The African Child by Camara Laye Essay Example

The African Child by Camara Laye Paper The novel was originally written in French and later translated to numerous other languages including English. Mostly autobiographical, the novel paints a colourful picture of life in Africa. There are the typical ingredients of African wildlife, traditional tribal culture, belief in hoodoo or black magic, etc. But each of these facets to the novel presented through the personal experience of one individual, abstractly referred in the title as the ‘African Child’. Since the story starts from Laye’s childhood and continues into his maturation and adulthood, the work can be classified as a bildungsroman – the story of growing up. But the focus is not solely on one individual, as Laye fleshes out in detail the dynamics of several key relationships through his life. One of the recurrent themes is Laye’s search for intimacy, which starts in his teenage years and continues to adulthood. Though these relationships are not always successful, they do help mould Laye’s mental makeup as he enters adulthood. One of the features of native African culture is belief in hoodoo or black magic. Laye gives numerous accounts of exhibition of magical powers by his father and mother. His father, for example, by virtue of belonging to the Malinke tribe, has the power to create gold out of iron. His father possesses the power of the black snake, which enables him to perform these supernatural feats. Though features such as these make the story interesting and add colour, we have to concede in the end that they are mythical. The proper way to understand these events in the book is to consider them as ‘impressions’ in the naive and imaginative mind of young Laye. Likewise, the descriptions of ‘powers’ wielded by his mother are equally mythical. For example, having been born in a tribe whose totem is the crocodile his mother will never be attacked by crocodiles in the dangerous river. Likewise, she has special powers to heal wounded animals. By treating these magical el ements as myth, the reader can then sift out factual information from the book. We will write a custom essay sample on The African Child by Camara Laye specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The African Child by Camara Laye specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The African Child by Camara Laye specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Just as the magical elements throw light on African culture and belief, the factual elements help us understand the political and historical realities of Laye’s Guinea. The book is set in colonial Africa when Western thought and technology was just beginning to be introduced. Yet, most of the continent, including Guinea, remained firmly in the grip of ancient tradition. Superstition and ritual was rife at the time and it had a profound effect on all aspects of culture. For example, Laye himself had to go through a rite of passage as he entered manhood. The rite is to stay away in the open wilderness for a whole night, with a real risk of being attacked by lions. Having successfully fulfilled this challenge, he is accepted as a man in his community and is given the privilege of living in his own hut. These rites and rituals were integral to Guinean culture, even as Western methods of agricultural production and social organization were being implemented. These opposing te ndencies were depicted well in the book. I think there are a lot of positive features in the book. Firstly, translators James Kirkup and Ernest Jones have done a stellar job of rendering the original French version into English. The translator’s major accomplishment is in being able to retain the ‘authorial voice’ of Laye across languages. The style of presentation and the manner of sentence construction highly resemble the original. This way we are made aware that the narrator is someone who is not a native speaker of English. This lends a quality of authenticity to the text. Second, the choice of topics and themes dealt by the book is very discreet. Camara Laye strikes a good balance between socio-historical commentary and autobiography. This juxtaposition works well for the book, as the author succeeds in bringing impersonal tone to his analysis and judgment. Coming to one of the few drawbacks, it would be imprudent for students to think of ‘The African Child’ as factually accurate at all places. For reasons of literary and artistic licence there are instances where fact merges into the realm of the fiction. So, the scholarly merit of the work will have to be weighed in this light. Barring such small drawbacks, I would recommend this book for students of African history, politics and culture. A kaleidoscopic view of all these subjects is presented through the prism of one individual’s life, namely, the author himself. The time from Laye’s infancy to his adulthood offers a representative snapshot of early twentieth century Africa. The book is rich in detail, colourful in its perspectives and insightful in its socio-cultural analysis. Works Cited: Laye, Camara, The Dark Child: The Autobiography of an African Boy, Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1954, pp.192, ISBN: 080901548X

The Malibu adverts Essay Example

The Malibu adverts Essay Example The Malibu adverts Essay The Malibu adverts Essay These variables will affect the answer, as each person is different so these variables help to conclude an answer for each person. Examples of how advertising leads people into debts are : 1. ) QVC and other shopping channels tell you the product is useful and is needed. They advertise it well and tell you, you can afford it whatever your economic situation. People also dont realise how much they are spending on their credit card until its too late and they are in debt. They will then go to a bank and will fail to pay back the money there as well, once people get into debt they get further and further unless they get out early. 2. ) DFS adverts entice you in, you pay a little each month and you get a sofa or 3s of these are : 3. ) Baines and Ernst, they pay off your debts and then you pay them so much each month, they sort out all of your economic problems and are a strong reputable business. However the same can apply for them, but they can adjust your payments if you have changed in 6 months time. Although sometimes you can fall in debt here, they are meant to help. The adverts on TV tell you 9/10 people say this service had a positive effect on their life. 4. ) Lombard Direct will give you a loan for anything from i 8,000 to i 15,000, this can help you pay off debts and only pay back one company, this helps as you can then get on with your life. Although this can also lead you into further debts but is there to help you. Their adverts on TV are on all the time and are easy to remember. The problem with debt is you have to have a secure job and house first before you even consider borrowing money, also put some away before even considering borrowing money off big company or bank. This way you will not be drawn into debt. There is no definite answer as all people are individual economically as well. Advertising reflects the sort of society we live in. This again is a question based on a few principles, they are : Which advert it is What a persons view of our society is These views matter when it comes to answering a question like this. If the advert is stupid like the Andrex one then it will not reflect the kind of society we live in, if like the Baines and Ernst one then it may reflect the kind of society we live in. It also depends on what peoples perception of our society is, OAPs will probably have a totally different view of society from someone in their 30s or a teenager. Examples of adverts that reflect the kind of society we live in are : 1. ) The Army adverts show that the army needs people to join, this shows the society we live in is one with a great need or a military power still. The same can probably be said for the navy and the air force. It shown that our society reaches for fists first, talk later. This was the Israeli Palestinian wars still going on, and also the Afghanistan conflict against the Taliban and Al-Queda forces. This in a way symbolises that people have no patriotism. 