The Country of Haiti Review Essay Sample

The Country of Haiti Review Essay Sample The Country of Haiti Review Essay Sample The Country of Haiti Review Essay Sample Haiti Overview Haiti is located in the western part of Hispaniola Island. Two peninsulas of this country are separated by Gonave Gulf (Wordatlas, 2015).  The current work provides the general overview of Haiti and the connection between its biophysical characteristics, natural catastrophes, history, economy, politics, and international relations. This island country with the unusual flora has the developing economy. Geographical Position of Haiti This country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the North and Caribbean Sea in the South. The biggest lakes are Lake Azuei and Lake of Miragoane (Wordatlas, 2015). The main river of the country is Artibonite. The climate is humid tropical with fogs and drizzle from November till January and wet weather from February till May. Average annual rainfalls vary in different parts of the country from 140 cm in the northern peninsula to 200 cm in the southern peninsula (â€Å"The climate of Haiti†, 2006). Average winter temperatures range from 15 C to 25 C. The average summer temperatures vary from 25 C to 35 C (â€Å"The climate of Haiti†, 2006). The landscape of the country is rugged and mountainous with three major massifs: the Massif du Nord (in the northern part of the country), the Massif de la Sell (in the eastern part of the country), and the Massif de la Hott (in the western part of the country) (â€Å"Geography†, n.d.). The highest point is Pic La Stelle in the East. It elevates 8,793 ft. above the sea level (Wordatlas, 2015). One of the most notable landscape features are fluctuating elevations with various microclimates. The flora and fauna of Haiti is rather diverse. More than 4,500 flowering plants can be found in this country. One third of them are considered as endemic. Unfortunately, there is no concrete statistics concerning the fauna of Haiti because of poor records and elevations. Some species have rather small populations or live in isolated areas. Population Characteristics The population of Haiti is roughly three hundred and fifty persons for every square kilometer. However, the most densely populated regions are the urban centers, valleys and areas within the coast. The population comprises less than twenty million, and it was estimated by the UN in the year 2011 to be 10.1 million. The modern Haitians are those who descend back to the black slaves, while the rest of population is instituted by the revolt survivors. It is the law that everyone in Haiti is black regardless of his or her skin color. The minorities are comprised of those with Italians, French, Polish, Armenians Dutch, Arabs and Spanish. There are also Haitians who live abroad in the United States, Cuba, France, and Jamaica among others. Most Haitians have no access to health facilities and children do not get vaccinated. The common death causes in this country are diarrhea, respiratory infection, meningitis, and HIV/ AIDS. Ninety percent of children in the country suffer as a result of w ater-borne diseases, as well as intestinal parasites. Thirty thousand Haitians get infected with malaria every year. Water-borne diseases comprise protozoa and bacteria, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and hepatitis. It is known that at least seventy-five percent of the citizens do not get any form of running water. Hospitals have insufficient resources and personnel of healthcare. There have not been enough houses and thus living conditions are very pathetic. Nowadays, the population of Haiti is 10,480,000 people and it tends to increase only by about 1.9 % annually (â€Å"Haiti population clock†, 2015). Due to political instability, economic downfall, and numerous diseases, people prefer to leave this country. There are about 70,000 emigrants each year (â€Å"Haiti population clock†, 2015). There is no open statistics concerning immigrants because people tend to leave this country due to the stated issues. Major health issues are cholera, malnutrition, and AIDS/HIV (Moloney, 2013). Only 1.9% of Haitians have access to health insurance (Forbes, 2013) The Haitian Human Development Index (HDI) is rather low – 0.456 (United Nations Development Programme, 2013). This figure is formed by increasing life expectancy and education and decreasing Gross National Income. Demographics Demographic situation plays a huge role in the economic development of any country as a part of economically active population defines the opportunities and capacities of this state. It is rather important for the definition of country’s place in the system of the international economic relations. According to the data of UNCTAD, the population of Haiti by 2013 comprised of 9.7 million people. Annual increase of population is 1.84%, which ranks the country at the 67th place in the world. The male population composes 4.8 million people and the number of the female population is 4.9 million respectively (UNCTAD). The Worldstat Info (2015) states that in the Republic of Haiti the birth rate exceeds mortality (23.87 born per 1000 people and 8.1 dead per 1000 people respectively). However, a bigger problem in the demographics of the country is high maternal and infant mortality rates (300 dead per 100000 childbirth and 52.44 dead per 1000 born). The average age of the male population is 21.1 years in comparison to 21.6 years of the female population. The life expectancy of men is 60.8 years and women – 63.5. The density of population constitutes 350.3 people per square kilometer. Haiti is characterized with the shortage of resources because of a big population of a small country, which results in poverty, hunger and diseases. These are the reasons for a low level of average life expectancy (Worldstat Info, 2015). The number of urban population in 2010 composed 52% of the total population, whereas rural 48% respectively. The coefficient of urbanization of the population is 3.9% a year. The balance of migration based on a difference between a number of immigrants and emigrants is 6 migrants per 1000 people. The HIV-infection is the main health care problem of the Haitian nation. The level of illiteracy is 53% of the whole population, which is rather low. The population of the country is almost uniform in terms of the ethnic structure. It means it has a powerful potential. Consolidation of a society, development of education and sciences and an increase in the level of literacy of the population are necessary for the improvement of the situation in the system of international economic relations (Worldstat Info). Language and Religion The population of Haiti speaks the Haitian Creole language developed on the basis of French. The language represents a modified French lexicon of the 18th century finding the influence of the languages of the Western and Central Africa with small Arab, Spanish, Portuguese and English impregnations. The grammar is significantly simplified and spelling, as a rule, corresponds to pronunciation. The language has two dialects: Fablas and Plateau. Since 1961, the Haitian Creole is the second official language of Haiti along with French. About 80% of the population of the country are Catholics and 16% Protestants. However, up to 70% of Haitians along with Christian doctrines also practice â€Å"voodoo†, a pantheistical Afro-Christian syncretic cult. Voodoo is considered one of the directions of Catholicism. It was recognized by Vatican in 1860, but the Haitians claim that their religion is more ancient and deeper than Christianity as it absorbs the best of all religions of the past and the present. Given that Blacks were brought to Haiti from Africa, but were not local natives like in the majority of other American colonies of the European states in West Indies, led to the fact that African features prevailed in the life and culture of Haitians. Present Haitians kept the African way of life in many respects. In particular, although almost all Haitians consider themselves Catholics, the African pagan voodoo religion dominates slightly diluted with the Catholic terms and ceremonies. After the earthquake in 2010, the human values shifted toward a desire to survive and receive necessary health care. In addition, the population believes in the existence of zombie in Haiti. Government The Republic of Haiti is a presidential republic with a multi-party system. The president is the head of the state and a prime minister is the head of the government. The prime minister is appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly. The executive power belongs to the president and prime minister, whereas the legislature belongs to the government and two chambers of the National Assembly of Haiti. Modern structure of the political system is regulated by the Constitution adopted on March 29, 1987. Rene Preval is the president of Haiti. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Haiti. He conducts negotiations and concludes international agreements, publishes laws and proposes the prime minister’s candidacy. All decisions of the head of state are subjects to the approval by the National Assembly (Parliament). The president holds executive power together with the government. The National Assembly is in charge of the legislature and consists of two chambers the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both chambers are chosen by the universal direct ballot of citizens senators for 6 years and deputies for 4 years. The structure of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate is not constant and defined by the electoral law. The National Assembly elected in 2006 consists of 30 senators and 99 deputies. Value System The value system in Haiti is the result of the mixture of French and African cultures with a noticeable influence of Catholicism. Spiritual culture of Haiti composes the core of the value system. Under the influence of French, black women wore the French toilets and sent children to study the national culture hence inoculating the cultural and moral values to their children. Trend of the Haitian HDI This country has a rather high death rate (84 deaths per 1,000 people) and birth rate (20 per 1,000 people) (â€Å"Demographic statistics for Haiti.† n.d.). Haiti is at the third stage of demographic transaction characterized by the establishment of business connections that provide manufacturing of commodities (they serve as the labor supply regions), industrial activities, self-constructing houses, and shift of the population from rural to urban life. Economic and Resource Characteristics Haiti has the developing economy. The majority of the population works in such fields as agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industry (extraction of bauxite, copper, marble, and calcium carbon). The country is mostly oriented on import. Haiti’s top imports are rice, pal, oil, raw sugar, and refined petroleum from such countries as the USA, China, Peru, Indonesia, and India. Haiti exports knit apparel and vetiver oil to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Vietnam, and China. The Gross Domestic Product is only $8 billion with the growth rate of 3.4% annually (Forbes, 2014). Haiti has a tremendous unemployment rate (40.6 %) (Forbes, 2014). â€Å"Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with a per capita income of $400, in rural areas $100† (Haiti Health Ministries, 2012). This creates the background for one of the major advantages of this country, which is cheap labor force. That is why, in in the nearest future global companies will move their manufacturing faci lities to this country as it has been done by a Korean textile manufacturer called Sae-A Trading Company (Watkins, 2013). Haiti’s economy is very low in terms of GDP per capita as a result of corruption, poverty, and poor education. Haiti’s market economy and the labor costs are low. Its export access to the US market is tariff-free. Farming in small scale supports about twenty percent of the entire population. Frequent natural disasters are also a giant problem in Haiti. Inflation rate is greater than anywhere else. The fiscal sustainability is aided by the international assistance. Improvement of business has got lots of undermining by corruption and ineffective framework of the judiciary. The institutions mandated to govern are weak and limited in reconstruction since the 2010 earthquake. Public spending has faced rough times because the politics are very unstable. Those in government are abusing and misusing the public money for personal use. Major Internal Issues Nowadays, the Haitian government develops various initiatives for the improvement of the economic situation. It closely collaborates with the UN for launching the Development Program called the Laboratory for Innovation and Economic Development (IDE) Project directed at training young specialists in the field of business management who have innovative ideas and can present their own projects (United Nations Development Programme, 2015) The UN also renders support in the establishment of 39 long-term projects directed at the improvement of governance, reduction of the negative influence of disasters, and protection of the environment (United Nations Development Programme, 2015). One of the top priorities of the cooperation between the UN and the Haitian government is the raise of the capacity and human resources of public administrations in order to meet such issues as the lack of civil servants. The emphasis is made on regional ad urban planning, election process, and justice. This initiative is reflected in the performance of trainings for judges and clerks concerning registry techniques and violence. Additional attention is paid to finding a solution to such a problem as an extremely high disaster risk. Location of this country makes it very vulnerable to various disasters. The UN provides operational support in preparation for emergencies, establishment of the Haitian disaster risk management system, organization of disaster response simulation exercises, and rendition of support for the recovery of ruined objects. Low level of living, lack of means of living, and amenability to various disasters have created the background for another environment issue. Haitians have cut down almost 99% of forests because they need fuel for cooking (United Nations Development Programme, 2013). Furthermore, deforestation leads to soil erosion and disappearance of some