Developments in Transportation Bring About Economic and...

AP United States History 3 April 2013 Prompt: In what ways did developments in transportation bring about economic and social change in the United States in the period 1820-1860? Over time, transportation has shown to have an incredible impact on the United States. It has revealed to bring about economic and social changes in various ways. In the late eighteenth century ancient methods of traveling were still in use in America and it was often very slow. Americans were aware that if transportation advancement occurred, it would potentially increase foreign trade, increase land values as well as strengthen the American economy. In the mid 1800s it has been determined that transportation advancement has a drastic effect on our†¦show more content†¦Railroads were faster and cheaper than canals to construct, and they did not freeze over in the winter. Steamboats played a vital role in the United States economy as well. They stimulated the agricultural economy of the west by providing better access to markets at a lower cost. Farmers quickly bought land near navigable rivers, because they could ship their products out to other countries. Due to the foreign trade it helped strengthen the trade relationship between New England and the Northwest. The transportation development had many positive economic changes in the United States. The change in transportation led to social changes as well. Due to the construction of railroads in the urban areas there was more settlement in places where transportation was available such as New York. Due to the increase in transportation, white plantation owners increased their need for slave labor on the cotton farms as well as stricter slave code policies were increased in the South. Due to the advanced railroad system Americans are able to move westward very easily. All the migrants were in search for a new life and quick riches. In 1848-1855 Americans moved west because of the California Gold Rush. The gold rush attracted Chinese migrants to the western Un ited States. Some migrants planned to take advantage of the public lands that the federal government was selling in order toShow MoreRelatedAp Exam Essays1660 Words   |  7 Pagesby Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s? 2. Analyze the political, diplomatic, and military reasons for the United States victory in the Revolutionary War. Confine your answer to the period 1775–1783. 3. Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming of the Civil War. Confine your answer to the period 1845–1861. 4. 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The Human Rights of Life, Liberty and Property Essay

The Human Rights of Life, Liberty and Property When Jack Donnelly said Human rights are a social practice that aims to realize a particular vision of human dignity and potential by institutionalizing basic rightsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. I immediately realized that to achieve this, the rights of life (race, religion, and gender), liberty and property are most vital. They are the most important rights in order to attain the aforementioned dignity in that they are the rights that touch our individual lives the most often and consistently. These three main rights, which make up our Human Rights Code, cover a variety of different areas dealing with human rights but are also able to fuse what really matters to human†¦show more content†¦Religion should be a human right that everyone is entitled to choose because it provides a sanctuary for people in our extremely diverse world. The last right thats important to human rights pertaining to life is that of gender. Gender is very important to human beings/rights because the world is separated into two distinct genders: male and females. If one group was to go against the other than the world would be divided unequally (leading to possible discrimination). This would not be beneficial to either males or females for the reason that neither side could ever reach a general consensus about different subjects and issues. Through this conflict, it would force both sides to stay separate and break the line of communication between the two that is necessary to developing positive lives for everyone. Human rights that deal with race, religion and gender are incredibly valuable as they help ensure that everyone is treated equally while limiting the separation, as well as preventing conflict, between different groups of people. Liberty is a major part of our Human Rights Code in that it empowers us to freedom and speech, freedom of association and freedom from arbitrary arrest and confinement.[2] Freedom of speech is a very important asset for one to possess because without it many intelligent people would never be heard. There are many people in the worldShow MoreRelatedLocke vs Mill1618 Words   |  7 PagesMankind has been fighting for Liberty and Freedom for as long as we can remember. Liberty and freedom has been a topic which has been debated for many decades. What does it mean to be free , and how far can we go to strive for freedom. These important questions have been answered and studied by two of the greatest English philosophers, John Locke and John Stuart Mill. Locke and Mill men will attempt to uncover the mysteries of Liberty and Freedom and unveil the importance of being free. 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Cheering and People Free Essays

If people would ask a cheerleader if they think cheer is a spot, they will say yes. If they would ask anyone else, they would say it is not a sport. Cheerleading is a sport because they work Just as hard as anyone else who is in a sport. We will write a custom essay sample on Cheering and People or any similar topic only for you Order Now A cheerleader conditions, they have to be strong, and are competitive. In cheer, they do conditioning to get in shape, Just like every other sport. The coach will make them do all kinds of things, like run a certain amount of laps, and then do Jumping Jacks, lunges, or other things. Cheerleaders condition at every practice. They have to condition so they can do their routine over and over again during their practice. They also have to condition so they can lift people in the air and keep them there for a while. Another reason why they have to condition is so they can stay tight while doing all there cheers and dances. If they are loose at a competition they will get points taken off. Conditioning is a big part in cheer. Cheerleaders, especially guys, have to be strong. Guys have to be strong enough to hrow a girl up to about their shoulders and the hold them in their hands for a few minutes. Then they have to be able to extend them, so they are in their hands and over their heads. Football players may have to be strong, but they do not have to lift girls up everyday. Everyone from the people being lifted up to the people lifting them up have to be strong. The people in the air must be strong, so they can stay tight and not move to much while they are in the air. If they are doing a one legged stunt, and they are not tight, they will fall and may get hurt. The people lifting the them up must also be strong, so they can lift them up. They also cannot move because the person in the air might lose their balance and could fall. All cheerleaders must also be strong and fit enough to do their routine two hours or more a day, five days a week. Cheerleaders must be about as strong as a football player. Competitions are not Just for football, basketball, baseball, and soccer, they are also for cheerleaders. They work on a their routine for months before they have to go to a competition. They have to make sure that it is perfect before they go to competition. They have to make sure their dances are tight and everyone is on time for everything. They also have to make sure they have their cheers memorized and their stunts go up. If they cant do something then they have to chance their routine to make sure everything will work. At the competition they must do their routine in front of a crowd and Judges. Then they are Judged on how well they did their routine. The Judges look at how well there stunts went, there dances, cheers, Jumps and umbling, but they mostly watch if there timing is right on everything. The team with the most points then wins the competition. Cheerleaders will usually do many competitions a year. Some will do four or five, but some may only do one. Cheerleading is not Just about cheering on your schools teams, like most people think it is. It is mostly about the competitions. Cheerleaders work Just as hard as every other sport, if not harder. Cheerleading should be considered a sport and not just an extra activity like everyone thinks it is. Cheering and People By qwsxecdvfgb How to cite Cheering and People, Papers

