Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies Essay Example for Free

Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies Essay The Third and Final Continent is the last short story in Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies; and is probably the most memorable one. A newly married young man makes his way from India to England and then to the US where he is making arrangements to call his wife from back home. Lahiri’s tone from the very beginning sounds distant, but equally engaging, her style is painfully simple; and the structure of the story is as clear as the title. Lahiri gives an account of one man’s journey through three different continents. The story becomes captivating from the very first paragraph. She describes the narrator’s experiences in England where he lives with other â€Å"penniless Bengali bachelors all struggling to educate and establish themselves abroad [1].†   But our protagonist is offered a job at M.I.T and decides to settle down in the U.S. Here is when the story truly picks up momentum. Even with her simple style, Lahiri has also employed a strong underlying sense of humor. On his way to America, the narrator discovers that â€Å"President Nixon had declared a national holiday: two American men had landed on the moon [1].† The line is almost comical; the narrator is most uninterested in one of the greatest achievements in American history. Lahiri succeeds in describing America through the eyes of a foreigner to a new land. The narrator’s experience in America is a totally alien. Lahiri describes the new life and world around him in great detail, giving long descriptions of the food, clothes and the general attitude of people. And then the story moves on to Mrs. Croft. The relationship that follows is humorous yet endearing and heart-warming. In fact, here is where Lahiri’s genius lies. Mrs. Croft and the narrator come from two different diverse cultures and lives, yet no culture, race or color seem to come in between their friendship. Lahiri also brings forward the custom of arranged marriages, largely prevalent in India. â€Å"I regarded the proposition with neither objection nor enthusiasm. It was a duty expected of me, as it was expected of every man [1].† Even though he does not know his wife when the two get married, they begin to understand each other slowly. In fact, their first moment of understanding is in Mrs. Croft’s parlor, where the old woman calls Mala â€Å"A perfect lady [1].† â€Å"I like to think of that moment in Mrs. Crofts parlor as the moment when the distance between Mala and me began to lessen [1].† The style and structure of Lahiri’s story are effortless and straight-forward. The words used too are simple. But it is exactly this simplicity which makes the story so close to life. The narrator’s tone is so disengaged from the story that it seems like a bland narration. Yet the events in that narration are so moving and heartening that it makes the reader feel like a part of the story. The forms a deep bond with his wife, initially, a complete stranger; and through the two the reader can see and experience the pain of losing one’s cultural identity and heritage. Their son is completely Americanized and has no interest in his Bengali roots. They wish that would â€Å"eat rice with us with his hands, and speak in Bengali, things we sometimes worry he will no longer do after we die [1].† Lahiri ends the story beautifully, describing the narrator’s journey through life in a few simple lines â€Å"Still, there are times I am bewildered by each mile I have travelled, each meal I have eaten, each person I have known, each room in which I have slept. As ordinary as it all appears, there are times when it is beyond my imagination [1].† Works Cited: Lahiri, Jhumpa, The third and final continent, retrieved from http://www.dequinix.com/a/continent.php

Electoral Processes of Thailand and Great Britain Essay Example for Free

Electoral Processes of Thailand and Great Britain Essay Electoral Process of Kingdom of Thailand and Kingdom of Great Britain The election is a formal decision making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold office. Elections may fill offices in the legislative, sometimes in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government. The universal use of election as a tool for selecting representatives in modern democracies is in contrast with the practice in the democratic archetype. Kingdom of Great Britain conducts such election since 17th century. On the otherhand, the Kingdom of Thailand have their first general election on 1993which is called to be indirect because of large number of population. Since both Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Thailand have constitutional monarchy as form of their government, these two kingdoms have some basic similarities in decision making process-election. The Kingdom of Thailand used the multi member system in constituencies for the election of senate and combination of plurality and proportional system for the election of HoR. On the other hand, Kingdom of Great Britain used the system commonly called â€Å"First Past The Post System† of election to the West Minster Parliament, taking into account four requirements, namely broad proportionality; the need for stable government; an extension of voter choice; and the maintenance of a link between MP’s and geographical constituencies. These two kingdom’s aims primarily to eliminate problems in elections such as vote buying, cheating, and the partisan conduct of government officers. This paper aims to analyse the significance of the election systems used in conducting such elections in determining of how many representative/s in each province or division; how many votes a candidate or political party accumulates or how much it is ahead of other candidate/party to hold office; and how do it avoid election problems such as party switching. For more understanding, questions will be answered such as, who can vote? Who can run as candidate for a public office? Keywords: Election, Public Office, Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, Democratic, Kingdom of Great Britain, Kingdom of Thailand, HoR, Senate, Multi-Member System, Plurality and proportional System, First-Post-The-Past System, Party Switching.

