Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Pepsi and Coke Competition

Porter’s five forces The degree of rivalry in the carbonated soft industry is highlighted by two major brands: Pepsi and Coke. These two companies account for 72% of market share while the rest of the market is covered by other organizations such as Dr. Pepper, Snapple Group and Cott Corporation.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Pepsi and Coke Competition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some private label products also contribute a small portion to the sales in this industry. Pepsi has eroded Coke’s market share in the past through low prices and aggressive promotion efforts. In the 60s and 70s, Pepsi marketed itself as being the preferred brand, which caused a substantial reduction in Coke’s market share. Coke on the other hand has altered its product contents and prompted Pepsi to do so as well. In terms of substitution as a Porter’s-five force, Coke and Pepsi have to deal with numerous substitutes for carbonated drinks. Some of them may include bottled water, juice, tap water, powdered drinks, milk, beer, spirits, sports drinks and coffee. In the past, these substitutes were not a threat because consumers stayed loyal to Pepsi and Coke. However, the substitutes are a strong factor in the industry because of health and environmental consumers. Pepsi and Coke have responded to the threat of substitutes by producing those products themselves. The firms have ventured into juice, bottled water and coffee over the past few years.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pepsi and Coke’s main buyers are bottlers, who purchase concentrate and package it in plastic or canned containers. The bottlers do not have as much power as the concentrate makers because they cannot negotiate concentrate prices. Coke has a contract that establishes maximum prices fo r its concentrate while Pepsi determines prices on the basis of the consumer price index. It often exceeds market rates and thus has the final say. Furthermore, because Coke and Pepsi give bottlers exclusive territorial rights, then bottlers cannot diversify their portfolio by selling products from competing brands. Their buyers are restricted to their either Coke or Pepsi. One of the most significant barriers to entry in the carbonated soft industry is trademark domination. Coke and Pepsi have invested substantial amounts in development of their trademarks through intense advertising, bottler support, and product development. New companies do not have the capital or ability to match such strategies. Negotiations made between the two major carbonated soft drink makers (Pepsi and Coke) and national retailers like Wal-Mart ensure that these firms dominate shelf space. New players may find it difficult to penetrate into such airtight deals. The main suppliers in the carbonated industry are high fructose corn syrup manufacturers, food coloring industrialists, citric acid producers, caffeine makers and flavor manufacturers. The citric acid or the food coloring industry has several small players who make it difficult for them to exert influence on large buyers like Coke and Pepsi. Therefore, supplier power is relatively weak in the soft drink industry.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Pepsi and Coke Competition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Responses How Coke and Pepsi compete The two companies initially competed as friendly rivals (between 1970 and the mid 1990s). Pepsi prompted Coke to avoid complacency and continually improve its business efforts. Likewise, Coke caused Pepsi to become more innovative and thus successful. This level of friendliness was permissible because both companies enjoyed increasing profits. However, that competiveness lost its agreeableness when both firms lost m arket share among the carbonated soft drink consumers. In the 1970s, Coke altered its marketing strategies in response to the efforts made by Pepsi. It changed concentrate pricing and advertising strategies when Pepsi claimed to offer a superior cola to theirs. Pepsi on the other raised the prices of its concentrate shortly after Coke did. Therefore, these companies compete through alteration of products, supply chain and distributional management and changes in marketing. Product differentiations In terms of carbonated drinks, Coke’s main product was its cola brand, but it has several other flavors such as Sprite, Fanta, Diet Coke and Tab. Similarly, Pepsi also started with the cola version then introduced other flavors such as Diet Pepsi, Teem, and Mountain Dew. Both companies also diversified into non-carbonated drinks such as Minute Maid, Belmont Water and Duncan Foods for Coke and Lipton and Gatorade for Pepsi. Both firms have also introduced a number of diet products su ch as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi. In the past decade, Pepsi and Coke have entered into the bottled water market. Regardless of large investments in various soft drink and non carbonated industries, the most successful products are still the initial ones. Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola are still the most profitable products for both organizations.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The move into unconventional drinks was driven by changes in market trends as well as pressure from the US government. Channels used by Pepsi and Coke Both companies have a distribution channel that consists of bottlers and retail channels. However, the organization of these channels differs substantially in both companies. Pepsi has a preference for retail outlets while Coke has sold its products through fountain sales (dominates 69% of this market). Nonetheless, both firms have competed for fountain sales by acquiring restaurant franchises. Coke worked hand in hand with McDonalds and Burger King while Pepsi purchased KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Both organizations purchased fountain equipment for these restaurants, as well. Pepsi and Coke also utilize the vending channel for distribution and have both done relatively well here. Bottlers are also a crucial part of the distribution channel for both companies. At Pepsi, deals with bottlers are more flexible, especially in terms of p ricing. Coke tends to exert greater control over prices by charging flat prices for concentrate. These organizations have retained control over their bottling networks through consolidation. Coke started by created a bottling subsidiary in 1986 that would purchase ailing bottling franchises and revive them. Currently about three quarter of Coke’s bottling is handling by this subsidiary. Similarly, Pepsi also started bottling consolidation by purchasing most of its bottlers like MEI Bottling and General Cinema. Now, 56% of Pepsi’s bottling is done internally. Why the soft drink industry has been so profitable and whether it is changing Profitability stemmed from a number of factors. First, the distributional arrangements were made in a way that favored concentrate makers. They had control over concentrate pricing, location of bottlers as well as advertising and promotion. Pepsi and Coke were also successful because at the time, carbonated drinks were a favorite for most North Americans. Few of them had objections with the product content and there were