Sacramento wrap-up

Reno/Sacramento wrap-up Im on the West Coast now, and things are great. First, I flew into Reno, and took a drive downtown: I drove on to my meeting with the fantastic folks at the Davidson Institute and the new Davidson Academy. The Davidson Institute offers many programs of interest to the kinds of students who would be thinking of MIT, including the Davidson Fellows Award for students under the age of 18 who have done significant work: an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as significant and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society; and GT-Cybersource, a database of resources for gifted students. The Institute offers many programs, and services, you should definitely check them out. Theyre doing wonderful things for education in this country. While I was in Reno, I also saw the Great Reno Balloon Race, which includes lots of beautiful hot air ballons. There was even a beaver named Bud E. Beaver (TIM the Beavers cousin?). After Reno, I was off to Sacramento, where I hosted a Central Meeting for folks from the Central Valley, Northern Nevada, and other areas around Sacramento. The meeting had a record sized crowd for Sacramento, so I had to put our Educational Counselors (alumni volunteers and interviewers) to work setting up chairs for this large crowd! During the meeting, I learned (the hard way) how not to pronounce Nevada (hint: its not Ne-vah-dah). Im sorry about that, Nevadans! Following the meeting, to thank the ECs for their help, we went out to dinner together. From left to right: Ram (Parent 10), David (Bo) Chi, Maud Naroll, Kristie Tappan, Dahlia Eng, Dr. Al Czerwinski, and David Feldman. If you live in Sacramento or Northen Nevada, one of these kind folks could be your interviewer! After the meeting (and before the dinner), a young lady and her father asked me a series of questions; Ill post them the answers here, for the record, since these are fairly common questions. They asked, does MIT have a football team? Is there a football stadium? Do you have cheerleaders? The answer to all of these questions is yes. Does MIT have a football team? Yes, we do. Ive seen photographs of the MIT football team from 100 years ago, and the modern team has been in existance for nearly 30 years, compiling a losing (but not awful) record over that time. Meanwhile, members of the MIT Varsity Football Team have gone on to such accolades as Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships, etc. MIT lost its home opener this weekend, but I know the team is hopeful for the season. Is there a football stadium? Yes, and its an interesting story: the stadium is Steinbrenner Stadium, named for Henry G. Steinbrenner 27. Yes, that Steinbrenner: Henry is best known as the father of George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees. Henry studied Ocean Engineering at MIT and became a prominent shipping executive as President of Kinsman Transit Company. Outside the classroom, he was a national champion hurdler and competed in the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Do you have cheerleaders? This, I guess, is a pretty common question. Heres what Mollie 06 (an MIT cheerleader) had to say about it: Ive had to get used to people saying in disbelief, Wow, I didnt even know MIT had cheerleaders! Do you cheer for the chess team? Ive also had to perfect the sort of fake smile and forced giggle that people seem to expect when they say such breathtakingly witty things. Why is it funny that someone could be smart and sexy at the same time? I mean, you can be short and blonde at the same time. You can be nearsighted and blue-eyed at the same time. You can also be an MIT student and be perfectly outwardly normal at the same time although you dont have to be. What makes that so difficult to process? People are complex. MIT students are complex. This is a fact of life. So, yes, there is an MIT Cheerleading Squad, and yes, they cheer for our football team, in our football stadium. Heres a picture of the Cheerleading team, thanks to Mollie: In the interest of full disclosure, though, I should note that MIT is not one of those big football schools where thousands of fans come to the games and drink too much and then go do stupid things. But does that mean we dont have school spirit? Oh no. Weve got lots of school spirit, we just dont show it in traditional ways like football, homecoming, pep rallies. But ask any MIT student/alum about the Brass Rat or hacks or whatever, and youll be talking to one excited MIT person. Weve got spirit, yes we do, weve got spirit, how bout you? Next up: San Jose and Silicon Valley.

