Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Sociology - Essay Example parted focuses on the criminal element’s ability to infiltrate law enforcement at the highest and most sensitive levels of operation in order to facilitate criminal and organized crime activities. What results, as demonstrated by the film, is the obscuring of identities, priorities, and loyalties that lead to dangerous and deadly situations for undercover operatives. Actor Leonardo DeCaprio, playing the undercover good cop, has as his counterpart actor Matt Damon, playing the undercover bad guy in the police department. DeCaprio, whose acting abilities and skills bring a superb talent and realism to the role that allows the viewer to suspend disbelief and to become engrossed in the film’s back and forth good cop versus bad cop role playing; is, in character, reduced to the role of the neighborhood thug and thief. In the film, as in reality, men of Irish descent had two options; crime and the streets, or education and law enforcement. DeCaprio’s character opts for education and law enforcement, to move away from not just the stereo-typical image of the Irish thug and hood, but the reality of it as it existed in his family. DeCaprio’s character’s family is well known in the neighborhood and within the hierarchy of law enforcement as breeding criminals. Damon’s family, on the other hand, has a less prominent family history, but nonetheless is inducted into the Irish organized crime scene early on as a child. Damon is quickly recognized as being intelligent, capable of passing the mental and physical tests for acceptance that would give him access to the highest levels of confidence and information as a law enforcement official – with the help of Nicholson’s character’s sponsorship from the outside. Damon, another skilled and talented actor, convincingly portrays the bad guy playing the good cop, and feeds Nicholson’s character inside information with which to pull off successful crime capers by the Irish thugs and thieves. Nicholson is,

The Growth Of Indian Poetry English Language Essay

The Growth Of Indian Poetry English Language Essay Indian poetry has a full and ancient past. During the last four thousand years it was written in the languages belonging to both the major linguistic groups, the Indo-Aryan and the Indo-Dravidian. Indian poetry in Sanskrit and its popular forms flourished primarily from the middle of the second millennium BC to AD 1,000. During the one thousand years, Indian poetry was written in most of the Indo-Aryan and the Indo-Dravidian languages including Assamese, Bengali, Guajarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu. The growth of Indian poetry in English was a direct result of the British influence and rule of India. Early Indian poetry in English was a borrowed plume in every possible way. Right from syntax to sentiments everything was so imitative that it looked a perfect alien bride. Both in its inspiration and guidance it depended on England. Even the imagination was slavish. The nature, quality, expanse and dimensions of, both, mind and imagination, depend upon the freedom linguistic elasticity offers the user. Attempts to keep the rigidities of British syntax, word use, phrase making, and melody have either improvised poetry in English or made it as complex and abstract as follows: The ageing chemist in his drawing room, terse, Gentle: the sea like soapsuds in the night, Seen from the ship: the moon, leprous, inverse, Rising: the girl at Hanoi with her white Hands and dogs ears, dripping with amber light: Have these things shaped me for the craft of verse? Do they remain, giving a sad insight? And have I changed for better or for worse?  [1]   Yet another reason for the poverty and monotony of Indian poetry in English was the monopoly of its practice by elites placed either in a few metropolises or educated abroad. The publishing industry, which also got localised in these metropolises, felt overawed by this elite class of poets and refused to patronise others. It is only the Writers Workshop which respected the urgencies of expression of the common man. Indian poetry in English has since found its roots in the rural areas and men of genuine feelings over-ride the restraints and constraints of a medium calling for nativization. More poetry in English has now poured forth from a variety of people representing the life and spirit of this land. This secularisation has, obviously, led to the remoulding of English to the native needs of expression termed as Indianization. The term Indainization of English is generally used in the pejorative sense without understanding the dynamics of linguistic change of this medium in the country. We cannot both, use English in Indian Contexts and yet keep its British cultural antecedents and linguistic sanctities. Objections to this process of acculturation of English come from those pedagogues who are either suffering from colonial chauvinism or academic purism. But aside of these reservations, English in India has continued to serve its changed contexts remarkably well. Though the Indian novelists in English have accelerated the process of desired linguistic deviation, it is the Indian poets in English who have stabilised the naturalization of English to native hues. Braj B. Kachru, errs when he opines this process as linguistic and cultural characteristics transferred to an adopted alien language. In fact, it should be rightly described as naturalization of a language wherein it does not act alien. It is only whe n the stereotypes of languages, word use, and collocation, phrase and image making are dismantled that the medium can be made amenable and reconstructed to house the native feel of life. English when separated from the rigidity of its British usage, rightly becomes neutral to develop as an independent dialect, as in the case of the Caribbean, the West African and South Asian. The wider is the dissociation of language from its socio-cultural and geographic-political roots, the greater is its freedom to serve the new user. The ever increasing number of Indian English poets has led to a definitive growth of English as Indian. The exercise of the personal and the private in the form has led to a sizeable naturalization of English to the feel of the local hand, men and events cape in the country. English, in this process of transformation, has undergone some mutilation of its traditional grammar, syntax and usage. Hence, the Indianization of English is a historical corollary and it must be understood and accepted as such. The increased use of Indian landscape and the dissociation from Christmas trees, lilies, daffodils, dales, and nightingales have changed the texture of English in its usage for creative purposes. Consequently, there is a shift in the import and suggestiveness of the language, facilitating ease in taking liberties with the British bound norms and forms of making inflexions compounds and phrases, and patterns of making images and sentences to suit the Indian ethos and imagination. The faddists generally charge Indian English poets of not creating but importing translations of their native thought and feel structures and consequently, the corresponding linguistic patterns in English, not knowing the urgency and purpose of manipulating a foreign medium to our purpose and use. English itself in England has undertone this process of enrichment from French borrowings. Bloomfield is of opinion that expressions like a marriage of convenience, it goes without saying or I have told him I do no t know how many times, are Word for word imitations of French phrases.  [2]  Here the Indian has the advantage of being, both, French and British and lender and borrower in one; and this acceptance, accumulation, and naturalization of English as a medium of expression is obviously going to be on his own terms rather than on the terms dictated by colonial straightjackets. English cannot be Indian unless its British identity is tampered with. Not that it has to be done deliberately. It is happening in a natural course of its use and usage in the country. Its dialectical variations have multiplied according to the field and feel in which it has been used in different geographic-cultural and socio-professional contexts in the country. No two English spoken in our country are of the same frame, order, register, and texture. Narrowing down the generalization of English in India to that of the variety used and practised by the poets; we find that most of the Indian poets in English come from the educated class whereby the parameters of its criticism and analysis are likely to be less controversial. Further, the shift of poetry as medium of expression from the Westernized urban elite to the native has given English sufficient ground not merely for cleansing its British affectations and associations but also for naturalization it to Indian sensibilities. No deliberate attempt to Indianize English would succeed in taming English to our respective needs unless it is decolonised through a gradual and wider usage in life styles common to the local contexts in general. The African English is the most admiral model to learn from in this direction. Indian English poetry over the past two-hundred and fifty years departs from any stylized representation of reality of the Indian life and scene or any stylistic experimentation with language to assert national identity. Instead it makes conscious use of language, thereby making language more malleable to change with ease and naturalness. The features of change in this form can be observed in the areas of using words with shades of meaning not attributed to it before, compounding, phrase making, transfer of idioms, lexis, collocations, appellations, use of prepositions, change in morphological features, coinage, syntax, assimilation of Indian words and myths, and above all in image making. The excessive use of the spiritual, transcendental and metaphysical mode has also affected the tone and texture of this poetry. Besides, one could also note the continued use of polite diction and Latinity in this poetry. Generally there is a scaling down of high seriousness to simplicity and human concerns. There is no strict classification or movements among poets in this regard. The poets exhibit these changes and characteristics of change in entirety or in parts in their own ways. The ever increasing poets from the non-elite and non-urban tribe have led to the right naturalisation of English to the Indian milieu and ethos. Though the jingoism of aesthetic slavery to colonial rule in academic criticism may pick holes in the very credentials of this expressive medium and form (poetry), the current of changes cannot be denied or averted, as witnessed in the Gaelicization and Africanization of English in Ireland and Africa. While there were strong political overtones to and behind this change in these countries, fortunately or unfortunately, there is no such political fervour behind the change in India. More than Douglas Hyde, Brendan Behan, and Synge; it is Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Okara, and Amos Tutuola who come closest to our situation and provide a parallel to this change in open affirmation of the fact that no Indian should accept the British modes and models of English if he is to use it as a medium of his expression in the country. Therefore the changed contexts of landscape, culture and linguistic anodes and patterns not only alienate the language from its roots but also force it to put on the local colour, texture, usage, form, and function. There are three questions that come to the fore when discussing about Indian poetry of English: Is Indian verse in English only sometimes Indian and occasionally poetry? Must Indian poetry in English be Indian before it can be true poetry? In what exactly lies the Indianness of Indian poetry in English? To begin with the first question, Is Indian verse in English only sometimes Indian and occasionally poetry?; the second part of this question is easily answered. All Indian verse in English produced during the last two centuries from Henry Derozio to the present day does not automatically qualify as genuine poetry. As a recent anthologist puts it, Publication in the field of Indo-Anglian poetry has been ample and indiscriminate. For every reckonable book of Indo-Anglian poems I have read, I have probably read ten that need not have been read at all. They may be Indo-Anglian, but they are not poetry.  [3]  We might agree, some Indian verse in English is only occasionally poetry, mostly because it is very much a poetry of occasion. Most of the numerous sonnets and verse celebrating the motherland and the illustrious leaders ( Sarojini Naidus To India, and The Lotus, Humayun Kabirs Mahatma, V.N.Bhushans Ninth August, 1942, and R.R.Sresthas A Light onto our Path) are cases in point, cullied in random. Conventional sentiment couched in conventional diction and imagery can hardly rise to the level of genuine poetry. In trying to find a satisfactory answer to the first part of the question, viz. Is Indian verse in English only sometimes Indian, one is on comparatively safe ground in spotting obvious imitations, which has made an uncomfortably large part of this writing a whispering gallery of echoes rather than a chorus of authentic voices. Thoreau wrote in Walden, The head monkey at Paris puts on a travellers cap, and all the monkeys in America do the same. The history of Indian poetry in English shows a similar process at work. When the head monkey in London puts on a new literary thinking cap, all the descendants of Shri Hanumanji in India dutifully do the same. Kashiprosad Ghoshs Shair in The Shair and Other poems was obviously an Indian avatar of Sir Walter Scotts Minstrel in The Lay of the Last Minstrel. The romantic sun indeed continued to shine in India long after it had ceased to shed on Britain the light that never was on sea or land, because literary geography inevitably implies a time -lag similar to the one which physical geography presents. After Victorianism succeeded romanticism in Britain, in due course Tennysonesque and Swinburnian melodies (some of Harindranath Chattopadhyayas lyrics are typical examples) and Arnoldian musing (One recalls Gordon Bottomleys well known description of Indian-poetry in English as Mathew Arnold in a saree) becme the models to be aped. Modernism arrived after independence (again with the inevitable time-lag) more than a generation after it had entered Britain. Indian poetry in English is thus only occasionally poetry and only sometimes poetry. This leads to another strain of thought that why must Indian poetry in English be always Indian to establish a nationality. H.W.Longfellow is reported to have said, in connection with the novel Kavanagh, Nationality in literature is good, but universality is better. Longfellows statement leads to a similar plea: Why insist that the Indian poet must talk of the banyan and the Champak, and not of cedars and wisterias; of parrots and water-buffaloes and not of redbreasts and unicorns; of mangoes and guavas, and not of pears and peaches?

Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf is a well-known Anglo-Saxon poem that has been in English classes around the United States for almost as long as there have been schools around. Beowulf is not an actual picture of historic Denmark, Geatland, or Sweden around 500 A.D., yet it is on a general view, a self-consistent picture, a construction bearing clearly the marks of design and thought. Beowulf to us can only truly be enjoyed if one reads it in the old English version. The effects of the poem are not the same, although the sense of the heroic beast is very true. The story of Beowulf is still relevant to today’s society and relates to problems faced in current everyday life. In our society we face simple problems and difficult problems and all problems have a good and bad about them. It all depends on the person’s outlook for the course of action that they will take.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf strikes peculiar reactions among scholars, historians, and professors. The increase in the amount of confusion is caused by new twists to old theories and by new theories. Beowulf was composed for an audience that would take into account the struggles that the main character took, and the audience would see the poem in its own way. Though few can clearly understand the value of the poem, we must realize that judging the poem from a twentieth century point of view would be unjust to the author or authors of Beowulf.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most pleasing trends in recent old English studies has been the increasing awareness of the truth and importance of this simple observation. It is one which often has been overlooked by scholars and the ever growing critics. These people prefer to regard Beowulf as a source book for historians. Some people tend to overlook the meanings of Beowulf and perceive them in a wrong manner. In a profound lecture given by J.R.R.Tolkien in 1963, he tried to do what many people were trying to do, make sense of Beowulf. He gave an amusing and persuasive summary of the variety of theories of Beowulf’s poet’s ideas and aims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tolkien said, â€Å"Beowulf is a half baked native epic which was killed by Latin learning, it is feeble and incompetent as a narrative.†(Crossley.9-17). Tolkien also said much more on behalf of Beowulf’s poet. It is not the fault of the poet but the result of our ignorance of the conventions in which Anglo-Saxon poems were written.

Sociology Marriage and Divorce

Sociology – Family Unit – Marriage and Divorce Most people argue that the family is in ‘crisis’. They point to the rapidly increasing divorce rate, cohabitation, illegitimacy and number of single parent families. What is happening to Marriage? Marriage has increased in popularity, reaching a peak in 1971. Since then there has been a significant decline in the number of marriages, from 459000 in 1971 to 250000 in 2001. There is a decline in first marriages where neither partner has been married before.But there is a growing number of remarriages, in which one or both partners have been divorced; these marriages constitute 15% of all marriages in 1971 and 40% in 1996. The average age at which people first marry has steadily increased in recent decades. Since 1971 it has risen from 24 to 30 for men and from 22 to 28 for women. By 1998 there were relatively few young people who were married. Of those under the age of 24 just 3% of men and 7% of women were marri ed. More than one third of all 18 – 49 year old women are now single.Is Marriage still the Norm? Despite all the arguments about the decline of marriage, it continues to be the case that most people in Britain grow up and form a nuclear family for part of their adult life. Most couples who get married or have stable cohabitation relationships have children. The family unit is still mainly one in which children are brought up by two ‘parents’. The majority (71%) of young people live in families headed by a couple. Just less than a quarter (24%) live in single parent households.The majority of lone-parent families (90%) are headed by women, and the major reason is separation or divorce from the male partner, although some women are single or widowed. Cohabitation is most likely to be found among those aged 25 – 34 years. Over one in five (22%) in this age group currently cohabit. The majority (59%) of those who live together subsequently go on to marry that partner. In some respects marriage is more popular because people marry more often. The percentage of remarriage has risen from 14% in 1961 to 40% in 1996. Cohabitation Living together as a couple is no longer seen as ‘living in sin’. Read also  Sociology and Social Integration.Increasingly the idea of cohabiting is being viewed as respectable. Two thirds (67%) of the British public now regard cohabitation as acceptable, even when the couple have no intention in getting married. The idea that people should get married if they have children is also fading away. In 1989, 7 in 10 people held this view. By 2001 the proportion had fallen to just over half (54%). Nor is there much support these days for the belief that married couples make better parents – only 1 in 4 (27%) think this is the case. Marriage Patterns for African-Caribbean’s and AsiansResearch carried out at Essex University in 2000 indicates that only 39% of British-born African-Caribbean adults under the age of 60 are in a formal marriage compared with 60% of white adults. Moreover this group is more likely than any other group to inter-marry. The number of mixed-race partnerships means that very few African-Caribbean men and women are ma rried to each other. Only one quarter of Caribbean children live with two black parents. There is also a tradition of women living independently from their children’s father in the African-Caribbean community.This could be partly explained historically, from the days of slavery, when husbands and wives were sold to separate plantations. But Wilson (1987) argues that a black woman may be reluctant to marry (or live with) a man whose chances of getting / keeping a job are low and make him an unreliable source of income for themselves and their children. Consequently half of Caribbean families with children are now single parents. Marriage in Asian families whether Muslim, Hindu or Sikh is mainly arranged and consequently there is little inter-marriage with other religions or cultures.Relationships between Asian parents and their children are also very different, Asian children tend to respect religious and cultural traditions and they feel a strong sense of duty to their famili es and especially their elders. Taken as a whole young British Asians have more choice and say than previous generations. Their current situation is probably not dramatically different from that of young no-Asian adults who, while choosing their marital partners on the basis of romantic love, often marry people very similar to themselves in terms of background factors such as social class and educational qualifications.Parental influence may be less direct than in an arranged marriage, but parents can show disapproval on ‘inappropriate’ boyfriends or girlfriends. What are the Patterns in Divorce? From 1971 to 1996 the number of divorces has more than doubled. In 1991 there were 350000 marriages but 171000 divorces meaning that there were nearly half as many divorces as marriages. The proportion of marriages, which are remarriages, has also been rising, for example 15% of all marriages in 1961 were re-marriages for one or both partners; by 1991 this figure has risen to 3 6%.Britain has the highest divorce rate in Europe according to official EU statistics (Eurostat, June 2001). Each year, 2. 7 people per thousand of the population get divorced in Britain compared with the EU average of 1. 8 per thousand. Who Divorces? Young spouses and young marriages are most at risk. A person’s age at marriage is strongly associated with the likelihood of divorce. Generally speaking, the older people are when they marry, the less chance they have of divorcing. Couples who marry in their teens are almost twice as likely to divorce as those who marry between the ages of 20 and 24.The divorce rate also varies by the amount of time the marriage has lasted. For example, in 1979 nearly half of all divorces occurred within the first 10 years. One investigation (Thornes and Collard, 1979) found that of all marital separations (rather than legal divorces), 60% occurred before the 10th year of marriage. Social class is also closely related to the incidence of divorce . The divorce rate for unskilled husbands is more than four times that for professionals and for the unemployed, almost five times that for the professionals.Patterns in Marriage and Divorce Feminist sociologists see the trends as a sign of the lack of satisfaction provided by traditional patriarchal marriage, with individuals seeking alternative types of relationships and living arrangements. New Right thinkers have seen the trends as a sign of the breakdown of the family and have argued for a return to ‘traditional values’. They suggest that because of the easy availability of divorce, people are no longer as committed to the family as they were in the past.Changes in legislation which have made divorce easier but also social changes in which the law reflect are seen as the main causes of the increase in divorce rates. Have Women Broken up the Family? The position of women has changed in a number of ways, such as the wife does not have to put up with an unsatisfactory marriage; they are not expected to be socially subservient to their husbands. Women now have more independence and are in a better financial position if they were to want a divorce; they are no longer totally reliant on their husbands.It was stated that women in general are less satisfied with their marriages than men. In the 1990’s women initiated the majority of divorces. Growing Secularisation Secularisation refers to the declining influence of religious beliefs and institutions. Goode and Gibson argued that secularisation has resulted in marriage becoming less o a sacred, spiritual union and more a personal and practical commitment. Evidence that supports this is that 60% of marriages today do not involve a religious ceremony. Changing Social AttitudesDivorce has become more socially acceptable and there is less social disapproval and stigma attached to divorces. It no longer hinders careers through a public sense of scandal and outrage. As a result of this people are le ss afraid of the consequences of divorce and are more likely to end an unhappy marriage. Functionalists such as Talcott Parsons and Renoald Fletcher argue that the increased value of marriage may have caused a rise in marital breakdown. As people expect and demand more from a marriage and expect it to be perfect.Fletcher argues that a relatively high divorce rate may be indicative not of lower but of higher standards of marriage in society. Privatised Marriages Allan argues that the family has become increasingly defined as a private institution. The wider family, and society at large, do not have the right to interfere in family life and therefore the family unit is not supported by its integration into a wider social network, which means family problems cannot be so easily shared. Love and Marriage – Why are Arranged Marriages Stronger? Within an arranged marriage people have more realistic expectations than those who marry for love.People who support arranged marriages sug gest that love is something that develops overtime, where as romantic love is likely to change into something less exciting, or disappear altogether Sociology – Family Unit – Births and The Ageing Population Births One of the strongest trends has been the rise in illegitimacy. Illegitimacy rates are rising, as more people have children without being married. Some of the stigma associated with illegitimacy no longer exists. This is countered by the New Right’s assault on unmarried mothers, who have been the scapegoat to a certain extent by the media who blame them for the modern failings of society.Unmarried mothers may not be that different to nuclear families as some of these children born outside of a marriage are born to a couple who cohabit or are in a stable relationship, so will therefore have the same advantages / life as a nuclear family child. It is just that the mother and father / couple are not legally married. More and more women are deciding not to have children, as they’d rather focus on / have a career. Having a career may also be the reason for women having children later on in their lives. The Ageing PopulationThe population as a whole are getting older as people are now living longer. This could be seen as a negative or a positive thing. According to the negative view this gives a greater dependence ratio whereby the working population have a greater burden to take care of those not working. Increased pressure on hospitals, social services and pensions will lead to a greater tax burden. On the positive side, it can be argued that since older people are now more likely to stay fit and healthy they may become an important part of our families (childcare for grandchildren) and as part of the voluntary workforce.Ginn and Arber found that the level to which older people could maintain their independence and play a constructive part in society depended to a large extent on their social class, gender and ethnicity. The n otion of ageing itself is a socially constructed concept that varies from culture to culture. The retirement age itself has moved several times and still varies between men and women reinforce the notion that old age is in itself a social construction.

