Malaysia Airlines Human Resource - 3276 Words

Executive Summary Malaysia Airlines Services or MAS is Malaysia national air transport service provider. Starting off in 1947, a small air service with just one twin engine Air Consul and now has become an award-winning airline with a fleet of more than 100 aircraft and servicing more than 100 different destinations. Three major human resource issues are being identified including over-supply of manpower and low productivity, discrimination and diversity. These three issues are being further explained and discuss in the following report. Over-supply of manpower and low productivity are seen as greatest problem that Malaysia Airlines was facing. The implication of the human resource issue include unpleasant working environment, low†¦show more content†¦Lead cabin crew can work till they are 45. Men retire at 55 no matter what their grade. This is considered discriminatory towards the employment policies, contrary to the Constitution and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which Malaysia ratified in 1995. (Anis 2008) Apart from that, they also have physical discrimination on behalf of recruitment of air stewardess to join their cabin crew. For example, a requirement to become air stewardess is that they must have nice set of teeth, clear complexion (free of scars, acne and blemishes) and with a minimum height. 2.3 Diversity Malaysians on average are no exception to the general rule that money is the main reason why people go to work. But for the multi-cultural workforce, there are other factors which are considered important, in particular opportunities for self-development, growth and contribution to the community and nation. (Asma 1992) MAS recruit different nationalities of people from all over the world to join their crew. For example, engineers and pilots are hired from oversea, and this has created a highly diversified organization with advantages and disadvantages for the management to handle. Other than that the ground cabin crew such as the workers that help to transport the luggage and services are hired from some other countries to help cut the labor cost. Whether they are working intercultural or onShow MoreRelatedAir Asia Aims to be the Largest, Low Cost Airline Essay1262 Words   |  6 Pagesinnovation, efficiency and passionate approach to business with a route a network that extent through over 20 countries. Air Asia X, Thai Air Asia, Philippines’ Air Asia Inc., Air Asia Japan and Indonesia are companies that link with Air Asia in Malaysia. In addition, for the vision part in Air Asia, it aims to be the largest low cost air line in Asia by serving the 3 billion of people who are currently unde rserved with poor connectivity and high fares. As for the mission of Air Asia, it demandsRead MoreThe Strategy Of Airasia X1236 Words   |  5 PagesProblem Statement In 2001, AirAsia was founded by Tony Fernandes. After six years, Fernandes realized the company should create a airline separated from AirAsia to focus on the low cost long-haul market which he called AirAsia X. Azran Osman-Rani was appointed to the become the CEO of the newly established company. The company had an initial success by being the first mover. However, there were some problems that they had to face along the way as they were in a completely new market using an untriedRead MoreLeadership Analysis of Antony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia1698 Words   |  7 Pagesrated as one of the worst performing airlines in Asia. Several years back, it experienced tragic underperformance and reported high levels of losses every fiscal year. This was until another new company bought the organization. The latter company was referred to as Tune Air. The important element discussed in this content, is how the C.E.O of AirAsia, Antony Fernandes, revolutionized the company to a multi-billion dol lar corporation, that is operating global airline services and has managed to set standardsRead MoreAir Asia Structure1698 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction AirAsia is the airline industry started based on the low cost carrier (LCC) concept in Malaysia. The low cost concept is introduced in the year of 2001 with the belief that â€Å"Now Everyone Can Fly† by Tony Fernandes. AirAsia was first established in 1993 and began its operation on 18 November 1996. In the year 2001, Anthony Fernandes (or known as Tony Fernandes) bought the airline which is suffering a loss. It was re-established as the low cost carrier after the bought over. AirAsia’sRead MoreSWOT Analysis1465 Words   |  6 Pages Spa to gain people attentions. Langkawi Island is more strategic to become a good holiday destination, one of the factors is because some airlines companies in Malaysia (like Malaysian Airlines, Air Asia, and FireFly) offer flights to go to Langkawi Island (Langkawi-online.com, 2012) which is a great strength for this industry. This is because the airlines partnership can be a critical point to increase the number of visitor. Here are som e of the facilities which offered by this resort to gainRead MoreInformation Technology and Process Technology of Malaysia Airlines7134 Words   |  29 Pages1.0 INTRODUCTION | In this rapidly changing world, people are relying very much on airline companies