Environmental sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental sustainability - Essay Example With a surplus of paper in the market of China, excess paper in Britain became very problematic (The Mail on Sunday 2009, 1). As stated by the representative of the Environment Agency: â€Å"We are expecting the market to bounce back in the next month or so. We want people to hold their nerve—we don’t have the space in landfill if people stop recycling. We can’t lose sight of that in the face of this temporary blip in the market† (The Mail on Sunday 2009, 1). Activists all over Britain have expressed anxiety over the tons of glut recycling mounting up on a national scale. This paper hence discusses the methods of recycling paper. The next section is a thorough review of literature about the increasing necessity and existing methods of recycling paper. The third section is a critical evaluation of the methods of recycling paper. The fourth section presents the possible future developments in paper recycling in the UK. And the last section wraps up the entir e discussion. Literature Review Paper recycling has become ever more imperative over the recent decades, especially for developed countries like the U.S. and the UK. The motivators for this change involve governmental and ecological factors. In paper production, the method of drying brings about structural alterations in the paper filaments, which lessens the consequent bonding capacity of the filaments and avoids rehydration (Limbachiya, Newlands & Dhir 2001). Enhanced purifying, while reviving the capacity to bond, has a negative impact on the looseness and capacity of the soft tissue to dry (Limbachiya et al. 2001). The review of literature below illustrates these concerns with paper recycling methods. An extensive review of literature on the features and functions of paper mill sediment was amassed. This is a vital issue because management of waste is important to paper mills. This issue is particularly important for paper mills where in derivative fibre is applied (McKinney 199 4). Methods of disposal, treatment, segregation, and contents of sediments have to be dealt with. A number of studies examined the contents of sediments stemming from the process of paper production and pulp and explored the similarities and differences between virgin filament and derivative filament methods (Limbachiya et al. 2001). The deposit from independent methods was described, suggesting the content of the different waste flows in the paper mill. Other methods of disposal were also reviewed in accordance with these features. The assumption of several studies was that the ultimate sediment use may be derived from its composition, leading to more productive application of the deposit. An analysis of the existing technology for fractionation of filament is also conducted by several studies (McKinney 1994). Available tools for processing of filament fractionation is explored alongside the qualities of collected paper that are regarded fit for fractionation. Due to the fact that filament fractions usually have uniquely different characteristics, they respond distinctly to the different processes like purifying or blanching (Rader 1995). Other studies discuss the features of the fractions, fractionation design, other

Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola Essay Example for Free

Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola Essay The book â€Å"Pagan Christianity† by Frank Viola and George Barna leads readers into the world of religion, religious customs and rituals, sermons and religious clothing. The authors show how the church has changed over times and what new practices and beliefs it has adapted. Frank Viola is known to be an American writers and speaker who has published a series of books devoted to problems with church calling people to return to the biblical principles. Therefore, the central thesis of the book is that people should get back to biblical principles in their religious beliefs because modern church practices are rooted in secular or Pagan practices which have nothing to do with the Bible and God’s commandments, as well as the church doesn’t resemble the early church which was described in the book of Acts. Modern church is based on hierarchical structure; whereas the author claims Jesus came with the strong intent to put an end to legalism, structure and hierarchy. The book is very interesting from historical viewpoint and I think that it is broadly accurate offering us new insights and facts from religious past. Pagan Christianity The authors start their narration with strong claim that modern churches have little resemblance with the early centuries churches described in the New Testament. With the partaking of the Traditional Church the author became very interested trying to reveal what we went on. The first chapter is reflection of authors’ inquiries on the subject of interest. For example, Viola questions whether there was a need to turn down light and to wait when the Spirit would move on to another church. The author thinks we are the ‘Children of Lights’, although he admits that he doesn’t agree with any theologian and preacher offering his unbiased review. It is said that the word ‘pagan’ is a part of book’s title and it is applied to the churches being discussed. However, even the authors agree that often this term is not applicable. In the second chapter the author discusses the issue of the Church Building and ‘modern’ church-goers\believers. It is emphasized that the Church has built itself. The original meaning of the word refers to the Greek language ‘ekklesia’ and it means a group assembled. Viola argues that time and words are describing the gradual development of Holy Places and things which are considered important parts of religious world. The authors discuss Constantine as he was one of the first Christians who gave legitimacy to the Christian Religion. Constantine promoted and supported grand displays of religious architecture. Further, the authors review religious clothing, music, steeples, architecture, thrones borrowed from other cultures along with customs and rituals. In the third chapter Viola provides overview of the order of traditional Worship and description of Sunday morning sets. He argues that standard order should be held in all churches with only slight differences. For example, he writes: â€Å"You can scour your Bible from beginning to end, and you will never find anything that remotely resembles our order of worship†. Further, the authors describe contributions of historical Church leaders – Luther, the Puritans, the Pentecostals, etc. In the fourth chapter they describe the sermon abandoning principles of Protestantism. The authors argue that the early churches were not the sermons; instead, they were places for gathering and Jesus functioned as its Head. In the fifth chapter Viola and Barna introduce the Pastor which is viewed as an obstacle to functioning of every member. The pastor is the fundamental figure in Protestantism and he â€Å"is often better known, more highly raised, and more heavily relied on than Jesus Christ Himself†. (p. 65) And it is a serious mistake. It is noted that the word ‘pastor’ isn’t a tile – instead, it is a function. Viola notes that the word ‘pastor’ is referred to in Ephesians 4:11 only one time: â€Å"a scanty piece of evidence on which to hang the Protestant Faith. In this regard there seems to be more biblical authority for snake handling than there is for the present-day pastor†. p. 66) In the sixth chapter there is a detailed description of Sunday morning costumes. The authors describe dressing up for church, what clothing is appropriated and why. The next chapter is devoted to the origins of Music Ministry and description of the hierarchy of clergy. The eighth chapter analyzes Tithing stressing that it is used in the New Testament and Clergy Compensation, althou gh it is never used by the Christians. Further, the authors specify Baptism, its core principles and fundamentals. They explain that Baptism has replaced the Sinner’s Prayer. The Lord’s Supper was firstly a festive banquet and, therefore, lost its concrete picture of ‘The Body and Blood’. The final chapters are devoted to religious education and how it is possible to receive the qualification to Minister the gospel. Viola and Barna provide new insight into the New Testament offering so-called second glance at Jesus, churches, pastor functioning, religious customs and education. Conclusion: Strengths Weaknesses Frank Viola and Geroge Barna offer new ideas and facts about religious order, customs, traditional music and dressing. The book is very informative, innovative and well-organized. Moreover, it is very interesting from historical perspective as it is challenging and thought-provoking. The authors incorporate many references about the culture of time, adaptation of church, etc. I like their idea about church building that church is not the place – it is the people. Nevertheless, there were several controversial moments I can’t agree with. I see that Viola offers his own version of organized empire and it seems that he is supreme speaker and the founder of knowledge. It is evidence of hierarchy which he manages to escape. Moreover, he claims that such situation shouldn’t happen in church, although he puts himself on superior position. Viola calls people to leave their church as all of them don’t follow Biblical principles. However, he tells we are the Body of Christ contradicting himself. I think that we shouldn’t worry about such doctrinal issues. Despite certain weaknesses, the book is very informative and fresh.

Gunboat Diplomacy :: Political Science

Theodore Roosevelt’s was a President who believed that the United States should be a strong country by military strength. He believed that that we had to a power in the world and a force in the world. Roosevelt wanted a two ocean navy. He wanted a navy that could come and go to the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean. With the idea of wanting power in the both oceans he began plans for the construction of the Panama Canal. This is where the essence of the Gunboat Diplomacy comes in. Gunboat Diplomacy involves intimidation by threat or use of military force. He ended up taking Panama and then leaving the Congress to debate the situation out and while debating was building the canal. The invasion of Panama to depose Manuel Noriega was the root of Gunboat Diplomacy. Before the Panama Canal was constructed, the country of Panama was a province of Columbia. The Federal Government of the United States used the Monroe Doctrine to construct an imperial diplomacy, which initially staked out a sphere-of-influence that warned Old World powers not to attempt any further colonial adventures in the New World: the New World was to be dominated by the United States. The drive to build the canal as a short-cut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans came about largely from the interests of the United States Navy, which recognized that the strategic control of the continent would devolve on anyone who had control of a canal at the narrowest point in the land: and there was the geo-political aspect of control of the Pacific Ocean. The British Navy had already proven the necessity of controlling the ocean as a supply line for colonial expansion. The biggest obstacle to building the Panama Canal was the issue of who would control it. The next biggest obstacle was the fact that the area was covered with jungle, which was a breeding ground for diseases Western medicine had never encountered. When President Roosevelt got behind the Navy to push its interests, influenced by the British Naval tradition, and intending to launch an American Naval tradition to rival the British in colonial expansion, he immediately embraced the plan to build a canal through the Isthmus of Panama. The only problem was that it belonged to another country. The Isthmus of Panama was a backwater, an inconsequential country province with no pretensions of independence. The entire project for independence was a proto-type for the kind of covert CIA operations Americans would be famous for in the Third World later in the century.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 15