2. ) The various debt adverts offering people money also reflect the society we live in, they show people get into debt problems easier and now have much higher materialistic needs now then ever before. Shopping channels dont help this situation either, they only add to peoples materialistic needs by offering them things cheap and easy, this may have people overdrawing their credit cards. However not all adverts reflect what sort of society we live in, examples of these are: 3. ) The Imperial Leather advert which has the dancing duck doesnt reflect the sort of society we live in but tells you that Imperial Leather is a rich soap with lots of lather. Therefore this advert shows nothing about the sort of society we live in but that Imperial Leather is a good soap. 4.) Adverts on the radio for cheap conservatories are another example of how our society is not always reflected by adverts, this just tells you, you can get a cheap conservatory, however it does in a way show the materialistic side of our society. Overall adverts will try to represent our society because if they dont then they advert becomes unbelievable and people cant relate to it. Adverts that are not unbelievable will represent our society, in some cases even the unbelievable ones can as they show that our society is comical and can take jokes now more freely than before. Advertising ignores black people and people from ethnic minorities. This question can not be yes or no as life isnt black and white, so neither can this question be, as it deals with life deeply. Life isnt that simple and the answer to this question cannot be either. Some adverts will, some will not, you can have no definite answer. It is dependant on a few variables, these are : What kind of audience the advert is shown to Whether or not the audience finds the advert offensive Which place it is shown in Whether or not the advert was meant to be racist or ignore ethnic minorities These affect the outcome of the answer greatly, one of the major problems here is that in Folkestone black people may be a minority, but in London they are probably not, this will also affect whether or not people feel the advert is racist or not. Examples of adverts that do ignore black people and people from ethnic minorities are : 1. ) The Oxo advert with the family contains only white people and totally ignores those from ethnic minorities and black people. However if you were a white person watching this you may feel nothing, but to a black person this could be very racist. However I dont think they meant for it to be a racist advert, but it does ignore ethnic minorities. 2. ) The Kingsmill advert with Mel and Sue ignores black people and people from ethnic minorities and shows a family only with white people. A lot like the Oxo advert it probably didnt mean to be racist and people may find it racist but probably not as it was not intentionally racist. However both of these show families which is probably why they ignore people from ethnic minorities and black people. Not all adverts ignore black people and people form ethnic minorities though, some adverts will go out of their way to include black people in their adverts, examples of these are : 3. ) The Malibu adverts, these are supposed to be set in the Caribbean so they feel they must include black people and ethnic minorities. They show all black people and not a single white person in sight. The audience may see this as racist as it stereotypes black Caribbean people. Although it meant to do this it did not mean for it to be hurtful to anyone. 4.) The adverts for ER on Channel 4 include both black people and white people, however since this is set in New York, black people are not an ethnic minority, but if screened somewhere in England where they are this advert may have a differing effect. This is not racist and does not mean to be so there is no controversy. Again this advert is dependent on variables so there can be no right or wrong, no yes or no. You cannot give an answer to this question, for a whole race on just yes or no, you cant do it as each person is individual and different. Advertising is entertaining This is different to Advertising if Irritating, as an advert can be entertaining, but if shown/spoken too much it can be irritating, so adverts can be both irritating and entertaining. It is also dependant on a few variables, these are : How many times the advert is shown/spoken Which media it is The person listening/watching the advert The time of day/night the advert is shown/spoken at These factors will affect whether or not an advert is irritating or not, and whether it is entertaining or not. Examples of adverts that are entertaining are : 1. ) The Imperial Leather duck advert, this always makes me laugh and is not shown to the extent that it is annoying. The advert is shown at various times throughout the day as well and does not become boring. If it was on radio it would not work, neither would it work on any other format, only TV. However other people may feel the advert is irrelevant and annoying, as this is just my opinion. 2. ) The Siemens C45 advert with the man inside the phone repeating the ringtone, this is funny and is not played too much either and is shown at various time during the day. The added advantage of this advert is that it would work on other types of media, like radio or the Internet, but to still ones EG newspaper. However other people may feel it is irrelevant and annoying. However not all adverts are entertaining, some started as entertaining and are not played too much so become annoying over time, some are just annoying. Examples of adverts that are not entertaining and annoying are : 3. ) The advert with the horses and the surfers for Guinness I found extremely irritating, as it was irrelevant, played too much and useless. Although a good example of computer graphics altogether it was annoying. I remember this advert being on over and over and becoming very frustrating. 4. ) The Hovis adverts started off funny but were played too much and still are, and have become extremely annoying and are really irritating. They are shown at all times of the day over and over again and are becoming increasingly annoying with every time I see them. Overall you cannot say that all adverts are either annoying or entertaining as they depend on variables and most importantly the person watching as each person is different and individual and has differing views on what is and what isnt entertaining.

