Almost One of the Gods. The Odyssey, by Homer Essay Example for Free

Almost One of the Gods. The Odyssey, by Homer Essay An epic hero is one who does not act irrationally and contemplates his actions and their implications. Odysseus, of Homers The Odyssey, is an appropriate epic hero because he embodies the values of bravery, intelligence, astuteness, and competency. Numerous examples are found throughout The Odyssey. Such illustrations include Odysseus conflict with the Cyclops, the Sirens, and Scylla and Charybdis. First, Odysseus proves that he is a mortal laudable of being dubbed an epic hero during his conflict with the Cyclops. Odysseus shows evidence of his intellectual abilities by first devising a plan to disable the Cyclops and then by cleverly telling the Cyclops that his name is Noman. Odysseus exemplifies his physical strength by putting his plan into action and ramming a monstrous spear into the Cyclops eye. Later, when the Cyclops calls for help, he says that Noman is doing harm to him. Another event in which Odysseus displays his physical and intellectual abilities is during his passing of the Sirens. Odysseus shows that he has wisdom by listening to the goddess Circes advice and putting wax into his crews ears so they will not take notice of the Sirens and try to swim across the ocean to them. He also has his crew lash him to the mast so he can listen to the Sirens without being able to jump out of the boat. This incident also tells of Odysseus physical force because when he attempts to free himself from the mast the crewmen have to fasten him down even tighter. Finally, Odysseus confirms his great intellectual aptitudes by getting past Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus, following Circes instructions, avoids Charybdis, and chooses the side of the six-headed monster, Scylla. Odysseus recognizes that the six-headed beast is too large for him to mà ªlà ©e with and rows very swiftly, successfully surpassing it. In conclusion, Odysseus is a perfect example of an epic hero. Odysseus has all of the traits of an epic hero. He has verified these qualities in many intricate situations in which he always gets out of and is always prepared for.

A view on cumulative satisfaction

A view on cumulative satisfaction Whether in doing business or as an end user of a product or service we tend to realise the importance of value for money. Consumers look for products or services of good quality for the price that they are willing to pay. This pursuit of value is the basis of their perceived satisfaction. Customer satisfaction plays a vital role in deciding value. The overall purpose of this article is to identify the importance of customer satisfaction for organizations and most essentially when and why cumulative satisfaction is important for businesses today. It is vital to make sure that the customers are happy and to view customer satisfaction as a main key to organisational success. Quality of a product or service is a means to an end. Customers perception of a products quality is part of a customers assessment of value and satisfaction. What is Customer Satisfaction? In todays competitive business environment, Organisations thrive to become the market leaders in their respective fields to gain profits. Customer satisfaction is seen as the key to any companys competitive advantage and profitability. It is the overall customer attitude towards a product or a service provider, or the reaction to the difference between what the consumer expects and what they receive, in order to fulfil a need or desire. Customer satisfaction is a highly personal assessment that is affected by customer expectations and is also based on the customers experience with a service or a product, idea, personnel. Imagine going to a reputable shopping venue in Sri Lanka such as Odel, where the atmosphere is excellent for shopping. Renowned for quality products ranging from clothes to jewellery and also provides various facilities such as handy ATMs, telecommunication, cafes where customers can sit and relax after shopping, the play area for children with adult supervision, and the efficient staff who are willing to help all their customers with a smile. In such a place, the overall experience that a consumer gains is what creates value for customers. This value creation adds to the overall satisfaction of the customer. The atmosphere at Odel and the quality products along with the services would affect the customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction and its effect on Organizational profitability Businesses focus on Customer satisfaction mainly to increase their customer loyalty; this generates repeat purchases, thereby increasing their revenue, and importantly helps them to survive among the intense competition. Exemplary organisations focus on how to give their customers a positive experience in order to gain their trust and loyalty because the purchasing behaviour of loyal customers creates higher organisational revenue and reduces the cost of doing business. Satisfied customers will often refer the business to their family and friends which will create positive word of mouth, attract new customers and minimise the costs of advertising. When customers are highly satisfied they are less likely to switch to other service providers. For example a loyal customer of HSBC who is been given recognition for being a HSBC card holder for a long period will be treated exceptionally by the bank, providing him with premium rates, special bonus packages, and therefore this satisfied customer will not want to switch to another bank. Although attracting new customers is important it also can be costly, but serving current customers who are well satisfied with the business and its service can be rather cost efficient. Moreover, highly satisfied customers are less price-conscious because they are brand loyal and will pay a premium price for a product or service. Therefore having satisfied loyal customers will most certainly have a direct impact on profit. This is why successful businesses focus on customer satisfaction. Change in the perception of customer satisfaction