SWOT Analysis of Apples iPhone 5s free essay sample

The situational analysis of a company’s product is essential to understanding where a product can best succeed and, often more importantly, where it will fail. To conduct a thorough analysis of a product involves examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that a product brings to a company. In the case of Apple and the iPhone 5s, these four qualities are simple to ascertain. I. Strengths The Apple iPhone 5s, has several strengths. For instance, Apple has very high consumer loyalty. In fact, data compiled by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners states that 78% of iPhone users go on to buy another, whereas Android users have a 67% retention rate. These figures are even more impressive when one examines individual Android brands. Here are some of the top smartphone companies and their respective consumer retention rates. It is this remarkably outstanding customer loyalty that allows Apple to churn out massive profits. For whatever reason, most Apple users will only use Apple products. We will write a custom essay sample on SWOT Analysis of Apples iPhone 5s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Apple knows this, and continues to offer smartphones at a significant markup, sometimes exceeding 40% of the total cost to produce it. Due to gross overpricing, Apple is able to make larger profits than its competitors, even though it only holds 13% of the market share. II. Weaknesses While Apple may have an advantage in consumer loyalty, it has a severe disadvantage when it comes to new consumers and emerging markets, primarily because suitable alternatives are readily available. For example, the cheapest (16GB internal storage) iPhone 5s has a retail price of $649(USD), compared to the global average price of all smartphones which is $312(USD). Since an iPhone can cost more than twice as much as a suitable alternative it becomes increasingly difficult for Apple to penetrate price-sensitive markets. Another weakness the iPhone 5s has is a lack of upgrades from the iPhone 5. When one compares the specifications of these two phones, differences do not exactly stand out. They have the same 8 megapixel camera, the same 6401136 pixel resolution, the same dual core 1300 MHz processor, a scant 8 MB increase in RAM, the list goes on and on. The only noticeable advantage the 5s has increased in-call battery life by two hours. When compared to previous iPhone releases, the 5s has the fewest innovations and improvements. This could prompt consumers to wait until the iPhone 6 is released before upgrading. III: Opportunities Apple’s opportunities in the smartphone market stem primarily from its loyal user base. As long as the company continues to innovate its products in order to stay ahead of (or at least on par with) competing enterprises, the iPhone should continue to be a massively profitable product for years to come. Threats Obviously, the largest threat facing the success of the iPhone 5s is the looming monstrosity that is Android. Currently, Android is dominating the smartphone market, gobbling up an impressive 81% of the market share. This is primarily due to more flexible pricing, vast variety of phones, and compatibility with a larger variety of service providers. If Apple were to increase the variety of phone size and possibly consider lowering profit margins, it is possible to regain lost market share.

10 Tips to study at exam time Essays

10 Tips to study at exam time Essays 10 Tips to study at exam time Essay 10 Tips to study at exam time Essay Examination periods bring head to students, but to all, there are some techniques that make them more bearable. Here we show you some tips that we hope you find them useful. Cheer up! Write by hand on paper: Write down what you’re trying to study for remember more easily. Research on the subject says that the act of writing produces the feedback of the brain, resulting in a motor memory which makes it easier to remember the long-term information. Typing or voice recording have the same result, so, even if it takes longer it is the best you can do. Move! Believe it or not, the place where you study can also produce different effects in studies. If you’ve been studying in your room, move to the kitchen table or scroll to the library. It can help you keep a clear mind, plus improved. Try meditation: It is scientifically proven that meditation improves test results: a recent study by the University of California, Santa Barbara specifically states that many college students improved their capacity to face the exams through meditation, while another study showed students who meditated before a conference got better on the test that was conducted after the conference that students who had not meditated. During the weeks before the exam, you have to try to sit quietly and focus, making breathing paused for 5 minutes a day, morning and evening, to improve concentration and clear the mind. Take a break: Study more it does not necessarily mean better study: Studies have shown that taking a break every 10 minutes to walk can help improve your concentration up to two hours later. Test yourself: Be tested one / a / herself can be an effective way to alleviate nerves exist before an exam and review those skills that we have forgotten. Research shows us that active study methods are more effective than other strategies (such summarize or underline). Drink plenty of water: This is very important: if you took too much coffee or energy drinks, something that is often used during exam periods, and have a dehydrating effect on our body, we should always have a water bottle handy when you are studying. Dehydration (even mild) can impair cognitive function and mental performance. Do not overcrowd: study everything the day before, it can seem a sure way to gain the knowledge, that you is entirely clear, but it is actually counterproductive, not only will you be exhausted when you get to review but will be tired and do not Wing will remember everything perfectly possible, like you’re rested. There is no quick solution to pass the exams, so our recommendation is to start to prepare a month before exams, at your own pace and time to rest the night before the test. Make a study group: Group study may be useful whenever you choose the right people and you focus on the notes. Try to limit the group to a maximum of 3 or 4 members and making a list of things you are going to study each time you are left. Divide and conquer: Not all tests that do have the same difficulty, thus there is no need to always study the same way, or given equal time to all tests: you must evaluate the test yourself depending on the difficulty and knowledge you have, let them take a longer sections or other†¦ Listen to music to relax: Listening to classical music can help the mind to stay focused. Research has shown that workers who listen to music do their jobs more efficiently than those who do not way, so why not do the same with our studies?

