Ocean warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ocean warming - Essay Example These recognized services of the ocean are required in sustaining the life support system in the earth, thus, the earth should have a healthy oceanic and coastal environment. Ocean warming is a threat to the health of the world ocean that is why ocean management strategies are to be properly implemented. These management strategies of marine ecosystem are not properly applied which result to the decreasing capacity of the ocean to store C02 secretion. The ocean is now suffering the severe consequences brought about by unmonitored secretion of C02 by human activities and one of this is ocean acidification (Feely, et al., 2006, pp.1-4). This is the result in too much giving up of C02 in the earth’s atmosphere which paved the way in the warming of the ocean. This paper’s aim is to get a clear idea on scientist’s suspicion about the warming of the ocean and its real scenario. Its main objective is to be able to know what exactly is ocean warming as well as to identify and assess changes that had led to this situation. Illustration and evidences are presented to have a clear picture on how C02 greatly affects the increased heating of the ocean. The environmental and social impact of changes in the ocean/atmosphere interaction will also be tackled. This is also design to inform the society of their share, a recommendation on what to do upon knowing that the ocean is warming. Global climate change is a very crucial issue especially with regard to the increasing of heat content of the world ocean and the raising of sea level. U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. James Baker (2000) said, there â€Å"has been warming to a depth of nearly 10,000 feet in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans† (cited in Stevenson, n.d.). Ocean warming is considered to be a complex problem and is not a simple matter for scientists that are engrossed in

Southwest Airline Essay Example for Free

Southwest Airline Essay Southwest Airlines was introduced in Texas on June 18, 1971 with three Boeing 737 airplanes and only serving three cities of Texas which included Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The company came a long way since 1971; today Southwest Airlines has 537 Boeing 737 airplanes and serving 68 cities around the US. Southwest Airlines has become a major airline in 1989 when it hit the billion-dollar revenue mark. Southwest Airlines is the United States’ most successful airline due to the low fares, high frequency, and point-to-point carrier. According to the Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet 2010 â€Å"Southwest operates more than 3,200 flights a day coast-to-coast, making it the largest U. S. carrier based on domestic passengers’ carrier as of September 30, 2009†. As June 2011, Southwest Airlines has become the top airline to carries the most domestic passengers in the US. Southwest Airlines in 2013 has expanded their destination to 86 cities in 42 states and Puerto Rico. The current CEO of Southwest Airlines is Gary Kelly and his vision for the company is â€Å"to connect people to what important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low cost air travel†. According to the swamedia.com â€Å"Gary is a 27-years Southwest veteran who began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the roles of Chairman and President in 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.† Gary has received many awards during his 27 years with the company and twice being named CEO of the year by D CEO Magazine’s. Also, he was named of the best CEO in America by Institutional Investor three times. According to the Sawmedia.com â€Å"Gary was selected as Dallas Business  Journals CEO of the year for 2011. In 2010, Gary was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, Gary will be inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame at the University of Texas at Austin; Gary is the recipient of the 2013 Father of the Year Award; and Gary is the recipient of the 2013 McLane Leadership in Business Award at Texas AM University.† According to Gary Kelly and SouthwesAirlines.com their mission statement â€Å"is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual price and Company Spirit†. They have been operating their business exactly as their mission statement. They have been so successful due largely to the usual focus on their employees. LUV and FUN is the program which Southwest has created for their employees and their focus on customer service which they have to show respect for one and another, represent the company and create a comfortable, relax and fun working environment. Southwest Airlines’ Strengths Southwest airlines has many strengths’, but one that brings in profit to the company in a major way is their customer service. Southwest airlines has the highest quality of customer service that is delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. That statement is not only their motto, but also their way of making a profit. Southwest brand their name on good customer service. They have been admired to be the third top ranked airline in the U.S and the tenth in the airline industry. Buyology and an online research marking company evaluated 4,000 men and women, with four key parameter of a company; the awe, the superiority harmony and exploration of a company to rank the top ranked company. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"220 brands and companies were studying during this evaluation the company were matched by numerically with strength and weakness. With relation with Southwest airline consciously and unconsciously Southwest airline earned the top spot for 2012.† Not only do bag fly free Southwest airline was the first airline to offer senior discounts, ticketless traveling, and services for air freight delivery to the common traveler. Southwest airline offers credit based on the number of trips with the airline instead of the total miles traveled also understanding the not how far you fly it’s how many times you fly with  Southwest airline. As Southwest’s major strength is the customer service making a profit is another strength that has sustained them. In 2012, Southwest airline marked the most profitable airline in U.S airline industry unmatched for over 30 years. These profits is the results of the exemplary customer service that Southwest airline has making over 421 million dollars in 2012 alone. Another major strength is Southwest airlines website. During the second quarter of 2013, 80 percent of Southwest airline passenger revenues were booked via southwest.com. In addition to flights, customers are able to make car, hotel, cruise, and complete vacation package reservations on southwest.com. Southwest airline has the Southwest Shortcut feature on southwest.com, which is the first online tool that helps customers find the lowest fare based on availability across the entire month. Southwest airline has many strengths, but as southwest airline put it in a nut shell its all about. According to www.southwestonereport.com, â€Å"Southwest continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers each year among 96 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries all at low far.† Southwest Airlines’ Weaknesses Southwest Airlines has become one of the top airlines in America, it is the number one airline that carries domestic passengers around the state. Southwest Airlines have followed their CEO leadership, they do what they are supposed to do and they are carried on their mission statement to the fullest. With that in mind Southwest Airlines could be the only perfect airline and have many advantages compare to others: as for examples low fares, beautiful flight attendants and happy employees who respect one and another. Southwest Airlines has successfully built a great, comfortable and relax workplace for their employees. Also, they have great customer service which is always their first priority. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a perfect company or a perfect person because the world that we live in right now is not perfect, so Southwest Airlines has many strengths but they are also have many weaknesses as well. The first weakness of Southwest  Airlines is within their company. Debt and operating expenses are among the tops of the company priority, according to quality-assurance.com â€Å"The company is estimated to possess $361 million of debt on their balance sheet, and until they pay down these debts it will drag significantly on their business†. Debt will drag on the business of Southwest. Also the Mounting Operating Expense can count as one the weaknesses of the company as well. The company has to pay out more for fuel because it has grown 182.30% for the average of gallon from 2005 to 2011. Unfortunately, the company also has to deal with it employees’ union because of the union has demand more services and benefits for their members, and by the end of the day Southwest doesn’t have much left money to cover their debts and expenses. The second weakness of Southwest Airline is the services provided to customers. According to businesstune-ups.com â€Å"Southwest Airlines doesn’t provide international flights, they don’t have seating options, their cargo space is very limited, they only have one type of airplane, Very short trips earn the same amount of perks as a long, extensive flight. Scrutiny of potential employees based on personality before skill could be dangerous.† Not having international flights and only have one aircraft for their services are the disadvantages to Southwest’s competitors. These days more and more passengers going out of country for their business trips which will increase profits and customers for the company. Only have one type of aircraft which is a great way to save money when the maintenance services come. Also, it is a big disadvantage for Southwest Airlines because the aircraft has a limited space for passengers’ luggage. Southwest Airlines also doesn’t have a seating chart and no business option for their passengers. It is a great way to save money for the company and as well for the passengers to get a lowest air fares as possible, but many business passengers want their own space to work on their presentations or their companies’ projects. So, without the business class option the airline will be losing out to its competitors. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is the company only provides limited destinations for its passengers and mostly is from the South. The limited areas will limit the number of passengers who will choose Southwest as their designated airlines. It is hard and difficult to compete with other larger airlines that serve both domestics and internationally with also help them to build bigger market for their companies. Southwest Airlines’ Opportunities Now that the merger of Southwest Airline with AirTran is now complete, growth is on the rise for Southwest, its customers and employees. In the acquisition, Southwest now can handle more international destinations with its new fleet of larger aircrafts. This gives more diversity for the customer and gives Southwest the ability to keep its fares low. Southwest also gained 8,000 additional employees from AirTran and if done correctly, this merger can only improve its customer service rating. Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines in service today; known for their strategy, dedicated work force, low fares and customer service. The competitors’ component or analysis is defined as the process of identifying the performance and marketing strategy of competitive brands or products in the marketplace. So what is it about Southwest Airlines that has put them in such an elite category compared to the competition? Southwest’s main strategy is to keep things simple. â€Å"It has never served meals, does not have advanced seat reservations, and flies only Boeing airplanes. These decisions have helped Southwest be flexible in the face of the recent decreases in airplane passengers caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the world economic crisis.† (http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com) By reducing some of the amenities that other airlines offer, it allows them to reduce the amount of employee cut backs, maintain low fares while retaining employees that are loyal to the brand, ensuring a good customer experience. This strategy has allowed Southwest to have 39 years of profitable growth (Thompson). Southwest has been on the cutting edge of managing employee loyalty. In a recent interview with, Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest, he expressed that the key to a productive workforce is â€Å"Paying personal attention to each of your people instead of a formula, also to empower employees and back them up (Kelleher)† (Thompson). Over time, implementing these general tactics has reinforced a working culture at Southwest that separates them from their competition. A happy employee means great customer service, customer retention and consistently growing profit margins. Southwest airlines is known for its low fares but due to increasing fuel costs, limited destinations and people finding alternate ways of travel; ultimately Southwest’s competitive advantage of being the leader of low fares will diminish. Having fewer planes equals lower fuel costs which  is an area that Southwest is struggling with to maintain those low airfare prices. â€Å"Fuel crisis and fuel price become threats to Southwest Airlines Company. Fuel costs in 1978 averaged 37 cents per gallon while in 1979 it became 80 cents. In 1980 fuel costs exceeded $1.00 per gallon. This price hike changes the expenditure pattern of the company. Operating costs become 40% of the total budget† (MBA Study Point case study). The only true competition for Southwest is regionally. Delta out marks them in most areas but due to Delta’s concentration in the Southeast they only compete on a regional level. Delta does however fly to most of the areas where Southwest is the preferred airline. The same is not true for Southwest who has more limited destination availability. In order to compete, Southwest will need to add more destinations to their roster. Business travelers will still prefer Delta because of their perks for Business travelers which Southwest does not have. Not to have a business class excludes a whole subset of travelers that are more likely to fly on a regular basis which cuts down on profits. Southwest’s culture is centered around the customer. While in recent years they were positioning themselves as a low-cost airline with exceptional customer service; their fares have seen a slight increase but the standard for high quality customer service remains the same. They create an employee friendly environment that motivates employees to want to work hard and be the best they can possibly be for the company. Southwest’s website states â€Å"happy employees = happy customers† and this is the culture they operate with every day. Southwest airline believes that volunteering is crucial to the health of nonprofit organizations that work to meet needs in different communities. Southwest airline employees volunteer their time day in and day out for the important causes that are closest to their hearts. â€Å"In 2009, Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. In an effort to support these passionate Employee volunteers, Southwest Airlines launched the Tickets for Time program. For every 40 hours our Employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, round-trip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needs†(Southwest.com). Southwest Airline has an outreach program for every culture and lifestyle the employee volunteer more than 137,  000 hours. Southwest airline has an Adopt-A-Pilot program where students will  research careers and further develop life skills, while the importance of staying in school is reinforced. Southwest Airlines and AirTran pilots mentor fifth grade students and offer this program at no charge to the schools that participate in the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Southwest airline has several outreach programs that reach out to many cultures such as African- American, Asian, and Hispanic programs and LGBT. Southwest Airlines’ Treats Airline industry could be affected by many factors such as general economic environment, fuel price, airline terror acts, weather conditions and air traffic restrictions. General economic environment has an impact on the demand for travel, and therefore influences the number of flights run by Southwest. The fuel price controls the company’s costs; rising fuel price would increase the cost, and the company cannot always avoid influences of fuel price by fuel hedging. Terrorist attack incidents would both physically and psychologically affect customers and employees, which leads to a higher security cost. Weather conditions also, have an important impact on flights as well. Bad weather conditions may delay flights, increase turnaround time, and thus mark up costs. All these potential threats are faced by Southwest Airlines. Having been very successful in their operations, Southwest Airlines is surely a target of competitors’ focus. And by that, other airlines may begin co pying Southwests strategies. Though this may show that Southwest is definitely a leader in the airline industry, it is somehow disadvantageous for the company in the long run. If those airlines try to imitate Southwest’s cost efficiency strategies, they can also lower their ticket prices and compete with Southwest. Through such, competition will get tougher for Southwest and it will no longer be able to monopolize the low fare sector of the industry; and worse, there is a possibility that a big company in the future, possessing more advanced technologies and facilities, will operate using Southwest Airlines low-cost model to a wider market, which will encroach and outdo Southwest Airlines. Terrorism is one of the greatest threats for people to lose faith on the airline industry. Airline companies in the US can attest to that after experiencing the â€Å"911 Attack† in 2001 when they incurred major losses. Though Southwest was one of those airlines who did not incur a major loss, the possibility of an unforeseen terrorist aggression using airplanes is still a major threat in  the company’s operations. This is because any loss of confidence in the safety of air travel would lead to a shift to the use of other forms of transportation, leaving Southwest struggling to fill its seats. High unemployment and inflation are keeping more travelers at home; Supply and demand price elasticity of airline carriers may vary depending on the nature of the industry. The macroeconomic factors affecting the airline industry include unemployment, the economic growth in the United States, and inflation. With low economic growth, consumers are finding luxury items more difficult to purchase and airline tickets for vacations fall into that category. Unemployment contributes to a lack of vacation travelers since individuals who are not employed do not have extra money for vacation or airline tickets. Inflation also causes operating costs of the airlines to be higher which entails cuts into the profits of Southwest. Unemployment is affecting the airline industry because consumers are taking more â€Å"stay-cation† at home or vacationing to areas to which they can drive. As unemployment has risen, the airlines have laid off a much higher percentage of their people as well. Southwest Airlines’ Grand Strategies Recommendations Grand strategies, often called master or business strategies, provide basic direction for strategic actions. There are many grand strategies that Southwest Airlines can choose from when considering which match with their company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Southwest Airlines is excellent in planning their long-term goals. The above SWOT analysis proved that the company is successfully carrying out the cost leadership strategy to manipulate their competitors and boost up their company. Their mission in providing low fare cost is one of the best strategies that they have to increase their market share, and it also put a significant increase in the demand of air travel. Southwest Airlines’ rapid rewards program is brilliant, so they should continue and expand it even more. Southwest Airlines’ employees mainly belong to the Union and they are mainly full time workers. Since the Union has demanded more services and benefits for their members, the company gained limited profit. To fix this, the company should hire more part time workers instead of full time workers because if they implemented this they would not have to provide full  benefits and instead focus on gaining profit. Also, Southwest Airlines should make all flights within the states point-to-point flights, and give their employees a strict timeline to alleviate delays. This will keep an accurate time frame for customers. As far as the flight concerns, Southwest Airlines has only one dependable flight, which is very dangerous when it comes to safety, but the good thing about that is an inexpensive cost for maintaining the aircraft. The safety of the customers is very important, so Southwest should increase at least one more dependable aircraft just in case something unexpected happens to the other one. Customer service is superior for Southwest Airlines, but many of their weaknesses can give their competitor many advantages. Southwest does not offer international flights, and there are increases in demand for international flights, so they should consider flying internationally within the next 5 or 6 years, or Southwest should completely become integrated with AirTran Airline by 2014 because they could put an increase in their net income. The advantages that Southwest’s competitors such as American Airlines and US Airways have are their inflight meals, seating charts, and highly advanced technology they have available for their customers. In this case, Southwest Airlines should invest in one more jet that provides higher quality and luxurious experience for customers such as business travelers who are willing to pay extra for it. In that jet they would offer inflight meals, provide seating options when customers book their tickets, and most important of all, they have to adv ance their jet to have advanced technologies such as television. One of Southwest Airlines’ threats is a general economic environment problem like high unemployment and inflation that they cannot control. One thing that can be done is to create a program that provides customers time to pay off their ticket 5 months in advance before flying. So the customers would have enough time to pay in increments over a period of time so they do not have to worry about spending a lot of money at once. When it comes to expanding their name brand Southwest Airline should continue to increase their popularity by increasing the advertisements on both their and AirTran’s website. Since the websites are the main places where customers go to book their tickets, the company should put that into a good use by creating more advertisements, and therefore gaining more popularity. Lastly, Southwest should continue to foster its remarkable culture. The fun-loving attitude that the company has  for their customers and employees shows that Southwest has a great working environment; the dedication that the employees have for the company contributes to both the tangible and intangible benefits. â€Å"It is a true competitive advantage for Southwest Airlines.† (Terra Thompson) Conclusion As a result in performing this project, we have learned that SWOT Analysis is the key for all businesses success. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses within the company and understanding the opportunities and threats that the company has externally are extremely important in planning the strategic plans to help the business overall outlook. As far as Southwest Airlines, we have learned that the company is very successful when it comes to the superior customer services, but Southwest should definitely continue on increasing their brand by upgrading their services within their aircrafts to become more high tech. We know that Southwest is known for their low cost fair, which gave them a huge advantage of their competitors. And the fact that they are integrating with Air Trans was a brilliant idea, because they are expanding their brand through Air Trans in providing International flights, which are, in a very high demand right now. We think Southwest Airlines is in the borderline in gaining a sustainable competitive advantage if they are expanding their aircraft to fit what their customers needs and wants. References Analyzing southwest airlines [Web log message]. (, April). Retrieved from http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com/2012/04/southwests-competitive-advantage.html AP News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/kind-planes-southwest-airlines-fly-62394.html Broughtson, R. (n.d.). Southwest airline swot analysis. Retrieved from http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/southwest-airlines-swot-analysis.html Bruwick, L. (n.d.). Southwest airlines swot analysis powerful business assessment tool. Retrieved from http://www.businesstune-ups.com/Southwest-Airlines-SWOT-Analysis.html Case analysis: Southwest airlines. (2012, may 17). Retrieved from http://netmbastudy.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/case-analysis-southwest-airlines/ Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business. Competitor analysis. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/competitor-analysis Gary , K. (n.d.). Gary

