Psychoanalytic and Trait Approaches Personality Assessment Essay

I have always attributed personality as being a culmination of environment first, biology second, and traits, or what my understanding of them was. I was not aware of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, or the correct definition of the trait theory prior to beginning this class. The psychoanalytic approach to personality defines the origins of personality as being divided in to three parts; the id (unconscious), the superego (preconscious) and the ego (conscious). Each part plays a distinct role in memory, response, desire, decision making, and conscience. With all three parts interacting, conflicting, expending psychic energy, and dictating who we are. In contrast the trait theory approach describes personality characteristics that are stable and are the basis of why individuals to do something, in certain ways, consistently. The psychoanalytic approach is subjective and is not easily measured whereas the trait approach specifically identifies and measures the various tr aits that make up an individual and how they interact with each other to form a personality. Freud believed that personalities are formed in the early stages of childhood, and are a series of sexually themed developmental stages. The first stage; birth to roughly 18 months, is the oral stage. At this stage babies are all about their mouths, and their behavioral patterns originate from this area. Freud believed that during this stage if a negative experience occurs, and too much of the psychosexual energy is expended in this area, then a fixation of psychic energy can occur. The result would be the development of an oral personality as an adult. Adults with oral personalities tend to need some type of oral fulfillment; often putting their hands to their mouths, they may be smokers, or may drink too much. The second psychosexually themed developmental stage that children go through, according to Freud, is the anal stage. This stage, like the first, is where behavioral patterns can emerge depending on the amount of psychosexual energy which is expended. Here, children have to learn control over bodily functions and depending on whether the experience is positive or negative, like behavioral patterns emerge. Freud believed that a negative experience could result in an adult personality that is obsessive, and stubborn. According to Freud, defense mechanisms exist as a way for the ego to deal with things it cannot filter from the anxiety created within the superego and the id. Displacement is a classic example of a defense mechanism. Have you ever had a bad d ay at work where nothing you did would satisfy your boss? Wanting to tell your boss off or acting on the frustrations or feelings would be detrimental to your job status. Instead of acting on that frustration it stays pent up, and by the time you get home from work you explode at your child, or spouse for some insignificant little infraction. Your taking your aggression out on a person who did not pose a threat to you is displacement. A second defense mechanism is reaction formation. Freud believed that using reaction formation allows us to hide how we feel by acting the exact opposite. A good example would be a person who is extremely outspoken about gay rights. Freud would have no doubt believed that because this person’s beliefs were so extreme that this person must be fighting an internal demon; maybe this person was fighting their own secret feelings of attraction for the same sex. Hence the old adage â€Å"†¦doth protest too much, methinks† (Shakespeare, 1601). A third defense mechanism is Intellectualization. This defense mechanism helps a person to distance themselves by removing the emotional side of the circumstance which allows a person to focus from a colder intellectual viewpoint. A good example of this would be a husband that passes away and the wife, also a mother does not allow herself to feel or show her pain for the sake of the children. She reasons that if she shows her pain the children will feel worse and above all else she must protect them so she reads, learns, and concentrates on methods to help get them through it. The Big Five Factor that best describes my personality would be openness. I do have an active imagination, and am open to considering new idea’s, and am not happy in an environment that is routine. I tend to thrive in chaos, and enjoy research. The Big Five factor that least describes me is Agreeableness. I do c onsider myself to be a helpful person, and while I volunteer for many organizations, I tend not to be sympathetic or trusting. I guess I have some trouble categorizing myself as being one way or the other, or having a specific trait over another because I find that it all so subjective. I would have to say the trait theories best align with my personality. I have some trouble identifying with the psychoanalytic personality description. The core theories, though some of them make sense, do not seem to align with what goes on inside my head. I have been through some pretty traumatic things in my life, but I am conscious of all of them. Why? I am so aware of them, have had to feel them in my head, my whole life. What makes me so different from other people who have been able to shove them to an unconscious level? And, is that better? The psychoanalytic approach as found in the text says that defense mechanisms are believed to offer an instrument for the mind to be able to isolate what it cannot deal with, yet this approach does not offer any stable patterns on what makes one person less able to deal with something than another. In conclusion, it appears that no one theory easily defines what makes up an individual’s personality and so far it all appears to be subjective. Reference: Burger, Jerry M. (2008). Personality (7th ed.). Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning.

A Review of Studio67 Restaurant Business Plan

All businesses need capital to invest. The capital may come from the pockets of the proprietors, or from lending institutions. Most businesses end up borrowing part of the capital in order to start up. The amount of loan depends on the size of the business.Lending institutions base the amount of loan and the interest of loan from the â€Å"feasibility study† of the business. If the projected return of investment has a positive and increasing figure in the next years, then it is likely that the business can get a loan with a lower interest. Thus, it is mandatory that any business submits credible, realistic, and well-researched feasibility studies of the business they are interested for the loan to get approved. (Do's and Don't of Writing a Business Plan).A Review of Studio67 Restaurant Business PlanStudio67 is a â€Å"medium-sized† restaurant in Portland, OR, that focuses mainly on serving ethnic dishes using purely organic ingredients. The business plan is brief and co ncise. The words used, too, are simple enough for any reader to understand.It gave organized parts of describing what the business is all about: the target market, its financial projection for three years, and its strategies. I can't say, however, it is a good business plan. There were a lot of parts lacking. There are questionable parts too. First, how did the business come up with the figures used in the financial projection? The figures must be based on real studies and where are they? The â€Å"Market Research† part then, is lacking. This is the part where studies from similar businesses went through.The SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis should be included too. What I see in the business plan presented were all good things of the business, but it doesn't project the threats ( in example: competitors, labor issues). (Do's and Don't of Writing a Business Plan). One questionable part here is the ownership. The statement â€Å"the restaurant will s tart out as a simple sole proprietorship, owned by its founders,† contradicts itself. (Studio67, 2.1).A sole proprietorship is owned by only â€Å"one person,† so who among the founders will be the name appearing as the sole proprietor? If all the founders own the business, then it should be called partnership. Next, the start up capital mentioned coming from the pockets of the owners is $40,000. (Studio67, 2.2). However, this contradicts 7.0 Financial Plan part of the proposal, where it said it expected to raise â€Å"$30,000.†The break-even analysis 7.1 was bleakly explained, even its chart is not what a break even chart looks like. This part should be omitted if it can't be explained right at all. This analysis should be given after all the other financial statements were presented. If I was the financier, I will reject this proposal due to lacking parts of the study. It didn't show the real market analysis to make it feasible enough.However, if the market res earch was given and the figures are credible, I can approve the $100,000 loan because the return will be realized in 3 years. The projection of sales for the first year, however, is huge, too huge to become credible for an exquisite restaurant like Studio67.I don't believe the figures projected to say it could sustainably develop the business for a long time; however, it can be possible to obtain, if the proposal comes up with better, more specific marketing strategies.ReferencesOrganic Restaurant Business Plan: Studio 67 Restaurant. 1996-2008. Palo Alto Software,Inc.Retrieved June 5, 2008.[http://www.bplans.com/Sample_Business_Plans/Restaurant_Cafe_And_Bakery_Business_Plans/Organic_Restaurant_Business_Plan/Executive_Summary_fc.cfm].Do's and Don’ts of Writing a Business Plan. Arkansas Small Business Development Center.Little Rock, Arkansas: University of Arkansas at Little Rock – College of Business Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development. Retri eved June 5, 2008. [http://asbdc.ualr.edu/business-information/1001-business-plan-writing.asp].  

Discussing and analysing key sociological and psychological issues Essay

Discussing and analysing key sociological and psychological issues which underpin approach to care management - Essay Example s (such as the family of the patient or his/ her gender, race or educational level) should not be criteria for differentiation from the principles and the ethics that govern the health care sector. In this context Arneson et al. (2003, 35) stated that ‘professional nurses experience increasing workplace demands from inside and outside the hospital; The internal pressures of patient care and a traditional organizational hierarchy are coupled with external factors such as medical reimbursement guidelines and competition from other healthcare providers’. Under the above conditions the intervention of the sector’s leaders for change should be considered as crucial. After examining the particular issue Shelley (2003, 13) stated that leaders in the health care industry should ‘understand that staffs reactions to change vary widely; While change itself isnt good or bad, its relative to whomever is experiencing it. Some will feel motivated and energized by change, o thers will feel threatened, anxious, fearful, or a sense of loss of the familiar and status quo. Some may even experience a grief reaction’. The application of the above plan should not be regarded as a permanent solution to the problems that appear in the healthcare industry; however it could be characterized as a primary effort that can lead – if applied successfully - to the delivery of high quality health care services in the future. If we try to identify the particular elements of care management and particular the responsibilities of the care provisioners we will come to the conclusion that although a net of rules and principles exist in the specific area – referring especially to the issues of responsibility and ethical behaviour – in fact the retrieval of evidence for the existence of responsibility regarding the actions of care provisioners can be a very difficult task which in many times is not completed successfully. In this context, Wikler (2002, 48) stated that ‘assessment of the

Policy implementation.The internal Revenue Service Essay

Policy implementation.The internal Revenue Service - Essay Example Since it holds constitutional responsibility for the provision of taxation process to its citizens, the state plays more than just the intermediary role traditionally studied in implementing federal taxation policy. The implementation of any federal policy requires that the state consider the interests of bureaucrats, politicians, and special interest groups at the federal, state, and local level whose input and posturing provides complexity to the process as they respond to federal taxation policy implementation process. In this connection, the Internal Revenue Service is at the best position to implement tax credits policy in Rhode Island owing to the fact that it is very much familiar with the operations of the tax system of the entire nation. Below is a brief explanation of how the agency carries out its operations. The internal Revenue Service The implementation of the tax policy in Rhode Island is best implemented by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which is responsible for the collection of taxes as well as implementation and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Code which is the domestic part of the statutory tax law that operates in the entire United States. The code is organized into topics, subtitles and sections which cover all forms of taxes ranging from income taxes, payroll taxes, estate taxes, excise taxes to payroll taxes. It also bears the procedures and administration forming to be implemented by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS usually publishes tax forms which it offers to taxpayers so that they can select and use them to calculate and report their federal tax obligations.

