Icon Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Icon - Research Paper Example Similarly shapes tend to impact mind in informative way (Ciotti par 1-5). The Icons used by Microsoft represents freedom and four colored blocks in the icon tell about aspects and range of products in which freedom is claimed. The information shared from an Icon design is easy to remember. The products aim at fulfilling consumer demands created by market dynamics. They are changed in order to have greater audience and fixate consumers with product characteristics. History of Icon creation is old and dates back to the Greek era. Churches, Citadels and certain Buildings wore Icons to make people feel their imposing presence. Today Icons are created and re-launched in different ways to convey variety of messages; there are fonts, shapes, abstract images or even simple lines to represent ideas, groups and consortium etc. For example some icons are colorless like that of Apple, Mercedes and certain news channels. They actually convey neutrality, balance or a message of calmness. Toblerone, one of the finest chocolate companies from Bern, Switzerland has a hidden silhouette in its Icon. A bear in mountain illustration conveys the product to be originally from Bern, The City of Bears. Icon used by Baskin Robbins flashes a figure of 31 whenever seen or reminded of. Similarly an arrow that forms a smiley under amazon.com has a tail on ‘A’ and head on letter ‘Z’. It conveys availability of almost everything one needs (Ad par 4 -8). These icons convey in variety of ways and are helpful in marketing of products and services. With time some icons lose their attraction or magnetism in the face of human psychological process of habituation. People stop paying attention and sometime more attractive and imposing icons surface as competitors with better marketing stunt. Microsoft can be cited as an example. The internet explorer in Microsoft operating system is not being used by most

The Story as Told in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

The Story as Told in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Essay Mark Twains Legendary story of Huckleberry Finn is the tale of a young little-minded orphan boy named Huck, who is the narrator, and tells his story in which he is accompanied by a runaway slave named Jim who both embark on various mischievous adventures down the Mississippi River, Jim who is owned by Hucks care takers Ms. Watson and Widow Douglass is faced with the most challenges in the novel. Throughout the novel Huck Jim are faced with many obstacles on there adventures up and down the Mississippi River seeking the free state of Illinois, where Jims Plan is to gain his freedom and live his dream of reuniting with his wife and children whom were also sold into slavery. Eventhough the novel is touching and compelling in many ways over the last 120 years Twains novel has been attacked by various groups for being a racist novel, while others strongly believe that his novel is the greatest statement in American culture against racism. Twain began writing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn currently after his first novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) which wasnt as much of a controversial novel compared to his best seller. Twain later re-wrote and re-wrote Huck Finn multiple times later finishing it in December 1883. During his writings Twain had a hard time within himself towards his novel due to his character Huck helping Jim runaway to a free state and there strong bond they both shared, which Twain knew wasnt a right thing to do during his time for the fact in the eyes of the average slave owners or racist go-getters. As years passed and many different versions of Twains writings evolved from language to language but still with-held the same context as his original writings. After Twains passing, and Huckleberry Finn having a slight shed under the limelight for some of its vulgar language, and more than many racial slurs toward Jim other characters portrayed as slaves in his novel, real criticism began. Many different types of various groups regardless whether they have there share of pros and cons, on the novel shared there own opinions regarding the use of the N word being used in the novel to be dignified as if it was Jims name. Those who do not approve of Twains writings are those who see the book as a racist novel, which when reading the novel you can see many different clusters of its racism. As you continue to read the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you tend to notice that Huck is faced with many challenges dealing with the fact Jim is a runaway slave,and Huck is giving his share as being a accomplice in his crime, and that is where many people who see the negative side of the novel try to look passed the helpings of Huck and Jims freedom and just focus on that bubble of racial slurs and the hardships for African Americans of that time who were mistreated and who died trying to live a positive life style passed the mistreatment. Thats in all of the history itself Twain lived in the era where slaves were a household appliance or necessity and in todays days its unethical to own a slave, which many Americans today will all agree on. Many issues the groups who withheld opposition of Twains writings in our decade are trying to shed light on the fact that this novel is being taught in schools all across America, and the use of the racial slurs once again should be censored throughout the novel. Yet once you re-arrange a book to have the slightest bit of change, you create a gap or some type of a road block where you miss the true meanings Twain is trying to approach to his audience, to feel the feelings Jim and Huck felt on there voyage across the Mississippi, and thats when other groups who approve of the message Twain is trying to achieve in his purpose feel as if this is one of the novels in American History that cultivates one of the greatest statements of the true meaning on unity, faith, and the growth of a boy becoming a man all within a time where racism was a huge whirlwind of negativity. Choosing a side to say weather Twains novel is a racist book, or one of the greatest statements in American culture against racism. I would have to choose that, Twain was always giving a positive outlook when writing this story,due to many helpings between the friendship of Huck Jim. Regardless if it was Jim helping Huck or Huck Helping Jim it was an integrated friendship that would of not have been accepted in the society of the late 1800s when racism wasnt at its peak as it would be 50-80 years later in the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Some can and will always argue with the vulgarity scripted page by page in the story but that is what makes it such an interesting story, Twain wanted his reader to experience the feelings he captivated within each character and how hard it really was in his decade for two unlike pairs to help eachother gain more than moral values in life and to take chances in doing whats right than whats expected. Seeing passed the racism issues various groups attack Twains writings on, he tries to give a self point-of-view on what unity should really be like, such as Huck helping Jim be free than later throughout chapters recover Jim from a slave auction where he was forced to stay when the King and the Duke turned him in for ransom. Regardless of his skin color and the crime he committed Huck knew what was right from wrong and did the unexpected and helped out a colored man , at the time where it was not excepted to do so in that specific time frame in American History. You can say the novel shares its negatives and its positives on the opinions of racism, yet many can share there own opinions within eachother when reading the book. Mark Twain had every bit of intention to make his book have many controversies in his present and our future. People need to see the true meanings of Twains work past all of the negativity and a real autobiographical look at his point of view on racism itself, he had every reason for Huck and Jim to be best buddies in his novel because at that time he knew what was right from wrong. So people can his story is wrapped around tightly with words or racism some can say its simply work of great meanings but as I would say its a story of unity of two unlike pairs to be united as one into helping eachother find themselves and the true meaning of life, and becoming there own men, In Conclusion Mark Twains Legendary story of Huckleberry Finn the tale of the young little-minded orphan boy Huck, and a runaway slave Jim who both embarked on a mischievous adventure down the Mississippi River, and faced with many challenges seeking the free state of Illinois. Was really a tale of two unlike cultures coming together and helping one another no matter what color you are friendship is stronger than a racial barrier, eventhough the last 120 years the book has been attacked by various groups for being a racist novel, while others strongly believe that it is the greatest statement in American culture against racism. I strongly believe it is definitely the greatest statement in American culture against racism. Word Count:1266

Native American vs. European Way of Life Essay example -- Culture Soci

Native Americans and European Compare/Contrast Essay Europeans lived a much more modern way of life than the primitive lifestyle of Native Americans. Europeans referred to themselves as â€Å"civilized† and regarded Native Americans as â€Å"savage,† â€Å"heathen,† or â€Å"barbarian.† Their interaction provoked by multiple differences led to misunderstanding and sometimes conflict. These two cultures, having been isolated from one another, exhibited an extensive variation in their ideals. Europeans and Native Americans maintained contradictory social, economic, and spiritual practices. The European social structure was heavily influenced by land ownership, with a land-wealthy elite at its center. Europeans viewed land as a resource to be exploited for human benefit. Property was the basis of independence, material wealth, and political status. Native Americans deemed the exact opposite of individual land ownership. Tribes recognized boundaries, like the Europeans, but believed that land was communal. Communal land ownership helped limit social stratification in Native American communities, much unlike the social hierarchy established by the Europeans. Europeans were accustomed to a greater scale of inequality. Native Americans stressed the group rather than the individual. They did not base life on material wealth as the Europeans did. However, some exceptions to this cultural system occurred in the more modern empires of the Aztec and Inca and, in North America, among tr...

Essay example --

Folkers 1 Amanda Folkers October 25, 2013 Mr. Spencer Economics 1 Period: 3 Price Floor, Price ceilings, and inflation Folkers 2 The Price floors, Price ceilings, and the inflation of the government funds are increasing. The definition of price floors, â€Å"are prices even just below the point to which it is illegal to buy or sell goods. They can’t go lower than 7.25/ hr or they are breaking a federal law, this is to protect the producer.† A price floor can be set below/ above the market equilibrium price. If the free market price is set higher than the equilibrium, the price floor has a small to no direct change. It ensures prices stay high so that product can continue to be made. If the free market price is lower than the price floor, then a surplus; Consumers find they must now pay a higher price for the same product, then they reduce their purchases or switch to a substitute good. Meanwhile, suppliers find they are guaranteed a new, and higher prices, and so they produce more. There are a number of strategies that the government uses for setting a price floor and dealing with its consequen ces. They can set an easily understood price floor, for the citizens. This price support sets a minimum price, however, here the government buys up any extra supply, or surplus. This is even more inefficient and costly for the government and society. Production quotas usually raise the price by limiting production by giving businesses the opportunity to reduce their production. In America, this technique is used mostly with agriculture. The government pays farmers to keep a portion of their fields production, this leads to a raise in prices. Like price supports, the policy would be more efficient and le... ...instance, when gold was used as currency, the government could collect gold coins, melt them down, mix them with other metals such as silver, copper or lead, and reissue them at the same nominal value. By diluting the gold with other metals, the government could issue more coins without also needing to increase the amount of gold used to make them. When the cost of each coin is lowered in this way, the government profits from an increase in seignior age. This practice would increase the money supply but at the same time the relative value of each coin would be lowered. As the relative value of the coins becomes lower, consumers would need to give more coins and money, in exchange for the same goods and services as before. These goods and services would experience a price increase as the value of each coin is reduced. Therefor causing too much money into the economy.

