Design of Concrete Frame based on Iranian Code (2800) and Eurocode (EC Literature review

Design of Concrete Frame based on Iranian Code (2800) and Eurocode (EC 8) for Resistance to Earthquake - Literature review Example Another incident claimed 1000 people in 1981 in Kerman while 40,000 faced the same in Gilan, a province in Northern Iran. The Ritcher scale reading struck 7.2. An earthquake that occurred in Bam in December 2003 is numbered among the 130 major earthquakes in Iranian history with estimated casualty cases of 30-50 thousand (Iranian Studies Group, 2004, p.2). The foundation of assessment of seismic hazard in Iran is on the frequency of seismicity in relation to time and space. In the assessment of seismic hazards, seismotectonic sources are considered. The success of this study relies on regional and local knowledge on geology, seismicity and tectonics. The core sources of seismotectonic forces are; †¢ Fault sources and †¢ Area sources (Takavoli, B., and Ghafory, M., 1999, P.1013). Research conducted by different firms like Wilson (1930), Niazi (1968) and many others reveal that seismicity in Iran is linked to local surface geology and tectonics (1014). Iranian plateau is characterized by active faults, active volcanoes with an Alpine earthquake belt that is elongated and of high surface. Active earthquake activities are found along Zagros fold thrust belt thus making most parts of Iran vulnerable to earthquakes (Takavoli, B., and Ghafory, M., 1999, P.1014).... This allows the required dissipation energy. Capacity design protocols, parameters and fashion designs assist greatly in obtaining of design standards followed in design procedure. Seismic design codes vary from country to country due to various factors which include: The desire for seismic design codes of high quality The impact created on previous earthquakes relying on provision s indicated on the codes Research conducted at academic institutions on seismic designs and The period taken in the implementation of policies and legislative laws. Iran being an earthquake prone area has developed its own codes to be implemented in construction of structures. Reinforced Concrete Frame Buildings Reinforced concrete is composed of horizontal elements called beams and vertical elements called columns. These two components are joined together with rigid joints. The beams and columns are cast together to form a monolithic structure. Reinforced concrete frames offer resistance to gravitational and lateral loads by bending that occurs in beams and columns. Some of the subtypes of reinforced concrete frame construction are: Nonductile reinforced concrete frames with or without infill walls, Nonductile reinforced concrete frames with reinforced infill walls, Ductile reinforced concrete frames with or without infill walls. Tremendous changes have been made to design and details of reinforced concrete frame structures in seismic zones. Earlier building codes focused on requirements needed strength of a structure. The structural members were to provide resistance to lateral seismic loads. From various researches conducted about earthquakes, building codes shifted focus to sectioning and detailing of beams, columns and joints. The aim

Age of Extremes Essay Example for Free

Age of Extremes Essay The twentieth century was rich in events and outstanding personalities. In his book Age of Extremes, Eric Hobsbawm provides an extensive review of what happened during the Twentieth Century and the impact of those events on human development. According to Hobsbawm, the Twentieth Century was both the Age of Catastrophe and the time of the extraordinary economic growth – a complex sandwich of events and developments that changed the human society â€Å"more profoundly than any other period of comparable brevity† (Hobsbawm, 1995). In the first two chapters of Age of Extremes, Eric Hobsbawm (1995) tries to evaluate the social and historic legacy of the Twentieth Century and creates a brief picture of the events and accomplishments that took place between 1914 and 1991. The author is confident that human society cannot distance itself from the events of the past, because everyone on the globe, irrespective of their life history and personal background, went through more or less similar central experiences that affected them all (Hobsbawm, 1995). Hobsbawm (1995) traces the evolution of the Twentieth Century from the First World War, which marked â€Å"the breakdown of the western civilization of the nineteenth century† (p. 6). The western civilization was characterized by capitalist economy, liberal constitutional structure, bourgeois image of the hegemonic class, and the glory of scientific, educational, technological, knowledge, and moral advance (Hobsbawm, 1995). The decades following the beginning of the First World War were the Age of Catastrophe: until the end of WWII, the society stumbled from one calamity to another and lived at the edge of survival (Hobsbawm, 1995). The failure of the major colonial empires and the economic crisis of unprecedented depth added their share of complexity to the state of world affairs (Hobsbawm, 1995). Hobsbawm (1995) believes that the victory of the Soviet Union over Hitler was one of the most important events of the Twentieth Century. Without it, the whole Western world could have turned into set of variations on fascist themes (Hobsbawm, 1995). The rise of the socialist movements was the direct result of the weaknesses in the nineteenth-century bourgeois society (Hobsbawm, 1995). How and why the world threw itself into the Golden Age of capitalism between 1947 and 1973 remains one of basic historical puzzles; but the Golden Age could not be endless and the global crisis that followed affected all, irrespective of their political, social, and economic configurations (Hobsbawm, 1995). The economic crisis gradually extended to cover political issues – the collapse of the Soviet Union produced an enormous zone of political uncertainty and destroyed the stable system of international relations (Hobsbawm, 1995). The economic and political uncertainties were followed by the moral and social crisis – the crisis of beliefs, which humans had used over the course of the Twentieth Century to win their battle over the nineteenth century’s ideology (Hobsbawm, 1995). The century that had begun with unbelievable optimism and faith in the future ended with a bang and a whimper, leaving the society in the midst of the moral, social, economic, and mental collapse (Hobsbawm, 1995). In Hobsbawm’s (1995) view, the Twentieth Century was the time of unprecedented achievements and dramatic failures. The cyclical nature of evolution resulted in continuous instability and profound economic, social, and political shifts. For many countries, the Twentieth Century became the time of remarkable changes and the beginning of the new era of uncertainty and chaos. Whether countries succeed in resolving the existing controversies depends on how well they can learn the lessons of the past and use wisely the historical, political, and moral legacy of the stormy Twentieth Century. Conclusion The Twentieth Century was the time of unprecedented achievements and failures. The capitalization of the word combination â€Å"Twentieth Century† by Hobsbawm (1995) is not accidental. The author feels that the Twentieth Century reflected a unique paradox: the triumph of the material values and their absolute rejection at the end of the era. The century that had begun with unbelievable optimism and faith in the future ended with the deep crisis of the moral and mental ideologies, leaving humanity in the midst of the social, economic, cultural, and moral collapse. Whether countries succeed in resolving the existing controversies depends on how well people can learn from the past and use wisely the historical, political, and moral legacy of the stormy Twentieth Century.

Billy Budd :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   War shapes all moral trajectories in this story in many ways. War defines peace and tragedy due to the use and action of disagreement. In Billy Budd, (The movie), Billy ended up getting hung because he was accused of killing a member on the H.M.S. Indomitable. While these men were on the ship, they had certain rights that were stated under the Articles Of War. Each individual was punished under these statements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ratcliff states, â€Å"Go find the captain and report to him the wind’s abeam. Respectfully suggest we ought to take in topsails.† (Coxe and Chapman page 46). This quote relates to the suffering that these sailors have to deal with while they are out to sea at war. They have to respect the captain’s orders at all times otherwise they will be punished. This kind of life that they are going through is kind of ridiculous because it’s so dull and boring. I would hate to be treated like that because it makes you fell miserable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  O’Daniel states, â€Å"Ah, I do love to see two Englishmen fighting each other. It’s fonder they are of killing themselves than fighting their proper foes. (Laughs hoarsely) (Coxe and Chapman page 13) The meaning of this quote has to do with the presence of a fight. The main object of war is â€Å"fighting†. If O’Daniel was a good man than he shouldn’t even bring up this statement because he is heating up conflict. I think that he has some inner problems because he tends to be a little stubborn with others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that this quote that Billy states is rather fascinating because it has a lot of meaning to it. â€Å"I’d rather be buried at sea than on the beach, when I come to die. Will you stand by the plank, Tom, So I’ll shake a friendly hand before I sink? Oh! But it’s dead I’ll be then, come to think! (All Laugh) (Coxe and Chapman page 29) Billy is telling the reader’s in this quote that he really doesn’t care if he dies or not because he knows that he did the right thing. When he killed the man, he knew in his heart that he had to do what he had to do. He would rather be buried at sea than at the beach because at least he knows that he would be dead somewhere where he feels that he did the right thing in his power.