Education Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education Questions - Essay Example The rest are part of these two broad groups and this has been discussed below (Oluwatelure & Oloruntegbe, 2010). Academic benefits- when families are greatly involved in children’s academic lives, we start to notice improvements in grades, test scores rise and the students attitudes towards school work improves. The effect may not be a cause and effect one but I t has been observed that with time these improvements are seen in the students’ academic life. It has been found that these students will complete homework on time, chances of them being placed in special education will be minimal, and they enroll in postsecondary education more often. It has been found that parents’ attitudes and other family members go a long way in helping these students realize the importance of education. It is especially true when these students are in a family that many people are seen to be performing well at school (Jeynes, 2005). Behavioral benefits- the benefits of a strong fam ily-school relationship have been found to extend beyond just the academic work to the individual activities and behaviors of the children. First and foremost the involvement of family improves the behavior of children at school such that the children are encouraged to adopt positive behavior because they understand the consequences of deviant behavior at school. They realize that the teacher will finally get the report to their parents about their unbecoming behavior. Compared to other cases where the family is not involved the students have higher chances of engaging in deviant behavior at school. For example higher attendance rates and lower drop out rates are witnessed as a result of strong family-school relationships (Georgiou & Jourva, 2007). Strong family-school relationship also contributes to higher self-esteem in children. This is because the children feel that their parents are concerned about them doing well in school. They are motivated to perform higher because the par ents together with are motivating them. If they fail parents are there for them trying to identify where mistakes came from and what they can do to improve the situation. This will boost the children’s morale and consequently lead to higher self-esteem (Georgiou & Jourva, 2007). The next behavioral benefit is that the children have a high probability of avoiding high risk behavior that is characteristic of adolescents. The parents and teachers are available all the time shaping attitudes and their behaviors. This form of guidance instills discipline and a sense of responsibility in the children such that they understand the consequences of engaging in inappropriate behavior. In the long run they are able to go through the adolescent stage with minimal problems. Compared to other children whose parents are not involved in their school activities it can be seen that such students are usually overcome by the challenges in adolescent stage and begin engaging in early sexual activ ity, some may start using drugs and all these are a result of peer pressure and lack of guidance from parents (Georgiou & Jourva, 2007). Question 3: components of Parent-Teacher conference The parent teacher conference is a kind of meeting between the teacher and the parent that provides a parent with a short uninterrupted period of time with the child’

Personal Ethics Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Ethics Development - Essay Example Ethics, on the other hand is how individuals behave in the face of difficult situations that often test the morality of an individual (Josephson Institute, 2009). Personal ethics are usually considered as the foundation of a person’s moral compass or a guide that tells on what is right or wrong, thus applying the moral judgment to decide on what to follow. Ethical principals are often influenced by several factors such as, influences from family, religious beliefs, and culture; thus it can be concluded that the principles of ethics are dynamic and subject to change in our day- to-day lives (Daft, Murphy & Willmott, 2010). My ethical principles were greatly influenced by various factors like the family members, religion, and culture, all of which shaped on my morality and instilled in me values that help in guiding my decision making process. Parents are the first people who instill morality into their children; thus the children can distinguish between right or wrong. Parents can enlighten their children on what is expected of them in the society, for example, when the parents inform their children that stealing is wrong and that the society require them not to steal, the foundation of the children’s ethics is built (Daft, Murphy & Willmott, 2010). ... Religion also played a immense role in shaping my ethical principles since religion allowed me to accept and follow an established set of moral guidelines which enabled me to behave ethically. Trevino and Nelson (2007) elaborates that religion often motivates people to do well in the presence life with promise of good life after death. The Christianity has set rules or commandments that guide people in the everyday life. These rules outline what is good or bad and thus Christians are encouraged to follow these commandments to the latter. Culture also played a role in development of ethics in my life because the traditions of the society became embedded in my psyche. The culture usually direct people in the everyday occurrences, for example, in a country where racism and gender discrimination is rampant people might embrace it because the society accepts its practice. As elaborated by Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2013), events that happen every day have had a role in shaping my et hics. Personal emotions causes a shift in the ethical beliefs in such a case as the murder of a loved one might say that the murderer should be issued death penalty even though is clear that death penalty is unethical in the society. Personal feelings also can be considered to have an impact on our ethical principles, for example, when one does something wrong and is against the ethical principles of society, one will tend to feel ashamed of the act while, on the other hand, doing something which is in line with our ethical system one tends to be happy thus these occurrences provide an immediate feedback that shapes the moral standards of an individual. In the workplace people are often required to make decisions that require the application of moral judgment to make right

Prospects and growth of the fast food industry

Prospects and growth of the fast food industry Tackling the blow of recession has not been easy for any industry. Its Attack was so strong that no industry has been able to save itself from its effects. If the hospitality industry is a measure of the wealthy and the rich peoples pockets then the news is very bad indeed. Many restaurants have went to the wall in the final quarter of 2008.The restaurants have been fighting with the reduction of corporate entertaining and the disposable income squeeze of consumers as well. Not only the restaurants and the hotels, but the pub industry has also been stroked by a number of factors over the past one decade and recession has put pressure on an already difficult trading environment. In the words of a renowned chef Dawn Sweeny, Creativity has always been a hallmark of professional chefs So to survive the blow of recession and to manage this situation a Lot of established chefs are getting in to street vending of their creations more efficiently to people who could only dream in their mortar and brick buildings. Low overheads, low labour costs and mostly cash based business is win- win situation for many. These mobile kitchen vans are saving these brand names from dying. The big brand names are selling their franchises to the people who want to earn a good amount of money by investing at one time. These vans have everything you need in the kitchen including all kinds of appliances and raw material. This food is comparatively cheaper as the mobile kitchen cuts down on the over heads and the labour costs. Street food is becoming a way to indulge pre-recession tastes on post-recession budgets At the same time recession in the US food industry has creating the new opportunity for the food sector in the US. In the recently released research report by RNCOS on US Fast food market outlook 2010even though there is gloomy economic condition in US, the fast food industry in US is growing rapidly because of inexpensive fast food and increasing number of working population. According to the report fast food