Walmart in China free essay sample

Magic of the stripes In addition to the satellite system, Walmart has guided the way to other ground-breaking technologies that had other retailers follow. In 1988, Walmart was the first retail company who used the barcode system as the universal labeling system (Walmart, http://walmartstores. com/aboutus/7603. aspx, 2011). The efficiently of the barcode system gave Walmart the capability to reduce store inventories and the cost of keeping items in warehouse. The barcode system also makes it possible for Walmart to record sales of each item for more accurate sales analysis, because the barcode system worked so well, 99 percent of Walmart stores adapted this technology(Walmart, http://walmartstores. com/aboutus/7603. aspx, 2011). But it also created another problem for Walmart suppliers. One of the key pieces of the barcode system is the Universal Product Code (UPC), the UPC is a stamp with black and white stripes and numbers on the bottom that allows a barcode scanner to scan the product. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart in China or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Getting the UPC code isn’t as easy as print it on the box and ships it out to Walmart. First, Walmart requires all their potential suppliers to file an evaluation with Dun amp; Bradstreet for an evaluation of the company’s financial standing, second, buy a membership from Uniform Code Councils GS1 that cost at least $750 plus an annual fee that bases on the company’s sales plus cost of each UPC on the product (Washingtonpost, 2007). Base on the cost, if you are large company like PepsiCo or Johnson amp; Johnson the fees are relatively small, but if you are a small mom and pop business the fees can eat up most of your sales revenue. However, Jon Lehman who was a Walmart Manager who managed six stores said during an interview with PBS. org(PBS. org, 2004) â€Å"you can track sales on specific items, specific weeks, specific days, specific hours of the day, when you sell merchandise the most. You can find out what size of toothpaste is your best seller, what times of the year you sell that toothpaste. You can track sales spikes during the year, during certain seasonal periods†. the benefit of the barcode system gives Walmart the leverage power to have all their suppliers include barcode in their products, which was the first time, a retailer have power over the supplier. Walmart’s Cross Docking In the retail race for survival, more and more retailers are finding ways to reduce inventory cost and transportation cost. Then in the 1980s, Walmart began to use a logistic technique call the â€Å"cross-docking†. This is a way for the finished goods to directly be pick up from a supplier’s manufacturing plant, and then transport the goods to the customers without storing it. The cross docking provide tremendous benefit, First, reduce handling and transportation cost, the product will not have to go to another storage location to be wait for pick up. Second, Cut product wait time, the product will spend less time in warehouse and more time on the road to deliver to the customer, it is especially important if the products are time sensitive, such as milk or produces. Walmart stores can decrease the financial lost from having to reduce price of the product because it is close to the expiration day. Third, product now have less chances to be damaged during shipping, in the old days, products often have to be transported though many different locations before it is shipped to the stores, the cross docking eliminates the needs of going to different distribution locations, as figure 1 shows, all products now will only go to a centralized sorting facility before it’s shipped to various Walmart stores. However, the most significant advantage of cross docking is the reduced warehousing, one of the cross docking main benefits is the ability to quickly move products, therefore, increase the turnaround time during warehousing. Walmart stores can carry more products and can stored more in the warehouse. Figure 1 Downfall of Barcode System The barcode system provided undeniable logistical benefit since Sam Walton started the company, but as time move forward and more supplies need to be move across warehouse floor; the time is up for a replacement. The technological constraints of the barcode system are speed, range and durability. The first major shortfall is that the barcode requires the line-of-sight technology(RFID-Journal, 2011), which means for the barcode to be read, there has to be a laser scanner within the line of sight for it to pick up the information in the barcode. According to International Logistics by Richard Stewart and Pierre David â€Å"Transportation is dependent on an infrastructure that allows the movement of goods†. Due to the line-of-sight constraint logisticians have to design the warehouse certain ways to allow barcode system to be read or introduce expensive human labors into the picture. Second, because it requires laser scanner to scan the products, only one item can be read at a time. Third, barcodes labels are vulnerable to daily wear and tear. Allow me to ask, have you experienced a time where you or the store cashier try to scan the barcode and you placed the barcode over the red scanner several times, but the scanner failed to pick up the barcode. That’s an example of damaged barcode. Due to the nature of barcode, once the widths of the black and white lines are damaged, it is impossible for the scanners to pick up. As a result of the limitations in barcode technology, Walmart implemented a new technology call RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) in its logistic system. Power to the RIFD In 2003(Webster, 2008), Walmart had started the preparation to integrate the RFID technology into its supply chain. The RFID united the improvements over barcode system in range, reading rate and durability into a single chip. It is a system of small electronic stickers that can instantly broadcast radio signal to the RFID receiver and consistently update its location. This way, logisticians can link between the digital and physical world without any human communication. The RFID had another advantage it’s able to read the data and know precisely what item it is and the expiration date on the item. For example, the RFID can tell Walmart which orange juices in which refrigerators are going to expire, so the employees can move the soon to expire orange juices in the front row. Walmart then required its 100 suppliers to integrate RFID technology in their packaging and hoping it will solve the issues where items are not ready on the selife. According to Ron Moser, RFID strategy leader at Walmart, Around 2 percent of all lost sales are due to the simple fact a store has run out of an item, but 41 percent of the lost sales are due to inventory problem, If RFID can fix just 10 percent of that problem, then Wal-Mart will gain $287 million per year by avoiding lost sales. † Since 2007, Walmart has benefited a 30 percent reduction of out-of-stoc ks; reduction of excess inventory in the supply chain says