Strategic Management and Risk Assessment The Bank of Nova Scotia

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management and Risk Assessment The Bank of Nova Scotia. Answer: Introduction Every entity must create its own tools for risk assessment; this component must become a natural part of the strategic planning process, where such evaluation is assumed as an indispensable need and a key instrument to be able to develop the objectives of internal control. It must through a continuous and basic process for the organization, a constant revision, update and improvement of Internal Control, based on a specific system of detection and evaluation of risks with the characteristics of the entity. The organization in focus is a financial institution, mainly the Bank of Nova Scotia . It operates in the banking and financial industry in Canada. Bank of Nova Scotia is among the four biggest bank in Canada, called the Big five. They control more than 80% of the total loans in Canadian market. The other four who are its peers in this category are, the Bank of Montreal(BMO),Toronto Dominion Bank(TD), Royal Bank of Canada( RBC) and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce( CIBC). Although the Canadian Banking and Financial industry has many players, its main competitors remain the big five. It is listed in the Canadian stock exchange as Scotiabank. Its revenue for the financial year ending June 2016 was C$ 26.049 billion, operating income rose to C$ 12.854 billion, its profits was C$ 7.413 billion and the total assets rose to a staggering C$ 896.467 billion. Firm and Industry The current state of the economy is better compared to a decade earlier when the global financial crisis hit the banking and financial sector due to inherent and uncontrollable risks. Due to good micro economic and macro economic conditions the firms profits and revenues have increased tremendously so are its competitors. This is shown in increased profitability by Bank Of Nova Scotia(Ansoff, 2014). External Environmental Analysis The following are external environmental analysis of Bank of Nova Scotia; PEST Analysis Political environment- Canada has one of the best political environments in the world. with this in mind, economic environment grow due to lack of uncertainties on political front. Bank Of Nova Scotia is also thriving financially. Economic analysis- the micro and macro economic conditions are favoring the business environment, eg inflationary levels are at all timer low in Canada favoring the banking sector. Social Analysis- a growing population in Canada is encouraging more innovation and increased banking competition. Technological- this is the most important environmental condition as it encourages innovation and product improvement leading to better services and more efficiency. Porters Analysis It assumes that a business has five forces that influence competitive power of the business. Supplier power- in this, suppliers have increased in Canadian market and therefore the force that they apply to the market is not as strong and would not necessarily affect market forces. Buyer power- due to high levels of competition and increased banks in Canada, prices given to Canadian community are low and affordable. Competitive rivalry- the big five banks in Canada are worthy competitors and therefore the banking and financial market provide a good competitive and quality service. Threat of substitution- innovation has led to improvement of banking services and products with an increasing threat of substitution. Substitution would threaten the ability of the bank to carry out more work. Threats of new entry- this force is really irrelevant considering how the big five have been dominant. There are many banks and financial institutions in Canada but their entry have not really affected the market dimensions(Appannaiah, Narayana Reddy, Ramanath, 2009). Theoretical conceptual framework on risk management Components of internal control The control is an integral part of the general functions of the management, through which you can check the current state of a system. The control in its more general conception examines, censors with enough previous, certain reality that approves or corrects, sometimes when it is spoken of control associates this word with something negative, since it is interpreted as restriction, coercion or delimitation, nevertheless the objective Control is to ensure that results are adjusted as much as possible to the intended objectives(Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, 2017). Taking into account that control is a basic function within any organization and administration process, which facilitates executive evaluation, including monitoring and systematic review, with its system design articulates internal control in five essential components Interrelated, and involved in all aspects of an organization. The five internal control components are: The control environment Risks evaluation Control activities Information and Communication Supervision and monitoring We will then emphasize risk assessment as an essential component within the internal control system. The risk assessment Because economic, industrial, regulatory and operational conditions change continuously, mechanisms are needed to identify and minimize the specific risks associated with change, and there is a growing need to assess risks. The risk assessment consists of the identification and analysis of both internal and external factors that may be relevant to the achievement of the intended objectives, refers to the continuous interactive process and the methodology by which the company identifies the areas of greater High risk, which deserve the greatest attention and allocation of resources for the application of control measures(Horcher, 2005). Internal control has been designed essentially to limit the risks that affect the activities of entities. Through the investigation and analysis of the relevant risks and the point to which the current control neutralizes them, thus evaluating the vulnerability of the system. Any organization that seeks to achieve success, whether public or private, must identify, evaluate and manage its risks to reduce them through the design and implementation of efficient internal control system. Zero risk does not exist, risk is inherent in business, but can be significantly reduced by identifying threats to the organization and striving to maintain it within Limits(Milos? Sprc?ic?, n.d.). There are many sources of risk both internal and external External Technological developments not assumed that can cause obsolescence of the organization. Changes in the needs and expectations of the population Changes in legislation and standards leading to forced changes in strategy and procedures Internal The organizational structure adopted, given the existence of typical inherent risks Quality of the personnel incorporated, as well as the methods for their instruction and motivation The very nature of the entity's activities a precondition for risk assessment is the determination of objectives at each level of the organization and are consistent with each other. Management must first set the objectives before identifying the risks that may impact on their achievement and take the appropriate measures to manage them. In the assessment of risks, In addition to identifying them at the company level, these should be identified and analyzed at the level of activity, department and operation in order to estimate the importance of the same, and establish control activities that guarantee maximum management. The correct evaluation at the level of activity also contributes to the maintenance of an acceptable level of risk for the entity as a whole, thus guaranteeing the fulfillment of the expected objectives. The tendency has also been propagated for the elaboration of national standards for the administration of the same and the development of multiple systems and personalized programs of advice for their management in the different areas of economic activity. Types of Risks Analysis for Bank of Nova Scotia Type of risk Formula Year 2013 Year 2014 Year 2015 Year 2016 Capital risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 16.34 18.19 19.24 16.66 Operational risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 40.5 39.2 37.4 35.7 Credit risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 46.6 42.7 50.5 50.3 Strategic risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 20.84 21.53 20.44 21.60 Liquidity risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 16.37 16.17 14.67 13.73 Comparison with industry in Banking and Finance industry Type of risk Formula Year 2014 Year 2015 Year 2016 Capital risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 26.3 28.4 30.4 Operational risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 41.5 37.2 35.4 Credit risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 47.6 32.7 40.5 Strategic risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 20.84 21.53 20.44 Liquidity risk Risk-weighted asset (B2+B3/B4) % 18.37 19.17 17.67 Capital Risk: We can relate it to the loss that could be incurred in the event that counterparty is complied with and in that transaction it could not be demanded by the legal process to comply with the payment commitments. Capital risk increases due to increase in capital fleight chances. In the three years , the capital risk increases. Operational risk: It refers to operations that have some of the rating is merely an indicator that seeks to express the capacity or probability of payment in the precise time of both the interest and the principal that all the debt entails, that is, the higher or lower credit risk which supports the investor who has lent its funds to the receiving entity. Credit risk: In a credit institution, for example, insolvency may arise as a result of a lack of adequacy between assets and liabilities, a significant decline in income, or unanticipated growth in financial investments. Strategic risk: There are other classifications related to internal control failures, with labor regulations, that is, the risk of direct or indirect loss caused by insufficiency or failure of the processes, people and inefficiency of the internal organization of the company. In the next three years the strategic risk increases due to increase in competition. Liquidity risk: this is the risk of the bank to stay afloat. In the coming three years , the banks liquidity risk seem to reduce as is the trend from the table. In 2013, the liquidity is 16.37, in 2014, it is 16.17, in 2015, it is 14.67 and in 2016, it is 13.37. if the trend continues like that, the liquidity risk is likely to reduce. Fig 1: Quick Acid test ratio grapgh for the bank. https://www.google.com/search?q=graphs+on+liquidity+ratiosclient= Fig 2; Net loans to Total asset ratio; https://www.google.com/search?q=graphs+on+liquidity+ratiosclient The quick acid test ratio can be good in the next three years. conclusion The inherent risk is that risk that by its nature cannot be separated from the situation where it exists. It is typical of the work to be done. It is the own risk of each company according to its activity. The risk incorporated is that risk that is not characteristic of the activity, but rather the product of unresponsive behavior of a worker, who assumes other risks in order to achieve something that he thinks is good for him and / or for the company. Important and controversial aspect has been to classify the types of risks according to the criterion of the structure and the main functions of a company. The most used classifications by authors such as are economic, market, credit, legality, technological, legal , Liquidity risk, corporate risk, organizational, among others(Rotha?rmel, 2017). There are other classifications related to internal control failures, with labor regulations, that is, the risk of direct or indirect loss caused by insufficiency or failure of the processes, p eople and inefficiency of the internal organization of the company Called by some authors organizational or business risk and for others, such as the banking industry as a risk of operations(Smulders, Collins, 2005). References Ansoff, H. (2014).Strategic management. [Place of publication not identified]: Palgrave Macmillan. Appannaiah, H., Narayana Reddy, P., Ramanath, H. (2009).Strategic management. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Chong, Y.Investment risk management. Hitt, M., Ireland, R., Hoskisson, R. (2017).Strategic management. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Horcher, K. (2005).Essentials of financial risk management. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Ishikawa, A., Naka, I. (2007).Knowledge management and risk strategies. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific. Leitch, M. (2008).Intelligent internal control and risk management. Aldershot, England: Gower. Milos? Sprc?ic?, D.Risk management. Rotha?rmel, F. (2017).Strategic management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Sadler, P. (2004).Strategic management. New-Delhi: Koganpage India Prt. Ltd. Smulders, F., Collins, J. (2005).Risk management strategies: monitoring and surveillance. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers.

The commercial airline industr... free essay sample

The commercial airline industry has grown and changed tremendously over the last four or five decades. Southwest has many strengths and weaknesses, but every company has their strengths and weaknesses. Southwest can safely say that they have many things that they do that are not used in most other airlines. This includes; not charging extra for baggage or fees for changing travel schedules, and offering a sizable amount of in-flight entertainment. The company also only hires candidates that have certain traits, attitudes, and behaviors. They also send their new recruits to their own university. I believe that Southwest is a company that caters to families. To start, Southwests employees are a strength to the company because having employees who have certain attitudes can be a great thing for any company. The hiring process that Southwest employs is that the employees should be a good team player, have a good sense of humor, and treat others with respect. We will write a custom essay sample on The commercial airline industr or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Southwest flight attendants cater to a family-based style because they have a good sense of humor and treat others with respect. This can show children that Southwest is a good option to choose when they grow older and have families of their own. I believe that this is a competitive advantage for Southwest because having good employees will make your customers happy and they will keep coming back. Furthermore, I would say that their advertising campaigns are the best among the other airline companies in the industry. The bags fly free advertising that they have done is great for their business. It helped them in the recent recession of 2008-2009 and it will continue to help when times of financial recession occur. The company uses advertising to show special fare sales to fill seats that would otherwise be empty. I think that this overall would lower the price of tickets sold for flights and helps with having lower operating costs per customer-per mile. Moreover, the bags fly free campaign, to me looks good to families who want to travel around the country, because they dont have to pay for their checked bags. Southwest helps families who have small kids by allowing their parents to check car seats and strollers for free. This can help families who might be poor but need to travel to a funeral or other event across the country. The sizeable amount of electronics or things to do during a flight helps keep the kids in line too. Non-stop or point-to-point flights cost more but there is no need to use a hub for the flights, so there is less travel time. This system caters to families, because parents with children dont want to be waiting at an airport terminal for their plane to arrive where one of their kids may get bored and go stir crazy. This kind of flight can cater to business people too because like families, they dont want to wait either. In addition, the companys use of one aircraft type can help them save on maintenance costs and costs with training the employees that work on and maintain the aircraft. It can save the company money because the company needs less warehousing space for replacement parts. I think they have a partnership with Boeing, and having a partnership with an airplane manufacturing company can give you advantages, and in Southwests case, they get Boeings newest airplanes first. As well as having only one type of aircraft, it could also be a weakness because while Southwest Airlines has international flights, they would need to probably buy bigger aircraft to fly overseas. They acquired AirTran, but the amount of passengers Southwest gets from international travel shown in the case is a small amount towards dominating the international areas they fly. To go along with the weakness that they are not flying internationally, they do have flights to places nearby like places in the Caribbean and Mexico, but they dont really get any international customers. On the other hand, this could be better for them because they can focus on the United States and its customers there. This is in fact what I think they are doing, and they are dominating the airline ind ustry in the US. Having longer international flights would also mean that they may have to go back to the drawing board for how they are going to serve food and beverages on the plane, or tell its customers that there is a new practice for international flights. They would also probably need to change their operating strategy too, because of new languages, cultures, and laws and regulations they would need to deal with. Another weakness is the fact that Southwest has only one class of seating available to its passengers. This isnt bad for families since they dont really want to sit in business class seating with their children. Business people who are traveling and may have their trip paid for would rather have a seat in a business or first-class area than in the coach area, so they would have enough room for work, and wouldnt be bothered by children. I think that business and first-class seating would probably gain additional revenue for the company even if they had only a few seats per flight. In fact, purchasing tickets for Southwest may be a hard task to overcome for some people because depending on if you are booking flights connecting to other airline companies, you may have to go through a travel agency. Going t hrough travel agencies will cost more because of the fees that go with it. I think that if I were to do it this way it would give me a hard time finding the right flight. Also, traveling with Southwest you need to check in 24 hours before your flight to get your boarding position, and it seemed to me to be on a first come first serve basis. So, if you were a little behind, or slow with the process, you would get a boarding position where you would have fewer seats to choose from when boarding your plane the next day. Southwest also has a pretty bad weakness for families, and that is the fact that they dont provide passengers with transfer services. Again, families would have a hard time moving all over the airport with their children. Moving around the airport also takes time, so if a customer wanted to book a flight with transfers, they would want to leave at least 30 minutes in between transfers to get to baggage claim and onto their next flight. This also leaves less time for a meal, snack, or something else before their next flight. Southwests key elements to its culture, is the fact that way back in the early days of the company when Herb Kelleher took the role of CEO, he did many things to help the companys culture become what it is today. He would make it a point to work with the companys employees and find the weaknesses and problems within the company. As part of a quote, he said, You have to treat your employees like your customers. Employees come first, and since you treat your employees like customers they will treat the companys customers well. In this way, you would be benefiting both your employees and customers, instead of just your customers. I think that overall this is a great competitive strategy for them because working side-by-side with your employees makes them feel better. To me, I think most employees like that kind of boss. To conclude, most of the strengths of Southwest are towards families because that is the kind of company they want to be. Its not a bad thing but business people should be involved too. Overall, I think that Southwest Airlines will continue to flourish and become an improved company in the next decade.

