Applying the Laws of Sines and Cosines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Applying the Laws of Sines and Cosines - Essay Example For both solutions of the ambiguous case the third angle is found and the rest sides are calculated (Aufmann and Nation, 2014). SSS and SAS cases are solved applying the law of cosines. According to the law of cosines, the square of any side of the triangle is equal to the sum of squares of the rest sides subtracting double product of these sides and a cosine of the angle between these sides (Aufmann and Nation, 2014). For instance, For SSS case, the cosine of each angle can be found from the equation, and the corresponding angles can be calculated. For the SAS case the unknown side is found from the equation initially. Then, the rest angles are found using the procedure for SSS case (Aufmann and Nation, 2014). Thus, the general guidelines for any triangle are to define the problem or the case (SSS, SSA) encountered. For the ambiguous case, the number of possible triangles has to be found. Afterward, the solution for the triangle can be found using the procedures described

Hills Like White Elephants Essay Essay Example for Free

Hills Like White Elephants Essay Essay 1. I believe â€Å"the American and the girl with him† were talking about having an abortion, and how it would change their relationship if they were to have a baby. He was saying that it is the only thing â€Å"bothering† them and making them â€Å"unhappy.† The girl appears undecided, and scared of losing the man. 2. Nothing really happens, except a rehashing of their relationship, which seems to consist of looking â€Å"at things and try[ing] new drinks.† 3. Their relationship is not about communication, but about the girl following everything the man says   because she doesn’t care about herself. She just wants him to love her. He tries to manipulate the girl to agree to the abortion, saying that things between them will not have to change, and that â€Å"things will be like they were,† when she felt he loved her.   He keeps speaking about â€Å"letting the air in,† which makes me think that he wants there to be â€Å"air† in the relationship, and that the non-operation would make him—not them happy again. He feels stifled, and this pressure is reflected in the hot day. The relationship is â€Å"airy† and superficial, without direct communication, because the man does not truly care about her and is concerned only with his interests, and the girl doesn’t care about herself, so she decides to want to do what he thinks is best. 4. The conflict of the story is resolved when the girl decides to have the abortion. The climax is when Hemmingway uses the adjective â€Å"reasonably,† when describing the people waiting for the train. It is a commentary that the man was thinking â€Å"reasonably,† but not from love, even though he says he is. He made his decision out of reason, and she out of emotion. 5. The hills are described as very fertile and the opposite landscape as very barren, and it seems to represent the barrenness of their relationship, as well as the discussion about abortion. 6. I would like to know why the girl said, â€Å"’I’ll scream.’†

Study On British Airways And Iberia Airlines Merger Management Essay

Study On British Airways And Iberia Airlines Merger Management Essay This case study seeks to explore why MA is taking place between British airways and Iberian airlines, taking into consideration globalisation, rationalisation and modularisation. Introduction British airways are U.K incorporated airline firm and is known for its world-class services in the airline industry. It was formed in the 1970s as the result of a merger between BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) and BEA (British European Airways).From the past three decades British airways has been the flag career airline of the United Kingdom. The main headquarter is located near to  London Heathrow Airport. British airways is the largest airline in the UK based on the size of its fleet, international flights and international destinations. On the other hand Iberian airlines are Spain based airline firm and are the countrys largest air transport group and the fourth-largest in Europe. Iberia is listed in the Ibex 35 of Spanish stock market. It is the only European Airline to report a profit continuously till past 13 years and one of the three airlines to be listed in Dow Jones Stock index. In addition, the company carries its social responsibility in a better and a distinguished manner. From the year 1927 the airline is operating its business successfully and conducts mainly three operations: Transport of passengers  and  cargo Aircraft maintenance Handling  services in airports Both the airlines firms have had their share of success but are now facing a number of industrial problems due to recession and globalisation. Problems of the companies There used to be a time when British airways (BA) was said as the worlds favourite airline, as its banners conceitedly confirmed. However, taking the present economic scenario BA is undergoing a number of problems in the industry. British airways are still struggling with the legacy of state ownership even after it has been privatised for last twenty years. Even recession has hard-hit the airline industry and to overcome the losses that British airlines had faced during recession; it had decided to cut down on its cost by reducing cabin crew and by discouraging an increase in the salary. However this acted as a catalyst in the industrial disputes and the effect of which is still very much felt in the daily business of BA; there have been a number of deadlocks and strikes within the airlines which have left passengers to decide on for other airlines.