Describing Gandhi as a Famous Figure in History Assignment

Describing Gandhi as a Famous Figure in History - Assignment Example Ultimately, peace has prevailed through the voice of the common man by means of love. Gandhi thought that there could be many reasons for which a person would be willing to give away his life, but there could be no reason in which a person would be asked to take one’s life. Gandhi knew that his beliefs required immense faith and courage, which obviously everyone does not possess. Nonviolence would primarily refer to as acting in peace, through which he finally liberated India from the British. Gandhi represented the commons and voiced their concerns as if they were his own. His simplicity, honesty, and conviction were the hallmarks of the leadership that he envisaged within himself. Modern theories of leadership may find it very difficult to find a parallel to the school of thought that Gandhi advocated. His methods were easy to explain but difficult to follow. Gandhism was not just a political construct; it was a phenomenon that is very closely associated with the type of per sonality that he embodied. This, in turn, implies that even if one wants, becoming a Gandhi is not that easy. This definition of self is crucial to modern schools of thought of management that attempt to understand what leadership is.  For a person like Gandhi, who fails to consider that he is anything unless he is at the line of truth, speaks of a level of self-control that many modern managers could only dream about.

Olympic Foods, a Processor of Frozen Foods Essay Example for Free

Olympic Foods, a Processor of Frozen Foods Essay Over time, the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better, they become more efficient. In color film processing, for example, the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984. The same principle applies to the processing of food. And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrate its 25th birthday, we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits. The Olympic Foods tries to convince its stockholders through its annual report that it can increase profits as it has long experience. This is supported by comparing with a color film industry in which, the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print feel from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984. This argument makes some assumptions which is not supported with evidences. The Olympic Foods wrongly compares itself with a color film processing industry. The techniques and environment applicable to the color film processing industry may not be applicable to the food processing industry. What applies to a color film may not apply to food. For example, irrespective of the company’s experience, the time taken for a food to ferment would not change significantly. Just the 25 years of experience cannot be mentioned as a reason for increased profits. Other factors such as climate, market competition would also affect the profit of a company. With all such factors taken into consideration, if it can be proved that experience helps in reducing costs and maximizing profits, the argument would be strengthened. Since the argument misses several key issues, it is not very sound. If it included the points discussed above, the argument could have been thorough and more convincing.

Music For Torching by A.M. Holmes Essay -- Music Torching Holmes Essay

Music For Torching by A.M. Holmes A.M. Holmes’ critique of the American dream’s malfunction in modern suburbia examines contemporary domestic life through a variety of socially realistic metaphors. No metaphor is a stronger critic of the dark domestic world she presents than the recurring theme of clothing as a mask which her characters use to hide their true identities. The novel focuses on the importance of â€Å"socially acceptable† clothing as an expression of each character’s overall desire to reach a state of normalcy, if not perfection. Yet irony arises out the representation of clothing as both filling its customary role as a cover-up, and simultaneously being used as a medium of exposure. This ironical situation of clothing as a literal and abstract costume to hide physical and mental disfigurement reinforces the assertion that the real desires of Homes’ characters are often shielded from themselves and from others, and yet are ultimately revealed through what they wear. T he juxtaposition of the clothing motif is that clothing, or the lack thereof, serves as to conceal as well as reveal inner conflicts of sexuality, discontentment, or personal esteem. The use of clothing as a disguise is primarily apparent in its role of covering up the secret sexual lives of the characters. Each time she calls, Henry’s date asks the person on the other line, â€Å"What are you wearing?† Her constant desire to know the character’s clothing reveals the importance that outward appearance holds in a sexual connotation; the characters are repeatedly in various states of dress and undress. Nate’s mother, whom Paul refers to as Mrs. Apple, answers her door wearing her husband’s shirt. The incongruity lies in the seeming normalcy of her appearanc... ...ugged off especially by his mother Mrs. Apple, who excuses his frequent absences to conventions and war games as if they were trivial and acceptable behavior for men. Nonetheless, his father’s absence compels Nate to mimic and adopt his father’s appreciation of guns and ammunition with a warped sense of masculinity, concluding in the death of Sammy and the death of the novel’s innocence as a whole. Music For Torching inverts many societal conventions as satirical commentary on the secretly flawed world of American suburbanites. The typical societal convention for clothing’s purpose is covering up one’s own body; however, in Holmes’ novel, clothing’s accepted function is elongated and also reversed. Clothing not only covers up the physical body as well unspoken thoughts and entities, but also reveals such entities through a mixture of subtle and thematic details.

Middle Eastern Women Rights in Islamic Society

Women Rights of the Middle East â€Å"Life is full of unhappiness and most of it caused by women (Harik and Marston 11)†. For women in the Middle East life is faced with great and unequal odds, as their human rights are limited, due to Islamic beliefs and that of patriarchy. From their daily actions at home to their physical appearance, Middle Eastern women are portrayed as quiet, faceless women veiled from head to toe. While this image is just another stereotype, women in the middle do face many obstacles and challenges of creating their own identity as they are frequently denied a voice in their rights.Living in a society dominated by men life is not, but regardless women in the Middle East, predominantly Muslims, continue to fight for change as they balance their traditional roles with those of modern society. In the Middle East a person’s religion is a way of life, the basis of their identity. It defines a person’s beliefs and morality as it sets strong guide lines for behaviors between both men and women. Without Religion, it is said society would â€Å"fall apart† forgetting about their God and responsibilities that carry their honor.For many religious Middle easterners their faith gives them a powerful sense of who they are. While many feel this powerful sense of support others feel a religion’s rules or morals can also restrict a person’s freedom. This burden tends to fall on women in the Middle East where most religions are developed and led by men (Harik and Marston 53). Followers know as Muslims practice what is known as Islam, the religion of many Middle Easterners. This practice began in the seventh century A. D from the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (Harik and Marston 54).In the beliefs of Islam it is said that there is only one god and His messenger is Mohammed. The basic practices required by Muslim’s are called the five pillars, in which Mohammed’s revolutionary teachings express that a ll people are equal in God’s eyes. This meaning that men and women of all classes should share the same spiritual rewards as well as sacrifices. Not only are Muslims expected to live pure and modest lives but they are also to serve God by working for social justice. This is something thatMuslims don’t abide by as women rights as still to this day faced with great injustice (55). Men seem to hold absolute power leaving women with few, if any rights. This leaves women feeling unvalued and treated as little more than piece of property. In Mohammed’s revolutionary teaching women are also to be protected and treated equally by men yet in many countries of the Middle East they do not (58). For women marriage is a great arrangement as in order to marry someone a male guardian has to grant approval.The minimum age for a girl to get married is seventeen but judges can also marry a minor girl with consent of her father. Muslim women may not marry a non-Muslim but for a ma le its ok to (Afary). Besides some of the issues women may face in their her relationship, there are other is handling your classes Middle Eastern / Muslim women faces. For instance women in traditional lands such as Saudi Arabia are to remain strictly obedient to men (Harik and Marston 59). Under the Taliban women have to wear a burka giving them restrictive head to toe covering.As appose to that of a lighter veil in which is more common in urban centers. The enforcements of these laws are usually done by religious police and the ministry. If women are to go against these actions then women are severely beaten for showing their wrist, hands, or ankles. They are also tormented for begging in the streets as they are left with nothing but their own will (Afary). Many inequalities still do exist within the Muslim society. In Muslim societies such as Kuwait, women face issues with their right to vote and their right to run for political office.Under the reading of Islam it is interprete d by Kuwait’s that women are forbidden to hold a position of authority, but this interpretation makes no senses as under Islam it really states people are all equal (Korman 94). Other Kuwait’s believe that women are voting through their father or husband who cast a vote for the entire family not leaving a women’s voice unheard (95). Two great issues for women as we can see have been the right to vote and the right to run for political office.This was acted on in the year 1999 by Sheik Jaber III, past ruler of Kuwait, who issued a royal decree granting women the right to vote. Unfortunately, on November of 1999, the National Assembly voted down the measure, due to time, claiming it was not right to grant those rights for Kuwaiti women yet (Korman 94). Yet inequalities may not be the case for women in more westernized nations as they receive greater freedom (60). This is where the great diversity between modernist Muslim’s and conservative Muslim’s c ome in.Modernist Muslims argue genuine Islam is compatible with modern west society and political ideas such as democracy and the equality of women. The views of women in society are supported by revelations of the prophet Mohammed. On the other hand we have conservative Muslims where they believe in following their traditional ways and those rules set out by the patriarchal society based on strictly Islamic ideas (61). For most Middle East largely traditional and more prevalent among educated and progressive Muslims there is a strong movement called Fundamentalism.In Kuwait, conservative Muslim women wrestle with other groups that find ways to reconcile modern practices with Islamic tradition. This struggle has heated up in the last years since the Gulf War, as it reflects the intense debate regarding women’s rights (Korman 94). To Westerners, Middle Eastern women are what the media has always chosen to reflect on dressed in black veils, subordinate to the men of their famil ies and oppressed by their societies and state alike. It is rare that the diversity in the Middle East is shown, let alone when it pertains to women .As with everything else in the Middle East, the situation is full of conflicting images. Though Kuwait is situated in the most conservative part of the Muslim world, Kuwaiti women drive, are allowed to travel alone, and enjoy a central role in their own families. Yet this does not seem to be new or controversial to the conservative Kuwaiti society (Afary). In the year 2000 women have been able to vote in almost every country except in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Women in Kuwait have were promised the vote, but lost their right in a 199 Parliament vote on the issue.Kuwait lacks an organized women’s rights movement but they have been working to uphold a committee that has not yet resumed full activities since the Gulf War. Women’s social cultural society- committees dealing with cultural affairs, social activities, while statistical studies on women have shown cases of Kuwaiti women married to non- Kuwait’s receive (Country reports on human rights practices for 1993). Middle Eastern women have become politically active in recent years. During the Gulf War in which, women’s groups protested against the Iraqi occupation.They protested on government policy’s buy constant marches on the National Assembly pressuring them to reform the right for them to vote (Korman 95). Many women fear they won’t be able to run for political office, a compromise, decided upon by members of parliament. Thankfully the Women Affair committee and Union of women societies have given women a voice in political affairs. From inequalities to great mile stones made, tradition and change has come long ways for Middle Eastern women and Muslim women. Over the years women have gone from being treated as a piece of property to being treated as actual human beings, equal to men.Although many improvements hav e been made in the way Middle Easterners see a Muslim women’s role in society, there continues to be discrimination towards women in the modern and traditional Islamic society. Regardless of the battles these women may face, Middle Eastern women to this day continue to fight for their rights in hope that one day their traditional roles will balance out with modern society. For now Middle Eastern women will struggle in order to succeed for their future rights and for those of future women.

