6 Technological Advancements to Hone Your Academic Writing Skills

What do you do when you can’t get a paper started? Imagine yourself sitting in front of your laptop, staring at the screen, holding your fingers across the keyboard yet nothing happens. You can’t get anything off the ground, and as much as you â€Å"want to† do something, the â€Å"how to† is just as important. A decade ago we didn’t use the internet as much as we use it today, and most college students had to hit their local library to grab the information that they needed for writing assignments and make their academic papers sound polished and error-free. However, now it’s easy to overlook the vast amount of information because we have it at our fingertips. Did you know that today’s average student has access to 20 times more information than the president of the USA 50 years ago? Shocking, right? That is why we’ve prepared a number of essay writing tools for you to use these opportunities to the maximum and develop your academic writing skills. 1.Online Courses Now that we’re aware of the knowledge we have access to, it’s time to talk about using it to our benefit. It’s easier now than ever to get your writing skills honed to perfection with a few helpful websites and guides to get you started. We’re focusing on academic papers, so let’s look at a few free online courses to get you up and running: How to Write a First Year Report: The University of Edinburgh offers this course and it is aimed at newbie academic students. It provides a wealth of information on how to compose an introduction and it gives further insight on formatting literary references properly; Technical Writing: The New Jersey Institute of Technology offers this course and it is aimed at experienced writers. It provides excellent information on the hidden secrets of technical writing. 40 video lectures are made available, and each offers solutions to complex technical problems; The Writing Process: The Purdue University offers this course. Students are given access to the information on how to write the perfect academic paper. The topics included in the course are: proofreading tips, reverse outlining, pre-writing, audience analysis and more. 2.Grammar and Spelling Checkers Students today don’t have to spend hours checking and rechecking their papers anymore. The internet comes to the rescue. There are several amazing online grammar checkers students can use without spending a dime. These online tools help the student understand and correct mistakes. Two of the best spell checkers available right now are Ginger and SpellCheckPlus. 3.Research Tools for Students Wrong or unreliable information is bound to get you into trouble when submitting papers. Double check your sources and make sure to properly quote them. It will make your student life a lot easier. To help you understand how research tools work, the following online tools will make your paper look and sound exquisite. Google Scholar: an excellent web search engine with access to a wealth of reliable works for your papers; it detects all kinds of academic articles you can use, including journals, theses, patents, and more; Google Books: a free, trustworthy â€Å"online library† that students can use for their papers and academic writings; EBSCO: a diverse collection of e-books, digital archives, medical references, and full-text databases; JSTOR: a home to more than 2000 academic journals, JSTOR is a student’s best online source for research. 4.Vocabulary Builders Whether you’re an enthusiastic student or a newbie writer, it’s always good to expand your knowledge and enrich your vocabulary. Do you want to write the best papers and make yourself stand out in the classroom? Well, then you might want to check out the following online tools to help improve and widen your lexis: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, OneLook.com, Vocabulary.com, Synonym.com, Visual-Thesaurus.com, Free-Rice.com. 5.Writing Apps Correct writing skills are fundamental in college. Regardless of your academic level or discipline, it is important to know how to write and stay organized when doing so. Sound skills will help you develop excellent writing abilities, and that will definitely set your paper apart. Here are some online writing tools that you cannot ignore. Good Drive: a great app for sharing and editing files and folders; OmmWriter: particularly aimed at students who get distracted when writing their papers. The app crafts the perfect writing environment; it even allows students to set their own background and music; EasyBib: an app that makes text quoting run a lot smoother. It will assist with source managing and proper citing formatting; More. 6.Audio to Text Technology Transcribing audios can be a real challenge. Writing after dictation is nearly impossible, not to mention that adding timestamps manually can be a real struggle. An excellent tool you can use is Transbribe.Wreally.com. This tool makes audio transcribing a lot easier. Students can slow down the audio, and thus be able to write after dictation; they can also use the appointed keys to add timestamps automatically, pause and rewind, and then export their work onto a Word doc file. The bottom line is that it takes time and practice to create a decent academic paper. Don’t give up even when you feel like failing at capturing the core of what you want to express. Practice and patience will go a long way in making you a perfect writer.

Essay on Rights Of Egyptian Women - 1669 Words

Rights of Egyptian Women nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout written history, women have experienced status subservient to the men they lived with. Generally, most cultures known to modern historians followed a standard pattern of males assigned the role of protector and provider while women were assigned roles of domestic servitude. Scholars speculate endlessly at the cause: biology, religion, social custom. Nevertheless, the women were always subordinated to the men in their culture. Through their artwork, tomb inscriptions, and papyrus and leather scrolls, preserved in the dry, desert air, Ancient Egyptians left evidence for scholars suggesting that Egypt was once a peculiar exception to this pattern. Anthropological evidence†¦show more content†¦The Egyptian state took no direct part in either marriage nor divorce and made no efforts to regulate the family. The purpose of the Egyptian family was apparently not the production of heirs for the patriarchal head of household, but the shared life and the pleasures and comfort it had to offer. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The legal subjugation of women in other societies seems to have been designed to ensure that women were denied sexual freedom to prevent them from indiscriminate breeding. Often, this was a direct result of the need to provide a pure ruling elite and to restrict the dispersal of family assets within a caste. The unique position of the god-king and the absence of a strictly defined quot;citizenquot; class made similar considerations irrelevant in Egypt. Modern Scholars are thoroughly aware that Egypt was greatly mixed, racially, and that no written evidence exists of racial tensions or bias. This was most likely the cause of lax sexual restrictions. The Egyptians simply did not care about maintaining racial purity. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;With the exception of the Pharaoh, all marriages were monogamous and women had the right to arrange the terms of the marriage contract. Realistically, marriages were not polygamous. Many records survive of men raising children born to them of the household servants. Social stigma against married men having affairs was mild, yet marriedShow MoreRelatedAncient Athenian And Egyptian Women1466 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the most striking differences between ancient Athenian women and ancient Egyptian women was the ability to hold positions of power. Egyptian women were monarchs and held other positions depending on their social status. (Capel 1996, 176) Women were allowed to participate in low ranking government jobs, especially during war when the men are off fighting and leaving behind their positions. However, these positions were not kept for long because the men upon return automatically earned theirRead MoreWomen Are Human Beings, Too1514 Words   |  7 PagesWomen Are Human Beings, Too In early 2015, Mona Eltahawy stepped into one of the women’s carriages of a Cairo metro. Then she felt a hand grab her hard between the legs. It was a hand of a man who had no legs and swung through the women’s carriage to beg from the passengers. He and some of other women laughed and others just turned their faces; however, Mona was frozen by the ugliness of the situation (Aspden). Mona’s story is a common story of the majority of Egyptian women, who are exposed to sexualRead MoreComparing The Egyptians And The Mesopotamians Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesHawa 1 Teacher Ms. Smith Pre-AP World History Oct 6, 2016 Comparing the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians Egyptians and the Mesopotamians were neolithic civilizations. They both grew crops and they both relied on agriculture and had many rulers as time went on. We start at Egypt In 3100 B.C and Mesopotamians at 5000 B.C (1). The Nile river was a key place for the start of the Ancient Egyptian empire. Egyptians themselves were located near lower Egypt closeby the Nile Delta. They then slowlyRead MoreIt Sometimes Can Be Very Hard When Trying To Understand1482 Words   |  6 Pages It sometimes can be very hard when trying to understand the roles and responsibilities an ancient Egyptian woman has, mainly because there is not much information about woman that is not biased. Luckily information can be found in tombs or through religious documentation. It is also worth noting that these writings did not include any emotion, however, this is typical for Egyptians anyways. In Egypt, people wrote only to keep a record of events, not to tell a story. Men who were wealthy and hadRead MoreWomen s Roles During Ancient Egypt1665 Words   |  7 PagesNurhane Vila Professor Krasinski Introduction to Archaeology April 24, 2015 Women s Roles in Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was a civilization of ancient Northeastern Africa and it was one of the six civilizations globally to arise independently. Egyptian civilization began around 3150 BC and only ended nearly 30 centuries later due to the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. Noted for their great pyramids of the Old Kingdom, historians often question the gender roles in society. The main sourcesRead MoreThe Similarities And Differences Of Greek And Egyptian Civilizations1068 Words   |  5 PagesGreeks and the Egyptians. Both are famous in their history and favored by many. Each of these civilizations were built from the ground up, and they developed their own culture, practices, religions, and architectures. Although these two civilizations are similar in having this development, they differ significantly in each of these aspects of life. In this essay, we will observe the similarities and differences of Greek and Egyptian religion, as well as their attitudes towards women in this time.Read MoreAncient Egypt And Ancient Egyptian Civilization1495 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Egypt treated its women better than any of the other major civilizations of the ancient world† (Thompson). Over 6,000 years ago, the powerful civilization of Ancient Egypt began, lasting for almost 30 centuries. Ancient Egyptians treated their cats like royalty, used spells and animal flesh to heal almost anything (Napoli Balit). Most Importantly, the people of Ancient Egypt valued their polytheistic religion above everything, they worked hard in order to get into the paradise of the afterlifeRead MoreThe Egyptian Revolution740 Words   |  3 PagesThe Egyptian Revolution started due to the people’s discontent towards the government of Hosni Mubarak. Grievances of Egyptian protesters were focused on legal and political issues including police brutality, state of emergency laws, lack of free elections and freedom of speech, corruption, and economic issues including high unemp loyment, food price inflation and low wages. Soon after the overthrown of Mubarak’s government Morsi was elected in a democratic way. A coup d’à ©tat led by the Minister ofRead MoreWomen in Ancient Egypt and Greece1311 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Ancient Egypt and Greece By Morgan L. Harvey Throughout history women have faced many struggles in gaining equality with men. Freedoms and boundaries have been dependent upon the time period, rulers, religions and civilization. Ancient Greek women and Ancient Egyptian women were both equal to men as far as the law was concerned in certain areas; however, their equalities were different in the sense that Greek women were married out of necessity and viewed as property while EgyptianRead MoreMesopotamia and Egypt Comparative Essay876 Words   |  4 PagesMatthew B Owens World History AP-3 21 September 2011 Mesopotamia and Egypt Comparative Essay While both the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations share similar political, social and economic qualities, the details of these broad spectrums branch off in opposite directions. For example, both Mesopotamia and Egypt were ruled by kings, but in Egypt, their kings were called pharaohs and they had significantly more power than the Mesopotamian kings of the city-states. Both civilizations also had

