History of the game Essay Example for Free

History of the game Essay As the rackets of the game have changed, the style of play has changed accordingly. During the wooden racket era, before the flood of the metal and metal composite rackets, players hit groundstrokes with slight topspin but mostly flat or with underspin, particularly on the backhand side. To provide the players with the underspin or flat shots, players hit with an eastern grip (slightly east of the continental style grip achieved by sliding the V area between the thumb and index finger down the side of the frame to the grip) to help generate slice and handle low balls better. Players used this style of play to compensate for the lower bounce produced on grass courts compared to the bounce of hard and clay courts today. In effect, groundstrokes had to be long and fluid with early preparation and a long follow through to get the necessary power and control by swinging the heavier wooden rackets.  Players with wooden rackets also stood sideways to the ball and stepped into the swing to generate more power. Furthermore, the small sweetspot of the wooden racket required players to have more exact, controlled swings instead of the quick, powerful, whip-like swings of todays players. As an example, John McEnroe, a former tennis professional and Grand Slam winner, supports wooden rackets saying: I have been a proponent of the wood racketwood rackets would bring back skill and finesse to the game and would make the points longer and more fun to watch. And I could watch all those young guys cry like that little baby doll that wets herself as they try to return a serve with a 15-ounce piece of lumber. (McEnroe 1).  As a result, players could not end the point with a single shot like today and therefore games consisted of more rallies. The rackets and styles of play have evolved to the 21st Century and have dramatically changed the way tennis is played. Instead of the long and fluid groundstrokes used with wooden rackets, lighter more powerful rackets have developed quick, short but powerful swings by tennis players today. The players also use a more western or semi-western grip (achieved by placing the racket on the ground and coming from straight above, picking the racket up with one hand). These grips tend to generate more power and topspin as well make it easier to hit high bouncing balls. This heavy topspin usually causes points to end more quickly with more winners and harder shots. These changes in the game are all in relation to the development of higher bouncing courts, hard courts and clay courts, and the shorter grass court tournament season. Also, as a result to the more powerful modern rackets, serves were consistently hit over 100 mph and many clocked at more than 120 mph contributing to the quicker points. Furthermore, many serves were unreturnable meaning that it would be almost impossible for players to return or even more to hit the ball with the racket. The change in rackets in the 20th Century was not only limited to a change in the game but the tennis market was affected as well. According to Edward Tenner, the new rackets were not as profitable for racket manufacturers as the wooden rackets were during the peak in tennis popularity in the early 1970s (Tenner 3). However, shortly following this rapid growth in tennis popularity, tenniss popularity among the common people started to decline. According to the records of the Tennis Industry Association, two years before the introduction of the Prince racket in 1974, the number of tennis players reached its peak and then started a decline (Tenner 1). Later, the sale of tennis balls was evaluated and showed a drop in tennis ball usage between 1990 and 1993 (Tenner 3). A short explanation of this event could be that players were not ready to pay the higher price for newer metal rackets. The modern rackets, costing about $150, were much more expensive compared to the lower price of wooden rackets in the early 1970s. However, the introduction of the modern rackets produced a larger selection of varying rackets for tennis consumers shown in the following excerpt from Tennis Magazine, To play your best tennis, your racket has to complement your game. And with more frames than ever being designed for specific types of players, finding that magic wand has never been easier. (2001 Racket Guide 1) In addition, modern rackets are designed for all different types of players including strictly baseliners to serve and volleyers. Mark Macky, Dunlops director of racket sports, shows this in the following statement, Its no longer enough to make a racket for one ability level beginner, intermediate, advanced. Today, companies make rackets that are targeted to specific styles of play. A serve and volleyer, for example, will want a different type of racket than a baseliner. (2001 Racket Guide 1) Although while racket manufacturers may have suffered from the introduction of modern rackets, consumers seem to benefit. According to New York Times newspaper, the new metal rackets prove to last longer and need restringing less often saving consumers money (Tenner 3). Furthermore, metal rackets can last up to ten years or more contrary to the wooden rackets that were damaged by age, warping, and cracking.  In conclusion, although many tennis professionals believe that wooden rackets would increase the charisma of tennis, there is undeniable evidence that proves modern rackets to be better for the game and all levels of players. Newer rackets provide more options for tennis players, giving them more power and control than ever before therefore elevating the level of play in the game of tennis. They also appeal to lower levels of players making the game easier to learn and in effect, better for everyone. In addition, although the market seemed to be falling, it is currently rising for the game of tennis and showing this, the U.S. Open has had more viewers in the year of 2001 than ever before in the history of the game.

