Christmas Holiday Essay Example for Free

Christmas Holiday Essay This holiday it was wonderful for me because it was more fun than anothers holidays for now. I got a good time and especially it was great because i spent with my familly, i am lucky for that because i have a big familly. Usually the Christams holiday is important for me, than childrens go to carols for Christmas at houses of peoples for announcement the birth of Jesus Christ. I like to go for sining and this year i was togeter with my brother and a good friend, i maked much money and i divided in three. On Christmas Eve i decoraded tree and for both my grandparents and the parents. I spended my Christmas in Harman and for New Year i come at my grandparents with my paretns and i spended with they and with uncle, aunt and my cousins. All it was great but with one exception i dont liked because not was snow, i like when is much snow that make the to have spirit this holiday,that is so special and so beautiful,is great when see snow flakes. For night the New Year i got many fireworks and petards, i like this part,this custom and i think that liked at all peoples with exception of my grandmother,her dont like the this because is afraid of that but i think that is for their noise deafening,if it dont was that noise with sure her would like. I think the Christmas and New Year is important and special for everybody,in every year we spend this wonderful moment with all familly and we enjoy with great love.

An Analysis Of Global Alliances

An Analysis Of Global Alliances As a matter of survival, airlines within the current environment are constantly reviewing and altering their strategies. An important component of any airlines strategy to remain viable and maintain competitive advantage in todays setting is to pool resources and share risk, known as an alliance. A broad definition of an alliance that occurs in the aviation industry is the collaboration between two or more firms that retain their autonomy during the course of their relationship (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004). To that end, there are certain variations of airline alliance in vogue today, in particular the Global Airline Alliance. Starting with a synopsis and identification of these alliance groups, the discussion will move to a selection and analysis of benefits and shortcomings that can be associated with global alliances from a business and consumer perspective. From here, an appreciation will be gained of the major airline alliances and typical rationale of alliance strategies. Currently, the most popular forms of coalition in the airline business are the non-equity marketing alliances known as Airline Alliance Groups (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004) or Global Multicarrier Alliances (Cools Roos, 2005). At the present time, the main global multicarrier alliance networks are Star Alliance, One World, and Skyteam (UBM, 2010). These alliances are predominantly a massive global network of multilateral codesharing and joint resource Air Service Agreements (ASAs) between carriers. This allows a central point of contact for the passenger to ensure a convenient, smooth and efficient worldwide travel experience (Star Alliance, 1997). Although individual airlines are aligned under the umbrella of a single corporate entity, distinct airline brand identities and cultures are retained. These alliances have set out to revolutionise seamless air travel for the international passenger from hub to hub and beyond. Additionally, the synergies created were only possible due to ast ute governance of previously implausible collaboration. To that end, airline conglomerates now understand The best way to generate real business growth and expansion is by forging the appropriate strategic partnerships (Borovich Yeheskel, 2001). From an airline business perspective, membership in a global alliance has one distinct, instantaneous and strategic advantage. Almost overnight, all member airlines geographic route structures will have expanded without costly capital investment in infrastructure and assets. This allows airlines to service routes that were previously deemed non-profitable or inaccessible, albeit on other alliance members aircraft. This complementary alliance (Oum Park, 1997, as cited in Chen Ross, 2000, p. 328) has the flow on effect of generating untapped markets within the domestic environment and yielding higher load factors for all alliance members aircraft operations. Henceforth, this produces larger revenues which in turn diminishes overhead costs and maintains more efficient airlines by lowering unit cost base (Doganis 2001, p. 76). While this contributes to diversification and larger profit margins for collaborating airlines, the traveller can be confident airfare cost will remain relativel y reasonable assuming competition remains viable on any given route. This is a beneficial outcome for all involved, both airline businesses and the consumer. A comparable example where alliances between two airlines operating on the same route is however, considered anti-competitive (Chen Ross, 2000, p 328). Here the competing airlines could strike a codeshare accord, typically after a tenuously long and protracted battle attempting to gain market share. This is routinely known as a parallel alliance (Oum Park 1996, p. 190), however this is unfortunately likely to result in cartel type price fixing. This form of alliance generally benefits the airlines as it narrows competition and has a propensity to create a higher demand for a particular service, hence higher airfares (Chen Ross, 2000, p 328). Conversely, the pre-alliance scenario utilising capacity dumping (NZ Parliament, 