Blood Brothers Essay

You are the director of a new production of blood brothers. Give advice to the actors playing the roles of Eddie and Mickey about how to tackle the age changes. You must comment on at least two scenes in detail. If you have seen a production of Blood Brothers you may also refer to this. In the scene when you both meet for the first time you must consider your body language. You must consider how an eight year old would walk and stand. An eight year old would have fewer worries than someone who is older than them so they would walk not really paying much attention to what is around them. You would also have to think how someone who is better off would walk compared to someone who is from a less well off background. You have got to consider how to use the tone of your voice. At first they were a bit shy. But after they first met you would have to consider how an eight year old would not be shy so they would say anything so say your lines so the audience have no clue to what you will say next. Another important factor to consider is the way you deliver your lines. You should deliver your lines in a free flowing way. When they are swearing you should not feel like people might be offended. In the scene when you Mickey and Eddie meet for the first time after they have both moved to the country you should pay attention to your body language. This time Eddie and Mickey are both 16 – 17 years olds. So you have to think about how a 16 – 17 year old would act. A 16 – 17 year old would have more problems than a person of 8 years old but still not as many as an older person. You still have to consider how a person who is better off would act compared to a person from the ghetto. Again you would have to consider the tone of your voice. You would expect a teenager to swear more and they may speak with a slight mumble. Again you should consider the way you deliver your lines. In the scene when Mickey is trying to kill Eddie you should again pay attention to your body language. This time Eddie and Mickey are both in they’re thirty’s. Mickey is depressed and he has a lot of problems an example of which was that he was put in jail for his brother shooting someone. While Eddie on the other hand has few, because he has a successful business. Mickey has just realised that Eddie is seeing his girlfriend Linda. When Mickey is pointing the gun at Eddie, Eddie has to act scared because he fears for his life. Mickey is holding the gun so that he feels in control instead of having Eddie control his life. Mickey has to act confused because Eddie made his life; he gave him a job and a nice home. You again have to consider the tone of your voice. Mickey should say his lines in a sort of stuttery way. Eddie should deliver his lines in a scared voice, while Mickey should deliver his lines in a scared and confused way.

New Heritage Doll Company: Business Overview

Index Executive summery†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦1 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Case analysis Match My Doll Clothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Design Your Own Doll†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Comparison†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Additional Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Appendix Appendix 1: calculation formulas, definitions and assumptions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Appendix 2: Exhibit 1 & 2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9Appendix 3: The NPV Profile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Executive Summary The production division at New Heritage Doll Company is considering between two business proposals to recommend at the firm’s upcoming capital budget meeting in October. In order to prioritize between the two projects, we needed to analyze both companies, quantitatively and qualitatively, to determine which proposal better suits NHDC’s goals. Using a qualitative analysis, we analyzed both Match My Doll clothing line and compared it to the Design Your Own Doll proposal.We found, after comparing the strengths and weaknesses of both proposals, that MMDC’s business case is more compelling. We then analyzed the financial aspect of both projects using the financial information given in the exhibit. In order to complete this analysis we began with a profitability analysis. First we computed the NPV, IRR and the profitability index in order to determine which of the projects would be more profitable. We found that although DYOD’s NPV was slightly higher, MMDC’s ratio’s seemed more compelling. We then moved on to a risk analysis, in order to compare the riskiness of the two projects.We found that not only is MMDC’s risk lower than that of DYOD, but its payback period was approximately 30% lower as well. Based on these analyses, we recommend that the company should choose the Match My Doll Clothing line expansion proposal. Introduction In this case study, two business proposals from the Production division of the New Heritage Doll Company (NHDC) are being considered for submission at the capital budgeting committee meetin g which makes decisions at the corporate level for all large spending proposals.The first proposal is to extend the company’s Match My Doll Clothing line, and the second is to develop a new Design Your Own Doll product. Emily Harris, vice president of NHDC’s production division, is weighing the two proposals. Due to constraints on financial and managerial resources, it is possible that the committee will decline to approve both projects as other divisions of the company such as licensing and retail are also presenting projects that may prove more attractive to the committee. Harris has to be prepared to recommend only one of the projects.In order to evaluate which of the projects Emily should promote, we look at the criteria of the committee. They will examine the proposed project for consistency with the company’s overall business strategy and they will see if the project balances the needs and priorities of each division against the practical, financial, and o rganizational constraints of the company. The committee will evaluate whether the proposed project will strengthen the entire company, not just the particular division. We would try to evaluate which of the proposals based on the projects' qualitative and quantitative analysis.We have used in our analysis both the figures that were supplied by the line managers, and further information that seem relevant from online researches we had conducted. Match My Doll Clothing This investment proposal is the expansion of the Match My Doll Clothing line (MMDC), an existing clothing line of matching doll and child clothing and accessories. The original line was a success, due to the strong identification that girls feel with their NH dolls. Due to the growing popularity of the line the line’s manager believe that the timing is right for expansion.The original line selected several items of New Heritage dolls’ fashions and produced identical items in girl’s sizes. However, t he number of items was limited. The proposed expansion would create an â€Å"All Seasons Collection† of apparel and gear covering all four season of the year. It would expand the number of matching doll and girl clothing items available One of the benefits of expanding the MMDC’ line is that the line has already demonstrated the commercial viability of the matching doll and child clothing model. The concept has a proven track record and now the company has only to further build on this successful model.Furthermore, the recent positive publicity engendered by the celebrity sightings, will create an even greater demand for the product, and will allow for the maintenance of premium pricing. We believe that the expanded line will be at least as profitable as the existing line. Another strength this project possesses is the project’s moderate risk , which is almost identical to that of MMDC’s existing business line. One of our concerns regarding the expansion of MMDC’s clothing line is the company’s inexperience within the clothing industry. NHDC will have to compete outside its current niche of dolls and accessories.The fickle nature of children’s fashion trends requires that the management keep up with current market trends, in order to maintain its premium pricing. Another concern we think is important to address is the expected lifetime of the project. Based on the risk that the company would not be able to stay up to date with the current trends and fashion we think that the life span of the projected CF may be somewhat optimistic, and might not reflect correctly the characters of this project. However, we do believe that for the sake of comparison this projection should be kept.Another concern that arises from the unexpectedness of children’s fashion trends is that the company may be faced with a very limited time frame in which it can make profitable investment decisions. One of the opportunities that a rise with the current proposal is the reduction in the seasonality of the company’s sales and earnings. The new line created an additional benefit of supplying clothing all year round, which in turn could provide the firm with a more stable revenue stream. By taking advantage of the â€Å"off peak discount† offered by some suppliers and anufacturers, the line manager expected to reduce the company’s seasonality which would create a more stable revenue stream for the firm. A threat which attributed to this proposal is its reliance on supposed discounts offered by suppliers and manufacturers. The failure of obtaining these discounts can cause an increase in costs, resulting in lower profitability. Capital expenditures in 2010 are predicted to be high since the project is during its first year of operation . In the following year they are still relatively high, but this can still be explained by it still being the beginning years of operation. 012-2013 have the low est Capital expenditure of all projected years; this could be explained by the high growth in revenues . It is important to note that these years are considered â€Å"day one†- since the product is new in the market, the market should embrace the product first and the depreciation is still on the lower numbers. From 2014 and onward, we see an increase in the firm’s Capital expenditure coupled with a constant growth . This might be due to maintaining the operation scope and compensating for the growth in depreciation (During year 2015 and onward). Design Your Own DollThe Design Your Own Doll (DYOD) project sets out to make dolls products more personal to customers, by creating dolls that can be designed to look like their owners. The new project was targeted to both new customers and loyal customers, who may already own a number of dolls, but are looking to add a unique addition to their collection. The strategy behind the project is that by becoming an active part of t he creation of the dolls the customers will become more loyal customers. The whole creation and participation will take part in a new section of New Heritage's website.We believes that because of all the new features, the experience and the uniqueness in this product, the customers would be willing to pay premium price. The fact that this project is web-based also enlarge the accessibility for customers, and by that enabling people that have hard time to approach an actual store to still purchase the company's product. On the other hand, there is a risk that the premium price, as discussed earlier, might narrow the audience since it approach higher socio economic level people. Due to the projects' unique the initial investing costs are higher, but so does the expected return .As a product which is â€Å"one of a kind† (â€Å"OOAK†), the production costs are going to be higher than usual (in particular fixed costs on a per unit basis, which come from low production runs and volume ), meaning that the payback period would be high. In addition, there are untested elements that need to be put into the manufacturing process, a risk that might cause future unexpected expenses. This project is considered to be a high risk project, due to the fact that it is completely new and contains (as mentioned) high costs of production.The initial equipment costs high (comparing to MMDC and) the time for it to be ready for production is going to be two years instead of 1 year in the MMDC proposal. Moreover, there is more equipment that shall be installed by the end of 2014 and that's why in the forecasts of DYOD (exhibit 2) there is a very high spike in the capital expenditures line. The good thing in purchasing this kind equipment is the option to pay custom equipment quarterly, so New Heritage can decide to pay everything in front, so it can get a sustainable discount.The projections for this project are based upon a near-flawless operation. Since this project wa s not tested and there is no experience with it, this may add to the riskiness of the project. New Heritage's website should be developed with the new software, which will take a year to write and test before starting with the sales. This is an explanation for the high initial R&D costs . Financial Comparison Net Present Value In order to evaluate both of the projects, we used the projections for MMDC and DYOD and calculated MMDC’s NPV to be slightly lower than that of DYOD.Our projections show that MMDC’s NPV is $7,150,070 , while DYOD’s is $7,298,100 . Due to the relatively small difference between the NPV’s we found, we believe that we should consider putting more emphasis on alternative factors when coming to a final decision. IRR Although we observed rather similar NPV’s, the two projects’ IRR are very different. Despite the slightly lower NPV, MMDC has an IRR of approximately 24%, compared to the 18% IRR of DYOD. This substantial diffe rence we’ve found can be explained by the significantly lower initial spending on capital by MMDC . Profitability indexUsing the Profitability index (PI) allows us to quantify the amount of value each project makes for every dollar invested. We calculated the Profitability ratios for both projects and found MMDC PI to be 2. 367, compared to 1. 17 of DYOD. After analyzing these results, it would seem that MMDC would generate a higher return on their investment. Risk analysis For MMDC, we took on the recommended moderate risk rate of 8. 4%. Based it is an already existing line that has no need for consumer acceptance, in addition to its proven ability to maintain premium prices, we decided that it was a logical assumption.For the DYOD, we assumed a high risk rate of 9%. After considering multiple factors, such as DYOD’s lengthy payback period , relatively high fixed costs and the use of new untested elements in the manufacturing process, a high discount rate is appropria te. Given these assumptions, we can see that MMDC is less risky than DYOD. Furthermore, we analyzed the NPV Profile and found that MMDC’s NPV is less sensitive to increases in the discount rate than DYOD. Another relevant figure we examined is the projects’ payback periods, which calculates the amount of time until a project’s initial investment is returned.According to our calculations, MMDC’s payback period is lower than that of DYOD . While MMDC will recuperate their initial investment in slightly over 7 years, it will take DYOD over 10 years to return their initial investment. Since the Payback period we calculated doesn’t take into account the time value of money, we calculated the Discounted Payback Period, and confirmed that here too, MMDC is faster at recuperating its initial investment . Profit Margin The average profit margin for the MMDC is 14. 9%, while for the DYOD it is 12. 55%. This suggests that MMDC is a more profitable company, an d may have better control over its costs than DYOD. Acid Test The result for the MMDC is 2. 43, while the result for DYOD is 2. 72. The significant of this is relating to the â€Å"worst case scenario† – what if the project would fail and the firm will need to get rid of it. Internal growth rate Even though we don't know how much of New Heritage's NI goes to dividends, we know that in both of the cases it will be the same and it would be