Consumer Behavior Comparison Essay

1. Using the tricomponent attitude model, compare the differences in attitude of consumers towards Kraft Foods versus their attitude towards Vegemite. The tricomponent attitude model is made up of Cognitive, Affective and Conative component. The three components are interrelated and integrate to form an attitude of a person toward any product or service in consumer scenario. Here we are studying how the consumers react to Kraft Food and Vegemite. Cognitive Component Cognition is basically making decisions going through a thinking process. So this thinking process can occur on the basis of knowledge and perceptions that already existed in the consumers’ minds. The Cognitive Component of attitude is developing a belief based on past experience or perception and whenever the consumers are exposed to attitude object (about which we are to form certain attitude) and those belief will form a typical behavior towards that attitude object. The consumers can be seen in the case study to be protective over Vegemite as they perceive it to be a national symbolic food with the long history. The brand itself had lasted centuries with its unique salty base as breakfast spread as compared to traditional sweet base spreads. Kraft Foods being the brand owner did not do anything to the brand until the later years where they did a rebranding of the product to suit modern culture and needs. The consumers clearly triggered heavy resentment over the undesired new name as they had perceive â€Å"Vegemite† to be worthy of a name to more relevant. Here Kraft Food suffered a marketing backlash whereas consumers’ support for Vegemite rally strong. Affective Component This Component of Attitude formation is all about emotional feelings of a consumer about the particular product or brand. Consumers have certain emotions regarding the attitude objects either favorable or unfavorable; good or bad, it may be regardless of any quality, specification, features, utility or brand name. Vegemite lasted centuries of success without any interference from Kraft Food in terms of product modification or receipe changes. Kraft Food knew that Australians held Vegemite with high regards and deeply rooted in the history and culture. Despite a dip in sales after foreigners infux, the strong support of the old brand can be seen as Kraft Food carelessly picked an odd name for their re-branding. In their â€Å"Name me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  campaign, strong sentiments of the brands were reveal as hate groups emerge to hate the new Vegemite name. The consumers feel strongly violated as the name did not resonate with the hearts of the supporter. Kraft Food succumb to pressure an d rename the product. Conative Component This final component is concerned with the likelihood or tendency that a specific action will be undertaken by an individual regarding attitude object. It is treated as an expression of consumer’s intention to buy. It may include action itself. Consumers usually make purchases for positively evaluated brands. Their intentions towards those brands are positive, so their attitude towards those brand would be positive. Although the new â€Å"iSnack 2.0† was much disliked, the success of the receipe is shown with the improvement in sales figures. Consumers in this case, reacted to the over hyped publicity generated by negative marketing, resulting in curious new consumers trying out the new product. Vegemite in this case, was successful. On the other hand, Kraft Food was said to be making use of the clever marketing strategy by inducing resentments from the consumers with the â€Å"iSnack2.0† name. Compared with vegemite, Kraft Food is perceived to be crafty and had to resort to underhand means to achieve desirable results. 2. Thinking about the different methods Kraft used to encourage consumer input for their new Vegemite product, what kind of consumer learning took place during the entire process? Consumer learning is the process by which individuals acquire the purchase and consumption knowledge and experience they apply to future related behaviour. Most of the learning is incidental and some of it is intentional. Elements of Consumer learning The basic elements that contribute to an understanding of learning are motivation, cues, response and reinforcement. Consumers will be motivated to learn if the information is relevant to their needs and goals while cues serve to direct consumer drives when they are consistent with consumer expectations. Response is how consumers react or behave to a drive or a cue while reinforcement increases the likelihood a response will occur in the future as a result of a cue. Kraft encouraged consumer input for their new Vegemite product through the â€Å"How do you like your Vegemite† and the â€Å"Name me..† campaign. By getting the consumers to be involved, the Australians will feel that they ‘own’ the brand which created the sense of belonging. Kraft asked consumers to log on to the website and post their ideas on the different ways they ate the product. Instrumental Conditioning Instrumental Learning theorists believe that learning occurs through a trial and error process in which the positive outcomes in the form of results or desired outcomes lead to repeat behaviour like Repeat Purchase or Repeat Positive Word of Mouth. Both positive and negative reinforcement can be used to encourage the desired behaviour. The timing of repetitions influences how long the learned material is retained. Learning usually persists longer with distributed re-inforcement schedule, while mass repetitions produce more initial learnings. In view of how Kraft Food did was the â€Å"Name me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  campaign. They failed to select a proper name for the first time, but they acknowledge the mistake and repeat the campaign a second time. Meanwhile, they took four months to replace the â€Å"iSnack2.0† labelled jars off the shelves before replacing with â€Å"Cheesybites†. The consumers are conditioned by this instrumental method. 3. Vegemite is a food product sugge sting customers would have lower levels of involvement with the brand. However, the fall-out from ‘iSnack 2.0’ imply otherwise. What aspects of involvement theory were presented in their response? Involvement theory recognizes that consumers become attached to products, services or brands to differing levels and they engage in a range of information-processing activities, depending on the significance of the purchase (Sciffman et al. 2008). The involvement level shown by the consumers in ‘iSnack2.0’ is high is because Vegemite is considered to be a national brand and a part of Australia’s heritage (Superbrands Australia, 2012). Beside this, the ‘How do you like your Vegemite’ and the ‘Name Me’ campaign further increase the involvement level of the consumers as they felt a sense of ownership in the creation phrase of the product (Sciffman et al. 2008). From the case of ‘iSnack 2.0’, the hemispheral lateralization theory can be used to explain the responses of the consumers. The hemispheral lateralization theory, also known as split-brain theory, is the learning theory around the basic principle that the left and right side of the brain specialize in the kind of information they process. The left side of the brain, which specializes in cognitive activities, can be put as rational and logical, while the right side of the brain, which specializes in pictorial and holistic information, can be put as emotional and instinctive (Sciffman et al. 2008). When Kraft chose the name ‘iSnack 2.0’, the left hemispheral of the consumers processed the decision-making and they responded negatively because the logical thinking is that the selected name is more related to technology products such as iPod and iPhone by Apple. This made the decision looks ‘wierd’ and ‘irrevelant’ to the public and will also results in consumers thinking that Kraft is trying to ride on the success of Apple’s products (Miller, 2009). On the other side, the right hemispheral of the consumers also contributed to the consumers responding negatively because Australians have high loyalty and feelings for Vegemite (Foley, 2009) and the fact that Kraft did not let the consumers have a say in the winning name intensifies the negative feeling that Kraft, an American company, is not allowing the Australia public to have a say in the brand they felt they have ownership in. And by choosing a name that is perceived to be unsuitable and outrageous, it further fuels the feeling that the company is showing disrespect to the brand Australians love (Sciffman et al. 2008). 4. Do you think Kraft can change perception of ‘iSnack 2.0’ by changing the name to ‘Cheesybite’? Explain your answer. Perception is the process by which people select, organize and interpret stimuli to form a meaningful and logical picture of the world and it is important in marketing strategies for marketers because consumers make decisions based on what they perceive, rather than on the basis of objective reality. (Sciffman et al. 2008). When ‘iSnack 2.0’ was chosen, it triggered negative responses and outrage from consumers across a number of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter, online forums, newspaper and magazines. ‘iSnack 2.0’ was perceived to be ‘weird’ and ‘irrelevant’ and make no sens e to consumers as to why a food product was given a technological name that is normally related to technology products such as iPhone and iPod (Miller, 2009). The name was also perceived to be a marketing stunt by the company as the negativity generated increased the exposure of the product. This led to the sales rising 47 percent in the first two weeks and the product being available in 15% of Australian households (Foley, 2009). However, ‘iSnack 2.0’ also led to hatred and anger as there are consumers who suggested boycotting the product (Collerton, 2009). By deciding to change the name of ‘iSnack 2.0’ to ‘Cheesybite’, Kraft can change the perception of the product. The product is a combination of ‘Vegemite’ spread and cream cheese (Kraft Foods Australia, 2011), which is as what ‘Cheesybite’ suggested and made more sense to consumers. Another reason is that ‘Cheesybite’ is chosen in a popularity vote by more than 30,000 Australian and New Zealanders, instead of by the company, therefore will relate better to consumers (AAP, 2009). Once the more popular and logi cal choice of ‘Cheesybite’ replace ‘iSnack 2.0’, sentiment will soften due to the Australia loyalty to the brand and the incident will slowly fade away. 5. If ‘Vegemite’ could be given a brand personality, what do you think it would be like? Compare this to how the ‘Cheesybite’ personality might be. Brand personality is an act or a process of the personality traits that a brand possesses. It is the viewing of a brand as a person and defining the traits that a brand has. A brand personality is something consumers can relate to and it develops over time (Parameswaran, 2006). An effective brand will increase its brand equity by having a consistent set of traits. There are five main types of brand personalities and they are Excitement, Sincerity, Ruggedness, Competence and Sophistication (Friend, 2010). ‘Vegemite’ is best described as having the personality of Sincerity which is interpreted as down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, and cheerful (Friend, 2010). Vegemite is an Australian brand that reaches to the hearts of its consumers and therefore brand loyalty is high. Kraft has retained the down-to-earth nature of ‘Vegemite’ by not changing the content, with the only updates applying to external factor such as packaging and the occasional consumer promotion. ‘Cheesybite’ is best seen as having the personality of Excitement under the 5 dimensions of brand personality. The name ‘Cheesybite’ gives consumers an exciting, daring and spirited feeling (Friend, 2010). This will attracts consumers with high innovativeness as they are risk takers and are more likely to adopt new products (Tellis et al, 2009) The different personalities of ‘Vegemite’ and ‘Cheesybite’ give consumers totally different perception and feeling and this is important for Kraft to position itself in the different market segment to establish a good name. Bibliography AAP, 2009, Vegemite Cheesybite replaces iSnack2.0, The Sidney Morning Herald. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/vegemite-cheesybite-replaces-isnack20-20091007-gm5u.html Collerton, S. 2009. iSuck 2.0: Unhappy little Vegemites. ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-28/isuck-20-unhappy-little-vegemites/1445034 Foley, Meraiah. 2009. Vegemite Contest Draws Protests. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/business/global/03vegemite.html?pagewanted=all Friend, Camille. 2010. The 5 Dimensions of Brand Personality. Fuel Your Branding. http://www.fuelyourbranding.com/the-5-dimensions-of-brand-personality/ Kraft Foods Australia. 2011. http://www.kraftbrands.com/kraftvegemite/Pages/product-information-cheesybite.aspx Kraft Foods Australia. 2011. http://www.kraft.com.au/products/media_release_vegemite_vote.aspx Miller, K E. 2009. Title fight. The Drum Opinion. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/26916.html Parameswaran, M.G. 2006. Building Brand Value: Five Steps To Building Powerful Brands. Tta McGraw-Hill Education. Schiffman, Leon, David Bednall, Aron O’Cass, Angela Paladino, Steve Ward, and Leslie Kanuk. 2008. Consumer Behavior. 4th ed. Pearson Education Australia Superbrands Australia. 2012. http://www.superbrands.com/au/content/view/300/1/ Tellis, Gerard J, Eden Yin and Simon Bell. 2009. Global Consumer Innovativeness: Cross-Country Differences and Demographic Commonalities. Journal of International Marketing, American Marketing Association. Vol. 17, No 2, 2009, pp 1-22.

