Addiction of Whitney Houston

Introduction Addiction refers to intense yearning for something we cannot control. Addicts continue to use the substance of their addiction despite knowing the adverse effect it has on them and those close to them. Addiction transforms the brain functions by disrupting the way it transmits pleasure signals.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Addiction of Whitney Houston specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It corrupts the normal brain functions that encourage learning and inspiration. It is easy to get into an addiction, but overcoming it is very hard. This paper looks at the causes of addiction, hindrances to recovery, and the causes of relapse or successful recovery using the life of Whitney Houston as a model. A Short Background on Whitney Houston’s Life Whitney Houston was conceived in a middle-class community in Newark, New Jersey on August 9th, 1963. She was the third-born child of entertainment director J ohn Russell Houston and talented gospel musician Cissy Houston. Young Houston announced her first album at a tender age of twenty two. Three singles on that album attained the number one spot. She later released other number one hit singles and even won a Grammy award. However, her career suffered when she married Bobby, who many suspect introduced her to drugs. Bobby Brown is on record denying these claims saying that Whitney had been already hooked to drugs when they met. Whitney’s success goes beyond just music as she had successful roles in movies and modeling. She played a role in the movie The bodyguard and was the cover model for the magazine Seventeen in 1980. Whitney is listed as the most decorated female musician in the Guinness Book of World Records due to musical prowess. Her musical success and achievements are, however, overshadowed by her battle with drug addiction, days in court and a rocky marriage to Bobby Brown. In 2002, Whitney confessed to using cocaine, alcohol, prescription drugs, and marijuana in an interview with Diane Sawyer. She was admitted into rehab in 2004, but relapsed and was admitted back in 2005 and subsequently in 2011. In 2012, Whitney died in a room at a Hotel in Los Angeles due to drug related complications. The Nature of Whitney’s Addiction Environmental signals escalate the movement of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the human brain. Dopamine influences the desire or craving an addict feels towards the object of addiction and is the main reason why we crave certain things like drugs and chocolate. The drug abused by Whitney Houston was mostly cocaine. Cocaine excites its users and increases their craving. It works by accelerating the movement of dopamine into the pleasure center of the brain and leaves the user drained.Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Whitney abused cocaine in its smoked form (crack), whi ch is more intoxicating than taking it in its powder form. Crack also works as an efficient aphrodisiac. This is probably why it is one of the most frequently abused drugs by celebrities besides marijuana. Years of abusing crack must have severely altered the chemistry of Whitney Houston’s brain. To understand Whitney Houston’s addiction, we also need to look at her as a woman. The major impact of a woman’s addiction is psychological. Women appear to consume intoxicating drugs for different intentions from men. Their incentives for abusing drugs are particular and individual. Whitney’s addiction was probably for mood management and not risk-taking or thrill. Another factor that complicates women’s fight against addiction is that they are less inclined to seek rehabilitation than their male counterparts. It took Whitney Houston until 2004 to enter rehab despite the fact that she was already using crack before she met Bobby. If she had sought help ea rlier, perhaps she could have been salvaged. Progression of the Addiction Like many other addicts, Whitney Houston probably began her use of drugs with a simple snort or puff. Though the age at which she started her use of drugs is not clear, she was on drugs for a major part of her life. Her elder brother Michael, whom she looked up to was a user and confided in Oprah that he introduced her younger sister Whitney to drugs. This shows the influence that addicted family members have on the lives of those who look up to them. Whitney’s marriage in 1992 to Bobby Brown marked a major period in her abuse of multiple drugs. Bobby was a confessed addict of crack and marijuana and was an abusive husband. The maltreatment she received in her rocky marriage drove Whitney further down the self-destructive path of substance abuse. She used drugs to forget her marital turmoil. By the time they divorced in 2007, Whitney had already been in rehab three times. The age at which Whitney got in to celebrity life and strains that came with such life further accelerated her dependence drugs and alcohol. She had to meet strict deadlines and be a mother and a wife simultaneously. Such pressure can take its toll on even the strongest person. Her journey into addiction was gradual and steady as she was surrounded by other users and people who could not advise her to stop. By the time she went into rehab, Whitney was already far down the addiction path. Perhaps an earlier intervention could have saved her life. Signs and Symptoms of the Addiction When the high caused be cocaine deteriorates, the user becomes restless, short-tempered and uncomfortable. The user has problems with sleep and craves more of the substance. This could explain Whitney’s run-ins with the law in the later part of her addiction. She became increasingly irritable and even had an altercation with a flight attendant. She missed appointments and turned up late to performances. She became less concerned a bout her physical appearance and was increasingly careless about her public image.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Addiction of Whitney Houston specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reasons for Her Relapses and Failure to Recover Successfully Though it is not easy and takes much effort, recovery from cocaine addiction is certainly possible. However, there are several barriers that can hinder this recovery. In Whitney’s case, the first barrier was her family. Whitney Houston did not receive sufficient support from her family that could have helped in her recovery. It was hard enough dealing with rehabilitation on its own, but Whitney also had to deal with divorce cases and cases involving the inheritance of her father’s estate. Those emotional roller coasters did not provide the proper environment for recovery. In addition, Whitney should have distanced herself from Bobby who reminded her of her drug pr oblem. To her, Bobby was a trigger and the main cause of her relapses. Another obstacle to effective recovery is a denial of the addiction. Throughout the early stages of her addiction, Whitney denied having an addiction problem and took over ten years to seek help. It is not just enough for a person to concede that they have a problem, they must also seek professional help in dealing with the problem. Most celebrities (like Whitney) see confession to addiction as a blow to their carrier and prefer to suffer silently until it is too late. Conclusion People (even celebrities) use drugs for several reasons. However, the effects of drugs are far-reaching and can lead to loss of life. Addiction can be rehabilitated with proper therapy if detected early. Family and friends must take initiatives to help addicts conquer their substance addiction. The addicts themselves also need to recognize that they have a problem and deliberately seek professional help. This report on Addiction of Whitney Houston was written and submitted by user Miranda Delaney to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Second Amendment Text, Origins, and Meaning