The importance of HR measurement and metrics to HR's role as a Thesis

The importance of HR measurement and metrics to HR's role as a strategic business partner - Thesis Example This thesis describes measurement of the effects of human capital that has become a continual challenge for human resource professionals in various industries. Practices for human resource management are of paramount importance in enhancing the overall performance of firms. Based on previous findings, investments on human capital can bring about favorable returns, such as the increased employee skills, increased productivity and profitability, or enhanced stock market performance. Consequently, organizations have come to recognize that improvements in their human resources can strongly increase organizational efficiency despite increasing competition, business operations and need for cost effective environments. In addition, there has been considerable pressure on the HR function to evaluate and measure its role and contribution in increasing competitive advantage for organizations. In particular, organizational changes, increased accountability, increased productivity, implementatio n of HR strategies, increasing application of human resource information systems, and growing reliance on the interaction between managers and HR. Consequently, previous studies have looked into the different approaches that can be used for measuring HR contributions, hence the term ‘HR metrics’. This study will then focus on the gas and electric utilities industry of the United States, particularly their use of HR metrics and its impact on their performance. Gas and Electric Utilities Industry in the U.S. The electric utility industry in the country is considerable in size. According to the International Energy Agency, it may be likely that demand for electricity will double in the next 25 years. Consequently, large investments in equipment and services that transmit electricity to residential homes and workplaces can be expected as well. As a response to the financial crisis in 2008, the US government had allocated $11 billion to develop the smart grid infrastructure that will enable electricity transmission from long distances as well as increase the energy use efficiency. What has been referred to as electric utilities at present have been associated with companies that generate, transmit, distribute, and conduct billing. Historically, due to the natural monopoly, such electric utilities may either be strictly regulated or public owned. In the past decade, generation of electricity has been separated from its transmission and distribution for companies to create wholesale power markets with which electric utilities obtain energy from their competing generators. In addition, natural gas utilities in the United States have been serving over 70 million customers in the country that is provided by means of underground delivery systems that run for over 2 million miles (AGA, 2011). Residential customers, electric power plants, and establishments that mainly utilize gas for commercial purposes, such as restaurants, account for majority of the consum ers. In terms of employment and working conditions, numerous utility workers typically experience night and weekend shifts with which a number of these employees may work overtime to assist peaks in demand as well as repair the damages caused by accidents, natural disasters, and other occurrences. The working environment of the electric and gas utilities industry has also been associated with hazardous operations and materials, hence the continual need for their employees to undergo adequate and formal training (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). Despite the efforts of the utilities industry to increase profitability and enhance worker productivity, however, a number of challenges are still being faced by the electric and gas utilities firms, such as the need for sustainability, security of supply, a more complex combination of energy technologies and resources, as well as access to lucrative opportunities (MCE, 2011). It

Early Military Hospitals Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Early Military Hospitals - Research Paper Example Daniel Whistler as well as nurse Alkin Elizabeth for the injured soldiers. In 1660, military hospitals were closed, something that left the Army without any dedicated hospital. First field hospitals were established in 1692, during the Nine Year’s War, by William III and were located on the battlefield .1702 welcomed the Flying hospitals introduced on battlefields and were used to transport and treat casualties. In 1752, a major breakthrough of causes of disease was discovered by Sir Pringle John who gave innovative methods of disease and illness prevention amongst soldiers. The first permanent military hospital was established in Chelsea by John Hunter who was a surgeon in 1789.In 1803; disease became the biggest killer of soldiers in war due to poor hygiene especially during the Napoleonic wars. In America’s civil war, almost 200,000 men died from enemy fire in the duration of 4 years of the war. The saddening thing was that over 400,000 soldiers were killed by diseas e. The Crimean prompted Miss Nightingale to request for Royal Commission specifically for military hospitals, which later was followed by critical reforms in healthcare. She played such a significant role in introduction of statistical analysis of casualty, hospital sanitation and planning as well as military health. Apart from that, Nightingale established a training school named in her honor in London. In 1863, the Royal Victoria Hospital opened at Netley in Hampshire becoming the first purpose-built military hospital in Britain as well as the new base for the Amy Medical School. The school’s first professor of military hygiene was Alexander Edmund who led to important improvements in the soldiers’ health and earning him the reputation of the modern military hygiene founder. Anesthesia was first used by the navy in 1847 by a naval medical officer Thomas Spencer who used it for dental extraction .1853 was the year when over 20,000 died in Crimean War, of which only

Company Analysis J Sainsbury Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Company Analysis J Sainsbury Ltd - Essay Example Analysis and evaluation of the business strategy that J Sainsbury Ltd has pursued using Bowman’s strategic clock Bowman’s strategic clock, as presented in Figure 1, Appendix is used for the identification of strategies that promote effectively the organizational goals (Rosenhauer 2008,p.11). One of the key challenges in regard to the use of the Bowman’s strategic clock is the following one: the identification of the appropriate strategy, among the strategies included in the above model, is often difficult, especially if the priorities of the organizations are not clear. According to Muller (2011) organizations can use the Bowman’s strategic clock for identifying strategies that are most feasible having in mind the resources available and each organization’s internal and external environment. The Bowman’s strategic clock is based on the following principle: each organization should choose strategies that most respond to the plans of the organizations in regard to the value and price of its products/ services (Needle 2010, p.281). Using the Bowman’s strategic clock, the strategic choices of Sainsbury’s could be analysed as follows: as noted in the case study, the firm is among the four key players in the British grocery retail sector (case study, p.1). ... ne: the identification of the appropriate strategy, among the strategies included in the above model, is often difficult, especially if the priorities of the organizations are not clear. According to Muller (2011) organizations can use the Bowman’s strategic clock for identifying strategies that are most feasible having in mind the resources available and each organization’s internal and external environment. The Bowman’s strategic clock is based on the following principle: each organization should choose strategies that most respond to the plans of the organizations in regard to the value and price of its products/ services (Needle 2010, p.281). Using the Bowman’s strategic clock, the strategic choices of Sainsbury’s could be analysed as follows: as noted in the case study, the firm is among the four key players in the British grocery retail sector (case study, p.1). The above fact can lead to the following assumption: the particular sector in Brit ain can be characterized as oligopolistic, allowing the growth of specific firms. From this point of view, the parts no 6, 7 and 8 of the Bowman’s strategic clock cannot be applied in Sainsbury’s, since the strategies incorporated in these parts are feasible in monopolistic industries (Figure 1, Appendix). The potential use of the other parts of the strategic clock would be further explored. Part 1 is characterized by both low price and added value. Such strategy would lead to the decrease of quality of the firm’s products towards its competitors that have managed to promote products of satisfactory value at a low price. It is made clear that the strategy that most responds to the firm’s strategic choices is that of the second part of Bowman’s clock. The specific strategy is based on the following two

The Nuclear Energy Industry in Saudi Arabia Term Paper

The Nuclear Energy Industry in Saudi Arabia - Term Paper Example Saudi Arabia has 16 percent of the oil reserves proven in the world, ranks highest in the exportation of petroleum liquids and has the largest capacity to export crude oil in the entire world (Independent statistics and analysis, Para 2). The nuclear energy industry in Saudi follows Canada as the second largest exporter of petroleum in the ranking for petroleum exporters to the United States. It takes the fifth position in the world’s largest reserve for natural gas through its production is limited. The industry has plans for increasing the capacity to produce electricity to 120GW to meet the growing electricity demand in the country. The major areas of the industry are the refining of natural gas, petrochemicals, crude oil, petroleum and mineral resources. (Independent statistics and analysis, Para 4). The industry has huge oil reserves for oil with Ghawar field being the largest oil field in the world. Saudi Arabia has the highest rate of oil consumption in the world and holds the highest position for crude oil production in the world. Saudi Aramco has an oil processing facility that is the greatest in the entire world and eight domestic refineries for crude oil. It has the fifth largest reserves for natural gas though it does not export any of its production. The natural gas produced therefore is used for domestic consumption. The increased demand for electricity has pushed the need for the industry to increase electricity generation. This will be necessitated by an increase in nuclear power, solar power and other renewable sources and reducing the overall amount of crude oil burning. The Saudi Electric company is the main electricity generator in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Saline Water conversion corporation. Saudi Aramco has its own power plants that generate power for its o wn use in the oil facilities (Banks 120). There was an announcement by the Gulf Cooperation Council in December 2006 that it was conducting a study on a peaceful use  of nuclear energy.  