minimal alternatives in the market. Profitability has reduced dramatically in the soft drink industry. This stems from health concerns. Numerous consumers feel that high fructose corn syrup is detrimental to their health. Government programs are designed to punish soft drink makers through excessive taxation. These charges stem from initiatives aimed at fighting obesity. Furthermore, traditional institutions, such as high schools, that sold most of Coke and Pepsi’s vending machines have banned them. Now the organizations have minimum distributional avenues for their products. Both firms have also ventured into non carbonated drinks such as bottled water and juices. These new ventures do not elicit as much brand loyalty as carbonated drinks. Therefore, the companies dedicated a substantial share of their resources to these new products, yet they did not enjoy anticipated returns. Non profitabi lity of products other than soft drinks affects the success of soft drinks because little capital is left to invest in them. Non profitability has also emerged from the poor management of international business. Some countries impose excessive foreign exchange controls, unfavorable trade regulations and advertizing restrictions. How Coke and Pepsi can stay profitable The major cause of concern among both organizations is the health campaign against soft drinks. Pepsi and Coke ought to identify the sources of high sugar content in its products and then work on developing alternatives. However, the companies should still maintain the taste that made those products so likeable initially. Pepsi is already doing this through its Pepsi Throwback brand and Mountain Dew Throwback brand. Now the company ought to go back to the public and inform them about the changes it has made to these products. Coke has also initiated its own changes through the use of a stevia-based additive. Aggressive marketing campaigns should be done to win back traditional clients such as school institutions. Both organizations have already realized that non-carbs have a lot of growth potential. This can be seen by their acquisition of energy drink companies as well as vitamin water firms. The two organizations now need to build their brands around these sectors by following the same strategies that they employed to make their carbonated drinks so popular. Consumers need to recognize the zero-carbs products in the same way that they recognized the other ones in the past. Although diversifying into other products is a plausible idea, these organizations should not focus on bottled water. There is minimal room for differentiation in the bottled-water industry as the product is quite basic. In fact, low differentiation explains why consumer loyalty for Coke and Pepsi’s water declined sharply over the past few years. Consumers tend to buy the least expensive brand if a product is not highly differentiated. Pepsi and Coke should also deal with some of the environmental concerns that customers have about their products. They need to place their products in biodegradable packages. Product development experts should also anticipate consumer complaints through market research and respond to demand before the external environment forces them to do so. The two companies need to refine their international expansion strategies. These organizations need to rethink their bottling strategies in global markets. Most North American bottling is directly handled by the company’s bottling subsidiary, and this has given the company reasonable control over its product. The same model should be replicated in different international markets. This would mean that the company will not lose any of its profits to third parties who keep demanding for new things. The company should start with developed nations and then transfer consolidation to developing ones. This case study on Pepsi and Coke Competition was written and submitted by user Lesly Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Personality Disorder

People with schizotypal personality disorder are often described as odd or eccentric. About 3% of the population has schizotypal personality disorder and it may be more common in men. Like all personality disorders, it is typically developed by early adulthood. Individuals with this disorder may be at risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other distressing moods. As many as 40 to 50% also suffer from a depressive disorder, which occasionally may cause the person to develop suicidal tendencies. Only a small number of people with this disorder ever develop full-fledged schizophrenia. The major features of schizotypal personality disorder are: Extreme discomfort in social relationships People with schizotypal personality disorders are extremely uncomfortable in close relationships, even with people who are familiar. They have no interest in forming friendships or sexual relationships. Their discomfort may be shown by the person acting cold and aloof when interacting with others. Few close relationships Individuals with this disorder form few, if any, close relationships. Odd appearance and thinking Their appearance and behavior is often characterized as odd or strange. A person with this disorder might complain of odd symptoms, such as pain in the blood or bones. Many believe they are clairvoyant, telepathic, or have a sixth sense. Suspicious or paranoid ideas People with schizotypal personality disorder are very suspicious and may believe that others are talking about them. They may perceive references to themselves in others' conversations. Treatment People with schizotypal personality disorder rarely seek treatment for the symptoms listed above. They are more likely to seek treatment for a depressive disorder, if they have one. The therapist often re-evaluates situations and challenges the person's paranoia and suspicion. People with this disorder may benefit from a cognitive-behavioral approach ca... Free Essays on Personality Disorder Free Essays on Personality Disorder People with schizotypal personality disorder are often described as odd or eccentric. About 3% of the population has schizotypal personality disorder and it may be more common in men. Like all personality disorders, it is typically developed by early adulthood. Individuals with this disorder may be at risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other distressing moods. As many as 40 to 50% also suffer from a depressive disorder, which occasionally may cause the person to develop suicidal tendencies. Only a small number of people with this disorder ever develop full-fledged schizophrenia. The major features of schizotypal personality disorder are: Extreme discomfort in social relationships People with schizotypal personality disorders are extremely uncomfortable in close relationships, even with people who are familiar. They have no interest in forming friendships or sexual relationships. Their discomfort may be shown by the person acting cold and aloof when interacting with others. Few close relationships Individuals with this disorder form few, if any, close relationships. Odd appearance and thinking Their appearance and behavior is often characterized as odd or strange. A person with this disorder might complain of odd symptoms, such as pain in the blood or bones. Many believe they are clairvoyant, telepathic, or have a sixth sense. Suspicious or paranoid ideas People with schizotypal personality disorder are very suspicious and may believe that others are talking about them. They may perceive references to themselves in others' conversations. Treatment People with schizotypal personality disorder rarely seek treatment for the symptoms listed above. They are more likely to seek treatment for a depressive disorder, if they have one. The therapist often re-evaluates situations and challenges the person's paranoia and suspicion. People with this disorder may benefit from a cognitive-behavioral approach ca...