species of flora and fauna. For the rectification of this issue, the UN provides support in the ecosystem management in the form of planting seedlings. Besides, this organization helps Haitians with management of their health issues like tuberculosis and AIDS. For the last five years, two thirds of people with tuberculosis have been cured, 1 million people have been tested on HIV, and more than 190,000 people have received the antivirus therapy (United Nations Development Programme, 2015). Special medical education programs have been established all over the country. However, at the current moment there is one more problem in Haiti. Both community and public infrastructures have suffered from a tremendous decay. Numerous roads are destroyed. Hence, there is no connection between cities. People cannot receive medications, buy products outside of their towns, or go to work in other locations. The majority of Haitians travel by bicycles, motorbikes, private cars, or on foot. Almost all Haitian roads are unmarked or unpaved. There are two major reasons for the stated problems: harsh climate and insufficient funding. Additional attention should be paid to the inobservance of traffic laws because there are no training programs or licensing for drivers. Speed limits are seldom posted and are usually ignored by drivers. The police do not have manpower to enforce them. That is why, there are numerous accidents on Haitian roads. Moreover, the situation is worsening due to the following factors: overloading of vehicles, absence of brakes on vehicles, mechanical failures, mountainous roads, and poor maintenance. Besides, Haitian drivers are quite aggressive to each other, police officers, and foreigners. Moreover, notwithstanding the fact that drunk driving in Haiti is strictly prohibited, people frequently sit down behind the wheel after drinking, especially at night. Usually, the right way of driving is not observed in this country. Hence, it is advisable to stop and check that there is no oncoming traffic eve n if the person has the right to way in order to eliminate any possibility of accident. The overall situation on Haitian roads is chaotic. Unfortunately, the government has no ability to change this situation because of the lack of adequate resources. International Role In the regional and global context, Haiti has a rather weak position. It serves as the raw materials base and the location of cheap labor force for more developed nations. The Haitian government cannot build steady relationships with governments of other countries and international organizations. Further development of the country is limited by the considerable poverty cycle, high level of income inequality, political instability, indebtedness, and political barriers to international investments. The Haitian government establishes peaceful relations with numerous countries all over the world, including the Dominican Republic (the only neighboring country), Canada, the USA, Taiwan, Chile, France, Spain, etc. It is one of the original members of the United Nations (the former League of Nations). These relationships have the aim of obtaining support from these countries and developing trade. However, compared to other developing nations, the level of living in Haiti is rather low. Hence , the country can propose only cheap labor and resources to other countries. It is also worth noting that the country controls the Windward Passage that could be easily closed for the disruption of the maritime traffic. Political instability that has been present for several centuries has a considerable negative influence on the economy and social life of people. Haitians suffer from earthquakes and natural disasters, but cannot obtain financial, medical, and technical help from other countries and international organizations because of poor governance and decay of the transportation system. People live in the constant economic downfall that creates the barrier to further economic development. Nowadays, Haiti is considered to be the country that can supply only cheap products and minerals, as well as the low-cost labor force. Hence, future development of this country is connected with the transition of manufacturing facilities of global corporations to Haiti. The History of Haiti Haiti has a rather complicated history. This island was explored by Columbus in 1492 (â€Å"Haiti’, 2015). During that century, native citizens were ruled by Spanish conquerors. In 1697, this island became the French colony and the motherland of slaves for French aristocrats. The slave rebel in 1791 led to the proclamation of the declaration of independence in 1801. During the rule of Napoleon, the slave movement was suppressed. However, in 1804 a new independent country called Haiti was formed. For several centuries, this country suffered from revolutions and shifts of power. The situation sharpened by constant disputes with Santo Domingo. However, the economic and political situation in the country was improved in the beginning of the 20th century after its occupation by American mariners and acceptance of American receivership. This brought stability into the country. Further political situation is also characterized by shifts of power, which have led to economic, health, and social crises. In the second part of the 20th century, Haiti suffered from AIDS, starvation, and cholera. These diseases have led to the collapse of the tourism industry. Additional attention should be paid to the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, 2010 (with the 7.0 magnitude) that killed thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of buildings and objects of infrastructure (â€Å"Haiti†, 2015). The situation has been worsened by endemic poverty and cholera. Various countries and international organizations have tried to render financial and medical assistance to Haiti. However, due to political instability, people have not received this help till recently: â€Å"hundreds of thousands were still living in tent camps while tens of thousands were staying in buildings badly damaged during the earthquake† (â€Å"Haiti†, 2015). Haiti occupies the western third of the Haiti Island in the group of the Big Antilles. The other part of the island belongs to the Dominican Republic. The history of Haiti has been surreal and bloody since its discovery by Christopher Columbus on December 6, 1492. Indians that were occupying the island called it Haiti, which means â€Å"mountainous†. When in 1493 he returned to Espanola, Columbus found out that all garrison was killed by Indians in revenge for a bad treatment. Historical and Settlement Characteristics The brother of the admiral Columbus, Bartolomà ©, continued the discovery further and colonized the island. Spaniards, who declared the whole island to be their possession, colonized mainly its eastern areas. In 1625, English and French pirates came to the island, turned it into a base and increased a number of raids against Spaniards. In 1697, Spain conceded the western third of the island, called San Domingo, to France. During the 18th century, San Domingo turned into one of the richest French colonies. Sugar crane, indigo, coffee, cocoa and cotton were grown on the plantations. By the end of the 18th century, the population of a colony totaled 42 thousands of white people, 50 thousands of free mulattos and the Blacks who had property but were limited in rights, and 452 thousands of Black slaves (UNCTAD). In 1789, the revolution burst out in France, which was directly reflected in the Haitian history. The armed struggle between the royalists and republicans has led to a creation of a colony. Conflicts among the white led to the strengthening of mulattos who started the revolt and demanded the same rights with Europeans. At last, in 1791 a grandiose revolt of Black slaves burst out. On January 1, 1804, the general Dessalines declared the independence of the Haiti state. The history of Haitians can still evoke sympathies. Due to the first in the history victorious revolt of slaves, Haiti became the first independent Latin American country and the first state of Blacks (UNCTAD). In the beginning of the 20th century, there were many revolutions. The governments changed fast and the agriculture was in a full decline as there were almost no industries. In 1915, USA arranged an intervention in Haiti, having occupied the country without any resistance. Haiti stayed under American occupation until 1934. Americans created telecommunications and constructed a number of secondary educational institutions in Haiti. Tyrannical dictatorship of a notorious Francois Duvalier has prevailed for 23 years in Haiti. Haiti the Less Developed Country Haiti is the oldest republic of the Afro-American people in the world and the second independent state (after the USA) in North America. It is also the first country in the world where black people won in 1804. Considered the descendants of slaves, they compose the majority of inhabitants of Haiti, namely 90% (Worldstat Info). Once being one of the richest and highly productive colonies in the world and a pearl of France, at present Haiti is the poorest state in the Western hemisphere and in the world. Given essay will provide a brief overview of the country’s history, demographics, language, religion, government, value system, business practices and attitudes toward foreign investments as well as consumer behavior and marketing mix of Haiti. Haiti, a full official name the Republic of Haiti, is the state in the western part of the Haiti Island. The eastern half of the island is occupied by the Dominican Republic. The city Port-au-Prince is the capital of Haiti. The population of the country is 10,033000 million people. The Republic of Haiti also includes the coastal islands of Tortue and Gonav. In the north, it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and in the south by the Caribbean Sea. Haiti is the third biggest country in the Caribbean Sea after Cuba and Dominican Republic (UNCTAD). Similar to other developing states and regions, Haiti has many factors obscuring its economic development, as well as general development in the country. Haiti has a very impressing history, being the second country to gain independence and the first black republic. The good history is going down the drain with overwhelming issuing marring the day-to-day life in Haiti. Political and civil unrest, as well as the lack of proper governance, has been a great hindrance to the development of Haiti. After gaining freedom from a dictatorial regime, Haiti is struggling to gain political stability, as well as to establish the rule of law. Weak exercise of the rule of law and poor government is the key factor, affecting the use of public resources. With an uncertain political climate, Haiti experiences low investments with government screening undermining investment in other regions. Just like any other developing nation, Haiti goes through political and civil unrest. Historically, Haiti helped its neighbors in their fight for independence, but the current fight in Haiti is hard to be resolved by the international community. The US tried to assist in removing the dictatorial president from power, but the great support that he had made things very complex (Hallward, 2007). Haiti has great potential, which can be unraveled for the advantage of its economy. Emigration from Haiti to the United States is considerably high as people seek for better opportunities. Haiti has rich natural resources, which are close to depletion as a result of neglect. The forest cover in Haiti is less than 10 percent of the entire country’s land. In comparison with Dominican Republic, Haiti is far much bare than the latter. The ecosystem of Haiti is adversely affected by human activities of farming and poor mining practices. The coastline is still tampered with since fishing in Haiti has not been expanded or modernized. There are few parks (the La Visite National Park and Pic Macaya National Park), in which animals are fed by people. Mostly, animals live in the forest, which is quite small and sparsely populated (Smartt, 2008). After its exploration by Columbus, Haiti came under the Spanish rule in 1492 and later became a colony of France in 1697 leading in the sugarcane production by slaves. Haiti gained independence in 1801 after a serious revolt considered the largest in the world history. Haiti is the worst country when it comes to poverty in the Western Hemisphere. This is because of the black inferiority, slavery heritage, and racism among others. Ninety percent of Haitians are descended from slaves. The story of Haiti withstanding and resisting every effort made by outside invaders in the name of colonists was a surprise. The blacks were able to defeat and gain a victory over French soldiers. However, after the defeat, the French demanded compensation for the plantations taken away from their people in Haiti. It cost the Haiti thirty percent of the national budget. Haiti’s birth was violent. Democracy was fragile. The problems of the country were internal. Some leaders wanted to rule for life. There were divisions that created chaos. Brutality moved on for centuries. Terror spread beyond the limits killing innocent mortals. Beginning from 1915, the United States occupied the waters of Haiti. The aim was to eliminate the constitution that was forbidding foreign ownership of land and solidify American economy control. American officials made a declaration that the government of Haiti needed reforms as it was in bad shape. The Americans started another fight amongst themselves. The war came to an end, and schools, clinics, and roads were left for the Haitians. Nevertheless, Haiti was so badly hurt that the wound remains in memory till today. The problems that Haitians have cannot be solved externally. The real freedom has to flow from the citizens themselves. Doing Business in Haiti is hectic because the procedures required are lengthy and slow. A business can be opened after 204 days (Hallward, 2007). Criminal dealings have heightened in Haiti. The police and political elites are in cooperation with criminals to do drug trade. The Haitians survive with the subsistence economy. There is export of fishing, agriculture, and forestry. Hills have hindered agriculture in the rural area since they have sheltered much of the terrestrial of Haiti. Coffee, mangoes, and cocoa yield big profits. Ferocious rivalry in the global market has seen deterioration in sugarcane production. Timber