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

English - Essay Example But both forms of these English (British and American) are accepted as the base for the international world. â€Å"There are tremendous cultural differences between the US and the UK, despite having many similarities. People talk different, and not just in the accent or the words, but the general tone and meaning. They have different ways of making friends, finding jobs, interacting at the office† (Cultural differences between the US and the UK - Retrieved on 6/11/2008 from http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Cultural_differences_between_the_US_and_England) The Americans are generally very friendly in nature having no hesitation in speaking to even strangers though the friendship may not be deep. But they are not interested in time wasting meaningless conversations. But the England people normally will not interact that much freely like the Americans. They will keep a suspected eye always while dealing with the strangers. They are always busy or pretend to be like that. Family life is considered much important in American society compared to the society in England. The travelling nature o f the British people is more compare to the Americans. Majority of the Americans don’t even see any other countries while majority of the English people has been to some foreign country at some stage of their life. Racism is more in America compared to the England. But now it has changed substantially as seen in the recently concluded American president elections. The Americans are mostly proud of their ancestry compared to the British people. The sportsman spirit is more in the Americans than in the British people as seen in the football fans. â€Å"American society is more self cantered, combatitive and for want of better words â€Å"egotistical†. An American will come in and say I know you should do it this way and fall flat on their face if they get it wrong. The English would rather show appropriate â€Å"respect† to other peoples positions as it is likely that

Explaining a Concept Research Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Explaining a Concept Research Paper - Assignment Example rism because there were differences in believes and opinions amongst its members because of the liberation movements that were occurring all over the world, and the right to self-determination. Because of the emergence of these differences, it was very difficult for the UN to come up with a single definition of the term terrorism. A term that is acceptable to all the countries forming the United Nations, and one that is legally binding to all the states that form the United Nations. Despite the inability of the UN to come up with a single definition of the term terrorism, the International Community has developed a series of definitions to depict the various forms of terrorism, criminalizing them in the process. In condemning terrorism attacks in various parts of the world, the UN General Assembly usually use a political description to the term terrorism (Fisher, 15). According to this political description, terrorism is a criminal act whose intention is to create a situation of terror to the public, a particular individual, or a group of individuals for political reasons. These acts are unjustifiable, no matter the philosophical, political, religious, or ethnic reasons given to justify the terrorist act under consideration. Scholars denote that it is possible to define the term terrorism by analyzing its var ious characteristics. The following are the various characteristics of terrorism; A definition by Fisher (26) stresses the importance of tactical and psychological aspects of terrorism. According to this definition, terrorism is a political violence, which occurs in an asymmetric conflict, designed to create psychic fear, and terror. This will occur by violently victimizing and destroying non-combatant areas/ targets. Through such activities, the terror group will be sending a message to the government or relevant agencies concerned about their demands and desires. On this note, terrorists aim at exploiting the media, with the intention of achieving maximum

