American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American History - Essay Example As one of the most consequential social movements in recent times, this research paper will explore the emergence of the U.S. Civil Rights movement and argue that without this movement, Barack Obama would not be president today. Seeking to address the emergence of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, this research paper will explore a variety of questions and provide an in-depth theoretical analysis of the early stages of this important social movement. Why did the U.S. Civil Rights Movement emerge when it did? What factors account for the emergence of boycotts as a technique of protest? Was the U.S. Civil Rights Movement a spontaneous reaction to decades of oppression or was it organized and led by key leaders and organizations? These questions and many more will be explored in this comprehensive analysis of the US Civil Rights movement. This essay refers to Unit IV (1946-1976) and aims to provide a thorough and comprehensive analysis of one of the most important movements of the twentieth century, namely the US Civil Rights Movement. Social movements have historically been agents for social change and any analysis of a movement must account for its emergence. At the outset of the Civil Rights Movement, various campaigns were a response to the systematic discrimination which plagued the southern United States in the middle half of the twentieth century. This movement brought the plight of southern African-Americans to the forefront of the American consciousness and its successes can largely be measured in the legislative and normative changes which were a direct result of specific campaigns. As a whole, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Supreme Court decision in 1956 striking down Alabama’s segregation laws, are substantive examples of the successes this movement has achieved in the political realms. Normatively speaking, black politicians in the southern United States

Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

Consumer Behavior Essay Consumer behavior is an attempt to understand predict human actions in the buying role. It has assumed growing importance under market-oriented or customer oriented marketing planning management. Consumer behavior is defined as â€Å"all psychological, social physical behavior of potential customers as they become aware of, evaluate, purchase, consume, tell others about product services†. * Each element in this definition is important. * Consumer behavior involves both individual (psychological) processes group (social processes). * Consumer behavior is reflected from awareness right through post-purchase evaluation indicating satisfaction or non-satisfaction, from purchases * Consumer behavior includes communication, purchasing consumption behavior * Consumer behavior is basically social in nature. Hence social environment plays an important role in shaping buyer behavior. * Consumer behavior includes both consumer business buyer behavior In consumer behavior we consider not only why, how, what people buy but other factors such as where , how often, and under what conditions the purchase is made. An understanding of the buyer behavior is essential in marketing planning programmes. In the final analysis buyer behavior is one of the most important keys to successful marketing. MAJOR FACTORS INFLUENCING BUYER BEHAVIOUR CULTURAL FACTORS Cultural factors exert the broadest and deepest influence on consumer behavior. The roles played by the buyers culture, sub culture and social class are particularly important. * CULTURE- Culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. The growing child acquires a set of values, perceptions, preferences, and behavior through his or her family or other key institutions. * SUB-CULTURE- Sub-culture includes nationalities, religions, racial groups, and geographical regions. Many sub-cultures make up important market segments, and marketers often design marketing programs tailored to their needs. * SOCIAL CLASS- Social classes are relatively homogenous and enduring divisions in a society, which are hierarchically ordered and whose members share similar values, interests, and behavior. Social classes do not reflect income alone but also other indicators such as occupation, education, and area of residence. SOCIAL FACTORS * REFERNCE GROUPS- A Person’s reference groups consist of all the groups that have a direct or indirect influence on the person’s attitudes or behavior. Groups having direct influence on a person are called membership groups. * FAMILY- The family is the most important consumer buying organization in society, and has been researched extensively. Family members constitute the most influential primary reference group. * ROLE AND STATUSES- A person’s position in each group that he participates throughout his life –family, clubs, and organizations can be defined in terms of role and status. A role consist of activities that a person is expected to perform. Each role carries a status. Marketers are aware of the status symbol potential of products and brands. PERSONAL FACTORS A buyer’s decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics. These include the buyer’s age stage in the life cycle, occupation, economic circumstances, lifestyle, personality self concept. * AGE STAGE IN THE LIFE CYCLE- People buy different goods services over their lifetime. They eat baby food in the early years, most foods in the growing mature years special diets in the later years. People’s taste in clothes, furniture recreation is also age related. * OCCUPATION- A person’s occupation also influences his or her consumption pattern. Marketers try to identify the occupational groups that have above – average interest in their products and services. A company can even specialize its products for certain occupational groups. * ECONOMIC CIRCUMCTANCES- Product choices are greatly affected by one’s economic circumstances. Economic stability consist of their spend able income (its level, stability and time pattern), saving and asse ts (including the percentage that is liquid), debts, borrowing power, attitude toward spending versus saving. * LIFESTYLE- People coming from the same subculture, social class occupation may lead quite different lifestyles. A person’s lifestyles the person’s pattern of living in the world as expressed in the persons activities, interests opinions. * PERSONALITY AND SELF-CONCEPT- Each person has a distinct personality that influences his or her buying behavior. By personality, we mean a person’s distinguishing psychological characteristics that lead to relatively consistent and enduring responses to his or her environment. Personality can be a useful variable in analyzing consumer behavior, provided that personality type can be classified accurately and that strong correlations exist between certain personality types and product or brand choices. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS A person’s buying choices are influenced by four major psychological factors-motivations, perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes. * MOTIVATION- A person has many needs at any given time. A need becomes motive when it is aroused to a sufficient level of intensity. Motivational researchers hold that each product is capable of arousing a unique set of motive in consumers. * LEARNING- When people act they learn. Learning involves changes in an individual’s behavior arising from experience. Learning theory teaches marketers that they can build up demand for a product by associating it with strong drives, using motivating cues and providing positive reinforcement. * PERCEPTION- Perception is the process by which an individual selects, organizes, interprets information inputs to create a meaningful picture of the world. A motivated person is ready to act. How the motivated person actually acts is influenced by his or her perception of the situation. * BELIEFS ATTITUDES- A belief is a descriptive thought that a person holds about something. Through doing learning, people acquire beliefs attitudes. These in turn influence their buying behavior. Particularly important to global marketers is the fact that buyers often hold distinct disbeliefs about brands or products based on their country of origin. An attitude is person’s enduring favorable or unfavorable evaluations, emotional feelings, and action tendencies towards some object or idea. People have attitude toward almost everything: religion, politics, clothes, music, food, and so on. Attitude put them into a frame of mind of liking or disliking an object, moving toward or away from it.