Four Yogic Paths and Jainism Worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Four Yogic Paths and Jainism Worksheet - Essay Example They offer sacrifices to the deities and tirthankaras. Jainism practice devotional deeds that have positive effects on an individual’s state of karma. Further, they aim the mind on reasonable and good behavior. Hinduism and Jainism share some religious aspects such as outlook on behavior and life, practices, beliefs, religious fasts and festivals, rituals and sacraments. There are several things between Hindus and Jainas, and particularly the vegetarian Hindus found in India. For instance, there exist certain castes in India whose members are found in both the Jainas and the Hindus, and that marital affiliations are still practiced between the Hindus and the Jainas. The distinction or differences between the Jainas and the Hindus are seen in the scriptures and the emergence of the world and its creator. The Hindu sacred scriptures like the Puranas, Smirtis and the Vedas are rejected by the Jainas while the Hindus do not accept any book from the Jainas. In addition, as the Hindus argue that God created the world, the Jainas hold that the world is eternal and that there is no creator. In Hinduism, worship is conducted of several forms of one powerful God who is the ruler and the creator of the world while in Jainism; worship is not conducted to an eternal God but to great individuals who have attained Godhood. The importance of worship in Hinduism is not similar to Jainism in that in Hinduism, the achievement of desired goals is by the will of certain supernatural beings that are to be pleased. Contrary, in Jainism, there is no prayer or offerings made to divine beings. Further, as the Hindus belief that Gods alone can achieve liberation, the Jainas hold that it is the rights of human beings. The way of salvation prescribed by Jainism is via the threefold paths of right conduct, knowledge and belies which all people should pursue. Contrary, Hindus have no prescription of any single path that a person should pursue to

TEXTBOOK CJ2012 FAGIN-Explain the difference between the crime control Essay

TEXTBOOK CJ2012 FAGIN-Explain the difference between the crime control model and the due process model of justice - Essay Example This model emphasizes efficiency and speed in the administration of criminal justice process. The advantages of reducing crime rates outweigh any possible costs to rights of the individual. Due Process Model accords priority on the right and freedom of human beings to be protected and sheltered from the power of the government. Values of this model seek to ensure that the state should prove a person’s guilt within a process designed to safeguard and protect personal liberties as itemized in the Bill of Rights. Basically, the difference between these two derives from the fact that crime control model places emphasis on the prosecution of criminals, while the due process model focuses on restricting and limiting the scope of rules and laws by stressing more on personal freedoms and liberty. Besides, the crime control model pays attention on putting the criminal away, defending the innocent people. The due process, on the other hand, considers the rights of the accused person and rehabilitation. The courts incline more towards the due process model, which even supports the accused persons by securing their freedom and rights, to promise that every individual’s rights and freedom are protected as stated in the Bill of Rights. Enforcement inclines in the direction of the model of crime control; they treat arrest as if they were already culpable; largely emphasizing on prosecution, arrest and conviction of those who have broken the law. The due process models needs to guarantee that every person is protected under 8th Amendment and the 4th Amendment, which allows no illegal and unlawful search and seizure. The rights should be put aside for the purpose of maintaining purpose of security and criminal justice manners. On the other hand, sometimes one has to give up his or her right for the advantage of society as a whole. The justice system in US is a complex one and sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between the innocent

Organizational Development application concepts to introduce change at Term Paper

Organizational Development application concepts to introduce change at Old Navy - Term Paper Example The company tends to offer its customers with denim, sunglasses, blouses, shirts, handbags and other fashion products at cheaper prices than its competitors in its physical stores and through its websites. Customers have been observed to prefer its fashionable style and the prices at which the company offers its goods and services to a large extent (WhaleShark Media, 2011). Issues Likely to be Faced by Old Navy Retailer Stores There might be losses to the retailers in the form of external threats such as theft, damage or loss of merchandise along with transaction fraud which is considered to hamper the Old Navy Retailer Stores at large. It has been noted by Aberdeen research reports that approximately 60% of the retailers experienced a write-off of nearly 1.75% of the total inventory (Aberdeen Group, â€Å"Retail Loss prevention System†). ... For instance, it might consist of part time or temporary employees’ related issues, including employees’ dissatisfaction with the working conditions resulting to high turnovers of the employees which can hinder the successful operation of the organization in its long-run. These problems in conjunction to poor performance may prove to be quite problematic for the retailers since such employees tend to be in direct contact with the customers. This may further impact on the brand image of the company influencing the aspect of customer loyalty as well (Purpura, â€Å"Security and Loss Prevention: An Introduction†). With the rising trend of use of the information technology, the maintenance cost for the companies is surmounting day by day. Maintenance cost is considered to be an important factor in the profitability of the organization (Haroun & Duffuaa, â€Å"Maintenance organization†). Rewards systems are considered to be another issue for the retail organiza tions. The main objective of the reward system is to attract potential employees and retain the productive ones, to draw out good performance and to maintain commitment to the organization (Koala Consulting and training, â€Å"Reward Systems†). Each organization must have reward systems as without such systems, companies will not be capable of having talented staffs in the organization. At times it has been noted that an incentive scheme which is capable of enhancing the sales of the organization and motivating the staffs may as well have a negative impact upon the teamwork within the organization. Therefore, this can be considered as an issue for the retail organization. With the increasing effect of globalization, more and more companies are coming up with their product offerings which are giving rise to

