Minimum Wage And Labor Unions - 1841 Words

Abstract Minimum wage often hurts people it is intended to protect from the increase. There are many research papers that will show exactly how the minimum wage affects both the employer and the employee. The employer then has to take action when there is legislation that passes a higher minimum wage rate. I am against minimum wage for many reasons that I will explain in my essay. Labor unions can be viewed as unjust and immoral because of the actions they choose to take against their employers and employees. Labor unions seem to help their employees on the outside but in the long run, end up preventing them from doing things individually. There are many other industries that have high paying wages without being in a union. I am†¦show more content†¦They do not have the experience or education to start off at a higher wage so most employers will not give them a chance. The employer wants to pay a worker for what they believe is what they deserve. Normally, a person has to work and get experience to become more productive. A more productive worker will then get raises and make what they are worth. People need to work so they can survive and if they are less educated and less skilled they will be willing to work for whatever they can get. According to Paul McCormick and Walter Brock, â€Å"An adverse effect of the minimum wage which is especia lly harmful to teenagers in the fact that the minimum wage eliminates the chance of teenagers taking certain low-wage jobs, gaining experience and eventually obtaining better careers in the future† (McComick, Brock, 2000). The poor are also affected by the higher minimum wage. When the minimum wage is increased many low-skilled workers will lose their jobs causing them to become unemployed. Because the minimum wage is raised the price on products will go up causing another hardship on the poor. The businesses will find a way to pay the higher wages to workers so they will have to raise the price of their products and services. â€Å"A 1997 National Bureau of Economic Research study estimated that the federal minimum-wage hike of 1996 and 1997 actually increased the number of poor families by 4.5 percent†Show MoreRelatedMinimum Wage Laws And Labor Unions905 Words   |  4 PagesFair Labor Standards Act was created to establish a minimum federal wage to serve as a standard wage to reduce poverty and to secure economic growth is shared across the workforce. Today minimum wage is far below its historical levels and loses its value every year due to inflation. The minimum wage workforces are l iving close to poverty levels, and insist on the government raising the minimum wage. Sometimes the fight to raise the pay for workers goes unnoticed or unheard, so a labor union is formedRead MoreMinimum Wage And The Wage Essay1208 Words   |  5 Pages Minimum wage requires paying every employee a specific wage regardless of the employee productivity. It is the responsibility of the government to set the minimum wage. To understand this, a biology analogy can be used: some animals are stronger compared to others. In economic perspective, some people are relatively unable to deliver compared to others. Among them include, disabled, unskilled, and the youth. Due to their low productivity, they are entitled lower wages corresponding to their effortsRead MoreMinimum Wage : Low Skilled And Young Workers1553 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Minimum wage, a program created to help the poor, has every contrary effect to its well intentions. Throughout the history, people who hurt the most during minimum wage hikes are the low-skilled and young workers. Drastically raising minimum wage is meaningless as high inflation usually comes alongside with wage increases. Past economic statistics have shown that the rate of increase in inflation usually outpaced the rate of increase in minimum wage. Thus, the real value wage workers receiveRead MoreThe Laws Of The United States1631 Words   |  7 Pagesthose that do, significant effects have been witnessed. Right-to-work legislation allows workers to collect the benefits of any union agreements within their company, but can choose to forego paying fees. Also, the employees in the states with right-to work provisions can join labor unions if they wish to do so without being forced by their employers to join a union as a requirement for employment. This paper will attempt to detail the history of right-to-work laws, explain current issues, forecastRead MoreUnion Dues And Initiation Fee1406 Words   |  6 Pages Unions had a place in the business environment at one point in this nation’s history. Unions helped get workers medical insurance, increased wages, and many other benefits. So what place do unions have in our current business economy? According to Larry Keller, â€Å"Union dues and initiation fees. Dues can range from $200 to several hundred dollars per year, partially offsetting higher wages.† This carries an extra burden for the American worker. Even though the unions push for higher wages, the frontRead MoreState and Federal Systems of Government Essay1705 Words   |  7 PagesState and Federal Systems of Government MGT434 May 29, 2006 State and Federal Systems of Government Labor and employment laws define US workers rights and protect s employees from employers retaliation for exercising our rights under the laws or reporting violations to the proper authorities. As Bennett and Hartman explain, these laws Â…seek to make the power relationship between employer and employee one that is fair and equitable (Employment Law for Business, pg. 88). Employers haveRead MoreMinimum Wage And The Wage1639 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum wage is one of the many microeconomic policies that serve to correct imbalance in the economy. It is defined as the lowest amount of remuneration required of an employer to pay his employees during a given period of work. There exist different laws in different states that can fix the minimum wage policy. A current economic issue is minimum wage, or specifically, its pertinence to social inequality. Many sectors of society would be affected by changes in this policy. Minimum wage relies onRead MoreHistory of the Flsa Essay982 Word s   |  4 PagesHistory of the Fair Labor Standards Act Abstract After the great depression, unions were legalized in order to be the voice for the workers for whom they represented to their employers. Once this legalization became evident through federal statute, set the stage for what was to become the Fair Labor Standards Act. Having just survived a depression, the United States was hoping to avoid any future economic downturns, the government would accomplish this with paying higher wages that the employerRead MoreThe Role Of Unions And Their Importance Has Changed Over The Years1527 Words   |  7 PagesThe role of unions and their importance has changed over the years. A mixture of poor wages, high unemployment, non-existent benefits and insignificant professional stability amongst the more youthful era makes a ready demographic for restoration. The younger era is the slightest unionized section of our general public today by a long shot. Unions are important in today’s society because checks and balances are necessary entities in business and government, so if CEOs are just focusing on themselvesRead MoreThe Impact Of National Relations Labor Act ( Nlra ) And The Fair Labor Standards Act1181 Words   |  5 PagesLabor Legislation in the 20th Century Much of what we know about the improvements in the workforce came from 20th century advancements with the workforce that we know today. Important developments came in the form of methodology and data collection efforts. The 20th century was a remarkable period for the American workers. Despite the initial stages of labor management, working conditions, wages and benefits improved over the last century with the workforce increasing six fold over the

Codes of Ethics are the Most Effective Method of...