market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years and will cross the US$170 billion by the end of 2010. Because of economic downturn people has reduced their expenses of going for dinner in the restaurant and fast food for the launch. Instead of going in the restaurant they have started buying the food from street food vans which cost them less as compared to the restaurant food and they can save that much money in this recession time. This trend is becoming more common in the urban areas where the demand of pre-packed food and readymade food has increased because of the f ast life of their people. This has become now new trend there because American people wants want to have food which can provide instant energy without wasting more time and they can also afford that. The new trend of franchising the existing brands to the mobile carts is look refreshing and a new concept in the States. Through the research will able to judge that will this trend will continue even after the period of recession? Street food is becoming very famous in the United States and till the date only small-scale outlets are driving the trend, but now large food maker have also started to enter the market to get on board with this new trend. The market research organizations Culinary Trend Mapping Report from the Centre for Culinary Development (CCD) examined the booming street food trend, which has seen Americans reaching for a variety of convenient, portable and affordable foods, often with globally inspired flavours and eco-friendly preparation (foodnavigator-usa.com). In the recent time street food has become very popular due to a confluence of larger social trends, mainly because of the economic downturn and the corresponding need for more affordable foods, growing snacking habits, greater interest in ethnic flavours and in local, sustainable foods. 1.2 Purpose This research attempts to contribute to the study of the current prospects and growth of the fast food industry on the wheel. The Food trucks in the NYC and other mobile food carts started by famous restaurants have been introduced. This research aims to find out what was the effect of recession on the food industry and how has it affected the consumer behaviour in this regard. The eating habits and the change in the actual income have affected the behaviour of the consumers and hence their frequency of dining out and their expenditure on food has been affected. So this research will throw light on this change as well. With the intention of exploring the possibility of the Food trucks endorsed by the restaurants that have seen a reduction in the number of customers due to recession, we will also study how these trucks are working and how do they cater to the needs of the people in the current situation. Whether the management and the way they are operating is different and how simila r their ways of operations are. In addition this research will study the advantages of the mobile food carts and if they can be a competition to the conventional style of dining and eating out. Or if these food trucks can add to the brand name of the existing restaurants and chains that have otherwise seen a decline in their business. 1.3 Development and structure of the research This research paper was developed in five steps 1. Define research aim topic Discussion with supervisor and explore possible interests within designated discipline. 2. Gather relevant literatures Begin investigation in existing literature to discover possible gap between academic research and reality. 3. Develop research structure Construct content of study and plan accordingly. 4. Collect the data and Data analysis Collect all required data from different secondary sources. Clear presentation of data in logical sequential arrangement and examine Validity of collected information 5. Develop conclusion from finding Present conclusion of this research and provide recommendation for further research CHAPTER- 2 Literature Review 2.1 Overview The chapter first begin by introduction of Food market in the USA and effects of recession on food market of USA then followed by the restaurant and fast food business in USA. Next consumers behaviour is discussed with respect to spending on the food. In the last section of this chapter significance of the mobile food van and its impact on the competition is discussed with respect to USA. 2.2 Restaurant and Fats food business in USA- Restaurant companies generally work to identify them self as customers retailers and not as a manufacturing meals. Restaurants are primarily retailers of two consumers product time and customers experience (Muller, 1999). People went to the restaurants and fast food providers to save their time from making the food and to get satisfaction of their needs. Restaurant is vast business in USA where consumers are less concerned about the where meal is prepared, they only concerned about the how the food is delivered and how they feel after meal is completed. While the fast food service is totally different they always concerned about building consumer loyalty and market awareness. There is vast difference between restaurant business and fast food service providers. Stalk and Hout (1990) described future economic competition as being based on a companys responsiveness to the time needs of its customer base. Currently, the restaurant industry accounts for four percent of the U.S. gross dome stic product and is the nations second largest employer next to the Federal government (Dumagan and Hackett, 1995). In USA restaurant holders are paying more attention to the growing trend in the eating habits of the people. According to the report of the NRI 2001 they have noticed seventy five percent increases in the restaurant customers as compared to 2001 in 2003. Even the rise of the convenience food in last 10 years can be seen by the growth of the fast food chain in the United States. The main reason behind the increase demand of fast food is these meals are ready to eat on the go and ability to hold these food in hands and to eat according to the consumers freedom. The main reason behind increased the growth of restaurant and fast food business is decreased in the food prices in the USA. Lakdawalla and Philipson (2002) attribute about 40% of the recent growth in weight to agricultural innovation that has lowered food prices Mainly technological change has made huge contribution in decreased price of the food price which eventually provides opportunity to the restaurant and fast food service provider to offer the food at cheaper rate and increased their business growth. The analysis draws on data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) between 1971 and 1974, the BLS food price in real terms increased from 1.012 to 1.134, an increase of 12.04%, followed by a decrease of 11.02% between the years of 1974 and 1986, when it reached a low of 1.009. This is reflective of the behaviour of food prices in that period of time (Food prices, 2007). Due to decreased in the food prices percentage of people has decreased and expenditure on the food away from the home increased and increased in working class people is also another reason for growth of the restaurant and fast food business. According to the survey data of the county business pattern number of restaurant provides full services increased to 213550 in 200 6 from 193024 in 1998 and restaurant which not provide service like cafeteria and bar increased to 204311 in 2006 from 172695 in 1998. Data from the Census of Retail Trade highlight the steady increase in the number of full service and fast-food restaurants since the early 1970s; between 1972 and 1997, the number of restaurants per 10,000 population increased 61% from 884 to 1427 (Chou et al., 2004; Rashad et al., 2006). In the rapid development of the restaurant and fast food business taking fist mover advantage through franchise has played very important role. The main of using franchise is to assemble resources making long chain and to get first mover advantage (Micheal, 2003). By giving franchise restaurant and fast food business try to create a premium on rapid expansion of geographic areas. In USA strategy adopted by restaurant and fast food business owner to expanding units rapidly through franchising has created superior outlet share which eventually lead them to have high market share and profitability. Therefore, franchising is one method of securing first mover advantage (Micheal, 2003). Franchising overcomes the moral hazard problem associated with the operation of a chain of dispersed units (Caves and Murphy, 1976; Rubin, 1978; Brickley and Dark, 1987). McDonalds, a famous fast food supplier, opened its first franchised