Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech -- New York Yankees Baseball Essays

Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech Throughout the course of American history, there have been copious amounts of famous speeches, spoken by many different people. From political figures to sports players; these people have provided deep thoughts and great insights about who they are and the world we live in today. Being a sports enthusiast, a memorable speech comes to my mind. Lou Gehrig’s â€Å"farewell speech†, given on July 4th, 1939, to more than 62,000 fans at New York City’s Yankee Stadium, has become a cornerstone in the history of baseball in America. Lou Gehrig is considered one of the most under-rated sports players of all time. Gehrig played in the same era with greats like Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. In Fact, Gehrig played on the same team and actually batted behind Ruth and DiMaggio. Gehrig’s nickname is the â€Å"Iron Horse,† which came about with Gehrig’s amazing consecutive games played streak. Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive games, which stood as th e consecutive games record until just recently broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. Gehrig died in 1941, at the age of 37. Though many famous speeches have been spoken throughout time, Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech has remained one of the most memorable speeches of all time, due to the way he captivated his fans with the use of rhetoric. Lou Gehrig was known as a modest man and a â€Å"tireless worker,† with remarkable work habits. Gehrig was the first athlete in history to have his jersey retired. Famous number 4 was retired in 1939. Gehrig also holds the record for most grand slams in a career with 23. Gehrig was the first player in history to drive in 500 runs in three consecutive seasons. Gehrig’s farewell speech was definitely directed towards baseball fans; more specifical... ...ou see through examples, all three types of rhetoric are present in Gehrig’s farewell speech. One thing that is NOT present in this speech is the use of fallacies. Gehrig’s speech was a genuine address, catered to baseball fans all over about the seriousness of Gehrig’s removal from baseball. This speech does not have a weakness, nor does it have a lack of soundness. Lou Gehrig, one of the most under-rated sports players of all time, exhibits a great speech. It clearly represents the author, as well as the audience and its purpose. The structure of Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech is represented by cause and effect. The speech also appeals to all three forms of rhetoric – Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. This speech will remain a famous speech for ages to come, due to its solid structure, sound attack on all three types of rhetoric, as well as its lack of flaws.

African Americans and Racial Diversity

There are many organizations that advocate equality for African Americans in the United States. Many organizations will promote the African American race and show what concerns are being felt by their race. Those that advocate for their race give a description of how they fall in history, what discrimination they endured and what prejudice they still have to deal with. These groups and organizations promote the idea to bring discrimination to a stop in their cultures around the world. African Americans and Racial Equality African Americans have made their way to freedom, but have been left with a heavy burden of their ancestor’s slavery. Would they ever be seen as anything but slaves brought unwilling from Africa to the United States to be enslaved and be servants to the White Man? Those questions can be answered by looking at the history of African Americans and how they have become great leaders in this country. Rosa Parks may have not been the first Black woman to give up her seat on the bus, but she stared a chain of events that would eventually bring segregation to an end. That day in 1955, Rosa Parks paved the way for people like Barak Obama to become the first African American President the United States has ever had. Before that time, African Americans had endured slavery, segregation, discrimination, and prejudice because of the color of their skin. Many African American men fought for our country in the civil war so they could be granted freedom after they served. Butler (2013) stated, â€Å"the Fourteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution revoking that fateful decision and ensuring citizenship, with all its rights and esponsibilities, to everyone born in the United States regardless of race. † (para. 1). There have been several political, social, and cultural issues and concerns throughout American history. Some political issues African American have faces according to history. house. gov (2013) â€Å"Since 1870, when Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi and Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first African Americans to serve in Congress, a total of 139 African Americans have served as U. S. Representatives or Senators. Social issues among African Americans are discrimination and prejudice within the United States and beyond. Many are discriminated against because of their race. Many black men and women are deprived of the earning abilities of that of the White man. They make less money and live in poverty striking communities. Because of slavery, many African Americans feel as though they will never been seen equal to others because of their ancestors. Until this mind set changes, history will continue to run the ideas and future of African Americans. Some cultural issues among the African American throughout history would be being accepted into a culture. Many slaves when freed started large communities made up of just Blacks. Without the same education and opportunities as White men and woman, they fell into poverty and struggled to grow as respected Americans. This permits for crime rates to be higher because they had to survive any way they could if only by stealing to be able to live. These issues among African American still exist today. The NAACP has fought for African American rights for generations. According to â€Å"Naacp: 100 Years Of History† (2009-2013), â€Å"The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes. † (Founding Group). The have helped many African American groups with their right to vote because even after they were granted the right, many were still denied. The NAACP has fought along site African Americans to bring justice and rights to those people who worked so hard to become free and receive equal rights in the United States. The United States Supreme Court alleviated slavery, and wrote into law that ll people should be treated equal. They gave African Americans the right to vote and be equals in their communities and states. They also were granted the right to become government officials. Although these laws have been added, discrimination and prejudice still exist in the United States. The NAACP and other organizations have and continue to fight for the rights of African American and other races. Blackradicalcongress. org has a list of originations that promote blacks in our country. These groups give support to African Americans and show the history of their culture. African Americans may carry a heavy burden of slavery from their ancestors, but they have become the staples of our culture. Through their determination our country has changed to make way for new opportunities for us to grow as a Nation. Every man has equal opportunity to make change and live a life without discrimination and prejudice. It takes one person to show the world that change can happen. Let’s make a change. Let’s all live without discrimination and treat everyone as an equal to ourselves. Reference Butler, C.  (2013).  The African-American Experience FROM ENSLAVEMENT TO EMANCIPATION.  Retrieved from http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/african-american-experience/the-african-american.html History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, â€Å"Black Americans in Congress,† http://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/BAIC/Black-Americans-in-Congress/ (July 07, 2013) NAACP: 100 Years of History. (2009-2013). Retrieved from http://www.naacp.org/pages/naacp-history Black Organizations. (). Retrieved from http://www.blackradicalcongress.org/