Malaysia Fatal Road Accidents

Malaysia Fatal Road Accidents Introduction Background Latest accident data records, findings the fatal of road accident in Malaysia. The accident increase cause road death of it increase, it makes the tourist outsider afraid to drive and indirectly cause the negative effect in economy. The problem of deaths and injury as a result of road accidents is now acknowledged to be a global phenomenon with authorities in virtually all countries of the world concerned about the growth in the number of people killed and seriously injured on their roads. In recent years, the government of Malaysia has been one of the most fatal road accidents among the world. The main sources of data used for this study were United Nation Status Paper on Road Safety 2009, Malaysia and blog spot of Malaysia driving school. We study the fatal rate of road accident in Malaysia and national statistics published through online and other sources. We identify the research question in order to solve our management dilemma. That is â€Å"What are the causes of fatal road accidents in Malaysia?† Road safety considered as one of the social responsibilities of the Malaysian Government. In the sight of this responsibilities, various bodies concern about the road safety have been created within the government departments, voluntary organization and private agencies. http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/roadsafety/Reports2006/Malaysia_RSpaper.pdf Road death statistics in our country are at a very critical level. The number of road fatalities in our country has reached an â€Å"alarming† level, said Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) [director-general Prof Dr Ahmad FarhanSadullah] He was commenting on a report by the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF) which ranked Malaysia among 33 countries which had the highest road deaths at 23.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants last year.The accident increase cause road death of it increase, it makes the tourist outsider afraid to drive and indirectly cause the negative effect in economy. Habit such as failing to give the correct signals when turning, speaking on mobile phone when driving smoking are some of the reason.† by transport ministry parliamentary secretary Donald Lim Siang Chai http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F9%2F18%2Fnation%2F7061384sec=nation Expertise on relevant research ESCAPs mandate was broadened in 1977 by the General Assembly. The regional commissions have since then been the main UN economic and social development centres within the five different regions. The research comes with UN Status Paper on Road Safety 2009, Malaysia. TheUnited Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. With a membership of 62 Governments, 58 of which are in the region, and a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south, ESCAP is the most comprehensive of the United Nations five regional commissions. It is also the largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region with over 600 staff. Established in 1947 with its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, ESCAP seeks to overcome some of the regions greatest challenges. It carries out work in the following areas: Macroeconomic Policy and Development Statistics Sub regional activities for development Trade and Investment Transport Environment and sustainable development Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Social Development Research Problem/Dilemma The accident increase cause road death of it increase, it makes the tourist outsider afraid to drive and indirectly cause the negative effect in economy. From the data recorded road death per 100000 inhabitant Malaysia get 23.8 people of death rate compare to KOREA 12.0, US 11.1 UK 3.8.Road death statistic in our country is at very criteria level. Malaysia is one of the highest death rates on road accident among the world. Research Objective Objectives The objectives of this report overview the fatal road accident in Malaysia. As we know that the accidents rate in Malaysia are rising, in order to solve the problem, we had identify the factor had cause the road accident. Road accident can be cause by driver behavior, equipment failure, roadway design, and poor roadway maintenance. Road accident can be cause by driver behavior, equipment failure, roadway design, and poor roadway maintenance. The major common reason of causing road accident in Malaysia is the driver behavior. Example, drinking alcohol is one of the main causes road deaths in Malaysia. Driving alcohol affects the driving skills and the driver may become fuzzy after drinking so that they will not able to concentrate when they are driving. Speed kill is also a serious case probably will cause by the young generation because most of them are immature. For example, when a car cut into their road land or provoke them, they will try to against it. Poor road maintenance can be a problem causing the road accidents and is the responsibility of the local highway departments because when there was a faded road sign at crossroads, turning point or others, it may confuse the driver go into the wrong way. Uneven surface of the road will also be the problem causes accident. Car equipment failure will also cause the road accident. Some of the cars does not maintain or repair especially tires. The pattern of the tires is use to resistance sliding. If the tires is old or spoil, this easily make the car lost control. Therefore, engine and break system is also an important part for the car. By not taking care of engine will cause car explore and break down of breaking system. Road designs will cause accident when there is a big flow of car and cause many places traffic jam during holidays. Therefore, the driver which has cannot slowly to wait for it. They are trying to turn left and right to cross the car and it cause accident and made heavier jam for the road. Search and verify the information throughout literature review Death Rate per 10,000 vehicles and per 100,000 people (2005-2009) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total Vehicle* 14,816,407 15,790,732 16,825,150 17,733,084 19,020,000 Population** 26,130,000 26,640,000 27,173,600 27,728,700 28,310,000 Death/ 10,000 vehicles 4.18 3.98 3.73 3.68 3.55 Death/ 100,000 people 23.73 23.60 23.12 23.54 23.83 Pedestrian Death Rate per 10,000 vehicles and per 100,000 peoples (2005 2009) User Injury Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Pedestrian Fatal 601 595 636 598 593 Serious Injury 747 711 672 617 613 Light Injury 2,175 1,493 1,430 1,184 1,171 Total registered vehicles and total population Total Registered Vehicle* 14,816,407 15,790,732 16,825,150 17,733,084 18,020,000 Population** 26,130,000 26,640,000 27,173,600 27,728,700 28,310,000 Pedestrian Deaths Rate Death/ 10,000 vehicles 0.40 0.38 0.37 0.33 0.31 Death/ 100,000 people 2.30 2.23 2.34 2.16 2.09 Collect data to verify the existing dilemma The data of death rate per 10,000 vehicles and per 100,000 peoples was collected from 2005 to 2009. The death rate per 10,000 vehicles was decrease from 4.18 to 3.55. And the death rate per 100,000 peoples was decrease from 23.73 to 23.83. Our group prepare power point slide to show that why there are a lot of accident causes in Malaysia, the reason is the driver, road, car and traffic problems. We analyze the cause of road accident show why driver, road, car and traffic problems causes accident. We also search and verify the information throughout literature review to prove the true to shows that accident causes a lot of life death in accident. We also collect data to verify the existing dilemma to shows how many people death in road accident. Literature Review Causes of accident in Malaysia 1.) Driver Driver is most causes of the accident, it because some driver who are tired, sleepy and feeling emotional should in fact not be driving at all. Its call Driver attitude. , drinking alcohol is one of the main causes road deaths in Malaysia. Driving alcohol affects the driving skills and the driver may become fuzzy after drinking so that they will not able to concentrate when they are driving. Speed kill is also a serious case probably will cause by the young generation because most of them are immature. Especially the person who drinking alcohol or taking drugs after, should not driving the car. Because when after drinking the alcohol or taking the drugs will feel unconscious, so in the way driving is very dangerous. Some of the driver turning a corner without giving the correct signal to mention the turning way, this may confused other driver suspicion is turning left or right. In this way, when other side car coming and does not know you want to turn, will causes the accident happen. The action when driver driving the car and pick up the call to speak and smoking is a big causes of accident. It is because when talking the phone or smoking, the driving concentration will switch to other action driver doing, so when not concentration driving may make mistake at the blind spot, the accident may happen easily. 2.) Road Not only the driver causes the accident, some of the accident is making by the road. It is because in Malaysia when you driving to anywhere sure can meet up some hold on the road, because the road long time using by the bigger lorry carrying with the heaver thing like container. So at the long time pass by on the road, the road will sink and become a hold. The government does not care about it the problem and when raining the water rush the soil under the road make the hold become bigger. When the night time, if the road got hold and does not put the signboard mention in front got a hold, driver did not know in front got a hold and may become high percent getting the accident. 3.) Car Condition of the car self also is a way cause of accident. When the car using a long period time, the part of the brakes, lights, signals lights, horn and other does not working well will make lose control. 4.) Traffic When come to the Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas or some specially public holiday, we can see the traffic jam at anyway. This time all family want rush back to hometown meet up with their family and sharing the happiness, but at the same time driver starting cannot waiting for the long time in the traffic jam and try to left and right continually cutting the car, so easily get accident too. Research Design It is a Pure research Purpose is explanatory Conduct the research by suing website, related research by professional. Time frame: 2000-2009 Environment: Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) Instrumental development: Qualitative research to explore the nature of problem. Data collection design sempling design Research schedule At the April 18 our group leader starting distributes the part to every group mates. After giving the part to everyone, all go back home and find all the information about the research. In the April 22 leader collection all the information and data to check the information are correct or not or suitable for using in this assignment or not. At May 2 added all the information into the assignment, we start to meeting with doing survey and analyses the data. After done the assignment leader send a soft copy to all group mates and inform us doing self part of the power point to present. In the end of the last stage, at May 4 combined all the power point together and do a normal simple design on the every slide.