Caribou coffee company inc.

Caribou coffee company inc. Introduction This assignment presents an analysis on Caribou Coffee Company Inc. (Case study 28 Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) An overview of the industry, in which the company operates, is provided, with an analysis of the company itself. From the outset, an overview of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. is presented; a business segment analysis, and identification of the companys major competitors. The assignment comments on the Companys financial outlook, to year ending September 2009. Whilst some discussion is made in text, for the purposes of the word limit of this assignment, this analysis will appear in the appendices. The assignment concludes with recommendations as to the future direction of Caribou Coffee Company Inc. The work is sourced from existing literature and referenced throughout. Company Overview Caribou Coffee Company Inc., (Caribou) is a specialty retailer of coffees, teas, bakery goods, and related merchandise. As of September, 2009, Caribou Coffee had 525 coffeehouses, which includes 112 franchised and licensed locations, predominantly in the US as well as international expansion to Asia, the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates (UAE.) Caribou targets its customers by offering gourmet coffee and espresso based beverages in addition to specialty teas, baked goods, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and related products. Furthermore, it sells whole bean and ground coffee to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, office coffee providers, airlines, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, university campuses and online customers. Caribou focuses on creating a unique experience for customers through a combination of high-quality products, a comfortable and welcoming coffeehouse environment, in ski-lodge style, and a unique style of customer service (Caribou Coffee Compan y, Inc., 2009.) The company presents its mission statement as follows: â€Å"Our mission at Caribou Coffee is to provide a total experience that makes the day better.† (Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., 2009) Market competition includes Starbucks, local and regional coffeehouses, restaurants, coffee shops and to some extent, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds (See also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) The Company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Caribou Holding Company Limited and trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker (CBOU) (NASDQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) Industry Definition Caribou operates in the fast food industry; the fast food market can be defined as the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption either on the premises or in designated food areas which may be shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere; this definition excludes sales through vending machines and is restricted to sales in specific foodservice channels (Data Monitor, 2008) (Web-link provided.) All market values are given in operator buying prices that is the amount spent by foodservice operators on the food and drink that they serve and not the amount the consumers spend on food and drinks. The difference is the increase various companies add to cover their costs and generate a profit. Consequently, this values the market in terms of the amount of money for which food and drink manufacturers are competing. In terms of market segmentation, Caribou belongs to one of four: Quick service restaurants, take-away, mobile and street vendors, and leisure locations. However, in terms of the coffee industry, this comprises two business segments whole bean coffee and coffee beverages sales (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) Caribou has three reportable operating segments these being: retail, commercial and franchise. Arcapita Bank (Arcapita) based in Bahrain, has been the majority shareholder of the company, since 2000, with 60.6% holdings (NASDAQ, 2009) (Web-link provided.) For Caribou, however, the competitive market, along with a potential class-action lawsuit involving store managers, has caused some serious issues, including increasingly high net losses and decreasing stock price over the past few years (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) By providing â€Å"an experience that will make the day better,† Caribou Coffee has created competitive advantage in their store operations, but the question remains whether they can maintain this and use it to sustain their growth strategy. Creating strong human capital is the foundation for the companys differentiation strategy (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008; Shultz, 1961.) One of the issues that will be analysed in this case is whether or not Caribous attempts in developing human capital, will enable them to achieve Case Study: Caribou Coffee Company, Inc A Strategic Analysis a sustainable competitive advantage given the competition and threats they are facing. In order for Caribou to maintain its competitive advantage it must continue to create differentiation in its coffeehouses through their human capital. The company has developed strong capabilities in recruiting, developing, and retaining their employees (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009) but this can be easily copied by competitors however, this is not enough to sustain their advantages. To continue to expand they must maintain their strong focus on human capital, in addition to developing their other strengths to create a bundle of resources as the basis of differentiation. Brief Profile of the Industry The global fast food market has exhibited strong growth over the past five years; however, it is predicted to decline in the years leading up to 2015 (Dess et al, 2008.) The market generated total revenues of $154.7 billion in 2008 which represented a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.6% for the period 2004-2008. By comparison, the European and Asia-Pacific markets grew with CAGRs of 4.4% and 10.3% respectively over the same period and reached values of $26.5 billion and $47.1 billion in 2008 (Data Monitor, 2008.) The number of transactions increased with a CAGR of 2.2%, during the period 2004-2008, to attain a total of 85.8 billion, in 2008. The number of transactions is predicted to rise to 97.0 billion transactions by the end of 2013 thus, representing a CAGR of 2% for the period 2008-2013 (Data Monitor, 2008.) External Analysis PESTEL Political Caribou, like the rest of the food industry is directly concerned with public health and, as such government legislation is in place. Caribou, like all fast food manufacturers must strictly adhere to the regulations of the market in which it supplies its products. For example, frozen food must not be kept above -15C for longer than two hours over a 24 hour period. Furthermore, heating and cooling commercial