How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50

How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50 How I Self-Published My First Novel at the Age of 50 Andy Emery  writes fast-paced thrillers set in 19th Century London. Lucas Gedge, the protagonist of Blood Tribute,  had to wait till Andy turned 50 before he could go out into the world. In this guest post, Andy reveals what finally made him take the leap and self-publish his debut novel. Working with ReedsyIt was evident from the beginning that I would need to hire professional help for two important tasks: designing the cover of my book, and editing. I got the cover sorted out early on, but what to do about the editing?I first heard of Reedsy through a webinar run by Nick Stephenson. The fact that I could tap into a large number of potential editors, all vetted by Reedsy and offering services from structural editing through to proofreading, and communicate with them before making a choice, sounded good to me. Using the Reedsy Marketplace is very straightforward. I determined that I would need content and copy editing followed by proofreading. Then I went through all the professionals who seemed to conform to my requirements and requested quotes from five of them.I plumped for Andrew Lowe to do my content and copy editing, mostly because I liked the way he described himself, his relaxed style, and let’s face it, the fact that his fees were not exorbitant. As a first-time novelist, I was apprehensive about the editing process. But early in our first chat on Skype, Andrew put me at ease. He seemed to 'get it',  regarding what I was trying to achieve, and his approach, using Skype sessions and informal email contacts, was very effective. He explained his suggested changes in a constructive and friendly way.After implementing Andrew’s changes, I went straight on to repeat the process for proofreading, and this time chose Katherine Stephen, who again provided a very proficient and professional service.After formatting the book, it was ready to go, and it was published on Amazon on July 12th, 2016. It remains to be seen how it will do commercially, but I’m in it for the long haul, and I’m already working on the second book in the series. It’s been a very satisfying process, and Reedsy’s editors have been a vital part of that.Blood Tribute is available on Amazon, get your copy here!Could your day job also in spire a fantastic thriller? Head to the comments section below and tell us your profession, as well an idea  for a gripping story based on that job.

Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists Essay

Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists - Essay Example The essay "Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists" explores the Female Contemporary Artists of Middle East. Elements of the theater arts are evident in marriage ceremonials, funeral practices and performances of traditional music. Arab artists draw inspiration from the vestiges of the region's ancient cultures, combining older iconography with new insights to create fresh artistic expressions. This fusion of elements is evident in the works of several artists who have been influenced by the ancient symbols of Mesopotamia and the rich imagery of Coptic art. Sawsan Amer's works on glass, for instance, combine traditional iconography with personal imagery, mixing the direct frontality of Coptic icons with representations of birds, both real and imagined. Another artist who joins ancient and contemporary references is Liliane Karnouk from Egypt. "My paintings are in search of a definite cultural union," says the artists. "I belong to a generation trapped between Western and Oriental values." She expresses her search for union by combining tree bark from Canada and the papyrus paper from Egypt in installations such as Black and Green, 1992. This work expresses her helpless outrage at the senseless violence of the Gulf War. The black paperworks represent an initial outlet for her mourning for the human and environmental victims of the conflict. The large spatial canvases were conceived as a visual requiem. The tree bark and green seedlings emerge as a source of renewal. The art of Effat Nagui, a 92-year.... The black paperworks represent an initial outlet for her mourning for the human and environmental victims of the conflict. The large spatial canvases were conceived as a visual requiem. The tree bark and green seedlings emerge as a source of renewal. The art of Effat Nagui, a 92-year-old Egyptian artist "who lives in history," draws upon the ancient cultures of northern Africa. One of the pioneers of modern art in Egypt, Nagui was the first woman artist to have a work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo, in 1928. Her mixed media works like Icon of the Nile. 1991 (Amirsadeghi, Mikdadi & Shabout, 2009, 167-185) unite concentric circles and the venerable outline of the mummy with remnants of Coptic parchment and crocodile skins to create contemporary images that utilize the magic of antiquity. As Nagui says: "Sometimes the artist needs to use materials and forms from ancient folk art so that he may touch the invisible bases which erected original art. Art is the result of assimilated and inherited culture." (Madkour, 2006, 19-21) Nagui's wooden sculptured surfaces, influenced by Nubian architecture, testify to the dynamic and symbolic roles of art forms. These and other contemporary Arab artists draw inspiration from the past. The Arab East has seen a succession of major civilizations, each creating its own art forms. This is precisely what civilizations are about--creative, centripetal power which fuses old elements with new ideas, giving birth to original and specific new expression. (McEvilley, 2007, 19-21) The Art of Politics The Arab East has been a battleground in the 19th and 20th centuries. War has been a critical feature of recent history in the region, and wars, per se, create turmoil in a society, accelerating the normal

Response Week 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response Week 11 - Essay Example As noted from this event, he does not only have a lot of money and techniques to bribe law enforcement officials from both sides of the border, he also has supporters who are not hired by him. It is not hard to see why ordinary Mexican citizens would be supporting him if he has been keeping their streets safe from other drug cartels members. This just shows the level of insecurity that the Mexican citizens are facing, since they would rather have a drug lord protecting them than law enforcement agencies. This also proves that it would be hopeless not to have El Chapo extradited to United States. Even though most people who have lost their loved ones to death because of this man are happy to see him behind bars, Salazar is right to point out of the harsh reality. This man is still too powerful. Supposedly the Mexican government manages to extradite him, which I believe is necessary, there will still be a problem. As noted by Patricia Adler, Peter Alder and O’Brien (2012), page 390, the war on drugs exists because people fail to see their harmful effects. This means that even if both governments decide to sentence him to death, drug smuggling, human trafficking and people will still be killed by other drug smugglers. When a CEO from a company gets fired, the company does not stop its operations because other CEOs get hired. As much as the two governments want the man gone for good, it is important for law enforcement agencies to remember one thing. The solution to the war on drugs is ultimately a structural one where people will learn that they are part of what it takes to defeat the war. Hastings, D. (2014, February 27). Hundreds march in Mexico for release of drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. New York Daily News. Retrieved from

History of Computers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of Computers - Essay Example The study would even outline trend of computer science profession in next 10 years. The beginning stage of computers has its roots in 19th century. Its history is closely knitted with an English mathematics professor called as Charles Babbage. He was able to frame the design of an analytical machine. On basis of this framework computers are being designed in present scenario. Computers can briefly be categorized into three generations. Each generation basically lasts for a specific time frame. These generations individually has delivered improved and new computer or rather further modifications on existing ones. First generation was from 1937 to 1946. Electronic digital computer firstly was designed in 1937 by Clifford Berry and Dr. John V, Atanasoff. It was known as ABC or Atanasoff-Berry Computer. During 1943 for military purpose an electronic computer was designed called as Colossus. It was followed by wide range of other developments encompassing general purpose digital computer. This device was also known as Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer or ENIA C. It was stated that this computer had a total of 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighed 30 tons. These were mainly used for purpose of processing. Computers belonging to this generation were able to perform only one task at a time and possessed no such operating system. Second generation can be outlined from 1947 to 1962. In this generation vacuum tubes were discarded and transistors were utilized due to high reliability. The first computer mainly for commercial usage was introduced in 1951 and this was called as UNIVAC 1 or Universal Automatic Computer. IBM or International Business Machine 700 and 650 series had set their mark in world of computers. In this generation particularly more than 100 programming languages were created. This generation computers possessed operating systems and memory (Dale and Lewis, 2007). Storage media like disk and tape were effectively used along with

