Starbucks Sustainability Report free essay sample

They do not mind about using chemical products that destroy the nature or exploiting workers. Thankfully, more and more companies are aware of this kind of situation and try to change. This is especially the case for companies producing and retailing beverages. Coffee beans and tea leafs are mostly produced in Asia, Africa and Latina America. It is difficult for companies which want to be eco-friendly to be sure that important exploitations respect their workers and the environment. That raises some questions: Do coffee companies can manage to know where their raw materials come from? Is it possible to reduce their impact on the environment on a fair and honest base? To answer these questions our group decided to study the biggest coffee brand of the world: Starbucks Coffee Company. evaluated and commented. present and future eco-friendly operations are analyzed, Starbucks is known as an organic retail store offering a range of coffee, tea and other products. We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Sustainability Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since a couple of years, Starbucks has cooperated and supported its farmers in a way which does not only benefit the company itself, but also helps farmers and their communities to develop and receive basic services like education or clear water provision. The coffee company has developed its own sustainability report in 2008 and consistently went for improvement since then. Its detailed report shows its current status and its future goals with exact strategies how to reach them. Based on its experiences, partnerships and commitments, Starbucks was able to create a global network by serving ethical sourced coffee and supporting its communities. Nevertheless, global crisis and the increasing struggle to satisfy basic needs on the on hand but operate a business on the other hand, changed Starbucks perspective on the world and its strategic tools. The company had to find an honest and sustainable way to protect the environment and be responsible for the society in the long run. 3|P age 2. Company A nalysis 2. 1 Foundation and Development The story begun in 1971 and offered some of 40 years ago. The first Starbucks Coffee opened in -roasted whole bean coffees. In 1982, Howard Schultz, the current chairman, joined the company as the director of retail operations and marketing. In 1983, he travelled in Italy and was impressed by the coffee bar popularity in Milan. Back to USA he wanted to develop the same coffee culture in Seattle. For him, you can create connection between people with a tasty coffee. Starbucks one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a (Our Starbucks Mission Statement, 2012). The company continued to grow and in 1987, II Giornal acquired Starbucks and became Starbucks Corporation. The same year, stores opened in Chicago and Vancouver, Canada. This step stresses the beginning of Starbucks Company. The coffee served in Starbucks using ethical sourcing practices. In 2002, the company made an agreement with F airtrade. 2. 2 Internationalization Starbucks Starbucks stores. n started in 1987 with its first shop in Vancouver. In 1996, the s first store in Europe in 1998. One company opened its first stores in Japan and Singapore. There were a total of 1,015 stores. year later, Starbucks entered the Chinese, Kuwaiti and South Korean markets and owns 2,485 The number of stores more than doubled each year. Nowadays, with more than 17,000 stores in 55 different countries, Starbucks is an interactive and comfortable (Our Heritage, 2012) 2. 3 Products and Services Starbucks Corp. Best Coffee, Tazo Tea and Torrefazione Italia Coffee. Four product categories are offered in Starbucks stores: Coffee, Handcraft Beverages, Fresh food and Consumers Product (see Figure A). 4|P age 2. 4 Recognition and A wards Thanks to its implication, Starbucks Corp. won unique awards in different business aspects as ethical business, sustainability in business and many others. According to Starbucks its rewards and recognition, the following titles can be attributed to the company: o o o o o o -2011) 1998-2000, 2002-2012) -2012) -2012) 3. E thical Sourcing 5|P age 3. 1 C . A. F. E . Practices In the course of Starbucks Conservation International (CI), the C. A. F. E. Practices (Coffee and Farmer Equity) have been developed in 2008 and focus on product quality, economic accountability, social responsibility and environmental leadership. In terms of product quality, the coffee must meet standards of high quality; economic accountability includes financial transparency regarding fair payments to farmers; Starbucks social responsibility guidelines include human working conditions, minimum wage, living conditions and labor requirements on third-verified standards; those standards manage water and energy conservation, recycling, the reduction of agrochemical usage and the protection of biodiversity as well. Generally, C. A. F. E. impacts are evaluated by grouping its guidelines. The classified indicators include social (people), environmental (planet) and economic (product) factors. For example, the results of the C. A. F. E. Practices are measured in Guatemala and Colombia where annual results assessments concerning farmers, workers and conservation take place. So far, higher income and sales, higher health rates due to fewer pesticides and herbicides, better education systems and a valid biodiversity have been observed (Starbucks, 2012). C. A. F. E. erified producers exist in 20 countries with cultivating their coffee on 102,000 hectares each year; for instance in Papua New Guinea, Zambia, Panama and China. In 2011, 86% (367 million pounds) of its total coffee purchased has been C. A. F. E. verified coffee (Starbucks, 2012). 3. 2 Coffee Purchasing By 2015, Starbucks aims to purchase 100% ethical sourced coffee (Starbucks, 2012). That means, the coffee must be verified by either Starbu cks C. A. F. E. Practices, F airtrade or another third-party program. For C. A. F. E. Practices 3. 1 C. A. F. E. Practices. Starbucks has offered F airtrade coffee since 12 years. Lately, it purchased 34. 3 million pounds F airtrade coffee which presents 8% of its coffee amount bought in 2011 (Starbucks, 2012). By that, Starbucks contributed $26 million to the F airtrade program comprehending environmental protection, fair treatment of farmers and F airtrade awareness building. In 2011, the company purchased 9. 6 million pounds of organic coffee accounting for 2. 2% of its overall coffee purchases (Starbucks, 2011). Organic grown coffee beans can be found in Organic Yukon Blend and other local special reserve coffees, for instance. Organic cultivation maintains the 6|P age iodiversity by protecting the soil health, abstaining from admixtures and using agriculture methods which have a low impact on the nature. Starbucks uses the Green Coffee Pricing Model . This involves purchasing coffee at premium prices in order to foster price stability and support relationships with suppliers. Starbucks paid $2. 38 per pound of unroasted coffee in 2011 (Starbucks, 2011). 3 . 3 F armer Support Starbucks supports its farmers by providing access to credits at reasonable terms and helping them in their risk management. In 2011, Starbucks invested $14. 7 million in famer loans to Root Capital , Verde Ventures and the Calvert Foundation famers in seven countries (Starbucks, 2012). non-profit social investments funds. By 2015, this amount shall be increased by 26. 5% (Starbucks, 2011). Currently, Starbucks supports 45,000 Starbucks F armer Support Center opened in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2004. Those F armer Support Centers help agronomists and quality experts to improve the coffee quality and simultaneously to find sustainable cultivation practices needed for the long-run. Today, you can find F armer Support Centers in Kigali, Rwanda (opened in 2009), Mbeya, Tanzania (opened in 2011) and Guatemala (Starbucks, 2012). In 2012, Starbucks is expanding to China to serve the Asian communities. 3. 