The doctors at the hospital said Seth's survival was a miracle. Which, of course, it was. The police officers who talked to all of us believed Seth's actions had been rash – but also admirable. Defending a fair maiden tends to elicit that reaction, and since Seth hadn't been killed, no one else viewed his gallant defense quite the same as I did. Because honestly? I thought it was stupid. I thought it was so stupid, and I was furious. Beyond furious. I'd surpassed it and moved into an uncharted area of enragement. What had he been thinking? â€Å"I wasn't thinking,† he told me in a low voice, when I questioned him in the ER. The others had stepped out for a moment, busy with other things, and it was just the two of us. Seth lay on the bed, face still pale, but otherwise alive and well. â€Å"That guy had a gun. You were in his line of fire.† I opened my mouth to argue the poor logic there, but one of the doctors stepped back inside. She needed to check Seth, and I backed out of the room before I said something I'd regret. Seth might have acted like an idiot, but he was in the hospital with a major injury. Blowing up right now probably wasn't the most appropriate course of action for the healing process. Instead, I sought out Vincent. After his interview with the police, he'd stationed himself down the hall, back against the wall and hands stuffed into his pockets. He tilted his head back, face staring miserably up at the ceiling. â€Å"Hey,† I said, careful to keep a safe space between us. He glanced down at me. â€Å"Hey. How is he?† â€Å"Fine – considering everything. The doctors are amazed the bullet ‘missed.'† Vincent turned away and gazed blankly down the hall. He stayed silent. I didn't know what to say. So†¦you're a nephilim. How's that working out? Frankly, I could guess how that was working out. Horribly. Nephilim were the offspring of angels and humans. Those angels were now demons, of course. You couldn't sleep around with hot humans and still play for heaven's team – as I'd noted with Yasmine. It was why Jerome had fallen. In what had to be the most unfair deal in the world, many nephilim had been hunted and killed by angels and demons – even their own parents. Heaven and Hell viewed nephilim as dangerous abominations. The fact that nephilim tended to have unruly natures and poor impulse control didn't really help their reputation. As a result of their persecution, nephilim usually walked the earth disguised, hiding the full brunt of their power – which rivaled their parents' – as well as the immortal signatures that could give them away. And while I felt bad for them, they nonetheless scared the hell out of me. Many of them held grudges against angels, demons, and anyone else immortal. Jerome's son Roman was like that. He had come to Seattle a few months ago and embarked on a revenge killing spree. Looking at Vincent now, I wondered if I was dealing with the same sort of thing. â€Å"Does†¦Yasmine know?† I asked after several more awkward moments. His eyes flicked back to me. â€Å"Of course.† He said it with the same matter-of-fact tone he'd used when we'd talked about their relationship. It was a tone that implied how could she not know? Like it was absurd that he would keep anything from the woman he loved. â€Å"It kills her,† he said with a sigh. â€Å"It's eating her up inside.† â€Å"Because†¦of†¦what you are†¦?† â€Å"No.† His eyes were so sad that I almost forgot he came from a race of uber-powerful psychopaths. â€Å"She doesn't care about that part. What she can't stand is that it's a secret. That she has to hide everything. You know they can't lie†¦but she's not exactly telling the truth either. It's deceitful, and she hates that. And I hate that she hates it. I've tried to end our†¦thing a couple of times, but she won't do it because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Because she loves you,† I finished. Vincent shrugged and looked away from me again. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I told him at last. And I was. How horrible. Yasmine loving anyone was dangerous enough, but for her to love one of the most despised creatures in our world†¦well, yeah. That took it to an entirely different level. An angel should have been reporting Vincent's existence, not hiding it. Vincent turned his attention back to me. â€Å"Who will you tell? Carter? Jerome?† I stared into those dark, dark eyes, those eyes filled with so much sorrow and so much love. I stopped being afraid of him. He wasn't Roman. â€Å"No one,† I said quietly. â€Å"I'm not going to tell anyone.† He turned incredulous. â€Å"Why? You know what I am. You know you could get in trouble for hiding me. Why wouldn't you tell?† I thought about it. â€Å"Because the system is fucked up.† I went back to Seth's room after that, and when I stepped out into the hall later, Vincent was gone. He wasn't at my apartment when I returned home that night. Seth was released the following morning, and I stayed home from work with him. â€Å"I don't need to be coddled, Thetis,† he told me gently – though I could swear there was the tiniest hint of annoyance in his voice. â€Å"I'm fine. I won't break.† We were sitting in his living room, side by side on the couch. He had his laptop, and I had a novel. I folded a corner of the page I was on and shut the book. I wanted to tell Seth that he would break, that that's what it meant to be mortal. I wanted to tell him a thousand things, just like I'd wanted to in the hospital, but once more I swallowed my feelings. â€Å"You just need to take it easy,† I said. â€Å"And I want to make sure you don't do anything too crazy.† â€Å"Right. Because my usual lifestyle is so physically vigorous.† He had a point. Most of his days were spent sitting and writing. He wasn't too likely to burst another artery that way. â€Å"I just want you to be careful,† I said obstinately. â€Å"You were shot last night, remember? That's not the same as falling on the ice.† â€Å"You overreacted to that too.† â€Å"Is it so wrong to care about you?† He sighed and returned to his work. I had a feeling I wasn't the only one biting back angry words. We spent most of the day like that, talking little. Whenever he expressed any interest in something – food, drink, etc. – I was quick to jump up and get it for him. I was the perfect nurse/servant. Finally, around dinnertime, he looked like he was nearing a breaking point. â€Å"Arent your friends doing something tonight?† he asked stiffly. â€Å"Are you trying to get rid of me?† â€Å"Just asking.† â€Å"They're having a card game.† â€Å"You aren't going?† â€Å"No, I'll stay here with you.† â€Å"You should go.† â€Å"I don't want to leave you. In case you need something.† â€Å"Then take me with you.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"But you need to – â€Å" † – take it easy, rest, not strain myself. I know, I know. But look, I'm kind of getting cabin fever here, and honestly, I think you'd benefit from a little distraction.† â€Å"Seth – â€Å" â€Å"Georgina,† he interrupted. â€Å"It won't be much different than this. More sitting around, except with – â€Å" â€Å"Better company?† â€Å"That's not what I mean,† he said. We went back and forth, and as we did, I wondered when we'd reached this point in our relationship. Hitherto everything had been giddy and sentimental with us. How had we crossed the line into nagging? When had we started getting on each other's nerves? In movies, life-threatening experiences are supposed to bring people together. I finally relented, and we went over to Peter and Cody's place. The gang – consisting of Hugh, Peter, Cody, and Carter tonight – was surprised to see us since Seth often avoided immortal social events. But socially inept or no, Seth liked playing cards. It was the kind of analytical activity he enjoyed, and he could often get by without talking very much. Just before the game started, Niphon showed up. He and I exchanged brief glares and then proceeded to ignore each other. Inevitably, Seth getting shot came up in conversation. â€Å"You threw yourself in front of a gun for her?† asked Peter, clearly impressed. â€Å"Well,† said Seth, a little uncomfortable at all those eyes on him. â€Å"Mostly I tried to jostle it away.† â€Å"You mean, disarm him?† â€Å"Well†¦no. More like†¦jostle. I don't really know how to ‘disarm' anyone.† â€Å"I figured maybe you took combat classes in order to write those fight scenes in your books,† explained Peter. Seth shook his head. â€Å"Never been in a fight in my life. Until last night.† â€Å"That's awesome,† said Cody. â€Å"Risking your life in the name of love.† I stared at the vampires disbelievingly while they babbled on about how amazing Seth's feat had been. They peppered him with more questions about the attack, and the anger I'd been trying to squelch since last night kept building and building. Across the table, Niphon listened with a smirk. Carter, in his usual way, concealed his feelings. I wanted to know why he wasn't out with the other angels, but the Seth thing was taking precedence over my curiosity. One thing struck me as odd. Hugh, listening quietly, seemed as angry as I did. I would have expected him to jump right in with the vampires, blithely pestering Seth for action-packed details and waxing on about how cool Seth's heroics had been. But the imp's face looked dark and stony, his eyes fixed pointedly on his cards. â€Å"The guy was probably high,† remarked Peter. â€Å"Never know what that might bring out. You jumping in like that was pretty ballsy when you think about it.† I couldn't take it anymore. â€Å"It was stupid!† I cried. Everyone's heads jerked in my direction. I ignored them, my eyes on Seth. â€Å"It was foolish and idiotic and, and – † I couldn't think of any more synonyms, so I let it go. â€Å"You shouldn't have done it. He couldn't have hurt me. He couldn't have killed me. You should have let me handle it!† I knew that Seth despised being the center of a commotion like this, but he returned my gaze with a surprisingly fierce one. â€Å"Georgina, there was a man with a gun in a dark alley. You were in front of him. Do you really think I was running through all sorts of logical scenarios at the time? ‘Oh, let's see. She's immortal, so even if she gets shot, there's nothing to worry about.'† â€Å"Yes,† I growled. â€Å"That is what you should have been thinking.† â€Å"What I was thinking was ‘The woman I love is in danger, and I would rather die myself than see anything happen to her.'† â€Å"But nothing would have happened to me!† â€Å"It's a basic human instinct to protect the ones you love. Even if they're immortal.† â€Å"That doesn't make any sense.† â€Å"That's because it's been too long since you were human,† he snapped. It was like being hit. I shot up from my chair and stalked off to the bathroom. Angry tears were welling up in my eyes, and I refused to let them show in front of my friends. Leaning my forehead against the mirror, I tried to do all the standard tricks for calming down. Deep breathing. Counting to ten. None of it worked. I didn't get it. I just didn't get it. And apparently, Seth didn't either. Why couldn't he understand? Getting shot – in my head, in my heart, whatever – would fucking hurt. The pain would be excruciating. But in a day or so, I'd recover. I'd go on. But Seth wouldn't. Why did he not see how serious this was? Death was forever. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to block out the image of Seth dead. Cold. Still. No more spark in those brown eyes. No more warm hand to hold mine. A sob built up in me, and I forced it away. After more deep breathing, I finally felt like I could return to the others. But as I stepped out of the bathroom and started to round the corner back to the kitchen, I heard more shouting. Hugh. â€Å"It was brave, okay? Noble. Gallant. Worthy of a gold star. But she's right. It was stupid. It was so fucking stupid, and you're even more fucking stupid for not realizing it.† â€Å"I get it,† said Seth. I could hear the weariness and exasperation in his voice. â€Å"I could have died. I know, okay? But I wasn't thinking about the larger workings of the universe. I was thinking about her.† â€Å"No,† said Hugh. â€Å"You weren't. I am so goddamned tired of hearing everyone talk about how hard it is to be you. They all go on and on about how amazing it is that you can handle this relationship with her. But, Christ. Really, what's hard about it? You have this beautiful, brilliant girlfriend who doesn't fucking age. She loves you. I know you can't have sex, and everyone acts like that's the end of the world, but come on. She's given you the green light to go get it somewhere else. I don't really see you suffering that much.† â€Å"What's your point?† asked Seth. â€Å"My point is that she's the one who suffers. She knows your life is a ticking time bomb. What have you got, another fifty years maybe? And that's if disease or an accident doesn't take you first. Fifty years, and you're gone. She has to live with that every day, knowing that in one breath, your life could be snuffed out like that.† I heard Hugh's fingers snap. â€Å"Not hurt. Not injured. Gone. She is going to watch you age, watch you gray and wither away, and when you do finally die, it's going to destroy her.† There was a moment's silence, then I heard Seth say uncertainly, â€Å"Fifty years isn't anything compared to the scope of her life. She'll get over me. As everyone keeps reminding me, she's immortal.† â€Å"All that means is that she has more time to mourn. If you had any fucking regard for her, you would have ended this stupid romance a long time ago. You would have never gotten involved. She was uncertain at first, but now she's in. She isn't going to give you up. You could turn into the world's biggest asshole, and she still wouldn't do it – not with all these romantic ideals she has now. She loves too easily – and gets hurt too easily.† I finally forced myself to move in the ensuing silence. Everyone looked away from me, except Niphon. He was obviously enjoying all of this. I sat back down, and the card game commenced. None of us were really into it, though. The atmosphere was stiff, the conversation forced and halting. It was the proverbial elephant in the room situation. When Peter awkwardly said he was getting tired, the rest of us practically flew out of our seats to leave. As I was putting on my coat, Carter strolled over to me. â€Å"Seth makes his own choices, as is his right,† Carter said softly. The angel was regarding me in that way that always sent chills down my spine. Someone wearing such an ugly baseball cap really shouldn't have that kind of ability. Honestly, how did his hats always get so dirty? â€Å"You can rage all you want, but in the end, mortals live their lives the way they decide to. It's not our place to interfere with that.† â€Å"Of course it is,† I said. â€Å"It's what you guys do. It's what we all do. That's the whole point of the Heaven and Hell battle – we purposely interfere with people's lives.† â€Å"Yes, but this is different.† â€Å"No, it's not.† Beyond him, I saw Niphon saying something to Seth. Great. The imp was probably trying to buy his soul. That was so not what I needed right now. I turned back to Carter. â€Å"Look, I've got to go. Say hi to the Get Along Gang when you see them.† I dragged Seth away from Niphon, and we headed home. I hadn't thought things between us could be any more uncomfortable than they had been at Peter's, but the car ride proved me wrong. Earlier, Seth and I had discussed him staying over at my place, but as I merged onto I-5, he asked, â€Å"I'd kind of like to get some more work done. Do you mind if I just go home?† The elephant had apparently joined us in the car now. I smiled tightly and kept my eyes on the road. â€Å"Sure. No problem.†

