The Executive Branch Essay Example for Free

The Executive Branch Essay I.The President of the United States: George W. Bush i.Requirements to Hold Office: You must be at least thirty-five years old, a natural born citizen of the United States, and a resident of the US for no less than fourteen years. ii.Duties and Powers: The President must execute laws, commission all officers of the United States, and adjourn or convene both houses. It is also a duty of the President to pass and regulate laws. With the consent of the Senate he may make treaties. He can appoint ambassadors, public ministers, judges of the Supreme Court, and other officers of the United States. The President is named the commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, as well. iii.Length of Term of Office: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years. (Article II of the Constitution) Also, according to the twenty-second amendment the President can not hold office more than two terms. iv.Appointment: Presidential elections are held once every four years. In order to vote you must be a U.S. citizen of eighteen years of age or older. The votes are counted by popular and electoral votes. The majority decision of popular votes goes to choose the electoral votes for that state. v.Salary: $400,000-plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account II.Vice President of the United States: Richard B. Cheney i.Requirements: You must be at least thirty-five years old, a natural born citizen of the United States, and a resident of the U.S. for no less than fourteen years. ii.Duties and Powers: Presiding officer of the U. S. Senate. If something were to happen to the President the Vice President will take over his position as President and his duties. In the senate, he may make the decision to break a tied vote. iii.Length of Term of Office: He has a four year term along with the president. iv.Procedure for Election or Appointment: The President and Vice President run as a pair. If the Vice Presidents partner, the candidate for President, is elected then he too will take on the responsibility of the office with him. v.Salary: $192,600-plus $10,000 taxable expense account. III.Cabinet: i.Requirements: Must be approved by the Senate ii.Duties and Powers: Each department has its own set of rules. See each department below for explanations. iii.Length of Term of Office: President may alter at leisure. iv.Procedure for Election of Appointment: Appointed by the President with approval of Senate. v.Salary: $166,700-however, it may vary by department. vi.Departments: a.Department of Agriculture- Secretary, Ann M. Veneman; Watches over agricultural production to make sure prices are fair and food is safe to eat. b.Department of Commerce- Secretary, Donald L. Evans; works to promote  international trade, economic growth, and technological advancement. c.Department of Defense- Secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld; in charge of overseeing everything related to the nations military security, directs Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Also responsible for flood control, development of oceanographic resources, and management of oil reserves. d.Department of Education- Secretary, Roderick R. Paige; Administers more than 150 federal education programs, including student loans, migrant worker training, vocational education, and special programs for the handicapped. e.Department of Energy- Secretary, Spencer Abraham; Accountable for the research and development of energy technology; energy conservation. f.Department of Health and Human Services- Secretary, Tommy G. Thompson; Manages Social Security; funds Medicare and Medicaid; offers social services; works to control preventable and infectious diseases. g.Department of Housing and Urban Development- Secretary, Melquiades R. Martinez; Supports community development; conducts fair-housing laws; provides affordable housing and rent subsidies. h.Department of the Interior- Secretary, Gale A. Nortan; Protects the natural environment; develops the countrys natural resources; manages national parks, monuments, rivers, etc.;oversees wildlife refuges, research centers, and environmental protection of public land. i.Department of Justice- Secretary, John Ashcroft; Supervises U.S. district attorneys and marshals, federal prisons and other penal institutions; represents the government in legal matters and gives legal advice to President and/or other members of the Cabinet; administers immigration laws. j.Department of Labor- Secretary, Elaine L. Chao; Protects rights of workers; helps to improve working conditions; encourages good relations between labor and management. k.Department of State- Secretary, Colin L. Powell; Advises the president on foreign-policy issues; maintains relations between foreign countries and the U.S.; negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign nations. l.Department of Transportation- Secretary, Norman Y. Mineta; Sets the nations transportation policy; supervises the coast guard. m.Department of the Treasury- Secretary, Rosario Marin; Reports to Congress and the President on the financial state of the government and the economy; regulates the interstate and foreign sale of alcohol and firearms; regulates tax laws and collects Federal taxes. n.Department of Veterans Affairs- Secretary, Anthony J. Principi; presents benefits and services to veterans and their dependents such as offering a medical care program or education. o.Department of Homeland Security- Secretary, Tom Ridge; its goals are to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S.; reduce Americas vulnerability to terrorism and minimize the damage and recover from attacks which do occur.

