Cuban Revolution Essay Example for Free

Cuban Revolution Essay The most transformative event for Latin America would have to be the Cuban Revolution. It all began when when Sergeant Fulgencio Batista seized power during a election. Batista had been president from 1940-1944 and ran for president in 1952. When it became apparent that he would lose, he took power before the elections and cancelled them. The people in Cuba were disgusted with his power grab, which left them preferring Cuba’s democracy. Fidel Castro being a rising political maker, decided to plot against Batista. On the July 26, 1953, Castro made his move. In order to suceed, he needed weapons, therefore he chose to attack the Moncada Barracks. He had 138 men attacked the compound at dawn: it was hoped that the element of surprise would make up for the rebels’ lack of numbers and arms. The attack was a fiasco almost from the start and the rebels were routed after a firefight that lasted a few hours. Many were captured. Fidel and his younger brother escaped, but were captured later. But Fidel being an attorney, was able to turn the tables on Batista by making the trial about the power grab. Basically, his argument was that as a loyal Cuban, he had taken up arms against the dictatorship because it was his civic duty. He made long speeches and the government tried to shut him up. He was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. But somehow manage to become a nationally recognized figure and a hero to many poor Cubans. Even other rebel groups took up the fight as well. They stood behind Castro, giving Batista no choice but to leave. He and his inner circle, took what loot they could gather up and fled. Batista authorized some of his subordinates to deal with Castro and the rebels. The people of Cuba took to the streets, joyfully greeting the rebels. Little did the people now that Castro was a communist and that change was going to happen. The revolution in Cuba was a disaster, especially for the Cuban people. There was no free thought or artistic freedom. Anyone who dissented against Castro was jailed, tortured, and sometimes murdered. The Cuban people also lost their economic freedom and any chance of upward mobility. Their socialist economy has produced a scarcity of even the basic necessities of life. Most countries in the world trade with Cuba, but they still live in overty unimagined in the U. S. All classes lost, except for the ruling communists. Under Batista, who was no angel as well, Cubans never took the drastic steps to escape their homeland that are now common. After the revolution countless Cubans risked everything, including their lives, by taking to the sea in rickety boats in a desperate attempt to reach the U. S. The Cuban revolution is on going. It depends on which side you support or your politics that will sway your opinion. Nevertheless, Cuba will return to a U. S. like democracy as soon as the dollars flow in. It has been known that Cuba would become more democratic and more free. However, corruption in Cubas socialist government was minimal, and was zero when compared with the corruption of U. S. supported governments in Cuba. Now compare the Revolution of Mexico to Cubas. Mexico developed a sense of identity and purpose. They also established guidelines for future Mexican policies and Leaders. Porfirio Diaz was the leader of an undemcratic Mexico that was an alliance of the military, foreign interests, wealthy farm owners, and the Catholic Church. Actually, the governments that followed promised a republic, but did not deliver. Later on Emiliano Zapata, became the symbol of land reform and proud ideological purity, has become an international icon for just rebellion against a corrupt system. Though he was later on murdered, he is forever remembered as a hero. The effects of both these revolutions brought changes to their countries. In some matter the change was not good, like in Cuba. It still is the same, being said that it’s a communist country. Mexico in the other hand became more democratic, therefore the people have a little more say I what they want.

Electronic Self-checkout System Essay -- Technology, Cashier Checkout

A number of empirical studies have concluded that a customer’s attribution of the cause of a delay significantly affects its emotional consequences (see Taylor, 1994; Tom and Lucey, 1995). According to these investigations, customers are more unsatisfied with longer than expected waits caused by difficulties that the store could have remedied (e.g. inefficient checkout personnel, understaffing, failure to provide express checkouts) than with delays due to external factors such as random variations in store crowding, till breakdowns, the time of day (some periods are inevitably busier than others) or the presence of customers with large amounts of shopping. This was especially true if little effort on the part of the service provider was needed to improve the situation and/or the problem creating the delay was a regular occurrence. It appeared, therefore, that the reasons for a long queue were major determinants of customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction, not just the delayâ⠂¬â„¢s duration. The Psychology of Combining Queues Combining queues have proven not to be a good technique for managing queues in grocery stores and supermarkets. Studies have shown that even though combining queues have been successful in some service organizations, these techniques have proven to have negative results in grocery stores. Among the factors that cause delays of customers who are in line at the checkout counter in grocery stores is management’s attempt to combine queues. Contrary to common calculations, there are reasons for believing that combining queues, especially queues of customers in checkout lines in grocery stores, may at times be counterproductive. Rothkopf and Rech (1987) in their seminar had one participant citing the practice of combini... ...e service more valuable and were willing to pay much more for it when they found out there were more people behind the positions that were held for them. There exists a universal human tendency to learn about ones self through comparison with others (Gilbert, Price and Allan, 1995). Customers in checkout lines tend to compare their position in line with those of other customers. However, seeing people behind is somewhat a comfort since ―there are people worse off than meâ€â€", therefore making the experience less painful. The study outlined three sets of factors (queue factors, personal factors, and situational factors) that might shape the extent of social comparisons, each of which is tested. Hkust and Hkust (2002) expressed that limited research studies have been conducted to determine how service waits can be controlled. To control the time customers’ wait in line,

Tsunami in Japan

The massive wave of water, as high as 10 metres in some parts, reached more than five kilometres inland. The meteorological agency issued its top-level evacuation alerts for the entire Japanese coast amid warnings of a tsunami of between six and 10 metres. Towns and farms around Sendai city in northern Japan have been engulfed by a seven-metre tsunami, while a four-metre wave swamped parts of Kamaishi on the Pacific coast. Residents have been ordered to high ground and stay away from the coast as tsunamis can strike in several waves. Seismologists say the quake was 160 times more powerful than the one that devastated Christchurch last month. Japanese television has shown pictures of a wall of water kilometres wide moving its way across the countryside, engulfing everything in its path. The Cosmo oil refinery in Chiba prefecture outside Tokyo has exploded, sending flames dozens of metres into the air, with firefighters unable to contain the inferno. It is one of more than 40 blazes burning across Japan. â€Å"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours,† the agency said. A tsunami warning has been issued across the wider Pacific including Russia, the territories of Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Micronesia and Hawaii. Russia has evacuated 11,000 people from areas that could be affected, including Kuril islands and Sakhalin island. Hawaii has also ordered evacuations. The Bureau of Meteorology says there is no tsunami threat to Australia. The quake, already considered one of the worst in Japan's history, struck about 382 kilometres north-east of Tokyo at a depth of 24 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. The USGS reported at least eight strong aftershocks, including a 6. 8 quake on the mainland 66 kilometres north-east of Tokyo.

The Look of the Coffered Ceiling