Carpet-Weavers Morocco - Journal Assignment Essay Example for Free

Carpet-Weavers Morocco Journal Assignment Essay Im sure that all of you have at least heard of, if not seen the famous carpets of Morocco. You must have also heard things like, What fine craftsmanship!, What fabulous designs and prints!, What a work of art! or What fine skill!, from people who purchase these carpets for huge sums of money for the various purposes such as praying, decoration etc. But have you ever taken a moment to think, of the origin of these carpets, of the person who sits up day and night weaving these carpets which are sold for thousands, but what does he get out of this and so on, well if not, then Im sure that after reading this, all these questions will be answered. In case you didnt know, Morocco is a relatively poor country and most of the carpets woven there, are all hand-made and are woven by children, children like me who are forced to weave due to unfortunate circumstances. Like me there are hundreds of others who have to live the same unfortunate lives for the same reasons. Let me give you a brief outline of what it is like to be a carpet weaver. Firstly, you have to wake up at five in the morning and get dressed. Everybody is allowed is five minutes in the showers, which is just about enough because the water is ice cold and it takes you just that long to g et used to the temperature of the water. After that, we have a so-called breakfast, if thats what you would call it, which is absolutely tasteless and seems stale. After that, we immediately get to work and start weaving. Thread by thread and knot by knot, we have to be really careful and focused, and should there be any mistake, we can hope not to see the sun for a couple of days, at minimum that is! We have to work constantly until ten at night, when we quickly eat dinner, which is just as bad as breakfast, if not worse and then go to sleep, hoping that tomorrow will be a better day and we will be freed from this life of misery, but then, every morning, it starts all over again, the same torture, the same shouting voices of the slave drivers and the same miserable life. You might wonder, what may lead one to have to live such a life at such a small age, the answer lies deep within our backgrounds and circumstances. Ive been weaving ever since I was seven years old, till today, when Im thirteen. Before this, I used to live with my family, we werent so rich but we were surviving. There were six of us, me, my two brothers, my sister and my parents. All of us used to go to a small school in the nearby village. My mother was a vegetable seller and my father was a drunkard who had a small job at a toothpaste factory. Then one day, due to excessive intake of alcohol, he passed away. His death really didnt make much of a difference, as he was no good anyway, but still, we were slightly affected financially. Then one day, a rich merchant came to our village, and started offering all the children jobs and promised that he would pay us huge sums of money, if we worked at his factory. Without thinking twice, I took the job and I was taken away to a far away place to work at his factories. Had I known what lay ahead, I would have never gone with him, but at the time, we needed money and I felt that this was the best opportunity. We were immediately taken away to a deserted and remote area where there was no way of contacting anyone. We were told to do as he said, and our families would be kept happy. I never the money that had been promised, instead, all I got was a gloomy place to work, eat and sleep, the merchant kept on telling me that he was sending my family the promised money, but after knowing the reality of this place, I doubt my family ever saw a fraction of what was promised, and I also doubt that they are alive right now. As you clearly saw, I was tricked into working here and once I was in, there was no way out; I had no choice but to work at the factory, because the merchant said that there was no place to go from here and if anyone tried, they would be killed. The first of my days here were very hard, when I first started learning how to weave, I made many mistakes, but quickly learnt and became perfect. Everyday here is like hell, maybe worse. How I long to outside and play like a normal child. I want to go to school and learn and become someone and do good for humanity, but instead, my life is wasted here, weaving carpets forever. I feel pity for the younger children who have just arrived. They all seem really scared as they are very young and have no idea of whats going on and what their lives are about to become. We have to toil hard and work till late at night and finish at least three carpets in five days, or else we dont get dinner. You have to really focus all your attention into the weaving and sometimes we get so lost into the weaving, that we lose track of time; its as if, were in another world, much different from this one and that helps to focus more and eases the pain a bit. When weaving, you have to be very careful, for just the slightest mistake could ruin the entire carpet. I feel I have become like a pale shadow of my former self, before, I was carefree and happy with my family, but now, I feel scared and I am uncertain about my future; I dont know what will happen to me after the merchant finds no use of me, or will I spend my entire life here just sitting and weaving? There are hundreds of unanswered questions and queries in my mind and Im sure that most of us feel the same way as me scared and uncertain. Everyday is a struggle and every minute is torture. We arent allowed to talk or stop working and if we do, the slave drivers shout at us and sometimes even whip us and theres nothing we can do, for we have no choice as nobody knows of the merchants tyranny and more importantly, nobody cares. At night, when I lie down on the hard and cold floor and try to sleep, I pray and hope that tomorrow will be something else, something better, but it never happens, everyday is the same, hell. I sometimes wonder, the cruel merchant exploits lots of children every week and brings them here and makes them weave carpets. He then sells them for thousands, while all we get are a few scraps in the name of food. He commits such horrible sins and yet enjoys his riches and lives lavishly, while we have toil and struggle; I ask myself, What have we done to have to suffer such a life of suffering and misery? Why wont God answer our prayers? Where is he? Why does the merchant enjoy his life to the fullest extent? Is this the justice of God? Has evil truly oppressed good? Why?, Why?. But, I soon realize that there is no point in asking these meaningless questions, because the merchant will still get richer, while we suffer. I feel that the government should do something about this and so should the people who buy these carpets for thousands, they should think of us and how we are suffering. The merchant is exploiting us and using us as an unpaid workforce; he is abusing our rights and we are suffering. He has to be stopped from his exploitation at any cost because this way millions of children are separated from their families and are sent to far away lands to live a life worse than hell. The so-called Human Rights Organization, should do something to free us from this prison. But then again, I doubt that anything will happen. Some people might set out to do some investigations, but they will probably give up or be bribed by the extremely rich merchant, a case will be filed and will keep on circling the government departments and will soon be forgotten underneath a huge pile of papers, while we will continue to live in this hell