to support both their personal and professional activities. Therefore, as people demand the great speed transportation, the airline companies have to challenge themselves in providing the best products and services to meet the needs and wants of the customers. In the airline industry, the efficiency is a vital component to run the business; it thus should be achieved by investing in new and advancedRead MoreSWOT analysis of AirAsia Berhad1038 Words   |  5 PagesManagement 2.1 SWOT Analysis Strengths Low cost operations AirAsia Berhad is the first airline company that offered a low cost flight in Asian market. By operating the low cost principle, AirAsia Berhad aim to maximize their sales and minimize their operating cost. Based on their slogan â€Å"Now Everyone Can Fly† have fulfilled the wants for those passengers who choose to fly with low cost airlines especially students, those family with lower income and low income earners. Therefore, it can increaseRead MoreMalaysia Airlines-Strategic Management14526 Words   |  59 Pages1.0 INTRODUCTION Malaysia Airlines In Malaysia, there are actually 3 different Malaysia airlines companies which are providing airline services to its customers. These 3 airline companies are Malaysia Airline, Air-Asia and Berjaya-Air. In reality, these 3 different airline companies provide different kind of services for their customers with different needs. For now, lets take a closer look at these 3 companies individually. First of all, Malaysia Airline System or better known as MAS, is MalaysiasRead MoreMalaysia Airline System Berhad Company Profile6229 Words   |  25 PagesCOMPANY PROFILE 1. Company’s Background Malaysia Airlines began in 1947 as Malayan Airways. However, it was renamed Malaysian Airways following the creation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. The company is publicly called Malaysia Airlines System. While MAS has grown to become Southeast Asia’s largest airlines, it also becomes one of the world’s premier international carriers. The MAS headquarters building in downtown Kuala Lumpur has been sold. Nevertheless, the new corporate headquartersRead MoreEnvironmental Forces for Cathay Pacific1193 Words   |  5 Pagesconsidered as its human resource management, since the labor cost is its main concern. In addition, government policies, competitors and customer satisfaction will be considered as its external forces. Internal forces: Cathay Pacific is currently paying extremely high salaries to its employees. This situation not only causing Cathay Pacific to lose profits but also become one of their disadvantage. According to the research, Cathay Pacific has been known as the highest salary paid Airline Company.

Economic Impact Of Economic Freedom On Economic Growth

Introduction: In the last three decades the concept of economic freedom have dominated the economic theories as the best way to economic development, Many economists and politicians believe that economic freedom displays a significantly positive effect on economic growth, while others believe that the increased freedom will have a negative effects on economic growth. In addition, all of the international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) encourage developing countries to follow the freedom economic policies. â€Å"Basically, the myth is that America has been founded on the free market; the government has done very little; it has thrived under free trade. But actually, if you look at the history, this is actually the country that has succeeded most with protectionist policies† Ha-Joon. Consequently, some countries achieved good results and could improve their economies. However, others became in the terrible situation. This casts some doubts abou t the economic freedom as the perfect way to improve economic activities. Hypothesis The paper tries to show whether the economic freedom policy to improve economic activity in developing countries or not. Based on the economic theory, I offer the following hypothesis and alternative hypothesis: Hypothesis (H0) Economic freedom increases economic growth. Hypothesis (H1) Economic freedom does not increase economic growth. Methodology: In this paper, weShow MoreRelated economic Essay1701 Words   |  7 Pages Globalisation - Economic Growth and Development and development indicators. â€Å"Outline the differences between economic growth and economic development. Discuss how economic development may be measured. Outline how globalisation may impact upon a nation’s development. Where appropriate make reference to a relevant case study.