Eco-Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Eco-Tourism - Essay Example Major issues The article begins with the startling case of John Gray, a tour operator in Thailand, who discovered a number of tidal sea caves. His efforts to promote the location as an eco-tourism destination, albeit without upsetting the local fragile eco-system, proved ineffective over the years as he met with stiff competition, received threats from local gangs and eventually could not do anything to control the influx of tourists. In the end, the unabated activities of operators, tourists and the local government have severely distorted the delicate ecological balance existing in the area. The article also discusses the evolution of the concept of co-tourism as a way to protect fragile eco-systems and deliver some long-term benefits to the local populations. The power of marketing and the widespread acceptance of the concept have resulted in an explosive growth in the eco-tourism industry the world over. This has not only resulted in a severe harm to the environment due to the ac tivities of tourists (like cutting trees for campfires or collecting stalactite fragments as souvenirs), but has also displaced local tribes and natives. These people complain a lack of inclusion in the decision-making framework within any related initiatives.

History Of Ordnance Corps Essay Example for Free

History Of Ordnance Corps Essay The Ordnance Corp is one of the oldest branches of the Army, established May 14, 1812. The U. S. Army Ordnance Department established from The Revolutionary War. General George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army, appointed Ezekiel Cheever to provide ordnance support to army in July 1775. Until 1779, all the armies had Ordnance personnel moving with them. They were civilians and Soldiers, served as conductors for maintenance ammunition wagon and arms. Each conductor led five to six armorers who repaired small arms. In 1776, Board of War and Ordnance was created. In 1777, the first Ordnance facilities were established at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and the first arsenal and armory operations at Springfield, Massachusetts. Other arsenals and armories were also established at Harpers Ferry, Philadelphia, and Watertown. On May 14, 1812, the Ordnance Department was organized by Congress. The Ordnance Department was responsibility for arms and ammunition production, acquisition, distribution, and storage for the war. In 1832, the Ordnance Corps had new responsibilities for researching and development of field services. Good work of the Ordnance Department continully to developed and tested during the Mexican War. The Mexican War became the foundation for the massive logistics. During the American War, the Ordnance Corps was really tested and developed. The Ordnance Corps brought massive procurement of weapons and supplies, and providing field support for fast moving armies. In 1898, Spain War, the Ordnance Corps first deployed overseas and provided close-combat support. During World War I, the Ordnance Corps mobilized and developed weapons systems, organized Ordnance training facilities, and established overseas supply depots. In World War II saw dramatic expansion of the Ordnance mission of production, maintenance and training. In both Korea War and Vietnam War, the Ordnance Corps provided supplies and maintenance, and was active in the development of rockets, guided missiles and satellites. In modern U. S. Army Regimental System, the Ordnance Corps is organized under the whole branch concept. The Chief of Ordnance serves as the Regimental  Commander, and the Office Chief of Ordnance serves as Headquarters Ordnance Corps. The Ordnance Corps will be always supporting the development, production, acquisition and sustainment of weapons, ammunitions, missiles, electronics, and mobility to supporting combat power to the U. S. Army. The insignia of the Ordnance Corps is yellow color metal shell and flame. The Shell and Flame is considered the oldest branch insignia in the U. S. army. The Shell and Flame had been used by European armies before its adoption by the U. S. army. In fact, it is still used by European armies. This insignia was assigned to the Ordnance Corps in 1832. The branch colors are crimson and yellow. At first, the Ordnance Corps had a red trail, like Artillery. In 1851, Crimson was assigned to the Ordnance Corps. Then in 1902, it was changed to black and scarlet color. Then finally, in 1921, crimson and yellow were assigned to the Ordnance Corps again. The Act of May 14, 1812, recognized the Ordnance Corps. In 1936, the army Institute of Heraldry redesigned and standardized version of the Shell and Flame. Redesigned Shell and Flame remains the current version.

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Overview   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A student on the dean’s list every semester, Carrie came into treatment because she felt she was simply not herself anymore. She used to remember times when she was happy. Recently, her boyfriend had just broken up with her. She was dating him for approximately ten months. The breakup came out of no where and she was not expecting it. At one point they had talked about taking a break, but it was brief and they both decided against it. However, she did mention that he was the reason she was here. He felt it was time for her to take control of her life again and be the person she was when she started seeing him. She admitted she knew she wasn’t the same either and when he said that she promised him to seek treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Further on in the session, Carrie explained she had been raped that summer. She knew her attacker and had dated him. She was with her last boyfriend at the time, and she felt that he had helped her through it completely. However, she would no longer engage in large social groups in fear another attack would happen. She could not associate herself with anyone that was a mutual friend of his. Not only was this a hindrance, but also everytime that her boyfriend would try to kiss her, she simply did not feel the love and affection she used to feel before the rape, it was almost as if her body was â€Å"numb to the feeling of love.† She was scared this pattern would continue throughout her other relationships. She believed this was the case because it brought back memories of her trauma. The last thing she mentioned about this trauma was the fact that at least once a night she would wake up in panic that she was once again being raped. She figured this led to th e eventual break up even though he denied that it had a part in it. The main reason she felt this was due to the fact that she felt that if she had not been at that house at the time of the rape, the rape would have never happened. She said if she had not been drinking it never would have happened. Lastly she contributed the rape to the fact she was not as strong as she could be. In all actuality, she blamed herself for the rape. As a new student at her school, Carrie had not felt she had any close friends to talk to about her break up. She felt she was just another number in all of her classes. As an avid track athlete in high sc... .... Because she does not know the first step in coping, we would go through each of the coping steps in order for her to recover from her trauma. Because she does not have a strong support system at school, I will encourage her to eventually tell her parents about the assault so in the future they will be able to help her deal with the stress of the trauma. Because she knew the person who attacked her, I may encourage Carrie to confront him about the situation. Carrie may not only have more confidence in herself after telling him that he cannot hurt her anymore and may be able to handle the situation better if she believes she is in control of her emotions and thoughts about her attacker. Though this may also distress her more, I will see how the initial treatment progresses to see if this is the right step to take in her recovery. Finally, I will attempt to help her deal with the avoidance of the situations. If another man comes into the picture, I want her to feel comfortable around him and she needs to know that she can be physical with a significant other without thinking about the trauma. This however can only be done if another man comes into the picture during her therapy.