production declined because woodlands have vividly dispersed. The fish breeding brings almost five thousand tons per year. Minerals comprise calcium carbonate, copper, gold, and marble. Industries produce detergents, flour, edible oils, butter, and cement. The major issues in Haiti have brought about suffering to both the economy and the citizens. Conflict has existed since independence. There are constant disagreements between the government, the citizens and the outside nations, especially the US. The economy also experiences conflicts. The exports are low and of poor quality. Land is occupied by mountains, and the government is doing nothing to aid the citizens. The governments are always creating chaos. They do not work on the things that help the mortals. The major concern of the citizens has been from public spending to drug trafficking by government officials and police. Governance is poor with corruption levels beyond limits (Farmer, Kozol, 2006). Opening a business, which is meant to be a simple task, takes ages so that those who bribe get through faster. The police are not protecting people, but rather working in corruption zones. There are not enough hospitals, and the available ones have no facilities. Medical professional s are insufficient, poorly trained, and low compensation demotivates them. Children never get vaccinated. Most of them die because of diseases that the government could prevent. The citizens never access clean water for drinking. Separatism is in existence. Some citizens support the overthrown governments. There is no unity as the nation is divided into groups of persons with similar interests, such as drug cartels, and politicians with those supporting them. The environment is in crisis. Deforestation is happening in Haiti with forests declining (CIA, 2014). Earthquakes are destroying humanity and resources. Poor housing has led to poor living conditions. There are no toilets for both public and private use leading to the diseases like diarrhea. Over the years Haiti has had good international relations. With the onset of a dictatorial rule, the United States tried to offer help to liberate the country from the dictatorial rule. With that aid, Haiti got rid of the dictator. They conducted presidential elections on 2012 December, which were marred by irregularities. The dictatorial president accused the US of forcing him out of power, but the Americans dismissed the accusations (Fry, 2007). The international community in conjunction with the Haitian authorities denied the dictator entry to Haiti regardless of his passports. In 2004, American Forces were keeping peace and order in the Haitian town Port-au-Prince. One of Port-au-Prince’s streets was declared by the UN as the most dangerous in the world (Koplow, 2004). There had to be a rerun of the elections in 2013. In the history of Haiti, it offered financial aid to its neighbors to help fight the colonialists in return of the slavery eradication. In addition to the he lp of the World Bank and the IMF, other developed countries have also extended their financial aid to Haiti for years. When Haiti could not pay off the debt, they were wavered in 2005. The international community has made efforts in assisting Haiti to maintain stability, which does not seem to be bearing fruits. All the same, as many developing countries take to respond to international efforts, Haiti may also respond sooner or later to these efforts. Apparently, Haiti performs poorly economically, ranks low in life expectancy as well as in education. The international community has made efforts to improve the infrastructure of Haiti with little or no success. The greatest menace of Haiti’s development is corruption. The aid that the international community, the IMF and the World Bank direct to Haiti for the development of infrastructure goes to personal accounts. Poor governance, weak execution of the rule of law, and weak judiciary have made it impossible to apprehend corrupters in the country. Corruption is also a reason behind poor policies in the country, which mar investment and business operation. Being an agricultural economy, Haiti has a long way to go to see the development. There is a dire need for political upgrading to ensure proper policies are in place for development. A stable political climate is necessary for the civil unrest to come to an end. Even though the post-development ideology has worked for many developing countries, Haiti needs to reconsider its approach to the same. The key need in Haiti for the country to achieve development is political stability. With political stability, development policies will be in place, peace will be achieved, civil unrest will come to an end, and regional relations will be extended. With those achievements, Haiti will be in the way to development. The Republic of Haiti occupies the western part of Hispaniola Island. The previous and current economic and political events are closely connected with the country’s biophysical overview and history. In this work, additional emphasis will be made on international relations with various countries and organizations. The current essay will show a close interrelation between biophysical and demographic factors, history, economy, and politics of Haiti. Business Practices and Foreign Investments International movement of the capital has an essential impact on Haiti in terms of international economic relations as it erases the borders between the national farms of various countries. A special value of this purpose belongs to the development of foreign direct investments (FDIs), which lead to the formation of multinational corporations. Haiti participates in the international movement of the capital mainly as the country-recipient of the international economic aid. UN and its dedicated organizations including non-governmental organizations, private companies and the country’s government provide economic support to Haiti. A destructive earthquake that happened on January 12, 2010 became a huge tragedy for the country. As a result, 220 thousands of people including 102 UN employees died, thousands were wounded or remained disabled and 1.5 million people became homeless. The earthquake caused a serious damage to the insufficiently steady economy and weak infrastructure of Haiti and slowed down the promotion of the country on the way of national formation. Many countries rendered humanitarian and financial aid to the country. However, governmental support was not enough for the country. For the rescue of Haiti, it is necessary to change its economic model. At present, robbery and theft are among the most spread practices in Haiti (World Economic Forum). The republic of Haiti is open for foreign investments. The government of Haiti achieved a certain progress in recent years, having improved the legislative base concerning export, import and foreign investments from other states. Since 2004, the government of Haiti with the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) executes monetary, fiscal and currency policies directed at the creation of stable macroeconomic environment and favorable investment climate of the country. These policies include a reduction of the interest rates for the purpose of simplification of the access to credits and establishment of a stable exchange rate. In June 2009, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund wrote off a debt of Haiti in the sum of $1.2 billion, having recognized a relative macroeconomic stability of Haiti and observance of the conditions of the IMF program (IMF). In Haiti, there is the Center for Investment Facilitation (CFI) created in 2007. The activity of CFI includes the optimization of investment process due to the simplification of the procedures connected with trade and investments, and also the attraction of investments into the most priority sectors of the economy. Investors in Haiti have the right to run business as individual entrepreneurs, owners of the limited liability, joint stock (corporation) or branch of the foreign company and cooperative. Corporations are the most commonly used form of a business entity in Haiti. Foreign investors are allowed to own 100% of the company or a subsidiary (World Economic Forum; Caribbean Export). Foreigners can create joint ventures on the territory of Haiti. The right of distribution of shares is reserved by the owners of the joint venture. However, the sales and purchases of shares of a company are regulated by the state. Nevertheless, business people can freely dispose own property and assets of the enterprise according to the laws of the Republic of Haiti. The main sectors of economy attractive for foreign investors include the agriculture, mining and power industry. Besides, the food manufacturing industry is the priority sector for investment. Such advantage as the existence of fields of copper, lignite (brown coal), manganese and a large-scale deposit of bauxites became the subject of interest to investors from more developed countries aimed at the exploration, production and processing of minerals (World Economic Forum). In addition, the geographical location of the country with an access to the sea, which allows to develop trade and economic relations with other states, has a special value. For the evident representation of the dynamics of the direct foreign investments received by the Republic of Haiti, the statistical data of the UNCTAD is presented in the Table 1. (UNCTAD). Since 2000, the inflow of FDIs into the economy of Haiti changed has been changing gradually. However, the tendency of its increase is observed in the dynamics. The years 2006, 2010 and 2011 were especially favorable in terms of foreign investments, which ended with $160 million, $150 million and $181 million correspondingly. However, the world financial crisis had an impact on the inflow of investments. Only in 2010, the stream of FDIs reached $150 million. In 2014, FDIs composed $230 million (UNCTAD, 2015). Based on Haitian vision of a developed country by 2030, the economic strategy is designed to facilitate the emergence of a strong, diversified, dynamic, competitive, open and inclusive economy extending over a broad territorial base. Two major options should mark the economic path including strong growth and enhanced attractiveness of the economy in a situation that is rebalanced from a social, environmental and spatial standpoint (IMF). Thus, Haiti is the country that regularly receives economic help from the international organizations for the restoration and development of its economy. Besides, many world countries invest into the economy of Haiti, namely into its most favorable branches. Nevertheless, the dependence of Haiti on the foreign help is great since its support covers about a third of the public expenditures. Certainly, all this affects an economic situation in the country. In relation to other countries, the national debt promptly increases as well as the influence of these countries on the Republic of Haiti. Consumer Behavior and Marketing Mix Majority of foreigners perceive Haiti as a concentration of poverty, dictatorship, AIDS and mystical ceremonies of Voodoo. Governmental policy aimed at the attraction of investments and tourists was based not only on the climatic advantages of the area, but also on the energetic power of the mystic place. Negative features of Haiti were veiled under the image of mystery resulting in the increased flows of tourists into the country (World Economic Forum). The volume and structure of consumer behavior directly characterize the standards of living of the Haitian population. Consumer behavior of the Haitian population considerably changed following social losses, which escalated due to the increase of uneven income distribution, strengthening of differentiation, growing scales of poverty and deepening of social injustice in the society. If Haiti aims at the sustainable development and investments, it should receive necessary resources at the global economic level. It means that the country should represent itself as a platform for a start and implementation of the most perspective world’s projects. Haiti should become a country attractive for investments, moving, living and running a business (UNCTAD). The marketing of Haiti includes activities undertaken for the purpose of creation, maintenance or change of the relations or consumer behavior of social communities concerning the definite territory or resources natural, technical, financial and labor. Application of the territorial marketing in Haiti can help educate and increase patriotism of the local population, make it attractive for tourists, businessmen and investors as well as develop and promote the country. Moreover, it concerns not only the country in general, but its particular regions, municipalities, cities and settlements (World Economic Forum). Marketing mix represents a set of practical measures influencing the market or the adaptation of country’s activities to a situation in the market, and also timely and flexible response to its changes. In recent years, practically all Haitian industries have experienced a decrease in production caused by unstable financial position of the country, lack of own current assets, insufficient investments to the country, etc. The marketing mix of Haiti is represented by various factors, the combination of which allows solving economic issues. All elements of the marketing mix should be developed on a strategic level for the long-term planning of the investment programs in the country. To sum up, the Republic of Haiti is the poorest state in the western hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the world. The GDP of the country is less than $5,000 per capita. More than 80% of the population is below the poverty level. Money transfers from emigrants and increasing volumes of investments represent the main source of income in Haiti. The country has the deposits of gold, bauxites and copper, which are strongly underdeveloped. The main industries include sugar, flour-grinding and textile manufacturing. For the promotion of Haiti on the financial market, it is necessary to develop a favorable investment climate in the country. Government should apply a differentiated policy approach toward each investment project. Such marketing policy orientation will allow considering the definite requirements of investors for the potential project activity leading to a considerable increase of country’s competitiveness.