Visiting the Johnson Houston Space Center

Visiting the Johnson Houston Space Center Every NASA mission is controlled from the Johnson Space Center (JSC)   in Houston, Texas. Thats why you often hear astronauts on orbit call out Houston. when theyre communicating to Earth.   JSC is more than just mission control; it also houses training facilities for the astronauts and mockups for future missions.   As you can imagine, JSC is a popular place to visit. To help visitors get the most out of their trip to JSC, NASA worked with the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation to create a unique visitor experience called Space Center Houston.  Its open most days of the year and offers a lot in the way of space education, exhibits, and experiences. Here are a few of the highlights, and you can learn more at the centers website.  Heres what to do at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.   Space Center Theater People of all ages are fascinated with what it takes to be an astronaut. This attraction shows the excitement, the commitment and the risks taken by the people who fly in space. Here we can see the evolution of the equipment and the training of the men and women who dreamed to be astronauts. We want guests to experience first hand what it takes to be an astronaut. The film, shown on a 5-story tall screen, takes the viewer by the heart to bring them into the life of an astronaut from the time they receive notification of their acceptance into the training program to their first mission. Blast Off Theater The only place in the world where you can personally experience the thrill of launching into space like a real astronaut. Not just a movie; its the thrill of personally feeling the launch into space - from the rocket boosters to the billowing exhaust. After docking at the International Space Station, guests enter the Blastoff Theater for an update on current shuttle missions, as well as details on the exploration of Mars. NASA Tram Tour With this behind-the-scenes journey through NASAs Johnson Space Center, you may visit the Historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility or the current Mission Control Center. Before returning to Space Center Houston, you can visit the all new Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. Occasionally, the tour may visit other facilities, such as the Sonny Carter Training Facility or Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. You may even get to see astronauts training for upcoming missions. Keep in mind that the buildings visited on the tram tour are real working areas of Johnson Space Center and are subject to closure without notice. Astronaut Gallery The Astronaut Gallery is an unparalleled exhibit featuring the worlds best collection of spacesuits. Astronaut John Youngs ejection suit and Judy Resniks T-38 flightsuit are two of the many spacesuits on display. The walls of the Astronaut Gallery also contain portraits and crew photos of every U.S. astronaut who has flown in space. The Feel of Space The Living in Space module simulates what life could be like for astronauts aboard the space station. A Mission Briefing Officer gives a live presentation on how astronauts live in a space environment. It uses humor to show how the smallest tasks like showering and eating are complicated by a microgravity environment. A volunteer from the audience helps to prove the point. Beyond the Living in Space Module are 24 part task trainers that use sophisticated computer technology to provide visitors with the experience of landing the orbiter, retrieving a satellite or exploring the shuttle systems. Starship Gallery The journey into space begins with the film On Human Destiny at the Destiny Theater. Artifacts and hardware on display in the Starship Gallery trace the progression of Americas Manned Space Flight. This incredible collection includes: an original model of the Goddard Rocket; the actual Mercury Atlas 9 Faith 7 capsule flown by Gordon Cooper; the Gemini V Spacecraft piloted by Pete Conrad and Gordon Cooper; a Lunar Roving Vehicle Trainer, the Apollo 17 Command Module, the giant Skylab Trainer, and the Apollo-Soyuz Trainer. Kids Space Place Kids Space Place was created for children of all ages who have always dreamed of experiencing the same things astronauts do in space. Interactive exhibits and themed area make exploring the different aspects of space and the manned space flight program loads of fun. Inside Kids Space Place, guests can explore and experiment commanding the space shuttle or living on the space station. (Age and/or height restrictions may apply on some activities.) Level 9 Tour The Level Nine Tour takes you behind the scenes to see the real world of NASA up close and personal. On this four-hour tour you will see things that only the astronauts see and eat what and where they eat. All your questions will be answered by a very knowledgeable Tour Guide as you discover the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors for years. The Level Nine Tour is Monday-Friday and includes a FREE HOT LUNCH in the astronauts cafeteria which makes it a Big Bang for your buck! The only security clearance is that you must be 14 years of age or older. The Space Center Houston is one of the most worthwhile trips any space fan can make. It combines history and real-time exploration in one fascinating day!   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Prozac and Paxil †Marketing Research Paper

