Tuesday, December 24, 2019

On The Road By Langston Hughes - 1679 Words

In Langston Hughes’ short story â€Å"On the Road†, Sargent, desperate for food and shelter, challenges social barriers and racial discrimination during his fight for freedom. Sargent is an unemployed black man during the great depression who faces additional obstacles because of his skin color. While this period was almost fifty years after the end of the Civil War and the subsequent emancipation of slaves in the United States, racism was still prevalent across the country. In the South, despite the decline of organizations like â€Å"the Klu Klux Klan [,] †¦ racism was as strong as ever† (UVA). Furthermore, â€Å"the increased presence of Black Americans in Northern cities†¦increased tension† in the North as well. With widespread racism, Black Americans†¦show more content†¦He describes Sargent by the color of his skin rather than as an equal or someone he could help. This racial tension continues through the second half of Mr. Dorset description where he goes on to express him as â€Å"a human piece of night with snow on his face†. Hughes again uses this contrast between a black night and white snow to illustrate how Mr. Dorset focuses entirely on race throughout this interaction. Because Sargent has a different skin color, Mr. Dorset turns him away without any compassion. Despite being a â€Å"holy man†, The Reverend tells Sargent to â€Å"[g]o right on down this street four blocks and turn to your left, walk up seven and you’ll see the Relief Shelter.† Mr. Dorset blurts out these very general instructions without waiting to see if Sargent understood or even heard them before he shut the door. These instructions are not only vague but also harsh as Sargent has to walk eleven blocks through the snow before he can even see the Relief Shelter. While it is reasonable for Mr. Dorset to not offer Sargent food or shelter in his own home, it shows the utter lack of respect when he does not bother to talk to Sargent in a reasonable manner. When giving directions it is common to include information such as street names, landmarks, or buildings that give the person a sense they are going in the right direction, yet Mr. Dorset gives a trite, vague re sponse. It would not harm Mr. Dorset to take another minute ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of On The Road By Langston Hughes1570 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"On the Road† Analysis â€Å"On the Road† is a short story written by Langston Hughes whose major themes are of race, religion, and subjective nature of fiction. An influential African-American writer, Hughes was born in 1902 and primarily raised by his maternal grandmother (Meyer 1032). Over the course of his illustrious career he would go on to write poems, novels, short stories, essays, plays, opera librettos, histories, documentaries, anthologies, autobiographies, biographies, children’s booksRead More Langston Hughes On the Road Essay1244 Words   |  5 PagesLangston Hughes On the Road In Langston Hughes, On the Road the Sargeant is a homeless Black man that is desperate for food and shelter. In his desperation, Sargeant goes to the church to refuge, but there is no one at the Church to help him get refuge. Although Sargent is living in a time where the depression is in existence amongst all people, Black and White, he finds no one to help him. Sargent goes to the Church because the Church helps people. However, because Sargeant is Black andRead MoreAnalysis Of On The Road By Langston Hughes868 Words   |  4 PagesWalker insists that there is representation to white people when the narrator of the story â€Å"On the Road† by Langston Hughes speaks of the church and the snow. Walker does include some nice points, points that one could easily see. Some of her points and observations though, I feel are a bit of a long shot. I have the same feelings towards Walker’s comparison of â€Å"On the Road† and the story of Samson. Walker’s first theory is that the snow is â€Å"a symbol of the white oppressive world that is makingRead MoreAnalysis of on the Road by Langston Hughes Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimited abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main characters unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus Christ as a metaphor. Hughes usesRead MoreEssay, Langston Hughes, And The Road Not Taken1107 Words   |  5 Pagestake risks will accomplish nothing in life.†- Muhammad Ali. The authors Rick Reilly, Langston Hughes, and Robert frost all have something in common. They wrote about characters finding the courage to do the right th ing. These commentaries, short stories, and poems are all trying to send a message. Try to do the right thing when called upon. After reading the texts Doing the Right Thing, Thank You Ma’am, and The Road Not Taken, it is evident that all the main characters found their courage from someoneRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Langston Hughes s The Road 1402 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimited abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main character s unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus Christ as a metaphor. Hughes usesRead More Symbols Of Truth in Langston Hughes On The Road Essay1419 Words   |  6 PagesLangston Hughes uses b eautiful symbolism and imagery in his literary work â€Å"On the Road†. Hughes offers up the idea that if one is to open ones heart; life will provide unlimited abundance. In this literary work, Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate and symbolize the unwillingness of his main character, Sargeant, to participate in life. Hughes also demonstrates the use of a person’s anger and instinct to survive and how they both can be used as powerful forces in breaking down racial barriersRead MoreOn the Road with Racism: Langton Hughes Life Experiences824 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is racism? In â€Å"On the Road† by Langston Hughes racism is characterized in an unemployed African American. The African American depicted in this story is known as Sargeant. Sargeant is a character that Langston Hughes had little relativity to as being homeless as well as in search for food, but he undoubtedly identified with in culture. Langston Hughes childhood, heritage, and involvement in the African American community led him to create a strong willed character. Born in Joplin, MissouriRead MoreYolande Cornelia â€Å"Nikki† Giovanni Jr Is An Well-Known African-American Poet, Writer, Commentator,978 Words   |  4 PagesYolande Cornelia â€Å"Nikki† Giovanni Jr is an well-known African-American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Today we will look at â€Å"A poem for Langston Hughes† from her collection and do a literary analysis on it. The author took the time to adopt a certain sound throughout her work. You can shape sound within a poem through accent, alliteration, assonance, consonance, internal rhyme, meter, onomatopoeia, rhyme and rhythm. She uses a combination of these sound devices used in poetryRead MoreAnalysis Of I Too By Langston Hughes881 Words   |  4 PagesENG 102-71 Poetry Mini Research Paper 10/29/17 Langston Hughes’s â€Å"I, Too† Langston Hughes was a renowned poet and writer during the Harlem Renaissance. His background shaped the overall themes of his poems. Segregation and equality were the main subjects for Hughes’s writing. Langston Hughes wrote about the racial discrimination that African Americans faced during the Harlem Renaissance, and this theme resonated throughout the poem â€Å"I, Too†. Hughes was one of the boldest African American writers

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Halfling’s Gem 2. A Thousand Thousand Little Candles Free Essays

string(41) " timid even by the measures of his kind\." The assassin, mesmerized, watched as the ruby turned slowly in the candlelight, catching the dance of the flame in a thousand thousand perfect miniatures – too many reflections; no gem could have facets so small and so flawless. And yet the procession was there to be seen, a swirl of tiny candles drawing him deeper into the redness of the stone. No jeweler had cut it; its precision went beyond a level attainable with an instrument. We will write a custom essay sample on The Halfling’s Gem 2. A Thousand Thousand Little Candles or any similar topic only for you Order Now This was an artifact of magic, a deliberate creation designed, he reminded himself cautiously, to pull a viewer into that descending swirl, into the serenity of the reddened depths of the stone. A thousand thousand little candles. No wonder he had so easily duped the captain into giving him passage to Calimport. Suggestions that came from within the marvelous secrets of this gem could not easily be dismissed. Suggestions of serenity and peace, words spoken only by friends†¦ A smile cracked the usually grim set of his face. He could wander deep into the calm. Entreri tore himself from the pull of the ruby and rubbed his eyes, amazed that even one as disciplined as he might be vulnerable to the gem’s insistent tug. He glanced into the corner of the small cabin, where Regis sat huddled and thoroughly miserable. â€Å"I can now understand your desperation in stealing this jewel,† he said to the halfling. Regis snapped out of his own meditation, surprised that Entreri had spoken to him – the first time since they had boarded the boat back in Waterdeep. â€Å"And I know now why Pasha Pook is so desperate to get it back,† Entreri continued, as much to himself as to Regis. Regis cocked his head to watch the assassin. Could the ruby pendant take even Artemis Entreri into its hold? â€Å"Truly it is a beautiful gem,† he offered hopefully, not quite knowing how to handle this uncharacteristic empathy from the cold assassin. â€Å"Much more than a gemstone,† Entreri said absently, his eyes falling irresistibly back into the mystical swirl of the deceptive facets. Regis recognized the calm visage of the assassin, for he himself had worn such a look when he had first studied Pook’s wonderful pendant. He had been a successful thief then, living a fine life in Calimport. But the promises of that magical stone outweighed the comforts of the thieves’ guild. â€Å"Perhaps the pendant stole me,† he suggested on a sudden impulse. But he had underestimated the willpower of Entreri. The assassin snapped a cold look at him, with a smirk clearly revealing that he knew where Regis was leading. But the halfling, grabbing at whatever hope he could find, pressed on anyway. â€Å"The power of that pendant overcame me, I think. There could be no crime; I had little choice – â€Å" Entreri’s sharp laugh cut him short. â€Å"You are a thief, or you are weak,† he snarled. â€Å"Either way you shall find no mercy in my heart. Either way you deserve the wrath of Pook!† He snapped the pendant up into his hand from the end of its golden chain and dropped it into his pouch. Then he took out the other object, an onyx statuette intricately carved into the likeness of a panther. â€Å"Tell me of this,† he instructed Regis. Regis had wondered when Entreri would show some curiosity for the figurine. He had seen the assassin toying with it back at Garumn’s Gorge in Mithril Hall, teasing Drizzt from across the chasm. But until this moment, that was the last Regis had seen of Guenhwyvar, the magical panther. Regis shrugged helplessly. â€Å"I’ll not ask again,† Entreri threatened, and that icy certainty of doom, the inescapable aura of dread that all of Artemis Entreri’s victims came to know well, fell over Regis once more. â€Å"It is the Drow’s,† Regis stammered. â€Å"Its name is Guen – † Regis caught the word in his mouth as Entreri’s free hand suddenly snapped out a jeweled dagger, readied for a throw. â€Å"Calling an ally?† Entreri asked wickedly. He dropped the statuette back into his pocket. â€Å"I know the beast’s name, halfling. And I assure you, by the time the cat arrived, you would be dead.† â€Å"You fear the cat?† Regis dared to ask. â€Å"I take no chances,† Entreri replied. â€Å"But will you call the panther yourself?† Regis pressed, looking for some way to change the balance of power. â€Å"A companion for your lonely roads?† Entreri’s laugh mocked the very thought. â€Å"Companion? Why would I desire a companion, little fool? What gain could I hope to make?† â€Å"With numbers comes strength,† Regis argued. â€Å"Fool,† repeated Entreri. â€Å"That is where you err. In the streets, companions bring dependence and doom! Look at yourself, friend of the drow. What strength do you bring to Drizzt Do’Urden now? He rushes blindly to your aid, to fulfill his responsibility as your companion.† He spat the word out with obvious distaste. â€Å"To his ultimate demise!† Regis hung his head and could not answer. Entreri’s words rang true enough. His friends were coming into dangers they could not imagine, and all for his sake, all because of errors he had made before he had ever met them. Entreri replaced the dagger in its sheath and leaped up in a rush. â€Å"Enjoy the night, little thief. Bask in the cold ocean wind; relish all the sensations of this trip as a man staring death in the face, for Calimport surely spells your doom and the doom of your friends!† He swept out of the room, banging the door behind him. He hadn’t locked it, Regis noted. He never locked the door! But he didn’t have to, Regis admitted in anger. Terror was the assassin’s chain, as tangible as iron shackles. Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. Regis dropped his head into his hands. He became aware of the sway of the ship, of the rhythmic, monotonous creaking of old boards, his body irresistibly keeping time. He felt his insides churning. Halflings weren’t normally fond of the sea, and Regis was timid even by the measures of his kind. You read "The Halfling’s Gem 2. A Thousand Thousand Little Candles" in category "Essay examples" Entreri could not have found a greater torment to Regis than passage south on a ship, on the Sea of Swords. â€Å"Not again,† Regis groaned, dragging himself to the small portal in the cabin. He pulled the window open and stuck his head out into the refreshing chill of the night air. * * * Entreri walked across the empty deck, his cloak tight about him. Above him, the sails swelled, as they filled with wind; the early winter gales pushed the ship along its southern route. A billion stars dotted the sky, twinkling in the empty darkness to horizons bordered only by the flat line of the sea. Entreri took out the ruby pendant again and let its magic catch the starlight. He watched it spin and studied its swirl, meaning to know it well before his journey’s end. Pasha Pook would be thrilled to get the pendant back. It had given him such power! More power, Entreri now realized, than others had assumed. With the pendant, Pook had made friends of enemies and slaves of friends. â€Å"Even me?† Entreri mused, enthralled by the little stars in the red wash of the gem. â€Å"Have I been a victim? Or shall I be?† He wouldn’t have believed that he, Artemis Entreri, could ever be caught by a magic charm, but the insistence of the ruby pendant was undeniable. Entreri laughed aloud. The helmsman, the only other person on the deck, cast him a curious glance but thought no more about it. â€Å"No,† Entreri whispered to the ruby. â€Å"You shan’t have me again. I know your tricks, and I’ll learn them better still! I will run the path of your tempting descent and find my way back out again!† Laughing, he fastened the pendant’s golden chain around his neck and tucked the ruby under his leather jerkin. Then he felt in his pouch, grasped the figurine of the panther, and turned his gaze back to the north. â€Å"Are you watching, Drizzt Do’Urden?† he asked into the night. He knew the answer. Somewhere far behind, in Waterdeep or Longsaddle or somewhere in between, the drow’s lavender eyes were turned southward. They were destined to meet again; they both knew. They had battled once, in Mithril Hall, but neither could claim victory. There had to be a winner. Never before had Entreri encountered anyone with reflexes to match his own or as deadly with a blade as he, and memories of his clash with Drizzt Do’Urden haunted his every thought. They were so akin, their movements cut from the same dance. And yet, the drow, compassionate and caring, possessed a basic humanity that Entreri had long ago discarded. Such emotions, such weaknesses, had no place in the cold void of a pure fighter’s heart, he believed. Entreri’s hands twitched with eagerness as he thought of the drow. His breath puffed out angrily in the chill air. â€Å"Come, Drizzt Do’Urden,† he said through his clenched teeth. â€Å"Let us learn who is the stronger!† His voice reflected deadly determination, with a subtle, almost imperceptive, hint of anxiety. This would be the truest challenge of both their lives, the test of the differing tenets that had guided their every actions. For Entreri, there could be no draw. He had sold his soul for his skill, and if Drizzt Do’Urden defeated him, or even proved his equal, the assassin’s existence would be no more than a wasted lie. But he didn’t think like that. Entreri lived to win. * * * Regis, too, was watching the night sky. The crisp air had settled his stomach, and the stars had sent his thoughts across the long miles to his friends. How often they had sat together on such nights in Icewind Dale, to share tales of adventure or just sit quietly in each others’ company. Icewind Dale was a barren strip of frozen tundra, a land of brutal weather and brutal people, but the friends Regis had made there, Bruenor and Catti-brie, Drizzt and Wulfgar, had warmed the coldest of the winter nights and taken the sting out of the biting north wind. In context, Icewind Dale had been but a short stopover for Regis on his extensive travels, where he had spent less than ten of his fifty years. But now, heading back to the southern kingdom where he had lived for the bulk of his life, Regis realized that Icewind Dale had truly been his home. And those friends he so often took for granted were the only family he would ever know. He shook away his lament and forced himself to consider the path before him. Drizzt would come for him; probably Wulfgar and Catti-brie, too. But not Bruenor. Any relief that Regis had felt when Drizzt returned unharmed from the bowels of Mithril Hall had flown over Garumn’s Gorge with the valiant dwarf. A dragon had them trapped while a host of evil gray dwarves had closed in from behind. But Bruenor, at the cost of his own life, had cleared the way, crashing down onto the dragon’s back with a keg of burning oil, taking the beast – and himself – down into the deep gorge. Regis couldn’t bear to recall that terrible scene. For all of his gruffness and teasing, Bruenor Battlehammer had been the halfling’s dearest companion. A shooting star burned a trail across the night sky. The sway of the ship remained and the salty smell of the ocean sat thick in his nose, but here at the portal, in the sharpness of the clear night, Regis felt no sickness – only a sad serenity as he remembered all of those crazy times with the wild dwarf. Truly Bruenor Battlehammer’s flame had burned like a torch in the wind, leaping and dancing and fighting to the very end. Regis’s other friends had escaped, though. The halfling was certain of it – as certain as Entreri. And they would come for him. Drizzt would come for him and set things right. Regis had to believe that. And for his own part, the mission seemed obvious. Once in Calimport, Entreri would find allies among Pook’s people. The assassin would then be on his own ground, where he knew every dark hole and held every advantage. Regis had to slow him down. Finding strength in the narrow vision of a goal, Regis glanced about the cabin, looking for some clue. Again and again, he found his eyes drawn to the candle. â€Å"The flame,† he muttered to himself, a smile beginning to spread across his face. He moved to the table and plucked the candle from its holder. A small pool of liquid wax glittered at the base of the wick, promising pain. But Regis didn’t hesitate. He hitched up one sleeve and dripped a series of wax droplets along the length of his arm, grimacing away the hot sting. He had to slow Entreri down. * * * Regis made one of his rare appearances on the deck the next morning. Dawn had come bright and clear, and the halfling wanted to finish his business before the sun got too high in the sky and created that unpleasant mixture of hot rays in the cool spray. He stood at the rail, rehearsing his lines and mustering the courage to defy the unspoken threats of Entreri. And then Entreri was beside him! Regis clutched the rail tightly, fearing that the assassin had somehow guessed his plan. â€Å"The shoreline,† Entreri said to him. Regis followed Entreri’s gaze to the horizon and a distant line of land. â€Å"Back in sight,† Entreri continued, â€Å"and not too far.† He glanced down at Regis and displayed his wicked smile once again for his prisoner’s benefit. Regis shrugged. â€Å"Too far.† â€Å"Perhaps,† answered the assassin, â€Å"but you might make it, though your half-sized breed is not spoken of as the swimming sort. Have you weighed the odds?† â€Å"I do not swim,† Regis said flatly. â€Å"A pity,† laughed Entreri. â€Å"But if you do decide to try for the land, tell me first.† Regis stepped back, confused. â€Å"I would allow you to make the attempt,† Entreri assured him. â€Å"I would enjoy the show!† The halfling’s expression turned to anger. He knew that he was being mocked, but he couldn’t figure the assassin’s purpose. â€Å"They have a strange fish in these waters,† said Entreri, looking back to the water. â€Å"Smart fish. It follows the boats, waiting for someone to go over.† He looked back to Regis to weigh the effect of his chiding. â€Å"A pointed fin marks it,† he continued, seeing that he had the halfling’s full attention. â€Å"Cutting through the water like the prow of a ship. If you watch from the rail long enough, you will surely spy one.† â€Å"Why would I want to?† â€Å"Sharks, these fish are called,† Entreri went on, ignoring the question. He drew his dagger, putting its point against one of his fingers hard enough to draw a speck of blood. â€Å"Marvelous fish. Rows of teeth as long as daggers, sharp and ridged, and a mouth that could bite a man in half.† He looked Regis in the eye. â€Å"Or take a halfling whole.† â€Å"I do not swim!† Regis growled, not appreciating Entreri’s macabre, but undeniably effective, methods. â€Å"A pity,† chuckled the assassin. â€Å"But do tell me if you change your mind.† He swept away, his black cloak flowing behind him. â€Å"Bastard,† Regis mumbled under his breath. He started back toward the rail, but changed his mind as soon as he saw the deep water looming before him; he turned on his heel and sought the security of the middle of the deck. Again the color left his face as the vast ocean seemed to close in over him and the interminable, nauseating sway of the ship†¦ â€Å"Ye seem ripe fer de rail, little one,† came a cheery voice. Regis turned to see a short, bowlegged sailor with few teeth and eyes scrunched in a permanent squint. â€Å"Ain’t to findin’ yer sea legs yet?† Regis shuddered through his dizziness and remembered his mission. â€Å"It is the other thing,† he replied. The sailor missed the subtlety of his statement. Still grinning through the dark tan and darker stubble of his dirty face, he started away. â€Å"But thank you for your concern,† Regis said emphatically. â€Å"And for all of your courage in taking us to Calimport.† The sailor stopped, perplexed. â€Å"Many a time, we’s to taking ones to the south,† he said, not understanding the reference to â€Å"courage.† â€Å"Yes, but considering the danger – though I am sure it is not great!† Regis added quickly, giving the impression that he was trying not to emphasize this unknown peril. â€Å"It is not important. Calimport will bring our cure.† Then under his breath but still loud enough for the sailor to hear, he said, â€Å"If we get there alive.† â€Å"‘Ere now, what do ye mean?† the sailor demanded, moving back over to Regis. The smile was gone. Regis squeaked and grabbed his forearm suddenly as if in pain. He grimaced and pretended to battle against the agony, while deftly scratching the dried patch of wax, and the scab beneath it, away. A small trickle of blood rolled out from under his sleeve. The sailor grabbed him on cue, pulling the sleeve up over Regis’s elbow. He looked at the wound curiously. â€Å"Burn?† â€Å"Do not touch it!† Regis cried in a harsh whisper. â€Å"That is how it spreads – I think.† The sailor pulled his hand away in terror, noticing several other scars. â€Å"I seen no fire! How’d ye git a burn?† Regis shrugged helplessly. â€Å"They just happen. From the inside.† Now it was the sailor’s turn to pale. â€Å"But I will make it to Calimport,† he stated unconvincingly. â€Å"It takes a few months to eat you away. And most of my wounds are recent.† Regis looked down, then presented his scarred arm. â€Å"See?† But when he looked back, the sailor was gone, rushing off toward the captain’s quarters. â€Å"Take that, Artemis Entreri,† Regis whispered. How to cite The Halfling’s Gem 2. A Thousand Thousand Little Candles, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Marketing Analysis for Nintendo Wii free essay sample

