Khmer New Year in Cambodia

Khmer New Year in Cambodia Khmer New Year, or ‘Bon Chol Chhnam Thmei’ in the Khmer language, is the greatest traditional festival and national holiday in Cambodia, and the celebration last for three days. Khmer New year starts on April the 13th, 14th or 15th depending on the ancient horoscope â€Å"Maha Sangkran†, 2012 it starts on the 13 of April. The majority of the Cambodians are still farmers and Khmer New Year marks the end of the harvest season when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor and relax before the start of the rainy season.In the villages the people engage in traditional Khmer games, they play games such as the Bas Angkunh ‘seed throwing’, Chaol Chhoung ‘twisted-scarf throwing’, Leak Kanseng ‘twisted-scarf hide’ and dance to traditional Khmer songs. The first day of Khmer New Year is called â€Å"Maha Sangkran†, Sangkran means movement and refers to that the sun is moving into a new Zodiac sign and Ma ha means great. Some say that Maha Sangkran means welcome to the new spirits. In the morning the Cambodians will go to the temple and offer food to the monks and receive blessings.During this time the Cambodians clean and decorate their homes and prepare fruits and drinks on a table or in their spirit house to welcome the new spirits. Elderly people like to meditate or pray the Dharma because they believe that any spirit that comes to their home will stay with them throughout the whole year and take care of their family. The second day is called â€Å"Wanabot† and it is the day that they offer gifts to parents, grandparents and elders.In the evening of this day many Cambodians will go to the temple and build a mountain of sand to remember their ancestors who have passed away and have the monks give them blessings of happiness and peace. The third day is called â€Å"Leung Sakk† and this is the first day of the new year. In the morning the Cambodians go to the temple an d perform a ceremony where the mountain of sand gets blessed. The last ceremony is called â€Å"Pithi Srang Preah† and the purpose of this ceremony is to honor and to give a special cleansing to Buddha Statues, the monks, elders, grandparents and parents.During this ceremony the participators apologize for any mistakes they have made during the last year. The Khmer New Year is not only a great festival it is also an opportunity to pass on the Cambodian traditions to the next generation. The History of Khmer New Year Posted on April 10, 2009 by Chanroeun Pa| 4 Comments In ancient countries of Chompou Tvip (the central continent of the seven continents surrounding Mount Meru) the elder people adopted the Khmer New Year’s date in Khe Mikase (January), i. e. he early year. According to the lunar calendar, they formerly chose three seasons including Heman Radov or winter, Kimha Radov ir hot season and Vasan Radov or rainy season. Since Chol Sakarach (Lesser Era) they have formally adopted the solar calendar and held the Khmer New Year Festival in Khe Chet (fifth month) that is a free time from their farming. Four main seasons in the solar calendar contain winter, spring, summer and autumn. The Khmer people have adopted the fifth solar month, known as Khe Chet, to celebrate their New Year festival.Usually, according to the solar calendar, the Khmer New Year falls on the 13th of April although sometimes it falls on the 14th of April. The auspicious occasion of the Khmer New Year is detailed in the astrological almanac and extends over three days. The first day is known as Maha Sangkran or â€Å"Great Almanac Day†, the second day is called Veara Vanabath or â€Å"Worshipping Day†, and the third day is known as Veara Leung Sak or â€Å"Rank and Promotion Day†. Of the three days Veara Leung Sak is considered the most auspicious.The history of the Khmer New Year is closely connected to the seven signs of the zodiac for the week. The le gend of the New Year is detailed in the Almanac which says: In ancient, happier times, a young man by the name of Thoamabal, the son of a tycoon, had an extensive knowledge of three Vedas (ancient books on Hinduism) by the age of seven. Thoamabal’s father built a temple under the spread of a large Chrey tree (a fig tree) on the banks of a river that was home to many species of birds. He had an innate ability that enabled him to understand the languages of birds. Thoamabal’s attributes allowed him to become a layman in charge of religious ceremonies for all classes of people. Upon hearing this news another religious leader Kabel Maha Prohm, decided to challenge Thoamabal with tree riddles. He vowed that if Thaomabal could successfully answer the riddles he, Kabel Maha Prohm, would be beheaded; however if Thoamabal could not answer the riddles correctly then it would be Thoamabal who would be beheaded. Thoamabal insisted on having seven days to answer the puzzling enigma until Kabel Maha Prohm agreed.For six days Thoamabal could not solve the problems and knew that he faced the prospect of being killed by Kabel Maha Prohm the next morning. He therefore decided to hide himself and let his life fade away by natural causes. He hid himself beneath a pair of sugar palm trees in which a pair of eagles were nesting, that night Thoamabal overheard the eagles talking. The female asked, â€Å"What will we eat tomorrow morning? † The male eagle replied, â€Å"We will eat the flesh of Thoamalobal because tomorrow he is going to be beheaded by Kabie Maha Prohm due to his inability to solve the riddles†.The female then asked, â€Å"What are the riddles? † The male answered, â€Å"The first riddle is, where is luck to be found in the mornine? † Of course the answer is that luck is on the face because people always take water to wash their faces. The second riddle asked, where is luck located at noon? It is on the chest because people a lways take water to wash their chests. Finally, the third question asked, where is luck located in the evening? The answer is that luck is on the feet because people always wash their feet in the evening.Thoamabal overheard all of the conversation and so happily returned to his temple. In the morning Kabel Maha Prohm came to ask Thoamabal if he could answer the three riddles. Thoamabal successfully answered each of the riddles. Kabel Maha Prohm realixing he had failed, called his seven daughters, who were maids of Branma, to learn of his fate. Kabal Maha Prohm said, â€Å"Your father is foing to be beheaded in front of Thoamabal. If my head is set on the earth , if will set fire to Earth, if my head is thrown into the air, the rain will evaporate, if my head is thrown into the sea, the sea will dry up.Therefore I ask you, my seven daughters to get a holy metal tray on which to set your father’s head†. Having said this, he beheaded himself and his head was passed to Nea ng Toungsa, the eldest of his daughters. She placed her father’s head on the holy tray and then proceeded to walk around Mount Meru for one hour, respectfully keeping the tray on her right hand. She then took the tray to the temporary sanctuary of Phnom Kailas. At Phnom Kailas, Preah Visakam created a hall where seven holy glasses (Pheakabatei Saphea) were set. The glasses were for use by angels during ceremonies.Each year the seven angels took turns to invoke the head of Kabel Maha Prohm to and complete a holy procession around Mount Meru. Following the holy procession the angels returned to their heaven. The Seven Angels of the Almanac: If the annual procession talls on a Sunday then the day will be known as Toungsa, Monday is Kooreak, Tuesday is called Reaksa, Wednesday is   Kereney, Friday is known as Kemera and Saturday is Mahaotra. During the Khmer New Year Festival, youths gather to play popular traditional games such as Chaol Chhoung (throwing a ball) and Bas Angkun h (throwing brown seeds).The youths are normally divided into female and male teams to play these games. In some parts of Cambodia, e. g. Siem Reap and Battambang, they play a game known as the â€Å"Trot Dance†. Trot performers dance and ask for alms from house to house in their village. A man will ride on a long curved stick with a deer’s head on one side and with a cluster of grass on the other side like the deer’s tail. Two men pretend to be hunters and are armed with a crossbow. When they receive alms they will donate it for the benefit of the local pagoda.In villages along the Mekong Riverinthe province of Kandal women gather to rowboats in front of the pagodas. This action is believed to appease the crocodiles. This custom originated long ago when many crocodiles lived in the river. In some villages, people trample on effigies to appease the ghosts that live in the trees near the pagodas and ask for happiness in the coming year. The Khmer people will gath er together and visit pagodas and temples on the occasion of the Khmer New year. Each year many residents from other provinces visit Angkor Wat to worship to the powerful gods and trace their ancestors’ heritage.

Medicare Never Pay Events Essay

Medicare is currently the primary healthcare insurer of the elderly in the United States of America. Medicare, which is funded by the federal government, paid providers $444 billion dollars in 2008 for healthcare expenses (National Healthcare and Medicare Spending, 2010). Due to enormous expenses, Medicare implemented changes during 2008 to improve patient safety and reduce cost by eliminating reimbursement to those who provide unsafe care. Medicare designed a list of â€Å"never† events. These are events Medicare will not reimburse, and the provider cannot bill the patient for the service. All providers receiving Medicare reimbursement have made themselves very familiar with the list outlined by Medicare. Failure to adhere to the list of never events would lead a facility into bankruptcy and out of business. The list includes wrong site surgery, retention of foreign object, death or disability with intravascular air embolism while in a healthcare facility, infant discharged to wrong person, patient death or disability associated with patient disappearance for more than four hours, patient suicide or attempted suicide resulting in serious disability while being cared for in a healthcare facility, death or disability due to medication error, death or disability due to incompatible blood products, death or disability associated with hypoglycemia while being cared for in a healthcare facility, stage three or four pr essure ulcers acquired after admission to a healthcare facility, and sexual assault while on the grounds of a healthcare facility (Torrey, 2011). Basically, never events are incidents that should never happen to anyone, and if they do neither Medicare nor the patient will be financially responsible. Thus, increasing accountability to the providing facility. Medicare Reimbursement and Nurse Retention Medicare reimbursement affects nurse retention by reducing revenue that could be allocated into budgets for pay increases, benefits, supplies, continuing education, and recruitment. In addition, keep in mind the stress associated with staff being aware of the costly event and the injury sustained by the individual and family. Furthermore, many of these issues are sure to stimulate legal action. Decreased budgets and additional stress factors definitely decrease nurses longevity with a facility. References Torrey, T., (2011). What is a medical error? Retrieved from: http://patients.about.com/od/atthehospital/a/mederrorlist.htm National healthcare and Medicare spending. (2010). Retrieved from: http://www.medpac.gov/chapters/Jun10DataBookSec1.pdf

Do Companies Have a Responsibility Not to Destroy the Environment or Should Profits Be Allowed at Any Environmental Cost Essay