Argument synthesis and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Argument synthesis and analysis - Essay Example Makey Makey in a way demystified the computer. The hardware and engineering of a computer used to be intimidating that we thought it requires a high degree of understanding electronics and engineering and Makey Makey showed that it does not necessarily need to be so. One can make his or her pet a mouse or replace the keyboard with a banana. This innovation can in fact enable anyone to make his or her own customize computer depending on the application of their preference. If people chose to, they can now make a piano with bananas or stairs as their keyboard. This invention is already proven in the market and its application is clearly illustrated in the clip. Its claim to replace computer’s input devices such as keyboard and mouse can be done through the use of Arduino although Makey Makey can run through it without understanding what Arduino is. The technology behind Makey Makey is through a â€Å"printed circuit board with an  ATMega32u4 microcontroller running Arduino Leonardo bootloader. It uses the Human Interface Device (HID) protocol to communicate with your computer, and it can send keypresses, mouse clicks, and mouse movements† (Silver). This explains why a banana or a stairs can be used as a keyboard or piano because it replaces the keyboard and mouse with any object through the Human Interface Device (HID) protocol to communicate with your computer. It is done through the alligator pin where the object suddenly becomes a Human Interface Device. The technology behind also to make it responsive to human skin including animals, leaves, it used With regard to the use high resistance switching   with a â€Å"pull-up resistor of 10-50 mega ohms. This technique attracts noise on the input, so we use a moving window averager to lowpass the noise in software, saving money on hardware filtering. There are six inputs on the front of the board, which can be

Governmental Market Intervention Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Governmental Market Intervention - Research Paper Example The first of these which will be discussed is that of those individuals and economists that believe that any level of governmental market intervention is a net negative to the economic efficiency. This particular approach relies heavily upon the concept of deadweight loss and the loss of corresponding efficiency that is lost when the natural dynamics of supply and demand are changed according to governmental regulation/intervention. This deadweight loss represents an ultimately loss of efficiency which in turn reduces the total rewards that both the supplier and his/her component parts as well as the consumers will be able to experience within the given situation (Grawe, 2007). One of the most prominent economists that espoused such a point of view is of course Adam Smith; considered by many to be one of the most important figures in establishing a modern understanding of economics. The strength of this particular approach is the fact that it is verifiable on even the most basic of s upply and demand curves. Conversely, the greatest weakness that such an approach exhibits is the fact that it is wholly unable to account for the needs of economically at risk individuals and families that could be operating upon the very margin of society at any given time.Conversely, those that believe that government intervention can represent a net positive for the economy and society espouse the belief that the a certain degree the price ceilings and/or minimum wages that the government can regulate. The basic evidence that those who espouse such a point of view point to is the fact that it is able to regulate an otherwise cut throat environment and more appropriately bring it in line with the needs of a society that cannot be understood by simple representation of supply and demand curves (Popp et al, 2011). One of the most advocates of this particular school of thought is John Maynard Keynes; the founder of the Keynesian school of economics which has dominated the nation†™s understanding of economic concepts for over the past half century. The disadvantage of such a system is the fact that the loss of efficiency to both parties is measurable to even the most basic of economists (Pinotti, 2011). Conversely, one of the most powerful benefits of such an approach is the fact that it is one of the only economic interpretations that seeks to provide a level of social understanding to the hard and â€Å"dismal science† of providing for unlimited wants with limited resources (Boettke, 2012). Although there is probably no absolutely right or wrong approach as a function of the two which have thus far been elaborated upon,

Keynesian Aggregate Expenditure Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Keynesian Aggregate Expenditure Model - Essay Example Some aspects of the aggregate demand tend to be stable and alter at a slow pace at any time (Pass & Lowes 8). Other aspects of aggregate demand like Investment expenditure tend to be volatile and change at a short notice, thereby influencing the level of economic activity in a country (Pass & Lowes 8). It is the level of interaction of the aggregate demand with aggregate supply in an economy that determines the equilibrium level of national income (Pass & Lowes 8). A government can resort to fiscal and monetary measures to regulate the aggregate demand in a country to tackle problems like unemployment and inflation. These fiscal and monetary measures may include making investments in large public projects, increasing government spending and purchases, lowering the tax rates, extending loans and lowering interest rates. Increased government spending gives way to the multiplier effect as per which a little increase in the rate of spending results in a more than proportionate rise in th e national income (Pass & Lowes 366). The logic behind the multiplier effect is that though the increase in the rate of spending is small, the multiple numbers of transactions owing to that increase stimulate the economy (Pass & Lowes 366).

A jornal opinion article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A jornal opinion article - Essay Example The country’s exports also fell, considerably, due to slow-down of economies in countries like China and Euro zone nations. According to the article, the corporate decision makers are delaying their investment plans, as they have their own apprehensions on Federal Budget Policies and forthcoming US elections. These factors, among others are reasons for delaying the investment decisions by those responsible for corporate spending. As they are delaying the implementation of big projects, partly due to slow demand, world-wide, the big businesses are looking forward to government action on issues involving ‘tax cuts’ and ‘fiscal deficit’. During the meeting with President Obama, top executives of leading companies, including Apple and JP Morgan Chase agreed to work together for betterment of investment climate in the country. As the article date is 19 Nov 2012, it informs the readers that the spending by major corporate businesses was excellent during the whole year, except the recent months when it slowed down considerably. This was supported by the figures quoted in the article, which showed that S&P’s listed 500 stock index companies spent around $ 580 billion on the purchase of plant and equipment for business expansion. However, the reversal in the capital expenditure plans, during the third quarter of 2012 was a sign of worry for the future, although the current scenario presented in the article was not that gloomy. The slow down was due to lower fuel prices, higher job opportunities and better housing market. The article has held the global slowdown responsible for the reversal of investment plans in third quarter of 2012. Giving an example of reducing demand of coal and other minerals in China, the article informs that the result of this has been reduced orders for earth moving and other heavy equipment for American giant ‘Caterpillar Inc.’. Other areas of concern provided by

Oedipus the king Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oedipus the king - Essay Example It will also be argued in the essay that on many occasions in the tragedy, Oedipus and other characters make such comments which for them apply to some facts known to them but which in reality apply to a broad range of obscure yet critically important havoc-wreaking facts which they are not familiar with. Also, the status of women in Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King has been frequently debated among the critics and the growing integration of feminist criticism into critical analysis of drama and theatre reveals that women have nearly always been perpetually portrayed in an inferior way by the authors. Gender discrimination forms a patent factor in many classical masterpieces and almost every time women are shown inferior to men in some way. In ancient Greek times, women had no role because it was thought they had no brains. The Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, likewise, illuminates the inferiority of women to men and shows that inferiority of women to men dates back to 4th century B.C. The literary analysis will also contemplate the extent to which women are portrayed inferiorly in Oedipus Rex. Literary research claims that the repeated use of irony in Oedipus Rex basically highlights the intention of Sophocles to identify how limited human understanding can lead one to appalling and torturous consequences like the ones experienced by Oedipus himself. Irony definitely serves as an important tool for the author to develop a kind of plot which has a very unexpected ending (Woidke). The tale of Oedipus Rex contains many examples of irony like in the case of Oedipus Rex when he in the beginning unknowinlgy commits murder of his father and marries his mother. Later towards the end, he uses needles to gorge his eyes out as all the facts once unknown to him are at last revealed in an extremely tragic way. Irony in the story identifies how sometimes gross misunderstandings are created when people are not fully familiar with all the facts either due to fate or by personal mistake. One striking example of irony in Oedipus the King is evident from the event when Oedipus upon learning from Creon that the city of Thebes was exposed to plague because former King Laius's killer was still alive and the plague would not go away unless the killer be killed or exiled from Thebes, decides to reach Teiresias who is in fact the oracle of God Apollo. Now the irony is that while the audience is familiar with who actually murdered Laius and why the plague persisted in Thebes, Oedipus is sadly ignorant of this blood-curdling reality. This ignorance leads him to Teiresias to investigate into the matters. The dialogue of Teiresias reflects another example of irony. Though he knew the hidden secret of Oedipus’ parentage, he hesitated to voice his verdict in front of the crowd but the king made him speak up forcefully upon which, Teiresias revealed that Oedipus himself was Laius's murderer and his mother Jocasta's second husband. Having listened this, Oedipus got violent and told Teiresias that he was â€Å"blind in mind and ears/as well as in your eyes† to which he replied, â€Å"You are a poor wretch to taunt me with the very insults which everyone will soon heap upon yourself† (Sophocles and Grene). Irony is evident in this exchange of remarks