Documentations that state significant philosophical principles and make clear the values depicted within an organisation are known as ethical codes. For these codes to be considered effective they are required to be able to define the responsibilities of an organisation to stakeholders, the conduct expected of employees (Kaptein Wempe, 2002) and articulate the ethical parameters of the organization as to what is acceptable and what is not (Stevens, 1994). While behaviour of course, refers to the ethical behaviour of individuals in organizations. Employee behaviours are purposely designed to be affected by codes, regardless of the extent of the script. As much as codes are used to enhance social responsibility and explain the norms and†¦show more content†¦93). This strongly suggests that codes can guide or induce behaviours, seeing that codes are not designed for ‘bad’ people, but for those who endeavour to act ethically. The bad person will not often follow a code, while most people welcome ethical guidance in difficult or unclear situations. The average person is not seeking to do the wrong thing but often tempted, and sometimes confused, by what appears to be an honest path. Conversely no code, no matter how severely enforced will truly make bad people good (Gilman, 2005). However, ethical codes can have a demonstrable impact on the behaviour of bad people in organizations. Brass developed a â€Å"social network model of unethical behaviour.† One of the organization’s factors influencing behaviour includes codes of conduct, which â€Å". . . can significantly decrease the prevalence of unethical behaviour in organizational contexts† (Brass et al, 1998, p. 15). When everyone clearly knows the ethical standards of an organization they are more likely to recognize wrongdoing; and do something about it. Wrongdoers are often cautious to commit an unethical act if they believe that everyone else around them knows it is wrong. And, finally corrupt individuals believe that they are more likely to get caught in environments that emphasize ethical behaviour (Gilman, 2005). As these scholars have noted, behaviours canShow MoreRelatedEthics And Prevention Of Financial Fraud1988 Words   |  8 Pages The Defining Ethics and Prevention of Financial Fraud in the Work Place Ta’Nishia Johnson Savannah State University Abstract This research primarily focuses on ways of preventing financial fraud in the work place as well as defining the proper ethics to follow. It elaborates on the ways to deter fraud and what ethics should be taught during training for the job given to an employee. In order to understand the best way to stop people from committing fraud, we must learn what stipulationsRead MoreFinancial and Banking Institutions6081 Words   |  24 Pagesï » ¿Financial and Banking Institutions Abstract Ethics are regarded as principles guiding organizational internal conduct as well as the organizations relationship with clients, partners as well as shareholders. On the same note, core values are often summarized in the mission statement or in the companys statement of core values. In line with this, banks are required to have an ethical base and business decisions should not take place within the framework of anything goes. As a general principleRead MoreLiterature Review on Business Ethics6430 Words   |  26 Pages Business Ethics: A Literature Review Abstract A review of the current literature regarding business ethics was conducted analyzing scholarly peer-reviewed articles about business ethics and their relation to leadership, managerial decision making, corporate social responsibility and overall corporate structure. Increased corporate scandals and the discovery of a rise in unethical business practices have thrown the topic of business ethics into the spotlight. Organizations are expectedRead MoreEthics As A Component Of Corporate Culture2548 Words   |  11 PagesBusinesses that pursue to inspire an ethical conduct can do so by using their corporate culture. â€Å"All organizations have some sort of culture.† (Ferrell, et al. p.182). Ethics as a component of corporate culture provides insight into the framework of an organization and create highly visible standards that comply with the larger values of society. In this sense, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of an organization’s culture, Ferrell and colleag ues define the term corporate culture as, â€Å"theRead MoreChracteristics of Effective School Principals2545 Words   |  11 PagesCharacteristics of Effective School Principals Lokman Mohd Tahir; Hamdan Said Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, 81310, Johore. Hamidon A. Rahman Institut Aminuddin Baki, 69000, Sri Layang, Genting Highlands Abstract Researchers in the area of principalship have concluded that schools are effectively good as their principals. Despite some influential work of the effective schools research, Malaysians school principals are urged by the our former Directors General of EducationRead MoreChracteristics of Effective School Principals2552 Words   |  11 PagesCharacteristics of Effective School Principals Lokman Mohd Tahir; Hamdan Said Faculty of Education Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, 81310, Johore. Hamidon A. Rahman Institut Aminuddin Baki, 69000, Sri Layang, Genting Highlands Abstract Researchers in the area of princip alship have concluded that schools are effectively good as their principals. Despite some influential work of the effective schools research, Malaysians school principals are urged by the our former Directors General of EducationRead MoreGoods Dominated Logic in Marketing2899 Words   |  12 Pageshours, information and other ‘exchangeable’ units. Whereas recently, literature has proposed the concept of a Service Dominated (SD) logic where the customer and the firm are involved in co-creating value-in-use, rather than value-in-exchange, within a service system (Vargo et al 2008). In this SD logic Vargo amp; Lausch (2004) suggest that a business’ offering of a value is merely a proposition for the customer to realise at point of use, and until this point what is being offered is only potentiallyRead MoreBusi 561 Legal Issues in Business7036 Words   |  29 Pagescompany that operates a number of cheesecake and wine restaurants. Originally founded in New York City, RAPIDS has since expanded to include international locations. RAPIDS was formed as a subchapter S corporation. The company abides by the highest ethical principles and ensures that all employees maintain these high standards. RAPIDS’s policies are all based on Christian principles. The company relies on a corps of legally-astute managers that use their understanding of the law to successfully guideRead MoreLeadership Portrayed in the Movie Twelve O’ Clock High3317 Words   |  14 Pagesineffective combat unit. Throughout the movie we observe Peck’s character employing a variety of leadership methods, but ultimately discovering that true combat effectiveness and cohesion is accomplished through a transformational leadership style. While the movie illustrates these leadership theories practiced by General Savage, these theories are not all inclusive and fail to explain the behavior of General Savage during the movie. Specifically, transactional leadership is inherently limited comparedRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesAutomation to Distributed Information Access Solutions Thomas R. Kochtanek and Joseph R. Matthews The Complete Guide to Acquisitions Management Frances C. Wilkinson and Linda K. Lewis Organization of Information, Second Edition Arlene G. Taylor The School Library Media M anager, Third Edition Blanche Woolls Basic Research Methods for Librarians Ronald R. Powell and Lynn Silipigni Connoway Library of Congress Subject Headings: Principles and Application, Fourth Edition Lois Mai Chan Developing Library and

