Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Humana Insurance Hispanic Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Humana Insurance Hispanic Market - Essay Example Speaking of various backgrounds, Humana is also servicing the individuals or customers from varied ethnic backgrounds including the Hispanics. With Hispanics constituting a sizable portion of the population in US, organizations operating in various sectors including the ones in the Insurance sector like Humana are giving extra focus to this section of the population. Although, Humana is carrying out customer friendly strategies in regards to Hispanics, specifically the strategy of localization or customization, when viewed in an overall manner, it is not doing it effectively, and so if it can optimize or improve that strategy, it can give Humana the competitive advantage in relation to the Hispanics Market. According to US Census Bureau, more than 50 million Hispanics currently live in the United States, comprising about 17 percent of the total U.S. population. (Black, 2013). Although, Hispanics are a varied ethnic population, differing in the aspects of country of origin, race, etc., they speak the common language of Spanish. Their population is on the rise and that is making impacts on the health sector as well. â€Å"They are the fastest growing racial or ethnic population in the United States today and are expected to comprise approximately 30 percent of the total US population by 2050.† (Black, 2013). Despite witnessing fast growing rates, the Hispanics continue to face discrepancies regarding health coverage as well as care, thereby making them â€Å"the highest uninsured rate among racial/ethnic groups, with nearly one in three lacking coverage† (Black, 2013). These facts about the Hispanics, apart from reflecting how they are not completely covered under insurance , also brings out the key point of how they are a strong prospective customer base for the insurance companies including Humana. In that direction, Humana has

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Intervention On the Acropolis In the Modern Era Essay Example for Free

The Intervention On the Acropolis In the Modern Era Essay The Acropolis has stood as witness to the making of history in the West, from the flourishing of Athenian culture in the times of Socrates, to the contemporary metropolis that hosted the recent Olympics games. It is a great monument because it is a symbol of Greek culture that belongs not only to the Greeks, but to all who share in a common world history in the West.   The Acropolis is at the same time a universal cultural symbol, and a national symbol of Greek national identity. As such, the Acropolis bears the marks of centuries of history – political interventions, economic and social forces, that have shaped it throughout history and time. Hellenism is not what it used to be back in classical times.   For one, it is not as well respected.   Like the Acropolis, Hellenic culture seems to lie in ruins, and is most in need of preservation.   The transformation of Hellenic culture from the most dominant cultural force felt throughout the world (since perhaps the American entertainment industry) to a historically past, however well spent, is the result of the influence of foreign countries exercised upon the Greek psyche. The Acropolis is considered to be the embodiment of a Greek heritage and identity; this is why the Greeks consider the integrity of the Acropolis so crucial and urge the restitution of the antiquities.   But the Acropolis is present only as a ghost of it’s former glory, and in pieces with much of its original physique now gone missing.   Whatever it is to be Greek today, if the Acropolis is the symbol we take it to be, it cannot be to be complete and whole, but to be lost (at least in some part) to the memory of a lost past. The attempt to make a claim on the past, to take back the idea of Hellenism for the future is a constant struggle of repatriation, and leads to the following paradox: on the one hand Hellenism is praised for its global/ecumenical character, transcending national borders, while on the other its (local) contenders claim it back, trying to draw borders and to retrench their territory. (The Acropolis, 85) Hellas is universal and global, and it belongs to all of us in the West, but because of this is it lost 9at least a little bit) to the Greeks themselves.   To take it back for themselves would also be to destroy its prominence on the stage of world history.   So the Greeks, in an attempt to gather an identity into and for themselves must go out into the world that is not so foreign to them and claim all of it as Greek.   We in the west, we are all Greeks in some way, and the Greeks are the epitome of Western culture. The continuation of the Greek political and cultural line is important to the modern Greek people. An example of this can be found in The Acropolis, where modern Greeks are questioned about whether they are the descendants of the ancient Greeks. (The Acropolis, 37) In one sense, calling themselves inheritors of the ancient Greeks is degrading in that it reduces them to the past, and levels down their future.   In another sense, it is powerful claim to make.   