Almost A Woman Essays -- essays research papers

In the autobiography Almost A Woman by Esmeralda Santiago, there are many cultural differences. She feels alienated from the rest of the people in New York or the United States, for that matter. When Esmeralda was thirteen she moved to New York with her family from Puerto Rico. She did not know a word of English nor did she have any idea of what the American culture was like. To top off her ignorance of the American culture, she was poor, making her more of an outcast. As she was growing up in the United States, most people related her to the only Latin people they had ever seen, who were Desi Arnaz from "I Love Lucy" and Rita Moreno from "West Side Story". She hated those assumptions; they were inaccurate. Desi Arnaz played to role of a Cuban musician who was married to an American and was always put as the dumb, ignorant Hispanic who was sometimes lost in the ideas of the American. Some of that is true, but she didn’t like the idea that people thought she was dumb just because the American culture was new to her. The other person that most people related her to was Rita Moreno’s character in "West Side Story". Esmeralda hated this one even more. Moreno’s character was a Puerto Rican girl named Maria caught in the middle of a gang rivalry. Esmeralda thought they portrayed Maria as a whore because of the way she dressed and the way she acted towards men....

A Hero of Our Time - Gregoriy Pechorin is No Hero Essay examples -- H

A Hero of Our Time  Ã‚  - Gregoriy Pechorin is No Hero Is Pechorin, the protagonist of Mikhail Lermontov's novella A Hero of Our Time an honorable man? Much of Pechorin's behavior proves him to be a cruel and insensitive man, who seems to bring only havoc and destruction to a situation. He is often aggravating, self-serving and insensitive to others. However in other instances, Pechorin proves himself to be the least reprehensible character. He shows himself to be a man with great self knowledge and knowledge of human behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin can be seen as a dangerous man, who is insensitive and manipulative to others for self-serving reasons to the point of their destruction. Over the course of this book, A Hero of Our Time, Pechorin plays a major role, whether intentionally or recklessly, in the cruel destruction of four secondary characters: Princess Mary, Grushnitsky, Bela and Maxim Maximych.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin finds entertainment in playing with people's lives and emotions. Princess Mary, the young beautiful and slightly pompous Moscow princess and Grushnitisky, a young, arrogant, superficial and self-centered cadet, two young people beginning to fall in love, are Pechorin's victims. "The stage is set," Pechorin cries, delighted, to his friend Dr. Werner, "We'll see if we can provide a denouement for this comedy. Evidently fate means to see that I am not bored."(102-103) Envious of their happiness, particularly Grushnitsky's, as well as their utter blindness, Pechorin takes it upon himself to make sure their relationship is obliterated. He uses their individual and human weakness against them.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The most manipulated character of this novel is Princess Mary. The majority of her interactions with Pechorin serve only to... ... be truly blamed for his behavior because he is tormented by eyes that seek truth and purity in a corrupt and deranged society. Pechorin is a man of contradictions, for he writes honestly to himself, "I was born with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason." (98)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin is a contradiction within himself. He is a disturbing and dangerous character masked behind the innocent facade of a beautiful and heroic young man. His redeeming quality is that he understands this about himself. However it isn't enough.    Works Cited and Consulted Brown, William Edward. ed. Critical Essays on Mikhail Lermontov. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1997. Lermontov, Mikhail. A Hero of Our Time. Ed. Neil Cornwall. Trans. Martin Parker. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 1995.

