost production in China. Meanwhile, the Big Three (American automakers GM, Ford and Chrysler) face difficult times at best. The Detroit companies are under intense competitive pressure from foreign-based firms while enduring high labor costs at home. Ford and GM are both struggling to reengineer all parts of their operations, from design to manufacturing to marketing in order to cut costs and regain market share.

Chrysler has undergone the most gut-wrenching change of all: a new owner. Cerberus Capital Management, one of the world's largest private equity investment firms, purchased Chrysler from DaimlerChrysler AG during 2007. Daimler had purchased Chrysler several years ago, only to find itself battling the many challenges facing U.S. automobile manufacturers. Daimler was more than happy to unload it. The German-based Daimler renamed itself Daimler AG. Chrysler legally became Chrysler LLC. This is one of many major investments made by Cerberus in the ailing auto industry, including investments in parts manufacturers and in car loans provider GMAC. Cerberus hopes to be able to introduce better management, new strategies and greater operating efficiencies in these companies.

While the U.S-based Big Three struggle, Toyota is attacking mercilessly. It has the capacity to manufacture over 1.5 million vehicles yearly in North America. On a global scale, the company plans to sell 10.4 million vehicles by 2009, up from 8.8 million in 2006. The big news is that Toyota most likely surpassed GM in global sales during 2007 for the first time, making Toyota the world's largest carmaker.

The parts manufacturing business in the U.S. is equally dismal. Delphi Corp, the giant supplier that was part of GM until 1999, lost nearly $4.6 billion in 2004 alone and declared bankruptcy in 2005. The company hoped to exit bankruptcy by the end of 2007.

Asian car manufacturers are generally enjoying booming success, with Toyota and Honda at the forefront. South Korean makers Hyundai and Kia have established themselves as true, high-quality manufacturers with a growing global customer base. They will give the Japanese very tough competition.

European manufacturers have challenges of their own. High costs, tough labor laws, daunting government regulations and a few disappointing model designs have hampered recent results.
There is one exciting new development in the U.S. car manufacturing industry: Tesla Motors. This company may be on the verge of a significant success with its revolutionary, all-electric sports car.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST

Owning and starting a business

For some people, being the boss, and which by boss I mean business owner, would be the greatest thing ever. Most think you get to pick your own hours, make the most money, and make everyone do the things you want done. Of course there is work involved and it takes work to make it but the rewards will be better owning a business that succeeds. The ultimate goal is becoming a millionaire and retiring at the age of forty and just drawing money from business production. However they really don’t understand the work it takes to make it a million dollar company. When these people are finally able to own a business they get a rude awakening. I am in no way trying to offend the typical business owner when I say, owning a business can be a challenging task that can cause many complications in your life and if you’re not careful they can change your life entirely.

Over the last eight years I have watched my Aunt and Grandfather start a completely new hospice. My aunt is the main boss of the business, my grandfather just put in money so that she was able to actually start the business. Over those last eight years she has had some of the roughest times in her life. Being a single mother is hard enough, but then to start a business from scratch made it much more difficult to not only raise a family by herself. My aunt has had many problems in the last eight years and her business is now getting to the point of choosing what she does. I see some teenagers saying they want to own a business when they get older, but they only think of the money they can earn, the people they can tell what to do, and the fact that they can work when they want to work and no one can tell them otherwise. My aunt has put in more work to her business in the last eight years than I have done homework assignments in my school career. When one owns a business, they must work constantly because there is always something that needs to be done. Whether there is a problem to sort out, bills to pay, or numbers and accounting paperwork to figure out, there is always something that they must do. I can remember staying the night at her house staying up late and playing video games while right down the hall she was in the office still working on paperwork at one and two in the morning. Still, she got up every day, went to work and did the same thing the next day. These grueling hours can cause many problems in the family, and with her being basically a single mother (got married about three years after starting the business), she always seemed to be stressed out. My cousin Joe (6’3, 350lbs, and obsessed with computer games) never really helped her out around her house so she was always down his back to make him do something but he never did. Those two constantly fought about little and stupid things and it really got annoying for a while. This continuous work put so much stress on her and if she was any less strong than she would not have lasted. She had a constant hassle of making decisions for the good of the business, hiring and firing new people, and trying to look after each employee to make sure they were giving the care they should be giving to the patient. It seems like with new business owners that the business is always in your mind thinking of ways to increase your appreciation among future patients or customers. With hard work, time management, and stress management you can make a business succeed to great lengths. Luckily her business is doing well now and she was looking to sell her business for something around $5 million. Owning a business is a difficult process one that you should be very prepared for because even if you have the greatest idea ever, being accepted in a community as a typical place to return to will take a very long time.