(ECONOMIST, 2009). Due to economic crisis business coming from North American routes was hard-hit due to a fall in the business-class travel. However, this could be recovered with the recovery of American economy as well as reviving the long-haul travel which makes a major part of BA profits. One of BAs major problems is Pension Deficit. BA has also been facing tough competition from low-cost airlines that have been providing customers with cheaper fares on short-haul travel. So, the only cure to overcome such losses is seen in creating or teaming up with a low cost partner. (ECONOMIST, 2009) Iberian airlines have been suffering from lower air cost travel demand as well. It has reported a trouncing of 16.4 million euro in the third quarter compared to revenue of 30.4 million euro earned in the earlier quarter. The standard fares of this airline have declined by 14% and even the load factor i.e. how filled the air-crafts are, declined to as much as 1.1% points to 82.1%. To cope up with the credit crunch it has decided to freeze the wages for 2010 and 2011 thus enhancing annual savings up to 37 million euro by 2011. It also plans to create new airline to cater to the needs of the traffic of Madrid Hub. (MENAFN, 2009) British airways decided to join hands with Iberian airlines as a result of credit crunch. By coming together they would come in the league of big European airlines. The merger with the Spain based airlines was looked upon as an appealing blend a year ago. However, taking the present state of affairs it seems to be worth a joint rescue process. This is so because both of their airlines economies are still under the influence of financial crisis; struggling with costs higher than the income. Iberia is still not moved by Mr. Willie Walshs, chief executive of BA, disagreements with the union. It still holds optimistic view towards BAs major problem of Pension Deficit. However if we consider the articles or the memorandum of the merger which was signed in November 09 between the two companies, Iberia has the right to call of the contract if BA is unable to meet up to the requirements of the trustees concerning the two pension funds. As recalculated on December 14th 09 by the trustees, the shortage of the two funds was declared to be at  £3.7 billion, based on March 31st 09 valuation. Presently BA is putting in cash worth  £131m a year. The Pension Regulator is helping to conclude whether the valuation performed by the trustees is satisfactory or not and what further actions are required to overcome the credit crunch. In this context, Iberian airlines say that it can decide to call of the deal if BA lands up paying more cash. (ECONOMIST, 2009) Airlines mergers and acquisitions are based upon strategies which involves several conditions. Airlines MA is beneficial for both travellers and airline employees. The issues which are considered while aviation MA are time, approvals, efficiency, competition, passenger benefits, and conflicts. Mergers and acquisition in airline industry is an emerging development across the world. But such MA are extremely planned and several important factors are considered. Such important factors are: The area covered by the airline The services and image of the airline Partnership of the airline with a rival group of airlines. Merger: A strategic plan The BA and Iberia pact will create a carrier of $25 billion, for instance. This deal makes a lot of sense and will cement the leading positions of the big three European network players. The merger seems to take place when the airline sector is badly hit by the decrease in number of passengers and cargo traffic. Apart of that the merger became the need of the hour, British airways reported a 20% decline in revenues to 4.1 billion pounds resulting in an operating loss of 111 million pounds in the six month period ending at September 2009. According to analyst Tony Shepard at the British brokerage firm Charles Stanley, the company is likely to report a 400 million pound loss for its full fiscal year ending in April 2010. British airways important North American routes and business have been hard hit by the collapse in business-class travel. This could bounce back quickly with economic recovery in America and, provided that cost increases from environmental measures are not too onerous; the long-haul travel on which BAs profitability depends should revive in time. But, like all former national carriers in Europe, it is facing devastating competition on its short-haul flights from low-cost airlines. .On the other hand the merger is definitely in need by Iberia also as the airlines faces hardships because airline sector in Spain is facing exceptionally difficult conditions amid the economic crisis and competition from high-speed rail. Iberian airlines financial position is quite weak as the company