through time There was a time when customers were less demanding and less vocal if they were less satisfied with a product or service. This is not that time. In the modern business context customers are becoming more demanding and less tolerant and with a combined increase in expectations, they are ever more concerned with their satisfaction and look for recognition and respect from these service providers. Customers have more power and therefore demand much more than just the product or service. Today, customers are looking for that extra value added full package as opposed to just the product or service. It is the basis of their customer satisfaction. So when is customer satisfaction most important for businesses? The answer is now. It has never been more vital. Cumulative satisfaction and its impact on business Overall satisfaction is not based on a single experience, but rather a chain of positive experiences bringing about a cumulative sense of satisfaction. The perceived value at the pre-purchase stage is short lived, however it sometimes transforms into satisfaction in the post-purchase stage. This post-purchase satisfaction results in repurchases and leads to greater trust and customer loyalty which is a result of cumulative customer satisfaction. A product has five key components such as goods, services, experiences, ideas, and people. Quality should be embedded in all of these components which ultimately creates value, when what is been received is evaluated against what is been offered leading to transactional satisfaction or results of one off exchanges. If a consumer is satisfied with a particular experience, that will eventually lead to cumulative satisfaction where the consumer engages in multiple experiences. Cumulative satisfaction is a psychological state, which leads to a deep sense of trust towards the product or service. This trust will be embedded in the customers mind and therefore will not think twice about purchasing the product or service. For instance, when a customer goes into a groceries super market such as Cargills food city, they reach first for the reputed brands in which they lay their trust. For instance if a customer has been using Colgate toothpaste for the past five years and trusts the brand through experience, thereby he will undeniably select and purchase that particular brand among many other toothpaste brands. This unconscious loyalty stems from countless positive experiences associated with the particular brand. This is what most businesses are looking for. Cumulative satisfaction; as the basis of customer relations In an increasingly impersonal world, customers look for personalized service. Since customer satisfaction varies depending on the individual, it is essential that businesses tailor their services for the customers subjective needs. This is where building customer relationships begin. Since cumulative customer satisfaction leads to loyalty and trust, it is plausible to state that customer relations stems from customer satisfaction. Giving a one-on-one service will enhance the customer experience providing greater cumulative satisfaction. Customers therefore will revisit the business and thus strengthen the relationship between the customer and business. For instance consider salon, Ramani. It is a reputed and leading salon in Colombo. They pay attention to detail, whiles giving an additional touch to the whole salon experience by providing not only a tranquil environment but also a calming beverage. Most importantly, they give a tailored service to each customer. Therefore a relationship is built between the customer and their stylist. This is further strengthened through regular visits and revisits. It is clear that customer relations are rooted by cumulative satisfaction. Due to years of experience and satisfaction, a relationship is built between the customer and her stylist. Furthermore, it should be noted that any decision made to remain loyal to the product or service or move to a competitor is based on prior experience and is positively correlated with the duration of the relationship throughout which the customer has been satisfied. Therefore businesses should consider the longer the relationship between the customer and service provider, the less probability of losing that customer to a rival business. Ways that businesses can improve customer relations In order to improve the cumulative satisfaction levels of customers, service providers should continue to aim at delivering good quality services and products in order to improve the total product value and to build profitable relationships based on cumulative satisfaction. Keeping the consumer happy should be their main goal, to retain the customers loyal and satisfied, businesses should delight their customers and give due recognition to their loyalty, for instance profitable customers should be given special treatment such as special bonuses, loyalty cards, special discounts. Some service providers go to the extent of keeping track of their customers birthdays and send cards for these special occasions, this is in order to maintain a healthy relationship with their customer base. The famous Ritz-Carlton hotel keeps a record of all their guests favourite snack, chocolate, which is entered into a computerized tracking system so that when the guest returns to any of their worldwide hotels these items, will be offered to the guest to make them feel special. Creating cumulative satisfaction does not always have to be done in a huge scale but making the customers feel special while providing value for their money is what should be done, giving customised products and service, having good and efficient employees to fulfil every customers needs, anticipate their needs before the competitors take action, asking customers about their needs, getting feedback in order to avoid any defects.. As small and medium organisations, you should keep in mind how cumulative satisfaction can lead to Organisational success and profitability. It is of paramount importance to build and maintain relationships with your consumers that will eventually lead to customer loyalty and trust.