Cultural Displacement :: Personal Narrative Traveling Essays

Cultural Displacement I sidestepped the bald man next to me who was ordering what looked like duck feet, in rapid Malaysian. Looking down at my green plastic tray, like those often found in high school lunch rooms, I saw the square banana leaf piled high with plain white rice looking back. The thought of â€Å"foods† like fish eyes, stuffed animal intestine, or any kind of pickled hoof on my rice made my gag reflexes kick into high gear. I paid for my abysmal lunch, a measly dollar fifty US, smiled at the man at the register, and walked to a nearby table. It had been three days and I had eaten little more than white rice and clear broth for most of that time. I knew later I’d be doubled over, in agonizing pain over my empty stomach but I still couldn’t bring myself to eat the meals in the food court. â€Å"Not feeling adventurous today?† My dad’s girlfriend plopped down in the seat next to me and began munching with gusto. She had been brave at this meal; her plate was covered in some brown thing, it might have been a vegetable and I sincerely hoped it was, though chose not to ask. Instead I smiled weakly and began to eat my rice with a severely bent metal fork. Metal forks in an Asian country? You’re probably wondering where all the chopsticks went. In fact, I was probably one of the few people in the vicinity who actually could use a chopstick. There’s a good reason behind this madness and it all starts with the British. Until about forty years ago, Singapore was colonized by the British. It seems strange but then again the British would have colonized a tea bag, given the chance. England also had colonized Hong Kong but was afraid of losing this major business and financial center to communism, a legitimate fear because that’s eventually what happened. Fortunately they had already created a clone Hong Kong on a tiny island off the tip of Malaysia. That island was called Singapore. In an effort to keep the business integrity that had been in Hong Kong, Chinese business men were brought in. The British eventually began to relinquish many of their colonies and when they finally left Singapore in the mid 1960s, the Chinese business men, who were the superpower that made Singapore the world trading center it was, took control of power.

Air France-KLM Business Model Essay

A full service network carrier’s business model is typically based upon the operations of a hub-and-spoke route network (Vespermann & Holztrattner 2010). Air France-KLM group currently operates the largest network between Europe and the rest of the world. The network is coordinated around the two intercontinental hubs of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol airports. These two hubs are organised in waves known as banks, combine connecting with point-to-point traffic. Air France-KLM group has a fleet of 573 aircraft which serves 253 destinations in 105 countries worldwide. Created by the merger of Air France and KLM in 2004, the Air France-KLM Group focuses its activities in 3 main areas: passenger, cargo and aeronautical maintenance. The passenger business is Air France-KLM’s main activity, contributing some 80% of the Group’s revenues. As a FSNC, the Group offers all type of route network including short, medium and long-haul. In which, the short and medium-haul network is a cornerstone of the Group’s development as its profitability has seen a significant deterioration since the 2009 crisis. Therefore, Air France-KLM is now offering new services to Business and Premium Economy customers together with new catering. Passengers now have access to catering inspired by the service on long-haul flights. Air France and KLM also continue to improve their levels of in-flight service. The Economy class will be innovated and upgraded with new in-flight entertainment systems. While the Business class offers its passengers a high standard of comfort and greater privacy with a redesigned World Business Class cabin including new seats which convert into fully flat beds, a choice of meal tray and time of meal service based on their individual needs. To facilitate and improve the airport experience for customers, Air France and KLM are developing the use of new technologies to enable boarding autonomy and streamlin e the baggage drop-off process. In June 2012, the two airlines decided to enhance their program for their frequent flyer customers by offering more reward ticket seat availability on the Air France and KLM European network and