Anabolic and Androgenic Steroids :: performance enhancing drugs

The first performance enhancing drugs I’ll talk about are Anabolic and androgenic steroids. Anabolic and androgenic steroids are synthetic drugs that duplicate male sex hormones such as testosterone. â€Å"Anabolic† is a muscle building steroid, and â€Å"androgenic† is built to increase masculinity. Steroids are a class of drugs. Steroids are only legal when prescribed. They are used on patients who have problems such as delayed puberty. Other uses for steroids include treatment of allergies, impotence, and asthma. Doctors also prescribe steroids to patients who have AIDS to stop the loss of muscle mass which is a problem for AIDS victims, other diseases also cause loss of muscle mass and sometimes are treated with steroids. Since 1976 steroids have been used to enhance performance athletically. They are also used by bodybuilders to put on muscle mass. There are two ways to take anabolic steroids. One way is orally the other is by injection. Like many other performance enhancing drugs they are taken in cycles. These cycles are months and sometimes weeks. They are designed so that the body does not stop producing the hormone or nutrient in other cases naturally. Another reason for this is to reduce the negative affects of steroids. Steroid users often take several different steroids to maximize the results. This is known as â€Å"stacking†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many sports organizations have taken action to prevent the use of steroids by giving random drug tests. As drug tests become more and more common so do the ways of covering up the use. A very common way of covering up steroid use is by using oral steroids which are usually untraceable after two weeks. Another way that is used is by taking other drugs that dilute the urine to pass the drug tests. All in all steroids are not worth the risk. Side effects like these prove it. In males use of steroids because shrinking of testicles, reduced sperm count, increased risk of baldness, increased risk of prostate cancer, weakened tendons, liver damage, premature heart attacks or strokes, and development of breasts. In woman steroids also have non intriguing side effects such as, male pattern baldness, changes is or pause of menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris and deepened voice.

Global Context of Modern Business Essay

China is believed to have the oldest continuous civilisation. China has over 4,000 years of provable history. Beijing is the capital of China and is the most important point for the country. The official language is standard Chinese, which is derived from the Mandarin language however most business people speak English. There are many dialects in China however there is only one written language. A communist form of government rules China. The Chinese government promotes atheism although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The Chinese practice a variety of religions however Confucianism; despite not being a formal religion is practiced widely throughout the country. China is the most densely populated county in the world with approximately 1. 3 billion people as of mid- 2008. Almost 100 percent of the population are ethnic or Han Chinese. There are strict rules regarding childbirth and each couple is limited to only one child. Opportunities There are lot of trade and investment opportunities for exporters in the China market. Some of the major sectors currently experiencing rapid growth are: processed food and beverages, gambling, transport, IT and telecommunications, minerals and energy, environment protection, building construction products and services. Three of the major growth industries though are the exporting of education, processed food and wine products. Education The foreign education sector in China is split in two – students studying abroad and foreign education service providers establishing a presence in Shanghai. The type of students interested in Australia includes those who desire pure language study and those who wish to study university degrees right through to post-graduate/MBA studies etc. As the cost of overseas study remains high, pursuing qualifications through foreign accredited institutions in China has become more practical and more popular. Course delivery can take two forms. One is the foreign school catering exclusively to expatriates, which can be wholly foreign owned and the investor need not be an education entity. The other is a co-operative arrangement or twinning with a Chinese institution where local students are the target markets. These schools are encouraged to provide vocational education. Foreign investors must have a Chinese partner who can lodge an application with the local education authorities for approval. Processed Food As Chinese become more prosperous, demand for more sophisticated products, with a greater emphasis on quality, convenience and freshness continues to grow. This means that significant unsatisfied demand for richly processed foods exists. There has always been a stable market for imported foods in China, especially in respect to hotels, bars and western style restaurants. Increasingly, Chinese consumers themselves are becoming to lay great stress on brand and brand loyalty than before. This means that companies with a strong international brand and aggressive marketing strategies continue to hold large market shares. Foreign companies that have been given permission by the Chinese government to set up supermarket chains include Yaohan, Wellcome, Parkson, Park ‘N Shop, Careful, Pricemart and CHC. These companies are setting up supermarkets in a limited number of locations. Wine Wine is especially popular in the large cities of China (Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou) and has great potential given the increasing disposable income of local people, the health benefits of drinking wine and the government campaign against grain-based alcoholic drinks. However, many Chinese have little knowledge of table wine, and few people can differentiate quality and appreciate the