Academic success is more than just getting high grades

Academic success has been found to be strongly associated with fiscal success, societal mobility, higher educational attainment and even higher occupation places ( Goldhaber, 1996 ) . This would intend that educational experiences should jointly fix the pupil for the academic demands of higher instruction in order to see positive academic public presentation that would take to academic success. Academic success is more than merely acquiring high classs and executing magnificently in class demands and tests, it is a positive manifestation of the pupils ‘ ability to larn from their categories and to take what they have learned into a working cognition of their chosen field ( Walberg & A ; Bast, 2004 ) . Academic success in college nevertheless has non been the focal point of high school course of studies ; the chief intent of high schools is to graduate pupils and to be able to measure up them for admittance to colleges. In consequence, it was found that the relationship between high school plans and college course of study is inconsistent at best ( Gradstein & A ; Justman, 2005 ) . High schools have given more focal point on acquiring their alumnuss into college, without much idea about how their pupils would execute in college. It is normally assumed that the old ages spent in old educational degrees would finally fix the pupil for college. However, the nexus between high school and college public presentation remain to be weak and the association seems to be mediated by other factors such as socioeconomic position, type of school ( Bedi & A ; Garg, 2000 ) , personality and course of study. College public presentation has been found to be influenced by high school classs ; nevertheless, the influence was minimum and was merely true at the start of first-year twelvemonth. High school classs were non able to foretell college public presentation in the higher college old ages. This would besides back up the findings that high school instruction does non concentrate on the instruction of accomplishments and cognition that would guarantee academic success in college ( Waters & A ; Marzano, 2006 ) . The weak nexus between high school classs and college nevertheless was pointed out to be due to the fact that during the 3rd and 4th twelvemonth in college, courses become more specialised and geared towards the pupils major. It has been argued that high school classs predicted academic public presentation during first-year twelvemonth where pupils need it most. On the other manus, some argue that college public presentation is more of import in that it teaches the pupil the accom plishments and cognition necessary for the pattern of a calling or profession. Aside from high school classs, old researches on college success had identified the importance of the pupils ‘ attitudes towards their acquisition and experiences in the university. Attitudes have been found to be strongly related to one ‘s behaviour, therefore, it would follow that the more positive the attitude is, the more positive the behaviour will be ( Petty & A ; Krosnick, 1995 ) . Consequently, negative attitudes had been found to be associated with negative and destructive behaviour ( Eason, Giannangelo & A ; Franceschini III, 2009 ) . It would besides follow that the more pleasant and positive the attitudes towards acquisition, so, the better the public presentation in one ‘s classs. Positive attitudes had non been systematically associated with higher motive or better public presentation, but the relationship of negative attitudes to behavior has been good documented. Negative attitudes about ever led to hapless public presentation, hapless classs and les s engagement in the school. Furthermore, less than positive attitudes towards the school or the university in general had been found to be prognostic of dropouts and abrasion rate ( Spillane, 2010 ) . It is hence of import for colleges and universities to measure their pupil ‘s attitudes and experiences in the university in order to supply plans and establish policies that would promote positive attitudes and better acquisition. College public presentation has been traditionally measured utilizing college classs such as GPA and admission trial tonss. College admittance trials non merely screen and topographic point pupils into different classs, but it step prior acquisition, which high schools provide ( Greene & A ; Kang, 2004 ) . However, since high school classs can non wholly predict college success, other pertinent variables that had been associated with college success has to be investigated in order to place which factors impact college public presentation and success. One of the most researched factors is that of school type ( Quah, Lim & A ; Brook, 2010 ) . The argument on private versus public instruction had spurned legion discourse and surveies on how type of school might act upon academic public presentation, particularly high school instruction and how it affects college public presentation ( Epple, Figlio & A ; Romano, 2004 ) . Like high school classs, the difference between private and public school instruction as it pertains to college academic public presentation had been inconclusive ( Sandy, 1989 ) . The difference in the public presentation of pupils from private high schools compared to pupils from public schools were minimum, and decreased even more when the pupils reached higher twelvemonth degrees in college ( Jimenez & A ; Sawada,2001 ) . However, what was a consistent determination from these researches was the observation that private school alumnuss tend to execute better academically, tend to hold higher tonss in admittance trials and achievement trials. Educators and educational research workers have accepted the thought that private school pupils do better when compared to public school pupils even when all confounding variables had been controlled such as socioeconomic position and intelligence ( Frey, 1992 ) . With this statement ; the inquiry of what is the difference between private and public schools and why is it that private schools tend to bring forth better scholars and performing artists than public schools need to be answered. At first pedagogues frequently cited the difference in the sort of pupils catered to by the private schools from the public schools and pointed out that the difference in public presentation can non wholly be accounted to the type of school ( Buddin, Cordes & A ; Kirby, 1998 ) . Factors such as old acquisition, course of study, socioeconomic position, household background and civilization influenced academic public presentation ( Coleman & A ; Hoffer, 1987 ) . Recently, the consistent findings that indicate that private school pupils perform better academically have made educational research workers and theoreticians rethink their premises. Research conducted in Europe and Asia ( Cox & A ; Jimenez, 1990 ; Psacharopoulos, 1987 ) has reported that private school pupils do execute better in academic related undertakings than their public school opposite numbers ( Ridell, 1993 ) . Arguably, type of school is related to college public presentation, being that private school alumnuss besides perform better in college than public school alumnuss. Since, the observation is in the type of establishment or organisation, so factors that might explicate why private school alumnuss are academically better prevarications in the organisational features of the schools and non so much on the sort of pupils they produce ( Walberg & A ; Bast, 2004 ) . It is besides more appropriate to place which organisational factors had been found to act upon pupil outcomes more than any other factors ( Dee, 1998 ) . Literature on school pick and answerability have pointed out that school leading to a great extent influences the entire quality and public presentation of a school. Furthermore, the school ‘s course of study was pointed out as a cardinal determiner of the sort of preparation and direction that the pupils receive ( Wray, 2007 ) . Besides, the sort of instructors that sc hools employ to learn the pupils besides play a immense function in the learning procedure of the pupils, schools differ in their instructor demands, and it would look that private schools have stricter guidelines when it comes to the choice and enlisting of instructors ( Greene & A ; Kang, 2004 ) . School leading has been found to be a primary index of the quality of pupil and school results ( Bess & A ; Goldman, 2001 ) . Schools with a more involved and motivated leader have been found to be associated with better teacher-parent relationships, less school force, higher achievement trial tonss and higher graduation rates. On the other manus, schools with hapless leading fail to make expected school public presentation in footings of pupil accomplishment and are related to higher dropout rates, higher instructor abrasion and school force. School leading has besides been associated with better acquisition environments and the development of plans and steps that cultivate the academic and personal development of pupils ( Bryman, 2004 ) . School principals by and large assume leading functions and they manage, motivate, lead and countenance the instructors, forces and pupils and construct positive relationships with parents and stakeholders. Principals by and large stay in one scho ol for non less than 3 old ages so that they would be able to establish alteration and make a school civilization for that school ( Chance & A ; Chance, 2002 ) . Hence, it is of primary importance that school principals and the sort of leading they pattern would supply rich information on the difference between private and public schools. The really kernel of a school is found in its course of study. The school ‘s course of study provides the acquisition subjects, the instructional stuffs, the educational attacks and larning aims every bit good as the school ‘s topics and class offerings ( Bishop, 1995 ) . There are different types of course of study and it frequently reflects the civilization and the mission and vision of the schools ( Kelly, 2009 ) . Schools differ in their course of study offerings because schools tailor fit their subjects and larning activities to the world of the pupil population that they cater to ( Deng, 2010 ) . If the school chiefly provide developing in the humanistic disciplines, so the course of study would be geared towards the instruction of the different art signifiers and supply the chance for the look of said art signifiers. Alternatively, high schools that follow a more scientific discipline and math-based course of study would besides plan a course of study focused on th e instruction of more math and scientific discipline topics. A closely related factor to course of study is the quality and learning accomplishments of the school ‘s module. Teachers have been trained in different topics so that they could supply a holistic acquisition experience to their pupils. The act of instruction is nevertheless more than merely giving treatments and quizzes. Teachers who consequence alteration or motivate pupils to execute more ; those who facilitate acquisition and the command of accomplishments are the sort of instructors that provide quality instruction to the pupils ( Murray & A ; Male, 2005 ) . Public schools by and large have similar instructor demands and frequently follow what the jurisprudence authorizations, while private schools may be more discriminating and have stringent instructor demands. Therefore, it would follow that better and more effectual instructor are recruited and retained by private schools because they can offer them better wage and benefits and professional support ( Murray & A ; Male, 2005 ) . If better instructors are in the private schools, so public school pupils are already at a disadvantage. The present survey will be analyzing and researching the college public presentation and attitudes of college pupils and distinguish private and public schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The college public presentation will be measured utilizing the university database on the admittance trial tonss and GPA in first-year twelvemonth while the comparing and contrast of private and public schools will be discussed through an interview with school caputs or decision makers harmonizing to leading, course of study and instructor demand in the province of Kuwait.Statement of the ProblemThe influence of old larning experiences to future academic public presentation has been the topic of research in acquisition and school psychological science as it has been established that there is an association between the types of old experiences to the degree of academic public presentation that pupils manifest. For illustration, pupils with prekindergarten ins truction perform better in kindergarten than kids who did non hold any educational experience. In add-on, pupils who take progress classs in math and scientific discipline in high school, do better in math and scientific discipline classs in college ( Murray & A ; Male, 2005 ) . Furthermore, groundss of such influence can besides be found in the admittance trial tonss and the general point norm of high school pupils upon admittance to college. Students who have high admittance trial tonss and high school GPA have better classs in their college classs than pupils who have low tonss and low mean GPA. Equally of import as the old acquisition experiences are to future academic public presentation, the type of school is besides an every bit of import factor that influences future academic public presentation. Previous literature had reported that there is a difference in the college public presentation of pupils from private and public high schools ( Schlesser & A ; Finger, 1963 ) . Being, that pupils from private high schools tend to make better academically than public school pupils in college. This underscores the research job of the present survey, which is to set up the difference in the college public presentation and attitudes towards university of college pupils from private and public high schools. Furthermore, the supposed difference between private and public schools will be assessed in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The job that this survey aims to decide is why and how does private schools produce alumnuss who perform better academica lly in college.Variables of the StudyThis survey on the college public presentation and attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences as a map of the difference between private and public schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand will be researching and analyzing a figure of variables. The first variable is college public presentation ; this would mention to the academic public presentation of college pupils in Kuwait University. This will be operationally measured as the college GPA of pupils in Kuwait University from the first to the 4th twelvemonth degree from 2006 to 2010. The college GPA has been chosen in this survey, as it is a manifestation of the public presentation of the pupils in their single categories. Teachers assign classs to pupils commensurate to their public presentation and command of the said class. The 2nd variable is the attitudes of the pupils towards their experiences in the university. This will be measured utilizing an interview protocol designed to measure the ideas, feelings and behaviour of the pupils towards the different facets of university life, such as larning experiences, instructor qualities, socialisation, learning resources and support and acquisition environment. Selected pupils will be interviewed to pull a rich description of how pupils perceive the quality of their acquisition experiences. The 3rd variable has to make with the premise that private and public schools differ as an organisation, and such factors include school leading, course of study and instructor demand. School leading will be assessed in footings of how school decision makers manage and take the school as a individual organisation. Curriculum will mention to the educational model and class offerings of the school while teacher requirement pertains to the needed competences, accomplishments and educational preparation of instructors hired in the schools. These variables will be assessed through an interview of 10 school decision makers, where each half heads a public and private high school severally. It is hopes that the interviews will clarify the difference in the organisational features of private and public schools in the State of Kuwait.Purpose of the StudyThe intent of this survey is to find the being of the difference and advantage of private school alumnuss from public school alumnuss in relation to their academic public presentation in college. This difference will be identified utilizing the college GPA of the pupils from first to the 4th twelvemonth degree. The pupils â⠂¬Ëœ GPA will be accessed through the university ‘s records database and will be categorized into private and public school alumnuss. This aim is necessary to back up and give grounds of the findings of the old literature on type of high school and college success. A 2nd intent of this survey is to place and depict the attitudes of college pupils towards university experience and to happen out if the attitudes of private school alumnuss differ from their public school opposite numbers. This would enrich the first research purpose, since it would supply a more accessible and human component in the survey. Students are expected to differ in their perceptual experience of university experiences and it is interesting to happen out whether such outlooks will be proved correct or incorrect in the visible radiation of their old educational experiences. A 3rd intent of the present survey is to find why and how private high schools produce alumnuss who perform academically better than public school alumnuss do. This will be explored utilizing an interview of school decision makers on their type of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The mentioned organisational factors had been found to strongly act upon the quality of instruction that the school provides its pupils than any other factor. The learning experiences of pupils is frequently dependent on the sort of leading that the school decision maker has, it is besides dependent on the course of study of the school as it identifies which topics are offered and what accomplishments are mastered. Last, instructor demands is besides included since instructors facilitate and provide pupils with learning activities and their ain command and accomplishments in their topic and instruction impacts pupil acquisition.Significance of the StudyThe private versus public school a rgument is still a critical issue among parents, pupils, school decision makers and pedagogues since it places one type of school in competition with another school. Research on the differences of pupil results between private and public schools have repeatedly shown that private school pupils do better in steps of academic public presentation such as accomplishment trials, diagnostic trials, admittance trials and college GPA. This observation has besides been found in other states in Europe and Asia where private schools by and large outperform public schools in footings of achievement trial tonss ( Zembat, KocyiAYit, TuAYluk & A ; DoAYan, 2010 ) . In the State of Kuwait, more pupils attend public than private schools and more Kuwaitis attend public school while aliens who reside in Kuwait prefer to go to private schools. The significance of this survey to the educational system of the State of Kuwait is apparent, as it will supply cognition of the public presentation of private and public school alumnuss in college and cognize whether the difference in the public presentation of the said schools is true in the State of Kuwait. This survey will besides take to a better apprehension of how pupils perceive their experiences in the University of Kuwait and will assist the university functionaries come up with plans that would better and keep the positive attitudes of pupils towards the university. Furthermore, this survey would besides supply the educational sector of the State of Kuwait and the field of instruction in general information and apprehension of the difference of between private and public high schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demands. This survey is besides expected to clarify information that will explicate why private schools produce better executing p upils in college and in other steps of academic public presentation. Last, this survey would besides enrich the literature on the private and public school argument in footings of its quantitative and qualitative attack to this survey.Research Questions and HypothesissThis exploratory survey on the college academic public presentation and attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences as a map of differences among private and public high schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demands in the State of Kuwait will supply replies to the undermentioned research inquiries. What is the difference in the academic public presentation of college pupils in the University of Kuwait in footings of their GPA and type of high school? What are the attitudes of college pupils towards their experiences in the University of Kuwait? What are the differences between private high school alumnuss and public high school alumnuss in their experiences in the university? What are the most prevailing leading manner, course of study and teacher demand among private and public high schools in the State of Kuwait? How make private and public high schools differ in their organisational maps in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand? What are the deductions of the differences in the leading, course of study and teacher demand among private and public high schools to college academic public presentation? Aside from the research inquiries, a few research hypotheses will besides be tested in this survey in order to set up that there is an apparent difference in the college public presentation of pupils from private and public high schools in the State of Kuwait. This survey aims to prove the undermentioned hypothesis: Private high school alumnuss have higher admittance trial tonss than public high school alumnuss in the admittance trials of the University of Kuwait. Students who graduated from private high schools have higher college GPA than pupils who graduated from public schools. There is a important difference in the admittance trial tonss and college GPA between pupils from private and public schools.Restrictions of the StudyThis survey on the difference of college public presentation and attitudes towards university experiences as a map of the difference in the school leading, course of study and teacher demand of private and public schools in the State of Kuwait have a figure of restrictions that are built-in to the survey. The first restriction is in the usage of admittance trial tonss and college GPA as steps of college academic public presentation, since it does non take into history the possible effects of ripening and acquisition. Students ‘ ability to reply trials and tests and complete documents and demands are to a great extent influenced by their survey wonts, intelligence, and personality to call a few. However, admission trial tonss and college GPA are the most apparent merchandises of the pupils ‘ acquisition and work in their old school and in their topics in college. Since this survey involves the usage of the full college database, the sheer figure of pupil tonss and GPA in this survey will reply the said restriction, as it will guarantee a robust sample size that is closest to the true population. A 2nd restriction of this survey is the usage of one on one interview as a information aggregation method for the attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences and the difference in the school leading, course of study and teacher demand of private and public schools. The interview is a subjective method and sometimes the research worker has no control over what the interviewee will happen interesting and deserving speaking about, sometimes it is beyond the research aims of this survey. Furthermore, since the school decision makers will be interviewed, there is no manner of cognizing whether the school decision makers are being true or non. However, this survey will be following an interview protocol, which will guarantee that the same inquiries for each participant will be asked, therefore keeping standardisation of the interview procedure.Definitions of FootingsIn order to depict and operationally specify the variables of this survey, the undermentioned definition of ea ch variable and footings used in the present survey is provided. College academic public presentation refers to the general public presentation of the college pupil during his or her college instruction in the University of Kuwait. Academic public presentation is differentiated from public presentation merely as it pertains to the public presentation of the pupil in his or her topics, which is given matching classs. These classs are assumed to reflect the sort of attempt and cognition that the pupil brings to his or her college classs ( Schlesser & A ; Finger, 1963 ) . In this survey, college academic public presentation is measured in footings of the admittance trial mark and the college GPA of the college pupils. Admission trial tonss refer to the tonss of the pupils in the admittance trial of the University of Kuwait. The trial is given to graduating high school pupils and serves as a showing and placement step for admittance to college ( Schlesser & A ; Finger, 1963 ) . The tonss that will be used in this survey will be the entire percentile rank tonss of the pupils. College GPA or grade point norm refers to the mean class of the pupil for a given twelvemonth. Since all pupils from 2007 to 2010 will be included in the survey, college GPA for each twelvemonth degree will be represented. The college GPA is computed harmonizing to the figure of unit credits of a given topic and multiplying the figure of units with the topic class. All of the ensuing capable classs will so be averaged to bring forth the GPA ( Schlesser & A ; Finger, 1963 ) . Attitudes refer to the psychological province of wishing or disliking a certain object, event, organisation, experience and societal phenomena. Attitudes are normally cognitive and are manifested through one ‘s behaviour, emotions and thoughts ( Petty & A ; Krosnick, 1995 ) . In this survey, attitudes towards university experience will be explored utilizing single interviews of college pupils. Private schools refer to the type of school found in most societies. Private schools by and large are run and owned by private groups and persons. These types of schools are for or non for net income and pupils normally pay a certain fee to go on analyzing in the assistance schools ( Greene & A ; Kang, 2004 ) . In this survey, private schools in the State of Kuwait will be identified harmonizing to the list of schools provided by the Ministry of Education of the State of Kuwait. Public schools refer to the type of schools that are largely operated and managed by the populace and the authorities. Public schools provide entree to instruction for most members of society and are frequently free of charge. These schools are subsidized by their authorities and are the majority of the educational system of any state ( Greene & A ; Kang, 2004 ) . In this survey, public schools will be identified harmonizing to the list of schools provided by the Ministry of Education of the State of Kuwait. School leading refers to the sort of leader and the leading manner of a given school decision maker ( Spillane, 2010 ) . In this survey, school leading is described by the school decision maker in their response to the interview inquiry of the present survey. Curriculum refers to the school ‘s set of classs and topics which predetermine the sort of cognition and accomplishments that will be taught to the pupils. Curriculum in formal instruction means a larning plan from which the topics, content, accomplishments and stuffs for the instruction and acquisition of the pupils are based ( Fraser, 1981 ) . In this survey, the school decision makers will depict course of study in footings of how it was designed, developed and implemented. Teacher demand refers to put of accomplishments, cognition, experience and preparation that a instructor should hold before using for a teaching occupation ( Koster, Brekelmans, Korthagen & A ; Wubbels, 2005 ) . The Ministry of Education for the public schools frequently determines instructor demands, but private schools have more room for recruiting and choosing instructors harmonizing to a more rigorous instructor demand. In this survey, school decision makers will besides depict teacher demand for both private and public schools in item.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 40