4 Forest C arbon Programs Due to the climate change and the decreasing biodiversity in regions like Mexico and Indonesia, Starbucks started to launch its Forest Carbon Programs to decrease the polluting impacts, improve facilitate farmer access to forest carbon markets in coffee2011, p. 8). The pilot was implemented in North Sumatra and Aceh Tengah, Indonesia and focused on trainings on composting and pruning and simultaneously, motivated 14 communities to sign conservation coffee agreements. The first program was set up in Chiapas, Mexico, in 2010. Forest fire management and reforestation plans have been established. Furthermore, 13 communities are now trained on strategies regarding the mitigation of the climate change. In 2011, 3 nurseries have been built which then supplied about 92,500 seedlings for the reforestation activities (CI, 2011). As the carbon credits are sold on voluntary markets, Starbucks was able to sell 5,042 tons of CO2 at $9 per ton (CI, 2011). The Forest Carbon Programs are conducted by CI with whom Starbucks is planning to launch its third program in Brazil in 2012. |P age 4. G reen Store Design 4. 1 E nergy Conservation Most of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be traced back to Starbucks -store energy usage. In 2011, 23. 3% of 979,963 metric tons of CO2 presents direct emissions from store operations and assets (see Figure B). The rest (76. 7%) is attributed to the electricity usage (Tackling Climate Change, 2012). Although, GHG emissions ha ve been reduced by 2. 7%, Starbucks focuses on energy conservation and renewable energy usage (please refer to 4. 2 Renewable Energy for renewable energy usage). The areas of lightening, operational equipment, heating and cooling are aimed to be efficiently reduced to conserve energy. Despite the fact that Light Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs are dim and expensive and burn out quickly, Starbucks replaced its incandescent and halogen lightening with those LED bulbs. Installing the new lightening systems in more than 7,000 stores worldwide, its overall electricity consumption decreased by 7% in 2011 (Starbucks, 2011). Furthermore, it is aimed to replace existing machines like ice makers, ovens or blenders with high-efficient alternatives as soon as they reach the end of their useful life. In order to reduce heating and cooling consumption, Starbucks tested the new established EMS (Energy Management Systems) and by that, decreased its HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) intensity by 20% (Starbucks, 2012). Starbucks was able to reduce its total energy consumption by 7. 5% from 2008 on. To reach its goal of a 25% decrease by 2015, it works with companies to find sustainable energy alternatives. 4. 2 Renewable E nergy Starbucks aims to purchase 100% of renewable energy by 2015 (Starbucks 2011); In 2008, it has been 20%; in 2011, Starbucks was able to increase that amount by 30. %, so that the current energy consists of more than a half of renewable energy sources (Starbucks, 2011). As Starbucks is based on the use of energy, the company decided to support the generation of renewable energy by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (REC) currently coming from wind farms in the United States. Each REC encourages the development of renewable energy sources and incr eases the revenue of wind farm owners, so that they stay competitive with the providers using fossil fuels. In 2011, Starbucks entire Conservation, 2012). By 2015, Starbucks wants to purchase RECs equivalent to 100% of its energy used and support solar energy and offsite renewable energy sources additionally (Starbucks, 2011). 8|P age 4. 3 W ater Conservation Water is an essential key ingredient for Starbucks needed for coffee, tea and to run machines like the dishwasher. 1,000 new filtration systems provide high water quality, save water and have decreased Starbucks waste water by 50% in 2011 (Water Conservation, 2012). Starbucks Energy and Resource Management commissioned analytics to find out in-store leaks. By that, leaks in toilets, floors and sprinkler systems have been detected. Millions of gallons have already been saved since a couple years. One of the main environmental-friendly replaces is presented by the low-use water faucets. The latter replaced Starbucks dipper wells used for cleaning spoons, but wasted 15% more water. The faucets have been mainly responsible that the water consumption decreased by 17. 6% (76. 2 liters) in 2011 (Starbucks, 2011). By 2015, Starbucks aims to present a 25% decrease in water intensity on a 2008 baseline (Starbucks, 2011). Through C. A. F. E. Practices and CI, Starbucks encourages its famers to conserve water for coffee processing, to protect the rivers and lakes in coffee-growing communities, so that they have access to clean drinking water continuously. 4. 4 L E E D ® C ertification and G reen Building Together with the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Starbucks has established certification systems for retail projects. One of them is called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ®) and has been developed in 2008 (Starbucks, 2011). Starbucks is now building its new company-owned stores according to LE E D  ® standards to achieve the LE E D  ® certification. The first LE E D  ® certified store opened in 2005 and more followed. All stores show environmental improvements: Firstly, energy consumption decreased through LED lightening and energy saving heating and cooling solutions by 30% (Starbucks, 2011). Plus, less-toxic materials are used to improve the indoor air quality. Water has been saved by 60% due to conserving fixtures and waste could be reduced, because milk cartons and cardboard are recycled (Starbucks, 2011). Furthermore, all stores are built from only ecological-friendly materials sourced regionally and resulted in 60% less waste and consequently a lower carbon footprint (Starbucks, 2011). Lastly, Starbucks makes customers aware of the environment and informs about green alternatives in stores. In 2011, Starbucks built 75% (121 of 161 new stores) of its new company-owned stores LE E D  ® certified; the goal is to build all new company-owned stores to achieve LE E D  ® certification (Starbucks, 2011). Global Green U SA awarded Starbucks for its green building efforts with the Sustainable Design Award (Starbucks, 2011). |P age 5. Recycling 5. 1 Reusable C ups Starbucks is worldwide known for the great amount of take-away products which are served in their famous white cups. The struggle consists of the problem that the company produces a lot of paper and plastic cups which have a huge impact on the environment. In order to reduce this negative influence, Starbucks is working on solutio ns to reduce the waste they produce and sets a goal to make 100% of their cups reusable, so recyclable by 2015 (Starbucks, 2011). In order to create long-term recycling strategies, together with Peter Senge from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Society for Organizational Learning, Starbucks established the Three Cup Summits in 2008, 2010 and 2011 (Starbucks, 2011). The F irst Cup Summit examines that the cup material presents an enormous key contributor to recyclability. The Second Cup Summit resulted in a pilot project with International Paper and Mississippi River Pulp which came up with comprehensive reusing strategies of used cups. With the Third Cup Summit, in 2011, Starbucks started a partnership with the Foodservice Packaging Institute and formed the Paper Recovery Alliance (PRA) (Starbucks, 2011). This coalition develops and promotes recyclable solutions for single-used cups and other packaging. Starbucks also encourages its customers to use their own tumblers for the beverages they buy at the stores. To meet the goal of serving 5% in personal tumblers, the company offers a 10% discount in the U. S. and Canadian stores and creates campaigns like the ones in 2010 and 2011 in which customers bringing their own cups get a free brewed coffee (Starbucks, 2011). In 2011, Starbucks served coffee in personal tumblers more than 34 million times which shows a 1. % amount of all beverages served (Starbucks, 2011). The modified goal of 5% has to be reached by 2015 (Starbucks, 2011). Due to their constant effort to use reusable cups, Starbucks was able to save 1. 