“Ode to The West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley Essay

I chose the poem Ode to The West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley because I was attracted to the many images Shelley painted in the poem. Nature is a very interesting and powerful force and the way Shelley portrays it in this poem really caught my attention. Shelley also emphasizes the importance of words and their potential impact on a society if shared. This is a concept I found quite intriguing. In my research, I found that when Shelley wrote this poem he was visiting Italy. Throughout the poem, I noticed many references to Italy such as his account of the â€Å"blue Mediterranean† and Baiae’s bay in stanza III. I also noticed a large theme surrounding the topic of death and new life. Shelley wrote this poem shortly after the death of his son. He will often use winter as a metaphor for death. In the last line of the poem he asks for new life by saying â€Å"O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?† He also mentions Heaven in stanzas IV and II, transformi ng the wind into a divine being. When Shelley wrote this Ode he was not only grieving for his son but the lives lost in his home country of England as this was also written shortly after the Peterloo Masacre. Shelley considered himself to be a revolutionary and wanted his words to be spread and make a change. I saw this in the last stanza of the poem when Shelley describes his hopes that his words will be spread throughout the universe â€Å"Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!† He hints at this once again in lines 68 and 69, telling the wind to prophesize his words to â€Å"unawakened Earth†. In the poem Ode to the West Wind, Percy Bysshe Shelley uses imagery, personification, and metaphors to describe the Wind as a fierce and powerful being who has the ability to give or take life. Shelley also has a strong desire to be like the wind so that his words will be spread throughout mankind. Shelley uses imagery in many different ways throughout this poem allowing the reader to activate his or her senses and feel the impact of the wind. When describing the leaves Shelley uses colors like yellow, red, and black to spark the strong feelings within the reader that these colors are often associated with. Yellow might make a reader think of sickness, while black is often associated with death or a dark power. Shelley shows this at the end of Stanza II when he describes the â€Å"Black rain† that will burst open the tomb of the years passed. This gives t he reader an image of sheer power  produced by the Wind. He also uses color to portray a more peaceful setting. In Stanza III Shelley uses blue and azure (often used to describe the blue sky) to depict a sleepy scene by the Mediterranean. Although as the Stanza progresses, Shelley uses gray to transition into a darker image. The reader experiences the image of a beautiful, pure sky quickly being taken over by a more unpleasant, fear inducing gray scene. Shelley’s descriptive language and use of color to provoke emotion in the reader contributes to the overall theme of the poem. Also adding to Shelley’s powerful portrayal of the Wind is his use of personification. Shelley had so much respect for the power and beauty of the Wind that he writes about it as though he is writing about a lover. The reader can observe this right away in the title and the type of poem Shelley has written. Odes are typically written about people therefore Shelley has made a pretty substantial statement about his feelings towards the Wind by writing an Ode to it. Not only does Shelley personify the Wind through the title and structure of the poem, but also in the way he describes it. One example of this can be found in the first line of Stanza I. â€Å"O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being†. T he use of the word â€Å"breath† here is very powerful because it associates the wind with human’s natural necessity to breathe. Shelley once again gives the Wind a human quality at the end of Stanza III when he says, â€Å"the oozy woods†¦ know Thy voice†. Giving the Wind a voice that is recognized and feared contributes to its overall power. This line also