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Fff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fff - Essay Example This tool will: I. Evaluate production achieved and the expectations, II. Enhance communication that will allow exchange of ideas between the employee and the supervisor on matters concerning job performance, III. Assist in highlighting areas that employees will require training and development needs as well as plan for growth in their career, IV. Assist in identifying skills to enhance promotion, V. Act as pillars for organization and employee goals and VI. Offer legal protection against false lawsuits against termination. Through performance evaluation, several benefits will be accrued. These include: I. The work done will be easily controlled and II. The employees will always feel motivated and as a result, production will increase, To achieve these benefits, performance reviews must be conducted annually and rely on individual job-related issues. A guideline must be provided that is used in the review of individual based performance and a review of the past performance. Team base d performance must be annually reviewed. The review must rely on the performance of the team in relation to the functions of the employees. The program is to enhance of quality of products. Question 1.4B: Based on your team’s experience, what data from the exploration phase would be of greatest help in developing the field? Subsurface information is used in the search for reservoirs and petroleum and gas traps through a process known as prospecting. This process is carried out on paper or with the assistance of computers. This involves the use of art and science. The success of a prospector lies in the use of a three dimensional space. This helps in developing a model that reveals lateral and vertical dimensions of the reservoir targeted. There are several sources from which a geologist can gather information from. These include: I. Study of the rocks on the surface of the earth, II. Information gathered from holes drilled in the prospect area after a careful study, and III. Through seismic reflection. The data collected are recorded, interpreted by geologists who develop cross sectional drawings of rocks that contain oil and gas. The cross sectional drawings reveal the changes in depth of the reservoirs. Structure maps developed by geologists assist in showing the folds or faults in the layers of the earth. Reservoir composition data collected assists in developing the size of the facility, and the design process. Question 1.4C: Based on your team’s experience, or â€Å"brainstorming† session, what unforeseen problem would most hinder developing the field? The best location of the surface of the well is determined by the geologist. The land is leased and a permit of drilling the well obtained. For a permit to be granted by the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, proper environmental planning is necessary. The exact position of the well may be shifted to protect key natural resources like streams, wetl ands and endangered species. Other producing wells may also be a barrier in locating position of the wells. When the wells are closely dug, production from the existing wells may decrease. Erosion and sedimentation are likely to occur because of heavy earthworks during construction of access road and well site (Flaherty and Flaherty, p.11). Question 1.4D: Well performance evaluation and enhancement are the primary charges of the production engineer. With the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Criminology Theory Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminology Theory Assessment - Essay Example Before embarking upon the topic under analysis, it would be quite advisable to discuss the criminal activities observed by Bernard Madoff. Madoff belongs to a Jewish family of the USA, who laid the foundation of a penny stock under the title Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in 1960 and got it registered at Wall Street as a small trading firm. The firm made huge business during the course of time, and hundreds of businessmen invested their money from its platform at stock exchange. The main reason behind its popularity was its secret attractive profit offers, as the company offered extra percentage in profit than its competitors. From the 1970s right on through to 2008, Bernie Madoff was certainly responsible for making some of his clients’ money.   However, as will become apparent later on in this discussion, that money was not made honestly. (madoffscandal.com) Consequently, he earned respectable name and fame as a young energetic Wall Street businessman within f ew years of his entry into the stock market. By the early 1980s his firm was one of the largest independent trading operations in the securities industry. (NYT, 2009) Being a very social person by nature, Madoff entered into business contracts with the big investors during his visits at clubs, restaurants and ceremonies with the promise of extra profit generated for them by his company. Initially, he tapped local money pulled in from country clubs and charity dinners, where investors sought him out to casually plead with him to manage their savings so they could start reaping the steady, solid returns their envied friends were getting. (Henriques, 2008) The investors appeared to be satisfied with the lucrative and steady profit transactions made by Madoff Securities, and did not express even slightest signs of doubts regarding fraud or misrepresentation at the company’s end. Hence, the number of investors observed significant increase at the company. However, the nature and m ethodology, adopted by the company, regarding offering profit to the investors appeared to be dubious and shocking for the competitor firms, which were already suspicious about the secret activities of the Madoff Securities. Consequently, it was discovered that Madoff had adopted the largest Ponzi scheme by exercising dishonesty with the investments made by the clients of his company. Madoff confessed of committing fraud with estimated investor losses of about $50 billion by inflicting the Ponzi scheme upon them. A Ponzi scheme is a swindle offering unusually high returns, with early investors paid off with money from later investors. (Honan & Wilchins, 2008) The court announced 150 years imprisonment sentence to Madoff for his crime. Though Madoff pleaded guilty of committing dishonesty and fraud with his investors, he also blames banks and financial institutions for their criminal negligence of performing blindness to his activities. Since these financial institutions were well aw are of all the transactions being made, they could have brought it to the limelight in order to stop Madoff from sticking to the same Ponzi scheme. Here appears the Social Control Theory: Articulated by Travis Hirschi in 1969, social control theory states that social control depends upon people anticipating the consequences of their behavior. (Macionis, 2007: 231) In other words, crime rate can witness imperative decreases in the society provided the criminals foresee the outcome of their