Prozac and Paxil – Marketing Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Prozac and Paxil Marketing Research Paper â€Å"Depression is a psychological condition that changes how you think and feel. It affects your social behavior and sense of physical well-being.† (Psychology Information Online). Depression isn’t a normal part of life; it is linked to changes in your brain caused by an imbalance of certain chemicals. Depression affects teenagers, adults and even children and it is estimated that â€Å"more than 10 million Americans suffer from this disorder annually† (Marketing Antidepressants: Prozac and Paxil, 2). Knowing that depression is now regarded as a condition which needs immediate attention, pharmaceutical companies have developed prescription drugs called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to combat this disorder. The major questions I would like to address here is; it is obvious that these conditions have been existing for a long time, how was it being treated before? Has this condition been exaggerated by makers of drugs such as Prozac and Paxil? Prozac: Prozac which was designed to correct chemical imbalances caused by a lack of serotonin, joined the market in 1988 and by 1992 sales had reached 10 million annually. The success of this drug is partly due to the effective marketing and advertising strategies. Salespersons were made aware of modern psychiatric practices and marketed the drug to major psychiatrists. In efforts to increase sales, the drug was later marketed to general practitioners and primary physicians. Management further increased sales by educating doctors on how to diagnose depression and to eliminate stereotypes about this disorder. Advertisements about the wonders of the drug were ran during hours when it was believed more depressed persons, specifically women, viewed television. The press contributed greatly to the drug’s success by highlighting it as a wonder drug and miracle pill. A book published by Kramer reported that â€Å"the drug not only treated depression it also transformed personalitiesà ¢â‚¬  (Marketing Antidepressants: Prozac and Paxil, 5). Although designed to teat depression, Prozac is being used to treat eating, smoking, bulimia and other similar disorders. Paxil: Paxil was designed as an alternative to Prozac however in 1999, it received FDA approval to be used as a treatment for Social anxiety disorder (SAD). â€Å"This is a disease which is believed to affect approximately 3.7% of the American adult population and symptoms include anxiety, panic attacks and complete avoidance of situations†. For Prozac’s marketers, this was a virtually new market and marketers knew that sales depended on their ability to create public awareness of the disorder. Similar to Prozac, marketers used strategies such as â€Å"educating reporters, consumers and physicians about the disease and its treatments† (Marketing Antidepressants: Prozac and Paxil, 7). These public awareness campaigns caused millions of mentions throughout various mediums and featured patients who claimed to be suffering from this disorder. Management focused a direct-to-consumer advertising campaign which highlighted the disorder instead of the pill. One in 10 American women takes an antidepressant drug such as Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft, and the use of such drugs by all adults has nearly tripled in the last decade, In 2002, more than one in three doctors office visits by women involved a prescription for an antidepressant, (Antidepressant Use By U.S. Adults Soars). The demand for such drugs are so high one has to wonder how effective are they? Are there any side effects? If so how serious are they? In order to answer these questions we must look at the pros and cons of using these antidepressants: Strengths of Prozac and Paxil Difficult to overdose on the drug and was therefore safe in the hands of suicidal patients Easy to administer and posed less serious side effects than existing brands Positive image: management was able to position Prozac alongside nationwide efforts to cut costs. Positive word of mouth and feedback about the drugs Support from major media houses They were considered wonder drugs for treating other disorders Right market segmentation, effective marketing strategies and public awareness campaigns. Paxil was the first medication to win U.S. approval for SAD. The makers of Paxil merged with GSK to become the world’s largest pharmaceutical company Weaknesses of Prozac and Paxil SSRIs didn’t work for everyone, as a matter of fact only about 60% of patients responded to Prozac Patients had difficulty in tolerating side effects Drugs had not been tested on children during clinical trials Opportunities of Prozac and Paxil Advertising guidelines were more flexible and companies could take advantage of the ability to air broadcast advertisements. Threats of Prozac and Paxil Documents and books were written bout the benefits and dangers of Prozac Competition – there were existing competitors in the market such as Zoloft, and Celexa Critics were outraged about direct-to-consumer advertising and protested that marketing information was misleading. Issues: Despite SSRIs numerous benefits to patients, namely Prozac and Paxil, these drugs were also faced with several issues including: With Prozac’s patent about to expire, Eli Lilly (Prozacs manufacturer) and Glaxo Smith Kline (Paxils manufacturer) needed to decide how to respond to the introduction of generic Prozac into the market Concerns that Americans were overusing and overmedicating themselves with these products. An estimated amount of 28 million Americans took these drugs, while it was estimated that only 10 million were suffering from depression (Marketing Antidepressants: Prozac and Paxil 9) Concerns that these drugs were not being used properly Too much of these drugs were prescribed to patients under the age of 18 What are the moral and ethical concerns associated with using SSRIs. Analysis In January, Leuchter published a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, in which he tracked some of the brain changes associated with drugs such as Prozac and Effexor. He compared the brain changes in patients on placebos and was amazed to find that many of them had changes in the same parts of the brain that are thought to control important facets of mood. In research done for a trial to determine the effectiveness of SSRIs in comparism to herbal remedies, findings revealed that a herbal remedy St. Johns Wort fully cured 24 percent of the depressed people who received it, Zoloft cured 25 percent but the placebo fully cured 32 percent. (Against Depression, a Sugar Pill Is Hard to Beat). What does this research prove? Could it be possible that depression is more a state of mind than a disorder? We know that one of the major concerns is Americans overusing and overmedicating themselves with these SSRIs. Many reports have associated the execution of serious crimes with the use of antidepressants. In the case of Andrea Yates, who suffered from postpartum depression, she was treated with Wellbutrin, Effexor and Haldol years before she killed her five children. According to Bruce E. Levine, Ph.D., author of Commonsense Rebellion†, â€Å"the combination of medicines that Yates reportedly took, particularly if she was taking them at the same time, may well have been a prescription for a tragic psychotic break.† (Depression is a choice) Even though SSRIs have not been tested on children, it is constantly being used to treat depression among children. A shocking discovery was made when a study was conducted among kids with depression who were known to have committed serious criminal acts. â€Å"Fifteen-year-old Shawn Cooper fired on students and high school staff in Notus, Idaho in April 1999, He was taking an SSRI. Thirteen-year-old Chris Fetters of Iowa was on Prozac when she killed her favorite aunt. Kip Kinkel, a 15-year-old, first shot his parents, then killed two and wounded 22 fellow students at Thurston High School in Oregon. He too was taking Prozac. In September 1999, while on Prozac, Buford ONeal Furrow, Jr. fired 70 rounds at the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles wounding 5 people. Jeff Weise dose of Prozac had just been increased to 60 mg daily when he fired on a school in Red lake, Minnesota. The report further stated that since 1998, eight of the thirteen school shooters were on psychiatric drugs.† (Why Kids Kill? Prozac And Alternatives) With this type of information this question is justifiable; did the drugs cause the violence? If so why are they being prescribed and sold. Despite these research findings, â€Å"In 2003, Canadians spent fifteen billion dollars on prescription drugs, an increase of 14.5% over 2002, while the use of such drugs by Americans has nearly tripled since the last decade.† (Psychology Information Online) I am left to wonder, what is the reason for this growing increase in antidepressants? Is it appropriate or sustainable? Why aren’t non-drug alternatives that address the emotional distress of patients, such as exercise, support, psychotherapy, and nutritional improvements, being supported, funded and prioritized by therapists and the government? In a study exploring the effects of aerobic exercise and Zoloft on depression, Blumenthal et al, found that 16 weeks of treatment exercise was equivalent to 1 dose of medication in reducing major depression among older people. (effects of exercise and training on Older Patients) After taking the self test for social Anxiety Disorder, (appendix 1), the results proved that I was not suffering from this disease, however I know if I’d taken this test 10 years ago, the results would be the opposite. I’ve never been on SSRIs, or had I ever heard about such a drug, and what seemed to have been a disorder ten years ago no longer exists. Is it possible then that people go through different stages, or react to things differently as part of the learning and growing process? A Japanese article noted that â€Å"there was not even a term for mild depression in Japan until the pharmaceutical company Meiji Seika Kaisha began to promote the SSRI, Depromel, in 1999. Melancholia, sensitivity and fragility were not negative things in a Japanese context. It never occurred to anyone to try to remove them, because it never occurred to them that they were bad.† (Redefining Depression). Conclusion and Recommendations: I believe that society, especially those of more developed countries has seen it necessary to place labels and categorize everyone into groups. Many persons in groups other than what has been labeled normal turn to prescribed drugs to return to normal state. The only problem is this abnormality never existed in the first instance. Kids who reside in less developed countries and show symptoms of SAD, simply outgrow it when they begin to mingle with their peers and begin to mature. Through personal experience and testimonies from colleagues, one of the best ways to unwind is through exercise, be it at the Jim or on the dance floor. Many kids suffer from depression because of abuse and lack of attention. Prescribing SSRIs to these kids cannot assist them in any way because they now have to deal with the drugs side effects and the abuse. I recommend that physicians concentrate on eliminating the root cause of depression rather than trying to treat the disorder. Like the saying goes â€Å"precaution is better than cure†. I further suggest that all other natural alternatives such as therapy, exercise, dieting etc. be explored and administered before SSRI’s are prescribed. In the event that they are used, it should be in moderate amounts and should be combined with other natural cures. : Blumenthal et al. 1999,159; â€Å"Effects of exercise training on older Patients with major depression.† Arch Intern Med.: 159:2349-2356 Donald J Franklyn, (2002); Psychology Information Online, retrieved July 6, 2006 on the World Wide Web; psychologyinfo.com/depression/description.html Shankar Vedantam (May 7, 2002); Against Depression, a Sugar Pill Is Hard to Beat’ retrieved July 6, 2006 on the World Wide Web; washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A42930-2002May6?language=printer Amy Benfer’; Depression is a Choice; retrieved July 6, 2006 on the World Wide Web; Depressionisachoice.com/essays/failure.html By Dr. Wilson (August 29, 2005); Why Kids Kill? Prozac and Alternatives, retrieved on the World Wide Web on July 6, 2006, lifedynamix.com/articles/Mental-Health/98.html Janet Currie, (May 25, 2005), Redefining Depression. Retrieved on the World Wide Web on July 6, 2006 whp-apsf.ca/pdf/SSRIs.pdf Research Papers on Prozac and Paxil - Marketing Research PaperThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Relationship between Media Coverage and Social andAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesDefinition of Export QuotasGenetic Engineering

Learn How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story

Learn How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story If youve ever been assigned a book report, you may have been asked to address the  theme of the book. In order to do that, you really have to understand what a theme is. Many people, when asked to describe the theme of a book will describe the plot synopsis, but thats not the same as the theme.   Understanding Themes A books theme is the main idea that flows through the narrative and connects the components of the story together. A work of fiction may have one theme  or many, and they arent always easy to pinpoint right away. In many stories, the theme develops over time, and it isnt until youre well into reading the novel or short story that you fully understand the underlying theme or themes.   Themes can be broad or they can focus on a specific notion. For example, a romance novel may have the obvious, but very general, theme of love, but the storyline may also address issues of society or family. Many stories have a major theme and several minor themes that help develop the major theme.   The Differences Between Theme, Plot, and Moral A books theme is not the same as its plot or its moral lesson, but these elements are related and necessary in building the larger story. The plot of a novel is the action that takes place within the course of the narrative. The moral is the lesson that the reader is supposed to learn from the plots conclusion. Both reflect the larger theme and work to present what that theme is to the reader. A storys theme isnt typically stated outright. Often it is suggested by a thinly veiled lesson or  details contained within the plot. In the nursery tale The Three Little Pigs, the narrative revolves around three pigs and a wolfs pursuit of them. The wolf destroys their first two homes, shoddily built of straw and twigs. But the third home, painstakingly built of brick, protects the pigs and the wolf is defeated. The pigs (and the reader) learn that only hard work and preparation will lead to success. Thus, you can say that the theme of The Three Little Pigs is about making smart choices. If you find yourself struggling to identify the theme of a book youre reading, theres a simple trick you can use. When you finish reading, ask yourself to sum up the book in a single word. For example, you could say preparation best symbolizes The Three Little Pigs. Next, use that word as the foundation for a complete thought such as, Making smart choices requires planning and preparation, which could be interpreted as the moral of the story.   Symbolism and Theme As with any art form, the theme of a novel or short story may not necessarily be clear. Sometimes, writers will use a character or object as a  symbol or motif  that hints at a larger theme or themes. Consider the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which recounts the story of an immigrant family living in New York City in the early 20th century. The tree growing up through the sidewalk in front of their apartment is more than just part of the neighborhood background. The tree is a feature of both the plot and the theme. It thrives in spite of its harsh surroundings, much like the main character Francine as she comes of age.   Even years later, when the tree has been chopped down, a small green shoot remains. The tree serves as a stand-in for Francines immigrant community and the themes of resilience in the face of adversity and the pursuit of the American dream. Examples of Themes in Literature There are several themes that are  reoccurring  in literature, many of which we can identify quickly. But some themes are a little harder to figure out. Consider these popular general themes in literature to see if any of them might be appearing in something youre reading right now. FamilyFriendshipLoveOvercoming hardshipsComing of ageDeathStruggling with inner demonsGood vs. Evil Your Book Report Once youve determined what the main theme of the story is, youre  almost ready to  write your book report. But before you do, you may need to consider what components of the story stood out the most to you. To accomplish this, you may need to reread the text to find examples of the theme of the book. Be concise; you dont need to repeat every detail of the plot or use multi-sentence quotes from a character in the novel, a few key examples can suffice. Unless youre writing an extensive analysis, a few short sentences should be all you need to provide evidence of a books theme. Pro Tip:  As you read, use sticky notes to flag significant passages that you think may point to the theme; consider all of them together once youve finished reading.   Key Terms Theme:  The main idea that connects all elements of the narrative.  Plot:  The action that takes place over  the course of the narrative.Moral:  A lesson that the reader is intended to learn from the plots conclusion.Symbolism:  The use of a particular object or image to represent a larger idea.   Article edited  by  Stacy Jagodowski