We can see a change in every organizational activities, as in marketing, for example Mc Donald change their previous red logo, in green one, A new one, for a new eco-system protecting plan. In this research we are going to see many element, which will prove that companies have a responsibility to take care about the environment. In this research, a melting pot of arguments will be show, to understand if businesses and factories have to pollute instead of adapting their way to work in function of environment and sustainable development. Real fact will help to understand the point of view. Firm’s activities have big environmental impact, its take a major part of naturals resources and reject in the environment. Oil and chemicals industries are not the only companies, which polluted. Every single firm consumes raw material as water, energy and others. It’s also rejected some substances more or less harmful in the environment. More over the intensive consumption of raw material have big impact on the extinction many species, or animal can become endangered. Deforestation in some country appears because companies want to produce more and more, always more. If firms continue to take resources as now, there will be an exhaustion of raw material as oil and gas. Climate change is partly caused by every reject by firms, in terms of polluting gas, chemical stuff and pollution in the see. As â€Å"good planet† said in their article, a cellulose factory has been closed by the government because they notice that to much pollution as been providing by this factory. In fact, around this factory the Baikal lac was very pollute. The vice Prime Minister Arkadi Dvokovitch announces that the factory will be close as soon as possible: â€Å"We decided to close the plant cellulose Baikalsk†. As the government said, a care project is taking part in this area of Russia. The fact that firms do not respect the environment can be dangerous in different way. In this case, 1700 peoples became unemployed, because it shutting. Population becomes less and less happy because of the different ways of pollution of the country. That is why everyone losing something: government loses reputation, to let factories pollute in the country. Firms have to be shutdown because its disrespect the environment. The reputation is very important for a company; it is one of the most important things to maximize profit. People’s way to speak about a company makes it stronger, if its have a good reputation. More often companies can have a bad rap; When it is important to see what are peoples problems and what are the environmental problems, company are less fascinate. Furthermore, it is usually the bigger business, which pollute the most. It is possible to make profit, and make a maximizing profit not in spit of polluting. But head directors prefer giving money to government as fines, instead of polluting less and earn less money. Refers to the case of Pfizer industry, which is one of the biggest pharmaceutical firms from France. As Bschool wrote in an article, Pfizer has the most important record of polluting action in all categories: â€Å"Pfizer has a bad record on numerous fronts†. This big company has been fined many times by authorities, for environmental violations, in terms of air contamination, because rejected lots of hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere. After many recommendations by government, Pfizer industry did not take care about it, and preferred continued to earned money and maximizing profit. This unconscious act proves that head manager who where at the top of the firm did not think about environmental and social problem, and did not feel concerned by security. According again to Bschool, In 2009, the company became more open minded and aware of what she did, and try to reconsolidated the public opinion with an offer to charity: â€Å"In 2009, Pfizer gave more than $60 million to charity, amounting to an astounding 24,2% of its total net profits for the year. † Thanks to regulation and authority to act in this different case, because we all know that is not the only to act in this way with people and environment. Nowadays, people become more and more involved about the protection of the environment. People, company and government try to find together some alternative to stay on the road in term of ecology. At the begging of the XIX century, the industrial revolution and the economy are based on the absolute search of gain. It is difficult to get back and primary think to the development instead of maximizing profit. Therefore company and government had to make some agreement for sustainable development. For example, according to Jonathan Maxwell, SDCL’s CEO: â€Å"Reducing demand for energy is potentially the most cost- effective and rational way of reducing emissions and improving the security of energy supply. The UK regulator, Ofgem, recently predicted in its first annual Electricity Capacity Assessment that the amount of spare capacity in the system could fall from 14% to 4% in the next 3 years, raising the specter of outages and price rises. This ground-breaking agreement between SDCL, Kingspan and Johnson Controls represents a major step forward towards a scalable and replicable solution, funded through energy savings achieved†. This kind of action is present nationally and internationally. Government want to reduce a lot Co2e emissions in the world; that is why big action concentrate many countries all around the world. States have to sign a convention, and adopt comportment after that. The majority of restriction are involved by the OMC (World Trade Organization). Refers to the professor Michael Porter, teacher in Harvard Business School, the â€Å"Porter hypothesis† (citation). Supporting his thesis from 1991, the main idea of environmental regulation is to institute programs firms reducing some externalities. Mr. Porter said also if companies are doing it by themselves it is considerably normal that business’s profits, by definition necessarily decrease. So the profit of factory can decrease if companies are adopting new rules for sustainable development. In different case, it is better making profit than take care about the environment and sustainable development. The first of a company is to make profit, and more precisely a maximization of profit. A lot of Head business managers prefer pollute and make profit, rather than adopts rules for ecology, and change the global way of the firm. A survey on the green economy post show that around 34% of executives polled preferred to stay on a good move with their company and prefer see the whole economy of the business on prosperity: â€Å"According to this Survey, 34% of executives polled said that their firm’s immediate financial goals were of more importance than practicing sustainability  Ã‚ ». There are lots of problems in changing methods to produce for a company, the management of the polluting rubbish, change machine that will be less dangerous for the environment. So that is why manager do not care about nature and public opinion. Even if there are many inconvenient, it is possible to see company which was able to accept this change in term of environment protection. As we see in the introduction, Mc Donald changes many things in the company. For example the logo, to be in coherence with sustainable development, the logo was red and now its green, the environment color. After that, it is not only a picture of a good company, which wants to have a good behavior with environment; there are some benefits that Mc Donald can catch benefits. Referring to Bob Langert, who is VP, Corporate social responsibility at Mc Donald’s corporation: â€Å"Energy is really our No. issue,† he said. â€Å"When you look at the dollars we spend, and the impact we have on the environment, and the progress we can make to do better, and use our size and influence to make a difference, it’s energy. † Bob Langert tell us this information in an interview, in a US TV channel called alternative channel To conclude , we saw different aspect from making profit instead of taking care about the environment. Along this research it is prove that it is better to contribute to sustainable development and be aware of consequences of pollution. Even if it is hard to renounce to earn lots of money and make a maximize profit for business. Help nature and it will reward you. Bibliography * â€Å"McDonald’s Golden Rules for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability | Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Causes: The Alternative Channel Blog. † McDonald’s Golden Rules for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability | Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Causes: The Alternative Channel Blog. Web. * â€Å"The 10 Most Socially Irresponsible Big Brands | BSchool. com Business Schools Directory. † BSchoolcom Business Schools Directory The 10 Most Socially Irresponsible Big Brands Comments. Web. * â€Å"Une Usine De Cellulose Qui Pollue Le Lac Baikal Va Fermer. † Une Usine De Cellulose Qui Pollue Le Lac Baikal Va Fermer. Web. * â€Å"Corporations and the Environment. † – Global Issues. N. p. , n. d. Web. * â€Å"Sustainable Development Capital LLP. † Sustainable Development Capital LLP. Print 2012 * Robert A. G. Monks and Nell Minow, Power and Accountability, 1991 an on-line book, originally written 1991 * Richard Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), pp. 233-236 * â€Å"Resources for the Future – RFF. org. † Resources for the Future – RFF. org. N. p. , n. d. Web

E-commerace of Marks & Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-commerace of Marks & Spencer - Essay Example In the essay, we shall examine four aspects of e-commerce that have been incorporated by Mark and Spencer (M&S). These areas are; Online selling, Security, Collaborative Commerce and Stock control. The essay will focus on reasons that triggered adoption of E-commerce by (M&S). After the expansion of the European Union, there were more retailers that entered the UK market. This meant that M&S was now facing renewed competition from the new entrants and had to incorporate changes to deal with this competition. The Company needed a source of knowledge on what consumers need and it also needed to do outsourcing. These two objectives were met through ecommerce and now the Company is ahead of its new European competitors. (M&S Annual report, 2007) The Company has adopted this mode of operation because the world is becoming increasingly global; this implies that there are more and more people doing business with parties that are quite distant from them. E-commerce therefore helps Marks and Spencer to reach customers that are not in the UK. This is especially useful to the Company because it has numerous stores world wide. E-commerce has affected the speed at which transactions are made because it is very fast. Before the introduction of online selling, customers had to go manually to M&S yet some of them were very far from them or were even out of the country. Companies that had already ... aused M&S to adopt online selling so that it can get feedback from consumers, conduct business quickly and efficiently and improve quality of service to its customers. Another market force that caused the Company to adopt this ecommerce strategy was the fact that the Company was spending a lot of its resources on advertisements. It also had to do a lot to become popular. Ecommerce has therefore provided an affordable mean of advertisement for the company, expanded markets for the Company by reaching a large audience that could not have been accessed before through ordinary mean of advertisement. (M&S Annual report, 2007) Social pressures The Company adopted this strategy because there were many changes in customer preferences and it needed to keep up with these changes. Besides, it was responding to the increased availability of knowledge among consumers. Availability of knowledge to consumers meant that they needed to know a lot of background information about a Company and its products before they can buy it. E-commerce was the tool which could respond to this demand. It has allowed M&S to exchange information with consumers through 'blogs' and 'comments' section on their website. Thus customers can now have their questions answered and can also participate in innovations made by the Company. (M&S Annual report, 2007) 2) Security Technological pressures With increased technological advancements and internet availability, it is possible for people to teach themselves all the skills necessary in a particular trade. This means that someone can pose as a representative for M&S and tell a customer everything they expect to hear yet they had nothing to do with the Company and may be fraudsters. It therefore became necessary for the retail Company to install security

Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Russia - Essay Example Based on its geopolitical dynamic setting, the Transcaucasian region which is designated to the south of the Caucasus Mountains has been confronted with disputes on intercultural interests among the states and ethnic groups as well as with armed conflicts that are a ‘hotspot’ due to the prevailing martial and political tension within its borders. Normally, there appears instability and reverse reactions over the newly-formed independent states of the Transcaucasian area of Russia which continuously struggle as rivals upon the strategic control of resources and reallocation of the spheres of influence. Hence, analysts are inclined to bear foresight of a socio-economic and political condition in Transcaucasia that is essentially understood in the perspective of examining the affairs of its states namely – Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia with each other, with Russia, and with other powerful nations (Ivanov). On one hand, the current era of globalization may be encouraged by a centripetal force to direct interstate conflicts toward a harmonious approach of a common goal that would necessitate the spirit of mutualism or cooperation. Otherwise, distinct stubborn individual objectives may collectively function as a centrifugal force that drives the historical troubles of the region apart from peaceful settlement. Danilov, Dmitri. â€Å"Russia’s Search for an International Mandate in Transcaucasia.† Chapter V – Contested Borders in the Caucasus. 2013. Web. 25 Mar 2013. http://poli.vub.ac.be/publi/ContBorders/eng/ch0501.htm. Ivanov, et al. â€Å"Russia’s National Security Problems in Transcaucasia and the Era of Globalization.† V|Lex. 2013. Web. 25 Mar 2013.

Market Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Article Analysis - Essay Example The growth of mobile marketing upon which the Sorofman is stressing upon in his article can be substantiated by the following facts; There are 5x many cell phones in the world than PCs (Conner, 2013) 91% of adults keep their smart-phones within arm’s reach (Conner, 2013) By the end of 2013, there will be more mobile connected devices than there are people on earth (Brenner, 2013) The above mentioned facts authenticate the notion that mobile marketing has the tendency to emerge as the most powerful communication tool; with significant reach. It can be credited with innovative ways to connect with consumers and in giving a sales boost. A research conducted by Forrester Research in January 2013, depicts the increasing number of mobile commerce sales via smart-phones in American market (Siwicki,  2013). The author has further explained certain ‘ground rules’ to carry out an effective mobile marketing plan. He explains that bombarding smart-phone users with marketing content, by using location-based marketing, as soon as they enter a particular vicinity might be interpreted as ‘creepy’ and might be just simply ignored. ... Not to mention, that it might also dilute a brand’s image. This requires an integrated and holistic approach towards the marketing plan. Neil Richardson suggests that by adopting mobile marketing the marcomm activity would more effective, if the business’s website is accessible through a mobile phone. Because the consumers would not have to wait to log into their PCs or they would not have to take out specific time to go through a business website (Richardson, 2010) The businesses have to properly segment their potential market and identify the target audience, who should be specifically targeted. The nature of the content has to be carved out keeping in mind a particular set of target audience. Such a strategy has to be embedded in the overall communication plan of a brand. If the brands rely too heavily on discharging messages across fragmented media without adopting a properly devised strategy, then it might result have adverse affects such as; Wastage of time, costs , labor Misinterpretation of message Reaching wrong audience Reaching the right audience but failure to convey the message in the right way (Lieb, 2012) Sorofman has rightly said in his article that a combination of tools should be used rather than being â€Å"mono-focused†. This argument can be further supported by what Rachael Pashqua suggests in his book named ‘Mobile Marketing: An Hour a Day’ to integrate SMS in the overall marketing strategy of the firm (Pashqua & Elkin, 2013). This does not imply that the traditional mediums should be entirely ignored. The idea is to find a strategic fit between the traditional medium and the new mobile tools. The fundamentals of both the mediums should be well understood and its effects on customer response

Economics of Race and Gender Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Economics of Race and Gender - Assignment Example The assignment "Economics of Race and Gender" analyzes several chapters from the book "The Economics of Women, Men, and Work" regarding the issues related to the changing work roles and family formation and current changes in most American families and their consequence to the families. Since the ancient days, the role of women has been limited to household chores. The responsibility of women in the society was considered to revolve around taking care of children, tidying houses and taking care of the house when the husband was away. Women not considered making any meaningful economic contribution. Hence, those who had the potential to be engaged in economic activities were locked out in the rat-race. The role of women has changed as some of them have secured jobs initially dominated by male. Additionally, most are currently being formed due to economic reasons. The GDP of most couples may be higher than income generated by a single person. Furthermore, most couples prefer to be married in affluent families in order to overcome some of the economic challenges. Marriage, divorce, and fertility rates have economic consequences. They contribute either positively or negatively to the economy. Most of the families are currently witnessing changing family structures. The divorce rate in the US has been rising sharply in the current years. Furthermore, a majority of those who are unmarried have started preferring to maintain their single status. The above demographic issues affect the status of an economy.