Looking Back at Rodney King and the L.A. Riots

Looking Back at Rodney King and the L.A. Riots Rodney King became a household name after images surfaced of him taking a life-threatening beating by four white police officers from the Los Angeles police department in 1992. After the four police officers were acquitted by a jury,  a violent uprising  broke out in Los Angeles, lasting over five days, and leaving more than 50 people dead and thousands injured. A Brutal beating On March 3, 1991, 25-year-old Rodney King was leaving an event by car with his friends when a police car on his tail motivated him to attempt to flee at 100 miles per hour. According to Kings account, he kept driving instead of pulling over because he was violating the terms of his parole- from a prior robbery- by drinking and he wanted to avoid trouble with the police. Instead, he kept driving and triggered a high-speed chase that ended when he pulled over. As King stepped out of the vehicle with his hands up police instructed him to get on the ground and they began beating him with their batons. Between four officers, King was struck at least 50 times and received at least 11 fractures. Nearly beaten to death, King was rushed to the nearest hospital where doctors operated on him for five hours.  Ã‚   Thankfully for King, a bystander named George Holiday had been overlooking the balcony during the brutal beating and recorded  the incident. The next day, Holiday took the footage to the local television station. The outrage and backlash from the officers actions was so significant that Rodney King was released from the hospital four days later  with no official charges filed against him. Conviction On March 15, 1991, Sergeant Stacey Koon and officers Laurence Michael Powell, Timothy Wind, and Theodore Briseno were indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury in connection with the beating. A little more than two months later, the grand jury decided not to indict the 17 officers who were there at the time of King’s beating but did nothing. The four officers accused of beating King were acquitted on April 29,1992. A violent uprising  began in South Central Los Angeles. An truck driver, uninvolved in King’s case, was beaten and the footage was caught on videotape by a passing helicopter. The mayor declared a state of emergency and the governor made a request for the National Guard to assist law enforcement officials. During that time 1,100 Marines, 600 Army soldiers, and 6,500 National Guard troops patrolled the streets of Los Angeles. Heartbroken and feeling responsible for the surrounding chaos, Rodney King, fighting back tears, made a public statement and recited the following famous lines: People, I just want to say, can we all get along?† on May 1, 1992. Small Victories The nation waited in fear of future riots as the trial for the four officers began. Less than two months later, two of the officers- Koon and Powell- were found guilty by a federal jury for having violated King’s civil rights. According to  news  reports, â€Å"U.S. District Court Judge John Davies sentences both Sergeant Stacey Koon and Officer Laurence Powell to 30 months in prison for violating Kings civil rights. Powell is found guilty of violating Kings constitutional right to be free from an arrest made with ‘unreasonable force.’ Ranking officer Koon is convicted of permitting the civil rights violation to occur.† Sadly for King, struggles with alcoholism and drug use led to further negative interactions with the law. In 2004,  was arrested after a domestic dispute and later plead guilty to driving under the influence. In  2007  he was found drunk with non-threatening gunshot wounds. In recent years, Rodney King has given several personal interviews including with CNN and Oprah.  On June 18, 2012, his fiancee Cynthia Kelley, a juror in his trial many years prior, found him at the bottom of his swimming pool. He was pronounced  dead  at the hospital. A Catalyst for Change Rodney Kings horrific experience with the Los Angeles Police Department was horrific helped to illuminate some of the myriad problems with police brutality. Images of the beating and the uprising  that followed live on in infamy as a symbol of the troubled relationship between police and the Black community.

