Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne Essay Example For Students

Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne Essay The past few weeks I have chosen to live and explore the album of The Carter 3 by Lil Wayne. I chose this album not because it is his best (personally enjoy the Carter 2 most) but because it is his album which received the most attention, so I want to look a little deeper into the albums origins and importance in hip-hop. Overall the purpose of this album is an attempt by Lil Wayne to show that he has risen to the top in todays conversation of best rappers. This album came out right after a string of great Lil Wayne mix-tapes that lasted about 2 years. We will write a custom essay on Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now There really is no debate on the commercial success of this album, with this being the most successful rap album in terms of sales since 2008. However I will attempt to answer whether this was just a very successful mainstream rap album or whether there is some meaning behind it. I will explore the album and then give a track by track breakdown on the most meaningful records. Lil Wayne grew up in Hollygrove, New Orleans a very poor neighborhood. He represents his home city as much as anyone else if not more, it is very important to him and references can be found in most of his material. In The Carter documentary Wayne refers to Hollygrove as what you may call a home/village, its my everything but you dont want to go there. He has always represented the South featuring with many other quality southern rappers like T. I. , Outkast, Young Jeezy and many more. However oddly his rapping style at times can seem very east coast with the rhyming and metaphors. His hometown is definitely present on the album, both New Orleans and Hollygrove are mentioned on the introduction track, where he grew up. Perhaps his most emotional song on the album, Tie My Hands is entirely about the downfall of his city. On the album he talks about wanting to make it out of the slums, this ghetto neighborhood but at the same time he has always been one of the few to represent New Orleans, and shows pride in doing so. The artwork on this album contains a picture of himself as a baby, similar to Illmatic and Ready to Die. It seems Wayne chose to copy this cover art style simply because he sees it as one his career defining albums. The best word to describe the beats on this album would be soulful. There are a few beats that are pop, a few quick paced but the rest are mainly soul, a nice change of pace from all the hard beats. I think that these type of beats were chosen because Wayne wanted his lyrics to feel sincere, truthful and clear. The beat selection had to do with both the artist and producer, for example there were 2 Kanye beats that were his typical soulful style. However when Wayne wanted to rap fast he had quick tempo beats. He had some very creative subject matter that required funky beats to go with it as well. In this album Lil Wayne is mainly reflecting on all the success that has led him to this point in his career, being one of the most successful rappers. He is seen bragging in tracks such as; 3 Peat, Mr. Carter, A Milli and Got Money. I believe that he has earned the right to brag because he came up from a struggle when he was young. As quoted from The Carter documentary, his father figure Birdman stated I wanted to give him hope, I know what it was like out on the streets and so I wanted to make the studio his streets, we were in the studio all day. Some meaningful political content can be found on the album which I will discuss later on tracks such as Tie My Hands and Dontgetit. Lil Wayne remains on point with his lyrics, he keeps a tight original flow and is able to tie words together in a very creative manner, giving his lyrics multiple hidden meanings. Aside from the albums message that Wayne has now made it to the top as one of the greatest rappers, I believe the album serves for one other critical purpose. The power of this album, the weirdest part, is that it was extremely successful yet the content is not characteristic of mainstream rap. There is some very strange and innovative content that is typically not found on the radio. Songs like Mrs Officer (wanting to screw a female police officer), Phone Home (basically stating he is an alien) and Dr Carter (portraying the role of a doctor) are material you would never expect to find on a mainstream rap album. I think that Lil Wayne wanted to break the barriers of what a regular commercial rap album should contain, content wise. With this album he achieved something special, he rapped about content that is normally too weird and confusing to be mainstream but became very successful anyways. Tha Carter 3 was in opposition to most of modern rap, it shuts down the idea that a successful rap album must be approached in a specific manner, format. While the album does contain a couple pop singles to appeal to the masses, the artist seems to stay true to himself. He approaches the content in a courageous way, with his own originality and bizarre lyrics. In the documentary Wayne said he wanted the album to be full of the best rap, best songs and not just what you look for now, not only did he want to inspire other rappers but he wanted to inspire artists from other genres to do way more, push the limits. .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .postImageUrl , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:hover , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:visited , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:active { border:0!important; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:active , .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0 .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua5c88cc25a4981889e00a1fbde2d2bf0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Music and Musicians in the Buena Vista Social Club EssayThis is where the true power of the album lies, in its creativity and message to other artists to not do it the conventional way. In terms of criticism towards the album, I would say it lacks a bit of meaningful content. The track list flows smoothly, it is very balanced with all sorts of creative style and content but from such a good rapper you would just expect there to be a little more meaning behind it. I will now breakdown most of the track list while focusing on the songs that demonstrate the albums originality and meaningful content. Track by Track Breakdown 3 Peat The introduction track opens up with They cant stop me, even if they stopped me. Meaning even if he was killed, he has made it and his music will live on. This track is all about establishing where he is in hip-hop. You cant get on my level, you would need a space shuttle or a ladder thats forever. This song is Wayne bragging he is at the top now, in his typical creative ways. The next few tracks are very similar in message. The tracks remain lyrically very creative (metaphors, 1 liners etc). However they dont have much meaning behind them, they are all of the braggadocio style as well. Mr Carter is seen as a track where Jay Z is sort of passing the hip-hop torch down to Wayne as one of the best. A Milli and Got Money are about the financial success he has achieved, one delivered in a freestyle the other in a pop style. Comfortable This next track is emotional, a soulful beat produced by Kanye. It is about a girl in his life being replaceable, hence the title do not get too comfortable. This is a rare moment where Wayne actually brings himself down a level and shows vulnerability. I think the meaning behind this song applies to the girl but hip-hop as well. He believes he is at the top but knows that he can be replaceable, this motivates him to work hard and maintain a great work ethic to stay at the top. Dr Carter This track is probably the most creative on the album, the song is one large metaphor. In fact Talib Kweli