restaurant in the US in 1955. Now it has become a phenomenally succe ssful enterprise in terms of financial growth, brand-name recognition, and worldwide expansion by using franchise concept aggressively. Currently fast food franchise in the United States generates income of more than $125 billion per year. According to latest numbers there are over 2000 fast food franchise in USA and more than 5,00,000 franchisor operated outlets in USA. McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and Subway are among the more popular fast food franchises worldwide that rake in millions of dollars per year in profits. During the last four decade fast food industry has grown very speedily in American society. An industry that starts in south California has spread in every corner of the USA. Fast food is served not only at restaurants but also at stadium, airplanes, school and college in every part of the USA and it has brought the rapid change in the USA economy (Schlosser, 1998). Fast food business has overcome the restaurant business in last few years in USA and it has benefited from the demographic change, supplying the food at cheaper price and hiring people at lower rate of wage. One of the ironies of Americas fast-food industry is that a business so dedicated to conformity was founded by iconoclasts and self-made men, by entrepreneurs willing to defy conventional opinion (Schlosser, 1998). Now fast food has become the operating system of the todays service industry in USA and it has created millions of job opportunity for the people in the country   when the other businesses have been firing the workers. 2.3 Food Industry and the Recession The Recession hits all parts of the food system, from the producer to the processor; from the grocer to the diner! (Mary Turck) Recent sales of the U. S. eating and drinking place industry have been lacklustre. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for this sluggishness, but the recent U. S. recession as well as 1986 modifications to U. S. tax law has to be considered factors (Stephen J.Hiemstra). This study aimed at finding out the factors related to the decline in the demand for the food service lately and to bring out the extent to which the eating and drinking place industry sales were declining due to this lack of demand. As it was difficult to pinpoint any single factor. Findings indicated that the decline in demand could be majorly explained by changes in prices, decrease in the income, and the drop in deductibility of restaurant food as a business expense. The economic recession has hit the food industry as much as any other industry in the international market. Food being the prime necessity cannot be avoided and hence is a bigger pain for the consumer whose income has decreased due to the economic downturn. The rising petroleum prices have affected the cost of transportation for the seeds and the grains and have hence added to the cost of production making the food expensive for the ultimate consumer. The food prices have gone up with the increasing dairy and grain prices entering in to the year 2007.By the end of 2009 the economists announced the rising unemployment. As a result Restaurants were also hit as hard as any other industry as the consumer stopped dining out and spending on food as compared to earlier. Hence the cost of living was cut on the cost of eating and dining out. Nearly two third of the restaurant operators reported a decline in their business in the end of 2008 as compared to the sales in the year 2007 (National Restaurant Association). Golden Gate Restaurant Associations (GGRA) presented a study of the economics of the San Francisco Restaurant industry looking at the conditions of the food industry in the recession in the year 2002 and 2003.According to the reports the hotel occupancy in San Francisco was dropped by 20% and the average daily room rates came down by 16%.The city lost 80,000 jobs nearly 14% of the total city employment (Kent Sims). However with time, the economy of San Francisco has improved with respect to the conditions in 2002-03. But there are areas where it remains well below the level where it was in 2000. Over all the economy is smaller than what it was before recession. Hotel occupancy in 2004 was 4% above its low point in 2002, but still 20% lower than in 2000. In 2005, the city driven US restaurants recovering from the recession in 2004 confronted the fact their customers were back again and their sales were back, but the profits did not come back. As the operating costs have raised at a greater pace than the gross margin on sales, despite the higher menu prices. According to a confidential survey conducted by GGRA (2006) the results mainly pointed out that half of the people considered San Francisco and other cities in the USA as the major culinary centre and half of the population also said that the stature of such cities as culinary centre is either diminishing or marking time. Business at traditional business-lunch spots, including the Capital Grille, Mortons, and McCormick Schmicks, is down dramatically this was reported by Chicago tribune in 2008. These researches have shown that Recession is a hard time for food industry as well as more and more people are finding it tough to stay in one job and they want to change their job and add to their income. But even in Recession the people cant avoid food so they started looking for cheaper options and the food industry tackled this by cutting out the middle man. This gave rise to the trend of fast food and the US fast food market started to rise. As people has started looking for less expensive. The Consumer expenditure on fast food rose sharply in these years, accounting for around 30% of total restaurant industry sales in 2008. With the busy life style, cost advantage and increasing demand of convenience food, the total fast food industry in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 5% till 2010.(US fast food market outlook 2010, PR log press release). From the past few recent years McDonalds, Burger King, and other fast food restaurants have been scooping up the customers. B oth of the big burger chains are taking market share from competitors with higher price points, building on reputations for low prices and revamped dollar menus (Mary Turck). The Recession has brought about a trend in the menu cycle of the food industry as well.( Stages of the Industry Life Cycle (1919-1988) H.G Parsal). The preferences have changed from the formal full course dinners to quick food which is better known as the fast food. There has been a growth in the fast food business in after the recession (Industry research journal). In the phase of recession, fast food sales in US have increased. This is due to the fact that fast food in the country is comparatively inexpensive than the traditional food and thus, more and more people are shifting to fast food in this economic crisis. Also, hamburger and the Rools are one of the most preferred food items in the country. This represents the growth of around 5% in 2009 over 2008, and the same trend is expected to be seen in the coming years also. 2.4 Consumer Behaviour in USA food industry- Consumer behaviour is very important to know in any business to make it successful. Its very important to take proper care of the issue like consumers like dislike their health issue and consumer satisfaction. Consumer behaviour potentially deals with all of the ways people may act in their role as consumers (Schiffman and Kanuk, 1991) and it also include to focus on behaviour related to searching, buying and using product and service in the market. Generally restaurant and fast food business providers divide consumers in the groups based on the geographic characteristics, common attitudes, and behaviour so that they can provide better services to them. Food industry is closely concerned with food choice and quality, but at the same time has long been considered to offer a rich meal experience to which many other factors contribute (Campbell-Smith, 1967). Every customer has different perspective to rate the service of the restaurant and fast food service. Customers rate the service o n the basis of the food quality, service quality, ambience of the place, price of the food and facility provided by the restaurant and fast food providers like free home delivery. Becker-Suttle et al. (1994) and Williams et al. (1997), respectively, identify the dining preferences of older customers, and the factors that inhibit this group from using full service restaurants. Consumers behaviour is more important in service industry as if customers are not happy with the happy than it will become very difficult to sustain in