Using the Different Forms of Pronouns

One of the basic parts of speech, a pronoun ​takes the place of a noun, often serving as a subject or an object in a sentence. Personal pronouns are important devices for making our writing both concise and coherent. A pronoun can be effective if we use an appropriate form (or case). Otherwise, it may distract or puzzle the reader. There are three common pronoun forms: subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns. We should try to be careful not to confuse one pronoun form with another. Subject Pronouns (Subjective Case) Subject pronouns are used as subjects of sentences and of subordinate clauses. The subject pronouns are italicized in the sentences below. I live for the summer.You remind me of a gray day in winter.He (or She or It) is heading for a fall.We are ready to spring into action.They never last longer than a season. Object Pronouns (Objective Case) Object pronouns are used as objects of verbs or of prepositions. The object pronouns are italicized in the sentences below. The sun never shines on me.Someday a planet will be named after you.Mona gave him (or her or it) a gold ribbon.She showed us the ring around the moon.The Coast Guard rescued them at dawn. Possessive Pronouns (Possessive Case) Possessive pronouns show who or what owns something. The possessive pronouns are italicized in the sentences below. My old guitar is in the pawn shop, but the drum set is still mine.*Your song was hard to understand, but I still enjoyed yours more than anyone elses.His (or Her or Its) music is too sweet, so we played hers (or his) instead.Our music may be old fashioned, but its still ours.The Simpsons left their children in the garage, but the McGraths took theirs home. Notice that you dont use an apostrophe with a possessive pronoun.* Some grammarians make a distinction between possessive determiners (such as my in My old guitar) and possessive pronouns (such as mine in the drum set is still mine. Practice in Using Correct Pronoun Forms These exercises will give you practice in using the different forms of pronouns clearly and correctly: Using the Different Forms of Pronouns: Practice Exercise 1Pronoun Exercise: Recasting a Paragraph With Pronouns

Racial Profiling And Racial Segregation - 1255 Words

The existence of racial profiling is one of the most pressing issues facing the contemporary society of America. Historically, law enforcement has a heritage of racially motivated legislation - from slave codes, black codes, to other oppressive practices targeted at the populations of minorities. The present-day relationship between minorities and the police has been consequently influenced by such historical trends of discrimination. Recent events reflect the policing strategy of racial profiling where minorities have been mistreated and discriminated against, leading to a relapse towards social inequality once again. Predispositions toward criminality can be first traced back to the enslavement of Africans when slaves were brought to the†¦show more content†¦However, Oliver Brown, the parent of a black student denied access to Topeka s white schools, filed a class action lawsuit against the Topeka, Kansas school, turning the tables against racial discrimination. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the racial segregation of public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Despite how this decision put the Constitution on the side of racial equality and sparked the civil rights movement into a full revolution, the process of ridding one of the nation’s most inhumane habits did not finalize in this court case and continued to dwell into the late 1900s. Past circumstances are also represented in Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow, where she candidly challenges the notion of a new color blind generation by exhibiting how America has redesigned a racial caste within mass incarceration. Specifically, she discusses the late 1900s War on Drugs and its essential role to the development of today’s racial injustice. President Richard Nixon’s call for war aimed to reduce the drug epidemic, but unintentionally sparked the public’s existing unease about individuals of color. At this time,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Racism, Racial Profiling and Segregation in America2491 Words   |  10 Pagesbut also very common at State University. Although the Supreme Court in 1954 in Brown vs. The Topeka Board of Education declared segregation illegal, our student center today probably looks the way diners looked sixty years ago. Blacks are sitting in a secluded section of the Student Center; while whites are sitting in th eir own self-designated section. The segregation between blacks and whites in the State University Student Center is simply a natural occurrence between the two races. State UniversityRead MoreRacial Profiling Is Not Be Acknowledged As A Law Authorization1476 Words   |  6 PagesRacial profiling emerges as a standout amongst the most dubious issues in the United States of America as well as different parts of the world all the more so in the created nations. Basically, it includes the utilization of the ethnicity, race or nationality of a person as the fundamental variable of law authorization methodology, for example, arbitrary checks, capture and so forth. In the United States of America, racial profiling is generally considered by numerous individuals as an apparatusRead MoreThroughout history, racial profiling has become a prevalent issue within humanity. From slavery,1400 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout history, racial profiling has become a prevalent issue within humanity. From slavery, segregation, and to world wars, furthermore ongoing issues of terrorism, these examples have led to the profound effects of racial profiling. Racial Profiling can be defined as the action of law enforcers and society, which specifically targets people based on race, ethnicity, religion or national origin and not by actual behavior. Although, many people may believe that racial profiling is non-existent,Read MoreRacial Profiling And The Civil Rights Movement1239 Words   |  5 PagesGiselle Cordero PSCI 246: Social Movements Outline Topic/Question: Have Black Lives Mattered? – Racial profiling in the justice system, increased incarceration of African Americans and the idea of â€Å"White Privilege† persists in the United States. 