Four years ago, my father came up with the idea that he wanted to own a Chicago Style Hot Dog restaurant. He, like every typical virgin business owner, thought it was going to be a piece of cake. He got the money and thought he had the greatest idea ever by opening up a restaurant that our city doesn’t have. However, after a few weeks of opening reality set in and he was not the jolly man most remember him being. He looked at the city of Noblesville, and realized we didn’t really have a hotdog place in town. There is one problem with his thought process, he may have looked at the direct competition (other hotdog restaurants), but he failed to see the indirect competition (other fast food restaurants e.g. McDonalds or Burger King). When starting a fresh new business all the components must be looked at to judge whether starting the business is really worth the time and money. My dad has spent lots of money advertising trying to get his business known throughout Hamilton County and it has slowly been working. They say the biggest key to have a successful business is marketing. The toughest key about marketing however, is finding new ways to market to potential customers and get them to actually notice your advertisement. My father is good at coming up with ideas but gathering the money is a tough dilemma and can cause a lot of stress on the owner. Owners have a lot of work on their plate when trying to run the business due to every other person is always trying to help but it just doesn’t go the way you want it to happen. My father had some the most stressful times of his life, while owning this business. The business world is a constant cat and mouse game always trying to decide the best move to make next. His business has been slowly increasing its figures after starting out in the negative aspect of making money. It is still worth nothing right now due to the fact that the revenue earned is still below the expenses but it is slowly equaling itself which is a good sign. I have memories about when my dad was in an argument with a land lord or product agent .I can remember times where he used to be so stressed and just wouldn’t know how to handle it he would yell at me for simple small things that he thought I should have done. For instance, one day I didn’t clean my room because I was somewhat busy but more or less I was procrastinating. That night when he got home after working from open to close he blew up in my face over procrastinating. Procrastinating however is not the greatest way we should all be, especially if someone is going to own a business. Paying the bills is a business owner’s biggest concern. If the owner can’t pay the bills then there is not future and your life becomes horrible, and not being able to pay the bills causes the most stress on owners.

Owning and starting a business is one of the hardest things to do in life. You must first be able to have sufficient funds to run the business, have the time, and the ability to manage the stress. If you can manage all of these things plus the dilemma of making decisions for the better of the business you can run a successful business. Before you begin to own a business, please make sure you have the time to spend with your family because family is one of the most important things in life.

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The prime minister of great britain

There are a lot of political issues in Great Britain today. United Kingdom is a large, industrialized democratic society and as such it has to have politics and therefore political issues. One of those issues how should executive branch work and whether the Prime Minister has too much power. Right now in Great Britain there is a great debate on this issue and I am going to examine it in detail. The facts I have used here are from different writings on British politics which are all listed in my bibliography, but the opinions are my own and so are the arguments that I used to support my views.

First let me explain the process through which a person becomes a Prime Minister. The PM is selected by the sovereign. He (or she) chooses a man who can command the support of majority of the members of the House of Commons. Such a man is normally the leader of the largest party in the House. Where two are rivals in a three party contest such as those which occurred in the 1920s he is usually selected from the party which wins the greatest number of seats. The Prime Minister is assumed to be the choice of his party and nowadays, so far as he can be ascertained, participation of a monarch is a pure formality. Anyone suggested for this highest political office obviously has to be a very smart and willing individual, in fact it has been suggested that he be an "uncommon man of common opinions"(Douglas V. Verney). Not all Prime Ministers fitted this bill exactly, but every on of them had to pass one important test: day-to-day scrutiny of their motives and behavior by fellow members of Parliament before they were ultimately elected to the leadership of their party. Unlike Presidents of the United States all Prime Ministers have served a long apprenticeship in the legislature and have been ministers in previous Cabinets. Many Presidents of our country have been elected and on many occasions they have never even met some of their future co-workers, such as case of Kissinger and Nixon who have never even met prior to Nixon's appointment.

Let's now examine the statutory duties and responsibilities of the Prime Minister. Unlike the United States where the President's duties are specifically written out in the Constitution, the powers of the Prime Minister are almost nowhere spelled out in a statute. Unlike his fellow ministers he does not receive the seals of office: he merely kisses the hands of the monarch like an ambassador.

The Prime Minister has four areas of responsibilities. He is a head of the Government; he speaks for the Government in the House of Commons; he is the link between the Government and the sovereign; he is the leader of the nation. He is chief executive, chief legislator and chief ambassador. As we can see the PM has an wide range of powers, maybe too wide. As head of the Government the Prime Minister has the power to recommend the appointment and dismissal of all other ministers. Far from being merely first among equals, he is the dominant figure. Ministers wait in the hall of PMs office on No.10 Dowling Street before being called into the Cabinet room. He may himself hold other portfolios such as that of Foreign Secretary(as did Lord Salisbury) or Minister of Defense(as did Mr. Churchill). He has general supervision over all departments and appoints both the Permanent Secretary and the Parliamentary Secretary. The Cabinet office keeps a record of Cabinet decisions to make sure that PM has up to date information. He controls the agenda which the office prepares for Cabinet meetings. There is a smaller Prime Minister's Private Office which consists of a principal private secretary and a half a dozen other staff drawn from civil service. Perhaps owing to American influence the two offices are becoming increasingly popular and there are signs that the Prime Minister is no longer content to be aided by nonpolitical civil servants. There is little doubt that if he chooses the PM can be in complete command of his Cabinet.