The Case of the Lightning Strike

In forwarded e-mails across the country are many stories of frivolous lawsuits with huge payouts.   First, there is the story of Kathleen Roberson who won $780,000 after breaking her ankle tripping over her own son in a furniture store.   Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 when a neighbor reversed over his hand with a Honda Accord.   The court knew that he had sustained this injury in his attempt to steal the hubcaps, yet ruled in his favor anyway.   The case that I am about to present to you is almost as silly as the first two, but the tone of the article is perfectly serious one in a national publication (Reader’s Digest). Van Maussner and three of his friends went golfing at a country club in Atlantic City.   The skies were dark with rain clouds, but the sports enthusiasts would not allow it to put a damper on their time.   After they reached the 12th hole, Maussner was struck by lightning and nearly died of his injuries.   Later, he sued the course for negligence, as they did not have the â€Å"proper safety procedures in place to protect patrons from lighting†(Gerber, 152). He lost at the lower court, but won at the Superior Court who ruled, â€Å"injuries through acts of God don’t exempt courses from liability†(Gerber, 153).   Is it any wonder why frivolous lawsuits flourish when companies are liable for events beyond their control?   Whatever happened to checking the weather report before going out and a little thing called personal responsibility? This paper will examine the case of the plaintiff and isolate the flaws in his argument. First, the article mentions that the men â€Å"prided themselves on hitting the links throughout the year, regardless of the weather†(p. 151).  Ã‚  Ã‚   This point is relevant because it would imply that it did not matter what the weather channel or club personnel warned—they would have gone about their business regardless.   In fact, the club checked the reports before allowing them on the course in the first place since there was no mention of lightning in the forecast. In a similar case (Ned P. Harris v. United States of America) the plaintiff was going rock climbing when he was struck by lightning.   When it came to court, the judge dismissed the case because, â€Å"He saw no power in the plaintiff’s argument that the National Park Service was to blame for his current situation†(Percelay, 68). The second argument the plaintiff made was that there was no system in place to protect players from inclement weather.   In fact, the club had an evacuation process for more than 40 years: at the first sign of bad weather, employees would cart around the golf course and warn players off.   In fact, two caddies tried to get the group to seek shelter, â€Å"but the men decided against it†(Gerber, 152). Third, it was further argued that â€Å"the country club did not have signs posted about its evacuation plan, nor did it begin telling players to seek shelter at neighboring houses until after his accident.   If the club had proper precautions in place, he would not have suffered the injuries†(Gerber, 153).   Under U.S. Law, if a corporation has an evacuation procedure in place but does not utilize it correctly, it may be held liable. Under scrutiny was â€Å"whether the club [promoted safety] in the way it posted evacuation notices and monitored dangerous conditions, and if it should have built shelters and provided and audible signal†(Gerber, 153).   Would such a system truly prevent lighting strikes in the future?   History has shown a large number of people knowingly venture out in spite of unfavorable weather conditions, i.e. storm trackers, scientists, the curious, and the careless.   Anyone that exposes themselves willingly to extreme weather takes his own life in his hands. In sum, the article tried to achieve balance by including both sides of the story.   However, in creating sympathy for Maussner by implying the negligence of the country club, Gerber tacitly encourages the abdication of personal responsibility for universal liability if it includes the possibility of safety for everyone.   Also, frivolous lawsuits give rise to more frivolous lawsuits. Five years ago, (9 years after Maussner’s case was settled) obese teenagers sued McDonald’s for making them fat. â€Å"McDonald's is responsible for their obesity because it did not provide the necessary information about the health risks associated with its meals†(Santora).   This was the first case of its kind heard in court.   In order for society to get back on track, people need to assume responsibility for their own choices and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. Works Cited Gerber, Robin. â€Å"You Be the Judge: When lightning strikes a golfer, is the country club at fault?† Reader’s Digest. August 2007, pp. 151-153 Percelay, James. Whiplash!: America’s Most Frivolous Lawsuits. Riverside, NJ: Andrews McMeel Publishing Santora, Marc. â€Å"Teenagers’ Suit Says McDonald’s Made Them Obese.† The New York Times. 21 Nov. 2002 Accessed 20 Aug. 2007 at http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health;res=9A0DE7DC1439F932A15752C1A9649C8B63 ;