even called it one of the best rap songs hes ever heard. In recent times some of the older rappers have claimed hip-hop is dying. Wayne responds to this notion by acting as a doctor for hip-hop. In this song Wayne is treating patients (rappers) the first 2 verses and he loses the rappers because of their weak flow, style, originality etc. The last verse he is able to save the patient who he reveals is hip-hop, I can only see flow his blood starting to flow, His lungs starting to grow this ones starting to show, Strong signs of life wheres the stitches heres the knife, Smack his face his eyes open I reply What a night, Welcome back hip hop I saved your life. This is Wayne showing that hip hop is not dead, it just needs to be freshened up, artists need to me more creative and innovative with their work. The song is a creative way to challenge other rappers to get out their comfort zone and think of new ideas that havent been done in the past. Tie My Hands Tie My Hands is the track on the album with the most meaningful content, there is a lot to take in. The subject matter is negative but Wayne finds a way to inspire at the same time. This track is about the effect Hurricane Katrina had on his city, New Orleans. That tragedy came, knocked everyone down but Wayne promises to fight on. This is not the first time he addressed this subject matter, as he also talked about George Bushs negative reaction in the song Georgia Bush. He speaks from the heart and talks about how his city of New Orleans received very little help during Hurricane Katrina, specifically from the local and national government and George Bush. It gets even more specific implying that the African-American population was oppressed (because they were poor and unimportant). I knock on the door, hope isnt home, Fates not around the lucks all gone. This is a personification of what a victim would need to get through a tragedy but of course none of those were present. Take away the football team, the basketball team, And all we got is me to represent New Orleans, shit, No governor, no help from the mayor, Just a steady beating heart and a wish and a prayer, lets pray. Following Hurricane Katrina both the citys sports teams actually relocated because of poor conditions. Wayne really was the last major symbol to represent New Orleans but the essence of the art of MCing lies in empowerment and strength(Alsalman 29) and so he showed pride and courage even in a time of tragedy. Naturally as I saw all the criticism towards the government I had to research more on it. The criticism of the situation mainly consisted of the governments mismanagement and lack of leadership in their effort to help the city afterwards. Specifically that any help for the flooding of New Orleans was very delayed, and that citizens were left hopeless for days. .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .postImageUrl , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:hover , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:visited , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:active { border:0!important; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:active , .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7ef726f0ab8c6284f16048d4688e51ef:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Benefits Of Music Education Essay PaperGeorge Bush was specifically criticized for not caring about the black people, this being one of the reasons the city received little and late help (Thevenot). This is not just Wayne taking the matter to heart, his criticism is actually justified because many people died after the Hurricane from exhaustion, thirst and violence, all things that could have been prevented with timely and proper treatment. It is great to see Lil Wayne tackle controversial subject matter, bring hip-hop back to its routes, he shows the effect it can have when a public figure stands up to injustices. Let The Beat Build This is the other Kanye produced tr ack that is once again soulful. This and A Milli are the songs where Wayne spits the hardest. In this track he builds up and breaks down his flow, switching up styles each verse dramatically. This song stays in touch with the creative theme of the album, as he is literally telling other rappers how to flow on a beat, to be original and to switch up your style to stay fresh. Dontgetit The outro on this album is about 10 minutes and leaves you thinking about some of the injustices in America. The song starts off by Wayne saying he is misunderstood, he does good in his life but he is complicated so most people dont understand him. Then after about 3 minutes he stops rapping to talk over the beat for a 6 minute rant. In this rant he dives into political content, talking about the hood compared to the suburbs and white people compared to black. He says that police are always driving around the hood because this is where the drugs are found. Wayne tackles this issue of racism and explains the reason for why most of the Americans in jail are black and/or drug dealers. We probably only selling the crack cocaine just because we in the hood, And its not like the suburbs, We dont have the things that you have, Why, I really dont want to know the answer, I guess we just misunderstood uh, yeah, You know we dont have room in the jail Now for the real motherfuckers, the real criminals, you know, Sex offenders, rapists, serial killers, shit like that. Wayne shows that it really is a misunderstanding, they are dealing drugs to get to the suburbs. Kids from the hood dont have the normal benefits of 2 parents, a nice home or even good school systems, so sometimes there are no other options left if they want to succeed, make it out the hood. With that being said now the jails are filled with harmless criminals and the real, dangerous criminals are free, a true misunderstanding. The second part of this rant deals specifically with another individual, Al Sharpton a well-known politician/activist. As I did not know much about the individual I did some research on him. In this research I found that Sharpton sometimes speaks his mind just to gather lots of attention on controversial subjects (Farber). Al Sharpton took a shot at rappers saying they degrade woman and Lil Wayne responded on his album, a voice that would certainly be heard. Wayne stated that Sharpton would rather speculate than look at the facts and form an opinion, that he does not have good humanity. He concludes that Sharpton is no Jessie Jackson, no MLK, that although he a civil right activist because of his inhuman behaviour he is a nobody to him. He then ends the song with saying he loves being misunderstood because he lives in the suburbs but comes from the hood. This song shows how Wayne has grown as an artist and is not afraid to tackle controversial subject matter. That perhaps he is most suitable to open peoples eyes on these controversial subjects because he has lived in both perspectives, he has been poor and rich. Ultimately Wayne loves his country and is trying to create peace by showing both sides to the story and trying to help the general population understand. He brings it back to the beginning of hip-hop, trying to make a difference and inspire the next generation, The intersection between Hip-Hop and politics has empowered a generation of youth to believe that they not only have the right but maybe even an obligation to make a difference in their world (Alsalman 42). Bibliography: Alsalman, Yassin. The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe. S.l.: Write or Wrong/Paranoid Arab Boy Pub., 2011. Print. The Carter Documentary. Dir. Adam Bhala Lough. Perf. Lil Wayne. 2009. DVD. Farber, M. A. Sharpton: Champion or Opportunist? The New York Times. The New York Times, 23 Feb. 1988. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. Thevenot, Brian, and Gordon Russell. Reports of Anarchy at Superdome Overstated. Nation World. N.p., 26 Sept. 2005. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.