had plunged into the red in the second quarter of 2009, recording a huge net loss of 72.8 million Euros. Afterwards the company declared its third quarter results where it reported a loss of 16.4 million Euro s (24.4 million dollars. Due to such extreme losses and no signs of recovery in the market, the merger was seen as a best strategic move by Iberia. The planned merger with Iberia, the Spanish airline, looked as if it would be a winning combination a year ago when it was first mooted. Today it seems more like a mutual rescue operation. Both airlines national economies are still in the doldrums; both firms are struggling with costs greater than their revenues. It is also reasonably sanguine about BAs other big problem: its enormous pension deficit. But according to the merger memorandum signed, Iberia can call off the wedding if BA cannot reach a satisfactory agreement with the trustees of its two pension funds. As on 9th November 2009 there was an official announcement that both of them (British airways and Iberian airlines) reached an initial agreement for a merger which is planned to be completed by late 2010.As per the market this merger, which will need the European Commissions s eal of approval, will lead to the creation of the worlds third biggest airline. The deal would see the new company being split with Iberia being allocated a 45% stake and BA the remaining 55%. The new business would have 419 aircraft and over 200 destinations. In their last financial years, their joint revenues are approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬15 billion. The airlines believe there is a compelling strategic rationale for the transaction, which is expected to generate annual synergies of approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬400 million, and benefit both companies shareholders, customers and employees. The new group will combine the two companies leading positions in the UK and Spain and enhance their strong presence in the international long haul markets, while retaining the individual brands and current operations of each airline. In July 2008 there was news of pair being in talks for an all-share merger. But, because of issues such as the balance of control and the size of BAs pension-fund deficit the discussions were put at a stop. Market situation As per the current market scenario passenger traffic appears to have stabilized, and airlines have been able to convince their workforces that the industry is in crisis, pushing through some labour concessions and reducing capacity. BA is making genuine progress in lowering costs, says analyst Nick Cunningham of Evolution Securities. As per the British airways ongoing activities it seems the situation of the company has started improving after announcement of the merger, the company has recapitalized; following a convertible bond offering over the summer last year and now has a cash balance of 1.5 billion pounds. In addition the company has seen an increase in long haul flights which is one of the major areas where airline companies make most of the profit. But still after all the positive changes British airways still face a number of issues related to their workforce. Competitors in the market have a very mixed reaction towards the merger of both the airline. Virgin Atlantic which as per the market view faces the biggest competition from this merger its official said in a statement that the merger will increase BAs dominance at Heathrow with 44% of takeoff and landing slots this winter, and added its impossible for any other airline to replicate their scale. Other airline companies have the view that the deal could actually help them win business. Michael OLeary, CEO of discount Irish carrier Ryanair, told CNBC that the deal was like two drunks holding each other up on the way home. All you get when you put two high-fare, loss-making airlines together is even higher fares and even bigger losses. Mr. Leary operates a regional carrier and doesnt compete on long-haul flights against carriers like BA. Though these statement can be said as speculation in one sense as the true effect of this merger is still to be seen. But as per in a public announcemen t by BA chief executive Willie Walsh The merger will create a strong European airline well able to compete in the 21st century. The deal would create Europes second biggest airline by stock market capitalisation, and third biggest by income, with around 60 million passengers per year, As per market experts. The Times quoted various news on different dates regarding job cuts which were likely at existing head offices in London and Madrid, in maintenance facilities and the merged sales forces. In review of news Mr. Walsh will be chief executive, and Iberia airlines chairman Mr. Antonio Vazquez will be chairman of the new company to be based in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange. MR.Vazquez hailed the agreement, saying they were laying the foundations of what will be one of the most important airlines in the world, a real global airline.It is said that if the merger results fruitful and the economy begins its recovery in 2010 or maybe 2011 then it will be a major boost to both of them. One thing can be predicted that If the deal gets successfully executed the customers are going