Strategy and change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy and change management - Essay Example Therefore, several leading airlines have decided to merge with each other in order to reduce several business threats. Delta Airlines, Inc. and Northwest Airline Corp. in 2008 have proclaimed that they are going to merge with each other in order to create world’s largest airline named Delta. . Due to merger, the flexibility to acclimatize to the economic challenges of Delta has increased. After the merger, Northwest Airline is the completely owned subsidiary of Delta. According to the market characteristic theory of low-cost airlines, it is feasible that low-cost airlines usually compete in such a market where the traveller density is high enough to develop the competitive advantages by offering rapid-return and time to time services. Lower fares usually results from the economies of traffic density. This type of economies of scale is one of the key features in the airline network model. Such strategic actions also bring certain non-price benefits also. Current trends towards the product differentiation seem to be one of the elements of competition. Due to such strategic actions the airline companies have increased incentive to correspond and improve customer service quality. Due to the economic down turn the company along with the whole airlines companies in Europe and America went through a tough phase. The competition has been intense regarding fares, services and routes. Also the company indulged in to a legal battle with the union airlines. A problem faced by the company has been the over dependence on the North-American market Merger and acquisition in airline industry is one of the interesting topics within the industry. The airline industry has experienced high disorder due to high operational cost and increasing price of petrol (Hackbarth and Miao, 2007, p.33). The study will reveal the effect of merger on the business performance of two leading airlines

Analysis of Saudi Arabias Restaurant Industry

Analysis of Saudi Arabias Restaurant Industry Introduction: In this paper we will discuss the restaurant Industry in Saudi Arabia which is growing faster than anywhere else in the region; it is growing at a pace that is exceeding its infrastructure wwith different range of prices and classes, starting form as low as $1.00 USD and going up to $75.00 USD if youre into fancy restaurants  [1]  . The restaurant industry is very divers and large including: cafes/bars, full-service restaurants, fast food, home delivery and street stalls, all types of restaurants have a wide range of food specialization from ethnic, international, and local. There are also three main types of investors: independent owners, international franchise, and local restaurant chains. A restaurant chain is a set of related restaurants, typically with the same name in many different locations either under shared corporate ownership e.g. Al-Baik and Herfy. Typically, the restaurants within a chain are built to a standard format and offer a standard menu. A franchise is a right granted to an individual or group to market a companys goods or services within a certain territory or location. Some examples of todays popular franchises in Saudi Arabia are McDonalds, Subway, and Dominos Pizza. In order to analyze the attractiveness of the restaurant Industry in Saudi Arabia we will employ three different analytical tools, Porter five forces, assessment of the macro market environment known as (PESTLE Analysis), and SWOT analysis. Based on our analysis we will offer an advice to any new firm considering entering the restaurant industry in Saudi Arabia. PESTLE Analysis The effect of the Saudi politics on the restaurant industry Saudi Arabia is ruled by the family of Al Saud who since the establishment of their kingdom declared that it is ruled by the Islamic law. The Al Saud family also affirmed that they are committed to supporting the economic growth and be part of the developed nations. This goal is very challenging to achieve because fundamentalist Muslims refuse the idea of globalization, this lay a moderate political risk on the regime. On the other hand, this political situation affects the restaurant industry positively because the restaurant industry remains the major uncontested method of entertainment among Saudis. Particularly, by law, all restaurants are required to have single-males section separated from the family section to adhere to the tradition and religious requirements. Moreover, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is perceived as the leader of the Muslim world, because it is the home town of Makah; which Muslims from all over the world must visit at least once in their life time to complete the fifth pillar of their religion. This makes Saudi Arabia suffers from a tension in its international relationships mainly after the event of 911 because some of the western countries are holding the kingdom partially responsible for 9/11. This political situation is one of the main strength of the restaurant industry in Saudi; with no cinemas or night clubs, eating out becomes the main source of entertainment for most of the population. There is an appetite for new restaurants that exceeds any other region in the world  [2]  . The effect of the Saudi law and Regulation on the restaurant industry The recent ruler of the Saudi Arabia, king Abdullah, is respected internally and internationally for his efforts to fight terrorism and his large amount of public spending on reform plans have helped the country to overcome  [3]  most of its economic obstacles. The kingdoms major step toward reform was the application for membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and making consistent legal changes to meet with its requirements, but still there is mistrust from the Privet sectors toward the government, because of the unnecessary bureaucratic practices and inappropriate regulations that are seen as burdensome for the competitive market. Some areas are over regulated while others are under regulated. It takes almost six months to register a company, and the company must give a proof that it has substantial sum of money to invest, not less than $10,000. However, the regulatory changes made in recent years appear to have been of most beneficiaries to those Saudi companies which are seeking to expand through alliances with foreign investors  [4]  . Nevertheless, the law requires foreign investors to have a Saudi partner and the Saudi partner, individual or company, will have the majority of control over the business. Over all, the legal process is very complex and financially risky whether you are opening a small business or a major enterprise. The government should amend these processes to encourage foreign investments. The effects of Saudi economic on the restaurant industry The Kingdom is experiencing accelerated growth due to recent oil price spikes. The positive effect has been a rise in per capita GDP from approximately $8100 (1999) to $9575, or 18%, by 2005. Combine this with the fact that the Kingdom has one of the worlds fastest growing populations (3.5% per year) and you are faced with an expanding market with good disposable income levels. AC Nielsen research reports that the Saudi economy is expected to grow 8.7% this year, mainly fuelled by the high oil prices as well as strong private sector growth  [5]  Saudi remains the largest market in the entire Gulf. Many view Dubai as the showcase but Saudi proves to be the sales room and cash generator. Due to fact that Saudi Arabia is a third world country, it depends on imported goods and technology, the government commitments to the economic expansion creates job opportunities for professional trained foreigners and depend on them to fulfill the countrys ambitious development strategies. According to HSBC Bank Saudi Arabia is classified as the second in the wealth of professional trained foreigners. Saudi Arabia is ranked twenty two among other countries in the tourism sector. Moreover, Saudi Arabia hosts over five million pilgrims yearly from all over the world coming for Hajj and Ummrah. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which all Muslims must perform at least once in their life time. The restaurant industry is one of the major Beneficiaries from such advantage. Therefore, the government has been actively considering to expand what is believed to be billions of dollars worth of income in the tourism sector by attracting international tourists to the Kingdoms historic sites, in the mid-2008, a package of new relaxed visa rules were released allowing many groups from Europe to visit the Kingdom with a group tourist visa, which years before was unheard of. This policy has created a new segment for the Saudi restaurant industry. Also, the large number of foreigners, coming as workers or as tourist and pilgrims, with their ethnic background are considered the back bone for the restaurant industry. The effect the social characteristics on the restaurant industry Tradition and religion encourage Muslims to be hospitable and sociable. Inviting guests and friends to banquet in their home is the norm in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia Segregation between opposite gender exist in most sectors of public eservices, schools, universities, banks, this segregation unlocked job opportunities for large number of Saudi females. In the last few years it became easier to entertain guests and family to a restaurant for the busy working females or even have the restaurant food and staff to entertain them at home. Dining out became a habit among all social classes in the Kingdom with the lack of other entertainment venues due to religious issues. Therefore the trend of eating out is constantly growing among them.  [6]   This social characteristic will have a blooming and flourishing effect on the restaurant industry in Saudi Arabia where the main entertainment is going out restaurant. Perhaps the most pronounced feature of the demography is its young population where more the 59% are under 24 years of age. And part of the Saudi government or reform is to develop its workforce; to achieve this goal the government sends over one hundred thousand young students to peruse their higher education in highly developed countries every year. These large numbers of young people live abroad for almost five to seven years comes back with food and restaurant likes that they adopted during their scholarship.  [7]  This opened the door widely for international franchise in Saudi Arabia Some of the franchises that are currently present in Saudi Arabia, McDonalds, Hardees, Burger King, Popeye, Chilies, TGI, Fuddruckers, Pizza Hut among many others and are very popular among this young population along with foreign workforce, tourist, and pilgrims. The effect of technology and the environment of the restaurant industry The last of the two macro marketing environment forces are the technological and the environmental: In Saudi Arabia Technology in the restaurant industry is not limited to basic kitchen appliances and tools. However, one may not expect some complex equipments are used in the restaurant industry. Many restaurants are leading the way in regards to credit card processing and point-of-sale technologies, introducing new ways to serve their customers and increase the overall convenience of the dining experience. Of course, restaurants chains and franchise are the main benefactors of this development in communication  [8]   In Saudi Arabia there is no significant awareness from the government or most of the population to the environmental issues. All the restaurants that uses recycle paper or green energy are mostly international franchise applying their Owen corporate policy as part of their responsibility Porters 5 Forces Analysis Threat of New Entrants. The restaurant industry is the easiest to enter basically anyone who can cook, with the minimize capital amount can enter the business. Barriers to enter this industry are mainly in the bureaucratic regulation that might take time but this is not considered a serious barrier. Power of Suppliers. While there are plenty of food supplies, but they depend on imported material because Saudi Arabia is not an agricultural country. The import of food and foodstuffs are estimated to exceed $7 billion annually and the Kingdom remains the leading market in the region. Except for date and milk all other raw materials are imported. There are big numbers of suppliers and prices are controlled by the government. Only international food chains franchise might be obliged to buy its raw material from a certain supplier. Power of Buyers. The balance of power is shifting toward buyers. With so many restaurants the competition is very high. Buyers are always looking for the best quality and price. Going to restaurant is not an essential; people are always ready to try something new. With Variety of products to choose from, local, ethnic, and western couple with intense competition lead buyers seeks lower prices and better services. Disposable income levels and an expanding shopping mall culture are assisting this growth Availability of Substitutes. Substitutes for the restaurant industry in general include alternative form of entertainment like cinemas or night club. The available entertainment substitute is the shopping malls, where people will go shopping, or window shopping. Most fast food chains are showing positive growth and are ever present in all the new shopping malls Competitive Rivalry. Even though there are no figures revealing the size of this lucrative market, a high industry growth rate is intensifying the competitive rivalry the presence of so many available substitutes are a particularly challenging situation for some firms SWOT: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats The Saudi restaurant industry is weak in economies of scale and labor productivity. Its strength is the ability to attract huge capital and labor with it openness to the world market. The restaurant industry is showing significant growth, on the other hand, this open market has intensified an open competition. The diversified culture of Saudi Arabia is the key to exploit Economies of scope. Also, exploiting the economies of scale is also an opportunity. The consumer preference for differentiated and healthy products is also another opportunity to exploit in enhancing the economies of scope. Although, the anticipated low population growth in the future could be a major threat as it would decrease the quantity of demand coupled with the increase in the retail chain the significant increase in small households and working women will create new opportunities for the restaurant industry. Conclusion and recommendation: In this assignment we carried out an analysis of the restaurant industry competitiveness in Saudi Arabia by employing three different analytical tools, PESTLE Analysis, Porter Five Forces, and SWOT Analysis. Based on our analysis we concluded with the following findings and advices to any new firm considering entering the restaurant industry in Saudi Arabia. The strength of the restaurant industry lies on its ability to attract huge capital and labor with it openness to the world market. The restaurant industry is showing significant growth faster than anywhere in the world. Many factors have contributed to this fast growth as such as the political, economical, and low labor market and other socio-cultural factors. The economical and political outlook for restaurant industry in Saudi Arabia is very encouraging, government shows commitment and support to economic growth which is reflected in its double-digit increase in government expenditures on many aspects that are related to the restaurant business. Furthermore, currently, the government economic plan emphasizes the strengthening the growing private sector business opportunities with focus on increasing the national and foreign investments as public spending has increased by 15.8% the government has increased the budget for new projects by 36%. One of the most promising aspects for the restaurant industry is the social changes in Saudi Arabia. For example, the role of females in the social and economic life is dramatically changing as women are now allowed to enter the work force and have huge impact on the purchasing power and certainly a change in womens lifestyle that is favorable to the restaurant industry. On the other hand, the legal process in Saudi is very complex and financially risky whether you are opening a small business or a major enterprise. The government should amend these processes to encourage further foreign investments. Also, the Saudi restaurant industry is weak in economies of scale and labor productivity. Based on the above findings, we strongly recommend and encourage any firm to enter the Saudi market keeping in mind the following points: The restaurant industry is highly competitive in terms of price, service, location, and food quality and is affected by changes in consumer trends, economic conditions, demographics, traffic patterns, and concerns about the nutritional content of foods. shifting dietary preferences among consumers in favor of alternative foods can open the doors for niche market The growth of the restaurant industry is expected to generally stay the same over the next few years and it can be considered a blue ocean. The restaurant industry is affected greatly by globalization and it will continue to be.

