The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources free essay sample

They are an important source of energy that we have come to rely on, however, these days there many discussions have been taking place concerning their usage and the impact they play on the environment. As such, I will now list the pros and cons of fossil fuels. The pros of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the advantages of fossil fuels is their existence as high efficiency sources of energy. The reason for this is that, when consumed they produce large amounts of usable energy. 2) Another one of the advantages of fossil fuels is their availability. Fossil fuels are not difficult to obtain from the earth. Also, due to the fact that the extraction and refining processes don’t take long, the fuels are able to be converted from their crude form into forms that could be used for a number of different purposes (Buzzle. com, 2013). 3) The third advantage that fossil fuels have is the ease at which they can be transported. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Fossil fuels like coal are able to be transported by train, while oil and natural gas are transported by pipelines. This ease of transportation enables the places that convert these fossil fuels into usable forms, to not have to worry much about location (Buzzle. com, 2013). 4) And lastly, fossil fuels are not only used for energy, but also to create byproducts such as plastic that are used in almost everything (Locsin, n. d. ). Now, the cons of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the major cons of fossil fuels is the danger they pose to the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels causes the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is bad because carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. And that is not all, another one of the gases that is released when burning fossil fuels is sulfur dioxide. This toxic gas produces acid rain when it interacts with the atmosphere. 2) Another one of the cons of fossil fuels is the damage that is done to the landscape when collecting it. An example of this can be seen in coal mining. The landscape where coal is mined is damaged to the point where it is not able to be used for anything else. ) And last but not least, fossil fuels are a non-renewable source. And right now they are being used at an alarming pace because of how modernized our society is these days. So it might not be too far off in the future, when a time will come where we won’t be able to obtain anymore fossil fuels (Buzzle. com, 2013). What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy? The pros of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) One of the pros that nuclear energy b rings is a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. 2) The second advantage is their relatively low operating costs. ) And lastly, nuclear energy has a large power generating capabilities, that allow for it to be used for industrial and city aspects (Buzz, 2009). The cons of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) The cost of constructing a nuclear energy power plant is high. And that is due to the equipment that is needed to contain the radiation. 2) One of the major concerns of nuclear energy is the disaster that could follow in the event of an accident. 3) And last but not least, another con that really is troublesome is the trouble of disposing of the waste. For one, the waste can last for a couple hundred years. Also, there is the ever present danger that it could leak out and contaminate ground water sources in the area (Buzz, 2009). What are the pros and cons of solar energy? The pros of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy is renewable source of energy. As long as the sun is shining, solar energy is able to be produced. 2) The second advantage is that it is a clean source of energy. 3) And lastly, solar energy is a free source of energy, and its solar panels require almost no maintenance (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). The cons of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy can only produce its maximum of energy during the day, and when the sun is shining the longest. 2) Solar panels are very expensive. 3) And lastly, a lot of space is needed in order so the exact amount of solar panels that are needed could be installed (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of wind power? The pros of wind power are as follows: 1) It is a renewable source of energy. 2) It is also clean and free source of energy. 3) It won’t take long to recover the cost of purchasing and installing the wind turbine. ) And finally, a cool advantage of wind power is the fact that the electric company will reward for any excess energy that you produce but don’t use (Bernard, n. d. ). The cons of wind power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of wind power is its inconsistency. Since wind does not blow continually, wind turbines usually operate at 30% of their capacity. 2) Wind turbines have expensiv e upfront costs. 3) And lastly, another con of wind power is location. A wind turbine requires a lot of open land, in order to operate properly (Bernard, n. d. . What are the pros and cons of water (hydro) power? The pros of hydro energy are as follows: 1) Hydro power is a clean, renewable source of energy. 2) With the construction of a dam, there will be an abundance of electricity produced for many years. The cons of hydro power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of hydro power is the cost of constructing the dam. 2) The dams have to be built to the highest of standards. Precision, accuracy, and the right materials need to be utilized in order to achieve that goal (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of biofuels? The pros of biofuels are as follows: 1) Biofuels produce less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than a fossil fuel like oil. 2) Another advantage of biofuels is that they are immediately useable. 3) And lastly, Biofuels are high quality fuels that have allowed us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels (Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons, 2006). The cons of biofuels are as follows: 1) One of the cons of biofuels, is an increase in the clearing of rainforests in developing countries, in order to grow biofuel crops like corn. ) The growth of biofuel crops can have a negative impact on the prices and security of food. 3) And lastly, the creation of biofuels burns more energy than what is contained in the finished product. Therefore it isn’t an efficient fuel (Cunningham, n. d. ). When it comes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, two of its provisions that I found interesting are the daylight savings time extension, and the creatio n of the energy star program. In the provision concerning daylight savings time; the daylight savings time was extended two weeks in the spring, and one week in the fall. These changes were to take place in the month of August of 2006. On the other hand, in the provision about the creation of the Energy Star program, the government created the program under the DOE and Environmental Protection Agency. The symbol of the Energy Star serves as an indicator of energy-efficient products and buildings. Last but not least, some of the tax incentives included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, were for the installation of energy efficient appliances, residential energy properties, new homes, commercial buildings and more (Think Energy Management, LLC. n. d. ). References Bernard, M. (n. d. ). Pros and Cons of Wind Energy. Retrieved from, http://greenliving. lovetoknow. com/Pros_and_Cons_of_Wind_Energy Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons. (2006). Retrieved from, http://curtrosengren. typepad. com/alternative_energy/2006/08/biofuel_sustain. html Buzz, P. (2009). Nuclear Energy: Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. triplepundit. com/2009/02/nuclear-energy -pros-and-cons/ Buzzle. com. (2013). Fossil Fuels Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. buzzle. com/articles/fossil-fuels-pros-and-cons. html Cunningham,

