Racism and classism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism and classism - Essay Example According to Memmi, the world of the colonizers enjoys the enormous privilege, from economic to social issues, while the colonized suffer all the colonialism injustices, from racism to sexism. The book quotes Cecil Rhodes on his comment concerning land and niggers (the blacks) to highlight the colonial issue of racism. Arguably, all stereotypical colonialism undermines the colonized race with dark and brutal methods of governance. The philosophical definition of racism, with emphasis on the suffix –ism, is the belief that the primary determinant of capabilities of humans is based on their race. With this perception, therefore, the colonists viewed the colonized as a weaker race who would work under them. The author thus expresses the opinion that the colonized do not exist individually, but rather as a mass in the eyes of the colonialists. This creates the concept of classism, where the colonizers set a different social class for themselves, and a much lower one for the coloni zed. In essence, classism entails the systematic oppression of minority, or weaker groups to strengthen dominant groups. ... of power for the enforced the colonizers’ language, thus, the native tongues were neither written nor read, rusting in the course of the colonialism (Sartre 20). The result was an uprising against the colonial rule that contributed to the re-instatement of the culture, religion, and tradition of the native society. According to him, revolt is the only solution to end the brutality of dictatorship and resolve the contradiction of the oppressed and the oppressor. The chapters in the book that contain arguments on the colonized are free of debate to a certain degree, but the earlier sections concern the literature on the colonizer is scathing. Despite writing the book from personal experience in North Africa, Memmi believes that there is no middle ground fro Europeans. According to him, all the Europeans in all the colonies are de fact colonizers and either all of them will return to Europe (at the time) or will ultimately become colonizers themselves (Sartre 22). It is true that the Europeans were enjoying privileges not similar to the colonized; it does not conclusively mean that all of them were upholding or supporting the colonial system. In contrast, there were certain minority colonial outposts that supported the colonized liberation efforts, thus, opposing the rule of the mother country. In one of his quotes, Memmi says, â€Å"the entire weight of the Europeans perpetuates the colonial oppression, whether intentional or otherwise†. This argument is ancient, similar to stating that all the people in the Western nations support and benefit from oppression of poorer, which is simply incorrect. Later in the book, the author contradicts his earlier stand by stating that Europeans who originate elsewhere other than the colonizing country are neither colonizers or

Jornal assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jornal assignment - Essay Example On the other hand, young people have their whole lives ahead of them, so they have all the more reason to vote. Another reason why young people don’t get out and vote as much is because they do not consider it a priority in their lives. Young people aged between 18 and 29 generally have other activities that keep them preoccupied, such as studying, working, or partying. For these first two activities, young people could actually improve their prospects of getting a job or receiving a scholarship to go to university simply by voting for politicians who support education and creating jobs. For the issue of partying, there is not much to do that could change young people’s attitudes because of the particular stage where they are at in their lives. Furthermore, young people may not vote because they constantly move from state to state and so are not registered to vote where they currently reside. Young people often experience great upheaval as part of their lives, and this may mean moving from state to state to try and find a suitable job. Changing over voter registration to another state may seem complicated and too time consuming, and so young people just choose not to update their details. Also, if young people are out of state, then they may not want to send in a ballot beforehand because it involves a lot of extra effort. The key to getting young people to the ballot box is by making things as simple as possible for them. The first way to encourage young people to vote is by providing education about the voting system and what their votes mean to the well-being of the country as a whole. Young people are at a stage in their lives where they are articulate, and so they can understand a reasonable argument that is presented to them in an easy to understand manner. Another way to get younger people to vote is by presenting campaigns to them through a medium that they are already comfortable with. This of course refers to social media such as Facebook