† Although economic growth and development are similar in meaning, they have some essential differences. Economic growth refers to the increasing ability of a nation toRead MoreEconomic Freedom Is A Key Factor For An Overall Personal1537 Words   |  7 PagesEconomic freedom is a key factor for an overall personal and national growth in any country. Allowing people pursue their financial interests will be an important step since the developed will begin at the lowest levels. Most researchers have a standpoint that allowing people to have their rules and regulation, business friendly environment and source of capital become important factors in determining the economic growth of a nation. Despite both the positive and negative impacts of the trade freedomRead MoreState Regulation On Uber And Cab Drivers Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesState. In the meanwhile, one of the key economic questions, what variables contribute the difference in levels of growth of GDP among countries, has a co ntinuing discussion among economists in their papers. Is there any casual relationship between regulation and growth of GDP? Hall and Jones (1999) showed in their papers that the performance of regulation acts a vital role of growth of GDP and found that richer countries today had better political and economic institutions in the past. Based on previousRead MoreChina s Impact On China1321 Words   |  6 Pages Moreover, after setting up economic institutions and an industrial base, Deng Xiaoping established various Special Economic Zones in China that allowed for increased foreign investment, helping to develop China’s commercial growth. As described before, when Deng Xiaoping came to power, his goal was for China to fulfill the Four Modernizations: modernization in agriculture; industry; science and technology; and defense. Deng believed that the only way China could keep up with Western countries wasRead MoreEssay on Economic Growth and Development894 Words   |  4 Page sEconomic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition of economic development. There is no single definition that encompasses all the aspects of economic development. The most comprehensive definition perhaps of economic development is the one given by Todaro: ‘Development is not purely an economic phenomenon but rather a multi – dimensional process involving reorganization and re orientation of the entire economic and social system. Development is a process of improving the qualityRead More Population, Class Structure, and Economics: An Interconnected Web843 Words   |  4 PagesSylvia Nasar’s, Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius, Nasar describes the history of economics from the theories of Dickens and Malthus in the 1800s, to Maynard Keynes and Freidrich Hayek in the early 1900s, and into FDR’s policies and the emergence of China as a world economic power. Ultimately, throughout the history of economics four major principles have been exhibited through a variety of areas including the relationship between economics and class structure, population, and . DickensRead MoreEconomic Freedom Wealth Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesEconomic Freedom and Wealth Economic freedom is the ability for an individual to prosper with minimal intervention from government. In an economically free society, individuals are empowered to succeed or fail based on their own individual abilities. Higher levels of economic freedom lead to higher levels of economic growth and income. The level of economic freedom varies among different regions and countries across the globe. Thus, levels of prosperity and wealth also vary widely across the globeRead MoreEssay on The Raise of the West1226 Words   |  5 Pageshundred years has coincided with the rise in the popularity of democratic governments in the west, such as the US and France. This can be seen as evidence showing that democracy stimulates economic growth since democratisation often precedes growth. Others may argue that the reverse is true and economic growth is the driving forces behind democratization in the west. For example, the French revolution was partly caused by the rise of the middle class â €Å"Bourgeoisie† in the 18th century demanding moreRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 23 Things They Don t Tell You About Capitalism ``1638 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"95 per cent of economics is common sense made complicated† (Chang, 2011, p xviii). In his book, 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism, Korean economist, Ha-Joon Chang, assaults economic orthodoxy and questions many theories and empirical facts that we take for granted. Written shortly after the ‘credit crunch’ of 2008, Chang argues that this economic crisis was created by the free-market ideology which has been dominant since the 1980s and attempts to remove our rose-tinted glasses thatRead MoreThe Development Of Liberalism After The Chinese Economic Reform And Open Up1708 Words   |  7 Pageselaborates the necessity of economic freedom to the formulation of liberalism. In the 1980s, China, a country undergoing dramatic economic program, worshiped Hayek’s idea, and fierc ely debated the extent of government interventionism in this entire process. Following Hayek’s logic, a pure and complete economic freedom would inevitably lead to political liberalism. In contrast, a manipulated economy, like the one China developed before 1977, suppressed consumers’ freedom, and facilitated an authoritarian

The Math in Figure Skating Free Essays