Twelfth Night: Interpretations Through the Directors Staging

Twelfth Night: Interpretations through the Directors Staging Antonio: I could not stay behind you: my desire, More sharp than filed steel, did spur me forth; And not all love to see you, though so much As might have drawn one to a longer voyage, But jealousy what might befall your travel, Being skilless in these parts; which to a stranger, Unguided and unfriended, often prove Rough and unhospitable: my willing love, The rather by these arguments of fear, Set forth in your pursuit. (Twelfth Night, 3. 3. 6-16)For hundreds of years people from all over the world have seen the works of William Shakespeare performed by thousands of actors. Twelfth Night or What you Will is but one of the many comedies written by William Shakespeare that have been produced in many formats, from theater, television and even several feature films. So many different productions of the same works have opened the door to directors adding their own twist to the original script to make it their own. One play can be performed countless different ways, from very conservative or to unconventional depending on the director’s interpretation and intentions.So all writings are open for creative interpretation thus being for this paper I am going to focus on the directorial staging of this play and how the staging and direction brought the focus of the subplot of Antonio and Sebastian into a homoerotic relationship opposed to other renditions of Twelfth Night that were homosocial. Directors have creatively reconstructed these plays pulling from the era, the popular ideology of the community and political correctness at the times the different styles and interpretations so that Shakespeare can be adapted to the current times.My most recent exposure to the Shakespeare is Twelfth Night as it was performed in Ashland, Oregon, during the 2010 Shakespeare Festival, directed by Darko Tresnjak. The design and style of the set design and costumed was reminiscent of the movie Mozart in the play bill t he director did mention that this movie did give him some inspiration for these choices. The white costumes of the Dukes court. The season was summery with no hint of the holidays, no Christmas ornamentation. The actors who played Sebastian and Antonio with the direction from the director acted out the relationship between them as overly homosexual, as if they were lovers.Antonio was far more feminine and flamboyant (similar to the role played by Johnny Depp in the movie Pirates of the Carrabin) and Sebastian was more masculine. I think the director used this opportunity to emphasize this aspect of our modern American homosexual subculture. I think the director wanted to reflect upon homosexuality in America currently instead of the over emphasized the traditional comedic element of cross dressing and mischievous misrepresentation of the sexes that has been a popular and humorous way to perform Shakespeare’s plays.True this play has homoerotic elements in it that hundreds of years ago were considered humor, cross dressing, falling in love with a â€Å"perception† of what is not what you perceive. This was recreated in several comedies during this time. At the time this was written for popular entertainment to be funny and absurd. A romantic comedy where someone falls in love with an illusion and is made to look foolish is an underlying theme in many comedies of the time.The director in the Ashland example defiantly imposes the ideology of modern homosexuality into this version of Twelfth Night. This becomes evident in Act 2, Scene 1 (2. 1. 1-52); â€Å"†¦ ANTONIO: If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant. SEBASTIAN: If you will not undo what you have done, that is, kill him whom you have recovered, desire it not. Fare ye well at once: my bosom is full of kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino's court: fare well.Exit†¦. † Because the director in the Ashland production had the actor playing Antonio over emphasize his lines in this part of the scene and seam to beg Sebastian as a lover. I would like to introduce two other performances of Twelfth Night that I have selected for this paper, on top of the live performance in Ashland, two other performances of Twelfth Night to exhibit the different ways directors can creatively interpret Shakespeare through the staging and direction to intertwine modern ideas and ideology through their direction, making it relevant for today.I am using a BBC television performance and an American film and I have decided to focus on the characters of Sebastian and Antonio in all three performances to compare the director’s style and depiction of this relationship, of these two, and to see the effect on the whole production. Second I want to introduce an example from the American produced feature film of Twelfth Night or What you Will (Nunn) f rom Fine Line Features Presents a Renaissance Film, directed by Trevor Nunn run time 134min.The actors who played Sebastian and Antonio, under the directors guidance, created a relationship between these two men that suggested a fatherly bond as if Antonio, who saved Sebastian from the ocean, became a surrogate father to this young man Sebastian, who has lost his sister and father. Of all the versions this particular depiction made the most sense and really brought the words to life between these two. Antonio in Act 5, reaction became so believable first the betrayal and confusion with Cesario (Viola) response of not knowing him and then later when Sebastian enters onto the stage, Antonio’s comments on both of them.Act 5 (5. 257-277) â€Å"†¦ANTONIO: Sebastian are you? SEBASTIAN: Fear'st thou that, Antonio? ANTONIO: How have you made division of yourself? An apple, cleft in two, is not more twin than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?†¦ † I found the pe rformance of the actor who played Antonio as a genuine caring father type to be accurate and in this moment the film captures the disbelief of a man who is seeing a mirror image of his own child. This is what made the words of Shakespeare come alive and gave a hint of truth to this unbelievable tale.This is why I believe that this particular twist is more believable and follows more closely to what the original production would have suggested. The third performance I am introducing is the British production by a Renaissance Theatre Production of Twelfth Night or What you Will A&E, Thames Television in association with the BBC television production directed by Kenneth Branagh run time 165min. the setting of this production was late 1800’s in depth of winter with snow and wind and barren trees, almost on the brink of spring.The director kept in pace with the title of the play by having a Christmas tree, and other holiday novelties. The actors who played Sebastian and Antonio in this production, were staged and directed in the relationship between them as â€Å"sportsmen†, as if they had become best sportsman like friends â€Å"Good Chaps† in the intonations the director has obviously instructed the actors to play down the dialogue that leave a hint of homosocial relationship. This is evident in the way that the end of ACT 2 (2. 1. -52); â€Å"SEBASTIAN: If you will not undo what you have done, that is, kill him whom you have recovered, desire it not. Fare ye well at once: my bosom is full of kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino's court: farewell. Exit (this was spoken up beat and as if he was going to a sporting event. ) ANTONIO: The gentleness of all the gods goes with thee! I have many enemies in Orsino's court; else would I very shortly see thee there. This was spoken with a challenge and boisterous. ) But, come what may, I do adore thee so, (this phrase was almost whispered as if it was a second thought. ) That danger shall seem sport, and I will go. Exit† (the last statement before his exit was stated as if he was embarking on an adventure. ) the way that this was performed by the actor who played Antonio played up the masculine and down played the tenderness. This being a British production the topic of homosexuality has been downplayed and not openly addressed, because it is improper etiquette.The idea of still being a man in the public and not projecting your personal preferences is a very real behavior, where as in America it would be acceptable to be â€Å"Out of the closet†. In Europe men’s sexual preference is not something of polite conversation and is not labeled as it is in America because in England the perception of â€Å"man† doesn’t lose their manly hood by having male relations. So this being a British Television production the director would have n ever broached the subject of homosexuality.In America we have grown accustomed to labeling relationships and categorizing everything where in Europe they have grown beyond that and do not need to push labels I believe this was touched on in Manliness Before Individualism: Masculinity, Effeminacy, and Homoerotic in Shakespeare's History Plays Rebecca Ann Bach points out that â€Å"†¦all of which depict England in disorder, are profoundly interested in how manliness is constructed and maintained. Because gender roles and the social order were deeply intertwined in Renaissance England, masculinity surfaces constantly as a point of tension†¦. (Bach) and she goes on to discuss â€Å"†¦Today we live in a world in which men and women are, by definition, separate kinds of people; our culture expends enormous energy from the birth of a child creating and maintaining the distinctions between men and women†¦Ã¢â‚¬  showing the separation of the perception of the rolls of men and women in the very different eras. This seems to be what draws so many to Shakespeare is that he interweaves this idea of separation into a comical theme and makes light of this need to separate and label. This may be why today in England the separation seems to be less than in America.From the evidence I have discovered I surmise that in the time of Shakespeare, the rolls of men and woman were quite different, and to have a young man play the role of a woman was common place due to no female actors, as they do today. To reverse the reversal is somewhat funny for the time, it can also be ironic, or homoerotic. The debate will continue through my time and for eons as to what was really intended by the words of Shakespeare. I do believe though that is the directors who project modern ideologies into the plays, not the writer.I believe it is the director’s drive to personalize and to modernize the work and bring it up to date. The desire to connect the past on a deeper in timate level that makes this director inject such modern ideas into these classics. Humans have a deep seated need to connect with the past and to interpret the past on a personal level and to be able to see ourselves in the past. I believe that the modernization of Plays actually pull us farther away from the past. So even though I may have thought that the staging of Antonio and Sebastian were homosexual and I thought it took away from the whole of the play.The director injected his views of this performance of Twelfth Night to reflect on today’s society and to touch the audience of today, not of yesterday. Directors have always brought the past to life and this is another example of the modern interpretation of Shakespeare. I have to wonder though, what would William think about this production? Work Cited Page: 1. Bach, Rebecca Ann. Manliness Before Individualism: Masculinity, Effeminacy, and Homoerotic in Shakespeare's History Plays. Online October 14, 2010. http://www. blackwellreference. com/public/tocnode? id=g9781405136068_chunk_g978

Prejudice in “Of Mice and Men” Essay

â€Å"Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart.† – Marguerite Gardiner. In society, both modern and in the past, prejudice has been a tool of thinking and labeling a group of race, people, class and culture in order to distinguish ones superiority and dominance from one another, but is simply a way to judge without gathering valid facts. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, we see that prejudice was just as rampant in the 1930’s. In the novel, prejudice is demonstrated on 3 different levels: racial, sexual and social. It is shown how these prejudices generate false perceptions that although meant to aid, do no such good as their end result is clouding the truth. Racial prejudice is most significant when describing Crooks, who happens to be the stable buck for the farm. Crooks is also a Black man with a back disability, hence the reason he is called â€Å"Crooks†. While most of the other workers live in the same area and attend to jobs that are quite similar, Crooks is forced to live by himself, work alone in the stables and is almost never in contact with any of the other characters. People such as Curly’s Wife go as far as to ridicule Crooks and even look down at him simply for the fact that he is a Black man with a disability who is a laborer. In one instance, Curly’s Wife threatens Crooks by telling him â€Å"Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do if you open your trap, I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t funny† (Steinbeck, 98). The open brutality of this comment shows that even a woman, who would normally not have much or any say during this time in the 1930’s, is still considered higher in social class than an African-American man. Nothing is known about him as a person by any of the other farm attendants, but the prejudices that in this case are completely false help propel a gap between them, when one does not need to be. Although he may be physically handicap, he is just as capable as any of the others. As a result of being an outcast at the farm, Crooks has become very isolated and disengaged with the other members. When Lennie enters Crooks cabin in order retrieve the puppies, Crooks lashes out and tells Lennie â€Å"I ain’t wanted in the bunk room and you ain’t wanted in my room† (Steinbeck,124). This comment shows that Crooks has become bitter and alone because of the prejudice constantly being aimed at him when there is no reason for the way he is treated. He is a great overall example of racial  prejudice in Of Mice and Men and society, both past and present, in which a African-American male, who is as capable as any man of another color is denied the same opportunities because of stereotypes and perceptions which can only be supported with biased false facts. Sexual prejudice is strong when Curly’s Wife is a part of a scene. Curly’s Wife also happens to be the only female that is currently occupying the place of work that the novel is set in. Curly’s Wife is presented as a character who tends to be very friendly with all the men on the farm and enjoys the attention she gets because her husband, Curly does not give her the amount of attention that she wants, so she finds it with others. Curly’s Wife is often avoided by all other who work at the farm because she is a woman who could get them in a lot of trouble. Curly is the boss’ son and Curly’s Wife being the daughter-in-law always gets her way and can have any man in the farm fired without reason. â€Å"She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she even gives the stable buck they eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants† (Steinbeck,51). Being a woman, there is already significant amount of sexual prejudice directed to her and the fact that she is very flirtatious with the other men further strengthens their perception of her. They all try to remain as calm as possible, careful not to give her the wrong idea cause they know the trouble that she could get them in. In actuality it appears that Curly’s Wife only craves attention from the other men and nothing sexual because of the lack of her husband to give her the attention that she wants. The idea of her wanting something only sexual and not spiritual shows the prejudice associated with gender in this novel and how its falsehood prevents a lonely woman from engaging and connecting with others on a mental level. Equally important is the Social prejudice towards characters such as Candy and Lennie in Of Mice and Men. Candy is very old and not capable of doing much around the farm but is still kept around to do the simple chores that the others are seen as more of a waste of time for others. These simple chores are envied by others and this jealousy helps create a division between Candy and the others. Candy also has a dog that in many ways is similar to him â€Å"[The] dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot  me if I got old an’ a cripple (pg. 45).† They are both described as being old, withered, confused and in many ways more of a nuisance who would do more good dead than alive. Socially being hated by the majority of the men at the ranch shows the prejudice that is directed without any reason, but simply motivated by jealousy. In the instance of Lennie, social prejudice is strongest evident in the perception others have of him because in their eyes, all they see is a big oaf incapable of accomplishing anything intelligent and only kept around for his strength. Before meeting Lennie and even engaging him in conversation, his position has already been established at the Ranch. With Curly we see that â€Å"[He’s] like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at ’em because he ain’t a big guy† (pg. 26). Regardless of his ability to be of help at the farm, Curly already establishes his position on Lennie even though he has had no significant direct contact or enough time to accurately depict Lennie as a person and not just a big man physically. Not only Curly, but other members of the farm also have decided Lennie’s place at work before fully knowing him. He is left out of card games, left back at the ranch when George and the others go out to hand more important jobs. Being considered a simple minded men with little use who spend their days playing with and day dreaming about rabbits or sweeping after others, Lennie and Candy have become outcasts in the sense that one of them is perceived to be mentally unstable and added to the fact that he is physically strong, while the other one is a nuisance who many could live without, make them both isolated and all the more reason to be avoid and singled out. â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is a brilliant novel in demonstrating that prejudice is a tool that people use to become more familiar with other individuals in order to overcome the fear of uncertainty. However, the ending result is that it puts distance between the person and the one they judge because it is not fact, but perception that is completely untrue. Prejudice is simply the reasoning of a fool to make themselves feel secure.