Nella Larsen’s “Passing”

The history of racism traces its roots back to the times when skin color really mattered. A few centuries ago it was the main criteria according to which people were forced to judge each other. The skin color was determining their social status, lifestyle and the attitude of the surrounding society. Also, it used to be an unwritten law during elections, job interviews, etc., to discriminate the blacks, which caused a full-scale limitation of their rights. In fact, in modern society nothing has dramatically changed in the perception of the racial diversity. The only change that has come into being is the difference between light-skinned and dark-skinned black people. It has been noticed that people with light hue of skin have more privileges than those who can be described as the African Americans or the Blacks. This phenomenon is called colorism (however, for some reason Webster’s Dictionary doesn’t indicate this term) and denotes a type of racial discrimination towards the dark-skinned while their close counterparts — the light-skinned people are treated more respectably at all levels of social system in the USA and other countries. It can be explained by the fact that although there exists a great variety of anti-racist movements, people unconsciously refer to the old stereotype that white skin is an ideal color for a human creature (together with blue eyes, blond hair and thinness) and is taken as success. Consequently, the rest has to either change their color as Michael Jackson did or reconcile themselves to the circumstances of reality. Note, that colorism is not only associated with the blacks. Unfortunately, this notion as well concerns communities that differ from the white race. Therefore, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Arab, the Native American people are also to be â€Å"blamed†. Desire to match the â€Å"ideal† pushes them to absurd: Arabs resort to the help of the surgeon who will refine their nose shape, Japanese do the same in order to change the color and shape of their eyes, etc. People from all over the world have established all kinds of organizations, clubs, and associations, where they assemble to discuss urgent problems of the blacks to protect their rights and work towards the improvement of the their life standards. Among the indicated above groups it’s possible to distinguish some Black organizations such as â€Å"The Blue Vein Society† where the black person should have his blue veins clearly seen from under the skin in order to get a membership. Another association would not allow the black participate in its activity unless his skin hue is no darker than a brown paper bag.   Therefore, individuals with lighter tone of the skin are considered to be closer to the white race and are treated accordingly. The issue of the skin tone has been vividly discussed in mass media but unsurprisingly enough has never become a subject of hot debate among the authorities. In 1920s a well-known American black female author Nella Larson decided to write a book, which would kodak the influence of the color tone of the blacks on their relationships among each other as well as social attitude and life opportunities in general. The book â€Å"Passing† was published in 1929 and received favorable reviews from the majority of readers. During the Harlem Renaissance era staring at the end of WWI and lasting till 1930s, those having the light hue of the skin have considered themselves almost white easily getting their privileges. As for the blacks, they have come to the point where the society forced them to hate themselves for their skin color. Thus, the main problem of the book seen from various angles is colorism. It would be wrong to consider colorism less essential than racism as, in fact, it is even more dangerous as it provokes tension inside the black communities who ought to preserve their identity forcing people with darker skin to feel as if they were less valuable, unimportant human beings having minimum rights and benefits. The recognition of the notion of colorism assists us in dividing the negative phenomenon of racism into several separate problems that therefore can be much easier to solve. The book â€Å"Passing† depicts the story of two women Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry who have not been in touch for a long time, but reunited already having husbands, children and their own lifestyles. Both of them are light-skinned black females, but Clare was the one who has been passing as a white woman during all of her life in spite of the fact that her husband was a violent opponent of the blacks. Through the whole book one can observe a debatable notion whether it is worthwhile having a light tone of a skin to identify oneself as the black and to refuse from the advantage an American white citizen receives on regular basis or to perceive oneself as a white person and to try to penetrate into the white society with all its opportunities and â€Å"equal† rights leaving behind black culture and identity. Irene opposes the idea of abandoning her black roots and subconsciously takes pride in her origin. Being strongly attracted to Clare, she, however, disapproves her behavior in terms of endeavoring to reach the white upper crust. Interestingly enough, Irene’s character doesn’t have a strong incentive in life. Her existence amounts to nothing more than her family and setting up charity activities for the local cream of the crop. She assumes that her light skin allows her to look down on her dark-skinned companions. This can be clearly observed in the dialog between her and Clare after the latter has spent some time chattering with two Irene’s black servants Zulena and Sadie leaving behind general opinion. (Larsen 79). With an ulterior motive, Larsen chooses to place two black women in the role of servants in particular. It is difficult for Irene to overcome the stereotype of the racial diversity and to lower herself to the level of black low-income servants who nevertheless along with their mistress belong to the same group of the blacks. Nella Larsen in her book â€Å"Passing† brings up the gender issue among those willing to escape from their black roots and become one of the whites. This is vividly described at the beginning of the book while women are having a talk about Clare’s friend Claude Jones who used to be the black but has passed and turned into a Jew. The idea of his break-in doesn’t arouse a protest or indignation among the young ladies; moreover, they consider Claude’s abandonment of his origin a weakness that can easily be forgiven and forgotten: â€Å"Oh, he’s a scream all right†¦ Still, it’s his own business† (Larsen 37). At the same time, women are looked at as traitors trying to cross cultural and skin color lines. Applying theory in practice, image makers unnoticeably turn the audience away from the dark-skinned by putting an image of a black male, not on any account a black woman, into the movie and making him fall in love with a white girl or in very rare instances a mulatto girl who in future will give a birth to less darker generation. Larsen also emphasize the role of man by describing Clare’s husband John Bellew who was an ardent racist and an enemy of the blacks. John Bellew becomes a personification of racism, not mentioning colorism, and places his convictions higher than his love for Clare. His belief in Clare’s real origin start growing very fast revealing the truth of the racial issue of his wife as the book goes on. Irene finds herself under the tension of both Clare and John who keep constraining her to pass. Who knows what would happen if John had time to talk to Clare before her death? Divorce? Soul-searching? In any case, nothing has higher price than life, particularly the hue of the skin. But Clare suspects that there is only the slight chance that her husband would change his attitude towards the blacks. Throughout the book Clare is a devoted follower of the idea of passing as she oftentimes describes the positive sides of the world she is living in to Irene. However, later on she starts complaining about the awfulness of her state and tells her friend that ultimately she would be happier and safer than herself. Unfortunately, the problem of skin tone differentiation remains of current importance even nowadays, in spite of all the technological advances and scientific progress, which seemingly have to contribute to the development of moral values. Basically, the reason lies in the human nature, which cannot be in any way modified or suppressed for a long time. According the study of the PhD student Mr. Michael Harrison, the issue of colorism has a great impact on a business sphere. He claims, for instance, that when two black people with equal experience, talents and personal characteristics are applying for a job, the one who is the light-skinned black individual will most likely occupy the desired position, no matter how sad it is. Plenty of people are making a statement regarding being not implicated in racism, but whenever a conversation deals with colorism and the topic of light-skinned and dark-skinned black individuals reaches the boiling point they shade. Together with mass media representatives they are playing a strategic game where they refer to such celebrities like Mariah Carey, Van Diesel, and Halle Berry as the black, purposefully leaving the fact that these famous figures are light-skinned black people without consideration. This policy shapes the worldview of how the black person must look like and creates an image of exotic appearance of the light-skinned individuals. This results in a new different approach toward those people whose skin is of ebony color. Obviously enough, they are most likely not to get a proper education, descent job and all those regular amenities of life taken for granted by white citizens. Experts say, that in average 70% of dark-skinned black African Americans tend to have menial jobs more often than their light-skinned partners as the last ones make 30% of lower-paid salaried workers. Overall, social opinion served through media has become so powerful and influential lately, that it’s hard to think about the future. Try, for example, to imagine a light or a dark-skinned angel from the top to the bottom, his face expression, hairstyle, clothing, etc. At best, you will get an image of the Angel of Death. Or an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Morehouse College Larry D. Crawford in his study (1997) asks the audience whether they have ever thought why â€Å"does the general complexion become darker and darker when you travel from upper to middle to lower class African communities? Why is it that most homeless men are dark complexioned? Why do we become affectively shocked or disturbed at the sight of a light complexioned homeless man? Why does the former seem more natural and the latter utterly out of place? Why is it that most homeless women are also dark complexioned?†Ã‚   He also refers to the fact that the majority of slaves were dark-skinned black people as the argument of a great difference between the latter and those who had light tone of skin. Is it possible to fully realize an enormous size of the problem of skin color? Would it be better if our mankind was created color-blind? Is there any excuse why individuals with white skin color making 10% of world’s population rule the world and establish priorities for others? Is it possible to explain this phenomenon to our grandchildren? Who is the one to stop the on-going mutual misunderstanding reflected in so many generations of the whites and the blacks, both with light and dark hue of skin? It goes without saying that during a course of the years the issue of racism and colorism has been relevant globally and constantly. History should have taught us a good lesson about the consequences of human distorted apprehension of skin hues through worldwide slavery, Civil War and numerous unknown historical events. REFERENCES 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Larsen, N. Passing. New York: Penguin, 1997. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Crawford, D. Larry. â€Å"Racism, Colorism and Power†. National Black United Front. 19 October 2006   