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The immigrants by Margaret Atwood and Borders by Thomas King Essay

The immigrants by Margaret Atwood and Borders by Thomas King - Essay Example When asked of her citizenship, she always declares that she is a â€Å"Barefoot.† It takes her and her son days to pass through the borders going to Salt Lake City because of her unwillingness to identify herself as a Canadian. She also brings a lot of food to avoid buying from convenience stores and dresses up in their old ways because she did not want â€Å"crossing the border looking like Americans† (King 133). The narrator observes his mother’s resistance of acculturation and allows her to do what she likes. He can guess what she is about to tell the immigration personnel but never contradicts her even though her manners would cause a big delay. The mother’s attitude is opposed to her daughter’s. Laetitia, shows clear signs of acculturation. The latter is more lenient and ready for assimilation because she claims that her â€Å"Dad’s American† (King 131). She likes living in Salt Lake City on her own, and boasts about the city’s improvements with her mother. Despite her defiance of acculturation, the mother is not totally against other cultures. The fact that she marries an American illustrates her openness to assimilation. Likewise, she pays a visit to her daughter to see Salt Lake City and buys Mel from duty free a souvenir hat as a sign of friendship. Nevertheless, while the persona expresses resistance to assimilating the immigrants’ culture or behavior, she admits the fact that she herself is an immigrant, saying, â€Å"I wish I could forget them/and so forget myself† (Atwood 31). This means that while she loathes the immigrants, she recognizes her complete assimilation and acculturation to an identity that other American immigrants have established. By forgetting the immigrants she observes, she could then forget herself. This implies that the narrator despises the thought of being an immigrant as it reminds her of her own lack of identity. The persona attempts to show contrast between her and the immigrants as she

Friday, November 15, 2019

McDonalds 4 Ps of Marketing Analysis

McDonalds 4 Ps of Marketing Analysis McDonalds Corporation since its start in 1955 has remained consistently as well known brand name worldwide. In order to achieve this status the company has used marketing strategies that have covered every aspect of the business and social world. From advertising and competitors to public relations and charity, McDonalds has a goal and for what they want to achieve and has found ways of achieving those goals. Throughout this paper you will find descriptions of how McDonalds used the four Ps of marketing in order to create a successful and well known worldwide company. The four Ps of marketing include price, product, promotion and place. Marketing strategies are created through a process of conducting research, which provides the information for deciding the correct product/service, appropriate pricing structures, and the effective placement and promotion for establishing the proper position in the marketplace for achieving optimal return on investment. (investopedia.com) The marketing strategies that have been created through this research by McDonalds Corporation have served them well ever since they opened their doors in 1955. The founder of McDonalds Corporation, Ray Kroc, started the company with the mindset of expanding his business by using franchising. Since 1955, McDonalds has become one of the most valuable brand names in the world. (Rowley, 2004) Expanding the corporation globally is the marketing strategy that has allowed McDonalds to become one of the worlds largest fast food retailers. In 1958, owner Ray Kroc made a statement, The basis for our entire business is that we are ethical, truthful and dependable. (McDonalds.com, 2010) The McDonalds mission statement lists the four Ps of marketing as the basics of providing an exceptional customer experience. The first of the four Ps is price. McDonalds overall pricing objective is to increase market share. (Vignali, 2004) With the original research that was done to create a successful marketing strategy, McDonalds Corporation researched the demand, competitors position in the market and the cost of creating the product and created a price that will create a customer demand. When the recession hit, a vast majority of businesses began to lose customers and in return income. McDonalds was one of the few that cashed in on the recession by creating a value menu. The value menu, which features select items sold for one dollar each, has helped McDonalds bring in customers consistently and this steady income has helped increased market share. The second of the four Ps is product. When McDonalds first opened in 1955, they were the first business to provide burgers, fries and milk shakes in a convenient family dining atmosphere. The competitors in the area provided no competition and McDonalds sold its one hundred millionth hamburger in 1958. As time went on and technology advanced, the market became more competitive and a healthy lifestyle trend began to unfold in society. But even with all this change, McDonalds kept to their philosophy, providing quality food and a quality service in a fast and easy environment and with this philosophy they maintained their place in the market. Two years after their tenth anniversary in 1965, McDonalds began opening operations in Puerto Rico and Canada and currently they now have operations in one hundred and eighteen countries, including China, Japan, UK and Australia. (Mcdonalds.com, 2010) Each country has their own unique menu items, but a few of the classics are on every menu worldwi de. These include the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, French Fries and Happy Meal. When Starbucks began offering coffee and a breakfast sandwich combo, it provided competition to McDonalds already well known and loved breakfast menu. McDonalds response to this competition was to create a new line of products called the McCafe. The McCafe was a premium coffee beverage that came hot, cold or blended and in a variety of flavors at a reasonable price. The third of the four Ps is promotion. There are four ways to promote a product in the world of marketing; advertising, direct marketing, sales promotions and public relations. Advertising is used worldwide and usually involves the use of a celebrity praising the quality, value and affordability of the product. McDonalds advertising is different in each of the one hundred and eighteen countries they have locations in. To date, McDonalds has used twenty three different slogans in US advertising and a few other slogans in other countries worldwide. Television, radio and newspaper are not the only ways in which McDonalds advertises their product. They have begun to use billboards and sponsoring sporting events such as the Olympics. But even