Writing and Being Chapter II Exploration: The River of Your Life :: Journal Writing

Writing and Being Chapter II Exploration: The River of Your Life Dear Journal, I've taken some looks back to early point of my life. I was curious to see what got me to this point in my life and what had me turn out to be the person that I am today. I went back as far as my birth to see or try to notice certain things or events that shaped my personality. Like I said, I went back as far as my birth to figure it out. My birth was most definitely the weirdest thing I've ever experienced, and the worst thing that I probably will ever experience, besides my death, which, so I've heard, is being born backward. Being born was so weird because it happened through a C-section. I was born on January 20, 1982 in a hospital in Chicago Heights, Illinois. I can't remember whether it was night or day. My parents were there, my grandparents were there. It felt weird because I had no idea whatsoever about what was going on at the time or where I was. I didn't even know what people were at the time, either. I thought the people watching over me were weird objects. I'm sure I was crying like crazy because of all the commotion. Then, I went to sleep later after all that and woke up. I was wondering what happened. I might have been in a different room for all I knew then or all I know now. Everything that went on during the first year or so was weird because I didn't know what I was doing or how I was doing it. I'd never experienced it before and didn't know what anything was. From that point on until age ten, about 1992, life was very easy. I didn't have to work for what I wanted, I'd still just have it given to me, in every place but school. But I was a good student who did the work, I just didn't like to do it. For a few years after my birth, my grandmother helped raise me while my mother was trying to attain some degree, Masters, Bachelor's, I'm not sure which. She used to roll me to the park every afternoon in a carriage and always fed

Executive Remuneration Analysis of Vodafone

Executive Remuneration Analysis of Vodafone 1. Introduction Executive remuneration is the compensation which company rewards for the executive directors. Since the early 1980s, executive payment increase rapidly. The unjustified increasing of executive remuneration pushes the reform of remuneration policy. The Cadbury code mentioned this problem in the Code of Practice in 1995. Cadbury gives some suggestions to companies about the executive remuneration policy.According to his suggestions, companies should dividend total payment into the basic salary and performance-based bonus, and the remuneration report should publish in the annual reporting every year [1]. In additional, UK government provides the vote right for shareholders to supervise the company’s executive remuneration, it also can force executive directors taking investors’ interest into account when they design the company strategy [2]. The analysis of big companies’ remuneration policy is more emphasi ze by investors and government, especially after the 2008 financial crisis.Investors are paying more attention to whether the executives deserve the high reward. Therefore, the analysis of executive remuneration is more necessary and valuable. Companies in FTSE 100 have the highest market capitalization in UK, and it means the analysis of FTSE 100 companies is most valuable. Vodafone Group, as one of the biggest company in the FTSE 100 companies, has business in almost 70 countries. And the market capitalization is nearly ? 90bn [3]. Last year, Vittorio Calao, the CEO? of Vodafone received around ? 0m for remuneration in fiscal year 2012, which is one of the highest remuneration in the FTSE 100 [4]. Although the executive rewards are higher than others in the FTSE 100, there still are 96. 12% shareholders voting in favour with the Vodafone’s remuneration policy [5]. This raises the question that why there are a huge amount of shareholders convincingly supports their highest r emuneration. This essay analyses the executive remuneration for Vodafone Group. Firstly, it will talk about the remuneration principle. Then the Remuneration Committee will be discussed.This part aims to measure whether the Remuneration Committee according to the UK Corporate Governance Code. The third part will explain the remuneration package of Vodafone Group, both base salary and various bonuses are included. At last, the essay will discuss the rationality of Vodafone’s executive remuneration from the perspectives of remuneration policy itself and the comparison with other companies. 2. Remuneration principle The aim of Vodafone’s executive remuneration is driving executives to achieve the company’s long-term strategic goals by offering an attractive and competitive reward [6].Vodafone wishes to make sure that their executive directors keeping in the highest level in work by providing an attractive payment. For example, a part of rewards are measured by the performance for this year. Therefore, executive directors were given an opportunity to achieve the truly exceptional performance. The remuneration package is determined by Remuneration Committee after Comprehensive consideration. The Remuneration Committee will choose some relevant group of comparators when setting total reward. It makes sure that the executive remuneration policies are considered on a total compensation basis.The comparators are choosing from