Afghanistan War Essay Example for Free

Afghanistan War Essay Afghanistan has been in war with the U. S. mainly because, The Taliban refuses to follow through with the commands that the U. S. gave them, as well as ‘The Three Phases’, Also the planned attack in 2001, but mainly because the U. S. wants the mineral resources that are found in Afghanistan. The Taliban refused to undertake 3 simple tasks: shutting down the terrorist training camps, giving up the Al-Qaeda leaders and returning all American and Foreign citizens, which is part of the reason that we went to war with Afghanistan in 2001. The ‘Three Phases’ started in 1987-present the first phase was to topple the Taliban and destroy all terrorist camps from 1987-1997, the second phase was to defeat the Taliban military and re-build core institutes in the afghan state from 1997- September11, 2001, and the third phase was to turn to counterinsurgency doctrine due to increased military troop presence from 2001-present. America was planning an attack on Afghanistan to start off the third phase but what they didn’t know is that Afghanistan was planning an attack to the Twin towers to get back at the U.  S. for what they did in the past years. The main reason to the war in Afghanistan was to get most of the mineral resources in Afghanistan that are very valuable, and costs lots of money. Afghanistan and The U. S. A. are at war d The Taliban has refused to do the commands that the president of the U. S. (Mr. Bush) told them to do. More than two weeks ago from October 7th, 2001 the Taliban refused to shut down their terrorist camps, give up their leaders, and return all American and foreign citizens. Even though the U. S. s at war with Afghanistan, president Bush set up an arrangement so that afghan people who were suffering from starvation and medical issues could be cured with the droppings of food, medical aid and, clean drinking water so that they can survive and keep the afghan population alive, and for them to know what America can do when other Countries are in a time of need. George W. Bush on Sunday October 7th, 2001 said â€Å"The Military action is a part of our campaign against terrorism†¦We will win this conflict by the patient accumulation of successes, by meeting a series of challenges with determination and will and purpose. (Bush) This quote states that America will do everything in its power to get revenge on Osama bin Laden (Jerry Robinson) the person that President Bush thinks that he was behind the attack of the Twin Towers. Barack Obama dramatically increased the military troop presence in Afghanistan to have a larger force to protect the population from Taliban attacks due to, the ‘Three Phases’. The Three Phases consist of: 1) Toppling the Taliban 2) Defeating the Taliban military and rebuilding core institutions of the afghan state 3) a turn to counterinsurgency doctrine due to the increasing rates of military troops in Afghanistan(Witte). Phase one had lasted from 1979-1989 when soviet troops were withdrawn. Phase two lasted from1989-2001 the forces the United States and its allies had trained and armed now fought each other in complex coalitions for control of Afghanistan. The Third Phase lasted from September 11, 2001-present during Phase three on September 22, 2001 The United Arab Emirates and later Saudi Arabia withdrew their recognition of the Taliban as the legal government of Afghanistan, leaving neighboring Pakistan as the only remaining country with diplomatic ties. o some extent most of the Terrorist camps in Afghanistan were destroyed, and the government was ousted. Also, The Taliban surrendered within two months, much more quickly than expected. The Taliban and al-Qaeda began to regroup in 2003, after the United States shifted its military efforts to fighting the war in Iraq, and attacks on U. S. and NATO troops have continued since. The overall aim now is to ensure a stable Afghanistan that is no longer a hotbed for terrorist organisations. This all happened due to the Three Phases.

Scenarios of Stereotypes Essay -- Illustrative Stereotyping Stereotype

Scenarios of Stereotypes Stereotypes can have excessive damage and it can have a very negative effect on the person in view or as a whole group. Stereotyping is not just another form of making fun of people, it also encourages rejection and outcast. Stereotyping is not only cruel and harmful to people, it can also have major effects on how a person behaves and acts towards other people. It also makes who ever is stereotyping look like a fool. It also forms barriers in communication and everyday life. In this essay I’m gonna give senario’s that will give evidence to what I’m trying to say. But first let me give you a short definition of stereotyping. Stereotyping is putting a label on someone or a group who is different in a way that society looks down upon, Like looks, beliefs, an...