buy custom Academic Poster essay

buy custom Academic Poster essay The above academic poster was created after considering the appropriate theories and models applicable in designing of posters. The diagram shows a schematic representation of tools that are expected to be used in the risk management analysis of TECHNEAU. The particular case study was conducted on TECHNEAU to try to perform an effective risk assessment. Also, it was created to improvise risk management techniques in the provision of safe drinking water for individuals. A case study was carried on to assess the risks that exist in the provision of safe drinking water for individuals and the provision at an affordable cost for all the stakeholders involved (Techneau.org, 2009). There are many potential risks in water provision services. Some of the risks include the provision of water containing too many chemicals. They can be added over the required and recommended levels. Personnel, working at the water provision services organization, might also fault and fail to put any water treatment or no water treatment chemicals as required. This is likely to result in potential health problems for the individuals that might consume the water. Such risk would have a high likelihood of leading to deaths, especially if people would not be notified of the disease causing pathogens that they might be exposed to after consumption of the water. It would also have a high probability of exposing the organization to litigation in court. There are many individuals in the society, which would not understand why the organization failed to perform its duty in provision of safe drinking water to people that depend on it. The actual occurrence of such risk would also make stakeho lders of the organization and its clients lose confidence in the company. As a result, they would feel that such an action might occur again since it has already happened in the first place (Techneau.org, 2009). After analysis of all the possible negative outcomes the company, therefore, felt that it was necessary for them to perform a risk analysis, which would expose the weak areas in the organization. The management of the company developed policies and guidelines that once implemented could avoid risks and remove hazards. Risk management was also performed to offer means through which the organization could develop control measures in case the organization was to actually experience the identified risks (Drennan McConnell, 2007). When analysis is performed on water, the personnel evaluates the results and interprets them on the basis on the risks that the water poses, in terms of endangering individuals health. The personnel is trained to classify the levels whether it is acceptable or not. The level of risk that is posed might be at low levels and might warrant the personnel to control the overall risk. Once the risk levels have been measured, the management of the organization should decide on the best ways to deal with the outcomes such as leave the situation the way it is, completely change the situation or reduce the risk levels. The performed action would also be dependent on the available funds and on the training of the available personnel. In the TECHNEAU case study, the risk analysis, risk evaluation and risk reduction tools and methods were analysed more carefully. Risk Measures Risk measures, utilized in this particular case study, involved use of qualitative and quantitative means to get a better perspective of the situation. The qualitative technique used in analysis and measure of the risks in the organization included Coarse Risk analysis (CRA) (Boulder et al, 2007). The potential hazardous situations in the provision of water services for the organization were graded depending on the level of the occurrence chance. The chance that the risk might occur is issued with a P (frequency/ probability). The outcome of the risk event occurring is designated as C for outcome of each of the events. The chances of events occurring are issued with different terms such as rare or frequently occurring. The likely outcomes of the risk factors are classified on the scales as being small, intermediate or very serious (Techneau.org, 2009). Trained personnel in the water provision sector could be able to give details that are more specific on areas such as a more comprehensive approach of interpreting different levels of the consequences that exist as the risk factors in the water outcomes. For example, an individual that has been trained on technical issues about water supply could be able to translate that rare could mean that the risk factor of the given event could be once in a week or once in three months. A trained individual might also be able to provide the translation of small in context of a health risk. It means that the one should be able to explain how untreated water could affect individuals health. The figure shows the probable outcomes. It could be used to give the information used for analysis of the results. The figure shows the chances of the different likelihoods and the different outcomes. The obtained results could be used for interpreting the data using methods such as the free tree analysis. It could be done in order to give results that can be clearly understood and used for presentation to individuals that might not have technical training about water provision details (Twig, 2004). The parameters, which would be affected by the water provision in this case, would be the possible negative health outcomes for clients who consume the water. To correct the situation, the water provision company would have to cut off the water supply to the clients. It is done in order to do damage control of the water by providing treating with necessary chemicals. The company also tested whether the treatment be effective in terms of making the water safe for consumption through killing disease causing pathogens in the water (Techneau.org, 2009). The management of the organization would have to conduct a survey on resilience of the risk. Acknowledging and accepting risks are one of the greatest steps towards achieving the desired risk management in organizations. The discovered risks could be compared to already established guidelines that state the levels of acceptable risk for the organization. Through use of the acceptable outcomes, the management team could be able to make the necessary decisions concerning water provision and the necessary action to be taken. For example, the risk factor could be found to be so huge that the company would have to close their water supply to certain areas. It is performed in order to treat the water and control the risk that has already been breached. Risk control would invole strict control measures to reduce the negative effects on people exposed to the contaminated water. The management would have to make fast decisions even if the information available to them would be limited (Thorton, 2002). Risk control involves contacting all the stakeholders so that they could be aware of the situation so that they could play their part. The risk control action should be taken to the management of the company and should involve careful planning. For example, the management should be aware of the time that is needed to resolve the technical difficulties. Risk control should be used together with other tools in the organization to ensure that the risk is well handled and the organization is able to save the situation at hand (Solvic, 2000). The management should be as open as possible when its representatives communicate to the clients about the problem they might face and the measures being taken. It is used to ensure that systems are corrected, up and running. Once the management briefs the clients through the media, they can be able to salvage their image with the public. As they are admitted to the fact they make mistakes, but they are sufficiently noble to acknowledge their mistake and seek fast and effective solutions. The determination should be shown effective to all the members involved. Systematic processes should be followed by the organization to come up with solutions for risk outcomes. The principle of proportionality dictates that the possible decisions, proposed by the organization, have to offer highly valuable determinations, which confer benefits in comparison to losses and to all the stakeholders. The principle of reason should use the decision making process. Thee action should be within the economic limits and capabilities of the organization. The principle of allocation should be applied whereby the resultant outcome should ensure that neither the organization nor the society feels unfair through the decision. All the decisions that might have risky outcomes should be avoided. This is dictated by the principle of risk avoidance. The case study shows the different aspects that might have to be considered by an actual organization. Part B Analysis of Theory, Concepts and Research in the Poster Application of risk management in the poster Uncertainty is a risk that all organizations have to encounter because not everything that they plan is likely to come up the way it has to. Furthermore, different actions, carried out by the management, are likely to lead to different outcomes some of which might be unexpected. Risk management is necessary in the modern world where competition has gripped all organizations and they struggle to stay afloat amid the competition (Drennan McConnell, 2007). Organizations have to come up with innovative techniques and involvement of talented human resources to gain a competitive advantage, especially when benchmarked with other organizations. Competition has evolved to global level with the introduction of many products and services that have gained popularity and enlarged markets all over the world. Trading in a competitive environment automatically introduces an element of risk. It has to be well managed in order to ensure that an organization remains in business and is still competitive in comparison to other organizations that might be dealing with the same kind of business or trade (Kasperson, 2005). Risk management can be applied to any form of organization regardless of size and business area. It involves identification of risks, use of available resources to minimize and control those risks. Most common risks are usually caused by the nature of uncertainty in financial markets, wrong direction in the course of a project, carried out (Tversky Kahneman, 1983). Failure of a project can occur at any point starting from the initial point, when it was created, to the phase when the project is implemented. Risks might arise from factors that the organization has no control over uncontrolled factors. For example, an earthquake might lead to huge losses in terms of profits. The losses might be huge in terms of lost opportunities or loss of confidence from stakeholders. One of the actual risks might be an attack from competitors. It would require the organization to do damage control and try to emerge on top in such a situation (Twig, 2004). Risk management is a very important and necessary field to be applied to business. The accurate assessment can be used in the application of strategies dealing with such risks as transfer to a specialist in the area of risk management. The possible negative outcomes can also be managed in a way of mitigating the undesirable effect and lead to better results. Risk Principles, Practices and Terminologies Different risks exist in organizations and they are always dealt with according to the seriousness and available resources. In most business structures, the risks that can lead to the greatest losses are a matter of priority. Sometimes risk might not be tangible. This aspect is known as intangible risk management (Thorton, 2004). The type of risk usually occurs because organizations do not have enough information to deal with the kinds of risks they are exposed to. Process engagement is also a common exposure that might occur when the correct processes are not followed. Relationship hazard occurs in organizations that are usually exposed to ineffective work processes. It might be caused by lack of team work and communication (Twig, 2004). Various principles are used in the assessment and management of risks to encourage effectiveness in application of different techniques. Creation of value should be one of the first processes that are secured before the implementation of the risk management process. The risk management process should create the concept of integrating all the involved employees in the implementation process that contributes to the reduction or control of risks facing the organization. The international organization standardization (ISO) dictates that risk management principles should involve addressing of all assumptions and uncertainties that might be held by the staff in the organization (Royal Society Study Group, 1992). Addressing of the employees attitudes and actions is a very important factor in the management of risks. A systematic process should be followed to ensure that all members of the organization are involved in the processes that are undertaken in the risk management (Solvic, 2000). All risk analyses and management should be desiigned to suit the risk needs of the specific organization. There are no two organizations alike and this should be reflected in the solution that is made available to one of them. To ensure that there are free flow of information, risk management solutions should be very transparent. This would increase clarity for the employees in terms of their roles and objectives that they would be expected to fulfil (Chapman, 2007). Key Conceptual Models of Safety Culture and Error Management Organizations should ensure that the employees are highly trained in terms of dealing with potential risks that might occur depending on the field of business. Management should also strive to establish safety cultures whereby regular training is performed. Teams should be put together to improve their trust relations and their ability to tolerate and appreciate each others differences. it would promote a harmonious working environment at the workplace (Drennan McConnell, 2007). Organizations should establish and implement consistent and systematic guidelines that would promote a safety culture in the organization. Error management targets the reduction of risks occurrence in organizations and the mitigation of the consequences when they do occur in organizations. Organizations can positively view the management of errors to avoid too much pressure on the employees, which might result in more errors. Organizations find out the situations that might lead to high stress factors for their employees. Management has to work in the direction of reducing stress factors and any other aspects that might cause to reduction of errors made in the organization (Kasperson, 2005). Construction of Risks Risk is constructed with the help of various techniques. The stuff of higher level determines the risk management tools and techniques to be utilized in organizations. The qualitative risk management tools are usually aimed at the development of knowledge about tools that can reduce the risks, which can occur in organization, and means of avoiding those hazards. Quantitative risks are usually used to control the risks that might occur in an organization through the implementation of security systems, which would avoid or mitigate the risk in question (Solvic, 2000). Qualitative methods should make proper use of the human personnel in the organization. Those people, who are on the ground, might be in a good position to offer solutions to problems that the organization is facing. Tools for identifying risks involve using technology, brainstorming, self-assessment sessions and workshops, carried out by risk management experts, filling questionnaires and conducting interviews (L fstedt, 2003). Relationship between Risk Management, Strategy, and Governance Risk management is considered to be important as far as organizations need to develop in order to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors and ensure that they perform as well as expected within an organization. Risk management is a strategic tool used in organizations to develop stable workable systems. Effective managers ensure that the organizations have well equipped risk management systems so that they could effectively diagnose the risks that might be faced. It is performed in order to reduce negative financial effects related to risks (Chapman, 2007). This would help businesses to stay afloat in the market and to appear competitive when benchmarked with others that work in the same sphere. Leaders, using risk management, can expect high results in terms of performance because of the effective diagnosis and tools used in risk management (Bouder et al, 2007). Vulnerability and Resilience In an organization, the management of factors that might lead to the reduction of profits that are likely to be gained should be given priority in terms of resources, time and personnel allocation. Avoiding risks can be one of the best methods to ensure that businesses do not risk losses of their resources and, in case they risk their losses, the losses might be reduced. The disadvantage with avoiding risks is that it might lead to loss of opportunities that might present potentially high benefits (Frenkel et al, 2005). Hazard prevention involves avoiding risks in case of an emergency. Risk reduction is also a commonly used by many organizations, for example, use of software security systems to ensure that the costs that are incurred are controlled effectively. Risk resilience involves acknowledging and accepting losses that have occurred and an attempt to reconstruct the parts of the organization that has incurred damage. Risk resilience might involve risks that result in high damage to the organization in terms of not being insured or risks that might not be acknowledged by insurance companies. Such risks might include natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, typhoons and other kinds of natural disasters that might involve a lot of damage to a company. Risk communication involves various principles, which should be adhered, to ensure that firms maximize available risk management resources (Frenkel et al., 2005). Communication in risk management should be concise and involving to the members of the organization. It is important that the employees feel they are involved in not only the implementation process, but also in the decision making. In risk communication, the management should ensure that they have all the necessary analysis information in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The detailed information would place the organization at a competitive edge in comparison to their competitors and give possibility to deal with issues that affect them. Problems that organizations encounter can be either internal or external. The external environment and the stakeholders should be communicated to and given the necessary information they require. It helps them to perceive the organization in the way that is intended and in a beneficial manner. The management of the organization should ensure that it deals with the concerns of both the internal and the external stakeholders (Bouder et al, 2007). Shareholders might have concerns about anticipated risks or those that have already occurred in the organization. The management should ensure that it prepares the necessary information of a report to address the concerns of such clients. When clients and shareholders feel that their concerns are addressed instead of being ignored, they are more likely to show trust to the organization and confidence in it even when it appears that the organization performs badly (Crounchy, Galai Mark, 2000). Buy custom Academic Poster essay

