Monday, September 30, 2019

Judaism and the Chosen People of God Essay

Judaism is one of the first monotheistic religions currently surviving. It followers, the Jews, believe that there is only one God who is Almighty and Everlasting. Inscribed in the Torah is the name of God, with four consonants and no vowels. They have high respect for the Lord that they consider his name â€Å"too holy to be pronounced† (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). In their daily conversations and prayers, the Jews use different words pertaining to God. Everyday speech include â€Å"the Holy One† and â€Å"Blessed be He† while prayers include Adonal, or the Lord, and shomer Yisrael, or Israel’s guardian. These demonstrate how the Jewish perception of the Lord, as seen in the book of Genesis where the stories of the Patriarchs are written (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). The Jewish understanding towards their relationship with the Lord the worship is in accordance to their Covenant. God gives His promise to be their God who guides and protects them, while requiring them to follow the Mitzvot or His commandments. God chose the Jews as His chosen people. This is not because He favors them with privileges, but because He endowed them with a responsibility of being the priest people. It is actually a difficult task and the literal translation of the word Israel is â€Å"one who struggles with God† (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). One of their most basic beliefs is that they have the responsibility to worship God and recite prayers, which is called Tefillah. They should also express their gratitude and thanks to the Lord for his love and greatness, which is shown through the Amidah or the prayer of18 blessings in praise of God recited while standing. They also see themselves to have the task of responding to God through both repentance and search of social justice (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). History of Key Sacred Texts The Torah, or Law, is the commandment given by God to His chosen people. It was originally pertained to the Ten Commandments, and eventually became the Pentateuch. The Torah is the most important text in the Jewish religious life, as it contains the revelation from God. It is God’s gift to His people given to Moses at Mount Sinai. However, the original texts given by God to Moses did not survive the raid of Jerusalem during 6 BC. Also destroyed were the other Scriptures written by different Prophets, with high relevance to the Jewish faith. But after the release of Israel from Babylon in 5 BC, the Prophet Ezra revived the accounts on the life of the Patriarchs and the history of God’s chosen people. And between 4 and 2 BC, other authors wrote down the different Scriptures of other Prophets that existed long before. Prophet Jonah, who lived during the 8th century BC, was found to have his scriptures written during this period while the Psalms were written after five centuries. The sources of these authors are however unknown (Mirza, . Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments contain the fundamental laws that God requires His people to abide. These state the different religious and moral obligations of men, revealing God’s will on man’s duties to Him and to the rest of His creation. God’s commandments are written in the Pentateuch twice, as it is found both in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. God himself carved the words on two stone tablets as sacred texts handed to Moses (Bellaflore, 2007). The Ten Commandments are God’s covenant with the Israelites. The first three laws concern man’s relationship with God, as it states what man’s responsibilities are to his Lord. While the remaining seven laws are about how man should live with others, as they should not transgress each other’s rights as human beings and equal children of God. The first commandments directly state that there is only one God, the monotheistic notion of an Almighty Creator. The people should not worship other Gods, and therefore should not commit idolatry and other forms of polytheistic practices. The other two commandments teach the people to not commit blasphemy, or take the name of the Lord in vain, and to always observe the Sabbath day. The rest relates the basic commandment that one must not wrong his neighbor, that he must not commit murder, adultery, thievery, and bear false witness. Children are also expected by God to always honor their parents (Bellaflore, 2007). Jerusalem This city is the most important city to the Jews. Upon their migration to the Palestine, many other tribes and populations have already occupied area and cities have already risen. King David seized one of the cities in 1005 BCE and converted it into his capital city Jerusalem. This is where both religious and political affairs were concentrated, where the Temple of God was built. But the Temple and most of its contents perished during the conquest of the city by other empires. The Romans destroyed the last Temple and only a single wall survived until today. It is now known as the Wailing Wall and is one of the holiest Jewish places both in Jerusalem and the entire world (Imhoof, 2008). The Nation of Israel The State of Israel is a country found in southwestern Asia established on May 14, 1948 with David Ben Gurion as its first prime minister. The land was formerly part of Palestine conquered British, and was handed to the Jews and marked the success of the Zionism movement. This movement campaigned for providing the Jews their own place at the land of their ancestors. As sanctioned by the United Nations, this sovereign nation was created and gave home to many Jews from all over the world. But because displaced Palestinians formerly occupy Israel, there rose an Arab-Israeli conflict. The Muslims protested against the handing of the land to the Jews while the Arabs were left landless (Davison 375; Grobman, no page; Israel, no page). Different Sects of Judaism There were numerous Jewish sects during the first century AD, each primarily in search of the messiah. To them, the messiah is both a religious and political leader who would save them from Roman captivity. These sects include the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and even the Christians. In 70 CE, the Second Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed along with these sects. However, Christianity survived this disaster and separated itself from Judaism as a different religion. The Pharisees, on the other hand, is now the remaining form of Judaism called Rabbinic Judaism (Jewish sects and denominations, no date). A fraction of the Jewish population of the 8th century rejected the oral law included in the Mishnah as followed by the Pharisees, as done by the Sadducees. But eventually, they themselves developed their unique oral traditions that greatly varied from those of the Rabbinic Jews. They are called the Karaite sect, and are still in existence but in a less population number (Jewish sects and denominations, no date). The Holocaust The Holocaust is also known as the Shoah in Hebrew, or the destruction of the Jewish people by Nazi Germany. During the German conquest of Europe, an approximately six million Jews died as they were systematically killed by the fascist and anti-Semite regime of Hitler. The casualties represent the destruction of two-thirds of the entire population of Jews in Europe and one-third of the world. They were deliberately and methodically exterminated through the gas chamber, the crematory ovens, forced labor, hunger, and poor sanitary conditions. This is Hitler’s plan as his answer and â€Å"Final Solution to the Jewish Question† (History of the Holocaust – An Introduction, 2008). Sacred Practices and/or Holidays Two of the most important Jewish holidays are the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is known as the Jewish New Year while Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement. Both of these holidays are expression of the Jewish belief on the judgment of God and that they need to both repent and forgive. Yom Kippur is an entire day where Jews contemplate and reflect, making amends to their sins, and ask God for His forgiveness by fasting (Buchanan and Halliwell, 2008). Customs and practices of the Jews include circumcising the boys during their eighth day. When the boy reaches age 13, he takes participation in a ceremonial rite where he becomes bar mitzvah. From here on, he is considered an adult who will take on his religious responsibilities. Other religious congregations perform a similar ceremony for girls of age 12, called the bat mitzvah. Jews also recite different kinds of prayers in the morning, afternoon and evening. They perform these either at home or the synagogue. Once every week, the Jews celebrate the holy day of Sabbath, from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown. They also observe strict dietary laws called the Kosher and their spiritual leader is called the rabbi (Grobman, no page; Wenner, no page). Judaism Today Due to the constant changes in human life, there is a tremendous technological advancement in the modern world, prompting people to adapt. These changes bring about questions on the Jewish laws, and whether they should be retained. It is therefore the responsibility of the spiritual leaders to adapt and reinterpret the Jewish laws according to the call of times. In our modern world, there are three main divisions among the Jews – the Orthodox, the Conservative, and the Reform Jews. Orthodox Jews are still abiding by the strictest Jewish laws, and are confined within tradition. The conservative Jews consider the orthodox Jews as too Jewish while they do not consider reform Jews as practicing Judaism. Reform Jews, on the other hand, are very liberal and recognizes their religion as progressive. (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, 2008). References Buchanan, J. , and Halliwell, K. (2008). Judaism. Slamnet. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www.slamnet. org. uk/re/judaism. htm. Bellaflore, M. L. (2007). â€Å"The Ten Commandments. â€Å" New Advent. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. newadvent. org/cathen/04153a. htm. Davison, Michael Worth. When, Where, Why, and How it Happened. London: Reader’s Digest Association Far East Limited, 1993. Grobman, Gary M. â€Å"Who are the Jews. † 1990. Remember. Retrieved 25 February 2008 from http://www. remember. org/guide/Facts. root. whoare. html â€Å"History of the Holocaust – An Introduction. † 2008. Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. jewishvirtuallibrary. org/jsource/Holocaust/history. html. Imhoof, D. â€Å"Judaism. † February 23, 2008. Susquehanna University. Retrieved March 5, 2008 http://www. susqu. edu/history/medtrav/jerusalem/jewish. htm. â€Å"Israel. † 2007. Information Please [Database]. Retrieved 25 February 2008 from http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0107652. html. â€Å"Judaism. † One Little Angel. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. onelittleangel. com/wisdom/quotes/judaism. asp? level=4#. Mirza, M. â€Å"History of the Torah. â€Å"Ummah. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. ummah. net/what-is-islam/scriptur/scriptt. htm