Romeo And Juliet 11 - :: essays research papers

Why Romeo and Juliet was so popular in Shakespeare’s time and why even today it is still so popular? William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England to Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. He was the third of eight children. He went to a local grammar school, where his studies included Latin and Greek (Debnam). At the age of eighteen he married Anne Hathaway who was eight years older than he. Their marriage was hurried because Anne was already pregnant (The Tragedies, 16). Shakespeare was the father of three children, two daughters and one son, Hamnet. At this time, Shakespeare was twenty-one, and the way he supported his family is unknown. In August of 1596, Hamnet died at the age of eleven (Shakespeare’s History). Stories say that Shakespeare began his career by holding horses outside the theaters. More reliable information indicates that he acted in plays, many of his own. From acting Shakespeare progressed to writing plays both for the theater and for court performances (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare didn’t attend college, so in order to broaden his education, he studied the ways of a gentleman and read widely. He looked to Cambridge-educated playwright Christopher Marlowe, as a mentor. Marlowe was the same age as Shakespeare, but who preceded him in skillfully combining drama with poetry. In many plays throughout his career, Shakespeare paid tribute to Marlowe, though ultimately he eclipsed Marlowe as a dramatist (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare is the greatest playwright the world has ever known. The thirty-seven plays he wrote more than 400 years ago are the most popular on Earth. They are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He also wrote sonnets, a kind of poem. Writing sonnets was thought to be much more important than writing plays in Shakespeare’s day (Debnam). By the time Shakespeare turned thirty years old, he was an established actor and playwright in London. At the age of thirty-three, he had not only written the early poems and the early plays, but in the last three or four years half-a-dozen masterpieces: "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," "Romeo and Juliet," Richard II.," "King John," "The Merchant of Venice," "The Two Parts of Henry IV" (Shakespeare The Man, 382). When he was thirty-five, Shakespeare was a member of the syndicate responsible for building the first Globe theater, in Southwark, in 1599 (General Into). From then on, Shakespeare was completely involved in the theater: He wrote for the company, acted in the plays, shared in the profits, and eventually became one of the owners of the Globe theater (The Tragedies, 19).