Second Amendment Text, Origins, and Meaning Below is the original text of the Second Amendment: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Origins Having been oppressed by a professional army, the founding fathers of the United States had no use for establishing one of their own. Instead, they decided that an armed citizenry makes the best army of all. General George Washington created regulation for the aforementioned well-regulated militia, which would consist of every able-bodied man in the country. Controversy The Second Amendment holds the distinction of being the only amendment to the Bill of Rights that essentially goes unenforced. The U.S. Supreme Court has never struck down any piece of legislation on Second Amendment grounds, in part because justices have disagreed on whether the amendment is intended to protect the right to bear arms as an individual right, or as a component of the well-regulated militia. Interpretations of the Second Amendment There are three predominant interpretations of the Second Amendment.   The civilian militia interpretation, which holds that the Second Amendment is no longer valid, having been intended to protect a militia system that is no longer in place.The individual rights interpretation, which holds that the individual right to bear arms is a basic right on the same order as the right to free speech.The median interpretation, which holds that the Second Amendment does protect an individual right to bear arms but is restricted by the militia language in some way. Where the Supreme Court Stands The only Supreme Court ruling in U.S. history that has focused primarily on the issue of what the Second Amendment really means is U.S. v. Miller (1939), which is also the last time the Court examined the amendment in any serious way. In Miller, the Court affirmed a median interpretation holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms, but only if the arms in question are those that would be useful as part of a citizen militia. Or maybe not; interpretations vary, partly because Miller is not an exceptionally well-written ruling. The D.C. Handgun Case In Parker v. District of Columbia (March 2007), the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Washington, D.C.s handgun ban on grounds that it violates the Second Amendments guarantee of an individual right to bear arms. The case is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, which may soon address the meaning of the Second Amendment. Almost any standard would be an improvement over Miller. This article contains a more detailed discussion of whether the  Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms.

MGT506 - Strategic Leadership, Mod 2 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGT506 - Strategic Leadership, Mod 2 SLP - Essay Example According to the definition, open systems elaborate an organizational model that allows the organization to interact with the society i.e. take necessary input and deliver outputs. Considering that factor, open social systems and organizations have a tendency to adapt to social changes according to feedback provided and makes required changes internally. Hence, open system of an organization is a live mechanism that is continuously evolving and showing changes in its structure and behavior. In contrast with an open system, closed system shows a deterministic approach. This system operates in the absence of feedback loop that is detached from external factor. It can be said that closed systems allow its components to remain within the sphere of their identity that shows a constant character. In the light of these doctrines, it can be established that language and society are closed mechanisms that only shows slow alterations only when the system needs external information and shows gr adual changes over decades and sometimes centuries. Similarly, external discharge of information is also selected and limited (Katz & Kahn, 1966). It has been observed that Martin Luther King was a transformational leader who used pathos, ethos and symbols for influencing his followers. It can be observed that MLK has emerged as the leader of African Americans due to consistency in his behavior and lack of adherence to requirements of other social forces. This astute and consistent behavior makes him a follower of closed system regime. These demands had a concrete background based on bias shown towards Blacks by American society that spreads on the span of centuries. Basing his requirements on the discriminated behavior, he demanded equal rights for African Americans from the beginning and did not alter his requirements in response to other social factors. Requirement was only one which entails that African Americans citizens must have equal legal and ethical status as the white one s (Luther, 1963). On the basis of this stature, he managed to illustrate a behavior of constant struggle and fundamentality in his principles. With the help of this consistency in overall behavior, he managed to attract and retain millions of Blacks as his followers which ended up brining revolution in American society and legislation. In comparison with MLK, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a follower of open-system ideology. Jinnah himself was a learned barrister who had spent most of his life in England. He was a follower of a belief that Muslims and Hindus in subcontinent should live together. However, after spending considerable time in All India Congress, he observed the bias against Muslims that made him lay down the foundation of Muslim League in Subcontinent, the only Muslim party that legalized the initiatives for separate country for Muslims (Wolpert, 2005). Where Jinnah initially worked on transforming the legal and ethical status of Muslims in subcontinent like MLK, his percepti on changed over time on the basis of events that lead him to believe that Muslims need to have a separate homeland for earning a right of respectful living. Therefore, after late 1920s, the direction of

Freshman College Admissions Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Freshman College Admissions Paper - Essay Example I like to go trekking and exploring the parks around my district. I like to do this in groups of friends and acquaintances. I believe that this gives me a chance to indulge in team building exercises that improve co-ordination and control with others and also get to know my strengths and weaknesses. I use these expeditions as a means to get to know myself and understand what my blind spots are. In the school, I am on the track and field team and specialize in Long jump and triple jump events that call for agility and stamina apart from endurance. My experiences in the track and field team have taught me to value the importance of training and discipline as well as concentrating on a particular task at hand. I believe that these values would hold me in good stead in my subsequent education and career. I want to join ISU as I feel that it would be a good fit for me academically and socially. By this I mean that the program would give me enough opportunities to do well in the courses as well as give me a chance to display my athletic skills as well as my social skills. I have sought information about the intramural program at ISU and I feel that I contribute to the success of the program as well as gain friendships in the process. As outlined above, I am relationship oriented person and this is reflected in the way I have dealt with the kids while I was a swimming instructor at Park district for the last four years. In this stint, I have learnt that a good coach is one who teaches as well as learns in the process. Further, I have come to appreciate the people side of the mentoring and coaching process that has helped me in nurturing talent as well as increasing the chances of my progress in the swimming school. Though I cannot claim to be a brilliant student, nonetheless I am hard working and dedicated. I believe that effort and perseverance are as important as natural abilities and being endowed with the same in extra curricular arena, I know what it takes