Labor Dispute Essays

Labor Dispute Essays Labor Dispute Essay Labor Dispute Essay Lana submitted a letter to the General Director of PH Limited stating hat her conflict with her supervisor Is extremely serious and she could not face him at work; and thus requested to be transferred to other Dillon of the company. While waiting for response of the General Director, Ms. Lana took 10 days off without 25 August 2013, Ms. Lana returned to the office after receiving a request to attend a disciplinary meeting. The meeting was participated by all participants required by the law. After the meeting, Ms. Lana received a layoff decision for reasons of breach of working discipline of the company. Ms. Lana disagreed with decision of the Company. Dispute between the parties arise. Discuss the following issues: (a) Does the above mentioned dispute is labor dispute? Why? (b) The dispute shall be settled by which institution or organization pursuant to the labor law? Why? QUESTION 5 Ms. Hung, a 17 years old lady decided that she wanted a smaller turned-up nose. She called the best plastic surgeon in town, Dry. Long, and made an appointment to have the procedure done on her 18th birthday. Two weeks prior to the day of the operation, she went to Dry. Long office for the preoperative visit. Ms. Hung was given some papers to sign. One of the documents was entitled Consent and Release of All Claims. Among other things, the document states that plastic surgery is a difficult process and that the patients satisfaction is not guaranteed; and patient shall irrevocably releases Dry. Long from any claims for his failure to achieve the appearance desired by patient and medical malpractice. Ms. Hung signed the document, without reading it carefully, and paid the doctors VEND 17,500,000 fee for the operation. 2 She had the operation. However, Ms. Hung has not gotten the cute turned up nose that she had hoped for. Ms. Hung demands her money back and Dry. Long refuses to refund it citing the language of the Consent and Release of All Claims that Ms. Hung signed. In the inevitable lawsuit that will follow, who will prevail and why? Discuss. You should include the following in your discussion.

Factoid and Tabloid

Factoid and Tabloid Factoid and Tabloid Factoid and Tabloid By Maeve Maddox My use of the word factoid in the sense of â€Å"a little fact† in a recent post earned me considerable disapproval from my readers. Here are just two examples: Really, Maeve, â€Å"FACTOID?!?† So you mean to say you are lying to us? You mean to say those are not facts, but, like asteroids or humanoids, merely things that have the APPEARANCE of them?   its like seeing Superman jaywalk. I wanted to cry Say it aint so, Maeve! I apologized in the comments for using factoid in this way. I did not try to justify my use by referring to this secondary definition in Merriam-Webster: â€Å"a briefly stated and usually trivial fact.† As has been stated numerous times on this site, by both writers and readers, â€Å"But, it’s in the Dictionary!† is no justification for using a word irresponsibly. Writer Norman Mailer coined the term factoid by adding the suffix -oid to fact. The suffix -oid is used chiefly in science to form nouns meaning â€Å"something having the form or appearance of; something related or allied in structure, but not identical.† A factoid, therefore, resembles a fact but is not to be relied upon as being completely factual. Bottom line, speakers who care about maintaining useful distinctions will agree with the astute blogger who wrote this in 2010: It seems to me to be the waste of a good word to use  factoid  with the sense of â€Å"brief factual item† when it provides such a useful word for the half-truths and opinions that pass for â€Å"facts† in much of the media. We already have the word  trivia  for â€Å"a trivial, or little-known fact.† Actually, that’s probably not the bottom line. Defend the â€Å"true† meaning of factoid as we might, the word’s meaning has begun to evolve. Some words, despite efforts to make them mean only one thing, take on a life of their own–even in the speech of those who initially resist the change. The more one hears a word used with new meanings, the easier it is to forget the meaning it started with. The word tabloid is a case in point. Like factoid, the word tabloid is a coinage. It was trademarked in 1884 as a brand name for a small, flat, compressed piece of a medicinal substance: a medicine tablet. In 1903, the manufacturers brought suit against druggists who were calling their own tablets â€Å"tabloids.† The company not only lost their suit, the defendants succeeded in reversing the word’s trademark status. Here’s the ruling: The word Tabloid has become so well-knownin consequence of the use of it by the Plaintiff firm in connection with their compressed drugs that I think it has acquired a secondary sense in which it has been used and may legitimately be used so long as it does not interfere with their trade rights. I think the word has been so applied generally with reference to the notion of a compressed form or dose of anything. After the court decision, tabloid lost its capital T and was used generically to mean anything that provided a lot of value in a small package: The small speedy Sopwith biplane has been nicknamed the ‘Tabloid’ because it contains so many good qualities in such small compass. –Aeroplane, 1913. When gossipy newspapers with pages half the size of standard newspapers came into vogue, they were called tabloids. Because the content of tabloid newspapers is deliberately scandalous and irreverent, the word has given birth to tabloid as an adjective meaning sensationalistic, and tabloidy, meaning trashy. Not only is factoid now in wide use with the meaning â€Å"a minor fact,† it has taken on a new meaning in the realm of industrial trade shows. I found a reference to â€Å"product factoids† on a Cardiovascular Research Foundation site: A product factoid is a PowerPoint presentation of product and/or treatment specs. These could include product size, product profile, and approval status. CRF has designed PowerPoint templates specific to each product or treatment category. Here’s a link to the article by the astute blogger quoted above: â€Å"What’s a Factoid?† As regards my own lapse, The only thing faster than the speed of thought is the speed of forgetfulness. Good thing we have other people to help us remember.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œVera Nazarian. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Difference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"Ebook, eBook, ebook or e-book?

Identifying a Researchable Problem Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Identifying a Researchable Problem - Assignment Example The safety of nurses from places of work inflicted injuries and diseases are crucial to not only the nurses, but also to the patients, they take care of. The existence of healthy and amply rested caregivers is important in providing cautious monitoring, compassionate patient care, and spirited advocacy. Various workplace stressors that have been identified that can result in illnesses and injuries are present in nursing working environments. Some of these stressors include characteristics of the organization, changes taking place in both the external and internal environment of the health care industry and factors related to immediate work context. Research on better ways to improve the health and safety of nurses at the workplace is bound to reduce the accidents, injuries and illnesses that most health care givers are exposed to while handling their patients. If nurses maintain good health care and safety for themselves, there is a likelihood that the workers turnover in the industry is likely to reduce hence holding an economic benefit for the healthcare organizations. (Fabre, 2009) In addition, if people in the health care industry finally realize how big of a threat nurses safety poses, then they are likely to put more effort on training nurses on the best practices to ensure their safety. The information collected on the problem will also help in educating people in the profession on the possible risks and health challenges they face. The dangers of nursing work can damage health both intensely and in the long term. The quality of care rendered by nurses is determined by unique nurse attributes such as information and expertise, as well as social factors such as exhaustion. In addition, the environment in which nurses operate in, which does not only include the number of staff, but also the requirements of all the patients a