But after an endless time in the soft, kind darkness, something was forcing Elena back up into light. Real light. Not the terrible green half-light of the Tree. Even through shut eyelids she could see it, feel its heat. A yel ow sun. Where was she? She couldn't remember. And she didn't care. Something was saying inside her that the gentle darkness was better. But then she remembered a name. Stefan. Stefan was†¦? Stefan was the one who†¦the one she loved. But he'd never understood that love was not singular. He'd never understood that she could be in love with Damon and that it would never change an atom's worth of her love for him. Or that his lack of understanding had been so wrenching and painful that she had felt torn into two different people at times. But now, even before she opened her eyes, she realized that she was drinking. She was drinking the blood of a vampire, and that vampire wasn't Stefan. There was something unique in this blood. It was deeper and spicier and more heavy, al at once. She couldn't help opening her eyes. For some reason she didn't understand, they flew open and she tried immediately to focus on the scent and feeling and color of whoever was bending over her, holding her. She couldn't understand, either, her sense of letdown when she slowly realized that it was Sage leaning over her, holding her gently but securely to his neck, with his bronze chest bare and warm from the sunlight. But she was lying down flat, on grass, from what her hands could feel†¦and for some reason her head was cold. Very cold. Cold and wet. She stopped drinking and tried to sit up. The light grip became firmer. She heard Sage's voice say, and felt the rumbling in his chest as he said it, â€Å"Ma pauvre petite, you must drink more in a moment or so. And your hair has Stillsome of the ashes in it.† Ashes? Ashes? Didn't you put ashes on your head for†¦now what had she been thinking about? It was as if there was a block in her mind, keeping her from getting close to†¦ something. But she wasn't going to be told what to do. Elena sat up. She was in – yes, she was very sure – the kitsune paradise, and until a moment ago her body had been arched back, so that her hair had been in the clear little stream that she had seen earlier. Stefan and Bonnie had been washing something pitch-black out of her hair. They both were smudged with black as well: Stefan had a big swath across one cheekbone, and Bonnie had faint gray streaks below her eyes. Crying. Bonnie had been crying. She was Stillcrying, in little sobs that she was trying to suppress. And now that Elena looked harder she could see that Stefan's eyelids were swol en and that he had been crying too. Elena's lips were numb. She fel back onto the grass, looking up at Sage, who was wiping his eyes furtively. Her throat ached, not just inside, where sobbing and gasping might make it hurt, but outside, too. She had a picture of herself slashing at her own neck with a knife. Through her numb lips, she whispered, â€Å"Am I a vampire?† â€Å"Pas encore,†Sage said unsteadily. â€Å"Not yet. But Stefan and I, we both had to give you massive amounts of blood. You must be very careful in the next days. You are right on the brink.† That explained how she felt. Probably Damon was hoping that she would become one, wicked boy. Instinctively, she held out her hand to Stefan. Maybe she could help him. â€Å"We just won't do anything for a little while,†she said. â€Å"You don't have to be sad.†But she herself Stillfelt very wrong. She hadn't felt this wrong since she'd seen Stefan in prison and had thought that he would die at any moment. No†¦it was worse†¦because with Stefan there had been hope and Elena had the feeling that now hope was gone. Everything was gone. She was hol ow: a girl who looked solid, but whose insides were missing. â€Å"I'm dying,†she whispered. â€Å"I know it†¦Are you al going to say good-bye now?† And with that Sage – Sage! – choked up and began to sob. Stefan, Stilllooking so oddly mussed, with those traces of soot on his face and arms and his hair and clothes soaking wet, said, â€Å"Elena, you're not going to die. Not unless you choose to.† She had never seen Stefan look like this before. Not even in prison. His flame, his inner fire that he showed to almost no one but Elena, had gone out. â€Å"Sage saved us,†he said, slowly careful y, as if it cost him great effort to speak. â€Å"The ash that was fal ing – you and Bonnie would have died if you'd had to breathe any more of it. But Sage put a door back to the Gatehouse right in front of us. I could barely see it; my eyes were so ful of ashfal , and it's only getting worse on that moon.† â€Å"Ashfal ,†Elena whispered. There was something at the bottom of her mind, but once again her memory failed her. It was almost as if she'd been Influenced to not remember. But that was ridiculous. â€Å"Why were ashes fal ing?†she asked, realizing that her voice was husky, hoarse – as if she'd cheered too long at a footbal game. â€Å"You used Wings of Destruction,†Stefan said steadily, looking at her with his swol en eyes. â€Å"You saved our lives. But you kil ed the Tree – and the star bal disintegrated.† Wings of Destruction. She must have lost her temper. And she'd kil ed a world. She was a murderer. And now the star bal was lost. Fel ‘s Church. Oh, God. What would Damon say to her? Elena had done everything – everything wrong. Bonnie was sobbing now, her face turned away. â€Å"I'm sorry,†Elena said, knowing how inadequate this was. For the first time she looked around miserably. â€Å"Damon?†she whispered. â€Å"He won't speak to me? Because of what I did?† Sage and Stefan looked at each other. Ice went down Elena's spine. She started to get up, but her legs weren't the legs she remembered. They wanted to unlock at the knees. She was staring down at herself, at her own wet and smudged clothes – and then something like mud came down her forehead. Mud or congealing blood. Bonnie made a sound. She was Stillsobbing, but she was speaking, too, in a new husky voice that made her sound much older. â€Å"Elena – we didn't get the ashes out of the top of your hair. Sage had to give you an emergency transfusion.† â€Å"I'l get the ashes out,†Elena said flatly. She let her knees bend. She fel onto them, jarring her body. Then, twisting, she leaned down to the little brook and let her head fal forward. Through the icy shock she could dimly hear exclamations from the people above water, and Stefan's sharp, Elena, are you All right? in her head. No, she thought back. But I'm not drowning, either. I'm washing out my hair. Maybe Damon will at least see me if I'm presentable. Maybe he'll come with us and fight for Fell's Church. Let me help you up, Stefan sent quietly. Elena had come to the end of her air. She pul ed her heavy head out of the water and flipped it, soaking but clean, so that it fel down her back. She stared at Stefan. â€Å"Why?†she said – and then, with a sudden panic – â€Å"Has he left already? Was he angry†¦with me?† â€Å"Stefan.†It was Sage, speaking tiredly. Stefan, who was staring out of his green eyes like a hunted animal, made some faint sound. â€Å"The Influence, it is not working,†Sage said. â€Å"She will remember on her own.†