Today the global company is led by Satoru Iwata, the fourth and current president, while the Nintendo of America president is Reggie Fils-Aime. Nintendo is one of the largest companies in Japan and was instrumental in re-creating the video game market. The name Nintendo can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as leave luck to heaven. As of October 18, 2010, Nintendo has sold over 565 million hardware units and 3. 4 billion software units. Nintendos near monopoly on the home video game market left it with a degree of influence over the industry exceeding even that of Atari during Ataris heyday in the early 1980s and today it seems that Nintendo sells less but makes more money. It has been profitable practically every year since it moved into the video game industry over two decades ago and has long held a dominant position in hand-held gaming, developed through a strategy of focusing on playability. The company has recently gone on record to admit that demand is simply much higher than supply for their current Wii and Wii Fit while the DS is up 142% over last year. The companys own employees have even been put on a strict Wii system purchase limit. The company says it wants to be the games company that puts smiles on the faces of people of all ages and genders, and following the sales of Wii and Wii Fit, there are likely to be grins all around at the HQ. Nintendos official website saw the largest increase in traffic recently, while the Sony PlayStation website saw a moderate decrease. The companys products are actually cheaper than that of the competition and are one of the oldest and most successful console game developers. If you want a console to play games or to use for exercise you wont go wrong with Nintendo. Nintendo is taking a radical approach by attempting to change the very way that people play games. Instead of cramming as much graphic capability as possible into its system, Nintendo has focused its effort on creating an innovative controller that makes game play simple. A user can control a game by waving the wireless controller instead of moving a joystick or furiously mashing buttons. The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsofts Xbox 360 and Sonys PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others. As of July 2011, the Wii leads the generation over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales and in December 2009 broke the record for best-selling console in a single month in the United States. A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a hand-held pointing device and detects movement in three dimensions. Another distinctive feature of the console is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode. Nintendo’s core competencies lie among the company’s important resources including its research and development team, marketing team, manufacturing processes, and the company’s management, headed by Satoru Iwata. These resources create valuable capabilities, such as Iwata’s ability to predict the future of video gaming. The company’s Research and Development gives it a capability in innovative technology and game concepts, while marketing has allowed the company to create an effective brand. Efficient manufacturing processes allow Nintendo to reach economies of scale and produce the Wii console at a cost lower than the production of competitor game systems. A product life cycle illustrates the phases that a product goes through during its existence. The Wii since its introduction in 2006 shows a continual upwards sloping showing no sign of decline. This shows that Nintendo has redefined what was traditionally thought to be the video game console life cycle. The Nintendo Wii, based on increasing but less significant sales, is in the Growth phase and possible early Maturity phase of the product cycle. The Market The target market for video gaming at the time Nintendo Wii was introduced was primarily males eighteen to thirty five. The Marketing Theory explains that you have to identify uncovered needs in a market, segment or divide this market according to a criterion, decide which segments you want to go for and define a marketing plan and proposition coherent with it. It seems to be really easy, but real life shows that it is not! All industries are full of â€Å"me too† products instead of innovative approaches. Nintendo has been extremely smart in their approach as it has discovered and attacked a new and unexplored segment in the video-console market. They have found users that want to have fun and do not look for best of the best graphic resolution (Playstation and X-Box target group), but for ease of use and simplicity. By doing this, they have been able to expand the video-game market, attracting new users that would not have purchase a console. They have attracted a very profitable segment, one with a higher purchasing power than teenagers and what is more important, less likely to get pirate games. They are the only player in that â€Å"ease of use† segment. So Nintendo has no need to have aggressive discounts and to share the market with your competitors. The whole target market goal of the Nintendo Wii is mass market appeal. It appeals to people of all ages including non-gamers. While they offer games for a wide selection of people, they still develop games for specific markets. Nintendo Wii established their market by following a disruptive strategy. The strategy is when companies can carve out attractive positions by growing a market (rather than just trying to grab a piece of the existing market) by making it simpler, easier, or more affordable for more people to consume. The disruptive literature calls this â€Å"competing against non-consumption. This approach is powerful because it allows an entrant to stake out a position in a market while minimizing the chances of a devastating competitive response. After all, if the entrant reaches customers the market leader was not serving, the market leader feels no pain. The is using an undifferentiated market strategy, focusing on family friendly entertainment, redefined the definition of gaming, and emphasize the simplicity of use and having the goal of new gamers joining and old gamers using their system. Wii is even becoming a huge hit in nursing homes with the aging population and soccer moms. The decision making process information search is aided by the Nintendo Company. Aiding the consumer in making informed decisions about what they purchase is always important. Nintendos Buyers Guide is designed to assist the consumer with making these decisions by providing information on such things as game ratings, researching game content, and determining which accessories the consumer might need for your systems and games. The consumer must then evaluate the alternative which is best accomplished by internet search. There is a plethora of information on line comparing and contrasting the Nintendo Wii with its competitors. The next step in the consumer buying decision is the purchase. Nintendo has on their website alternatives for purchasing their equipment. Consumers wanting to purchase new systems, games and accessories may choose from a number of places where they can purchase Wii systems. Many retail stores that sell home electronics also sell video game systems, games, and accessories. These can include large national chains and smaller local retailers. There are online retailers that carry Nintendo’s newest products. Many of these companies also offer phone and mail orders if the consumer does not wish to purchase the products online. There is also the Nintendos Online Store for accessories and replacement parts. Lastly, Nintendos quality service does not stop once the purchase has been made. Whether the consumer needs assistance with system setup or repair, want to know how to get help beating a game, or just need information about their purchase in general, Nintendo’s consumer service pages can provide many answers. Nintendo does perform market research. Upon obtaining authorization from the consumer, Nintendo may use personal information for internal demographic studies, so that they can improve their websites and products to better meet their visitors needs. Nintendo may also share the information with other entities of the Nintendo group, in particular its branches in Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom and its European affiliates Nintendo France SARL, Nintendo Espana, S. A. and Nintendo Benelux B. V. to inform the consumer about their Nintendo or third party products and for internal marketing studies. Nintendo may also share the information with third-party outsourced data processors acting in the interests of Nintendo and strictly in compliance with the Nintendo Privacy Policy. Social Responsibility Nintendo of Americas new headquarters building in Redmond, Wash. , was awarded LEED Gold Status by the U. S. Green Building Council, placing it among the nations top-rated buildings for sustainability and environmental friendliness. LEED certification indicates that a company has taken measurable steps to implement green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Their product packaging including the instruction manual and inserts use vegetable based inks. Recyclable cardboard packaging has replaced PVC/PET clam shells for all accessories. Nintendo has reduced the amount of plastic used to manufacture Wii game cases by more than 25%. Economic Forces The economy seems to be improving overall, a recent USA Today article states that sales of game consoles such as the Wii â€Å"have declined from $21. 4 billion in 2008 to $18. 7 billion in 2010,† despite an increase in the number of people who play video games. Further information from BBC News shows that Nintendo’s net profits decreased by 74% in 2010. Sociocultural Forces Nintendo Wii is geared toward a family-friendly ideology, which could limit the types of games Nintendo produces, and may threaten the company’s competitive advantage. Furthermore, the company’s focus on non-gamers could threaten future game console designs because the focus demographic demands simple, easy-to-use equipment. Technological Forces Nintendo’s biggest opportunities lie in the global and technology segments of the general environment. Nintendo’s global presence gives the company the opportunity to continue developing products for many different markets. Furthermore, technology is particularly vital to Nintendo’s success and presents the most opportunities for the firm. Because the company offers a technological product, and technology is always improving, Nintendo continually has opportunities to integrate new technology into its products. Environmental Factors Internal Environment Satoru Iwata Fourth and current global president. Reggie Fils-Aime Third and current president of Nintendo Board of Directors Nintendo Software Technology Video Game Designers Hardware Manufacturers Music Composers Translators Voice Actors External Factors Customers Competitors Media Suppliers Distributors SWOT Strengths Emphasis on corporate culture Strength in finance and partnerships Innovative technologies Unique and innovative products Brand reputation and recognition Appeals to all ages Nintendo brand loyalty Less expensive that other console Ease of use Weaknesses Expand demographics Increase video game technology Improve third party games Short Supply for an in-demand product No HD Opportunities Greater presence in online community More quality in third party support Social networking and mobile devices Expand games beyond family-friendly Threats Threats of substitutes (PC and online) Changing industry environment Loss of appeal X-Box Kinect Social networking and mobile devices Nintendos financial forecasts until March 2010 had investors and analysts questioning if the company cannot keep its streak from ending. The Japanese market, which tends to serve as a leading indicator for global markets, saw Wii sales drop by 47% when comparing Nintendos fiscal year of 2008-2009, to the previous year. While analysts predicted that game console sales in general will fall in 2009, Hall argued Nintendos big advantages are isappearing amid price reductions of the Xbox 360 and rumors of Sony unveiling a motion-sensing wireless controller. Distribution Nintendo has distribution centers around the world. The regional distributors deal in only the units appropriate to their area. The American distribution centers are located in Redmond, Washington and Atlanta, Georgia. Retailers get their inventory directly from Nintendo. Nintendo may sell some of their products online however their products are also sold at Wal-Mart and other mass merchandisers. Businesses are gaining approximately $10 per unit sold. The retailers make their money from the games and accessories. Pricing The pricing strategy, when the Wii was first introduced in 2006, was no price flexibility because the Wii was already offered at a rock bottom price and was priced much lower than competitors. It was thought that the price of the Nintendo Wii will not fluctuate much since it was released to the public at such a low price. On September 23, 2009, Nintendo announced its first price drops for the console. In the United States, the price was reduced by $50 resulting in a new MSRP of $199. 99, effective September 27, 2009. Nintendo sold more than three million Wii consoles in the U. S. n December 2009, setting a regional record for the month and ending 9 months of declining sales, as a result of the price cut and software releases such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. As of the end of that month, the Wii is the bestselling home video game console produced by Nintendo with sales of over 67 million units, surpassing that of the original Nintendo Entertainment System. As of March 31, 201 1 according to Nintendo, the Wii has sold 70. 93 million units worldwide selling 20. 53 million units within 2009-2010 fiscal year. In April, 2011, Nintendo announced they had sold 86. 01 million Wii consoles, up to that date. Promotion The promotional mix used by Nintendo Wii is demonstrated through mass selling and universal entertainment. Nintendo uses middlemen to get product out in the market by distributing the console to mass merchandisers, specialty electronic stores and gaming stores such as GameStop, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. A combination of push and pull techniques are used in selling, however, the pull technique is the more effective of the two. Pushing is used in advertising through commercials, ads, circulars, magazines, and internet ads. Pulling is when the costumer gets the product at one of the retailers that offer the Nintendo platform. Nintendo keeps the shipment number low to the retail stores and with such high demand this keeps the customer returning to check on its availability. In the beginning Nintendo had an innovative plan to reach the public. The Nintendo Wii ran a promotion with GameStop in local malls. They called it the â€Å"Wii Mall Experience. † It was an effort to get men and women of all ages out to not only show off their skills on the system, but to show they supported the Nintendo system. Nintendos goal is to get more new people interested in playing games. This is reflected in Nintendos series of television advertisements in North America, directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan, as well as Internet ads. The ad slogans are Wii would like to play and Experience a new way to play. These ads ran starting November 15, 2006 and had a total budget of over US$200 million throughout the year. The productions are Nintendos first broad-based advertising strategy and include a two-minute video clip showing a varied assortment of people enjoying the Wii system, such as urban apartment-dwellers, country ranchers, grandparents, and parents with their children. The music in the ads is from the song Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix) by the Yoshida Brothers. The marketing campaign has proved to be successful. Pensioners, as old as 103, have been reported to be playing the Wii in the United Kingdom. A report by the British newspaper The People also stated that Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has played using the console. Branding is involved in Nintendo. Nintendo created the Wii brand and brand equity. The name Wii was simplified so that it could be understood and remembered by people of all languages. The brand image promoted physical participation and family oriented gaming style. The strategy was distinct and delivered an emotional message that conveyed the product value. The product identity is portrayed in all advertising, symbols, slogans and events. Nintendo also devised customer based brand equity that differentiated itself from its competitors. Nintendo devised marketing that included mom’s being Wii Ambassadors, encouraged Wii parties with 30 or more friends and promoted product through word of mouth to non-traditional gamers. General Observations A marketing concept that needs improvement is the response to demand. In the beginning, Nintendo Wii was a victim of their own success. Nintendo was not ready for such a rapid growth that took their system to the top of the list. However, it should not have mattered if they could have met the high demand for their product. This marketing mistake is sending their video game buyers to their competitors. On April 26, 2011 at an investors meeting, Nintendo head Satoru Iwata stated â€Å"I now regret that we didn’t tie up with someone outside the company to market the Wii. If we had done that, the fate of the Wii might have been different,† Iwata said. Now I am aware that we should not rely too much on ourselves. You will see what I mean by this when we market the 3DS and the Wii in the future. † The marketing concept that is very successful is the targeting and promotion. Thinking outside of the box and listening to their customers, Nintendo created an innovative, cost effective and relevant product that exceeded customer expectations. Nintendo used a well-planned holistic marketing campaign which included integration, personalization, and internalization to prove that you do not have to produce a better version of an existing product to be successful in today’s market. Whats the future for the Wii? Nintendo announced the successor to the Wii, called Wii U, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011. The Wii U will feature a controller with an embedded touch screen, output 1080p high-definition graphics, and be fully backwards compatible with Wii games and peripherals for the Wii. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller, and the Wii Balance Board, will be compatible with Wii U games that include support for them. The wireless, hand-held controller for the new system includes a six-inch-wide touch-sensitive screen right there between your hands. No longer will playing a home console game mean looking at a television all the time. Instead, the controller screen can complement or replace what’s on TV. If, for instance, one person in the household is playing a game on the living room television, and someone else wants to watch television, the gamer can switch play entirely to the controller, while the TV is flipped to the other show.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The relationship between educational institutions and students Essay Example