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Master of German Opera – Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner is the master of German opera. He molded opera according to his own creative definition with revolutionary zeal (Richard Wagner Biography, Arizona Opera). Adolph Hitler and his Nazi party enjoyed many of Wagner's works; this negative publicity has caused people hate Wagner and his music. Today Wagner is accepted, but his music is still outlawed in Israel. The youngest of nine children, Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany to a blue-collar family, on May 22, 1813. His father, Friedrich Wagner, a police clerk, died when Richard was only six months old. His mother soon remarried to an actor and playwright named Ludwig Geyer and the family moved to Dresden. Some historians believe that Geyer was Richard's actual biological father; there is evidence that shows that Wagner may have believed this too. Egocentric from childhood, Wagner loved literature. He was especially fascinated by the works of Shakespeare. With his head always in the books, he tried writing tragedies but that never came to anything. He also began piano lessons, but unlike many other well-known composers, he never became skilled on this or any other instrument. Through his teens composing attracted him. In 1829, at age sixteen, he wrote his first compositions, which were not received well by the public. Then he took six months of formal training Theodor Weinlig, cantor of the Thomasschule, in 1831. Those studies resulted in the composition of a Wagner symphony, which was well received in Leipzig and Prague. He began work on an opera, Die Hochzeit, and tossed it aside unfinished. After that he completed Die Feen, but it was not performed until five years after his death. At 20, he began keeping journals in hopes of writing an autobiography in the future. He got a job as the chorus master for the Wurzburg Theatre when he was only 20 years old. He also started to write operas. In 1836, he got married to the actress, Minna Planner, this marriage was to last only until 1862. He was very unhappy with Minna, and regretted this marriage almost as soon as it came to be. In 1837, he and his wife escaped creditors to Paris. Wagner struggled to establish himself in Paris. Most of the time they were living on the verge of starvation; he was arrested and imprisoned on a few different occasions due to his debts. Producers rejected his preliminary ketches of the operas La Rienzi and Das Liebesverbot. Wagner stopped writing all together because of the embarrassment of being rejected. Then Wagner had a new idea and started work on The Flying Dutchman, even though he was impoverished and unknown he felt victorious at its completion in 1841. La Rienzi opened in Dresden in 1842 to enormous success. A success followed the next year for The Wagner became Kapellmeister of the Dresden opera and had financial security at last. However, he continued his poor money management, accumulating impossible debts. Within the five years that followed, he had completed Tannhauser, and Lohengrin. However, Lohengrin, which he considered his greatest effort to date, was rejected by Dresden opera and, in anger, Wagner helped to start a revolution. He wrote letters to Dresden rioters who were creating a growing rebellion in the state of Saxony. In 1849, when the revolution failed, Wagner was exiled, and forced to flee to Switzerland. In Zurich, 1851, he completed his furiously anti Semitic Jewishness in Music. During his thirteen-year exile, he concentrated on writing essays, which told his theories on musical drama. He also began work on his giant creation, a cycle of four musical dramas titled Der Ring es Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelungs). This cycle was made up of these four dramas Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried and Die Gotterdammerung . Der Ring des Nibelungen took 22 years to complete, and stands as one of the most remarkable and extremely influential achievements in music. During the many years of Wagner's exile, Lohengrin was presented in Weimar and was received slowly just as Tannhauser had been. However, in the decade that followed, German audiences loved both operas. In fact, at the time his exile ended in 1860, Wagner was one of the few Germans who had never seen a performance of Lohengrin. During the long period of work on The Ring of the Nibelungs, Wagner's life went through some major changes. He wrote, maybe, his most popular opera, Tristan und Isolde in 1859, and another major work, Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg in 1867. In 1864, the King of Bavaria, Ludwig II, brought Richard to Munich to provide financial support. There Wagner fell deeply in love with a daughter of Franz Liszt, Cosima von Bulow, who was married at the time to one of Wagner's associates. Eventually they got married. They began a project that would prove Wagner's biggest legacy to future generations (Richard Wagner, classicalmus. m), the building of an opera house that was devoted to only Wagner's works. Set in the Bavarian town Bayreuth, the Festspielhaus was the location for the first complete performance of the Ring cycle, in 1876. This was probably Wagner's biggest achievement, to have his greatest work performed in his own opera house. I don't personally listen to classic music; I don't enjoy a whole lot. I did, though, like Wagner's music. I didn't think that I would but I did. My favorite song was Lohengrin because it moves from very calm and quiet to very exciting and loud throughout the whole piece. Wagner has been classified politically as an anarchist and socialist, and simultaneously, a fascist, nationalist, and anti-Semite. His name has been connected to almost all the major trends in German history of the 19th and 20th centuries (Richard Wagner, Bena. com). Some people don't like him or his music just because some of the ideas that has been associated with his name. People need to look past the controversy and just listen to his music, and until people can do this, his wonderful music will never be fully enjoyed.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Associate and Joint Ventures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Associate and Joint Ventures - Essay Example oint venture is likely to be determined by a number of factors including size of enterprise, the expected length of the venture, the identity and location of the entities and the objectives of the participants. The reason behind this strategic alliance between the companies is not a single one in fact there are many. Companies engage in these activities to benefit more and reduce the risk involved with competition and failure. Here are a few advantages which the companies seek in order to maintain growth and expansion due to a Venture. By forming a joint venture a company can easily expand their business and could possibly cover more market share in the market. This is because the company has more resources, greater capacity, a better distribution channel A joint venture also makes a company more flexible because a joint venture are formed for a limited life span and also it only covers part of company’s processes, therefore joint ventures limits both the company’s commitment and the business exposure in the existing market. Since different businesses have different size of business, therefore by forming a joint venture with a small business with a larger business the smaller business is not able to invest or bring in more assets into the venture as compare to the larger business, this results in an imbalance in the joint venture. A simple and easy to form venture is a partnership. It is the relation which exists between persons carrying on a familiar business. There are also certain mixtures of mediums or arrangements, such as limited liability partnership. However tax and commercial factors may sometimes lead to the use of an unincorporated system, e.g. a partnership or limited partnership, the stream of ventures is mostly between companies or those entities which are recognized well. The simplest form of association for joint ventures is an agreement under which the participants consent to associate as autonomous contractors rather than shareholders

Friday, September 27, 2019

Prisons in the united states Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prisons in the united states - Research Paper Example Furthermore, new policies on combating drug trafficking have contributed to the rise in incarceration rates significantly. Similarly, the public demand tougher actions from the criminal justice system. There is overrepresentation of people of color in American criminal justice system (parole, jail, probation). According to Clear, Cole & Reisig (2008, p.471), â€Å"African American men are imprisoned in United States at a rate more than three times higher than white males.† In addition, male population under the criminal justice system is higher than female population. The prison system in the US, especially in relation to mass imprisonment has led to collapse of the family units, as parents get imprisoned leaving behind their children. Indeed, the number of single parent householders has increased due to incarceration. Thus, this paper will compare the rate of incarceration in America and other countries, explore the factors contributing to mass imprisonment, significance of g ender and race in criminal justice system, and addresses cultural implication of mass imprisonment, conditions of confinement and what we can learn about the American society from the way it treats its prisoners. Describe the rate of incarceration in the U.S. ... According to Conrad (2005, p. 223), â€Å"the rate of incarceration for the United States is 702 for every 100,000 American citizens, the highest rates in the World.† Indeed, the rate of incarceration in the United States is 5-6 times more than other industrialized countries (Mauer, 2003, p.3). The graph below illustrates the incarceration rates in US in comparison with other countries. Source: Mauer, M., (2003). Comparative International Rates of Incarceration: An Examination of Causes and Trends. http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/inc_comparative_intl.pdf Besides, America reports more cases of violent crimes than other industrialized countries. Why does the United States lead other industrialized nations in mass imprisonment? The United States leads other industrialized nations in mass incarceration level due to high numbers of violent crimes, porous borders with Mexico, which inflates drugs trafficking, racial turmoil, criminal justice policies, and degradati on of social safety net. In addition, the criminal justice system incarcerates more minor offenders than other nations. Essentially, a large percentage of incarcerated person in the US are put behind due to drug and substance trafficking. Other countries do not impose stringent laws prohibiting drugs trafficking; hence, they have fewer inmates on trafficking grounds. Thus, the America’s measure to combat drug trafficking has led to more incarcerated persons serving longer sentences. Similarly, there is a higher rate of violent crimes related to drugs cartels in America in comparison with other countries. The US criminal justice system is also influenced by democracy; primarily, courts judges, prosecutors are elected, and hence they are subject to public

Thursday, September 26, 2019

MDCM (B) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MDCM (B) - Case Study Example In light of this fact, it was decided to alter the overall IT systems. The CEO and the CIO decided to present before the board 12 numerous potential projects. However, the members were to keep into consideration that they ought to accomplish the desired goal within short period of time (Jeffery, M & Norton, J. F. â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (B): Strategic IT Portfolio Management†) The main goal of these set of projects according to the IT Portfolio Management (ITPM) team was to overhaul MDCM’s IT system in the period ranging thirty-six months. In total, twelve major potential projects and initiatives were identified. The main objective of the team was to eradicate innumerable standards as well as IT methodologies all over the country. It can be examined that this initiative would require all the IT professionals, contractors and consultants to be trained as per the new methodology. This project would therefore require three months (Jeffery, M & Norton, J. F. â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (B): Strategic IT Portfolio Management†) Network consolidation leads to increased needs for storage consolidation. Some companies as well consolidate the data centers together with the intranets, traditional LANs and computing networks (Blade, â€Å"Introduction†). The company found it beneficial to consolidate the data centers to three locations and therefore shift the network of the company to a virtual private network (VPN). It was estimated that the savings from this project would be approximately $1.1 million and the time required for successively completing the project would be six months (Jeffery, M & Norton, J. F. â€Å"MDCM, Inc. (B): Strategic IT Portfolio Management†) The main objective of the company was to standardize the hardware and the platforms. The main benefits that the organisation receives on standardizing them include reduced cost of IT deployment and easy IT support and training (Gantz & Turner, â€Å"Standardisation†). There are many underlying

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Advantages of dynamic pricing over fixed pricing Essay

Advantages of dynamic pricing over fixed pricing - Essay Example The advantaged groups are the internet savvy because they can manipulate algorithms that sensitize them to be price sensitive, therefore the dynamic pricing may set lower prices for them. Dynamic pricing is very advantageous as it allows sellers to use large amounts of information that directly assist them to make decision (Hartline 85). The seller therefore makes informed business decisions. The seller is also able to increase the price within the threshold of the buyer’s upper limit because of the availability of the historical data to the buyer. This makes the seller increase the profit margins. The fixed pricing is less advantageous compared to the dynamic pricing, as the price of commodities is inflexible to meet the changing demands. The sellers are not in position to maximize profits in case of buffer seasons. The dynamic pricing has limitations. For example if the potential buyer proves the track record of price sensitivity and becomes well informed of the product†™s market price, he may force the dynamic pricing to offer better deal. The critical information about the buyer considered by the sellers like current inventory, supply chains, and competitors’ pricing may affect the price charged to the buyer as at that time. This incidence makes the seller realize no very little or no profits (Hartline 158). A firm practicing dynamic pricing program may sometimes offer discounts to grouped purchases due to excess inventory hence benefitting the buyer more. Dynamic pricing may make upcoming or infant business deteriorate or become insolvent due to increased unhealthy on-line competition from the established businesses. Consortia e-marketplaces These are electronic market places differentiated from other configurations. They mainly focus on the provisions of the internal efficiencies and collaborative benefits of supply to chain members (Rendell 214). Consortium e-marketplaces have many accrued benefits for the organizations that use its s ervices. The market future for the consortia e marketplaces is to influence other organization to join the service. The benefits of participating in consortia e-marketplaces are distinct for buyers and the suppliers (Adrian 189). It improves operational efficiency for the, managerial efficacy, and strategic effectiveness for both the buyer and the supplier of any organization which is deeply integrated in its services. Therefore, it is considerably wise to endorse my organization to this service to obtain the international competition. To evaluate the exchange validity of the consortia e-market place I would analyze critically its function and analyze the operational strategy. Consortia e-marketplaces are joint ventures that operate independently from their producers and have a completely different operation with an independent CEO and management board. The consortia e-marketplace emerges typically in vertical supply chain where such situations like the purchasing side consolidates for dominant players and community supply has fragmentation or is unreliable (Adrian 289). In this situation, the consortia e-marketplace intervenes and become the reliable source for the community products. The consortia e-market place also may emerge where the existing supplier sources products from a small company. The consortia CEO selects a new market place and contracts the market for the existing supplier. This analysis shows the importance my organization may accrue for joining the consortia e-marketplaces. Enterprise resource planning ERP is a method of using computer to link the various functions like accounting, inventory control and the entire company. This method intends