1. Introduction Even though America is the world dominating superpower and is known to intervene on behalf of the violation of human rights internationally, it fails to acknowledge and correct the flaws its legal and justice system present against itsRead MoreShould Racial Slurs Be Banned From Society?847 Words   |  4 PagesShould Racial Slurs be Banned from Society? Racial slurs have grown within American history as our society has developed into one of the greatest superpowers of the world. As a nation, America has fought several internal and external wars to advance into a free country and attain the rights it now holds. These rights, or moral principles, were established to protect the residents inhabiting each state. Countless rules of regulation against racism have been enforced by Congress beginning from theRead MoreCivil Rights For African Americans1001 Words   |  5 Pageswould be treated like an animal or someone who was less than human when in reality they were the monster. Another person who helped fight for equality was Booker T. Washington. Booker helped fight for economic equality. W.E.B. Dubois also helped with racial equality alongside Booker wanting social equality. In time slaves became free due to the emancipation proclamation in 1863. When this happened it just showed that change is possible and made their race stronger tha n ever. Even though they weren’tRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1348 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s world we deal with multiple cases of racial profiling seemingly on a daily basis. Turn on the television, check the internet, or simply have a discussion with someone and you’ll hear about it. Racial Profiling describes discriminatory practices by law enforcement officials who target people for suspicion of crime based on their ethnicity, race, origin, or religion. The term first came about during the War on Drugs in the 1970’s and 1980’s when law enforcement were accused of pullingRead MoreBlack Lives Matter Is An International Activist Movement1693 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity. The title Black Lives Matter is so broad that it correlates to many topics such as police brutality, racial profiling, racism, segregation, discrimination etc. â€Å"Racial Profiling† refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials that targets individuals on suspicion of crime based on an individual s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin (â€Å"Racial Profiling: Definition†). Although this topic affects a wide array of communities it still pertains to citizens of colorRead MoreHow Racial Profiling Led to the Death of Trayvon Martin821 Words   |  4 PagesRacial Profiling As I walk to the store to pick up snacks for the next half of the super bowl, I am trying to make it quick. I finally arrive at the store and quickly get my two favorite items, skittles and an ice tea. Thinking to myself that this is all I need, not knowing that it would be my last meal. On the walk back home, I have a feeling that I am being followed. I speed up. I turn around to find that a grown Hispanic man, mid-age, and heavily built is in fact, following me. In my head,Read MoreRacial Profiling And Its Impact On Society1209 Words   |  5 PagesCases of Racial Profiling There are tons of cases of Racial Profiling. Now a days many people are being targeted or attacked by racial profiling. Laws are being passed but not every police officer is following up with it. And because of this more and more people are becoming irritated with the government system. Just because a particular person from a particular race does something wrong, everyone from that race is being discriminated by so-called other races. Racial profiling is getting

Dilemma of International Community Free Essays

string(60) " an increase of eight percent from the 392 attacks in 1999\." The US prevention strategies against international terrorism have come a long way since the mid-1990s. The disciplined, centralized organization that conducted the September 11 is diminished because most of the group’s senior and midlevel leaders are either incarcerated or dead, while the majority of those still at large are on the run and focused at least as much on survival as on offensive operations. However, Al Qaeda still has the potential to impose lethal threat. We will write a custom essay sample on Dilemma of International Community or any similar topic only for you Order Now From the critical standpoint, the key challenges for contemporary counterterrorism efforts are not as much Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organizations as what will follow them. The emerging primary terrorist threat includes the global network of mostly Sunni Islamic extremists, which extends beyond members of Al Qaeda. The foundations of these extremist sources remain very much alive and in some cases are growing deeper. Practically, they contain the interconnected economic and political systems of the Muslim world. In addition to â€Å"Muslim† factor, there is a widespread opposition toward U. S. policies within and toward the Muslim world, especially the U. S. political position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, which is more important, the invasion and occupation of Iraq (Byman, 2003:61). Considering the mentioned trends and reasons, the counterterrorism challenges after the liquidation of Al Qaeda may very well be even more complex than they were before. Decentralization and secretive nature of terrorist plots as well as indeterminate nature of the final target imposes