The PM must also give leadership in the House of Commons, though he usually appoints a colleague as Leader of the House. He speaks for the Government on important matters-increasingly, questions are directed to him personally-and controls the business of the House through the Future Legislation Committee of the Cabinet which he appoints mainly from the senior nondepartamental ministers. Since the success of his legislative program depends mainly on support of his party he must as a party leader attend to his duties and ensure that the machinery of his party is working properly and in the hands of men he could trust. Basically the PM controls his party and in essence he controls the Parliament, but that is not all. The PM alone can request the sovereign to dissolve the Parliament and call a new election, it is open to debate whether it is this power to allow him the control of the party and the Parliament. I agree with this argument completely because if the PM doesn't like the way it is going with his party he can always announce new election so the Parliament pretty much backs up whatever the PM proposes. This is my main argument for this paper. In United Kingdom there is no system of checks and balances like there is in United States. In UK the PM and the Cabinet make a decision which is then almost blindly supported by the Parliament. A real democracy cannot function this way where there is one person of power and the rest can hardly do anything about it. Members of the majority party will not go against the will of PM because it means going against the will of their own party and that is unheard of in England, members of the opposing party cannot do anything because they are a minority. The Queen herself is a figure-head and does not have any real power. The PM is a link between the monarch and the Government, he keeps the Queen aware of what goes on with the Cabinet, the Government and the world at large. Although the Queen is a fictional figure and has no real power she can damage the reputation of the Government and the entire country by one careless word. It is the Prime Minister's responsibilities to keep the monarch well informed. Other ministers however can only see the monarch with the PMs permission (the monarch however can see whomever she chooses). As we can see, here is another illustration of PM having too much power. He basically has an exclusive relationship with the monarch and controls who can see the Queen and who cannot. In US this is unthinkable, any congressman can request an audience with the President if he wants and if let's say the Chief of Staff wanted to limit that in any way then he would run into some serious problems.

Finally the PM is the leader of the nation. In time of crisis the people expect him to make an announcement and to appear on television. Increasingly he should be a man who can not only secure the confidence of House of Commons, but of the man in the street or rather the man in the armchair in front of the television. Elections are ostensibly fought between two individual parliamentary candidates, but in practice they are contests between national parties which offer their own political and economical programs. The parties convey an "image" to the nation through the voice and appearance of their leaders. The Prime Minister must outshine his rival, the Leader of the Opposition. In the 1964 election, when the Liberals doubled their vote, much importance was attached to the TV performance of the Liberal leader, Jo Grismond.

The Head of State and traditional "symbol of the Nation" may be the Queen and the Royals, but the chief executive is in reality the PM. It is to his desk that ultimately all difficult problems come whether these involve participation in NATO, the balance of payment crisis, the budget-or even the royals' love affairs(as in 1936 and again in the 80's and 90's). It is the PM that has to symbolize his country's policies abroad and it is he who must personally convince political leaders in other countries that his Government can be relied upon.

The Prime Minister is also chief legislator. Through the Future Legislation Committee, he determines which bills the House of Commons will discuss during the session, and can attach whatever importance he chooses to the Immigration Bill or Steel Nationalization Bill. With few exceptions bills are introduced in the House by the Government and if they are important they require the backing of the Premier.

Also he is the chief administrator. Not only does he supervise the departments and chair Cabinet meetings but he directs the Cabinet Office and the Office of Prime Minister. In economic affairs he decides governmental strategy in conjunction with his Chancellor of the Exchequer and Minister of Economic Affairs, if there is one, and leaves these ministers to implement his policies. In defense policy he chairs the Defense Committee of the Cabinet, leaving the details to the Secretary of Defense(Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Chiefs of Staff. Foreign Affairs, normally the responsibility of the Foreign Secretary, require the intervention of the PM when really important decisions have to be made.

As we can see the PM is potentially a very powerful figure. Everything depends on how he chooses to use this power and the success with which he delegates some of his responsibilities.

All PMs have had an inner circle of ministers to which he turns when quick decisions have to be taken. The more important departmental ministers tend to be the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but these may not compose the inner circle of the given PM. Senior ministers don't have to be the members of the inner circle. They usually are, but not all the time. The Cabinet is usually as follows: the PM, three to six inner circle members and the remainder of the Cabinet which number about fifteen. I think it is obvious to see why the PM needs an inner circle. In United States for example the President can approve the appointment of a person to a high political position without having ever met him/her. In Britain this would sound ridiculous, all major political figures know each other for years having probably gone to same schools together. The Brits believe that good friends make good decision makers which to me sounds very reasonable. This fact can be viewed from two different perspectives: some people say that when a new PM is elected he usually appoints all his friends to high positions by doing this he creates an inner clique with which he governs as an absolute ruler, the opposing view says that you need to know your colleagues for years in order to successfully work with them. Both views have a point and this is a very hot topic in British politics right now.

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A Step Into the Unknown

In his novel, Dark Star, Alan Furst creates an atmosphere that supports the depressed and beat down setting surrounding Europe before the onset of World War II. He is able to capture our attention by immediately creating anxiety in the depressed and broken down country of Belgium. Furst is able to draw us into the mind of Andre Szara as he enters Ostend, Belgium, describing the atmosphere as unpleasant and anxiety-driven. He presents this atmosphere through the old and rusted freighter, Nicaea, the setting in Ostend, and the assignments that Szara must complete while staying in Ostend.