Henry VIII Essay Research Paper subject free essay sample

Henry VIII Essay, Research Paper capable = History rubric = Henry VIII documents = On June 28, 1941 Henry the VIII of England was born. This immature adult male will organize his ain church. He will win to the throne in 1509. He will besides get married six adult females! Something good will go on when he is king, he will unify England and Wales and will besides make some bad things like put to deathing people who would non follow his regulations. In 1539, the Act of Domination declared Henry to be the caput of the Church of England. King Henry the VIII of England had a good side and a bad side. Though popular with the people of England and besides really talented he had many bad times and many good times for himself. Henry was non merely selfish but, besides fine-looking and had a hearty personality, he was besides a talented bookman, linguist, composer, and a instrumentalist. He was talented at many athleticss and was besides good with the ladies. Henry was the 2nd boy and the 3rd kid of his male parent. Henry the VIII died in 1509, the lone ground Henry would become male monarch is because of his brothers, Arthur, decease in April of 1502. Soon after that, Henry would get married his first married woman, his brother ( Arthur # 8217 ; s ) widow, Catherine of Aragon. Many married woman would follow after her. During most of his early reign, Henry relied on Thomas Cardinal Wosley to make much of the political and spiritual activities. Henry shortly got tired of his matrimony with Catherine of Aragon, so he decides that he doesn # 8217 ; T privation to be married to her anymore, so he tells Thomas Wosley to speak to the Catholic Pope so he can disassociate Catherine. But, Cardinal Wosley wasn # 8217 ; t able to convince the Catholic Pope, so in 1529 Henry took Wosley # 8217 ; s authorization off from him. Henry so appointed Sir Thomas More. Henry so got that divorce through Thomas Cramner, that he wanted with Catherine of Aragon and so married Anne Boleyn. Cramner now the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, made Henry # 8217 ; s matrimony with Catherine nothingness and his matrimony with Anne valid. This made the Pope ferocious. So in 1534, King Henry had the parliament base on balls a jurisprudence stating that the male monarch, non the Catholic Pope, would from now on be the supreme caput of the Church of England. Since Henry was now in charge of the Church, he was traveling to do some alterations. He had all the Bibles translated into English. He so had all the people take an curse for this jurisprudence. But Sir Thomas More and, so Cardinal, John Fisher wouldn # 8217 ; t accept the spiritual domination of the English sovereign, so they were so executed. These alterations bit by bit led to the formation of the Church of England. In 1536, Henry accused his 2nd married woman, Anne Boleyn of criminal conversation, so Henry so executed her. A few yearss after that, he married a immature adult female by the name of Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour, Henry # 8217 ; s 3rd married woman, was the female parent of Henry # 8217 ; s merely legitimate boy, Jane Seymour died after bearing this certain kid. Edward the VI was Henry # 8217 ; s merely legitimate boy. A twosome of old ages after Jane Seymour had died, Henry decided to get married one time once more. He married a German princess by the name of Anne of Clea degree Fahrenheits. In 1540, Henry was told that Anne of Cleaves was a beautiful and pretty immature adult female. So so, when Henry eventually saw her he thought she was truly ugly. So he so divorced Anne of Cleaves and so beheaded Thomas Cromwell for holding tricked him. Bing unloyal to God every bit much as Henry perchance could, he made the determination to get married his 5th married woman by the name of Catherine Howard. Catherine Howard was so summarily executed in 1542 for being unchaste prior to marriage with Henry the VIII and for perpetrating criminal conversation. Henry had merely one more married woman to travel, in 1543 Henry married his 6th and concluding married woman, Catherine Parr. Catherine so survived Henry and so lived on to get married 4th hubby. In 1536, during Henry the VIII # 8217 ; s reign, England and Wales were eventually united as one state. During the 1280 # 8217 ; s, after Edward the I had conquered Cymrus, the Welsh people had revolted several times against the English people, due to Edward # 8217 ; s conquer. But, the Welsh people eventually accepted the thought of integrity with the English people. In the Acts of the Apostless of 1536 and 1543, Henry joined both Wales and England under one system of authorities. When Ireland was made a state or land in 1541, King Henry so became the male monarch of Ireland. Henry now the male monarch, had many wars with Scotland and France, during 1542 King Henry # 8217 ; s military personnels defeated the Scots at Solway Moss. In 1544, Henry # 8217 ; s military personnels besides captured Boulogne-sun-Mer from the Gallic, and so a peace pact was made when Henry received an insurance from France in 1546. Henry # 8217 ; s wars with Scotland remained indecisive inspite of some little triumphs. Though he opposed the Reformation, his really ain creative activity of a national church started the existent beginning of the English Reformation. On January 28 1547, Henry the VIII of England died in the metropolis of London. Henry was buried in Saint Georges Chapel in the celebrated Windsor Castle. During the reign of Edward the VI, Henry the VIII # 8217 ; s merely legitimate boy, the parliament passed many more church reforms. But, so in 1553, Edward # 8217 ; s half sister, Mary, the girl of Catherine of Aragon was a Roman Catholic, she reestablished Catholicism as the province faith. Even though Henry altered the Church, he did non even wish to introduce Protestant philosophy. Those people who refused to accept the Church of England and its instructions were executed. The lone of import spiritual alterations made during his reign were the licensing of an English interlingual rendition of the Bible, the issue of Cramner # 8217 ; s litany and the interlingual rendition of English of certain parts of the traditional service. In decision, Henry the VIII of England was non merely a gifted chap and a rich one at that. But, he was besides unpatriotic to God and made many errors at that. Making the Church of England was likely his greatest accomplishment as the King of England. Coercing people to follow a certain faith and make what he told them to make was one of his lowest accomplishments. Henry the VIII was non merely selfish, affluent adult male but a atrocious swayer and a large evildoer.

The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Spain

Introduction Re-enacted in a 2007 movie, Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain, the documentary explains how the Islamic Spain has a rich history while focusing on its impact on the world civilisation (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). Since the antiquity, religion was an element of information transmission and conviction of masses.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The religion that commanded the greatest population became the greatest source of influence (Wasserstein 47). Referred to as the Dark Ages, Spain underwent a visible transformation after Muslims, Christians, and Jews clashed. This paper intends to explain the rise and fall of the Islamic Spain with a particular emphasis on the importance of Spain to the world civilisation. Other religions were equally very important to Spain, but Islam was a so urce of artistic integration, economic stability, and political prowess in the country. These religions had a direct impact on the rise and fall of the Islamic religion in Spain, and it would be impossible to create a comparison without proper representation of Christianity and Judaism. Islamic civilisation Rise of the Islamic religion in Spain By 600 BCE, Islam was already a powerful religion in Europe and particularly Spain. Spain was the home of European Renaissance even before Muslims dominated the country. During this period, Spain had control of Iberia and Caucasus, which are presently in Russia. Catholicism enabled artists and philosophers to explore science, art, medicine, and technology among several other factors. Philosophers such as Aristotle have a background in Spain during the Islamic era (Lapidus 92). In 734 BCE, most parts of Europe began recognising the significance of the Islam religion to the people of Spain. This included the invention of the lemon tree and the water wheel among others. In Spain, there was an opportunity for religion to grow and to help people embrace new lifestyles. Muslims co-existed peacefully with other religions especially Christians and Jews. This contradicted other areas of Europe in which power strife controlled the religions that people appreciated. This applied to the Iberian Peninsula that had a problem with the Jews. In addition, there was a problem in Russia because the Muslims in the region could not entertain the growing number of Christians who did not have to pay taxes to sustain their religions (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). Power struggles amongst different religions across Europe led to the downfall of some of the most powerful groups. This explains the fall of the Umayyad kingdom after 700 AD in Europe.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Islamic Spain strategy Sustainabilit y is the most difficult tool of management to maintain. In Spain, Muslims marinated excellent relations with other religions in order to avoid conflicts. During this period, power coupled with ignorance only saw many countries fight to be the best. Most parts of Europe rarely concentrated on the significance of peace as an element of development in the society. Instead, they believed that power and influence only came when people fought for the various spaces they ardently wanted. According to the Muslims, the only strategy to success in an environment of diversity is to work together and share ideas. This led to the conviction of many Spaniards converting mostly of them into Muslims. Different religions shared resources and ideas enabling the country to thrive and succeed in Europe. Spain became an example to many people before the religious wars began. Though the groups existed as religious extremists, they had a common idea of developing the country and transforming Spain into an enviable country in Europe. However, when religious differences ensued, it was important for only one religion to prove powerful in Spain. Around 1000 AD, there was a significant difference in opinions between the Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the previously peaceful Spain. By 1207 AD, violence ensued in the country causing a major collapse of the Islamic Spain. Politics and the Islamic Spain Religion, politics, and economics formed the pillars for Islamic Spain. When the ruling power polity supports a particular religion, there is a high possibility that the religion would have the greatest influence on the people. In addition, the powerful religion becomes the greatest challenger of the government when it fails to achieve its obligation to the society. This explains the position held by the Muslim religion in Spain. Through influence, the religion exercised authority over the land ensuring that the government achieved its obligations to the people of Spain. Islam helped in rei nforcing ethical responsibility in the people it represented. Between 660 AD and 950 AD, Islam became a source of solace for many Spaniards. During the same period, any information from Muhammad the prophet controlled the governance structures. By the 10th century, all governance structures had the presence of Muslim leadership. For instance, Abdul-Rahman, the leader of Al-Andalus had to ensure that Muslims and other religions co-existed peacefully for the overall development of the country.