Unitary Executive Theory and the Imperial Presidency

Unitary Executive Theory and the Imperial Presidency To what extent can presidential power be restricted by Congress? Some believe that the President holds broad power, citing this passage from Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. And from Section 3: [H]e shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States. The view that the President holds total control over the executive branch is called the unitary executive theory. The Unitary Executive Theory Under the Bush administrations interpretation of the unitary executive theory, the President has authority over members of the executive branch. He functions as a CEO or Commander-in-Chief, and his power is restricted only by the U.S. Constitution as interpreted by the Judiciary. Congress can hold the President accountable only by censure, impeachment or constitutional amendment, Legislation restricting the executive branch has no power. The Imperial Presidency Historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. wrote The Imperial Presidency  in 1973,  a groundbreaking history of presidential power centering on an extensive critique of President Richard Nixon. New editions were published in 1989, 1998 and 2004, incorporating later administrations. Although they originally had different meanings, the terms imperial presidency and unitary executive theory are now used interchangeably, although the former has more negative connotations. A Short History of the Imperial Presidency President George W. Bushs attempt to obtain increased wartime powers represented a troubling challenge to American civil liberties, but the challenge is not unprecedented: The Sedition Act of 1798 was selectively enforced by the Adams administration against newspaper writers who supported Thomas Jefferson, his challenger in the 1800 election.The very first landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1803,  Marbury v. Madison, established the power of the judiciary by resolving a separation-of-powers dispute between the President and Congress.President Andrew Jackson openly defied a Supreme Court ruling – the first, last and only time that any U.S. President has done so  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ in Worcester v. Georgia  in  1832.  President Abraham Lincoln took on unprecedented wartime powers and violated multiple civil liberties on a large scale during the American Civil War,  including due process rights for U.S. citizens.During the first Red Scare following World War I, President Woodrow Wilson suppressed free speech, deported immigrants on the basis of their political beliefs and ordered massive unconstitutional raids. His policies were so draconian that they inspired protesters to form the American Civil Liberties Union in 1920. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order calling for the forced internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, as well as forced surveillance, ID cards and occasional relocation for immigrants from other perceived hostile nations.President Richard Nixon openly used executive branch law enforcement agencies to attack his political opponents and, in the case of Watergate, to actively cover up his supporters criminal activities.Presidents Reagan, H.W. Bush, and Clinton all actively pursued expanded presidential powers. One particularly stunning example was President Clintons claim that sitting presidents are immune from lawsuits, a position the Supreme Court rejected in  Clinton v. Jones  in 1997.   Independent Counsel Congress passed a number of laws restricting the power of the executive branch after Nixons imperial presidency.  Among these was the Independent Counsel Act which allows an employee of the Department of Justice, and thereby technically the executive branch, to operate outside the Presidents authority when conducting investigations of the President or other executive branch officials. The Supreme Court found the Act to be constitutional in Morrison v. Olson  in 1988.   Line-Item Veto Although the concepts of the unitary executive and the imperial presidency are most often associated with Republicans, President Bill Clinton also worked to expand presidential powers. Most notable was his successful attempt to convince Congress to pass the Line-Item Veto Act of 1996, which allows the President to selectively veto specific parts of a bill without vetoing the entire bill. The Supreme Court struck down the Act in Clinton v. City of New York in 1998.   Presidential Signing Statements The presidential signing statement is similar to the line-item veto in that it allows a President to sign a bill while also specifying which parts of the bill he actually intends to enforce. Only 75 signing statements had ever been issued until the time of the Reagan administration. President Andrew Jackson issued only one.  Presidents Reagan, G.H.W. Bush and Clinton issued a total of 247 signing statements.President George W. Bush alone issued more than 130 signing statements, which tended to be more sweeping in scope than those of his predecessors.President Barack Obama issued 30 signing statements through 2016, even though he indicated in 2007 that he disapproved of this tool and would not overuse it.   Possible Use of Torture The most controversial of President Bushs signing statements was attached to an anti-torture bill drafted by Senator John McCain (R-AZ): The executive branch shall construe (the McCain Detainee Amendment) in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch...which will assist in achieving the shared objective of the Congress and the President...of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks.

