Martha Stewart Trial

Martha Stewart went on trial on January 12, 2004 for conspiracy, obstruction of justice, securities fraud and making false statements in the stock trading scandal at ImClone Systems. Stewart’s sale of almost 4,000 shares of stock in ImClone Systems created suspicions of insider trading. After investigating the matter, the federal prosecutors suspected that she deliberately tried to mislead their investigation. It is considered a Federal felony for someone to falsify or cover a material fact and to knowingly make any materially false statement.The trial was to determine whether Martha Stewart was a criminal who lied to the government about selling stock based on an inside tip or just an investor who saved money with a smart bet on the market. The Securities and Exchange Commission noticed an unusual coincidence between selling a large number of shares by the CEO of ImClone and Martha Stewart and began an investigation to determine if Martha Stewart was guilty of insider trading . Sam Waskal later confirmed that the sale of his shares was due to an advance word that the FDA rejected the application for the approval of the cancer drug. CNNMoney, 2004) The government said that Stewart saved about $45000 by selling stock in ImClone on December 27th, 2001. She said she sold the stock because she and Bacanovic, her Merrill Lynch & Co. broker, had a pre-existing agreement to sell when the stock fell to $60. (Answers. com) During the trial, Douglas Faneuil, Stewart's broker's assistant, testified that he tipped Stewart –on orders from his boss, Peter Bacanovic– about Waksal's sale of ImClone shares.Faneuil's testimony was important to the government’s contention that Stewart sold the ImClone shares after she received news from ImClone CEO Sam Waksal and she did not have an agreement with Bacanovic to sell the stock when it fell to $60 a share. In her defense, Stewart's attorney told the judge that Faneuil at various times had been advised to t ell the truth to investigators and the SEC, but then told later to keep lying. (CNN. com, 2004). Securities fraud was the most serious charge against Stewart, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and the U. S.District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum dismissed the securities fraud charge against Stewart, saying that â€Å"the evidence and inferences the government presents are simply too weak to support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt of criminal intent. †. (CNNMoney, 2004). The other four remaining charges she faced, each carried a sentence of up to five years. The trial lasted for five-weeks. Ironically, Erbitux, the drug that was produced by ImClone to treat cancer and was not considered to be reviewed in December 2007 when its application was rejected, recently was approved to treat certain forms of cancer. CNNMoney,2004).ReferencesChernoff, Allan. (2004). Closing arguments underway. Retrieved June 11, 2010, from http://money. cnn. com/2004/03/01/news/companie s/martha/index. htm? cnn=yesKey prosecution witness to take stand at Martha Stewart trial (2004). Retrieved June 11, 2010 from http://edition. cnn. com/2004/LAW/01/29/martha. stewart/index. html Sellers, Patricia (November 14, 2005).†Remodeling Martha†. Fortune, pp. 49–62. Retrieved June 11, 2010 from http://www. answers. com/topic/martha-stewart

Explain Christian views on suicide Essay

In a broad sense suicide can be defined as, â€Å"the act of intentionally ending your life.† However, there are many different types of suicide. Durkheim identified four kinds: egoistic suicide, which is the result of feeling one’s life is meaningless; altruistic suicide, the act of giving one’s life for the greater good; anomic suicide, the result of a major social change that disrupts a person’s sense of order; and fatalistic suicide, the results of excessive regulation, when one’s future is pitilessly blocked by oppressive discipline, such as in a prison or dictatorship. Christians believe that all life is sacred, and therefore the vast majority of denominations are against all forms of suicide. In examining the reasons behind this, a good place to start is the Christian teaching on the sacredness of human life. Christians believe in the sanctity of life, meaning that all human life is created in God’s image and has intrinsic worth. The Decalogue teaches, â€Å"Do not kill.† This includes killing oneself. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes 7:17 states, â€Å"Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?† Prematurely ending your life prevents the believer from serving God to his full potential. This idea is backed up in the New Testament, where the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16, â€Å"Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?† Christians reject the idea of total bodily autonomy, meaning that they do not believe we have the right to do whatever we want with our bodies. The Bible suggests that our bodies are not our own, but God’s, and therefore we do not have the right to destroy them. Historical church fathers have held consistently negative views on suicide. Augustine was one of the first to publically speak out against it. He opposed it because we have a duty of selfà ¢care arising from natural inclination and we have a debt of love that we owe to others. In The City of God he wrote, â€Å"certainly he who kills himself is a homicide, and so much guiltier of his own death, as he was more innocent of that offence for which he doomed himself to die.† To take one’s own life into one’s hands and act precipitously by committing suicide is to look away from God (a final and definitive refusal of trust in God and a denial of trust in his providence, by the very nature of the act itself excluding any subsequent repentance/penance). Furthermore, Aquinas was also against suicide. In Summa Theologica he set forth three reasons why suicide is immoral. Firstly, it is contrary to natural law. Secondly, suicide does injury to the common good because the person’s community will suffer. Thirdly, it is a sin against God because life is God’s gift to man. For it belongs to God alone to pronounce sentence of death and life, according to Deuteronomy 32:39, â€Å"I will kill and I will make to live.† However, there is one form of suicide that some Christians would accept, and that is altruistic suicide in the form of martyrdom or self-sacrifice. Jesus taught that, â€Å"Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.† For example, in Judges Samson brings down a temple killing both himself and the Philistines. Augustine said that suicide was rooted in pride and lack of charity, whereas martyrdom is commendable and for the good of others. The different Christian denominations are generally unified when it comes to views on suicide. In the Roman Catholic Church it is regarded as a mortal sin, and the Catechism asserts, â€Å"Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life.† The Presbyterian Church would hold a similar view, as the Westminster Confession reads, â€Å"The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in the case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defence.† Even though they clearly teach that suicide is a sin, it is not an unpardonable sin. Salvation is by grace alone and if one is truly saved, nothing (not even suicide) can separate them from Jesus. The United Methodist Church believes that suicide is not the way life should end, but would be hesitant to label it a sin. Therefore, they denounce the condemnation of people who commit suicide, and do not believe surviving family should be stigmatised. Modern psychology has impacted the Christian view of suicide. In the past Christians were guilty of separating physical and mental illness and although they were in support of treatment for physical ailments, they were wary of psychiatric treatment. Even today some fundamentalist churches would see illnesses such as depression as purely spiritual afflictions. In the wake of high profile suicides such as Rick Warren’s son Matthew, most leaders are encouraging the Church to acknowledge that matters of depression and suicide are medical in nature and should be addressed no differently than other physical illnesses. They imply that to do otherwise promotes stigma, shame and restricts the believer’s access to appropriate care. Another reason why Christians are against suicide is the profound negative effect it can have on other people. Suicide does not just harm the person who dies, it is a form of bereavement even more devastating than usual because the family will forever agonise over what led the person to take their life, and if they could have prevented it. This is especially so if the family discover the body or witness the suicide. Suicide can damage close communities such as schools and churches. Wyatt said that, â€Å"suicide can have devastating effects on others. In fact, it can be one of the most selfish and destructive acts anyone can perform.†

Compare/Contrast Organic Food Essay

You’re in a bit of a dilemma standing in front of the produce section of your local grocery store. In one hand, you’re holding conventionally grown (non-organic) Granny Smith apple. In your other hand, you have one that’s been organically grown. Both apples look the same and provide vitamins and fiber. The non-organic apple is a proven family favorite. But the organic apple has a label that says â€Å"USDA Organic. † Does that mean it’s more expensive? Grown differently? Better for you? Most organic food cost more than conventional food products. Higher prices are due to more expensive farming practices and more strict government regulations. Because organic farmers don’t use herbicides or pesticides, many tools that control weeds and pests use more labor and man power. Conventionally grown food may be more cost effective, especially when you’re on a budget, but remember ‘you always get what you pay for’. How is organic farming different from conventional farming? Organic Farming applies natural fertilizers such as manure to feed soil and plants. Crops are rotated, and farmers hand weed or mulch, to manage weeds. They give their animals a balanced organic diet and clean housing to minimize disease. Conventional farming uses chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth and herbicides to manage weeds. The farmers give their animals antibiotics and medicines to prevent disease. Some people buy organic food to limit their exposure to these chemicals. Organic produce claims to be healthier than non organic produce. Both are nutritional but organic contains higher levels of vitamins C and A, antioxidants, and essential minerals. They are free of synthetic additives that contribute to heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, migraines and Alzheimer’s. Conventional farming uses chemicals that leave residues from more than five hundred chemical pesticides. So the next time you’re standing at the grocery store wondering if you should buy organic or conventionally grown food, think about if the money is worth living healthy or not. The irony is that up until about fifty years ago, organic was all we had. Once farmers started to use pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics we lost what eating was all about: health and nutrition.