The poem Limbo Essay Example for Free

The poem Limbo Essay The poem Limbo is an extended metaphor for the parallel stories of the slaves journey alongside the limbo dance. Throughout the poem, lines and stanzas can be interpreted in many different ways due to the many meanings of the overall message. The title, Limbo itself has many different meanings. For example, the word stereotypically relates to the dance, made up by the slaves on board the ship in order to stay fit when attached to iron bars, in which the dancer has to go under the stick without touching it in order to stay in the game. The title also means a region on the border between Heaven and Hell, referring to the slaves journey on the ship as, in their eyes, India is Heaven and America is Hell, and they are in the middle of the two, journeying towards Hell. Alternatively, the word means a state of uncertainty or a state of imprisonment or confinement. The slaves were imprisoned on the ship with no means of escape, their future already mapped out in front of them. The poem is set out into 24 loose and rhythmic stanzas of varying lengths, giving the poem a beat as means to giving it backing music which the dance would involve. There are 7 repetitive choruses, making it seem more like a dance. These choruses are presented in italics to represent the echoing of the slaves replies to the guards. A lot of language devices have been applied in Limbo. The word stick is mentioned six times in the poem, and each way can be interpreted differently. In Limbo, the dance, dancers have to take turns going under the constantly lowering stick without touching it. If they touch the stick they face disqualification, running parallel to the fact that many slaves couldnt last the entire journey and were therefore thrown overboard in order to produce space. The stick also represents the whip with which the guards used to hit the innocent slaves with to get them in line. Lastly, this could mean the drumstick, which provides the beat and therefore atmosphere for the dance. Effectively, the poem is written in 1st person, as though Brathwaite was a slave and this is his own personal experience. This adds drama to the whole poem as it is presented as a first hand account and therefore more reliable. As a reader, it also makes us more vulnerable to succumb to this feeling of frustration at the way slaves were treated and what there thoughts and feelings were.