Autonomy and Society During the Industrial Revolution :: Essays Papers

The Industrial Revolution gave mankind more control over natural forces and made the production of more goods possible. One of the biggest changes from the Industrial Revolution was the movement of the population from a rural setting to the urban areas. Many new cities were created, and most of the already existing urban centers expanded in size. The population of Great Britain, France, and Germany increased by a combined 14 million people between 1831 and 1851.1 Living conditions for all classes were improved, and the people began to live in less poverty than ever before. More people of the time came to have extra money, creating an economy that grew by having a wider domestic base instead of concentrating more on trade. The industrialization of Europe created progress for all, improving the quality of life, and availability of products, as well as help close the gap between proletariat and bourgeoisie. The population was divided into two classes, the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Both groups had differing ideas of culture, society, laws, and general lifestyles. The bourgeoisie, or middle class, was the controlling group, consisting of merchants, tradesmen, and professionals. The middle class was the wealthier class, in charge of factories and involved in governmental positions. In middle class families there was a distinct separation between men and women. The men went out and earned money for the family, while the women stayed at home and raised children. Bourgeois children were treasured by their families, and educated in both schools and at home. "Daily experience shows that it is energetic individualism which produces the most powerful effects upon the life and action of others, and really constitutes the best practical education."2 An education gave the bourgeoisie a sense of superiority over the working class as well as a sense of responsibility for them. The bourgeoisie had a firm belief that the market was the ultimate expression of individual liberty. The middle class society controlled the fate of the working class and oftentimes exploited them to further their own ends, all in the name of improving society. Most middle class people were concerned mainly with gaining wealth, and ensuring that the working class did not rise up against them. The bourgeoisie felt that the lower class was lazy and would be unproductive if they were not properly disciplined. Therefore, working conditions in factories were very difficult on the life of the working class man.

In what ways did World War II end the problems of World War I Essay

In the days prior to World War Two, the First World War was referred to as â€Å"the War to end all Wars†. (Devine, 14) Despite this name, only twenty-odd years had passed before the nations of the world once again engaged in armed conflict. The treaty of Versailles and the conditions in Europe precipitated a second large-scale conflict in Europe. (Devine, 16) The conclusion of WWII ended the problems that derived from WWI by ending the Fascist dictatorships of Europe, ending European and Asian imperialism, and shifting military power out of Europe. The Treaty of Versailles created tremendous pressure on Germany, Austria-Hungary, and other nations who bore the blame for the conflict. (Morgan, 18) The economic depression in these nations that resulted from their attempts to pay reparations led to a political climate ripe for the rise of Fascism. (Morgan, 27) The people of nations such as Italy, Germany and Spain were willing to embrace this hyper-nationalist form of government, giving up their freedoms in exchange for the promise of better economic conditions and a return of their respective nations to international prominence. Morgan, 30) The rise of hyper-nationalism in Fascist Germany and Italy was one of the precipitating causes of the Second World War in Europe. Hitler’s Germany began to militarize and â€Å"reclaim† areas of Europe that Hitler declared to be part of the rightful German empire. (Morgan, 108) These regions included all of Austria, and part of the nation of Czechoslovakia, referred to by Hitler a s the Sudetenland (southland). When Germany invaded Poland to return the land to Germany, France and Britain declared war. The results of WWII ended the reign of fascism in Europe. ( Morgan, 117) The personalities around whom the fascist governments were built, Hitler in Germany, and Mussolini in Italy, were killed in the war effort, and their philosophies discredited when the atrocities they committed became public knowledge. (Morgan, 197) Of the Fascists of Europe, only Francisco Franco of Spain, which had remained neutral in the war, survived. (Morgan, 201) After WWII, Germany was divided into a Soviet-controlled Eastern half, and a Republican western half. Nationalist efforts were turned to reunification, rather than conquest. (Morgan, 203) The destruction of the German War machine was absolute, eliminating them as a future threat to stability in Europe. (Morgan, 205) Italy and Japan were similarly disarmed at the conclusion of WWII, making future threats to world stability from these powers unlikely in the extreme. (Morgan, 206) The end of WWII also marked the end of the naked Imperialism that characterized all the major European nations since WWI. Betts, 113) Britain, France, Germany, Japan and other nations granted independence, or protectorate status to their imperial holdings, making self-sovereignty the â€Å"new† goal of international foreign policy. (Betts, 127) Japan was forced to give up the Pacific Islands they had occupied, and withdraw their invasion of China. (Betts, 128) Germany similarly ceded their occupied territories and permitted free choice for the subsequent governments. Betts, 133) One of the world powers that emerged from WWII, the United States, embraced self-determination as the ideal for nations of the world, and began to fight against efforts to engage in imperialist activities on the parts of other nations. (Betts, 144) The conclusion of WWII marked a shift in the dynamic of world conflict. (Levering, 18) During WWI and WWII, dominance on the seas determined a large part of military control. After WWII, nations who had access to weapons of mass destruction became the powers of the World. Levering, 22) For the first time in modern history, the central conflict of the world was not between Britain and Germany or France, but between the United States and the Soviet Union. European powers became pawns in a worldwide power struggle between opposing ideologies. (Levering, 27) The United States used war reconstruction money as a lure to the nations of Europe to shun Communism in favor of republican government. (Levering, 34) After WWII, armed conflict was limited to third-party wars w here one side or the other effectively acted as a proxy for one of the Superpowers. Levering, 46) This was managed to avoid direct conflict between the Superpowers, which could have led to destruction of the entire world through nuclear annihilation. (Levering, 55) As a result, dozens of minor conflicts and a handful of major wars were fought after WWII by indigenous people with military and economic support from the USSR and the United States. (Levering, 58) This scenario played out in countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Cuba, Afghanistan, and many others. (Levering, 75) It is clear that the effects of WWII resolved many of the issues that resulted from WWI. WWII ended European Fascism, eliminated European and Asian imperialism, and permanently shifted the balance of World Power away from Europe. The Treaty of Versailles produced conditions in Europe that made Fascism an attractive and popular option, which played a great role in precipitating WWII. As a result of the unresolved issues of WWI, WWII became the latest â€Å"war to end all wars†. It is hoped by the nations of the world that conflict on the scale of WWII never be repeated in the history of mankind.

Lakeview Gusher of 1910 Bigger, Not Worse, Than BP Oil Spill

Lakeview Gusher of 1910 Bigger, Not Worse, Than BP Oil Spill When BP finally stopped the oil flowing from its ruptured underwater well in the Gulf of Mexico in July 2010, the government announced that the 4.9 million barrels (more than 205 million gallons) of oil the well had spilled over the previous three months made it the worst accidental oil spill in U.S. and world history. Along with most other media, we reported that conclusion, but one of our readers (a man named Craig) quickly pointed out that the government and the media were all mistaken and had not looked far enough back in the history books to get the facts straightand he was right. The Lakeview gusher of 1910 spilled 9 million barrels of oil (thats 378 million gallons) onto a patch of scrubland in Kern County, California, between the towns of Taft and Maricopa, about 110 miles north of Los Angeles. Once it blew, the Lakeview gusher was unstoppable for 18 months. The initial flow from the Lakeview gusher was 18,000 barrels a day, building to an uncontrolled crescendo of 100,000 barrels daily, and eventually producing only 30 barrels a day after the flood of California crude was finally stopped. Ironically, the Lakeview gusher might never have happened if the crew on site had obeyed orders from bosses in Los Angeles. After months of unproductive drilling, Union Oil headquarters sent word to shut down the operation and abandon the well. But the crew, led by a foreman nicknamed Dry Hole Charlie, wouldnt give up. They ignored the orders and kept on drilling. In mid-March 1910, 2,200 feet below the surface, the drilling tapped into a high-pressure reservoir and the well blew with such force that the eruption demolished the wooden derrick and created a crater so large that no one could get close enough to the well to try capping it. The well kept gushing until September 1911. The Lakeview gusher didnt actually do much environmental damage. Black mist fell for miles around, and only the valiant work of oil workers and volunteers building dikes by hand prevented the oil from contaminating Buena Vista Lake to the east, but most of the oil soaked into the sagebrush-studded soil or evaporated. And while 100 years later the area is still soaked with oil, the long-term environmental impact of the spill is generally considered minimal. So while the Lakeview Gusher was larger in volume than the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf spill was a far bigger environmental and economic disaster.