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, politics formed an important basis for building a strong Islamic front in Spain. Respect to ethics also helped in increasing the goodwill of the population towards the Islamic Spain. Muslim movements also collected taxes to fulfil their strategic plans. This did not happen among the Christians ensuring that a sec tion of the population converted to Christianity. This was the greatest source of animosity between Muslims and Christians. However, poor Muslims did not pay taxes even though they had food, a place to sleep, and clothes to adorn. This was very significant in making the Muslim religion attractive to many Spaniards. Acquisition Acquisition was an important element of expanding the Islamic Spain. It gave the union power to dominate over Spain and other parts of Europe and this created animosity between the movement and Europeans. Europeans wanted the slightest opportunity to protect their Holy lands and to invade the Muslim dominated grounds especially Al-Andalus. Islamic Spain acquired the Martials from North Africa making it easy to introduce the religion in the acquired regions. Around the 11th century, Islamic Spain acquired most parts of the West. The country achieved this through unity and continued persistence (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). The Iberi an Peninsula displayed high reception levels to the Spanish civilisation making it the most effective place for the Islamic Spain to acquire that part of Europe. As this happened, the relationship between the Christian and Muslim religious sects became soar. Al-Andalus was no longer a place for refuge because Islamic Spain had limited power to protect its followers (Wasserstein 38). Besides attacks internally, the Islamic Spain faced opposition from other parts of Europe. European countries joined forces to fight the Islamic Spain, and the invaded armies from North America participated in the war (Ahlstrom 20). Acquisition remains a strategy of attaining dominance for most organisations today. As such, the Islamic Spain was the initiator of civilisation because the things that people learned during the period still apply in capitalistic economies. Acquisition enabled the Islamic Spain to gain the confidence of the people and to remain stable over centuries.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is evidence that knowledge and unity were the forces that helped the union to earn public goodwill because without the same, it would be overly impossible to acquire another land and expand territories. Spaniards and Islam There are very many reasons why countries opt to adapt a uniform religion that all people should follow. For over 800 years, the Spanish accepted Muslims because of the ability of the religion to promote development within the country and promotion of peaceful co-existence. The factors discussed below contributed towards Muslim’s influence in Spain. Innovation Muslims promoted creativity in Spain and this was very important for the civilisation. Before religious tension ensued in the Iberian Peninsula, Spain was the centre of attraction for the people of Europe because the country developed various innovative products. The water wheel among other innovations was significant throughout civilisation and other European countries began aping the trend. Ev en with the slight religious clashes, the Muslims still supported innovation. For some unknown reason, there was competition between the Muslims, Jews, and Christians and this promoted the development of industrial products during the period. The 10th century Spain required a religion that would protect the land jealously from external forces that would seek to divide the caliphate (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). Around the same period, the fast growing Umayyad kingdom in Syria sought to extend to Spain, Poland, and Russia among other parts of Europe. It was impossible for the dynasty to invade Spain, and control it because the Islamic Spain was equally prominent and there was no need for the Umayyad kingdom to invade a territory that was dominantly Islam. Religion promoted art, business, technology, science, and philosophy among other elements of creativity. It was difficult to notice that Muslims provided the calm innovative environment in order to be co mpletely in control of the country. For about 8 centuries people lived under the rule of Muslim leaders. As such, all systems had to follow the law set by Muslim rulers. Spain being the European hub for innovation could not afford to have any wars because this would reduce the influence it commanded in Europe. During this very period, the Pope equally submitted to the Muslim leadership even though he led the Catholic Church separately. Evidently, the Pope tried to intervene when the Umayyad caliphate and the Muslims in Spain began scrambling for space and recognition in the country. This affected innovation because there was limited time for thinking and production because the country concentrated on the war at hand. In the end, the fall of the Islamic Spain acted as assign of the Civil War that occurred in Spain between 1936 and 1939. Unity Peaceful coexistence and unity are principal factors of developing a dynasty that would have a long-term effect on people. This applied to the situation in Spain during the Islamic rule. Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived together and supported each other especially on matters of national importance. Spain had a popular culture making it difficult to realise that the country consisted of people from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. Peace and unity promoted economic growth in the country and this helped in making Spain famous. There was completely nothing wrong with the Muslim rule until the different religious sects began fighting for fame and prowess. There was no need to oppose a government that helped Spain identify with the international community through art, poetry, science, engineering, and several aspects of the great civilisation. Disunity would definitely not allow the country to achieve its objectives, and this explains why the Spaniards supported the Islamic rule for 800 years (Collomb 100). Spaniards did not begin the religious wars. Instead, the wars began between Muslims from Syria and Spanish Muslims. T he Spaniards sought to protect their territory from external invasion and this affected the stability in the country. In almost all probability, without the religious wars, Islamic Spain would still exist in Europe. The people of Spain did not have any issue with the leadership of the Islamic rulers and this explains the over 700 years of their religion’s leadership in a country initially dominated by Catholics. Muslims promoted brotherhood and unity, which were the building pillars of success in Spain. Unity lacked in other parts of Europe and this threatened the very existence of the Jews in Russia and Christians in Syria. Issues of religious extremism never existed because the Jews and the Christians provided an excellent environment for Muslim leadership. Through unity, the country was able to experience peace, economic growth, and stability, which were very important to Spaniards. Independence Religious extremists mostly in Islam exist because the involved parties overly exaggerate the functions of Jihad. During the middle Ages, religious freedom prevailed and this enabled different religious to operate at the same level. While the same happened, the ruling religion had to command respect from the rest of the population. There was no need to fight for power, unlike the extremist groups from different religions in the current societies that overly fight for recognition. The Islamic government created religious autonomy for Spaniards and the fact that each person was free to worship in a religion in which he or she was comfortable reduced the possibility of the occurrence of religious wars. Muslim leaders of the 10th to 18th century in Spain used intellect to rule the land. Religion is a strong force of rebellion, but empowering each religion reduces the possibility of such occurrence. In essence, the Muslims never exercised control over other people and Christians could worship in churches while Jews could use temples freely. By empowering different religions, the Spaniards felt safe under the rule of Muslims and they had no reason to overturn a stable government. Muslims never used totalitarianism to rule Spain, but the rulers focused on dialogue as an important aspect of attaining public goodwill. Islamic rulers understood that they were dealing with enlightened people in Spain and exercising authority on them would trigger a revolt. This happened when the Pope tried to eradicate Muslims from Spain even though he was initially comfortable with the rule. It was evident that the Umayyad dynasty would take control of the land if the Islamic Spain failed to defend the land from externalities. Most critics considered the Pope as a selfish church leader who took the opportunity to rule the country after the Muslim-to-Muslim war ensued in the country. When unity and religious autonomy failed in the country, it was impossible for the country to remain relevant in Europe even in the face of inventing the hydraulic technology. Failure of the Islamic period Power strife Initially, the Muslims co-existed peacefully with other religions and it was impossible to predict the occurrence of violence in the country. Power struggles became evident around the 11th century in which the Al-Andalus dynasty because the community realised that the Pope strived to bring down the Muslim rule by dissuading people from following the Islamic movement. In 1207, the Pope organised a crusade to the dynasty for people to rebel against the kingdom. It was not easy for the Muslims to relent and they had to organise armies to defend Spain against Christian invasion. On the other hand, Christians wanted to command Spain as they did during the Greco-Roman revolution. Leaving the Muslims to command the land would definitely make it difficult for people to remember that Christians equally were a strong force in Spain. In 1236, Muslims retaliated in Cordoba considering the fact that Christians pitched tent in the area initially dominated by Mu slims (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). During this period, Christians used subtle strategies to lure Muslims. Muslims had to pay taxes in order to provide meals and accommodation for the poor in the society. In addition, Christians also transformed mosques into churches and this did not offer an alternative to worshipers because they atomically had to convert to Christianity. By the 14th century, only Granada Muslim Empire remained untouched by the growing Christian movement. Only the most prominent religion could survive the violence and this gave rise to Catholicism’s fame while Muslims had to deal with the loss. This was one of the major causes of the fall of the Islamic Spain. Destroying Granada The Granada kingdom was the only hope for Muslims in the 14th century until a century later when Christians equally reached to the mountains to access the dynasty. One of the things that weakened the Muslim kingdom was an initial power struggle between th e Umayyad caliphate in Syria and the Islamic Spain. This caused the Christians to understand the weaknesses of the kingdom and around the 15th century, Christians moved towards the Granada Mountains to attack the kingdom. During their first visit to the kingdom, they never launched an attack, but instead created friendly relations with the Muslims. It was almost impossible to understand the motives of the Christians because initially they caused destruction in kingdoms represented by Muslims in Spain. The Pope ordered an invasion of the land beginning with Christians and Jews and this raised confusions among the Muslim population. This deterred them from launching retaliatory attacks considering the attacks only affected the Christian and Jewish populations. The Pope received mixed reactions from the population even though Christianity began gaining prominence in the land over a short period. To some people, religion became a force that