Strategic Management and Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Strategic Management and Leadership - Assignment Example The feature of effective leadership identifies a person who thinks and acts differently from the rest in achieving a desired purpose. This defines that a leader must be bold enough to face oppositions and undue criticisms for his different approach. A person earns the recognition of effective leadership if he or she endeavors to gauge a situation by standing on the toes of others. The effective leader must also take care of the subordinates through acts of motivation and by extending needed help in times of organizational crisis. Existing in the changing environment entails a leader to be flexible enough to help the organization achieve future goals and set purposes. A manager turns out to be an effective leader in being an adaptor to the changing environment. Further, the manager decides on the planned course of action and directs the subordinates to walk on the treaded path to achieve the desired goal. The manager also endeavors to empathize through the acts of liaison between the upper and the lower levels. Moreover, an effective manager must take active role in motivating the subordinates through effective training and creating a positive environment for others to perform effectively. The function of effective management also entails that the working conditions must be made favorable and safer to help the employees succeed in their work. (Caroselli, 2000, pp. 1, 2, 4-5, 6, 8-9) The leaders of the modern era must prove themselves as effective managers to sustain in a competitive environment. An effective leader in the context of the modern era is observed to be a person who endeavors to execute tasks through the delegation of responsibilities. Effective leadership entails in carving the organizational process and structure in such a manner that can help the staffs to become self-dependent in meeting desired goals. A person to become an effective leader must look forward to acquire

Business Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Proposal - Assignment Example The result of the gym facility would be a reduction of lost man-hours and related expenses due to health issues. Setting up a Gym facility will encourage employees to exercise regularly. Employees will not be likely to get sick when they exercise. Fitness makes a person resistant to the majority of sicknesses than an unfit person (Edlin & Golanty, 2014). It reduces absenteeism in the workplace. Fit employees are highly motivated to become leaders, they feel ready to tackle challenging tasks that others are afraid to handle. Fitness also encourages setting of goals and achieving them. Employees who can set aggressive goals and meet them are essential to the organizations development. Fitness comes along with a positive attitude. When employees have such an attitude, they are also likely to have a physical and mental balance that brings in a positive attitude in the entire workplace. According to research, fitness reduces stress levels in employees (Kerr, Griffiths & Cox, 1996). The company could install the Gym alongside the offices with unlimited gym hours during work hours and off hours. The employees require training on how to use this service. So as to achieve this, a gym instructor will be employed. Its also recommendable that a nutrition education be introduced. It would be recommendable if the company set a day for Gym attendance; a day when every employee is available for the exercises. Possible barriers to this proposed project would include; high installation costs, lack of enough space in the workplace, and uncooperative employees. However, the cost of installing a gym facility will be far much less than the rising cost of related health problems occurring due to unfitness. By the setting up the gym facility, the overall productivity levels of the employees shall improve (Kerr, Griffiths & Cox, 1996). The organization needs to consider this Gym facility installation to enhance its workers productivity. The health of the overall

Airplane accidents- Who is responsible Should families of victims be Research Paper

Airplane accidents- Who is responsible Should families of victims be entitled to compensation - Research Paper Example No matter the case, families of the victims stand a chance of compensation depending on the occurrence of the accident and the contractual obligations of the airline company. The airplane manufacturers are the most responsible for the airplane accidents. This is because most of the airplane accidents are due to engine mechanical failures, which come as a result of poor engine design and manufacturing. As explained by one of the passengers in the Asiana Flight 214 â€Å"Then I heard the noise of the pilot trying to send more power to the engine to push the plane back-up† (Irving 52). This illustrates that due to poor design of the airplane engines, which cannot function normally throughout the journey is one of the causes of the airplane accidents. It is the manufacturers’ responsibility to ensure that all their airplane engines are of good quality to avoid causing accidents midway through the journey. The other manufacturing default is the use of poor fuselage skin used in manufacturing the airplanes (Norris 22). When the fuselage skin used in the manufacturing of the airplanes is very weak then there are high chances of occurrence of the airplane accident. This is because the fuselage skin cannot stand the high outside pressure compared to the pressure inside. This forces the air into the plane hence causing the pressure imbalance which cannot be controlled by the pilot resulting into accident. Manufacturing companies’ negligence is another factor that makes them responsible for the airplane accidents. The article Irving continues to state that W. James the chief engineer of Boeing asserted that the problem that resulted into the Southwest airlines Flight 812 accident was due to the poor manufacturing of the airplane and not a broader design (54). This indicates that most of the manufacturers are negligent on their part to ensure that they manufacture quality planes which do not have such serious defaults. But even when such manufacturing problems occur

Research countering the student-teacher ratio effect Essay Example for Free

Research countering the student-teacher ratio effect Essay Graddy and Steven (2005) examines several studies of secondary school performances throughout the U. K. and concluded that there is little to no effect of the student-teacher ratio on the achievement of students. Borland, Howsen Trawick (2005) also found no noticeable connection between student achievement and either reduced or enlarged class sizes. The Congressional Budget Office presented results and analysis of 1986 SAT scores. Analysis revealed a relationship between student performance and student-teacher ratios. Lower student-teacher ratios were consistent with lower SAT scores (as cited in Hanushek, 2000). School size, which is another important consideration that also affects the student-teacher ratio, does not demonstrate an effect on student performance either, according to Lamdin (1995). There is also very little long-term effect of student-teacher ratio on student performance and lifelong achievement. Though Vignoles (1998) found a slight correlation between student-teacher ratio and student performance on O Levels exams in the United Kingdom, the observed effect was so small as to be insignificant. In fact he argues that true effect on student achievement is actually non-existent. This conclusion is based on the finding that the effect of a lower student-teacher ratio was not reflected in later years on the job market and in terms of earnings 17 years later. True achievement, he argues, is measured not by the standard of achievement tests, but by later success in life. He safely concludes therefore that there is no true effect of class size on student accomplishments. Schweitzer (1991) suggests that moves by institutions to decrease the pupil-teacher ratio are counterproductive and will only result in additional government spending with little effect on student performance. He believes that the old-fashioned method of â€Å"hard work on the part of the student, good teaching by the faculty, and strong motivation by both† (Schweitzer, 1991, p. 297) are the key ingredients to improved student achievement. Thus, as Gursky (1998) surmises, there is very little magic to class size or student-teacher ratio. Some researchers have proposed that the optimal size for any classroom is between 15 and 17 students. What the research is confirming is that there is presently very little in the way of consensus on the issue of whether or not reduced student-teacher ratios result in improved student performance. In the comprehensive review conducted by Hanushek (2000), 14% of the researches showed that there was a positive relationship between increased student-teacher ratio and a similar 14% found the opposite association. The remaining 72% found the relationship to be too insignificant to matter (p. 5). It is fallacious to suppose that all factors that may impact student performance can be isolated and controlled in order to discover a causal relationship between the variables of lower or higher student-teacher ratios and higher student performance. As researchers such as Hanushek (2000) and Preece (1987) would argue, there are a myriad of home-environmental and societal factors over which the state or school have very little control but which may impact student performance in either direction regardless of existing student-teacher ratios. Without a doubt the family background from which the students come plays a significant role in impacting achievement. Dustmann et al. (2003) proposes that the financial resources of the family, the quality time parents spend with children, the size of the family, a child’s birth order and the interest the parent shows in the child’s performance are important in analyzing factors that influence success in school. The socioeconomic context and location in which the child resides could also be a constraining factor. Preece (1987) adds that another factor, the heterogeneous nature of the classroom could be a significant key in understanding student achievement. He proposes that more homogeneous classrooms foster a better learning environment for students, regardless of class size or student-teacher ratios. Research has not proven either side of the debate but has demonstrated the possible merits of both. Educators seem determined, despite the lack of evidence to support the claim, to reduce the student-teacher ratios in an effort to impact student achievement. These educators are not completely misguided in their position however. It is a combination of factors too complicated to isolate that determines the how well each student achieves individually. Reduced class sizes have not proven to be harmful to any significant extent and thus existing policies to continue to reduce the student-teacher ratios cannot possibly do any notable amount of harm. ferences Alspaugh, J. W. (1994, Summer). The relationship between school size, student teacher ratio and school efficiency. Education, 114(4), 593-601. Borland, M. V., Howsen, R. M. Trawick, M. W. (2005, Mar). An investigation of the effect of class size on student academic achievement. Education Economics, 13(1), 73-83. Colorado Association of School Boards, Colorado Association of School Executives Colorado Education Association. (n. d. ). Believe in a better Colorado. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from http://www. believeinabettercolorado. org/images Dustmann, C. , Rajah, N. van Soest, A. (2003, Feb). Class size, education, and wages. Economic Journal, 113(485), F99-F149. Ehrenberg, R. G. , Brewer, D. J. , Gamoran, A. Willms, J. D. (2001, Nov). Does class size matter? Scientific American, 285(5), 78-85. Graddy, K. Stevens, M. (2005, Apr). The impact of school resources on student performance: A study of private schools in the United Kingdom. Industrial Labor Relations Review, 58(3), 435-451. Gursky, D. (1998, Oct). Class size does matter. Education Digest, 64(2), 15-18. Hanushek, E. A. (2000, Aug). Evidence, politics, and the class size debate. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from http://www. utdallas. edu/research/tsp/pdfpapers/paper19. PDF Lamdin, D. J. (1995, Apr). Testing for the effect of school size on student achievement within a school district. Education Economics, 3(1), 33-42. Morisi, T. L. (1994, Jul). Employment in public schools and the student-to-employee ratio. Monthly Labor Review, 117(7), 40-44. National Center for Education Statistics. (2001, Sep). Elementary and secondary school enrollment. Education Statistics Quarterly, 2(2). Retreived November 19, 2007 from, http://nces. ed. gov/programs/quarterly/Vol_2/2_2/q3-3. asp Preece, P. F. (1987, Jul/Aug). Class size and learning: A theoretical model. Journal of Educational Research, 80(6), 377-379. Sable J. Garofano, A. (2007, Jun). Public elementary and secondary school student enrollment, high school completions, and staff from the common core of data: School year 2005-06. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from, http://nces. ed. gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo. asp Schweitzer, T. T. (1991, Summer). Collective bargaining, teachers, and student achievement: Comment. Journal of Labor Research, 12(3), 297-298. Vignoles, A. (1998, May). Raising standards in our schools: Does class size really matter? Economic Outlook, 22(3), 18-23.