Simulation of low vision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Simulation of low vision - Essay Example Visual performance may be affected. A person with low vision can use her reduced vision for learning about the world and for planning and doing tasks that need vision† (Low Vision, 2008). The IDEA Amendments of 1997 have yet another definition. They define children with visual impairment as those who have â€Å"visual impairments which even with correction, adversely effects†¦ educational performance.† 1. Generalization of skills: Many students with visual impairments may exhibit difficulty transferring skills acquired in one context to anther. It is important that instruction takes place in natural contexts and at appropriate times so the students internalizes meaning to the task. 2. Concrete versus abstracts learning: some students with visual impairments require hands-on learning experiences through their educational program in order to make sense of concepts and strategies for instructions that are more abstract. Often, the only way that students can learn new skills is through repetitive learning. For example, students who have visual impairments and exhibit cognitive delays may be taught a specific route to the cafeteria. Any change in route may confuse the student. 3. Attention span and distractibility: when initiating instructional programs for students who have visual impairments and other disabilities, the teacher must determine how long a student can attend to a specific task with and without supervision. Also, the environment is an influence on the student’s ability to stay on task and to maintain appropriate behavior. Many students with visual impairments are distracted by loud noises. Examples include the hum of fluorescent lights, a visually cultured classroom, and verbal communication by others in the same environment. They require auditory, tactical, or visual cues to anticipate the transition from one activity to the next. 4. Auditory versus visual learning: most students with visual impairments

The last financial crisis 2007-2009 has many implication on different Term Paper

The last financial crisis 2007-2009 has many implication on different markets , however there are some arguments that the gulf a - Term Paper Example Granting of loans in an uncontrolled manner, which resulted in the value of the loan exceeding that of the assets, was the root of the problem. These loans were provided to the borrowers without conducting a minimum check on their credit-worthiness. The result was that many of the borrowers failed to pay their loans back, which clearly reflected the financial status of the institutions and their inability to pay their obligations, thereby resulting into collapse. This paper investigates the severity of the impact on the GCC market. In this context, the financial market of the GCC countries has been considered along with special attention towards Qatar. The study revealed that the severity of the impact was not as huge as compared to the rest of the world. This can be due to the fact that the policy makers of GCC countries took ardent steps to mitigate the risk. Moreover, the Qatari economy did not get much affected and the banks were declared solvent in that time. However, the real e state business was seen to experience huge hit by the credit crunch. 1. Introduction In the year 2008 and 2009, the global economy was rocked by the financial crisis which was considered as the most devastating economic event, after the Great Depression in 1930s. The aftermath of this global crisis was felt in every part of the world. The global crisis was initiated by the low interest rate regime along with huge inflow of foreign funds that led to the housing construction boom and encouraged large consumption of debt-financing in USA. The Federal Government of United States made it possible for almost everyone to own a home by giving 1 percent rate on the mortgages. The loans that included the mortgages were given to almost everybody without checking the credit worthiness of the borrowers (Sivakumar and Krishnaswami, 2012). With the decline in the housing prices, the major financial institutions, which were involved in borrowing for investing in the subprime MBS, had reported signi ficant loss. This decrease in the price also resulted in a fall in the prices of the homes that worth less than the mortgage loans, which incentivised financially the entry towards the foreclosure. Towards the end of 2008, the crisis peaked. Several banks and other financial institutions of Europe and USA failed as a result of this crisis and governments were trying hard to save these institutions by bailing them out (Kasekende, Ndikumana and Rajhi, 2009; Anon., 2009). The crisis started propagating beyond its epicentre, thereby affecting not only the advanced economy, but also the emerging economies and the rich Arab GCC countries. This paper aims to analyse the degree of impact on the GCC countries. In this context, the paper will specially analyse the situation in Qatar and other GCC countries. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Evolvement and Concept of Global Financial Crisis The term financial crisis refers to the sudden reduction in the price of the assets, which can be financial, such as, bonds and shares and can even be materials like, equipments and machinery. This sudden reduction can result from the price bubble which indicates an abrupt and huge increase in the prices ending in a sudden collapse. Moreover, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the giant financial institu

Secession of a Federal State Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Secession of a Federal State - Term Paper Example One who swore to override laws and constitution in order to reach his legitimate goal to divide the union between the South and North, and the ever-compromising force in executing charters beyond human demand. Republican viewed the strengths from slavery as values objectionable to Northern voters' republican ways. Leadership from Southerners was seen as a mere handful to the nation represented by the paradox of republican government, which, in essence, a minority rules the majority awaring that Lincoln was withheld from providing declaration on strategies, fearing that they would be perverted in both North and South. He declared that people would find him as his records earlier stated. I find this well demonstrated in the controversy on administration and enactment of laws, which brought wrinkles in Northern faces as they defied to honor guarantee to return slaves to the South. Lincoln was clearly stating, â€Å"I will not impose fugitive slave laws† (Wright 11). A constitutio nal crisis arose, as the federal states were not ready to embrace the laws, which would rather favor the Southern people. Failure to abide by the majority feeling at the brink of division crisis led the Southern people to extreme reputation not to surrender to people they had beaten in the election, unless the government broke up. Lincoln was unable to find good, capable generals in the beginning of the division. He tended to favor the Southern people as he felt they were more martial and occupied higher ranks, unlike the Northern people. Abraham Lincoln never supported the slave as he tells Douglas â€Å"I have no purpose, either directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery where it exists† (Current 7). When the states seceded, many generals left their ranks; however, the people from North sat underneath them. Lincoln was devastated in choosing men like Sir Grants so that he could use them, being aware that surrendering would lead to losing all office s they held and prohibition against holding more territories. In this era, Lincoln seemed relentlessly upbeat about the union and rationalist of secession. It is true to say that neither of the sides had a favorable advantage or the ability to enforce submission of the other’s will. Southerners gathered into gangs that fought as armed mobs. Lincoln’s victory was used, by secessionists, to excuse themselves to act, on threats, to abandon the union of federal states and save the power of slave politically, which was viewed as proponent of minority rule. Lincoln could not believe that Southern people meant secession and war, although frequently told by his royal states-men. He became skeptical and wondered if he would be inaugurated in Washington. He was provoked and could publicly announce that he gained no credit to himself for his power, but he was blind to view the stormy wide cloud, which no machines could overturn. Abraham Lincoln certainly understood the nature of the black republican who had no sympathy on him. Events in the South were comprehensible. Animosity was widely spreading while temperament was flawed. The republican followers were young and unknowledgeable. Lincoln stated â€Å"I intent to unite both the south and north for the sake of country’s unity† (Cline 13). After the election, he was determined to show a former face of the Republican Party a

Analysis the case study sabmiller by gerry johnson 2010 Essay

Analysis the case study sabmiller by gerry johnson 2010 - Essay Example This paper looks on at the company’s performance in the year 2009 and how this was significant in terms of having to apply a number of strategies and try and boost their results a few fold. Also, different strategies that may be applied by the company as futuristic options have also been discussed within the paper with the help of which the company will be able to decide its future advantages and demerits. Briefly speaking, during the year 2009, SABMiller took a number of important steps in order to ensure that the company received a high status and was acknowledged not only in its areas of control and operations but all over the world, on a global basis. It has tried to consolidate its position in the business environment, develop its market and products in the global market, and has also tried to expand and diversify its product detailing in order to develop a stronger and better customer and target base. Almost after ten years of being listed in the stock exchange board of London, the company moved from being number 88 to the 17th position in the FTSE. Its market capitalization had also increased almost four fold. It had become the second largest brewer in the world by global standards and had a number of worldwide brands listed in its brand portfolio. However, all this recognition and success for the company came at the hands of smart decision making, excellent thinking and implementation of action as well as making good choices for strategies. SABMiller had tried to establish itself in the market by taking on its competitors and making a name for itself. It tried to create a balanced environment for itself in the market, and tried to attract global businesses from all over the world to come and partner and collaborate with it in terms of providing clientele for suppliers. With time, the company has tried to acquire as many smaller units as it can in order to help itself grow and establish a network on an international basis. This has helped it to ex pand and make other people aware of its presence in the global market. The company has tried to exploit all kinds of opportunities available to it in different countries of operation and thus has also strengthened its position by joining hands with a number of partnerships and proprietors all over in order to not only give them a chance and raise its goodwill and morality but also help itself set a good network chain. The main aim of the company is to develop a strong portfolio name for the international market and keep its customers and consumers satisfied and happy so that they establish strong connections and contacts with the company with time. The company has thus tried to move into specialty brands and become bait for a more affluent consumer group. It has been trying to locate and provide the target consumers with their needs and wants and try and not let their goals shift from those of the company’s. Yet another strategy in the entire management of the company is its will to never stop striving to do better. The company has an excellent lookout towards its smaller units and collaborations and thus always makes sure that these small intermediaries are also satisfied in terms of the kind of work that they are all carrying out for the main company. Thus, it strives to constantly keep on raising the level of performance at every localized level that it has. Its manufacturing processes have taken a