Audiovisual Cues in Bilingual Language Acquisition

Audiovisual Cues in Bilingual Language Acquisition Article title: Bilingualism modulates infants’ selective attention to the mouth of a talking face Authors: Pons, F., Bosch, L., Weikum et al., 2007). Significant research has been conducted to explore the auditory domain of bilingual language acquisition and there is strong evidence that both bilinguals and monolinguals rely on redundant audiovisual speech (Rosenblum, 2008; Stein, 2012; Sebastià ¡n-Gallà ©s et al., 2012). However, this paper seeks to understand the importance of audiovisual cues as a mechanism that bilingual infants utilize during complex language processing in comparison to monolingual infants. METHODS (234 words) To test these predictions they conducted two experiments each on infants whose native languages were Spanish/Catalan. The goal of the first experiment was to extend the findings of previous studies about monolingual, native English speaking, infants’ use of audiovisual speech cues to infants whose native languages are eithe r Spanish or Catalan. Sixty monolingual infants (with native languages of either Spanish or Catalan) participated in this experiment and formed three groups: 4, 8 and 12 month-old infants with 20 participants in each group. Stimuli, 45-second videos of one of two female actors speaking a monologue in English or Spanish/Catalan, were presented on a computer screen in front of the infant. Each infant watched one video of a monologue in their native language and a second video of a monologue in English. Throughout the procedure, an eye-tracker was utilized to enable researchers to collect data about their attention to two areas of interest (AOI), the speaker’s mouth and eyes. The second experiment investigated how bilingual infants’ selective attention to these AOI changes and develops in their first year of life. 63 Spanish-Catalan bilingual infants (once again divided into groups of 4, 8 and 12-month-olds) were presented with the same stimuli as in the first experimen t and researchers tracked their eye movements to AOI. They conducted a Mann-Whitney test to compare the vocabularies of the monolingual and bilingual infants and found no significant difference between their lexica. DISCUSSION (399 words) The results from the first experiment successfully extended the findings of Lewkowicz and Hansen Tift’s (2012) study to monolingual speakers in Spain of Catalan or Spanish. They saw the same developmental trends with language acquisition and attention to AOI with this group of infants: when presented with both native and non-native audiovisual stimuli 4-month-old infants spent more time attending to the eyes of the speaker and 8-month-old infants spend more time attending to the mouth of the speaker. When presented with stimuli in their native language, the 12-month-old infants spent equal time looking at the mouth and eyes but with stimuli in their non-native language they spent more time looking at the mouth than the eyes. One of th e most intriguing comparisons explores the differences between the monolingual and bilingual infants’ developmental pattern of attention during audiovisual stimuli presentation (comparing Experiment 1 and 2). They found the biggest differences at 4-months and 12-months. 4-month-old bilingual infants attended equally to the mouth and eyes while the 4-month-old monolinguals spent more time attending to the eyes. 12-month-old bilingual infants spent more time attending to the mouth in both native and non-native language presentation while the monolinguals attended more to the mouth only in non-native trials. On average the bilingual infants spent more time attending to the mouth of the speaker than monolinguals at their same age. These findings support evidence that audio input is not the sole contributor to language acquisition and differentiation. Visual cues are crucial in understanding and interpreting speech because there is not a 1:1 relationship between speech signals a nd meaning; we must use hermeneutics and external cues to make sense of language. The McGurk Effect demonstrates this idea: when just using audio input a person hears â€Å"ba, ba† but when provided with audiovisual stimulus, a person hears â€Å"da da† as a result of hearing â€Å"ba, ba† but seeing the mouth produce â€Å"ga ga.† These early studies illustrate the importance of visual input but do not explore how this reliance on external cues during development is different for bilinguals. This paper offers fascinating evidence that shows how monolingual and bilingual infants rely on audiovisual input to acquire, perceive and comprehend language. Research still must explore how these effects continue after 12 months old, once native and non-native language systems are more defined: do bilingual young adults still look more at the mouth than the eyes of a speaker? REFERENCES Bijeljac-Babic, R., Serres, J., Hà ¶hle, B., & Nazzi, T. (2012). Effect of bilingualism on lexical stress pattern discrimination in French-learning infants. PLoS ONE , 7 (2), e30843.       Bosch, L., & Sebastià ¡n-Gallà ©s, N. (2001b). Evidence of early language discrimination abilities in infants from bilingual environments. Infancy , 2 , 29-49. Lewkowicz, D. J., & Hansen-Tift, A. M. (2012). Infants deploy selective attention to the mouth of a talking face when learning speech. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA , 109 , 1431-1436. Oller, D. K., Eilers, R. E., Urbano, R., & Cobo-Lewis, A. B. (1997). Development of precursors to speech in infants exposed to two languages. Journal of Child Language , 24 , 407-426. Pons, F., Bosch, L., & Lewkowicz, D.J. (2014). Bilingualism modulates infants’ selective attention to the mouth of a talking face. Psychological Science , 26.4, 490-498. Rosenblum, L. D. (2008). Speech perception as a multimodal phenomenon. Current Directions in Psychological Science , 17 , 405-409. Stein, B. E. (2012). The new handbook of multisensory process- ing . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Weikum, W. M., Vouloumanos, A., Navarra, J., Soto-Faraco, S., Sebastià ¡n-Gallà ©s, N., & Werker, J. F. (2007). Visual lan- guage discrimination in infancy. Science , 316 , 1159.

Current topic III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current topic III - Essay Example se they are aware of the expectations and needs of different groups in the society on health care provision services (World Health Organization, 2012). This knowledge is derived from closely interacting and communicating with patients, their family members, doctors and other health care stakeholders. By making their contributions on the needs of different groups, nurses can ensure that health policies that exist reflect the diverse nature of the population. Nurses can make a difference to health policies by highlighting the changing disease patterns, and by seeking information from the patients on their medical treatment preferences. 100 powerful women in the world for 2012- slide (in this section). Find a woman that you admire and write how come she is an inspiration of hope for you? What leadership traits do you see in her? Do you have those traits also? I admire the IBM President and CEO Virginia Rometty. Mrs Rometty is a force to reckon with because of 30 years skills and experience at the company. She is the first female CEO of the company. She has also established and is implementing a business strategy at the company that is set to increase the revenue generated by the company by approximately $ 20 million. Rometty is resilient and hardworking; very admirable qualities. She began her career at the company as a systems engineer, went on to be in charge of global sales then CEO and president. I have similar qualities as her because I am hardworking and resilient. I believe that I am creative and innovative since I am committed to serving the society in all my capacity. In my opinion, Michelle Obama is a better role model. Mrs. Obama has been able to win public support through her wise speeches to the public. The current First lady reflects a positive image due to her confidence, firm and seemingly caring nature. Michelle Obama is very determined to raise awareness on obesity and curb its effect on a large population of American nationals (Forbes, 2012).

Flood control in river basins has become more important in recent Essay

Flood control in river basins has become more important in recent years. Discuss various techniques used for flood control and t - Essay Example The flood defenses were strong barriers that prevented water from flooding into the plain land (Woods & Woods 2007, p.5). Floods occur when flowing surface water spills over the confining banks into the dry land. Floods are a natural phenomenon, which occur in almost all river systems. Areas prone to flooding include those located downstream of dams and the low lying regions. Flooding causes immense losses, which include loss of human and animal life, soil erosion, damage on properties, destruction of vegetation and many environmental damages. In addition, areas affected by floods are highly susceptible to famines and prolonged droughts. This further causes loss of human and animal life due to starvation. Floodwaters are usually contaminated with harmful microorganisms derived from raw sewage. This puts people affected by the floods at greater risks of getting infectious diseases (Proverbs, et al., 2011, p. 221). Floods may contribute to some positive impacts on the ecosystem. One of the benefits of flooding includes offering fresh water for domestic use and irrigation. The other benefit includes massive deposition of minerals and nutrients into the affected areas. Apart from these benefits, floods also help in improving the condition of aquatic ecosystems. However, they can be regarded as the most damaging compared to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Therefore, stringent measures must be undertaken to prevent the massive losses incurred during floods. This paper discusses various techniques used in controlling floods and their environmental impacts (Gruntfest & Handmer, 2001, p.12). Methods used to control floods Techniques applied in controlling floods entail the modification of the river environment and areas located close to the river. Flood control techniques can be applied on the river channel, floodway or on the floodplain (Ghosh, 1997, p.55). Techniques applied in floodplains Floodplains are those regions that lie below the flood elevation and exclus ively on the floodway and river channel. Majority of techniques applied on the floodplains lie far from the river, but are designed to reduce damage from floods. Levee around structures This technique entails the construction of a levee/floodwall around structures located in floodplains. Levees can either be permanent or temporally. Construction of the levee requires the use of strong, natural or artificial material that can withstand pressure from the floods (Hyndman & Hyndman, 2010, p.356). The essence of using levees and other barriers is to raise the height in structures located in floodplains which floodwater must rise to in order cause flooding. These structures offer protection to structures but put other structures into a high risk of flooding due to increased water retention in the floodplains. In addition, serious damage to protected structures can arise when the levees are unable to hold back the floods. This is because the pressure at which the floods hit the structure i s extremely high compared to when there is no barrier (Green, 2004, p.36). The use of levees, floodwalls, and dykes has a negative impact on natural river processes (Harmancioglu, 1994, p.42). Ideally, water spills emerging from a river should form a natural channel which provides a way for the floods to flow. Therefore, levees reduce the ability of the floodplains to process floodwaters. In addition, the