The thirty year old tugboat, Nicaea, represents an unforeseen road and ultimately places uncertainty in the eyes of Andre Szara. In the beginning, the atmosphere is immediately set with a dark and fearful outlook because of the depiction of the “tramp freighter” (Furst 3) that moves through the water with a distinctive roar of the engine, over powering the sound of clashing waves. The history of the Nicaea identifies the elements used by Furst to display atmosphere. It’s deep description indicates it has spent “blistering summers and drizzling winters” (3) over the years to be ruined by salt and rust. Old age has the ship “[creaking] and [groaning] sorrowfully” (4). The unhealthy environment creates an undesirable atmosphere that makes use of uncertainty as to whether the ship can carry on.

Salame 2

The weather plays a major role in shaping the atmosphere in Ostend. The weather
can be used effectively when presenting a certain atmosphere because it can dictate the mood. While travelling on the North Sea, Szara and Khelidze were accompanied by “rain” (3) and “darkness” (3), unaware of what lies ahead. With darkness, comes the idea of fear because its leading to the unexpected. The Nicaea has also been at sea for nineteen days through an “eternity of icy, seawater showers” (5). The weather foreshadows a dark future and maintains the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Equally important, Andre Szara is given an assignment but does not know why, further adding to the suspense and obliviousness for any consequences. Szara’s assignment is to find out where his fellow passenger on the tugboat, Grigory Khelidze, is staying in Ostend. Szara has no idea why he must find out where this man is staying, thus creating a sense of bewilderment. It is as if Szara has been set out on to a winding and unforgiving path that leaves no indication or signs as to where it will lead him. Many questions are asked as to why he is given this assignment as because it foreshadows that there is a long road ahead and it may not be the last of his assignments. To further extend the suspense, the man giving the assignment is known as the “World’s Plainest Man” (4). Furst is able to communicate these ideas through the use of atmosphere by his ability to create suspense and anxiety and allow us to wonder what these motives will lead to.
Upon receiving instructions for his next assignment, Szara is frightened because he does not know what to expect. The instructions to meet at a certain place “frightened him” (9) and questions involving his assignment rose with distinctiveness. The atmosphere creates possibility; the possibility of Szara dealing with the wrong people and

Salame 3

ending up dead in a dark and deserted alley. As the readers, we feel his fear and, like him, are unable to see where or what this situation will lead to. Thoughts of running went through Szara‘s mind because of the amount of uncertainty he faced. “Fly for your life” (9) he thought because things like this always worked out to an unpleasant ending. The original “small favor” (9) is growing into something beyond his control and is now part of the secrecy within a spy agency because of the knowledge he obtains doing these assignments.

Furthermore, we see that the description Ostend, Belgium creates a bitter and depressing atmosphere. Walking the streets, the smell of “fish, urine, fried onions” (10) takes over the senses and disgusts ones inner feelings about the place. The roads are made up of “narrow streets” (10) with limited access for mobility and escape. The feeling of entrapment overcomes the atmosphere and we are able to see that Ostend is thrown together in a harsh and dissonant manner.
At the closure of his stay in Ostend, Szara’s eyes are met with a faint smile from the man in the car. “Here is the world, said the smile” (15), leaving Szara speechless and overtaken by a disrupted path leading to his future. At this point, anxiety descends into the atmosphere, creating the feeling of helplessness and sorrow because he must embrace this new position not knowing what the future holds. This leaves the readers to believe that the dark and aghast road that Szara was put on, has only just begun.

In conclusion, Alan Furst’s attention to detail creates an atmosphere that exemplifies the depressed and anxiety-ridden state of Europe. From the decisive description of the Nicaea, the dark and ambient weather portrayed, the unknown and upscale assignments presented to Andre Szara, and to the unexplained figures that are keeping Szara under close radar we see a significant plot develop that shapes how the novel is presented. The atmosphere creates significance because we are able to feel the discomfort that Szara must endure and we see the setting unfold into an unpleasant and displeasing arrangement.

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Extra Money Using the Internet

We all incline toward the cash that is earned through our own effort and hard work. However, several times this cash is not near enough to pay our bills or purchase something extra other than our daily need products. If you are one of those finding different ways to make extra money then you are at right place. You need not to feel bad and shy if you are currently not having any work or if you need more money. We are here to let you know how to make money via internet.
Here are the few very simple ways to make extra money without spending a lot, what you need is to just have an internet connection:

Advertising and Selling Via E Bay

E-Bay is one of the most prevalent ways to make extra money as online shopping is getting more popular consistently. About 167 million shoppers were shopping online in 2012. Experts say that this number will increase to 25% by 2016. Numerous individuals are using E-bay to purchase and sell their stuff. I am certain that you can find out a pack of stuff at your home that you don't utilize. In place of discarding your unused attire or things, create an E-Bay profile and begin searching for potential buyers. Simply put a practical and fascinating price that will catch the purchaser’s attention. This strategy requires negligible effort and you can get some robust profit from it.