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Teenagers and pregnancy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teenagers and pregnancy - Research Paper Example As one of Faulkner’s most highly regarded works, the novel has the ability to incite an understanding in the reader’s mind that goes beyond the existence of our lives at face-value; it questions one’s thoughts, ideas, beliefs, values and perception even to the brink of questioning the meaning of existence. Unlike other literary pieces penned down by Faulker, As I Lay Dying is not an abstract or complex plot, which suggests the author’s creation of mind during the writing process. Cited time and time again by literature instructors and students worldwide is the one famous fact associated with the novel which also provides an ample insight into the author’s imagination – the novel took only six weeks to complete and William Faulker did not even change one single word of the manuscript upon completion. The author famously talked about how he felt completely in control of Bundrens’ lives when he penned down every agony that they were to su ffer, the novel is one-of-kind in the sense that it is one of those rare, magical and incredible instances when one experiences those rare bouts that mislead person to believe that they are masters of their own destiny, thankfully for Faulkner, this period of intense activity was translated into a prolific and fine literary specimen. Quite straightforward however, and rightfully so, As I Lay Dying is also a journey as much as it is an awakening, the journey that leads to the family’s arrival Jefferson and the burial of Addie Bundren’s body. Analyzing as to why Faulkner preferred to select breaking down his novel into fifty-nine monologues each spoken by one of the fifteen characters of the novel can be best described as an experiment in literary technique, which to put it in modest terms proved to be quite successful. Faulkner never seeks precedence of one theme or genre throughout the novel as he always has something surprising to give, which further cements the idea that the creation of the author’s mind during the process of the development of his work was clear-cut, Faulkner never seems to get lost in the premise that this story is actually the account of the deliverance of a man’s promise to his dying wife. The forty mile journey to Jefferson is a mixture of absurdity, comedy and drama with hints of a grotesque and determined effort to make Addie’s last wish come true. The family’s capricious pursuit is augmented to the nearness of a laborious ordeal with the wide character map that the author has given birth to. More than their desire to focus on the task at hand; which is the sole purpose for the trip to the town of Jefferson, each character has its own whims and yearnings (Faulkner, Random House, 1999). In the dazing context of events, Dewey Dell, the only daughter of the family has a very inconvenient issue at an inopportune time; she is seventeen, unmarried and pregnant. The purpose of this paper is to critic ally analyze and understand the psychology of the author and the creation of his mind, while understanding how Faulkner sheds light

Monday, September 23, 2019

Abortion the topic of debate in the media Essay

Abortion the topic of debate in the media - Essay Example I am prepared to argue that abortion should not be legalized as instead it becomes common, takes away the value of human life, is not a 1 person issue, and it in fact causes women in some countries to be less free. In Mascle’s article she believes that in our society the illegalization of abortion is just another way to keep men at the top and women struggling at the bottom. She believes that taking the woman’s right to say no to giving birth to an unwanted child away gives men the upper hand. This in turn leaves women once a gain feeling powerless. She says, â€Å"Pregnancy and child care have long been ways that men have controlled and dominated women as well as restricted their education and professional lives (Mascle, 2).† She also believes that this not only works to dominate women but it also targets the poor and underprivileged. Mascle also believes that instead of spending a vast amount of money on trying to make sure that abortion is illegal, organizatio ns and individuals should be using this same money to help. She thinks that this money could be used to help the already helpless and needy children and disadvantaged women we have in our world. A third reason Mascle states in her article for the legalization of abortion is that women should not have to be forced to go through the physical procedure of giving birth. She says, â€Å"Pregnancy and child birth is a physical ordeal that can have a lifelong impact on a womans mental and physical health and well being (Mascle, 2).†

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Idea of the Dramatic and Theatrical in the Work of Bernini Research Paper

The Idea of the Dramatic and Theatrical in the Work of Bernini - Research Paper Example Besides the traditional pose intended to be examined of mere external traits, his work extends to be judged at spatial encounter outside of confines embedded on the surface of the structure alone.   Apparently, Bernini’s main concern was with surface and texture and with the conveyance of movement. This objective is further reflected in the creations of â€Å"The Ecstasy of St. Teresa† and the â€Å"Throne of St. Peter† whereby the former is sculpted in such fashion as to portray the most significant event in the life of St. Teresa. The marble sculpture specifically depicts her in a state of spiritual rapture when pierced to the heart by an angel’s fiery spear. Through her autobiography, St. Teresa confesses that the pain she felt at the moment was overly intense that it caused her instead to be overcome with delight and relish sweetness in place of the excruciating strikes. Bernini grants this justice in rendering the structure to be chiseled off into the most refined detail from which to imagine a height of enlightenment possibly reached by St. Teresa as well as the look of solemnity sprawled across her face in a position that indicates utter re moval of consciousness about the physical world. As a scholarly work, â€Å"The Ecstasy of St. Teresa† may be observed to have signified the artist’s regard for an intellectual approach in which spirituality is deeply valued. Bernini could not afford to neglect this aspect as well in â€Å"The Throne of St. Peter† in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He is known to have utilized a mixture of gilded bronze, gold, wood, and stained glass in this prominent object believed to have been sat on by St. Peter himself.   As a master of radical naturalism, Caravaggio is found to have greatly influenced the Baroque paintings with a unique sense of physical and emotional realism under dramatic technique with lighting which also amply manifests in the style of Georges de La Tour.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Important Event in Chinese History Essay Example for Free

Important Event in Chinese History Essay The May Fourth Movement (traditional Chinese: ä ºâ€Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ© â€¹Ã¥â€¹â€¢; simplified Chinese: ä ºâ€Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ¨ ¿ Ã¥Å  ¨; pinyin: WÇ”sà ¬ Yà ¹ndà ²ng) was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement growing out of student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919, protesting the Chinese governments weak response to the Treaty of Versailles, especially the Shandong Problem. These demonstrations sparked national protests and marked the upsurge of Chinese nationalism, a shift towards political mobilization and away from cultural activities, and a move towards populist base rather than intellectual elites. The broader use of the term May Fourth Movement often refers to the period during 1915-1921 more often called the New Culture Movement. Backgrounds: Following the Xinhai Revolution in 1911, the Qing Dynasty was overthrown. This marked the end of thousands of years of powerful imperial rule, and theoretically ushered a new era in which political power rested with the people. However, the reality was that China was a fragmented nation dominated by warlords, who were more concerned with their own political powers and private armies than national interests. The Chinese Beiyang government was occupied with suppressing internal affairs, and did little to counter the influence exerted by imperialist foreign powers. The Beiyang government made various concessions to foreigners in order to gain monetary and military support against their rivals. Defeats by foreign powers and the presence of spheres of influence inflamed a sense of nationalism among the emerging middle class and cultural leaders. Leaders of the New Culture Movement believed that traditional Chinese values were responsible for the political weakness of the nation. This created a rather peculiar situation, in which Chinese nationalists called for a rejection of traditional values and the selective adoption of Western ideals of science and democracy. May fourth Movement (Chinese Students Protest) In 1989 there were growing economic hardship caused by high inflation set the ground for a large-scale protest movement by students intellectuals and other parts of a disaffected urban population. University students and other citizens in Beijing camped out at Tiananmen Square to protest against those who slowed reform. Protests also spread to many other cities including Shanghai and Guangzhou.Martial law was declared on May 20 1989, military units were deployed in Beijing. Demonstrators were suppressed brutally, most observers believe that casualties numbered in the hundreds.The entire world expressed horror at the brutal suppression of the demonstrators, the central government eliminated opposition, held in custody large numbers of protesters and urged for required political re-education not only for students but also for party cadre and government officials.