Computer science & ethics - research & analysis paper

Computer science & ethics - & analysis - Research Paper Example Purchasing of one single copy of the software can enable to form several copies of software reducing the cost effectively. This kind of activities significant hinders the ethics of computer science. Software piracy is a major issue as it affects the business, colleges and also students (DeRoos, n.d.). Software is a program that helps in running the hardware. It is also an operating system that facilitates in controlling the hardware. The software operates on disks and it is used in the memory when required. Software often incurs various errors which hamper the process of operations of a computer system. The software errors lead to the reduction of the quality and reduce the process of computing. The software errors bring about inconsistencies, time wastage as well as displays bugs i.e. disappearing of the cursors, misleading information and communication. These can be identified through the use of software error techniques (Netgear, 2014). Correspondingly, hardware is a type of electronic device which is physical in nature. The hardware error is associated with the breakdown of hardware constituents in the computer system. The hardware error is of two forms i.e. corrected errors and uncorrected errors. The source of any of hardware error essentially is its hardware units that create a hurdle in the operating system (Netgear, 2014; Microsoft, 2013). A blend of persistent memory and program code is known as firmware. In other words, it is a mix of software along with hardware. Firmware is accountable for the low level operations for the device to function. Without the firmware, the system becomes completely non-functional. The firmware errors affect the operating process, the security level and also the hardware. The firmware errors are reflected in the fax and emails and one of the common firmware errors is ‘900 firmware error’ (Netgear, 2014; Ganssle, 2004). The paper