Blogging

Provided that you are great with words and you know how to compose an attractive matter then it is the ideal opportunity to share that to the entire planet and get good profit. Don't be hesitant to begin a blog and write on the topics you are most knowledgeable at and interested in. Keep you blog well maintained and update it daily with a new and unique article. If you succeed in doing so, you will definitely get some ads on your blog and it will prove to be a good way to make money online. You can apply on many online ad sites like Google Adsense or Chitika or whatever viable PPC system to get ads on your blog and they will positively acknowledge you in their program when you have remarkable stuff on your blog. The more guests you have, the more cash will rush into your pocket. This is one of the acceptable ways to make extra money.

Be a Freelancer:

Do you know anything about oDesk, Fiverr or Freelancer.com? These are some of the prominent websites which can help you connect to the world and sell your services to the buyers around the globe. This is the way these sites typically work: the purchaser imparts freely what he needs and the sellers or freelancers offer their service for a certain measure of cash after which the buyers pick the most efficient offer. I also encourage you to make a proficient looking profile and begin searching for purchasers. You might as well offer your services for lower costs until you are built as a high appraised seller. Once you establish yourself as a reputed freelancer you can charge high. This is the way I am earning a lot and suggest you as one of the finest ways to make extra money.

Affiliate Marketing

This is among the most popular alternate ways to make extra money which can emerge as profitable work for you. However, you must keep in mind that it requires time. The biggest thing is that you don't need to invest much. What you require is just a domain name, a hosting service provider and a basic website. Affiliate Marketing is a technique in which you have to resell things for different organizations utilizing your site. You will get commission from each sold item and many times this commission is quite high. Companies offering such services are Amazon, Clickbank etc. Many people are selling goods and found it as one of the most effective ways to make extra money.

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The Impact of Attending Seminars

The study tackles about “The Impact of Attending Seminars to the Development of the Analytical Skill of the Financial Management Students”. The discussion started by introducing what is seminars and its main purpose. Seminars help a lot to spread and inform the people about new informations and ideas. It provides also opportunities to the attendees to meet and know formal persons in different industries. The importance of seminars could also enhance skills of the attendees specifically the analytical skill of a person. In a way that the person will be more motivated to think and plan for their future because they were motivated by the new ideas they learn from the speakers. This paper also discusses the impacts of the seminars and this was proven by the result of the surveys which the respondents rated. Ending this paper is the conclusion about the what could be the influence of the seminars and how can it will motivate people to attend seminars.

Seminars are bringing up a small group to discuss a particular subject requiring the attendee to actively participate. The importance of seminars to the analytical skill of financial management students are being shared and learned. From the study of John Whilttaker (n.d.) the financial analytical and negotiating skills of the students are being developed. Another study done by Jean-Marc Hackey(n.d.), information exchanges exist in the seminars. The speaker who shares and discuss with his/her experiences also learned from the opinion of the listeners or the attendees.

The skills of the financial management students are being developed including the study of Naran (2002), the logical reasoning of the attendee. In a way that the attendees like students learn to study, examine and have a fully understood of the text or the subject to come up with a good conclusion to their work. Another skill benefited by the seminars are the thinking skills of the attendees, the listeners became more critical in thinking and analyzing. In addition from Cortell (n.d.) the evaluation and weighing up of text, opinion, arguments and solutions of the attendee’s improve.

Those who will be attending the said seminar will also be benefited by developing this analytical leadership. By the study of Jeanne Harris and Elizabeth Craig (n.d.), their analytical leadership covers the unique qualities of a leader. Analytical leadership also takes steps to care, develop and retain the core skills of a person to fully develop into an analytical leadership skill.

Base on the study of Rao(n.d.) seminars also help students to build their own motivation inspired by the shared experiences of the speakers. Motivation is one factor for students to pursue what they want to achieve. The attendee of seminars were always being inspired by the speakers because of the their motivated experiences that give hope to the attendee to do the same or not exactly what the speaker do but to follow the steps.

Seminars according to Peeler (2007) it motivate students to set agenda which they may consider to be done so they will have guide and to analyze critically what the students want to come up.
The researchers come up with the study about the impact of attending seminars to the financial management students because they believe that this study would be an eye opener to the students how important the seminars are. Attending seminars may give good benefits to the students. The benefits that the students could get from attending seminars may include students learned new skills, students improve their level of leadership and they learn how to have a sense of community.

The reason why the researchers believe that attending seminars has a huge influence to the development of the skills of the students because some people including the researchers already knows that attending different kinds of seminars are also a way of learning in different aspects. Seminars are being done in different ways just to let the seminar attendees to learn also in a different way. Some seminars are done by having games, the sharing of the speakers’ experiences and the teaching of the facts about the theme of the seminars.

Through the use of questionnaires as the medium of survey to the financial management students the researchers came up with a superior result. Most of the students had experience attending seminars and conventions. In addition, most of the financial management students agree that seminars could enhance analytical skills and they strongly agree that they must acquire high analytical skills.

Descriptive research is defined as, used to describe characteristics of a population or phenomenon being studied according to the dictionary Heneman (n.d.). The reason why the researchers used descriptive research as the type of research, because the researchers wants to know what are the characteristics and what are the impacts of attending seminars to the development of the analytical skills of the students.