controlled the lives of people preventing them from exercising autonomy even in terms of the most basic things such as fashion (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). As such, a section of the population participated in eradication of the Muslim religion because they had business interests. Things got worse around 1500 when the Christians used force to convert Muslims. The main intention was to get the greatest support from the population in overtaking the land and ruling Spain as they did before the Islamic Spain came into power. Transforming Granada was the ultimate objective of Christians because it would garner the greatest support for the Christians. Responsibility versus authority When the society entrusted power with the Islamic movement around the 8 century, they had to delegate authority in order to avoid power strife. Though Muslims provided autonomy for other religions, they controlled the entire country making it difficult for non-Muslims to succeed in the era of civilisation. Ability to exercise responsibility does not amount to authority. Muslim leadership exercised authority since it became the only avenue that innovators could display their engineering, philosophical, and artistic ideas. For some reason, Islamic Spain controlled the population by ensuring that the leaders used subtle communication strategies to attract the greatest number of people. When the rest of the population understood that power was very significant for them, Islamic Spain was in the verge of collapse (Abadi 111). The Muslims did not get requisite support from the population they initially controlled because they used authority to govern the land. In the face of such calamities, the support of the target population is usually very important because they help in protecting the land against enemies. When the Umayyad kingdom displayed interest in Spain, Christians did not intervene because they equally wanted a taste of power and Muslims fighting against Muslims was an excellent remedy during the per iod. After the fall of the dynasty, Christians had to understand the difference between authority and responsibility or else they would also lose their position to the Jews or other religions (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). However, the Christians commanded a huge army making it difficult for Muslims to defeat the Jews and the Non-Muslims in the 15th century. Bureaucracy In a movie re-enacting the events that culminated in the 800 years of Islamic Spain, there is evidence that the Muslim leaders used bureaucracy to control the land. Bureaucratic principles might last through generations but at some point, the population gets tired of the same and they support democracy. Leading a country for over 7 centuries is not easy and it takes an overly aggressive government to achieve the same. Evidently, the Jews and the Christians came first to the Iberian Peninsula even though Muslims later came to control the land. It takes bureaucracy too be able to convince a section people to convert to a certain religion. In bureaucracy, the greatest principle is the ability to persuade people that the ideologies of the bureaucratic individual are the best in comparison to others within the socio-political environment. Bureaucracy leads to failure because after periods of governance, the rulers are likely to lose their political influence because the population equally becomes enlightened. According to the movie, the Muslims were the elites of the pre-civilised Spain. However, they promoted civilisation through different quotas enabling many countries in Europe to take interest in the country (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). Through faith, they converted the Jews and the Christians to Christianity, but this did not last to eternity. Similarly, the Muslim rule could not survive the 8th century because of the overly enlightened Spanish population. The fall of Islamic Spain began when the enlightened society realised that they wo uld remain productive even in the absence of the Muslims. Foreign relations and civilisation Islamic Spain contributed towards the world civilisation in many ways. Besides invention, the Spaniards were excellent innovators who improved initially developed products in Europe. Through science, politics, and engineering, the Spaniards became a source of inspiration to the rest of the world. Foreign relations Since antiquity, the years of the Greco-Roman revolution, the years of Christopher Columbus, and the Age of Renaissance, Spain is very significant in history. European countries wanted to learn from the Spaniards and they had to maintain quality relations with the country. Through cultural integration, Islamic Spain managed to influence many Europeans into adapting Muslim strategies of doing things. Islam in Spain created room for religious diversity enabling other religions to participate in the civilisation process and to improve the situation in the country. Philosophy promoted by Aristotle attracted the attention of European countries and the rest of the world. Evidently, the philosophers still have an impact on current populations and people take interest in countries such as Spain as promoters of civilisation during and after the antiquity (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). Foreign relations between Spain, Poland, and Russia among other countries in Europe were excellent. The only animosity that existed was between Syria and Spain because of the powerful Muslim dynasties during the period. Through foreign relations, Spain acquired raw materials including natural resources from Russia. In return, Russia acquired its finished products to help in industrialisation of the country. The fact that the Jews co-existed peacefully with the Muslims and Christians made the country admirable to foreigners within Europe. As such, many people immigrated to Spain and converted to Islam because they wanted to be part of a religion that promoted g rowth and civilisation. By the 10th century, Europeans related to the Mosques, the Hebrew pinnacle, and Churches in Spain. Besides religion, Spain maintained excellent relations with neighbouring countries by promoting its literature. Today, many people still refer to Spanish literature, creative poetry, and books. In reference to the movie, Muslims created room for pluralism for other factions of the Spanish community. Throughout the Islamic Spain era, there was a significant growth in the economy following the recognition of prominent personalities in art, science, philosophy, engineering and other areas of the economy. After the introduction of the hydraulic technology, other European countries especially Bosnia, Poland, and Russia began using the technology for mining purposes. Russia used hydraulic technology in the Uranium sector and other multipurpose activities. Though the movie fails to highlight significant relations between Spain and other countries in Europe, each innova tion in the land increased made it possible for Spain to relate well with its neighbouring states (The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS). The independence enjoyed during the Islamic Spain made the residents of Europe to learn many things. Most of them began fighting for independence many years after the Islamic Spain stopped ruling the country. In the early 19th century, Bosnia had a civil revolution that made it separate into Serbia, Yugoslavia, and Herzegovina. Russia also lost control of the Soviet Union making countries such as Syria to defect from the movement in the late 19th century. All these happened because people wanted to be in control of their lives and not under the rule of a central oppressive government. In 1991, the USSR failed to command the Soviet Union officially leading to its collapse. This also made it possible for other generations to relate to the fall of the Islamic Spain following over 700 years of controlling Spain. When the Moors Ruled in Spain Cities of light provided an over view of the rise and fall of the Islamic Spain. On the other hand, when the moors ruled in Spain is equally a re-enactment of the rule of the Moors in Europe for over 700 years. The Moors led Spain and Poland respectively and by the 15th century, the lost control of the two countries in Europe (Al-Andalus History of Islam in Spain). The Moors were present in different regions in Spain including Granada, Cordoba, Andalucà ­a, and Fes. The society consists of various social forces that contribute towards the development of a uniform culture. Countries get recognition based on the socio-economic, political, and technological forces they have in the world. Religion is an element of the social realm that defines the belief systems of a section of the population. Islam a renowned religion and Spain a prominent country dominate the discussion. The rise and fall of the Islamic religion in Spain is of great significance to the history of Europe. Pr ior to the fall of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991, Europe was a force to reckon with considering it took control of the Americas about the same period. Besides, the history of Spain is important because of its close relationship with the world civilisation. Islam was the dominant religion around 1207, but Christianity and Judaism equally commanded crowds of believers. This threatened the survival of Islam in Spain that initially embraced Catholicism. The inception Tariq ibn Ziyad led the Moors into Spain in 711 AD. Their occupation in Spain was significant to the western civilisation because the Arabs provided an excellent ground for competition with the Islamic Spaniards. Moors came from North Africa and entered Andalus through the Gibraltar Strait. Moors threatened the existence of the Gothic leaders considered one of the most powerful armies in Europe under the leadership of Germany. The 7th century marked a major economic and socio-political transition for European. Al-A nadlus became the Moors’ territory and they carried out the operations of acquiring other kingdoms from Al-Andalus. When Moors reached Granada, a section of the Arabs became Muslims instead of converting the populations they found in the territories (Al-Andalus History of Islam in Spain). This empowered the Islamic Spain and there was a conflict of interest between the Arabic Moors and the Muslim Moors in Spain. The Moors came from Morocco in North Africa and they equally interacted with members of the Abbasid family who caused the Abbasid Revolution in 750 CE to North Africa. The Abbasid family and members of the Marwanid left Syria for North Africa originally ruled Syria under the Umayyad caliphate that was Muslim. As such, some members of the Moors army understood Muslim teachings because of the interaction process. The forgotten history According to the producer of the movie; Bettany Hughes, there is part of the Spanish history that many historians forgot. This incorporat es the era in which the Moors ruled the land. Though many people discuss the rise and fall of the Islamic Spain, they forget that the Arabs were equally a force to reckon with between 711 AD and the 15th century. There is evidence that the Arabs introduced arithmetic calculations in Spain including Algebra. At Alhambra Palace in the Granada dynasty, first mathematical calculations occurred when the Arabs invaded the place. Mathematics became important for business and formal education, which was also a project of the Moors in Spain. In Granada, the Moors converted many Muslims and this was very important for the influence and support they needed in 712 AD (Bollacasa and Althea 40). It was difficult to notice the difference between the Arab Moors and the Muslim Moors because of similar cultures. Other areas of exploration included astrology, which enabled the Moors to predict the weather and seasons of the year. Moors also promoted art, science, and agriculture even though the Muslim s took all the credit for the work. According to historians, the Moors contributed more on the civilisation as opposed to the Muslims who got all the praises for having a sustainable and long-term government. Science and civilisation In Spain, the Muslims introduced the lemon tree and the waterwheel, but the Moors introduced Avocados. Without much recognition, the Moors remained subtle in their scientific endeavours often working at conquering countries that were originally under the rule of the Muslims. Before the Moors’ invasion, the Spanish residents referred to the period as the Dark Ages. About the same time, the Muslims helped in technologically advancing Spain and the society began to see