Run For the Border Comparison of the Mexican and French Revolutions essays

Run For the Border Comparison of the Mexican and French Revolutions essays ""It is easier to run a revolution than a government" (Ferdinand E. Marcos (1917-81), Filipino politician, president. Time (New York, 6 June 1977). ) Websters dictionary defines the word revolution as an overthrowing of government [and/or] radical change (Websters). The usual goal of a revolution is to change something that the populace does not like. The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was just that. The changes made in the Mexican government during the first half of the twentieth century bear many resemblances to changes made during the French Revolution. According to Brinton, there are four stages to every revolution. The preliminary stage was when both Mexico and France set up the problems to come in the future due to the leadership at that time. The preliminary stage then led up to the first stage where frequent uprisings occurred against the government and sometimes even the people. The third and perhaps most turbulent of the four stages was the crisis stage, where some streets ran red with blood, and order ran amuck. The final stage is the recovery stage, where the governments agreed upon a plan that would benefit the p eople who worked so hard for the changes to see the fruits of their labor. The preliminary stage of the Mexican Revolution was much like that of the French Revolution. President Porifirio Diaz was a prosperous President of Mexico for thirty-one years and ran the country much like Louis XVI of France. Diaz gave most of the power to a select few, while the majority of the country did not have the right to vote for the officials they wanted or to express their own opinions, limitations that are similar to the third estate of the Ancien Regime. With such conditions, wealth was likewise concentrated in the hands of the few, and injustice was everywhere, in the cities and the countryside alike (MexConnect). With these similarities however, there came many differences. ...

Print and TV Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Print and TV Media - Essay Example Television, or TV, literally means the unit that is used to receive broadcast signals from a network, and, in this case, refers to the actual use of TV-a means to get information on a regular basis. Shows on TV also vary in frequency, usually within minutes, hours, days, and weeks. Take a regular newspaper, roll it, tuck it under your arm or toss it in your bag, and you can read it whenever you've got the time-unless you want to get the information right here, right now. Such is the essence of the newspaper; news and information delivered through the convenience of compiles sheets of paper that one can carry around, as well as the corresponding affordability. On top of that, the availability of space in its environment allows print journalists to write lengthy news and feature articles, giving the reader access to more information that can be referred to anytime. The downside of it is the amount of time spent producing a single issue-a process that produces hundreds and thousands of copies-and how it measures against other sources. In this day and age, where everything can be accessed in one click, the speed afforded by print media is no longer up to par with the rest. This is particularly true for news-based publications, because this obstacle relegates them, by default, to last place in terms of relevance. On the other hand, if relevance is the is... A news anchor can be on air in seconds, and can announce breaking news even from remote locations via satellite right where and when it happens. Best of all, TV is visual-all the better to narrate in 30 seconds what a newspaper story will do with only words to rely on. Most people are inclined to TV than print, precisely because of this attribute. But TV can only be TV, at least for the mass market, if one has an actual TV. Compared to the print production process, the broadcasting system is far more complicated, requires more people to run it, and necessitates equipment that can never be called cheap. Plus, unlike newspapers, one can never read back what has been reported-unless a replay is run. III. Content is King, Distribution is Queen What a reader or viewer gets from both TV and print is almost identical. The reason for this lies in the preferences of its targets-the regular reader and the frequent viewer-whose loyalty the two media are always after. This resulted in the creation, development, and innovation of the material each features, known as content. News articles and breaking news. Coming from the same source, using the same methodology, but using different executions, these two form-specific materials naturally provides for the same need-that of knowing what is happening of significance at the moment. Magazines and variety shows. These two forms are actually several parts joined together to produce a printed material, or an hour-long show. They aim to cover certain interests, and, with the objective of making things fresh and upbeat, rely on the novelty of each section or segment. Dear Abby letters and drama programs. Many people are fond of emotional revelations,

Article Summary from OPM (Human Resources) Essay

Article Summary from OPM (Human Resources) - Essay Example It is imperative that each member should get the opportunity and involvement for the execution of task with great clarity in thoughts and means for its execution. It is essential that planning should be suitable, comprehensible as well as attainable. Moreover it is also required that the planning should be supple and possess helpful working documents rather than simple paper work. Monitoring: constant monitoring is imperative in the execution of tasks. This provides a feedback and hence directs the development for attaining the set goals. It is performed with respect to reviews obtained against the standards and a comparative study can be made with the desired amendments to avoid hindrances in accomplishing the targets. Developing: any successful organization will always encompass means that motivates its employee’s aptitude to work and the requirements of the recruits are constantly evaluated. This is through training, guidance and by opportunities to keep them abreast with the latest trends and technologies. These means provides overall development opportunities as well as promotes better performance, fortifies job-related skills and proficiencies. Through performance management, development abilities are further enhanced and deficiencies are overruled. This kind of management enhances improvements in performance and actions can be directed to promote triumph and efforts of successful employees. Rating: time to time appraisals not only enhance the performance but also let the organization know who the better performers are. This serves as a kind of motivation and always directs the staff to provide their best services. It is essential to assess the performance of the employees through performance management, goals are set and work is planned on a routine basis with great deal of feedback and hurdles. It also provides a way to overcome the problems and a