The Judiciary Act of 1801 and the Midnight Judges

The Judiciary Act of 1801 and the Midnight Judges   The Judiciary Act of 1801 reorganized the federal judicial branch by creating the nation’s first circuit court judgeships. The act and the last-minute manner in which several so-called â€Å"midnight judges† were appointed resulted in a classic battle between the Federalists, who wanted a stronger federal government, and the weaker government Anti-Federalists for control of the still-developing U.S. court system. Background: The Election of 1800 Until ratification of the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution in 1804, the electors of the Electoral College cast their votes for president and vice president separately. As a result, the sitting president and vice president could be from different political parties or factions. Such was the case in 1800  when incumbent Federalist President John Adams faced off against incumbent Republican Anti-Federalist Vice President Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election. In the election, sometimes called the â€Å"Revolution of 1800,† Jefferson defeated Adams. However, before Jefferson was inaugurated, the Federalist-controlled Congress passed, and still-President Adams  signed the Judiciary Act of 1801. After a year filled with political controversy over its enactment and implantation, the act was repealed in 1802. What Adams’ Judiciary Act of 1801 Did Among other provisions, the Judiciary Act of 1801, enacted along with the Organic Act for the District of Columbia, reduced the number of U.S. Supreme Court justices from six to five and eliminated the requirement that the Supreme Court justices also â€Å"ride circuit† to preside over cases in the lower courts of appeals. To take care of the circuit court duties, the law created 16 new presidentially-appointed judgeships spread over six judicial districts. In many ways the act’s further divisions of the states into more circuit and district courts served to make the federal courts even more powerful than the state courts, a move strongly opposed by the Anti-Federalists. The Congressional Debate Passage of the Judiciary Act of 1801 did not come easily. The legislative process in Congress came to a virtual halt during the debate between Federalists and Jefferson’s Anti-Federalist Republicans. Congressional Federalists and their incumbent President John Adams supported the act, arguing that more judges and courts would help protect the federal government from hostile state governments they called â€Å"the corrupters of public opinion,† in reference to their vocal opposition to the replacement of the Articles of Confederation by the Constitution.    Anti-Federalist Republicans and their incumbent vice president Thomas Jefferson argued that the act would further weaken the state governments and help Federalists gain influential appointed jobs or â€Å"political patronage positions† within the federal government.  The Republicans also argued against expanding the powers of the very courts that had prosecuted many of their immigrant supporters under the Alien and Sedition Acts. Passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress and signed by President Adams in 1789, the Alien and Sedition Acts were designed to silence and weaken the Anti-Federalist Republican Party. The laws gave the government the power to prosecute and deport foreigners, as well as limiting their right to vote. While an early version of the Judiciary Act of 1801 had been introduced before the 1800 presidential election, Federalist President John Adams signed the act into law on February 13, 1801. Less than three weeks later, Adams’ term and the Federalist’s majority in the Sixth Congress would end. When Anti-Federalist Republican President Thomas Jefferson took office on March 1, 1801, his first initiative was to see to it that the Republican-controlled Seventh Congress repealed the act he so passionately detested. The ‘Midnight Judges’ Controversy Aware that Anti-Federalist Republican Thomas Jefferson would soon sit as his desk, outgoing President John Adams had quickly- and controversially- filled the 16 new circuit judgeships, as well as several other new court-related offices created by the Judiciary Act of 1801, mostly with members of his own Federalist party. In 1801, the District of Columbia consisted of two counties, Washington (now Washington, D.C.) and Alexandria (now Alexandria, Virginia). On March 2, 1801, outgoing President Adams nominated 42 people to serve as justices of the peace in the two counties. The Senate, still controlled by Federalists, confirmed the nominations on March 3. Adams began signing the 42 new judges’ commissions  but did not complete the task until late in the night of his last official day in office. As a result, Adams’ controversial actions became known as the â€Å"midnight judges† affair, which was about to become even more controversial. Having just been named Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, former Secretary of State John Marshall placed the great seal of the United States on the commissions of all 42 of the â€Å"midnight justices.† However, under the law at the time, judicial commissions were not considered official until they were physically delivered to the new judges. Mere hours before Anti-Federalist Republican President-elect Jefferson took office, Chief Justice John Marshall’s brother James Marshall began delivering the commissions. But by the time President Adams left office at noon on March 4, 1801, only a handful of the new judges in Alexandria County had received their commissions. None of the commissions bound for the 23 new judges in Washington County had been delivered and President Jefferson would start his term with a judicial crisis. The Supreme Court Decides Marbury v. Madison When Anti-Federalist Republican President Thomas Jefferson first sat down in the Oval Office, he found the still undelivered â€Å"midnight judges† commissions issued by his rival Federalist predecessor John Adams waiting for him. Jefferson immediately reappointed the six Anti-Federalist Republicans who Adams had appointed, but refused to reappoint the remaining 11 Federalists. While most of the snubbed Federalists accepted Jefferson’s action, Mr. William Marbury, to say the least, did not. Marbury, an influential Federalist Party leader from Maryland, sued the federal government in an attempt to force the Jefferson administration to deliver his judicial commission and allow him to take his place on the bench. Marbury’s suit resulted in one of the most important decisions in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, Marbury v. Madison. In its Marbury v. Madison decision, the Supreme Court established the principle that a federal court could declare a law enacted by Congress void if that law was found to be inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution. â€Å"A Law repugnant to the Constitution is void,† stated the ruling. In his suit, Marbury asked the courts to issue a writ of mandamus forcing President Jefferson to deliver all of the undelivered judicial commissions signed by former President Adams. A writ of mandamus is an order issued by a court to a government official ordering that official to properly carry out their official duty or correct an abuse or error in the application of their power. While finding that Marbury was entitled to his commission, the Supreme Court refused to issue the writ of mandamus. Chief Justice John Marshall, writing the Court’s unanimous decision, held that the Constitution did not give the Supreme Court the power to issue writs of mandamus. Marshall further held that a section of the Judiciary Act of 1801 providing that writs of mandamus might be issued was not consistent with the Constitution and was therefore void. While it specifically denied the Supreme Court the power to issue writs of mandamus, Marbury v. Madison greatly increased the Court’s overall power by establishing the rule that â€Å"it is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.† Indeed, since Marbury v. Madison, the power to decide the constitutionality of laws enacted by Congress has been reserved to the U.S. Supreme Court. Repeal of the Judiciary Act Of 1801 Anti-Federalist Republican President Jefferson moved swiftly to undo his Federalist predecessor’s expansion of the federal courts. In January 1802, Jefferson’s staunch supporter, Kentucky Senator John Breckinridge introduced a bill repealing the Judiciary Act of 1801. In February, the hotly debated bill was passed by the Senate in a narrow 16-15 vote. The Anti-Federalist Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the Senate bill without amendment in March and after a year of controversy and political intrigue, the Judiciary Act of 1801 was no more.