Fast Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fast Food - Essay Example More significantly, many American public health experts and policymakers have latched onto these rather narrow cross-sectional and time-series correlations in order to promote policies to discourage eating out at fast food restaurants, to demand that fast food restaurants alter or eliminate food inputs such as trans fats in New York City, and have even demanded special zoning regulations to protect vulnerable populations from the fast food predators. In order to determine the validity of the ostensibly well-established causal relationship, and by implication the theoretical legitimacy of the laws and regulations subsequently advocated and implemented, the authors tested the well-established correlation by reversing the research question; more specifically, the new question became whether "more restaurants cause obesity, or do preferences for greater food consumption lead to an increase in restaurant density" (Anderson & Mata, 2007: 1). In short, is the core source of obesity caused b y predatory fast food businesses or, rather, by individual or demographic preferences The authors created a research model that manipulated the costs of eating at a fast food outlet (through an availability model where different costs were associated with travel distances) and then examined the effect on the body mass of an American consumer. In this way, the research design sought an alternative explanation for obesity, that individual preferences attracted fast food outlets rather than fast food outlets preying on irrational consumers, and the findings tended rather strongly to confirm the authors' skepticism regarding conventional wisdom. The data obtained suggested that "the causal link between the availability of... As a preliminary matter, the authors conceded that â€Å"Well-established cross-sectional and time-series correlations between average body weight and eating out have convinced many researchers and policymakers that restaurants are a leading cause of obesity in the United States† (Anderson & Mata, 2007: 1). This simplistic analysis thus holds that the more an American eats out at fast food restaurants the more obese an American tends to become. More significantly, many American public health experts and policymakers have latched onto these rather narrow cross-sectional and time-series correlations in order to promote policies to discourage eating out at fast food restaurants, to demand that fast food restaurants alter or eliminate food inputs such as trans fats in New York City, and have even demanded special zoning regulations to protect vulnerable populations from the fast food predators. In order to determine the validity of the ostensibly well-established causal relationsh ip, and by implication the theoretical legitimacy of the laws and regulations subsequently advocated and implemented, the authors tested the well-established correlation by reversing the research question; more specifically, the new question became whether â€Å"more restaurants cause obesity, or do preferences for greater food consumption lead to an increase in restaurant density?† (Anderson & Mata, 2007: 1). In short, is the core source of obesity caused by predatory fast food businesses or, rather, by individual or demographic preferences? The authors created a research model that manipulated the costs of eating at a fast food outlet (through an availability model where different costs were associated with travel distances) and then examined the effect on the body mass of an American consumer. In this way, the research design sought an alternative explanation for obesity, that individual preferences attracted fast food outlets rather than fast food outlets preying on irrat ional consumers, and the findings tended rather strongly to confirm the authors’ skepticism regarding conventional wisdom. The data obtained suggested that â€Å"the causal link between the availability of restaurant foods and obesity is minimal at best. Manipulating the distance to the nearest restaurant using Interstate Highway proximity as an instrument demonstrates that restaurants have no significant effect on BMI or overweight status† (Anderson & Matsa, 2007: 24).

The Vikings Rise and Fall of the Norse Sea Kings by Poertner Rudolf Essay Example for Free

The Vikings Rise and Fall of the Norse Sea Kings by Poertner Rudolf Essay The book brings to life the vital, expanding Norse civilization that dominated the western world between 800 and 1100 A.D.   During the late 800s, Harald Fairhair was trying to unite Norway under his rule.   Before he came to power, chieftains ruled over different areas of what is now Norway.   There were many people who disagreed with Harald and many battles ensued where the chieftains lost.   Under Harald, chieftains had to give up their titles.   The forced unification of Norway threatened their hereditary rights and burdened them with taxes (Poertner 54).   People who would not stand for this fled Norway and settled on islands off the coast of Norway and invaded Norway.   The Vikings left Scandinavia as a result of a population growth and a general famine in Europe, farmland began to become scarce.   Hearing that Iceland had good land, the people left.   Although many parts of the island were not habitable due to volcanoes and ice fields, there were areas that had many attractive qualities.   These qualities made coming to Iceland an easy decision to a lot of people.   By 930 all the good land was occupied and the population of Iceland was about 30,000 (Poertner 55). This leads us to the settlement of Greenland.   After being banished from Norway, and then Iceland for murders he committed. Erik the Red decided to search for land in the west.   He had already heard stories of what would later be called Greenland so he knew it was out there.   He spent three years there and lived by hunting and fishing.   When he went back to Iceland he told everyone about the place he named Greenland which had good pasture land and good hunting. In the year 986 he and twenty-five shiploads of settlers set sail for Greenland.   Only fourteen ships arrived safely on Greenland due to storms at sea. Within a year or so after the settlers came to Greenland, the first known sighting of America was made by a European.   Bjarni Herjolfsson was sailing from Iceland to Greenland when he was blown off course, within sight of America.   He saw three places but did not stop anywhere until he got to Greenland.   Erik the Reds son, Leif Eriksson eventually bought Bjarnis ship and sailed in search of the land that Bjarni had seen.   The first place Leif stopped at was flat and stony.   He called Helluland. The second place he stopped at was a wooded area he called Markland.   The third place was the one place he stayed, calling it Vinland.   He was very pleased with it and told of a land where rivers overflowed with salmon, the grass did not wither in the frostless winter, and there was an enormous amount of timber, something that was lacking in both Greenland and Iceland.   After spending a winter in Vinland, Leif and his crew return to Greenland where they tell of their exploration loaded down with timber and grapes (Poertner 60). Leifs brother Thorvald made the next journey to Vinland with a crew of thirty.   He is the first European known to have met a native.   The explorers killed eight natives whose people later attack the explorers and Thorvald was killed in the attack.   The explorers left.   Thorfinn Karlsefni then went to Vinland with his wife, Gudrid,   and others, hoping to make a permanent settlement. That ended the settlements in Vinland.   The skirmishes with the natives may have made the Vikings feel threatened.   The settlements of Greenland also died out, but for many more reasons.   The Little Ice Age began and once fertile land turned to ice, and what soil that did not turn to ice eventually just gave out.   The cattle and crops began to waste away.   There was also competition with the Eskimos for marine game.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For historian buffs this book is excellent and easy to follow.   The book was up to date for that time and I enjoyed the book very much.   The Author is Scandinavian or German and the book was translated into English. I tried to find information on the author but was unsuccessful in the time I had.   I recommend this book to any Viking or Norse buff.

