Reconstruction’s Failure Essay Example for Free

Reconstruction’s Failure Essay Congress Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal right to freedom failed because the enforcement acts that was giving in Document 2, Prejudice in the south giving Benjamin Boyer’s speech and from the book â€Å"Black Reconstruction in America† in document 6, another reason was the Compromise of 1877. In the exert from the New York times, it states the Ku Klux Klan purpose was to establish a nucleus around which the adherents of the late rebellion might safely rally. The whites thought that it threatened individual freedom because it allowed the government to punish the Ku Klux Klan and banned disguises. The kkk wonted to enforce the fourteenth amendment which is to â€Å"make slaves citizens† to the constitution of the U.S. They believed in the innate inferiority of blacks. The Ku Klux Klan and other terrorist groups tried to keep African Americans from making economic process They killed there livestock, attacked the African Americans who owned land and forced them to work for previous slaveholders. Many southerners were opposed to African Americans gaining equal right and voting in elections so they formed terrorist groups. They were very prejudice in the south. Benjamin Boyer’s wrote a speech that stated† It is common for the advocates of negro suffrage to assume that the color of the negro is the main obstacle to his political quality† meaning its common for people to see black as people who shouldn’t have the right to vote. He also said Negros are not equal of white Americans and are not entitled. In the book Black reconstruction in America he said the American Negro was compelled to give up his political power. What he was saying if Negros wonted to work or wonted to increase the income they couldn’t handle politics to. Another reason was the Compromise of 1877. After the southerners made great changes affecting the lives of freed African Americans, restricting the right of freed slaves. Hayes got the 20 disputed electoral votes. They were unlimitedly awarded to him after a bitter legal and political battle. The south accepts republican, Hayes becomes President and the North agrees to end reconstruction and withdraw troops. They also agreed to build a railroad from Texas to the West Coast and also agreed to appoint southerners to the cabinet. Reconstruction failed for many different reasons. Reconstruction was suppose to be the period of rebuilding after the Civil war in which all the confederate states returned to the union. Like  may things everything doesn’t always go as planned.

Race And Ethnic Relations In Global Perspective Essay Example for Free

Race And Ethnic Relations In Global Perspective Essay When I did my research on Hmong people in unit six I found their history and culture to be very interesting, that is why I choose the conflict of the Hmong people and the Vietnam War to do this project on. Before getting into the exact conflict and the harm that the war caused many Hmong people I am going to write about the Hmong culture. http://www. historyguy. com/hmong_rebellion_in_laos. html#. UYxyE6JnG8g The Hmong are ethnically different from the Vietnamese, Cambodians and Lowland Lao. They lived in the mountains between Laos and Vietnam. They were considered less â€Å"civilized† than the other ethnic groups mentioned. They were considered to be Semi-Nomadic because they practiced the slash-and-burn as their way of getting food. Before the French came and made Indochina a Colony the Hmong were persecuted for their way of life, after that they were left alone and not bothered by the other groups. During the Indochina War (1946-1954) the Hmong people supported the French because they protected them. When the French pulled out they left the Hmong people to survive on their own, little did they know that this would not be the last time this would happen to them. In the early 1960’s JFK sent in the Special Forces (Green Berets) to South Vietnam. They landed right by the Hmong villages. Right after they landed, the American soldiers started to recruit the young men in the villages to help them fight the North Vietnamese. They agreed to do this not because they had love for the South Vietnamese, but because they thought that the United States would be a good replacement for protection since the French had left them with no protection. The United States also recruited young Hmong men who lived in Laos to form a â€Å"Secret Army†. The Hmong people were dedicated to help the United States in the war and would do whatever it took to have the United States protection from the communist North Vietnamese. Little did they know but that protection wouldn’t be there for long and they would be left to face the enemy on their own. Before the United States recruited the men of Hmong, they were a neutral party in Vietnam. In 1973 the United States soldiers were ordered to pull out of the Vietnam War and left the Hmong with no protection. When the communist won the war in 1975 they ordered the Hmong people, women and children include, to come down from the mountains. They wanted to be able to monitor what the Hmong’s were doing. I guess they probably did this to make sure that they were no longer a threat to them. Most of the Hmong people refused to come down from the hills. When the Hmong refused to come down the communist started dropping Soviet supplied toxic agents on the villages from the air, this was called â€Å"Yellow Rain†. The yellow rain wiped out whole villages including men, women and children. In 1975 the Hmong people fled to refugee camps in Thailand to escape the horror and torture that they would have to suffer from the Lao Communist Government. In late 1975 they began arriving to the United States from the refugee camps. In the early 1990’s the refugee camps were forced to close and the people who had not fled to the United States were forced to go to non-un camps. Many of them tried to become Thai citizens but that entailed getting large sums of money from relatives. Most of those refugees could not obtain citizenship because their relatives did not even have enough money to take care of their direct families. In 2006 the Thai government made the remaining Hmong people relocate to a more isolated area in Thailand, many of them are deprived access to join their families in the United States. They are basically left to fend for themselves and fear for their lives every day. If they would never have been asked to join the United States in the fight in Vietnam, they would still be living like they always did before. They were not an enemy to anyone until they trusted the United States and later that trust was broken. The Hmong people who now live in the United States have what we would call a better life. In my opinion if we would have never disturbed them and their lives during the war they would have never known a different way of life. They would probably be happy just the way they were, with no enemies to mess with them and have never have lost most of their people in the war. It is our fault that they ever had this conflict.