Report of Electronic Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Report of Electronic Commerce - Essay Example A conclusion will then summarise the findings and present the final thought. E-commerce is buying and selling of goods and services online, usually through the internet (Information System Audit and Control Association, 2006, p.218 - 222). Global electronic commerce revenue for 2000 was in the region of $286 billion; a figure which was expected to increase to $500 billion in 2001 and to $3 trillion by 2004. 'According to Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), an industry body for electronic retailing, British online retail sales rose by more than 60% from a year earlier in June 2006, totaling 2.26bn that month. British online retail sales totaled 13.5bn in the first half of 2006, according to IMRG' (Global Technology Forum, 2006). This rapid increase reflects the fact that electronic commerce has a number of advantages over paper-based commerce: in particular, speed and reducing the cost of doing business. E-commerce allows organisations to reach to a wider range of audience than what a traditional brick-and-mortar shop can ever do. With e-commerce, companies can serve globally. The entire world becomes the target market depending on the type of business. For a book store like Glasgow Books, this presents an opportunity to extend to not only in Glasgow but throughout Scotland and perhaps in other parts of Europe as well, with passage of time. Availability An online shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The customers can read about the books, and can make transactions any time they like, through the comfort of their homes, without having to physically come to the shop for making purchases. Low Costs In the long run, technology costs to establish an online book store is much lesser than what it must spend to maintain a physical store. The cost of advertising and marketing over the internet is minimal. Customer Relationship Management E-Commerce solutions provide an effective way to keep in contact with customers, record customers' likes and dislikes, and develop a targeted marketing campaign as per the customers' tastes and wants. For example, Glasgow Books, by using an e-commerce system, can keep records of customers' preferences for books and can contact customers as and when new editions and/ or new books relating to that particular subject arrive. Accurate Armour, a manufacturer of military models, developed their website in 2003 when

Significance of Normal Distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Significance of Normal Distribution - Essay Example These properties permit the normal distribution to be applied as the basis for estimating how huge or small sampling errors are. The normal distribution or normal curve is one of a biggest number of probable distributions; it has a standard deviation of 1 and a mean of 0. In most cases, it is not feasible to gather data on the whole target population. Supposed an entrepreneur plans to invest a shopping mall in a certain locality and decides to sell more clothings. He might be interested to know the body sizes of the people within the perimeter from the store, however, finds it impossible to collect all the data about the residents. Then, if the data subset or sample size of the population of interest can be considered instead of including the entire population. Hence, repeating the data gathering procedure would most likely lead to a different group of numbers. A framework or representation of the distribution is used to provide some sort of consistency to the results. Using normal distribution is very important since it provide appropriate description about the measures of the variables (height, weight, age, economic profile, reading ability, job satisfaction, work performance, memory, life span and many others) precisely and normally distributed.

Report of Electronic Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Report of Electronic Commerce - Essay Example A conclusion will then summarise the findings and present the final thought. E-commerce is buying and selling of goods and services online, usually through the internet (Information System Audit and Control Association, 2006, p.218 - 222). Global electronic commerce revenue for 2000 was in the region of $286 billion; a figure which was expected to increase to $500 billion in 2001 and to $3 trillion by 2004. 'According to Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), an industry body for electronic retailing, British online retail sales rose by more than 60% from a year earlier in June 2006, totaling 2.26bn that month. British online retail sales totaled 13.5bn in the first half of 2006, according to IMRG' (Global Technology Forum, 2006). This rapid increase reflects the fact that electronic commerce has a number of advantages over paper-based commerce: in particular, speed and reducing the cost of doing business. E-commerce allows organisations to reach to a wider range of audience than what a traditional brick-and-mortar shop can ever do. With e-commerce, companies can serve globally. The entire world becomes the target market depending on the type of business. For a book store like Glasgow Books, this presents an opportunity to extend to not only in Glasgow but throughout Scotland and perhaps in other parts of Europe as well, with passage of time. Availability An online shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The customers can read about the books, and can make transactions any time they like, through the comfort of their homes, without having to physically come to the shop for making purchases. Low Costs In the long run, technology costs to establish an online book store is much lesser than what it must spend to maintain a physical store. The cost of advertising and marketing over the internet is minimal. Customer Relationship Management E-Commerce solutions provide an effective way to keep in contact with customers, record customers' likes and dislikes, and develop a targeted marketing campaign as per the customers' tastes and wants. For example, Glasgow Books, by using an e-commerce system, can keep records of customers' preferences for books and can contact customers as and when new editions and/ or new books relating to that particular subject arrive. Accurate Armour, a manufacturer of military models, developed their website in 2003 when

Mike Clouds Thomas Erben Gallery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mike Clouds Thomas Erben Gallery - Essay Example Clouds work has a feature suggestive of the unpolished flamboyance of William Pope.L's artwork But when one views Cloud's art shows a very conscious appointment with structure and imperfection This work is not of a rebellious nature as it seems to be a sincere study of the motionless nature of thoughts in relation to the inner rich lives of persons. Throughout the exhibition the color theory and color scales and are at work in calm palettes, arrangements that clash and ones that flow. The weight of Cloud’s curiosity shows itself through very dense paint smeared in arduous of layers implying the nature of various trains of thought laid down on canvas paper .Color is displayed in painting in this contest. Another of his paintings called ‘Dialogue of Growth’ it looks like a coffin and stands on the floor while leaning on the wall. The canvas is covered with blue and green hand prints, the word organ if painted in yellow two times while the image of the diamonds has b een repeated. The word ‘organ’ which was put at the center of the coffin is among the parts of a gold link chain. Of all his work in exhibitions, this one seems more concise. It seems to look into both the reality and suffocation idea of what being a black man means in 2014. In the piece ‘Removed Individual’ The body, as a corpse or alive, echoes through system and shape throughout the work of cloud., footprints, Handprints, male anatomy and heart prints are contained in the triangles which make a yellow-brown, red-pink six-pointed sta.