extreme challenges on the intelligence. While the mission of intelligence in counterterrorism is to monitor and prevent terrorist activity, practically it may become vain due to its inability to identify terrorist groups and individuals. However, even a decentralized terrorist threat has some connections that can be discovered, and this will constitute the core of intelligence counterterrorist efforts. From the practical standpoint, although almost every extremist can be connected at least indirectly to the network of Sunni Islamic terrorists, the majority of linkages includes only casual contacts and do not involve preparations for terrorist operations directed against the United States. No intelligence service possesses the resources to monitor all of these linkages, to construct the life history of every terrorist, or to compile comprehensive sociograms of the radical Islamist scene (Rothkopf, 2005:34). International community’s willingness to assist in the struggle against terrorist organizations to the major degree has depended on Al Qaeda’s record and menacing capabilities. However, from the contemporary point of view, foreign cooperation becomes more problematic as the issue moves beyond Al Qaeda. Mentioned difficulties that the United States has already encountered in dealing with Lebanese Hizballah depict some of the problems in more generally enlisting foreign help against terrorist groups (Byman, 2003:63). An underlying limitation to the willingness of international community to collaborate with the United States on antiterrorist efforts is the skepticism among foreign political elite that the most powerful country in the world needs to be preoccupied with small groups of radicals. Critically, the skepticism of foreign community can be considered in terms of fact that the U. S. preoccupation is no longer with the group that carried out the terrorist attacks on September 11 (Nash, 2004:56). However, the most significant challenge to the U. S. counterterrorist efforts that may emerge along with a more decentralized terrorist threat is the ability to uphold the nation’s own commitment to struggle it. Surprisingly, the American society has revealed that its determination to fight counterterrorism can be just as inconstant as that of foreign publics. During the past quarter century, the U. S. public and government has given different and contradictive attention, priority, and resources to U. S. counterterrorist programs, with interest and efforts increasing in the aftermath of a major terrorist incident and declining as time passes without an attack. International Threats of Terrorism From the critical standpoint, it is clear that even being the world’s only superpower the United States can no longer sustain a war on terrorism. Due to inability of the US to provide detection, monitoring and elimination of 100 percent of international terrorist groups, international cooperation in this area seems to be a promising solution. Moreover, terrorist organizations are now acting across the domestic borders of hosting states, jeopardizing security of entire international community and recent terrorist acts in London’s subway became an evident support for this statement. Brian Jenkins underlines that the success of terrorism has much to do with the perception of a nation’s capability to deal with such crises, proposing that â€Å"public perceptions of government standing and competence in combatting terrorism are based not on overall performance, but rather on performance in a few dramatic hostage incidents, where the government, of course, suffers disadvantages from the outset† ((Jenkins, 1983:10). Indeed, the public sees the government only in crisis, demonstrably unable to provide security for its citizens, sometimes yielding to terrorists to save lives, unable to bring its enemies to justice. Practically, a rescue attempt or successful prevention of an attack adds immeasurably to a nation’s image of military prowess, while an attempt that fails does incalculable damage. Many statistics exist to quantify the activities, numbers, types, locations and targets of international terrorists. It was reported in 1986 that â€Å"incidents of terrorism – those involving citizens or territory of more than one country – have doubled in number since 1975, to slightly over 800 last year [1985]† (Hanley, 1986:3). Notwithstanding the bombings in August 1998 in Kenya and Tanzania, there are analysts who believe terrorism has been in decline in recent years. â€Å"Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1997†, published by the American State Department, reported that there were a total of 304 acts of international terrorism, one of the lowest annual totals since 1971 (US Department of State, 1997). According to Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1998, the number of acts of international terrorism dropped to 273 attacks. However, in 1998 there was a record high toll of 741 people killed and 5,952 injured in terrorist attacks (US Department of State, 1998). In 2000, there were 423 terrorist acts, an increase of eight percent from the 392 attacks in 1999. You read "Dilemma of International Community" in category "Papers" The death toll for 2000 was 405, and 791 were wounded (US Department of State, 1999, 2000). The year 2001 witnessed a dramatic increase due to the audacious attacks on 11 September of that year. Many commentators agree that terrorist violence is, and will likely remain, an integral part of international relations. As Scotland Yard’s counterterrorist specialist George Churchill-Coleman stated, â€Å"Terrorism is with us now, whether you like it or not. You’ve got to adjust your way of life to that† (Hanley, 1986:3). This mentality has now reached the American scene as the head of the Office of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, noted, â€Å"We need to accept that the possibility of terrorism is a permanent condition for the foreseeable future. † He stated, â€Å"We just have to accept it† (Calabresi Ratnesar, 21). At airports there is a â€Å"get on with the job† attitude and in daily living one must accept the need to be on guard, like steering clear of suspicious packages and reporting them to the local police. One columnist wrote, â€Å"By not surrounding the (terrorist) incident with hysterical posturing, we cut it down to size. We make it seem a nuisance rather than a cataclysm. We stifle its capacity to instill terror. We decline to be afraid† (McCabe, 1996a:4). In that regard, Great Britain is one of the few nations which is intimately familiar with terrorism and its impact. Lacking any other alternative, the British have essentially learned to live with the threats and the bombings. Moreover, the British have learned to live with intrusive surveillance cameras, the cost of bomb insurance (3. 