Great Fire of London

The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. [1] The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall. It threatened, but did not reach, the aristocratic district of Westminster, Charles II's Palace of Whitehall, and most of the suburban slums. [2] It consumed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, St. Paul's Cathedral, and most of the buildings of the City authorities. It is estimated that it destroyed the homes of 70,000 of the City's 80,000 inhabitants. 3] The death toll from the fire is unknown and is traditionally thought to have been small, as only six verified deaths were recorded. This reasoning has recently been challenged on the grounds that the deaths of poor and middle-class people were not recorded anywhere, and that the heat of the fire may have cremated many victims, leaving no recognisable remains. The Great Fire started at the bakery of Thomas Farriner (or Farynor) on Pudding Lane, shortly after midnight on Sunday, 2 September, and it spread rapidly west across the City of London.The use of the major firefighting technique of the time, the creation of firebreaks by means of demolition, was critically delayed due to the indecisiveness of the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Bloodworth. By the time large-scale demolitions were ordered on Sunday night, the wind had already fanned the bakery fire into a firestorm which defeated such measures. The fire pushed north on Monday into the heart of the City. Order in the streets broke down as rumours arose of suspicious foreigners setting fires.The fears of the homeless focused on the French and Dutch, England's enemies in the ongoing Second Anglo-Dutch War; these substantial immigrant groups became victims of lynchings and street violence. On Tuesday, the fire spread over most of the City, destroying St. Paul's Cathedral and leaping the River Fleet to threat en Charles II's court at Whitehall, while coordinated firefighting efforts were simultaneously mobilising. The battle to quench the fire is considered to have been won by two factors: the strong east winds died down, and the Tower of London garrison used gunpowder to create effective firebreaks to halt further spread eastward.

Business Studies Essay

What does the nature of business mean ? Usually, when filling out some kind of form, â€Å"nature of business† refers to the type or general category of business or commerce you are describing. For example, if you worked at McDonald’s, the nature of your business is food services. â€Å"Nature of Business† means what type of business your are doing? like Wholesale, Retail or Service, Manufacturing, Marketing, etc. If you want more specific, then HBA wholesale, Car Service, Furniture manufacturing, health Drinks Marketing, etc. The nature of business, means what exactly your business is doing and what is the service/product you are offering. For example the nature of â€Å"Walmart† as a business is â€Å"Retail† and the nature of â€Å"Microsoft† is â€Å"Software. † Internal and External Influences on businesses The external environment includes those factors over which the business has little control, such as government policy, technology, economic conditions and social attitudes. The internal environment includes these factors over which the business has some degree of control, such as products, location, resources, management and business culture. External Influences on business  ·Economic  ·Financial  ·Markets  ·Competitive siuation Technological  ·Institutional  ·Political  ·Legal  ·Social  ·Geographic If you had a shop and everyone decided to go to another shop that would be an econmic disaster! If this continues for a month then the business would close, employees would be laid off, and landlords and suppliers will not be paid. Charasteristics of boom perios – Higer lever of employment -Inflation may increase – The level of spending by consumers increases as they have more confidence in the economy Characteristics of recessi on period – Unemployment levels rise – Inflation may remain stable or fall Wages are less likely to rise as employers – The level of spending usually decreases Internal influences on Business – Product – The types of good and services will affect the internal operations of a business, The product influence and the size of the business -Location -A good location is an asset and will lead to high levels of sales and profits and a bad location is a liability that adversely affects sales and products  ·Location Factors – Visibility, promixity to customers, promixity to suppliers and promiximity to support devices -Management- Resource management -Business culture Failure to SME failure  ·Failure to plan  ·lack of information  ·leaderhsip skills  ·inaccurate record keeping  ·new taxes  ·not enough sales  ·economic turndown  ·staff difficulties Success to SMEs  ·Entrepemtual abilities

Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook Essay - 1

Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook - Essay Example HIPAA amplified patient security with was critical towards patient security as it introduced new legislation that protect critical information such as social security number, private medical information and payment. This facilitated the cause of security and eliminated many types of frauds that plagued the industry. Another element that was emphasized in 2002 was health hazards. Hazard identification is a critical steps towards identifying risk management process. It is where individual work hazards are identified and rectified through a mitigation plan for the safety of others. Prior to 2002, there was no log of audits for hazard identifications. However after 2002, organizations were not only audited but were required by law to keep logs of information and history for the sake of safe for employees. In 2002, these processes were more refined. Organizations were required to not only develop processes for efficient use of resources OSHA Small Business > Small Business Handbook. (n.d.).  OSHA Small Business > Small Business Handbook. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from

The Impact of Workplace Diversity on Job Performance in Walmart Research Paper

The Impact of Workplace Diversity on Job Performance in Walmart - Research Paper Example It correlates about how an institution directs the performance of its officers and workers within a targeted period to perfect the company’s relation with the market and to ensure that it’s able to achieve shareholders’ expectations based on the confluence and influential factors driven by the state of the economy. Russu (1993) posited that HRM is achieved if an organization has nurtured a formal structure of organization using its human capital in the perfection of desired performance. As such, the company must be able to (a) develop strategic approaches to motivate them in order to engage them in all necessary tasks; (b) permit the organization to function for efficiency and effectiveness of services; (c) adhere to objectives using standards and performance control or systems; (d) make some essential decisions about employment in relation to organizational effectiveness; (e) appreciation of diversity to gather leverage in the market and to make the services har monious to market; and to nurture high productivity in its economic and corporate activities (Russu, 1993). Rusu (1993) pointed that HRM is therefore about defining strategies to assure concordance in business strategy and human resources strategy. It is also interested about developing a comprehensive process in the application of policies and workplace ethics or practices by setting down the integrated human resources’ desired behaviours and nurturing commitments from workforces (Rusu, 1993). The objectives of this research to broadly investigate the application of the principles of diversity in human resource management to Wal-Mart, one of the multinational corporations prominently tagged as a leader in global retail industry. It will specifically investigate how Walmart appreciates diversity as integral component of HRM, as well as, the uniformity or consistency of this framework or process when these principles are applied. Wal-Mart, as one of the largest multi-national retail organizations got an average sale of $405 billion by competitively leveraging and servicing about more than 200 million customers on weekly basis. As it look forward to employ about 500,000 jobs in the next five years (Wal-Mart Workplace Diversity Report, 2010), such feat could be an interesting object of in-depth study. The company reported that as of these date, the company has U.S. workforces of about 815,000 female associates; 248,000 African-American associates; 67,000 Hispanic associates; 42,000 Asian; 5,000 from Pacific Island; 14,000 from Alaska and American Indian workers (Wal-Mart workplace Diversity Report, 2010). Such figure an enormous diversity of workforces which meant an essential appreciation to multiculturalism as human capital are variegated in age groups, genders, ethnic and racial backgrounds, cultural and national origins, as well as, mental and physical capabilities. Research Objective This is a qualitative study targeting to have an in-depth analysis a bout how Walmart apply the values of diversity in human resource management and how the theory of diversity has been strategically applied by the corporation to develop market leverage, competitiveness, competence and in business management as a multinational retail corporation. It will likewise attempt to critically understand the impacts of diversity in the job performance of the employees; elicit

Does Induce Therapeutic Hypothermia Impact Neurologic Function And Research Paper

Does Induce Therapeutic Hypothermia Impact Neurologic Function And Improve Patients Out - Research Paper Example The results can be used to guide and advice nurses to consider hypothermia to patients unable to follow verbal commands following spontaneous circulation. The study recommends that patients suffering from cardiac-arrest should be transported suing facilities that can offer therapeutic hypothermia together with advanced neurologic monitoring, coronary reperfusion and standardized care. Why is this topic important in the field of nursing Nurses have been identified as to play a significant role in detecting, preventing and treating adverse complications and effects of therapeutic hypothermia. With the information provided in this paper, the nurses will be better placed to deal with most of the adverse effects in intensive-care settings. In normal settings, care for patients under therapeutic hypothermia may require intensive massive following its complexity thus the information provided by this paper may be relevant in guiding nurses as they provide such services. The reduction in morb idity and mortality and the improvement of neurologic outcomes is mostly caused by Therapeutic hypothermia. More so the condition has also several effects on the outcome of a cardiac arrest survivor. New mechanism to analyze the impact of therapeutic hypothermia when it is used to treat patients with neurologic prognosis is reviewed in this paper. In the standard therapeutic hypothermia protocol the patients are subjected to cooling for about 24 hrs to a specific temperature of 33 and it ranges from 32-34 while applying the catheter-based cooling or the surface -based method. In the cooling process the patients are treated with agents like benzodiazepines, opioids ,propofol or even a combination of the... This study adds up to the many other studies that have been conducted on the role played by hypothermia in dealing with neurologic conditions and has been used in updating cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines and its findings used as recommendations for hypothermia in neurologic conditions especially patients suffering from cardiac arrest and don’t regain consciousness. The findings can also be used in the implementation of therapeutic hypothermia in patients suffering from pulseless electrical activity, asystole and in house cardiac arrest cases. The results can be used to guide and advice nurses to consider hypothermia to patients unable to follow verbal commands following spontaneous circulation. The study recommends that patients suffering from cardiac-arrest should be transported suing facilities that can offer therapeutic hypothermia together with advanced neurologic monitoring, coronary reperfusion and standardized care. This paper have demonstrated that therapeutic hypothermia mitigates brain damage following cardiac arrest. The exact mechanism to go about it is not yet clear but different approaches have been used like cerebral oxygen consumption reduction as well as multifactorial physical and chemical mechanisms, destructive enzymatic retardation, free-radical reactions suppression, intracellular acidosis reduction and biosynthesis inhibition. This study has proved that patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia following neurologic conditions have improved neurologic outcome without any side effects in comparison with the results of historical controls.

Christian Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Christian Ethics - Research Paper Example Consequently, the organization implemented the policy of organizing morning prayers for all workers before the start of operations thereby ensuring that the spirit of evil desires and impurity are put at bay through prayers. The policy is successful since nearly all the workers in my organization are religious with most being of Christian faith. Â  In order to ensure that my organization implements better ethical practices at the workplace, I would recommend for gradual implementation of the ethical practices. First, all the workers need to be informed of the intention of introducing the ethical practices in the organization. Secondly, the workers should have a say or decide on the practices they feel should be implemented, and this requires brainstorming, soberness, understanding, and sacrifices. This is helpful since it ensures that workers play a role in the creation and implementation of policies and ethical practices that will affect their lives while serving in the organization. When workers accept the anticipated ethical practices, they feel bound by their decisions and, therefore, strive to abide by them. Such decisions will serve as guidance to their relations at the workplace and to some extent their daily lives since they spend most of their time.