to have a wide variety of destinations as BA customers would gain access to up to 59 new destinations, of which 13 will be in Latin America, while Iberias customers would gain up to 98 new destinations across the BA network. In addition to it the effects of merger will result in combined stock market capitalisation of some 4.9 billion Euros (4.3 billion pounds, 7.2 billion dollars). Ways to deal with problems British Airways, the UK flag-carrier pension deficit was revealed and it was found that the deficit was more than double amounting to 3.7 billion pounds at the end of March, which was higher than analysts expected but it is not a bug enough to be a reason for ending up of the merger with Spanish airline Iberia. As told to Reuters by a source in Iberia airlines Were not surprised by this figure. It falls within the expected range, As it is already implied before, BAs pension deficit is the crucial area in the negotiation of merger and Iberia has the right to pull of the merger if the payment of this deficit turns to be too big. Moreover, there are chances that the deficit figure could arise till the time the valuation process is completed in next year in June because as per Britains Pensions Regulator the assumption which is used to calculate the deficit are too optimistic. In view of this BA said in a statement The regulators provisional view is that the technical provisions may be m aterially below a level it feels appropriate, As per the problem the British airways management is trying to figure out different ways to solve the problem. As per in one of the announcements BA said that the company and the pension trustees will work together to develop a recovery plan, a process through which the company will consult its employees and their trade unions and will try to take out a decision from it by the end of June 30, 2010. The strategy which is employed now is to change the nature of any pensions deal BA can strike with its staff and calculating the proportion of gap which can be covered by the company. As said by Deutsche Bank The Company may be forced to renegotiate pension benefits with employees if it is to avoid using more shareholders cash, Merger: Theory Practice The reality that only 20 per cent of the acquisitions actually succeed and the rest erodes shareholder wealth (Grubb and Lamb, 2000) can highly contravene with examples of successful takeovers like Swiss by Lufthansa in 2005.Talking about mergers, they create shareholder value with most of it accruing to the resultant company. One of the important reasons behind merging a company is that it helps in increasing shareholders value much above the sum total of the two companies.(Watson and Head,2007) The optimistic impact of mergers extends to and involves economies of scale or synergies, helps to gain power in the markets by creating monopolies, manages agency costs and manages risk for undiversified managers ( Gregor Anrade, Mark Mitchell, Erik Stafford, 2001). Mergers create synergies, reduce operational costs and enhance market share. On the other hand it results in the genesis of agency problems as the managers can cause mergers for their own benefit. It also results in decentralisation of power that reduces responsibility and accountability. Merger which can be defined as when two (or possibly more) business combine. In other words one can say that merger is defined as a situation when two companies/firms decide by mutual agreement to combine the businesses. The term takeover holds a different meaning in comparison to merger. It means when a larger business takes over control of a smaller business and the smaller business gets immersed by the larger business. But in todays era it is not cleared that whether the business has been merged or it has been taken over. According to the relationship between the businesses being merged, mergers and takeovers can be divided into three parts and they are : Horizontal merger occurs when two businesses in the similar industry, and at the Same point in the production process decides to combine. Vertical merger occurs when two businesses in the similar industry, but at different points in the same production process decide to combine. Conglomerate merger occurs when two businesses in unrelated industries decide to combine. As it can be implied from the academic studies supporting the article the merger between British airways and Iberia airlines is Horizontal type of merger as both the companies are from the airlines sector leading to same production process and they have got high presence at international level. According to research, the last few years werent an acceptable period for the air line industry as a result of rapidly increasing fuel costs and due to economic downturn. Airline mergers and acquisitions have clustered and most of the airline bosses exclaimed consolidation is inescapable. The prominent examples of merger and acquisition in the industry are Air France KLM in 2003, Swiss- Lufthansa in 2005, US Airways-America West in 2005 and Delta- Northwest in 2008. The Europeans lead the way in establishing mega-carriers. By revenue Air France-KLM is the world leader with $34 billion, followed by the Lufthansa Group at $30 billion. (The Mating Game.  