Thomas Jefferson Essays -- essays research papers

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. His terms lasted from the year 1801 to the year 1809. Jefferson was an American revolutionary leader as well as an influential political philosopher. Jefferson was among a group of the most brilliant Americans that resulted from the Enlightenment in Europe. Possibly one of the best writers during his time, Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson ¡Ã‚ ¦s status as a Virginia aristocrat gave him the two most important things to become an educated man, which was a difficult thing to become during that time. Those two things, time and the resources, allowed him to educate himself in history, literature, law, architecture, science, and philosophy. He also had a great deal of influence on his ideals that came directly from the European culture and thought because he had been a diplomat and friend of French and British intellectuals. Jefferson was born on the thirteenth day of April of the year 1743 at Shadwell in Goochland (now in Albemarle) Co., Virginia, which was at the time considered a western outpost and was to remain as Jefferson ¡Ã‚ ¦s lifelong home. He was the son of Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph Jefferson. His father, Peter, was a surveyor, a cartographer, and a plantation owner and he was also largely self-educated. His mother, Jane was from the prominent Rudolph family of colonial Virginia. Jefferson ¡Ã‚ ¦s intense interest in botany, geology, cartography, North American exploration, and love of Greek and Latin are due largely from his father and his surrounding environment out in the west where he also absorbed the democratic views of his Western countrymen. For several years, Jefferson studied at the local grammar and classical schools. After that, he entered the College of William and Mary in the year 1760. During his time at the college, he had become a close friend to three prominent residents of Williamsburg: William Small, George Wythe, and Francis Fauquier who was the lieutenant governor of the colony. Small was of the college faculty who Jefferson had studied under. Small had an in depth knowledge of the Scottish Englightenment and its approach to law, history, philosophy, and science. He had also introduced him to the natural sciences and to rational methods of inquiry. Wythe was of the Virginia bar. ... ...ge. Interest payments from the final settlement finally made the total price $27,267,622. Despite the scruples that Jefferson had about the purchase being constitutional or not, his other fears that Napoleon would change his mind because of Livingston ¡Ã‚ ¦s reports and from the overwhelming public approval of the Louisiana Purchase, except for most of New England, eventually overcame him and he approved. After the United States Senate ratified the treaty in October of that same year, the flag of the United States was raised over New Orleans on the twentieth of December. Even though the United States had purchased a great deal of land, it was still unclear. The wording of the treaty was vague and the boundaries were not clearly described. Also, the fact that the United States was to also own West Florida, which was suppose to be considered part of Louisiana was not assured. Despite that the final boundaries of the territory were not settled for many years, the boundaries roughly extended form the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to British North America. The total purchase had doubled the national domain, increasing it 2,144,500 square kilometers.

Amazon Business Practices Essay

Abstract This paper provides strategic research for Amazon.com, starting with the vision and mission statements and an external assessment of the competitive forces using the Porter Five Forces model. Also included in this research is an evaluation of the intensive strategies used by Amazon in the areas of market penetration, market and product development. Additionally, a SWOT Analysis is provided with the recommended five-year corporate strategy. Strategic Research Project for Amazon.com Amazon. com, an internet merchandise selling giant founded by Jeff Bezos, opened its virtual doors to its online store in July 1995. The company was incorporated in 1994 in the state of Washington and reincorporated in 1996 in Delaware. The Company’s principal corporate offices are located in Seattle, Washington. Amazon.com completed its initial public offering in May 1997, and its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol AMZN. (Amazon.comFAQ) Mission and Vision Statement The mission/vision statement of the company is very simple and direct â€Å"Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.† However it still manages to meet many of the characteristics of an effective mission/vision statement; (1)Customers, it intends to the most customer centric company on earth. (2)Product or services; It is broad and no specific about any particular service or product. (3)Markets; Amazon intends to build a place where people can find anything they want to buy  online. (4)It is very brief. The entire statement and vision is summed up in 2 sentences. Overall the company is accomplishing their mission and realizing their vision. Amazon is a global company and their name has become associated with online buying. â€Å"Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon.com) serves consumers through its retail Websites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. The Company’s four customer sets include consumers, sellers, enterprises and content creators. It also manufactures and sells Kindle devices. It offers programs, which enable sellers to sell their products on its Websites and their own branded Websites and to fulfill orders through it.† (Amazon.comINC, 2012) Competitive Analysis The industry that Amazon competes in is very competitive and changes quickly. An external assessment of the competitive forces using the Porter Five Forces model looks at; rivalry among the competitors, potential new competitors, potential substitute products and bargaining power for suppliers and consumers. (David, 2009). 1.Competitors; Amazon has branched in the world of tablets and is competing with Apple and Google, â€Å"the Kindle† is a direct competitor to Ipad. In the publishing and book world only Barnes and Noble is even comparable and Amazon is far more successful. In other areas Amazon is out performing its competitors like Walmart, Netflix also. (Amazon.comINC,2012)(Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, 2012) 2.New competitors; there are always new companies emerging in the internet retail business however Amazon has remained a giant and very profitable. (Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, 2012) 3.Potential Substitute products; innovation is the name of the game in the internet so Amazon always has the threat of â€Å"the next best thing† but they continue to be innovative as with their entry into the tablet world. 4.Bargaining power with Suppliers and consumers; Amazon is a relatively inexpensive way for suppliers to offer their product as well as a convenient one stop shop for consumers. Intensive Strategies Market penetration, market and product development are commonly referred to as intensive strategies. They require intense efforts if a firm intends to improve its competitive edge with its products. (David, 2009). A market penetration strategy attempts to increase the market share of current  products. Amazon has a healthy balance sheet and is positioned to benefit from the continued shift in commerce from offline to online. Retail bankruptcies could continue to shift sales online. (Forbes.com 2012) A market development strategy involves introducing current products into new geographic areas. Amazon is experiencing growth in its international sales and is leveraged to two of the fastest growing platforms on the Internet, online search, and the Chinese e-Commerce market. A product development strategy seeks to increase sales by improving or changing present products. Amazon introduces Amazon Prime, a membership site for loyal customers that offers faster shipping of products and through a deal with Marshall Cavendish, one of the world’s leading book publishers and classroom digital solutions providers, Amazon has acquired over 450 titles of its US Children’s trade books business, a move that will allow expansion into picture books, chapter books and Young Adult novels. SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, which provides information to analyze and evaluate the organizations strengths and weaknesses, is presented for Amazon.com. This is widely used as a strategy formulation technique and to help in identifying the most beneficial targets and strategies to pursue. Strengths: Brand recognition, an industry leader in online sales. Customers’ satisfaction, very loyal; Diversified, large variety of products, profitable business model, offered in different geographical markets. Weaknesses: Free shipping and all delivery is outsourced. Multiple competitors, Consumer demand can trigger losses in revenue. International markets and currency, time to deliver versus a local bookstore Opportunities: Expanding geographical markets, advances in technology, new products (â€Å"the kindle†), increased suppliers. Threats: Competitors, the e-commerce field evolves rapidly and is highly competitive, companies such as EBay, Wal-Mart, Google and Yahoo. Lack of inventory to meet demand, no control over suppliers and delivery services, weakened economies foreign and domestic. Conclusion Despite all of the constant competitors that Amazon faces for its current and future market share it continues to make a profit. With of constant  evolution current business practices and continued innovation of new ones, Amazon should maintain its lead on its nearest competitors. I believe further expansion into international markets as well as more collaboration with other firms such as Microsoft to insure that its new innovations and products are main-stream, will continue to be profitable. References Amazon’s Competitive Advantage, Growth Opportunities Make It A Buy, (2012, 20 Jul) Seeking Alpha.com Retrieved from: http://seekingalpha.com/article/735201-amazon-s-competitive-advantage-growth-opportunities-make-it-a-buy Amazon FAQs, Amazon.com Retrieved from: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-faq#14296 Amazon.com INC, (2012, 04 Dec) New York Times Online Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/amazon_inc/index.html AMAZON.COM INC (NASDAQ: AMZN) Buy/Hold/Sell Analysis, Forbes.com Retrieved from: http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/BuyHoldSellAnalysis.do?tkr=AMZN David, F. R. Strategic management concepts (12th ed.), 2009 Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Johnson, Mark W (2010, 12 April) Amazon’s Smart Innovation Strategy, Bloomberg Businessweek Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2010/id20100412_520351.htm Order It Online, And†¦ Voilà  , (2012, 3 December) Wall Street Journal Online Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324712504578133602774225678.html?KEYWORDS=amazoncom#articleTabs%3Dvideo SWOT Analysis of Amazon, (2010, 9 September) MBA Lectures Retrieved from: http://mba-lectures.com/marketing/swot-analysis-marketing/1157/swot-analysis-of-amazon-com.html

