Strictly Ballroom Belonging

Belonging or not belonging is the feeling of being included or excluded by a certain group, person, place or community. This is conveyed very well in the film â€Å"strictly ballroom† produced by Baz Luhrmen and the picture book â€Å"The Sneetches† by Dr suess. In stictly ballroom, this concept is primarily conveyed by Scott Hastings struggle with the dance community to find where he truly belongs. In ‘The Sneetches is refers to the group belonging of the two seperate types of sneetches and their journey to belong as a community and individually. In â€Å"Strictly Ballroom† the beginning scenes of the film Baz established the conventional, elegant atmosphere of the ballroom dancing world. Using a combination of techniques such as graceful music, the traditional â€Å"blue Danube†, the silhouette and highly illuminated shots of the dancers waltzing, dressing in exaggerated and ostentatious costumes, hair and make-up along with big cheesy smile and facial expressions as they dance gracefully around the floor. However, the sense of community and belonging is soon fractured as it switches to a shot of Shirley screaming â€Å"Come on team 100!†. Scott and Liz become blocked in by another dance couple and Scott chooses to dance his own steps to escape, deviating from the usual steps that the judges are programmed to. The reaction of the judges and audience shows that Scott's actions were not excepted by the federation. Barry fife leans over to Lez and mutters â€Å"what the hell is going on here?† representing the shock of the judges. The restrictive and competitive nature of the â€Å"strictly ballroom† world is further shown by Barry Fife, the president of the dance federation who is conveyed as an ugly, evil man ruling the dance community. His irrational and controlling nature is emphasised in the scene of the first competition here we see there is no true loyalty or belonging because when Ken and Pam cheat and block out Scott and Liz in the corner they are rewarded and are still given first place. Clearly conveying that the individual or group who wishes to belong to this specific world must be prepared to follow orders and conform to their rules. To find a true sense of belonging within a set world, one must have the courage to stay true to themselves. The protagonists in this film Scott and Fran gradually challenge and redefine the order of this community. Scott â€Å"the up and coming star† of the ballroom world becomes frustrated with only dancing the old traditional steps and wants permission to introduce his own kind of steps. In the illustrated story ‘The Sneetches' illustrated and written by Dr. Suess he demonstrates individuals within a group desperately seeking approval of another group they are made to believe are more elite. Not belonging may not be a permanent state. Doug, Scott's father is portrayed as a very quiet charter who rarely speaks. He is often seen in the dance studio improvising his movements, which is similar to what Scott did earlier on in the film. However he is often captured through a high angle shot and very limited lighting making it appear as though the audience is secretly overlooking his dancing which no one is meant to see. This image suggests that he too wants to express his passion through dance, but he can only do it in the dark alone as if he is too afraid of confronting those who oppose it. The darkness around Doug lets him express himself as an individual and shed his previous conformed life. This is clearly conveying the main idea, that it is very important to belong but only if an individual can first belong to oneself.