Data Collection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Data Collection - Assignment Example rt from FEMA to explain the state of emergency management as well as present their findings regarding the heavy loss that was experienced following hurricane Katrina. In the report, it was apparent that the multi-agency operation lacked proper coordination because of the communication challenge occasioned by destruction of telecommunication network. Further on, the decision by government to cut down on its budgetary allocation to emergency management and the concomitant impacts have widely been tackled in peer reviewed articles, print media, as well as online news website. Information gathered from the aforementioned sources is critical in informing the various stakeholders of steps to be undertaken to address the challenge. First, from the issues raised by the disaster managers, it is apparent that limited budgetary allocation has further complicated the path to finding solution to the challenge. Secondly, citizen apathy and preference to varied communication challenge has made emergency officers face an uphill task when trying to reach out to victims of a disaster. From the information gathered, various recommendations have been put forth, including adoption of social media platforms to enhance communication. Additionally, these recommendations have proposed new state of communication infrastructure that, if adopted, would guarantee minimal interference in case of

A Business Proposal for J. R Creative, a Web Design firm Dissertation

A Business Proposal for J. R Creative, a Web Design firm - Dissertation Example Give our experience in commercial web development and business-to-business sales; we are quite sure that we will offer a unique and quality service to small business operators compared to our competitors in the market. With most firms, including the small services wanting to have an online presence, the demand for web design and development has gone up and there are no signs of that demand going down soon. Having a fully functional and professional website is nowadays a competitive advantage on the business owners. Even more interesting and enterprising, is an ecommerce website through which the business can advertise and sell its merchandise. Notably, very few companies in Newcastle have taken advantage of this business niche, as there are no dominating participants in this huge market. One of the possible reasons for this untapped market might be due to the expensive project costs. The highest profit margins in website designs are in servicing large and medium sized corporations. B y developing a system to cut costs will allow J.R Creative to design and develop websites as larger companies at very low costs to our clients. This plan is aimed at looking at the market analysis and J.R Creative’s financial plan. ... is will entail professional catch web designs that display the products and services offered by the firm, their missions and objectives and their contact details. J. R Creative will market its services to the small entities as a step by step process, first starting out with a small, simple websites, then gradually up scaling and adding more features to the site. Later on the website can become a fully-fledged ecommerce trading platform. Despite the fact that we want to bring on board many clients who simply need an online presence and probably nothing more, our main focus or area of interest will be on clients who are keen on implementing a large percentage of their company onto the internet. Traditionally, these types of clients will need the following services: Database driven websites Ecommerce trading platform e.g. a shopping cart Dynamic website content and features Aggressive online market Social bookmarks like Facebook, Twitter and many more Target Market Segment J.R Creative will focus on attracting small businesses. The market segment of web design is made up of small firms, large firms and individuals who may want to have personal websites to blog and update their information. Since J.R Creative is a small start-up, it may not be able to provide services that large firms and corporations need. Large firms usually need large database driven websites which need to be maintained every day, a service we may not be able to provide. There is simply low amount of services available for this market which has such a huge demand. Businesses have been picking up in Newcastle, which is attributable to favourable economic conditions in the United Kingdom and the European Union. In addition to the vibrant supply and demand ratio, it is technically easier to less costly to

Employee motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee motivation - Essay Example This is because the workers feel safe in an environment that is tightly controlled by management. On the other hand, theory Y workers are self-motivated to perform their job responsibilities to the best of their abilities. For these workers, their work is simply an extension of themselves. If they perform poorly in the workplace, then they feel that it reflects badly on them as a person. In business organizations that contain many employees of this type, very little instruction is required from top management because the employees are naturally motivated to perform their tasks and use creative thinking to do so. No matter which type of employees an organization deals with, there needs to be incentives offered that will encourage employees to strive to do their best. An individual goal for an employee could be a bonus depending on how many sales they make in a month. For employees who are not involved in the sales department, this could be translated as how many units of production they do. The added figure to their salaries would be a small percentage based on their work output. Another way could be to offer a promotion if they meet certain company goals. This could be by assigning them to be a manager of a new franchise or factory. Quite naturally, this would result in an increase of pay. For the organization as a whole, the employees can receive a rise in salary based on the total output of the firm. This encourages employees to work well together because it will affect everyone if there is conflict in the workplace. For organizations with a diverse group of employees, the advantage is two-fold: the employees are handsomely compensated for their work, while the total output of the firm increases due to there being less conflict among employees. However, there would need to be an appropriate measure to judge whether some employees are not performing as they should. Any group-based reward system needs to have checks and balances so that no one is

Critical bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critical bibliography - Essay Example Scholars are capable to get concrete evidence when they study the above named book; further will be fed with vital information concerning history and terrorism (Kaldor 200). According to the book, it is evident that there were some difference in the war that took place during post-war II and the previous wars; this is because there are certain multiples issues that have changed. For instance, the following aspects have greatly changed, players, rules and methods and also have greatly changed the initial aspects of war. It is pertinent to note that in the case of the old wars, the main target is the uniformed armies who combat each other. The war according to the book, has several influence on a nation for instance, the act can heighten the nationalism on integrity and enabling the state to further tax. On other hand, the new wars involves is witnessed by the impact of the globalization on warfare’s. Several features heighten and indicate the phenomenon of â€Å"new war†. Currently, new wars are staged on the claiming identity, and not necessarily the territory. Terror tactics and guerrilla, and the international crime impacts and division of the ethnic perpetual just to mention but a few. The article here argues that more emphasis are necessary to strengthen revolution of French with the aim of war gestation in the nineteenth century. Further, the article acknowledges the fact that the Russian wars act in nineteenth century is exaggeration since there were many terrorist movements that had little connections to Russia. Finally, the article articulates that connections between political nihilism and terrorism are in exaggeration and that nihilist drives very few war movements. It is pertinent to note the new and new war is a recent phenomenon even though the term has been long in the mind of the individuals. Analysts had preference in focusing on violence or terror in politics no matter of the sub-state or state deploys

The income gap between the rich and the poor in China Research Paper

The income gap between the rich and the poor in China - Research Paper Example Over the last decade, China has exceeded the Gini coefficient index threshold by 0.4 close to the warning level given by the United Nations (Cai, 128). This article analyzes the extent of the income disparity in China between the rich and the poor, it cause and effect and the plausible solutions to this problem. Research has shown that income disparity in China between the rich and the poor have continued to increase since 1978 when China opened it boundaries for trade with the rest of the world. According to the China national bureau of statistics, the standard income earning of the 10% richest people in china was 10.9 times higher compared to that of the 10% poorest in the year 2009. In 1985, the figure was just 2. 9 times ((Anon, 148). It can be seen that the gap between the poor has thus increased incredibly. Since 1978 when China opened it door to international trade, per capital income has increased unbelievably. For instance, within the period of 1985 to 2010, the per capital income has increased by 55 times. This has however come from the urban area with the rural area experiencing lesser growth. The earning gap between the rural and city dwellers had reduced from 2.6 to 2.5 times in the 1970 and from 2.3 to 1.9 times in the 80s. However, it widened to 3.3 times in 2009. This is disregarding the fact that there are some social amenities such as good roads, health care house subsidies and other amenities enjoyed by the city dweller which are not available to the rural people further increasing the disparity (Cai, 130). This thus implies that the disparity many even be more than six times larger. The major obstacle in overcoming the income disparity issue is because the affluent have a greater opportunity of increasing their wealth compared to other people. For instance, from 1985 to 2010, the rich recorded a 38 fold increase in their earnings; the people in the middle class register a 21fold increase while the poor only

Individual privacy vs. National Security Research Paper

Individual privacy vs. National Security - Research Paper Example These efforts by the government were aimed at enhancing national security. The mode or tactics applied by the federal government to ensure national security has raised question from the public concerning the cost the public needs to pay for a secure nation. Civil liberties are personal freedoms and guarantees that are beyond the control and regulation of the federal government. With the current anti terrorism trend, the government has been forced to draw a boundary between civil liberties and war on terrorism. The federal government should promote civil liberties and democracy despite the current security concerns. This analyzes the importance of maintaining personal privacy without compromising national security and war against terrorism. The US patriot act was introduced after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. According to our research findings, the Act was introduced to unite American and prevent any future acts of terrorism (Sunstein, 2003). The Act was therefore meant to prevent terrorism by punishing terrorists across the United States and around the world. Fighting terrorism is a good thing however; the American government seems to have taken the fight to an extreme end. This is because the war on terrorists ended up on people’s doorstep making them to become victims of the war. Since the implementation of the Patriot Act, the First and Fourth Amendment were changed to heighten war on terror. This led to a compromise on people’s freedoms. Firstly, the first and Fourth amendment considered the national security as a priority. Since the implementation of the Patriot Act, the first and fourth amendments were changed to enhance national security. This implied that according to the act the authorities had the rights to vary and at sometimes compromise people’s freedom in their fight against terrorism. Personal privacy is a civil liberty; according to the constitution, the government has a duty to ensure that it protects human righ ts. The national Act was designed to fight terrorism, had little or no concern over individual privacy and civil liberties. Although fighting terrorism to ensure national security is, a good thing for the government it is costly and therefore the government needed to think otherwise. The cost that the government incurred in ensuring national stood out as an opportunity cost. The government needed to consider the opportunity cost that it suffered in ensuring national security at the expense of civil liberties. From the investigations, it was found out that the government incurred heavy costs through Loss of credibility and trust among its people. If the government considered these cost then it could have realized that enhancing civil liberties was beyond national security. Fighting terrorists is the responsibility of the government. I have no any problem with the efforts the government took to fight terrorists. Every American citizen believes that war against terrorist compromises pe ople’s democracy and should have been controlled. Democracy was established to enhance people’s freedom on their movement, speech, and personal privacy among other civil liberties. Personal privacy is a civil liberty and hence a symbol of democracy. From the investigation, it was established that the authorities had difficulties distinguishing terrorists from citizens.