Business Unleashed from A More Perfect Union Essay

Business Unleashed from A More Perfect Union - Essay Example From the issues of evolution, we find out how various forms of past occurrences managed to evolve into currently more sophisticated forms. The brain of mankind, managed to undergoes a transition that saw to it being more powerful and enabled mankind to develop the ingenious inventions which have transformed the world. By looking at the challenges made in the past, decisions could be made basing on these challenges. Solutions resulting from these decisions end up making the whole world a better place (Lasker 41). History created in the USA (United States of America) when president Barrack Obama became the first ever black president. Critics argued that his speeches were the catch point and what made him as famous. Through his eloquence, he was able to move masses, he was able to convince and influence the masses into thinking in line with his beliefs. Ronald Reagan came to be in February 1911. He went to college at Eureka College. He got his first job as the radio sports announcer and further proceeded to Hollywood that was in 1937. As an actor he made seen in fifty films and given the post in the movie as the president of the United Sates of America twice. During the 1950’s he further became a spokesman and worked for General Electric Co. He changed his political ambitions gradually from a democrat who was liberal to the republican who was conservative (Boller 87). He was later elected as the California governor in the year 1966 and successfully went for two terms. The current president Jimmy Cater in 1980 was succeeded by Ronald Reagan as Reagan was sworn in as the president of the United States of America in 1981. Immediately after being sworn as the president of the United States, he was assassinated and in the event endured some wounds. The reign of President Ronald Reagan adopted the aspect of the supply side economists. This was an attempt to try and encourage and initiate a rapid economical growth in the

Care of Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Care of Creation - Essay Example This applies to my experience of that hour spent in God’s creation and my renewed appreciation for the Sabbath, an old practice that has gained a new modern dimension. This experience has given me a renewed vision of God, the purpose of my life and of those around me, more especially the people who depend on me for pastoral leadership, and of what I need to do to be more effective as a follower and pastor, of one who leads others to God’s kingdom and who is led by the hand by the Divine Master. My first lesson is that of having gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Sabbath, a weekly reminder that God blessed and made holy this day of rest (Bass 78). Being the perfect teacher he is, God laid down in scripture that on the Sabbath day, he rested, not so much to tell us that he got tired from all that creating stuff, because God by definition does not get tired. Rather, God rested to show us how important it is to spend time, slow down, experience moments of t ranquility and peace, and reflect on the important things in life. God in his divine wisdom foresaw how exciting the world would become, and how man and woman would be so caught up with the beauties and riches of this world that we forget why we are alive and how we ever get to be here at all; in a word, to â€Å"remember who we are and what is important† (Bass 88). Just looking around me and reflecting on what I witnessed that Sabbath hour, I remembered those words about Jesus looking at the people around him who went around like sheep without a shepherd, living lives devoid of meaning and purpose. We work so hard to earn money so they can enjoy life, but with the economic difficulties happening all around us, many realize that making both ends meet is not easy. Likewise, we experience that the world, limited and full of evil, only offers limited and imperfect happiness. The second series of lessons proceed from the renewed understanding of the Sabbath. Experiencing the Sabb ath with a deeper and more personal and spiritual meaning made me realize that I too have been engrossed with the worldly dimension of life and even of prayer and worship. I have focused on the means and not the ends, on the form, not the substance, and on the body of faith, not in its soul. Like the religious leaders of whom Jesus warned the people to do what they preach, but not do as they do, I realized that pastors who should lead their flocks to God are focusing too much on â€Å"preaching and teaching† instead of â€Å"leading and living by doing†. Sure, one needs to preach and teach, but the best way to learn is by doing, watching and learning from the example of Jesus himself, who taught by word and example. Like most pastors, I need to hone and develop that dual vision of which Scharen and Volf (97) wrote, of seeing material things and their relation to God, as source, creator, joy, good, gift, talent, the one to which everything leads, to see the invisible Go d in the visible things of the material universe. A more effective pastoral leadership must be characterized by a spiritual life grounded on God through prayer and the imitation of Jesus’ life of sacrifice and love for all souls, even those