2006), where supply exceeds demand, only profits the consumer with ridiculously low and unsustainable airfares. This invariably serves to strengthen the dominant market leaders position by financially eliminating the competition in the long term. These types of al liance are inherent of predatory behaviour with very little consumer benefit and require antitrust immunity (Bilotkach, 2005, p. 168). An example of this type of arrangement within the global alliance networks does exist, although on the exceedingly competitive North Atlantic route between Lufthansa and United Airlines (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 23). While codesharing is one weapon with which to condense costs, create better margins and maintain a reasonably priced service, it is not the only resource available to benefit allying partners and the consumer. One only needs to visit any of the global airline networks websites to see a large scale joint marketing experience. Consequently, Extensive market presence plays an essential role in major airlines plans for survival and prosperity (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 113), and this influence is an effective tool when multiple powerful brands are combined. For the smaller airlines within the alliance groups, association with some of the mega-carriers alone is a sufficient marketing device to increase recognition and augment passenger numbers. This is simply a case of if passengers do not find you, they will not fly you (Bammer, 2000, as cited in Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 121). For the bigger carriers in the group, enhanced economies of scale (Doganis, 2001, p. 76), scope and d ensity (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 39) beckon, to provide growth quickly while mitigating a host of regulatory and economic barriers. This coincides with the global alliance concept To contribute to the long-term profitability of its members beyond their individual capabilities (Star Alliance, 2010, p. 6). Another advantage of such extensive market sway is the collective consumable and asset purchasing power. Doganis states, the Star Alliance group is estimated to save between five to seven percent each year with this strategy (2001, p. 78). In contrast, these combined marketing regimens can be inflexible and force a loss of individual brand identity. As the global alliance brand builds its own characteristics, it will be perceived by the customer to deliver a certain expectation, and if not all of the alliance members fit the model, they may be forced to compromise their own identities to conform, or risk being extricated. This is known as the domino effect (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 17). The airlines are not the sole profiteer from this vast marketing onslaught. Customer satisfaction, retention and relationship quality is the target of any marketing strategy, and with immensely large global brands and reputations at risk, standards will always be under scrutiny. The consumer perception of these alliance groups is that of a seal of quality (Kleymann Seristà ¶, 2004, p. 39), and all members are logically required to exact some consistency over the service spectrum. To that end, the global alliance groups have combined value adding resources to meet or exceed the expectations of the high value international traveller (Star Alliance, 2010, p. 6). Some pertinent examples are: priority check-in, lounge access, additional baggage allowances, priority boarding, global ticketing, common terminals and priority baggage handling. As aforementioned, the consistency and variation with which these additional benefits are delivered can provide a potential drawback. Products vary f rom brand to brand, for example; Air New Zealand has a premium economy seat (Star Alliance, 1997), of which not all airlines utilise. A customer that purchases this seat flying from New Zealand to Germany with alliance codeshare partner Lufthansa (McCaw, 2010), would in all likelihood be downgraded to an economy seat from England or the United States. Furthermore, differing cultures can also play a role with service delivery. Once again, the customer flying from New Zealand to Germany may enjoy the relaxed Kiwi attitude, but may be overwhelmed by the clinical and formal German approach, or vice versa. Henceforth, Kleymann and Seristà ¶ suggest successful brand image and customer fulfilment is particularly relevant to quality and consistency of service (2004, p. 121). Global alliances offer many joint benefits to consumers from airlines prospering within their own niche, which could not be possible without reliance on international partners. While the phenomenon of globalisation is a reality and people seek to condense and simplify work, time and travel experiences, global airline alliances fit the mould as a reaction to seek balance. At present, the rules of international aviation preserve sovereignty and do not endorse a truly competitive environment. While grandfathering provisions of landing rights at major airports and governmental influence in survivability of flag carriers ensues, the only room for growth from independents is to collude. At this point in time, global alliances serve the needs of both consumers and airline businesses. As with every decision, there are good and bad consequences and not all choices will gratify everyone. Global alliances endeavour to satisfy the majority, while sustaining the future of the alliance members to provide a useful service. Until all nations relax rules around freedoms of the air and airline foreign ownership, so as to furnish a genuine open skies policy, these mega-conglomerates will flourish. Word Count: 1343