Friday, September 20, 2019

World War II, The Good War

World War II, The Good War World War II marked a key turning point in world history as nations around the world were affected by the outcomes of the war for many years even after the war. Nevertheless, the good war thesis suggests that World War II was a just war. An analysis of the bigger picture comprising of the Great Depression leading up to the war, the war itself, and the postwar American development is crucial to the answer of whether the war was a good war. The United States had been stuck in the Great Depression since 1929 up to the war. This economic collapse took a toll on the society; many faced hunger, homelessness, and nutritional disorders. The biggest problem was unemployment. In 1933, one in three workers was unemployed and the economy was in dire need of government spending. (p. 676). Worse still, the financial collapse had triggered a global depression that affected the worlds economy. President Roosevelt managed to help America survive the financial collapse but it would take more than the New Deal to end the depression. Nevertheless, by the late 1930s, Americas financial system was more stable compared to that of the other industrialized nations. (p. 697) During the global depression, dictators, specifically Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito, and Benito Mussolini, rose to power to spread totalitarianism across the world. The United States was initially divided on its involvement in the war but the attack on Pearl Harbor ended that debate. The United States entered the war against the Axis nations. The United States entered the war to stop the spread of Nazism and expose its horrible scheme of racial superiority to the world. The Allies goals were made clear in General Dwight Eisenhowers message to the troops fighting on D-Day stating that they will bring about the destruction of the German war machine [and] the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe.  [1]  In achieving this goal, the United States played an important role in liberating the Death camps in Europe. At these camps, American GIs witnessed firsthand the horror of Nazi brutalities. A picture taken at a concentration camp at Buchenwald shows Senator Alben Barkley looking sadly at the dead naked bodies staked up. The malnourished bodies and badly bruised heads showed that they had been tortured.  [2]  News and pictures that were taken exposed the evidence of Nazi atrocities to the world. In the end, the United States managed to stop the spread of the super race disease and the Allied v ictory meant that democracy too, had won.  [3]   While the United States fought for democracy across the world, African Americans still faced discrimination. As in the movie Liberators, African Americans had to fight to serve their own country.  [4]  Even when infantrymen were desperately needed, African Americans were only given menial chores. Finally, when they were allowed to serve in combat positions, they served in segregated armies. Nevertheless, the war gave African Americans a chance to show the world, especially Americans, that they were good, loyal fighters. One was Dorie Miller. When the USS West Virginia was attacked on Pearl Harbor, he left his kitchen job, picked up a weapon and fired attacks at the Japanese planes.  [5]  Despite segregation, African American GIs like Dorie Miller proved to be great combat and pilot fighters. However, the analysis of World War II would not be complete without a discussion of the war repercussions. This brutal war took the lives of fifty to sixty million soldiers and civilians.  [6]  Combat morale dropped as the war proceeded because soldiers were tired and hungry from sleepless nights and fighting. To exacerbate the situation, armies lost their comrades and it seemed that death had become a kind of epidemic.  [7]  Apart from that were the bombings of cities. These were hardships that Americans did not have to endure but rather hardships that the United States imposed on its enemies. In each bombing attack in Japan, incendiary bombs destroyed wooden homes and killed tens of thousands of civilians. The physical destruction from the war left major cities in Asia and Europe in ruins, while the United States was left almost untouched. Thus, the United States was in a better position after the war compared to the other nations. On the homefront, the power of the federal government grew immensely to coordinate the war production. Through his fireside chats, President Roosevelt urged Americans to contribute towards the war effort and told them that they could not afford to discriminate against women or African Americans in their employment practices.  [8]  Consequently, many women entered the workplace for the first time. However, the total war also restricted some civil liberties at home, especially for Japanese Americans. As many as 120,000 Japanese Americans were put into internment camps without due process for the fear that they might engage in spying and sabotage in support of the enemy.  [9]  Regardless, admitting that the internment was a national mistake, President Gerald Ford offered a proclamation in 1976 as an official apology including reparations payment to internment survivors.  [10]  Amidst this proclamation, the civil rights movement and act were already underway. The necessity of the total war offered the first real chance for mobility for African Americans and women at home and abroad. However, after the war, women lost their jobs and African Americans still faced segregation. This led to the civil rights movement which began after the war as the majority of [the] Negro soldiers [returned] home convinced that whatever betterment of their lot is achieved must come largely through their own efforts as stated by Walter White.  [11]  Beyond social mobility, the war gave African Americans the chance to serve their country and women the chance to experience working life. Therefore, the war provided African Americans and women a strong foundation for the fight for their civil rights. World War II also brought economic recovery to the United States at home and abroad far beyond what the New Deal could bring. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the unemployment rate fell to 7% and was lower than 4% in the postwar years.  [12]  It was a time of prosperity for the United States. Through the GI bill, returning GIs were able to attend college and purchase homes with low mortgages. Many started their own families, leading to the baby boom era. The American postwar prosperity was also expanded by foreign demand for American exports. As the other nations rebuilt from the destruction of the war, the needs of these nations could only be met by the United States, the nation that was left untouched by war-related destructions.  [13]  Not surprisingly, the United States became the most victorious and ready for economic development in the postwar years. On the political spectrum, however, the United States and the Soviet Union soon entered an arms race known as the Cold War. Americans feared the break out of a nuclear war as the threat of communism around the world intensified. The conflict between the two nations became the precursor to the Korean War in 1950, the Vietnam War in 1965, and the other global revolutions in Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean. In conclusion, World War II, assessed in a larger picture, was indeed a just war. It put the American economy back on its feet and gave impetus to the civil rights movement that took place in the postwar years. Most importantly, the spread of Nazism ended while democracy prevailed. The United Nations was created to prevent another world war; although wars still took place, the impact and scale of these wars were in no way as large compared to World War II. In these senses, the United States fought for a good reason and the Allied victory set the United States for years of prosperity.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Chemistry of PNA Peptide Nucleic Acid Essay -- Biology Polymer Medical

Abstract For this report I chose to study PNA, or peptide nucleic acid, a biological polymer that was related to the biomedical field of research. I was very interested in this synthesized molecule because of its inimitable and remarkable properties, comparatively to other nucleic acids such as the more commonly known DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, and RNA, or ribonucleic acid. I also wanted to understand its uses and possible uses in everyday life. My main goal was to learn about the structure, significance, and clinical applications of PNA. Essay Imagine being able to solve problems such as cancer by just a few molecules. Think of all of the lives that would be saved by this miracle molecule. Well, there may be such a thing, and that too a polymer that is similar to DNA. This wonder-molecule is called peptide nucleic acid, or PNA. PNAs can bind with high specificity to a selected target in a gene sequence, so this makes them very significant, especially in the medicinal and biotechnological perspectives. However, before learning how PNA is useful in that way, it is crucial to learn about its properties and their meaning. Peptide nucleic acid is a very special polymer that is unique in its characteristics, functions, and use in the modern world. 3 Although PNA may not be a common household word, it is quite familiar to molecular scientists all over the world. It is a potent structural mimic of DNA with a pseudopeptide backbone. This is clearly shown by the image on the left, as the central composition of both nucleic acids are relatively analogous. The phosphodiester backbone of DNA is replaced in PNA by a 2- aminoethyl-glycine linkage. The structure of the molecule itself is a glycine molecule with .. ...nant Melanoma. 27 Oct. 2006. 29 July 2008 . [5]: Mondhe, Madhav. Figure 2. Chemical Structure of PNA & DNA. [PNA binding to DNA]. Digital image. Madhav Mondhe. 24 Oct. 2007. 29 July 2008 . Pellestor, Franck. PRINS and PNA Technologies in Chromosomal Investigation. New York: Nova Science, Incorporated, 2006. [4]: Vocke, Eric, Everardo Macias, and Virginia Evans. PNA Triplex Ball and Stick. Digital image. DNA Triplexes. 29 July 2008 gcntrl.html#location>. [3]: Vocke, Eric, Everardo Macias, and Virginia Evans. PNA Triplex Black and White. Digital image. DNA Triplexes. 29 July 2008 gcntrl.html#location>.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Daphne was Apollo's first love. It was not brought about by accident, but by the malice of Cupid. Apollo saw the boy playing with his bow and arrows; and being himself elated with his recent victory over Python, he said to him, "What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them, Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who stretched his poisonous body over acres of the plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons." Venus's boy heard these words, and rejoined, "Your arrows may strike all things else, Apollo, but mine shall strike you." So saying, he took his stand on a rock of Parnassus, and drew from his quiver two arrows of different workmanship, one to excite love, the other to repel it. The former was of gold and sharp pointed, the latter blunt and tipped with lead. With the leaden shaft he struck the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the golden one Apollo, through the heart. Forthwith the god was seized with love for the maiden, and she abhorred the thought of loving. Her delight was in woodland sports and in the spoils of the chase. lovers sought her, but she spurned them all, ranging the woods, and taking no thought of Cupid nor of Hymen. Her father often said to her, "Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law; you owe me grandchildren." She, hating the thought of marriage as a crime, with her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, threw her arms around her father's neck, and said, "Dearest father, grant me this favour, that I may always remain unmarried, like Diana." He consented, but at the same time said, "Your own face will forbid ... ...ll her limbs; her bosom began to be enclosed in a tender bark; her hair became leaves; her arms became branches; her foot stuck fast in the ground, as a root; her face became a tree-top, retaining nothing of its former self but its beauty, Apollo stood amazed. He touched the stem, and felt the flesh tremble under the new bark. He embraced the branches, and lavished kisses on the wood. The branches shrank from his lips. "Since you cannot be my wife," said he, "you shall assuredly be my tree. I will wear you for my crown; I will decorate with you my harp and my quiver; and when the great Roman conquerors lead up the triumphal pomp to the Capitol, you shall be woven into wreaths for their brows. And, as eternal youth is mine, you also shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay." The nymph, now changed into a Laurel tree, bowed its head in grateful acknowledgment

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Why Kellogg

Why have you elected to apply to the Kellogg School Executive MBA Program My ambition is to enhance my knowledge in global strategy, eEntrepreneurship, and marketing, and buildwhile building strong relationships with successful leaders and innovative thinkers worldwide. and I want truly wish to learn from the school that has been consistently ranked No. 1#1 in for Executive MBA programs due to for the quality of its faculty members, students and teaching methods.Kellogg is my first choice because it uncompromisingly addresses real life aspects of business. The way the learning model is organized through (interactive means as study groups, analysis of actual real- life business cases, classes and workshops) provides the ideal learning environment for people those who may havewith an experience to share. At Kellogg, the emphasis is put on the team work.Curriculums, a perfect combination of theory and practice, are is updated with current techniques and technologies, and moreover, can r eceive inputs from studentsinput from students is welcome. I value the fact that Nnearly every single professor in Kellogg’s EMBA program is the author of the famous bookshas authored a book, among and they are all being a true pioneers in their field.The current EMBA curriculum emphasis on gGeneral mManagement and along with an excellent choiceexcellent options for of global electives (such as gGlobal initiatives in mManagement) will enhance my knowledge in global markets. All these things will help me formulateing an effective global sStrategy for the product development at SyncadaXXXXX. My long- term career goals and establishing my own in Ccompany in eE-commerce requires me to sell my ideas effectively to the prospective customers.Marketing, Kellogg’s best-known strength, will put me at aon a fast track to achieve my these goals. Kellogg’s worldwide nNetwork is huge and nearly one third of its alumni reside outside North America and I want exploit it one I w ish to to build upon . I would like to and grow relationships with influential leaders across the world. Finally, the city of Chicago is a serious plus that will put me in the heart of one of the world's business capital. The proximity to the Minneapolis is always plus for me to reduce my travel time to Kellogg.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Visual Shopper Stop

