The World Series A Brief History Of The October Classic Essays

The World Series: A Brief History Of The October Classic The World Series: A Brief History of the October Classic In America's favorite pastime, the game of baseball, there is one major goal each year for every team in the league, and that is to win the World series. For nearly one hundred years, two teams each year have competed in a best of seven series with the champion of the American League and the champion of the National League representing their respective leagues. The New York Yankees have won the most titles by far, with twenty-five championships, and the St. Louis Cardinals have the second-most with ten. Many teams have never won the World Series, and with the small income and coverage of some teams, they may never win a series. From 1901 to 1902, the American and National leagues were staged in war, and there was no World Series. The American League was still very young, and many felt that they could not compete with the powerful teams of the National League. However, a national championship was not far away. When the Boston Pilgrims of the American League accepted a challenge from owner Barney Dreyfuss of the National League Pittsburgh Pirates, the modern World Series was born ( Total World Series-Boston 1). The Pirates entered the 1903 series heavily favored to win even with injuries to the ace of the pitching staff, Sam Leever and also to Honus Wagner. The Pirates had also lost pitcher Ed Doheny to mental illness. In game one of the series, Cy Young took the mound for the Pilgrims, but was stunned in the first inning as the Pirates scored four runs and went on to take a 1-0 series lead. In the game, the Pirates' Jimmy Sebring hit the first home run in World Series history (Total World Series-Boston 2). After taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, the tide began to turn on the Pirates. The Pilgrims won the next two games, and in game seven, Bill Dinneen held the Pirates to four hits as he shut them out for the second time in the series, giving the Boston Pilgrims the first ever World Series Championship. The World Series continued to grow popular for the next several years, until 1919, when members of the Chicago White Sox were rumored to have thrown the Series. In the bottom of the first inning of game one against the Cincinnati Reds, White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte hit the first batter to face him, a prearranged signal to gamblers that ?the fix was on? -- that the Sox would throw the Series (Total World Series-White 1). There were eight members of the Chicago White Sox that were in on the fix, including Cicotte and outfielder ?Shoeless' Joe Jackson. The White Sox lost the first two games of the series, thanks in large part to the two starting pitchers who were in on the fix. However, in game three, the White Sox' Dickie Kerr, who was not in on the fix, pitched a three-hit shutout to get the Sox back to within one game. After game three, the players who were in on the fix managed to play poorly enough to lose the Series, and the Cincinnati Reds took home their tainted title. In 1927, the New York Yankees won the World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates with perhaps the best lineup ever to take the field. With 110 regular season victories and a 19 game margin over second-place Philadelphia, the Yankees led the American League in nearly every offensive category. Three Yankees--Earle Combs, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth--hit over .350, and divided among them league crowns in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs (Ruth's 60), RBI's, and slugging average. The Yankees not only hit: their pitching staff boasted the league's lowest earned run average ( Total World Series - New 1). The Yankees swept the Pirates out of the series for the first American League sweep in a World Series and many still consider them to be the best team ever. The ?Miracle Mets? of 1969 proved that magic could happen in the World Series as they took home the World Series title with a very young, upstart team. The heavy- hitting, slick- fielding Orioles, who also boasted the majors' top pitching staff, entered the Series clear favorites against the New York Mets. But the ?Miracle Mets?, after losing the opener, polished off Baltimore with four straight wins (Total World Series-Make 1). The

Commentary on the World Bank †Government (300 Level Course)