Building, Tasking, and Empowering Teams

While building a cross functional team, I am interested in analyzing a candidate’s skill level, background, expertise, and previous success dealing with product development. In order to handle a self-managed work team, I would provide relative details for the product’s deadline, dates of launch, and other important facts so the team can work together to develop the proper course of action. As the manager, I would practice the art of self-managing the team from a distance unless there is a conflict of interest.The interest of R&D and marketing may be different from that of the manufacturing and R&D departments. The recent build in SMWT breaks the barriers of the diversity pool, but their findings are still valid to a degree. The increase in intragroup task conflict arises once a diverse group capitalizes their initial tasks of granting credentials or age, tenure, and expertise into the work environment (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, p. 53). For example, Team A and B allo ws open forums for discussion of the project’s progress whereas Teams X and Y have intragroup conflicts (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, 55).A cross functional group can develop the overall tasks to be done because a plan must be assembled before action is taken. The dynamics of a cross functional group depends on their capabilities to complete tasks through a detailed outline associated with the desired outcomes. It is very important to utilize research data to formulate the appropriate answers for potential problems they may experience throughout the project (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 54).These milestones can help the planning committee in making preventive methods to counter each issue one by one. Many cross functional groups use practical procedures and policies to utilize all of the resources for a good reason. One must recognize the significance of a complete, factual plan because the basis of each project must have data or statistics to back up the departments’ de sired outcomes (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 56). If a manager restricts employee discussion, there is a possibility that the workers are unsatisfied with the functions of the group.Further reviews analyze the different communications styles available: assertiveness, ingratiation, rationality, exchange, upward appeals, and coalition. The five communication distinctions employ various employee empowerment styles that enable the manager’s workers to voice opinions in subtle ways. The firm’s ability to allow the team to help in the decision-making process evolved the motives of each worker. Some employees prefer the upward appeal method because it deals with flattery of skills and unique talents.Others are interested in the assertiveness of their employees because it shows their ability to adapt or acquire more information regarding their work. Continued efforts should be implemented in the cross functional group’s structure to produce high-quality responses from the team (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1999, 60). The self-managed work teams allow managers more time to focus on the manager’s vision than on how to instruct team of their role (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995, p. 55).Employees gain a different perspective on the role in which they must play in the cross functional group. On each account, both parties capitalize on their new communication models to push the cross functional group in a more, profound direction. References Cited Jassawalla, A. R. & Sashittal, H. C. (1999, Aug. ). Building collaborative cross-functional new product teams. The Academy of Management Executive, 13(3), p. 50. Metlay, E. F, & Kaplan, etc. , (Metlay & Kaplan, 1995). Self-managing work teams: Do they really work? HR. Human Resource Planning, 18(2), p. 53.

The Life of Ben Jonson essays

The Life of Ben Jonson essays Ben Jonson was a playwright who lived in the English Renaissance, a man of great talent who was overlooked in his time because of William Shakespeare. Most of Jonsons works were written in the Jacobean period, and are comedies that deal with human behavior and temperaments. Jonson used these plays to try to teach people lessons by showing them the truth about how they acted. Because of this, his works were not highly accepted during his lifetime. Ben Jonson was born in Westminster, but claimed his family was of Border decent, this might be confirmed by looking at his coat of arms. On this we see three spindles or rhombi, which was a device shared by a Border family from Annandale, the Jonstones. Ben Jonsons farther died just one month before he was born. Leaving his mother to raise him alone, but after two years, his mother remarried to a master bricklayer. Jonson started attending school at St. Martins home and later transferred to Westminster school where, William Camden taught him. It is believed that Jonson went to the University of Cambridge, although he denied this fact with the excuse that he was put to work as a bricklayer immediately. After spending some time in this trade, Jonson became a soldier in the lower countries. He married around 1592, and from this marriage he had three children. Their first was a daughter named Mary, who died at only six months in 1593. The second who was a boy, Benjamin, died at the age of ten from the plague. The third child was another son, also named Benjamin, who died in 1635. Through this time it is believed that Jonson was separated from his wife for five years while he lived with Lord Aubigny. Around the summer of 1597, Ben Jonson became an actor in the Lord Admirals acting company, which was performing at the Rose, under the direction of Philip Henslowe. Around this time, Jonson started to write original plays, which were performed by this c ...

How Athens Played a Significant Role in Greek History

How Athens Played a Significant Role in Greek History Chapter I. The Physical Setting of Athens 1. The Importance of Athens in Greek History To three ancient nations the men of the twentieth century owe an incalculable debt. To the Jews we owe most of our notions of religion; to the Romans we owe traditions and examples in law, administration, and the general management of human affairs which still keep their influence and value; and finally, to the Greeks we owe nearly all our ideas as to the fundamentals of art, literature, and philosophy, in fact, of almost the whole of our intellectual life. These Greeks, however, our histories promptly teach us, did not form a single unified nation. They lived in many city-states of more or less importance, and some of the largest of these contributed very little directly to our civilization. Sparta, for example, has left us some noble lessons in simple living and devoted patriotism, but hardly a single great poet, and certainly never a philosopher or sculptor. When we examine closely, we see that the civilized life of Greece, during the centuries when she was accomplishing the most, was peculiarly centered at Athens. Without Athens, Greek history would lose three quarters of its significance, and modern life and thought would become infinitely the poorer. 2. Why the Social Life of Athens Is So Significant Because, then, the contributions of Athens to our own life are so important, because they touch (as a Greek would say) upon almost every side of the true, the beautiful, and the good, it is obvious that the outward conditions under which this Athenian genius developed deserve our respectful attention. For assuredly such personages as Sophocles, Plato, and Phidias were not isolated creatures, who developed their genius apart from, or in spite of, the life about them, but rather were the ripe products of a society, which in its excellences and weaknesses presents some of the most interesting pictures and examples in the world. To understand the Athenian civilization and genius it is not enough to know the outward history of the times, the wars, the laws, and the lawmakers. We must see Athens as the average man saw it and lived in it from day to day, and THEN perhaps we can partially understand how it was that during the brief but wonderful era of Athenian freedom and prosperity[*], Ath ens was able to produce so many men of commanding genius as to win for her a place in the history of civilization which she can never lose. [*]That era may be assumed to begin with the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.), and it certainly ended in 322 B.C., when Athens passed decisively under the power of Macedonia; although since the battle of Chaeroneia (338 B.C.) she had done little more than keep her liberty on sufferance.

Oceanography as viewed from space essays

Oceanography as viewed from space essays At first thought, studying the oceans from space seems to be a bizarre idea. Space observation helps oceanographers do research with manned and unmanned space systems. The space systems can be satellites and/or space shuttles that observe various features of the ocean such as sea-surface winds, sea-surface temperatures, waves, ocean currents, frontal regions, and sea color. Technological advances have greatly improved the ability of oceanographers to gather and use information that is received. Oceanography as viewed from space has and will become more and more valuable as we begin to understand more of the world's oceans. Space oceanography uses a number of different sciences to research the oceans that include physics, geology, biology, chemistry, and engineering (Cracknell 13). This is evident in the projects that send satellites into space for observation of our oceans. In 1992, the Topex/Poseidon project was launched to observe the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere (Cracknell 17). The Topex/Poseidon mission is to gather information about sea level heights and ocean currents (Cracknell 17). The Topex/Poseidon orbits above the earth at 840 miles and has a 10-day repeating cycle in which it takes pictures of all of the earth (Cracknell 17). Information about the how the sea level changes can tell scientists that there are changes in ocean currents and in climate patterns (Cracknell 25). This information is valuable to both oceanographers and meteorologists because it gives information about the phenomena, El Nino. Figure 1 is a picture of how the Topex/Poseidon works. The Topex/Poseidon receives information as to what it is supposed to do from a beacon on earth. The satellite then gathers the information it is supposed to gather and then sends it to the beacon on earth. The beacon on earth processes this information so that scientists can use it. As the Topex/Poseidon nears the end of observation new developments ...

A porters 5 forces analysis of Shinetech (Chinese IT Outsourcing Essay

A porters 5 forces analysis of Shinetech (Chinese IT Outsourcing company) - Essay Example Rivalry is an inevitable phenomenon in the business environment. Firms operate in a competitive environment, all of them aiming at capturing a sizeable market share that adequately maximizes revenue generation and profitability (Porter, 1979, p.5-8). Shinetech Company is a key global IT industry mover. To counter rivalry issues, the company employs agile thinking in its operations and further undertakes quality assurance in a bid to maintain a competitive advantage over its rivals. The IT industry unlike other industries does not face strict barriers to entry. In major and highly expensive product and service offering situations however, significant entry barriers are experienced. New entrants into the industry reduce marker share ratios and further reduce revenue generation and profitability for other firms. Entry of new firms or establishment of new divisions by existing firms poses survival threats for some firms, while it creates high benefits for others. To remain competitive in this environment, Shinetech Company has developed an in-house programme for its clients, reduced time to the market and adopted greater flexibility in business (O’Shaughnessy, 2006, p.13-17). As a result, the company maintains its market share and continues to capture more even with entry threats. The company enjoys a diversified product and service portfolio for its customers. New business entities keep coming up, a scenario that Shinetech is concerned about. It is understood that customers are rational, and they therefore seek to maximize their utility at the minimum cost possible. This means that they prefer low costs but high product and service quality. Firms on the other seek to sell as much as they can and at the maximum price possible. Shinetech Company is result-oriented, and therefore has a competitive advantage over rival companies. The company’s clientele is primarily global enterprises that demand software

Provide an example for five of the ten Price Sensitivity Effects Essay

Provide an example for five of the ten Price Sensitivity Effects - Essay Example Expenditure effect causes consumers to choose alternative options because of high price that might be unaffordable. For example, car brands like Mercedes Benz or BMW offer a prestigious image and quality, but are highly priced. Consumers that are unwilling to spend majority of their income on products like these tend to choose alternative options that provide similar luxury and feel. In such case, price becomes the ultimate deciding factor. Products with unique value tend to accompany price-quality effect. In such cases, price becomes the deciding factor for value creation of the product. This also creates a psychological effect on the consumers through value attained over time. For example, if fast-food brand like McDonald’s alters or raises its product price, consumers would still continue to opt for its products for their quality. This factor refers to the availability of external financial help to buy a specific product that otherwise would seem highly expensive for the consumer. For example, purchasing a house would require huge amount of money. If the consumer is able to procure loan for the purchase, then the price will be less significant as the deciding factor in the purchase. Inventory effect occurs when sellers anticipate price rise. This allows the sellers to hold the stock till price rise and sell the same at increased price, which will in turn give higher profits. This situation is more often seen in retail markets for pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, groceries etc. When the wholesalers anticipate price rise due to market fluctuation, they tend to buy huge amounts of product stock in advance and hold it as inventory. After price rise, they sell the products at increased prices to consumers, thereby making more profits than

No Topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

No Topic - Assignment Example So after some warm hugs and goodbyes I leave my city and shift abroad. Initially it is a bit difficult for me as it is a completely new surrounding, but gradually I start to get the taste of it. We are still in touch with each through phone calls and social media. Social media being so popular these days that it has almost created a virtual world for us where most of us like to live their lives. It does not make you feel that you are away from your near and dear ones. (Sherry Turkle, Alone Together) So it really helps me to be in touch my cousin and share my experience out here. Gradually my work pressure starts increasing and I get to spend lesser time online. As a result I don’t get enough time to sit and chat with my cousin online. He does expect it from me but does not complain. It has been around 3 months now that I have been situated here. Gradually our bonding is becoming distant. One Sunday I sit with my laptop and feel like having a chat with my cousin as it has been a long time. I check my inbox and find that my cousin has written me after a long time. I am all excited and happy. I start reading the mail only to get the shock of my life. He says that he missed me so much that he got a robot with my name and programmed it like me. In sense the robot likes what I like and has the same dissimilarities as mine. It is true that robotics is actually replacing humans in many ways like people use them to sweep the kitchen floor, take care of our aging parents, and provide us with reliable companionship. (Jonah Lehrer, â€Å"We, Robots†) But it is still hard to replace a complete human being. My cousin now spends most of the time with a robot that he calls by my name. Not that I am offended with this whole reaction of his. I am kind a shocked and deeply hurt inside. I always used to feel that I was that once special brother for my cousin and he used to love me that way but today it has completely changed for

Communication Barriers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication Barriers - Research Paper Example   Communication is a very important skill since it plays a decisive role in determining people’s tendency to be productive in the workplace, neighborhoods, classrooms, and all kinds of settings. The communication skills of an individual affect his/her own as well as the organization’s effectiveness as a whole (Brun, 2010; Summers, 2010). Although many people can communicate enough to convey their meaning and perceive others’, not many people are able to communicate effectively. Lack of effective communication is one of the most fundamental factors that inhibit the effectiveness of an organization (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2010). The process of communication involves encoding and sending of the messages by the senders and decoding of the messages by the receivers (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 2; Ergen, 2010, p. 2). Interferences in the process of communication reduce the effectiveness of communication and may even distort the process altogether. ... ess of communication, it is imperative that senders and receivers develop the skills to handle the different kinds of barriers that distort the process of communication (Lehman and DuFrene, 2008). Barriers experienced in the process of communication are of different types that include but are not limited to verbal, nonverbal, external, and internal. Types of communication barriers Verbal barriers Verbal barriers in communication are caused because of inadequate vocabulary or lack of knowledge of the other person’s language (Ergen, 2010). Verbal barriers in communication are typically experienced in culturally diverse workplaces where workers belonging to different cultures and having proficiency in different languages have to interact with one another in a standard language according to the policy of the organization. Even if the vocabulary is enough to carry out the conversation, the differences of dialects and speed of speech pose difficulties in achieving effectiveness in c ommunication. For example, Indians’ way of speaking English is significantly different from that of African Americans’. Even within the native population of America, a range of regional dialects of English prevails. Differences in perception are also characterized as verbal barriers in communication. Differences in perception are influenced by socioeconomic background, educational background, age, experiences, and culture. People from different age groups have different levels of maturity that cause them to voice different opinions that can often be conflicting with one another’s. Differences in socioeconomic status and educational status pave way for the development of inferiority or superiority complexes among the interacting partners that reduce the effectiveness of communication.

Science, Health, and Wellness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science, Health, and Wellness - Essay Example From the arguments set forth by Lisa Katic, it is evident that the GMA does not claim any responsibility for the prevailing obesity epidemic. To the contrary, she asserts that the GMA is going out of its way to promote healthy lifestyles among its consumers. The GMA believes that restricting access to unhealthy foods not only interferes with consumer’s choice but is also difficult to implement. For example, no food item is unhealthy per se; the quantity consumed, the frequency with which it is consumed and the pre-existing health condition of the consumer are all factors that determine if a particular food item is healthy or not. Hence, the GMA believes that blankly labeling foods as unhealthy does not make sense. A better approach to tackling obesity and overweight, the GMA believes, is through educating the consumer about what comprises a balanced and optimal diet, and letting the consumer make the choice themselves. This way the burden of responsibility will be on the consumer as it rightly should be. After reading through the GMA’s argument in its entirety, one can easily see that their actions in terms of manufacture and marketing of food products are ethically sound. It would be hasty to judge them as responsible for the widespread obesity problem that exists. But to the GMA’s credit, and as a mark of their concern for their consumers’ health, its allied institution the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition (ACFN) has come up with several innovative programs. These include Vermont Fit and Healthy Kids Initiative, The Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress, The 5-a-Day Better Health Program, Kidnetic.com, America on the Move, etc. When seen in the contex t of this plethora of initiatives Lisa Katic’s testimony to the Vermont House Committee is definitely a step forward in tackling

History of human evolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of human evolution - Research Paper Example There are a lot of progressions and interactions going on in the universe and for everything to survive, these progressions are important. The same is for humans. For humans to exist, they must undergo some process which is commonly known as evolution. Humans have evolved through evolution. Aristotle was the first biologist that identified humans as rational animals that have a distinctive ability to reason and make judgments, due to which they are different from other animals.Cela-Conde and Ayala assert in their book that all organisms tend to have common ancestors (1). According to them, â€Å"Biological evolution is a process of descent with modification† (1). If we go into the depth of this statement, we come to know how we evolve from what we were and what we are today. hominidae is the term used to describe the lineage spreading from the final common ancestor of man and apes. Hominid is the term given to a species in the family. According to paleoanthropology, the histor y of human evolution shows that the common ancestor to both man and apes existed â€Å"about 5.5 million years ago†, states Professor Grover Krantz. Ramapithecus was one of the most ancient hominids whose fossils were found at that time. Paleoanthropologists believe that the bipedal adaptation of the ancient hominids evolved when that ancient hominid decided to live at the border of forests under the trees instead of inside the forests and in the trees. This was about four million years back, but how we look like today is much different because our modern facial features evolved much later than that. The bipedal adaptation then evolved into upright walk that is how we walk today. Paul Rincon, a science reporter in BBC News, reports that scientists have found in Western Europe, and specifically in Spain, the most ancient remains of human. He reports, â€Å"A jawbone and teeth discovered at the famous Atapuerca site in northern Spain have been dated between 1.1 and 1.2 million years old.† Borgus, the city of Spain, is well known for having many antique limestone caves that contain fossils of early hominids and other tools that show the occupations of early humans. As far as United States is concerned, most Americans believe that humans did not evolve over a period of time. However, there is a designer God who designed the mechanism of humans and created them magically. There are two parts of human biological evolution: Anagenesis and Cladogenesis. Anagenesis Also called phyletic evolution, ancestry of organisms changes generation after generation. Kesner and Olton describe anagenesis as progress of the humankind in evolutionary context (15). Continuous natural selection results in the modification of forms and organs so that they perfectly adapt to the new environments and habitats. Cladogenesis Another name for it is lineage splitting which means that new species come into existence with the passage of time which results in diversity. While modifi cation in a phylogenetic lineage is occurring, branching of forms also occurs at the same time which causes them to expand on the face of the earth. Natural Selection Considered as one of the most fundamental processes that results in evolution, natural selection was a concept put forth by Charles Darwin in 1859 in his book On the Origin of Species. According to this concept, organisms (or traits) that are best suited to the environment are selected by nature to prevail due to which they are able to pass on their genetics on to the following generations. On the other hand, organisms (or traits) that are not best adapted in the environment tend to vanish away. Human evolution has also been influenced by this concept of natural selection. According to Darwin, as he states in the revised version of his book, another name for natural selection is survival of the fittest (Darwin 8). Nature brings variations in the organic beings so that they are best suited t

Commercial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Commercial law - Essay Example On the other hand, a Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) contract refers to an agreement of selling shipped goods at a price inclusive of the total cost of the goods, freight to the port destination and the maritime insurance coverage. One of the major essential features of CIF contracts is that it requires the vendor to ship the agreed goods in the contract, procure a bill of lading (contract of carriage), arrange for the insurance of the goods, and make a commercial invoice before finally tendering the documents to the buyer1. For example, in the case Biddle Brothers v Clemens Horst Co.2, it was ruled that the buyer was obliged to make the payments before the shipment of goods. This paper offers advice to the parties involved in the case namely, Bernadette, David and Barkers Bank with particular focus to their obligations, limitations and potential remedies in the event that a breach of the contract occurs. Based on the circumstances facing Bernadette in the presented case, the major challenge that arises is whether under the English commercial laws, Bernadette would be able to recover the money she paid for the documents from Arthur, claim the insurance policy or take legal action against the carrier in tort compensation for the damaged goods since she had already made the contract payments. Bernadette is obliged by the law to pay Mr. Arthur (the seller) even if the rice was destroyed during shipment. This can particularly be seen in the case Manbre Saccharine Co Ltd v Corn Products Co Ltd[3]Â  in which the court ruled that that the seller may still claim payment even if the goods are lost or destroyed after shipment. In my opinion, the only available remedy subject the English commercial laws is to sue Claude’s vessel Jeanne d’Arc carrier for compensation of the loss incurred due to the damage of rice during the

History of human evolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of human evolution - Research Paper Example There are a lot of progressions and interactions going on in the universe and for everything to survive, these progressions are important. The same is for humans. For humans to exist, they must undergo some process which is commonly known as evolution. Humans have evolved through evolution. Aristotle was the first biologist that identified humans as rational animals that have a distinctive ability to reason and make judgments, due to which they are different from other animals.Cela-Conde and Ayala assert in their book that all organisms tend to have common ancestors (1). According to them, â€Å"Biological evolution is a process of descent with modification† (1). If we go into the depth of this statement, we come to know how we evolve from what we were and what we are today. hominidae is the term used to describe the lineage spreading from the final common ancestor of man and apes. Hominid is the term given to a species in the family. According to paleoanthropology, the histor y of human evolution shows that the common ancestor to both man and apes existed â€Å"about 5.5 million years ago†, states Professor Grover Krantz. Ramapithecus was one of the most ancient hominids whose fossils were found at that time. Paleoanthropologists believe that the bipedal adaptation of the ancient hominids evolved when that ancient hominid decided to live at the border of forests under the trees instead of inside the forests and in the trees. This was about four million years back, but how we look like today is much different because our modern facial features evolved much later than that. The bipedal adaptation then evolved into upright walk that is how we walk today. Paul Rincon, a science reporter in BBC News, reports that scientists have found in Western Europe, and specifically in Spain, the most ancient remains of human. He reports, â€Å"A jawbone and teeth discovered at the famous Atapuerca site in northern Spain have been dated between 1.1 and 1.2 million years old.† Borgus, the city of Spain, is well known for having many antique limestone caves that contain fossils of early hominids and other tools that show the occupations of early humans. As far as United States is concerned, most Americans believe that humans did not evolve over a period of time. However, there is a designer God who designed the mechanism of humans and created them magically. There are two parts of human biological evolution: Anagenesis and Cladogenesis. Anagenesis Also called phyletic evolution, ancestry of organisms changes generation after generation. Kesner and Olton describe anagenesis as progress of the humankind in evolutionary context (15). Continuous natural selection results in the modification of forms and organs so that they perfectly adapt to the new environments and habitats. Cladogenesis Another name for it is lineage splitting which means that new species come into existence with the passage of time which results in diversity. While modifi cation in a phylogenetic lineage is occurring, branching of forms also occurs at the same time which causes them to expand on the face of the earth. Natural Selection Considered as one of the most fundamental processes that results in evolution, natural selection was a concept put forth by Charles Darwin in 1859 in his book On the Origin of Species. According to this concept, organisms (or traits) that are best suited to the environment are selected by nature to prevail due to which they are able to pass on their genetics on to the following generations. On the other hand, organisms (or traits) that are not best adapted in the environment tend to vanish away. Human evolution has also been influenced by this concept of natural selection. According to Darwin, as he states in the revised version of his book, another name for natural selection is survival of the fittest (Darwin 8). Nature brings variations in the organic beings so that they are best suited t