Some Greeks express their desire for changing their national name from Greece and Greeks to their ancient Greek names Hellas and Hellenes. They emphasize the importance that names play in systems in kinship: Hellas is conceived as surname while Greece is conceived as nickname. (The Acropolis, 93)   The name change would represent their connection to Hellenism, as Hellas represents the classic global character of Hellenism, whereas Greece is seen as contemporary name that looses much of this universal import. Thus, in order to restore the classical Hellenism, some Greeks argue that the more Ancient Hellas is now appropriate. Another example in this same vein, some Greeks have argued that the sculpture named ‘Elgin’ displayed in the British Museum should be re-named ‘Parthenon marbles’ (The Acropolis, 99), as the marbles are considered as sacred rocks and the heritage of Greece which strongly represent the Greek identity. It seems like the Greeks are always making a point of remarking when Britain has taken their antiquities, identifying Lord Elgin as the staue’s ‘thief’. It is in this sense that naming the marbles ‘Elgin’ is the same as stealing and degrading Hellenism, and alonmg with this aslo Greek dignity. No doubt, these antiquities are considered to be national treasures, and are irreplaceable and inalienable; even making use of the logo of the antiquities for advertisements is disfavored. For example, Coca-Cola had to replace the shape of the Doric columns of the Parthenon on its soda bottles and advertisements, in order to undo harm it had done to the Greek image in using this image for commercial purposes. By using the image in this way, Coca-Cola denigrated the Acropolis as a national symbol to be used by the Greeks, and this act was perceived as disrespectful to the Greeks and their nationhood. This advertisement is but one example of how widely Americanization and globalization has gone in spreading Hellenism – as well as the worth and value of the Parthenon as a symbol for the perfect marriage of grace and power. But it also illustrates the contradiction at the heart of the contemporary Greeks culture – on the one hand, happy about the power and universality of the Parthenon to convey its symbol (used by such a well-established company for advertisement because of its powerful attraction); but on the other hand, the fact that its use as such degrades the meanings and cultural values that the Acropolis represents for the Greek peoples in particular. In brief, the message is that culture is not derived from the spirit of Hellenism, but from its commodification, now as a symbol for American global culture, and to new power of America on today’s world stage. Another example is that of the American fashion designer Calvin Klein who proposed to present its new jeans series at the Herodeion. Because the Herodeion is a scared place suitable for ‘classic’ arts such as opera, drama, and since the fashion show is considered lower as a ‘commercial’ venture, some deamed it improper for the site. In the end, the critique of both Coca-Cola and Calin Klein can be seen to be shortsighted because those who make it tend to see the use of Greek cultural symbols for commercial interest and economic profit as only degrading, instead of realizing that these companies are also publicizing the spirit of Hellenism through their products (albeit unintentianally).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To sum up, the necessity of bringing back the Acropolis and the other antiquities are important for the Greeks, but how they do it becomes problematic – a careful balancing act beteween bringing back a grand national identity to Greece, while also reviving the spirit of Hellenism for future generations. The past of the Acropolis lay behind us, but the future of what this symbol will become still lays ahead. Bibliography Yalouri, E. (2001), The Acropolis: Global Fame, Local Claim, Oxford: Berg, 37-99.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Jerry Springer Compared To Oprah Winfrey :: essays research papers fc

Springer vs. Winfrey   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have undoubtedly flooded every inch of space on daytime television. Many of us have seen and heard the often recycled topics found on such veteran shows as Geraldo and Sally Jesse Raphael. Anyone who watches talk shows on a regular basis knows that each one varies in style and format. One might enjoy watching the sometimes trashy subject matter found on Jenny Jones, while someone else might prefer the more serious and light-hearted feel of the Maury Povich show. But no two shows are more profoundly opposite in the content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of â€Å"trash talk.† The topics on his show are as shocking as they come. For example, the show takes the ever common talk show themes of love, lust, sex, sexuality, adultery, cheating, guilt, hate, conflict and morality to a different level. In a vintage Springer show, one finds women who cheated on their boyfriends and are ready to confess. But the boyfriends are in for an even bigger surprise when they find out who their girlfriends have been cheating with. As the secret lovers are patiently waiting back stage, the girlfriends confess that they have been cheating on their men with other women. Another episode seemed reminiscent of the John and Lorenna Bobbitt case, only more twisted. A man cuts off his own genitals because he claimed that his homosexual neighbor was stalking him. Shocking, indeed, but the list of talk material goes on from dangerous love triangles, broken homes, pregnant strippers, teen age prostitutes, adult film stars, devil worshippers, and the always popular rates booster, the KKK. Clearly, the Jerry Springer Show is a display and exploitation of societies moral catastrophes; yet people are willing to eat up the intriguing mishaps of other people’s lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oprah Winfrey was once a follower of the trash TV format, but her long running popular TV talk show has since been reformed. Like Jerry Springer, the Oprah Winfrey Show takes talk TV to its extreme, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. Oprah’s show is probably the most immaculate talk show there is. It is unlikely that you will find guests on Oprah that have committed adultery, or have sold their souls to the devil. Instead, the show focuses on the improvement of society and an individual’s quality of life.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Architecture Design, the Royal Ontario Museum