Airline Business, 02687615, Jan2009, Vol. 25, Issue 1). At the same time, US Airways and America West merger drained their expenses by over $250 million a year and created a company better able to weather $100-a-barrel oil. US  Airways, the nations fifth-largest carrierearned $427 million on revenue of $11.7 billion. (A Cautionary Tale for Airline Mergers, Palmeri, Christopher, Business Week; 3/17/2008) Therefore it can be determined that mergers and acquisitions had sustained airline industry during the economic downturn achieving significant synergies and economies of scale. Although the mergers and acquisitions prevented air lines from liquidation, adverse impacts can also be emphasized. Even US Airways exists bankruptcy; the expanded company still face the internal struggle of affiliating two separate airlines. The main obstacles are employee dissatisfaction and customer complaints (A Cautionary Tale for Airline Mergers, Palmeri, Christopher, Business Week; 3/17/2008 ) However the worlds airlines are forming themselves into huge alliances. Does this matter? Yes: the risk is that the airline industry is moving from one extreme and its time to worry about the competition. Conclusion According to our studies and research it can be seen the airline industry has been hit by the economic downturn. They struggled with the cost hikes higher than their incomes. Both the airlines have been faced by the problems of industrialization and globalization, the competition of other airlines such as low cost airlines and rail services like Euro Star. Most of the airlines restructured and merged and gave them a competition as well. Pension black hole is one of the main current problems occurring in the British airways and some of the analysts say that they need more time to recover from the deficit than their estimated time of 2016.(in practice)Longer time is required for the closure of the deficit according to some analysts. But in the situations of cash in hock the company can consider making non-cash contributions such as non-monetary incentives instead of cash. If the company utilizes its assets for pension funds it might cripple the company with the same forces reducing its net worth. The impeccable size of the deficit is not known by the BA and at the same time they have released before announcing the recovery plan the size of the deficit effectively. However, airline and trustees are now working together to develop a recovery plan to negotiate with employees and trade unions. Unless and until BA manages come up with a solution to determine the pension deficit the merger will remain unsettled.

Christianity and Evangelism in Jane Eyre Essay -- Religion Religious B

Christianity and Evangelism in Jane Eyre There were great changes in the religious arena during the time of Victorian England. John Wesley had his warm heart experience, India had been opened to missionizing, and a Utilitarian and Evangelical shift had occurred. Charlotte Brontà « would have felt the effects of these things, being a daughter of the clergy, and by simply being a daughter of the Victorian era. Her novel, Jane Eyre, serves as a reaction to Utilitarianism, and the protagonist Jane emerges as an Evangelical figure. By using this novel as a tool for Evangelism itself, Brontà « has a platform to fulfill moral obligations, and to have a discourse with the socially held views of her time. Beyond this, it also addresses the intrinsic struggle between Paganism and Christianity. The original position of the East India Company and the English Parliament was, the resistance against allowing missionary work in India, and that the clergy would be commissioned to serve only the European population there. They took this stance, because they felt the inhabitants would feel threatened and cause problems for those who had financial interests in the area. In 1813, with the passing of a new Charter Act, India was opened to missionary activity, and many jumped at the opportunity to sacrifice all for the sake of â€Å"heathen† souls. (Viswanathan 36) The very personification of this ideal comes in the form of Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s character, St. John Rivers, Jane Eyre’s cousin and almost fiancà ©. He expounds on this when he explains: After a season of darkness and struggling, light broke and relief fell; my cramped existence all at once spread out to a plain without bounds-my powers heard a call from heaven to rise, g... ... the great religious impact it is meant to have. Christ, should and will, win out in the end – as the last line of the novel says, â€Å"Amen; even so come, Lord Jesus!† Works Cited â€Å"Brigit.† Encarta Encyclopedia Online. 2004. http://encarta.msn.com Brontà «, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Richard J. Dunn. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2001. â€Å"Evangelism.† Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online. 2004. http://www.m-w.com Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995. Viswanathan, Gauri. â€Å"The Beginnings of English Literary Study.† Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in India. New York: Columbia University Press, 1989. Weber, Max. â€Å"Luther’s Conception of the Calling.† The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Trans. Talcott Parsons. New York, Dover Publications Inc.