China Fertilizer Industry Overview Economics Essay

China Fertilizer Industry Overview Economics Essay The worldwide fertilizer demand has rebounded in 2010 after witnessing a slowdown in FY09 and FY08 and the recovery is expected to sustain till 2014 based on the International fertilizer industry Association (IFA) estimates. The overall fertilizer demand in FY09/10 rose 3.7% to 162.5Mt as compared to 156.7Mt in FY08/09. The demand for N (nitrogen), P (Phosphorus) and K (Potassium) fertilizers in FY09 surged 1.9%, 4.5% and 18% respectively mainly driven by the Asian followed by the American markets. The overall fertilizer demand in FY10/11 is expected to increase 4.8% to 170 Mt and reach 188.3 Mt in 2014/15 driven by the economic recovery and positive agricultural market conditions. The demand for the N, P and K fertilizers are expected to increase 1.9%, 4.5% and 18%, respectively In FY10/11. Source: IFA, RODM research China fertilizer industry overview China is the largest consumer and producer of fertilizers in the world, contributing 31.4% and 29.1% of the global consumption and production respectively in FY07 based on the International fertilizer association statistics. According to china statistical year book, the country s fertilizer consumption in FY08 rose 2.6% to 52.4Mt as compared to 51.1mt in 2007 and grew at a CAGR of 3% for the period 2000-2008. This was mainly due to population increase in china, growth in compound fertilizers and increasing production of organic agriculture. Henan is the major consumer for fertilizers that accounts 11.5% of total consumption of fertilizer in china followed by the Shandong, Jiangsu and Hubei which contributed 9.1%, 6.5% and 6.3% of overall fertilizer consumption in FY08. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research Compound fertilizer industry in china Compound fertilizer comprises of at least two nutrients among nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and includes both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Based on the china statistical year book, the consumption of compound fertilizer industry have grown at a CAGR of 6.9% as compared to the 0.3%, 1.3% and 4.7% of Nitrogenous, Phosphate and potassium fertilizers respectively over a period of 1998-2008, indicating the increasing adoption of compound fertilizers by farmers as compared to the straight fertilizers. Based on PRlog.org, the Chinese compound market scale reached CNY 200 billion in FY09 and has around 4,500 compound fertilizer producers mainly situated in Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei and Sichuan etc. The production of Chinese compound fertilizers reached around 50 million tons in FY09. The compound fertilizer manufacture industry increased 39% to CNY 23.60 billion in FY09 as compared to FY08.However, compound fertilizer consumption still accounts for less than 30% of the total consum ption, which is far below the 50-80% average in developed countries. This is due to the fact that compound fertilizers are relatively new in the Chinese market and farmers are only gradually adopting these over the more conventional varieties. The current fertilizer formulations has conformity degree of less than 3% and most of the producers make their formulations based on the economy and raw material prices rather than soil and crop demands. However with the rising environmental concerns, developing Chinese agricultural specialization and growing demand for high end cash crops and organic foods, the farmers are imposing higher requirements on compound fertilizers. Hence the demand for high end compound fertilizers, especially Chinese ternary compound (3 nutrients) fertilizers is expected to drive the overall compound fertilizers growth in the coming years. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research Organic Fertilizer industry With the rising environmental concerns, declining arable land, cultivation of high end crops, government thrust for organic production and demand for green foods, the adoption of organic fertilizer industry in China have been gaining momentum and is expected to witness rapid growth for the upcoming years. But the organic agriculture industry in china is very low as compared to the developed countries. In 2006, organic compound fertilizer in China accounted for 27% of the total fertilizer consumption, which about half of the 50% is registered in developed countries. However, organic fertilizer consumption in the country is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 30%, according to industry sources. Also, the government has identified the enhanced performance given by these fertilizers which would help them to reach their goals of increasing rural farm production and income while decreasing water pollution. According to the industry sources, the Chinese green fertilizer industry is highly fragmented with around 2,000 manufacturers with no distinguished players in the industry. The small and large regional players contribute 80% of the market share followed by the large regional and International players contributing 9% and 8% of the market share respectively. The small and large regional manufacturers have an edge of competitive prices and knowledge of local markets as compared to the International markets. On the flip side, the international manufacturers produce high quality products, good research and development capabilities and players with good financials can acquire regional players in a bid to sustain growth and increase their market share. The large national manufacturers have a competitive edge over the small and large regional manufacturers as well as international players in terms of their brand presence and wide distribution network along with providing quality products at competitive prices and having good understanding over the markets. To keep in line with the growth and economic conditions, the green fertilizer industry in china is expected to witness consolidation in the near future. Growth drivers for Organic fertilizer industry Rising environmental concerns Chinese agriculture has been growing rapidly on a limited area with heavy inputs of fertilizers since 1980s. The rates of fertilizers adopted in some regions of china are extremely high as compared to the developed countries like North America and Europe. The worldwide average fertilizer consumption per hectare in 1997 was 94 kilograms while US average was 111 kg per hectare. But china exceeded both world average and US average and used 271 kg of fertilizer per hectare of cultivated land, based on the industry sources (hafengevergreen.com).According to the industry sources, the pH levels of the soil in 2000-2008 as against 1980s have declined 0.13 while the pH for cash crops declined on an average 0.3. Since china feeds around 22% of the world s population with just 10% of arable land, protecting china s polluted and artificially fertilized soil remains a major concern to the government. Moreover, the population in china is expected to increase to 800 900 million by 2020, based on t he Beijing International Institute for City Development which would decrease the arable area for cultivation. Hence decreasing china s arable land and the need to increase the crop yield for domestic consumption have led the farmers to adopt high quality fertilizer products. Also with increasing environmental concerns, the government has been encouraging the production of organic agriculture for export and domestic consumption. Accordingly, the demand for the organic fertilizers have been growing as they increase organic matter content in the soil along with the major and minor organic nutrients. Growth in greening of china s food During the last few years, the demand for the green foods have been increasing on the back of growing concerns of environment and rising disposable income in china. Based on the industry sources, the cultivation of green food has increased from 2.14 million hectares to 10 million hectares while the output surged from 6.3 to 72 million tons over a period of 1997 to 2007.Also based on the Ministry of Agriculture 90% of China s agricultural exports are eco-food, i.e. either Hazard Free, Green or Organic foods. The export value increased to US~$2 Billion in 2006 from ~$70 Million in 1997. But china s exports have accounted less than 1% of the global organic market and .08% of the locally sold organic market. Although high production costs and prices has been limiting the usage of organic fertilizers in the domestic market, we believe that the government initiatives in the form of subsidies, recent food safety scandals, growing demand for reliable and healthy food in the domestic and inte rnational market, pollution concerns and rising disposable income would strongly drive the green fertilizer industry in the near future. The government has been encouraging both exports and imports of organic products and expects to achieve 10% of the organic crop production by 2010. Growth in green food over a decade Source: John Paull, Australian National University, RODM research Decreasing arable area for cultivation China is the largest agriculture producer in the world with only 15% of the cultivated area. China need to support 20% of the world s population and has just 10% of the total arable land in the world. Moreover the arable land has declined at a CAGR of .4% from 133mha to 121.7mha, over the period 1988-2008. To prevent further decline, the government have set the critical mark of arable land to be maintained at 120mha by 2020. According to the industry sources, the population in china is expected to increase from 47% to 75% over the next three decades which mounts the pressure of producing increased yield per area to feed the growing population. Thus the demand for the organic fertilizers is expected to witness rapid growth in the compound fertilizer segment. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research China policies/initiatives Subsidy The fertilizers market play a key input for the Chinese agricultural sector and hence is one of the main sectors to be addressed by the government to achieve its food sufficiency objective. The fertilizer subsidies in China are mainly for supporting the development of China s agriculture and food security. Hence we believe that most of the subsidy policies might be continued for the short term. The comprehensive subsidy on fuel and fertilizer for grain farmers in 2007 surged 120 % to $3.6 billion (RMB 27.6 billion) as compared to the last year. This program was started to partially compensate farmers for price increases in fuel, fertilizer, and other agricultural inputs in 2006. Based on the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the comprehensive subsidy reached at an average of about U.S. $14.5 per farm household in 2007 and the fuel and fertilizer subsidies are estimated to reach RMB 72.01 billion by 2009. The Chinese government gave bank loan interests subsidy from 2004 to those qualified fertilizers distributors who hold the fertilizer storage during the winter season wherein the total volume is about 5-8million mt and the interests subsidy is about RMB300million to RMB500million($43.9 million to $73.3 million )every year. Also the government gave a direct subsidy of RMB100/mt to both domestic and imported DAP which was around 6.7million mt and about RMB670million subsidy in 2004.The government gave an electricity subsidy for small and large nitrogen fertilizer producers in December 2003 which is around RMB6.3 billion every year. Also the transportation of fertilizer has been subsidized by RMB5.0 billion every year. Tariffs The MOF and NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) have jointly announced the Notification of Fertilizer Price Formation Mechanism Reform on January 24, 2009. The main purpose of this notification is: Removal of current tariff restriction on domestic fertilizer prices Removal of fertilizer price restrictions Implementing preferential policies for fertilizer production Applying measures through import and export regulation, reserve control and transportation parameters to maintain the fertilizer market To improve agricultural subsidies for the industry Increase monitoring, supervision, and inspection on market pricing To make efforts on program organization and implementation The State Council Tariff Committee had imposed a 100 % special export duty on fertilizer and related material exports during April 20 and September 30, 2008 which affected 32 tariff lines including phosphoric acid, ammonia, nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and compound fertilizer. Based on MOF, the runaway in exports were due to strain in domestic supply which lead to surge in price as demand began to decrease due to spring planting. Hence the tariff was increased so as to control the rising prices along with providing plentiful grain harvest for the year. China has evolved from being a net importer of phosphate fertilizer to being a net exporter over the last decade and has been directly affected the US phosphate fertilizer industry as it used to supply 95% of China s phosphate imports. Pricing trend in china Chinese fertilizer prices have witnessed heavy volatility over the last decade mainly due to uneven production levels in fertilizers, the government s need to keep sufficient production to meet domestic market demand and rising international fertilizer prices. According to USDA, the market price for nitrogen fertilizer surged from $280 to $405/MT during 2007 and reached a high of $452 during April 2008. This was mainly due to imbalance between low supply and rising demand on the world market. Also the tariff restrictions imposed on Chinese fertilizer producers and the demand for fertilizers to produce biofuels in the United States, Brazil, and Europe has led to the increase in price. However due to the slowdown in the world economy and reluctance of Chinese farmers to pay high prices which were two to three times higher than the prices of early 2007, the price for fertilizer fell drastically to $247 at the end of 2008. VAT policies The NPK compound fertilizers, MAP, Urea and DAP have been on a VAT holiday from 1994; January 1, 1998; July 01, 2005; and January 1, 2008 respectively. China had stopped importing urea from 1997 and the government has given 50%-100% VAT refund to the urea exporters before March, 2004. The government stopped the tax refund policy and began to impose export tax to urea and DAP from March 16, 2004. Prior to 2002, the government has given VAT holiday policy to imported phosphoric acid for supporting the players like Sino-Arab Chemical Fertilizer Co. Ltd who were consuming imported PA for phosphate compound fertilizers production. The government gave VAT holiday policy for imported sulfur from May 20, 2008 and most of the imported fertilizers and related raw materials were given very low import custom taxes which are all below 4%. Export/Import initiatives for fertilizers Chinese government set new policies on the exported fertilizers during Nov. 14, 2008. To set export base price for the off-season and to reduce the export tariff from 125%~185% to 10%~110% till December 31, 2009; The export tariff for Urea, MAP and DAP would be 110% (35% basic+75% special) during mid-season and 10% during off-season since December 1, 2008 The base prices for DAP, MAP and Urea are RMB4000/mt; RMB3700/mt and RMB2300/mt respectively During the off-season, if Urea, DAP and MAP prices are lower than the base prices, the export tariff would be 10%, otherwise the export tariff would be calculated by the formula: [(1.1-base price/export price) 100)] Source: IFA, RODM research The customs tariff committee of China have cancelled the special export tariffs (50-75%) in Jun-09 on 27 products, that include phosphate rock (apatite), yellow phosphorus, synthetic ammonia, phosphoric acid, ammonium chloride, triple superphosphate (TSP), sodium nitrate and double nutrients to help local fertilizer manufacturers clear excess inventory build-up. Import Tariff Rate Quota Products Quota level (000 metric tons) In-quota imports (000 metric tons) State-trading share (%) In-quota MFN tariff rate (%) Out-of-quota MFN tariff rate (%) Urea 3,300 90 4 50 NPK 3,450 65 4 50 Diammonium phosphate 6,900 65 4 50 Source: USTR, RODM Research The Chinese government controls exports of major raw material inputs for fertilizers like coking coal which provides competitive edge to Chinese manufacturers and exporters over the foreign manufacturers and exporters in the chemical fertilizer industries. The price of coke in China was around $472/mt, while the global price of coke was $740/mt. Although China produces 336mmt of coke, contributing 60% of the global production, it has an export quota of only 12mmt and an export duty of 40%.