History of Streptococcus Pyogenes :: Biomedical

History of Streptococcus Pyogenes Abstract: With the earliest recordings coming from the Fifth Century B.C., streptococcus pyogenes, and more frequently, its symptoms have been prevalent among doctors and historians for hundreds of years. The first mentioning of streptococcus pyogenes is to be credited to Hippocrates, in which he describes the relative symptoms of the flesh-eating bacteria in its early stages. Then depicted by Billroth in 1874, patients carrying erysipelas were determined to have this certain bacterial infection. In 1883, the chain-forming bacteria were isolated by Fehleisen; and in the following year, Rosenbach applied the S. pyogenes name. Further advances in hemolytic and non-hemolytic studies were made by Lancefield in the 1930’s, in which the alpha, beta, and gamma subgroups of the hemolytic structures – detailed and defined by Schottmueller and Brown - were divided into serotypes. Although he lived four centuries before the birth of Christ, a man named Hippocrates recorded the symptoms of diseases we still see to this day. Known as the â€Å"Father of Medicine† (Hippocrates), Hippocrates was an ancient physician who studied and recorded his observances of the body’s infections and physiology. He set forth the foundation for future physicians, and in doing so, is accredited for our knowledge of infectious diseases in earlier centuries. During this time however, many believed the earth and its inhabitants were composed of four general elements: air, water, fire, and dirt. They also believed that any one person who fell ill was being punished by the gods. As a foresighted thinker though, Hippocrates encouraged the idea that humans became ill due to natural causes. In that wisdom, he recorded all his observances of his patients and their illnesses, taking careful note of the bodily symptoms and their progression. Described in his works, Hippocrates mentioned scarlet fever-like symptoms, 2 those that correlate to the flesh-eating bacteria now known as streptococcus pyogenes. Due to Hippocrates’ acts as a pioneer in the medical field, these chronicles are the first recordings we have of the existence of the bacteria. Centuries later, another man began to outline more thoroughly the features and symptoms of several afflictions. Theodor Billroth, a Viennese surgeon described streptococci, staphylococci, diplococci, and even rods found in pus as intervals regarded in a distinct species: Coccobacteria septica (Breed). He investigated the roles of the bacteria and entwined their origin. Billroth noticed specific bacteria in those with erysipelas; he named the bacteria streptococcus from the two Greek words strepto meaning a chain formed of links, and coccus meaning berry.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in The Things They Carried Essay

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is a psychological disorder that involves extreme cases of anxiety. PTSD comes as a result of an individual’s experience of a highly distressing event wherein there was a threat of grievous physical harm and there was experience of intense psychological stress. An individual is diagnosed with PTSD based on the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV & DSM-IV-TR definitions. Diagnosis of PTSD   is given if an individual shows the following symptoms for a period of more than one month. First, the individual’s recurrent experience of the event after the actual occurrence perhaps through dreams, recollections, and experience of anxiety upon display of different items linked with the traumatic event. Second, the individual avoids or does not feel anything when presented with things and people that are emotionally linked to the traumatic event. This may also include feelings of being estranged from other people in the individuals’ surroundings. Third, the individual experiences a heightened sense of arousal thus probably causing sleeplessness, sudden bursts of emotion, hyper vigilance, and the like. And lastly, the individual find himself or herself unable to properly function in certain aspects of his or her life perhaps at work, at home, or in other social environments. The severity of the PTSD, whether acute or chronic, is assessed based on how long the given symptoms persist in the individual. An event which has come to be heavily associated with PTSD is war. A great number of literary pieces have been dedicated to this event and one such work is Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. PTSD in relation to war is clearly seen in the different collections of stories compiled and written by Tim O’Brien in his book. One particular story found in the book that shows PTSD in the case of a war veteran is â€Å"Speaking of Courage†. The main character in this particular story is Norman Bowker. Symptoms of PTSD are clearly seen in his actions. Bowker is unmotivated, experiences confusion and mental chaos, feels estranged and isolated from others in his town and is also unable to obtain work. Social inhibitions that plague this character, which are clear signs of PTSD, are exemplified in his inability to properly order in a drive-thru restaurant. Instead of speaking through the intercom, he honks his horn at the waitress until he gets his order. He then proceeds to eat his food without moving his car and leaves only upon finishing his meal. (Examples of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in The Things They Carried; Tim O’Brien’s – The Things They Carried Eating Them Away) Bowker relives and is unable to move past the events of the war. He lives in a constant state of guilt because of his inability to prevent the death of his friend in Vietnam. The conclusion of Bowker’s story is suicide, an event that is not uncommon in cases of posttraumatic stress disorder. In the story â€Å"Stockings†, the main character named Henry Dobbins wrapped his girlfriend’s panty hose around his neck during battle supposedly as a good luck charm. He would also sleep with it against his face. Even after the war, when Dobbins and his girlfriend were no longer a couple, he still continued to sleep with and tie the stockings around his neck. Dobbins explains this act by the referral of the continued presence of the stocking’s magic. This shows an aspect of PTSD stated by the American Psychiatric Association in the DSM-IV & DSM-IV-TR wherein an individual experiencing the disorder experiences reactivity to objects linked with the traumatic event. The Things They Carried was clearly written by O’Brien with a theme in mind. That theme involves the experiences of war veterans after surviving the war. That is to say that the book depicts the effects of the war on the soldiers and the various individuals who were involved. Tim O’Brien particularly focuses on the psychological effects that the events of the war has left. The lives of the soldiers characterized in the stories are clear examples of emotional baggage carried by survivors of the war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jim Neilson states in his article The Truth in Things: Personal Trauma as Historical Amnesia in The Things They Carried, the recurring them of the horrors of war. The explicit descriptions of the incidents that the characters experienced in the story were the author’s way of communicating to the audience how such events could lead to anxiety, distress, disorder, and even insanity. Andrew Morgan also acknowledges that in reality, war veterans who experienced the Vietnam War still live with the guilt and fears induced by that experience. They carry these memories with them and are unable to lead the same lives they used to have before joining the war. These are what caused them to eventual experience of PTSD, to eventual insanity, and for some even to suicide.   Posttraumatic stress disorder is indeed a problem that plagues many war veterans today. It is encompassing in its scope and affects all aspects of the lives of those experiencing it. Tim O’Brien paints for us, in The Things They Carried, a clear picture of what PTSD is, what instances can lead to it, and the ugliness that it brings in its wake. Works Cited American Psychiatric Association. â€Å"DSM-IV & DSM-IV-TR: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)† 2000 BehaveNet.com 11 December 2007 â€Å"Examples of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in The Things They Carried.† 123HelpMe.com 11 December 2007 . Morgan, Andrew. â€Å"The Things They Carried† Angelfire29 April 2003 11 December 2007 < http://www.angelfire.com/ga4/project1/research%20papers.htm#Christopher%20Luke%20Corno>. Neilson, Jim. â€Å"The Truth in Things: Personal Trauma As Historical Amnesia in The Things They Carried† Fortune City 11 December 2007 . â€Å"Tim O’Brien’s-The Things They Carried Eating Them Away†   Studyworld 11 December 2007

European Colonization on Africa essays

European Colonization on Africa essays Back in early African history, Europeans colonized and infiltrated African civilizations in order to make a profit and to be known as a superior nation. By doing this, European colonists messed up the traditional African lifestyle. Africans were willing to let the colonists join them, but the Europeans went too far when they took over governments and tried to rule over the Africans. This colonization led to many problems in Africa, that still affect modern day Africa. First of all, the problem can only be explained about where the colonists were located. According to the European Colonization map, it shows that France and Great Britain ruled most of the Northern Part of Africa. France and Great Britain ruled other parts of Africa in the South, but not nearly as much as up North. Meanwhile, Germany Portugal, and Belgium ruled most of the Southern part of Africa. Now, to talk about the Government of Africa, Ill have to explain the two different types of governing. There was direct rule (French) and indirect rule (Great Britain). The difference between these two different types of governing was that indirect rule was when a local chief or leader ruled the colony, but was used as just a messenger from a higher power of authority. In this case, the British. The British would make the laws for the ruler to enforce, and he would do it. In the case of direct rule, the country that colonized the country, ruled it. The French ruled their colonies in Africa and enforced their own rules, rather than let a local leader do it. In African civilizations, indirect rule worked better for the Africans because they were able to keep their old traditions and not have to adapt to new ones. In the French colonies, Africans had to convert to French in order to be considered French. If they were considered French, then they could run for politics and be considered as an equal to a French person. ...