increasing the opportunities to earn miles. The Group is also one of the founding members of SkyTeam, which enables it to extend and consolidate its reach across 187 countries. The cargo business is the second of the Group’s activities, representing some 11% of the total revenues. Air France-KLM has a market share of 29.6% in 2012 amongst the Association of European Airlines (AEA) and 6.6% at global  level. During the financial year, the Group transported more than 1.4 million tons of cargo of which 66% in the passenger aircraft and 33 % in the dedicated cargo fleet, to a network of 251 destinations. In 2012, the new commercial strategy was deployed worldwide to improve efficiency and adapt to market conditions, and satisfy customers through more effective contractual conditions, adjusted customer segmentation, the implementation of a stronger key account team aligned with the organization of customers and the rationalization and simplification of the product portfolio. The acquisition of a 25% equity interest in Alit alia enables the Group to step up cooperation with the Italian airline and reinforce its presence in the Italian market, the fourth largest in Europe. Aircraft maintenance is the Air France-KLM Group’s third business. This activity generates more than one billion euros of revenue with third-party customers. Aircraft Maintenance is an attractive market despite the growing constraints which was led by the economic crisis, continued with the reduction in flight schedules, route closures and the early retirement of the oldest aircraft. Also aircraft, engine and equipment manufacturers are developing their after-sales services on this market by offering clients increasingly-integrated maintenance solutions. AFI KLM E&M is well known as the number two global player in the multi-product MRO area by total revenues. AFI KLM E&M’s primary task is to guarantee the airworthiness of the Group’s fleet and oversee regulatory compliance. With 75-year-plus track record, AFI KLM E&M has the large-scale human, technical and financial resources it needs to carry out the job in terms of maintaining the group’s fleets, and of being a flagship player in the global marketplace. Air France-KLM group h as one of the largest fleets in Europe with 605 aircraft, in which 573 were operational, the detail is as shown below: At December 31, 2012, 40% of the total Group fleet was fully owned, 22% under finance lease, and 38% under operating lease. The Air France-KLM Group’s pro-active fleet aimed at ensuring a fleet scaled in line with traffic growth and achieving technical consistency, while reducing its environmental impact. Source: Air France-KLM References: Vespermann, J & Holztrattner, S 2010, ‘The air transport system’, in A Wald, C Fay & R Gleich (eds), Introduction to aviation management, LIT Verlag, Mà ¼nster, Germany. Airfranceklm-finance.com, 2013, ‘Strategy, [in] Activity, Registration Document 2012, Labrador, Europe, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, Airfranceklm-finance.com, 2013, Air France-KLM Fleet, Air France – KLM, Europe, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, < http://www.airfranceklm-finance.com/en/content/download/7482/45417/file/Flotte_VA_31122012.pdf> Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Profile and key figures – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014, Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Passenger – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air France – KLM: Cargo – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Airfranceklm-finance.com, n.d., Air F rance – KLM: Maintenance – Activities – Group, Air France – KLM, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Afiklmem.com, n.d., Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance – Overview, AFI KLM E&M, viewed on 1 Apr 2014 Afiklmem.com, n.d., Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance – Key Figures, AFI KLM E&M, viewed on 1 Apr 2014

Cost Accouting Essay