Marketing scenario Essay

Introduction Positioned as an premium offering focused to lowest overall cost to end users through superior overall performance. Leader in quality , performance and technological innovation Product lines Carton sealing and industrial tapes Specialized adhesives Other packaging products K2 tape – Manufactured using patented technology and a brand name for pressure sensitive carton sealing tape Very high tensile strength and sheer resistance Positioning High Price K2 Products Low Quality High Quality Ipack Tensile New Product Low Price Problem Statement †¢ K2 tape competed against inferior economy grade products in carton sealing type †¢ IPACK offered 25-35% lesser price †¢ Revenue of K2- $68.6 million IPACK – $28.5 million in 2012 †¢ Tensile – a new competitor had $2.7 million dollar sale with one sales representative Should PST stay with high quality product or enter the economy grade segment ? Option 1: Enter the economy grade segment under the same brand PROS Access to the economy segment Defend market share against competition Diversification of product portfolio CONS Dilution of the brand image as a maker of  technological superior product Cannibalization of its own product offering Cluttered product line Option 2: Enter the economy grade segment under different brand Implications for: PROS CONS Customer †¢ Ability to fulfill need of price sensitive  customers †¢ Possibility of change in perception of  being a quality leader Distributor †¢ Possibility to offer a low end PST  product †¢ Even wider product range; Limited  sales force Sales Force †¢ Ability to offer more variety in terms of  price levels †¢ More effort to explain product  differences Brand †¢ No positive impact †¢ Negative impact on brand image Option 2: Stay with high-quality products Implications for: PROS CONS Customer †¢ Maintaining image of quality Leader †¢ Loss of Market share; Not targeting  price sensitive consumers Distributor †¢ No need for adjustment in  distribution policy †¢ Low-price offer only from competitor not from PST Sales Force †¢ Consistent and easy product  quality †¢ No ability to offer solution for price  sensitive customer Brand †¢ Consistent overall brand image †¢ No negative impact Recommendation PST should enter the economy grade segment NEW BRAND †¢ New name (unrelated to PST) to avoid negative impact on brand image †¢ Marketed completely independent PRODUCT LAUNCH †¢ Development and launch of two new products to compete with Tensile †¢ Competitive pricing strategy (similar to Tensile) ENTER MARKET †¢ Make use of well established distribution network †¢ Offer economy equivalents for RD-48 & RDS-72 SUCCESS FACTORS †¢ There is a projected growth in demand (e.g. packaging segment 2.2%) †¢ PST has an established sales force and distribution network in the tape market †¢ There is a lack of brand loyalty of price sensitive customers (switching to PSTs new brand) †¢ There was suitable equipment and capacity for quick production Distribution Plan †¢ Distribution through existing network for faster brand growth †¢ Hire more sales people to increase service quality & sales in PSTs tape business

Segmentation, Target Market Selection and Positioning Practice in Automotive Industry

SEGMENTATION, TARGET MARKET SELECTION AND POSITIONING (STP) PRACTICE in AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY | Marketing Management| | CONTENTS GENERAL INFORMATION2 OVERVIEW OF THE INDUSTRY2 PROCESS OF SEGMENTATION6 Demographic Features7 Age Factor7 Gender Factor7 Income Factor8 CHOICE OF TARGET MARKET9 Five Patterns of Target Market Selection9 Single-Segment Concentration9 Selective Specialization9 Product Specialization9 Market Specialization10 Full Market Coverage10 POSITIONING10 Perceptual Maps11 Value Map12 APPENDIX (TABLES)13 SOURCES18 SEGMENTATION, TARGET MARKET SELECTION AND POSITIONING PRACTICE IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY GENERAL INFORMATIONCompanies cannot connect with all customers in large, broad, or diverse markets. But they can divide such markets into groups of consumers or segments with distinct needs and wants. A company then needs to identify which market segments it can serve effectively. This decision requires a keen understanding of consumer behaviour and careful strategic thinking. T o develop the best marketing plans, managers need to understand what makes each segment unique and different [1]. Companies, instead of scattering their marketing efforts, are focusing on these consumers they have the greatest chance of satisfying.Contrast of mass marketing, nowadays, marketers 1) Identify and profile distinct groups of buyers who differ in their needs and preferences (market segmentation), 2) Select one or more market segments to enter (market targeting), 3) For each target segment, establish and communicate the distinctive benefit(s) of the company’s market offering (market positioning) [1]. OVERVIEW OF THE INDUSTRY Motor vehicles are the products that includes a motor and are used to carry goods or passengers; they are manufactured according to some specific regulations and includes four or more wheels.The industry that manufactures these products is called â€Å"automotive main industry†. On the other hand, â€Å"automotive subsidiary industry â⠂¬  manufactures parts, modules and systems for the companies which produces vehicles. â€Å"Automotive Industry† is the sum of these two industries [2]. In this paper I’ll focus on the â€Å"automotive main industry†. The main products in this industry are automobile (personal car), bus, midibus, minibus, truck, pick-up and tractors. Table 1 shows the players of the automotive industry in Turkey.As shown in Table 1, we can see that automotive industry is very big in Turkey and data in hand shows that it is one of the first three industries in Turkey. Turkey became one of the biggest production area of the big automotive manufacturers on the world. Custom Union Agreement (1996) was one of the milestones for Turkey’s automotive industry. After this agreement, exportation has increased. In 1967, Turkey’s â€Å"local† automobile called â€Å"Anadol† was manufactured. With the begining of industrialization and developments in trade in Tu rkey, tradesman needed pick-ups.Then Otosan began to produce Anadol pick-ups. In 1971, because