taste. With this in mind, and excellent promotional tool could be wine appreciation and information courses to educate food and beverage managers, restaurant owners and waiters. This would also attract high-income earners and may ultimately stimulate the consumption of quality wine. The Chinese wine market is price sensitive and consequently locally manufactured wine holds the largest market share. French companies are active in setting up joint venture either growing grapes and manufacturing wine or bottling bulk-imported wine. Better quality wine is limited to hotels and restaurants and consumed mostly by Western diners. To successfully sell wine in China, local bottling of bulk-imported wine is considered the most economical and practical way to supply the local market with a competitively priced product. The opportunities arise from rapid economic growth in the world’s largest market and the availability of a cheap manufacturing base from which to sell to China and the world. From a manufacturing perspective, China in the long run will be distinguished by its overall business strength and structure, including the huge investments made to ensure China has a modern competitive manufacturing sector. All businesses need to be clear about whether they want to sell or manufacture in China. Long-term, China business strategies should not be based on the availability of cheap labour – this is disappearing as China becomes wealthier. The number of high net-worth individuals on the Chinese mainland has hit a record high and they are continuing to spend, according to the Hurun 2009 Wealth Report. The study found 825,000 mainland Chinese – or one in 1,700 – with a personal wealth of at least US$1 million. And now the rich are more likely to be found in second- and third-tier mainland cities. A new generation of consumers is emerging in China – they are young, well educated and familiar with non-Chinese cultures. This ‘Y generation’ of 240 million, born between 1980 and 1990, is now the highest earning age group in the country and is looking for a new way of life. They typically live in the major cities on the Eastern seaboard of China and in particular in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou where GDP per person is now over US$5,000 but corresponds in Purchasing Power Parity terms to four times that amount. Challenges Starting to do business in China is likely to be more costly and time consuming than in other markets. Challenges arise because of China’s size, its gold rush style growth and the fact China has a very different business culture and environment from what businesses in other countries are used to. China is different in size, culture, politics, geography, history and economic structure. These issues can present challenges for companies looking to sell or invest in China which can only be overcome by thorough research, spending a lot of time in-market and following a focused business plan. Language and culture barriers The main challenges of doing business in China would be language and culture barriers. Before you visit China, it will be a definitely good idea to prepare yourself by studying aspects of Chinese language, culture, history, and geography. Your hosts will appreciate your initiative. If you speak Chinese, they will really appreciate your efforts and take your initiative of doing business in China more seriously than if you do not speak any of their language. Moreover, your ability of being able to understand Chinese language will help you to establish a successful business. It is essential for the foreign-funded enterprises to understand the China’s culture, especially regarding the culture of Guangxi (relationship), so as to be able to gain the popularity and trust of China population. With a good relationship, business can become smoother and probability of failure will be greatly reduced. Stronger bonds can also be built with the customers, suppliers and partners. In China, Guangxi is a complicated field. A special feature of doing business in China will be that Guangxi will have to include relationship with the government body, investors, partners and even relationship with your own staff, so when doing business in China, it is important for foreign investors to learn to coordinate with the China government, especially establishing good relationship with government bodies dealing with foreign trade and economic cooperation. Government procedures Governmental procedures for foreign investors in establishing investments in China is extremely complicated, thus if one is unfamiliar of the procedures, one will delay his business opportunities. Therefore it is important for one to be familiar with the investment procedures before carrying out his investment in China. A safer and more appropriate way will be to seek help from local organisations familiar in the same field of business or consultant firms who are able to provide professional advice and assistance. Determination and patience may be essential for an investor to be successful, however it is necessary for one to require help from professional bodies to ensure that success will be achieved. Conclusion China’s labour market very much appeals to many foreign investors. This is because on one hand, labour cost is low, and on the other hand China’s workforce has become matured and their skills have been constantly upgraded, especially in the coastal cities. Educational development is undergoing at a wonderful pace in China, thus it is no longer difficult to hire high quality labour force in China today. Many successful foreign investors have even credited their success in China to their China’s local staff. One big problem that is causing headache to foreign investors is how to maintain good relationship (Guangxi) with the local staff. First of all, top management should cultivate the company’s vision and values into the employees because what the local people are taught under China’s educational system may crash with the foreign management system. Thus only by letting the employees understand the company better can allow the company to function better.