5 million pounds of paper in 2011 (Recycling Reducing Waste, 2012). 5. 2 Store Recycling Another main challenge involves the front-of-store recycling systems. As they differ from city to city, it is rather challenging to implement efficient recycling solutions. However, 18% of the Starbucks stores in the U. S. and Canada have now front-of-store recycling bins (Starbucks, 2011). It is the goal to install front-of-store recycling in all locations by 2015 (Recycling Reducing Waste, 2012). 10 | P a g e Due to the fact that the majority of the waste is produced behind the counter in their stores, Starbucks emphasizes its development of back-of-store recycling systems more and more. In 2011, more than 2,400 company-owned stores in the U. S. and Canada had recycled cardboard boxes and other back-of-store items for example. But Starbucks still experiences a lot of barriers such as limited space in the stores or a lack of strategic recycling services in some municipalities. 11 | P a g e . Corporate Social Responsibility 6. 1 Community Initiatives In every neighborhood in which Starbucks is present, it takes upon itself and does not only serve top quality coffee, but also contribute to the communities well-being. It helps the area to strive and progress. Both the staff, so called partners, and the community work together and dedicate extra time to create a change in that area. There are a couple of initiatives Starbucks participates in to implement this idea. For instance, they created the Global Month of Service in which volunteers help certain communities on satisfying basic needs. In April 2011, almost 60,000 volunteers coming from 30 countries contributed more than 150,000 hours of services in gardening and painting to refurbishing schools and parks (Starbucks, 2011). In water-stressed countries, the Starbucks generates $0. 05 with each bottle of Ethos ® water purchased. In 2005, 420,000 people benefited from a total grant of $6 million (Starbucks, 2011). Starbucks has even created a community service website to connect partners and to invite customers to join events organized throughout the country. Events range from free thanksgiving meal for the poor to assistance to abandoned dogs. However, projects with the tea and coffee growing communities are mainly emphasized. Starbucks wants to encourage the economic and social development in those areas. In Guatemala in 2005 for example, the Guatemala Education Initiative supported educational programs for all villages in the highlands of that country. The investment of $1 million shall help children of farmers who consistently suffer from marginalized economy and from poverty (Starbucks, 2011). The sanitation (Starbucks, 2011). In 2011, Starbucks was able to mobilize partners and customers to contribute 442,353 hours of community service. This is more than double the amount of what the company has reached in 2010. Hence, the goal for 2015 is to engage people to participate in projects accounting for 1 million hours of service (Starbucks, 2011). According to Starbucks, Service, 2012). 6. 2 Youth G rant Actions The Starbucks Corporation strongly believes that the youth can influence and lead innovative and positive solutions for local needs and future ecological improvements. In order to support this 12 | P a g e (CHAI) supports tea-growing regions like India for instance, in order to increase the level of education and ese achievements are a powerful (Community development, the company created the Youth Action Grants in 2008. In 2012, this project supported peace programs in northwest Pakistan, microcredit poor entrepreneurs in Brazil and provided livelihood skills training in Uganda (Starbucks, 2011). In 2011, Starbucks awarded over 100 grants accounting $2. 6 million (Engaging Young People, 2012). Furthermore, Starbu cks set the goal to mobilize at least 50,000 young people to support their communities through innovative projects by 2015 (Starbucks, 2011). The company has exceeded that goal in 2010 and again in 2011: 53, 000 young people took action in their communities in 2010 and 50,050 in 2011 and generated more than 2 million hours of community service (Starbucks, 2011). 13 | P a g e 7. Conclusion At the beginning, our group was interested in how coffee companies can improve their impact on the environment. Thanks to our studies on Starbucks we are now able to figure out strategies to preserve the nature and help communities, but also their environmental impacts. The importance of sustainable reports has been established while researching for and writing on our report. In order to serve ethical sourced coffee beans, Starbucks has established its own C. A. F. E. Practices and produced under F airtrade and organic standards. These latter organizations limit the sourcing, production and selling process to not only have good quality products which processes respected the environment, but also to protect labor ri and the necessity of environmental protection. Reducing energy and water consumption is also extremely important for Starbucks. The company developed LE E D  ® certified stores that use renewable energy, LED light bulbs and others alternative systems mentioned in the report in order to save water and energy. Starbucks fixed longterms goals and used accreditation as a proof. Recycling and reusing is an essential action to preserve the environment and energy consumption. Starbucks was able to reduce its wastes through recycling or reusing mugs. It could further mobilize customers to bring their own tumblers which did not only result in a lower water and energy areness of adequate recycling. Furthermore, Starbucks is enrolled in many programs and social project to help communities to improve their living situations. This part can be considered as a basic CSR activity, because Starbucks purchases and works with farmers and people in developing countries like Guatemala where their rights are trembled and basic needs not yet fully satisfied. Concluding Starbucks ethical sourcing and water and energy saving solutions, it can therefore be observed, that the company has a distinctive and well established sustainable report including strategic future toolkits. Nevertheless, Starbucks has created a strong global network consisting of farmers, communities and customers. It depends on its consumers loyalty and farmers growing experiences. Especially Starbucks farmer relation is rather controversial as the farmers are now dependent on Starbucks high farmer loans in order to keep their living standards. Nonetheless, Starbucks ecological footprints are steadily decreasing and the company has exemplary strategies for operating its business in a sustainable way in the long-term. 14 | P a g e 8. A ppendix Figure A: Coffee 30 blends and singleorigin premium Arabica coffees H andcraft Beverages fresh brewed coffee, hot and iced espresso beverages, coffee and non coffee blended beverages Merchandise coffee and tea brewing equipment mugs and accessories, packaged goods, music, books, gift items Consumer Product (only available in 13 countries) Coffee T ea whole bean and ground (Starbucks tea filter bags, tea latte concentrates Ready-to-D rink bottled Frappuccino, coffee drinks, chilled cup coffees, Iced Lattes, bottled iced and juiced teas Ice C ream super premium coffee and coffee free flavors F resh Food baked pastries, sandwiches salads, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, fruit cups Starbucks, 2012 References: Ballou, Brian, et al. The future of corporate sustainability reporting. Journal of Accountancy 202.6 (2006): 65. Argenti, Paul A. Collaborating with activists: How Starbucks works with NGOs. California Management Review 47.1 (2004): 91-116. Kiron, David, et al. Sustainability nears a tipping point. MIT Sloan Management Review 53.2 (2012): 69. Dauvergne, Peter, and Jane Lister. Big brand sustainability: Governance prospects and environmental limits. Global Environmental Change 22.1 (2012): 36-45. Bridges, Claudia M., and Wendy Bryce Wilhelm. Going beyond green: The â€Å"why and how† of integrating sustainability into the marketing curriculum. Journal of Marketing Education 30.1 (2008): 33-46. Peloza, John, et al. Sustainability. California Management Review 55.1 (2012): 74-97.