Analysis of Kingfisher. Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Kingfisher. Essay Introduction: Kingfisher Airline is a private airline based in Bangalore, India. The airlines owned by Vijay Mallya of United Beverages Group. Kingfisher Airlines started its operations on May 9, 2005 with a fleet of 4 Airbus A320 aircrafts. The airline currently operates on domestic routes. The destinations covered by Kingfisher Airlines are Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Guwahati, Kolkata, Pune, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Mangalore and Jaipur. In a short span of time Kingfisher Airline has carved a niche for itself. The airline offers several unique services to its customers. These include: personal valet at the airport to assist in baggage handling and boarding, accompanied with refreshments and music at the airport, audio and video on-demand, with extra-wide personalized screens in the aircraft and three-course gourmet cuisine. Kingfisher is one of only 6 airlines in the world to have a 5 star rating from Sky tax, along with Asian Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. In a short span of time Kingfisher Airline has carved a niche for itself. The airline offers several unique services to its customers. These include personal valet at the airport to assist in baggage handling and boarding, exclusive lounges with private space, accompanied with refreshments and music at the airport, audio and video on-demand, with extra-wide personalized screens in the aircraft, sleeper seats with extendable footrests, and three-course gourmet cuisine. HISTORY Kingfisher Airlines is a subsidiary of the UB Group, one of the largest beverage companies in the world. The branding of the airline is linked to that of Kingfisher Beer, India’s largest brewery. The airline, which is headed by the charismatic Dr Vijay Mallya, took to the skies in May 2005, and attracted attention for its high quality product with personal in flight entertainment in every seat; custom interior designs for each aircraft; valet assistance at airports and complimentary hot food and beverages. The airline initially operated a single class service but subsequently introduced a highly acclaimed First Class, allowing it to compete with Jet Airways for the high yield corporate market. In addition to its A320 family aircraft used on domestic routes, Kingfisher Airlines also operates ATR-72 turboprops on regional sectors. Under current Indian regulations, which require airlines to operate 5 years domestic service before being granted international rights, Kingfisher will not be permitted to operate overseas until 2010. However, the airline has very clear international ambitions, with an order book for 45 wide body aircraft, including A330s, A340s, A350s and A380s. In just over two years, Kingfisher Airlines has achieved a market share of 10% and has one of the most aggressive expansion plans of all Indian carriers during 2007. In Jun-07, it dramatically increased its influence in the market with the acquisition of a 26% shareholding in India’s largest LCC, Air Deccan, for approximately USD130 million, and an open offer for a further 20%. Through schedule coordination and joint operations in ground handling, training, and maintenance, the carriers are projecting annual cost savings of over USD70 million. There will also be greater coordination between the two brands, with Air Deccan to adopt the Kingfisher image in its logo and to switch to a red, rather than a blue color scheme. The combined Kingfisher/Deccan group has a market share of just over 30% and a product range spanning from the price-sensitive, first-time flyer, to the high yield business traveler, making I tone of the key pillars of the airline industry. The airline which started its operation on 9th May 2005, following the lease of 4 Airbus A320 aircraft. As of July 2007, Kingfisher operates only on domestic routes; however it has announced plans to start flights to the USA with Airbus A380 aircraft. The airline is  owned by the United Beverages Group under the leadership of Vijay Mallya (which also owns the popular Indian beer of the same name). The airline promises to suit the needs of air travelers and to provide reasonable air fares. Kingfisher Airlines main luxury component is its In-Flight Entertainment System, a first among Indian airlines. The airliners in-flight Mobile Phone and Internet Services will be provided by On Air starting 2008 for long haul flights. VISION â€Å"The Kingfisher Airlines family will consistently deliver a safe, value-based and enjoyable travel experience to all our guests.† VALUES  Safety  This is our overriding value. In our line of business, there is no compromise. Service  We are all in the hospitality business; we must always seek to serve our guests and gain their trust, goodwill and loyalty. Happiness  We seek to build an organization with people who choose to be happy, and will Endeavour to influence our guests and co-workers to be happy too. Teamwork  We will succeed or fail as a team. Each one of us must respect our colleagues regardless of their rank, and we must work together to ensure our mutual success. Accountability  Each one of us will be held accountable for the successful execution of our duties, commitments and obligations, and we will strive to lead by example. MISSION Kingfisher Airlines will have Fly the Good Times approach and this will reflect in the experience we will offer to passengers. SERVICES DOMESTIC Kingfisher First The domestic Kingfisher First seats have a 48 inch seat pitch and a 126 degree seat recline. There are laptop and mobile phone chargers on every seat. Passengers can avail of the latest international newspapers and magazines. There is also a steam ironing service on board Kingfisher First cabins. Every seat is equipped with a personalized IFE system with AVOD which offers a wide range of Hollywood and Bollywood movies, English and  Hindi TV programmers’, 16 live TV channels and 10 channels of Kingfisher Radio. Passengers also get BOSE noise cancellation headphones. Domestic Kingfisher First is only available on selected Airbus A320 family aircraft. Kingfisher Class The domestic Kingfisher Class has 32-34 inch seat pitch.  Every seat is equipped with personal IFE systems with AVOD on-board the Airbus A320 family aircraft. As in Kingfisher First, passengers can access movies, English and Hindi TV programmers’, a few live TV channels powered by Dish TV, and Kingfisher Radio. The screen is controlled by a controller-console on the seat armrest. Ear cup headphones are provided free of cost to all passengers. The default channel shows, alternating every few seconds, the aero plane’s ground speed, outside temperature, altitude, distance and time to destination, the position of the aircraft on a graphical map, and one or more advertisements. Passengers are served meals on most flights. Before take-off, passengers are served bottled lemonade. Economy class meal on-board a Kingfisher Airlines domestic flight. Kingfisher Red After Kingfisher Airlines acquired Air Deccan, its name was changed to Simplify Deccan and subsequently to Kingfisher Red. Kingfisher Red is Kingfisher Airlines low-cost class on domestic routes. A special edition of Cine Blitz magazine is the only reading material provided. Kingfisher Airlines is the first airline in India to extend its King Club frequent flyer program to its low-cost carrier as well. Passengers can earn King Miles even when they fly Kingfisher Red, which they can redeem for free tickets to travel on Kingfisher Airlines or partner airlines. INTERNATIONAL Kingfisher First The international Kingfisher First has full flat-bed seats with a 180 degree recline, with a seat pitch of 78 inches, and a seat width of 20-24.54 inches.[32] Passengers are given Merino wool blankets, a Salvatore Ferragamo toiletry kit, a pyjama to change into, five-course meals and alcoholic beverages. Also available are in-seat massagers, chargers and USB connectors. Every Kingfisher First seat has a 17 inch widescreen personal television with AVOD touch screen controls and offers 357 hours of programming content spread over 36 channels, including Hollywood and Bollywood movies along with 16 channels of live TV, so passengers can watch their favorite TV programmers’ live. There is also a collection of interactive games, a jukebox with customizable playlists and Kingfisher Radio. Passengers are given BOSE noise cancellation headphones. The service on board the Kingfisher First cabins includes a social area comprising a full-fledged bar staffed with a bartender, a break-out seating area just nearby fitted with two couches and bar stools, a full-fledged chef on board the aircraft and any-time dining. A turn-down service includes the conversion of the seat into a fully flat bed and an air-hostess making the bed when the passenger is ready to sleep. Both Kingfisher First and Kingfisher classes feature mood lighting on the Airbus A330-200 with light schemes corresponding to the time of day and flight position. Kingfisher Class  The international Kingfisher Class seats offer a seat pitch of 34 inches, a seat width of 18 inches and a seat recline of 25 degrees (6 inches). Passengers get full length modacrylic blankets, full size pillows and meals. Each Kingfisher Class seat has a 10.6 inch widescreen personal television with AVOD touch screen controls. The IFE is similar to that of the international Kingfisher First class. It can also be controlled by a detachable remote-control console fitted in the armrest. This device can be used to control the IFE, reading-lights, play games and even has a credit-card swipe for shopping on Kingfishers Air Boutique. It also has a facility for sending text-messages, though the service isnt provided by Kingfisher. CARGO Kingfisher Xpress Kingfisher Xpress is a new Door-to-Door cargo delivery service from Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher Xpress same day service will be Indias  first and only same day delivery by air service. In-flight entertainment Kingfishers IFE system is the Thales Top Series i3000/i4000 on-board the Airbus A320 family aircraft, and Thales Top Series i5000 on-board the Airbus A330 family aircraft provided by the France-based Thales Group. Kingfisher was the first Indian airline to have in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems on every seat even on domestic flights. All passengers were given a welcome kit consisting of goodies such as a pen, facial tissue and headphones to use with the IFE system. Now, passengers of Kingfisher class are not given welcome kits but, as mentioned earlier, a complimentary bottle of lemonade and earphones for use with the IFE are still given. The in flight magazines are special editions of magazines owned by Mallyas media publishing house (VJM Media) viz. Hi! Blitz for domestic flights and Hi! Living for international flights. Initially, passengers were able to watch only recorded TV programming on the IFE system, but later an alliance was formed with Dish TV to provide live TV in-flight.