Cinematography Essays

Cinematography Essays Cinematography Essay Cinematography Essay Essay Topic: Film 1. Cinematography The main shot sizes of this scene in the movie are close-up shot and long shot. As this scene is about the emotional conflict between different characters, lots of close up shot size were frequently used to show the changes of characters facial expressions. This scene starts with a close up shot to show Mimis face which conveys the fact that he is extremely upset. Above all, after he walks toward his wife, he is in the dilemma of upholding his honor. At this point, the close up shot which shows his facial expression changing from angry to crying is a definite example why close up shots were used in this quarrel scene. In addition, during the time when the characters are talking, this shot size is matched with shot reverse shot. Another main shot size is the long shot to show characters action. During the quarrel, Mimis actions are vehement and drastic. Therefore, this kind of shot size is required to show all his assault and battery to his wife and her reaction. Whereas shallow focus is used in close up shots to exaggerate the characters face, deep focus is used in long shot to provide wide and overall view of the action and surroundings. Besides the depth of field, the camera position or characters position is also important. When Mimis wife agrees with him saying that she has dishonored him and deserves to die, Mimi is standing and suffering from the dilemma between his affair and her affair. As he is standing in front of the camera and the high angle is used, the audience can focus on Mimis action and facial expression more than his wife who is sitting down with her head hanging down. On the other hand, camera angle is also important to make the narrative clearly and dramatically. Overall, when the camera shoots Mimi, the low angle is used to make him look stronger and dominant, but the reverse is true for his wife. Not only in this scene but also in the whole movie, Italian masculinity is an overriding atmosphere. In particular, when Mimi is trying to strangle and urge her to tell him the story, the camera shoots him through an extremely high angle. These different camera angles tell us the relationship of the upper and lower positions between Mimi and his wife, Rosalia. When they are talking about the story of Rosalias affair, the camera shoots reverse shot. However, when Mimi confesses his affair with Fiore to prove that he is not a fag and impotent, the camera shoots only Mimis face and does not show the wifes reaction. This shot makes the knife strike and her anger unexpected and a surprise. As a consequence, the conflict becomes maximized at the next shot wh ich Rosalia is trying to kill Mimi. 2. Sound track The extract begins with the noise of people who try to make him stop. This noise stopped slowly when Mimi is walking toward Rosalia. After the noise stopped, there is no noise or background music. Only Rosalias weeping and Mimis snarling are able to be heard. In fact, the weeping crosses over to noise from the people. The noise is getting quieter, but the weeping is getting louder. The silence is broken by Mimis shout and the loud noise of an engineering tool being thrown. Interestingly, although the noise of the people can be heard while they are talking, this disappears after the door is closed and not able to be heard by the characters and audience as well until their conversation is finished and the action is shown. This kind of silence often appears because the following conversation is very serious and important to construct the narrative. Therefore, it is possible to say that this silence encourages the audience to concentrate on the characters conversation. Some digetic sounds are exaggerated thorough putting non- digetic sounds together. For example, when Mimi slaps Rosalias cheek, the supplementary non digetic sound is added to the slapping sound. As a consequence, the sound of slapping becomes much louder and gives the audience more emotional effect. Above all, when the knife is flying through the air and sticks into the wood, the sound can not be heard in the real world. This is actually the non digetic sound as well. However, interestingly, this is more realistic and actual sound than real sound. The change of the digetic sound to non digetic sound via adding effective sound can emphasize the reaction which is followed by hearing the sound. The most important sound in this extract is the orchestral background music which starts just after the knife strikes. Rosalias shout and holding a knife is shown with the music. This magnificent music is a bit fast and waved. That kind of tempo and atmosphere is quite enough to match with the fight of the last shot. The volume of music goes up and it is maximized when they fight violently. This is because the fight is the most berserk and the explosive climax of the conflict between Mimi and Rosalia. In other words, this climax of the extract is reinforced by the effect of the musical score and, as a consequence, the audience can be tense. This is a good example how the sound supplies the impact of the visual narrative. The extract is finished when the noise of the people outside is appeared again little by little under the background music. That is, the extract is started and finished with the same noise which is digetic sound. It shows that not only the camera work or editing but also sound including music can provide consistency to the film. 3. Ideology The periodic background of this film is in the 1970s when most Italian male workers move to the North of Italy from the South to get better income and workers rights. This pattern of industrial culture results in the tragedy in the family such as infidelity to the spouse because of the separation from the family. Not only this but also social disorganization, for example the violence of Mafia, is rose according to political conflicts between communism and capitalism or consumerism. The Trade Union was very strong at this stage in Italy and if somebody is not joined in Trade Union or a communist party, he or she can be alienated amongst workers. In addition, the extension of womens rights was increasing in this period. As most male workers moved to the north, there were many opportunities to get a job and earn money for women in the South. The worldwide tendency of womens participation in social movement also influenced Italian women to change their thinking. Women in this period tried to discuss and solve the sensitive issues like abortion, sex or divorce. Therefore, in this movie, Rosalia is changed like other women. Rosalia obtained a job, changed her external shape such as hair style and learnt to drive. She is also dissatisfied with having sex with Mimi because he is impotent. These factors lead to her having the affair with Finocchiaro. However, the interesting progress in this scene is that Rosalia confesses her affair and she says she is bad and he is right. Because of her saying, Mimi is caught in the dilemma of upholding his honor between him feeling guilty about the affair with Fiore and the fury because of Rosalias affair. Even though Rosalia is changed physically, she is still a house wife in a patriarchal society and beaten by her husband. It is possible to say that this situation represents the anomie of traditional value versus changing attitudes in modern Italy. (At the beginning of this film, the scene which she washed the legs of her husband shows us how Italy was a serious patriarchal society). Through the quarrel, Mimi can look back at his life and realize the sense of futility and the fact that working in the North was not the way. This depicts the modern society as a destructive period of essential humanity and depersonalization. He meets many people in the movie and there are many relationships with him. However, as can be seen at the end of the film, he is alone and foreign to others. The modernization encourages the disintegration and makes people individualistic. After all, Mimi is a lonely and an alienated victim of the modern society.