ualMedia Release Shoppers Stop recognised as ‘Most Respected Company in the Retail Sector’ By Business World Mumbai, February 9, 2011: The New Year has started off on a rewarding note for Shoppers Stop. India’s premier lifestyle and fashion destination was one among 20 Indian Companies honored by Business World as ‘Most Respected Companies’ across various sectors. Shoppers Stop was awarded the ‘Most Respected Company in the Retail Sector’ at the hands of the Honorable Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee at the award ceremony held last evening in the Capital City.Business World’s ‘Most Respected Companies’ award is recognized as one of the most coveted awards in the country. Companies are measured not only on the basis of their balance sheets but also on the basis of innovativeness, depth and quality of top management, financial performances and returns and moreover, on qualities like ethics and transparency, quality of products and services, people practices/talent management and global competitiveness. About Shoppers Stop Shoppers Stop is a leader in the Indian Retail Sector and one of the pioneers in setting up large format department stores chain in India.Shopper’s Stop Ltd has a national presence, with over 2. 05 million square feet area across 34 stores in 15 cities viz. Mumbai (8 stores), Delhi (4 stores), Kolkata (3 stores), Bangalore (4 stores), Hyderabad (3 stores), Jaipur (2 stores), Pune (2 stores), Gurgaon, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Noida, Amritsar, Bhopal and Aurangabad. Shoppers Stop is the only Indian member of IGDS (Intercontinental Group of Departmental stores) along with 29 other experienced retailers from all over the world.Mr. B. S. Nagesh, Customer Care Associate & Vice Chairman, Shopper’s Stop Ltd, has been recognised as an iconic retailer and was inducted into the World Retail Hall of Fame 2008. Mr. Nagesh is the only Indian retailer to take a significant place alongside more than 100 stalwarts of the global retail industry, which includes veterans like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart, Giorgio Armani, Jack Cohen of Tesco, Simon Marks and Israel Sieff of Marks & Spencer; Ingvar Kamprad of Ikea, amongst others.CMAI felicitated the ‘Golden Scale Trophy’ to Mr. Nagesh in honour of this achievement. Mr. Govind Shrikhande, Customer Care Associate & Managing Director, Shopper’s Stop Ltd received prestigious honours of the ‘Retail Professional of the Year’ by CMAI in 2009 & ‘Most Admired Fashion Retail Professional’ at the Images Fashion Awards 2010. Images Retail Awards consecutively for two years (2008 & 2009) named Shoppers Stop the ‘Most Admired Retailer of the Year –CRM’.The Company has also been felicitated with ‘Retailer of the Year –Fashion & Lifestyle’ at the Asia Retail Congress in 2009. Shopper’s Stop Ltd also received the ‘Best Visual Merch andising’ Award at the VMRD Retail Design Awards 2009 and the ‘Prestigious Loyalty’ award for Customer & Brand loyalty in the ‘Retail Sector’ 2010 at the 3rd Loyalty Summit. Shopper’s Stop Ltd has been awarded by CMAI -The ‘Golden Scale Trophy’ as the ‘Brand of the Year’ for its STOP Ladies ethnic wear in 2008 & 2009, and the ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’ in 2009.Images Fashion Awards held in 2009 recognised Shoppers Stop as ‘The Most Admired Fashion Retail Destination of the Year’ and in 2010 ‘Most Admired Large Format Retailer’ award by Gini & Jony and the ‘Most Admired Partner’ by Gili. Shoppers Stop has also introduced new formats in the market viz HomeStop – the exclusive home furnishings, decor as well as furniture store and HyperCity– a premium shopping destination for Foods, Homeware, Home Entertainment, HiTech Appliances, Furniture, Sports, Toys & Fashion. For further information contact – Perfect Relations Juhi Khanna @ 9820601226 Kirti Pachauri @ 9819898306

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Market Segments Essay

Three good ways to define market segments: (1) Who the customers are; (2) Where they are; (3) How they behave. How does each of these definitions apply to you? Name three market segments of which you could belong. Why? What products or services are you being targeted for? Some of the best ways to define a market segment are: Identifiable: The process should identify one or more relatively homogeneous groups of prospective buyers with regard to their wants and needs and/or their likely responses to differences in the elements of the marketing mix—the 4 Ps (product, price, promotion, and place). (Mullins, 2010) Accessible: The segmentation criteria should measure or describe the segments clearly enough so that members can be readily identified and accessed, in order for the marketer to know whether a given prospective customer is or is not in the tar- get market and in order to reach the prospective customer with advertising or other marketing communication messages. (Mullins, 2010) Sizeable: the segmentation process should determine the size and market potential of each segment for use in prioritizing which segments to pursue. (Mullins, 2010) A part of analyzing market segments is to understand who and where are the customers and why do they differ. Market segments should be formed in that way that difference between buyers within each segment is as small as possible. Segmentation helps marketers’ distinguish one customer group from another within a given market which is geographic area, demographic characteristics, social class, and stage in family life cycle, personality, self-image or benefits. Since every buyer has their own individual needs, preferences, resources etc, it may become a challenge if marketers are looking to cater every customer’s needs. Since I am an athlete, I can be targeted for running shoes of a particular style that provides me with the support and stability that I need when I run. Based on my needs, I am most segmented to be a prospective buyer that is moved by price and promotion, making sure I am getting the best deal for the product that I am interested in. In the end, the product that provides the best bundle of benefits—given the customer’s particular needs— is most likely to  be purchased (Mullins, 2010). Reference Mullins, J. W., Walker, Jr., O. C., & Boyd, H. W. (2010). Marketing management: A strategic decision making approach (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Stock Track Report

I. Portfolio Objective: A. Allocation For our portfolio mix, we invested roughly 81% on stocks, 15% on Bonds and 4% on Cash. Our target for the portfolio allocation is that we invested 90% on stocks and 10% on Cash for short term investments. Our goal was investing 80% of our cash for stock market because we know that will get higher return form stock market instead of bonds which is safer to own but bring lower return, and we are young, so we love to take more risk. We also wanted to keep 20% of our money in cash which available for short-term investment.According to the requirements, we ended up spent around 60% on domestic market stock, 10% on international stock market, 10% for short-term stock, 15% on bonds and the rest is in cash which can also bring us interest. As we said above, we are risk takers, so we would have spent all of money for our stock market. Therefore, for this project we think that we followed both active and passive strategy, but we really understand the purpo se of this project which help us to begin investing in stock and bond market and its system. II. Performance Evaluation:Let begin our Stock-Trak performance which the regression result: Stock-Trak ReportBy Khang Nguyen and Tseveendorj Jigmedsanjaa10-08-2012| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The 13% of the R-square is explained by the The alpha has a negative return and the p-value is greater than 1, so it means it is insignificant. In other words, I have an abnormal return. On the other hand, the beta=1. 58 which was positive and the p-value was less than 1. My annualized geometric return on the portfolio was negative along with the S&P500 returns.Therefore, it is unreasonable to explain the Sharpe and Treynor Ratio. In order to explicate these ratios, your annualized geometric return has to be positive along with the market index. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As we seen in the table, the R-square is only . 13 which means that only 13% of Y is explained by X which is not good.The standard deviation of the portfolio is higher than the market index, which means that the portfolio was risky comparing to the market index. The alpha has a negative return and the p-value is greater than 1, so it means it is insignificant. In other words, I have an abnormal return. On the other hand, the beta=1. 58 which was positive and the p-value was less than 1. My annualized geometric return on the portfolio was negative along with the S&P500 returns. Therefore, it is unreasonable to explain the Sharpe and Treynor Ratio.In order to explicate these ratios, your annualized geometric return has to be positive along with the market index. III. Discussion On September 13, 2012, the Fed has announced the launch of Quantitative Easing 3. It is a monetary pol icy used by central banks to simulate the economy. Therefore, the Fed is buying $40 billion worth mortgage-backed securities every month until at least mid-2015. The reason is simply because lower interest rates help stimulate the economy and make loans to buy securities on margin cheaper. In other words, the purpose of quantitative easing 3 is to create more jobs.Moreover, we as investors experience that it has an immediate effects on the stock market. Investors in search of yield will have more reason to buy equities and to lend money to companies. Therefore, during September stock market indexes such as Dow Jones Industrial and S&P500 reacted positively by giving a rise in the index. However, my portfolio reaction at that time was not similar to these indexes because during September I have not made a substantial amount of trades except buying corporate bonds and short selling on stocks.As a reason for that, my portfolio returns were poorly comparing to the stock market indexes. On the other hand, I was mainly investing on Apple stocks (AAPL) throughout this 7 week period and after the announcement of the new i-phone 5 on September 12, 2012 along with the quantitative easing 3 announcement, apple was outer performing the stock market indexes. At that time, I had number of Apple shares and the price was increasing due to the positive announcements. Moreover, Apple stock hit all time high which was $702. 10 per share during September.Nonetheless, after few weeks later, I have sold all my Apple stocks because there were some minor defects on the i-phone 5 and the announcement of the new mini i-pad did not show any positive effect on the share price of Apple. I was very up to date on the Apple news because, I have invested substantial amount of money on Apple stock. Furthermore, based on the negative news after i-phone 5, I have sold all of my Apple securities because I predicted the Apple stock is going to go down after these rough news’s. Hence, it wor ked as I have planned and the current Apple stock is roughly $580 which went down by $120 from the all-time high price.Furthermore, as you can see it from the graph of the portfolio, I have a boost in my return on October 22, 2012 and major drop in my return on October 26, 2012. It is because I bought Apple call option and during that time the price was rising, so I had positive returns. The reason why it dropped significantly is because I did not sell my call options before the expiration date. IV. Commentary As a beginner investor, trading on stock market was pretty intimidating and daunting task. It was important for me to learn in a safe, insightful way to avoid unnecessary losses.By far, Stock-Trak was investing internet site that has various types of features and tools. Stock-Trak trading is conducted in much the same way as you would trade through your own brokerage account with a broker that supports trading on the Internet. With the Stock-Trak Portfolio Trading Simulation y ou gain valuable experience trading securities at actual market prices. During the seven week trading period, I have learned that there are various types of investments choices including options, money market mutual funds, commodities, bonds and so forth.Moreover, diversifying portfolio is very crucial to success on trading. It is a way of protecting your assets by reducing or eliminating risk in your portfolio. Constantly evaluating your stocks to assess their risk is important to your overall success. In additional, this graph will show the relationship of our return with the market return: V. Appendices A. End of Day Portfolio values B. Requirement return: Requirement| Position Type| Security Info*| Transaction Dates**| 1| Corporate Bond| Long| UNITED AIRLINES INC – B-UAL-12. 000-01120213| 9/27/2012-10/26/2012| 2| Common Stock | Short| FACEBOOK INC. FB| 9/14/2012-10/11/2012 | 3| Treasury Bond| Long| T-BOND 10. 625% – B-T-10. 625-15082015| 9/28/2012-10/26/2012| 4| Mo ney Market Fund| Long| iShares Dow Jones U. S. Total Market Index FundIVY| 10/5/2012-10/26/2012| 5| Domestic Index Mutual Fund| Long| JPMORGAN VALUE ADV (A) JVAAX| 10/5/2012-10/26/2012| 6| ETF| Long| | | 7| Call Option | Long| Apple Inc. AAPLAAPL1226J635| 10/19/2012-10/26/2012| 8| Put Option | Long| | | 9| Index Futures| Short| S&P500 12/12SP/Z2| 10/25/2012-10/26/2012| 10| Commodity Futures| Long| USDIDX DEC 12 DX/72| 10/25/2012-10/26/2012|