with all these extra advertising connections, television has been the key advertising strategy for McDonalds. Direct marketing is most commonly achieved by the use of websites. McDonalds website provides detailed information about menu items, company policies and the company story. The information that is provided to the viewer allows them to get a better understanding at how McDonalds became what it is today. Sales promotions are an important key in any marketing strategy. The most common sales promotion that McDonalds run is their Happy Meal. The food content has remained the same over the years, but the toy changes all the time. The toy that comes in the Happy Meal usually corresponds to a movie or event that popular at that time. The current Happy Meal includes toys that are themed to DreamWorks Megamind movie. Public relations are a very important aspect to McDonalds. Their website alone provides information for a variety of people. There is an entire section on the website dedicated to students who need information for writing term papers. The website even provides a place for customers to provide feedback for the company. McDonalds feeds of this feedback and uses it to help maintain their quality service. In Beijing, McD onalds hires individuals to be public relation agents in the community and provide information and receive feedback to be given back to corporate headquarters. Beyond their website, McDonalds is well known for their contribution to the community. The Ronald McDonald House was created in many communities to help children and their families with special needs. A study conducted by a program called A Cause that Counts in 2009 states, Research shows that 92% of Americans have a more positive image of companies that support a cause. And, 87% of Americans are likely to switch brands, when price and quality are equal, to support a cause. These trends are consistent around the globe. In 1977, McDonalds sponsored a High School basketball team and gave them the opportunity to play an exhibition game against the Washington Nationals. McDonalds has also been a proud sponsor of the Olympics for many years, donating money to help maintain the quality of the event. The final P of the four Ps is place. Place mainly consists of the companys distribution channel. This marketing strategy is important, so that the company can make sure that their product is available at the right place, at the right time and with the right quantity. Nearly 50% of Americans are within three miles of a McDonalds drive thru and good majority of those are located either near large housing developments or schools. Each McDonalds provides their own unique experience for the both the children and the adults. Every McDonalds includes a childrens play area, which usually includes a slide and various other playground equipment for the children to play on. For the adults, McDonalds has started to offer an internet facility at select locations. These allow the adults to access the internet on their laptops while their children are playing in the kid zone. Using these marketing strategies and maintaining the goal of providing quality service and food in an inviting environment at a fast and easy pace, will allow McDonalds to remain on top of the market of fast food retailers. Their environments and prices will continue to have people saying, Im Loving It.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Harvard Admissions Essay: Lessons Learned :: College Admissions Essays

Lessons Learned Are Lessons Lived A few years ago, while helping my grandfather plant pecan trees in Tennessee, I realized something a bit disturbing. My grandfather never would live long enough to see those trees mature and produce pecans. Yet, there he was, toiling away with no possibility of personal benefit. When I asked him why he would plant trees knowing he would never enjoy the harvest, he just smiled and shook his head. Then he said, "Son, of all the pecans I've eaten in my life, someone else had planted the tree. They thought enough of me to plant trees, so I could have pecans. I'm just thinking of the next generation." In that moment, I realized that all people are takers, but only a few people become givers. Being a taker comes naturally. From the moment a baby is born, it takes. It wants food and warmth and comfort. If no one fulfills the baby's desire, it screams until it gets whatever it wants. Becoming a giver in life takes time and instruction. We must be taught to share. We must learn to give. Unfortunately, most people never learn to really give. They give, but they expect something in return. They are still selfish. A selfish child becomes a selfish teenager who becomes a selfish adult. If a person has never developed a lifestyle of giving by their teen years, I doubt they ever will. A college degree or a high-paying job can change their income but not their heart. Through my teen years, I volunteered at least two days a week at The Master's Outreach in my hometown. The Master's Outreach is a non-profit organization, which helps feed and clothe the needy. We even went to Central America once to take clothes, food, medicine, and other supplies. On other occasions, we sent supplies to help hurricane victims. Each one of these projects required a lot of time and effort by a few people willing to give. By now, volunteer work has become part of my life. I intend to continue giving during my college career at Jones Community College and then, Mississippi State University where I will pursue a degree in architecture. With a college degree, I will have even more opportunities to serve my community. As an architect, I would like to become involved with Habitat for Humanity because they have such a good reputation and will be able to use my particular skills.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Game shows Essay

Game shows were dwindling down and were a thing of the past, but recently they have been making a sharp comeback. Television entertainment is now being focused on game shows such as â€Å"Twenty-One,† â€Å"Greed,† and â€Å"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. † I for one am obsessed with these new shows on television. They bring the fun back into television and makes people want to win. In the pages following, many facts, reactions from the public and comparison’s to other game shows will be discussed as they relate to the recent popularity of the game shows. As a result of the increase in game shows, there is a greater quality that is brought back into television for the audience. New values and creativity have been sparked by the demand for these game shows. Regis Philbin, host of â€Å"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,† has started this game show craze off with a bang. The first five airings of his show averaged nearly 29 million viewers (Bauder, â€Å"ABC’s Game Show†). In January, â€Å"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire† averaged an extra 5 million viewers than it did in November (Bauder, â€Å"ABC’s Game Show†). In fact, this craze sure doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Host Regis Philbin knows how well it is doing because he is looking at getting a raise, at least two times the amount he is making now. Philbin is currently accepting a $100,000 paycheck for each episode of â€Å"Millionaire† that airs, which