The Aesthetics Of One Cult Film Film Studies Essay

The Aesthetics Of One Cult Film Film Studies Essay This essay will discuss the aesthetics of the cult film, Blade Runner. Firstly we will look at the way in which theorists have set out to define the extensive genre of cult film, looking at in particular, but not limited to, the works of theorists Telotte, Jancovitch and Sconce etc.   We will then analyse the film Blade Runner, dissecting the film and its aesthetics and discuss how, or if, they contribute to making it a cult classic, looking at its appeal to audiences, and what makes it transgressive in its theme and style. Cult film is a diverse and wide-ranging quasi-genre that cannot be attributed to one set of stylistic conventions, as Sconce comments in his study [cult film] would include entries from such seemingly disparate subgenres as bad films, spatterpunk,mondo films, sword and sandal epics, Elvis flicks, governmental hygiene films, Japanese monster moves, beach party musicals, and just about every other historical manifestation of exploitation cinema from juvenile delinquency documentaries to soft core pornography. (Sconce, J (1995)  Cult fictions: Cult Movies, Subcultural Capital and the Production of Cultural Distinctions. p.373). There is one feature that can be attributed to that of all cult films the devout admiration that it receives from its fans, Sconce argues this further it is not defined according to some single, unifying feature shared by all cult movies, but rather through a sub-cultural ideology in filmmaker, films or audiences are seen as existing to the opposition to the mainstream. In other words, cult is largely a matter of the ways in which films are classified in consumption. (ibid p.373).   As there are no clearly defined set of characteristics that define a cult film, I believe it is useful to look at  the etymological root of the word cult, which  comes from the Latin word cultus and means belief and ritual. J.P. Telotte states in his 1991 book Beyond All Reason: The Nature of Cult, that the word  signifies both adherence and mastery and also submission and domination, meaning that the word is steeped in a dual purpose to both worship and control (p.14). Telotte furthers this argument by stating that a film transitions to its cult status by the actions of its fans through a process of reception and conversion a film is transformed into an object of cryptic worship and a supertext is created by the audiences actions with the original text (p.7). Other theorists such as Jancovitch and Sexton also empathise this strong link between cult films and audience appropriation processes. All theorists also argue the process of resurrection is a feature of a lot of cult f ilms that a film takes on cult status when it is resurrected from its critical and / or commercial failures and  takes on a new life through its adoption by this new niche audience. The film is brought back to life within a different cultural context, attracting strong emotional connections from audiences who use it to define themselves in opposition to what is considered as the norm or mainstream at that time (Jancovitch (2003) Defining Cult Movies: The Cultural Politics of Oppositional Taste. p.1). This inference that cult film viewers love their films for aggressively attacking the established quality of cannon cinema  Sconce, J. (1995) Trashing the Academy: Taste, Excess, and an Emerging Politics of Cinematic Style. p.374) and that the text is not always in opposition on its release, is often drawn upon when assessing the cult film. It is this resurrected category of cult films that Ridley Scotts Blade Runner falls into.   Transgression is another feature of many cult films as, as stated, cult fans are often attracted to themes and styles that can clearly be understood as in opposition to the mainstream, ignoring the established conventions and rejoicing in difference. According to theorist Barry Grant, transgression can be understood in terms of content, attitude or style (Grant, B K (1991) Science fiction double feature: Ideology in the Cult Film. p.123). Saturated with cultural visual references and clichà ©s, generic hybridity, collage-like excessiveness, and technical incompetence are all recognised stylistic and aesthetic examples of transgression in cult film. Transgressive subject matter in cult films are the subjects that often are ignored or deemed too taboo for mainstream cinema such as rape, transvestism, social / political critique, incest, dehumanisation, ideas of dystopia and slavery etc. Blade Runner can be seen as transgressive in its style, content and attitude by the way in which is paints a gritty, dystopian vision of the future that explores themes of dehumanisation, slavery, social criticism and crisis and corporate / capitalist greed. The aesthetic aspects of the film present a shadowy, rainy visual style that is indebted to the genre of Film Noir. This helps to reinforce the subversive themes, submerging the audience into a dark, oppressive world that is familiar (through its constant cultural references) but alien at the same time, namely though its captivating special effects. Blade Runner can also be seen as transgressive in its narrative style and pace many viewers criticised the film for its slow-developing storyline and filming style that went against the speedy, action-packed action of sci-fi films of its time. It is also a prime example of generic hybridity, crossing over cinematic styles such as Film Noir, Science-Fiction, Thriller and Romance.   You are no longer simply a fan of Blade Runner: you are part of the world of Blade Runner or even a blade runner yourself. (Brooker, W (1999) Internet Fandom and the Continuing Narratives of Star Wars, Blade Runner and Alien, p.60). Ridleys Scotts Blade Runner, released in 1982 (re-release 1992) by Warner Bros, was adapted from Philip K. Dicks novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Initially it was not well received but went on to achieve cult status with fans dedicating websites and fan conventions to the film. Depicting a dystopian Los Angles in 2019, it is now thought of as the benchmark with which to compare cinematic representations of urban decay. The film has made a lasting impression and long stayed in the minds of countless fans in the 30 years since it was released, justifying its further releases.  