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2006 Essay

Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola have a long history of intense competition since 1950. Besides the CSD (carbonated soft drink) consumption rise, it brought both Coke and Pepsi enjoyed significant revenue growth. In 2004, CSD has 52.3% of total US Liquid Consumption. Coke and Pepsi had 22.1% and 14.4% in Net profit/sales respectively. There are four major participants involved in the production and distribution of CSDs: 1. Concentrate Producers (Coke, Pepsi, and others)). They blended raw material ingredients, packaged the mixture, and shipped to the bottlers. They have large number of employees located in bottler site to support sales efforts, set standards, and suggest operational improvements. They negotiated with the bottlers’ suppliers to achieve reliable supply, fast delivery, and low prices. 2. Bottlers (CCE, PBG, and others). They purchased concentrate, added carbonated water and sweetener, bottled or canned the product, and delivered it to customers. The number of bottlers had fallen from more than 2000 in 1970 to fewer than 300 in 2004, especially after Coke and Pepsi did bottler consolidation and spin-off as part of plan to refranchise bottling operation. Coke built Coca-Cola Enterprise (CCE) and Pepsi formed Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) as their main bottlers. 3. Retail Channels. They consist of supermarket (32.9%), fountain machines (23.4%), vending machines (14.5%), mass merchandisers (11.8%), convenience stores and gas stations (7.9%), and others (9.5%). Pepsi focused on sales through retail outlets, and Coke dominated fountain sales. Both Coke and Pepsi entered fast-food restaurant business in order to have exclusive sales territory on the restaurant chains. 4. Suppliers. Concentrate producers needs caramel coloring, phosphoric/citric acid, natural flavors, and caffeine from suppliers. Bottlers also need to purchase packaging (cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles), and sweeteners. Coke and Pepsi establish stable long-term relationships with their suppliers and their bottlers’ suppliers. Chronology of the Cola Wars: * 1950s: Pepsi introduced â€Å"Beat Coke† motto. Pepsi introduced 26-ounce bottle, targeting family consumption. Coke stayed with its 6.5-ounce bottle. * 1960s: Pepsi launched new slogan, â€Å"Pepsi Generation†. By focusing on the younger population Pepsi narrowed Coke’s lead to a 2-to-1 margin. Pepsi had larger and more modern bottling facilities. Both groups started adding new soft drink brands. * 1970s: Pepsi Challenge: Starting in Texas, Pepsi’s bottlers had public blind taste tests to prove that Pepsi tasted better. This marking stunt increased sales significantly. Pepsi gained a 1.4 points lead in food store leads. Coke countered with rebates and renegotiations with franchise bottlers. Coke response by cutting costs (used corn syrup instead of sugar), doubling advertising spending, and selling off most non-CSD business. Diet Coke was introduced to become a phenomenal success. Coke tried to be innovative by changing its formula, but that failed miserably. Coke introduced 11 new products. Pepsi introduced 13 new products. Pepsi emulated most of Coke’s strategic moves. * 1980s: Coke did refranchising bottling operation and created independent bottling subsidiary, Coca-Cola Enterprise (CCE). Pepsi implemented similar anchor bottler model by forming its bottler, Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG). * 1990s: Soft drink industry faced new challenge on stagnant demand. * 2000s: Although Coke and Pepsi encountered obstacle in international operations, including antitrust regulation, price controls, advertising restrictions, foreign exchange control, lack of infrastructure, cultural differences, political instability and local competition, Coke enjoyed a world market share of 51.4% and Pepsi 21.8%. Coke and Pepsi have been very successful and profitable due to their dominance in the soft drink market. In 2004, the Herfindahl Index (HHI) for market concentration ratio is 0.3130. H = (Coke)2 + (Pepsi)2 + (Cadbury)2 + (Cott)2 + (Others)2 = (.431)2 + (.317)2 + (.145)2 + (.55)2 + (.52)2 = 0.3130 This index indicates high concentration with one or two strong players only. Soft drink industry has been so profitable because Americans drink more soda than other beverage. Head-to-head competition between both Coke and Pepsi reinforce brand recognition of each other. Coke and Pepsi devoted spending on marketing, advertisement, innovation, and market expansion. It is a unique industry where Concentrate Producers and Bottlers are two different entities. Concentrate manufacturing process involved little capital investment in machinery, overhead, and labor. Other significant costs were for advertising, promotion, market research, and bottler relations. One plant could serve entire United States. In the other side, the bottling process was capital-intensive and involved high-speed production line. Bottlers also invested in trucks and distribution networks. Bottlers handled merchandising. Bottler’s could also work with other non-cola brands. From the financial data of Coke, Pepsi, CCE, and PBG, concentrate producers are far more profitable than their bottlers. The colossal war between Coke and Pepsi really affected the soft drink industry. It shaped the industry into what it is now. The fact that those two major players has involved in the competition since the very beginning (1950s) is the advantage for them to keep dominating the market and gain brand popularity in US market and international market. Since 1990s, Coke and Pepsi faced new challenge on flattening demand, banned the sales in some US schools, and obstacles in their international operations (regulatory challenges, cultural and any existing competition). Popularity of non-carbonated beverages has also increased. But Coke can Pepsi can sustain their profits in the industry because they are still dominant (no new threats from new competition, no new significant competitors), they have been in the industry long enough to place their brand recognized globally (easy to diversify new product by leveraging their brand), globalization has opened opportunity for them to expand their international market (especially in emerging economies), potential to growth is still high in the emerging market (consumption is still low), and they have diversified into non-carbonated drinks as well as â€Å"diet† drinks (less sugar or zero sugar beverages). In my opinion, Coke and Pepsi need to focus on emerging international market and focus on the innovation to create new products as alternative (non-carbonated, diet, and healthier).