Effects of Advertising Essay Example for Free

Effects of Advertising Essay Advertising may have some good points, as we know, but advertising is really just a necessary evil. Advertising has its own fair share of negative effects. While some are obvious to those with a more scrutinizing eye, most of advertising’s potentially harmful facets go undetected. How do you think advertisements have affected consumers or What are the negative effect of advertising? Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade its viewers, readers or listeners to take some action. Why should an ad be negative The main functionality of an ad is to convey the reason for existence of a brand / product and entice customers to buy. The visuals are a form of expressing the communication and making it is human as possible. How its shown or televised, printed is a subjective matter. Ideally we should be asking whether the communication is correct or not. Is it misleading the consumer Is it showcasing something and you are landed with something else Negative effects of ad would be when the communication is wrong, which seldom happens. Its really only in cases of Insurance ads, funds or generally speaking finance vertical ads. Keeping these hazards in mind even these corporates have started issuing a disclaimer immediately after the ads. Cold drink companies are using aero stunts for their ads and also staking claim that the stunts are performed by qualified experts and hence not to be done by normal unqualified people!! Ads will not really be negative, unless there may in some cases like the Red Bull ad where the content is quite derogatory where the man drinks Red Bull flies and opens his fly on top of the bird because the bird shat on him thats going too far with the tag for Red Bull. So I do not really find any negative effect of advertising per se!! Today advertising plays a dominant role for each and every product. Sometimes it becomes nuisance for the viewers, especially when watching the favourite programes in TVs and during this time the ad will not be of much effective as they will be nelected by the viewers by switching over to another channel for watching some other show. The basic objective of all ad campaign in TV channels is to reach the public immediately. Here the question is up to what extent the ads are effective and are sucessful.. we cant say 100%. o the advertisers should plan their capaign to get the milage to the greater extent. But it is true that the ad related to the children is very well watched by them and are enjoyed by the children. For every action, there is an opposite and an equievalent reaction. Hence the advertisers have to make a strategic planning on their timing and the money spent for the ad should not go waste. In other words thei ad capaign should regulated. The ad should not turn to irritate the viewers and it should not also exaggerate. It should be simple to showcase their products qualities and applications. I believe currently that advertising has become so powerful and so subtle that we accept most of it without thinking. It is our environment. We buy shirts and bags with large logos and show off most of us own a TV, the programs that exist are there only to get us to see ads. Our newspapers are covered in ads and we still call it news. My point is that advertising is in no way positive. It creates want in a society that doesnt understand the true meaning of Need. Fr. Kavanaugh was on the mark when describing the effects of advertising on society. Our moral values are being degraded by the bombardment of impropriety by the media. Adler would be quick in pointing out the reason why these messages have such a negative effect on people. There are two main tactics advertisers use to sell their product: either imply that their product will bring about the achievement of a particular (usually real) good, or make their product the object of desire, therefore making it an apparent good to people. The problem with associating products with the achievement of a good lies more in the realm of truth than in good, because it lies in whether or not the product can truly live up to its claims. The relation between a product and statements, therefore, they are directly misleading the public. The other subjective thing, it would seem to be acceptable for advertisers to qualify represent in other words, Calvin Klein products are now in and of themselves associating more importance to the product than to the good involved, like a society to advocate proper moral values in their advertising, or at least not The effects of 2 People see advertisements all around the globe that attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards everywhere. According to marketing consultants Stan Rapp and Tom Collins, on a typical day, an average American sees over 5,000 advertisements a day (Gay, 1992). Many questions arise about these advertisements, such as â€Å"Is advertising deceptive? Does it create or perpetuate stereotypes? Does it create conformity? Does it create insecurity in order to sell goods? Does it cause people to buy things that they really don’t need? †(Alexander Hanson, 1993, p. 240). Advertisers use specific methods to target teen consumers, but these methods are not always successful or ethical. Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales, which increases the efficiency of the nation’s economy. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. Advertising alone, however, does not get customers. It simply catches consumers’ attention, gets them to walk up to a shelf, and make an impulsive purchase. However, getting the customer back requires a more creative marketing approach. There are several ways to research consumers’ behaviors, likes, and dislikes. The most popular method is tests and surveys, both before and after a product is introduced. Telephone surveys are very common, but they take several thousand calls to get a substantial number of responses to work with. Along with those, written questionnaires and samples, either handed out in stores or sent by mail, are effective tests to see if consumers like a product or not. The reactions to the samples, results of questionnaires, and number of participants are all recorded as The effects of 3 a part of the researching process to come up with effective ads. All of this data collected also has other purposes, such as information on warranties and which groups to target for certain products. Companies also check whether the ads are being productive by means of comparing the money made and number of sales during periods of advertising to those during a time of no advertising. Some companies even allow average consumers to preview a commercial to get a response. As a result, companies learn what consumers want before wasting money on useless ads. A well-known advertising strategy is making consumers feel insecure and creating fears that can be overcome by buying. Advertising reveals the latest fashions and the new popular novelties on the market. It exhibits perfect individuals wearing the new styles and looking good. Consumers observe this perfection and envy it. Therefore, they go out and buy in hopes of reaching perfection. Furthermore, being an accepted member of society has become very important to most individuals. For instance, the presence of body odor on individuals makes them an outcast in society. Advertisers use this knowledge to their advantage by developing ads that show a person using deodorant and being recognized as popular. Fear also works into the whole advertising process. Due to the fear by consumers that they will not fit in, they pay close attention to the new ads for the new looks, which gives advertisers more drive to make their ads portray the ideal person. Advertisers also insure that ads are simply informational, but many disagree and believe that they are definitely persuasive. According to Douglas Kellner, a professor of philosophy, as early as the 1920s, advertising critics argue that ads began to persuade Americans, due to the new invention of the assembly lines and the concept of corporations, that buying material The effects of 4 goods was the thing to do. They tried convincing people that spending hard-earned dollars on items that could be hand-made was the new accepted behavior that would enhance their lives (Alexander Hanson, 1993). Likewise, critics of the advertising industry argue that it connects products with preferred emotions, such as happiness and popularity. For example, beer commercials often show a man after a hard day’s work enjoying an ice-cold beer to relax him. They also argue that ads give people the impression that products can give them talent. Take athletics, for example. Nike ads are accused of implying that their shoes will give a consumer athletic ability. Michael Jordan is shown in a television commercial dunking a basketball, wearing a new style of Nike shoes. Consequently, kids are going to want the same pair to be â€Å"like Mike† (Wolf, 1998, n. p. ). On the other hand, advertising agencies say that they just give the consumers up-to-date information. They show change in their ads because they know that is what consumers want and to fulfill the needs of the general public, change. Thus, persuasive strategies are considered techniques used by advertisers to get consumers to buy. Teenagers have become top consumers in today’s society, so advertisers have focused on getting their business. According to Simmons Market Research Bureau of New York City, teens bought 25% of all movie tickets and 27% of all videos, totaling $6. 6 billion. In 1998, teens spent $1. 5 billion on jeans, almost twice as much as in 1990, and $3 billion on sneakers, almost four times more than the amount spent in 1997 (Tulley, 1994). Another reason teens are being targeted is the fact that there are many more teens in America today than the past Generation X. The current number is even expected to grow in the next decade, giving advertisers more reason to target them. Winning teens over as customers, today, means possible long-term customers, The effects of 5 which equal big profits. The majority of teens also have part-time jobs or some type of income. With the possibility of the minimum wage raising once again, teens have come to possess a lot of buying power. According to the Teenage Research Unlimited, teenagers spent $140 billion in 1998, which is 14 percent more than in 1997 (Berkowitz Evangelista, 1999). Teens are able to spend their money more freely because they do not have the responsibilities of adults. They even have a greater influence on household spending, as their role in the spending of their parents’ money continues to grow. For instance, it is not unusual for a parent to send their teenager to the grocery store for them, giving them complete control of brand choice. Thus, teenagers are becoming big targets for advertisers due to their growing consumerism. Why are teenagers such big targets in the advertising industry? The answer is simple: They are different. Advertisers view them as a constant changing generation with optimistic outlooks. They want to show individuality by their clothes and possessions, yet fit in with their peers. Their optimism comes from the good rate of job placement after college, the good position of the nation’s economy, and the very low unemployment rates. Teenagers can basically strive for any career with a good chance of being successful. They like to feel good about themselves, so they buy new materials to produce that feeling. Teens are continuously purchasing new items to keeps up with the changing trends. Therefore, advertisers use their view of teens to create ads. With this in mind, advertisers devise specific ads, using a variety of tactics, to appeal to these changing teens. Although marketers each have their own unique techniques, they all use original, flashy, and funny ads to reach the teenage audience. They make posters with college age students that create a fun and happy image. Television commercials include music with The effects of 6 good beats and bizarre images because that is what gets the attention of teens. For example, the Gap’s swing dancing commercials were a big success among teens. They bought their clothes and accessories from the Gap because they could relate to it. That is one reason Gap is ranked as the number one casual clothes store among teens. Advertisers use celebrities to endorse products because teens admire and look up to them. Since teens are still trying to find themselves, advertisers try to create ads and brands that will survive past the finding years of teenagers, so they will have them as future customers. Due to the change in today’s teens, advertisers target them much more. Another controversial subject with advertising is that fact that teenage smoking is on the rise. According to TIPS (Tobacco Information and Prevention Source), at least 6,000 people try a cigarette for the first time each day, all of which are under eighteen years old. There are at least 4. 5 million smoking adolescents in the United States. From 1988 to 1996, the number of adolescents, ages twelve to seventeen, who are daily smokers, has increased by 73 percent (http://www. cdc. gov/tobacco/initfact. htm). Teenage smoking has obviously increased in the United States. As a result, tobacco advertisements are being blamed for the increase use of tobacco by teenagers. Many advertising critics argue that tobacco ads do indeed influence and contribute to the number of teenage smokers. Most teens, however, disagree and believe that their peers are the number one factor in their decision to smoke. Since image is very important to teens, they evaluate what image their smoking friends portray. If they want that image too, they may also take up the habit of smoking. A teen’s attitude towards cigarettes is a considering factor, ranking above advertising that leads to teen smoking. It is obvious that if one has a negative attitude The effects of 7 towards cigarettes, he or she will be less smoke. However, if individuals openly accept cigarettes, they may end up as a smoker. Also, those around cigarettes on a daily basis are more likely to be persuaded to smoke than individuals who are not around cigarettes. In the opinions of teens, tobacco ads do not play a big role in their decision to smoke. Advertisers use a variety of tactics to target particular groups, such as teens, to market their product. There are many views on advertising. Despite the many opinions that advertising is manipulative, a waste of money that could go towards other issues, and a bad influence on human beings, there is no true way of proving it has a bad effect on people. It is simply intended to reveal the benefits of products that consumers want. It is vital to many businesses, as some would be unable to survive without a way of making their products known. Although advertising is accused of influencing consumers to buy things they do not need, they have the choice to buy. It is up to the consumer to make wise choices and develop shopping skills that are intelligent.

The Conqueror Worm and the End of the World :: Conqueror Worm Essays

The Conqueror Worm and the End of the World Edgar Allen Poe is one of the fathers of terror and mystery.   His twisted, Macabre tales and poems are filled with great detail and often end with a dismal twist.   "The Conqueror Worm" is one example of his masterful rhymes and tells how a play on life turns into reality for mankind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The setting is a theater but it is not just a site for plays.   Poe describes it to be that way to trick the reader, but the theater is actually the setting for mankind.   We play our lives in this stage for everyone else to see.   Lines three through six describe the crowd and how they are there to see "a play of hopes and fears."   If people would look beyond the point of reading the line just to understand the words, they would see that the play is actually the lives of everybody in society.   I say this because everyone has their own hopes like getting a good job, succeeding, having a family and ultimately dieing happily.   Along with their hopes, everyone also has their personal fears.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The characters of the poem are also some very meaningful keys in showing the hidden meaning.   The first stanza describes the crowd that has gathered to watch the enactment of our human lives.   Lines three and four states "an angel throng, bewinged, and bedight in veils, and drowned in tears."   Poe is stating that a group of angels is going to watch the spectacle put on for them, although they are already drowning in the tears from plays before.   The orchestra that plays for them is another set of characters that have meaning.   They represent the background in everyone's life by "playing the music of the spheres."   A third set of characters that show hidden meaning is the "Mimes, in the form of God on high."   They denote the people that inhabit the earth.   Poe describes them as "Mere puppets they, who come and go at bidding of vast formless things."   The vast formless things are the ideas that we have.   Ideas l ike the things that we think we have to do for ourselves to survive and succeed.   They also make up drama of the play.   A final, prominent figure in this dramatic performance is the conqueror worm.   Poe illustrates it as "a blood-red thing.