buildings requires roughly six times more electricity. Since the government in several countries regulates electricity, then Caribou is highly vulnerable to government legislation. Economic A number of positive and negative factors can affect Caribous market growth, as well as the industry. For example, the increases in the price of coffee beans, milk as well as the worldwide economic recession and decreased globalisation of the economy and culture. The latter is evident by the introduction of products from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, demographic changes have increased the demand for, and consumption of fast foods and, for Caribou, this has impacted on their product performance, business profitability, production costs and firms overheads. In 2007-2008 Caribou reported that their production costs significantly increased as a result of higher wage demands due to global economic difficulties. In addition to being the majority shareholder, Arcapita also has two seats on the Board of Directors but its controlling interest could represent an overhang on the stock. Arcapita requires Caribou to operate in accordance with Islamic principles which may limit financial flexibility and impact the perception of the brand. Social Over the past 10-15 years, women have become more financially independent and entered the workforce, and the number of single households and single parents has increased, which has further increased the average disposable income. All of these factors favour fast foods. Specialty coffee is a strong and growing industry in the US. Specialty coffee consumption increased by more than 48% from 2001 to 2006 and the market is estimated to be over $11 billion annually (Dess et al, 2008.) The number of coffeehouses grew from only 500 units in 1991 to 24,000 units in 2006, but the industry remains highly fragmented (with the exception of market leader Starbucks) (Dess et al, 2008.) The reason for such growth is the consumer trend to specialty and traditional products such as micro brewed beer, single malt liquor, and organic foods. Coffee is seen as a new quality beverage, there is an expanding menu, and coffeehouses have become the â€Å"third place† for social consumption. However, the demand for coffee could fall as a result of changes in consumer preferences or concerns about caffeine. Technological Caribou has tapped into the market with their dedicated website. The site is interactive in style and content, with imagery or promotions based on business rules or consumer preferences. This provides the site visitor with more relevant information on coffee types or coffeehouses. Caribous marketing team can also update the site to keep the content fresh for site visitors. Caribou can also monitor consumer responses therefore, looking at new initiatives to meet consumer needs. Environmental As demonstrated, Caribou has many outlets throughout the US and its expansion to the Middle East, Asia and UAE. This means that the company could be affected by regional and national weather which may impact upon consumer preferences and needs. In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability, Caribou actively supports sustainable coffee production; for every pound of coffee the company purchases, a significant proportion of money is granted to sustain socially responsible initiatives in coffee-producing communities. Legal Caribou is not without exposure to the potential legal institutions of regional states within the US and those governing the countries outside of the US, where the company has its units. In 2008, Caribou faced legal proceedings, which was filed by three of its former employees, regarding overtime payments. The case was financially settled however, this left an element of disdain amongst other employees and, to a certain extent, consumers (Dayton Business Journal, 2008.) (Web-link provided.) Five Forces Analysis (Porter) Rivalry, Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power, Supplier Power, Barriers to Entry Rivalry among competitors is quite commonplace in the coffee industry consequently, Caribou must maintain its differentiation to maintain their customers loyalty. There is strong competition in the coffeehouse industry, which is characterised by not only from the industry leader, but also from the threat of new entrants and substitutes attracted by such huge growth (see also Porter.) Caribous position is under threat from emerging and current competitors who have a differentiated approach to the provision of coffee. Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses; including Starbucks, doughnut shops, bakery-cafà ©s, and traditional quick-service restaurants therefore it must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building on its market share. Caribou is under threat from Starbucks because they have increased their long-term store goals from 30,000 to a target of 40,000 (Starbucks, 2009; web-link provided.) As industry leader, Starbucks is committed to maintaining its domination of the industry, which gives them an overwhelming advantage which means that Caribou, and all the others, struggle to become the recognised second-place coffee ho use. In this instance, the buyer power is very high due to the many choices and the switching costs for going from one coffeehouse to another being so low. In order to create a good quality beverage suppliers need to provide quality coffee beans and, since these are an essential commodity, suppliers are unable to place controlling price demands. Caribous position in the coffeehouse industry is encouraging; when one examines the conditions and different forces that are present in the industry, as well as taking into account its incremental expansion over the years, however, strong competition and buyer power limits profit potential. Partial SWOT Analysis Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Caribou recognises the long-term potential to invest in 2,500 locations which the company believes is achievable based upon limited penetration across markets outside of Minnesota. The company has already increased market penetration by company and franchises in the Middle East and Asia. Furthermore, the company intends to build upon and increase its broader licensing strategy including more franchised stores in the US (see also: Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner, 2008.) This should lead to more profitability for Caribou. Threats A too aggressive growth plan requires Caribou to execute an active development schedule whilst managing existing operations across a range of markets. Consistent performance depends upon suitable locations as well as the recruitment and retention of staff. Consumers in the new markets may not embrace Caribous concept to the same extent as in the core markets such as Minnesota. Inflation for key inputs, for example coffee labour, could impact, as the company may not be able to pass through sizeable price increases and the demand for coffee could diminish as a