International Experience and Debates Surrounding Pro-poor Touris

International Experience and Debates Surrounding Pro-poor Touris Free Online Research Papers According to Roe and Urguhart (2001) tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, generating an estimated 11% of global gross domestic product (GDP), employing 200 million people and transporting nearly 700 million international travelers per year- a figure that is expected to double by 2020. Roe and Urhuhart made several observations about pro-poor tourism and made the following summary:- developing countries currently have only a minority share of international tourism market (approximately 30%) but this is growing, international tourism arrival in developing countries have grown by an average of 9.5% per year since 1990 , compared to 4.6% worldwide and tourism industry makes important contributions to the economies of developing countries, particularly to foreign exchange earnings, employment and GDP ( Roe and Urguhart, 2001: 01). Hence this essay provides a critical and comprehensive survey of existing writings on pro-poor tourism strategies focusing on international experience from a South African perspective. It mainly focuses on current pro-poor debates and practice in tourism at an international level and the impacts on the South African tourism industry. The essay aims to address the advantages and disadvantages of those experiences. The debates and experiences are assessed in terms of the three basic pro-poor tourism strategies, namely: strategies focused on economic benefits, strategies to enhance other (non-cash) livelihood benefits and strategies focused on policy, process and participation (PPT Strategies, Sheet No.2). The essay achieves all this objectives by firstly trying to explain and define PPT in broader terms. Then the rest of the essay is dedicated on a comprehensive and detailed critical analysis of the application of the three strategies for pro-poor tourism. Pro-poor tourism: Broader definition Pro-poor tourism is defined as tourism that generates net benefits for the poor (Roe and Urguhart, 2001). Roe and Urguhart argue that benefits may be economic, but they may also be social, environmental or cultural. As such pro-poor tourism cannot be a special product or sector of tourism, but an approach to the industry. The most common and distinctive feature of pro-poor tourism is that it puts poor people and poverty at the centre. Then it focuses on tourism as one part of the household, local and natural economies and environment that affect them. According to Ashley et al. (2001) pro-poor tourism overlaps with, but is different from, the sustainable tourism agenda. Sustainable tourism has tended to â€Å"focus on environmental concerns. However the concept is now broadening to include social, economic and cultural aspects but benefits to local people are generally of secondary importance. In contrast, pro-poor tourism aims to expand opportunities, and places net benefits to the poor as a goal in itself, to which environmental concerns should contribute† (Deloitte Touche, 1999:14). PPT focuses more on countries of the South, not on mainstream destinations in the North. Poverty is the core focus, rather than one element of (mainly environmental) sustainability. Roe and Urguhart (2001) maintain that current sustainable tourism debates start with mainstream destinations as priority and targets environmental concerns with social issues towards the periphery. Hence they argue that â€Å"current approach to ‘sustainable tourism’ fails to take into account the links between poverty, environment and development. In a world of growing inequality, there can be no doubt that attacking poverty is a critical component of sustainable development† (2001: 05). It is inevitable that given the definition of PPT, strategies for making tourism pro-poor focus specifically on unlocking opportunities for the poor within tourism, rather than expanding the overall size of the sector (Roe and Urguhart, 2001). It is for this reason that Ashley et al. (2001) argue that a wide range of actions are needed to increase benefits to the poor from tourism. These go well â€Å"beyond simply promoting community tourism, although at the grass-roots level to develop enterprises and local capacity is one key component. Efforts are also needed on marketing, employment opportunities, linkages with the established private sector, policy and regulation, and participation in decision-making† (2001: viii). Ashley et al. argue that the focus and scale of PPT interventions vary enormously, â€Å"from one private enterprise seeking to expand economic opportunities for poor neighbours, to a national programme enhancing participation by the poor at all levels. Strategies can be grouped into three types: expanding economic benefits for the poor; addressing non-economic impacts; and developing pro-poor policies (2001: ix). Strategies focused on economic benefits The main objective of PPT is to ensure that tourism generates benefit for the poor. To this end Roe and Urguhart (2001) identify three key goals. Expanding business opportunities for the poor through small enterprises, particularly in the informal sector; expanding employment opportunities for the poor and enhancing collective benefits through collective community income. However tourism is often seen as an industry where foreign interests dominate, a view which is considered a misrepresentation in many ways by the 1999 Deloitte Touche report on sustainable tourism and poverty elimination study. The report concludes that overall tourism is characterized by small and medium sized business. The diagram below illustrates the structure of how the international tourism industry can contribute to pro-poor strategies; the make up of domestic tourism is very similar to the role of intermediaries between the customer in the originating market and the supplier of various products. Hence services in the destination is of critical importance for pro-poor tourism to flourish. Fig. 1: Structure of the International Tourism Industry (after Deloitte Touche, 1999, 7) One threat to PPT is foreign influence through customer requirements. Many developing countries package their tourism products according to international standards and regulations, which means they have to satisfy the needs and aspirations of the international tourists irrespective of the local needs. This brings us to the debates about economic significance of donor to developing countries. Donors and Tourism It is a fact that in most if not all developing countries â€Å"external funding [for tourism] may be required and justified to cover the substantial transaction costs of establishing partnerships, developing skills and revising policies† (Ashley et al., 2001: ix). The Deloitte Touche report (1999) maintains that donors have influenced the way in which the industry has developed in the last 20 years, with support traditionally focused on macro-economic objectives- particularly maximizing foreign exchange earning through international tourism. However the report argues that what counts as pro-poor strategy must be able to â€Å"tilt