[34] And in a marked departure from tradition, Kingfisher Airlines decided to have an on-screen safety demonstration using the IFE system; however the conventional safety briefing by the flight attendants still exists on many flights. King Club The Frequent-flyer program of Kingfisher Airlines is called the King Club in which members earn King Miles every time they fly with Kingfisher or its partner airlines, hotels, car rental, finance and lifestyle businesses. There are four levels in the scheme: Red, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. Members can redeem points for over a number of schemes. Platinum, Gold and Silver members enjoy access to the Kingfisher Lounge, priority check-in, excess baggage allowance, bonus miles, and 3 Kingfisher First upgrade vouchers for Gold membership. Platinum members get 5 upgrade vouchers. Kingfisher Lounge Kingfisher Lounges are offered to Kingfisher First passengers, along with King Club Silver and King Club Gold members. Lounges are located in: Bangalore International Airport Chennai International Airport  Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Mumbai) Cochin International Airport (Kochi) Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) London Heathrow Airport Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (Kolkata) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad) However, note that the airline has suspended operation in London, Kochi, Kolkata and Hyderabad. AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Kingfisher Airlines frequent flyer programme, King Club has won Top Honors at the 21st Annual Freddie Awards in the Japan, Pacific, Asia and Australia region. King Club has won the Freddie Awards 2008 in the following categories: Best Bonus Promotion Best Customer Service Best Member Communications (First Runner-up) Best Award Redemption (First Runner-up) Best Elite Level (Second Runner-up) Best Website (Second Runner-up) Program of the Year (Second Runner-up) Kingfisher Airlines has received three global awards at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2010 Named Best Airline In India / Central Asia; Best Cabin Crew – Central Asia. Kingfisher RED named Best Low Cost Airline in India / Central Asia. NDTV Profit Business Leadership Award for Aviation. Indias only 5 Star airline, rated by Skytrax and 6th airline in the world. Rated Indias Second Buzziest Brand 2008 by The Brand Reporter. Ranked amongst Indias Top Service Brands of 2008 by Pitch Magazine. Voted as Indias Favorite Airline. Rated as Asia Pacifics Top Airline Brand. Brand Leadership Award. Economic Times Avaya Award 2006 for Excellence in Customer Responsiveness. Indias No. 1 Airline in customer satisfaction by Business World. Rated  amongst Indias most respected companies by Business World. Rated amongst Indias 25 Innovative Companies by Plan man Media in 2006. The Best Airline and Indias Favorite Carrier in a Survey conducted by IMB for The Times of India. Best New Domestic Airline for Excellent Services and Cuisine by Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA). Service Excellence 2005-2006 for a New Airline by Skytrax. Ranked third in the survey on Indias Most Successful Brand launch of 2005 under the Brand Derby Survey conducted by Business Standard. Busiest Brands of 2005 by agency fans and The Brand Reporter. Rated amongst the Top Ten Internet Advertisers by Yahoo. Rated amongst the top ten in the Best Television Commercial Jingles by NDTV. Best New Airline of the Year Award for 2005 by Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Award in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region. Listed in the top 100 most trusted brand in The Brand Trust Report. POLITICAL FACTORS 1) Open sky policy 2) FDI limits: 100% for Greenfield airports 74% for the existing airports 100% through special permission 49% for airlines ECONOMICAL FACTORS 1) Contribution to the Indian economy. 2) Rising cost of fuel. 3) Investment in the sector of aviation. 4) The growth of the middle income group family affects the aviation sector. SOCIAL FACTORS 1) Development of cities leads to better services and airports. 2) Employment opportunities. 3) Safety regulations. 4) The status symbol attached to a plane travel. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS 1) The growth of e-commerce and e-ticketing. 2) Satellite based navigation system. 3) Modernisation and privatisation of the airports. 4) Developing green field airports with private sector for example in Bangalore the airport corporation limited. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 1) The increase in the global warming. 2) The sudden and unexpected behavior of the atmosphere and the dependency on whether. 3) Shortage of the infrastructural capacity 4) Tourism saturation. LEGAL FACTORS 1) FDI limits 2) Bilateral treaties 3) Airlines acquisitions and the leasing cost. STRENGTHS Strong brand value and reputation in the minds of customers. Quality of the service. Route rationalization. First airline to have a new fleet of airbuses. Quality and continuous innovation. WEAKNESSES Still a not in profit organization. High ticket pricing. Facing a tough competition from competitors. OPPORTUNITIES The expanding tourism industry. The non penetrated domestic market. International market. Untapped air cargo market. THREATS Competitors Infrastructure issues. Fuel price hike. Tourism saturation Economic slowdown. Promotions and sponsorship declining. STP ANALYSIS SEGMENTATION Geographic Region Density Social Classes Income Level TARGETING Kingfisher First company executives Kingfisher Class lower middle, upper middle, lower upper segment POSITIONING Lifestyle Benefits Quality P’s PRODUCT Fleet Size Aircrafts International Foray PROMOTIONS Advertisements Magazine and Newspaper ads Exposure at non-corporate event Participation in International Air shows Endorsing celebrities like Katrina Kaif and Yana Gupta PRICE Dynamic pricing model Multiple fare levels Uniform rules No hidden restrictions. Pricing model 8 different levels Discounts provided from time to time PEOPLE Backbone of the brand Extensive trainings Hospitality industry and consider their customer as guests Interpersonal skills, aptitude, and service knowledge PLACE Online Booking www.flykingfisher.com Online Booking Yatra.com, MakeMyTrip.com, ezeego1.com Credit Cards Debit Cards Payment SMS / Call Outlets in every major city and at every airport across the country PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Personal valets Exclusive lounge space Hi! Blitz Gourmet cuisine world class cabin crew 5 trendy video- Fun TV; 10 music stations -Kingfisher Radio PROCESS Booking the ticket online booking or tele-booking or from any of the kingfisher outlet COMPETITORS Company Sales (Rs.Million) Current Price Change (%) P/E Ratio Market Cap.(Rs.Million) 52-Week High/Low Jet Airways (I) 127768.30 305.85 6.38 0.00 26405.26 518/167 Spice Jet 28795.08 29.50 8.66 0.00 14288.32 43/15 Kingfisher Airlines 62333.79 12.95 2.78 0.00 8747.08 44/13 Global Vectra Helico 2315.75 9.70 -0.10 0.00 135.80 26/9 Jagson Airlines 97.25 4.10 2.50 0.00 82.69 10/3 MARKET SHARE PROFIT LOSS STATEMENT Mar11 Mar10 Mar09 Mar08 Jun07 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months INCOME: Sales Turnover 6,233.38 5,067.92 5,269.17 1,456.28 1,800.21 Excise Duty 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 NET SALES 6,233.38 5,067.92 5,269.17 1,456.28 1,800.21 Other Income 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 TOTAL INCOME 6,422.58 5,140.00 5,863.60 1,504.92 1,830.19 EXPENDITURE: Manufacturing Expenses 3,466.83 2,911.81 3,715.47 1,297.51 1,597.06 Material Consumed 56.69 40.89 51.19 43.79 45.94 Personal Expenses 680.54 689.38 825.42 244.96 247.72 Selling Expenses 659.07 687.02 683.82 85.00 17.90 Administrative Expenses 426.21 418.41 546.47 110.20 154.00 Expenses Capitalised 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Provisions Made 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 5,289.34 4,747.51 5,822.36 1,781.46 2,062.61 Operating Profit 944.04 320.41 -553.19 -325.17 -262.40 EBITDA 1,133.24 392.49 41.24 -276.54 -232.42 Depreciation 203.02 162.80 133.20 18.28 17.67 Other Write-offs 38.01 54.49 38.39 18.31 26.25 EBIT 892.20 175.20 -130.35 -313.13 -276.34 Interest 2,340.32 2,245.59 2,029.33 434.44 466.05 EBT -1,448.12 -2,070.39 -2,159.68 -747.57 -742.39 Taxes -455.35 -700.00 -546.38 -494.45 3.40 Profit and Loss for the Year -992.76 -1,370.39 -1,613.30 -253.12 -745.79 Non Recurring Items -107.62 -405.38 4.47 64.98 312.12 Other Non Cash Adjustments 72.99 31.28 0.00 -0.9 14.09 Other Adjustments 0.00 97.27 0.00 0.97 0.00 REPORTED PAT -1,027.40 -1,647.22 -1,608.83 -188.14 -419.58 KEY ITEMS Preference Dividend 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Equity Dividend 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Equity Dividend (%) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Shares in Issue (Lakhs) 4,977.79 2,659.09 2,659.09 1,357.99 1,354.70 EPS Annualised (Rs) -20.64 -61.95 -60.50 -18.47 -30.97 CASHFLOW STATEMENT Particulars Mar11 Mar10 Mar09 Mar08 Jun07 Profit Before Tax -1,520.78 -2,417.92 -2,155.21 -682.59 -416.18 Net Cash Flows from Operating Activity -2.23 -1,665.09 -645.78 -541.52 -552.58 Net Cash Used in Investing Activity 38.05 235.13 206.63 13.82 119.48 Net Cash Used in Financing Activity -81.72 1,464.55 290.11 -9.23 993.68 Net Inc/Dec in Cash and Cash Equivalent -45.90 34.60 -149.04 -536.93 560.57 Cash and Cash Equivalent Beginning of the Year 206.47 171.87 320.91 817.05 256.47 Cash and Equivalent End of the Year 160.57 206.47 171.87 280.12 817.05 BALANCE SHEET Particulars Mar11 Mar10 Mar09 Mar08 Jun07 Liabilities 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months Share Capital 1,053.83 370.39 371.02 145.89 135.47 Reserves Surplus -4,005.02 -4,268.84 -2,496.36 52.99 249.23 Net Worth -2,951.19 -3,898.45 -2,125.35 198.87 384.70 Secured Loans 5,184.53 4,842.43 2,622.52 592.38 716.71 Unsecured Loans 1,872.55 3,080.17 3,043.04 342.00 200.00 TOTAL LIABILITIES 4,105.88 4,024.15 3,540.21 1,133.26 1,301.41 Assets Gross Block 2,254.26 2,048.14 1,891.80 322.33 340.77 (-) Acc. Depreciation 682.37 493.62 316.29 43.55 33.74 Net Block 1,571.89 1,554.51 1,575.52 278.78 307.03 Capital Work in Progress. 673.35 980.60 1,630.95 346.25 357.62 Investments. 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.00 0.41 Inventories 187.65 164.88 147.25 48.64 61.62 Sundry Debtors 440.53 322.49 229.84 27.16 35.24 Cash And Bank 252.36 206.47 171.87 280.12 817.05 Loans And Advances 5,380.19 4,604.31 3,640.42 832.48 149.76 Total Current Assets 6,260.73 5,298.13 4,189.37 1,188.41 1,063.68 Current Liabilities 4,463.86 3,908.03 3,814.63 687.31 449.15 Provisions 62.11 46.77 45.55 9.52 6.94 Total Current Liabilities 4,525.97 3,954.80 3,860.18 696.83 456.09 NET CURRENT ASSETS 1,734.76 1,343.34 329.19 491.58 607.59 Misc. Expenses 125.84 145.64 4.51 16.64 28.75 TOTAL ASSETS (A+B+C+D+E) 4,105.88 4,024.15 3,540.21 1,133.26 1,301.41 FUTURE STRATEGIES Market Penetration Can tie up with Corporate and Government Companies by Providing Unique Travel Solutions for Professional and Personal Use. Can implement programs implemented by South West Airlines to penetrate market. Product Development Seek additional distribution channels such as more tie ups and Collaboration. Collaboration with international carriers, bilateral discussions over seats and code sharing between the carriers. Market Development Special offerings for first time fliers. Try to find out new customer group such as old-retired persons. Diversification Can enter into other Transport Services like Bus Services between Major Cities and Other Services. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION Current Indian scenario : Air travel For majority of people preference-No frills – low cost airlines Kingfisher competing with both the â€Å"no frills low cost† airlines as well as those with frills. Three unique classes of service :– Kingfisher First (Business class) Kingfisher Class (Premium economy) Kingfisher Red (Low fare) Current segmentation based on social class income level Social classes: which use full carrier services and those which use first class services of the railways Income level : Low cost carrier for those who travel by first class railway Problem with positioning Brand relates to Lifestyle RECOMMENDATIONS Needs to change brand perception Currently perceived as Lifestyle slogan Red color of crew :Reflects Royalty Over dependence on brand image of Mr. Mallaya Jet airways : Reflects professionalism Advertisement reflecting Value for Money Gain operational efficiencies through alliances as with Jet Airways Leverage Upon: New fleet, Unmatched flight service Innovative ideas-LIVE TV with 16 channels Air Boutique, in Kingfisher Airlines A joint promotion, i.e. using MakeMyTrip services and flying Kingfisher Airlines. By partnering with Kingfisher Airlines, further convenience in travel is offered at no extra cost- Added value Fleet size expansion SUGGESTION Reduce the labor cost Simplify the flight operations Offer more transparent pricing Get smart on fuel The process of acquiring spice jet if complete would make kingfisher the largest player in the aviation industry Different modes of pricing should be taken care of. CONCLUSION After doing a study of this project representing on Kingfisher Airlines, I have come to a conclusion that Kingfisher Airlines is one of the largest and most widespread airlines of the country providing its services not only in India as well as outside India also. It has alliance with many other airlines in this sector. Kingfisher Airlines offers world class services to the customer at a nominal rate. The national carrier takes immense pride in having successfully played a pivotal role in making various facets of India popular with the people of the world and acting as the country’s cultural ambassador. The airline uses the services of one of the advanced plans been operated in the world. To sum up I would like to say that Kingfisher Airlines is serving its customer in an appreciated way and going to be in the list of best services providers in coming years.