Automotive Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Automotive - Assignment Example The rate of motor vehicles deregistration stands at 20% yearly. However, the owners of the abandoned motor vehicles are not easily traced. The New Zealand authorities always try to locate the owners of the abandoned vehicles. Their search at times pays. The authorities are able to locate about 35% of the abandoned car owner. However, this rate is minimal compared to the rate of vehicles which are being abandoned yearly (Kenny, 2001). New Zealand had a total of 1.5 million passengers’ cars in the year 1986. This number considerably increased to 2.5 million in the year 2004. The approximated value of used cars that are being imported to the country stands at 70%. Most of these used cars are abandoned by their owners on both private and public properties. The abandonment of these used cars possessed a lot of environmental concerns. This has prompted the motor vehicle industry to come up with policies that reduce the pollution caused. Some of these policies are removal of operating fluids, battery, LPG tanks, tires, CFCs present in the air conditioning units, and defusing of air bags and seat-belts. New Zealand authorities therefore, need to benchmark with Western Europe countries so as to solve their motor vehicle abandonment practices. This is because Western Europe currently leads the world in the management of used motor vehicles. Some of the laid down approaches for proper motor vehicle management are th e use of the EU Directive. This directive on motor vehicles was adopted in the year 2000 (Cassells, 2004). EU directive takes into consideration the extended manufacturer responsibility. The directive has also set reuse and various recovery targets. The success of this directive cannot be easily determined at the moment. However, other member countries like the Netherlands and Germany has taken the lead in the implementation of this policy. These two countries have successfully been able to recycle used motor vehicles within their territory. Sweden being

Victoria Chemicals plc-Merseyside and Rotterdam Projects Case Study

Victoria Chemicals plc-Merseyside and Rotterdam Projects - Case Study Example James Fawn the vice president of the Intermediate Chemicals Group (ICG) and John Camperdown, the financial analyst met to review the two projects. The proposals submitted by plant managers from both Liverpool and Rotterdam required an expansion of the polypropylene output of the respective plants by 7%. The strategic analysts in Victoria Chemicals held the view that an increase in polypropylene by 14% would not make sense though a 7% would do. This would compel them to approve one of the projects. The rational analytical process to use in extricating the ambiguities of the present measures of investment attractiveness of the two projects will be done through a thorough analysis and evaluation in terms of their net present value, payback, growth in earnings per share and internal rate of return to determine which of them is attractive for investment. After the evaluation, the best project based on its attractiveness will be chosen. 1. The proposal from Merseyside, Liverpool This proje ct would retain its flexibility in order to add technology in the future. The investment criterion for this project is as follows: Average annual addition to EPS GBP 0.22 Payback period 3.8 years Net Present Value GBP 10.5 million Internal rate of return 24% The contribution to net income for the project is a positive one. This is based on the calculation carried out by the average annual earnings per share contribution of the project over the economic life of the project using the number of outstanding shares at the recent financial year. The payback period which is the number of years which are necessary for free cash flow of the project to amortize the initial project outlay completely for the project is within the maximum payback period which is six years. The Net Present Value of the company is positive an indication of a better performing project. The internal rate of return of the project which is 24% is more than 10% and this is an indication of how attractive the project is . A summary of the performance of the Merseyside project is as follows 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Output 267,500 267,500 267,500 267,500 267,500 New Gross Profit 21.72 24.83 24.83 24.83 24.93 Old output 250,000 250,000 250,000 250,000 250,000 Free cash flow 1.27 3.92 3.86 3.77 3.08 Incremental gross profit 2.32 5.42 5.42 5.42 5.42 Based on the above analysis, it is quite evident that Merseyside project is quite attractive in terms of its performance and this makes it a good project for investment. The Merseyside project will be of great help to Victoria Chemicals as it would lead to an increase in free cash flow, increase in gross profit and increase in output for the company. The increase in output would see the company operate in full efficiency and to remain competitive in the market. Even though the Merseyside project seems promising in terms of output and return, the plant operations will be disrupted in the course of upgrading the technology in the company which will then affect the total output of the company. The period at which the plant will not be operating will mean that the company will temporarily lose its business from the close of the customers. The temporal close of business and clients may be a cost to pay by the company as it may end up losing the customers due to the inconveniences caused. The table below shows the assumptions made towards the DCF Analysis of the Merseyside Project: Annual output in metric tons 250,000 Output gain 7% Gross margin rate 12.5% The gross margin rate and the output gain are standard and this means that the company (Victoria Chemicals) will not take a long time before it enjoys the full benefits of the investment. This

Racial Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racial Diversity - Essay Example Furthermore, Farley (2005) argues that Dave Chappelle deals with racial divisions by confronting his audience with it in a comedic way. Consequently, his audience laughs at the use of racial stereotypes in his jokes, but the issue of racial divisions is talked about and not ignored. The thesis of this paper is that the use of racial stereotypes in comedy shows, such as â€Å"The Chapelle Show† helps to overcome them. It might seem as if the use of stereotypes actually perpetuates them, because stereotypes are repeated on a regular basis. However, it is important to note that although stereotypes are repeated in certain comedy shows, it is not necessarily negative, because it helps us to deal with the issue and thereby overcoming racial tensions. Racial stereotypes are used frequently by various comedy shows, such as the â€Å"Chappelle Show†, however, the use of them in a comedy setting helps us, as a society, to approach the issue. For instance, from an educational point of view, the fact that the topic has been dealt with in school, supports that thesis. On the one hand, we are repeating stereotypes by talking about them, but on the other hand, we are dealing with the topic of racial division, which will help us to overcome them in the long run. Dave Chappelle’s show was wildly known for the use of the â€Å"N† word, which is a term that is not politically correct. By using stereotypes and a certain vocabulary which is often not socially accepted, the audience is confronted with a topic that many people prefer to ignore: racial issue in America. The show became very popular and as a consequence, many people were confronted with the issue and dealt with stereotypes and racial divisions. Moreover, the media picked up the controversial topic as well and dealt with the implications. It is probably fair to say that â€Å"Chappelle’s Show† took away the â€Å"scariness† of the topic, which made it more

Near field communication (NFC) and its validity as a secure system of Essay

Near field communication (NFC) and its validity as a secure system of data transfer - Essay Example Being a non-contact technology, the NFC is highly advantageous as it does not require establishment of physical electrical contact. As such, in applications such as those requiring the use of cards, there is no need of inserting cards that use NFC into the reader, thus avoiding any problems that may be associated with poor contact. It is important to note that NFC uses inductive-coupling at a license free frequency allocation in the radio spectrum HF portion(Ahson & Ilyas, 2012, p. 33). NFC has a set of standards that govern it thus allowing for connectivity between NFC devices from different manufacturers. Besides creating the contactless environment for NFC interactions, the standards also determine the data transfer rates and the data formats. An NFC connection is simply achieved by bringing two electronic devices together within a close range to allow them to communicate. This eradicates the problem with identification and minimizes the issue with security, allowing for easier exchange of information. The NFC can be used for a variety of applications including in: mobile phones to transfer files from one handset to another; personal computers to link up networks for data transmission; point-of sale machines; turnstiles; parking meters; vending machines; and in other applications in the house or office, such as opening and closing of the garage doors(Finkenzeller, 2010, p. 80). The NFC connections could also be applied in the configuration of the connection between two devices that have wireless connections. Bringing the devices together allows for the initiation of the NFC connection which in turn initiates the set-up procedure. Other long-range wireless devices including the Bluetooth could be configured through communication with the NFC interface(Coskun, et al., 2011). NFC are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attackswhich involve attackers succeeding in interception of the communication

Gender Roles in Society Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles in Society Essay What is gender role? Gender roles can be linked closely to the Bible as the relations between men and women as both intuitive and sensual. Biologically gender is not determined; however, as a result of sexual characteristics of either men or women, it is established socially. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations gender is a central organizing principle of societies, and often governs the processes of production and reproduction, consumption and distribution. Gender issues focus on women and on the relationship between men and women, their roles, access to and control over resources, division of labor, interests and needs. Gender relations influence family well-being, household security, planning, production and many other aspects of life including the way we think or feel according to one’s gender. For this reason the definition of gender role today should be revised and predefined because the meaning it once had is no longer comparable with the Bible. Many countries have experienced huge turmoil and revising of its traditional gender roles within the last generation. These changes in gender roles affect the home, the workplace, and the school, plus they affect all walks of life to some degree. Gender role is a commonly discussed subject in society and many may argue about the true role of a man or a woman. Society and culture are also very important in relation to this subject. This means different societies and cultures may produce children and later, grown men and women, who have quite different views of a man or a womans place in the world around them, often determined by their cultures gender stereotypes. Gender roles are attached to persons according to their gender. So, what are men’s and womens roles in society? Should they be equal or do they have well defined roles they should play? In this day and age, people like to be intolerant by attempting to make the two sexes equal. Most people feel that it is unfair to say that women can do certain activities better than men and men can do other activities better than women but God actually made men and women differently and has given them different roles in life and society. God has made men and women to fit certain roles He has defined. The Bible talks a lot about Gods roles for men and women. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, talks about Creation and how sin entered the world. When God created everything, it was perfect and good. Right after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God kicked them out of the perfect place he had made for them called the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:16-19 says: To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you shall bring forth children; yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. Then to Adam He said, Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. This is God’s first example of roles to women and men. It was meant for men to take care of land and work it for food to provide for his family and women would bear children and take care of them and raise them while their husband worked. Again, a man and woman’s role is well defined in a home. They are both made for each other and to grow strong as one. A woman has quite a unique role to fill. She is made as a companion for her husband because without a wife a man is alone and she is the only one who can provide the companionship needs. She should give her husband affection because he needs it just as she needs it also and only she may know the husband in such a way to provide the kind of affection he needs. A wife is there to give physical needs because God made man and woman to rely on one another. Also a woman should bear children for her husband to make a family that they can all love and appreciate. Most mothers spend more time with her children and her influence on their character development is great because they see her the most. Lastly, every woman should be a keeper at home and this requires diligence and the kind of care only women can provide. It is a place of honor among God and His people. â€Å"A woman should be a guard, and ruler and keeper of the affairs of the home† (Prov. 31:13-15). There is nothing wrong with a woman working, as long as it is done in the right way it is honorable. All women, whether married or not, can look to the worthy woman for guidance for living godly lives. In God’s pattern we do not see slavery, but freedom, honor, and true beauty. However, all women shall strive to fulfill their God given roles in their own families, so as to gain honor for themselves, for their families, and for God. In addition, a man’s role in society differs quite differently from a woman. The man is the key to making the family work the way God intended. God puts the responsibility of having a Biblical family on the man. On top of that, men are under a lot of job pressure because of the failing economy which makes it harder to provide for the family. Many men never had a role model in their home. There should be Godly men helping their off springs to become who they ought to be for the glory of God. Men should love their family as Jesus loved the church; he is to also love the members of his family as he loves his body. He is to nourish it. He is to cherish it. He is to take care of it. Thats the way God wants a man to love his family. Eph. 5:23 says, â€Å"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body. † Notice that it didnt say the head over the wife; it said the head of the wife. It is not dictatorship. A man is not the dictator in the family but the man is to protect and provide for his family. Being a good provider is not enough as men have a spiritual responsibility. They should get their family in church each Sunday and take every opportunity to help them learn about Jesus Christ and to grow in their relationship with Him. Men should obey the word of the Lord and ask the Lord to help him be the man he should be. Many of men have failed to lead their family like they should. However, if he is the man, the father, the kind of husband God wants him to be, and if he lifts his family to be everything God wants them to be, one of these days he will reap a good harvest in his children. However, the shifting of gender roles in the past thirty years has been huge. It has happened so quickly that men and women are still trying to sort out what the new roles and rules mean to them although women are no longer expected to be the keepers of the house, in reality, they are in most families and although men are generally open to the successes enjoyed by the women they share their lives with, some still find it hard to celebrate a woman’s triumphs because they feel it attenuates their own. Even though the Bible clearly states the role of a man and a woman many individuals may argue this because the Bible was written a long time ago and they feel such implications do not apply anymore. Yet, the Bible is the word of God and his word is always right and should be abided by no matter how we may feel. Historically, it is important also to note that cultural differences flourish in the emphasis of one’s gender role and in certain societies such assumption in accepted gender norms can also play some part in the definition of gender identity. It will take time to sort out all the assumptions of the changing gender roles of individuals, but new expectations should result in better lives, better relationships, better schools, and better workplaces.