Impressions of My Antonia :: My Antonia Essays

Impressions of My Antonia My Antonia has been called nostalgic and elegiac because it celebrates the past. The inscription on the title page of My Antonia is a quotation from Virgil: "Optima dies... prima fugit." This sentence, meaning "the best days are first to flee", helps incorporate all the elements of the novel I would like to discuss. It not only makes clear that Willa Cather will deal with memories of a glorious past, but also allows suitable basis to show how nature can change and affect a relationship. It also hints at the Hellenic, to a large extent pastoral tone the novel will be set in. A pastoral work retreats to an ideal rural setting. Jim Burden not only goes back to the prairie, but more importantly, he retreats to the innocent days of his very first memories. While this reflects on the focus of the paper, I will use two characters, Jim and Antonia, to illustrate these issues, and show why they make this book such a delightful work of art. My Antonia is told from the point of view of Willa Cather's fictional friend, Jim Burden. He writes in the first person, and his use of the pronoun "I" makes you feel his personal involvement. The point of view is immediate and subjective. Looking back on his memories, he knows what is eventually going to happen to the characters. He persuades you to sympathize with all of them. His perception, being broad and persuasive, sets the tone for the whole book. What is the purpose of having the story told by Jim Burden thirty years later? From that perspective he can present with great clarity and tenderness the highlights of his memories. A man of the world, he is reinvestigating his values. Jim Burden sets down everything the name of Antonia brings back to him. Antonia represents to him the most fundamental, traditional way to lead one's life, including the virtues of hard work, charity, love, optimism, pride, and sympathy with nature. The prairie makes one think of the forces of nature--immense, cyclical, and unpredictable. When Jim Burden arrives on his grandparents' farms, he is awed by the sight of "nothing but land." His parents are both

Financial Forecasting CheckPoint Essay

The reason type of companies such as brand new companies, family-owned companies, and long-standing companies would need a financial forecast is to develop projected financial statements; a series of pro forma. The information developed by a series of pro forma provide a sort of estimate on inventory, payables, receivables as well as what would be required for profit and borrowing. A projected financial statement provides a kind of advantage in any of the companies listed above as it gives the firm an insight on operations. A pro forma would help guide companies in deciding how to best operate and succeed. When starting a brand new company a financial forecast is essential. A financial forecast would help a brand new company decide on how much inventory would be needed, cost of start up and production, and how much capital is needed. Obtaining a financial forecast would also help guide a brand new company on how much profit the company can make, whether a bank loan would be needed to start up and how many individuals can be hired. Family-owned companies need financial forecast just as much as a brand new company. A family-owned company would need a financial forecast for obtaining information from the simplest of things like how much inventory is in stock, profit sharing, expected expenses and profit for the future. A family-owned company would need a financial forecast to also make good decisions on continuing a successful business, which department needs revamped or tweaked. It is essential for a family-owned company to obtain a financial forecast to also estimate whether sales income would be enough to cover expenses and whether cutbacks need to be made.

Relaxing on the Beach

Relaxing On the Beach Everyone goes through stress at some point in his or her lifetime. Coming from Basic Military Training was no deferent. Consistently getting yelled at, even for doing the right thing, being in top notch physical shape by running five miles a day or paying attention to detail by removing one tiny microscopic string from one's uniform stress will eventually add up. While we all go through stress, we all need to deal with stress and relax in our own ways.The white sandy beach right off base is so calming and peaceful I can sit and relax with friends while letting my mind wonder and simply leaving the â€Å"real world† behind for the day. After being pummel by spit for eight and a half weeks In San Antonio, Texas. All I want to do is be on the white sandy beach of Billow, Mississippi, relaxing in the hot sun. Grabbing my six string. Few buddies, and other beach essentials I headed out the door in a flash.Walking outside to the beach I couldn't help but notice the white ND puffy cuneiform clouds in the sky telling me this was going to be a good day. We could hear kids laughing, sea gulls chirping, and waves crashing in the distant but Just couldn't tell how much further our trek had to go. Feeling like a camel walking across the Sarah Desert, we finally saw it, the big blue ocean only to be seen in travel magazines. A sea breeze hit our face making us feel and smell the freedom In the air.Immediately arriving on the white soft sandy beach, our sandals came off and we let our feet feel the sand between our toes. Walking down the beachfront we saw a rainbow of tent tops and with little kids laughing and giggling made music to my ears. Finally arriving at an empty spot we opened up the cooler and had our thirst quenched by ice-cold lemonade. We began laughing and telling jokes trying to soak up the sun's radiation to give us a golden bronze tan. Soon after being in the hot son we began lathering on suntan lotion, which gave off the aroma of summer, was finally here.After a while we all decided to take a nap and let our minds wander where they ay. Lying on the hot summer sand and listening to the sounds of summer, all of the stress has been slowly lifted off my shoulders, almost feeling weightless. We had no shoes, no shirts, and no problems. Eventually, the perfect day had to come to an end. Sitting down watching the waves slowly crash against the shore we listened to the six string guitar play a little melody that made one remind of the peaceful times of life and made the day nice and relaxing.Sitting there listening to the melody we watched the bright sun set running into an orange masterpiece for our eyes to fixate on. Nothing more could be done In this day to make it any more peaceful and relaxing. In conclusion, the beach can be a way to relax for the day and be a calming place for someone trying to get away from stress. Everyone goes through stress In life and 1 OFF and friends or watching the sunset while liste ning to a melody the beach can be a beneficial way to relive stress in one's life and leave the stress at the door of the â€Å"real world†.