Cartier Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cartier - Essay Example The stimuli related to the brand that evokes various behavioural responses of the consumers are due to various features of the brand which are namely, the communications of the brand, the packaging of the products offered under the brand names and the market environment created by the brand strategies of the company (Aaker, 1996, p.47). Brand experience is of high importance to the companies in today’s market as the brand experience enjoyed by the customers creates an attachment towards preferred brands and hence, develops brand loyalty. In order to sustain business growth in the competitive markets, the companies put additional focus in including brand experience in their market strategies. By acquiring a loyal set of customer through brand experience, the companies have been able to acquire and maintain substantial market share in the industry. This piece of work includes a review of the literature on brand experience and the marketing strategies adopted by the companies in order to develop their brand experience (Aaker, 1997, p.352). The aspect of brand experience has been discussed in context to Cartier luxury brand. Literature Review The age of globalization has opened up the markets in several economies and the companies have expanded in the global markets in order to tap the potential market demand. The increase in market competition has increased the bargaining power of the customers. Over the years, the companies have observed changing trends in the customer behaviour in accepting brands from the available market options. Thus understanding the customer behaviour is important from the point of view of the companies in order to sustain their market shares. Brand experience has emerged as an important consideration for addressing the behaviour of the customers and their responses to various brands that they use in today’s competitive market. The behaviour of the customers related to brand experience depends on not one but several features o f the brand like brand personality, brand community, brand attachment, brand trust and brand love (Ariely, 1998, p.36). The brand experience could be conceptualised as the generation of feelings, sensations, emotion of the customers in response to the brand related stimuli. The concept of brand experience emerges with the classification of customer’s experience into sensory, affective, intellectual, behavioural features of the customer’s behaviour (Schmitt, Zarantonello and Brakus, 2009, p.65). The feelings generated in the customer due to the sensory stimulus refer to the customer’s response to the aesthetic features of the product. The sensory emotions within the customer are generated by the focus on beautifying the product through better packaging. The better packaging in comparison to others provides as sense of assurance and belief to the consumer. The affective component of brand experience generates different customer behaviour as a result of the underly ing belief and ideas of the customer on the particular brand. The affective behaviour of the customer is based on the direct and indirect interaction that the customer had in relation to the bran

Gender and subject choice Essay Example for Free

Gender and subject choice Essay To carry out these interviews, I would take a sample of 20 sixth-formers, preferably within my own sixth-form to allow easier, speedier access and consisting equally of both males and females. In order to do this I would use quota sampling, this is a way in which variables can be controlled and the participants with similar characteristics are chosen, hence the overall sample can reflect the characteristics of the population as a whole. These samples would also preferably include students that had chosen to study any of the sciences, however particularly focusing on Biology. This sample would also take into account ethnic and class differences in order to allow me to differentiate between males and females according to different variables, providing sufficient extra data to measure gender against class roles and the intersections. Whilst this will provide qualitative clues as to subject choices by gender it will be limited in illustrating the impact of the learning environment and gender roles, as this would demand more qualitative analysis such as that of Anne Colleys. However, I would expect the results to be generalisable to a wider population. I will anchor these questions in previous research such as that of Anne Colley. Within the interviews, I am going to focus on Biology in particular when asking about the science/favourite subjects, etc. My reasons for doing this arise from the evidence that Science at GCSE level is more popular with males whereas at A-level it is more commonly chosen by females. I would begin the interviews with a number of open-ended questions, so as to give the participant a chance to provide me with worthy feedback, eg. Why did you choose Biology? , and What did you think of it ?(in comparison to GCSE level), etc. I would record the answers to these open questions as it would be time-consuming to write down many long answers, etc. This would enable me to extract a varied viewpoint on many different students perspectives of subject choice and preference. Then I would ask a series of closed-ended questions which will generally be more appropriate to achieve a table of results for clear comparisons to be made. These closed-ended questions would include similar questions to: Do you think Biology is a girls subject? and Do you think Physics is a boys subject? , etc. Questions would be piloted on a small group of males and females to ensure its adequacy. This is in fact a small-scale preliminary study which will allow me to check that things will run smoothly during the interviews and also allow improvements to be made to the design of the research, should there be any faults. (471 words) Potential Problems As this is a such a small piece of research, it would a problem to generalise from it, especially to schools and pupils different from the sample, eg.ethnic minorities, private education, etc. It would give an idea of the reasons in which a particular small group of students chose their A level subjects and their own individual reasons for doing so. However it could give a fair impression of reasons for subject choice in other cases, eg. similar circumstances to other pupils studying the same subjects etc. The usage of quota sampling does have both theoretical and practical drawbacks in some circumstances. It isnt truly random as each person within the population doesnt have an equal chance of being chosen. The lack of this genuine randomness may have a significant effect on the results. For example, the quota sample within my study would be only those illustrated on the biology class register, however the results may have more of an impact if a quota sample had been taken from all those who achieved a high grade at GCSE biology and were in fact considering going on to study it at a higher level, etc. There is of course, with my research an interviewer bias. As my opinions on the topic are set by doing the research, participants may be influenced by my asking of the questions and will therefore respond by giving a respectable answer as they may find the real truth embarrassing, eg. I fancied a lad who was taking the course. However I am similar in status to my chosen sample group, therefore they may wish to impress or please me by giving me answers that they think I want to hear. Another problem may be the reliability of the interviewees memory, they arent currently making their choice and might not remember their thoughts on it at the time. Also during interviews, a crucial factor as a way of achieving a reliable outcome of the research is to not put ideas into the students head before having asked open-ended questions. For example, closed-ended questions especially may put forward ideas that werent there before and therefore mislead me about their thoughts on the matter, etc.

Hybrid Cars Essay Example for Free

Hybrid Cars Essay Company: Within the company there are a few areas to look at regarding Toyotas introduction of the Prius. Areas such as financing, research, development, as well as others. When introducing the Prius, Toyota started early with its promotion of the hybrid. Spending US$15 million out of the US$190 million is spent on marketing in the 2002 year. Toyota informed its potential customers threw informative emails, TV commercials, and earth day give a ways. Toyota put a lot into research and development to come up with the hybrid with the advances in technology, such as the engine of the Prius. The engine combines a 1. 5 litre, 4 cylinder gas engine, with a 33-kilowatt electric engine that runs of a nickel-hydride battery. With this new engine and normal highway driving conditions the car is said to get 106 km per gallon. It is also rated one of the greenest vehicles on the market. Since North Americans complain about gas mileage, and want to be environmentally friendly this seems like the way to go. Suppliers: One of Toyotas major costs of manufacturing the Prius would be the nickel-hydride battery that the electric part fo the engine runs off of. This is also one of the main reasons why hybrid cars are so expensive compared to similar gas powered cars of the same size. But if manufacturers of hybrid cars were to see a yield in economies of scale then there would be more reason for producers of the battery to put more time and money into research and development of the battery and thus decrease costs of producing it. this would in term pass savings onto the potential buyers of the hybrid car. Customer Market: when looking for a way to market the Prius to consumers Toyota looked at what consumers wanted in a vehicle. Things like lower gas mileage, lower emmissions, and something that what technologically appealing. so with this in mind Toyota set out to design a car to appeal to all these things. with the combined electric and gas engine the Prius gets better mileage, and one of the greenest vehicles on the market. consumers have also been able to technologically modify there Prius, some have added DVD players and such, or programmed the cars computer to shower videos etc, on the monitors in the car. Competitors: introducing the Prius was the way in which Toyota planned to get an advantage over competitors like the big three auto manufacturers (ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler) none of whom had a hybrid in market when the Prius was released. the big three had plans of releasing hybrid vehicles in 2003, Toyota planned to stay on top of the hybrid market with its early release of a hybrid. Publics: there are a lot of different publics to take in mind. publics such as the media, government, citizen-action, local, general, etc. Toyota used a lot of these when it can to promoting the Prius. they ran articles, in vanity air, and newsweek, as well as running commercials on different television statements such as discovery, the history channel, and the learning network. it ran different taglines, such as A car that sometimes runs on gas power and sometimes runs on electric power, from a company that always runs on brain power. it also used tag lines that drew the customer in to find the meaning in it and also educating the customer on what exactly a hybrid was. Question # 2: Demographic Forces: this is one of the key forces that affect marketing plans it involves the study of people and when they want. Toyota looked at the different things that people wanted in a car. things like low fuel usage, and being environmentally friendly. using the information gathered Toyota came up with the combined engine that runs on gas and electric power to reduce mileage and also make it environmentally friendly. this hybrid would more likely be targeted to generation Y drivers. seeing as they are younger and more into the technological advances in society. it would also be marketed to the generation X drivers for the fact that they are more concerned over the outlook of the environment. Natural Forces: with natural forces marketers would be aware of trends, like the shortage or raw materials trend, the increase of population, and the government. with the government putting more emphasis on being environmentally friendly Toyota seems to have taken this to heart seeing as the Prius is one of the greenest vehicles on the market. also with the population tending to gather around more urban settings it is becoming more essential to have a vehicle with better gas mileage with more people commuting back and forth to work. Technological Forces: with the advances in technology recently people now except more from manufactures. Toyota seeing this used it to its advantage using the combined engine and adding other features as a computer system installed right in the car. it also used the internet as one of the ways it go to potential consumers to educate them on the Prius and what it was all about. which in turned created sales of the hybrid. Political: on problem with the Prius is that its not all that affordable. so makers of hybrid cars have gone to the government to see if there was a way to incorporate a benefit of driving a environmentally friendly car. while the US now offers a tax benefit for driving such a car there has yet to be any incentive in Canada. since there is no documented proof as of yet that driving one of these cars helps the environment they do not see the point in implicating anything yet. Cultural: the cultural force takes into account the values and beliefs of the consumer.like being friendly to the environment. valuing technology, etc. Toyota conformed to these by using the combined engine, not only is it environmentally friendly is also increased gas mileage. it also put a lot of new technologies into the Prius that consumers are finding many ways to use to their advantage. doing things like tweaking the computer system to play videos and mp3s, etc. Question # 3: Value proposition is essentially the full mix of benefits upon which the brand is positioned. Toyota sets the benefits to come from the higher gas mileage, the fact that it lowers emmissionsÃ'Ž