The adventure of the speckled band Essay Example for Free

The adventure of the speckled band Essay These stories, whilst written in the 19 century, still seem very relevant today. In this age where terrorism is a constant threat, it is easy to believe that we are the first generation to experience these fears. However, these stories give us an excellent reminder that we are not the first, and that these threats have been with us for many years; they have also been well documented and explored. Before reading these stories, I believed that these stories would be very remote, as the 19th century setting would be too early for me to easily relate too. However, as I read the stories, I started to realise that they were very relevant indeed. It was very easy to relate the poison of the swamp adder in Conan Doyles, Adventure of the speckled band, to ricin, which we are so aware of today due to the finding of the poison in London. Both poisons would also not normally show up on an autopsy, but a few milligrams of it could still kill many men. I also spotted very quickly the similarities in HG Wells, The stolen Bacillus, to the possibility of Biological attacks on many cities, such as the possibility of attacks on major cities with airborne spores, like anthrax. Whilst, in the story, it turns out that the visitor, as he is referred to, has not taken the deadly cholera bacillus, I found the vivid description of how the disease would, go hither and thithertake the husband from the wife, the child from its mother, absolutely terrifying, simply because of the sheer detail in which it is described. The personification which is used to help describe the pestilence also helps make the disease more terrifying, as if it is made to seem like a person is doing these terrible deeds, it can do so calculatingly and even more evilly. This personification is very well illustrated in the way that the bacteriologist constantly refers to the cholera as, he, in his rhetoric. We are also told how, he would creep through the streets, picking out and punishing a house. These very human characteristics show that the bacterium should be feared, as a person rather than a micro-organism. An issue which I feel is related to that of terrorism, and which is mentioned in Wells novel is that of immigration. There is a growing concern about letting people into our country, partly due to the fear of terrorism. This can, unfortunately, greatly promote racism against people of an Arabic origin. Whilst the immigrant becoming a criminal in this story is not of Arabic origin, he is clearly not a native to the British isles:  Certainly the man was not a Teutonic type, nor a common Latin one. This not only shows the problem of immigrants turning to crime, but also that of discrimination against them. Whilst it could be argued that no discrimination occurred, as the Bacteriologist let him into his lab, I feel that as it is only after, musing on the ethnology of his visitor, that he started to panic, as he did not trust foreigners. This illustrates that immigration and discrimination against immigrants was as much a problem in the 19th century as it is today. Another issue that is very relevant to the 21st century is that of womens rights. Whilst the spice girls, and other girl power related groups were formed in the 20th century, many girls raised listening to the spice girls will soon be adults with a significant say in our society, such as the right to vote. We have also seen many court cases in the past few years relating to sexism and unfair dismissal cases. However, I believe that these issues are brushed upon even this early in these stories, which, considering the time they were written in, is somewhat impressive. For example, the womens suffrage movements only appeared in the early 1900s, so these books evidently show that both authors were somewhat ahead of their time. The issue of sexism is clearly raised in Wells novel when the bacteriologist is running down the street and his wife is chasing him in a dog-cart. The off-duty dog-cart drivers see this and are evidently very aware that she is female, as they say that, Shes a following him. Usually the other way round. This shows that the woman could never be seen as a person, at least not by the common taxi drivers, who are shown to be common by their dialect; she was simply something to be chased. I think that the fact that Minnie is also following the bacteriologist simply to give him his hat is significant, as it shows that she is solely concerned about her husband, and therefore her image. This seems to show that she has nothing important to do and has no job. Women are therefore presented as somewhat inferior, at least to the 21st century reader, as this may have been the norm in the 19th century. This sexism is also shown in, The adventures of the speckled band, as women are simply expected to marry as a matter of course, and have to ask their fathers for permission to do so. This shows that women were seen to be reliant on men in order to survive. I also believe that it is relevant that Helen has no job in this story; she simply survives using money from her stepfather and mother. She also clearly has nothing else to do but look pretty and marry. This sexism is clearly something that the 21st century reader can identify with, and can also help the reader not becoming alienated from the 19th century setting.  Domestic violence is another thing which is still as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago. Domestic violence is shown in Conan Doyles story when Helen is beaten by her stepfather. As Holmes says in the story, she has been cruelly used, when he notices a hand mark on her wrist. As domestic violence is, clearly, an issue which still effects us today, I believe that this is certainly an issue relevant to the 21st century.

Growth and Change in the English Language

Growth and Change in the English Language English is a rich and colorful language that is constantly in flux. The English language has evolved over time, the way all languages do. As members of a society grow and develop, so too must the tools they use to communicate with each other. As Coulmas points out, languages are often said to reflect the social realities of their speech communities (1989, p. 2). Since social realities are constantly shifting, the language that reflects them must adapt as well. This is particularly true of English. One reason for this is that there are so many variations of the language itself. In addition, it is such a widely spoken language, and it is spoken by people in all parts of the world. Non-native speakers of English now outnumber native speakers 3 to1, according to a recent Newsweek report (Power, 2006, par. 4). In addition, non-native speakers of English not only learn the language, they change it: the new English-speakers arent just passively absorbing the language theyre shaping it (Powe r, 2006, par. 5). Changes in Grammar and Vocabulary Even among native speakers of English, the language constantly evolves. Language itself provides the seeds of change, and social circumstances provide fertile ground for their growth and spread (Wolfram,2005, par. 3). We can see this in the grammar and syntax of the language, as well as in the vocabulary. Grammar, for example, has changed gradually over the years. A recent example of this is the need to reflect a new awareness of gender equality. In contemporary usage, instead of always using the male pronoun, speakers and writers employ a variety of ways to acknowledge the equality between the genders. At times, he or she is used. As an alternative,many times people will simply use the plural forms, since they refer to both males and females. Vocabulary changes because new things are constantly invented, and we need ways to name them, and to communicate about them. When new inventions,or new concepts, become part of our lives, we need to have words for them. For example, with the invention of the Internet, new words had to be coined so that people would have a way of discussing it. And since the influence of the Internet continues to grow, new words are continually invented, or borrowed, to categorize the many concepts that have become pertinent to our lives. Innovation in language is necessary because there is a constant need to name novel objects, processes, and relations, asserts Coulmas (1989, p. 15). The options available to a speech community when it needs a new word for a new idea or invention are limited, however. Coulmas breaks it down as follows: When a speech community wants to express a concept for which there is no word in its language it can either borrow one from another language or coin a new one; it can, in other words, borrow the form and the meaning or the meaning only'(1989, p. 15). English Language from a Linguistic Perspective Linguists explain that language, by its very definition, must change and develop overtime in order to meet the needs of an increasingly complex society. Language is seen by linguistic experts as a fluid and constantly evolving tool, one that must adapt in order to continue to meet the needs of the individuals who use it. Occasionally, a language may suffer a period of stagnation, or it may even go through a period of deterioration. Coulmas discusses this, and explains that languages tend to have a basic resiliency that allows them to get past these periods and continue to develop: In the course of history, languages have been known to adapt successfully, thus recovering their full communicative potential after a period of retardation or degeneration (Coulmas, 1989, p. 4). Aitchison explains that human language is a communication system used by humans, but that it is hardly the only system that exists. Other life forms communicate, too,although their medium is not words. The methods these other life forms use to communicate shift over time to accommodate changes in the needs of those who use it. Human language is no different. Human language is not unique among animal communication systems in its tendency to alter itself continuallyasserts Aitchison (2001, p. 95). However, she swiftly points out that it is only recently in the twentieth century that linguists have come to develop plausible theories about the ways in which language changes, and the reasons those changes occur (Aitchison, 2001, p. 95). One of the pioneers of linguistic research is Labov, whose years of research in the field have provided a basic framework for later investigation by other linguists. Labovs studies on language and language change have been hugely influential. His basic premise is that one cannot understand the development of a language change apart from the social life of the community in which it occurs (Labov, 1972, p. 3). This means that the study of language alone is insufficient; the language must be studied within the larger framework of the culture it reflects. The conditions of that culture, historically, socially,economically all play a role in the evolution of that cultures language. In keeping with Labovs theory, Aitchison suggests that language developments happen as a direct consequence of events that occur with in a cultural setting. According to Aitchison, a social trigger is needed to ignite a change (2001, p. 98). She then goes on to explain that these changes do not happen at random, but that there are deeper causes at work. She separates these causes as being either natural tendencies or therapeutic changes (p. 98). Natural tendencies, she explains, are part of a normal and expected linguistic process. An example of this is the tendency for members of a speech community to drop the final consonants of their words. This has happened in other languages, and it is now happening in English as well(Aitchison, 2001, p. 99). Therapeutic changes, on the other hand, are forged by speakers of the language for purposes that may not be initially evident. An example of this is politeness, and the desire to avoid confrontation. Humans learn to create constructions tha t will be less likely to stir up unpleasant interactions (Aitchison, 2001, p. 100). Some changes have overt prestige: speakers regard certain pronunciations as classy, and they want to talk that way themselves (Aitchison, 2001, p. 96). Speakers of a language consciously and unconsciously become aware of certain levels of speech within their language.In order to advance socially, then, some people adopt the words that are spoken by individuals they perceive to be on a higher social level. In so doing, they believe that they will improve their own status. This may work to greater or lesser degrees. However, this can also result in other consequences, such as hyper correction Hyper correction, Aitchison explains, tends to occur in fairly formal styles, when people are trying to speak in a careful way,especially if they are insecure, and want to impress those around (Aitchison,2001, p. 96). Once a language is no longer capable of growth and change, it dies out. Languages that are no longer used, then, are no longer growing. Languages like Ancient Greek and Latin are examples of this. They are alive only in the sense that they area key to past civilizations, but they are no longer used as a means of verbal communication. One linguist writes, change is one of the inevitable facts in the life of any language. The only language not in a perpetual state of flux isa dead language (Wolfram, 2005, par. 3). English, clearly,is alive and thriving, and it continues to change in ways that were never thought possible. As Power notes, all languages are works in progress. ButEnglishs globalization, unprecedented in the history of languages, will revolutionize it in ways we can only begin to imagine (2006, par. 6). Conclusion As this paper has demonstrated, English is a rich language that is spoken all over the world, by natives and non-natives alike. As such, it is in a constant state of evolution. As members of a speech community grow and develop, their language must grow and adapt along with them. Social realities constantly shift, and language clearly reflects that shift, through grammar and syntax as well as through the vocabulary itself. Linguists describe and explain these changes in a number of ways; the discipline of linguistics, much like language itself, is continually evolving and developing as new researchers and new theories come along. English is unique in its ubiquity and in its ability to adapt and reinvent itself, and will certainly continue to change and thrive in years to come. Reference List Aitchison, Jean.2001. Language Change. Pps. 95-104 in The Routledge Companion to Semiotics and Linguistics, ed. Cobley, Paul. London: Routledge. Cobley, Paul, ed.2001. The Routledge Companion to Semiotics and Linguistics. London: Routledge. Coulmas, Florian.1989. Language Adaptation. Pps. 1-25 in Language Adaptation, ed. Coulmas, Florian. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Labov, William. 1972.  Socioloinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Power, Carla.2006. Not the Queens English. Newsweek International Edition. Accessedon February 14, 2006, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7038031/site/newsweek/ Wolfram, Walt. 2005.The Truth About Change. Accessed February 14, 2006, from http://www.pbs.org/speak/ahead/change/change/#change