Julia Child

Julia Child interview Me: How did you get involved in World war II? Julia Child: In 1941, at the onset of World War II, I moved to Washington, D. C. , where I volunteered as a research assistant for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a newly formed government intelligence agency. In this position, I played a key role in the communication of top-secret documents between U. S. government officials and their intelligence officers. My colleagues and I were sent on assignments around the world, holding posts in Washington, D. C. , Kumming, China; and Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 1945, while in Sri Lanka, This is where I began a relationship with fellow OSS employee Paul Child. Me: How come after World War II, did you and your husband Paul move to Paris, France? Me: Why did you and your husband move to Paris, France after the war? Child: Well after the war Paul was reassigned to the U. S. Information Service at the American Embassy in Paris. We both looked at is as an opportunity to begin a new life, meet new people, and discover our passions. When we moved here the very first day Paul took me to a restaurant where I had my first French cuisine. If it wasn't for us moving here I would have never had a penchant for French cuisine and attended the world-famous Cordon Bleu cooking school . Me: How successful were your cook books in your culinary career? Child: The original publisher rejected the manuscript, however, due to its 734-page length. Another publisher eventually accepted the 3-lb. cookbook, releasing it in September 1961 under the title Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book was considered groundbreaking, and remained the bestselling cookbook for five straight years after its publication. It has since become a standard guide for the culinary community. Me: How did your television career begin? Child: One day I promoted my book on the Boston public television station near my Cambridge, Massachusetts, home. I went on the air demonstrated my trademark forthright manner and hearty humor, by preparing an omelet on air. The public's response was enthusiastic, generating 27 letters and countless phone calls—†a remarkable response,† a station executive remembered, â€Å"given that station management occasionally wondered if 27 viewers were tuned in. Me: Why were you sometimes harshly criticized on your show? Child: Occasionally I would fail to wash my hands, as well as what they believed to be poor kitchen demeanor. â€Å"You are quite a revolting chef, the way you snap bones and play with raw meats,† one letter read. I can't stand those over-sanitary people! Others were concerned about the high levels of fat in French cooking. My advice was to eat in moderation. I would rather eat one tablespoon of chocolate russe cake than three bowls of Jell-O.

Lies My Teacher Told Me Essay

There is a common expression that a lot of us have heard at least one time â€Å"don’t believe everything you read†, just because a book is written and published does not mean is always accurate. True historical facts can easily be transformed by adding or taking away details in order to see it only from a certain perspective. The textbooks in history classrooms represent many different groups from the perspective of one group, usually European. Loewen explores the topic of why students dislike history classes. He also discusses the idea that much of what students learn in American history classes, is wrong and that there are many omissions. He challenges the Public School system mostly in regards on how history is taught in high school classrooms. American history books wish to paint the United States as the best country, almost to the point where they make it seem that it doesn’t have any flaws. A lot of books used to teach history in high school neglect to include the entire information on events that formed the United States. Reading some essays from the book Lies My Teachers Told Me helped me open my eyes and see how wrong history is taught in high school; we as citizens need to do the proper research and spread the knowledge among peers to create socially aware generations. Most of the time American history isolates children of color by ignoring the fact that many of the people who contributed greatly to this country were non-white. In a sense, one can say that this contributes to the majority of high school students thinking of white as superior to other races. They think that no other races made great contributions in building this nation. This mentality can be seen as an immediate effect of history classes omitting details about other races major contributions to the country. According to Loewen most students also see history as a boring subject, this is because history is made up of nothing but stories that shouldn’t be boring but textbooks companies have left out anything that â€Å"might reflect badly upon our national character†(Loewen). The case of John Brown is a good example of something that might reflect badly to our national character. He was an American abolitionist who believed armed revolution was the only way to overthrow slavery in the United States. The name John Brown was never mentioned in any of my history classes. After learning about John Brown, my perspective of things changed and it made me see that the people who are responsible for putting the books in high school classrooms, are trying to keep students at a margin in which nobody can learn anything about rebels who used violence to make a statement about inequalities lived in the United States. Omitting this historical fact from books and not permitting teachers to give students the knowledge about John Brown makes it seem that they want to keep people under control and avoid some kind of revolution. That is because, until these days there is a lot of inequalities but seems like everybody just goes along with their life and overlook many inequalities that are going on in our nation and the world. The study of history in high school is mostly all about facts and dates. Students find this to be irrelevant and have a difficult time to make the connection between history to their daily lives. Therefore, making history really boring and the material presented does not really challenge any student to think critically and analyze history. The topic of social class is never touched in high school, which is something that everybody relates to. The issues seen in â€Å"The Land of Opportunity† can make a lot of people gain instant and undivided attention because we can actually relate to it. It makes you analyze how we live and that is something that affects our daily lives. In high school most students are fed the idea that everybody has an equal chance to achieve success through education, but there is an inequality that puts people of higher social status in an advantage to achieve better scores in tests given in high school. Even without coaching, affluent children are advantaged because their background is similar to that of the test makers†(Loewen,208). It is important for students and people to know that equal opportunity it’s just a phrase that has been propagated by white people. People of color in this country have never had an equal chance to thrive the way white people have. History classes in high schools lead students to believe that everything is okay, so students are not troubled. This view of history holds the American idea of individualism rather than looking at the many factors that affected lack of equal opportunity. High school history courses make us believe that equal opportunity was and is an option for all when the reality is very different. A lot students and people still do not know this, it is important to spread this kind of knowledge among people we know in an attempt to make them socially aware. If it doesn’t enforce an immediate change, at least an idea is established and they eventually can look into it when they realize that, in fact the world is not always fair to minorities. By students understanding this, it would make it easier to make a change and achieve many of their goals. Textbooks ignore many historical realities for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that publishers believe that students must develop a sense of nationalism or patriotism towards the United States. To acknowledge troubling areas in our nation’s history is to run the risk that patriotism is not going to be developed. They distort events and avoid conflict that might spark up some type of controversy. This causes students to fail in engaging and analyze information and draw their own conclusion about the credibility and cause and effect of the events being presented. Instead, students have to memorize the standard information given, which is often times is wrong and manipulated. This wrong information builds around them without students actually making a critical analysis or whether the information is true or not. All the important issues that we don’t learn in class makes me think as a citizen to do my own research and learn the facts about any issues. Not only in regards of history but also in situations that are going on in different parts of the world. Because the fault for our misinformation is not entirely from publishers who need to sell books or interest groups that prefer myth to reality, each of us who learned this myths and believes them as untouchable are also to blame. We need to change this and speak about it to the people we know in order to create socially aware generations, by just speaking to some people it can create a chain reaction and eventually more citizens are going to be informed. By spreading the knowledge a lot of change can come, the change might not be immediate but if we are not actors we will never be factors.

Reasons Why You Should Vote as a College Student

Reasons Why You Should Vote as a College Student Feel like your vote really wont make a difference? Not sure if going out and voting is really worth the effort? These reasons why you should vote as a college student should give you some food for thought and motivation. America is a Democracy True, it may be a representative democracy, but your elected representatives still need to know how their constituents think in order to accurately represent them. They are counting on your vote as part of that process. Remember Florida? The debacle in Florida that followed the 2000 presidential election will not soon be forgotten. Try asking those folks if your vote matters or not. No One Else Votes with College Students in Mind Many people vote while thinking of other constituencies: older folks, people without health insurance, and the like. But very few voters are focused specifically on the needs of college students. When issues like student loan rates, educational standards, and admissions policies are on the ballot, who else is better qualified to vote than those currently experiencing the implications of such initiatives? Youve Got the Numbers College students also known as millennial voters are a key constituency in any, and every, election.  With 44 million Millennial voters eligible to vote, your vote can make a huge difference when banded with others in your demographic. Diversity Millennial voters are more diverse than any other constituency. According to Rock the Vote, Sixty-one percent of Millennials identify as White, while 17% are Hispanic, 15% are Black and 4% are Asian. Who else is going to vote to represent the needs of such a diverse constituency? No One Likes a Hypocrite Youre in college. Youre expanding your mind, your spirit, your life. Youre challenging yourself in new and exciting ways and learning things you may not have ever considered before. But when the time comes, youre going to pass on empowering yourself by voting? Really? Many People Fought for Your Right to Vote No matter your race, gender, or age, your right to vote came at a price. Honor the sacrifices others made so that your voice could be heard when theirs wasnt. College Voters Really Can Swing an Election As Rock the Vote reports in its (fantastic) Young Voter Myths and Facts PDF, Joe Courtney won by 83 votes; turnout at the UConn polling place was up nearly 10x that in Connecticut in 2006. Want to call Courtneys opponent, or even Courtney himself, to see if every vote matters? Vote for Your Future Within the next 4 years, you may be getting a job, owning or renting your own housing, getting married, starting a family, paying for health care, or building a business. The policies you vote for today will have a huge influence on your life after college. Do you really want to leave those decisions up to someone else? Youre Living Life as an Adult Now Despite conventional attitudes about college students not being in the real world, much of your daily life involves very serious and important decisions. You manage your finances; you are taking charge of your education and career; you are doing your best, every day, to improve yourself through higher education. In essence, you are becoming an adult (if you arent one already). Your vote, then, matters most because you are finally able to cast it. Go voice your opinions on issues, policies, candidates, and referendums. Stand up for what you believe in. Vote!

