Mexicans and Discrimination Essay

Wetback, spic and beaner are a few of the words people use when talking about a Mexican. Mexican Americans have been the victim of discrimination throughout the history of the United States. Mexicans have a very big stereotype against them. One of the main reasons that they are discriminated against is because of their illegal immigration into the United States. Like many other groups Mexicans immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. Many Mexicans are left with no choice but to come to the U. S illegally because of the cost and obstacles that one has to go through to become a citizen. Because many Mexicans come to the U. S. illegally they are often forced to work physically demanding jobs for less money. Mexican Americans have a long history of experiencing nativism and racism which has resulted in a number of discriminatory conditions and consequences such as, social and geographical segregation, employment discrimination, patterns of abuse at the hands of law enforcement officials, vigilante murder and justice, substandard education, electoral fraud, exclusion from petit and grand juries, forced dislocations from their neighborhoods, voter intimidation, and language discrimination. (Galaviz 2007) Mexicans work under the secondary sector of the Dual labor market. The secondary Dual Labor market has low incomes, little job security, and little training. There are also no rewards apart from wages. Mexicans are forced to work for very low wages either because, as non-citizens, they lack options, or because they may realistically perceive themselves as â€Å"best off† here, even at very cheap wages, than they were back home. (Aponte 1990) For example, many companies offer very poor working conditions and minimum wage because they know that illegal immigrants have no choice but to accept these conditions because of their status. After the United States victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848 a forced treaty was signed. The treaty was known as Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty required Mexico to give up over half its land to the United States in exchange for 15 million dollars. Land given up by Mexico included California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo also guaranteed that Mexican citizens living in surrendered lands would be able to keep property rights and would be given United States citizenship if they remained in surrendered lands for at least one year. However, the property rights of Mexicans were ignored by the United States government and local officials. Mexicans were slowly forced from lands which their families had held for generations in many cases. Many organizations, businesses, and homeowners associations had official policies to exclude Mexican Americans. In many areas across the Southwest, Mexican Americans lived in separate residential areas, due to laws and real estate company policies. This group of laws and policies, known as redlining, lasted until the 1950s, and fall under the concept of official segregation. In many other instances, it was more of a general social understanding among Anglos that Mexicans should be excluded. For instance, signs with the phrase â€Å"No Dogs or Mexicans† were posted in small businesses and public pools throughout the Southwest well into the 1960s. Mexicans were also restricted from being jurors, even if the case involved a Mexican. Schools also discriminated against Mexican children and eventually Mexicans were made to open their own schools. Though times have changed Mexicans are still discriminated against because of the stereotype they are associated with. Many believe that all Mexicans come over here illegally and do not deserve the same rights as citizens do. Even now people believe that Mexicans should be sent back to Mexico and an example of that is Phoenix, Arizona and its Immigration Law.