According to Jean-Marc, students would be empowered and encouraged to undertake global career skill-building strategies after listening to the seminars he is conducting. On this statement he stated, he focused on saying that how seminars are important to the students and for their future. This study focuses on what is the impact of attending seminars to the development of the analytical skills of the first year students.

The first process that the researchers did was to search for related studies which are related on their topic. After analyzing the related studies of this research the researchers conducted a survey to know if the financial management students have a background about what are seminars and what are the effects of attending seminars. Once the survey was done and all the needed information was gathered the researchers made the tallying of the variables. The variables used by the researchers are the names of the respondents which are optional, the year level of the respondents and the gender. The researchers also computed for the percentage of each of the variables.

The questionnaires are the materials used by the researchers to gather information by their respondents. The respondents of the researchers are the first year students, second year students and the third year students. In order to know if all the male and female financial management students have experienced attending seminars and conventions and if they learn more if there is several speakers on one topic the researchers included this query on the given questionnaires to the respondents.

From the male and female, first year, second year and third year respondents of the researchers, one hundred percent or all of the respondents had experienced already attending seminars and conventions.

As being illustrated in the first graphs are about the result of the survey if the students have already experience attending seminars and conventions. As a result even by gender hundred percent of male and female agreed that they already experience attending seminars. In measure by respondents according to year level first, second and third year respondent students agreed hundred percent because they all already experience attending seminars. From the result of the survey it says that anyone can experience attending seminars maybe because everybody has the freedom to attend and exercise their right to be one of the attendees of seminars. In relation to this is the study of Hamby (2006) that everyone has the freedom to attend seminars to also gain knowledge from the sharing of the speakers of the seminars.

From the male and female, first year, second year and third year respondents of the researchers, one hundred percent or all of the respondents had experienced already attending seminars and conventions.

As being illustrated in the first graphs are about the result of the survey if the students have already experience attending seminars and conventions. As a result even by gender hundred percent of male and female agreed that they already experience attending seminars. In measure by respondents according to year level first, second and third year respondent students agreed hundred percent because they all already experience attending seminars. From the result of the survey it says that anyone can experience attending seminars maybe because everybody has the freedom to attend and exercise their right to be one of the attendees of seminars. In relation to this is the study of Hamby (2006) that everyone has the freedom to attend seminars to also gain knowledge from the sharing of the speakers of the seminars.

Another statement which is to be asked to the male and female, first year, second year and third year respondents is if they strongly agree, agree, strongly disagree and disagree by the statement “seminars could enhance analytical skills”. Male respondents have 67% strongly agree that seminars could enhance their analytical skills and 43% of them do not. The female respondents who has 64% of the strongly agree and the 36% of them do not. The survey confirms that 50% of the first year respondents strongly agree and another 50% of the first year respondents agree that seminars could really enhance analytical skills. Sixty percent of the second year respondent’s strongly agree and 40% of them just agree. The highest percentage of the students who strongly agree came from the third year students which has 78.50% and 21.50 for the agree column.

The third graphs illustrate the result from the survey regarding the effect of attending seminars if it could enhance the analytical skill of the attendees no one disagreed with the statement. According to the result by gender all agreed but there were percents who strongly agreed with the statement. In male has larger percent who strongly agree than female maybe because males are more attentive during seminars that’s why their skills are being exercised when the speaker starts to share their experiences and learnings in life that males really cherish. According to the result of the survey by year level, there is also no percent who disagreed with the statement maybe because they understand every detailed and analyze every statements, ideas and experiences that the speaker share. But the third year level got the highest percentage who strongly agreed with the statement that seminars could enhance analytical skills. Maybe the reason behind was third year students has already attended several seminars besides from they are older than the two year levels and they had already attended several seminars through the years of their studying they already exercised their analytical skills in analyzing the different ideas they learn from the different experiences of the speakers to be also like them in the future. This study can be compare to Tahir (2012) that seminars could really enhance skills including analytical skills. Because in seminars you need to have peace of mind to attentively listen to the speaker so that the attendees could learn a lot from the speakers experiences and help the attendees to visualize if he or she can fulfil what the speaker already done if ever the attendee wants to follow the path of the speaker.

Male respondents has a percentage of 42% for strongly agree, 58% for agree and none of them strongly disagree and disagree. The 53% of female respondents just agree and 39% of the strongly agree and 4% for the strongly disagree and disagree. First year respondents has a percentage of 38% for strongly agree, 57% for agree, 5% for strongly disagree and none of them disagree. Most of the second year respondents agreed that seminars are necessary for the first year students which got a 67% and 33% of the remaining second year respondents strongly agree. The third year respondents, has a percentage of 46% for strongly agree and agree column and remaining 8% disagree that seminars are necessary for the first year students.

From the result or the survey regarding that it is necessary for the first year students to attend seminars. According to gender by males, fourty-two percent strongly agree and fifty-eight percent agree and by females thirty-nine percent strongly agree, fifty-three agree, four percent disagree and four percent strongly disagree. The result from the survey prove that majority of the respondents even by gender strongly agree with the statement. According to first year students which the statement focuses thirty- three percent strongly agree and sixty-seven agree, this prove that the respondents or subject of the statement agree about it. From the higher level second and third year students majority of them agree that’s why seminars should be one of the activity of the first year students. This study can be compared to Wasan’s (2002) that students are required to have experience such formal gathering like seminar to also improve their social skills and at the same time they will learn new ideas that may help students.