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of bringing a product or service to the market without fully understanding the total costs involved and the prices they can charge. As a result, they discover they can’t sell enough of the product or service to make a profit. One of the most important tools you can use to make better business decisions is the break-even analysis; it enables you to determine with great accuracy whether or not your idea is a profitable one. Best of all, you can use this tool to evaluate every product or service you offer. The break- even point is the starting point for CVP analysis because before a company can earn profits; it must first cover all of its variable and fixed costs. What is CVP? Cost-volume-profit analysis is a tool that can be utilized by business managers to make better business decisions. Among the tools in a business manager’s decision-making arsenal, CVP analysis provides one of the more detailed and objective ways by which a manager can assess and even predict the course of business for the company and its employees. Another major benefit of CVP analysis is that it provides a detailed snapshot of company activity. This includes everything from the costs needed to produce a product to the amount of the product produced. This helps managers determine, very specifically, what the future will hold if variables are altered. For instance, transportation expenses and costs for materials can change. These variable costs can affect the bottom line. CVP analysis allows the manager to plug in variable costs to establish an idea of future performance, within a range of possibilities. This, however, can be a disadvantage to managers who are not detail-oriented and precise with the data they record. Projections based on cost estimates, rather than precise numbers, can result in inaccurate projections. Cost Volume Profit (CVP) Analysis Model says: (Sales – variable costs) – Fixed costs = Operating income TC = VX + F * If the sale minus all costs (variable and fixed), we can make a profit * The contribution margin (revenue – variable costs) helps to pay fixed costs * The contribution margin = fixed costs break

Global Pharmaceutical Industry Research Paper Example

Global Pharmaceutical Industry Research Paper Example Global Pharmaceutical Industry Paper Global Pharmaceutical Industry Paper Overview of the global pharmaceutical industry In 2003, Britains Guardian newspaper commented that, on the face of It, the global pharmaceutical Industry looks like the epitome of a modern, mature Industry that has found a comfortable way to make profits by the billion: Its global, hi-tech, and has the ultimate customer, the healthcare budgets of the worlds richest countries. Guardian swept 2003 The global pharmaceutical industry is nowadays made up of thousands of companies contained in this industry. There are an elite ten firms which are based in Europe and America. These firms alone account for nearly half of the worlds global drug market on their own. This said the current industry leader in terms of global sales is Pfizer and It has only roughly 10% of the market. This shows that there are not only one or a few dominant players in the market and that competition within the pharmaceutical Industry Is severe. Porters flee forces model One of the best ways to analyses industries competitiveness is by using Michael Porters five forces framework. This framework is useful for business when creating new strategies, plans or making investment decisions about a business but will be essentially used to measure the attractiveness of an industry. It suggests there are 5 main forces, which can help a company develop a broad analysis of its competitive position in its market. Competitive rivalry The pharmaceutical Industry within the asses was fragmented with hundreds of companies competing with a similar market share. The companies focused entirely on different classes of drugs which helped each of the organizations involved. : The result of this was that most firms had few direct competitors so they were very comfortable. The lack of direct competition allowed pharmaceutical companies to raise rises as they pleased. With this lack of competition competitive rivalry was almost nonexistent then. Throughout the asses, rivalry in the pharmaceutical industry increased and the market changed rapidly. Some drug companies felt the pressure to take advantage of economies of scale. By choosing to merge and acquire other firms/biotech within the Industry. Unlike the drug companies, blotches dont have high overheads, and they possess a high quality product. While traditionally these biotech had discovered new drugs and then sold their discoveries to already established drug companies. This sparked rivalry among the top firms as areas of expertise then Degas to overlap Ana sensually teen werent as comfortable as In ten early Additional rivalry came from new competitors in the market for example some biotech that began began not only to discover but also to develop and market their own drugs.