The relationship between educational institutions and students Essay The three scholarly articles on the relationship between educational institutions and students are very insightful. The centre of their attention is the influence of student’s economic class on the quality and content of education received. But more importantly, class continues to influence and determine the quality and nature of an individual’s life beyond and after schooling years. In other words, the three authors posit in three different ways that economic class that an American is born into predetermines their course of life. The rest of this essay will flesh out this thesis. The essay titled The Educated Global Citizen or Student Global Consumer? raises several important questions about the culture of education that has come to be accepted. Far from the ideal notions of education that the founding fathers of the nation envisioned, what we have today is the corporate takeover of schools and academies. The concept of advertising and sponsored programs have become so entrenched in the system that they no longer elicit a response of shock. Parents and educators have become desensitized to instructional video programs that contain embedded advertisements. The legitimacy of the classroom, with the authoritative figure of the teacher overseeing the program, students come to believe the content of the advertisement as truth. They are prone to believe that what they learn about science, mathematics and literature is on par with the content of the advertisement that is presented to them. Even common spaces within the premises of a school – such as a canteen – are not spared the blight of intrusive commercialization. For example, most school and college administrations have a deal with either Coca-Cola or Pepsi to be the official soft-drink provider within the campus. The same applies to the presence of McDonalds, StarBucks, Subway, etc in school canteens. Brand monopolies are thus allowed to exist in what is supposed to be a place for enlightenment. What business corporations are trying to achieve is to indoctrinate young minds into accepting certain brand loyalties. ‘If you catch them young they stay with you forever’ seems to be the motto of the major brands. While business interests profit and secure themselves of a young, loyal consumer base, the social consequences are disastrous. Instead of illuminating and stimulating young impressionable minds for creative thought and experimentation, our schools have turned into assembly lines for producing the next generation of passive obedient consumers. Hence, I totall y agree with the views presented in Benjamin Barber’s essay. We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between educational institutions and students specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between educational institutions and students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The relationship between educational institutions and students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The analytical essay by Gregory Mantsios takes up the manifestation of class differentials in the education system. The author goes on to demystify some prevalent myths and denials surrounding educational opportunities. One of the chief denials blighting American culture is its refusal to accept class divisions in society. As he notes wryly, America has turned into a nation of middle-class people. It then begs the question what are the two ends of the spectrum that this great middle-class is placed in between? There are political reasons behind the propaganda of the ‘middle-class nation’. But evidence from the ground suggests that class is a significant determinant of several indicators of life. Primary among them are opportunity to education and quality of education. Upon these two factors impinge several social, economic and health consequences. To illustrate, those who were fortunate enough to graduate from Ivy League institutions have higher life expectancy, lesser i nstances of accidents, better rates of recovery from illnesses, live a more luxurious lifestyle, lesser chances of incarceration or prison terms, etc. So what Mantsios makes abundantly clear is that entry into prestigious educational institutions ensures a decidedly superior subsequent life experience for those fortunate students. For the rest, or the great majority of the nation’s children, the future is not as rosy. What we are witnessing here is an antagonistic relationship between education providers (in this case Ivy League institutions) and the vast majority of the population who are denied entry to them. In the third article perused for this essay, Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work, author Jean Anyon talks about the variation in educational content across different schools. While Mantsios and Barber talk about the differentials in ‘quality’ of education, it is Anyon who expounds on what it entails. The common understanding is that schools in low socio-economic localities have poor amenities and facilities. While this is true, the most troubling aspect of these schools is how their curricula are markedly different to prestigious schools. It seems that poor students who are enrolled here are prepared for a career in clerical or other blue-collar jobs. This is in contrast with posh schools where the curricula are designed to prepare the next generation of doctors, lawyers and business leaders. Hence the very precept upon which the founding fathers emphasized the role of education in society stands defeated. Jean Anyon’s illustration of this ‘vocati onal’ imperative in curricular design strengthens the deep fissures along class lines in American society. In sum, all the three essays underscore the problematic or dysfunctional relationship between educators and students in American schools. References: Benjamin R. Barber, The Education Global Citizen or Student Global Consumer? Liberal Education, Spring 2002, p.22+ Gregory Mantsios, Class in America – 2003, Money and Success, p.307+ Jean Anyon, Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work, Journal of Education, Vol. 162, no. 1, Fall 1980.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application

Use Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Files in a Delphi Application Delphi supports the display of Adobe PDF files from within an application. As long as youve got Adobe Reader installed, your PC will automatically have the relevant ActiveX control youll need to create a component you can drop into a Delphi form. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Heres How: Start Delphi and select Component | Import ActiveX Control...Look for the Acrobat Control for ActiveX (Version x.x) control and click Install.Select the Component palette location into which the selected library will appear. Click Install.Select a package where the new component must be installed or create a new package for the new TPdf control.Click OK.Delphi will ask you whether you want to rebuild the modified/new package. Click Yes.After the package is compiled, Delphi will show you a message saying that the new TPdf component was registered and already available as part of the VCL.Close the package detail window, allowing Delphi to save the changes to it.The component is now available in the ActiveX tab (if you didnt change this setting in step 4).Drop the TPdf component onto a form and then select it.Using the object inspector, set the src property to the name of an existing PDF file on your system. Now all you have to do is resize the component and read the PDF file from your Delphi application. Tips: The Adobe ActiveX control installs automatically when you install Adobe Reader.  Step 11 can be completed during runtime, so you can open and close files programmatically as well as resize the control.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Identifying the Most Common North American Conifers