Top 3 Ways to Beat Procrastination

Top 3 Ways to Beat Procrastination Don’t let 2016 start getting away from you already. We all suffer from procrastination, but the first month of the new year affords a great excuse to tackle the problem. Make some serious progress toward being free from the pull of Facebook and get some real work done.SEE ALSO:Â  6 Tips to Overcome Procrastination and Get Stuff DoneStep 1: Use a reward system.Hey, it works for mice. Set up a schedule or time structure that you can live with and stick to it. You can try the Pomodoro method (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off), or come up with something that works best for you. Set aside reward breaks to fritter around and keep your work time sacrosanct. That way, no matter how dull or difficult the work, you have a finite amount of time before you’re allowed a break. Psychologically, this can make all the difference.Step 2: Set smaller, manageable goalsHave a daunting task? An insurmountable project? Break it down. Take a hammer to the impossible and chip it into smaller acti onable items you can get done in smaller, more manageable chunks of time. Getting a few of these preliminary or minor details taken care of will help you build momentum and start to see the full shape of the finished job. And it’s always so satisfying to cross tasks off a list; the more you have per list the better!Step 3: Do a mental warm-up firstTreat this one just like the gym. You wouldn’t go right to the heavy dumbbells without doing a bit of prep work first. Start your work day with a bit of reading (no, not Facebook or celebrity gossip blogs!). Seeing well-expressed ideas and well-written words can spark your own drive to do good work- and can even give you the inspiration you need to make your project pop. If reading isn’t your thing, try a crossword puzzle or Sudoku or Luminosity- anything to get your brain going in advance of getting down to work.

Business Communication Essay Example

Business Communication Essay Example Business Communication Essay Example It is essential that every country during its development has identified the main sources usage of which can give it competitive advantage in the world market. Thus, it is essential to understand why some product are being principal for one country and do not have such principal status among others, why these products are making the country being the competitive. Thus, the main statement of the current project is to understand what the country’s principal products are. Such research will bring the full understanding of the significance and strategic meaning of the products that are being principal for the particular country. The main limitation of the research is connected with the today’s extensive development of the technologies and particular sphere of business is being the principal for every country around the world. There are also the set of the business that are important for every country and in this basis most of them starting to affect the potential competitor using different strategies, for example, export or import barriers. In order to answer the stated question it is necessary to research the economics of the particular country, analyze its exports and imports, through the data analysis understand what products are being principal for the country. First of all, it is necessary to identify the set of products or services that are being the most valuable through the data analysis. Then, it is necessary to assess the GDP and the part of the GDP that the particular range of products set. Also it is necessary to pay attention why these products are being principal and not others: I. The analysis of the GDP A. The analysis of the GDP exports in 3 year B. The identification and analysis of the principal products of the particular country II. The principal products analysis A. The analysis of the fact why these products are principal for the particular country B. The analysis of the potential products that can become principal for the particular country III. The opportunities country has A. The analysis of significance of these products for other countries B. The analysis of the market trends for the potential products that particular country can offer Visit our custom essay writing service to get professional writing help from experts hired to help students with academic paper writing.