2 billion dollars a year), as well as a higher awareness of the threat that has been assimilated into the society over the years, particularly since the late 1960s. Even despite the recent terrorist attacks in London’s subway, â€Å"the British approach to terrorism, developed over many years, seems natural in a culture that places great store on a ‘stiff upper lip’† (McCabe, 1996b:8). The prognosis becomes ever more frightening as terrorists seek out softer targets, as witnessed in the 1998 bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. This is because international police and security agencies will, for the most part, strengthen the defenses of consulates, embassies and residences, and will provide other forms of personal security for the more likely terrorist targets. Therefore, terrorist attacks will probably become more indiscriminate. The bombing campaigns in Paris during the summers of 1986 and 1995, aimed at government buildings, restaurants and cafes, the bombings in London during the spring of 1992 of commuter train stations and the financial district, and the use of sarin in the subway in Japan by the Aum Shinrikyo in 1995, and the February 2001 reported discovery by the British police of a terrorist plot to release sarin into the London underground system as well as the suicide hijacking of four airliners in September 2001 are examples of what we may expect. (Other examples of indiscriminate terrorism are the strikes at airports such as those in December 1985, in Rome and Vienna. ) Furthermore, targets abound in highly developed industrialized societies and analysts anticipate that terrorist groups will begin targeting vital points such as â€Å"computer systems, power grids and other key links of industrial societies† (Hanley, 1986b:2). Reports underline that terrorists are expanding their interests in nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons as well as information warfare. Some of these concerns were highlighted in December 1999 when the Solicitor General of Canada, Lawrence MacAulay, told the House of Commons that Canada needed to strengthen the government’s capacity to address the threat of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack by terrorists. Although the possibility of such an attack happening was low, Mr. MacAulay felt all levels of government must be prepared to deal with such eventualities (Evenson, 2001:2). His concerns followed warnings by scientists of the Health Protection Branch that a release of the deadly anthrax bacteria in a major Canadian population center could kill upwards of 35,000 and cost 6. 5 billion to the health care system, underlining the fact that medical facilities were not prepared to deal with such an incident (Evenson, 2001:2). In the fall of 2001, a series of letters containing the anthrax virus were mailed to media centers in New York City. The letters were sent to ABC, NBC and CBS, and were orchestrated to attain the maximum amount of media coverage, while concomitantly stirring up popular fear and anxiety about these and other possible attacks. Another issue that relates to this is that of nuclear scientists who represent a valuable resource to those nations developing nuclear programs, such as modern Iran. Potential Responses to Terrorism: International Scope The evolution and deployment in the 1970s of elite counterterrorist teams in Israel and West Germany was in response, partly, to the frustrations of employing a series of so-called â€Å"non-force† methods against terrorists. Livingstone has argued that â€Å"governments have employed a variety of nonforce strategies in their efforts to resist terrorism, including diplomacy, negotiation, concessions, and cooptation. Occasionally such methods have worked, but more often than not they have failed or only provided a temporary prophylaxis to an endemic problem† (Livingstone, 1982:176). Now it is widely recognized that, under most circumstances, making concessions to terrorists only invites further acts of terrorism. This fact, combined with the failure of the U. N. to take concerted action to develop effective remedies to the problem of international terrorism, has resulted in a growing tendency on the part of national governments to resort to unilateral military action against terrorism in the belief that, if it is not possible to make terrorists answerable to the law, then they must be answerable to the gun. It is apparent from recent twentieth-century history in Western countries that the responsibility for combating terrorism has been, for the most part, that of law enforcement authorities. On occasion, army units were tasked and, for the most part, were found to be operationally wanting in a number of areas such as strategy, methodology and structure. Conventional military forces and tactics have not met the challenge of terrorism: â€Å"Not only are contemporary weapons and tactics far too destructive to be employed in heavily populated urban regions, but also the deployment of large numbers of soldiers against terrorists simply increases the number of targets at which they can strike† (Livingstone, 1982:176). General George Grivas, the famous Cypriot terrorist leader, noted that the