Blade Runner was released during the same year as big blockbuster hits such as E.T. and Star Trek II. Not only did the film have to compete with such big-budget movies, but these films are almost in direct opposition to Blade Runners gritty disposition, and their up-beat attitude. Unsurprisingly the film was not a box-office success, taking only $14.5m in ticket s ales whilst costing an estimated $28m to make. Critical reception was also disappointing with most reviewers failing to fully understand the film in one sitting, and so dismissing the narrative as muddled and inconsistent. Fortunately Blade Runner was produced around the same time as the arrival of home cable and videotapes and was chosen as one of the first films to be released for home video. This ultimately meant that the film was now made available for people who wouldnt normally go to the cinema to watch sci-fi films and enabled the viewer to watch as many times needed in order to fully understand and appreciate the complex narrative, and it was in rental video and cable TV that Blade Runner found its devoted audience. Since this time the film has been released a further two times once ten years on in 1992 as a Directors Cut and again in 2007 as a five-disc Final cut including deleted scenes and commentary the ultimate collectable for the cult fan. Although there were only tw o official releases, there are several different versions of the film. This enables the cult fan to research the details of the other versions, helping them to better understand and identify the film and fulfil their desires for more.   First, the [cult] phenomenal experience is an aesthetic one. It is an experience that is sought for its own sake- as an end in itself. (Mathijis, E Sexton, J (2011) Cult Cinema p.18).   In Blade Runner, cult aesthetic techniques help to articulate the films critique of capitalism. The shadowy visual style is all-encompassing and supports the films transgressive themes. The set design and narrative use of set spaces create an atmosphere of (frightening) splendour and mystery. The high towers are only accessible by futuristic flying crafts (only available to the police) or by controlled access lifts. Blade Runner contrasts an upper city for the authorities and the wealthy, with a dirty and more chaotic lower city for the masses. The continual darkness and absence of natural light constantly remind us of mans destructive greed and is juxtaposed to the bright neon lights of the commercial adverts placed in every possible space. These mesmerising neon billboards and corporate adverts that dominate the city signify capitalist greed and are the only source of light in what would otherwise be a very bleak and depressing environment. The garish pink and red colours also evok e references to Hell. In their stark contrast to the obscure landscape below, the bright neon colours suggest the links in advanced capitalism, with the sparkling promises of consumption and the cruel realities of production and the mundane. These urban scenes manifest our fears about urban decay, and visualise our anxieties of complete corporate dominance of everyday life. The urban images paint a ruined and devastated natural environment with many buildings abandoned and streets overflowing with rubbish. I would argue that the use of the light in the film enhances the themes of social and political critique and thus helps cult fans to understand it as in opposition to the mainstream and thus identify themselves with it. Camera angles, shadows and the use of smoke are also very important aesthetics in conveying the films dark mood. POV camera angles are used to help the audience identify with the characters who are both humans and replicants- highly advanced cyborg slaves, manufactured by the Tyrell Corporation, that are More Human Than Human (The fictional companys marketing slogan) and eventually become hostile to their creator. Wide sweeping shots with high camera angles, looking either up at the tall imposing buildings or down at the dark streets, convey the enormity of the city and its intimidating atmosphere. This atmosphere of fear and intimidation is also created through the use of filming the city through the glass-bottomed police hover-cars that patrol the streets and see al l there is to offer in this dismal landscape. Scott uses shadow to continue the theme of darkness which, of course, lends from the Film Noir style of using shadow to create mood and enhance drama. The darkness continues even with indoor scenes and as in Film Noir movies, blinds are used to separate light and fragment the narrative visually. Shadowing is often used in the film to convey the underlying darkness in the narrative when it may not be apparent this is evident in a scene in JF Sebastians flat where Pris and Ron Batty (replicants) are hiding out (Sebastian is not aware they are Replicants) and although the characters are being nice to Sebastian, the viewer can sense that something more sinister is going on. Smoke is another feature used heavily in the film to create mystery and fear. Most characters smoke, expressing their paranoia and anxiousness. Smoke also emits from the industrial buildings, polluting the city and again, adding to the sinister tone.   Blade Runners generic hybridity is a recognised transgressive aesthetic within Cult film, with Telotte arguing that the generic mish-mash is a defining element (Telotte (1991) Beyond All Reason: The Nature of Cult  ). As discussed, Blade Runner embodies the visual style and aesthetics of many different film genres, such as Film Noir, Thriller, Romance, and of course Science-Fiction. Sci-Fi as a generic style is displayed in many cult films the groundbreaking special effects and visuals present the possibilities of new worlds with strange creatures and previously unimagined landscapes. This becomes the perfect breeding ground to explore the transgressive and subversive themes mentioned above.  If generic hybridity and collage-like excessiveness are recognised cult film aesthetics, then Film Noir and Thriller are perfect genres to lend from, for their roots in formal complexity are articulated through aesthetic and ideological ambiguity. According to Nicole Rafter Film Noir and cr ime films provide ways for viewers to enjoy fantasies of violence and law-breaking by offering forbidden pleasure and its chastisement, they offer viewers both transgression and the return to conformity, thus alleviating their anxiety about social norms (Rafter, N (2000) Shots in the Mirror: Crime Films and Society  p.153-154). This can easily be related to Telottes ideas on transgression in cult films that they allow the viewer to embrace the other within them and that this is a gesture or a feeling of being transgressive without actually being transgressive (Telotte, J P (1991) Beyond All Reason: The Nature of Cult  ). As mentioned above, the themes and narrative structure of Blade Runner are complex and the average viewer may find they need to watch the film many times in order to fully appreciate and understand it (which in itself encourages cult viewing). In conclusion I cannot deny that Blade Runners aesthetics are what set it aside from the popular movies of its time and so encouraging fans to read it as in opposition to the norm, and identify / align themselves with it. There is also no denying that the aesthetics and mis en scene come together to help narrate the story and support the films transgressive themes, again helping it to achieve its cult status. Fans can surround themselves in this strange but magical world and rejoice in its difference. Ultimately I believe that it is not solely a films cult aesthetics that establish it as cult film or encourage a cult following. Instead they support and encourage the cult themes and subject matter helping to visualise the films sub-cultural ideology (Sconce, J (1995).  