Customer perceived benefits of Barclays bank

Customer perceived benefits of Barclays bank Customer perceived value, can be regarded as the opinion that a customer has or has formed of a particular product and how it is of value to him. Now value can have many different meanings to it, for example the price of the product in the market, its quality etc. The value also depends on the ability of the product to satisfy the needs of the customer. Simply put, the customer perceived value of any product is the consumers overall assessment of the utility or use of a product based on perceptions of what the customer receives and what he is giving to get the desired service or product. This concept can also be explained with the help of the following diagram: Customer perceived value= Perceived Benefits _______________ Perceived Sacrifice Where, Perceived benefits are the attributes of the service being received and the customer perceived quality and price of the product. Perceived sacrifice are the customer costs involved in purchasing, such as time, travel etc. Introduction to the organisation: For the purpose of this assignment, the company that has been selected is BARCLAYS PLC; the following text would give a brief company profile followed by the identification of the customer perceived value for the organisation by the use of the Customer Value Hierarchy Model. Company profile: Barclays is one of the worlds leading financial institutions headquartered at 1 Churchill Place, London. It is a 300 year old corporation that became a major financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, wealth management, credit cards, investment banking and management services provider for big global equity firms. It has an extensive international presence in Europe, Africa, Asia and off lately has started to expand in the United States market as well. It operates in more than 50 countries and employs more than 145,000 people worldwide. It moves, lends, protects and invests money for than 38 million customers and clients worldwide. Barclays has two business clusters: Global Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth Management- both compromising world-class business and brands. There are two other major areas where Barclays operates its business; one being the Group Centre and Absa, the Group Centre being their head office and support functions operation. The Absa Group is one of South Africas largest financial services businesses. Before we take a look at the customer perceived value of the Barclays brand, the project would like to discuss the Customer Value Hierarchy Model, and then try to apply them to the customers of Barclays. Customer Value Hierarchy Model: OBJECTIVE LAYER Customers goal and purpose CONSEQUENCE LAYER Desired consequences in use situation ATTRIBUTE LAYER Desired products/services attribute and performances The Customer Value Model consists of three layers, namely the Attribute layer, the Consequence Layer and the Objectives layer. The objective layer includes the ultimate motivations of customers, the consequence layer represents the customer experience desired by the person and finally the attribute layer specifies what actually are the needs of the customer. From the bottom of the customer value hierarchy, customers would always firstly consider the attributes and availability of products. At the second layer, customers begin to make expectations according to the attributes. At the top layer, customers form expectations about the realization of their aim. How do Barclays customers perceive their bank? Thats the question that this assignment would like to answer by giving the objectives, consequences and attributes desired by the customers, followed by a customer review. OBJECTIVES Easy personal banking Safety of the account at all times Saving account options Availability of loans at a good interest rate Online banking to keep a record of their account details at all time Ability to invest Good mortgage options Insurance options Credit card facilities Assistance while travelling CONSEQUENCES Easy accessibility to the account Peace of mind as the customer is aware that the account details are secure and safe More control over their own finances The customer does not require to keep much cash with them at all times because of the debit cards Saving for the rainy day A secure and safe environment Future is taken care off Can start a business with the help of financial banking More purchasing power ATTRIBUTES Pin- sentry device Debit card Online banking facilities which enable the customers to check account balances, make transfers, setup standing orders and direct debits. Chequebooks Barclaycard ISAs Bonds Home insurance Different types of savings accounts Different types of current accounts Overdraft facility E-savings Car insurance Travel services Looking at the above attributes, consequences and objectives list one can identify the value of the brand as perceived by the customer. The brand Barclays is a very widely recognized name and almost every person in the UK is a big fan, of course with some exceptions which are bound to be there, the customers on a general note feel very happy with the huge array of services and products made available by the bank for its customers and are satisfied with the huge network of customer service centres spread all across the world providing 24/7 customer service, also the safe and secure online banking facility provided by Barclays is very user friendly and easy to use, letting the customers always keep a track of their money. So its safe to say that Barclays as a bank not only just for people but also for small businesses and big equity firms is a financial institution of repute and is trusted and respected by the people. Just to give a basic idea about how really people feel about the pro ducts and services offered by Barclays this project would like to include a customer review, which is as follow: Barclay has never let me down. I subsequently withdraw and deposit money with ease and have it connected to PayPal.  