The Performance Of Unilever

The Performance Of Unilever In 1999, Unilever implemented what they considered to be an ambitious strategy named Path to Growth which they believed achieved a lot in terms of brand focus, global buying, operating margins and capital efficiency (Cescau Rivers, 2007b). However, according to the then Group Chief Executive Patrick Cescau, the strategy failed to transform growth performance (Cescau Rivers, 2007b, 1). Consequently, adjustments were made to the strategy between 2005 and 2006, aimed at reorganizing and streamlining Unilevers organization and to increase awareness of the Unilever brand (Johnson Scholes, 2006). In terms of innovation, Unilever delivered bigger and better innovations, rolled out faster and to more markets (Unilever, 2009, 5). The tremendous success in fast and effective rollout of innovations was enhanced greatly by the one organizational structure (One Unilever) introduced into the business as a result of the adjustments made to Path to Growth (Unilever, 2009a). For example, the Dove Minimising Deodorant has been rolled out across 37 markets and Clear Shampoo across 37 markets. The success in this area has also been reward by the business publication Fast Company which recently recognized us as the fourth most innovative company in advertising and marketing. In terms of cost saving, the business focused on discontinuing and cutting out activities that failed to add value. The restructuring was one such activity. In 2009 alone, Unilever, achieved cost savings of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.4bn, which was better than expected and also improved working capital by à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.9bn (Unilever, 2009a. Despite these and other successes including mergers and acquisitions, operational and sustainability and corporate responsibility, Unilever also failed to achieve some of their targets. For example, in two key markets, India and Spain, we took longer to respond to changing market dynamics and to the intense level of competition especially from low-cost local competitors (Unilever, 2009a, 6). In the processed and packaged goods industry in which Unilever operates, this is a significant failing as the battle for market share is fierce (Ehlers Estes, 2007). Companies primarily achieve this primarily by cost leadership strategies, therefore the need for Unilever to continue on their cost cutting drive cannot be overestimated. Another significant challenge is their inability to develop their brands to top quality status. In their own estimation, product quality is getting better, but we need more of our products to show superiority and there is ample scope to sharpen our communications and to set the innovation bar even higher (Unilever, 2009a, 6). Financial Performance To put Unilevers performance into context, let us look at some of their financial ratios for both the financial year ended 31 December 2009 and ratio averages for a five year period which includes 2006 to 2009. Figure 1: Sales Growth (%) of Unilever, Processed Packaged Goods Industry and SPs 500. Data Source: Yahoo Finance Figure 1 shows Unilevers performance compared against its competitors and the SPs 500 benchmark which has been widely regarded as the best single gauge of the large cap US equities market since the index was first published in 1975 (Standard and Poors, nd). The chart on the left shows the close to 5% decrease in growth of Unilevers sales while the industry average recorded an increase between 2008 and 2009. This reveals that the competition is making inroads in regaining lost market share during the period of the economic downturn. The five year average for Unilever is still showing a positive although it is significantly below industry average. Figure 2 below shows the earnings per share position for the last three years for Unilever. Figure 2: Earnings per share for Unilever (2007 2009) Data source: Yahoo Finance The earnings per share ($) shows the profit attributable to each share held by Unilever for the last three years (McLaney, 2006). Despite a recovery from 2008, the 2009 EPS has fallen again and to levels below 2007s. Figure 3 shows the Price/Earnings ratio compared with competitors and the SP benchmark. Figure 3: P/E Ratio (2009) Source: Yahoo Finance The price earnings ratio is the number of years that it would take at the current share price and rate of earnings, for the earnings from the share to cover the price of the share (McLaney, 2006, 58). This is one of the most important measures investors use to assess a company. Unilever is once again operating below industry average and way below a benchmark of companies in the stock market. This implies that investors are less confident of growth in future earnings (McLaney, 2006, 58) of Unilever compared with industry average and the benchmark of leading companies. In terms of profitability, Figure one shows the position. Profitability Ratios % Unilever Industry SP Gross margin 30.40 38.50 Net margin 9.20 9.80 10.50 5 yr Gross margin 48.60 46.80 37.80 5 yr Net margin 10.10 9.50 11.30 ROCE 15.60 15.00 9.30 ROE 30.60 29.80 20.50 Table 1: Profitability Ratios Source: Yahoo Finance Gross margin figure for 2008 2009 was unavailable for Unilever. The net margin which shows the proportion of profit left for Unilever after all expenses have been taken into account is around the industry average for the period 2008 2009. The 5 year average positions for both gross and net margins are favourable for Unilever, compared to its competitors. Its 5 year gross margin is also significantly better than SPs 500. The return on capital employed (ROCE) and return on equity (ROE) positions are also marginally better than the industry average and significantly better than SPs 500. While the ROCE is a measure of profit as a percentage of total assets less current liabilities, the ROE looks at matters more specifically from the shareholders viewpoint, and reports on profit earned by shareholders after all charges have been accounted for (McLaney, 2006). Table 2 below shows the liquidity and gearing positions of Unilever and comparisons with other companies. Gearing and Liquidity Unilever Industry SP 500 Debt/Equity Ratio 0.83 0.81 1.37 Interest Coverage 48.30 21.00 27.10 Current Ratio 0.90 1.20 1.40 Quick Ratio 0.60 0.80 1.20 Table 2: Gearing and Liquidity. Data source: Yahoo Finance The Debt/Equity Ratio as with all Capital Gearing ratios is concerned with the relative sizes of the funds provided by shareholders on the one hand, and by loan creditors on the other (McLaney, 2006, 56). The higher the ratio, the riskier the business is concerned to be. In this case, the ratio is around industry average and less than the benchmark of top companies, so it should not cause too concern. The interest coverage shows that Unilever can comfortable meet interest payments as they fall due way above the industry average. In terms of liquidity, the current ratio is a measure of whether the current assets are able to meet current liabilities obligations as they fall due. This does not appear to be the case if payment is requested immediately (which a ratio of at least 1:1 will be able to do). In practice however, it is unrealistic to expect to ask for their payments at once unless the business was in serious problems. Therefore, although lower than the competition the current ratio and the quick ratio (which looks at the most liquid of assets, normally excluding inventory) should not cause panic although ways to increase it must be looked at. Brand Awareness According to Unilever, brands and innovation are at the heart of everything we do. We develop our products to keep pace with changes in consumer lifestyles and to appeal to people at all income levels. Success means getting bigger and better innovations into the market faster, supported by the very best marketing (Unilever, 2009, 8). These statements are indeed backed up by initiatives undertaken in the last few years in the UK to increase brand awareness. Some of these initiatives will be briefly described. According to Mathiesen (2009, 19), a recent campaign for Lynx for Men, one of Unilevers mens deodorants, resulted in a 56% increase in (prompted) brand awareness in the UK. This campaign was done through mobile marketing. The campaign sought to achieve the following objectives (Mathiesen, 2009): To enhance awareness of the Lynx brand To market to the 16-24 year old male who are traditionally hard to reach through traditional advertising methods To promote the Lynx brand as attractive to women and modern The success is not only evidenced by the 56% promoted awareness, according to Mathiesen (2009), 86% could recall the Lynx advert and 44% of people felt more positive about Lynx after seeing the add. Not only are Unilever working on improving product branding, they have most significantly moved to increase the company brand image. In March 2009, Unilever UK and Ireland began putting the corporate branding on its product brand advertising including TV, posters and press (Unilever, 2009b), starting with Flora. This move was influenced by research which showed that consumers in the UK and Ireland have relatively low awareness and knowledge of our company, compared to some of our competitors. They are open to the idea of us promoting Unilever more overtly and see this as a sign of honesty and transparency. For a company as large as Unilever, it is surprising that a lot of people who use a lot of their products on a daily basis do not know the name of the company. The same could not be said of its competitors like Nestle or Kraft, for instance. In an industry as competitive as the processed and packaged goods industry, where the extent of competitive rivalry is very high, brand awaren ess is a vital source of achieving and sustaining competitive advantage (Porter, 1998b). Brand Theories Indeed, the importance of Unilever focusing on promoting brand awareness is supported by relevant theory. MacDonald and Sharp (2003, 1), citing Rossiter and Percy (1987) described brand awareness as being essential for the communications process to occur as it precedes all other steps in the process. Without brand awareness occurring, no other communication effects can occur. In other words, a consumer is likely to buy a brand if they are made aware of it. MacDonald and Sharp (2003, 1) also go on to discuss memory theory where brand awareness is position as a vital first step in building the bundle of associations which are attached to the brand in memory (citing Stokes, 1985). Brand awareness is very important when a consumer is making what are usually very quick purchase decisions. According to MacDonald and Sharp (2003), where a customer can identify certain brands, he or she spends very little time looking at unfamiliar brands. Consequently, an unfamiliar brand name or one that is not aggressively promoted risks being ignored, irrespective of the quality of the product. Even after a consumer has formed a consideration set and chosen the few brands from which she will make her purchasing decision, consumers decide to purchase only familiar, well established brands (Keller, 1993). The decision is usually made very quickly as well. According to Dickson and Sawyer (1986), it takes approximately 12 seconds on average for a consumer to view product alternatives and make a choice from different brands. MacDonald and Sharp (2003, 2) also explained that brand awareness affects customers perception of quality. They cited Hoyer and Brown (1990) who found in a consumer choice study that over 70% of consumers selected a known brand of peanut butter from among a choice of three, even though another brand was objectively better quality (as determined by blind taste tests) and even though they had neither bought or used the brand before. This result is even more surprising considering the subjects were given the opportunity to taste all of the brands. Just being a brand dramatically affected their evaluation of the brand (MacDonald and Sharp, 2003, 2). Therefore, Unilever has tremendous opportunities to marry the popularity of their tremendous brand image for most of their products to the corporate brand image. With effective marketing strategies they can generate enough consumer trust and loyalty to dominate entire shopping trolleys of families. This is because in the industry that Unileve r operates in and the kind of products it offers, consumers (buyers) have high bargaining powers. There is also low switching costs which means that a consumer may decide to switch from competitors deodorants to Lynx for the simple reason that the consumer has been used to buying Knorr stock. Recommended Strategy for Unilever Vision We work to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. We will inspire people to take small everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world. We will develop new ways of doing business that will allow us to double the size of our company while reducing our environmental impact (Unilever, nd). SWOT Analysis Based on an internal analysis of Unilever, their strengths and weaknesses were identified. The opportunities and threats facing Unilever were also determined by undertaking an external analysis. The internal analysis included a review of its financial performance, its marketing function, employees, operations, management, and management information (including technology and RD) which helped to pinpoint Unilevers strengths and weaknesses (Lynch, 2005). The external analysis used the PESTEL and Co. framework which stands for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Ethical, Legal and Competition. From this analysis, the opportunities and threats facing the business were identified. Strengths Global company Economies of scale Good profit margins Competitive prices Strong brand image for products Innovation Developing and emerging markets Weaknesses Room for improvement in enhancing brand awareness Negative sales growth Company still not a household name Liquidity Opportunities Focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility Speed of technological advancement Low switching costs Threats Low consumer confidence Low consumer spending Volatile political climate in developing and emerging (DE) markets Global economic downturn Fierce competition Figure 4: SWOT Analysis In terms of Unilevers strengths, as was seen from the financial analysis above, they made good profit and their level of gearing is in line with competitors. They maintain a very strong presence in the developing and emerging markets with nearly 50% of their revenues coming from areas such as India and China. However, they need to increase their brand awareness although they are doing it with targeted advertising campaigns. In terms of opportunities, Unilever are well positioned to exploit the opportunities that result from being seen as a company that takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. For example, to meet their aim of growing their business while reducing their environmental impact, our Code of Business Principles and other operational and business polices are designed to ensure that we consistently maintain high social and environmental standards an d we have established processes to track performance in these areas. Our strategy benefits from the insights of the Unilever Sustainable Development Group, comprising five external specialists in corporate responsibility and sustainability that guide and critique the development of our strategy (Unilever, 2009a) In terms of threats facing Unilever, the threat of political volatility especially in emerging markets are mitigated by Unilevers already strong presence there. There have experience of operating in these markets for a good number of years, therefore, they can cope with the volatility. However, the economic downturn has proved constraining to not only Unilever but its competitors. This has also adversely affected consumer confidence and consequently consumer spending which companies like Unilever depend on for their success. Competition is fierce due to low profitability, fairly equal market share and undifferentiated products (Ehlers Estes, 2007). To be successful in the processed and packaged goods industry, there must exist high brand awareness, effective cost management to be able to charge low prices and the commitment to meet ethical standards. Unilever have the strengths to achieve these and are well on their way to overcome weaknesses relating to brand awareness. Once brand awareness increases and the economic conditions become better then this should impact positively on their business as consumer spending and confidence returns. Strategic Options and Choice Based on the SWOT analysis above Unilever are faced with different strategic growth options which are provided below, based on Ansoffs matrix (Johnson Scholes, 2006): Market penetration of existing products into existing markets Market development of existing products into new markets New product development introducing new products into new markets Diversification new products into new markets Strategic Option 1 (Market penetration of existing products) is recommended with details as follows: Maintain and sustain competitive advantage in the DE markets where which is expected to continue to grow Focus on enhancing brand awareness in the developed markets like the UK Develop cross selling and other initiatives to increase usage by existing customers The rationale behind this strategy is that with such fierce competition, Unilevers rivals will unsurprisingly be doing all they can to increase their market share and that will include offering products at low prices. Unilever, by employing the market penetration strategy, will effectively be doing business as usual, while employing cost cutting measures designed to bolster profits. This strategy is less risky especially in an environment of a global economic downturn (Johnson Scholes, 2006). It is also recommended that the strategy be achieved through organic growth as opposed to other activities like mergers and acquisitions which have high potential for failure. In terms of competitive strategy, it is recommended that a combination of cost leadership and differentiation be employed. Although Porter argues for a single generic strategy (1998b), this is not always the best option because customers will require different thing from the same product. For example, for the success of the Lynx brand is because it combines low price with perceived coolness. This combined generic strategy has great chance of success as it enables Unilever to be price competitive while also using obtained brand loyalty to keep customers from rivals. Choosing the right strategy is important. However, more important is the successful achievement of the strategy. This will involve effective deployment of Unilevers resources (those used in the internal analysis above) to achieve set objectives. Communication is also key to ensure that those responsible for implementing the strategy buy into it sufficiently to be motivated enough to implement it successfully (Johnson Scholes, 2006). Finally, it is important that once implemented the strategy should be monitored regularly with a view of making changes or enhancing it as required to achieve set objectives.