Moulin Rouge Analysis

Moulin Rouge Analysis Nowadays we live in democratic society and all members take action in shaping our culture. From all forms of mass communication, from all types of art the cinema occupies in society unique position. Many critics take the cinema to hot facilities of mass-media, i.e. to such, which fully seize spectator perception and compel a spectator to be identified with the heroes of film, and sometimes and with a movie camera. Specific of cinema spectacle is in its comprehensive affecting deep layers of consciousness, in a breach to archetypes of collective unconscious. An audience that gather together even today submerge in this world of dreams, appellant to bottomless and ancient archaic character of our consciousness, affecting all strings of the soul and simultaneously reflecting the most topical problems of contemporaneity. Id like to analyze one musical that has a title Moulin Rouge and I like it very much. Getting through the fashionable salons of Paris, through the fairs of beginning of a ge, finding a sound and color, surviving the competition of television and video, films continue to unite people, giving oneself up the magic twinkling of illusion, able to unite emotions, passions, expectations and dreams of millions together. Not a single art passes with such authenticity exactly because of that is not a locomotive picture, copying reality, and shows by itself the product of collective creation and consumption, our everyday life, our habits and consuetudes, doing them maximally accessible to the greatest masses. I want to say that it is too easy to be critical of things we dislike. Additionally, we tend to be cynical about things we dislike, rather than critical and for this my assignment, I will be required to employ the critical process to something that I like, of my favorite film or it will be better to say to my favorite musical. First of all it is necessary to pay our attention on the next information that the nature of the cinema socializes people, unites them and it has a place not only because it is the synthesis of all other arts (and in this sense has one analogy temple action only) but also that is why, that the cinema is industry which must be covered a cost, functioning like the kind of independent thing in itself, but not burdening society financial dependence, compensated submissive execution of social order. Only the cinema is able to engulf practically all spheres of public consciousness, however much it is a sphere of mythology, i.e. cognition of the world by immersion in the difficult structures of archetypes and phenomena, by their emotional research from within. Putting in order and taking away individual and social myths in the sphere of consciousness, the cinema reconsiders them in a spirit every new decade, for history of cinematographic being art by a whole epoch. Intruding in a daily o ccurrence, the glimmered ray of projector compels us to comprehend and experience our life as nothing much more valuable and considerable, than that, how we perceived it. And herein is a true of the cinema, because it does not substitute by itself reality, but mythologized private and public life, giving every action and motion of the soul of man unique and epic scope. Much more unbelievable things happen in life, there are coincidences and chances, far more surprising, than on the screen, but the cinema offers to us problems, characters and signs in more bare and dramatized kind. It is a way of an old proverb appearance: As in the cinema! I want to make my first step of critical analysis with musical description. Moulin Rouge is a romantic musical film produced by Baz Luhrmann in 2001. In accordance with Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orpheah myth and also on Guiseppe Verdis opera La Traviata. It tells us amazing love story of a young English poet Christian (Ewan McGregor) and the star of Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). Chriastian fall in love with this girl and as a result of it we receive wonderful musical that take away our feelings and emotions. The film won two Oscars (for direction and costume design) and was really nominated on 8 of them. In Sydney, Australia it was filmed at Fox Studios. We should mark that it is the first musical in 22 years that was nominated for the best picture. Analyzing this musical we can say that the first half of film is a continuous furious show, dances, cancan, songs, phantasmagoria, shocking sceneries, humor and slapstick. Dynamics of development of events is quite shocking. You do not have time to regain consciousness from one most magnificent shot, as it is replaced other, yet more magnificent, chic and impressive. But from some certain moment, when all protagonists of this theatrical are certain, it loses all dynamism and grows into viscous and a few snotty melodrama. Dynamism at once is lost, the masculine half of hall begins frankly to be sad and reaches mobile telephones, to read the SMS-massages got in times of cancan, however nice ladiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Nice ladies look at this simple history not attentively, nervously pinning handkerchiefs against the charming noses. It is love story for them. An old love story! Old words of love! However, I do not have claims against that bright, magnificent and a very dynamic action suddenl y whipped off steam and rolled at a speed of light carriage, spreading wheels on an asphalt old as the world story about a love triangle and about that, how harmful and it is wrong to fall in love in courtesans. In fact, it is laws of genre! It is a rule of construction of such films! Show, whirlwind, slapstick, whereupon sudden viscous melodrama. Describing and summarizing actions of this musical I want to say that personally for me the first half of film atoned everything. Because it is the real show. Because it is perfectly taken off and looks at oneself simply splendidly. Moulin Rouge was filmed without the observance of some age-old canons and traditions, giving vent unrestrained flight of fantasy and allowing artists, computer designers, decorators and ballet-masters to create something new and interesting. A quite phantasmagoric spectacle went out from their hands, describing it with more details and bright images. I like this musical Moulin Rouge very much and I want to emphasize that separate brilliant idea was to take plenty of modern hits and rehash them for this film. Thus, part of hits interlaced in magnificent pot-pourri, and some are carried out as independent works, but with quite by other accent and with quite by other serve. As you understand, to use for this film immortal Show must go on is a very risky step, taking into account a few specific orientation of film and awe which tests most audience to immortal and great singer. But in spite of the fact that in Moulin Rouge this song performance far from it due fervor, it sounds completely another faint notes and overflows span-new paints. If to be honest and critical in this film analyzing part of audience was disappointed with this film. Almost on every session a few persons (however, quite two-bit) leave cinema hall. Probably, they expected a not musical, but melodrama and they did not simply have patience a bit to wait the same tears and sobbingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ De autre part, somehow foolishly from a film with the name Moulin Rouge not to wait songs and dances. And they there are fully enough. Abort from film a love-story and it will turn out into a few quite shocking video clips. Especially as Luhrmann, as that is required by modern realities, feels free for surveys to use the clips manner of the endless changing of personnels and plans. But it does not irritate, because it done enough fairly. This musical forced me to think about interesting eternal questions. Is it correct to behave to the cinema spectacle as to the next type of public entertainments? It depends on the term that is understood under entertainment. As major socially-psychological force, the cinema releases a spectator from frustrations and tension of the last day, from an existential melancholy and numerous phobias, from sense of guilt or vulnerability. It is not an escape from problems, but clearing of the soul and returning of individual society  «resting », and sometimes and finding the new understanding of own life et al. Complexes and affects  «hatch » from the psyche of audience the masses by different cinema genres. The film of horrors is cleared by a subconsciousness from fear of death or illness, a comedy takes off a conflict between society and individual; fervor of detective not only in romanticism of city but also in proclamation of right for every human personality on protecting from any encroachments from outside. On consisting and development of such cinema genres of country it is possible effectively to define the degree of democracy of every society. Thus, taking into account all above mentioned and my personal emotion it is possible to conclude that it is really good musical, with interesting easy plot and emotional its presentation. I can recommend this film to all my friends, but it is necessary to watch it on a large screen, because exactly big screen allows spectators to receive all necessary impressions from a brilliant show. I would recommend men to go away from the half of film, from that moment, when Kidman begins continuously to die, can however, because Like and virgin is carried out in the second half of film, and Roxanne and quite in the end. But if you will not look these shocking numbers, it means you did not see this film. And it needs to be looked. It is satisfied unusually and very amusing. In my opinion you should remember that it is not a film but musical and wait wonderful show but not great films plot.