Alexis Dillon l. Introduction This paper will be discussing the involvement of math in figure skating. There are three parts of skating that will be discussed in the essay; Jumps and moves in the field. We will write a custom essay sample on The Math in Figure Skating or any similar topic only for you Order Now Jumps require a lot of power, strength and knee bend in order for the Jump to be successful. I will be looking at the appropriate angle of knee bend a skater needs to successfully land a Jump. Moves in the field are series of test that include certain turns and moves that are tested in front of Judges. Moves in the field require grace, knee bend, speed and strength. This essay will discuss the correct angle of the knee bend required to correctly complete specific turns, including counters, rockers and brackets and to successfully remain on the correct edge. I have been skating for nine years. I have done many types of skating, like freestyle, moves in the field and synchronized skating. I’m currently a competitive synchronize skater and working on my novice moves. Both these parts of figure skating require speed, grace, edge quality and strength. Many things can affect how well a skater can preform and the quality of the skating. Knee bend is one of the many crucial parts of quality skating. II. What Is Skating? Figure skating is defined as a â€Å"competitive on ice sport in prescribed fgures and/or choreographed free skating. † Figure skating includes many different types and levels. Ill. Basic Skills To start, many skaters complete basic skills classes, which, in short, teach the basic components of skating, needed to be successful. Children under the age of six usually begin a beginner class called â€Å"snowplow’. This level consists of very basic skills including things like learning how to stand up and fall down. After the skater has completed these levels, or is above the age of six, moves on to the levels â€Å"Basic Skill† There are eight levels in this section, where each level increases in difficulty. The basic skills provide the fundamentals of skating. These levels will also provide more challenging skills including, edges, turns, and crossovers that are necessary for successful skating. Once the skater has successful passed these levels, the skater may move on to â€Å"freestyle†. There are six levels in this section. These levels teach the skater basic Jumps and spins. ‘V. Freestyle Freestyle skating consists of Jumps, spins and footwork sequences choreographed in a program using the skater’s style. Some Jumps include axel, the loop Jump, lutz and salchow. These Jumps can be preformed as singles (, doubles, triples, and even quadruples. The axel is one of the hardest Jumps to master, whether it’s a single, double, or a quad The axel requires knee bend, power and speed Competitions are based on levels. There are eight levels in freestyle. Each level gets harder and the harder Jumps require programs with required moves, Jumps and spins. These test are preformed in front of Judges. These test are important for a fgure skater because in determines what level the skater competes at. These tests ake practice and skill. V. Moves in the field Like the freestyle tests, there are eight tests the gradually increase in difficulty. The tests are as follows; pre-preliminary, preliminary, pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, intermediate, novice, Junior and senior. Each test consist of certain step sequences, turns, and moves that require knee bend, grace, and speed. Example of a very simple pattern on the preliminary exam: This pattern consist of a very simple inside three-turn in which you start on an inside edge and turn onto your outside edge. Example of a two very challenging patterns on the Junior exam: Figure 2 Figure 3 This pattern requires a lot good edge quality, grace and knee bend. This turns, also known as a rocker, requires you to stay on the same edge before and after a turn. To determine the correct amount of knee bend, twenty forward inside rockers were done and photographed. Each turn was analyzed to determine whether or not the turn was on the correct edge or not. The photos were separated into two groups, turn with a perfect edge and turn with imperfect edge. The angle of the knee was measured for each photo and then averaged. The average angle for a turn with perfect edge quality was 1090 (refer to fgure 3 for what the edge is supposed to look ike). The average angle for a turn with imperfect edge quality was about 1230. Below are the pictures of a person doing the turn and what the turn looked like on the ice. RFI Rocker. How does math relate to this turn? Although, the differences between the two angles may have seemed small, it made a huge difference. IVe been working on these types turns for about a year, and from experience, I know there are some many things that need to be perfect in order for the turn to be on the correct edge and successtul. One ot the most important and influential part of the turn is the amount of knee bend the skater has. So, how does the angle of the knee make the turn have good or bad edge quality? When you bend your knee, you are doing what’s called, â€Å"pressing your edge†. This means you are on the correct edge because of your knee bend. So, how much knee bend is enough? Is there a certain angle needed to perfect the turns? The answer is yes. This experiment has shown that a very large angle and a very low angle will disrupt the turn. VI’. What is an axel? Axel is one of the most difficult Jumps. The axel takes off from the forward outside edge and is landed on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A single axel is 1. 