17th Century Treatment of Woman in Literature Essay Example for Free

17th Century Treatment of Woman in Literature Essay By the Middle Ages, it was commonly accepted that Eve was principally to blame for the disobedience that led to the fall of humanity. Greek ideas had replaced Jewish in Christian thinking, including the notion that the soul was good but the body evil. Heretical though this might have been, it didn’t stop sexuality being regarded as somehow evil. One of the few recorded medieval women writers, the mystic Margery Kempe, aspired to celibacy even within marriage. As it becomes apparent in a few select works representing women in medieval literature, includingThe Book of Margery Kempe, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Le Morte Darthur, in the middle ages or medieval period, restrictions placed on women underwent a significant change. At the beginning of this period, women’s roles were very narrowly prescribed and women did not have much to do with life outside of the home. As this age went on, however, women gradually began to express more opinions and have a greater and more equal role in society. Two earlier medieval texts, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight offer readers two simple categories of women, those who are or are not confined. Later, with the writings of Margery Kempe, the strict duality begins to disappear and the reader is confronted with a woman who is blend of each of these ideas of women. While she is confined by her society, she is unconfined by its conventions such as marriage and traditional gender roles. In general, however, each text presents an example of a â€Å"proper† and confined woman as well as the complete opposite; almost so that the reader can see what evils can occur if a woman is not confined. The women in Beowulf, at least on first glance, might appear to be glorified waitresses and sexual objects, but their role is far more complicated than this. When it is stated in one of the important quotes from â€Å"Beowulf† that, â€Å"A queen should weave peace† As confined in a marriage, women in Beowulf are assigned the role of peace weaver, â€Å"queen and bedmateAll of the human women in Beowulf are queens and adhere to their duties as such with grace and obedience. The only exception to this model of medieval femininity is Grendel’s mother who is technically a woman but is so hideously described that the idea of gender becomes grossly distorted. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight even though it was written some years after Beowulf. In this text, the reader is first confronted with the ideal woman, Guenevere, who is confined and is serving her role as peace weaver and object for the male gaze. â€Å"the goodly queen gay in the midst/ on a dais well-decked and duly arrayed / with costly silk curtains†¦all broidered and bordered with the best gems† Chaucer’s womenAlthough women feature strongly in Chaucer’s earlier works, such as The Boke of the Duchess and Troilus and Criseyde, we only find three women on the pilgrimage described in The Canterbury Tales: * The Wife of Bath * The Prioress * ‘Another nun’ who accompanies her but is hardly mentioned again. The two principal women reflect the only ways that women at the time could achieve independence and status: in the Church or in a trade. The Wife of Bath represents those whose skills, such as weaving, gave them financial independence, though Chaucer’s character seems to have grown wealthy mainly by marrying a series of rich old men. is tempting to see the Wife as a champion of female rights, and her Tale brings out the idea that women should have maistrieover men, but the Wife is of course a character in a story written by a man. She has had five husbands, like the woman of Samariawho is challenged by Jesus (in John 4:17-18), ’withouten oother compaignye in youthe’. Her fifth husband, whom she married for love rather than riches, proved to be less compliant – and very well read. She claims to have put him in his place eventually, but Chaucer enjoys making the Wife recount (and try to refute) all the misogynistic tales with which he has assaulted her.  Women in Renaissance and after: Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the social standing and the legal and economic rights of women continued to be restrictive, limiting them to the domestic sphereDuring the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century and the resulting Catholic Counter-Reformation, the depiction of women in domestic roles became increasingly important. The social system of patriarchy matured during the early modern period, particularly during the Reformation. The concept of patriarchy involved male control over nearly all facets of society. The assigned works from the English Renaissance primarily portray women unrealistically. Despite a few exceptions, these works depict women as being idealistically beautiful, as having perfect virtue, or, conversely, as exercising hyperbolically negative traits. The few exceptions to this rule do depict women in a more realistic light. For instance, in its first six stanzas, the female speaker of John Donne’s â€Å"The Bait† praises Marlowe’s â€Å"Passionate Shepherd,† but in the final quatrain, she acknowledges how foolish she is for biting at his bait, saying, â€Å"That fish that is not catched thereby, / Alas, is wiser far than I† (1247). William Shakespeare also paints a realistic picture of a woman in Sonnet 130, debunking the florid Petrarchan conventions that elevate women’s beauty almost beyond comprehension but asserting that his mistress is â€Å"as rare† (1041) as any Petrarchan subject nonetheless. Among the male authors, Shakespeare also presents the most substantive and realistic female character of these works with Cordelia in King Lear. Although her honesty at first brings disownment and exile, she emerges as one of the few characters in the play who remain true to their convictions throughout the course of the narrative. Cordelia’s realistic portrayal is rivaled only by the highly personal poetry of the only female author assigned, Katherine Philips. In â€Å"A Married State,† Philips also debunks the popular perspective favoring of marriage, especially with its benefits for women, noting to her audience of young women that the single life yields â€Å"No blustering husbands to create your fears; / No pangs of childbirth to extort your tears; / No children’s cries for to offend your ears† (1679). Another of her poems, â€Å"On the Death of My First and Dearest Child, Hector Philips,† provides an equally realistic yet exponentially more emotional account of the uniquely maternal experience of losing a child. Despite the success of these works in presenting realistic depictions of women, they are the exceptions to the rule, as the majority of the assigned works portray women quite unrealistically. Perhaps the most common of the exaggerated portrayals addresses women’s physical beauty. Sonnet 64 of Edmund Spenser’s Amorettidescribes his subject with the inflated Petrarchan conventions satirized by Shakespeare, likening each detail of her physical appearance to a different flower, and claiming that â€Å"her sweet odour did them all excel† (866)—an obviously impossible feat. The bride of Spenser’s Epithalamion is sung as having similarly cosmic beauty, with â€Å"eyes like stars† (870) or â€Å"Saphyres shining bright† (872). In fact, Spenser describes â€Å"all her body† as â€Å"like a pallace fayre† (872) in a highly exaggerated comparison, the meaning of which almost defies interpretation. Even in a poem addressing the neo-Platonic ideal of finding virtue in beauty, Sir Philip Sidney’s Astrophil still relapses to using the common Petrarchan convention comparing Stella’s eyes to the sun in Sonnet 71 before concluding with the confession that he fails in his attempt to elevate his attention from her physical beauty to her underlying virtue. These last two works also invoke the fallacy of women as having unadulterated virtue. Again, Astrophil lauds the inherent goodness that Stella’s beauty reflects. Not only does she possess this virtue, but she also seeks to improve all with whom she comes in contact: â€Å"And not content to be Perfection’s heir / Thyself, dost strive all minds that way to move, / Who mark in thee what is in thee most fair† (926). Spenser describes one example of the flawless disposition of the bride ofEpithalamion by recounting her humility, even shyness, in the face of the adoring stares of all the guests at her wedding and the unsullied virginity she brings to her marriage bed. In another work, the virtuous Celia of Ben Jonson’s Volpone finds her faith and integrity unrewarded with an attempted affair forced upon her by her husband and a false conviction for allegedly seducing yet another man. Finally, in a highly complex simile, Donne draws a parallel between his love and â€Å"the fixed foot† (1249) of a compass in â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning. † The woman he addresses is so constant, so faithful, so flawlessly virtuous, that she is as the tool that produces the circle, the shape of perfection. Just as common as excessively positive characterizations of women are the excessively negative. Two of the assigned plays include women whose primary activity is political scheming: Goneril and Regan in King Lear and Lady Politic Would-Be in Volpone. Goneril and Regan present flattering platitudes to their father, Lear, that do not reflect their true feelings for him. In fact, after receiving their inheritances of half the kingdom each, they want nothing more to do with him and turn him out into the stormy night. Lady Politic also schemes in an effort to increase her social status, leveling false accusations of adulterous seduction against Celia in order to advance her and her husband’s own chances of inheriting Volpone’s fortune. The speaker of Donne’s â€Å"Song† might have been hurt by such women as these, for he denies the existence of any faithful and virtuous woman. If his addressee were to find a seemingly true woman, Donne laments that â€Å"Though she were true when you met her, / . . . / Yet she / Will be / False, ere I come, to two, or three† (1238). Another of Donne’s poems, â€Å"The Flea,† contains another common criticism of women: that they too often deny their suitors. The listener of this dramatic monologue, in killing the flea, casually rejects the speaker’s elaborate analogical argument for a relationship between them, and in response, the speaker insults her honor, which amounts to as much â€Å"as this flea’s death took life from thee† (1236). â€Å"The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd† also counters an elaborate argument, this one an appeal more emotional than rational. Sir Walter Ralegh’s nymph responds to each point from Marlowe’s shepherd with the argument that all his promised goods and pleasures will fade with time, including his own youth and love. This reply to a heartfelt attempt to win her love establishes the nymph as cold and self-centered, as opposed to the devoted and emotionally expressive shepherd. The speaker of Andrew Marvell’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† experiences a similar rejection from his intended lover. Rather than praise her beauty and virtue, he mocks them as fleeting and meaningless, respectively, saying, â€Å"Thy beauty shall no more be found, / . . . in thy marble vault . . . † (1691) and â€Å". . . then worms shall try / That long-preserved virginity, / And your quaint honor turn to dust† (1691-92). Perhaps the strongest indictments of women in these works charge them with an opposite sin: the base corruption of formerly virtuous men. Arcasia, in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, attracts and seduces good men only to turn them into wild beasts doomed to her service. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 144 describes a similar woman, close contact with whom carries damning effects: â€Å"To win me soon to hell, my female evil / Tempteth my better angel from my side, / And would corrupt my saint to be a devil† (1042). The most â€Å"accomplished† female corrupter of these works affects not only the man in her life but all of humankind. John Milton’s Eve, after ignoring the counsel of her wiser husband, inflicts sin upon all her descendents as a result of her inferior reason, virtue, and faith—according to Adam and Milton. The sinful history of humanity to follow owes itself to the weakness of a woman. The enormity of this last example typifies how the unrealistically exaggerated portrayals of women in English Renaissance literature far outweigh the few examples of more realistic and moderate depictions. This subject culminates in the image of Miltons Eve in the epic poem Paradise Lost. Although Miltons Eve comes, in the mid-seventeenth century, at the end of the Renaissance in England, her image builds upon, and perpetuates, Renaissance antifeminist commonplaces, while it also questions and undermines them. Milton emphasizes Eves subordinate position in his description of Adam and Eve in Book 4: For contemplation he and valor formed, /For softness she and sweet attractive grace; /He for God only, she for God in him (11. 296-299). Eve herself articulates and generalizes that subservience: God is thy Law, thou mine; to know no more/Is womans happiest knowledge and her praise (11. 638-639). When she rebels against her secondary position, she separates herself from Adam in their Edenic tasks and thus is vulnerable to Satans temptations. When the Renaissance in England was at its height, in Edmund Spensers Elizabethan world, the great epic poet of the 1590s presents images of women that contrast with the shadowy or negative women of Miltons epic poem. While antifeminist views of female nature are embodied in the allegorical Error in Book 1 of Spensers The Faerie Queene, other females throughout the epic serve to celebrate women. In part because Spensers poem was written in praise of his own Queen Elizabeth, the positive images of women range widely. They include the gentle, yet forceful, Una, whose cry, Fie, fie, faint harted knight (1. x. 465) shocks the feeble Redcrosse Knight into action against the temptations of Despair. In the third book of The Faerie Queene, the virtue of Chastity is exemplified through the woman warrior Britomart. In this portrait, Spenser tells Queen Elizabeth that he is disguising praise of her, his own queen, since explicit celebration would be inadequate: But O dred Soveraine/ Thus farre forth pardon, sith that choicest wit/ Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure plaine/ That I in colourd showes may shadow it,/ And antique praises unto present persons fit (3. . 23-27). Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth provided a strong, positive image of a woman, through which poets from Peeles play, The Arraignment of Paris, through William Shakespeares Henry VI, Part 3 found opportunities to create dominant roles for woman. Yet Queen Elizabeth herself perpetuated some of the misogynist stereotypes that haunted her at her accession in 1558, in such tracts as John Knoxs Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women. Queen Elizabeth ruled through her own alienation from her womanliness. She ruled as the Virgin Queen, continuing the idea of chastity as the norm and replacing in her still newly Protestant country the lost ideal of the Virgin Mary. The artifice of her costuming and the artfulness of her speeches both contributed to her power. During Elizabeths reign from 1558 to 1603, positive images of women include the female characters of Shakespeares comedies, like Rosalind of As You Like It and Beatrice of Much Ado about Nothing. After James Is accession, however, the Jacobean theater explored female characters who achieved tragic, heroic stature, like John Websters The Duchess of Malfi. In her closet drama, The Tragedy of Mariam, Elizabeth Cary explored the dilemmas facing strong women. In addition, in this later period of the Renaissance, such women writers as Elizabeth Grymeston, the author of the Miscelanea; Lady Mary Wroth, the author of the poetry and prose epic romance Urania; and Amelia Lanier, the author of a poetic defense of Eve, became creators of rich images of women, which we are only now beginning to recover.