Gambling in the United States Essay examples -- Gaming Casinos

Gambling in the United States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gambling has increased in the last couple of years. Is it because people are addicted? There are two types of gambling: Compulsive Gambling and pathological gambling. Compulsive Gambling is when people have a hard time resisting to gamble. Pathological Gambling is when there is a need to gamble for money or for large amounts of money. Also people don’t know when to quit when they are pathological gamblers. Both types of gambling have major side effects, and can both lead to serious gambling problems.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Studies show that 82% of people gamble. In 1975 only 61% gambled (Richard E. Vatz).† Gambling has increased rapidly in the United States. Many Americans who gamble often lose more than they win. It is a bad habit that many people develop. As people are young the gamble for fun, as It carries on some may become addicted, and can become a â€Å"Pathological or Compulsive† Gambler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"One third of Problem gamblers who receive treatment for compulsive gambling also received treatment for either chemical dependency or mental health problems (Lee S. Weinberg).† This is why people don’t know when to quit because some may have mental problems. If someone has a gambling problem, it is a serious behavior disorder that can cause psychological, financial, emotional, marital, and legal difficulties. Gambling effects peoples lives and families, not just the person who is gambling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many signs when people have gambling p...

Bad Day Dawning :: essays research papers

That we can learn a lot about a man from the books and films he chooses is borne out by Timothy McVeigh. One of his favorite films: the 1984 Patrick Swayze epic Red Dawn. It follows a group of small town teens' conversion to guerilla fighters when a foreign army invades America. Like McVeigh, the teens stock up on survival gear - mainly guns and ammo - in order to defend their country from annihilation. And one of McVeigh's favorite books: The Turner Diaries written by former American Nazi Party honcho William L. Pierce, under the pen name Andrew Macdonald. Its hero - Earl Turner - responds to gun control by making a truck bomb and blowing up the Washington FBI Building. Two scenarios - all too familiar. It was April 19, 1995 - a perfect, sun-drenched Oklahoma morning in springtime. Against a perfect blue-sky background, a yellow Ryder Rental truck carefully made its way through the streets of downtown Oklahoma City. Just after 9 am, the vehicle pulled into a parking area outside the Alfred P. Murrah Building and the driver stepped down from the truck's cab and casually walked away. A few minutes later, at 9:02, all hell broke loose as the truck's deadly 4000-pound cargo blasted the government building with enough force to shatter one third of the seven-story structure to bits. Glass, concrete, and steel rained down. Indiscriminately mixed in the smoldering rubble were adults and children alive and dead. The perpetrator, twenty-seven-year-old Timothy James McVeigh, by now safely away from the devastation was convinced he acted to defend the Constitution, for he saw himself as crusader, warrior avenger and hero. But in reality, he was little more than a misguided coward. He never even heard clearly the sound of the initial sirens of emergency vehicles rushing to the scene. Because, blocks away, he was wearing earplugs to protect himself from the roar of a blast so powerful it lifted pedestrians off the ground. One Japanese tourist no stranger to powerful earthquakes called the blast "worse than the worst quake. Because there was no initial warning, no noise to say 'something terrible is going to happen'; it just hit." When it did, a massive ball of fire momentarily outshone the sun and the north side of the building disintegrated. Traffic signs and parking meters were ripped from the pavement. Glass shattered and flew like bullets, targeting and maiming pedestrians blocks away. Inside the broken building, survival depended on location at zero hour.