Organizational Changes

In the past organizations have been faced with problems of change due to the introduction of new information technologies as the internet .Organizational change occurs when an organization desires to change its overall strategies for achieving its goals, when it wants to add or remove some sections of the organization and when it wants to change its way of operating its business.The leaders and managers are given the responsibility of implementing change in the organizations, but there have been cases where some have failed to carry out their activities because of their own selfish interests, lack of knowledge or ignorance on their part, although some leaders have carried out their activities effectively. It is difficult to implement changes in the organizations but with the good structured programs the organization can effectively implement its changes.In times of change people in organization rarely accept change because it will affect them in one way or another, thus a manager one needs to know how people are empowered in their organization so that they can utilize the skills of all employees in the organization.   Ã‚  People resist change because of individual fears, denial and anger the organization should accept the weaknesses of the workers and they should counsel them since it is at this particular time they require help so that they can accept themselves and assist them to perform as required. In cases where there are the employees are resisting changes at all circumstances they should be given other duties to perform.In the case of politics and prose bookstore in Washington D.C of Barbara Meade and Carla Cohen they owed the business but they decided to hire an independent manager known as Danny Gainsburg to run the business. The management failed to recognize the fact that employees who had worked in the organization were supposed to be empowered so that they could carry out the task of running the management but the management employed a different person this led to conflicts.The management should have empowered its own employees in to the organization since they had acquired  the necessary skill to run the business.   With the appointment of Mr. Danny Gainsburg as an entrepreneur in to the organization was a big threat to the organization since he had his own way of running the organization since he was not previously employed in the organization.When employees are empowered they are able to accomplish the tasks that they are assigned to do since they are given the powers and authority to do their tasks as they have been asked to do and this gives them the motivation to pursue their jobs effectively.Another factor that would   lead to the process of implementing the changes of the business the employees are   practices such as flexible job assignment in terms jobs rotations or flexible schedules this provides employees with a better overview of the organization and gives them the opportunity to improve and training w ould give employees a better understanding of the techniques used and potentially increase their capacity to deal with problems incentive pays such as line incentives, power sharing and bonuses would be used to reward the employees.For change to be made effective the top management must support the change process they must provide workshop, extra time, resources, and training to the employees so as to enable change to be implemented effectively in the organization. The top management must also train, coach, and manage the process they can accomplish this by re-arranging workloads, and allowing other workers to take part in the change process. The workers must be motivated by giving them staff leaves, overtime pays, and they must be encouraged to view work so that they can effectively achieve their goals.The organization must create a conducive environment for the workers so that they can accomplish their tasks these includes allowing them to correct their mistakes and punishing thos e who need to be punished since they have been known to resist change. The organizations needs to evaluate update and periodically improve its policies, procedures, plans, communication methods, new technologies, values, performance appraisals so that it can conform to what its expected to do and this can result in better results for the organization. http://www.managementhelp.org/misc/reqrs-for successful-change.pdf  Ms Meade and Ms Cohen should have communicated the changes of organization and this would have ensured that the employees were made aware of their tasks in the organization thus be able to achieve the objectives of the organization and the task of implementing the changes of the organization.At the time when the management informed the staff about the appointment of Mr. Gains burg in to the organization the appointment was appreciated because the employees were prepared to receive him although other people did not accept him since he didn’t have the necessary experience of carrying his activities. For Gainsburg to have learnt how to deal with the problems of the organization, he set standards that would ensure that he interacted properly with the employees, had an understanding of the duties and roles of the employees and this eliminated chances of getting a negative response from them.Ms Meade and Ms Cohen move to sell the organization without the employees knowledge was a wrong move since the employees should have been informed about the move so that they could prepare themselves adequately for the change since this would mean that they would lose jobs since a new management would bring in new employees in the organization.In course of doing business the organization realized high sales from its competitor the Barnes and noble Inc and borders group inc they said their success was attributed from having their staff being motivated, having the staff with the right skills and knowledge of doing their business and the employees being charg ed with the responsibility of handling all matters of the organization and this factors made the employees work effectively. Ms Meade and Ms Cohen should have motivated, chosen the right personnel in to the organization so that they would carry out their activities effectively and this would have boosted the performance of the company tremendously.The management decision to employ Mr. Gainsburg as a partner in to the organization was unexpected because he spend most of his time with owners of the business hence he acquired the knowledge of how the business was being run thus he became the manager of the organization. Under Mr. Gainsburg leaderships in these bookstores he brought changes since he had acquired the experience to run the business, he ensured changes were implemented effectively and he informed the employees about the all that was to be done. The duties and roles of the employees were defined thus he was able to carry out his task effectively.The other reason why Mr. Gai nsburg could have succeeded in running the business is that he had employees who worked as a team and did their work effectively and this lead to the businesses success.  He had personal attributes that lead to the success of the business such as he was ready to take the risk of taking up a business that was not performing; he was humble since he took time to learn the business. He was aggressive as he listened to the criticism of others and he accepted new ideas of operating the business and thus was able to take the opportunities that the business had this led to the successful implementations of the organizationMr. Danny Gains burg learnt   ideas that enabled him   achieve its objectives these were: he established the analyzes of competition and identified the problem of the organization and he led the team to change, he created a vision for the organization which acted as a guide on how the business was to be led, he communicated the vision, strategies and the expected beh avior of the employees towards the job, he identified people who could implement change and he ensured that the changes became part of the organizational culture for long-term transformation and growth.The success of the organizations performance was as a result of the new management being given the authority to carry out its activities independently with no interference of the other departments, the management gave the employees the rights of doing their business and also trained the staff on the right mechanisms of carrying out the business and a better environment for the business was created which enhanced quality results for the organization.In order to improve productivity in to the organizations employees must benefit financially from their contribution. This means that the employees must be motivated so that they can produce good results for the organization; they must be given incentives as good pay job security, job flexibility and leisure periods.   