Essay --

Describe the role and functions of the PCI security standards council â€Å"The PCI Security Standards Council is an organization created by the major credit card companies in an effort to better protect credit card holder data.† (Rouse, 2012) The council was formed in response to the increase in data security breaches that not only affected customers but also credit card companies cost. With PCI Security Standards Council being a open global forum, The five founding credit card companies – American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. – are responsible for carrying out the organization’s work. Functions of the council include coming up with a framework of specifications, measurements, and support resources to help organizations ensure the safe handling of cardholder information at every step. This is done by managing the Payment Card Industry Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Payment Application Data Security Standard. Identify/describe key requirements for data security standards The key requirements for the Data Security ...

Human Values: The Key to Solving Global Problems Essay -- Argumentativ

Human Values: The Key to Solving Global Problems ABSTRACT: At the dawn of global civil society, the test for humanity is to achieve unity while preserving cultural differences as well as the distinctiveness of nations and peoples. Such unity can be reached only by recognizing human values, especially human rights. However, these rights must be strictly determined and more than mere obligations. Hence, the most important task for philosophy is to develop foundations and principles for a world society and to formulate a global consciousness and a humanistic worldview that adequately reflects the realities of our epoch. Our action must increasingly be based on an acknowledgment of global values. The twentieth century and the United States are synonymous with achievements in the spheres of science and technology along with the attendant positive and negative circumstances arising from these developments. Not surprisingly, therefore, when philosophers from all over the world gathered in Boston in August 1998 for the 20th World Congress of Philosophy to discuss the most important contemporary problems the majority of these problems were bound up with the revolution in the spheres of science and technology. Since morality is closely intertwined with social and technological achievements, I want to underline the necessity of moral reevaluation and the need to be flexible and tolerant concerning value orientations if we wish to avoid global instability. Undoubtedly, contemporary global problems find their roots in the consequences of scientific and technological progress. The most important of these problems are the threat of global nuclear war, ecological imbalance, unsustainable population growth, and a growing developmental ... ...riented morality, and implement appropriate international laws. In this case, human rights legislation becomes of utmost importance. Yet prior to such legislation is the necessity that everyone receive an education which facilitates an understanding of our current global situation along with a respectful appreciation for diversity and otherness. All human beings must recognize themselves as inhabitants of one world and act accordingly. Hence, all nation-states, despite their traditions, beliefs, and values, are obligated to give priority to the common interests of human beings in order to preserve all life on earth. No one can with certainty forecast the fate of humanity or of our planet. But the degree to which we are able to influence conditions of life on our planet requires each of us to acknowledge global values and our responsibility for acting on such values.

swazi :: essays papers

swazi The Swazi of Swaziland Introduction Swazi’s are said to belong to the Nguni people who lived in central Africa and migrated to southern Africa. They speak the Siswati language , a language earlier spoken by the Nguni group of the Bantu family. They seem to have settle in Swaziland around five hundred years ago. They were then ruled by the British from the mid 19th century to mid 20th century. Swaziland is a monarchy and is ruled by King Mswati III. Social Organization The social organization in the Swazi’s is like any other African tribe. The homestead is the economic and domestic unit of the family. It is headed by the Umnumza or headman who is in charge of the family which includes his wives and children. Sons will bring there wives to the homestead and setup home within it while the daughters move to their in-laws. The occupants who reside in the homestead can also be distant relatives or non dependents. Therefore the number of people for whom the headman is responsible economically ,legally and by ritual may vary according his status and wealth. A wealthy headman may have many wives therefore he has a large number of people he is responsible for. The headman usually would subdivide the large homestead in order to gain access to larger tracts of cultivable land or divide quarrelsome wives . The homestead is planned according to the relationships between its inhabitants . Usually in the center of the homestead is the cattle pen and grain storage units, which are underground flask shaped pits. Women are not allowed access to theses places. The living quarters are grouped in a semicircle with the indlunkuku ( great hut) which is home to the most important woman in the homestead , the mother of the headman. If she is dead then a substitute mother is appointed. On the sides are the quarters of the wives ,each with her own sleeping ,cooking and storage huts and enclosed with a reed fence for protection against `wind . The ranking of wives is not rigid but it depends on the headman and his preference of wives. the clear demarkation of the wives huts and the fact that each of them own their own garden land and cattle does not erase the fact that the headman’s mother’s house is supreme.