History of US Voting Rights

History of US Voting Rights There are many reasons why people do not vote, and why it is necessary to vote. Many of us take our right to vote for granted. Our state and federal governments, however, have been instrumental in the past in denying different groups of people-including women, African-Americans, young people, people who didnt own land and who couldnt pay poll taxes, and people who couldnt read and write-the right to vote. And throughout history these groups of people have organized, struggled, and fought for their right to vote. This activity presents a brief history of voting rights in this country. In modern America, almost everyone can vote who wants to. But it wasnt always that way! Here are some of the groups that have been blocked from voting over the past two hundred years. Women for many years only men were allowed to vote. Women were considered too emotional to make wise choices. It took 75 years of protesting before women won the right to vote through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. Susan B. Anthony dedicated the next five decades of her life fighting for the right to vote, and all for a cause that would not succeed until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment fourteen years after her death in 1906. Susan B. Anthony famous trails in 1873 helped pave the way for womens right to vote and she once stated it was we, the people; not we, white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens, but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. When this country was first founded, only White men who owned land were allowed to vote. Lawmakers believed that only property owners had enough at stake in the country to vote responsibly. By the early 1800s, the property requirement was replaced with a poll tax, which required citizens to pay a special fee in order to vote. Poll taxes were made illegal by the 24th amendment to the Constitution in 1964. For many years, voting was restricted to adults 21 years and older in some states. During the Vietnam War era, many people argued that if you were old enough to fight and die for your country, you were old enough to vote. The 26th Amendment, passed in 1971, granted the right to vote to everyone 18 or older. Some states only allowed people who could read or write to vote. State lawmakers believed that only people who could read and write could get the information they needed to make smart choices. Nowadays, there are many ways to get information that do not involve reading and writing. The 1965 Voting Rights Act banned literacy tests. The Constitution did not specifically restrict voting to White people, but also African-Americans it stated that only freemen or people who were not slaves could vote. This made it illegal for most African-Americans to vote until after the Civil War. The 15th Amendment, passed in 1870, allowed Black men (not women) to vote. After that, many states passed new laws to restrict Black voting. Literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation were methods used to limit Black voting. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 did away with all these restrictions on who could vote. It also set up a system to make sure that the new law would be followed. Most People do not think their vote matters/counts. Most People do not Why man First, why its important to vote, most citizens believe that their vote does not matter and do not vote for that reason. Second, another reason is some citizens do not know how or where to vote. Finally, some citizens just figure its a waste of time and too much trouble, too confusing, and too much reading on which candidates to vote for. The research weve found was very fascinating. As we conducted our own surveys with my fellow students, I couldnt believe that just a little over half my class were registered to vote. According to the audience analysis on July 4, 2010, here in our Political Science 101; we surveyed 28 students and out the 28 students we found 58% of the students are register voters. The other 42% did not take the voting seriously. According to the Historical Voter Registration and Participation in Statewide General Elections from 1910-2008, the eligible citizens to vote in the Presidential election held in November 2008, were 23,208,710, only 13,743,177 cast a vote, meaning only 59.2% of the registered voters participated in the November 2008 Presidential Election. During the Presidential primary elections held in February 5, 2008, only 28.22% of women voters are registered participated. American voting habits are particularly striking when compared with those of other democratic nations, like Japan and Germany, where 89 percent of the potential voters go to the polls. In fact, most democracies have about 80 percent voter participation. Of the 153 democracies in the world, the United States ranks near the bottom for voter involvement. National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections: 1960-2008. The chart below provides information about voter statistics, including age of voting population, voter registration, and turnout from 1994- 2008. Year Voting-age population Voter registration Voter turnout Turnout of voting-age population (percent) 2008* 231,229,580 NA 132,618,580* 59.2% 2006 220,600,000 135,889,600 80,588,000 37.1% 2004 221,256,931 174,800,000 122,294,978 55.3 2002 215,473,000 150,990,598 79,830,119 37.0 2000 205,815,000 156,421,311 105,586,274 51.3 1998 200,929,000 141,850,558 73,117,022 36.4 1996 196,511,000 146,211,960 96,456,345 49.1 1994 193,650,000 130,292,822 75,105,860 38.8 First, many citizens do not vote because they dont believe that their vote count and deters them from voting. Another contributing factor is that their parents never did so why should they start or do so. Most individuals believe it is a waste of time and too much trouble, too much reading and too confusing on which candidates to vote for. Most people do not have time to learn about the issues and candidates. Also many people are not registered to vote and do not want to vote because that can cause them to go on jury duty. The solution for these problems can be slightly taken care of by each state has its own registration deadline. Once a citizen decides to take responsibility to vote, that person must register to vote. He or she must register, you can go online and go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections or pick up a form in person at any number of public offices (library, DMV, post office, county election office, city clerk, etc.) or you can call 1-800-345-VOTE to request a form to be mailed to you. Finally, you as a citizen of the United States need to educate yourself on the candidates and the issues before you vote and get the facts. Do not become like most people that go to the polls and cast your vote without knowing about the candidates. Its your job as a citizen to know, not just who is running for president but also to know who is running for Senate or House seats. Its your duty and right to formulate your votes based on the research you have done, not on what you heard through television ads, but its your duty to read local newspapers to learn more about the local elections, such as mayoral race, as well as special issues that maybe on the ballot. Its your duty to read as much as you can, and remember voting is one of the fundamental processes, which is instrumental in the development of a healthy democracy. In the essay about why do not people vote, we gave you a brief history of voting over the past years, we gave you reasons why people do not vote and some solutions that can make the voting problem a bit less than what it is. We also given reason why its our duty and how important it is for each of us to register and do our civic duty and its our responsibility as citizens to take this seriously. Everyone wants their voice to be heard and their opinion to count. The only way to do that is to go register if you have not already and to vote smart, remember only 59 percent of Americans vote in presidential election, and you can make a difference.

Freud And The Unconscious Essay -- essays research papers

Freud was particularly interested in the psychoanalytic school of thought and the founder of psychoanalysis. He believed that our unconscious minds are responsible for many of our behaviors. According to Freud, he thought that there was a significant relationship between slips of the tongue and what we are actually thinking. Today these are called Freudian slips. Similarly he believed that we get information, like our fears and wishes, out by just merely saying what comes to mind. He was able to tell a lot about people, including their past experiences, how they were feeling, and what they wished and feared, just by simply encouraging them to speak whatever came to mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In sitting down and tape recording myself speaking about anything that came to mind, a lot of unconscious thoughts about myself were revealed. I noticed myself speaking of things that I normally wouldn’t have. For instance, I spoke of God, death, and negative things about my friends. I also said a lot of stuff that really made no sense at all. An exact piece of what I recorded myself saying was, â€Å"I don’t care. That’s just the way I am. I don’t give a shit. It’s like†¦ I don’t know. Die. Maybe God will. Yeah†¦ maybe. Ha. Butterflies. Stand on walls, do that dance. Yeah†¦ Buddy’s cool. Stop. No. Eva. Duh. She’s†¦ so fucking stupid. Ugh. Drink. Yeah right. Who cares? It’s little.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  &...

The Little Prince Essay -- Art Literature Papers

The Little Prince In "Art as Technique" Russian formalist Viktor Shklovsky introduces defamiliarisation as a literary device to help readers regain our sensation of things, which we have become unaware of, as our perception gets automatised through habitualisation (Shklovsky, 20). Shklovsky then goes on to engage in a discussion of the methodologies employed in creating the effect of defamiliarisation, treating defamiliarisation as purely a technique of art. However this may be an oversimplification of the concept of defamiliarisation, which is based upon certain principles of perception, and perception is in turn a central component of social cognition. Hence, it is the aim of this paper to explore the relations between the effect of defamiliarisation and the social cognitive elements of perception. Through the use of Antoine de Saint-Exupà ©ry's The Little Prince, the defamiliarisation effect can be explained by the non-conformation of its elements of discourse, namely genre, character filter, soci al setting and the use of poetic language, to the cognitive structures of prototypes, schemas and heuristics held by the adult reader. For those who are unfamiliar with the story of The Little Prince, this narrative depicts the adventures of a little prince from a distant star as he embarks on a journey to six other planets. He finds, isolated on each planet, a king with only a rat as his subject, a conceited man, a drinker, a business man who own stars, a lamplighter forever lighting and extinguishing a single street lamp, and a geographer who does not explore his own planet. Finally the little prince makes his way to Earth, where he meets a fox and learns to tame it. Upon roaming about the desert, the little prince chances upon ... ...ation, however, is that it is subjective, depending on the type of reader of the narrative, as well as the social context which the reader is socialised into. Hence, while The Little Prince is able to create a defamiliarising effect on its adult readers, it may or may not be able to defamiliarise its children readers using the same elements of discourse. Works Cited Howard, Judith A. "Social Cognition". Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology. Massachussetts: Allyn & Bacon. 1995. 90-117. Neale, Stephen. "Expectation and Verisimilitude". Excerpted from "Questions of Genre". Film Genre Reader II. Ed. Barry Keith Grant. Austin: U of Texas P. 1995. 159-183. Saint-Exupà ©ry, de Antoine. The Little Prince. London: Penguin, 1998. Shklovsky, Victor. "Art as Technique". Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader. Ed. David Lodge. Harlow: Longman, 1988. 15-30. The Little Prince Essay -- Art Literature Papers The Little Prince In "Art as Technique" Russian formalist Viktor Shklovsky introduces defamiliarisation as a literary device to help readers regain our sensation of things, which we have become unaware of, as our perception gets automatised through habitualisation (Shklovsky, 20). Shklovsky then goes on to engage in a discussion of the methodologies employed in creating the effect of defamiliarisation, treating defamiliarisation as purely a technique of art. However this may be an oversimplification of the concept of defamiliarisation, which is based upon certain principles of perception, and perception is in turn a central component of social cognition. Hence, it is the aim of this paper to explore the relations between the effect of defamiliarisation and the social cognitive elements of perception. Through the use of Antoine de Saint-Exupà ©ry's The Little Prince, the defamiliarisation effect can be explained by the non-conformation of its elements of discourse, namely genre, character filter, soci al setting and the use of poetic language, to the cognitive structures of prototypes, schemas and heuristics held by the adult reader. For those who are unfamiliar with the story of The Little Prince, this narrative depicts the adventures of a little prince from a distant star as he embarks on a journey to six other planets. He finds, isolated on each planet, a king with only a rat as his subject, a conceited man, a drinker, a business man who own stars, a lamplighter forever lighting and extinguishing a single street lamp, and a geographer who does not explore his own planet. Finally the little prince makes his way to Earth, where he meets a fox and learns to tame it. Upon roaming about the desert, the little prince chances upon ... ...ation, however, is that it is subjective, depending on the type of reader of the narrative, as well as the social context which the reader is socialised into. Hence, while The Little Prince is able to create a defamiliarising effect on its adult readers, it may or may not be able to defamiliarise its children readers using the same elements of discourse. Works Cited Howard, Judith A. "Social Cognition". Sociological Perspectives on Social Psychology. Massachussetts: Allyn & Bacon. 1995. 90-117. Neale, Stephen. "Expectation and Verisimilitude". Excerpted from "Questions of Genre". Film Genre Reader II. Ed. Barry Keith Grant. Austin: U of Texas P. 1995. 159-183. Saint-Exupà ©ry, de Antoine. The Little Prince. London: Penguin, 1998. Shklovsky, Victor. "Art as Technique". Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader. Ed. David Lodge. Harlow: Longman, 1988. 15-30.