British Colonization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

British Colonization - Essay Example In the 17th century United Kingdom the term "colonization" came to be utilized in a polemical manner to distinguish the domestic and local programs of the British explorer Captain John Smith. The major mistake or failure of the British colonizers, in an ancient tradition to identify themselves from the European continent, is that they did not classify their own programs to be as dominant as what people thinks. They did mention of "colonization", the transfer of individuals from the European continent to other regions of the world, paving the way to a â€Å"larger Kingdom† of English population. Majority of the British's colonies also failed to find benefits in organized, domestic colonization: great economic and industrial cartel desired for colonizing aid to secure their domestic assts against rivalry and international political conflicts overseas; bureaucrats desired and searched for government positions; people in the security wished for higher responsibilities and ranks; and the usual but striving desired for improved income for their businesses, ranks, and public office responsibilities. A distinctive success of the British colonization was the fact that it caused the emergence of fresh social perspectives of domination. Viewing the emergence of business unification, socialism, and other propaganda on the outset of a period of mass community in both the United Kingdom and later in the Western nations, the British colonizers strived to utilize imperial concepts to coordinate the aid of part of the economic working group. The re-energized mass media advocated colonization in various global wars that happened during the late 19th century and early 20th century. In the 15th century the "colonization" efforts of the British people also emerged to be connected to any ancient or traditional example of a larger authority initiating, or being viewed to be initiating a move, at the expense of a lower authority. The success of the British colonizers was therefore not only utilized to pertain to merciless territory-building programs, which include those of the Italians, the Spaniards or the English powers, but was also utilized uncharacteristically and/or disparagingly, for instance by both sides in communist and anti-communist movement, or to pertain to initiatives of the United Kingdom since the British government's takeover of outside borders on the onset of their feud with Spain, or in connection to the America's current position as the globe's most powerful country. 2. What were the similarities and differences between Spanish and British colonizatio

Brain Mechanism And Artificial Intelligence Psychology Essay

Brain Mechanism And Artificial Intelligence Psychology Essay Artificial Intelligence is the art of programming computers in order to produce intelligent behavior, whereas brain theory is the study of the brains function, to understand how the brain functions, the stimulations that go within and how outputs are produced via mathematical modeling and computer stimulation. It can be argued that both contain similar characteristics for functionality, both works together, this can be seen through artificial intelligence used to understand the roles of brain mechanisms. Furthermore both are involved in high cognitive task, such as reasoning, problem solving and decision making. Although some philosophers have accepted that machines can do everything that humans can do, some disagree with this view arguing that such high sophisticated behavior such as love, emotions discovery and moral decisions can only be carried out by humans. AI for many years has been pursuing the study of intelligent behaviour, but using artificial methodology. Intelligence can be defined as the ability to learn and understand, to solve problems and make decisions, both AI and the human brain share this characteristic. In order to study human intelligence some use artificial intelligence to understand human processes. One of the most significant papers on machine intelligence has been explored by Alan Turning; however his theories still remain universal. Turning (1950) predicted that by 2000, a computer could be programmed to have a conversation with a human interrogator for five minutes and that it would be able to deceive the interrogator that it is human, this suggest a link between AI and brain mechanisms. Both the human brain and machines are able to solve complex mathematical calculations; a machine may be designed to solve these calculations faster than the human brain. Although evidence suggests that our brain stores the equival ent of about of over 1018 bits and can process information at the equivalent of about 1015 bits per second. Therefore both AI and brain mechanisms can work together to produce efficient results, as it is evident that both accept input and generate the correct output. It is required that an intelligent machine should help human make decisions, to search for information, to control complex objects, and finally to understand the meaning of words. One of the possible definitions of AI refers to cognitive processes and especially to reasoning. Before making any decisions, people also reason, it is therefore natural to explore the links between both. Since the early 1950s, there has been a vast development of AI where it has become a valuable tool to support humans making decisions, similarly specific brain mechanisms are involved in decision making in the brain, one can argue that both working together will lead to more valid and faster decisions. To support this, research shows that more sophisticated and user-friendly forms of computer-assisted decision aiding technologies are being developed, examples include decision support systems and external information retrieval system, this then can work alongside brain mechanisms. AI has largely been used for problem solving; such machines have been created than can go beyond the human brain ability to solve problems. These include solving mathematical problems of high complexity; these are programmed to do exactly what we want them to do. AI is now involved in solving real life issues, which are usually dealt by human brain mechanisms, some may suggest that it may reach to such an extent that it outperforms the best traders and investors. Evidence suggest that they are already involved in to forecast the economy and analyze credit risk, these just being to examples. This is a rapid growing field which needs to be given attention. More money is being spent on this as the developments in this field have been immense. Neural networks, is one specific type of AI that mimics many characteristics of the human brain. Research suggests that neural networks are able to draw conclusions of data that is incomplete and may learn from previous mistakes, thus imitating per formance outputs by brain mechanisms. AI systems are increasingly being developed and increasing rapidly, this is because of the variety of applications it includes, such as symbolic reasoning, flexibility and explanation capabilities, thus both AI and brain mechanisms can work together and produce efficient results that would make every day life seem less effortless and produce faster results. The goal of building AI agents was that it provides efficiency and most importantly works parallel to brain mechanisms, such as contains features such as cognitive abilities which will play a role in decision making and help in difficult and complex human situations. Furthermore cognitive abilities such as perception, reasoning, learning and planning turn technical systems into systems that know what they are doing; therefore they may function in parallel to the ways brain mechanisms do. Through the years there has been vast developments and more work is being put into these systems in order to it contains certain amount of repres ented knowledge , learn from previous experiences in order to prevent mistakes previously made and so that it makes further improvement and changes. Furthermore developers have aimed to develop AI even further, such as justify the actions and decisions made, be aware of the capabilities it contains and be able to reflect on its behaviour, these are the same roles that brain mechanisms play, thus they aim to create a parallel model. Although such developments have been made through many years, it may be argued that AI may still not be able to compete with the advanced functionality of brain mechanisms. Despite the speed and memory capacity, AI struggles to contend. The human brain contains around 20 billion neurons, each neuron being connected through synapses of approximately 10,000 other neurons, which AI cannot possibly mimic. However there has been continuous progress and advances of AI, an example might be face recognition software, which detects photos; the brain does this automatically, and relies on memory similar to AI where it uses its stored memory for collection. In AI this has been used for security purposes, which have demonstrated to be very successful. Previous advances include voice recognition, which both AI and brain mechanisms share. For AI this has not only be used in terms of security reasons but also in order to function the device and making it more easier and convenient for use, this has been done through using different applications, where it involves programming, the same way the brain mechanisms programme in order to carry out specified roles. In addition although AI applications use many techniques, the fundamental building block is called the neural network, likewise brain mechanisms functions the same way. Things that were difficult to reason earlier on have become easier to understand through advances in technology. As the human brain being such a complex mechanism it has been difficult to observe human brain activity. New advances have been made in recent years, FMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) being one of these discoveries which has helped immensely to capture brain activity, this has been significant help for AI as it enables to have an insight on brain activity, which may help advance and help imitate brain mechanisms. Furthermore, this then shifts the balance between building artificial intelligent systems and studying natural intelligence. It should be expected that in the future, there should be numerous studies on relating artificial intelligence to natural intelligence. Current evidence suggests that both can work together to demonstrate different cognitive states in humans, here artificial intelligence has been used for learning algorithms to distinguish between various cognitive states observed through FMRI. Looking at this area further, natural and artificial intelligence are both said to be closely related in most objects and in everyday life generally. Both get impacted if are hit physically. Human behavior is said to be artificial at times, both function through language and communication. Communication is essential for both AI and brain mechanisms in order to function. Through communication they are able to send out essential messages, which helps to maintain these systems and allows them to function effectively and plays a key role in all aspects. AI shares many characteristics with brain mechanisms; one may argue that an essential feature which only human mechanisms can produce is emotions. Emotion is defined as a persons feelings and behavior which has a direct affect on the performance, emotions may act as an obstacle to produce intelligent outcome, thus it can be argued that because AI lacks to produce emotions this may not have an impact, therefore not having an influence on the outcomes it produces. However it is essential, that in order to emulate human behavior and to work alongside humans that AI should have emotions, it is required that not only should it think and reason but also be able to show emotions. Overall evidence suggests that both artificial intelligence and brain mechanisms are closely related, both work together in order to produce efficient outcomes. AI and brain mechanisms share many key characteristics such as reasoning, problem solving and decision making and intelligence. Recent evidence suggest that AI has allowed us to understand complex brain processes, this then enables to understand human actions and decisions in more depth. However many researchers still argue that the high level cognition can only be produced by brain mechanisms, such as emotions and feelings that AI fails to produce.