One of the Major EA Frameworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

One of the Major EA Frameworks - Essay Example to the Zachman Framework is that the same composite issue or item can be explained for diverse reasons in diverse ways using diverse types of descriptions. These descriptions can be for instance textual or graphical (Goldberg, 2008). The Zachman Framework gives the thirty six essential categories for wholly describing everything; especially complex issues such as manufactured products like appliances, constructed structures like buildings and enterprises like the associations and all of its technologies, people and goals. The framework gives six diverse transformations of a theoretical thought, not growing in factors, but transforming from six diverse views. It permits diverse individuals to look at similar issues from diverse views. This sets a holistic perspective of the atmosphere, a vital capability illustrated in the framework design (Goldberg, 2008). In 2001, the Zachman Framework was employed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). The required methodology in all aspects of the VA enterprises varied from data, business processes, location, technical, personnel and perspective requirements. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Department of Veterans Affairs planned to execute an architectural project fully based on the Zachman Framework. In 2001, this Framework was used as a reference replica to commence the enterprise architectural planning. Somewhere in between, the Veterans Affair Zachman Framework Portal was created. In addition, the Veterans Affair Framework Portal is still in use as a reference replica for instance in the determination of EA information collected from various businesses and project source documents (Donald 2008). The Zachman Framework has vastly been used as a means of providing structures for Information... This paper researches on Zachman Framework and explains its strengths and weaknesses. The researcher of this essay also includes the framework’s purpose, scope, principles, and the kinds of structures it uses, as appropriate to the framework. The essay also aims to include at least two examples of organizations that have used the framework and briefly discuss them. Views give the mechanism of obtaining information concerning the relationships that are vital in the architecture. Methods state the individuals who organize and gather information. They build the views in a means that helps guarantee the accuracy, integrity and completeness. Experience and training sustains the application of tools and use of varying methods. The Zachman Framework is an EA framework for enterprise architecture. It provides an official and greatly planned way of presenting and defining an enterprise. It has two dimensional sorting matrix based on the connection of six communication phrases. These ph rases are what, why, when, where, how and who with six rows with an agreement to rectify changes. The Zachman Framework is not a methodology. This is because it does not entail any specified process or method of collection, management, or using the data that it explains. This framework is named after its designer John Zachman, who developed the impression in the 80s at IBM. By applying the Zachman Framework to Service Oriented Architecture, the SO architect creates a framework for accepting the connection among the diverse elements of a successful SOA.

Historical Development of Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Historical Development of Policing - Essay Example American officers conveyed weapons and has been under summon of politically named neighborhood area skippers. Remiss order prompted plenteous union. Significantly, police work has crucially grown from what it was hundreds of years prior. Nowadays, casual foundations of socialization and social control, such as the family, schools, and the congregation, diminished in viability, police turned out to be progressively vital (Schaible & Gecas, 2010). Policing in a free society is not a simple assignment. The discussion in the middle of opportunity and protection from one perspective and social control and disorder on the other is likely a standout amongst the most troublesome issues that face a socialized society. It is important to point out a number of challenges the police officers are bound to face at work. Essentially, police work keeps on being required for upkeep of proper order, and considerably even more so in present day society in view of the nations differences. Yet, not everyone preferences the work of police and their officers. People often see them even from a pessimistic standpoint times and they are used to such a situation (Schaible & Gecas, 2010). In any case, it causes police officers to feel the need to watch out so that someone cannot take a swing, punch, kick, or hit them with anything. Another thing that is a great challenge of a policing job is issues connected with health, both physical and mental. Employment issues supercede family matters, which regularly has extreme outcomes, as the police officer thinks about saving people in danger firsthand, even before thinking about own health and the wellbeing of the family. Huge anxiety can be caused by the way police officers work - shifts. Officers encounter a sort of plane slack with continually evolving movements. The human body takes roughly one full 24-hour day to conform to each hour of time change (Sanders, 2003).

The roles of bias, Context, and the researcher in Qualitative Research Assignment

The roles of bias, Context, and the researcher in Qualitative Research - Assignment Example Ensuring the integrity of the research data is one of the primary priorities of every researcher. Consequently as a researcher carries out a qualitative research undertaking, it is important to understand the potential impacts of external factors such as environment, context, personal bias as well as the role of the researcher on the integrity of the research data. For example, in a qualitative research, bias often the reliability, validity of the findings by distorting the truth or skewing the collected qualitative data. On the other hand, the researcher is also considered an important instrument in a qualitative research and some of the roles of a researcher include gathering data as well as interacting and collaborating with the participants in the research (Brown, 1996). This paper describes the results of my personal observation of a photograph in correlation to the roles of context, bias and the research during a qualitative research study. Description of the results The results of my observation suggested that the photo requires a qualitative analysis to capture all the required qualitative data and any non-numerical information that a company can use in performance analysis. The use of qualitative data to support businesses in decision-making provides a business with the detailed picture of the performance of individuals. The use of qualitative research by Health Plus creates openness in the organization (Creswell, 1994).

Army Values Essay Example for Free

Army Values Essay I am writing an RBI on Respect and Disrespect. Respect is one of the seven army values. It is the third army value. AS an NCO I should live up to all army values at a standard higher then soldiers. The first army value is Loyalty means to bear true faith and allegiance to the U. S. constitution, the Army, and other soldiers. To be loyal to the nation and its heritage. I seen boxes on the side of the road, I did not think and took them. I was not loyal to me fellow soldiers that where in need of the boxes. By wearing the uniform you are expressing your loyalty an by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit. I did not do by share by helping the storm victims. The second army value is Duty it means to fulfill your obligations. Accept responsibility for your own actions and those entrusted to your care. Find opportunities to improve oneself for the good of the group. I accept my responsibility for taking the boxes. I know I was wrong and may have cause a family to not have the means to move their belonging because I was only thinking of myself. The third army value is Respect means to rely upon the golden rule. Do unto other as you would have them do unto you. It also means how we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization. When I took the boxes I did not treat the soldiers that lost belongings as I would have like to be treated. If what happen to them happen to me I would have thought the world was coming to an end. The decision I made shown that I had respect for them, myself or the military. My actions were disrespectfully to my unit and the military. The actions that I took that day will not happen again. I will think of others before I think of myself. Webster defines respect as an act of giving particular attention and consideration. I did not consider the wellbeing of the people that was affected by the storm or how others would view my actions. I know that I failed my soldiers and all the people that were affected by the storm. The fourth army value is selfless service it means to put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service leads to organizational teamwork and encompasses discipline, self-control and faith in the system. I did not follow the fourth army value. I did put the needs of the storm victims before my needs. I must always that of others before I think of myself. The fifth army value is honor it means to live to all the Army values. I did not live up to any of the army values and I have failed as a NCO. The sixth army value is Integrity it means to do what is right, legally and morally. Be willing to do what is right even when no one is looking. It is our moral compass an inner voice. I did not do what was morally right. My actions caused others to call my integrity into play. Soldiers now believe that I want do things that are right, because I did something wrong. Now I need to show soldiers that I do have integrity. The last army value is personal courage it means how we use our ability to face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral courage. I have no personal courage. I would not have been able to move on if I lost what the soldiers lost in the storm. I know now what the army values are and understand how I did not act as a soldier or an NCO. I should live by the army values when I am in uniform and when I am not in uniform. I army values should be used when make all decision military and personal.