Free Essays on Mr. Pirzadas Lilia

Mr. Pirzada’s, Lilia The many characters, of â€Å"When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,† by Jhumpa Lahiri, view the non vocal antagonist (the war in Pakistan) differently. The central character, or protagonist, is a ten-year-old girl, whose name is Lilia. Lilia is curious, inquisitive and compassionate. She becomes aware of the similarities and the differences among people not only in her household, but also, in her day-to-day life. She tries to understand the matters of war torn Pakistan, and how it relates to her, her family and the family’s friend, Mr. Pirzada. Lilia, is born and so far, raised in America. She participates in American customs, and learns American history without any clue that there is another culture that she is linked to other than being Indian. She takes note that her parents, often complained that the social customs and courtesies familiar to them in their native India, do not exist here. Thus creating a need to interact with others that are familiar with and have a desire to practice these customs. Lilia, became most aware of Mr. Pirzada’s presence, when she found out Mr. Pirzada was not, indeed, Indian but Bengali. This small discovery became a major turning Pearson-2 point for Lilia’s character because this is when she begins to develop into a round character. She gets an impromptu geography lesson from her father. He goes in to explaining the reasons why Mr. Pirzada is not Indian and shows her, what he thinks she needs to know for clarification. Lilia, on the other hand, doesn’t get it. She notices he looks the same and is the same religion as her and her family, but still wonders what makes him different. She began to pay more attention to Mr. Pirzada and to the situation in Pakistan. She became aware of his mannerisms and became more aware of the conversation amongst the adults. Lilia begins to feel sorry for Mr. Pirzada. Lilia be... Free Essays on Mr. Pirzada's Lilia Free Essays on Mr. Pirzada's Lilia Mr. Pirzada’s, Lilia The many characters, of â€Å"When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,† by Jhumpa Lahiri, view the non vocal antagonist (the war in Pakistan) differently. The central character, or protagonist, is a ten-year-old girl, whose name is Lilia. Lilia is curious, inquisitive and compassionate. She becomes aware of the similarities and the differences among people not only in her household, but also, in her day-to-day life. She tries to understand the matters of war torn Pakistan, and how it relates to her, her family and the family’s friend, Mr. Pirzada. Lilia, is born and so far, raised in America. She participates in American customs, and learns American history without any clue that there is another culture that she is linked to other than being Indian. She takes note that her parents, often complained that the social customs and courtesies familiar to them in their native India, do not exist here. Thus creating a need to interact with others that are familiar with and have a desire to practice these customs. Lilia, became most aware of Mr. Pirzada’s presence, when she found out Mr. Pirzada was not, indeed, Indian but Bengali. This small discovery became a major turning Pearson-2 point for Lilia’s character because this is when she begins to develop into a round character. She gets an impromptu geography lesson from her father. He goes in to explaining the reasons why Mr. Pirzada is not Indian and shows her, what he thinks she needs to know for clarification. Lilia, on the other hand, doesn’t get it. She notices he looks the same and is the same religion as her and her family, but still wonders what makes him different. She began to pay more attention to Mr. Pirzada and to the situation in Pakistan. She became aware of his mannerisms and became more aware of the conversation amongst the adults. Lilia begins to feel sorry for Mr. Pirzada. Lilia be...

How Do You Become a Pharmacy Technician

How Do You Become a Pharmacy Technician a pharmacy technician is responsible for assisting the pharmacist on duty to help patients or customers and fill prescriptions. you’ll need a keen eye for detail, a great deal of patience, and training that covers basic pharmacology, medication dispensing, and an understanding of pharmacy law and ethics. education and trainingyou will need a high school diploma or a ged equivalent to qualify for on-the-job training- many aspiring pharm techs find getting such  training is easier after post-secondary training at an online certification program or vocational school, community college, or technical institute. it may take anywhere from 3 months to a year.vocational school and community college coursework will emphasize commonly used mathematics, chemistry, and medication orientations to familiarize aspiring pharm techs with names, side effects, interactions, and dispensing protocols. some training programs even offer internships for hands-on experience, a great way to get to kno w a pharmacy before committing to the 6 year process of becoming a pharmacist.certificationsthe pharmacy technician certification board (ptcb) requires you to have a diploma and pass a certification exam. the national healthcareer association (nha) requires you to be 18 years old and have a high school diploma, a formal training program, and a year of work under your belt.you’ll be required to re-certify every 2 years because of the rate of change in healthcare policies and advances in the field. pursuing 20 hours of continuing education will keep you up-to-date. many pharm techs report that this process of staying current (along with the patience of keeping up with a busy pharmacy) are the most challenging parts of the job.employersmost pharm techs are found in hospitals, retail pharmacies, assisted living and education institutions, and veterinary offices. the bureau of labor statistics predicts employment growth of about 20 percent for the field through  2022- faster tha n the average growth rate for all occupations. those stats amounts to  70,700 new positions to be filled during that period.here are some of the biggest current employers in the field:salarythe average salary is $38,600 nationally, with rates increasing with seniority, specialty certifications, and competitive institutional pay scale policies. the metropolitan areas that offer the highest compensation are all located in california, including the metropolitan areas of oakland, napa, san francisco, san jose, and madera.sample job postingpharmacy technician,   orlando, flunder the direct supervision of the pharmacy services call center supervisor, the pharmacy call center technician is responsible for providing knowledgeable and courteous customer assistance and response to members, providers, and pharmacy call center technician inquiries.position qualifications/requirementseducation and training:  high school diploma or the equivalentexperience:  2 years pharmacy technician ex perience in a healthcare, long term care or retail environment; minimum 35 wpm typingrequired experience:  pharmacy tech, high school, national pharmacy technician certification: 3 yearslicenses, registrations or certifications:  national pharmacy technician certificationprincipal accountabilitieshandles calls and correspondence regarding pharmacy issues from providers/physicians and members. documents calls in inquiry tracking system. facilitates problem resolution and acts as customer advocate.performs initial research of pharmacy issues. reconciles plan information utilizing department-generated procedures and reference materials. utilizes internal pharmacy systems to update, modify and extract member information.assists network pharmacist in processing prescription claims. reviews claims for accuracy and adherence to contract guidelines maintained.assists with entering prior authorizations when required; provides follow up assistance for prior authorization requests, follows up with requests from physicians for denial letters, provides assistance in gathering historical claim information as required.discriminates between routine and significant matters; apprises management of issues which can negatively affect service and business. identifies provider/physician/member issues and refers to appropriate departments.maintains a balance of productivity, quality, and timeliness of job accountabilities.demonstrates flexibility and cooperation when faced with changing priorities to meet shifting needs.creates and supports an environment which fosters teamwork, cooperation, respect, and diversity.assists with training of new hires. attends required training as requested. develops and maintains desktop procedures.apply here: pharmacy technician