James S. Hirsch’s Book, Hurricane :: Essays Papers

James S. Hirsch’s Book, Hurricane In James S. Hirsch’s book about Rubin "Hurricane" Cater, Hurricane, the author describes how Carter was wrongfully imprisoned and how he managed to become free. Hirsch tells about the nearly impossible battle for Carter and his friend John Artis for freedom and justice. Both, Carter and Artis, were convicted of a triple homicide, and both were innocent. The book raises the importance of, and questions, the writ of habeas corpus. Carter used a writ of habeas corpus to get a federal trial. Many question the legality of Carter going into federal jurisdiction, when his case should have been heard before the Supreme Court of New Jersey. It was a gamble, but the federal judge gave fair justice to Carter and Artis. The State of New Jersey appealed the case all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which upheld the District Court’s ruling. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was a boxer who hailed from Paterson, New Jersey. His story begins in the summer of 1966, during the Civil Rights Movement. Carter was at the Lafayette Bar and Grill on June 17th, but he was denied service by the bartender, James Oliver, due to his race. Carter left the bar after being denied service. Around 2:30 A.M., two armed black men came into the Lafayette Bar and opened fire. Oliver and one customer were killed instantly. Two other patrons, Hazel Tanis and William Marins, were seriously wounded. Patty Valentine, a tenant who lived above the bar, looked out her window just after the shooting. She saw two black men leave in a white car. Nearby Alfred Bello and Arthur Bradley were breaking into a factory. Bello was the lookout, and his exact location - inside or outside the bar - would be a point of concentration for the next twenty years. The police arrived at the bar within minutes. They took statements from Marins, Valenine, and Bello. Not one of them said they had seen Rubin Carter, one of Paterson’s most well-known citizens, at the scene. A police bulletin radioed officers to be on the lookout for a white car with two black men inside. Four minutes after the shooting, but before the police bulletin, a Paterson police officer was chasing a speeding white car which was leaving town.

De Vaca and Smith :: Social Issues, Indian Life

Both Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and John Smith hold different attitudes regarding their accounts of Indian life. The difference in attitudes may have resulted from the difference in treatments that each man received while in captivity. De Vaca’s experience is a humbling one. His account of Indian life is written in a thoughtful manner, and he describes the Indians kindly. While he describes his captivity as â€Å"melancholy and wretched† (De Vaca 34), it’s clear that he harbors no ill feelings towards the Indians. He states that he and his men were treated well, that they lived as â€Å"free agents† (De Vaca 32) and tried to accustom themselves to Indian life. He’s highly observant of the Indian life. He records the Indian lifestyles in detail; his account reads more like a cultural anthropology study. His account of Indian life ends on a sympathetic note towards the Indians especially after he realizes his misjudgment of the Christians. â€Å"We often misjudge the motives of men,† de Vaca writes, â€Å"We thought we had effected the Indians’ liberty, when the Christians were but poising to pounce (De Vaca 36).† Smith, on the other hand, describes his account in a boastful manner. His account of Indian life reads like a fantastic adventure novel in which he is the glorified hero. He continuously refers to the Indians as â€Å"savages† (Smith 46) or â€Å"barbarians† (Smith 48) throughout his account. He even describes them as â€Å"devils† (Smith 51). At one point, he thinks that the Indians are trying to â€Å"fat him to eat him† (Smith 50). Smith’s account is so incredibly dramatic that he expects â€Å"every hour to be put to one death or other† (Smith 52). Also, the incident with Pocahontas saving Smith appears to be highly romanticized. Smith’s manner of writing, in which he writes of himself in the third person, only adds to the boastful tone of this account. It makes the entire account seem impersonal. It also makes Smith appear self-important and frivolous. One can only speculate on why there is such a huge difference in these two writers’ attitudes. Their backgrounds may be factors that have influenced their attitudes. For de Vaca, it may be his religious background that has influenced him and shaped his attitude. In his account, he acknowledges his religion several times. â€Å"My only solace in these labors was to think of the sufferings of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and the blood He shed for me,† de Vaca writes.

Creativity and Machine Design Essay -- Technology Robots Papers

Creativity and Machine Design Robots and machines have become very prevalent within recent years. We use robots to assemble cars, explore dangerous areas, and even as servants to clean our houses. In the future, we might even see robots help in delicate complex tasks like performing surgery. Many people think that the process that goes behind designing a robot is unimaginative, involving a lot of dull equations and assembly lines. In reality, the design process can be very creative. While the process behind designing a machine is creative, it should be noted though that eventually engineers were going to design robots to perform these tasks. Leonardo Da Vinci sketched early ideas for a helicopter in the thirteenth century, which only became a reality in twentieth century. Robotic maids that can clean the house was a futuristic idea that was seen in the 1960's cartoon "The Jetsons", but the idea of having a robot vacuum the floor has only became popular in the last year or so with iRobot's Roomba. Once engineers found the way to control their machines through the use of microcontrollers and programming, the cost effectiveness and precision of machines enabled them to be used in a wide variety of tasks. Although the ideas for the next tasks for machines may not be creative, the process that goes into developing that machine is a creative process. One of the most popular vacuum cleaners at this time is iRobot's Roomba. The creative engineering behind the Roomba enables the robot to much less expensive when compared to other robotic vacuums of the same size. Most of the other robots use a complex set of sensors and integrated programming to navigate across a floor. The Roomba on the other hand uses a creative and inexpen... ...ecause the ideas of others can stifle and interfere with their own ideas, losing a potentially important idea. The first thing to do when attacking a design problem is to get all the necessary information. If this is not possible, the creative engineer will perform an experiment to find the necessary information. Bibliography Brooks, Rodney. "Artificial life: From Robot Dreams to Reality". Nature 406 (2000): 945-947. Retrieved May 10, 2004, from www.nature.com Hanson, T. F. Engineering Creativity. Newhall, CA: 1987. Osborn, Alex F. Applied Imagination. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1957. Sheehan, John C. "On Applied Science". The Creative Mind and Method. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1960. pp. 95-97. Singer, Irving. Feeling and Imagination: The Vibrant Flux of Our Existence. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2001.