Spelling Tips 8 Words with Variant Spellings - Get Proofed!

Spelling Tips 8 Words with Variant Spellings - Get Proofed! Spelling Tips: 8 Words with Variant Spellings Spelling isn’t easy. It’s bad enough we have words that sound the same  but are spelled differently and have different meanings. On top of that, we have words that are spelled differently but mean the same thing! These are known as variant spellings. What Are Variant Spellings? Variant spellings occur when a word has more than one accepted spelling. This shouldn’t be confused with regional spellings (such as when the British spell â€Å"color† as â€Å"colour†). Nor is it quite the same as when a word has an old-fashioned, archaic spelling (such as when â€Å"jail† was spelled â€Å"gaol†). A better example is â€Å"donut,† which is a modern variation of â€Å"doughnut.† The older spelling is still more common in American English, but â€Å"donut† has been catching up in recent years (primarily thanks to the success of Dunkin’ Donuts). Importantly, though, both are â€Å"correct† spellings of this word. You cant go wrong with a doughnut (or a donut). 8 Words with Variant Spellings Other examples of common words with variant spellings include: 1. Among/Amongst This word has two accepted endings (similar terms include amid/amidst and while/whilst). The â€Å"-st† ending is much less common in American English. 2. Archaeology/Archeology The older spelling here is the â€Å"ae† one, which is also more common (especially outside America). There are other words in American English that allow the â€Å"ae† variation (e.g., esthetics/aesthetics). But with most similar terms, American English prefers the â€Å"e† version (e.g., encyclopedia, not encyclopaedia). 3. Axe/Ax â€Å"Axe† is the most common spelling of this word, especially outside North America. But, in American English, â€Å"ax† is a common variant. 4. Collectible/Collectable These spellings are both accepted in American English, but â€Å"collectible† is by far the most common. 5. Dialog/Dialogue These are variations of the same word, but â€Å"dialog† is more common in relation to computing (e.g., dialog box) and â€Å"dialogue† is used when referring to two people talking. Similar spelling variations include analog/analogue (with â€Å"analog† more common in all contexts) and prolog/prologue (with â€Å"prologue† most common). 6. Disk/Disc â€Å"Disk† is generally more common than â€Å"disc,† but there are some cases where this is reversed. For example, in computing, magnetic storage devices are spelled with a â€Å"k† (e.g., floppy disk), but optical storage devices (e.g., a CD or DVD) are â€Å"discs.† 7. Flyer/Flier â€Å"Flyer† is the most common spelling here, but â€Å"flier† is also used (especially when referring to something that flies rather than a leaflet advertising something). 8. Usable/Useable â€Å"Usable† is by far the most common spelling of this word, but â€Å"useable† is also accepted in all regional dialects of English. Nobody is quite sure why. How to Handle Variant Spellings The list above isn’t comprehensive, but it should give you an idea of what to look out for with variant spellings. Consistency is key with words like these, so pick one spelling and use it throughout your document. It’s also vital to proofread your work to make sure everything is consistent (you can use the ‘Find’ function in Microsoft Word to look for variant spellings). Beyond that, there are two things you can do when confronted with two spellings of the same word: Check your style guide (if you have one) to see if it specifies a preferred spelling Use Google’s n-gram viewer to check which spelling is more common You can then use this to guide your choice about which spelling to use. A doughnut-based n-gram.

Environment-behaviour relationships have been systematically studied by psychologists The WritePass Journal