New Surgical Technology: Adoption or Diffusion? Essay

This article raised an interesting subject: surgeons and patients seeking improved treatment often forget that a new technique is not necessarily a better one. Human body with its health problems remains the same but the surgical technology is always moving towards progress. People develop new surgical tools and new surgical procedures constantly. However, do we carefully test all these new tools and procedures before using them on people? And how? On humans? On animals first perhaps? Is it ethical? How do we know that new tools and procedures are better than the existing ones? Too many questions†¦ New surgical technology promises improved patient care and, therefore, surgeons may hurry to adopt it despite little evidence or their advantage over existing procedures. Surgical procedures that are later found to be ineffective waste resources and endanger lives. Anything new must be carefully tested and proved in fact to be better. Therefore, the key to this problem is a cautious and total understanding from the surgeons and the patients of why such new procedures come to be offered as treatment. Let’s look in detail how this new medical technology gets adopted in the US. It may come in the form of: * a drug * a device * a procedure * a technique * a process of care For the surgical technology in particular, new things come in the form of a new procedure that uses existing devices or drugs, or an existing procedure that uses new devices. Before adopting any new technology, people should seriously consider the following factors: * Will this new technology improve the quality of clinical care? * If found successful, will the inventor promote its rapid adoption? * How widely this new technology will be distributed? * Will it pass all known and potential barriers for adoption, (financing, marketing, etc.)? * Is it compatible with the existing technologies and operating rooms? From all of these questions the main factor is always the same: the new technology MUST improve the quality of clinical care for patients. If this precondition is not satisfied, the technology should be abandoned: even a logical and scientifically positive attitude is no substitute for proof in practice. There were cases where surgical technology that was quickly adopted without evidence of its relative benefit, was abandoned after careful examination. For example: In 1964, Dr. Smith reported that injecting the enzyme chymopapain into an intervertebral disc relieved pain caused by herniation of the lumbar disc. In 1989, the American Medical Association’s diagnostic and therapeutic technology assessment group questioned the effectiveness of the procedure and raised concerns about its safety. Their evaluation showed that, compared with placebo or no treatment, chymopapain was effective in only selected patients. In addition, when it was used by less experienced surgeons some patients had serious complications, including allergic reaction and even damage to the spinal cord. I feel positive about innovation in all fields especially when people can improve the quality of life by repairing and healing the human body. However, before adopting any new technology in the operating room, it should be offered to patients for a trial period. Also surgeons shall carefully watch and study this procedure being done numerous times, and if it can be supported by the already existing equipment and the existing operating rooms. Do we ask the patient about the convenience or improvement by the new procedure or equipment? Of course! He is the one on the operating table putting his life in the hands of the surgeon. Surgeons always like the new technology if it can be easily and quickly understood, and added to their existing practice without waste of time. If the input to their practice is great, surgeons will invest more time and effort and disregard disruption of their routine day to expand the competitive advantage that a new technology offers. What I learned from this article is the use of new surgical technology has the potential to provide patients with the best possible care. On the other hand, if the new procedure or instrument were not carefully tested and approved, it ruined surgeon’s reputation, wasted resources, and caused harm to patients. Surgeons and institutions must not adopt a new technology without solid evidence of its efficiency and superiority over existing ones. In reality, quite a few innovations in medical technology were often adopted without enough evidence and testing and this was wrong. No matter how good the surgeon’s skill and ability to perform a procedure, it is wrong, if the procedure should not be done in the first place and may potentially harm the patient. Source: Article from BMJ : British Medical Journal 2006 January 14; 332(7533): 112-114. Editorial by Gabbay and Walley and pp 107, 109. Contributors and sources: CBW is senior adviser for the Health Technology Center and senior fellow at the Institute for the Future in California. ————————————————- References: McCulloch P, Taylor I, Sasako M, Lovett B Griffin D. Randomised trials in surgery: problems and possible solutions. BMJ 2002; 324: 1448-51. [PMC free article] [PubMed].

Alibr Essay Essays

Alibr Essay Essays Alibr Essay Paper Alibr Essay Paper Belonging Essay: â€Å"Sometimes it is hard to balance belonging to a group with keeping one’s own individual identity. † How has your study of the prescribed test and two texts of your own choosing either supported or conflicted with this idea? An essential element of belonging is one’s identity as it provides an understanding of the group to which one belongs. However, it is often difficult to retain one’s individuality while belonging to a particular community. This difficulty is evident in Sara Gavron’s film â€Å"Brick Lane† and Shaun Tan’s â€Å"Stick Figures† (Tales From Outer Suburbia), where both composer’s highlight the loss of individuality as a result of group conformation. In contrast, William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"As You Like It† demonstrates the converse as it highlights that it is possible to balance belonging to group while keeping one’s unique identity. As a result, by comparing the exploration of all three composers, a responder can enhance their understanding of the influences that affect one’s sense of belonging and identity. As one becomes part of a group an understanding of their own unique identity can often be enriched. This is evident in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"As You like It† through Orlando, whose development of a sense of familial belonging empowers his own self-understanding. This is evident through the contrast between Orlando’s initial dejected state and final sense of status. This is evident through Orlando’s early despondence in the play in â€Å"in this world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty. The impersonal tone associated with ‘a place’ alludes to Orlando’s own feeling of alienation and isolation as a result of a lack of connection with others. This is reinforced through the hollow connotations of ‘empty’ which accentuate Orlando’s lack of understanding of himself. However, this is contrasted with the conclusion of the play, as Orlando develops his sense of familial belongi ng with his brother Oliver. This sense of empowerment is evident in â€Å"you have my consent† where Orlando’s dominance is evidence through his approval of his brother’s wishes. This emphasises his enhanced status and identity, solely a result of his sense of belonging. As a result it can be seen that it is Orlando’s belonging to a group that nourishes his sense of identity. Antithetically, when a responder considers Sara Gavron’s film â€Å"Brick Lane† the converse of Shakespeare’s exploration becomes prominent. This evident when considering the character of Karim, a London-born Pakistani man. As a result of Karim’s cultural and religious heritage, he experiences a sense of alienation from the wider community as evident in â€Å"Go home Paki! † The derogatory term of ‘Paki’ compounded with the incensed tone created through the exclamation, Gavron demonstrates Karim’s social alienation. It is this isolation that yields his identity as evident in â€Å"this is my home. † The blunt nature of Karim’s statement highlights his resoluteness and confidence with his own unique multicultural self. Despite this, Karim’s identity begins to waver as he becomes part of a Muslim group that fights for understanding. This is evident through the contrast in costuming used by Gavron. Initially, she characterises Karim in a combination of western and Pakistani clothes, but as he joins the group, these western elements begin to disappear. This results in Karim conforming to the dress code of the other group members, implying the loss of his own unique identity as a result of his belonging. Hence, Gavron, unlike Shakespeare emphasises that one’s sense of identity can be lost through their connection with a group. In certain situations it is often difficult to retain a sense of unique identity while being part of a group. This is elucidated in Shaun Tan’s â€Å"Stick Figures† where the Stick Figures are shown to be alienated from their homeland due to industrialization. Tan emphasises that by belonging to this group of isolated individuals, a person can lose their sense of identity in â€Å"faceless clod. † The