An Analysis and Evaluation of Rep.Tammy Baldwin's Respect for Marriage Research Paper

An Analysis and Evaluation of Rep.Tammy Baldwin's Respect for Marriage Act - Research Paper Example If arguing from a utilitarian standpoint, I will be able to prove that the Baldwin’s decision to push for the Respect for Marriage Act is in fact a morally good decision. I will be able to do this despite rebuttals from the critics of utilitarianism and the proponents of Kantian ethics. The issue of same-sex marriage has always been a moral issue in the United States, as well as in the rest of the world. In the United States, despite the American Psychiatric Association declaring in 1973 that homosexuality is not a disease (â€Å"Facts about Homosexuality,† UCDavis), religious and conservative groups in the country have maintained their stance on homosexuality despite the fact that European countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as neighboring Canada, have instituted same-sex marriages (Robinson). Despite the fact that the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia have already begun issuing m arriage licenses to same-sex couples, 37 states are still under the Defense of Marriage Act (â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage,† NCSL). This means that the majority of the states, as well as the federal government, still do not recognize the sanctity and legality of same-sex marriages even in those states that allow such kind of marital union. This is where Wisconsin Representative Tammy Baldwin comes in and her Respect for Marriage Act. This bill, which is sponsored by 108 members of the Congress (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org), is, according to Baldwin, the answer to the â€Å"unconstitutional† and â€Å"un-American† Defense of Marriage Act (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org). The Respect for Marriage Act, if enacted, will repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and will restore the rights of same-sex marriage couples to receive the benefits of marriage as prescribed by federal law. Another purpose of the bill is for same-sex marriages in the states that institute them t o be recognized by the federal government as well as the other states that do not institute such a type of marriage (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† HRC.org; â€Å"Political Positions†). In fact, the bill was re-introduced in Congress on March 16, 2011 (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† HRC.org). Representative Baldwin, who is one of the staunch defenders of the bill and one of the six representatives who reintroduced it in Congress (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† Okeq.org), pushes for the approval of the bill with determination and conviction perhaps due to the fact that she herself is openly gay (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org). The fact that Baldwin is homosexual herself may somehow account for her purely altruistic motives in pushing for the bill, whereas the heterosexual congressmen who cosponsor the bill may somehow do it only for hidden political agendas. Baldwin, however, may actually be motivated to do it purely for the sake of all her gay f ellows. With around 9 million gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, adults in the United States who are ready to benefit from the institution of the act (â€Å"New Research,† The Williams Institute), the question now is whether this decision of Representative Baldwin is morally good or not. Based, however, on a recent Pew poll survey, 45% support same-sex marriage and 46% oppose it (â€Å"Respecting,† LA Times). This data is hopefully representative of the currently 310.5 million Americans (Schlesinger, USNews).

Political subdivisions of police governmental powers per federalism Essay

Political subdivisions of police governmental powers per federalism - Essay Example Several countries like the United States, Canada and Australis follow this system of governance. In effect there are two separate sovereignties both having their own powers and as remarked in the case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824). While the federal government is very powerful, it can never be all-powerful because the states have continued to have their own judicial system which covers and controls every department which is not linked to the central government and operates within the state’s territory. In this essay I shall start by defining the term federalism and political subdivisions. Then I shall move on to explain the police governmental powers per federalism and explain the historical context of Constitutional clauses establishing such powers. In doing this I intend to aid my essay with examples of the case law before concluding it. Federalism refers to a government system where each province concerned is administered by two government levels. As a general rule the commanding central government takes care of the issues which affect the nation in general while the problems related to state territories are controlled by their respective governments. The federal governance system prevalent in the US is also based on the same concept. There is a central government and various subdivisions of state governments. The constant power struggle between the state and the central government lead to various legal conflicts affecting the smooth administration of key departments operating under both the government divisions. The British government's oppression and tyrannical political and economic road map for American colonies led to the American Revolution. It caused the Americans to greatly distrust the centralized governmental powers. As a result only very little authority was bestowed upon the central government when the C onstitution was initially formed in 1781. The Articles of Confederation created during this period assured unlimited power to each state government to the extent of each state having their own court system. This form of government became too complex to control and a ‘Great Compromise’ was established in 1787 to implement uniform administration throughout the US. This compromise was reached to make the governance process easier, ensure fast economic growth and maintain a standard judicial system throughout the country. Most of the policies drawn in the ‘Great Compromise’ were based on the federalist ideologies. This was condemned by several opponents who called federalism a ‘folly’ and accused the pact of reducing the state government’s power and failing to clarify its actual role in the governance of the country. They also added the Supremacy Clause weakened the power of the state governments. Changes made in the constitutional provision s ensured only the states having a close relationship to the government will be granted the prerequisites for their growth projects. It is a commonly accepted fact that practical conciliation was the only reason to encourage constitutional federalism, then. People speaking in defense of the ‘Great Compromise’ argue that state governments have the power to vote and elect the central government. Hence, their rights are guarded and they are the ones controlling the central government, not vice versa. Political subdivisions on the other hand indicate the states present in the

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Response - Essay Example They were trained to embrace death without fear or panic. To ensure they faced their dreadful challenges, as society’s militants, they were prepared psychologically to be ready for death by accepting to die when presented with a dilemmatic situation of choosing either life or death. The philosophy that deemed essence of Bushido undoubtedly helped to instill gallantry amongst the Samurai warriors. It was like they were fighting a battle they had nothing to lose. Their only mission was to take down as many enemies as possible. This religion/ philosophy influenced the psych of the warriors making them protect Japan from its foes. However, this philosophical concept is distinctly dissimilar from that Judeo-Christian view of death. In Judeo-Christian, people are alive until they physically die. The unrelenting wars that were seen in Japan during the mid-20th Century can be attributed to these cultural teachings that the fighters had. The Japanese World War II was battled by the philosophical conceptions that significantly motivated the warriors to engage in an unrelenting battle. As a matter of fact, the challenge Japan gave America and other nations during the World War was as a result of its deep culture that had saliently spelt out ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. As Benedict recounts, it was virtually difficult to understand the real nature of the Japanese culture. It is like the Japanese had a ‘bipolar’ culture that constituted all the extreme features. Its inimitability and unpredictability would confound every rival that sought to challenge Japan. No one knew what to include in the propaganda meant to demoralize the Japanese soldiers. Japan was a mystery. They were invincible; they were a real puzzle to the international community. The secret to Japan’s tenacity was on their deep cultural philosophy known as ‘Essence of Bushido’. The Japanese soldiers’ mental status

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Philosophy - Essay Example Modern philosophical thinking tries to explain the theory of cognition thereby trying to explain why and how the events take place and subsequent pattern of behaviour of man under certain condition involving emotional and metaphysical reaction. Philosophy can be broadly defined as an attempt to explain the sequence of events or happenings around us that directly or indirectly influence our actions and reactions in our daily life. It makes special efforts to examine and evaluate the thought processes and principles regarding truth, duty and knowledge about the things in general. Hence, philosophy is that branch of social science that tries to interpret everything and anything in the wider empirical consideration of our experiences of conscious and unconscious manifestations of our being. It therefore, can be said that each of us, follow a definite philosophy which guides our actions and our efforts to gain knowledge. Philosophy, with its wide ranging implications and its inherent tendency of examination and evaluation of ideas and events, is amalgamation of all areas of learning and encompasses all fields of social sciences. â€Å"Philosophy is the most inclusive of all branches of learning, and acts as a touchstone to all other aspects of human knowledge† (Sw. Krishnanand). Where all other branches of social sciences like biology, physics, sociology, history etc., work towards explaining and researching subjects and areas that come within its precinct, philosophy and philosophical thoughts promote learning through the application of various fields of social science as well as explaining through the metaphysical aspect of the experiences and events. Various philosophers like Aristotle, Pluto, Hume etc. have espoused philosophies regarding different aspect of our life’s ideologies and concept of living a moral and ethical life. The philosophy is part and parcel of every human being and he or she exhibit

Discrete Math Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discrete Math Project - Essay Example ed on the multiplication of the Leslie Matrix and the Population vector, institutions managing wildlife are able to project the population of a particular species to determine the translocations and reintroductions, for example, the population growth of helmeted honeyeater in Australia. Additionally, the model projects male and female components of the spices population where g age-specific data for female and male species are available (Webpages.uidaho.edu). The Leslie Matrix model is also applied in calculating age-specific survival and fecundity that determine the reproductive value from a specific multi-year census. Consequently, the model is important to the wildlife management’s population viability analysis (PVA), which is used to determine the threats or risks to a specific species in the wildlife. Using the equation, t+1= ÃŽ » t where ÃŽ » is replaced with the age-specific survival and fecundity rates, the institutions managing wildlife are able to determine survival and reproductive value for each species (Webpages.uidaho.edu). The model is further applied in wildlife management in the control of invasive species where the survival and reproductive value is low for a specific