Alcohol and its Effects on the Human Body

The Campral website mentions that about 17. 6 million drinkers in the U. S. are considered alcoholics, or at least experience drinking problems to a certain degree. With the country’s current population being listed by the U. S. Census Bureau site at 303,963,066 people, this would amount to a staggering figure of 1 in 20 Americans finding trouble with this type of substance abuse. Drinking alcohol does not automatically qualify an individual as an alcoholic. While many would identify two to four types of drinkers, the Alcohol Treatment Clinics site was able to classify individuals who drink alcohol under six classes.These are health drinkers, social or responsible drinkers, problem or irresponsible drinkers, under aged drinkers, binge drinkers and alcoholics. The first type of drinker or health drinkers, would typically consume alcohol for health-related reasons. They are moderate drinkers who usually prefer to drink red wine, which is widely- known for its benefits to the car diovascular system. One example would be the French people whose healths have often been linked to their dietary habits that include wine. Social or responsible drinkers are those individuals who drink alcohol only during particular occasions.They engage in drinking to be able to interact or socialize with the group. They do not regard alcohol highly, but think of it as just an addition to meals. Their consumption of alcohol is done at a leisurely pace and they would never combine drinking with risky behavior such as driving. Working professionals who drink to have a feeling of belongingness and to facilitate conversations with coworkers in corporate parties or events easily come as an example for this category. On the other hand, problem drinkers would be the polar opposite of social drinkers. They can become very obnoxious and angry once they are drunk.Sometimes, they experience a loss of memory with regards to the events that transpired during their drinking session. This type of drinker does not have a definitive stereotype, and most probably could be described as an individual who â€Å"transforms† or â€Å"morphs† drastically when drunk. Their behavior when drunk might stand in stark contrast to their normal sober behavior. A specific type of problem drinker would be under aged drinkers. This classification was created due to the differences in the physical and psychological states of these individuals as compared to older people.Legal action may also arise for those individuals under this classification. The legal age for drinking is generally pegged at 21 in the United States, with exceptions made for cases covering health and religious reasons. Binge drinkers can go without alcohol for long periods of time. However, they tend to overindulge themselves during the times that they do drink. Some problems that can be caused by binge drinking are alcohol poisoning, uncontrollable mood swings and eventual alcohol dependency or alcoholism. In t erms of their behavior, they may act either as problem or social drinkers.Although aggressive behaviors as well as the usual symptoms of being drunk may or may not be exhibited by this group, a high possibility of causing severe damage to the liver and other health issues remains a great threat for them. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking habits. They often turn to alcohol to be able to deal with problems and drink an excessive amount of strong alcoholic drinks regularly. Because of this, they would often find it hard to function in other aspects of their lives, such as in their jobs. Their relationships with significant people in their lives may also take the backseat in their list of priorities.People who regularly face problems and turn to alcohol to â€Å"drown† them as well as those experiencing regular episodes of depression seeking to find â€Å"euphoric† feelings may turn into alcoholics, especially when they become reliant on the substance to deriv e that desired state. Those people who continuously indulge in alcohol for whatever other reason or at other levels, may also be candidates to becoming alcoholics as well. Some argue that this is due to the genes that a person carries. In its website, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was also able to identify four major symptoms which characterize alcoholism.The first sign would be the presence of strong cravings or urges to drink within an individual. Next would be a person’s inability to halt drinking once he or she has engaged in this activity. Upon stopping drinking, an individual may also suffer several withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and shakiness, collectively termed as â€Å"physical dependence†. Lastly, an increase in tolerance for these substances often results to alcohol dependents drinking greater amounts of alcohol to induce euphoric or â€Å"high† feelings. Reactions to alcohol may vary from one afflicted individual to the next.Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, depressed, quiet or withdrawn. They may also feel tense, sad, anxious or confused. Alcoholism, like any other illness, may strike at any age. These individuals may be aware of the consequences of alcoholism, but the compulsion to drink within them often overpowers them, so they just can’t stop drinking. Alcohol becomes the most important part of their lives. It totally consumes them so that all their thoughts and actions somehow become associated with alcohol. Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the body.When coupled with an individual’s failure to take care of his or her nutritional and physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking, matters are further complicated. The effects on major organ systems are cumulative, which also includes several disorders for the digestive system. Blackouts, hallucinations, and extreme tremors may be experienced by the alcoholic. Aside from occasional emotional instability or â€Å"mood swings†, permanent damage to other systems such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems may also be induced in alcoholics (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).The organ most probably vulnerable to damage would be the liver, since this is where alcohol breakdown takes place. If constantly left to the task of removing alcohol from the blood, the liver may eventually become worn out. This may hinder the liver from properly performing its usual duty of removing other harmful substances in the body. One of the most dangerous diseases of the liver caused by long-term alcohol use is cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis causes the liver to become inflamed and scarred, which leads to the destruction of the liver and eventually the person’s death (Mack, Franklin and Frances 109).Alcohol also affects a person’s cardiovascular and circulatory systems. It causes an increase in blood pressure, which makes the heart pump harder to be able to cir culate blood around the body properly. This may cause an increase in heart rate while at the same time reducing the heart muscle’s pumping capabilities. Abnormal heart rhythms may also be developed due to severe alcohol consumption. In fact, long-term and heavy use of alcohol may cause a condition of the heart called alcoholic cardiomyopathy.The consumption of alcohol reduces the effectiveness of heart muscles to contract and may eventually lead to heart failure (Snyder 39). Lack of blood flow resulting from this condition may also lead to multiple organ system failure. One’s nervous system is also not spared from the damage. Doctor Salomon Snyder states that â€Å"alcohol’s action on the brain is what causes people to feel intoxicated. A sudden intake of large amounts of alcohol may result in death because nerve impulses to the brain are dangerously blocked. Alcohol also has an increasing effect on our brain chemistry, which causes our behavior to change.This can make people do things that they would not do when they are sober† (37). Over time, heavy drinking may cause permanent damage to the central nervous system. Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can make you sleepy, confused, uncoordinated and unsteady. Heavy drinking can cause or worsen urinary incontinence, problems with walking, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, high blood pressure, and bleeding in the digestive tract (Snyder 40). Some other observations on alcohol usage according to the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs, include its immense effect on our brain.This results in difficulty walking, poor balance, and slurring of speech. At higher alcohol levels, a person’s breathing and heart rate will also be slowed and vomiting may occur. Alcohol is also known to cause sleep disturbances. Numbness and tingling sensations may also occur in the arms and legs due to the low thiamine levels (38). Most people see alcoholism as a disease closely related to males. It is shown by the figures however, that as many as half of the nation’s alcoholics are actually women.The reason why most female alcoholics cannot be seen is that they are usually closet drinkers. You rarely see women exhibiting behavior associated with alcoholism in public, while this phenomenon may be more readily observable for men. It is actually easier for a woman alcoholic to damage her body than it is for a man. The physical damage is aggravated since women generally wait longer to seek help since the society places a greater stigma on women than on men with regards to this. The livers of women are not as capable of processing alcohol when compared to those of men.This makes women alcoholics susceptible to developing liver problems with lower levels of alcohol in their bodies and after shorter periods of drinking (Snyder 62). The presence of large amounts of alcohol in women may interfere with fertility by upsetting the hormones in their body and can increase t he chances of a miscarriage. Women alcoholics who become pregnant may cause damage to the fetus in their wombs, which is called fetal alcohol syndrome. It can cause complications such as physical deformities and mental retardation (Labtestsonline).Elizabeth Somer claims that â€Å"women are more susceptible to tissue damage from elevated alcohol levels and have an increased risk for breast cancer, osteoporosis and dementia† (224). She goes on to mention that over 60 health problems can be linked to this addiction, including damage to the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The mechanism has yet to be determined on why alcohol is considered a carcinogenic or cancer-causing substance, but most theories point to alcohol’s tendency to increase the amount of estrogen present in a woman’s body.Increased levels of this hormone have been linked to occurrences of cancer. People suffering from alcohol dependency perceive indulging in alcohol consumption as a ne cessity. Problems of whatever nature in their lives are ignored by these individuals so long as they can persist in their drinking. Thus, people afflicted with the disease often find themselves hindered from achieving their full potential as productive members of the society. By continuing in this sort of behavior, these individuals might go on to create not only problems for themselves, but also for others around them.Alcohol causes a change in brain chemistry which results in changes in behavior such as increased aggression and reduced fear which may lead us to take needless risks. Alcohol can cause people to be rude, verbally abusive, and physically threatening. This is because some people turn to alcohol to express hostile feelings that they wouldn’t be able to express when they are sober. These factors almost always lead to trouble or confrontations with people around the alcohol dependent, including complete strangers. Perhaps no other scenario presents this more clearl y than when people drive while under the influence of alcohol.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, an individual was killed in alcohol-related car crashes about every half-hour, while injuries occurred every two minutes during 2005. Half of roughly 400 children riding with the drunk driver dying during that span died. Overall, alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths amounted for about 40% of the total traffic-related deaths for 2005. These crashes amount to about 51 billion dollars lost each year. Alcohol alone does not cause alcoholism, because if it did, everyone who drank would be an alcoholic.There are a number of factors that lead to alcoholism. Some scientists support the argument that becoming an alcoholic is purely the result of an individual’s genetics. Because of genetics, people tend to inherit an inability to handle alcohol, just like other people inherit other diseases from their parents (Niaaa. nih. gov). This may explain why alcohol ism seems to run in families from generation to generation, and why some people become alcoholics from the first time they drink. Aside from one’s genetics, one also cannot discount the role of one’s environment as well as the lifestyle one engages in.If children were exposed to drinking with drinkers who were careful and moderate for example, they would be more likely to become responsible drinkers. However, if they grew up seeing heavy alcohol use they would be more likely to also engage in that act also. Children that are exposed to a large amount of peer pressure from the kids around them also increase their likelihood of drinking. Some may start out as social drinkers who are able to control their drinking, but they may lose this control and be carried away, eventually becoming alcoholics themselves (Alcoholtreatmentclinics.com). Alcoholism seems to run in families. Although there is nothing conclusive, some studies have shown that all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative (Snyder 100). Like many drug abusers, alcoholics often drink hoping to â€Å"drown† feelings of anxiousness or depression. Some drink to reduce strong inhibitions or guilt about expressing negative feelings. The first, and probably one of the most difficult things that an alcoholic must do, is come to an admission that they have a problem.It is unlikely that they will be first to admit it, and they may usually deny that they are being controlled by their addiction. With their inability to discern things for themselves, other individuals such as close friends or relatives may sometimes have to take the initiative in reporting potential alcoholics. The difficulty with this lies in the fact that people cannot be forced to seek help against their will, unless special circumstances are present like being ordered by the court to do so. The NIAAA website offers eight steps for people who want to aid alcoholics who are unwilling to seek help.The first step, stoppin g â€Å"cover ups†, calls for those closely related to the alcoholic to finally make him or her accountable for the consequences arising from the addiction, instead of presenting excuses for the afflicted individual to others. This may be quite a difficult process, since our initial reaction would be to â€Å"protect† family or friends. When putting things in perspective however, we may eventually come to the conclusion that allowing alcoholics to be accountable to the products of their actions would be a much better option than continuing to risk his or her life because of our consent in their addiction.By taking this step, we are actually starting to really offer protection to them. An attempt must then be made to talk to the drinker. It was recommended that this be done immediately after any conflict or problem developed due to alcohol abuse. This must be done in a private setting where both parties involved must be calm and sober. One can choose places where relaxe d feelings are being evoked like the bedroom, or any other location where your conversation is not likely to be disturbed.By accomplishing this step, the alcoholic individual is shown that their rights are still being respected, while at the same time emphasizing the seriousness of your intentions. The third step calls for the concerned individual to voice out his or her growing anxiety regarding the alcoholic’s substance abuse, and how this has developed problems, including the most recent conflict. If the alcoholic has a tendency of being verbally or physically abusive towards people when drunk, this would be the appropriate time to mention it.Choose words which would be most effective in finally making the afflicted individual aware of just how grave the situation really is. Consequences of the drinker’s refusal to get help must then be stated next. These may include things such as moving out of the house. The site mentions that this is not a form of punishment for the drinker, but is performed to protect people close to the individual from harm. One should always be prepared to perform the statements that were mentioned at this stage and not simply bank on making empty threats.The degree of just how radical your threats would be, should of course, depend largely on the offenses made by the alcoholic mentioned in the third step. In the fourth step, a schedule may then be made for the local counselor or organization within the area, after gathering data on possible options for treatment and the alcoholic gives his or her consent. With regards to this, one can locate the best possible sources of help via the internet or by consulting the local directory. When the scenario arises that the alcoholic would refuse to cooperate, a friend may be called upon to perform the first four steps.Choose a friend who the alcoholic has great trust in, or perhaps someone who has already undergone rehabilitation themselves. Individuals with past experiences deali ng with alcohol problems may be very effective at this point, since they may provide deeper insight on how the rehabilitation process works. They may also provide the needed moral support when the alcoholic finally relents to seek professional help. Another option might be to confront the alcoholic as a group. With a group, one would essentially obtain several inputs regarding the situation.One of these ideas could prove to be the critical element in the alcoholic’s decision-making process. Coming face-to-face with several people may also heighten the situation’s level of gravity as perceived by the alcoholic. This step however, must always be performed under the supervision of a trained health care professional familiar with such matters to ensure. A briefing may be done prior to the confrontation to ensure that no actions detrimental to the goal of making the patient seek help will be committed. Lastly, individuals who live or know alcoholics might want to join group s such as Alateen, which caters to children of alcoholics.Organizations such as these provide the needed information and support for people who are closely connected to alcoholics to watch out for themselves, whether the alcoholic chooses to get help or not. If the alcoholic was physically abusive during the drunken state, it would of course be wise to know the options that one has in the situation. By getting adequate information, misery and regrets might be avoided by a lot of people, like averting situations when an alcoholic would inflict lifelong physical deformities on people close to him.Alcoholism is a disease that cannot be totally cured but people can at least recover from it and return to a normal way of life. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website mentions how an effective program of medication and counseling may aid individuals in their struggle towards stopping alcohol abuse. Although the effects may vary from one person to the other, just like in other illnesses, the Institute firmly believes in the effectiveness of alcohol treatment. Family, friends, counselors and organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous may offer the needed help and support towards the recovery of the afflicted individual.Sometimes, entering a detox center may even be necessary since this recovery process can be extremely difficult. In fact, some withdrawal reactions may include high fever, loss of appetite, nausea, uncontrollable shaking, hallucinations and even possible coma or death (Snyder 40). Limiting an individual’s intake of alcohol is deemed an ineffective strategy for alcoholics. Stopping the substance abuse may call for the outright absence of alcohol in one’s life. Some medications have been recommended to help alcoholics with regards to this. These include disulfiram (Antabuse ®), naltrexone (Depade ®, ReVia ®) and acamprosate (Campral ®).They may aid an alcoholic in alcohol reduction if not abstinence. Each type of medicine works in a different way. One’s craving for alcohol may be reduced, deter symptoms from alcohol abstinence from manifesting or make a person feel sick after alcohol consumption. No one medication however is deemed totally effective. Each case must still be assessed carefully before choosing which type of medicine to take. Just as much as alcoholics should not be feared, they should also not be loathed by our society. As mentioned in the earlier part of the essay, some people develop the drinking habit out of their perceived inability to handle problems.At the onset, this â€Å"habit† may actually be curbed through adequate attention and moral support being given to the individual by friends and family. Parents who try to educate their children on proper or social drinking might be doing their children a big favor, instead of letting young kids have their first drinking experience with peers. They can include ideas on just how much â€Å"too much† to dr ink is, as well as place specific rules on what activities to avoid upon consuming alcohol (driving, swimming, and other risky activities).Valuable insights may also be gleaned by parents from the experience of drinking with their children regarding their child’s behavior when engaging in the activity, and if the situation should arise, when their kids are drunk. If a person does get afflicted with the disease, there would still be many options available to counter the disease as mentioned before. Although it could prove to be a lifelong struggle, there are individuals who have been able to master the affliction and become successful people in society, with famed writer Stephen King being one of them.The issue of alcoholism is clearly not an easy one to confront not only for those mired in this addiction, but also for the people around them. Although the fight to recovery may not be easy, the right attitude from all the people involved combined with proper education on the to pic, could mean the difference for the health and safety of many people within our country. With the right approach, we can finally see the handling of alcoholism as an issue of giving second opportunities and success, instead of resigning ourselves to its usual tragic outcome. Works Cited â€Å"Alcoholism.† Labtestsonline. org. 1 May 2008 Chopra, Deepak, M. D. Overcoming Addictions. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997. â€Å"FAQ for the General Public. † Niaaa. nih. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Impaired Driving. † Cdc. gov. 1 May 2008 Mack, Avram H. M. D. , John E. Franklin, M. D. , and Richard J. Frances M. D. Treatment of Alcoholism and Addictions. New Jersey: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. , 2001.Snyder, Solomon H. M. D. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs – Alcohol and Alcoholism. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1992. Somer, Elizabeth. 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. â€Å"Types of Drinkers. † Alcoholtreatmentclinics. com. 1 May 2008 â€Å"U. S. POPClock Projection. † Census. gov. 1 May 2008 â€Å"Understanding Alcoholism. † Campral. com. 1 May 2008