Characteristics of Dolphins Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Paper

Characteristics of Dolphins The majority of small tooth whales are called dolphins.   â€Å"Dolphins are mammals of the order Cetacean and the families Plantanistidae and Delphinidae and include about 50 species† (Internet 1).   Most dolphin species are about 6 feet in length, the males averaging 4 to 8 inches longer than females. The longest dolphin, the bottle-nose dolphin, can reach over nine-feet in length and weight up to 440 pounds. The smallest dolphin species is the buffalo which is found in the Amazon River. The Buffalo dolphin rarely grows over 3.9 feet or weighs more than 66 pounds. A dolphin’s diet consists mainly of herring, mackerel, and sardines. â€Å"Some species however, prefer squid, shrimp and other crustacean† (Gygax 585). The average amount of fish ingested is estimated at about 66 pounds a day for an individual dolphin about 8.2 feet and 220 pounds. The body of a dolphin is sleek, smooth and hairless, making the skin rubbery to the touch.   Most species have jaws that protrude into a beak like snout.   â€Å"Above the upper jaw is a large mass of fat and oil-containing tissue forming the so-called "melon" that looks much like a bulging forehead† (Internet 1). The dorsal fin on the mid-back of the dolphin contains the skeletal remnants of five digits that form the flippers. Dolphins use the dorsal fin primarily as stabilizers, although occasionally in an oar like fashion.   The dorsal fin is formed from subcutaneous dermal tissue and is not movable by muscle action.   The hind flippers consist of a pair of small pelvic bones, deeply embedded in the connective tissue at the base of the tail.   The caudal, or tail, fin is also primarily dermal in origin, rather than skeletal, and con... ... the rough-toothed Dolphin, the Bottlenose Dolphin, the Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin, the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, the Common Dolphin, the Spotted Dolphin, the Striped Dolphin, and the Black Dolphin (low, rounded dorsal fin; no beak; dark pigmentation; limited to the coastal waters of Chile.) Sources Cited Gygax, Lorenz. â€Å"Evolution of Group Size in the Dolphins and Porpoises: Interspecific Consistency of Intraspecific Patterns.† Behavioral Ecology. Vol. 13, No. 5 (Sept 2002): 583-590. Hamilton, Healy, et al. â€Å"Evolution of River Dolphins.† The Royal Society. California: 549-555. Internet 1 http://www.thedolphinplace.com/facts.html <http://www.beach-net.com/dolphins/biology.html> <http://www.liscannorferry.com/dolphin_jewelry-1.html> <http://thedolphinplace.com/main.html> <http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/marman.html> Characteristics of Dolphins Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Paper Characteristics of Dolphins The majority of small tooth whales are called dolphins.   â€Å"Dolphins are mammals of the order Cetacean and the families Plantanistidae and Delphinidae and include about 50 species† (Internet 1).   Most dolphin species are about 6 feet in length, the males averaging 4 to 8 inches longer than females. The longest dolphin, the bottle-nose dolphin, can reach over nine-feet in length and weight up to 440 pounds. The smallest dolphin species is the buffalo which is found in the Amazon River. The Buffalo dolphin rarely grows over 3.9 feet or weighs more than 66 pounds. A dolphin’s diet consists mainly of herring, mackerel, and sardines. â€Å"Some species however, prefer squid, shrimp and other crustacean† (Gygax 585). The average amount of fish ingested is estimated at about 66 pounds a day for an individual dolphin about 8.2 feet and 220 pounds. The body of a dolphin is sleek, smooth and hairless, making the skin rubbery to the touch.   Most species have jaws that protrude into a beak like snout.   â€Å"Above the upper jaw is a large mass of fat and oil-containing tissue forming the so-called "melon" that looks much like a bulging forehead† (Internet 1). The dorsal fin on the mid-back of the dolphin contains the skeletal remnants of five digits that form the flippers. Dolphins use the dorsal fin primarily as stabilizers, although occasionally in an oar like fashion.   The dorsal fin is formed from subcutaneous dermal tissue and is not movable by muscle action.   The hind flippers consist of a pair of small pelvic bones, deeply embedded in the connective tissue at the base of the tail.   