The museum is currently undergoing a major renovation and expansion project, dubbed Renaissance ROM, located at the corner of Bloor Street and Avenue Road, north of Queen’s Park and on the east side of Philosopher’s Walk in the University of Toronto. The centrepiece is the recently-opened Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and Bregman + Hamann Architects; installation of exhibits in the addition will continue over a period of months. Existing galleries and buildings are also being modified. Renovated galleries in the historic buildings will reopen in stages, and all work is scheduled to be completed by 2010. The final cost of the project will be $270 million CAD. The Libeskind design, selected from among 50 entrants in an international competition, saw the award winning Terrace Galleries torn down and replaced with a Deconstructivist crystalline-form clad in 25 percent glass and 75 percent aluminium. The building is named after Michael Lee-Chin, who donated $30 million towards its construction. It houses the new main entrance to the museum, a gift shop, a restaurant (C5 Restaurant and Lounge), a cafeteria (Food Studio), seven additional galleries and Canada’s largest temporary exhibition hall in the lower level. The Crystal’s canted walls do not touch the sides of the existing heritage buildings, save for where pedestrian crossing occurs and to close the envelope between the new form and the existing walls. Although designed to conform to existing height restrictions and maintain sight lines along Bloor Street, the Crystal, at certain points, cantilevers over the setback and into the street allowance. The building’s design is similar to some of Libeskind’s other works, notably the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the London Metropolitan University Graduate Centre, and the Fredric C. Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum. The steel framework was manufactured and assembled by Walters Inc. of Hamilton, Ontario. The extruded anodized aluminium cladding was fabricated by Josef Gartner in Germany, the only company in the world that can produce the material. The company also provided the titanium cladding for Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Sunday in the Park

In the short story, â€Å"Sunday in the Park† by Bel Kaufman, a mother and father are relaxing at a park on a Sunday afternoon with their child, Larry, who is playing in the sandbox. Everything was seemly peaceful until another child playing in the sandbox throws sand at Larry. Larry’s mother tells the other child not to throw sand and to her surprise the child’s father encourages him to continue throwing sand. The mother was rendered speechless by the father of the child’s lack of empathy, and so the father of Larry, Morton, decides to step in.When Morton tries to reason with the other father, he goes threatened with â€Å"’You and who else? ’â€Å"(Kaufman 1) Feeling intimidated, Morton decides to retreat with his family. The mother criticizes Morton for being weak and not being able to stand up for the family and his son. Enraged and embarrassed the father complains about the mother’s way of disciplining the child and tries to tak e it upon himself to properly discipline his son. The mother not wanting him to scold or discipline their son in anyway, threatens him with the same threat that the father of the other child said.Throughout this short story, the tone of the story changes a couple of time. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† starts with a very cheerful, calming moment when the family is relaxing at the park. When sand is thrown at Larry, the story becomes very tense. The jumpiest moment of the short story was when the other father and Morton â€Å"looked at each other nakedly†. This was when Morton has to decide whether he was going to fight or flight. Ultimately he chose flight, and retreated with his family. When the family is retreating the tone of the short story, turns accusatory and shameful.The mother and Morton start to argue as of result, and they try to put the blame on each other. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† ends very suddenly and in a shocking matter. The mother says to Morton, à ¢â‚¬Å"You and who else? † (Kaufman 4). This line is significant because the other father said the same thing to Morton to scare him off. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† is a short story that has a lot of imagery and symbolism that is caused by the author great description of characters and settings: â€Å"The swing and seesaws stood motionless and abandoned, the slides were empty, and only in the sandbox two little squatted diligently side by side† (Kaufman 1).The quote here proves his the amount of description the author puts into the story. From this one sentence I can get a vivid image of how this scene looks like. The reason why imagery about the setting is really strong in this short story is because, there only is one setting in â€Å"Sunday in the Park. † Kaufman really wants the viewers to understand the environment the characters are in. The author chooses to put a lot of imagery because it will help the reader feel more connected to the story and see t he images the author is trying to convey.The most prominent theme that one would think is present in â€Å"Sunday in the Park† would be the idea of standing up for what you believe in. The mother in this story stands up for her own beliefs despite being up against a really menacing person, but when she is unable to do so, her husband Morton, steps in attempts to back his wife up. This relates to the other theme that is present in â€Å"Sunday in