Vocabulary Words for Vegetables in Spanish

Vocabulary Words for Vegetables in Spanish If you were a botanist, you might call vegetables vegetales in Spanish. If you were a culinary expert, youd probably say verduras or, less commonly, hortalizas. But whatever you call them, knowing the names of vegetables can come in handy if youre poring over a restaurant menu or  want to eat a balanced diet where Spanish is spoken. Talk About Vegetables in Spanish Here are the names of the most common vegetables (and some foods that are often thought of as such, even if they technically dont fit the definition), along with a few of the uncommon ones: A-B artichoke: la alcachofa arugula: la rà ºcula, la rà ºgula asparagus: los esprragos (The singular form esparrago is used to refer to asparagus as a plant, while the plural is used for asparagus as a food.) avocado: el aguacate, la palta (The English word comes from the Spanish avocado, which is no longer widely used.) bamboo shoots: los tallos de bambà º (In other contexts, a tallo is a stem or stalk.) bean: la judà ­a, la haba, la habichuela, el frijol beet: la remolacha bell pepper: el pimiento, el ajà ­ bok choy: la col china broccoli: el brà ©col, el brà ³culi Brussels sprouts: la col de Bruselas C-G cabbage: la col, el repollo (Many of the Spanish names for cabbage-related vegetables include col, which comes from the Latin caulis and is a cognate of the cole in coleslaw.) carrot: la zanahoria (The Spanish word can also refer to the plant itself, not just the root.) cassava: la yuca, la mandioca, la casava, la casabe cauliflower: la coliflor celery: el apio chard: la acelga chickpea, garbanzo: el garbanzo, el chà ­charo chicory: la achicoria chives: cebollino, cebolleta, cebollà ­n corn (American English): el maà ­z cucumber: el pepino (Pepino can also refer to various types of small melons.) dandelion: el diente de leà ³n (The word literally means lions tooth.) eggplant: la berenjena endive: la endivia, la endibia (Because the Spanish b and v have the same pronunciation, the two variations are pronounced alike.) escarole: la escarola garlic: el ajo ginger: el jengibre green pepper: el pimiento verde, el ajà ­ verde J-P Jerusalem artichoke: el tupinambo, la pataca, la papa de Jerusalà ©n jicama: la jà ­cama kale: la col crespa, la col rizada, el kale leek: el puerro lentil: la lenteja lettuce: la lechuga mushroom: el champià ±Ãƒ ³n, el hongo mustard: la mostaza okra: el quingombà ³ onion: la cebolla parsley: el perejil parsnip: la chirivà ­a, la pastinaca pea: el guisante, la arveja, el chà ­charo potato: la patata, la papa pumpkin: la calabaza R-Z radish: el rbano red pepper: el pimiento rojo, el ajà ­ rojo rhubarb: el ruibarbo, el rapà ³ntico rutabaga, swede: el nabo sueco (literally, Swedish turnip) shallot: el chalote, el ajo chalote sorrel: la acedera soybean: la semilla de soja (Semilla is the word for seed.) spinach: las espinacas (The singular form espinaca is used to refer to spinach as a plant, while the plural is used for spinach as a food.) squash: la cucurbitcea string beans: las habas verdes sweet potato: la batata tapioca: la tapioca tomatillo: el tomatillo tomato: el tomate turnip: el nabo water chestnut: la castaà ±a de agua, el abrojo acutico watercress: el berro yam: el à ±ame, el boniato, la batata, el yam zucchini: el calabacà ­n Vocabulary Notes Not all vegetables are classified identically in the two languages. For example, not all the coles are thought of by most English speakers as cabbages, and not all beans would be thought of by Spanish speakers as habas. Also, as in English, names of some vegetables can vary with region or because of how theyre prepared. A vegetarian diet can be referred to as a rà ©gimen vegetariano or dieta vegetariana, and a vegetarian is a vegetariano or vegetariana. A vegan is a vegetariano estricto, although the term may not be  understood in all places without an explanation. Preparing Vegetables Following is a selection of verbs used in discussing methods of preparing vegetables. Also, the verbs cocer and cocinar can be used generically to refer to many methods of cooking. boil: hervirbraise, stew: hervir a fuego lento, estofarfry: freà ­rgrill: asar/hacer a la parrillapickle: encurtirroast, bake: asarsautà ©, stir-fry: saltearsteam: cocer/cocinar al vapor

On National Prejudices, by Oliver Goldsmith - Classic Essays

On National Prejudices, by Oliver Goldsmith - Classic Essays Irish poet, essayist, and dramatist Oliver Goldsmith is best known for the comic play She Stoops to Conquer, the long poem The Deserted Village, and the novel The Vicar of Wakefield. In his essay On National Prejudices (first published in the British Magazine, August 1760), Goldsmith argues that it is possible to love  ones own country without hating the natives of other countries. Compare Goldsmiths thoughts on patriotism with Max Eastmans extended definition in What Is Patriotism? and with Alexis de Tocquevilles discussion of patriotism in Democracy in America (1835). On National Prejudices by Oliver Goldsmith As I am one of that sauntering tribe of mortals, who spend the greatest part of their time in taverns, coffee houses, and other places of public resort, I have thereby an opportunity of observing an infinite variety of characters, which, to a person of a contemplative turn, is a much higher entertainment than a view of all the curiosities of art or nature. In one of these, my late rambles, I accidentally fell into the company of half a dozen gentlemen, who were engaged in a warm dispute about some political affair; the decision of which, as they were equally divided in their sentiments, they thought proper to refer to me, which naturally drew me in for a share of the conversation. Amongst a multiplicity of other topics, we took occasion to talk of the different characters of the several nations of Europe; when one of the gentlemen, cocking his hat, and assuming such an air of importance as if he had possessed all the merit of the English nation in his own person, declared that the Dutch were a parcel of avaricious wretches; the French a set of flattering sycophants; that the Germans were drunken sots, and beastly gluttons; and the Spaniards proud, haughty, and surly tyrants; but that in bravery, generosity, clemency, and in every other virtue, the English excelled all the world. This very learned and judicious remark was received with a general smile of approbation by all the companyall, I mean, but your humble servant; who, endeavoring to keep my gravity as well as I could, I reclined my head upon my arm, continued for some time  in a posture of affected thoughtfulness, as if I had been musing on something else, and did not seem to attend to the subject of conversation; hoping by these means to avoid the disagreeable necessity of explaining myself, and thereby depriving the gentlemen of his imaginary happiness. But my pseudo-patriot had no mind to let me escape so easily. Not satisfied that his opinion should pass without contradiction, he was determined to have it ratified by the suffrage of every one in the company; for which purpose addressing himself to me with an air of inexpressible confidence, he asked me if I was not in the same way of thinking. As I am never forward in giving my opinion, especially when I have reason to believe that it will not be agreeable; so, when I am obliged to give it, I always hold it for a maxim to speak my real sentiments. I therefore told him that, for my own part, I should not have ventured to talk in such a peremptory strain, unless I had made the tour of Europe, and examined the manners of these several nations with great care and accuracy: that, perhaps, a more impartial judge would not scruple to affirm that the Dutch were more frugal and industrious, the French more temperate and polite, the Germans more hardy and patient of labour and fatigue, and the Spaniards more staid and sedate, than the English; who, though undoubtedly brave and generous, were at the same time rash, headstrong, and impetuous; too apt to be elated with prosperity, and to despond in adversity. I could easily perceive that all of the company began to regard me with a jealous eye before I had finished my answer, which I had no sooner done, than the patriotic gentleman observed, with a contemptuous sneer, that he was greatly surprised how some people could have the conscience to live in a country which they did not love, and to enjoy the protection of a government, to which in their hearts they were inveterate enemies. Finding that by this modest declaration of my sentiments, I had forfeited the good opinion of my companions, and given them occasion to call my political principles in question, and well knowing that it was in vain to argue with men who were so very full of themselves, I threw down my reckoning and retired to my own lodgings, reflecting on the absurd and ridiculous nature of national prejudice and prepossession. Philosphers of Antiquity Among all the famous sayings of antiquity, there is none that does greater honour to the author, or affords greater pleasure to the reader (at least if he be a person of a generous and benevolent heart) than that of the philosopher, who, being asked what countryman he was, replied that he was a citizen of the world. How few there are to be found in modern times who can say the same, or whose conduct is consistent with such a profession! We are now become so much Englishmen, Frenchmen, Dutchmen, Spaniards, or Germans, that we are no longer citizens of the world; so much the natives of one particular spot, or members of one petty society, that we no longer consider ourselves as the general inhabitants of the globe, or members of that grand society which comprehends the whole human kind. Did these prejudices prevail only among the meanest and lowest of the people, perhaps they might be excused, as they have few, if any, opportunities of correcting them by reading, traveling, or conversing with foreigners; but the misfortune is, that they infect the minds, and influence the conduct even of our gentlemen; of those, I mean, who have every title to this appellation but an exemption from prejudice, which, however, in my opinion, ought to be regarded as the characteristical mark of a gentleman: for let a mans birth be ever so high, his station ever so exalted, or his fortune ever so large, yet if he is not free from national and other prejudices, I should make bold to tell him, that he had a low and vulgar mind, and had no just claim to the character of a gentleman. And in fact, you will always find that those are most apt to boast of national merit, who have little or no merit of their own to depend on, than which, to be sure, nothing is more natural: the slender vine twi sts around the sturdy oak for no other reason in the world but because it has not  strength  sufficient to support itself. Should it be alleged in  defense  of national prejudice, that it is the natural and necessary growth of love to our country, and that therefore the former cannot be destroyed without hurting the latter, I answer, that this is a gross  fallacy  and delusion. That it is the growth of love to our country, I will allow; but that it is the natural and necessary growth of it, I absolutely deny. Superstition and enthusiasm too are the growth of religion; but  who ever  took it in his head to affirm that they are the necessary growth of this noble principle? They are, if you will, the bastard sprouts of this heavenly plant; but not its natural and genuine branches, and may safely enough be lopped off, without doing any harm to the parent stock; nay, perhaps, till once they are lopped off, this goodly tree can never flourish in perfect health and vigour. Citizen of the World Is it not very possible that I may love my own country, without hating the natives of other countries? that I may exert the most heroic bravery, the most undaunted resolution, in defending its laws and liberty, without despising all the rest of the world as cowards and poltroons? Most certainly it is: and if it were notBut why need I suppose what is absolutely impossible?but if it were not, I must own, I should prefer the title of the ancient philosopher, namely, a citizen of the world, to that of an Englishman, a Frenchman, a European, or to any other appellation whatever. Continued from page oneDid these prejudices prevail only among the meanest and lowest of the people, perhaps they might be excused, as they have few, if any, opportunities of correcting them by reading, traveling, or conversing with foreigners; but the misfortune is, that they infect the minds, and influence the conduct even of our gentlemen; of those, I mean, who have every title to this appellation but an exemption from prejudice, which, however, in my opinion, ought to be regarded as the characteristical mark of a gentleman: for let a mans birth be ever so high, his station ever so exalted, or his fortune ever so large, yet if he is not free from national and other prejudices, I should make bold to tell him, that he had a low and vulgar mind, and had no just claim to the character of a gentleman. And in fact, you will always find that those are most apt to boast of national merit, who have little or no merit of their own to depend on, than which, to be sure, nothing is more natura l: the slender vine twists around the sturdy oak for no other reason in the world but because it has not strength sufficient to support itself. Should it be alleged in defense of national prejudice, that it is the natural and necessary growth of love to our country, and that therefore the former cannot be destroyed without hurting the latter, I answer, that this is a gross fallacy and delusion. That it is the growth of love to our country, I will allow; but that it is the natural and necessary growth of it, I absolutely deny. Superstition and enthusiasm too are the growth of religion; but who ever took it in his head to affirm that they are the necessary growth of this noble principle? They are, if you will, the bastard sprouts of this heavenly plant; but not its natural and genuine branches, and may safely enough be lopped off, without doing any harm to the parent stock; nay, perhaps, till once they are lopped off, this goodly tree can never flourish in perfect health and vigour. Is it not very possible that I may love my own country, without hating the natives of other countries? that I may exert the most heroic bravery, the most undaunted resolution, in defending its laws and liberty, without despising all the rest of the world as cowards and poltroons? Most certainly it is: and if it were notBut why need I suppose what is absolutely impossible?but if it were not, I must own, I should prefer the title of the ancient philosopher, namely, a citizen of the world, to that of an Englishman, a Frenchman, a European, or to any other appellation whatever.