the Renaissance even though the Moors participated actively throughout the period. Instead of fair representation of the Muslim and Arabic Moors, only the Islamic Spain emerged as a strong promoter of the civilisation process (Ahlstrom 21). Besides mathematics and art, the Moors intro duced science in Europe enabling people to become innovative especially in the field of astronomy. It became easy for Spaniards to predict the climatic conditions through astrology including prediction of the future. Ever since, the Spaniards used chemistry, physics, and geography including philosophy to interact with other people in Europe. A renowned historian, Davidson Basil was quick to note that Moorish philosophy represented the North African civilisation, and it was difficult for the Islamic Spain to accept that change would occur from the black continent. The Moors designed and established the Cordoba Mosque, which is still important to the people of Spain. The artistic work from the Moors rarely found representation until the beginning of the 18th century when many historians began discussions concerning the rise and fall of the Islamic Spain. Innovations that generated interest in Spain included the lemon tree and the waterwheel. The lemon tree became very important for me dicinal purposes, and additional for meals. Lemon tree gave fame to Spain because the rest of Europe wanted to access the lemon tree. Initially considered a wild plant, it had limited functions in the society because other parts of Europe never identified its medicinal functions. The waterwheel helped in reducing workload because the Spanish created the machinery for the same purpose. The Umayyad dynasty equally commanded a hug army of Muslims in Syria, but the country’s development could not compare to Spain. Spain used international relations to promote the western civilisation. According to the rest of Europe, it was important to develop relations with countries such as Spain because the long-term relationship determined equal stability in other countries. By establishing long-term relations between Spain and other countries and Europe, the countries had the assurance of enjoying the innovative products from the Spanish empire. Islamic Spain also led through peaceful means that attracted other European states enabling them to develop mutually beneficial relationships with Spain. People identify the Moors with their art and ability to use the precious stones for beautifying edifices and ornaments. They included jasper and porphyry among other precious stones, which they also sold to the neighbouring Poland and Bosnia. Art only formed a section of the western civilisation that the Moors promoted. Agriculture was another source of recognition for the Moors because they also introduced the lemon tree, oranges, avocados, dates, cotton, and rice among many cash crops and fruits. The Moors did virtually everything to ensure that western civilisation survived even without the recognition of the group of people. Though situated in Al-Andalus and Cordoba the Moors introduced many things in Spain. The Muslims had influence because they commanded many territories in the country providing them with requisite support from the population in Spain. Formal education When the Moors first came to Spain, they had the responsibility of introducing formal education considering the population considered many illiterate, but creative individuals. Without the reading and writing capabilities, it was difficult to spread innovation to other parts of Europe. People referred to the era of the Moors as the period of the Renaissance after the Dark Ages. Formal education found acceptance in Spain at a very slow rate and the Moors already had 17 higher education institutions in various territories they acquired in Spain. This contributed to the spread of the reading and writing cultures in Spain. Some of the territories that benefited from the Universities included Cordoba and Granada. Through formal education, it was easy for the Spanish population to document their innovative stories. In educating the population, Arabic words found way into the Spanish language. After introducing the Al-Andalus, many people began relating to the Arabic language because some words had to begin with the prefix (Alexy 90). Formal education helped the society in sharing ideas and the civilisation spread throughout Europe. Philosophers such as Aristotle found a way of communicating their ideas in a common language that people across Europe could understand because they went through informal schools, but were capable of interpreting facts through people who studied in formal schools. The end The Moors’ end came in the 15th century around the same time as the Islamic Spain. The Arabic language started to gain prominence because the Moors spread their texts throughout the land. Before the end of their term in Spain, Christians, particularly the Catholics destroyed the materials making it impossible for the Arabs to control Spain. The Christian invasion caused the downfall of both the Moors and the Islamic Spain (Bollacasa and Althea 41). Catholics targeted the territories that experienced the influence of the Moors including Granada and burnt about 100, 000 religious texts. This completely interfered with the spread of the Moorish culture in the region. It took many years of sacrifice for various intellects to write the texts and destruction of the same discouraged them from continued production of Arabic literature. Christians wanted to dominate Spain as they did before and during the Dark Ages. Enlightenment was good for the people, but the Moors had not room to convert almost 79% of the population. This would result in the disappearance of the traditional Spanish culture, which Christians could not allow. Works cited Abadi, Saeed Akbar. An analytical and critical study of Islamic history: the rise and fall of Muslims from the pious caliphs to Abbasid Spain and Moghal dynasties. New Delhi: Adam Publishers, 2002. Print. Ahlstrom, Sydney E.. A religious history of the American people. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972. Print. Alexy, Trudi. The mezuzah in the Madonna’s foot: oral histories exploring five hundred years i n the paradoxical relationship of Spain and the Jews. New York: Simon Schuster, 1993. Print. Al-Andalus History of Islam in Spain. N.p., 13 Feb. 2011. Web. Bollacasa, Dario, and Althea Sidell. The Moors ruled Spain. Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse, 2013. Print. Collomb, Rodney. The rise and fall of the Arab Empire and the founding of Western pre-eminence. Stroud [England: Spellmount, 2006. Print. Lapidus, Ira M.. A history of Islamic societies. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Print. The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain Full documentary PBS. N.p., 14 Dec. 2011. Web. Wasserstein, David. The rise and fall of the party-kings: politics and society in Islamic Spain 1002-1086. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1985. Print. This report on The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Spain was written and submitted by user Colleen Wing to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Smoking is very Glamorous Essay Example

Smoking is very Glamorous Essay Example Smoking is very Glamorous Paper Smoking is very Glamorous Paper A Poster is as defined in the Oxford dictionary a placard posted or displayed in a public place as an announcement or advertisement. The aim of a poster is to sell a product, or to get a point of view across to a large target audience. The posters produced usually fall into 3 main genres, informative, Political and commercial purposes.  Posters usually can make a huge impact on its audience by grabbing attention through laughter, protest or questions. To achieve a maximum target audience they are placed in public areas e.g. very busy roads and streets on billboards, on the public transport system London Underground, Buses, trains, cinemas, factories, shops and shopping areas. Over the years posters have had to evolve the designs and the vocabulary. Also they have had to take into consideration the current environmental and social issues that are particularly sensitive. A very good example of this is the old Bovril advert where a bull is looking into a jar of Bovril mourning the loss of his brother. For now that would appear distasteful to vegetarians and those concerned with animal rights and animal welfare. Bovril is still advertised but in a far more appropriate manner. Modern posters have not only evolved with social and environmental issues but also in their designs graphically and imagery. This is due too much more advanced technology for print, photography, 3d, rotation and lightening.  Fig 1 Fig 2  Poster 1  Smoking is very Glamorous  This is one of a series of posters produced in USA by the American Cancer Society, which stresses the consequences of smoking. This poster (fig 2) has a picture of a person I use the term a person, as it is very difficult to identify whether it is a male or female, this person is possibly elderly and has large bags under their eyes and is very wrinkled. They are portraying an ugly, dirty person who has smoked all their life. In their hand is a cigarette, which they are taking a long hard drag on. This image is depicting a very dirty image, which according to the wording is meant to be glamorous. I feel that this is implying that smoking is a disgusting and dirty habit. The wording underneath is written to be sarcastic saying smoking is very glamorous it is using a play on the words as from this picture you actually get a completely different message you can clearly see that smoking is not at all glamorous. This poster is very effective as you read the words first because they really stand out and then the image hits you and makes you really think, it is quite a depressing image, subtly displaying the effects of ageing and ill health all consequences of long term smoking. It certainly has the capabilities of making an impact and grabbing the target audiences attention. It has created the image from the originator to the recipient that it is not really as glamorous as some people have said and that it can kill you. Since the age of Jazz, Hollywood portrayed the image of smoking as the thing to do to look glamorous as can be seen in the advert in fig 1, so when this advert appeared in the 1970s it contradicted that image with huge effect. Poster 2  This drink has been rated for mature audiences only  Fig 3  I have chosen this poster to look at as it is on the other side of Health issues and that is promoting alcohol. Promoting alcohol is a very sensitive subject as people are much more health consious and concerned about health issues and like cigaretttes alcohol is an addictive drug the root of all evil. Here (fig3) this is the Dewars Scotch advert for the drink Absolute Vodka. You can see an attractive women on the top holding a tray with glasses of drink probably vodka on it clearly happy and enjoying her self. Underneath her is a bottle of the vodka tighly secure in a chain, padlock and key with the words This drink has been rated for mature audiences only. At first sight this advert is giving the message to the recipient to discourage them from under age drinking. I feel that the alcohol industry does not want the under age to drink but it does want to promote a positive attitude towards drink before they start drinking. This advert is I feel one of those from the originator aimed at those adolescents who are anxious to enter into adult life by almost encouraging them with the words This drink has been rated for mature audiences only As stated in the Advertising Age product image is probably the most important element in selling liquor Dewars Scotch ran this advert as part of its successful long running campaign for Absolut vodka managing to create that image. As you can see in the poster it focuses on the shape of the bottle and the word Absolut I think they are trying to promate it as absolut perfection hence why the bottle is set in a halo. What the chains symbolise I am not sure but I do feel if that you are a problem drinker you will be chained to that bottle. I do feel that this advert is aimed at the image, and making that image of drinking sexy. I do feel that this is not good for the future of our generation the children and adolescents. Cigarettes have to carry a Government Health warning and are limited to where and how the adverts are displayed and I do feel that alcohol should be treated the same, rather than promted as sexy like the cigarettes were up to world war two.