Walmart CIO and Executive Vice President Rollin Ford(Walmart, Wal-Mart Continues RFID Technology Expansion, 2007). And If combine the numbers from Moser and Ford, that is a saving of 861 million a year, since the integration of RFID. The technology has proven itself as the divine money savior for Walmart’s logistic system. On top of that, Walmart has also pushed the RFID into one of their most profitable foreign market, China. Walmart’s RFID Influence in China In speaking of international logistics, if Walmart requires all their suppliers to include RFID chips, then they will also need to require international companies to do the same. Started in 2009(ChinaRetailNews. com, 2008), Walmart impacted the Chinese supply chain by forcing all Chinese suppliers to have RFID chips build into their products. Not only so, Walmart also created tougher standards on the Chinese suppliers which created a much stressful time for the Chinese manufactures to adapt. Going back to day one, the Walmart RFID movement started in January 2005 in a distribution center in Dallas says computerworld. com (Songini, 2006). At first, Walmart required about 100 of its suppliers in to have RFID chip installed, then in two years after that, in January 2007, 600 suppliers implemented the technology. Base on the historical review of the U. S. companies, it was easier for U. S. ompanies to put into practice of the RFID chip, upgrade the information system and warehousing technologies. On the other hand, most of the Chinese companies were still using human labors for their supply chain management. It wasn’t that the Chinese manufactures didn’t want to upgrade to RFID. The technology infrastructure just wasn’t there. According the physorg. com, most of the companies in South China â€Å"Donâ₠¬â„¢t understand and are not familiar with the technology† There was a number of problems that Walmart needed to solve before implementing the RFID idea into the mind of Chinese suppliers. First, at what level would it affect China? Civilian standards or government regulations or both? Second, how many of Chinese suppliers are capable of deploying the RFID technology; third, how many of them have heard of RIFD technology. The Chinese RFID investment Two of the very important market entry strategies that an international logistician ought to understand before entering a foreign market are the technology infrastructure and the characteristic of different levels of development. Does the Chinese have it what it takes to upgrade its Infrastructure? And does the potential trade benefit outweigh cost? Fortunately, the Chinese government had a plan to expand its logistics infrastructure in 2007. The China State Radio Regulation Committee (SRRC) has approved the bandwidths needed to transmit RFID frequency in China, the two UHF bands 840. 25 to 844. 75 MHz and 920. 25 to 924. 75 MHz (Swedberg, 2007). The Chinese government’s intention of this approval is bring itself up to speed with rest of the world. According to Craig K. Harmon, President and CEO of Standards development organization â€Å"can be viewed as good news for U. S. and European companies. Chinas 920 to 925 MHz band overlaps the 902 to 928 MHz band used in the United States, so U. S. RFID tags will be readable by interrogators approved for use in China†. In other word, The Chinese government did not blindly upgrade its RFID infrastructure; it made sure the radio frequencies are compatible with foreign companies like Walmart. In other to support and keep up with rest of the world, the Chinese government is making an enormous amount of investments in the RFID market. Between 2009 and 2014, the Chinese market will have grown to $1. 4 billion in 2010, and by 2014, the RFID will reach $2. 4 billion, more than double the total form 2009, said by an iSuppli, a China market research firm. The RFID infrastructure is growing, and will dramatically develop to a mature stage that has the same level playing field with the United States. Chinese market potential Since the early 90s, the world has witnessed China’s huge growth economy and the potential to grow more, the logistics in China also have been growing along. Nevertheless, international logistics is a part of international business, the market, supply amp; demand, and GDP; those elements are the support beams of the logistics infrastructure. In addition, The Chinese and Walmart’s RFID infrastructures are depended on this growth. In 2010, the Chinese GDP growth was 10. 3 percent. In the same year, the Chinese domestic logistics grew to $15. 75 Trillion and will have 9% compound annual growth rate between 2011 to 2013, said by (Logistic Industry in China set for Tremendous Growth, 2011). On a general level, rapid market and GDP growth is a perfect business incubator for Walmart to accelerate the RFID adaption among Chinese suppliers. Conclusion The Logistics infrastructure is a key component for Walmart to penetrate Chinese market, in view of the fact that the country’s economy is export oriented. The RFID is one of the most important technologies for both Walmart and China to communicate both in the physical level and software level. But without the physical warehouse planning of Cross Docking, introducing the RFID can only win half of the battle. Ever since, Sam Walton created Walmart, moving products to customers have been the key development for the company, from human labor to barcode system and finally the RFID. With the pushing and help from Walmart, local Chinese manufactures and logistics companies are able to adapt this piece of technology and continue to compete with rest of the world. There are also noticeable evidences that the Chinese government is aware of the problem and taking action on, for example approving the RIFD spectrums. So far, the Chinese logistics information system that can support the RIFD is still smaller than the U. S. , even with that, Walmart should not back down in pushing the RFID technology to rest of the Chinese manufactures. We have to remember, what happen from the 100 supplies in the U. S. will happen to the Chinese suppliers. The adaption rate is slow and painful, but Walmart will get there. Works Cited China faces barriers in RFID adoption. (2005, 12 22). Retrieved 04 25, 2011, from www. physorg. com: http://www. physorg. com/news9312. html ChinaRetailNews. com. (2008, 11 06). Wal-Mart To Adopt Radio Frequency Identification On Chinese Mainland. Retrieved 04 26, 2011, from http://www. chinaretailnews. om: http://www. chinaretailnews. com/2008/11/06/1730-wal-mart-to-adopt-radio-frequency-identification-on-chinese-mainland/ Geography, D. o. (2011). THE GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS. Retrieved 04 18, 2011, from Hofstra University: http://people. hofstra. edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/conc5en/crossdocking. html Gu, V. (2011, 01 03). Press Release. Retrieved 05 01, 2011, from isuppli: http://www . isuppli. com/China-Electronics-Supply-Chain/News/Pages/Chinas-RFID-Market-Set-to-Double-by-2014. aspx Logistic Industry in China set for Tremendous Growth. (2011, 03 09). Retrieved 05 08, 2011, from whattech. com:

Facts and History About the Country of Cambodia

Facts and History About the Country of Cambodia The 20th century was disastrous for Cambodia. The country was occupied by Japan in World War II and became collateral damage in the Vietnam War, with secret bombings and cross-border incursions. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge regime seized power; they would murder approximately 1/5 of their own citizens in a mad frenzy of violence. Yet not all of Cambodian history is dark and blood-drenched. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Cambodia was home to the Khmer Empire, which left behind incredible monuments such as Angkor Wat. Hopefully, the 21st century will be much kinder to the people of Cambodia than the last one was. Capital: Phnom Pehn, population 1,300,000 Cities: Battambang, population 1,025,000, Sihanoukville, population 235,000, Siem Reap, population 140,000, Kampong Cham, population 64,000 Cambodias Government Cambodia has a constitutional monarchy, with King Norodom Sihamoni as the current head of state. The Prime Minister is the head of government.  The current Prime Minister of Cambodia is Hun Sen, who was elected in 1998.  Legislative power is shared between the executive branch and the bicameral parliament, made up of the 123-member National Assembly of Cambodia and the 58-member Senate. Cambodia has a semi-functional multi-party representative democracy. Unfortunately, corruption is rampant and the government is non-transparent. Population Cambodias population is about 15,458,000 (2014 estimate).  The vast majority, 90%, are ethnic Khmer. Approximately 5% are Vietnamese, 1% Chinese, and the remaining 4% includes small populations of Chams (a Malay people), Jarai, Khmer Loeu, and Europeans. Due to the massacres of the Khmer Rouge era, Cambodia has a very young population. The median age is 21.7 years, and only 3.6% of the population is over the age of 65. (In comparison, 12.6% of US citizens are over 65.) Cambodias birth rate is 3.37 per woman; the infant mortality rate is 56.6 per 1,000 live births.  The literacy rate is 73.6%. Languages The official language of Cambodia is Khmer, which is part of the Mon-Khmer language family. Unlike nearby languages such as Thai, Vietnamese and Lao, spoken Khmer is not tonal. Written Khmer has a unique script, called abugida. Other languages in common use in Cambodia include French, Vietnamese, and English. Religion Most Cambodians (95%) today are Theravada Buddhists. This austere version of Buddhism became prevalent in Cambodia in the thirteenth century, displacing the combination of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism that was practiced previously. Modern Cambodia also has Muslim citizens (3%) and Christians (2%). Some people practice traditions derived from animism as well, alongside their primary faith. Geography Cambodia has an area of 181,040 square kilometers or 69,900 square miles. It is bordered by Thailand to the west and north, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east and south. Cambodia also has a 443 kilometer (275 miles) coastline on the Gulf of Thailand. The highest point in Cambodia is Phnum Aoral, at 1,810 meters (5,938 feet). The lowest point is the Gulf of Thailand coast, at sea level. West-central Cambodia is dominated by Tonle Sap, a large lake. During the dry season, its area is about 2,700 square kilometers (1,042 square miles), but during the monsoon season, it swells to 16,000 sq. km (6,177 sq. miles). Climate Cambodia has a tropical climate, with a rainy monsoon season from May to November, and a dry season from December to April. Temperatures dont vary much from season to season; the range is 21-31 °C (70-88 °F) in the dry season, and 24-35 °C (75-95 °F) in the wet season. Precipitation varies from just a trace in the dry season to over 250 cm (10 inches) in October. Economy The Cambodian economy is small, but growing quickly. In the 21st century, the annual growth rate has been between 5 and 9%. The GDP in 2007 was $8.3 billion US or $571 per capita. 35% of Cambodians live below the poverty line. The Cambodian economy is based primarily on agriculture and tourism- 75% of the workforce are farmers. Other industries include textiles manufacturing, and extraction of natural resources (timber, rubber, manganese, phosphate, and gems). Both the Cambodian rial and the US dollar are used in Cambodia, with the rial mostly given as change. The exchange rate is $1 4,128 KHR (October 2008 rate). History of Cambodia Human settlement in Cambodia dates back at least 7,000 years, and probably much farther. Early Kingdoms Chinese sources from the first century A.D. describe a powerful kingdom called Funan in Cambodia, which was strongly influenced by India. Funan went into decline in the 6th century A.D., and was supplanted by a group of ethnically-Khmer kingdoms that the Chinese refer to as Chenla. The Khmer Empire In 790, Prince Jayavarman II founded a new empire, the first to unite Cambodia as a political entity. This was the Khmer Empire, which lasted until 1431. The crown jewel of the Khmer Empire was the city of Angkor, centered around the temple of Angkor Wat. Construction began in the 890s, and Angkor served as the seat of power for more than 500 years. At its height, Angkor covered more area than modern-day New York City. Fall of the Khmer Empire After 1220, the Khmer Empire began to decline. It was attacked repeatedly by the neighboring Tai (Thai) people, and the beautiful city of Angkor was abandoned by the end of the 16th century. Thai and Vietnamese Rule After the fall of the Khmer Empire, Cambodia came under the control of the neighboring Tai and Vietnamese kingdoms. These two powers competed for influence until 1863, when France took control of Cambodia. French Rule The French ruled Cambodia for a century but viewed it as a subsidiary of the more important colony of Vietnam. During World War II, the Japanese occupied Cambodia but left the Vichy French in charge. The Japanese promoted Khmer nationalism and pan-Asian ideas. After Japans defeat, the Free French sought renewed control over Indochina. The rise of nationalism during the war, however, forced France to offer increasing self-rule to the Cambodians until independence in 1953. Independent Cambodia Prince Sihanouk ruled newly-free Cambodia until 1970 when he was deposed during the Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975). This war pitted communist forces, called the Khmer Rouge, against the US-backed Cambodian government. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge won the civil war, and under Pol Pot set to work creating an agrarian communist utopia by exterminating political opponents, monks and priests, and educated people in general. Just four years of Khmer Rouge rule left 1 to 2 million Cambodians dead- about 1/5 of the population. Vietnam attacked Cambodia and captured Phnom Penh in 1979, withdrawing only in 1989. The Khmer Rouge fought on as guerrillas until 1999. Today, though, Cambodia is a peaceful and democratic nation.