Genetically Modified Food And Crops Biology Essay

Genetically Modified Food And Crops Biology Essay Genetic modification of crops and food stuffs is one of the major controversial debates in the world. There have been doubts on the safety of genetically modified foods especially in the area of human health and environmental degradation. Many people have fears that their health could experience unforeseeable effects by altering the genetic content of a plant. Genetic modification might have resulted to the growing of pesticide and herbicide tolerant plants but the new technology has dangerous effects on human health and the environment. Genetic modification of crops has led to reduced effectiveness of herbicides and pesticides, transfer of genes to species that are not targeted, and has caused harm to important organisms. It has also caused allergies to most people in different parts of the world and raised economic concerns. Though the supporters of the new technology argue that it has led to increased crop yields and alleviation of nutrition deficiencies, genetic modification has obviously caused more harm than good. Introduction Genetically modified foods have been used widely in the 21st century and have splashed in the media lately. Public awareness groups and European environmental agencies have been frequently protesting against genetically modified foods and crops for years, and the latest controversial studies regarding the effects of GM corn pollen on sovereign butterfly caterpillars have prompted the issue of genetic engineering hence bringing it to the front position of public awareness in the United States. As a result, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has held three public meetings in Washington D.C., Oakland, California, and Chicago to importune opinions by the public and start the procedure of establishing an effective regulatory method for government sanction of genetically modified foods. GM foods have resulted to adverse effects especially in regard to environmental hazard, human health risk, and economic concerns. In respect to this, the government should discourage the g rowing of genetically modified crops and establish policies that ensure GM foods and crops are labelled (Institute of Medicine U.S. Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health 23) Literature Review Genetically modified foods and crops refer to plants scientifically created for animal or human consumption using the most recent molecular biology techniques. Basically, these crops are modified in the laboratory to improve nutritional content. Traditionally, enhancement of plants nutritional content was achieved through breeding but such conventional crop breeding methods proved to be time consuming and not quite reliable in terms of accuracy (Ferry and Gatehouse 59). On the other hand, genetic engineering creates crops that rapidly exhibit the exact desired traits with great accuracy. For instance, its possible for a plant geneticist to cut off a drought tolerance gene and insert it to a different plant. Consequently, the genetically-modified plant will become drought tolerant after acquiring the essential gene. Surprisingly, its also possible to transfer non-plant organisms besides the plant-to-plant gene transfer. The Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis, genes transfer to crops such as corn is a good example of non-plant organisms genes transfer. Bt is a bacterium that occurs naturally and produces insect larvae lethal protein crystals. Moreover, the Bt protein genes are transferred into corn, making it possible for the corn to generate pesticides of its own for instance the European corn borer (Ferry and Gatehouse 60). Pesticide resistant rape plant is on of the genetically modified crops. Scientific researchers have introduced a foreign gene to the rape plant which gives the plant the capability to resist certain pesticides. Consequently, a farmer is able to safely spray his genetically engineered rape plants with pesticides and destroying harmful pests without killing the crops. However, there is a possibility that the introduced genes may be transferred to the pests hence making them resistant to the pesticide as well and the plant spray becomes ineffective (Institute of Medicine U.S. Committee o n Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health 24). In this context, its possible for rape plants to pollinate the navew weed which occurs in rape crop fields. The navew weed acquires resistance to pesticides after gaining the introduced genes from the rape plants. Another example of GM crop is the golden rice which has been genetically engineered to increase its nutrition content by introducing an extra amount of vitamin A. More precisely, golden rice contains the beta-carotene element which is converted into vitamin A by the human body. Beta-carotene is the element responsible for the orange colour found in carrots and the golden colour in this particular rice. However, for the rice to produce beta-carotene, two genes from daffodils and one from bacterium must be implanted (Ferry Gatehouse 60). Methodology The study on genetically-modified crops/foods is very important and adequate information is required to determine the possible downfalls of the new technology. Books by reputable authors will be used to gather sufficient information on the topic. Additionally, relevant articles touching on the current progress of the new technology will also be used to realize recent discoveries. Discussion Natural breeding techniques have been used safely for the past numerous thousands of years. On the contrary, Genetically modified plant technology abrogates reproductive processes that occur naturally, selection takes place at the single cell stage, the process is extremely mutagenic and more often than not breaches genera barriers even after being in use for about ten years. In spite of these differences, the assessment on the safety of genetically modified crops is often based on the substantial equivalence idea such that In case a new crop or food is found to be considerably equivalent in nutritional and composition characteristics to an already existing crop/food, it may be regarded as harmless as the conventional food/crop (Gordon 144). Nevertheless, a number of animal studies designate serious health risks linked to GM crop/food consumption including dysregulation of genes related to synthesis of cholesterol, accelerated aging, and protein formation. Religious organizations, Environmental activists, professional organizations, public interest groups, and other government and scientist officials have raised their concerns about genetically modified foods/crops. Agribusiness pursues profits showing minimal concern for possible environmental and human health hazards as well as economic concerns. Environmental hazards Reduced pesticide and insecticide effectiveness; most insects and pests are likely to develop resistance to Bt just like some mosquito species have developed resistance to DDT pesticide which has already been banned from the market. In addition, there is a possibility that insects and pests may develop resistance to pesticides produced by genetically-modified crops. This will eventually lead to destruction of large amounts of crops both in the field and in the store. Harm to other organisms: In reference to a laboratory study published last year, 2009, pollen from Bacillus thuringiensis corn caused a high rate of deaths in monarch butterfly caterpillars. These caterpillars do not consume corn but milkweed plants, but there is a possibility that pollen from Bt may be blown by wind onto the neighbouring milkweed field and hence the caterpillars will consume them and die. Even though the study wasnt conducted on natural field, the results are likely to support this viewpoint. Unfortunately, Bacillus thuringiensis toxins indiscriminately kill many insect larvae species, its impossible to produce a Bt toxin that only kills pests that are crop-damaging and remain safe to other insects (Heller 227). However, this study is under re-examination by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA, and other non-governmental research agencies. Interestingly enough, data from recent studies suggests that data from the original study may not have been accurate. Currently, the debate on the results of these studies is still on-going, and the possible risk of harm to organisms that are not targets will need further evaluation (Institute of Medicine U.S. Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health 50). Gene transfer to non-target species: Another major concern is that crops modified for herbicide tolerance and field weeds might cross-breed, hence leading to the transfer of the resistance genes from plant crops into the adjacent weeds. The resulting weeds will be super and are more likely to become tolerant to the herbicide as well. Other new genes may cross into non-engineered plant crops adjacent to GM crops. The interbreeding possibility is shown by the farmers defence against labelling of GM foods. A good example is the Monsanto case, where the company has filed exclusive rights intrusion lawsuits against GM crops farmers (Gordon 144). The only possible ways through which GM crop farmers can resolve these environmental hazards is by creating male sterile plants. This will ensure that non-target species do not receive new genes from GM crops. On the other hand, the farmers can modify the GM crops in a way that the pollen doesnt consist of the introduced genes. Consequently, there would be no possibility of cross-pollination and harmless insects would survive after consuming pollen from GM crops (Ferry and Gatehouse 121). Another probable solution will be creating buffer zones around GM crop fields. For instance, non-GM corn can be cultivated to surround a Bt. GM corn field, although the non-GM corn should not be harvested. Harmless or beneficial insects would take refuge in the non-GM corn, and pests can be allowed to wipe out the non-GM corn field without developing resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis pesticides. The wind-blown pollen will not cross over to weeds or other crops since the buffer zone wouldnt let it. Nonetheless, this planting method maybe unpractical if large buffer zone acreage is required (Ferry and Gatehouse 150). Human health risks Allergenicity: Allergy emergence is one of the most common human health threat posed by genetically modified foods (Puszta 2001). In the event of genetic modification, a protein with allergic effects could be transferred to a different crop. Additionally, allergic effects could be exacerbated through the biotechnology process, and new proteins that become allergens could be created in GM crops. For example, lots of children and grown-ups in Europe and the United States have developed allergies that are life-threatening to foods such as peanuts. There is likelihood that plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A good example is the Brazil nut-to-beans genes transfer proposal that was rejected because of its possible allergic reactions. However, GM foods may require extensive testing in order to avoid possible consumer harm through allergies (Gordon 144). Unknown effects on human health: Transferring or introducing alien genes into food crops may result to unexpected negative effects on human health. An article recently published in Lancet scrutinized the effects of genetically-modified potatoes on the digestive system in rats. This study argued that there were significant differences in the intestines of GM potato fed rats and those of rats fed naturally cultivated potatoes. Until now critics argue that this results, like the monarch butterfly data, is faulty and doesnt hold up to scientific examination. Furthermore, the gene transferred into the potatoes was lectin, a snowdrop flower already known to be poisonous to mammals. The research scientists who produced this variety of potato decided to use lectin gene just to test the methodology, because these potatoes were not intended for animal or human consumption (Gordon 143). Economic concerns Introducing GM foods to market is a costly and lengthy process, and certainly agri-biotech companies aspire to ensure a cost-effective return on their investment. Several new plant genetic-modification technologies and GM crops/foods have been unapproved and patent breach is a great concern of agribusiness. Yet consumer advocates are concerned that patenting the new plant varieties is likely to raise seed prices so high such that small-scale farmers and third world nations will be unable to come up with the money for GM crop seeds, thus increasing the gap between the rich and the poor. People are hoping that in a compassionate gesture, more non-profits and companies will offer their products at a fair cost to poor countries (Ferry and Gatehouse 172). Enforcement of patent may turn-out to be difficult, as the farmers contention that they unwillingly grew Monsanto-modified strains when their crop plants were cross-pollinated. Introducing a suicide gene into GM plants would be an excell ent way of contesting possible patent breach. These crop plants would be feasible for one planting season and would produce seeds that dont germinate since they will be sterile. Farmers would have to purchase a fresh supply of planting seeds yearly. However, this would strain farmers financially especially in third world nations where they cannot afford to purchase seeds every year (Ferry and Gatehouse 173). In contrast, genetic-modified crops have been known to exhibit pest resistance. Insect pests can cause serious crop destruction and loss, hence resulting in distressing financial loss for farmers and prolonged starvation in third world countries. Most farmers buy and use many tons of insecticides and pesticides yearly. Moreover, pesticides can cause potential health hazards and excessive use can contaminate water sources and the environment. Cultivation of genetically-modified crops can eliminate the need for pesticides hence minimizing on costs. However, this method may harm pests that are important for crop growth processes such as pollination. Apart from this, genetically-modified plant crops exhibit herbicide tolerance. Considering that physical weed removal may not be cost-effective for certain crops, farmers are forced to spray large quantities of herbicides to destroy weeds which is expensive and time-consuming. Cultivating plant crops that are genetically-modified to resist a powerful herbicide might help in preventing environmental contamination by minimizing on the herbicides used. Despite the risks involved in genetic-modification of crops/foods, the biotechnology industry continues to claim that genetically-engineered crops can feed the entire world by producing higher crop yields. Nutrition Malnutrition has been reported to be a major problem in developing countries where poor people depend on crops such as rice as their key staple food. Nevertheless, such foods do not contain sufficient amounts of nutrients necessary to prevent malnutrition. If such crops were to be genetically-modified to contain extra minerals and vitamins, deficiencies of nutrients could be alleviated. However, an up to date report by Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed twelve academic studies and indicated that GM foods form a small percentage of the worlds produced food. Bt. corn proved to be the only exception since a high yield in GM corn was reported. As a matter of fact, the report further sated that the significant increase in crop yields was as a result of improvements in trad itional breeding (Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health 101). Conclusion Genetically-modified foods/crops may be the potential solution to many of global malnutrition and hunger problems, and to aid in preserving and protecting the environment by minimizing dependence upon chemical herbicides and pesticides, and increasing crop yield. Nevertheless, there are several challenges ahead for farmers and national governments, particularly in the areas of, international policy, regulation, safety testing, and GM food labelling. Needless to say, genetic-modification is the inevitable future wave and that the society may not afford to ignore this technology though it has several dangers which outweigh its benefits to both the consumer and the farmer. However, members of the society must carry on with caution to avoid causing environmental hazards and unintentional harm to human health as a result of enthusiasm for this new technology. Recommendations Considering that GM foods pose serious health risks in the areas of allergy, reproductive health, metabolic, and immune function, farmers ought to adopt the precautionary principle. This principle is the key European Union environmental regulatory tool and health policy which has formed numerous international agreements. The precautionary approach is to be applied by nations in accordance with their capabilities in protecting the environment. In case of serious threats of irreversible damage, presence of limited scientific certainty should not be utilized as a reason for postponing gainful measures to prevent degradation of the environment. Bearing the precautionary principle in mind, physicians should educate the public, patients, and the medical community to avoid genetically-modified foods if possible and offer educational materials on health risks arising from GM foods. Moreover, the scientific and medical community should gather information related to health effects resulting fr om the consumption of GM foods. This may include conducting research on safe and effective methods of considering GM foods effects on human health. Lastly, implementing long term labelling and safety testing methods of genetically-modified foods/crops will be an important factor.