Human motivation midterm essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human motivation midterm essays - Essay Example It explains human behavior as it is supposed to be an inborn tendency that directs it. Along with need theories learning theories it bore traces of Darwinian concepts. The problem with the instinct theories is that it ignores the interaction between an individual and an environment. According to Landy and Conte (2006), this is the reason why the need theories replaced it in popularity. Citing Maslow’s notion, they explained that need theory is an improvement over the former because it allowed for the environment to play a role in motivated behavior by suggesting that when one set of needs was satisfied by external forces, the next higher set of needs are activated. (p. 334) The person as â€Å"godlike† is one concept shared by cognitive, learning and humanistic theories of motivations. Here, there is an assumption that humans are rational and that there is a faculty of discernment when it comes to actions - its results and its relationship to goal-attainment. Each of these theories is universal in terms of their notion of rationality, their ideas of the human body as well as its needs. Furthermore, the traces of Freudian and Darwinian influences in these theories reinforce their appeal in this regard. The theory of obesity is mostly confined to the cognitive categories in theorizing human motivations. Barbara Dossey enumerated what the theories focus on: overeating behaviors as totally determined by learned responses; negative self-talk that triggers the desire to eat and overeat; negative body images that can contaminate self-concept to drive overeating behaviors; as well as the self-monitoring and response control as a way of correcting it. (p. 313) Meanwhile, to compare scientifically, the overweight notion is a condition of increased body weight in relation to height and is determined by a certain standard of acceptable weight; on the other hand, the concept of obesity is the accumulation of excess fat for one’s age and body type.

Assignment for HS 110 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment for HS 110 - Term Paper Example thrax as a bio-weapon affected not only the US Post Office, but medical centers that were burdened by the need to stock preventative medicine that had been rarely used before this time. The threat of anthrax coming through the mail became a terror that affected the whole nation and made real the idea that bacteria could be used as a weapon. The events were like something out of a movie. On October 5, 2001 a man in Florida died from what was thought to be an isolated incidence of anthrax. According to an article by PBS there was no need to think that this isolated incident could be tied to terrorist activity. Tommy Thompson, White House Health Services Secretary announced that â€Å"this is an isolated case and it’s not contagious† (PBS). This was not to be the case, however, as a new evidence of outbreaks lead to an investigation that found letters that contained a dog kibble like substance that was the source of the bacteria. Although letters were not found, evidence of the illness cropped up at the three major networks, ABS, CBS, NBC, and at the New York Post. There is a belief that at least five letters with anthrax bacterium was sent to those outlets. The first man to die, Robert Stevens, worked at a Florida based tabloid, the Sun. The National Enquirer was also targeted in Boca Raton (Security Info W atch). Letters were found to be sent to Senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, but the letter to Leahy had been sent to the wrong address and a postal worker contracted the illness as a result. When letters began to appear to the government, postal service to government offices was shut down and the procedures for testing for evidence of the bacteria in the mail began (FBI). On October 16, 2001 Attorney General John Ashcroft stated that â€Å"When people send anthrax through the mail to hurt people and invoke terror, it’s a terrorist act† (Army.mil). From this point on, the established framework for the investigation was that of a terrorist act. The FBI lists

Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Homework - Essay Example (Lougheed 2005) This seems as if this could be the solution for many medical problems as scientist are able to somewhat repair damaged cells, and although this can save the lives of many, the lives lost through abortion will never make up for the ones saved. Until stem cells can be collected in a more ethical manner, they should not be used for medical advancement. Many supporters of stem cell research agree that the stem cells obtained from abortions would be destroyed anyway. Whether this is the case or not, the parents are choosing to allow the unborn fetus to die. This means that the cells also should die and it is not ethically correct to use them as they were chosen to be left dead. Hopefully this information is helpful and informative as to what types of stem cells should be used and why stem cell research can be unethical. Until another way is found to collect stem cells, I and many others will remain

Law of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law of the European Union - Essay Example The doctrine of pre-emption differs from the Supremacy clause of EC law ruled in Costa v. ENEL4 in that the latter is a guide when two existing norms regulating the same thing are in conflict,5 whereas pre-emption consists in determining whether there is a conflict between a national measure, be it in application or decision, and a rule of Community law. In a further step, in (Case 11/70) Internationale Handelsgesellschaft GmbH6, the Court held that Community law took precedence even over a fundamental rule in the German national constitution. The clearest statement of the implications of the supremacy of Community law came in (Case 106/77) Simmenthal SpA (No. 2)7 where the Court held that national courts, even a lowly court of first instance, have a duty to set aside provisions of national law, which are incompatible with EC law. There was no need to wait for the national law to be amended in line with national constitutional procedures: the national rule had to be set aside immediately if it conflicted with a directly applicable or directly effective Community provision. Nor does the obligation to set aside conflicting national rules only apply to national courts: even an administrative agency dealing with a national social insurance scheme was held to be required to do so in Case C-118/00 Larsy v INASTI8. Although the national me asure is rendered 'inapplicable', this does not absolve the Member State from the need formally to repeal it. In [Case 22-70] the ERTA case (European Road Transport Agreement) the ECJ decided that where the EC concludes a treaty in pursuance of a common policy (Transport, in this case), the possibility of concurrent authority on the part of MS towards non-member states is excluded: and any other purported exercise of concurrently authority will be over ridden to the extent that it conflicts with Community law. However, the ECJ develop pre-emption legal principle. The Court first formulated a principle of pre-emption in the ERTA case where the Court held that "once a Community common policy has been initiated,9 Community competence pre-empts Member State competence". Subsequently in Costa v. ENEL10, the principle of pre-emption has been made pragmatic and more flexible. In the interests of legal certainty, the Court said that Member States must also repeal the offending national rule: (Case 167/73) Commission v France (French Merchant Seamen)11. Even if it is not yet clear whether a person actually has a right which they claim under community law (i.e. it is a 'putative' right, not a definite one), the doctrine of supremacy requires a national court to set aside any national procedural rules which might prevent them from getting the full benefit of the Community right if it IS eventually found that they have it! This was laid down in the case (C-213/89) R v Secretary of State for Transport, ex parte Factortame Ltd and others12. Spanish fishermen claimed that the UK's Merchant Shipping Act breached a number of EC Treaty articles and wrongly prevented them from fishing in British waters. They asked for interim relief (an injunction setting aside the offending clauses of the Act pending the full hearing of the case). The problem was that under English law, courts could not