the competition. In the development of the restaurant and fast food business globalisation has played very major role with respect to food supplies, food habits, and population health and food consumption behaviour. In this fast developing world consumers have adopted to save time and get job done in time. Changes in working and social life of the people have played very important part in the very high growth of the food industry in USA. In social context, gradually the numbers of families where both parents are working are increasing worldwide (Stamoulis, Kostas G. et al., 2004). Due to busy schedule of the people they are getting less time to make food and eat at home so they are diverted to the restaurant and fast food more in the recent years. In recent years the living standard of the people of USA has also changed before few years they used to take dinner together with the family on the dining table now most of the family likes to sit against the TV and watching programme. Number of gathering p rogrammes like birthday parties, anniversary parties has increased in last few years and people tend to arranged these parties in restaurants instead of at home which has also increased the demand of restaurant food in USA. This new trend has provide opportunities to the restaurant and fast food service business to offer varieties of the services to the people and which attracts more people to come to their place for the dinner and launch. Increase in earning of the people has also contributed to the rapid development of the restaurant and fast food industry in USA. According to the research data Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food in 1970, they spent more than $110 billion in 2000. Americans now spend more money on fast food and restaurant instead on higher education and new cars. National restaurant association has reported that Americans are buying 5.8 times average per week form a restaurant and per person spending on restaurant food is $1078. Now a days consumers are giving more importance to the quality of the food with respect to the health safety. Henson and Traill define food safety as the inverse of food risk-the probability of not suffering some hazard from consuming a specific food (Henson Traill, 1993). Consumers attitude towards food safety and practice related to it is more important for the restaurant and fast food service providers to take into consideration. Even government of USA has also formed very strict regulation and food policy which is necessary for the restaurant and fast food providers to follow. In May 1997, US President Clinton launched a National Food Safety initiative to enhance surveillance, improve risk assessment, inspection and compliance, educate the consumer and conduct important new research (Tent, 1999). Food quality awareness has made more responsible to the restaurant and fast food business towards peoples health issue and which has benefited them as they are offering low calorie food to the people. Mc Donald has already implemented its strategy for the consumer preference since last many years. McDonalds has pursued two strategies since 2003. To keep up with rapidly changing consumer preferences, demographics, and spending patterns, McDonalds has introduced new items Premium Chicken sandwiches and the Angus Beef Burger and also doing campaigns to create more healthy foods like Premium Salads in USA. The strategy reflects the philosophy that novelty, as opposed to loyalty to traditional products, is the key determinant of sales in the fast food industry . In the recent years consumers have started to give more importance to the nutrition food and salads due to awareness of their health and increasing obesity. The growing epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity is a major public health concern. Currently 15% of US youth are overweight, a prevalence nearly twice as high in children and three times as high in adolescents compared to 1980 prevalence rates (Rockville, 2001).In U SA size of the family has also played major role in development of the restaurant and fast food service and specially Hispanic American families. Hispanic purchasing power has influenced the marketplace. Hispanic shoppers spend more on food purchases because their families are usually larger. So consumer behaviour and consumer preference has played very vital role in the rapid growth of the fast food and restaurant business in the USA and they also got support from the economic development of the USA also. Mobile food service: Dabbawalas in India to Food trucks in NYC The origin of the Dabbawalas lunch delivery service dates back to the 1890s during the British Empire in India. Various people migrated from different parts of the India for work. Due to lack of canteens, the working class used to stay without eating lunch if they forgot to get it from their houses.. Invariably, lunch would not be ready when they left home for work. The taste of different communities was different; this could only be satisfied by a home cooked food. Recognizing the need, Mahadeo Havaji Bacche (Mahadeo), a migrant from North Maharashtra, 10 started the lunch delivery service. (Paul S Goodman ,2003) This service started with around 100 dabbawalas (workers) and cost the client INR 2 per month. There are around 5,000 dabbawalas in Mumbai today delivering around 200,000 Tiffin-boxes amounting to 400,000 transactions every day first delivering the Tiffin boxes and then delivering the empty boxes back home. (The Economic times 2008)Here nobody is an employer and none are employees. Each dabbawala considers himself a shareholder and entrepreneur .The entire system depends on teamwork and meticulous timing. Tiffin boxes are collected from homes between 7.00 am and 9.00 am, Various tiffin services also provide the service of cooked food and not just the transportation of the boxes. After the collection, these boxes are taken to the nearest railway station. various intermediary stations, they are hauled onto platforms and sorted out for area-wise distribution, so that a single Tiffin could change hands three to four times in the course of its daily journey..( Pradeep Thakkar,2005). Even in the economic crisis, Dabbawalas have been serving and are providing a necessary and recession-proof service as even in the tough economic times, people will always need lunch the dabbawalas are a cooperative that can boast a business record of reliability that would have any operation salivating with envy.(Dean Irvine,nov 2008)In the year 2008, Forbes gave the six sigma efficiency title to these dabbawalas. This six sigma rating the dabbawalas that was received by Forbes magazine precipitated a rush of interest from management supply companies and the various business schools searching for the secrets of its success. The rating means that these dabbawalas have a 99.9 percent efficiency rate.(Dean Irvine,2008)The concept of providing the food to their workplaces, without any need of going to the restaurants and wasting the time that can be otherwise saved for working is very suitable for the working class people of today. This is why these dabbawalas are serving well in the time of recession and people find it much better to get their food from them than going out and eating. The concept of mobile food service is not new to the countries outside India now. The Food trucks in the USA are the biggest example .The restaurant concept in the Country is going mobile! With the changing trends in the food and catering industry, the concept of moving food vans can be seen in the places like New York in the US.(Katherine Marginally., Dec 2009) Whether its because of the economy, cultural exchange, or plain demand, street food is making its culinary mark (International Chefs congress) A young chef Josh Ozersky calls these food trucks as one of the most definitive moments of this generation. Its not a fad like pet rocks or hundred dollar burgers. Its a great way for young chefs to get into the business without having a wealthy backer. Recently the savvy entrepreneurs and the chefs are getting to the streets with their culinary training and experience. This is partially fuelled by recession and a changing trend which is more inclined towards casual dining. The chefs have found more adventure and satisfaction in Global Street food in respect to the factors, cuisine as well as the concept. The new wave of mobile food vans are proving that you dont need a brick and mortar place for producing and providing high quality and high concept food for people. Lunch trucks also called as food trucks are mobile food courts which sell food items at different locations. They reap more benefits than the restaurants which are stationary as they have very limited number of customer base which provides limited amount of revenue. They can also be called as restaurant on wheels. There are different lunch trucks available in the markets which are specifically targeted to cater to the needs of different varieties of food items. From the daily breakfast to the dinner, desserts to juices you have wide variety to choose from.