is currently three times a week. He wants to double his income so he will shortly be looking at around $20 million a season. His income is already up in the same range as movie stars Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, and Jim Carrey (Sikles). Host Philbin is able to make such a big salary because the game shows do not cost much to produce. They are much cheaper to produce than sitcoms and dramas (Consoli). Since these shows have become so popular, television stations would be crazy not to produce them. â€Å"Millionaire† was the first game show that led to all of the major networks creating their own version of an interactive game show. As a result, some stations are getting better ratings off of these popular game shows than they do from their regular weekly dramas. The game shows have gotten positive feedback by bringing families closer together. Families have said they now feel as if there is a common ground between them and their teenagers. Bauder goes on to explain, â€Å"Experts say it has revived the concept of families watching TV together after a decade’s worth of forces pulling them apart† (Bauder, â€Å"Millionaire†). Parents have stated that instead of everyone going to their own separate rooms to watch television shows made for their age range, everyone gets to play along with shows such as â€Å"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. With the questions ranging from easy to difficult it gives everyone a chance to play along at their own intelligence level. Four-year old Walker was especially delighted when he correctly completed the name of the children’s game â€Å"Duck-Duck Goose† (Bauder, â€Å"Millionaire†). Although many people say they have watched more television than normal since these shows have started, it is said not to be a bad thing. â€Å"It’s fun to be able to actually enjoy something together† (McKinney qtd. in Bauder, â€Å"Millionaire†). Another reason parents like watching â€Å"Millionaire† with their sons and daughters is because it stimulates conversation. By watching these shows they have something to talk about with their kids; in some cases they feel this is an easier way to bring up some â€Å"harder to talk about† topics (Bauder, â€Å"Millionaire†). With this big break in bringing families together, NBC’s top entertainment executives have said that establishing new family shows are their top development priority. The public has reacted toward these shows tremendously because they contain questions in which the average person knows the answer to. My whole apartment got so excited the first time we watched someone get the million dollars, I can’t imagine how the winner felt. The game shows are exciting and are interactive for everyone. There is a sense of addiction to these game shows because of the drama and suspense, which is why they are so successful. Great Britain who originated â€Å"Millionaire† was upset with the United States’ version of the game show because the questions on America’s version were not very difficult. Great Britain creators thought the questions in the newer version should raise in difficulty. Britain’s creators were unhappy and were thinking about filing a lawsuit. Another show that is being imported from Sweden is getting ready to air in the United States this summer. This show will be on CBS and is called â€Å"Survivor. † It will take 16 contestants and drop them off on a deserted Malaysian Island with camera crews following them. Every three days the players will vote to expel one of the members of their group until there are only two contestants left. Then all the players except for the two left on the island will be able to choose which contestant they want to walk away with the $1 million dollar prize. The contestant with the majority votes wins. Internationally, game shows are also in demand and in popularity. In comparison with the game shows from Great Britain, United States’ has it easy. The shows in which viewers are drawn from Great Britain are much harsher. Their quiz questions are much tougher and their contestants have to be more daring in some cases. In one game show in Great Britain, people go on the show to face their biggest fears. They work as a team and each member has to do something that frightens them. For example, one contestant was scared of spiders and she had to get a clue for her team off of the back of a tarantula. In this case she never ended up getting it because it terrified her too much. Her teammates were hurt overall. Another example of a game show from Great Britain involves contestants getting hooked up to a bungee cord and then they jump from a high bridge. While in the air, they have to throw a ball into a Santa’s hat in the water. If the contestant successfully gets the ball in the Santa’s hat then that person wins. It is apparently a tough thing to do because not many people end up winning. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire† is definitely breeding new shows in the United States. â€Å"Millionaire† is creating theme shows, by having football focused questions around the time of the Superbowl and movie-themed questions around the time of the Academy Awards. This has proved to be highly successful and more exciting and fun for the viewers (Bauder, â€Å"ABC Takes Lead). The success of â€Å"Millionaire† has led to other stations providing the same type of entertainment to their viewers. â€Å"Greed† has become a big game show since it aired shortly after â€Å"Millionaire† got high ratings. This show has a $2 million jackpot and gives its contestants the opportunity to challenge their other teammates if chosen by the terminator. Although one wrong answer from any team member is all it takes to lose the $2 million for the team makes this show more difficult to win the jackpot. The television game show â€Å"Twenty-One† has also been revived from the 1950’s. Being taken off the air years ago due to some scandals, NBC has brought it back and it has regained itself in the television market (Gray). Other game shows in the works of coming back on the air is â€Å"The $64,000 Question† and possibly â€Å"What’s My Line† by CBS (Gray). I believe these shows might be able to make it for awhile as long as the TV station can dish out what the audience demands of them. Once the viewers have had enough of the craze, then these game shows will most likely go off the air for another fifty years or so until they get revived again by another curious generation who wants to win big. Next time, the stakes will most likely be higher than $1 million and they will raise the curiosity and greed of the fresh viewing audience. Personally, I would like to see many more game shows on the air because they are very exciting and fun to watch.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Identity in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example