Josef Muller Brockmann and His Work Essay examples -- graphic design, t

Josef Muller Brockmann was born in Rapperswil, a city in Switzerland, on May 9th, 1914. After the completion of his secondary education in Rapperswil, he started working in Zurich as a designer in 1930. Being one of the leading pioneers, he was considered one of the most talented and very influential design artists. In 1936, Muller established his own design practice in Zurich where he specialized in design, graphics and photography. His first poster was designed in 1950. He succeeded Ernst Keller in 1957 as a teacher of graphics design at kunstgewerbeschule of Zurich. He later founded the Muller-Brockmann in 1967. He lectured the international design conference, the world design conference and the University of Osaka. Muller Brockmann is the author of the several other books like the graphic artist and his design problems, The History of Visual Communication, and The History of the Poster and Grid System in Graphic Design. Muller was influenced by several other designs and art like Constructivism and the Bauhaus. With his reputation and the known experience, Muller was regarded the best designer earned his reputation in Switzerland and other parts of the world. In his design explaining the friendly hand sign, Muller had the attraction of the accidents that were quit common. The design is very attractive in the sense that all the elements that can easily cause accidents are covered in it (Philip and Alston 2011). It gives a clear tableau of the typical accident cause scenario. Equally, the design creates an awareness of the proper road use since it shows the cyclists and the motors using the little space for a very dangerous operation. Accidents had since been considered the most death cause in the country. In his bid to control ... ...y find its solutions from the simple given design. It cuts across every problem. The indicated problem is of direct effect to the society and requires their attention. The explicit motive and attraction of the given design are well considered in the design itself (Carter et al.2012). Works Cited Ellen Lupton. Thinking with type: A Primer for Designers: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors and Students. New York: Association of American Publishers, 2004. Print. Ellen M. Thomson. The Origin of Graphic Design in America. New York: Yale University Press, 1997. Web. 20 December, 2007. Philip B. Meggs, and Alston W. Purvis. Meggs’ History of Graphic Design. New York: Association of American Publishers, 2011. Print. Rob Carter, Ben Day, and Philip B. Meggs. Topographic Design: Form and Communication. New York: Association of American Publishers, 2012. Print.

War Strategies of Sir Arthur Currie :: essays research papers

War Strategies of Sir Arthur Currie   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sir Arthur Currie was not a man raised to become a great general, he had to start from the beginning and work his way to the top. He served his country by fighting and leading battles that made Canada a great independent nation, making him a figure of inspiration to many Canadians. In the many battles of World War One, including Amiens, Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge, and others, Arthur Currie devised well prepared, flexible, unique, and intelligent war strategies that led Canadian troops to victory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born on December 5th, 1875 in Napperton, Ontario, Arthur William Currie found his place in the world. Having been the third of seven children, Currie found his family to be very supportive of each other (Dancocks, 1985). At the age of 15, Currie’s father died of a stroke, leaving the family in financial problems. University was not the path to go down at this point for Currie, in hopes of becoming a lawyer. Instead, he took a teaching course (Harris, 1988).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later on in his developing career, Currie met with a woman named Lucy Charworth-Musters, who would one day be his wife. With a paying job as a teacher, he decided to enlist in the militia as a lowly gunner in the 5th Regiment at the Canadian Garrison Artillery. In 1901, Currie married Lucy and found a better-paying job at an insurance firm at Matson and Coles (Dancocks, 1985). With great devotion to his wife and two children, the militia was still one of Currie’s priorities and he became a commander of the 5th Regiment of Artillery, winning the Governor-General’s Cup for efficiency (Hyatt, 1987). On the 4th of August in 1914, the British ultimatum to Germany expired and Canada was now automatically at war (Hyatt, 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With careful planning, co-operation, good leadership and courage, Currie managed to bring out the characteristics of a well thought out success at Vimy Ridge in April of 1917 (Dancocks, 1985). Sir Arthur Currie’s responsibility was to command the 1st Canadian Division (Hyatt, 1987). He pushed his troops to undergo rigorous training and to prepare themselves by using a life-size course, with every trench marked by tape and a flag (Dancocks, 1985). Currie designed very accurate maps and he had a small-scale plasticine model built so that it could be studied by all soldiers. Arthur Currie insisted that his division’s knowledge of the enemy was excellent (Dancocks, 1985). War Strategies of Sir Arthur Currie :: essays research papers War Strategies of Sir Arthur Currie   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sir Arthur Currie was not a man raised to become a great general, he had to start from the beginning and work his way to the top. He served his country by fighting and leading battles that made Canada a great independent nation, making him a figure of inspiration to many Canadians. In the many battles of World War One, including Amiens, Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge, and others, Arthur Currie devised well prepared, flexible, unique, and intelligent war strategies that led Canadian troops to victory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born on December 5th, 1875 in Napperton, Ontario, Arthur William Currie found his place in the world. Having been the third of seven children, Currie found his family to be very supportive of each other (Dancocks, 1985). At the age of 15, Currie’s father died of a stroke, leaving the family in financial problems. University was not the path to go down at this point for Currie, in hopes of becoming a lawyer. Instead, he took a teaching course (Harris, 1988).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later on in his developing career, Currie met with a woman named Lucy Charworth-Musters, who would one day be his wife. With a paying job as a teacher, he decided to enlist in the militia as a lowly gunner in the 5th Regiment at the Canadian Garrison Artillery. In 1901, Currie married Lucy and found a better-paying job at an insurance firm at Matson and Coles (Dancocks, 1985). With great devotion to his wife and two children, the militia was still one of Currie’s priorities and he became a commander of the 5th Regiment of Artillery, winning the Governor-General’s Cup for efficiency (Hyatt, 1987). On the 4th of August in 1914, the British ultimatum to Germany expired and Canada was now automatically at war (Hyatt, 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With careful planning, co-operation, good leadership and courage, Currie managed to bring out the characteristics of a well thought out success at Vimy Ridge in April of 1917 (Dancocks, 1985). Sir Arthur Currie’s responsibility was to command the 1st Canadian Division (Hyatt, 1987). He pushed his troops to undergo rigorous training and to prepare themselves by using a life-size course, with every trench marked by tape and a flag (Dancocks, 1985). Currie designed very accurate maps and he had a small-scale plasticine model built so that it could be studied by all soldiers. Arthur Currie insisted that his division’s knowledge of the enemy was excellent (Dancocks, 1985).