some basic considerations, which are as follows: 1) top European companies, 2) top UK companies, 3) particularly for scarce skills, and 4) the relevant market in question [6]. These comparators mean that Europe is the major region for business for Vodafone, and the company is original from UK. According to above three principles, the external comparators are consisting by similar size companies, and the European top 25 companies and a few other select companies relevant to the sector.Additionally, the external comparator group do not including the financial companies, such as bank and insurance company. Another important Remuneration principle is that the rewards will related to the performance both long-term and short-term. According to the Annual Report of 2012, performance-based reward account for 70% in the whole remuneration package [6]. Vodafone build a link between executive directors and shareholders by this way, in order to force executive directors think about shareholders’ interest. 3. Remuneration CommitteeAccording to the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Remuneration Committee must include at least three independent non-executive directors [7]. The Remuneration Committee of Vodafone is consisting by independent non-executive directors and running independently in the company. The chairman of Remuneration Committee is Luc Vandevelde, and there are another five members in the Remuneration Committee. All of them are the non-executive directors in company. There also are two external adv isors: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (‘pwc’) and Towers Watson.Pwc is responsible for performance analysis and giving suggestions about company strategy and measuring the performance. It also supports the international business of Vodafone, such as tax, finance, compliance and operations. Another external advisor Towers Watson provides the market data of executive payment to Remuneration Committee. They also manage the pensions and benefit for Vodafone [6]. There are a lot of factors need to be considered by Remuneration Committee when deciding the payment package. Firstly, Remuneration Committee consults the CEO and HR directors’ opinion of the appropriate reward package for executives.Secondly, the external advisors give the Committee another perspective form the external information analysis. They can provide the benchmark of directors’ reward about other similar company on the market. Additionally, Committee also take the company’s strategy into ac count, both long-term and short-term are important. In fiscal year 2012, Remuneration Committee had five meetings to discuss the Short-Term Incentive bonus, Long-Term Incentive plan and basic salary in order to determine the total remuneration packages of the executive directors appropriately [6].Remuneration Committee particularly report four chief executive directors in the Directors’ Remuneration Report, including Chief Executive Vittotio Colao, Chief Financial Officer Andy Halford, Chief Technology Officer Stephen Pusey and Regional CEO Europe Michel Combes, and the reporting also include the reward of non-executive directors. 4. Remuneration package The Vodafone remuneration package is divided into five parts: base salary, Global Short-Term Incentive Plan (‘GSTIP’), Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) base awards, Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) co-investment matching awards and benefit [6].These parts reflect the remu neration policy of Vodafone which make the executives holing a lot of company shares to align the interest of executive directors and investors. It also obeys the UK Corporate Governance Code that keeping the reward in a level which is attractive and motivate to the directors, and designing the performance- related income based on long-term strategy. Base salary aims to attract and retain the best talents. It reflects the directors’ level of skill, experience and the responsibility in Vodafone. In fiscal year 2012, Committee decided the base salary stay at the same level with 2011[6].Global (‘GSTIP’) measure the performance in this financial year with the short- term financial and non- financial target, and the GSTIP is paid in cash in June 2013. The related performance is service revenue (25%), EBITDA (25%), adjusted free cash flow (20%) and competitive performance assessment (30%). This bonus can flow from 0-200% of base salary, and it reward 93. 4% of target f or financial year 2012[6]. Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) is consist of performance shares which award every year and vest three years later to force directors on the Vodafone’s long-term strategy.The vesting of performance shares is determined by the adjusted free cash flow and relative TSR performance. Both operational performance and external performance are included in the two measures in GLTI. The target GLTI face value of CEO is 137. 5% for basic salary, and 110% for other directors. In this year, executive directors was rewarded the vesting the shares of 2008 fiscal year at 30. 6% of maximum [6]. Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) co-investment matching awards means that executive directors can purchase Vodafone normal shares and turning them to performance shares after holding three years.Benefit is the pension scheme for the executive director and other benefit such as company car and private medical insurance. 