Students should not do H.W after school day Essay

Students should not do H.W after school day - Essay Example Adding more studies in the evening only makes it worse for them. Their minds cannot focus accurately in academics at this time of the day, and all they require is some time to rest. This resting period is vital since it allows the brain to process whatever they learned during the day, and to internalize it. Secondly, sporting activities are neglected over the excuse of having too much homework to do after school. The lack of sports and gaming activities creates lazy and unhealthy students, since they have no time to keep fit. The hours after the school day should be used by the sports teams to practice and perfect their gaming techniques. These sporting activities are essential for brain growth and development. They relieve students of any stress they got in class. This time, when used in sports, will allow for the planning of tournaments with the neighboring schools and other community teams. These tournaments create new social networks that are very useful in life. They also enhance the sharing of ideas and knowledge among students of different schools (McManus, 2005). Another reason why students should not do homework after the school day is taking part in community work (Royse, 1999). There are many voluntary activities that students can take part in, including the cleaning of the environment, visiting the sick and attending to the homeless people. They can also plant trees and hold community education forums, whereby they can educate the public on matters affecting the modern world. Such factors include soil erosion, environmental pollution, communicable diseases, and wildlife conservation. These forums are important in enlightening the community. The charity events that involve taking care of the less fortunate also help build responsible, understanding and caring students (Hothersall, 2010). It is also clear that some students have after-school jobs to cater for their school fees (Lincoln, 1999). As such, they should be

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Relations - Essay Example A nation cannot be referred to as sovereign without stable security. The success of all the development activities that a state undertakes is determined by the security status of that state as well as that of other nations. Majority of the key world powers retain their status through maximizing their share of the world power. According to Mearsheimer, some of the notable behaviors applied include regional hegemony, accumulating maximum wealth, achieving the preeminent land power and nuclear superiority. Many of these nations dearly ensure the security of their territories owing to the underlying realist notion that the world is characterized by competition and war and that every state should possess an inherent military offensive to preserve their sovereignty. This leads to the enhancement of suspicions and fear over the intentions of another state in the use of military offensive. Alternatives that exist beyond maximizing the security interests of a state include enhancement of glob al military dominance, economic superiority, and social-cultural cohesiveness. Global Military Dominance Most states focus on security to preserve their legacy of maintaining global dominance. It is common logic that primacy brings a lot of interests spanning from balancing the world power and spearheading the world peace efforts. When a state is at the pinnacle of power like the United States of America, the only probable step that it can make is towards downfall. Realists postulate that, under such circumstances, insecurity may worsen the situation further. According to Walt, the fear of an imminent decline in control of global power control arose from the United States capability of reaching the zenith.