the Park† which I personally think is more important. This short story reverses the stereotypical gender roles, where the men are supposed to be the protectors of the family.However this is contradictory because Morton was ultimately unable to stand up to the other father, and had his family retreat. Kaufman illustrated the Morton was weak, and timid, which are not qualities of how a protector should be. Culturally, women would ask the men for help when they need it. For example when the other father was rude to the mother â₠¬Å"she glanced at Morton† (Kaufman 2) for help because he was the man of the family. In addition, when the mother of Larry was trying to find the parents of the other child, she almost automatically looks for the mother of the other child first.Universally, it is more likely for a woman to stay home and take care of the children than the men. After failing to find the mother of the other children, Larry’s mother immediately scans the park for females, she notices â€Å"two women, and a little girl on roller skates [and then notices the] man on a bench a few feet away. † (Kaufman 1) Today, people associate parenthood with a female, very rarely are men mentioned when speaking about parenting. Sunday in the Park In the short story, â€Å"Sunday in the Park† by Bel Kaufman, a mother and father are relaxing at a park on a Sunday afternoon with their child, Larry, who is playing in the sandbox. Everything was seemly peaceful until another child playing in the sandbox throws sand at Larry. Larry’s mother tells the other child not to throw sand and to her surprise the child’s father encourages him to continue throwing sand. The mother was rendered speechless by the father of the child’s lack of empathy, and so the father of Larry, Morton, decides to step in.When Morton tries to reason with the other father, he goes threatened with â€Å"’You and who else? ’â€Å"(Kaufman 1) Feeling intimidated, Morton decides to retreat with his family. The mother criticizes Morton for being weak and not being able to stand up for the family and his son. Enraged and embarrassed the father complains about the mother’s way of disciplining the child and tries to tak e it upon himself to properly discipline his son. The mother not wanting him to scold or discipline their son in anyway, threatens him with the same threat that the father of the other child said.Throughout this short story, the tone of the story changes a couple of time. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† starts with a very cheerful, calming moment when the family is relaxing at the park. When sand is thrown at Larry, the story becomes very tense. The jumpiest moment of the short story was when the other father and Morton â€Å"looked at each other nakedly†. This was when Morton has to decide whether he was going to fight or flight. Ultimately he chose flight, and retreated with his family. When the family is retreating the tone of the short story, turns accusatory and shameful.The mother and Morton start to argue as of result, and they try to put the blame on each other. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† ends very suddenly and in a shocking matter. The mother says to Morton, à ¢â‚¬Å"You and who else? † (Kaufman 4). This line is significant because the other father said the same thing to Morton to scare him off. â€Å"Sunday in the Park† is a short story that has a lot of imagery and symbolism that is caused by the author great description of characters and settings: â€Å"The swing and seesaws stood motionless and abandoned, the slides were empty, and only in the sandbox two little squatted diligently side by side† (Kaufman 1).The quote here proves his the amount of description the author puts into the story. From this one sentence I can get a vivid image of how this scene looks like. The reason why imagery about the setting is really strong in this short story is because, there only is one setting in â€Å"Sunday in the Park. † Kaufman really wants the viewers to understand the environment the characters are in. The author chooses to put a lot of imagery because it will help the reader feel more connected to the story and see t he images the author is trying to convey.The most prominent theme that one would think is present in â€Å"Sunday in the Park† would be the idea of standing up for what you believe in. The mother in this story stands up for her own beliefs despite being up against a really menacing person, but when she is unable to do so, her husband Morton, steps in attempts to back his wife up. This relates to the other theme that is present in â€Å"Sunday in the Park† which I personally think is more important. This short story reverses the stereotypical gender roles, where the men are supposed to be the protectors of the family.However this is contradictory because Morton was ultimately unable to stand up to the other father, and had his family retreat. Kaufman illustrated the Morton was weak, and timid, which are not qualities of how a protector should be. Culturally, women would ask the men for help when they need it. For example when the other father was rude to the mother â₠¬Å"she glanced at Morton† (Kaufman 2) for help because he was the man of the family. In addition, when the mother of Larry was trying to find the parents of the other child, she almost automatically looks for the mother of the other child first.Universally, it is more likely for a woman to stay home and take care of the children than the men. After failing to find the mother of the other children, Larry’s mother immediately scans the park for females, she notices â€Å"two women, and a little girl on roller skates [and then notices the] man on a bench a few feet away. † (Kaufman 1) Today, people associate parenthood with a female, very rarely are men mentioned when speaking about parenting.