Brain research and full day kindergarten

Education is an important aspect of the human life and society. Today, it is quite noticeable how the society has institutionalized education and the educational system. Today, individuals start schooling as early as four or five years of age. The common entry point for schooling is kindergarten. All around the world, many parents send their children to schools for kindergarten, with many different expectations, but mostly in the belief that this is a solid starting point that can help the child be ready for the next step in his or her education.Over the years, kindergarten has become increasingly important, especially during the time when researchers have found out the connection on dendrite growth and academic stimulation. This made them believe that if individuals are submitted to academic stimulation in the earliest time possible, this can impact significantly his mental faculty and capacity. Brain development has been responsible for the new perspective and approach to kindergar ten leading the change and shift from half day to full day.However, it appears that in analysis, even with the merit of this model hypothetically, unanimous approval and appreciation for this scheme is still to be achieved considering how sectors of the society are reacting differently and in varied fashion regarding this issue. This is an important aspect of discussion and exploration regarding full day kindergarten scheme and the brain development premise. History Kindergarten Kindergarten came to America from Germany, the term meaning children's garden.Friedrich Froebel and Margethe Meyer Schurz are two of the leading personalities who began the practice of kindergarten (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). As the name implies, it refers to a system and a place wherein children are brought together and is being prepared for formal schooling. Kindergarten, as a form of preparatory stage, at first, was focused on making children possess sufficient social skills to allow them to inter act correctly with other individuals during formal schooling.Kindergarten education prepares them by teaching basic things which they will need in formal schooling and will serve as foundation of what they will learn and how they will learn in formal schooling. Kindergarten eventually spread all around the world. Educators working in kindergarten follow learning models as well as educational theories that make the kindergarten experience useful and constructive for the child. Kindergarten originally was just a half day session, with educators thinking that half a day is enough schooling for individuals this age (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p.263). This was changed when scientists put forward the discovery involving the brain and its development (Eden, 2008, p. 214). During this stage and age, the role of intervention and the resulting conclusion that if this was the case, then it is important that the child is correctly and sufficiently prepared, therefore the shift from half day to a ll-day or full day or whole day kindergarten scheme. Half day to full day kindergartenFrom purely being half-day sessions, changes and developments and new perspectives regarding kindergarten education surfaced and resulted in the change from half day to all-day or whole day sessions. There were two important factors that led to the shift from half day to whole day or all-day kindergarten – the scientific basis and the practical basis. No one knows for sure which came first. Is the practical need for all-day kindergarten inspired researchers to look at any possible scientific credence this option might possess?Or was it the other way around and was a case of scientific intuition among professionals leading to the discovery of the scientific basis for all day kindergarten? This, in turn, made parents realize that besides the scientific basis, this option also has practical significance for them and the children that support and popularity for all-day kindergarten grew especial ly across America, as well as in other parts of the world. Regardless of this chicken-and-egg condition, it is nonetheless important to discuss both aspects affecting the creation of and the shaping of all-day kindergarten as it is known to day.a. Scientific basis – The main artery of the shift from half day to all day or whole day kindergarten is based on the discovery on the brain, in particular, the development that is happening in the brain when it is being subjected to academic stimulation at an early age. Professionals who were involved in this scientific study explain that dendrites grew when under academic stimulation. Dendrites are found in the brain. They are important in the learning ability and processes of the human beings. Their development is important in the mental faculty of an individual.In layman's terms, the growth and branching out of dendrites indicate active mental practices and exercises which in turn allows for improved processes of the mental faculty or thinking. Professionals as well as neuroscientists have already connected the growth and branching out of dendrites when under academic stimulation. This is proof that when the brain is exposed to academic stimulation or learning process especially in the early formative years, the physiological make up of the individual, particularly the brain develops and adjusts depending on what it is being subjected to.Therefore the child’s mind is subjected to longer academic stimulation that can be an important factor for mental growth and capability in the future. This is the main premise of the scientific basis of the full day kindergarten scheme. Professionals argue that it is important that â€Å"we must look at our children's entry point into education (Miller, Gore, 2007, p. 140). † â€Å"New research into brain development demonstrates that the first three years of a child's life are extremely critical for her emotional and intellectual growth (Miller, Gore, 2007, p. 140)† which necessitated the need for â€Å"all day kindergarten programs (Miller, Gore, 2007, p.140). † People involved in it – Educators, psychologists, neuroscientists and different professionals have been involved in the studies leading to this particular discovery and in the creation of a new perspective in kindergarten. â€Å"Today's early childhood educators recognize children as active learners, not jugs waiting to be filled or blank slates waiting to be written upon (Handelman, Auerbach 2000, p. 4). † Individuals like David Sousa as well as many other professionals came forward in support of this new notion regarding brain development and the need for a whole day kindergarten schedule and the merits of this kind of scheme.Professionals explain that it is understandable why such discovery was only made today because of many important considerations, one of which is the ethical as well as technological considerations on the ability of the human to understand the brain. In the past and without the technology for non-invasive and ethical brain study procedures, scientists are left with the one and only option available for them – to study brains from dead people. This option left them with very limited areas of research and study, and no prospect at all at studying the human brain while it is still alive and in motion.However, because of the current technology and scientific processes and abilities available to scientists today, the brain is now accessible for exploration in such a way that it is not unethical, immoral and non-invasive. This led the scientists to what they recently discovered about dendrite activity and its connection with academic stimulation. b. Practical basis – Besides the scientific basis, there is also the practical basis that was used by parents and educators in approving the full day scheme.This has something to do with the current family and parent socio-economic and socio-cultural condit ions. Economy has made it a necessity for both parents to work at the same time. This allows the parents money to send their children to good schools which they hope can look after their children while they are at work. Parents believe that full day kindergarten is like hitting two birds with one stone. First, their child is exposed to extended periods of studying and education and has limited time for other things that are harmful to the child in the long run like watching television, for example.At the same time, parents are more assured of their child's safety and well being since they are at school, attended by teachers who are trained to handle children. While this does not fully eliminate the use of nanny or a household helper, parents believe that besides the children, parents are also benefited in particular, specific ways through this scheme (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). â€Å"Full day kindergarten was introduced to speak to the needs of the growing number of w orking parents who wanted their children to be looked after for the whole day (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). † Full day kindergarten todayToday, many schools all around the United States, as well as in many other different countries that feature kindergarten in their school and education system, use the all-day or whole day kindergarten scheme. It adheres to the idea presented by scientists, psychologists and educators who believe that exposing children to longer educational experiences at school can help improve the mind and improve the capacity of the individual for learning and mental processes in the future. The full day kindergarten scheme has attracted many supporters who called for the institutionalization of full day kindergarten schemes.Organizations, groups and institutions, such as the Education Commission of the States or simply the ECS (Neal, 2006, p. 117), support the full day kindergarten. The shift from half day to all-day or whole day kindergarten s ession is not just merely an extension of time, nor was it a quantum leap in the learning experience for the kindergarten. Part of the change in session was the realization that teaching style, educational approach and learning perspectives should also change. It should focus more on the newfound consciousness regarding the learning ability of a child and the importance of maximizing it in the earliest possible time.Because of this, kindergarten changed. From focusing in learning through play in the past, the learning structure of kindergarten became more oriented in structured academic learning. This means that part of the learning experience included learning languages and mathematics as well as other things like color and shape cognition and identification, memorization skills, interpersonal skills, play, even good morals and conduct and religion in other kindergarten schools and institutions (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p.263). â€Å"These early kindergarten programs focused on t he basic concept that child's play was significant and that when it was intelligently directed gave impetus to cognitive development (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). † From this point, the perspective changed and focused more on academic learning. This move towards change was hinged on the scientific discovery regarding the brain of the child and how in that stage the brain should begin the experience of being harnessed.When the individual grows up and matures, he or she will possess the mental capacity for competitive and capable learning and is suitable for more advanced learning in the future. Today's full day kindergarten, despite its admirable background and history, is nonetheless facing many different problems as well as criticisms. Professionals involved in this field undertake many different studies to be able to find answers to these problems and to address the different criticisms hurled at the practice of full-day kindergarten.a. Studies regarding all day kinder garten – Authors like Cryan (1992) and Elicker and Mathur (1997) provide the people with materials they can read and refer to when considering full day kindergarten scheme and their opinion about it (Cryan, 1992, p. 187; Elicker and Marthur 1997, p. 459). These authors as well as many other authors have come up with results of studies, research and analysis tackling this matter both in books as well as in peer reviewed journals.Psychologists and educators appear to have undertaken intensive study and research efforts regarding the different aspects of all-day kindergarten so that they can discover new information regarding this practice that can help in determining what new course of action to take with regards to the full-day kindergarten scheme. There are currently numerous published works as well as books and even internet articles about the results of studies and research efforts focused on full day kindergarten. In general, the content of these materials stand in two pol ar regions.There are those that attest to the positive impact of this scheme; while on the other hand, there are those who present criticisms as well as new areas of investigation which they believe is important. These realms that they identified remain unexplored. This means that full day kindergarten scheme cannot be considered to be fully ideal and suitable, not until all areas of inquiry and possible sources of problem are identified, studied and resolved. b. Criticisms and problems – The full day kindergarten scheme was not without criticisms as well as its own set of problems.Parents are one of the most important groups that can strengthen or derail the progress and practice of full day kindergarten. They also became sources of important criticisms and arguments regarding full day kindergarten scheme. One of the most basic areas of standoff resulting to criticisms of this scheme is the resulting tug of war between parents who want two different things for their children – those who want to keep kindergarten at half day while those who wanted schools to shift to whole day or full day kindergarten (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202).â€Å"The introduction of full day kindergarten more than a decade ago has brought to a head an ongoing controversy between parents who want half day program and those who want the full day program (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). † Some parents point out that despite what scientific research claims as the ideal learning time and opportunity, a child is presented and should be exposed to at that age. Parents argue and reason that scientific research, on the other hand, has not fully answered the query regarding the effect to the children of being removed from their biological parents for that long period of time.They still could not explain the effects as well as possible problems that can arise when children are constantly under the care of someone they do not know and does not know the child , even with the fact that they are certified professional and capable educators (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). â€Å"Parents†¦ look at kindergarten in the traditional way and regard full day away from home as too much time for a 5-year old to spend in the care of a non parental adult (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p.202). † There are also those who pointed out that full day kindergarten does not automatically mean dramatic change in learning and development. The main supporting ideas for the establishment of this kind of approach to kindergarten education is about the scientific claims on improved and increased brain development via academic stimulation. Part of the equation (and an important part) is curriculum, teaching styles and methods as well as other equally important factors like teacher competency, environment.Eden (2008) pointed out in a book that â€Å"providing a full day program for four year olds, for example, has much merit, but not if what i s provided is simply watered-down first-grade curriculum (Eden, 2008, p. 214). † Conclusion The work of the forerunners of the concept of kindergarten has come a long way. Today, it is something that appears to have evolved significantly over time, with many different important changes. This includes the change happening during the 90s – the shift from half day to full day kindergarten school time.Like many complex issues in the society, the debate over which between half day and full day kindergarten scheme is better. There is also a debate if full day kindergarten schedule by itself and outside of comparison is ideal for children and their welfare is a topic that is not easily answerable by a yes or a no. There are many gray areas and dark areas that are yet to be discovered and explored so that more answers are available for people to use in this particular decision and position.Nonetheless, the brain development and its connection to education in early childhood is an important breakthrough that can impact education for years. As for kindergarten, the newfound scientific perspective has made it clear that even the humble and previously seemingly non-bearing educational experience which is kindergarten appears to be, after all, something that holds a significant importance in the mental development of the individual. This is something that professionals should look on and design carefully in the future, for the benefit of the child above anyone else.References Cryan, J. (1992). Success outcomes of full day kindergarten: More positive behavior and increased achievement in the years after. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 187-203. Eden, S. T. (2008). Play Works: Helping Children Learn Through Play. Indiana: Author House. Elicker, J. and Mathur, S. (1997). What do they do all they? Comprehensive evaluation of a full-day kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 459-480. Handelman, M. S. and Auerbach, J. J. (2000). Jewish Every Day : The Complete Handbook for Early Childhood Teachers.Colorado: Behrman House, Inc. Lerner, R. M. , Jacobs, F. and Wertlieb, D. (2003). Handbook of applied developmental science: promoting positive child, adolescent, and family development through research, policies, and programs, Volume 1. California: SAGE. Miller, J. and Gore, A. (2007). The Compassionate Community: Ten Values to Unite America. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Neal, R. G. (2006). The Deserved Collapse of Public Schools. Indiana: Author House. Persky, B. and Goubchick, L. , H. (1991). Early Childhood education. Maryland: University Press of America.