musical influences Essay -- essays research papers

Music has been used for many different things throughout history. It is said that music influences a person’s brain, and by doing so, has an effect on overall behavior or activity of a person. Many Indian tribes across North America used percussion instruments (drums) to contact the spirits of their ancestors. During the Renaissance period, during many parties held by royalty, â€Å"classical† music was played to keep a happy atmosphere about the ballroom. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll look at how today’s society blames Metal Music for many behavioral disorders amongst the youth. Musical preferences are as diverse as the people who listen to them. Different types of music have different reputations; heavy metal music is often labeled as "negative," yet others find it a harmless form of music. It is my belief that music may have some sort of effect on the listener, but nothing serious and nothing damaging. The behavior of a person is purely their own, whether it be caused from their parents telling them no or a kid they hate at school spoke with them; however, this is by no means the musicians’ faults. Like other types of music, such as jazz, blues, and even rap, the distinct style of heavy metal music can be grouped into three main sections. One popular style of heavy metal is death metal. Death metal has a darker sound and more surreal style than other forms of heavy metal. The music itself is fast, heavy, and loud, usually with a classical twist thrown in. The images that death metal portrays are death, doom, destruction, suicide, sex, and drugs. Some people may see these images as harmful or having a negative effect on the listener. Another form of heavy metal music is speed metal. Speed metal has a more upbeat sound than death metal and isn’t as â€Å"depressing.† It’s fast paced and has a hard impact, the lead guitar following a seemingly impossible rhythm. This is in contrast to death metal, which emphasizes rhythm guitar. The last type of metal music being thrash metal. The name refers to both the thrashing sound of the music and the flailing movement of its listeners. The sound is extremely loud and has the same tone and style of speed metal. These styles however, attract certain â€Å"types† of people. The majority of people who... ...s behavior being caused from the music they listen to. Could we not point the finger at today’s rap industry? At least in the world of metal music, most things they endorse are fantasy and rarely seen to be realistic. In rap, children are listening to plain vocals about rape, drug use, and prostitution, among other â€Å"immoral† things. Should we not take a look at today’s most popular musical influence instead of attacking the men â€Å"out of the norm,†? I might also point out that while I did relate metal music with depression, I didn’t directly connect any of it. I did, however, say that a certain person was attracted to a certain type of music. Could the person be the depressed one, their inner emotions causing whatever it is that makes them act as they do, but not the music itself? Also, music might be looked at as an outlet for today’s angry and energized teen. Without this outlet of stress and complete angst, maybe the suicide rate would increase, or the school shootings number would go up? Teens will continue to listen to such music that their parents loathe, nothing will change that; this may be looked at as a good thing from my point of view. musical influences Essay -- essays research papers Music has been used for many different things throughout history. It is said that music influences a person’s brain, and by doing so, has an effect on overall behavior or activity of a person. Many Indian tribes across North America used percussion instruments (drums) to contact the spirits of their ancestors. During the Renaissance period, during many parties held by royalty, â€Å"classical† music was played to keep a happy atmosphere about the ballroom. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll look at how today’s society blames Metal Music for many behavioral disorders amongst the youth. Musical preferences are as diverse as the people who listen to them. Different types of music have different reputations; heavy metal music is often labeled as "negative," yet others find it a harmless form of music. It is my belief that music may have some sort of effect on the listener, but nothing serious and nothing damaging. The behavior of a person is purely their own, whether it be caused from their parents telling them no or a kid they hate at school spoke with them; however, this is by no means the musicians’ faults. Like other types of music, such as jazz, blues, and even rap, the distinct style of heavy metal music can be grouped into three main sections. One popular style of heavy metal is death metal. Death metal has a darker sound and more surreal style than other forms of heavy metal. The music itself is fast, heavy, and loud, usually with a classical twist thrown in. The images that death metal portrays are death, doom, destruction, suicide, sex, and drugs. Some people may see these images as harmful or having a negative effect on the listener. Another form of heavy metal music is speed metal. Speed metal has a more upbeat sound than death metal and isn’t as â€Å"depressing.† It’s fast paced and has a hard impact, the lead guitar following a seemingly impossible rhythm. This is in contrast to death metal, which emphasizes rhythm guitar. The last type of metal music being thrash metal. The name refers to both the thrashing sound of the music and the flailing movement of its listeners. The sound is extremely loud and has the same tone and style of speed metal. These styles however, attract certain â€Å"types† of people. The majority of people who... ...s behavior being caused from the music they listen to. Could we not point the finger at today’s rap industry? At least in the world of metal music, most things they endorse are fantasy and rarely seen to be realistic. In rap, children are listening to plain vocals about rape, drug use, and prostitution, among other â€Å"immoral† things. Should we not take a look at today’s most popular musical influence instead of attacking the men â€Å"out of the norm,†? I might also point out that while I did relate metal music with depression, I didn’t directly connect any of it. I did, however, say that a certain person was attracted to a certain type of music. Could the person be the depressed one, their inner emotions causing whatever it is that makes them act as they do, but not the music itself? Also, music might be looked at as an outlet for today’s angry and energized teen. Without this outlet of stress and complete angst, maybe the suicide rate would increase, or the school shootings number would go up? Teens will continue to listen to such music that their parents loathe, nothing will change that; this may be looked at as a good thing from my point of view.

Biblical Worldview Essay

Introduction In Romans we learn so many aspects of Christian’s life. It tells us how we as Christian’s should view the natural world, our identity and our relationship with others, our culture, and civilization. There is so much more we could learn from this book. In Romans 1-8 we will find that the information in it is so much that we will not get the full meaning of all the things it is saying unless we look deeper into it. Romans 1-8 takes us from our total inability to walk in good works, to God’s faithfulness in justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying us by our faith through God’s grace. The Natural World We all know that God through his own words formed the natural world. God spoke the universe and everything that existence in it. As Christian’s we should know this because as believers, we believe the bible is a revelation of God and that it is not just a book written by human hands. Paul writes in Romans 1:20-21 â€Å"For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by things that made, even in his eternal power and God head, so that they are without excuse, 21- because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened†. God made everything and he is showing those that disrespect him in his face with their sin himself so that when they know that there is a God and he created everything. Human Identity Our human Identity of who we as a mankind is that we all were made in God’s image. God created us equally, but he also gives us the free will to choose to serve him or not. In Psalm 8:5 it says â€Å"For you have made him a little lower than the angels; and you have crowned him with glory and honor.† And in Genesis 2:15 â€Å"Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.† We have many things that are wrong with us that we can’t fix, so we need Jesus to justify, sanctify, and glorify us. We need all three those that we can be connected to Christ, live life, server  him and when we die we will get to enjoy eternal heaven with him, and have everlasting life. Human Relationship In Romans 12:8 it says â€Å"he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he shows mercy, with cheerfulness.† What that verse is saying to all Christians is that our ethic is based all on love. We as humans know that relationships very confusing and are hardest part of life. We all have a sin against own bodies and souls, but it is a sin that is against others who were created in God’s image. If you are going to steal from your neighbor you might as well steal from God. We were all created in his image and we need to love and respect others just like we would God. Culture Paul says in Romans 11 that God will save some in Israel because most of them were elect by the Patriarchs. Romans 12 says as Christians we are to live as a living sacrifice to Christ, while doing all these thing in love and showing our love to others through service. We as believers are to be humble and serve others with joy, as believers we are to work with others to Christ’s redemptive work. Christ is merciful, righteous, sovereign, and just God. He wants us to love another like he loves the world. Conclusion â€Å"No power in the sky above or in the earth below- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8:39.† It’s so refreshing to know that I can always count on God to love me. Even when I’m unable to love myself God will. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I can have a relationship with God, where and whatever I do, or say or think will never make him not love me. God will always love and be with me no matter what. God wants us to live for him. He also wants us to lead others to him. References New King James Version Bible (NJKB)

Critical Essay by Juda Smith Essay

I think the nether grave is the best story, because it’s very relatable. Majority of kids get bullied and or go through a bad time at least once in their life, so they either find ways to escape it or lie to people about how â€Å"good† their life is so nobody knows how bad it actually it. People connect more with things they can relate too. Fact. But, ‘†A Sound of Thunder† is a better story that can be classified as science fiction because it has something to do with time travel, dinosaurs, and history. â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† fits into the science fiction category because it’s based on time travel, dinosaurs ruling the Earth, and staying on the correct path so he doesn’t â€Å"change the course of history†. Those are all science related things so that’s the science part. It’s fiction because its fact but science related. No one can go back in time or change the course of history that’s where the fict ion comes into play. In the story â€Å"nether grave† it’s harder to classify it as science fiction, because it’s not like it has something to do with time travel or dinosaurs, but it does have to do with gaming and leaving behind his own life to be a jaguar in a video game life. It does have to with people and how their life effects their life decisions which is science. It’s fiction because people can’t trade in their bad life to be in a video game. In the story â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† he uses sensory imagery, which uses very descriptive words to evoke images of sight, sounds, feelings, touch, and smells. In the first line, the protagonist swallows and they tell us about the â€Å"muscles around his mouth† and he waves his hand, while in the background there comes a â€Å"sound like a gigantic bonfire.† In the story the nethergrave it was hard to tell you were in another world because of the lack of detail. They didn’t give you a time period too, so there isn’t really to relate to besides the fact that it’s about a boy who uses his computer to hide and lie about his life. The theme in the story â€Å"A sound of thunder† you have to stay on the correct path in life or it will go all wrong. The plans you thought you had will change and everything will be challenging and hard. In the stor y the â€Å"Nether grave†, the theme of the story I believe it is when you feel like your life is bad, don’t go on trying to hide what’s going on. I think the first story has the best theme â€Å"A sound of thunder† because it is true. If you don’t stay on the correct paths of life and associate yourself with good people, your life and plans  can all change. You can’t have the both of best worlds.