World Religions Report Essay Example for Free

World Religions Report Essay In this paper I will be discussing what I learned about Christianity and Islamic faiths. How that even though these two religions have differences that they have core similarities and history that show that they have more in common than they do not have in common. I will discuss my interview at a Christian church and what I learned from it. Then I will discuss how much all the religions I have studied in this class have in common. Touching on their philosophies, beliefs, virtues and traditions and any areas that show areas they have in common. The Interview was held at The Rock Church in San Bernardino, California. Their church is huge more like a mini stadium in doors version. Clean well lit and very modern. They have a stage in the church where they hold their services. Where smoke and stage lights light up the stage area when music is performed with a live modern day Christian rock band. Everyone was very nice, energetic and positive. During my interview with Pastor Jim I learned that the basic beliefs are; belief in one God, the trinity which is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. That Jesus Christ was born and suffered and died for our sins so we may enter into heaven. That the bible is the word of God that we are to love one another as we love God as we love ourselves, to care for one another as well. That people are born with sin so we need to be baptized to be washed of sin. That we all have a relationship with Christ every day is about honoring him. The rules are simply to obey the ten commandments, the word from the bible, to love one another, care for each other, That relationships with the same gender is a sin, You can only be married in a church once, couples to be married must be of the same faith and must take classes first, No praying to the saints, sins can be forgiven with repenting but no confessions to a human being. All sins can be forgiven except for mortal sins such as murder and not believing in the Holy Spirit. Mortal sins can be washed once you become saved or born again which means becoming a  Christian. The traditions of the Christi an faith are keeping the Holidays, doing ministries locally or elsewhere. The practices are to practice their beliefs and rules, to teach and spread the message of Jesus, attending services each Sunday, love others even the sinner. Baptisms are for children and adults but infants are dedicated to God and of course keeping all traditions. They have bible teachings for all age groups and even a college. They teach about the traditions, practices, rules, history, about missionary work. As far as the afterlife they believe that if you have repented your sins prior to death, led a good life, pure in heart that you will have eternal life in heaven with God. The history that is taught is from the bible both new and old testaments. The holidays they have are: Ash Wednesday the beginning of lent, Good Friday the day Jesus died, Easter Sunday the day Jesus was resurrected, Pentecost the day the Holy spirit came to the disciple after Jesus died, The Transfiguration and Assumption the day Mary mother of Jesus was taken into heaven, Christmas the day Jesus was born and Epiphany also known as Wise Man’s day the day the three wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus. They have Pastors who give the services which can be either men or woman. When I asked what their main difference was with Catholics and Pastor Jim said the main difference is that Christians do not pray to the saints and have some different traditions such as baptism is done only when the person can consent otherwise they dedicate to God and they don’t do confessions to man. Confessions are done between the person and God through pray. Islam and Christianity from the start have many things in common even from the area of the world where they both originated from, Christianity Egypt (P. 285-287) and Islam Egypt, Arabia (P. 397) They both believe in the old testament (P.285 P 371) and the different historical figures such as Abraham and Moses. Both trace their ancestry to the patriarch Abraham and believe in Adam and eve. They both believe in Jesus however Christians believe Jesus is the son of God whereas Islam faith believes that Jesus was a very great prophet. (P373) Both r eligions believe there is only one God, who is the creator of everything. (P. 309 385) Both believe in an afterlife Islam calls paradise and Christians call Heaven. Islam believes that non-believers and evil-doers ultimately experience great misfortune in this life or the afterlife. (P. 376) Christians believe that through repenting and baptism there is an afterlife  in heaven with God. (P. 321) Both believe in the message of Jesus being correct and good. (P.285 373) The Islam philosophy or ethics are that God should be remembered and brought into every aspect of daily life, injunctions against drinking intoxicating beverages, eating certain meats including pork, rodents, predatory animals, certain birds, and improperly slaughtered animals, gambling and vain sports, sexual relations outside of marriage, and sexually provocative dress, talk, or actions. Positive things such as commanding justice, kindness, and charity. They are to exercise justice and honesty in their relationships and business interactions, to manage their wealth carefully, and to avoid arrogance. (P.380) Whereas Christians believe similar things such as kindness, and charity and honesty. (P. 350) To treat others as Jesus would model oneself after Jesus. (P. 334) Islam also believes in kindness as their prophet Muhammad showed kindness and compassion to others. Islam has the five pillars which are Belief and witness which is the belief of one God and the telling others of him and his message, Daily prayers where they pray five times a day, Zakat where they give a percent of their earnings away to less fortunate people, Fasting during Ramadan, and Hajj where they make a pilgrimage to Mecca the holy land. (p. 370-382) Christians Have lent which is their season where they give up something and on Fridays they don’t eat meat except fish which is similar to the Islam fasting during Ramadan, Christians also believe in one God and the telling or spreading of the word as they call it which is the message of Christ, contemplation and prayer, giving up the pleasures of the material world for the sake of loving and serving God, and belief in Missionaries of Charity. (P. 306, 326 336) It would seem that their basic messages of love kindness are t he same. Islam believe and follow the word from their text known as the Qur’an, the believe that the Shari’ah is the sacred law of Islam. (P.371 380) whereas the Christians text is the Bible (P.285) Both of which have are written based off the important historically figures of their faiths. Muhammad’s life story is important to Muslims, for his character is considered a model of the teachings in the Qur’an and because his words are the words of God. Muhammad is the founder of Islam. (P. 366 393) Jesus was equally as important to Christians because he taught them how to treat each other as Muhammad did and also was a role model for what he preached plus Jesus is believed to have been God  present in a human life, walking among them. Jesus’s words are also believed to be the word of God. He is also considered the founder of Christianity. (P. 286 303) We have discussed the five pillars of Islam which are also the practices of Islam faith. (p.382) With Christians the rituals and practices are: baptism for forgiveness of sins, worship on Sabbath in churches, the holidays which are lent, good Friday, Easter Sunday, Pentecost, the Transfiguration and Assumption, devotion to Mary and the saints, and Christmas. (P309, 335-342) other rituals are prayer, celebrations of the liturgical year, Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist, Confirmation ceremony. (P. 335-339) One of the biggest events of the Christian faith is the life and death of Jesus which was what help strengthen the Christian faith, other events are c.50–60 St. Paul organizes early Christians, 1095–1300 The Crusades, 1054 Split between Western and Eastern Orthodox Church. (P. 298-312) For Islam a big event was the life and death of Muhammad, The Ka’bah built by Abraham, Muhammad Ishmael, The first three caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, election of Abu Bakr as first caliph. (P.370) The following are; ethics, philosophies, practices, traditions or virtues from each of the religions we have studied. You can see that they have many things in common. Judaism: Love your fellow as yourself and ethical guidelines such as the Ten Commandments, laws concerning all aspects of life, such as land ownership, civil and criminal procedure, family law, sacred observances, diet, and ritual slaughter. Idolatry the worshipping of many gods or images of God, blasphemy against God, murder, theft, sexual behaviors outside of marriage, and cruelty to animals are all prohibited (P. 264) Hinduism: As we love God, God loves us. (P. 82) love and devotion, Dharma, often translated as religion, encompasses duty, natural law, social, ethics, health, and transcendental realization. Dharma is a holistic approach to social coherence and the good of all, corresponding to order in the cosmos. (P. 69) ethical principles are non-violence, not to steal, continence, and non-covetousness, plus cleanliness, contentment, self-study, and devotion to God. (P. 78) primary ethic: that the happiness of others is essential to one’s own happiness. This consideration of others before oneself is a central dharmic virtue. (P. 91) Buddhism: Logic, meditation, cosmology, psychology, and monastic life. (P.168) The use of prayer and fasting. (P. 154) The reason that desire leads  us to suffering, so one should relinquish thoughts of fame or fortune, let go of vanity. (P. 135) One lives happily and fully in the present moment, free from self-centeredness and full of compassion for others. One can serve them purely, for in this state there is no thought of oneself. Not to talk in a way that shows you are vain, divisive speech, or use harsh words. Avoid destroying life, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, gossiping, and intoxicants. Beyond these, we are to base our actions on clear understanding. (P.137) Confucianism: Honor and respect one’s parents (P. 196) ethics such as humanity, trustworthiness, sincerity, and altruism. (P.202) encourages becoming a responsible member of one’s family and of the community and having a sense of voluntary service to the community. (P.204) innate goodness, love, benevolence, perfect virtue, humaneness, and human-heartedness, unselfish public service, human kindness. (P.195) Daoism: Simple life in harmony with nature having great mental and physical discipline (P. 180- 181) the dead is paid proper respect so that ancestors will help their descendants (P. 177) respectful ceremonies for the highest heavenly beings are done. (P. 179) practical concern with improving harmony in life. (P.181) Both Daoism and Buddhism emphasize the ever-changing nature of things in the cosmos. (P. 193) Meditation is at the base of the Daoism. (P.181) Islam have injunctions against drinking intoxicating beverages, eating certain meats (including pork, rodents, predatory animals, certain birds, and improperly slaughtered animals), gambling and vain sports, sexual relations outside of marriage, and sexually provocative dress, talk, or actions. God should be remembered and brought into every aspect of daily life. Positive things such as commanding justice, kindness, and charity. They are to exercise justice and honesty in their relationships and business interactions, to manage their wealth carefully, and to avoid arrogance. (P.380) Christians believe in missionary work, treated others as they want to be treated, one God, the ten commandments which basically say not to do many of the same things the other religions are against as well such as not to lie, steal, kill, vanity, to honor your parents, (P.294) To pay more attention to the life of the spirit than to physical comfort and wealth (P. 291) each religion has ethical and moral beliefs to keep their society morally correct and on the right path. All believe in a form of prayer or meditation, basic golden rules or ten  commandments or Li or however each religion likes to call them but at the core they are the same. Not hurt others, pure body, minds, and souls. Teachings of being responsible, doing public services, missionary work, and to be humble not prideful, to have compassion and humility, to not concern oneself with earthly possessions or fame to concentrate on the spiritual life. Modesty rules or beliefs they all seem to have that in common as well along with not being cruel to animals, or put toxins in the body. I have learned many things about all the different world religions and even though they may differ on whether Jesus was the son of God, or what holidays to celebrate, details about how, when or where to worship, the core of each is to try to become a better person whether that means finding enlightenment, becoming a better Christian, following the Qur’an or whatever words to describe it are used the basic message of treating others as you would yourself, being honesty, trustworthy, kind, compassionate, loving, humble, charitable, and remember what is truly important the spiritual life not possessions or anything that feeds the ego. Those are the same in any religion or faith. I have come to realize that Islam and Christians are very much alike it seems that where the split began is on whether or not Jesus is the son of God because both see him as delivering the word of God and both agree with the message he gave. Respect the differences and recognize how many similarities there are. The interview showed a very positive modern high energy side to Christianity that I did not know of before. They are very modern with their missions to help get the word out and even have live services on the web. They offer so many different kinds of missionary services and do these missionaries all over the world as well as locally. References: Fisher, M.P. (2005). Living Religions (6th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Lecture on Christianity; Laura Templeman Lecture on Islam; Laura Templeman Pastor Jim