Customer Service at Richer Sounds Essay

Richer Sounds believe that the most important measure of the success would be to give all their customers a great service and satisfaction. This is even important than making the profit margins high and gaining a lot of profit this is because Any organisation can increase their profits by increasing prices of goods, buying cheaper and low quality goods, cutting down on employees and many more but doing this Richer Sounds believe that there wont be good customer service due to less employees, customers wont purchase any expensive products which is not of good quality and through this they will keep losing customers The company believes once a customer purchases a product and thinks it was at low price and also sees it is off good quality with an excellent customer service given to him the he/she will always tend to come back to purchase more goods, in-fact the customer may also tell some of its friends and families about the prices that Richer Sounds have and like this the company will benefit in getting new and new customers all the time. How Richer Sounds strive to achieve superb customer service They think the following are important: – Management commitment – this means every director and every manager states the customer service as most essential in the business. This also means spending money to give excellent services – Recruiting and training right people – Colleagues are looked at their personalities and attitude while there are been giving an interview. All colleagues that have been given the job have a 3 – day induction course which even concentrates in training the new colleagues how to give an excellent customer service – Motivated colleagues – if all colleagues are treated well and valued they will give good service to customers. For this reason the colleague support function is so critical. – Measuring the results – The best way to find the right results are to ask customer themselves therefore Richer Sounds does this through it sales questionnaires. Richer Sounds also have a mystery shopper who looks how well the colleagues manage their customers and how greatly they give customer service. The company also has telephone call system, which is been recorded, and through this they check how well store colleagues answer to customer problems. – A customer friendly environment – this include the ease of walking around the store, the layout of the store and how well are the products displayed and also how well each customer will be able to search for his/her product The company insist their colleagues to wear smart clear clothes with clear name badges and to greet all their customers. Responding to customer needs Training in customer service All new colleagues have to attend the three – day induction course before they are allowed to serve customers. While doing this course they are also taught on the aspects of customer service, which includes: – How to approach a customer within the stores – Richer Sounds has several policies on approaching a customer such as: Not to approach a customer as soon as they have entered the store for any help, Once a customer enters they should greet them by saying hello and most strict rule is to not approach anyone from behind because it may scare them and only approach from the side or from the front – The appearance of the colleagues – all colleagues working in the sores have to were the Richer Sounds uniform with a name badge on it – How to cope on busy days – All tills must be used to serve customers and try to serve quite faster. When the queues are very long colleagues should offer customers standing and not standing in the queues a cup of tea or coffee. Usually no customers like to wait in queues especially when the store I very crowded. – How to ask questions to customers – colleagues should ask questions relating on the type of product they are looking for and not to encourage customers to buy items they don’t wont because richer sounds believe this is the worse thing to do. – How to handle payments – the company uses all types of credit cards or any type of purchase whether the item is 99p or even if the item is i 99. 99. This is because there are times when people wont to pay later for the item they need because you get a time period to pay the amount and there are times when customers may have forgot their money at home but want to purchase the item so they can use the credit card. Due to this reason no one may leave the store without anything just because they forgot their money. – How to cope with technical questions – Health and safety – each colleague should know how to take actions in emergency to do this they may need this training – How to deal customers who have disabilities – All colleagues should have respect for customers who have disabilities and should help them in all ways for which product they are looking for. All colleagues should be truthful in what they sell and how much they take because if there is a blind person needing a tape player the colleagues shouldn’t charge more money to what it should be. How Richer Sounds Identify Customer needs and Expectation There are three main ways how richer sounds identify customer needs and expectation, which are: – The till receipt questionnaires – these are most important questionnaires because everyone who purchases a product will receive and if they taught they did get treated well at the store then he/she may fill the questionnaires. These questionnaires are also seen everytime the customers will see the receipt and so next time when they may come back to the store to purchase another item then they could also bring the filled questionnaires with them.

Maternal Health and Child Health Systems Assessment Tool Essay

A tool for assessment of health service systems to support maternal health and child health Health during early childhood and pregnancy has long term and wide ranging impacts on the general health of populations. Promotion of good health in pregnancy and childhood are therefore critical activities of primary health care services. Health service systems need to be organised to meet the specific needs of maternal and child care alongside the other major aspects of these services, such as acute and chronic illness care. Health care organisations require practical tools to guide efforts and evaluate changes in maternal and child health. This ABCD Systems Assessment Tool was originally designed for assessing primary care systems support for chronic illness care. The tool is based on the structure, content and principles of the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC) survey (Bonomi et al. , 2002) and on the Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions (ICCC) Framework (WHO 2002). We have now adapted the Systems Assessment Tool for use in quality improvement activities directed at maternal and child health (MCH). This adaptation is based on key policy reports and research papers relevant to the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary care sector (see list on last page). As for the ABCD Systems Assessment Tool for chronic illness care, this MCH Systems Assessment Tool has been designed for use with health services for Indigenous Australian populations. However, it is expected to be appropriate with minor adaptation for many other settings. The intended purpose of the tool is to support ongoing quality improvement initiatives through systematic assessment of a range of elements of health service systems that have been demonstrated to be important. The tool provides for an assessment of the state of development of health service systems; †¢ guidance on next steps in planning improvements in maternal and child health care; assessment of progress in achieving system improvement. As for the ABCD Systems Assessment Tool, this MCH Systems Assessment Tool incorporates the guiding principles of the ICCC Framework: evidencebased decision making; population focus; prevention focus; quality focus; integration; and flexibility/adaptability. Version 2. 1 Last Updated 30/03/07 Activities and programs relevant to maternal and child health care can be considered in three areas: a) Clinical Services for maternal health through individual health promotion advice, clinical preventive care and the early detection of illness (includes antenatal and post natal clinics/screening, case finding, brief interventions/counselling – generally health centre based, one-to-one activities) b) Clinical services for child health through individual health promotion advice, clinical preventive care and the early detection of illness (including child health clinics, screening, growth monitoring, case finding, brief interventions/counselling – generally health centre based, one-to-one activities) c) Community or Population based programs/activities, ancillary programs for maternal and child health (eg programs or activities designed to promote nutrition, breastfeeding, physical activity, oral/dental health, mental health, environmental health, and to reduce harm from cigarette smoke or alcohol) Each of these three areas of activities is important in the effective prevention and management of maternal and child ill health and the prevention of chronic illness in later years. The quality of systems in place to support each of these three areas of activities or programs may differ quite markedly within the same health centre or health service. The scoring form for this tool provides for distinct scoring of how systems support each of the areas. The prompts provided in this tool are intended only as guidance to some of the sorts of system issues that one might consider for scoring each item of the tool. These prompts are not intended to cover all relevant issues for all services. While there may be some overlap, the elements of the MCH Systems Assessment Tool can be applied separately to the assessment of systems to support a) services for maternal health; and b) services for child health. The use of this tool provides a score for the state of development of different aspects of health centre systems. These scores may be used as a guide for where improvement efforts might be focussed. The scores should be seen as a guide only, and services should base their priorities on the range of information available and the opportunities for improvement in different areas. We will welcome suggestions or feedback from services which use this tool.

Candle Light Glass Menagerie

The Power of Light A Candle light is the most primitive of lights, but it serves a different purpose than illuminating a room in The Glass Menagerie, written by Tennessee Williams. Williams uses the contrast between light and darkness to symbolize and emphasize the powerful moments that occur in the play. Although Williams uses these mechanics, the candle light of course has deeper meaning within the context of the story. Being the weakest of lights, the candle light is easily extinguished, but that small, weak light has some form of hope against the overbearing world.With Laura being as fragile, he candle symbolizes her hopes and dreams that are which snuffed out from society. Throughout the play, Williams also uses candle light imagery to describe Laura and her emotions. The candle light represents hope and how it is lost, but the character who demonstrates this most is Laura. Light, in any form, brings some form of happiness to people. Laura demonstrates her happiness when she sha res a tender moment with Jim. Being reclusive and removing herself from society, Laura is unable to interact with people, but only on certain circumstances when â€Å"light† illuminates through her.This â€Å"light† that is being referred to is the inner hope that Laura has. She desperately wants to guard this hope though, in fear of it being extinguished. This is very apparent when Laura says, â€Å"Oh be careful – if you breathe, it breaks! † (Williams 1281). Laura is referring to her glass unicorn, which also represents her, but any form of power like a breath could possibly break the unicorn which refers to her own candle light of hope. Laura desires Jim and hopes that his feelings for her remain true.As Jim continues to enlighten Laura, she announces, â€Å"l trust you with him! Hold him over the light, he oves the light! You see how the light shines through him? † (Williams 1281) Laura's hope is continuing to grow as she suggests Jim to take hold of her unicorn. With the unicorn representing her, and the light illuminating through the unicorn, Laura has officially given herself and her hope into Jim. After he admits that he is to be married, the hope that is inside Laura is extinguished.At the end of the play, Tom speaks solely to his sister, and tells her to â€Å"Blow out [her] candles† (Williams 1289). Tom means that there is no hope left for Laura, and she will be stuck with herself for the est of her life. Wanting to find new things in life, Tom has decided to leave, and realizes that with him leaving Laura has no chance to find another â€Å"gentleman caller† and so her lights of hope are extinguished. The author uses light and darkness to symbolize and to emphasize the dramatic moments of the play.The desperation and highly charged emotions in this play are linked to the symbolism of the light getting dim or going dark Just like the status of the unstable Wingfields. The candles are a way for the au dience to understand that soon all wlll go aarK. Easlly Dlown out, tne candles prov10e a very temporary moment of light, when Laura shares a tender moment with Jim, before her hopes and dreams are extinguished. There are several ways of looking at the candles. First, they establish a more muted tone – you might even call it romantic.That less harsh light perhaps allows Laura to be more open with Jim; it gives her courage. That might lead to an interpretation that the candles symbolize hope. Hope that Laura might be able to connect with Jim, hope that Amanda's dream of a Gentleman Caller providing a uture for Laura, hope that if Laura is taken care of, Tom will be able to strike out on his own and leave the shoe warehouse, etc. It makes Tom's final line more heart- breaking – â€Å"blow out your candles, Laura. There is ultimately no hope for this socially and physically (at least in her mind) handicapped young woman. There is no place in our society for such a misfit. the last scene of the play, Tom tells Laura to blow our her candles, and here the candles symbolizes Laura and her familys hope. This can be seen by how it makes contrast with the world lit by lightning, and how he author uses candlelight to describe Laura. First of all, the candlelight stands in contrast to a world lit by lightning in Tom's final words.