the tourism cake† (2001:13). Such strategy could be at the grassroots, national policy or international levels. The problem is that while many donors are involved in tourism activities few see it as a key development sector. The report maintains that only some donors specifically address finance institutions and others with specific mandates that can be linked to tourism. As far as donors are concerned it is clear that there are two contrasting views on the relevance of tourism to poverty elimination. The Deloitte Touche report concludes that a number of donors whose aim is poverty alleviation do not consider that tourism compares with other sectors such as agriculture, primary health and education as a means for poverty alleviation. On the other hand there are â€Å"some donors who argue that tourism will have a major impact on the livelihoods of poor people and that intervention is essential to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs for poor people, or even that tourism has substantial to contribute to broader based growth, which will not be realized without intervention† (Deloitte Touche, 1999: 16). Economic significance of tourism to developing countries According to Ashley et al. (2001) developing countries currently have only minority share of international tourism market but their share is growing. International tourism arrivals in developing countries â€Å"have grown by an average of 9.5 per cent per year since 1990, in aggregate across developing countries, compared to a growth of 4.6 per cent in arrivals world-wide† (Deloitte Touche, 1999:08). Goodwin (2000) argues that tourism is the principal export for one third of developing countries. Tourism brings â€Å"relatively powerful consumers to Southern countries, potentially an important market for local entrepreneurs and an engine for local sustainable economic development (Goodwin, 2000:01). According to the Deloitte Touche (1999) report tourism’s contribution to GDP varies from 3-5 per cent in Nepal and Kenya to 25 per cent in Jamaica, contribution to employment is estimated at 6-7 per cent in India and South Africa. There is consent that â€Å"tourism data does not provide full picture of its economic significance. Statistics cover the contribution of international tourism to national GDP. They hide the substance of domestic tourism (and may under-estimate regional tourists traveling by land), and the importance of tourism to a local economy† (Deloitte Touche, 1999: 09). This is an interesting point when looking into the current South African tourism portfolio. The majority of South Africa’s arrivals (72%), of which 92% originate from SADAC come by road (www.satour.org). Hence in analyzing South Africa’s tourism growth strategy (2002) both air travel out of Africa as well as the road travellers’ different behaviours were taken into consideration. It was for â€Å"the first time the South African Tourism Organization rolled out survey at eleven land border posts to attempt to understand these land travellers better. The key finding from the land traveler work was tha t these travellers should not be ignored and are important source of revenue for many of the provinces. In fact for many of the provinces, the land travellers account for more than 50% of their annual revenues† (ibid.). However it is a fact that for pro-poor tourism to flourish it takes more than economic benefits, non-economic impacts are also critical. Strategies focused on non-economic impacts Pro-poor tourism should not just only be pursued in commercial or economic benefits to the poor, but environmental or ethical concerns must also be considered. Hence capacity building, training and empowerment of the poor; mitigating the environment impact of tourism on the poor and addressing social and cultural impacts of tourism are very important in pro-poor strategies (Roe and Urguhart, 2001:06). Most of these objectives are captured through donor activities in tourism. It is a fact that donors have influenced the way tourism has developed in the last 20 years, with support traditionally focused on macro-economic objectives. According to the Deloitte Touche report (1999) environmental and social issues have received increasing attention and three trends have emerged: Since the 1992 Earth Summit there has been an enormous amount of activity focused on ‘greening’ the tourism industry. An increase in community-based tourism focusing on nature-based tourism in and around protected areas as a mechanism for biodiversity conservation. Cultural heritage initiatives such as those initiated by the World Bank, have increased, both in response to concerns about the threat which globalization poses to communities who place a high value on their local and cultural identity and as part of programmes for broadly-defined environmental and social sustainability. (Deloitte Touche report, (1999: 13). Although several donors now have poverty elimination as their overall goal, tourism interventions are mainly driven by other sub-objectives such as private sector growth or conservation rather than seen as a pro-poor tourism activity. Impacts of tourism on the poor Goodwin (2000) argues that assessing the livelihood impacts of tourism is not a matter of counting jobs or wage income. Tourism affects the livelihoods of the poor in multiple ways- economically, environmentally, socially and culturally (Deloitte Touche report, 1999). Impacts on livelihoods and not just income need to be assessed along with the variety of positive and negative affects, According to Goodwin (2000) waged employment can be sufficient to lift a household from insecure to secure but it may only be available to a minority, and not to the poor. Goodwin maintains that work as a tourist guide, although casual, is often of high status and relatively well paid. Tourism can have both positive and negative impacts. On the positive side, â€Å"tourism can generate funds for investment in health, education and other assets, provide infrastructure, stimulate development of social capital, strengthen sustainable management of natural resources, and create a demand for improved assets (especially education). On the negative side, tourism can reduce local access to natural resources, draw heavily upon local infrastructure, and disrupt social networks (Goodwin, 2000: 03). In most cases tourism affects the livelihoods of the poor by giving them access to assets and infrastructure which were previously not available. â€Å"A participatory assessment of livelihood impacts revealed that impacts on natural capital, particularly grazing resources, and access to physical infrastructure are more important to most members than the nearly 50 new jobs† (Goodwin, 2000:03). However, there are various instances where local residents lost access to local natural resources. â€Å"A comparative study by Shah and Gupta provides a range of examples. On Boracay Island in the Philippine, one quarter of the Island has been bought by outside corporations, generating a crisis in water supply and only limited infrastructure benefits for residents. Similarly in Bali, Indonesia, prime agricultural land and water supplies have been