(Yew Chin) These trucks have more variety than any other stationary cafe or restaurant. From coffee to puddings, waffles to rolls and Indian curries to Arabic Falafel. They have it all. There are Coffee trucks, Snacks trucks, Dessert Trucks, Chinese food trucks and proper restaurant trucks that have a kitchen inside and have the same menu as in any other restaurant be in Indian or Italian. The cost of operating an established restaurant often handcuffs ones ability to go outside the box due to dà ©cor and tabletop package expense, high-end equipment in the kitchen that must be paid down and, in my case, our reputation as a classic historic inn which has a presumed menu style that pays the bills. The guerrilla trucks can much more easily think out of the box, since they are often serving out of a cardboard box.(Patrick Byrne,2009) Known for their profits, when compared with the stationary restaurants, these trucks have shown greater profit and a very good customer base. They provide the custome rs with good quality of food that they can afford. In return they get a loyal customer following in different locations that they plan to go around. As they move from one place to other, they have this opportunity to serve more people and with different menu options. There are plenty of hurdles that are faced by these food trucks owner along with the profits.The Initial investment consists of the vehicle followed by the Kitchen and the appliances and accessories used there in. These vans also require a Mobile food service license from the government before they can start their business. There are issues of permissions which vary from city to city and mostly in cities like New York and Manhattan allowing these food vans is not difficult.(Emilly Bell ,Dec 2009)However these rest on wheels should pay attention to providing the food on proper health standards and conditions.(Patrick Byrne,2009) The pedestrian snackers on the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn are accustomed to mobile eateries, but these new gourmet food trucks take the street-food game to a higher level. Unlike dirty-water dog stands, which often stick to the same corner, these meals on wheels have the freedom of mobility, websites tracking their whereabouts, PR representation and specialized offerings such as restaurant-quality desserts, tacos and waffles. So just like the previously mentioned Dabbawalas of India Food trucks in the USA are popular among the people who want to save on their time and money. Because the obvious reason for the preference of these trucks by the consumers over the stationary restaurants is the low cost food that has the same quality and the ease of getting the food on the go. Also according to George Ebinger, (International House of pancakes), It is unfair to its grossly unfair to allow trucks in close proximity to established businesses trying to make it in this economy. You can t compete with a truck when it comes to pricing and service And for the Owners The obvious appeal of bringing your food into a truck or cart is the low overhead-theres no rent, no getting a restaurant up to code, no large staff to pay. With the economic downturn, restaurateurs have struggled to find funding to open full-scale restaurants, said Tom Forte, an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group in New York City.(Laura Isenzee ,2009) Jerome Chang of New Yorks Dessert Truck says that financially we

Graduation Speech: Its All About Us! :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Hello Class of 2012! I assure you that no matter what your parents are thinking—which is something along the lines of, "I did a great job with him or her"—their conceited thoughts are irrelevant to this occasion. It's not about them; it's about us. Contrary also to what the board members (who you'll see today for the first and last time) believe, that they've earned the right to hand us our diplomas due to their perfect decision making (comedic stare and pause), this moment is also not about them; but again, about us. Then, in opposition to what every lawyer and doctor, teacher, business owner, and worker in general is thinking—which is something along the lines of, "blah blah blah, I remember my graduation"—they're just daydreams. This is not about them either; it's about us. And when we leave this place to pursue separate ambitions, the attention will never fade, the hate will never subside, the mountains will increase without fail. No matter how many people have blazed a path, rivers will not part, expectations will not reduce and therefore it will still be about us. And though we continue to grow even after being handed the diploma, to understand life, and choices, the opposite sex, the pressure of here and now, the strain placed on us from long ago, and the demands that our future will fire upon us, there will be close calls, fatalities, elation, affliction, and joy. And thus, it will remain about us. When others see us they see half of us in jail, some of us unemployed, some pregnant currently or in a month or two. They see too many blacks or too many Latinos or too many whites or Asians or Native-Americans for us to make anything of ourselves. While these thoughts are derogatory, the fact is they are still about us. When we, however, see ourselves, we see doctors, lawyers, preachers, presidents, teachers, and outstanding members of their fields and society in general, and what we think has been and will be the only thing that matters; because what we think was created by us. And we break the statistics that say this many go to jail and this many become pregnant. And we reconcile stereotypes that encourage different members of society to refrain from interacting with other members of society, and we become the long awaited for female or Black president, the owners of this and the CEO of that. Graduation Speech: It's All About Us! :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address Hello Class of 2012! I assure you that no matter what your parents are thinking—which is something along the lines of, "I did a great job with him or her"—their conceited thoughts are irrelevant to this occasion. It's not about them; it's about us. Contrary also to what the board members (who you'll see today for the first and last time) believe, that they've earned the right to hand us our diplomas due to their perfect decision making (comedic stare and pause), this moment is also not about them; but again, about us. Then, in opposition to what every lawyer and doctor, teacher, business owner, and worker in general is thinking—which is something along the lines of, "blah blah blah, I remember my graduation"—they're just daydreams. This is not about them either; it's about us. And when we leave this place to pursue separate ambitions, the attention will never fade, the hate will never subside, the mountains will increase without fail. No matter how many people have blazed a path, rivers will not part, expectations will not reduce and therefore it will still be about us. And though we continue to grow even after being handed the diploma, to understand life, and choices, the opposite sex, the pressure of here and now, the strain placed on us from long ago, and the demands that our future will fire upon us, there will be close calls, fatalities, elation, affliction, and joy. And thus, it will remain about us. When others see us they see half of us in jail, some of us unemployed, some pregnant currently or in a month or two. They see too many blacks or too many Latinos or too many whites or Asians or Native-Americans for us to make anything of ourselves. While these thoughts are derogatory, the fact is they are still about us. When we, however, see ourselves, we see doctors, lawyers, preachers, presidents, teachers, and outstanding members of their fields and society in general, and what we think has been and will be the only thing that matters; because what we think was created by us. And we break the statistics that say this many go to jail and this many become pregnant. And we reconcile stereotypes that encourage different members of society to refrain from interacting with other members of society, and we become the long awaited for female or Black president, the owners of this and the CEO of that.