Understanding Mass Media and Mass Communication

Understanding Mass Media and Mass Communication Mass media refers to the technologies used as channels for a small group of people to communicate with a larger number of people. The concept was first addressed during the Progressive Era of the 1920s, as a response to new opportunities for elites to reach large audiences via the mass media of the time: newspapers, radio, and film. Indeed, the three forms of traditional mass media today are still the same: print (newspapers, books, magazines), broadcast (television, radio), and cinema (movies and documentaries).  Ã‚   But in the 1920s, mass media referred not just to the number of people such communication reached, but rather to the uniform consumption and anonymity of the audiences. Uniformity and anonymity are characteristics which no longer fit the way people seek out, consume, and manipulate information into their daily lives. Those new media are called alternative media or mass self-communication. Key Takeaways: Mass Media Mass media as an idea was created in the 1920s.There are three major forms of traditional mass media: print, broadcast, and cinema. New forms are being created constantly.The internet has changed the nature of mass media by creating consumers who control and even create media of their own, and producers who can more easily track consumer responses.Being a smart consumer of media means exposing yourself to a variety of points of view, so that you can become more adept at recognizing subtle and not subtle forms of propaganda and bias. Mass Communication   Mass media are the transport forms of mass communication, which can be defined as the dissemination of messages widely, rapidly, and continuously to large and diverse audiences in an attempt to influence them in some way.   Five distinct stages of mass communication exist, according to American communication scholars Melvin DeFleur and Everette Dennis:   Professional communicators create various types of messages for presentation to individuals.The messages are disseminated in a quick and continuous manner through some form of mechanical media.The messages are received by a vast and diverse audience.The audience interprets these messages and gives them meaning.The audience is influenced or changed in some manner.   There are six widely acknowledged intended effects for mass media. The two best known are commercial advertising and political campaigns. Public service announcements have been developed to influence people on health issues such as smoking cessation or HIV testing. Mass media has been used (by the Nazi party in Germany in the 1920s, for example) to indoctrinate people in terms of government ideology. And mass media use sporting events such as the World Series, the World Cup Soccer, Wimbledon, and the Super Bowl, to act as a ritual event that users participate in. Measuring the Effects of Mass Media   Research on the impacts of mass media began in the 1920s and 1930s, with the rise of muckraking journalism- elites became concerned about the effects of investigative reporting in magazines such as McClures on political decision-making. Mass media became a prominent focus of study in the 1950s after television became widely available, and academic departments dedicated to communication studies were created. These early studies investigated the cognitive, emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral effects of media on both children and adults; in the 1990s, researchers began to use those earlier studies to draw up theories concerning the use of media today. In the 1970s theorists such as Marshall McLuhan and Irving J. Rein warned that media critics needed to watch how media affects people. Today, this remains a key concern; much attention has been paid, for example, to the impact on the 2016 election of false messaging distributed on social media. But the myriad forms of mass communication available today have also encouraged some  researchers to begin to investigate what people do with media. The Move to Mass Self-Communication Traditional mass media are push technologies: that is to say, producers create the objects and distribute them (push it) to consumers who are largely anonymous to the producer. The only input consumers have in traditional mass media is to decide whether to consume it- if they should buy the book or go to the movie: undoubtedly those decisions have always been significant to what got published or aired.   However, in the 1980s, consumers began to transition to pull technology: while the content may still be created by (elite) producers, users are now free to select what they wish to consume. Further, users can now repackage and create new content (such as mashups on YouTube or reviews on personal blog sites). The users are often explicitly identified in the process, and their choices may have immediate, if not necessarily conscious, impact on what information and advertising they are presented with going forward.   With the widespread availability of the internet and the development of social media, communication consumption has a decidedly personal character, which the Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells calls mass self-communication. Mass self-communication means that the content is still created by the producers, and the distribution is made available to a large number of people, those who choose to read or consume the information. Today, users pick and choose media content to suit their needs, whether those needs were the intent of the producers or not.   Computer-Mediated Communication The study of mass media is a fast-moving target. People have studied computer-mediated communication since the technology first became available in the 1970s. Early studies focused on teleconferencing, and how interactions between large groups of strangers differ from interactions with known partners. Other studies were concerned with whether communication methods lacking nonverbal cues could influence the meaning and quality of social interactions. Today, people have access to both text-based and visual information, so those studies are no longer useful.   The immense growth in social applications since the start of Web 2.0 (also known as Participatory or Social Web) has made huge changes. Information is now distributed in many directions and methods, and audiences can vary from one person to many thousands. In addition, everyone with an internet connection can be a content creator and media source.   Blurring the Lines Between Producers and Consumers Mass self-communication can potentially reach a global audience, but it is self-generated in content, self-directed in its mission, and typically focuses on self-related information. Sociologist Alvin Toffler created the now-obsolete term of prosumers to describe users who are almost simultaneously consumers and producers- for example, reading and commenting on online content, or reading and replying to Twitter posts. The increases in the number of transactions that now occur between consumer and producer create what some have called an expression effect. Interactions also now cross-media streams, such as Social TV, where people use hashtags while watching a sports game or a television program in order to simultaneously read and converse with hundreds of other viewers on social media. Politics and the Media   One focus of mass communication research has been on the role that media plays in the democratic process. On the one hand, media provides a way for predominantly rational voters to obtain information about their political choices. That likely introduces some systematic biases, in that not every voter is interested in social media, and politicians may choose to work on the wrong issues and perhaps pander to an active set of users who may not be in their constituencies. But by and large, the fact that voters can learn about candidates independently is predominantly positive.   On the other hand, media can be leveraged for propaganda, which exploits cognitive errors that people are prone to make. By using the techniques of agenda-setting, priming, and framing, the producers of media can manipulate voters to act against their own best interests. Propaganda Techniques in Mass Media   Some types of propaganda that have been recognized in mass media include: Agenda-Setting: Aggressive media coverage of an issue can make people believe an insignificant issue is important. Similarly, media coverage may underplay an important issue.Priming: People evaluate politicians based on the issues covered in the press.Framing: How an issue is characterized in news reports can influence how it is understood by the receivers; involves the selective inclusion or omission of facts (bias). Sources DeFleur, Melvin L., and Everette E. Dennis. Understanding Mass Communication. (Fifth Edition, 1991). Houghton Mifflin: New York.  Donnerstein, Edward. Mass Media, General View. Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, Conflict (Second Edition). Ed. Kurtz, Lester. Oxford: Academic Press, 2008. 1184-92. Print.Gershon, Ilana. Language and the Newness of Media. Annual Review of Anthropology 46.1 (2017): 15-31. Print.Pennington, Robert. Mass Media Content as Cultural Theory. The Social Science Journal 49.1 (2012): 98-107. Print.Pinto, Sebastin, Pablo Balenzuela, and Claudio O. Dorso. Setting the Agenda: Different Strategies of a Mass Media in a Model of Cultural Dissemination. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications 458 (2016): 378-90. Print.Rosenberry, J., Vicker, L. A. (2017). Applied Mass Communication Theory. New York: Routledge.Strà ¶mberg, David. Media and Politics. Annual Review of Economics 7.1 (2015): 173-205. Print.Valkenburg, Patti M., Jochen Peter, and Joseph B. Walt her. Media Effects: Theory and Research. Annual Review of Psychology 67.1 (2016): 315-38. Print.

Brick Wall Strategies for Finding Your Ancestors

Brick Wall Strategies for Finding Your Ancestors When it comes to family trees things are rarely straightforward. Families often disappear between one census and the next; records are lost or destroyed through mishandling, fire, war, and flood; and sometimes the facts you do find just dont make sense. When your family history research hits a dead-end, organize your facts and try one of these popular brick wall-busting tactics. Review What You Already Have I know. It seems basic. But I cant stress enough how many brick walls are breached with information that the researcher already has tucked away in notes, files, boxes or on the computer. Information that you found a few years ago may include names, dates or other details that now provide clues given new facts that youve since uncovered. Organizing your files and reviewing your information and evidence may uncover just the clue youre looking for. Go Back to the Original Source Many of us are guilty when transcribing information or recording notes of only including the information we deem important at the time. You may have kept the names and dates from that old census record, but did you also keep track of other information such as years of marriage and country of parents origin? Did you record the names of the neighbors? Or, perhaps, you misread a name or misinterpreted a relationship? If you havent already, be sure to go back to the original records, making complete copies and transcriptions and recording all clues - however unimportant they may seem right now. Broaden Your Search When youre stuck on a particular ancestor, a good strategy is to extend your search to family members and neighbors. When you cant find a birth record for your ancestor that lists his/her parents, maybe you can locate one for a sibling. Or, when youve lost a family between census years, try looking for their neighbors. You may be able to identify a migration pattern, or a mis-indexed census entry that way. Often referred to as cluster genealogy, this research process can often get you past tough brick walls. Question and Verify Many brick walls are built from incorrect data. In other words, your sources may be leading you in the wrong direction through their inaccuracy. Published sources often contain transcription errors, while even original documents may contain misinformation, whether purposefully or accidentally given. Try to find at least three records to verify any facts that you already know and judge the quality of your data based on the weight of the evidence. Check Name Variations Your brick wall may just be something as simple as looking for the wrong name. Variations of last names can make research complicated, but be sure to check all spelling options. Soundex is a first step, but you cant count on it entirely - some name variations can actually result in different soundex codes. Not only can the surnames be different, but the given name may be different as well. Ive found records recorded under initials, middle names, nicknames, etc. Get creative with name spellings and variations and cover all the possibilities. Learn Your Boundaries Even though you know that your ancestor lived on the same farm, you may still be looking in the wrong jurisdiction for your ancestor. Town, county, state, and even country boundaries have changed over time as populations grew or political authority changed hands. Records were also not always registered in the locality where your ancestors lived. In Pennsylvania, for example, births and deaths can be registered in any county, and many of my Cambria county ancestors records were actually located in neighboring Clearfield county because they lived closer to that county seat and found it a more convenient trip. So, bone up on your historical geography and you just may find a new route around your brick wall. Ask for Help Fresh eyes can often see beyond brick walls, so try bouncing your theories off other researchers. Post a query to a Web site or mailing list which focuses on the locality in which the family lived, check with members of the local historical or genealogical society, or just talk through it with someone else who loves family history research. Be sure to include what you already know, as well as what youd like to know and which tactics youve already tried.