of the increasing interest in automobiles in Turkey, Renault branded automobiles began to be produced. Because of Turkey’s geographic conditions, like wide rural areas, Renault automobile, which was convenient for these conditions became very popular in Turkey [2]. Parallel to the improvements in automotive industry, the distribution channels of it also improved. At first, only â€Å" made in Turkey † vehicles was distributed in this network, but after 1996, imported vehicles also took place in the distribution network.Until the 1980s, the selling and after sales services were provided in small galleries, but then the service began to be provided in auto-plazas. After the 1990s, in Turkey, including multi-national companies in this industry, modern management ideas, quality, human resources management, production process, continuous development ideas, research & developme nt, marketing channels, customer demand analysis, lean-production, team work, production without stock, 6-sigma and just in time production ideas took place in automotive industry [2].Table 2 shows the Automotive Vehicles Park in Turkey and Table 3 shows the Motor Vehicles by Types and Provinces for the year 2007. As shown in Table 3, the province involves the biggest number of motor vehicles is Istanbul, and an interesting data is â€Å"the number of personal cars in Istanbul is bigger than the total amount of motor vehicles of each province†!!! Another interesting data is â€Å"the number of trucks in S? rnak, different from other provinces, is 5 times bigger than the number of personal cars!!!After the year 2001, the variety of products manufactured in Turkey increased. Technology, qualified human resources and globalization made it necessary to produce various products. In general, it was an obligation for Turkey’s automotive industry to use modern technology, to produce according to scale economy principles, and to be competetive in price and quality in international market. As a result, product diversification has emerged. In 2001 economic crisis, the capacity usage in production decreased until 29%, but today it is almost 86% [2].In 1993 exportation / production rate was 2%, but with the decrease in demand by the effect of exchange rates and economic crisis, manufacturers headed towards mostly exporting their products to other countries. In 2007 exportation / production rate was 73%, as a result [2] (see Table 4 in appendix). High rivalry in global automotive industry causes good improvements in technology. Every year new and advanced models are being produced. These models have high standards and customers prefer these models. Especially after 1997, importation from Germany has increased because of the exchange rate of Mark was under the inflation rate [2].In 2001 economic crisis, exchange rates was high and then importation began to dec rease. Despite the increase in manufacturing in Turkey, about 57% of the Turkey automotive industry provides its products by importation. As shown in Table 5, Renault, Tofas and Ford have bigger market-share in Turkey. Renault and Tofas has mostly personal cars-share and on the other hand Ford has mostly pickups-share in Turkey. When buses are considered, Mercedes has the biggest share. By July 2008, 55 kinds of brand are being sold in Turkey [2]. Improvements in technology made it necessary to merge for different companies in order to compete in market.As a result of these merges, quality and competitiveness increased. The leader manufacturer of * Personal cars is Oyak – Renault * Pick –ups is Ford Otosan * Trucks is Mercedes Benz Turk * Buses is Mercedes Benz Turk * Minibuses is Ford Otosan * Midibuses is Karsan * Tractors is Turk Traktor in Turkey. The leader exporters are Ford, Oyak – Renault, Tofas and Toyota in Turkey. The most profitable companies are For d, Oyak – Renault, Mercedes and Tofas in Turkey (According to Turkey’s ISO-500 report)[3]. In Turkey’s exportation list top-10, there are 4 automotive companies that show us the impotance of automotive industry for Turkey’s economy.Let’s look at from the global view: * World Motor Vehicle Production : Japan is leader, Turkey is not bad, but 10% of Japan. * World Commercial Vehicles Production : Turkey is in a competitive position but the leader is United States. * World Light Commercial Vehicles Production : Turkey is in a good position(in Europe, one of the two leaders). * World Personal Cars Production: Turkey’s share is only 0,1% in the world. Leader is Japan. * World Heavy Trucks Production: China is the leader. Turkey is not good enough. * World Buses Production : Russia and Turkey are leaders in Europe.China, India, Brasil and US are the leaders worldwide. PROCESS OF SEGMENTATION Almost 100 years passed after Henry Ford had said that à ¢â‚¬Å"all automobiles must be black† and produced Model-T. Now there is a very competitive environment in automotive industry and understanding customer needs, expectations and forecasting demands are very important factors. Market segmentation is one of the strategies to be competitive in this industry as I told before. General Market Segmentation Activities are as follows: 1) Define the market to be segmented (automotive products buyers, individual consumers or business buyers, or both). ) Decide how to segment (geographic, demographic, psychographic, behavioral segmentation) 3) Form segments 4) Finer segmentation strategies 5) Strategic analysis of segments, if needed turn to #1. Target marketing involves breaking a market into segments and then concentrating your marketing efforts on one or a few key segments. Target marketing makes the promotion, pricing, conception and distribution of ideas/goods/services easier and more cost effective. It provides a FOCUS as Porter advi ced as one of the marketing strategies.It also provides Porter’s other strategy of being the COST LEADER. According to the Kotler and Keller’s book, steps in segmentation process are: 1) Needs- Based Segmentation 2) Segment Identification (demographic, behavioral .. distinctives) 3) Segment Attractiveness (market growth, access) 4) Segment Profitability 5) Segment Positioning (Create value – proposition and product-price positioning strategy) 6) Segment â€Å"Acid Test† (test the attractiveness of each segment’s positioning strategy) 