5 revolutions. Axel is one of the many Jumps that skaters practice and attempt to master. Like most other Jumps, the axel can be increased in difficulty by adding more rotations to the Jump. VIII. What things affect the success of an axel? Many experienced skaters would say the most important things to master when learning how to land an axel successfully is power, speed, and height. How can you master all of these things? Through knee bend. Knee bend provides many things for a successful axel. When you bend you’re knee while you skate, you â€Å"pressing on your edge† letting your skates skate with the ice rather than on top of the ice and merely liding.. No matter how fast your feet move, you will not gain speed if are â€Å"stepping† rather then bending your knees and actually skating. Knee bend also provides grace when preforming an axel. The more you â€Å"get down in your knees† or bend your knees, the more graceful and elegant you appear. This will help those who compete. Finally, right before the Jump takes off, knee bend provides height and the power of the Jump itself. But, how much knee bend is enough knee bend? Skaters, like me and those who think analytically, would love to know how much knee bend will lead to a successful Jump. ‘X. Figuring out how much knee bend is enough knee bend Like what was done for the rockers, a similar experiment was done for the axel. To determine the correct amount of knee bend before the Jump, twenty axels were done and recorded and photographed. Each Jump was analyzed to determine whether or not the turn was a successful Jump or not. The photos were separated into two groups, turn with a perfect edge and turn with imperfect edge. The angle of the knee was measured for each photo and then averaged. The average angle for a Jump with good height and a quality Jump was 1070. The average angle for a turn with imperfect dge quality was about 1280. These results are very similar to the rockers. The Jumps that were considered unsuccessful landed with a fall or it was over or under rotated. This is most likely because the skater either had too much or too little power. X’. How does math relate to this Jump? Even though the differences between the two angles may have seemed small, it made a huge difference. From experience I know that an axel can up to about a year to perfect. Like the rocker, I know there are some many things that need to be perfect in order for the turn to be successful. One of the most important and influential part f the turn is the amount of knee bend the skater has. How to cite The Math in Figure Skating, Papers

Relative Surplus Value and Absolute Surplus Value

The distinction made by Harvey Harvey explains what the collective worker and the individual worker entail in terms of unproductive and productive labor. In fact, the process of labor that by extension is considered purely individual incorporates both the physical and rational attributes of labor force unison in a person.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Relative Surplus Value and Absolute Surplus Value specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This product from an individual laborer is later changed into the collective product of the joint laborers. The product directly created by individual employees who are united result from combining the workforce. Each of these employees stands separately when the actual labor object is being manipulated. Thus, there are occasions when the process of labor tends to become more and more social. During this time, an individual producer appears less accountable for the direct creation o f personal living given that the production functions are distinct. This is what constitute class phenomenon. The relative surplus value is increased by augmenting labor productivity. This in turn, valorizes self-capital dubbed as the individual sort. The commodity value is usually predetermined based on the time needed to generate the user values. From this statement, the surplus value accruing from extending the time worked by each employee in the production process amounts to relative surplus value. Conversely, surplus value ensuing from extending the time that groups work amounts to the class relative surplus value. Ways to increase the relative values from the individual sort Capitalist may increase the quantity of relative surplus value of an individual sort in various ways. However, since the relative surplus value accrues from altering the lengths of any two working components of the day and curtailing the essential labor time, the value of relative surplus can be enhanced t hrough urging the workforce to toil an extra mile. That is, making the employees increase the number of weeks they work annually or quantity of hours worked in a day. To realize this, capitalists must ensure that the number of working days remain unchanged while the variable capital depicted in the labor value is reduced. The reductions might be realized through implementing the following measures. Capitalists should utilize machines that already exist and adopt machines that are more productive when generating surplus values. Reducing the inputs of materials utilized to produce a given output per unit. This implies that, capitalists can augment the individual relative surplus value by reducing the quantity of inputs that