Putting Capital Punishment to Death :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hanging, the firing squad, the gas chamber, the electric chair, lethal injection; these are some present methods of the death penalty. Capital punishment has been used in America for a long time, and has always presented conflicts. There are many groups that protest capital punishment, and there are many groups that are for it. The controversies it presents have to do with the cost, if it is humane, or if it is moral. With all of these problems taken into consideration, it is clear to anyone that capital punishment is the wrong choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The early forms of the death penalty were not only much less humane than they are now, but much more cruel and unusual. Hanging, one of the earliest forms, is actually still used in 3 states as one form of capital punishment. The inmate would not get blindfolded, unlike most methods, then they would stand on a stool or box. A noose would then be wrapped, and tightened, around their neck. The box or stool is then kicked out from under the inmate, and onlookers watch in anticipation while the inmate suffocates to death. In some cases, the inmate’s neck would break, instantly killing him. (Baird 22)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other early forms of capital punishment were the guillotine and the firing squad. Both of these methods used blindfolds. For the guillotine, the inmate would lay down on their back under a huge blade hanging above their neck. The executioner would then cut a rope, releasing the blade that then slices through the inmate’s neck, decapitating him. For the firing squad, and inmate would be led to a chair in front of a brick wall. A trained firing squad then lines up in front of the inmate. The firing squad then fires their guns at a target on the inmate’s chest. To relieve the guilt of the squad, some of their guns were loaded with blanks, so no one could know if they were the ones who killed the man. The guillotine is not used anymore, but the firing squad is still used in a few states. Anyone can see why these methods are not used as much anymore. (Baird 21)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now to the real controversies. Most people do not realize these inhumane methods of capital punishment are still being used, but the more controversial ones are the methods everyone knows about. One of the older current methods is he electric chair. The electric chair is not the most controversial, even though it is the least humane of the widely used practices.

`A dolls house` act 3 analysis

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen is about the oppression of women and how they were asked by men to live in a ‘Doll's House.' We see throughout the play how Torvald acts like a dictator with Nora and talks to her condescendingly.However, in Act III things start changing. Torvald's tone becomes harsher, he actually starts treating her like a possession and dresses her up like a doll in all the things he finds most ‘desirable'.After the party he tries to have her in order to satisfy his desire but when Nora reveals Krogstad's condition Torvald tries to use his desire as a point of consolation. When Nora talks to him and tell him her own secret. He unravels. He abuses her verbally and claims she has shamed him. He completely rejects her position.Yet, as soon as the truth is revealed through the letter the maid brings, he forgives her. By then Nora has had enough and decides to leave him unable to live anymore as a possession with no will and a person with no individual identity . She said of her position with her dad and then Torvald as her husband, â€Å"He played with me just as I used to play with my dolls. And when I came to live with you I was simply transferred from Papa’s hands to yours.†It is this Act that summarizes Nora's conflicts throughout the play where she struggled to see herself as an independent woman but was confined by her sense of duty to her husband and society. She felt she was freed and her ties with Torvald severed when he refused to help her and honor her when faced with baseless accusation. It showed her that she had been sacrificing herself for a man who would never love her as she needed to be loved. He valued his possessions more than her and that was something she would not accept.She has discovered that as a woman she has been continuously asked to do her ‘duty' and has done so but she is also expected to remain a plaything for her husband and that she can no longer do. She has discovered that she values her sense of the self, her discovery of herself as an individual over her role as a wife, mother and daughter and she is no longer willing to sacrifice her life for people who cannot return the same emotions for her sake.ReferencesDolls House by Henrik Ibsen

The Address by Marga Minco

Analysis of a Key Passage The Address by Marga Minco In The Address by Marga Minco, the author suggests that people do not realize what they take for granted until they do not have them anymore. In the excerpt, the narrator is in a house with all her possessions, and the daughter of the woman who took all these possessions has no idea what is going on. Long ago, the narrator’s mother had given all her worldly possessions to a strange lady, who always took everything away with a look of greed.The narrator has come to the house with all the possessions, and it suddenly hits her that all her memories are just through the doorway. When she enters, she sees all of her possessions, â€Å"in a room which I both knew and didn’t know†. This one simple line describes how she feels, how though all her memories are in the room, they are not place in the right spot, as if the chronological placement was off, and all her memories are mixed up. I found myself among things I had wanted to see again but which oppressed me in the strange surroundings† describes her confusion, because though everything looked normal, (similar to the way she acts as if nothing is happening) it’s the inside story of every object that is scaring her; how it has her memories imprinted in it, and yet, they are not there anymore, because this is not her house, and she does not own any of this anymore.I scarcely dared to look around me anymore† symbolizes her fright of looking at everything she had and lost, and now they do not belong to her, though she has a slight longing for them in order to have a sense of normality. â€Å"Somewhere on the edge there should be a burn hole in which had never been repaired† this line, when read closely, depicts the hole as a sort of ledge, where her mind is clinging onto, so she may find some familiar feeling in all this strangeness. It also depicts a large bottomless pit, where she wants to throw all the bad feelings and memories away, throw them deep into this hole.The daughter does not notice anything wrong, because she is like a newborn baby: she does not know where any of this comes from, but she does not question it, because she has been raised with these objects. But she is also the opposite of her mother; while her mother stole all the possessions without a worry or a care, she is sweeter, gentler. The daughter is innocent and unknowing of what happened, while the mother is guilty and knows exactly why the narrator is here. When prompted, she (the daughter) talks of how everything in the room is nothing important, how they are all antiques and nothing special.But the narrator then offers a retort of passion and sadness â€Å"you get used to all these beautiful things at home, you hardly look at them anymore. You only nothice when something is not there, because it has to be repaired, or for example, because you’ve lent it to someone†. This small speech shows how she never thoug ht of these possessions and memories as important, but now that they are not with her anymore, now that she knows she cannot take them all back, she feels they describe her life. But it is too late.Near the end of the excerpt, the narrator mentions how, when she was younger, she thought her cutlery was made from silver, but never really thought of it. The daughter laughs, but when she goes to check her own cutlery, the narrator rushes out, to â€Å"forget the address† and everything she ever remembered. This is because she wants to leave every memory she had behind, to start anew. It is her sudden realization that she does not possess these memories anymore that causes her to change and force herself to forget everything from the past.