Ã‚  The members of t he organization should be enlightened on the need for change because people resist changes in the organization because of fear of the unknown, the inadequacy to deal with change and they fear the effect that change will have on their jobs.For the organization to successful implement changes in the organization it must implement plans that consist of activities that can make change in the organization to be effective. The plans can include creating or modifying structures and processes in the organization, loading, training and enforcement of new policies and procedures must be carried out so as to ensure that the changes can be implemented effectively.Organizational change efforts should be geared towards improving the performance of the organization and the people of the organization. There are tools know as system thinking and system theory this can enable an employee to explore, understand and communicate about the progress of change process effectively. An employee needs to unde rstand himself, his biases and know he manages feedback and conflict and how he makes decision so that he can be able to interact with the other people in the organization and can bring about good results to the organization. Change agents should be honest in their work and they should set good principles that will promote the successful implementation of change process.The organizational barriers that an organization faces are when the staff of organizations other neglects their obligations .In other circumstances change can’t be accomplished because the top officials fail to recognize and to manage the workers who contribute to the development of the organization the workers.Another factor that would lead to the process of implementing the changes of the business the employees are practices such as flexible job assignment in terms jobs rotations or flexible schedules this provides employees with a better overview of the organization and gives them the opportunity to improve and training would give employees a better understanding of the techniques used and potentially increase theirThe management may fail to explain the importance of change to the organization failure to provide information, failure of the employees to consult when they are encountered with problems failure of the employees to negotiate with other staff and failure of the employees to relate properly with other colleagues in the organization and failure of the top management to build trust and a sense of security to their officials   thus the employees may not have the know how of conducting their businesses. The top officials may ignore the ideas of the other junior staff since they fear that they will be intimidated by their juniors.In most cases change efforts fail because the managers fail to recognize that the way employees behave in different ways thus dealing with their behaviors can be a difficult task thus the management must be trained on the effective methods of implement ing changes in the organization,Due to changes that have occurred in the organization   the managers must properly structure their policies in the areas such in the rules and procedures of the organization,rewardsystems ,corporate identities and career planning programs .The management should at all times consult the experts when they implementing changes in the organization .The employees should change their attitude about how they conduct their activities so they can allow decisions of the organization to be implemented effectively.

The Scarlet Letter

The minister hips himself â€Å"Laughing bitterly at himself the while, and smiting so much MO re pitilessly, because of that bitter laugh† (120). Timescale is miserable and pathetic that while he is torturing himself for his sin, he laughs at himself. By laughing bitterly at himself If he shows weakness and knows how pitiful he is, understanding that he is a true disappear ointment to everyone including himself. Though with all this torture it â€Å"Typified the constant NT introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not, purify himself' (120).These punishment TTS reveal the examination of Damselfly's mental and emotional processes, which explain his constant internal struggle. After he tortures himself, Timescale is still not purified. H e can only become wholesome when he exposes the sin to the townspeople. In the forest scene, Timescale decides to run off with Hester, but on the path home his mind becomes controlled by the evil. While passing by young Puritan children, the minister had to restrain himself from â€Å"uttering certain blasphemous jugs sections† (179).Timescale wants to teach them unholy words. By doing this he is corruption g the minds of these innocent, pure children when he is supposed to be a role model for them. As a Puritan minister, Timescale would never be having these thoughts, he was a different man. T he minister had â€Å"Stupefied all blessed impulses and awakened into vivid life the whole brother hood of bad ones† (182). Timescale was tempted by a dream of happiness that he became too eager envisioning a better life than the one he has now.All of his â€Å"blessed senses† had become â€Å"SST updated†, and he is not thinking the way he was before. By using the word â€Å"vivid† it makes the BRB therefore of all the bad impulses more clear and striking. Timescale is now startled at him self of thinking these thoughts and quickly tries to recover himself. Damselfly's confession in the l ast scene on the scaffold is the action that pr vides his salvation. The minister stood on the scaffold with a â€Å"Flush of triumph in hi s face, as One who in the crisis of acutest pain, had won a victory' (209).He has a triumph express Soon on his face in which he appears that he had just accomplished a great victory and achieved .NET. During the time when the minister had kept his sin a secret, he was a miserable man, who WA s pained and distressed from the guilt of suppressing the sin from the rest of the townspeople pale. However, now hat Timescale has confessed the sin his wretched self can now be freed FRR mom the torturing remorse he went through, and can now finally come clean.The minister then finishes his sermon by saying † Had either of these agonies been wanting, [He] had been lost for e eve (210). He is saying his final goodbye, and says that God had brought him there to die in trip unmeant shame in front of all the people. God gave him the burning mark on his chest, and the d ark and terrible Chlorinating to always keep the torture redroot. Without any of these agonies s Timescale would have been lost forever, God's will has been done. Timescale had pop red his heart into this sermon, using all his energy until his spirit departs. The Scarlet Letter I would like to focus on the key points with adultery which is the consequences for adultery all around the world, religion and the media. To begin with, different areas around the world consider adultery to be illegal and other places do not. Adultery's. Org cites that consequences of adultery can be between divorce, criminal actions or even silver lining (â€Å"Adultery Laws†). Just in the united States, our states treat adultery different. Slate. Com notes that Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska and North Dakota andUtah punishes the married person when committing adultery. Also, the District of Columbia, and Michigan says that if the man is married and he commits adultery with a unmarried women he is guilty but if the women is married and she commits adultery with an unmarried man than they are both at fault. In Massachusetts, Michigan, Idaho and Oklahoma treat adultery as a felony. Then in Pennsylvania the adulterer is punished two years in prison or eighteen months of treatment for insanity Acidulate†).Knowing that there are many diverse types of consequences of committing adultery can be valuable especially when Hester Prone committed adultery and she was looked down upon and judged. In my perspective, Hester could've gotten treated worse, such as living in Pennsylvania where you go to prison for a couple years or eighteen months of getting treated for insanity. In Europe, between the fifteen and sixteen century, they would be put in court by the church which would impose good morals.