level of terrorist operations is much lower than that of conventional military operations. Counterterrorist operations demand specially adapted and trained soldiers, tactics and strategy. He noted the â€Å"only hope of finding us was to play cat and mouse: to use tiny, expertly trained groups, who could work with cunning and patience and strike rapidly when we least expected† (Taber, 1977:118). In short, one must use those same weapons and tactics belonging to the terrorists’ inventory – psychology, stealth, speed, surprise and cunning – against the terrorists themselves. Moreover, candidates for such units must have motivation and determination, physical and mental stamina, initiative and self-discipline, be capable of operating in small groups during long-term isolated operations, and they must have the aptitude to assimilate a wide range of skills and think laterally. This type of military operation demands a different type of soldier, namely one who can develop a broad spectrum of skills. Practically, contemporary counterterrorism demands highly trained and motivated commandos, operating in small groups; skilled in electronics, communications, demolitions, marksmanship, deception, silent killing; and familiar with terrorist tactics and behavior. References Byman, Daniel (2003). Should Hizballah Be Next? Foreign Affairs 82, no. 6, November/December: 54-66. Calabresi, Massimo, Romesh Ratnesar (2002). â€Å"Can We Stop the Next Attack? † Time, 11 March, 16–26 Evenson, Brad (2001). â€Å"Canada Poorly Prepared for Germ Warfare. † National Post, 1 February Hanley, Charles (1986a). â€Å"Experts Note Common Traits in Terrorists. † Ottawa Citizen, 19 April Hanley, Charles (1986b). â€Å"International Terrorism: Global Order Shaken by Wanton War. † Ottawa Citizen, 19 April Jenkins, Brian Michael (1983). New Modes of Conflict. Santa Monica, California: Rand Corporation, June. Livingstone, Neil C (1982). The War against Terrorism. Lexington, Massachusetts: Lexington Books McCabe, Aileen (1996). â€Å"Britain Learns to Live with Terrorism after Decades of Blasts. † Ottawa Citizen, 4 August McCabe, Aileen (1996). â€Å"Facing Terror with a Stiff Upper Lip. † Montreal Gazette, 3 August Nash, James L (2004). Prevention or cure. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD Observer. Paris: May:56 Rothkopf, David (2005). Can Technology Fix U. S. Intelligence. Technology Review. Cambridge: Feb. 108(2) Taber, Robert (1977). The War of the Flea: Guerrilla Warfare Theory and Practice. St. Albans, Frogmore, Herts, Great Britain: Paladin United States, Department of State, Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1997 Retrieved From http://www. mipt. org/Patterns-of-Global-Terrorism. asp Accessed Jan 3, 2006 United States, Department of State, Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1997 Retrieved From http://www. mipt. org/Patterns-of-Global-Terrorism. asp Accessed Jan 3, 2006 United States, Department of State, Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1999 Retrieved From http://www. mipt. org/Patterns-of-Global-Terrorism. asp Accessed Jan 3, 2006 United States, Department of State, Patterns of Global Terrorism: 2000 Retrieved From http://www. mipt. org/Patterns-of-Global-Terrorism. asp Accessed Jan 3, 2006 How to cite Dilemma of International Community, Papers

The Business Environment of Amazon

The business environment consists of the factors that affect the operations of a business. These factors are identified through the environmental analysis, which is conducted either in the form of the SWOT or the PEST (EL) analyses (Powell, 863). Resources and capabilities are used by the business to gain the competitive advantage.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Business Environment of Amazon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These are the inputs available to a business that makes it operate successfully, and these may either be tangible or intangible (Warf and Stutz 113). The coordination of resources is the key to the success of a business. On the other hand, capabilities refer to the capacity of a business to either coordinate or deploy the resources within an organization, and are developed progressively. In the case study, Amazon, the leading online retailer, and supercenter, can outdo the competiti on by the adoption of new IT procedures to enter into the bookselling industry. This acts as turnaround in the aforementioned sector. One of the key environmental factors for Amazon is the competition within the industry due to the emergence of many publishers, and also due to the existence of other bookselling stores such as B M stores and Barnes and Noble. Owing to the first mover advantage and development of new IT marketing policies, such as the use of the internet for selling books, Amazon had a large clientele base and it was difficult for its competitors to attract customers the way it did (Hill and Jones 272). Another key factor is the customers (consumers). The company’s mission emphasizes on the goal of Amazon to be the most custom-centered company in the globe. After the enrollment or signing up to its website, it was difficult to get the customer sign into other firms’ websites due to the loyalty attached to the Amazon products (Hill and Jones 272).Adverti sing Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the industry itself was another key factor. After taking the first mover advantage, Amazon turned around the bookselling industry by offering fresh competition to bookselling giants such as the Borders (Hill and Jones 272). Amazon possesses key internal resources and capabilities. To begin with, the incorporation of a first mover advantage through the use of patented customer-oriented software would be of a great value to Amazon. Moreover, adopting exceptional IT policies would help in reducing the competition. Furthermore, shifting focus to the web-based approach of buying and selling books online would enhance its performance. As it is an online-based company, that