5. Analysis of the director remuneration Figure 1 Total remuneration for 2012 (based on Vodafone 2012 Annual Report) The Figure 1 shows the detail of the total remuneration for fiscal year 2012 including a value for GLTI payment. Without the GLTI vesting during this year, Vodafone actually paid 30. 35m pounds to CEO Colao, 19. 27m pounds to CFO Halford, 21m pounds to Europe region CEO Combes, and 14. 08m pounds for CTO Pusey [6].The Figure 1 illustrates that all the four chief executive directors’ incomes are increasing except the CTO Pusey. Although the total rewards were general increased, GSTIP for fiscal year 2012 was decreasing. In the meanwhile, salary and cash in lieu of pension were keeping in the similar level with last year. Therefore, the increasing of total remuneration was due to the significant increasing of the item cash in lieu of GLTI dividends. During the fiscal year 2012, the Global Short-Term Incentive was deduct from last year. The total actual short term incentive pay ment was 93. %, while the target payment is 100% and the maximum payment is 200% for the basic salary [6]. According to the remuneration policy of Vodafone, GSTIP is influenced by the performance for this year. There are four indicates to measure the GSTIP: service revenue, EBITDA, adjusted free cash flow and competitive performance assessment. According to the 2012 annual report, the service revenue slightly increased to 46. 4bn pounds, which was just arrival the target performance [6]. However, the EBITAD and adjust free cash flow were cut down, especially the adjust free cash flow.Because of the loss of China Mobile Limited and the dividends of SFR, the actual pay-out percentage for adjust free cash flow is 8. 5, while the target performance is 20% in the whole GSTIP [6]. The policy of GSTIP is related to both the financial and non-financial performance in this year in order to measure the executive short-term performance in a rational way. The target performance is not only base d on the Vodafone’s strategy and past operation, but also taking the long-term strategy into account. Figure 2 Adjust free cash flow target and range for awards Based on Vodafone 2012 Annual Report) Figure 3 GLTI award for 2008 & 2009 (based on Vodafone 2012 Annual Report) Opposite the reducing of DSTIP, cash for Global Long-Term Incentive Plan is significant increase. The GLTI is determined by adjust free cash flow and the TSR outperformance of a peer group median. These two indicators consist a matrix in order to measure the internal operational performance and external performance. The long-term operation cycle is three years which means the target performance of financial year 2012 was settled in 2010.According to Figure 2, the target for 2012 is 18bn pounds, while the actual adjusted free cash flow for 2012 was 20. 9bn pounds [6]. Another important measure is the TSR performance. The figure 3 shows that Vodafone’s TSR was outperformance than the peer group which c onstitute by the similar size companies. The TSR performance increasing by 18. 5% in 2012, and exceed the target number. Therefore, the TSR performance for 2012 was paid by 100% of maximum to executive directors, while there is only 30% in 2011.Figure 4 Five year historical TSR performance (based on Vodafone 2012 Annual Report) Table 1 Comparison of Vodafone & BT Group (Base on [6] [8] [9] [10]) 201220112010 CEO Reward ?000Total Revenue ?bnCEO Reward ?000Total Revenue ?bnCEO Reward ?000Total Revenue ?bn Vodafone303546. 46282645. 88266844. 47 BT Group250518. 90235920. 1210520. 1 To compare with other similar size companies in UK, figure 4 reflects the Vodafone TSR performance compare with the average level of FSTE 100. From this figure, it indicates that Vodafone’s TSR performance is higher than the average level of FSTE 100.It means that the Vodafone Group is in a better operation situation among FSTE 100 companies. Therefore, it is reasonable that Vodafone’s executive remuneration is higher than the similar size companies. Additionally, the comparison in Table 1 is shown in similar result. BT Group is another strong competitor of Vodafone in UK telecommunication industry. The numbers in table 1 are published in the annual report for the two companies from 2010 to 2012. The total revenue of Vodafone is basically twice as much as BT Group, while the difference between the CEO remuneration is just around ? m in the three years. Through above analysis, Vodafone remuneration is in a rational level, and it is corresponding to its operation performance. 6. Conclusion All in all, Vodafone executive remuneration is acceptable and in a rational level. It not only reflects the operation performance but also obey the rules of UK Corporate Governance Code. The executive remuneration is setting by an independent remuneration committee which consist by five non-executive directors and two external advisors.The remuneration report is published by Remuneration C ommittee in Vodafone’s Annual Report. The remuneration package divide into base salary, Global Short-Term Incentive Plan (‘GSTIP’), Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) base awards, Global Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘GLTI’) co-investment matching awards and benefit. Through these five parts, executive reward is related to performance and the investor interest, and can help executives focusing on company’s strategy. Therefore, Vodafone executive remuneration can be seen as a good example in executive remuneration policy.