Commentary on the World Bank – Government (300 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Commentary on the World Bank Government (300 Level Course) Commentary on the IMF: According to the Meltzer Report As the Meltzer Report was released, the world continued to turn, and with these continuing revolutions new problems arose. Problems that will hopefully be dealt with more appropriately because of the work of the Congressional Commission assigned to come up with new and better ways for the financial institutions of the world to solve them. Arguably the two most important players in this field are the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the following commentary both will be addressed in a number of ways. Their histories and purposes will be briefly addressed. Their main goals will be presented. The affect that they have had in the past will be brought into play. Lastly, the future of these two institutions will be contemplated. Using this wide array of information it will be decided here if in fact these institutions are serving any real purpose and if their future existence is either needed or at least worthwhile. The World Bank: The World Bank was established post World War II in an effort to attack issues of national rates and their possible fixations while at the same time attempting to bring some stability to the post war international markets. Lurking just beneath the surface was the fact that the World Bank, which was largely under the control of Westerners with Western sympathies, was also taking on the responsibility of rebuilding Europe. Thus nearly all of the loans given in the years immediately following the war were to reconstruct European national economies that had been destroyed during the war. Relatively few loans were given to developing countries. The World Bank would come to be known as a European controlled entity. Thus helping to answer the question of why these European countries are helped back on their feet immediately. This may also be attributed to the fact that the World Bank features weighted voting in which the more wealthy countries receive the larger amount of votes. The n the countries that are in fact developed and quite wealthy will have more of a say in what the bank will do. Therefore the World Bank will ultimately favor the rich over the poor. The headquarters of the World Bank feature a large sign that reads: â€Å"Our dream is a world without poverty.† The Meltzer Commission has said that it shares in this view. Unfortunately the World Bank and its sister development banks are not moving toward dealing with this problem and rectifying any of the issues that help keep the poorest countries at the bottom of the economic spectrum. Yet the Meltzer Commission, while agreeing in theory to the World Bank also agrees in doing next to nothing to be the one to step up to the forefront with a solution. The Meltzer Report goes on to state that the World Bank employ’s over 17,000 people in 170 offices around the world and have obtained $500 billion dollars in capital and extend some $50 billion in loans to developing countries. Still the World Bank is far from staying true to its word in the fact that despite they claim to be in existence to help out the poor nations of the world, some 70% of the World Bank non-aid resources flow to 11 countries that enjoy easy access to the capital markets. The World Bank came about to serve a universal view of the future as described at Bretton Woods in 1944; to maintain the gold-based standard, capital controls, trade barriers in former colonies and less-developed economies. While these were the original ideas of the bank, as times changed and crisis arose new steps had to be taken. At the same time the main goal of the World Bank was arguably neglected. In the past seven years, the World Bank provided $18 billion to developing countries. Yet in the same seven years, the private sector has donated $1,450 billion to the same developing countries. If the World Bank is supposed to serve the purpose of ending world poverty, and this is their main goal, what in the world are they looking at? The statistics were available to show the Meltzer Commission how little the World Bank has contributed in comparison to others. Do the leaders of the World Bank not have access to the same data or are they simply too naà ¯ve to see that they are not serving the purpose for which they were intended at their inception. Furthermore, if they are not serving the poor countries of the world and helping them to gain a footing in the economic world just exactly what are they doing? The World Bank has thus been thrust into the present day trying to find an identity for itself in the global economic structure. It has become evident that the World Bank is not a key player as it had been intended to be. Instead it is more realistic for the bank to share responsibility with other organizations such as the UN and the IMF. In doing so the World Bank has been forced to create new ideas and plans for action. Included in them is the loaning of money to places where there is a good chance that the bank gets its money back. These are safe loans for the World Bank to take on, as they will hopefully be two-fold in their intention. First they will allow the bank to avoid continually debt with deferment or even defaulting of loans, and they will also impose necessary sanctions against borrowing countries in order to receive the loans at all. It is the intention of all parties that this final step will eventually lead to the extinction of poor performing economies and pe rhaps even the â€Å"third world status.† Yet today the status of the World Bank is still unclear. They say that performance is the number one concern of the World Bank and the Meltzer Commission. But their performance has been poor and even as the Commission comments on this, they offer no solution except to say that ending or reducing poverty is not easy. So as the Commission is quick to point out these shortcomings and back them with excessive data, they stop there. The report tells us that the World Bank considers the title of â€Å"marginally satisfactory† as a success in policy. Using these criteria, which are shaky at best, the World Bank has had a failure rate of 59% from 1990-1999. And in the remaining 41% of cases, considered successes, the vast majority were concentrated in upper-income countries that have domestic resources and access to private-sector funding. In conclusion, the World Bank has an important role in reducing poverty and promoting growth, despite the fact that today their resources are a small part of the global capital flow. The use of more effective resources can raise the contribution of the Bank significantly. So what does the Meltzer Commission have to say in response? They say that this will only happen if the Banks gain a better understanding of their comparative advantage, where and how they can most effectively use their limited resources. So it is clear that the Meltzer report has come to the same conclusion, but in looking for advice that the Commission has to give, the reader finds little. The Commission says that the Bank can improve their performance by asking themselves three questions: Will the private sector perform this function, Will the local public sector perform this function, and will the Bank provide resources not otherwise available? Does the Commission give any answers to these queries? No they do not, they say one thing in a great, enlightened moment of political prowess. The World Bank should not continue to devote half its finding to projects of this kind. This does little for anyone concerned with the plight of the countries that need the assistance of any international bank or organization. While the World Bank apparently has a number of problems, the Meltzer Commission does little more than just point them out. They provide no concrete answers and they leave the future of the Bank up in the air, just where it does not need to be. The International Monetary Fund: The International Monetary Fund, also known as the IMF was created at around the same time as the World Bank. It was intended to prevent a reoccurrence of monetary and financial instability. It is considered to be the â€Å"American† sister to the World Bank because as the World Bank is largely controlled by European countries the IMF is mostly ran under the direction of the United States. Over time many critics of the IMF will argue that the strings of the organization are pulled by the American government and also that the IMF will become synonymous with Washington D.C. While the IMF was set up with similar intentions as those of the World Bank, in helping the international markets to avoid collapses and to provide economies with overall stability the IMF differs slightly. One of the main goals of the IMF was to create â€Å"fixed but adjustable rates.† These rates were to be â€Å"pegged,† which means set to a certain unit of measurement. This unit was to be the American dollar. The â€Å"peg† became the conversion of all member countries currencies to within 1% of the American dollar. The rate became adjustable if and only if it became unsustainable or if an economic crisis were to arise. These are just a few of the goals that were in mind of the early leaders of the IMF in 1944. But in the last half a century, the world has changed so dramatically that the IMF has had to deal with new challenges and ask itself what purpose it serves as the 21st century dawns. The IMF was established with two assumptions, both of which are no long valid. The fixed but adjustable rates ended in August of 1971 when President Richard Nixon closed the gold window, ending the U.S.’s commitment to keep the dollar price of gold at $35 per ounce. IN 1973, major countries agreed that the fixed exchange-rate system would not be restored. Oil problems and shocks of the 1970’s also created a new problem for the IMF. A problem surrounded by other problems that the IMF was never prepared to deal with. With the end of the gold standard the IMF had to reevaluate its role in the financial world. Thus the IMF decided to take on the responsibility for dealing with financial and economic problems affecting developing countries or the international economy. The 1990’s brought new challenges and financial crises, among them were the Mexican financial crisis, the East Asian crisis, and the crisis that arose as the former Soviet Union devalued it’s currency. The IMF heroically stepped up to the challenge and tried to fight these problems head on. They took funds from private lenders and investors and gave it to private firms and banks in developing countries. This transformed the institution from a short-term lender to a source of long-term, conditional lending. Yet as the IMF entered this fight with all of its guns blazing, they inadvertently sent the world the wrong message. They sent the message that if local banks and other institutions incurred large foreign liabilities and debts that the IMF would provide the foreign exchange needed to honor their guarantees. This became known as the â€Å"moral hazard.† The importance of this hazard cannot be overstated, as the IMF created a system of relief that would never require countries to repay their debt if the knowledge of IMF assistance was always in the back of their minds. Barry Eichengreen argues that countries that borrow from the IMF should be required to take specific steps to bring domestic arrangements into line. This requirement would create concessions to the IMF, as the countries implemented changes, they would most likely bounce back on their feet and the IMF would have a very good chance of getting their money back. Yet critics such as the Meltzer Commission are qu ick to point out that the downward spiral will only worsen if steps are not taken. The Meltzer report is in fact helpful in this area as it clearly points out some of the real criticisms that plague the IMF. The unlimited external supply of funds forestalls debtors from making concessions, the IMF wields far too much power over the economies of developing countries, and most importantly, the IMF has at times encouraged countries to adopt pegged exchange-rate systems even when it was more than evident that these countries economies would be unsustainable with the pegged rate. This is just a sample of the list of responsibilities that the â€Å"new IMF† has taken on since the 1980’s. The report is earnest in pointing out that the IMF has not always failed but that often the successful projects are lost somewhere in the shuffle of the enormous amount of projects that may be of no-win status. Yet finally the Meltzer Report is helpful in one area, as it seems that it takes a genuine interest in providing some insightful recommendations for the IMF and its future. Eichengreen states that the IMF is not a government and lacks the authority that a government has. It has no way to aggressively create change or to manipulate factors in such a way that they will get their money back. He also states that the IMF has done little in the last few years to create change and achieve such things as enhanced transparency, liberalized capital account, and reform in the financial and private sectors. The Meltzer Commission deals with these and other preexisting conditions and attacks them with advice. They believe that the IMF should restructure itself as a smaller institution, make all future loans short-term and not extend loans that are not being paid back regardless of reason. The Commission is not afraid to make examples of countries that are not able to repay loans and are d oing nothing but riding on the coattails of the IMF. They believe in restructured IMF loans with short maturity rates with only one rollover and that a penalty rate be administered if the loans are not repaid properly. While these are just some examples of what is actually an exhaustive list of potential solutions, they are helpful, efficient, well thought out and potentially successful. The implementation of these measures is something all together different. And the future holds their fate. Conclusion: In conclusion, the Meltzer Commission Report is largely a great example of what our government does best. They come together in a giant meeting of the minds and have someone record every magical thing they say. In this grand tradition the Meltzer Report is a classic. For the most part it is simply the re-hashing of histories and events and problems, much of which has most likely been the basis for who knows how many books or papers or god help us, reports. The Commission does little more than nitpick the World Bank and while it offers a number of stark criticisms it delivers little in the area of reforms. The IMF is a different story however, as the Commission clearly asserts more energy in understanding and sympathizing with this organization. Therefore saving the reader from thinking that the report itself was just barely above a waste of paper, time, and energies. This may be the result of the realization that the IMF is in a unique position to do a number of productive things to help the world today and in the future. Perhaps also they have given up on the World Bank, and relegated it to a status that it appears comfortable or at least complacent with: to be a second rate player who pitches its hand but does little to help the world in the long run. So it seems that the IMF is in fact the â€Å"prized calf† of the Meltzer Commission, the one with all of the potential, who only lacks a little coaching. Hopefully the IMF will heed some of this advice and come to the forefront of international monetary relief as it has in the past, only this time better equipped for the fight at hand. Research Papers on Commentary on the World Bank - Government (300 Level Course)Definition of Export QuotasAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAWPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBringing Democracy to AfricaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2