provokes the reader to think about the many beautiful sounds of the wind and its unique qualities, just as human voices are unique. Personifying the Wind helps the reader to understand Shelley’s appreciation for it and how powerful he felt the Wind was. To further contribute to his theme, Shelley uses many metaphors throughout his Ode. As mentioned earlier, Shelley mentions death and new life quite often. Stanza IV is the perfect example of Shelley’s use of metaphors to express a dying wish. In the beginning of this Stanza, Shelley uses nature as a metaphor for himself. He tells the Wind that he wishes to be carried away by it but cannot because he is sadly only human. Shelley expresses a sadness of the limitations we have as humans and our inferiority to the Wind in this Stanza as well. In line 54 Shelley gives a metaphor describing human limitations in the form of thorns when he says â€Å"I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!† In the Last two lines of the Stanza Shelley uses a metaphor  to enhance the readers understanding of why he is so infatuated with the Wind. â€Å"A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.† Shelley is expressing his wish to be unbound by limitations that the Wind does not have to experience. The poem Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley uses imagery, personification, and strong metaphors to convey the author’s love for the Wind and his desire to be like it. Shelley wanted his words to change people’s opinions and drive a powerful force, like a strong wind. He admired the Wind’s ability to spread everything around it so quickly. He also admired its power. The reader can feel this sense of admiration and love through Shelley’s writing in this poem.

Music of the Baroque Period

Review Questions 1. What is a symphony? A symphony is an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements, at least one of which is traditionally in sonata form. 2. What is a sonata? How is it related to the sonata form? A sonata is a composition for an instrumental soloist, with piano accompaniment, in several movements with one or more in sonata form. Sonata form is a piece of music in three sections, in ABA form, which are exposition, development, and recapitulation. 3. What is a coda? A coda is pieces at the end of a musical piece that are extended past the capitulation. . What are the three different parts of the sonata form? Describe each part. The first part of sonata from is the exposition. The exposition is where the composer â€Å"exposes† the themes of the music which are the first subject group and the second subject group. The second is the development. The development is the section of the music where the composer builds on the themes that were introduced in the exposition. This is also where the tension in the piece is built up. The recapitulation is the third and final part of the sonata form and it is the exposition is slightly repeated.The tension from the development eases, and the sound is subtle again. 5. What are the three different periods of Beethoven's work? Describe each part. Beethoven's work was organized into the early, the middle and the late periods. The early period was from 1779-1802, and that's when he composed his first and second symphonies. The middle period was from 1803-1814. He experimented with different techniques at that time. The late period was from 1815-1827, and his works reflect the transition into the Romantic period. Critical Thinking Questions 6. What are the characteristics of the music of the Classical period?When referring to the music of the classical period, people think about the Viennese school. Many great composers attended the school, such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beeth oven. The Classical music period was a mix of many different ideas, as everyone was sharing thoughts, and music. 7. How does the music of the Classical period differ from the music of the Baroque period? The music of the baroque period was said to be classified as a period of elaborate music. The music of the Classical period is more â€Å"down to earth† music and sought after beauty rather than complex melodies. Music of the Baroque Period By representatives