US Neutrality Acts of the 1930s and the Lend-Lease Act

US Neutrality Acts of the 1930s and the Lend-Lease Act The Neutrality Acts were a series of laws enacted by the United States government between 1935 and 1939 that were intended to prevent the United States from becoming involved in foreign wars. They more-or-less succeeded until the imminent threat of World War II spurred passage of the 1941 Lend-Lease Act (H.R. 1776), which repealed several key provisions of the Neutrality Acts. Key Takeaways: Neutrality Acts and Lend-Lease The Neutrality Acts, enacted between 1935 and 1939, were intended to prevent the United States from becoming involved in foreign wars.In 1941, the threat of World War II drove passage of the Lend-Lease Act repealing key provisions of the Neutrality Acts.Championed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Lend-Lease Act authorized the transfer of U.S. arms or other war materials to Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union, and other nations threatened by the Axis powers without the requirement of monetary repayment. Isolationism Spurred the Neutrality Acts Although many Americans had supported President Woodrow Wilson’s 1917 demand that Congress help create a world â€Å"made safe for democracy† by declaring war on Germany in World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s spurred a period of American isolationism that would persist until the nation entered World War II in 1942. Many people continued to believe that World War I had involved mainly foreign issues and that America’s entry into the bloodiest conflict in human history had mainly benefited U.S. bankers and arms dealers. These beliefs, combined with the people’s ongoing struggle to recover from the Great Depression, fueled an isolationist movement that opposed the nation’s involvement future foreign wars and financial involvement with the countries fighting in them. The Neutrality Act of 1935 By the mid-1930s, with war in Europe and Asia imminent, the U.S. Congress took action to ensure U.S. neutrality in foreign conflicts. On August 31, 1935, Congress passed the first Neutrality Act. The primary provisions of the law banned the export of â€Å"arms, ammunition, and implements of war† from the United States to any foreign nations at war and required U.S. arms makers to apply for export licenses. â€Å"Whoever, in violation of any of the provisions of this section, shall export, or attempt to export, or cause to be exported, arms, ammunition, or implements of war from the United States, or any of its possessions, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both †¦,† stated the law. The law also specified that all arms and war materials found being transported from the U.S. to any foreign nations at war, along with the â€Å"vessel, or vehicle† carrying them would be confiscated. In addition, the law placed American citizens on notice that if they attempted to travel to any foreign nation in a war zone, they did so at their own risk and should not expect any protection or intervention on their behalf from the U.S. government. On February 29, 1936, Congress amended the Neutrality Act of 1935 to prohibit individual Americans or financial institutions from loaning money to foreign nations involved in wars. While President Franklin D. Roosevelt initially opposed and considered vetoing the Neutrality Act of 1935, he signed it in the face of strong public opinion and congressional support for it.   The Neutrality Act of 1937 In 1936, the Spanish Civil War and the growing threat of fascism in Germany and Italy boosted support for further expanding the scope of the Neutrality Act. On May 1, 1937, Congress passed a joint resolution known as the Neutrality Act of 1937, which amended and made the Neutrality Act of 1935 permanent. Under the 1937 Act, U.S. Citizens were barred from traveling on any ship registered to or owned by any foreign nation involved in ​a  war. In addition, American merchant ships were forbidden from carrying arms to such â€Å"belligerent† nations, even if those arms were made outside of the United States.  The president was given the authority to ban all ships of any sort belonging to nations at war from sailing in U.S. waters. The Act also extended its prohibitions to apply to nations involved in civil wars, like the Spanish Civil War. In one concession to President Roosevelt, who had opposed the first Neutrality Act, the 1937 Neutrality Act gave the president the authority to allow nations at war to acquire materials not considered â€Å"implements of war,† such as oil and food, from the United States, provided the material was immediately paid for – in cash – and that the material was carried only on foreign ships. The so-called â€Å"cash-and-carry† provision had been promoted by Roosevelt as a way to Help Great Britain and France in their looming war against the Axis Powers. Roosevelt reasoned that only Britain and France had enough cash and cargo ships to take advantage of the â€Å"cash-and-carry† plan. Unlike other provisions of the Act, which were permanent, Congress specified that that â€Å"cash-and-carry† provision would expire in two years. The Neutrality Act of 1939 After Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in March of 1939, President Roosevelt asked Congress to renew the â€Å"cash-and-carry† provision and expand it to include arms and other materials of war. In a stinging rebuke, Congress refused to do either. As the war in Europe expanded and the Axis nations’ sphere of control spread, Roosevelt persisted, citing the Axis threat to the freedom of America’s European allies. At last, and only after lengthy debate, Congress relented and in November of 1939, enacted a final Neutrality Act, which repealed the embargo against the sale of arms and placed all trade with nations at war under the terms of â€Å"cash-and-carry.† However, the prohibition of U.S. monetary loans to belligerent nations remained in effect and U.S. ships were still prohibited from delivering goods of any kind to countries at war. The Lend-Lease Act of 1941 By late 1940, it had become unavoidably apparent to Congress that the growth of the Axis powers in Europe could eventually threaten the lives and freedom of Americans. In an effort to help the nations fighting the Axis, Congress enacted the Lend-Lease Act (H.R. 1776) in March 1941. The Lend-Lease Act authorized the President of the United States to transfer arms or other defense-related materials – subject to ​the  approval of funding by Congress – to the â€Å"government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States† at no cost to those countries. Permitting the president to send arms and war materials to Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union, and other threatened nations without payment, the Lend-Lease plan allowed the United States to support the war effort against the Axis without becoming engaged in battle. Viewing the plan as drawing America closer to war, Lend-Lease was opposed by influential isolationists, including Republican Senator Robert Taft. In debate before the Senate, Taft stated that the Act would â€Å"give the president power to carry on a kind of undeclared war all over the world, in which America would do everything except actually put soldiers in the front-line trenches where the fighting is.† Among the public, opposition to Lend-Lease was led by the America First Committee. With a membership of over 800,000, including national hero Charles A. Lindbergh, America First challenged Roosevelt’s every move. Roosevelt took complete control of the program, quietly sending Sec. of Commerce Harry Hopkins, Sec. of State Edward Stettinius Jr., and diplomat W. Averell Harriman on frequent special missions to London and Moscow to coordinate Lend-Lease overseas. Still acutely aware of public sentiment for neutrality, Roosevelt saw to it that details of Lend-Lease expenditures were hidden away in the overall military budget and not allowed to become public until after the war. It is now known that a total of $50.1 billion- about $681 billion today- or about 11% of the total U.S. war expenditures went to Lend-Lease. On a country-by-country basis, U.S. expenditures broke down as follows: British Empire: $31.4 billion (about $427 billion today)Soviet Union: $11.3 billion (about $154 billion today)France: $3.2 billion (about $43.5 billion today)China: $1.6 billion (about to $21.7 billion today) By October 1941, the overall success of the Lend-Lease plan in assisting the allied nations prompted President Roosevelt to seek the repeal of other sections of the Neutrality Act of 1939. On October 17, 1941, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to repeal the section of the Act prohibiting the arming of U.S. merchant ships. A month later, following a series of deadly German submarine attacks on U.S. Navy and merchant ships in international waters, Congress repealed the provision that had barred U.S. ships from delivering arms to belligerent seaports or â€Å"combat zones.† In retrospect, the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s allowed the U.S. Government to accommodate the isolationist sentiment held by a majority of the American people while still protecting America’s security and interests in a foreign war. The Lend-Lease agreements provided that the countries involved would repay the United States not with money or returned goods, but with â€Å"joint action directed towards the creation of a liberalized international economic order in the postwar world.† Meaning the U.S. would be repaid when the recipient country helped the U.S. fight common enemies and agreed to join new world trade and diplomatic agencies, such as the United Nations. Of course, the isolationists’ hopes of America maintaining any pretense of neutrality in World War II ended on the morning of December 7, 1942, when the Japanese Navy attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Disorders of Red Cells Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Disorders of Red Cells - Case Study Example It is quite clear that the patient is anemic. Usual signs and symptoms of anemia are lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and reduced blood cell count causing fatigue, shortness of breath, hypotension, dizziness, headaches, and irritability. The condition eventually leads to tachycardia (the heart rate exceeding normal range) and tachypnea (breathing rate over 20) in due course of time. The hematocrit indicates about the volume of red blood cells in proportion to the total blood volume (total of plasma and red blood cells) and for women, it has to be between 36 and 48% (Eckman, 2013). The laboratory reading of the patients hematocrit has been shown 32% that is certainly less than the normal level. Moreover, the patients blood smear test reveals microcytic and hypochromic cells in her blood. This gives an indication of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia in the patient. Usually, iron deficiency is the cause of hypochromic microcytic anemia. Microcytic Hypochromic anemia results when "a r educed amount of iron is delivered to the marrow erythroid precursors" (Eckman, 2013). Usually, efficient recycling of iron or a good balance maintained between losses and absorption keeps iron deficiency in control. It is estimated that a menstruating female loses approximately 2.0 mg of iron per day (Eckman, 2013). Ms. A’s age is 26 years and being in menstruating age, her iron losses are likely to be around 2.0 mg of iron per day. Her intake of iron appears to be not adequate enough to maintain losses or otherwise, the underlying cause of low hemoglobin lies somewhere else. Ms. As reticulocyte count (immature blood cells) makes up a higher percentage of the blood count and that appears to be due to low hemoglobin in red blood cells. A reticulocyte count is a blood test that reveals how fast bone marrow makes and releases red blood cells into the  blood.  