offers its customers immediate and instant access to its books in print form, it helps to boost its sales. Finally, embracing the formation of strategic alliances with the largest book publishers would ensure that Amazon’s customers get products without any delays in the distribution. The key strategic choices undertaken by Amazon are outlined above, including formation mergers with the well-established firms in the IT industry. This has helped it to increase the profit margin significantly. Amazon has also acquired other websites such as ‘Exchange.com,’ ‘Jungle.com, and ‘Planetall.com’ as a way of developing new and superior website techniques in order to enhance efficiency and retain the clientele base. Amazon launched the digital bookstores, video and music, and also the Amazon’s ‘Kindle Reader’ in order to give its customers varied options. Finally, Amazon’s movement into the ‘cloud’ computing and leveraging of its key competencies helped it to realize the value of its assets, vital for global expansion the drawbacks notwithstanding.Advertising We will write a cus tom case study sample on The Business Environment of Amazon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The successful implementation of Amazon’s roadmaps enabled it gain the advantage over its competitors. Consequently, it realized record profits in the year 2011. Works Cited Hill, Charles, and Jones Gareth. Strategic Management, An integrated approach (10th edition). New York: St. Martin’s, 2014. Print. Powell, Thomas. â€Å"Competitive advantage: logical and philosophical considerations.† Strategic Management Journal 22.6 (2001): 863-865. Web. Warf, Frederick, and Stutz Barney. â€Å"The World Economy: Resources, Location, Trade and Development.† Online Journal on Economic 16.1 (2007): 110-113. Web. This case study on The Business Environment of Amazon was written and submitted by user Fisher Hess to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Total Quality Management in Foodservice

TQM in Foodservice Introduction One of the most important industries overall is the food industry. The food industry consists of everything from food processing plants to fast food restaurants. The food industry affects nearly every living person. Most people don't realize how important this industry is and how it affects their everyday lives. That is why it is so critical that the products of this industry are at their highest quality, are free of bacteria and ensure that the consumer will not face any detrimental consequences. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays a big role in promising these results. Total Quality Management seems to be a confusing term for the layman. TQM is a philosophy advocated by Dr. Edward Deming, a world renowned quality guru. It was widely accepted by Japan from 1950 onward. They used this principle for continuous refinement of an organization-wide quality system. Since then many organizations around the world have adopted TQM or similar methodologies. There have been many successes and many reported failures. Success of the system depends on the total commitment of the people to quality from top to bottom within the organization. TQM implementation is based on team work and the philosophy of continuous improvement. Statistics need to be used extensively to analyze and reduce the variation in the process. In the food industry, continuous improvement is vital to the survival of a specific company or restaurant. The customer is constantly purchasing the products of competitors and any decline in quality will equal a decrease in gross profits. There are several areas that a restaurant may focus on for quality improvement such as menu offerings, hospitality, service, cleanliness, and over all food quality. All of these aspects will be covered in this paper concerning Total Quality Management. Summary Employee & Product Quality Various well known companies such as Ritz-Carlton Hotels a... Free Essays on Total Quality Management in Foodservice Free Essays on Total Quality Management in Foodservice TQM in Foodservice Introduction One of the most important industries overall is the food industry. The food industry consists of everything from food processing plants to fast food restaurants. The food industry affects nearly every living person. Most people don't realize how important this industry is and how it affects their everyday lives. That is why it is so critical that the products of this industry are at their highest quality, are free of bacteria and ensure that the consumer will not face any detrimental consequences. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays a big role in promising these results. Total Quality Management seems to be a confusing term for the layman. TQM is a philosophy advocated by Dr. Edward Deming, a world renowned quality guru. It was widely accepted by Japan from 1950 onward. They used this principle for continuous refinement of an organization-wide quality system. Since then many organizations around the world have adopted TQM or similar methodologies. There have been many successes and many reported failures. Success of the system depends on the total commitment of the people to quality from top to bottom within the organization. TQM implementation is based on team work and the philosophy of continuous improvement. Statistics need to be used extensively to analyze and reduce the variation in the process. In the food industry, continuous improvement is vital to the survival of a specific company or restaurant. The customer is constantly purchasing the products of competitors and any decline in quality will equal a decrease in gross profits. There are several areas that a restaurant may focus on for quality improvement such as menu offerings, hospitality, service, cleanliness, and over all food quality. All of these aspects will be covered in this paper concerning Total Quality Management. Summary Employee & Product Quality Various well known companies such as Ritz-Carlton Hotels a...