I Prefer to Live in Big Cities Than in Small Towns Free Essays

I Prefer to Live in Big Cities than in Small-towns In English, there is a well-known fairy story about a poor country boy, Dick Whittington, who goes to London because he believes that the streets of that city are â€Å"paved with gold†. The story is a tale of â€Å"from rags to riches†. Dick eventually becomes the Lord Mayor of London. We will write a custom essay sample on I Prefer to Live in Big Cities Than in Small Towns or any similar topic only for you Order Now Like the hero of that story, I love to take adventure in the cities. I grew up in a small town and then moved to a big city, so I have experienced the good and bad sides of both. I never thought that I would like living in a big city, but I was wrong. Cities contain a great assortment of people. Whenever I walk around a shopping precinct at midday on a weekend, I am fascinated by all the different types of people hurrying around the shops. Sometimes, I just sit on a public bench and simply watch the variegated streams of shoppers. Today, in the age of globe-trotting transport and communications, city life is more mixed than it has ever been. Capital cities are not cosmopolitan, and eager to attract foreign trade currency. There is a contemporary English joke which tells that â€Å"you can never find an Englishman in London†. The United States is made up of people of different races, religions, abilities, and interests. However, you seldom find such a variety of people in a smaller town. I think that living in an area where everyone was just like me would quickly become boring. Whether rightly or wrongly, I love the excitement of big cities. Small towns have a slow pace. Large cities mean you have to adapt to a variety of situations, like finding a new route to work or trying a new restaurant. I enjoy that challenge very much. Another pan of the excitement of city living is the variety of cultural activities available. There is a wide assortment of theatre, music and dance performances available in big cities. These things are rare in small ones. Governments and local authorities usually build public amenities in the big cities. Money is invested in transport, libraries, parks and museums. Often, countries will compete with each other for the best â€Å"show-case† building. Malaysia has built a skyscraper that is taller than is anything in New York. In large countries, region will compete against region: New York against Chicago, Shanghai against Hong Kong and Beijing. All of this is good for the citizen. The magic of the Dick Whittington story is rekindled in me when I enter a library in a magnificent building. If a person is at university studying art or music, a large city usually offers galleries and public performances. Even when I was a teenager, I appreciated the worth of living in a city because two or three times a year there was a rock concert by one of my favorite bands. There is one thing I want to talk is small-towns and big cities both have some problems in terms of transportation. In a small town, you have to own a car to ensure a comfortable living. You can’t get around without one because there isn’t any kind of public transportation. Big cities generally have heavy traffic and expensive parking, but there you have a choice of taking public transportation. It’s not free, but it’s often cheaper than driving when you consider gas and time. Especially if you don’t have a car, you’re better off in the city. And of course, security is a concern, and that’s one area where small towns are superior to big cities. Still, I would rather be a bit more cautious and live in a large city than to feel secure but bored. How to cite I Prefer to Live in Big Cities Than in Small Towns, Papers