result of consumer preferences or health concerns about core products for example, caffeinated drinks. Internal Analysis Caribou has been able to achieve a competitive advantage by fulfilling customers needs by placing emphasis on its human and social capital; however, the company is at risk of being compromised as a result of recent events. Developing human capital is embedded within Caribous strategic initiatives, to improve operations by improving their selection and training of coffeehouse personnel (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Through the creation of human capital Caribou has been able to create domination between the individual capabilities, skills, knowledge, and experiences of the companys employees. Shultz, (1961) discusses human capital in more detail. At Caribou, the human capital is built through the extensive training procedures that help create customer satisfaction; social capital is created through the network of relationships that the employees have throughout the company (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Three main interdependent activities of creating human capital i.e., attracting, developing, and retaining, are an organisations main focus (Shultz, 1961.) Caribou attracts human capital by implementing very selective hiring practices. The most important part of Caribous human capital is their focus on creating operational excellence through extensive training procedures; the training at Caribou is very important and continuous, as they believe it is the employees who create the great products or customer service that differentiated the company. The training of employees was believed to be central to fulfilling the mission of creating â€Å"an experience that makes the day better† (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) The company implemented this into all of their training practices as one of the companys core competencies that would create strong commitment in their employees. All new employees were given instructions to become ‘drink certified, in-store Certified Instr uctor Trainers provided ongoing instruction in presentation and service, and courses were offered through Caribou College to improve career skills (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) The company also retained their human capital by implementing rewards that are both tangible and intangible. Shultz (1961) discusses reward mechanisms in more detail. Caribou follows a pay-for-performance philosophy which enables the company to identify and reward team members whom achieve high performance standards. Employees would work harder to make their coffeehouse the best since the bonuses for managers and the coffeehouse was based on sales, profit, and customer service. The company has a belief that excellence is a product of hard work; this sounds good to consumers because they will get the best, but may be a negative for the employees and will make it harder to have employees contributing to human capital. These factors are what created effective human capital for only a certain time, but other issues is not allowing them to sustain that advantage. Caribou has a culture that allowed a place â€Å"Where Entrepreneurial Spirit Roams Free† (see also: Dess et al, 2008.) The company is not overly structured, which is why employees are able to work on a variety of different projects and take on an extensive range of responsibility; moreover, Caribou has a culture which includes a strong belief in promoting from within the company, which creates a future to work toward for employees. The company is more on the personal or relaxed side where they would communicate in person rather than through emails and they would have a dress code that was business casual. These different aspects of company culture, creates social capital that gains employee loyalty for Caribou; it has a strong belief that customer service is led by their employees and that their selective hiring practices, extensive training, and low turnover created superior employees (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Caribou has created differentiation by implementing a strategy dedicated to creating human capital as a way to better meet consumer needs, but in the changing and rapidly growing industry it will be very difficult to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This strategy has been successful in creating competitive advantage at the business level however; it is arguable whether this is a source of sustainable advantage since this advantage is based on resources and capabilities that can be too easily imitated by competitors. Having dedicated employees creates a value for Caribou, which differentiates them from other coffeehouses; the companys culture has created a value that creates a common purpose for the employees and the company, which creates an effective outcome when presenting service or products to consumers. The challenges that Caribou is facing through the stock declines, company losses, or even the manager demands for overtime pay can possibly weaken their human capital as a source of competitive advantage. Also, the effects of the external environment can significantly impact upon the company if they remain on the same path. The changes that Caribou is facing will send them into a decline of their human capital as a source of competitive advantage, if they do not do anything to add to or change their strategy. SWOT Analysis Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Specialty coffee sales in the US are on the increase; the factors that are driving growth are a greater awareness of the quality differences between specialty brands and commercial grades. Caribou sells it appeal as their coffee houses are an ideal gathering place, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. Caribou recognises there is a high demand for the variety of their beverages and these can be customised to cater for individual consumer preference. Penetration for coffee consumption is low (16% daily consumption by US population) relative to overall coffee consumption (57%); this is indicative of a major opportunity for growth; Caribou is performing well compared to other competitors and is set to take advantage of the booming industry. Caribou has created a distinctive position through providing high quality coffee in comfortable, ski-lodge like atmosphere, which distinguishes itself from the chic, upmarket approach used by its competitors, in the main, Starbucks. This concept is good; as it enables the company to capitalise on favourable trends in the specialty coffee market. The quality of Caribous custom roasted coffee has been the key to its success, with taste tests demonstrating that consumers prefer Caribou coffee by a significant margin over other competitors (Caribou Coffee Company Inc, 2009.) In terms of Caribous financial position, the last quarter to year ending September 2009, demonstrated a fourth consecutive quarter of positive earnings. These results are driven by