Analyze the Social and Economic Transformations Essay Example for Free

Analyze the Social and Economic Transformations Essay Between 1492 and 1750, the new contacts between Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas, socially and economically transformed the Atlantic world. New worlds were discovered, the population was escalating due to the slave trade and booming economy, and the industrial production advanced from man-made to machine-made. The new contacts among Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas, lead to the economies improving as crops and food spread around. Economically, in the Americas, European colonists advanced from mining for silver, to farming for crops. All of the goods were traded with other countries. The triangular trade connected imports and exports of different goods mainly between North America, Africa, and Europe. The reason the Atlantic changed into a huge trading port was because many countries were overflowing with resources other countries would love to have. The countries would exchange their resources for another country’s. A vast part of the triangular trade was the Atlantic slave trade. As agriculture became more and more important in daily life, labor was becoming vital. Africa exported slaves to the West Indies and to North America. Socially, the Atlantic was renovated in many ways too. The population was expanding due to the agricultural advancement. The social triangle in Africa and the Americas were drastically changing with the adoption of agriculture. In Africa, of course, people were imprisoned everywhere. Africa was predominately all women because a lot of the men died or were shipped off to another country. Women were not treated as if they were any different than men when came to labor. They were forced to do tiring toil also. In the Americas, the European colonists made new social groups as well, and also had slavery; although, most of the slaves were imported from the West Indies. However, the social structure of Europe remained the same. It remained more self-regulated through out this time period. Over this time period, contacts form and connect trade routes that changed the world forever. These contacts offered resources, and transformations in social structure and economical status. Between 1492 and 1750, the new contacts between Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas, socially and economically transformed the Atlantic world.

Emergence Of Neoliberal Development Theory Economics Essay

Emergence Of Neoliberal Development Theory Economics Essay Introduction This essay aims to justify the emergence of neoliberal development theory by analysing the historical, political and economic backgrounds in the second half of the twentieth century and identify the key features of its success. Also, the essay aims to establish the reasons behind the failure of the Keynesian model that was dominant prior to the neoliberal theory. Firstly, it will define development, outline its origins and goals and look back at the history of development to identify major theories prevailing in global economics. Secondly, it will account for the transition from the Keynesianism to neoliberal theory and argue that the main drawback of the former extensive state intervention in economics was the reason behind the rise of the latter. Finally, it will analyse the neoliberal development theory in terms of its strengths and weaknesses and conclude with suggesting perspectives of the theory in the future. What is development? Development presents an elusive concept to define. As the term itself is incredibly broad, the simplest definition of Good Change (Chambers 1997) will not suffice: factors such as time, perspective and focus should be considered to encompass the term (Thomas 2000). Development does not happen overnight, therefore, to understand it we need to look at a series of changes throughout history and the inevitable processes which accompany it. Secondly, understanding of development shifts depending on the vision or perspective of what development aims to achieve (modern society, maximum use of human potential or fixing the faults of progress). Finally, development could be seen as a focused effort to eradicate a problem (i.e. poverty, hunger, AIDS, etc.). Generally, development is summarised as a process of developing countries trying to catch up with developed countries (Kiely 2007). If we look at the current goals in development outlined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), we can see that in developing countries by 2015: Extreme poverty should be reduced by one half. Universal primary education should be ensured and gender disparity in education eliminated. Infant/child mortality should be reduced by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters. National strategies for sustainable development should be implemented (OECD 1996). On the surface these goals appear to tackle social problems (quality of life and education) but they are deeply intertwined with both politics and economics. In order to achieve those state leaders need to work along with international organisations whose economic expertise can help to shape needed policies. No matter how noble these aspirations sound, it is the question whether they are realistic enough to implement that we should ask ourselves. It is possible to assess the chances of success better by looking back at the history of development and its former achievements. The modern history of development begins with the end of the Second World War in 1945 when new states emerged and the old international order was reshaped. The key theme in development was expanding the economic growth through industrialisation. The unique position of the USA after the war (minimal losses) facilitated its becoming a super power. Not only did it have an exceptional political influence in the international affairs but it also helped to promote capitalism and democratic values in Europe as well as the developing countries. The USA did this not only through foreign aid and direct investment but creating such international organisations as the UN, the IMF and the World Bank. The Cold War split the world into two camps: capitalist and communist. While the superpowers were trying to win more political influence, they also helped to modernise developing countries by boosting their economies. Of course, it came with a price joining a camp of the donors. The USA supported national liberation of the colonies and promoted development of anti-communist ex-colonies. This period from 1950s to 1970s is also known as the golden age of capitalism. High rates of profit facilitated high rates of capital accumulation and unprecedented economic growth, high productivity, high wages, expanding demand (Kiely 2007). Such growth resulted in full employment, creation of welfare system and a spread of globalisation. However, by the 1970s problems with the system became obvious: states had monopolized important industries (coal, steel) which limited the capacity of economic growth, thus investment was dominated by political not economic reasons. Preston argues that there was an assumption that states have the right to intervene directly in production and distribution (Preston 1996: p. 154-156). This resulted in capital not being allowed to cross borders without government approval, so states could set domestic interest rates, fix the exchange rate, tax and spend as they wanted to secure national economic objectives, moreover, the divide between developed and developing countries remained high (Leys 1996). The decline in profit rates recorded in the developed countries at the end of the 1960s deepened and in the 1970s spread into an open capitalist crisis, characterized by a swing of the whole system into monetary-financial chaos, exploding inequalities, and mass unemployment (Herrera 2006). The Keynesian model The golden age of capitalism was dominated by the Keynesian development model, which maintains that the level of economic activity is determined by the level of aggregate demand (Palley 2004). John Maynard Keynes, the forefather of modern macroeconomics, argued that if markets were depoliticised, completely free from the intervention of governments, it would cause a period of economic depression and financial crisis. In order to prevent such a downfall he suggested that governments should control fiscal and monetary policies. Within this theory unemployment could be explained through weakness in the aggregate demand generation process that capitalist economies are subject to. In the aftermath of the post war period it was this particular model that allowed states to rebuild and boost economies. A weak point, however, was the so-called spending ratchet governments provided additional support for workers during hard times but it was politically difficult to take them away during a booming economy. Therefore, the rate of economic growth slowed down and the risk of inflation rose. This was not the only problem with the Keynesianism. According to Palley (2004) there existed two sub-theories about income distribution: one originating in the USA, the other in the UK. American Keynesians advocated the neoliberal paid what you are worth theory of income distribution, while British Keynesians argue that income distribution depends significantly on institutional factors. Palley then explains it in detail: It meant that not only do a factors relative scarcity and productivity matter, but so too does its bargaining power, which is impacted by institutional arrangements. This explains the significance of trade unions, laws governing minimum wages, employee rights at work, and systems of social protection such as unemployment insurance. Finally, public understandings of the economy also matter, since a public that views the economy through a bargaining power lens will have greater political sympathies for trade unions and institutions of social protection (Palley 2004: 2 ). In essence the two schools differed in their understanding of the factors involved in (simply put) wages and income. For example an American Keynesian, would view an employees bargaining power in wage negotiations as entirely dependent on demand for the employees skills, its relative scarcity and the employers ability to pay. The British view in however would encompass such additional factors as unions (in the case of employment) enforcing collective bargaining or national minimum wage structures. The British view therefore contained a more realistic accounting of income distribution versus a more pure capitalist view. One of the major factors of the transition from the Keynesianism to neoliberalism was the unstable prices for petrol in the OPEC in the 1970s. Another factor is of social nature the USA has promoted individualism that rejected the communist collective economic approach and kindled the debates in favour of free markets not controlled by the government. Combined with the divide between the train of Keynesian thought in the UK and the USA the theory slowly started to be replaced with neoliberalism. What is neoliberal development theory? Like development neoliberalism is a disputed notion. This term could be attributed to describe a theory of International Relations, an ideology, a development theory or economic theory. To avoid confusion we suggest a definition by Harvey: Neoliberalism  is  a  theory  of  political  economic  practices that proposes that human well being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong property rights, free markets and free trade. The role of the state is to create and preserve an institutional framework  appropriate to such practices (Harvey, 2005: 2). Neoliberal development theory has emerged in 1970s with the end of the golden age of capitalism. As the world economy was entering a recession, old strategies ceased to work and neoliberalism claimed to provide tools to overcome the financial crisis. The core of the theory lied in an assumption that bad policies were rooted in extensive governmental intervention in economics. Economic growth could be restored by policies ensuring competitiveness in the world economy. Neoliberal development theory aimed to enhance growth, create free markets, replace the Keynesianism that proved to be weak, and eliminate the intervention of the state in the economy that resulted in poor economic performance in many countries (Harrison, 2005). This approach was adopted by major international organisations such as the IMF and the World Bank which made the transition faster. This theory accumulated popularity as the USSR economic growth began to slow down in the 1980s and with the collapse of the Soviet Union, capitalism had proven to be a superior political-economic system to those that had  been its alternatives (Flew 2012). In order to understand what neoliberalism could offer that the Keynesianism could not Herrera (2006) splits the neoliberal strategies into domestic and international ones. They are both aimed at ensuring that the USA sustains and develops its hegemony. Firstly, at the national level, implementing the government control free economy by: (1) deforming the structure of capital ownership to the benefit of the private sector, (2) reducing public spending for social purposes, and (3) imposing wage austerity as a key priority in fighting inflation. Then, to internationally maintain the dominance of the American dollar with the help of the major international organisations and to promote free trade. This argument is in line with the Washington Consensus development strategies which included fiscal discipline, keeping inflation under control, welcoming foreign trade and investment, reducing the role of the government in general, and promoting new exports (Skidmore and Smith, 2005: 59). As com plementary to these goals, the Consensus also advocated tax reform including cutting marginal tax rates (reducing taxes for the rich), creating a unified and competitive exchange rate, and securing property rights (particularly for foreigners in developing countries) (Todaro and Smith, 2006: 538). During the last 30 years this objective has resulted in the proliferation of neoliberal policies of deregulation, privatisation and marketisation (Cahill 2010). When portraying neoliberalism it is paramount to mention the basic principle of individualism. Neoliberalism implies that at the very heart of the concept lies the uniqueness of an individual that leads to subjective and self-centred preferences. Cahill (2010) argues that neoliberals base the defence of free markets on this: liberty is depicted as a core aim of society in which markets represent spheres of voluntary exchanges between individuals. Based on the assumption that from rational point of view individuals would only engage in an exchange that was beneficial for them, markets allow them to satisfy preferences free from external interference or coercion. This way markets represent an excellent platform for spreading liberty. From the economic point of view free markets, with voluntary exchange at their core, let the preferences of rational self interested utility maximisers to be expressed and satisfied. In this case prices represent markers of such preferences and along with the freedom of choice ensure that resource allocation is subject to the preferences. Such system leads to the claim of neoliberals that are not only moral but efficient means for producing and distributing goods and services. Freed from governmental involvement markets produce better results unlike when being under state control with politicians inevitably choosing one industry over another. It appears that better results could be achieved with a shift from the public to the private sector. Strengths/weaknesses In order to establish if the transition to the neoliberal development theory was successful it is necessary to go back to the goals that the theory proponents wanted to achieve: free trade, economic growth, liberalisation, depoliticising of economics and privatisation. While there is evidence that free trade facilitated economic growth it has been slower than expected and still connected with state intervention: there is a positive correlation between an economys exposure to international trade and the size of its government in the years from the 1960s to the 1990s (Rodrik 1998) and similarly whereas levels of trade and levels of government expenditure are positively correlated, countries in which trade has increased more quickly in recent decades have experienced slower growth in government spending (Garett 2001). At the same time free trade and liberalisation has facilitated the emergence and development of globalisation opening new prospects of integration in the international economics and society. On the other hand, globalisation has its own drawbacks, especially in regards to developing countries they still have to catch up with more advanced states but the competition is a lot higher. Without modern technologies which are too expensive, tight budgets and a lack of mass production capability the developing countries, for example in sub-Saharan Africa, remain behind the western states or BRIC countries. Moreover, they have not achieved political freedom either the international organizations call on national governments to adopt neoliberal economic policies imposed from without while the globalized financial markets dispossess these states of their sovereignty and foreign core capital insinuates itself into the periphery countries capitalist ownership structure (Herrera 2006: 5). Promoting democracy and liberalisation could mask more egoistic than altruistic reasons. Neoliberal reforms concentrate on achieving them at the expense of other important factors of development, such as environmental protection, human rights and most important elimination of global absolute poverty (Todaro and Smith, 2006: 548). Conclusions and considerations Summing up the explanation of the emergence of the neoliberal development theory we argue that although the theory has proven to be flawed, nevertheless, its world domination is justified and it is likely to continue its course in the future. While the Keynesian model was efficient during the post-war period and helped to rebuild the economy, it could not provide the international community with the tools they needed to overcome the financial recession in the 1970s. The state-controlled economics framework could not accept and embrace the free market and privatisation because it would mean losing a substantial part of political influence for the governments. Therefore, neoliberalism was the rational choice to adopt in order to revive the economy. As the major superpower (and after the end of the Cold War the unitary) the USA hegemony started to spread further the IMF, the World Bank and other international institutions promoted the development of neoliberalism in both developed and developing countries. Neoliberals believed that markets are able to manage and distribute capital better than states. For the developing countries it also meant more options for employment by expanding the output of exports. Conversely, the emergence, development and finally establishment of the neoliberal development theory as the dominant one has created a number of issues that are complicated to resolve: the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the slowdown of the economic growth and the recession. Promoting democracy and liberal values often hide states own interest, i.e. the war in Iraq in 2003, recent interventions in Syria and Libya. Although economy has become less state-oriented the goals of multinational corporations do not comprise of reducing poverty and inequality as their primary objective. In order to sustain the neoliberal model, it should be re-developed to provide better social security, lessen inequality and poverty, pay greater attention to human rights and create truly independent and unbiased institutions. Only then the 2015 goals of development could be achieved.