Criminal Justice, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal Justice, - Essay Example This is because the criminal justice system of the United States acts as a benchmark of the most developed justice system in the world making it a basic eternal model. The crime control model works efficiently within the criminal justice system by punishing crime and in the process serving as the best tool to detour the occurrence of criminal behavior. It is important to note that the due process model and the crime control model are two frameworks within the criminal justice system under conflict throughout the world for many years. Proponents of the due process model hold that nobody can deprive of life of any individual, freedom, and material wealth including property disregarding the legal processes as well as safeguards. The due process framework requires the criminal justice system to protect the rights of nay person charged with crime. However, the crime control framework for enforcing law bases on the assumption of complete reliability of facts collected by police officers and handles people arrested by the disciplined forces as guilty. In this case, the arrestees are guilty and proceed to the courts to prove their innocence. On the other hand, the due process considers the arrestees innocent and assigns the criminal justice system the responsibility of proving that they are guilty. This marks the first difference between the due process and the crime control model. The two frameworks present the most competing models within the criminal justice system and result in the ever-increasing tension bringing d isharmony and conflict presently observable within the same system. The models aim at challenging crime but insist on issuing the most appropriate justice to both the law enforcers and the arrestees. Professor Herbert, designed the due process model to make sure that people arrested and charged with crime have their rights protected and receive fair trial as well as judgment. The model insists on the

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Assignment

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) - Assignment Example VAWA has reauthorized funds for the prosecution processes. According to Doerner (2012), the creation of a national domestic violence hotline is also a provision of VAWA. Every victim of domestic violence has a right to use this hotline at any time. It has also allocated funds for different kinds of programs and initiatives which include shelter for the victims, education programs and programs to increase outreach to women living in rural areas (Doerner, 2012). In accordance to VAWA laws, it is a crime for a person convicted of domestic violence to transport, receive or possess firearms or ammunition. Government officials are exempt from this ban if the firearm is government issued (Nicoletti et al, 2010). The allocation of funds for initiatives and programs to support the victims of crime has tremendously improved their lives. The services offered such as healthcare and education has helped them restructure their lives and live comfortably. Reported cases of violence such as sexual assault and battery have reduced since the enactment of VAWA. This has a positive impact especially to girls and women who are the major victims (Biden, 2005). The federal civil right of action encourages women to make false allegations, and petition for child custody. This may lead to fathers being denied of the rights of being with their children. A woman seeking help from a center funded by VAWA is offered the option of leaving her husband, divorcing him and accusing him of being a criminal. VAWA makes all women victims of men (Schlafly, 2005). One of the controversial remedies has been the ban on possession of guns by anyone convicted of domestic violence. Firearms and domestic violence are a deadly combination. Abusers who have access to firearms pose a great threat not only to those they have abused but also to the larger society. Ineffective implementation of the laws by judges, as well as those in civil and criminal justice system, may bring a threat of injury or death to

How is meaning cunstructed in images Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

How is meaning cunstructed in images - Essay Example and stabilizing the interpretations of specific images, about 35 years ago, Roland Barthes wrote about it and said that all images imply, underlay their floating chain of signifiers and the reader is able to select some of them and ignore the remaining that is they are polysemous. Dysfunction raises a question of polysemy. To fix the floating chain of signified different techniques are applied so that fear of uncertain signs can be encountered and minimized, these techniques mainly involve linguistic or verbal messages (Marchese, 1995). Institutional apparatus that chooses and provides text and images to the common public includes captions, labels, placards, guidebooks, brochures and fliers and they all come in linguistic messages. Curators, teachers and editors use these tools. Institutions and practices that strengthen the use of images as well as their interpretations also use the same tools as their major part. It means that image in a textbook seems to illustrate and support the meanings of the information written in the text of that textbook. When we see an image in an advertisement, the first thing which comes in our mind is that it is there to be helpful in selling the product by looking at someone enjoying possession and consumption of that particular product. Therefore we have some special standards of text and images and their correlation of explanation by text and illustration by images (Marchese, 1995). For the same reason, discussions are based on the images in textbooks and advertising, by the observers of the semiotics of images. To advertise any image is problem creating and elusive, Barthes says in "Rhetoric of the image†. Stable platform of advertisements and textbooks were used by Gà ¼nter Kress and Theo van Leeway to build their visual semiotics and it is a complete and valid way to proceed except some standard cases which put down the signifying potential will be ignored. Conceptualist artists have worked a lot to turn the standard canons

Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods Essay

Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods could be applied to minimise the environmental impacts of - Essay Example Wind farms with many of such structures occupy a lot of space on the landscape. Onshore wind farms are always about three kilometres away from the shoreline. The turbines in these farms are located in hilly areas since wind blows heavily on hilly areas. Wind turbines cause landscape and visual effects depending on their number at a particular area, their height, size and colour. The effects may also depend on their site tracks, buildings, their grid connection, and â€Å"transmission lines† (Murgante et al., 2011). According to Ottmar et al (2011), wind turbines have a number of impacts on the environment. These include visual impacts, noise impacts, effects on land use, and effects on the birds that live around the wind farms. In addition, there are electronic interferences and constraints on the natural reserve areas. During the construction of a wind turbine, there are some pollutants that released into the atmosphere. The wind turbines are seen to be very noisy and they ar e also unsightly, thereby interfering with the natural beauty of â€Å"the landscape.† Sustainable Development Commission (2009) disagrees that wind farms are noisy and explains that the levels of noise from wind farm is equal to the background in rural places at night. Despite their negative impacts on the environment, onshore wind farms play a crucial part in achieving renewable energy targets. However, the many advantages that come with the farms can only be realised if proper planning is done. The contemporary wind farms are mostly large and not only help in environmental conservation, but also bring a lot of benefits to the communities that live around the farms. Among the advantages of using onshore wind farms is that wind is available free of charge and appropriate technology is available to harvest energy from wind as noted by Sustainable Development Commission (2009). Moreover, although the initial costs of installing wind turbines are high, maintenance cost are rela tively low after installation. It can also be used to generate power in rural areas where there is no power connection. Given the varying impacts to the humans, landscape aesthetics and the surrounding environment that implementation of such project poses; it is critical that environmental managers employ tools to manage this impacts. Thompson (2002) lists various tools and methods that can be used for environmental management and environmental performance improvement. To manage the impacts of the 40 turbine onshore wind farm project; EIA, LCA and GIS as the most appropriate environmental management tools. EIA has been selected because it helps to predict the impacts of a project and propose mitigation measures while GIS allows environmental managers make decision based on spatial relationship of features. LCA allows decision makers to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the life cycle of the project thereby facilitating decision making. Environmental Impact Management EIA is a tool used in decision-making whose main purpose is to not only identify and evaluate the likely environmental impacts of a given project (Glasson et al., 2005). EIA is

The utility of strategic plans in effecting strategic change for Essay

The utility of strategic plans in effecting strategic change for Randstad Holdings NV - Essay Example The researcher states that Randstad Holding NV (or â€Å"Randstad†) has its base in the Netherlands. It is the global company engaged human resource (HR) services industry by providing temporary and contract to staff to various clients. It functions under its five divisions including Staffing, Professionals, Resources (HR) solutions, Search & Selection and In-House Services.   Under its Staffing division, the company can provide temporary staffing, permanent placement. Under Professionals division, the company recruits of middle and senior management position and employees who must have professional qualifications, either for permanent positions or project basis. Human Resources (HR) Solutions division offers HR management and HR consultancy services. In-House Services guides clients to improve labor flexibility, retention, efficiency, and productivity. Its global operations beyond the Netherlands extends those in Chile, France, Canada, Greece, Mexico, India, Germany, Belgiu m, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, the United States and the United Kingdom. Randstad falls under HR Services industry which can be described to still a growing industry. Having not yet reached its maturity stage based on the recorded growths in the industry and the flexibility being experienced in the world of work and as demanded by players of the globalized economy, the company is thus facing a very favorable environment. The significant macro trends in for the past five years cannot escape the financial crisis of 2008 to 2009 which has reached its global effects. The crisis could actually be considered a global one as biggest economies in the world were severely affected. Until this time, the unemployment level in the US and the UK are still at very high levels and it would appear that the stimulus packages implemented by their governments as a result of the crisis have not yet restored the lost trust from in the capital markets and the banking system . A number of good companies, however, have reflected positive growths in their revenues and profitability starting in 2010 and onwards.

Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods Essay

Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods could be applied to minimise the environmental impacts of - Essay Example Wind farms with many of such structures occupy a lot of space on the landscape. Onshore wind farms are always about three kilometres away from the shoreline. The turbines in these farms are located in hilly areas since wind blows heavily on hilly areas. Wind turbines cause landscape and visual effects depending on their number at a particular area, their height, size and colour. The effects may also depend on their site tracks, buildings, their grid connection, and â€Å"transmission lines† (Murgante et al., 2011). According to Ottmar et al (2011), wind turbines have a number of impacts on the environment. These include visual impacts, noise impacts, effects on land use, and effects on the birds that live around the wind farms. In addition, there are electronic interferences and constraints on the natural reserve areas. During the construction of a wind turbine, there are some pollutants that released into the atmosphere. The wind turbines are seen to be very noisy and they ar e also unsightly, thereby interfering with the natural beauty of â€Å"the landscape.† Sustainable Development Commission (2009) disagrees that wind farms are noisy and explains that the levels of noise from wind farm is equal to the background in rural places at night. Despite their negative impacts on the environment, onshore wind farms play a crucial part in achieving renewable energy targets. However, the many advantages that come with the farms can only be realised if proper planning is done. The contemporary wind farms are mostly large and not only help in environmental conservation, but also bring a lot of benefits to the communities that live around the farms. Among the advantages of using onshore wind farms is that wind is available free of charge and appropriate technology is available to harvest energy from wind as noted by Sustainable Development Commission (2009). Moreover, although the initial costs of installing wind turbines are high, maintenance cost are rela tively low after installation. It can also be used to generate power in rural areas where there is no power connection. Given the varying impacts to the humans, landscape aesthetics and the surrounding environment that implementation of such project poses; it is critical that environmental managers employ tools to manage this impacts. Thompson (2002) lists various tools and methods that can be used for environmental management and environmental performance improvement. To manage the impacts of the 40 turbine onshore wind farm project; EIA, LCA and GIS as the most appropriate environmental management tools. EIA has been selected because it helps to predict the impacts of a project and propose mitigation measures while GIS allows environmental managers make decision based on spatial relationship of features. LCA allows decision makers to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the life cycle of the project thereby facilitating decision making. Environmental Impact Management EIA is a tool used in decision-making whose main purpose is to not only identify and evaluate the likely environmental impacts of a given project (Glasson et al., 2005). EIA is

Pet Stores are among the few retail businesses growing in the economic Research Paper

Pet Stores are among the few retail businesses growing in the economic downturn. Why Does this suggest a parallel (pet stores a - Research Paper Example Pet owners are purchasing more than sheer requirements when it comes to their pets. Actually, in accordance with the industry’s primary trade organization’s expenses statistics, they are ready to pay almost any cost for their pets (Dean, p. 4). The American Pet Products Association (APPA) recently published the comprehensive yearly evaluation of expenses statistics and information, which reveals overall spending within the pet industry increased by almost 7 percent from 46 billion USD in 2010 to a little more than 49 billion USD in 2011. The pet industry carries on displaying resilience regardless of the economic downturn and APPA is even estimating a 6 percent raise in spending to go beyond 52 billion USD within the coming year. Health-care linked pet expenses carries on to reveal the maximum expansion within the pet industry with spending increasing by 9 percent growth from 2009. Pet owners are becoming a lot more responsive towards their pet’s wellbeing, gener ally being practical with respect to veterinarian care and utilizing specialty formula foods, supplements, in addition to advanced, and sometimes, expensive cure preferences to guarantee that their pet stays in good physical shape. Of all categories, veterinary care has the major projected intensification at 10 percent that would cause a likely 15 billion USD in spending during 2013. Pet services is an additional group that has witnessed continued as well as diversified development in reaction to the rising demands pet owners face on a daily basis (Boler & Fahey, p. 81). The pet retail industry is a huge and quickly developing market. During the last ten years, the industry has seen exceptional increase from 25 billion USD to more than 50 billion USD – that is more than Americans use on films, music, and video games collectively. During 2011, Americans used 51 billion USD on their pets, with an estimation of 51.90 billion USD in pet spending during 2013. This yearly expenditu re is likely to reach at 54 billion USD during the next two years. That is an extremely incredible level of development keeping in view the country’s overall condition of economic slump. A shocking 95 percent of pet owners used the equivalent or additional amount on their pets in the most recent financial depression phase. A number of pet owners are even skipping extravagance in their own life with the intention of ensuring that their pets are living in comfort. Economic professionals now broadly advertize the pet industry as actually invulnerable to financial downturn. Even from 2008 to 2010, years that witnessed almost each industry of America’s retail financial system collapse, pet expenditure was up by 12 percent. In fact, the pet industry is the seventh biggest retail industry within America, surpassing the ornaments, sweets, toys, and hardware industries. In addition, following consumer electronics, pet care is the most rapidly expanding group within retailing, g rowing almost 7 percent each year. Evidently, consumer demand within the pet business is at an unprecedented high. Particularly, with respect to the pet services field, dog training as well as pet care spending have raised from 6.2 billion USD to 7.1 billion USD during the last three years with key development now forecasted for the coming five years. As showed by a recent research, Pet services are among the rapidly developing sectors within the pet

Eco Tour In Kerala Tourism Essay

Eco Tour In Kerala Tourism Essay Ecotourism can be summed up as a responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. More and more people have become conscious about the fact that environment needs to be protected. That’s why the concept of ecotourism has been received well by many. Ecotourism basically focuses on environmental conservation and sustainable development. Through eco tours one tries to save forests and bring a win-win development strategy for undeveloped rural areas† to life. The basics of eco tourism are same everywhere. The foremost of the rules are that the tourism advises to minimize impact, spread awareness about the environment and the harm caused to the it due to lack of cultural. The eco tourism spreads a sense of respect amongst all the people who undertake tours for environment. The basic idea behind conducting and promoting such tours is that it empowers each individual to take steps towards conserving the Mother Nature. For locals too, such steps are important to provide them with financial stability and provide them with livelihood. In terms of eco tourism destinations in India, Kerala has gained a lot of momentum. It happens to be the greenest part of India, which until the recent times was unexplored by people and has now suddenly gained a lot of fame and popularity amongst travellers from all across the globe. Geographical topography of this place is so varied that the people all around the world come here just to be close to the nature. Kerala boasts of beautiful beaches, backwaters, beaches and the life giving sunshine. The best thing is that the tourism department of Kerala is aware of Kerala’s potential as a tourist destination and its natural wealth as well. It has taken important steps towards maintaining ecological balance amongst people. The coconuts trees growing here and the paddy fields spread in acres and acres of land and the banana plantations fill up the mountain ranges with their green blanket. To promote more eco tourism Kerala tourism has taken steps to organise tours and travels which broaden the horizons of people. There are several attractive packages designed to lure the visitors. Kerala’s western zone is being projected as the eco tourism zone. It specially caters to the foreing tourist who are looking for an experience where they can enjoy wildlife, some nature, have the thrills of adventures like trekking all combined into one. WIlflide sanctuaries like Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, Chimmini, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park and Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary are some well known Eco-Tourism destinations in Kerala. There are other places like Bhoothathankettu, Komarakom, Nelliampathy, Munnar and Kuruva islands which are can be preferred for eco tours. The flora and fauna of Kerala is abundant and diverse. The landscapes are equipped with backwaters, paddy fields, hills and hamlets. Kerala has a forest area of approximately 11,125 sq km, which makes up 28.90 % of the total land area. The western ghats is where all the forest area is located. Western Ghat is also one of the world’s 18 hotspots of bio diversity. Besides luxuriant and flimsy bionetwork of sultry rainforests, Kerala as well has some extraordinary eco-tourism destinations in the form of its thriving emerald backwaters, palm-fringed sea-shores, rambling tea and spice plantations on mount gradients and many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries heaving with remarkable assortment of wildlife. While on an eco tour here, one can prefer a homestay which includes staying with local people. One can stay near the paddy fields or tea plantations and take regular hikes in these places. One also gets a chance to indulge in eating organically grown fruits and vegetables. The typical way of eating which on a banana leaf can be experienced if one decided to try out the home stays. For eco tourists, Kerala has no dearth of activities. One should visit the place once and experience the beauty and tranquillity.