strong implementation at every level of the Caribou with a fundamental focus on expansion and diversification, which is a key component of Caribous future growth strategy. Caribou focuses on maintaining its position as a branded coffee company and are making the necessary investments to expand the brand. Financially, Caribou is in a good position to secure further expansion in the future. Weaknesses Caribou competes with specialty coffeehouses, with its main competitor being Starbucks. Caribou must maintain a differentiated concept to continue building its share of the market. During the financial year 2003-2008, Caribou announced net operating losses and negative free cash flow (Caribou Coffee Company Inc., 2009.) Hence, the company needs to improve profitability and operating cash flow in order to sustain growth and achieve a health long term financial position. In terms of geographic concentration, Caribou is predisposed to local economic, meteorological factors and political issues. Conclusion and Recommendations With the industry leader creating new goals that target to make them almost a monopoly in the world of coffee, Caribou is in danger of losing its competitive advantage. This source of social and human capital is a key source of Caribous competitive advantage, but even that is in decline. In order to compete in the industry and even possibly surpass the industry leader, Starbucks, Caribou must have a sustainable competitive advantage. After conducting an internal analysis of the firm, it is clear that Caribou needs to maintain or better its human capital; it needs to implement the same practices, but the company must also consider implementing a way to satisfy overtime pay because the fact that managers work overtime shows dedication like an owner, but maintaining that belief is important for the company. Caribou has created a coffeehouse that is seen as an escape for consumers that helps the company maintain its differentiation from other coffeehouses, but the company is in its stag es of decline if no changes are implemented (Caribou Coffee Company, 2009.) Although Caribous focus on human and social capital has created a temporary competitive advantage, in the current competitive environment these are likely to become necessary success factors, not valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable core competencies. It is more likely that their human and social capital, superior product quality, store design and atmosphere provide a collection of resources that can create sustainable competitive advantage. Porter (1985.) As Caribou continue to shift their strategies to meet politico-economic and socio-cultural demands, like most in this industry sector, the company is not able to predict the economic and social challenges to which consumers and businesses will be exposed. However, the company believes that it is in a very good position to enable it to react and respond to these challenges because of their remarkable customer loyalty, their unique product brand and its attractive price-value position. As it places emphasis on coffee, a nd combination beverages, the company will, undoubtedly, innovate by creating new products and experiences which complement the coffeehouse experience and drive transactions.

Sociology Essay -- Sociology Essays

The social growth of the young in different classes A Youth in Poverty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To most, it’s very easy to imagine how it would feel to grow up without much of anything in life. Hell...I can tell you first hand what it feels like to not have a decent pair of shoes or pants without holes in them, or old â€Å"hand-me-down† toys while most of the kids you know have â€Å"state-of-the-art† toys. To many children in this kind of situation, it seems like a very bleak world to live in. No child should ever have to experience this kind of life. However, due to ignorant parents and an even more jacked-up government, there are many children that will always be in this predicament.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, it would be hard to think of any good coming out of living in such conditions. But just like a many things in this so-called existence, a person would have to look very hard to find the good things. There are, in fact, good things about living in the pits of poverty. For instance, children that are poor tend to appreciate things much more than a child with a more â€Å"privileged† life. When they get new things, they treat those things like intricately wrought gold, or a fine work of art. To them, a brand-new pair of ‘Jordan’ gym shoes or a ’PS2’ seems like pure treasure. Over time, this quality of appreciation will develop continually over the years. They will make responsible choices on things that they will always appreciate. With hope and a prayer, they will be able to pass down this quality to their future generations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another good quality that poor children have is their ability to socialize. When you are poor, you have little room to fear embarrassment. If you’re embarrassed about meeting new people or talking in front of a crowd, they you may as well be embarrassed with everything else in you life of poverty. Being poor is humiliating enough....being scared to talk is nothing compared to that. A kid that has just about nothing in life will hope to make as many new friends as they possibly can. Possibly so that they can fill in the little void they are likely to grow out of having so little. They are very assertive, and will do anything for attention. Jokes, stories, comments, and the sacred art of â€Å"Blazing† or â€Å"Baking† are the tools that poor children will use for socialization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  &n... ... many times I wanted to knock a rich kid’s teeth into his brains.....((Ahem...)) They think that since they are rich, they are better that the entire world. When they think this, I wish nothing more than to strangle them with a garden hose and beat them with a wet towel....((Ahem, ahem...)) Everyone it this world should know...that even though they live life on a silver platter, they should remember one thing; when silver is not taken care of properly, it can and will tarnish over time. They may think that they are better than the world, but they will mess their lives up with that arrogant attitude. They can lose friends, family ties, relationships with other loved ones, jobs, schools, and other things of importance. No one is better than the world...no matter how much money they may have, they are only human. Conclusion Time: The â€Å"glorious† life ain’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Because when a person wakes up from the fantasy of having everything they want, they are able to realize that money is nothing more than paper with a dead man’s face on it. The youth should know that there is more to life than wealth. Look hard, and they will be able to find what I’m talking about.