Identifying the Most Common North American Conifers Conifers are commonly thought to be synonymous with evergreen trees, which stay green through the year. However, not all conifers- also known as softwoods- remain green and with needles year-round. They are actually scientifically classed by how they fruit. They are gymnosperms or plants with naked seeds not enclosed in an ovary; these seed fruits called cones are considered more primitive than hardwood fruiting parts. General Guidelines for Broad Identification Though conifers may or may not lose their needles annually, most are indeed evergreen. Trees of this classification have needle-like or scale-like foliage and usually renew many leaves annually but  dont renew all of their leaves every year. The foliage is usually narrow and manifests in either sharp-pointed needles or small and scale-like leaves. Although  studying the needle is the best way to identify a conifer, conifers as a class are defined not by their leaves but by their seeds, so its only important to note the shape and size of leaves after determining whether it is a conifer by the shape, size, and type of seed the tree produces. Softwood trees  include pine, spruces, firs, and cedars, but dont let that alternative name for conifers fool you. Wood hardness varies among the conifer species, and some softwoods are actually harder than some hardwoods. The Many Types of Coniferous Leaves While all trees that bear cones are coniferous, and many of these cones are remarkably different from other species cones, often times the best way to identify the specific genus of a tree is by observing its leaves. Coniferous trees can produce two types of leaves with a variety of slight alterations that further define the tree type. If a tree has needle-like (as opposed to scale-like) leaves, it can then be further defined by how those needles are grouped (singularly or alone), how they are shaped (flattened or four-sided and sharp), the types of stems these leaves are attached to (brown or green), and if the leaves invert or not. Other Ways to Identify Conifers From there, the way the cone or seed is shaped and the way it hangs on the tree (sticking up or handing down), the smell and largeness of individual needles, and the erectness of branches in the tree can also help determine what specific type of conifer a tree is. Chances are ​if a tree has any of these features at all it is a conifer, especially if the tree also bears cone-like seeds. The Most Common Conifer Trees in North America Three of the most common conifers that grow in North America are pine, fir, and spruce trees. The Latin word conifer means to bear cones, and most but not all conifers have cones; junipers and yews, though, produce berry-like fruit. Conifers are among the smallest, largest, and oldest living woody plants known in the world. The more than 500 conifer species are distributed worldwide and are invaluable for their timber but also adapt well to the landscape; there are 200 conifer species in North America, but the most common are listed here: Bald cypress- Genus  TaxodiumCedar- Genus CedrusDouglas fir- Genus  PseudotsugaTrue fir- Genus AbiesHemlock- Genus TsugaLarch- Genus LarixPine- Genus  PinusRedwood- Genus SequoiaSpruce- Genus Picea

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Research Methods Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Research Methods - Dissertation Example The philosophy adhered to by the research methodology employed in this study is Social Constructivism-Interpretivism. It gathers information from people’s viewpoints and their various perspectives to get a picture of the social environment they move in (Gay et al., 2009). The researcher chose this philosophy because it is the most fitting in helping the study answer the research questions since it goes directly to the people concerned in this study for their own inputs.Exploring teachers’ views on inclusion takes more than just extracting what they know about it. Probing deeper into the matter, one would be able to derive their thoughts, feelings and personal insights on how inclusion affects them. In doing so, teachers may be introspective and assess their own attitudes, behaviors, and performance as teachers in inclusive educational settings. This is the outcome envisioned by this study. In order to achieve that, the methodology of questionnaire and focus group interv iew will be undertaken.Questionnaires are effective means of collecting data from the research participants, with the aim of obtaining their personal views on various issues. Participants may feel more secure and confident in answering them due to their anonymous nature since filling out their names is optional. Campbell et al. (2004) describe questionnaires as: â€Å"†¦a very versatile data-gathering method; they are cheap, easy to administer no matter how many participants are expected to fill them out.... Merriam (1998) defines qualitative research as â€Å"an umbrella concept covering several forms of inquiry that help us understand and explain the meaning of social phenomena with as little disruption of the natural setting as possible†(p.5). The qualitative approach is selected because it is the most suited in eliciting the needed information regarding the insights teachers have about inclusion in their own context. Such approach can delve deeper beneath the surface as the researcher may ask probing questions that the participants may answer, and this is not possible with quantitative methods which may limit the responses to only measurable choices. Philosophy The philosophy adhered to by the research methodology employed in this study is Social Constructivism-Interpretivism. It gathers information from people’s viewpoints and their various perspectives to get a picture of the social environment they move in (Gay et al., 2009). Their opinions and insights will then be interpreted in accordance to the concepts discussed in the review of literature. The researcher chose this philosophy because it is the most fitting in helping the study answer the research questions since it goes directly to the people concerned in this study for their own inputs. Research Methods Exploring teachers’ views on inclusion takes more than just extracting what they know about it. Probing deeper into the matter, one would be able to derive their thoughts, feelings and personal insights on how inclusion affects them. In doing so, teachers may be introspective and assess their own attitudes, behaviors and performance as teachers in inclusive educational settings. This is the outcome envisioned by this study. In order to achieve that, the methodology of questionnaire and focus group

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Discuss the main features of Austrian government, politics and Essay

Discuss the main features of Austrian government, politics and parliamentary democracy today - Essay Example Shortly thereafter, Austria passed a law "declaring perpetual neutrality and a ban on entering any military alliances or allowing foreign military bases on Austrian territory." In its role as a neutral state, Austria viewed itself as a bridge between the East and West during the Cold War and hosted a number of United Nations agencies and international organizations in Vienna. Despite its political neutrality, however, Austria remained closely aligned with western democracies both culturally and ideologically. In a June, 1994 referendum, 66% of Austrians demonstrated their favor for EU membership, which led to the signing of the Treaty of Accession of Austria to the EU on June 24, 1994. This Treaty subsequently entered into force, and Austria became a member of the EU on January 1, 1995. Presently, Austria is one of the wealthiest EU Members. Over 60% of the nation's imports and exports come from or go to other EU countries, rendering the nation's economy largely dependent on the EU. Currently, Austria is one of eleven EU Member States that has adopted the Euro and, consequently, it has implemented an economic plan in accordance with European Monetary Union requirements. Traditionally, Austria's economy operated as "a corporatist system of 'social partnership' between government, industry, labor, and agriculture." In the 1980s, however, the government's role began to wane as a result of the privatization of many enterprises formerly under state ownership. The services sector dominates the economy, and tourism generates approximately 15% of the nation's capital. Over 9% of Austria's population is considered "foreign," with communities of ethnic Magyars and Croats living in the province of Burgenland and Slovenes in Carinthia. Nevertheless, 98% percent of Austrians speak German.30 In 1996, more than 700,000 immigrant workers were registered in Austria, and an unknown number of illegal immigrants and refugees presently reside there. AUSTRIA'S POLITICAL SYSTEM has been a model of stability since democracy was restored in 1945. In contrast to the interwar period, when domestic political rivalries and foreign intervention brought the system of government set out by the constitution of 1920 to a standstill, after World War II this reestablished parliamentary democracy functioned smoothly in what came to be termed the Second Republic. At times, Austria's political system seemed impervious to change, but by the middle of the 1980s, it had become clear that far-reaching social and economic trends were beginning to affect the country's politics. Austria is a parliamentary represented democracy comprising nine federal states and is one of six European countries that have declared permanent neutrality (A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. A neutralist policy aims at neutrality in case of an armed conflict that could involve the party in question. A neutralist is an advocate of neutrality in international affairs) and one of the few countries that includes the concept of everlasting neutrality in its constitution. Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and joined the European Union in 1995. When Austria joined the EU in 1995 a referendum had to be held because the accession was qualified as a fundamental change

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Tensions in Colonial Society Essay Example for Free

Tensions in Colonial Society Essay Both the Bacon Rebellion and the Pueblo revolt were ignited by the mounting apprehension of preserving safety and a way of life as white settlers and Native Americans come together on the same land. Because European settlers were trying to settle on land already occupied by Indians, many conflicts arose. For many white settlers, as was the case in the Bacon Rebellion, the clash of the two races caused an uneasy apprehension. The white settlers felt threatened by the Native Americans, and, as a result, resorted to unnecessary violence. In the Bacon Rebellion, this ongoing tension caused farmers to kill many Indians, even friendly ones. For many Native Americans the clash of the two races resulted in tension as the white settlers tried to change the Indian way of life. This was true of the Pueblo Indians in present day New Mexico who felt threatened by the Spanish because they were trying to impose an unfamiliar, Christian life on the Indians. With both groups we see a common tension: people are feeling threatened as a result of Native Americans and hite settler interaction. As with these uprisings, tension created by Indian/colonist interaction in colonial America often erupted into violence and rebellions. While the Pueblo revolt was mainly the result of Indian/Colonist conflict, the Bacon rebellion had many more aspects to it. The Bacon rebellion was inpart fueled by the strain between the most elite Americans and everyone else. For Bacon and his friends, who were upper-class Englishmen who came to America, the tension came rom resentment toward the Virginia elite for not including them. For the farmers, it was the belief that the elite government did not understand or sympathize with the danger Indians posed to farmers. When the two groups teamed up to fight out the tension against the elite, many Indians and innocent colonists were killed and injured. The deaths occurred when colonists vented their frustrations by taking matters into their own hands against the Indians and, later, fighting against the litists. The Bacon rebellion started because of uneasiness about the Indian situation, but it ended as a full on war with the elites. It was this end that reflects the growing tension between the elite and the common people of American colonial society. Colonial society in America was a new frontier for those that settled there. As with anything new, problems and tensions arose and these growing tensions were reflected in uprisings, such as Bacons Rebellion and the Pueblo Revolt. One of the ain tensions of colonial America was the result of two very different cultures, the Indians and the Colonists, wing for survival in this new situation. Other tensions arose when tight knit elitist groups excluded and disregarded the well being of others. Tensions between races and different social classes werent new to history. Nevertheless, their ubiquitous quality does not make them any less significant, nor did it help the colonists when the tensions exploded into Bacons Rebellion and the Pueblo revolt.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Himmler?s Reign of Terror and Ingenious :: essays research papers

One man’s sick mind led to the extermination of an entire generation of people. These ideas came at the worst possible time, during World War II. The ideas were horrific and evil and today they would be viewed as satanic but at the time they were thought to be glorious and wonderful. This gave Hienrich Himmler a place as one of the most devious persons ever. Himmler went to grade school at the Cathedral where he was an excellent student. It was during this time that Himmler became interested in Germany’s history and war (Shrirer 130-131). After he finished grade school he went to Technical High school. He once again resumed the role of a good student. At this time Himmler felt he had no rules or discipline so he dropped out of high school and enlisted in the Army. While in the Army Himmler got special tutoring to finish high school (Shrirer 137-138). Himmler attended a small college outside of Munich. While there he did not fit in very well and did poorly in his studies. After a short time Himmler left college and rejoined the military (Stewart 97). Himmler joined a paramilitary unit outside of Bayer-Munich. He was in a class of 200 and was the best soldier. His commanding officer said, â€Å"He’s the best natural soldier I’ve ever seen† (Goralski 103-104). Himmler did not do much in World War I. He was rumored to have killed Gihi Rhambal. People are not one hundred percent sure if he did, but many believed it was he (Jarmon 132). During this time he was mainly taking care of his family. He married a lady Miller 2 named Marga Stoenbauer. Himmler also had a daughter named Gudren. Gudren was Himmler’s daughter but not Marga’s. He had Gudren with a mistress. The mistress left the baby with Himmler right after she was born and she was never heard from again (Bauer 84-85). Shortly after World War II broke out, Himmler was chosen for a special assignment. He received the assignment because he was probably the best soldier in the German Army. He was appointed the head of the Gestapo, the most feared people in Germany. The Gestapo was formed in 1933 and the massive killings began in 1934 (Rogaski 187-188). Himmler and his men dressed in all black, so that people would recognize and respect them (Stewart 131). Himmler was respected for two main reasons. The first was that many people thought he was next in command to Hitler. People figured that they probably should not get involved with the boss. The other reason people liked Himmler was that Hitler liked him and if he found out anyone was saying anything about him that

