The term public opinion

The term public opinion, as observed by many, is very much popular during the election period and or during those times wherein critical decisions are made or critical issues are dealt with in a manner that not everybody in the society agrees with. It is defined by any lexicon, as the aggregate of individual views, beliefs, and attitudes toward a certain issue.Public opinion can actually serve as a tool for people, especially those who are part of the governing body, in deciding on which would be the best option and or courses of action to undertake. To illustrate, during the election season, public opinion serves as a medium for people to decide on whom to vote.This is so because with the aid of public opinion, individuals gain access to various types of information pertaining to every electoral candidate (i.e. educational background, professional training, projects, etc.), thus enabling them to assess who will be the right candidate to for a particular key position. Public opinion may also serve as an acceptability measure for proposed laws and public policies.Public opinion has four distinct characteristics to wit: direction, stability, intensity, and saliency.   Direction, as a characteristic of public opinion, allows individuals to predict the most likely results of a certain issue, concern, and the like.To illustrate, during elections, an individual may be able to predict the probable outcome for presidential elections simply by relying on statistical data, i.e. 40 percent in favor of Mr. X and 60 percent in favor of Mr. Y. Thus it can be said that direction would refer to the proportion of the population that holds a particular view.Stability on the other hand, refers to the trends exhibited by the series of data on directions. Taking the elections as an example, knowledge on stability allows us to have a gut-feel or enables us to predict the most likely results of the said activity by means of reading the trends signified by the series of fluctuations of poll results.As for intensity, intensity would refer to the depth of feeling towards a certain issue and or concern. To illustrate, in the case of approving a house bill to become a law, the strong support to make the said house bill into a law exhibits how depth the feeling is towards that house bill or it can also be assumed that since there is a very strong support towards the passing of the bill, then the said house bill must be very important to each individual of the society and or the groups that will benefit most from its provisions.Lastly, saliency, this characteristic of public opinion allows us to assess how likely the people will act on the basis of their opinions.There are three agents of political socialization that influences the political views and attitudes held by every individual. This includes the family, schools, and the mass media.

In cold blood by Truman Capote Essay

â€Å"Oh, no! Oh please. No! No! No! No! Don’t! Oh, please don’t! Please! † (245). These were the last desperate words to be uttered by Nancy Clutter before she was savagely murdered. In Cold Blood, explicitly narrated by Truman Capote, is the true story of a brutally unexpected murder. Through this novel, Capote brings to life the harsh realities of a horrendous crime committed on the high wheat plains of western Kansas. A quiet all-American family was murdered during the bleak early hours of November 15th, 1959. As Capote recreates the murder, the investigation that led to the capture, the trial and the execution of the killers, he generates compelling suspense and empathy. The narrative embodies a twisted plot that grips you and forestalls you from putting it down. This book has more than one main character essentially because these two characters are the reason for the entire plot. Throughout the first half of the book, the reader basically chases after the murderers, Richard Eugene (Dick) Hickock and Perry Edward Smith. Perry and Dick were familiar with each other since they had celled together at Kansas State Penitentiary. Dick is your average guy, young (28 years old), arrogant, practical, and fastidious. Dick grew up with loving parents on a small farm near Olathe. He had a fond childhood and was married twice with two sons. Adversely, he was jailed for passing bad checks. Nonetheless, Dick’s character is not as ruthless and confident as he makes it seem in the first half of the novel. Perry, on the other hand, is someone people would look at curiously. He’s short with a very muscular torso and stubby legs. His legs were damaged due to a motorcycle accident in 1952. Perry’s only living relatives are his father, Tex John Smith and his sister, Barbara Johnson. Perry’s other two siblings, were victims of suicide. In contrast to Dick’s childhood, Perry’s was lonely and disorganized since his mother had abandoned him and he was left to grow up in a brutal Catholic orphanage. Perry’s goal in life was to dig up treasure in Mexico. He retained a wide collection of maps and souvenirs from different countries along with letters from his father and sister. Dick’s aspiration in life was to be a football player, but these were crushed by an atrocious car accident that left his long-jawed and narrow face tilted. Both Perry and Dick have similar surface traits, such as a high awareness of hygiene, especially with their fingernails. However, their inner personalities were miles apart. Except for the murder they committed that brought them together, they had nothing in common and, they disliked each other deeply. The main conflict or challenge that Perry has to face is Dick’s acceptance. Perry presented himself as a macho guy who is capable of murder and mayhem in order to stick with Dick. By presenting this image of himself, Perry believes he has acquired Dick’s trust and partnership. However, Dick does not think so. â€Å"Dick was sick of him – his harmonica, his aches and ills, his superstitions, the weepy, womanly eyes, the nagging, whispering voice. Suspicious, self-righteous, he was like a wife that must be got rid of. † (215). Dick’s opinion of Perry is quite apparent from this quote; he clearly intends on getting rid of Perry. By trying to be something he is not, Perry allows himself to be mistreated by Dick. He literally does everything Dick does and trails behind him ignorantly. Planning the murder was all Dick’s idea, and initially, he intended Perry to be his silent partner. Due to this conflict between Dick and Perry, Perry committed the murders, predominantly to impress Dick. The murders themselves become another conflict that Perry has to face. In the months after the slayings, he is haunted by the voices of the victims. Perry has to confine himself to a life of regret and unfulfilled dreams. Dick’s main conflict is facing up to his parents’ expectations. His parents raised him to be a fine law-abiding individual. However, Dick’s character betrays his parents’ hopes and trust. Through the work of four critically scrutinizing investigators, the cold heartless murder of the four members of the Clutter family is finally resolved and the culprits are caught. On December 30, 1959, Perry & Dick were arrested out in Las Vegas by two regular patrol officers. At the time, they were not told the exact reason why they were being arrested, only that they were on parole violation. In the midst of one-on-one interviews with the murderers, Detective Alvin Dewey (head investigator of the KBI) finally induced Perry and Dick to confess to the murder. They did so because they had no other choice; the evidence against them was unmistakable and Dick had turned against Perry. Dick confessed to the investigators that Perry was the one who shot all four members of the Clutter family, as Dick remained his silent partner. Between Dick and Perry, there’s an immense fissure surrounding trust. Once their crime is confessed, they turn against each other and blame one another for different parts of the crime. This shows how selfish human nature can be. By writing this book, Capote wanted readers to have a better understanding of human nature and the circumstances that induce us to behave the way we do. Overall, this book was a great read. It made me aware about something that actually happened long before I was born and it gave me a glimpse of what the world was like before our generation. Considering that this narrative is a true story, the style in which Capote wrote this book made it feel like a regular, yet captivating novel. The author fabricated some of the conversations to highlight the story’s novel-ish state. â€Å"‘Never mind,’ he [Mr.Clutter] said, responding to Nancy’s problem. ‘Skip the 4-H. I’ll take Kenyon instead. ‘†(19). Near the beginning of the novel, there are a lot of conversations that never took place in actual fact. Capote added these conversations to fill in the missing pieces of the story and to give the reader a sense of the victims’ lives before they were murdered. The book is divided up into four sections each linked through highly important events. Capote varies the length of the chapters to emphasize its level of importance. The chapters before the actual murder are short and shift back and forth between Perry, Dick and the Clutter household. This technique builds up the excitement and thrill of the events. The chapter in which Perry confesses is lengthy and is written in present tense thus emphasizing its importance. As I researched the background of this book, I found out that Capote started writing this novel because he got deeply attached to the story. At the time that the murder took place, Capote was a news reporter for Timelife and was given the job of writing a piece on how the killings had devastated a happy, tight-knit little community. He was in the town writing his piece when the suspects were actually caught, at which point the story takes off. During the chapter consisting of the trial, Capote writes as if he were watching from afar and does not entirely engage the reader in the scene, but rather, he presents it as if it were being seen thorough glass. This style of writing credits to Capote’s journalism skills. It allows the reader to be the audience and analyze the situation as they see it; the reader is basically the judge in the trial. This book really makes you think about the issue; murder is something that society constantly faces. This narrative basically allows you to understand and reflect on the different aspects of human nature.