Dissenting opinions should be abolished UK Essay Example For Students

Dissenting opinions should be abolished UK Essay Caroline Vernet Leduc e 1002041842 Ecole de droit de la sorbonne Universit? © Paris 1 (Panth? ©on Sorbonne) Master 2 Recherche Mention droit compar? © droit anglo-am? ©ricain des affaires Ann? ©e universitaire 2013-2014 1st Semester Sources et techniques en droit anglais Ruth Sefton-Green The Dialogue of English Justice Mid term assignment Subject 2: Dissenting opinions should be abolished from English Judicial practice. Discuss. The English Judiciary tradition consists in Judgements built on a serie of each Judges opinionl . The one of the majority of the court on a legal issue with regard to facts nd the explanation of its reasoning is drawn up as the court Judgment. 2 A dissenting opinion is a minority opinion expressed by one Judge or Jointly by several judges who disagree with the decision reached by the majority in the case. 3Thus, there may be dissenting opinions only when there are several Judges in a court and when their opinions are revealed to the public. Also, an opinion can differ from the majority because of its conclusion and its reasoning or its reasoning only. Most of the countries with a continental system exludes separate opinions. On the other hand, issenting opinions are a familiar feature of Judicial process of most Common Law systems. Hence, one can wonder if dissenting opinions should be abolished from 1 . The Influence of the dissenting opinions on the impact of English decisions In both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, dissenting opinions came from the conference between Judges before the decision had been taken. In the debate, the different opinions fought with specific legal arguments. Unanimity is rare, nuances are welcome and oppositions are allowed. The advantage of dissenting opinions is that they gave force to rationality by showing the quality of the legal ebates on the basis of transparency during the process of decision-making. From this point of view, they do not weaken the decision but make it stronger as they are the proofs that the Judges decision is built on a confrontation of ideas, legal concepts and deep reflexions. According to Justice Jesse W. Carter4, if the majority is perfectly right, the dissenting opinions make his position even clearer. Thus, the publication of a dissenting opinion may highlight the legal debate between Judges. 5 Plus, it is difficult to deny that law is not an exact science. Hence, you cannot prove your nswer6 it must be constantly tested by reason. Dissenting opinions challenge law by testing it. Therefore, despite the fact that a dissenting opinion cannot change the result of a case where it is made, it may salvage for tomorrow the principle that was sacrificied or forgotten today. However, Judgements are followed because they are authorities in England as a Common Law country, and not because people admire their reasoning. Then, a decision taken by a majority which can be short can hardly impose his authority when certain members of the Jurisdiction show their opposition y expressing a dissent with a strong legal argumentation. The risk is particularly important in a case of sharing of votes when the decision had been taken only thanks to the vote of one or two Judge. Also, the authority and the prestige of English courts of last and intermediate ressort may be downgraded if too many dissenting opinions contradict or attack each other. Then, particularly concerning criminal appeals, the court should not look divided as it deals with an English citizens liberty. 9 Indeed, as Bloom-Cooper and Drewry10 declared, the punishment from the Criminal division of he Court of Appeal itself may be more difficult to accept with a dissent without binding effect. Also, one may wonder if Judges have to conciliate different answers or add different opinions. Everyone who participates to the elaboration of a Judicial decision and has an opinion about it also have the assumption that there is also something valuable in the others opinion. Judges should look for a consensus. Nobody can deny that the Judge has the duty to fight for his opinions and has also a duty to the parties and the public. However, by allowing the dissenting opinions, each udge may content with his first view about the case instead of searching a consensus which would be as right as possible according to all the Judges of the bench. Thus, dissenting opinions may strenghten or not the authority of the English courts depending of the way Judges dissent. 2. Dissenting opinions and credibility of the courts Judge Learned Hand of the United States Federal Court of Appeal said that dissents collegiality. ll Indeed, in their debates the Judges can differ in their opinion concerning the law applicable to the facts and should be obliged to come to a unified conclusion. Indeed, after a majority has reached a conclusion, it becomes the opinion of the Court, and the debate should be closed. Alexander the Great EssayAs we admitted that dissenting opinions have an interest such as improving the reflexion and developing the law, therefore, there is a risk that some interesting ideas for the case or for future cases would be missed. Another option would be limiting the possibility to write dissenting opinions only when the case raises important legal questions or may be controversy. In these cases, Judges have to find a fair balance having in mind the public interest. Hence, the publication of dissents may be important as the aim of the decision and he decision itself have to be evaluated by the Judges themselves. On the other hand, Mr. Justice Brandeis24 circulated dissenting drafts but withdrawn them when he thought the majority opinion was unlikely to cause real harm. 25Therefore, it would be a good alternative to the current system if Judges could limit themselves by publishing dissenting opinions only when they are really useful. Dissenting opinions are admissible in some Common Law countries because they are linked to the system in which courts function when exercising their Jurisdiction and English Judges have a main role in the legislative process26 The continental European Judges consider themselves as public officials instead of the real expositor of the law with independence against other organs of administrations. In the English courts, the function of the Judge is not merely to apply a abstract rule to facts, but to formulate rules which he may apply and give their opinion on troublesome points of law27 as their rulings will then become precedents for future cases. Therefore, the question cannot be about abolishing dissenting opinions. However, Judgements given y a weak majority have not the same weight that the ones given by a unanimous court. Therefore, dissenting opinions should be discouraged in a way that if unanimity can be obtained without great sacrifice of conviction, Judges should choose to build a solid conclusion with a unanimous decision to muster a single coherent binding rule. 8 Yet, unanimity obtained at the cost of strong conflicting views is not desirable as one characteristic which guaranty the credibility of the English Courts is the independence of Judges. Hence, within these limits, dissent is not only a right but hould be regarded as a duty29, despite the idea that the practice of dissenting should be used strategically in a way Judges would limit themselves30 Words count: content without footnotes and bibliography: 1999 Bibliography Cases Free City of Danzig and International Labour Organization, Advisory Opinion, 1930 P . C. I. J. (ser. B) NO. 18 (1926) Marburryv Madison, I cranch 137, at 177 (US 1803) Pollock v. Farmers Loan and Trust Company, 157 U. S. 429 , 608 Judgment of 15 June 1962, ICJ, the Hague Other sources Alder, J Dissents in Courts of Last Resort, Tragic Choices , 2000, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies vol 20 Ancel, J-P, Les opinions dissidentes, 2005, Cycle de conf? ©rences annuelles sur les m? ©thodes de Jugement Ginsburg, RB The 20th annual Leo Barry Eizenstat Memorial Lecture: The role of dissenting opinions 2007 Blom-Cooper, LJ and Drewry, G Final Appeal: a Study to the House of Lords in its Judicial Capacity 1972 Oxford Clarendon Press Carter , JW Dissenting opinions 4 Hastings L], 1953 Douglas, WO The Dissent: A Safeguard of Democracy 32 Journal of the American Judicature Society, 1948 Georgin,J Les opinions dissidentes dans les Juridictions : Note introductive, 2003, centre d? ©tudes Jacques Georgin C. E. G Hand, BL The Bill of Rights 1958, Harvard University Press Hart, HLA The concept of Law (2nd edition, Clarendon Press) (A supreme tribunal has the last word in saying what the law is and, when it has said it. ) Heydon, JD Threats to Judicial indepedence:the enemy within 2013, Law quaterly Review Hirt, WE In the Matter of Dissents Inter Judices de lure, 1960, Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly Laffranque,J Dissenting opinion and Judicial independence, Juridica International VIII, 2003 Luchaire, F and Vedel, G La transposition des opinions dissidentes en France est-elle souhaitable? , 2000, Cahiers du Conseil constitutionnel no 8 Mashall,J Dissenting Opinions, 1937, Law Posner, RA How Judges Think, 2008, Harvard University Press Stager, W Dissenting Opinions. Their Purpose and Results , 1925, Virginia Law Review Blacks Law Dictionary, Standard Ninth Edition Walbolt, SH and Zimmerman, SC l must dissent. Why Florida Bar Journal, 2008, p35 Wood, DP When to Hold, When to Fold, and When to Reshuffle: The Art of Decisionmaking on a Multi-Member Court, 2012, California Law Review

How The Great Wall Of China Effected The Qin, Han And Ming Dynasties E

How the Great Wall of China Effected the Qin, Han and Ming Dynasties How the Great Wall of China Effected the Qin, Han and Ming Dynasties The Great Wall is one of the most outstanding and famous features China has to offer. In fact the Great Wall is one of the seven wonders of the world. There were three dynasties who built the wall. The dynasties were the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. These three dynasties contributed to the wall in various ways yet some of their reasons and methods were the same. There were various decisions made by the dynasties that were both helpful and others that just bottomed out. The first dynasty that worked on the wall was the Qin. This group initiated building on the wall in 221 B.C. This took place just following China becoming unified after suffering many battles between various feudal states. The first Chinese emperor was Qin Shi Huang (individual for which China and the dynasty was named). Huang was an egotistical leader and preached that people were evil. In turn people believed that they needed a strict set of rules. The dynasty burned most of the Confucian literature since they thought it promoted free thinking which would cause the ?evil' people to rebel. This did not to prove true. Huang began work on some old ruins of the wall which he connected to new parts of the wall. The wall was built with local materials such as dry-laid native stone. This stone was very scarce so engineers would use resources from the earth to build the wall. These parts of the earth would be compacted into 4 inch layers that were packed very tight. These pieces of the earth would be inserted into wooden frames. This process took a long time and the wall would only grow 4 inches at a time. The wall was not very large, which showed that a lot of hard work and time had not been placed into the wall since it could only grow at a slow rate. Thus that showed that harsh rules halted work progression. This could have saved future dynasties some problems and in the long run made China stronger and a more consistent dynasty. The next group that worked on the wall was the Han dynasty. This gave a reincarnation to past literature, especially Confucianism. With Central Asia in the hands of China, this gave them time to work on the wall to prevent future attacks. This stalled trading, but since there were gates to enter China trading could take place. The entrances were very busy since China was a huge export for goods. Among these goods were jade, gold, spices, horses, gems and silk. Silk was probably the most important good being exchanged. Silk roads were built for a path to China to trade. The rules were not as harsh this time with the Han, but previous problems from the Qin had withheld technology. The Han did succeed in surpassing the Qin in amount of work accomplished on the wall. This set up the Ming dynasty which played a stellar role in building the wall. Due to being ignored for some time it had become rusty and not as durable, this making work harder. The method that the Chinese had to resort to an old method that was very complex. The first step was that they would lay a bed of red willow reeds along with twigs at the bottom of a wooden frame. Following that, they would fill frames with a mixture of water with some fine gravel. This gravel had been tamped with soil. When the mixture was completely dry, the frame would then be removed. This left a solid piece of tamped earth. The tamped earth was reinforced by the willow reeds which is similar to how concrete is now held up with steel. The Han dynasty did some solid work on the wall and it was a certain improvement from the work that the Qin started. Yet these two dynasties were key points in building the wall, the Ming did the most significant amount of work on the Great Wall of China. The Ming Dynasty was the third and final dynasty that built the wall. The work that the Ming did crushed the Han and Qin in accomplishments. It was Ming who came to power in 1368. They were farther advanced technologically and beyond master builders when it came to wall structuring. The dynasties were solid architects at a point in which China had become a major power throughout the world.