Drinking Alcohol Makes Women More Beautiful :: Research Essays

Drinking Alcohol Makes Women More Beautiful While driving around in my friend’s car my other friend, Michael, commented on how he was going to get plastered, and find some girl to hook up with and he didn’t care about anything else just as long as she had a "nice personality". Others chimed in to the same affect and this got me thinking is this what people really think about when drinking? Is only one thing on their mind? My answer to this question is yes. That is why I chose to do my research paper on this topic. Going into this I decided on a hypothesis that is after a certain number of alcoholic drinks people find others more attractive. This in turn leads them to do other things that normally they would never dream of doing, but it doesn’t really matter, because they have the drunk factor to fall back on. Through a survey, interviews and a case study I have found my hypothesis to be more than just a theory. I will begin with my survey finding. I conducted a survey of 10 people, both males and females, consisting of 10 questions. Now I figured this would happen, but it was the opposite of what I thought they would answer. All of the questions were non-bias and helped me to get a better understanding of the relationship between attractiveness and alcohol. Let’s begin with my survey findings. Among some of the questions I asked were how many times a week do you drink, does your confidence go up after consuming alcohol, do you think alcohol affect others attractiveness to you, and who do you think males or females are more likely to be affected by "beer goggles". A surprising 80% said they drank more than 3 times a week. 20% of males said they had more confidence after drinking, where as 40% of females said they did. I assumed everyone would answer peoples’ attractiveness is affected by alcohol, but the votes were split 50-50. And 90% of those surveyed said that "beer goggles" affect males rather than females. I also interviewed a guy and a girl that had differing opinions about the questions. Some of the answers I got surprised me from both the male and female. My first interview was conducted in the cafeteria, with a 19-year-old sophomore female. The other was in Stouffer and with a 20-year-old junior male.