Reflective Essay on Teaching

This assignment will critically reflect and analyse a microteaching session I presented to my peers in a clinical placement regarding Nursing management of chest drains. I will define reflection; teaching, learning and the rationale for choosing this topic will be clearly outlined in this paper. The preparation, planning, implementation and evaluation will also be incorporated. This assignment will be structured using Gibbs (1988) reflective model cited in Modular Training Course, 2003 because of its simplicity. Analysis will permeate through each stage of the Gibbs reflective model. Finally I will conclude by reflecting on my role as a joint practitioner outlining areas of personal, professional growth, identifying my strength, weakness and put forward an action plan for my future development in teaching. Reflection is an important human activity in which people re-capture their experience, mull it over and evaluate it. It is working with experience that is important in learning (Boud et al, 1985). Teaching is defined as a system of activities intended to induce learning, comprising the deliberate, methodical creation and control of those conditions in which learning does occur (Curzon, 1997). In Nursing, teaching is said to be the change in behaviour that we wish to bring about if we are to enhance and improve care for patients and client (Hinchliff, 2004) The term teaching and learning are often used interchangeably. Curzon (1990) cited by Nicklin and Kenworthy (2000) define learning as the apparent modification of a person’s behaviour through his activities and experiences so that his knowledge, skills and attitudes, including modes of adjustment towards his environment, are changed, more or less permanently. The rationale of choosing my topic was due to its relevance to the area of my clinical placement (Cardio thoracic) and the Unique learning needs of nursing management of chest drains amongst Nursing students as realised while working with them. As mentioned above, I will be using the Gibbs reflective model, which follows a cyclical pattern from description, feelings, evaluation, to conclusion and action plan. See in the Appendice. Each of these is sub-headed in the next sections to maintain clarity. Description This is the first stage of the Gibbs model. The value of micro sessions is for planning and delivering a short presentation where by feedback can be gathered before embarking on longer sessions (Walkin, 1990). Planning is about thinking things through it requires imagination and lateral as well as logical thinking (Kiger, 1995). It is a process that directs the teacher and the learner towards certain actions, which will facilitate learning. During the preparation of my teaching presentation I researched my chosen subject using databases like British Nursing Index (BNI), Nursing practice text books as well as Journals as recommended by Hinchliff (2004) who contend that using evidence-based practice can help to ensure that the subject is fully researched and this will provide support practice and view. I set out the aims and objectives of the teaching session. This view is supported by (Daines et al, 1993) who state that the teacher must know what it is that he or she intends to teach and what the students are expected to learn as an outcome for the joint effort. I drafted a lesson plan see in the appendice, which I highlighted that I was going to use an overhead projector and give handouts to the group. Ewan and White (1996) suggest it is necessary to understand learners’ different learning styles for learning and teaching to be effective. I devised my teaching plan bearing in mind that there were pragmatists, activists, theorists and reflectors among my peers. After putting the content of my presentation together I began printing and photocopying my acetates and handouts for my peers. The next step I did was to start rehearsing my presentation at home. On the day of the presentation I gave out handouts to my peers prior to the microteaching session. I used an overhead projector as a guide for my discussion even though my acetates were cluttered with too much information. I also used some equipment like different types of chest drains, water and a dame in of a person to demonstrate to my peers. I used psychomotor learning domain as it was described by Bloom (1956) cited by De Tornyay & Thompson (1987) to be most important domain compared with Cognitive and Affective domains as it enabling the learner to learn through the demonstrated skill. As I encouraged my peers to carry out the skill that I had demonstrated, I had to bear in mind that many adult learners are self-conscious about trying new psychomotor skills as contended by De Tornyay & Thompson (1987). They worry about looking foolish and making errors. And therefore it is crucial that the learning environment is warm and accepting, inviting the learners to try things, take risks and experiment. Feelings Planning on its own caused a lot of anxiety, as I was not really sure of how well I will do in delivering and presenting my topic to my peers. Although I had some idea about management of chest drains from both the practical bit that I had gained during my first two weeks on the ward and the theory that I had gathered, I was nervous prior to my presentation. It is argued by some commentators that having nerves can improve your performance (Lancaster and Janes, 1994). Feelings of nervousness helped me to focus on my presentation however things did not go the way I planned them. I can only attribute my feelings of nervousness due to inadequate preparation. During the presentation I had mixed feelings of nervousness compounded by feelings of confidence and I was not sure about how the audience perceived my presentation. I was feeling confident at times because I knew a lot about the topic and my peers through evaluation echoed this. Evaluation Evaluation can be seen as a process of making personalised judgements and decisions about achievements, expectations, the effectiveness and evaluation of what we are doing (Hanchliff, 2001). It occurs at different stages of learning experience, is ongoing, vital to development, evolution of teaching and learning. It is emphasised that if you do not self evaluate there is a tendency to carry on as usual (Hinchliff, 2004). As part of my preparation, I decided that I was going to use the SWOT analysis to evaluate myself. And with this, I was going to be able to identify my Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. My strengths included giving handouts first before starting my presentation. My peers in the feedback sheets echoed these remarks. This is supported by (Boyd et al, 1997) who states that handouts provide organisation, enable students to listen rather than taking notes and serve as a reminder of what the students have heard in the classroom or lecture. I linked the theory to practice as I was using acetates on an overhead projector as well as demonstrating and some of my peers commented that this helped them to understand the topic better. De Tornyay & Thompson (1987), recommend the use of an overhead projector by the teacher as this avoids distracting instructions and can integrate the material from the transparency with the presentation naturally and without losing eye contact with class. My voice was loud and clear throughout my presentation to enable my peers to hear the topic. Oliver and Endersby (1994) emphasise that if people cannot hear you during presentations they will not listen to you hence it is important to have a good voice projection when teaching or presenting. I had also met my aims and objectives that I had set up and my peers had learnt from them following the feedback. Aim & Objectives can provide a logical sequence for both you & your students enable you to check whether your teaching has been effective and also help to make decision about what exactly the student should learn as recommended by (Hinchliff, 2004). My weaknesses included confusing some surgical terms that I had used and therefore giving the wrong explanation of the word, not giving all my peers a chance to practice the skill and also not involving my peers to participate in terms of the questioning technique. Some of my peers commented on the feedback sheets that I had the tendency to read my acetates, I should have brought in prompt cards just to remind me of the main points which needed to be discussed further. It is argued by (Baume and Baume, 1996) that reading from transparencies will give a stilted feel to a presentation and does not give the presenter much credibility. In essence as a presenter you should know most of what you want to say otherwise you should not be teaching or presenting to the audience. And also some of my peers commented that I had rushed my presentation despite the fact that I finished within the expected time. I didn’t have all my teaching equipments as I had planned. In organizing the materials for teaching, Oliver & Endersby (1994) stated that the responsibility of teaching does not only lie on accuracy of the information presented but also in the manner and order in which it is presented. The opportunity of being familiar with my peers and knowing the subject area that I was going to present strengthened my confidence as I began to teach. My threat was not being able to finish on time and being so nervous that I would not give the best to my group. Analysis On analysis, I thought I choose the right topic that was relevant to my course and my clinical area of placement. â€Å"As joint practitioners we will encounter carers in our working life, so giving information on carers assessment, their limitation and effect of caring will prepare us for future practice† (Hinchliff, 2004). As I was preparing my presentation, I thought about adult learning as all my peers were going to be adults. I decided to use Androgogy approach of teaching as recommended by Knowles (1990) who defined it as the art and science of supporting students particularly, adult learner in their own learning process. In retrospect, I feel that this helped to promote the students’ concentration and I believe that my peers felt valued, as I was able to include them in the teaching by acknowledging each and everyone who participated by using their names and praised them. The teaching session took place in a seminar room near the ward where everyone was familiar with the environment. It is believed that a good learning environment allows a more positive attitude to study and desire to learn (Kiger, 1995). Overhead projector was used during the teaching, this was benefiting to my peers, it help to clarify and explain key points. The use of overhead projector encouraged motivation from peers and makes it more interesting (Larrivee, 2000). The teaching session was aimed to facilitate humanistic or cognitive domain as well as psychomotor where cognitive domain is student centred. This permit student perception and thinking, it also incorporate student participation which gave the chance to ascertain peers’ knowledge of the topic been taught. I used Abbatt & Mc Mahon (1993) 3 aspects of evaluation i. e. Plan, Process and Product as a form of evaluating my peers learning and effectiveness of my teaching. With this, there was use of evaluation checklists See in the Appendices that were used by my peers to evaluate my teaching in form of feedback. These can enable the teach to identify aspects of his/her teaching that could improve on. Although the feedback from my peers and mentor was informative and good, from my own reflection afterwards made me realise that I had not taught I had planned. I didn’t involve all my peers to practice the skill, which would have helped them to learn more as recommended by Hinchliff (2004). I should have informed them of how long the session was to take in order to avoid them from thinking that I had rushed. I should not have read my presentation from the acetates because it is argued that the audience will probably understand very little and will loose concentration quickly (Nicklin and Kenworthy, 2000). Body language communicates different impressions to the audience; I maintained eye contact on some occasions this helps to regulate the flow of communication. This is supported by (Oliver and Endersby, 1994) who state that presenters who make eye contact covey interest, concern, warmth and credibility. Conclusion I seem to have learned more from the reflective process than the actual presentation. Presenting to the group was one of the most nerves wrecking experiences as well as waiting for feedback from my peers and mentor. However, carrying out this teaching session has broadened my knowledge in management of chest drains and given me the courage and confidence for my future teaching and presentations. Action Plan I endeavour to perceive weakness as opportunities for future development rather than as failures. In essence the act of reflecting on the microteaching presentation has deepened my understanding of the importance of having a good preparation, a good plan, including having rehearsals prior to the presentation, the importance of having a good learning environment, and being familiar with the material you are going to use before presenting. It is imperative to evaluate each teaching session or presentation, as this is the only way we can learn to improve our practice.