Alchemy, The Foundation of Science Essay -- Scientific Research

â€Å"As the last drops fell from the glass to my tongue, I wondered - only for an instant - what perhaps I'd never know. What would it taste like, what would it feel like, if that liquid sliding down my throat was not champagne. But the elixir of life† (Neville). The concept of an elixir of life discussed in Katherine Neville’s book, The Eight, is by no means a new concept. In fact, it is one of the main goals of of a group of people, alchemists, who first recorded their workings 2500 years ago (Bateman). Alchemists have greatly shaped much of science and society. Alchemy has a very long history that also reaches around the world. â€Å"Though long associated in the Western world with medieval Europe, alchemy was a philosophy and proto-scientific practice common to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Persia, India, China, Japan, Korea, Greece, and Rome† (Campbell). Alchemy is believed though, to have started in either Egypt or China. (Bateman) â€Å"Alchemy was the attempt to transmute, or change, one substance into another† (Campbell). And alchemy, at its core, â€Å"was an attempt to understand, deconstruct, and reconstruct matter† (Campbell). This is very similar to the purpose of chemistry, which is: to understand matter and the changes matter undergoes. Alchemists were hoping to use their understanding of matter to fulfill three tasks. Alchemists worked to find â€Å"the elixir, a drink that could make a person live forever; the panacea, a medicine that could cure all illnesses; and the Philosopher’s Ston e, which could turn any metal into gold† (Bateman). â€Å"Much of the work of alchemists is remembered as the work of wizards and witches. They made potions and remedies and thought that matter could be transformed using magic† (Bateman). And eve... ..., CT: Brown Bear, 2010. Print. Campbell, Margaret Christine., and Natalie Goldstein. Discovering Atoms. New YorK: Rosen Pub., 2012. Print. Carney, Linda L. "Alchemy in Selected Plays of Shakespeare." Diss. Drake University, 1977. Abstract. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Neville, Katherine. The Eight: A Novel. New York: Ballantine, 1989. Print. Read, John. From Alchemy to Chemistry. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print. Rowling, J. K., and Mary GrandPrà ©. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: A.A. Levine, 1998. Print. Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Alchemy, The Foundation of Science Essay -- Scientific Research â€Å"As the last drops fell from the glass to my tongue, I wondered - only for an instant - what perhaps I'd never know. What would it taste like, what would it feel like, if that liquid sliding down my throat was not champagne. But the elixir of life† (Neville). The concept of an elixir of life discussed in Katherine Neville’s book, The Eight, is by no means a new concept. In fact, it is one of the main goals of of a group of people, alchemists, who first recorded their workings 2500 years ago (Bateman). Alchemists have greatly shaped much of science and society. Alchemy has a very long history that also reaches around the world. â€Å"Though long associated in the Western world with medieval Europe, alchemy was a philosophy and proto-scientific practice common to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Persia, India, China, Japan, Korea, Greece, and Rome† (Campbell). Alchemy is believed though, to have started in either Egypt or China. (Bateman) â€Å"Alchemy was the attempt to transmute, or change, one substance into another† (Campbell). And alchemy, at its core, â€Å"was an attempt to understand, deconstruct, and reconstruct matter† (Campbell). This is very similar to the purpose of chemistry, which is: to understand matter and the changes matter undergoes. Alchemists were hoping to use their understanding of matter to fulfill three tasks. Alchemists worked to find â€Å"the elixir, a drink that could make a person live forever; the panacea, a medicine that could cure all illnesses; and the Philosopher’s Ston e, which could turn any metal into gold† (Bateman). â€Å"Much of the work of alchemists is remembered as the work of wizards and witches. They made potions and remedies and thought that matter could be transformed using magic† (Bateman). And eve... ..., CT: Brown Bear, 2010. Print. Campbell, Margaret Christine., and Natalie Goldstein. Discovering Atoms. New YorK: Rosen Pub., 2012. Print. Carney, Linda L. "Alchemy in Selected Plays of Shakespeare." Diss. Drake University, 1977. Abstract. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Neville, Katherine. The Eight: A Novel. New York: Ballantine, 1989. Print. Read, John. From Alchemy to Chemistry. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print. Rowling, J. K., and Mary GrandPrà ©. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: A.A. Levine, 1998. Print. Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . Rowling, J. K. Pottermore. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. .

Whats At Stake In The 2000 Presidential Election :: essays research papers

This is perhaps the most important election of our time. Looking at it pragmatically, we only have two viable choices: Bush or Gore. As someone who is apparently concerned about environmental issues, abortion issues, and economic issues the choice between the two should be obvious -al gore In addition a simple fact is Nader will not be elected president in November gore in effect a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush. Gore may offer him a cabinet position to drop out of the race. As for the U.S. Supreme Court, consider this: The U.S. Senate confirms Supreme Court nominees. The Republican Party will control the U.S. Senate. The DNC and the RNC alike have stated they are sure on the control of the Senate [AP 04/02]. George W. Bush is on record as stating that his two FAVORITE U.S. Supreme Court justices are Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, the most ultra- conservative justices on the bench. During there terms some very important cases will be up for review such as Roe vs. Wade [Vote 5-4] and the Miranda rights case. Gov Bush will appoint conservative justices (he says he will not conduct a litmus test to determine if they are pro life, he does not need to conduct a limits test to determine their pro life! He knows what a complete conservative believes in; he is just saying this so afterward he can just claim ignorance and say I didn't know) for those of you who don't believe Bush would do this Bush has signed at-least 18 anti-choice provisions into law since he has been Governor of Texas. In an interview in August 1999, Bush agreed with the claim that he was the most anti-abortion governor in the United States. "I rest their case. I’m pro-life," Bush said. Bush’s record was enough to earn the endorsement of National Right to Life. [National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, "NARAL Fact Sheet," 7/22/99; CNN, Evans, Novak, Hunt & Shields, 8/14/99; Boston Globe, 2/9/00] A woman's right to choose will not be the only issue at stake into he supreme court. I believe that a court controlled by the right wing will also have a good chance of ruling that some of our environmental protection laws are unconstitutional. Do you think that Bush will feel compelled to pick moderate judges as his U.S. Supreme Court nominees with a friendly, Republican-controlled Senate waiting to do his bidding?

Malcolm X :: essays research papers fc

1. Many believed that the "oppressed people" needed a leader or savior who could improve their life conditions, and Marcus Garvey would fit that description. Marcus Garvey was a black leader who started a "Back-to-Africa" movement in the United State. Garvey's main beliefs were that blacks would never receive justice in the countries where most of the people were white. He preached that blacks should go back to Africa, their homeland, and settle there. With Malcolm X's father strong belief in the ministry of Garveyism, Malcolm took Garvey as true; that the only way to achieve anything would be hard if the white man is ruling the country. Malcolm had to be strong while preparing for the civil rights movement; that strength would be very necessary in accomplishing anything. His father's ministry opened up the doors of truth of the harm of the white man on the blacks in America. Malcolm said that the black people would benefit in uniting the black race. Marcus Garve y was "convinced that success demanded the building of a strong economic base so that blacks will be self-sufficient" (Internet, Marcus Garvey). Because of Marcus Garvey's beliefs, many African Americans, found new strength and renewed their vision of success. Therefore, Garvey's teaching brightened up the chance for Malcolm to achieve change during the civil rights movement; providing a chance that everything would be all right and blacks would be equal to whites. Even though Marcus Garvey's helped and wanted the best for his fellow black people, he slammed fellow African-American leaders as being white puppets. Many blacks saw Marcus Garvey a lot in Malcolm X in that they both believed that the black race needs to stay just black to have real power, that the white people are the enemies, and that blacks should not mix with whites. Malcolm learned that the road would be tough because of the great power the white man has in America and that where the black man can have pow er would be where there is no white man in control, such as in Africa. 2. Martin Luther King Jr., shared more in common with Malcolm X, then any other contemporary civil rights leader. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X had more in common after Malcolm broke away from Elijah Mohammed. Before Malcolm broke away, he was an angry man who could never see anything positive and the reason why he could not see anything positive was because the whites had no "moral conscience.