Marriott at Myanmar Essay

This report is prepared to be the first document evaluating Myanmar’s attractiveness for consideration of establishing Marriott Hotels and Resorts in this country. The best location for the hotel is chosen to be the city called Yangon since it offers a wide variety of activities for travelers with different interests. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts will be attracted to upscale visitors who wish to stay in a luxury, five-star hotel with exceptional service quality, while enjoying the beauty of the country. The target groups of customers are not limited only to local high income Burmese, but also foreign visitors who come on a business or vacation purposes in Myanmar. Myanmar is a resource-rich country with a lot of unseen and attractive destinations. If developed properly, the country has a high potential for growth in the tourism industry in the future. However, due to the high level of risks of its cultural, economical and political systems, this country is considered not attractive enough to operate the luxury brand hospitality business under Marriott name. Strained relationship with the U. S government and the European Union also makes it more difficult for an international brand like Marriott to establish a new business in this country. II. Overview Summary Information A. Key information regarding demographics of the target country The Union of Myanmar, previously called Burma, occupies the largest geographical area in the mainland Southeast Asia. From North to South, three parallel chains of mountain ranges divide the country into three river systems and create various topographic regions. It shares national borders with several countries: China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. The country achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. The population of Myanmar, approximately 54 million people, is highly diverse. There are eight major ethnic groups, which can be subdivided into 135 ethnic minorities. The official language is Burmese; however, several native languages are also spoken. English is usually spoken, particularly by the educated urban elites, and is the secondary language learnt in government schools. Eighty percent of Burmese population is Buddhist, prevalent in Theravada sect. The military government has officially relocated the capital of the country from Yangon to Naypyidaw in March 2006. III. Business History A. History of the company Marriott International, Inc. is a leading worldwide operator and franchisor of a range of value and luxury hotels and related lodging facilities. Nowadays, Marriott International has about 3,150 lodging properties located in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Its operations are grouped into five business segments, which are full-service lodging, select service lodging, extended-stay lodging, timeshare, and synthetic fuel. Marriott International was formed in 1993 when Marriott Corporation split into two companies: Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. B. Products/services offered and their unique advantage in the target markets The Marriott has become one of the world’s leading hospitality business operators from its excellent quality, service, and value. Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, its brand name has continuously led the company to the consistent growth in Marriott properties in many countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. Each Marriott hotel differentiates itself with exceptional amenities, individualized attention to guests, and careful reflection of local surroundings. As the business expands worldwide, Marriott brand gains a high level of brand loyalty from its guests. This large customer base will help facilitate the business when the brand enters to new-oversea markets. IV. Business Activity A. Industry structure, competition in the country and current economy of the target country Even though the number of travelers visiting Myanmar is very low, tourism is considered the country’s major source for foreign exchange. Burmese government has been trying to promote their tourism industry to outsiders. They launched the campaign of ‘Visit Myanmar Year’ in 1996. After that, according to the Statistics from Ministry of Hotels Tourism, the number of tourist arrivals has been increased. However, this increasing number could not retain on a continuous basis due to the country’s uncertainty and instability in many areas that made people feel uncomfortable visiting Myanmar. Myanmar’s economy is currently mixed and primarily based on agricultural activities, including livestock, fisheries, and forestry. This sector accounts for 50 percent of the country’s overall GDP. The country also possesses several kinds of valuable natural resources, including intensely fertile soil, offshore oil, and gas deposit. It is also the world’s largest exporter of teak and precious stones such as jade, pearls, rubies, and sapphires. Since late 1988, Myanmar moved toward more market-oriented economy. It changed its centrally planned economy to be more liberalized, both in domestic and international trade. The role of private sector was promoted, and foreign direct investment was welcomed. Despite such efforts, Myanmar is still considered the poorest country among the Southeast Asian nations. Although tourist industry has a high potential for growth in the future, it still remains underdeveloped. This is because mismanagement from the military government’s control, ineffective and inefficient policies, poor infrastructures, together with the country’s bad international image have drawn the whole country to the state of underdevelopment. Moreover, since the late 1990s, Myanmar’s economy has worsened due to economic sanctions from many countries such as the European Union, Canada, and the U. S. Foreign investments usually come from China, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. V. Market Research A. Market conditions in target country 1. Existing demand There are several reasons why Myanmar should be a good place in consideration for new investment opportunity. The country has vast and virtually untapped natural resources. To this day, Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. The country seems appealing to many tourists around the world due to its unseen attractions with regard to cultures, history, and natural beauty. There has been an increasing demand from outside the country, especially from those travelers who wish to discover this resource-rich country. Myanmar is viewed as a good destination for people who want to have an exotic adventure, beach vacation, and mountain experience. In addition, advocates supporting Burmese tourist claim that it is the only method to help Burmese poor citizen to have a better standard of living and avoid isolating the country from the rest of the world. Another important issue needed to be pointed out is the message from the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League of Democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi has in the past asked foreign tourists not to visit the country, as this helps increase the military junta’s power. This is one of the reasons why some people do not want to visit the country. 2. Competition After the Burmese government opened the country to promote several industries, tourism started to develop in Myanmar. Nowadays, there are approximately 500 hotels and guesthouses throughout the country. In Yangon alone, there are only six luxury hotels and approximately 20 moderate and economy hotels. Among those luxury hotels, none of them is operated under the recognized global hotel-chain companies. Most of the hotels are run by local Burmese people or businessmen from neighboring countries such as China, Singapore and Thailand. Therefore, competition in Myanmar’s tourism industry has not reached the intense level yet. VI. Potential Difficulties or Restriction A. Entry requirement The Government of Myanmar posts some restrictions on foreign investors wishing to do business in the country. In order to establish and operate under contractual agreement or partnership, foreign entity must submit all proposals to the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) and get approved under the Foreign Investment Law (FIL). Foreign investors can set up their business either in the form of a wholly-owned subsidiary or a joint venture with any partners: an individual, private company, a cooperative society or a state-owned enterprise. In all joint ventures, the minimum equity required from the foreign party is 35 percent. Moreover, the minimum amount of capital requirement to be eligible under the Foreign Investment Law is set to be US $500,000 for an industry, but US$300,000 for a service organization. Tourism industry is one of many sectors allowed under the Foreign Investment Law. Rather than the initial investment requirement, Myanmar also has commercial tax of ten percent levied on service of operation of hotels. B. Intellectual property issues Intellectual property is one important issue that prevents many oversea businesses from entering to Myanmar. The country has a negative outlook on its control with regard to this matter. Myanmar is considered having poor, maybe poorest, intellectual property right laws by the outside world. Marriott brand could be jeopardized since Myanmar’s legislation alone may not be able to protect the ownership of the company’s trademark. In the past, there was an evident showing that some local businesses were registered by using the existing international trademarks or trade name, and that prevented the original owners to register their own names and run the business in this country. VII. Cultural Issues A. Religion and its role in the society Since most Burmese people are Buddhist of Theravada stream, Buddhism has greatly influenced the standards of etiquette in the country. Their core religious belief is