The Future of IT and Paradigm Shift Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Future of IT and Paradigm Shift - Term Paper Example In fact, the majority of business organizations have started marketing and advertisement of their products and services to customers by means of broadcasting media. On the other hand, the customers are now seen as the receivers of products who can actively respond with regards to promotion, segmentation, and distribution. In addition, through a potential increase in the division of labor, interest of businesses as well as protecting distribution channels, the trade with customers is frequently indirect as well as monetized, and it has only happened due to the ever-increasing adoption of new technology-based platforms and arrangements. It is an admitted fact that because of growing complexities and competitiveness of these days’ business environment, the focus is shifting from the producer to the consumer and offering them a great deal more improved services. In this scenario, the information technology is playing a significant role and helps the business organizations in achie ving these goals (Korhonen, 2010; Norton, 2001; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005). This paper will discuss the role of information technology in today’s business environment. ... According to their viewpoint, effective and supportive technology based shifts are essential for the reason that significant transformations in veracity demand a shift in conceptualization. For instance, when the 20th century began the demonstration of science started to increase problems those were not simply explained by Newtonian physics. In order to resolve this issue, a new paradigm is known as â€Å"Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity† appeared as a novel and more wide-ranging theory and structure to clarify the new certainties. Additionally, the idea of a paradigm shift was initially initiated by a philosopher and science historian Thomas Kuhn through his book, which was published in 1962 (Tapscott & Caston, 1994; EIE, 2003; Somani & Kher, 2006). In addition, similar to a new enterprise of the venture, the new technology paradigm also demands variations. Same as an innovative enterprise it is open as well as networked. Additionally, it works approximately similar to people do, as it pays no attention to boundaries between text, data, voice and image and works like a bridge between team members in a team-oriented company. Also, it smudged walls among enterprises by allowing them to effectively communicate with outside associations. The most important advantage of this technology shift is that it has developed to the point where it is easily accessible and reasonably priced. In view of the fact the longer a business organization waits to decide and implement a change the more, it has to spend, no matter in the short term.

Social Changes And Changes In Technology Since 1900 Essay

Social Changes And Changes In Technology Since 1900 - Essay Example Development of new transport forms during the early years of the twentieth century led to a significant change of social life. By 1900, horseless carriages had been introduced to the streets of popular cities (Crossley, Lees, & Servos, 2012, p, 15). These carriages were powered either by steam or by electrical power. By 1920s, automobiles were developed, and were common in the United States of America. They became common in Germany by 1960s, and in Japan; they became common in the 1970s (Crossley, Lees, & Servos, 2012, p, 15). This led to the rise of the world’s largest corporations, which supplied livelihoods to numerous workers. People had to spend significant potions of their time working in order to earn. Also, automobiles catalysed social change because they afforded the owners new mobility, new sites for courtship and new leisure pursuits (Crossley, Lees, & Servos, 2012, p, 15). As a result of transport and industrialisation, European settlers settled in third world countries, influencing the culture of the natives significantly. Therefore, the natives adopted the European culture and science, in the name modernisation of society. Scientific evolution led to departure from the old and traditional ways to new ways of life such as photography, radio and music. For instance, European faith was introduced to various parts of the world, where the Europeans had migrated to. It is the advancement in technology that led to development of transport, which enabled the Europeans to travel to various parts of the world. As they settled in these areas, they introduced their culture, forcing the natives to abandon their traditional social ways and adopt the new settlers’ culture. ... International trade resulted due to further development of various forms of transport. In turn, international trade, led to an increase in growth among countries and change in lifestyles. It also contributed to poverty and the rise of slums in key cities. As people were engaged in trading, they became concerned on how they would attain more wealth through trade. As a result, they departed from their former ways of social life, which required that those who were fortunate would help the needy. In their bid to attain success in trade, rich traders suppressed the poor, and as a result, the poor built slums within the major cities that had prospered due to trade. Urbanisation greatly influenced social change during the early years of the twentieth century. For instance, native whites contributed to a larger share of the urban working class that had migrated to the cities from depressed rural areas (Rabinowitz, 1994). In urban areas, people changed their ways of life. Most of them broke a way from rules and norms of traditionally expected behaviour, as they underwent social change. Urbanisation was the causal agent of rapid social change, poor urban living condition because of congestion and breakdown from social norms and increase of crime during the twentieth century (Martel, 2011, p, 13. Urbanisation, which was experienced in the twentieth century, in high rates, led to the emergence of new social issues such as child labour. People had to change their lifestyles and adapt to the new systems, where employment of minors and children was a common trend. Industrial and economic changes led to changes in modes of thought, which led to the development of new

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Ethics - Essay Example At the same time, he did the very best he could and is confident that he well documented Jamie’s case and that, unfortunately, the final decision is left to the SAT board. As a professional, he feels that his time should be compensated as agreed upon and he should respectfully ask him to reconsider his decision not to pay. What legal and ethical actions can you take to collect your fees? It is implied from the case study that no written contract was signed stating that there was not a guarantee that the written documentation provided would convince the SAT committee to allow Jamie additional time on the exam. A verbal contract in this case would not be binding because both parties would likely disagree on what was agreed upon. Legally, it does not appear that anything can be done. Can you send the account to a collection agency? Why or why not? FERPA rules guarantee a student’s right to educational privacy. In this case, sending the issue to a collection agency would re quire a statement of the case, which would most certainly involve the child’s name, or a variation thereof. As such, this would be considered a breach of confidentiality and could actually land the psychologist in trouble. Are the parents or Jamie responsible for the fees? Explain. In this case, the parents would be responsible for the fees. ... Chapter 11: The Case of Ludwig Do you agree with Ludwig’s clinical decision? Do you agree with his rationale? I do not agree with Ludwig’s clinical decision primarily because it does not appear that he explored all viable options. For one, we do not see where he has discussed the issue with Ella at all. If they have a strong working relationship, as mentioned in the case study, then she would likely be open to hearing his suggestion. At that time, if she completely rejected the idea, then they could formulate other more viable treatment options. One suggestion is that he could advise Ella to go with her family and attend family therapy sessions, while he continued to see her in individual sessions. In this manner, they could continue their strong counseling relationship together. Oddly enough, I do agree with Ludwig’s rationale simply because it makes sense in the context of the decision he made. In his mind, he was watching out for Ella’s best interest, b ut in doing so, he lost sight of his responsibility to the patient. From your perspective, would it have made a difference if he had consulted with Ella? Would it have made a difference if he had consulted with or obtained supervision from a colleague? In my opinion, it would have made a difference if he had consulted with Ella. It has been established that they have a good counselor-patent relationship already established. As such, it would be likely that Ella would seriously consider his opinion. At the very least, they would have had an open dialogue where Ella could decide to reject or accept Ludwig’s opinion. Had Ludwig consulted with a colleague, he would surely have been counseled that he had an ethical responsibility to refer Ella for family therapy. This would

Information systems for managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information systems for managers - Essay Example Web view source is the HTML code behind a web page. An example is business web pages. Managers should become acquainted with web source because they will better be able to escape the web chaos that results with spams, Trojans and phishing, leading to a better understanding of competitors. They will better be able to cope with simple problems related to web design and functioning. Technology is the use of scientific or technical methods of solving a problem (Solomon). Technology has equipped us with virtual means of communicating with the world. All e-business is carried out through the internet, and technological means are used around the globe to make agreements, sign pacts, buy and sell goods and services, and make financial transactions. Managers must know the use of technology to escape the web chaos that results with no knowledge about technology (Berkun). In my experience, managers must be acquainted with programming, web source and technology because without the basic knowledge of these, they will lag behind in the ever changing business world. Also, managers with technological competencies are in great demand because they are better able to deal with problems like Y2K and virus

Proposal #1 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#1 - Research Proposal Example Natural oils- linseed, tung, and fish were used as binders until the 1960’s (Schuerman George and Bruzan Raymond 327). Currently, alkyd resins, vinyl and acrylic emulsions, epoxy resins and polyurethanes are the primary binders used in paints. Solvent chosen must be one in which the binder is soluble in and dries evenly. Most emulsion paints use water as the solvent while resin-based paints employ the use of mineral turpentine as the solvent. Pigments are finely divided, and insoluble powders dispersed in the paint that not only give paint its opacity and color, but also help to hold the paint together as well as protect the surface underneath from corrosion and weathering. Inorganic and organic substances are used as pigments with the inorganic ones being cheaper but with fewer clear colors. The tiny solid particles of pigments (≠¤ 1 µm in diameter) enables them to refract light (light has wavelengths between 0.4 µm and

Analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Analysis - Essay Example This environment exposes him to the knowledge of the scientists living within it. For example, Victor gains his knowledge of natural philosophy, â€Å"I chanced to find a volume of the works of Cornelius Agrippa. I opened it with apathy; the theory which he attempts to demonstrate and the wonderful facts which he relates soon changed this feeling into enthusiasm† (36).   Victor becomes fascinated by natural philosophy as described by the author, and thus desires to experiment with what the author says. This eventually leads Victor to create The Monster, causing Victor to have a miserable life. Also, because Victor believes that the knowledge he has gained can enable him to create the living thing that can be able to lead life just as human beings. When Victor meets with two professors, Krempe and Waldman, he learns from these two professors. He realizes that the knowledge he has is not sufficient to carry out his experiments. Professor Krempe scolds Victor for what he has studied: ‘Have you,’ he said, ‘really spent your time in studying such nonsense?’ (43). From here, it can be noted that Professor Waldman supports him, â€Å"‘I should advise you to apply to every branch of natural philosophy, including mathematics’† (46). With Professor Waldman’s support, he is able to pursue his desire to understand natural philosophy and continues to study it. He does not give up with his passion of creating a kind of a human being; it thus leads him to the creation of The Monster. In as much as sciences environment it affects Victor’s knowledge, his Monster also is greatly changed based on his surroundings. The Monster created by Victor Frankenstein show readers how he is shaped by the conditions surrounding him. For instance, The Monster learns about the world and nature from what he faces after his birth, â€Å"I saw, felt, heard, and smelt at the same time; and it was, indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish between the