The Conqueror And King: Alexander The Great

Alexander the Great, as his name connotes is probably one of the greatest military leaders and conquerors in the history of the world. At a very young age, he was able to put much of the Hellenistic world under his control extending over 3,000 miles from Greece to India (Cummings, 2004). The unification of the numerous Greek city-states under the father of Alexander, Philip II of Macedon was attributable to the the great conqueror who took control over these lands that the Persian army used to control. These include Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria and Mesopotamia (Shone and Odgens, 2005).Alongside this, he extended the boundaries of his own empire reaching as far as Punjab (now a province of Pakistan) in the Indian subcontinent. These military achievements of Alexander the Great did not stop here. If he had not died at a very young age, Alexander the Great could have conquered the European lands (Tarn, 1979). He also wanted to continue his conquests by explori ng eastwards, hoping to find the end of the world which had been made known to him by his tutor, the great philosopher, Aristotle. Alexander’s tutor once told him tales of where the lands and the great oceans begin.It was also Aristotle who influenced the young prince greatly on how to behave properly, especially in dealing with women. His great respect for women has been very evident even during his adulthood (Syversten, 1997). In his conquests of new lands, Alexander encouraged the inclusion of foreigners into his army which is basically the reason why some scholars consider him to be a ‘policy of fusion (Cummings, 2004). ’ With this, he also encouraged the intermarriage between his army and foreigners, which he also engaged in by marrying Roxanne, the princess of Bactria, one of the present provinces of Afghanistan.Because of this, the military conquests and achievements ushered in what came to be known as the Hellenistic age, a fusion of Greek and Middle East ern culture (Gunther, 1963). In Afghanistan, for example, the rulers had combined Greek names with their own names. Having lived a life that was full of military achievements and accomplishments, though shortly lived made Alexander a person of vital importance not just in the history of the Greek culture but the history of the world as well. He has also appeared to be a legendary hero in the person of the Homeric hero, Achilles (Green, 1970).The Achievements of Alexander the Great The birth of Alexander the Great on the twentieth of July to Philip II of Macedonia and his fourth wife Olympias in Pella, Macedonia in Northern Greece happened to be the same day when the temple of Artemis has been raised to the ground- a good omen of how great the young prince would be (Robinson, 1963). Aside from this, he could have inherited the military skills and achievements of his other relatives. His father, like him was a great general and organizer. Similarly, Pyrrhus of Epirus was his second co usin (O’Brien, 1992).As a child, it has been said that Alexander would often get disappointed whenever he learns of his father’s successful conquests of new lands, thinking that there would be no more lands left for him by the time he sits on the throne as king (Syversten, 1997). By the time he reached thirteen, the young prince matured, thanks to his education under Aristotle. It was because of his education under Aristotle that he became interested in philosophy, literature, philosophy, countries, ethics, politics, etc.He also developed a love for the works of Homer and the Heroic Age (Pinkerton, 2002). His love for Homer’s the Iliad was the reason why he regarded Achilles to be his role model, and it was because of this that the young boy became fearless and strong which he demonstrated by riding Bucephalus, the horse no one ever dared to touch (Pinkerton, 2002). At the age of sixteeen, King Philip II placed great responsibilities upon the young prince. While the former has been away for a long period of time, one of Macedonia’s colonies revolted.Due to the absence of his father, the young prince took over the situation and commanded the troops to subdue the said rebellion. He was also sixteen years old when he found his first ever colony, Alexandroupolis (Syversten, 1997). Alexander became the king of Macedonia at the age of 20. During that time, the Greek city states became restless under Macedonian rule. On one of his battles in the north, fighting the Barbarians, word spread about Alexander’s death, causing the people of Thebes to revolt.Upon learning of what is happening, Alexander had to engage in harsh measures to quell the rebellion. From then on, no one ever questioned the capacity, strength and efficiency of Alexander as a military leader (Cartledge, 2005). The young king then went on with his conquest of Persia, one of the dreams his father had, also knowing that he could not have real power with Darius, the gre at king of Persia around (Robinson, 1963). He defeated the great Persian ruler at the battle of Issus in 333 BC for the second time and in November of that same year, he was crowned as King of Persia (Stoneman, 1997).It was also in that time when he reached the Indian subcontinent where he defeated Porus, an Indian prince. Although he planned on taking on what lies beyond the Ganges River, Alexander had to go back as his army mutinied against him (Cummings, 2004). He was able extend his empire up to this part because of his marriage to the Bactrian princess, Roxanne (Gunther, 1963). The journeys of Alexander the Great led him to discover numerous cities and colonies. The most popular of them all, is perhaps the city which bears his name, Alexandria.The people in Egypt welcomed the Macedonian king hospitably, having despised their Persian rulers and crowned him as their pharaoh (Syversten, 1997). Egypt then became the center of learning and commerce because of its strategic location (Robinson, 1963). The greatness of Alexander, however started to diminish as he was continuously losing the support not just of his army but of the Macedonians as well because of his adoption of Persian ways (O’Brien, 1992). On July 10, 323 BC, a month before his 33rd birthday, Alexander the Great died.Some say it was because of malaria or other types of sicknesses while others theorize it to be caused by poisoning. Some say this was due to some people’s discontent with his rule, especially the sons of Antipater, the viceroy of Greece. With no legal heir to inherit his vast kingdom which extends from Greece to India, the empire of Alexander the Great has been distributed to his generals. Having conquered vast territory within a very short lifetime, Alexander the Great remains to be the greatest military commander and conqueror in the history of the world.References Cartledge, P. (2005). Alexander the Great: The Hunt for A New Past. US: Vintage. Cummings, L. V. (2004). Alexander the Great. USA: Grove Press. Green, P. (1970). Alexander the Great. USA: Cengage Learning Gunther, J. (1963). Alexander the Great. USA: Random House. O’ Brien, J. M. (1992). Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy: A Biography. UK: Routledge Pinkerton, J. (2002). Biography of Alexander the Great. Retrieved October 4, 2007 From http://mi. essortment. com/alexandergreat_rhqk. htmRobinson, C. A. (1963) Alexander the Great: Conqueror and Creator of A New World. USA: F. Watts Publishing. Shone, R. and Odgens, C. (2005) Alexander the Great: The Life of a King and a Conqueror. USA: Rosen Classroom. Stoneman, R. (1997). Alexander the Great. UK: Routledge. Syversten, T. (1997). The Rise and Fall of Alexander the Great. Retrieved October 4, 2007 From http://members. aol. com/tomstp9/alex. html Tarn, W. W. (1979). Alexander the Great. Volume II: Sources and Studies. USA: Cambridge University Press