The Differences Of Native American Cultures :: essays research papers

The Differences of Native American Cultures The cultures of Native American tribes varied greatly from geographical region to region. The tribes in the Pacific Northwest had plenty of time to be involved in intricate forms of art. Great Plains tribes believed in magic buffalos and were nomadic. Easten Woodlands tribes made some pottery. Great Basin tribes worshipped the different seasons. Southwest tribes valued peace and wisdom. California and Baja tribes prized staying in one place and didn't like change. The geography of the area in which a tribe lived determined the kind of culture that each tribe developed. The surrounding environments of the different areas often changed the beliefs of each tribe. Things such as food, plants, animals, weather, etc. were often a factor in determining culture. Take the Plains tribe the Cheyenne, for instance. They originated from the area around Wisconsin. There, they fished, hunted, farmed and gathered like any other Eastern Woodlands tribe. Later on, they moved to the Great Plains, where they had the buffalo hunt and the sun dance. Geography affected Cheyenne culture in this way. The buffalo hunt was created so, since the Great Plains lacked much food, the Cheyenne could get enough food to survive. Before they arrived at the plains, the buffalo hunt was unneccesary because of the bountiness of food. The Inuit people (known incorrectly as eskimos) were, of course, affected by their geography. Their language consisted of over 50 words for ice. They had to live in igloos, because of the lack of building resources. Shamans were popular and had a lot of power because, since food was so scarce, they were believed to have powers that could help find it. Pacific Northwest people were obviously affected by their geography. Food and resources were so plentiful they didn't have to spend too much time farming of gathering food. This gave them time to form very conplex art such as totem

Loyalty and Sacrifice in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men :: Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

John Steinbeck was born in 1902, in California's Salinas Valley, a region that would eventually serve as the setting for Of Mice and Men, as well as many of his other works. He studied literature and writing at Stanford University. He then moved to New York City and worked as a laborer and journalist for five years, until he completed his first novel in 1929, Cup of Gold. With the publication of Tortilla Flat in 1935, Steinbeck achieved fame and became a popular author. He wrote many novels about the California laboring class. Two of his more famous novels included Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck got the title for Of Mice and Men from a line of Robert Burns, a Scottish poet, â€Å"The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry." In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck includes the theme of loyalty and sacrifice between friends. Steinbeck illustrates the loyalty and sacrifice between friends through the friendship of Lennie and George. The issue of loyalty is embodied in the character of George. He is an intelligent man who could make a successful living for himself on his own. He chooses to stay beside his friend Lennie. George can never get a steady job to fulfill his long-term goal of having his own farm. The first job that Lennie and George have together goes well for a while. Eventually Lennie ruins everything that is going good for them. Lennie sees a pretty dress that a girl is wearing. Without thinking about what he is doing, he goes up and grabs the dress to feel the nice fabric. This scares the girl and she tells the boss. Soon the whole town is after Lennie. This is the perfect time for George to start a new life, without Lennie. However, because of his loyalty to Lennie, he chooses to help Lennie escape from the town. Lennie needs George to survive. It is this that propels George to make the sacrifice that he does. After Lennie kills Curley’s wife, George knows that this is the end for Lennie. No matter what, someone will eventually kill Lennie. And if Lennie gets away this time, there will be another time, and eventually the inevitable will happen. He truly loves Lennie, so he shoots Lennie painlessly in the back of the head. Lennie dies with the happy thought of the dream of the farm they want to own some day.

Nature’s power Essay

There is one common theme between the short story â€Å"How the World Was Made† and the poems â€Å"This Newly Created World,† â€Å"Dream Song,† â€Å"I Have Killed the Deer,† and â€Å"I Am Your Mother.† They all share the theme that nature explains why many things are. In the short story â€Å"How the World Was Made,† the story of creationalism is focused upon nature as the cause. Every one of Earth’s mysteries is explained by nature. For example, the explanation of cold and hot springs from the mountains reads as follows. The streams that come down from the mountains are the trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at their heads are the doorways by which we enter it†¦We know that the seasons in the underworld are different from ours, because the water in the springs is always warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than the outer air. â€Å"This Newly Created World† gives explanation to the beauty and color of the earth. â€Å"†¦the earth, our grandmother, extended the green reflection of her covering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The poem describes the earth itself as our own grandmother. Although quite short, â€Å"Dream Song† talks about nature’s power to gradually rotate seasons year after year. â€Å"†¦I feel the summer in the spring.† This quote expresses how one might be able to feel it in the air and how one season will begin to blend into the next one. â€Å"I Have Killed the Deer† explains natures own cleaver idea; the circle of life. It states that each and every one of nature’s creations must take away from nature, but will eventually give enough back again when they die. â€Å"†¦When I die, I must give life to what has nourished me†¦so that The circle of life is never broken.† The poem â€Å"I Am Your Mother† explains all the things that should be loved in nature as a mother-like figure. This poem painfully states the abuse â€Å"mother† has taken and that it should be respected. â€Å"All this beauty was your to behold, Your duty was to love, cherish and protect; Feel my anguish,  the pain in my soul, All I asked was your respect.† All of the poems and the short story can clearly explain many mysteries, wonders, and beauties nature is trying to give to us.

Dorothy Livesay’s poem “Experience” Essay

Dorothy Livesay’s poem â€Å"Experience† teaches that if one learns solely from outside sources, then one will never know what it is to feel independence and self-growth. By examining the authors personal experiences, the imagery, and the symbolism used the above statement will be proven true. Dorothy’s personal life had a large influence on her opinion about independence and self-growth. Her lengthy career spanning over 5 decades, her involvement with politics and her general travelling not only across Canada but Paris and the soviet union kept her constantly experiencing new environments. This greatly affected her career as a poet, she let herself be influenced by all cultures and her surroundings. She began travelling independently at a young age and co inherently matured quickly, proving the idea that personal experience and learning first hand is essential in fully understanding all aspects of life. Livesay’s comparison of having situations and experiences forced upon you to the idea of eating bitter and stale bread leaving her feeling tired and hollow shows a direct relation to the idea of maturing and growing as a person. â€Å"So I went on my own road, tasting all fruits, all breads.† As she grows up she has everyone around her assuming they know what’s best and force her to follow their ideas without any say. This hurts her ability to be independent and leaves her completely reliant on others and lacking personality and imagination. Realising this as she continues to grow older she decides to travel and experience new ideas and ways of living to learn for herself what’s best for her personally. Although it is not guaranteed that everything you come across will have positive effects on your life, eventually what you’re looking for will come across and you will grow as an individual. In the poem, Livesay uses bread as a symbol for the situations and experiences forced upon you by others, and fruits as the adventures you make and learn from independently. The bread is described as being bitter and stale, leaving her heart feeling empty and unsatisfied†¦as if something was  missing. Once the decision was made to travel and experience everything for herself – both breads and fruits – she felt like that part of her that was missing had been filled and completed. One could infer that the part of her that was missing was her independence and maturity, which she developed as she continued to travel and work. â€Å"Tasting all fruits, all breads: And if some were bitter, others were sweet. So I learned, how the heart is fed.† Dorothy Livesay’s personal life following the idea of independence and growth through travelling alone and learning first hand, the imagery developed in the descriptions of how the bread and fruits taste, and the use of symbolism turning the idea of bread into undesirable events and fruits being the idea of self-growth and maturity show that the core message in Dorothy Livesay’s poem â€Å"Experience† is one cannot grow and mature as a person if they learn solely from outside sources.

Prayer in School Essay

John Knox Press, 1996. 45-218. In this book the author gives an epic description of the controversy surrounding the debate on prayer in public schools. It touches on the legal aspects as well as the interpretation of among other articles the first amendment. Alley uses history and preceding events to bring out his argument against prayer in public schools terming the practice as an abuse and harassment of the minority by the majority who are keen on imposing their own definition of faith. He asserts that the law on first amendment religion issues has adequately and consistently clarified the differences that exist between church and state. He cited some cases such as Barnette, McCollum, Everson, Engel and Schempp to mention but a few as having set precedence thus preventing future conflict. However, one reads anti Christianity overtones which bring up the question of objectivity due to his obvious bias. He has successfully presented one side of the debate with a personal tone. The book strongly opines that any form of religious inclinations in public schools is incompatible with the constitution as well as with the principle of democracy. Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. 11-97. In the first pages of his interesting book, Murray tells of his atheist past that was directed by his mother Madalyn Murray and how he, as a 14 year old was a plaintiff against the Baltimore School system. The suit led to the Supreme Court’s decision that outlawed public school prayer and bible reading. Murray later converts to Christianity and embarks on a mission aimed at undoing the ‘damage’ done by his past. He becomes a strong proponent of prayer in Schools arguing that this is the one way of rooting out the moral decay in the society. Among other arguments, he presents the debate as conflicting discomforts. ‘The discomfort of minority faiths or nonbelievers at hearing prayer in school versus the discomfort of Protestant Christians at being prohibited from public prayer’. He allows that the drafters of the constitution are misinterpreted by those who claim that they intended to eradicate prayer from public institutions. Rather, he cites influential figures such as John Locke and Tocqueville as strong believers in the value of prayer in providing positive guidance to the society. His recommendations are however weak since the freedom he seeks could be confused with what is provided for in the constitution. Again the founding fathers he cites are understood to have given us the current laws and so his enlisting them undermines his very argument. Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. 54, 67-75. In this book, Catherine Cookson delves into the issues of the law and the authority of state as laid down in the constitution on one hand and the obligations of conscience on the other. She embarks on a project to provide the solution for a recurrent problem. She examines the history of the Christian tradition as well as more contemporary political development of religious freedom (186). Her argument on the free exercise clause is vivid and thought provoking as she seeks the balance between the majority’s right to religious expression and public prayer and the minority’s discomfort arising from that kind of expression. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www. ed. gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance. html Accessed on 12. 04. 07. This article deals with the legal aspect of the debate on prayer in schools. The article endeavors to provide information on the current state of the law concerning constitutionally protected prayer in the public schools, and therefore spell out the extent to which prayer in public schools is lawfully protected. The Case against School Prayer. Available online at: http://209. 85. 135. 104/search? q=cache:RTckL_PUwSEJ:ffrf. org/nontracts/schoolprayer. php+prayers+in+school&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ke. Accessed on 12. 04. 07. In this article the author delves into the arguments against school prayer. The author advances the argument that prayers are private and yet there is nothing private about a public school. Therefore the two are incompatible and should not mix. He/She asserts that public schools cater for students with varying backgrounds and religious inclinations and they should not be subjected to rules that promote one form of religious expression. According to the author of the article, Public prayer leads to discrimination of the minority and a denial of their right to worship. The article refutes the claim that prayer in school has any value in checking societal excesses. The conclusion calls for total separation of church and state arguing that this is one way of preventing divisiveness in the society. Works Cited Campbell, Ted A. Christian Confessions: A Historical Introduction. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Cookson, Catharine. Regulating Religion: The Courts and the Free Exercise Clause. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. 12 Apr. 2007 . Murray, J. William. Let us pray: A plea for prayer in our school. New York: William Morrow & Co, 1995. U. S Department of Education. Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. Available on-line at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html Accessed on 12.04.07