Argo - the Movie (DO not summarize the plot) Review

Argo - the (DO not summarize the plot) - Movie Review Example The movie Argo explores several themes relating to the foreign policy of America in other countries. These themes include the role of the CIA, Hollywood and the tensions in Iran (Brown n.p). The main predominant theme that runs throughout the movie is an attempt by Ben Affleck to present the America’s perspectives on the Iranian revolution. Most of the Iranians perceive films produced in foreign countries with a lot of negativity and resentment. Most of the films and media productions aired on the Iranian media attempt to explore the themes of cold war and psychologically induced warfare. Based on these themes, most of the films and movies produced by Americans are perceived by the Iranian’s as a lack of cultural heritage but rather an attempt by America to use art to spread their political propaganda. By pursuing a sympathetic theme in his movie, Ben Affleck simply reinforces the suspicions that Iranian’s have always harbored regarding the motive and intent of t he rescue mission (Brown n.p). Ben Affleck takes a revolutionary approach in directing the movie. He pursues the psychological warfare theme by exploring issues that have historical and political bearing. The movie begins with a scene in which the USA diplomats are condemning Mohhammad Reza Pahlavi. This calls for a critical review and analysis of the historical and political interest of the US in the Iranian revolution, especially through its foreign policy. In another scene, we witness the Americans bullying the Iranians in the US amidst the crisis. What the movie does is to present the Americans as authoritative and the Iranians as underdogs. It simply illustrates how the Americans employed their foreign policy to humiliate the immigrant Iranian’s on the US soil and even so to undermine them on their own Iranian soil. The movie Argo therefore manages to bring out the strained relationship between Iran and the US while portraying the Iranian’s as sympathetic victims of the US

How the Metropolol Works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How the Metropolol Works - Essay Example The essay "How the Metropolol Works" presents the overview of a medication form that is applied in the treatment of diseases and ailments affecting the cardiovascular system. The drug Metropolol can be administered in two forms which may result in instant response since it is injected directly into the blood and that which does not yield instant response in the body. The medical formulation can be used on it or in a mixture with other medicines in order to contain high blood pressure. It is further used in the treatment of angina which is a condition in which a patient experiences severe chest pain due to stress. The condition is heightened by a low flow of blood especially through the blood vessel situated in the heart. The medication increases the chances of survival after a person has experienced a heart attack. It is important to understand that Metropolol operates in the body by causing relaxation of the blood vessels as well as lowering the heart rate in order to improve the flow of blood. The medication can be used in the prevention of a migraine from starting or when it attacks. A migraine is defined as a recurrent and throbbing form of a headache that attacks only one side of the head which is usually accompanied by nausea as well as disturbed vision. Under higher dosage, the medication can lead to drowsiness, diarrhea, dizziness, unusual fatigue, difficulty in sleep, depression, the problem with vision as well as ataxia which is defined by a lack of proper coordination of the movements of the muscles.

Role of community nurse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Role of community nurse - Assignment Example This paper will discuss the roles of community nurses. Communities have unique health needs and require nurses who can disseminate relevant health information to different target groups in the community. Community nurses have been playing this role by interacting with different target populations in a community and providing them with relevant information and knowledge concerning different health issues, through the interactions with community members, community nurses assess and evaluate the health needs of the community members. Therefore, they are in a better position to offer the relevant advice and design intervention strategies in an effort to promote the health of the community. Community nurses engage in an active process of assessing health risks in a community and designing empowerment programs that can help communities address the health risks. Community nurses ensure that all the community members receive the healthcare they deserve in conformity to their needs (Hitchcock, Schubert, & Thomas, 2003). Most importantly, communi ty nurses have the opportunity to offer holistic care to the community because they interact with different individuals within their homes. Some specific activities carried out by the community nurses include the provision of support for patients with different conditions at home. Community nurses help patients take care of themselves and empower their carers as well. They help patients with practical guidelines on diet, lifestyle, and different types of medication. They help patients manage terminal illnesses without the admission into a hospital. Many people with terminal illnesses require emotional support and constant healthcare, especially in the last days of their lives. Community nurses help such patients by providing the reassurance they need to face each day. In other cases, community nurses