Parables Of The Bible Essays - Gospel Of John, Apocalypticists

Parables Of The Bible Essays - Gospel Of John, Apocalypticists Parables Of The Bible PARABLES OF THE BIBLE : Lazarus, come forth! When God wrote the Bible He wrote to us from His point of view. However, when we read things, we have a tendency to look at what we read through rose colored glasses. If we take off those glasses and look at things through God's eyes instead, we may see things we really don't like about ourselves. We are corpses, that's what God Himself call us in Eph 2:5, 5:14, and Col 2:13. These are some of the many verses that address our spiritual estate before salvation. God demands we look at the whole Bible in this light and when we do, He then shows us more. Lazarus in Jn 11:1-44 is God's spiritual explanation, a parable, of you and me before salvation and then God's salvation comes. He was dead, he stunk, how much more descriptive does God have to make it, he was a rotting corpse! He could not see, he could not hear, he could not walk, nor think nor speak, nor move on his own, yet Jesus calls him by name and he simply comes forth as he was commanded to do. God then describes a little bit more about Lazarus' death. He was bound with grave clothes. In the literal account of the raising of Lazarus, this is what he was buried in. But it's the spiritual account that teaches us what God sees. Take off those rose colored glasses and look at the account as God wants us to see it, not as we prefer, seeing only a physical miracle performed by God and not looking at the miracle of salvation that this parable teaches us. He didn't have on Christ's robe of righteousness, he wore his own sinful estate (Zec 3:3-5). Once we are saved, God gives us a change of clothes/heart (Eze 36:26) and we now wear Christ's robe of righteousness (Isa 61:10) not our old filthy clothes/sins (Zec 3:4). Loose him. Same word loose used in Mt 16:19; 18:18. He was now freed from the bondage of Satan Lu 13:16. The people were more concerned about his physical death, Jesus spoke about his spiritual death and rebirth in this chapter. He literally raised the dead but it pointed to the spiritual. Not to be funny but Jesus didn't say, Lazarus, open one eye and listen to what I'm offering you. The parable here is one of complete death, no life within at all. Therefore no response. The wicked cannot change on their own Jer 13:23. God choose Lazarus' physical death to show us what He sees inside us when He looks. The point is very straightforward, complete death, no life at all. If you are unsaved, God is telling you that there is not hing you can do on your own to save yourself nor help with your salvation, while unsaved, you don't even know you are as a dead man. God must do everything, including choosing you for salvation. The Gospel call goes out to all mankind, repent. Yet God knows full well that no one will, therefore He did all the work involved with our salvation. This is very fair, no one will be able to say, you never called me to repentance, He did but they would not repent. Ps 19:1-3 all mankind knows, Rom 2:14, 15 all of us know, it is written in our hearts, but our hearts are now wicked, Jer 17:9. No one will have an excuse on Judgment Day. God calls us to Himself. He has already determined who is saved and only those are made alive, they get called and like Lazarus cannot resist, we have no say in our salvation. Looking again at Lazarus, we should now see ourself in his place, we too are dead. What can you do to respond to God when He calls? Nothing. If, as God tells us in Rom 3:11, no one seeks God, we certainly cannot come to Him to start with. (The use of the number 4 in the Lazarus parable; 4 days; points to the universality of the situation, north, east, south, west. Rev 5:9, kindred, tongue, people, nation. Psalm 107:2, God calls His redeemed from all lands,

Laws for Americans Taking Guns Into Canada

Laws for Americans Taking Guns Into Canada Americans taking guns into Canada or transporting guns through Canada  need to know that the Canadian government has- and strictly enforces- zero-tolerance  gun control laws that must be followed by U.S. citizens taking firearms into Canada. Most problems arise from Americans simply forgetting they have a handgun with them when crossing the border. This happens most often to Americans from states which allow their citizens to carry concealed weapons. Failure to declare any firearm will result in the confiscation and probably the destruction of the weapon. A fine will be assessed and jail is a possibility. In general, Americans are allowed to bring up to three allowed guns into Canada as long as the proper forms are filled out and fees paid. Guns must be declared at the border crossing. Even when guns are declared and the proper forms are completed, Canadian border service officers require travelers to prove they have a valid reason for bringing a firearm into the nation. In addition, the border officers will check to ensure that all firearms are safely stored for transportation and that the guns actually being transported match those described in the declaration documents. Minimum Age Only people age 18 years or older are allowed to bring firearms into Canada. While persons younger than 18 may use a firearm in Canada under certain circumstances, an adult must be present and will be held legally responsible for the firearm and its use. The Canadian Non-Resident Firearms Declaration U.S. citizens bringing firearms into Canada, or taking firearms through Canada to Alaska are required to fill out a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration (Form CAFC 909 EF). The form must be presented in triplicate, unsigned, to a Canadian customs officer at the travelers first point of entry into Canada. Remember, the customs officer must witness the signature, so do not sign the form beforehand. Persons bringing more than three firearms into Canada will also need to complete a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Continuation Sheet (form RCMP 5590). Once it has been approved by the Canadian customs officer, the Non-Resident Firearms Declaration is valid for 60 days. The confirmed form acts as a license for the owner and as a temporary registration certificate for the firearms brought to Canada. The declaration can be renewed for free, providing it is renewed before it expires, by contacting the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) (call 1-800-731-4000) of the relevant Canadian province or territory. A confirmed Non-Resident Firearms Declaration costs a flat fee of $25, regardless of the number of firearms listed on it. It is valid only for the person who signs it and only for those firearms listed on the declaration. Once the Non-Resident Firearms Declaration has been approved by the CBSA customs officer, the declaration acts as a license for the owner and it is valid for 60 days. For visits longer than 60 days, declarations can be renewed for free, providing they are renewed before they expire, by contacting the Chief Firearms Officer of the relevant province or territory. Persons bringing firearms into Canada must also comply with Canadian Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms regulations. The Canadian customs officer at the point of entry can inform firearms owners of these regulations. Firearms Allowed, Restricted, and Prohibited Approval of the Non-Resident Firearms Declaration allows only standard rifles and shotguns commonly used for hunting and target shooting to be transported into or through Canada. Handguns with at least 4-inch barrels are considered restricted firearms and are allowed in Canada, but require the completion an approval of an Application for an Authorization to Transport Restricted Firearms. This Non-Resident Firearm Declaration costs $50 Canadian. Handguns with barrels shorter than 4-inches, fully automatic, converted automatics, and assault-type weapons are prohibited and not allowed in Canada. In addition, certain knives, even those used for hunting and fishing, may be considered prohibited weapons by Canadian officials. Other Things You Need to Know In all cases, travelers must declare to Canadian Customs authorities any firearms and weapons in their possession when entering Canada. There are often facilities near border crossings where weapons may be stored, pending the travelers return to the United States, but this should be done before attempting to enter Canada. Canadian law requires that officials seize firearms and weapons from persons crossing the border who deny having them in their possession. Seized firearms and weapons are never returned. By far the easiest way to transport firearms is to have them crated and shipped to your destination via a commercial carrier.