Race and Racism (Anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Race and Racism (Anthropology) - Essay Example States is a country with a strong tradition of institutionalized racism which permeates all aspects of modern America society (see hooks’ Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism, 1981). For many in America racism is an ever-present aspect of the social condition and is built upon a rigid social code, a white/black binary which has its roots in early American settlement and the shameful tradition of slavery in the New World. What are the effects of racism and sexism on the lives of people today? In American society there is a definite health disparity in the country as non-whites report a lower level of overall health and access to healthcare. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine undertook a substantial quantitative analysis of the infant mortality rates between black and white infants and found that a disparity in this important social indicator does in fact exist. Accordingly, this respected journal found that the black-white infant mortality ratio has persisted for decades and has even increased in recent times. In 1960, the black-white infant mortality ratio stood a 2.0, but twenty years later this figure had risen to 2.4. Why such a disparity? What are the causes of such dramatic differences in the likelihood that a newborn black child would not live to see his or her first birthday in comparison to a white child? This study determined that while a variety of factors can account for this dis parity, low birth weight remains the most prominent cause of a higher infant mortality rate amongst black babies. In fact, black babies in America have a 300% greater likelihood of being born with a low birthrate relative to their white counterparts. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention found a variety of socio-economic causes for the phenomenon of low birth weight, including poverty, poor nutrition, a lack of knowledge about pregnancy and the challenges associated with it, and access to proper medical facilities. The disparity in

SEMESTER AT SEA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SEMESTER AT SEA - Research Paper Example Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Target Market 5 SAS Education Program & Students of Sydney University 5 Market Potential 6 Regular & Mid Year Application Students 6 Advantages of SAS programs & its effectiveness 6 Specific Advantages to the students of Sydney University 7 Challenges in introducing the SAS program in Sydney University 8 Recommendations 9 Conclusion 9 Introduction Semester at Sea (SAS) is study based program which had originated in the year 1963 and is managed by Institute of Shipboard Education which is headquartered in Virginia (SAS, 2013f). The main objective of the study is to attract students from universities of varied nations and disseminate information related to humanities and other subjects. The main attraction of the SAS program is that it is a floating university which means that the courses are provided to the student while they are at sea and the teaching program stops while the students are at port (SAS, 2013g). The institute believe s in providing informal and formal education to the students in a non-traditional format to attract their attention and make studies an enjoyable program. Sydney University (SU) is one of the leading universities of Australia and is located at Darlington at the outskirts of Sydney CBD. The university is renowned for its well designed courses and the flexibility of the course timings. However, the marketing director had reviewed the current academic course and was able to locate those certain elements in the humanities, social sciences, and environment. The marketing assistant believed that teaching guidance from external faculties would only enhance the developmental skills and the knowledge of the students of SU. The SAS teaching program are designed in such a way that not only will it help in imparting theoretical but also practical knowledge. It would also enhance the interpersonal and soft skills of the students which would pave their path of success. The marketing assistant wil l revaluate the current academic courses offered by SU and then assess the needs and requirements of the students studying humanities, social sciences, and environment courses for their betterment. Target Market SAS Education Program & Students of Sydney University SAS offers 75 courses related to varied disciplines including agriculture, shipping, environment etc. The courses are usually 100 day program which is mainly targeted for undergraduates and graduates travelling from North America to East or West Atlantic. The ship travel across 8 to 11 countries in Western Africa, Europe, South America and North America and offers a wide range of course related to various subjects. One can register for the summer, spring and fall course through online and offline methods. The summer programs are further designed and broken into short and long term courses which signify that flexibility of the courses is of utmost importance to the SAS program designers. The SAS programs are designed in su ch a way that it helps in filling the gaps of the courses and syllabuses designed by the regular colleges and universities. The students of SU studying humanities, social sciences and environment would be benefited by the courses because the existing syllabus at SU does not offer variation or any innovative topic has not been introduced in the current