Should Girls Ask Guys Out

Yeah its ok why wouldnt it. Alot of girls ask out guys the only thing thats big thing for guys is guys suppose to propose first to a girl for marrige but other then that its whoever. It is absolutely ok! I know girls who have asked their current boyfriends out and it was no big deal. To be honest, some guys would actually prefer the girl to ask (especially shy guys). Traditionally guys do ask girls out, however in recent times gender roles have changed dramatically. If this guy says no to you and thinks its weird for you to ask him out then he must not have much respect for women anyways.Why date a guy like that? So just go for it! What do you have to lose? Yes but I'd make sure he likes you first. Actually some guys prefer for girls tO make the first move!! OF COURSE!! Why should it be any different for a girl to ask a guy out than a guy? Just because of american society it is â€Å"proper† for the guy to ask the girl out. That is stupid. If you like him why not? He may be th e one that you let go because of your ego of i am a girl i can't do this. I think this is one of the stupidest things in the world. If you like someone you go after them.You don't let them slip through your fingers. And as a guy feeling threatened that is stupid. Sometimes guy's are just to shy you know? I mean come on why do the guy's really have to do ALL the work? don't let him slip by you There is nothing wrong with a girl asking a guy out. Guys are always the ones putting themselves on the line and asking the girl. U can do it to. The worst that could happen is that he says no. sorry im not a girl but i believe i can help you. A majority of the time a girl is NOT going to ask you out.I used to be a guy that went around and waited for girls to ask me out because i was too scared of being shot down. So you pretty much gotta go for it. Not to scare you but not every single girl is gonna say yes. you will be turned down, however you will also be with more girls if you take the chan ce too. It is very worth the trouble. As for how to know if a girl likes you, its hard to say. Girls are good at hiding their feelings. You can tell by very subtle signs. If you notice them stareing into your eyes alot and see their eyes slightly relaxed this may be a sign. If when you are alone and you otice her getting closer and closer to you this is a good sign. Yeap.. girls ask guys out. Sometimes the guys are too shy themselves and we must take matters into our own hands!†¦ Look at it this way.. if you don't ask.. you already have your answer.. NO†¦. but if you DO ask.. at least you have a shot at getting a YES†¦ Not agree: Don't ask him out, you'll seem a little on the pathetic side. No offense. How do you know he likes you? Did you hear it from someone or him? If you did hear it from someone, you can joke around with How to Make a Man Fall in Love with YouIt’s easy to attract a guy and make him like you. The hard part is knowing how to make a man fall i n love with you. You don’t have to change yourself or pretend to be dumb just to make a man you like feel comfortable around you. If you really want to make a man fall in love with you, you need to understand men and their ways, and use it to your advantage. How to make a man fall in love Use these ten tips and you’ll see how easy it can be to connect with a man and make him desire you. And what’s the best part? Well, you really don’t need to change a thing about yourself! 1 Dress attractively Men are visual, and women know this better than anything else. When you’re out with the man you like, dress your best. If you see him grinning widely or taking discreet glances at your attire, you know you’ve hit the nail. But dressing attractively doesn’t just stop working its magic there. If he sees other men staring at you or admiring you, it’ll only make him desire you more. Men are extremely competitive when it comes to wooing women. Win the attention of other men in the room, and the man you like will do anything to get more attention from you.And of course, he’ll realize how lucky he is to be with you. [Read:  What guys always notice on a date] #2 Be pleasant and smile often Men can’t ever resist a cute smile. And if you can be pleasant and warm when you’re with him, he’ll love you for it. If you want to know how to make a man fall in love with you, tuck your hair behind your ear as you answer an awkward question, blush a bit when you’re being complimentary, and laugh at his jokes even if you’ve heard it before. If a guy is attracted to you, he’d obviously want to impress you with his funny, heroic tales.By reassuring him that you’re having a nice flirty time, you’d make him feel better about himself. And a man always love a woman who can make him feel like a better man! [Read:  How to talk to a guy and make him like you] #3 Don’t be ru de Men are completely put off by rude or arrogant women. If you can be rude to your date or even a waiter, he wouldn’t be able to help but wonder if it’s only the tip of the rude iceberg. Men definitely love a woman who can take a stand, but if it’s in the form of arrogance, he’d stay a mile away from falling in love. 4 Connect with him intellectually Flirty conversations are sweet and cute, and the man you like will love the fact that he’s able to make you blush and go pink. But all flirting and no seriousness can get boring after a while. On your dates together, try and connect with him intellectually now and then. Speak to him about his career goals, his ambitions and aspirations, and let him see that he can actually have a meaningful life-altering conversation with you. [Read:  Questions to ask on a date] #5 Work your eye contactIt’s been seen that romantic eye contact can actually make two people fall in love with each other in no tim e. The next time you’re having a conversation with him, stare deeply into his eyes as he talks to you. You can smile or flirt, but every time your eyes meet, let the eye contact linger even if both of you aren’t exchanging words. It makes the guy feel warm and fuzzy, and would definitely stir his heart. #6 Lingering soft touches If there’s ever a way of knowing how to make a man fall in love with you and be a flirty tease at the same time, this is it.Men can’t resist a lingering woman’s touch. The next time you’re with him, be it clasping palms, hugging each other goodbye, or just crossing the street, let your touch linger softly for a moment longer than necessary. Your touch would be incredibly exciting for the man you like, and you’ll spark a romantic chemistry in no time. [Read:  How to flirt with a guy] Want to take this up a notch? Wear soft or satiny fabric when you go out on a date with the guy you like. He would have a hard time keeping his hands off you! #7 Don’t be easily availableThis is tricky, but it’s definitely a great way to make a man fall in love with you. When you’re in love with someone, you obviously want to be with that person and spend more time with them. But when you can’t be with the person you like, you end up missing the person a lot more. Once you know the guy likes you a lot too, try to skip an occasional date now and then. While it’s important to spend a lot of time together until the guy falls in love with you, it’s equally important to give some space now and then to make sure he understands how special you are, and how much he really needs you. 8 Show off your talents If you want to know how to make a man fall in love with you, learn to surprise him with your talent. He may like you for the person you are, but to completely make him fall for you, you have to let him know that you’re a bundle of happy surprises, waiting to be exp lored. [Read:  What to wear on a first date] Show off your talent and awe him with the things you do, be it at a karaoke bar or while dancing or even while karting or playing the piano. Give him a chance to see your talent and admire you for the awesome person you are. 9 Don’t always agree with him Compatibility is of great essence in a happy relationship. But you don’t always have to accept what the guy says or do what he wants to do. Sometimes, a minor disagreement can take him off guard, but it’ll make him respect your opinions a lot more. Remember, a man likes to flirt with a fun girl and have a serious conversation with an intellectual girl. Give him the best of both worlds, and seriously, how can he not fall in love with you?! #10 Don’t let him know you’ve fallen for him Men love the chase of a good romance.They take time to fall in love, but when they do, men fall hard in love. To understand how to make a man fall in love with you, you nee d to know the stages of love for men. [Read:  How men fall in love] Let the guy you like know that you like him a lot, but never let him know that you’ve fallen head over heels for him. Always make him wonder about how serious you are, and let him be the first one to make the move into a serious relationship. The longer the chase, the more he would want you. But at the same time, push him away too often, and he’ll give up on the chase.Play hard to get, and yet, warm up to him often. [Read:  How to ask a guy out the classy way] You really don’t have to change a thing about who you are to figure out how to make a man fall in love with you. All you need is patience, a pinch of panache, and the perfect balance of affection and playing hard to get. [Read:  How to make him want you] These ten tips on how to make a man fall in love with you can definitely help you work your magic and make the guy you like fall for you, just as long as you read the signs and make the right move.