Tourism Industry In Grenada Tourism Essay

Tourism Industry In Grenada Tourism Essay Tourism being the worlds largest and fastest growing industry, has survived many eras for many reasons. The industry is diverse and very easily adaptable. Diverse in this sense refers to the many varying segments making up the tourism industry, for example hospitality, dining, entertainment and travel. This industry is also challenging, from the point of view that each and every experience within this industry is uniquely different. These are some of the features that maintains and sustains this diverse and yet uniquely challenging industry. Tourism according to side store is the travel of anyone for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel (side store, 2009). The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited (WTO, 2010). Tourism in Grenada went through many eras before reaching the level at which it is today. One can basically say that there are three distinctive periods that tourism in Grenada passed through. These stages are the pre-revolutionary stage from 1955 to 1979, the revolutionary phase from 1980 to 1983 and the existing era which started in 1984. Each of these periods is marked with the occurrence of a major event in Grenadas history. The building of the St. Georges pier in 1939 and the opening of the Pearls Airport together presented a need for basic infra-structure that contributed to the introduction of tourism in a scientific manner to Grenada. However, there are only records to show the storage of visitors from 1955. The feat of the Grenada Revolution in 1979 didnt do well for Grenada as a destination. There was a sudden drop in arrivals from customary markets due to the negative publicity that was bestowed on Grenada as a result of these practices. Nevertheless, there was a bold move by the then Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop, who implored nationals abroad to Come to Grenada and see the positive changes that are happening. This proved a success in some way as there were arrivals of nationals and sympathizers from Eastern Europe and Cuba. The big opportunity for tourism in Grenada came at the start of its third epoch, which was marked by the opening of the brand new international airport. The fact that the airport was very close to world famous Grand Anse beach and other surrounding beaches resulted in a building boom. Unmistakably, this third stage of the development of tourism in Grenada concurred with the emergence of the industry internationally and Grenada has been progressing constantly as a tourist destination ever since. The tourism industry is presently the largest industry in Grenada, in desperation to sustain itself the officials are engaging in numerous strategies to do so. Grenada, as recently as 15 years ago, depended solely on Agriculture as their source of revenue, which was slowly declining. The officials responsible saw the potential of the tourism industry decided to change their focus away from agriculture. Thus investing money and ample time into the industry was their final decision. In this research my sole aim is to link the present global economic recession to Grenadas tourism sector. Determine the areas that were affected as a result of this crisis. Also examine similar countries facing this crisis, so as to reduce the bias on the paper. The tourism industry was affected by the Global recession in many ways which resulted in change in the countrys economy and industries linked to the tourism industry namely; loss of jobs, decline in travel both land and sea, closure of major tourist based businesses and increased crime. The existing economy of Grenada is termed unstable and on a decline, according to Mr. Lennox Andrews (Economist for Grenada). The countrys Gross domestic product is on a decline, in the sense it is below negative. This means that the total market value of final goods and products is less than equal to consumer goods and export goods. In light of this tourism within the country is also declining slowly and displayed inability to sustain itself. The author has therefore decided to do some primary research on the most commonly utilized areas within the tourism industry of Grenada. These areas being; Travel, Hospitality and Entertainment. The sectors were further broken down into samples, for example travel (LIAT), Hospitality accommodation (Grand view inn), Hospitality dining (Le Chateau) and entertainment (Taxi driver). To effectively accomplish this milestone the author has decided to ascertain a list of objectives: Give a history of the tourism industry in Grenada. Give a synopsis of the economy of Grenada. List and discuss the areas within the tourism industry in Grenada that were affected by the financial crisis. Make necessary recommendations. In efforts to help reduce the impact of the existing global recession on the tourism industry The author has come up some possible recommendations; Officials should sort ways to reduce government spending where possible. Implement a contingency fund. They should also seek to reduce the many taxes imposed. Try to optimize the use of recurrent revenue. Try to be self sufficient in their agriculture produce, avoid unnecessary imports. Create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive. Implement programs to train persons to be versatile in terms of finding alternative employment. Topic: Research question: How has the present global financial crisis affected the tourism industry in Grenada? Aim: Carefully examine the areas within the tourism industry that was adversely affected by this global recession. Objectives: Give a history of the tourism industry in Grenada. Give a synopsis of the economic situation of Grenada. List and discuss the areas within the tourism industry in Grenada that were affected by the financial crisis. Make necessary recommendations. Rationale for the selection of the topic chosen: Like most persons, the global financial crisis has affected me personally. It has reduced my spending power immensely. Therefore it is a growing concern for me as an individual, as to just how long and far is this recession going to progress. Around the world today the issue of the financial crisis is the most popular issue at hand. Judging from the fact it is leaving many persons unemployed, homeless and dead, it should really be a global number one concern. This is the basis for which I have decided to carry out this research, with the hope of finding some logical recommendations. Research Methods: As a means of effectively completing this paper both primary and secondary research methods were utilized. The purpose for undertaking both methods is to avoid bias of information. At the same time give the participants an opportunity to freely express themselves. The authors intent is also to give readers an objective view of the topic. Sample population used: In carrying out research for this paper a suitable sample size was selected. Due to the fact that the tourism industry tends to be such a diverse area, which may involve numerous persons. The author sort it fit to focus on segments rather than individuals. Therefore, utilizing three major segments within the industry here in Grenada. The areas selected were LIAT (Travel), Grand View Inn (Accommodation) and Le chateau (Dining). Historical data was also collected from reputable sources, as a means of completing this paper. Definition of Financial Crisis and Recession: A financial crisis: A situation in which the supply of money is outpaced by the demand for money. This means that liquidity is quickly evaporated because available money is withdrawn from banks (called a run), forcing banks either to sell other investments to make up for the shortfall or to collapse. See also recession (Business dictionary, 2010). A recession: Period of general economic decline, defined usually as a contraction in the GDP for six months (two consecutive quarters) or longer. Marked by high unemployment, stagnant wages, and fall in retail sales, a recession generally does not last longer than one year and is much milder than a depression. Although recessions are considered a normal part of a capitalist economy, there is no unanimity of economists on its causes (.Business dictionary, 2010) Question/Survey: Dear Participant, This survey/questionnaire is intended to be of utmost confidentiality. This is a survey carried out by Donika Christopher-James, a Tourism and hospitality major at the St. Georges University. The purpose of this survey is to determine some of the adverse effects the existing global recession has on the tourism industry in Grenada. With the sole aim of finding some possible recommendations on completion of this study. Therefore, participants are asked not to submit their name or organization name as a means of keeping this information confidential. Thank you, _______________________ Donika Christopher-James Are you aware of the existing Global financial crisis? Yes No Has the Crisis affected youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Directly Indirectly State in what way was your organization was affected? What percent of your business is owed to tourist? Below 30% 30-40% 40-50% Higher than 50% Do you have repeat guest yearly? Yes No What is the percent of return guests yearly? 10- 30% 30-50% Higher than 50% Has there been any change in the patronage of your organization by return guest within the last year? Yes No Indicate whether there was increase or decrease, by how much? Increase Decrease Less than 10% 10-20% 20-30% 30-40% Over 40% In your opinion do you think there is a solution to the crisis? Yes No Can you give some recommendation(s) to the persons affected within the tourism industry? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Data analysis: Are you aware of the existing global financial crisis? Figure 1.1: The Graph indicates that 75% of the respondents were aware of the financial crisis in the world, where as the remaining 25% was very much unaware. Figure 1.2: This chart indicates how many persons were affected by the financial crisis directly leading to financial decisions being made or indirectly the trickle down effect; 100% were affected directly and there were none indirectly affected. State ways in which you as a business was affected. Figure 1.3: Is an indication as to how the four various sectors were affected by the crisis; 25% indicated they had to make position redundant, another 25% indicated that they suffered higher utility cost e.g fuel, 25% also said that their employees were forced to accept lower wages and the final 25 % stated that they were unable to market efficiently and effectively. What percent of your business is owed to tourist? Figure 1.4: Is an analysis as to how much the various business depend on the tourist for their existence, 25% indicates that 40-50% of their business comes from tourist and 75% of the patrons said that over 50% of their business revenues comes from tourists. Do you have repeat guest yearly? Figure 1.5: This chart indicates that 100% of the participants have repeat guest on a yearly basis. What is the percent of repeat guest yearly? Figure 1.6: This chart illustrates the percentage of repeat guest to the varying sectors yearly; 25% of the participants indicated that over 50% of their guest are repeaters, another 25% indicated that the return guest account for 30-50% of contributions and the remaining 50% said that return guest contributes to 10-30% of business yearly. Has there been any change in the patronage of your organization by return guest within the last year? Yes No 100% 0% Figure 1.7 Was there an increase or decrease in the patronage of tourist and by how much? Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Increase Decrease 10-20% Over 40% 30-40% 10-20% Figure 1.8 Figure 1.9: This graph is and analysis as to whether the participants believe there is a possible solution to the financial crisis. Where 75% look at it objectively and said yes they believe there is a solution for it and the next 25%indicated no there is no possible solution to the problem. Grenadas employment situation: According to information from the Minister of Finance Grenada (Peter David), unemployment rate at the end of 2009 was predicted to reach 30%. In basic mathematics, this could mean at least 23,000 persons out of work, in a population of roughly 100,000 persons. This is a vast difference in comparison to the (CIAs) Central Intelligence Agencys prediction in 2000 of 12% of potential unemployed persons (CIA, 2010). Present Economic situation of Grenada: The economy of Grenada has rebounded immensely following the devastation and impact of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005, with the recovery centered mainly on reconstruction and the 2007 Cricket World Cup preparations. The economic outlook was most favorable, since several major tourism investment projects were underway. At that point inflation has been subdued. The countrys fiscal performance, however, has been much weaker than programmed in 2006 to 2007, owing it to capital expenditure overruns. Public debt reached 125 percent of GDP at the end of 2006, leaving little room for maneuver in the event of exogenous shocks (CKMC, 2010). According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), on the 25th of November 2009  Grenadas application for a disbursement of US$6.2m under its three-year International Monetary Fund (IMF) poverty reduction and growth facility Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) was approved, boosting total disbursements under the programme to US$23.5m. The IMF noted the severity of the impact of the global recession on Grenadas economy, appointed to a marked decline in the countrys output. Owing to fall in tourism receipts, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and remittance, a rise in the unemployment situation, and large revenue shortfalls in 2009. With estimated public-sector debt totaling nearly 109% of GDP at end-2008 (and estimated to have risen slightly in 2009), the IMF also warned that Grenada remains at a high risk of debt distress. However, the IMF commended Grenada on its efforts to cope with the short-term impact of the external shocks and its commitment to implementing structural reforms, including the introduction of VAT in February 2010. The introduction of the VAT is one of several government initiatives to boost sagging revenue, which has been hit hard by the downturn in the tourism sector (stopover arrivals were down by 14.4% year on year in the first nine months of 2009, which has pulled down earnings). The government has also indicated that it will implement a fraud control plan at customs and boost enforcement to collect tax arrears in 2010. Capital spending is expected to be cut in 2010, by as much as 50% compared with 2009, as the government diverts its scarce resources to boost social spending. Based on preliminary estimates, which reveals that economic activity in Grenada contracted by 7.7 per cent in 2009 compared to real growth of 2.2 per cent in 2008.   This performance reflected declines in construction (52.4 percent), mining and quarrying (29.9 per cent), hotels and restaurants (20.8 per cent), wholesale and retail trade (17.9 percent), transport services (12.3 percent), manufacturing (11.8 per cent), government services (3.8 percent) and communications (2.0 percent).   This therefore indicated there were some bright spots. Agriculture increased by 9.3 percent, Other Services which is dominated by St. Georges University increased by 8.0 percent and Banking and Insurance increased by 8.6 percent. Between January to November 2009, stay-over tourist arrivals declined by 12.8% with a total of 84,240 arrivals in comparison to 96,588 arrivals for the corresponding period of 2008. All the major source markets experienced declines: United States by 1.5%; United Kingdom by 23.2% and the Caribbean by 12.6%. It is believed that the recession experienced in Grenadas major source markets combined with the high cost of air travel contributed to the decline in the number of stay-over visitors. For the period January to November 2009, Cruise Arrivals totaled 276,858 compared to 227,937 for the same period in 2008, an increase of 21.5%. Similarly, cruise calls also increased by 13.5% with a total of 202 calls compared to 178. That said, it is estimated that the average expenditure of these visitors fell reflecting the global economic situation (CKMC, 2010). According to Economist Lennox Andrews the Grenadian economy is projected to grow by 0.8 percent compared with a projected contraction of 2.3 percent for the ECCU.   I should note that Governments projection is higher than the IMF and ECCB projections are a decline of 2.0% and 1.8% respectively but is based on our most recent information on the projects (public and private) which will commence this year. SWOT analysis of the Tourism Industry in Grenada: Strengths: Enrichment of culture- Learning about various cultures is an integral part of any individuals development. It gives one a chance to understand various ways of problem solving; different practices, beliefs, religions, norms and values. In turn this will assist in counteracting the issue of discrimination. Increase in Foreign direct investments- As a result of the evolution of tourism, the Grenadian economy has seen the likes of many new developments in terms of foreign investments. For example; The Port Louis development, Grand harbor development at Egmont point, Bacolet bay Resort development, Prickley bay marina development and the Livera national development. Increase in foreign exchange for the country- This is the main area where the mass foreign exchange for the country is derived. This occurs when tourist engage in tours, dining, outdoor adventures, accommodation and communication via telephone or e-mail. Opportunities for employment- The unemployment situation in Grenada has been a known factor for the country for a number of years, tourism offers opportunities for employment both direct, for example; within the hotels or restaurants or indirect like the vendors and tour guides. Sustain and preserve our environment- The Grenadian officials have seen the need to preserve their natural habitats, numerous historical sites and beaches. Some of the measures they have put in place to do so is regulations and laws like; fees paid to see the forts, no one can visit the mangroves during a certain period and stopping of the locals from mining sand from the beaches. Weaknesses: The industry is very labor intensive- Tourism within Grenada and around the world is seen as a service oriented industry. Therefore it relys on the personal touch of human to bring about the much needed satisfaction to the guest. This may be detrimental, in the event that there is situation like industrial actions or mass outbreaks of illness, the business will be on a stand still. Encourages huge sums in expenditures- Within the island of Grenada over the years it is quite noticeable that there has been a lot of infrastructural development. For example roads, cruise ship terminals and marinas. These development calls for huge sums of expenditure on the part of the Government. Increased in criminal activities- The tourism sector over the years has lured many new investors into the country, though it is seen as an asset it is also