Environment-behaviour relationships have been systematically studied by psychologists References Environment-behaviour relationships have been systematically studied by psychologists Introduction Some Important Issues in Previous Studies A concept of the store environmentThe Mehrabian-Russell environmental psychology model The Relationship between Emotions and Shopping Behaviours PleasureArousalDominance Discussion of Other Previous FindingsMultiple effects of store environment Moderating role of consumer characteristics MethodologyReferencesRelated Introduction Environment-behavior relationships have been systematically studied by psychologists and a discipline was produced which known as ‘environmental psychology’, however, rarely attention was directed to the retail store environment. Meanwhile, there was a growing appeal to explain the variation in buyer behaviour by situational influences due to limitations in the ability of consumer characteristics. Thus, the purpose of this thesis is to analyse and understand the effect of store environment on shopping behaviour. First, some important issues applied in this area should be clarified. One is related to the description of store environment. The other is about the Mehrabian-Russell model, which played a vital role in the study of store atmosphere. Then the paper proceeds by summarizing and comparing some findings related to the relationship between three emotional states aroused by the environment and shopping behaviours. In the next chapter, it is concerned other previous fi ndings, such as multiple effects of store environment and the moderated role of consumer characteristics in this relationship. The final part of the essay will give rise to thinking of the methodology authors used and the statistical validity of those findings. Some Important Issues in Previous Studies A concept of the store environment An adequate concept of the store environment is the premise of the study of situational influence in consumer behaviour. Although there is not a complete definition of environment, it is widely accepted that environment is an extended concept which at least includes situations and behavioural settings. A situation comprised a point in time and space was proposed by Belk (1975a) and according to Barker (1968), a behaviour setting is not only bounded in time, also by a complete sequence of behaviour or an action pattern. Additionally, Mehrabian and Russell (1974) also attempted to develop three comprehensive situational descriptors (pleasure, arousal and dominance) in their model; however, none of them depicts a satisfying array of situational dimensions. On the basis of Belk’s (1975b) definition which comprises five groups of situational characteristics, the store environment could contain the physical and social surroundings of a store, the temporal dimension (ranging from tim e of day to season of the year), task definition features (an intent or requirement for a general or specific purchase) and antecedent states (momentary moods and conditions). The Mehrabian-Russell environmental psychology model A leading environmental psychology approach, the Mehrabian-Russell (M-R) model, was firstly introduced by Donovan and Rossiter (1982) in the retail context. It has become the basis of most research about the impact of environmental factors on shopping behaviour since that time. This model is based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) paradigm, relating features of the environment (S) to approach-avoidance behaviours (R) within the environment, mediated by the individual’s emotional states (O) aroused by the environment; but this model mainly focuses on the O-R aspects and proposes a general measure of S. Mehrabian and Russell (1974) also proposed three basic emotional states (pleasure, arousal and dominance, acronym PAD) which mediated approach-avoidance behaviours in the environment and were adopted in majority of studies in emotional respond. The Relationship between Emotions and Shopping Behaviours There are some debates in the study of the relationship between emotions induced by a particular environment and shopping behaviours in this environment. The rest of the chapter will respectively exam the related findings based on three emotional states proposed in the M-R model. Pleasure Donovan and Rossiter (1982) concluded that store-induced pleasure was a powerful determinant of approach-avoidance behaviours within the store and also showed moderate relationships with specific within-store behavioural intentions: time (Coefficient=.51) and spend (Coefficient =.40). Afterwards, Donovan et al. (1994) extended that study and demonstrated shoppers’ emotional states within the store can predict actual purchase behaviour, not only just attitudes or intentions. That is, pleasure is significantly related to extra time and unplanned spending in pleasant environment. What the foregoing suggests is that pleasantness has a consistently positive effect on shopping behaviour in the literature. Arousal Arousal dimension, refers to store-induced feelings of alertness and excitement, was found not consistent with the two studies between Donovan and Rossiter (1982) and Donovan et al. (1994). In Donovan and Rossiter’s (1982) study which involved different types of retail stores, arousal was not significantly related to approach-avoidance behaviours, but according to the M-R model, arousal should be hypothesized to interact conditionally with pleasure. After given a pleasant store environment, arousal emerged as a significant predictor of approach intentions for time (Coefficient=.40) and the regression coefficient for spend (Coefficient=.18) was also in the right direction but did not reach significant. In other words, inducement of arousal amplifies approach behaviour in pleasant store environment and enlarges avoidance behaviour in unpleasant store environment. Hence, emotional states sometimes can be presented by some combination of two major dimensions: pleasure and arousal. However, Donovan et al. (1994) failed to confirm this relationship in the study conducted only in discount stores. First, arousal was not significant in pleasant environment. Second, arousal approached significance for unplanned spending, but in the negative direction. From Kaltcheva and Weitz’s (2006) point of view, this inconsistent finding implied arousal effects might be moderated by a previously unidentified situational variable, namely, the consumers’ motivational orientation. They have conducted two experiments using ANOVA on those three elements, motivational orientation, arousal and pleasantness to confirm the interactive effect. Finally, it was concluded that arousal and motivational orientation had an interactive effect which was mediated by pleasantness on shopping behaviour. Specifically, high arousal environments, which create rich shopping experiences, have a positive effect on pleasantness for recreation-oriented motivational consumers. Conversely, aro usal had no significant effect on shopping behaviour intentions with regard to task-oriented consumers. Dominance The dominance factor is usually been deleted when using the M-R model. Although Donovan and Rossiter (1982) retained the initial tridimensional (PAD) classification, the analysis indicated that the dominance dimension was not significantly related to any of the approach-avoidance measures apart from the general regression results. Furthermore, a slight negative relationship between dominance and spend was shown, but that result was very tentative because it was based on two of the weakest measure (Coefficient Alpha .7). In contrast to regarding the role of dominance as unimportant, several authors supported that future theory development should include it as a vital emotion influencing shopping behaviour. One reason for that is a new relationship between dominance and shopper behaviour has found in certain types of consumers. As Babin and Darden (1995) stated, feelings of dominance could significantly alter shopping behaviour among those in self-regulation and it only affected state -oriented shoppers who possessed a cognitive structure guided more by social and emotional elements of some internal or external state. The other reason attributes to the poor scope of consumer settings was employed which leaded to the disappointing results for dominance (Foxall and Greenley, 1999). After employing Mehrabian-Russell’s approach to environmental psychology based on a systematic theory of consumer situations, namely the Behavioural Perspective Model (BPM), the relationships between dominance and approach (positive) and dominance and avoidance (negative) appeared. Therefore, those results support the adoption of the BPM model in environmental consumer research, which makes a contribution to the selection of a range of consumer situations and the distinction between open and closed consumer behaviour settings. To summarize, two generally recognized findings were drawn in the study of the relationship between emotions induced by a particular environment and shopping behaviours. First, shoppers’ emotions can be largely represented by the pleasure and arousal factors (Donovan and Rossiter, 1982; Donovan et al., 1994) and the dominance dimension seems to be important for certain types of shoppers and retail settings (Babin and Darden, 1995; Foxall and Greenley, 1999). Second, those three emotional states, mainly pleasure and arousal dimensions, affect a variety of shopping behaviours and outcomes, including extra time spent and actual unplanned spending (Donovan and Rossiter, 1982; Donovan et al., 1994). Discussion of Other Previous Findings Apart from some important findings discussed in the previous chapter, issues of multiple effects of store environment and moderating role of consumer characteristics were also considered in the previous research. Meanwhile, several propositions for future research will be suggested. Multiple effects of store environment The effects of store environment elements could be complex and they could influence shoppers’ behaviours through their impacts on emotion (PAD), cognition (attention, evaluations, information search, etc.) and physiological state (Lam, 2001). With the exception of Donovan et al. (1994), all studies discussed in this thesis are only focus on the emotional effects of store environment on behaviours. In Donovan et al.’s (1994) research, they investigated the multiple effects (emotional factors and cognitive factors) of store environment simultaneously. By adding the emotional variables to the cognitive variables to predict the change in extra time, the variance accounted for increased from (a non-significant) 5% (F=1.72) to (a significant) 21% (F=3.62), and to the prediction of unplanned spending, went up from 18% (F=4.34) to 35% (F=6.40) (both significant). Hence, those results explain that the effects of the emotional factors of pleasure and arousal can be additional to cognitive factors such as quality, variety, specialing and value for money.   It was displayed that some environmental elements may have multiple impacts on shoppers’ behaviours. Therefore, it is worth studying the single and hybrid effects and analysing which is the primary effect in a particular environment. Moderating role of consumer characteristics Due to the fact that researchers used the environment of different stores as manipulations in their analysis, many considerable works about store-based emotions’ consequences were addressed (Lam, 2001). Though Donovan and Rossiter (1982) suggested that the impact of individual differences should also be pursued especially in the same physical environment, relatively little attention been given to the effect of personal characteristics on the relationship between shoppers’ emotions and behaviours in the environment. Donovan et al. (1994) only considered that effect at the stage of collecting the data. They selected shoppers who were relatively unfamiliar with the store as their sample to minimize self-selection effects on their findings. In addition, Babin and Darden (1995) regarded this topic by concerning the role of individual differences and ultimately examined consumer self-regulation as a partial explanation for the variance in consumer behaviour and postshopping e valuations. In sum, the moderated role of consumer characteristics has extended the knowledge concerning the effects of retail environment on behaviour. However, consumer self-regulation is just one of the factors of consumer characteristics, so many other elements could be developed in future research, for example, consumer shopping experiences with the store. Variable reactions in the same environment may be performed between new consumers and regular consumers. New customers may more rely on some tangible cues and merchandise because of their little knowledge or experience about other attributes of the store environment. Methodology It is widely known that the correlation between explanatory variables and the experimental design will has an influence on the power of hypothesis testing and validity of the conclusion. In terms of the data analysis, although all the journal articles reviewed here used quantitative methodology, qualitative methodology was also adopted by others (Lam, 2001); for example, using the method of in-depth interview with shoppers or participant observations to record their responses to the environment. With regard to sample selection and situational manipulation, methods applied in earlier studies were limited in three aspects. Firstly, the sample was confined to student (Donovan and Rossiter, 1982; Kaltcheva and Weitz’s, 2006). Second, verbal descriptions of situations were employed or a simulated store environment was created rather than exposing respondents to actual consumer environments (Babin and Darden, 1995; Foxall and Greenley, 1999; Kaltcheva and Weitz’s, 2006). Third, the study is lack of theoretical coherence, relying on invented situations rather than conceptually linked environments. However, some authors have made some improvements in their researches. For example, Donovan et al. (1994) impressively overcame two of these limitations by using actual consumers (60 female shoppers) in real consumer settings (at two discount department stores), but the generality of their findings was lower because it was only conducted in one type of store environment. Lik ewise, Kaltcheva and Weitz (2006) improved two limitations by employing 142 actual consumers who responded to and selecting a range of consumer situations based systematically on the BPM framework. Although the coefficients of the test were small, all results of three emotional dimensions were significant and in the predicted direction, however, their research did not overcome all those three limitations. In order to increase the external validity, future research could incorporate actual consumer settings to the range of BMP-generated environment instead of simulated environments because verbal descriptions can be value-laden (Baker et al., 1992). Moreover, Belk (1975b) suggested that the best means of manipulation is to ‘combine written descriptions of features with visual and auditory input of physical and social surroundings. References Babin, B. J. and Darden, W. R. (1995), ‘Consumer Self-Regulation in a Retail Environment.’ Journal of Retailing, Vol. 71 (1), pp. 47-70. Baker, J., Levy, M. and Grewal, D. (1992), ‘An Experimental Approach to Making Retail Store Environmental Decisions,’ Journal of Retailing, Vol. 68 (4), pp. 445-60. Belk, R. W. (1975a), ‘The Objective Situation as a Determinant of Consumer Behaviour,’ in Mary Jane Schlinger (ed.), Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 2, Chicago: Association for Consumer Research. Belk, R. W. (1975b), ‘Situational Variables and Consumer Behaviour.’ Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 2 (December), pp. 157-164. Donovan, R. J. and Rossiter, J. R. (1982), ‘Store Atmosphere: An Environmental Psychology Approach.’ Journal of Retailing, Vol. 58 (1), pp. 34-57. Donovan, R. J., Rossiter, J. R., Marcoolyn, G. and Nesdale, A. (1994), ‘Store Atmosphere and Purchasing Behaviour.’ Journal of Retailing, Vol. 70 (3), pp. 283-294. Foxall, G. R. and Greenley, G. E. (1999), ‘Consumers Emotional Responses to Service Environments.’ Journal of Business Research, Vol. 46, pp. 149-158. Kaltcheva, V. D. and Weitz, B. A. (2006), ‘When Should a Retailer Create an Exciting Store Environment?’ Journal of Marketing, Vol. 70 (January), pp. 107-118. Lam, S. Y. (2001), ‘The Effects of Store Environment on Shopping Behaviours: A Critical Review.’ Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 28, pp. 190-196.