Berlin Wall Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Berlin Wall - Research Paper Example After the Second World War, Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union established an informal union of states which would be known later as the Eastern bloc, with Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia as its allies (Wettig, 2008).   It was a grouping of nations which he planned to maintain together with the Soviet-controlled portion of Germany.   His plans were to compromise the power of the UK over its portion and when the US would later withdraw, he then wanted to push forward with his plants to create a united communist Germany (Wettig, 2008).   In order to funnel Soviet communist ideals to Germany, Marxism-Leninism became a standard part of the German school curriculum and this prompted many students, as well as scholars to defect to the West (Wettig, 2008).   East Germany was however under close monitoring by the German police as well as the Soviet secret police, also known as the SMERSH (Wettig, 2008).   This made defection difficult, but not impossible for thousands of East Ge rmans.     With disagreements regarding the introduction of new German currency, Stalin implemented the Berlin blockade which prevented the entry of food and other supplies from the Western occupied blocs (Pearson, 1988).   The Western bloc countries then airlifted some supplied into West Berlin.   The Soviets launched their public relations campaign against the Western bloc protesting the policy changes of the Western countries (Pearson, 1988).   As 300,000 Berliners protested against Stalin’s actions in stopping the airlifts.

Burberry Market Position and Competitor Analysis

Burberry Market Position and Competitor Analysis Ans: Burberrys target customer is someone who wants luxury while being functional. The brands point of difference with other luxury brands is that they could be luxury, aspirational, and functional. Burberry decided they were going to reach these customers from Bravo identifying their niche between labels of Polo Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani on the apparel side, and between Coach and Gucci on the accessories end. The Burberry team priced the products between these price points to reach consumers. Burberry wanted to create the image of accessible luxury. The characteristics of a market are assessed through various models such as analysis of Porters five forces of competitors analysis. Here, we view Burberrys market positioning through its competitors analysis. Burberrys products include continuity products which have a product life cycle of a few years, and fashion products which are designed to respond to a fashion trend. Therefore, the market positioning of the Burberry is unique and varies as it targets trendy as well as classic customers. Burberry targets all its customers through a common theme of functional luxury. Burberrys main competitors include Coach, Armani, Gucci, and Polo, all of which are among top fashion brands in UK and globally. Coach and Gucci, both are more focused towards fashion accessories while Polo and Armani are more focused towards apparels; although all have a range of products in both apparel and accessory categories. Burberry has positioned its brand in the minds of consumers to be functional luxury. Burberry maintains a product line with great width and depth consisting of many products. Their products fall into one of two main categories: fashion or continuity. Fashion products are designed to be responsive to fashion trends and are introduced on a collection-by-collection basis. Continuity products have life cycles that are expected to last for a number of years. Burberry also has three primary collections: womens wear, menswear, and accessories. With so many different products offered in different collection and the fashion vs. continuity of Burberry products the product mix is very great. This contributes to the positioning of the Burberry brand. Burberry has received awards for the Contemporary Design Collection of the Year and the Classic Design Collection of the Year. This illustrates how diverse the Burberry brand is Therefore, the market positioning for Burberry varies. Burberry can appeal to the hip 25-year-old man or the conservative 65 year old man. However, many Burberry ads feature younger models. Recent Burberry ads have featured everything from a British landscape with aristocratic looking models to edger ads with models in bikinis. Taking all of this into account, Burberry is targeted towards many different segments of the population with one common theme, functional luxury. Burberry has many competitors that include: Coach, Polo, Armani, and Gucci. Relative to that of Burberrys competitors, they have positioned themselves very well in the minds of consumers. Coach primary positioning is on handbags. While Coach also carries other accessories that range from watches and shoes to scarves and dog collars, Coach remains primarily in the accessory end of fashion. Coach was also not even a player in the top 10 luxury goods players. However, Coach held 6% of the accessories share and in a price comparison was more on the low end of cost for accessories. This does not however reflect Coachs marketing positioning. Coach is just simply more affordable and more accessible to the general population. Polos marketing positioning is centered more towards clothing. While Polo was a number two player in the top luxury brands they captured the most market share for apparel, however, lower priced than Burberry. The Polo brand has great brand equity and is very well established in the minds of consumers. Armani, another competitor or Burberry, placed 8th in the top 10 global luxury goods. While Armani really only focuses on apparel the brand still maintains a strong luxury position in the market. Gucci also placed in the top 10 global luxury goods. Guccis marketing position is towards luxury accessories. They captured 12% of the accessory market share and were the highest priced brand for accessories. Overall, Burberrys competitive positioning is suitable over the long term. While brand like Coach and Gucci focus more on accessories and Armani and Polo focus more on the apparel market, Burberry has succeeded in penetrating both the accessory and apparel market while remaining a luxury good. Burberry has also succeeded is positing itself between brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Armani in apparel, and between Coach and Gucci in accessories. Burberry also has many different lines within the Burberry brand. This allows for more high-end goods and goods that would be feasible for purchase by the general population. Burberrys positioning of functional luxury is extremely competitive and will sustain over the long-term. Q2. Is Burberrys competitive position sustainable over a long term? Why? Ans: Burberry, initially Burberrys was popular amongst the British Royalty during the 1900s for its original designs and uncompromising quality. Thereby, the brand increasingly became a symbol of both luxury and durability. However, during the mid-90s, the company started facing several strategic and structural issues. In spite being a profitable business the earning quality was low. The brand came to be perceived as stodgy-looking and conservative, and skewed to a older customer-base. However, reinvention of the brand took place when Rose Marie Bravo came on board as the chief executive, with the basic motive to transform Burberry from a tired outwear manufacturer into a luxury lifestyle brand that was inspirational, stylish and innovative. The following measures were taken: Recruiting people, who were experienced and skilled in the field, thereby made a A-list industry talent team. Changing the name from Burberrys to Burberry and a contemporary logo and packaging was introduced. Repositioning the brand between cutting-edge fashion and classics. Burberry was positioned as a aspirational as well as functional brand and represented accessible luxury. The product line was upgraded and Burberry came up with three primary segments: Womens wear, Mens wear and accessories. Burberry expanded its portfolio in two segment: low priced labels including Thomas