Alan Klein Sugarball

More importantly, Klein asserts, baseball is uniquely American in how it has spread to other nations and dominates the game elsewhere.   It has the largest and strongest organization, the richest teams, largest fan base, most lucrative broadcasting and advertising contracts, and most extensive networks for scouting and player development. Baseball’s presence in the Dominican Republic (among the western hemisphere’s poorest nations) is also uniquely American because, as with other aspects of American culture, it was brought there as American domination spread throughout the Caribbean American interests assumed control of the Dominican economy. However, unlike other American corporations, Major League Baseball did not provoke widespread, unmitigated resentment, but is for the most part supported by the nation’s people.   In addition, the methods long used to scout and sign Dominican ballplayers is similarly dubious and rifer with duplicity; Klein calls their methods â€Å"so reminiscent of those of the West African slave traders of three centuries earlier† (42). In terms of the game itself, the rules and style in each are generally the same, and while Dominicans play the game with an intensity equal with Americans, their approach to other aspects of baseball are more casual, reflecting that society’s leniency and lax approach to time.   While Dominican players play as hard as their American teammates and opponents, they embrace a much more casual attitude toward time, frequently showing up late for meetings or practice unless specifically required to be punctual.   In addition, they tend to be more exuberant and unrestrained; playing the game seriously is not equated with a somber demeanor. Most of the differences lie off the field, particularly in the atmosphere of a stadium on game day.   The fan culture is radically different; where American fans are more restrained, often get to games on time, and can sometimes be confrontational with other fans, Dominican fans are generally louder, more physically and temperamentally relaxed, more effusive (even with strangers), and, despite the demonstrative body language and shouting shown in arguments, there is far less violence than at an American ballgame. Klein attributes this to the fact that â€Å"[Dominican fans] are far more social than North Americans, more in tune with human frailty.   Because they see so much human vulnerability, because they are closer to the margins of life, they are more likely to resist the urge to bully and harm† (148). Economic power essentially defines the relationship between American and Dominican baseball, because Major League Baseball develops and signs much of the local Dominican talent, leaving the Dominican professional league and amateur ranks underdeveloped and subordinate to the North American teams who establish baseball academies and working agreements with Dominican teams. Since 1955, when the major leagues established working agreements with Dominican professional clubs (and, more significantly, eliminated the â€Å"color line† that prevented most Dominicans, who are predominantly mulatto, from playing), American baseball has shown its hegemony over its Dominican counterpart, turning the latter into a virtual colony by taking its raw resources and giving back very little in return.   Klein comments: â€Å"The lure of cheap, abundant talent in the Dominican Republic led American teams to establish a more substantial presence there . . . [and the] bonds between American and Dominican baseball came increasingly to resemble other economic and political relations between the two countries† (36). Klein writes that most Dominicans accept American dominance of their baseball, adding that â€Å"whereas giants such as Falconbridge and GTE are resented, major league teams are largely supported† (2), mainly because Dominican players have such a notable presence and bring positive attention to their impoverished homeland.   This support is by no means unconditional, though; they steadfastly refuse to approach the game with American businesslike gravitas; instead, they treat the game itself somewhat like Carnival, with joy coexisting alongside energetic, intense play. Resistance appears in the way Dominican players relax at home, interacting more freely with fans, who themselves resist American baseball’s decorum by being themselves and creating a festive, effusive, Carnival-like atmosphere.   According to Klein, â€Å"The game remains American in structure, but its setting is Dominican and it has become infused with Dominican values† (149).   Indeed, the park fosters a microcosm of Dominican society, particularly its impoverished economy, and unlike the more slick American baseball business, it does not exclude its marginal activities. In addition to the paid vendors and park employees within the stadium, an illicit economy flourishes both within and on the outside, with self-appointed â€Å"car watchers,† vendors, and ushers (adults and children alike) plying their trade for small fees, and bookmakers work openly, often in the presence of the police, who turn a blind eye to most illegal activity aside from the rare fight. Dominican baseball’s symbolic significance is not a sense of the pastoral heritage, like some in America interpret it; instead, it reflects Dominicans’ sense of themselves being dominated by the United States, and offers a symbolic outlet for striking back. In his preface, Klein writes: â€Å"The tensions between a batter who has two strikes against him and the opposing pitcher are a metaphor for the political and cultural tensions described in this book† (xi).   Indeed, the Dominican republic’s deeply entrenched poverty and long domination by foreign powers give it a feeling of vulnerability and compel its people to seek some means of besting the dominant power – if not politically or economically, then at least athletically. At the start of the book, Klein states that â€Å"every turn at bat is a candle of hope, every swing is the wave of a banner, the sweeping arc of a sword† (1).   Indeed, when a Dominican reaches the major leagues and excels, it is not merely an athletic success story but a symbolic invasion and conquest of the conqueror’s territory.   (The United States twice occupied the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century, an ever-present fact in Dominicans’ minds.) Also, the atmosphere in the crowd of a Dominican professional game serves as the country’s symbolic assertion of its culture in the face of American dominance.   At Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya Stadium, one witnesses â€Å"a mass spectacle that makes simultaneous use of American and Dominican elements. . . . [Baseball] at Quisqueya embodies many of the things that North Americans find blameworthy in Dominican culture – lateness, overly casual behavior, inefficiency.   But the Dominicans see these characteristics as a source of pride, and they take their game seriously† (150). The Dominican baseball press is a source of more open resistance; says Klein, â€Å"the press has inadvertently created a Latino universe of discourse, one in which North Americans are conspicuously absent† (127).   Its journalists display an obvious bias by devoting so much attention to Dominicans in the major leagues that one hardly knows other nationalities even participate. In addition, Dominican baseball writers openly blame Dominican baseball’s problems on American control, protesting a skewed economic relationship that mirrors the larger political and economic imbalance.   They promote much of the public’s pride, says Klein, but that pride is â€Å"tempered by the view that Dominican baseball is still an adjunct to the American game† (121).   Dominican resistance is thus aimed at countering this uncomfortable fact. In baseball terms, American culture interacts with Dominican culture by treating it with some degree of condescension and insensitivity.   Many American baseball professionals are impatient with Dominicans’ loose sense of time, quickly deeming Latino players uncoachable â€Å"head cases,† without looking at the cultural differences. Among Dominicans, says Klein, â€Å"There is none of the regimentation, guardedness, and nervous tension that characterizes players in the United States.   North American managers must take this looseness into account when they go to the Caribbean, for the players’ conception of the game and of time is as elastic as that of other Dominicans† (148). Despite the United States’ long domination of the Dominican Republic, the small nation’s people feel less anger than a mixture of muted resentment and aspiration to attain American material prosperity and stability, which for most are a distant, unreachable ideal.   Thus, when Dominican ballplayers reach the major leagues, their large salaries represent a sort of victory and source of immense pride for the small island nation.   Says Klein, â€Å"Much as archeological treasures attest to a rich Dominican past, salaries attest to the present† (128). Klein’s study pays keen attention not only to Dominican history but also to the ways in which Dominicans embrace this imported sport but also use their prowess to offer their own subtle response to American political and economic dominance.   The dynamic he describes illustrates not only American hegemony, but also how subordinated peoples’ identity and spirit can thrive even in the face of foreign domination. Klein, Alan M.   Sugarball.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991. Alan Klein Sugarball More importantly, Klein asserts, baseball is uniquely American in how it has spread to other nations and dominates the game elsewhere.   It has the largest and strongest organization, the richest teams, largest fan base, most lucrative broadcasting and advertising contracts, and most extensive networks for scouting and player development. Baseball’s presence in the Dominican Republic (among the western hemisphere’s poorest nations) is also uniquely American because, as with other aspects of American culture, it was brought there as American domination spread throughout the Caribbean American interests assumed control of the Dominican economy. However, unlike other American corporations, Major League Baseball did not provoke widespread, unmitigated resentment, but is for the most part supported by the nation’s people.   In addition, the methods long used to scout and sign Dominican ballplayers is similarly dubious and rifer with duplicity; Klein calls their methods â€Å"so reminiscent of those of the West African slave traders of three centuries earlier† (42). In terms of the game itself, the rules and style in each are generally the same, and while Dominicans play the game with an intensity equal with Americans, their approach to other aspects of baseball are more casual, reflecting that society’s leniency and lax approach to time.   While Dominican players play as hard as their American teammates and opponents, they embrace a much more casual attitude toward time, frequently showing up late for meetings or practice unless specifically required to be punctual.   In addition, they tend to be more exuberant and unrestrained; playing the game seriously is not equated with a somber demeanor. Most of the differences lie off the field, particularly in the atmosphere of a stadium on game day.   The fan culture is radically different; where American fans are more restrained, often get to games on time, and can sometimes be confrontational with other fans, Dominican fans are generally louder, more physically and temperamentally relaxed, more effusive (even with strangers), and, despite the demonstrative body language and shouting shown in arguments, there is far less violence than at an American ballgame. Klein attributes this to the fact that â€Å"[Dominican fans] are far more social than North Americans, more in tune with human frailty.   Because they see so much human vulnerability, because they are closer to the margins of life, they are more likely to resist the urge to bully and harm† (148). Economic power essentially defines the relationship between American and Dominican baseball, because Major League Baseball develops and signs much of the local Dominican talent, leaving the Dominican professional league and amateur ranks underdeveloped and subordinate to the North American teams who establish baseball academies and working agreements with Dominican teams. Since 1955, when the major leagues established working agreements with Dominican professional clubs (and, more significantly, eliminated the â€Å"color line† that prevented most Dominicans, who are predominantly mulatto, from playing), American baseball has shown its hegemony over its Dominican counterpart, turning the latter into a virtual colony by taking its raw resources and giving back very little in return.   Klein comments: â€Å"The lure of cheap, abundant talent in the Dominican Republic led American teams to establish a more substantial presence there . . . [and the] bonds between American and Dominican baseball came increasingly to resemble other economic and political relations between the two countries† (36). Klein writes that most Dominicans accept American dominance of their baseball, adding that â€Å"whereas giants such as Falconbridge and GTE are resented, major league teams are largely supported† (2), mainly because Dominican players have such a notable presence and bring positive attention to their impoverished homeland.   This support is by no means unconditional, though; they steadfastly refuse to approach the game with American businesslike gravitas; instead, they treat the game itself somewhat like Carnival, with joy coexisting alongside energetic, intense play. Resistance appears in the way Dominican players relax at home, interacting more freely with fans, who themselves resist American baseball’s decorum by being themselves and creating a festive, effusive, Carnival-like atmosphere.   According to Klein, â€Å"The game remains American in structure, but its setting is Dominican and it has become infused with Dominican values† (149).   Indeed, the park fosters a microcosm of Dominican society, particularly its impoverished economy, and unlike the more slick American baseball business, it does not exclude its marginal activities. In addition to the paid vendors and park employees within the stadium, an illicit economy flourishes both within and on the outside, with self-appointed â€Å"car watchers,† vendors, and ushers (adults and children alike) plying their trade for small fees, and bookmakers work openly, often in the presence of the police, who turn a blind eye to most illegal activity aside from the rare fight. Dominican baseball’s symbolic significance is not a sense of the pastoral heritage, like some in America interpret it; instead, it reflects Dominicans’ sense of themselves being dominated by the United States, and offers a symbolic outlet for striking back. In his preface, Klein writes: â€Å"The tensions between a batter who has two strikes against him and the opposing pitcher are a metaphor for the political and cultural tensions described in this book† (xi).   Indeed, the Dominican republic’s deeply entrenched poverty and long domination by foreign powers give it a feeling of vulnerability and compel its people to seek some means of besting the dominant power – if not politically or economically, then at least athletically. At the start of the book, Klein states that â€Å"every turn at bat is a candle of hope, every swing is the wave of a banner, the sweeping arc of a sword† (1).   Indeed, when a Dominican reaches the major leagues and excels, it is not merely an athletic success story but a symbolic invasion and conquest of the conqueror’s territory.   (The United States twice occupied the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century, an ever-present fact in Dominicans’ minds.) Also, the atmosphere in the crowd of a Dominican professional game serves as the country’s symbolic assertion of its culture in the face of American dominance.   At Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya Stadium, one witnesses â€Å"a mass spectacle that makes simultaneous use of American and Dominican elements. . . . [Baseball] at Quisqueya embodies many of the things that North Americans find blameworthy in Dominican culture – lateness, overly casual behavior, inefficiency.   But the Dominicans see these characteristics as a source of pride, and they take their game seriously† (150). The Dominican baseball press is a source of more open resistance; says Klein, â€Å"the press has inadvertently created a Latino universe of discourse, one in which North Americans are conspicuously absent† (127).   Its journalists display an obvious bias by devoting so much attention to Dominicans in the major leagues that one hardly knows other nationalities even participate. In addition, Dominican baseball writers openly blame Dominican baseball’s problems on American control, protesting a skewed economic relationship that mirrors the larger political and economic imbalance.   They promote much of the public’s pride, says Klein, but that pride is â€Å"tempered by the view that Dominican baseball is still an adjunct to the American game† (121).   Dominican resistance is thus aimed at countering this uncomfortable fact. In baseball terms, American culture interacts with Dominican culture by treating it with some degree of condescension and insensitivity.   Many American baseball professionals are impatient with Dominicans’ loose sense of time, quickly deeming Latino players uncoachable â€Å"head cases,† without looking at the cultural differences. Among Dominicans, says Klein, â€Å"There is none of the regimentation, guardedness, and nervous tension that characterizes players in the United States.   North American managers must take this looseness into account when they go to the Caribbean, for the players’ conception of the game and of time is as elastic as that of other Dominicans† (148). Despite the United States’ long domination of the Dominican Republic, the small nation’s people feel less anger than a mixture of muted resentment and aspiration to attain American material prosperity and stability, which for most are a distant, unreachable ideal.   Thus, when Dominican ballplayers reach the major leagues, their large salaries represent a sort of victory and source of immense pride for the small island nation.   Says Klein, â€Å"Much as archeological treasures attest to a rich Dominican past, salaries attest to the present† (128). Klein’s study pays keen attention not only to Dominican history but also to the ways in which Dominicans embrace this imported sport but also use their prowess to offer their own subtle response to American political and economic dominance.   The dynamic he describes illustrates not only American hegemony, but also how subordinated peoples’ identity and spirit can thrive even in the face of foreign domination. Klein, Alan M.   Sugarball.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991.