The Rising Cost of Benefits in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rising Cost of Benefits in America - Essay Example Historical View Although the costs of healthcare have consistently risen over the last twenty years, the recent increases pale in comparison to tremendous spikes during the 1980s. According to Weatherly (2004), â€Å"[p]er capita health care spending increased by 156% from 1980 to 1990, while spending from 1990 to 2000 increased by less than half that amount† (p. 2). It seems strategies have changed today, from the 1980s, when employers absorbed a vast majority of cost increases. The recession of 1991 set employers back, yet health maintenance organizations (HMOs) had a stronger presence, providing economic relief to a certain extent. During that period, HMOs are reported as being a major factor in the decelerated rising costs. Today, employers are faced with a once more weakened economy and steep costs associated with providing benefits. The present difference is the extreme competition within many industries, which makes it hard for organizations to pass costs onto their cus tomers. Consequently, the employee responsibility is increasing, causing them to absorb more of the cost, reducing their overall income (Weatherly, 2004). ... Major consulting groups, the mass media, and healthcare experts have expressed similar research findings; according to Weatherly (2004), â€Å"health care costs are a critical or significant concern to the overwhelming majority of CEOs, Chief Human Resource Officers (CHROs) and other business leaders† (p. 2). Weatherly (2004) reports on surveys conducted among HR leaders and healthcare experts throughout the country, which convey a single ideology—employees and employers, when working together, can reduce the cost of healthcare. Specifically, â€Å"depending on the specific health care specialty area, between 83% and 96% of employers believe that employer and consumer decisions can have a significant or moderate impact on cost† (Weatherly, 2004, p. 2). Healthcare benefits have been the topic of heated discussion in recent months. Many Americans have voiced concern over the dire situation that the country is currently facing. Weatherly (2004) estimates organizatio ns spend $300 billion each year on providing health insurance for current employees, their dependents, and retired employees. Until 2011, a majority of employers did little to reduce benefit plan coverage and counteract the rising costs. As of 2004, plans offered by employers were relatively stable. Innovative benefit strategies and revamps of overall design were rare to non-existent (Weatherly, 2004). Innovative Strategies Recent reports by HR leaders to assist in offsetting the rapid increase in costs include premium cost shifting from employers to employees, raised deductibles, prescription programs (generic and mail-order), and increased cost-sharing with patients. As mentioned, healthcare costs are expected to climb another 8.9 percent in 2011 and experts expect annual increases into the near future

Situational Analysis and Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Situational Analysis and Discussion - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to the company culture that was evidenced, the shareholder could have expressed a greater degree of tact and appreciation for the means by which Mr Majid understood his role within the organization and carefully guarded over any and all sectors he had purview over (Meyer 1998). Although Mr Majid’s response to the new employee’s job function and tactics was overstated and outright narrow-minded, the fact of the matter was that Mr Majid was still a more senior shareholder at the firm and as such commanded a modicum of deference with regards to the means by which the new employee sought to present the changes he had been tasked with to him. Secondly, and perhaps just as important, the student could have utilized the data in a more effective manner. As a function of the study that was being undertaken and the level of valuable customer service data that was being gleaned by the student and his six employees, management could have been effectively brief ed with this information and possibly convinced of its overall importance with respect to increasing profitability within the firm. Instead, the shareholder became somewhat, reasonably, combative with regards to the way in which Mr Majid felt regarding the ongoing efforts in which the student was engaged. Instead, the situation rapidly escalated with Mr Masjid coming to the conclusion that the student was of little value in his current role and the student coming to the conclusion that Mr Masjid, although having worked at the firm for a number of years... Masjid, although having worked at the firm for a number of years understood little with regards to how proper management should be effected. Finally, the reader can come away with an understanding of how proper protocol was followed on the part of the student with relation to how he ultimately went to the Human Resources director as a means of seeking to mediate the ongoing dispute between himself and Mr. Masjid. Although it is tempting in many situations to escalate on one’s own terms, knowing when to turn aside and seek to expert counsel of a third party that can hope to mediate the crisis is an invaluable skill that usually takes people many years to develop. However, as the case proved, once the initial run-in with Mr. Masjid occurred, the student was quick to seek out the expert guidance and counsel of the Human Resources director in an effort to ameliorate the situation (Sharpe, 2012). Consulting Questions and Recommendations: In order to provide some useful prioritizati ons to the student with regards to what a good course of action could have been to pursue within the given situation which has been defined, it is the belief of this reviewer that such a level of recommended actions can be summed up in the following: providing metricized understandings of the scope and benefits of the project to Mr. Masjid and fellow management rather than coming to a disagreement over the value of the work performed, the shareholder could have integrated with Mr. Masjid in a more respectful manner, and/or the shareholder could have sought to make it apparent that he was operating on the express wishes of the manager that had gone on vacation. Although the situation may not have turned