How the Golf Equipment Is Changing

On top of that recession of 2007-08 and counterfeiting products in the market was the worst exasperations Golf Equipment industry had ever met. Every sports equipment manufacturer needs sales on the peak to grow and sustain In competitive environment. Sales are forecasted on the basis of demand in the market. Up to this point Golf Equipment manufacturers were happy but when some Golf Associations and Clubs hopped in, they ruined the demand by imposing limitations on technological design Innovations In club head and golf balls etc. Core Golfers were the biggest source of Golf Equipment sales and revenue.These consisted of the players who played 91% of the total golf rounds played in a year. Core Golfers had their problems as well for instance; hours of practice, instruction from a professional and patience to master all the aspects of Golf were their good excuses and a sales threat to Golf Equipment Industry subsequently. Underlying Drivers that changed Industry: The timestamp between 1997 and mid asses was the era of growth for Golf Equipment Industry but then came then came some underlying drivers that brought a downturn to the sales and growth.These drivers are named and explained below along with the effect they left on this industry. 1. USGS and R & A Golf Club of SST. Andrews . Golfers and rounds played 3. Counterfeiting Products 4. Recession USGS and R & A Golf Club of SST. Andrews: From asses till early asses, Golf Equipment industry was growing. Lots of innovations were being brought by manufacturers. For instance; size of the golf driver was Increased to minimize the bad effects of efficient hits. Similarly wedges were given more groove for Improving accuracy and balls were redesigned too.These all were for distance and accuracy purpose. These innovations proved good for PIG players 1 OFF as well as Tort Alphas. Average Elegance coverage was Increased Trot 2 yards. Consequently tournament committees started lengthening the golf courses. To protect the historic golf courses from being lengthened as there were space limitations, an association known as USGS (United Stated Golf Association) found CORD (Coefficient of Restitution or spring like effect in lay man's language) in this game and this was the start of impositions on Gold equipment technological innovations.CORD is a technical term describing the energy transference between two objects. According to USGS, CORD must not exceed 0. 83 otherwise spring like effect will be produced and that is barred. R & A Club of SST. Andrews also had an agreement with SAGA on the limitations imposed. R & A introduced another measurement I. E. CT(Characteristic Time) Test which, to avoid spring like effect required Golf ball to remain in contact with face of driver, not more than 257 microseconds. Although CT test was overruled by USGS subsequently but some other rules were brought in relating to driving clubs and balls.Manufacturers were disappointed by the limitations imposed but they were s till struggling to find their way. As USGS did not bring rules regarding club head size and club face, Golf Equipment manufacturers started trying to bring hangs in club face area that will produce maximum CT and they were successful. This club face performance was named as MOM (Moment of Inertia). After some alterations, golfers could achieve maximum driving distance. USGS after recognizing this change imposed limitation on MOM to 5900 g-CM with a tolerance of 100 GM- CM. Later on USGS imposed limitations on golf balls and wedges etc.All these impositions affected golf manufacturing industry. Some companies challenged USGS by introducing a driver with 0. 86 CORD but all in vain. This affected the recreational golf players also. USGS answered all the challenges and blames by stating that the purpose of limitations was to avoid excessive reliance on technological advancements rather than skills. Golfers and rounds played: Apart from the fact that SAGA produced lots of obstacles in th e growth of Golf Equipment Industry, there were some other factors also which contributed towards this downturn.A survey conducted in 2003 showed that interest of Golfers themselves is also declining. This lack of interest was caused by overall difficulty of the game. Golfers usually don't have much time to play as this game requires ample time to practice. Married players have had Job responsibilities as well as family time to be given. Players aged 40 and above were usually having health problems so they could not even play like core Golfers too. Some have even blamed high fee being charged which does not attract them more often.Counterfeiting Products: In mid asses, counterfeiters were giving very tough time to branded companies. Sometimes these people were so good in counterfeiting products that they look very near to the branded ones. Golf Equipment branded companies were shocked when they realized that some auctioneers are selling counterfeited golf equipment for $1 50 o $400, the branded price of which is $2500 to $3000. It was easy for eBay sellers to offer cheaper equipment. Why these counterfeiters came into the picture?There are different reasons, one of them is decisions made by golf executives who were sourcing club heads and giving contracts to manufacturers in china. Counterfeiters were persuading employees to steal molar AT Drained equipment . Black market production was also carried out in overtime. They even knew the packaging details of that equipment too. Steps were taken when six major manufacturers created an alliance to stop counterfeiting operations. A Chinese guy was prisoner for 3 years and fined $58000.Golf Equipment Industry & Recession (2007-2008): The biggest factor which affected this industry was recession of 2007-2008. This was a combined effect which basically started with credit and housing industry. Another major effect was on oil prices shooting up from $2. 25 to $3 and then $4 per gallon in 2008. As the golfer that time mi ght be a Job holder as well. He Might be using excessive credit cards. So recession made his credit card bills a huge burden for him and similarly for other golfers too. Rise in Mortgage payments added few more faculties to them.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Reproduction problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reproduction problems - Essay Example In the case of this patient the deficiency of 21 Hydroxylase led to the over production of androgen in the adrenal gland, which caused virilence in the patient. The exact pathophysiology of this disease will be explained in detail in the following section. 21Hydroxylase is specifically located in the endoplasmic reticulum of the zona fasciculate of the adrenal gland. It main function is the catalysis of 17 hydroxyprogesterone to a compound known as 11 deoxycortisol utilizing the glucocorticoid mechanism (Nieschlang et al., 42-55).The pathway begins with pregnenolone and ends with cortisol. It also acts as a catalyst in the pathway of progesterone to 11 deoxycortisteronne. Therefore, the deficiency of this enzyme affects both the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid pathways. The alsom leads to the hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex and elevates the level of ACTH (Nieschlang et al., 42-55). Since the catalytic step of the reactions is inhibited, there is an accumulation of 17 hydroxypr egnenolone and progesterone in the adrenal cortex. The level of 17 hydroxypregnenolone is elevated by approximately 500 times. 17 hydroxypregnenolone is utilized in the synthesis of androstenedione, DHEA and testosterone therefore excessive accumulation of this steroid hormone has led to the ambiguous external genitalia. The ovaries inside the patient are normal and the fallopian tubes, uterus and upper vagina are also normal due to the fact that they are not exposed to testicular antimullerian hormone. The elevated levels of testosterone lead to the enlargement of phallus. The patient has stage 1 virilization due to the significantly enlarged clitoris (Nieschlang et al., 42-55). The therapeutic approach towards congenital 21 hydroxylase deficiency is complicated and requires long term care and management. The patient should be admitted to the pediatric endocrine clinic. The management approaches require the following issues to be addressed and these include stress coverage, parenta l education and crisis prevention, monitoring and initiating hormonal replacement, optimizing the growth of the patient, reconstructive surgery of the external genetalia and optimizing the suppression of androgens and the future fertility of these infants. The hormonal replacement in newborns with CAH is to protect them from developing insufficiency of the adrenal gland and to also stomp the enhanced production of androgens. The hormonal replacement involves the administration of glucocorticoids which act as a substitute of cortisol thereby reducing the excessive amount of ACTH production. The parents of the child should also be educated on the nature of treatment as the administration of glucocorticoids is independent of the health condition of the patient and stopping administration may lead to death by adrenal crisis. The doses should never be missed. Case 2 The patient had 5 alpha reductase deficiency which is an autosomal recessive intersex disorder which occurs as a result of genetic mutation. This leads to the deficiency in the 5 alpha reductase type II gene (Costanzo, 10-20).The reactions that are catalyzed by 5 alpha reductase deficiency lead to the production of testosterone, therefore this process is inhibited. This enzyme is also responsible for the conversion of testosterone to DHT. The enzyme is expressed in the external genitalia in the early gestational period and is an important influence on the physiological development of male external

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Waiting for a Delayed Flight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Waiting for a Delayed Flight - Essay Example The implications of such a delay are equally very costly, not only to an individual traveler but also to the flight company as well (Forbes, 2). Flight delays result from such reasons as repair and maintenance of the aircraft, security issues domestically or within the intended destination, issues stemming from the airport crew as well as possible delays in the arrival of the respective aircraft. Other causes may be such as delays in baggage loading, furling, traffic congestion and such natural calamities as unfavorable weather conditions. In the event that such unfortunate occurrences happen, passengers awaiting departure often suffer greatly. The result of delayed flight includes lateness for strategic appointments, failure to meet deadlines as well as losses from delayed delivery of perishable products among others. Besides such losses, individuals often are stranded within the airport and are likely to incur other costs such as in refreshments as well as securing personal accommo dation services in case the delay is beyond a single day. I happened to experience a flight delay in a leading African tourism destination where I spent my summer holiday last year. This formed a memorable experience in my life has never experienced such in my years of air travel. Though accompanied by my parents, I felt so much devastated by the experience because this was the first time I experienced such a delay. The airport had very disturbing loud noises from the landing and taking off air engines, which made me have a very severe headache. My parents decided to take a stroll in the neighborhood of the airport but I was unable to accompany them due to a headache I suffered. They took me to one of the waiting bays where barely anyone else was and left me lodged on a chair as is shown by the picture. This was equally no comfortable as the disturbing noises were still very loud and clear. Moreover, the sight of the landing and taking off planes kept disturbing me as the waiting ba y provided a very clear view of the running lanes.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Black Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Black Nationalism - Essay Example ings in a comprehensive manner; comparing various views, common sense, philosophical tendencies, and/ or set of ideas that are proposed by class that is dominant in a given society (Michael 6). The main logic behind ideology is to bring about change that is deemed desirable in the society, or through a normative process, facilitate adherence to certain ideals where there is already the existence of conformity. The use of ideology in search for freedom among the blacks is one of the most evident across the world. This is because, for a long time the blacks have been advocating for gaining the national identity like the other races. Their advocacy was informed by the fact that the blacks across the world were under various forms of bondage namely colonialism in Africa and slavery in America. As a result, they were racially discriminated, and politically and economically sidelined in addition to losing their identity, thus, the rise of Black Nationalism. In the United States, Black Nationalism referred to a social and political movement that held set of beliefs that the American Americans should have political, economic, and social institutions that are distinct and separate from those of white society. This discussion will critically analyze the significance of black separatism ideological approach that was beneficial to the Black quest for freedom and self- determination. The ideology of Black separatism was one of the major ideologies under the political slogan ‘Black Power’. The ideology was pushed forward by Black Power adherents who believed in Black autonomy and the need of blacks separating from the whites economically, politically, and socially. The ideology was prominent in the 1960s and 1970s during the Black Power movement that emphasized on recognition and respect of black race identity and advocated for the creation of black social and political institutions in order to promote the collective interests of the blacks and advance their values as well