Comparison between the way the Europeans treated the Native Americans Essay

Comparison between the way the Europeans treated the Native Americans and the Africans before the 20th century - Essay Example The Europeans began to disregard the hospitality and respect accorded to them by the Native Americans and went ahead to display their insatiable greed for their valued resources and land hence treating them arrogantly. As a result, the Europeans commenced a series of brutal attacks as they invaded the Native Americans’ land and resources. Need to conquer the Native Americans made the Europeans increase their troops in this land (91). As such, this appears to be the reason as to why Kevin Reilly terms their flow to America as â€Å"stars in heaven†. Apart from treating the Native Americans with arrogance attitude, the Europeans also discriminated against the American Indians. According to Reilly, the explorers and colonialists brought in devastating diseases such as small pox, measles, and yellow fever, among others, which diminished and annihilated drastically the entire Native American population. Under this spectrum, the Europeans sought to remove the Native Americans by slaughtering them ferociously, a factor that led to the worst massacre through the enactment of the Indian Removal Act in 1830 and 1890 (164). In this case, the Europeans treated Native Americans as primitive and resilient. This treatment led to the removal of Native Americans from their homes, starvation, and exposure as well as illnesses that aimed at reducing them in numbers. Additionally, the Europeans treated Native Americans with suspicion hence took away their children to schools where they civilized them and ensured that they did not value their customs and traditions. With reference to archival researches as well as academic studies, the Europeans treated both the Native Americans and the Africans almost the same with Africans facing a greater deal of racial discrimination (202). This is so because the Europeans discriminated against Native Americans and Africans on a racial basis and civility. Ideally, the Europeans treated Native Americans as non-civilized beings and as such reduced them by killing them and drawing them into reservations and thereafter taking their children to schools in order to end their belief s and customs. On the other end, Europeans treated Africans as inferior. For three centuries, the Europeans traded Africans as slaves simply because they believed Africans were inferior. The Europeans believed that the continent of Africa was dark and the people living in it were illiterate. Due to their limited information, the Europeans portrayed them as childish and warlike. European explorers saw Africans as savages shaped by their activities, which included hunting and gathering. In addition, Europeans treated Africans with barbarism since they believed that the African soil was fertile, and the climate made it possible for Africans to have â€Å"tropical abundance† hence become lazy due to fatness. In this regard, the Europeans tr

Research Approaches in the social world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Research Approaches in the social world - Essay Example The role of the human services professional is to make an analysis and evaluate the needs of the clients of the employers they are working. Their work is focused on the alleviation of problems of the community and so work closely with it. Human services careers which require a high level of expertise often necessitate the candidate to have a master’s degree in human services. However, people with a bachelor’s in human services have also worked their way to higher salaries from entry-level positions (Chance 2011). In this regard, I have chosen the role of a social worker working in the broader field of human services. Social work has a lot of scope. Social work professionals have regional as well as overseas opportunities for working (James 2007). For a human services graduate there are a number of options available with respect to the nature of the organization he or she can join. For instance, NGOs, government organizations, clinics, hospitals etc are potential employm ent places for human services graduate seeking to go in social work; therefore, employment can be sought both in the private and the public sector. There are employment opportunities for human services professionals in the military too. ... he military, a social worker is required to give guidance and advice to individuals who ask for it and to have a one-to-one session with the client if required. The social worker assumes a number of roles while working with the community. Looking closely at the roles and responsibilities of a social worker, I believe that I have many characteristics that make me eligible to work join social work. One of the main roles of a social worker is that of an educator, educating the clients about various issues (Chechak 2011). For this purpose, the social worker needs to have adequate knowledge of the subject and must be able to relay the information effectively to the client. In this regard, I believe that my social skills and participating in extracurricular activities during my academic life as well as my experience as a volunteer for social work have all contributed in the development of experience and professional attitudes. The client may ask any question from the social health worker a nd so I should adequately increase my knowledge about the common social issues and think up of interventions. Moreover training programs in the field of public health can also go a long way in increasing knowledge about the common health ailments of the society. If I intend to work in as a social worker with a background of human services, I would need to take training for Management of Equal Opportunity Programs etc. Another characteristic of a social worker is that he is an enabler and convinces the client to change his attitudes to suit his wellbeing. The social worker is responsible for providing support and hope to the client. The worker plays an integral role in the identification of the strengths of the client and in promoting them (Chechak 2011). In this regard, I believe that my

A Thesis Driven Argument in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Thesis Driven Argument in Education - Essay Example It is not acceptable as the Asian students are working hard and give their full effort in studies to fulfill their dreams and meet personal career objectives. It is true that people may have several opinions, but looking into the facts that are portrayed by the documentary film it can be argued that Chinese and Indian students deserve more things and opportunities in life as they seriously work hard comparing to the American students in order to fulfill their dreams. According to the interview of Tim Draper; the venture capitalist of Silicon Valley, the education system of America is breaking down. This documentary film follows the argument with several facts. The most amazing and interesting one is that more than fifty percent of the American students do not take mathematics beyond one year in Geometry and two years in Algebra. It is quite shocking. The demand of this particular subject is significantly increasing around the globe. Several geometric, algebraic and calculus calculati ons are required in several big projects. Limited knack of students towards mathematics is seriously affecting the education system of the country. It is an important fact. This source of this particular information is the website of â€Å"National center for Education Statistics, 2004†. Asian students are known for their hard work in their studies. It is true and cannot be denied that major talented and skilled professional come from this part of the globe. But, several political and economical issues create various difficulties for the Asian students to capitalize on the potential opportunities. The education system and concept about education varies from a country to country. American students generally devote themselves in their sports and jobs since their childhood.... This paper approves that recent financial crisis and economic recession changed the scenario of global economic environment. Limited disposable income of people, low purchasing power and poor economic growth of several developed and developing countries forced several governments to change their economic policies. American students can avail several potential opportunities in their life to make prosperous and successful professional career. On the other hand, the Chinese and Indian students follow straight line in studies. They never used to deviate from their major aim and goal due to lack of options and potential opportunities in their countries. This essay makes a conclusion that the documentary film â€Å"2 Million Minutes† is an effective documentary film that provided a strong message attached to it. It is highly understandable that there are huge differences between the education systems in India, China and The United States of America. Students of India and China generally prefer in-depth study. They give their 100 percent in studies as their parents guide them to do so. On the other hand, American students do not love to spend long school hours as they prefer to take interest in several extra curriculum activities. Despite the hard work, the Asian students find it difficult to get the opportunity to study in renowned colleges and universities. On the other hand, American students get the opportunity to study in their preferred colleges. It is the economical advantages and political stability of US that helps the students to grow in their preferable fields. Therefore, it can be stated that the documentary film is totally practical and unbiased.

Performance Management in the Companies BMC and HFO MRA Essay

Performance Management in the Companies BMC and HFO MRA - Essay Example A virtual organization is one where managers and employees have appropriate performance management using it naturally in the course of their work. This involves planning as a regular system where concerned parties present distinct goals of a company. Give feedback to employees and work groups after monitoring and measuring performance on their progress towards reaching their goals. After managers set higher standards to their employees they take care to develop the skills needed to achieve them. Additionally, effective performance management ensures that after the accomplishment of the mission, employees receive their rewards either formally or informally to recognize their actions (â€Å"Performance Management†). The importance of performance management is to have a motivated workforce, improved management control, direct financial interest like an increase in sales and reduced costs of production.By adopting performance management, BMC Company has a better management control system that is responsive to employers needs. The online system ensures that BMC Company gets the right information to make decisions at all times. It also provides a well-communicated and documented process that simplifies strategic planning. HFO MRA works towards having a motivated workforce that ensures a company’s continuity and achievement of goals. The company believes in measurable objectives where every employee knows their role in the bigger picture. This enables a company to achieve its goals.At HFO MRA Company, there is a higher probability of career development than in BMC. In case an employee review is not up to the standards, the company arranges for training for this individual employee. Employees receive additional rewards for longevity in terms of holidays which motivate them. The monitoring system is better than in BMC because of the involvement of managers and supervisors who constantly look forward to evaluation without concentrating on past mistakes. Thi s gives employees a guarantee of their importance in the company. By rewarding employee’s longevity, HFO MRA ensures that it keeps its employees longer in the company ensuring the continuity of the company.