7) Marketing –Mix Strategy( Product, Price, Promotion and Place aspects) [1].In automotive industry, companies generally segment the market according to demographic features (age, income, gender, family size, social class etc. )[4]. Demographic Features Age Factor In US, automobile buyers are mostly under age 25. For example Mazda has developed its MX-3 model, having shiny colours for ages around 20 and has deve loped its 929 model for middle aged people segment. From their advertisements, we can understand what the target segment is. A Japanese company has seen that the population’s average age is getting higher and targeted the segment of these old people.It manufactures an automobile which can detect the loss of attention of the driver. Toyota has maintained a simple radio system to Carry model for old people. General Motors placed a display which has big bright letters/numbers in front of the fore-glass of car for old people. But sometimes targeting may not be stable after segmenting according to age. For instance, Ford firstly manufactured Mustang model for youngs prefering low priced sportive automobile; but then they saw that this model is bought by all age groups of people. Gender Factor Women take place in working life more than before.So the target market structure changes day by day. Increasing income of a working woman and the quick time of city life the consumption behav iour changes and also total demand increases. Automobile manufacturers develop strategies according to this new market. An investigation made in US, states that woman spends lots of money for automobiles and they have a strong effect (80%) for buying a new car and their car-ownership percentage is 49%. Toyota observed that 60% of car owners of Toyota is woman. An interesting example of Volvo is: â€Å"A woman- team of Volvo has created a concept car designed only for women in 2004.It has many properties especially for shopping-hungry women. It has a motor that sends message to the service-center when the maintenance time comes. It has wide doors opening up and down, which makes it easy to get on and off with shopping packages†. In Turkey, the woman-effect can be seen in automobiles easily. In the wide spread of automatic gear in automobiles, there is an obvious woman effect. The automobiles having child security systems draws interest of woman. An investigation made by IBS Ma rketing Research company shows that a high percentage of woman prefences for an automobile is safety properties [4].If this is provided, then women prefer small automobiles. Income Factor The motor power, accessories, chassis of an automobile shows its class. The class of an automobile affects its price. People whose incomes are higher, prefers good quality, safety, performance and comfortable models. The most expensive cars are class E and F. For example Porche, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Ferrari, Bugatti, Lamborghini are among the most expensive cars in the world. B and C class automobiles are for people having intermediate level of income. There are lots of kinds of automobile in these classes branded Toyota, Opel, Renault etc.This segment of cars has the biggest percentage of sales. Some companies by modifying the car’s function and equipments, targets low-income market segment. Only for this reason, Opel has manufactured a low-cost model for its China market. Toyota Yaris is one of the economic models. Dacia company also targeted the low-income market segment with its cheap automobiles [4]. Other segmenting variables, may be used in automotive industry are: * Geographic (country, climate, state, nation†¦ ) * Psychographic (lifestyle, activities, interests, opinions, personality, core values†¦ * Behavioral (occasions, benefits, loyalty status, buyer-readiness†¦ ) Market segments must rate favorably on five key criteria: 1) measurable (the size, purchasing power etc. ), 2) substantial (large and profitable), 3) accessible, 4) differentiable (distinguishable segments respond differently), 5) actionable [1]. CHOICE OF TARGET MARKET How well does a potential segment score on the five criteria mentioned above? Does a potential segment have characteristics that make it generally attractive, such as size, growth, profitability, scale economies, and low risk?Does investing in the segment make sense given the firm’s objectives, competencies , and resources? These questions should be asked before selecting the target market. The firm must look at two factors: 1) the segment’s overall attractiveness, and 2) the company’s objectives and resources [1]. Five Patterns of Target Market Selection Single-Segment Concentration Volkswagen concentrates on the small-car market and Porche on the sports car market. Through concentrated marketing, the firm gains a strong knowledge of the segment’s needs and achieves a strong market presence. However, there are risks.A particular market segment can turn sour or a competitor may invade the segment. For these reasons, many automotive companies prefer to operate in more than one segment. A benefit of this is a company carrying fixed costs (sales force, store outlets) can add products to absorb and share some costs. Selective Specialization A firm selects a number of segments, each promises to be a moneymaker. This multisegment strategy has the advantage of diversifyin g the firm’s risk. For example Mercedes selects premium segment (Sedan model) and young and alone consumer segment (Smart model).Product Specialization The firm makes a certain product that it sells to several different market segments. For example small cars are manufactured for different market segments such as young/alone consumers and small families living in crowded cities. Market Specialization The firm concentrates on serving many needs of a particular customer group. In automotive industry there is no such example that sells of all its products only to one kind of segment. For example an automotive company doesn’t produce for only old people or doesn’t produce for only high-income people.In order to compete in the industry they also have different product lines serving other segments too. However, Turk Traktor may be an exception, because it produces tractors for people dealing with agriculture. But this must not be considered as one