King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism Essay -- European History Essa

King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism In 1865, King Leopold II succeeded his father to the thrown of Belgium and thus began one of the most brutal and insensitive periods of imperialism ever to exist. From manipulative treaties to straight forward intimidation, Leopold dominated his empire like no other. He was cruel, deceptive, and downright evil, yet it took the world over twenty years to recognize this. The record of King Leopold’s atrocity is an interesting account of how a jealous man could inflict some of the most disgusting forms of oppression upon his fellow members of the human race. When Leopold came to power in 1865, he was incredibly disappointed at Belgium’s lack of power in the imperial world. Every other western European nation by had this time had taken on colonies as part of their empire; and therefore had been acquiring incredible wealth due to their new markets and exploitation of the native peoples they encountered. Belgium, itself, was a small country, and unlike their neighboring nations, they had not yet entered into the colonial scene. This all changed when the famous explorer Henry M. Stanley accepted Leopold’s proposal to return to the Congo acting as an agent of the crown whose mission was to obtain the signatures of all the native chieftains living in the Congo. Using despicable and manipulative tactics, Stanley was able to acquire over 450 treaties which paved the way for the declaration of nearly one million square miles of the Congo River Basin as the property of King Leopold II. The land Leopold had obtained was about eighty times larger than that of Belgium itself. Plus, Leopold was proclaimed the â€Å"sovereign† ruler of all the Congo Free Sta... ...Bibliography â€Å"Africa Imperialism† History of Imperialism. 1998-2002. 5 Oct. 2002. Constitutional Rights Foundation. 2000. 5 Oct. 2002 < http://www.crf-usa.org/bria/bria16_2.html>. â€Å"Leopold II- King of the Belgians† World History: King Leopold’s heart of Darkness. 2000. 5 Oct. 2002 Other Sources http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/World.html#Africa This link brings the leader to a website consisting of many links regarding African Imperialism. http://www.crf-usa.org/bria/bria16_2.html This link brings the reader to a website focusing on King Leopold II of Belgium. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Tielemans/hp50marc.htm This link provides the reader with a short biography of King Leopold II.

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays research papers

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln has been depicted as a very gifted orator and noble leader of our country. He is often compared with Shakespeare, due to his ability to say amazingly profound words. He is a very important symbol of our country’s history. Lincoln definitely led an interesting life. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin in Hardin (now Larue) County, Kentucky. This was near Hodgenville, Kentucky. His mother’s name was Nancy Hanks Lincoln; his father’s name was Thomas Lincoln. Abraham was named after his father’s father. He had an older sister named Sarah, and he had a younger brother named Thomas, but he died in infancy. Abraham Lincoln was once described by his cousin Dennis Hanks as,"...he'll never come to much, fur I'll tell you he wuz the puniest, cryin'est little youngster I ever saw." Abraham’s parents were part of a Baptist congregation. Abraham went to school every once in a while at a log schoolhouse two miles from his farm. Abraham then moved to Indiana due to troubles with land claims. When Abe was 9 years old, his mother died of â€Å"milk sickness† which was a disease that was acquired by drinking the milk of a cow that grazed on poisonous white snakeroot. His father Thomas then rema rried a woman named Sara Bush Johnston. She didn’t think that Abe had enough schooling, so she sent him to school a lot more. Abraham Lincoln enjoyed reading much more than the usual working on the farm. This is where he got most of his knowledge. In the 1830’s, the Lincolns moved to Illinois where Abraham lived until 1837. In Illinois, he worked as a postmaster, a storekeeper, and he served in the Black Hawk War in 1832. His physical features are the most famous qualities of Abraham Lincoln. At his full height, he was 6 feet and 4 inches and was about 180 pounds. This made him very tall and stocky. Lincoln is often depicted as a very hunched over man, since he is so tall. Lincoln decided that he wanted to run for legislature in Illinois. However, he lost his first election. In 1834 he was a Whig and was at last elected to the legislature and served four terms. During this time period, Abraham kept on reading, and eventually went to study the law. In 1837 he moved to Springfield, Illinois. He became a lawyer, and met his future wife. Mary Todd was from Kentucky and had moved to Springfield to live with her married siste... ...ck voting rights, which outraged many citizens, especially an actor named John Wilkes Booth. On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln and his wife went to go see a play (â€Å"Our American Cousin†) at Ford’s Theatre. During the performance, John Wilkes Booth sneaked into the President’s balcony, and shot him in the head at about 10:15 PM. Lincoln was carried to the Peterson House across the street. He laid in a bed not long enough for him, stripped of his clothes, while physicians tried to remove blood clots which formed over the bullet wound. This relieved the pressure on his brain and allowed it to continue functioning and allowing respiration to take place. He internally and externally had hemorrhaging until 7:22 the next morning when he passed away. He was 56 years old when he died. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton immediately said, â€Å"Now he belongs to the ages.† There was a very long funeral procession, in which thousands of people lined the track along the way to Illinois on April 21st. Lincoln was buried in Springfield Illinois on May 4th, 1865. This was the first assassination in presidential history. Therefore it was a very important yet sad time in American history.