The History of How Shoes Are Made

The History of How Shoes Are Made In most early civilizations, sandals were the most common footwear, however, a few early cultures had more substantial shoes. But shoes in ancient- and even not so ancient- civilizations had some major design differences than their modern-day counterparts. In fact, as late as the 1850s, most shoes were constructed on absolutely straight lasts (foot-shaped forms on which shoes were constructed and repaired), which meant that the right and the left shoes were pretty much the same. On the upside, that would make them interchangeable. On the downside, they were likely a lot less comfortable. Shoes in the BC In Mesopotamia, circa 1600 to 1200 BC, mountain people living on the border of Iran wore a type of soft shoes made of wraparound leather that was similar to a moccasin. Egyptians began making shoes from woven reeds as early as 1550 BC. Worn as overshoes, they were boat-shaped and had straps constructed of long, thin reeds covered by wider strips of the same material. Shoes in this style were still being made as late as the 19th century. Meanwhile, in China, shoes made from layers of hemp, circa the final century BC, were made in a process similar to quilting and featured decorative as well as functional stitching. Circa 43-450 AD Roman sandals are believed to be the first footwear specifically designed to fit the foot. Constructed with cork soles and leather straps or lacing, sandals were the same for men and women. Some military sandals known as caligae used hobnails to reinforce the soles. The imprints and patterns they left behind could be read as messages. Circa 937 AD Foot binding was a practice introduced in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) that became increasingly popular in China during the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD). Starting at age 5 to 8, the bones in girls feet were broken and then tightly wrapped to prevent growth. The ideal for womens feet was modeled after the lotus blossom and was decreed to be no more than three to four inches in length. Girls with tiny, highly arched feet were prized as prime marriage material- but the crippling practice left many of them barely able to walk. These tiny feet were adorned with dainty shoes constructed of silk or cotton and richly embroidered. Chinese women of the upper classes were often buried with many pairs of such shoes. While several bans were imposed on the practice (the first by Emperor Chun Chi of the Manchu dynasty in 1645 and the second by Emperor K’ang Hsi in 1662), foot-binding remained a common practice in China into the early 20th century. 12th Century Pointy-tipped Poulianes (â€Å"shoes  in the Polish fashion†) became popular in the middle ages and continued to come and go until the early 15th century. Circa 1350 to 1450 Pattens were overshoes worn to protect them from the elements and filthy street conditions. They were similar in function to more modern galoshes, except that pattens were made in the same shape as the shoes they were fitted over. 1450 to 1550 During the Renaissance, shoe fashions evolved from vertical lines favored by Gothic styles to become more horizontal. Nowhere was this more evident than in the toe shape. The richer and more powerful the wearer, the more extreme and broad the squared toe became. However, while squared toed shoes were prevalent, during this time, round-toed shoes began to emerge. Round-toed shoes were considered a more practical choice for children, however, even some adult shoes of the Tudor period featured the round profile. 17th Century During the mid-17th century, shoe fashions for men were mostly square-toed, however, it was at this time that the fork toe design debuted. Chopines, backless shoes or slippers featuring high platform soles, became popular throughout Renaissance Europe thanks to a revival in ancient Greek culture. The most notable examples from the period come from Spain (where the platforms were sometimes constructed from cork) and Italy. Men, as well as women, wore slip-on indoor slides known as mules, which were available in a variety of materials and colors and featured a slightly flared heel. In 1660, with the restoration of Charles II to the throne of France, fashions from the French courts grew in popularity across the Channel. Red heels, a style allegedly created for Charles himself, came into vogue and remained there well into the next century. 