Analysis and Valuation of Privately Held Companies Essay

10.1 What is the capitalization rate and how does it relate to the discount rate? Answer: The terms discount rate and capitalization rate are often used interchangeably. Whenever the growth rate of a firm’s cash flows is projected to vary over time, the term discount rate generally refers to the factor used to convert the projected cash flows to present values. In contrast, if the cash flows of the firm are not expected to grow or are expected to grow at a constant rate indefinitely, the discount rate employed by practitioners is often referred as the capitalization rate. 10.2 What are the common ways of estimating the capitalization rate? Answer: Capitalization rates may be estimated by using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, cost of capital, price-to-earnings ratios, accounting based returns such as the return on equity, and the build-up method. 10.3 What is the marketability discount and what are common ways of estimating this discount? Answer: The risk associated with an illiquid market for the specific stock is often referred to as the marketability or liquidity discount. Liquidity is the ease with which an investor can sell their stock without a serious loss of value. An investor in a small company may find it difficult to sell quickly their shares because of limited interest in the company. Consequently, the investor may find it necessary to sell their shares at a significant discount from what they paid for the shares. 10.4 Give examples of private company costs that might be understated and explain why. Answer: Examples may include employee training and the cost of complying with government regulation such as OSHA and the EPA. Small, privately owned firms tend to under-spend in these areas since they do not contribute directly to current profitability. 10.5 How can an analyst determine if the target firm’s costs and revenues are understated or overstated? Answer: The analyst may determine that revenues have been overstated by comparing the accounting practices to GAAP guidelines and to other comparable firms. It may be determined that costs are understated by comparing the firm’s accounting practices with GAAP standards and by comparing the firm’s common size financial statements with those of similar firms. 10.6 Why might shell corporations have value? Answer: Merging with an existing corporate shell of a formerly publicly traded company may be a reasonable alternative for a firm wanting to go public that is unable to provide the 2 years of audited financial statements required by the SEC or unwilling to incur the costs of going public through an initial public offering. Thus, merging with a shell corporation may represent an effective alternative to an initial public offering for a small firm. Shell corporations may also be attractive for investors interested in capitalizing on the intangible value associated with the existing corporate shell. This could include name recognition; licenses, patents, and other forms of intellectual properties; and underutilized assets such as warehouse space and fully depreciated equipment with some economic life remaining. 10.7 Why might succession planning be more challenging for family owned firms? Answer: Succession planning is a critical activity in any firm. However, the challenge often is greater in family firms which wish to keep top management  positions in the family. This restriction limits the total pool of management talent available to the family owned firm, as some family members may have no interest in the firm and others simply do not have the credentials to step into a management role. 10.8 What are some of the reasons a family-owned or privately-owned business may want to go public? What are some of the reasons that discourage such firms from going public? Answer: Private or family owned firms are more likely to go public when valuations are high or are increasing. Companies also are inclined to go public when they anticipate an inability to finance future investment opportunities or the outlook for the future profitability is unclear. In contrast, private firms are less likely to go public because of the increasing reporting requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley and the SEC, as well as concern about interference from public shareholders. Private firms also are less likely to go public when the special privileges that accrue to the controlling shareholders exceed the anticipated benefits from going public. 10.9 Why are family owned firms often attractive to private equity investors? Answer: Family-owned firms often encounter succession problems. The founder wants to retire but either lacks confidence in existing family members as successors or cannot find a family member with the right credentials interested in taking control. Consequently, selling out to a private equity firm may be an attractive alternative. Such firms are interested in not only providing financing but also in providing board and management experience and expertise. They intend to invest for the long-term enabling the founder to cash out with some assurance the firm will continue to prosper. 10.10 Rank from the highest to the lowest the liquidity discount you would apply if you as a business appraiser had been asked to value the following businesses: a) a local, profitable hardware store, b) a money losing laundry, c) a large privately owned but marginally  profitable firm with significant excess cash balances and other liquid short-term investments, and d) a pool cleaning service whose primary tangible assets consist of a 2-year old truck and miscellaneous equipment. Explain your ranking. Answer: In descending order of magnitude, the liquidity discounts associated with these businesses would be as follows: d) The business is small, with few liquid assets of significant value; b) the business is small and unprofitable but does have some equipment that can be liquidated; a) the business is financially healthy; c) the business is large with substantial liquid assets. Selected Practice Problems and Answers 10.14 Based on its growth prospects, a private investor values a local bakery at $750,000. She believes that cost savings having a present value of $50,000 can be achieved by changing staffing levels and store hours. Based on recent empirical studies, she believes the appropriate liquidity discount is 20 percent. A recent transaction in the same city required the buyer to pay a 5 percent premium to the asking price to gain a controlling interest in a similar business. What is the most she should be willing to pay for a 50.1 percent stake in the bakery? Answer: The investor should not offer more than $336,672. Maximum Offer Price (50.1%) = ($750,000+$50,000) x (1-.2)(1+.05) x .501 = $336,672 10.15 You have been asked by an investor to value a restaurant. Last year, the restaurant earned pretax operating income of $300,000. Income has grown 4% annually during the last five years, and it is expected to continue growing at that rate into the foreseeable future. The annual change in working capital is $20,000, and capital spending for maintenance exceeded depreciation in the prior year by $15,000. Both working capital and the  excess of capital spending over depreciation are projected to grow at the same rate as operating income. By introducing modern management methods, you believe the pretax operating income growth rate can be increased to 6% beyond the second year and sustained at that rate into the foreseeable future. The ten-year Treasury bond rate is 5%, the equity risk premium is 5.5%, and the marginal federal, state, and local tax rate is 40%. The beta and debt-to-equity ratio for publicly traded firms in the restaurant industry are 2 and 1.5, respectively. The business’s target debt-to-equity ratio is 1, and its pretax cost of borrowing, based on its recent borrowing activities, is 7%. The business-specific risk premium for firms of this size is estimated to be 6%. The liquidity risk premium is believed to be 15%, relatively low for firms of this type due to the excellent reputation of the restaurant. Since the current chef and the staff are expected to remain after the business is sold, the quality of the restaurant is expected to be maintained. The investor is willing to pay a 10% premium to reflect the value of control. a. What is free cash flow to the firm in year 1? Free cash flow to the firm in year 1 = $300,000 x 1.04 x (1 – .4) – $20,000 x 1.04 – $15,000 x 1.04 = $187,200 – $20,800 – $15,600 = $150,800 b. What is free cash flow to the firm in year 2? Free cash flow to the firm in year 2 = ($300,000 x 1.042) x (1-.4) – $20,000 x 1.042 – $15,000 x 1.042 = $194,688 – $21,632 – $16,224 = $156,832 c. What is the firm’s cost of equity? Industry’s unleveraged beta = 2 / (1 + .6 x 1.5) = 1.05 Restaurant’s leveraged beta = 1.05 (1 + .6 x 1.0) = 1.68 Cost of Equity = .05 + 1.68 (.055) + .06 = .2024 d. What is the firm’s after-tax cost of debt? After-tax cost of debt = .07 x (1-.4) = .042 e. What is the firm’s target debt-to-total capital ratio? Restaurant’s target debt-to-total capital ratio = target D/E / (1 + target D/E) = 1 / 2 = .5 f. What is the weighted average cost of capital? Weighted average cost of capital = .5 x .2024 + .5 x .042 = .1012 + .0210 = .1222 g. What is the business worth? PV = $150,800 + $156,832 + ($156,832 x 1.06)/(.1222 – .06) = (1.1222) (1.1222)2 (1.1222)2 = $134,379 + $124,536 + $2,122,313 = $2,381,228 (Note: The first two terms represent the PV of the firm’s operating cash flows before the application of modern management methods is fully implemented; the third term is the terminal value and reflects the anticipated sustained improvement in cash flows when the benefits of the new management techniques are fully realized.) PV (after the liquidity discount & control premium) = $2,381,228 x (1 – .15) x (1 + .10) = $2,226,448

Looking for Alaska Essay

John Green’s 2006 novel Looking for Alaska personally affected me as I could relate to one of the main characters Miles (Pudge). The theme of belonging was also very relevant as this novel touches on the concern of Miles fitting into his new school and finding out how everything works at Culver Creek Preparatory. I directly can relate to Miles in this sense as I am still new and am trying to figure out how my new school works and also finding a friendship group that I am comfortable in. This novel is great because it raises questions about individuals understanding of true friendship, love, loyalty and having a sense of belonging. It shows the importance of truly living life to the fullest rather that just watching it fly by. The conflicts within the characters themselves lead readers inward to examine how much everyone needs a sense knowing where we belong. Pudge buys the cigarettes to show that he can be a part of his new friendship group’s crowd. A certain amount of peer pressure was probably involved, with Pudge worried about ‘fitting in’ and making friends. â€Å"The Colonel talked me into paying five dollars for a pack of Marlboro Lights I had no intention of ever smoking. † I think that by Miles giving into this peer pressure he would hope that it would make him feel more normal and apart of that what his friends were partaking in. The use of first person narrative point of view allowed me to experience things as Miles does. It gave me a deeper understanding of how he is affected by people, events and his own reactions and feelings as the novel progresses. This is no more clearly seen than in the event of Alaska dying, I was limited to Miles’ own feelings and emotions surrounding her death. The idea of guilt and loss becomes apparent as we see him struggle to deal with her death and the role he played in it, with him trying to figure out where he belongs. He experiences a loss of innocence as he is forced to re-evaluate his philosophy on life and find his own place in the world. Alaska’s death aids in Miles’ coming-of-age journey. â€Å"I felt the total loss of her, still reeling from the idea that she was not only gone from this world, but from them all† This can be very relatable for other audiences who might have suffered a great loss like Miles’. Looking for Alaska depicts many messages about one’s vital need to belong, some of which I can personally relate to. As well as other aspects of the novel that other audiences can personally relate to.

Managers Report for Team Researching Ethics Essay

Managers Report for Team Researching Ethics - Essay Example Each team member knows what his role his, and he does his best to fulfill it. So far, there has not been any whining, complaining, or laziness in any of the team members' attitudes. We all work well together, and it seems as if everyone has enjoyed working on this project. Steve did most of the work preparing the PowerPoint presentation, but he didn't seem to mind much. The rest of the team members were allowed to have some input on what went into the presentation and on what was said during the presentation, since each of us took a part of it. The only main interpersonal problem that came up in the meeting was that DJ was being kind of a nuisance to the rest of the group. There were times that he would say things to throw us off track, and this irritated the rest of us. It was easy to deal with, though, because I just told him that he was bothering us, and he quit. When he stayed on task, he did come up with some very good ideas. Also, he talked a lot, which helped the other members of the group (especially the ones who didn't say much) open up more and share more of their ideas. There have been no other major problems, stresses, or challenges. As mentioned before, everyone gets along with each other, for the most part. And, even when tense situations do come up, they are easy to deal with because each person in the group respects all the others, and we are all willing to work together to make this project successful. Our team's special streng... Our team's special strength is its ability to work together to accomplish a common goal. We can all see what needs to be done, and we are all willing to cooperate with each other to do it. Each person takes responsibility for his own work, and no one tries to take all the praise for the team's efforts for himself. We are all aware that we have each played a role in the successful completion of this project. Since this is the end of the project, there is not much that needs to be done to enhance the team's dynamics. Really, not much would need to be done, anyway, since this team has worked so well together throughout the course of the project. Comments on my experience as a manager I planned on reviewing and finalizing the research paper and the PowerPoint presentation that was presented on Thursday, December 7. I planned on assigning the parts of the presentation each person was responsible for, and timing how long the entire presentation was. I also planned to schedule a time when we could do a dress rehearsal of the presentation as a group. I kept everyone on task, as much as possible, and directed the meeting to the best of my abilities, stressing the importance of class participation and attendance. I would say, since all of these goals were met, that I was very successful at accomplishing them all. My take-charge attitude served me very well in my role as team manager. Evidence of this is the fact that I did not let DJ distract us from getting our work done. The paper and the presentation were reviewed and finalized, and our future meetings were scheduled. Also, my interpersonal awareness helped me to notice