Government and International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Government and International Relations - Essay Example Economic consequences of these attacks are felt even a decade later. American civilians were now living in great tension as none could predict what catastrophe was going to befall the nation next. The American government had to launch the operation â€Å"global war on terrorism† to curb this vice of merciless terrorism. American government under leadership of President George W. Bush vowed to fight the terrorists irrespective of their geographical location. This war however was supported by other nations such as Britain, France, Australia, and Canada thus, the American army had troops from these nations, and this made it easier during the planning and executed of the attacks towards the enemy nations (Owen & Maurer, 2012). Among many other nations, the American government felt that there was a need to defend human rights of the vulnerable children and women in the Arab nations where mistreatment of such groups was very rampant. In this project, we will try scrutinize all the r easons that provoked the US government to plot the main attack on Afghanistan, the challenges it faced in this endeavor and the strengths that facilitated its conquest. The US plotted the attack taking terrorist mastermind who had been the leader and main organizer of the Al-Qaeda group based in that country. The Taliban government had been ruling with extremist version of Islam throughout the country hence violating countless human rights and propagating a lot of abuse on the children, women, girls, and ethnic Hazaras (Roy-Bhattacharya, 2012). The United States of America had tried to negotiate with the Taliban government to surrender Osama bin Laden for persecution but this yield no fruit. The attack forced the US government to plot the attack and use excessive force so as make sure to attain their goal. They also sort to overthrow the Taliban government since it had failed in its role in providing its citizen with basic needs and commodities such as food, water and

The return of IBM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The return of IBM - Essay Example It should be noted that IBM enjoyed double digit net annual profit of 10-15% during the 1950-1980. These profitable years were coupled with strong company growth. For a firm like IBM, this was remarkable as profits are ballooning with the company's expansion (Duby 1995). This put IBM on top of other firms and became the most admired corporation in America. IBM is the envy of the corporate world as it enjoys an incredible culture of high performance and excellence. However, the early 1990s saw the downfall of the corporate giant. Iwata (2005) attributes the seeds of these failures top the big shifts in the Information Technology (IT) market and the key market changes and developments which were disregarded by IBM in the late 1980s. These problems triggered the financial catastrophe which was experienced during the 1990s. The downfall is indicated by the abrupt collapse in the firm's profit margin, stagnation and decline of its revenue and huge net losses. The internal performance of IBM together with the speculations on the firm's future slashed its stock price by almost half. The company also has to layoff 200,000 employs in four years (Iwata 2005). Amidst all these dilemmas, IBM managed to stand up and recover through various measures. The entry of Louis V. Gertsner, Jr. as the firm's new CEO when it is in the deepest trouble had helped the company to regain its robust performance. This paper will tackle the downfall and recovery of IBM. The succeeding paragraphs will justify the importance of the IBM's case in corporate finance. Another section will highlight the role and implication of innovation and changing technology to the business organization. In order to fully get acquainted with IBM, this paper will give a brief corporate profile of IBM together with the products and services it provides. The next section is an overview of the technology sector and the major competitors of IBM. A comparison of their financial performance is also shown. This paper will also give light on major issues faced by IBM and their causes. The last section will give a brief outlook for the company. Truly, the case of the Big Blue is very significant in the field of corporate finance. As with other business entities, the firm had experienced profitable years along with troublesome ones. The only difference that IBM shows is its capability of recovering after a great downfall. As a student, I believe that the downfall and recovery of IBM should become an imperative in a Corporate Finance course as it clearly shows the interdependence of the company's financial health and the firm's overall performance. The case of IBM also shows the mistakes that firms usually make. Through this, students who are trained to become financial executives someday are cautioned and trained on how to better handle decision-making processes. Another point which is highlighted by the IBM's downfall and recovery is the great impact of a firm's external environment. As mentioned above, the company's downfall was triggered by its disregard of the changing markets and emerging trends. Thus, IBM teaches stud ents that financial policies should take into account a firm's external factors. It is equally amazing how IBM was able to cope and surpass all this financial pitfalls. The case of IBM is also an important

International Operational and Logistical Strategies Essay

International Operational and Logistical Strategies - Essay Example They include: 1) Integrating all system transactions with a similar system 2) Sharing common data and practices across the entire business enterprise 3) Production of relevant information that can be used during the process of making decisions. There are a number of benefits associated with Enterprise Resource Planning and they include: Automation of business processes which enhances performance. For instance, the system indicates the consequences of all the decisions. Reduces costs by reducing levels of inventory within the business processes. Ensures free flow of information among all business processes. Improves communication throughout the organization. ERP systems that are highly customized can deliver better opportunities for competitive advantage. Improves the relationship between the organization and its stakeholders. Provides easier import and export of data. ERP has a number of components that enable it work properly and improve performance among different business processe s. ... However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with such systems. They include: High costs of switching to and from ERP systems Creates unnecessary dependencies Requires extensive training which may have high cost implications Unsuitable for production planning and supply chain management 2. Supply Chain and Application of supply chain and logistical tools and techniques This section gives an analysis of the operations management of Apple Inc with regards to it production, marketing, supply chain management and sale of its products. An assessment of the company will be done with respect to its background information, history and the types of goods and services that it sells in the industry that it operates. The supply chain characteristics of the firm will also be highlighted and evaluated so as to offer postulations on what ought to be done so as to increase its profitability (Apple Inc, 2012). Aspects relating to its competitive advantage in the global business, production processes and customer satisfaction will be highlighted. This means that the technology used and commitment to quality and excellence will as also be assessed. This is aimed at ascertaining the operational planning of the company with regard to major organizational models that enhance efficacy and success. History and Background of Apple Inc. Apple Inc. was initially called Apple Computer Inc, it is an internationally recognized company that produces and sells computers, computer software and other forms of consumer electronics such as iPods, iPads and iPhones. The firm is diversified and offers mobile communication and media devices as well as selling related software. It is an American corporation with its headquarters in Cupertino, California. The company has over 250 retail

It for my eco class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It for my eco class - Essay Example This is correct because the First Amendment prohibition against Congress making laws abridging speech does not exempt corporate speech. A potential danger of distinguishing corporate speech from free speech is that it places a limit on free speech. This is a danger because limiting constitutional rights is the same as questioning the integrity of the document and implying that the rights can be selectively applied (Polsby 23). On the other hand, a con of the Supreme Court’s ruling is that it has in a way made it possible for corporations to buy elections because it has opened elections to undue corporate influence over the election process. Corporations bring people together and give them tremendous power and influence that is more than that of individual voters. Another dimension to the ruling’s risk of opening the election to undue corporate influence is the potential for foreign corporate influence (Wilks 67). This risk is imminent especially because of the fact that foreign entities and persons own many corporations in the United States. Allowing foreign corporate influence on the elections of the United States is like creating a lee way for these foreign entities and individuals to support and endorse regimes which support their agenda even if it is not meant to benefit Americans (Smith 36). My opinion on this matter is that despite the advantages that come with this Court decision, it has serious negative implications that cannot be overlooked. Allowing corporations to fund certain political candidates compromises the efficacy of the outcomes of elections. This is because it will make voters feel that their preferred candidate did not win or lose the election justly. This is because voters reckon that corporations have more access to capital than they have and as such the outcomes of elections will represent the voice of corporations more than

Anthropogenic Disturbance on Benthic Communitiy Essay

Anthropogenic Disturbance on Benthic Communitiy - Essay Example Although in the early days it was believed that there could be no life at the bottom of the sea, a steady production of energy deep down at the ocean floor has led to a thriving benthic community which may however be affected by environmental and anthropogenic changes. Investigation of benthic communities is done by deep sea diving and actually obtaining samples of such organisms from the ocean floor. Traps, dredging and investigation of seafloor sediments could be useful in establishing the biological nature of such communities. The benthic organisms are essential for the environment as they clean up the water and are responsible for re-mineralization of organic matter. Since benthic sea creatures are a diverse group with many functions, they also tend to form a major link in the biological chain. This project deals with the study of human disturbance on the benthic community and the changes in the structural and functional manifestations of these organisms when anthropogenic interventions are obvious in any ocean floor inhabited by these organisms. Dudgeon (2006) studied benthic invertebrates and their drift in eight streams within Northern Indonesia where rainforest streams and oceans are disturbed by anthropogenic activities. The benthic community studied were that found in Papua New Guinea and South East Asia and in general not predatory. The results indicated that the benthic communities were strongly affected by channelisation and conversion of forests to agriculture. Some benthic species were found to show drifting activities at night showing some sort of community reactions to changes in the external environment. Arasaki et al (2004) suggests that anthropogenic disturbance is one of the major problems in marine communities and any such disturbance could be quantified by using multivariate techniques for analysing the distribution of such communities. The results of the study showed that ecological trends are determined by faunal abundance and all central continental regions with widespread distribution of benthic communities seem to be affected by human activities. There are many studies that show the effects of fishing or dredging on the benthic commu