The caudal, or tail, fin is also primarily dermal in origin, rather than skeletal, and con... ... the rough-toothed Dolphin, the Bottlenose Dolphin, the Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin, the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, the Common Dolphin, the Spotted Dolphin, the Striped Dolphin, and the Black Dolphin (low, rounded dorsal fin; no beak; dark pigmentation; limited to the coastal waters of Chile.) Sources Cited Gygax, Lorenz. â€Å"Evolution of Group Size in the Dolphins and Porpoises: Interspecific Consistency of Intraspecific Patterns.† Behavioral Ecology. Vol. 13, No. 5 (Sept 2002): 583-590. Hamilton, Healy, et al. â€Å"Evolution of River Dolphins.† The Royal Society. California: 549-555. Internet 1 http://www.thedolphinplace.com/facts.html <http://www.beach-net.com/dolphins/biology.html> <http://www.liscannorferry.com/dolphin_jewelry-1.html> <http://thedolphinplace.com/main.html> <http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/marman.html>

Brand Essence Colgate Essay

The company chose for this assignment is Colgate. Colgate is a division of the Colgate-Palmolive brand that produces soaps, detergents and oral hygiene products. Colgate focuses on oral hygiene and is a maker of toothpaste and toothbrushes. Started in 1806 by William Colgate as a soap and candle company. When William died in 1857, his soon took over. In 1837, Colgate introduced their first toothpaste and was the first to introduce toothpaste in a tube. In 1928 Palmolive-Peet bought Colgate and in 1953 the name changed to Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate-Palmolive, 2012). Today Colgate is one of the leading manufacturers of toothpaste, with Procter & Gamble as their main competition. Competitive Factor While in 1992 Colgate was the leader in oral hygiene products, toothbrush competitors emerged as the obsession with oral health increased. Colgate has several big competitors that produce products that are potentially more advanced or incorporate mouthwash into toothpaste, creating new features. The pairing of Crest with Scope lead to competition for Colgate. The pairing of Oral B with dentists gave them the dentist recommendation lead. (Priestley, 2011) Consumer behaviour is constantly changing, and new technology is emerging, therefore competitors might be offering promotions. Environmental Factor Customers are finally starting to get informed about oral health and the importance of gum disease. Colgate has to be informed and constantly innovate themselves with new technologies in order to keep up with customer knowledge and needs. Other countries are also unaware of the importance of oral health, therefore the company should target them in order to become the leader in oral care. A social challenge is the market is growing with competitors and as research on oral care increases, so do the people’s expectations and needs. There is many family demographics, therefore the company should have products for people’s different needs, such as sensitivity, gums, whitening. The products should also range from child oral health to elderly sensitivity. A technological challenge for Colgate is the lack of interesting advertising. There is much more advertising in media for Crest, Sensodyne and other competitors. They use commercials, print ads, social media to attract their consumers, where as Colgate uses few advertisements and has commercials that are seen as boring. Competitors also have a diversity of products and variety for individual consumer needs. Crest and Aquafresh have developed foaming gel toothpastes that are new and different, while Colgate still lacks these new additions. A legal challenge for Colgate is its past history with a recall in 2011 (Health Canada, 2011). The company recalled the â€Å"Colgate Motion Electric Toothbrush†, which was a recent event. This could affect the company’s reputation and drive the consumers to look at other competitors when choosing their products. Consumer Factor While the bargaining power of buyers is low, consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of oral health and the leading competitors present. After the 1990s the baby boomers became concerned with their gums, therefore toothbrush companies improved their technology and formed alliances with dental professionals (Priestley, 2011). As customer demands grow and they seek variety in their toothpaste and toothbrushes that are up to par with oral health research, Colgate might have to update its products and technology. Economical Factor The industry is broken down by price and by category of therapeutic and cosmetic. If the economy shifts and the country experiences inflation, it will impact the businesses running and the product (Ali, 2012). With the current poor economy in many countries, sales might decrease, or customers might choose cheaper competitors in order to compensate.