Good Night Motel Case

When making his decision, McGregor should consider seriously the negative consequences that his business will experience if he refuses Alward’s offer to fill the motel for the two weekend nights in October, at half the room rate. If McGregor refuses, during that weekend his motel will be at his usual capacity of less than quarter full. With the church group there, paying half the rate, it will be as if the motel were half-full! In addition, if he refuses, McGregor’s reputation in the community will suffer, and he will also lose all future business from Alward’s group and other church groups, at regular price.Consequently, Justin McGregor should accept Alward’s offer but under the following two conditions: one, guest service will be limited so that McGregor can lower his costs; two, this is a special one-time deal that will never happen again for Alward or anyone else. The quantitative factors involved dictate that McGregor should accept Alward’s off er for accommodations for his church group, at half the room rate, for Friday and Saturday, October 26 and 27.According to the facts of the case, pre-2008, from October 16 to May 14, the motel was rarely more than a quarter full at any time while post-2008, the motel’s occupancy rates fell 7 to 15 percent year round. In other words, if McGregor refuses Alward’s offer, during that weekend, the motel will be at its usual capacity of less than quarter full. However, with the church group there, paying half the rate, it will be as if the motel were half-full! Half-full is better than less than a quarter full, so logic dictates that McGregor must accept Alward’s offer.There will be more guests occupying all rooms at half the rate than if there were regular guests paying the regular price and filling fewer than a quarter of the motel’s rooms. However, this fact means that service costs and maintenance cost will be higher with Alward’s group than with reg ular customers. In other words, with the motel being at full capacity, McGregor’s maintenance and cleaning staff will be a lot busier than usual, servicing a motel at full capacity.Paying for the maintenance and cleaning of all rooms at the motel will further decrease the amount of money that McGregor will make from Alward’s group. In other words, in strict quantitative terms, Alward’s offer is a bad idea for McGregor. However, in the small resort community where the motel is located, quantitative factors are not everything. McGregor will suffer all sorts of negative consequences from church groups and other members of the community if he refuses Alward’s offer. Therefore, the prudent thing to do is to accept Alward’s offer with two conditions. The opportunity costIn fact, McGregor should accept Alward’s offer but under the following two conditions: one, guest service will be limited so that McGregor can lower his costs; two, this is a speci al one-time deal that will never happen again for Alward or anyone else. Considering that McGregor and his wife run the motel, which is their source of livelihood, these two conditions are reasonable. In addition, McGregor should make sure to ask Alward to impress upon his church group that the fact they are paying half the regular motel price means that the church group will receive half the regular service!This means that the church group guests must be clean and tidy, and they must not depend on the motel’s maintenance people. In theory, none of this should be a problem, especially with a group of church people, who are supposed to be kind, understanding, cooperative, and so on. In any case, the fact that the church group will stay for only two days means that they most likely won’t make huge messes, so McGregor will not have to pay his cleaning crew to repair. In addition, the church group guests will probably spend most of their time during the day at the church a nd go to the motel mostly to sleep.All these facts are only fair to McGregor, whose livelihood depends on that motel, at a time of a weak national economy. Being â€Å"a good man† (p. 3), Alward must surely understand all these facts. As a result, if I were McGregor, I would respectfully explain all these facts to Alward, appeal to his sense of fairness, and ask for his cooperation. The qualitative factors that McGregor should consider have to do with Grand Bend, which is a small resort community. Refusing to accommodate a church group would bring negative publicity to the Good Night Motel.As a result, McGregor will lose all future business (at regular prices) from Alward’s church group and most likely from other church groups, too. In fact, besides being a good man, Alward is â€Å"well respected in the community† (p. 3). This fact means that McGregor should do all he can to develop a good working relationship with Alward, who will bring more church groups in t he future. If Alward asks for the half-price rate again in the future, McGregor