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges In times of global economic recession, retailers will need to be more vigilant in meeting consumers demands to remain viable in the ever more competitive market. Retail pharmacy in Malaysia are faced with unique set of challenges deriving from historical past and cultural practices to consumers lifestyle changes. Therefore there is a need for retail pharmacy operators to re-evaluate existing marketing plans by means of understanding current market condition and observing future trend. Then recalibrate their marketing plans and strategies to reposition themselves securely in the market. 1.1 Objective The report aims to provide an overview retail pharmacy industry and evaluate factors that propel and restrain the market, government policies, sales trends, potential growth and market outlook. Challenges related to the pharmaceutical retail sector will be outlined and assessed, and insights into marketing plans being deployed to tap into available market opportunities in Malaysia will also be discussed. 1.2 Overview : Retailing in Malaysia Malaysia retailing environment has undergone a continuous and marked change over the years. The nation has been classified by the World Bank as a upper-middle income country with middle-income household making up more than 50% in 2007. Between 2004 and 2005, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, on an average, the urban household spent 1.8 times more than its rural counterparts that is about USD 735 (MYR2,285) monthly and USD 428 (MYR1,301) monthly respectively. By 2015, according to UN data, the urban population is forecasted to account for approximately 76% of the total population (Euromonitor 2010). Retail sales will likely benefit from this. According to Q4 BMI Malaysia Retail Report, it projected that retail sales will increase from USD 43.65 billion (MYR 153.76 billion) in 2010 to USD 71.44 billion (MYR 251.63 billion) by the end of the forecast period. The key factors supporting this forecast is due to low unemployment rate, rising disposable incomes and a strong tourism industry. BMI forecasts Over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical sales to grow from USD 404million in 2010 to USD557million which translates to 38% increase therefore elicit a positive effect on retail pharmacy. 1.2.1 Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Malaysia total healthcare expenditure in 2009 exceeded USD 7 billion Figure 1.0, and is projected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2020. Malaysia ranks fifth among the Asian nations in terms of healthcare expenditure and is projected to grow approximately 13% yearly (Frost Sullivan 2008). Retail pharmacy sector contributes 17% of the total expenditure only due to restrictions pertaining to government policies, profession workforce, and population perception. The retail pharmacy sector can be described using organization size and product/service mix criteria. Sole units are comprised primarily of independent pharmacies, usually owned by pharmacists. Multiple-unit pharmacy organizations, or chains, can be divided into small chain and large chain (e.g. 30 or more units). Besides organization size, the retail pharmacy sector can also be characterized by the product/service mix of the organization. Some traditional categories include, supermarket (e.g. AEON), and, beauty and healthcare stores (e.g. Guardian, Watsons). Pure drug store is virtually non-existent in the Malaysian retail pharmacy sector because pharmaceutical products can be sold and dispensed by medical practitioners as well pharmacists. Consequently, this policy does not encouraged the setting up of pure drug store in Malaysia. Therefore, current retail pharmacies stores usually offer both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical product/services to maintain viable in the market. The major players in the Malaysian retail pharmacy scene are large multinational corporations such as GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd and Watsons Personal Care Store whereas local companies include Caring Pharmacy and Trustz Pharmacy, and a plethora of small independently operated pharmacies Figure 2.0. In 2009, the multinationals, GCHs Guardian and Watsons collectively dominated 54% of the total market share whilst 46% was divided among local retail pharmacies as shown above (Euromonitor 2010). Generally experienced in dealing with large industries, these multinational corporations compared to the domestic counterparts, have the experties in handling processing, packaging, logistics, inventory management etc. In addition, they have the advantages of economies of scale, retailing of in-house brand, increase in market profit and share, and wider discount parameter for retail healthcare products. 2.0 Current Market Status 2.1 External and Internal Factors Influencing Retailers Marketing Strategies The spillover from the subprime mortgage crisis has badly affected the global economies and Malaysias economy has not been spared too. In 2009, retailing current value growth (CVG) showed a decreased compared to 2008 but still at a positive pace (Euromonitor 2010). In 2010, real GDP growth is expected at 5.7% supported by stronger exports. Increased spending by private consumers as a result of improving labour market conditions will soon strengthen domestic demand (Euromonitor 2010). GDP forecast was reevaluated in May 2009 from 4% to 5% (Euromonitor 2010). Though consumer confidence dwindled, spending on health care continues to be a priority within the consumers household as seen in Figure 3.0. Consumers are still willing to spend a little bit more during promotional period or turned to cheaper alternatives such as mid-priced/economical in-house brands or generic medications. Ongoing urbanization trend, higher education levels and better living standards have generated greater interest among consumers regarding self-medication. This further strengthened the importance of retail pharmacy stores as consumers are able to acquire OTC healthcare, nutritional products and prescription drugs from them. Overall trend of the retail pharmacy sector is gearing towards the sales of generics and OTCs. Profit derives from generics is generally higher compared to branded/innovator products (Shafie Hassali 2008). However, sales of non-prescription products such as OTCs, TCMs, vitamins and supplements are still the main contributor to the retail pharmacys revenue at 79%. Having said so, retailers still need to employ different marketing strategies to distinguish themselves from existing competitors and attempt to reposition themselves as market leaders some successful while some struggled. Strategies pertaining to each of the different type of organizations will be further discussed as follow: 2.2 Strategies Employed by Multinational Corporation The multinationals such as Guardian and Watsons have taken a broad spectrum approach by attempting to diversify from traditional dispensing services common to the concept of a pharmacy, into a wider market segments such as general health and beauty care. The retailers responded by engaging in regular promotions and extended sales period to encourage spending and offering a combination of both pharmaceutical services with beauty care. Rapid expansion strategies undertaken by leading chained retailers resulted in a substantial escalation in the chained store numbers in the nation. 2009 saw a slight improvement in the average selling space per outlet of beauty and health specialist retailers especially in larger shopping malls than standalone establishments. Survey has shown that these are the places where the crowd/consumers prefer. Variety in choices/shops and competitive price products are some of the factors that attracts them. Most beauty and health specialist retailers launch their retail chains in Klang Valley. This is largely due to greater purchasing power among urban consumers. Nonetheless, beauty and health specialist retailers are also expanding outside Klang Valley in order to serve the rising population and growing purchasing power of consumers in East Malaysia and secondary states. Launching of budget in-house brand is to cover a wider range of consumer segment. 2.2.1 Guardian : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Hong Kong based Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. It is 78% owned by the Jardine Matheson Group, which is listed on the FTSE Stock Exchange and also listed on the Singapore Straits and Bermuda Stock Exchanges (Euromonitor 2010). In Malaysia, the company is involved in the operation of Guardian pharmacy, Cold Storage supermarket and Giant hypermarket outlets. In 2009, as a result of its aggressive expansion, 20 new Guardian outlets were added, and promotions including daily specials has boosted the companys pharmaceutical market share to 35% Figure 2.0, occupying the largest portion of the retail pharmacy market segment. Guardian retailing format is gradually becoming popular in Malaysia. For instance, Guardian spearheaded the concept of  modern retail pharmacy by providing professional consultation and service by registered pharmacists, plus holistic health and personal care solution. In response to the Malaysian governments support initiatives designed to spur small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, most of Guardian in-house brands are source and manufactured locally. Therefore, it is able to offer quality products at very affordable price targeting at all consumer segments and is expected to continue to source and develop wider products range. Guardian is aggressive in promoting its in-house brand products by advertising and promotions. For instance, Guardian dedicated half a page or full-page advertisements in their in-store brochures or leaflets for their in-house brand products. GCH Retails share of in-house brand products has been growing steadily largely due to developing brand recognition as well as the wider range of items available. External and Internal Analysis (Guardian) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Decentralized marketing function: inconsistent brand image Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Good management: able to respond to market change Strength Change in consumers spending pattern Both external and internal factors how the company decides to operate. The external factors will be same for all market players. 2.2.2 Watsons : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Watsons Personal Care Stores (WPCS), being the largest beauty and health retail chain in Asia, is a subsidiary of the AS Watson Group based in Hong Kong and wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. WPCS has been in Malaysia since 1994 and is considered one of the most accomplished personal care chain stores (Euromonitor 2010). Following the successful merger and acquisition of Apex Pharmacy Sdn Bhd in Jun 2005, WPCS has 211 outlets nationwide. In 2009 due to its extensive stores expansion and merger , its pharmaceutical value share managed to increase to 19% Figure 2.0 of the entire pharmaceutical retailing in Malaysia.WPCS still remains the largest community pharmacy retail chain in Malaysia. To support and reinforce its image positioning Watsons employs promotional pricing, selling list prices then running price-off sales periodically, continuous marketing efforts and promotions such as television advertisements, complimentary beauty and health information to consumers, and storewide 20% discount campaign. Moreover, WPCS products are competitively priced and carry quality in-house brand products which are usually cheaper by 20% to 25% below manufacturers brand in the same product range. Its in-house brand lines consist of a large proportion of skin-care products, hair care, OTC healthcare products, toiletries, bottled mineral water, electrical items designed to meet the needs of the mass consumers . To further promotes its in-house brands, it has dedicated more shelf space in-store for them. Coupled with growing brand recognition and wider range of products to cater for all segments of consumers, this marketing trend may continue in future. External and Internal Analysis (Watsons) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Over expansion resulting in dissipated consumer services Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Extensive outlet coverage nationwide Strength Change in consumers spending pattern 2.3 Strategies Employed by Small Retail Phamacy Marketing model of smaller retail pharmacies focus on establishing good rapport with its customer base by providing individually customized pharmaceutical services for their clients according to their needs and wants, Furthermore, they also provide extended after working hour services for the convenience of their customers, to access to pharmaceutical items and advice. Loyalty marketing is also introduced to maintain or expand their customer base in light of even more competitive environment. This model is gaining popularity in Malaysia and is already established in Europe, Australia and Canada. Specialized services exclusive to pharmacy such as pre-packed dosettes medications (to ensure better compliance to medicine), insulin dose adjustments for uncontrolled diabetes management and methadone replacement therapy for heroin dependent patient, targeting a unique consumer segment is gradually incorporated into their marketing plans. 