Criticisms of Disability Legislation in the UK

Criticisms of Disability Legislation in the UK Do you agree that mentally ill and disabled people are the poor relatives of anti-discriminatory thought and practice? Introduction Disablism and disability The introduction of new legislation against discrimination of disabled people in 2005 marks a temporary milestone in the heated debate on appropriate legislative measures.[1] The last two decades have seen an enormous transformation of anti-discriminatory policy, theoretical and conceptual approach and attempts to solidify these changes in the practices of public life. Arguably the changes have been long overdue, given that antidiscrimination law was hopelessly outdated (1944) and did not reflect the shift in attitudes towards the notions of social justice and inclusion as it affected the relationship between disabled and able-bodied people in society. Whether the most recent proposals for legislative review (2005) redefine the disability agenda in a sufficiently radical manner is debatable. Yet, it seems a shared view in the literature that huge strides have been made towards achieving more equality for disable persons and that the urgency and validity of constant legislative review is recognised by the government. This essay explores the extent to which the changes in law, practice and general attitudes of the public reflect sufficiently the needs of disabled people for adequate recognition of their social, economic and domestic needs in modern society. It will focus mainly on the debate that has taken place in the UK following the first significant changes introduced by parliament in 1995 (under the Major government) and leading up to the last round of public consultation under the Blair government. It will look at three distinct but interrelated fields that seem relevant for a comprehensive answer to the question: first, what are the legislative changes and how did they affect the status and societal position of disabled people in Britain. Second, what policies are currently favoured by the government and local authority effectively addressing the problems that originate in widespread discrimination against disabled persons. And third, what are the conceptual difficulties that underlie the l egal and practical problems with framing the disability agenda in the UK. The aspects one and three will be discussed in the section below, aspect three will be explored in more detail in the last section of this essay. Prior to sketching all three fields of inquiry, however, we need to introduce a concept that has informed more recent critical discussion of discrimination and disability. Disablism is supposed to denote a particular constellation of cultural values, forms of personal prejudice and social constraints that result in severe but often unnoticed types of discriminating behaviour. Outlining the structure and content of discrimination therefore would allow us to identify hidden components of the problem that may escape critical consideration. Disablism attempts to redefine the nature of the various barriers that are discriminatory in character but unrecognised since they are part of habitual human conduct. A sociological critique of disablism would enhance out understanding of the underlying patterns of discrimination. Sociologists speak of PCS which stands for the three elements that make up disablist attitudes in public.[2] Personal prejudice, cultural values and social stratification th at originates in disability and the exclusion of disabled people from mainstream public life. Theorists also highlight the complex interaction between concepts of disability and the capitalist economy which emphasises wage labour and the pursuit of profit.[3] All these various factors act as building blocs for disablism which in turn diminishes the chances of public participation by disabled persons. It fosters an attitude which frames disability as a personal tragedy and de-publicises its impact. Seen as an individual misfortune disablism tends to ignore the social dimension of disability and hence underplays the social and political leverage in alleviating some of the effects of discrimination. It echoes therefore the predominant medical model of disability and rejects any social involvement in rectifying the various instances of discrimination by disabled people. Law and the concept of disability Ever since parliament passed the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995, the criticism by academics and practitioners has focused to a large degree on the legal foundations and the conceptual basis of the legislation. Although the literature is fundamentally critical to the implementation of the Act (henceforth DDA) the bulk of the literature deals with the profound conceptual flaws of the law. Since conceptual and legalistic facets go together and combine to detrimental effects, this section of the essay will explore both aspects together rather than separately. With the ostensible failure of the previous legislation to tackle the problems of discrimination in any consistent fashion, the Major government brought in the new law in 1995 to base anti-discriminatory policies on a updated and more coherent conceptual framework. The shortcomings of this new legislation in the face of numerous challenges for disabled people in modern society however contributed to an almost universal understanding that another consultation process on new legislation was needed and the Blair government anticipates to pass the new DDA this year. The DDA in 1995 marks a significant shift from the original quota requirement to a more regulatory approach which basically emphasises the individual responsibilities of disabled persons in achieving similar status and positions in society. The state acts only as a regulatory body, placing constraints on players in the economic and social domain. This concurs with the broadly liberal theory of society where similar life chanc es are stressed and any bias against irrelevant aspects of individuals are being removed in considering their abilities to function as social agents. In general, the idea is to minimise subjectivity and standardise any decision-making process. Although the various strategies for intervention take place at different stages in the discriminatory process[4], legislation focuses on providing the broader framework within which discriminatory behaviour is identified and possibly prosecuted. Such a liberal notion of individuals and society can accommodate special treatment under certain circumstances for example when equality of opportunity is compromised by the lack of a level playing field. In fact, most of the anti-discrimination legislation of the 1990s has favoured a similar approach and it will be argued later in this essay that such a convergence of approach when dealing with different origins of discrimination is gravely mistaken and enshrines complex conceptual problems into the DDA. (SDA and RRA were drawn up under the Major government and subsequently superseded by more advanced legislation. New legislation on ‘Incitement of racial hatred’ is being debated currently in both houses of parliament. As such the legislative is pretty much in flux). Let us now look at the problems that the DDA has created for disabled persons in the UK. Practitioners and theorists often locate the main dilemma in what they call the medical model of disability which informs the DDA in its current form. They contrast this medical model with a social model which recognises the social dimension of disability and hence widens the fields of societal responsibilities in combating discrimination considerably. Roulstone remarks: ‘The social construction of when harm occurs is entirely central to discussions about the workings and effectiveness of anti-discrimination legislation.’[5] But why is this so? How exactly do the two models differ? Woodhams and Corby outline the problematic nature of the definition of disability in the DDA. The statutory definition identifies somebody as disabled who has ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term edverse effect on his [sic] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’[6] The core problem with this definition extends to three areas. First, it attributes disability to a form of impairment, second, it contrasts disability against a norm of human behaviour which asserts a complete and paradigmatic functioning of body and brain, and third, it articulates a benchmark for validating disability by introducing the notion of substantiality and long-term affliction.[7] The medical model thus contributes to a certain bias in evaluating the severity of the disability by (a) assuming that disability supposes a lack of ability which spills over into a lack of functioning ‘normally’. It thus presupposes normality as a criterion while failing to define it accurately. The definition enshrines a picture of difference between people who suffer from a disability and those who do not. Impairment becomes tantamount to ‘abnormality’ which is thought to derive from a personal tragedy not to be able to perform certain activities .[8] Consequently this medical model asserts (b) the need to assist and help the disabled person and therefore often exacerbates the tendencies for patronising or as Woodhams puts it, ‘the impaired individual remains subservient to the teams of ‘disability experts’ charged with ‘helping’, ‘rectifying’ (pitying and patronising) them.’[9] In contrast the social model which some theorists advocate as reflecting more accurately the social dimension of any disability, suggests that the origin of any disability lies in the perception of difference that is prompted by notions of normality. Hence, any anti-discrimination strategy must take into account the cultural values and social construction of normality upon which discriminatory behaviour is built. Woodhams writes: ‘As a result, the territory of ‘correction’ becomes society and the environment, rather than the person with the impairment.’[10] Recognising the role of socialisation and perception are central for any serious programme for change. Some theorists even go further and argue that although the social model widens the field of anti-discriminatory policies and correctly acknowledges the responsibility of social attitudes in discrimination against disabled people, it still lacks recognition of another vital element in debasing or derogatory practice. Even the social model, they note, excludes that group of people who may be subject to discriminatory conduct simply because they are being associated with a disabled person or because they are perceived to be disabled.[11] Additionally, there is a lack to have appreciation for discrimination that ‘may be based on other people’s fears of contracting illness’[12] such as HIV. In general the DDA fails to acknowledge the varied and complex nature of disabilities and therefore also falls short in grasping the multifaceted character of discriminatory behavi our. Woodhams concludes: ‘Disability†¦is frequently invisible, indecipherable and unstable.’[13] With respect to the way in which the legislator has framed the notion of disability various problems arise. The essay will summarily point to some but will not be able to explore them comprehensively and in detail. The current practice in employment tribunals (henceforth: ET) illustrates some of the crucial shortcomings of the DDA. ET very often lack the expertise to deal with the complex issues that are involved in disability litigation. The small number of cases (only 2% of ET cases deal with infringement of rights by disabled persons) means that there will be no radical change in this situation and ET personnel will for a long time coming still work under conditions of insufficient medical proficiency. Since the DDA clearly locates the burden of proof with the disabled person, claimants often have to procure (frequently heavily contested) medical evidence, a process which is costly and often prohibitive given the divergence of medical assessment and the vagueness of thresholds of ‘impairments’ in defining disability. In effect, it is noted in the literature that a remarkable gap between the legal stipulation and the practical application of the DDA by human resources has already opened up. Human resources personnel often apply the DDA intuitively and therefore come closer to recognition of impairment than medical experts, consequently undermining the strict and rigorous application of the law.[14] In practice, it seems also customary to ignore the impact of environmental factors which often contribute to the development and persistence of a disability, while hidden aspects of disabilities are failed to be recognised routinely. Sociologists also point out that the DDA places the claimant in a position where decision-making power is firmly located in the hands of defendants. Successful claims are therefore extremely rare, even when taking into account the number of out of court settlements. The DDA works with an underdeveloped notion of judicial harm as well as constructs formidable hurdles when it comes to defining the nature and origins of harm. This often diminishes the confidence of claimants to articulate grievances and contributes to the fact that many unseen or contested impairments are underrepresented in claims. Effectively the success rate of disability litigation is very low, ‘not because treatment less favourable is not established, but because specific legal tests are not met.’[15] The absence of legal aid in many cases exacerbates the problem for disabled persons who feel their rights have been infringed upon and, consequently many practitioners and theorists propose to introduce a set of prima facie criteria which would make it easier for claimants to get a particular impairment acknowledged. Such a set of criteria would also ensure that an unambiguous acknowledgment of rights and their possible infringement would be easier to obtain in particular cases. The small amount of compensation and the small number of successful cases for such compensation in ET indicates that the DDA still failed to define a clear benchmark for discriminatory behaviour.[16] Some sociologists have gone as far as characterising the DDA as being grounded ‘on profoundly social meanings masquerading as pure realms of law.’[17] We do not need to share this slightly Marxist criticism of the DDA to recognise that the current law is heavily biased against disabled victims of discrimination and rests on incoherent conceptual framework. Policy and Discrimination Most policies initiated by the government after the introduction of the DDA in 1995 focuses on the barriers disabled people face in public life and employment. The inbuilt bias of the DDA against disabled persons is exemplified neatly by the underlying motivation for incorporating disabled persons into the competitive labour market. Although participation in the first labour market is as such a desirable intention, it is widely suspected that the government’s motivation to push this agenda forward has more to do with decreasing expenditure than improving the quality of life for disabled people.[18] It is equally regrettable that for comparative purposes there is still no reliable data on the various groups of disabled people across Europe. The reason why this may be important in the future is that the European Union has, after an initial period of hesitation, become a main driver in anti-discriminatory legislation which has full application in the UK. As the EU becomes a more proactive player in the field and begins to formulate policies that are implemented on a European scale, the conflicts between national and European legislation creates problems. Hvinden uses the concepts of crowded and vacant policy fields to distinguish between those policy areas that are likely to creatively absorb new legislation from the EU and those that are not. He argues that, in addition to various disability legislation, anti-discrimination policies often have to take into account that victims are subject not simply to singular dimensions of discrimination but that attempts to discriminate against others are often motivated by concepts of normality which rests on multiple aspects of human existence. For example, discrimination against disabled people can carry significant elements of gendered behaviour, which anti-discriminatory practice must recognise to be effective.[19] The policy instruments available to European governments differ widely amongst the member states, but there seems to be a sort of convergence emerging when it comes to what Hvinden calls the rights and opportunity discourse.[20] Although this is something that the DDA failed to appreciate in all its complexity, practitioners have gradually come to understand this dimension as the inevitable core of anti-discriminatory strategy in the field of disability. As the European Commission redefines its role in the fight against discrimination, national governments are gently pushed towards a notion that equal opportunities for disabled people should occupy the heart of any future legislation. While the DDA was still far removed from stipulating full active citizenship and participation in public life as the main objective and following this up with effective policy implementation, the increasing involvement of European lawmakers in this field may exert considerable weight to such an agenda.[ 21] Much depends on the future decisions of the European Court of Justice and the articulation of legal competence by this body.[22] Conclusion The DDA was clearly based on a flawed definition of disability, resting it on the medical model which made it difficult for disabled persons to articulate the social dimension of any disability. Policies that were supposed to combat discrimination against disabled people were thus misdirected and neglected the cultural and social component in discriminatory behaviour. Although since 1995, the need for further and more sophisticated legislation is almost universally recognised, the current proposals for consultation must place the social construction of disability at the heart of the debate if it wants to avoid similarly misguided policies and ineffective strategies to combat discrimination. Bibliography Bjoern Hvinden. The Uncertain Convergence of Disability Policies in Western Europe, in Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 37, No.6, December 2003, pp.609-624. Carol Woodhams and Susan Corby. Defining Disability in Theory and Practice: A Critique of the British Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Journal for Social Policy. Vol. 32, No.2, pp.159-178. Alan Roulstone. The Legal Road to Rights? Disabling Premises, Obiter Dicta and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Disability and Society, Vol. 18, No.2, 2003, pp.117-131. Liz Sayce. Beyond Good Intentions. Making Anti-Discrimination Strategies Work, in Disability and Society. Vol.18, No.5, August 2003, pp.625-642. Neil Thompson. Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Second Edition. Basingstoke: MacMillan 1997. Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Access to Education and Employment. Monitoring Report United Kingdom. Budapest: Open Society Institute 2005. 1 Footnotes [1] For an overview of legislation cf. Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Access to Education and Employment. Monitoring Report United Kingdom. Budapest: Open Society Institute 2005, pp.51-58. [2] Neil Thompson. Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Second Edition. Basingstoke: MacMillan 1997, p.107-109. [3] Thompson, Practice, p.108. [4] Liz Sayce. Beyond Good Intentions. Making Anti-Discrimination Strategies Work, in Disability and Society. Vol.18, No.5, August 2003, p.633. [5] Alan Roulstone. The Legal Road to Rights? Disabling Premises, Obiter Dicta and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Disability and Society, Vol. 18, No.2, 2003, p.122. [6] quoted in Carol Woodhams and Susan Corby. Defining Disability in Theory and Practice: A Critique of the British Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Journal for Social Policy. Vol. 32, No.2, p.163. [7] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.163. [8] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p. 164 [9] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [10] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [11] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [12] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.165. [13] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.165. [14] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.168. [15] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.124. [16] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.126. [17] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.129. [18] Bjoern Hvinden. The Uncertain Convergence of Disability Policies in Western Europe, in Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 37, No.6, December 2003, p.616. [19] Hvinden, Convergence, p. 612. [20] Hvinden, Convergence, pp.617-618. [21] Hvinden, Convergence, p.620. [22] Hvinden, Convergence, p.624.