segment. It also inc ludes more than one segments inside, such as high income and low income customers. Let’s remember that a segment must have five key criteria. These two segments do not have the same characteristics and responds differently to different marketing-mix elements (price, place, promotion and product).Full Market Coverage The firm attempts to serve all customer groups with all the products they might need. Only very large firms such as General Motors can undertake a full market strategy. Large firms can cover a whole market in two ways: through undifferentiated and differentiated marketing [1]. Undifferentiated or mass marketing is the result of the decision to aim its resources at the entire market with one particular product. For example Turk Traktor has a narrow product line that keeps down the costs of production, marketing research, advertising and product management.As a result, Turk Traktor, owned by Koc Holding, is one of the fastest growing companies in Turkey [5]. In diff erentiated marketing, the firm operates in several market segments and designs different products for each. In automotive industry, we can say that all automobile manufacturers aim several market segments such as high and low incomed, young and old, looking for comfort or usableness, women and men etc. POSITIONING Positioning is the act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of the target market [1].Positioning is a managerial activity using marketing instruments, mainly promotional and communicational, to influence costumers’ perceptions and to secure a clear and distinctive place in their minds [6]. For an example of value proposition, see Table 6. The starting point for brand positioning is to determine â€Å"category membership†-the products or sets of products with which a brand competes and which function as close substitutes. To determine the proper competitive frame of reference, marketers need to underst and consumer behavior and the consideration sets consumers use in making brand choices.Then marketers must define the appropriate points-of-difference (PODs) and points-of-parity (POPs) (necessary conditions which should be included for brand choice) associations. POD of Lexus is quality. POP of BMW is performance and luxury with respect to performance cars and luxury cars. Because BMW positioned the brand as the only automobile that offered â€Å"both† luxury and performance [1]. Perceptual Maps Perceptual maps provide a visual picture of the positioning activity. They help you understand what consumers think about your and competitors’ brand and help you build an effective marketing strategy [7].One of the most important issues in producing perceptual maps is defining the proper range of competitive products. It has been found that perceptual maps of direct substitutes may better support positioning decisions. So, in an investigation made on Hungary automotive indust ry in 1997, they decided to include â€Å"only direct substitutes† from the medium and lower medium-sized car market in this country instead of â€Å"all† cars. As a result, after the surveys they made on consumers, the perceptual map was like that in the figure. The survey results in value-price relationship says that customers donot simply buy on price, they buy on value [6].So it is very important for an automotive company to position itself correctly. Value Map The analytical framework of the value-price relationship is often called the value-map. The horizontal axis of the value map quantifies the perceived benefits that a product provides to the customers, while the vertical axis represents the perceived price. Positions on the value equivalence line represent a balance between the value and price perceptions of a product. As seen in figure, Skoda and Lada have the value disadvantage and arenot positioned well in consumers’ minds.It is more difficult for m arketers to change perceptions than the physical features of the product [6]. APPENDIX (TABLES) Table 1: Players of the industry in Turkey (Sorted according to the ISO 500 list increasing row number) [3]: 2009 row number| Company| 3| FORD OTOMOTIV SANAYI A. S. | 5| TOFAS TURK OTOMOBIL FABRIKASI A. S. | 6| OYAK-RENAULT OTOMOBIL FABRIKALARI A. S. | 13| TOYOTA OTOMOTIV SANAYI TURKIYE A. S. | 22| MERCEDES-BENZ TURK A. S. | 43| HYUNDAI ASSAN OTOMOTIV SAN. VE TIC. A. S. | 71| MAN TURKIYE A. S. | 84| TURK TRAKTOR VE ZIRAAT MAKINELERI A. S. | 8| BMC SANAYI VE TICARET A. S. | 100| HONDA TURKIYE A. S. | 123| TEMSA GLOBAL SANAYI VE TIC. A. S| 134| OTOKAR OTOBUS KAROSERI SANAYI A. S. | 162| KARSAN OTOMOTIV SANAYII VE TICARET A. S. | 293| ANADOLU ISUZU OTOMOTIV SANAYI VE TIC. A. S. | Table 2: Automotive Vehicles Park in Turkey: Years| Personal Car| Truck| Pick-Up| Minibus| Bus| Tractor| Total| 1963| 72. 034| 49. 356| 30. 739| 7. 543| 11. 726| 50. 844| 222. 242| 1996| 3. 274. 156| 453. 796| 442. 788| 182. 694| 94. 978| 988. 142| 5. 436. 554| 2007| 6. 472. 156| 729. 202| 1. 890. 459| 372. 601| 189. 128| 1. 327. 334| 10. 80. 880| Table 3: Motor Vehicles by Types and Provinces for the year 2007 Provinces| Personal Car| Minibus| Bus| Pick up| Truck| Total| Agr? | 7. 513| 1. 945| 214| 2. 779| 2. 275| 14. 726| Ankara| 820. 355| 24. 777| 14. 922| 149. 602| 58. 797| 1. 068. 453| Bal? kesir| 103. 987| 4. 584| 3. 737| 35. 208| 11. 125| 158. 641| Diyarbak? r| 28. 864| 5. 253| 821| 11. 252| 6. 235| 52. 425| Gumushane| 4. 587| 1. 028| 116| 1. 805| 1. 151| 8. 687| Istanbul| 1. 711. 773| 63. 816| 49. 640| 447. 530| 130. 790| 2. 403. 549| Izmir| 457. 791| 14. 487| 15. 357| 150. 132| 36. 511| 674. 78| Mersin| 123. 253| 5. 679| 5. 047| 49. 872| 22. 059| 205. 910| S? rnak| 3. 326| 706| 50| 2. 085| 15. 961| 22. 128| Source: Turkey Statistics Foundation Table 4: Table5: Table 5 continued: Table 6: Example of Value Proposition [1]: Company and Product| Target Customers| Benefits| Price| Value Pr oposition| Volvo (station vagon)| Safety-conscious â€Å"upscale† families| Durability and safety| 20 % premium| The safest, most durable wagon in which your family can ride. | SOURCES 1. Marketing Management, P. Kotler & K. L. Keller, 13th ed. , Prentice Hall 2. Istanbul Ticaret Odas?Otomotiv Sektor Raporu, F. Karbuz & A. Silahc? & E. Cal? skan,2008 3. Otomotiv Sanayi Dernegi, Turkiye’nin 500 Buyuk Sanayi Kurulusu Icinde Otomotiv Sanayi Raporu, Temmuz 2010 4. Otomobil Sektorunde Uygulanan Onemli Demografik Bolumlendirme Kriterleri, Yrd. Doc. Dr. Bulent Bayraktar, 2005 5. http://www. turktraktor. com. tr 6. Segmenting the Hungarian automobile market brand using perceptual and value mapping, G. Rekettye & J. Liu, Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Oct 2000 7. http://hausmanmarketresearch. org/256/how-to-build-perceptual-maps/

How to Teach the Present Continuous to ESL Students

How to Teach the Present Continuous to ESL Students Teaching the present continuous usually takes place after the present, past, and future simple forms have been introduced. However, many books and curricula choose to introduce the present continuous immediately after the  present simple. This order can be confusing as students may have difficulties understanding the subtlety of something that happens as a routine and an  action that takes places at the moment of speaking. No matter when you introduce this tense,  its important to provide as much context as possible by using appropriate time expressions, such as now, at the moment, currently, etc.   How to Introduce the Present Continuous Start by Modeling the Present Continuous Begin teaching the present continuous by speaking about what is happening in the classroom at the moment of introduction. Once students recognize  this usage, extend to other things you know are happening now. This can include simple facts such as The sun is shining at the moment. Were learning English at the moment. etc. Make sure to mix it up by using a number of different subjects. Im teaching the present continuous right now.My wife is working in her office at the moment.Those boys are playing tennis over there.etc. Choose a magazine or web page with lots of activity, go through a number of pages, and ask students questions based on the photo. What are they doing now?What is she holding in her hand?Which sport are they playing?etc. To teach the negative form, use the magazine or web pages to ask yes or no questions focusing on eliciting a negative response. You may want to model a few examples before asking students. Is she playing tennis? - No, she isnt playing tennis. Shes playing golf.Is he wearing shoes? - No, hes wearing boots.(Asking students) Are they eating lunch?Is she driving a car?etc. Once students have practiced a few rounds of questions, distribute magazines or other pictures around the classroom and ask students to grill each other on what is happening at the moment. How to Practice the Present Continuous Explaining the Present Continuous on the Board Use a present continuous timeline to illustrate the fact that the present continuous is used to express what is happening at the moment. If you feel comfortable with  the level of the class, introduce the idea that the present continuous can be used to speak about what is happening around the present moment in time. Its a good idea at this point to contrast the present continuous auxiliary verb to be with other auxiliary verbs, pointing out that ing must be added to the verb in the present continuous form. Comprehension Activities Comprehension activities such as using photos in magazines will help with the present continuous. Present continuous dialogues can also help illustrate the form. Present continuous worksheets will help tie in the form with appropriate time expressions. Review quizzes contrasting present simple with the present continuous will also help. Continued Activity Practice Its a good idea to compare and contrast the present continuous with the present simple form once students have understood the difference. Using the present continuous for other purposes such as discussing present projects at work or speaking about future scheduled meetings will help students become familiar with other uses of the present continuous form. Challenges with the Present Continuous The greatest challenge with present continuous is understanding the difference between a routine action (present simple) and an activity occurring at the moment. Its quite common for students to use the present continuous to speak about daily habits once theyve learned the form, so comparing the two forms early on will help students understand the differences. The use of the present continuous to express  future scheduled events  is best left for intermediate level classes.  Finally, students might also have difficulties understanding that stative verbs may not be used with continuous forms. Present Continuous Lesson Plan Example Greet the class and talk about what is happening at the moment in class. Make sure to pepper your sentences with appropriate time expressions such as at the moment and now.Ask students what they are doing at the moment to help them begin using the form. At this point in the lesson, keep things simple by not diving into the grammar. Try to get students to provide correct answers in a relaxed conversational manner.Use a magazine or find pictures online and discuss what is happening in the picture.  As you discuss what he/she or they are doing in photos, begin to differentiate by asking questions with you and we.  At the end of this discussion, write up a few example sentences on the whiteboard. Make sure to use different subjects and ask students to identify the differences between each sentence or question.  Point out the helping verb be changes, but note that the main verb (playing, eating, watching, etc.) remains the same.Begin contrasting the present continuous with the prese nt simple by alternating questions. For example:  What is your friend doing at the moment?  and  Where does your friend live?   Get student input on the differences between the two forms. Help students understand as necessary. Make sure to point out differences in time expression use between the two forms.  Ask students to write out ten questions, five with the present continuous and five with the present simple. Move around the room helping students with any difficulties.  Have students interview each other using the ten questions.  For homework, ask students to write a short paragraph contrasting what a friend or family member does every day and what they are doing at the moment. Model a few sentences on the board so that students clearly understand the homework assignment.

Barack Obama - Speech to a Joint Session of Congress on Health Care Reform (9 September 2009)

Barack Obama Speech to a Joint Session of Congress on Health Care Reform delivered 9 September 2009 Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, and the American people:When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. Credit was frozen. And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods. A full and vibrant recovery is still many months away. And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes. That is our ultimate goal. But thanks to the bold and decisive action weve taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink. I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those whove taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery. I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation. But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came here to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future and that is the issue of health care. I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. A bill for comprehensive health reform was first introduced by John Dingell Sr. in 1943. Sixty-five years later, his son continues to introduce that same bill at the beginning of each session. Our collective failure to meet this challenge year after year, decade after decade has led us to the breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some cant get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and cant afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or too expensive to cover. We are the only democracy the only advanced democracy on Earth the only wealthy nation that allows such hardship for millions of its people. There are now more than 30 million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two-year period, one in every three Americans goes without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone. But the problem that plagues the health care system is not just a problem for the uninsured. Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, youll lose your health insurance too. More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or wont pay the full cost of care. It happens every day. One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of chemotherapy because his insurer found that he hadnt reported gallstones that he didnt even know about. They delayed his treatment, and he died because of it. Another woman from Texas was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. By the time she had her insurance reinstated, her breast cancer had more than doubled in size. That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America. Then theres the problem of rising cost. We spend one and a half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we arent any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. Its why so many employers especially small businesses are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely. Its why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally like our automakers are at a huge disadvantage. And its why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it about $1,000 per year that pays for somebody elses emergency room and charitable care. Finally, our health care system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. When health care costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than every other government program combined. Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close. Nothing else. Now, these are the facts. Nobody disputes them. We know we must reform this system. The question is how. There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canadas where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everybody. On the right, there are those who argue that we should end employer-based systems and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own. Ive said I have to say that there are arguments to be made for both these approaches. But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the health care most people currently have. Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesnt, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch. And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months. During that time, weve seen Washington at its best and at its worst. Weve seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before. Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors groups, and even drug companies many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about 80 percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been. But what weve also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, weve seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned. Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care. Now is the time to deliver on health care. The plan Im announcing tonight would meet three basic goals. It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance for those who dont. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. Its a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge not just government, not just insurance companies, but everybody including employers and individuals. And its a plan that incorporates ideas from senators and congressmen, from Democrats and Republicans and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election. Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan. First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have. What this plan will do is make the insurance you have work better for you. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition. As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it the most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or in a lifetime. We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick. And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies because theres no reason we shouldnt be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives. Now, thats what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan more security and more stability. Now, if youre one of the tens of millions of Americans who dont currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices. If you lose your job or you change your job, youll be able to get coverage. If you strike out on your own and start a small business, youll be able to get coverage. Well do this by creating a new insurance exchange a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers. As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage. This is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. Its how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance. And its time to give every American the same opportunity that we give ourselves. Now, for those individuals and small businesses who still cant afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, well provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned. This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who cant get insurance today because they have preexisting medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, its a good idea now, and we should all embrace it. Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those especially the young and the healthy who still want to take the risk and go without coverage. There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers by giving them coverage. The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money. If there are affordable options and people still dont sign up for health insurance, it means we pay for these peoples expensive emergency room visits. If some businesses dont provide workers health care, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their workers get sick, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their competitors. And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek especially requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions just cant be achieved. And thats why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance just as most states require you to carry auto insurance. Likewise likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers health care, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers. There will be a hardship waiver for those individuals who still cant afford coverage, and 95 percent of all small businesses, because of their size and narrow profit margin, would be exempt from these requirements. But we cant have large businesses and individuals who can afford coverage game the system by avoiding responsibility to themselves or their employees. Improving our health care system only works if everybody does their part. And while there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined: consumer protections for those with insurance, an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, and a requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance. And I have no doubt that these reforms would greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole. Still, given all the misinformation thats been spread over the past few months, I realize I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform. So tonight I want to address some of the key controversies that are still out there. Some of peoples concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but by prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Now, such a charge would be laughable if it werent so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple. There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms the reforms Im proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina: You lie! President Obama: Its not true. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place. Now, my health care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a government takeover of the entire health care system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare. So let me set the record straight here. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. Thats how the market works. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75 percent of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90 percent is controlled by just one company. And without competition, the price of insurance goes up and quality goes down. And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest, by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage, and by jacking up rates. Insurance executives dont do this because theyre bad people; they do it because its profitable. As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop the seriously ill, they are rewarded for it. All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called Wall Streets relentless profit expectations. Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. And the insurance reforms that Ive already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. Now, let me be clear. Let me be clear. It would only be an option for those who dont have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5 percent of Americans would sign up. Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies dont like this idea. They argue that these private companies cant fairly compete with the government. And theyd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they wont be. Ive insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects. But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits and excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers, and would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities. Now, it is its worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort Ive proposed tonight. But its impact shouldnt be exaggerated by the left or the right or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and shouldnt be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage available for those without it. The public option the public option is only a means to that end and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have. For example For example, some have suggested that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others have proposed a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring. But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans cant find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance company bureaucrat gets between you and the care that you need. Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public and thats how we pay for this plan. And heres what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits either now or in the future. I will not sign it if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period. And to prove that Im serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised dont materialize. Now, part of the reason I faced a trillion-dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for from the Iraq war to tax breaks for the wealthy. I will not make that same mistake with health care. Second, weve estimated that most of this plan can be paid for by finding savings within the existing health care system, a system that is currently full of waste and abuse. Right now, too much of the hard-earned savings and tax dollars we spend on health care dont make us any healthier. Thats not my judgment its the judgment of medical professionals across this country. And this is also true when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid. In fact, I want to speak directly to seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue thats been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate. More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. Thats how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. And that is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan. The only thing this plan would eliminate is the hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud, as well as unwarranted subsidies in Medicare that go to insurance companies subsidies that do everything to pad their profits but dont improve the care of seniors. And we will also create an independent commission of doctors and medical experts charged with identifying more waste in the years ahead. Now, these steps will ensure that you Americas seniors get the benefits youve been promised. They will ensure that Medicare is there for future generations. And we can use some of the savings to fill the gap in coverage that forces too many seniors to pay thousands of dollars a year out of their own pockets for prescription drugs. Thats what this plan will do for you. So dont pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut, especially since some of the same folks who are spreading these tall tales have fought against Medicare in the past and just this year supported a budget that would essentially have turned Medicare into a privatized voucher program. That will not happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare. Now, because Medicare is such a big part of the health care system, making the program more efficient can help usher in changes in the way we deliver health care that can reduce costs for everybody. We have long known that some places like the Intermountain Healthcare in Utah or the Geisinger Health System in rural Pennsylvania offer high-quality care at costs below average. So the commission can help encourage the adoption of these common-sense best practices by doctors and medical professionals throughout the system everything from reducing hospital infection rates to encouraging better coordination between teams of doctors. Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan. Now, much of the rest would be paid for with revenues from the very same drug and insurance companies that stand to benefit from tens of millions of new customers. And this reform will charge insurance companies a fee for their most expensive policies, which will encourage them to provide greater value for the money an idea which has the support of Democratic and Republican experts. And according to these same experts, this modest change could help hold down the cost of health care for all of us in the long run. Now, finally, many in this chamber particularly on the Republican side of the aisle have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. Now there you go. There you go. Now, I dont believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but Ive talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs.So Im proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these ideas. I think its a good idea, and Im directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today. Now, add it all up, and the plan Im proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. Now, most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent but spent badly in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of 1 percent each year one-tenth of 1 percent it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term. Now, this is the plan Im proposing. Its a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open. But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that its better politics to kill this plan than to improve it. I wont stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent whats in this plan, we will call you out. And I will not and I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now. Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it the most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true. That is why we cannot fail. Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town halls, in e-mails, and in letters. I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal. He asked that it be delivered upon his death. In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, his amazing children, who are all here tonight. And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that health care reform that great unfinished business of our society, he called it would finally pass. He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that it concerns more than material things. What we face, he wrote, is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country. Ive thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days the character of our country. One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government. And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and, yes, sometimes angry debate. Thats our history. For some of Ted Kennedys critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their minds, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government. But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here people of both parties know that what drove him was something more. His friend Orrin Hatch he knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. They worked together on a Patients Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide health care to children with disabilities. On issues like these, Ted Kennedys passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick. And he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance, what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent, there is something that could make you better, but I just cant afford it. That large-heartedness that concern and regard for the plight of others is not a partisan feeling. Its not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character our ability to stand in other peoples shoes; a recognition that we are all in this together, and when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand; a belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgment that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise. This has always been the history of our progress. In 1935, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism, but the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it. In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress Democrats and Republicans did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind. You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom. But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, the vulnerable can be exploited. And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter that at that point we dont merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves. That was true then. It remains true today. I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term. But that is not what the moment calls for. Thats not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when its hard. I still believe I still believe that we can act when its hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet historys test. Because thats who we are. That is our calling. That is our character. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. Source: WhiteHouse.gov

Women's misrepresentation in media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women's misrepresentation in media - Essay Example Advertisers usually objectify women in their ads; they portray them as sexual objects. In addition, media value women neither for their achievements nor for intelligence. They are valuable for their youth, look and beauty. Jean Kilboune in and Carmen Sering share the same idea that media tend to represent women inappropriately. In Kilbourne’s work â€Å" Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt†, the author shows us how these ads attract consumers, then she starts to explain how these ads affect us more than we think. She claims that bodies are portrayed as objects, which leads to sexual harassment. Jean emphasizes that pornographic ads objectifie women. Providing many examples of different ads she proves how ads portray women in inappropriate way, which shapes the attitude towards women in the communities. For instance, an ad for MTV presents young lady with exposed breasts, and the word â€Å"Bitch† under her bosom. Like Jean Kilbourne, Carmen Siering’s work â€Å" Taking a Bite out of Twilight† discusses how the main character Bella is misrepresented. The author also mentions that there are two teams, which are Edward’s and Jacob’s. But there is no team for the girl Bella. Siering writes about how Bella, the main character of the novel, cannot take care of herself. In addition, Bella always needs someone to help her out making her decisions. The idea of â€Å"Taking a Bite out of Twilight† goes against the feminism. Furthermore, the author writes about how women are manipulated by men. Bella is represented in the novel as an object or a prize. Siering continues explaining that Stephanie Meyer, who is the author of Twilight, does not comsider Bella to be a personality. These two works, â€Å"Two Way a Woman Can Get Hurt† by Jean Kilbourne and â€Å" Taking a Bite out of Twilight† by Carmen Siering, share the same idea, which is the misrepresentation of women in media. Meg Kamerick also talks about the misrepresentation of women in the work â€Å"Woman Should Represent