It is extremely easy to use, I have had no login issues and their customer service cleared everything up to me.  My favourite part is that unlike most banking companies; you dont have to pay monthly fees. This really pleased me. PART 2 Critically evaluate the existing value proposition of the product/division/ company you have chosen. Compare and contrast the value proposition with that of the leading competitor in your sector. This part of the project would evaluate the value proposition or the customer value proposition of Barclays and contrast it with the customer value proposition of HSBC. But before we proceed to comparing and contrasting the value propositions of both the brands we first need to understand, what a customer value proposition really is? This is the question this project would answer first and then proceed on to discuss the variations in the value propositions of both the brands. Customer Value Proposition: In the subject of marketing, the customer value proposition consists of the sum total of benefits which a provider offers or promises a potential consumer which he will receive in return for the customers associated payment (or any other value transfer). A customer value proposition is a business or marketing statement that would describe why a customer should make use of the services and products being offered by the organisation. It is targeted towards potential consumers, rather than at other constituent groups such as suppliers, employees or partners. It can also be looked from a viewpoint of a clearly defined statement, which is designed to convince the customers that this one particular product or service will add more value or better solve a problem than the other competitors in the same industry. Why are customer value propositions so important? This question is of utmost importance to any business, because it is only these statements that give the customer an expectation of a desired service, it provides the consumers with a convincing reason to buy the desired good and also helps differentiate the product from the other services provided by the other competitors in the same industry. They help in gaining customers attention and if the customer value proposition is strong, and is able to gain the approval of the customer then it helps in building faster and more profitable sales and in increasing the market share of the organisation. Understanding of the customer needs is very vital as this would ensure the promotion and creation of a successful brand. The word brand, is the perception of a service or product that is designed to stay in the minds of the targeted consumers. It is a very important and a cumbersome task to build a strong and positive brand in the minds of your customers, but the firms which are able to accomplish this task are the ones which rise to the top. Types of Customer Value Propositions: All benefits: This is a list compilation of all the benefits of the products and services offered to the customers by the organisation. This approach requires the least market knowledge about customers and competitors and thus does not provide a good base when seen from a marketing perspective. Favourable Points of Difference: This type of value proposition explicitly recognizes the fact that the customer has different alternatives and it then focuses on how to differentiate one product or service from another. A product or service may have several points of difference, confusing the customer and thus complicating the customers understanding of the product which would offer him more value. Without a comprehensive understanding of the customers requirements and preferences, the suppliers might stress points of difference that relatively deliver little value to the targeted consumers. Resonating Focus: This approach is used by managers who directly deal with a supplier who fully grasps the critical issue in the product- consumer cycle and who can deliver a customer value proposition thats simple yet powerfully captivating. The value proposition offered is superior in the few attributes that are of the most importance to the customers which convey a message to the targeted audience, that here is an organisation which is communicating a sophisticated understanding of the customers business priorities. When talking about the value proposition of a financial institution we have to take into account the current market conditions and then arrive at the capital and funding strategy of the bank which in itself is a sort of value proposition available for the customers to have a look at and, then these consumers can decide for themselves whether they do need to associate themselves with the financial institution. Analysis of value proposition of Barclays: Capital Strategy: Barclays capital management activities will attempt to maximise shareholders value by optimising the level and mix of its capital resources. Barclays ability to operate as a bank is directly dependent upon the maintenance of adequate capital resources. Barclays works according to a centralised capital management model considering regulatory and economic capital. The Groups capital management objectives are to: Maintaining the sufficient capital required to meet minimum regulatory capital