negative, since there is the opportunity for white collar crime such as money laundering and theft. Opportunities: The country can create a well known brand- Grenada the isle of spice may seem to be a strong brand, but not everyone is willing to travel thousands of miles for only spice. There is the opportunity to develop the countrys brand. Diversify into various markets- Diversity is imperative as is in any business, this is to gain as much clients and market share as one possibly can. Threats: The present Global recession- Grenada like many other destinations is faced with the wrath of the economic crunch. It has affected the tourism sectors immensely, since most business has seen a decline in clientele as compared to the past. Most persons spending power has reduced critically. Natural and manmade disasters- Natural disasters is a critical issue for Grenada though, history has shown they are far and few. The country is located within the tropics and concerns of hurricanes and storms are growing, for example hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005. Manmade disasters are likely to occur if care and caution is not taken, for example; fires which is a very destructive feature. Increased competition- Possible completion is always a concern for any industry and business. Within the tourism industry competition will occur with new and emerging destination markets. Areas within the tourism industry that was affected by the financial crisis: The Global recession has affected the tourism industry in Grenada holistically; because there have been persons who are faced directly with this crisis, for example in North America, their spending power has been reduced considerably. The tourism industry like most other countries is made up of numerous sectors. Furthermore the sectors which have felt the wrath of the economic down turn in Grenada are: Travel: (airlines, taxi drivers, tour operators, cruise ship operators and travel agents) Accommodation and dining: (restaurants, hotels, guest houses and travel agents) Shopping: (supermarkets, retail shops, stores and vendors) Entertainment: (Local bands-(steel bands, vocalist), night clubs) Over the past 2 years these sectors has seen a considerable decline in their patronage especially those from tourist, which they were and most cases are still heavily dependent. The key players involved Tourist movement: The tourism industry based on its service oriented nature has numerous key players; these key players are persons involved in the hospitality sector of tourism, the regulatory bodies and the tourist themselves. Within the hospitality sector there are persons or organizations that provide service to tourist. In providing those services they generally ensure that it is sustainable and economically viable to the industry and environment. These sectors are the hotels; who provide accommodation to tourist visiting the island of Grenada, the restaurants; most of these restaurants are located especially within the south of the island are heavily dependent on tourist to sustain them , cruise lines; which is one form of transportation taking persons from varying destinations to Grenada, a large percent of stop-over tourist is accounted for as cruise passengers and airlines; the airline traveling to and from Grenada account for 70% of tourist visiting the country. The second group of persons within the tourism sector of Grenada are the regulatory bodies, which involves; the minister and ministry of tourism who is responsible for a portion of public relations in tourism, as well as implementing rules and policies to help sustain and protect the environment and visitors alike. Another sector within the regulatory body is the tourism board of Grenada who engages in ample marketing for the destination and assists in promoting some of the historical sites. The final major supporters of the tourism industry in Grenada are the tourist themselves, without the much needed tourist travelling from their usual place of resident and work, tourism will not be an industry that Grenada can depend on. Types of effects: The Global recession has affected countries worldwide and more so the tourism sector around the world immensely. Within the Grenadian community the global economic downturn has affected the tourism industry in numerous ways; There is a decline in the visitors to the country. Implementation of new taxes. Loss of skilled laborers within the industry, because of numerous job terminations. Decrease in marketing initiatives and ability by the regulatory bodies. Pull out of airline/transportation service to the island. Higher air fares. Decrease in (FDIs) foreign direct investments. There were businesses facing permanent closure, e.g craft shops, supermarkets. Increase in crime. Measures taken to resolve the situation: Like many of the larger developed and developing countries Grenada has tried numerous strategies to resolve the situation, or to some extent cushion the burden of this crisis. Without success they continue to feel the wrath of this economic downturn. Some of the measures taken by the officials of Grenada to withstand the crisis are; the sort financial assistance to pay out the outstanding debts from the World Bank. The World Bank being an institution that is presently faced with the said situation is unable to assist. Another strategy was to implement the value added tax (VAT), which is only a month old and simply too premature to see any benefits derived. The third and most common strategy was to forcibly reduce wages, rotate and terminate employees positions. The tourism and hospitality sector has felt the blow hardest from this crisis, simply because of its uncertainty and vulnerability in response to change in the economy. Conclusion: While tourism retains the title of the largest and fastest growing industry worldwide, its dynamism is owed to the many efforts to satisfy consumer demands. Similarly within the Grenadian economy tourism today is deemed the number one industry and main source of revenue for the country for over a decade. However, the tourism sector was impacted by many external factors, but most predominantly over the past (2  ½) years by the existing Global financial crisis. The effects of this crisis were as follows and by no means exhausted; Loss of Jobs, decrease in visitors arrivals, decrease in foreign direct investments, loss of skilled workers, higher air fares, decrease in marketing initiatives, pull out of major airlines and crime. Though persons in authority have engaged in numerous measures to counteract the problem of the financial crisis on the tourism sector in Grenada, they were unsuccessful. Based on my analysis of the effects the financial crisis having on Grenadas tourism carried out in this research, it is seemingly unethical and to an extent difficult to try to solve this situation. Because of the nature of a global recession, it is more ethical to let the system take its course. Thus try to implement means to cushion the economy when it is complete at the same time use this era to better prepare for a similar situation. Recommendations: This paper will be deemed incomplete without finding meaningful and yet realistic solutions to the existing problem facing the tourism and hospitality industry in Grenada The Global Recession. In efforts to help resolve this resounding problem the author has come up with a number of recommendations which are as follows: The officials and the key players as mentioned within the paper must develop more programs to encourage spending by the tourist, thus moving away from the usual ordinary activities. Since a recession is usually caused by failure to inject monies back into the economy so it can have the spin off effect, they must implement activities such as; an all you can eat fruit fest for the health conscious tourist or drum by moonlight where they get to hear a bit of our heritage and become a part of it. Implement a contingency fund for the industry, the industry is seen as fickle, but like any other industry it has its peak points and its down falls. Monies must be placed a side or invested to reap profits, in that situations like the financial crisis occurs, the industry will more or less be cushioned and can sustain itself for a longer period. Seek ways to reduce the many taxes being enforced, though taxation is the number one means of most governments revenue. The implementation of taxes will only sort to worsen the recession situation, since a recession is basically failure of the people to inject monies back into the economy. Taxes will only allow them to continually avoid spending. They should try to optimize or maximize the use of the recurrent revenues. Every country, no matter the size has recurrent revenues, which is revenue that is predictable, stable and can be counted on in the future with a high degree of certainty. Try to utilize these revenues for many needed purposes instead of focusing on one given area. Seek to become self sufficient in areas such as agriculture, this is as a means of reducing imports, though the globalization process is inevitable. Create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive. It is always good for a country to welcome foreign direct investments, but the survival of local businesses is important. Implementing laws and regulations that will not facilitate local business will only put additional burdens on the economy in terms of unemployment. Implement programs to train persons to be versatile in terms of finding alternative employment. This is important in that statistics indicates how many persons are today unemployed within the tourism sector, because of the economic downturn.