Mapping the Route Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mapping the Route - Essay Example It can be hard to leave what you are familiar with, and I really admire the owners of the supermarket and knew that they would not be happy to see me go, however it was time to decide on my own. I set a goal of satisfactorily completing a single semester at a local college, just to measure if I could manage it, and much to my surprise I not only finished the semester, I got a credit as well. I got a lot of courage in in this accomplishment, and it actually was not easy, however it afforded me the courage I needed to set life time goals. I realized that I was very good at sciences and how the human body functions. I am now near to complete my diploma in clinical Sciences, having maintained my position as the top student the entire period, and I finally understand that I am being a good model to my son that I always imagined when I was restocking the shelves at the supermarket. I am now planning to take my skills to the next level by pursuing a degree in clinical medicine at University. It is my goal after completing to become a medical officer serving lower income and marginalized communities. I am a naturally a kind person, and due to my lower socio-economic upbringing and life experience, I can relate easily to individuals who may not be willing to go to doctors whom they think as different from them, however whose services they require. I can assist to fill that gap, and thereby encourage more individuals to really get help that they need in a suitable environment. My zeal to my education is sound and I know that, if given the opportunity, I will be able to pass well, and graduate with the education and experience I will require to develop my career as a medical practitioner. I am much relieved and happy to know that I have realized by dream career, and I am ready to start this next level of my education. Obviously the next two years will not be easy- requiring schedules and time management skills – however I

The Human Rights Act and life sentence prisoners Essay

The Human Rights Act and life sentence prisoners - Essay Example There was a powerful presumption against the retrospective application of the Act, and in relation to transactions that had taken place prior to the coming into force of the Act; there could be no question of interpretation under s 3 and accordingly no power to grant a declaration under s 4. 1 (Human Rights, Article 7) Three decisions of the House can be cited to illustrate the strength of the interpretative obligation under section 3(1). The first is R v A (No. 2) [2002] 1 AC 45 which concerned the so-called rape shield legislation. The problem was the blanket exclusion of prior sexual history between the complainant and an accused in section 41(1) of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, subject to narrow specific categories in the remainder of section 41. In subsequent decisions, and in academic literature, there has been discussion about differences of emphasis in the various opinions in A. What has been largely overlooked is the unanimous conclusion of the House. The House unanimously agreed on an interpretation under section 3 which would ensure that section 41 would be compatible with the ECHR. The formulation was by agreement set out in paragraph 46 of Lord Steyn's opinion in that case as follows: "The effect of the decision today is that ... o the importance of seeking to protect the complainant from indignity and from humiliating questions, the test of admissibility is whether the evidence (and questioning in relation to it) is nevertheless so relevant to the issue of consent that to exclude it would endanger the fairness of the trial under article 6 of the Convention. If this test is satisfied the evidence should not be excluded." (Lord Steyn, 2006a) Case: Re S Care plan 2002 UKHL 10 House of Lords and Starred Care Plans Re S (Minors) 3 The House of Lords did not uphold the Court of Appeals creation of starred care plans, a bold attempt to devise a way for care plans which were not being implemented coming back to court; instead they stressed the need for the government to urgently review this - power of section 3 HRA limited, court must be mindful of outer limit. Interpretation up to courts but enactment and amendment matter for Parliament - starred milestones departed substantially from Parliamentary intentions so far as it is possible to do so, primary legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with convention rights . (Child adoption) Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead 4 The Torbay case: The appeals concern four children, two in the Torbay case and two in the Bedfordshire case. The cases are factually unrelated. In the Torbay case the mother had three children: P, who is a boy born in August 1987, M, a boy born in January 1991, and J, a girl born in January 1992. The children are now 14, 11 and 10 years old. The appeal concerns the two younger children. The father of P, the eldest child, played no part in these proceedings. The mother met the father of M and J in 1987. They started to cohabit in 1989. Serious problems emerged in May 1999 when P ran away from home and

Financial Markets and Bank Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Financial Markets and Bank Management - Essay Example We understand that you wish to expand your business operations and therefore, your fund requirement has increased. Our observations on your firm’s balance sheet are as per the following. The current ratio of the firm has declined in the year just completed though it still stays above 1.0; however, the quick ratio appears to be under strain. We notice that the acid-test ratio has gone down below 0.50 in the latest financial year. Net margin has also declined from 2.5 percent in year 2013 to 2.1 percent in the latest fiscal. Moreover, the net interest cover of the firm has also declined from 3.0 times to 2.7 times that provides marginal safety net for the firm in the current sluggish business environment. The declining stock turnover (in days) year after year is a good sign. In fact, it also establishes the declining needs of the working capital for your business. We have worked out the working capital requirement for your firm based on the information provided by you. The increased working capital requirement for the projected sales of  £1,550,000 is likely to be  £167,000 (working in annexure A). Considering the strength of your balance sheet and increased worki ng capital requirement, our bank increases existing overdraft limit from  £90,000 to  £180,000 and that should be adequate to meet your requirements. Our bank is in receipt of your loan request to increase the overdraft facility to  £10,000. We understand that you have to meet some essential expenses such as school fees for your son. Kindly find our detailed reply to your loan application in the following paragraphs. We extend overdraft facility to our valued customers essentially to meet some contingencies and sort out temporary cash flow issues when you fail to receive your dues in time. Though you started with initial overdraft of  £2,000 it has steadily increased and has reached to  £3,600. We notice

Marriage must be banned Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marriage must be banned - Research Paper Example 71). Moreover, according to the "Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law", "Marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a legal, consensual, and contractual relationship recognized and sanctioned by and dissolvable only by law" (Marriage). In any case, marriage is a partnership or covenant between a male and female which starts normally when at the youth period and ends only at the death of either of the partners. The concept of marriage is getting decreased popularity at present among teenagers or youths because of the changing life styles and life principles. According to National vital statistics reports of 2009, "Number of marriages is 2,077,000. Marriage rate is 6.8 per 1,000 total populations. Divorce rate is 3.4 per 1,000 populations (44 reporting States and D.C.)" (Tejada & Sutton). Current generation perceive marriage as a burden rather than a necessity. In their opinion, whatever the purpose fulfilled though marriage can be obtain ed even without a marital life. Staying together is the new life concept which is substituting marriage. The advantage of staying together over marriage is that if any of the partners face problems in adjusting his or her life with the partner, he/she can put an end to that relationship easily and look for other options. It is difficult for the couples to get a divorce, if they tied their relationship through a marriage. In this paper, I argue that marriage should be banned considering burden it creates to human life. Forced marriage and arranged marriage create lot of problems in the life of people. â€Å"The only reason for the couple to be together is the pressure of the two families and of the society as a whole. They are concerned to keep the marriage going no matter whether it is successful or not† (Opponent’s Views on Arranged Marriages). Neither the male nor the female gets any opportunity to know each other in the case of an arranged marriage. Parents usually arrange the marriages of their children based on their own perceptions about life. However, life is changing rapidly and it is not necessary that the parents have the right knowledge about the necessities of modern life. Parents arrange the marriage based on the knowledge they acquired in their life. Their intention is always to secure the life of their children. So, in most of the cases, the parents will look to the financial aspects of the marriage first before finalizing the marriage. Dowry system is prevailing among many cultures and the marriage is decided based on the amount of dowry the bridegroom is getting. In other words, the choices of the youths get least preferences in arranged marriages. Marriage is a convention. From a thousand years ago to today, people get married by the strong force. â€Å"Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: â€Å"Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses† (C onvention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages). However, many of the youths try to engage in marital relationships, to keep the tradition intact. They might have learned that marriage is an essential thing which makes human different from animals. They are getting long lectures about the importance of keeping traditions from their school, colleges, and churches. Even if they have different opinions, the pressure from family and society force them to engage in a

Human Growth and Behaviour Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Human Growth and Behaviour - Research Paper Example Erikson expressed the notion that every stage of growth has its distinctive challenges, referred to as crises. He held that such egocentric crises offered challenges to the identity of an individual (Riley and Erikson, 1979). Successful psychosocial development or personality development relies on addressing and overpowering these responsibilities or crises. The first stage of development and the crisis faced by the child involves the basic trust versus basic mistrust of an infant, which emphasizes that when parents meet all the needs of an infant, trust develops automatically. â€Å"The basic strength of the first stage is hope or the expectation that difficulties in life, presenting whatever challenge they may, will eventually result in a positive outcome† (Archer, 2011). Accordingly, the infant would require this sense of hope at his subsequent stages of behavioral development to meet any impending challenges (Lawler, 2002). The weakness of this stage or rather the direct o pposite of hope is the hopelessness and withdrawal. Jimmy Lee felt hopeless during his infancy because both his parents worked at their restaurant for long hours, leaving their son under the care of other Scottish friends and relatives who looked after his interchangeably for the first two years of his life. The second stage, autonomy, and shame during toddlerhood involve parents who generate supportive and caring surroundings to let the toddlers study and apply independence and gain their personal confidence.