18th Century In the 18th century, shoes for upper-class women, such as salon mules, initially took shape as boudoir fashion but evolved into day and even dancewear. The erotically charged footwear was favored by Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV of France, who was in huge part responsible for the trend. Unfortunately, elegant shoes of the day were constructed of materials such as silk that rendered them inappropriate for outdoor use and as a result, pattens  (also known as clogs) made a big comeback, especially in big cities, such as London, that had yet to deal with the unsanitary conditions of its streets. Fast Facts: Shoe Laces Prior to shoestrings, shoes were commonly fastened with buckles.Modern shoestrings, which employed strings laced through shoe holes and then tied, were invented in England in 1790 (first recorded date, March 27).An aglet (from the Latin word for needle) is a small plastic or fiber tube used to bind the end of a shoelace, or similar cord, to prevent fraying and to allow the lace to be passed through an eyelet or another opening. In the 1780s, a fascination with all things â€Å"Oriental† led to the introduction of shoes with upturned toes known as Kampskatcha slippers. (While billed as an homage to Chinese fashion, they more closely resembled Juttis, the upturned slippers worn by affluent female members of the court of the Mughal Empire.) From the 1780s through the 1790s, the height of heels gradually decreased. With the approach of the French Revolution (1787-99), excess was seen with increasing disdain, and less became more. 19th Century Styles In 1817, the Duke of Wellington commissioned the boots that would become synonymous with his name. Streamlined and free of ornamentation, â€Å"Wellies† became all the rage. The rubberized version, still popular today, was introduced in the 1850s by the North British Rubber Company. In the following decade, the family shoemaking firm of C J Clark Ltd was founded and remains one of Englands leading shoe manufacturers. Prior to 1830, there was no difference between right and left shoes. French shoemakers came up with the idea of placing little labels on the insoles of shoes: â€Å"Gauche† for the left, and â€Å"Droit† for the right. While the shoes were still both straight in shape, since the French style was considered the height of fashion, other countries were quick to emulate the trend. In 1837 by J. Sparkes Hall patented the elastic side boot, which allowed them to be put on and taken off much more easily than those that required buttons or laces. Hall actually presented a pair of them to Queen Victoria, and the style remained popular through the end of the 1850s. By the 1860s, flat, squared-toed shoes featuring side lacing were de rigeur. This left the front of the shoes free for decoration. Rosettes were a popular embellishment of the day for women’s shoes. In the mid- to late-1800s unassembled shoes made with flat sheets of woven straw were produced in Italy and sold across Europe and in America to be put together as shoemakers saw fit. In the mid-1870s, the Manchu people of China (who did not practice foot binding) favored platform shoes that were the precursors to 20th-century fashion styles. Hoof-shaped pedestals afforded increased balance. Women’s shoes were taller and more intricately decorated than those for men. 19th Century Innovations in Shoe Manufacturing 1830s: Plimsolls, canvas-topped shoes with rubber soles, first manufactured by the Liverpool Rubber Company, make their debut as beachwear.June 15, 1844: Inventor and manufacturing engineer Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanized rubber, a chemical process that uses heat to meld rubber to fabric or other components for a sturdier, more permanent bond.1858: Lyman Reed Blake, an American inventor receives a patent for the specialized sewing machine he developed that stitches the soles of shoes to the uppers.January 24, 1871: Charles Goodyear Jrs patents the Goodyear Welt, a machine for sewing boots and shoes.1883: Jan Ernst Matzeliger patents an automatic method for lasting shoes that paves the way for the mass production of affordable shoes.January 24, 1899: Irish-American Humphrey OSullivan patents the first rubber heel for shoes. Later, Elijah McCoy (best known for developing a lubricating system for railroad steam engines that did not require trains to stop) invents an im proved rubber heel. Keds, Converse, and the Evolution of Sneakers In 1892, nine small rubber manufacturing companies consolidated to form the U.S. Rubber Company. Among them was the Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company, organized in the 1840s in Naugatuck, Connecticut, the first licensee of Charles Goodyears vulcanization process. While Plimsolls had been on the scene for nearly six decades, vulcanization was a game-changer for rubber-soled canvas shoes. From 1892 to 1913, the rubber footwear divisions of U.S. Rubber were manufacturing their products under 30 different brand names but the company decided to consolidate their brands under a single name. The initial favorite was Peds, from the Latin for foot, but another company already owned that trademark. By 1916, the choice had come down to two final alternatives: ​Veds  or Keds. The k sound won out and Keds were born. The same year, Keds introduced their Champion Sneaker for Women. Keds were first mass-marketed as canvas-top sneakers in 1917. Henry Nelson McKinney, a copywriter who worked for the N. W. Ayer Son Advertising Agency, coined the word sneaker to connote the quiet, stealthy nature of rubber-soled shoes. Other shoes, with the exception of moccasins, were noisy while sneakers were practically silent. (The Keds brand was acquired by the Stride Rite Corporation in 1979, which was in turn purchased by Wolverine World Wide in 2012). 