It for my eco class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It for my eco class - Essay Example This is correct because the First Amendment prohibition against Congress making laws abridging speech does not exempt corporate speech. A potential danger of distinguishing corporate speech from free speech is that it places a limit on free speech. This is a danger because limiting constitutional rights is the same as questioning the integrity of the document and implying that the rights can be selectively applied (Polsby 23). On the other hand, a con of the Supreme Court’s ruling is that it has in a way made it possible for corporations to buy elections because it has opened elections to undue corporate influence over the election process. Corporations bring people together and give them tremendous power and influence that is more than that of individual voters. Another dimension to the ruling’s risk of opening the election to undue corporate influence is the potential for foreign corporate influence (Wilks 67). This risk is imminent especially because of the fact that foreign entities and persons own many corporations in the United States. Allowing foreign corporate influence on the elections of the United States is like creating a lee way for these foreign entities and individuals to support and endorse regimes which support their agenda even if it is not meant to benefit Americans (Smith 36). My opinion on this matter is that despite the advantages that come with this Court decision, it has serious negative implications that cannot be overlooked. Allowing corporations to fund certain political candidates compromises the efficacy of the outcomes of elections. This is because it will make voters feel that their preferred candidate did not win or lose the election justly. This is because voters reckon that corporations have more access to capital than they have and as such the outcomes of elections will represent the voice of corporations more than

Outlook report for M&S(Marks & Spencer) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Outlook report for M&S(Marks & Spencer) - Essay Example They are also planning to open up eco-friendly stores for their green credentials. Strategic planning process comprises of an important ingredient of external environmental analysis. Environmental analysis helps ascertain the state of factors internal to the firm which can further be classified as a firm's Strength or Weakness while those external to the firm can be classified as Opportunities and threats. This study of the strategic environment is called SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis facilitates the extraction of strategic information which aids in matching a firm's resources to the environment in which it operates. 1) Acceleration of store renewal programme-M&S have already started investing in their stores and completed about 70% of their modernization programme. They are planning to modernise an additional 10% of space and open up an additional 5.5% of new space in the coming years. With launch of new eco-friendly store, they will be able to cut the down the cost tremendously in the next 5 years. Within one year, they are able to save around 20% of their energy in the store. 2) Private labeled grocery- M&S sells 90% of its own food brands. Despite M&S experiencing difficult trading conditions in their clothing departments, their food halls have continued to run successful business. It consistently offers innovative, high quality and rigorously checked food. 3) Everyday value shop with quality- Making Marks & Spencer a more convenient place to shop, the popular shopping basket items have reviewed prices without comprising with the qualities of the product. Although the company is working according to market price but without hampering their quality and standards. 4) Variety of food products at one stop shop- Marks & Spencer's ready to eat meals are long been famous for their great ingredients. As more of consumer start spending their time in kitchens and would be spending in the next 5 -10 years, they come with new range of 300 ingredients right starting from fresh herbs to bread and cakes-makes easier cooking starting from scratch. 5) Expansion of stores and intensive use of space: Currently in UK, there are 622 stores and 278 international stores all over the world. With the possibility of resurging economy after 2 -3 years, they will be planning to expand their stores in UK as well as globally also. This makes their presence in UK stronger than any other brand. With the current downturn in the economy, they have already started utilizing the floor space for every square foot to its full potential. Selling space will be reallocated to higher growth product areas to maximize returns per square foot. Weakness: 1) Late entrant: With the increasing disposable income of the people and increasing awareness of the people about the healthy and dietary food, Marks & Spencer became a late entrant into this segment. Even talking about the experience of the store and one stop food shop, they had just entered into this segment. This becomes disadvantage for them as last mover. 2) Strong presence in UK- It has strong presence only in UK. It has 622 stores in UK and 278 stores internationally, which

Kasanayan Sa Filipino Essay Example for Free

Kasanayan Sa Filipino Essay Romblon /rÉ’mˈbloÊŠn/rom-blohn, (Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Romblon), is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. It lies south of Marinduque and Quezon, east of Mindoro, north of Aklan and Capiz, and west of Masbate. Its capital is also named Romblon. According the May 2010 Philippine census, it has a total population of 283,930 people.[2] The province of Romblon is composed of three larger islands; Romblon Island at the center where the provincial capital is located, Tablas Island to the west, and Sibuyan Island to the east. It also includes the smaller islands of Banton, Maestro de Campo, Simara, Carabao, Carlota and Isabel. Approximately 187 nautical miles (346 km) south of Manila, the islands of Romblon lie on Sibuyan Sea, south of Marinduque Island and north of Panay Island. To the east is the island of Masbate and in the west, the island of Mindoro. The province is composed of three major islands: Romblon, where the capital city of Romblon is located, Tablas, the largest island in the province, and Sibuyan, the easternmost island. There are also four smaller island municipalities: Banton Island, Simara Island, Maestro de Campo Island, and Carabao Island. Most of Romblons islands have a mountainous and rugged topography, and are of volcanic origin. The highest elevation in the province is Mount Guiting-Guiting in Sibuyan, which stands at 2,058 m. The peak boasts one of the most challenging climbs in the country due to its jagged summit.[3] Due to its geography, the province is endowed with lush vegetation and mineral resources. The fertile soil nurtures various agricultural activities. Being an archipelago, its coasts are dotted with numerous fine, white sand beaches such as in Carabao Island and Cresta del Gallo. Offshore, Romblon is a rich fishing ground. The islands lie on the migratory path of fishes from the Sulu and Visayan Seas, passing the Tablas Strait, Sibuyan Sea and Romblon Pass.[4] Romblon does not have a truly pronounced wet or dry season though the heaviest rainfall occurs from September to January. The driest months are March and April which are the best months to visit the province. 27Â ° Celsius is the annual mean temperature, with February being the coldest month with temperatures dropping to 20Â °C, and May being the warmest month wherein temperatures could reach 35Â °C. Southwest monsoon winds or Habagat pass through the province from June to October while northeasterly winds or Amihan blows through the islands from December to February. This Turtle Sanctuary Project is Sponsored by Chris Bech and his wife Theresa – Beach Land Estate Inc. Tablas Island. We are proud to pass on our latest pictures of the new baby Turtles that were hatched yesterday at our Turtle Sanctuary in Ferrol, Tablas Island, Romblon. 64 new baby turtles all hatched and are healthy and eating well, there are another 120 eggs in another batch, and 80 in another batch of eggs, they should hatch within the next week or so, we will update you. We have made a turtle egg protective area, to protect the eggs from predators, and we have a nipa hut where we assist visitors and have viewing area, we are in the process of making a new web site Romblon Marine Life which will be published early January 2012.

A Midsummer Nights Dream Performance Analysis

A Midsummer Nights Dream Performance Analysis In A Midsummer Nights Dream- How would you perform the role of: Lysander (500 words) Demetrius(500 words) Helena(500 words) Hermia(500 words) Theseus(500 words) in order to convey interpretation of the role to your audience? A point to consider before bringing the individual character interpretations into play is how to contextualise the performances within the text as a whole. In other words, the characters are not mutually exclusive entities, rather, they are interactive and woven into the landscape of the play. Therefore, I would like to propose a general outline for the overall performance. There are many ways to perform ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ and the way I choose will affect elements of the characters. There have been many performances of Shakespearean drama, where the play is brought into the modern day. I however, would like to perform the play in its classic setting. I would like the play to retain its archaic time setting. It is a very self-reflexive play – it is a play about staging a play. This highlights the idea of drama at its root – the reheasrsal and work that goes into a play. I would like to leave the play in an olden day setting because it consolidates the idea of drama being detached from life through its artifice, and the play being set in a by-gone era further consolidates the idea of detaching drama from everyday life. (a)The first character I would like to look at is Lysander. He refuses to yield to Demetrius’s demand for Hermia’s hand, and risks the wrath of Theseus by eloping with Hermia. This demonstrates not only the depth of his feeling for Hermia, but also his conviction in his own beliefs, and the courage to carry out these beliefs. The comic arc of Lysander’s performance hits its climax after Puck has sprinkled the love potion into his eyes and he falls in love with Helena. I would perform the character with some hyperbole at this point, in order to convey the comic element of the text to the audience. The idea of Lysander challenging Demetrius to a duel in order to win Helena’s hand is an example of the excessive behaviour and heightened action that brings much of the comedy into the play. It is a humour that comes from the reversal of the natural order – Helena has gone from being desperately in love with Demetrius and being scorned by him to being the object of both men’s affection, for example. This reversal in the behaviour of Lysander is something I’d like to highlight in performance. I think a change in demeanor, and in vocal qualities could highlight this. At the beginning of the play, Lysander is portrayed as a romantic hero. I would convey this to the audience through his appearance; ideally, the role would be filled by a tall, handsome man. I would like him to wear a costume of light material – symbolising the innocence of the ‘true lovers’ (Hermia’s description of themselves). As I would like to keep the play true to its chromatic origins, I would like Lysander to wear a type of Athenean costume, which he could change when he enters the wood. I would like all the characters to change their costumes when they enter the forest, to represent the immense change in their environment. I would like him to don a more earthy, swarthy coloured robe, such as green, to convey the pastoral environment to the audience. I would like to focus on how the character of Lysander should be performed during the sequence in which he challenges Demetrius to a duel. The interpretation that I would like to convey to the audience is one of escalating absurdity, which contributes to humour. This would be done through the props, delivery, vocal quality, paralinguistic features and a demonstration of how Lysander relates to Demetrius in this section: Lysander †¦Helen, I love thee. By my life I do. I swear by that which I will lose for thee To prove him false that says I love thee not. Demetrius I say I love thee more than he can do. Lysander If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too. (Scene III, Act II, lines 251-256) There is a strong sense of rhythm in these lines, and also rhyme, which contribute to the tension and sense of heightened action. I would like the actor to highlight the rhythm in his delivery. I would like Lysander to adopt a masculine stance, and to circle Dimitrius, expanding his movement around the stage, owning the stage, as it were, using the entire stage to convey to the audience that he feels he owns the space, as he prowls around it. (493 words) A character trait that emerges from the text is the point where he tells the infatuated Helena that when he says, â€Å"Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;/For I am sick when I do look on thee.† (Scene II Act I, lines 211-212). This utterance evokes a sense of his cruel nature, a pejorative view of Demetrius which is further consolidated when we examine the first first scene of the first act. When Lysander and Hermia are told that they cannot marry, Demetruis tells them they should let him have his â€Å"certain right.† (Scene I Act I line 92). There is subsequently a huge change in Demetruis when he falls back in love with Helena at the end of the play. This is indicative of a softening of his character – a change which I feel should be represented visually in performance. In order to convey Demetruis’s somewhat cruel, righteous nature to the audience, I think the actor should appropriate a certain demeanor. Body language could be used to demonstrate his confident, cocky side. For example, he could strut, use large gestures and also make use of all of the stage space – exercising his self imposed ‘right’ to the stage space in the same way that he wants to exercise his ‘right’ to Hermia’s hand. I would like his costume to be dark colours – such as a rich red – and flamboyant design, to contrast with Lysanders’. The vocal qualities should also demonstrate these traits. He only has two lines in scene I, act one, so it is very important how these are represented, as they will be the first impression the audience have of him. Demetrius’s lines are: Relent, sweet Hermia; and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. (Scene I, Act I, lines 91-92) The way in which this line is performed is very important. As the tormented lovers, the audience feels very strongly for Hermia and Lysander, to whom the presence of Demetrius is an invasive one. I would therefore also like to convey to the audience this sense of invasion. When Demetrius says, â€Å"Relent, sweet Hermia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I would like him to walk up to Hermia, and put his arm around her, caressing her with his other hand, turning them both away from Lysander. When he speaks to Lysander, Demetrius should keep his back to Lysander, but turn his head to face him, so that his line is like an aside, as if he does not respect him. The words ‘†¦crazed title†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ should be accompanied by paralinguistic features, such as an outstretching arm to convey to the audience how much Demetrius does not want Lysander and Hermia to marry. Finally, the word ‘†¦my†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ should be over emphasized to convey that Demetrius strongly feels that Hermia shou ld be his, whether she loves him or not, because of the wishes of her father. His character, and especially his behaviour towards Helana changes at the end of the play. Whilst in the earlier stages of the play, he is confident, using large gestures and a lot of stage space, at the end of the play, I would like him to express a more tender side to the audience, to convey the development of his character: That we are awake? It seems to me That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think The duke was here, and bid us follow him? (Scene IV, Act I, lines 192-194) This line should be used to convey character development to the audience as it contrasts so strongly with his opening line – the use of ‘†¦you†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ in contrast to ‘†¦my†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ for example. There is also a confusion in this utterance, which contrast with the confidence in the first lines. (566 words) Helena At the beginning of the play, Helena is portrayed as hapless; the scorned lover who has been wooed by Demetrius and then ignored in favour of Hermia. However, like Demetrius, Helena demonstrates a massive character development and transformation. Like Lysander, the arc of her character trajectory reaches its crescendo after Puck has sprinkled the love potion in Lysander and Demetrius’s eyes. When they both try to woo her, she feels they are mocking her, and gets angry. To best convey the transformation in her character between before and after the love potion has been dispensed, I’d like to consider how vocal quality and demeanor can be used in two of her utterances: Call you me fair? That ‘fair’ again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! †¦Sickness is catching. O, were favour so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. †¦O, teach me how you look, and with what art You sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart. (Scene I, Act I, lines 181-194) This except is from a long speech in which Helena proceeds to extol the virtues of Hermia, with whom Demetrius is infatuated. The key message I would like to convey to the audience from this speech is the idea that Helena is confused, upset and slightly jealous of Hermia. She is asking Hermia how she won the heart of Demetrius. In order to convey this dejection to the audience, I think the delivery of this speech should involve some rhetoric – while Helena is asking Hermia how she wooed him, and saying how fair Hermia is, my interpretation of this speech is that it is a melancholy meditation on the loss of her love. She is not looking for external answers, rather internal answers, and so it is questions she is asking herself. This could be expressed to the audience by the character of Helena distancing her self physically from the group – this would be a visual symbol of her isolation. Her demeanor and body language would be hunched and dejected, and her voice subdued a nd hushed The other speech that is a seminal moment in the performance of Helen is when she feels she is being mocked by the two men, and gets angry. Clearly her relationship with Demetrius is changed when he falls in love with her. While she may be unaware of it, the hierarchy of the relationship has been overturned, and she has now adopted a position of power. In her speech, she says: O spite! O hell! I see you are all bent To set against me for your merriment. If you were civil and knew courtesy You would not do me thus much injury. (Scene III, Act II, lines 145-148) This speech can be used to great effect to demonstrate the performance possibilities of this role. The demeanor and vocal qualities performing this speech would require differ hugely to the earlier one – with a louder voice, delivery directed at the other characters and inflated body language required. (493 words) Hermia Hermia is represented in the play as a strong, defiant young woman, prepared to take risks in order to fulfil her own desires. This is exemplified in her refusal to bow down to her father’s wish that she marry Demetrius. In the face of a death sentence, or life in a nunnery, she escapes with Lysander into the forest. Lysander’s love for Hermia, along with Demetrius’s desire, demonstrate that she is an attractive and desirable young woman. These are two important points I’d like to consider when constructing the performance of Hermia. I would like to convey to the audience her inner strength and determination, alongside her physical attractiveness. The notion of physical attractiveness could be conveyed primarily through costume and appearance. As Hermia is clearly a woman of considerable charm (illustrated when Helena asks her what charm she used to capture Demetruis’s heart), her costume should reflect this. As it is believed that she unwittingly won over Demetrius (this is an ambiguity in the text – it is possible that Demetrius loves her because her father is so impressed by him) I would also like to impress upon the audience a sense of naivete and innocence. The obvious symbolic colour of this is white. White would also look striking under the stage lights. I would use floaty fabrics for the costumes, such as organza, to communicate the ethereal quality of not only Hermia herself, but also the forest, and the magic contained within it. When Hermia leaves Athens and escapes to the forest, I would like her to adopt a robe over her dress, of green, to convey to the audience, through her change in costume, that a change is impending in the play. While the charm and beauty of the character of Hermia will be communicated visually, the inner strength and courage that I interpret as being key elements of her character, will be communicated through her demeanor. It is commonly understood in the study of body language that confident people stand up straight, unlike shy people, who hunch up, in a subconscious decision to take up less space. In this way, stage space becomes an important indicator of personality. I have mentioned before that I would, at certain points in the text like characters to use the whole space of the stage to convey a sense of confidence. I would like the performance of Hermia to adopt a comfortable use of the entire stage space. More specifically, I would like to refer to one speech that I feel is very important in the text, in Scene I, Act I, when Hermia is talking to Theseus with regards to her desire to marry Lysander: So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give soveregnity. (Scene I, Act I, lines 79-82) This speech is an important point at the text because Hermia makes clear her intentions to avoid marriage to Demetrius. It is a very dramatic, sensitive piece. This speech should be delivered with intensity, to convey to the audience the depth of Hermia’s feelings for Lysander. The performance should include some paralinguistic features such as moving around the stage, facial expressions and hand movements to express her feelings visually. (549 words) My understanding of Theseus is that he is a very complex character – there is conflicting evidence in the text as to his true nature. There is one utterance in the text that brings up questions regarding his true nature, when he is talking to Hippolyta and he says that: Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key: (Scene I, Act I, lines 16-18) My interpretation of this line is that Theseus raped Hippolyta. The implications of this in terms of how the character should be performed are vast. In much of the text, Theseus is represented as a pensive, thoughtful man. He kindly advises Hermia to â€Å"Take time to pause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Scene I, Act I, line 83) when discussing the situation with her father Egeus. This scene presents him as rational and kindly. The suggestion of rape in line 16 makes the line highly important, the suggestion I would like to convey to the audience is the idea that Theseus is warning Hippolyta. In bringing the issue of the rape to the forefront, he is reminding her of the power balance in their relationship. There is also possibly some penitence in this admission. This could be communicated to the audience through the use of certain vocal qualities, demeanor and stage space. I would like Theseus’s sense of power to be conveyed to the audience in a visual way, so he would deliver this speech standing, and walking around, whilst the character of Hippolyta would be sitting down. The discrepancy in their heights would be a visual representation of the hierarchy, which would further consolidate what Theseus was saying. This is such a patriarchal power play that props could be used to represent a sense of phallocentricity – such as a sceptre – a regal and phallic symbol. The use of this prop co uld convey to the audience my interpretation of Theseus as being the patriarchal and dominant force in the opening of the play. His kingdom is run on a set of rigid rules – for example, Egeus invoking the ancient law of Athens as Hermia wants to marry Lysander. This is in stark contrast to the forest – the mysterious, feminine arena which is the binary opposite of Athens. In terms of demeanor, Theseus should be calm, and considered in his movements. I would like his costume to be of dark colours, and of neat, clean lines. This operates in contrast to Hermia’s costume – the white of her costume is a symbol of innocence while the dark of Theseus’s costume is aligned with the dark side he hints at in this speech. (440 words)

Conceit and Misfortune in Oliver Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield Ess