requirements set by the UK FSA. Maintaining sufficient capital resources which can support the Barclays risk appetite and fulfil the economic capital requirements. Support the banks credit rating Ensure that the locally regulated subsidiaries can meet their minimum capital requirements without having to borrow from other financial firms. Allocation of capital to support the strategic objectives set by Barclays, including optimum returns on economic and regulatory capital. Funding strategy: Barclays will manage the funding position to comply with the regulatory requirements prescribed by the UK FSA .Barclays operates on a centralised governance and control process that covers all of its liquidity risk and management activities. Funding Structure Global Retail and Commercial Banking, Barclays Wealth and Head Office Functions are to be self-funded through customer deposits and Barclays equity and other long-term capital. The Barclays Capital and Absa businesses will be funded through the wholesale secured and unsecured funding markets. Major currency payment flows and payment system collateral are going to be monitored and managed, so it can be ensure that at all times there is sufficient collateral to make payments. Day to day funding Day to day funding will be managed through limits on wholesale and secured borrowings. This will ensure that on any day and over any period there is only a limited amount of refinancing requirement. In addition to cash flow management, Barclays would also monitor the term mismatches between assets and liabilities, as well as the level and type of undrawn lending commitments, the usage of overdraft facilities and the impact of contingent liabilities such as standby letters of credit and guarantees. Additional value propositions specific to a persona customer and not the global market: Personal banking made easy by the debit card that is an internationally valid card which has many advantages like international assistance anytime anywhere, guaranteed transactions etc. Wide range of current accounts available to suit different customer needs.(mobile phone insurance, car breakdown cover etc.) Availability of loans at competitive rates Online facilities giving easy accessibility to customer funds. 24/7 customer service Wide array of savings and investment options Credit card facilities Insurance facilities(home, motor and life insurance) Mortgage facilities(buying, building and renovating of property) To understand the customer value proposition of Barclays and then to contrast it with the value proposition of HSBC, this project is going to use the SWOT analysis which is preceded by the mission statements and the vision statements of both Barclays and HSBC, thus giving us a better idea of what the customer expects from the brand and what are the promises being made by these institutions to potential and existing consumers. Mission Statement: This is a short, formal, written statement of the purpose of the company. It guides the actions of the company, benchmarks its goals, provides a sense of direction and guides in decision making. It provides a framework within which the strategies of the company are formulated. Vision Statement: This can be defined as statement that captures the long term picture of what the organisation wants to become. It gives a broad and an aspirational image of the future that an organisation wants to achieve. It is often inspirational and memorable. Mission Statement of Barclays: To develop deliver the most innovative products, manage customer experience, deliver quality services that contributes to brand strength, establishes a competitive advantage and enhances profitability, thus providing value to the stakeholders of the bank. Vision Statement of Barclays: We have a clear view of where growth will come from over the coming years. While there will be significant growth opportunities in the UK, we see many more internationally. Barclays will become a leading global universal bank. Mission Statement of HSBC: We aspire to be one of the worlds great specialist banking groups, driven by commitment to our core philosophies and values. Vision Statement of HSBC: We envision enabling HSBC to achieve its strategic objectives, driving excellence in our delivery through partnership with our customers and associates. SWOT Analysis of Barclays: Strengths: Extensive network in Europe providing business sustenance. Focus on cost efficiencies which ensure relatively higher profitability. Ability to lend amidst reduced size of the balance sheet. Associated with innovation, brought out the first credit card in 1966, most recently the OnePulse card combining Oyster, credit cashless functions for its customers. Opening of several new branches, along with a massive refurbishment programme. Weaknesses: Strained trading income impacting the revenue diversity. Barclays Capital credit market exposures are impacting the financial position and performance. Large bonuses for the Directors have attracted unwanted attention. Expansion plans in the Asian market thwarted, when Barclays were outbid for ABN Amro in 2006. Opportunities: Barclays  was keen to acquire some of Lehmans assets prior to its collapse but however, after the collapse, they have been able to negotiate a better deal with liquidators which also allowed them to be very selective in which parts of the business they actually wanted to acquire. The banks strategy to offer a full portfolio of services worldwide, provides a wide range of cross-selling opportunities. Asia continues to be an opportunity for expansion, and operations are being set up in a number of locations. Welfare provision has decreased