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Empowering Employees on Team Processes Research Paper

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Example of a Small Business Performing a SWOT Analysis Essay Example for Free

Example of a Small Business Performing a SWOT Analysis Essay Learn more about performing a SWOT analysis before reading the case study. Background The three members of the leadership team at a small marketing consulting firm were interested in expanding their offerings to their clients. Currently the firm has 20 employees (including the three members of the leadership team) many of whom are consultants with the balance being administrative and marketing staff. The last time the company had done a SWOT analysis was when they were first starting up in business and were working on their business plan. The SWOT session enabled them to develop their business plan by having them think through their business goals and objectives for viability and feasibility. At the time, the three of them, plus a few members of their Advisory Council participated in the SWOT analysis. The goal of this SWOT session would be to: * Determine ways to better position the company in marketplace. * Determine new products and services to offer clients to better compete in a crowded marketplace. Preparing for the SWOT session The leadership team wanted to set aside 3 hours for the SWOT session. Given that the business was small, the leadership team felt that everyone should participate. The following decisions were made: * All 20 employees would participate in the SWOT session * A Friday morning in mid-summer would be set aside for the session (and†¦as a â€Å"thank you† for participating – employees would be given the balance of the day off to spend with family and friends) * The focus of the SWOT session would be toward determining products and services to offer to clients and that information would be provided to participants beforehand so they can begin to think about it * A professional facilitator would be brought in to lead the session since this SWOT exercise was essential to the company’s continued growth and success Additionally, the leadership team was going to provide all participants with a copy of the SWOT analysis done at the very beginning – before the business venture began. While it had a different purpose, it would be valuable for the SWOT session participants to view it and, from the leadership perspective, it would be interesting to compare then to now. The SWOT session Brainstorming was used during the SWOT session to gather data for the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The facilitator led the group – starting with strengths and working through to threats. An hour was allocated for this task. Each participant spent time writing on sticky notes their thoughts, ideas, opinions, beliefs and known truths regarding the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. When done, all of the information was posted on the walls under the appropriate heading (e.g. Strengths, etc.) Prioritizing the information The next hour and a half was spent reviewing the data with an eye toward: * Looking for themes/commonalities – combining similar sticky notes under themes (e.g., Customer Service) * Prioritizing based on: * Significant information/data provided by large numbers of participants (e.g, ineffective use of social media was mentioned 15 times!) * What could be â€Å"quick hits† for the company to start to effectively compete against the competition * Products and service ideas that can be created within a year’s time frame The table below is a small sampling of the data gathered during the brainstorming session. This particular data is selected as when they prioritized their efforts these were the areas of focus. STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| OPPORTUNITIES| THREATS| * Long-term employees committed to the company * Customers love the work done by the company * Customer retention is high * Well-known brand in the local area * Company has made a profit every year in business * Client base was growing| * No blog on the website * Ineffective use of social media * No global customers * The business hasn’t expanded in the last few years and seems stagnant. * No presence at trade shows or industry events/ conferences * No â€Å"new blood† bringing in fresh ideas * Client base not growing as quickly as in past| * Ask current customers to refer business * Use social media and blogging to build brand name and gain new customers * Expand business nationally * Target smaller start-ups who needed strong marketing to get their business off the ground * Provide sales support services for clients * Offer dashboards for tracking marketing| * Competition was increasing * A number of local competitors were already blogging and utilizing social media * Current customers wanted social media consulting and it was difficult to do so when the company doesn’t do social media themselves * Lots of individuals and other new small businesses â€Å"popping† up who do marketing consulting| Based on the information gathered during the brainstorming sessions and what the participants believed could be accomplished in a one to two year timeframe to have a significant impact on the business, the following was decided to meet the objectives: Objective: Better position the company for success in the marketplace | Objective: New products and services| * Develop a blog * Assign responsibilities for social media accounts: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook * Ask current customers to refer business * Expand business nationally| * Develop and offer dashboards for customers to manage marketing initiatives * Provide services to start-ups who need a strong marketing initiative * Provide social media services and support| Next steps The company’s next steps were to take the projects they decided to accomplish toward achieving their goals and: * Assign responsibility for that project * Develop a project plan including a timeframe and budget needs * Prioritize the projects further * Begin work! A survey done of all participants after the SWOT session showed that they were excited about the process and the path they had developed to help meet company goals. By getting all employees involved, the leadership team showed that they valued all employees and wanted their contributions to help make the company a success. Once a month the leadership team would meet with each project lead to check on project status. It was decided that on an annual basis employees would participate in SWOT sessions to work on strategy for the upcoming year. As the company grew, employees would have the opportunity to participate on a rotating basis.

Essay of Comparison between The Tiger and The Lamb, poems by William Bl

Essay of Comparison between The Tiger and The Lamb, poems by William Blake "The Tiger" and "The Lamb" were poems by William Blake, a poet who lived in the 18th century. In this essay I am going to compare the two poems and examine links between them relating to rhymes, patterns and words used. Blake's background relates on the poems he wrote, and many of his works reflected his early home life. Blake in his childhood was an outcast, a loner, and didn't have many friends. His family believed very strongly in God and were extremely pious Christians but did not agree with the teachings of the church, so young William Blake often was made to think about God and his teachings during his studies. Because his parents were rebels against the Church of England, and most schools were affiliated with the Church in those days, Blake was made to find education somewhere else. He was educated from home by his parents, a practise not done much nowadays. Blake found he had a lot of free time to think about his many ideas, his poetry, life and the like, and also found that he had a very strong imagination. In his poems, many biblical and religious undertones are found as he often wove double meanings into his works. By the time he was an adult his active imagination allowed him to create vivid poetry and paintings, like the paintings that have recently been displayed at the National Gallery. Blake's most famous books of poems are entitled "Songs of Experience" and "Songs of Innocence", and the two most famous poems from these two books are the ones I am comparing in this essay. Poems from the "Songs of Experience" are all about the type of God who brought all the evil and suffering into the world, the vengeful God w... ... Industrial Revolution troubles) and would not have the time or money to take a trip into the countryside. So it too is like a dream, and a fantasy, and it is also a sign of hope and peace, because in those days the industrial revolution was taking place and fields and open space would be disappearing. In its place would be smoggy factories, slum towns and waste tips. This imagery by Blake I find is very effective in also making us remember the conditions most people (but not Blake) had to live in back in those days. "The Lamb" is obviously a poem of questions - the main difference form "The Tiger" being that "The Lamb" provides the answers for the reader and the metaphorical lamb in the second verse, whilst the latter's questions remain unanswered. I personally feel that the poem is asking one main question that is "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?"

Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha: Job Cigarettes During the 19th century, many changes were taking place in modern European society, which was noticeable through art at that time. A different kind of style that was moving away from the traditional, standard art that were taught at art academies and was heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement was developed. This â€Å"modern† style of art was known as Art Nouveau. Alphonse Mucha was an important figure and had a strong influence in this new style.Alphonse Mucha had a style that garnered a lot of public attention in America and Europe and it also influenced many artists to mimic what many called the â€Å"Mucha style. † Mucha’s Job Cigarettes poster illustrates the â€Å"standard’ of the Art Nouveau style and notes some of the changes taking place in modern society. Alphonse Mucha’s Job Cigarettes was not the first poster that brought him fame and put him in the eye of the public; however, it is a poster th at could be said was his best piece. It one of several commercial art ads he did for the rolling paper company known as Job.It features a female holding a cigarette in one hand. The female has a faint smile with her eyes closed and her head raised a bit high to indicate she is really enjoying her cigarette and perhaps getting some sort of physical or emotional satisfaction from her smoke. She seems to go beyond the border giving this piece a sense of depth perspective. It seems to say that she cannot be contained and that she is free to do as she pleases and enjoy her smoke. She has very long and curly stylized hair that was traditionally used by Alphonse Mucha known as macaroni or vermicelli.The hair serves as an essential adorning, decorative component of the poster, which also serves to display the sensuousness of the woman and gives it a more aesthetically pleasant look. The smoke from the cigarette flows upwards in a left and right manner which guides the eye from the cigarette to the head of the female and then finally towards the â€Å"Job† logo. The poster seems to have a decorative border that was most likely influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. The colors are soft and pastel-like which gives a feeling of serenity and peace.Mucha’ technique in his Job Cigarettes poster and his treatment of the three main elements, flowing lines, heavy curves, and organic subject matter, which traditionally found in Art Nouveau depicts the standard in this style of art. There are no hard-edged lines found in the main figure of the poster. The only hard-edged line work is found in the ornamented border. Mucha also used heavy and light strokes, which was most likely influenced by Japanese woodcuts/art, throughout the female figure and the smoke. He seems to create a heavier stroke on he outside lines, which creates a sort of silhouette giving it a dynamic feel.The heavy curves are easily identifiable in the woman’s hair adorning the female fig ure. They are very long and exaggerated in form, which was traditional of Mucha and the Art Nouveau style. The hair on the female has an organic feel that seems to look like vines or something of that sort. The decorative border seems to frame the whole piece and makes it seem like the woman is leaning outside of a window and into nature to freely enjoy her smoke. As a teenager, Mucha had applied to the Prague Academy of Fine Arts art but was rejected because he did not have the skill to be a â€Å"true† artist.His rejection was even followed up with a note saying that he should find a better profession where he would be more useful. Perhaps Mucha was not the only artist who was rejected in such a manner, which is why many artists probably felt the need to rebel against the traditional style of the Academy, and decided to make art in their own style. They wanted to try something new and move with the rapid changes taking place at that time. One example of change in modern soc iety was the heavy use of posters in commercial art.Mucha decided to use a lithographic poster for his Jobs Cigarettes ad and it made such a great impression on the Job Company that they actually hire him to create additional advertisement posters for them. Another change with Art Nouveau was the constant presence of female figures in the artwork. Female illustrations played an important factor in advertisements. Artwork was sexually charged to sell market commodities. Although Mucha’s Job Cigarettes poster is not overly sexual, he does use a female figure that seems to be getting some sort of pleasure from the product to sell to consumers.Mucha’s illustration perhaps seems to show the rise of women’s social position. Mucha shows a female doing what was traditionally a male activity, smoking. As a result of mass production from the Industrial Revolution, there were a lot of mechanical looking objects in society. These massproduced items just made the world look more ugly, generic, and bland. Mucha gathered much influence from the organic shapes and curves from nature and heavily adorns his illustration to bring more beauty, life, and freedom to society.Alphonse Mucha’s Job Cigarettes poster had a freeing, unique style that was much different than the traditional standards taught at art academies. Mucha’s technique was so evident and admired that the Art Nouveau style was often referred to as the â€Å"Mucha style† and highly imitated by other artists. Through his technique, style and subject matter, he comments on the changes occurring in modern society and in art, and it has influenced not only artists from his time but also many other artists today.