Identity in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example Identity in Huckleberry Finn Paper Identity in Huckleberry Finn Paper Essay Topic: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn The adventures Of Tom Sawyer Who is Huckleberry Finn Husks creation of aliases and lies about his personality, his failure to establish a life in one place, and constant internal debate are hindrances in his ability to form his self image. These rejections of society overshadow Husks progress towards developing his own sense of self, as by the end of the novel he fails to fully establish his own individuality. Huckleberry Finn struggles to find his identity because he spends much of his time assuming Identities of others and does not allow for time to develop himself. He Is Huckleberry Finn, dead, alive, Sarah Williams, George Peters, George Saxon, from England, not from England, and Tom Sawyer; he becomes a boy of multiple personalities and spends the majority of the novel assuming one of these Identities. While some of these foils are necessary in situations where it is imperative for Houck to conceal his identity, Houck also lies unnecessarily and it is this pointless lying that shows his discomfort with who his true identity. While on his adventures with the king and the duke, Houck is in territory where it is not necessary to conceal his identity s Huckleberry Finn, but instead he chooses to create an alias. He assumes the roles of people who he is not because he does not know who he is or who he wants to be. Husks failure to tell the truth, also seen as compulsive lying, is a clear indicator that he struggles to understand who he is as a person. The complexity of the layers of his lies Is evident when Mrs.. Judith Lofts says goodbye to Houck: Now trot along to your uncle, Sarah Mary Williams George Alexander Peters (Twain 96). Houck Is more comfortable and confident assuming other persons than when he Is himself; when feet alone to be Houck, he is consumed with contradictions and confusion. Husks unstable home and failure to establish his life in one place adds to the difficulty of finding an identity. Husks life is characterized by life on the move; right from the start of the novel, he does not seem comfortable with settling in a permanent residence. His initial move from the widow Douglas and Miss Watson is to escape the civilized societal identity that the women are trying to force onto him; Houck avoids even this sense of identity that he does not have to create on his own, UT that is given to him by society. Houck moves from living with the widow and Miss Watson, to his father, the Island with Jim, the raft, the Aggressors, traveling with the king and duke, living with the Wills family, and finally the Phelps farm. This poor lost lamb mentality acknowledged by Widow Douglas correctly encompasses the frame of mind with which Houck constantly changes location (Twain 2). When Houck reaches a place where he can settle down, he chooses to keep moving and does not know want to ah Walt n enamels as nee says, All I wanted was to go somewhere; all I wanted as a change (Twain 3). Husks struggle to establish an identity is also evident in his constant debate within his conscience about what is right and wrong. The primary element prohibiting Houck from finding his own identity is his guilt and development of a conscience. Houck initially does not have his own conscience, but depends on the opinion of others to decipher what is right and wrong. He relies on what the widow, Pap, or Tom Sawyer would do. Following the shipwreck scene, Houck tells Jim about the excitement that happened while he was on the wreck stating, these kinds of things as adventures as Tom would have thought, but in reality what he did was dangerous, and he risked both his life and Jims life (Twain 119). The presence of different opinions in his head causes Houck to be confused and to form corrupt opinions that become molded into his identity. The center of conflict for Houck is dealing with societys ideas about racism and having to simultaneously combat them with ideas of his own. Houck struggles to decide whether he will continue to allow others to dictate his life or establish his own individuality and decide that slavery is Ron. It is this internal debate that follows Houck throughout the entirety of the novel and leads him to develop a moral code of his own. Houck overcomes his lying, refusal to settle down, and inability to make definite decisions by becoming clearer in his own opinions. Although he does not fully develop his own identity by the end of the novel, Houck does become more definite and less conflicted. He begins to develop his own definition of the civilized life that he wants to lead which is different from the morally wrong society in which he was raised. His development of faith, his friendship with Jim, and his own decision to reject slavery help to shape this new decisiveness. His conscience, Houck decides, is more of a presence of society, and he rejects this conscience deciding it anti no good, now (Twain 357). Houck has established what he does not want to be a part of his identity, but he still lacks the ability to decide what he does want to be a part of his identity. Although he has made progress, the lack of resolve in his life demonstrates the significant impact of these hindrances on Husks development as an individual.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on The Baldwin Act

After tracing the evolution of the provincial-local financial relationship in Canada it has become apparent that the trend, throughout history, has been towards greater Provincial control and in turn less fiscal autonomy for the municipality. There has been an increase (due to demand as well as downloading from the provinces) in the functions and responsibilities of the municipality, as well as the cost of these functions, and a decrease in fiscal resources and revenue sources. Yet, It has only been in very recent years that we have seen a trend moving in the direction of Municipal fiscal autonomy. The trend towards Municipal fiscal autonomy is possibly more prevalent today then it has ever been. The proposal of such things as Glen Murray’s New Deal for Winnipeg, and Paul Martin’s proposed change in federal-provincial-municipal relations (of the same name), provides optimism for local fiscal autonomy in the future. The Baldwin Act was the beginning of Provincial Regulation over the Municipality. It was based on several principles including the decree that â€Å"Municipal Councils were the creatures of the provincial legislature and were subject to its sovereign authority.† The second principle of the Baldwin Act stated that a municipality’s power should vary with its size and character (i.e. whether it was rural or urban), and the third principle stated that members of council should be elected from only those people who held stakes in local property. â€Å"The powers of the municipal councils were strictly defined by the provincial legislature and strictly interpreted by the courts.† The Baldwin Act was only the beginning of what would be decades of development that would hinder the autonomy and independence of local government. The Baldwin Act began the landslide of provincial downloading, conditional grants and a provincial-local relationship that seems more like a parent child relationship then a relationship ... Free Essays on The Baldwin Act Free Essays on The Baldwin Act After tracing the evolution of the provincial-local financial relationship in Canada it has become apparent that the trend, throughout history, has been towards greater Provincial control and in turn less fiscal autonomy for the municipality. There has been an increase (due to demand as well as downloading from the provinces) in the functions and responsibilities of the municipality, as well as the cost of these functions, and a decrease in fiscal resources and revenue sources. Yet, It has only been in very recent years that we have seen a trend moving in the direction of Municipal fiscal autonomy. The trend towards Municipal fiscal autonomy is possibly more prevalent today then it has ever been. The proposal of such things as Glen Murray’s New Deal for Winnipeg, and Paul Martin’s proposed change in federal-provincial-municipal relations (of the same name), provides optimism for local fiscal autonomy in the future. The Baldwin Act was the beginning of Provincial Regulation over the Municipality. It was based on several principles including the decree that â€Å"Municipal Councils were the creatures of the provincial legislature and were subject to its sovereign authority.