diverted for large hotels and golf courses while at Pangandaran (Java, Indinesia) village beach land, traditionally used for grazing, repairing boats and nets, and festivals, was sold to entrepreneurs for a 5-star hotel† (Ashley et al. 2001:23). Tourism can also have positive or negative cultural impacts on the poor. According to Goodwin (2000) socio-cultural intrusion by tourists is often cited as a negative impact. Certainly sexual exploitation particularly affects the poorest women, girls and young men. Goodwin argues that tourism can also increase the value attributed to minority cultures by national policy-makers. The overall balance of positive and negative livelihood impacts will vary enormously between situations, among people and over time, and particularly in the extent to which local priorities are able to influence the planning process (ibid.). It is of critical importance that government must recognize and acknowledge the input of all stakeholders in tourism development. Hence government must include tourism development at governmental policy framework. Strategies focused on policy/process reform Strategies focused on policy reform can best be summarized as building a more supportive policy and planning framework to address poverty and promoting participation from the poor and to bring the private sector into pro-poor partnerships. Despite all these unambiguous strategies there are still some sections of society where tourism is only seen as belonging to the private sector. However experience has suggested that successful sustainable requires close collaboration between government and the private sector. Ashley et al. (2001) argue that government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, community organizations and the poor themselves all have critical and very different roles to play in PPT. The private sector can be directly involved in pro-poor partnerships. According to the Deloitte Touche report government need to work with the private sector in â€Å"establishing national and regional parameters for the industry (e.g. via tourist boards, service provision and controlling it (e.g. via land use planning)† (1999:21). There is much that only government can do, so a leading role for government in PPT is of pivotal importance and a great advantage. It is of critical importance that government commits itself in taking tourism at a higher and policy framework level. This means that government must integrate tourism into planning at the national level if it is to fulfill broad-based development objectives. However the Deloitte Touche report (1999) concludes that many governments see tourism as a means to generate foreign exchange rather than to address poverty. Hence it is critical that governments take tourism seriously and intervene at local, national and international level when developing tourism policies. At local level government can support small Micro enterprises by giving support to community tourism initiatives through SME support (credit, training, non-financial services) (Delotte and Touche, 1999:16). Government must encourage tourism development in rural areas, through technical assistance, funding local programmes, or infrastructure. In many cases this support is driven by conservation objectives- a focus on protected areas and biodiversity inevitably leads to a rural focus† ( Ashley et al., 2001: 32). Government must also make it possible for joint ventures between communities and private operators to take place and blossom through policy and legislation. At national level government must create a policy framework for private-sector driven tourism development which is broad-based, creating employment and empowerment in the depressed regions. According to the Deloitte Touche report â€Å"key policy elements include: the use of planning to encourage private investors to expand linkages; granting tenure over land to communities via land claims or leases; and close integration with other sectors such as infrastructure† (1999:17). At international level governments throughout the world try to work together for the alliances for sustainable tourism. In 1996 the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Tourism Organization and the Earth Council, joined together to launch an action plan entitled â€Å"Agenda 21 for the Travel Tourism Industry: Towards environmentally sustainable development†- a sectional sustainable development programme based on the results of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992† (WTTO IHRA, 1999:03). The agenda was adopted by 182 governments which adopted a comprehensive program of action that provide a global blueprint for accelerating sustainable [tourism] development (ibid.). Conclusion The most common and distinctive feature of pro-poor tourism is that it puts poor people and poverty at the centre. Pro-poor tourism aims to expand opportunities, and places net benefits to the poor as a goal in itself. It focuses more on countries of the South, not on mainstream destinations in the North. It is obvious that the success of pro-poor tourism lies on its strategies, which are expanding economic benefits for the poor; addressing non-economic impacts; and developing pro-poor policies. It is of critical importance that government commits itself at incorporating tourism at policy framework level. However by and large pro-poor tourism requires close collaboration between government and the private sector. The government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, community organizations and the poor themselves all have critical and very different roles to play in PPT. Reference list Ashley, C., Boyd, C. and Goodwin, H., 2000: Pro-poor Tourism: Putting Poverty at the Heart of the Tourism Agenda, Natural Resource Perpective 61, Overseas Development Institute, London. Ashley, C., Goodwin, H. and Roe, D., 2001: Pro-poor Tourism Strategies: Expanding Opportunities for the Poor, Pro-Poor Briefing Paper 1, ODI, London Ashley, C., Roe, D. and Goodwin, H., 2001: Pro-poor Tourism Strategies: Making Tourism Work for the Poor- A Review of Experience, Pro-Poor Tourism Report No.1, ODI, London Cattarinich, X., 2001: Pro-poor Tourism Initiatives in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Secondary Case Studies, PPT Working Paper 8, ODI, London. Deloitte Touche, IIED and ODI, 1999: Sustainable Tourism and Poverty Elimination Study, Report prepared for the Department for International Development, London. Goodwin, H., 2000: Pro-poor Tourism: Opportunities for Sustainable Local Development, Development and Cooperation, No. 5, 12-14. Roe, D. and Urguhart., 2001: Pro-Poor Tourism: Harnessing the World’s Largest Industry for the World’s poor, IIED’s work in preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002). Shah, K. and Gupta, V., 2000: Tourism, the Poor and Other Stakeholders: Experience in Asia, Overseas Development Institute, London. South African Tourism, 2002: Tourism Growth Strategy, Illovo Research Papers on International Experience and Debates Surrounding Pro-poor TourisPETSTEL analysis of IndiaDefinition of Export QuotasInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAW

How were native (first nation) societies in America affected by the Essay

How were native (first nation) societies in America affected by the introduction of the horse - Essay Example Native Americans always adjusted according to postulating and diverse environments and they also remolded the natural environments to fulfill with their needs. After the arrival of Europeans, many different societies emerged having different languages, ethnical conventions, and history. Europeans had an extremely devastating impact on the New World environment as they cleared vast piece of ground of woodlands and unwittingly introduced a huge variety of Old World weeds. They introduced domesticated animals who transubstantiated the ecology for grazing animals which consumed many indigenous plants to survive.2 Despite all the certain differences, Native Americans also benefitted by the European contact which eternally changed the livings and cultures of the Native Americans. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the profound impact of introduction of horse on Native American societies. Former horse species were eradicated by climatic alterations and disappeared entirely from Nor th America. For the first time around 3000 years ago, horses were domesticated in European regions and used for conveyance of both humans and freight.3 The horse had been extinct in the America for 10,000 years before European colonists arrived and it was reintroduced when the Spaniards, inhabitants of Spain, brought their higher-up breed of Arab horses to North America in the 1600s, transforming the culture of the Native Americans nearly infinitely.4 Impact of Horse Introduction on Native Americans Culture The horse held particular attraction and brought the best acknowledged and most spectacular change.5 Clark Wissler (1927, p. 154 cited in Ewers 2001) has called the time period from 1540 to 1880 in the history of the Native Americans "the horse culture period." The arrival of horses produced a cultural revolution among Native Americans and radically remolded the livings of the Americans by transmutation of transportation, hunting and warfare. Some groups called horses as elk dogs , because initially Native Americans did not know the use of these huge animals.6 Before the early 1700s the Native Americans depended on human beings or dogs for transporting their loads. Some famous groups of Native Americans such as Sioux, Kiowa and Cheyenne shortly determined that the horse could become crucial element of their lives, and its usage diffused to other tribes. Horses were being traded and sometimes allowed to wander away and even got stolen from a tribe. They were used to pull heavy loads, faster and farther than a human or a dog, through merely bounded poles made from young trees which were primitively designed for dogs and easily adapted to horses subsequently.7 Many Natives exchanged their goods for the horses which helped them get released from the particular area of the Plains and agricultural environment of their villages. Horses altered Native’s culture and way of life to become nomadic and mounted hunters as with horses, people can carry heavy loads, travel across long distances and hunt for their food and other needs. They searched for game particularly for hunting the thundery, roaming herds of bison.8 The vast herds of bison, which departed seasonally big distances from place to place, could move much faster than a man on foot and there was small cover on the vast plains for hunters to hide themselves for stalking which made it exceedingly hard for them to hunt. Only adept hunters managed to

What is strategic human resource management and what is HR's role in Essay

What is strategic human resource management and what is HR's role in strategic management planning process - Essay Example Strategic HRM even includes the process of making strategy related choices and the development of priorities of different strategies. In basic terms, Strategic HRM revolves around the amalgamation of the strategy of both the company and the human resources so that HR strategies result in the attainment and implementation of the company’s strategy. It is more commonly practiced that the human resources department plays a major role in the implementation of the strategic plan. On the other hand some organization do consider HR’s role as an important one in the development of the strategic plan. While devising a strategic plan an organization needs to perform an internal assessment in various areas of the organization including the human resource aspect of the organization. The organization even performs an external assessment in relation to human resource management. While performing an external assessment an organization needs to focus on whether there are opportunities and threats related to human resources (Bernardin 116). For example: an external analysis may reveal that there is a threat to the organization because of shortage of laborers who can work on process of manufacturing denim clothes. The external assessment may even help in identifying opportunities such as an increase in number employees being laid off an d these employees have the ability to handle denim manufacturing processes. After conducting the external assessment, the organization turns to conducting an internal assessment in the context of human resources. For example: a denim manufacturing organization identifies that there is an increase in demand for denim. In relation to that opportunity the organization may conduct an internal assessment regarding whether the organization has the required human resources who are capable of handling denim manufacturing processes such as sewing. If

Concussions in football Essay Example for Free

Concussions in football Essay Injuries in professional sports are always occurring, but in football the risk of injury is much higher considering it is a contact sport. Although One of Americas most precious pastimes; American Football is the most dangerous sport because of the risk of concussions. Concussions in football have been a major concern though the years especially in recent years and the seriousness of this particular injury must be bought to the attention of not only the players, but to the media and professional leagues . Advancements in technology and health protocols have brought attention to the actual severity of concussions in football. Many NFL players that have had a concussion, or multiple concussions, not only struggle when they return to the field, but also struggle with normal aspects of their lives. The relevance of concussions has risen so far as of late, that former NFL players who previously suffered from concussions have gotten together to sue the NFL for improper information and protocol when they suffered their concussions. The concern of concussions has risen to a point where people have debated whether football should be banned altogether. The risk of concussions in football is very high compared to other sports. The constant contact and trauma that the head takes from being hit can sometimes lead to a concussion, but they are usually sustained through one powerful hit to the head. â€Å"The impact of one player running into another has almost twice the strength then one person running into a standing, or placed individual† (Onion). This would prove noteworthy for the kickoff or punt return aspect of football. During these situations the opposing teams are running full speed toward each other, and the ball carrier is usually the one who is at the most risk for concussion. The discussion of removing kickoffs and punts has been a major topic of discussion because of these facts. There are also different levels of concussions. â€Å"A minor concussion or grade one concussion may involve being dazed, head ringing, a minor headache, and a very brief loss of consciousness. A more severe concussion such as a grade 2 concussion may cause being blacked out, confusion, a pounding headache, and blurred vision. The most server concussion or grade 3 concussion may cause being blacked out, nausea or vomiting, loss of short term memory, and saying the same thing over and over†(Swierzewski). The most dangerous symptoms occur when a player is cleared to play before he has fully recovered from their concussion. When an athlete is cleared to play before he has fully recovered that is when death can occur. Retired players that have played professional football at some time in their life who sustained concussions have also had many problems in their retirement. One of these many retired players include former defensive lineman George Visger who frequently has memory loss or severe headaches. Visger said that he believes that he â€Å"accumulated close to hundreds if not thousands of concussions throughout his football playing career, some documented, some not† (Smith). Some problems that occur from concussions could end up being more life threatening then Visgers symptoms. â€Å"The suicides of former Chicago Bears Defensive end Dave Duerson and Owen Thomas, a University of Pennsylvania defensive end, have shown that the severity of concussions can psychologically destroy a person† (Compton). These symptoms that Visger, Duerson, and Thomas have or had experienced have happened to many other retired football players as well, which shows that this is very common among concussion recipients. Visger was also one of more than four thousand former NFL players who filed a seven hundred and seventy five million dollar lawsuit against the NFL for lack of information of concussions, and neglecting of the severity of concussions (Farrar). This settlement was reached and the money was granted to the players, but the fact is that these men must live with consequences that they received when they played the game of football. Not only is everyday life a struggle for these gentlemen, but the risks that they took can sometimes lead to their untimely death. Although most athletes are aware of concussions, not everyone is aware of the long lasting effects of them which are up to coaches and staff to explain. â€Å"The obligation of an employer to provide its employees with a safe workplace free from recognized hazards is well established. In the absence of specific standards for an industry, an employer is required under OSHAs general duty clause to provide its employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards which cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm†(Holmquist). In this case the employee is the athlete and the employers would be the football team’s staff and coaches. It is up to them to explain the long term consequences to these players, and enforce the safety protocol that must happen if they ever obtain a concussion. By doing this, the player is more informed of the risks of injury and the steps they have to take to either change the way they play, or simply don’t play the game at all. Equipment is also a major factor in dealing with concussions. The regulation helmet used in the NFL has gone through rigorous changes to keep concussions to a limit, but there is only so much you can do to prevent a concussion. â€Å"What helmets do not do well is significantly slow down the contents of the skull when the head is struck and moved suddenly† (Compton). The design of a helmet is made to prevent skull fractures not to prevent the fast impact of a hit to the head. Although technology will probably continue to improve the quality of helmets in football, the brute force of a hit to the head can probably never be covered up by any sort of helmet. The discussion of banning football due to the high risk of concussions has been a topic of debate also. Although it is ultimately the decision of someone to do what they want, they might not know the full consequences of what they’re getting into. It is important to educate athletes on the full on risks of concussions and how serious they really. If the overall topic of concussions can be explained to athletes, then football can be that much safer.