Complicated Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis Health And Social Care Essay

A 76 twelvemonth old lady with a recent diagnosing of arthritic mitral valve disease and a history of repeated lower respiratory tract infections, came with symptoms of gastritis unrelated to the primary disease but farther workup in the infirmary revealed atrial fibrillation, grossly dilated left atrium with two big left atrial thrombi and mitral valve country & A ; lt ; 1 cm2. Mitral commissural calcification and important pneumonic high blood pressure were besides noted. After legion treatments it was decided that the best possible attack in our patient was mitral valve replacing with mechanical prosthetic device, despite the usual tendency of utilizing bioprosthesis in aged. The determination was influenced by the fact that patient would necessitate chronic anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation anyhow. The intent of our instance presentation is to exemplify an remarkably late showing instance of arthritic bosom disease with assorted associated complications ensuing in a challen ge to take the best possible direction. Our patient, an aged lady with late diagnosed arthritic mitral valve disease presented with legion challenges in seeking to make up one's mind the best possible intervention: old age, atrial fibrillation necessitating long-run anticoagulation, left atrial thrombi, mitral valve calcification and grossly dilated left atrium. By showing this instance we aim to supply a logical attack in make up one's minding the intervention for similar instances with an accent on old age and long-run endurance benefit. We besides aim to foreground how the intervention should be individualized, taking into consideration all the factors in a peculiar patient. A 76 year old female, occupant of Mumbai, and a homemaker came to the casualty of Sir JJ Hospital with ailments of 5-6 episodes of purging since forenoon that twenty-four hours. The puke was non-bilious and contained nutrient atoms. Past history was positive for perennial admittances for lower respiratory tract infection and a history of arthritic bosom disease with mitral stricture diagnosed 3 old ages back. The patient did non retrieve holding any symptoms suggestive of arthritic febrility in her childhood. On scrutiny, she had irregularly irregular pulsation at the rate of 108/minute, blood force per unit area of 100/70 millimeter of Hg, normal jugular venous force per unit area and a pale visual aspect. Chest scrutiny revealed apical urge on the left 5th intercostal infinite and a tangible parasternal haeve and diastolic daze. Auscultation of the thorax revealed first bosom sound ( S1 ) of variable strength, loud P2 and a systolic mutter in the tricuspid country which increased on inspiration. Electrocardiogram showed right package subdivision block and atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate. Chest X ray showed enormously dilated left atrium and right atrium and ventricle. Computed imaging of the thorax revealed a massively dilated left atrium ( 11 x 10 centimeter ) , right atrium ( 9.5 x 8 centimeter ) and right ventricle with reflux of blood seen in inferior vein cava and hepatic venas. Mitral valve showed calcification. It besides revealed two make fulling defects/thrombi, one attached to the anterior wall of left atrium of size 6.5 ten 3.7 centimeter and 2nd attached to the posterior wall of size 3.2 ten 2.1 centimeter. Consequences of 2D echocardiography included: thickener of mitral valve, mitral valve commissural calcification with a valve country of 0.9 cm2 on planimetry, an echo mark of 8/16 and grounds of thrombi in left atrium- one superiorly 4.6 centimeters x 3.7 centimeters and other attached to the sidelong wall 3.1 centimeter x 2.1 centimeter. M-mod e echocardiography showed decreased left ventricular internal dimensions at diastole and systole, decreased terminal systolic and diastolic volumes, a normal expulsion fraction ( 60.2 % ) and the left atrial dimension of 8.6 centimeters x 7.8 centimeter. Colour Doppler showed a mitral valve country of 0.9 cm2, estimated pneumonic arteria systolic force per unit area of 70mm of Hg ( normal: 15-30mm of Hg ) and grade 1 mitral regurgitation. She was diagnosed as a instance of gastritis in a known instance of arthritic bosom disease and mitral stricture complicated by pneumonic high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and left atrial thrombi. The gastritis seemed to be unrelated to the implicit in arthritic bosom disease, but the workup drew attending to the primary job of terrible mitral stricture. The patient later underwent mitral valve replacing with mechanical prosthetic device. She was besides started on anticoagulation with Coumadin with a mark INR scope of 2.0 to 