Local Law Enforcement’s Role in Anti-terrorism and Home Land Security

The intensity of the September 11 attacks on American soil led to massive destruction of property, besides leaving thousands of innocent civilians dead. To many, the attacks revealed just how vulnerable the United States was to the cruel hand of global terrorism. The lessons learnt from the tragic incidences prompted immediate action on the part of the federal authorities, culminating in what became known as the war on terror whose overall objective was to completely eliminate, or at least minimize the potential danger posed by terrorists and terrorist organizations spread all over the globe. Beginning then, the fight against terrorism has become a shared responsibility, with various security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies involved in checking terrorist activity. Some of the major responsibilities include have included training on technologies such as airborne insertion equipment, rescuing hostages and using anti-terrorist weaponry. Although most of these have been assigned to specialized task forces such as the military and the Delta force, a critical evaluation also depicts the local enforcement agencies as instrumental in fighting terrorism and enhancing national security. Indeed, the attacks led to a significant redefinition of the role that federal, state, as well as local law enforcement authorities ought to play in as far as the prevention and interdiction of terrorist activity in the U. S. is concerned (Middlemiss and Gupta, 2007). Besides the traditional role of acting as critical incident managers and first responders, these agencies have been assigned a new task: that of handling the uncertainties occasioned by the threat of terrorism. The Role Played By Local Police Agencies in the Fight against Terrorism. As opposed to the military whose main preoccupation is that of protecting the country from eternal aggression, the main domain of local law enforcement agencies lies in the provision of homeland security. Due to the numerous security connections that state and local officials have established with institutions such as the Intelligence Community and the society in general, they usually tend to have an upper hand in detecting and preventing terrorist activity (Sauter and Carafano, 2005). It is in view of this reality that governments within the state and local levels have since embarked on an initiative of establishing antiterrorism and counterterrorism programs. The former entails the defensive or passive strategies employed to curb terrorism, while the latter involves proactive measures such as pursuing terrorist perpetrators and supporters (Sauter and Carafano, 2005, p. 261). In essence, the failure of such initiative to suffice in equipping law enforcement personnel with the basic as well as specialized skills of fighting terrorism implies that the local law enforcers assisted by other personnel would be the in the forefront should a terrorist attack occur. A preliminary study carried out by the Police Executive Research Forum in 2001 found that the local police played a vital responsibility in critical incidence response, information and intelligence sharing, enhancement of community stability after a major incident, and the establishment of multi-agency task forces (Police Executive Research Forum, 2003). However, one of the most remarkable findings of the survey was the strong belief expressed by these law enforcement agents: that they were now faced with an expanded role of terrorism prevention in such subfields as increasing community policing systems, intelligence gathering and information-sharing with the civilian fraternity. Nevertheless, training and conversancy with the nature of global terrorism as well as the need for upgrading terrorist attack-preparedness emerged as critical components if these agencies are to perform a greater role in antiterrorism initiatives. Since 2001, the role of local law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism has been transformed from a relatively amorphous form into a more distinct one with specific responsibilities and tasks. One of the areas in which the local police have continued to play is in the domain of terrorism prevention. In essence, the very complex nature of terrorism and terrorist groups makes it impossible for the federal law enforcers to effectively handle the threat posed by global terrorism. Working in close collaboration with the local communities, the local law enforcers have played a critical role of collecting vital information on personalities suspected to have links to terrorist groups. A critical evaluation depicts these agencies as better placed to make a objective assessment of community security fears and concerns identified as critical in effective fathering of intelligence information, particularly considering the ability of community policing to engage citizens, foster collective problem solving, and encourage information sharing based on mutual trust (Middlemiss and Gupta, 2007). By receiving and sharing information with state as well as federal agents while at the same time maintaining confidentiality especially in reference to sensitive information, the local police have been, and continue to be of great help in the fight against terrorism. Other terrorism prevention initiatives that they could be involved in include the identification, evaluation and reduction of the terrorist threat posed to local targets (Sauter and Carafano, 2005). Another domain in which the local law enforcement agencies should be actively involved in is in the domain of critical incident prevention, preparations and response (). One of the traditional roles in which the local police have been involved in is preparing and promptly responding to disasters such as Katrina. With the increasing threat of global terrorism however, such an approach has similarly been transferred to terrorist operations. Such efforts have included initiatives geared towards the derivation of early warning systems to detect the possibility of a terrorist attack. However, this role has also been expanded to security operations enhancement as well as establishing emergency medical teams. Besides, they have been involved in the establishment and implementation of local critical incident plans essential in the evaluation of the various waves of domestic and global terrorism (). However, the successful management of terrorist scenes requires that the local police work in close collaboration with state and federal agencies. Although numerous precautionary measures have been undertaken to prevent terrorist attacks similar to 9/11, the possibility of another attack, either by a foreign or domestic organization can not be ruled. As witnessed in 2001, such deadly attacks cause unprecedented trauma on those involved or their relatives. Thus, the local law enforcement agencies have to work closely with the local leaderships and the community in general in ensuring that such individuals recover from post-terrorist trauma. This could involve adopting effective strategies to alleviate the fear of potential attacks in future. In addition, the local police have to brace themselves with the complex security expectations that the affected community may place, including the provision of information and other extra services (Lyons, 2002). Besides the maintenance of manpower skilled in handling various terrorist challenges, local law jurisdictions have the responsibility of availing the resources necessary to implement antiterrorism and counterterrorism initiatives. Indeed, the reallocation of existing resources as well as the identification of new ones goes a long way in improving the security-preparedness of state and local officials (Sauter and Carafano, 2005). Such resources have been deployed to upgrade the capabilities of old security units in addition to establishing new ones. However, majority of the state and local authorities have increasingly faced numerous counterterrorism budget constrains which have posed as significant obstacles in the initiatives aimed at scaling up security measures. A number of these security initiatives have been funded by the federal government. Notably, the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security was aimed at consolidating most of the federal aid inclined to homeland security within the new department under the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (Sauter and Carafano, 2005, p. 64). Some of the activities currently funded include the provision of equipment as well as training of officers on domestic counterterrorist procedures and activities. Nevertheless, the limited funds availed have sometimes precipitated a reduction of existing security functions, for instance, redirecting local intelligence fraternity from the traditional role of unraveling organized crime to that of countering terrorist activity. Conclusion. Although relative calm has been witnessed since the 2001 attacks on American soil, the fight against terrorism is far from over. This calls for concerted efforts amongst all the stakeholders involved. Based on past experience, the local law enforcement agencies can indeed play a pivotal role in the antiterrorism and counterterrorism initiatives. These not only include the initiation of preventive strategies, but also extend to prompt response during actual attacks, as well trauma management. However, various factors continue to present insurmountable challenges in the realization of this noble mission. Particularly, a significant number of local law enforcement agencies still grapple with the reality of maintaining a balance between the fight against terrorism on the one hand and deterrence, and prevention of other crimes on the other. In essence therefore, greater federal support and cooperation is essential in supplementing the efforts of local law enforcement agencies.

Gregor Samsa as the Existentialist Hero essays

Gregor Samsa as the Existentialist Hero essays When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin (The Metamorphosis, 3). So begins Franz Kafkas masterpiece, "The Metamorphosis," written in 1912. This work can be viewed as an exploration of the outcast in European society. It was written in German, rather than Czech, by a Jew in a chiefly Catholic country with an extensive history of anti-Semitism. Therefore, since Kafkas fiction is set in an alternate reality that is threatening, one always has the sense of an individual unfairly trapped in an absurd world, as he was. The weirdness of this transformation or change makes us evaluate Gregors role as the symbolic prototype of the Existential hero because the story was written from an existentialist viewpoint, proven by its emphasis on loneliness, isolation, and the autonomy of ones existence. Gregor lived in an absurd world full of suffering and peculiarity. After Gregor inexplicably woke up one morning as a monstrous vermin, he remarked that he saw no way of bringing peace and order into this mindless motion and that all his efforts to go about his daily routine were for naught (The Metamorphosis, 7). If Gregors predicament is taken to be symbolic of mankinds, then this effort indicates the fundamental struggle of each individual against the alien and hostile world. This fundamental realization that he was entirely helpless in the world came after his reconciliation with the fact that as for adopting another profession, he was not only too old for that but too fanatically devoted to fasting and led him into a deep depression, which led to his death. As the only human bug, Gregor was alone and alienated in his world. Even before his metamorphosis, Gregor was a traveling salesman who was constantly seeing new faces and could have no relati...