SAT Subject Test Dates 2017-2018

SAT Subject Test Dates 2017-2018 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips PrepScholar utilizes the best data to inform you about upcoming test schedules and registration deadlines. It's crucial to plan ahead and consider multiple factors when selecting test dates and Subject Tests. Check outthe SAT test dates from previous years to learn more about when College Board typically offers the SAT and how long before the test date you have to register. In this article, I’ll provide you with the SAT Subject Test dates for 2017-2018 and explain how you should select your test date and Subject Tests. Test Dates for the 2017-2018 School Year SAT Subject Tests are given on the same dates and in the same locations as the SAT, but there’s an additional test date in March for the SAT that isn’t offered for the SAT Subject Tests. Subject Test Dates These dates are posted on the College Board website, but they’re still subject to change. Note that not every test is offered on every date; for example, the language with listening tests are only offered in November. Subject Test Aug 26, 2017 Oct 7, 2017 Nov 4, 2017 Dec 2, 2017 May 5, 2018 Jun 2, 2018 Literature X X X X X X US History X X X X X X World History X X Mathematics Level 1 X X X X X X Mathematics Level 2 X X X X X X Biology E/M X X X X X X Chemistry X X X X X X Physics X X X X X X French X X X X X German X Spanish X X X X X Modern Hebrew X Italian X Latin X X French with Listening X German with Listening X Spanish with Listening X Chinese with Listening X Japanese with Listening X Korean with Listening X US History is offered on every test date. Registration Dates The registration deadlines and score release dates are projected by PrepScholar. Test Date Normal Registration Late Registration Score Release Aug 26, 2017 Jul 28, 2017 Aug 11, 2017 Sept 14, 2017 Oct 7, 2017 Sep 8, 2017 Sep 22, 2017 Oct 26, 2017 Nov 4, 2017 Oct 6, 2017 Oct 20, 2017 Nov 23, 2017 Dec 2, 2017 Nov 3, 2017 Nov 17, 2017 Dec 21, 2017 May 5, 2018 Apr 6, 2018 Apr 20, 2018 May 24, 2018 Jun 2, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 18, 2018 Jun 21, 2018 How Accurate Are the Tables Above? The test dates are the College Board's anticipated dates, and the registration and score release dates are our estimations. All the dates are likely to be correct, but because the test dates are given by the College Board, those dates may be somewhat more reliable. The test dates won’t be confirmed until within a year of the test, and if any of the dates change, they’ll probably be a week earlier or later than the anticipated date. You can use these dates to help determine when you'll take your SAT Subject Tests. If you know your available options, you can select the date that's best for you and your personal schedule. Also, you can factor in the specific tests you're taking and the time you need to prepare for them. How to Choose Your Subject Tests? Consider these factors when selecting your Subject Tests: What Do Your Colleges Require? Know the specific requirements of the colleges you’re applying to or intend to apply to. You should know how many Subject Tests each school requires, and you should know if each school requires specific Subject Tests. Some schools and programs require you to take science and math. Others prefer to see your skill level in a range of subjects. Are you applying to test optional or flexible colleges that allow you to use Subject Tests in place of the SAT or ACT? Call the admissions office if you have any questions about a school's policies. What Are Your Best Subjects in School? Generally, you'll do the best on the tests related to your best subjects in school. If you've always loved your English classes and you're excelling in your AP English Literature and Composition class, you'll probably do well on the Literature Subject Test. Are You Fluent in Another Language? Many native speakers of other languages take the Subject Test in their first language, even if they’re not taking a class in that language. Often, this is an opportunity to get a high score and show off your multilingualism. However, make sure you review the content for the Subject Test even if you're fluent. I scored higher on my Spanish Subject Test than some of my friends who are native Spanish speakers because I was more familiar with Spanish grammar rules and written Spanish while they were much better at conversational Spanish. Finally, read our articles on SAT Subject Tests for more guidance and to help you study. How to Choose Your Test Dates Refer this article on how to select SAT Subject Test dates. Keep in mind that you can take one, two, or three Subject Tests on a single test date. When You Know the Subject Best Generally, you want to take your Subject Test in a particular subject when you’re studying the highest level of that subject. If you're taking AP US History in your junior year, you may want to take the US History Subject Test in May or June of that year right after you've spent a full year studying US History and preparing for the AP exam. When Are Your College Deadlines? The December test of your senior year will be the last time you can take the Subject Tests for most colleges. If you're applying early, the October test may be the last possible date for you. Be aware of your deadlines and give yourself an opportunity to retake the tests in case you don't get your target scores. Review Your Personal Schedule Try to take your Subject Tests when it's most convenient for you. Ensure that you have enough study time and avoid taking the test when you have possible conflicts. If you're extremely busy with school and extracurricular activities in a certain month, you may want to avoid taking your Subject Tests then. What's Next? Before you decide when to take your Subject Tests, you should look at our list of colleges that require SAT Subject Tests. If you're trying to avoid the most difficult SAT Subject Tests, check out this article on the easiest ones. Finally, if you want to go to one of the most selective colleges, figure out the scores you need on your SAT Subject Tests. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

EXEMPTION CLAUSES ( contract ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EXEMPTION CLAUSES ( contract ) - Essay Example It quickly became clear that the car is seriously defective and that it will cost at least  £1000 to deal with the problems. Thomas Co always offer to those who buy cars from them, the opportunity to purchase a service contract covering parts and labour on the car purchased for 2 years. Smith Co have always declined such offers from Thomas Co. The conclusion of this paper is meant to give advice to Smith Co., hence, the main issue here is whether or not Thomas Company could be held liable for the damage in excess of the  £100 on defective car purchased by Smith Co. considering the presence of the limitation of the liability as indicated in the contract. To settle this main issue I may use the three tests and they are incorporation, construction and UCTA. To determine whether the provision of the contract containing the clause: ‘Thomas Co limits its liability for any breach of the terms implied by ss13-15 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 to  £100’ would be deemed incorporated or part of the contract; and therefore should bind the parties in the contract, there is a need to examine the facts if they are consistent on the present status of the law. Case facts tell us that Smith Co has made a number of similar purchases of cars from Thomas Co in the past. Although normally, Thomas Co asks its customers to sign its standard terms, containing the standard clause of limiting liability, the case at bar, the purchase by Smith Co was agreed over the telephone and Smith Co were never asked to sign the standard terms. Hence the logical issue is: Was the verbal agreement made orally a continuation of previous transactions of Smith Co with Thomas Co. where there was the limiting clause? Can we imply that Smith Co. should be covered by the standard clause of limited liability considering that it is the practice of Thomas to ask its customers to sign its standard terms? It is may be argued that the purchase made

Classical hollywood cinema- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Classical hollywood cinema- - Essay Example Richard Maltby (2003, p.16) argued that â€Å"[a]nswers to questions about what Hollywood is for must be sought not only in its movies but also in the social, cultural and institutional contexts that surround it.† This essay focuses on one film from the classical Hollywood period, Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men (1957) to answer what classical Hollywood is. 12 Angry Men shows what Hollywood is, a medium for demonstrating real social issues about politics and race and striving to resolve them through the classic narrative structure and classic codes of Hollywood cinema that satisfy American aesthetic tastes and economic demands. Before proceeding to the arguments of this essay, a short overview of the film’s Hollywood context is provided. Hollywood history can be seen as being divided into two historical periods, the period of Old and New Hollywood (Schatz 1996, p.5). Auteur theory asserts that Old Hollywood pertains to films that directors make for their own tastes a nd needs, while New Hollywood criticises the studio system, the â€Å"dehumanizing, formulaic, profit-hungry machinery of Hollywood's studio-factories† (Schatz 1996, p.5). Hollywood, nevertheless, continues to be studio-driven through the studios’ provision of resources and networks to directors. Schatz (1996, p.12) asserts that Hollywood is for depicting real struggles for power to make decisions and to implement them in films, not collaboration. Hollywood history shows struggles for authority and influence, power struggles that affect jurors in 12 Angry Men too. Classical Hollywood cinema follows a certain classic narrative structure that has a realist narrative that is present in 12 Angry Men (1957), especially the manifestation of the politics of the time, including struggles for power and justice. The realist perspective of 12 Angry Men (1957) comes from its alignment with its historical political context. The main conflict in the film involves a teenager from a m inority group in a low-income neighbourhood, which provides a space for exploring the politics of people regarding these disadvantaged sectors. The initial voting of the jurors suggest that majority of these characters do not reflect the true essence of what the criminal justice system should be- a system composed of rational individuals who will do everything it takes to deliberate the case and come up with a solid conviction. The beginning of the film shows the camera shot tilting upward to the roof of the court, demonstrating the ascendancy of justice that is blind to physical and other kinds of differences among people. Eleven of the jurors, however, demonstrate varying kinds of biases and indifference that question the essence of their democratic justice system. Juror#3 (Lee J. Cobb), for instance, is highly prejudiced against all teenagers and people from the slum. He assumes that because the boy is poor and a minority, he is most likely to commit crimes (12 Angry Men 1957). H is bias indicates that even when the jury system is designed to uphold fairness for all, the jury is not always fair at all, and in this case, their lack of fairness can result to one kid’s death. The film does more than reveal the weaknesses of the jury system however, but says something about larger social issues. Cunningham (1986, p.112) believed that the film does not only criticise the jury system, but also the â€Å"American democratic process itself.† The initial attitudes of most of the jurors in the film counter what people may