Love in If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught, To His Lady, and The Taxi :: To His Lady The Taxi poems

Love in "If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught", "To His Lady", and "The Taxi" "when a man loves a woman he'd give up all his comfort, sleep out in the rain, if she said that's the way it ought to be" (Percy Sledge). No truer words have ever been spoken when it comes to relationships between man and woman. For when a man and a woman come together for a relationship it should be for the right reason, and that reason is love. Love is much more than just a word though, it is a feeling and emotion that cannot be duplicated, imitated, or simulated. Love is, as described in "If Thou Must Love Me, Let it be for Naught", "To His Lady", and "The Taxi", the emotions of joy, happiness, caring, passion, commitment, pleasure, and even pain all rolled into one, which is shared between two people. The only love is true love. This means that when one loves another, the love that they are feeling should encompass all attributes of the person they are loving. If one were to say that they loved another for their beautiful eyes, this would not be true love. In order for it to be love, one would not just see the beautiful eyes, they would see everything about that person as beautiful. Elizabeth Barrett Browning agrees when she says to not love for a smile or a look, instead one should love for loves sake. ?Thou mayst love on, through love?s eternity? (206 14). True love is also a love that is eternal; true love is never ending. Henry Howard also believed that love should be everlasting. Wedding vows have become, to a certain extent, things of the past. People are getting married only to be divorced with in the first couple years of marriage. Till death do us part no longerholds meaning in the holy union of two souls. This is not true love. Luckily Howard helps us to see what true love is when he paints us a picture in words in ?To "His Lady?. ?In the long night, or in the shortest day/ In lofty youth, or when my hairs gray/ Set me in earth, in heaven, or yet in hell/ Sick, or in health, in ill fame, or in good/ Yours will I be? (277 lines 6, 8-9, 11-12). Through thick and thin, no matter what happens the man in this poem will stick by his lady.