Oppressive Nature Of Slavery According To F.Douglass - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1221 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/05/29 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Frederick Douglass Essay Did you like this example? In 1845 nonfiction book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written and told by Frederick Douglass himself, Douglass tells the true story of the cold, harsh, unsettling conditions he was forced to experience as a slave in the 1800s. Frederick reveals the transformation that took him from a boy slave into manhood and how he had to rely on his own intellect to make his cruel conditions just even the slightest bit better. This autobiography gives insight into an everyday slavers daily routine and lifestyle and how much of a struggle it was to keep waking up morning after morning to tend to their duties as an enslaved person. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Oppressive Nature Of Slavery According To F.Douglass" essay for you Create order Douglass illustrates how each waking at sunrise before freedom felt worse than the last, and how every task felt more strenuous. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass has a ranking of 4 stars on a 5 star rating scale, which will be explained in detail later. Frederick Douglass autobiography provides personal insight to the oppressive nature of slavery, and displays how enslavement was a crime against all humanity. Frederick Douglass begins his autobiography detailing memories he has from his early childhood, which are few and far between. He tells of what would be a life-altering tragedy for most when his mother died was just another unfortunate experience in his life that would be full of them. He tells of how he rarely saw his mother, and that he has little to no recollection of what she was even like as a person. His father, he suspected, was most likely one of his former masters. Douglass also does an exemplary job of illustrating how he and other slaves learned early on in their lives the basic rules to survival on their plantations, such as admitting to crimes they never committed in order to avoid further beatdowns, punishments, or even potentially death, courtesy of their masters. A significant moment in Frederickrs life would come when he gained the chance to move away from his former master colonel Lloyd, and go live in Baltimore, Maryland. Douglass would tell of how Colonel Lloyd was not only cruel, but was extremely unfair and had no real sense of morality or mercy for his slaves. Frederick would state several times how much this move meant to him, and how it not only gave him new opportunities, it gave him new hope. It was here in his new home of Baltimore where Douglass would learn the ability to read from his initially kind but later malicious mistress, Mrs. Auld. Mrs. Auld would teach Douglass the alphabet until her husband, Mr. Auld, became aware and informed her to stop at once. But, Frederick had already learned as much as he needed to to figure out that him becoming literate was the key to his eventual escape from enslavement. He later learned how to write on his own, and with these two new crucial abilities, he had a new outlook on life. He saw hi s situation in a brand new light and began imagining ways of how he could one day flee from his masters and become the thing he had always desired: a free man. Frederick emphasizes that this was truly the turning point in his life as a slave, and now freedom was the only thing on his mind for the days and months that would follow. Douglass master would later die, and Frederick would eventually end up being a slave to new master, Mr. Covey. Initially, Frederick was ecstatic to be in the hands of Mr. Covey because Mr. Covey had a reputation for feeding his slaves a substantial amount of food to eat each day. Douglass would make a clear point earlier on in his autobiography that the worst thing a master could do to his slaves was not feed them enough food to consume, which Douglass no longer had to worry about. On the contrary, he would later find out that Mr. Covey had a reputation for being something else; a negro-breaker. Frederick made great points of how this negro-breaker reputation would prove to initially be far worse than anything he had experienced in his life as a slave before, but he would also foreshadow how this reputation led him to obtaining manhood. Douglass was subject to whippings, beatdowns, and verbal humiliation on a regular basis. He would be hurt to the point where he could not make it back to his feet, and still, he would be beaten once more. This built-up frustration with his master finally led to Frederick fighting back the next time Mr. Covey came to assault him, and after two hours of fighting, he would prevail over his master. Frederick would describe how this victory brought upon him a euphoric-like feeling, and that he had once more obtained a sense of his own manhood. For the remaining months Mr. Covey would be Douglass master, he did not lay a single finger on him. Douglass would later be sent to a new plantation, and ultimately flee up to the North where he would at last be a free man. Autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass gives the reader an up close and personal look at what an ordinary slave had to go through each and every laborious day, and does a wonderful job of thoroughly telling how slavery shaped Frederickrs entire life and impacted his every thought. Douglass tells his own personal story in intricate detail which will tug at the heartstrings of the reader each time out of pure commiseration for him and his unimaginable struggles. This nonfiction novel was both informative and captivating from start to finish. It not only told a story, it gave the reader new insight to unknown thoughts and feelings an ordinary slave would have on a daily basis. Furthermore, Frederick wonderfully wrote this novel of his lifers story especially well for someone who only learned the alphabet in their young adulthood. Frederick intended to show the world the cruelties of slavery and how he fought through enslavement in his own way, and he very much succeeded in doing that in this novel. The only flaw in this book would be with Frederick not fully and thoroughly going into detail about how he made his escape from slavery, although he did have a reasonable explanation for why he could not go into that detail. He would state how he chose not to reveal his escape plan because he wanted to use it to help other slaves abscond, which would not be very possible if that information became public knowledge. Still, to this day many are left wondering just exactly how he did it, despite a few subtle clues in the closing chapters of the autobiography. If Frederick intended to use this descriptive book to give the world intuition on how slaves were treated and affected during his time period, and also tell a story of how he was changed from a slave to a man, then he very much succeeded in his autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. He aimed to tell the world just who he was and how he became the man he was, and he did exactly that. This novel of Frederick Douglass life was a captivating, enthralling page-turner, and it is a definite read for any and all people.