In Search of a Methodological Foundation for Applied Ethics :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

In Search of a Methodological Foundation for Applied Ethics ABSTRACT: The problems that face contemporary applied ethics are indissolubly related to some characteristics of postmodern civil society. In this paper I will try to take a stand in the discussion between a proponent of a particularistic approach and one who favors a universalistic approach to the present difficulties that accompany human action. Karl-Otto Apel combines in his ethics of discourse a focus upon universal and normative structures of communication with a Kantian transcendental method of thought. Paul van Tongeren follows Aristotle and Nietzsche in arguing that the local and historically determined contingent traditions are the basis on which to approach our ethical questions. After giving a brief presentation of their respective contributions to the discussion, I shall end with some reflections on the difference between, and the merits and demerits of, a universalistic and a particularistic ethics. Until very recently in the history of mankind, most people lived in rather small communities. Their knowledge of and their influence on distant cultures was rather limited. With the rise of modern science, resulting in the present communication era, things changed considerably. Today, man's cultural evolution has reached a point where the local and the global dimensions of his actions are hard to distinguish. Another feature of our existence at the present 'fin de sià ¨cle' is the declining influence of the great narrative traditions. In our liberal democracies the new leading narrative is that of the free market, accompanied by the imperative of unlimited profit making and consumerism. The lack of a consensus on many basic social values which results from the declining influence of the 'great stories' of our traditions, generates a mentality of 'collective individualism' and value relativism. In this situation we face the danger of initiating a process in which the rather fashionable ideals of pluralism and tolerance turn out to be mere indifference. (1) The problems that face contemporary ethics are indissolubly related to these characteristic features of post-modern civil society. In this paper I will try to take a stand in the discussion between proponents of a particularist approach and those who favour a universalistic approach to the present difficulties that accompany human action. After giving a brief presentation of Karl-Otto Apel's and Paul van Tongeren's contribution to the discussion, I shall end with some reflections on the difference between, and the merits and demerits of, a universalistic and a particularistic ethics.

Influence of Stakeholders on Reigate College

In this report I am going to investigate into Reigate College and evaluate into the business how different stakeholders in the organisation have an impact on the college all together. Evaluating which of the stakeholders has the most power and those who have the least power and impact on the college, also what roles they play towards the college and as individuals what impact they have on the different stakeholders within the college itself. Reigate College is a College based in Reigate with its aims and objectives is to provide a high quality education for 16-19 year old students in a supportive and caring community. Stakeholders: Reigate College is made up of a range of stakeholders those including the Owners, Customers, Employees, Government and Suppliers. All of these stakeholders have a role to play towards the company so that the College gains a good worthy reputation which will help them gain more students wanting them to go to the College as if the stakeholders choose to play their roll well and up to good standards this will result in a good outcome reflecting on the Students results and attendance etc. This will also reflect on their reputation as they already have been graded Outstanding by Ofsted. Below is a list and review of what stakeholders exist within the college and what rolls they play with what impact they have on the college itself and the other stakeholders. Customers: The Customers within Reigate College are the Parents and the Students that choose to attend the college. They attend the college in hope that the college provides them with a great education which will then provide them with good grades that will help them to gain a place in university or whether they choose to go into work. Either way these grades will provide them with an extra boost of knowledge and confidence for when they go on to their further education. If the teachers provide a good service to the students by providing them a good education this will then reflect on the college’s reputation which the college will then benefit from in the long run. So it is essential for the students and teachers to work well together to produce good grades. Not only will the good grades help the students and the college, but also it’s the college’s duty to provide skills such as punctuality, presentation skills and respect which the student will therefor benefit from in the further future. Employees: The employees of the college are the teachers, depending on which department the employee wishes to apply for depends on who employ’s them, so for an example if someone wishes to apply to be a business teacher, they would be interviewed by the head of the business department which will then be followed up by them again and it would be the head of the department which would then contact the employee to whether they got the job or not. It’s the teacher’s responsibility for them to share their knowledge and skills with the students to make sure they are taking in as much information as they can which will then help them in their courses and further education. If they do not provide this service to the students the students will then not be reaching their full potential which will then reflect again on the colleges reputation outcome and slims the chances of the students succeeding. Owner: The owner of Reigate College is Dr Paul Rispoli, he is responsible for the college as a whole, this means he is responsible for the health and safety of the students and staff within the college, also if the students have any main issues or problems with anything they should go to Paul to get this problem resolved. He has the greatest influence on the college as he has the person in the college who should be making sure everything in the college is in line and running as it should be, making sure the teachers are doing their job providing education to the students that attend the college and helping them reach their full potential. If he did not play his role towards the college everything would go totally wrong and the college would lose their reputation they have today. Teenagers would also be choosing to go to a different college as if the grades of the students at the college were gaining weren’t up to the standards they should be, people would then turn to look at other college’s, this would then be a downfall for Reigate as they want as many people as possible to choose Reigate college for the service they provide. Government: The Government work with the college to provide them with a budget of money which can go towards improving the process of the college for example with the money the government give the college they can use it to improve the image of the college by adding more buildings to expand the college to give students a wider choice around the college. Also the government provide the college with essential equipment to help enhance the learning of the students as individuals, such as stationary etc. lso as well as the government providing the college with essentials like stationary for the students they also provide exam boards etc. without the governments input on the college they would suffer a lot as there would not be enough money alone for the college to survive and help the students to succeed in what they want to do for their future career. As without money the college cannot provide the service for the students at a high standard as they would want to. Suppliers: The suppliers of Reigate College have also a great impact on the college as it is their duty to provide the college with anything they wish to purchase such as stationary and computers which help enhance the learning of the students. The college will employ different companies to provide different products such as one company will provide stationary and another computers and electronics. Without the input from these companies there would be no way for the students to learn apart from using text books, but again text books are also provided by a different company. So it would be very difficult for students to learn in the environment the college provide if they did not have the required equipment needed for the students to learn. So as a whole it is very important for Reigate to keep a close relationship with these sorts of suppliers to enable the sufficient of the students.