Burberry (in Spain and Portugal) and Burberry Blue and Black labels (in Japan) mainly to appeal younger, more fashion conscious customers and the high-end label Burberry Prorsum to position itself in high-profile luxury market. Advertisement campaign including Stella tenant, featuring a British aristocrat and model Kate Moss featuring the modern, fashion-oriented side. The check prints were an integral part of Burberry design pattern, and accounted almost 25 percent of companys revenue from check products. It also launched Burberry Brit, a new perfume line featuring a check design bottle. Thereby, Burberry positioned itself as a brand between lifestyle and fashion brand. Thus Bravos team brought Burberry from a broken position to a popularity stage. Thus, Burberry holds a competitive edge and positioning in the market. This competitive position for Burberry is sustainable over the long term due to several reasons. Not only due to its particular price points, but Burberrys intensive consumer surveying is also important. Burberry has consistently focused on remaining true to their core brand values and heritage to the Burberry brand. Burberrys market share in 2001 as rated against the top 100 luxury goods players was 5.2%, putting them in 4th place overall. This compares with 14.4% market share for LVMH (1st), 9.1% for Polo Ralph Lauren (2nd), and 4.4% for the Gucci Group (5th). Armani falls short with a smaller percentage (3.5%) of the market. Coach is far below these and does not appear on the top 10. If you compare by the type of luxury good; in accessories: Gucci is at 12%, Coach at 6%, Polo at 4%, and Burberry at 4%. And for apparel considerations: Polo is at 9%, Burberry at 3%, Armani at 2%, and Gucci at 1%. It is clear here that these distinctions occur based on the depth and width of each companys product line. Coach sells far more accessories (i.e. leather goods) than clothing, and Polo sells far more clothing than accessories. Burberry is almost balanced, and sells an equal amount of both, on their 2003 annual report Burberry shows almost even income from womens wear (33.3%), menswear (27.4%), and accessories (28.6%). For this reason, Burberrys competitive position is sustainable, as they have a decent demand for both accessories and apparel. Q3. Bravos team is currently carrying out several initiatives including multiple collections, multiple channels and multiple licenses. What is the role of each of these initiatives in Burberrys overall business model? Ans: Multiple Brands Burberry created multiple brands (Prorsum, London, Blue and Black, Thomas Burberry) to attract certain kind of customers whom they were not targeting initially and to cater certain characteristics of certain customers. This idea supports Bravos goal to attain new customers along with retaining old customers For example, Burberry London was offered as a lower-priced label designed to appeal to a younger, more fashion-conscious customer. Blue and Black is sold in Japan, for younger individuals, and is a foreign product that diversifies the product risk. Burberrys Prorsum product line was introduced to secure their positioning in the niche and luxury market. It shows consumers that Burberry competes with the latest fashions, and represents the highest end of luxury items. Prorsum was used to show the Burberry brand as luxurious and according to Bravo, the Prorsum introduction was created to tell people that something new was happening at Burberry. The idea was to introduce a high-profil e, high-end brand, and do it in a first-class way, by putting it in the best stores in the world. The intended role for Burberrys collections (Womens wear, Menswear Accessories) was due to extensive consumer research to also help recruit a newer consumer. The only way to do this was to update the product line to fit the fashion-desires of current and potential customers, and a way for Burberry to give a consistent look and feel across an array of products. Not only did they maintain creating products that were expected to have a lifespan of a number of years, but they also created other fashion-oriented productsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦designed to be responsive to fashion trends, thus maintaining their flow with fashion evolutions. Burberrys continuity products (classic trench, duffle coats, handbags and scarves) have longer life cycles than that of its fashion oriented products. Care must be taken in analyzing product life cycles. In terms of womens wear, menswear, and accessories, each col lection allows Burberry to compete with its major competition. A collection of accessories allows Burberry to adequately compete with larger accessory players such as Gucci and Coach. Multiple Channels Mass exposure was allowed to customers in wholesale and retails. The company had taken more control over its distribution by purchasing some distributors and severing ties with others. It had 3162 wholesale stores, 434 department stores, and 2728 specialty stores. Multiple Licensees Throughout the 1970s, when Burberry was owned by GUS, the Burberry brand became licensed on too broad of an array to maintain the true image and values of Burberry. With this came overall turmoil when the pricing, designing, and quality of Burberry products became skewed across numerous markets which then resulted in the brand having losing much of its exclusivity and the Far East [accounting] for a disproportionate 75% of sales. Due to this fact, Bravo determined and executed a plan where Burberry would now exercise control over everything from design to sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution. Ultimately, devising this licensing strategy allowed for the elimination of price, design and quality inconsistencies. Multiple licensees allows Burberry to introduce products in markets their competition has better hold of, and still share in some of the profit. These new collections and brands serve to further Burberrys new strategy and to mitigate risk of alienating core customers. Q4. Has Bravos team managed to elevate the overall status of the Burberry brand? Ans: Bravos team has managed to elevate the overall status of the Burberry brand through a complete transformation of the brand from being a classic aristocratic brand to a complete fashion oriented though being well-verse and sticking to its core brand values providing the customers both luxury and durability, for which it is known. The product was positioned as an affordable luxury brand catering customers of all age groups and from different fronts of life. The team rigorously worked to completely overhaul the pricing, distribution, product, and promotion. Multiple product lines and brands were created and the company moved in a global direction. Burberry also saw that by 2002, gross margins were now 56% compared with 47% in 2000. Multiple brands like Burberry Prorsum, Thomas Burberry, Burberry Blue and Black labels were launched to cater every segment in the market place. In terms of distribution, by 2002 Bravo and her team had managed to create world-wide distribution of the Burberry product. According to the study, they had 3,162 wholesale doors worldwide, including 434 department stores and 2,728 specialty stores, and also more than 132 company-owned stores. Lastly, Bravos team challenged themselves in finally devising a plan to promote the Burberry image. With the help of a famed advertising team, the Burberry campaign executed. The first flight launched in 1998 and featured Stella Tenant, a British Aristocrat and ultimately told a story that was able to convey the brand values, tradition, and heritage of the Burberry brand. The following winter, in 1999, the team was able to maintain the value image of Burberry, but also introduced model Kate Moss into their ads to simultaneously convey Burberrys more modern, fashion-oriented side. Ultimately, each challenge remained focused on Bravos original goal to make Burberry a global brand, while maintaining the core values and heritage of Burberry. Thereby, Bravo and her team brought Burberry at a status of most preferred, durable, luxury and also fashion oriented and accessible brand for all age category customers, thereby redefining an elevated status of Burberry.