Analysis of Alpha Response Technology Solutions versus Positivo

This paper provides a quantitative assessment for the creation of Alpha Response Technology Solution (ARTS), a Taiwanese Technology firm. The quantitative assessment is meant to provide critical data that would enable the company to break into the Rwandese market and be successful. Alpha Response Technology Solution (ARTS) intend to compete against Positivo BGH, accompany which is already established in the country of Rwanda. The main product solution for ARTS is GT80S Titan SLI 18.4in Core i7 Notebook. This kind of Notebook is specifically built for use in the analysis of Western Business Market. It retails at 4999 or 3792.37(82 Rwandese francs). ARTS’s Chief Executive Officer happens to have shared the same classroom with the Chief Executive Officer of Positivo BGH during their time in University. The two officers also share an emotional rivalry regarding ownership of CPU designs. The CEO OF ARTS claims that his CPU designs were copied by his former university classmate who is currently the CEO of Positivo BGH. The claimed computer design was used by Positivo BGH Company when it made its first entrance into the Rwandese Computer market. Rwanda is a landlocked country located in the eastern part of Africa. It is bordered by four countries. There is DRC on its western side, Tanzania to the East; Uganda is located in its northern part whole Burundi is located on its south. The nation has a total population of about 11.64 million. Out of the population, 48% are males while 52% are females. The nation has made huge strides in economic development with the support that it has obtained from the World Bank and IMF. As a result, it has been able to enjoy a stable economic growth over the last 10 years. Description of the incentives to enter the Rwandan Special Economic Zone Alpha Response Technology Solution (ARTS) intends to introduce Notebook computers into the Rwandese market. The brand of the Notebook will be is GT80S Titan SLI 18.4in Core i7. The notebooks would retail at 4999 or 3792.37(82 Rwandese francs).   The notebooks would have the following specifications; Intel i7 6920HQ CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX980M graphics in SLI, 1x HDMI, 32GB DDR4 memory, Super Raid 4 512GB solid state drive, 1TB hard drive, 1x USB Super Port Type-C, 18.4in Full HD anti-glare display, Windows 10, 5x USB 3.0, Blu-ray writer, Gigabit LAN, Dynio 7.1io, 1x Mini DisplayPort,   Ã‚  Bluetooth 4.2. There is currently a laptop manufacturing company in Rwanda. The company is known as Positivo BGH and it originates from Argentina. The company has so far produced many laptops in the tiny country. The aim of the company when it first entered the market was to supply the government of Rwanda with digital devices (Asaba , 2016, p. 3). It was expected that production of the laptops locally would greatly reduce the shortage of digital gadgets which has been experienced in most of the learning and teaching institutions in the country. Many schools had complained of the shortage and there was a need for the improvement of the teaching of ICT programs in the learning institutions. Positivo BGH led by the CEO Mr. Juan Ignacio Ponelli started its operations in the country in July 2014 (Eleni & Parke, 2016, p. 1). As at late 2015, the company had assembled a total of 7,800 computer units. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Positivo BGH, he believes that his company has brought one of the best technology to the African country of Rwanda. The manufacturing firm for Positivo BGH is located in Special Economic Zones (Positivo BGH, 2017, p. 9). The area is geographically and physically secured. There is a single body that administers the entire area. The government has supplied some incentives in these areas that have promoted the work of the foreign investors. There is a simplified and liberal business economic regulation in the area There are a number of factors that have motivated ARTS to enter the Rwandese market. They include; The country is very stable politically. The Rwandese people learned a lot of lessons from the 1994 genocide and they don’t wish to be dragged into such a situation again. They have been very tolerant and peaceful since the genocide occurred. In the country’s general election of 2013, female candidates won 64% of the total contested seats (Balakrishnan, 2016, p. 3). That was evidence that the country’s democracy has tremendously grown. The country has a set vision which they are looking towards. It is entitled as vision 2020. There are goals that the people of Rwanda would like to achieve by the year, 2020 (Darid , 2016, p. 5). The government of Rwanda intends to transform the economy of the country from agriculture based to an economy that is knowledge-based. The country also hopes that it would be able to fall under middle-income country by then (Kanamugire & Afadhali, 2016, p. 12). The government has therefore put in place economic development strategies. There are also measures that have been put in place to ensure that poverty is eradicated in the country. Since 1994, the Rwandese government has focused on economic transformation, youth empowerment, productivity and rural development. The country managed to meet the majority of the 2015 and 2016 Millennium Development Goals that it had set (Balakrishnan, 2016, p. 3). There was a huge improvement in the standards of living among the people of Rwanda. There was a drop in the mortality rate. The government of Rwanda has also put a lot of focus on development policies. The news of the introduction of ARTS into the Rwandese market would, therefore, be received with a lot of joy (Eleni & Parke, 2016, p. 13). There is a bitter rivalry between Positivo BGH and ARTS. The CEO of the two companies was once classmates in the university. In addition, The Chief Executive Officer of ARTS Claims that Positivo BGH copied his CPU designs. As a result, he is willing to enter the same market with Positivo BGH and compete against it. The CEO of ARTS would be willing to outdo his rival company, Positivo BGH so as to prove that he was the mastermind behind the design of the CPU of the notebook that was being produced by Positivo BGH (Positivo BGH, 2017, p. 64). Power buyer refers to the possibility of customers shifting from the products of Positivo BGH to those of ARTS. How possible will ARTS convince the customers so that they can shift allegiance? There is a number method that can be used by ARTS to win Rwandese customers. The first method is through the production of better products than those of Positivo BGH. The company must also strengthen their service delivery. The second method is through convincing influential customers that their products are the best ( Miller, et al., 2011, p. 23). Influential customer are able to convince the rest of the customers In this case, ART company has to keenly assess the possibility that suppliers of items used in the manufacturing process can raise the prices of the items. If there are few suppliers, then they are likely to raise prices at will. However, if the suppliers are many then they would not be able to raise easily. Suppliers are more powerful when they are few than when they are many ( Miller, et al., 2011, p. 32). It is important for any business company to note the number of its competitors. They should also be aware of the competitor’s capacity. A company would have very little power in the market if I am faced with many competitors that are offering similar products. Buyers and suppliers would have many alternatives in case they are not satisfied by the products of the company. However, if there is no other company that is capable of matching you in the market then you would have great control. As a result, ARTS would only face one competitor in the market that is PositivoBGH. If ARTS is capable of producing products that exceed those of Positivo BGH, Then it would have full control of the Rwandese market ( Miller, et al., 2011, p. 39).   Substitution comes about when people discover a different way of carrying out a duty that you do. Your power would hence be weakened. For example, if ARTS come into the market and produces expensive notebooks which are used to perform some duties, then the people may resort to a manual way of carrying out the duties. Substitution may come about very easily. Every business company is afraid of substitution (Asaba , 2016, p. 43). Threat from new entry into the market The possibility of other players entering the market is likely to affect the power of other players which are already in the market. A company that has little protection in regard to its technology is likely to lose its position with the arrival of other players. Positivo BGH is likely to be threatened by the arrival of ARTS since it had copied its CPU design from the CEO of ARTS (Mindtools, 2016, p. 27). ARTS, therefore, has the capacity to improve on the design. ARTS produces technology design for its products Copied its technology design from the CEO of ARTS. ARTS intends to enter the Rwandese market so that it can be able to produce Notebooks Positivo BGH has already started manufacturing computers in the African country of Rwanda Likely return for producing and releasing Titan for sale to the Rwanda domestic market versus Western market There is a high return for realizing titan since there are few competitors There is low return for the release of titan because there are many competitors There would be low return for producing titan because most of the raw materials would have to be imported. The importation process would hence be expensive. Skilled labour would also need to be imported. There would be high return for producing titan since there would be readily available raw materials and skilled labour. ARTS must put in place strategies that it would use to win customer in Rwanda. At the moment all the customers buy their computers and computer products from Positivo BGH. ARTS and Positivo BGH would be the only companies in Rwanda. As a result, they would be able to dictate the market since they are few. They would have full control of the market. However, they should be aware that future entrance of any other company into the market would reduce their control power in the market. ARTS must, therefore, ensure high quality of its products in order to remain competitive in the market even when another company enters the market. Miller, F. P., Vandome, A. F. & McBrewster, J., 2011. Porter Five Forces Analysis, s.l.: VDM Publishing. Asaba , S., 2016. Tech News, Rwanda, s.l.: New Times Rwanda. Balakrishnan, K., 2016. Rwanda. Washington: World Bank. Darid , F., 2016. Rwanda Foreign Direct Investment, s.l.: Trading economics. Eleni , G. & Parke, P., 2016. Why this South American Company is making laptops in Rwanda, s.l.: CNN. Kanamugire, J. & Afadhali, J. P., 2016. Positivo now produces new computers in Rwanda, s.l.: The East African. Mindtools, 2016. Porter’s Five Force, s.l.: Mindtools. Positivo BGH, 2017. Create your own experience, s.l.: Positivo BGH.