An Englishman in New York †The Problem Of UK-US English in Freelance Writing

An Englishman in New York – The Problem Of UK-US English in Freelance Writing An Englishman in New York The Problem Of UK-US English in Freelance Writing An Englishman in New York The Problem Of UK-US English in Freelance Writing By Colin Some people see the differences between American English and British English as a problem. I see them as an interesting challenge. And although the title to this article might indicate that I’m English, I am in fact, a British Scot. I am also fully aware there is more to the United States of America than the wonderful state of New York, but I felt it made a good title, so I went with it. Why Has This Difference Come About? The English language arrived in the Americas with the advent of British colonization in the early 17th century. As the British Empire grew, so too did the language, which by 1921 had incorporated around a quarter of the world’s population (approximately 470–570 million people). Since that time, the form of English used in the Americas (particularly in the USA) and that used in the UK, have diverged in many subtle ways, leading to the individual dialects now more commonly known as American English and British English, or on Microsoft Word, as US English and UK English. What Are The Differences? The main differences that have developed between the two strains of English include pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, idioms, and date formatting. A few words have even developed completely different meanings, which can mean something in one dialect, but be a source of embarrassment or insult in the other. Some words may not even be used or are unknown to the other. What Is The Impact? As a freelance writer working from home, I am frequently assigned jobs by companies and individuals, more often than not, from the USA. Telecommuting is an area of freelance writing that I enjoy; working with a local Bed and Breakfast on an advertising leaflet one day, and writing a press release for a US-based dot com client the next. It’s exciting and provides a great way to earn a living. But as this kind of work increases, more often than not I am asked to write articles or essays in the target audience’s own version of the English language. In most cases, this means adapting my work into US English. Is There A Right One Above All Others? No. Clearly it depends on several factors, such as intended readership or editorial preference. A freelance writer should take guidance from both the publication type and the editor when deciding which to use. Where the issue becomes cloudy is when you have a large company with a global audience, or with a company that has separate websites covering different geographical locations. I’ve worked with clients in the past that required two separate articles to be submitted for every one assignment, i.e., one copy of an article in US English for their .com website, and the other in UK English for their .co.uk website. Websites such as our very own Daily Writing Tips, has a global readership, yet the difference in language expectation is highlighted where one readership is of greater number than the other. And so an article written naturally in UK English may stand out against the eye of the US English reader. What Then, For The Freelance Writer? Make a judgment call based on the publication’s intended readership. If there is no information available or it’s too hard to pinpoint, ask the editor. Always remember, though, in the world of freelance writing for the Internet, you won’t be able to please all the people all of the time. But above all, make sure the content is interesting and topical, because if it isn’t relevant, no one will even read it to spot where the differences are. Footnote: Did anyone notice this article was written in US English purely for the benefit of DWT’s US-English speaking readership? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative ConflictThe Possessive Apostrophe25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

Essential psychology for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Essential psychology for Managers - Essay Example However, despite the challenges, the manager proved to be leader since he was able triumph over the challenges of the time. The leadership, leadership skills, conflict resolution skills and adequate communication skill, skills fire fighting department manager displays the uncertainties and risks that leaders goes through in daily operations while making efforts to achieve their preset goals. Through manager and his team achieving their goals that display how people work to towards self-actualization. This essay will focus on analysis of the Cotton Club Scenario and make use of theoretical approaches which will include, trait approach, behavioral approach and situational approach. The essay will demonstrate how the three approaches were depicted in the interactions between the managers, employees and the conflicting groups. It was during one of the life Jazz performances by a number of international Jazz artists at Cotton Club when the fans got excited and the security personnel could not manage them. Though the club is mainly dominated by African American, there was an equal proportion of white who were fast becoming fan of Jazz music. Issues of racism dominated the club. Jazz until recently, jazz music was considered as an African American music. During the show, the blacks started to charge against the whites. Since the whites had bloated ego, they resisted being intimidated by the blacks because the former considered themselves a superior race. The tow fiery opposite’s sides began to fight against each other. The whites were out shadowed and began to run for safety out the club. During fight, several people had been fatally injured. The whites gathered outside Cotton Club while the African American remained inside the club. Each group was deriving a scheme on how to revenge against the other. The whites looked more organized while the blacks argued on how to attack the whites who had

A critique of tourism policy and planning in Croatia Essay

A critique of tourism policy and planning in Croatia - Essay Example 2. Definition of term 5 3. Statement of the problem 6 4. Tourism vision and policies 6 5. Issues facing developments of tourism in Croatia 7 6. Tourism strategies 8 7. Analysis 10 8. Conclusion 12 Annex 14 Bibliography 15 Executive Summary This study is about tourism planning and management. As tourism has been significant source of revenue and development in the Republic of Croatia, its tourism planning and policies are inspected and analyzed. A critique is forwarded to point out the deficiencies between the policies and the actual performance. The study is subdivided in several sections that discusses following issues: a) key features of the existing tourism patterns, its significance to economy and employment; b) Issues or problems facing tourism in Crotia; c) Institutions working for its development; d) official strategy of the country and, e) finally, an analysis whether the strategies spelled out are realistic and achievable. The Study used available sources of information from the Ministry of Tourism, World Economic Review, and other published information to arrive at an analytical position. Study found out insufficienes on structural development of Croatia leads to its low competitiveness that does not go with its proclaimed tourism policy. A Critique on the Tourism Planning and Policy in Croatia 1. Introduction Tourism has been a significant part of any country’s economic development.... As tourism is a multi-faceted function, its policy, Mato, Bartuloci (2010a, p.255), a professor in Business and Economics in Croatia, said should be determined by the combined economic policy of agriculture, hotel industry, transportation, commerce and municipal services. In Croatia, tourism policy is developed by several organizations. At the top level, there is the Ministry of Tourism. The Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB), the Croation Chamber of Economy, and at the regional level, it comprises of the tourists board, public sector representatives, travel agencies, enterprises and companies, residents, and others who are interested. The CNTCB is founded with a â€Å"view to promoting and creating the identity, and to enhance the reputation of Croatian tourism. The mission also includes the planning and implementation of a common strategy and the conception of its promotion, proposal and the performance of promotional activities of mutual interest for all subjects in tourism i n the country and abroad, as well as raising the overall quality of the whole range of tourist services on offer in the Republic of Croatia.† (CNTCB n.d.) 1.2 Key features of existing tourism patterns, significance to the economy and employment The importance of tourism in Croatia is fully expressed in this country since it depends much from tourism to boost its economy. Tourism in Croatia created 135,000 jobs in 2011, (12.3% of total employment). Economic indicators of the World Travel & Tourism Council (2012) showed a positive outlook and brighter promise for tourism in Croatia . Figure 1 below shows a picture of tourists’ arrival that records to 9,334.8 (thousand) in 2009 and a international tourism receipts of (US$ millions)8,889.4 for the same year.

Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Software Engineering - Essay Example Software requirements, 2. Software design, 3.Software construction, 4. Software testing, 5. Software maintenance, 6. Software configuration and management, 7. Software engineering management, 8. Software engineering process, 9. Software engineering tools and methods, 10. Software quality, and 11. Knowledge areas of related disciplines (Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Management, Mathematics, Project Management, Quality Management, Software Ergonomics, and Systems Engineering) (SWEBOK, 2004 p. 1-2). Software engineers, therefore, must be proficient with the latter knowledge areas to handle every software engineering projects properly, successfully and efficiently. The software engineering project being studied at hand is the Chat Application. According to the given case, the status of which is that there is an unexpected disappearing messages that caused the team one extra week to debug. Further, the Director for Software Services has the following comments, impressions and questions: 1. She is not pleased with the delay, 2. She comes to one of the status meetings to find out what happened, 3. She states, Your team has been testing this application for weeks and didnt find any problems, 4. She asked, Why didnt you find the problem sooner?, and 5. She also asked, Is there any way we can kept this from happening again? As a member of the team, she wants you to discuss the following: 1. Your opinion on testing, 2. Whether an application that passes testing is free from errors, 3. Whether it is possible to design a test that will find all potential errors in the Chat Application, 4. What other techniques or strategies can developers use in conjunction with testing. Software testing consists of the dynamic verification of the behavior of a program on a finite set of test cases, suitably selected from the usually infinite executions domain, against the expected behavior.†(SWEBOK, 2004 p. 5-1) Based on the above authoritative