Philosophy and Socrates Essay

SOCRATES THE PHILOSOPHER Socrates is a noteworthy and important historical figure as a philosopher, because of his and his pupils’ influence on the development of the philosophical world. His teachings, famous arguments, and ideas began the outgrowth of all later western philosophies. Born in 469 BC just outside of Athens, Socrates was brought up properly, and thoroughly educated. He was raised as most Athenians; developing both physical and mental strengths. Socrates then went on to learn from Archelaus the philosopher. Here he studied astronomy, mathematics, and was introduced to philosophy, which was a new concept at the time. Archelaus taught of explanations for the world with a scientific approach. Socrates, however, turned away from this idea and created his own. He decided that instead of trying to understand the universe, a person should try to understand himself. To express his philosophy, Socrates spent his days in the marketplace of Athens, telling people of his ideas. His voice was heard, and he was soon declared to be the wisest of all men. Socrates’ was skilled in the art of arguing. He developed a method by which he would win every debate. His favorite hobby was going to the marketplace and debating philosophical issues with other men in front of an audience. The result of these debates was that Socrates embarrassed the wise men in front of the crowd. This caused many to dislike him. After being named the wisest man, Socrates attempted to prove that this was not true. He debated with many men in the streets. These debates are some of his most famous argument methods. He started the discussion by stating that he knew nothing. As a result of the debate, he was able to prove that although his opponents claimed that they were wise, they knew nothing either. Socrates concluded that he really was the wisest man because unlike the others, he knew that he knew nothing. Socrates had many ideas and philosophies concerning issues other than the knowledge of oneself. These included explanations of the universe, the belief in god, and life’s goals. Other, earlier philosophers, had many different interpretation for the makeup of the world. Some believed that it was made out of numbers, others thought that it was made of a single substance, or many different substances, while still conflicting philosophers theorized that everything was formed out of atoms, and even illusions. Socrates had his own, different ideas. He believed that the world was made of forms that are not within the reach of our senses, but only of our thoughts. This means, for example, that when we think of characteristics such as roundness, we only picture ideas of it like a ball or a wheel. Therefore, he assumed that we only understand specific things that participate in our lives. In his search for the inner truth of oneself, Socrates theorized the explanation to the question of what the goals of life are. He concluded that everyone tries to find the meaning of happiness and goodness in their existence. This is the purpose of life. However, true happiness comes in many forms and is disguised in a way that people spend their lives looking for goodness, but finding only the evil in which it is concealed. The only way to discover true happiness, goodness, and the right way, is to fully understand oneself. Socrates did not believe in the Greek gods or religion. He had his personal view of god. Socrates felt that there must be some form of divine power because everyone seemed to believe in some kind of god and religion. He also believed in a sort of immortality. He hypothesized that there was an afterlife. His explanation for it was that people who had achieved goodness in their lives knew where they were going afterwards, and that evil people tried to ignore the fact that immortality existed. He preached that the soul was a person’s true being, and that our goodness in life reflected on the goodness of our souls. According to Socrates, each individual should try to make his soul as moral as possible so that it can be like god, which will allow the achievement of an afterlife. Debating in the marketplace of Athens was not Socrates’ only daily activity. He also taught his philosophies to a group of students in a small classroom. These students were much like disciples. They respected and followed in the philosophies of their teacher. Socrates’ most famous pupil, Plato, went on to become a great philosopher like his mentor. Socrates lived through and fought in the Peloponnesian War. After Athens’ defeat, the democracy was replaced by a tyranny. This did not bother Socrates much because his belief in government was a rather simple and apathetic one. He thought that no matter what kind of government subsists; it should be followed solely because a form of law and order must exist in a society to control it. One of the tyranny’s leaders was a former pupil of Socrates and hated his teacher. He tried to make life harder for Socrates by banning the t eaching of philosophy in the streets. Socrates ignored him. In response to this, the tyrant tried to kill Socrates; but the tyranny was overthrown right on time to prevent this. A new democratic government came into power, the leader of which, Anytus, also hated Socrates because his son, who was the philosopher’s pupil, turned away from the family’s business to become a philosopher. Anytus had Socrates arrested on charges of corrupting Athens’ young and turning them away from Paganism, the Greek religion involving a belief in many gods. Anytus announced the death penalty as a punishment for this crime. It was obviously an outrageous sentence for a crime that was not even committed. Socrates was brought before a jury and instead of using his debating skills to defend himself, he did nothing in his own defense because he was convinced that the entire trial was a joke. The jury voted on the death penalty. Now Socrates had a chance to appeal to the court. He was entitled to suggest