Benifits of Foreign Travel Essay

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the benefits of traveling to other cultures. Title:Another Life Thesis/Central Idea Sentence: It’s very important and beneficial to take care of ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually, but few ever think to use traveling as a tool to assist in the restoration of all three. Introduction: [Attention Getter] Taking a vacation is on everybody’s to do list but according to a study conducted by the Families and Work Institute only about half of Americans use their full 2 weeks of vacation each year. Motivate audience to listen] I found this odd, but when I examined my own life I found I haven’t taken an actual vacation in over 10 years. [Credibility]It just something I’ve always seemed to brush off by saying â€Å"Oh well, I’ll just take a nice vacation next year, but the following year the same thing happens and before you realize it you haven’t had a vacation in over a decade. Europeans embrace this idea of vacation almost religiously. In Europe vacations are guaranteed by law. In countries like Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, employers are required to provide up to 20 days of paid leave. Americans, on the other hand, get an average of 12 days every year and on average use about half. [Central Idea] It’s important to remember that we are not machines and that we can and do become burnt out. When this happens it can affect everything from our productivity in the work place to our personal relationships with our spouse, children, friends, and family. Depression can become a real side effect and take control of a life we once loved. So it is important to catch a break from our everyday life and take time to â€Å"Stop and smell the roses† (Unknown). Travelling to foreign cultures is just one way to experience different thoughts and ideals for dealing with day to day life. [Preview of points]While many Americans realize the importance of staying fit by exercising it is way more important and beneficial for healthier, happier living to understand that staying fit means more than lifting weights or going for a run, but working out our bodies, our minds, and our spirit in order to live a true healthier life style. Transition Sentence: So let’s begin by discussing the physical benefits of foreign travel. Body: I. First and most obvious there will be a few physical benefits from foreign travel that will be very noticeable from the very first day. A. Walking 1. Whether you vacation in Europe or Asia it really doesn’t matter so long as you get away from America or Canada. Everyone else in the entire worlds seems to walk everywhere. This may sound scary for those who haven’t seen the inside of a gym in a while or in some cases ever, but after awhile you won’t even notice how much you’ve walked. You’ll become so immersed in all that you’re seeing and experiencing that it’s not until you return to your room at night or until you sit for a while that you begin to notice that both you’re feet now have a pulse. 2. The second sounds a bit unbelievable, but after a few days of walking around and once I begin to recognize the landscape. I usually have made a few friends with some of the locals even if I don’t speak the language. There is a lot than can be said with hands, faces and a smile, but once this happens I can’t help but to begin to feel like this could be my second home. B. Food 1. While Europe and Asia do have fast food franchises most will opt out in order to experience more of the culture being visited. This is very true especially if you’re a fan of the food back home. In my case nothing beats authentic Spanish Paella or Italian anything. But in most cases you’ll be eating a bit healthier while visiting and may not even notice. Most food around the world is not processed like it is here in the states. Don’t get me wrong Wendy’s and McDonalds can be pretty delicious, but I’d rather eat real food everyday; I just can’t cook as well as those guys in Italy or even the guys Olive Garden for that matter. . Throughout the day you may dabble in a few different wines, but for the most part you’ll find water to be the beverage of choice. Unless, you’re a beer or soda connoisseur wishing to try some of the local but undiscovered to â€Å"you† refreshments. Towards the end of the day you may finish a bottle or two of wine, but in your defense†¦ One, you’re in a new country representing America and you wouldn’t want to be rude. Two, wine itself in reasonable quantities is actually good for the blood stream therefore good for your heart so â€Å"BAME, Double Whammy†! Three, what better way to socialize with locals or other fellow tourist than over a couple glasses of wine or beer under a star lit canopy dinning â€Å"Alfresco†? II. Next we will discuss a couple of the mental benefits that you will become aware of throughout the trip. A. So, First in order to begin this awesome adventure it is absolutely crucial to learn this one lesson about vacation otherwise you should’ve stayed home and burnt every dollar you spent for this trip. So here is the first mental benefit of going on vacation. It’s learning how to actually take a vacation! The very first thing we must learn is actually the most difficult we must be honest and true to ourselves that we are on vacation for the sake of nothing more than our own well being and revitalization. With that being said we must let go of our old lives if only for the week or two we are on vacation. 