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Project Planning in Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Project Planning in Teams - Essay Example This also allows the formation of work breakdown structure and defining the dependencies and relationships. Using the same, network activity diagram can be formulated which assists in identification of critical activities and paths and time for completion of projects i.e. minimum and maximum. (Thayer, 2000). Following up with the same, the essential cost and time factors can be allocated to each activity allowing the final estimate to be calculated for the project on the whole. Once the plan is in its final shape, it is referred to as the baseline of the project that eventually serves as a benchmark for comparison of each activity's completion. Such comparison lead to creation of experience and knowledge which betters the future planning by individuals involved in the process (Fleming, 2005). A specification document is mainly a written foundation that specifies the major set of requirements of a project. These set of specifications are generally vague in nature. Later an agreement is reached between the customer and the vendor that is a refined form of specifications document and has a legal value and it contains in finalized format what actually a customer needs (Pinto, Jun 2006). Structuring a project is rather an essentiality to proceed with the work. Based on the set of requirements agreed upon by the customer, the project manager formulates a structure according to which resources are allocated (Pinto, Jun 2006). Work Breakdown Structure Work Breakdown Structure or WBS is an important tool in structuring a project that mainly requires breaking a requirement in small bits and pieces that would be later compiled to form the whole of a project. WBS is extremely useful because it defines precisely the requirements of each bit of a project, and secondly, it also assists in formulation of milestones in the project, alongside the ease of having parallel running activities (Pinto, Jun 2006). Task Allocation One the WBS is formed; tasks are allocated to individuals and in

Monday, September 9, 2019

Sustainable Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sustainable Design - Essay Example It is first remarkable that, as Yeang, p. 413, 2007, puts it concisely - "Nature regards humans as one of its many species. What differentiates humans is their capability to inflict devastating changes on the environment".3 One of the major human activities that hugely and adversely affect the environment is the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy for other down line human activities. It is now notable that fossil fuels, even in the first parts of the 21st century, still remain the major energy source. Thus, it stands to good reason that any project that can run on low energy consumption is a profitable one. This is in two senses - firstly, with low consumption of fossil fuels low emission of harmful gases is possible and, secondly, the low consumption of fossil fuels enables energy planners to buy more time to develop alternate sources for future consumption when it is believed that all fossil fuels on Earth will be completely exhausted. This paper, thus, is concerned entirely with one such human project - human architectural activity - that is being designed to consume low energy and produce low emissions. This is what is currently being defined as sustainable architecture. The first part the paper discusses sustainability, its definition and global perceptions and the second part is a critical review about a sustainable development in London, called BedZED, as a successful example, its analysis and evaluation of its various environmentally friendly features. Ecodesign: Yeang4 defines ecodesign, which may be taken as sustainable design in this case, as a built environment that is fully integrated within its natural environment. It is taken here that the concerned 'built environment' is the sustainable architecture that this paper is in search of. Yeang (2007), furthermore, severely cautions against misconceptions that technology alone can provide sustainable architecture. He states that simply putting a set of technologies commonly acknowledged as green such as solar arrays, photovoltaic, biological recycling systems, building automation systems and double-skin facades into a building can merit the term ecodesign. Also, if a high mark in a green-rating system can hardly be construed as satisfactory reason to call the built environment sustainable architecture(Yeang, 2007). Instead, Yeang (2007) implies that ecodesign, or sustainable architecture, can only be operational when the entire building interacts with its natural environment in such a manne r that all its inputs and outputs sustain the ecosystem within which it is built without upsetting its delicate balance of secure survival. In this sense Yeang (2007) believes that not only the building but all its associated activities, such as transportation, for example, must be integrated into its ecosystem where he implies

Sunday, September 8, 2019

The informative speech. (Preparation Outline) Essay

The informative speech. (Preparation Outline) - Essay Example Have you ever know what are the psychological theories of aging process? II. I will inform you about the three major theories of aging process, their consequences on human mind. I have seen aged people around me with some problems. Some of them are expressive while some of them prefer to remain silent. III. I will inform you the different theories involved in aging process. There are biological as well as psychological theories. Basically I want to focus on the psychological theories of aging process. 2. Historically, the psychological study of human aging evolved in the twentieth century. Publications that mark this evolution are, for instance, Eisdorfer and Lawton (1973) and the first handbook on the psychology of aging edited by Birren and Schaie. 3.1. The Activity Theory: This theory is also known as implicit theory of aging or normal theory of aging. The theory was developed by Robert J. Havighurst in 1961. According to this theory, a successful aging takes place when older people remain active and maintain their social interactions. 3.2. Disangagement Theory: It is based on the observation in the USA study of Cumming and Henry (1979) According to this theory, â€Å"aging is an inevitable mutual withdrawal or disengagement, resulting in decreased interaction between aging person and others in the social systems he belongs to.† ii. Social activeness by encouraging them to stay in the company of same member group in our housing society such as senior citizens club. Taking proper and healthy diet and involve in some physical activities that will suit them. Aging is an inevitable process in everyones life. The information I provide you about aging will be useful to know scientifically and cognitively about aging process. I explain the major theories in which you can study human behaviour in aging period. Now be familiar with the aging

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Business law ( a righteous strike ) case study based in oman

Business law ( a righteous strike ) based in oman - Case Study Example According to article 107, the management of a retail outlet has a chance to use the procedures that were approved by competent directorate to negotiate with their workers. The management can engage in a constructive dialog with the retail workers union officials to iron out the issues that are causing labor disputes. The process will involve a comprehensive dialogue where the workers can present their grievances and demands to the managers of the retail outlet for consideration. On the other hand, the company officials can present the facts on the table and explain the company’s ability to comply with the workers demands. Article 107 also outlines the procedure to be followed in resolving such disputes where the company does not have the appropriate mechanisms and procedures of addressing the challenge. For instance, retail outlet managers may apply to relevant competent directorate to act as an arbitrator in the negotiation process. Article 107 B also gives the labor minister the authority to issue directives for requiring the employers to organize a collective bargaining forum to settle the disputes. The minister is also given powers by the constitution to issue a directive to the employer. Start collective bargaining process with their employees with the aim of finding a solution on stalemate due to workers grievances on promotion, working conditions and organizing closures and peaceful strikes. The management of the company has all the above avenues as per the provisions of the Oman labor laws to pursue in resolving the dispute. According to article 33 of the Omani labor laws, the workers of retail outlet are entitled to have a medical cover paid for them by their employers Omanis strike for a better pay and bonus). The labor law requires an employer with more than one hundred employees to hire a nurse who will be going round and offer first aid services to the employees an organization. The article also requires the employer to provide a

Friday, September 6, 2019

Reasons for United States Possible Attack on Iran Essay Example for Free

Reasons for United States Possible Attack on Iran Essay The topic on the possibility of United States launching a military attack against Iran has dominated much news for several years since the Bush administration and during which some quarters speculated that such an attack would be ordered before the administration left office. As early as 2005, a number of articles had started revealing the imminent plans by Pentagon to order military operations against Iran. While people and the media may speculate and give their opinions about many aspects of the imminent war, the most important issue to understand is the reasons which may spark the attack. It is therefore the objective of this paper to discuss the reasons why US would engage in a military land war with Iran. 2. 0 The Euro-Based Oil Bourse This is one of the major reasons which revolve around the plan by Tehran government in 2005 and 2006 to start competing with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the largest physical commodity futures exchange in the world based in New York and the London based International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) by using the euro-dominated oil trading mechanism (Clark, 2004). The logic behind this is that by using this mechanism in international oil trades, the euro is going to take dominance and establish a firm ground which will serve to overshadow the strength of the U. S dollar in the global oil market. The U. S government therefore considers this a real threat by Tehran government which warrants intervention to protect the dollar from being toppled off from its long term monopoly in the critical international oil market. It is worth noting that lack of an oil pricing standard that is euro-dominated also referred to oil â€Å"marker† in the oil trading industry is one of the technical challenges facing the euro-based trading system in oil transactions. The oil markers currently in operation today are the U. S dollar dominated which include Norway Brent crude, West Texas Intermediate crude, and the UAE Dubai crude. In the spring of 2003, Iran laid down a requirement that all the transactions for its Asian and European oil exports be conducted using the euro currency though the pricing of oil was still predominantly controlled by the dollar. Following an official announcement in 2004 that Iran had intentions to develop an Iranian oil Bourse, it raised the concerns that a stiff competition would ensue between the Iranian oil bourse and the U. S owned NYME and the IPE (Clark, 2004). The macroeconomic implications of such a development would cause a shift in the international commerce in both Middle East and the European Union which is the largest importer of oil from OPEC producers. Consequently, the financial hegemony enjoyed by the IPE and NYMEX would be greatly challenged and thus the U. S is likely to avoid this through military action. 3. 0 The Ambitious Nuclear Program of Iran The Tehran’s nuclear ambition is another possible reason as to why the U. S may launch a land military attack on Iran. This has been seen from the latest series of sanctions on Iran by the Obama administration which mainly targets the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which is the most powerful social, political and economic institution in Iran. The organization also has a large number of companies and banks and therefore makes it an appropriate target for these sanctions (LANDLER COOPER, 2010). However, the critical thing to focus on with regard to this issue is whether these sanctions have the capacity to compel Iran to halt its nuclear program. If the history of political and economic sanctions against countries is anything to go by, then Iran may not change its course despite the sanctions and this may lead to war. The reason for the sanctions is to â€Å"contain† Tehran which depicts a link which leads from diplomatic pressure to military action (Nadal, 2010). Tehran views this threat as real considering that its two neighbors to the west and to the east have a large number of U. S troops. 4. 0 Conclusion A possible military action on Iran by the US cannot be overlooked since the reasons surrounding this possibility would also have major effects on the economy and the security of the US. Considering the economic problems facing the US, the attempts by Iran to establish the euro-based oil bourse may seem as an attempt to suppress the dollar in the international oil market. The nuclear program also would threaten the security not only of the US but also of the world if it is not either regulated or completely halted. To aver the nuclear weapons development, Washington ought to try and alter the perceptions of threat harbored by Iran against America. References Clark, W. (2004). The Real Reasons Why Iran is the Next Target: The Emerging Euro-denominated International Oil Marker. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. globalresearch. ca/articles/CLA410A. html LANDLER, M. , COOPER, H. (2010). U. S. Eyes New Sanctions Over Iran Nuclear Program. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/02/10/world/middleeast/10sanctions. html? _r=1 Nadal, A. (2010). Sanctions against Iran and the Next War. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. campaigniran. org/casmii/index. php? q=node/10518