The Effects of Economic Growth on Olympic Performance Research Proposal

The Effects of Economic Growth on Olympic Performance - Research Proposal Example ent variable, Olympic performance will be considered in totality with regard to all the various factors that work together to affect the nature of the performance in a positive or negative way. The research question adopted for this study is important in three main perspectives. First, the question is designed to highlight the inherent challenges in Olympic performance as understood from the perspective of economic influences. It will help to enhance the understanding of any imbalances, advantages, and any other factors that promote or detract from the fairness and competitive nature of sports. This is a correlation study that seeks to establish the link between dynamics of economic growth and performance in Olympics. The aspect of economic growth shall be considered from the level of the participating countries. As such, the research question could provide a resourceful guide on the patterns of performance between the poor countries and the rich countries in line with past and recent studies that cited disparities in economic progress as the guiding factor towards the usual outcomes. Past empirical studies have shown that the performance in Olympics is significantly dependent on the level of economic development (Bian, 2004; Bhattacharya, 2006). Correlation research findings have indicated that the level of performance is significantly related to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the participating countries (Nielsen, 2013). Precisely, countries with low GDP measures tend to show poor performance in athletics as compared to countries with relatively higher GDP values. The general thinking is that economic power provides the developed world with a higher advantage than the struggling economies. Rich countries invest larger sums of money into the development of sports infrastructure as compared to the poor countries. According to some studies, the difference in the level of investment is the baseline factor that creates the variations in performance (Kothari,

Oxidation-Reduction Series Essay Example for Free

Oxidation-Reduction Series Essay Place 10 drops of Zinc nitrate, Zn(N03)2 into well A3 of the 24-well plate. 5. Place 10 drops of Iron (Ill) chloride, FeC13 into well A4 of the 24-well plate. 6. Place 10 drops of Copper (II) sulfate, Cu S04 into well A5 of the 24-well plate. 7. Take the metal solids from your LabPaq 8. Use your tweezers to pick up and carefully insert the piece of magnesium into the sodium sulfate. Record your observations. 9. Carefully insert a piece of zinc into the magnesium sulfate. Record your observations. 10. Carefully insert a piece of lead into the zinc nitrate. Record your observations. 11. Carefully insert the lead into the iron Ill) chloride. Record your observations. 12. In the same way carefully insert the iron into the copper (II) sulfate. Record your observations. 13. Place a paper towel over the drain of your sink and pour the contents of the well plate through it. 14. Throw the paper towel and metal pieces in the trash Rinse the well plate and your Oxidation-reduction table (below) Reactions Mg Na2S04 -+ drain wit n running water. Da sodium is stronger than magnesium, turned iron duller, little amount of bubbles Zn in MgS04 Little to no reaction Less of an reaction than the Fec13, but kind of changed color Pb in FeC13 †+ Changed its color made it slimy green Fe CUS04 Completely stripped nail, turned the tip orange Conclusion I was surprised at the reaction that Iron had because although I did expect some reaction I didnt expect that much of a reaction. I was also surprise at how subtle Pb and Zinc and Pb in Iron could be, I feel that this lab was beneficial in honing our observational skills as some of the reactions where harder to see at first, such as Zinc in Magnesium. Potential Sources of Error I feel that human error could destroy this experiment because if you dont clean the well you wouldnt get an accurate response from the metal. I also thought that the pipet was hard to get the accurate amount of drops out (10). Also the time could play a role, if you recorded your observation at different points of the reduction series you might get different answers. Questions A. Based on your observations make an activity series of the metals used. List them in such a way that the most active metal is on the left and the least active metal is on the right. Remember, sodium and copper are metals, too. 1. Iron, Zinc, Lead, Magnesium B. Suppose you inserted a piece of copper into a solution of nickel chloride and bserved no reaction. Then if you inserted a piece of iron into the solution of nickel chloride a nickel deposit formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does nickel fit into your activity series? 1. Iron, Nickel, Zinc, Lead, Magnesium C. Suppose you inserted a piece of an unknown metal into a solution of zinc (II) nitrate and observed no reaction. Then if you inserted the unknown piece of the metal into the solution of iron (Ill) chloride a deposit formed on the bottom of the well in the well plate. Where does the unknown metal fit into your activity series? 1.

Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

Consumer Behavior Essay 1) How can understanding consumers behavior help companies sell products or services in todays market? Please cite an example from our text or from our YouTube videos and use a personal example. As Steve Jobs states in the YouTube video, all marketing decisions revolve around your customer. Marketing is all about building profitable customer relationships by creating value for customers and capturing value in return in the form of profits. To effectively sell a product/service, understanding how your customers buy your products and services will help you determine when, how and where you should market your products/services and in turn help you grow your business by responding to their needs. Also, if you know what customers buy and how they go about buying particular products, you can more easily spot a need that has not yet been satisfied. For example, if you run a technology company and notice that many of your customers buy educational software from college bookstores, you may recognize that your customers could use a place to buy and automatically download educational software online. Steve Jobs states in the YouTube video â€Å"Give her not what she wants but give her something that she has never dreamt of, and when she gets it she recognizes it as something she wanted all the time†. A very simple example is that of ITunes, which was discovered 10 years ago. Steve Jobs noticed that music fans clearly wanted to download songs they liked in an affordable and easy way rather than driving to Best Buy or some record store to buy them on $15-to-$18 CDs. Jobs took advantage of this opportunity and came out with the iTunes Music Store, which is today the top most online music retailer, and synced it perfectly with a piece of hardware: the iPod. This eliminated the use of Walkman’s, MP3 Players and CD players. Thus, it is important to understand people’s motives (what drives them to buy), and their attitudes (how they feel about a product/service). Knowledge about these psychological characteristics helps companies design and provide products and services that their customers want and need. The book states an example of McDonalds that first started with providing low priced burgers, fries and shakes. But today, with people becoming more health conscious, McDonalds has a reworked menu that provides more choice and variety such as Chicken Nuggets made with white meat, low fat milk jugs, and a line of premium salads. When people think of McDonalds, people think of value – whether it’s a college student buying a burger for a couple of bucks r a working women at the drive through grabbing a breakfast latte that’s a dollar cheaper than Starbucks. I would like to give a personal example of me shopping at the department store called Safeway. I was a frequent shopper at Safeway and every day I would receive emails regarding the deals and discounts on the products I purchase the most. I would also get emails with recommended products to buy and Safeway was able to do this by keeping track of my shopping history. I would actually get lured by reading these emails and go to the store to buy the recommended discounted products. Marketers can benefit from an understanding of consumer behavior so that they can better predict what consumers want and how best to offer it to them. The importance of understanding the consumer behavior is that to know and understand the preferences of different consumers which will enable the marketers to form the marketing strategies accordingly. Businesses that cannot understand how a consumers mind operates will have a more challenging time figuring out how to target a campaign that will attract or catch attention. In order to make the right decision, marketing managers must know how their consumers will react. Before introducing/repositioning any product/service, you must first ask questions like, do people want it? Are there enough people who want it so that it will be profitable to produce that product? Do the people who want it have the economical ability to pay for it? Another important point is that when you know how customers behave in relation to the products youre selling, you have a better understanding of how to provide good service to them, increasing the chance that youll have repeat customers. For example, if you know that customers tend to come to your restaurant because they can get healthy food without waiting for a long time, you could continue training your staff to be as efficient as possible. Identifying the buying behavior of the target market and catering to those behaviors is integral in todays complex society. 2) How can connecting with a culture help influence consumer behavior? Can you give us an example from your personal experience? A peoples culture includes their beliefs, rules of behavior, rituals, style of dressing, religion, etc. Culture is an external factor influencing consumer behavior. Since people with different cultures have different values, they will have different buying habits. A particular company’s marketing strategies should reflect the culture that is being targeted. Failing to do so can result in lost sales/profits/opportunities. Before advertising or introducing any product/service, it is very important to understand the local culture of the population of a particular area, city, or country. For example, the You Tube Video shows that Thailand and Malaysia have a family oriented culture and so the elderly and tradition play a huge part in the commercials as compared to Australia having a very individualistic culture focusing the advert on youngsters. Another example would be if a given country discourages the use of tobacco or alcohol, the potential pool of consumers for these products would be small. Therefore, companies which distribute these types of products should limit advertising in such areas, and focus on other countries where there are no restrictions on the use of such products. A personal example would be that of McDonalds. In India, meat consumption is prohibited in Hinduism. McDonalds did spend time developing a food menu targeted towards no meat eaters. They now offer a lot of vegetarian options, making it a happy place for both: meat and no meat eaters. Another example would be comparing North India and South India. I have to been to both, and have noticed a vast difference in the culture. People in North India prefer breads over rice which is a favorite with people in South India and East India. So many restaurants in South India have 99% rice based dishes. If a restaurant in South India serves more bread based food options, it would likely make less business as compared to restaurants serving rice based dishes. As part of their efforts to convince customers to purchase their products, marketers often use cultural representations, especially in promotional appeals. The objective is to connect to consumers using cultural references that are easily understood and often embraced by the consumer. By doing so the marketer hopes the consumer feels more comfortable with or can relate better to the product since it corresponds with their cultural values.

