Summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Summery - Essay Example The second chapter summary dwells on the concept of diversity which primarily focuses on the aspect of differences that exist among people living in a similar group or location. From my own understanding, diversity is concerned about the aspect of co-existence among people from different groups. That it is, living together in harmony among people from diverse places. For instance, the US is a multicultural country and is comprised of people from diverse backgrounds. Measures have been put in order to accommodate the needs and interests of people from different backgrounds. Chapter three looks at the concepts of melting pot and multiculturalism. From this perspective, I have gathered that the concept of melting pot refers to the process where people from different backgrounds converge and establish a new society. For instance, America is comprised of people who came from different places who became united to build this powerful nation. On the other hand, I have observed that the concept of multiculturalism refers to the aspect of acknowledging other people’s values and believes such that people from different backgrounds come to appreciate them and adopt some of them in their own lives. Chapter four focuses on how people react to the concept of diversity. More often, people tend to look down upon other people from other cultures or they can generally refer to them as inferior without the facts to prove their assertions towards individuals from different cultures. Intolerance of people from different cultural backgrounds is very common among other people who do not want to accept the cultural values of other people. Indeed, it is a fact that we hail from different cultural backgrounds and we must accept this hard fact that does not change. This will help us to tolerate each other. Chapter six focuses on the challenges and benefits of diversity. The main challenge of diversity is related to the aspect of discrimination of the other group by another.

University of Phoenix Scavenger Hunt Essay Example for Free

University of Phoenix Scavenger Hunt Essay Which three reviewing services are available to students through the Center for Writing Excellence? For a quick check, you can use WritePoint, which will do a more thorough Word-style grammar and spelling check. For more specific questions and comments, you can use the Tutor review which gives more detailed explanations and a much more thorough check. Also, the Plagiarism checker is nice for making sure you are following correct citation rules and not pulling too much information from one source. Which resource in the Tutorials Guides section of the Center for Writing Excellence offers tips about how to format a paper? * APA format and Style checker What are the University of Phoenix’s suggested resources for academic writing formatting and grammar guides? (Hint: This information is located in the Center for Writing Excellence) * Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association * University Library 1. What are the three major article databases found in the University Library? * EBSCOhost; Thompson Gale PowerSearch and ProQuest. Name three specialized article databases in the University Library. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, Psych Articles, Emerald and tons and tons of others. What link would you click to ask a question of the University of Phoenix Librarian? The â€Å"Ask a Librarian† tab in the other resources. * Course Information 1. From your student Web site, how do you access your reading assignments for this course? From the â€Å"Materials† tab at the top of the screen. What chapter from the text Keys to College Studying is part of the reading assignment for Week Four of this course? Chapter 3. Where on your student Web site will you be able to find your schedule and course grades for all courses completed to date? From the â€Å"Grades† tab. Learning Teams 1. What six documents are contained in the â€Å"Toolkit Essentials† section of the Learning Team Toolkit? * Learning Team Handbook, Online Campus Learning Team Handbook, Learning Team Log, Learning Team Evaluation, Learning Team Charter, and Guide to Completing the University of Phoenix Learning Team Charter. * According to the Learning Team Toolkit section, â€Å"Why Learning Teams? † what are the four essential functions filled by Learning Teams that are especially beneficial to working adult learners? * It can make assignments better, it is a place for learning and maintaining new knowledge through other viewpoints, it gives a place to share information and is a community where people can learn how other people are handling school and life. Student Services 1. What is the phone number for University of Phoenix technical support? (Hint: Use the â€Å"Help† button in the top right corner of the page. ) * 1-877-832-4867 Where can you find information about who to contact for questions regarding student disabilities? * On the â€Å"University Diability Services† tab. What three National Testing Programs does the University of Phoenix award credit for? * DANTES, CLEP and Excelsior Name one form of misconduct in the Student Code of Conduct. (Hint: The Student Code of Conduct is located in the Academic Catalog). * Plagarism in any form.

A New High Speed Rail Link For Britain Engineering Essay

A New High Speed Rail Link For Britain Engineering Essay Recently travel by rail has increased with many lines struggling to cope with the demand. The West Coast mainline which can be seen as one of the most important rail lines in Britain will reach capacity by 2020 according to the Transport Politic and has also seen investments of around  £13 billion already (www.thetransportpolitic.com, 2009). One of the popular modes of travelling long distance within Britain is short haul flights; however air travel is neither efficient in terms of energy nor is it environmentally friendly. As the U.K has pledged to lower carbon emissions by 80% by the year 2050 (www.treehugger.com, 2009) Britain needs more sustainable forms of transport. With the need to increase capacity on the rail lines, especially from London to the North, along with the environmental and sustainability factors the question that arises is, would it be more be beneficial to upgrade the existing link between the north and London or to implement a new high speed rail link? An Atkins report commissioned by the Dft alternatives to the high speed rail titled High Speed 2 Strategic Alternatives Study (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) outlines rail upgrades as an alternative. Firstly trains could be lengthened to allow for more passenger, however this does not tackle any reduction on journey times and station platforms may not be able to accommodate longer trains. Secondly an investment on the infrastructure to enhance the capacity of the West Coast Mainline would cost around  £3.6 billion (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This would see the operation of an extra four to five trains per hour reducing journey times to Birmingham and Manchester by 12 minutes and 6.5 minutes respectively (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This alternative would not have many adverse effects on the environment as it does not affect the Chiltern Area of Natural Beauty, where the high speed network would, it would however be disruptive to passengers. The third alternative detailed in the report would be to in vest on the Chiltern line along with the previous alternative which would allow three trains per hour to the West Midlands on the Chiltern line at a cost of  £12.5 billion without reduction on journey times and an adverse environmental effect on the Chiltern AONB. Adding onto this would be the fourth alternative with further work on the Chiltern Line between London and the West Midlands to improve journey times at a cost of  £15.1 billion (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This could see a single stop service to the West Midlands in 64 minutes (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This would have the same environmental effects on the Chiltern AONB and also be disruptive to passengers. The last alternative would be to include further work on the infrastructure on the Chiltern Line to take it up as far as Stratford as an alternative to the northern stretch on the West Coast Main Line. This would cost approximately  £19.6 billion(www.dft.gov.uk, 2010), but may prove to challenging, and result in a small frequency on services, without any certain demand for these services. This alternative would be the most environmentally damaging not only for just the Chiltern AONB and would cause disruption to passengers. All the alternatives in upgrades to the existing network seem to be costly, have an adverse effect on the environment and disruption to services already in place which outweigh the benefits in terms capacity generated and reduction of journey times. For many of the alternatives there is no impact on the journey times, which would be seen as defeating the objective of upgrading the existing network. A publication by the Institution of Civil Engineers titled unblocking the potential of rail states that Flights currently account for 93% of business trips between Scotland and London. Research shows passengers will only consider changing from air to rail if the journey time is under three hours only possible on land with a high speed rail route. (www.ice.org.uk, 2010). Over the years Britain has seen to fall behind its European neighbours in developing high speed rail networks. France, Germany, Italy and Spain have all developed high speed rail networks. In particular Spain have in place a high speed rail network between Madrid and Barcelona which reaches speeds of 220mph, which allows the journey of 410 miles to be completed in 2 and a half hours (www.treehugger.com, 2010). Spain is a good example as they have a similar route from Madrid to Seville where more than 80% of travellers on that route prefer to travel by train (www.treehugger.com, 2010). The article Spains high speed service challenges the airlines on www.treehugger.com, 2010 also describes the services as In terms of comfort and convenience the operators are not skimping either. Each train features a conference room, upgraded cooling and air conditioning, internet access and a restaurant car and passengers are refunded their entire fare if the train is more than 5 minutes late (www.tr eehugger.com, 2010). However since 2009 the government have set up a new organisation. High speed 2 Ltd (HS2 Ltd) which is outlying proposals and reports on a new north-south high speed rail network. Recently the transport secretary published the report for new high speed rail network which could see work start around 2017 at the earliest (BBC News, 2010) Figures from The Transport Politic show that the project would cost  £34 billion and include 1500 miles of track, accommodating a total of 34 tunnels and 138 bridges. Whilst 8 new stations would be built and the procurement of 73 high speed trains. If put in place the new north-south link would see an annual ridership of 43.7 journeys. (www.thetransportpolitic.com, 2009). Figure 1 in the appendix shows the proposed line and reduction in journey times. The transport secretary Lord Adonis in a speech about the high speed rail stated additional transport capacity would be needed from the 2020s between our major cities, starting with London to the west midlands, Britains two largest conurbations . . .high speed rail could be the most efficient and sustainable way to provide more capacity between these conurbations. (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). Lord Adonis summarised the development as an initial high speed network linking London to Birmingham then onto Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds with high speed trains through to Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, which would result in a Y shaped network capable of carrying trains upto 250mph. Figures 2-4 in the appendix show some comparisons of high speed rail compared to classic rail. The benefits of high speed rail as described by Lord Adonis on the Dft website (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) are an increase of rail capacity by a third on the West Coast Mainline, not only because of the track but also due to the length of high speed trains and the adapted stations along with segregation from other rail traffic. The speech also describes the upgrade of existing rail lines yielding less than half the extra capacity for more money and disruption than it would do to implement a high speed network. A new high speed network could see pressure on capacity on the West Coast Mainline released for other services on the network. In terms of saving time on journeys, the time between the London and the west midlands would be between 30 to 50 minutes depending on the station used, whereas places such as Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield would be bought to within 75 minutes of London and places further north such as Edinburgh and Glasgow to around three and a half hours. High speed trains are stated as a sustainable way forward (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) by Lord Adonis, going on to say that they emit less carbon then other modes such as car or airplane per passenger mile, with the low impact of a new high speed rail network on local areas than that of a new motorway. Weighing up the benefits to the costs, HS2 assessed that the project will yield  £2 for every  £1 spent with the first part of the line up to the West Midlands costing between  £15 and  £17 billion. Along with these benefits, other factors must be taken into consideration. The high speed trains are said to reach 400km/h or 250mph. which would make them the fastest trains in the world, we however need to observe the fact that a train travelling at 360km/h requires 50% more energy than that of a train travelling at 300km/h (www.cpre.org.uk, 2010), going faster could be a cost to the environment. On the topic of environment the high speed network will, similarly to many of the alternatives, cut through the Chiltern AONB where extensive tunnelling will be required as high speed trains need to travel in straight a line as possible. High speed trains will generate a new form of travel, where freed up traffic via existing rail and air travel may be taken up by new demand which could in turn add to carbon emission. For high speed rail to be part of a sustainable future, policys should be produced to keep demand and traffic down on other modes such as increasing air fares and making it more expensive to travel by car. In conclusion high speed rail travel looks more attractive compared to an upgrade of the existing network. Many of the alternative upgrades mentioned have little effect for a big price. The cost of the fifth alternative up grade matches that of the cost of a new high speed line from London to the West Midlands, where you would have significantly reduced journey times and no disruption to existing services. Environmentally both upgrading and building a new high speed line have adverse effects. For the same amount of effect on the environment you could have a new faster rail network, which could be a small price to pay for a network with greater outcomes and a project which would contribute to the economy and create jobs. In terms of carbon emissions and efficiency figure 5 in the appendix shows high speed rail is the most efficient in terms of passenger km carried by unit of energy than other forms. However it should be taken into consideration the past in terms of development of rail lines. Where plans to upgrade existing lines have been postponed by Lord Adonis due to lack of finances and what may be a coincidence of the government introducing these plans just before a major election. On the lines of finance the project cost a substantial amount, especially with the current debt of the country. This cost may be passed on as increased rail fares, fares which currently some of the population regard as expensive. The new and improved service may not be attractive to some unless it is heavily subsidised. Overall a new high speed rail link from London to the North would be beneficial, looking at our European neighbours we can see that high speed rail can be a success and the plans tick all the boxes in terms of journey time reduction and being able to compete with other modes such as short haul air travel and helping in the reduction on carbon emmissions. High speed rail can be an improvement if it does not drag funds and infrastructure investment away from other areas and is affordable to use.

Cannery Row :: essays research papers

The Pearl of Cannery Row   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A pearl is created when a tiny speck of intruding dust enters and irritates an oyster shell. The reaction of the oyster is to make a beautiful pearl out of the particle of dust. Some pearls are perfect and others are imperfect, but all are a unique and wondrous creation of nature. In Cannery Row, John Steinbeck imitates nature’s process with Cannery Row as the oyster and Mack as the speck of dust. Steinbeck shows Mack as the irritant which causes Cannery Row to veer from a precarious course and make a change for the better. In the end Mack creates a wonderful â€Å"pearl† for Cannery Row — the quality of unity — and the reader learns that sometimes the best results come from seemingly meaningless occurrences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mack is in the least a large source of irritation and at the most worthless to the residents of Cannery Row. Steinbeck introduces him as â€Å"... the elder, leader, mentor and to a small extent, the exploiter of a little group of men who had in common no families, no money and no ambitions beyond food, drink and contentment† (9). His effect upon the town, while often anonymous, is clearly sensed: â€Å"A hardware store supplied a can of red paint not reluctantly because it never knew about it...† (12). Mack appears when he needs something and disappears when pay-up time comes around. To Cannery Row, â€Å"Mack [and the boys] avoid the trap, walk around the poison, step over the noose while a generation of trapped, poisoned and trussed-up men scream at them and call them no-goods, come-to-bad-ends, blots-on-the-town, thieves, rascals, bums† (15). Because Mack does not fit society’s traditional standards of living, the town also assumes that his character does not measure up either. He isn’t seen for what he really is — a man with a sweet soul who simply is not driven by worldly desires — instead, people judge him against others and by their own expectations of a man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mack lacks ambition but not a good heart. His only intentions are for survival, never for the purpose of inflicting pain or problem on others: â€Å"In the world ruled by tigers with ulcers, rutted by strictured bulls, scavenged by blind jackals, Mack [and the boys] dine delicately with the tigers, fondle the frantic heifers, and wrap up the crumbs to feed the sea gulls of Cannery Row† (15).

Immanuel Kant Essay

HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. philosophypages. com/ph/kant. htm† Immanuel Kant answers the question in the first sentence of the essay: â€Å"Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. † He argues that the immaturity is self-inflicted not from a lack of understanding, but from the lack of courage to use one’s reason, intellect, and wisdom without the guidance of another. He exclaims that the motto of enlightenment is â€Å"Sapere aude†! – Dare to be wise! The German word Unmundigkeit means not having attained age of majority or legal adulthood. â€Å"Unmundig† also means â€Å"dependent† or â€Å"unfree†, and another translation is â€Å"tutelage† or â€Å"nonage† (the condition of â€Å"not [being] of age†). Kant, whose moral philosophy is centred around the concept of autonomy, here distinguishes between a person who is intellectually autonomous and one who keeps him/herself in an intellectually heteronomous, i. e. dependent and immature status. Kant understands the majority of people to be content to follow the guiding institutions of society, such as the Church and the Monarchy, and unable to throw off the yoke of their immaturity due to a lack of resolution to be autonomous. It is difficult for individuals to work their way out of this immature, cowardly life because we are so uncomfortable with the idea of thinking for ourselves. Kant says that even if we did throw off the spoon-fed dogma and formulas we have absorbed, we would still be stuck, because we have never â€Å"cultivated our minds. † The key to throwing off these chains of mental immaturity is reason. There is hope that the entire public could become a force of free thinking individuals if they are free to do so. Why? There will always be a few people, even among the institutional â€Å"guardians†, who think for themselves. They will help the rest of us to â€Å"cultivate our minds. † Kant shows himself a man of his times when he observes that â€Å"a revolution may well put an end to autocratic despotism . . . or power-seeking oppression, but it will never produce a true reform in ways of thinking. † The recently completed American Revolution had made a great impression in Europe; Kant cautions that new prejudice will replace the old and become a new leash to control the â€Å"great unthinking masses. † Immanuel Kant’s Ideas on Science and Morality According to the 18th-century German thinker Immanuel Kant, no person may possess inherent wisdom about reality. This is best summarized in the philosopher’s famous expression, â€Å"Thoughts without content are empty; intuitions without data are blind. † Indeed, Kant believes that in order for us to utilize our sensible intuition, we must possess two stimuli, â€Å"physical sensation† and â€Å"moral duty. † The first of the two addresses a portion of Kantian thought known as â€Å"empirical realism,† a reasoning that defines that absolute reality as the entire universe in which all human beings dwell. Every time we acquire external data from that absolute reality, our perception of it assumes a greater degree of accuracy. And what would be the optimal way of acquiring such data with only minimal if any contact with other persons’ perceptions (which are, like ours, inaccurate, only in different ways, since each human being possesses a unique arsenal of experiences)? Scientific exploration is, therefore, the key to an ultimate comprehension of things-in-themselves. Kant was a fervent admirer of Newtonian thought and the Scientific Method, which permitted scientists to ascend to unprecedented heights in their understanding of and control over nature. The second stimulus to action, moral duty, provides the explanation for the purpose of all human actions toward the comprehension of the universe. This portion of Kant’s doctrine has been dubbed by the philosopher as â€Å"transcendental idealism,† since it establishes a framework outside the natural world upon which correct actions are based. Kant sees the ultimate virtues to be the attempts to reach three goals which are not yet found in reality, God, freedom, and the immortality of individuals. God, the Creator and Supreme Being of the universe, must be fathomed, properly interpreted, and obeyed in accordance with his true desires. Freedom, the individual liberty to act as one wishes and to grant all others this right, must be instituted through societal reforms and a development of ideology to understand the proper order that would establish such an atmosphere. And, at last, every human being must rise to possess the right to exist for an indefinite length of time that he may 1 / 3 obey the commandments of God and practice his freedoms. Kant states that all which is right and moral must be based upon those three principles. As such, Kant separates the scientific realm (which describes what is) from the moral realm (which explains what ought to be), but he considers these two realms to go hand-in-hand — ultimately advocating putting the scientific realm in service to moral one. Kant: The â€Å"Copernican Revolution† in Philosophy The philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is sometimes called the â€Å"Copernican revolution of philosophy† to emphasize its novelty and huge importance. Kant synthesized (brought together) rationalism and empiricism. After Kant, the old debate between rationalists and empiricists ended, and epistemology went in a new direction. After Kant, no discussion of reality or knowledge could take place without awareness of the role of the human mind in constructing reality and knowledge. Summary of Rationalism The paradigm rationalist philosophers are Plato (ancient); Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz (modern). Don’t trust senses, since they sometimes deceive; and since the â€Å"knowledge† they provide is inferior (because it changes). Reason alone can provide knowledge. Math is the paradigm of real knowledge. There are innate ideas, e. g. , Plato’s Forms, or Descartes’ concepts of self, substance, and identity. The self is real and discernable through immediate intellectual intuition (cogito ergo sum). Moral notions are comfortably grounded in an objective standard external to self — in God, or Forms. Kant says rationalists are sort of right about (3) and (4) above; wrong about (1) and (2). Kant would like (5) to be true. Summary of Empiricism The paradigm empiricist philosophers are Aristotle (ancient); Locke, Berkeley, Hume (modern). Senses are the primary, or only, source of knowledge of world. Psychological atomism. Mathematics deals only with relations of ideas (tautologies); gives no knowledge of world. No innate ideas (though Berkeley accepts Cartesian self). General or complex ideas are derived by abstraction from simple ones (conceptualism). Hume — there’s no immediate intellectual intuition of self. The concept of â€Å"Self† is not supported by sensations either. Hume — no sensations support the notion of necessary connections between causes and effects, or the notion that the future will resemble the past. Hume — â€Å"is† does not imply â€Å"ought†. Source of morality is feeling. Kant thinks empiricism is on the right track re (1), sort of right re (2), wrong re (3), (4), (5), and (6). Summary of Kant’s Argument The epistemological debate between rationalism and empiricism is basically about whether, or to what extent the senses contribute to knowledge. Both rationalism and empiricism take for granted that it’s possible for us to acquire knowledge of Reality, or how things really are, as opposed to how they seem to us. But both rationalism and empiricism overlook the fact that the human mind is limited; it can experience and imagine only within certain constraints. These constraints are both synthetic and a priori. All our possible experience must conform to these SAPs. The SAPs include location in space and time, causality, experiencing self, thing-ness, identity, and various mathematical notions. (Twentieth- century Gestalt psychology’s attack on psychological atomism is based on Kant’s views. ) Therefore, we must distinguish the world we experience, bounded by SAPs, and the world of things as they really are â€Å"in themselves†. Kant calls these two worlds the phenomenal (apparent) world versus the noumenal (real) world. Empiricism pretty much nails what it means to know something, once the SAPs are in place; i. e. , within the phenomenal world, empiricism rules. The phenomenal world is a world of things, publicly observable, describable by science, known to the senses, determined by physical laws. No God, no 2 / 3 freedom, no soul, no values exist in this world. If God, freedom, souls, and values exist, then they must be noumenal and unknowable by any ordinary means. Thus, according to Kant: Both rationalism and empiricism are wrong when they claim that we can know things in themselves. Rationalists are wrong not to trust senses; in the phenomenal world, senses are all we have. Rationalists are right about â€Å"innate ideas†, but not in Plato’s sense of Forms— much more like Descartes’ in argument of the wax. Hume is wrong when he claims the concept of self is unsupported by senses, and thus bogus. Rather, the experiencing self is a pre-condition for having any experience at all (Descartes was right). Hume is wrong when he says the notion that the future will resemble the past is due only to â€Å"custom and habit†. That notion is a SAP; we couldn’t have ordinary experience without it. Hume is wrong when he says the source of morality is feeling. Morality, properly understood, provides the key to linking the noumenal and phenomenal worlds. Kant argues that if morality is real, then human freedom is real, and therefore humans are not merely creatures of the phenomenal world (not merely things subject to laws). Ramifications of Kant’s Views Kant revolutionized philosophy. Kant showed that the mind, through its innate categories, constructs our experience along certain lines (space, time, causality, self, etc. ). Thus, thinking and experiencing give no access to things as they really are. We can think as hard as we like, but we will never escape the innate constraints of our minds. Kant forced philosophy to look seriously at the world for the agent (what Kant calls the phenomenal world) independently of the real world outside consciousness – the world in itself (the noumenal world). Ethics had long recognized the importance for moral evaluation of â€Å"how things seem to the agent. † But the ramifications of Kant’s noumenal-phenomenal distinction extend far beyond ethics. Philosophers like to take credit for all the big events in 19th century intellectual history as direct consequences of Kant’s philosophical legitimizing of the perspective of the subject: Hegel and German idealism, Darwinism, Romanticism, pragmatism, Marxism, the triumph of utilitarianism, Nietzsche, and the establishment of psychology as a science, especially Gestalt psychology. Phenomena and NoumenaHaving seen Kant’s transcendental deduction of the categories as pure concepts of the understanding applicable a priori to every possible experience, we might naturally wish to ask the further question whether these regulative principles are really true. Are there substances? Does every event have a cause? Do all things interact? Given that we must suppose them in order to have any experience, do they obtain in the world itself? To these further questions, Kant firmly refused to offer any answer. According to Kant, it is vital always to distinguish between the distinct realms of phenomena and noumena. Phenomena are the appearances, which constitute the our experience; noumena are the (presumed) things themselves, which constitute reality. All of our synthetic a priori judgments apply only to the phenomenal realm, not the noumenal. (It is only at this level, with respect to what we can experience, that we are justified in imposing the structure of our concepts onto the objects of our knowledge. ) Since the thing in itself (Ding an sich) would by definition be entirely independent of our experience of it, we are utterly ignorant of the noumenal realm. Thus, on Kant’s view, the most fundamental laws of nature, like the truths of mathematics, are knowable precisely because they make no effort to describe the world as it really is but rather prescribe the structure of the world as we experience it. By applying the pure forms of sensible intuition and the pure concepts of the understanding, we achieve a systematic view of the phenomenal realm but learn nothing of the noumenal realm. Math and science are certainly true of the phenomena; only metaphysics claims to instruct us about the noumena. POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Vidofnir, the cock Essay Example

Vidofnir, the cock Essay Example Vidofnir, the cock Paper Vidofnir, the cock Paper Norse, Teutonic, or Scandinavian mythology is the collective myths of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. Norse myths were brought into being during the Viking era, which lasted from 1070 A. D. to 1780 A. D. Our main sources of these myths come from the Icelandic Eddas, including the Prose (Younger) and the Poetic (Elder). The Poetic Edda is comprised of thirty-five poems. The Volsunga saga and the Nibelungenlied are also significant sources. The lack of much further information was the direct result of Christian Termination (Cherry, Intro) Scandinavian mythology holds interesting parallels to other early religions and has strongly influenced modern literature. One of the most important elements to any myth or form of religion is to explain how the world came into being. In the beginning, there was Ginnungagap or yawning emptiness That lay between the realms of fire and ice. As the warm air from the south met the north the ice of Ginnungagap was melted forming Ymir, the frost giant, and Audhumla, the primeval cow, from whom flowed four rivers of milk. From Ymirs armpit came the sweat that formed the frost giants. Audhumla began to lick the ice and uncovered Buri, the ancestor of the gods in three days. Buri had a son named Bor whom married a frost giantess. From that union, Odin, Vili, and Ve were born. Growing tired of Ymirs brutality and the growing band of frost giants, Odin, Vili, and Ve took up arms and slew Ymir and all the frost giants, excluding Bergelmir and his wife who fled across the sea. Odin and his brothers then threw the corpse of Ymir into Ginnungagap. Ymirs flesh became the earth, his unbroken bones mountains, his teeth and jaws rocks and boulders, his blood rivers, lakes, and the sea, and his skull the sky held at the corners by four dwarfs. Sparks were used to make the sun, the moon and the stars. From Ymirs flesh also the light elves that were placed in Alfheim. Odin Vili and Ve came upon two beautiful fallen trees, an Ash and an Elm. Odin gave them soul; Vili gave them emotion and intelligence; Ve gave them the ability to see and hear. They became the First Humans, Ask and Embla. The gods gave them Midgard. Angered by Mundilfaris comparison of his children to the sun and the moon, Odin made them into constellations to guide the actual heavenly bodies. This creation myth has strong relation to that of Babylon when Mardok the champion slew Tiamat to form the universe(Ultimate Encyclopedia of mythology 183 186 195 253) The firmament of the nine realms in Scandinavian mythology was Yggdrassil, meaning, and dreadful mount It was the cosmic ash tree (Ultimate Encyclopedia of mythology 252) Its Name is a reference either to the gallows or to Odins horse Odin did hang himself for nine nights in order to learn wisdom. Yggdrasils three roots descended into the nine worlds. However there seems to be much speculation of how they lay. Three roots spread three ways Under the ash Yggdrasil: Hel is under the first, Frost Giants under the second, Mankind below the last (The Elder Edda 66) However, in The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology it seems to be described somewhat like this: Asgard, the stronghold of the gods lay on the first root. Along with Asgard were Vanaheim, the home of the Vanir, and the Well of Urd, the meeting place for the Gods. Muspelheim, the land of fire, and Nifleheim, place of the dead lay upon the second root; that Nidhogg the dragon gnawed on. The hardships endured by Yggdrasil Are more than men can dream of: Harts Bite the Twigs, the trunk rots, Niddhogg gnaws at the roots. (The Elder Edda 67) Jotunheim, the land of the giants, lay upon the third root, also upon it was, Midgard, the home of humans. Also upon that root lay the well of Mimir, the source of all wisdom. The rainbow bridge, Bifrost connected Asgard to Midgard. Upon the high branches of Yggdrasil, Ratatosk, the messenger squirrel dwelled with Vidofnir, the cock. The cause of this variant in texts seems to be elusive, yet we must consider that the Elder Edda is a poetic source with simplified information, while The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology is a compilation of many texts. It would be safe to think that both are correct by the varying stories of Scandinavian Mythology. I am called Grim, I am called Traveler, Warrior and Helmet-Wearer, Agreeable, Third, Thud and Ud, High-One and Hel-Blinder Broad-Hat, Broad-Beard, Boat-Lord, Rider, All-Father, Death-Father, Father of Victory (The words of Odin in The Lay of Grimnir) (The Elder Edda 69) By many other names is the All-Father called, yet it would be rude to continue the passage too far. Like Zeus Odin was the sky father He is a strange and solemn figure, always aloof He eats nothing while other gods feasted Odin pondered what thought and memory taught him. (Hamilton 308) He was responsible for postponing Ragnarok for as long as possible.

Willa Cather Essay Example

Willa Cather Essay Example Willa Cather Essay Willa Cather Essay Materialism Murders Nowadays, the new trend is the have the most. People are constantly Judging each other on how much they have or how new it is. Society does not look down upon materialism, but rather celebrates it. But this was not yet the case in the 1920s. During this time period, there was a move toward mass production but the idea was not accepted by all. Many people detested the idea, one of these people being Willa Cather, who valued simplicity and intelligence over money and items. This tug-of-war between old values such as art and history, and the new values of technology and aterial wealth, is a theme Willa Cather addresses in her book The Professors House. The novel is centralized around the St. Peter family: husband and wife, Godfrey and Lillian, and their daughters, Rosamond Marcellus and Kathleen McGregor. One day in the girls childhood, a man named Tom Outland comes from New Mexico and basically lives with the St. Peters, changing their life forever. Eventually, Outland becomes engaged to Rosie and revolutionizes the aircraft, Just before he is killed in combat during World War l. But, Outlands invention is patented and makes a good deal of money, all of which is willed to Rosamond. In The Professors House, Cather uses the ruined relationship between sisters Rosamond Marcellus and Kathleen McGregor and the characters of professor Godfrey St. Peter and Tom Outland to criticize materialism by showing the negative and evil effects of money, such as jealousy and spite, and the content and importance of living life simply. The St. Peter family, which was a functional and loving family, was ruined when all of Tom Outlands money was willed to Rosamond, creating a monetary division and Jealousy between the once close Rosamond and Kathleen. While venting to her father about he hate seething from Rosie, Kathleen remarks that Rosamond has entirely changed and all this money [has] ruined her (Cather 71). The newly acquired money has allowed Rosie to live an extravagant life, in turn making her haughty and condescending. Now that her character has changed, Rosie ruined the relationship between her and her sister, something Cather says is the common result of materialism. As St. Peter was walking home through the park one night, he had a terrifying image of the handsome face of his older daughter, surrounded by violet- dappled fur, with a cruel upper lip and scornful half-closed eyes and Kathleen , her white cheeks actually becoming green under her swollen eyes (Cather 74). The color imagery of purple and green presented by Cather are used to represent the growing materialism and its negative effects. Rosamonds face is spiteful and contemptuous, surrounded by the dark wealth that she has been given; and Kathleens innocent face has become green with the enw caused by her sister. Cather uses the example of the ruined relationship between Kathleen and Rosamond to show her disapproval of the growing importance of materialism. Professor St. Peter is constantly battling with materialism: his family builds a new ouse, his daughter inherits a giant sum of money, and his wife always wants youth and materials; yet, he yearns for a simpler and more natural way of living. During the professors trips to work at the old house, he would examine the workspace and wonder why he didnt replace certain things, only to come to the conclusion that he was by no means an ascetic (Cather 17). St. Peter does not wish for the newest things, and yet is still content with how he lives. In portraying the professor this way, Cather argues that material items do not make a person happy. After coming face to face with his depression, St. Peter realizes that he had never learned to live without delight [but] he would have to, and that life [would be] possible, maybe even pleasant (Cather 257). The professor had always lived a life full of enjoyment, mostly from material items, but now he realizes that he must and can go on without those essentials. This is Cather saying that most people dont understand the importance of living without possessing everything. Through the professors plain yet happy life, Cather proves that materialism is an evil that is not needed for contentedness. Embodying ideals almost opposite from materialism, Tom Outland lives simpler nd earns what he deserves based on what he can do, a motto that allows him to give and receive the most. After kicking out his best friend Rodney Blake for betraying him, Outland returns to the mesa alone, and awakes each morning feeling like he had found everything, instead of having lost everything (Cather 226). Out alone in the wilderness, Tom is able to find peace within himself. Although he has no physical materials, he has gained everything spiritually and mentally, which Cather shows can be the most rewarding. When Tom was faced with a dilemma over selling artifacts, he ealized that there was never any question of money with [him], where this mesa and its people were concerned (Cather 220). Outland valued beauty, integrity, and leaving something to its rightful owner over money. Through these character traits, Cather voices her approval of virtues and her disapproval of materialism. Using the character of Tom Outland, Cather shows the importance of living honest and simple as a way to gain from life. Willa Cather believed that materialism was the root of all evil, and that by following that path, human themselves will become evil as well. She used her haracters to portray a larger message: that the world is not one that appreciates a persons ideals. But that doesnt necessarily matter so long as the ideals allow the escape from human superficiality. By living simply, that idea of inner peace can be achieved. Many people keep running around, being busy, doing everything at once, because they believe that is the only way to get things done. But Cather says the contrary. She says that once a person values thought and simplicity of the mind, happiness can be achieved. Work Cited Cather, Willa. The Professors House. New York: Vintage, 1990. Print.

PODCAST Build a Marketing Strategy For 9,360% Bigger Results

PODCAST Build a Marketing Strategy For 9,360% Bigger Results Are you getting more out of your marketing than you’re putting into it? Nathan Ellering is the head of demand generation at , and he wants you to be able to say that you’re getting the results you want from your marketing, your content, and your social media. Nathan is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy, so he’s a bit of an expert on the topic! We’re going to be talking to him today about how you can generate quality leads, get the traffic and traction that you want, and make your marketing strategy a success. What Nathan does at as the head of demand generation. The story behind the launch of the Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy: what it includes, why it was necessary to write it, how it’s different, and why you should check it out. Nathan also shares why he created it as a microsite as opposed to a blog. The importance of following the acronym SMART when you’re setting your goals. An explanation of what 10x content is and how Nathan makes it work for him. How Nathan recommends tracking marketing ROI to be sure that your content is doing what it’s supposed to do. How to prioritize within your marketing strategy. The concept of goals-driven budgeting. Nathan’s best advice for someone just starting a marketing strategy. Links: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy Google Analytics If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Nathan: â€Å"Marketers who document their strategy are 538 percent more likely to report success than those who don’t.† â€Å"The goals-driven budgeting methodology requires you to set your goals first, then plan your budget to make the goals a reality.† â€Å"As a marketer, your first blog post won’t be good and your first ad is probably going to suck, but you need to do it. You need to ship something and you need to continuously improve.†

Innovation in sustainable engineering design (Electrical and Essay

Innovation in sustainable engineering design (Electrical and electronic engineering) - Essay Example This life experience has matured me in many different ways and made me a stronger person. Soon after my parent’s separation, I realised that not only do I have to live a humble and simple life and not get disheartened by my friends around me who might be able to afford the latest technology; I also need to become the financial source for my family and learn to survive with the minimum. Whilst having to work as a Newspaper boy at the age of 14, I also had to make sure I learnt English as soon as possible so that I could achieve good grades and be able to complete my Education at a higher level and hopefully end up having a decent job. During my secondary education I did a lot of voluntary work in several fields such as an electrician, gas engineer, construction worker, mechanic, charity worker (The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, The Royal British Legion and Humanity First), community events, financial advisor and sales assistant in an electrical appliances store. All of the above voluntary work has improved my communication skills, organisation skills and has provided me with valuable knowledge in several different areas. One of the subjects which I thoroughly enjoyed at school was system and technology. Since a very young age I always had a keen interested in engineering and technology. In year four in Germany, I remember I came up with a clever yet simple idea for my project. I took out a small generator machine already attached to a gear box from a toy car, then attached it to a small plastic shaft and then joined this to a rotor hub made out of rubber. I then folded a few paperboards and shaped them into four blades and attached them to the rotor hub. Finally, I added a few batteries and a fan was developed. My teachers were very impressed. This increased my creativity further and I carried on experimenting with new designs. I also used to

Expressions of Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Expressions of Feminism - Essay Example The ideological roots of feminist movement are found in France since it was a French noble woman who in 1610 made the earliest attempt of engaging females in conversation with men and voice their thoughts. Initial feminist thought was framed as â€Å"querelle des femmes- question of women† and education, social mobility and marriage remained key issues. (LeGates, 2012) Social progress for feminists intensified in 18th century during the Age of Enlightenment and the Age of Reason. Improvement in intellectual current encouraged the realisation that all social and cultural institutions are a product of human efforts not divine and thus, asking for changes would not affront God. Concept of women’s freedom advanced after the 1774 Revolutionary War and 1789 French Revolution. Although these were male-focused but mobilized females too and laid the groundwork for feminist struggle. (LeGates, 2012) Modern feminism seminal â€Å"Vindication of the Rights of Women† by Mary Wollstonecraft formally started the struggle for female rights in 1792. Education and freedom were key areas of concern during this time. Gradually, feminism movement spread to Asia as well generating diverse expressions of feminism. (LeGates, 2012) For western feminists’ the regressive practices of patriarchal society and subjugation of females at all forums were issues of great concern. Feminist perspectives and demands shifted according to circumstances and are labelled as feminism’s first, second and third waves. Literature, movements and propaganda remained common forms of expressing discontent throughout the three waves. First wave was raised in late 19thcentury;gaining independence from domesticity cult and obtaining legal/political rights dominated this era because women had little independence in aspects like marriage, education, property, childbirth and work. Suffrage Movement

Operation Fine Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operation Fine Girl - Essay Example lt my stomach turn, I wanted to throw up as I sat listening to the accounts of how parents were killed or made to watch as their daughters were raped. As the video stated, Sierra Leone is classified as the poorest country in the world and it shows in the way that they treat their women and the way that a majority of the country obviously lives in abject poverty. I feel that the United Nations Human Rights Commission should step into this situation and put an end to the atrocities and sexual abuse against women. The women of Sierra Leone need to be saved and shown that they actually have a future even though they are rape victims. They need to be taught that the rape was not the end of they are. Rather, it is only the beginning of their lives. They are not the enemy of their country but its backbone. They are not sex slaves, but women who deserve all the respect that should be accorded to them as the givers of life. They do not deserve to be raped, held hostage for years on end, and then discarded like a piece of

Information Systems Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Systems Management - Essay Example In the nineties, Wal-Mart invested in computer technology, in which their employees use bar code readers in all their stores and distribution outlets (Richmond, 2003). These bar code readers make tracking of goods in stores and also stock management efficient, as different products and shelves have different bar codes which provide real time information on the products. Employees in Wal-Mart use hand held computer systems linked with bar code readers, and this makes the stock management of products easier and economical, as it relieves them from massive paperwork for all orders in place. Moreover, these hand held computers enable the packaging department to get accurate information such as packaging, location, quantity and shipping information on orders. Wal-Mart prides itself for providing customers with the lowest prices available, thus, it embarks on eliminating middlemen from their supply chain and sells directly to their customers from their stores. In order to achieve this, Wal -Mart has embarked to developing a satellite communication system which tracks sales and inventory for all their stores (Richmond, 2003). Thus, it can track credit sales on each department in the supply chain as well as control orders made using this system. The satellite system also assists to transmit important communications across the entire supply chain stores and distribution centres (Cisco, n.d.). Furthermore, with the aid of Cisco systems Wal-Mart has developed a comprehensive network system for its supply chain outlets all over the world. In connection to the satellite system, the network provides an overview of the operations in the whole supply chain outlets. This network allows the Wal-Mart keep track of all the orders and stock levels for each system, hence, suppliers can know the products in stock, ones in high demand and consequently they can supply them efficiently. Cisco has also enabled Wal-Mart to collaborate electronically with suppliers all over the world, as co mpared to the early nineties when Wal-Mart provided suppliers with modems which they used to dial up the Wal-Mart system database. In accessing the database, they can access relevant information on stock levels and inventory work required to place any order (Richmond, 2003). Wal-Mart pays for this service, hence making it reliable and cost effective for the suppliers. Suppliers situated in areas where there is slow internet connectivity, dial up connection which is still available to them for accessing Wal-Mart database. The intranet allows Wal-Mart to deliver company news, new information and policies to all of its stores all over the world and its 950,000 associates (Cisco, n.d.). Wal-Mart has a comprehensive directory of all the suppliers and outlet stores all over the continent, and it is a managerial policy that all employees should be able to communicate with any store at any time. Thus, with this directory, Wal-Mart can contact any store and make orders or take supplies from suppliers, hence it increases the efficiency levels of the store as compared to other suppliers. Wal-Mart has a point of sale system from which they monitor and trail sales and products inventory levels on their shelves in the stores. This POS combined with an algorithm system enables Wal-Mart to forecast and predict market trends and demand for their products. The comprehensive net

Create a Business Plan for Your Own Company - With Financial Statement Assignment

Create a Business Plan for Your Own Company - With Financial Statement Data - Assignment Example The company also has other investments in steel and iron businesses such as steel manufacturing operations including electrical furnaces, steel processing service centres that take care of processing and distribution services, steel sales business and production of motor vehicle parts. Apart from manufacture of steel and iron products, the company has other portfolios that include supply of mineral and metal resources to Japan and other areas of the world. The company also has investments in generation of renewable energy, industrial and infrastructure, water treatment and supply, project development in fields such as logistics and social infrastructure. In its integrated transportation systems business unit, the company deals with logistics, financing and sale of motor vehicles, sale and financing of construction machinery, trade and ownership of commercial ships, sale, purchase and leasing of aircrafts and helicopters and rolling stock leasing. The basic chemicals business unit dea ls with manufacture of industrial chemicals and the logistical support for their clients. The performance chemicals business unit deals with manufacture of agricultural chemicals, performance materials such as plastics and synthetics. In addition, the unit also deals with liquid crystal display material and commodities, semiconductors and supplies for printed circuit board. Energy business unit I and II deals with exploration and processing of energy sources such as oil, gas and uranium among others, in addition it also develops environmental business such as carbon credits, biomass ethanol and hydrogen. The food business unit deals with grains for livestock, energy production and human consumption. In addition, it also deals with food ingredients, distribution, retail support services and agri-foods. The consumer service business unit deals with a wide variety of business activities that include medical and health care services, real

The Future of Drug Policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Future of Drug Policy - Assignment Example The use of drugs and alcohol in North Dakota was said to be very high in 2005 and 2006. Marijuana was the most commonly used drug in the state in 2010. Thus there are many measures taken to establish policies for controlling drug use and drug prohibition. Prescription drug use is becoming a big problem for the whole nation. There is a national prescription drug usage prevention plan which restricts prescription usage by monitoring programs, promoting and recommending safer and more convenient disposal methods to dispose unneeded medicines from homes, and spreading education and awareness for the healthcare providers and patients. The prescription drug monitoring program in North Dakota became operational in 2008. The states were also encouraged to adopt Per Se standards for impairment making it illegal to drive after the use of illegal drugs. However, North Dakota doesn’t have a Per Se standard as yet but its law states that a person is not allowed to drive under the influence any drug which makes the person incapable of driving safely. In North Dakota possession of less than half ounce of illegal substance is punishable by a fine of $1,000 and sentence of maximum 30 days while possessing less than half an ounce while driving a motor vehicle is punishable by a 1 year sentence maximum and a fine of $1,000. Possession of up to 500 grams is punishable under a sentence of 5 years maximum and a fine of $5,000. Possession of more than 500 grams of marijuana is punishable by 10 years of maximum sentence and a fine of $10,000. Similarly, the sale of marijuana may also lead to severe punishments of up to 20 years of imprisonment which increases as the intensity of the offense increases.

Information Systems Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Systems Management - Essay Example In the nineties, Wal-Mart invested in computer technology, in which their employees use bar code readers in all their stores and distribution outlets (Richmond, 2003). These bar code readers make tracking of goods in stores and also stock management efficient, as different products and shelves have different bar codes which provide real time information on the products. Employees in Wal-Mart use hand held computer systems linked with bar code readers, and this makes the stock management of products easier and economical, as it relieves them from massive paperwork for all orders in place. Moreover, these hand held computers enable the packaging department to get accurate information such as packaging, location, quantity and shipping information on orders. Wal-Mart prides itself for providing customers with the lowest prices available, thus, it embarks on eliminating middlemen from their supply chain and sells directly to their customers from their stores. In order to achieve this, Wal -Mart has embarked to developing a satellite communication system which tracks sales and inventory for all their stores (Richmond, 2003). Thus, it can track credit sales on each department in the supply chain as well as control orders made using this system. The satellite system also assists to transmit important communications across the entire supply chain stores and distribution centres (Cisco, n.d.). Furthermore, with the aid of Cisco systems Wal-Mart has developed a comprehensive network system for its supply chain outlets all over the world. In connection to the satellite system, the network provides an overview of the operations in the whole supply chain outlets. This network allows the Wal-Mart keep track of all the orders and stock levels for each system, hence, suppliers can know the products in stock, ones in high demand and consequently they can supply them efficiently. Cisco has also enabled Wal-Mart to collaborate electronically with suppliers all over the world, as co mpared to the early nineties when Wal-Mart provided suppliers with modems which they used to dial up the Wal-Mart system database. In accessing the database, they can access relevant information on stock levels and inventory work required to place any order (Richmond, 2003). Wal-Mart pays for this service, hence making it reliable and cost effective for the suppliers. Suppliers situated in areas where there is slow internet connectivity, dial up connection which is still available to them for accessing Wal-Mart database. The intranet allows Wal-Mart to deliver company news, new information and policies to all of its stores all over the world and its 950,000 associates (Cisco, n.d.). Wal-Mart has a comprehensive directory of all the suppliers and outlet stores all over the continent, and it is a managerial policy that all employees should be able to communicate with any store at any time. Thus, with this directory, Wal-Mart can contact any store and make orders or take supplies from suppliers, hence it increases the efficiency levels of the store as compared to other suppliers. Wal-Mart has a point of sale system from which they monitor and trail sales and products inventory levels on their shelves in the stores. This POS combined with an algorithm system enables Wal-Mart to forecast and predict market trends and demand for their products. The comprehensive net

The Future of Drug Policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Future of Drug Policy - Assignment Example The use of drugs and alcohol in North Dakota was said to be very high in 2005 and 2006. Marijuana was the most commonly used drug in the state in 2010. Thus there are many measures taken to establish policies for controlling drug use and drug prohibition. Prescription drug use is becoming a big problem for the whole nation. There is a national prescription drug usage prevention plan which restricts prescription usage by monitoring programs, promoting and recommending safer and more convenient disposal methods to dispose unneeded medicines from homes, and spreading education and awareness for the healthcare providers and patients. The prescription drug monitoring program in North Dakota became operational in 2008. The states were also encouraged to adopt Per Se standards for impairment making it illegal to drive after the use of illegal drugs. However, North Dakota doesn’t have a Per Se standard as yet but its law states that a person is not allowed to drive under the influence any drug which makes the person incapable of driving safely. In North Dakota possession of less than half ounce of illegal substance is punishable by a fine of $1,000 and sentence of maximum 30 days while possessing less than half an ounce while driving a motor vehicle is punishable by a 1 year sentence maximum and a fine of $1,000. Possession of up to 500 grams is punishable under a sentence of 5 years maximum and a fine of $5,000. Possession of more than 500 grams of marijuana is punishable by 10 years of maximum sentence and a fine of $10,000. Similarly, the sale of marijuana may also lead to severe punishments of up to 20 years of imprisonment which increases as the intensity of the offense increases.

Media changes Essay Example for Free

Media changes Essay Media changes the rules of how we can view the world. It lets us see that there are realities aside from the reality that we already know. The media shows, for instance, how tragic calamities like tsunamis and hurricanes could be. It also reveals that public school teachers in U. S. could also be violent and abusive towards their students. Now, if these realities didn’t come out of media, would we know that such injustices and inequalities still rampantly occur in human existence? Media also spreads bad influences like violence and pornography. However, these should not constitute the only basis for condemning media. Pornography and hostility already existed decades before media came out. Negligence of parents can’t be blamed for this violence. But it we want our children to view wholesome materials, then parents should initiate a move in monitoring their children’s activities and orient them what materials would be considered as garbage. Youtube. com is just one of the popular forms of media where the people visit to watch and upload videos. While some other sites have a team of reviewers to check on the videos beings submitted to their sites, YouTube o n the other hand is the free site where people can easily upload and access even the inappropriate ones. Inappropriate means videos containing obscene, violent, and offensive language. Kids 11-14 can say that there are videos with inappropriate content. Videos like Hentai (a Japanese pornographic animation) and Harry Potter Puppet Pals are examples of videos that have sexual, gory and foul content. These videos are obviously catchy to children. Indeed, children should never be deprived of their rights to be educated of ugly realities but posting violent and pornographic videos in a site where people, even the young ones, often â€Å"drop by† when they’re on the net could be dangerous. These videos might bring shock to these young, or they might think it is okay to show pornography. With all these issues, parents should guide their children on what they watch and, in some cases, what they upload. Some of these inappropriate videos can only be accessed when he/she registers and must not be a minor, but anybody could lie about the age. It is also advised that children below 18 should have parental guidance, but some parents are not aware that these sites exist. Some parents are not even familiar with the Internet. If children are guarded at home, the could always go to Internet cafes if they would insist or too curious to access these videos. This could still be possible since some cafe’s are very lenient when it comes to censorship. In our generation today, technology is changing and evolving every minute. Though measures are taken and warnings are given, improvement will only be realized with the virtue of responsibility. References Media Awareness Network (n. d. ) Violence in Media Entertainment. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from http://www. media-awareness. ca/english/issues/violence/violence_entertainment. cfm

The Maintainability of the Current Financial Market

The Maintainability of the Current Financial Market Introduction To argue that we are not currently in the midst of a global financial crisis is simply on maintainable, given the saturation that the issue has had in the mainstream media. There is no secret that there is a global liquidity shortage in the financial sector, mortgage assets declining in value and subsequently limiting the ability of financial institutions service their lending and interest payment requirements to investors. As a result many governments have taken proactive measures to increase liquidity in the financial sector and stave off inflation and other negative factors. It is the purpose of this paper to critically analyse the current financial crisis, in conjunction with the sub-prime mortgage issue which rose to prominence in late 2007. In light of the current economic climate this paper will discuss whether implementing a financial safety net will serve to address the pressures that are being placed on financial institutions in terms of their liquid assets and overall econ omic viability. It will also present the main ingredients of a sound financial safety net, and it is important to note that all of these factors must generally be present in order for a financial safety net to function effectively in correcting the economic imbalance which the global economy is currently experiencing. The Current Financial Climate The financial situation at present around the world is not one of economic prosperity and stability. In the last 12 months the world has had to resist the financial crisis of 2007-2008 sparked by the pressures placed on financial institutions as a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Most recently, beginning in September 2008, is a global financial and liquidity crisis which has led to a number of American and European banks collapsing due to insufficient liquid assets to service its obligations to its customers. Essentially the most recent crisis began with the United States government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were to government-sponsored enterprises servicing the United States home loan industry. This, among other factors, consequently sparked a rapid decline in the value of global stock market indexes and currency indicators, such as the Dow Jones (United States), FTSE 500 (United Kingdom) and the ASX 200 (Australia) to name a few. This saw a rapid decline in the value of assets held by mortgage related entities, leaving them with significantly less equity and liquidity to service their lending and interest payment obligations. Response to the crisis the central banks of many countries took measures to inject capital into the cash flow of the financial services industry. For example, the reserve bank of Australia injected AU$1.5 billion (approximately 3 times more than the estimated need), Indias Reserve Bank pumped in approximately US$1.32 billion and the Reserve Bank of China provided a stimulus package of approximately 4 trillion yuan (US$585 billion).[1] In the United States the Emergency Economic Stabilisation Act of 2008 was passed by Congress and gave the Bush administration the authority to purchase up to US$700 billion of unserviceable mortgage assets in an attempt to maximise liquidity.[2] In the United Kingdom, on 8 October 2008, UK government announced a  £500 billion rescue package. All these measures were in an attempt to increase liquidity in the financial services industry, and were often accompanied by reductions in the national cash interest rates as determined by the central banks. In light of the fragility of the current global economic situation, is important to consider the effect of the financial services industry safety net as a mechanism of consumer protection. As this paper will uncover in forthcoming chapters, the safety net often comprises a number of key elements in order to maximise its scope of application and effect. A number of jurisdictions have sought to implement deposit guarantees and similar protection schemes, and the effectiveness and risks associated with these schemes will be discussed more thoroughly in due course. However it is important to note in passing that the current economic crisis plays a significant role in the ability of a financial safety net to function effectively, due to the extraneous pressures which are placed on the economic system as a result of a shortage of liquidity in the global financial industry. This affects every global financial institution from major banks right down to small time debenture businesses. An Overview of the Financial Sector Safety Net It is difficult to confine the financial sector safety net into one concise and succinct definition. Rather one must consider the safety net in light of its many factors. As the World Bank itself points out, are significant difficulties experienced with implementing a safety net, which are appropriately defined in the following passage: Bank safety nets are difficult to design and administer, because they have the conflicting objectives of protecting bank customers and reducing banks incentives to engage in risky activities. In several countries including the U.S., the financial safety net, structured to reduce the vulnerability of the financial system, appears to have had quite the opposite result. Indeed, Kane (1989) identifies the U.S. financial safety net, and notably fixed-rate deposit insurance and belated bank closures, as the single most important factor in explaining the catastrophic Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s. Similarly, Demirguc-Kunt and Detragiache (1998) find international evidence that the existence of an explicit deposit insurance scheme has contributed to banking system fragility. To restrain bank risk taking, financial safety nets generally rely on two mechanisms: (i) market discipline, and (ii) bank regulation. Bank creditors can exert market discipline by withdrawing their funds, or demanding higher interest rates from riskier banks. In case of publicly traded banks, equity holders can also effect discipline.[3] The above passage demonstrates that safety nets are not effective on their own; rather they require cooperation between all the different classes of parties involved in the financial industry in order to maintain a healthy financial market. However implementing a safety net is not without its risks and, as the above passage indicates, sometimes the mechanisms employed by a safety net programme of them contribute to the fragility of the financial system is not implemented properly and in consideration of the context in which they are to apply. In light of the above this brief has presented a basic overview of the rationale of the safety net in the financial industry and the aims it sets out to achieve. This brief will now go on to explore the fundamental elements of a safety net system, as it is important to consider the effect of each of these individual mechanisms in appropriate detail in order to draw an appropriate conclusion as to whether or not consideration should be given to a safety net scheme to be implemented in a broad manner across global jurisdictions in light of the current financial crisis. Elements of the Safety Net Frameworks for Liquidity Support For most banks and financial institutions the need to maintain a certain amount of rigid liquidity to service lending and interest payment obligations is essential to ensure the long-term viability of the institution, and also to ensure that the bank or institution can continue providing a service to its customers and therefore generate further revenue. Most of these institutions have certain cash reserves available to meet these obligations in the event that the institution becomes temporarily illiquid, however it is important to consider the strength of these measures given the current economic climate and also whether other measures exist in the event that the liquidity reserves of the institution are unable to service its obligations to its customers. Therefore it is important to distinguish between the liquidity reserves which are available to financial institutions during normal operating times and those which are to be relied upon in a time of crisis, and there is a need for a financial institution to consider the efficiency of both of these measures. A common form of day today liquidity reserves banks rely upon is the lender of last resort (LOLR) function, where central banks in most developed jurisdictions around the world have the authority to provide credit support in the event of a bank becoming temporarily illiquid, however still remaining solvent.[4] LOLR actions do not guarantee against banks from failing, but rather serve to protect liquidity shortages in flowing from one bank to another. As the World Bank puts it: This kind of support can provide an important buffer against temporary disturbances in financial markets. LOLR actions may help to prevent liquidity shortage in one bank from being transmitted to other financial institutions, for example, through the payment system. LOLR actions are not intended to prevent bank failures but, rather, to prevent spillovers associated with liquidity shortages particularly in money and interbank markets from interrupting the normal intermediation function of financial institutions and markets.[5] Therefore the purpose of LOLR is to ensure the overall integrity of the financial market, through containing any liquidity shortages to one bank and attempting to prevent it from reaching other institutions. In a time of crisis a financial institution may need to seek liquidity resources from the central bank over and above those that would normally be available to them for day-to-day activities. These emergency lending procedures need to be considered in the strongest possible manner, and the International Monetary Fund has outlined a number of guidelines which should be taken into account in this regard: resources should be made available only to banks that are considered solvent but are coping with liquidity problems that might endanger the entire system (e.g. ‘too big to fail’ cases); lending should take place speedily; lending should be short-term; even then, it should be provided conservatively because of the situation of the bank might deteriorate quickly; lending should not take place at subsidised rates, but the rate should also not be penal because it might then deteriorate the banks position; the loan should be fully collateralised, and collateral should be valued conservatively. However, at times of severe crisis, it might be necessary for the central bank to relax this criterion or to organise a government guarantees or to arrange government credit, even if the loan is executed from the central banks balance sheet; Central bank supervisory authorities and the Ministry of Finance should be in close contact and should monitor the situation of the bank; supervisory sanctions or remedial actions should be attached to the emergency lending.[6] Therefore it is important to the above factors in emergency lending in order to ensure that the overall integrity of the financial system is not placed under threat through a central bank advancing credit to an illiquid financial institution. Deposit Insurance or Guarantees It is one of the simple principles of banking that, in order for a financial institution to profit from lending products, it must have the liquidity resources to advance to the borrowers. These generally come from term deposits, everyday accounts and other consumer-based banking products, not to mention larger institutional banking deposits. In order for these customers to be able to bank with confidence with a particular institution, it may be necessary for the government to introduce a type of deposit insurance which serves to protect the deposits of customers in the event of a failed investment by the bank. It could be argued that by having all deposits protected by a deposit insurance scheme, a financial institution is effectively promoting excessive risk-taking given that the particular customer may feel they have nothing to lose and all to gain by allowing the customer to gamble with what is essentially free money. Therefore it is important to consider whether large deposits sh ould be protected by such a scheme as, in the event of a payout being required, the deposit insurance scheme may be unable to meet its obligations in a timely and efficient manner, which is said to be a key requirement in order for such a scheme to function effectively.[7] A fine balance therefore needs to be struck between protecting the interests of customers while also ensuring that the deposit insurance scheme is in a position to meet its obligations in the event that it is called upon, and it would therefore need to be well funded. Investor and/or Policyholder Protection Schemes Another key element of an appropriate financial sector safety net is the need for customers who engage in investing through that institution to be afforded some sort of insurance protection, which would otherwise be unavailable under a deposit protection scheme. These schemes would be limited in their application, as they would generally exclude losses arising from a customers poor investment decision-making in the like unless a causal link can be established between the decision and advice obtained from the financial institution in question. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund fully describe the function of such a scheme: Investor compensation schemes generally cover customer accounts in which a range of investment activities defined in the respective licensing laws and broader regulatory regimes take place. Compensation schemes generally do not cover losses on the part of the investor as a result of poor investment advice or management by member firms, although in some schemes, compensation may be available where a causal relationship is established between the poor investment advice or management and the inability of the firm to meet claims by clients. In most jurisdictions, the compensation scheme is statutory in nature†¦[8] therefore a member institution cannot simply wash its hands purveying financial loss sustained by a customer who invest through the institution, unless it can be proven that the poor decision made by the investor was not induced (either whole or in part) by the institution itself. An investor should be afforded some protection in relation to investment, but should still be in a position to accept liability should they not heed appropriate financial advice. Crisis Management The final appropriate element of an effective financial sector safety net is the building of both an institution and the responsible government to manage a crisis if and when it occurs. For example, high-profile policy committees and consultants should be in place to establish the framework mentioned in the preceding three chapters of this paper, and to ensure that it is implemented in such a way that is effective in that institutions particular context. Financial institutions also need to ensure they have the appropriate resources, both financial and in personnel, to address is particularly important area of policy especially given the current financial climate and the strange places on banks to provide some form of protection to its customers while also attempting to remain prosperous and loyal to its shareholders. The International Experience The financial sector safety net has been met with mixed reviews in various jurisdictions around the world in response to the current economic crisis. This is due to the fact that central banks and governments have encountered a number of problems when seeking to implement features of the financial sector safety net. For example the United States, given the current Wall Street crisis, and sought to implement a safety net measure, however Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan has stated: The safety net, along with our improved understanding of how to use monetary and fiscal policies, has played a critical role in this country in eliminating bank runs, in assuaging financial crises, and arguably in reducing the number and amplitude of economic contractions in the past sixty years. Deposit insurance, the discount window, and access to Fedwire and daylight overdrafts provide depository institutions and financial market participants with safety, liquidity, and solvency unheard of in previous years. These benefits, however, have come with a cost: distortions in the price signals that are used to allocate resources, induced excessive risk-taking, and, to limit the resultant moral hazard, greater government supervision and regulation. Clearly, the latter carries with it attendant inefficiencies and limits on innovation.[9] Mr Greenspan has eloquently highlighted one of the key deficiencies with the financial safety net, particularly in relation to government and regulatory supervision of banks during its operation. By increasing government supervision on the financial sector, it severely limits the ability for banks to become innovators in their field and seek to implement new ideas to better service the industry. By implementing rigid supervisory guidelines, the government would be forcing financial institutions to conform to set principles which would effectively make all institutions the same, and limit the ability of these institutions to be granted the autonomy required to be innovative in this industry. Therefore one needs to consider whether the benefits of the financial safety net outweigh the costs associated with it. Mr Greenspan also highlights the increase in costs the taxpayer in the event of the safety net taking effect: The usual suggested premiums for deposit insurance are, of course, far from those that would fully eliminate the subsidy that insurance provides to depository institutions and their borrowers and depositors, especially at times of financial crisis. Indeed, to eliminate the subsidy in deposit insurance, the FDIC insurance premium would have to be set high enough to cover the extreme-loss tail of the distribution of possible outcomes and thus the perceived costs of systemic risk. Since so high a rate appears politically infeasible, the subsidy in deposit insurance cannot be fully eliminated. Moreover, no private insurer will be able to match the actual FDIC premium and cover its risk from the extreme-loss tail. Obviously, if premiums were fully priced, the level of insured deposits would be significantly lower.[10] The above passage demonstrates that it is difficult to lower the deposit insurance premiums associated with a safety net programme, while also ensuring that the deposit insurance fund is still adequately funded to meet its obligations in the event is called upon. By lowering deposit insurance premiums, a financial institution would place a significant strain on itself to be able to cover potential loss associated with the extreme-loss tail which Mr Greenspan discusses and recognises as a serious threat. American newspapers have also highlighted the risks associated with deposit insurance: It has long been known that this feature of the safety net induces moral hazard. Because of the reality and perception that bank deposits are fully protected, banks are willing to engage in riskier activities, insured depositors are less willing and able to monitor the activities of banks, and creditors are less sensitive to the risks incurred by banks. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a system that appropriately prices this insurance and the risks associated with providing it.[11] I fully protecting deposits, the government is inviting banks to be far less accountable for losses incurred as a result of mismanagement of depositors and investors funds, and therefore the deposit insurance scheme needs to be appropriately justified and risk assess for can have any significant practical effect in granting customers peace of mind that there investments are protected, given the current fragile economic climate. Other countries such as Australia have moved to guarantee bank deposits in light of the current financial situation around the globe. Particularly, the Australian government has guaranteed deposits up to an amount of $20,000,[12] despite previously stating that moves by other foreign governments to guarantee deposits were uncoordinated.[13] Interestingly, it has been said that the legal and regulatory framework in place in Serbia and Montenegro sufficient to encourage a deposit protection insurance scheme which would serve to appropriately protect banking customers and the financial industry therein.[14] therefore the results encountered the international arena in relation to the financial safety net are mixed, with some systems acknowledging that certain reforms need to occur before the safety net will function effectively, and others seeking to implement the safety net within their jurisdiction. Conclusion In conclusion, and in consideration of the discussions throughout this brief, would be appropriate to conclude that a financial safety net scheme may be appropriate in certain circumstances in order to provide banking customers with peace of mind in relation to their investments. However it is important to note that a safety net scheme does not bring with it guaranteed success, and one must consider the risks associated with implementing such a scheme and their possible contribution to the dire financial situation which is currently being experienced throughout the world. While the rationale of the safety net may have good intentions, it is clear that deposit guarantees and poor crisis management can have adverse effects on the financial market and therefore affect consumers in a negative way when the intentions are all positive. The international experience with financial safety nets is inconclusive. It is primarily due to the fact that underlying financial pressures in particular jurisdictions can have adverse effects on the effectiveness of the financial safety net, and make it difficult for the safety net to be effective in correcting these imbalances. In the case of the United States cost of deposit and investment insurance is simply too high to justify, whereas in say Australia or Japan the benefit outweighs the cost based on sound financial infrastructure and crisis management techniques. Therefore it is significantly easier to implement a safety net system in these jurisdictions, given the sturdy financial history of the Asian markets. The United States present difficult challenge, with the major financial institutions having capital tied up in high risk investment portfolios, such as what was experienced with the sub-prime mortgage crisis beginning in mid-to late 2007. In short, the question must be asked whether a safety net would increase the liquidity resources of financial institutions, which is universally accepted to be the significant cause of the current financial crisis. The short answer is yes, given that deposit and investment insurance should effectively encourage customers to invest with a particular bank given that their money is effectively insured for a certain amount. However this insurance policy is not worth the paper its written on the insurance fund does not itself have the liquidity service obligations should be called upon to do so. This is a problematic situation, and cannot be effectively answered in a simple form. Only time will tell whether the financial crisis eases as a result of governments purchasing bad mortgage debts from financial institutions, and whether the liquidity shortage ends as a result. Bibliography Arner, D.W., Financial Stability, Economic Growth and the Role of Law (2007), London: Cambridge Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘Government considers upping bank deposit safety net’ (2008) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/12/2388583.htm> at 14 December 2008 Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘No need for Government guarantee on bank deposits: Rudd’ (2008) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/10/2387244.htm> at 14 December 2008 Demirguc-Kunt, A., and Detragiache, E., ‘The determinants of banking crises in developed and developing countries’ (1998), IMF Staff Papers 45, 81-109 Demirguc-Kunt, A., and Huizinga, H., ‘Market Discipline and Financial Safety Net Design’ (1999), World Bank Policy Research Paper WPS2183 Gerda, O., Brewer III, E., and Evanoff, D.D., ‘The Financial Safety Net: costs, benefits and implications’ (2001) The Chicago Fed Letter http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3631/is_200111/ai_n8986952> at 14 December 2008 Greenspan, A., Former Federal Reserve Chairman, ‘Speech – The Financial Safety Net’, 10 May 2001, http://www.federalreserve.gov/Boarddocs/Speeches/2001/20010510/default.htm> at 14 December 2008 Herzsenhorn, D.M., ‘Administration is seeking $700 billion for Wall Street’ (2008), New York Times, 20 September 2008 IMF – Monetary and Financial System Department, Operational Paper OP/00/01, Emergency Liquidity Support Facilities Kane, E.J., The SL Insurance Mess: How Did it Happen? (1987), Lanham, MD: University Press of America Marinkovic, S.T., ‘Designing an Incentive-Compatible Safety Net in a Financial System in Transition: The Case of Serbia’ (2004), Centre for the Study of Global Governance, Discussion Paper 35, http://se1.isn.ch/serviceengine/FileContent?serviceID=ISNfileid=07ECE3C0-79BF-BEF2-62FF-A5CF5F97D730lng=en> at 14 December 2008 Reuters, ‘Asian central banks spend billions to prevent crash’ (2008), International Herald Tribune, 16 September 2008 World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Financial Sector Assessment: A Handbook (2005) Footnotes [1] Reuters, ‘Asian central banks spend billions to prevent crash’ (2008), International Herald Tribune, 16 September 2008. [2] David M. Herzsenhorn, ‘Administration is seeking $700 billion for Wall Street’ (2008), New York Times, 20 September 2008. [3] Asl Demirguc-Kunt and Harry Huizinga, ‘Market Discipline and Financial Safety Net Design’ (1999), World Bank Policy Research Paper WPS2183, 2-3; citing Asl Demirguc-Kunt, and E. Detragiache, ‘The determinants of banking crises in developed and developing countries’ (1998), IMF Staff Papers 45, 81-109 and Edward J. Kane, The SL insurance Mess: How Did it Happen? (1987). [4] See also Douglas W. Arner, Financial Stability, Economic Growth and the Role of Law (2007), 139-140. [5] World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Financial Sector Assessment: A Handbook (2005), 105. [6] Ibid, 105-6. See also IMF – Monetary and Financial System Department, Operational Paper OP/00/01, Emergency Liquidity Support Facilities. [7] Ibid, 106. [8] Ibid, 107. [9] Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan, ‘Speech – The Financial Safety Net’, 10 May 2001, http://www.federalreserve.gov/Boarddocs/Speeches/2001/20010510/default.htm> at 14 December 2008. [10] Ibid. [11] Oscar Gerda, Elijah Brewer III, and Douglas D. Evanoff, ‘The Financial Safety Net: costs, benefits and implications’ (2001) The Chicago Fed Letter http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3631/is_200111/ai_n8986952> at 14 December 2008. [12] Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘Government considers upping bank deposit safety net’ (2008) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/12/2388583.htm> at 14 December 2008. [13] Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘No need for Government guarantee on bank deposits: Rudd’ (2008) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/10/2387244.htm> at 14 December 2008. [14] See, generally, Srdjan T. Marinkovic, ‘Designing an Incentive-Compatible Safety Net in a Financial System in Transition: The Case of Serbia’ (2004), Centre for the Study of Global Governance, Discussion Paper 35, http://se1.isn.ch/serviceengine/FileContent?serviceID=ISNfileid=07ECE3C0-79BF-BEF2-62FF-A5CF5F97D730lng=en> at 14 December 2008, 17.

Optimism in Anatole Broyards Intoxicated by My Illness Essay -- Intox

In Anatole Broyard's Intoxicated by My Illness, instead of confronting the reality of his illness, he tries to rise above it. From the moment he found out he had been diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, Broyard was composed about it. "He felt something like relief" he says. He figures you have two choices when your life is threatened, "you can turn towards it or away from it" He turned toward it and let the illness make him even more appreciative for being alive. Although he had realized for the first time that he didn't have forever he knows that life itself has a deadline, his might just come a little sooner than other peoples'. His friends found him courageous for thinking this way. Broyard never believed that his perspective of life had anything to do with courage, but instead with his desire to live and move on with his everyday routines. If he still had more time to live, why should he waste it by becoming depressed over the reality of things? In the 1950s, when he tried to talk his friend Jules out of commiting suicide, he began to "sell life to him" by makin...

The Dangers of Tattoos Essay -- Body Art

Tattoos are becoming a popular phenomenon that is seen everywhere. Today’s youth are getting permanent tattoos to be cool and trendy, but are not considering the long-term effects. Teenagers should be aware of all that body modification may include, it is not just a pretty picture. Adolescences must consider the dangers and conscientious result of attaining diseases, being underage, and having a permanent mark on their body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The unsanitary conditions of getting a tattoo tend to go unnoticed by teenagers. The increase popularity in body art has also caused an increase in the incidences of Hepatitis, especially Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with human blood. Since, the government regulation has not enforced hygiene requirements for tattoo parlors, disease such as Hepatitis C thrive in these environments. Another disease that can be acquired is HIV. The government does not force tattoo parlors to use new needles or to sanitize the old ones. Also, tattoos can get easily infected and leave a scar if not properly taken care of. Sometimes, people die from ink poisoning if too much ink gets into the blood stream. I haven’t even touched on how painful it is to get a tattoo and how painful it will be to obtain a disease. Young adults do not consider the dangers of a tattoo until it is too late.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another problem with getting a tattoo is being underage. Teenagers have to convince their parents that a tattoo isn’t a foolish decision and they really want ...

Book and Grade Level Essay

Tuesday: Hats ON for Reading – Wear your favorite hat to show your reading spirit. Wednesday: Reading Takes You Places – Dress like a Tourist. â€Å"Name that Book Trivia† – Every hour an excerpt from a book will be read over the intercom and classrooms will have the opportunity to guess the book. Thursday: Reading BRIGHTENS your World – Dress in bright colors. Friday: Wear your shades for SURFF day – Silent, Uninterrupted Reading For Fun! Each grade level will determine how they choose to participate in Literacy Week. Here are some suggestions; of course your grade level team can come up with your own ideas: * Decorate the outside of your door with your favorite book or literary characters. The emphasis is on student participation and student decorated doors. * Book Talks. Students can write Book Talk reviews for books they are reading. * Character Museums. Students can create posters of a book character with face cut-outs. The student places their face in the opening and holds the poster up to create a character museum. Visitors tour the museum and travel from character to character learning about each book. * â€Å"Book, Blankets and Bears† – Students bring their favorite blanket, and stuffed animal to read outside during the day. * â€Å"Poem in your Pocket† – Students create a poem and recite them to each other throughout the day. * â€Å"The Book Swap† – Students bring in a gently used book to swap with another student in their class or grade level. * Reader’s Theater. * Book Chain – Students fill out a strip of paper with a title of each book they read during celebrate literacy week. * Bookmark decorating contest * Create a book jacket. Use paper bags to make a new book cover for a library book. Mrs. Ward will put them on display. * Story mobile to retell a favorite book. * Tri-oramas representing the beginning, middle and end of a story. * Character dress up day. Dress up as your favorite book character. * Book Buddy collaborative activities.

Nutrasweet in China Essay

To come up with a decision to the whether enter the Greater China Market or not we decided to approach the case with a SWOT analysis. Strengths NutraSweet is an artificial sweetener that is one of the most recognized brand names in the United States and in the world. NutraSweet’s earnings per share is $ 6. 36 and with huge capitalization and investments in diverse products. Stacey has the approved budget of $ 500,000 to market NutraSweet in China. NutraSweet has the flexibility on how to position their product in terms of functionality, or either as sugar substitute or health product for diabetics. Weaknesses The research conducted towards the Chinese consumers may not truly reflect the real sentiments of the consumers towards NutraSweet. NutraSweet has not decided on building its own distribution system and may rely on foreign agents for distribution. NutraSweet is more expensive than ordinary white sugar. Opportunities China is a big market and can provide higher profitability to the company. China is the second or eighth largest economy in the world; depending on how it was gauged. There is a perceived consumers’ infatuation with Western brands. Chinese maintain healthful lifestyle so the potential for NutraSweet to launch their product in China is strong. Threats Sugar is a common household purchase as a sweetener and has been part of Chinese households for decades. Culture dictates that there might be difficulty in replacing traditional use of sugar with NutraSweet. The Chinese market is so diverse and it is difficult to come up with a general characteristic to define them. Artificial sweeteners are known by history of skepticism for saccharin and potential health hazards. There is difficulty in attracting and retaining local employees and as such, NutraSweet is having doubts in investing into training their marketing and sales personnel for fear that the employees would not stay long in the company. There are only very few foreign agents that operate in China. Sugar use and consumption levels differed among 3 key markets –Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing. Arthur Andersen survey in China showed that most joint ventures from food and drink were not profitable. Most MNCs in China are unprofitable despite substantial growth. Majority of the Chinese are considered â€Å"flat-bellied† and don’t see the need for a diet regimen. The Chinese culture also dictates that they are not that concerned with their teeth, hence they don’t have that fear of tooth decay. The company should enter the Greater China market as a niche product for consumers with a medical need. The company cannot delay its entry in the China market, especially with factors such as an average of 10% economic growth, a quickly emerging middle class, and a high possibility in consumers’ increase purchasing power. Postponement of entry may mean higher costs in the future and although the company will not immediately profit from the venture, research showed that companies who entered the market 5 to 10 years ago were doing best. The knowledge gained from market entry will allow NutraSweet to sharpen its future strategies. Pros The successful experience in establishing medical awareness in Hong Kong may be applied to the Greater China Market. Entering the Greater China market through the three key cities will provide a better knowledge of the overall Chinese market. A natural market consisting of diabetics and obese customers already exist. Hospital stores and drug dispensaries do not have the bargaining strength that retailers have. Product information campaigns will be facilitated by health professionals who will easily understand and appreciate the product’s benefits. Promotion to medical professionals through associations will not need as much cost as a nationwide mass-market campaign. A $ 2,010,526. 31 in breakeven sales seems very feasible in the Chinese market. Cons The Chinese tend to be slim and had historically not been preoccupied by tooth decay. ? SHORT-TERM The Chinese consumers’ attraction to brand names, especially the number 1 in any category gives NutraSweet an opportunity to establish itself as a first mover in the medical aid products under a new category of sweeteners. The company will launch a product information campaign for medical professionals and will also tap their associations. Associations of diabetics and obese consumers will also be tapped. The company will focus on relationship building with the medical industry. Since poor dental health is a problem in China, the company may also create an awareness drive on the ill effects of sugar on the teeth to lay the foundation of need awareness. The product will be packaged in sachet form with global brand and American image prominent on the sachet to appeal to the consumers’ preference for American brands. The company will capitalize on the convenience of bringing the sachets anywhere with you. The medical industry will be given free samples of the product. The doctors will be taught to promote daily use of the product, with sweetening of milk and coffee or hot drinks as one of the more common purposes. Consumers will be taught to use the product in cooking through the provision of free recipe booklets and cooking demonstration classes. The product will be distributed in the three key cities of Greater China, namely, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing, where the medical industry is more developed compared with the other cities. The company will create its own distribution structure. The product will use the distribution channels of hospital stores and drug dispensaries. Since the focus is on niche marketing, the product will still be sourced from the U. S. plant. LONG-TERM The long-term goal will be to mass market the product in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and use the learning’s from those markets to penetrate the market Greater China. Establishing distribution networks in the two countries will be easier, given the favorable business environments. In Hong Kong and Taiwan, the product will be repositioned as a healthy family lifestyle food, targeting the affluent, health and weight conscious consumers. Aggressive promotion will be pursued, such as print and media ads, and the employment of product endorsers, and store promotions. Consumer awareness and education will be the focus of the campaigns.