2.3.1 Caring : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Caring Pharmacy Sdn Bhd is a group of pharmacies under one banner collectively shares the same supply and inventory management similar to that of chain stores, however each outlets are independently owned and operated by pharmacists. Caring Group currently have 46 registered pharmacists operating 40 outlets in Klang valley. Therefore giving the Group the highest number of pharmacist to outlet ratio among retail pharmacy operators in Malaysia. With market share of 12% in 2009 Figure 2.0, Caring is fast emerging as one of the most established local community retail pharmacy. Providing extended hour services from the early hours up to midnight proved to be a potent marketing strategy in establishing its market share as it provides time flexibility to consumers. Caring offers professional consultation by registered pharmacists on uncomplicated ailments and medication management solutions such as pre-packed medications for consumers convenience. The group has been actively promoting its pharmacist consultation service. For instance, public awareness talks by pharmacists on health topics such as hypertension, diabetes, weight-management etc. are frequently organized. Launched in 2006, the first pharmacy reward program as a points accumulation and gift redemption card with Malaysias premier multi-party loyalty program BonusLink, enabled Caring to establish closer contact with their regular clients. External and Internal Analysis (Caring) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Too focused on domestic/localization growth Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Change in consumers spending pattern Good corporate core value: pharmacist service for all consumer segments Strength 3.0 Marketing Strategies 3.0 Strategic Recommendation For the Retail Pharmacy Industry Global economy remained sluggish in 2009, likewise in Malaysia. Even though consumer spending has retracted in Malaysia, where healthcare is concerned, consumers are still spending. Retail pharmacy registered an increment in sales of 0.2% for 2009 against 2008 Figure 3.0. 3.1 Marketing Mix Strategy Target consumers Promotion mix Sales promotion Advertising Sales force Public relations Direct online marketing Offer mix Product Services Prices Adapted from Marketing: An Introduction from an Asian Perspective ( Kotler et al. 2006) 3.2 Target Consumers : Population Demographic Outlook and Lifestyle Trend According to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in 2007 Malaysias population was just over 27 million and by 2015 it will be more than 30.7 million. In addition, nearly 60% of Malaysian is below the age of 30 in 2007 (Euromonitor 2010). Needs and wants of consumers changes with age. Marketers must use different marketing approaches for different age and life-cycle groups. The mature segment of the population in Malaysia, are usually relatively established in terms of financial, family and home and more aware of their health status. Marketers needs to woo this segment consumer by employing positive images and appeals. This segment will be the key buyers of medical and health-related products and services, including pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements, health drinks and medical equipment. While there will be new emphasis on products for mature consumers, younger consumers will still remain a potent force since they made up half the population in Malaysia by 2015. They are more savvy, health conscious and more willing to try new products thus exercising significant purchasing power and driving continuing demand for the wide range of youth oriented products. Hence, this will spur demand for core healthcare products and influence sales in tangential sectors such as food and beverages, and healthcare services. 3.3 Offer Mix : Product Portfolio Adjustment and Pricing Tactic 3.3.1 Product Portfolio Adjustment Consumers remained largely loyal to established brands mainly because these brands are trusted names that consumers used to purchase or are just comfortable with its effectiveness. Coupled with strict registration requirements in Malaysia for all medicines, either branded or generics, in-house brand is unlikely to perform well in certain healthcare lines such as oral analgesics, cough, cold and allergy but may do well in other health product category. For example, in-house brand such as wound care, vitamin and supplements are projected to grow due to regional disease outbreak and economic slowdown. As living costs, including healthcare costs increases, consumers will be more adventurous to try out economical in-house brand products and self-medicate. Using the pull and push marketing strategy, potential consumers will come to understand the helpfulness of vitamins and dietary supplements as preventative measures against environment, diet, importance of taking balance nutrition and age-related ailments such as joint and back pain, immune systems, osteoporosis etc. Personal selling and sales promotion will be expected to heightened awareness of in-house brand products. Marketers need to expand their consumer healthcare product ranges in order to maintain competitive in the market. Figure 4.0 shows that in-house brand product line will continue to grow. Therefore, marketers should focus on marketing in-house brand products such as topical analgesics, antipruritics, other wound treatments, vitamins and dietary supplements, that enjoy strong demand. 3.3.2 Pricing Tactic Consumers will be shopping around for the best deals. It is not necessary for retailers to cut list prices, but may offer more short termed price promotions, lower quantity threshold discounts, provide credit to long-standing customers, and more aggressively price smaller pack sizes. In tough times, price cuts attract more consumer support than promotions such as mail in offers and sweepstakes. 3.4 Promotion Mix : Conventional Advertising and Online Marketing 3.4.1 Conventional Advertising Despite the growth of electronic communications, printed newsletter and television still play an important role in Malaysians daily life and their pursuit of information and entertainment. As shown in Figure 5.0, printed adspend dominated 54% followed by television adspend at 37% of the total adspend respectively for the year 2009. Major newspapers include three English-language dailies, two Malay-language dailies, five Chinese-language dailies, and two Tamil-language dailies. The Malaysian has a wide range of magazines covering lifestyle, fashion, business, and special interest topics such as fishing, motoring, health and wellness and childcare. Magazines in Malaysia are usually published on a fortnight or monthly basis and are available via subscription, at retail outlets, convenience shops and small grocery stores. Although there seems to be a slight plateau Figure 6.0, conventional printed media will still be the medium of choice currently to disseminate promotional information for pharmacy retailers. 3.4.2 Online Marketing The internet has had a significant impact on Malaysia over the past several years. The number of internet users grew from nearly five million users in 2000 to more than 12 million users in 2007, reflecting growth of 144%. Just as significantly, the household penetration rate of personal computers in Malaysia increased from 13.5% in 1995 to 34.7% in 2007. Tethered with such growth, online adspend recorded 72% spike growth from 2007-2009, and is expected to continue capturing readership share at the expense of printed media, in-line with household penetration rate of internet enabled computers increases in Malaysia. Mobile advertising will be in vogue as internet handheld devices gains market penetration, particularly among the younger population. Advertising platforms such as Apples iAd is a prime example of cutting-edge mobile advertising where advertisements are not just informative but interactive as well. Advertisements of this kind, can be updated real time by retailers with short-term sales promotion similar to Malaysia Airlines lunch-hour flight deals or provide interactive online shopping experience, will revolutionize conventional concept of promotional advertising. Pharmacy retailers can tap into this market and formulate marketing plans unique to loyal mobile shoppers. Conventional in-store consumers are bombarded with too much product information creating confusion thus delaying purchases. Retailers and manufacturers should collaborate to satisfy consumers needs such as using attractive colors and creating simplistic product packaging to facilitate consumers search for healthcare products. Hence, online advertising and internet retailing is expected to increase. This will have an impact on how retailers attempt to reach Malaysian consumers and, in a less significant but growing way, on how Malaysians shop. 4.0 Conclusion Consumers in Malaysia are changing their healthcare shopping behavior in various ways. While many opted for other more economical retailers, there are some who remained loyal to their preferred retailers. They are more comfortable in seeking out deals and using coupons, and will purchase both in-house brands or branded products whichever provides the best value. Definition of value is also changing. Previously, value is often perceived as quality and options, but now this is synonymous with price, value will mean that consumers get what they want at the best possible price. Pharmacy retailers can capitalize on consumers needs by providing increased personalized marketing and shopping experience. Consumers are also seen shifting towards meaningful and unique shopping experience, particularly in purchasing healthcare items. 4.1 Consumer In Charge Consumers know what they want and many will go the distance in search of the best offers; some consumers, due to their lifestyle fluidity simply require products that satisfy their needs. By giving consumers multiple product choices at different price and benefit levels, brands especially in-house brand, can be capitalized by using different marketing strategies to make them to stand out from the crowd. Mobile shopping, will be the next frontier for retailers to venture into as on-the-go consumers will emphasize on shopping convenience and speed of transactions. 4.2 Retailers Diversity and Rebrand to Stay Relevant Pharmacy retailers diversifying into in-house product line need to factor in consumers shopping preference on established branded healthcare products when formulating in-house product marketing plans. Many consumers maintained loyalty to established brands due to familiarity to a product or confident with its effectiveness. New and improve in-house product lines with convenience in mind such as topical analgesics and sachet digestive remedies, will appeal to consumers particularly the younger customers. Retailers may need to revamp certain product lines with new design, improve in-house brand offers and promote them with a compelling ad-campaign, to appeal to target consumers. 4.3 Future of Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Retail pharmacy landscape is shifting largely attributed to economic changes, the growth of online retailing and more recently mobile commerce. With increasing use of smart handheld devices in Malaysia, mobile advertising and commerce is projected to grow substantially. Retailers will have to employ a multi-channel marketing approach. Online retailing will provide a platform for retailers to disseminate unique and targeted product offers for consumers to research, plan their shopping trips and ultimately attract consumers into stores. Consumers will also look for premium service coupled with simplified shopping experience in terms of product availability and ease of locating the products. Now more than ever, consumers are becoming more sophisticated and informed in making choices.They desire to know the origin of the product, what they are made of and how their lives can be improved with them. In general, future consumer wants a simplified, personalized and meaningful shopping experi ence with a focus on value. In summation, regardless of the organization size and retail focus, marketers must have the foresight to recognize change and take advantage of it by shifting its resources in line with market trends.