How to Name a Dinosaur

How to Name a Dinosaur Most working paleontologists dont get the opportunity to name their own dinosaur. In fact, for the most part, paleontology is a somewhat anonymous and tedious occupationthe typical PhD candidate spends most of her days laboriously removing encrusted dirt from newly discovered fossils. But the one chance a field worker really gets to shine is when he or she discoversand gets to namea brand-new dinosaur. (See The 10 Best Dinosaur Names, The 10 Worst Dinosaur Names, and the Greek Roots Used to Name Dinosaurs) There are all sorts of ways to name dinosaurs. Some of the most famous genera are named after prominent anatomical features (e.g., Triceratops, Greek for three-horned face, or Spinosaurus, the spiny lizard), while others are named according to their presumed behavior (one of the most famous examples is Oviraptor, which means egg thief, even though the charges later turned out to be overblown). A bit less imaginatively, many dinosaurs are named after the regions where their fossils were discoveredwitness the Canadian Edmontosaurus and the South American Argentinosaurus. Genus Names, Species Names, and the Rules of Paleontology In scientific publications dinosaurs are usually referred to by their genus and species names. For example, Ceratosaurus comes in four different flavors: C. nasicornus, C. dentisulcatus, C. ingens and C. roechlingi. Most ordinary people can get by with just saying Ceratosaurus, but paleontologists prefer to use both the genus and species names, especially when describing individual fossils. More often than you might think, a species of a particular dinosaur is promoted to its own genusthis has happened numerous times, for instance, with Iguanodon, some former species of which are now referred to as Mantellisaurus, Gideonmantellia and Dollodon. According to the arcane rules of paleontology, a dinosaurs first official name is the one that sticks. For example, the paleontologist who discovered (and named) Apatosaurus later discovered (and named) what he thought was an entirely different dinosaur, Brontosaurus. When it was determined that Brontosaurus was the same dinosaur as Apatosaurus, official rights reverted back to the original name, leaving Brontosaurus as a deprecated genus. (This sort of thing doesnt only happen with dinosaurs; for example, the prehistoric horse formerly known as Eohippus now goes by the less user-friendly Hyracotherium.) Yes, Dinosaurs Can Be Named After People Surprisingly few dinosaurs are named after people, perhaps because paleontology tends to be a group effort and many practitioners dont like to call attention to themselves. Some legendary scientists, though, have been honored in dinosaur form: for example, Othnielia is named after Othniel C. Marsh (the same paleontologist who caused the whole Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus brouhaha), while Drinker wasnt a prehistoric alcoholic, but a dinosaur named after the 19th-century fossil hunter (and Marsh rival) Edward Drinker Cope. Other people-saurs include the amusingly named Piatnitzkysaurus and Becklespinax. Perhaps the most widely recognized people-saur of modern times is Leaellynasaura, which was discovered by a married pair of paleontologists in Australia in 1989. They decided to name this small, gentle ornithopod after their young daughter, the first time a child had ever been honored in dinosaur formand they repeated the trick a few years later with Timimus, an ornithomimid dinosaur named after the husband of this famous duo. (In the past few years, there have been many more dinosaurs named after women, correcting a long-time historical imbalance.) The Silliest, and Most Impressive, Dinosaur Names Every working paleontologist, it seems, harbors the secret desire to come up with a dinosaur name so impressive, so profound, and so just-plain-cool that it results in reams of media coverage. Recent years have witnessed such unforgettable examples as Tyrannotitan, Raptorex and Gigantoraptor, even if the dinosaurs involved were less impressive than you might think (Raptorex, for example, was only about the size of a full-grown human, and Gigantoraptor wasnt even a true raptor, but a plus-sized relative of Oviraptor). Silly dinosaur namesif theyre within the bounds of good taste, of coursealso have their place in the hallowed halls of paleontology. Probably the most famous example is Irritator, which received its name because the paleontologist restoring its fossil was feeling, well, particularly irritated that day. Recently, one paleontologist named a new horned, frilled dinosaur Mojoceratops (after the mojo in the expression Ive got my mojo working), and lets not forget the famous Dracorex hogwartsia, after the Harry Potter series, which was named by pre-teen visitors to the Childrens Museum of Indianapolis!