1917 was a banner year for basketball shoes. Converse All Stars, the first shoe specifically designed for the game, were introduced. Soon after, Chuck Taylor, an iconic player of the day, became the brand ambassador. The design has remained pretty much the same over the years, and remain firmly ensconced in the cultural landscape today.   Early 20th Century Styles As at the close of the 19th century, low-heeled shoes began to fall increasingly out of favor and as the new century dawned, higher heels made a huge resurgence. However, not everyone was willing to suffer for fashion. In 1906, Chicago-based podiatrist William Mathias  Scholl  launched his eponymous brand of corrective footwear, Dr. Scholl’s. By the 1910s, morality and fashion were increasingly at odds. Nice girls were expected to play by a stringent set of rules, including those instituted with regard to the heel height of women’s shoes. Anything over three inches was considered â€Å"indecent.† Spectator shoes, the two-toned Oxfords commonly worn by British patrons of sporting events gained huge popularity among the well to do in England at the close of WWI. In America, however, spectators became part of the counterculture instead. By the ’40s, spectators often accompanied Zoot suits, the over-the-top outfits sported by African American and Hispanic men in defiance of the fashion status quo. One of the most innovative shoe designers of the 20th century, Salvatore Ferragamo, rose to fame in the 1930s. In addition to experimenting with unusual materials including kangaroo, crocodile, and fish skin, Ferragamo drew on historic inspiration for his shoes. His cork wedge sandals- often imitated and reimagined- are considered one of the most important shoe designs of the 20th century. Meanwhile, in Norway, a designer named Nils Gregoriusson Tveranger was looking to create a shoe that was truly comfortable and fashionable. His unisex innovation, a slip-on shoe called the Aurland moccasin was inspired by Native American moccasins and slip-ons favored by Norwegian fishermen. The shoes took off, both in Europe and in America. Not long after, the Spaulding family based in New Hampshire launched a similar shoe called The Loafer, which would eventually become the generic term for this slip-on style. In 1934, G. H. Bass debuted his Weejuns (a play on the word â€Å"Norwegian† as a nod to the homeland of the original designer). Weejuns had a distinctive strip of leather across the saddle featuring a cutout design. Kids who wore them started putting pennies or dimes into the slot, and the shoes became known as- you guessed it- Penny Loafers. The boat (or deck) shoe was invented by American boater Paul Sperry in 1935. After watching how his dog was able to maintain stability on ice, Sperry was inspired to cut grooves into the soles of his shoes and a brand was born. Post World War II the Latter Half of the 20th Century WWII was the crucible for a number of shoe trends. Doc Martens, combining comfortable air-cushioned soles with durable uppers were invented by Dr. Klaus Maertens in 1947. In 1949, Brothel creepers, the brainchild of British shoemaker George Cox, transformed the sole of an army boot into a thick exaggerated wedge made their debut. Loafers had long been considered a shoe of the hoi polloi in America but when the style was reinvented in 1953 by the House of Gucci, it became the shoe of choice for formal occasions for affluent fashion enthusiasts of both genders and remained so through the 1980s. Stiletto heels (whose name was a nod to a Sicilian fighting blade) became increasingly popular in the 1950s as the curvy female hourglass figure came back into vogue. Designer Roger Vivier of the House Dior is credited as having the most influence on shoes of this style from the period. While they’ve existed for more than 6,000 years in some form or other, the Y-shaped rubber sandals known as flip-flops became pretty much ubiquitous in the 1960s. The Birkenstock family have been making shoes since 1774, however, it wasn’t until 1964 when Karl Birkenstock transformed the arch support inserts for his shoes into soles for sandals that the company became a household name. During the 1970s disco craze, platform shoes became hot, hot, hot. Taking a leaf from Salvatore Ferragamo’s designs from four decades earlier, men and women hit the dance floor in outrageously high shoes.  