The Future of the Euro zone and U.S. Interests Case Study

The Future of the Euro zone and U.S. Interests - Case Study Example With the threat of default the markets started in claiming exaggerated interest rates against their bonds. This grave concern entailed enormous risks and uncertainties enthralled to the banking system of Europe and simultaneously the viability of the euro. The staggered growth in the Euro zone with mild recessionary forecasts in 2012 leads to the enhanced problems in the banking systems. One of the significant causes of the crisis results from the loopholes in the architecture of the currency union along with the fact that EMU provides a provision for a common central banking structure. The weak enforcement of the dynamic fiscal discipline resulted in the rising of the public debt in some of the Euro zone countries. Trapped in the euro, the individual members find it difficult in inflating their way out of the huge public debt or make an endeavor in devaluing their currency in order to make their exports more competitive in the trading platform (Ahearn et al, 2012). The paper will se ek the problems faced by the US corporations in Greece in accordance with the euro zone debt crisis and will focus on the case study approach involving analysis which will direct towards the policy implication paradigm which will state that whether the US corporations along with their joint ventures will withdraw from Greece or not. Adverse signaling starting with Greece and the present situation The Euro zone crisis began in early 2010 at a juncture when the financial markets were jeopardized with its herald in Greece. Fears generated and signaled that the default in Greece was an adverse indicator for other Euro zone countries. There was delayed response from the stabilization policies for the renewal of the crisis period. Extended negotiations resulted in the intervention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2010 in supplying a fund of â‚ ¬110 billion loan for Greece along with a wider stabilization fund booster for the other Euro Zone countries for the requirement of t he loans. In a quite recent European Union (EU) summit on December 8-9, 2011, the leaders of the European Union declared a jolt of new policy measures which included fiscal compact as well as bilateral lines of credit from the European countries to the IMF for addressing the critical position of the Euro Zone Crisis (Ahearn et al, 2012, p.1). Threats for the US corporations A very serious concern which crept up among the United States (US) is that the aftermath of a sovereign debt by Greece or the massive collapse of any European financial institutions was forecasted with the wave of credit freeze-ups in to the US resulting in the devastations in the US stock market and the economy. Another additional concern of the United States is regarding the staggering down of the Euro zone economy with the depreciation of the euro which will in turn affect the exports of the United States and hence the earnings of the companies of the US companies (Ahearn et al, 2012, p. 3) . Possible frontier s of the Euro zone crisis The Euro zone crisis is thought to have severe effects on the US economic and political interests in varied ways. One of the major concerns in the US is that a sovereign default by Greece or the breakdown of the financial institu

Is the Disneyised M&M's World better than M&M's typical McDonaldized Research Paper

Is the Disneyised M&M's World better than M&M's typical McDonaldized selling place - Research Paper Example There are two varying approaches that have prompted the development of the two theories of McDonaldization and Disneyification. If M&Ms World adopts a McDonaldized space branding, then it stands to benefit massively from the great features exposed by the theory. Both Disney and McDonalds have distinct space where people, interact and experience life by consideration of the exterior and interior. McDonalds have a welcoming big letter â€Å"M† that creates a nostalgic remembrance day after viewing it. The color yellow is very lively and attractive. The letter can be seen very miles away. The distinctive creates a lovable exterior characterization for McDonalds. Many McDonald’s outlets have adopted the use of cartoons resembling who are in joyful modes. Many people are most likely to be attracted by jovial pictures of the cartoon. The cartoon is normally adorned in merrymaking in fanciful attires. Most commonly are red muffin, red, white stripped long –sleeve T-shirt and a yellow overall. The exterior design of the most McDonalds outlets is very attractive, in essence. McDonaldized M&Ms World building or space design is likely to resemble the emblematic McDonald design. McDonalds interior has excellent lighting system with trademark design letter ‘†M† inside their building. Most of them are characteristic in nature reveling esthetic and adorable artwork. McDonalds has great architecture and space design exposing welcoming features to the clients. The great number of clients visiting its outlets indicates the extents of comfort and love they have for the space design done by them. Another notable factor about the McDonalds outlets is the spacious regions left for the clients in the facilitation of free movement of the clients. They also have excellent use of light paint colors that pro perly motivate clients since they are very attractive. On contrary, Disneyification of M&Ms World means adoption

My History about a Guard in the Mall Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

My History about a Guard in the Mall - Essay Example The guard looked like part of the furniture by virtue of his immobility. He was an inch or two shies of six feet and had a ruddy face. However, I could only see an outline of his nose and chin as he was not facing my direction. He had which I thought contrasted to his military style hair cut. On his head, he had blond crossly cropped like soldiers would be. He had on a well-starched blue short sleeved shirt and a pair of pants made of the same material. He had regulation boots, but it was the way he positioned his feet that made my neck snap up from my examination. From where I sat, I could tell his right shoe was clearly more buffed than the right one. I tried to play Sherlock Holmes and looked to see if he held his baton with his left hand. He did his holster was on the same side, so I concluded he was right-handed. He lifted up his face to examine something in the distance somewhere across the door his eyes were blue, and he had exceptionally busy eyebrows, which were not quite as brown as his hair. His eyes had a faraway look like a sailor trying to spy a distance inland from the deep sea. I wondered if he had been in the navy, and he seemed to be staring at a point far in the horizon even in an enclosed mall where there was not much of a horizon. His hands, which had shifted the baton to a peg on his belt, they were big pinkish callused hands which could have seen hard labor in the past. The fingernails on his left hand looked like they had been chewed on rather on rather than clipped. He stood with his feet apart, and this seemed to give him an element of stability as well as size. When he stood there, with his feet aside his hands constantly felt at his pockets area.  

Analysis of Zircon Cars Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Analysis of Zircon Cars Company - Essay Example The essay "Analysis of Zircon Cars Company" analyzes if it is profitable to acquire the Korean Composites Company as Zircon Cars is contemplating on reducing its production costs. The diversification finance concept dictates it is advantageous to invest in several market segments, including investing in the new Korean fibre body shell market segment. On market’s profitability will reduce the risk of losses in another market. The above table 6 shows the combined financial report for two segments. The combined report is based on the 2016 accounting period. The United Kingdom is one of the chosen Zircon Cars market segments. The United Kingdom Zircon Cars market segment sales is  £113,100,000 and the Korean Composites global fibre body shell market segment generated 48,140,000,000 Korean Won Currency amount. The conversion or translation of the Korean currency to the United Kingdom currency, British Pound. The sales amount of the Korean Composites Company for 2016 is  £28,407,548.59. Combining the 2016 accounting period sales of both the Zircon Cars’ United Kingdom market segment and the Korean company’s sales, the total sales figure is  £141,507,548.59. Also the United Kingdom Zircon Cars market segment income before tax deduction is  £ 22,857,510 and the Korean Composites global fibre body shell market segment produced 9,621,706,787.40 Korean Won Currency amount income before tax deduction amount. There is the same conversion of the Korean currency to the United Kingdom currency, British Pound.