The male respondents agreed that students analytical skills can be develop even if they are not attending any seminars and conventions which gets a 50% from the male respondents, 33% and 17% of them strongly agree and disagree respectively. In another hand, most of the female respondents just agree with a percentage of 64%, 29% for the strongly agree and 3.5% for strongly disagree and disagree. First year respondents has a percentage of 31.83% for strongly agree, 50% for agree and 9.09% for strongly disagree and disagree in the statement about “students analytical skills can be developed even if they are not attending any seminars and conventions”. The second year respondents have 35.70 % and 64.30% for strongly agree and agree respectively. One hundred percent of the third year students or simply all of them agreed in this statement.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST.

Chat Rooms and Online Communities

Online communities? What are they? Well I’m not too sure. One thing I can tell you is that when I hear those words I usually think of chat rooms. I am sure you know that if you go online one of the things you can do is go into the chat rooms. In fact, one of the first things I did when I first go America Online was go into a chat room. I remember my friends telling me how much fun it was. I wondered what was so fun about it. f I wanted to talk to someone why wouldn’t it be more exciting to just pick up the phone and call some one or just get together with some of my friends. My friends would tell me that it was fun because you could talk to people all over the world.

One of the first things you must do before being able to join a chat room is create a screen name. This is a process I think is really fun. There are billions of names you can choose; although you quite annoying when you finally pick a name only to find out that some one else has already picked that name. I have always found screen names interesting because I think they give you an inside look to the people you can not see. If you meet some one for the first time it might appeal to you to talk to them because you like their screen name.

When I went online after picking my screen name, I then had an even harder task. Now I had to decide on which room I wanted to go into. It did not take me long to figure out that the regular chat rooms offered were not that interesting; at least not to me. I then went to the section of chat rooms that are made by people themselves. There are millions of categories. I think that there is a category out there for everyone.

One thing that I did find weird was that if you went into a certain category once you got inside there was usually no one talking about that subject. What I did figure out was that even though people might not be talking about the subject they all usually have similar interest. So usually you can get along with them because you will know that they like at least one thing you do too.

One of the chat rooms that I went in was the “Gothic” chat room. Most people in there were gothic. They all had names that had something to do or at least seemed to be gothic in a way. One question that frequently come up was people asking, “What is Goth,” and then of course the chat room regulars would start trying to answer the question and what it meant to them personally.

One of the reasons I think people go online to chat is because it gives you the chance to be anyone you want. A person who might have low self-esteem or be shy might feel comfortable enough to start talking to other people. I suppose it is kind of fun to be able to talk to people from all over the world. Also, many kids go online because when you are young most parents will not let you go out at night. Kids usually have nothing to do so they find it as an entertaining way to pass time. I did find out that a lot of the people online chatting seemed to be kids.

The language used in chat rooms varies from person to person. There are a lot of people in the gothic room that talked using big words and sound scholarly but then of course you had some people using street talk, slang and bad language. Another thing that is funny about online chatting is that people like to find ways to communicate faster so they invent smaller words like brb which stands for be right back. Also they have come up with ways of showing there emotions; lol which is the most frequently used one stands for laughing out loud. A new thing is the yellow smiley faces that can frown, smile, cry and many more cute faces .

I can see in a way why chat rooms would become addicting in a way. You might find some people over time you form a bond with. They turn into real friends except that you probably will not know what they look like. Although now a days I think that chatting has become funner because now people can meet each other and send pictures to each other. So now when you make a friend it’s not as mysterious. Some people like chatting because if you keep going back to the same room you see the same people and before you know it they become your friends. The room because a sort of “hang-out” for you.

Even though chat rooms have their pluses the only thing I think is bad about them is that people can lie to you and pretend to be something they are not. Also there have been many cases where older men try to get young children to meet with them. Our government needs to learn to move with technology and come up with new fair laws to help deal with computer crimes. Until humans learn to be more honest with each
other when chatting with each other then we can not assume that it is completely safe.

GOOD BYE FOR THE NEXT POST.

On Examinations

Examinations are a mean of judging or knowing the ability of students. Good results in examinations are taken as a sign of knowledge and ability. they also determine the efficiency of the whole learning process including the efficiency of a teacher.No one can deny the importance of examinations. It is said,

Trials are a veritable curse. But they have their use.

there are the following uses of examinations.

First, they supply us a solid proof of the fitness of the fitness of a student for the higher class. Secondly, in order to get a job, the candidate's university or board degree or certificate shows the proof of his acquired knowledge. thirdly, in the absence of examinations and degrees, no one can make a difference between a scholar a dullard. Most of the people without a degree or diploma are considered to be having little or no knowledge.

Fourthly, the fear of examinations makes us work. Many careless students become serious near the examinations. thus exams are the most effective way of forcing student to study. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work learning from failure.