“How Valid Are Rizal’s Political, Educational and Socio-Economic Reforms Today?” Essay

  I think that Rizal’s reforms are still valid today. A great man he is, surely his philosophies involved something that of future because great figures always think ahead of time. Moreover, one can hail Rizal as a teacher and so the influence of his teachings is unimaginable. As Henry Adams said, â€Å"A teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where his influence stops.† Indeed, no one can tell, since we are still influenced by his teachings- the idea that the youth is the hope of our nation is still instilled in our minds. In politics, he believed the extension of human rights, the training for self-government and the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity, sensitiveness and self-love. These reforms signify the rights of the people. Surely, these rights should be implemented not only in his time but for all seasons, be it now or in the future. In his reforms regarding education, Rizal focuses on the improvement in schools and methods of teaching. This is surely applicable today since we have been aiming to be globally competent and many Filipinos have become aware of the importance of education. It seems like it has even become a prerequisite of life. Lastly, his idea about socio-economic prospect involves that of nation building and not individual social problems. The main point of his philosophy covers the problems of the whole race, with every problem having a distinct solution to bolster the people’s social knowledge. Though people now have becoming less patriotic and have been neglecting the freedom that has been given to them, Rizal’s teachings are still great reminder that we’ve been really lucky to have our own nation and so we must work together in order to build a better nation for the future generation. They have done theirs by giving us freedom, thus, we must also do so. Fortunately, these reforms of Rizal about politics, education, and socio-economic are little by little taking into effect for this generation. Citizens have been aware of their rights and their practicing it now. They also learned the value of education and the advantage they’ll acquire if they practice a healthy economic and social life with other people.

Affecting Change

Change is inevitable in any organization.   There are different situations which can force an organization to change its internal organization in order to match to the changes.Change is important since it assists an organization to carry on despite the changing business environment. However, it is not that easy to carry out a change in a business organization especially when this changes touches on organizational employees.There are different hurdles to change but they can be overcome through proper management of organization resources and use of appropriate change management process.Most important, it is imperative that an organization put in place strategies to empower employees, use the appropriate management practices and initiate change in organization culture if the overall change is to succeed. Let us look at how these three factors can be used to ensure successful change implementation.Organization management practices in the 21st century assert that organizational employee s are the most important asset that determines the success or failure of the organization. A well motivated and qualified workforces from a competitive advantage for an organization which is very difficult for other organizations in the same field to replicated. It is important that employees feel as a part of the organization to function effectively.This means that if an organization wants to have a change in its operation, it must get its employees involved so that they can feel as a part of the changes. Employee resistance can affect change implementation in various ways and may finally lead to drift of change strategy (Scott et al., 2003).There are different ways to empower employees so that they can feel as a part of the change process. It is important to give them power to say yes or no at their free will and under no influence.   In order to involve employees directly, it is important o eliminated barriers, restrictions and protocols they have to go through before making th eir contribution.Employees should also be involved in the decision making process and their input should be valued. It is also important to encourage reward improvements noted on employees and finally, they should be given equal and direct access to information.Management practices can also be great impediments to organization change.   This means that good management practices are imperative for successful change in an organization (Scott et al., 2003). Good management practices include those practices that will identify a problem, evaluate it and finally implement it to give positive results to the organization.Good management practices mainly involve what is to be done and how it will be done to ensure success. During organization change process, good management practices involve practices which will identify barriers to the change, draw strategies to overcome these barriers and successfully implement these strategies. Good management practices should get employees more involve d in management practices and change process.Organizational culture is the greatest impediment to change process in an organization. Organization culture describes those practices which have been practiced in an organization for a longer period of time and proved effective in running the organization. Organization culture describes the daily practices in the organization.   Changing organization culture is difficult that implementing a change in other area in the organization (Scott et al., 2003).Changing organizational culture in order to accommodate organizational change can be a long process that is quite involving. Change in organization culture must allow for continuity and modify the socializing tactics that have allowed the culture to propel. Resistance to change in culture must be addressed in the most appropriate way.Reference:Scott, P. M., Andrew, H., & Doole, K. (2003). Organizational change. Oxford Publishers