Ocado Supermarket Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ocado Supermarket - Assignment Example 1997). By rewarding orders from a devoted warehouse, we can demonstrate almost live inventory on our webshop, enabling customers to decide from an assortment of groceries that are in fact in stock. By using exclusive logistics software and satellite direction-finding systems in our vans, we strive to deliver the correct goods at the right time (Rotorua, 1988). But what makes us truthfully divergent is the quality of our people. Everybody who works at Ocado has a liability to discover an improved way to do things. They use widespread sense instead of corporate manuals and, in all cases; they care enough to try to make a disparity. Ideally they would create from scratch, avoiding all the legacy issues of a customary business. Then business people would build a brand new service completely around your customers' requirements. They had made sure this service distribute Waitrose quality groceries, straight to customers' doors in the majority dependable way possible. They had staff that company by the brightest people in the industry and approve them to look following their customers (Rotorua, 1988). That is precisely what they have tried to do. We do make mistakes but we be familiar with they are changing people's habits with the magnificent expediency of being able to get what they want, when they want it. They have built this business to address the desires of busy people in the 21st Century, with no compromising on the devotion to customer care and service that people miss from the past (Cotterill, P.P. 1989, Pp. 36-42). If we analyzed then we come to know that Ocado was launched in corporation by Waitrose in January 2002 and their service is now obtainable to over 13.5 million household's crossways the South East, the Midlands, the North West and other lately the South Coast. If they register by Ocado they will even contact customer area. They will approximately surely know somebody who has shopped with Ocado. Ocado really can make dissimilarity Exceptional service Magnificent Waitrose food Extraordinary order accuracy Handy one-hour delivery slots Best website in the land No doubt, for Six Sigma to work in your service and deal areas, it is necessary that it is straight associated to customer contentment. Though Ocado do not use Six Sigma themselves, customer's imminent remains pertinent for Six Sigma professionals and anybody for whom excellence is key in today's business type of weather, as Ocado face near-identical confront. As the online grocery service operational in company by Waitrose, Ocado have become famed for their strange approach of putting customer service at the heart of their business strategy from their launch two years ago. Hear how the company has attained (Ocado environmental Report): - Buy-in crossways all company functions to the strategy of enchantment the customer - Management maintain for prioritising quality and service delivery higher than all else - Support for the business case for such a philosophy and the more resources that were

My History about a Guard in the Mall Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

My History about a Guard in the Mall - Essay Example The guard looked like part of the furniture by virtue of his immobility. He was an inch or two shies of six feet and had a ruddy face. However, I could only see an outline of his nose and chin as he was not facing my direction. He had which I thought contrasted to his military style hair cut. On his head, he had blond crossly cropped like soldiers would be. He had on a well-starched blue short sleeved shirt and a pair of pants made of the same material. He had regulation boots, but it was the way he positioned his feet that made my neck snap up from my examination. From where I sat, I could tell his right shoe was clearly more buffed than the right one. I tried to play Sherlock Holmes and looked to see if he held his baton with his left hand. He did his holster was on the same side, so I concluded he was right-handed. He lifted up his face to examine something in the distance somewhere across the door his eyes were blue, and he had exceptionally busy eyebrows, which were not quite as brown as his hair. His eyes had a faraway look like a sailor trying to spy a distance inland from the deep sea. I wondered if he had been in the navy, and he seemed to be staring at a point far in the horizon even in an enclosed mall where there was not much of a horizon. His hands, which had shifted the baton to a peg on his belt, they were big pinkish callused hands which could have seen hard labor in the past. The fingernails on his left hand looked like they had been chewed on rather on rather than clipped. He stood with his feet apart, and this seemed to give him an element of stability as well as size. When he stood there, with his feet aside his hands constantly felt at his pockets area.  

Ocado Supermarket Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ocado Supermarket - Assignment Example 1997). By rewarding orders from a devoted warehouse, we can demonstrate almost live inventory on our webshop, enabling customers to decide from an assortment of groceries that are in fact in stock. By using exclusive logistics software and satellite direction-finding systems in our vans, we strive to deliver the correct goods at the right time (Rotorua, 1988). But what makes us truthfully divergent is the quality of our people. Everybody who works at Ocado has a liability to discover an improved way to do things. They use widespread sense instead of corporate manuals and, in all cases; they care enough to try to make a disparity. Ideally they would create from scratch, avoiding all the legacy issues of a customary business. Then business people would build a brand new service completely around your customers' requirements. They had made sure this service distribute Waitrose quality groceries, straight to customers' doors in the majority dependable way possible. They had staff that company by the brightest people in the industry and approve them to look following their customers (Rotorua, 1988). That is precisely what they have tried to do. We do make mistakes but we be familiar with they are changing people's habits with the magnificent expediency of being able to get what they want, when they want it. They have built this business to address the desires of busy people in the 21st Century, with no compromising on the devotion to customer care and service that people miss from the past (Cotterill, P.P. 1989, Pp. 36-42). If we analyzed then we come to know that Ocado was launched in corporation by Waitrose in January 2002 and their service is now obtainable to over 13.5 million household's crossways the South East, the Midlands, the North West and other lately the South Coast. If they register by Ocado they will even contact customer area. They will approximately surely know somebody who has shopped with Ocado. Ocado really can make dissimilarity Exceptional service Magnificent Waitrose food Extraordinary order accuracy Handy one-hour delivery slots Best website in the land No doubt, for Six Sigma to work in your service and deal areas, it is necessary that it is straight associated to customer contentment. Though Ocado do not use Six Sigma themselves, customer's imminent remains pertinent for Six Sigma professionals and anybody for whom excellence is key in today's business type of weather, as Ocado face near-identical confront. As the online grocery service operational in company by Waitrose, Ocado have become famed for their strange approach of putting customer service at the heart of their business strategy from their launch two years ago. Hear how the company has attained (Ocado environmental Report): - Buy-in crossways all company functions to the strategy of enchantment the customer - Management maintain for prioritising quality and service delivery higher than all else - Support for the business case for such a philosophy and the more resources that were