Examinations may be a source of pleasure for a few brilliant students but are a necessity for an average student bring for majority of them. It is a thing that a student hates the most. He usually compares the examination, to a nightmare. The value and importance of our examinations has become less in the last few years. It is said ,

Every dark cloud has a silver lining behind it.

Most of the students taking examinations depend upon some parts of their courses to pass. The students getting degrees after passing these examinations feel that they do not have enough knowledge of their subjects. Corruption in our examination is a major drawback. The sanctity of an examination depends on its secrecy, peaceful conduct, fair conduct, fair marking and correct tabulation of the results. Unfortunately, most of these processes are doubtful in our country.

Out examination system encourages the very bad habit of cramming. They are the test of memory rather than of intelligence or knowledge. Luck and chance play a great role in all examinations, Intelligent students may fail, dullard may pass just because of luck. but the failures must never forget the saying.
In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer

Conclusion

While concluding this essay, we can say that our examinations should be the real means of judging the practical ability of our students. They should be able to answer examination questions on the basis of real understanding of their subject. Examinations should enhance and encourage the creative ability of students. All our examinations should be arranged and conducted honestly and efficiently. Examiners should be men of ability and high principles. Consequently, our examinations can be the best means of judging the progress made students in their respective subjects. Recent reforms taken by the government will help to improve the standard of our examination system.

Noting is impossible, the word itself says "I's possible"!

New Year's celebrations

Introduction

The action of celebrating an important day or event, is called celebrations.A social gathering or enjoyable activity held to celebrate something.

New year's Day also called simply New Year's or New Year, is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar. In pre-Christian Rome under the Julian Calendar, the day was dedicated to Janus, god of gateways and beginnings, for whom January is also named. As a date in the Gregorian calendar of Christendom, New Year's Day liturgically marked the Feast of the Naming and Circumcision of Jesus, which is still observed as such in the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church, In present day, with most countries now using the Gregorian calendars their de facto calendar, New Year's Day is probably the most celebrated public holiday, often observed with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts in each time zone. Other global New Years' Day traditions include making New Year's resolutions and calling one' friends and family.

(from wikipedia)

Cakes are special. Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember. It's all about the memories.

Celebrations in different countries

China, Russia and India are all celebrating the beginning of 2017 - while most of the west waits eagerly for 2016 to finish. Millions of people across the world have taken to the streets, launched fireworks and joined in with local commemorations of the new year.

Sydney in Australia celebrated the New Year by unleashing its biggest firework display in history.More than a million crowded around its famed harbor and opera house to watch firecracker and flaming starbursts fill the night's sky.

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

Auckland in New Zealand earlier became the first city in the world to say goodbye to 2016 and welcome in the new year.the city celebrated the start of 2017 with a fireworks and laser display from the Sky Tower at 11am GMT.

Tonga and Samoa were among the first places in the world to welcome the new year around 10am GMT.Australia was next, celebrating the new year at 1pm GMT. The show paid homage to Prince and David Bowie and was sent to a musical medley inspired by the late singers.

The seven tons of fireworks launched from barges on the harbor also included a "Willy Wonka moment" in tribute to the late actor Gene Wilder's most famous role.

Australia was followed by Japan at 3pm GMT, where temple bells echoed at midnight as families flock to shrines for the country's biggest holiday.

Beijing and Shanghai, China's two largest cities, passed New Year's Eve at 4pm GMT in a state of security lock down, according to Chinese media reports citing police.

Two years ago, more than 30 people died in a deadly stampede on Shanghai's waterfront, where 300,000 people had gathered to watch a planned light show.

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.

Tribute to tribute.co.uk for this essay

College Library

Our college has a splendid library. It is located in a very big space in the remote corner of the college building. You may feel baffled by the near orderly array of books when you enter the library for the first time. There are several rooms in the library. A room is allotted to reference books. These books cannot be taken home. Students study them in the library and take notes from them. Another room is meant for the teachers. A fairly big reading room is attached to the library. It is always crowded. You find all leading newspapers,weeklies, periodicals and magazines in the reading room. In one corner of the big hall, you find catalogues of books. In another corner of the hall there is a counter where library assistants issue books to the students on production of the library cars.

I have always imaginated that Paradise will be a kind of library.

A cosy atmosphere prevails in the library. A silence, which are not accustomed to, prevails all around. Of course, a low humming sound comes from the reading room despite the repeated requests for the perfect silence from the man in charge.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.

Mr. Laique Lodhi is the librarian of our college library. He has been working as a librarian for the last fifteen years. He is a fine gentleman with a pleasing nature. He is always ready to help a student in finding a book.

My library is an archive of longings.

Our college library contains books of nearly all descriptions - literary, scientific, historical, biographic, political, religious, technical and social. Our college library also contains books on fiction, art, painting, music etc. Our library contains, I am told, as many as fifteen thousand volumes.

Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.

The advantages we derive from our library are greatand many. History books tell us of the past; geography tells us of other countries; books on astronomy, physiology, physics, chemistry and biology open our eyes to the beautifuland wonderful creations of God. Biographies of great men remind us that "we can make our lives sublime". Tales of travels, adventure and exploration fill our hearts with inspiration to wander abroad. Novels give us recreation in our leisure hours.

A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.