Crisis of Kingfisher Airlines Essay

The Indian air market is estimated to be the ninth largest in the world but with the population size the country has, the Indian government believes it will become the world’s third largest market by 2020. 87 foreign and five Indian airlines fly to and from India to 40 countries. Approximately five million Indians fly every month domestically. Domestic traffic more than doubled between Jul-2006 and July 2011, with growth of 101%. One reason for the growth was the deregulation of Indian domestic aviation in 2003- 2004 followed by international deregulation in 2007-2008 India has three full service airlines Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and four Low cost carriers: GoAir, IndiGo, JetLite (owned by Jet airways), and SpiceJet. Kingfisher also had a discount version: Kingfisher Red known formerly as Simplifly Deccan and before that Air Deccan. Ironically the Indian aviation despite a market growing at 18 per cent for last 11 months, five out of six Indian airlines are bleeding leading to the failure of one of the leading aviation player – Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher Airlines, a subsidiary of UB Group (United Breweries Holdings Ltd), founded in May 2005 operates a passenger airline in India. It was the first airline in India to provide premium first class service on domestic routes with all new aircraft. In May 2007, it announced it would acquire a 26% stake in Air Deccan, a low cost carrier (LCC) for 5.5 billion rupees ($135 million). Kingfisher Airlines Limited came to become one of the country’s largest airlines, operating more than 400 flights a day and having a wide network of destinations, with regional and long-haul international services touching almost 60 destinations. At one point the Kingfisher Airlines had the second largest share in India’s domestic air travel market. However due to the severe financial crisis faced by the airline, it has the fifth largest market share currently. Even the company have no funds to pay the salaries to the employees and is facing several other issues like fuel dues; aircraft lease rental dues, service tax dues and bank arrears. As Kingfisher airlines is in the midst of a financial turmoil, the case will aim to understand the various factors which are fuelling the growth / decline and those which are/will be critical for the company’s performance in the near term. Introduction History of the Indian Airline Industry In December 1912, the first domestic air route was opened between Delhi and Karachi by the Indian State Air Services (in collaboration with Imperial Airways of the UK). This marked a new beginning in India. Three years later, Tata Sons started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras. At that time, there were a few transport companies operating within and also beyond the frontiers of the country, carrying both air cargo and passengers. Some of these were Tata Airlines, Indian National Airways, Air Service of India, Deccan Airways, Ambica Airways, Bharat Airways and Mistry Airways. The Tata Airlines was converted into a public limited company in the year 1946 and renamed Air India Limited. In 1948 a joint sector company-Air India International was established by the Government of India and Air India headed by J.R.D. Tata. In 1953, the Parliament passed the Air Corporation Act. Air India International and Indian Airlines Corporation came into formal existence and Air India International was nationalized. The Indian Aviation sector was liberalized in commence in 1990 with private sector players being allowed to operate as air taxi operators in India. A number of private players commenced domestic operations like Damania, East-West, Modiluft, Air Sahara and NEPC, entered the industry. However, a decade later none of them have survived. Foreword of Kingfisher Airlines Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is The Qube in Andheri (East), Mumbai; and Registered Office in UB City, Bangalore. Kingfisher Airlines was established in 2003 and began operations on 9 May 2005 with a fleet of five A380s, five Airbus A350s aircraft and five Airbus A330s operating its first inaugural flight from Mumbai to Delhi. It seems staggering that an airline a month old could order the world’s biggest plane in an untested market. They went international in 2008, less than four years ago. In May 2009, they became India’s largest airline by passenger numbers. Owned by the Bangalore based United Breweries Group. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red. The UB group is lead by Dr. Vijay Mallya as the Chairman to one of India’s largest conglomerates with diverse interests in brewing, distilling, real estate, engineering, fertilizers, biotechnology, information technology and aviation. Dr. Mallya, was elected by shareholders as Chairman of The UB Group in 1983, at the age of 28 and has been instrumental in growing it into a multinational business conglomerate. Kingfisher is the only Indian and the one of the six in the world to have received the 6 stars rating for its services by the Skytrax operates more than 400 flights a day connecting 72 destinations the world over. Merger of Kingfisher- Air Deccan A wholly owned subsidiary of Deccan Aviation, Air Deccan, was India’s first low cost carrier. It has a vision to enable every Indian to fly thus representing the airline’s simple and no frills approach. With a low pricing strategy, Air Deccan primarily focussed on first time travellers and successfully shifted people from Rail travel to Air travel. Air Deccan airlines merged with Kingfisher Airlines and decided to operate as a single entity from April, 2008 under the title name – Kingfisher Aviation. The merger is based on recommendations of Accenture, the global consulting firm. KPMG was asked to do the valuation and the swap ratio was decided accordingly. The merger came through on as Vijay Mallya from Kingfisher airlines bought 26% of the stake in Air Deccan. The unification of the two carriers had to be sanctioned not only by the two panels, but also by the institutional investors, independent directors, and other shareholders. Air Deccan had four independent directors-which included prominent persons like IIM Prof Thiru Naraya, Tennis player Vijay Amritraj, and A K Ganguly, Former MD Nabisco Malaysia. Post merger, KingFisher would operate as a single largest (private) airline in the sub-continent with a combined fleet of 71 aircrafts, connects 70 destinations and operating 550 flights in a day. The combined entity has a market share of 33%. Captain Gopinath continued as the Executive Chairman and Vijay Malay in-charge as the Vice Chairman. To rationalize the fleet structure, Kingfisher was focussed towards the international routes and functioning as a full-service carrier while Air Deccan was allotted the wider domestic reach and operated as a low cost carrier. As both the carriers operated the Airbus, the operational synergies integrated not only the management and staff of the airlines but also the engineering, inventory management and ground handling services, maintenance and overhaul sectors. These efforts brought about an increased savings in costs by 4-5% (INR. 300 crores)* Further, by devising a more optimal routing strategy it could help in rationalizing the fares. Before the merger Air Deccan recorded a net loss of Rs 213.17 crores on revenue of Rs 437.82 crores for 2006-07. The company had also raised Rs 400 crores through an IPO in May 2006. The merger will create a more competitive business in scale and scope to emerge as market leader.