Comparing Matthew Arnolds Dover Beach and Gerard Manley HopkinsGods

Comparing Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach and Gerard Manley Hopkins'God's Grandeur      Ã‚   Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach," and Gerard Manley Hopkins' "God's Grandeur" are similar in that both poems praise the beauty of the natural world and deplore man's role in that world. The style and tone of each poem is quite different, however. Arnold writes in an easy, flowing style and as the poem develops, reveals a deeply melancholy point of view. Hopkins writes in a very compressed, somewhat jerky style, using sentences heavy with alliteration and metaphors. His tone, though touched with sadness and perhaps even anger at man, unlike Arnold's poem, reveals an abiding sense of hope. Basically, each poet is presenting a very different view of Faith, and consequently of man's ultimate condition. Matthew Arnold begins his poem by describing a calm, beautiful scene. Dover Beach is lying "fair" in the moonlight. It is high tide and he sees the coast of France and "the cliffs of England... / Gleaming and vast, out in the tranquil bay." All seems lovely and quiet. According to Baum's research on the date and circumstances of the poem, Arnold is probably speaking to his new bride (86) as he says, "Come to the window, sweet is the night-air." But gradually the reader senses a shifting of mood and tone. Now he describes the "line of spray... / Where the sea meets" the land as "moon-blanched." And the tide, tossing pebbles as it comes, is a "grating roar" with a "tremulous cadence slow" that "bring[s] / The eternal note of sadness in." This melancholy mood grows deeper as he thinks of man's long span of history-- "The turbid ebb and flow / of human misery."    In the next stanza beginning with line twenty-one, Arnold gets to the reason ... ... in a sky that is brown, not completely black because God's Spirit is hovering in love over the dark world still, like a mother dove brooding over her nest.    Obviously, both poets recognize the darkness in the world; and both see love as a light in the   darkness. Arnold's love is human love from one individual to another and even that seems uncertain. The redeeming love Hopkins speaks of is God's love for man and His creation. That love is unchanging and indestructible--an abiding hope in the darkness. What a difference faith can make.       Works Cited Baum, Paull F. Ten Studies in the Poetry of Matthew Arnold. Durham: Duke UP, 1961. Boyle, Robert S.J. Metaphor in Hopkins. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1961. Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading Reacting Writing. 3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1991.