† The second principle of the Baldwin Act stated that a municipality’s power should vary with its size and character (i.e. whether it was rural or urban), and the third principle stated that members of council should be elected from only those people who held stakes in local property. â€Å"The powers of the municipal councils were strictly defined by the provincial legislature and strictly interpreted by the courts.† The Baldwin Act was only the beginning of what would be decades of development that would hinder the autonomy and independence of local government. The Baldwin Act began the landslide of provincial downloading, conditional grants and a provincial-local relationship that seems more like a parent child relationship then a relationship ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Writing precis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing precis - Essay Example 11). The incident changed the definition of National Security. For the generation that did not experience war, â€Å"National Security† meant protection and absence from nuclear attack. The primary motivation of the terrorist attack was to conceal a secret hidden in the offices that were designated targets. The offices were not aware of the secret they held but once exposed, vast truth would surface out eventually. The origins and impact of the secret were kept by the National Security. Proper understanding of the reason behind the gruesome incident on September 11th is better than just describing exactly what happened that day. At first the pattern of the incident last September 11th was not obvious other than the total destruction and casualties of the collapsed World Trade Center, a destroyed segment of the Pentagon, four sacrificial commercial airplanes with the loss of 2,993 lives. There should have been a hidden motive other than the perceived objective of the attack is chan ged from its usual ‘symbolic’ designation as ‘a terrorist attack’ and a person begins by looking at it as purely a crime with specific objectives instead of checking the logic of the patterned of destruction (Heider 2008, p. 1). Central Intelligence Agency conducted studies about the Pentagon and other hijacking accidents in the U.S.A. they checked for possible reasons how the highjackers were able to carry out their â€Å"mission†. They analyzed deeply to find out whether there were negligence in the offices and works of the Defense of the U.S.A. they also found out how other small groups and other terrorists worked together to lay-out their â€Å"perfect plan† (CIA 2005). The incident destroyed the World Trade Center which was a symbol of American pride and influence. The terrorists were able to demonstrate how a powerful nation can be caught unguarded by a group of infamous determined men. The incident was brought by the Muslim extremists.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Alienation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alienation - Essay Example Alienation appears in different planes for different societies. Race, Gender, abnormalities, intellectual disabilities, nationalities, creed, and ethnicity etc are few of the themes of alienation. Alienation causes pain, frustration, disappointment, rebellions, fights and several other problems. The society’s strange demand of conformity has destroyed the life of thousands of individuals. Alienation is one of the weakest natures of human society. Alienation has destroyed the life of immigrants in America. Alienation closes the door of opportunity for people of color in different parts of the world. Few are not the negative consequences of alienation. It is high time that alienation be rooted out from all societies. Alienation has been the leading theme of several literary works. Pat Mora’s ‘immigrants’ tells the story of a helpless family seeking acceptance in the new land where they reached. Parents are trying to feed their child with the notion of materia lism. They desperately want to teach cultural American traditions to their child. Event though they make hard attempts to transform their children they are not still sure whether American society will accept them. Children loses their natural and cultural personality and at the same time fails to acquire the culture of the new land where they reached. In the poem ‘Sonrisas’ we find the images of living in two world. Through the poem Mora presents some of the experiences she encounters in her life in the two worlds. Mora describes her working place that is strict, dull and boring. The term â€Å"quiet clicking† explains the quietness of her office. Mora’s words like â€Å"black coffee† and â€Å"budgets, tenure, and curriculum† makes the readers understand how boring her office is. Mora is indirectly presenting the alienation she suffers in her work place. The poem heritage presents before the readers the painful experience of a man of color w ho suffers ill treatment being an alien. He is ridiculed because of his dark skin. An alien in the American land will have the same experience. The poem refugee ship also tells the story of the unfortunate speaker who suffers because of her identity. The speaker presents her sorrow, being alienated from her American and Mexican cultures. Literary works include the theme of alienation to highlight the importance of eliminating alienation. Alienation is a painful experience for immigrants. Alienation disturbs the immigrant children in several ways. The effect of prejudice on immigrant children in public schools is not negligible (Takaki 10). Abuse influences the personality of children. According to Karen Horney, experience in the early childhood influences the character development of a person. Hurting experiences can prepare children with criminal attitude. The childhood experiences create the self or character of child. Children may undergo defective self-development because of the abuse that they undergo in their early life. Abuse negatively influences children’s construction of self. They are thus susceptible to various wrong habits and practices. The practice or attitude of showing discrimination towards an individual belonging to a foreign race, ethnicity and nationality is very common in the United States. It is highly prevalent in work places and educational institutions. These attitudes are quite unhealthy and unjust and are extremely intolerant (Simmel 375). Individuals are discriminated on the basis of nationality, race, ethnicity, color and various other factors and are not allowed to exercise their constitutional rights even (Simmel 375). In the educational insti