Business game modified assignmen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Business game modified assignmen - Essay Example This company has gained great praise due to its ability to maintain its name in Europe as a car-manufacturing corporation. The corporation has endeavoured to produce high quality cars by using high technology. The company has also managed to remain stable in the competitive European market. In order to fit in the market, the company created an initiative of assessing its target customers, with the aim of acquiring maximum profits from their business initiative. Effective marketing ensures competitive advantage by appealing to consumer values and preferences (Porter 1985; Porter, 1987). At the commencement of the project, our team embarked on a mission to maximise the company’s profits by weighing the shareholders’ investment. At the end of Round 4, our group had managed to acquire about four percent of the market share inclusive of the City and Large car. Our company is keen to check the profit and losses incurred by VICA. Focus on the workers’ demands is among t he company’s major concerns, which it does in order to develop a rapport between the management and the workers, as well as to keep the company on its toes. The target group of the company’s City car falls below 25 years of age while the Large car is aimed at persons between the ages of 41-55 years. In terms of the City car the vehicle is suitable for short distances and is affordable for young people. On the other hand, the Large car is suitable for older people who need to carry luggage of varying sizes and move over longer distances. The forecast for Round 1 can be summarised in the table on the following page. The table is inclusive of sales, profits and balance. The forecast for the City car stood at 53300b while that of the large car was 40950b. CASH FLOW FORECAST Cash In Cash Out Opening Bank Balance ?500,000,000.00 Sales Income ?1,628,805,750.00 Total Material Cost ?1,211,774,167.50 Total Labour Cost ?47,000,000.00 Total Overheads ?242,508,062.56 Factory Cost ? 650,000,000.00 Automation Expenditure ?17,500,000.00 Tax Payment ?38,392,055.98 Net Interest Payment ?0.00 Bank Balance before Loan -?77,918,536.04 Loan Requested ?200,000,000.001 Closing Bank Balance ?122,081,463.96 Company Performance Round 1 Forecast Model based on production, sales and bank balances pre- and post-loan Production 94,250 Sales ?1,630 m Post-Tax Profit ?86.9 m Bank Balance Before Loan ?- 77 m Bank Balance After Loan ?123 m The process of launching the cars into the European market was a complex task that needed to consider elements of establishing an appropriate pricing model, determining manufacturing capacity, the volume of labourers required, and profit/loss projections based on cost recognition. Strategies for launch included first identifying key market characteristics associated with lifestyle and preferences for small/large cars along with environmental attitudes. Market Share Analysis, Gross Margin and Post-tax Profit Round 1 Overheads Overheads Income Cost Fixed Overheads ?128,958,062.56 Market Promotion ?55,000,000.00 Research & Development ?48,700,000.00 Training Cost ?940,000.00 Total Overheads ?233,598,062.56 Budget capabilities, which maintained oversight related to loan procurement as a failure to include loan capital in the figures, dictated limited production capabilities due to overhead and other associated factors related to economies of scale and capital availability. The first production run for Citzen cars was 53,300 whilst larger cars were to be produced

Compare Hatshepsut's obelisk(s) with the Harburg Monument in Germany Essay

Compare Hatshepsut's obelisk(s) with the Harburg Monument in Germany within the cultural context of each artifact - Essay Example The pharaohs erected the monuments to depict their reign showing a form of stability and continuity of the kingdom. The pyramid shaped top, pyramidion reflected the light to indicate the power of their ancient god, Ra to make a reflection to the land. Ancient Egyptians were intensely religious and believed in connection with the supernatural erecting symbols to honor the presence of the gods. In their efforts to create continuity of their rule, the pharaohs erected their personalized obelisk to glorify specific events. In the individual faces of the monolith, there were inscriptions that were made to glorify the pharaoh that erected the obelisk. In this monument, Hatshepsut features the story of her fathers that she honors Thutmose and Amun, dedicating the inscriptions to their memories (Seawright). This structure had been erected to indicate the strong belief in the traditions and honor outstanding societal members that acted as peace symbols. The monuments acted as unifying figures for the ancient Egyptian reminding them the value of upholding respect and discipline (Strouhal, 180). With the rule of the pharaohs, there was the order in the society as the people believed in serving their rulers and the gods would offer them blessings in turn. Today, fragments of the fallen obelisk are found at the MFA, Boston. The monument depicts a king carrying out a momentous event in the Egyptian culture that involved appeasing the gods through offering sacrifice. The female pharaoh of Egypt carried the routine of the society and the entire kingdom by honoring the religious entity of the tribe and ensured continuity of this meaning incised in the famous structure (Brand, 160). The piece, made out of graphite represent an inscription in the obelisk that relayed the god Amun and the figure of the head can be clearly seen. This had been one side of the fallen obelisk that Hatshepsut had erected in honor of their religion and to establish her rule as a dominant female pharaoh who managed to rule the Egyptians during her time. Today, the monument represents a rich tradition and symbol of the grand Egyptian kingdom that unified its individuals to uphold religion and authority. This particular monument is notable because it was erected by a famous personality of the ancient Egypt. The pharaoh ensured that the memory of the famed events in the Egyptian calendar are upheld and remembered through precise inscriptions to deliver the memories of her rule. Egyptian art was not only beautifully precise in nature, but the inscriptions had a meaning and purpose in this case religion and culture. Through visiting museums like MFA and the actual site to view the obelisk, an individual is able to revisit the ancient Egyptian history and be informed of the principal unifying figure. Image retrieved from: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/hatshepsut/ig/Hatshepsut-Female-Pharaoh/Obelisk-of-Hatshepsut.htm Hamburg Monument in Germany German artists Jochen Gerz and Esther Sh alev were accorded the responsibility to erect a monument that upheld the societal values of peace and anti-fascism to be introduced to the German society. The monument was initially intended to be placed in a fancy park to be viewed by the citizens, an attribute that the two refused erecting their piece in a

The Benefits of Using The Robotics System In Industrial Area Research Paper

The Benefits of Using The Robotics System In Industrial Area - Research Paper Example This is because findings have shown that robotics is capable of reducing the cost of production, improve production efficiency, product quality, and reduce accidents and injuries in manufacturing industries. This paper will discuss the benefits of using robotics in the industrial area. The history of robotics dates back to 1954 when George Charles Devol invented the first industrial robot called the Unimate. This was later followed by the formation of the first robot company called the Unimate by Devol, and Joseph F. Engelberger. General Motors is the first automobile company to install the Unimate robot for dying casting, spot welding and handling in 1956. Since then, many manufacturing companies have implemented robots to replace human labour. International Federation of Robotics reveals that many companies today are increasingly adopting robotics in their workforce (42). This has particularly been witnessed in industrial and manufacturing spheres in different countries of the enti re world. However, findings show that only developed countries in the world have embraced the use of robotics to do various tasks in industrial such as machine operations and welding among others. For instance, the European Robotics Technology Platform (EUROP) reported that about 6.5 million robots were already in use, in different companies and institutions all over the world by 2007 (2). The same report also estimated that the number could rise to about 18 million by the year 2011. Japan is currently the leading country in terms of robotic adoption. International Federation of Robotics indicated that more than half of the world’s robots are made and used in Japan (46). However, several other European countries are also increasingly adopting the technology. A study has shown that the technology is increasingly adopted by countries that have an aging population such as Japan and Germany. For instance, a study conducted by Mckinsey in Germany predicted that Germany could face a shortage of about six million skilled laborious in the next seven years (Jeschke, Liu, and Schilberg 85). The same applies to Japan whose population is aging very first, according to Europ (5). However, the common denominator for the adoption of robotics in industries is based on the benefits that the technology offers the industries where they are installed for doing work. As earlier stated, robotics have been found to be beneficial in industries mainly because its installation helps in reducing costs in a company. This is seen from the factor that robots do not require to be paid hourly rates, as is the case with workers (Jeschke, Liu, and Schilberg 86). This implies that the salary that could have otherwise been used to pay workers will be used for other purposes such as maintain ace (International Federation of Robotics 51). It is reported that, apart from the maintenance cost, a robotic manufacturing is only paid for once, which is very cheap compared to having to employee a worker who will be demanding salaries each and every month. Furthermore, unlike workers, robots do not demand salary increments that might increase the manufacturing cost. It is also a matter of fact that the initial cost of installing a robot in an industry may be daunting. However, its return on investment can be realized very fast once it has been implemented. Research indicates that a robot has the capacity to generate a return on investm

Critically evaluate the idea that work is both a moral category and an Essay

Critically evaluate the idea that work is both a moral category and an economic category in capitalism - Essay Example The firms and individuals in capitalism also have the right of purchasing and selling labor without any government control. The market is equally a commercial society that is characterized by equilibrium or the balance between demand and supply. Another characteristic of capitalism is the balance between the jobs available in the economy and the population (Ito?, 1988 p. 4). Work as a Social category in Capitalism Work as a social category in capitalism is explicable using the theory of Capitalism as developed by Marx. In this theory, Marx states that the society is responsible for producing merchandise and services to the market. The division of labor characterizes the production process of the goods and services. As mentioned earlier, commercial society focuses on the social division of labor and the exchange of the commodities (Ito?, 1988 p.13). In capitalism, labor power is a commodity that is responsible for giving the economic structure an original appearance. Through the excha nge, a social connection is established between the different producers of the market commodities. As a means of fabricating a large amount of products that are required to satisfy the demands of customers on the market, a significant amount of social labor is required. This means that social labor needs distribution in the market or the economy. Another characteristic of Capitalism is the ethical shopping that humanizes the activities involved in capitalism. There exist inequalities in the socio-economic capital as well as proceeds in the free market. Ethical shopping ensures that the inequality in the free market is reducible by reconciling the respect of human rights. In capitalism, the effects of the consumer choices about the workers who are responsible for providing goods and services are evident (Dine, 2006 p. 139). The Basis of Morals in Capitalism Capitalism is a moral system that exists socially based on varied reasons. First, the producers’ freedom is highly respec ted in the free market and, the individuals or firms have the rights of setting their own goals. Due to the fall of communism, capitalism is adopted by many nations with the aim of promoting growth and prosperity of their economies. It is recognizable as the only economic system that is practical. However, the state is gaining control of the free market because no firm or individual has been ready or willing to defend capitalism based on moral. As a means of maintaining high morals, the government as well as the individuals in the free market had an agreement where the government’s role was to play part in ensuring the existence of high levels of morals in the market. Following the agreement, capitalism has continued to encourage virtues that are essential in human life (Tracinski, 2002 p. 1). As mentioned earlier, Capitalism ensures that the independent mind of individuals is safeguarded at all times. Additionally, capitalism facilitates the recognition of an individual†™s sanctity. The producers and creators should make sure that they produce products that will improve or sustain the human life. For