Biography of Angelina Grimké, American Abolitionist

Biography of Angelina Grimkà ©, American Abolitionist Angelina Grimkà © (February 21, 1805–October 26, 1879) was a southern woman from a slaveholding family who, along with her sister Sarah, became an advocate of abolitionism. The sisters late became advocates of womens rights after their anti-slavery efforts were criticized because their outspokenness violated traditional gender roles. With her sister and her husband Theodore Weld, Angelina Grimkà © wrote American Slavery As It Is, a major abolitionist text. Fast Facts: Angelina Grimkà © Known For: Grimkà © was an influential abolitionist and womens rights advocate.Born: February 20, 1805 in Charleston, South CarolinaParents: John Faucheraud Grimkà ©Ã‚  and Mary SmithDied: October 26, 1879 in Boston, MassachusettsSpouse: Theodore Weld (m. 1838-1879)Children: Theodore, Sarah Early Life Angelina Emily Grimkà © was born on February 20, 1805, in Charleston, South Carolina. She was the 14th child of Mary Smith Grimkà © and John Faucheraud Grimkà ©. Mary Smiths wealthy family included two governors during colonial times. John Grimkà ©, who was descended from German and Huguenot settlers, had been a Continental Army captain during the Revolutionary War. He served in the state House of Representatives and was the states chief justice. The family spent their summers in Charleston and the rest of the year on the Beaufort plantation. The Grimkà © plantation produced rice until the invention of the cotton gin made cotton more profitable. The family owned many slaves, including field hands and household servants. Angelina, like her sister Sarah, was offended by slavery from an early age. She fainted one day at the seminary when she saw a slave boy her own age opening a window and noticed that he could barely walk and was covered on his legs and back with bleeding wounds from a whipping. Sarah tried to console and comfort her, but Angelina was shaken by the experience. At age 13, Angelina refused confirmation in the Anglican church of her family because of the churchs support for slavery. When Angelina was 13, her sister Sarah accompanied their father to Philadelphia and then to New Jersey for his health. Their father died there, and Sarah returned to Philadelphia and joined the Quakers, drawn by their anti-slavery stance and their inclusion of women in leadership roles. Sarah briefly returned home to South Carolina before moving to Philadelphia. It fell on Angelina, in Sarahs absence and after her fathers death, to manage the plantation and care for her mother. Angelina tried to persuade her mother to set at least the household slaves free, but her mother refused. In 1827, Sarah returned for a longer visit. Angelina decided she would become a Quaker, remain in Charleston, and persuade her fellow southerners to oppose slavery. In Philadelphia Within two years, Angelina gave up hope of having any impact while remaining at home. She moved to join her sister in Philadelphia, and she and Sarah set out to educate themselves. Angelina was accepted at Catherine Beechers school for girls, but their Quaker meeting refused to give permission for her to attend. The Quakers also discouraged Sarah from becoming a preacher. Angelina became engaged, but her fiance died in an epidemic. Sarah also received an offer of marriage but refused it, thinking she might lose the freedom she valued. They received word about that time that their brother Thomas had died. He had been a hero to the sisters, for he was involved in emancipating slaves by sending volunteers back to Africa. Abolitionism The sisters turned to the growing abolitionist movement. Angelina joined the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, which was associated with the American Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1833. On August 30, 1835, Angelina Grimkà © wrote a letter to William Lloyd Garrison, a leader of the American Anti-Slavery Society and the editor of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator. Angelina mentioned in the letter her first-hand knowledge of slavery. To Angelinas shock, Garrison printed her letter in his newspaper. The letter was reprinted widely and Angelina found herself famous and at the center of the anti-slavery world. The letter became part of a widely-read anti-slavery pamphlet. The Quakers of Philadelphia did not approve of Angelinas anti-slavery involvement, however, nor of Sarahs less radical involvement. At the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Quakers, Sarah was silenced by a male Quaker leader. The sisters decided to move to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1836, where the Quakers were more supportive of abolitionism. In Rhode Island, Angelina published a tract, Appeal to the Christian Women of the South. She argued that women could and should end slavery through their influence. Her sister Sarah wrote An Epistle to the Clergy of the Southern States. In that essay, Sarah confronted Biblical arguments typically used by the clergy to justify slavery. Sarah followed that with another pamphlet, An Address to Free Colored Americans. While these were published by two southerners and addressed to southerners, they were reprinted widely in New England. In South Carolina, the tracts were publicly burned. Speaking Career Angelina and Sarah received many invitations to speak, first at anti-slavery conventions and then at other venues in the north. Fellow abolitionist Theodore Weld helped train the sisters to improve their speaking skills. The sisters toured, speaking in 67 cities in 23 weeks. At first, they spoke to all-woman audiences, but then men began to attend the lectures as well. A woman speaking to a mixed audience was considered scandalous. The criticism helped them understand that social limitations on women were part of the same system that upheld slavery. It was arranged for Sarah to speak to the Massachusetts legislature on slavery. Sarah became ill and Angelina filled in for her. Angelina was thus the first woman to speak to a United States legislative body. After returning to Providence, the sisters still traveled and spoke but also wrote, this time appealing to their northern audience. Angelina wrote an Appeal to the Women of the Nominally Free States in 1837, while Sarah wrote an Address to the Free Colored People of the United States. They spoke at the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women. Catherine Beecher publicly criticized the sisters for not keeping to the proper feminine sphere, i.e. the private, domestic sphere. Angelina responded with Letters to Catherine Beecher, arguing for full political rights for women- including the right to hold public office. Marriage Angelina married fellow abolitionist Theodore Weld in 1838, the same young man who had helped prepare the sisters for their speaking tour. The marriage ceremony included friends and fellow activists both white and black. Six former slaves of the Grimkà © family attended. Weld was a Presbyterian; the ceremony was not a Quaker one. Garrison read the vows and Theodore renounced all legal power that laws at the time gave him over Angelinas property. They left obey out of the vows. Because the wedding was not a Quaker wedding and her husband was not a Quaker, Angelina was expelled from the Quaker meeting. Sarah was also expelled for attending the wedding. Angelina and Theodore moved onto a farm in New Jersey and Sarah moved in with them. Angelinas first child was born in 1839; two more and a miscarriage followed. The family focused their lives around raising the three Weld children and on demonstrating that they could manage a household without slaves. They took in boarders and opened a school. Friends, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her husband, visited them at the farm. Angelinas health, however, began to decline. American Slavery As It Is In 1839, the Grimkà © sisters published American Slavery As It Is: Testimony From a Thousand Witnesses. The book was later used as a source by Harriet Beecher Stowe for her 1852 book Uncle Toms Cabin. The sisters kept up their correspondence with other anti-slavery and pro womens rights activists. One of their letters was to the 1852 womens rights convention in Syracuse, New York. In 1854, Angelina, Theodore, Sarah, and the children moved to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, operating a school there until 1862. All three supported the Union in the Civil War, seeing it as a path to end slavery. Theodore Weld traveled and lectured occasionally. The sisters published An Appeal to the Women of the Republic, calling for a pro-Union womens convention. When it was held, Angelina was among the speakers. The sisters and Theodore moved to Boston and became active in the womens rights movement after the Civil War. All three served as officers of the Massachusetts Womens Suffrage Association. On March 7, 1870, as part of a protest involving 42 other women, Angelina and Sarah illegally voted. Death Sarah died in Boston in 1873. Angelina suffered several strokes shortly after Sarahs death and became paralyzed. She died in Boston in 1879. Legacy Grimkà ©s activism had a profound effect on the abolitionist and womens rights movements. In 1998, she was posthumously inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame. Sources Browne, Stephen H.  Angelina Grimke Rhetoric, Identity, and the Radical Imagination. Michigan State University Press, 2012.Grimkà ©, Sarah Moore, et al.  On Slavery and Abolitionism: Essays and Letters. Penguin Books, 2014.

ESCAPING SALEM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ESCAPING SALEM - Essay Example In an attempt to find what she is suffering from – mind, it being an era that witchcraft was common -- Kate accuses others of bewitching her. Two women were finally put on trial. The book Escaping Salem takes the reader through the Connecticut court room. Witchcraft in a court room is more dramatic than one would ever imagine. The town’s people are scared of the act and its practice in the township, and this is a view that the judges are quick to point out to. Witchcraft poses a great danger to the society. However, how would Branch prove that the women actually were behind her ailments? Her accusations come from the fact that some evil spirit informed her about it. How would she prove this and how would she prove that the spirit were indeed factual? Escaping Salem offers an insightful revelation of life style in the early seventeenth century America. In addition, it offers proof of the existence of the white magic, an issue that has strongly been argued upon. The only pitfall that Godbeer‘s work seems to pose is the use of some of the photos that are manipulated. The photos are helpful in offering illustration and adding to the maps; the selected bibliography seems to provide some proof too. However, the use of the photos is overrated. This is a historical book and the images ought not to appear to be fictitious. In retrospect, the book is a must read for any undergraduate student of American History or Political Science. The insights it offers are indeed factual and one would relate them to the life of that

Article I of the Constitution of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article I of the Constitution of America - Essay Example In this context, Article-I is the most significant of the provisions of the Constitution of the US that vests the powers on the â€Å"Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives† and specifies the â€Å"unique and limited powers of the Congress† (Ritchie 50). The legislative branch is the most important branch of the government and as such Article-I, which defines their powers, is a very significant part of the US constitution. Article-I is divided into 10 sections, each defining the constitution, powers and functions of the legislative body of the government. The first section stipulates the bicameral division of the Congress into two houses, such as the â€Å"Senate† and â€Å"House of Representatives† to ensure a â€Å"compromise between the power of the state and the power of the people† (50). Such a balancing of power, through the provision of Article-I ensures that power is not misused. Thus, it can be construed that Article-I of the Constitution facilitates a appropriate rights to the people so that any chances of misuse is obviated, which is important in a democratic set up. Section 2 of Article-I defines the term and qualification of the House of Representatives and thus plays a key role in determining that only suitable persons are selected for governance. On the other hand, Section 3 stipulates the terms, qualifications and functions of the members of the Senate. Both these sections of Article-I contain important provisions relating to the basic functions of the legislative branch, which is the most significant of the divisions of the American government. Thus, Article-I is very important. Section 4 of Article-I, prescribes the conditions and procedures of holding the elections Senators and Representatives, which, again, is a highly significant aspect of democratic set up. Section 6 describes the compensation of

The impact of globalisation on business Essay Example for Free