Importance of balance of trade

Importance of balance of trade Balance of trade data is a very important piece of understanding the global puzzle of international trade, and thus, forex. Much like an income statement, balance of trade data clearly defines whether a trade deficit or trade surplus is in play. Why Balance of Trade Matters Balance of trade data shows the imports and exports of goods and how a country competes in a global marketplace. Balance of trade numbers can run a trade deficit, showing that a country imported more than it exported, or they can reflect a trade surplus, exporting more than was imported in a specific time period.Imports and exports can include physical goods and intangible services. Luxembourg, which is a popular banking destination, has one of the highest per capita service exports because its banking system is used internationally. Likewise, Middle Eastern nations have stronger physical exports due to the international oil trade. Just as a negative balance of trade is a bad sign fo r a country's long run economic health, high export figures can be equally poor for domestic trade. China, which has for a long time been a net exporter, has fought several bouts of domestic inflation as money flows into the country from all over the world.When the supply of money rises internally at pace faster than the relative increase in wages, internal consumption and demand can be temporarily stymied, causing recessions. However, all things considered, a country would much prefer to attract too much foreign export purchases than too few, as a negative balance of trade cannot be sustained forever. In addition, negative trade increases the possibility of high national debts or inflation from the central bank to maintain domestic currency levels. Making Use of the DataBalance of trade data is released once per month and may be revised as time passes and the numbers become clearer. Since tallying all the exports flowing out of a country and all the imports flowing in requires a su bstantial amount of record keeping and manpower, these reports on trade surplus or trade deficit may be revised for years following their first release. From a forex trading point of view, balance of trade statistics are best used in conjunction with balance of payments. While a net importer cannot show a positive balance of trade, it can, and in many times does, show a positive balance of payments.This is because net importers have to borrow from other countries to sustain their current consumption, and they routinely borrow more funds than are needed in a single time period or calendar year Factors that can affect the balance of trade include: Measuring the balance of trade can be problematic because of problems with recording and collecting data. As an illustration of this problem, when official data for all the world's countries are added up, exports exceed imports by almost 1%; it appears the world is running a positive balance of trade with itself.This cannot be true, because all transactions involve an equal credit or debit in the account of each nation. The discrepancy is widely believed to be explained by transactions intended to launder money or evade taxes, smuggling and other visibility problems. However, especially for developed countries, accuracy is likely. * The cost of production (land, labor, capital, taxes, incentives, etc. ) in the exporting economy vis-a-vis those in the importing economy; * The cost and availability of raw materials, intermediate goods and other inputs; * Exchange rate movements; Multilateral, bilateral and unilateral taxes or restrictions on trade; * Non-tariff barriers such as environmental, health or safety standards; * The availability of adequate foreign exchange with which to pay for imports; and * Prices of goods manufactured at home (influenced by the responsiveness of supply How to calculate BOT Trade balance shows how countries interact with each other in the international market place. Trade balance is also kno wn as net exports. The trade balance shows if a country exports more than it imports.A positive trade balance means the country exports more than it imports. A negative trade balance shows a country imports more than it exports. Having a positive or negative trade balance is neither good nor bad. Trade balance is also part of the calculation for gross domestic product. 1. Use the U. S. Census Bureau to find net imports for the period for which you seek the U. S. trade balance. The Census Bureau releases these statistics periodically on its website. On the Census Bureau website, click â€Å"Balance by Partner Country† on the left-side of the screen. Then select a country.For example, select Ivory Coast. Then select the year to analyze. In the example, select 2010. In the example, for January 2010, the United States had net imports of $221. 9 million from the Ivory Coast. 2. Use the U. S. Census Bureau to find net exports for the period. In our example, U. S. net exports to the Ivory Coast were $24. 3 million 3. Subtract net imports from net exports to determine the trade balance. In our example, $24. 3 million minus $221. 9 million yields a trade balance of negative $197. 6 million, which the Census Bureau rounds to $197. 5 million.The balance is negative because net imports is greater than net exports. Goods and Services Deficit Decreases in February 2013 The Nation’s international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $43. 0 billion in February from $44. 5 billion (revised) in January, as exports increased more than imports. | Goods and Services * Exports increased to $186. 0 billion in February from $184. 4 billion in January (revised). Goods were $132. 2 billion in February, up from $130. 8 billion in January. Services were $53. 8 billion in February, up from $53. 6 billion in January. February imports were $0. 1 billion more than January imports of $228. 9 billion (revised). Goods were $192. 4 billion in February, down from $192. 5 billion in January. Services were $36. 5 billion in February, up from $36. 3 billion in January. * For goods, the deficit was $60. 2 billion in February, down from $61. 7 billion in January (revised). For services, the surplus was $17. 3 billion in February, up from $17. 2 billion in January. Goods by Category (Census basis) * The January to February increase in exports of goods reflected increases in industrial supplies and materials ($1. billion); other goods ($0. 5 billion); and automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($0. 2 billion). Decreases occurred in capital goods ($0. 8 billion); consumer goods ($0. 3 billion); and foods, feeds, and beverages ($0. 1 billion). * The January to February decrease in imports of goods reflected decreases in industrial supplies and materials ($2. 6 billion) and other goods ($0. 3 billion). Increases occurred in automotive vehicles, parts, and engines ($1. 1 billion); consumer goods ($0. 7 billion); capital goods ($0. 3 billion); and foods, feed s, and beverages ($0. billion). Services by Category * Exports of services increased $0. 2 billion from January to February. The increase was mostly accounted for by increases in other transportation ($0. 1 billion), which includes freight and port services, and travel ($0. 1 billion). Changes in the other categories of services exports were relatively small. * Imports of services increased $0. 2 billion from January to February. The increase was more than accounted for by increases in other transportation ($0. 1 billion), travel ($0. 1 billion), and passenger fares ($0. 1 billion).Changes in the other categories of services imports were relatively small. Goods by Geographic Area (Not Seasonally Adjusted) * The goods deficit with Canada decreased from $4. 8 billion in January to $2. 6 billion in February. Exports were virtually unchanged at $23. 1 billion, while imports decreased $2. 2 billion (primarily crude oil) to $25. 7 billion. * The goods deficit with China decreased from $27 . 8 billion in January to $23. 4 billion in February. Exports decreased $0. 1 billion (primarily soybeans and nonmonetary gold) to $9. 3 billion, while imports decreased $4. billion (primarily cell phones and other household goods) to $32. 7 billion. * The goods deficit with Mexico increased from $3. 6 billion in January to $4. 3 billion in February. Exports decreased $0. 3 billion (primarily computer accessories, electric components, and semiconductors) to $17. 7 billion, while imports increased $0. 4 billion (primarily automobiles, automotive parts, and accessories) to $21. 9 billion India Balance of Trade India recorded a trade deficit of 561. 19 INR Billion in March of 2013. Balance of Trade in India is reported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.Historically, from 1978 until 2013, India Balance of Trade averaged -113. 01 INR Billion reaching an all time high of 13. 91 INR Billion in April of 1991 and a record low of -1111. 46 INR Billion in October of 2012. India had been recording sustained trade deficits due to low exports base and high imports of coal and oil for its energy needs. India is leading exporter of petroleum products, gems and jewelry, textiles, engineering goods, chemicals and services. Main trading partners are European Union countries, United States, China and UAE. This page includes a chart with historical data for India Balance of Trade

Unit 10 Study Guide

Lymphatic system study guide- complete after listening to lecture and reviewing the vocabulary. 1. This receives lymph from the rest of the body. The thoracic duct receives lymph from the rest of the body. 2. Small masses lf lymphatic tissue that rings the pharynx in the throat. Tonsils ring the pharynx in the throat. 3. This is literally a ‘eating cell’ such as macrophages and neutrophils. Phagocytic cells are ‘eating cells’. 4. What is a substance capable of exciting our immune system and provoking an immune response?An antigen provokes an immune response in the body, but they are excited by pathogens. 5. Later immune responses which are much faster, more prolonged, and more effective are called active immunity responses. 6. This contains dead or weakened viruses injected to initiate active immunity. A vaccine is an injection with dead or weakened viruses to bolster the body’s immunity to the foreign virus. 7. T cells that remain behind after an inf ection to provide immunological memory are called memory cells. . A bodywide, acute, allergic response that is fairly rare is called anaphylactic shock. 9. What is it called when the body produces antibodies and sensitized T cells that attack and damage its own tissues? An autoimmune disorder is when the body in essence attacks itself. 10. Tissue grafts taken from unrelated persons are called allografts. 11. Small proteins that diffuse to nearby cells and bind to their membrane receptors are called interferons. 2. Antibodies are also referred to as immunoglobulins or IGS and constitute the gamma globulin part of blood proteins and are formed in response to an antigen. 13. Excess tissue fluid that is picked up and returned to the blood stream by vessels is called lymph capillaries. 14. Complement refers to a group of 20 plasma proteins that circulate in the blood at an inactive site that becomes active when it becomes attached to a foreign cell.