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products Cowden, 1 Dating back to ancient Egypt and Europe people everywhere would use lead filled makeup on their faces and bodies. These days, however, our government realizes the dangers and would never let us apply something so hazardous on our skin, right? Wrong. Just as lead causes memory and concentration problems, nervous system and kidney damage and high blood pressure; petroleum products can also cause health issues. American businesses consistently use petroleum derivatives in our food, drinks, and personal care products, and these additives cause diseases such as, cancer, skin dermatitis, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Petroleum consists of a liquid mix of hydrocarbons found in the depths of the earth that society refines to create fuel. The term petroleum derivatives includes different chemicals made from petroleum and that have a variety of names, concealing what the people of the world truly put on their skin and in their bodies. Some of these chemicals include, parabens, tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), petroleum jelly, and paraffinum liquidum also known as mineral oil. Americans may see these items on the ingredient list of some of their groceries, just assuming that our government will protect us; after all, why would a well trusted company insert substances in their products that could cause us harm? Many people do not know what these derivatives really consist of because with names like â€Å"mineral oil†, it seems as though a product might be made with minerals. Another misconception in todays society is the use of terms such as â€Å"all natural† or â€Å"organic†. In recent years, Americans have become more concerned with general well-being and drawn to certain trends, some American consumers resolved to buy exclusively all-natural and organic products. All terms, immediately associated with good health, but just because a product claims to be â€Å"organic† or â€Å"all-natural† on the label does not necessarily mean that it does not contain hazardous chemicals. Arsenic is an all-natural substance found in minerals; that does not mean it would be safe to ingest. However, contrary to popular belief, high levels of arsenic can be detected in American rice and there are no regulations in the USA as to how much may be found in the grain. Surpri singly, the one country that does regulate the amount of arsenic allowed in rice, is China. The requirements set by the United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Organic Program state that the food products portraying themselves as organic must have a percentage of at least ninety-five organic ingredients and cannot be made, grown or processed with any pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, synthetic ingredients, or bio chemistry, and cannot be produced or processed with irradiation meaning, a food product goes through a process using radiation in order to preserve the food. If a product has a percentage of seventy or more organic ingredients and is not produced with synthetic methods, it can be labeled as â€Å"made with organic ingredients† but the product cannot use the USDA organic seal. Products that do not qualify for the previous seals, can take advantage of a loophole. One option utilized by companies to get their food products certified as naturally grown and that certain companies also considered an easier and cheaper process wou ld be to go through certification with the help of a non-profit organization sponsored program called Certified Naturally Grown. A product with the Certified Naturally Grown label on it indicates that a farmer has inspected the product and confirms the product was made using a natural process and ingredients. However, companies do not have to go through the process of maintaining these seals in order to put â€Å"natural† on the label of a product. The label will not have the Certified Naturally Grown or the USDA Certified Organic seal, but there are no requirements for using terms such as â€Å"all-natural† or â€Å"natural† on a products label because everything comes from something and is technically natural. As a result of such, petroleum and other harmful chemicals can be used in virtually any merchandise (a company or organization wishes). Labels reveal the shocking truth of what popular snack foods contain and what consumers may have eaten their whole life. TBHQ, for instance, can be found in snack foods such as American Reeses peanut butter cups, Butterfingers, Nestle Crunch, Little Debbie, CHEEZ-Its, MMs, numerous brands of (microwave) popcorn, and Wrigleys gum. Other products that use TBHQ include the popular breakfast foods such as Pop Tarts, Wheat Thins, Kelloggs frozen waffles, certain restaurant foods from McDonalds, KFC, Red Robin, Olive Garden and Taco Bell, certain brands of cooking oil, certain brands of peanut butter, personal care products, pet foods, and much more. Paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil) can be found in the popular gummy candies Swedish Fish and Life Savers, and the petroleum derivative can also be found in baby oil, moisturizers, makeup, and hair products. Parabens, are mainly found in makeup but companies also utilize them in toothpaste, tooth whitening, shampoo and conditioner and a number of styling gels and creams. Parabens and TBHQ are used as preservatives and Paraffinum Liquidum is mainly used as a film former and emollient but is also used as a cleaner and solvent for inks used in fine art printmaking. It can be used to cool electric components and as a lubricant and fuel. When companies use mineral oil in foods, they use the chemical as a glazing agent. Companies use these chemicals to preserve foods because they cost less than the alternatives and to satisfy consumers wanting cheaper products, but what is the ultimate cost? Parabens have been shown in multiple studies to be oestrogenic meaning that parabens can effect female hormones in a negative way. Of course some people do believe that it has not been proven that parabens are the definitive cause of breast cancer, and that there are other harmful chemicals in products that could also be the cause. Dr. Phillipa Darbre, an associate professor at the school of biological sciences and a program adviser for biochemistry, who for around 26 years worked on the role of estrogen in breast cancer at the cellular level, claims â€Å"There are plenty of other chemicals in these pots [of cosmetics] apart from parabens which are also oestrogenic and we have to ask questions about additive effects. We are not exposed to a chemical, we are exposed to a mixture (Mellowship pg. 77).† This statement has truth in it, nevertheless, some types of parabens have been found in the breast tissue of women diagnosed with breast cancer including a high concentration of methyl-paraben which, along with n-propyl paraben, has been discovered in human urine. In a study conducted in Denmark, twenty-six volunteers in good health applied cosmetic creams containing the ingredient butyl-paraben all over their skin and the chemical was detected in their blood stream in one hour. TBHQ, an antioxidant extracted from petroleum and the main ingredient in lighter fluid, can cause an array of health problems. According to reports from American citizens, the problems reported include, night terrors and anxiety, asthma, swollen lymph nodes, body rash, diarrhea, irritable bowl syndrome, and anaphylatic shock as well as some other serious problems. A toxic reaction may occur if only a gram of THBQ is ingested. The amount of TBHQ allowed in a product cannot exceed 0.02% of the fat and oil in the food, (this includes any essential oil in the food). ADHD has become increasingly more common in recent decades. Although reasons for this remain classified as unknown, perhaps the reason for this is that companies manufacturing their products do not want consumers to know that those items contain the possible cause. The Feingold Association has executed research and have discovered that the use of more than one additive at one time has a synergistic interaction and damages nerve cells. The Feingold Association, which researches the connection between a childs diet and any disorders the child may have, recommends removing additives and food colorings containing petroleum. Legal guardians that have followed the associations suggestions report that their childs symptoms have disappeared or significantly decreased. Another idea suggests that artificial additives act as counterfeit neurotransmitters admitting false excitable signals. Children possess a higher risk of developing negative affects from heavy metals due to processed foods cons istently removing the calcium, iron and zinc which provide a childs body with the ability to clear out heavy metals. A child has an inadequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals making processed foods a possible factor of aggressive behavior. Petroleum derivatives, mainly parabens and mineral oil, can also cause various skin rashes and reactions. Contact dermatitis, is a type of skin inflammation that has symptoms comparable to those of eczema. According to statistics, five to nine percent of men have been affected by contact dermatitis and thirteen to fifteen percent of women have been affected. Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when substances come into direct contact with a persons skin causing inflammation and irritation; irritant contact dermatitis maintains the role of the most common type of contact dermatitis. It usually causes itching, swelling, oozing, dryness and crusting. A case of allergic contact dermatitis takes place when the immune system becomes provoked after repeated exposure to a substance causing an allergic reaction which could take place around two days after exposure. Contact urticaria takes place immediately after contact with an irritable substance, causing extremely itchy welts. Contact urtica ria can be an irritant or an allergic reaction, be that as it may, an allergic reaction can follow an irritant reaction. Chronic cumulative irritancy occurs most of the time through repeated contact with mild cleansing agents such as detergents and soaps. Research that took place between 1972 and 1983 discovered that facial makeup, skin and hair care products caused the bulk of contact dermatitis reactions in the volunteers observed. The most common causes of contact dermatitis in the participants studied in order were fragrances and parabens. Due to the fact that petroleum products stand as such harmful chemicals, several countries including Norway, Finland, Australia and France have all set laws banning at least one type of petroleum based food coloring. Most certified food colorings possess petroleum bases; the differences between American foods that contain food coloring and European foods that use healthier options are drastic. The Center for Science and Public Interest (CSPI) is a non-profit group that specializes in innovative research on health and nutrition to equip consumers with valuable information about health and well being. The CSPI organization took a trip to Britain in 2008 and unearthed the variations of food coloring use. CSPI discovered that a McDonalds strawberry sundae receives its color from strawberries in Europe, whereas in America the sundae gets its color from red dye number forty. They also discovered that the European Fanta orange soda, unlike the American version which gets its color from the dyes yellow number six and red number forty, gets its orange hue from pumpkin and carrot juice. Barbara Brenner, the executive director of Breast Cancer Action, an education and advocacy organization working to cure breast cancer, said â€Å"I think it would be really interesting for people in the U.S. to learn what is being done in Europe. Because, here in America, there is something that amounts to hubris. To the extent that short-term profits are valued over life, there is a tragic flaw. Capitalism is killing us. The truth is that making our products safer is really in industrys interest, because the people who use the products would live longer, but nobody is taking a long term view (Schwartz-Nobel, 117).† The well-known cosmetics company Avon, claims to be involved in breast cancer research. It seems like a conflict of interest for cosmetic companies to be involved in the breast cancer field considering the chemicals they use, nevertheless, it seems to be a popular marketing strategy. Avon, like many other cosmetic companies, uses dangerous and untrusted chemicals and has continued to do so since 1886. Pharmaceutical companies that also use harmful chemicals, perform breast cancer research as well. But to actually discover a cure or learn how to prevent the disease would be against their financial interest. The same people that make a living treating these illnesses fund many of the health advocacy movements as well. The previously mentioned organization Breast Cancer Action decided to try and have Avon remove some of the harsh additives from their makeup, specifically parabens. Eighty-two of Avons products contain parabens. After purchasing one share of Avon and becoming a share holder, Breast Cancer Action approached three larger share holders and convinced them to hold a shareholder resolution requesting Avon to remove parabens completely from their products or using a nonestrogenic substitute. Avon replied soon after their request saying, â€Å"We believe that discontinuation of the use of parabens and replacement with an inferior preservative would present a potential health risk to our consumers that is neither necessary nor warranted (Schwartz-Nobel, 118).† This statement from the board of directors at Avon persuaded the other shareholders to vote against the proposal to remove parabens. The company Avalon, which markets the Alba, Avalon Organics, and UN-Petroleum brands of personal care products, went through a difficult but altogether rewarding process complying with the campaign for safe cosmetics toxic free pledge. They called this newly found objective, â€Å"consciousness in cosmetics†. Under new ownership at the time, the company struggled at the start. Morris Shriftman, senior vice president of marketing for Avalon, asked himself this question, â€Å"What do you do when you learn about something that can be dangerous, problematic and expensive? We had a rude awakening (Baker, 97).† After removing any additives that the European government has banned, the companys next step was eliminating any non renewable petroleum based ingredients. He goes on to say that, â€Å"We found a deeper value in what we do. And the world of consciousness in cosmetics has been very good from a business point of view (Baker, 98).† The companys sales skyrocketed up to forty million dollars. When the company announced it was being taken over by Hain Celestial group, a natural and organic food and personal care conglomerate, for twenty million dollars in 2006, Shriftman and his partners proved that even if cosmetic companies do not realize it, these companies gain no finances by using hazardous additives in their merchandise. And, that taking these chemicals out of products provides ethical as well as financial returns. On some occasions companies list petroleum products on the label, but companies only have to list an ingredient if it qualifies as a major allergen and companies do not have to declare ingredients that do not qualify as major allergens. Therefore, many companies that do not list all the ingredients used in their products for marketing purposes, hope that the potential customers that know the dangers of consuming petroleum will at least not know that their products contain it. Consumers must educate themselves on different chemicals, which products contain those chemicals, and whether the foods and products being used by them are truly safe. The consistent use of petroleum in foods and personal care products causes Americans various health issues such as anxiety and ADHD, skin irritations, reactions, rashes and cancer. Research proves that companies that have cut out petroleum derivatives from their products have an increased profit margin, yet most companies still ignore the fact that there is no long term value in using petroleum in food, makeup or personal care products as well. The American governments job is to protect the United States of America from all threats foreign and domestic; several organizations have proven that petroleum is a threat to society when consumed or applied to the skin. America should follow the example of other countries and should ban petroleum in food and skin products. At the very least, it should be law for companies to list specifically all added ingredients so that consumers have a choice as to what they use and consume every day.