Agencys Law and Ethics of Hiring a Diverse Workforce Essay

Agencys Law and Ethics of Hiring a Diverse Workforce - Essay Example the federal government] be made free from any discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.† Section 717 also obligates, in part, every department and agency to â€Å"maintain an affirmative program of equal employment opportunity for all such employees† (Worth v. Jackson). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) evaluated the HUD’s â€Å"affirmative employment plan† and found that it intentionally discriminate against sex and race in violation of the equal protection guarantee. The case that was filed against HUD was for a permanent injunction of the agency’s â€Å"affirmative employment plan† (AEP) and the discriminatory practices contained in it (Center for Individual Rights, nd). This also violates the new discrimination criteria of EEO that states â€Å"maintain recruitment, hiring, job assignment, and other work policies that have â€Å"an adverse impact on minorities and women and are not justified by business necessity† (EEOC, nd) The issuance of â€Å"Guidance on LGBT Housing Discrimination Complaints expanded the coverage of the nondiscriminatory clause in the Fair Housing Act to include not only discrimination in race, color, national origin but also gender orientation such as those LGBT. This has affected not only the external customers of Department of Housing and Urban Development but also included its personnel management practice. This translates to the hiring and general personnel management practices of the organization. In a guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) it announced that it would expand the coverage of non-discrimination to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and families consistent with the Fair Housing Act. Addressing the issue of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender ensures that the workplace has a diversified pool of talent where the basis of selection and recruitment is dependent on the skills and competence of an individual

Expansion of Aritizia Boutique Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Expansion of Aritizia Boutique - Research Paper Example With a population of over 800000 people, Indianapolis is the largest of the three cities. Colorado Springs follows second and last is Ann Arbor. The economic indicators of the three cities are also good. All have a higher employment rates. The city with the highest employment rates is Ann Arbor. Competition is a major challenge in the three cities. All the three cities have well established Boutiques in the market with the leading in competition being Indianapolis. Colorado Springs also has a number of boutiques, which has been in the market for a very long time. Climate however is on the side of Colorado Springs. With over 300 days of sunshine, Colorado Springs remains the best place to sell light clothes. Comparing all the above factors, Colorado Springs is the best city to expand the Aritizia products.   This research involves looking at the various cities that the expansion is to occur and identifying the various aspects of the city that will make it the best option for expansi on. After all the data is collected, analysis takes place to come up with the best city among the various options. In this paper, analysis of three cities occurs to know which among them, suits the best option for expansion of Aritizia boutique. The three cities are; Indianapolis, in Indiana, Ann Arbor, of Michigan and Colorado springs of Colorado. The main sources of information used in this paper come from various books about the small American cities, the internet and various newspapers. Analysis of the population trend of each city, its overall economic group in the past decade comes about to show the best city among the three cities listed.  Ã‚  

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Essay Example for Free

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Essay Introduction: The Beginning of the â€Å"Continental Drift Theory† In the middle of the eighteenth century, James Hutton proposed a theory, uniformitarianism; â€Å"the present is the key to the past†. It held that processes such as geologic forces- gradual and catastrophic-occurring in the present were the same that operated in the past. (Matt Rosenberg, 2004) This theory coincides with the theory of Continental Drift that was first proposed by Abraham Ortelius in December 1596, who suggested that North, South America, Africa and Eurasia were once connected but had been torn apart by earthquakes and floods. He also discovered that the coasts of the eastern part of South America and the western coasts of Africa fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and this fit becomes especially prominent as the edges of the continental shelves have similar shapes and thus, appear to be once fitted together. (Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2) The similarity of southern continents’ geological formations had led Roberto Mantovani to speculate that all continents had once been a supercontinent and was smaller in its volume than it is now. Through volcanic activity, fissures are created in the crust causing this continent to break apart. However, this theory, known as the Expanding Earth Theory has since been proven incorrect. The Theory of Continental Drift In 1912, The Theory of Continental Drift was intensively developed by Alfred Wegener, who claimed that the world was made up of a single gigantic supercontinent named Pangea since the Permian period, 250 million years ago. It began forming at the beginning of the Carboniferous period, 365 million years ago, when Gondwana collided into Laurussia producing the Appalachian mountain belt in eastern North America and closing in Paleo-Tethys Ocean and modern landmass became exposed to air. Alexander Du Toit then suggested that 145-200 million years ago, in the middle Jurassic Period, Pangea started breaking up into two smaller supercontinents, Laurasia in the northern hemisphere and Gondwana in the southern hemisphere, with Tethys Sea and North Atlantic Ocean separating the two supercontinents. The late Jurassic era began the formation of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada mountains. In the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago, the two supercontinents then began fragmenting into the present seven continents. (USGS, 2012) The Tethys Sea that lay between the two landmasses was subducted beneath Eurasia, forming the lower Atlantic Ocean. Eventually, it disappeared. (Nelson Thomas, 2007) (Figure 2) Wegener proposed that continents were moving at about one yard per century and supported this theory with several points of evidence. Evidence supporting the Theory of Continental Drift (Alfred Wegener and Du Toit) Alfred Wegener matched up coastlines, and he realized that by fitting the continental shelves together, cratons formed a contiguous pattern across the boundary of South America and Africa. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) He realized that mountain ranges that ended at one coastline seemed to begin again on another such as ancient mountains in South Africa that align with the mountains in near Buenos Aires in Argentina. (Sant, Joseph, 2012) He discovered earthworms of the family Megascolecina, who are unlikely to be long-distance migrators, were found in soils of all the Gondwanaland continents. (kangarooistan, 2009) This identical species could not have arisen on different continents without some variations. (WiseGeek, 2010) Fossil remains of a prehistoric reptile known as the Mesosaurus had been uncovered on both sides of the South Atlantic coasts, yet the creature was unable to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. ( Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Fossils of the land reptile, Lystrosaurus were discovered in South America, Africa and Antarctica. (Sant, Joseph, 2012). He also discovered the fossil plant Glossopteris was distributed throughout India, South America, Southern Africa, Australia and Antarctica. (USGS, 2012)(Figure 3) Alexander Du Toit traveled to Brazil and Argentina where he found similarities in the fossils and rock strata to those found in South Africa such as the fossilized remains of Mesosaurus in fresh water deposits, dune deposits capped by basalt flows, tillite and coal beds. Similar layers of rock were formed in Antarctica, Australia, South America, Africa and India. (Figure 4) Widespread distribution of Permo-Carboniferous glacial sediments in South America, Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, India, Antarctica and Australia and striations that indicated glacial flow away from the equator and towards the poles were discovered and supported the theory of Continental Drift which proposed that southern continents were once located over the South Pole region and covered by ice sheets. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) (Figure 4) He also discovered a base layer of shale scratched by glaciers and covered by layers of tillite in South Africa, a continent of a tropical equatorial climate. Tillites and varves dating back to 2 billion years ago, were found in Canada and India, indicating glaciation on a worldwide scale. Such tillites were found on all major continents except Antarctica, which has been the most extensive glacial continent in earth’s history. (kangarooistan, 2009) Additionally, fossils of tropical plants in the form of coal deposits were found in Antarctica which implies that Antarctica had to be closer to the Equator. (USGS, 2012) This study of changes in climate taken on the scale of the entire history of Earth is known as paleoclimatology. Sediments of rifting have proved the drifting apart of Pangea. The rifting that formed the South Atlantic Ocean began late in the Mesozoic Period when Africa and South America began to pull apart. Water from the south then flowed in over time, thus forming the evaporites now found along the coastlines there. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013)(Figure 5) However, Wegener believed that only the continents were moving and they plowed through the rocks of the ocean basins. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1996) Harold Jeffreys then argued that it is impossible for continents to break through solid rock without breaking apart. (USGS, 2012) Wegener also claimed that the centrifugal force of the spinning planet had forced the continents sideways, parallel to the equator; tidal pull from the sun and moon had caused lateral movement. (Sant, Joseph, 2012) His orders of magnitude were too weak. Thus, his theory was dismissed. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Further development and support of the â€Å"Continental Drift Theory† in the 1960s After World War 2, the U.S. Office of Naval Research intensified efforts in ocean-floor mapping, leading to the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to be part of a continous system of mid-oceanic ridges on all ocean floors, prompting Harry H. Hess to suggest the theory of sea-floor spreading. The oldest fossils found in ocean sediments were only 180 million years old and little sediment were accumulated on the ocean floor. Thus, he suggested that seafloors were no more than a few hundred million years old, significantly younger than continental land due to hot magma rising from volcanically active mid-oceanic ridges, spreading sideways, cooling on the seafloor’s surface due to cooler temperatures of the sea, solidifying to create new seafloor, thereby pushing the tectonic plates apart. (Edmond A. Mathez, 2000) The realization that the shape of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Atlantic Coast are strikingly similar substantiated the claim that the continents had been joined together at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) (Figure 6) The cause of the continental drift that Wegener was unable to explain had been further researched on by Arthur Holmes who claimed that the movement of continents was the result of convection currents driven by the thermal convection in the heat of the interior of the Earth, namely the mantle. The heat source of the mantle comes from radioactivity decay in the core. (Figure 7) At constructive plate boundaries, molten basalt flows out on either side of the ridge and cools with the iron particles in the basalt aligning with the earth’s magnetic field which reverses direction every few hundred thousand years. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Due to magma cooling, the polarity of rocks will be recorded at the time it was formed. (Figure 8.1) In 1950, researchers of paleomagnetism discovered that there were alternating regions of normal and reversed magnetic directions symmetrically disposed on both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge –magnetic stripping. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) Harry H. Hess’ theory was thus proven by the magnetic anomalies in the oceanic crust. (Nelson Thomas, 2007) (Figure 8.2) It was also discovered that the youngest rocks were closest to the mid-oceanic Ridge and the oldest rocks were near the coasts of the continents. When scientists began collecting magnetic data for North America and Europe, they discovered the north pole seemed to be moving about over time. (ALLA, 2009) However, when data from other continents was collected for the same time frames, it showed different polar locations, thus supporting that continents were moving about. The Theory of Plate Tectonics The theory of plate tectonics held that the Earth’s lithosphere, the Earth’s crust and the uppermost mantle, is broken into seven macro-plates and about twelve smaller ones, averaging 50 miles in width. (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, 2007) Any plate may consist of both oceanic crust and continental crust. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1996) (Figure 9) It suggests that the ocean floor began to spread at constructive plate boundaries, and continents, existing on â€Å"plates†, moved due to convection currents in the mantle and constant sea-floor spreading. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011). They drag and move plates above them due to rising magma spreading out beneath the earth’s crust. As two oceanic plates move apart, magma from the underlying asthenosphere mantle wells up from oceanic ridges and becomes rigid enough to join the lithosphere of the plates on either side of the plate boundary, creating new seafloor and eventually, an oc ean is opened up. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) (Figure 10) Examples are the Atlantic Ocean formed between South America and Africa. New rock is created by volcanism at mid-oceanic ridges and returned to the Earth’s mantle at oceanic trenches where the denser plate is subducted under the other, forcing the earth’s crust back into the mantle. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) This process is known as the ridge push and slab-pull. (Figure 11) Different plate tectonics movement and subsequent tectonic activities Transform plate movement causing earthquakes: Seismic waves disrupting the continents in the form of earthquakes are due to the great amount of stress and energy built up by the friction of the moving plates, especially during transform plate movement, where plates slide past each other in a grinding, shearing manner and form tear faults (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011). (Figure 12.1) There is gradual bending of rocks before the ductile limit of rocks is exceeded, causing the plates to lock and the fault to break, leading to sudden release of stored energy, causing earthquakes. (Nelson Thomas, 2007 ) An example is the strike-slip fault, San Andreas Fault in California. (Figure 12.2) (WiseGeek, 2010) Oceanic and Oceanic convergent plate movement: Other evidence of plate tectonics movement are most of the world’s active volcanoes located along or near the boundaries between shifting plates known as plate-boundary volcanoes. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) When two oceanic plates collided, the denser plate will subduct under the other, forming a deep oceanic trench and form magma through hydration or decompression melting. The magma being less dense than the surrounding mantle, rises and escapes to the sea-floor through cracks in the earth’s crust, forming submarine volcanoes that rise above water to form a chain of volcanic islands known as island arcs, such as the Japan Islands. (Figure 13) Examples would be the Pacific Plate subducting underneath the North American Plate creating the Kuril Trench and the Japan Trench that can be found along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Many volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens, Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines are located along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean Basin where boundaries of several plates such as the Nazca and the Cocos Plate are found, forming the Ring of Fire. (Fraser Cain, 2009) (Figure 14) Volcanoes formed not due to tectonic activities: 5 per cent of the world’s volcanoes are formed at isolated â€Å"hot spots† and many intra-plate volcanoes form roughly linear chains along the middle of oceanic plates. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011)Examples are the Yellowstone National park and Hawaiian Islands, an intra-plate volcanic chain developed by the Pacific plate passing over a deep, stationary â€Å"hot spot†, located 60 km beneath the present-day position of the Island of Hawaii. Heat from this hotspot produced a constant source of basaltic magma by partly melting the overriding Pacific Plate. This magma rises through the mantle to erupt onto the seafloor, forming an active seamount. Over time, countless eruptions caused the seamount to grow until it finally emerges above sea level to form island volcanoes. The continuing plate movement eventually carries the island volcano away from the hotspot, cutting it off from the â€Å"hot spot† and creating another island volcano. This cycle is repeated, forming the Hawaiian Islands. (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, 2007) (Figure 15) Continental and Continental convergent plate movement: Continental fold mountain ranges are evidence of two continental plates that are thick and buoyant thus, preventing both plates from subducting. Instead, the two plates collide into each other forming fold mountain ranges in a process known as orogenesis. An example is the high elevation of the Tibetan plateau, fringed to the south by the Himalayas as the edges of the Indian and Eurasia plate buckle, uplift, fold and deform. Mt. Everest is the highest summit on Earth, yet Yellowband limestone that was originally part of the shallow seals of the Tethys Ocean was found on Mount Everest at a height of 8462m. (Figure 16) Oceanic and Continental convergent plate movement: Mountains are formed when oceanic crust is subducted under a continental crust, resulting in melting of rock, thus volcanic activity and causing the continental crust to deform, rise and buckle upwards under compressional forces. Examples are the Andes Mountain, the Chile-Peru Trench and the uplift of the Rockies and Appalachians in the past. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2007) The Table Mountains was formed approximately 250 million years ago, due to the Pacific plate subducting under the North American plate, (Mary Ann Resendes, 2012) thus creating the Sierra Nevada foothills, subsequently creating the Cape of Good Hope as the ocean erodes the soft sandstone of Table Mountains on the coast. (National Geographic, 1996) Other tectonic activities such as the Wadati-Benioff zones, that are earthquake zones parallel to oceanic trenches are also formed at such subduction zones and inclined from 40 to 60 degrees from the horizontal, extending several hundred kilometres into the mantle. (Figure 17) Continental and Continental divergent plate movement: When two continental crusts are pulled apart due to tensional forces, the area sinks and forms a rift valley and sea such as the East African Rift Valley and the Red Sea that runs from the Jordan Valley and into East Africa, already dotted with volcanoes such as Hermon. This is due to the area being stretched, causing the crustal material to thin, weaken and sink due to lowered density. (Figure 18) Isostasy Also, isostasy takes place wherever a large amount of weight such as the fold mountain ranges created from plate tectonics movements is formed or glaciers, pushes down the Earth’s crust and creates a small dent. Isostasy also takes place at divergent plate boundaries when a large amount of weight is removed from an area, causing that portion of the Earth’s crust to rise. Therefore, equilibrium in the earth’s crust is achieved such that forces elevating landmasses balances those tending to depress landmasses. (Learning Network, 1998) (Figure 19)

Sociology and Psychological Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Sociology and Psychological Prejudice Essay The following are some of the key definitions and terms used in this article. Tele-Health, Tele-Medicine, Teaching and Education, Tele-Medicine Information, Hospital Primary Care Networks, E-Readiness, Hard Technologies, Information Communication Technologies Infrastructure, Technology Adaptation, Technology Adoption, Transportation Modality. b) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1986, 1989) is an adaptation of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). Initially Telemedicine, may be determined or measured by the End-Users willingness to embrace and utilize a new or adaptation of existing technologies for specific application to telemedicine, in preference to an old technology (Davis, 1989). And later on focusing on a number of inter- and extra-organizational variables, Igbaria, Zinatelli, Cragg, and Cavaye (1997) made a number of interesting discoveries relative to computing utilization. For them the external components were (a) internal computing support, (b) internal computing training, (c) management support, (d) external computing support, and (e) external computing training. c) Overview of the France healthcare system Modern France has one of theâ€Å"universal† health care systems in the world and is a leader among European nations. It offers a â€Å"high quality services and is easily accessible at the same time†. In France, every employed individual, regardless of the level of employment, is covered by a national health insurance plan known as securite sociale (Social Security). The French health care system is mainly financed by social insurance but there is also a significant supplementary insurance. C. 1 Telemedicine Systems in France. During the 1960’s, France experienced significant growth in the use of telephone and radiophone consultations for health care purposes. This growth led to the creation of the SAMU (Service d? Aide Medical d? Urgence) in 1968 and the SAMUR (Service Mobile d? Urgence et Reanimation), which represented important milestones in the history of telemedicine in France. Since the late 1990’s to date, France, being one of the co-founder of the European Community, implemented a number of programs that have catapulted France into the forefront of Telemedicine, not only in Europe but worldwide. France has taken many steps to extend telemedicine applications. Given all that France has accomplished in the area of Telemedicine, it is inconceivable that further advancements will be tempered only by advances in medical technology. d) The U. S. healthcare system. Perhaps, driven by the â€Å"market-oriented economy of the U. S. , the U. S health Care System is a â€Å"blend of public and private involvement in the delivery of health care services† (Shi and Singh, 2004). The health care system in the U. S is financed through (1) Voluntary payers for those who can afford to pay for health care services; (2) A Multi-payer system that includes premiums or general taxes. At this level there are health care insurance services that provide coverage for most employees and their immediate dependants; and (3) Government sponsored (Medicare and Medicaid) – where many that are â€Å"under-insured† or â€Å"un-insured† rely mainly on this netting to cover basic health care services. D. 1 Telemedicine Systems in the U. S. In the 1970’s telemedicine received a tremendous boost from manned space-flight program when Lockheed Missile and Space (now Lockheed Martin) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) doctors demonstrated that they provide health care services to people with severe health problems, but who had difficulties accessing health care services. In 1990, Maritime Health Services (MHS), based in Seattle, Washington, initiated a program that allowed medical officers on board fishing trawlers to communicate directly with shore-based physicians as needed, around the clock (Zundel, 1996). However there are three basic areas of telemedicine that are worthy listing: (a) NASA’s Telemedicine applications with terrestrial based applications; (b) Telemedicine application in Disaster Response; and (c) Telemedicine in the area of Home Health Care. 3. YOUR THOUGHTS RECOMMENDATIONS As per our article, French has better telemedicine service than USA because French takes short time to approval of new technology and USA more focus on efficacy of device while French focus on safety. In rural area of USA, telecommunication and information infrastructure is requiring for success delivery of telemedicine, Georgia State is best example of that. So, in USA, try to make fast approval of new medical device and technology. Also, some other recommendations are * Teaching health care professionals using appropriate telecommunication systems * Research designed with a view to harmonize training schemes or research programs for telemedicine * Raise the special fund to develop telemedicine. * Develop better communication network in rural area and teach people how to use them. * Telemedicine is best way to transfer medical service in rural area and isolated communities. * Connect all hospitals and allow to access each other patient’s treatment 4. AREAS OF ADDITIONAL RESEARCH Use of Telemedicine as an extension of a doctor’s medical practice is more readily accepted in France, where there are no credentialing issues. A doctor may physically be located in Paris while he remotely guides surgical procedures in other parts of France without having to acquire appropriate credentials in that remote area. Credentialing of civilian health care personnel is easily overcome. Further research is necessary in this area. France, and Europe in general, will continue to make greater strides in the deploying telemedicine application more than the U. S. due in part to the shorter time it takes to approve medical technologies. Further research is necessary in this area.

Midified Bunnell Suture in Achilles Tendon Injuries

Midified Bunnell Suture in Achilles Tendon Injuries I. Samota, R. Necula, Florin Sabou, Radu Vaidahazan, I. Szava, Alina Pascu. SUMMARY The treatment of Achilles tendon lesions is still controversial. Even the usual Bunnell technique of suture is appreciated to be a good ones, it is steel associated with a low rate of reruptures. In order to improve the suture strength, we modified the original Bunnell suture by using two sutures in Bunnell manner, one starting from the superior and the other from the inferior tendon stumps. The manner of fixing the knots is in double points and realizes a superior tight fitting than the usual Bunnell suture. We used this suture in four cases of accidental section and in 11 cases of acute rupture, with no reruptures. Based on our own experience, we consider this modification of Bunnell sutures increases the strength of the sutured tendon and generates a low rate of reruptures. BACKGROUND The Achilles tendon is the largest and the most frequently injured tendon of the human body (1, 2, 3). In cases with accidental section, the only surgical treatment is accepted. Treatment protocols for patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture include surgical and nonsurgical management, but they are constantly being modified (4, 5). The rerupture following acute lesion is the most frequent major complication and it is higher in nonsurgical treatment than in surgical one (6). In surgery the rates is lower, but it is still up to 3% (7, 5). Various surgical methods have been described including open, minimally invasive and percutaneous repair (8, 9). In chronic ruptures of Achilles tendon, most authors consider the surgical treatment to be the only satisfactory one (12, 13, 14). In chronic ruptures, we never used any type of suture but the angmentation only. Each surgeon chooses one surgical techniques because considers it to be associated with a low rate of complication. Base on our experience, we consider, in the acute Achilles tendon ruptures, the surgical treatment has some advantages. We present our experience with Bunnell modified suture surgical of Achilles tendon lesions and discus the used techniques in accidental sections and acute ruptures. We believe our modified Bunnell suture to be associated with a lower level of rerupteres than the original one. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study is a retrospective evaluation of patients with accidental section or acute Achilles tendon ruptures treated by a modified Bunnell suture. Every patient who underwent a modified Bunnell suture of an Achilles between January 2010 and December 2014, was identified and information was abstracted from the medical records. All the patients with Achille lesions operated in this period by a modified Bunnell suture were included. It was a number of four patients with section and 11 with acute rupture. In cases with accidental sections the diagnoses was established by clinical examination, and in all cases an immediate surgical repair were performed. It was three male and one female, between 37 and 42 years old. In all of them an end-to-end modified Bunnell suture was done. In acute ruptures cases the diagnoses was based on history and physical examination. In some cases, an ultrasound or MRI examination was added. All the patients accepted for surgery had to present a palpable depression on the tendon, a positive Thompson test and disability to stand on their tiptoes on the injured side. The duration of ruptures from injury to surgery was from a couple of days to five weeks. The patients group comprised 11 men and two women ranging in age from 24 to 59 years. The majority of the ruptures were at about 4 to 6 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion. All the patients were treated by the same technique, a modified Bunnell suture. SURGICAL TECHNIQUES With the patient under anesthesia, tourniquet control and in prone position, the surgery started by a posteromedial incision from 4 cm. up to 4 cm. down to the rupture site. The incision is without dissection, sharply through the skin, subcutaneous tissue and fibrous tendon sheath. Then, the synovial sheath is carefully dissected and then longitudinally incised on both side of tendon section or rupture, and protected in order to be easy sutured at the end of tendon repair. The ragged ends of the ruptured tendon are limited excised and with the ankle plantarflexed up to 35Â ° a direct modified Bunnell suture is done. Fig. 1. Original Bunnell suture (from Coughlin MJ, Schon LC. Disorders of Tendons. In: Surgery of the Foot and Ankle. Eighth edition, Mosby, Inc. 2007.) Fig. 2 Modified centrally running Bunnell suture with two distal knots fixation. This initial variant was not used in cases included in this study. Fig. 3 Modified Bunnell with two laterally sutures. This is our technique which was used in all cases of the study. Fig. 4. Our technique – detail. In our technique, instead of one centrally running suture as in original Bunnell (Fig. 1), two laterally sutures on both sides of each stamp, were used (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). One of the sutures starts from the superior and the other from the inferior tendon stumps. Each of the two sutures is passed through the level of section or rupture and then is fixed in the opposite tendon stump. This fixation is by four knots, two in the end of the proximal stump and two in the end of the distal stump in the manner described in fig. 2. In some cases, especially in cases of tendon sections, the tendon repairing was supplemented with interrupted circumferential sutures. After tendon repairing, we pay special attention to the synovial sheath suture. It is carefully sutured to cover as long as possible the repaired tendon. Postoperatively, a series of three casts a used. First is a long cast with the knee in 20 degree of flexion and the ankle in 30 degree of plantar flexion is applied. After three weeks another below-knee with the ankle in 15-20 degree of plantar flexion is applied. The patient is encouraged to move his knee. Five weeks after surgery the third below-knee walking cast with the ankle in neutral position or slight flexion is applied. The last cast is for another two weeks and the progressive weight-bearing is commenced. After cast removal the patient is advised to wear shoe with high heel for another three month and increased activity and physical therapy are begun. RESULTS In the cases of section the average follow-up was 6 months and ll of them have had the evolutions with no major or minor complications. In the cases of acute ruptures the average follow-up was 12 months. In all cases, no surgery related major complications, such as tendon rerupture or necroses, sural nerve injury, skin necrosis, wound infection, or deep infection. As minor complications, there were two tendon contracture and one superficial wound infection which were conservatively treated. In all patients with minor complications, no supplementary surgical treatment was done. None of them had tendon adhesion to the skin and the skin over the tendon was movable. Two patients had cosmetic complaints concerning the scar but without affecting the ankle function. All patients were able to stand on their tiptoes and single affected side leg hopping was possible one year postoperatively. Active range of motion was found to be reduced with limited dorsiflexion in two cases with acute rupture, and the difference was less than 10Â °. At the last follow-up, there had been no cases of rerupture and the subjective satisfaction was excellent or good in all the patients. DISCUSSION In accidental section of Achilles tendon, an end-to-end tendon suture is usually done but simple interrupted suture are not sufficient. In these cases, we consider Bunnell suture to be the method of choice. Initially, we modified centrally running Bunnell suture in the manner depicted in fig. 2. This initial variant was not used in cases included in this study. Then, in order to improve the suture strength we used two running suture of the original Bunnell, in the manner depicted in fig. 2. This surgical variant was used in all patients of this study. In acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon the treatment options include nonsurgical and surgical variants. The nonsurgical one avoids the surgical risks but it is associated with a high risk of rerupture (15). Despite the surgical risks, a number of authors consider surgery as a common treatment of Achilles acute ruptures (16, 17, 7). Although, in acute cases, percutaneous procedure increases in popularity, surgery is commonly performed as an open technique (16). The most usual techniques for primary open repair are Bunnel, Kessler and Krackow sutures (6, 19). Although there were reported reruptures after a Bunnell suture, we consider this method and used a modified Bunnell one in the majority of our patients with direct primary sutures. This modified Bunnell is a preference of the main author (IS). Our manner of fixing the knots realizes a superior tight fitting than the usual Bunnell suture. In this variant, instead of two knots both of them placed in the level of section or rupture, there are four knots, two in the end of the proximal stump and two in the end of the distal stump. These four knots are not in the level of section, but two up and two down, proximal to the level of section. Our results suggest this modified Bunnell suture improve the suture strength and is associated with a low rate of reruptures. We consider to be important the protection and dissection of the synovial sheath. At the end of the tendon repairing, a carefully synovial sheath suture has the advantage to create good biological conditions for tendon healing. Based on this special attention to the synovial sheath, in our series none of them had tendon adhesion to the skin. Conclusions The results of this study suggest the modified Bunnell suture in our manner has some advantages. In Achilles tendon section or acute ruptures, it is associated with good functional results and a low rate of complications. We consider this type of suture increases the strength of the sutured tendon and generate a low rate of reruptures.

Bruner and Wittgenstein: Language Learning :: Psychology Children Communication Papers

Bruner and Wittgenstein: Language Learning A crucial phase in the child's development comes with its acquisition of language, but before we can engage in any pedagogical efforts to further infant development or to aid atypical cases, we need to understand methodologically what occurs during language learning. Jerome Bruner, in a methodological adaptation of Ludwig Wittgenstein's middle and later work in an extension of Noam Chomsky's LAD, has put forth one influential proposal (Bruner 1983). Ludwig Wittgenstein's own remarks on the topic also furnish an interesting story independent of Bruner's selective use of his corpus, especially insofar as his approach results in an irreducible riddle and a hypothesis by his own account (Wittgenstein 1953 and 1958). The two views are explored, contrasted and critiqued. In the end, neither will do to resolve problems in our methodological understanding of language acquisition, for which the most important reasons are given. Most children learn language with remarkable ease, but how are we to account for this extraordinary fact? The problem plaguing our understanding of language and language acquisition can be described as. How can one learn anything genuinely new and become linguistically creative and how this learning is possible at all, unless one already has some path into language, for example, a suitable framework in which language learning takes place? It is this framework that interests us here. One possible picture is provided by St. Augustine, who likens the child's learning of language to a stranger coming into a foreign land, unable to understand what is said, yet already in possession of some language, only not the one spoken 'here.' To Wittgenstein, the picture painted in St. Augustine's Confessions is not representative of the scenery encountered by the first-time language learner, for this stranger who slowly decodes the puzzle of the strange surrounding sounds already has a framework. St. Augustine alters the character of the learner so that the issue of a suitable framework does not arise. Philosophers like Chomsky or Fodor, although historically distant from Augustine, try to provide a new answer to the same question. Their solution differs only in the sense that it shifts the problem onto a 'universal grammar' or a 'language acquisition device', which thus provides the entry point into language. In his effort to dissolve philosophical issues, Wittgenstein makes a great many methodological suggestions in his later work, criss-crossing language, meaning, thought, and so forth. We also find

Brave New World - Society And Socio-economic Class :: essays research papers

Discuss how the society in Brave New World works to ensure that people do not change their socio-economic class. Through Brave New World, Huxley depicts a new, industrialized world, which is financially stable and has prevented poverty and self-destruction. Dictatorial governments are there to ensure stability and maintain perfection of the world. Therefore, just like under any other totalitarian government, social, mental and economic freedoms are abolished in order to retain social stability. The government eliminated these freedoms by censoring art and religion, by predestining peoples’ social caste prior their birth, and by controlling each individual’s life with the introduction of conditioning. At the beginning of the novel, the Director addresses his students and mentions, â€Å" We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future Directors of Hatcheries,† (p. 29). Citizens of the World State are categorized into distinct social classes, before they come into existence. Mr. Foster explains, â€Å"The lower the caste, the shorter the oxygen,† and this shows how chemical conditioning of the embryos presets the mentality and physical features of individuals towards a certain standard specified by the government. (p. 29) In an autocratic society whose aim is to maintain perfection, people no longer have the right to choose who or what they want to be. The government engineers babies to grow into efficient adults, who will then again contribute towards a stabilized society. After birth babies’ minds are altered to accept the moral education of the government. Two processes the new world uses to control human judgement are the Neo-Pavlovian process and hypnopaedia. The children, during early childhood, are trained to like and dislike certain aspects of life, nature, and science so that they can consume the maximum resources. Beta babies receive electric shocks in the presence of flowers and books and then the Director teaches how, â€Å" They’ll grow up with what the psychologists †¦ call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers †¦ they’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives," (p. 36). The conditioning of the children forms a barrier in their minds, so that they are never free to decide for themselves, but are always bounded by the instructions of the state. Thus, the government is achieving its goal, the maintenance of stability. The Alpha students also got a chance to hear one of the hypnopaedic repetitions addressing Beta babies which echoed, â€Å" Alpha children wear grey.

Office Ergonomics

Office Ergonomics Contents 1. Introduction 2. Office Computer Workstations 3. Computer Workstation Evaluation Checklist 4. Appendix A 1. Introduction Ergonomics is the process of designing the work environment to fit the worker, rather than fitting the worker to the work environment. The goal of this ergonomic program is to minimize accidents and illnesses due to chronic physical and psychological stresses, while maximizing productivity and efficiency.Cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) or repetitive motion strain injuries are musculoskeletal disorders that result from repeated exposure to physical stressors. Stressors affect tendons, ligaments, nerves, muscles and bones. Physical stressors in the office environment are caused by sustained awkward postures, repetitive motions, using excessive force or compression. 2. Office Computer Workstations The workforce population varies greatly in physical size and stature. The idea of the average size person is obsolete.Adjusting office furnitu re and office equipment help employees make changes in the office to ensure proper posture is maintained throughout the day. There is no single â€Å"correct† posture or arrangement of components that will fit everyone. However, there are basic design goals to consider when setting up a computer workstation or performing computer-related tasks. Consider your workstation as you read through this guide and see if you can identify areas for improvement in posture, component placement, or work environment.This guide provides suggestions to minimize or eliminate identified problems, and allows you to create your own â€Å"custom-fit† computer workstation. Good Working Positions: To understand the best way to set up a computer workstation, it is helpful to understand the concept of neutral body positioning. This is a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned. Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on the muscles, te ndons, and skeletal system and reduces your risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD).The following are important considerations when attempting to maintain neutral body postures while working at the computer workstation: †¢ Hands, wrists, and forearms are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor. †¢ Head is level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. †¢ Shoulders are relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body. †¢ Elbows stay in close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees. †¢ Feet are fully supported by floor or footrest. †¢ Back is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back. Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor. †¢ Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward. Regardless of how good your working posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still for prolonged periods is not healthy. You should change your working position frequently throughout the day in the following ways: †¢ Stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso. †¢ Stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically.

Informative Speech About Africa

Africa’s economy consists of the trade, industry, agriculture, and human resources. It is a resource-rich continent along with about one billion people living in 54 different countries of Africa, many African people are suffering from poverty, and I would like to continue this with how it reflects their culture as a whole. The economy and what’s available to them determines how they live and their way of their culture because their economy being undeveloped makes them poor and they have to accommodate to the poor living conditions. For example, I know African moms breastfeed their kids way past the recommended six months in American culture because there is not enough food. My name is Tony and I am here to inform you about the economy in Africa, my three main points are:ResourcesInfrastructureThe China-FactorOne of three main points is resources, forming the basis of the economies of African countries. Africa is the next biggest continent, which means huge amount of resources. It consist of oil, diamonds, gold, and silver, copper, iron, and so forth. Also includes cocoa, peanuts, and etc. The mineral industry is an important source of export earnings for many African nations and continues to be a major driver of economic growth. Along with Cacao and peanuts, Africa produces three quarters of the world's cocoa beans and about one third of its peanuts. According to a 2012 article by bono, the resource curse theory applies to Africa because such affliction of raw material put Africa under heavy pressure and tension, leading to wars and slow development because Secondly, Infrastructure is the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function, but Africa has not kept up with demand. Power outages in the region are common while poor roads and non-existent railway system in many countries are stifling trade. The need is great like electrical power and clean water, transport networks that can boost regional trade, schooling and primary health care for all. For example, according to a 2011 article by the Voice of America, Building roads are needed here to move goods and also to ports for exports. It is crucial to the economic growth as 90% of Africa is third world countries due to the failure of their infrastructure. Lastly the China factor, Infrastructure investment has, however, increased in recent years, largely because of debt relief that put more money in government’s pockets and assistance from the Chinese. Since the early 2000’s, China role in Africa increased significantly, both in terms of trade and investment. According to a 2006 article by the policy innovations, African elites argue that the Chinese generally treat them as equals. They point out that the Chinese are investing in areas like infrastructure, the key to Africa’s future, a sector that tends to be avoided by Western aid and investment. Africans appreciate this and also note the Chinese are careful where they invest. China is Africa’s biggest trading partner and as a major financer of infrastructure projects in Africa, China lends $20 billion to African governments for infrastructure and agriculture for the next three years. In conclusion, Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent. However, parts of the continent have made significant gains over the last few years. In recent years, African countries consist of the fastest growing economies in the world and continue to make progress since the ending of a 27-year civil war in 2002. The future for Africa looks bright, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. So moving aside from the economy, Anthony will be speaking of politics.

Over Consumption in America Essay

Over the past 50 years, the standard of living for American families has doubled. Most of these families live in a two-income household in order to acquire the money needed to live up to these standards (Pierce). This change has enabled Americans to own more material possessions and has also caused them to want even more. It is this concept of â€Å"wanting† that is leading to the growing problem of over consumption in America. People are contributing to the problem by eating more and buying more and more â€Å"non-essentials† such as TVs, computers, and cars. People find themselves wanting more and more material things in order to become happy, when in actuality it may be having the reverse effect because it is not possible to ever obtain everything that he/she wants (Easterbrook 124). By living more simply we can become happier by spending more time with our families and communities and also by helping others. In the past, TV was thought to be a way to bring the family together. However, today, more than three quarters of American families own two or more televisions. Having multiple sets causes family members to watch different programs, in separate rooms, pulling the family apart as opposed to bringing them together. Even some children have TV sets in their rooms. Instead of playing outside, kids are spending hour in front of the television (Winn 465-66) Children are also being affected by other new electronics. High-tech children’s toys are becoming more and more common. Instead of playing outside with other kids, children in our society play video games or play on a computer. Even educational toys are being made electronic. Special laptops are being made for children as young as preschool or kindergarten. This is becoming all that children know. Their generation is growing up reliant on computers. In the future they might not have a choice to relax and live more simply because the high tech world is all they know (Kalson). Another issue contributing to the problem of over consumption is cars. For some people, owning a car can be necessary. For others, public transportation is an option. Owning one or more cars can also affect the  community by using unnecessary amounts of fuel and by polluting. The car also allows us to live a high-speed life. Americans are constantly traveling or working and are not taking the time to relax as we did in the past. America’s fast paced lifestyle is part of the reason we don’t spend as much time with our families and friends as in other cultures (Wilson). Americans also contribute to over consumption by the amount of food we eat. Obesity is a growing issue in American society today. Twenty percent of children are overweight. If this problem persists, the next generation could be the first in 200 years to have a shorter life expectancy than the last. The greatest issue of this problem is fast food and the portions of it. Instead of eating healthy, home cooked meals, Americans are replacing them with fat and calorie loaded fast foods and precooked meals. This problem is leading towards more health problems. 30 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls born in the year 2000 are expected to have diabetes at some point in their life. Americans can fight this problem by trying to live more like people in other countries by eating healthier foods, smaller portions, and teaching children how to eat right (Mieszkowski). Part of the reason that Americans have such a large role in this problem might possibly be because of advertising. Because our media is so widely spread and easily accessed, Americans can be more easily persuaded. This issue can also relate back to the problem of watching too much TV. Because the United States has no regulations on advertising, anyone can be affected by any amount of advertising. Children, who are more susceptible, can be manipulated into thinking that they need something that they really don’t. This problem could possibly solved by restricting the amount of advertising or where advertising is aloud. We can also resist this problem being more aware of it. By judging each ad to see if it is coercive, deceptive, or manipulative, we can remove the emotional appeal of the commercial and make a more rational decision (Hirschberg 61-68). However some people think that over consumption is not the problem: †¦(S)quandering money on big screen TVs, McMansions, restaurant meals,  oversized cars and luxury vacations†¦ (are not to blame) for insolvency and all those maxed-out credit cards. Instead†¦ (it is)†¦ the high cost of housing and education†¦ (F)ixed expenses that can quickly create a sea of red ink when families face layoffs, illness, or divorce. Skyrocketing health-care costs add to the problem (Gardner). If Americans started to live more simply, we could not only gain happiness by relaxing and spending more time with our families, but we could also give some of our extra money or belongings to charity. Helping those in need can give us a sense of self worth that could not be obtained by living as we do now. Linda Pierce argues that â€Å"simplicity values† are important to enrich a persons life. She states that Limiting material possessions, Meaningful work weather paid or volunteer, relationships with friends and family, pleasurable leisure activities, and a connection to community are good values to strive for in order to live simply (Pierce). Over consumption is affection all Americans’ lives, especially the lives of children, the next generation: TV and video games have vanquished running around outside. Kids in the city have too few places to play. And (sic) ids in the suburbs have no sidewalks to walk on, much less places to walk to. Fewer kids walk or ride their bikes to school, either because there’s no safe route, or it’s simply too far. At school, phys ed and recess have been shortened or eliminated, through the double whammy of budget cuts and he renewed emphasis on academic testing. And (sic) many schools sells junk food to kids in the cafeteria in attempt to subsidize shrinking budgets through soft drink and candy bar revenue (Mieszkowski). The longer this problem goes unsolved, the harder it will be to overcome it. It is important to overcome this problem to gain happiness by gaining leisure time and spending more time with their families and communities and also by helping others in need. If we can accomplish this, Americans can stop associating a â€Å"good life† with material possessions but with personal happiness instead. Gardner, Marilyn. Do two incomes mean deeper debt?. 5 Dec. 2005 http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CollegeandFamily/P61852.asp. Easterbrook, Gregg. The Progress Paradox. New York: Random House, 2003. Hirschberg, Stuart. The Rhetoric of Advertising . Kalson, Sally. â€Å"Study finds toddlers immersed in electronic media.† Pittsburgh Post Gazette. 29 Oct. 2003: D1. Mieszkowski, Katharine. â€Å"Growing Up Too Fat.† Salon 4 pp. 5 Dec. 2005 http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2005/04/16/kids_obesity/index3.html. Pierce, Linda Breen. The Simplicity Resource Guide. 5 Dec. 2005 http://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/overview.htmhttp://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/overview.htm. Wilson, James Q. Cars and Theirs Enemies. Winn, Marie. Television: The Plug-In Drug.

Essay over the electoral college Essay

In the United States today, we use the Electoral College to decide who is going to be the next president. The presidency is not necessarily won by popular vote. The founding fathers opted for the Electoral College, because they were afraid of the masses. They wanted the president to be chosen by those who are qualified, well informed, and have the ability to chose a president more efficiently then the so called â€Å"mob.† Although I believe the Electoral College needs many changes, it is necessary in order to have a successful government that is fair. Thee main argument against the Electoral College is that the presidency should be won by popular vote alone. It shouldn’t be that one candidate could win the popular vote, but lose the election. At first I completely agreed with this, because we do live in a democracy, and I believe that a democracy is a government for the people by the people. This would mean that the mass population decides who is the president, not a hand picked group of men to vote on who they wish, because they do not always have to vote on the candidate in which the state has voted the majority on. Although the Electoral College may take away the presidency from the candidate that won the majority vote, it evens things out across the nation. The Electoral College is necessary to make every state important in the voting process. If you did not have the Electoral College, those who were running for office would only campaign in the major states, that way they could get the majority of the population. For example the candidate would advertise and campaign in New York, especially New York City, because there is such a vast amount of people who live there, so he would try to assure that he had the votes for this city, and majority of the state, and would not have to worry about Montana. They candidate would then not go to smaller less populated states like Montana, South or North Dakota. He would not worry about the states or cities that had little populations, because are all he needs to worry about is that the majority of the people in the United States vote for him. It would be much easier to win an election by getting more people in more populated cities to vote, and not worrying about the little populations. This in fact takes away from the idea of a democracy, because it conveys the message that the only thing a presidential candidate  needs to worry about is getting the majority of the votes, and this does not have to be all over the nation, because there are parts of the nation that the population well exceeds other parts. The founding fathers developed the electoral college because they were afraid of what the government would be like if the â€Å"masses† were allowed to determine who they wanted in office. They were aware that it would turn into a popularity thing, and that is not what was needed in order to run a government efficiently. Although the population must have a say in the government, there has to be some form of control, and that was the basis of the Electoral College. I think that in order for the Electoral College to be successful, and to function properly, there has to be some major changes to it. The biggest change needs to be the fact that the electors themselves need to be abolished. I think that it should be set up to where the popular vote in the state decides whom the electoral votes from the state go. The majority of the time this is what happens, but it does not have to. If an elector wanted to vote for someone other then that the state allotted popular vote to, they very well could. I do not think that it should be allowed, because by doing that it takes the democracy out of the government, because it is never a certain thing that the populace’ wish will be carried out. If you want to go even farther you could break it down into districts with in the state. Each district gets one Electoral College vote, and the vote goes to the candidate in which has the majority of that district. The Electoral College is definitely needed in this country in order for the election process to be fair to all states and thus to all constituents. Although winning by popular votes sounds like the way to go in a democracy, it is not. If that were the case then there would be no equality among states, and the fact that everybody matters in a democracy would not be. There would be very little concentration on other small or less populated states, because you could win the election without them.

A Biography Of Booker T Washington History Essay

A Biography Of Booker T Washington History Essay Birth, Parents and Family Life The well known clichà ©, bad beginnings have good endings, resonates in one’s mind when this name is mentioned. Booker T. Washington’s life, undoubtedly encapsulate this well-known phrase as throughout his life evidence proves how he grew and became very successful. Booker Taliaferro Washington’s life began on April 5th, 1856 where he was born into slavery on the Burroughs Plantation in the rural, Hale’s Ford, Virginia. He had three siblings, one of whom was adopted. His mother Jane was an enslaved African American woman who worked as a cook on the plantation. His father was a white man, whom he knew very little about. His mother later married another slave, Washington Ferguson, who left to for West Virginia. Early Life Washington’s early life was that of a slave where he lived in a small cabin and slept on a dirt floor with only a â€Å"pallet† that was put on the ground for his comfort. Survival was a strugg le as his mother Jane from time to time would take a chicken or an egg from her masters and cook them during the night just to feed her children. From an early age, Booker knew what labour entailed and began working quite young. One of his duties was to carry sacks of corn to the mill on the back of a horse. Sometimes when a sack fell on the ground he had to wait for hours for someone to come and replace it on the horse’s back. Washington’s discomfort of his living arrangement and hard labour as a child was mingled with the discomfort of his clothes and shoes. Until his shirt was worn for six weeks, Washington had to bear the pain from his flax material shirt which pricked his skin. The discomfort was so great that once his brother offered to wear his shirt until it got a bit softer. His shoes also were uncomfortable as his first pair of shoes had wood as its sole and coarse leather tops. Education Although he went to school while he was a slave, Booker T. Washingtonâ €™s education only began when his family was freed of slavery. In Washington’s time, it was illegal for slaves to go to school and be educated. However, Washington went to school with James Burrough’s daughter in Franklin County, not as a student but to carry her books. It was only when the Emancipation Proclamation in April, 1865, Washington now nine, was read to the jubilant slaves that Booker was able to spread his wings a bit. Washington, his siblings and mother soon left the plantation with a wagon that his stepfather sent for them to join with him in Malden, West Virginia. Because of the state of poverty that the family was faced with, Washington could not have had a normal schooling experience. Instead, at the tender age of nine, Washington was thrust into the world of work. His stepfather, who worked in the salt mines, found work for him and his brother at a salt mine that began at four in the morning and ended at nine. Sometimes they even worked at coal mi nes. One Mr. William Davis opened a school for coloured children. Booker’s parents allowed him to go but on the condition that he maintain his job. As Booker worked in the morning period, he was now able to attend school later in the day but returned to the mine after school.

Brazilian Drought and Coffee Harvest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Brazilian Drought and Coffee Harvest - Essay Example This occurrence immediately became major news to the market economy and the consumers, because of the change that would occur in the marketing system. What actually occurred during this circumstance was a surge of heavy rains which lashed Brazil for several days, causing a major drought, and isolating hundreds of people and destroying crops. "Farmers reported that 40 percent of their tobacco, bean and corn crops had been destroyed by the floodwaters that inundated fields in the western half of the state." (Associated Press, 2000). The October 2000 drought was an incredibly serious and devastating event in many different ways for Brazil. In order to understand these reasons and to come to a clearer and more knowledgeable viewpoint on the subject matter, certain matters in regards to the drought itself, how it affected Brazil, and what plans are for the future must all be thoroughly discussed. The aim of this paper is to focus on all of these elements, while answering questions such as why, how, when, and will come in the future due to this situation. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Coffee is the second most commonly traded commodity in the world, trailing second only to petroleum. The first coffee plantation in the world was in fact established in Brazil in 1727, and Brazil cultivates coffee as a commercial commodity. They relied heavily on slave labor from Africa for its viability until abolition in 1888. For many decades in the 19th and 20th centuries, Brazil was the biggest producer and virtual monopolist in the coffee trade, and remained that way, until a policy of maintaining high prices soon opened opportunities to other growers, like Colombia, Guatemala and Indonesia. Brazil is located in East Central North America and occupies approximately 50% of the South American continent. Brazil is bound by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana to the north, Colombia to the northwest, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay to the west, Argentina to the southwest, Uruguay to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Brazil has a tropical and subtropical climate characterized by high temperatures and anywhere from moderate to heavy rainfall. Rainfall is usually evenly distributed throughout the year, and the nationwide average annual precipitation varies between 1,010 mm (40 inches) and 2,030 mm (80 inches). There is an interior of Brazil's northeastern region which is known as the 'Drought Polygon'. It is "an irregular shaped region where people live under recurring threat of severe drought." ("Brazil", n.d.). This drought polygon is the driest part of the country, and it encompasses roughly 10 percent of the entire country's territory. "In this region, rainfall is undependable and the evaporation rate is very high, making it difficult to raise crops." ("Land", n.d.). Brazil is the world's biggest producer of green coffee beans with an approximate market share of 30 percent. Depending highly on weather conditions, Brazil produces and exports about 30 million bags of coffee beans annually. Approximately 85% of Brazilian coffee exports are Arabica coffee, which is also considered to be one of the highest quality; even more so than Robusta coffee - which demands higher prices. Brazilian coffee is characterized by the diversity in tastes depending upon geographic regions of the coffee's origin. The United States and Germany are the world's largest

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - Essay Example ized by high rates of unemployment and the effect of market liberation which has borne the SMEs has helped reduce the levels of unemployment in developing countries and steered economic development. SMEs have been instrumental in job creation to developing countries in the process of structural adjustment. Primarily, SMEs are labor intensive and this helps in alleviating unemployment burdens on the shoulder of the civilians and absorbing new job entrants into jobs. The trend in the developed countries indicates that there is a weakened job creation by economic growth as the industrial structure of domestic economy matures (Wang and Redmond, 2007). This leaves the government policy makers of each government short of ideas about the urgency to search for policies of job generation. In this case, small and medium businesses have been seen as a perfect criterion in which new jobs are created. Researchers have found that, for example, small plants and firms have been the primary source of employment in the United States. Baldwin and Picot found that the net job creation in Canada by the small enterprises was more than those created by large enterprises. It is very clear that SMEs play an important role in job creation and have arguably created more job chances than the large enterprises and this makes them very important in any economy (Ayyagari and Demirguc- Kunt, 2005). SMEs dominate many sectors in a contemporary commerce such as retailing, service industry and construction. This involvement in these sectors avails a crucial link; both backward and forward, in the chain of supply especially in the larges-scale capital intensive industries such as automotive, mining, marine, defense and the likes. Further, their presence in the market provides an important balance to industries and many marketplaces that would otherwise have been firmly occupied by the few large-scale practitioners. This competitive structural balance is also vital in the provision of employment to

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Research Paper

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego - Research Paper Example The paper "Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego" discovers San Diego's Museum of Contemporary, MCASD. The mixed media rendition of Alexis Smith entitled Men Seldom Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses 1985 was interesting as it depicted Marilyn Monroe wearing collaged glasses of various images.The paintings were done in oil, acrylic, or mixed acrylic and oil. Some paintings were very simple, like one that was rendered by Kelly Ellsworth entitled Red Blue Green which was basically a painting of these colors in simple geometric patterns. As compared with Sandow Birk’s Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Presenting His Plan for the Invasion of Iraq painting in acrylic and oil done in 2007 which was more intricate with life like depiction of real people looking at a large banner with imprinted mission accomplished on it. Another awe inspiring art piece was the bronze sculpture of Nathan Mabry, Process Art (Dead Men Don't Make Sculpture) created in 2008 and appears outside the mu seum. It is a depiction of the famous artwork, The Thinker, made more contemporary in style and image. The sculpture of the face was kind of eerie but is effective in soliciting interest from viewers. The light emitting diode installation by Erwin Redl was very contemporary in visual design and using both two and three dimensional perspectives in style. In green background color, the artwork stands out and initiates curiosity from the viewing public. Glenn Kaino’s Untitled (Reverse Inverse Ninja Law) created in 2006.

Ethics in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics in Business - Essay Example Whenever there is discussion about saving or preserving ecosystem, majority concentrates about land and very few people pay attention to sea and species living in it. The attention of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and towards preserving fish and limiting annual catch limit is worth appreciating, as very few people pay attention to this aspect of the ecosystem. It is really very important for balanced Ecosystem. This proposed regulation will certainly affect people in fisheries business as with the implementation of this regulation Annual Catch Limit will be fixed, and people in fisheries business will be able to catch fish up to the specified annual catch limit only. 2) The proposal is to make changes to 5 fishery ecosystem plans in order to create a method or rule to specify annual catch limit (ACLs) & accountability measures (AMs) (Sutinen Jon G., 2005). The suggested proposal will be helpful in balancing eco system and mainly concentrates on the problem of over fishing. The proposal specifies that fishery management plan of every council must contain a method to specify annual catch limit, to prevent over fishing. Accountability measures are also needed to diminish or correct any surpass of annual catch limit.

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cold War Movies of 1960s and 1980s - Essay Example A medium that, while being consumed by millions throughout the world, would play a factor in distinguishing ideological differences between nations, whatever those may be. In the case of this time in history, "The Cold War was characterized by mutual distrust, suspicion, and misunderstandings by both the United States and the Soviet Union, and their allies. At times, these conditions increased the likelihood of a third world war. The United States accused the Soviet Union of seeking to expand Communism throughout the world. The Soviets, meanwhile, charged the United States with practicing imperialism and with attempting to stop revolutionary activity in other countries," ("Cold War", p.1). Such mistrust would greatly impact how each nation was viewed on the part of the other. By the 1980s, "In 1987, Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed a treaty to eliminate many of the ground-launched, nuclear missiles of both nations. The treaty went into effect in 1988. In 1988 and 1989, the U.S.S.R. withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Also in the late 1980's, the Soviet Union began to reduce its conventional military forces in Eastern Europe. In the U.S.S.R., Gorbachev worked for a more decentralized economic system and allowed more democracy and freedom of expression. He also encouraged similar actions in Eastern Europe," ("Cold War", p.1). In the 1960s, two movies produced, which would best exemplify the present views held about the Soviet Union, would have been, 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!' & 'Dr. Strangelove'. In the case of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!", the movie would have to do with a Russian submarine that would approach the American coastline. A Russian gentleman that was seeking to get a better look at America. A group of 9 men, lead by a Russian gentleman, is given the task of taking care of the submarine. These men head to a house, where they seek to convince the inhabitants that they are Norwegians, but are unsuccessful. One of the Russian gentleman points a gun at the man who lived in the house and requested his assistance in finding a boat so that the Russian crew could leave. As for 'Dr. Strangelove', Director Stanley Kubrick uses his movie to show what could very well occur, if when the time came, the decision to initiate a nuclear attack occurs. While doing this, Kubrick would take a more comedic approach to the broader issue at hand. In the movie, a US bomber is going about completing the mission they are involved in, when they are told by their command to attack the Russians. A chance for some in the American military to flex their muscle, they are later informed by representatives of the Russian government that they too have in their possession a weapon of great magnitude. On that, if fired, would create massive destruction that would be felt throughout the world and would be used if they were attacked. With the 1980s came a change in political policy, as well as the movies that would be produced. In 'Moscow on the Hudson', Robin Williams stars as a young Russian man that arrives in the United States looking for opportunities, which he felt he didn't have in his home country. After going to a major department store, Williams' character makes it known that he desires to become an American

Explain the different conceptions of entrepreneurial strategies Essay

Explain the different conceptions of entrepreneurial strategies provided by Schumpeter (1996 and 2000) and Kirzner (1997). Use - Essay Example This appraisal is based on five different set of ideas which can be described as disequilibrating/ equilibrating, or new information or no new information, extremely innovative or not as much innovative, exceptionally conventional and originally imaginative innovation. The next step would be to assess the types of opportunities that can be commercially recognized and used beneficially (Beam, 2007) Perception The general perception is that individuals who are tough, resilient and progressive are most likely to favor Schumpeterian opportunities, and they persistently try to find inventive ways and means to expand their company. Besides their considered directions for their enterprises is to fulfill future requirements by developing practical and practical products, while individuals who concentrate on current demands have a tendency to pursue Kirznerian opportunities. This is the major inherent difference between the Schumpeterian and Kirznerian formulation of entrepreneurship; one tak es the economic systems away from stability while the other proposes a system that will ensure equilibrium. Both theories are pertinent and applicable to entrepreneurship in different ways. Some entrepreneurs establish their businesses and work towards its expansion and growth; while there are entrepreneurs who seize opportunities as and when presented and capitalize on the presented opportunities. Case Study of Ed Bazinet Schumpeter contends that the main distinctiveness of entrepreneurship is to bring together existing resources using a new and innovative approach. This is not a regular process, but it results in the acquisition of the latest knowledge and creation of new goods, which needs a new supply sources for production of these goods. This form of entrepreneurship creates a monopoly position for that organization. A case study is given of Ed Bazinet who was an extremely successful businessman. He came from a working class background, and although he was interested in busine ss he had no money to start one. He started working at a job as a purchaser to get the requisite experience, and travelled continuously to analyze markets. He began to buy up decorative pieces and found markets for the products. He called his enterprise Department 56, and its inception makes interesting reading. In 1971, Bazinet received a visit from potter who made his living by making ceramic items in his garage and selling them. The potter showed Bazinet as a ceramic Victorian house shaped like a cookie jar. Bazinet perceived a business opportunity where others had not. He asked the potter to modify the item by making a window in it, and place a light inside so that it would glow and can be used as a nightlight. The original 6 houses sold immediately, and there was an immediate demand for more. The potter did not have the resources to mass produce these miniature Victorian houses, so Bazinet had the houses made in Taiwan, and that formed his original snow village. The reason that made these villages a business success was the idea of the creation of entire snow villages with houses and components of every imaginable depiction. An outstanding feature of snow villages created by Department 56 was that they have Styrofoam and cardboard fitted sleeves which protect them from damage. The business further prospered with the

Could the south have won the civil war If so how, if not then why not Essay

Could the south have won the civil war If so how, if not then why not - Essay Example The north had a largely urbanised background with flourishing industrial capabilities. Rapid technological developments were shaping how things had been done for centuries. The railroad was expanding westwards and liberty was in the air. Large manufacturing concerns were being established. Management was evolving to promote efficiency and innovation. Furthermore, a class of individuals was emerging that were to become the modern American middle class. These groups were ardent political supporters of anti slavery drives though their numbers were as yet not very significant. On the other hand, the south was predominantly agricultural. Farm labour consisted of slaves whose ancestors had been imported from Africa. Conservatism was rampant and white supremacy was considered as an ultimate truth. Capital was abundant too as the large farmers had no one to share profits with. Cotton was the mainstay of the southern economy. It was exported to cotton mills in Europe and in the north. Militar y tradition was more rampant in the south than in the north. Boys were taught how to ride and shoot at an early age given the agrarian society’s feuds. The war began as the south gathered its army and invaded Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Then President Abraham Lincoln urged northern states to assemble a volunteer army to deal with the situation. This caused another four states to drift over into the southern camp. The south’s position was strengthened at this point in the war. If the south had wanted to make major strides in the war, it ought to have been better planned and organised than it was. The attack of the Confederate army on Fort Sumter caught the north off guard. The south could have achieved major victories if it invaded with a larger army that engaged more targets simultaneously. This would have helped the south in causing panic and confusion in the ranks of the north. The overwhelming display of power may even have led to more accessions by Union states. Furthermore, the organised all out attack would have sent the Union running and figuring out what to do next. However, what happened on ground was entirely different. The Confederacy’s attack on Fort Sumter served as a rallying point for the northern states. It alerted them to the danger posed by the South. The Union was both proactive and swift in its reaction. An army of volunteers was assembled on ground while a naval blockade was imposed. The Union’s land armies could not achieve victories in the beginning. The level of organisation and the equipment used were not up to the mark. However, the naval blockade served as a double edged sword. On the one hand, the export of cotton virtually ended and on the other hand imports could not be brought in to reinforce the Confederate army’s stock. As mentioned earlier, cotton was the mainstay of the southern economy. Loss of cotton exports meant that revenue generation suffered gravely in the south. The naval blockade also had another profound effect. Foreign intervention was discouraged from taking any real part given the naval blockade. Foreign intervention could only be possible if the naval blockade was removed and foreign troops and supplies could flow into the south. No external power was ready or willing to support the South’s cause by direct military involvement. Another notable issue is the way in which this war was conducted on either side. Initially the south was very aggressive. It

Gap Marketing Strategy Essay Example for Free

Gap Marketing Strategy Essay The Gap is a clothing company that specializes in contemporary, urban clothing with a mid-range pricing scheme. They have stores located all over the globe in countries such as the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. Gap was founded in 1969 by a real estate developer who was in search of a well-organized and well-stocked jeans store. The store was named after the generation gap and originally sold Levis jeans. In 1974, they developed their own private clothing label and by 1991 began selling only their private label brand. Gap introduced its website in 1997. The following year, in 1998, Gaps stock increased 138.4%. In 2000, though, their stock fell 44 %. (http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/funds/gutcheck/1335261.html) Clothing is a basic and necessary need, but the companies in Gaps market segment produce items that satisfy more than this basic need. Their customers are looking for style and quality at a reasonable price. In this specific market segment, major brand forces dominate the retail clothing industry: brand recognition is incredibly important. Some major players in this industry who are specific competitors of the Gap are J Crew, Abercrombie Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Structure, and The Limited. These companies target the same markets as the Gap and produce similar styles. The strengths and weaknesses of each player in this industry are largely indistinguishable. J Crew stands out with a strong catalog channel. However, their bricks and mortar presence is weak, which is a problem when bricks and mortar retail reels in nine out of ten dollars spent by the average consumer as noted at www.retailindustry.com. But within their young urban microcosm, the Gap stands out with an innovative and changing product line: Abercrombie Fitch, American Eagle, Structure, and the Limited have very specific styles that remain con stant year after year. The competitive forces, as explained in Porters framework, apply to the retail industry in all the five areas of rivalry, supplier power, substitutes, buyer power, and entry barriers. In regards to rivalry, there exist no exit barriers, causing more compeitition. Product differences are few which leads to low switching costs for consumers who can easily shop around. With these low switching costs, substitutes play powerful roles. If consumers can find similar products elsewhere from other competitors, price  becomes a strong determinant in the final purchase. Supplier power is high. For example, suppliers can exert strong influences on the producing industry by selling raw materials for clothing manufacturing at a high price. While suppliers yield substantial power, the buyers role is weak because of fragmentation. Finally, barriers to entry include: economies of scale, high capital requirements for stores, raw materials, and production requirements, and strong brand equity due to consumer brand consciousness and loyalty. Value is created and delivered in the fashion industry through an intricate structure of channel distribution. A visual description of a typical fashion companys value web is attached as Exhibit 1. Although the value web as an entity is influential to customers, several facets tend to have the most impact. Designers are obviously one of the core aspects that affect a customer, as people want clothing that appeals to their particular tastes. This leads to the display and availability of clothing in the actual fashion stores such as Gap. Displays need to incorporate attraction to the products as well as show off the trends of the moment. Also, manufacturers greatly influence the final quality and price of a product, which are often a core concerns for consumers. In todays economy, efficient and quality manufacturing are essential to the success of a fashion retailer. Another key node on the value web is the logistics supplier. In the Internet e-tailer environment, having a strong relationship with efficient and trustworthy suppliers is extremely important for success. Fashion retailers should strengthen these key players in the value web in addition to using their core value concepts in order to utilize the Internet to its full potential. For Gap, there are two value concepts that are especially vulnerable in an Internet economy. First, the fashion industry has low switching costs and decreased loyalty online. Whereas many Gap customers were loyal simply because they had few other choices, now those same customers have more opportunities to shop around. Gap stores are located all around the country in almost any mall. A typical consumer may only have access to the stores that are located nearby. Now the Internet has made every e-tailor available to anyone, anywhere, from low-end to high-end. Second, the Internet has changed service, credence and experience. One of the advantages of going to a Gap store is the level of service that you receive and the experience that you get. This level of service can never be replicated online. In addition, another problem with online fashion retailers is that the customer cannot try on the articles of clothing. While this may be a problem with new customers, it is not an issue with previously established customers. Otherwise, the Gaps value concepts can only be enhanced online. Clothes can easily be delivered directly to the consumer from Internet sales. Also, transaction costs can be reduced: for every sale online, Gap does not have to maintain bricks-and-mortar stores, hire personnel, or bear shipping costs. While these costs may be minimal right now, as online sales grow, this may have a serious impact on Gaps bottom line. An additional benefit of Gaps online store is ease of searching for particular products. The apparel industry is constantly changing. Therefore, marketing strategies and diverse customer segments are also transforming. Key industry trends for the year 2001 include: moves to multi-channel retailing, importance of profitability on the Internet, and a continued interest in using technology to improve bottom line, as explained at www.retailindustry.about.com. Customers have particular needs and wants that are shaping the demand for higher quality at lower prices. And with the new Internet environment, consumers want easy access to price comparisons and demand the latest trends. Since the online world is fast-paced, consumers believe that trends should turn over quickly. Now that more people are shopping online, they demand and expect convenience as well as quick and timely delivery of apparel goods. Consumers are looking to the Internet for information on apparel more than they previously did. They search for price comparisons and shop around the web to look for sales. Many consumers search for clothes online and then go to try on the clothing offline. In some other cases, if consumers cannot find the desired article of clothing, they venture onto the Web. Finally, in the new Internet apparel environment, awareness of brands is enhanced for established companies. On the contrary, newer apparel  companies may struggle gaining awareness in a medium that constantly floods consumers with new products. The absence of brand equity creates difficulties for new companies in this industry. Few brands carry the clout Gap does to the online world. As evidenced at www.business.com, Gap, with only two other retailers, was considering one of the top 20 online Internet merchants. Intermediaries (i.e. manufacturers and retailers) in the apparel industry are transforming to become more customer conscious. By incorporating technology, companies are able to make the brand more accessible to the customer while creating a stronger image of the brand. This technology enables domestic and foreign manufacturers and inspectors to communicate more effectively, efficiently, and frequently. Previously, the telephone and fax machine were the primary means of communication among intermediaries, but now information can be exchanged in a cost-efficient and instantaneous manner through the Internet. As noted in the March 30, 2001 Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation review, the overall apparel industry trend appears that many teen and young adult retailers are heading towards the Gaps core territory . . . the casual preppy theme. For example many retailers have offered up colorful polo shirts since February, which stands to hurt Gap sales because they have only just begun offering the same polos. What has recently been happening is that Gap has come into fashion trends late and finds itself at the tail end of a hit. For years Gap has been the store to go to keep up to date on trends, but recent events point to its slipping from being the number one trend leader. Competitors such as Abercrombie and Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters have been able to tap into the fashion trends early and reaped a large share of the sales. A March 19, 2001 Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation analysis explains this phenomenon further: market intelligence is better than ever . . . Retailers attend fashion shows . . . interpreting what they see for their customers. Therefore, the newest strategy in the competition game is for a company to find the hottest trend the earliest and quickest, and market the trend heavily before any other store or brand can do the same. New and existing companies in the apparel industry are forced to adapt their marketing mix in response to the new Internet environment. Products must be developed faster in order to cater to the fast-paced demands of todays Internet consumer. Many big players in the fashion industry are recognizing the need to turn over the trends faster in todays technology-driven economy. This is because consumers demand new fashion trends faster than they did in the offline world. Also, the Internet allows consumers to price shop more than they would in the offline world. Therefore, fashion companies must realize that price competition is more prevalent online. Furthermore, channels must be structured online differently than they would be in the offline environment. In the new technological world, shipping and manufacturing have become bigger players in the value web than previously. Retailers must develop strong relationships with key shipping suppliers and increase efficiency in manufacturing facilities. Finally, fashion e-tailers must utilize the new Internet environment to improve customer service and transactions. It is the perfect medium to have efficient yet personalized customer service in addition to lower transactions costs. The new Internet setting causes companies in the fashion industry to rethink partnering and strategic alliances. In todays e-economy, companies can gain traffic and recognition through a few key alliances. Many companies, especially new players, can leverage partnerships to gain brand recognition and necessary traffic to their new site. Utilizing the key relationships with channel members and partnerships will help established fashion companies adapt to the new Internet economy. But, a benefit to the companies is the fact that basic core competencies still remain competitive advantages even in the new environment. Gaps core competencies center around their brand equity and highly developed processes. Its name alone can successfully launch new, trendy products. However, Gap also carries a standard, classic line of clothes that customers have come to expect during any season and within any Gap store. This is how Gap segments its customers: those who want a consistent look year-to-year, and those customers who want the latest trends. Gaps brand recognition  value is high with over 2,079 stores nationwide, and additional 530 stores globally. It is a standard brand name for the midrange fashion conscious consumer. Because Gap is a well-established bricks and mortars company, their processes are efficient and dynamic. For example, Gap stores are on detailed schedules for store displays, inventories, and new product launches. Every store receives an identical binder that explicitly details the display and product placements. Front window displays are changed weekly. They restock shelves with new products every six weeks, keeping the retail ahead of imitators in the fast-paced fashion industry. All the core competencies are positive for the company, but there are threats that can hurt the company. For instance, negative word of mouth can cause severe consequences to Gaps brand name. Since Gap outsources most of their manufacturing, theyre open up to attack because of their manufacturers actions. For example, a situation occurred to Nike concerning their use of sweatshops that caused a great deal of damage to the Nike name. Gap has taken steps to counteract the causes of bad publicity by requiring manufacturers to sign codes of conduct and strictly enforcing those rules. Their processes for inventory, however, are not as vulnerable to depreciation. Gap has invested a lot of thought and research in their resources and there is not too much that can be substantially threatened. Gaps inventory processes, in fact, are much stronger compared to others in the industry. Not only do they maintain a consistent style year to year, they also have new lines that come out very often. Those who wish to enter the retail clothing industry will find moderately high barriers to entry. It is extremely difficult to set up brand equity and image. Launching your own store and clothing line, like Gap, takes incredible capital and time investment. In the online world, it is much easier for new or small retailers to showcase their products; however, it is difficult to get online attention and recognition. The nature of online retailing sets up a playing field where smaller, lesser known retailers may  have set up functioning websites and folded without the public ever knowing. Even big name online retailers, like Pets.com, did not survive despite their brand recognition. As we have mentioned earlier, Gaps inventory processes are very defined and strong. These processes also give them an edge on competitors trying to copy Gaps styles or trends. Gap changes out their inventory every six weeks. Even if competitors are able to catch on to Gaps short turnaround, there is no way to avoid being behind the times. Gap, through their extensive market research and market persuasiveness, is so in tuned to their customer segments that they effectively set the trend. Gap has invested a lot of money to become one of the biggest trend-setting brands. Although the Gap has a successful position on the Web, there are definite strategies that can be implemented to improve their online business. Our proposed marketing eBusiness plan involves Customer Relationship Management, growth strategies, incentive offers online, improved web design, and increased market research. At this point in time, Gap is a product-focused company. Gap needs to capitalize on the available technology of the Internet and transform its marketing efforts to focus on the consumer. Therefore, the company should shift from a Product Management system to a Customer Relationship Management system. Customer Relationship Management allows a company to cater to the unique and evolving needs of the specific customer segments. Currently, the Gap does not have extensive customization available on its website. Gap needs to create more ways of catering to each individual consumer. A pyramid approach would be optimal for the Gap. Much like the Dell triangle, the Gap would segment consumers and provide the most customization for the top small percent of the pyramid. These are the repeat customers that have highest volume of purchases, which would be the best group to provide customization. We suggest that the Gap use the technology of the Internet to store information on each consumer and generate a unique site for the consumer every time that they log on. The site will greet the consumer by name upon log in and target the consumer for their preferences. For example, the Gap would keep a database of my buying patterns, such as the fact that I always look for sale items, and also note the size that I  normally buy. The Gap would be able to establish more relationships with consumers increase their loyal consumer base by providing customization that makes the site unique to the individuals. As retailers know, growth does not come from loyal customers. The Gap needs to focus some of their marketing efforts on acquiring new customers. They could do so by developing alliances with portal-type sites such as eGreetings.com. There, consumers can be asked to buy a gift certificate to Gap.com (not redeemable in offline stores) to be sent along with the greeting card. Online alliances are preferable to online banner ads and random advertising because a relationship with established online services and etailers is the best way to get a Gap ad seen. The click-through rates for banner ads are not convincing enough for us to suggest that the Gap increase online banner advertising. In addition to advertising online with trading partners, the Gap should advertise offline for the online store. Every media produced offline, including displays in the offline store, should have the web site listed, thus pointing consumers to the online store. The Gap may also consider putting a terminal in the offline stores that has a small computer with Gap.com constantly running. Sales associates can point consumers in the offline store to the terminal if they need a different size, or if they want to ship an item to a friend. Offering incentives online can also increase the customer base, persuading loyal and new consumers to utilize the Internet site. For example, every fifth purchase online could merit a certain percentage off the final purchase price or even free shipping. Also, the Gap should consider offering some products and product lines online only (for example, Gap currently offers their maternity line only online). This can entice consumers into shopping online in addition to their offline stores. Overall, anything that causes consumers to venture into the online world to check out the new items on Gap.com would be good for the growth of the online customer base. Another marketing tactic is to alter the design of the website to meet the needs of the constantly evolving Gap consumer. Currently, Gap.com allows consumers to see the various styles of clothing with color choices shown to  the side, but consumers cannot change the color of the item in the picture (for example, consumers could click on different colors and patterns for the same shirt and the shirt changes accordingly). See exhibit 2. Most buyers want to see what a certain article of clothing would look like in different colors, which is an option that Gap.coms competitor, JCrew.com, offers. Gap.com could also allow consumers to put clothes together on a model and view 360 degrees of the outfit, thus persuading people to make virtual outfits. Other design changes to Gap.com could be an addition of a search engine. This gives consumers a quick way to find specific articles of clothing. Another added design feature for the quick shopper could be a page with price listings by clothing category, or the ability to see the price on the first page instead of making consumers go through multiple pages to find the price. A final marketing strategy in our proposed plan is for Gap.com to increase market research to understand consumer-buying habits. Are they price conscious? What do they value in design of the website? The Gap would benefit immensely if they were able to understand their consumers behavior in depth. Therefore, information could enhance the quality of customization, which will benefit the company. If the Gap makes longer strides to understand their customer base, they can capitalize on areas where they are strong and change areas of weakness. Our proposed marketing plan encompasses many benefits with a few costs. The plan satisfies consumers because increased customization will mean more attention to specific customer needs. The proposed Customer Relationship Management tactic will create more of a one-to-one marketing structure that will in turn benefit the consumer. One cost to this change in management style is the capital needed to set up customization online and also the changes that must be made in the structure of management within the company. Employees will have to get used to a restructuring, which can cause a short period of dissatisfaction or frustration. But, the company as a whole will benefit from the restructuring because it will increase retention rates. The online incentives and improved web page design will benefit the consumers directly by giving them good deals and creating an easy-to-use web site. The  online incentives will benefit the company by increasing the loyal customer base and the improved web design may increase sales and retention. The trading partners with Gap will benefit by increasing traffic to their sites, and association with the Gap brand is positive for alliances. One of the most apparent and serious threats to Gap.com is the threat of cannibalization. If Gap.com becomes the standard, then their offline stores will be severely hurt. This is why Gap is facing a great deal of resistance within the organization. Store managers whose salaries and promotions depend on store sales will not want to promote or support Gap.com because that will steal from their revenues. Another issue is the technological needs to satisfy the in-depth customization and database requirements that are essential to our e-business plan. In order to take on this new strategy, Gap will have to make a large initial investment to improve their technological capabilities to accommodate the customization. Internet speed must also be taken into consideration. Only eight million out of 100 million Internet households have broadband. This can lead to customer frustrations, as the sites become more picture intensive. This, however, is actually a benefit for Gap.com as their primary customer base is concentrated in these households that do have broadband service