Monday, November 11, 2019

Managerial Accounting Quiz 1 Essay

Chapters 1 and 2 10 Points 1. Complete the answer sheet below by placing an â€Å"X† under each heading that identifies the cost involved. The â€Å"Xs† can be placed under more than one heading for a single cost. (5 Points) Variable Cost Fixed Cost Direct Materials Direct Labor Manufactu ring Overhead Period Cost Materials costs X X Production line workers wages X X Production Equipment rental X X Factory Building depreciation X X Advertising costs X X 2. A partial listing of costs incurred at Rust Corporation during August appears below: Purchases of raw materials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $ 135,000 Direct labor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 73,000 Factory Utilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11,000 Sales Commissions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 69,000 Administrative Salaries†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 101,000 Indirect Labor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 89,000 Depreciation of Production Equipment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18,000 Indirect Materials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10,000 Depreciation of Office Copy Machine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5,000 Raw materials inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 97,000 Raw materials inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 84,000 Work in process inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 39,000 Work in process inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 52,000 Finished goods inventory, beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 106,000 Finished goods inventory, ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 71,000 a. Prepare a Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured in good form. (3 Points) Direct Materials: Beginning raw materials inventory: $97,000 Add: Purchase of raw materials 135,000 Raw materials available for use 232,000 Deduct: Ending raw materials inventory 84,000 Raw materials used in production $148,000 Direct Labor: 73,000 Manufacturing Overhead: 118,000 Total manufacturing cost: 339,000 Add: Beginning work in process inventory 39,000 378,000 Deduct: Ending work in process inventory 52,000 Cost of goods manufactured $326,000 b. Compute the Cost of Goods Sold. (2 Points) Finished goods inventory, beginning$106,000 Add: Cost of goods manufactured 326,000 Goods available for sale 432,000 Deduct: Finished goods inventory, ending 71,000 Cost of goods sold $361,000 Managerial Acctg Quiz 2 – Fall 2012 NAME__ _______________________ Chapters 3 and 4 10 Points 1. Pence Company is a manufacturing firm that uses job-order costing. The company applies overhead to jobs using a predetermined overhead rate based on machine-hours. At the beginning of the year, the company estimated that it would work 44,000 machine hours and would incur $176,000 in manufacturing overhead cost. During the year the following actual costs and hours were incurred: Job A Job B Job C Job D Direct Materials$ 135,000 $ 129,000 $ 98,000 $ 103,000 Direct Labor $ 80,000 $ 85,000 $ 63,000 $ 68,000 Machine Hours 12,000 13,000 8,000 14,000 Number of Units 50 35 60 Indirect Materials used: $ 34,000 Indirect Labor: $ 63,000 Selling Costs: $134,000 Factory Utility Costs: $ 14,000 Factory Depreciation: $114,000 Administrative Salaries $157,000 Required: (5 points) a. Compute the predetermined overhead rate 176000/44000= 4.00 b. Compute the amount of overhead applied to each job. A.12000*4= 48000 B. 13000*4= 52000 C. 8000*4= 32000 D. 14000*4= 56000 c. Assuming that Jobs A, B, and D were completed during the year, compute the total cost charged to each job and the unit cost of the product produced. A.5660 B.8543 D. 3983 d. Compute the balance in Work In Process at the end of the year. 161,000 e. Compute the amount of overhead under or overapplied. 176000-161000= 15000 f. Assuming the amount is not material, write the journal entry required to close the manufacturing overhead account at the end of the year. Work in Process 161,000 Manufacturing Overhead161,000 2. Elton Company uses the weighted-average method in its process costing system. The company adds materials at the beginning of the process in Department M. Conversion costs were 75% complete with respect to the 4,000 units in work in process at May 1 and 50% complete with respect to the 6,000 units in work in process at May 31. During May, 12,000 units were completed and transferred to the next department. An analysis of the costs relating to work in process at May 1 and to production activity for May follows: Materials Conversion Work in process 5/1 $26,200 $19,370 Costs added during May $26,900 $29,380 Required: Using the weighted-average method, determine the Equivalent Units of Production for Materials and Conversion Costs, the Cost per Equivalent Unit for Material and Conversion Cost, and the total product cost per Equivalent Unit. (5 Points) Equivalent units of production Materials Conversion Transferred to next department†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12,000 12,000 Ending work in process (materials: 6,000 units Ãâ€" 100% complete; conversion: 6,000 units Ãâ€" 50% complete)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6,000 3,000 Equivalent units of production†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18,000 15,000 Cost per Equivalent Unit Materials Conversion Total Cost of beginning work in process†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 26,200 19,370 Cost added during the period†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 26,900 29,380 Total cost (a)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 53,100 48,750 Equivalent units of production (b)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18,000 15,000 Cost per equivalent unit, (a) à · (b)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2.95 3.25 Total: $6.20

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Idea and City Council

Everest University Abstract It’s very important for commissioners and city councils to understand the importance of forensics. When the commissioners and city council understand forensics they will have a clear idea of what the cost and what it takes for the forensic team. Having an idea and understanding gives you knowledge of the forensics. It’s very important that commissioners and city council member to appreciate the value and the hard work of a forensic team.It is very important for the city council and commissioners to understand and appreciate the value of forensic evidence because all funds have to be approved by elected officials and they have to provide oversight for LEO to help prevent violations of funds. Forensic processing and evaluations can be costly and failure to conduct a timely use can lead to a law suit against the city and county. Neither city nor the commissioner wants a law suit against them.Forensics is very important for the commissioner, city council and other people that’s have something to do with running a town to appreciate and understand the value of it. Forensic gives an insight on someone innocent or to prove them guilty and the commissioners should be appreciative of that. Communication between all those that are not involved with the forensic but have some say so in the money funds should communicate with each other very well so that way the city council and the commissioners will know exactly how the funds are being spent and that it’s to prove someone innocent or guilty.An uncoordinated approach can lead to misunderstanding on either end. I don’t think the city commissioners are involved in the knowing of crimes as much as they should be but they do make decisions on the funds and I think they do appreciate the value of forensic evidence. They just can’t be there on the scene and do hands on but they do appreciate it I think. References Article: Mabelle Dec. 9 (2009) Article: May, 29 (2010) www. mycriminaljusticecareers. com www. bls. gov

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Japans comfort women sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US occupation, 2002

Japans comfort women sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US occupation, 2002 Mr. ToshiYuki Tanaka is a professor, currently attached to the Hiroshima Peace Institute. He is the sole author of five titles, all of which are related to wars of the past and crimes against persons committed during the time. He has made editorial contributions to three books, performing translations for two others. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Japan’s comfort women: sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US occupation, 2002 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is noteworthy that all these titles are focused on combats and crimes perpetrated in that duration. It should not be forgotten that he has authored electronic publications, book reviews, article critiques and articles in books, all these in addition to giving lectures, in Chicago and Australian universities. This wealth of experience bestows the right credentials on him to handle the subject objectively. He interrogates the ge nesis of a disjuncture involving moral identity and human response, by arguing that none of the servicemen, both Japanese and foreign received instructions to avail themselves at these bureaus (Tanaka 4). He begins this explanation with the story of a woman who was gang raped by members of the force. She took twelve men in an instant, before a thirty minute break was quickly succeeded by another twelve. She further informs that this was the inclination for her and six other ladies in adjacent rooms (Tanaka 1). During the discourse, personal hygiene was not prioritized, since the unbearable pain could not allow most of the ladies to move their bodies. They also had painstaking schedules, which ensured they were occupied throughout the day up to tardy hours in the late afternoon. He vividly reports of the horrors abused women had to contend with, including abortions, venereal diseases and stigma. He also contends clear of all uncertainty that instances of abuse to civilians prevailed in spite of the availability of these comfort houses (ianjo), whose existence was sanctioned by senior officials (Tanaka 24). Questionable methods were employed during the recruitment of ladies to serve in the facilities. Although they were examined on regular occasions for venereal infections, it was challenging to reign in on servicemen and influence them to make use of protective gear during such encounters. Advertising Looking for report on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A different aspect of the discourse saw successive Japanese regimes try their best to suppress information on this episode of their history. Cites his frustration by the volumes of classified documents he encountered in the course of his research. Tanaka attempts to distance himself from the school of thought denying the existence of institutions perpetrating the advancement of comfort women. He also abstains from tasking the existent regime with culpability for the same, although, it should be noted that he does not explicitly state his chosen viewpoint on the said matter (Tanaka, 120). His attempts to explain the stillness of the global community against these atrocities are evident in the latter sections of the volume. He accurately notes that oversees nations and humanitarian organizations have been conspicuously silent, a factor he interprets as their approval of the happenings. He rightfully points to the lack of edicts against similar happenings, but informs of a decree against forced labor which is what those in positions of power propagated (Tanaka 30). The paucity of legal aspects into the same qualifies this work to be an interrogation into the factors that made the allied nations abandons the war crimes committed. He supports this argument by citing evidence of school going children recruited as volunteers who later ended up as console women after they were orphaned or disillusioned in life (Tanak a 129). Tanaka cites credible evidence by word of mouth from multitudes of ladies who were raped by the forces, but admits to the lack of documented versions of the same (Tanaka 110). He further cites county records, which revealed, daily instances of rape by allied officers (Tanaka 117). In other instances, the management of the associated forces proved they expected similar handling for their troops, although, they did not ask for the favors explicitly. He cites this as the main reason why the global society failed to kick off prosecution. It should be noted that these revelations prove his work is not an attempted act of contrition to the victims and their families, neither is it an attempt to rationalize the irresponsible actions of the servicemen (Tanaka, 6). Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Japan’s comfort women: sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US occupation, 2002 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Summarily, he holds Japanese servicemen and all other allied forces during the confrontation, in addition to health officers and the armed forces hierarchy liable for these occurrences (Tanaka 165). The main strength of the book is Mr. Tanaka’s neutrality. It is a milestone worth mentioning, considering he is Japanese, and the story highlights crimes committed by his nation’s army. He takes a swipe at the international community for their role in the saga, albeit within acceptable bounds. He also avoids trivializing the issues in the course of the narrative. All in all, the fact that he approaches and dissects such a difficult and sensitive topic without fear or bias is another outstanding strength of the publication. The lack of material concerning the milestones achieved by human rights advocates after the Second World War disqualifies the term crimes against humanities as used in this story. He also ignores overlooks literature with options that could be pursued, especially by the international community with regards to this matter. Work Cited Tanaka, Toshiyuki. Japans comfort women: sexual slavery and prostitution during World War II and the US occupation. New York: Rutledge Publishers, 2002, 1-165