Only Christian believers can or should be theologians Essay Example for Free

Only Christian believers can or should be theologians Essay Using quotations from at least three written texts (ancient and/or modern), argue the case for or against the view that only Christian believers can or should be theologians Before attempting to answer this question, one must define some principles of the nature of Christian theology. It is obvious that anyone may create a theology based purely on ideas from ones own imagination, with no boundaries or guidelines to it. Such a theology may be creative, intelligent, and reasonable, but could not be classed as Christian theology. Something must act as a rule and a guard, lest the Christian religion break down into nothing more than dispersed, individual, self-made theologies. Theology in a Christian context must and does find its foundation in Scripture, the supreme authority to life and thought (Vanhoozer 1998, p. 380). Now that the thing that is to be interpreted in the building of Christian theology has been identified as Scripture, one may ask the question of who is able and qualified to interpret it. In 1860, Benjamin Jowett published his essay, On the Interpretation of Scripture. He argued that the Bible should be regarded as any other ancient collections of literature, using tools of literary and historical scholarship. He implied that a critic who stands apart from traditional beliefs and practices is in a better position to find the true meaning of the text, as these traditions had obscured their true meaning. In other words, only those with the right scholarly tools and who were willing to suspend any belief in the text that they may have are able to correctly interpret it (Vanhoozer 1998, pp. 378-379). However, Jowetts view of interpretation omits the spiritual and the ethical dimensions of Biblical interpretation. Vanhoozer writes: To call the Bible Scripture does not make its warnings or its promises something other than warnings or promises, but rather reorients them to the larger purpose of making wise unto salvation . (Vanhoozer 1998, p. 380). Jowetts approach to interpretation requires an objective reading of the text. But can one properly interpret the Scriptures from such a standpoint? To answer this, one must examine the relationship between the reader, the text, the author, and the story. Upon reading, the reader reads the text, and in doing so reconstructs the author in his own imagination, creating an implied author, and bringing the story to life (actualising the text) from the marks on the written page (Voelz 1995, 1997, pp. 218- 219). Voelz goes on to state that the intended recipient of the text is: a reader of whom the author is conscious, one who may also be called implied. And this implied reader stands in the same relationship to the actual reader as the implied author stands to the actual author; he is, again, a construct, not in the real world, and he is detectable (only) in the text. Who then is a valid interpreter of a text? It is he who conforms to the expectations of the author. It is he who conforms himself to the given texts assumptions. It is he who becomes the implied reader and only such a one of a given text. Which means that an objective reading of a text is not only impossible; it is not to be desired! (Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 219) One can see that what is needed for correct interpretation of Scripture, is a subjective, rather than objective reading of the text. Voelz argues a reader interprets within a community, having developed the beliefs and attitudes of the implied reader, through discussion, experience, and training within that community which understands and appreciates the context of the implied reader. Therefore: A valid interpreter of a text is that person who assumes the role required as it were, by a given text who becomes the reader implied or called for by that very text. And such a one is formed to assume that role by a community, a community which has assumed that role itself. (Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 220) This, however, does not make every Christian communitys interpretation infallible, because humans err; thus different Christian communities often disagree on the interpretation of certain parts of Scripture. But, as the Church is a community within which these documents were produced, received, and preserved, Vanhoozer states: [The] Bible is more likely to be misunderstood by an unbelieving and unaffiliated individual than by a believing and practising member of the church. (Vanhoozer 1998, p. 378) In the case of the New Testament, the books were produced, received, and preserved by the Christian community, and following Voelzs argument, one has to be within a Christian community, and taught to read Scripture by that community, to be able to correctly interpret the New Testament. The issue of the interpretation of the Old Testament is one that is referred to in the New Testament. Speaking of the reading of Scripture by the Jews: Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (2 Cor. 3:15-16 ESV) According to Pauls argument, the Jews do not believe, therefore they cannot, in their unbelieving state, be the implied reader of the Old Testament Scriptures. Apparently, simply being within the Jewish community is insufficient to correctly interpret these Scriptures, as more than a simple, straightforward understanding of the Hebrew text is needed. Luke 24:45 ESV reads, concerning Jesus and his disciples, Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Minds must be opened, veils taken away. The Christian community must teach readers to interpret even the Old Testament books. Only within the Christian community can ones mind be changed in the proper way (Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 226). The reason for this is clear from the New Testaments claims regarding the Christocentricity of all Scripture, Old and New Testaments: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me (Jn. 5:39 ESV. Cf. Mt. 2:4-6, 14-15; 1 Cor. 10:11, 15:3-4; 2 Cor. 1:20; Heb. 9:11-12; 1 Pet. 1:10-12) In order to be within the Christian community, one must adhere to and confess its creeds. Voelz writes: Therefore, to adhere to the creeds gives one an orientation to the books of the NT. which is congenial to them and which allows/enables one to interpret them in accordance with their intention [Adherence] to the creeds enables one to matrix the signifiers and meanings of a text for interpretation and then to interpret that matrix in a way which is congenial to the text, for the creeds are of one piece with that text and provide, as it were, the interpretive key,determinative for the meaning of the complex signifiers under construction [The] creeds help to determine which readings of Scripture are the apostolic/Christian readings which may legitimately be drawn from them. (Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 222) It was precisely the misuse of Scripture by heretics, which caused the early Church father, Tertullian, to write regarding them: [We] oppose to them this step above all others, of not admitting them to any discussion of the Scriptures. If in these lie their resources, before they can use them, it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the possession of the Scriptures, that none may be admitted to the use thereof who has no title at all to the privilege. (Roberts Donaldson 1994, 1995, Vol. 1 p.250 -Chapter XV of On Prescription Against Heretics. See also: chapters XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX pp. 250-252) Tertullians belief was that the Scriptures were the property of the Christian Church alone, and not to be handled by those outside of it. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, against the Valentinians, wrote: [They] endeavour to adapt with an air of probability to their own peculiar assertions the parables of the Lord, the sayings of the prophets, and the words of the apostles, in order that their scheme may not seem altogether without support. In doing so, however, they disregard the order and the connection of the Scriptures, and so far as in them lies, dismember and destroy the truth. By transferring passages, and dressing them up anew, and making one thing out of another, they succeed in deluding many through their wicked art in adapting the oracles of the Lord to their opinions. (Roberts Donaldson 1994, 1995, Vol. 3. p. 326 -Chapter VIII of Against Heresies) In conclusion, there seem to be many problems opposing the idea of those outside of the Christian Church being theologians, not least the question of motive, as the early Church fathers addressed. For these reasons, I believe that theology is a matter only for those within the Church. Bibliography * Roberts, A. Donaldson J. (Editors); 1994, 1995; Ante-Nicene Fathers; Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. * Vanhoozer, K. 1998; Is There a Meaning in This Text?; Leicester; Apollos/IVP. * Voelz, J. 1995, 1997; What Does This Mean?: Principles of Biblical Interpretation in the Post-Modern World; St. Louis, Missouri; Concordia Publishing House. * The Holy Bible English Standard Version; 2001, 2002; Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Bibles

Parent and Child Relationships Essay Example for Free

Parent and Child Relationships Essay â€Å"I Am Sam† is a powerfully touching film that tells the story of a parent and child’s love for one another. It shows that love is pure, and that no matter how great the mind is, love is even greater. The film’s protagonist is Sam, a mentally-challenged adult with a mental age of 7. Sam has a daughter, Lucy, with a prostitute who left them. Sam works at the local Starbucks to support Lucy, and everything is going along well until Lucy turned 7, because she already surpassed her father’s mental abilities. This creates problems, because early on we see that Lucy is precocious and inquisitive, and she is no longer satisfied with her father’s nonsense answers to her questions. When she starts wanting to read more difficult books than what Sam reads to her, she fakes having difficulty reading so as not to offend her father and make him feel inferior. On Sam’s part, even when he sees that Lucy is already growing up, he tries his best to support her the best way he knows how. Lucy does not see this yet because she is still a child, but she understands that her father is different, but she loves him because he is a very loving father who takes her out to the park and to eat pancakes and generally takes good care of her. Later in the film she is embarrassed when her classmates tease her that her father is a retard that she denies him and tells them that she is adopted. The authorities take her away from Sam, and later on sent to a foster home. When the authorities take Lucy away from him, he does everything he could to get her back. He even gets the fearsome lawyer Rita to help his cause. Rita, a successful and stringent lawyer who values winning more than anything, decides to take Sam’s case just to prove that she is not as selfish as she looks. Through the course of helping Sam, she realizes that Sam is a good father, that Sam’s mental inadequacy has not hampered his ability to love and care for his daughter at all. That in fact, he is a better parent than she is. When at first she sought to win Sam’s case because she did not want to lose, eventually Rita sympathizes with Sam’s cause. Sam visits Lucy regularly, and Lucy realizes that she wants her father back, and that she is going to fight back just to be with him, even if she is smarter than him, even if the world laughs at her for having a retard for a father. At this moment, Lucy has matured, and although she is just 7, she has taken responsibility not only of her own actions, but also decided that she will take care of her father when he could no longer take care of her, that she needs to be smart and capable and strong for the both of them. She saw just how much her father loves her and how he does not give up on her even when she denied him. However, even with Rita’s help, Sam loses the custody battle at court. Sam breaks down as he is convinced that he cannot take care of his own daughter. All this time, he was doing everything he could, enlisting the help of his friends and employers and colleagues to prove that he has what it takes to raise his daughter, but he finally accepts the fact that he is mentally inadequate to give her needs. If he really loves his daughter, he would do what is best for her even if it means letting go of her so that she could be the best that she could be. And Sam does that. He accepts that he cannot take care of Lucy, but even when he concedes, he does not give up on being a father to her. He moves in to an apartment just to be nearer to Lucy, so that even if he cannot raise her at least he could be there for her whenever she needed him, and so that he could watch her grow up. Lucy is hurt that she cannot be with her father, but she takes matters on her own hands, Late at night she sneaks out of her foster home to be with her father. Her foster parents find her out, and she does not deny that she longs to be with her father, even if they think that they can be better parents than him. Eventually, the foster parents let her go back to Sam, for Sam to have custody of her. The film tells us that love is great driving force that cannot be measured by financial success, or by intellectual achievements. Society may look at Sam as a retarded, inadequate man, but he fought for his daughter against all odds, when Lucy’s own mother simply walked out and left them. Lucy was smarter than Sam, but she learned about love from her father because he showered her with it. That is why even when she was presented with a better future with a â€Å"better† set of parents, she still chooses to go back to Sam, because she knows that her father loves her and she loves him. At the end, the film teaches us what a parent can give best to his child, and what a child needs most from a parent – love. And that is something that cannot be bought or substituted with material things, because children will always know if their parents have shown them enough love.

The Constituent Assembly in Russia of 1917 Why did it fail?