Developments of China and Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Developments of China and Europe - Essay Example If we analyse the history of Europe, it will come to our notice that Europe has been defined and redefined from time to time and its identity changed with the overall historical periods. (Hudson 2000). For example, a Europe of Middle Ages is different than the Europe during the industrial revolution similarly, if we assess the rise and fall of China, we will observe the same patterns in its history. Development of China also took place in a very strange and somewhat unusual manner because it flourished along the yellow river and in various city states. This simultaneous development of cities within Chinese civilization provided it necessary uniqueness in terms of its evaluation as one of the most important civilizations of the world. The era during 200-800 A.D. in Europe started with the rise of Roma as the center of world civilization. From 753 BC to AD 337, Roma or Rome dominated the European history and brought up one of the most important civilizations of the world which laid the foundations for later moderation that took place during that period. One of the most important aspects of this period was the development of political institutions in the Europe and as such modern foundations of democracy as the most preferred method of governance was laid down. (Davies 1996). On the other hand, in China, first 100 years i.e. 100 AD were marked with the invention of paper and its mass scale production was started under the direction of Cai Lun. Similarly, Buddhism also started to make inroads into the Chinese culture as missionaries of Buddhism started to gain significant influence within the Chinese society. (Ebrey 1999). If we compare the initial period of the history in these two regions, we will come to a conclusion that the both the regions were parallel to each other in terms of religious development because at one hand, Buddhism was gaining control in Chinese society in the first

Western Classical music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Western Classical music - Essay Example y, which is very different from â€Å"Messiah† by George Frideric Handel which is an example of a baroque music with so much emotions attached to it and less instrumentation. The need to distinguish words more clearly in the music from all that instrumentation and to put emotion into the music was what necessitated baroque music to be developed during that era. The music was developed soon after renaissance music era ended and the start of this new era marked the beginning of emotion-revoking classical music which had other different musicians from the preceding era (Hall, 265). Compare the careers of Bach and Handel. How were they similar and how were they different? Talk about where they worked their reputations during their lifetimes, and the kind of music they wrote. Did Handel write types of music Bach didnt? Handel’s music career had first been hindered by his parents but his talent led them to change their mind. Bach was from a musician’s family and his singing was nurtured from a tender age. Both of these men loved classical music and they also had a rough patch before they became famous and reputable in music. Both had to teach music though in different countries and later on stopped the teaching. Handel was a violinist who worked in London and concentrated more on oratorios than operas towards the end of his career. Bach on the other hand was a music director in Leipzig. Handel had more reputation than Bach although Bach became famous after his death. Handel wrote operas and finally oratorios while Bach wrote orchestra music (Hall,

Leading in Knowledge Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leading in Knowledge Organizations - Essay Example Since the number of such tasks is quite large in knowledge organizations, there is very little that senior and experienced superiors can do to assist their subordinates in the performance of these tasks. Leadership of knowledge employees gives a new meaning to the role of supervisors in these organizations. Supervisors in knowledge organizations, practically at any level of the hierarchy, cannot follow the leadership model of traditional organizations. (Gollobin 6-7) The major difference is that task characteristics in knowledge organizations require all knowledge employees to be leaders in some form. In fact, ability to function as a leader should be a requisite skill for any person who accepts work assignments in any capacity in a knowledge organization. The challenges for managers lie in evolving practices that facilitate the functioning of every knowledge employee as a leader-a functional leader. Managers can do the following to turn employees into functional leaders: As a rule, managers should see that all knowledge employees, in some aspect of their work assignments, encounter situations that offer them opportunities to act as leaders. Success with leadership situations can hasten lavish outcomes in more than one form for the organization. To encourage risk taking in these roles by employees, managers should increase intrinsic and extrinsic rewards from success on leadership initiatives. They should develop a desire in employees who successfully become functional leaders to draft visions for their departments and the courses to realize them. In preparation of leading others, knowledge employees can undertake extra efforts in learning how to influence or make others work to attain organizational goals. Leadership in traditional organizations is not about leading others to attain outcomes of value to them, unless it happens to be a by-product of the firm's goals. Nevertheless, unlike these organizations, knowledge organization leadership, or the art of lead ing knowledge organizations, is not about using employees as "means" to attain goals that are espoused by the leader or others in the organization but is about making all knowledge employees individually form their visions relating to the tasks that they are doing and then helping others to successfully replicate their learning in similar situations such that new and unique knowledge tasks become less unique and uncertain.