Being A Millionare Isnt For Me :: essays research papers

â€Å"You have just won a million dollars!† shouted Regis on the most popular show that has ever hit television. A fifty-one year old retired, high school teacher sat on the hot seat in absolute amazement. In seconds his life changed from being an ordinary, retired father of two, and living with his wife in a small Manhattan home to becoming a millionaire. I sat in my living room wishing that it was me who had answered that last question correctly in that seat, instead of sitting in my favorite black leather chair that faces the television at a perfect angle. I would have done anything to be that man at that moment. I couldn’t imagine what was going through his mind. There I was, sitting at home, watching all the excitement on television, dreaming for my life to be different. How easily I had forgotten all of the good things in my life. Indeed there was a million things for me to be happy about. I had a wonderful handsome husband, a bright young nine-year-old daughter, a son in his pre-teenage years and so much more. My life wasn’t bad at all, â€Å"money isn’t everything,† I thought to myself. â€Å"Knock†¦. Knock†¦knock.† sounded the door to wake me out of my short daydream. Remembering that I had lent our bag of sugar to a friendly neighbor, I walked towards the door, unlatched the top latch and then the bottom. I was shocked to see two men standing at the door. They stood in full uniform, with stern faces, both tall and well built. I didn’t know what to think, my eyes began to sting and I could feel them fill with tears. Something within me said that bad news was upon me. â€Å"Ma’am, we are very sorry to inform you that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"NO, STOP RIGHT THERE† I screeched. The taller of the two stepped forth and drew me towards him as the other man continued. â€Å"We are very sorry ma’am, but there has been a terrible accident, your children and your husband were killed this evening†¦ there was nothing anybody could do.† I could not believe it; all three of them were perfect. My husband worked with the church, he was always faithful to our religion and, both of the kids were following his footsteps. It was as if someone had taken a million knives and pierced them into my heart.

Technology - The Use of Holograms as a Teaching Tool :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Use of Holograms as a Teaching Tool "Wake up honey, you are going to be late for school if you don't hurry!" my mom shouted from the kitchen. "Do I have to go?" I moaned. "Yes, now hurry" she said. "Fine!" I yelled, as I stormed out the door. Once I got to the school, I hurried my way to U.S. History and took my seat. I was doing my usual day dreaming, before I actually realized what the rest of the class was discussing. I was thinking about what I was going to do after school or what basketball practice was going to be like. All of the sudden, the teacher threw a book on the desk; I snapped out of it immediately but the scene of the plain classroom wasn't the same. Everything the teacher was talking about in class was appearing in the classroom. It was like being able to walk around in history. I sat back in amazement and wondered if this virtual reality was actually true. It was unbelievable how people interacted with each other and how real it seemed. Although I wasn't really interested in the topic we were on, I immediately wanted to learn more about it because of all the graphics. It was so easy for me to learn everything that we were talking about because it appeared right in front of me. Then I thought to myself, Is it possible for holograms to teach our class or could we use them to explore lands and planets that are unknown? Could we possibly learn from these virtual worlds about how the real world works? It was almost as if I was living on the inside of the computer. It seemed as though mechanical systems would wear out, and if these holograms were properly designed, they could last hundreds of years. Then I debated whether or not this was possible or if I was still dreaming. This virtual world was beyond belief. It reminded me of scenes from Star Trek when the transporting device with the laser beam was used to relocate someone's body form from one place to another. It seemed as though the Civil War soldiers were real and were just carrying on with their everyday lives in the war. In the back of my head, I wanted to believe that they were just images, but it was hard for me to because they appeared so life like.

Essay examples --

Over het opeten van twee boterhammen doe je langer dan over à ©Ãƒ ©n. Je huiswerk maak je sneller als je niet tegelijkertijd tv kijkt. Een reclame die je dagelijks ziet, onthoud je beter dan een die je minder vaak ziet. Kijk nu naar 2 kinderen, waarvan de à ©Ãƒ ©n tweetalig opgroeit en de ander à ©Ãƒ ©ntalig. Het tweetalige kind heeft het dubbel zo druk, ook is het taalaanbod verdeeld over twee talen. Betekent dit ook dat meertaligen daardoor langzamer zijn in hun taalverwerving? Wat is het effect op de spraak- en taal ontwikkeling? Welke factoren hebben invloed op taalproblemen bij meertalige kinderen? Op al deze vragen zullen we proberen antwoord te geven in deze deelvraag. Wat is tweetaligheid? Tweetaligheid betekent het kunnen gebruiken van twee verschillende talen in diverse communicatievormen. Het komt niet vaak voor dat beide talen even goed beheerst worden, oftewel een gebalanceerde tweetaligheid. Meestal is er sprake van een dominante taal, deze wordt makkelijker gebruikt dan de tweede taal. Er bestaan twee verschillende soorten tweetaligheid: simultane en successieve tweetaligheid. Simultane tweetaligheid Er is sprake van simultane tweetaligheid als een kind twee (soms drie) talen gelijktijdig aanleert. Vanaf jongs af aan worden de talen aangeboden. Van beide talen moeten de woordstructuur, woordvorming en zinsleer worden verworven. In allebei de talen gaan kinderen door dezelfde taalontwikkeling als kinderen die à ©Ãƒ ©ntalig worden opgevoed. Simultane opvoeding vergt een bepaalde structuur van de ouders. In bepaalde situaties moet een bepaalde taal worden gesproken. Thuis bijvoorbeeld Engels en op school Nederlands. Successieve tweetaligheid Als een kind tot op een latere leeftijd à ©Ãƒ ©ntalig wordt opgevoed en dan pas in aanraking komt met ... ... in het onderwijs voorkomt. Vaak draait het in zulke gevallen om groepen die minderwaardig worden gezien in een samenleving, zoals Marokkanen in Nederland. Dit wordt ook wel subtractieve tweetaligheid genoemd. Dit houdt in dat een kind 2 talen kan spreken en gebruiken maar beide talen zijn van (te) lage kwaliteit. De andere vorm is additieve tweetaligheid, de eerste taal/moedertaal wordt op een voldoende manier gebruikt en daarom kan er een tweede taal aan worden toegevoegd. Op deze manier van het gebruiken van twee talen ontstaan positieve effecten. Doordat meertalige kinderen al vanaf jongs af aan zich veel bezighouden met taal en verschillen in talen, zijn zij zich er snel bewust van wanneer er bepaalde taalverschijnselen voorkomen. Zij kunnen dit verbinden aan verschijnselen die zij in verschillende talen kennen en daardoor leren ze de nieuwe fenomenen snel aan.

Coke vs Pepsi Essay

Pepsi has historically targeted a young audience especially since the 1980s .Many of their ads were usually aimed at teenagers and even younger groups by introducing fun, sports and music in their ads and this still hasn’t changed in 2014.Pepsi has consistently found new ways to adapt to each generation and found great success through it. But most of the credit comes from their segmentation methods. Pepsi has a Behavioral segmentation that contains customers usage. They range customers usage from light to occasional drinkers. They also look at customers purchase behaviors trying label them as instinctive or planned buyers. A good example of a planned buyer and a purchase occasional buyer would be somebody having a get together or a party where the customer chooses to buy Pepsi products to quench their thirst after a exciting fun time. Pepsi also has a Psychological segmentation that focus on a lifestyle and personality. Pepsi has created a motto for themselves called Live Now, but they say that its not just a motto but a mindset. So you already know that they had to have a segment of people that share their same belief. These customers are usually fun sophisticated people or cool teenagers. Pepsi’s final segmentation is Geo-demographic which mostly focuses on the urban areas around the world .which make a lot of sense because most people believe that the cities is where the most fun and big event occur at. As well as finding this particular demographic ages 18- 25 ,which are considered to be young cool sophisticated people that just want to live now. Coca Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands.But for some reason Coca Cola doesn’t have a specific target segment but adapt its marketing strategy by developing new products, which really means their segmentation are really broad. Generally, Coke does not have a specific target because they are really trying to addressed everyone. Coca Cola also doesn’t try to target a lifestyles, but they are seeing more and more busy lifestyle and mobile generation that are considered to be the most important part of Coke’s consumers. Coca cola also doesn’t care about a customers occupation but found out that mainly students and family oriented people buy Coca Cola products. Coca Cola also sees that their main consumers are 12-30 years old people and even though there is no specific product or communication for less than 12 or more than 30, the brand succeed in reaching them, through partnerships from six flags,restaurants, fast foods such as McDonald’s or Loyalty from customers. Finally, Coca Cola consider each customer as a target and a potential consumer. All age groups are being targeted but the most potential is the age group from 18-25 that covers a good amount of the age segments. How do their segmentation strategies differ? Their segmentation strategies differ in a big way because Pepsi used the segmentation method to target their customers ,but Coca Cola didn’t really structure a segmentation method to target their customers with .They mostly used the positioning method to grow their company. Pepsi focus on customers that wanted to live now ,a more exciting life. While Coca Cola just wanted everybody to enjoy a Coca Cola product, living your life even if its boring or exciting they didn’t care, as long as you had a coke in your hand.

Federal government of the United States Essay

What level of government do you think should be responsible for security from foreign enemies? Write a paragraph explaining why this level of government is the most appropriate. Answer: The Federal Government is that institution which should be in charge of the security from foreign enemies. The Federal Government of the US is more effective because it is better than any other state of the country in the security protection. These states are different in size and budget. It means that some states are smaller than others, and they do not have money to invest in protection in case of invasion from enemies. If each state functions separately from all the other political regions, there will be no common strategy of the country security. It makes the country weaker. To prevent this mistake, a country should act as one whole with all the states encouraging the common plan. When the entire country fights against the enemy, it creates a huge force which will frighten the enemies. The Federal Government should pay attention to the military readiness of the country and make sure it is always strong. Furthermore, each political region should be responsible for helping with the military development for the country safety and the protection of each territory. A country should act together, and states have to stand alone with the decisions made by the Federal Government which represents the interests of the whole nation. (8 points) What level of government should you depend on for sanitation in the neighborhood? Write a paragraph with providing arguments explaining why this level of political management is the most efficient. Answer: Local Administration is that institution which should be in charge of the sanitation in the neighboring territories. It is normal when Local Government is responsible for local problems of the place, and sanitation is one of such issues. No higher institution can see the exact situation which is happening in the neighborhood. Local Administration knows all the subtleties of the sanitation of that very region. There are lots of aspects which should be considered while dealing with this issue. Even the geographical position of the territory plays a crucial role in sanitation mechanism. If the higher institutions such as the Federal Government started calling the shots in this questions, it would take lots of time to think over the specifications of the sanitation of each state. It is much quicker and more efficient if Local Administration makes final decisions on that topic. It is that institution which should care for the locals, and be able to react when necessary. Each political region has its specific nuances, and it is significant that each Local Government knows these peculiarities and uses them when resolving significant problems. (14 points) Are there any jobs that you think have to be switched among federal, state, and local administrations? Why? Answer: From my perspective, there is no need for switching any jobs among different levels of government. For example, police officers serve the whole community, and they should be controlled by the local government which is responsible for the situation in the region. Another example refers to the businessmen. As they earn money, paying taxes should be under the responsibility of the state management. Each jobs should be placed where they are meant to be. From another point of view, if some professions are switched among other types of the administration, the necessary changes should be made. These alterations include responsibilities, rules, and even fines. Whenever such changes are made, we have to consider the positive and negative aspects. Another significant side is that some professions should exist on various levels. For example, the mentioned above job of a police wor ker ought to be on both federal and local governments. For the former variant, such people need to pay attention to the specifications of that every region where they are responsible for keeping the peace. Some areas are more notorious than others. If the policemen from the federal management level start working at the state, it will take time for this person to understand the peculiarities of the regions of that state. Another opinion mentions that other branches should be changed among the administration. For instance, as to the educational sphere, some people claim that it should not be federal but local. Because of the specifications of each state, the educational board has to make its own decisions about the development and minor changes in the curriculum or educational process. However, the most significant aspects related to studying at schools and universities should be controlled by the federal government. It means that each profession can have its peculiar responsibilities on different levels. It is significant that all the three federal, state and local administrative branches cooperate and solve any problems taking into consideration each viewpoint. Such cooperation will contribute to the most efficient development of the country in every professional branch. Â  