Imitation Essay

I am not a singer or a dancer. I cannot break it down on the dance floor or sing a sweet melody. I am not one who can feel the rhythm of the music and move my body in sync with it. I cannot entice someone with the power of my voice. I am a texter. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved communicating without speech. I can send a 160 character text message in 15 seconds or less. I can communicate all my thoughts and feelings through emoticons (smiley faces) and tlas (three letter acronyms. ) I spend a great time thinking about what acronyms I can use. Does this make since with that? How can I communicate with people faster? The way texting can create an emotion, a visual image, or create a complex fraise into four short letters. Texting is the tool of my trade. Recently I was made keenly aware of the different ways I communicate texting. I was talking to my mom when I discovered this, and observed that I was texting my mom completely different from the way I was texting my girlfriend. And I was texting my girlfriend completely different then how I was texting my friends. When I was texting my mom I was saying things like, â€Å"I don’t know. I’ll ask my teacher about it tomorrow at school,† and â€Å"I will call you when we are coming back home†-a text filled with grammatical correct writing and the forms of the English language that you are supposed t o use in an English classroom. Breaking down fraises was not a part of how I texted my mother. Just, today I observed how I text my girlfriend and I again found my differentiating of my texting. I found myself saying, â€Å"dats koo Iw2g :-P† (that’s cool. I want to go. ) My girlfriend did not see any change in my text message. And then I realized that this was because I often used the same kind of language with her, and sometimes she uses it with me. It has become a different kind of language that kind of language that relates to family talk. When I text my friends I have to use only the common tlas that everyone knows, such as idk (I don’t know), because when I use all the acronyms I know, some say that the understand eighty percent to ninety percent of it, while some people say the understand fifty percent of what I have to say. So when I spoke to my friends my language tended to be plain, simple, but also sophisticated in the way that some fraises were shorten. When my mother looked at me text my girlfriend for the first time in her life, she was completely bewildered and could not read a single line. Because of this I always thought my mother as a little slow, when it came to texting, and that she would never understand the language and the understanding of the English language that you can get from it. Fortunately, for reasons I want get into today, I realized that if all I did was text in the language that I used with my girlfriend then she would eventually learn the art of texting and how it creates a new kind of language. By hours of learning my mom, and also some of my friends, soon discovered how they could reveal their intent, their passions, their imagery, the rhythms of their speech, and the nature of their thoughts, through long tlas. I know I succeeded where it counted when my mother finished reading one of my texts and gave a reply saying â€Å"So easy to read. † I am a texter. I read, I think, I question, I text. I appreciate language.

The US Landforms essays

The US Landforms essays This part of the United State is covered with a variety of landforms. The Coastal Plains are covered with swamps and estuaries. Piedmont is covered with hard rocks, which meets softer coastal plains. The Appalachian Highlands offers gaps and thin, stony soil for farmers. The East and Southern United States' bodies of water are none other then the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The climate of this area offers hotter and longer summers and the winters are colder and harsher. Precipitation is fairly even. Heavier precipitation is found in the warmer months. The plants found in this part of the United States are mostly needle-leaf and hardwood. Here are the examples of needle-leaf plants listed in our book: cedar, spruce, and leaf shedding. Here are the examples of hardwood: elm, oak, maple, ash, hickory, pine, and cypress. These are very popular in the Eastern and Southern part. Black bears, deers, moose, foxes, wildcats, and muskrats are mostly found in this area. The Central Plains include vast grasslands that rise gradually toward the forested foothill, Ozart Mountains, semi-deserts, and bleaker and emptier prairies. The Great Plains rise gradually to meet the Rocky Mountains, which are interrupted by steep hills and gullies known as the Badland. There are only two bodies of water in the Central Heartland and they are the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. In the summer it can reach about 100 degrees Fahrenheit and drop to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean has a moderating influence on weather patterns. This section of the U.S. is known for its extreme climates. The annual rainfall is moderate but less plentiful then the Atlantic seaboard. The Mississippi River has a steady rainfall. The Great P ...

The Great Compromise essays

The Great Compromise essays In May 1787, fifty-five delegates from eleven of the thirteen American states assembled in Philadelphia. Their goal was to revise the current government created by the Articles of Confederation, which had been in effect since 1781. The Articles had created a weak alliance among the states. The national government had no way to levy taxes or regulate commerce. The delegates who were in attendance at the Philadelphia convention had come in general agreement that there were defects in the Articles of Confederation that should be remedied. But instead of convening and deciding to list and remedy the defects of the Articles, the delegates at the convention took another course of action. Soon after George Washington was elected to be the presiding officer of the meeting, the Virginia delegation, relying heavily on the draftsmanship of James Madison, presented a new plan for an entirely new national government. This plan became the main topic of debate at the convention for the next several weeks. When the delegates decided to make the Virginia Plan the focus of their agenda, they had essentially changed the task for which they had been sent to Philadelphia. The defects of the Articles took a backseat to the more pressing issue of how to design a true national government. The Virginia Plan called for a strong union of the states into a centralized national government. Under the plan, the national government would be divided into three governing branches the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The legislative branch would consist of two houses. The first house would be directly chosen by the people, and the second house would be chosen by the first house from candidates nominated by state legislatures. The executive and the national judiciary would be chosen by the national legislature. The executive along with some members of the judiciary would be selected to serve on a council of revision, which...

Quick Review of Radioactivity and Radiation

Quick Review of Radioactivity and Radiation Unstable atomic nuclei will spontaneously decompose to form nuclei with higher stability. The decomposition process is called radioactivity. The energy and particles which are released during the decomposition process are called radiation. When unstable nuclei decompose in nature, the process is referred to as natural radioactivity. When the unstable nuclei are prepared in the laboratory, the decomposition is called induced radioactivity. There are three major types of natural radioactivity: Alpha Radiation Alpha radiation consists of a stream of positively charged particles, called alpha particles, which have an atomic mass of 4 and a charge of 2 (a helium nucleus). When an alpha particle is ejected from a nucleus, the mass number of the nucleus decreases by four units and the atomic number decreases by two units. For example: 23892U → 42He 23490Th The helium nucleus is the alpha particle. Beta Radiation Beta radiation is a stream of electrons, called beta particles. When a beta particle is ejected, a neutron in the nucleus is converted to a proton, so the mass number of the nucleus is unchanged, but the atomic number increases by one unit. For example: 23490 → 0-1e 23491Pa The electron is the beta particle. Gamma Radiation Gamma rays are high-energy photons with a very short wavelength (0.0005 to 0.1 nm). The emission of gamma radiation results from an energy change within the atomic nucleus. Gamma emission changes neither the atomic number nor the atomic mass. Alpha and beta emission are often accompanied by gamma emission, as an excited nucleus drops to a lower and more stable energy state. Alpha, beta, and gamma radiation also accompany induced radioactivity. Radioactive isotopes are prepared in the lab using bombardment reactions to convert a stable nucleus into one which is radioactive. Positron (a particle with the same mass as an electron, but a charge of 1 instead of -1) emission isnt observed in natural radioactivity, but it is a common mode of decay in induced radioactivity. Bombardment reactions can be used to produce very heavy elements, including many which dont occur in nature.