will be in a much better position to refuse.The community people will not be as critical then (in the future, if Alward asks for the half-price deal again) as if they will be if McGregor refuses Alward’s first request. In other words, the resort community is too small for McGregor to decide solely based on the numbers. Reputation is very important in such communities, especially when church people are concerned. They tend to travel and spread the news about which businesses are customer-centered and which are money-centered, to put the matter simply.In general, when making a decision, managers need to consider the opportunity cost, which according to our textbook â€Å"is the sacrifice of the best alternative for a given action. An (accounting) expense is a cost incurred to generate a revenue† (p. 24). Since this is a small town, and the church group will stay for only two days, the opportu nity cost will bring more customers for the future. In addition, managers must consider the marginal cost, which according to our textbook â€Å"is the cost of producing one more unit† (p.28).In terms of cleaning the pool, it will not have an effect since most of the time people will spend in the church, and the only time they will spend in the Good Night Motel is night time only for sleeping purposes. As a result, the only additional cost to accommodate the guess is the cleaning service of the rooms. In addition, McGregor must consider his fixed cost, which is a cost that does not change with an increase or decrease in the amount of goods or services produced.In the final analysis, the fact that Alward is a good man who enjoys the community’s respect and the fact that he works with churches (a central institution in small communities) mean that McGregor can’t afford to refuse to work with Alward. Even if McGregor breaks even, he should still accommodate the chu rch group. If he doesn’t accommodate it, he will suffer all sorts of negative consequences: loss of future business from church groups at regular price, bad publicity in a small resort community, and so on. In other words, the big picture (quantitative factors) is more important in this case. Good Night Motel Case When making his decision, McGregor should consider seriously the negative consequences that his business will experience if he refuses Alward’s offer to fill the motel for the two weekend nights in October, at half the room rate. If McGregor refuses, during that weekend his motel will be at his usual capacity of less than quarter full. With the church group there, paying half the rate, it will be as if the motel were half-full! In addition, if he refuses, McGregor’s reputation in the community will suffer, and he will also lose all future business from Alward’s group and other church groups, at regular price.Consequently, Justin McGregor should accept Alward’s offer but under the following two conditions: one, guest service will be limited so that McGregor can lower his costs; two, this is a special one-time deal that will never happen again for Alward or anyone else. The quantitative factors involved dictate that McGregor should accept Alward’s off er for accommodations for his church group, at half the room rate, for Friday and Saturday, October 26 and 27.According to the facts of the case, pre-2008, from October 16 to May 14, the motel was rarely more than a quarter full at any time while post-2008, the motel’s occupancy rates fell 7 to 15 percent year round. In other words, if McGregor refuses Alward’s offer, during that weekend, the motel will be at its usual capacity of less than quarter full. However, with the church group there, paying half the rate, it will be as if the motel were half-full! Half-full is better than less than a quarter full, so logic dictates that McGregor must accept Alward’s offer.There will be more guests occupying all rooms at half the rate than if there were regular guests paying the regular price and filling fewer than a quarter of the motel’s rooms. However, this fact means that service costs and maintenance cost will be higher with Alward’s group than with reg ular customers. In other words, with the motel being at full capacity, McGregor’s maintenance and cleaning staff will be a lot busier than usual, servicing a motel at full capacity.Paying for the maintenance and cleaning of all rooms at the motel will further decrease the amount of money that McGregor will make from Alward’s group. In other words, in strict quantitative terms, Alward’s offer is a bad idea for McGregor. However, in the small resort community where the motel is located, quantitative factors are not everything. McGregor will suffer all sorts of negative consequences from church groups and other members of the community if he refuses Alward’s offer. Therefore, the prudent thing to do is to accept Alward’s offer with two conditions. The opportunity costIn fact, McGregor should accept Alward’s