karma, the concept that good fathers good and bad fathers bad. This core belief has reflected in almost every aspect in everyday life; however, it does not play a significant role in doing business in this country. With basic knowledge of Burmese culture and custom, foreigners would find it easy to live with the local people. B. Special cultural issues For employer and employee relationship, Burmese employees are hardworking and loyal to their bosses. In return, an employer is expected to give help when in times of need. Such help can be the advice given for personal problems or loan granted in a financial crisis. As in all Asian countries, Myanmar respect people older than them. Therefore, in order to avoid friction in workplace, subordinates should be working under an older supervisor. Friendship, trust, and honesty are valued in a business relationship. Favors received, such as introducing a potential client or supplying a reference, must be repaid at a future time. For the first time in a business meeting, details of the project may not be discussed. Instead, the meeting may be spent evaluating each other’s personality and business strengths and weaknesses. In general, Myanmar business people find it easier to deal with Asians than Westerners. C. Business cultural issues In recent years, both China and India have attempted to strengthen ties with the Burmese government for economic benefits. This situation indicates that relationship with the military government could help smooth out the process or get the deals more easily. Personal relationship is considered one of the key components that could determine the success of the business. Foreign business will be more likely to succeed if the foreign entity can tie with a local partner, ultimately the Burmese government. According to Asian Journal of Political Science, â€Å"all post-colonial Myanmar governments and the business community benefited from their clientelistic networks. Without the help of government officials, many business firms would have gone under quickly; at the same time, without the assistance of business people, it would have been hard for most post-colonial Myanmar governments to keep themselves in power. It is very clear that government-business relations cannot simply be reduced to a zero-sum game. Certain interactions between the military government and the business community were mutually empowering†. Corruption is systemic at all levels of the Government and society. From Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, â€Å"It is considered by economists and businesspersons to be one of the most serious barriers to investment and doing business in the country. A Byzantine and capricious regulatory environment fostered corruption. † VIII. Service Operation A. Location of service facilities The best location that Marriott Hotels and Resorts could be is in the city called Yangon. Yangon, previously known as Rangoon, is one of the most popular areas for foreign visitors and is considered the gateway to Myanmar. It is the largest and former capital of the country. Even though the city is no longer the capital, Yangon continues to be the most important commercial center of Myanmar. This relatively simple city is attractive in its own particular way. Yangon has earned the name ‘the Garden City of the East’ since it is green and cool with lush of tropical trees, shady parks, and beautiful lakes. The city offers a wide variety of activities for visitors such as diving, cultures, and ecotourism. Therefore, this city has a potential to attract a lot of travelers with different interests. B. Service modification necessary to adapt to local environment Since one of Marriott’s strength lies in its careful reflection of local surroundings, Marriott Hotels and Resorts built in Yangon should hold the same principle. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts should combine the city’s natural beauty of its history, culture and scenery while offering the unique luxury standards. Destination hotels and resorts type might be an appropriate alternative for Marriott in Yangon. The destination resort should be located in the Yangon area with noteworthy natural features, plus an urban setting. IX. Personnel Strategies A. Employment restriction Myanmar has active labor force of about 20 million. They are fairly trained manpower and skilled labor with relatively low cost comparing to other neighboring countries. There is only 23 percent of the overall population working in the service industry; however, these Burmese people are considered hospitable due to the fact that they are generally honest and kind. However, due to the country’s poor infrastructure, Burmese people are not provided with good education. Their skills might not be good enough to fit in Marriott’s high standards of hospitality service. Therefore, it seems necessary for Marriott to provide training sessions to improve their hospitality skills. B. Expatriate issues Since Marriott ties the brand image with its superb service quality, it is vital that Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts are equipped with talented management team. Marriott International Inc. might need to import managers from oversea to run the Myanmar operations in order to ensure that Marriott’s core business practice is followed everywhere. This issue brings about big challenge since it will not be easy to find the talented people who will be willing to work in a country with high uncertainty and instability in many aspects on a voluntary basis. Marriott International Inc. might need to provide them with high enough incentives to encourage them to accept this assignment. Nevertheless, under the Foreign Investment Law, Myanmar allows the employment of foreign experts and technicians. Required manpower can be recruited through Township Labor Offices. X. Risks A. Government stability The most important risk exposed in Myanmar deals with its political issue. For the past 40 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military government or junta, in which the power is centered. The State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, maintains strict authoritarian rule over the people of Myanmar. The country has a reputation abroad for brutally crushing political dissent, as in the case of house arrests of Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the information from the articles Foreign relations of Burma and Military of Burma, â€Å"Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the country’s election of 1990; however, the military — which has controlled Myanmar (Burma) for decades — refused to transition the country to civilian democratic rule. For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last decade under house arrest for her political efforts. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while still under house arrest. † This case brings about the global awareness and concern on the country’s political abuse and human right violation. B. Legal risk The country also completely lacks of regulatory and legal transparency. â€Å"All existing regulations, including those covering foreign investments, are subject to change with no advance or written notice at the whim of the regime’s ruling general. Myanmar does not accept International Court of Justice. C. Economic risk Myanmar’s economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalance. The country’s money currency is called Kyat, which is not stable at all. Volatility happens on a weekly basis. The Kyat is not convertible. This severe situation includes rising inflation, fiscal deficits, and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese Kyat. A major banking crisis in 2003 also contributed a large negative impact on the overall disrupted economy. XI. Potential Benefits A. Market potential As already mentioned, Myanmar is one of resourceful countries that have high potential for future growth in tourism industry. The country offers all traditional delights of Asia in one country. If developed properly, the country’s tourism can become one of the world’s famous tourist destinations. Seeing this opportunity, Marriott brand can expand globally throughout the Asian Pacific region. Now Marriott brand has its hotel chains in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam in this Asia Pacific region. B. Incentive from local government Myanmar’s Foreign Investment Law provides a lot of incentives to foreign investors in the form of tariff and taxes. The business will be granted a tax exemption for three consecutive years beginning the first year of operation. The country also provides the relief from income tax on profit reinvested within one year. Myanmar guarantees that the business permitted under FIL will be protected from being nationalized during the granted period. C. Relationship to the United States However, according to Bureau of Democracy – Human Right and Labor, â€Å"the US and Burmese relation has been worsened after the 1988 military coup and violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstration. Subsequent repression, including the brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors in September 2007, further strained the relationship. † â€Å"In addition, since May 1997, the U. S. Government has prohibited new investment by U. S. persons or entities. A number of U. S. companies exited the Burma market even prior to the imposition of sanctions due to a worsening business climate and mounting criticism from human rights groups, consumers, and shareholders. The United States has also imposed countermeasures on Burma due to its inadequate measures to eliminate money laundering. † As a result of the above fact, it seems inappropriate for Marriott to enter Myanmar at this moment. Since Marriott is a U. S. based company, the company could run into a big conflict with the U. S. government, which could have a seriously negative impact on its hotel operations around the world.