forms of punishment other than death to satisfy his crime. Instead of proposing a reasonable penalty, Socrates suggested ridiculous ones which angered the jury; causing them to vote on the death penalty once again. Socrates did not seem to mind at all. He was sent to prison and lived their surrounded by his friends and disciples for his last few days. His life ended by drinking hemlock as his friends cried at his bedside. Only after this scandalous death, did all of Greece realize what they had done; that they had killed one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Socrates’ life achievements were vast. He introduced new ideas and theories into the philosophical world. His pupil, Plato, went on to influence all of the western world’s philosophical development. Socrates began the evolution of philosophy throughout the world. He took the first step toward advancing modern philosophy, as we know it. His theories and ideas were a whole new concept that helped progress the western philosophy through all of later history. In conclusion, Socrates’ historical importance is great, due to his extreme influence on the evolution of the world’s ideas of philosophy. Even though Socrates never made written records of his work, his finest and most successful pupil, Plato, recorded much of his teacher’s accomplishments and deeds. From these history has learned so much as to be able to advance and heighten its entire philosophical viewpoints; and until this day, learn from the ancient philosopher, Socrates. INTERVEIW WITH A PHILOSOPHER: Mark ? Socrates, you were raised and educated in many different fields, why did you decide to spend your life as a philosopher? Socrates ? It is true that I have been educated in the arts, literature, and gymnastics as a youth; but in my continuing education as you may already know, I was taught by Anaxagoras, the famous early philosopher. His theories were not ones with which I would agree; such as those stating that all things were made of tiny substances which contained a little of everything, that the sun was a hot rock, and that the moon was made of earth. For these teachings, he was banished from Athens. Nevertheless, he was a good teacher and allowed me to realize that my philosophies were going to be antiscientific and quite different from his. My following philosophical teacher was Archelaus, with whom I studied mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. I knew that my opinions and theories were strong, I had performing and arguing skills, and my ideas would consist of principles rather than sciences. The simple lifestyle of the philosopher appeals to me. I enjoyed the unusual behaviors that I associated myself with. All that really interested me was the great mysteries of philosophy, and the questions of knowing oneself, which I devoted my life to learning and teaching. Mark ? Your teaching was remarkable and much can be learned from studying it even after your death; why is that you never bothered to record your works for later generations? Socrates ? Many have asked this before and for quite obvious reasons. Most other noteworthy historical figures did keep a record of their works ever since the invention of written language, yet not one of mine exists in writing. I do not exactly know the reason for this. Whether there are records of my work or not, does not matter. I will forever be remembered by my loyal pupils, the Athenian population, and the world. Furthermore, nothing I ever said was of too great importance. And to tell you the truth, I never really wanted to take the time to keep useless records. That nonsense did not concern me nearly as much as most of my other problems as a philosopher. I had to make money somehow, to support my wife and three sons. As you might have guessed, being a philosopher does not exactly bring you riches. One of the reasons I began teaching was to make money. Also, I had to deal with many people’s constant hatred of me, mainly due to my victories in debates against them. Some, with high political positions, even wanted me dead at points of my life. And one even succeeded. So, you see, no matter how simple and easy going my life may seem, there are quite a few difficulties attached to it. Mark ? Your trial and death are quite interesting and famous historical events. They have been interpreted by many and confused some; what caused you to make such drastic and unusual decisions, the consequence of which you knew forehand? Socrates ? This I am aware of. As a matter of fact, some even claim that I was mentally ill, and blame that as the cause for my actions. This of course I deny. The truth includes a mixture between my philosophical beliefs and the thoughts that have occurred to me during my last days. I always believed that there is an after-life. And that must have somehow influenced my decisions. Even though the religious part of this came to me only afterwards. At first many others and I thought that this ridiculous trial was an obvious hoax. Who would have thought that such a crime, which I was evidently not guilty of, be punished by the death penalty. I fooled with the court. They on the other hand were quite serious about it. In the last days, I realized that there was no way out. True I could have argued with the court and won. I could have escaped using the plan devised by my dear friends. But since there was a high-ranking leader who wanted me dead, it was going to happen no matter what. Furthermore, my governmental beliefs stand true in all situations; the law should be followed and that is all. There was not much I was willing to do. After some thinking, I decided to go along with the law, after all, I had lived a happy life. One that I was proud of living, no matter how unusual it may appear to others. I was an old man of seventy. I found and understood myself, and had achieved happiness and goodness. There was nothing more that I desired. I knew what was waiting for me after death and was ready for it. Word Count: 2066.