Religion and Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion and Philosophy - Essay Example ThÐ µ yin yÐ °ng sign illustrÐ °tÐ µs thÐ °t Ð µvÐ µn whÐ µrÐ µ you'vÐ µ got two oppositÐ µs, thÐ µy complimÐ µnt Ð µÃ °ch othÐ µr. ThÐ µ blÐ °ck Ð °nd whitÐ µ of thÐ µ two sidÐ µs of thÐ µ sign Ð °rÐ µ oppositÐ µs, but within thÐ µ blÐ °ck thÐ µrÐ µ is Ð ° littlÐ µ bit of whitÐ µ Ð °nd within thÐ µ whitÐ µ thÐ µrÐ µ is Ð ° littlÐ µ bit of blÐ °ck. ThÐ µrÐ µ's Ð ° pÐ µrfÐ µct bÐ °lÐ °ncÐ µ bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn thÐ µ two. OftÐ µn thÐ µ yin yÐ °ng sign is usÐ µd to symbolizÐ µ mÐ °lÐ µ Ð °nd fÐ µmÐ °lÐ µ forcÐ µs. FÐ µmÐ °lÐ µ usuÐ °lly is Ð °ssociÐ °tÐ µd with thÐ µ dÐ °rk Ð °nd thÐ µ mÐ °lÐ µ is Ð °ssociÐ °tÐ µd with whitÐ µ Ð °nd thÐ µ light. In somÐ µthing thÐ °t might sÐ µÃ µm complÐ µtÐ µly mÐ °sculinÐ µ, not just in pÐ µoplÐ µ or Ð °nimÐ °ls, but Ð µvÐ µn in vÐ °rious mÐ °nifÐ µstÐ °tions of nÐ °turÐ µ or sociÐ µty or whÐ °tÐ µvÐ µr, thÐ µrÐ µ is Ð ° littlÐ µ touch of thÐ µ fÐ µmininÐ µ. Within somÐ µthing thÐ °t might sÐ µÃ µm to bÐ µ complÐ µtÐ µly fÐ µmininÐ µ, thÐ µrÐ µ is Ð ° littlÐ µ touch of thÐ µ mÐ °sculinÐ µ. ThÐ µrÐ µ is Ð °lwÐ °ys Ð ° littlÐ µ bit of thÐ µ oppositÐ µ within whÐ °tÐ µvÐ µr it is you'rÐ µ tÐ °lking Ð °bout, Ð µvÐ µn if things sÐ µÃ µm to bÐ µ totÐ °lly oppositÐ µ.

Fast food nation Essay Example for Free

Fast food nation Essay Let’s be real, the idea of choosing fast food is an attractive option. The ease of driving to a pick-up window to grab a delicious meal for a few dollars in under a couple of minutes is so hard to resist. I mean, who wants to drive to the grocery store to buy ingredients that cost more than an item on the value menu? Who wants to prepare and spend time cooking when you could just wait a few minutes to have someone make you food? Worst of all, who wants to clean up after the mess you made so you can repeat the cycle over again? I could see why many Americans choose such an appealing option. On the other hand, it appears that there are numerous consequences that people are too blind to notice. The entire experience about eating food among friends and families had been replaced by a rushed bite. It is to the point where people view fast food as an essential part of their habitual life. This leads to many problems like health and economic issues. America may have evolved into a fast food nation, or really a fat food nation. To this day, it seems that fast food is the â€Å"go-to† option because of its convenience, tastiness, and practicality. Unfortunately, the entire experience of eating food has transformed into a â€Å"routine†¦that is now taken for granted† (Schlosser 3). I agree with Schlosser because many people disregard the traditions that food brings to the table. Friends and families come together to eat food and enjoy each other’s company. Yet people overlook it and choose to finish their food within minutes with no words exchanged to continue what they were doing before. I think that one of the main reasons is how fast paced our country has become, and how our eating habits have sped up. Families have changed the way they eat as the years have progressed. Before, it was considered that â€Å"housewives would have a home-cooked meal ready for their husband and kids† (guest speaker, 11/20) when they arrived home. They would eat together and have conversations about anything on their minds. Those times have gradually dissolved when the workforce required wives to take on occupations. As of now, everyone is recommended to secure a job, thus are too busy to cook all the time for their families. The last thing a working mother wants to do when she comes home from an exhausting day of work is to prepare a troublesome meal for the family that is scarfed in seconds. So how do they find a way to overcome their problems? They decide to drive to a bulding that serves a warm, tasty meal to bring back to their families just to satisfy their hunger to move on with their lives. A different scenario is where students are always rushed with jam-packed schedules filled with academics, sports, and extra-curricular interests. Many students do not have the spare time to cook meals in between their busy lives. On top of that, students’ energy levels tend to be depleted at the end of the day. Cooking takes too much time and energy, or even thinking of what to make. This leads to the next convenient option: drive-thru restaurants. Nowadays, the essentialism of fast food has taken over in numerous American lives. Those with active agendas may view such fast food as â€Å"something as having universal validity rather than as being a social, ideological, or intellectual construct† (Rossiter 11/13) for practical reasons. Today’s hurried pace does not allow people the opportunity to eat leisurely with the company of others. Rather, the replacement of traditional food to fast food is the result of an intense schedule of work and school. When fast food first appeared on the planet, there was a huge economic boom after World War II. Since fast food made a successful mark in history, â€Å"fast food was added to the Merriam- Webster dictionary in 1951. † (Sena). As time progressed, there is no doubt that fast food is loved by not only Americans, but everyone globally. Modern society is always on the go, so grabbing a quick bite is always on demand. With that in mind, the rising of prices, due to economic recession, have changed the perception of many fast food owners. So how do they approach this obstacle? It seems as though fast food franchises have focused on â€Å"high volume, low cost and high speed product† (Sena). In this day and age, many people â€Å"work for wages and use wages to pay for food† (Rossiter 9/4). Due to recession, there are many working class citizens who do spend their money on fast food because that is all they could afford. It is unfortunate because people are being diagnosed with many health problems since they lack the money to buy healthier products. Speaking of which, I think it is quite ironic that a cheeseburger costs just as much as broccoli. Is it not ridiculous that healthy foods cost a lot more than value meals at restaurants? I never grasped that idea and I think that healthy foods should be cheaper than unhealthy junk food. If major fast food corporations drop the prices of healthier foods such as chicken wraps and grilled chicken salads with less fattening dressing and increase prices for the burgers and fries, health problems would be less of a concern. People would be able to eat a standard meal for an affordable price. Furthermore, if people ate healthier food, they would have more energy to be more productive in their jobs. Maybe if fast food restaurants changed their items to healthier alternatives, such issues could be less of a concern. It is hard for me to say if the book effectively conveyed the messages that Eric Schlosser wanted to share because there could have been more evidence throughout the rest of the book. Fast Food Nation was great to read about the history of how the founders lived and how fast food shaped America. Since I grew up in Los Angeles, near Anaheim, it shocked me how that Carl Karcher described the city that had â€Å"palm trees and orange groves, and smelled the citrus in the air† (Schlosser 13). If I had to describe Anaheim, I would think about the convention center, the Angel’s Stadium and of course, Disneyland; yes, this theme park is the â€Å"happiest place on Earth†, but not really like â€Å"heaven† (Schlosser 13). I found it quite interesting how fast food became a huge success after the invention of cars came up. It never crossed my mind that the creation of drive-in restaurants became such a great hit and helped the economy out incredibly. I also found this book interesting because of automobiles, this led to â€Å"the world’s first motel and the first drive-in bank. † (Schlosser 17). Due to that, food stands introduced â€Å"curb service† which seemed like drive-ins became acceptable year-long. I had no idea that the McDonald brothers were the ones to start the Speedee Service System, thus starting the fast food nation. Nor did I know that they â€Å"employed only young men† (Schlosser 20) and that attracted families rather than hiring women which attracted teenage boys. What interested me the most was that young employed men attracted families rather than teenage girls. If employed women attracted boys, it would only make sense that employed men attracted females. However, within the required pages of the book, I would say that the Schlosser could have done a better job to convey his messages. In the introduction, he stated his thoughts about how fast food affected America and how he would approach his thoughts. However, the first chapter went off topic and gave the audience a better understanding of the founding fathers of the biggest fast food joints in the world. I think that he should have referred to the impacts that fast food had on people. There was not much information about how fat food influenced the traditions of food or what happens behind the cash register. He did say a little bit about the economic trends and how the Speedee Service System allowed more families from the working- class background could afford their products. I was hoping Schlosser would talk more about traditions and experiences about food and how it evolved today. I believe that he could have stated more evidence on how fast food impacted the lives of America in the present and cut out a lot of history. Sure, the information from the past helped me understand what was going on, but rather talking about the lives of the founders, more information about what was really inside the food behind the counters could have helped Schlosser’s message. When I heard about this book, I assumed he would talk about how each item on the fast food menus were really created. I was looking forward to read about new ingredients that were injected and what livestock was raised and used to make the burgers. Also, Schlosser could have mentioned his opinions on solutions to these problems. By stating a few possible answers, he could have touched some reader’s hearts enough to make changes in their lives. It could have even helped society think twice about stuffing a Big Mac or Double-Double in their mouths. On top of that, I anticipated something similar to the documentary â€Å"Super Size Me† in the sense that Schlosser would have conducted an experiment to shock his readers. Something like Morgan Spurlock’s social experiment would have opened my eyes even more about fast food and â€Å"the issue of rising of†¦corporate social responsibility. † (Riley). By throwing in some appalling facts, it would have been more effective to the readers. Perhaps Schlosser could have one person eat any kind of fast food for a month and see if any drastic changes occurred. At the end of the day, I think it is up to the consumers to choose if they want to eat French fries or not. They are the ones to decide if they should consume a Wendy’s triple stacker burger and know the consequences. America has more options than fast food, there are easy recipes to cook, make food in advance if a schedule is too busy, or buy in bulk to save money. Eric Schlosser may have enlightened his audience throughout the rest of the book, but he can only do so much to influence his readers. Works Cited Riley, Jim. CSR at the Movies Supersize Me in 7 Minutes. Tutor2u. Tutor2u Limited, 20 Feb. 2011. http://www. tutor2u. net/blog/index. php/business-studies/comments/csr-at-the-movies-supersize-me-in-7-minutes Rossiter, Jaime. Food Nationalism/Ethnicity. Essentialism. San Diego State University, San Diego. 1 Dec. 2013. Lecture. Rossiter, Jaime. Global Food Regime. Geography of Food. San Diego State University, San Diego. 25 Nov. 2013. Lecture. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Sena, Matt. Fast Food Industry Analysis 2013 – Cost Trends. Fast Food Industry Analysis 2013. FranchiseHelp Holdings LLC, n. d. Web. 28 Nov. 2013. http://www. franchisehelp. com/industry- reports/fast-food-industry-report.