One of the most popular brands of the era was Candie’s, a clothing brand that launched in 1978. Ugg boots debut in 1978. Uggs were originally made of sheepskin and worn by Australian surfers to warm up their feet after being in the water. In 1978, after Brian Smith imported Uggs to California under the label UGG Australia, the brand took off and has remained a fashion staple ever since but knockoffs in a variety of synthetic and cheaper materials have flooded the market. With the 1980s came a fitness craze that changed the shape of footwear. Designers such as Reebok increasingly took branding and specialization to heart in hopes of raising both profile and profits. The most successful athletic brand to cash in on this trend is Nike’s Air Jordan, which encompasses basketball shoes and athletic and casual style clothing. The brand was created for five-time NBA MVP Michael Jordan.  Designed for Nike by Peter Moore,  Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore, the original Air Jordan sneakers were produced in 1984 and were solely for Jordan’s use, but were released to the public later that year. The brand continues to thrive in the 2000s. Vintage Air Jordans, especially those with some special personal connection to Michael Jordan, have sold for exorbitant prices (the highest recorded as of 2018 was in excess of $100,000). Sources â€Å"Timeline: A History of Shoes†. Victoria Albert Museumâ€Å"History of the Penny Loafer†. Tricker’s EnglandAcedera, Shane. â€Å"The Most Expensive Air Jordans†. SportOne. May 18, 2018Cartwright, Mark. â€Å"Foot Binding†. Ancient History Encyclopedia. September 27, 2017

Cultural Awareness Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Awareness - Personal Statement Example As a preliminary matter, the author was presented with a number of warnings. The United States Department of State had issued travel warnings and advisories for Thailand generally, and for southern Thailand more particularly. Potential travelers were advised to be wary of political strife in Thailand; this was as a result of increasing political protests and rumors that a military coup was possible. Moreover, travelers were advised to avoid the southern provinces, bordering Malaysia, because of a series of bombings, the burning of schools, and civil unrest between the Muslim majority in these southern provinces and the Buddhist majority in the rest of the Kingdom of Thailand. For the most part, the author heeded this advice and scheduled most of the holiday for Bangkok and northern Thailand. However, the author also spent the final four days in the southern province of Songkla, and the experience clearly demonstrated that the people being demonized and chastised in the travel advisor ies were hardly dangerous or threatening. In fact, the southern Thais proved to have been extraordinarily hospitable, more diverse than a Muslim designation might have suggested, and quite eager to mingle and talk with foreign tourists. First, the Muslim people in southern Thailand did not conform to stereotypes too often used to describe Muslim peoples and culture. The travel advisories had stirred the author's imagination. It was easy to imagine a southern Thailand replete with veiled women, mosques dotting the landscape, and suspicious gazes for tourists or other outsiders. The author's friends reinforced these stereotypes and cautioned, only half-jesting, that a kidnapping or a beheading might very well be around the corner. The reality couldn't have been more different. As an initial matter, the author was almost unable to distinguish Thai Muslims from Thai Buddhists. The shops and the streets were crowded with people wearing shorts, brand name shirts, baseball hats, and sunglasses. Veils could be detected only through the most diligent observation and a Muslim restaurant owner confided to the author that Thai Muslims enjoyed their pork and their alcohol. This lack of a strict devotion to the commonly understo od protocols of Islam could be seen and experienced everywhere. Young Thai Muslim girls decorated their faces with make-up, heavily Thai Muslim districts had karaoke bars and advertised in English, and people went about their daily business just as they seem to do here in the United States. The author, in short, experienced a southern Thailand that was fundamentally at odds with the views of friends and the statements made prior to the trip in a variety of travel advisories. By immersing oneself in a foreign culture, it is easier to strip away stereotypes, whether romantic or fearful, and to better understand the people and their way of life. Second, and quite surprising, the Thai Muslims did not view themselves as a separate nationality. One of the main reasons for the concerns of both friends and family was a firm belief that