Puff Daddy :: essays research papers

SEAN JOHN COMBS, the rap and clothing impresario still best known as Puff Daddy, a sobriquet he has now abandoned, stood before a conference table in his company's Midtown Manhattan headquarters recently, addressing his designers. Dressed in a black baseball cap, a black T-shirt and black cut-off denim shorts - his only flash a large square diamond stud in each earlobe - he projected a decidedly serious mien. The designers listened intently. When he paused, as he did several times, there were no questions. They knew to wait until he solicited their advice. "There will be only three 'Sean John' T-shirts in the coming collection," he said. A few designers let out wispy sighs at such a seemingly self-destructive edict; after all, clothes with the Sean John name, initials or crest make up a big slice of his company's sales. "I'm putting you on rations," he said, laughing. "From now on, I want people to read the name without seeing the name. You get me?" Messing with the name is no small gamble, nor is it the only one he is taking. Sean John is already a well-known brand - at least in households with teenagers, who spend about $42 billion a year to look good. Mr. Combs's company, Sean John, has about $400 million of that business, most of it from urban styles like baggy, crotch-at-the knee trousers, conspicuously branded T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, or "hoodies." But Mr. Combs, who sometimes goes by the rapper name P. Diddy but is known to associates as Puffy, is looking to expand well beyond the urban niche. A stack of other rap and rhythm-and-blues celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Beyoncà © have decided they have the style to create clothes, but Mr. Combs is the one who analysts say has the best chance of making the transition to the mainstream. That could be particularly lucrative for Mr. Combs, who, unlike most of his competitors, has maintained control of his company. (By contrast, Russell Simmons, another rap impresario, sold his Phat Fashions to Kellwood, a giant clothing producer, for $140 million last year.) "Sean John felt he has the heft to go it alone," said Eric M. Beder, an analyst at Brean Murray & Company, a New York investment bank. Going it alone, though, will mean having to tackle some serious problems, starting with two years of more or less flat sales and a net loss last year. That is compounded by signs that the urbanwear trend is past its peak, and by basic business problems like disorganized distribution. Puff Daddy :: essays research papers SEAN JOHN COMBS, the rap and clothing impresario still best known as Puff Daddy, a sobriquet he has now abandoned, stood before a conference table in his company's Midtown Manhattan headquarters recently, addressing his designers. Dressed in a black baseball cap, a black T-shirt and black cut-off denim shorts - his only flash a large square diamond stud in each earlobe - he projected a decidedly serious mien. The designers listened intently. When he paused, as he did several times, there were no questions. They knew to wait until he solicited their advice. "There will be only three 'Sean John' T-shirts in the coming collection," he said. A few designers let out wispy sighs at such a seemingly self-destructive edict; after all, clothes with the Sean John name, initials or crest make up a big slice of his company's sales. "I'm putting you on rations," he said, laughing. "From now on, I want people to read the name without seeing the name. You get me?" Messing with the name is no small gamble, nor is it the only one he is taking. Sean John is already a well-known brand - at least in households with teenagers, who spend about $42 billion a year to look good. Mr. Combs's company, Sean John, has about $400 million of that business, most of it from urban styles like baggy, crotch-at-the knee trousers, conspicuously branded T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, or "hoodies." But Mr. Combs, who sometimes goes by the rapper name P. Diddy but is known to associates as Puffy, is looking to expand well beyond the urban niche. A stack of other rap and rhythm-and-blues celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Beyoncà © have decided they have the style to create clothes, but Mr. Combs is the one who analysts say has the best chance of making the transition to the mainstream. That could be particularly lucrative for Mr. Combs, who, unlike most of his competitors, has maintained control of his company. (By contrast, Russell Simmons, another rap impresario, sold his Phat Fashions to Kellwood, a giant clothing producer, for $140 million last year.) "Sean John felt he has the heft to go it alone," said Eric M. Beder, an analyst at Brean Murray & Company, a New York investment bank. Going it alone, though, will mean having to tackle some serious problems, starting with two years of more or less flat sales and a net loss last year. That is compounded by signs that the urbanwear trend is past its peak, and by basic business problems like disorganized distribution.

History of Throgs Neck and Maritime College Essay -- essays research p

History of Throgs Neck and Maritime College. â€Å"In September 1642, John Throgmorton , with 35 families applied to the Dutch authorities in Niew Amsterdam for permission to settle in. Permission was granted in October 1642, and the conlonists settled on the long neck lying south of what is Eastchester Bay today and named it Throgmorton’s Neck after their leader. By the time of the American Revolution, the name had been contracted to Throgg’s Neck. Throgmorton and his colony thrived for short time, for in the later part of 1643, the Siwanoy Indians attacked the colony and destroyed it. Eighteen persons were massacred. Fortunately, at the time of the attack, a passing boat managed to land at the Neck and helped the remaining colonist to escape to safety. Throgmorton escaped but didn’t return to his colony after the massacre. â€Å" (Hamilton, Harlan. Throgs Neck Light. 1-2) Fort is built at Throgs Neck. â€Å"As New York City developed into the nations largest seaport and business center, the strategic value of Throgs Neck as a site for defense of the seaward approaches to the city from Long Island Sound became apparent. Construction of a fort was considered in 1818, and on July 26, 1826, the federal government purchased fifty-two acres of land from William Bayard. Construction of a fort began in 1833 with I.L. Smith as the architect. New England stone masons erected the thick walls of the fort using granite blocks ferried down from Greenwich, Connecticut. Irish laborers did much of ...

Essay --

Rerum Novarum refers to new beginnings. New beginnings refers to an open letter given to all Catholic bishops that addressed the circumstances of the working class. Written on May 15th 1891 by Tommaso Maria Zigliara, the Rerum Novarum examined the interrelation and duties between labor and capital. This document also covers the relationship between the government and citizens. The document begins with an introduction, as all documents do. The introduction opens with remarks on social issues of that time. The speaker continues to speak out against the Socialist motives, and those who allowed them to come about and prosper. The first issues to be discussed are rights and duties. Pope Leo introduces an idea that entails the rights every worker is to be afforded and the duties he then owes his employer. Pope Leo also states that this rule should go both ways and extend to the employer as well. The Pope states that workers are, â€Å"fully and faithfully to perform the work which has been freely and equitably agreed upon; never to injure the property, nor to outrage the person, of an employer; never to resort to violence in defending their own cause, nor to engage in riot or disorder; and to have nothing to do with men of evil principles, who work upon the people with artful promises of great results, and excite foolish hopes which usually end in useless regrets and grievous loss. (p20)† The duties a worker owes his employer are quite clearcut. As such, so are the duties of an employer to his workman. A decent employer is not to use their workers as bondsmen, they are to regard every man with self-respect. They are to treat each worker as a person aggrandized by a good Christian character. Employers are reminded that there is no shame... ... value them for their bodily functions, and not as people. However, if all employers were privy to the contents of Rerum Novarum that talk about how employers are supposed to treat their workers how they deserved to be treated, America’s poverty level would go down. Others who are not well read on the struggles of others should especially look into Rerum Novarum so that they may understand what it is like for others who are on the opposite side of the spectrum. It was paragraph twenty that spoke to me the most. As mentioned previously I really appreciate the fact that it is written somewhere that there should be a set of rights and duties between workers and their employers. All of the rights and duties are fair, and I believe that they should be followed by everyone. I also appreciate these rights because they should be followed whether or not someone is Christian.