My Metaphor Essay -- Essays Papers

My Metaphor Essay Metaphor is the language of poetry, emotion, and a part of everyday life. Without metaphor one could not verbally express deep emotions. Therefore, it is one of our most important threads of language. We could say that it is like the prime component of our DNA. I've once heard someone say that metaphor was the beautiful language of the gods and angels only to be expressed by poets and musicians. I say it is a gift the gods have given to us so that we could express our everyday emotional lives. I believe that poetry is the language of our dreams. When we try to write a poem we are trying to manifest or conjure up deep-seeded feelings like we do when we dream. Sigmund Freud theorized that this is what dreaming actually is. To Freud, dreams are metaphors for our deep feelings and thoughts. For instance, sometimes when we dream the imagery comes to us in bits and pieces that make it undecipherable to comprehend. When we wake up and try to understand our dreams it's like putting together a puzzle. This is what metaphor does for poetry and (of course) for our language. Metaphors work to conceal meanings to express the very meaning being expressed. For example, in the poem called "Pitcher" Robert Frances uses metaphor to compare pitching with poetry. "His art is eccentricity, his aim - How not to hit the mark he seems to aim at," is describing what a poet tries to do when he or she writes poetry. Robert is stating how a poets art is unique and how a poet â€Å"veils† his w ord meanings with the usage of metaphor. Yet, words must not be too unexplainable. It must be almost unexplainable. Robert Francis goes on to say, "Not to, yet still, still to communicate - Making the batter understand too late," as if to make the... ... lighting an obscure world - Of things that would never be quite expressed, - Where you yourself were never quite yourself - And did not want nor have to be." Metaphor is the obscure moon that lights our obscure world. Our emotions would never be quite expressed without the usage of metaphor. Our lives would be quite boring without being able to express ourselves thoroughly. Metaphor makes our lives a little easier to bear when we can describe our feelings and thoughts to our fellow man. I cannot remember who told me that metaphor was the language of the gods and angels. I can tell you that I remembered it and found it to be important. I still have to disagree about the part where only the gods and angels use metaphorical language. However, I do believe that it is a gift from the gods and angels given to us to express ourselves. Obviously without it we would be lost. My Metaphor Essay -- Essays Papers My Metaphor Essay Metaphor is the language of poetry, emotion, and a part of everyday life. Without metaphor one could not verbally express deep emotions. Therefore, it is one of our most important threads of language. We could say that it is like the prime component of our DNA. I've once heard someone say that metaphor was the beautiful language of the gods and angels only to be expressed by poets and musicians. I say it is a gift the gods have given to us so that we could express our everyday emotional lives. I believe that poetry is the language of our dreams. When we try to write a poem we are trying to manifest or conjure up deep-seeded feelings like we do when we dream. Sigmund Freud theorized that this is what dreaming actually is. To Freud, dreams are metaphors for our deep feelings and thoughts. For instance, sometimes when we dream the imagery comes to us in bits and pieces that make it undecipherable to comprehend. When we wake up and try to understand our dreams it's like putting together a puzzle. This is what metaphor does for poetry and (of course) for our language. Metaphors work to conceal meanings to express the very meaning being expressed. For example, in the poem called "Pitcher" Robert Frances uses metaphor to compare pitching with poetry. "His art is eccentricity, his aim - How not to hit the mark he seems to aim at," is describing what a poet tries to do when he or she writes poetry. Robert is stating how a poets art is unique and how a poet â€Å"veils† his w ord meanings with the usage of metaphor. Yet, words must not be too unexplainable. It must be almost unexplainable. Robert Francis goes on to say, "Not to, yet still, still to communicate - Making the batter understand too late," as if to make the... ... lighting an obscure world - Of things that would never be quite expressed, - Where you yourself were never quite yourself - And did not want nor have to be." Metaphor is the obscure moon that lights our obscure world. Our emotions would never be quite expressed without the usage of metaphor. Our lives would be quite boring without being able to express ourselves thoroughly. Metaphor makes our lives a little easier to bear when we can describe our feelings and thoughts to our fellow man. I cannot remember who told me that metaphor was the language of the gods and angels. I can tell you that I remembered it and found it to be important. I still have to disagree about the part where only the gods and angels use metaphorical language. However, I do believe that it is a gift from the gods and angels given to us to express ourselves. Obviously without it we would be lost.

The Importance of Censorship :: Television Media TV Censorship

The Importance of Censorship As new technologies evolve and become a part of our daily lives, so do television shows and what people are allowed to view on a regular basis. Censorship, a word that seems to be causing quite some controversy over certain people may not be such a bad idea. As America has seen, a countless amount of people have been known to complain about censorship on television. Although this seems to be a problem to some, maybe the real question to be asked is, is there enough censorship of television? Many families agree that certain rated R movies should not be shown to young children and only certain shows should be censored to an extent, yet they do not see the significant effect that regular television shows really have on their children.As a child grows, more and more statistics are proving that they are being exposed to too many shows that should be censored. Many studies have concluded that young children are most affected by what they see on television (Dritz, Russel 1996). For example, a child that watches a cartoon with a lot of violence or tunes into their parents favorite soap opera might find an increasingly amount of exposure to violent acts and sexual content. Children are very vulnerable to such influences and often do not know the difference between right and wrong and the difference between reality and fantasy (Dritz, Russel 1996). As the years go on and television seems to be too censored to most, studies have continued to prove the increasing numbers of children associated with violence and sexual behavior. Although a seemingly older statistic, the Neilson Index averaged American children to watch 18,000 television murders before he or she graduated from high school (Tucker, Larry A. 1988). Could this be a reason for an increasing amount of murders and violent acts among children today?

Comparison of To His Coy Mistress and An Answer to a Love Letter :: Love Letters Poetry Poems Essays

Comparison of To His Coy Mistress and An Answer to a Love Letter These two poems are meant to be a love letters written by a man to a lady of higher disposition and an answer to that love letter, written by that lady. The first, written by Marvell is written is telling her 'Carpe Dieum' - or 'Seize the Day' this phrase sums up his poem, as that is what he is telling her to do all the time. This is shown by the way he has structured his piece he starts of explaining what they could do if they had all of the time in the world "We would sit and think which way to Pass our long loves day." This means that they would just spend the whole time talking and planning their life because he says our long loves day and in the context it could mean their life (as they will love forever, therefore all their life will just be one day full of love) then he goes on to say that although he would like to do this they cannot as they will eventually die "Times winged chariot hurrying near Thy beauty shall no more be found" He uses this imagery to show how time (death) is creeping up on them but fast, as in on a winged chariot. Then, in the logical fashion he comes up with a solution that they should "Roll all our strength and all Our sweetness into one ball." This could just means that they should 'get together and become one, possibly through matrimony or having a child hence ball. It could be a euphemism for having sex. However in Montagu's poem she uses a different argument. At first she says that he is seeing a false impression of her because of all the flattery at the beginning, then saying 'but leaving her-'tis me you pursue'. She is complimenting his wife (as the man I s already marries) trying to persuade him that his life at the moment is much better as he has a wife and money and would be stupid to leave that behind. Then she starts getting really aggressive and offensive against mankind, likening them to pug dogs, "Why should the poor pug (the mimic of your kind) Wear a rough chain and be to a box confin'd?" This is meant to be an immense insult against mankind- likening them to simple dogs, that to be fair are quite ugly and just sit on a lap to be stroked all day. In saying this she infers that men have no use but to 'be'. In the next line she begins to give you an idea about why