Appeal to Review the Diabetes Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Appeal to Review the Diabetes Assignment - Essay Example Let me first take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for being of great assistance to me during the entire course of taking Episodes of Nursing Practice. You had been very patient and inspiring, as a mentor, instructor, and counselor.I was obviously pleased to meet you yesterday, and I was very pleased with the information that helped to highlight the most important lessons about acute renal failure. The theories and knowledge that you provided made it easily to understand the minute threads as I pursue the course through home study. Based on our discussion yesterday about the recent assignment on diabetes, I respectfully thank you for giving me hope at possibly improving my mark. I blame myself first about the mark that was generated and relayed to me, thinking all that while that I did well during the semester. However, I honestly believe that I think I deserve to have a higher mark given the efforts, commitment and dedication that I applied to this course.I hope you will give a second look at my assignment and relay your feedback to enable me to address my weaknesses and be able to improve in my future academic courses. I am hereby uploading the assignment for your review and evaluation.You will remain to be one of my best instructors who have given me the needed support and guidance through these academic challenges. Your teaching style inspires me to continue my studies and to complete the program to enable me to achieve my personal and professional goals.

Swift's A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Swift's A Modest Proposal - Essay Example The succeeding discourse thereby presented arguments that justified the veracity of the author’s contentions; including presenting advantages, the cost of a child (if sold in the market), the supply and demand factors, as well as any potential contrasting assertion or bias of the author to the proposal. Through well-structured logical arguments, including presentation of computations for the expected weight of a healthy child, the cost that a child could be sold, the relief that the selling could do to the poor parents, the benefits that the sale could allegedly provide to a greater number of people for the greater good, assisted in enhancing and accepting the validity of the surprise ending. Likewise, the author emphasized that the proposal would not, in any way, generate bias through potential self-interests; but in fact, was open to other alternative options. Overall, the surprise ending was indeed unexpected and one surmised that the proposal was not at all imaginable; nor morally, ethically and legally conceivable in the first

What is the pH of Soil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is the pH of Soil - Essay Example This is determined on a pH scale that ranges from 0 to 14. A substance with pH nearing the scale’s lower end is considered very acidic while those on the upper range would be considered basic or alkaline. The neutral on the scale is at ph 7. Pure rainwater has pH of 5.6 or thereabout, but it changes when it enters the soil depending on the soil’s chemical characteristics. Nutrients such as phosphorous and calcium are more soluble in slight acidity. In this experiment, the objective is to determine the pH of soil sample provided. Just as is the case with rain water, these nutrients can be dissolved in distilled water. When litmus paper is immersed in the clear solution after the soil settles down, acidic soil with pH less than 7 will cause blue litmus paper to turn red while basic soil with pH greater than 7 will cause red litmus paper to turn blue. Neutral soil will have no effect on both red and blue litmus papers. It is crucial to know the pH of soil as crops grow best within a narrow range of pH varying from one crop to another. For example, blueberries grow best at pH 5.5 or lower while potatoes do best at 5.5 to 6.0. The 5.5 to 7.5 range is favorable because it accommodates microorganisms which are important in breaking down organic matter and also provides the necessary condition for nutrient availability (Conklin

Architecture of a structure in Abu Dhabi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Architecture of a structure in Abu Dhabi - Essay Example The essay "Architecture of a structure in Abu Dhabi" explores the city Abu Dhabi and its architecture and building structure. When talking about building structures whether they be simple bridges or colossal skyscraper monoliths, one must always take into account both architecture and engineering. Science and art are two sides of the same coin. Engineering is described in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as â€Å"the design and manufacture of complex products† as well as â€Å"the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and sources of energy in nature are made useful to people.† It is then the scientific aspect of construction, it is the theory used and applied by engineers to safely construct structures and making them fundamentally sound for use. The same site gives this definition for architecture; â€Å"the art or science of building; specifically: the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially habitabl e ones.† By the definition of architecture given here, both art and science coexists in achieving the purpose of both engineering and architecture. Although they may have varying degrees of thought and practice, they ultimately have the same goal; to construct beautiful and inspiring structures for mankind. But art is also subject to the traditions and influences of the local context and culture. Given the Middle-Eastern impression and history of the city, Abu-Dhabi has a definite edge and a very distinct face when it comes to its architecture.

Contemporary issues in accounting and finance Essay

Contemporary issues in accounting and finance - Essay Example A recent FEE (Federation of European Accountants) publication states that â€Å"an individual’s objectivity must be beyond question when conducting and reporting on a statutory audit† (FEE). This paper will critically evaluate this statement with particular reference given to some fundamental financial/accounting/auditing concepts and external studies. Objectivity of statutory auditors There are many situations where a statutory auditor’s objectivity would be questioned when auditing financial statements of a firm. To illustrate, an auditor faces this challenge while dealing with the valuation of assets. In order to understand this situation clearly, it is necessary to discuss the difference between fair value and historical cost. Under historical cost accounting, assets and liabilities are valued at original acquisition price and any increase or decrease in their market value over the years is not taken into account (Shome 1995, p.135). In contrast, assets and l iabilities are valued at the market price in the current date under the fair value accounting method (Wood 2009, p.344). Traditionally, books of accounts were kept at historical costs. However, fair value accounting replaced this conventional accounting practice nearly two decades ago and since then the assets and liabilities are measured at their current value estimates (Ramanna 2013). Today, most of the firms value assets and liabilities at the estimates of their current market value in order to give the stakeholders a detailed view of the financial status of the business. Since dubious assets/liabilities valuation practices have led to many corporate failures over the last decade, it is a challengeable task for auditors to certify the reliability of fair value accounting. Under such circumstances, a statutory auditor’s objectivity is likely to be questioned if he has any specific interest in the firm. Fair value accounting represents the social construction of reality wher eby legitimacy, power, and illusions are created. As experts point out, new epistemic criteria have to be created to address the socially constructed reality of fair value accounting. Fair value accounting clearly represents socially constructed reality, and auditors are expected to maintain professional ethics and legitimate practices (Jeppesen & Liempd 2011). In order to verify this socially constructed reality, auditor’s independence has to be specifically promoted. The auditor’s independence can significantly affect the credibility of financial statements (Olagunju 2011). Hence, there is a positive relationship between independence of an auditor and credibility of the financial statement (Ibid). In addition, an auditor’s independence can justify his objectivity to a great extent. The auditor’s independence has two distinct aspects including real independence and perceived independence (Sucher & MacLullich n.d.). Accomplishment of both these aspects is essential to achieve the ultimate goals of auditor’s independence. Real independence can be simply defined as the independence of the auditor or independence of the mind (Palmrose & Saul 2001). More precisely, real independence is related to the state of mind the auditor maintains and how he manages a particular situation. A really independent auditor would make independent decisions even though he is forced to handle a compromising condition by the company’

Speaker Presentation Response Papers Assignment

Speaker Presentation Response Papers - Assignment Example He was very effective in his explanation of his career graph and explained how he tasted the cable television business at different places moving from Portland to Miami to Phoenix to Houston to Washington DC in an eight year period. In this time period he enjoyed various posts such as regional manager for marketing, sales manager etc. According to Bob Thomson, â€Å"He got a good taste of Cable television world over through this†. He steadily progressed throughout his career and by 1998 he was made the Vice President of Fox Sports International. According to Bob Thomson, Fox Sports International at that point in time comprised of various channels across the US such as Fox Soccer, a Spanish service for Fox as well as channels in Latin America, Central America, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Under his leadership, they had also started selling FOX rights to people throughout the world. These were some of the biggest milestones in his career. He was made the CEO in 1999 and Presi dent of FOX Sports Network by 2000. He got tired by 2009 and he retired. Bob Thomson managed to make the audience stifle some giggles as he spoke about his retirement in 2009. He maintains that he still does some work for FOX sports, for Direct TV cable networks and Yes TV. When Thomson had left the company the operating profit was 1.1 billion dollars and the revenue was 3.2 billion dollar and has a net worth of 18 billion dollars today. How Sports changed over the years? Thomson moved on to explain how TV has changed over the years. He began with the time of World War II. At that point, sports was being broadcasted by one or two channels only—CBS and Dumont. Sports was being used as a means to propogate the selling of TV sets back then but today Thomson explained, it is used as a means to sell subscriptions world over. Thomson was very sound on his knowledge as he drew comparisons between what happened then and what happened today. Back then, he explained most of the shootin g would take place in the sun as there would not be enough lights at night. The cameras used to be big. Thomson said they are big today but they were even more big at that point in time. The sets were nonexistent and there was non concept of rights then. Thomson raised a very valid statistic regarding how back then the total no of TV sets in United States were only 10 billion while today there are as many as 110 billion TV sets. This in my opinion raises a very valid point regarding the growing integration of TV world over. 1960s and 1970s: The 1960s and 1970s as explained by Bob Thomson, I feel were a very important era in the world of Sports Television. He termed this era as the start of â€Å"explosion of sports programming†. A very important point of this era, I felt was the growing commercial nature of advertising. By the 1960s, there was no longer one sponsor but multiple sponsors were called in. This was to capitalize on advertising revenew. Advertisers sought to targe t 19-54 male population through these sports channels. The challenges that arose: By 1980, the real challenges for Sports TV started emerging. This was when niche channels and non sports programming channels, started taking viewership away from mainstream networks. This was a very crucial period in Sports TV programming. Traditional sports sponsors began moving their advertising dollars into other areas as networks tried to raise advertising rates. An important point raised by Thomson was the importance of