go to waste. Any output that is hardly traded due to its inadequate quality also known as the wasted output should be reduced. The intensity at which employees work or execute their duties to generate relative surplus value ought to be increased. The capitalists m ust also decrease the amount of wages or wage rates paid to the laborers. To acquire relative surplus value, the capitalists must shorten the amount of time required to create value that is expended in the labor-power remuneration. Unlike in the acquisition of absolute surplus value that relies on increasing the amount of time worked, capitalists can acquire the value of relative surplus by transforming the technological labor processes. In fact, it is essential that capitalists must revolutionize the groups upon which the societies or the communities are separated.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The acquisition of relative surplus value requires that capitalists should shorten the time consumed by labour in the production processes and prolong the labor surplus. This will ensure that time consumed by workforce for their personal benefits will finally be transformed into w orkforce time. This will be for the advantage of capitalists. Besides, it is essential that capitalists should lower the wage rates for each workforce below the employee-power values. The capitalists need to warrant that each commodity produced by a laborer including the power of labor is purchased and traded at its full value. If this is approved, the time taken to produce labor power or to reproduce value should not be reduced by limiting the wage rates beneath the employees’ power value. In case capitalists want to reduce the labor time required in the production process, it should just be reduced by the accruing relative surplus value itself. Surplus labor can be prolonged when the time span for each working day is given, but the extension must begin by curtailing the essential labor time. Capitalists should ensure that the latter action causes the earlier event. Labor productivity can be increased to generate surplus value. This can be achieved by decreasing the amount o f time each employee works each day. In doing this, the capitalists must put measures that will ensure that the amount of wages paid to the workforce is reduced. In case the wage rates are high, then the relative surplus value ensuing from the production process managed by an individual worker will only cover the costs incurred to produce the commodities. Most capitalists fail to increase the relative surplus values that accrue from the individual employees because machines that already exist are not used resourcefully. Given that it is difficult to generate relative surplus values using employee power alone, capitalists need to make proper use of machines that are available to increase the individual labor’s productivity. Adopting machines will ensure that an individual becomes productive and generates additional relative surplus value. Finally, capitalists are supposed to increase the rate at which workforce executes their production duties. Machines can play decisive roles in realizing this, and wastes from products generated by individual employees will be minimized. This essay on Relative Surplus Value and Absolute Surplus Value was written and submitted by user Dirty Badger to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Abigail Williams essays

Abigail Williams essays Arthur Miller describes Abigail Williams in, The Crucible as a very manipulative and vindictive person. She tends to be decisive in making the wrong decisions; she hurts others around her to get what she wants, john by herself and only for herself. Abigail thins highly of herself because she is worthy of proctors love yet Elizabeth is not. She says, Oh, I marvel how such a strong man [can be with] such a sickly wife(24 miller). This is the main reason why Abigail starts all of the rumors amongst the town. After Abigails brief affair with John proctor, she cannot accept the fact that the relationship has ended. She says, I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart... you loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet(25 miller)! This desperation causes her to resent both proctor and his wife; this resentment leads to the accusation of Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft. Because she gets hurt by John Proctor, She faces these, her own crises, by helping to escalate and create a witch hunt(10 Johnson and Johnson). Near the end of the book john tries to get Mary to confess about how everything done in the woods and how Abigail is telling all lies. Abigail is confronted with this and she lies about it. She then convinces the court that Mary is sending her soul in the shape of a bird and is trying to attack her. Being as devious as she is, she gets all of the girls to follow her lead in the lies. As Johnson and Johnson state, To escape discovery and punishment, Abby fearfully diverts the attention from discovery of her own misdeeds by pointing her finger at others(10). And that is exactly what she does throughout the book to try to get her one and only lover John Proctor back. One reason why Abigail holds onto John is because of how he is her first lover. John had cared for ...