Pollution in New York

Alberto A. Ortiz Bio 112 May 13, 2010 Pollution is all around us, everywhere we go, every day we experience some sort of pollution. Babies in the womb are more vulnerable than their mothers to DNA harm from air pollution, in spite of the additional protection that the placenta is thought to supply in removing toxins. In a study of babies and their mothers in New York City, scientists found that babies had accumulated a relatively high amount of mutations, and they connected the mutations to vehicle emissions. The babies also had more toxins from secondhand smoke than their mothers, who didn’t even smoke. This information is listed in Environmental Health Perspectives. For many years, scientists have believed that a fetus may be more susceptible to toxins than an adult. Yet, new research among a handful of large studies has analyzed the genetic effects of pollution. It is not known what the health effects of this DNA damage, if any, are for newborns. Exposure to these types of pollutants and tobacco smoke has been linked to increased risk for cancer in adults. This finding raises concern about fetal susceptibility and underscores the importance of reducing air pollution,† says Frederica Perera, who led the study at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health in New York City. The study included 265 pairs of nonsmoking African-American and Latina mothers and newborns in New York City. The researchers collected cord blood samples from the babies at the time of delivery and blood samples from the mothers a day after giving birth. Mothers and newborns had the same level of DNA damage from air pollutants, but the researchers estimate that the fetus is exposed to a ten-fold lower dose of pollutants than the mother because the placenta serves as a filter. Thus, fetuses appear to be particularly susceptible to environmental toxins and may not be able to clear them from their bodies or repair damaged DNA. The finding that newborns had higher levels of cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, in their blood than did their mothers reinforces he concern that babies are more affected by secondhand smoke. The scientists were able to measure the level of DNA damage from air pollutants in mothers and newborns by analyzing stretches of mutated DNA, called biomarkers, that have been associated with exposure to diesel emissions and other air pollutants. In a previous study of Caucasian women and their newborns in Krakow, Poland, Perera and her colleagues found similar prenatal susceptibility to air pollution. Because New York City has much lower levels of pollution than Krakow, they wanted to see if the same damage occurred. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put forward legislation, which will provide the first comprehensive overhaul of the New York City Noise Code in over 30 years. Noise is the number one complaint to the City’s 311 citizen service hotline, currently averaging nearly 1,000 calls a day. The proposal provides a flexible environment to keep New York’s businesses thriving while addressing the number one quality of life complaint in New York. Mayor Bloomberg said that his new proposal, which was announced in June 2004, was the first overhaul of the Noise Code in over 30 years and would maintain the City’s vibrancy by balancing the need for construction, development and an exciting nightlife with New Yorker's well deserved right to peace and quiet. â€Å"Building on the success of our enforcement initiative, Operation Silent Night, we are proposing a comprehensive revision to the noise code that will make New York quieter and more livable without stifling growth,† the Mayor added. The new Noise Code will remove outdated code sections and replace them with ones that use the latest acoustic technology and will provide for flexible and reasonable enforcement. The new code provides updated and sensible means of limiting noise from construction sites located near residential neighborhoods. By establishing uniform best management practices for all work sites, using greater discretion in granting permits for night and weekend work and mandating ‘noise management plans’ that include portable sound barriers, noise jackets for jackhammers at all construction sites the code will decrease noise pollution. Neighbors apply special lotions after showering because their skin burns. Tests show that their tap water contains arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system. â€Å"How can we get digital cable and Internet in our homes, but not clean water? † said Mrs. Hall-Massey, a senior accountant at one of the state’s largest banks. She and her husband, Charles, do not live in some remote corner of Appalachia. Charleston, the state capital, is less than 17 miles from her home. â€Å"How is this still happening today? † she asked. When Mrs. Hall-Massey and 264 neighbors sued nine nearby coal companies, accusing them of putting dangerous waste into local water supplies, their lawyer did not have to look far for evidence. As required by state law, some of the companies had disclosed in reports to regulators that they were pumping into the ground illegal concentrations of chemicals — the same pollutants that flowed from residents’ taps. But state regulators never fined or punished those companies for breaking those pollution laws. The vast majority of those polluters have escaped punishment. State officials have repeatedly ignored obvious illegal dumping, and the Environmental Protection Agency, which can prosecute polluters when states fail to act, has often declined to intervene. Because it is difficult to determine what causes diseases like cancer, it is impossible to know how many illnesses are the results of water pollution, or contaminants’ role in the health problems of specific individuals. But concerns over these toxins are great enough that Congress and the E. P. A. regulate more than 100 pollutants through the Clean Water Act and strictly limit 91 chemicals or contaminants in tap water through the Safe Drinking Water Act. Research shows that an estimated one in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways. Those exposures include carcinogens in the tap water of major American cities and unsafe chemicals in drinking-water wells. Wells, which are not typically regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, are more likely to contain contaminants than municipal water systems. Because most of today’s water pollution has no scent or taste, many people who consume dangerous chemicals do not realize it, even after they become sick, researchers say. The broadest definition of thermal pollution is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature. Thermal pollution is usually associated with increases of water temperatures in a stream, lake, or ocean due to the discharge of heated water from industrial processes, such as the generation of electricity. Increases in ambient water temperature also occur in streams where shading vegetation along the banks is removed or where sediments have made the water more turbid. Both of these effects allow more energy from the sun to be absorbed by the water and thereby increase its temperature. There are also situations in which the effects of colder-than-normal water temperatures may be observed. For example, the discharge of cold bottom water from deep-water reservoirs behind large dams has changed the downstream biological communities in systems such as the Colorado River. http://www. controllingpollution. com/pollution/thermal-pollution/ http://www. nydailynews. com/topics/Noise+Pollution http://www. dec. ny. gov/chemical/281. html http://www. nytimes. com/2009/12/17/us/17water. html

Deprivation causes creation (minimalism in art forms) essays

Deprivation causes creation (minimalism in art forms) essays In todays society reaching new and diverse heights is what differentiates one from the other. Creating an idea or style that an audience or market has never been introduced to can begin a new and ever-changing revolution. Ever since minimalism was discovered, ones views on certain aspects of society have dramatically changed. During the 1960s, minimalism was first introduced in the United States (Berne). Since this idea was extremely foreign to Americans, the curiosity caused the economy to boom. Most art, music, and literature of the earlier days was complex and confusing for the spectators. Minimalism, on the other hand, was simple and reached a broader audience, precisely why the discovery was so successful (Berne). The lack or absence of some idea or meaning became the prime definition of minimalism. Today, one of the most popular intellectual achievements that can attain minimalist features is visual art. Being minimal in art can cause a viewer to focus on the true meaning of the work. When this idea of a new and refreshing style of art was introduced, it was like no other. Art has never before been so uncomplicated. This unique design has an absence of decoration and clutter (Hubbard). Unlike prior art, this is a return to bare essentials such as pyramids, cubes and other geometric volumes (Hubbard). Painting in general explores subtle gradations of single hues on a monochrome canvas (Struble 321). One would think some of the designs were created by a child because of the playful figures. This is somewhat the artists goal, which is to create a piece that is simple and easy to comprehend. Also, color plays its own role in minimalist works of art. Most often the artists choose primary colors, such as black, white, red and green. Occasionally, artists will also use bright and pa stel colors to add a touch of spunk to the piece (Hubbard). Other names in which th...