Conceit and Misfortune in Oliver Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield From three hundred years of Ireland’s history, The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction1[1] collects a combination of complete works and samples of the works of many great Irish authors. Among the authors included in this volume is Oliver Goldsmith, an Irishman of great diversity in his writings and remembered perhaps as well for his individuality, character and generosity as for the various poems, essays, and works of fiction that he contributed to literary world. The Vicar of Wakefield, the selection chosen for the anthology, is not only significant because it is often considered his best work, but also as it is the only novel that Goldsmith ever wrote.2[2] The Vicar of Wakefield is an amusing and captivating tale that follows the life and hardships of the Vicar Primrose and his family, as they journey from happiness, through calamity, to the bare escape of complete ruin. The story’s humor as well as its plot result both equally, and to a great extent, from Goldsmith’s creation of the Primrose family’s hot and invariable desire to rise again to happiness by finding ways to better their dire financial straits and to reverse their societal decline. Although the passage in the anthology presents only four chapters from the novel, may of the ideas there presented introduce in, comment on, or foreshadow to various themes, lessons, and events of great importance to the work as a whole. These ideas will carry through the plot, and culminate in the story’s denouement at which time, if not previously, they will all be finally understood and their significance revealed. Among them are the here apparently def inite social boundaries that divides the rich from ... ...nt in the story Primrose had lamented, â€Å"O, my children, if you could be learn to commune your own hearts, and know what noble company you can make them, you would little regard the elegance and splendors of the worthless† (p. 147). Had the rest the Primrose family ever been inclined to understand this early on, and to feel in the same way sated with the simple existence that satisfied their patriarch, many of their misfortunes may have been avoided. However, without them story’s lessons, adventures, hilarity, and glorious unexpected conclusion would have been lost as well.    Notes: [1] Tobin, Colm, ed. The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction. New York: Penguin Books, 2001. [2] All further references to The Vicar of Wakefield will be cited as part of the complete work: Goldsmith, Oliver. The Vicar of Wakefield. 1766. Ed. Stephen Coote. London: Penguin Books, 1982.

Lisa Harvey-Smith on the Ska Mega-Telescope

Lisa Harvey-Smith on the SKA Mega-Telescope – Multiple Choice Questions 1. With current scientific technology, it is concluded that __% of our known matter is Baryonic matter, __% is Dark Matter, while __% is Dark Energy. A. 33, 27, 40 B. 7, 23, 70 C. 4, 23, 73 D. 9, 25, 66 2. Also called the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, the Arecibo Observatory is the world’s largest single-aperture radio telescope. It is located in ______. A. Mexico B. Iceland C. Jamaica D. Puerto Rico 3. The first picture ever made was an oval shaped depiction of the early universe, specifically the cosmic microwave background radiation.The intense blue, green, yellow and red hues depict ______. A. Fluctuations in temperature B. Infrared satellite data C. Sound waves D. Large concentrations of dark energy 4. The world’s first smart radio telescope received radio waves from the ______, then received the same signals bounced off the sea. This was helpful to create fine pinpoint pictu res of radio sources outside of our own galaxy. A. Horizon B. Mountains C. Atmosphere D. Glaciers 5. The world’s largest optical telescope is located on a mountain in the Canary Islands.Capable of making exquisitely detailed pictures of the sky, this particular telescope has a massive mirror ofjust over __ meters across. A. 6 B. 8 C. 10 D. 12 6. The Australian telescope compacting ray, composed of 6 radio telescopes took over ____ hours of observing and a 400 image mosaic to create a solid picture of the universe. A. 120 B. 1200 C. 12000 D. 120000 7. Within the early 1900’s, Albert Einstein concluded that space and time actually bends around certain objects with gravitational pull and mass. This can be visualized by the comparison of ______ . A. A puck hitting a net and the net bending to accommodate the force B.The stretch of rubber band and the snapping affect C. The return of a boomerang D. The bending of metal as it is heated 8. The Hubble Telescope is a small tele scope, but it is effective for developing clear images because there are no _____ distortions, in comparison to on-earth telescopes. A. Ultra-Violet B. Photon C. Bird and wildlife D. Atmospheric 9. Scientists won the Noble prize for discovering that the Universe is expanding at a rate much faster than previously anticipated. There are several names used to describe this expansion effect, but the most accepted is ______. A. Quintessence B. Vacuum Energy C.Cosmological Constant D. Dark Energy 10. There are several problems with developing new Radio Telescopes, one of these challenges is overcoming interference and finding a location without human activity. However, a place without human activity is also problematic because ___________. A. The location is too far for scientists and astronomers to commute B. There are no large power stations to generate the electricity required to operate telescopes C. With such a great distance from civilization, it will take a long time to transmit in formation D. Emergency teams will not be able to make it in time in the case of an emergency

Amazon.com Site

Recently, Amazon. com has enjoyed amazing sales and market share growth. However, Amazon. com is still running under an operating loss. This report will examine the historical strengths and weaknesses of Amazon. com, as well as the current opportunities and threats. The current strategic plan includes expanding into either online auctions or B2B exchanges. It is believed that Amazon. com’s many partnerships, as well as its technical expertise with online web platforms, would make it an instant leader in online auctions and B2B exchanges. After examining these metrics, I have come to the conclusion that Amazon.com should focus on: 1. Increasing its international market share, possibly into the Middle East and China. 2. Increasing market share in current markets in North America and Europe. 3. Delay entrance into online auctions and B2B exchanges until Amazon. com shows a consistent profit and those profits can sustain the large expense of setting up a new business model. Evalua tion of Current Objectives and Current Strategy Amazon. com has always had an objective to sacrifice short-term profits for building long-term growth, market share, and increased shareholder value.Now, Amazon. com is concerned with developing an effective differentiating enterprise-wide strategy, all the while maintaining the desire for expansion. This includes the possibility of moving into online auctions, competing with eBay, and B2B exchanges, optimizing the partnerships Amazon. com already has. Current Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths: †¢ Amazon. com has shown record sales and has reduced its operating loss dramatically and consistently increased market share and expanded product offerings. †¢ Amazon.com has a reputation for being one of the first businesses online and embracing the idea of taking orders through a website – first-mover advantage. †¢ Amazon. com has no physical stores. This creates low overhead which means a bigger profit margin on increa sed sales. †¢ Amazon. com collects payments immediately and floats vendor payments 30-40 days, which generates a large working capital. †¢ Amazon. com has contracts and alliances with many suppliers. †¢ Amazon. com has a large and loyal customer base. †¢ Amazon. com has an online shopping platform that is the envy of the retail shopping world. †¢ Amazon.com has partnerships with other retail companies to cross-sell products. Weaknesses: †¢ Investment in other online companies resulted in a loss of close to $135 million. With the current economy, similar losses could be felt again. †¢ Amazon. com is still maintaining an operating loss. †¢ Shareholder pressure to show a profit is great. Analysis of Current Environmental Threats and Opportunities Threats: †¢ Increased competition. †¢ Overall poor economic environment. †¢ Possible repeal of the sales tax exemption. Opportunities: †¢ Leverage the large customer base in expansion into new market segments.†¢ Use experience of expansion into foreign markets to further expansion into the Middle East and China, with large computer-savvy populations. †¢ Use well-known and easy-to-use platform to expand base of suppliers that use Amazon. com’s website offerings for their own online presence. Stakeholder Analysis †¢ Government agencies are interested in Amazon. com because of its wide reach. Being an international organization and crossing state lines within the United States, Amazon. com’s increase in sales could yield high profits to the countries and states in the form of taxes and permits.International government would also be concerned with an American presence and the affect that has on the people. †¢ Labor unions do not have much of a stake in what happens to Amazon. com because it has very few employees and all of the positions are traditionally not union jobs. †¢ Competing organizations are definitely interested in A mazon. com’s performance. Amazon. com has developed so many partnerships that it is difficult to increase market share and almost impossible to enter the market. If they were to expand into online auctions or B2B exchanges, Amazon.com’s reach may drastically cut into the market share of its competitors. †¢ Employees would be affected by Amazon. com’s performance because of stock options and the viability of the company. †¢ Suppliers would be concerned with Amazon. com offering competitive products at a lower price, similar to Amazon. com’s concern when they set up zStores. They would also be concerned with Amazon. com offering products that are competitive on the same site. †¢ Customers would benefit from an increase in availability of the products they desire on a platform that is well-known, safe, easy, and custom-tailored to meet their needs.†¢ Civic groups may be more interested in the Amazon. com as more products will be more avai lable to the population. †¢ Public interest groups may take a greater interest in Amazon. com in a similar manner to the civic groups. They would also be interested in the working conditions of Amazon. com’s partners. †¢ Stockholders will most definitely be affected by any change in Amazon. com. Being so close to showing a profit rather than an operating loss, shareholders are interested in increasing sales, decreasing cost, and increasing market share. Identifying Current Problems†¢ The first alternative (online auction) encourages email marketing (spam) and television marketing (which has proven not to be cost effective in the past). †¢ Setting up a separate online auction takes the risk of diluting the image of the overall organization. Amazon. com is known for quality, and auctions are known for deep discount shopping. It also goes against the mission of creating one giant organization all under one brand. †¢ Competing with eBay on pricing structu res sets up a price war, which minimizes the draw of Amazon. com’s quality and customer service. †¢ Setting up a B2B exchange could cause a conflict of interest for Amazon.com between existing partners and potential ones, stifling the availability of suppliers available in the exchange. †¢ Creating a B2B exchange that is not specialized waters down some of the impact. Coupled with competition from other exchanges, it could compromise Amazon. com’s existing partnerships. Alternative Strategies †¢ Focusing on maintaining market share in existing markets. †¢ Not expanding into other markets until Amazon. com is showing a healthy profit and is able to finance the expansion with profits. †¢ Expand into other countries, developing even more of a presence, perhaps in the Middle East and China. RecommendationsMy recommendation would be for Amazon. com to focus its finances and energy on increasing its existing market share. Expansion has worked for Ama zon. com all along, but I am concerned that it is becoming too large of a giant, potentially spreading too thin. If Amazon. com focused its efforts on expanding into other markets, like the Middle East and China, doing what it does best, and increasing market share in existing markets, it could show a profit for a while. Then, after the auction industry has settled down, Amazon. com could present itself as a fresh new alternative to the tired, worn-out ways of the likes of eBay and Covisint.