Evolutionary Psychology Essay

Just as in the past a brilliant scientist and researcher William Harvey was able to find the fact that it is the heart that is responsible for pumping blood through the human body, psychologists of today have been able to find out and to prove the fact that ‘cognition’ has a particular and specific structure. These psychologists are known as ‘evolutionary psychologists’, and it is this team of experts that have floated the theory that cognitive structure, like physiological structure, has followed, through the centuries, the all important process of natural selection. This was how it has been able to survive and engage in reproduction through the years. What exactly is evolutionary psychology? It is a science that focuses on discovering the evolved process of the nervous systems of human beings, bringing into focus the fact that the human brain is a completely organized structure, just like tissues in any living organism are fully organized. In other words, it is the opinion of evolutionary psychologists that the human brain is composed of several functional parts, made to facilitate the survival and the reproduction of that particular organism. Therefore, this can be taken to mean that the human brain is not an organ with one single function, but rather as an organism made up of a large number of fully functioning parts. In general, evolutionary psychologists refer to the functional components of organisms as ‘adaptations’, and this is the term applied to the functions of the human brain as well. (Hagen, Edward 2004) It is evident therefore that evolutionary psychology refers to a particular approach to psychology, which uses the accepted principles of evolutionary biology to research the design and the workings of the human mind. It can be described as an approach, or a way of thinking, which can be applied to any subject within it. (Cosmides, Leda, Tooby, John 1997) What are the primary activities of evolutionary psychologists? Charles Darwin had this to say, in the year 1859, â€Å"In the distant future, I see open fields for far more important researches. Psychology will be based on a new foundation, that of the necessary acquirement of each mental power and capacity by gradation. † Darwin had foreseen the advances that would be made in the field of psychology in the future, and the science of evolutionary psychology was one of his predictions that came true. As mentioned earlier, evolutionary perspectives on human psychology are a part of the larger theory of general selection, and this field has led to greater scientific advancements in areas like sociobiology and ethnobotany, among others. Evolutionary psychologists have to find answers to questions such as how, why and when did human consciousness evolve, are there any differences between the psychology of men and women, and if so, what are they? Are there any differences between the psychologies of various races and ethnicities? Are there are adaptive explanations for human behaviors such as aggressiveness, self destructiveness and so on? Is it true that human consciousness is evolving today, as it has been steadily over the past hundreds and thousands of years? Is it true that human intelligence is inherited, and is it at all in any way influenced by one’s environment? Can the theories of evolutionary psychology accurately describe and explain the reasons behind the common phobias among human beings? One must remember however that several sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists are completely wary of using and understanding the new evolutionary perspective on human brains and behaviors, perhaps because in their opinion, evolutionary psychologists tended to adapt theories from the animal world and apply them to humans, and also, tended to generalize the principles of evolution in a much too dramatic fashion. (Evolutionary Psychology 2003) these are the basic of evolutionary psychology theory: Darwin’s ‘descent with modification’ theory, Hamilton’s ‘inclusive fitness’ theory, Maynard Smith’s ‘game theory’, and Trivers’ ‘optimization’ theory. Take for example the theory of ‘inclusive fitness’. This is also referred to as ‘kin selection’, and therefore forms an important element of evolutionary psychology. Kin selection explains away the fact of altruism and philanthropy, by stating that all genes are invariably ‘selfish’, and that an individual is in reality nothing but a gene’s ‘survival machine’. Nevertheless, since a gene would automatically be passed on to the next generation, if the person who is carrying that gene survives in order to reproduce, or even if any of the several other relatives of the surviving individual survive and reproduce, thereby passing on the gene to the next generation. According to Maynard Smith, this may be the reason why a lapwing will fake being injured in order to lure a predatory hawk away from its offspring, thereby acting in an altruistic manner towards its young. This type of altruism may also benefit non-relatives, because it is an acknowledged fact that the members of the same species will help take care of the youngsters of the species, even if they are not related in any way. The reason why this happens may be because of the fact that the evolved mechanism may not be sufficiently complex to make fine discriminations of this kind. This may be why some people like to take care of pets, while some do not. The people who do have pets are in fact allowing their caretaking mechanism to be exploited. Evolutionary psychology has also been applied into another important are: aggression of the human being. It is an accepted fact that sexual rivalry often leads to blatant aggression, and most violent deaths are caused by man killing another man, or man killing a woman in the name of sexual tension and rivalry. In such a case, violence may be taken to refer to be just one strategy in the plethora of male coercive tools, coercion being the direct result of sexual proprietorship and possessiveness. Men who allow themselves to be cuckolded would then be considered losers of the zero-sum evolutionary game that human beings play in their desire to make sure that their genes get into the next generation. Men use violence as a tool to stop and prevent their mates from sexually engaging with other men, because although maternity is always a given, paternity may not be proven. It is this same principle that works in the case of step-children and their adoptive fathers. These fathers have no interest in their step children, because they are not carrying their genes onto the next generation, and supporting another man’s child may mean that this man is working in opposition to his evolutionary interests. History can prove to man that in general, step fathers indulge in greater violence and aggression towards their step children than towards their biological children, the primary reason being that of ensuring that his genes are carried forward, and not another man’s. (Evolutionary Psychology 1998) According to evolutionary psychologists, there is a lack of fit between the current environment and the adaptation of the brain. In their opinion, if the brain is an adaptation, then there could be no doubt that at some time back in time, there existed some sort of selection for brain mechanisms, which in effect transformed information about environment and its conditions, into human behaviors that could adapt and change in accordance with the requirements of the situation and environment. Selection, however took place because of the manner in which they responded to the environment at the time in which they were selected. Therefore, this theory can be taken to imply that because environmental conditions are different today, the information that is input to the brain is different as well, and as a direct consequence, the brain may respond by generating behavior that may not be adaptive to the new conditions in which it finds itself. Failure to adapt may occur in two ways: either the brain could continue to produce the same older behavior under the newer conditions given, or the brain could produce new behavior that responded to the new information coming in, and the behavior could fail to be of the adaptive sort. This is in fact a rather common behavioral pattern, and when conditions change, the response becomes different from what the designers intended, like for example, as demonstrated by sophisticated computer programs, designed to perform a variety of complicated tasks, are also programmed to produce adaptive outputs as a direct response to certain key commands. At the same time, a new input could confuse the computer and prompt it into giving a completely nonsensical and non-adaptive output in response. In human beings, as evolutionary psychologists theorize, there is in place an evolved behavioral predisposition to make sure that reproductive success is always at its highest level, but this conflates the theory that the human brain was designed through a process of selection, as mentioned earlier. (Buller J David n. d)

Write a Debate Speech in Support of Advertisements

Write a debate speech in support of advertisements. â€Å"Mr. Chairman, honorable judges, my most worthy opponents and everyone else present here today. Good afternoon. Before I begin on my main points, I would like to express my disagreement with one of the points expressed by the proposition team. â€Å"The second speaker for the proposition said that advertisements cause people to keep buying low-quality goods. Now, I feel that people generally are not so naive.Even the members of the proposition team have been able to note the various tricks and so-called brain washing maneuver. So, the tricks haven't worked, have they? Actually, few of the usual purchases that we buy are heavily advertised on television or anywhere else for that matter. For example, do you choose the most highly advertised tissue paper or toilet paper? At most, we would try a much advertised product only because it was something new. Take the Cherry Coke advertisements. Its advertising mode probably fits all t he descriptions made by the proposition team member.However, how many of us were so influenced by these advertisements that he or she has started to drink the beverage weekly, or even monthly? â€Å"Now for my first point, I would like to state the benefits of advertisements from the economic side. Advertisements can help companies to introduce their latest products to the market. If the companies are not able to inform the public about their new products, they will not have the confidence to try to produce it. It is undeniable that advertisements play a crucial role in increasing a company's sales.This may sound capitalistic, but we must remember the importance of these factories to the nation. With the increase in sales, the company can afford to give better pay to the workers and offer more jobs. â€Å"Now, another point is that it is only with proper circulation of the products made possible by advertising that the companies are able to mass-produce their products. Mass produc tion is more economical and allows the producers to lower the price of these goods! As a result, consumers can purchase these goods at reasonable prices.As you can see, millions of consumers benefit because of advertisements. â€Å"Thirdly, industries can also greatly contribute to the expansion of a company from regional to international status. Let me give a real example. One man started a small and humble cottage industry of jeans-making. Because of its increasing popularity through advertising, this industry gradually weaved its way into the market until it started to prosper. From a cottage industry, this industry grew into an international company known by both the young and old.The name of this brand of jeans is none other than Levi's. This company was able to grow due to advertisements, creating job opportunities for millions of people, not only in America but also in Levi's factories in Indonesia, the Philippines and other third world countries. â€Å"Fourthly, advertisem ents of the latest technology and inventions are also beneficial for the consumers, for it means they can find the right kind of product for themselves easily and quickly. Here is another real-life case.My grandmother used to have too many lizards crawling around her house and she is paranoid about them. Then, one day, she saw the advertisement for a lizard spray that can paralyze lizards temporarily. End of lizard problem. How could my dear grandma have found out about such a strange but useful product without advertisements? Jokes aside, through reading the advertisements in newspapers or magazines, many people find just the product required to take care of their particular problem.Estate managers can find out about the right fertilizer or pesticide; computer owners can find the best software; doctors can find out about the latest medications. Imagine all the bother one must go through to find out the product one needs amongst the rapidly expanding array of products and inventions available, without advertisements. Why, one would have to phone just about every shop in town! Nowadays, we can just flip open a newspaper or even the Yellow Pages. See how advertisements have been such a blessing!

Primary and Support Activities of Value Chain Essay

Raytheon Company has created new software that improves the logistics system of the company by providing constant tracking data of all products in the inventory, which has saved the company nearly $9M. MTrak is a web-based system that includes the Microsoft . Net technology, which is used to capture bar-code scans and combines it with information from the mainframe computer to provide tracking of all inventories anywhere within the company. A lot of stuff got lost, company had to have multiple people sitting by the phones to take the calls asking where the parts were. The creation of MTrak brings Raytheon online with its competitors in the industry. While the system does not create a competitive advantage to Raytheon, it does negate the disadvantage of a bad supply control system. The creation of MTrak contributes to the entire value chain by tracking the products from the beginning of the chain at Inbound Logistics, through Operations, Outbound Logistics, Marketing and Sales, through to the end of the chain at Service. The Technology and Competitive Forces The major problem at Raytheon was lost inventory. The suppliers were not to blame because they were able to account for every piece of property they supplied through their fully automated supply chains. From the beginning, the goal was to create a system that would track all materials used by Raytheon such as resistors, capacitors and customized computer chips from the time of order through receiving, testing, placement in inventory and final use in a military field radio, handheld motion sensor or some other Raytheon product . Whenever Raytheon received calls for a missing delivery personnel would physically search the area to see if the product was still there. In some cases, if the item couldn’t be found the employees would reorder the item so production schedules could be met.. The MTrak is a web-based system that includes such technologies as Microsoft . Net and Biz Talk 2004. These technologies, which captures bar-code scans and other information on incoming deliveries, combine it with other information from the mainframe system such as purchase-order inventory, anufacture-scheduling data. The integration of the MTrak and mainframe computers is possible through the use of software provided by WRQ Verastream. This system lets employees track the status and movement of parts throughout the entire company from a web browser. Competitive Forces-Value Chain The Value Chain consists of five Primary Value Chain Activities and four generic categories of support activities. The primary value chain activ ities are supported by the generic categories. In this case the primary chain activities that are being supported are the Inbound Logistics, Operations, Outbound Logistics, and Marketing and Sales. The supporting category is Technology Development. Raytheon created this technology in-house with publicly available software. Even though integrating the software into the daily business of the company did not create a competitive advantage, Raytheon was able to save money in many areas including lost inventory, delayed production, and outsourcing software development. Supporting the Company The MTrak tracking system provides a state-of-the-art software package that provides Raytheon with the means to track its entire inventory throughout the entire company from a web browser. This technology improves the value chain of the entire company. Though the use of this technology, Raytheon will be on a level playing field with other companies in the industry. It may even spur Raytheon an advantage in the future as the company continues to grow.