3.0. Patient showed good recovery in the immediate post-operative period and regular follow up for a month later, showed a good response to the surgery and better ventricular rate control with drugs. There was a gradual autumn in pneumonic arteria systolic force per unit area following surgery. Arthritic bosom disease has been the cause of important morbidity and mortality in the development states. Bing an autoimmune upset, it has been known to preponderantly impact younger persons following a throat infection with group A streptococcus. Mitral stricture, associated with arthritic bosom disease, can stay symptomless and present every bit tardily as in-between age or beyond. In such instances, the patient may non ever retrieve about an onslaught of arthritic febrility in childhood, giving the feeling of late onset arthritic bosom disease. We report a instance of an aged adult female who was late diagnosed with arthritic bosom disease and mitral stricture. Though it is hard to notice when the disease really started in our patient, we believe that the bosom disease had been benign until its presentation at an age good beyond the usual age of presentation in arthritic bosom disease. By this instance study we besides try to discourse the possible attacks to an aged patient with critical mitral valve disease with important calcification. Though antecedently symptomless, the demand for intercession in our instance was reiterated by the presence of grossly dilated bosom and important pneumonic high blood pressure. In critical mitral stricture that requires surgery, normally valvular fix is given the first consideration. The challenges in the direction of our patient were: old age, significantly enlarged left atrium, presence of left atrial thrombi, mitral valve country & A ; lt ; 1cm2, mitral valve calcification and pneumonic high blood pressure. Significant calcification of commissures and valve cusp inspissating with decreased cusp country are contraindications to mitral valve fix [ 1 ] . A survey conducted by Wei T and co-workers [ 2 ] concluded that patients with mitral commissural calcification with an echo mark of & A ; acirc ; & A ; deg ; Â ¤ 8/16 have small betterment in valve country after balloon mitral valvuloplasty, ensuing in a hapless result. Because of the commissural calcification and left atrial throm bi in our instance, it was decided to travel with mitral valve replacing. The presence of atrial fibrillation with left atrial thrombi raised the possibility of long-run anticoagulation. With grossly dilated left atrium and the chronicity of atrial fibrillation, cardioversion would hold been unsuccessful. Anticoagulation in aged must be used with cautiousness because of important hazard of haemorrhagic complications and the lowest effectual dosage should be used. [ 3 ] Proper monitoring of the dosage and INR is necessary as the effectual dosage for anticoagulation in aged is frequently lower than in the younger topics. Another inquiry was the pick of prosthetic device: mechanical or biological. In patients & A ; gt ; 70yrs of age, biological valves are preferred [ 4 ] . This is preponderantly because of lower life anticipation in these patients, non-requirement of anticoagulation with these type of valves and lower rates of bioprosthetic impairment in aged [ 4,5 ] . Sidhu P and co-workers [ 6 ] performed a comparing survey over the long term efficaciousness of mechanical and bioprosthesis over a period of 20 old ages in patients over the age of 70. The survey concluded that bioprosthesis does non supply any survival benefit over mechanical valves in aged. Mechanical prosthetic device has been known to be more lasting but this advantage is offset by anticoagulation-related mortality in patients non necessitating anticoagulation otherwise [ 4,6 ] . Since our patient already required long-run anticoagulation, anyhow, usage of mechanical prosthetic device became possible and suited. [ 7 ] Figure 5 illustrates an algorithm for taking the type of prosthetic valve in a patient. [ 8 ] From the instance study and the reappraisal of literature we can reason that: The presentation of mitral stricture may be delayed as the valve upset may follow a benign class compatible with normal life. It is non uncommon for mitral stricture to show every bit tardily as old age. Anticoagulation in aged with atrial fibrillation demands to be used with cautiousness. Proper hazard stratification and monitoring are required and the lowest possible dosage of anticoagulation demands to be used. Balloon mitral valvuloplasty may non be an effectual option in patients with important commissural calcification. The pick of prosthetic device should be determined on an single footing, sing the presence of co-morbidities and other conducive factors like demand for anticoagulation.