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Philosophy - Essay Example Modern philosophical thinking tries to explain the theory of cognition thereby trying to explain why and how the events take place and subsequent pattern of behaviour of man under certain condition involving emotional and metaphysical reaction. Philosophy can be broadly defined as an attempt to explain the sequence of events or happenings around us that directly or indirectly influence our actions and reactions in our daily life. It makes special efforts to examine and evaluate the thought processes and principles regarding truth, duty and knowledge about the things in general. Hence, philosophy is that branch of social science that tries to interpret everything and anything in the wider empirical consideration of our experiences of conscious and unconscious manifestations of our being. It therefore, can be said that each of us, follow a definite philosophy which guides our actions and our efforts to gain knowledge. Philosophy, with its wide ranging implications and its inherent tendency of examination and evaluation of ideas and events, is amalgamation of all areas of learning and encompasses all fields of social sciences. â€Å"Philosophy is the most inclusive of all branches of learning, and acts as a touchstone to all other aspects of human knowledge† (Sw. Krishnanand). Where all other branches of social sciences like biology, physics, sociology, history etc., work towards explaining and researching subjects and areas that come within its precinct, philosophy and philosophical thoughts promote learning through the application of various fields of social science as well as explaining through the metaphysical aspect of the experiences and events. Various philosophers like Aristotle, Pluto, Hume etc. have espoused philosophies regarding different aspect of our life’s ideologies and concept of living a moral and ethical life. The philosophy is part and parcel of every human being and he or she exhibit

Individual Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Individual - Assignment Example In these scene the actions are done in order. The cat turns to see the mouse which in turn moves away from the cat. The method ti turn the cats head to face the mouse is this.cat gethead, turn ToFace this.mouse, the animation style used is Begin_And_End_Gently with a duration of 1.0 seconds. The method used in moving the mouse away is this.mouse gethead, turn ToFace this.cat, the animation style used is Begin_And_End_Gently with a duration of 1.0 seconds. the mouse then takes one step forward by lifting its right knee as shown above. The method involved is this.mouse getRightHip turn Right with a distance of 0.25. the hip is then dropped down and the next lifted.The cat on the other hand lifts its back left hip and back right hip at the same time. In this way the mouse is always one step ahead of the cat. This is are the final method and they are looped throughout the game. Farooq, M. (2012, October 5). Creating a Scene by Adding and Positioning Objects. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from Slideshare:

Garnier Report Essay Example for Free

Garnier Report Essay †¢The first Garnier product was made by Alfred Garnier in 1904, a hair tonic. The full company name, Laboratories Garnier, originated in the 1920s as a producer of haircare products made with organic ingredients. Garnier continues that mission today, as all of its products are made with natural ingredients. The LOreal Group has owned Garnier since 1965. LOreal †¢LOreal, based in France and the United States, has been in operation since 1909. It now owns five divisions including Garnier. LOreal has a focus on research, especially studies in sustainable development, with research centers on three continents. Products †¢Garnier currently has three product lines: Fructis, Nutrisse and Nutritionist. Fructis, started in 1996, is the Garner line of haircare and styling products. Nutrisse, Garniers hair color line released in 2002, was originally called Natea when it debuted in 1998. Natea wasnt as successful in the United States as in Europe, hence the name change. Garnier started selling Nutritionist, its skincare product line, in 2005. Innovation †¢Besides introducing Alfred Garniers hair tonic in 1904, when people still used soap on their hair, Garnier has been the first to produce sun-care items (in 1936) and the first to make a permanent home hair color (in 1960). Today Garnier is the number-one brand in Europe using natural ingredients. Research †¢Garnier exemplifies LOreals emphasis on scientific study. Research for Garnier goes through four stages at one of LOreals sixteen research centers. Then Garnier conducts clinical studies and consumer studies before releasing the product, as well as surveys afterward Garnier uses scientifically proven, natural ingredients to promote optimum hair health and let inner beauty shine through. The Garnier Fructis hair care line and Garnier Fructis Style products, allow women of all hair types to get the gorgeous locks they want. Garnier products have garnered prestigious beauty awards from top magazines like Allure, Health Magazine, More Magazine, CosmoGirl!, and Cosmopolitan. The brand is also a sponsor of Project Runway and models of this popular reality show strut the catwalk with styles powered by Garnier products.