History Portrayed in Movies essays

History Portrayed in Movies essays History is a subject in which people learned of their culture and lands back round. Most people learn about history from textbooks and or oral traditions. Other had a passion to present history in a different way. A way that others would appreciate more and still others would appreciate less. Movies are just another way to tell a story. Thats what history was, a story. There are many different stories that talk of our nations history or story. There were many important events that were documented in many films. This includes movies like Glory, The Patriot, just to name a few. This paper will concentrate on a smaller time frame though. This paper will deal with the area of time from our countries great depression, to the assassination of our countries youngest nominated president, John F. Kennedy. This area of time will deal with the adversity of this country. This counties strength in war, this countries corruption, this countries perseverance, and this countries screw ups. There are many things that are fabricated in these stories though. Things that will make Americans look less cruel or other ethnic groups that discriminated the Americans years ago. The United States army was and still is the strongest army in the world. But our forces faced a very grave challenge in the Second World War. That war brought about hard times. The Germans and the Japanese were just some of the people the Americans were fighting. There was a film released in the 2000s that depicted the World War well. The movie was called Saving Private Ryan. This movie had a opening scene that depicts the battles that were very possible. This showed the United States forces landing on japans soil and attacking the Japanese forces. This battle was very deadly. Literally there were hundreds of lives were shown dying on film. The way war really was. Back then. The heartlessness, the racism, the torment that these soldiers...

A essays

A essays A Friend With Multiple Personalities The variance in personalities can be as massive as an ocean or as microscopic as an atom. Most people think of personalities as distinctive. I have found distinctive does not necessarily describe personalities. Renee is a friend of mine who has a very wide variance in personality. Renees personality can change within a matter of minutes. She calls me daily with a seemingly innocent conversation. The conversation always starts with simple inquires about the general health of family and friends. Suddenly, as if possessed by some demonic force, she will insult other people that we both know. She says things that I personally know to be untrue. When I try to point out what she is doing, she turns her anger toward me. At any point during a telephone conversation, she can exhibit any one of three different personality aspects. Each of these personality aspects demonstrates individual distinctions. One person can have multiple personalities. In fact, my friend has three aspect s of her personality. The three are the friend forever, the crybaby, and the rattlesnake personalities. The "friend forever" personality is the one with which I am most familiar. When she displays this personality, she concerns herself with others, she is willing to help out, and she always has a dry shoulder to loan for crying. Renee so easily fits into this category. Most days, she is a very loving and caring individual. She concerns herself with the welfare of others. While in this personality, Renee goes out of her way to call and inquire about the health of others. She offers her help in any situation. She may not be physically able to change a flat tire for a person, but she will hold the light so the person can see how to change the tire for themself. Renee always has a dry shoulder on which someone can cry without invitation. She will listen to a friend's problem for ...

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

Design History - Essay Example In 2007 the residence was ranked 29 in the America Favourite architecture by the AIA. Frank was given this opportunity at the age of sixty seven by Edgar Kaufmann who was an established businessman. Fallingwater Part 1: Materials-Conservation Efforts at Frank Lloyd Wrights Masterpiece analyzes the conservation measures that were used in the erection of the Fallingwater building. The reviving of the query to supply rocks that were to be used in the construction was one of the ways of coming up with the building that bet all odds and today stands as a tourist attraction site. The Falling water clearly depicts Wrights passion for Japanese architecture which mainly involves sensibility of space. The design of the falling water places harmony between nature and human beings. The fire place integrates with the boulders found on the surrounding site and the ledge rock protrudes through the living room to the root also brings out the link between the inside and outside. He majored in the interpenetrating the interior and external spaces. He has connected the site with the house and even includes the sounds from the waterfall. He waxed the floors and left the hearth plain creating impression of rocks protruding from a river. This shows Wright’s prowess and exceptional skill in integrating the details of his design. His unique skill is also shown in the mixing and blending of the colours. The colours he used in painting the house blends well with the natural surrounding environment (Toker, 2007). This also brings out the harmony of the residence and the e nvironment. This architectural design shows that Wright had a keen understanding of structural properties of the materials and he could also reflect and implement structural ideas. Smaller details are revealed through integration. This can be evident from the fact that there is absence of metallic frames in areas where the glass

An analysis on the foreign women's fashion magazines in China, and Literature review

An analysis on the foreign women's fashion magazines in China, and compare how do Chinese people appreciate Western magazines - Literature review Example Consumer Culture in China Davis (2005) conducted a qualitative study in which two groups of Chinese consumers in Shanghai were interviewed. The first group consisting of 51 men and women were interviewed in 1987 and the second group comprised of different Chinese consumers consisted for 46 men and women. The consumers were between the ages of 40 and 50. The interviews were open-ended and involved questions relative to consumption expectations in the future. The results of the study found that since the late 1980s, Chinese consumer culture, at least in relation to Shanghai has undergone a revolution of sorts (Davis, 2005). Chinese consumers have experienced significant changes in terms of increased income, improved standards of living, increased spending power, a greater variety of consumption choices and have embraced â€Å"globally branded foodstuffs, pop-music videos and fashion† (Davis, 2005, p. 692). ... Zhou, Arnold, Pereira and Yu (2010) offer some insight into Chinese consumer culture in China’s inland and coastal regions. According to Zhou, et. al.(2010), China is one of the world’s most important consumer markets although there is very little known about the different drivers of Chinese consumption trends and habits in China’s different regions. Using a cultural materialism approach, Zhou, et. al. (2010) analysed consumer decisions approaches among inland and coastal consumers in China. The study found that there were no material differences between coastal and inland consumers in terms of their style of shopping although their pleasure/hedonic shopping styles are different (Zhou, et. al., 2010). These differences are only important for marketers in determining what marketing approach to take for appealing to the pleasure of consumers in different regions in China. Xiao and Kim (2009) conducted a study to determine the extent to which the â€Å"changing val ue systems of modern China† impacted the consumption habits of Chinese consumers (p. 610). Using a multivariate analysis approach, the study found that functional, emotional and social values were linked in a positive way to foreign goods. Individualism and collectivism were identified as having positive links to foreign goods and life satisfaction. Individualists’ consumers were not as satisfied with their lives as collectivists were, but they were more amenable to foreign goods (Xiao & Kim, 2009). Dickson, Lennon, Montalto, Shen and Zhang (2004) conducted a survey of 1,628 married consumers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai to collect data informing of