Monday, November 4, 2019

Asthma Essay Research Paper AsthmaWhat is Asthma

Asthma Essay, Research Paper Asthma What is Asthma? Asthma is a upset that affects 20 % of Australians in their childhood. It causes air passages to contract doing it hard to take a breath. Symptoms may include loss of breathe in cold conditions, wheezing and whistling. It may happen sporadically in sudden crisp onslaughts. When an onslaught occurs The musculuss around the air current pipe tighten shriveling the air passages. The air current pipe run alonging so crestless waves ( image ) and a mucous secretion called emotionlessness develops doing the cough to escalate and somewhat more painful. What are the Causes and Triggers for asthma? Attacks of Asthma occur due to a obstruction in the bronchial tubing. This obstruction consequences from a cramp that narrows the trachea doing take a breathing trouble for the sick person. Asthma Gun triggers are things that make Asthma worse. Usual triggers are # 8211 ; Respiratory infections eg. Colds, grippe, sore pharynxs and bronchitis Allergic reactions sometimes cause Asthma eg. Pollen, nutrients, dust, animate being pelt or some seed. Air thorns ( similar to Allergic reactions ) eg. Cigarette smoke, gases or dust. Excessive/strenuous exercising can do an Asthma onslaught. Emotional Stress can besides trip an Asthma onslaught. Symptoms of Asthma Symptoms include wheezing from the thorax or a little whistle is heard when inhaling. It # 8217 ; s even louder when expiring. Stringency of the thorax, lung and lung country are closely associated with Asthma. Treatment for asthma There is no remedy for Asthma but there are stairss that physicians take to assist alleviate the symptoms of Asthma. As a first measure physicians try to take or acquire the patient to avoid Asthma triggers such as # 8220 ; carnal dander # 8221 ; ( eg. Fur or hairs ) . These are really likely to trip an Asthma onslaught. Topographic points where animate beings dwell are advised to be kept clear of for a sick person. Since it is impossible to take or avoid all triggers there are medicines that can be tak en. Such as – Anti # 8211 ; Inflammatory Drugs: these cut down puffiness of the trachea and it # 8217 ; s liner. Oral Steroids # 8211 ; Orasone and Pediapred rapidly cut down redness during an onslaught. Inhaled medical specialties # 8211 ; such as cromoyln Na and inhaled corticoids maintain redness from flame uping up. Bronchodilators: loosen up the musculuss which have tightened around the trachea. Adrenergic bronchodilators ( # 8221 ; Beta 2 agonists # 8221 ; ) provide impermanent alleviation but do non handle redness. These are available as an Inhaler or a tablet signifier. Unfortunately the tablets are slower and have a few side affects. Theophylline is available in a liquid, capsule or tablet signifier. This drug has a long continuance of action doing it a really good soother for # 8220 ; dark clip # 8221 ; Asthma. Wayss of forestalling asthma There are no ways of forestalling Asthma because it is normally familial, allergically related or following a dosage of bronchitis, but there are ways to forestall it from flame uping up and turning into an onslaught. A sick person can be really careful about his or hers diet because the diet can greatly impact the Asthma. Due to allergic reactions etc. Staying off from pollens and carnal pelt settees down Asthma. The allergic reactions are the highest causes of Asthma. Make sure you ever have medicine with you such as Intal and Becotide. These preventive medical specialties will halt an onslaught occurring. Summery For an Asthma sick person external respiration can sometimes be a great trouble due to the fact that at any clip their air current pipe can shrivel due to redness, doing it really hard to take a breath. But with the right medicine eg. Inhalers and Theophylline their life can be much easier. If they besides stay off from triggers such as pollen, pelt and coffin nail smoke the air ways may non be so vulnerable. Even if you don # 8217 ; Ts have Asthma you should maintain an oculus out for the symptoms which are # 8211 ; thorax and lung stringency, wheezing and loss of breath particularly in cold conditions. 314

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Prison Life, Before and After Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Prison Life, Before and After - Research Paper Example Recidivism also jeopardizes the social security. The prison industry is now the fastest growing industry in US, where inmates are working for various industries for a pittance which leads to a new form of inhumane exploitation. Educational programs such as vocational training and employment services programs, social programs dealing with poverty, urban development, education, child and health care, faith based programs, and community corrections programs could play an important role in the reduction of recidivism, and helps them to lead good life in future. Introduction The growth of inmates in America’s prisons witnessed an increasing trend during the past three decades as a recent study reported that one in 100 American adults were behind bars, and one in 31 adults were either incarcerated or on probation or parole (Jennifer Laudano, 2001). Incarceration is one of the main forms of punishment or rehabilitation for committing crimes in United States. In total more than 2.2 mi llion people were in jail in U.S.A., while China ranks second, followed by Russia with 870,000 inmates were in prison. United States has one of the largest prison populations and the highest rate of incarceration in the world thanks to the tough sentencing laws, high crime rates and record numbers of drug offenders (James Vicini, 2006). Adding, arrest rate of offenders has been rising faster than the numbers of prisoners who have been released. The United States’ population is 5% of the world's population, but its incarcerated population is 25 %. Ryan King, who is advocating sentencing reform, in an interview said that United States has more punitive criminal justice system than any other countries, and more people were imprisoned for drug law violations than other countries. While providing statistics, he said that drug offenders account for more than 2 million of the 8 million inmates in prison. To cope with this trend, states were spending more than $60 billion on prisons which make it the second fastest growing area of state budgets, trailing behind Medicaid. Prisons are the most expensive option available for authorities to punish offenders as it costs an average of $80 per day to keep an inmate locked up, which is more than 20 times the cost of a day on probation (Marcie, 2010). Prison conditions: As per U.S. bureau of prisons report, along with prison population, violence in prisons also increased which worsens the condition most. Even in the high security prisons, there was an increasing report of violence in recent years, which prompted to push congress last year for more funds by prison authorities to hire more guards to improve prison conditions. Numbers of serious assaults have been decreased in high security jails, but cases of homicides have been increased amongst prisoners (Marcie M, 2010). Higher rate of violent crimes, harsher sentencing practices, particularly for drug and property offenses, mandatory and determinate sentencing, restri ctions on judicial discretion are some of the factors responsible for overcrowding in US prisons. Overcrowding has negative effects on inmate’s mental and general health, and on the other hand, excess stress can trigger a person to commit suicide

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Influence Of Mass Media On Drug Abuse In The Society Essay

The Influence Of Mass Media On Drug Abuse In The Society - Essay Example The internet is also a mass media channel that includes e-mails, websites, blogs and social networking sites (Armstrong 34). Mass media messages especially advertisements of entertainment video clips contain drug abuse messages that influence the attitudes of the youth towards consumption of illicit drugs (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 27). The teenagers lack the cognitive capabilities to understand the dangers of drug abuse and imitate the lifestyles of entertainment celebrities thus leading to high drug abuse in the society. Thesis statement: the mass media has fuelled drug abuse among teenagers in the society. The influence of mass media in drug abuse among the teenagers cannot be underestimated. The mass media has created a new drug abuse culture among the teenagers Wagner 67). The mass media advertising contains drug abuse messages that create wrong perceptions of prosperity by showing images of drug abusers enjoying material things like luxury cars and expensive jewelry (Pr imack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 35). The mass media has created numerous stereotypes about drug abuse, fashion and violence thus leading to a sensation of drug abuse and sex among teenagers in the United States. ... The teenagers mainly rely on the mass media for entertainment and connecting with their peers (Wagner 81). Currently, the mass media contains a lot of information, images and audio-video clips that depict drug abuse as something rewarding and cool. Although there is controversial debate surrounding the impact of mass media on drug abuse among the youth, it is true that mass media messages affect the perceptions of youth towards drugs (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 19). The mass media is increasingly being used to advertise tobacco related products, alcohol and other prescription drugs. Accordingly, teenagers who smoke tobacco and take alcohol have higher chances of engaging in illicit drug abuse. Cigarette advertising messages glamorize smokers and smoking through depicting the smokers as young, cool, adventurous, independent and healthy (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 31). Accordingly, teen-oriented television programs and magazines have tobacco-related advertising that conta ins images that are tailor-made in order to appeal to the youths. The audio-clips use images that show young people as fun-loving and enjoying consumption of illicit drugs. The internet is contains massive videos and messages related to drug abuse and often portray positive consequences of drug abuse and desirable attributes like feelings of relaxation or greatness (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 12). Some of the factors that expose teenagers to unrestricted drug related advertising and violent movies that contain images of drug abuse include poor parenting, aggressive tobacco related advertising and peer pressure (Brown, Steele and Walsh-Childers 44). A majority of the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Anxiety and Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anxiety and Depression - Essay Example Thought the methodology of evaluation and the subsequent analysis are fairly standard, there are a number of discrepancies noted. The authors are not exposed to the events leading to depression of the initial cohort, and whether it was of mild or severe nature. Whether the phase was preceded by same family or economic disaster, or were the patients genetically prone to the illness is not laid out. 2 How were the previous cohort rehabilitated If the cause of the previous depression was an acute temporary event, the individual has a greater chance to come out and carry on with life. The authors needed to correlate the present incidence of depression with the causative factor initially 3 The authors have given an incidence of 30% mortality in these individuals. It is probably more important to actually discuss the cause of the mortality also. We do not know the ages of the patients, and the exact etiology. The causation of death can be natural in some percentage, and how many of the dead were actually suffering from persistent depression only can point this to be the cause. The questionnaire has not been included in the journal.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The definition of stress and its history