Thursday, September 5, 2019

A Review Of Acheson Report Health Essay

A Review Of Acheson Report Health Essay The report also calls for more funding support to schools in deprived areas, better nutrition and the concept of health-promoting schools. Benefit levels for providing nutritional meals to children should be increased and food should be more affordable for fulfilling nutritional needs of children. The report also focuses on smoking and drinking problems urging for restrictions on smoking in public places, a ban on tobacco advertising and promotion, mass educational initiatives, increases in the price of tobacco and the prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy. The Acheson report also suggests close links between health and mortality rates. The Acheson report has been instrumental in shaping, directing and implementing several changes in the NHS Health policy. Several studies and research reports have been published on the impact and influence of the Acheson report on changes within health care policy. The Acheson report identified three crucial areas on social gradient and health inequalities and suggested that: a high priority should be given to the health of families with children; all policies likely to have an impact on health should be evaluated in terms of their impact on health inequalities; steps should be taken to reduce income inequalities and improve the living standards of poor households. The Acheson Report and UK Health Policies The Acheson Report 1998, an Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health was similar to the Black Report 1980 and can be considered as a Department of Health review of the evidence on inequalities in health in England. The Department of Health has responded to the Acheson report by taking an official course of action. The Department of Health mentions that tackling health inequalities is a top priority for the Government, and is focused on narrowing the health gap between disadvantaged groups, communities and the rest of the country, and on improving health overall. The strategy for addressing this problems is published in, Tackling Health Inequalities: A Programme for Action that lays the foundations for meeting the Governments target to reduce the health gap on infant mortality and life expectancy by 2010.A programme for action include a three-year plan for tackling health inequalities and to help local organisations improve the way services are delivered to disadvantaged groups. The programme for action in response to the Acheson report is based on: Supporting families, mothers and children Engaging Communities and Individuals Preventing Illness and providing Effective treatment and Care Addressing the underlying determinants of health The Acheson report suggests that socioeconomic inequalities in health and expectation of life have been found in England for many years and there have been data identifying differences in longevity by ones socioeconomic position. Inequalities of health are measured in terms of mortality, life expectancy or health status and could be categorised by socioeconomic status, ethnic group or gender. The Acheson report suggested that there are differences in the health status of mothers, babies, people of lower socioeconomic status and people who smoke or drink heavily. The report definitely shows that death rates are falling in England and the rates have fallen since 1896. Thus life expectancy seems to have risen in the last few years although healthy life expectancy has not been rising. In fact the proportion of people with long standing illness has risen from 15 percent to 22 percent (Acheson Report, 1998). The Acheson report thus gave new insights on health policies and identified issues that contribute to an increased rate of mortality and possible ill health. It identified several socioeconomic determinants including income distribution and household below average income, education, employment, housing, homelessness, public sector, transport and health related behaviour. Following the report, the Choosing Health White Paper given by the Department of Health sets out the key principles for supporting the public to make healthier and more informed choices in regards to their health. Through the paper, the Government has provided information and practical support to get people motivated and improve emotional well-being and also provide access to services to encourage people to make healthy choices. The government has also drawn up a food and health action plan that focuses on the ways that better health can be achieved through better nutrition at all stages of life and for different groups in society, recognising and addressing different needs, particularly those of disadvantaged groups (Choosing Health, DH, 2004). The government has also set up the Health Improvement Plan and a new NHS plan for tackling health inequalities 81% of people in higher socio-economic groups consider themselves to be in good health now, compared with 61% of people in the lowest groups 76% of people in the higher groups expect to be in good health in 10 years time, compared to 53% of people in the lowest groups (DH, 2004). Putting forward the NHS improvement plan, the Government reiterated the NHS commitment that the NHS is motivated to prevent disease and improve health in general. The Government policies are focused on the fact that inequalities in health cannot be accepted and the fundamental objective is to create healthier choices for disadvantaged groups. The NHS Improvement plan was laid down in 2004 to not only counter health inequalities but also provide better quality of care to patients and provide safer and more effective treatment. The NHS Improvement Plan set out modernisation and health plans putting patients and service users first through more personalised care; a focus on the whole of health and well-being, not only illness; and further devolution of decision-making to local organisations. (DH, 2004) According to the Government report and Action Plan laid out in then Choosing Health White paper the nutritional priorities were given as follows: increase in the average consumption of a variety of fruit and vegetables increase in the average intake of dietary fibre to 18 grams per day reducing average intake of salt to 6 grams per day reduce average intake of saturated fat maintaining the current trends in reducing average intake of total fat reducing the average intake of added sugar (Choosing Health White paper, 2004) The Government took several steps to ensure that the recommendations of the Acheson report is considered for any further changes within the NHS. Accordingly major steps have been taken to ensure consumer awareness on the consumption of healthy foods and development of good food habits. Reducing the proportion of fat, salt in the diet has been recommended and retailers and caterers have been asked introduce healthier range of foods and offer such foods in convenient stores, centre locations and in remote areas of the city. In a plan to tackle health inequalities, the Government has focused on many plans including Offer people personal health plans with support from the NHS. Recruit NHS health trainers to provide advice and support for people to develop their personal health plans. Provide services in the areas of highest need. Offer disabled people the option of taking up a health check. (DH, 2004) Considering the Acheson report on the exaggerated problems of health care among pregnant women and children, the government has also provided eligible pregnant women with vouchers that can be exchanged for fresh fruit and vegetables, milk and infant formula through a new scheme called Healthy Start. A Sure Start scheme is also in place for providing training, guidance and support for early years to children. Practitioners encourage changes in parental behaviour and improve the social and emotional development and physical health of children in the early years. Community Parental Support Projects are also in place that involves training of lead workers in 500 communities. Healthy Schools programmes are encouraged to target deprived schools including Pupil Referral Units. The Government has promoted the concept of healthy schools by 2006, working towards a healthy school status by 2009. The concept of Healthy schools, Sure Start and the Concept for providing Parental Support as well as providing people with personal health plans are some of the steps that the government has taken to ensure the promotion of health. Some of the objectives of the Action Plan have been given as follows. Following the Acheson report, the government focus has shifted from the one aimed to meet national targets to a different approach that could be given as follows: standards are the main driver for continuous improvements in quality; there are fewer national targets; there is greater scope for addressing local priorities; incentives are in place to support the system; and all organisations locally play their part in service modernisation. (Care Standards Planning Framework, 2004). Research Studies We discuss several studies which deal with the Acheson report. Oliver and Nutbeam (2003) point out that health inequalities has been considered seriously for an approach to improve health care and government policies have been developed to explicitly address existing health inequalities that has become an important issue since Labour has returned to power in 1997. The development of health inequalities policies, have been critically examined to assess how such policies could or should be developed. The authors point out that progress in the development of health inequality policies has been made although the progress is less than expected or ideal. Kisely and Jones (1997) have written on the issues of public health ten years after the Acheson report. They point out that the issue of communicable disease control and the role of public health medicine is of considerable concern in the light of outbreaks and NHS reorganisations. The Acheson report seems to have highlighted several issues in this regard. Yet as Kisely and Jones the Reports findings have yet to be fully implemented. The paper calls for a further review of public health function and should include the removal of the specialty from management costs, and the clarification standardisation of the roles of the Director of Public Health (DPH), CPHM and other members of the multi-disciplinary public health team (Kisely and Jones, 1997). Possible organisational implications for a public health approach have also been suggested. Tarlov (1999) has delineated four conceptual frameworks providing the bases for constructing public policy strategies for improving population health and this include: (1) Determinants of population health. (2) Complex systems: (3) An intervention framework for population health improvement. (4) Public policy development process with two phases of public consensus and policy action. The Acheson report can be judged in this context and has provided both a consensus and a policy framework. Back to: Essay Examples Conclusion: The research studies and analysis of the Acheson report suggests that the 1998 Acheson report has been extremely influential in shaping Health care policies in the UK and reducing inequalities in health. Bibliography Primary health care in Londonchanges since the Acheson report. BMJ. 1992 Nov 7;305(6862):1130-3. Tarlov AR. Public policy frameworks for improving population health. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999;896:281-93. Blane D. Health inequality and public policy: one year on from the Acheson report. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1999 Dec;53(12):748. Williams A. Commentary on the Acheson report. Health Econ. 1999 Jun;8(4):297-9. Barnes R, Scott-Samuel A. The Acheson report: beyond parenthood and apple pie? J Epidemiol Community Health. 1999 Jun;53(6):322-3. Spencer NJ. The Acheson report: challenges for the College. Arch Dis Child. 1999 Jun;80(6):576-8. Better benefits for health: plan to implement the central recommendation of the Acheson report. BMJ. 1999 Mar 13;318(7185):724-7. Acheson D. Inequalities in health. Report on inequalities in health did give priority for steps to be tackled. BMJ. 1998 Dec 12;317(7173):1659. Oliver A, Nutbeam D. Addressing health inequalities in the United Kingdom: a case study. J Public Health Med. 2003 Dec;25(4):281-7. Kisely S, Jones J. Acheson revisited: public health medicine ten years after the Acheson Report. Public Health. 1997 Nov;111(6):361-4. Choosing Health White Paper, DH, 2004 NHS Plan, DH publication 2004 Acheson Report, DH publication, 1998 Inequalities in health, DH publication 1998 NHS Improvement Plan, 2004