2008 Summer Olympics Essay

Published by  © 2008 by Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilm, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. IM-1826 CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1. Introduction to Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Chapter 2. The Historical Development of Sports and Sportscasting Chapter 3. The Economics of Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Chapter 4. Audiences for Sports and Sportscasting Chapter 5. The Role of Media in Sports and Sportscasting Chapter 6. Sociocultural Perspectives on Sports and Sportscasting Chapter 7. Practicum on Sportscasting Chapter 8. The Future of Sportscasters/Sportscasting Suggestions for Teaching Sportscasting Syllabus Critical Dates Student Profile Invitation for Sportscaster Speaker 5 7 13 19 25 33 41 55 61 65 67 69 73 75 Introduction Conceived as a supplement to Sportscasters/Sportscasting: Principles and Practices, this collection of exercises adds to the pedagogical mix. Following the outline of a broad approach to understanding the topic—which includes the history, economics, audience, media, sociology, practicality, and future concerns of sports and sportscasting, it has this general outline: Chapter l. Introduction to the study of sportscasters and sportscasting Chapter 2. The historical development of sports and sportscasting Chapter 3. The economics of sports, sportscasters, and sportscasting (sports advertisers and advertising, sport tourism, sports marketing and management, the sports-media complex, sportscasters’ earnings, and sports sponsorship) Chapter 4. Audiences for sports and sportscasting (U. S. audiences, international audiences, and special events) Chapter 5. The role of the media in sports and sportscasting (print media, broadcasting, and beyond, sportscasters—the â€Å"Jockocracy† issue, sportscasters as celebrities, and sportscaster profiles) Chapter 6. Sociocultural perspectives on sports and sportscasting (pervasiveness and salience of sports, role modeling/heroes, and issues—racial and gender consideration) Chapter 7. Practicum on sportscasting Chapter 8. Future concerns and considerations about sports and sportscasting Designed for teachers and students, as well as anyone interested in the topic, the Exercises in Sportscasting includes a range of ap5 6 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING proaches. The idea here is that participants in this process will want to learn as much as they can about the subject. As you will see, each chapter offers several ways to enhance the learning process. Some chapters encourage discussions of topics with family and friends and/or in the classroom, and most are meant to get you both thinking and talking about sportscasting-related issues. There also are a number of bibliographic lists, encouraging further research on various topics, along with an approach to reporting on your reading that encourages critical thinking. Exercise 1. 4 is a â€Å"Fill in the blanks,† with the answers on the next page, as is Exercise 2. 3 â€Å"Sport history firsts,† and the essays in Exercise 2. 4 have suggested inclusions for answers. If you are interested in doing survey scholarship, there are two examples here: Exercise 4. 5 offers directions on how to get information on audiences for the Olympic Games, along with a sample and coding forms, and Exercise 5. 8 gives you a good background for interviewing sportscasters. In the hope that you use soft drinks, as suggested, you should enjoy Exercise 5. 6, â€Å"The Brent Musburger Drinking Game†Ã¢â‚¬â€ another way to monitor sportscasterspeak. There actually are a number of fun exercises here, as you will see. In terms of the practicum, you are asked to consider the field of sports journalism, examine sports cliches, construct a resume, analyze your voice, and actually practice sportscasting. As in anything else, the more you are willing to try these various activities, the more it will help you in the long run. This is, after all, only your beginning. After the exercises is a separate section focusing on the way this course has been taught in the past. It includes the following: 1. Syllabus 2. Critical Dates 3. Student profile 4. A suggested invitation for a sportscaster speaker Designed for teachers, this section is suggestive only, and is open to input—as is, in fact, this whole project. Your responses are encouraged, and I wish you well in your analysis of and/or career in sportscasting. Chapter 1 Introduction to Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Exercise 1. 1: Your Definition/Description of Sportscasting We all have our own experiences with the subject of sportscasting. Tell about yours, including your interest in the topic. At some point, give your own definition and/or description of sportscasting. In addition, what has been your personal experience with sportscasting and sportscasters? Have you met any sportscasters personally? Who are your favorites? Who are your least favorite(s)? Think about why, and share your thoughts. Exercise 1. 2: Globalization of Sports (book review) From the bibliography that follows, choose a book and critique it, including the following information: 1. The book: Full name of the title, author(s) name, when and where published and by whom, number of pages and illustrations. 2. Author(s): Who she or he is—profession, background, experience, and other publications. 3. Frame of reference: The writer’s point of view, or bias. Do you think she or he is qualified to write about this subject? Is the book based on personal experience? 4. Thesis: What is the main point here? Why do you think this book was written? Read the preface and the book jacket, if applicable. Give a brief description of the book in terms of its thesis, and give your opinion on how well it is supported. 7 8 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING 5. Evidence: What kinds of arguments does the author use, and how successfully? Do you think the facts are valid? Are the conclusions under- or overstated, and how do they stand up? 6. Contribution to knowledge: What does this book add to both your education and that of others who might read it? Who might like to read this book? 7. Your evaluation of the book: Was it well written? Well organized? Would you read more books by this author? 8. Overall personal reaction: Was reading this book and writing this book report a worthwhile experience for you? Did you discuss this book with anyone? Bibliography on Globalization Allison, Lincoln (2006). The global politics of sport: The role of global institutions in sport. Oxford, UK: Routledge. Amis, John (2005). Global sport sponsorship. Oxford, UK: Berg Publishing. Andrews, David L. (2006). Sport-commerce-culture: Essays on sport in late capitalist America. New York: Peter Lang. Baimer, A. 2001. Sport, nationalism, and globalization: European and North American perspectives. Albany, NY: SUNY. Chandler, Joan M. 1988. Television and national sport: The U. S. and Britain. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. Cronin, Mike and David Mayall (Eds. ) (1998). Sporting nationalisms. Oxford, UK: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Eitzen, D. Stanley (Ed. ) (2004). Sport in contemporary society: An anthology, 7th ed. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers. Foer, Franklin. 2004. How soccer explains the world: An unlikely theory of globalization. New York: Harper Perennial. Gems, Gerald R. (2006). The athletic crusade: Sport and American cultural imperialism. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Houlihan, Barrie. 1994. Sport and international politics. NY: Harvester Wheatsheaf. Ingham, Alan G. and John W. Loy (eds. ) 1993. Sport in social development: Traditions, transitions, and transformations. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Maguire, Joseph. 1999. Global sport: Identities, societies, civilizations. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Majumdar, Boria and Fan Hong (Eds. ) (2006). Modern sport the global obsession. Oxford, UK: Routledge. Miller, Toby, Geoffrey Lawrence, Jim McKay, and David Rowe (2001). Globalization and sport: Playing the world. London: Sage. Roche, Maurice (2001). Mega-events and modernity: Olympics and expos in the growth of global culture. London: Routledge. Instructor’s Manual 9 Sandvoss, Cornel. 2003. A game of two halves: Football fandom, television and globalisation. London: Routledge. Szymanski, Stefan and Andrew Zimbalist. (2005). National pastime: How Americans play baseball and the rest of the world plays soccer. Brookings Institution Press. Tomlinson, Alan and Christopher Young (Eds. ) (2006). National identity and global sports events. Albany: State University of New York Press. Van Bottenburg, Maarten and Beverley Jackson (2001). Global games. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press. Wenner, Lawrence A. (Ed. ) (1998). MediaSport. New York: Routledge. Westerbeek, Han and Aaron Smith (2003). Sport business in the global marketplace. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Whannel, Garry (1992). Fields in vision: TV sport and cultural transformation. London: Routledge. Wilson, John. 1994. Playing by the rules: Sport, society, and the state. Detroit, MI: Wayne State UP. Exercise 1. 3: Sportscasting Firsts Lou Schwartz has put together a list of â€Å"Sportscasting Firsts, 1920Present,† available at http://www. americansporscasteronline. com, from American Sportscasters Online. Choose one of these events to research further, and feel free to add more to the list. Sept. 6, 1920 – First Radio Broadcast of a Prizefight -Jack Dempsey versus Billy Miske – WWJ Nov. 25, 1920 – First Radio Play-by-Play Broadcast of a Collegiate Football Game – Texas University versus Mechanical College of Texas – WTAW Aug. 5, 1921 – First Radio Broadcast of a Baseball Game-Pittsburgh Pirates versus Philadelphia Phillies Harold Arlin on KDKA Aug. 6, 1921 – First Radio Broadcast of a Tennis Match – Australia versus Great Britian, Davis Cup – Harold Arlin on KDKA Oct. 5, 1921 – First Radio Broadcast of a World Series- New York Yankees versus New York Giants Sandy Hunt and Tommy Cowan on WJZ Oct. 7, 1922 – First Radio Chain Broadcast- WJZ and WGY transmitted a World Series game from the field Grantland Rice and Graham McNamee 10 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING Nov. 24, 1923 – First Radio Broadcast of the Annual Army Navy football game – Graham McNamee Jan. 1, 1927 – First Coast-to-Coast Radio Program – Univ. of Alabama versus Stanford – originating from Pasadena, California, broadcast from the Rose Bowl – NBC network May 17, 1939 – First Televised Sports Event – Columbia versus Princeton baseball – Bill Stern on NBC Aug. 26, 1939 – First Television Broadcast of a Pro Baseball Game – Cincinnati Reds versus Brooklyn Dodgers Red Barber on W2XBS Oct. 22, 1939 – First Television Broadcast of a Pro Football Game-Brooklyn Dodgers versus Philadelphia Eagles W2XBS Feb. 25, 1940 – First Television Broadcast of a Hockey GameNew York Rangers versus Montreal Canadiens -W2XBS Feb. 28, 1940 – First Televsion Broadcast of a Basketball Game Fordham versus U. of Pittsburgh W2XBS Sept. 30, 1947 – First Televised World Series-New York Yankees versus Brooklyn Dodgers – aired on three stations: WABD, WCBS, WNBT -Bob Edge, Bob Stanton and Bill Slater Oct. 3, 1951 – First Coast-to-Coast Television Broadcast of a Baseball Game-NY Giants versus Brooklyn Dodgers, Game 3 of NL playoffs. Giants win on Bobby Thomson’s homerun known as the â€Å"Shot Heard ’Round the World. † Aug. 26, 1955 – First Color Television broadcast – Davis Cup match between Australia and the U. S. – NBC July 23, 1962 – First Satellite Telecast via Telstar Communications – included portion of Chicago Cubs versus Philadelphia Phillies from Wrigley Field – Jack Brickhouse Jan. 15, 1967 – First Television Broadcast of a Football Championship- Green Bay Packers versus Kansas City Chiefs – Jack Buck Nov. 8, 1972 – First Sports Telecast by HBO – New York Rangers versus Vancouver Canucks from Madison Square Garden reaches HBO’s 365 subscribers in Wilkes Barre, Pa. – Marty Glickman Instructor’s Manual 11 Aug. 16, 1976 – First Pro Football Game Outside the United States- St. Louis Cardinals versus San Diego Chargers in Japan- Jack Buck Aug. 3, 1993 – First Woman to do Television Play-by-Play of a Baseball Game -Colorado Rockies versus Cincinnati Reds Gayle Gardner on KNGN-TV in Denver Exercise 1. 4: Fill in the Blanks 1. The evolution of sportscasting has gone from sports reporting for information to in terms of its profitability. 2. Sportscasting is a $ industry. 3. Television executives and advertisers are primarily interested in sportscasters who can . 4. Super Bowl hype helps draw audiences of (number) viewers with advertising costing $ per minute.at ABC is credited with helping that network become 5. known for its sports, introducing shows like Wide World of Sports in 1967 and Monday Night Football in 1970. 6. Women sportscasters, although few in number, include: , , and . 7. According to Red Barber, was the first genuine pioneer in radio sports announcing. 8. In the 1960s, the annual number of network hours of sports programming was 787; in the 1970s, 1,340; and now it is . in advertising for 9. The major networks sell about $ sports. 10. Leading sportscasters currently earn salaries of -figure incomes. 11. Sporting events created for television, such as celebrity tennis or billiards, The Skins Games, battles of network â€Å"superstars,† and shows like them are called . 12. ABC paid $ for rights to the 1984 Los Angeles Olymfor the 1988 Calgary Olympics, and NBC paid pics, $ $ for the 2006 Torino Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. 13. Americans spend about % of our gross national product (GNP) on sports. 12 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING 14. Sports marketing statistics show corporate sponsorship costs of $ for endorsements from sports figures, and about on event sponsorship and participation. $ 15. My personal favorite sportscaster is: . Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Infotainment Multibillion dollar industry Draw and sustain audiences 140+ million viewers, with advertising costing $2 million per thirty seconds Roone Arledge Mary Carillo, Gayle Gardner, Robin Roberts, Lesley Visser, etc. Major J. Andrew White 24/7 ABC $1. 33 billion, CBS $1. 43 billion, NBC $472 million, ESPN $1. 16 billion and ESPN2 $219 million, Fox $1. 18 billion, and TNT $221 million. Seven â€Å"Trashsports† ABC—$225 million 1984; $309 million 1988; NBC—$1. 5 billion for 2006 and 2008 One (1) percent $900 million for endorsements, $7. 7 billion for sponsorships (students’ choice) Chapter 2 The Historical Development of Sports and Sportscasting Exercise 2. 1: Oral Histories on Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Probably the best way for you to understand and appreciate the history of sports and sportscasting is by talking to people who have experience with the past. Let me suggest that you conduct interviews with two persons—preferably one male and one female, preferably separately, preferably both born before or during World War II about their early memories with sports, sportscasters, and sportscasting. Use your own knowledge about the history, economics, politics, content trends, and sociocultural implications of radio and television in your interviews. Prompt your interviewees to remember some of their favorite early programs, performers, even advertisers. Write up a summary of your findings, including detailed descriptions on when and where the interviews were performed, how long they lasted, whether you tape-recorded responses and/or wrote them down, whether or not those responses are reported verbatim, and overall how you felt about the survey procedure. Also, provide detailed descriptions about the persons you interviewed, especially demographically. This method has proven to be a fascinating way to learn history, and old-timers really enjoy the process. Be sure to thank them for sharing their memories! Exercise 2. 2: Hype in Sports History Often, we might wonder about what is hyped in sports history, and what might be ignored. As a sports scholar, you might consider the 13 14 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING following approach to sports media criticism of television and/or film: 1. Who are the actors in this episode or series, and what roles do they play? 2. Who made the program or movie: production company, producer, director, writer, director of cinematography, and so on? Have I seen other works by these people? Is it pertinent to know and mention them? 3. Do I like this episode or movie? Why? Why not? 4. Have I been fair with this episode or movie after only one viewing, or should I see it a second time to see what I might have missed? 