The Nature of the Legalism and Its Significance :: essays research papers

In contrary to its contemporary antagonist philosophical schools, who advocate the practices of humanness and the rightness and set ideal of the past, the Legalists, in their complete rejection of the traditional ethics, embraces the efficacy of political power and uphold a society of laws and punishments. As the old feudal states decayed and the smoke of endemic warfare suffused, the need for a more rational government that can afford greater centralized power so as to strengthen a state against its rival increased substantially among the Warring States. Such a rising urge necessitated the emergence of the Legalists and further predetermined the Legalists’ inherent nature – realistic, totalitarian and problem-solving – which, with the realization of its significance and duty in the stream of history, finds its hegemonic character as well. In function, the Legalist is more of a powerful and influential government consultative committee than a philosophical school. In practice, they openly advocate war as a means of state expansion and transforming people into more submissive and loyal or inversely, a way for its people to server the state; they conceive a political structure where all government apparatus and social institutions reside under an absolute monarch, who has the ultimate power and set his foundation in an elaborately self-contained, austerely impartial and severely coercive legal machinery; the state would also find no existence of the earlier schools of thoughts if not their total annihilation; loyalty to their emperor and â€Å"weakened† minds among people would prevail, bringing about social stability enabling intensive and efficient farming. It is thus rational for us to question the validity of preconditions upon which these ideas were acquired and the legitimacy of the ideas; and later but more importantly, how did the Legalists become the only classical thoughts had its teaching adopted as the sole official doctrine of a regime ruling all China and bring about the unification of China; and lastly, the association of the all-too-soon collapse of the ephemeral Qin Dynasty and the Legalists thoughts. As for the precondition of the Legalists’ thoughts, there are a few fundamental premises or judgments that we can find from the texts. As an independent school of thoughts in order to distinguish itself among all Hundreds of Schools and set aside all past ideals and standards, the Legalists, first of all, believed in the inevitability of a constant change in society. As noted by Han Fei (d.

Malcolm X :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malcolm X was a great African American Leader, but there is one question that comes to mind when his name is mentioned. Why was Malcolm X such a controversial man? I will now tell you about the life and times of Malcolm, and while doing so, attempt to answer this, o so timely question that so many have asked. Early Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malcolm Little was born in 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Luis Little was a house wife. His father, Earl Little was a well-known Baptist Minister. When Malcolm was three years old, white supremacist's threats to his father forced the rather large family the parents had, to move. They chose to settle in Lansting, Michigan. But this homestead would not last for long. Soon after, their house was turned to ashes by more Area Nation members. But the hate would not stop there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only two years later Earl Little has found dead on the trolley tracks. The Police, of course, presumed both the death, and the fire, accidents. But Malcolm and his family knew the hateful truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These Events led to the mental sickness of the tattered widow and mother, Louis Little. She was committed to an Institution (Barbara Haberman, 2002). Malcolm and his brothers and sisters were split up into foster homes and orphanages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite all this tragedy, Malcolm became a good student in Elementary and middle school. He had dreams of becoming a successful lawyer someday. But one teacher, that Malcolm had favored, shattered these dreams in just one ignorant statement. He told him that this aspiration of becoming something of such a profession, was â€Å"no realistic goal for a nigger†-Teacher‘s name not known- (Barbara Haberman, 2002). This statement, that if told to any white man of that time, would have been thought to be true. Malcolm soon turned away from school and all he had cared about. Malcolm’s Imprisonment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In High School, Malcolm became rebellious. After he later dropped out, he became a hustler while going through odd jobs. New York City was the place for this zoot suit wearing bad boy. For four years he shifted between NYC, Boston, and Michigan. Soon Malcolm had gotten caught up the conation and lost trace of his morals. He was even caught staling from friends and family. Once Malcolm said he wanted â€Å"to fight for the Japanese and kill crackers (white people)† ((whole paragraph) William Strickland, 1964)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1946 Malcolm was sentenced to 10 years in Massachusetts State Prison for the burglary he had recently committed.

Hiv Prevention

HIV/AIDS LIFE SKILLS – EDC 121 – TONI SYLVESTER Nataniel P. Marthinus Student Nr. 3142910 Assignment 1 Due Date: 01 March 2011 INTRODUCTION1 Eight Fundamental considerations or steps to be followed before and after administering a blood test for HIV. 1 Voluntary Counseling & Testing1 Food and Nutrition1 Prevention & Onward Transmission of HIV1 Follow-up Counseling1 Stigma & Discrimination2 Spiritual Support2 Sexually Transmitted Infections2 Palliative Care2 Strategies for the provision of HIV-related Treatment, care and support services2Ensuring the continuation of education (EDC121 Course Reader: 41)2 Providing psychosocial support for children (EDC121 Course Reader: 42)2 Treatment education at school2 Successful school-based HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support programmes3 Caring School Environment3 Child Centered Programmes3 Build on existing services3 Community Involvement3 The UNAIDS (2000) article4 Demographic effects4 Health effects4 Family-life effects4 Welfare effects4 Education effects4 UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS5 REFERENCES6 INTRODUCTION HIV/AIDS is the fastest growing epidemic here in Africa.In fact, the virus is so widespread you will find people with the virus all over the world. According to statistics in November 2007, people living with HIV & AIDS around the world are the most in Africa. It also shows that the disease occurs mostly around infants who acquire the virus from their mother. (EDC121 Course Reader: 55). I will be discussing various topics concerning the virus. Eight Fundamental considerations or steps to be followed before and after administering a blood test for HIV. Voluntary Counseling & TestingThrough counseling and knowledge of the virus, it could help a person with following a healthy lifestyle so that he or she can live longer and prevent other infections. People who learn that they are negative could learn to change their behavior towards people living with the virus. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Food and Nutrition Goo d nutrition only cannot keep a person permanently healthy. Nevertheless it may help lengthen the lifespan of a person living with HIV. Nutrition plays a huge role in the medication process of a person living with HIV. It can also increase the risk of HIV transmission from mother to baby. EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Prevention & Onward Transmission of HIV Counseling on sexual behavior is advised. Provide condoms and must have a supportive environment. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Follow-up Counseling HIV affects all aspects of a person’s life. It can help someone understand, live with and accept their status. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Stigma & Discrimination Stigma is fueled by mythical concepts. Thus it is a barrier to prevent future infections and further treatment. Communities have a various concepts around AIDS and how the virus is spread.This indicates a lack of knowledge and understanding towards the disease. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Spiritual Support Support from spiritu al leaders and priests may be comforting. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Sexually Transmitted Infections STI co-contribute to HIV transmission. If treated, it can help reduce AIDS spread through sexual intercourse and can keep a person healthier for longer. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Palliative Care Because of a lack of health infrastructure there are insufficient Palliative care institutes for people who are approaching the end of their lives.Palliative care provides comfort and support for people who are terminally ill and helps people die a comfortable death. (EDC121 Course Reader: 37) Strategies for the provision of HIV-related Treatment, care and support services Ensuring the continuation of education (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Providing psychosocial support for children (EDC121 Course Reader: 42) Treatment education at school HIV-positive learners and educators will need support in their workplace and the learning environment so that they can get treatment whilst on school grounds .Here are a few related issues: * Treatment support for HIV-positive students; * Support for students and teachers to visit medical centers for checkups; * How the affects of the treatment will impact on the learner and educators ability to teach and learn; * Adapting to the curricula of HIV & AIDS so that the learners and teachers wont teach information that is out of date; * Educating students about treatment and the harm caused caused by stigma and discrimination so that they can give better support to their parents and families. (EDC121 Course Reader: 43) * Home-based care and educationAcross Southern Africa, in many schools students and teachers are providing outreach work to support the community members. This support can be categorized as follows: * Learners supporting sick members of the community; * Educators proving home-based educations to sick students. (EDC121 Course Reader: 43) * Universal precautions (EDC121 Course Reader: 44) * Support for basic needs (EDC121 Course Reader: 44) * Teaching livelihood skills (EDC121 Course Reader: 45) * Social grants (EDC121 Course Reader: 45) Successful school-based HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support programmes Caring School Environment It is a work-based policy based on the rights of children. * The recreation of opportunities for staff and students. (EDC121 Course Reader: 46) Child Centered Programmes * Policies reflecting a rights-based approach. * Children and young people should be involved in the design and carrying out of the programmes. (EDC121 Course Reader: 46) Build on existing services * Uniting HIV elements with existing policies rather than letting it stand alone. (EDC121 Course Reader: 46) Community Involvement * Policies that are developed with close consultation with members of the community. Strategy development including more help of men in the care and support system. * Socioculturally sensitive policies without compromising the shared fundamental traits of the programme. (EDC121 Course Rea der: 46) The UNAIDS (2000) article Demographic effects Half of South Africa’s population are children and more then 60% of them live in poverty. Because there is an association between poverty levels and HIV infection, this percentage can serve as a figure for the number of children with AIDS. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Health effects Children that lives in an infected community struggles with ill health and poor nutrition.In rural areas children’s nutritional status suffers because they are dependant on household labour. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Family-life effects The household traditional structures is changing in communities that are affected and children that are vulnerable need to adapt to the demands of a non-traditional family and further deepening poverty. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Welfare effects Economically families and households are very hard hit by this. Because of illnesses and poor health productive family members they are often unable to work.Famil ies are poor and are more vulnerable by the cost of illness and care. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Education effects Poor attendance in school already characterizes the landscape of South African education. HIV-infected children do not want to go public with their status. They do not want to feel ashamed at school. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Psychosocial effects Children’s psychosocial hardship and emotional shock is often not as visible as other problems but central importance. There are various difficult challenges that children have to face such as grief, loss of identity, stigma, rejection, death, etc. EDC121 Course Reader: 41) Orphanhood effects Disrupted families and death of parents and close relatives have created a huge number of abandoned South African children. By some calculations the number of orphans will have grown 9-12% of the countries population by 2015. (EDC121 Course Reader: 41) UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS Precautions basically include: – Caring for wounds- Have emergency supplies on hand – Cleaning up blood spills- Gloves – Safely disposing of medical supplies- Medicines (EDC121 Course Reader: 44) REFERENCES EDC121 Course Reader, 2011