1. So first, it’s absolutely important not to work, discuss work or think about work even as a second thought. Your life back home is on pause until you return. 2. Second sever any and all easily available ties to your life back home. Of course if you have children and have to check on them that is an exception, but leave your cell phone, laptop and tablet, PDA, pager in your room. Give the number to the front desk to anyone back home in case of emergency. There is always someone at the front desk and you never have to worry about reception. 3. The first two steps is to ensure that your mind receives the break it deserves from normal life. B. So now that you have accepted the fact that you’re on vacation and are enjoying or not enjoying all this walking. You will definitely notice things that are different; compared to home. 1. Your mind will definitely become broadened by every one of your senses. As every sense becomes titillated each sensation will become forever locked in your memory and you may notice to compare a lot what you experience to something similar back home. 2. As each day passes you may begin to see how differently other cultures deal with life problems. I mean everyone around the world has to deal with work problems, relationships, and out of control children, but its how we deal with them that tends to get the better of us. You may take a few notes just by watching how people just seem to not sweat the small things in Europe and Asia. It seems to me they as we as Americans live to work, the rest of the planet works just enough to live. Perhaps that’s why they get more vacation and work less hours. When was the last time an American labor force took a siesta? III. Finally we will discuss the spiritual benefits that come from foreign travel. A. First off, I must make myself clear that when I use the word spiritual I do so in a general sense of the word. I do not mean to use it in direct connection towards any God or religion. While most people do believe in a supreme being of some kind some believe in science or no God at all, but regardless of what we believe we all have a sense of self therefore we all have a sort of spirit. 1. A very possible but unlikely event of spiritual revitalization is the adaptation of religion. 2. A more likely form of spiritual revitalization may perhaps come from the peace and tranquility that one may find while visiting a spa or in a quiet location away from everything. 3. Once a peace has been given to the spirit, you will become refreshed and ready to continue with life annoying little problems but after a while you will become more aware of when you need a break. Transition Sentence: So let takes one last quick look at all we have covered today. Conclusion: We now know that a vacation is a lot more than time away from work. We have discussed the three parts of us that benefit from vacation the physical, mental and spiritual and the importance of keeping all three areas in shape in order to obtain a more happy existence.

Outline the Nature of Supermarkets Power on the High Street and Beyond Essay

Outline The Nature of Supermarkets Power On The High Street and Beyond. This essay is looking at the power of supermarkets and how they use this power. The word power is often used to â€Å"denote influence, control or domination† (Allen, 2009, p. 9) Supermarkets use this power over suppliers, workers, Councils, consumers and other shops and there are conflicting views as to whether this power is used for the good of everyone or at the expense of everyone other than the supermarkets themselves or as Dennis Wrong (1977) calls it Positive Sum Game- â€Å"where all parties involved benefit to some extent† or Zero Sum Game- â€Å"where supermarkets wield their power at the expense of others† (Allen, 2009, p. 70) Supermarkets due to their sheer size and buying power have a huge advantage over the small independent high street shops. They offer a massive choice of products at a low price because they are able to buy in large quantities at discounted prices, sometimes even below cost price. These out of town supermarkets have convenient parking and consumers are able to do all their shopping in one place, from food, clothing, electrical equipment, financial services, gas and electricity etc†¦ This all makes shopping in these retail parks easier and cheaper for the consumer and the smaller independent high street shops are unable to match these prices, choices and convenience and are therefore unable to compete against the giants. As we’ve seen a move towards more out-of-town, car-dependent stores with large-format retail dominating, its driven trade away from town centres which has clearly had an impact on the small shops that are there, and we see approximately fifty small shops, independent shops, closing every week† Helen Rimmer (Friends of the earth) (‘Evidence in the social sciences’, 2009 track 1) The big supermarkets have also introduced small high street Metro and Express stores to put further pressure on the independents and gain those consumers without cars and who are unable to get to the out of town retail park. According to Helen Rimmer (Friends of the Earth) â€Å"There’s been a study of the impact of Tesco Express which