Advantages Of The Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advantages Of The Hydraulic Fracturing - Essay Example This high-pressure mixture provides for an outward path for the gas and oil (DECC). Hydraulic fracturing has many advantages. The most significant advantage is that greater quantities of fossil fuels can be produced through this method. This provides for an economic benefit which can be understood by the reduction in the gas price in the United States due to increased production. It also provides for accessibility and production from oil and gas reserves which could otherwise not be utilized. The United States and Canada have achieved the maximal benefit and they can rely upon gas production through fracking for the next hundred years. Another added benefit of this technique is that it allows the generation of electricity through the natural gas. This is beneficial to the environment because the electrical energy produced from natural gas results in the release of half the amount of carbon dioxide in comparison to the electricity produced from coal. Furthermore, hydraulic fracturing has provided for an economic boost to the areas where this process is carried out. I t provides for employment opportunities for the local people (DECC; Koch). Despite the benefits of hydraulic fracturing, many concerns have been raised regarding the usage of this technique. It is argued that a very large quantity of water is required at the site of hydraulic fracturing which incurs environmental costs. Also, the water which is blasted into the rock layer contains various chemicals. These chemicals seep into ground water and pollute it affecting the quality of water available in the local area for the residents. Another environmental problem posed by fracking is that it can lead to earthquakes of low magnitudes. The last negative aspect cited by environmentalists is that hydraulic fracturing diverts the government and its agencies from spending on energy sources that are renewable and do not pollute the environment.

Hunger Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hunger Games - Essay Example The plotting of the previous release covers the disparity in power between formerly thirteen districts but currently twelve and the capitol, which ideally represents power (Collins, 3-18). The capitol district capitol represents the source of power or influence and which is depicted to rule over the rest of the districts. Poverty, hunger and general misery is shown to dominate the twelve districts while great wealth and technological advancement is what characterizes the capitol district. As a way of executing the power, the capitol district invents a mechanism through which food and such other humanitarian aid would be advanced to the rest of the districts through the ‘hunger games’, which are conducted annually. Every district therefore selects young representatives who would participate in fighting contests and the winner defines the district, which will receive the food aid over the year. The capitol district is therefore shown to have the capacity and power to advan ce food aid to the rest of the districts at will though this is not the case. The program to involve the districts in the hunger games is shown through the literature to be informed by the selfish ambitions of the power district to rule through oppression. In the movie (catching the fire), Peeta as well as Katniss comes back home after they are crowned victors in hunger games for the year. However, winning the 74th games meant that the duo would leave family as well as friends as they embarked on a countrywide tour, which is called ‘victors tour’ and involves visiting all the districts in the country. On the day that the journey was to commence, the president ‘Snow’ visits the 12th district unexpectedly and had to express his disappointment with Katniss for having broken the game rules within the previous annual games in which the two won. Snow’s anger was triggered by the defiance of Katniss’s rebellion, which he blamed to have triggered rebe llion among natives in the country (Panem). Nevertheless, the tour commences and the two starts at district 11 where after addressing and congratulating the citizens for their participation in the previous games, horror strikes when one three men are executed after one whistled a familiar tune to many. Among other motives in their travel, tour around the districts was to curtail rebellion and make peace between president snow and Katniss, which never materializes. After winding up the tour and returning home, two district 8 runways reveal Katniss that unlike what was said of district 13, the inhabitants had not been wholly wiped off but that they rather adopted underground shelters where they lived. This leads to announcement of 75th annual games, which was to involve the victors of the previous 24 matches. The common name to such games was ‘Quarter Quell’ and the two victors (Peeta and Katniss) individually commit to protect each other within the games. The movie unfol ds and the fight happens within the jungle and despite many deaths, which claims the live of Peeta, Katniss succeeds to direct lightening towards the ‘force field’ having the arena and wholly destroys it. However, she is equally harmed by the force and she paralyzes temporarily only to wake in district 13. It is also revealed to her that district 12 had been destroyed through bombing but the reporting friend safely rescued her family. The main thematic expressions of the movie

Race, Empire and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Race, Empire and Education - Essay Example century, confusion marred the classification of races where the Jews, Irish, and the Italians were considered as â€Å"black.† During the mid-nineteenth century, there was a lot of activity that saw the European nations move out of their continent to explore other regions. This was so intense that they had to compete amongst themselves. Slave trade gained roots due to the need for labor for the industries and farms during the industrial revolution. This made it possible for the Europeans to capitalize on the uncivilized races. In addition, there was a view of superiority among the Europeans who considered other races especially Africans as inferior and primitive. The mid nineteenth century being at the peak of the industrial revolution became the turning point in racial attitudes. Racial differences became explosive at the mid years of nineteenth century and were catalyzed by development of theories on racism. There are a number of theories that emerged that were used to explain various aspects of human variations. One of these differences was established to be the innate racial characteristics of individuals. In his work, published in 1850, Robert Knox points out that â€Å"race is everything: literature, science, art, in a word, civilization depends on it.† (Knox 1850, pg 7). With such a view, it is evident that there was a perception that the most important thing that determined the person’s worth was the race from which a person comes from. This theory further provided various conflicting propositions, for example, it establishes that the different races are different species. The mindset created among the whites created an impression of uniqueness superiority and intelligent. Another theory is that put forth by Count Arthur de Gobineau, a F renchman who composed an essay entitled â€Å"Essay on the Inequality of Human Races.† In this piece of work, Arthur amplifies the concept of race as one of the most important aspects that a person can be categorized, he

How does advertising affect society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How does advertising affect society - Essay Example The advertisers resort to the intricacies of psychology and affiliate to the nuances of audio-visual technology to influence and impact the human consciousness and thereby the human decision making capacity (Moton & Dumler, 2009, p. 538). Whether it is the real world or the virtual world, the domain of the world of advertising is vast and pervasive. Though advertising tends to influence and affect the human decision making capacity in a variety of ways, yet, one essential negative impact of advertising is that it wraps and distorts the human capacity to make informed decisions in ways that augment dissatisfaction and make human life quiet superficial and disconnected with a sense of personal conviction. One essential attribute of a sound human personality is that it endows a person with the capacity to decide as to what one really needs to lead a satisfied and contented life. Almost everyone is tentatively aware of the fact that quintessentially speaking, human needs tend to be few a nd narrow and given a choice, most of the humans do have the capacity to allocate their monetary resources in a manner that leaves them content and satisfied (Moton & Dumler, 2009, p. 538). Yet, in the contemporary world marred by advertising, this premise seems to be more of a cherished ideal rather than being a simple fact of life. Going by the fact that in the modern civilization, the human mind is constantly bombarded by advertisements, it is but natural that influenced by these, many people tend to develop a distorted sense of life (Moton & Dumler, 2009, p. 538). ... n, what are the things that they simply cannot do without and how they ought to lead their life, everything is to a great extent determined by the media and the advertisements that they get daily exposed to? Advertising makes people buy things that they do not really need and that they simply do not afford, leaving them emotionally and financially famished (Hood, 2009, p. 92). Advertising makes people lose contact with their true self and ushers in an artificiality and wastefulness into their lives. Many people, most of them affiliated to the world of sales and marketing do say that advertising tends to be informative and it helps the individuals and groups engage in informed decision making and thereby enhance human satisfaction (Moton & Dumler, 2009, p. 538). However, things are not as simple as that. Advertising not only tends inform people about the new products and services, but many advertisers do proceed a step ahead to create in people a false sense of need and try to convinc e them that buying a particular commodity or a service will add to their sense of happiness (Moton & Dumler, 2009, p. 538). Many people do get carried away with the distorted reasoning imbued in the advertisements and do end up thinking that spending money on unwanted material possessions will make them happy (Hood, 2009, p. 40). There is no dearth of people who go out of the way to model their personal and family life in consonance with the ideals being projected by the advertisements (Sutherland, 2008). It is fact that could readily be verified that many popular human aspirations like buying a big house even if one simply do not need it, buying a big car, dressing up in a particular way, purchasing specific food products and items, aspiring to gain a specific type of look and physique,