Final Speech Essay Example for Free

Final Speech Essay Through the new King Henry V’s speech to his brothers after their father’s death Shakespeare deals with the realities of succession, the difficult negotiation between governmental stability and a confused power struggle, and the death of a king while trying to keep his character true to their personality. This speech touches on everything from politeness and external observation, to the fear that naturally comes in a shift of power, to different kinds of mourning. Hal, newly King Henry V, must take his place as king and reassure everyone of the continuing stability of the kingdom, demonstrate a proper degree of public mourning as both a subject and the son of the former king, and deal with his own grief. When he says â€Å"this new and gorgeous garment, majesty, sits not so easily on me as you think† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 44-45) he is not just simply trying to dismiss any jealousy or thought of resistance amongst his brothers, but he is also telling the absolute truth. Just like he did with the eulogies of both Hotspur and Falstaff in earlier parts of the play, Hal continues to use honesty in order to lend a more genuine tone to his otherwise fairly formal words. He reassures them of his intention to support them by bluntly telling them that he knows they fear what he may do, implying even that they might fear for their own lives, but that it â€Å"is the English, not the Turkish court, not Amurath an Amurath succeeds, but Harry Harry. † (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 7-49) He introduces and dispels the comparison between himself and a ruler who literally strangled his brothers, addressing the most extreme possibilities quickly. By the end, he assures them that not only will he not harm them; he will protect them and do well by them â€Å"I’ll be your father and your brother too. Let me but bear your love; I’ll bear your cares. † (Henry IV, Part 2, 57-58) In that, he additionally introduces the potentially uncomfortable issue of personal relationships. Once their brother, he is now also their king; once his brothers, they are now his subjects. He works with this beautifully, referring to their mourning and sadness for the death of their father as â€Å"a joint burden laid upon them all† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 55) before he moves on to the things he promises, connecting himself with them in one way even as he has to separate himself from them in another. In this speech Hal starts off responding to a greeting by the chief justice by saying that his new robe doesn’t fit him as comfortably as the justice might think. Then turning to his brothers he tells them he knows that their sadness over their father’s loss is now mixed with the fear of him now being king. He mentions to them that they are in an English court, not the Turkish one and unlike the Turkish king, Amurath, he is not going to have his brothers killed when he inherited his father, King Amurath’s, crown; he explains saying he is â€Å"but Harry Harry† (Henry IV, Part 2, 5. 2. 49) basically saying he is a Harry, following another Harry and they have no reason to worry. He tells his brothers to be sad because being sad truly suits them. He explains that they look so regal in their sorrow that he too will put in the sense of sadness, saying he will also wear it in his heart. He warns them to yes be sad, but don’t let it become anything more than a burden that they all share jointly. He assures them that as far as he is concerned, he will be both their father and their brother now. That they are to just trust him with their love, and they can trust him to care of them. He concludes his speech by saying they should keep weeping for Harry, who is dead and he will keeping mourning also, but he says one Harry still lives, and he will convert those tears one by one into hours of happiness. This speech is important for Hal to give because it is not only Hal talking to and reassuring his brothers but also introduces him as the new King Harry V. Hal defines and explains his newly adjusted relationship with his brothers, explains that the kingdom is stable and there is no worrying over if anything bad would come out of the shift in power, and finally he tries to battle with how he wants mourn his father and what is the correct way to mourn him according to his new position as king. Hal was motivated to give this speech after the death of his father as he explains to his brothers that he must take his place as king keep the kingdom stable, and explaining to them the appropriate amount of public mourning for them as the sons of the former king. His final motive is subtle but he dismisses any jealousy or thoughts of confrontation amongst his brothers. Hal flawlessly and eloquently delivers his speech that maintains the balance between a familiar conversation with family and the regal words of a king. Revealing ultimately that the wild rebellion he previously upheld was truly an act and has so far worked in his favor going from a pub-crawler with the drunks to a newly regal king who would never be suspected of having such a rebellious past. In an earlier version of Hal’s speech there is not much change from that version to the newer version of the speech. In the older version of the speech something’s that have changed is the grammar and spelling. Many of the words in the older text are spelled wrong either with different letters or extra letters added to the end. In total there are thirty one misspelled words with either different letters or extra addition of letters. Most of the different letters include an ‘f’ where an‘s’ should be in most words or the addition of an ‘e’ at the end of the word. There are also more parentheses around more words in the old text versus the new. In the newer version these words are part of the text rather than in parentheses where they could potentially be excluded depending on the preference of the actor or director. Although many of the words are misspelled the meaning between the older version and the regular text are extremely similar. The true meaning and the imagery and meaning of the words in the speech have not been affected by the different in the different versions of the text. Throughout the speech there is recurring imagery both in his words exactly and some underlying imagery. The underlying imagery is centered on atonement, and the burden of leadership and duty. Atonement is an underlying image specifically for Hal, who has spent most of his time hanging around with the pub-crawlers, atonement has to become part of his new reign. He has planned all along to become a responsible king and at his fathers deathbed, he promises that his reign will be great. After he is crowned, and again during his speech to his brothers he promises those assembled that his actions as king will atone for his past. Also underlying in the speech Hal speaks of the crown as a burden. The duties of kingship come first, surpassing friendship. Hals crown will make the betrayal of Falstaff and the Eastcheap crowd a necessity. Even more important than the underlying imagery is the imagery of his exact words centered mostly on brothers and sadness. Hal refers to his brothers as a whole addressing them as ‘good brothers’. He addresses them as brothers at key parts in his speech giving the imagery that they are a united, unchanging force. He seems to use brothers to give a slightly personal feel to his regal words and to show that even though the dynamic of their relationship has changed they are still and always have been brothers. In Shakespeare’s other plays brother is used almost the same way. It is used to show a close relationship between people or showing the personal unity between or amongst a group. Shakespeare has also used the imagery of brothers when someone in power is addressing a group of people he needs something from or in a speech before battle. The other imagery of sadness and of loss is also important in his words, mostly the sadness and loss of losing his father but also the loss of more than life itself but also the loss of old friends through circumstance like when Hal loses his friends when he accepts his new role as king, though Falstaff still believes himself to be Hals friend, they rarely interact. The time is past for Hal and Falstaff; Hals throne demands it, and Henry V will betray the man who has been his surrogate father and friend. The speech that the new King Henry V delivers to his brothers after their father’s death touches on many different topics, emotions, and has hints of imagery that effect everyone he is speaking to. Hal must now take is fathers and show to everyone that his rebellious days are behind him. In the speech Hal has to desperately balance the familiarity of his family with the new responsibility as king and to make sure everyone knows that no one will be harmed and there is no need for jealously. By the end of the speech it is clear that Hal realizes the burden that has now been put on him but he makes his intentions clear as he ends his speech with â€Å"But Harry lives that shall convert those tears by number into hours of happiness.