in many countries because of the cost to governments, and  Barclays  sees self-provision as an increasing trend that it can utilise. The court recently found that  Barclays  banking charges, which had been challenged legally, were enforceable, thus repayment is not necessary and charges can continue to be enforced. Positive outlook for buy to let market may bring business volumes. Buoyant secured personal loans market in the UK could help the business. Threats: Bleak outlook for the UK economy. Regulatory fines can compress margins and financial position. Increase in online fraud. Barclays  has been accused of loss-making investments associated with the sub-prime market from its accounts to those of other investors, and there is a risk it may be sued. While offering a wide range of services provides opportunities, there is also the threat that customers may prefer to go to suppliers who present a more specialised approach. Barclays  acquired a reputation for closing branches because of a high incidence of this in 2000, and competitors have been able to position themselves as more consumer-friendly through a strategy of keeping branches open. The Asia expansion is seen as risky given that  Barclays  are in a less strong position than banking industry leaders regarding capitalisation, and this may detract investors. SWOT Analysis of HSBC: Strengths: The bank is well capitalised thus enabling it to perform relatively well against other banks in the recent economic conditions. Going forward, the bank is unlikely to borrow from the UK government because of the huge market capitalization; this enables it to retain more autonomy. HSBC has a strong presence in emerging markets, placing it in a good position to take advantage of future growth in those economies. HSBCs global presence in Europe, Asia and South America spreads the risk and offers significant economies of scale. Rebranding relatively recently (1999), the HSBC bank has become well-established and is considered of great value within the industry circles. Weaknesses: HSBC strongly believes in investing in the small business sector, but the current economic situation has led to increased risks, which could potentially compromise the activity levels in the area of its operation. HSBCs involvement with sub-prime markets in the US has forced it to write off large figures lent to high-risk borrowers. Despite cuts in the UK interest rate, HSBC has been increasing its mortgage rates. This can be perceived negatively by the borrowers and potential borrowers, which may add pressure to an already depressed housing market and can ultimately lead to more defaulting as borrowers would struggle with higher repayments. A redundancy programme which was announced recently can affect morale among staff, leading to decreased productivity and loyalty. HSBCs branding emphasises its global presence, and this can be seen as negatively by some consumers in its implication of homogenisation and lack of personalisation. Opportunities: HSBCs high levels of market capitalisation place the bank, in a strong position which helps it to acquire assets. Banks which find the trading conditions particularly difficult at present could be available at low costs. HSBC has adequate capital which it can use to purchase stronger banks such as Bank Ekonomi in Indonesia, in which it has purchased a stake to continue its Asian expansion despite challenging economic times. HSBCs strong position presents the opportunity to outperform other banking competitors during the economic downturn which allows it to build a reputation of being one of the safer banks for depositors which in turn helps to increase resources for lending. Negative press coverage of competitors such as HBOS can encourage customers to choose HSBC instead. Threats: Decreased trust in the financial system overall, including HSBC due to financial losses suffered by investors may be a reason for them to invest elsewhere. Financial losses which has affected the banking industry and investors on a global scale has resulted in less credit being available for customers. In the UK this coupled with increases in living cost has resulted in less money being saved. The slump property market has led to a rise in numbers of homeowners with negative equity. If a property is worth less than what it was borrowed to finance its purchase, there is less likelihood that the bank will recoup all its losses if owners default. Claims have been made against HSBC, about the bank understating losses resulting from US sub-prime markets, and this has led to undermining confidence in the bank by the customers. CONCLUSION: Barclays is currently taking a  conservative approach due to the recession. However, the downturn has provided the bank with many opportunities for consolidation. Also, with the BRIC and East Asian markets rebounding fast this region looks to be a source of potential revenues and provides opportunities for increasing operations. With the United Kingdom and the Americas looking at a slow and prolonged phase of recovery, Barclays will need to adopt a policy of looking east when it comes to operations. The threats and problems that Barclays may face in the future will be the sustained economic situation being experienced in the United Kingdom, Europe and America which will lead to uncertainty within the retail consumer market and could result in shortage of availability of credit. This in turn makes it even more important for the Barclays to drive its overall corporate profitability and margin by seeking to offset the shortfalls in the UK domestic market with advances in emerging markets. All companies, like Barclays, are