Marriage must be banned Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marriage must be banned - Research Paper Example 71). Moreover, according to the "Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law", "Marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a legal, consensual, and contractual relationship recognized and sanctioned by and dissolvable only by law" (Marriage). In any case, marriage is a partnership or covenant between a male and female which starts normally when at the youth period and ends only at the death of either of the partners. The concept of marriage is getting decreased popularity at present among teenagers or youths because of the changing life styles and life principles. According to National vital statistics reports of 2009, "Number of marriages is 2,077,000. Marriage rate is 6.8 per 1,000 total populations. Divorce rate is 3.4 per 1,000 populations (44 reporting States and D.C.)" (Tejada & Sutton). Current generation perceive marriage as a burden rather than a necessity. In their opinion, whatever the purpose fulfilled though marriage can be obtain ed even without a marital life. Staying together is the new life concept which is substituting marriage. The advantage of staying together over marriage is that if any of the partners face problems in adjusting his or her life with the partner, he/she can put an end to that relationship easily and look for other options. It is difficult for the couples to get a divorce, if they tied their relationship through a marriage. In this paper, I argue that marriage should be banned considering burden it creates to human life. Forced marriage and arranged marriage create lot of problems in the life of people. â€Å"The only reason for the couple to be together is the pressure of the two families and of the society as a whole. They are concerned to keep the marriage going no matter whether it is successful or not† (Opponent’s Views on Arranged Marriages). Neither the male nor the female gets any opportunity to know each other in the case of an arranged marriage. Parents usually arrange the marriages of their children based on their own perceptions about life. However, life is changing rapidly and it is not necessary that the parents have the right knowledge about the necessities of modern life. Parents arrange the marriage based on the knowledge they acquired in their life. Their intention is always to secure the life of their children. So, in most of the cases, the parents will look to the financial aspects of the marriage first before finalizing the marriage. Dowry system is prevailing among many cultures and the marriage is decided based on the amount of dowry the bridegroom is getting. In other words, the choices of the youths get least preferences in arranged marriages. Marriage is a convention. From a thousand years ago to today, people get married by the strong force. â€Å"Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: â€Å"Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses† (C onvention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages). However, many of the youths try to engage in marital relationships, to keep the tradition intact. They might have learned that marriage is an essential thing which makes human different from animals. They are getting long lectures about the importance of keeping traditions from their school, colleges, and churches. Even if they have different opinions, the pressure from family and society force them to engage in a

Globalization and Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalization and Environment - Essay Example The treaty signed helps in offloading one commodity and acquired the other. There are different rewards and detriments that are coupled with globalization (studentresearch 1). The concern of this writing will be the outcome of globalization on the environment. Globalization is inescapable in many countries of the sphere. Every country requires offloading its excessive production in a market with the highest return. The country will also want to buy a commodity that is produced scarcely in the country. When buying, the country will choose from the available options and will go to the high quality and low-cost commodities. The final segment of this trade will ensure that the country makes profit. The profit made will be useful for investment, and the invested segment will lead to economic growth and prosperity. During the investment trend, countries have come to invest on what they can produce best. Producing the best commodities leads to specialization. In the course of economic growth and investment, there is a high trend of population growth. The populace growth can be as a result of numerous measures. Investors can immigrate into the country to look for an investment opportunity (Jorgenson and Givens 849). This measure is considered to have a small weight on the escalation of the population. Secondly, there is always a positive population growth in every country resulting from a high birth rate and low mortality rates. The final answer to the equation is always an increase in mortality rates. The growth of persons in the area has some consequence to the environment. An increase in population usually leads to increased pressure to the environmental resources. Reserves like land, water, and forestry are highly affected. The effect makes comes in when must settlement of the increased population. The population will opt to move to the unsettled area that mostly act as a source of the water reserves. When the

Resume Revision Essay Example for Free

Resume Revision Essay FINANCIAL ANALYST Goal-oriented, Financial / Business Analyst with experience in Residential and Commercial Lending. Quickly learns new tasks and adapts to a changing environment. Solid leadership skills, pursuing a career with a well-established company in the commercial lending industry. Earned a solid reputation for being diligent, hard-working, and detail-oriented. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; solid command of the English language. Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of banking systems and providing clientele with business expertise in specialized loan application processing, booking, and servicing systems. Functional Areas of Expertise Personal Assets Records Document Management Credit Analysis Contract Administration Financial Revenue Residential Mortgages Real Estate Financial Analysis Report Management Loan Processing Commercial Lending Office Management Customer Service Excellence   Highly Organized Detail-Oriented Efficient / Creative Hard Working / Reliable Self-Motivated Team Player / Positive Attitude Results Oriented Excellent Time Management Skills Excellent Communication Skills Crisis/Problem Resolution Skills Excellent Interpersonal Skills Fluent in English Spanish PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Bank of America, Waltham, MA 2006-Present Collateral Loan Administrator II / Booking Coordinator Conducts credit and financial analysis and prepares summaries to determine credit-worthiness for commercial loan customers. Reviews loan documentation and determines if loan transactions are ready for AFS processing. Effectively resolves issues arising from the loan packages and ensures all transactions are prepared for funding. Expedite any loan disbursements and advances such as wire transfers, debits or credits to DDA accounts. Process check requisitions for recording fees. Accurately files Collateral Lien documentation including UCC’s, Mortgages or Deed of Trusts, Life Insurance Assignments, Vehicle Titles through Ilien submission of UCC-1. F. Forwards documents directly to the pertinent Registry of Deeds for recording. Implements exception tracking and standardization of collateral files, maintaining control of bank collateral. Inputs loans on the banks system of record, ACTION and AFS. Responsible for data accuracy and timely completion of the booking and the collateral process. Performs research and collaborates with line partners regarding loans. Maintains Real Estate, Letters of Credit, Business Banking and Commercial Banking deals. Leader Mortgage Company, Arlington, MA 2004-2006 Senior Loan Processor Reviewed and underwrote first and second mortgage loans approved by DU. Complied with Investor’s Underwriting Guidelines by assigning and signing off on conditions. Prepared 20 to 30 loans for closing from the company’s monthly pipeline adhering to company deadlines. Researched and gathered required information to process and complete loan files. Analyzed documents to ensure accuracy and compliance with existing underwriting guidelines. Continue†¦page 1 of 2 YENNIFERT ADRIANZA Page Two PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (Continued) Leader Mortgage Company, continued†¦ Prepared loan application packages, including Truth in Lending, Good Faith Estimate, and all necessary disclosures. Ordered and reviewed appraisals to ensure compliance with DU and Investor’s requirements. Conducted credit analysis and DU’s for loan applications. Citizens Mortgage Corporation, Woburn, MA 2003-2004 Assistant Loan Officer Identified and assisted prospective clients in the loan application process. Verified applications and approved loans utilizing Loan Soft in collaboration with clients during and face-to-face interviews. Prepared pre-approval letters and loan packages for qualified candidates for Residential Mortgages with products such as Soft-Second, FHA, MFHA, Conventional 30, 15, and 20 year Mortgages, Acorn, Aurora (Adjustable Mortgages), and all programs ruled by Fannie Mae Guidelines. Boston Federal Savings Bank, Burlington, MA 2001-2002 Investor Loan Specialist Maintained and serviced Investor Loans such as Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and other outside Banks, and internal Home Loans. Performed excellent customer service and prepared monthly reconciliation of investor accounts. Trained new employees, and prepared daily reports required by Freddie Mac. State Street Bank, Boston, MA 2000 Loan Administrator Maintained collateral records for bank loans and performed system to system and cash reconciliation on a daily basis. Calculated clients’ monthly payments to match the custodian bank’s records and company records. EDUCATION BOSTON UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA Master of Science in Administrative Studies, 2004 Concentration: Financial Markets Institutions NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, 2001 Concentration: Finance COMPUTER PROFICIENCIES Microsoft Office†¢ Outlook Email †¢ ACTION †¢AFS †¢ Internet FDES †¢ BA Direct†¢ Ilien†¢ Calyx Point †¢ DU †¢ Empower Datalink †¢ Bankers Window†¢ Mortgage Links (for Fannie Mae Loans)†¢ Microsoft Project Midanet (for Freddie Mac Loans) †¢ AS 400 †¢ Project 2000