Indian Self Determination Act 1975 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Indian Self Determination Act 1975 - Essay Example (Indian Country Today 2005). At different times they ranged from extremes of conservative ideology (termination) to liberal (trust status bureaucracy) making it almost impossible for Indian community leaders to adequately plan and execute successful strategies. This Act promised a more Indian driven approach of self-determination to enhance the stability and improvement of social and economic conditions for the Indian people.. Within federal law it provided for maximum participation for Indians in their own governance and education. Certainly economically the policy has proven to be a success since in the 90s Indian per capita income has risen 33 percent compared to the national US rate of 11 percent. However, in 2000 per capita income was still less than half of the US average. Nevertheless in the last decade of the 20th century there was a striking improvement in education and housing as well as income. Although Indian per capita income gained 49 percent in the 1970s, this was prim arily due to government grants, which have been decimated by subsequent administrations. This source of income has been replaced by Indian generated made possible by the above Act and subsequent legislation such as the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Effect of the Act After the Indian Self Determination Act of 1975 some tribes took advantage of the later Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to set up profitable gaming facilities such as bingo halls. Therefore some people assume that improved Indian economic conditions were due to the advent of the gaming operations. However other tribes such as the Navajo also improved their economic prospects without going into gaming (Indian Country Today 2005) Therefore, I submit increased Indian prosperity was due fundamentally to the enabling 1975 legislation, and the operation of gaming facilities was only one of many paths to this increased prosperity. Even before the 1975 Act the first contemporary Indian controlled school was established by the Navajo in 1966 as a departure from the assimilation model to one in which education was based on their own cultural and linguistic needs (Tippeconnic 2000). The success of this educational initiative formed the blueprint for the 1975 Act giving similar rights to all tribes and was as important as the concurrent gaining of land, water and governance rights. The advent of Indian controlled schools has resulted in improved academic achievement, lower drop out rates and more students succeeding at the post secondary level. Indian schools without federal funding naturally have the greatest control over their curriculum, but of course more limited resources. While the 1975 Act promotes a policy of Indian self-determination, some communities still resent this and feel Indians must assimilate into the dominant culture. Also, although the 1975 Act was intended to give Indians a great degree of self-determination, they are still subject to federal legal jurisdiction even for local issues. For example, a Navajo Supreme Court ruled in about 2000 that it lacked jurisdiction in an employment case because the school board involved was funded with grants from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.(Tohtsin 2001) Therefore any suit against the school board must be brought in federal court rather than the Navajo Supreme Court. Conclusion In spite of those people including some politicians, who feel that Indians should abandon their own culture and

Importance of heroism and glory in the Iliad and in the Aeneid Essay

Importance of heroism and glory in the Iliad and in the Aeneid - Essay Example Heroism can be defined by actions that require bravery, nobility, and often sacrifice. Heroism is exemplified by the character of Achilles in The Illiad. Achilles is a great warrior who also reveals deep emotional complexities for the events that take place in the story. Foley defines the Greek hero as being unseasonable, either negatively or positively extreme and antagonistic towards the god who has the most similar characteristic to the hero (87). Achilles follows all three of these categories, including the last in his antagonism towards the god Apollo, with whom he shares not only character attributes, but similarities in physical appearance (Foley 88). The role of heroism, however, played an important part in culture for both the Greeks and the Romans as it represented the beginnings of the notion of salvation. The stories of Greek and Roman gods portrayed some of the worst characteristics in humanity, but often it was the hero who redeemed the nature of man kind by his actions (Progress 343). Glory can be defined by exaltation of its subject matter. In the case of The Aenid, the glory of Rome is justified through the exalted nature of the emotional context of the actions within the poem. The intent was to glorify the community of Rome, thus bring unity.