Media Worldview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media Worldview - Assignment Example It is trust that anchors strong friendship with potential to flourish. It’s a wonderful life movie provides an alternative to trust with the view that individuals can decide to trust everyone they meet or choose fail to uphold the value. Trust in the modern setting promotes friendship similar to that narrated to George Bailey that an individual who maintains good friends rarely fail in life. The movie encourages society members to embrace the act of civil companionship as a champion of peace and protection against misery (Crowther 1). Bailey notes that $8,000 remains the primary factor that would determine his survival. He however, recalls the good relations he had created with his friends. The thought of his friends helps rescues him and he narrowly escapes death. Similar meditations are reminiscent of the contemporary society and those who believe in change escapes wraths of destructive thoughts. George way of life is a contrast to that of Mr. Potter. While Potter is a rich mean self-centered and power hungry individual, George is an honest man who capitalizes on humanity in spite of his poverty. Greediness of Mr. Potter isolates him and compels his conscious to set George up with failure. Mr. Potter finds the lost $ 8,000 money that George intended to use in salvaging Bailey Bros building. When George realizes that the Money is actually in the wrong hands, he begs for mercy but Mr. Potter does not give an audience to the demands. George finally contemplates on committing suicide but the heavenly angel rescues him. The movie portrays some important and influential characters that a society should have. Bailey acts as a savior to the world and without his presence; the town would lag in sin, insanity, corruption and death. It is evident when Mr. Potter sets up clubs and bars for drinking and committing sinful acts in the absence of Bailey. George emotions and beliefs cause him disagreement and misery in the town, as he hates immoral