Hell-Heaven Essay Example

Hell Hell-Heaven Paper Hell-Heaven Paper Laura Anderson English 102-3 Dr. Spence September 14, 2011 Lost and Found Love They say it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. But, what about a love that one must hide and keep secret? Or what about a love that you didn’t even know was there? In â€Å"Hell-Heaven† by Jhumpa Lahiri, Boudi, a Bengali-American woman is trapped in a loveless marriage. She discovers the loyalty, comfort, and fondness that goes with growing old with another person. Through great friendship and bond, heartbreak and lost love, Boudi discovers that there is more than handholding and giddiness in a marriage. According to Usha, Boudi’s daughter and the narrarator of the story, there was not a lot of love between her parents. Their marriage was an arrangement made in order to keep their parents happy. They had nothing in common, no emotional bond, and were complete strangers before they were married. The only thing that Boudi was grateful for in their marriage was that she did not have to live in the country with her in-laws and their rules. While walking around the streets in Cambridge one afternoon Boudi is approached by a fellow Bengali, who was new to America. He was invited back home with Boudi and Usha to have a proper Bengali meal, and from then on he was a member of the family. Adopted into the family as an older brother-like to Boudi and an uncle to Usha, Pranab Kaku offers an emotional bond that is not seen nor felt from Boudi’s husband. Boudi and Pranab Kaku had many things in common, came from the same neighborhood in Calcutta, and had even shopped in the same local stores. Boudi began to look forward to his visits and would even change clothes, brush her hair, and make extra special meals. Often Pranab Kaku would take Usha and Boudi for rides and they would pack a picnic. They formed an emotional bond in which Boudi had never shared with another man before. These outings would be deemed inappropriate had Usha not been with, but it is clear that Boudi was in love with Pranab Kaku. Usha claims, â€Å"He wooed her as no other man had.. needing her†¦in a way my father never did. † (P. 642). Although Boudi never proclaims her love for Pranab Kaku until the end of the story, her love is evident when she has jealous tendencies when he starts bringing another woman around. Pranab Kaku starts bringing an American woman around and Boudi is very judgmental about her. She always insisted that the relationship was never going to last. She tells Usha, â€Å"In a few weeks, the fun will be over and she’ll leave him,† (P. 642). Boudi is very traditional in her Bengali ways, so while she knows she will never be with Pranab Kaku, she doesn’t want him ‘screwing’ up his life with an American woman. She would rather see him with a proper Bengali woman. Pranab seeks approval for his girlfriend, but Boudi does not voice her opinion, except to her friends right before the two of them get married, â€Å"She will leave him†¦He is throwing his life away† (P. 645). Pranab Kaku slowly drifts away after staring his own family. Boudi and her family get the occasional update until Debra (Pranab Kaku’s wife) calls and tells Boudi of a divorce, and Pranab Kaku’s unfaithful tendencies. It was then that Boudi has a realization of the love that her and her husband share. They had grown old together and when their house emptied and it was left to the two of them, their fondness of each other improved. They took care of each other when they were sick and had a mutual respect for each other. Boudi never had to worry about being taken care of or her family breaking up. She had eventually come to peace with broken heart after Pranab Kaku got married and found a new kind of love in her own marriage.