Contemporary issues in accounting and finance Essay

Contemporary issues in accounting and finance - Essay Example A recent FEE (Federation of European Accountants) publication states that â€Å"an individual’s objectivity must be beyond question when conducting and reporting on a statutory audit† (FEE). This paper will critically evaluate this statement with particular reference given to some fundamental financial/accounting/auditing concepts and external studies. Objectivity of statutory auditors There are many situations where a statutory auditor’s objectivity would be questioned when auditing financial statements of a firm. To illustrate, an auditor faces this challenge while dealing with the valuation of assets. In order to understand this situation clearly, it is necessary to discuss the difference between fair value and historical cost. Under historical cost accounting, assets and liabilities are valued at original acquisition price and any increase or decrease in their market value over the years is not taken into account (Shome 1995, p.135). In contrast, assets and l iabilities are valued at the market price in the current date under the fair value accounting method (Wood 2009, p.344). Traditionally, books of accounts were kept at historical costs. However, fair value accounting replaced this conventional accounting practice nearly two decades ago and since then the assets and liabilities are measured at their current value estimates (Ramanna 2013). Today, most of the firms value assets and liabilities at the estimates of their current market value in order to give the stakeholders a detailed view of the financial status of the business. Since dubious assets/liabilities valuation practices have led to many corporate failures over the last decade, it is a challengeable task for auditors to certify the reliability of fair value accounting. Under such circumstances, a statutory auditor’s objectivity is likely to be questioned if he has any specific interest in the firm. Fair value accounting represents the social construction of reality wher eby legitimacy, power, and illusions are created. As experts point out, new epistemic criteria have to be created to address the socially constructed reality of fair value accounting. Fair value accounting clearly represents socially constructed reality, and auditors are expected to maintain professional ethics and legitimate practices (Jeppesen & Liempd 2011). In order to verify this socially constructed reality, auditor’s independence has to be specifically promoted. The auditor’s independence can significantly affect the credibility of financial statements (Olagunju 2011). Hence, there is a positive relationship between independence of an auditor and credibility of the financial statement (Ibid). In addition, an auditor’s independence can justify his objectivity to a great extent. The auditor’s independence has two distinct aspects including real independence and perceived independence (Sucher & MacLullich n.d.). Accomplishment of both these aspects is essential to achieve the ultimate goals of auditor’s independence. Real independence can be simply defined as the independence of the auditor or independence of the mind (Palmrose & Saul 2001). More precisely, real independence is related to the state of mind the auditor maintains and how he manages a particular situation. A really independent auditor would make independent decisions even though he is forced to handle a compromising condition by the company’

Social Injustice and Hispanophobia Research Paper

Social Injustice and Hispanophobia - Research Paper Example They sell out their races as well as their culture. The six characters of this play are objectively stereotypical and superficial. It is a dramatic play and brings out the prejudice that Mexicans face in America due to the misconceptions that Americans have on Mexicans. Theme is one of the, most important aspects of drama and in this drama there are six major themes involved. The central theme presented in this play is the theme on racism between Americans and Mexicans. Therefore Valdez finds humor as the significant way of passing his massage s as to avoid offending those involved and entertain the audience. Thus it expresses race issues through interesting play and conveys message in the form of comedy play. This way the writer is able to pass a sensitive, heavy and broad message in a simple and entertaining way. The theme of racism is well depicted in this play when a secretary from the Governor’s office buys a brown-skinned robot for the administration since it will appear good to have Mexican type on the staff. However the secretary rejects them since they do not have an American look. The issue of race prejudice and demands of the American culture leads to some Mexican American decide to overlook their race and separate themselves form own ethnic groups hence the play Los Vendidos (sell-out). Stereotyping Stereotyping is another theme explored in this play according to Helium (2). All the characters and their characteristics in this play embody the Mexican stereotype. The first character in the play is a farmworker and portrays the stereotype of farm workers in Mexico. He is the most ordinary and diplomat of the low class Mexican way of life in America. He only speaks Spanish since farm workers in Mexico do not know English (Glassvisage par 2). The farm worker consumes traditional meals such as beans consumed by fellow Chicanos in Mexico hence the stereotyping as suggested. Another character who represents stereotype is Pachuo who is a gangster in Mexican stereotype. He uses weapons to steal and he does not conform to the law so Miss Jimenez rejects him. His character of being a gangster is character for Mexicans who are prejudiced in America hence end up engaging in crime. Another stereotype is that of Revolucionaria who the older Hollywood reflection of a Mexican person is. He is mostly in western movies and he is seen as a romantic man whom women lust over and is used as marketing tool by most of companies. As a result he is one of the images the Mexican wants to take out of the American culture. The last implication of stereotype is through character Eric Garcia who is the perfect stereotype the Americans want about him. He acts like a Whiteman but still with his dark skin though he is an American-Mexican. He and other Mexican-American speak both English and Spanish which implies that they still posses the Chicano identity. They expected to be educated, hardworking and mannered in the right way to differentiate them from other Mexicans. Social Injustice and Hispanophobia The theme of social injustice is evident in this play and it is portrayed the oppression of Chicanos in America according to Helium (1). This oppression included racial prejudice and a lot of inequality as they tried to make life in America. This is well displayed when Miss. Jimenez chooses a model for the office through race rather than through ability, she refuses those models without the American look. The Mexicans do not have

The Alternative Beverage Industry Commerce Essay

The Alternative Beverage Industry Commerce Essay After analyzing the case study, we can conclude that strategically relevant components of the global and U.S beverage industry macro environment are the rapid growth of the product inclusive of high profit margin and premium pricing of alternative beverage. Each group demands for different types of alternative beverages which divide the global market into various types of products such as energy drink, sports drink, relaxation drinks. In the year of 2009, the US drink data was accounted of sport drink at sixty percent, vitamins enriched drinks and energy drinks about twenty three percent and alternative beverage sales at eighteen percent. In the context, when consumers are focusing on reducing the consumption of carbonated soft drink, alternative beverages are the medium of the soft drinks companies to maintain the sales volume growth as well as furnishing to different demographics. The number of sales of the drinks depends on the demand of the group for example children prefer juice drink, adults to energy shots, athletes to the vitamins enhanced drinks. This all demand differs alternative beverages from the usual carbonated soft drinks that people were used to drink. Now, alternative beverages offer variety of products which consumers could consume for different activities. 2. What is the competition like in the alternative beverage industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is the weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness and the potential profitability of new entrants? Innovation is the vital source of creating the competition in the globalised market and alternative beverages are facing competition on the basis of differentiation from the traditional drink or the fruit juices. Alternative beverages are inclusive of vitamin enriched drinks, energy boosting drinks, sport drinks etc. and to develop the brand loyalty it totally relies on the test, properties and ingredients of the drink. To meet with the competing company works on the advertisement, brand name, nutritional properties, packaging and unique flavors. The PepsiCo and the Coco Cola having a big market share and their products have a strong presence on the consumers and the production of alternative beverages is very easy job for them. This action can dominate such channels of the alternative beverages. Therefore, from all the five competitive forces, strongest is the action of the firm which is already providing a variety of drink products. However, the weakest competitive force is the bargaining power which is exercised by the buyers only. At the time when alternative beverages were introduced company use to sell it at the high price and customers pay for it and now if customers are willing to pay a higher price for the product company will have to sell it on the same price. The established companies seem to have a greater effect on the new entrants like PepsiCo and coco cola because they already have a huge number of loyal customers that follows their brand. If they introduce a new product in contradiction to the new entrants, customers more willingly adopt their products more than the new company. 3. How is the market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those forces individually or collectively make the industry more or less attractive? Customers are becoming more health conscious and they are aware about the positive and negative effects of the drinks. Therefore they reduced their consumption of the alternative beverages which slow down the demand and sales of the product. Due to recession customers are becoming more money conscious and spending very less in the alternative beverage and it indicates that the market becomes mature and there is no scope for longer growing. Change in the product innovation, long term growth rate and industry consolidation are the driving force of the alternative beverages. The second forces segmented with the alternative beverage industries have consolidated as the market has matured and leaders have been established for example in the year of 2010, Coco Cola controlled the Red Bull GmbH and Henson natural corporation. However, the individually or collective effect of the industry driver of change is likely to make the alternative beverage companies less attractive until and unless such companies gain a first mover advantage. 4. What does your strategic group map of the energy drink, sports drink, and vitamin-enhanced beverage industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? The worst positions? Strategic group map of the energy drink, sport drink and vitamin-enhanced beverages shows that companies are competing in the scope of brand portfolio favor and geographical distribution. It indicates that the company which is competing globally and having broad brand portfolios is positioned well in the market. However, companies which are working regionally and on national distribution only or having a single brand seems to be the worst position in the industry. As per the case analysis PepsiCo and Coco cola are in the best position due to having a wide range of products and Red Bull considered as being in the worst position as they are having a low variety of products. 5. What key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers? The following key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers. The test should be appealing and unique to the customers. Advertising and Promotions in such an effective way that spread awareness about the products and can establish the brand image. Access to the distribution of the product in order to achieve good sales volume and market share. An innovating Product skill which can differentiate the alternative beverage from the traditional drinks. 6. What recommendations would you make to Coca-Cola to improve its competitiveness in the global alternative beverage industry? To PepsiCo? To Red Bull GmbH? According to the case, Coco- Cola should research the country and conclude about the test, customer preference and demand than introduce the product in the market. They should try and introduce new flavors also and should discontinue the non preferable and profitable products. PepsiCo has largest market share in the US as well as in the global market. In the case study it mentioned that PepsiCo had introduced alternative drinks blood shot, charge, defend and rebuild but customers are not aware about this product. Therefore, PepsiCo should enhance their marketing and promotional activities. PepsiCo could also try for more energy drinks. Red Bull GmbH should improve their strategy to increase their market share. As red bull is a very popular flavor therefore they should introduce more flavors instead of focusing on one flavor. They should enhance their water line drinks or sport line drinks. The company can research the market requirement and can develop a new line of products to become competitive in the market.