Islam essays

Islam essays 1. Define the principle beliefs of Islam. Islam has many important beliefs, which can be categorized into the five pillars. The first pillar is the declaration of faith (shahada). This includes the belief in only one god, Allah. The second pillar is prayer (salat) which includes praying five times daily. The third pillar is fasting (sawm) during Ramadan (the holy month), in which one cannot eat from dawn to dusk. The fourth is Almsgiving (zakat) where, the wealthy take care of the less fortunate and give to charity. The fifth pillar is the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, which includes enduring religious rites for 10 days. All Muslims should experience at least once in a lifetime. 2. Describe the basic ethical system of Islam. Islam ethics are all guided by the Quran and the Hadith. The Quran and Hadith are the two main books or scriptures of the Islam religion, in which all actions and questions can be answered in question of their ethical validity. If these books do not directly speak of the issue at hand, similar topics are looked at in the Quran or Haddith, and by the Qurans stated beliefs, changes are made to identify the problem at hand. In addition to the ethical system and use of the books, all actions whether they be individual, social or even political, can be categorized into two different categories, Halal (permitted) or Haram (forbidden). There are four different levels to what is considered Halal. There is 1) obligatory 2) recommended 3) permissible and 4) discouraged but allowed. Therefore, based on these rules all actions can be decided whether they are ethically right or wrong. In addition to this, all Muslims have two types of duties. The first of which is their duties to Alla h, which included utter submission to him. The second is their duties to humankind, which includes charity. In conclusion, it is ...

Solute Definition and Examples in Chemistry

Solute Definition and Examples in Chemistry A solute is defined as the substance that is dissolved in a solution. For solutions of fluids, the solvent is present in greater amount than the solute. Concentration is a measurement of the amount of solute present in a chemical solution, with respect to the amount of solvent. Examples of Solutes Usually, a solute is a solid that is dissolved into a liquid. An everyday example of a solute is  salt in water. Salt is the solute that dissolves in water, the solvent, to form a saline solution. On the other hand, water vapor is considered a solute in air, because nitrogen and oxygen are present in much larger concentration levels in the gas. Different Types of Solutes When two liquids are mixed to form a solution, the solute is the species present in the smaller ratio. For example, in a 1 M sulfuric acid solution, sulfuric acid is the solute while water is the solvent. The terms solute and solvent can also be applied to alloys and solid solutions. Carbon may be considered a solute in steel, for example.

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questions - Assignment Example Despite not being ideal, the approach has some rationale which cannot be negated altogether. Senior level employees and managers have several business commitments beyond the routine work hours and more often than not they are bound to their tasks and targets instead of time. This however, should not leverage the habitual delays by senior and they should set a better example for their juniors. 2. No, I think that employers should not have the right to regulate the after-hours social activities unless they have an impact on the workplace productivity. The activities that might have a direct effect on workplace productivity provide a potential leverage to the employer to devise regulations to avoid them but these must have a direct impact. A major issue that may evolve from meeting at the work place is the social stress and anxiety resulted that may ultimately have an effect on work place environment and the projected output. Often these workplace social interaction causes uncalled for rifts among employees which creates room for regulations to avert such circumstances. 3.

Should English be declared the official language of the United States Research Paper

Should English be declared the official language of the United States - Research Paper Example Even a great majority of the immigrants who have settled in different states learn the language in order to make it principal means of communication. However, despite all these figures, the truth is that English has never been declared as the official language of the U.S. There may be around 30 states out of the 50 that the country is composed of that have given official status to the language but at the federal level, no such legislation has been made. The irony here is that English is declared as an official language in countries where it is not the native tongue or not even used in ordinary conversations. Countries as far-flung as the interior regions of Africa such as Botswana and Swaziland and the small Pacific island-states such as Fiji and Samoa have made the language their own medium for official transactions. This may prove that English is the world’s most spoken language. However, this also highlights the irony in the fact that U.S., whose cultural influence is the m ajor factor for the spread of English as a language, has never made it official. Thesis Statement The reason why English should be declared as the official language though is based not solely on the fact that it is spoken by the most number of people in the country. It is a fact that people, even newly-arrived immigrants are conscious of the necessity to learn the language as soon as possible, knowing that business and government transactions employ it. The more important point is that language is not just a medium of communication; it is also a symbol of nationhood and of unity as a people. A country without a common language that is declared as official would certainly be wanting in terms of identity. Since English is the most commonly spoken by Americans and even by people who wish to become American citizens, it may as well be declared official. Pros and Cons of Making English the Official Language The proposal that English be made as the country’s official language is ac tually not new. In fact, arguments in favor and against this proposal have been around ever since the early days of the republic. Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers, had proposed that the use of other languages should be limited other than English. It was in the latter part of the 1700s that the John Quincy Adams made concrete steps towards legislation in favor of its official status. He actually recommended that the congress create a resolution that would establish an institution that would study and improve the language’s usage in line with its being official. However, this was countered with the argument that making English official is anathema to democracy and to individual liberty, two basic principles enshrined in the Constitution. A century after the Adams’ failed attempt, President Theodore Roosevelt once again pushed for the legislation of English as an official language. Roosevelt whipped patriotic fervor in asserting his point. He said that †Å"we have but one flag† and therefore â€Å"we must also learn one language, and that language is English.† (Hogg and Denison 417) Despite the appeal to patriotism though, Roosevelt also failed to make English as an official language. Legislators and certain sectors, particularly those groups advocating the rights of immigrants, have successfully blocked such attempts for about two centuries already. Their most solid defense is the country’s evidently uncompromising stance as regards individual liberty. According to them, making