Exploring Prague 15 Top Things to Do and See

Exploring Prague 15 Top Things to Do and See SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips I didn’t have a specific reason to study abroad in Prague. I wasn’t studying Czech literature or language, and I didn’t have any ancestralconnection to the city. One thingmade mepack my bags and move to the Czech Republic: pictures of Prague, which revealed the most beautiful place I’d ever seen. Prague is inarguably one of the most picturesque and best-preserved cities in Europe. Founded in the late 9th century, it still has medieval lanes and architecture, along with a mixof art and architecturethat span the centuries. As I suspected, Prague turned out to be a place of pure aesthetic bliss. Duringmy four months there,my understanding deepened as I encountered darker parts of Prague'shistory, from the old Jewish ghetto toscars of the Holocaust and the Communist occupation from 1948 to 1989. Prague is a complex place, and there’s a ton to see, do, and learn withinits maze of cobblestoned streets. This guide will tell you the top 15things to do and see when you visit Prague to get a full sense of the Czech capital in its past and present. Top 15 Things to Do In Prague: Table of Contents Here's the full list of the top 15 places to see and things to do in Prague, Czech Republic. Click on each to go toit directly, or just scroll down for the full list! See the Astronomical Clock Climb the Bell Tower of Old Town Hall Explore Old Town Square Stroll Around the Novà ½ SvÄ›t District Walk Across the Charles Bridge Visit the Prague Castle TourJosefov, the Historic Jewish Ghetto Visit World-Class Museums See Bizarre Public Sculptures Experience the Nightlife Eat Czech Food Drink Czech Beer See Opera at the National Theater Climb Petrin Hill Take a Day Trip to Cesky Krumlov 1. See the Astronomical Clock One of the first things to see in Prague is its famous astronomical clock, the oldest one of its kind in the world. It was installed over 600 years ago, in 1410. The clock is mounted on Old Town Hall in Old Town Square, the central square of the historic district. The clock has several dials and arms, including one dial that shows the positions of the sun and the moon and another that points to the months of the year. There are several figures that move around the clock each hour. Twelve represent the apostles, and four symbolize Vanity, Greed, Lust, and Death. Death, a figure of a skeleton, rings the bell each hour, and the other figures shake their heads at him. The performance ends when the figure of a rooster crows. Around the turn of the hour, a crowd usually gathers around to see the figures move. Since the clock and square are favorite places to visit in Prague, this crowd canget big during tourist high season. The figures move every hour, so you can pretty much catch the show whenever. Even if you don't catch themoving figures, you'll enjoy seeing the beautiful astronomical clock. Where Is Prague’s Astronomical Clock? The astronomical clock is located on the side of Old Town Hall in Old Town Square. If you’re taking public transport, either the underground metro or the above-ground tram, then you should get off at the Staromestska stop. Metro: Line A to Staromestska Tram: Lines 17 or 18 to Staromestska. The figures move on the hour every hour from 9 AM to 9 PM. 2. Climb the Bell Tower of Old Town Hall After the rooster crows the end of the astronomical clock show, head to the 14th century bell tower of Old Town Hall. You can climb this 228-foot tower for gorgeous, 360 degree views of Prague. Climbing the bell tower was something I didn’t do until the end of my study abroad semester, and I wished I’d done it sooner. It’s a beautiful view over red roofs, spires, church domes, and the Vltava River that runs through the city. How to Visit You can climb the stairs up the bell tower or take the elevator, which is wheelchair accessible. The fee is about $5 for adults and $3 for children. By the way, the Czech Republic uses the Czech koruna (CZK). As I write right now, one US dollar equals 24 CZK. The tower is open from AM to 10 PM on Mondays and 9 AM to 10 PM Tuesday through Sunday. 3. Explore Old Town Square Prague largely escaped destruction during World War II, so a large part of its historic district dates all the way back to the 10th century! The historic core is now under protection as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The central nucleus - and where I was lucky enough to take classes on Czech theater and the literature of Franz Kafka - is the Old Town Square. It’s a big cobblestoned square lined by buildings that span the centuries, from Gothic to Baroque to Rococo architectural styles. The square was a market place place until the end of the 19th century, but now it’s filled with cafes, shops, galleries, restaurants, vendors, and street performers. It also hosts a magical Christmas fair in the winter that makes the entire square smell like cinnamon and sugar. Below are a few of the most notable buildings and statues in Prague’s Old Town Square. What to See in Prague’s Old Town Square After you’ve admired the 15th century astronomical clock, check out these buildings around the square, along with the large memorial in its center. Tyn Cathedral: On the opposite side of the square from the astronomical clock sits the imposing Tyn Cathedral. This Gothic cathedral has been Prague’s main church since the 14th century, and you can easily spot its 262-foot towers topped with black spires. The church contains the oldest pipe organ in the city, and it hosts Roman Catholic services and classical concerts. St Nicholas Church: This 1735 church with a white facade was built and decorated in the Baroque style. It actually didn’t touch Old Town Square until a house in front of it was knocked down in 1901. To find Tyn Cathedral, just look up. Kinsky Palace: This former palace, built in the mid-1700s, is now an art museum. Look for its Rococo-style pink and white exterior. House of the Stone Bell: This medieval house dates all the way back to the 1200s. The stone bell you’ll find inside is a replica of the one used in 1310 to signal the future king, John of Luxembourg, that he could come with his army and occupy the square. Jan Hus Memorial: This large monument was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of martyrdom of Jan Hus, a religious reformer and predecessor of Protestant movement. Hus suffered the medieval consequences of criticizing the Catholic Church when he was burned at the stake in 1415. This monument eventually became a symbol of dissidence duringthe Communist occupation. Sitting by the monument became a quiet way for Czech people to show resistance to Soviet rule. 4. Stroll Around the Novà ½ SvÄ›t District Old Town Square, while definitely worth the visit, can get crowded with tourists, especially in the summer months. If you’re looking to get off the beaten track, you should check out the quieter Novy Svet district of Prague. This â€Å"New World† neighborhood consists of just a few small streets that date back to the 14th century. Walking past the log cottages with thatched roofs feels like you’ve discovered a small village in the middle of a city. This area’s a great place to stroll or stop by the Novy Svet Cafe for delicious coffee without a wait. Where to Find the Novy Svet District The Novy Svet district is on the other side of the Vltava River from Old Town Square. It’s just down the hill from Prague Castle, so you could walk through here to get to or from the castle as an alternative to the primary, more crowded route. The best metro stop to get to Novy Svetis Malostransk. 5. Walk Across the Charles Bridge When I studied abroad in Prague, I took an art history and architecture class. Most days, we wandered around the city, admiring and learning about the structures that straddled the line between art and architecture. Charles Bridge is one such structure, a bridge from 1357 lined by 30 Baroque statues. All of the statues along this cobblestoned bridge over the Vltava are religious figures heavy with symbolism. Most of the statues you’ll see today are careful replicas. The originals are on display in the National Museum. As a top pick in most guide books for what to see in Prague, the bridge can get crowded with visitors, as well as vendors competing to sell food, portraits, and jewelry. If you want to beat the crowds and get away from the commercial aspect of Charles Bridge, you could wake up early and catch the sunrise over the river. If you don’t mind the early wake up call, strolling across the empty Charles Bridge through the mist of sunrise is an unforgettable experience of natural and urban beauty. Where Is Prague's Charles Bridge? You can approach the bridge from either side of the river. The closest metro and tram stop is Starometska, on the Old Town Square side of the Vltava. 6. Visit the Prague Castle Prague is pretty much in a category by itselfwhen it comes to medieval art and architecture, and its castle is just one more reason why. The Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle in Europe. It was founded all the way back in 880 AD. Building and renovations continued over the centuries, with one big project implemented by Emperor Charles IV in the 1300s. The palace complex covers over 18 acres and includes royal residences, gardens, and churches. Today, the complex includes the official residence and office of the president of the Czech Republic. There’s even a daily ceremony of the changing of the guards. What to See in Prague Castle Royal Palace: This Gothic palace dates back to the 14th century. One highlight is the huge Vladislav Hall, which was used for coronations, banquets, market, and even jousting tournaments (it’s that big). Leading up to the hall is the Riders’ Staircase, where knights could ride through on horseback. You should also check out the Observation Gallery, which has a great view over the gardens. St Vitus Cathedral: This huge cathedral contains the remains of the much celebrated 14th century emperor, Charles IV. It has an extremely detailed facade, tall spires, lots of religious statues, and gorgeous art nouveau stained glass windows. Inside, you can also see the silver tomb of St. John of Nepomuk. St George’s Basilica: This 10th century structure contains the tombs of several princes. Golden Lane: The Golden Lane is lined by small 16th century dwellings, originally built for servants and tradesmen. At one end sits the Daliborka Tower, which was once used as a prison. The famous Czech writer, Franz Kafka, lived at #22 Golden Lane for a few years. Royal Garden: These sprawling manicured gardens encircle the castle. They’re a beautiful place to spend an afternoon wandering past flowers, hedges, moats, grapevines, pavilions, and fountains. The primary Royal Garden was built in 1534. Castle Picture Gallery: This gallery contains over 4,000 works, including 100 paintings. It has an especially large collection of 17th century European Baroque art. Admission is free every Monday from 4 to 6 PM. Otherwise, tickets to the gallery are just $4.00. Visiting Hours and Fees You can buy tickets for most individual parts of the castle complex, but if you want to visit several parts of it, you should get a combined ticket. Because the Prague Castle is so big, the tickets are good for two days. The most comprehensive ticket is the Circuit A for about $14.50. It includes St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, an exhibition called the "The Story of Prague Castle," St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane with the Daliborka Tower, and Powder Tower. You can take $3 or $4 off if you skip the Powder Tower. From April to October, Prague Castle is open everyday from 6 AM to 10 PM, and the historical buildings are open from 9 AM to 5 PM. From November to March, the historical buildings close at 4 PM. How to Get There The Prague Castle is just about a 22-minute walk from Old Town Square. Keep in mind that most of this walk is uphill. If you do choose to walk, you’ll want to turn around to see the beautiful views over the river and Old Town. By public transportation, take the tram to one of these stops: Krlovskà ½ letohrdek, PraÃ… ¾skà ½ hrad, or PohoÃ…â„¢elec. You can also take the metro and get off at Malostransk or HradÄ ansk. 7. See Josefov, the Historic Jewish Ghetto Josefov is the Jewish quarter located between Old Town Square and the Vltava River. The area was once a walled ghetto where Jews were forced to live beginning in the 13th century. Much of the district was destroyed when Prague remodeled parts of the city between 1893 and 1913. Today, you can see six synagogues, as well as Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery. Visiting the cemetery especially can be an intense and difficult experience. Most of the Jewish population in Prague was forcibly relocated to concentration camps and murdered in 1941 by German occupiers and Czech Nazi collaborators. As of 2014, only about 3,900 Jewish people lived in the Czech Republic. There were over 356,000 in 1930. Historical Places in Josefov Pinkas Synagogue: This is the second oldest synagogue in Prague. Today, it’s a museum commemorating the thousands of Czech Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Spanish Synagogue: This synagogue was built in the Moorish revival style. Inside, you can find an exhibition about Jewish history in the Czech Republic Old New Synagogue: This is Europe’s oldest active synagogue. It was built in 1270. High Synagogue: This synagogue is actually excluded from tours, as it’s meant for local and foreign visitors who want to attend services and pray. It was built in the Renaissance style in 1568 and features impressive Gothic ribbed vaulting in the tall ceiling. The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague dates back to the 1400s. Old Jewish Cemetery: This is the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. It dates to the early 15th century and is now administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague. Since Jews were not able to get more space for the cemetery, the ground is uneven and higher than the surrounding streets. The Holocaust memorial in Berlin emulates the uneven ground of the Prague Cemetery. Franz Kafka’s Birthplace: Famous Czech writer Franz Kafka was born in the Jewish quarter on July 3, 1883 on the corner of Kaprova Street and Maiselova Street. His family lived here for a few years before moving to Wenceslas Square. Where to Find Josefov Josefov sits between Old Town and the Vltava River. You can click on the pins to find the specific addresses of the synagogues, museums, and Jewish cemetery. 8. Visit Museums Among the many Prague attractions are over 25 renowned museums with all sorts of collections. Some house great works of art, while others contain memorials to the victims of the Holocaust and Communist occupation. You can learn about technology, music, or the life and writings and Franz Kafka. For a lighter experience, you can go to museums of chocolate, toys, or traditional Bohemian puppet art. You can also find some oddones, like the Sex Machines Museum or the Museum of Historical Chamber Pots and Toilets. Below are some of my top picks for museums in Prague(plus one graffitied wall). Top Museums in Prague National Gallery in Prague: This gallery contains the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic. It’s actually housed in various buildings throughout the city. You’ll find major works by renowned European artists, as well as one of the largest collections by Czech artists, like Kupka, Benes, and Mucha. National Museum: If you’re looking to step away from art and check out natural history and other fields, then you should go to the National Museum. Like the National Gallery, the collections, which comprise over 14 million items, are housed in various buildings. Some of the main departments are prehistory, protohistory, botany, zoology, Czech history, ethnography, theater, anthropology, and paleontology. Jewish Museum in Prague: The Jewish Museum administers the exhibitions in the various synagogues and other buildings. Its collection of Jewish heritage contains over 40,000 objects and 100,000 books. Museum Kampa: This museum is located on an island in the Vltava and houses a large collection of European modern art. As you walk in, you’ll see Magdalena Jetelova’s famous sculpture of a chair. Check out the Museum of Communism to learn the REAL TRUTH about Russian nesting dolls. Museum of Communism: The Communists occupied the Czech Republic from the end of World War II until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. They arrested over 200,000 Czechs and killed hundreds that tried to flee. This museum shows the history of Communist rule through photos, films, sculptures, and propaganda from the era. Lennon Wall: Not a museum, but rather a wall where protesters of the Communist regime would paint pictures and words of peace, most of them Beatles, particularly John Lennon, inspired. In 2014, a group of art students painted white over the wall, leaving just the words, "Wall is over," which werelaterchanged to "War is over." New artwork and graffiti have since reappeared. Sex Machines Museum: This three-story museum has a collection of sex devices, some dating back to as early as the 16th century. According to its website, it has â€Å"an exposition of mechanical erotic appliances, the purpose of which is to bring pleasure and allow extraordinary and unusual positions during intercourse.† Where to Find Them Click on a pin for the specific address of each museum on the list above! 9. See Bizarre Public Sculptures Perhaps one thing that helped people get through dark times in their history was the so-called Czech sense of humor. Czech people have a reputation for beingsarcastic and controversial, and they like to make fun of their politicians. Nowhere does this stereotype appear to be more true than in the strange public statues around the city, most of them by the famous Czech sculptor, David Cerny. The rebellious Cerny first gained notoriety when he painted a Soviet tank pink and was briefly arrested. Below are six notable statues by Cerny around Prague, along with a seventh by Czech sculptor, Jaroslav Rona. Public Statues Around Prague Babies: This Cerny exhibition has 10 huge babies crawling up the side of the Zizkov TV Tower and around Kampa Park. Brown-nosers: Here, Cerny invites viewers to climb ladders and you through the backsides of two giant statues. When you look through, you’ll see video of an actor who looks like Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president from 2003 to 2013, eating baby food. Piss: This fountain features two male statues urinating toward each other. The streams spell out quotes from Czech literature. UnUtero: People can walk underneath and inside this statue of a huge silver pregnant woman. Hanging Man: This statue has moved around the world, and many people have mistaken it for someone jumping. It shows Sigmund Freud hanging by one hand from a beam coming off a roof. Franz Kafka Statue: This famous Kafka statue is not by Cerny, but by Jaroslav Rona. Unveiled in 2003, it shows a smaller man riding atop the shoulders of a larger headless man and is inspired by Kafka’s short story, â€Å"Description of a Struggle.† 10. Experience the Prague Nightlife While walking around the cobblestoned streets of Prague may transport you into the past, experiencing its bar and club scene will take you right past the now and into the future. Prague has such a big nightlife scene that it’s gathered a reputation as a party city. You can choose among pubs, bars, dance clubs, jazz bars, sports bars, breweries, beer gardens, rooftop terraces, and underground cave bars. Here are a few suggestions, but they’re really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Prague’s nightlife scene. Where to Go SaSaZu: This huge club hosts renowned DJs from all over the world and plays mainly house music. It opened in 2009 and can hold over 2,500 people. Duplex: Dance inside a glass cube at this rooftop nightclub while enjoying views over the city. Chapeau Rouge: This underground club has three levels, one with a bar and tables and two with DJs and dance floors. It’s located close to Old Town Square. Karlovy LznÄ›: This is the largest nightclub in Central Europe and has over five stories, each with its own dance floor and type of music, including hip hop, 80s, and trance. The interior has mosaics dating back to the 15th century. Karlovy Lazne is more popular with foreign visitors than locals. Retro: Go to Retro for electro-house music and a great light show. It can hold over 1,200 people. The crowd is generally a mix of Czech people and foreigners. Radost FX: Radost is on the smaller side and typically plays American hip hop. If you don’t feel like dancing, there’s a loungewith fuzzy couches to hang out in. To get a sense of what it looks like, check out Rihanna’s "Please Don’t Stop the Music" video. She shot it in Radost in 2007. Bunkr Parukarka: This underground club is located in a 1950s nuclear bunker. You’ll get electro-pop and industrial tracks from some of Prague’s top DJs. Zizkov: This last recommendation is not a club, but actually an entire neighborhood. Zizkov is a former industrial suburb with over 300 bars in just 2 square miles. It’s a super casual, somewhat gritty spot. You’ll see lots of dive bars and beer in plastic cups. Where to Find These Bars and Clubs Check out the Prague map for the locations and addresses of the bars and clubs listed above. . Eat Czech Cuisine While I was enamored with the city of Prague, I was less in love with itsfood. Traditional Czech food involves a lot of meat and starch, and I found it to be pretty heavy. There are plenty of more modern restaurants with great cuisine. I did love the desserts, especially the cinnamon-sugar pastries that were sold by street vendors in the winter. You should definitely try some traditional Czech foods to find your favorites. Below are some of the main ones. Traditional Czech Foods Knedlà ­ky, or dumplings: These dumplings are typically wheat or potato-based, steamed and sliced, and served on the side of meat. Roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut (or cabbage): This is the most typical Czech dish. Pork is the most common meat eaten in the Czech Republic. Koleno: pork knee marinated in beer and usually served with pickled vegetables and dark bread. Loupk: a sweet crescent-shaped roll covered in poppy seeds, usually eaten for breakfast. GulÃ… ¡, or goulash: another staple Czech dish (though originally from Hungary). Goulash is usually stewed beef in gravy served with dumplings. Trdelnà ­k is a rolled dough with cinnamon and sugar. Yum! Schnitzel: thinly sliced veal, pork, or chicken, covered in breadcrumbs and fried. Schnitzel is usually served with potato-based side dishes. PalaÄ inky: These are similar to French crepes, though they’re cooked with a different batter. They can be sweet or savory and are commonly sold at food markets. Trdelnà ­k: a rolled pastry wrapped around a stick and coated with cinnamon and sugar. These are popular at Christmas markets, where they’re heated up over an open flame. SmaÃ… ¾enà ½ Sà ½r: This is a deep-fried cheese, often sold by vendors at food markets. Below are a few recommendations for food markets. A couple are year-round, while othersjust pop up around the holidays. Farmer’s and Holiday Markets in Prague Havel’s Market (Havelske trziste): This permanent market is open everyday, year-round from 9 AM to 6 PM. Come here for fresh fruits and vegetables, food, flowers, crafts, toys, puppets, leather goods, and souvenirs. Address: Havelska Street, Prague 1 off Melantrichova, a pedestrian-only street between Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Naplavka Farmer’s Market: popular riverside Saturday market with fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese and meat stands, cooked food, beer and wine, and coffee. It’s open from 8 to 2 on Saturdays by the river bank close to the metro stop Palackà ©ho nmÄ›stà ­. Prague's Christmas markets are magical! Jirak Farmer’s Market: This market’s located around the Jiriho z Podebrad stop on the metro from Wednesday through Saturday. In addition to the usual fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses, you can find delicious breads and pastries. It’s open from 8 AM to 6 PM Wednesday through Friday and 8 AM to 2 PM on Saturday. Christmas Markets: the largest ones are located in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square and are pretty magical. You’ll find cinnamon-sugar pastries, roasted nuts, mulled wine, thick hot chocolate, and crackling meat turning over an open fire. Craft tents sell traditional handicrafts, wooden toys, tree ornaments, puppets, jewelry, and other great gifts. The Christmas markets are open everyday from early December to early January. Easter Markets: The best Easter markets, like the Christmas markets, are located in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. You can find lots of food and gifts among the brightly painted tents, along with activities for kids and people in traditional costume. The Easter markets are typically open for the first three weeks in April. 12. Drink Czech Beer While the Czech Republic may not have a reputation for the world’s best cuisine, it does have some of the best beer! Happily, it’s also some of the least expensive. You can find Czech-made beer (pivo) at all of the bars, pubs, and breweries. My favorite bars were the atmospheric underground cave bars with stone walls, candlelight, and wells that tunneleddeep into the ground. Czech Beer Brands The majority of Czech beers are light in color and served chilled. They’re brewed from hand-picked hops and have a transparent golden color and light taste. The most widely distributed brands are Pilsner Urquell (you can visit the brewery in the town of Plzen) and Budweiser Budvar. Other Czech brands are Bernard, Gambrinus, KruÃ… ¡ovice, Radegast, Starobrno, Staropramen, Svijany, and Velkopopovickà ½ Kozel. There are also microbreweries throughout the city. Below are a few recommendations for breweries and a beer museum. Where to Go for Beer: A Few Recommendations Zly Casy: This bar has 48 delicious beers on draft from small Czech breweries. Address: ÄÅ'estmà ­rova 390/5, 140 00 Prague. U Medvidku Beer Hall and Restaurant: This 550-year old beer hall is famous for its dark lager, X-Beer 33. X-Beer 33 is the strongest Czech beer at .8% alcohol content. Address: Na PerÃ… ¡tà ½nÄ› 7, Starà © MÄ›sto, 0 00, Prague. Prague Beer Museum: the Beer Museum has exhibits on the history of beer-brewing, plus over 31 beers on tap. Address: Na Perstyne 7, Pr 1, Prague. 13. See Opera at the National Theater Are you looking for a more glamorous experience out on the town? Prague is renowned as a center for opera, as well as ballet, music, and theater. Not only will you see great productions, but you’ll do so in the gorgeous National Theater, a 19th century neo-Renaissance building on the Vltava River and important cultural institution in the city of Prague. Ticket prices range from $15 to $50, and you can reserve them online on the National Theater’s website, as well as find the full schedule of productions. When I saw an opera here, there was a screen with English subtitles so I could follow the story. Where to Findthe National Theater The National Theater is located at Narodni 2 in Prague’s New Town. You can take the metro to Narodni trida on Line B or the tram to Narodni Divadlo, lines 6, 9, 17, 18, or 22. 14. Climb Petrin Hill If you’re craving greener spaces, head out of the main part of the city toward the 1000-foot tall Petrin Hill. A popular spot among locals, the park around Petrin Hill has landscaped gardens, a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower, a rose garden, and a Hall of Mirrors. You can climb the 299 steps of Prague’s mini Eiffel Tower for sweeping views over Prague. How to Getto Petrin Hill You can walk or take a funicular railway to Petrin Hill. The walk is just about 30 minutes, but it’s pretty steep. The railway leaves from Ujezd Street and goes up to Petrin Hill. This park is open from 10 AM to 8 PM, March to October and 10 AM to 6 PM, November to February. 15. Take a Day Trip to Cesky Krumlov While Prague has endless things to do and places to see, it’s also surrounded by incredible towns and sights. One awesome and popular day trip takes you south to Cesky Krumlov. Cesky Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s a picture perfect medieval Bohemian town. It has the same fairytale quality of Prague with even fewer signs of modern life. You’ll see a big castle, lots of puppet museums and shops, outdoor markets, and Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Does it sound like a small town version of Prague? That’s a pretty apt description, right down to the fact that it’s also situated around the Vltava River (just 100 miles south). How to Get to Cesky Krumlov If you’re renting a car, you can drive to Cesky Krumlov along route E55. The drive is about two hours and take you through forests, fields, and villages. The most popular way to get there is the bus. This direct, 3-hour bus ride drops you off at the bus station in Cesky Krumlov. From there, it’s just about a 10-minute walk to the center of town. Since the buses can fill up, you should make reservations in advance. The train is probably the least convenient option, since there aren’t any trains that go direct. You could travel between 2.5 and 3.5 hours to ÄÅ'eskà © BudÄ›jovice and then go another 45 minutes on a new train to Cesky Krumlov. The train station is about a 30-minute walk from the city center. So there you have it, the top 15 things to do in Prague. (I could add a 16th for any college undergrads - study abroad there!) In closing, let’s go over some final thoughts about what to do in Prague, the beautiful city in the heart of Bohemia. Historic Prague: Final Thoughts Prague is a paradise for anyone who likes to wander amid art and architecture from centuries past. As a well-preserved medieval city, Prague transports you back in time with its Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo buildings and sculptures. While it’s easy to fall under Prague’s magic spell, you’ll also find reminders of tragedies in its past. It’s important to acknowledge these realities while appreciating the resilience of the Czech people, who have a history of resistance through politics, theater, literature, music, and art. Prague is not all museums, cathedrals, and heavy history, though. It’s also a seriously fun city with world-renowned nightclubs and buzzing bar districts. When it comes to good party spots, I definitely trust Rihanna to know what’s up. Even if you’re not into dancing, you may appreciate the fact that cheap world-class beeris only ever a few steps away. I may not have known about all of Prague's attractions when I decided to study abroad here. Like I said, I was mostlymotivated by aesthetics. As I soon found out, though, Prague isindeed as beautiful as thepictures promised. Plus, the city hasso much more.

Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Occupy Wall Street Movement - Essay Example After that it spread to around hundred cities in the United States with actions all over the globe in and around 1500 cities. The movement is to fight back against the 1% richest in the country who are in the process of steering the rules of the economy and practicing them unfairly jeopardizing the lives of remaining 99% who are the common people (Occupy wallstreet, about) Protestor’s notion The slogan of the group is, â€Å"we are the 99 percent†. The remaining 1% is all the haves i.e., that is, the â€Å"banks, the mortgage industry, the insurance industry, etc.; and the 99 percent refers to the have-nots: that is, everyone else† (Occupy Movement Wall Street). This notion incorporated a rising sense of exploitation among the US nationals done by these 1 % haves over the 99% have-nots. The protestors stated that the common people cannot be simultaneously working and poor. The protestors were guided by some particular demands. They demanded free and fair election s. They also stated that money flowing from the corporate into the elections will be eliminated, there will be only public funding, and public election channel should be made the centers of debate and educational campaigns. After the elections there would be no financial gifting or gifting requirements for meeting privately with the selected officials. There should be properly operated televised public as well as transparent investigations regarding the financial meltdown, mortgage derivatives, and returns of the taxpayers. The protestors also demand of telecasted transparent investigations in the social security funding along with its background and allocation details. There should be also securing of low risk investment policies to the funds borrowed from the social security funds. Corporations are channelizing jobs at lower wage rates to the countries which lack basic human sustainability and the Americans are losing jobs continuously. The corporations are required to operate her e by providing the local nationals jobs (List of Goals for Occupy Wall Street). Reactions from opposing political parties There was initial hesitation regarding the spread of the movement from both the Democrats party and the Republicans. This can be thought of a natural response to any protests in its initial phase (Klein). The democrats and the occupy wall street movement pose similar concerns related to the economic inequalities. The democrats refused of engaging with their lot with the protesters of the movement confronting the police and the squats in the public encampments. The Democrats embraced the movement with spreading demonstrations across the country with the attainment of robust support from the progressive traditional institutions. The democratic leaders stated that the movement has many positive sides to it. The democrats supported the central message of the movement which aimed reflecting the large economic inequalities growing up in the country due to the greed of corporate. The democrats are quite enthusiastic about the movement and they believe that the sentiments are increasing in a rapid pace within the country. There were even more progressive democrats who showed more enthusiasm. Some of them stated that, â€Å"I’m so proud to see the Occupy Wall Street movement standing up to this rampant corporate greed and peacefully participating in our democracy†