Phantom Limbs: Sensations When There Should be None Essay -- Biology E

Phantom Limbs: Sensations When There Should be None The phenomenon known as the phantom limb occurs in 95-100% of amputees. It can occur soon after amputation or occur years later. It is when patients feel sensations where the arm or leg used to be as if it were still there. These sensations can be either non-painful sensations or painful sensations, which are called phantom limb pain. These non-painful sensations are described as similar feels as if the limb were there such as warmth, tingling, itching, and movement. Phantom limb pain is described as stabbing, cramping, burning and shooting pain. Non-painful sensations usually occur soon after amputation and continue throughout life. It has been found that the strongest sites for phantom limbs are the thumb and index finger. Sometimes the knees or elbow are felt but rarely are the forearm, lower leg, upper thigh, and upper arm felt. (1). It has been found that it is not necessary to have had an amputation to experience the phantom limb phenomenon. It has been reported that after avulsion of the brachial plexus of the arm, even though no injury to the arm itself occurred, that there is extreme pain felt in the arm. For surgery, patients that receive an anesthetic block of the brachial plexus experience phantom arm. It also occurs in the legs when there is an anesthetic block of the lower body, and when there is a block of the spinal cord at the thoracic level, patients have experience phantom body. (2). Not only can one experience phantom limb due to an anesthetic block, but it has been reported that people born without limbs also experience it as well. Ronald Melzack, psychologist from McGill University in Montreal found that children born without arms or legs experi... ...uses these fibers to be excited which activates the primary afferent fibers which then discharges. These discharges ultimately cause the phantom sensations. Non-cortical theory believes that spontaneous activity at the edge of the amputation causes phantom limbs. (1). There is still a debate going on as to why phantom limbs occur. Only through further study of the nervous system can we hope to fully understand and hopefully one day stop its occurrence. Until then, we can only try to find ways to ease the pain of amputees, paraplegics and people who were born without limbs. References 1) http://hcs.harvard.edu/~husn/BRAIN/vol6/p21-25-PhantomLimbs.pdf 2) http://cognet.mit.edu/MITECS/Entry/melzack 3) http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1511/n2_v19/20159526/p1/article.jhtml 4) http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/slup/CuttingEdge/Jun00/phantom.html

Awakening Vs. Greenleaf :: essays research papers

A strong critique by existentialist writers of modern society is the way in which humans live unexamined, meaningless lives with no true concept of what it is to be an unique individuals. In Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening and in Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"Greenleaf† the characters Edna and Mrs. May, respectively, begin almost as common, stock characters living unfulfilled lives. They eventually converge, however, upon an elevated life and death filled with new meaning through their struggle with their role as individuals surrounded by other important beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesuit philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1948) believed that humankind follows a certain evolution of mind and body. This process involves a beginning (komogenese), a development (biogenese), and then a peak (noogenese) in which humans reach an Omega Point of higher being. Though his ideas were actually applied on a much broader scale of humanity over a large timespan, the theory can be applied to the individual’s process of human development. Single humans begin as common clones of one another. From this commonality many examine their lives and develop the things within them that make them uniquely them. This development of the self only can be ended at death when the individual converges upon an Omega Point in which he has an elevated understanding of and meaning for life. The characters Edna from The Awakening and Mrs. May from †Greenleaf† encounter a similar human development in which an individual is formed with an understanding of life. The means by which they achieve this differ greatly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the novel The Awakening opens, the reader sees Edna Pontellier as one who might seem to be a happy married woman living a secure, fulfilled life. It is quickly revealed, though, that she is deeply oppressed by a male dominated society, evident through her marriage to Leonce. Edna lives a controlled life in which there is no outlet for her to develop herself as the individual who she is. Her marriage to Leonce was more an act of rebellion from her parents than an act of love for Leonce. She cares for him and is fond of him, but had no real love for him. Edna’s inability to awaken the person inside her is also shown through her role as a â€Å"mother-woman†. She loves and cares for her children a great deal, but does not fit into the Creole mother-society in which other women baby and over protect their children.

Of Mice and Men Paper Essay

Dreams can be that one thing that keeps us alive. The hope of that dream becoming real makes us feel like a big stable mountain which cannot break. Will, courage and hard work are all elements which can improve your life, just like the American dream. In John Steinbeck’s short novel, â€Å"Of Mice And Men† published in 1937, he describes how two men is chasing the American dream by believing that they can achieve their goals. In the story we see how two men, George and Lennie, desperately are trying to chase the American dream. We get an introduction of George and Lennie, and we quickly find out that George is the brain and Lennie is the strength. We are also aware of the reason why they left their work in the weed, which is Lennie’s accident by touching a girl’s dress. While they are on the move to a ranch where they want to find work, we also get an introduction to their big dream, a dream of owning their own farm. When they later on find work at a ranch, Lennie accidently kills the boss’s daughter-in-law and George makes an end to Lennie’s miseries by shooting him in the back of the head. George and Lennie make many friends along their journey. And some of them are willing to make sacrifices so they can join George and Lennie’s big dream. Some place in the story many characters including George and Lennie, confess that they have a dream. For instance Curly’s wife, before she dies she says that her biggest desire is to be a movie star. There is also a character like old Candy. He offers all his money and his inheritance to George so he can join their dream. Then we have the character like poor Crook. Crook is the black one on the ranch and his awareness of that fact shines through when he offers George to do the dirty work on the farm, just like doing the dishes. While all these dreams, sacrifices and ideas are being presented they all began to wonder. â€Å"They fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true.† (P. 63. L. 13 – 15) This happens because it could be wonderful if the dream came true, but the question is, is the dream better of as a dream? Maybe something that they can believe in, which is so big and astonishing, is better than the tough reality? Then there are all the great expectations. The big dream that gives them hope would be ruined if the reality of the dream turns out to be a catastrophic disappointment. Those are thoughts running through their minds undergoing the silent gap. The choice of language is giving a certain impression about George’s thoughts of their dream. â€Å"I remember about the rabbits, George. The hell with the rabbits. That’s all you can ever remember is them rabbits.† (P.4, 5 l. 32-1) This is the place where we first hear about the dream of theirs. It seems like Lennie is more dedicated to this dream than George is. The fact that George says â€Å"them rabbits† gives the impression of what he really thinks of the dream, that it might be kind of foolish. Rabbits are often mentioned in the novel because they represent Lennie’s dream. This is noticed every time Lennie wants George to tell about their dream. To George, the farm, the eggs, the vegetables etc. are all dreams and happiness, but to Lennie happiness is having access to the rabbits. So Lennie is very eager about the rabbits, but he also has a habit of hurting the animals that he pets. Deep down, he knows that he is hurting them because he sees and hears this enormous, creepy and cruel rabbit, in the end of the story. This hallucination is his own mind speaking to him; his dream will never come true. Rabbits never actually emerge in the novel, but though they fill a great part. This really makes it clear to us, that Lennie’s dream will never come true. The dream falls apart and turns into dust after Lennie is dead, but until then everybody are very excited about it. By looking at the second quote we can conclude that it was Lennie’s dream all along. This is also why the others do not fulfill the dream. They rather want a hope and a dream they can escape into when the reality is cruel. They are aware of possible consequences of fulfilling the dream, but Lennie was not. The dream of having access to rabbits kept Lennie alive all along and nothing could break him. With the help of the hallucination of the enormous rabbit, he realizes that his dream will never come true. After that realization he dies.