Developing a Sustained Drug Delivery System

Developing a Sustained Drug Delivery System 1. INTRODUCTION In last few years, Formulations that are able to extend the release of drug have become an integral part of Pharmaceutical research. It is a centre of exploration due to its many benefits over conventional dosage form. Sustained drug delivery system was aimed to release the medication in a prolonged rate. The basic concept of the sustained release dosage form development is to reduce the frequency of dosage administration, to reduce the fluctuations of drug in the plasma by maintain plasma drug level1 thus improves. Various expressions such as sustained-release ,controlled-release, prolonged-action and repeat action have also been used to describe.. Sustained release offers prolonged delivery of drugs and maintenain plasma levels within a therapeutic range, steady-state plasma levels can be maintained without oscillation2,3. The sustained level of the medication was obtained by controlling the plasma blood level and less frequent dosing4 (Lachman et al., 1987). 1.1 Matrix system is classified into 5 types based on Hydrophilic Matrix System and insoluble hydrophobic Inert Matrix system (6-8) 1.1.1 Hydrophobic Matrix tablet In this technique of sustained release from an oral dosage form the drug is mixed with an inert or hydrophobic polymer and then compressed into a tablet. The sustained release is obtained by dissolving drug and was diffused through a network of channels that exist between compacted polymer particles. The materials used as inert or hydrophobic matrices consist of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and ethyl cellulose and ammonia methacrylate copolymers. The rate controlling phase in these formulations is the solvent penetration into the matrix. The possible mechanism of drug release in the hydrophobic matrix tablet was by diffusion. Hydrophobic matrix tablet consist of porous and nonporous matrix systems. 1.1.2 Hydrophilic matrix tablets The drug molecules are combined with the polymer and erode slowly in body fluids. Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose is commonly used polymer in the hydrophilic matrix tablets.It is a simple method and widely accepted due to its desirable global regulatory acceptance, cost effective, flexibility in drug release profile matching and ease of commercial scale-up. The different grades of Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose were available for the design of sustained drug delivery system. The viscosity range of the Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose assist in the percentage release rate of drug release. The low viscosity range polymer cause increase in the drug release. The hydrophilic matrix system the mechanism of drug release occurs mainly by diffusion and erosion. In the hydrophilic matrix system the use of cellulosic polymer cause gel formation on the surface of polymer and cause tablet erosion with continuous release of drug. The polymers commonly used in the hydrophilic matrixes are classified into three categories. Cellulose derivatives- hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylcellulose, Hydroxy propylmethylcellulose grades like K4M, K100M, 5cPs, 15cPs and Sodium carboxymethylcellulose. Semi synthetic polymers- Modified starches, Alginates and Chitosan. Acrylic acid Polymers -Carbopol 934 1.1.3. Wax matrix tablets The drugs are embedded into lipid matrix by spray congealing in air and Wax-matrix tablet core consisting of semi-synthetic glycerides and blend congealing in an aqueous media. The congealing process use with or without the aid of surfactants, the wax matrix components are prepared from the blend of powdered ingredients. 1.1.4. Gum type matrix tablets In this type of matrix system the excipients produce gel like consistency in presence of water and the dispersion of the active drug of the tablet was maintained by gel barrier. For example xanthan gum and sodium alginate in water soluble polysaccharides used in gum type matrix systems. appropriate method depends on the properties of the drug, polymer and selection of other ingredients. Many statistical experiments are useful tool to develop sustained release formulation with an optimized formulation with an appropriate dissolution rate with a minimum number of trials. For this reason, a computer based optimization technique with a response surface methodology (RSM) utilizing a polynomial equation and artificial neural network (ANN) has been widely used (Ghosh et al., 2008andBozic et al., 1997). 2.0  KINETICS OF DRUG RELEASE Various mathematical models utilized to interpret the mechanism of the drug release from ER dosage form, with the available dissolution data these release kinetics can be calculated using the model that best fit is selected based on the correlation coefficient (r) value in various models, which gives higher ‘r’ value is considered as the best fit of the release data. The following are the various Release kinetics Cumulative percentage drug released Vs time (In-Vitro drug release plots) Cumulative percentage drug released Vs Square root of time (Higuchi’s plots) Log cumulative percentage drug remaining Vs Time (First order plots) Log cumulative percentage drug released Vs log time (Peppas plots) Calculated regression coefficients for zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas. The best fit model with the highest correlation coefficient. Table No. 3. Analysis of diffusion release mechanisms Release exponent (n) Overall solute diffusion mechanism 0.5 Fickian diffusion 0.5 Non-Fickian diffusion 1.0 Case II transport n > 1.0 Super Case II transport Zero order release is calculated from the following equation Qt = Q0 + K0 t where Q0 = initial amount of drug Qt = cumulative amount of drug release at time â€Å"t† K0 = zero order release constant t = time in hours It describes the systems where the drug release rate is independent of its concentration of the dissolved substance. The first order release equation is calculated from the following equation Log Qt = Log Q0+ Kt /2.303 where Q0 = initial amount of drug Qt = cumulative amount of drug release at time â€Å"t† K = first order release constant t = time in hours Here, the drug release rate depends on its concentration The Hixson Crowell release is calculated from the following equation is Where Q0 = Initial amount of drug Qt = Cumulative amount of drug release at time â€Å"t† KHC = Hixson crowell release constant t = Time in hours. It describes the drug releases by dissolution and with the changes in surface area and diameter of the particles or tablets A linear plot of the cube root of the initial concentration minus the cube root of percent remaining versus time in hours for the dissolution data in accordance with the Hixson-crowell equation. The Higuchi release is calculated from the following equation Q=KHt1/2 where Q = cumulative amount of drug release at time â€Å"t† KH = Higuchi constant t = time in hours The Higuchi equation suggests that the drug release by diffusion. A graph is plotted between the square root of time taken on x-axis and the cumulative percentage of drug release on y-axis and it gives a straight line. Korsmeyer – peppas equation is F = (Mt /M ) = Kmtn Where F = Fraction of drug released at time ‘t’ Mt = Amount of drug released at time ‘t’ M = Total amount of drug in dosage form Km = Kinetic constant n = Diffusion or release exponent t = Time in hours An optimal experimental formulation was compared with the original product, in order to compare the profile of the in vitro release of the drug. 3.0  BIOAVAILABILITY STUDY: Stabilitytesting of Drug products conducted as per ICH conditions the formulations which are stable up to 6M 40 °C/75% RH and 25 °C/60% considered as stable formula taken up for in vivo absorption study. In current scenario in vitro and in vivo performance of the dosage forms is essential part of Product development. The FDA guidelines respecting the IVIVC method evaluation used to set dissolution specifications; which can be applied for surrogate for in vivo bioequivalence for certain pre- or post approval changes, such as Equipment, facility or Manufacturing process changes and minimizes the bioavailability or bioequivalence study after the formulation design optimization The ultimate aim of IVIVC is to select the suitable dissolution method of in vivo absorption of the test compound. In IR tablets the release is more rapid in ER, the excipients also having bio pharmaceutical activity and controls the release within the body. Generally HPMC matrices are biocompatible and do not have enzyme degradation by gastric fluids. For Biovailability study the following Pharmacokinetic parameters to be studied they are Tmax, Cmax and AUC can be evaluated via Plasma or Urine data. Pharmacokinetic assessment the plasma drug concentrations determined by HPLC analysis. Drug extracted from plasma sample by liquid-liquid extraction method, To study the rate and extent of absorption of Cilostazol and Etodolac extended release matrix tablets 100 with that of 100 mg reference(R) conventional marketed formulations and IR tablets The research study was performed in rabbit model to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and then for IVIVC studies. The simple HPLC method used to evaluate to determine the drug content in plasma, the in-vitro studies shows the release pattern is slow first order, For Cilostazol the overall Cmax, Tmax, AUC0-t, Kel and T1/2 were completely different between both test and reference formulation (IR). Therefore the prepared formulation was releasing the drug for a prolonged period of time In case of Etodolac the Cmax, Tmax, AUC0-t, Kel and T1/2 were completely comparable with the reference product; therefore the prepared formulation was releasing the drug for a prolonged period of time and bioequivalent with reference product.