The definition of stress and its history Stress is defined as an organisms complete reaction to environmental demands or pressures. When stress was initially studied in the middle of the twentieth century, the term was used to refer to both the reason and the experienced effects of these pressures. More recently, however, the term stressor has been used for the inspiration that aggravates a stress response. One continuing discrepancy between researchers concerns the definition of stress in humans. Is it principally an external response that can be measured by changes in glandular secretions, skin reactions, and other physical functions, or is it an internal interpretation of, or reaction to, a stressor; or is it both? The meaning of stress depends on the approach that psychologists follow. Straightforwardly, stress just means effort, demand upon energy. Almost everything can create this stress position; a loud noise, a deadline, revision, late transport, or even simply getting up in the morning. However, there are three ways of approaching a definition of stress; Stress can be classified in terms of all individuals reacting in the same biological way, to the same stimulus. This is the stimulus based model, i.e. the stimulus causes the stress but our reaction is identical physiologically. Any awareness of a stress stimulus activates the hosts physiological response. This is general both across time (every time we encounter a stressor) and society. Stress can be defined as reliant upon the persons answer to the stressor. This is a more downbeat way of looking at stress. The individual is portrayed as suffering from stresses, feeling stressed. The individual is seen as having an immature coping mechanism. This internal response may also be down to diverse personality types or cultural influences, but the management of stress is seen as coming from internal change. The most accepted way of viewing and studying stress nowadays, is to use an interactions approach. This means we may all be faced with the same external stressor (stimulus) but the stress response that we display will fall heavily on our individual differences, gender or culture. In simple terms, the phrase exam is the same stimulus, but some characters will be feeling tense and worked regarding this near event, while other will appear more calm and less stress fluctuation. Psychologists try to find out the factor affecting this interaction and stress management depends on the perceived interaction and response. The term stress is conceptualised in many different ways by psychologists. Here are just a few: A state of psychological and physical tension produced, according to the transactional model, when there is a mismatch between the perceived demands of a situation (the stressor[s]) and the individuals perceived ability to cope. The consequent state of tension can be adaptive (eustress) or maladaptive (distress). Brody, R and D Dwyer (2002) Revise Psychology for AS Level, Hove, Psychology Press, p210 In my perception, this explains that stress is regarded as any given situation and an individual own views on this, whether they have set the bar too high or if it is achievable. For example, the situation is running the London Marathon. One person may have been training for many months or even years for this annual run and they feel they can achieve their goal, but another person who has not been training at all may feel confident when signing up, but as the day becomes closer, they begin to realise that the task is almost in-achievable, therefore becoming stressed. The non-specific response of the body to any demand Seyle (1950), in Eysench, M and C Flanagan (2000) Psychology for AS Level, Hove, Psychology Press, p137. This view explains that stress to them means that the body reacts in many ways to every situation given to that individual, no set response is guaranteed for the notable challenge. A pattern of negative physiological states and psychological responses occurring in situations where people perceive threats to their well-being which they may be unable to meet Lazarus Folkman (1984) in Gross, R; R McIlveen and H Coolican (2000) Psychology: A New Introduction for AS Level, London, Hodder Stoughton, p60 This explanation claims that stress is a response from the body which is triggered by a situation which the brain interprets and becomes threatened and overwhelmed. E.g. your first day at a new job. You arrive at your desk, given a long list of jobs needed completing, as its your first day, you dont know what to do so your brain reads this, resulting in the body reacting (shaking, sweating etc). The physical response of stress is all about the rapid mobilisation of energy. Hans Selye is credited with popularising the word stress as it is used today. Selye noticed that animals which were put in sustained stressful conditions all developed the same physical problems such as stomach ulcers, weight loss, abnormal changes in the size of glands (some shrunk, some enlarged), and impaired immune system functioning. Selye (1976) proposed that when exposed to sustained pressure there would be a standard response. He called this the General Adaptation Syndrome and divided it into three phases; Phase one Alarm Reaction. Immediate reactions of the organism to the stressful conditions, similar to Walter Canons (1939) theory of the fight or flight response. Phase two Resistance stage. The animal adapts to the demands of the stressor. However, this adaptation requires adaptation energy and this is gradually used up until the animal can no longer resist the stressor. Phase three Exhaustion. At this stage, the animals resistance to the stressor is so weakened that diseases become apparent. Most of the long-term adverse changes that Selye observed were due to the effects of another hormone involved in the stress response, cortisol. Cortisol has useful short-term effects; including mobilising energy stores and making us feel more alert. However, for various complex reasons, the long-term effects of cortisol are to down-regulate the immune system, disrupt the reproductive system, suppress the inflammatory response and even to damage areas of the brain which affect memory and mood. Joseph V. Brady (1958) trialled on monkeys the consequence of stress within different job roles and personalities. Brady positioned the monkeys in restraining chairs and conditioned each one to initiate a lever. Electric shocks were given every 20 seconds unless the level was actioned in the time span. This study came to an unexpected stop when many of the monkeys passed away from perforated ulcers. To analysis this Brady used a control monkey. He positioned an Executive Monkey in the restraining chair, which could press the lever to put a stop to the electric shock. The other monkeys had no power over the lever, leaving only the Executive monkey with the psychological stress of pushing the required button. The schedule to the electric shocks was six hours on followed by six hours off and after twenty-three days of this, the executive monkey died. Brady then attempted a variety of schedules, but no monkeys died from this. He then returned to the original work schedule of six on, six off and tested the stomachs of the Executives and discovered that their stomach acidity was at its peak during the rest period. The maximum risk materialised when the sympathetic arousal closed and the stomach was filled with digestive hormones. This was a parasympathetic rebound related with the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which began development of ulcers in the Executive monkeys. Throughout all the variations of the experiment, not a single yoked control monkey ever developed an ulcer. This proposes that the ulcers were a symptom of the excessive stress encouraged by having the control over the other monkeys fate. Hans Selyes General Adaptation Syndrome proposes a similar effect in the Exhaustion phase. There were two Whitehall studies, the first investigates the social factors of health, mainly cardio respiratory disease longevity and mortality rates within United Kingdom civil servants aged between twenty-four and sixty-five. The early study, Whitehall I Study, was carried out in 1967 and carried on for over ten years. A second chapter, the Whitehall II Study, inspected the health of 10,308 civil servants aged thirty-five and fifty-five. Only one third of these experimentees were women while the remaining two thirds were men. Whitehall II studied people within the working age. It looked into the links between work, stress and health. Whitehall II discovered organisation at work, climatisation at work, social influences, early life experiences as well as health behaviours all play a factor in determining the health social gradient. As partakers in this investigation resumes through adulthood, the research is concentrating on health inequalities and the aging populations ability to function adequately. With an ever increasing population of senior citizens in the United Kingdom, there is a vital need to establish what causes social inequalities and to study long-term repercussions on an individuals ability to function and have a healthy retirement. The social gradient in health is not so much a spectacle confined solely to the British Civil Service. All the way through the developed world wherever researchers have gained information to investigate, they have witnessed the social gradient in health. Health in equalities are a worldwide matter affecting people across the social gradient in rich, middle income, and poor nations. To have the ability to address inequalities in health it is essential to understand how social organisation affects health also to find ways to develop the state and circumstances in which people work and live. The Whitehall II fields of study in the lowest employments grades did demonstrated a higher chance of having many of the established hazardous factors of coronary heart disease (CHD): an inclination to smoke, lower height-to-weight ratio (higher chance of obesity and diabetes), less leisure time, and higher blood pressure. However, even after amending these factors to a more normal level, the lower employment grades were unfortunately, still at greater chance of a heart attack; another factor was at work. Some have directed the reason of CHD to cortisol, a hormone created by the body as a response to stress. A consequence of cortisol release is a reduction in the immune systems efficacy through lymphocyte manipulation. One theory illuminating the connection between immune-efficiency and CHD is that infectious pathogens such as herpes or Chlamydia are partially to blame for coronary diseases, thus a body with a chronically suppressed immune system will be less able to avert CHD. A substituted option to the cortisol explanation is that self-esteem is a key contributing factor and that the relationship between a professional accolade and self-esteem gives an explanation for the health gradient. The study favouring this observation related low self-esteem in test subjects with a greater decline in heart rate variability and higher heart rates in general-both established CHD risk factors-while acting out stressful tasks. At this current time there is no universally-accepted mode of causality for the occurrence exposed by the Whitehall studies. Clearly stress is associated to a greater risk of CHD, but so are many other unconventional factors. In addition to this, stress seems to be too non-specific. There are various kinds of stress in ones day-to-day life and each kind could contribute in a different way. The theory of Type A and Type B personality is a type of theory that describes a pattern of behaviours that were once regarded to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Since its commencement in the 1950s, the theory has been widely disapproved of for its scientific shortcomings. It nonetheless continues in the form of pop psychology within the general population. Type A individuals can be portrayed as impatient, controlling, concerned about their status, highly competitive, ambitious, aggressive, having difficulty relaxing; and are occasionally detested by individuals with Type B personalities for the way that theyre constantly rushing. They are often impressively achieving workaholics who multitask, drive ones self with deadlines to meet, and are uneasy about delays. Because of these attributes, Type A individuals are often portrayed as stress junkies. Type B individuals, in comparison to type As, are described as patient, relaxed, and easy-going, basically lacking any sense sense of urgency. This can also be illustrated as lazy and lacking ambition. Individuals who live with their parents well into their adulthood are an example. Because of these traits, Type B individuals are often depicted by Type As as apathetic and disengaged. There is also a Type AB mixed profile for people who are not easily categorised or not fit into A or B purely. Meyer Friedman portrayed a suggestion in his 1996 book, Type A Behaviour: Its Diagnosis and Treatment, that Type A behaviour is expressed in three major indicators. One of these symptoms is thought to be concealed and therefore less observable, whereas the other two are more visible; Symptoms of Type A Behaviour Time urgency and impatience, resulting in irritation and exasperation. Free floating resentment, which can be started by even minor events. Ready for action, this made them familiar towards achievement which caused them to be stressed due to them wanting to be the greatest at whatever they may be doing i.e. sports or in work. Type A behaviour was first explained as a likely risk factor in coronary heart disease (CHD) in the 1950s by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and R. H. Rosenman. After a nine-year investigation of healthy men, aged thirty-five to fifty-nine, Friedman Rosenman approximated that the risk of coronary heart disease in Type A individuals is double than that of otherwise healthy individuals. This research had a huge effect in inspiring the development of the field of health psychology, in which psychologists view how a persons mental state affects his or her health in a physical state. Type A/B theory has been put under scrutiny on a number of grounds e.g. statisticians have disputed that the original study by Friedman and Rosenman had serious limitations, comprising of large and unequal sample sizes, and less than one percent of the variance in links explained by Type A personality. Psychometrically, the actions that define the syndrome are not highly associated, indicating that this is a collection of separate tendencies, not a logical pattern or type. Type theories universally have been slated as overly simplistic and incapable of assessing the degrees of variety in human personality. Researchers also found that Type A behaviour is a poor predictor of coronary heart disease. Research by Redford Williams of Duke University, states the unfriendliness component of Type A personality is the pure and simple risk factor thus, it is a high level of conveyed anger and hostility, not the other components of Type A behaviour that constitute the problem. On the basis of these condemnations, Type A theory has been termed outdated by many researchers in contemporary health psychology and personality psychology. To conclude, all three of these theories demonstrate positive relations between situations, theories and stress, however, as stress is an un-defined phrase, not one nor is the other able to give us further insight into how to control the stress illness relationship. The comparison between all three however, is that a combination of cognitive approach along with behavioural approach creates a physiological reaction.