is the Tesco convenience store when they’ve moved into an area, that generally led to a decline, in the small shops locally, of about 30 to 40 per cent† (‘Evidence in the social sciences’, 2009 track 1) To keep their prices low, Supermarkets are putting huge pressures on suppliers both in the UK and globally, they are often dictating how much they will pay and even the size, shape and colour of fruit and vegetables. To meet these demands suppliers are being forced to cut their cost to the bare minimum and in many cases are operating at a loss, forcing the smaller suppliers out of business. There is massive wastage, as food is rejected if it doesn’t conform to the set cosmetic appearance that the supermarkets have imposed, often sacrificing taste and flavour for appearance. Farmers have been known to plough crops back into the land when they have been rejected or the supermarket wants to pay a ridiculously low price. The cost of this wastage is usually met by the supplier, as are the ‘buy one get one free’ (BOGOF) deals that the supermarkets offer to entice their customers. This cost cutting is passed onto their workers both in the UK and abroad. In the UK they are more often than not migrant agency workers who pick and sort the salad crops, who are paid very low wages, sometimes below the cost of living. â€Å"There is a high price to be paid for cheap goods and that cost is borne one-sidedly by the weakest and least powerful groups in the supply chain† (Allen, 2009, p. 3) Meanwhile abroad, cheap clothing is produced in sweatshops, with exploited workers enduring poor conditions, long hours and being paid an inadequate wage. â€Å"The true cost of the cheap jeans and trousers, as well as the bargain-priced shoes, which line Asda’s and Tesco’s aisles, War on Want claim, is the absence of a living wage for workers in their supply chain† (Allen, 2009, p. 85) However the fact that this work is being sourced in Asia means that the clothing industry in these countries is expanding rapidly and this means work that was not there previously. These jobs are in demand by the locals as it means a way out of poverty for them, â€Å"the last thing a country like this wants is for the big retailers to stop sourcing their labour from them. That, it is pointed out, would threaten the steadily rising living standards of the garment workers†. (Allen, 2009, p. 91) Supermarkets use their power over local government to persuade them to allow the further development of new stores. This is done by a method called ‘Planning Gain’ in which they pay for civic facilities to be built i. e. : leisure centres and Doctors surgeries, in return for planning permission for a new store. These developments are Sometimes in run down, poor areas and the development of a new store can be interpreted as a good thing in helping the regeneration of the area, creating new jobs for the unemployed and encouraging new business into the area. Again there is controversy surrounding this, many believe it is for the good of the community and other believing it is â€Å"merely the latest in a series of opportunistic moves by them to get stores built at a time when planners and government frown upon out-of–town developments† (Allen, 2009, p. 4) The supermarkets are providing consumers with what they want. Cheap products in the current climate of recession are a necessity for many having to tighten their belts. The ease of having everything in one place makes it convenient to shop for those who have cars and can get to the out of town stores. â€Å"People like what supermarkets do and the efficiencies that come from the scale of their operations, the quality and choice that they’re able to offer, the prices that people find appealing are all reasons why people choose to shop in supermarkets. Richard Dodd (British retail consortium. )(‘Evidence in the social sciences’ 2009, track 1) There is no doubt that supermarkets are powerful and it is very often a zero-sum game for their suppliers, the supplier’s workforce, and the independent shops on the high street, when they wield this power against them. Town centres and the smaller independent shops are in decline, â€Å"12 per cent of town centre retail premises are now vacant compared with 4 per cent last autumn so that’s a threefold increase†. Richard Dodd (British Retail Consortium) (‘Evidence in the social sciences’ 2009, track 1) and many farmers are going out of business. The consumers however are getting what they want, but at what cost! In this consumer Society that we live in they are seduced by the choice and bargains and turn a blind eye to the lengths the supermarkets are prepared to go to give them this. The exploitation of the workers in the sweatshops of Asia, the bullying of the farmers to sell their milk, fruit and vegetables to them at the price they dictate and the small shops being put out of business. Yes supermarkets are powerful but at the end of the day it is the consumer who is enabling them to continue being so. â€Å"If customers like what a retailer is offering, they will choose that particular store or type of store and they’ll use it. If the retailer gets it wrong, the customers won’t show up and that retailer will very quickly go out of business. It is customers who have the power in all of this†. Richard Dodd (British retail consortium) (‘Evidence in the social sciences’ 2009, track 1)