European Politics Essay Example for Free

European Politics Essay Not long after taking office as President, Nicolas Sarkozy initiated a bold agenda of sweeping governmental and economic reform which enflamed controversy and engendered violent confrontation within the French government and among the French population regarding both the state of economic parity within French society, and Frances role in a swiftly changing global-political climate. Sarkozy, a former member of the National Assembly, a two-time appointee as Minister of the Interior, and a past President of the UMP, rose to prominence as a widely popular (and also widely unpopular) figure in the conservative wing of French politics. Although Sarkozys personal and romantic life as well as his financial dealings and his public image have all fallen under the intense scrutiny of the French and International media, the most controversial issues associated with President Sarkozy have generally been and continue to be issue and policy oriented. Prior to being elected President, Sarkozy made International news headlines when, as Minister of the Interior, Sarkozy, insisted that Muslim women pose bare-headed for official identity photographs (Scott, 2005), a move which provoked a storm of opposition within France and throughout the globe. However, Sarkozys intentions were even much wider than revealed by his policy regarding identity photos; Sarkozys main recommendation, accepted by Chirac in January 2004, was for a law prohibiting the wearing of ostentatious signs of religious affiliation in public schools. This is now the law of the land (Scott, 2005). Sarkozys record prior to becoming President indicated that he was a man unafraid to pursue a controversial course of action. As president, one of Sarkozys first publically criticized actions was his handling of a Libyan hostage crisis which involved the retrieval of Belgian health-care workers who had been held in Libya. In return for releasing the Belgians, the Libyan dictator Gaddafi was able to gain President Sarkozys signature on a treaty which transferred hundreds of millions of euros, along with important military equipment to Libya. This move was met not only with criticism but with a call for an investigation at the parlimentary level which was requested by the head of the French Socialist Party. Although this single example may seem slight in light of the forthcoming discussion regarding governmental reform and the EU policy on climate change which will form the heart of the present study of Sarkozys administration, the incident is illustrative of the odd duality which seems to stamp itself on many of Sarkozys policies, programs, and initiatives. The duality is one rooted on one side in what many might consider a superficial, yet effective, understanding of public image and political theater; on the other side, it is rooted in what many might call brutally pragmatic economics. Critics of Sarkozy go further than to call the President an economic pragmatist. Many members of Sarkozys own conservative party, the UMP, have criticized the President for being a strong advocate of free-trade while simultaneously backing sweeping reforms in the working-class sector including his â€Å"loi de modernisation de leconomie† (Lawday, 2007), or Modernization of the Economy Law which in addition to relaxing federal restrictions on retail prices and work-regulations, allowed workers who worked over thirty-five hours a week to collect their overtime pay tax-free. If, basically, Sarkozys economic policies reflect a free-market, self-responsibility venture that he claims every advanced country in Europe, from Britain to those in Scandinavia, and lately Germany, has adopted to its advantage (Lawday, 2007) they also reflect an essentially conservative philosophy which stands in odd contrast to Sarkozys iconoclastic image as an agent of change. As one observer phrased it, Sarkozys economic philosophy and national economic program represents not so much novelty as catch-up politics with a conservative twist (Lawday, 2007) and, as such, Sarkozys economic programs include the curbing of labor unions and their power. These aspects of Sarkozys approach to government and economic matters leaves little room for doubt that at least in relation to financial matters the President is a true conservative, although his vision may be, overall, a bit more modern than that which is commonly associated with conservatism, the end-result is the same. Sarkozys economic philosophies are important not only because they impact one of the most crucial sectors of public policy and governmental influence in France the economy but also because they indicate the aforementioned duality of purpose and bearing which seems to stand as part and parcel of Sarkozys political career. If on e the one hand, Sarkozy wanted to amend the 35-hour working week so that it is no longer the reposeful regulation it implies (Lawday, 2007), he also sought to simultaneously force strikers to maintain a minimum service for trains, buses and other public services (Lawday, 2007) and to slice into the bloated state bureaucracy, where the unions are strongest, by permitting one replacement for every two retiring government office workers (Lawday, 2007) while at the same time admitting in the face of the recent global economic crisis that laissez faire capitalism is dead. The economic platform and policies which Sarkozy has advocated indicate that above all else Sarkozy is a pragmatist. This fact is s very useful fact because, by keeping it firmly in mind, a more complete understanding of Sarkozy the politician can be gained. In point of fact, most of what passes for populism in Sarkozys public image is precisely due to his pragmatic approach. His populist reputation as a French nationalist who is for robust immigration reform may collide somewhat uncomfortably with his status as the (rotating) President of the European Union, just as his stand on unions collides with his recent, public statements regarding socialism where Sarkozy responded to the question: have you become a socialist? with the answer Maybe (Lawday, 2007). Sarkozys radicalism which stands in sharp contrasts to his fiscal conservatism and his conservatism on issues such as immigration and unions manifests itself not in ideology, necessarily, but within the framework of his aforementioned pragmatism. In other words, Sarkozy may be a populist to the extent that he adopts positions which will curry favor with French Nationalists, such as the headscarf legislation mentioned at the opening of this paper, he may be a fiscal conservative bent on busting the unions and generating a productive working class base for French society, but in each case his convictions, while arguably difficult to pin down under a single umbrella of ideology, are always enacted by way of robust action. Sarkozy may be many things, but one thing he certainly is not is a dawdler. One of the most illustrative examples of Sarkozys style and substance as a leader, and specifically as the President of France, is his massive reform of French government and the displacement of governmental power. Although as will be demonstrated shorty Sarkozys controversial reforms to French government have the design and purpose of bringing the government into the modern era of global-politics and allowing for a more efficiently run government within France itself, the same reforms have been assailed by Sarkozy;s critics, primarily by the French Socialist party, as being tantamount to instating a dictatorship in France with Sarkozy himself enthroned as dictator. Although the specificities and complexities of Sarkozys reforming of French government pose much too vast a too vast to exhaust within the confines of this short discussion, the overall impact and intention of his reform policies offer profound insight into not Sarkozys ambitions as President but into the potentially radical reshaping of French government as well as Frances relationship to the EU. Before delving into the specifics of the reform legislation, it is useful to remember just how the French Constitution regarded the separation of governmental powers and more importantly what role the President of France was accorded by the Fifth Republics Constitution. Because Sarkozys program of governmental reform offers, as a centerpiece, the apparent expansion of Presidential power and authority, while simultaneously strengthening the role and power of parliament, sorting out the specific angles by which Sarkozy enabled the expansion of Presidential power can be quite difficult to achieve. However, the role of the French President, according to the Fifth Republics Constitution was limited: Article 5 [ ] states that the President ‘Provides by their arbitration for the regular functioning of the public authorities and the continuity of the State’ (Bell, 2000, p. 15), with nothing mentioned about the Presidents own power to legislate. This aspect of the Constitution is the key area by which Sarkozy sought to expand, in the eyes of the anti-reformers, Presidential power. Specifically, the most controversial aspect of the reform-laws was Sarkozys plan to allow the president to address parliament, opening up the possibility of a US State of the Union-style address. That has not been permitted since 1875, in an attempt to keep the executive and legislative branches separate (BBC News), and it is by this seemingly simple move that Sarkozy expanded Presidential authority while simultaneously seeming to limit that same authority. Because the Fifth Republics Constitution calls for the President to function as an arbitrator the American-style Presidency of the President as the leader of the legislature, addressing parliament, becomes a specter of dread to those who view this as an incursion on the Constitutional separation of powers. While it is true that Article 5, which implicitly restricts the Presidency, has been a subject of controversy (Bell, 2000, p. 15), Sarkozys expansion of Presidential authority has proven to be even more divisive. Sarkozys plan to rewrite the Fifth Republics Constitution represents the two primary aspects of his governing style which have formed the roots of the current discussion; these aspects are his inherent conservatism and his obvious pragmatism. The reform legislation introduced radical, pragmatic steps toward affecting sweeping change in France and rewrote the French Constitution, but while Sarkozy verbalized his assurances that the reforms represented Movement, change, modernity,' (BBC News) as well as a victory for French democracy, the same reforms also contributed to the strengthening of Presidential authority and resulted in a divided parliament with Sarkozys reform bill passing by 539 votes to 357 one vote more than the three-fifths majority of the combined Assembly and Senate required to pass the reforms BBC News), so if strengthening democracy was Sarkozys intention, his initial result was to divide the parliament and pass a sweeping reform to the French Constitution with next-to-no consensus. This fact in itself would seem to confirm the trepidation regarding his proposed reforms (now law) which engulfed his detractors in parliament. One of these detractors, Socialist senator Bernard Frimat told lawmakers before t he vote at a special session at the Chateau of Versailles (BBC News) that Sarkozy had offered a consolidation of monocracy, (BBC News) but Sarkozy, always careful to play to populist ideas and ideals, counter-weighted the expansion of Presidential authority with corresponding limits and restrictions on the French Presidency. The reform laws while strengthening the Presidents role in the legislature also limit the President to two five year terms, gives parliament a veto over some presidential appointments, ends government control over parliaments committee system, allows parliament to set its own agenda, and ends the presidents right of collective pardon (BBC News). Seemingly, by these latter reforms, Sarkozy was interested in limiting not expanding the powers of the French President; however the telling point of the reform laws as they relate to the French Presidency lies within the mere expansion of the Presidents role as a lawmaker rather than, as the Fifth Republics Constitution advocated, a a neutral ‘umpire’ who has three principal tasks: i) to see that the Constitution is respected; ii) to ‘arbitrate’ to ensure the continuity of the state; iii) to be vigilant on the issues of national independence, territorial integrity and the respect for treaties (Bell, 2000, p. 16). Sarkozys vision of the President and the reform legislation he was able to enact to realize this vision stands in direct opposition to Article 5 of the French Constitution. Sarkozys radical pragmatism extends beyond the parameters and confines of French domestic issues into the realm of International affairs. As the acting President of the European Union, Sarkozy has applied a similarly hands on approach to issues of international importance such as climate change. As illustrated by Sarkozys reform legislation and the somewhat concealed agenda therein which provided for the expansion of Presidential authority, Sarkozy seems to have adopted a similar approach to his position as EU President. On the topic of global warming and climate change, Sarkozy has proven to be as pragmatic and as forceful as he was on the issues of crime, immigration, and government reform in France. At the thirty-third summit of the G8, Sarkozy offered a plan to reduce French CO2 emissions by half and what followed was the adoption of this concept by the G8 nations as a whole. Although the agreement which was reached at the summit was non-binding, Sarkozys lead enabled the G8 nations to put forth a collective plan to cut in half the global emissions of greenhouse gasses. Sarkozy continued to push for a binding agreement, but his efforts proved futile. Nevertheless, his approach to the issue of climate change represented, as his approach to governmental reform. a pragmatic and comprehensive approach to a hard problem. Of interest is the fact that the binding agreement regarding greenhouse gas emissions was apparently blocked by the United States with its President, George W, Bush, citing the refusal of third-world nations to also enter into the agreement. Responding tot his obstacle, Sarkozy turned his efforts not toward America or the Third World, but to China, utilizing his status as EU President to put forward a comprehensive and progressive energy policy which included a collaborative effort with the Chinese. Sarkozys successful brokering of a deal on energy adn climate change between the EU adn China marks one of the most important accomplishments of his pragmatic and often radical approach to governing. It is due to this combination of tenacity and creativity that Sarkozy has evolved from a controversial cabinet member in the French government known mostly for being a strong conservative to an actor on the world stage who seems to be equal parts populist and conservative. It is, perhaps, not necessary, to understand which of the aspects, conservative or populist is dominant in Sarkozy, it is possibly not even that important to understand, at a personal, human level, which aspect represents more honestly Sarkozys own world-view. While some observers may claim that Sarkozys populism is merely a smokescreen to conceal his ambitious moves toward a consolidation of personal power, others may claim, with good reason, that Sarkozys populism represents a genuine attempt to represent the global sea-change which has currently cast global economics and world-affairs into an ambiguous and dangerous place. No matter which of these perspectives lies closer to the objective truth of Sarkozy the man, the result of Sarkozys actions as a world-leader will involve much more than a consideration of President Sarkozys motives. One of the most compelling aspects of Sarkozy as a world leader is his simultaneous insistence of modernity while maintaining an acute, almost reverential, respect for the past. Like the other dualities apparent in Sarkozys governing style adn thinking style, this duality of past vs. future manifest, in Sarkozy, not as an abstract idealogy but in pragmatic application. In addition to his highly controversial reforms in regard to economics, government, unions, immigration, and climate change, Sarkozy has also generated a great deal of controversy regarding his position of cultural subjects and education in France. While seeming to be a strong nationalist with a true conservatives reverence for tradition, Sarkozy has readily admitted that France has failed to democratize its culture and that in doing so, accomplished one of the chief failures of the past 50 years of French government (Sarkozy out to Democratize, 2007, p. B01). As always, his suggested course of action revealed a blend of populism and conservatism and fused the cultural concerns of France with the power of the French government: Sarkozy defined democratisation de la culture as providing the means for the largest number of people to understand and appreciate Sophocles, Shakespeare and Racine. He added that the purpose of education is to teach you how to tell the difference between Madame Bovary and a police blotter, or between Antigone and Harry Potter. Later, you can read what you like. (Sarkozy out to Democratize, 2007, p. B01) In conclusion, Sarkozys style of governing offers a curious and sometimes uncomfortable blend of populism and conservatism. In the area of domestic policy, he has proven to be both radical in his approach and keenly aware of the political impact of his pragmatic reforms, on international issues he has proven to be creative, opportunistic, and decisive. While Sarkozys bold embracing of modernity may be authenticated by his actions in some cases, many of his policies and programs reveal an essentially conservative politician who seeks, not merely reform, but the type of reform which ensures the continuation of his carefully crafted ideological beliefs.