5. What biases might I have toward the episode or movie’s star(s), director, and/or subject matter? 6. Have I been as objective as possible? Have I used examples to support my views? Have I been prejudiced by my attitude toward the episode or movie’s theme or plot? Have I described it accurately? Exercise 2. 3: Sports History Firsts Fill in the blanks. 1. The first successful sports broadcast in the United States: 2. In baseball, this broadcast took place during its 53rd season: . 3. Describe the first World Series sportscast: ________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 4. Jack Graney, the first ex-athlete to occupy the broadcast booth, became known as: __________________________________. 5. The first Olympic Games broadcast for the American public were: ____________________________________________. 6. Davis Cup, the first tennis match, had reportage on this date: _________________________________________________. 7. The first broadcast of a college football game was: __________. 8. Radio covered the first boxing match between whom: _______. Instructor’s Manual 15 9. The first live sporting event on television was: _____________. 10. Regarding the print media, what was the first sport magazine to debut in the 1820s: __________________________________. 11. The newspaper that had the first distinct sports section: ______. 12. Name the first daily newspaper totally devoted to sports, with regional sections: ___________________________________. 13. HBO’s first regional sportscast: ________________________. 14. ESPN, the first twenty-four-hour all-sports cable network, began: _____________________________________________. 15. Ted Turner’s Goodwill Games first began: ________________. Answers 1. April 11, 1921, when the Pittsburgh Post’s sports editor, Florent Gibson, did the play-by-play over station KDKA, describing the no-decision fight between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee at Pittsburgh’s Motor Square Garden. 2. August 5, 1921, broadcast by Harold Arlin—Pittsburgh Pirates defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5. 3. Thomas Cowan, sitting in a New York studio, recreated for the radio audience over stations WJZ and WBZ the 1921 World Series on October 5, as the New York Giants defeated the New York Yankees 5-3. Grantland Rice did the play-by-play. 4. â€Å"The Voice of the Indians,† 1932. 5. 1932 radio reports from Lake Placid for the winter games, Los Angeles for the summer games. Ted Husing provided summaries on WABC in New York. 6. August, 1921 over KDKA. 7. November 5, 1921, with Harold Arlin of KDKA covering Pittsburgh versus West Virginia; he yelled so hard at one touchdown that he knocked the station off the air. 8. Over WJY in 1921, the world heavyweight championship prize fight between Jack Dempsey and George Carpentier of France. 9. The second game of a baseball double-header between Columbia and Princeton, covered by Bill Stern out of New York’s Baker Field on May 17, 1939. 10. William Trotter Porter’s Spirit of the Times. 11. William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal, 1895. 12. Frank DeFord’s The National, which debuted January, 1990. 16 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING 13. 1972 hockey game between the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. 14. September, 1979. 15. 1986. Exercise 2. 4: Essays 1. Describe the broad trends that best depict qualifications of what makes and have made the best sportscasters over the years. 2. Trace the developments from sports journalism to sports broadcasting. 3. Discuss sportscasters themselves: as sponsors, celebrities/stars, as fans’ favorites, as former athletes (â€Å"jockocracy†), and as newscasters. 4. Outline some of the distinctions of the symbiosis between media and sport. Suggested Essay Answers 1. In the early days, voice was the most distinguishing characteristic. Review the Waldo Abbott 1941 quotation about phraseology, diction, rules, and regulations, and review some early sports journalists. The second phase of sportscasting concentrated more on knowledge of sport, and began the practice known as â€Å"jockocracy. † Currently, it appears that knowledge of television is what is critical. Consider Marty Glickman’s suggestion that succinctness, self-discipline and awareness of the action are the criteria. Still today the demographics of sportscasters remain pretty much within the purview of white males, aged thirty to fifty. It is found that local/regional sportscasters differ greatly from national network ones, the former being more involved personally with the teams. 2. Bruce Garrison shows how sports reporting is becoming more professional—list some examples. We are thought to be in the â€Å"age of realism†Ã¢â‚¬â€what Karmer (1987) calls the double whammy of electronic media and tabloid journalism, such that the rules are being rewritten. Print was revolutionized by the introduction of USA Today— especially graphics, statistics, and wide-ranging sports coverage. But so far no newspaper has caught on; even though The National was well done, sports fans today mostly depend on television and the Internet for their coverage. Television itself has revolutionized sports Instructor’s Manual 17 coverage, from ABC in the 1970s to the introduction of ESPN and other 24/7 sports channels. We have moved from game stories centered on quotes from players and coaches and postgame trips to the locker room to instant messaging and â€Å"reality† monitoring. It becomes sobering to realize how we are moving from being told about sports to choosing what stories we want to follow; in other words, we are increasingly becoming more active in the process. 3. Cite some examples of sportscasters as sponsors, and then consider the issue of how some of them become bigger than the events they are covering. Who are â€Å"homers†? Who are former athletes? Who are newsmakers? Include considerations of race, gender, homophobia, and the like. 4. What is real relative to sportscasting? What differences are there between how reportage is received from print media, radio or television, the Internet, iPods, and other technologies? Discuss various production techniques, such as slo-mo replays, time-lapse shots, telestrators, wireless microphones, cameras attached to items like pucks, and how they might determine how a story is delivered. And consider how editing and videotaping have revolutionized not only what we see but also when and how we see it—remote controls, Tivos, and general zipping and zapping of ads and programs. The potential for great sports viewing, and for learning about new sports and other countries’ sports, is outstanding—but will we settle for the same old/same old? Will we ask more from our sports, and from our sportscasters? Chapter 3 The Economics of Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Exercise 3. 1: Sports Tourism As one of the fastest-growing niche markets in the more than $500 billion tourism industry, sports tourism encourages us to participate directly, such as on ski trips, at golf or tennis camps, on theme cruises, or as spectators for events such as the Olympic Games, Super Bowl, World Cup, and the like. Tell about your own experience in sports tourism. You might want to refer to some of these books: Brabazon, Tara (2006). Playing on the periphery: Sport, identity and memory. London: Routledge. Gibson, Heather (2006). Sport tourism. New York: Routledge. Higham, James (2004). Sport tourism destinations: Issues, opportunities and analysis. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Hinch, Thomas and James E. S. Higham (2004). Sport tourism development. Clevedon, UK: Channel View Books. Hudson, Simon (Ed. ) (2002). Sport and adventure tourism. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press. Ritchie, Brent W. and Daryl Adair (Eds. ) (2004). Sport tourism: Interrelationships, impacts and issues. Oxon, UK: Multilingual Matters. Robinson, Tom (2004). Sports tourism: An introduction. Boston, MA: Thomson Learning. Robinson, Tom, Sean Gammon, and Ian Jones (2003). Sports tourism: An Introduction. London: Continuum. Rowe, David and Geoffrey Laurence (Eds. ) (2000). Tourism, leisure, sport, and critical perspectives. Cambridge University Press. Ryan, Chris (2003). Recreational tourism: Demand and impacts. Celevedon, UK: Channel View Publications. 19 20 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING Scarrott, Martin (Ed. ) (1999). Sport, leisure and tourism information sources: A guide for researchers. Butterworth-Heinemann. Standeven, Joy and Paul DeKnop (1999). Sport tourism. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Turco, Douglas Michele, Roger S. Riley, Kamilla Swart (2002). Sport tourism. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. Van Der Wagen, Lynn (2002). Event management: For tourism, cultural, business, and sporting events. Prentice-Hall. Weed, Mike and Chris Bull (2003). Sports tourism: Participants, policy and providers. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Exercise 3. 2: The Economics of Sports (book review) From the bibliography, choose a book and critique it, including the following information: 1. The book: full name of the title, author(s) name, when and where published and by whom, number of pages and illustrations. 2. Author(s): who she or he is—profession, background, experience, and other publications. 3. Frame of reference: the writer’s point of view, or bias. Do you think he or she is qualified to write about this subject? Is the book based on personal experience? 4. Thesis: what is the main point here? Why do you think this book was written? Read the preface and the book jacket, if applicable. Give a brief description of the book in terms of its thesis, and give your opinion on how well it is supported. 5. Evidence: what kinds of arguments does the author use, and how successfully? Do you think the facts are valid? Are the conclusions under- or overstated, and how do they stand up? 6. Contribution to knowledge: what does this book add to both your education and that of others who might read it? Who might like to read this book? 7. Your evaluation of the book: was it well written? Well organized? Would you read more books by this author? 8. Overall personal reaction: was reading this book and writing this book report a worthwhile experience for you? Did you discuss this book with anyone? Instructor’s Manual. Bibliography on General Sports Economics 21 Andrews, David L. (Ed. ) (2001). Michael Jordon, Inc: Corporate sport, media culture, and late modern America. Albany: State University of NY Press. Andrews, David L. (2006). Sport-commerce-culture: Essays on sport in late capitalist America. New York: Peter Lang. Aris, Stephen (1990). Sportsbiz: Inside the sports business. London: Hutchinson. Fizel, John, Elizabeth Gustafson, and Lawrence Hadley (Eds. ) (1999). Sports economics: Current research. Westport, CT: Praeger. Goff, Brian L. and Robert D. Tollison (eds. ) (1990). Sportometrics. College Station, TX: Texas A&M UP. Gorman, Jerry and Kirk Calhoun (1994). The name of the game: The business of sports. NY: John Wiley & Sons. Graham, Peter J. (Ed. ) (1994). Sport business: Operational and theoretical aspects. Madison, WI: WCB Brown & Benchmark. Hofmann, Dale and Martin J. Greenberg (1989). Sports$biz: An irreverent look at Big Business in pro sports. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Klatell, David A. and Norman Marcus (1988). Sports for sale: Television, money, and the fans. New York: Oxford. Rosentraub, Mark S. (1997). Major League losers: The real cost of sports and who’s paying for it. New York: Basic Books. Sheehan, Richard G.( 1996). Keeping score: The economics of Big-Time sports. South Bend, IN: Diamond Communication. Staudohar, Paul D. and James A. Mangan (Eds. ) (1991). The business of professional sports. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. Walsh, Adrian (2006). Ethics, money & sport: This sporting mammon. New York: Routledge. Weiss, Ann E. (1993). Money games: The business of sports. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Bibliography on Law/Legal Issues Berry, Robert C. and Glenn M. Wong (1993). Law and business of the sports industries: Common issues in amateur and professional sports. Westport, CT: Praeger. Champion, Walter T. , Jr.(1993). Sports law in a nutshell. St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Cotton, Doyice J. and T. Jesse Wilde (1997). Sport law for sport managers. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt. Cozzillio, Michael J. and Mark S. Levinstein (1997). Sports law: Cases and materials. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press. Dougherty, Neil J. (1994). Sport, physical activity, and the law. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Fotiades, John M. (1989). You’re the judge: How to understand sports, torts & courts. Worcester, MA: Edgeworth and North Books. 22 EXERCISES IN SPORTSCASTING Greenberg, Martin J. (1993). Sports law practice. Charlottesville, VA: Michie Co. Greenfield, Steve and Guy Osborn (Eds. ) (2000). Law and sport in Contemporary society. London: Frank Cass. Hladczuk, John (Comp. ) (1991). Sports law and legislation: An annotated bibliography. New York: Greenwood Press. Jarvis, Robert M. and Phyllis Coleman (1999). Sports law: Cases and materials. St. Paul, MN: West Group. Jones, Michael E. (1999). Sports law. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Lowe, Stephen R. (1995). The kid on the sandlot: Congress and professional sports, 1910-1922. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. O’Leary, John (Ed. ) (2001). Drugs and doping in sport: Socio-legal perspectives. London: Cavendish. Quirk, Charles (Ed. ) (1996). Sports and the law: Major legal cases. New York: Garland. Shropshire, Kenneth L. (1990). Agents of opportunity: Sports agents and corruption in collegiate sports. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. Tokarz, Karen (1986). Women, sports, and the law: A comprehensive research guide to sex discrimination in sports. Buffalo, NY: W. S. Hein. Weiler, Paul C. (2000). Leveling the playing field: How the law can makes Sports better for the fans. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP. Weiler, Paul C. and Gary R. Roberts (1993). Cases, materials and problems on sports and the law. St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Wong, Glenn M. (1994). Essentials of amateur sports law. Westport, CT: Praeger. Wong, Glenn M. and T. Jesse Wilde (1994). The sport lawyer’s guide to legal periodicals: An annotated bibliography. Buffalo, NY: W. S. Hein. Yasser, Raymond L. (1985) Torts and sports: Legal liability in professional and amateur athletics. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Yasser, Ray, James R. McCurdy, and C. Peter Goplerud (1990). Sports law: Cases and materials. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson. Bibliography on Sports Marketing/Management Brooks, Christine M. (1994). Sports marketing: Competitive business strategies for sports. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Cuneen, Jacquelyn and M. Joy Sidwell (1994). Sport management Field experiences. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. DeSensi, Joy T. and Danny Rosenberg (1996). Ethics in sports management. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. Graham, Stedman, Joe Jeff Goldblatt, and Lisa Delphy Neirotti (2001). The ultimate guide to sports marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill. Howard, Dennis R. and John L. Crampton (1995). Financing sport. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. Jones, Ian (2003). Research methods for sports studies. New York: Routledge. Instructor’s Manual 23 Masteralexis, Lida Pike, Carol A. Barr, and Mary A. Hums (Eds. ) (2004). Principles and practices of sports management. 2nd ed. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. McDonald, Mark A. and George R. Milne (1999). Cases in sports marketing. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Miller, Lorik (1997). Sport business management. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. Milne, George R. and Mark A. McDonald (1999). Sports management: Managing the exchange process. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Mullin, Bernard J. , Stephen Hardy, and William A. Sutton (1993). Sport marketing. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.