Ahmose Tempest Stela - Weather Report in Ancient Egypt

Ahmose Tempest Stela - Weather Report in Ancient Egypt The Ahmose Tempest Stele is a block of calcite with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs carved into it. Dated to the early New Kingdom in Egypt, the block is a genre of art similar to political propaganda used by many rulers in many different societiesa decorated carving meant to extol the glorious and/or heroic deeds of a ruler. The Tempest Steles main purpose, so it seems, is to report on the efforts of Pharaoh Ahmose I to restore Egypt to its former glory after a cataclysmic disaster. However, what makes the Tempest Stele so interesting to us today, is that some scholars believe that the disaster described on the stone is the after-effects of the volcanic eruption of the Thera volcano, which decimated the Mediterranean island of Santorini and pretty much ended the Minoan culture. The tying of the story on the stone to the Santorini eruption is a crucial piece of evidence nailing down the still-debated dates of the rise of the New Kingdom and the Mediterranean Late Bronze Age in general. The Tempest Stone The Ahmose Tempest Stele was erected at Thebes by Ahmose, the founding pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt, who ruled between 1550-1525 BC (according to the so-called High Chronology) or between 1539-1514 BC (Low Chronology). Ahmose and his family, including his elder brother Kamose and their father Sequenenre, are credited with ending the rule of the mysterious Asiatic group called the Hyksos, and reuniting Upper (south) and Lower (north including the Nile delta) Egypt. Together they founded what would become the pinnacle of ancient Egyptian culture known as the New Kingdom. The stele is a calcite block that once stood over 1.8 meters tall (or about 6 feet). Eventually it was broken into pieces and used as fill in the Third Pylon of the Karnak Temple of Amenhotep IV, that pylon known to have been erected in 1384 BC. The pieces were found found, reconstructed and translated by Belgian archaeologist Claude Vandersleyen [born 1927]. Vandersleyen published a partial translation and interpretation in 1967, the first of several translations. The text of the Ahmose Tempest Stele is in Egyptian hieroglyphic script, inscribed into both sides of the stele. The front side was also painted with red horizontal lines and incised hieroglyphs highlighted in blue pigment, although the reverse side is unpainted. There are 18 lines of text on the front and 21 on the back. Above each text is a lunette, a half-moon shape filled with dual images of the king and fertility symbols. The Text The text begins with a standard string of titles for Ahmose I, including a reference to his divine appointment by the god Ra. Ahmose was residing in the town of Sedjefatawy, so reads the stone, and he traveled south to Thebes, to visit Karnak. After his visit, he returned south and while he was traveling away from Thebes, a tremendous storm blew up, with devastating effects throughout the entire country. The storm is said to have lasted for several days, with bellowing noises louder than the cataracts at Elephantine, torrential rainstorms, and an intense darkness, so dark that not even a torch could relieve it. The driving rains damaged chapels and temples and washed houses, construction debris, and corpses into the Nile where they are described as bobbing like papyrus boats. Theres also a reference to both sides of the Nile being stripped bare of clothing, a reference that has lots of interpretations. The most extensive section of the stele describes the kings actions to remedy the destruction, to restablish the Two Lands of Egypt and provide the flooded territories with silver, gold, oil and cloth. When he finally arrives in Thebes, Ahmose is told that the tomb chambers and monuments have been damaged and some have collapsed. He orders that the people restore the monuments, shore up the chambers, replace the contents of the shrines and double the wages of the personnel, in order to return the land to its former state. And so it is completed. The Controversy Controversies among the scholarly community focus on the translations, the meaning of the storm, and the date of the events described on the stele. Some scholars are certain the storm refers to the after-effects of the Santorini eruption. Others believe that the description is literary hyperbole, propaganda to glorify the pharaoh and his works. Others still interpret its meaning as metaphorical, referring to a storm of Hyksos warriors and the great battles that occurred to chase them out of lower Egypt. To these scholars, the storm is interpreted as a metaphor for Ahmose restoring order from the social and political chaos of the second Intermediate period, when the Hyksos ruled the north end of Egypt. The most recent translation, from Ritner and colleagues in 2014, points out that although there are a handful of texts referring to Hyksos as a metaphorical storm, the Tempest Stele is the only one that includes clear descriptions of meteorological anomalies including rain storms and floods. Ahmose himself, of course, believed the storm was the result of the great displeasure of the gods for his leaving Thebes: his rightful location for the rule over both Upper and Lower Egypt. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to Ancient Egypt  and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Bietak M. 2014. Radiocarbon and the date of the Thera eruption. Antiquity 88(339):277-282. Foster KP, Ritner RK, and Foster BR. 1996. Texts, Storms, and the Thera Eruption. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 55(1):1-14. Manning SW, Hà ¶flmayer F, Moeller N, Dee MW, Bronk Ramsey C, Fleitmann D, Higham T, Kutschera W, and Wild EM. 2014. Dating the Thera (Santorini) eruption: archaeological and scientific evidence supporting a high chronology. Antiquity 88(342):1164-1179. Popko L. 2013. Late Second Intermediate Period to Early New Kingdom. In: Wendrich W, Dieleman J, Frood E, and Grajetzki W, editors. UCLA Encyclopedia of Egtypology. Los Angeles: UCLA. Ritner RK, and Moeller N. 2014. The Ahmose ‘Tempest Stela’, Thera and Comparative Chronology. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 73(1):1-19. Schneider T. 2010. A theophany of Seth-Baal in the Tempest Stele. Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 20:405-409. Wiener MH, and Allen JP. 1998. Separate Lives: The Ahmose Tempest Stela and the Theran Eruption. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 57(1):1-28.

Teenage Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teenage Smoking - Essay Example As per the findings of Holm et al, 80% of all smokers in the United States begin smoking even before the age of 18 (27). Because of the increased threat it raises to health and personal integrity, the prohibition of teenage smoking has become the most essential legal concern. In the United States, the issue has been a topic for debate for several decades between tobacco selling tycoons and social activists. Evidently, as an amicable solution to the controversial issue, the legal age of smoking should be raised, when at the same time, teenage smokers are perceived as vulnerable group that requires comprehensive care. The minimum legal age either for using or purchasing/selling tobacco products varies from country to country with an average range of 18-24. In most of the European countries including Poland, Serbia, Portugal, France, and UK the minimum legal age for smoking cigarettes is now 18. In contrast in the United States, there is no unified regulation on this issue and the minim um age restriction varies from state to state. Although 18 has been generally accepted as the minimum age, the decision is left to the discretion of states. For instance, many states including Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey, and some other counties of New York have recently reset the minimum age for smoking from 18 to 19. As per the Revised Washington Code, a person under the age of 18 who purchases or attempts to purchase, possesses, or attempts to possesses, obtain, or attempts to obtain cigarettes or tobacco products commits a class 3 civil infraction under chapter 7.8. (RCW 2002). Obviously, teenage smoking has to be approached with a socio-psychological perspective other than merely considering it as a health issue. Arguments favoring the rise of legal age to 19 or 21 strongly opine that teenage smoking indicates the behavioral inconsistency among adolescents which can be resolved only through comprehensive programs with the collective involvement of various governmental and non-g overnmental organizations. In order to define the behavioral changes of teenagers with regard to smoking as a symptom, we need to analyze some other aspects of this controversy. Researchers are deeply at odds regarding the factors that determine one’s behavior. Despite the actual trait, behavior of an individual is primarily determined by situational variables and environment. Hence, a person’s behavior is ever changing depending on the situation, place, and the surroundings. If an individual demonstrates exceeding emotional attachment or detachment to anything that comes within his personal environment it presumably point to a behavioral problem. This can be true with the adolescent smokers no matter how they got into this risk group. Several attempts have been made to reduce the use of tobacco products among the youth in the United States notably since 1996 as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised its previous policy. As Jacobson notes, the initial step the Stat es took was to introduce provisions ‘to suit tobacco industry to recover healthcare costs associated with smoking among medical recipients’ (1). One of the notable actions implemented with intent to reduce teenage smoking is the hike in cigarette price which according to some researchers has brought about significant decline in smoking habits. As Jacobson states, â€Å"the cost of cigarettes faced by teenagers can be raised through both price and non-price measures. Policy makers at the federal, state, and local levels can increase the price of cigarettes by raising cigarettes excise taxes-perhaps the most direct route of action† (Jacobson, 178). Admittedly, till date, the smoking