being forced to re-examine in particular the retail aspects of their operations seeking to remain competitive on the high street and also making cuts wherever necessary. In this current financial climate, banks are unwilling to finance each other and with the UK market on the verge of a projected severe recession, all of the retailing factors will influence Barclays competitiveness and it would depend largely on how the Bank of England and the Treasury seek to reg enerate and reinforce the flagging confidence of the stock markets. HSBC will concentrate on the strategic and prioritized areas of its worldwide operation with the further emphasis on HR management strategies and technologically-advanced applications within the group to keep a firm lead in the financial markets. HSBCs conservative approach to banking, staying focused on keeping its capital base strong and liquid balance sheet have prevented its failure. Executing the HSBCs strategy entails improving intra-group linkages by joining up the businesses and functions to more effectively create additional value. The HSBC brand and global networks are going to be leveraged to reach new customers and offer more services to the existing ones. Efficiency will be enhanced by taking the full advantage of local, regional and global economies. Appropriate objectives and incentives will be adopted to encourage the employees to be fully engaged in delivering the strategy. PART 3 In light of your analysis of your existing value proposition and what you have learnt in this module produce, a new value proposition that will match the value criteria of your customers, and a plan to implement the value proposition externally and internally http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/pix/spacer.gif To create a new value proposition that would be acceptable to the customers of Barclays, all the weaknesses that the current business structure has would have to be removed and a new and better business plan would have to be drafted by identifying the opportunities and removing the weaknesses. A New Value Proposition: The trading income should be relaxed so that it does not impact the revenue diversity. Capital bonuses should be distributed in accordance with the FSA and the bad practice of the directors receiving huge bonuses should be curtailed. Barclays should provide the consumers with a full portfolio of services worldwide, rather than just concentrating in the UK, this move could enable cross-selling opportunities. Barclays should look towards expanding in the worlds booming economies like India, China, Indonesia etc. so that these economies could provide Barclays with the market opportunities it is looking for, thus increasing the market capitalization. This project would propose that Barclays should have an aggressive expansion policy in the Asian market. Barclays needs to invest in buy to let market, which would in turn bring business volumes. Due to the economic crisis in the markets, Barclays needs to cut down its interest rates and mortgage rates, so as to become a peoples bank and thus raising the brand image. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: To implement the new value proposition described above the project, will identify the key relationship-marketing issue, followed by refocusing of marketing effort: moving activities away from a marketing mix that creates a series of one-off transactions, to manage a complex network of relationships involved with the production of the whole consumer offering. T Marketing audit will be carried out so as to map out a plan that will be of most advantage to the customers and will be conducted in stages, namely at the beginning, the middle and at the end. Marketing analysis in terms of the strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities. A review must be undertaken to understand the new value propositions outlined above in the light of internal marketing. A new strategy development process concentrating on differentiation, cost leadership and adequate response systems would have to be created. Action programmes would have to be designed by managers so as to determine the most appropriate course to take in tackling the weakness of the organisation, with a determination of the like;ly costs which would be incurred. The implementation plan would have to be monitored and controlled by keeping a track of staff performance, evaluation and appraisal schemes. To ensure effective, appropriate and accurate results, basis for market segmentation would have to be identified, based on extensive market research. Marketing orientation is going to be very important, the new value propositions must be made clear to all the employees and clearly defined individual goals should be set down to enable the employees to see their own contribution in achieving the organisations objectives. Externally implementing the plan is going to be very important, and can be done by the use of media, electronic, print and sponsorships. The new value propositions can be made available in the form of television advertisements, available for all the people to see. The Barclays website can act as a powerful medium on which the new value propositions can be put up and made available. It should be designed in an effective and detailed manner so that the customers are aware about all the new services available to them. Print media is another powerful form by which the new policies can be made available for the masses. Barclays is a big sponsor for many big international events and meets and can use that as an active platform to educate the consumers about the new change in the policy structure.