Racial Discrimination Within the Gay Community Essay

My community is the most diverse of all. I am speaking of the gay community. Our community consists of people from every race, every religion, every gender, and every economic sector. We claim to be all-inclusive, embracing everyone despite our differences and celebrate our diversity with pride very openly. The issue of gay civil rights came to national attention on June 27, 1969. On that evening, police raided a small gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village called The Stonewall Inn, which sparked three days of rioting. The event is considered the single most important event that led to the modern movement for gay civil rights. The gay community’s perseverance has led to gay pride celebrations being held across the country. San Francisco is the considered the birthplace of pride celebrations, as a â€Å"gay-in† was held on June 27, 1970, to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Current pride celebrations often include themes such as inclusion and diversity, demonstrating the gay community’s beliefs that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of any differences. However, as Buchanan (2005) stated, â€Å"We claim to be the most maligned group in society, but when it comes to discrimination, some say that gays can give as good as we get† (Gays at receiving end of bias claim). The issue of racial discrimination in the gay community came to light when the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) issued their report on April 26, 2005 after an investigation of alleged discrimination at a popular bar in the Castro. The investigation was initiated by a group of citizens that claim the bar, SFBadlands, was practicing discriminatory acts in employment and patronage. I frequent the bar in question regularly and am personally acquainted with an African American who works there as a bartender. The group making the accusations, And Castro For All, alleged in a letter sent to the HRC June 22, 2004, that the owner of the bar implemented policies to discourage African Americans and women from patronizing the bar. The group also alleged that the bar owner practiced discriminatory hiring practices. Out of the forty-five employees of the bar at the time, only seven were â€Å"people of color† and none were women. The group requested the HRC investigate the bar owner and his business practices to determine if there were any â€Å"civil rights violations†. The group also requested the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to revoke the owners’ liquor license. Further allegations against the bar and it’s owner included unwarranted removal of African-American and other minority patrons from the bar, inferior service to minority customers and denial of entry of minority customers due to dress while white patrons dressed similarly were admitted. The commission found the bar and its owner discriminated against African-American job applicants and customers, however there was insufficient evidence to conclude any other wrongdoing. During the ongoing investigation, And Castro For All staged protests in front of the bar that caught media attention and sparked national conversation regarding the persistence of racism in the gay community (VanDeCarr, 2005). During these protests, the bar was busy as usual. The demonstrations, one of which was held during the Castro Street Fair, a popular street fair held every October, did little to diminish patrons to enter the bar. As I stood in line that day waiting to enter the bar, listening to the chant â€Å"Think before you drink† there was not much for me to think about. I had talked to the African-American bartender that I know about the allegations, and he responded that the allegations were false. The protests and demonstrations by And Castro For All have been compared to the civil rights and women’s movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The fight for gay marriage has also been compared to the civil rights movement. These comparisons have people of color raising an eyebrow, and have bred hostility where it should have sown solidarity. In Massachusetts shortly after gay marriage was legalized, Governor Matt Romney told city clerks they could enact a 1913 law forbidding out-of-state couples from marrying if their home states would not recognize the marriage. The law was written with the intention of barring interracial marriages. The Massachusetts Supreme Court made another equation when gay marriage was legalized. They referenced the historic cases that legalized interracial marriages to the case that led to the legalization of gay marriage by citing the difference as a single trait: skin color in the interracial cases, sexual orientation now. This â€Å"formula of gay = black has upset some Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people of color† says Hernandez (2005 Gaily ever after 11). During the 1990’s when the gay movement went mainstream, LGBT people of all colors claim it became a mouthpiece for wealthy gay men. The reason the comparison of gay marriage to the civil rights movement has raised indignation say some LGBT people of color is because it does not account for the racial and economic privileges white gays have. In not being able to marry, some say this is the first time that white gays are feeling the effects of discrimination. Further accusations of racial discrimination in San Francisco’s Castro district disrupted a meeting of the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC) on March 3, 2005. The subject of racial discrimination came to a head when the President of MUMC was accused of paying obligatory attention to the growing concerns of racism in the Castro. White males own