Financial Management in Banks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Management in Banks - Essay Example It is said to be very essential because it decreases the chances of loss and enhances profit expectation. Like any other firm, the ultimate objective of banks and financial institutions is to maximize profit and shareholder wealth. Financial management plays an important role in achieving these goals in banks. The crucial aspects of financial management such as capital budgeting, investment appraisal, capital structure and risk management are some very important considerations in banking operations. Maximization of profit and shareholder wealth is only possible if banks perform its fundamental activities i.e. advancing loans and receiving deposits in a manner that can minimize the elements of risk. For this purpose, the use of financial management is very important in banks. The preceding paragraphs elaborate the use of financial management in banks for the maximization profit and shareholder wealth and the importance of risk management techniques in this regard. Financial management is considered to be very crucial when a bank undertakes a new project or investment. Investment and capital budgeting decisions in banks are taken on the basis of positive NPV criterion. It is because of the fact that it is consistent with the notion of shareholder wealth maximisation as a positive NPV means increase in the expected bank cash flows (Schroeck, 2002). Therefore, when decisions are taken on the basis of positive NPV, they are expected to enhance profit as well as shareholder wealth in the form of share price maximization. These new projects and investments have a great impact on bank cash flows, earnings and shareholder wealth. The use of financial management capital budgeting techniques help bank to stabilise their rate of return and minimise costs. Risk management is one of the most essential aspects of bank activities. Managing risk is important for the purpose of profit and shareholder wealth maximization. Banks confront with lending capacity restrictions and rising cost of acquiring new funds. This makes it crucial for banks to invest their funds in a prudent manner by employing various risk management techniques (Froot and Stein, 1995). Risk management helps a bank to reduce the volatility of its expected cash flows and earnings and thus increase the chances of profit and shareholder wealth maximization. It protects a bank's stock price to fluctuate in response to market uncertainties and stabilises return on equity. Risk management can also lead to reduction of cost of capital as it enables banks to proactively acquire enough funds to meet its future investment needs. Shareholder value is also protected as risk management techniques prevent fluctuations in the market value of banks (Schroeck, 2002). Increasing competition in banking sector due to ever increasing number of banks is also becoming the major source of risk. Banks remain ready to advance loans without extracting complete information on borrowers' capacity and credit rating. This leads to increase in bank's credit risk because most borrowers fail to pay off the loans they acquire (Marquez, 2002). The risk in the banking sector has increased a lot in the recent year. Many

Answer these two question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer these two question - Assignment Example When contrasted with expenses such as business space rent, operating an online shop can be more affordable. This assists small business vendors having no sufficient capital to rent prime space or hire employees to set up as well as operate business (Akhter,2009). Reach: having an online store enables one to do business worldwide provided s/he can communicate via email, as opposed to traditional commerce where one only deals with people who come to the physical store. This also facilitates other ways of marketing that can only be done online, which increases sales and customers (Akhter,2009). Return rates: In a conventional shop, the client purchases goods in person, in the process getting the opportunity to check the items, touch and try them effectively reducing the complaints and returned items. On the other hand, online shopping is characterized by high returns, because many clients order and try goods at home, they will return them if they do not meet their expectations (Akhter,2009). Over the years, the phrase â€Å"electronic commerce† has been changing. Initially,† electronic commerce† referred to the electronic facilitation of commercial transactions by use of technology such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) that was introduced in 1970s.The EDI facilitated electronic sending of commercial documents such as invoices and purchase orders. The second major development involved the activities more accurately referred to as â€Å"Web commerce†-which is the buying of services and goods over the World Wide Web through secure servers such as HTTPS which is a unique server protocol capable of encrypting confidential ordering data to protect customers (Akhter,2009). Whereas the Internet, in 1994, started to progress in popularity amongst the general public, it took around 4 years to come up with security protocols such as DSL and HTTP which facilitated quick access in

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case analysis - Assignment Example With time, the Enterprise devised other strategies that were more attractive to the customer than the competitors’ and that included the door-to-door and drop-off services. This was important in developing as well as improving relationships with the customers and taking reliability to another level. The service involved picking the customers from their homes and dropping them off and increased the company’s market share after establishment of the â€Å"We’ll Pick You Up† campaign. The company’s pre-established culture was also customer oriented through a founding value that viewed customer service as Enterprise’s way of life. Second, Enterprise had invested in training their employees to be customer oriented. When hiring employees, the company sought for employees with customer-specific characteristics that include customer service skills, flexibility, and good communication skills. Third, the company ensured that their customer experience was convenient mostly with respect to the cars and the reception that the customers received when they visited the company. The customer experience maintained three major aspects that they fulfilled in the best way possible that incorporated the cleanliness of the cars, the transaction speed, and the attitude as well as the helpfulness of the employees. Lastly, the company encouraged the customers to give feedback on the quality of the services they received. The company wanted to improve repeat purchase through feedback. For instance, the customers were asked if they were completely satisfied or just satisfied. Although the vast majority stated that they were completely satisfied, the company sought to resolve issues with the customers that were not completely satisfied by asking them whether they would accept a call from the branch manager. The Enterprise acquired several assets to enable itself in providing the best services. First, the company did not

Standards Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Standards - Research Paper Example There is an explosion in the number of people accessing the internet on their mobile devices. As a result, there is a need for protocols to ensure sufficient infrastructure to support their work. The working group is focused on the establishment of standards for mobile broadband access. The IEEE 802 standard is made up of a family of networking standards that range from the Ethernet to wireless systems (Beylot & Labiod, 2013). The standards cover all their physical specifications. The IEEE is divided into 22 unique parts. The importance of the standards in a digital era cannot be stated in an effective manner. As human beings connect computers to networks, it is clear that they need a set of rules that will determine how data will move through the different networks. Furthermore, the IEEE standards have bestowed immense benefits on the consumer. The benefits include interoperability. The term denotes ability of computer users to use the different networks at their disposal without undermining the flow of data packets. Secondly, the standards result in low product costs. The feature saves the user a lot of money that they would have otherwise spent buying items that fit all the different network needs. Thirdly, the standards are easy to manage. Protocols are needed to determine the movement of data across different networks. Computer users are lucky that their options are limited to a few effective standards (Kuo & Zhu, 2012). There are three common standards including ISO, ANSI and IEEE. The three standards play an important role in the information and communication sector. However, it is important to determine the standard with the most impact. The International Standards Organization is the largest and most effective developer of standards that have a global impact. In addition, it is responsible for publishing them. The importance of ISO lies in the fact that it makes it possible for the developers to create products that would address international

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case analysis - Assignment Example With time, the Enterprise devised other strategies that were more attractive to the customer than the competitors’ and that included the door-to-door and drop-off services. This was important in developing as well as improving relationships with the customers and taking reliability to another level. The service involved picking the customers from their homes and dropping them off and increased the company’s market share after establishment of the â€Å"We’ll Pick You Up† campaign. The company’s pre-established culture was also customer oriented through a founding value that viewed customer service as Enterprise’s way of life. Second, Enterprise had invested in training their employees to be customer oriented. When hiring employees, the company sought for employees with customer-specific characteristics that include customer service skills, flexibility, and good communication skills. Third, the company ensured that their customer experience was convenient mostly with respect to the cars and the reception that the customers received when they visited the company. The customer experience maintained three major aspects that they fulfilled in the best way possible that incorporated the cleanliness of the cars, the transaction speed, and the attitude as well as the helpfulness of the employees. Lastly, the company encouraged the customers to give feedback on the quality of the services they received. The company wanted to improve repeat purchase through feedback. For instance, the customers were asked if they were completely satisfied or just satisfied. Although the vast majority stated that they were completely satisfied, the company sought to resolve issues with the customers that were not completely satisfied by asking them whether they would accept a call from the branch manager. The Enterprise acquired several assets to enable itself in providing the best services. First, the company did not