Sylvias Use of Senses in Ariel :: English Literature Essays

Sylvia's Use of Senses in Ariel "Ariel" possesses power and importance, a certain element of orgasmic stress to the degree to which the horseback ride Plath once took becomes something more—a ride into the abyss of the unknown, a stare back into the eye of the sun, an odyssey to death, a stripping of personality and selfhood, a sort of blatant exposition. To treat "Ariel" as a confessional poem is to suggest that its actual importance lies in the horse- ride taken by its author, in the author's psychological problems, or in its position within the biographical development of the author. None of these issues is as significant as the imagistic and thematic developments rendered by the poem itself. Probably the finest single construction of Plath, "Ariel" has articulate precision and depth of its images. In its account of the ritual journey toward the center of life and death, Plath perfects her method of leaping from image to image in order to represent mental process. The sensuousness and concreteness of the poem—the "Black sweet blood mouthfuls" of the berries; the "glitter of seas"—is unmatched in contemporary American poetry. We see, hear, touch, and taste the process of disintegration: the horse emerging from the darkness of the morning, the sun beginning to rise as Ariel rushes uncontrollably across the countryside, the rider trying to catch the brown neck but instead "tasting" the blackberries on the side of the road. Then all the rider's perceptions are thrown together: the horse's body and the rider's merge. She hears her own cry as if it were that of a child and flies toward the burning sun that has now risen. To a reader who is unaware of Plath’s biography â€Å"ARIEL† would probably most immediately call to mind the "airy spirit" who in Shakespeare’s The Tempest is a servant to Prospero and symbolizes Prospero’s control of the upper elements of the universe, fire and air. And seen from a more intimate level, â€Å"ARIEL† was the name of her favorite horse, on whom she weekly went riding. The two reflections about the name â€Å"ARIEL† have often been noticed and pointed out, with the emphasis, from a critical perspective, being placed on the biographical referent. But there is another possible referent in the title of the poem, which no one has yet noted, although the poet, apparently, went out of her way to make reference, even obvious reference, to it.

Immigrants and Assimilation into American Society Essay -- Immigration

Immigrants and Assimilation into American Society Several years ago, America was taught to be a 'melting pot,' a place where immigrants of different cultures or races form an integrated society, but now America is more of a 'salad bowl' where instead of forming an incorporated entity the people who make up the bowl are unwilling to unite as one. America started as an immigrant nation and has continued to be so. People all over the world come to America for several reasons. Most people come to America voluntarily, but very few come unwillingly. For whatever reasons they may have for coming they all have to face exposure to American society. When exposed to this 'new' society they choose whether to assimilate or not. Assimilation in any society is complex. Since assimilation is not simple, people will have negative experiences when assimilating into American society. In American society, learning to speak English properly is a crucial factor in assimilation. People who have decided to come to America have found it rather difficult to assimilate into American society for several reasons. One reason being that learning a new language is or can be considerably difficult depending on your age. This is so because the act of learning a new language such as English, is much more difficult for an elderly person than for one who has not reached adolescence. According to Grognet, for elderly people there are several factors that affect their willingness to learn. Among those factors are, physical health, mental health, cultural expectations, attitude, motivation and finally the ability to acquire the correct diction, and to suitable articulation (Grognet 296-297). For a person who has not reached the prepubescent age, it is... ...accomplished the assimilation into one race, it consists of people sharing a similar identity. In the words of Richard Rodriguez, ?We are gathered together-but as individuals?we stand together, alone,? thus people will assimilate but as individual ?Americans?. Bibliography: 1. Grognet, Allene. ?Elderly Refugees and Language Learning.? Hillard, Piro, and Warner. 295-300. 2. Houston, Jeanne. ?Arrival at Manzanar.? Hillard, Piro, and Warner. 307-314. 3. Lopez, Cynthia. ?Cranderismo: A Healing Art.? Hillard, Piro, and Warner. 334-336. 4. Rodriguez, Richard. ?Does America Still Exist Hillard, Piro, and Warner. 183-186. 5. Tan, Amy. ?My Mother?s English.? Hillard, Piro, and Warner. 42-46. 6. Hillard, Judith, Vincent, Piro, and J. Sterling Warner, Eds. Visions Across The Americas. Orlando, Fl: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1998.