Purchasing and Supply Management Essay

1.0 Introduction Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation (KFC) was the world’s largest chicken restaurant chain and third largest fast-food chain. KFC held over 55 percent of the U.S market in terms of sales and operated over 10,200 restaurants worldwide in 1998. KFC first opened in Australia 1968. Present day KFC now serves over 2million customers a week. With over 600 stores Australia wide. This report will aim to analyse and critique KFCs purchasing and supply management activities. In particular the legal, ethical, sustainability and social responsibility issues in purchasing and supply management, as well as supplier selection, evaluation and contracting methods. This report will provide an in-depth analysis of the purchasing methods and hope to show areas open for continuous improvement through changes in supply management and purchasing initiatives. 1.1 Background of KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation (KFC) was the world’s largest chicken restaurant chain and third largest fast-food chain. KFC held over 55 percent of the U.S market in terms of sales and operated over 10,200 restaurants worldwide in 1998. http://www.scribd.com/doc/53764758/Supply-Chain-Management-of-KFC. Since opening in Australia KFC has become ever growingly popular throughout the years, Though in recent times it has seen a gradual downfall which many believe is due to the sudden boom in healthy food options. Due to this boom KFC has seen numbers drop and other fast food outlets like subway have increased. Since then KFC has implemented a few pro environment social responsibilities initiatives such as â€Å"Ditching the palm oil contract† and opening its first ever energy efficient restaurant. When it comes to purchasing methods and supply management however there is always room for continuous improvement which is what this report aims to analyse. 1.1.1 Objectives & Goals One of the major objectives of KFC that they run their campaign in such a way that KFC creates and image in the minds of customers that customers want to go in KFC and will be the first choice for the customers. KFC wants to become the first choice because its they become the first choice it is excellent for the health of the KFC business because if business is expands then there is eliminate scope and the opportunity to get the maximum profit and utility. The Corporation has a vision KFC’s vision is to bring people of all ages, races and backgrounds together to enjoy ‘Soul Food’ – ‘proper food at reasonable prices’ – within bright and fun interiors. KFC is designed to be perceived as a fun and inclusive brand (KFC, 2011). 2. Purchasing and Supply chain management In Recent years with a ever growing shift towards more environmental approach for multi national companies especially fast food giants, KFC has come under much scrutiny with such happenings as the Indonesian chicken antibiotics incident 2013, Green peace packaging incident when claims were made KFC packaging is coming from Indonesian forest in 2012 and the free roam chicken incident 2011 where KFC quickly removed its free range chicken advertising after an investigation was launched into its suppliers.http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/kfc-pulls-free-roam-ads-after-watchdog-bites-chicken-suppliers-20110913-1k7tj.html. All these instances sparking world news articles and putting immense pressure on brand name and reputation in the global market, this all comes down to the purchasing and supply management. At the moment KFC purchasing and supply management are running at a low risk and avoiding any anticipated supply bottlenecks and building long term supplier relations. Though in today’s extremely competitive and lucrative market this is no longer enough, one option is to reposition the purchasing supply management within the organisation to make a globally acceptable change towards a more environmentally friendly purchasing and supply methods. This could be achieved by shifting towards a more hybrid structure with better global sourcing councils or corporate purchasing and steering committees and by shared resources between distributors and suppliers and possible implementation of fixed price incentives contracting. 2.1 Ethical standard Kentucky Fried Chicken is very keen about ethical standards both within and without the company as asserted by their company representatives. For instance the company is strict about is vendor engagements. Before a supplier can secure a contract with Kentucky Fried Chicken, they have to comply to similar ethical standards as KFC. This means that the supplier must not utilise under age labour to producer their commodities, they must pay fair wages and must also avoid placing harmful chemicals in their commodities. These concepts have governed the way KFC chooses other business partners too; they include contractors and manufacturers. One option here is to implement contractual renewals and to review the contract specifications annually with regards to global market and ever-changing ethical ideologies. This could see that KFC is the leader in ethical and social responsibilities, however could bee seen to add significant economic costs, which could be made up in brand name value and co mmunity awareness. 2.2 supplier section & Evaluation KFC Australia franchise boasts that 97% of its chickens are delivered fresh not frozen, And that all of the chickens are allowed to grow naturally without any additives such as hormones or stediods, they source chickens from reputable Aussie suppliers like Inghams, steggles and baiada.http://www.kfc.com.au/kfc-australia/ In Australia in particular there is a ever growing trend for local fresh produce and this is showing through all major supermarkets. Just 10 years ago there were no farmers markets in SA or Victoria now there are more then 70 held regularly. (http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/165974/safood_consumers_report.pdf) This trend has since had a knock on affect to the fast food industry and suppliers. With a majority of the main fast food distributors now moving to local markets and produce in hope to boost brand name whilst showing corporate responsibility and intern create profit margins for the company. Although KFC Australia already sources some of its