Chicanos in music essays

Chicanos in music essays Chicanos have come a long way in this industry as well as other ethnic groups. Chicanos do not just come out with the all time favorite music such as corridos, regional mexicano, or banda. Now a days Chicanos are coming out with Chicano Rap, Regional Urbano, Reggeton. Regional Urbano is some what like Regional Urbano, but the only difference is that in Regional Urbano is rapping in Spanish with a Spanish beat background. Reggeton is some what like reggae but its with Chicanos. That kind music is also mixed with rap beats as well as Spanish beats. A lot of the rappers do not just rap about killing someone or about money but some rap about how it has been growing up in the world being a Chicano(a). They also rap about how hard they saw it when going to school and how hard they had it when they would drop out of school. They send out positive messages about staying in school. Chicanos are coming out with different movements besides the ones we already know. The main one you hear about in the mainstream is Latin Pop, but now Chicanos name it Movimiento Chicano. The Movimiento Chicano is not the same as Latin Pop they are two different types of music. Not like Ricky Martin, J Lo, and many others that went from Spanish to English Chicanos are doing the opposite. Chicanos are not just going from English to Spanish but they are also doing music in both the languages which turns out to be Spanglish. Some Chicanos such as Jae-P, Azteka, Lil Rob, Mr. Capone-e and many others that are bring Chicano Rap and Regional Urbano out to the public. They relate themselves to us and how it is to grow up as a Chicano. Most of the Chicanos grew up in the streets and know how it its to live out there in the streets. They want to let everyone know what it is like to live in the streets getting involved in gangs and other things that go on when living in the streets. I know some rappers that come from South Central LA, Watts, San Dieg...

Medievil essays

Medievil essays The Role of Miracles and the Supernatural in Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages Supernatural events and miracles are very common in medieval lierature. Many of these miracles were used for common purposes, which were to provide examples of an ideal Christian way of life and promote conversion to Christianity. They do this by writing about miracles that punished people who acted improperly, miracles that took place to reward Christians for doing good deeds, showing extreme and persistent faith, or for those who were leading moral lives. Some examples of medieval literature that contain miracles which serve this purpose are Saint Augustines Confessions, MacMullens Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries, HillGarths Christianity and Paganism, 350-750, Bedes Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Gregory of Tours History of the Franks, and in the works of Saint Boniface. Saint Augustines work includes a miracle that took place because a man begged his admission to god. This man was blind and had heard of people who were ...vexed by impure spirits and were healed... (165). He immediately asked his guide to being him to the place were this was happening, which was where the bodies of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius lay. He rubbed a sacred cloth over his eyes and immediately regained his lost eyesight. This miracle was included to show the benefits of showing ones allegiance to god and by doing so, Augustine would be able to get others to convert to Christianity. Augustine describes the roles of miracles himself when he wrote that they ...symbolize the sacraments of initiation and miraculous wonders necessary to initiate and convert uninstructed and unbelieving people (I Cor. 14:23) (299). MacMullens book also contains accounts of miracles that were...