Healing Health Care :: essays research papers

Healing Health Care Levi Pulkkinen Op-Ed Paper March 10, 1997   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Grant nears the end of his forty-fifth year old age begins to shed its ominous light over every aspect of his life. He has already watch four of his teeth rot out because, although he works nearly sixty hours a week, he cannot afford basic health care. As he enters the twilight years of his life, earlier than anyone should, he is faced with failing health and no way to pay the doctor bills. The fact that someone who has worked all their life may not be able to obtain adequate medical and dental care because of their station in life goes against all the ideals that have made America great.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As we enter into the twenty-first century we see new cures and treatments springing into our clinics and homes at an unprecedented rate. Only a fool would argue that these advances are not helping millions, but the costs inherent with these new remedies make them inaccessible to many Americans who would benefit greatly from them. From 1971 to 1991 the price of health related goods and services climbed 30 percent faster that of other goods, placing far out of the financial reach of the working class of this nation. It is time to consider a true national health-care system, in order to insure that everyone, not just the wealthy, can enjoy good health. As it stands, America is the only civilized country where access to basic health care depends on where one works and how much one is paid. For many well insured people there is debate about our nation ¹s stance on the separation between the individual and the state, but the fact of the mater is that if our friend Grant had been born five hundred miles to the North he would still have his teeth and a much brighter future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Canada, where they have had a national health insurance since 1967, a citizen is guaranteed treatment for any illness that may afflict him or her. In addition to keeping their people heather, and as a result happier, the Canadian system has kept costs minimal while research and development has continued at the same, if not faster, pace that we see here. Around the globe we can see the correlation between national health care systems and better quality of treatment. In Japan, they have countered the medical problems inherent with a crowded society through national health insurance, and as a result enjoy a extremely high quality of living. Even here we have harnessed some of the power of

Into the Wild Essay

Jon Krakauer, the author of Into the Wild, and Chris McCandless, the main character, share very similar stories and personalities. The best was in which these similarities are depicted is in chapters 14 and 15, when Krakauer inserts himself into the story. In these chapters Krakauer highlights a lot of parallels between himself and McCandless and through these highlights we can look at Krakauer as a credible biographer because he has a deeper understand for McCandless’s motivations. Krakauer and McCandless have very similar obstacles and backgrounds which is exemplified in chapter 14. Both men at one point in life sought isolation, and more specifically, sought isolation with nature. Both thought they had something to prove, may it be to themselves or those around them. â€Å"I was twenty-three, a year younger than Chris McCandless when he walked into that Alaska bush† (Krakauer, 135). They are both two young men going out into the wilderness trying to live on their own and accomplish their own desired feat. Krakauer believed that since they shared similar challenges and characteristics, that their emotions and thoughts may have been the same too. No one really knows what McCandless was thinking at the time but Krakauer believes that he felt some loneliness from time to time. Krakauer once believed that he could live without people and friends just like McCandless though, but Krakauer admits that every once in a while he felt lonely so he infers that McCandless must have felt this same loneliness during his time in the wilderness. Krakauer also wants to elicit the comparison of their relationships with their fathers. â€Å"My father was a volatile, extremely complicated person, possessed of a brash demeanor that masked deep insecurities† (147). Both have fathers that they did not quite get along with and had tough relationships with. This also adds more credibility to Krakauer as a biographer as he shares yet another thing in common with McCandless. The motives of both characters are another important connection that must be made; both characters shared resilience and were determined to succeed. Krakauer’s own account is now made even more crucial to the book as we now see that both characters shared similar motives and mindsets. After being denied once by Devil’s Thumb Krakauer is still determined to climb to the top. â€Å"In truth my escapade on the north face had rattled me, and I didn’t want to go up the Thumb again at all. But the thought of returning to Boulder in defeat wasn’t very appealing either† (146). This can be compared to McCandless’s strong belief in his ability to survive. McCandless’s journey had not been an easy one and he had not been very successful, yet he was still determined in his abilities and would not give in. The fact that Krakauer also shares a similar mindset as McCandless makes his verdict about McCandless’s life that much more credible. Krakauer’s most important claim is that McCandless did not commit suicide. Even though McCandless states in his final postcard to Westerberg that he may never make it out alive, he still strongly belives in his own abilities. McCandless was under the false notion that, if he was able to survive everything so far, then he could survive the rest of his journey.