Furniture manufacturing companies

Furniture manufacturing companies EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The main challenge of furniture manufacturing companies is to provide innovative products in shorter time cycles, at reduced cost, and with improved quality. The furniture industry is driven by demands for products that are affordable and better than the ones they replace. In order to meet market requirements, industry has been moving to Asia, which is now the primary source of furniture. All countries in EU find themselves facing rapidly rising incomes and living standards that are pushing up labour costs and taxes. To maintain competitiveness, companies are rapidly transferring labour-intensive operations into countries like India, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Pakistan. As the benchmark for low-cost manufacturing, Malaysia is encouraging all the countries to move into higher value-added products and to invest in capital-intensive businesses. Malaysia consistently ranks highly on global and regional rankings for its attractive corporate tax rates, ease of hiring and well developed infrastructure. Malaysia was rated at eighteen for most attractive environment for highly-skilled foreigners according to the IMD World Competitiveness Year book. Malaysia has become the leader in the Asian furniture manufacturing industry. Malaysia consists of three federal territories and thirteen states in Southeast Asia. Bordering nations include Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines. The population of Malaysia is more than 27 million and covers an area of more than 127,000 square miles. KHAN Furnitures prides on the dedication and commitment to supply the high quality furniture with affordable price and for your total customer satisfaction. We have been growing to become one of the leading providers of desks and tables to schools, universities, and offices in U.K and the business development has been hard work but enjoyable one and has given us a solid reputation for efficiency of service, product knowledge and quality. Our company currently does its business in UK with the name KHAN FURNITURE intends to set up a manufacturing unit in Johor (Malaysia) as part of the mission and vision to be the leading provider of Dining table in the EU and has named the new manufacturing site as a KHAN MANUFACTURING UNIT. The main competitive advantages in locating the factory in Johor is the availability of the main raw material i.e., Mahogany hardwood, close proximity of suppler, low labour costs. Now the main task for the Company is to find a supplier who can supply good quality Mahogany hardwood, Staff Recruitment, staffing costs and approval of required licenses to set up the company. Our products are made by talented furniture craftsmen who lovingly pay great attention to each detail. High attention and consideration go into choosing the finest hardwoods; preparation of the wood; and hand-shaping, sanding, staining and rubbing. The finished products are then exported to Rotterdam (Europe) through shipping for sale. A Warehouse is leased at Rotterdam for the storage of Dining Table and sends to all the distribution networks when required. The company has chosen four distribution channels to sell the products to gain maximum market share. This project will not only enhance our current business but also will be increase the profit in future. 1. 0 INTRODUCTION The main concept of setting up KHAN Manufacturing Unit in Malaysia is based on offering a wide range of well designed and good quality mahogany dining tables at low prices so that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. The KHAN furniture makes it possible to serve the many by providing affordable products that contribute to helping more people live a better life at home. The project is about to setting up factory in Malaysia to produce mahogany dining tables for sale in Europe. The report begins with the main objectives concerned in setting up the factory in Malaysia. In doing so number of relevant issues is being considered this includes production process, customer issues and supply issues. Additionally it looks at the aspects relating to location, staffing and other supporting functions like the purchase, finance and information technology and also looks at the environmental issues, health and safety issues and further dimensions concerned with the competitive adv antage. 1.1 VISION AND MISSION The vision and mission is to be the leading provider of dining tables to the public in the EU within the next ten years at a profit. 1.2 OBJECTIVES To setup a factory in Malaysia to produce a range of Mahogany dining tables To offer our customers superior quality and unique designs furniture at affordable prices. Expand our product lines to meet customer demand and produce the best quality mahogany tables The new factory will enable us to cost effectively expand our product lines to meet European Union customer demand. The following are the three key goals that the KHAN Company aims at fulfilling by opening the new manufacturing unit at Malaysia can be summarised as: enhancing the international profile of the company controlling the quality of products (dining table) managing growth in order to ensure that it strengthens the financial position. 2.0 LOCATION OF MACTURING UINT Selection of the location is the main task of our project. 2.1 GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW OF MALAYSIA Malaysia is one of the largest countries in the Asia-Pacific group which has the predominantly forested areas of Sabah and Sarawak, across the South China Sea on the northern coast of Borneo. Its climate is tropical and often humid. Malaysia currently has 32.8 million hectares of land area, of which 24.8 million hectares 75.5 per cent of total land are classified as forest and tree cover. Of these, 19.5 million hectares are forest cover and 5.3 million hectares are tree cover. Of the total forest cover, 9.2 million hectares (47.4 per cent) are found in Sarawak, 5.9 million hectares (30.1 per cent) are found in Peninsular Malaysia and 4.4 million hectares (22.5 per cent) in Sabah. Malaysia exports furniture to more than 160 countries worldwide. Today, Malaysia is ranked as the 10th largest furniture exporter in the world; 3rd in Asia and 2nd in the ASEAN region. 2.2 SELECTION OF MANUFACTURING SITE Our manufacturing unit will be located in Johor which is in the southern portion of peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most well developed states in Malaysia and has got all the facilitating conditions for the company to operate like the close proximity to port, airport and hotels. The location of the plant at Johor results in reduced overhead and supply costs. For example, lease rates, labour costs are low if compared to other places in Malaysia. There are many suppliers in this place who supply different types of mahogany hardwood for us to manufacture mahogany tables. This close proximity of our suppliers means lower transportation and shipping costs. 3.0 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Our competitive advantages include our unique furniture design and quality, a competitive pricing strategy, a strategic location close to suppliers and already existence of the company in the UK. TIME FACTOR The time is most important factor in any business nowadays because of our main U.K Office whom reaches the customer first for product marketing and getting the order and Our Malaysia Manufacture unit whom meets the customer orders most quickly. HIGH QUALITY We are using the Mahogany wood only for providing the quality dining table for long-term success of our business. The close proximity of our wood suppliers also gives us better control on getting the best quality of Mahogany. COST BENEFIT The mass production of dining tables gives us high economies of scale which makes us more cost efficient and low labour cost. FLEXIBILITY Our flexible manufacturing system to offering customized greater variety of products besides standardised products which enables us to cost effectively and the increased productivity which result to generate high revenue. PRODUCT AND MARKET KNOWLEDGE We have been in furniture business since many years and we know better about the style and demand of EU Customers and other processes of furniture manufacturing. Now to move in Malaysia Furniture market is another forward step and edge. 4.0 RECRUITMENT AND STAFFING We will recruit both internally and externally for the Malaysia manufacturing unit. . We have decided to select top management from the existing staff so as to maintain the strong element of the companys culture. We will first send internal emails to all members of staff with details of available positions and number of spaces available, highlighting the benefits of working in Malaysia such as lower tax deductions from pay, less expensive cost of living compared to UK and a stable political economy. The whole management team at manufacturing unit is approved by the UK Office and rest of the staff like Line Managers, supervisors other labour staff will be recruited locally. High skilled staff is essential for quality assurance at offshore manufacturing unit. With regard to product quality in manufacturing process, onshore managers as well as local staff will be employed at merit. This method of staffing is beneficial in the sense that local staff has an understanding of the local place, people and how the system works well. Primarily, most production workers like craftsman, operators/ manipulators will be recruited locally to save cost while those from the home company staff define the company standards and those working closely the work can be done more efficiently. Furthermore, main U.K company staff can support the development of local staff so that the reliance on parent staff can be gradually reduced. This can in turn help the company in cutting down costs in the long run. However upon enhancing their abilities and passing the quality audit, local staff will be delegated greater responsibilities and the scope of their work expanded. 4.1 MANAGEMENT STAFF It includes the Production manager, operations manager, Marketing Managers, Finance Manager, engineers etc. They will control their departments and give updates to main U.K office. 4.2 LOCAL STAFF The production force can be classified as forestry engineers and qualified for work in furniture production. The qualified labour force includes: wood converters ( mainly carpenters and tuners ) Manipulators/operators of the machine 4.3 EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS The following is educational requirement for our selection and recruitment: We prefer to hire production workers who have a minimum high school / vocational school education. For managerial position a minimum college education and some specific knowledge about furniture is needed. 4.4 EXPERIENCE CRITERIA We prefer our plant workers to be highly skilled craftsman with extensive experience in wooden furniture manufacturing. 4.5 TRAINING We will ensure our staffs undergo regular trainings in their fields to make sure we deliver best quality products and to increase the potential of the staff and raise the human capital of the company. 4.6 WORKING ENVIRONMENT We believe that we all are one family. We offer a flexible benefits programme, training and development programmes, discounts on products and services and participation in Company share scheme offers. The company has a proposal of implementing a procedure (whistle blowing policy) for employees to report any concerns confidentially.Workers need both manual dexterity and mechanical ability for many jobs .working conditions vary from job to job. Usually numbers of working hours in a week is forty but this may vary and there may be layoffs during slack periods. In addition to providing core remuneration benefits (including annual incentive schemes), holidays, sick pay, life assurance and pension provision. 5.0 MANUFACTURING PROCESS/CORE PROCESS We are only going to Malaysia for cost efficient and better production process and our product quality and customer satisfaction depends on our manufacturing ability. 5.1 BASIC EQUIPMENTS Basic and main Equipments in the plant includes a spindle shaper, table saw, wide belt, Sander, dust collection system, sprayer for finishing, hand tools and work benches. 5.2 DINING TABLE MANUFACTURING STEPS The following is the manufacturing steps to make the dining table from Mahogany wood: STRUCTURING AND DESIGNING MAHOGANY WOOD TABLE First Special computer programmes to optimize the layouts for each dining table. This provides the maximum yield of the material which lowers the cost of the dining table. Our furniture designers create specific designs of furniture. The designers make sketches and diagrams of their ideas. Drafters prepare blueprints of the designers plans. Highly skilled model makers build a piece of the furniture by working on the blueprints. Managers and engineers check the design and quality and then approve it for the mass production of that piece of furniture. SIZING THE PARTS Individual parts are cut from the mahogany wood using a panel saw, crosscut saw, planers and carefully labelled. MOULDING AND SHAPING THE PARTS WITH MACHINE We machine properly each part and use only the highest standard for machining the wood. SURFACE FINISHING FOR PERFORM FLAT WITH LAND SANDING The surfaces of the table are sanded before assembling the parts. ASSEMBLING / JOINING PARTS The components of the dining table are assembled. The face frame and mouldings are applied eventually. PERFORM FINISH SANDING The final finish sanding will be done for shining and better quality. CHECK DINING TABLE AND COMPONENTS FOR QUALITY The integrity of the dining table is verified and the finish sanding is also carefully inspected. FINAL ASSEMBLING OF THE TABLE All other accessories are installed e.g. Metal legs, Locks RUB OUT THE TABLE Finished piece is rubbed out to bring the piece to its final showcase condition before being delivered. (PACKING) WRAP AND DELIVER The dining table is carefully wrapped in preparation for delivery. Careful wrapping delivers the product without any damage to the destination point. CUSTOMIZATION: We know the importance of customization because it gives more help to capture the market and generate the profit than as usual. The products which are manufactured at our unit are available in a variety of resilient finishes and colours so that customers have the flexibility to customize the furniture to their individual tastes and order through any of our distribution channels. This added facility in long-term will give us a better customer retention rate. 5.3 COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY OF CORE PROCESS We will receive the mahogany wood (after warping drying) from suppliers, the machine operators using their machinery like crosscut saws, planers, ripsaws etc cut the mahogany into different sizes and shapes as advised by the designers/engineers and the cut pieces are sent to the next department by conveyer belts or mill trucks. Machine operators then shape the wood into legs and top part of the dining table. Drill holes are used to make grooves in the wood. Stock handlers take the shaped wood pieces to the sanding department, where the workers smooth the surfaces. The sanded wood pieces are put together by workers in assembly and sub assembly departments. The surface is later smoothed down by hand sanders. Finally the furniture is send to the finishing department where finishers apply various finishing coats to color and seal it. Sometimes when there is a customized order the finishing is done by using special techniques such as distressing, which means processing furniture to make it look old and worn. The finished tables are then wrapped and send to the export target market to the distribution channels via shipping for sale. 6.0 QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT The main objective of our company is to give guarantee to our consumers of a perfect product and level of quality, which fulfils with strict requirements for material and workmanship. We will measure quality at every step including staff recruitment, marketing, purchasing, inventory management and site location. It is crucial to identify the typical quality issues related to quality of mahogany hardwood etc. Six Sigma Improvement model is a comprehensive and flexible system for achieving and maximizing business success by minimizing defects and variability in processes. We will define the characteristics of processs output that are critical, getting picture of the current process by documenting it using flow charts and process charts and identify data sources and preparing data collection plan. Using data on measures to perform process analysis, applying tools such as Pareto charts, scatter diagrams, cause and effect diagrams and the statistical process control (SPC) tools. Improving existing methods to meet the new performance objectives and implementing changes. Controlling and monitoring the process to make sure that high performance levels are maintained. All the products manufactured go through the above process and any defects identified are rectified and are dealt immediately to deliver the best mahogany tables. We ensure that the requirements for materials and workmanship are observed partly by unannounced visits to factory and partly by testing of randomly choose furniture. Quality control label of KHAN furniture will be a guarantee for the consumer and an assurance that the furniture will be able to live up to all reasonable expectations. We will obtain a certificate from the standards and industrial research institute of Malaysia- SIRIM which is the body accredited by the Malaysian Administration for the development of the activities of standardisation and certification. 7.0 SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT My teacher Alan Parkinson always said supply chain is very important for your Manufacturing Unit Project so I make the given below picture only for his satisfaction. RAW MATERIAL (MAHOGANY) Mahogany is a very large canopy tree, sometimes reaching over 150 feet in height, with trunks sometimes more than 6 feet in diameter above a large basal buttress. Mahogany is a generally open-crowned tree, with gray to brownish-red fissured bark. Mahogany is perhaps the most valuable timber tree varies from yellowish, reddish, pinkish, or salmon coloured when freshly cut, to a deep rich red, to reddish brown as the wood matures with age. It is fine to medium texture, with uniform to interlocking grain, ranging straight to wavy or curly. SUPPLIER Fair and effective Working with suppliers adds significant value to the products of the firm. We will buy the Mahogany from one Supplier so we get good quality wood but we also consider some other suppliers to avoid any shortage of supply. INBOUND LOGISTIC Malaysia has about 64,328 km road network which consist of main roads and highways. 90% of the goods and passengers traffic use this mode of transport in Malaysia and Malaysia has also good rail net work of more than 2,000 km and urban train project is under development with full speed. We will try to make arrangement with supplier to deliver the raw materials at the manufacturing unit. WAREHOUSE FOR RAWMATERIAL To avoid any shortages or to meet any last minute orders we need a massive warehouse which is located within the manufacturing unit. PRODUCTION PROCESS Production process has been explained above in detail. WAREHOUSE FOR FINISHED DINING TABLE It is important to keep the finished dining tables in stock carefully and send them when required by the distribution networks. To save the transport cost we have to careful about the weight of shipping container so we keep the stock till the required container weight. OUTBOUND LOGISTIC The strong growth in exports implied the increase of the harbour capacities. The main ports of Malaysia are Kelang, Penang and Johor. Our furniture is moved from Malaysia to Europe in containers by Shipping from Johor Port because it is the most cheap transport system for the furniture export and also environmental friendly. TOTAL DELIVERY TIME We are going to provide the furniture to whole Europe Union so the company has chosen Rotterdam port (the largest port in Europe) which is in Netherlands as the delivery point for finished goods in Europe. Rotterdam being the largest harbour in Europe and which is very near to our target markets gives us synergy and reduces transportation costs. The processing time for 20 ft container order is 6 weeks and 40 ft container is 8 weeks. For 20 ft container the space available is 30 Cubic Meter/ CBM, 40ft is 60 CBM and 40ft HC is 75 CBM. The total items that can fill into the container depend on the size of Dining table. The Finished goods are then delivered to the distribution networks through roadways, airways and railways throughout Europe. 7.1 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT ISSUES Excessive inventory or lack of inventory control can lead to wasted materials, either by using more than needed or purchasing materials deteriorate before use Our Purchase Manager will work closely with suppliers to provide just in time material delivery so that optimum raw material can be ordered. We will use a multipurpose solvent which can reduce our costs of managing wasted and facilitate recycling. We try to make arrangements with supplier to return unused materials. 8.0 CUSTOMER ISSUES For improvement of our quality and the success of our company depends on the satisfaction of our customer. 8.1 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP AND FEEDBACK We undertake regular consumer surveys, which include questions about ethics and respond to the results of these surveys when developing our products. We also obtain feedback from staff serving customers in our stores of their perception of issues that mainly affect customer satisfaction and build this feedback into our plans. 8.2 AFTER SALES SERVICE The complaints of the customer are handled centrally and we are proud of the process we have established. All the complaint investigations will be started within 24 hours of receipt and we attempt to resolve each one to the satisfaction of our customers. Our policy is to communicate with our customers in most of the languages spoken in Europe. All complaints are recorded to undertake a detailed analysis, monitor trends and identify key issues to improve our performance. We repair or replace any item if there is a justified compliant. 9.0 MARKETING STRATEGY Our target market is EU which consists of 27 countries :France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovak Republic. European Union is big market for furniture and demand of Malaysia furniture is increasing with time so market strategy is main point of our success. Last year, according to Malaysian furniture export statistics report, it exported 12.6% to Europe of its total exports. The companys marketing strategy is based mainly on making the right information available to the right target customer. The marketing conveys the sense of quality in every picture, every publication, and every promotion. We cant afford to appear in second-rate catalogues with poor illustrations that make the product look less attractive than it is actually. We also need to leverage our products using specialty distributors and high-quality catalogues. This catalogue will be developed on each product line that will be distributed to interested consumers through all our distribution channels. The wood finish samples show customers the actual finishes and stains available with our product lines. Our dining tables are priced competitively and take into account production costs, competitive pricing strategies and consumer price sensitivity. 9.1 CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION Published research indicates that 51% of the total sales volume in the market goes through the retail channel, most of those major national chains. Another 23% goes through the direct sales channel, although in this case direct sales include sales by distributors who are buying from multiple manufacturers. Most of the remainder, 18%, is sold directly to buyers by catalogues. KHAN furniture has chosen four channels for selling its products in Europe to gain maximum market and be the leading provider of the dining tables in the next ten years: These are our distribution channels which will help us to sale our dining table in EU at every level: Retail Outlets Direct sales Franchises Corporate sales 10.0 SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS The following three functions are the supporting functions of our manufacturing unit: 10.1 PURCHASING THE RAW MATERIAL All the purchases made by the company are done fairly which means we treat our suppliers fairly by paying a reasonable price for their products. The purchase manager employed at the manufacturing unit has a wide experience in purchasing and also a good negotiator. The purchase manager is also trained in other areas such as supplier support that give him a powerful insight into the cost drivers in the price equation. However his brief is not to focus exclusively on price but on the future potential of supply relationships and generation of capacity. If price is a problem he will work to reduce the cost rather than looking for a different supplier. 10.2 FINANCE The projected cash flow statement and other financial statements shows that the company has sound liquidity which means that the company has got enough available funds to invest in the new manufacturing unit in Malaysia. It appears that company had a very successful year. 10.3 INFORMATION SYSTEMS The companys sophisticated information technology (IT) software enables collaborative planning and scheduling. The technology allows synchronized supply chain execution and design collaboration, which enables our company to respond better and faster to changing market needs and tastes. A update IT system will help helps us to sale the dining table directly on website and keep in touch with customer. 11.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE MANAGEMENT We will follow standards according to the ISO 14001 which is about implementing, maintaining and improving the environmental management system. Our company will demonstrate its commitment to sustainability through initiatives focused around resource conservation and responsibility. We will optimally take advantage of the triple-bottom line approach of sustainability which incorporates economic, social and environmental components of responsibility. We ensure ethical, social and environmental standards are maintained throughout the supply chain by auditing and visiting of our suppliers on a regular basis. Our main concern is manufacturing of furniture (dining table) but our audits also review ethics, health and safety, employee pay, employment conditions, use of child labour and environmental policies and practices. The main impact on the environment is waste management and energy use and our priorities lie in improving our environmental performance in these areas. Our usage of wood, electricity and cardboard is regularly monitored, as is our waste recycling and landfill performance. Sub meters for all utilities are installed throughout our manufacturing unit which will further improve our monitoring and aid us to target specific areas for improvements. Cardboard generated in our Retail outlets is returned to our warehouse site at Rotterdam in the returning empty lorries. We encourage staff to recycle general office consumables including paper and printer toners. Currently ocean transport has a growing demand because it is considered as the most environment-friendly way of moving goods around the world .As a company we are dedicated to reduce the impact on environment caused by our business so we choose ocean transport to export our goods to Europe (target export market). 12.0 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY KHAN Furniture Company is committed to the welfare of our colleagues, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we operate. The company has a firm commitment to social policies, not just for the company employees but also the supplier have to conform IWAY and they are audits to ensure that they comply with IWAY. IWAY provisions include commitments to high standards of health and safety, employee working condition such as access to rest areas and toilets, working hours and a minimum wage or basic salary. Employees and their families have access to confidential counselling and legal assistance helpline which operates 24 hours, 7days a week. 13.0 CONCLUSION This Malaysia Manufacturing Unit Project is very suitable and important to achieve the company vision of leading provider of quality dining tables with aim of profitability. All these factors and innovative operational strategies such as the JIT paradigm and the Total Quality Management (TQM) view of design and production, Production efficiency, well-planned cost structures, manageable size, attention to underserved markets, lower overall labour costs prove that the project is viable and the long term vision of the company can be achieved. 14.0 REFERENCE Scholes , k ., 2008. Exploring corporate strategy .8th ed. ch 5.pp 177-212.FT prentice hall. Bryde, D.J., 2003. Modelling project management performance. Internatio