Concept Analysis Paper on Nursing Advocacy Essay

Concept Analysis Paper on Nursing Advocacy - Essay Example Historically, patient advocacy has been a moral obligation for nurses. During recent years, nursing literature has been focused on the advocacy role and nursing professions has adopted the term 'patient advocacy' to denote an ideal of the practice. Nurses assume that they have an ethical obligation to advocate for their patients. They also frequently describe their judgments and actions on behalf of a patient as "being a patient advocate. An examination of advocacy in the nursing literature reflects broad and at times different perspectives. Advocacy has been described in ethical and legal frameworks and, more recently, as a philosophical foundation for practice. It has also been described in terms of specific actions such as helping the patient to obtain needed healthcare, assuring quality of care, defending the patient's rights, and serving as a liaison between the patient and the health care system. Although multiple factors influence the need for advocacy, it is generally true that someone in the healthcare environment must assume the role of client advocate, particularly for the client whose self-advocacy is impaired. Generally, advocacy aims to promote or reinforce a change in one's life or environment, in program or service, and in policy or legislation. In healthcare delivery, these activities focus on health conditions, healthcare resources, and the needs of patients and the public. When nurses advocate for patients, they face certain risks and obstacles associated with the settings within which they work. Therefore, there is always the possibility that attempts to advocate for a patient can fail, and that nurses can experience many barriers when addressing the rights, choices, or welfare of their patients (Negarandeh 2006). The term "advocacy" has been used in nursing literature to denote a variety of nursing roles, each derived from a specific set of beliefs and values. The changing forms of advocacy may actually reflect the metamorphosis of nursing from the role of loyal, subservient handmaiden to autonomous health care provider. Strong yet diverse feelings regarding the appropriateness of nurses to be advocates are evident in the nursing literature and may stem from the use of one word label, "advocate," to represent several related and sometimes conflicting concepts. These concepts are defined as follows: beneficence-the principle of doing good; nonmaleficence-the principle of do ing no harm; unitary-transformative paradigm-a perspective that views human beings as unitary, self-organizing energy fields interacting with a larger environmental energy field; and utilitarianism-an ethical doctrine in which actions are focused on accomplishing the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Simplistic advocacy Mitty (1991) defined an advocate as one "who pleads the cause of another. She asserted that this role is implicit in the social contract between society and a profession such as nursing. She noted that although advocacy may occur at the individual or sociopolitical level, the underlying ethics guiding it varies from nurse to nurse. Ethics of justice might lead one nurse to advocate for a client's right to certain health care procedures, for example, whereas a nurse guided by an ethics of utilitarianism

Statement on Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Statement on Corporate Social Responsibility Essay What is CSR? Corporate social responsibility is a diverse term utilized by current business activists in order to define the relation of employers with other colleagues, with society and with the core activities of the organization that can benefice people and society in one way or other. Fundamentally, Corporate Social Responsibility has been illustrated as a commitment which organizations do with society in order to develop the region economically in which it used to do its core business activities. (Idowu, Filho, 2009) Today, no business can touch the apex of success until it develops proper CSR and ethical strategy. Hence, ethics and CSR has closed relation since both of these components involve human resource and their attitude towards society and other factors. CSR and Ethics: Ethics is regarded particular way of behavior of an individual towards society or some other individuals. Similarly, Business ethics indicate the attitude of an organization towards business and social matters. It is especially concerned with the issues related to ethical and moral values of that particular organization. (Chryssides, Kaler, 1993) Hence, it can be stated that business ethics is something related to the situation, decision and activities which the organization management take while keeping the ethical values under consideration, contemplating these aspects from the perspective of right and wrong. Ethics and CSR have strong interrelationship with each other since without complying with ethical codes, no organization or individual can come up with the standards of corporate social responsibility. Hence, today, for the success of an organization, it is mandatory to develop effective CSR policy and for that purpose, it needs to develop an authentic ethical policy as well. Keeping all these factors under consideration, the elements of CSR and ethics can be categorized in two different parts. Personal ethics: From business perspective, Personal ethics is related to the ethics of individuals working within an organization. For conducting corporate social responsibility, an individual has to comply with different aspects related to personal ethics. For instance, there must be strong adherence of values, contribution towards environmental sustainability, effective corporate principles to follow and experience in dealing with customers, suppliers and other components of the society as well. Organizational ethics: Organizational ethics is related to the values and principles which have been founded on the basis of right and wrong. Like individual, who has responsibility towards organization, colleague and society, organization also has responsibilities towards employers, society, customers and stakeholders. For this purpose, the organization has to develop authentic values, standards, code of ethics and guidance. No business can gain successful position without employing effective CSR policy and keeping this thing under consideration, all big, Small and medium organizations have employed CSR policies in order to make their business processes effective. HSBC Saudi Arabia: A well known organization of Saudi Arabia working with the motto â€Å"putting your needs first†, HSBC has been considered as one of the best examples in this regard. (http://www.hsbcsaudi.com/home/home_en.shtml) The example can be taken from the HSBC report (2004) in which four different trends have been promulgated including maintenance of environment, sustainable development, satisfaction of the employer and setting up new goals, visions and agendas. Similarly, three different CSR themes had been discussed including standardized ethical implication surety, poverty decrement and creating fair social scenarios. Hence, it can be considered the best example for illustrating significance of employing CSR policy in today’s business horizon. CSR And Marriott Hotel in developed and underdeveloped country: Marriot has been regarded number one hotel in UK in 2012 and the reason behind this award is the CSR policy which this organization has employed in order to get this position and come up with social requirement in develop countries like England. Hence, it has been reported in 2011 environmental report that Marriott has been assuming FTSE policies of human rights, labor standards and anti-corruption in order to make its global economic CSR policy more effective and compatible for international markets as well. (http://www.marriott.com/corporate-social responsibility/corporate-responsibility-awards.mi) However, if the analysis of Marriot hotel Pakistan is done, it would appear that the CSR policy adopted by regional management of this country is not as much effective as the other one is. This might be due to the difference in regional culture and customer demands as well. However, this branch can also maximize the profit if it will employ effective CSR policy basing it on ethical values. References: Accomplishments. Corporate Social Responsibility Awards for Marriott Hotels. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. . Chryssides, G. D. Kaler J.H. (1993). An Introduction to Business Ethics. London: Chapman Hall. HSBC, . ., 2011. HSBC Saudi Arabia Limited. [Online] Available at: http://www.hsbcsaudi.com/home/home_en.shtml [Accessed 18 November, 2011]. Idowu, Samuel O., and Filho Walter. Leal. Professionals Perspectives of Corporate Social Responsibility. Heidelberg: Springer, 2009. HSBC . 2004. Corporate Social Responsibility. Saudi Arabia. 21 – 22 June 2004, HSBC : Qatar.

Sustainability Policy of the Chambers Institute

Sustainability Policy of the Chambers Institute The objective of this Policy is to outline the Institutes commitment to incorporate sustainability principles into its major functional areas i.e. teaching, research, operations and community engagement. A sustainable thriving environment on premises and in local communities. To support students, staff, stakeholders, administration to use resources more sustainably and to take practical action on climate change. This Policy applies to all staff members, students and members engaged in institutions activities or activities closely related to the institution and provides a common framework for sustainable practices and activities at Chambers Institute and all major function areas for which this policy is intended for. Chambers Institute aims to: minimize the effect of its operations and move towards reestablishing ecological balance add to human wellbeing and prosperity advance social equity, value and assorted qualities Sustainability also known as sustainable development, is defines as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environments ability to meet present and future needs. (UN Documents, 1987). The Institutes Sustainability Policy is based upon the principles outlined as follows: Participation Communication The Institution involves students, staff and community in decision making process related to sustainability. All sorts of thoughts and expressions are welcome and will be taken under consideration. Integration Long-term economic, social and environmental considerations are integrated into the Institutes strategic decision-making processes to improve Sustainability outcomes. Shared Responsibility All members of the Institution i.e. students, staff and people related to institution shares responsibility for the Instructions Sustainability performance. Global Perspective Chambers Institute makes sure that its activities have an influence beyond the boundaries due to its close ties to the local global communities. Precautionary Principle Lack of understating will not be used to justify postponement of any precautionary measure to prevent any risk of irreversible environmental and social damage. Continuous Improvement The Institutions makes consistent change in Sustainability execution regarding ecological integrity, financial viability, social value and diversity. Leading for Improvement Drive-in, endorse and advance sustainability into learning, teaching, operation and community engagement techniques and exercises. Managing Intrinsic Impacts Reduce consumption of energy, water and consumables, reduce waste to landfill and improve our recycling system, record energy usage and keep track of annual estimate of carbon emissions, recycling of paper, cardboard and printer cartridges, promoting use of tele and video conferencing as a preference to travel and incorporate sustainability measures into relevant business decisions. Managing Operational Impacts Improve energy efficiency and reduce overall energy use, increase use of sustainable transport to and from institution, improve water efficiency in day to day operation and reduce overall water usage, improve environmental and health outcomes. The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for the effective implementation and coordination of this policy with the help of the Administration and other coordinating committee. Vice-Chancellor will direct initiatives to Develop and effectively implement a sustainability strategy. Ensure that the policy and strategy complies with all local national laws and regulations. Make consistent improvement in execution to maximize social good and ecological integrity while minimizing any adverse impact. Promote and embed principles of sustainability into academic programs, teaching practice. Monitor and evaluate performance on regular basis to keep a check on how well we are doing and if there is any scope of improvement. Make sure all members including students, staff, independent contractors and people related to the intuition complies with the policy outlined. National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 An Act to provide for the reporting and dissemination of information related to greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas projects, energy production and energy consumption, and for other purposes. (Australian Government, 2007) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Governments central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places defined in the EPBC Act as matters of national environmental significance. (Australian Government, 1999) Sustainability Victoria Act 2005 Sustainability Victoria is a Victorian government statutory authority delivering programs on integrated waste management and resource efficiency. Established under the Sustainability Victoria Act 2005, SVs board is appointed by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. (www.legislation.vic.gov.au, 2005) National Construction Code The NCC is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments developed to incorporate all on-site building and plumbing requirements into a single code. The NCC sets the minimum requirements for the design, construction and performance of buildings throughout Australia. (Australian Building Codes Board, n.d.) References   Australian Building Codes Board. (n.d.). NCC Suite. Retrieved from Australian Building Codes Board: http://www.abcb.gov.au/Resources/NCC Australian Government. (1999). Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Retrieved from Federal Register of Legislation: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A00485 Australian Government. (2007). National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. Retrieved from Fedral Register of Legislation: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2007A00175 UN Documents. (1987). Our Common Future, Chapter 2: Towards Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net: http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf www.legislation.vic.gov.au. (2005). Sustainability Victoria Act 2005 . Retrieved from Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents: http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/LTObjSt4.nsf/DDE300B846EED9C7CA257616000A3571/E5BE74E39849EB1CCA25776100328F4F/$FILE/05-65a003.pdf