Visiting Langkawi, Malaysia: Tourist destinations

Visiting Langkawi, Malaysia: Tourist destinations LANGKAWI ISLAND Langkawi, the beautiful archipelago of Malaysia, is shrouded in mythological legends. Its actual history origin has lost its course in the passage of times. According to the legends, the term Langkawi is said to have connections with the kingdom of Langkasuka, which is centered in the present Kedah. The historical documentation is little; however, the Chinese Liang Dynasty record (500 AD) refers the kingdom of Langgasu as being established in the 1st century AD. Another reference of the islands name has been made in the book The Legends of Langkawi by Tun Mohamed Zahir. It says that the term Langkawi is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Langka (beauty) and Wi (innumerable). As per the book, Langkawi means the place of immense beauty. One more reference states that Langkawi means Eagles Island. According to it, the term Langkawi is a combination of two words Lang and Kawi. Where Lang is a corrupt form of Malay word helang which means eagle, Kawi means marble. Since both eagles and marble are found in abundance in Langkawi, probably the place was named after the fact. Indeed, the Eagle Square at the island was built to commemorate its name. About 200 years ago, according to the folklore, a young woman, name Mahsuri, was accused of adultery and was executed by the people in spite of her earnest innocence. Just before her death, Mahsuri laid a curse on the island that it will remain barren for seven generations. Thats about the mythological history of Langkawi. As far as political history is concerned, the Sultanate of Kedah used to rule over the island. In 1921, when Kedah was conquered by Siam, Langkawi also passed in the ruling hands. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred the holding power to the British, who held the state until freedom, excluding a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. The Thai influence can be still seen in the culture and food of Langkawi. In fact, Thai language is also understood by many people on the island. Langkawi is a picturesque archipelago that is known for its exceptional natural magnificence. Every year, thousands of tourists reach this spectacular place in order to fulfill their long-cherished vacation at Langkawi. In case youre also wondering how to reach Langkawi, leave your worries aside as the island boasts of pretty good network of airways and waterways. Getting/ traveling to Langkawi from any part of the world is possible owing to the Langkawi International Airport. Beside, The langkawi Is connected nearby via ferries, boats and cruise Langkawi also can be reached:- By Air Langkawi International Airport, which is about 20 kms from Kuah, has direct connections with Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It also operates international flights to and from some destinations in the peak season. The flights that frequently run to and from the airport are AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Silk Air, and Firefly. By Road People, traveling by road, have to head for Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis (sited on the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia), which are the main points from where ferries to Langkawi take-off. The drive from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kedah takes about 6 hours while Kuala Perlis takes 7 hours. At both the points, car parking facilities are available. By Rail The Malayan Railway offers comfortable and efficient rail services from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar and Arau, from where one can take a taxi or bus to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis and from these places, one can take ferry in order to reach Langkawi By ferries, By Boat and By Cruise Boats and ferries can be taken from Kuala Perlis or Kuala Kedah to reach Langkawi. Some special ferry services to Langkawi are also available from Penang Island. Moreover, ferries also operate daily between Satun (Thailand) and Kuah. Another option to reach the island is cruise ship. From Port Klang and Singapore, cruises are available to arrive at Langkawi. Langkawi is a beautiful archipelago of as many as 104 islands. For sure, many of these islands are accessible and boast of amazing natural beauty. Pulau Langkawi, which measures about 478.5 sq km, is the largest of these islands, while Pulau Dayang Bunting is the second largest one. When viewed from the air, many other islands appear to be sheer dots in the azure waters of the Andaman Sea. A majority of the islands comprises unique rock formations with impressive stalactites and stalagmites, limestone outcrops, lush forests, mesmerizing waterfalls and mystifying caves. These islands offer a range of water sports, recreation facilities and a delightful world of marine life to the visitors. Scroll down to know more about the islands of Langkawi, Malaysia. Pulau Dayang Bunting The Pulau Dayang Bunting is known to be the second largest island of the Langkawi archipelago. The island, about 18 kms from Kuah Town, is located on the southwest of Langkawi Island, next to Pulau Tuba. It is easily accessible from Kuah Jetty or Pantai Cenang. The island owes its name to Tasik Dayang Bunting (literally means Lake of the Pregnant Maiden). More Pulau Singa Besar The Pulau Singa Besar, literally the Island of Big Lion, is a beautiful island and a constituent of the Langkawi archipelago. Located 17km north of Kuah, the island extends 6.5km from north to south and 2.5km from east to west. Pulau Singa Besar is to be found between Pulau Beras Basah to the west and Pulau Dayang Bunting to the east, in the southwest of Pulau Langkawi. More Pulau Tuba Pulau Tuba is a strikingly beautiful island which is 5km south of Langkawi Island. It is one of the only two inhabited islands of Langkawi archipelago. Tuba Island owes it name to tuba roots, which are abundantly found on the island. In geographical terms, Pulau Tuba is a mountainous island with very little plains. It boasts of picturesque beaches and serene locale. More Pulau Payar Pulau Payar is a striking island that together with three other small islands makes a marine park, called Pulau Payar Marine Park. This park is operated by the Fisheries Department of Malaysia. Here, one can enjoy the fun activities like water sports, hiking and get pleasure from the breathtaking views of the surrounding sea. Pulau Rebak Kecil Pulau Rebak Kecil is another picturesque island equidistant of Pantai Cenang and Pulau Rebak Besar. Its sandy beaches and forested trails make the island popular amongst day trippers. On the island, there are a few chalets for travelers who wish to stay overnight. Like most of the other islands, this one too, is easily accessible from the Langkawi Island. Pulau Rebak Besar Resplendent with natural beauty, Pulau Rebak Besar is developed as a marina for the adventure-seekers. It, still, boasts of pristine natural state, and has several spectacular beaches with leafy foliage and turquoise waters. Being easily reachable from the Langkawi, the island is a preferred destination in the excursion itinerary of tourists. Pulau Intan Besar Pulau Intan Besar is a typical island where one would love to hideout. It is absolutely covered with forests and is totally inhabited. The central part of the island is cloaked in massive ancient trees, while coconut palms dot the beaches. This quiet and serene island is a lovely retreat for bird-loving naturalists and people looking for solace. Pulau Tiloi Pulau Tiloi, also called Pulau Bunga (Island of Flowers), is an island known for its tropical flowers. It is managed by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). Langkawis hottest USP is its scintillating beaches; the beaches which are not only marked by warm sun, white sands and sparkling waters but also by serenity and tranquility. Certainly, the beaches of Pulau Langkawi are known worldwide for their pristine beauty and exotic vegetation. Some of them are also rated amongst the best and the most secluded beaches in the world. Truly, these beaches serve as a perfect hideaway to spend those picture-perfect holidays. For beach-loving people, Langkawi is a treat as they can find many picturesque beaches over here. Where Pantai Cenang captures the limelight being the longest and liveliest beach on the island, beaches like Datai Bay and Tanjung Rhu are loved by people for their tranquility. So, whether you want to get into some adventurous water sports or have a liking for book reading, you will find numerous beaches to suit your taste. Check out a few of Langkawi Beaches. Burau Bay Burau Bay Beach, called Pantai Teluk Burau in Malay, is one of the tranquil bay areas in Langkawi. Its actually a narrow beach where the rocky Gunung Cincang descends abruptly to meet the sea. Sited on the west coast of the island, this beach formerly used to be the resort of the Piped Hornbill. Datai Bay The Pantai Teluk Datai, literally Datai Bay Beach, is amongst the premier beaches of Langkawi Island. It is generally typified by boulders at its both ends and dense forest in the background. To be found on the north coast of Langkawi, Datai Bay is the area where some of the most luxurious resorts are sited. Cenang Beach Cenang Beach, known as Pantai Cenang in Malay, is the most happening beach of Langkawi. Located on the south-western tip of the island, the beach is about 18.4 km from Kuah. It features fine sands, crystal clear waters, elegant casuarinas and lofty coconut trees. Kok Beach Pantai Kok is a tranquil beach on the beautiful island of Langkawi. This soothing beach is to be found about 24.8 km away from Kuah, on the western tip of Langkawi Island. Being located in a secluded area, it is the best site for honeymooners and solitude seekers. Tengah Beach Pantai Tengah, which literally means Middle Beach, is the next best beach after Pantai Cenang. This vibrant beach is sited about 550 mtrs south of Cenang in Langkawi. It is quieter than the latter one and thats why, it makes the right place to lighten up. Black Sand Beach Pantai Pasir Hitam, which literally means Black Sand Beach, is a spectacular beach on the island of Langkawi. This short stretch of beach lies 2kms west of Tanjung Rhu Beach. The shoreline boasts of sand, which isnt completely black but its actually like a mixture of black sand and normal sand. Tanjung Rhu Beach Tanjung Rhu Beach is a pleasing beach on the northernmost tip of Langkawi Island. This lengthy beach is tasseled by casuarina trees which actually bestowed name to the beach (since Tanjung means cape and Rhu means casuarina). Shark Bay Beach Pantai Teluk Yu literally means Shark Bay Beach in Malay. This beach is actually contiguous to Pantai Pasir Hitam but doesnt have the black mineral deposits. Unlike what the name suggests, the beach has shark-free and absolutely tranquil waters. Batu Hampar Beach Pantai Batu Hampar is marked by rocky outcrop and boulders on its both ends. This composed beach presents a picturesque sight amidst its natural beauty, coconut and mangrove trees. This stretch of beach is almost hidden as it is enclosed by rocky outcrops. New Bay Beach New Bay Beach is called Pantai Teluk Baru in Malay. The small bay of this beach crafts a natural refuge for fishing boats. Here, if you wish, you can ask a fisherman to let you accompany him on a fishing trip. On the whole, this stretch of beach is pleasurable. Sandy Skull Beach Pantai Pasir Tengkorak, which literally means Sandy Skull Beach, is another tranquil beach on Pulau Langkawi. As per the folklores, the beach has been the witness to the bloody battle between the local and the invaders (Thais). Its waters are crystal clear and calm. Banyan Beach Pantai Beringin, literally Banyan Beach, is located near Kuah Town in Langkawi. It features mangrove stumps at its ends. This serene beach is tasseled by swaying coconut palms. Langkawi is acclaimed to be the Duty Free Port, which provides enough grounds to the shoppers to throng the island. If to be stated in real terms, Pulau Langkawi is a haven for bargain hunters. It offers an impressive range of local and imported goods, and the best part is all this comes at great prices. The collection of items boasts of cameras, watches, electronic goods, handicrafts, crystal wares, clothes, liquor, cosmetics, perfumes, leather goods, confectionary, cigarettes, ladies accessories, etc. Being a duty-free island, Langkawi is perhaps the best place to grab some really good bargains. The majority of the shopping opportunities are found in the main commercial area-Kuah Town. Here, you will come across several stores and malls which provide an assortment of tax-free goods at affordable rates. If youve already browsed the malls of Kuala Lumpur, youll definitely feel dearth of brand names in Langkawi. But its for sure that all the shopping centres have a decent stock and collection of items. To get brilliant souvenirs, Craft Cultural Complex is a best place to head for. In the variety of handicrafts, you can choose from batik, traditional Malay clothes, ornamental objects, crystals, traditional pottery, etc. Also you can look into the Zone Shopping Paradise Duty Free Centre at the Underwater World where numerous items can be fetched at decent price tags. Teow Soon Huat Departmental Store, which is sited just outside Kuah, is another shopping outlet worth exploring. Scroll down to get the list of major shopping places in Langkawi, Malaysia. To catch the glimpse of beautiful places and sights is the prime concern of every soul coming to Langkawi. Getting around this striking island is possible through a good network of roads and means of transportation. To your hard-core relief, Langkawi boasts of a pretty good network of roads. Though local transport is available, people prefer driving themselves and exploring the island of legends. If youre not comfortable in driving, you can hire taxis which are widely available on the island. Langkawi, being a major tourist destination of Malaysia, definitely has pricey fares when it comes to taxis. Other means to move around the island can be arranged by the resorts. By Car Cars are available on per day rental basis. Just after disembarking from the ferry, many car rental agents throng the Kuah jetty exit, offering their cars at various prices. During low season, price may start from RM30 per day for a compact car; but never expect less than RM80 for the same car in the peak season. Otherwise, you can make arrangements for a car in Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis with any of the car agents waiting around the ferry counters. And upon reaching the island, you can pick up your car. Moreover, cars are also available on hire from the booths at the airport. By Motorbike Like cars, motorbikes (particularly scooters) and bicycles are also available for rent. During peak season, motorbikes can be fetched for up to RM25 per day. However, bicycles can be hired for RM12 per day and also serve as a great means to explore the island. Definitely, hiring motorbikes and bicycles is cheaper than renting a car. It is advised to wear helmet and more so because it is required by law. Usually agents are not strict about noticing a valid license. By Bus Boarding buses could be another way to get around the island. However, there are a few buses that run to and from on few bus routes. Kuah and Pantai Cenang are the only two areas where regular buses can be found. In other areas, there are very few bus stations, which also have hardly any bus service. It takes long time to wait for buses and reach the destination. Usually, taking buses is not recommended to visit the island. By Taxi Public transport in Langkawi is mainly provided by taxis. Here, taxi fares are priced according to the destination and not by meters. It is most easy and convenient way of getting around, though it is bit expensive. A short trip can easily cost about RM15. You can also charter the taxi for a day or for few hours. Throughout the island, taxis can be easily found and chartered as per your convenience.