Voltaire and the Spread of Knowledge during the Enlightenment. The Essay

Voltaire and the Spread of Knowledge during the Enlightenment. The French Revolution - Essay Example The human being could look at nature and rather than only seeing God, see how things in nature worked through discovery. This shift is significant as up until this period people had been defined by looking at the world and determining God and His intentions towards human beings rather than looking at it and seeing how human kind could understand how nature worked. This shift in cultural belief systems provided for the development of science and philosophy as a primary means of understanding nature over myth. One of the contributing factors to the development of the Enlightenment philosophies was the emergence of cafe’s. According to Noble et al the development of the cultural establishment known as the cafe was to the 18th century what the internet is to modern 21st century information exchange. Profound changes in thinking in relationship to rationality were exchanged between those who attended the cafe houses in order to discuss politics and associated social topics (507). F rancois-Marie Arouet, or Voltaire as he was known, was one of the more well known writers of the Enlightenment who frequented cafe’s. According to Weinberg and Bealer, Voltaire was known to have a caffeine addiction and be an avid coffee drinker who frequented cafe’s and engaged in meaningful discussions about academics and philosophy (43). Voltaire’s contributions to philosophy were numerous, but one of his greatest contributions was in spreading the work of Isaac Newton. Simosan writes about Voltaire as his writing was influential in bringing the knowledge of mathematics into the public sphere. His fascination with the work of Sir Isaac Newton also included a fascination for mathematics and Voltaire was responsible for translating Newton’s Principia into French from its original Latin. In translating the work into a vernacular, Voltaire had put into practice the idea that knowledge should be accessible. One of his novels used the backdrop of Newton†™s discoveries in science as a way in which to combine mathematics and fiction. The book Micromegas is a work of science fiction in which an expedition is led to Lapland in order to â€Å"measure the length of a degree of arc along a line of latitude† in order to explore the theory that the Earth flattened at the poles and bulged at the equator as had been suggested by Newton. Although the work included aliens that came and encountered the scientists, this also contributed to the public knowledge about mathematics (Simosan and Voltare 2). The influence of Voltaire in spreading the knowledge of higher level thinkers such as Newton changed an element of the nature of knowledge. Voltaire influenced his immediate society in the short term by contributing to the shifting thought and in the long term by recording and spreading knowledge as a public commodity. Newton wrote in Latin which was considered an academic language, but Voltaire took that knowledge and translated it for th e common reader. Education had not advanced to the point that literacy was high, but in translating an academic book into a vernacular language Voltaire changed the influence that Newton could have over culture. Newton’s work was not the only way in which he expanded theory about social life and knowledge. He also engaged his own nation, France, with the progressive ideas that were part of the political and economic system in Britain (Noble 507). Voltaire was influenced by his experiences in travel, especially during his exile into Britain. Just as the cafe’s had allowed for the exchange of knowledge, Voltaire’s travel allowed him to expand his ideas about society and its traditions. Voltaire believed British society to be more rational than his own country of

Effectivess of Foreign Aid as a Form of Multinational Financial Essay

Effectivess of Foreign Aid as a Form of Multinational Financial Assistanse - Essay Example This paper presents comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of the financial aid as a form of foreign assistance to the economy of a recipient country. As a condition for aid money, many donors apply conditions that tie the recipient to purchase products only from that donor. In a way this might seem fair and â€Å"balanced†, because the donor gets something out of the relationship as well, but on the other hand, for the poorer country, it can mean precious resources are used buying more expensive options, which could otherwise have been used in other situations. A country from the third world that feels difficulties with its budget may turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank or one of the Major Developed Countries (MDCs) for assistance. Since such assistance is usually given on some condition, it involves agreement to modify domestic economic policy.In this case creditor country (or organization) restricts free trade with protectionism in which barriers to imports (tariffs and quotas) are established in order to protect their industries from foreign competition. Government regulations also protect the environment, agriculture and workers of the donor country or organization. It was reported, that 71.6% of American bilateral aid commitments were tied to the purchase of goods and services from the US.† That is, where the US did give aid, it was most often tied to foreign policy objectives that would help the US. The origins of the foreign aid policies of the industrialized democracies are complex and varied. ... In the Reality of Aid 2000 (Earthscan Publications, 2000 cited in Shah 2006) reported in their US section that "71.6% of its bilateral aid commitments were tied to the purchase of goods and services from the US." That is, where the US did give aid, it was most often tied to foreign policy objectives that would help the US. Leading up to the UN Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico in March 2002, the Bush administration promised a nearly $10 billion fund over three years followed by a permanent increase of $5 billion a year thereafter. The EU also offered some $5 billion increase over a similar time period. History of Foreign Aid Countries of Latin America The Worlds debt crisis of the early 1980's was the culmination of a build up of external debt of developing countries, a large part of which was accounted by a progressively rising short-term debt. The debt of Less Developed Countries (LDCs) was triggered largely by demands from the balance of payments effects of the oil crisis that started in 1973/74. The debt build up became more apparent towards 1980 when third world borrowers resorted to rolling over their debts. (Stambuli 2002) A combination of very tight internal fiscal position and increasingly fragile balance of payments, most developing countries contracted new loans to liquidate maturing loans. In some cases, entirely new loans were contracted to service interest only. At the same time bankers in the western world ignored signals of an imminent debt crisis and remained more than willing to refinance maturing loans of developing countries, but with shorter maturities. In this process, third