Health Effects from Cell Phone Tower Radiation Essay

The safety of cell phone towers is the subject of extensive scientific debate. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that the electromagnetic radiation they emit, even at low levels, is dangerous to human health. The cell phone industry is expanding quickly, with over 100,000 cell phone towers now up across the U. S. , which is expected to increase ten-fold over the next five years. The industry has set what they say are â€Å"safe levels† of radiation exposure, but there are a growing number of doctors, physicists, and health officials who strongly disagree, and foresee a public health crisis. Many towers have been built recently in Siskiyou Colorado, with dozens more planned, as telecommunications companies rush to corner markets in this fast-growing industry. These towers emit radio frequencies (RF), a form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), for a distance of up to 2-1/2 miles. They are essentially the same frequency radiation as microwaves in a microwave oven. Studies have shown that even at low levels of this radiation, there is evidence of damage to cell tissue and DNA, and it has been linked to brain tumors, cancer, suppressed immune function, depression, miscarriage, Alzheimer’s disease, and numerous other serious illnesses. [1] Children are at the greatest risk, due to their thinner skulls, and rapid rate of growth. Also at greater risk are the elderly, the frail, and pregnant women. Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones, to reduce their exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation. Over 100 physicians and scientists at Harvard and Boston University Schools of Public Health have called cellular towers a radiation hazard. And, 33 delegate physicians from 7 countries have declared cell phone towers a â€Å"public health emergency†. The U. S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is in charge of setting the standards of exposure for the public, and claims that, based on scientific studies, the current levels are safe. But it is not a public health agency, and has been criticized as being â€Å"an arm of the industry†. Many who work for the FCC are either past, present or future employees of the very industries they are supposed to regulate. With an explosively emergent $40 billion dollar a year industry at stake, critics have stated â€Å"you can bet that their studies are going to show whatever they want them to show†. â€Å"Our federal government also once told us that asbestos, cigarettes, thalidomide, and the blood supply were â€Å"safe†, but which were later found to be harmful. â€Å"You can bet that their studies are going to show whatever they want them to show. – Cathy Bergman-Veniza, at Vermont Law School Environmental Law Center Conference, 1996 The current U. S. standard for radiation exposure from cell phone towers is 580-1,000 microwatts per sq. cm. (mW/cm2), among the least protective in the world. More progressive European countries have set standards 100 to 1,000 times lower than the U. S. Compare Australia at 200 microwatts, Russia, Italy, and Toronto, Can ada at 10, China at 6, and Switzerland, at 4. In Salzburg, Austria the level is . 1 microwatts (pulsed), 10,000 times less than the U. S.  New Zealand has proposed yet more stringent levels, at . 02 microwatts, 50,000 times more protective than the U. S. Standard. [3, 4] Contrary to what the communications industry tells us, there is vast scientific, epidemiological and medical evidence that confirms that exposure to the RF and microwave radiation emitted from cell towers, even at low levels, can have profound adverse effects on biological systems. [5, 6, 7, 8]. There is vast scientific and medical evidence that exposure to cell tower radiation, even at low levels, can have profound adverse effects on biological systems. Scientists and advocacy groups say that the current FCC â€Å"safe† standards are based on 1985 research, and fail to consider more recent research that found brain cancer, memory impairment, DNA breakdown, and neurological problems with RF at much lower levels. The earlier studies considered only the â€Å"thermal†, or heating effects of the radiation – in other words, the level at which the radiation would heat tissue, or â€Å"cook† a person, in the same exact manner that a microwave oven works. The FCC levels may ensure our tissues are not â€Å"cooked†, but they fail to address long-term chronic exposure at low levels, or what is called â€Å"non-thermal† effects. Doctors say that RF radiation is wreaking havoc with normal biological cell functions. â€Å"RF alters tissue physiology†says Dr. George Carlo, an epidemiologist who found genetic damage in a $28 million research program, paid for by the industry. He now fights to have safety levels lowered. [9] In 1998 the Vienna Resolution, signed by 16 of the world’s leading ioelectromagnetic researchers, provided a consensus statement that there is scientific agreement that biological effects from low intensity RF exposure are established. It says existing scientific knowledge is inadequate to set reliable exposure standards. No safe exposure level can be established at this time. The world’s leading electromagnetic researchers say existing scientific knowledge is inadequate to set reliable exposure standards. – The Vienna Resolution, 1998 The Salzburg Resolution, adopted in 2000 at the International Conference on Cell Tower Siting, would prohibit any cell site from emanating more than . mW/cm2 – 10,000 times more strict than the current U. S. standard. This limit takes into account the growing evidence for non-thermal RF bioeffects. [10] Cell phone towers expose the public to involuntary, chronic, cumulative Radio Frequency Radiation. Low levels of RFR have been shown to be associated with changes in cell proliferation and DNA damage. Some scientific studies show adverse health effects reported in the . 01 to 100 mW/cm2 range at levels hundreds, indeed, thousands, of times lower than the U. S. standards. These harmful low levels of radiation can reach as far as a mile away from the cell tower location. Reported health problems include headache, sleep disorders, memory impairment, nosebleeds, an increase in seizures, blood brain barrier leakage problems, increased heart rates, lower sperm counts, and impaired nervous systems. [ 11 ] Long term and cumulative exposure to cell tower radiation has no precedent in history. There are no conclusive studies on the safety of such exposures, and the growing body of scientific evidencereports such bioeffects and adverse health effects are possible, if not probable. Dr. Neil Cherry, Ph. D. biophysicist from New Zealand, reports that â€Å"There is no safe level of EMR radiation. †He said the standards are based on thermal effects, but important non-thermal effects also take place, such as cell death and DNA breakdown. Dr. Cherry wrote a 120-page review of 188 scientific studies. â€Å"The electromagnetic radiation causes cells to change in a way that makes them cancer forming. † It can increase the risk of cancer two to five times, he said. â€Å"To claim there is no adverse effect from phone towers flies in the face of a large body of evidence. â€Å"To claim there is no adverse effect from phone towers flies in the face of a large body of evidence. † – Dr. Neil Cherry, biophysicist Public health officials caution that we err on the side of conservatism, given the massive public health risk that is possible. Other federal health agencies disagree that safe levels of exposure have been identified, much less built into the FCC standard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not agree with the FCC standards, and analysts have recommended that EMR be classified as a â€Å"probable human carcinogen†. 12] Deputy Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, Elizabeth Jacobsen, has stated that the safety of RF â€Å"has not been established nor has the necessary research been conducted to test it†, and cites risk of brain cancer, tumors and DNA breakdown. The California Public Utility Commission has urged the cell phone industry to not locate towers near schools or hospitals. And the World Health Organization reports â€Å"many epidemiological studies have addressed possible links between exposure to RF fields and excess risk of cancer. These studies do not provide enough information to allow a proper evaluation of human cancer risk from RF exposure because the results of these studies are inconsistent. † â€Å"The safety of RF has not been established, nor has the necessary research been conducted to test it. † – Elizabeth Jacobsen, Deputy Director, US Department of Health â€Å"Our bodies are exquisitely sensitive to subtle electromagnetic harmonics, and we depend upon tiny electrical impulses to conduct complex life processes,† says Dr. Robert Becker, author of The Body Electric, and Cross Currents, The Perils of Electropollution. He says â€Å"at the present the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of (these) electromagnetic fields. † Radiation once considered safe, he says, is now correlated with increases in birth defects, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, learning disabilities, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and cancer. The incidence of brain cancer is up 25% since 1973, and this year 185,000 Americans will be diagnosed with brain cancer. Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death for children and young adults. Yet, the United States has a de facto policy of â€Å"post sales surveillance† with respect to RF radiation. Only after years of exposure, will there be studies to characterize the health consequences. Some adverse health effects show up immediately, but it can often take 3 to 10 years for the longer term effects of RF illness to appear, such as cancer. Many researchers, public health officials and citizens believe that consumers shouldn’t be forced to act as guinea pigs in a bioeffects experiment for the next 20 years. In short, â€Å"we are the experiment†, for health effects. Dr. Gerard Hyland, physicist, says existing safety guidelines for cell phone towers are completely inadequate, since they focus only on the thermal effects of exposure. [15] Hyland, twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine, says existing safety guidelines â€Å"afford no protection† against the non- thermal influences. â€Å"Quite justifiably, the public remains skeptical of attempts by governments and industry to reassure them that all is well, particularly given the unethical way in which they often operate symbiotically so as to promote their own vested interests. † â€Å"Existing safety guidelines for cell phone towers are completely inadequate. – Dr. Gerard Hyland, Physicist – two-time nominee, Nobel Prize in Medicine The industry lobbied Congress with $39 million in 1996 to ensure passage of a law which essentially gives them the right to place these towers in our neighborhoods, and makes it next to impossible to oppose them based on health reasons. It is no coincidence that EPA funding was also cut in 1996 for electromagnetic radiation health studies. Citizens and communities across the country are angered, and are protesting this imposition of involuntary, 24-hour-a-day microwave exposure, without proven safety levels. As one citizen stated, â€Å"There’s no place left to escape. † The industry lobbied Congress with $39 million in 1996 to pass a law that took away citizen’s rights to oppose cell towers based on health reasons. Also, once a cell tower is erected, it has proved very difficult to verify the radiation is within legal limits. There are no safety measures in place to ensure that the towers are not emitting higher radiation levels than legally allowed. One frustrated resident finally spent $7,000 purchasing his own equipment to test a cell phone tower near his home, and found it emitting radiation at levels 250% ver the legal limit. [16] Property values have also been known to drop once a cell tower is erected, due to the perceived risk of negative health effects. Cellular phone frequencies have also seriously disrupted local emergency and law enforcement radio communications. Massachusetts lawyer Mark Berthiaume, opposing placement of a cell phone tower, said â€Å"Municipalities.. .. are being bullied every day by providers of wireless telephone service who use their financial clout and the federal (law) to intimidate the communities into allowing them to place large towers in inappropriate locations. [17] Some Questions and Answers But don’t we need and depend on cell phones? Of course. No one is saying not to have cell phones and towers, but to make them safer. If Austria can have levels 10,000 times more protective, then so can we. It is just more expensive to the companies. Also, we don’t have to let these cell towers go anywhere and everywhere the industry wants them. We can require that they erect the minimum number required to provide adequate coverage, and be put in the safest places possible. Why don’t we just oppose the construction of cell towers in our county? In a strategic move, the cell phone industry has tried to make it illegal for citizens to oppose the towers based on health concerns. In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, state and local rights were seriously limited with regard to opposing towers based on health concerns. The constitutionality of this Act has been challenged in the Supreme Court, and a long legal battle is sure to follow. But it will take years, while the public continues to be exposed to chronic, cumulative radiation with each new cell tower. So what CAN we do? The Telecommunications Act prevents citizens from opposing the towers based on concerns about RF emissions, but we can oppose them on numerous other valid grounds. There are still rights we and our local elected officials maintain, that allow us local control of the number, size and placement of cell towers, while still providing for adequate cell phone coverage. Numerous communities have called for moratoriums on tower construction, allowing them needed time to study the issue, and enact strict ordinances that require the industry to respect community desires, such as building the minimum towers necessary, in appropriate locations. During these moratoriums, communities are preparing non-industry biased studies of cell phone tower need, and creating cell tower Master Plans, to help protect the rights and health of citizens, while complying with the law. [18, 19, 20] Siting of cellular towers is an important function of our elected officials. Protection of citizens’ health and property rights should be foremost in the responsibilities of local government. We urge our elected officials to protect the health and welfare of the citizens who live here, rather than big-money interests with profit as their bottom line.