Homelessness The Hidden Nightmare Of Los Angeles Economics Essay

Homelessness The Hidden Nightmare Of Los Angeles Economics Essay Los Angeles, California ranks in as the second largest city in the United States. It is home to 3.8 billion people, including many famous movie stars. Known for being one of the sunniest and most tourist-conscious cities, Los Angeles offers many attractions for visitors (problem of homelessness). They hold many sports venues as well, including the Staples Center, which houses the L.A. Lakers and many award shows, like the Grammys. Over the years Los Angeles developed nicknames for its city, such as L.A. and The City of Angels (Los Ang. Wikipedia). While some people might call it The City of Angels, others could not disagree more with the nickname. During the daytime Los Angeles is a place of business, upper-class citizens roam the streets and movie producers are filming there next big hit. On the other hand, at nighttime its nothing more than a nightmare you cannot wake up from; thousands of people are left roaming the streets searching for a place to sleep. What we do not typically hear about or see is Los Angeless Skid Row, which hides in the shadows of the downtown skyline. This fifty block section of downtown L.A. holds the largest concentrated area of homeless people in the entire United States (los Ang City of stars). The section of Fifth Street is also referred to as the nickel. It is said that Skid Row is Americas only third world city (Skid Row wikipedia). Skid Row is nothing more than a result of the neighborhoods gentrification. These horrifying streets are home to the unwanted. Many police officers from other jurisdictions have been seen dumping homeless people in the area; they cannot provide correct services to them, so they dump them there. Already overwhelmed with the abundance of homeless people, the county is facing a major problem with social service organizations being short staffed and are experiencing a shortage of funds. Any services that a homeless person might be offered, is located in the downtown area of Los Angeles (Los An. City of stars). The LAPD Chief thought he had found a solution to help local businesses and real estate developers weed out the site of homeless people. He would have anyone arrested for minor infractions, littering, sleeping on sidewalks, and public urination. Unfortunately, his strategies were only wishful thinking. Soon after his rules were put into affect the city jails were overpopulated with homeless people and could not hold anymore. It was also costing the city more to keep them in jail, than it did to help house them for the night (Los An. City of stars). Recent plans for Skid Row have been to build condos and lofts that sell for $700,000. This would completely gentrify the area and push homeless people further away. Without anywhere else in the county offering assistance for the homeless, they have nowhere and no one to turn to for help. Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority could not afford the new rent. They were forced to move because the building was being renovated into condominiums. The downtown area is being renovated to attract new businesses, but the downfall of it all is that its causing rental prices to become non-affordable. New homes and condos are priced at an average of $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Los Angeles has the most expensive rental market in the entire state of California. With housing costs on the rise and the supply of affordable housing falling, many people are struggling to keep a roof over their head. Due to the renovations and demolitions, the 28,000 affordable homes L.A. produced from 2001 to 2006 meant nothing, because they lost 11,000 homes in the process (research briefly). Los Angeles is demolishing perfectly good homes, during the middle of a housing crisis. Coalition for Economic Survival and Housing LA, have both been fighting to stop renovations and demolitions. Thankfully, the City Planning Department has recently started to deny some request for such demolition. They are also making it a requirement that some of the residences have to be affordable (livable places). To restore Los Angeless middle class society, it must provide and create enough affordable housing units. Affordable housing is the ratio of housing costs to household income. Families should not pay more than 30% of their income, but in L.A. most moderate to low income families, pay 50%. For someone to live in a one-bedroom apartment in L.A., they must make a minimum of $48,000 a year (livable places). An average family of four with two working parents must make $70,000 a year, just to skim by (Los An. City of stars). In 2007, only 3% of homes sold in Los Angeles were affordable for median income families (Pricey properties). As the need for housing grows larger the number of homeless people, also increase. Not only are these developers building new condos, but they are evicting residents as well. These families that are being evicted or flat out cannot afford the new pricing are left without a home. Due to the shortage of affordable housing units, the Hollywood Community Housing Corporation formed a lottery for people to have a chance to secure a spot in a new fifty-eight unit subsidized apartment. Lines formed seven hundred people deep, waiting for an application. Even though they might have received an application, that did not mean they were accepted. The housing corporations executive director, said that subsidized projects similar to this one were becoming more and more difficult to finance (Hundreds wait). For families who do not win the lottery, they are left on the streets and shooed away. Because of the increase and wide spread of non-affordable housing, homelessness is at an all time high. What used to be a designated area for the homeless in Los Angeles, Skid Row, is now a wide spread community epidemic. Homelessness is no longer designated to the poorer areas of Los Angeles; the entire county is now seeing, what was once an isolated phenomenon. All eight of the Service Planning Areas have been heavily affected. On an average night in Los Angeles, 73,000 homeless people roam the streets without a place to sleep. Around 40% of the homeless have been this way for less than a year. About half the residents living in L.A. are housing a family member or friend, to keep them off the streets. Los Angeles County supplies 17,000 emergency beds for the homeless. This low amount does not even come close to the demand for them. Shelter Partnership did a study that showed how L.A.s shelters and agencies only accommodate a quarter of homeless families (research and). The Los Angeles Unified School District has reported a 35% increase of homeless students. Recent data has revealed that the number of homeless families with children is rising. Between 2006 and 2007 HUD data reported that public schools were teaching an estimated 680,000 children that were either homeless or living in an unstable environment. Studies have shown that homelessness can lower a childs academic performance and reduce high school completion. Homeless children are nearly three times more likely to suffer from emotional or behavior problems, thus in the long run affecting their education. An estimated amount of 10,000 people were found living in inhabitable areas (the medical news). Not only has the lack of affordable housing caused homelessness, but the economy as well. The recession has impacted the job market greatly. It has been projected by Goldman Sachs that unemployment will continue to rise throughout 2010. This would cause nearly 10 million Americans to live in poverty. The United States is dealing with the highest amount of unemployment rates, it has ever seen. It is likely that the nation will face its highest increase in severe poverty, than it has in the last 30 years. The current recession is more likely to cause the risk of homelessness. Unlike previous recessions that provided safety nets to protect jobless families, the assistance for families now is weaker than ever (budget and policy). The non-profit organization, Chrysalis, provides employment opportunities to help family prevent the risk of becoming homeless. Chrysalis Enterprises is Los Angeles only non-profit organization. Each year, they help over 2,500 people avoid the risks of poverty and homelessness. They provide yearly assistance for transitional jobs to 600 men and women every year (Chrysalis). Even though Congress is expected to try and restore several million jobs, an unbelievably high number of people will still be at the risk of becoming homeless Local and state jurisdictions have arranged interagency plans to prevent homelessness. This has helped reduce the number of unsheltered people in the past, and if proper resources are used than it could lessen the increase of homelessness during the recession. Adequate funding must be provided in order for the interagency plans to function effectively. However, states and localities are dealing with budget shortfalls. The recession has caused them to cut programs and raise taxes to try and keep their budget balanced. Homelessness prevention will without a doubt struggle to maintain, let alone increase proper funding (budget and funding). Between 2007 and 2008 Los Angeles County has reported a 12% increase in welfare assistance for families who are homeless. More families will fall into deep poverty if the unemployment rate keeps rising. An estimated 900,000 to 1.1 million families with children will reach the level of severe poverty if this happens, leaving them with the risk of homelessness and housing instability. Despite falling incomes and rising unemployment, rents are still being driven through the roof. Home foreclosures constantly keep pushing home owners into the rental market. The severe problem with home foreclosures and housing sectors only help cater the increase of homeless families. The demand for rental units will continually grow even though the prices of homes are falling. Families, who would originally be buying homes right now, are renting; they are waiting for the economy and prices to stabilize before doing so. Homelessness will continue to rise during the recession, as long as the housing market maintains its ongoing troubles. One way Los Angeles can help try to prevent homelessness, is by offering housing vouchers. These vouchers can be used for families to pay past due utility bills or rent. Families dealing with foreclosure can be assisted with relocation funds, a one-time cost associated with moving into a new home. Unfortunately, the only way these short-term assistance programs will work, is if families are able to uphold their ongoing rental costs. A recent five year study has proven that housing vouchers are effective in preventing homelessness. The government needs to grant a substantial number of additional vouchers in the economic recovery package. In an economic crisis, such as now, voucher programs work the best. As a familys income changes the amount of subsidy they receive will also change. Costs will also decline as the participants gain employment and their earnings increase. In 2008, Congress provided 15,000 new housing vouchers. Only 2,840 of the new vouchers were given to families with children; the families also had to be connected to the foster system. The rest of the vouchers were set aside for disabled people and homeless veterans. If no special restrictions on eligibility for new vouchers are set by Congress, then state and local agencies that receive the funds will be responsible for disbursing them. It is likely that more than half of the vouchers will be given to poor families with children. If 200,000 new housing vouchers were given throughout 2010, including administrative fees, it would cost $2.1 billion. These additional vouchers could strain HUDs 2011 budget. Subsequent budget pressures could be avoided, if the recovery package stated that agencies could not reissue vouchers after a family has left the program and other vouchers have to be out of circulation by the end of 2010. By not allowing agencies to reissue vouchers, roughly 30% of the new vouchers will be retired by the ending calendar year of 2010. Because of the recession, it is unlikely that families will leave the program, but there is still a chance that some families might leave the program for non-economic reasons. The possibility of less people leaving the program than anticipated could result in a need for additional funding in 2011, to sustain new vouchers that were not offset. The proposed funding of $2.1 billion is only meant to cover a sixteen month period. If Congress provided a twenty month program, than agencies could accept a higher number of vouchers and further help prevent homelessness in their community. With the new proposal, families would be able to spend more money on food, clothing, and health care. The benefits of trying to eliminate and reduce homelessness would be immediate and long-term. New vouchers would help pump funds back into local economies within a four to six month period. When comparing Michigan to California with the estimated state shares of recommended increases in housing vouchers and ESG homelessness prevention funding, California will receive 26,962 more vouchers and $182,507,187 more new ESG funds than Michigan (Budget and Policy).

Video Games: I Hate Loving Them :: Essays Papers

Video Games: I Hate Loving Them I love video games. I love them, and I have no idea why. I will never forget the first time I played the original Nintendo Entertainment System as a child. I was quite young, and I had accompanied my mother and sisters to visit my mother’s family in Ohio. Their town was quite small, and being used to the constant distraction of the city, I found the whole situation to be rather void of entertainment. This was until I was invited to the neighbor’s house, where lived a young boy about my age. I was led to his room, where I discovered something that appeared to be quite magical. Sitting on the edge of his bed, a few feet from a television he sat, holding a controller. Understand that at this point in my life I was certainly no stranger to video games; they were typically black and white and usually entailed navigating a little square man through swarms of little square foes and ultimately to a some sort of goal, which was usually also square. This game I witnesse d was nothing like that. I watched the boy control a little man as he battled fierce walking mushrooms and flying turtles in a quest to save a princess. We played for hours upon hours until it was time for me to leave, at which point the controller had to be nearly ripped from my hands. That day was the beginning of an addiction which not only myself but the majority of America’s youth would soon embrace: electronic gaming. Video games have come a very long way since their inception. Gone are the days of squares battling squares. Modern video games entail remarkably realistic players in three dimensional environments which are sometimes so vast that the players can literally get lost. Today’s games require years of development, and as many gamers will argue, are more fun than ever. Perhaps, however, they’re a little too fun. Electronic gaming has become so vastly popular that in the year 2000, eighty-four percent of overall teens played electronic games regularly (Walsh). As video games become more and more main stream, they have become the topic of much criticism. While some argue that there are some positive effects of electronic gaming, overall, video games are far more detrimental than beneficial; they offer little or no good to those who play, and are a colossal waste of time.

Heroism Definition Essay Essay

When asked to describe what a hero is, more often than not people would use movie characters such as The Amazing Spider ­Man, Superman, Batman, or Captain America to provide examples of what best reflects the character traits of a hero. By definition, a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This being said, these movie characters are very good examples of a hero. However, heroes can also be found among everyday people such as you and me. Being a hero involves risk and it is initiated without the expectation of any material gain. In the book Grendel by John Gardner, Beowulf is the ultimate hero to the Geats because he is selfless in character and goes out of the way to serve the needs of others. The ultimate hero is a person who leads by example and puts the needs of others before his or hers, no matter the cost. The most heroic person in my life is my mother. She does not give me everything in the world, but she gives me what I need and that is enough. She leads by example and has taught me how to be content with who I am and the things that I have, and to make the most of each opportunity I am given. Without her guiding me throughout my life, I fear that I would be helpless and would not truly value the gift of life.

Censorship and Parental Advisory Stickers essays

Censorship and Parental Advisory Stickers essays We have more influence over your children than you do, but we love your children. Most of you love them too, very much. You want what's best for them. Consider them when planning the future. Right? Oh, mother, father, your blindness to our most blessed gift, NATURE, leaves us with the overwhelming task of correcting your utter mess....I understand why they want to protect their children, but for their own good, let me point out that though you may have to explain subjects to your children that you perceive as wrong, it is better to have the freedom to explain it in your own words than be silenced under a government that has the power to squash anyone who opposes their views....Try to restrict our freedoms and we will fight even harder to preserve them. -Janes Addiction Album Message It is in my opinion that censorship of lyrics is wrong. An artist has one sole purpose, and that is to express himself or herself in the best way they can. By taking away that freedom, you are essentially taking the art away from the artist. This exerpt from a Janes Addiction album is one of the best ways I could get my message across. Artists do understand their roles in life. They realize that people look to them for direction, and they also realize that children look up to them as role models. They understand all this and so much more; in fact, I feel that some artists understand our generation even better then people we actually come in contact with everyday. They seem to trust us, the viewers, with the truth, while our parents try to hide it from us. I think that that is the main issue with censorship. Adults like to protect children from the truth because they feel that it is too much for a child to handle. An artist comes out with a song or album that states the truth, sometimes rather bluntly, and that is where most people have the problem. U2 talks about the apartheid in South Africa...

Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature

Archeology Affecting Literature Since the beginning of time men have wondered about the lives of people who came before. Numerous archeologists have discovered various objects made and used by past civilizations which have supplied us with vital information about our past. Many of those discoveries have helped to clarify bits and pieces of our world and its people. As men marvel and try to understand how our ancestors lived, these artifacts can help. Many of these past discoveries from archeology digs can perhaps sometimes be substantiated by physical evidence. To what degree do these discoveries discredit or support the information presented? Contemporary archeology is greatly affecting the validity of literary works previously considered fictional, as well as disclaiming the thesis of some non-fictional works. Discoveries made due to archeological digs affect the validity of (1) American, (2) British, and (3) Greek works of literature. Barry Fell’s publication of American B.C. is an account of our earliest settlers in North America and how their origins are tied to the Mediterranean littoral. About 3,000 years ago Celtic mariners crossed the Atlantic to settle in New England and other areas. Other colonist followed speaking many different languages and settled in other parts of the United States. In 1975, in the northwest region of the United States, discoveries of ancient Celtic inscriptions were found on areas of buried buildings and they were believed to be temples to the Celtic God’s. Indian culture developed and formed from these European and the Middle East influences. A tablet found in an ancient Indian burial mound in 1874 was another mystery that brought clues that we could use to help us understand past civilizations. â€Å"For on it are inscribed astronomical instructions in three ancient languages –Egyptian, Iberian Punic, and Libyan† (Fell 4). Barry Fell’s findings have caused much contro... Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature Archeology Affecting Literature Since the beginning of time men have wondered about the lives of people who came before. Numerous archeologists have discovered various objects made and used by past civilizations which have supplied us with vital information about our past. Many of those discoveries have helped to clarify bits and pieces of our world and its people. As men marvel and try to understand how our ancestors lived, these artifacts can help. Many of these past discoveries from archeology digs can perhaps sometimes be substantiated by physical evidence. To what degree do these discoveries discredit or support the information presented? Contemporary archeology is greatly affecting the validity of literary works previously considered fictional, as well as disclaiming the thesis of some non-fictional works. Discoveries made due to archeological digs affect the validity of (1) American, (2) British, and (3) Greek works of literature. Barry Fell’s publication of American B.C. is an account of our earliest settlers in North America and how their origins are tied to the Mediterranean littoral. About 3,000 years ago Celtic mariners crossed the Atlantic to settle in New England and other areas. Other colonist followed speaking many different languages and settled in other parts of the United States. In 1975, in the northwest region of the United States, discoveries of ancient Celtic inscriptions were found on areas of buried buildings and they were believed to be temples to the Celtic God’s. Indian culture developed and formed from these European and the Middle East influences. A tablet found in an ancient Indian burial mound in 1874 was another mystery that brought clues that we could use to help us understand past civilizations. â€Å"For on it are inscribed astronomical instructions in three ancient languages –Egyptian, Iberian Punic, and Libyan† (Fell 4). Barry Fell’s findings have caused much contro...

Overview of Bhopal Disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Overview of Bhopal Disaster - Essay Example The number of deaths and injured people however did not stop during the release of MIC in the atmosphere but continued to kill Bhopal residents for months that followed that the Indian government reported to its Parliament that the tragedy has taken 1,430 lives in just four months. By 1991, the number of people in Bhopal who died from the tragedy reached more than 3,800 and the number of people who contracted disability reached approximately 11,000 (Jackson 1983). Later investigation showed that the disaster was caused by a disgruntled plant employee who poured water into a batch of batch of methyl isocyanate in a storage tank. The water caused chemical reaction to the effect that it created heat and pressure in the tank. These chemical reaction in tank forced the valve to open that forced the chemical to be released into the atmosphere where the chemical compound was transformed into a lethal gas that killed the nearby Bhopal residents (Union Carbide a 2013). This report was both confirmed by Union Carbide’s panel of experts as well as the Indian government. After the incident, the company who owned the plant, Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) sought permission from the government to clean up the area and this clean up drive extended until 1998. In this year (1998) UCIL was taken over by the Madhya Pradesh State Government, which owns and had been leasing the property to Eveready assumed responsibility of the facility and shouldered all accountability for the site (Bhopal.com c). After the disaster, UCIL provided around $2 to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to help aid in the easing the tragedy and also brought in its own panel of experts and medical experts along with the medical equipment and supplies. The company also donated $5 million to the Indian Red Cross as a supplement to the initial donation. The company also shared its available information and study about methylisocyanate (MIC) with the Government of India to effectively respond to the ill effect of the chemical (Bhopal.com b).

Company Story Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Company Story Analysis - Case Study Example If one day I decided to work in farming business, Westafrmers would appear as a perfect opportunity for me because they have managed to create an exceptional narrative besides the product of high quality. In every story it is necessary to know the beginning because it usually defines further development. One of the most noticeable points of Westfarmers is their incredible growth from a local enterprise with $2, 050 paid up capital to $ 50 billion capital. Thus, the company seems to be almost self-made starting from the basic if not say the lowest level of farmer`s business. I feel great respect to such businesses that manage to choose right product, find right people, and make them work for the benefit of mutual enterprise. The story of Westafarmers is therefore a story of a wise business which was accumulating knowledge and experience step by step to transform into an international business. The age of the company is also impressive- 100 hundred years which means that the business has survived numerous world crises and only increased its profit eventually. It means that ordeals and problems are not threatening to Westafarmers or that it managed to overcome them effectively. But what is actually the philosophy of the company? It is made by people who cherished unique culture adding new traditions and management techniques. It seems that Westafarmers appreciate the contribution of each and every worker because the Chairman uses the metaphor to describe his feeling from working there â€Å"standing on the shoulders of giants†1 which means that the foundation of Westfarmers is extremely solid, strong, and unbreakable that for him, a hundred years after the company establishment working there is pure pleasure. Westfarmers is also a great and capturing story as it gives the citizens of the country more than 200.000 working places. It means that the company sees itself as the