The Constituent Assembly in Russia of 1917 Why did it fail? The Constituent Assembly in Russia of 1917: Why did it fail? The history of Rus, or Russia, as it known nowadays, is completely different from the Western one. The end of tsarism in Russia was characterized by vast reforms that were followed by instability. ‘People’s Will’ was replacing old meaning of power. One of the important features that was very important and took place in Russia was a constituent assembly of 1917. This assembly had only 1 day of existing, but left a lot of unresolved questions about its nature. Elected in November of 1917 and convened only once in January of 1918 it supposed to change the whole structure of Russia. However, it was dispersed by All – Russian Congress of Soviets, it failed to deliver the aims of provisional government. Still, many people were pinned their hopes on constituent assembly, and the fact that it lasted such a short period of time and ultimately failed, raises a lot of questions. The governmental body that is described here has its roots laid down in Middle Ages, and later, in times of enlightenment. At these stages of history, society developed to an extent, when intellectual elite wanted to choose political system by themselves. Such legal bodies, which were deciding on different legislative questions, were known to Russia even before, for example during the elections of tsars Boris Godunov or Michael Romanov. However these were different entities, and the term, which is more modern and suits the definition of constituent assembly of 1917, was coined during French Revolution. At that time, constituent assembly was as a sign of law, symbol of people’s rights and freedoms. Transferred to east, the idea of such body should have been modernized, or mixed, gathering both European political culture and Russian historical thought. Autocracy in Russia in the latest years of tsarism had a tendency to give promises, but to never realize them. Constituent assembly was associated with constitutional reforms first, as it was made to establish constitution. Such assembly was a hope in the eyes of people – e.g. it would be the representative of society, thus leading to freedom, at least partial. This idea was widely supported by all revolutionists – starting from Octobrists and ending up with Mensheviks. However, as constitutional assembly is rather an emergency – based entity, and not permanent, like parliament, it was granted a huge amount of power, though on a very short period of time. As was mentioned before, idea of constituent power dates back to French Revolution, when social contract became an essential part of people – government chain, and legislative, constituent and extraordinary functions were put in constituent assembly. In Russia, establishment of democratic institutions have always been a problem. This fact is a no wonder, as it is unimaginable – to build democratic mechanisms in autocratic engine. As a result, there was lack of such institutions. Only in 16th – 17th c. the so – called ‘Assemblies of the Land’ or ‘Zemskie Sobory’ were established. Notwithstanding, their rule was often misleading, as they did not have real power, and were only an illusion of real assemblies. In addition to that, Russia was weak in economic and social terms, joined industrialization very late. Overall, European ideas that were constantly removed after Peter the Great, did not find response in Russia, and the lowest layer of society, that should have been the main democratic estate, was unable to fit that role. In such atmosphere of constant tyranny of autocracy, inability to change anything, the ground for radicalism and revolutionary thoughts was created. Moreover, the outcomes of French Revolution have changed minds of Russian intelligentsia, and they became the main force of upcoming changes. The first people who were eager to change something were Decembrists, as they were the first to proclaim the idea of constituent assembly. However, their ideas did not found recall, and after this movement was ultimately defeated, hopes for constituent assembly disappeared from the horizon. Intelligentsia stopped to fight for ideals of rights and people’s will, relying only on society, as a main force of revolutionary thought. It must be said, though, that people did not waited long, and in the end of 19th century the so – called ‘Narodnaya Volya’ became the driving factor of revolution. Narodnaya Volya believed that it was ultimately constitutional government, which must be entitled with power. Moreover, masses that must be engaged in revolution, in order to trigger the overthrow, became aware of these ideas by this particular institution. This idea strongly affected people’s thoughts, and this affection was only deepened by the first Russian Revolution. Narodnaya Volya became very popular among nation. Even though among Russian political parties was very different, and some of them very critical about it, the lowest layer of society still hoped to achieve glory through constituent assembly. As a result of new widespread notion of constituent assembly, a lot of new left – wing parties were established. Interestingly, Mensheviks were quite skeptical about the idea of const ituent assembly, claiming that it can be a subject to lobbying, while Bolsheviks were putting their hopes on it, as they saw constituent assembly as a must – have prerequisite of revolution. SRs were also supporting the assembly in the beginning of 20th century. At the edge of revolution in 1905, everything was aimed at constituent assembly, the idea that has slowly grown into a widespread hope for people. As of beginning of revolution it became the top priority for nation. Nevertheless, revolution changed the view of parties onto constituent assembly. Pathways, or rather the ways, which parties were wanted to choose while building such assembly, were completely different. Cadets and liberals wanted to exclude unwanted violence; SRs and Bolsheviks, as revolutionary parties, saw the possibility of establishment of constituent assembly only through armed uprising; while Mensheviks were accepting constituent assembly as a by – product of self – government entities, which were not created, and later on Duma, which was soon dissolved and Mensheviks refused to support the constituent assembly. Even though it was a widespread idea, autocracy did not want to surrender. Moreover, the support of constituent assembly idea among parties’ members was not the same among nation. It was said that people were hoping for establishment of constituent assembly, they did not all realize the very need of it, and, bearing in mind that most of the people were illiterate, did not share the view on it with parties, that mostly consisted of intellectuals. All these factors did not let constituent assembly to be created in 1905 – 1907. Constituent assembly was created right after autocracy was overthrown – in 1917. The period of anarchy, temporary gap between the overthrow of the old regime and adjustment of a new one, was a perfect situation for building the institution that was so long needed. The need for such institution was obvious for everyone. That is why in the legal status of constituent assembly, which was created by the contributions of The Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies and Interim Committee of the State Duma. It consisted of three main points – elections of by popular vote, claim that it is constitutional assembly that decides on principal questions of public life and that the form of government, e.g. political system is decided only by the assembly. Finally, everything was prepared, and socialist parties started work on the plan for the first meeting of constituent assembly. According to Cadets and Mensheviks, constituent assembly should have had influence on political system, land reforms, international relations, military reforms and so forth. Bolsheviks were also interested and shown eagerness to of constituent assembly. However, as soon as Lenin has come, Bolsheviks suddenly changed their stance. Lenin was quite skeptical about constituent assembly, but did not refuse it. Rather, from now on Bolsheviks stopped to perceive constituent assembly as a top – priority issue. Here the problems start to appear on the scene. Bolsheviks represented one part of democratic side, which refused democracy of bourgeois; they were rather the co – siders of democracy of proletariat. Their ideal was the pure democracy, the power of people over people. On the other hand, Mensheviks and SRs were in – between, searching for some kind of parliamentary rule connected with the rule of people; division of power. As a result, democratic powers were divided. Moreover, SRs and Mensheviks were having rather a permanent union. In addition to that, it must be mentioned that Russia was having a plentitude of parties, but none of them was connected with electorate sufficiently. As was mentioned before, society was politically weak and was not developed in terms of political life. As time was passing by, provisional government had created a so – called ‘Osoboye Soveshanie’ which stands for ‘special meeting’. This institution had to prepare ground for upcoming constituent assembly and to answer many questions. Among them were number of participants, decide on whether majoritarian or proportional representation principle must be applied during assembly etc. In the beginning of September special meeting has ended up his work. The outcomes were made, and the plan was created, but the exact time of constituent assembly creation was still not verbalized in provisional government. Finally, it was decided that constituent assembly must elected on November 12th, 1917. Suddenly, when the period of tense atmosphere started taking place, the chaotic actions began. Bolsheviks became very tough about constituent assembly at the same time as provisional government was losing its power. It was high time – Russia either would fall into oblivion, or would prosper in the new democratic world. However, as it often happens, in times of serious decisions country becomes very weak. Bolsheviks had taken advantage of that situation. They decided to make an uprising, under the slogan of ‘All Power to the Soviets!’ (Vsya Vlast Sovyetam!). Lenin, the head of Bolsheviks, started to claim that only under the power and direct guidance of Bolsheviks party, constituent assembly will be successful. Moreover, he was proclaiming that Soviets and assembly must merge. The idea of constituent assembly was used by Lenin to attract those Bolsheviks and masses that still had the constitutional illusions. In the upcoming struggle, the position of Bolsheviks and Lenin was quite strong. Armed uprising and seizure of power by Bolsheviks had completely reversed the discrepancy among society. From now on, constituent assembly was not uniting, but dividing parties. The slogan ‘All Power to Soviets’ was obviously non – democratic in its roots, and opposition openly admitted it, fighting with Lenin’s party. SRs and Mensheviks, even having loose connection between them, were standing on one side, being the fiercest opponents of Bolsheviks. Bolsheviks immediately took actions – all liberal newspapers were closed on the eve of 1917’s October, changing them on their own agitation campaigns. This period was anarchic, parties accused each other in inability of one to pass on Russian Idea, in schism of Russian Revolution that must take place and so forth. As a refute, Bolsheviks’ claims were that they are the new driving force and the only government Russia needs, and other parties act as a counterrevolutionaries, which is unacceptable. Parties were basically ruining every single brick they have built so far. People were far away from these concerns – they were more interested in what would happen afterwards, and low political culture combined with small amount of educated people were leaving no room for discussion. In the end of October, all electoral process was under the direct influence of Soviets. Bolsheviks removed every single oppositional material from the public access, and were directly agitating on their own Soviet campaign. Elections in constituent assembly were very complex. Economic weakness after the WWI combined with anarchic situation of the political arena made atmosphere around these elections very complicated. Even though society was politically weak, appearance index was quite high. Interesting fact is that on these elections, the party of SRs won. Bolsheviks were very surprised of such outcomes. They were sure, that their wide campaign combined with prohibition of all other agitating materials was enough to make their party into assembly. The big losers, however, were the Mensheviks, who get the smallest percentage of votes, and the party from now on literally stopped existing. Bolsheviks, of course, explained their failure by the SRs influence of electorates, accusing them of different abuses. The scenario of September was repeating – parties were blaming each other. However, in reality Bolsheviks’ campaign failed due to the inner structure of the regions that had the most impact on elections, such as Orenburg Province. Finally, when so anticipated even happened – e.g. when constituent assembly gathered, despite the whole Bolshevik’s propaganda, it immediately became to talk about election of assembly’s leader, who was the head of SRs – Victor Chernov, a Lenin’s direct opponent. Moreover, SRs were trying to weaken Bolsheviks’ influence, and Lenin could not let that happen, and used the same method of power achieving as before – put armed guards, and closed Tauride Palace one and for all. Later, he said his famous words: ‘There is no middle course anywhere in the world, not can there be. T here is either the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie or the dictatorship of the proletariat.’ (Hanna, 1972) Lenin picked second option. In conclusion it must be said that developments of 1917 in Russia have shown that political struggle is inevitable, when society is to be transformed via different means – e.g. when one side seeks revolution with the help of armed uprising, and the other, which is more democratic and wants to achieve change by the will of society. They cannot exist at one time. In the years 1917 – 1918 armed uprising of radicals has proved to be more effective, as Soviets ultimately won. Moreover, the shooting of peaceful demonstration on 5th of January, 1918 (the day of constituent assembly opening) was putting Russia in the danger of civil war. Liberal – democratic community has completely broken up. Even though in 1917 history of constituent assembly had more than one hundred years, since Great French Revolution passed, Russia could not sustain the same issues as revolution through the prism of European nation. During an attempt to build democracy, Russia has skipped the momen t, when a group of people with the hunger for power started to increase their influence. Proletariat was weakly interested in the politics, and this even worsened the situation. As a result, low political culture of the society combined with the adopted European practice and improper grounds for democracy to be set in, constituent assembly in the critical moment was unable to deal with Bolsheviks. Arms and radicalism took over ambitions and hope for better life, and from that moment Russia probably hast lost this hope forever. EasyJet: SWOT, PEST and Competitive Analysis EasyJet: SWOT, PEST and Competitive Analysis 1. Introduction and History A successful example of a European no frills airline is easyJet. Stelios Haji-Ioannou (Greek) founded the company in 1995. It is based on the low-cost, no-frills model of the US carrier Southwest. The concept of easyJet is based on the belief that demands for short-haul air transport is price elastic. That means, if prices for flights are being reduced, more people will fly. Traditionally airline concepts are based on the assumption that airline traffic grows in line with the economy and that cutting prices will only lead to a decrease in revenues. With the introduction of the no-nonsense concept to the European market, after its deregulation in 1992, easyJet has proven this theory wrong and goes from strength to strength by actually increasing the size of the market and more recently by taking away passengers from the majors (see www.easyjet.com for passenger figures, financial data and employee statistics). Today, it offers 125 routes from 39 European Airports (see www.easyjet.com for route launch dates), with Luton, Liverpool, Geneva, Amsterdam as base airports  [1]  and is operating 72 aircrafts (November 2003). November 1995: easyJet starts flights from Luton to Glasgow and Edinburgh with to leased Boeing 737-300 with a capacity of 148 seats at a price of  £29 one way. Seats are being sold over telephone reservation system only. In 1996 easyJet takes delivery of its first wholly owned aircraft and goes international with first services to Amsterdam from Luton. One year later easyJet launches its website, easyjet.com which will from 1998 onwards form an integral part of the business concept (and which provides for some 90% of the bookings today  [2]  ). In August 2002 easyJet expands its fleet and routes by acquiring British Airways low-cost subsidiary Go. In October 2002 the airline signs a deal to purchase 120 Airbus, which will facilitate the airlines ongoing growth strategy. Up until now, one of the cornerstones of the easyJets low-cost model has been to operate a single aircraft type fleet which so far has been the Boeing 737 series because uniformity means efficiencies in train ing, maintenance and operating costs. However, easyJets new deal with Airbus is being viewed by the company as stunning as the additional costs, which incur through the new type of aircraft are far outweighed by the financial benefits of this deal. EasyJet argues that both Boeing and Airbus aircraft have broadly similar characteristics but that a wider aisle on A319 will make it quicker to embark and disembark, that it has an extra seat on board (150 vs. 149) and that overall the A319 will lower costs by about  10% compared to the current mix of aircraft, which will contribute to lower ticket fares. (See appendix 1 for Stelios Haji-Iannous other easyGroup enterprises). 2. The Mission Statement of EasyJet To provide our customers with safe, good value, point-to-point air services. To effect and to offer a consistent and reliable product and fares appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes. To achieve this will develop our people and establish lasting relationship (see www.easyjet.com) The basis of an organisations mission statement should answer the question What business is the company in? easyJet is doing this by stating that it provides point-to-point air services to its customers. That clearly underlines that easyJet is not in the people or food business, neither in the service business as such, but in the mass-transportation business, and as such its model is based on cost efficiency of the mass-transportation business. Moreover, it reflects several decisions about what kind of air service easyJet wants to provide. Evidently, its focus is on European routes, targeting business and leisure travellers alike. Furthermore, it aims to offer safe, good value transportation. easyJets mission statement also gives information on the How to get there? by putting emphasis on its people and suppliers. What is missing from the statement is the importance of the customers point of view, which could be expressed by saying, for instance, we want to be recognised asà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Also, as the mission statement is the bedrock for the marketing plan it should be more quantifiable, as to how much market share easyJet aims to gain in the future, for example. 3. Competitive Analysis In order to analyse the airline industry in detail, it is useful to apply Porters five competitive forces. The threat of substitutes Minimal threat from other modes of transport like train and car on domestic routes. Usually the time and cost advantage of the low-cost carriers far outweigh the increased comfort and flexibility of trains or cars (e.g. on the route Luton/London to Glasgow a train takes around 6 hours and costs around  £80 while a easyJet plane takes just one hour and costs around  £29). On international routes distances are usually too great for car or train to be an alternative to air travel, expect maybe from London to Paris, which can be reached by Euro Star. The threat of new entrants High capital requirements negate threat to some extent. easyJet was started with a loan of  £5 million, with 2 leased aircraft, but required a  £50million investment raised by debt and equity in year two to speed expansion and buy 4 new planes. The UK low-cost market is quite mature in comparison to the rest of Europe and easyJet, as the biggest operator has quite a comfortable position. However, expansion into new European markets might prove more difficult as established; cash strong holiday firms like TUI are setting up their own low-cost operations (see information about Hapag Lloyd Express, www.hlx.com) Lack of take-off and landing slots makes it difficult for new carriers to find suitable airports. Loss leader is required in order to join the low cost market. The power of suppliers The price of aviation fuel is directly related to the cost of oil, as an individual company easyJet does not have the power to alter this. Airplane manufacturers are concentrated in the industry, with Boeing and Airbus providing the majority of commercial planes and with easyJet operating one type of aircraft until recently. easyJets deal with airbus however shows that favourable agreements can still be reached. The dependence on spare parts from one manufacturer could pose a risk. The more easyJet expands the more power it will posses over its suppliers The power of buyers Buyer power within the airline industry and especially the low-cost market is relatively strong, as customers will often shop around for the better price, particularly with the dependence that the low cost airline has on Internet sales. Price discrepancies can be easily found and exploited by the consumer, meaning that the operator must keep a regular check on prices. Need for customer loyalty because of low switching costs Customers have the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on their side which provides: 1. protection against the consequence of travel organiser failure for people who buy package holidays, charter flights and discounted scheduled air tickets; and 2. licenses airlines and ensures compliance with requirements of European and UK legislation relating to financial resources, liability and insurance of airlines.  [3]   Rivalry among existing firms Ryan air, BMIbaby, MyTravelLite and Buzz are major competitors of easyJet in the UK. Virgin Express, Hapag Lloyd Express, Germanwings and Air Berlin already are or might become competitors in the light of future expansion plans. Ryanair is the only one of these so far to have succeeded and shown a continuous yearly profit (see appendix 2 for financial data). A growing number of tour operators (like Thomas Cook and TUI) are selling air only scheduled seats to reduced prices  [4]  . British Airways and other traditional carriers out of the UK are competitors as well but on a lower scale as they target different market segments (see appendix 3 for more detail). 4. Marketing Mix Price Low price is a key element of the brand. Uses differential pricing; off-peak travelling and booking in advance makes a ticket less expensive. Discounts for tickets booked online. Product no-frills, point-to-point air services also car hire on its website (use of the Internet for bundling products) and links to other easyGroup websites (see appendix 1 for other easyGroup enterprises). Place/distribution Internet booking system (over 90% of bookings). Telephone reservation system. Promotion Highlights its number one position among Europes low-cost airlines (advertising strap line: Size matters!, slogan: the webs favourite airline) Advocates internal marketing, creative work done in-house. No Bullshit approach (Stelios), humorous, attention-catching campaigns (e.g. the giving away of free tickets on Gos inaugural flight and Stelios protesting in a orange boiler suit against an increase of airport fees at Luton in a branch of Barclays bank which owns the airport). 