A culture of my own :: essays research papers

A Culture of My Own   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The smell of the ocean, palm trees, and the sound of the salsa beats in the distance, characteristics of a beautiful culture. But is that really what My culture is. As a Cuban in America, culture is much different than that of a island native. My culture, or should I say, the culture that my family has molded into our own, is a spectacular one. It may not be the same as it was one-hundred years ago, or even twenty years ago for that matter. But one things makes that okay, culture is not written, nor are you born with in. We humans are taught culture. And what I’ve learned and discovered on my own is that being Cuban means many things to me; it means music and loudness, A lot of family memories, and most definitely pride.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin with, the Cuban culture is one of much loudness and joyous music. Growing up, there was never a day that I did not wake up to the sound of loud salsa music blaring. Or to the loud voices of my mother or grandmother talking. To anyone else this â€Å"talking† would surely be mistaken for an argument or fight. Cuba is where salsa music and the conga drum originated so we tend to be very prideful of this. One of the greatest salsa singer/writer was the late Celia Cruz. She was somewhat of a hero to Cuban people; seeing as though she had been a Cuban refugee, and became a great success in the U.S. Her recent passing was a devastation, not only to the Cuban society but to all Latinos and many Americans as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Which brings me to family. My Mother and Aunts had grown up listening to and admiring Celia Cruz so you can only imagine their reaction to her death. Our entire family was in mourning. Sound kind of silly, but it was as if one of our on had passed. Like many Latin families, mine is huge! And what does a huge family mean; a lot of parties, weddings, and holidays. Holidays with a Cuban family is a one of a kind experience. There is drinking, music, fun, and of course fights. It is certainly somewhat of a comforting chaos. This past Christmas, I spent alone with my Mother and Step- Father, and it was just not the same.