SouthWest Airlines Case Study

SouthWest Airlines Case Study SouthWest Airlines Case Study Executive Summary Thousands of people travel by air; Southwest Airlines provides low-fare air transportation service among 58 cities in the United States. Although the industry suffered a major blow from the terrorist attack of September 11th, the company is still holding strong; while other airline companies are in debt. The information was majority gathered and analyzed from the internet; sources such as News Week, and Wall Street Journal. According to the acquired knowledge of Southwest, the company maintains steady sales. The major success to their continued success is due to their low-cost model and competitors are aware that they cannot match Southwest Airlines low prices therefore, by dropping the price even lower; Southwest Airlines can force a company to go bankrupt. Introduction In 1971, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher started an airline service with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline. They were right about that. Southwest Airline is now a major airline, in fact, the fourth largest airliner in the United States that is trading under the Symbol LUV on NYSE. The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. It primarily provides short haul, high-frequency, point-to-point, low-fare air transportation service among 58 cities (59 airports) in the United States. Here are some numbers that will give a brief idea how the company is operating: Net income: $241 million Total passengers carried: 63 million Total RPMs: 45.4 billion Passenger load factor: 65.9 percent Total operating revenue: $5.5 billion The airline industry has been hit hard by the terrorist attack of September 11th. There is a 13% insurance raise for the airlines and the government is enforcing fees regarding security problems. The operation cost increases dramatically and there are less people traveling by air. Most of the airliners are losing money expect a few. Southwest is one of those airlines which have remained profitable. Organization of Southwest Airlines is described as an upside-down pyramid. The upper management is at the bottom and supports the front line employees (~35000), who are the experts. This is Herb Kellehers unorthodox leadership style, in which management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives. The company is described to not have much emphasis on structure; instead employees are encouraged to think freely without constraints such as titles. Kelleher, for example, is said to know the names of virtually all his employees. Southwest Airlines is characterized as a C-corporation with duration distinguished as a normal perpetual existence. The shareholders are not normally liable for debts of the corporation and they preserve an operation that is normally more structured, requiring more meetings and (in some states) more reporting requirements. Management is very centralized through the board of directors (elected by the shareholders) and the officers (elected by the directors). The corporation is taxable entity, although the income which would normally be taxed at the corporate level can normally be paid out in salaries (and in other deductible ways) so that there is in fact no tax at the corporate level. As far as transferability of interest, it is normally fully transferable and raising capital is in the choice of public companies. Southwest Airlines values employees, initiating the first profit-sharing plan in the U.S. airline industry in 1974 and offered it ever since. In 2000, Southwest offered its employees a record-setting $138M in profit sharing. This tax-deferred compensation represented an additional 14.1 percent of each employees annual salary. Methodology In order to explore Southwest Airlines corporate structure, the method in which we obtain our information is a critical component in our mission. Therefore, this analysis describes a methodology that utilizes Southwest Airlines official website to attain background history, company particulars and financial statistics. In addition, the librarys electronic journals, business research databases (Wall Street Journal, Business Week) and accredited search engines on the Internet such as Yahoo! are also major resources for our investigation in conducting a fundamental SWOT analysis and acquiring information regarding the companys main competitors and customers. Our research will not be limited to just Southwest Airline, our research involves Boeing 737 as well as a few of the opposing companies. Research on these additional topics will be specific, material that pertains or assists in elaborating our recommendations for the company of Southwest. Results According to the attached figure covering the past four years of Southwest Airlines financial progress, they have maintained steady net sales. In 1999, they had total net sales of $4,735 million which had risen to $5,585 million. Their slight drop in 2002 to $5,521 million was due to the September 11th incident. However, this is nothing compared to other major airline industries where they have lost so much more. Many have even gone bankrupt and been forced to close down. In fact, Southwest Airlines was the only major US air carrier to remain profitable since then; albeit Southwest Airlines were affected by the poor economic conditions. Few of their main competitors are Continental Airlines and American Airlines. Substitute products include the train (Amtrak) and bus (Greyhound) which cover long distances. While these alternates cannot offer the speed of travel, most of Southwest Airlines customers are attracted to the low price. Suppliers include those who provide service/products necessary for Southwest Airlines to their business function. For Southwest Airlines, suppliers include mechanics(and other maintenance people), providers of fuel, food(the snacks that are offered). The suppliers do not have much bargaining power. Customers include both residential and commercial sectors. There is no bargaining power for customers, as there is no threat of backward integration; it is unlikely that customers of Southwest Airlines are going to build their own airplanes and fly themselves. Rivalry among competitors sets the price-Southwest Airlines is a discount airliner. Rivalry is increasing, as the market decreases, and competitors downsize, the competitors become more or less equal in size and capacity. This means that as economic conditions worsen, competitors downsize and then compete for the same remaining market. The threat of new entrants is low, the demand is not high. On top of that, there are hurdles, not necessarily the greatest; the FAA. Government regulations and restrictions imposed on those involved in this industry. Such would be government sanctions consequent of international issues. At a glance, the companys source of competitive advantage is its low price tickets. Most of its customers are people who are willing to forego in-flight meals, direct routes and fancy seats if that would mean for a cheaper ticket. Not to imply that Southwest doesnt provide direct flights, but that is offered at a higher price. Southwest Airlines was in better shape than its competitors after recent attacks on September 11 for a simple reason: their low-cost model. Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center had a devastating effect on the airline industry, particularly because the instrument of destruction of these attacks was hijacked airplanes. The public lost faith in the airline industry immediately following September 11th, and for many airline companies this meant going into severe debt or even declaring bankruptcy. Even after some time, the majority of the airline industry experienced lower profits and massive downsizing. However, for smaller companies like Southwest, they were able to turn a profit and were in a more enviable position than the larger counterparts. The reason for Southwest Airlines success is due to their low-cost model. The Southwest Airlines consists solely of Boeing 737s and offers only coach seats (there is no business or first class). Southwest Airlines also do not offer in-flight meals, only peanuts and other snacks. Southwest is simple and direct at the goal of their service; a primarily short-haul airline that flies directly from city to city, with just one type of planethe Boeing 737 and the lowest costs. With a simple goal, Southwest has excised many of the luxuries that competitors have offered, such as luxury seats; this is made evident by their decision to enforce a rule for passengers who could not fit into the seats to purchase an additional seat. This rather unpopular move (whereas other airlines would have suggested a more luxury class seat) is simple in its purpose-get passengers from point A to point B. Services, such as in-flight meals and luxury seats, which have become standard to competitors, have been s een as unnecessary for an airline that provides a short-haul trip from city to city at the lowest cost. To have opted for a first class, business class, or any form of luxury class seat would have been excess baggage; most people would prefer to do without it if it meant for cheaper ticket price. While Southwest Airlines offers no frills, Southwest Airlines do meet customer expectations when it comes to service. They base their model on the motto, which states that if theyre happy, satisfied, dedicated, and energetic, theyll take real good care of the customers. When the customers are happy, they come back. And that makes the shareholders happy, Southwest has very good relations with all their employees. Employees are either of independent unions or have flexible contracts which allow employees to work longer hours. Southwest Airlines, however, is not without weaknesses. No matter how successful, Southwest Airlines serves only 29 states and cannot compete against the bigger companies that serve nationally or even internationally. Furthermore, Southwest Airlines does not utilize a hub system that allows for bigger competitors to reach further out. Such competitors are aware that they cannot match Southwest Airlines prices; their market is larger and is not feasible to offer cheaper tickets at the cost of no in-flight meals. Instead, competitors narrow the price difference between Southwest Airlines and themselves and stress on the quality of these frills (such as roomier seats). Others, through use of flight hubs, are the only ones who can economically serve remote customers. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is their preference of Boeing 737s. Being limited to one type of airplane leaves them with little flexibility when the model receives a bad reputation or a critical flaw is discovered. Such would be a costly venture for this company, whove used only one type of airplane and in the face of a dire situation would face a costly venture of finding replacements or counteracting bad publicity. Southwest Airlines success is primarily because they have focused sharply on their goals. This is evident by their no-frills, low-cost model: their goal is to provide the cheapest form of short air travel between two cities; providing the bare necessities. Driven by the idea that customers can be satisfied without having expensive options available for them, Southwest Airlines have stepped on the toes of many of its bigger competitors. Southwest Airlines was able to differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering the lowest prices. This appealed to many people who were not impressed with the additional services such as in-flight meals or wanted to avoid busy airports. Coupled with the utilization of the internet, Southwest Airlines almost became a trend, a sort of an underground hit, bypassing travel agents and their fees. Southwest Airlines provided a medium in which city-to-city transportation was possible with the lowest costs. Part of their success is due to their focused group; Southwest Airlines serves only 29 states a substantially smaller portion of geography, when compared to those who serve customers coast-to-coast. While the company was able to enjoy their success in the earlier years, recent events and poor economic conditions have made competition fierce. Now, the bigger companies are trying to emulate Southwest Airlines style. By narrowing the price gap, the luxurious services previously deemed too expensive has become more affordable. A possible drawback is that because Southwest Airlines strategy has proven so effective, it will be duplicated and emulated by its competitors to a point where it would lose the originality. This could result in competitors offering low rates to the areas covered by Southwest and beyond, making Southwest Airlines range and limitations more obvious. It would be very possible in the near future where a big company, with its hubs(something Southwest does NOT have), basically introducing Southwest Airlines low-cost model to a wider market, encroaching and outdoing Southwest Airlines. When a comparatively small, new company is able to take on major players in an extremely competitive industry, gain market share, please customers and employees alike, it is time for others to take notice. We will initially evaluate Southwest Airlines competitive business strategy of their maintenance of a low cost and exceedingly reliable service approach (forgoing perks such as meal service, first-class preference and assigned seating), as a major transportation corporation. We will ultimately make supplementary recommendations and improvements based on the stratagem of their already flourishing company. As a company that still faces continuous growing challenges before them, it is essential for Southwest Airlines to expand on their existing achievements. Our analysis and promising suggestions will be developed with intent to better serve customers by improving their routing system, offering enhanced accessibility and minimizing delays. As business consultants, we anticipate to pav e the way of one of the leading travel industries into becoming the best of the best. Recommendations: Southwest Airlines were able to operate their business relatively undisturbed. It was only in the poor economic conditions that suddenly Southwest Airlines method of operation became the ideal model for its competitors. While the publicity is beneficial in raising employee morale, and raising stock prices; Southwest Airlines is now target of competitors focus. A tactic that Southwest Airlines can do to inflict damage to competitors is to slash prices. This type of tactic is typical of a big company that has a monopolistic rule in an industry squeezing other competitors. This tactic is advisable when competitors are near bankruptcy or are in dire situations. Because competitors cannot match Southwest Airlines prices, the most they can do is narrow the gap of the price difference. Southwest Airlines, which has consistently made a positive profit, can increase the price gap by lowering their prices. Southwest Airlines will incur losses from this move, but the goal of this move is to drag the competitors further into debt. Because this move affects both companies, this move is very risky and should not be done unless Southwest Airlines is sure that their competitor is near bankruptcy. Possible reasons for this move would be to eliminate the weakest competitor in the industry, which would free up the market held by that company. The reason for the creation of Southwest Airlines started when its founders saw an opportunity. Frequent trips between cities were exploited by providing a quicker form of transportation. Southwest Airlines has weathered through several crisis and has proven itself to have potential for to be a leader of its industry. The poor economic conditions has placed many airline companies in debt, while Southwest Airlines was able to make a profit. With its competitors weakened, Southwest can take the initiative and expand-not foolishly, but with the same drive and precise execution the company was founded under. The genius behind Southwest Airlines success is location; and if researched properly, this can be applied to other areas. The appeal of Southwest Airline is the cheap tickets, as they offer none of the luxuries(such as in-flight meals). Southwest Airlines no frills approach may not be pleasing to all, it would be good for Southwest to make a few changes in which the aesthetics would be more accommodating. Upgrading seats may be a costly venture, but it would open Southwest Airlines to a larger market. The medium of choice for customer referral is the internet. Internet referrals have been the main source of customers (it further cut costs by charging a lesser fee to book seats through the internet than through a travel sales agent). With the saturation of discount websites, however, Southwest Airlines is losing the grip it held advertising on the internet. More websites offer competitive rates and special discounts-which if Southwest Airlines does not take immediate action can end up losing customers. Since advertising through the internet is risky, as people hate pop-ups or spam e-mails, it is our general consensus that Southwest should find ways to be listed on these price comparison websites. Before, there werent many sites that offered price comparison and finding deals was difficult. With these sites, information is available at the fingertips of the web surfers who can make better informed choices. Southwest Airlines should ensure that their voice is heard through this mediu m, as it is sure to attract people in search of deals. Conclusion First and foremost, Southwest Airline has developed a great low cost model for the past thirty year that fits todays economy the best. It has expanded from a tiny company with merely three aircrafts to one of todays major airliners that flies between 58 cities carrying over 60 million customers each year. As everyone can see, Southwest Airline has been a big success. Now, it is given an opportunity to grow even bigger at this extremely hard and critical time for the airline industry. After the incident of September 11, Southwest Airline is one of the few airliners that remained profitable; other airline companies are losing millions of dollars due to the insurance raise, the security cost and lack of customers. We recommend Southwest airline to take this opportunity to expand to greater regions. It is the time for Southwest airline to use its low price tickets to drive its competitors out of business and take over their market. We believe, giving up some of the profit to cut the ticket price even lower and upgrade hardware can open Southwest Airline to a much larger market that will bring more profit in future. Implementations of cost saving technology such as internet is needed to lower the operation cost to give customers better deals.