The Rodriguez Family Crisis

The Rodriguez Family Crisis The crisis that the Rodriguez family is facing is very serious. They are dealing with a flooding in their area that has caused them to lose their home and their only means of support, which is Mrs. Rodriguez job. The basic needs that need to be addressed is, the Rodriguez family is in need of somewhere to stay and means of getting food, clothing, and necessities that would carry them through this crisis. The first thing I would do is help the Rodriguez family cope with their crisis is, to understand the situations they are facing.After discussing their situations, I would make plans to gather food, clothing, necessities, and shelter for them. I would explain that putting them into a shelter is just until we can find them an apartment/home that is suitable for them and the girls. The second thing I would take with Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez is, getting them set up with Social Services so they could apply for emergency food stamps so they could purchase food and Medicaid to help with any medical expenses for them and the girls.I will also assist in helping with them getting the housing authority to help with finding them an apartment/home and help with paying for their rent expenses. I will explain to them that these resources are here to help people such as them who are in a crisis and in need of emergency help. After helping the Rodriguez family set up with Social Services and the housing authority, and all the paper work gets the approval, I will begin to assist in helping them find an apartment/home that is suitable for them and close to Mr. Rodriguez and the girl’s schools.I will discuss with them that not only must the apartment location be suitable for Mr. Rodriguez and the girl’s; however, it must be suitable for Mrs. Rodriguez to find a job in that area. I will discuss with Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez on how â€Å"The plan should focus on systematic problem solving for the client and be realistic in terms of the clientâ €™s coping ability (James, 2008). In doing the above steps, I feel that this will eliminate the pressure of them having to worry about arranging to get Mr. Rodriguez and the girls into another school and Mrs. Rodriguez not being able to find a job that she is qualify to do.I will explain to them, that this planning is about getting through the short term and getting some semblance of equilibrium and stability restored (James, 2008). The models of intervention, that I would use in helping the Rodriguez family with this crisis is, all the models. First, I would need to define and understand the problems of this crisis in their viewpoint. Because, unless the worker perceives the crisis situation as the client perceives it, all the intervention strategies and procedures the helper might use may miss the mark and be of no value to the client (James, 2008).The second step is to make sure there is safety for the Rodriguez family. The means of safety is to make sure I am not putting the m in harm’s way. I have to think about their daughters when placing them into a shelter. The third step is to give the Rodriguez family support and to inform them that I am here to help them in getting all the support from other resources that apply to their crisis. This means that the workers must be able to accept, in an unconditional and positive way, all their clients, whether the clients can reciprocate, or not (James, 2008).Step four, is where I would examine all the alternatives that could help the Rodriguez family such as family members, social service, or non-profit organizations that deals with families in crisis. I will give them positive things to think about so there will be no added stress on their part. The fifth step is to make plans on how Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez should go about getting immediate help from the other resources. I will make sure the resources are reliable and that Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez could reach the resources immediately because they are in n eed of having help as soon as possible.The six and final step is getting commitment from the Rodriguez family and giving my commitment to them that I am here to help them through this crisis. However, they must understand the plan and they must carry out the plan as stated to ensure them in getting back to normal stability. The three skills I would use to assist me in implementing the models I have selected are, simplicity, efficiency and reliability. With simplicity, I would execute simplicity by explaining as truthful as I can in easy form so the Rodriguez family can understand what they are too expected from me and what I will be expecting from them.Simplicity will be effective in addressing the Rodriguez basic and ongoing needs because they will be focusing on what is most important to help them with getting the help they need. I will use efficiency in helping the Rodriguez get back to the life they had before the flood. With using efficiency, every resource I recommend to the R odriguez will produce the specific outcome we are looking for and there will be no wasted time, because I will be, giving 100% of my time in making sure they are satisfy with the outcome. The reliability skill is the most important skill to me.Been reliable shows the Rodriguez family that I am capable of doing the job they need me to do and that I can function in a crisis situation. Reliability also shows that I have committed myself to making sure all the resources I have provided to them is also reliable. Reliability can be effective in addressing the Rodriguez family basic and ongoing needs because; it helps to avoid unnecessary things that are no helpful in getting them the things they need at this time. References: James, Richard (2008). Crisis Intervention Strategies. Belmont: Schatchgravel Publishing Services

Melanophores and Microtubule Monorails: Insights Into Rapid

Fish and amphibians are able to change their color rapidly in response to a change of their surroundings. This phenomenon is done by melanophores, containing a pigment cell called melanin, being travelled along microtubules in their cells (Levi, Serpinskaya, Gratton, & Gelfand, 2006, p. 318). A microtubule, which is made of proteins located in cytoskeleton, is one of three filaments that is long, hollow stiff tube and responsible for intracellular transport. This transport system is driven by kinesin and dynein in microtubules and myosin in actin filaments, which are called motor proteins. Gross, Tuma, Deacon, Serpinskaya, Reilein, & Gelfand, 2002, p. 855). To understand how those movements along microtubules can make the rapid colour change possible, it is necessary first to find out how each component mentioned above carries out their roles in detailed in their specific area. Melanosomes move along microtubules by protein motors throughout the cell by aggregation and dispersion and the direction of their traveling is also changed frequently.In microtubules, most kinesins move towards the plus-end of the microtubule, which is called dispersion and dyneins move towards the minus-end of the microtubule, which is called aggregation. (Bouzat, Levi, & Bruno, 2012, p. 1). These dispersion and aggregation of melanosomes are affected by certain hormones such as melatonin and MSH and it make the color of their skin become darker or lighter depending on where they are (Bouzat et al. p. 10). One significant discovery is that those microtubule- and actin-based transport systems are in a tug-of-war.For instance, microtubule-based transport system can be altered by a loss of myosin function, which is actin-based transport system (Gross et al. , 2002, p. 855). This competition regulates their transport functions without a hitch and thus, it allows the movement along microtubules to constantly go on. Due to traveling of melanophores through those two filaments in cytoskeleton by motor proteins, fish, amphibian and reptiles are able to change their color very rapidly. Those are at any times ready for a response to a change of their surroundings and it directly happens as soon as they get something to trigger those functions start working.

Discussion Board - Evaluating Suppliers and Vendors Assignment

Discussion Board - Evaluating Suppliers and Vendors - Assignment Example This evaluation should include an in-depth research on the activities that the vendors and suppliers engage in. The evaluation should also focus on the value added that the various suppliers, and the vendors are likely to bring to the company. Secondly, it is important to decide on the performance indicators. It is important to define the roles and the characteristics as well as the behavior that the vendors and suppliers should show or exhibit in the course of the business transactions. This will create a clear picture of the manager’s expectations to the vendors and suppliers. The performance criteria and the measurement of performance are subject to the performance indicators, and all vendors and suppliers need to be aware of it. It is after setting the performance indicators that the manager should come up with the duties of individuals in the company in relation to the suppliers and the vendors. When dealing with the suppliers, it is necessary that the teams or department s that deal with the suppliers directly are able to give their honest opinions about the suppliers and vendors. It is useful that they help with the ratings when it comes to the way the suppliers and the vendors are engaging in business. This will give the manager the first hand information about the suppliers and the vendors. Then it is necessary to create a good rapport with the vendors and the suppliers. It is at this point that one should treat the suppliers and the vendors as part of the larger management team. It is necessary that proper communication and communication channels are put in place by the manager to allow for free flow of information (Vendor Management, 2005). The manager needs to address the issues affecting the vendors and suppliers in an open and honest manner at all the times to maintain the good relationship. Finally, it is important to get rid of underproductive vendors and suppliers to avoid wastage for the

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International Marketing - Essay Example Unilever is a leading organization which has some 400 consumer product brands under its sleeves. The product brands include food, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. The company touches the lives of its consumers in a number of different ways. Unilever has a range of products starting from global brands like Lipton, Dove, Omo, Knorr to some trustworthy local brands like Suave and Blue Band. The organization employs around 163,000 people in 100 countries across the globe. With a turnover of â‚ ¬ 39.8 billion, Unilever products are sold in more than 170 countries with its 264 manufacturing sites spread worldwide (Hoovers, 2010). According the company site, it helps â€Å"people feel good, look good and get more out of life, meeting their everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands and services that are good for them and good for others† (Unilever, 2010). Nestle Nestle is a leading global name in the food and beverage divisions. The company offers product ranges starting from instant infant food, coffee and chocolate to bottled water and promotes the same in more than 130 countries across the globe. Nestle is one of the leading companies in the total sales amount. In Coffee, the company has some top-notch brand names. The company has left its mark with leading brands like Maggi, Nestea, Nescafe, Friskies and Nestle. The company is among the leading packaged water producers and is a significant player in the pet food industry. Apart from all these, the organization holds significant amount of shares in Alcon Inc and cosmetic giant L’Oreal. Starting its journey back in the year 1866, the company is continually stepping forward to achieve a sustainable growth in the coming future (Nestle, nod.). Competitive Advantage Unilever On any given day, around two billion people use the products of Unilever. From feeding the family to keeping the household clean and fresh, the products have become significant parts of daily life. Research and Development can be seemed to be the gateway to constantly enhancement of the brands to deliver more intense and rewarding product experiences. Consumer research has played a significant role in the success story of this organization. Unilever makes continual efforts to introduce new and enhanced products to meet the changing requirements of its large consumer base. The company invests around â‚ ¬ 1 billion annually to meet the cutting edge research and development requirements. The company has five research

Global Executive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Executive - Essay Example us opportunities available in today’s transnational business environments a global executive has to have a profile to explore these possibilities and navigate his company. He has to have a vision and a strategy. Kenneth Chenault is the CEO of American Express (AmEx), a company that forwarded freight and valuables initially. Today AmEx has evolved into a company that creates and sells financial products and is well known for its charge card. International expansion has made American Express a global payments company. Kenneth Chenault has most of the qualities if not all, that are required to succeed in a global and a highly competitive credit- and charge-card business. According to Timothy O’Brien (1999) Chenault is known to be a â€Å"savvy marketer and a determined revenue builder†. A global executive has to have the following competencies : Strong management skills, able to think globally, sensitive enough to build lead effective teams that are diverse (cross-cultural), competitive, expert in recruiting talent from different regions, must be able to teach, motivate and influence, strong in building inter-persinal relationships, ready to empower people, must ensure feedbacks, has to be a good listener and a communicator as well , ability to encourage constructive dialogue, leadership qualities to lead change and innovation and last but not least to learn from experience.. Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel (2005) have said in their book that the four elements vital for sustained success are integrity, responsibility, compassion and forgiveness. A global executive has to have these qualities. Being a global executive means having a vision and a right strategy. His strategy was to expand the charge card network through banks and financial institutions; offering wider financial and investment services and increasing the market share in niche segments like small businesses and overseas markets. He used technolgy like the web and smart cards for this purpose. He