Briefer and Deeper: A Comparative Analysis of Depth-Oriented Psychother

Briefer and Deeper: A Comparative Analysis of Depth-Oriented Psychotherapy Introduction The use of psychotherapy in decidedly time-limited contexts is the hallmark of modern trends toward maximizing effectiveness and minimizing costs in the realm of health and mental health treatment. Although clients have historically utilized therapy for brief intervals (an average of 8 sessions), the use of models designed for this purpose is comparatively new. There is an ever-widening breadth of approaches - both formerly long-term designs modified to require fewer sessions and those born with the goal of brevity. Despite the diversity in brief psychotherapy (BPT) approaches, each therapy tends to be based on similar fundamental assumptions and general themes. For example, it is widely believed that a skillful therapist can affect useful changes in the lives of clients - changes that continue to build long after the treatment ends (Messer & Warren, 1995). These therapies also include root metaphors or ideas of where human difficulty arises, a set of curative factors, and an image of what it means to be mentally healthy (Borden, 1999). Finally, in an effort to address client issues briefly, the articulation of a clinical focus is seen as essential and can range from present day relational problems to underlying struggles with drives and anxiety - depending on the theoretical orientation. In comparison, Bruce Ecker and Laurel Hulley's Depth-Oriented Brief Psychotherapy (DOBT) model presents a slight variation to what has become the customary brief approach. DOBT is composed of techniques organized around the idiosyncratic, unconsciously held meanings of each client. Thus, there is no set formula or core dilemma to be address... ...ard theoretical pluralism in clinical practice. Most importantly, however, is DOBT's reassuring techniques which allows its clients a new, more coherent knowledge of themselves which leads to a deep and exquisite form of healing. References Borden, W. (1999). "Pluralism, pragmatism, and the therapeutic endeavor in brief dynamic treatment. W. Borden (Ed.) The therapeutic endeavor in brief dynamic treatment: Theory, research, practice, commentary. Haworth Press, New York. Ecker, B. & Hulley, L. (1996). Depth-oriented brief therapy: How to be brief when you were trained to be deep and vice-versa. Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco. Ecker, B. & Hulley, L. (1999). Depth-oriented brief therapy. [Online]. Available: www.dobt.com Messer, S. & Warren, C. (1995). Models of brief psychodynamic therapy: A comparative approach. The Guildford Press, New York.

Bare Esentuals in Bangkok

Executive Summary Bare Escentuals, Inc. is an innovative cosmetic company in the United States and the leader in mineral-based cosmetics. They sell not only in the United States, but also internationally in four other countries: UK, Japan, France, Germany, and Canada. However, we are seeking to expand into the Southeast Asia region; specifically, Bangkok, Thailand. The country is considered to be an emerging economy in the take-off stage. The cosmetic market in Thailand is rapidly growing and new entrants are beginning to recognize the opportunity for a growing market share within the region. Within the city, there are a few brand name cosmetic leaders, but none with a mineral-based product. Bare Escentuals hopes to fill the gap in the market with a new type of lightweight mineral-based powder which is in high demand. Thai culture is driven by the all-natural, eco-friendly perspective and we believe our mineral-based cosmetics company will offer a highly-differentiated, healthy, and lightweight product. We feel that our line of powders will best suite this market. The Company utilizes a distinctive marketing strategy and multi-channel distribution model to develop, market, and sell cosmetics, skin care, and body care products under its bareMinerals, RareMinerals, and namesake Bare Escentuals brands. Introduction Since the introduction of Bare Escentuals in the public sector, sales have steadily grown reaching 556 million in 2008. With sales expected to sustain current growth, we have decided to enter a new foreign market in Southeast Asia, beginning in January of 2010 by introducing our product line during the peak of tourist season in Bangkok, Thailand. We have experienced much success in our other foreign markets, and we believe Bangkok is the best city for our product line to continue its strong growth. As this market grows, other investment opportunities could bring us to openings in other major Southeast Asian cities such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and maybe Singapore. We offer a healthy and lightweight alternative to conventional cosmetics while providing light to maximum coverage for all skin types resulting in broad-based appeal to women of all ages. At Bare Escentuals, we believe that our multi-channel, integrated business strategy enables us to build brand awareness and increase consumer loyalty by providing the best makeup experience possible. Cultural Analysis Religion Bangkok’s primary religion is Buddhism, accounting for 96% of the population. Beautiful temples are all over the city, and it is not uncommon to see monks walking around downtown early in the morning. It is a part of their everyday life, and our company must understand the importance of their religious traditions. Thais believe that supporting the order of monks, or Sangha, brings one closer to Buddhist ideals, and increases the likelihood of better life beyond this one. They make regular offerings to local monasteries as acts of merit-making. Each of the temples in Bangkok is unique, having its own architecture, history, and spiritual importance. Most people visit the temples early in the morning. Insight into their religion allows the company to take certain character traits into consideration when advertising, marketing and promoting the Bare Escentuals product in Bangkok {draw:frame} Language Thai is the country’s national language. It is confusing to many tourists because it utilizes the Khmer script and is spoken tonally. Many westerners focus on speaking Thai, whereas taking the time to learn Thai script would be more beneficial to understanding the basic foundation of the language. The reason for the confusion is that various reference materials written about the language each use a different phonetic spelling with the western alphabet. It is sometimes difficult to see the connection between the letters with multiple sources of information. Foreigners are usually allowed more leeway, since the effort to speakingThai is widely appreciated. Family Life Cultural Values Thais place a strong emphasis on ensuring that everyone has good time, no matter where they are. This emphasis is also common in the workplace. Emotions play a very strong role in their society, which leads one to assume it plays an even stronger role in their decision making. Thais prefer to avoid stressful, personal confrontations or anything unpleasant. They usually make a conscious effort to ensure their feel-good emotions are reserved. The priority which Thais give to their emotional state is perhaps one of the main features of their society that has made the country a rather special place in the hearts of many foreigners over recent years. The Thai enthusiasm for sanuk, or having a good time, is infectious and is a cultural aspect often envied by visitors to Thailand, as it encourages people to listen more often to their feelings, rather than their hea ds. In contrast, most Western societies encourage and reward the use of rational values in the decision-making of their people. Consumer Habits We must know how our customers shop, socialize, entertain, and of course purchase products. Most of Bangkok’s residents prefer to shops in local malls, which house many floors with almost anything one could imagine. In order to reach our target market, we must understand the habits which influence buyer behavior in the region. â€Å"The youth market is critical not only to marketers marketing youth targeted products, but also all consumer products. Building brand awareness in youth is a mainstay for many large consumer products and services. Companies such as Bare Escentuals, who wish to build brand loyalty not only now but for the future, must look towards this market with enthusiasm. Building brand loyalty has the largest potential with the youth market. Certainly the youth market controls a still increasing proportion of disposable income throughout most developed and developing countries in Asia. Entry level salaries are increasing from very low levels in years past, and many middle to upper-class parents are extremely generous with allowances to their children. Thai youth attitudes are affected by the same Buddhist religious and national culture that pervades Thailand generally. In comparison to Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism, this culture encourages individualism, youthful idealism and tolerance and respect for divergent views. It also shares the respect for age and family. At the same time however, it is conservative- embracing change very slowly. Hospitality As a culture in general, Thais go out of their way to make others feel at home and comfortable. Their selflessness is evident in their friendships, too. For example, it is common for the wealthier friend to pay for the bill when having dinner or drinks. When conducting business in Bangkok, our representatives must know the ranks of all employees so as to address each one properly with the correct gestures. It is very important when conducting business with Thailand to show respect. Thais address each other by their given names, preceded by Khun, and reserve family names for formal occasions. In formal situations, foreigners may address Thais by using â€Å"Mr. ,† â€Å"Mrs. ,† or â€Å"Miss† with the given or family names. {draw:frame} The City Bangkok is not only the capital of Thailand but is both the region’s and the country’s major transportation hub. It has one of the most efficient airports in Asia, not the most modern, but very large. The city also has three bus terminals and a centrally located train station. An elevated rail line opened in 1999 to make all parts of the city accessible. Bangkok has a terrific infrastructure to support our business and the delivery of our product to the end consumer. Numerous multinational corporations base their regional headquarters in Bangkok, making it a regional force in finance and business. Its increasing influence on global politics, culture, fashion, and entertainment underlines its status as a global city. In 2009, it was the second most expensive city in South-East Asiabehind Singapore. † The city's wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues has made it synonymous with exoticism. The large percentage o f wealthy citizens within the city is due to its rapid modernization, which is often seen in the cityscape and the urban society. Bangkok draws in 11 million international visitors each year, trailing just Paris and London. Bangkok has a population of approximately 6,355,144 residents while the greater Bangkok area has a population of 11,971,000 (January 2008). The capital is part of the heavily urbanized triangle of central and eastern Thailand which stretches from along Bangkok to the heavily Industrialized Eastern Seaboard. Bangkok borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, , , , and ; all five join to become the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. Political System {draw:frame} Joint Ventures Government Social Programs and Health Care Thailand has an excellent medical care system, with most medical personnel speaking fluent English, as many were trained overseas. One of the larger hospitals with an English-speaking staff is Bumrungrat Medical Center and Hospital. It offers 24-hour emergency room care and ambulance service. Economic Description With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04, averaging more than 6% annual real GDP growth. However, overall economic growth has fallen sharply- averaging 4. 9% from 2005 to 2007- as persistent political crisis stalled infrastructure mega-projects, eroded investor and consumer confidence, and damaged the country's international image. The growth rate fell to 2. 6% in 2008. Exports were the key economic driver as foreign investment and consumer demand stalled. Export growth from January 2005 to November 2008 averaged 17. 5% annually. Business uncertainty escalated, however, following the September 2006 coup when the military-installed government imposed capital controls and considered far-reaching changes to foreign investment rules and other business legislation. Although controversial capital controls have since been lifted and business rules largely remain unchanged, investor sentiment has not recovered. Moreover, the 2008 global financial crisis further darkened Thailand's economic horizon. Population The population of Thailand is 65,905,410. It is the 20th largest in the world. Exchange Rate The official currency used in Thailand is the baht. It is considered a stable currency whose rate is based on the US dollar. Exchange rates are best at banks and authorized money changers. The baht per US dollar is 33. 37 (2008 est. ), 34. 52 (2007), 37. 882 (2006), 40. 22 (2005), 40. 222 (2004). So over the past five years the baht has been gaining value over the US dollar. Inflation Rate The estimated inflation rate for Thailand in 2008 was 5. 5%. GDP per capita $8,400 (2008 est. ) {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Labor Force Transportation Modes The automobile is the most common form of transportation used by Thais; however, taxis are commonly used because of their great value. The starting fares are 35 baht or $1. 17 US dollars for the first three kilometers and 5 baht or $0. 16 US dollars for every additional kilometer. This is considered to be a great value and is great for not only Bangkok locals, but even for foreigners. Motorcycle taxis are also very common in Bangkok particularly because of common traffic jams. Because of their small size they are the fastest way to navigate through traffic jams. The drivers of the motorcycle taxis can be easily spotted by their bright-colored vests and helmets that are worn by both, the driver and the passenger. Because motorcycle taxis do not have meters, fares are agreed on before take-off. The metro is another mode of transportation that is commonly used in Bangkok, but is more commonly used to travel around the whole country. It is almost like an underground, tunnel enclosed railroad on which trains are able to travel through. The metro is most commonly used by those who have to travel long distances from one Thailand city to another. Fares are based upon distance traveled. Real Estate Foreign Investment Thailand’s government maintains an open, market-oriented economy and encourages foreign direct investment as a means of promoting economic development, employment and technology transfer. Foreign investment in Thailand significantly influenced the buoyant economic growth of the last 15 years, spurring Thailand’s transformation from an agriculture-based economy, to one balanced with industry and manufacturing. International Trade Statistics Thailand's exports were $174. 8 billion (2008 est. ), up from $150 billion (2007 est. ). Thailand's imports were $157. 3 billion (2008 est. ), up from $124. 5 billion (2007 est. ). Their highest-valued imported products were capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, and fuels. Trade Regulations Import duties are generally levied on any imported goods before releasing them from the custody of Customs; except for goods receiving specific privilege that qualifies according to the law. If they receive these privileges, then the duty will either be reduced or be taken off completely. An importer has only three types of duties to pay before the imported goods are released from the custody of Customs: Customs Import Duties with an ad valorem rate Excise Tax for Excise Department and Interior Tax Value Added Tax (VAT) for the Revenue Department There are six duty rates for imported goods, excluding vehicles which have special rates. These duty rates are as follows: Duty rate is 0% for goods that government policy provides not to collect duties Duty rate is 1% for raw materials Duty rate is 5% for primary products and capital goods Duty rate is 10% for intermediate products Duty rate is 20% for finished products Duty rate is 30% for government protected goods All duties shall be levied in accordance with the provisions of Thai Customs Law and the Law on Customs Tariff. Payment of duties shall be made to the Competent Officer at the time of passing the entry. Duties can be paid either by cash or check. Checks must be drawn on the Bank of Thailand but certified checks from other commercial banks will be accepted. Duties or acceptable guarantee must be paid to Customs prior to the examination of the goods. Our duty rate is 20% and will be paid on the profit which we make within Bangkok. If we request a clearance of goods subject to a dispute, such goods can be released either by: Paying the maximum rate of duty and reserving the right to settle the dispute at a later time or Paying the amount of duty declared together with an additional amount covering the maximum payable duty as a guarantee â€Å"In valuing any imported goods for duty assessment, Thai Customs uses the True Market Value principle for such purpose. True Market Value of the goods is defined as the wholesale cash price (exclusive of duty in the case of imports), for which goods of the like kind and quality would be sold without loss at the time and place of importation or exportation, as the case may be, without any deduction or abatement. † For the vast majority of imports, the CIF invoiced price is accepted. However, in some exceptional cases, the value is established by reference to the maximum prices of the goods of a like kind and quality brought into the country in a previous limited period, generally not more than three months for finished goods. Trade Regulations (cont’d) â€Å"As the GATT Customs Valuation Code is now being increasingly adopted by many trading nations for uniform and neutral valuation of goods as well as prohibiting arbitrary or fictitious Customs value,† Thai Customs realizes this necessity and is proceeding towards adoption of this Code. Importers or agents authorized by importers and approved by Customs must comply with the Customs laws and other customs related laws. Importers or agents must pay the full amount of duties and taxes or deposited cash security. Import entry has to be made quadruplicate, accompanied with supporting documents as follows: Invoice Packing list Bill of lading/airway bill Import license (if any) Foreign transaction Form 2 if an import value exceeds 500,000 Baht Other documents (if any) e. g. Form D The cosmetic industry, 446120, is definitely a mature industry, and many of its leaders have been producing quality cosmetics for almost a hundred years. Many of those who are leading the cosmetics industry are oil or cream- based foundations and powders. The Bare Escentualsproducts are mineral-based powders and are made from all natural products. Their powders reach a new market of women, those who are looking for alternative, more natural makeup products. By finding a niche in the market, our company believes in that expanding into the international market will lead to faster growth rates and greater profit margins. With every new market entry, we must realize that the cosmetic industry is different in other regions of the world, especially in Southeast Asia, where our company will open a new store in Bangkok, Thailand. SWOT Analysis Main Competitors Elizabeth Arden Estee Lauder L'Oreal cosmetics. They all have been in business for nearly 200 years combined. With many years of experience comes an elite, high end, and loyal clientele that has been accrued over the many years of operation. These are the biggest threats to the success of Bare Escentuals mainly because of a few points that provides them with a slight competitive advantage in certain geographical areas. These large cosmetic corporations are able to satisfy the desires of so many of their customers mainly because of the large scale of which they operate on. Their demand is driven by the economic conditions of each country they do business transactions in. Although confronted by three of the primetime players of the cosmetic industry, Bare Escentuals still holds their own by maintaining a competitive edge through an alternate way of conducting business. One thing that Bare Escentuals pride themselves on is how readily available their products are made, thanks primarily to the numerous ways in which their customers may accommodate their products. Another edge that Bare Escentuals maintain over the larger companies is how conveniently priced the majority of their products are. Not only can they place a comparable product of their own directly across from your top cosmetic producers such as Elizabeth Arden, but they definitely have the upper hand when it comes to the final price tag. By aggressively pricing their products, they force the entire industry to accommodate in order to maintain a clientele that could change at the drop of a hat in the economy that we find ourselves in today. Elizabeth Arden, Inc. Elizabeth Arden goods are sold in over 90 countries worldwide, with major markets in the United States and Europe and have been a world leader in the cosmetics industry since the 1920s. Strengths: Strong celebrity backing from celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Hilary Duff, and Britney Spears Wide variety of cosmetics Strong growth prospects Weaknesses: Poorly performing retail stores world-wide Steady narrowing customer base Declining market share and profits Opportunities: New business strategy acquisition New product line launches Revamping of customer orientation with hopes to regain market share Threats: More price conscious competitors in the global market Consumer preference Increased competition Counterfeit goods Declining global market Estee Lauder Bringing the best to everyone we touch. † â€Å"By â€Å"the best†, we mean the best products, the best people and the best ideas. These three pillars have been the hallmarks of our Company since it was founded by Mrs. Estee Lauder in 1946. They remain the foundation upon which we continue to build our success today. â€Å"- Estee Lauder’s Mission Statement. Strengths: High-end prestige cosme tics Innovation of new and ingenious products World class marketing strategies to prevent their household products from cannibalizing one another Wide international presence Strong research and development teams Efficient use of all resources Strong growth prospects Weaknesses: Reliance of few customers Diminishing market share Poor reaction to increased competition and global economic change Opportunities: Keeping current customers Reaching new customers (i. e. the teen market) Continuing to grow globally Threats: Increased size of market and level of competition Poor reaction to foreign laws during global business transactions U. S. economic slowdown is halting business around the world L'Oreal This company is a global powerhouse that markets over 500 brands and more than 2,000 products in various sectors of the beauty business. Such products included hair colors, permanents, styling aids, body and skincare, cleansers and fragrances. Indeed, the L’Oreal Group has reached the peak that all cosmetic brands are seeking after. Strengths: Percentage penetration of fragrances and some cosmetics High brand loyalty Customer base that is willing to try new and innovative products Large amounts of resources to spend as far as market analysis, development, and advertising Wearing these premium cosmetics give off an indulgent feel High prices also lead to high profit margins Wide availability of products Weaknesses: Peak sales tend to be very seasonal with severe drop-offs depending upon the time of year or special event in a specific country Decentralized organizational structure can make control very difficult for all employees Opportunities: Direct concentration on the fastest growing fields in the beauty industry (one of which just happens to be cosmetics) Benefiting from increasingly ageing and affluent population in more developed countries, including Bangkok Concentrating on emerging markets mainly because emerging markets is where a large percent of your global economic growth may occur Threats: Increased number of competitors in the industry with comparable products which may also be more price friendly Economic downturn that is quite evident in other countries Spending habits of consumer and the economic crunch that most countries are experiencing Bare Escentuals Since 1976, Bare Escentuals has focused on using only the finest ingredients in their products to insure a new level of customer satisfaction without having to break the seal of their clientele’s wallets. Bare Escentuals, Inc. s one of the fastest growing prestige cosmetic companies in the United States and a leader in mineral-based cosmetics. The Company utilizes a distinctive marketing strategy and multi-channel distribution model to develop, market, and sell cosmetics, skin care, and body care products under its bareMinerals, RareMinerals, and namesake Bare Escentuals brands, and professional skin care products through infomercials, home shopping television, specialty beauty retailers, company-owned bout iques, spas and salons, and online shopping. Strengths: Inexpensive when compared to competition Well formulated to provide the best results for all end users Makes use of all their resources Convenient location and distribution Award winning products for just about every sub-class in the cosmetic industry Weaknesses: Use of many resources trying to convert customers Smaller clientele base Reliance of certain channels of distribution Limited coverage area Opportunities: Newest entry into the Global market Rapid growth in new areas of Tourism Declining customer service from competitors may lead to increased customer base Capitalization of innovative technology that may provide a competitive edge Threats: Economic downturn and inability to adapt to consumer buying habits Instability within the country and the political environment Demand for product Greater competitive growth stream than your own Market Analysis The overall growth potential for the cosmetic market during the 2006-2008 is expected to grow between 15-20%. Superior quality, international branded cosmetic products are expected to do better due to good brand image, brand loyalty, and perception of good quality. Products from the US lead the import market. Meanwhile competition from France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany is getting stronger. Hair care and makeup products maintained single digit growth, while skin care and perfume showed better growth at 17 and 15 percent. The product lines of problem-solving cosmetic have good growth potential. These include products such as anti-wrinkle cream, anti-aging facial cream, whitening facial and body lotion. More cosmetic products especially designed for men are becoming popular. Thailand remains a strong manufacturer and exporter of shampoos and other hair care products, color cosmetic and skin care products. Health and Beauty Health and beauty are taken seriously by Thai women. Thai women are known for their beauty all over the world. Therefore, Thailand cosmetics manufacturers are in great demand. Thailand's cosmetics market has experienced a huge improvement over the years following an apparent change in women's behavior, with cosmetics now being seen as a luxury. {draw:frame} Political and Legal Forces There are many political and legal forces that companies must understand. Regulations in labor, pricing, supply chain and consumer protection all have a part in governing our industry. Political and legal forces influence the stability of the business environment. It is an external force that has impacts no one business can avoid, but only can adapt to it. When the government suddenly alters taxation policies, it creates an unfavorable effect of increased taxes and results in prices of goods and services increasing. When the prices of goods and services increase, the cost of production in the business will increase. Laws Make sure the company is aware of all licensing requirements and the requirements of applicable import and export control laws Make sure the company observes all privacy and data protection laws and regulations of other countries and authorities Paying bribes to government officials is not allowed, even if the bribes are common practice To enter into an agreement with an agent (or a department store, in our case) that relates to business outside the US, it has to be approved by Bare Escentuals. {draw:frame} Target Market We want to target two different populations which consist of middle-class women ranging from 15-64 years of age and also the Katheoy population in Bangkok. Thailand has a very high percentage female population with something over 70%. Kathoey or katoey generally refers to a male-to-female transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. Ladyboy is the term used in English conversations with Thais. Kathoeys are often identified at a young age, and are considered to be â€Å"born that way. † They spend a lot, both in terms of money and time, to appear as beautiful as possible. As a matter of fact, some of these ladyboys or the katoey are so beautiful that they are objects of envy for many women as well. Within that 70% of the Thai population being women, there are a high number of guys who, it might be said, are on the edge. They are male, but with a strong sense and feel of being and wanting to be female. Mission Statement The mission of this company is to make you look and feel your absolute best. Our objective is to provide you with a flawless look, giving your skin a healthy and improved condition and appearance. We help you discover your inner and outer beauty. We are committed to providing and supplying the most creative and innovative mineral-based cosmetics. We provide luxurious skin and body care products that perfectly indulges the complexion and enhances the quality of life for you. By focusing on only the finest natural ingredients and developing pampering formulas that soothe, nourish, and protect, this revolutionary line will take the concept of natural beauty to a whole new level. Marketing Plan Product Bare Escentuals, Inc. is one of the innovative cosmetic companies in the United States and the leader in mineral-based cosmetics. The first Bare Escentuals boutique opened its doors in 1976. Their all-natural and eco friendly approach with their minerals line, which was the first of its kind to launch in the industry, uses ground-up, earth-mined minerals and high percentages of botanical essences. This revolutionary makeup is the perfect mix of makeup and skincare. We will be starting out by putting our starter kit in a store, which consists of 4 powders and 4 brushes. This will give people a taste of the Bare Escentuals brand. This will be the starting point and we may further expand depending on the response of our Bangkok target market. BareMinerals Cosmetics: Is free of preservatives, talc, oil, fragrance and other potential skin irritants Is free of fillers and binders Is weightless Provides adjustable coverage-from light to full Will improve the condition of the skin over time All ages and skin types can benefit from bareMinerals, especially those concerned with skin sensitivities, allergies, scars, blemishes, rosacea, wrinkles and pigmentation. The foundation provides impeccable coverage for every skin type and skin tone, and also protects with a natural SPF 15 broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Makeup options are very limited for women in Bangkok, so bringing in not only a new makeup option but a revolutionary one at that should have a great response. Most woman want pale skin and need some sort of protection from sunlight in order to maintain a light skin complexion. Our product has SPF 15 built into the makeup itself which would prevent their skin from getting damaged and making their skin darker than they would want it. Also, the humid weather that is common in Bangkok makes normal makeup run off the face and requires one to completely redo their makeup. Our mineral makeup is soaked into the skin when applied and is made to withstand humid conditions and all day wear. Overall, our product provides women with not only a makeup, but a makeup that actually cares for their skin’s health. Pricing When pricing our product we are going to be using psychological pricing. Price has a psychological value. Buyers will buy a higher priced product because they believe that the high price is a good indicator of value. Their perception is not reality based, it is psychologically based, and therefore buyer behavior is affected by more than the product and price tangibles. Psychological pricing is based on factors such as signals of product quality, popular price points, and what the consumer perceives to be fair. Our product is a high end line of makeup and is considered to be a luxury good. It also is a new type of makeup for Bangkok and therefore they do not have a lot of other makeup to compare it to. For this reason, psychological pricing in combination with marketing and placement of our product, we create a certain worth for our product that gives our market an idea of the high quality and uniqueness of our cosmetics. The price of our product will be based on what our target market psychologically sees it as being worth through all of these things and in comparison with other prices of international cosmetics. We will be using a Revenue Maximization pricing strategy for our starter kit. We are seeking to maximize current revenue with less emphasis on profit margins. The underlying objective is to maximize long term profits by increasing market share and lowering costs. Thailand’s monetary unit is the Baht. 1 US dollar is equal to about 33. 37Baht. We are planning to sell our product for 59. 95 which is equal to about 1998. 3 Baht. The women of Thailand are willing to pay around 600 Baht for a tube of designer lipstick, which is around 20 US dollars. Also, usually a compact of makeup is approximately 1350 Baht which is around 45 US dollars. Our product includes 4 powders and 4 brushes, which more than accounts for the price we charge in comparison to other cosmetics. Also, our product is som ething that is new and very popular. International cosmetics are very popular in Thailand as they do not have a wide variety of makeup locally and they are not of very good quality. Breakdown of Pricing (per unit): Cost of Product : $15. 00 Logistics: $5. 00 Marketing: $10. 00 Total Cost: $30. 00 Retail Price of Product: $59. 95 Potential Profit: $29. 95 As you can see from our breakdown of pricing, we should be able to make a profit from the sale of this product. The cost of the actual product is relatively low and although marketing is a big cost for us it is well worth it and needed for the launch of this product in Bangkok because it is not currently sold there. Overall this should be a rather profitable operation. Promotion We plan on promoting and advertising our product through the use of magazines, billboards, tradeshows, and the internet. One of the main ways of advertisement in Bangkok is with magazines. We plan on placing ads in several of the major magazines like Elle Thailand and Narak, which is actually an online magazine in Bangkok. This will place our product in popular magazines so that people will be able to read a little about our product in order to get them curious enough to then come and try it out in stores. Also placement of our product’s advertisements in some of Bangkok’s most popular magazines will relate our products to what is â€Å"in† and in turn make people wonder what our products are all about. Also, we will advertise through the use of billboards in order to grab people’s attention and to draw them in to learn more about our brand. Mainly our product will shine when people are able to see our product in person where someone can show them how it actually works, but with the billboards we will get the bareMinerals name out there. Since this is most likely the first time many of these people have seen or heard about our product, our first step is just to get people to start asking questions and wanting to know more about us and our products. draw:frame} Though advertising through billboards and magazines will be part of promoting our product, one of the main ways we plan on getting our product out there is by having our product in one of the most well known cosmetic trade shows around Asia. In-Cosmetics has been at the forefront of the Asian cosmetics industry. Rotating between Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Korea, Thailand and Chine and attracting visitors from 59 different countries, the show has enabled many suppliers and buyers from across the continent to meet face to face. For this reason, In-cosmetics Asia is the perfect platform to help us launch and promote to a captive audience from throughout the region of Asia. There are many exhibitors that will be showing world known top quality brands of perfumes, cosmetics, hair care, skin care, toiletries, salon and spa products and equipment. In-Cosmetics Asia is the leading scientific, business and networking trade event for personal care ingredients in Asia. They rotate the region annually, and the show attracts finished product manufacturers keen to meet international ingredients exhibitors and features highly popular educational seminars. This tradeshow will get us in with some of the best cosmetics in Asia along with some very influential people and companies. This part of our promotion is what could give us that jump start along with a good outlet to possibly expand our business more later on in other parts of Asia. The tradeshow that In-cosmetics held in Singapore last year was attended by 2,202 qualified visitors. These are people who can get the bareMinerals name out there and have it be known by people in Asia, along with possibly wanting to put our product in a store near them. To further help us, this year’s In-cosmetics tradeshow will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This will put us in the perfect position for us to be in because our product should be in The Emporium by then and the tradeshow will be in town for everyone to really learn about our product. It will be a big exposure event for us. {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Placement {draw:frame} We are planning to be located in Bangkok, Thailand which is a key point on round-the-world air routes. It is the political, commercial, cultural, and transportation center of the country, with the only port that can accommodate oceangoing vessels. Specifically our product will be placed in The Emporium Department Store located in The Emporium of Bangkok. It is home to top local and international brands, local and visiting celebrities, and also Kateoy or â€Å"ladyboy† beauty consultants along with high society shoppers. The Emporium is like a polished magazine come to life. It has seven layers of shopper’s paradise, where the first three floors are dedicated solely to world-class, international designer fashions. The Emporium Department Store is a classic among malls of its kind, featuring deluxe fashion brands like Chanel. There is also a never ending Beauty Hall with porcelain faced experts who will consult and help customers like no other. The Beauty Hall is specifically where we will be located in the Department Store. In this space our product will have experts that will be able to show and tell customers what our mineral makeup is and how it works. This mall attracts our target market and will be the perfect outlet to sell our product from. The Emporium Department Store’s Beauty Hall draws in people who are looking for higher end international brands of makeup and are looking for that one-on-one help that this area offers. With this location we will be able to show people how to use and apply our makeup and show them the benefits while they are in the store. This location in itself will aide to the sales of our makeup especially because it is a new product, so many people may not know what it is or how exactly it works. By having a location that has personnel on hand just to help customers with the product we will be able to further spread the word of this new product to Bangkok’s women. Logistics Bare Escentuals, Inc. already has some global exposure in countries such as the US, UK, Japan, France, Germany, and Canada. They are able to deliver their cosmetic products through various distributors; however, wholesale distribution will be the only mean of distribution in Bangkok, Thailand. Due to Bare Escentuals’ company resources; it would be too costly to design a department within the company that would take care of making sure our products would arrive to their Bangkok retail destinations. Instead, a much more cost-effective and reliable option was chosen. Bare Escentuals will be outsourcing their full logistics strategy to APL Logistics, Ltd. APL Logistics offers a wide range of logistic services that include international logistic services. They also have a 250,000 sq. ft. facility located in Bangkok. From this facility, APL Logistics is able to warehouse and distribute products to retailers in the area. Almost half of APL Logistics’ operations come from transporting consumer products to retailers. It is evident that APL Logistics will provide Bare Escentuals with all of our logistic needs. APL Logistics will take our cosmetic products from the US, ship them overseas to Thailand, store them in their local Bangkok warehouse, and distribute our cosmetics products to local retailers of our choice. {draw:frame} Sales, net For our sales, net, we recognize total Bangkok’s population to be 11M with 70. 5% being between 15-64 years old, 35. 6% being women, and 54% considered to be middle-to-upper class. That gives us a total of 1,490,821 as our target market. However, not every single person in our target market will buy our product. We assume that about half of our target market (745,411) will buy our product. If our products cost each person $59. 95, our total sales would reach 44,687,389. However, returns are calculated in our sales, net. We assume that about 25% of our buyers will return our product. That leaves us with total sales, net of 33,515,542. We do not want to make more products than we expect to sell, but we also do not want to make fewer products than we expect to sell. Therefore, a median of 1,118,116 products will be made. Assuming that to make one product it costs us $15. Therefore, our cost of goods sold in Thailand is 16,771,740. Our gross profit is our sales, net minus our cost of goods sold. Selling, General, and Administrative Expense Our selling, general, and administrative costs include third-party fulfillment costs by APL Logistics, research and development costs, legal costs, and advertising costs. Budgets for all the following categories are as follows: 5,000,000, 500,000, 30,000, and 5,000,000 respectively. Depreciation and Amortization Bare Escentuals will not have to buy neither property nor equipment to operate in Thailand. Therefore, neither depreciation nor amortization related to Thailand’s operations will be recognized. Although our new operation in Thailand, may increase stock-based compensation in the US, no stock-based compensation in issued on the international level. No company restructuring will occur for our operation in Thailand to exist. Our operating income comes from our gross profit less all expenses incurred. Interest Expense All of our Thailand’s operations will be funded by Bare Escentuals. Therefore, no interest expenses will be incurred for our Thailand operations. No current debt has been recognized and no debt will be incurred to operate in Thailand. Other Income, net Other income, net decreases is attributable to foreign currency transaction losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the US dollar as compared to certain foreign currencies. Income B*efore* Provision of Income Taxes Provision of Income Taxes Thailand has 20% duty tax for finished goods that are brought into Thailand that we need to expense for. The 20% tax is taken from income before provision of income taxes. Net Income Net income comes from income before provision of income taxes minus provision of income taxes. Action Plan Marketing Strategy Marketing Objectives Increase product awareness among our target market Inform target market about the benefits of our product and its competitive advantage Decrease or remove potential customers' resistance to buying our product by promoting awareness on how mineral-based cosmetics are better than oil-based cosmetics Goal In the first five years of operation in Bangkok, Bare Escentuals’ hopes to reach at least 25% of our target market. Strategy Implementation TV advertising Print advertising Promote and demonstrate our product at health and beauty tradeshows Because consumers are frequently hesitant about buying a product they know little about, gaining the consumer’s confidence is crucial. We will create a marketing campaign that emphasizes the quality and value of our product while showcasing the benefits of using an all-natural product. We plan to carry out this plan in the beginning of the year with an advertising budget of $5 million. Potential Results Worst case scenario: 0% of our target market or 447,246 people will buy our product at $59. 95 Our cost of goods sold and expenses would be $27,301,740 Even before reaching net income on the financial statement, we have a deficit balance that would prevent us from further business transactions Regular case scenario: If the return of the product remained at 25%, about 186,353 buyers would return our product We would have an operating income of $6,213,802 E ven after reaching net income on the financial statement, we would have a sufficient operating income to continue to operate Best Case Scenario: 0% of our target market or 894,493 people will buy our product at $59. 95 If the return of the product remained at 25%, about 223,623 buyers would return our product Our cost of goods sold and expenses will be $27,301,740 We would have an high operating income of $12,916,901 Even after reaching net income on the financial statement, we would have a superior operating income that would allow us to continue to operate and perhaps start looking at other possible international markets Contingency Plan Bare Escentuals, Inc. ill expand into other foreign markets if we successfully sustain the growth in Thailand as we have in the United States. With careful consideration, we will focus on emerging markets for expansion. We need to look at cost and timing of expansion, economic climate, culture issues, and cash flow of our company. Our company will do ongoing research and rely on solid market analysis in maintaining sales and growth in these markets. If we see that we are not generating revenue or meeting our full potential in Thailand, we will better position ourselves successfully in the market. We will cut advertising costs, conduct research surveys, and focus groups to better determine the needs of our current target market. If we fail to sustain sales and increase market share, then we will be forced to stop selling our product at the Emporium in Bangkok. Though we have suffered a loss, we could develop new marketing strategies and put our focus on other foreign markets. 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