8 Places to Practice Italian in Italy

8 Places to Practice Italian in Italy You’ve taken all the community classes your town has to offer, chat with a language partner whenever you can, and listen to Italian music while you drive. Now you’re ready to go to Italy and put all of your hard work into practice. What’s more, you’ve been to the bigger, touristy cities, like Florence, Assisi, and Pisa, which were all lovely, but you want to experience a side of Italy that’s less populated by tour groups and their flags. You want to spend time in a town where very few people speak English or where they’re more willing to play along with you as you figure out this Italian-language thing that you’ve come to love. If that’s you, I’ve put together a short list for you of eight places to visit in Italy if you want to practice your Italian. Of course, there are thousands of towns, large and small, that I could have listed, and no matter where you go, you may still encounter the niece of the proprietor who spent her summer in London and wants to practice her English. I can’t promise you a 100% English-free experience, but I can give you a fighting chance to avoid being â€Å"English-ed.† 8 Places to Visit in Italy If You Want to Practice Italian Northern Italy 1. Bergamo Bergamo is a city (just over 115k in population) in northern Italy that’s around 45 minutes away from Milan by car. While it has a decent-sized expat community, you’ll find less American influence and more Germanic influence. Past visitors recommend taking a walk at Citt Alta (accessible both by way of the funicolare and walking), visiting Castello di Vigilio, and of course, il Duomo. If you’re looking to try a traditional dish, the recommended one is casonsei alla bergamesca, also called casoncelli alla bergamesca.   2.  Reggio Emilia With just over 163k people, Reggio Emilia is well-populated, but don’t let that fool you. I’ve been assured that there are plenty of opportunities to practice your Italian while also learning how to be buone forchette (good forks- those who eat plenty and well). If you have a full day at your disposal, start new conversations while you gawk at Santiago Calatrava bridges from the station, after having walked quietly through il Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara, and as you lounge in Piazza Prampolini (also called Piazza Grande). Oh, and make sure to try l’erbazzone, a type of pot pie made with simple ingredients that’s famous in the region. For more tips on what to do in Reggio Emilia (and to learn some new Italian vocabulary), check out this article from Tasting the World. 3. Ferrara At just over 359k, Ferrara is no small town, but just like Reggio Emilia, there are numerous chances to stretch your Italian to its limits. If you want to hang out with the farreresi, take a passeggiata along le mura  (the walls), eat il pasticcio di maccheroni (and about 47 other nap-inducing dishes), and then ask for directions to Via delle Volte, a characteristic alleyway of the city. For more tips on where to meet people and speak Italian, check out this article from Viaggiare, uno stile di vita. Central Italy 1. Volterra At just over 10.5k residents, Volterra is the third smallest of the places to visit in Italy to practice your Italian. This borgo in Tuscany has Etruscan origins and yep, it was used as the setting for the second Twilight movie (which, to be accurate, was actually filmed in Montepulciano- a town that made the honorable mentions list down below). If you happen to find yourself in Volterra (whether you came hoping to live the magic of New Moon or not- seriously, no judgment), here are a few suggestions for making sure you open your mouth to speak- and eat, of course. First, to start the day off on a ultra positive note, chat about the devices used while browsing il Museo della Tortura, have some cinghiale alla volterrana for lunch, and then hang out in a local bar with the intention to start as many conversations as possible about calcio.    2. Montefalco You’ll find the tiny town (just over 5.6k in population) in Umbria- one of, I might add, my favorite regions in Italy full of green rolling hills and truffles†¦ but I digress. After visiting the main piazza, buy some pan mostato from a nearby panificio, do a tasting of the Sagrantino di Montefalco, and then check out one of the many pathways that hold the same name. Nearby you can also visit  Spello and Bevagna. 3. Viterbo While Viterbo- the city, not the province- does have some beautiful attractions, like Palazzo Papale and Le Terme, which are hot springs, the real beauty of this city in the Lazio region is in its ordinariness. While there is a university with plenty of international students and an exchange program for Americans, the majority of the people who live there don’t speak English. If you’re hanging out there for the day, go straight from the train station to Pizza DJ and grab a slice of the freshest pizza that you can get. Then, take a walk down the corso, stop in a bar and start a conversation with whoever looks friendly. Before settling down for dinner at either the pizzeria Il Labirinto or pasta at La Spaghetteria- famous for having over 300 types of saucespop in and out of the bookshops or grab a gelato from L’antica Latteria. For more suggestions on what to do in Viterbo, check out this article from Trekity. Southern Italy 1. Scilla This small town, or paese, in Reggio Calabria boasts a population of 5k. Besides having a mythologically-based namethe monster that was transformed by Circeit’s characterized primarily by small alleyways that, when followed, lead directly to the sea and houses next to the water that look perpetually sleepy. Besides eating ridiculously fresh seafood on the terrace of a restaurant, the best way to spend your time here is by visiting il borgo di Chianalea, learning some Calabrian dialect from the locals at the bar, or take a dive and learn all kinds of marine-related vocabulary. 2. Lecce Our final place to visit is Lecce, in Puglia, with a population of just over 94k. You can start your day on the more touristy side by having un caffà ¨ at Caffà ¨ Alvino, right in front of the Anfiteatro, or you can seek out a more local place to start your giornata leccese. Then, take a walk at one of the many beaches, get your fill of museums, and then try some sagne torte, or Sagne ‘ncannulate in dialecta pasta dish. For more suggestions, take a gander at this article from Vacanze Lecce. In the event you’re wanting to visit towns with a bit more activity and practice your Italian, here are five that are touristy, but may still play along with your attempts. 3 Other Italian Places to Practice Italian 1. Orvieto - Umbria: You can more about how you can learn Italian in this city in this article. 2. Montepulciano - Tuscany: If you’re interested in learning Italian here, check out Il Sasso school. 3. Monteverde Vecchio in Rome - Lazio: While Rome can generally be categorized a very English-driven tourist city, there are zones, or neighborhoods, that will humor you when you make your best efforts to speak Italian, and Monteverde Vecchio falls squarely in that department.

Critically analyze Walter Lees Perspectives of the American dream. Why Research Paper

Critically analyze Walter Lees Perspectives of the American dream. Why is Walter determined to achieve the American dream - Research Paper Example Loraine Hansberry, one of the eminent African-American writers, wrote the play ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ in the year 1959. With all the vow of equality since ages, America was not able to establish the term to its truest sense has been well depicted through the play. Experiences of the two generations of the Younger family and their struggles and challenges encountered owing to the laws pertaining to the labor and housing discriminations in America have been made very explicit in the play. The black populace in America genuinely suffered from a hollow vision of American Dream due to the discriminative policies taken by government in the areas of work and stay. The agendas are different for two generations but the oppression remains the same and the contrast of experience in the case of Big Walter Lee as evoked through Mama’s voice in the play with that of Walter Lee’s perspective of American dream as a younger generation definitely helps to build a coherent and concise panorama of American Dream in the Afro-American society of the United States. ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ tries to throw light on the racial issues and impact of those issues on the notion of American Dream covering the agony of almost two generations. This essay intends to present the conflict and contradiction of generations manifested through the comprehension of American Dream by Walter Lee. A close introspection into the plot of the play ‘ A Raisin in the Sun’ launches its readers into a plethora where they get the opportunity to comprehend the hardships and the challenges encountered and undertaken by the African–American labor class from 1920s to 1950s. One must definitely take into consideration about the fact that Loraine Hansberry has covered a great span of time in her play, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’. Walter Lee (younger) is present in the play and the readers are aware of