supplies from local farmers there is more that could be done. One option could be to move towards a more local decentralized suppliers, though this would add logistical implications there is room to gain quality and cost through increased competition. Though considering huge infastrucal change that would  be need to implement this the best option is to build on the supplier relationship currently active and create a mutually beneficial agreement with the implementation of 2.2.1 Supplier performance monitoring & measurement (Supplier code of conduct)- http://www.kfc.com/about/supplier.asp KFC’s suppliers are all held to strict and stringent quality and control measures under contracts. Though this is a area that could be expanded on to create continuing control methods, as KFC is such a large name in the food industry and boast a reputable brand name. Such aspects as supplier quality monitoring and measurement really need to be looked at, currently it is up to the suppliers to monitor and measure their own quality. The importance of this was shown last year in shanghai when KFC cut over 1000 supplier contracts in Shanghai and their parent company â€Å"Yum† experienced a 6% market drop that year which was more then the 4% previously predicted due to high levels of antibiotics being found in the chicken. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/kfc-cuts-more-than-1000-suppliers-after-china-chicken-scare-2013-2 When it comes to food giants such as KFC emphasizing prevention over detection is a must and one must aim and reach almost zero defects as the fast food industry is one of the most competitive quality driven industries in Australia. One recommendation is to implement a quality control team that goes out and measures the quality and performance of each of the suppliers on a regular basis. This could also carry on to within the restaurants themselves as currently KFC only audits a set portion of their restaurants each year and quality could be improved by auditing all of the company’s venues at least annually. This could also provide vital supplier selection data and if collected and logged correctly a great monitoring and measurement system to judge suppliers by. 3. Means of Contracts 3.1 Means used for the obtaining of contracts KFC has many suppliers from which Pilgrims’ Pride supplies them the huge amount of chicken and those chickens then go for further process and then to be served into KFC restaurants all around the globe. KFC must convey proper steps and methods to evaluate suppliers and their material as suppliers affect the overall operation of KFC. Furthermore Suppliers must focus on  their improvement because if KFC is affected; they would be affected too. There are three means whereby KFC, obtains its supply contracts from the suppliers. These three means are mentioned below: Direct Purchase: KFC franchises sometimes purchase directly from the suppliers in case of urgent supplies or when there supplier cannot deliver on time due to some reasons. This is only temporarily to meet the urgent demand and allow the operations to run without any abruption. Quotations: The KFC management after going through and analysing the supply needs requests the suppliers to prepare their costing data and send a quotation for supplies of raw materials necessary for the operation of the restaurants. Tenders: This is a process where KFC invites tenders to all the suppliers of food products out there in the market. Whichever supplier meets the product specifications, quality assurance and the cost set by KFC, gets the contract to supply raw materials to the KFC restaurants. 3.2 Renewal, Termination Most KFC outlets are owned by the franchisees, which operate the restaurants in accordance with the license issued to them by the KFC. The License Term shall expire on the 20th anniversary of the opening date subject to earlier termination pursuant to the Agreement. Upon termination or expiration of the License, the Franchisee shall immediately discontinue use of all KFC trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, and know-how and processes developed and owned by KFC and shall immediately and at no cost to KFC remove signs, menu board inserts, point-of-sale material, red and white stripes and any characteristically designed roof from the Outlet and otherwise change its exterior and interior appearance so that it is no longer confusingly similar to a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet and no longer bears any KFC trademarks, service marks or trade names or designations or marks similar thereto. Renewal of Agreement; at the expiration of the term here of, Franchisee may extend this Agreement for successive ten (10) year periods, provided that at the time of expiration of the term hereof or the then current extended term: (a) Franchisee shall not have failed to remedy any breach specified by KFC. (b) Franchisee shall agree to make such capital expenditures as may be reasonably required to renovate and modernize the Outlet and its signs and equipment so as to reflect the image of Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. (c) If renovation and modernization of the Outlet is not possible or feasible, Franchisee shall relocate the outlet. (d) Franchisee shall execute a new license agreement on the form then being used by KFC, but without any increase in royalty fee or advertising (e) Franchisee shall not have engaged breaches of The Agreement within the preceding twenty-four 24 Months prior to renewal. In the contracting and franchising of KFC’s network the report has found that this is a efficient method of contracting and no economically feasible changes have been found that would be seen to improve or add value to business. Conclusion This report found on its analysis of KFC’s supply and purchasing network that there Is potential to increase sales and brand name and value whilst increasing social responsibility, Though the increase in environmental practices and local producer investments. By raising the local purchasing this could increase quality, and has potential to decrease lead-time. By going for a more green approach KFC could minimize brand name implications and negative media attention whilst increasing social responsibility. Reference KFC. (2011). ‘Official Website’, Retrieved From http://www.kfc.com.au/index.asp