offer but under the following two conditions: one, guest service will be limited so that McGregor can lower his costs; two, this is a speci al one-time deal that will never happen again for Alward or anyone else. Considering that McGregor and his wife run the motel, which is their source of livelihood, these two conditions are reasonable. In addition, McGregor should make sure to ask Alward to impress upon his church group that the fact they are paying half the regular motel price means that the church group will receive half the regular service!This means that the church group guests must be clean and tidy, and they must not depend on the motel’s maintenance people. In theory, none of this should be a problem, especially with a group of church people, who are supposed to be kind, understanding, cooperative, and so on. In any case, the fact that the church group will stay for only two days means that they most likely won’t make huge messes, so McGregor will not have to pay his cleaning crew to repair. In addition, the church group guests will probably spend most of their time during the day at the church a nd go to the motel mostly to sleep.All these facts are only fair to McGregor, whose livelihood depends on that motel, at a time of a weak national economy. Being â€Å"a good man† (p. 3), Alward must surely understand all these facts. As a result, if I were McGregor, I would respectfully explain all these facts to Alward, appeal to his sense of fairness, and ask for his cooperation. The qualitative factors that McGregor should consider have to do with Grand Bend, which is a small resort community. Refusing to accommodate a church group would bring negative publicity to the Good Night Motel.As a result, McGregor will lose all future business (at regular prices) from Alward’s church group and most likely from other church groups, too. In fact, besides being a good man, Alward is â€Å"well respected in the community† (p. 3). This fact means that McGregor should do all he can to develop a good working relationship with Alward, who will bring more church groups in t he future. If Alward asks for the half-price rate again in the future, McGregor will be in a much better position to refuse.The community people will not be as critical then (in the future, if Alward asks for the half-price deal again) as if they will be if McGregor refuses Alward’s first request. In other words, the resort community is too small for McGregor to decide solely based on the numbers. Reputation is very important in such communities, especially when church people are concerned. They tend to travel and spread the news about which businesses are customer-centered and which are money-centered, to put the matter simply.In general, when making a decision, managers need to consider the opportunity cost, which according to our textbook â€Å"is the sacrifice of the best alternative for a given action. An (accounting) expense is a cost incurred to generate a revenue† (p. 24). Since this is a small town, and the church group will stay for only two days, the opportu nity cost will bring more customers for the future. In addition, managers must consider the marginal cost, which according to our textbook â€Å"is the cost of producing one more unit† (p.28).In terms of cleaning the pool, it will not have an effect since most of the time people will spend in the church, and the only time they will spend in the Good Night Motel is night time only for sleeping purposes. As a result, the only additional cost to accommodate the guess is the cleaning service of the rooms. In addition, McGregor must consider his fixed cost, which is a cost that does not change with an increase or decrease in the amount of goods or services produced.In the final analysis, the fact that Alward is a good man who enjoys the community’s respect and the fact that he works with churches (a central institution in small communities) mean that McGregor can’t afford to refuse to work with Alward. Even if McGregor breaks even, he should still accommodate the chu rch group. If he doesn’t accommodate it, he will suffer all sorts of negative consequences: loss of future business from church groups at regular price, bad publicity in a small resort community, and so on. In other words, the big picture (quantitative factors) is more important in this case. Addendum (Computations) 30 rooms 25% occupancy 8 rooms at $80$640 The rest 22 room at $40 per room22 rooms at $ 40$880 Total Revenue$1520 Additional cleaning Expense ( student Help)2 days 10 hour at $10/hour $200.00 Cleaning and laundry supply $12,070.00 Maintenance supply and expense $11,890.00 Utility including Internet $74,850.00 Total Variable cost per year $98,810.00 Per day $270.71 For two days $541.42 $541.42 Total additional variable cost $741.42 The revenue from the church guests is $880, and additional variable costs associated with accommodations is an extra $741.42.