5. SWOT Analysis 5.1. Internal Analysis (S)trengths Image, differentiation on price and brand. Is financially successful. Is being seen as an innovative and flexible organisation. Has a strong e-business. Is part of the consortium that has been awarded to run UKs air traffic control system (NATS). (W)eaknesses Has no customer retention policy Has little or no scope outside of Europe. Lack of service, flexibility and business focus (such as frequent flyer programmes e.g.) make the low-cost model unappealing for most business travellers. The two drivers of growth, the focus on price and the focus on convenience (frequent flights, few connections, more nearby airports e.g.) are reaching their natural limits. Differentiation from there remains to be difficult. easyJets own success makes it difficult to recruit and train staff quickly enough. 5.2 External Analysis Opportunities Experts predict great potential for future growth in the next years (see appendix 4). The current recession is favourable as people and businesses are more cost-conscious. More full-service airlines may withdraw from the regional market to focus on more profitable long-haul routes leaving the market to the low-cost operators. The short-breaks market, an important market for easyJet grows more rapidly than the UK travel market as a whole  [5]. Reduced aircraft prices Threats Difficulties to expand as viable new routes from London are scarce. Competition is likely to intensify, given the saturated market and the shortage of other options  [6]. Increased competition is likely to lead to greater difficulties in demanding incentives from communities, like the very low fees easyJet received at Luton  [7]. Companies cut on business travel in times of economic downturn and because of new time-consuming security measures travel substitutes like videoconferencing are introduced  [8]. 6. Situational Analysis easyJet seems to be positioned very well with experts predicting excellent growth opportunities for the low cost-sector. Given the saturated market and the shortage of other options in the UK, competition is likely to intensify inevitably followed by consolidation, an early sign of which is easyJets purchase of GO. The UK market offers little growth opportunity, therefore concentration will be on the continental market, a step forward in this direction is setting up a major new base at Berlin, with flights from 11 European cities  [9]  , and possibly as well on Eastern Europe. Focus remains on pricing Strategy and expansion of its route network. Promotion needs to persuade people that it is safe to fly and establish easyJet as Europes largest low-cost carrier (as easyJet is already doing in its advertisement: Size matters!) 7. PEST Analysis Marketing Plan PEST analysis for easyJet for the next 5 years The following factors are likely to have an influence on the airline industry and should therefore be taken into account when formulating a Marketing Plan for easyJet. (P)olitico-legal factors Threat of war in the Middle East The Air Miles scheme is not considered as a taxable perk by the government in the way that company cars are taxed which may change to allow easyJet to compete on more equal grounds with the likes of BA. A EU east-enlargement may provide access to viable, new markets. (E)conomic factors Likelihood of increasing fuel costs, congestion and other environmental restrictions, as well as the prospect of higher security and insurance costs to reflect the risk of terrorism. As the recession is likely to last for some more time, business travellers will keep an eye on their travel expenses. Globalisation should continue to boost traffic in the long-term. The introduction of the single currency in Europe is likely to bring more business to easyJet as Europe becomes more integrated. (S)ocio-cultural factors To win over the French and German publics might cause problems as there appears still to be a general reluctance to use credit cards over the phone and Internet  [10]  . The public are general quite friendly to the prospect of cheap flights. However they may feel begrudged where they see promotions found in newspapers where flight are for  £10 only to find that the actual cost is much higher for the particular time or day they wish to fly on. (T)echnological factors A key issue will be the extent to which technological advancements such as the use of the Internet on distribution and cost synergies from industry consolidation can offset upward pressures on prices and costs. easyJet has to keep track of technological developments in the field of e-commerce and aircraft manufacture in order to gain a competitive advantage. 8. Conclusion 8.1 Strategic issues facing the airline industry The face of aviation is gradually evolving. The long-standing problems of the industry- in the form of large numbers of network carriers and substantial over-capacity in many markets were exacerbated by the events of September 11th (see appendix 5 for a post-Sept. 11th overview). This is likely to pave the way for some acceleration in the process of airline restructuring and consolidation. Experts believe that there is not room for the current multitude of carriers in Europe, and that these will eventually be whittled down to three or four major airlines, with the others absorbed or restructured to focus more on regional traffic. This also represents an opportunity for no-frills carriers to increase their market share. Along with this, some restructuring of the industrys complex and outdated regulatory system will be required. In the longer term, trend growth may itself slow gradually as the big air travel markets mature. In addition, falling yields, which have boosted air travel growth in the past, cannot be relied upon to persist, at least at the rate they have for the past decade or so. If cost trends are less favourable for example because of increasing fuel costs, congestion and other environmental restrictions, as well as the prospect of higher security and insurance costs to reflect the risks of terrorism the scope for lower yields would be less, and this might reduce future growth trends. A key issue will be the extent to which favourable cost trends such as the impact of the Internet on distribution costs and cost synergies from industry consolidation can offset these upward pressures on prices and costs. The full-service airlines, saddled with big networks and strongly unionised workforces, cannot easily embrace the management strategies of the no-frills airlines. Moreover, their scope for de fensive mergers is limited by competition policy. The ability of international airlines to expand is limited by ownership restrictions (In the US foreigners cannot own more than 25% of a national airline, in the EU the restriction is 49%  [11]  ). The no-frills market within Europe is immature relative to that of the US. The  sector accounts for only around 5% of all intra European capacity, though the share  is much higher in the UK domestic market and on services between the UK and  Europe, closer to 20%. Further strong growth is expected over the next 2-3 years as  new operations start up, and new destinations are added to the existing carriers  networks. However as the UK market becomes saturated, these carriers are likely to  focus their development at continental European hubs. The experience of the US market suggests that deregulation will be followed by industry consolidation. So far there has been limited progress in this direction but many are viewing the current crisis as the catalyst necessary to completely restructure the European airline industry . In the US the industry has consolidated into seven major carriers, which carry over 80% of passenger traffic of US airlines. Europe is far more fragmented with the equivalent figure for the seven European majors at only 47%  [12]  . 8.2 easyJets Future easyJet has to consider whether it should respond to new entrants by ceding niche-segments or by competing aggressively on price, routes and service in an attempt to drive the entrant out of the market. To make the strategic decision market research on the size of different combinations of pricing and service is needed. easyJet also needs to know how much it costs the competitor to serve, and how much capacity the competitor has for, every route in question. Finally, the new entrants competitive objectives are of relevance to anticipate how it would respond to any strategic moves easyJet might make. By obtaining these information residual uncertainty would be limited, and the incumbent airline would be able to build a confident business case around its strategy  [13]  . It is advisable that easyJet targets mainly leisure travellers as business often demand frequent flights to a wide range of destinations, seek quality service and frequent flyer programmes, and are willing to pay a premium for these benefits. Also, trying to appeal to widely different customer needs runs counter to the overall trend in service industries, in which distinctive approaches, tailored to different customers, have generally come to dominate  [14]  . No real opportunity offers the long-haul business as it is very different, both technically and in customer needs, to short-haul travel. easyJet should continue to focus on price and attempt to connect the dots in its network, which cost less than opening new cities. Thereby, it needs to make sure that a growth in its network and fleet does not lead to higher operating costs. It should also consider putting more emphasis on direct marketing by e.g. introducing a customer retention scheme. To differentiate its brand further on promotional lines, easyJet could introduce a CRM (cause related marketing) scheme, developing a reputation for being a caring airline, e.g. by selling shares in forest help programmes over its website, collect ing foreign currency on flights for charity etc., thereby giving its passengers a sense of psychological comfort and well-being  [15]  when they choose to fly with easyJet. Overall, easyJet has to develop a realistic and accurate assessment of the market-niche to be served. A relentless commitment to quality service and cost control is as important as the discipline to establish a growth plan (see www.easyJet.com for easyJet product life cycle and marketing strategy). (Word count 3,144) Appendices Appendix 1 Under the easy brand Stelios Haji-Iannou has furthermore established and Internet car rental service (easyRentacar), a chain of Internet cafes (easyEverything), a financial services site (easyMoney), a portal site for bargains on the net (easyValue) and a free e-mail service (easy.com). In all his ventures he is using yield management to extract the ideal margin from each customer  [16]  and keep costs down. Furthermore, yield management can help to better use price in the marketing mix to best reach the most customers  [17]  . However, there are no cross-shareholdings between easyJet and these other easyGroup companies. easyJey operates independently from the other companies although some cross-marketing agreements do exist. Also, results of the non-airline businesses have been mixed as they have lost  £75m in three years  [18]  . Appendix 2 Profit for Ryanair April September 2002 Year-on-year increase 151m à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ ( £96m) 71% Source: Tran, M. (2002)  [19]   See http://www.ryanair.com/download/morganjune.pdf for actual data. Appendix 3 Compare Airline Traffic Data (Europe) Air Transport World http://www.atwonline.com/Pdf/worldairlinereport_2002.pdf Appendix 4 The airline market is currently being re-shaped by the expansion of existing low-cost airlines. It has been estimated that they will expand their European market share from 5% to 25% by 2010, establishing themselves on a long-term basis. (Source: International Travel News (2003), available on http://www.internettravelnews.com/article/20223 Friday, 28th November 2003) Low-cost airlines are gearing up to take large chunks out of their rivals. In a decade, low-cost airlines may be the dominant form of air travel in Europe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. In Europe, no-frills travel accounts for only 5% of European air travel, but it is likely to grow to claim a 12-15% share in the next decade. (Source: BBC News (2002), available on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2038192.stm; Friday, 28th November 2003)