Jozefow essays

Jozefow essays There is no doubt that during Hitlers reign in Germany, someone killed Jews. Someone ordered the killings, someone organized the killings and someone killed them. Is there a difference in these someones? For many years there has been controversy surrounding the extermination of the Jews during the Nazi era. People were tried and convicted for their involvement: some of them denied their contribution, others appeared neutral, and still others were proud of their involvement. These killers came from numerous nationalities, mixed political backgrounds, varied social/economic statuses, and age range. In the article ONE DAY IN JOZEFOW, Initiation to mass murder, the author, Christopher R. Browning, gives his reader an intriguing perspective into the mindset of men who were actually given a choice of whether or not to kill the Jews. Because his perspective only focuses on one specific event, his conclusions are, for the most part, not completely convincing. It is reasonable to be lieve that there was a stronger underlying force which caused otherwise normal people to become killers during the Nazi era, but Brownings use of minimal sources, skewed numbers and somewhat vague statements, causes the reader to feel they have been subjected to a micro-study with macro conclusions. Brownings article provides insight into a specific occasion in Jozefow, Poland, where Jews were murdered at point blank range by ordinary policemen. Of these policemen, some were drafted and some volunteered for one reason or another. This group, called Reserve Police Battalion 101, consisted of men around the age of 39 with only about 25 per cent of them belonging to the Nazi Party. (Browning, 304) After studying the court records of interrogations and trials of certain members of this police battalion, Browning discovered that these men were given a chance to reject the task of killing the Jews, yet the majority of t...

Bridges

Bridges Bridges Bridges By Maeve Maddox The bridge is one of the most basic human concepts. A tiny child playing with sticks and puddles knows to build a bridge. Not surprisingly, the word bridge, as both noun and verb, has found its way into numerous idioms and expressions. A bridge is a structure forming or carrying a road over a river, ravine, or the like in order to provide a passage between two points. The verb bridge is transitive. Literally, one bridges rivers and gaps: His first contract was to bridge the Monongahela River with an 8-span, 1500-foot-long bridge. The first effort to bridge the gap [between Patna and Sonepur] was Rajendra Setu in 1959. Figuratively, one bridges figurative gaps: 15 Ways to Bridge the Gap Between IT and Business Can Academics Bridge the Gap Between the Academy and the Mainstream Reading Public? Because bridges represent firm connections and safe passage, the noun bridge is used to denote anything that brings people of differing ideas and cultures together in a positive manner: Turkish language a bridge to understanding Service dogs provide a bridge for autistic children to connect with the world†¦ The noun bridge is also used to denote a transition or a cyber connection: With the electronic forms server, our paperless e-forms solution creates a bridge between forms and an ECM/EDM system, A Network Bridge is a hardware or a software [program] that connects two or more networks – maybe one a wired one and the other a wireless one – so that they can communicate with each other. An expression commonly heard in planning sessions is â€Å"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.† The meaning is that future problems must be dealt with as they arise. Sometimes it’s wise advice, but sometimes it’s an excuse for not planning for consequences. Here are two more bridge idioms: water under the bridge: something that has happened and cannot be changed. For example, these headlines: Cold War no longer water under the bridge as ships sail to Syria Toledo May Say That Its Water Under the Bridge, but Its Still Payback Time like painting the Forth Bridge: an endless task. The Forth Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in Scotland, is 8,296 feet long. The saying arose from the idea that by the time maintenance workers starting at one end of the bridge had finished painting it, the bridge would need repainting from the beginning. Here’s a recent use of the idiom: Keeping one of Perthshire’s most spectacular mountains in top condition is like â€Å"painting the Forth Bridge†, the expert in charge of its care has said. The most recent painting of the Forth Bridge took 400 men ten years to complete. This time they applied a triple layer of glass flake epoxy paint that is expected to last until about 2036. The card game called Bridge has nothing to do with the kind that spans water. The game is thought to have originated in the Near East. The game’s name of Bridge may be an alteration of a Turkish word called out during play. This illustration in the OED shows the use of a strange word used by English-speaking bridge players in the 19th century: The one declaring may, instead of declaring trumps, say ‘Biritch’, which means that the hands shall be played without trumps. J. Collinson Biritch 2  Ã‚  (1886). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†60 Synonyms for â€Å"Trip†English Grammar 101: Prepositions

Olaudah Equiano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Olaudah Equiano - Essay Example He was the youngest one in the family, which also had five brothers and another sister. At the age of eleven, he was kidnapped along with his sister by the slaveholders. From there, he was a sent to the islands of Barbados, located in the West Indies. After that, he was transferred to Virginia (Equiano, 39). He was a bought by a member of the Royal Navy called as Michael Pascal. After serving him, he ended up being given to a merchant named as Robert King. After working some years for him, he gained his independence. Equiano settled in London and became a vocal voice against the anti-slavery movement. By the year 1783, he was involved in the transfer of information to a lot of the anti-slavery campaigners. Some of his accounts of the slavery paint a picture of the trials and tribulations faced by the slaves. His book was published in the year 1789 and went through a large number of editions. It was a sensational event, as it covered a large fact base regarding the slave trade. Equian o has mentioned a number of events regarding the slave trade, with a description of the cruelties being suffered by them. It has been mentioned by him, that the slaves suffered from a host of tortures including the â€Å"iron muzzle†. His work has helped in explaining the atrocities committed by the slave owners. This has been one of the reference points for the history of slavery and the eventual abolition. ANALYSIS There has been a recent controversy about the origin of the author. He was one of the most accomplished English speaking writers of the age, coming from an African origin. There has been an emergence of some recent information from sources: that the birth records and other details of Olaudah Equiano  had discrepancies in them. One of the factors that were noticed as a part of the records, are the claims about the baptization at the Saint Margaret’s Church and the Arctic expedition. Some of the documents also cast a doubt on the veracity of the claims abo ut his birth. It is being researched that the place of birth was not current day Nigeria, but South Carolina. In an event of these factors being true, they cast a reasonable doubt on the genuine nature of the thesis; regarding the slave trade. If this has been a case of the wrong identity being used, it could cast a number of aspersions on the image of Olaudah Equiano. Some of the historical records have suggested the date of birth as 1747 and not the year 1745. Some of the authors have described this behaviour to be of a man who is â€Å"self made† (Caretta, 277). This word has a lot of dichotomy in the meaning, with the achievement of success; as well as the realization of a childhood dream. This would have a significant impact on the description of the times and the events being expressed. His expression of the events is a reaction to his wanton need for achieving the due recognition and success. The extrapolation of the events is a way of defining his identity, as perceiv ed by himself. CONCLUSION In light of the recent discoveries, it can be assumed that Olaudah Equiano may have made an attempt to reclaim the African identity, rather than having lived one. So, much of the middle passage in the slave ship may not seem