Business And Cultural Environment Of Syria Economics Essay

Business And Cultural Environment Of Syria Economics Essay Syria (officially the Syrian Arab Republic) is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Syria has been governed by the Baath Party since 1963, although actual power is concentrated to the presidency and a narrow grouping of military and political strongmen (Wikipedia, 2010). Moreover, the nature in Syria is distinctly diversified. It contains seashores, mountains, forests, dessert, rivers, caves, natural and artificial lakes, and a lot summer resorts. All this along with the diversity in the antiques, the ancient cities with its markets, khans and old domiciles, the handicrafts and the traditional industries contribute to formulate a unique attracting compound tourism product. Analysis of Syria Business Environment Cultural Environment in Syria Languages Arabic is the official language, spoken by 89% of the population, while 6% speak Kurdish, 3% Armenia n and 2% other languages. Otherwise, English and French are spoken in business circles (Arabic German Consulting, 1999). Ethnic groups Syrians are an overall indigenous Levantine people, closely related to their immediate neighbors such as Lebanses, Palestinians, and Jordanians. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history; they are in fact largely a blend of the various Aramaic speaking Syriac groups indigenous to the region who were Arabized when Muslim. Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula arrived and settled following the Arab expansion. Religions The overwhelming majority of the Syrian population is Sunni Muslim. Other Muslims which include: Ismailis, Shiites, and Alawites. Of the non-Muslims in Syria, most are Christians, primarily Greek and Armenian Orthodox. Religious minorities include Druze, who follows a religion related to Islam, and a community of approximately 1000 Jews. Syria has 70% Sunni Muslim, 12% Christians (almost is Orthodox and Greek Catholic) and 18% other minority groups including Jews and Druzes (Arabic German Consulting, 1999). Syria Culture Syria is a traditional society with a long cultural history. Importance is placed on family, religion, education and self discipline and respect. The Syrian’s taste for the traditional arts is expressed in dancing such as the al-Samah, the Dabkeh in all their variations and the sword dance. Marriage ceremonies and the birth of children are occasions for the lively demonstration of folk customs (Advameg, Inc., 2010). Traditional Houses of the Old Cities in Damascus, Aleppo and the other Syrian cities are preserved and traditionally the living quarters are arranged around one or more courtyards, typically with a fountain in the middle supplied by spring water, and decorated with citrus trees, grape vines, and flowers. Political and Legal Environment in Syria The Syria government hopes to attract new investme nt in the tourism, natural gas, and service sectors to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil and agriculture. Syria has begun to institute economic reforms aimed at liberalizing most markets, but reform thus far has been slow and ad hoc. For ideological reasons, privatization of government enterprises is still not widespread, but is in its initial stage for port operations, power generation, and air transport. Almost sectors are open for private investment except for cotton mills, land telecommunications, and bottled water.

Discuss the role that governments have played in the development of Essay

Discuss the role that governments have played in the development of the Australian system of employment relations since 1980 - Essay Example Therefore, a sound employment relations system should create a favourable environment that is ideal for achieving maximum economic efficiency, motivation, productivity, employee development, and enhancing employee loyalty (Lewis, et al., 2003, p. 7). There are three main parties that make up the employment relations systems: employers, employees and the government. Employers have certain rights that are provided by their state labour laws. The main employer right is the ability to hire and fire employees. They also have a right to relocate, close or enter into collaboration with their company of choice. Moreover, employers have the right to introduce new technologies within the work place. Rights exercised by the employer may to some extent affect the employees adversely (Gardner, 1997, p. 6). Employees always aim at getting the best terms and conditions of employment from their employers. This process involves sharing their opinions with the management and also airing their grievanc es. Employees also use trade unions to fight for the right to take part in decision making at their workplace. Workers unions serve the purpose of presenting concerns of workers to the management, and they are as a result of workers uniting together against their employers (Gardner, 1997, p. 7). State and central government are particularly crucial in influencing and regulating employment relations through rules, laws, memorandums, and issuance of awards. Government includes tribunal courts, third parties and labour institution within the government (Gardner, 1997, p. 9). The three main parties in the employment system have their own representative bodies, which work on behalf of the entire party. Employers are represented by employers associations, employees by trade unions while the government is represented by the courts and tribunals such as Fair Work Australia (Forsyth and Stewart 2009, p. 4). The scope of employment relations is extremely wide, and there are five main issues c overed under the employment relations scope. These issues include collective bargaining, mechanisms for settling employment disputes, standing orders, involvement of workers in decision making process, and unfair labour practices (Rose, 2008, p. 11). Employers should be in the forefront in ensuring that there is a strong and healthy relationship between them and their employees. These excellent relationships can only be achieved through employment relations programs that are vital in the development of a motivated, competent, and loyal team of employees. This team can only be achieved through a well structured employment relations program that focuses on employee training, employee surveys, employee reward and recognition, and employee appraisal. Moreover, the program should focus on proper conflict resolution mechanism and hiring of most suitable workers (Lewis, et al., 2003, p. 27). Employment relations systems from various countries around the world operate in different styles, b ut the main aim is to maintain a healthy relationship between all the parties involved. Governments have contributed immensely in the creation of ideal working environments for the citizens. The Australian government is one such