Frankenstein vs. Blade Runner Essay Example

Frankenstein vs. Blade Runner Essay Example Frankenstein vs. Blade Runner Essay Frankenstein vs. Blade Runner Essay Both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner are classic science fiction stories that deal with the themes of technology’s effect on humanity and the question of ‘What does it mean to be human? ’ In Blade Runner, the film portrays the human race having a diminished sense of ‘humanity’ because the collective cultures and communities that exist in present day are non-existent in Blade Runner’s dystopian earth. Take for example the confrontation between Chief Bryant and Deckard over whether to ‘retire’ the rogue replicants. First Bryant tries to passively push Deckard to come out of retirement; but when Deckard refuses to comply, Bryant resorts to using abusive threats and bullying to get Deckard to do the dirty work and kill the replicants. This theme continues to appear throughout the movie as the human characters bark and snap at each other constantly. Which indicates the lack of respect they have for each other, showing the breakdown of human relationships in this dystopian world. In contrast, the Replicants, who by all accounts are the most synthetic aspects of the film, appear to have the most genuine compassion, companionship, morality, empathy and courtesy for each other. This makes them appear more human than the actual protagonists in the film. Throughout Blade Runner the replicants tend to hold more civil and polite conversations with one another, demonstrating the compassion they have for each other and a caring empathy that lacks between the humans. : By the end of Bladrunner, the replicants appear to have a identity that is more human when compared to the actual humans in the film. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein also functions in a similar way. Frankenstein compares Victor Frankenstein’s creature to Victor himself and by the end, the roles of ‘human’ and ‘creature’ are reversed. Initially the creature is frustrated and is full of hatred for his creator’s abandonment and society’s abhorrence of his appearance. Frankensteins creature explains his anger, saying, There was non among the myriads of men that existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No: from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery. After realizing that his creator will eventually do nothing to help him cope with being alone in the world and detested by society, the creature kills off Victor’s family, turning the nce urbane gentleman into a monster not unlike the creature. Echoes of the creature’s earlier statements now appear in Victor’s deathbed speech, illustrating the degree in which Victor has become dehumanized. â€Å"I was cursed by some devil,† he cries, â€Å"and carried about with me my eternal hell† (142). Driven by his hatred for the other, the ‘human’ – Victor – distances himself farther and farthe r away from human society and sanity and becomes a creature possessed in finding and killing his creation. After his creator’s passing the creature pays one final visit to his former master and while Victor in the end believes him to be a  insensitive brute, Shelley casts the creature as a martyred classical hero: â€Å"I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly and exult in the agony of the torturing flames,† he says (149). Fittingly, the last few pages of the story are taken up with the creature’s own words as he preaches to the reader about his apparent moralistic change in an attempt to give himself self-definition. Another theme that can be seen in both Blade Runner and Frankenstein, is the question of ‘Are creations of science born inherently evil? ’ To put it into context for Blade Runner, Dr. Eldon Tyrell – inventor of the replicants – created machines that functioned almost the same as humans, but they were thrust into the world without any memories and experiences. The replicants were also expected to work and adapt to a changing world with an underdeveloped brain on par with a pre-pubescent child. Dr. Tyrell realised this and thus implanted within them a four-year lifespan with which time they would automatically die. This was due to the fear that the replicants, who were born with a mind of ‘tabula rasa’ or a blank slate, would develop humanistic feelings and become human. From this the movie illustrates that as the replicants (especially the seven rouge replicants) reach the end of their lifespan, they become scared of ceasing to exist and then take drastic measures to allow themselves to live Frankenstein functions in a similar way, the gothic horror novel explores what makes us human and questions the reader to pinpoint what are the attributes of a human being and how do humans become integrated into society. The creature shows that humans and man-made creatures alike are born with inherently good, and nature and the conditions around determine future personality, or the old nature/nurture argument. When Frankenstein’s creation turns against him, the novel shows that it is not the fault of the creature, but rather the wrongdoings of society that forced the creature to act the way he did.

Japanese history part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese history part 1 - Essay Example The land was still parceled out by the Shogun in order for them to be given a chance to rule in their own domains. Since rice was the crop that was grown by the farmers, it was perceived as a national crop which had to be controlled by the Daimyos. Later the crop was distributed by the Shogun; the rice that was harvested in that particular year meant that 20% of it was to be kept by Shogun (Duus 30). Another 20% of the rice was distributed to the Daimyos and the rest half belonged to the farmers. This policy made the farmers to experience hardships since the Shogun could not consider whether it was poor crop year or otherwise. Through the policy known as Sankin Kotai system, all the Daimyos were loyal to Shogun and still had to move to Edo which today known as Tokyo. Due to the movement and travelling long distance managers financial burden was experienced and this was a must since their wives and sons were held hostages in Edo. The policy was under Shogunate and required or demanded Daimyo at Tokugawa at Endo to leave his family in Edo. This meant that the Daimyo were not supposed to be with their family implying they held as hostages (McKelway 45). The wives of Daimyo and their sons were held hostages during the entire period when the Daimyo was away which imposed a lot of burdens and hardships to Daimyo since maintain two families was expensive and the travelling to and from Endo made life difficult to the Daimyo. These expanses were about 25% thus making life unbearable and too expensive. The Samurai warriors dominated the Japanese feudal system though their total population was 10% including their Daimyo. Samurai were respected by the entire lower class member where they were to bow as a sign of respect. If a farmer or artisan would not bow then the Samurai was legally allowed to chop the head of the individual. Samurai was only to talk to the

Intellectual Property Law in the UK Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Intellectual Property Law in the UK - Case Study Example Margaret is currently negotiating with Leo (a Canadian inventor) to move into a partnership contract between them. It has been noted that Leo has emerged with a new idea which later led to the development of a waterproofing compound that can protect fabrics and tents. The compound developed by Leo also has the ability to protect fabrics from sunlight. Leo gets this particular idea from his grandfather who also mentioned this particular technique in his autobiography named ‘Cold Prospector’ which was published by the Manitou Press of Saskatchewan in the year 1932. The compound that has been developed by Leo has a particular chemical substance that is primarily obtained from the sweat gland of Caribou (It is a mammal that lives in the Arctic region). However, this particular chemical can also be easily synthesized through scientific technique in the absence of the chemical that is present in secretions from the sweat glands of the Caribou. While being in the Canadian Insti tute of Arctic Biology as research scientists, he discovered about how Carabiner (chemical secreted from the sweat glands of the Caribou) makes the fur of the mammal waterproof which further give rise to his invention. However, the findings of the research were later on published in the Canadian Nature Journal. He, later on, gave up his job as a research biologist with the Canadian Institute of Arctic Biology and engaged in a further investigation with the assistance of Canadian Mounted Police. While conducting further tests, new facts were discovered regarding the properties of Carabiner. In the latter scenario, Leo applied for patenting his invention in the Canadian Patent Office. Observably, Margaret is in negotiation with Leo to develop an agreement of partnership between the two with regard to the invention of a specific compound by Leo. Since this invention of Leo is quite beneficial and a major source of conducting profitable business, there is always a danger of the idea to be stolen by others who can use it for their benefit. Contextually, Margaret needs to consider certain aspect with regard to protect the invention after she acquires it from Leo through the agreement.