most businesses in the Castro, a fact that many do not realize. In attendance at the meeting were about 25 members, five of which were either non-white or female. Thanks to a neighborhood economic development program organized by the LGBT Center of San Francisco, a yoga studio opened in October of 2004, which is the first black-owned business in the area in a few years. So, what does the future of the Castro look like? According to Bevin Duffy, an openly gay man on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is hopeful. Speaking after a mediation agreement was signed between the owner of SF Badlands and the group An Castro For All, Duffy is quoted: ‘This has been a painful process but it has created a great deal of awareness of the distance we need to go to be a truly inclusive community†¦. I hope for all of us it is an opportunity to heal now and to move forward, with each of us individually committed to be open, welcoming and accepting to people in our community who may be different. ’ (Bajko, 2006, p. 2). Not everyone shares Mr. Duffy’s optimism. Gomez (2006) states â€Å"Thirty years from now maybe queer will have evolved from a fashion statement†¦and retained its original connotations: progressive, independent, empathetic, activist. Colored queers will still be making the noise of protest†¦Maybe by then we’ll believe we’re stronger together than apart† (Race: the growing chasm, 10). I think Gomez is wrong, at least when it comes to my neighborhood. I have hope for my neighborhood. The Castro has long been seen as â€Å"gay mecca† to LGBT people the world over, and hopefully the racial scar isn’t too deep. At least the actions of a few people have paved the way to change. Until we can resolve the inequalities in our own backyard, will we then be able to achieve equality with our straight allies, such as equal marriage rights. Once we become the kind of people we say we are, then we can become a racially diverse role model for the world.

Stanley Yelnats essays

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How to Write a Conclusion for a Presentation on Exchange Systems in the United States

How to Write a Conclusion for a Presentation on Exchange Systems in the United States You are either on this page because you would like to learn more about writing material for a presentation or know more about the topic of exchange systems and the part they play in the United States’ economic system. Whatever the reason may be, one thing is certain; you would not be disappointed. Therefore to delve into today’s subject matters, let us start with a brief explanation of the terms ‘exchange systems and economics in the US’ so as to create the perfect background needed to understand the tips provided below. Exchange systems are the methods in which trade is made. This systems could include barter or the use of currency- as is done officially in the US- as a means of paying for goods or services rendered. Economics discusses the factors that affect trade and come into play when exchanging an item for a product. Now, there are diverse details, facts and figures contained in the role they play in the United States therefore to write a mind blowing conclusion for your presentation, one must have full control of the information contained in the entire presentation. Be Knowledgeable about the Subject Matter The technical nature involved with exchange systems and economics means acquiring knowledge on them is a task that cannot be taken likely. You, the student, is tasked with reading journals, opinion pieces and studying the facts behind the US economy so as to have a well-rounded knowledge of the United States floating exchange rate system, its GDP, what makes up its GDP as well as economic facts and effects on the American population. This knowledge will stand you in good stead when summarizing the contents contained in your introduction and the body of your presentation to make up your concluding paragraphs. Understand What the Conclusion Is All About To write a great conclusion, you need to understand your subject matter as well as what a conclusion consists of and why it is important to include one in your presentation. A concluding statement or paragraph is not just a way to let your audience know that you are done with presenting your message. It is more like a summary of every question asked and the corresponding solution given, written in fewer words and in a clear format that finally seals the knowledge contained in your entire presentation in the brains of audience members. Therefore, the conclusion must be well articulated, free of any extra facts or statistics so it stays on course will be remaining brief. Render the Conclusive Message Most presentations are presented using spoken word and if yours fall into this category, then you must draft a concluding message which will serve as pointers or reminders while you speak on exchange systems in the United States. Therefore, the information to be written down should concern an explanation on the questions raised and the answers or solution you provided throughout the body of your presentation. This briefly outlined texts will also ensure that your audience do not focus unnecessarily on the information in your PowerPoint slides but on the stirring concluding speech you have planned out. Lastly, practice makes perfect. So ensure you eliminate jitters, stage fright and temporary memory loss by practicing in front of a made-up audience- preferably of family members- as well as go over your presentation speech multiple times and the perfect score will be yours.   For additional material on this subject and genre please check our 10 facts for writing a presentation on exchange systems as well 20 topics on them.