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement Term Paper

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement - Term Paper Example In the thirty-second notes, it contains very many passages, which limits the rhythm at which it can practically be in use. Its creation features a fake recapitulation in flat E. First movement The first movement is signified by a marking, ` con brio,’ which contains a number of examples of the urgent need of virtuoso pianistic techniques. Towards the end, the first movement has a quasi-cadenza. The final allegro assai movement includes trills, upward runs, sudden contrasts, and some use of the minor key. It is a package of variations on a subject matter marked by, "La Prima Parte Senza Replica’’ where the very first part is not repeated. The music has 3 variations. At this point, it looks like it is almost ending quietly like in the first movements and in the last movements, but it concludes suddenly with a roaring C major chord. In the very first phase of the first movement the form that involved is sonata, G major: allegro vivace. In the second movement, the fo rm is serenade, C major: adagio grazioso. Finally, in the last and third phases, the form is rondo sonata, G major: allegretto. The stridently profiled distinctiveness of the op.10 sonatas nonetheless admits a number of familiar features amid them, such as the occurrence of comic music thriving in rapid contrasts and surprising turns. Fanciful, random comedy surfaces in the finales of all the pieces, and mainly noticeably in the beginning allegro of the succeeding sonata is in F major. The sonatas are nevertheless marvelously contrasted in personality, mainly in the opening movements: the abrupt, theatrical phrase of the C small sonata sets into reprieve the calm, naughty spirit of the F major, while the vibrant intensity of the third sonata, in D major, propels the official intend from inside. Similar to Beethoven’s four previous sonatas, op.10 no.3 also has four faction sandwiched amid a beginning allegro and a finale in a silent quicker tempo. In the preliminary seriousnes s of this sonata, like the largo e mesto of op.10 no.3, Beethoven stress the distinction among hopeful, apparent lyricism and dark, discordant chords in the bass. Other than in the pathetique some of these variations are combined at the onset; the logic of conflict implied in the up melodic recitation is eroded against the brooding load of the C minor tonality, through highlighting on diminished-seventh chords. Whilst penetrating the high pitch registers, melodious rise becomes both touching and fragile. This is because it is reliant on the immovable choral reinforcement of the bass (Marshall 76). The recitative-like expression close to the ending of the grave are harmonically parenthetical, hanging on an illusory accentual intonation that delay the forthcoming motion to the tonic C minor in anticipation of the commencement of the following allegro di molto e con brio. The sluggish movement in tonic or non-tonic minor mode in op.10 no.3 It is the lights out effect that gives the ini tial impact: the sudden precipitation of a gloomy antitype to the first movement’s type. Always, when non-tonic happens in the slow movement, it is expected that there will be a relief in all movements. Thus, the logic of no escape is redoubled during the subside of representation into minor. Allegorically, when the beginning is heard, especially the beginning of a sluggish movement, the chilling of gloom passes above the tonic; the

BHS 427 - Health Care Finance (Module 4-SLP) Essay

BHS 427 - Health Care Finance (Module 4-SLP) - Essay Example If the husband or wife has paid Medicare taxes when employed, such people are enrolled to Part A without paying monthly premium. If Medicare taxes have not been paid during employment, they can apply for Part A and pay premium which changes year by year. The premium rate for 2009 is as follows: Part B: Medicare medical insurance is taken mainly to avail those services which Part A does not cover and it is optional. It offers the rights like doctors’ services, outpatient care and other medical services. The premium is decided by the individual. Some pay a standard monthly premium of $96.40 and others on the basis of their income. A case if costs more than the â€Å"fixed-loss cost threshold amount (a dollar amount by which the costs of a case must exceed payments in order to qualify for outliers).† (Outlier payments, 2006). Medicare payments to hospitals fall under two categories-prospective payment and physician payment. The prospective payments include costs like operating cost, capital cost and outlier cost. Operating cost is paid if the patient has to stay long in the hospital. Capital cost includes cost for treatment and care to the patient. If a patient uses extraordinary resources then outlier cost is charged which is an additional payment. Physician payment is calculated on the basis of current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. The payment rate depends upon the Work RVU, Practise expense RVU and Malpractice RVU which may vary by region. What are the Medicare premiums and coinsurance rate for 2009?: Answer: For each benefit period you pay. (2008). U S Department of health & human services. Retrieved June 5, 2009, from

Herman Millar Inc. Essay Example for Free

Herman Millar Inc. Essay The office furniture manufacturing industry market in the United States is very competitive since many companies offering similar products. Companies compete primarily on price, product and service quality, differentiation, design, speed of delivery and customer service. Firms compete within each market segment and are pressured by growing competition from overseas manufacturers particularly from China and Vietnam. Six manufacturers-Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, HNI, Kimball International and Knoll-account for approximately 60% of the U. S. office furniture market. The remainder of the market is captured by a large number of small and privately owned businesses that successfully supply the local communitys retail demand. The large number of existing companies definitely shaped the landscape of the Chinese market competition. Furniture manufacturing industry concentration has increased in last couple of years because many operators have gone out of business. Following the downturn of US economy, high unemployment rates, have created an intensely competitive environment for existing players; faced with low margins and volatile input costs, many underperforming operators were forced to exit the market. However, as the economy will recover, demand for new office furniture is expected to increase, expanding the number of companies over the five years to 2016. In conclusion, the intensity of rivalry is moderately high. Although current concentration of the industry is a low, the trend of the industry is to become more competitive in future. This would decrease the potential future profit of department store industry. Threat of new entrants The barrier to entry in this industry are medium and are steady. In the US office furniture industry, the capital required to enter the industry is considerably higher. New operators entering the industry face various challenges, including existing and well established distribution networks among operators and suppliers. To remain price competitive, the new operators need to establish strong supply relationships with manufacturers and wholesalers in order to secure good quality and low-priced stock. Since the concentration is expected to rise, it places an indirect pressure on new entrants that need to invest more in advertising to develop brand and market awareness. Marketing and promotional activity must exceed that of the existing players to build customer awareness and overcome retailer resistance. Furthermore, the productivity difference between the small-sized companies and the large-sized companies is very large. The combination of all this evidence indicates that the entrant barrier into the US office furniture industry is relatively high. Bargaining power of Supplier The intense internal competition force for resources among the large number of manufacturers pushed the bargaining power of suppliers to the most significant influence on domestic furniture industry. This refers primarily to suppliers of most important goods i. e. raw material and electric power, which are used in intermediary consumption during furniture manufacture. Purchases of raw materials are the largest expense for the Office Furniture Manufacturing industry, accounting for about 43. 7% of industry revenue. This proportion is typical for manufacturing industries, since operators require significant raw materials to produce final outputs. Input materials used for office furniture include hardwood, such as oak, cherry and maple wood; plywood and veneers; steel; glass; plastic; and glue. During the five years to 2011, the prices of these inputs have been volatile, making it difficult for manufacturers to anticipate future spending and reduce costs. In general, rising commodity prices have negatively affected the industry, increasing purchase costs for manufacturers. Bargaining power of buyers According to the research of IBIS World, department store sales depend heavily on the financial health of the consumer sector, including per capita disposable income. During periods of economic recession and decreasing income of people, consumers cut their spending by delaying purchases or substituting brands’ products with lower level products. This is heavily influenced by the unemployment rate and general economic growth. In the periods of strong economic activity people’s disposable income increase, and vice versa. Threat of substitutes Furniture has been used for thousands of years and built mostly of wood. There is little evidence indicating that wood furniture will be totally replaced by some other material in the foreseeable future. In the industry of furniture manufacture probability of substitutes is almost impossible. Current global trends have a favorable influence on increase in demand for furniture, due to ever faster obsolescence and shorter furniture lifetime, i. . due to frequent changes in design and manufacture technology. Possible threat of trend changes exists, i. e. furniture made from other materials than wood, that is, various metals, plastics and glass. However, despite the reduction of wood in furniture manufacture in the past years, wood is expected to stay one of the most important raw materials for furniture manufacture, because of its advantages when compared with oth er materials. Question: What are the driving forces and the key success factors in the industry? Answer: Having contacts within key markets: It is preferable that manufacturers have established links with a number of customers, including wholesalers, contractors and retail outlets, rather than having one or two that account for the majority of their business. Guaranteed supply of key inputs: Established links with key suppliers enable a steady flow of key inputs and price locks, which may provide cost savings for bulk purchases. Flexible production processes: Furniture items are often custom-made. Producers must be able to adjust products to suit individual requirements. Adapting to changing customer preferences: Goods produced should reflect current trends favored by consumers in order to remain competitive. Highly trained workforce: Staff is required to assemble office furniture efficiently and provide quality workmanship. Question: How have the company’s values shaped its strategy and approach to strategy execution? Provide illustrations of how these values are reflected in company policies. Answer: Question: What is Miller’s strategy? Which of the five generic competitive strategies most closely fit the competitive approach that Miller is taking? What type of competitive advantage is Miller trying to achieve? Answer: They focus on a growth strategy, through innovative products and production processes. Reinvention and renewal. They survived the Great Depression and multiple recessions, recovered from the dot-com bust and were able to continue expanding overseas. They adapted to save the company, by introducing new designs. In 1996, Herman Miller began an aggressive drive to reinvent its operations and established a fruitful relationship with the Toyota Supplier Support Center. Unique to the office furniture industry, the relationship enabled the company to adopt and implement world-class, lean manufacturing processes based on the Toyota Production System principles. Through the Herman Miller Production System (HMPS), the company dramatically reduced manufacturing square footage and inventories, cut lead times for standard product from 8 weeks Question: What is your overall appraisal of Miller’s financial performance? Answer: