Saturday, August 31, 2019

Future MBA Cartoon Essay

Ambiguity: Friend or Foe Often times during our earlier years, we stumble upon ‘loopholes’ within our language. We then take these ‘loopholes’ and mend them to our advantage. These ‘loopholes’ that I am referring to are words that have many different meanings, however actions can also be grouped into this. Much like the cartoon, â€Å"Future MBA† illustrated by Mike Shapiro. In this cartoon you see two students sitting at their desks, both with paper and pencil on the desk. The teacher is standing in front of them and one can only be brought to the assumption that these children were either taking a test or doing an assignment that was meant to be finished solo. However, this cartoon depicts that these students did not follow those instructions by giving us the text, â€Å"We weren’t cheating. We were consulting.† With this text we are given that the children are looking for a way out of punishment by re-characterizing their obvious but ambiguous actions by altering what the teachers perception of it was with that of something that is not detestable, although rather questionable. Cheating is the sharing of answers or ideas that one person may have and is given to another. With the idea that there was no cheating or answer exchanging going on but rather discussing possible outcomes, or consulting in this case, these children are trying to po se the idea that they have done no wrong. This happens more often than you would think. Unfortunately, when these do occur it is not always in a less harmful situation such as a classroom setting over a test or assignment. This often happens in large business and even our government. Through the use of euphemisms you take a word that is particularly disliked and exchange it with a word that has more appeal. On the news for example when there are times of war and there are casualties. The word casualties take the place of saying â€Å"four women, seven children, and six men were killed’. It can be used in this scenario where emotions could get the better of the situation and cause an uproar. However, is this right? Has our language helped us or betrayed us by making it so easy to  cleverly deceive our minds from what is really going on? Then again, in situations it can help ease the pain of loosing a loved one, and explaining it to a child. For instance, instead of telling a child that their father was decapitated i n a car crash and is dead, we can tell the child that their father has passed away. In this case it is our ally. It is hard to determine whether something of this magnitude is beneficial or ultimately malicious. I can see both sides of this, but you cannot get rid of one without the other. They are two sides of the same coin. The only thing I can leave with you is that you cannot have the use of one without the other. However, I can tell you that you have to choose how to use this. Personally, I choose to use this for the greater good not to deceive others or try to confuse them about what is really going on. Works Cited Shapiro, Mike. â€Å"Future MBA† Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Pearson Education, Inc, 2008.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Business Ethics Assignment

Today’s fast moving; ever changing world is dominated by businesses. Cut throat competition, constantly upgraded versions and continuous research into producing the ‘bigger-and-better’ are all defining characteristics of the modern business world (Ferrell, 2006).But as big businesses look for more profit gaining measures, it raises the ever important question of corporate responsibility which is a current hot topic. With growing awareness, consumers now expect the businesses they deal with, to exercise this concept. But what exactly is it?(Hopt, 2003). The dictionary defines corporate responsibility as: â€Å"†¦is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model†¦ essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. † Put more simply, corporate social responsibility or often called just corporate responsibility (CR) is a concept which states that all businesses operate with a certain predetermined goal such as maximizing profits or shareholder wealth etc.CR is the consideration businesses give to social, environmental impacts it creates when it operates to achieve a certain goal. CR takes sustainability into account. There are many reasons why the concept of CR has taken such increased importance in today’s world. The main reason is that businesses are now realizing that they do not have to win over only their shareholders and customers but also the general public (Vogel, 2006). Example your employees may be affected if you decide to close down certain operations. Effective human resource planning is therefore important.The environment may be affected if companies dump untreated sewage into rivers (the Hema Chemicals Company and the subsequent pollution of the Gujarat river case 2001, India) which is why almost all companies in first world countries now treat their waste before dumping it. A ll these issues are actively being considered by businesses today as many of them take into consideration all their stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, the local community, the government and environment instead of solely working to satisfy their own shareholders(Parkinson , 1995).There are many reasons why businesses should take CR into account. The principal reason is that today’s customer is more aware of his surroundings then the customers of bygone years (Ghillyer, 2006). Especially in the Western world, most of them prefer to be associated with businesses fulfilling their corporate social responsibility. An example over here is Anita Riddick’s Body Shop. The shop sells cosmetics with the promise that they are not tested on animals.It has achieved tremendous success ever since it first opened in the 1980s because customers do not mind paying a higher price if the business supports similar ethics as their own. This way businesses get a two fold advantage: th ey create their own USP in the competitive business world and are able to woo even more potential customers. Another reason is for especially big businesses to practice Corporate Social Responsibility is that there can be damaging consequences of ignoring it.Pressure groups, customers and even the government can request or even demand outright that a company change its practices. This point can be illustrated by the fact that consumers in the US began boycotting Shell petrol pumps in large numbers which ultimately led the petrol giant to reverse its stand on the disposal of an oil drilling platform. Also pressure was applied on Nestle Company when its practice of exploiting the market of processed milk in the developing countries of Africa came to light.The modern marketing concept of selling what the customers wants (as opposed to the outdated concept of product development where companies marketed without taking customer needs into account) also goes hand in hand with the CR conce pt. In fact the market for organic food came into being when farmers realized that customers want to eat fruits and vegetables which were not grown using pesticides harmful to both their health and the environment. Yet another advantage of businesses taking the concept of CR seriously is that governments often give incentive to businesses that have a good corporate governance record.Such businesses may not run into trouble with the law over regulations. Furthermore, with increasing awareness, job seekers often want to be associated with firms who have a good environmental and social record. A survey showed that new college graduates were often more keen to take jobs in companies which shared similar ethical values as their own. But like all issues, corporate responsibility also has its opponents. The major argument put forward by challengers of this concept is that it is the shareholder who invests money into the company and takes a risk (Leipziger, 2003).By taking a risk, the share holder demands certain returns in the form of profits by companies and practicing the CR concept reduces those returns. Milton Friedman supported this argument wholeheartedly. He believed that organizations had no responsibility beyond their legal ones and that social and environmental restrictions on corporations interfered with capitalism and free trade. He believed the tow to be incompatible. Another issue raised with organizations practicing this responsibility is the increased costs it creates.It costs more to treat and dump waste instead of simply dumping it. Similarly, it costs more to use environment friendly equipment and technology then to keep using plain, old fossil fuels. Companies argue this especially in relation to third world countries. Over there, it is more important to help them economically then spend resources trying to take into consideration the social, ethical and environmental aspects of their decisions. Indeed this argument carries weight as people in the Third World are not really aware of the corporate responsibility concept.Another argument against Corporate Responsibility is its questionable purposes. Opponents argue that it is not applied by businesses in it’s essence-instead it is only a marketing gimmick or a way to distract attention form their core operations (Wiggen, 2004). British Petroleum, McDonalds and tobacco companies have often been accused of such behavior. In fact McDonalds is famous worldwide for its good governance policies. But recently, a judge ruled that its food itself may lead to heart related diseases and other illnesses.In conclusion, it is important to decide whether the corporate governance being practiced today by companies should continue or not. In my opinion, corporate governance is a very good practice adopted by the businesses of today. Businesses should not only be concerned with profiteering and gaining on others expense. But having said this, acceptance of corporate responsibility by busi nesses can only be effective when businesses embrace it in its essence and not as a PR or marketing exercise aimed at gaining more consumers.Governments of the world should look into this matter and change the Corporate Responsibility code from a voluntary to mandatory one so all businesses are forced to adopt it. But businesses in third world countries should be given some space because it is true that if a mandatory code is made out of the concept of CR, such businesses may find it very hard to function at all. Such a code should be exercised more stringently with multi nationals so there is a lesser chance of them paying lower than the minimum wage, selling below standard items and polluting the environment.As the current recession has shown, profiting by any means will always lead to chaos and a certain ethical aspect to all business dealings is not only required but desperately needed. References Book Ferrell, O. C. (2006). Ethical Decision Making and Cases. Hopt, K. (2003). Co mpany Law. Vogel. (2006). The Market for Virtue. Parkinson, J. E. (1995). Corporate Power and Responsibility. Ghillyer, A. (2006). A Real World Approach. Leipziger, D. (2003). Corporate Responsibility Code Book. Wiggen, O. (2004). Effects Of Corporate Activity.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Background information on how the development LASIK

However, the majority of humans who wear glasses or contact lenses are bothering from it. Therefore, Jose Barraquer discovered LASIK in 1950, which is considered one of the recent technologies in vision correction. LASIK is a Latin word that indicates to create a thin layer of the cornea (black eye) and then using the laser vision correction (LASIK Portal, 2010). Background information on how the development LASIK Lasik is one of the most important types of eye surgery in advance medical that intended for improving in particular Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. It was invention by Jose Barraquer at the first time, where he effectuated the first operationto reduce the thin flaps in the cornea to change its shape by keratomileusis. By 1981, the Alaximr Laser was been founded which worked on ultraviolet radiation, and it was used at the first time by Rangaswamy Srinivasan to decrease tissue in specific way through extract layers of thin films without any effects thermal in surrounding area. As a result, he could use this kind of Laser without any side effect compared to different type of Laser which worked in the field of visible radiation. After a number of experiments, the Lasik technique has been improved in 1990 by Ioannis Pallikaris and Lucio Buratto to become more accuracy than keratomileusis. All of these results led Stephen Brint and Stephen Slade to performed surgery operation in the United States for the first time (Ezine Articles, 2011). With the development of technology, Lasik has become more fast than before and it has been improved to be better (Wikipedia, 2011). The way the LASIK has affected peoples’ lives; . The majority of humans bother from wearing spectacles or contact lenses therefore they want to eliminate them by Lasik. Lasik has many positive effects on humans including that Lasik has ability to accurately correct most layers of Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. Moreover, its surgery occupies five to ten minutes with painless or very little pain. It is one of the easiest operations because it is operated by computer and does not require any stitches after it.One of the most important factors of Lasik that most patients are not longer needed corrective glasses. Conclusion Background information on how the development LASIK However, the majority of humans who wear glasses or contact lenses are bothering from it. Therefore, Jose Barraquer discovered LASIK in 1950, which is considered one of the recent technologies in vision correction. LASIK is a Latin word that indicates to create a thin layer of the cornea (black eye) and then using the laser vision correction (LASIK Portal, 2010). Background information on how the development LASIK Lasik is one of the most important types of eye surgery in advance medical that intended for improving in particular Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. It was invention by Jose Barraquer at the first time, where he effectuated the first operationto reduce the thin flaps in the cornea to change its shape by keratomileusis. By 1981, the Alaximr Laser was been founded which worked on ultraviolet radiation, and it was used at the first time by Rangaswamy Srinivasan to decrease tissue in specific way through extract layers of thin films without any effects thermal in surrounding area. As a result, he could use this kind of Laser without any side effect compared to different type of Laser which worked in the field of visible radiation. After a number of experiments, the Lasik technique has been improved in 1990 by Ioannis Pallikaris and Lucio Buratto to become more accuracy than keratomileusis. All of these results led Stephen Brint and Stephen Slade to performed surgery operation in the United States for the first time (Ezine Articles, 2011). With the development of technology, Lasik has become more fast than before and it has been improved to be better (Wikipedia, 2011). The way the LASIK has affected peoples’ lives; . The majority of humans bother from wearing spectacles or contact lenses therefore they want to eliminate them by Lasik. Lasik has many positive effects on humans including that Lasik has ability to accurately correct most layers of Myopia, Hyperopia and Astigmatism. Moreover, its surgery occupies five to ten minutes with painless or very little pain. It is one of the easiest operations because it is operated by computer and does not require any stitches after it.One of the most important factors of Lasik that most patients are not longer needed corrective glasses. Conclusion

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Supports or argues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Supports or argues - Essay Example Therefore, Wade Allison’s contributions in the support of the massive use of nuclear power should be disregarded since no one knows when the use of such nuclear power may be uncontrolled. Allison clearly states notes the health concerns of nuclear radiation; however, he diminishes this fact and narrows it down to small quantity of admission like in the case of X-ray examinations. It is true that small amounts of absorption of radiation into the body are less harmful to the body. Nonetheless, he must have considered that erection of the nuclear power plants may emit such small radiation, but constantly. In other words, medically administered radiations are usually monitored and controlled and are never continuous; thus, they have minimal effect to the human health (Jha and Boseley 02). For instance, examining internal tumors in the body or cracked bones among other internal organs may only subject a person to the radiation once after sometimes. On the other hand, nuclear power plants will subject the environment and the humanity to a constant dose of radiation thereby increasing health risks related to the radiation. Additionally, imagining of a situation where such nuclear power plants are erected about ten to twenty in every nation. What is the amount of the nuclear related radiation will be submitted into the atmosphere? Nonetheless, it is worth noting that small amount of radiation is never highly dangerous to humanity and the environment, but cumulative small amounts per power plant will lead to enormous amounts of nuclear particles into the environment that cannot be tolerated by the human body thereby leading to devastating global health problems (Jha and Boseley 02). Reading from the Allison’s understanding of the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he should have noted that massive emission of nuclear related particles or radiation into the environment usually have long and dangerous effects to the present and generation

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Managing People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing People - Essay Example In the context of the Morgans Hotel Group which makes use of the bureaucratic organisational structure that does not provide the opportunity of incorporate changes within the organisation’s structure along with its strategies and systems and also it does not practice the performance appraisal system among the employees (Morgans Group LLC, 2012). Performance appraisal is one of the crucial approaches which facilities to accomplish the individual’s job performance and to enhance productivity that would benefit Morgans to increase its efficiency in the work process. It would enable Morgans to assess the positive aspects of an employee’s performance over a certain period of time and also to analyse the areas the employee requires to improve. It would facilitate Morgans to increase its customer loyalty and its brand recognition, resulting in its profit maximisation. In the service industry in which Morgans operates, customer satisfaction is one of the prime attributes which it needs to meet on a regular basis. This aspect can only be attained by happy and contented employees of the organisation and their contentment can be largely ensured with the help of a well-documented performance appraisal and up-to-date job description (Pettijohn & et. al., 2001). Thus, the absence of such mechanisms and structures can impede Morgans Hotel Group from leveraging complete benefits out of their employees which would certainly create hindrance for it to maintain sustainability. Part 2 Alternative Models of Leadership in the Organisation Level Situational Leadership Model The situational leadership model essentially mentions about the leadership method that takes place according to the circumstances faced by the organisations. According to the developers of situational leadership model Ken Blanchard along with Paul Hersey, situational leadership is based on relationship among certain variables such as, The task behaviour of a leader involves the communication l evel of clarifying the detailed information about the work and with an estimated time as well as the working procedures for the task to every individual or group in the organisation. In the similar context, the relationship behaviour of a leader incorporates providing socio-emotional sustainability to the employees by human motivational actions, such as appreciation, reward and recognition among others. Moreover, readiness of an individual or a group signifies the ability to acquire the responsibilities of self directing and working independently in terms of a particular task (Watkins, n. d.). However, the situational model of leadership style entails the directive parts of task behaviour which is an important part for Morgans to explain the works that are to be done by its employees. The socio-emotional factors necessitate the various motivational skills that a leader or a manager of Morgans Hotel Group is required to practice in order to increase the willingness regarding their sp ecific tasks. Participative Leadership Style The model brings about the effects of the values of the opinions or the ideas from each individual of

Monday, August 26, 2019

Benefits and Disadvantages of Fast Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benefits and Disadvantages of Fast Food - Essay Example Further, fast food is beneficial in terms of bridging the gap created by a constantly changing food culture. In the world today, busy schedules for people have contributed to the issue of food being of less importance in individual’s daily interactions. The fast foods bridge the gap by enabling interactions while eating at the fast food joints (Ellen and Spur 2004, p.65). More companies are shifting into the business of fast food products because of the convenience and the ever increasing number of working class population with limited time to prepare homemade food. In addition, according to BIS Shrapnel(2003) more companies have increased their advertisements related to offering customers with more convenient and quicker way of eating without consuming time and money as highlighted in figure 1(appendix). Conversely, fast food contributes to a number of health problems or conditions that include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. This type of food is unhealthy as a re sult of containing high cholesterol, fats and calories which, has been identified as the main risk factor contributing to obesity. In a country such as Korea for example, the high prevalence rate for obesity is as a result of consuming fast foods (Bryant and Dundes, 2008, p.328). On the other hand, in a country like Australia, more individuals are critical on the idea of consuming fast-food as evident from the public outburst in regard to the cricket team being sponsored by a fast-food company (Bellisle et al 2004, p.178). The negative of fast effects related to fast food and health, has led to a number of research on health conditions like obesity and consuming fast foods. According to Bellisle et al. (2004, p.180), the increased number of fast food locations and in... This paper approves that , fast food is beneficial in terms of bridging the gap created by a constantly changing food culture. In the world today, busy schedules for people have contributed to the issue of food being of less importance in individual’s daily interactions. The fast foods bridge the gap by enabling interactions while eating at the fast food joints. More companies are shifting into the business of fast food products because of the convenience and the ever increasing number of working class population with limited time to prepare homemade food. Conversely, fast food contributes to a number of health problems or conditions that include heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. This type of food is unhealthy as a result of containing high cholesterol, fats and calories which, has been identified as the main risk factor contributing to obesity. This essay makes a conclusion that eating patterns across the world continues to change with more people being attracted to fast food because of its convenience. However, individuals while consuming fast food needs to consider serious health issues related to the consumption of fast food currently identified as a major contributor to obesity. On the other hand, fast food companies need to provide their customers with healthier options or choices for fast food products. While fast food is beneficial to customers in terms of providing a quicker means of eating, consumers need to adopt a moderate habit in terms of consuming fast foods.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Holiday Harassment in Wanda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Holiday Harassment in Wanda - Essay Example The memories of twenty fifth December are as fresh in my mind as I can remember. The happiness that characterized the morning of that day cannot be compared with another day of the year. Cheers and ululations of women and children from the neighboring villages that sent a deafening voice could be heard from afar. As the first born in the family and one recognized by my mother’s kin, I won the pleasure of being invited to the nearby neighborhood called Wanda where she hails from. Though the place is very remote, it would be a very bizarre idea to reject the offer. So it turned out to be something of an obligation. As a city dweller and one used to travel by vehicle, I could not bear the blunt of walking through the rough terrain to the place. We had to board a taxi at least to display the acme of sophistication. My younger brother and sister were the main accompaniments. No sooner had we exchanged pleasantries with my family than we left for the place. The welcome I received from the people left the onlookers in awe. Greetings alone took half an hour, followed by unending presentation of gifts from their children and grand children. All kith and kin worshipped me, and the ordeal was more graced like a presidential visit. This left an awkward feeling because of the exaggerated welcome. Already, it dawned on me that much was expected from the light pocket I had. I began developing fear. Needless to tell, an eating and drinking program began, and the plates were filled with the normal, fresh, staple countryside food perfect for a celebration of some kind. Without prior confirmation, drinks followed, and I was amazed to be served with the local traditional liquor which I boldly declined. The rejection was treated with a stern look by the uncle. The lack of courtesy and genuineness began making the day boring early as it was. Not aware that this was only smoke and fire coming, people followed by small crowds began flocking the compound casting a glance at me every time they entered the house. I did not give a serious thought to these looks with the perception that it was a day of celebration and togetherness during such a day is the norm. Little did I know that I was the centre of attraction? The uncle and his wife had invited the whole village to come and see their rich nephew who resides in the city and who would bring money during the Christmas Day. Unfortunately, wishes are not horses because if I had known this, I would have turned down the offer immediately it was presented. When all the â€Å"guests† arrived, songs of praise began and I was surrounded as if I was the Christ himself. In fact, what I witnessed during that time left me shivering like a leaf on a windy day. The villagers were drunk and disorderly causing a sheer pandemonium in the house. Every man and woman was demanding that I buy them a packet of sugar a nd flour which is tantamount to fifty dollars each. I was even compelled to take the liquor I earlier

Electronic Buisness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Electronic Buisness - Essay Example While e-business is concerned with the micro-environment of a firm, e-commerce deals with organization macro-environment (Bontis 2004). One aspect that comes with e-business is the need for effective risk management through proper identification, assessment and mitigation to satisfactory level. Nastase and Nastase (2007) define risk as a function of the possibility that some sources of threats will cause vulnerability leading to adverse effects on the organization. Unlike traditional boardroom risk management, today the business mainstream has become part of risk management to ensure that the organization achieves optimum profitability in a business environment characterized by elevating regulatory demands (Accenture 2011). This paper discuses risk management for e-business sustainability. Importance of sustainable risk management For all companies engaging in e-business, it is essential to align profit goals to the organizational policies on the environment through the process of su stainable risk management (Rouse 2010). ... In addition, risks in electronic business do not reduce but increase owing to changing management circumstances and operation modes (Jia and Zhou 2005).The core focus of sustainability in e-business risk management is through detection of emerging issues that would affect production, supply chain and operations (Napier, Rivers and Wagner 2006). The most crucial emerging issues in business nowadays are changing government regulations (Grefen 2010). Through the IT departments in organizations, data on emergent issues is managed based on its association with the sustainability goals of the organization (Kalakota and Robinson 2001) while ensuring the providence of automated auditing and reporting capabilities (Gasos and Thoben 2003). Brock and Azim-Khan (2008) argue that the realization of e-business risks administration determines the future state of the business. For most start-ups and established companies, investment in e-business is often wrong with less promising future (Yilmz and Flouris 2009). Failed e-business is a revelation that affected businesses failed to fully integrate into their strategy, both sustainability and risk management (Dylick and Hockerts 2002). Through proper integration of strategy and risk and sustainability management, businesses are sure of making money to remain afloat in a competitive environment (Holbrook 2010). The risks associated to business originate either internally or externally (Wilson 2003; Australian Government 2009) and this means that business executives are obliged to distinguish, weigh and limit risks (Hamel and Sampler 1998; Bontis 2004). According to Globe-net (2012), it is impossible to have stable financial systems

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Autism Spectrum Disorder - Essay Example The difficulty with ASD with regard to diagnosis is that there are no markers from biology to identify the condition, and so clinical interviews are the primary means of diagnosis (Skafidas et al. 2012). Moreover, as with other mental health conditions, the definition of the condition has been shifting, leading to changes as well in the way some of the conditions associated with ASD are viewed, diagnosed, and treated (Carey 2012; Wallace 2012). Be that as it may, there are universally accepted key markers for autism in general and for ASD in particular, including an inability to function well in social settings, due to shortcomings in skills tied to communication and general social skills (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013).   Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and r eacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations,   sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact.... Moreover, the qualifications above notwithstanding, the medical literature is clear as to what the symptoms and signs of ASD are. Some of the literature classifies the symptoms along three categories, social skills, communication skills, and reacting to the general outside reality. With regard to the third category, people with ASD show a lack of fear when facing danger, object attachments of unusual intensity, difficulties adjusting to routine alterations, sleeping and eating problems, and movements of self-stimulation, such as rocking. Communication skills symptoms include problems with articulation of needs, difficulty in being able to address questions, and echoing back words said to them. Social skills symptoms include inability to make eye contact, difficulties in making friends, aversion to touch, and ill-timed and mismatching emotional reactions (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013). Another set of literature meanwhile focuses likewise on the inability of childr en with ASD to develop imagination in the social sense, such as an inability to participate in what is known as pretend play or social play (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2013; The National Autistic Society 2013). Then too, there are aspects of ASD associated with children regressing in terms of the skill sets identified above, from a point of prior more advanced proficiency or level of development (National Institutes of Health 2013). III. Teaching Strategies The literature describes many teaching strategies and interventions that have been known to be effective in improving learning and life outcomes for children with ASD, developed over

Friday, August 23, 2019

Prepare for Debate (Marketing Behavior class) Essay

Prepare for Debate (Marketing Behavior class) - Essay Example This information exemplifies that due to the enormity of products offered in the market, through various media which teenagers actually access, their skeptical attitude could potentially ward off advertisers who aggressively market their products and services. Finally, teenagers are the most diverse market segment (Mediamark, 2003, p. 5) and have distinct choices with regard to the products they intend to buy, where to buy them, and what medium they most frequently use to search for products and services. Marketing aggressively means a marketing approach or strategy that is very forceful, energetic and costly. By marketing aggressively, the organization would be spending resources on strategies where teenagers could not even pay attention to. According to Best Knowledge Source (2010), â€Å"teens are the hardest demographic to market to. They are the most challenging and unpredictable group to try and reach. As with any marketing strategy the key is to know who you are trying to sell to and what interests those most. Since most teens are still trying to find themselves and dont always know what they want, its hard for businesses to find out what most matters to them† (par.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Recess at school Essay Example for Free

Recess at school Essay Psychology helps marketers understand why and how consumers behave as they do. Psychological concepts such as motivation and personality; perception; learning; values, beliefs, and attitudes, and life styles are useful for interpreting buying process and directing marketing efforts. Motivation- is energizing force that stimulates behavior to satisfy a need. Personality- Refers to a person’s consistent behaviors or responses to recurring situations Perception- The process by which an individual selects, organizes and interprets information to create a meaningful picture of the world. Learning- refers to the behavior that results from (1) repeated experience, (2) reasoning. The way we perceive ourselves in relation to the rest of the world plays an important role in our choices behaviors and beliefs. Understanding social psychology can be useful for many reasons. First we can better understand how groups impact our choices and actions. Additionally, it also allows us to gain a greater appreciation for how our social perception affects our interactions with other people. Claustrophobia is an abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces (Jeffrey, M. K., 2002). This paper will examine if the claustrophobia could have occurred through classical or operant condition or cognitive social learning. Most people who suffer from claustrophobia do not like being in tight, narrow places such as elevators or small rooms without any means of escape (Jeffrey, M. K., 2002). Studies show that most claustrophobic patients have had an experience when they were younger that have left an impression on them causing them to become claustrophobic when they became older. For example, an individual could have been trapped in an elevator for a period of time with no means of escape as a child. Individuals also have fears of being in small rooms with no means of escape and therefore do not like to close the doors to these rooms such as bathrooms (Jeffrey, M. K., 2002).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The stock exchange of egypt

The stock exchange of egypt Country Research (Egypt)Country Research The stock exchange of Egypt is situated in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) is one of the oldest stock markets established in Middle East, who traced its origin from the merger of two stock exchanges in Egypt namely, Alexandria Stock Exchange which was established in 1883 and Cairo Stock Exchange established in 1903, now known as Egyptian Stock Exchange which was formerly known as Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchange (CASE). Both exchanges were very active in 1940s, and both the exchanges combined were ranked fifth in the world. The vision of Egyptian Stock Exchange is â€Å"To be a World-Class, Egypt-based exchange: which would serve best to its stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa region.† (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). As every stock exchange has certain values and duties, the EGX also has system of values which have a common denomination of ethics practiced with every individual whether it is customer, members, issuers, local investment communiti es, employees and regulators. The Chairman, Mr. Maged Shawky is the head of the Egyptian Stock Exchange. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). The exchange has trading session from 10:30am to 2:30 pm on all days except Fridays and Saturdays and holidays declared in advance by the Exchange. Measure of Activity The main performance indicator or measure of activity of Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) is EGX30, which was previously known as CASE30 index. It includes the top 30 companies in terms of liquidity or 30 most active companies in the Egyptian Stock Exchange. The CASE 30 was started with base value of 1000 points on January 2, 1998 and was renamed to EGX 30 on March 1st, 2009. Any company to get listed or to get included in EGX30 must have a 15% free float. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). Trends in Egyptian Stock Exchange Egypt has a long and rich history of financial market. In late 1980s, Egypt had a sophisticated financial structure holding a mature stock exchange in both Alexandria and Cairo. (Wilson, 1995). The Egyptian Stock market has experienced several fundamental changes during major periods such as from 1888-1958, 1959-1971, 1972-1992, and 1992-present. Egyptian stock market was very mature and remarkable at earlier phases of its operation; in 1940s both the exchanges were very active. In 1959-1971 phases the stock exchange left its effective operations due to the intervention of government policies and restrictions. (MohieEldin, Sourial, 2000). After high intervention of government, there were several attempts made to improve the working and effectiveness of failing Egypt stock market which continued to stagnate. In 1990s the Egypt stock market went under significant revival of government liberalization policies and finally in 1997, major changes were made in Egypt stock market that refor med the stock market and several important steps have been taken by government to modernize the stock exchange. The Egyptian Stock Market has significantly grown by 40% per year since the 1997 reforms and in May, 2001 it reached $36.7 billion. (AMF, 2001). In the current situation of Egypt Stock market, the prices of share fell down on Monday and EGX30 index fell by 3.84 percent with the closing of stock market (AFP, 2010). With the losses on two consecutive days the Egyptian Stock Exchange rose on Tuesday with an increase of 2.1 percent in the EGX30 gaining 140 points close to 6659 and the prices of share jumped to 3.5 percent (Egypt News, 2010). Egypt Stock market History The Egyptian Stock exchange is one of the oldest stock exchange which was established in the Middle East. In early times Egypt had two stock exchanges namely Alexandria Stock exchange which was established in 1883 and then Cairo Stock exchange in 1903. The Alexandria futures market was one of the oldest market in the world. The first transaction which took place in 1885 was of cotton in Alexandrias cafà © de lEurope, which was later, named as Mohamed Ali Square. At that time Reputation was everything and timing and reliability was considered to be important if the profits were made on regular basis. There were two respected institutions which were affiliated with the International Cotton Congress. At an informal meeting in the early 1900s, the Monsieur Maurice Cattaui reminded the merchants and broker that there should be stocks exchange in Cairo same as of Alexandria. The official headquarters for Cairo stocks exchange was chosen to be the old premise of Ottoman Bank. In 1928, the Cairo stocks exchange moved into its present premise Sherifien Street. In July 1961, the two stock exchanges merged into Cairo and Alexandria stock exchange which was ranked fifth in the world in terms of market capitalization. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). Currency and its The official currency of the Egypt is Egyptian Pound (Geneih) usually written as L.E. Earlier Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire until the French occupation took control in 1798 and later on by British in 1801. In early 1900s the Egypt was made a British protectorate. In 1922, the Egyptian kingdom was declared and on November 14, 1936 Egypt gained its full independence. From 1958-1961, Egypt was untied with Syria, as a part of United Arab Republic. In 1834, the financial system was reformed by Mohammed Ali, setting 1 Egyptian Piastre/Qrish divisible into 40 Para and equal to 1/100 Pound. On November 14, 1985, the Gold standard was adopted and in 1898, the National Bank of Egypt started issuing Bank Notes but they were not legal until 1914. In 1961, Central Bank of Egypt took control and became the ultimate authority of issuing note and they started issuing some small denomination notes (Global Financial Data, 2010). The Egyptian Pound was pegged to the US dollar until 2000 and cent ral bank of Egypt was forced to devalue the Egyptian Pound due to several economic crisis in Egypt. From 2000-2003 the value of Egyptian Pound felt almost to 50 percent. The paper money of Egypt has two faces; an English face and an Arabic face and there are different pictures on each faces. The Arabic face has pictures of mosques in Egypt while the English side has Pharaonic scene. The coins are generally made of silver and copper and the coins have pictures of pyramids on one side and value denomination on the other side (Egyptvoyager, 2000). Banking The banking sector of Egypt is one of the well-established part of the economy and the first bank in Egypt was dated back in 1920s and expanded markedly in 1970s by their so called open door policy (AmCham Egypt, 2010). The Central Bank of Egypt is the governing body of the banking sector in Egypt, which comprises of 11 Investment banks, 24 commercial and joint venture banks, 15 branches of foreign banks and 3 specialized banks (HSBC, 2001). There has been continuous growth in the annual growth in deposits and assets. By June 2004, the ROE and ROA of Egyptian banks rose to 9.8% and 0.5% respectively. The Egyptian banking sector is improving with time and has gone various reforms in the form of MA, privatization from 1991 up to today. (AmCham Egypt, 2010). Egyptian Currency Exchange to USD The Egyptian Pound is the official currency in Egypt and its symbol is  £E. The Current conversion of Egyptian Pound to US Dollar. Mathematically, 5.50 Egyptian pound per 1 USD. (Indirect Quote) (CoinMill, 2010) 0.18 USD per 1 Egyptian pound. (Direct Quote) (CoinMill, 2010) Business Practices In the Egyptian business culture, the key to doing business well is patience. Initial contacts regarding business are very important and they often mean the difference between success and failure. Egyptians are little more concern on the part of trust and know how i.e. why they mostly do the business that they know or trust, for this reason before practicing any business in Egypt one should have a mediator or a representative who can assist in meeting and acts as go-between (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). As there is diversity in culture of every nation, there are certain Dos and Donts while practicing or starting or doing a business in Egypt which must be followed. Dos Before doing business, make appointments which should be scheduled either in written or over telephone a week before the appointment. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Maintaining an eye contact with the Egyptian counterpart, especially with male colleague is a sign of truth and honesty. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Always wait for your Egyptian business associate to initiate the greeting at first meeting. Addressing Egyptian counterparts with their title followed by their surname is deeply appreciated with pride. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). While doing a business impeccable appearance is important. Male business visitors should wear suits with neckties on most occasion. Donts Rushing or forcing the Egyptian business counterpart while making quick decision can sometimes proves to be ineffective. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). If, Egyptian business associate stands very close to you and talk then dont get surprised and dont try to get back as this would create a bad impression and may lead to offence. Asking detailed question about their family members is considered to be inappropriate, especially family members. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Avoid setting up meetings during Ramadan. Starting a business in Egypt While starting a business or a firm in Egypt, one has to go through the legal and bureaucratic hurdles. There is a certain procedure which has to be followed while registering a new company or a firm. (World Bank Group, 2010). The first and foremost step in starting a business is to obtain a legal certificate from a well-known authorized bank, which might cost EGP 300 and take up to a day to get the certificate in hand. Next step is to deposit the documents to the department of companies, which are viewed by a lawyer and a detailed invoice of all the fees is issued. Third step is to get the articles of association registered and notarize the companys contract. After the articles are registered, the authority then issues a certificate notifying the establishment of the company; this process might take up to 24 hours. Once the company gets establishment certificate, the company completes the tax registration process. Last step is to get the employees registered with the National Authority of Social Insurance. (The World Bank Group, 2010) Negotiation Practices Egyptian business people are mostly experienced in doing business and interacting with outsiders. While negotiating with these people one thing should always be kept in mind is that the people here expects the things to be done in their way. (Katz, 2008). There are some negotiating practices while doing a business in Egypt: Leveraging relationships is a key element while negotiating in Egypt and Egyptian business people never look for situations like win-win. (Katz, 2008). Pace of negotiation is slow and protracted and often negotiation decisions are made in rounds rather than at a table.(Katz, 2008) Information is not shared freely as Egyptians think sharing information can create bargaining advantages. (Katz, 2008) Egyptian businessmen are very smart at using deceptive techniques and are often use them. Sources AFP. (2010), retrieved from http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g4kHjFmtReyhZpAkC_AVAs312NYA AmCham. (2010), American chamber of commerce in Egypt, retrieved from http://www.amcham.org.eg/BSAC/StudiesSeries/Report47.asp AMF. (2001), The database for Arab financial markets, pp. 51-55, AMF: Abu Dhabi CIA World Fact Book. (2007), retrieved from, http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Egypt.pdf Coin Mill. (2010), retrieved from, http://coinmill.com/EGP_USD.html#EGP=1 The Egyptian Exchange. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.egyptse.com/English/Mission_vision.aspx The Egyptian Exchange. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.egyptse.com/English/homepage.aspx Egypt News. (2010), retrieved from, http://news.egypt.com/en/201003249948/news/-business/egyptian-stock-exchange-rallies-jumps-2.1-pct.html Egypt Voyager. (2000), retrieved from, http://www.egyptvoyager.com/features_money.htm Global Financial Data. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.ameinfo.com/financial_markets/Egypt/Currency/ Google Images. (2010), retrieved from, www.panoramio.com/photos/original/18078449.jpg HSBC Investment Bank. (2001), Treasury and Capital Markets: Guide to Egypt Katz, L. (2008), Negotiation International Business- The Negotiators Reference Guide to 50 Countries Around the World Mohie, E. M, Sourial, M.S. (2000), Institutional Aspects, Distributional characteristics and efficiency of Egyptian securities markets; recent trends in Arab stock markets: Recent trends and performances, pp. 1-44, Cairo: AVC press World Bank Group. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreTopics/StartingBusiness/Details.aspx?economyid=61 Yahoo Finance. (2010), retrieved from, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CMA.CAt=5yl=onz=mq=lc=4

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Reflection on Visit to China

Reflection on Visit to China Alex Naydenov Post-Trip Re-evaluation of Six Topics Introduction After visiting Beijing and Shanghai my existing perceptions of China not only changed but it helped me to view the world as a more mature person. I am no longer ignorant towards countries I have never visited and only knew from what I have read or researched. Prior to my visit, I believed that I had a pretty good understanding about China as a communist country with the fastest growing economy of the world. However, I was not prepared for the magnificent and mind-blowing views from the Great Wall and the Olympic Facilities, the delicious food, and the meaningful conversations with the local students we met. I was humbled to discover a culture that existed for over 4,000 years and people that are friendly and hospitable. As a result, I developed a deeper appreciation for the Chinese society, traditions, and way of life. Chinese Culture History and Impact on Chinese Business Today My perception about Chinese culture and history went on a whole new level when we had the opportunity to visit the Old Hutong area in Beijing and explore the local life and traditions. The walk along the alleys and the visit to a local house gave me a memorable glimpse of the traditional way of living and the sense of pride Chinese people carry for their cultural heritage. I felt that the Old Hutong represents a long period of history and it has become the living encyclopedia of the city that everyone deeply cherish. My cultural views about China continued to shape with the visit of other important landmarks in Beijing such as the Olympic Facilities, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Great Wall. In Beijing modern architecture mixes harmoniously with the preservation of older buildings and historical places. At the moment I entered the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube and later the Tiananmen Square, I was surprised to discover just how modern China is. In fact, the urban areas in Beijing and Shanghai are somehow similar to Chicago or NYC with the glass skyscrapers, fashionably dressed people, and busy streets. However, what really took my breath away is the Great Wall. The place is not just a testament of a great engineering; it symbolizes the connection between the legendary past and present time and it made me realize the uniqueness of China. It suddenly put things into perspective of how old China is and how new the history of my country is. The Great Wall is a must see place if a person wants to experience the infinite sense of time, traditions and beauty, and even a sense of harmony. During my personal interactions with many students from Peking and Tongii Universities I learned first-hand that they deeply value integrity, loyalty, and hard work. Chinese students emphasized that the image you built for yourself throughout the years ultimately defines your future career development and success. Such observations were confirmed by AmCham presenters who also believed that honesty is one of the virtues greatly valued by the Chinese people. Many local businessmen run their business on the principle of honesty and hard work in order to establish their brand. Thus, learning to understand and appreciate local values becomes imperative for conducting a successful business with China. Government, Political, and Legal Environment Prior to my trip, I strongly believed that China’s government is very similar to the former Soviet Union and the political system is primarily authoritarian. I was really surprised to discover that although the communist party has been in power for over 60 years somehow the political environment has remained flexible and adapting to the changes. In reality, when the other communist systems crashed, China was able to survive many political turbulences and become a major economic power. However, there are still things that really bothered me during the visit, such as the restricted Internet sites. Many important social media sites and search engines which I take for granted in the United States have been blocked in China. In my conversation with local students they have expressed mixed opinions about the existing political system. A few were optimistic that the new party leader Xi Jinping will help the economy and stop the corruption, while others preferred to change the subject. Nevertheless, all of the college students focused on the fact the communist government controls every aspect of their lives with tight censorships. They also commented that in addition to blocking social media websites the government has many levels of control over everything that is going on online for example deleting blogs if found inappropriate. Prior to the trip, I believed that the Legal System has been a major accomplishment for the communist party because China has put in place strict laws that prevents the rise of monopolies. It also modernized the existing tax system that held accountable for due taxes everyone from the regular employees to major corporations. However, I find some facts about the criminal justice system in China quite disturbing. The country has a very high conviction rate of 99%, which clearly shows that something is wrong with the system. For instance, the police has enormous power and the advancement of the officers depends on how many convictions they help to obtain, thus they resort to any measures to get a confession. I believe that If China wants to be respected in the world’s arena, the existing criminal justice system needs to be in line with the international norms and all citizens to be treated with dignity and respect. Economy, Globalization and Intellectual Property Rights in China In the past decade China’s economy grew substantially, however, the economy took a step back due to the global economic crisis. In my conversations with some of the Peking’s students they said that current economic strategy of the Party is to focus more on sustainable and high quality expansion rather than on the growth rate alone. They said that 7 percent GDP growth for 2014 was still an impressive number and the current economy was strong and resilient. The government strategy is to strengthen and expand the imports over the next five years in order to bring more opportunities for trade and cooperation with the rest of the world. In recent years, China has enforced laws to safeguard intellectual properties and rights. For example, foreign companies have to register their company trademarks in order to ensure that all of the rules are followed. In our visit to Cisco, an American multinational corporation, in Shanghai we had the opportunity to tour the facilities and touch base on various topics including the Intellectual Property Rights in China. In the past, Cisco has filed a lawsuit against Chinese network maker Huawei for unlawful copying, but in recent years China has strengthened its legal framework and amended its IPR laws in order to conform to the WTO Agreement. Banking, Finance, and Corporate Governance In the past decades, China’s banking system has grown from a single bank to a new modern system that includes four of the largest commercial banks in the world. The Chinese government continues to hold a key position in the management of the banking system, however, they have been successful in weathering a few serious finance crisis. I believe that the banking sector will continue to grow with China’s acceptance in the WTO and allowing for the foreign banks to participate. In addition, China needs to create friendlier regulations and taxes that will attract foreign and domestic investors. In recent years, China experienced an increased demand for second homes which stirred the real estate market and made investing in the housing very attractive, a cycle that can build the house bubble. I have witnessed the crisis of real estate in the United States and I know how dangerous bursting of the bubble could be for the people and economy. In order to control the real estate prices, the government put some purchase restrictions on residential properties, not allowing a second residence. Although, a bit drastic such intervention helped to contain the rising housing prices. However, many Chinese investors started to look at other alternatives such buying properties in the big cities of the United States and other parts of the world. In conversation with local students about the debt issue in United States and China, we come to the conclusion that the average American family owns bigger properties but their debt to income ratio is higher than that of the Chinese. I live in a large house, but I know that my parents constantly worry about their loans and possibility to lose their home if they become unemployed. In this regard, I believe that Chinese families maybe sleep better at night knowing that they will still have a roof over their heads if an adversity hits them. China’s Approach to the Global Financial Crisis When the global financial crisis hit the United States in 2008 it inevitably affected the rest of the world, including China. In order to protect the economy the government introduced a RMB 4 trillion stimulus package that would encourage the consumer spending and rebuild major infrastructures. Such financial strategy proved to be a success because it boosted the economy. The government also approved multiple tax rebates in order to help the exporting companies and aid the struggling economy to survive the financial crisis. During my visit to Beijing and Shanghai it was obvious that people took advantage of the program and bought new cars, housing, or started their own business. One of the Chinese students remembered the stimulus money and mentioned that her parents had the opportunity to buy a bigger apartment, because the interest rates were low and it helped to secure a very favorable loan, which was not possible in the past. U.S.–China Trade Issues The trade between the United States and China is an important part of the profits for both countries. At the moment, China is the third largest market for the American exports. However, there are some serious issues that put the trading relationship in jeopardy. I believe that the biggest problem hindering the interchange is that China is not a fully free market economy due to the communist regime. For instance, China does not have solid policies in place that would protect the international business partners. Another problem is that the American companies doing business in China do not receive an adequate protection of their intellectual property rights. United States has lost almost $4 billion in trade due to piracy and counterfeited goods. I had the opportunity to discuss with some of the Chinese students their views on the knockoff items that many Chinese companies produce and then export to the United States. They believe that the problem is really serious because the counterfeit industry is massive and it continues to grow. In addition, Alibaba the biggest online commerce, claims to be committed to crack down on the barter of fake goods on its platform, but as soon as one vendor gets blocked another one takes his place. I believe that the collective effort of the Chinese government, enforcing severe punishments, and the major internet distributors can help to contain the existing problem. Conclusion: My spring break to China, stripped away all the prejudices and stereotypes which I carried about the real life in China and gave me the opportunity of the lifetime to see some of the most amazing landmarks in the world. The real experience of China’s traditions and business interactions helped me to free my mind, learn to make better judgements, and identify my priorities in life.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Validity of Names in Machiavelli’s Prince and Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex :: Machiavelli Prince Essays

Validity of Names in Machiavelli’s Prince and Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex  Ã‚   People often drop names to assure the achievement of whatever goal it is they are trying to achieve. This tactic works especially well in business, but it can also work in argument. Names of influential people have influential affects. â€Å"I know Don Corleone,† would certainly have gotten nearly anything done in Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Both Simone de Beauvoir and Niccolà ² Machiavelli used the names of well-known people to add a sense of importance and truth to what it was they were saying. Their choice of names is very similar. They both chose fabled heroes, past and present political figures and fictional powers to help their work gain value. However, they differ in a subtle way. The names are used much like a recipe uses measurements: one part politics to two parts fiction. This ratio adds a different tone to each argument, which also helps to get the author’s, de Beauvoir or Machiavelli’s, point across.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, there are many references made to true, verifiable sources. Granted that she makes use of nearly all possible spectrums of existence in terms of beings she chooses to cite, there is an underlying tone of definite truth in her work. She cites these people in packs and lists, using context to categorize her groups. â€Å"Some isolated individuals – Sappho [c. 610-c. 580 b.c.], Christine de Pisan [1364-1431], Mary Wollstonecraft [1759-1997], Olympe de Gouges [1748-1793] – have protested against the harshness of their destiny,† (de Beauvoir). â€Å"Joan of Arc (1412-1431), Mme Jeanne-Marie Roland (1759-1793), Flora Tristan (1803-1844)†¦Figures important for their political or revolutionary activity,† (Jacobus: footnote, p 179). In the first case, we see a list of four sure-fire sources, all of whom â€Å"protested against the harshness of their destiny.† We find out later in the work that these four people were all authors. In the second case, we see true-life people, all of whom were some how politically involved. De Beauvoir hits us with a rapid-fire bombardment of undeniable truths. When she uses a fictitious character, however, it is usually alone. â€Å"The suicide of Lucretia has had value only as a symbol,† (de Beauvoir). Here we see a not-so verifiable citation. It is alone in the text, an island surrounded by a sea of de Beauvoir’s own words. This name is by itself.

Dark Images of Cyberpunk :: Literary Movement Technology Essays Papers

Dark Images of Cyberpunk Works Cited Missing With the publication of seminal works such as Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, science fiction has always contained an appeal to the underground culture. Her Gothic visions of human behavior became the inspiration for works such as Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Isaac Asimov's I, Robot series. Though the beginning emphasized utopian societies, science fiction progressed to include a future quite different from the present. Visions of flying ships, lasers, and travels to far off space colonies inundated these works. However, one subset of authors, such as William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, and Lewis Shiner, molded an entirely different genre of science fiction, placing more emphasis on the darker future of life on Earth. This work, later labeled "cyberpunk," brought with it a very bleak view of future societies and culture. The features of their style of writing, which include the masculinization of women, the perversion of technology, the oppressive descriptions of settings and life, and the negative characterizations of people, defined the notion of cyberpunk. Women have a certain status in cyberpunk, one that is very contrary to the current sociological expectations of them. Women in these societies have had to adapt to the environmental pressures put on them. They behave in an unconventional manner, as their sociological role dissolves any need for refinement and they must act and think as men would if they are to survive. Illustrations of this assertion abound. On an emotional level, women are portrayed as being very aggressive, both sexually and physically. One example of this can be found in Tom Maddox's "Snake Eyes": Lizzie and George are described as "rubbing up against one another....twinned, as if there were cables running between the two of them," and even describes their initial introduction, where Lizzie gives him a very passionate kiss immediately following their introduction (Mirrorshades, page 18). The passage also recounts in great detail the sexual encounter which occurs just minutes after their first encounter (page 19). On a physical level, the description of women in this genre seems to lack femininity as well. Another example from the same story is the initial sketch of Lizzie, "Her blond hair was cut almost to the skull (page 18)". This (superficial) absence of femininity is traditional in cyberpunk works. She is also described as having numerous tattoos, one on her left shoulder and curving down between her breasts, where it ended in a single blood-tear (page 18). Dark Images of Cyberpunk :: Literary Movement Technology Essays Papers Dark Images of Cyberpunk Works Cited Missing With the publication of seminal works such as Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, science fiction has always contained an appeal to the underground culture. Her Gothic visions of human behavior became the inspiration for works such as Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Isaac Asimov's I, Robot series. Though the beginning emphasized utopian societies, science fiction progressed to include a future quite different from the present. Visions of flying ships, lasers, and travels to far off space colonies inundated these works. However, one subset of authors, such as William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, and Lewis Shiner, molded an entirely different genre of science fiction, placing more emphasis on the darker future of life on Earth. This work, later labeled "cyberpunk," brought with it a very bleak view of future societies and culture. The features of their style of writing, which include the masculinization of women, the perversion of technology, the oppressive descriptions of settings and life, and the negative characterizations of people, defined the notion of cyberpunk. Women have a certain status in cyberpunk, one that is very contrary to the current sociological expectations of them. Women in these societies have had to adapt to the environmental pressures put on them. They behave in an unconventional manner, as their sociological role dissolves any need for refinement and they must act and think as men would if they are to survive. Illustrations of this assertion abound. On an emotional level, women are portrayed as being very aggressive, both sexually and physically. One example of this can be found in Tom Maddox's "Snake Eyes": Lizzie and George are described as "rubbing up against one another....twinned, as if there were cables running between the two of them," and even describes their initial introduction, where Lizzie gives him a very passionate kiss immediately following their introduction (Mirrorshades, page 18). The passage also recounts in great detail the sexual encounter which occurs just minutes after their first encounter (page 19). On a physical level, the description of women in this genre seems to lack femininity as well. Another example from the same story is the initial sketch of Lizzie, "Her blond hair was cut almost to the skull (page 18)". This (superficial) absence of femininity is traditional in cyberpunk works. She is also described as having numerous tattoos, one on her left shoulder and curving down between her breasts, where it ended in a single blood-tear (page 18).

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Impact of Global Warming on Human Health Essay -- Environmental Gl

The Impact of Global Warming on Human Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the world, the presence of particular diseases and other threats to human health depend largely on the local climate. Extreme variation in temperature can directly, and indirectly, cause the loss of human life. The threat of a gradual increase in temperature could be catastrophic to the world, as we know it. In 1999, a heat wave killed more than 250 people in Chicago alone (Union of Concerned Scientists). Many consider such an event as a natural disaster. However, scientists warn the average global temperature has increase 0.5  ° F in the past 40 years. This is half of the total increase in surface temperature, 1 °F, since the late 19th century. At its current rate, the global temperature could rise 2 ° to 6 °F in the next 100 years (Union of Concerned Scientist).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Such a drastic increase in the rate of temperature increase is due to the industrial revolution. In the past 40 years, the world has seen a drastic increase in population and the use of fossil fuels (gasoline, oil, coal or natural gas). These fuels are used to run our cars, heat and cool our homes, manufacture goods in our factories and to ship goods for worldwide consumption. The focus, until lately, has been to produce maximum product at a minimum price to maximize profit. Little to no care was taken to minimize the amount of fossil fuels used in the production of goods. Recently, it has become evident that such practices lead to the production of greenhouse gases. Whenever fossil fuels are burned for energy, greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide builds up in the earth’s atmosphere (Union of Concerned Scientists).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason why greenhouse gases have increased is due to the decrease in the amount of plant life, commonly called deforestation. Plant life is the only thing known on earth to consume carbon dioxide. However, due to the need of raw materials (wood and paper pulp), industrial nations tend to cut down more trees than they can reforest (Fuller 454). Also, toxins produced as a by-product of industrialization have killed plant life. Therefore, a greater amount of carbon dioxide is being produced at the same time less carbon dioxide is being consumed, leading to dangerous consequences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The combination of pollutants and deforestation has lead to what is commonly called the Greenhouse Effect. The term... ...ure on the government to create legislation that will save the environment as well as keep our energy rates low and stable. Such legislation is almost impossible. A good first step for the government would be to create effective, mass public transportation such as the train and subway systems of Europe. However, we the residents of this planet, also must do our part to reduce our role in polluting the environment. After all, we are the ones who have to live with, or die from, the consequences of our actions. Works Cited Buchholz, Rogene A. Principles of Environmental Management. (1984). Christianson, Gale E. Greenhouse: The 200-Year Story of Global Warming. (1999). Fuller, Jim. â€Å"Ministers Unable to Reach Agreement at Climate Change Conference†. November 25, 2005. Http://globalchange.gov/news/hague_conference_2005_1125.html Leggett, Jeremy. The Climate Time Bomb: Signs of Climate Change from The Greenpeace Database (Amsterdam, Netherlands: Stichting Greenpeace Council, 1994). Revkin, Andrew. Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast.(2004). Union of Concerned Scientist. â€Å"Safeguarding the web of life: Global Environment†. June 29, 2006. http://www.uscusa.org

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Political Risk in Malaysia

†¢ The fact that Prime Minister Mahathir has seen fit to take a two month vacation is the strongest evidence in a long time that his position within UMNO remains unchallenged. The political succession issue also seems clearer now that Mahathir has permitted his deputy to assume the title of Acting Prime Minister. Such a privilege was not given to trusted lieutenant Ghafar Baba in 1989, when the prime minister was recovering from a coronary bypass operation. Anwar's performance will be watched closely in the coming weeks. Another test of the extent to which Mahathir is at ease with Anwar will be the degree to which the prime minister gives Anwar free reign to deal with any public controversies which arise while he is on leave. †¢ The by-election victory of the opposition Democratic Action Party in Perak in mid-May surprised many observers. However, it would be an exaggeration to suggest that the result portends a significant shift of ethnic Chinese support away from the government in the nation as a whole. Local issues were paramount in the campaign, and voters knew that they could support the opposition without threatening the National Front's two-thirds majority in parliament. †¢ The differing approaches taken by Malay politicians (who have been calling for a tough stand against Singapore) and the Chinese business community (which has been urging moderation) has not yet led to any appreciable rise in ethnic tension. However, the situation could change quite significantly should Malay leaders suggest that the nation's ethnic Chinese were siding with Singapore. Tension between Singapore and Malaysia has remained remarkably persistent, over the last few weeks, egged on by the semi-official press in both countries. An informal boycott of Malaysia by Singapore travel agencies during the school holiday season has been followed by a variety of tit for tat moves in Malaysia aimed at reducing Malaysian exports through Singapore and cracking down on Singaporean professionals working illeg ally on social visit passes. While politicians on both sides of the causeway have been more careful in their public statements, it is difficult to believe that the critical tenor of the reporting by the mass media of both countries does not have at least the tacit support of the two governments. Even so, things are unlikely to be allowed to get out of hand. †¢ Relations with the US, however, are improving. Once a staunch opponent of an American security presence in Asia, Kuala Lumpur now appears quite willing to cooperate with the US military in the region, with a number of US warships making high-profile calls at Malaysian ports in recent months. The policy shift appears to be related to efforts by Prime Minister Mahathir to woo US companies to invest in his pet project, the Multi-Media Super-Corridor (MSC). By providing facilities to US forces, Kuala Lumpur hopes to send a reassuring signal to the American companies it hopes to attract to the MSC. pic] Near-Term Outlook Steady as she goes Given a choice, Mahathir would probably very much like to concern himself with foreign policy issues in the coming months. However, it is very likely that domestic issues will continue to push their way to the top of the political agenda, forcing the prime minister to intervene belatedly to settle various issues which emerge while he is overseas. To the extent that the prime minister will want to sh ow any serious interest in domestic affairs, his attention will probably be focused on corruption. Mahathir appears to have concluded that graft — and Malaysia's growing reputation for it — is becoming an increasingly serious obstacle to his efforts to win the country the international respect and admiration he believes it deserves as a result of its economic achievements. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's grip on the finance portfolio is under threat, with rumors circulating in Kuala Lumpur that the prime minister is none too pleased with the way he has handled several matters in the last few months. A series of missteps by Anwar has certainly left many in the private sector wondering whether the deputy prime minister is really the most suitable man for the job. There is little doubt that Dr. Mahathir remains in firm control of the country. So much so that uncertainties regarding policy issues only seem to emerge when he is not around. With the UMNO partly polls out of the way and national elections not due for some time, Dr. Mahathir can be expected to spend an increasing amount of his time pursuing his long-held interest in foreign affairs in locations such as Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul while putting domestic matters on hold. This year, Kuala Lumpur plays host to two important ASEAN meetings, and the prime minister will want to make the most of them. The first (in July) is the ASEAN ministerial meeting and its accompanying ASEAN Regional Forum with the grouping's dialogue partners. The second (in December) is the ASEAN informal summit. In the run-up to both, Dr. Mahathir can be expected to make his views known on a variety of internationally controversial issues. Apart from a few more speeches about perceived Western arrogance, the prime minister will be pushing for the acceptance of Myanmar as a full member of ASEAN. There will also be more talk about the formation of a de facto EAEC, with Kuala Lumpur inviting participation from countries such as China, Japan and South Korea. With the prime minister traveling overseas quite a lot, it is possible to argue that the prospect of short-term government policy paralysis this year is greater than is generally realized. On several occasions now, the government has revealed a lack of decisiveness when faced with a controversial issue while the prime minister was out of the country. A case in point is Anwar's foot-dragging early last year over the implementation of the rotation system for the position of Sabah Chief minister. Yet another was the unfavorable High Court decision last June which forced a temporary halt to work on the Bakun Dam in Sarawak. In both cases, flagging political resolve only revived when Mahathir returned to take charge of events. The more recent furor over the uncomplimentary remarks of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew regarding the crime situation in the southern Malaysian state of Johore are yet another example of the same thing. Although the matter appeared to have been resolved before Mahathir left for Tokyo, ministers emerged from a subsequent Cabinet meeting chaired by Anwar to make off-the-record comments to the press to the effect that Malaysia had decided to â€Å"freeze† its relations with Singapore in the wake of remarks by Singaporean leaders that implied that Malaysia had overreacted. The resulting media reports shocked the business community in both countries, since such reports inevitably conjured up visions of the 1965 split and suggested that a wide range of business and political ties would be disrupted. Yet another possible source of uncertainty in the coming months relates to the extent to which corporate rivalries will continue to reflect an ongoing political rift between Dr. Mahathir and Anwar. Reports that Renong has come up with a proposal to build a high-speed train line between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore — an idea which clashes directly with similar plans by DRB-Hicom — certainly suggests that they will. In the popular mind, Renong is associated with UMNO Treasurer Daim Zainuddin (a close Mahathir confidant), while DRB-Hicom is seen as being more closely linked with individuals associated with Anwar. The reality, however, is probably a little more complicated, with the late Tan Sri Yahaya of DRB-Hicom (who died suddenly in early March) arguably at least as close to Mahathir as he was to Anwar. Either way, the two companies have such powerful connections that the battle between them will almost certainly involve political as well as purely economic criteria. Local pundits may not have got it exactly right in the case of Renong and DRB-Hicom, but there is little doubt that policy differences between the prime minister and his deputy do have some impact on the corporate scene. A case in point is the recent refusal of the finance ministry to provide financial guarantees to Ekran, the company responsible for the construction of the massive Bakun Dam. Anwar has never really embraced the project, and it is not hard to conclude from this decision that the finance minister is determined to make things as difficult for Ekran as possible, despite the fact that the Bakun Dam is one of Mahathir's pet projects. Of more relevance to the business community in general, however, is Anwar's performance as minister of finance. With the economy doing well, it may be argued that the fact that he lacks a solid background in economics is of little consequence. All that is really required is an intelligent personality capable of taking advice from experts in both the ministry and the central bank. At this level, Anwar seems to measure up. However, a closer look suggests that he is also capable of making errors of judgment which could create quite serious problems in the future if they are made at a time when the economy is less resilient. Take the problem we mentioned earlier about the Cabinet decision regarding Singapore. Anwar could have ended the confusion over the freezing-of-relations reports as soon as they arose, but he chose not to do so. Instead, he issued a press statement which, while stopping short of announcing a trade and investment boycott, appeared to support widespread rumors that such a decision had actually been taken. In this way it may be argued that he allowed the alarm to spread though the business communities of both countries. As a result, the value of both the ringgit and Singapore dollar dropped overnight. Perhaps Anwar was trying to send a political message to Singapore. If so, it is worth noting that although Mahathir has had some high-profile tiffs with Western nations in the past, even he has never before sent such a blunt message to a neighboring country. Yet another apparent lapse in judgment concerns the way the central bank (technically under the control of Anwar's finance ministry) handled an announcement at the end of March about new guidelines aimed at reducing lending to the property sector. A vaguely worded statement to the effect that the authorities had imposed a new 20% limit on bank loans to the sector sent the stock market reeling, with property and finance stocks in particular taking a beating. The new policy also redefined lending for share purchases in order to curb what monetary authorities said was excessive share speculation. Left to draw their own interpretations, some banks stopped giving out such loans altogether while checking whether they had exceeded the new limits. Anwar did little at first to clarify the situation, merely informing the press that he was satisfied with the CB move. It was not until several days later when the monetary authorities released details of the new guidelines (which contained exemptions that significantly watered down the effect of the new curbs) that the market stabilized. Not surprisingly, the incident has pleased nobody, with a number of economists privately accusing the authorities of backing down on an important measure designed to reduce the exposure of the banks to the property market. For Mahathir, the timing could not have been worse. The prime minister is particularly anxious to ensure that the listing of the Bakun Hydro-electric Corporation in June comes off well. With foreign investors shying away from the project, the company is now relying on the domestic market to absorb a massive M$3 billion in new shares. This will not be easy to do on a falling stockmarket, and Mahathir will now probably want to make sure that he is still in the country in the run-up to the IPO so that he can settle any last minute hitches. Meanwhile, with a Cabinet reshuffle on the cards in the coming months, the Deputy Prime Minister's political opponents can be expected to once again press for Anwar's removal in favor of Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz. Since the beginning of the year, Mahathir has lost two senior figures who played an important role in promoting projects in which he is especially interested. The uncertainties created as a result of the sudden death of businessman Tan Sri Yahaya show the sort of thing that can happen as a result of current Malaysian development strategies which place heavy reliance on individual entrepreneurs to run major companies in strategic industries. Of particular concern now is the fate of Malaysia's national car project which Tan Sri Yahaya headed. The resignation of Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Tun Mustapha in mid-April as a result of corruption allegations is another case in point. The loss of Tun Muhamad was not a serious political blow to the prime minister, since the latter was not considered a key Mahathir loyalist. However, it has raised questions about the extent to which his successor will be willing to push the Multimedia Super Corridor project and support the development of Putra Jaya, the new administrative capital. The Sultan of Selangor does not appear to be especially interested in cooperating with Mahathir in selecting a replacement, and has instead made disparaging remarks about transfers of land ownership during Tun Muhamad's tenure. The loss of key individuals in other economic sectors could also upset the apple cart. The huge M$15-billion Bakun Dam project in Sarawak, for example, is very closely associated with Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing. The fact that he suffered a mild stroke last year cannot be regarded as good news for the hundreds of subcontractors — both local and foreign — which are expecting him to push the project through to completion. None of these problems, either by themselves or in combination, are likely to trip up a seasoned politician such as Mahathir, but they are going to be distractions from the foreign policy agenda the prime minister would rather follow. Two other developments are worth monitoring. The first concerns the degree to which the current anti-corruption drive can really be expected to take off, while the second concerns the (not entirely unrelated) political revival of UMNO Youth. The current anti-graft campaign really got going in the run-up to the UMNO party elections late last year when Mahathir ordered a blanket ban on campaigning in order to keep candidates from showering money and favors on delegates. Then, at the convention itself, he launched an emotional attack on graft, saying that it would destroy the party. The result has been that several corruption-tainted candidates competing in the party elections lost heavily. Since then, proposals have been tabled in parliament designed to increase the effectiveness of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), the Selangor Chief Minister has been forced to resign, and no less than eight other senior officials have been placed under investigation. On this issue, Mahathir appears to have Anwar solidly behind him, although the latter has sometimes operated as something of a loose cannon, embarking on investigations that could ultimately implicate staunch Mahathir supporters such Works Minister Samy Vellu, for example. The latter development also points to a serious problem facing a national leadership wishing to pursue the matter further: how to launch a determined attack on graft without undercutting one's own political support. For this reason alone, it is a fairly safe bet that the current campaign will not be a comprehensive one. More likely, a few carefully chosen cases will be vigorously pursued in the hope that this will have a demonstration effect on other greedy individuals. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the newly elected leader of UMNO Youth, has not been wasting much time getting the once-influential organization back into the headlines. Although generally regarded as an Anwar man, Mr. Hamidi has an independent streak which could yet embarrass the deputy prime minister and see the youth organization setting off on a course quite different from that of the national leadership in the coming months. The violent way in which a conference on East Timor was broken up by Malay youths last year certainly put Anwar in the difficult position of having to distance the government from the actions of his political ally. Since then, Mr. Hamidi has taken on far less politically troublesome (for Anwar! ) issues such as the Australian racism debate, Singapore-Malaysia relations and Malay social problems. However, the ability of UMNO Youth to act independently in the future should not be underestimated. It would not be surprising, for example, if the organization turns out to be the prod that keeps the current anti-corruption drive alive much longer than many local politicians would like.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Obsession gone wrong Essay

It is often said â€Å"there’s a thin line between genius and insanity†. From Einstein with his shaggy hair and stuck-out tongue to Archimedes running about the street naked shouting â€Å"eureka! † after making a discovery, one can’t help but agree with whoever made that statement. Mary Shelley, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Steinbeck and Jeremy Bernstein all wrote stories of scientists who were all geniuses – they all had devoted years of study into their fields. Yet, some of them acted irrationally without considering the consequences of their actions (Frankenstein; Aylmer), some did things against their nature (Frankenstein; Phillips), and you couldn’t help but question the sanity of others (the narrator in Bubble and Squeak; Aylmer). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein was â€Å"forced to spend days and nights in vaults and charnel-houses†. Of course, no one forced him to– he was driven by the ambition to discover the source of life. And when he did, an even greater ambition drove him – to create and give life to a human being and eventually, â€Å"a new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me†. To make this dream a reality, he subjected himself to many experiences that the next human would find extremely repulsive and disgusting. In his own words, â€Å"†¦often did my human nature turn with loathing from my occupation. † But the ambition always overpowered his human nature. A beautiful summer came and passed, but he was too busy with his studies to notice. He had also lost touch with his family and friends, even though he knew his father would be anxious. It was telling on him, too. He had become emaciated, and many sleepless nights had his eyes bulging from their sockets. He deteriorated to the extent that he became a nervous, solitary wreck, and a fever came upon him every night. Nathaniel Hawthorne in his book â€Å"The Birthmark† said the scientific hero Aylmer had â€Å"devoted himself too unreservedly to scientific studies to be weaned from them by any second passion. His love for his young wife might prove the stronger of the two, but it could only be by intertwining itself with his love for science and uniting the strength of the latter to his own. † Aylmer had a young, beautiful wife; unfortunately Georgiana had a tiny flaw on her face, which made her imperfect in his sight. From then on, his obsession was to get rid of the birthmark from her face, and he had come to hate it so much that the sight of it made him shudder. Other men saw the birthmark and saw beauty and charm, Aylmer saw it and saw a defect, a representation of all imperfections. Even Aminadab, Aylmer’s lab assistant, said that â€Å"if she were my wife, I’d never part with that birthmark. † Because the birthmark was in the shape of a tiny hand, it was often remarked that it was the print of a fairy’s hand on her cheek, which made her â€Å"hold such sway over all hearts. † However, Aylmer was a man of science, and most likely did not believe in fairies and all the whatnot, and so he considered the birthmark as â€Å"a frightful object, causing him more trouble and horror than Georgiana’s beauty, whether of soul or sense, had given him delight. † In other words, his horror at the birthmark for making Georgiana imperfect became stronger than his appreciation of Georgiana’s beauty. Further along in the story, Aylmer became extremely devoted into creating a mixture to get rid of the birthmark that he secluded his wife. Once, Georgiana followed him into his lab and was frightened, not by the scientific apparatus, but by what she saw of her husband. â€Å"He was pale as death, anxious and absorbed. † Georgiana once wondered if she could satisfy him, and realized that she couldn’t, as â€Å"his spirit was ever on the march, ever ascending, and each instant required something that was beyond the scope of the instant before. † Dr Phillips in John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Snake† was a man who â€Å"could kill a thousand animals for knowledge, but not an insect for pleasure. † He had no problem with killing for study, as was shown when he was petting cats and feeding them in one minute, and in the next put one of them into a killing chamber for biology classes. His research about the starfish also shows that. But we know killing animals is not in his nature when he â€Å"felt that it was profoundly wrong to put a rat into the [rattlesnake’s] cage, deeply sinful† when the strange woman asked him to feed the snake. It was something he did regularly himself, when he needed to feed the snakes, but because the snake had already had its rat for the week, Dr Phillips felt sickened. Probably because he felt the rat was going to die for no reason. For science, Dr Phillips went against his nature. Jeremy Bernstein’s â€Å"Bubble and Squeak† is the story of a mathematician who had become so analytical it was comical. For example, normal people emphasize the scariness of ghosts in ghost stories; instead, he tries to explain ghosts as apparitions caused by atmospheric densities. He always tried to draw a mathematical and scientific parallel to everything he saw. He calculated probabilities of events, and even wondered if it was possible to measure feelings. What these four scientific heroes had in common was obsession. Victor Frankenstein’s obsession was to become a creator of humans; Aylmer’s obsession was perfection, as expressed by wanting to get rid of his wife’s birthmark; Dr Phillips numbed his nature for the study of science, he was obsessed with biology; and the narrator in Bubble and Squeak had become too mathematical and scientific for his own good. Science in its nature is rather addictive. The more you discover, the more you want to discover – It’s like a never quenching thirst for knowledge. In the words of Victor Frankenstein, â€Å"†¦ in a scientific pursuit there is a continual food for discovery and wonder. † It is as a result of this persistent pursuit of science that many inventions that we take for granted today, the same inventions we can’t imagine living without, were created. However, the danger is in letting our pursuit of knowledge or any other thing control us, such that we do things that are against our nature, or fail to appreciate the simple pleasures of life. As Victor Frankenstein eventually learnt, â€Å"A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind and never to allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility. I do not think that the pursuit of knowledge is an exception to this rule. If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is unlawful, that is to say, not benefitting the human mind. † (Shelley 40) SADE MABA HUM 101 WORK CITED: Lynch, Robert; Swanzey, Thomas and Coakley, John. The Example of Science. 3rd ed. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2003. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 30th ed. New York: New American Library, Penguin Group (USA) Inc. , 2000.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Coke as Cleaning Agent Essay

Trademark Facts Coke is known for being the most recognized trademark in all of the world, boasting a near 94% brand recognition by the world’s population. One contributing factor to this statistic is a long-term partnership with the Olympics. This partnership began at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. In 1983, Diet Coke was launched in Australia and within 12 months became the number two soft drink of choice in the country, after Coke. Coke also boasts over 500 brands and more then 1,200 bottling plants in various parts of the world. Sponsored Links Industrial Hand Cleaner Antibacterial, Protective Hand Soap Multi-purpose Ind. Hand Solutions www.chemsearch.ph/handsoap Consumer Facts According to CokeFacts.com, it is estimated that nearly 10,450 soft drinks from Coca-Cola are consumed every second of every day. Ten bottles of Coke on average were consumed during the first year that Coke was distributed. In 2009, it is estimated that more than one billion servings are consumed every single day. Cooking Agent Facts Coke can also be used in different cooking situations. Many people will pour a whole can of Coke into a baking pan and then wrap up the ham or other meat of choice in aluminum foil. They will then bake the ham while it is resting in the pan filled with Coke. It is said to produce a very moist ham once it is all done. Cleaning Agent Facts Surprisingly, Coke can be a great cleaning agent as well. It can be used to clean corrosion off of car battery terminals, to loosen a rusty bolt or help to remove film off of your car windshield. One of the most bizarre uses for Coke is to use it as a cleaning agent for the toilet. Supposedly, you can pour a can of Coke into the toilet, let it sit for several minutes, and then flush the toilet. The result: a clean and functional toilet. Read more: Facts About Coke | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5409773_coke.html#ixzz2K5itRtDt