Rap and Hip Hop Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rap and Hip Hop - Term Paper Example Experts are not unanimous in their conclusions. The influence of rap music is intense and it can have mostly negative effects. The worrying factor is rap has become part of the popular culture. It has made rapid strides since it originated 1970s. â€Å"It is a known fact that hip-hop has taken over, in a sense, the mainstream youth culture,† said Emmett Price, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, who teaches hip-hop culture. â€Å"So, the young kids from the age of being able to speak to going on to high school are influenced by hip-hop culture whether they listen to music or not.† (Killion†¦) A correlation exists between rap music and increased criminal behavior, sexual activity and drug use. Tricia Rose opines, â€Å"A key aspect of much of the criticism that has been leveled at hip-hop is the claim that it glorifies, encourages, and thus causes violence. This argument goes as far back as the middle to 1980s—the so-called golden age of hip-ho p—when politically radical hip hop artists, such as Public Enemy, who referred to direct and sometimes armed resistance against racism ‘by any means necessary,’ were considered as advocates of violence.†(p.34) The wise saying goes—‘a lie repeated from a platform a thousand times, becomes the truth.’ In the present times of internet revolution, it is necessary that the young adults should know many things.

Prepare a report presenting the advantages of adopting a project Essay

Prepare a report presenting the advantages of adopting a project management approach for the planning and control of a hotel refurbishment project - Essay Example lties, regardless of the scope of the refurbishment project, adopting a project management approach can streamline the renovation activities and ensure that all aspects of the project are coordinated from a management perspective. This report highlights the advantages of adopting the project management approach during the hotel refurbishment activity. During the refurbishment efforts, the needs of the stakeholders must be considered to ensure that the hotel still maintains competitive advantage (especially in terms of satisfying customers). Additionally, the entire refurbishment process requires the administrative efforts of a single individual (or a single group of leaders) who maintain responsibility for the entire project. Creating this type of hierarchical leadership scenario within the project will ensure that all members involved in the refurbishment process are accountable for the individual responsibilities and have a singular point-of-contact to report on their activities or communicate problems with the process in order to avoid miscommunication or project failures which are over-looked. Drescoll (2008) suggests that preliminary planning for the project is most crucial in the project management phases, by clearly establishing which stakeholders will be actively involved in the refurbishment process and the specific capacity of their individual or group responsibilities. The author suggests that an appropriate project management approach requires the project leader, prior to the actual start of the project, contact various departments and stakeholders to discuss the most appropriate channels of communication (Drescoll). These channels may include distribution of mobile devices for instant communication of project failures, internet and other online mediums, or any other method of communication which can provide instant opportunity for resolution or assistance in the face of problems. It appears that this aspect of project management maintains a