Research paper Essay

Research topic Increase In tourism In Samoa Introduction Samoa has become an increasingly popular tourist destination in the Pacific Islands due to its natural beauty. Positively, the tourism industry has been beneficial for Samoa economically but it also has its disadvantages which affects the environment and our culture. This research will aim to identify and describe three impacts as a result of the Increase in tourism In Samoa. It will further discuss the measures that have been taken to address these Issues as well as the consequences. The Information collected for this research will be used as supporting references to my answers which were composed from an interview with the management of Le Lagoto Resort, a report from the Central Bank of Samoa and the use of internet sources relevant to this research. Impact of the increase in tourism to the environment Samoa is well known as a tourist destination for its natural and undisrupted environment which attracts people overseas resulting in an increase of tourist arrivals. The promotion of our country is advantageous but at the same time it has negatively Impacted our environment through air and sea pollution. For example, a tourist to travel to Samoa requires travelling on an airplane and travel to Savaii earns transportation by boat. Due to transportation needs to get to a destination these transportation methods are required. Therefore, the more flights travelling to Samoa will mean air pollution which contributes negatively to global warming. On the other hand, the ferry that travels between Savaii and Upolu Island operating six times a day contributes to sea pollution which affects our marine life which most locals depend on for food and as a source of income. Furthermore, car rental companies holiday. This increase in vehicle use also contributes to air pollution but also results n damaging our road infrastructure. An increase in tourism results in a high demand for resorts to build more rooms to accommodate guests. Locally owned beach falls are built using local timber from our natural resources or cutting down trees which in effect diminish bird and wild life creatures such as bats. Moreover, cutting down these trees for infrastructural use also results in soil erosion which removes minerals in the soil required for vegetation growth. Impact of the increase in tourism to our social & cultural values Tourist arrivals to Samoa consists different people travelling from overseas such as New Zealand and Australia, Just to name a few. These people have their own culture, values and a different way of life compared to our Samoan culture in which the â€Å"infusion of tourist and locals can disrupt local traditions and cultures†2. For instance, the Siva Samoa or traditional dance has for some time now been incorporated together with other actions influenced by famous international moves that we see on the television. Also, we lose some of our cultural values when associated with â€Å"plagues† or Europeans as we get caught up or interested in their culture especially the influence in clothing is very obvious. On the other hand, social relationships are formed between locals and tourists when they interact. However, in extreme cases where sexual interaction occurs between a tourist and a local, it may lead to diseases such as HIV Aids which is very common nowadays. Furthermore, tourists travelling individually may encourage local women into prostitution by offering them money for sexual favors which is demeaning and unacceptable in the Samoan community. Impact of the increase in tourism to Samoa’s economy Tourism has become one of Samoa’s main revenue earners with still 95% of our tourist industry locally owned. Samoa saw an increase in tourism earnings for the month of March according to the latest Tourism and Remittances Report from the Central Bank of Samoa which shows that tourist arrivals were Just over 9,000, a 25 percent increase from the previous month. 3 The higher arrivals in the month under review reflected increases in all the main source markets, particularly, Australia and New Zealand, though there was a drop in travelers from the United States. It was also noted that ‘Samoa hosted several regional conferences and workshops during March and total tourism revenues rose 22 percent to 23. million tala; 7 percent higher than the same time last year’. 4 â€Å"Increase in tourism helps create employment for a large number of unqualified workers from the traditional sectors in the developing countries†5 such as Samoa. This statement is a fact as according to the interview I conducted with Gabriella of Le lagoto Resort. During their busy season they hire more employ ees which are mainly from the neighboring villages of and with the majority having low level of qualifications and minimum skills in the industry which leads to customer dissatisfaction and complaints. This result in tourist’s not returning back to Samoa which reduces the number of tourist arrivals. However, having employment offered to the local community has contributed in them earning an income to support their families’ livelihoods. Secondly, it has also generated income for the people managing tourist attraction sights which are locally owned. For example, the Swimming with the turtle’s attraction is owned and those who want to swim and see the turtles. Moreover, due to the increase in tourists there is also an increase in demand from resorts for supplies of local vegetables and rusts to meet their guest’s dinning needs. According to the interview, it was stated that Le purchases their produce mainly from the villagers with plantations instead of buying supplies from the main island to provide an income, as most locals are not employed due to the lack of business and industrial Jobs within the area. MEASUREMENTS In regards to maintaining a clean environment in Samoa, the Samoa