A Family Vacation to Canada :: Summer Vacation Essays

This is the actual story of a trip I took with Smith Family into Canada. The total head count was 19, including myself. The trip took 8 days to complete. We left on Saturday, June 24 at 12:00am and got back on Sunday July 1, around 3:00pm. The great Canadian adventure started at 12 noon on Saturday to pack the bus and truck. The bus is an old school bus with a big rack on top to hold canoes, and screens over all the windows. Inside there are 8 bunks in the back for sleeping. The middle is where the food is kept. The front has two tables on each side for playing cards. As soon as I got there I started meeting people. I had only met Craig, Renee, and Amber before at Cameron Smith’s graduation party. There were 3 well fed dogs running around. The first person Tyler pointed out was Harry, his grandpa. He was getting the gas together for the boats and there were about 5 others standing around him. One was Troy and the other was Larry. It was easy to see that Craig and Troy were brothers, they were rigging the bus to carry 5 canoes. Others were busy helping to get ready. I helped put the motor rack in Tyler’s truck. After the bus and truck had all of the canoes on, Jeff, Tyler, and I went back to Tylerâ₠¬â„¢s house to take showers and eat. The plan was to meet Craig at Cash Wise at 8:30 to buy the food. Craig’s Eagle got a flat tire on the way to Willmar. Tyler, Jeff, and I got there at 9:30 but the shopping was already done. As we were leaving Willmar, on our way back to Harry’s, we were able to see fireworks from the â€Å"Works over Water† display on Foot Lake. When we got to Harry’s, there were several cars in the yard. Tyler and I went to the house were I met Erin and Allison for the first time. Erin was eating a pizza and at first glance I thought she was Emily Smith. I could not get over how much Erin, Allison and Amber looked like Emily. Little kids were running everywhere. In the living room, were about 25 people I had never met or seen before, who seemed to be having a good time together.