How To Use the Spanish Word Mismo

How To Use the Spanish Word 'Mismo' Mismo and its variations (misma, mismos, and mismas) are common words used for emphasis or to indicate that things are the same. They can be used as adjectives or pronouns, and mismo can occasionally is also used as an adverb. Using Mismo for Similarity The most common dictionary definition of mismo is usually same or identical, and that is its most common meaning as either adjective or pronoun. As either part of speech, it must match the word it refers to in number and gender: Un americano conduce el mismo coche desde hace 69 aà ±os. (An American has been driving the same car for 69 years.)Vivà ­an en la misma casa que sus antepasados. (They lived in the same house as their ancestors.)Las montaà ±as de nuestro paà ­s siempre son las mismas. (The mountains in our country are always the same.) ¿Son los mismos? (Are they the same ones?)El arte y la naturaleza no son la misma cosa. (Art and nature arent the same thing.)Espaà ±a no es la misma. (Spain is not the same.) Note that when used as an adjective to mean same, mismo or its variations come before the noun it refers to. The singular neuter form, lo mismo, typically means the same thing: No podemos hacer lo mismo. (We cant do the same thing.)Siempre est escribiendo sobre lo mismo. (She is always writing about the same thing.)Autoritarismo y totalitarismo no son lo mismo. (Authoritarianism and totalitarianism arent the same thing.)No vemos lo mismo. (We arent seeing the same thing.) Keep in mind that if youre talking about things being alike rather than being the same thing, you probably will use the adjective iguales: Se dice que dos copos de nieve no son iguales. (It is said that no two snowflakes are the same.) Using Mismo for Emphasis When following a pronoun, mismo or its variations add emphasis. They are frequently translated as a form of -self, as in the first four examples:  ¡Hazlo tà º misma! (Do it yourself!)Yo mismo puedo controlar mi vida emocional. (I myself can control my emotional life.)Ellos mismos reconocen su ineficacia e ineptitud. (They themselves recognize their inability and ineptitude.)La conciencia crece cuando aprendemos que sà ³lo yo mismo puedo hacerme daà ±o. (Awareness grows when we learn that only I myself can cause myself harm.)Desde muy pequeà ±o he estado observando el deterioro del planeta causado por nosotros mismos. (Since he was very young he has been observing the deterioration of the planet caused by our very selves.) Note that words such as myself in the second example above merely adds emphasis. This is different than in a sentence such as I hurt myself, where myself is a reflexive pronoun, a type of direct object. Mismo or its variations can also be used with nouns to add emphasis, in which case it can be placed either before or after the noun: No vivo en Londres mismo. No vivo en mismo Londres. (I dont live in London itself.)Nuestro amigo, el mismo Manuel, es presidente de la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Nuestro amigo, Manuel mismo, es presidente de la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. (Our friend, Manuel himself, is president of the company.) Mismo can also function as an adverb to add emphasis to certain other adverbs: Hoy mismo voy a Madrid. (This very day Im going to Madrid.) ¿Que ests haciendo ahora mismo? (What are you doing right now?)Me refugià © en un bar y allà ­ mismo conocà ­ a mi futura esposa. (I took refuge in a bar and right there I met my future wife.) Other Uses for Mismo The phrase por lo mismo can usually be translated as for that reason or because of this: Por lo mismo, es importante entender la cultura. (For that reason, it is important to understand the culture.) The mismo refers back to what was said or understood earlier. El mismo or la misma can be used to refer to the person speaking in situations like this:  ¿Eres Patricia? - La misma. (Are you Patricia?  ¶The one and the same.) Key Takeaways When used to mean same, mismo comes before the noun in refers to.Mismo can also function as a neuter noun (lo mismo) to mean the same thing.Mismo can be used for emphasis either before or after a noun or pronoun, or as an adverb.