Tourism Authority has implemented the Samoa Beautification scheme. This measurement is aimed at improving the cleanliness of Samoa and its environment which is an attraction to people from overseas. Generally, the Samoa Tourism Authority awards the villages with the most outstanding cleanliness which is an incentive for the village community. In addition, other policies have been taken to address other environmental issues, such as the village communities marking or preserving certain areas for marine conversation which is seen along villages along the coast of Savaii. Moreover, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has also restricted certain forest areas for cutting down trees in order to maintain habitats for species. Other measures include restrictions by village communities such as preventing rubbish rom being dumped in our oceans and burning rubbish in open areas which causes pollutions. Furthermore, the Samoa Tourism Authority has helped in addressing training requirements for the tourism industry sector in order to improve skills and knowledge in the hospitality trade. For example, APTC has offered assistance to most industry employees for customer service, and chef trainings. Other trainings include bringing in specialists in the tourism industry from overseas to provide further knowledge on how to maintain the standard of tourism in Samoa. These trainings and conferences have made it possible for locals to obtain further knowledge and specific skills that benefit the tourism industry of Samoa. Moreover, our culture and people also promotes Samoa, it is obvious that our cultural heritage is preserved through different ways. For example, our Siva Samoa or Samoan cultural performances are show cased by resorts and hotels during their flavor nights. In addition, activities such as showing tourists how to husk a coconut, how to make a usu, how to weave mats promotes the Samoan way of life. In my opinion concerning the environment, I think that planning is necessary to address environmental issues as this will help preserve our natural resources. For erosion and depletion of our wild life creatures can be addressed through enforcing laws by mates or high chiefs in the village. Air and sea pollution can also be reduced if tourist arrivals decrease as this means less flights operating. In relation to social and cultural issues affected by the increase of tourism, some measures should be undertaken to prevent tourists from performing unacceptable acts or behavior while in Samoa. For example, if we look at countries in Asia, tourists are the main customers for prostitution centers; although it is legal in these countries it still does not portray a good image of this country. However, these types of acts will certainly not be accepted in Samoa, a country with strong values and good morals in which we hope to maintain in the future. In regards to employees with low qualifications and no skills in the industry, Gabriella stated that they address this issue through on the Job training by our assistant manager. Another method used to address this problem has been implemented by the Samoa Tourism Authority through their industry training delivered in the workplace programs. This includes the Signature Cocktail and Bartender Competition to be held during Teuila Festival which will help improve bartenders services for hose employed at resorts and hotels.

Ancient Commerce in China Essay

1- The route The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is the most famous and important historically trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. This historical network of interlinking, with more than 4000 miles, between East, South, Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa began to be used under the Han Dynasty (202 BC – AD 220). Originally, the Chinese trade silk occurred internally within the empire, but the caravans were often attacked by central Asian tribes, hoping to find some valuable commodities. In order to protect these caravans, the Han Dynasty extended its military defenses further into Central Asia. Later came the idea to expand the silk trade to central Asia. Silk Road extension: The land routes are red, and the water routes are blue Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 2- Name and Purpose The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade that was the major reason to sustain the route for so wide area. Some scholars prefer the term â€Å"Silk Routes† because of the several network of routes existed there. Trading silk was not the only purpose of the Silk Road, many other commodities were also traded. In addition to silk the route carried other precious goods like gold and other precious metals, ivory, precious stones and glass, exotic animals and plants were trade as well. Indeed the silk was the most remarkable goods, mainly among the Romans, it became very popular in Rome for its soft texture and attractiveness making the Romans sees the route mainly as a Silk Route. Although this fact, the name â€Å"Silk Road† originated in the nineteenth century, coined by the German scholar, von Richthofen. 