The impact of globalisation on business Essay 1. INTRODUCTION. Advancement in transportation and information technologies has opened up the world to lucrative business opportunities. Many companies no longer confine their business domestically but reach out globally in search of better profits. When a company conducts business across national boundaries, it is participating in international business. International business paves the way for globalisation. Ball et al. (2004) found that globalisation can be defined in many ways but broadly globalisation occurs when an entity (government, company, NGOs, etc.) carries out an activity (economic, political, technological, etc. ) in a host country. Globalisation has impacted the way many companies performed their business. New strategies are required to identify the opportunities presented by globalisation. Companies need to understand the forces that drive them towards globalisation. Most importantly, the companies must be prepared to meet the challenges of globalisation. This report presents globalisation in the context of a global strategy. It assesses the impact of the global strategy on the Texchem Group of Companies (Texchem), a company based in Penang. Texchem is founded in 1973 by its current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dato Seri Fumihiko Konishi. Today, Texchem is well diversified into the business of trading, manufacturing and services with divisions in the packaging, industrial, food, family care and venture industries ( 2003). Currently, Texchems globalisation efforts are concentrated around the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) countries and China (Chiew 2004). The organizational structure of Texchem is shown below. The groups investment holding company is Texchem Resources Berhad.  (source: Texchem Resources Bhd, www.trbgroup.com/business_act_corporate_structure.htm) FIGURE 1: Texchem organizational structure 2. FORCES DRIVING TEXCHEM TO GLOBALISE. Normally, a companys decision to globalise is influenced by a combination of several factors. These factors are the forces that drive a company to expand abroad. Each company has its own unique reasons to carry out oversea business activities since declining trade barrier and technological changes seem to underlie the trend towards greater globalisation (Hill 2003, p. 8) today. Texchem has mainly operated domestically apart from venturing into Singapore a year after its inception. It was not until 18 years later that Texchem started its globalisation exercise aggressively after building up its strength and reputation. Starting with Thailand in 1992, Texchem continued with Vietnam (1994), Myanmar (1997, Indonesia (2002) and China (2002). Now, Texchem is well represented in the ASEAN region (Texchem Annual Report 2002). Like any other companies, there were also unique forces that drove Texchem to globalise. Chief among them were: * Be a US$1 billion company. It cannot be denied that all companies are profit driven. After all the very existence of a company rest on the profits it makes. Texchem is no different in this aspect. However, Texchem is not only trying to make a profit but striving to be a US$1 billion company by 2010. This is Texchem Vision 2010 which is to be achieved with annual sales revenue of US$1 billion (Konishi 2002). Texchem 5 year performance chart below shows that there is still much to do and globalisation is the answer to bigger market opportunities. (source: Texchem Resources Bhd., www.texchemgroup.com) FIGURE 2: Texchem financial performance In order to realise this Vision 2010: Texchem has identified and capitalised on global market opportunities and allowed its growth to be determined by market trends and customers demands. Then it responded to such opportunities with top quality products and services that deliver real value www.texchemgroup.com/aboutus/history.html 2003, p. 1). Furthermore, Texchem has to survive through economic crisis in order to sustain a steady and resilient performance. One way is to prudently invest in growth industries with different market cycles like the food industry (  history.html 2003). * Loss Of Trade Preference. Konishi said Malaysia is treated by Europe under the general system of preferences which imposed an import duty of 14% on Malaysian products entering Europe. Texchem will not enjoy this status when import duty goes up to 20% in 2005 (Tan 2004). In 2003, Konishi said Texchem has estimated a US$25 million export market to Europe, Japan and Australia for its surimi and fishmeal products by 2006 (The Star 2003). The loss of this preference will affect Texchems profit. It may not be feasible to market seafood products in Europe due to price disadvantage. Therefore, to continue capturing the European market, Emmanuel (2004) wrote that Texchem is setting up a RM50 million seafood processing plant in Europe in 2005. Tan (2004) reported that Konishi said, Raw material will be imported from Myanmar as import duty on raw material going into Europe is only 3.5%. Production cost will then be lower giving Texchem the  competitive edge again. * Be close to clients / customers. Interdependency among companies is a norm. When a client is satisfied with the companys products and services, loyalty is attained. Therefore, when a client sets up shop overseas or penetrates a foreign market, it is not surprising that the company normally tags along. Many international companies wanting to market and distribute products in ASEAN have appointed Texchem for the task due to its reputation and international networking. Taking customer support a step further, Texchem even located its operation to be close to its local and multinational clients ( 2003 ; www.texchemgroup.com/stakeholders/customers.html 2004). For instance, Texchem-Pack (Thailand) was established to serve its major Texchem customers like Seagate, Mektec, IBM, etc. in Thailand (Konishi 2003). Its production facilities are located near customers operations to give immediate respond to their needs and to any changes in the local market. This also shorten delivery timings and to provide just-in-time delivery. Reduction in logistics and transportation charges is a cost savings to customers ( 2003). Another example is Texchem-Pack (Wuxi) which was established to serve the hard disc drive industry, the semiconductor industry, the electronics industry and the telecommunications industry in Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, China ( 2003). The establishment in China enables Texchem to be close to and provide more effective and efficient services to its customers in China. * Acquire Technology. Many companies brought along their technologies when setting up shop abroad. As the world become more and more accessible, it becomes possible to team up with these companies in the host country to acquire their technologies. Although Texchem has invested heavily in research and development and use leading edge, in-house facilities both for product enhancement and for new products (www.texchemgroup/business/packaging.html 2003, p. 1), it is continuously seeking out new technologies to gain competitive edge. As such Texchem joint ventures with international leader and creates new subsidiaries often through technology transfer arrangements that enable both parties to net a bigger catch ( www.texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-eng.html 2003a ;  group.com/stakeholders/associates.html 2003). To illustrate, Eye Graphic (Vietnam), a Texchem joint venture with Eye Corporate Planning Co Ltd of Japan, is equipped with advance digital propress system and flexo photopolymer printing plate making equipment ( * Demand. In any business activities, there must be demand. Without demand, a companys product will eventually be rendered obsolete. One of the reasons Texchem chose to expanded into ASEAN and China was because there was a huge demand for its products. And, Texchem is prepared to set up more manufacturing plants to meet the increasing demands of the ASEAN market ( 2003, p. 1). With greater demands from the Chinese market, Texchem now intends to expand its Wuxi plant into thermoforming for the high-tech industry and injection moulding for the computer and semi-conductor industry (Konishi 2003a, p. 2). Also, in line with increasing global demand for surimi, Texchem has set up a manufacturing plant in Myeik, Myanmar (Konishi 2003a, p. 3). Texchem expansion into Indonesia, with its largest manufacturing plant in Kerawang (near Jakarta), is to cater for the need of 206 million people. The  brand name of Fumakillas mosquito coil in Indonesia is distributed under the name Domestos Nomos, a successful household name ( 2003a). Yap (2003) reported Konishi as saying, so far, we have shipped over 400,000 cartons in the first 6 months of operation, equivalent to the total volume that Texchem sold in Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines in the same period. A comparison of the population in ASEAN countries in presented below in order to appreciate the magnitude of the demands in ASEAN. FIGURE 3: ASEAN population breakdown. From the table it is understandable why Texchem has been aggressive in penetrating the ASEAN market to capture the demand. ASEAN has a combined population of 500 million. 3. GLOBALISATION EFFECTS ON TEXCHEM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY. Before a company expands abroad, it must have a strategy. According to Ball et al. (2004) there are several strategies that could be adopted such as the global strategy, multidomestic strategy, transnational strategy and international strategy. Globalisation has an influence on which strategy to adopt. Careful assessment of the various internal and external business environments is a prerequisite before any decision can be made. In crossing national boundaries, globalisation affects Texchem international business strategies in terms of the following: * Standardisation. Texchem operations are standardised in all the host countries. All packaging plants provide: One stop total packaging solutions equip with state-of- the-art facilities. Furthermore, all Texchem plants support customers through excellent logistics, warehousing and inventory management. This is done via a nationwide network of branches and sales offices ( www.texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-pack.html 2003c, p. 2; www. texchemgroup.com/business/texchem-mat.html 2003a, p. 1; www.texchemgroup. com/business/familycare.html 2003, p. 3). With globalised operations, Texchem would be able to take advantage of business opportunities occurring anywhere in the world and would not be constrained to specific sectors (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 43). As product preference and requirements are becoming increasingly alike globally, product standardisation across all cultures would enable companies to manufacture and sell low-cost reliable products around the world without being adapted to individual country preferences (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 43). To capitalise on this, Texchem products are also standardised globally. It manufactures and distributes household insecticide such as the Fumakilla mosquito coils under different brand names in Indonesia (Domestos Nomos), Thailand (Chang) and Myanmar (Jumbo) ( 2003b). * Global Decision Making. With globalisation, Texchem decision making covers a wider scope now compared to when it did domestically. Texchem has centralised its decision making in its Penang corporate office. This is where Texchem makes decision on strategies issues such as policy, capital, technology and products. Decisions are global minded taking into consideration the local factors of the host countries. Texchem Design Centre is centralised to tailor-make packaging solutions in the fastest possible time for all its plants across ASEAN countries and China to meet customers demand around the world ( 2003). * Market scope. Globalisation opens up the world as a very big market. Domestic markets, however large, are limited in size and growth and are targeted by domestic competitors (Khambata and Ajami 1992). To continue growing, Texchem sees the world as one market to sell its products. Khambata and Ajami (1992, p. 283) said that: Apart from the fact that the existence of a new, larger customer base would help boost sales, overseas markets often confer additional advantages such as competition from overseas markets may not be strong. When the local market is large and the demand is consistent enough to justify investment in the plant and equipment needed to set up a manufacturing operation, production economies can occur (Khambata and Ajami 1992, p. 284). Also, Texchem can tap the Chinese market to derive economies of scale and scope (Konishi, Texchem annual report 2002). Operational economies of scale allow Texchem to keep prices competitive and deliver exceptional value ( 2003). * Develop skills. Part of the globalisation process concerns developing skills especially multicultural and bilingual ones. Texchem encourages such skills development to communicate and establish rapport with its global clients, staff and customers. Not surprising, Texhem only recruits staff of outstanding caliber and provides training for them ( 2003). In order to develop skills, Texchem formed strategic alliances with agents around ASEAN region with strong domestic knowledge in sales and distribution ( 2003b, p. 1). Texchem has approached globalisation with a global strategy because the above effects have the essence of a global strategy. Ball et al. (2004, p. 6) defined the global strategy as a strategy that attempts to standardise and integrate operations worldwide in all functional areas. Texchem has adopted precisely this strategy. 4. MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES CREATED FOR TEXCHEM. As the world shrinks into a global village because of accessibility, abundant opportunities are available to business organisations. Companies are quick to take advantage of these golden opportunities to further their interests. In other words, globalisation provided avenues for companies to spread their wings into foreign markets. Globalisation presented many major opportunities for Texchem too as it did for others. Texchem management was quick to see these opportunities and swiftly took advantage of them. The major opportunities created for Texchem were: * Tariff Reduction. Tariffs are taxes levied on foreign goods entering the country. Sometimes it can be levied on goods leaving the country as well. According to Hill (2003), tariffs protect domestic products against foreign ones. It is a form of government intervention to shield local companies from international  competitors who have superior technologies to make higher quality products at lower cost. By levying taxes on such goods, it brings up their prices to be on par with local goods. With the exception of Singapore, all ASEAN countries have imposed tariffs on imports. However, ASEAN initiated the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1992, detailing a regional progressive tariff reduction plan. To be implemented in stages, tariffs on goods with 40% ASEAN content shall be progressively reduced to between 0 5% by 2003. There were some exemptions to the implementation year for Vietnam (2006), Laos and Myanmar (2008) and Cambodia (2010) ( 2003). With the reduction in tariffs coupled with the huge population in ASEAN countries, the trading opportunities are very attractive. Texchem acknowledged this fact. It noted that with AFTA in place, the regional exchange in business is expected to further boost various industries ( 2003a, p. 1). Texchem has been anticipating AFTA since 1990s. Knowing the opportunities AFTA presented, it has ventured into ASEAN countries to position itself first while waiting in full anticipation for the implementation of AFTA. This strategy gave Texchem a head start to study the market opportunities of the host country better, build up its reputation, find solutions to lower production costs and sell competitively. This foresight has paid off handsomely as Texchem registered improved sales in all its division for the year 2003 (Konishi 2003b). As quoted in the Texchem investor newsletter (2003, p. 4), the increase in revenue for the Packaging Division was mainly contributed by the successful penetration into new market AFTA region, namely Thailand. This is because: Thailand experienced a substantial increase in revenue from the trade of plastic resins, a direct benefit of reduces impact duties effective Jan 2003, in line with the implementation of AFTA (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 2). As Konishi (2003b, p. 5) mentioned: Texchem Resources Bhd Group will continue to make the 100% AFTA proof objective its priority. Texchem is indeed in a position to take full  advantage of AFTA as it expands further into the global market. * Strategic Location. Geographical location is another opportunity that can be taken advantage of. According to Ball et al. (2004, p. 263), geographical proximity is often the major reason for trade between nations. Apart from close proximity, the location of a nation also offers other suitable operational advantages for foreign companies. For instance, if the country has sea frontage, companies can make use of ports in the country to export their products. This was what Texchem was looking for when it ventured into Myanmar. Texchem was searching for an advantage in Myanmars location and found it in a town called Myeik (please see map for location). (source: design printing services, www.dpsmap.com) FIGURE 4: Map of Myanmar. The Myeik Archipelago, which includes over 800 pleasant and enchanting islands, lies in the Andaman Sea along the south Tanintharyi coast. Myeik is the port city of this archipelago. It has the potential for industrialisation of marine base products because the Andaman Sea has abundant fish. Texchem joint ventured with Mascot Industries Co Ltd of Myanmar to set up ASK Andaman (Lee 2003). The strategic location of ASK Andaman at a fishing port complement the abundant fresh fish from the Andaman sea has set it as the most idealistic plant for surimi and fishmeal processing ( www.texchemgroup.com/  business/andaman.html 2003, p. 1). The fishing port facilitated the export of Texchems products from Myeik to Japan, Australia and Europe. It also provided an infrastructure for Texchem geographical reach so that it is the ideal partner for multinationals that have operations spread across the region ( 2003, p. 2). * Abundant Raw Materials. Sourcing for cheap raw materials is an important task in any operation. This is where competitive advantage can be sustained. Therefore, many foreign companies flock into ASEAN in search of raw material because they are in abundance. Konishi said Texchem globalisation into Myanmar enables it to tap the countrys natural resources and obtain a reliable supply of good quality and more cost effective raw material (The Star, 2003). ASK Andaman manufactures and market surimi and fishmeal products and provides Seapack Food with a reliable supply of reasonably priced, good quality surimi raw material ( 2003a, p. 1). It requires fresh fish to manufacture and process surimi and fishmeal products. The Andaman Sea has abundant supply of fresh fish to provide ASK Andaman. * Low Labour Cost. Labour cost in ASEAN countries is generally low with the exception of Singapore and Malaysia. Many foreign investors take this opportunity to relocate their operations here so that their production cost can be reduced. The table below provides a comparison of labour cost among ASEAN countries. Texchem has set up manufacturing plants in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar because the labour cost is lower than Malaysia. It practices stringent cost controls ( 2003, p. 2) and taking advantage of this opportunity is a prudent strategy. The setting up of manufacturing operations in competitive labour cost countries (Texchem investor newsletter 2003a, p. 2) provided Texchem with a competitive advantage over other domestic competitors. Konishi (2003b, p. 4) was please to note that: The year 2003 was spent building a solid base for Texchem operations in Myanmar and with its competitive labour and abundant natural resources, great returns beckons as Texchem begins exporting its marine products globally. Myanmar Sometimes a company is attracted by just one or two opportunities offered by the host country. However since Myanmar offers all the above opportunities for Texchem, it is only appropriate to provide an opinion of the country in this report. Myanmar has rich natural and human resources. The government is encouraging direct foreign investments to take advantage of these resources. With a market oriented economic system aimed to liberalise its economy, foreign investors would be given the right to enjoy appropriate economic benefits. They would also be safe guarded by the Government against nationalisation of their business. There are tremendous investment opportunities in natural resources such as teak forests, minerals and gems. Historical and cultural attractions offer vast potential for tourism. The labour force is highly literate and trainable. Myanmar has a long coastline rich in fish and other marine life. An estimated one million metric tons of sustainable fishery resources could be exploited annually. Investment opportunities in the fishery industry include setting up of cold storage facilities, fishmeal plants, canning plants and shrimp farms and / or hatcheries ( n.d.). 5. CHALLENGES FOR TEXCHEM AND MEETING THEM. Converting business opportunities into profits is usually never plain sailing. There are challenges to overcome first. These challenges come in many forms i.e. trade barriers, high taxes, corruption, unskilled workers, poor infrastructure etc. Although globalisation created many opportunities, Texchem must overcome the many challenges that came with these opportunities before reaping in the profits. Among the many challenges Texchem has or shall encounter in globalisation are: * Building Brand. Branding is a very important exercise for companies going global. Foreign markets must be made aware of the existence of their products. Irrespective of the large population, if the product is not known then there shall be no demand. When Texchem ventured into Indonesia to market its mosquito coils through Fumakilla, it realised the difficulty in building its mosquito coil brand. Fumakilla is relatively unknown to millions of Indonesian and without awareness the product will be just another product on the shelves. As a solution, Fumakilla has embarked on a RM12 million branding exercise to expose its mosquito coils to the Indonesian market under the brand name Domestos Nomos. Advertising and promotions activities were carried out via PT Technopia Lever (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b). Since the expansion of the Family Care business to Indonesia in September 2002, Domestos Nomos has: Achieved a market share of 6.5% as of Sept 2003. Sales in the 2nd half of 2003 improve due to seasonal trend of the household insecticides market in ASEAN. It has also become the top brand with an average market share of 40% in modern retail outlets located within Jakarta and Medan (Texchem investor newsletter 2003, p.4 2003a, p.3). With such a large market, Fumakillas top priority for 2003 was to build the Domestos Nomos brand so as to achieve further significant market penetration into Indonesia. With a population 206 million, industry  potential in massive (Tan, GH 2002, pp. 30-31). * Sustaining Market. Market penetration is just the first step to a successful globalisation. After penetrating a foreign market another challenge shall present itself. This challenge is sustaining the market. Sustaining a market is difficult because there is no such thing as a perpetual sustainable market. Products come and go frequently because of competition. Texchem success depends on: Keeping its fingers on the pulse of an ever-changing market and on its resourcefulness in responding to customer needs. By constantly updating knowledge of market trends and sharing knowledge with suppliers, Texchem is able to rapidly develop and introduce new products that exceed its customers expectations (  industrial.html 2003, p. 1). Texchem is focused on maintaining its market leadership and is confident of attracting potential partners for help because of more competitive products from China (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 2). Therefore, Texchem is very selective in its choice of partners, choosing only those whose needs can genuinely be met and who are committed to long term brand building ( 2003, p. 3). * Financial Limitation. Insufficient financial capability is a hindrance to globalisation. Funds are required to invest in foreign soil. Additional plants and equipment have to be procure and employees paid. Normally, capital expenditure can only be recouped after a few years of operation. Sourcing for funds to globalise is a major task for Texchem. One of the ways to overcome the shortage of funds is to list the company in Securities Exchanges. In September 2003, Texchem announced: The listing of its Packaging business on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (SGX-ST). Texchem is currently awaiting approvals from SGX-ST and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to list Texpack Holdings on the SGX-ST (Texchem investor newsletter 2003b, p. 3). The access to funds shall pave the way for Texchem to take advantage of viable investment opportunities in the international capital market. It also broadens its fund raising capabilities to expand and grow its Packaging Division within the region and on the global arena (Texchem investor newsletter 2003a). * Risk. There are no risk free investments. The same goes for globalisation. In fact, risk assessment for globalisation is considered a delicate task. Unexpected global events such as epidemic, natural disaster and war are some of the risks that are difficult to account for. These unexpected events affect company performance. Texchem Food Division performance could have been better if not for the SARS epidemic and war in the Middle East (Nishida 2003, p. 28). To demonstrate the impact, Kim (2003, p. 18) said that Texchem-Pack (Wuxi) in China suffered losses due to the indirect effect of the SARS epidemic during the first half of 2003 because Texchem sales and marketing team was prevented from servicing the clients due to the outbreak. However, Texchem was able to overcome this challenge with the support from its clients, new business partners, the dedication of the team and the support form the Penang head office'(Kim 2003, p. 18). Apart from that, the risk of lack of basic infrastructure and communications  is another prevailing issue when entering third world countries. Texchem can attest to that because the initial stage of establishing in Myanmar was difficult because of the lack of infrastructure and communication problems (Nishida 2003, p. 28). Nevertheless, Texchem was able to grow and expand its operation in Myanmar due to strategic acquisitions, meticulous planning and the synergizing of all Texchem plants (Nishida 2003, p. 28). 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION. Globalisation has changed the way business is being conducted. From being a domestic company in the 1970s and 1980s, Texchem is now a successful global company. Ever since Texchem started globalising its performance has been growing steadily. Apart from a slight drop in revenue in 2001, Texchem has registered an increase in sales and operating profit for the past five years. (source: Texchem Resources Bhd, www.texchemgroup.com) FIGURE 5: Texchem financial performance For the year 2003, Texchems gross dividend payout was a remarkable 8%, much to the delight of its shareholders. Globalisation has also generated sufficient profit for Texchem to be transferred to the Main Board of the Bursa Malaysia (formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange) in 2001 after being listed in the Second Board in 1993. This milestone signified the growth of Texchem into a major listed conglomerate in Malaysia. Texchem is now a household name in family care products and its packaging division is well represented in ASEAN. Its food division is also making inroads into Europe, starting with Italy. Overall, globalisation has indeed changed the corporate profile of Texchem. It has provided Texchem a vast market for its products and Texchem has seized the opportunities created well. With six more years to go, Vision 2010 may sound a little ambitious. It is not that Vision 2010 cannot be achieved but it should be scaled down to allow for any unforeseeable economic crisis such as workers strike, war, epidemic or even natural disaster. 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