Discussion and Examples of Expectation States Theory

Expectation states theory is an approach to understanding how people evaluate other people’s competence in small task groups and the amount of credibility and influence they give them as a result. Central to the theory is the idea that we evaluate people based on two criteria. The first criterion is specific skills and abilities that are relevant to the task at hand, such as prior experience or training. The second criterion is composed of status characteristics such as gender, age, race, education, and physical attractiveness, that encourage people to believe that someone will be superior to others, even though those characteristics play no role in the work of the group. Overview of Expectation States Theory Expectation states theory was developed by American sociologist and social psychologist Joseph Berger, along with his colleagues, in the early 1970s. Based on social psychological experiments, Berger and his colleagues first published a paper on the topic in 1972 in the American Sociological Review, titled Status Characteristics and Social Interaction. Their theory offers an explanation for why social hierarchies emerge in small, task-oriented groups. According to the theory, both known information and implicit assumptions based on certain characteristics lead to a person developing an assessment of anothers abilities, skills, and value. When this combination is favorable, we will have a positive view of their ability to contribute to the task at hand. When the combination is less than favorable or poor, we will have a negative view of their ability to contribute. Within a group setting, this results in a hierarchy forming in which some are seen as more valuable and important than others. The higher or lower a person is on the hierarchy, the higher or lower his or her level of esteem and influence within the group will be. Berger and his colleagues theorized that while an assessment of relevant experience and expertise is a part of this process, in the end, the formation of a hierarchy within the group is most strongly influenced by the effect of social cues on the assumptions that we make about others. The assumptions we make about people — especially who we dont know very well or with whom we have limited experience — are largely based on social cues that are often guided by stereotypes of race, gender, age, class, and looks. Because this happens, people who are already privileged in society in terms of social status end up being favorably assessed within small groups, and those who experience disadvantages due to these characteristics will be negatively assessed. Of course, its not just visual cues that shape this process, but also how we comport ourselves, speak, and interact with others. In other words, what sociologists call cultural capital makes some appear more valuable and others less so. Why Expectation States Theory Matters Sociologist Cecilia Ridgeway has pointed out in a paper titled Why Status Matters for Inequality  that as these trends perpetuate over time, they lead to certain groups having  more influence and power than others. This makes members of higher status groups appear to be right and worthy of trust, which encourages those in lower status groups and people in general to trust them and to go along with their way of doing things. What this means is that social status hierarchies, and the inequalities of race, class, gender, age, and others that go along with them, are fostered and perpetuated by what happens in small group interactions. This theory seems to bear out in the wealth and income disparities between white people and people of color, and between men and women, and would seem to correlate with both women and people of color reporting that they are frequently presumed incompetent or presumed to occupy positions of employment and status lower than they actually do. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.