3- Routes The intercontinental Silk Road had two different overland routes bypassing the Taklimakan Desert and Lop Nur. The northern route started at Chang’an (now called Xi’an), the capital of the ancient Chinese Kingdom, which, in the Later Han, was moved further east to Luoyang. The route was defined about the 1st century BCE as Han Wudi put an end to harassment by nomadic tribes The southern route was mainly a single route running from China, through the Karakoram, where it persists to modern times as the international paved road connecting Pakistan and China as the Karakoram Highway. It then set off westwards, but with southward spurs enabling the journey to be completed by sea from various points. Crossing the high mountains, it passed through northern Pakistan, over the Hindu Kush mountains, and into Afghanistan, rejoining the northern route near Merv. From there, it followed a nearly straight line west through mountainous northern Iran, Mesopotamia and the northern tip of the Syrian Desert to the Levant, where Mediterranean trading ships plied regular routes to Italy, while land routes went either north through Anatolia or south to North Africa. Another branch road traveled from Herat through Susa to Charax Spasinu at the head of the Persian Gulf and across to Petra and on to Alexandria and other eastern Mediterranean ports from where ships carried the cargoes to Rome. The Silk Road in the 1st century Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 4- Mongol Age In central Asia, Islam expanded from the 7th century onward, bringing a stop to Chinese westward expansion at the Battle of Talas in 751. Further expansion of the Islamic Turks in Central Asia from the 10th century finished disrupting trade in that part of the world. For a long time during the Middle Ages, the Islamic Caliphate often had a monopoly over much of the trade conducted across the route. Under the command of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire rapidly proceeded to conquer a huge region of Asia, the Mongol expansion throughout the Asian continent from around 1207 to 1360 helped to bring political and stability and re-establish the Silk Road. The partial unification of so many states under the Mongol Empire allowed a significant interaction between cultures of different regions. The trading started to happen again and the route became important as path for communication between different parts of the Empire once more. The Mongols, in general, were more open to ideas, more sympathetic to different religions and nationalities promoting the trading. Around 1288, the Venetian explorer Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to travel the Silk Road to China, he was not the first, however, the most well known and best documented visitor. In his tales, The Travels of Marco Polo, he describes the way of life in the cities and small kingdoms through which his party passed, with particular interest on the trade and marriage customs, opening the western eyes to some of the customs of the Far East. 5- The Peak, Decline and the Sea Route In seventh century, the Silk Route had its height of importance at this time during the Tang dynasty China was a living a relative stability after the divisions of the earlier dynasties since the Han. The art and civilization of the Silk Road achieved its highest poin in the Tang Dynasty. Changan, as the starting point of the route, as well as the capital of the dynasty, developed into one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities of the time. By 742 A.D its population reached almost two million people and in 754 A.D it had around five thousand foreigners living in the city. During the Mongol Empire as mentioned before, the route established a new good period but despite the presence of the Mongols, the route never reached the heights that it did in the Tang dynasty. Furthermore, with the disintegration of the Mongol empire, that was fairly short-lived, the barriers rose again on the land route between East and West. After the Mongol Empire, the control of the Silk Road became economically and culturally separated. The demise of the Silk Road developed the Silk Route by sea at that time it was becoming easier and safer to transport goods by water than overland (Later however, the sea route suffered a lot of problems like bad weather and pirates). Beside this the sea route passed by promising new markets in Southern Asia at that time. The commerce with China and Asia at that time was very profitable and this situation is significantly important in explaining several factors about the present economy. It was the main driving factor for the Portuguese, and later Europeans, explorations of the Indian Ocean, including the sea of China. 6- Nowadays The last link along the Silk Road was completed in 1990, when the railway connecting Lanzhou to Urumchi was extended to the border with Kazakhstan, providing an important route to the new republics and beyond. Beside this the trade route itself is also being reopened, trading between the peoples of Xinjiang and Russia has developed quickly. The new republics in Central Asia have been contributing much of the heavy industry of the region. Trade with China has also utilized the route it was encouraged by the socialist market economy and its benefits to the market. 7- Conclusion The Silk Road played a key role in the development of the ancient economy in Asia, especially in China, In China it was the main responsible to significantly increase the number of foreign merchants present in China under the Han Dynasty and exposing the Chinese and visitors to their country to different cultures and religions. Buddhism spread from India to China because of trade along the Silk Route. This route was very important in foreign trade, during all history of civilization in the last 1200 years, placing China and India, and all East Asia, in a major role for contact with the western world in a time when this region was isolated by deserts and oceans. During the Mongol Empire, based on the Mongol’s idea of liberty about different religions and cultures, once more, the route had a very important role in the foreign trade and culture exchange between Asia countries and some countries of Europe and Africa as well. Later, the great population and the varieties of products attracted the European interest (economic center of the world at that time), by sea several expeditions in order to explore the commerce in that region change the course of the world, affecting the Americas and Africa as well Asia, being decisive in the current political, economic and social aspects of several countries in these continents.