A Painful Childhood Experience Essay example -- essays research papers

Painful Childhood Experiences In a child’s world, there is always a lot of imagination. Children create worlds of their own out of their familiar surroundings, despite what adults tell them. The only way to let them realize the truth is to make them experience it, as Rosaura from â€Å"The Stolen Party† and An-mei from â€Å"Scar† do in their lives. Liliana Heker’s â€Å"The Stolen Party† and Amy Tan’s â€Å"Scar† share a similar theme. Both stories follow the perceptions of young girls. Although Tan’s â€Å"Scar† and Heker’s â€Å"The Stolen Party† share a distinct resemblance, they also differ. Rosaura suffers the pain that others give to her, but An-mei suffers it from her loved ones, such as her grandmother. The main similarity is that both Rosaura and An-mei suffered from the painful circumstances of their lives. Rosaura convinces herself that Luciana is her friend and that she has been invited to Luciana’s birthday party as any other guests. For Rosaura, there is the proof that every afternoon she goes to Luciana’s house and they do their homework together. That is all the evidence Rosaura needs to consider herself a friend to Luciana. She even helps out with some chores during the party thinking she has some sort of â€Å"special† status in the house because of her familiarity with Luciana’s home, as Heker states, â€Å"Rosaura was the only one allowed into the kitchen. Senora Ines, Luciana’s mother also says, â€Å"You yes, but not the others, they’re much too boisterous, they might break something.† Rosaura ha...

Civil Disobedience: Are We Morally Obliged to Obey Unjust Laws? Essay

Are we morally obliged to obey even unjust laws? This question raises the discussion of what we call civil disobedience. Elliot Zashin, author of Civil Disobedience and Democracy, defines civil disobedience as, â€Å"a knowing violation of public norm (considered binding by local authorities but which may ultimately be invalidated by the courts) as a form of protest: it is non-revolutionary, public, and nonviolent (i.e. there is no use of physical violence except self-defensively when participants are physically attacked, and no resistance to arrest if made properly and without undue force).† (Zashin, 118) One point that Carl Cohen, associate professor of philosophy at University of Michigan, thinks is essential to the definition is that the, â€Å"mere knowledge of the unlawfulness does not make it civil disobedience†¦the civil disobedient must do more than knowingly break the law. Absolutely essential is the further element of protest.† (Cohen, 11) In other words, civil disobedience is knowingly breaking a law to protest the law. This may not be as controversial as some topics, but there are many strong points on both sides. A major objection is tied to the idea of social contract theory as well as extreme faith in the proper workings of the judicial and legislative systems. According the this objection, the government of the United States, which calls itself democratic, for instance, is set up to listen to the needs of the people and to make laws accordingly. There is no need to protest or to â€Å"civilly disobey† because the government’s job is to take care of such problems. Socrates, a Greek philosopher, when forced with a suicide execution refused escape because he had profited from the laws of Athens thus far, was given a... ...tic government. BIBLIOGRAPHY  · Cohen, Carl, Civil Disobedience, Tactics and the Law. 1971, Columbia University Press: NY. Pgs: 3, 5, 6, 9, and 11.  · â€Å"Declaration of Independence† ONLINE: http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/declaration_transcript.html. 20 Nov 03  · Singer, Peter, Practical Ethics: Second Edition. 1993, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. Pgs: 298-306  · Smith, Michael P, et al, Political Obligation and Civil Disobedience Readings. 1972, Thomas Y. Crowell Company: NY. Pgs. 179, 180, and 183.  · Suber, Peter, â€Å"Civil Disobedience.† ONLINE: http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/writing/civ-dis.htm. 19 Nov 03.  · Zashin, Elliot M., Civil Disobedience and Democracy. 1971, The Free Press: NY. Pgs. 118, and 131.

Social Welfare System in Hong Kong

Question 1: Identify one type of the social welfare, discuss its services of Hong Kong and a)explain its values, rationales and objectives; b)ways of service delivery; c)discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the service and d)make suggestions to improve the services in future. CSSA—AN INTRODUCTION The comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (CSSA) is surely one of the most influential social welfare in Hong Kong, in terms of money and beneficiary.In the fiscal year of 2010 alone, 19 billion was spent on CSSA, which increased noticeably by 40% as compared with the expenditure ten years ago. As at the end of 2009, total number of CSSA cases amounted to 289 139, representing an increase of 25. 3% over 1999. CSSA accounted for 8. 6% of government recurrent expenditure, compared with 7. 5% in 2000. During 1999 to 2009, the average growth in total number of cases per annum was 2. 3%. In fact, the growth rate of CSSA cases is expected to accelerate because the growth of eld erly population will peak in 2016-2026.In other words, the problem is not coming yet. But it will within 10 years. In view of the potential alarming situation, there is an urgent need to investigate the effectiveness of the scheme. This essay will give a brief review of the captioned scheme as well as to discuss possible ways to improve the services in the future, making the most effective use of government resources. CSSA—ITS VALUES, RATIONALES AND OBJECTIVES The CSSA Scheme was introduced in 1993, replacing the former Public Assistance Scheme, and evolved over the past 20 years into the current complex system.It is designed to provide a safety net for individuals or families who cannot support themselves financially for various reasons such as old age, disability, illness, unemployment and low earnings. The CSSA Scheme provides financial assistance to bring the income of such individuals or families up to a prescribed level to meet their basic needs. All CSSA recipients are entitled to free medical treatment at public hospitals or clinics. It is administered by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and is non-contributory but means-tested.APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS To be eligible for assistance, the applicant must satisfy the residence requirements, that is, to have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year before the date of application and be a Hong Kong resident for seven years. Yet, exception can be granted for discretion. They must also pass both the income and assets tests. To pass the income test means the applicant’s total assessable monthly household income is insufficient to meet their total monthly needs as recognized under the Scheme.To pass the asset test means the total value of the capital assets held by the applicant is below the prescribed limit. If the applicant lives with other family members, the application shall be made on a household basis. On top of the basic subsistence support, there is a number of supplement s, like disability, old age, community living, single parent, transport supplement, which is too excessive to mention here. A person can make an application directly to a social security field unit, or by referral to the Social Welfare Department by another government department or a non-governmental organization.Upon receipt of an application, staff of the SWD will conduct investigation and verification of the applicant’s circumstances. It is usually completed in a month and is very convenient. CSSA—ITS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Generally speaking CSSA has been quite effective in providing a safety nets towards the needy, whether the amount of grants is sufficient or not is subject to argument, one has to acknowledge the fact that there is no major starvation/freezing death caused by poverty in recent years. The general living conditions and nutrition’s of the poor improved, compared many years ago.In the past, social welfare is just a feeding station, or remedy measures after the problems exist, CSSA, with its recent reform of adding more and more subsidies like disabilities, elderly, transport supplement†¦etc, is a rather complicated cash transfer framework, which definitely, effectively created a safety net and contributed a part of improving peoples’ living standard. It seems that CSSA was able to fulfill the very basic philosophy of social security policy and social policy in general terms, which is residual or remedial. CSSA is somewhat a passive scheme as a rescue if the applicant himself, or his family failed to help.It is remedial because it functions only if you fall and will not prevent you from falling. This is of no doubt that CSSA can solve immediate issues, but not the root of it. In fact there are changes that CSSA can make to help better cope with this problem. Moreover, there is room of improvement of the efficiency of the scheme, as it has become more and more complex that something can be done to make it mor e efficient as a safety net. And as progress, it is vital that we look at the possible policy that can be adjusted to better cope with the situation as things do change over time.One of the major characteristics of CSSA is that it is a means tested scheme. In a nutshell, as long as the applicant meets the requirements, the applicants are entitled to get the benefits, as a matter of right. What they do is to assess the quantitative elements of the applicants, such as how many assets they have, how much they earn per month, the severity of his sickness, and treat them as fair as possible, without looking at their background, their ability, the reason they apply for the scheme.As a government servant, I comprehend the difficulty to do so because their job is to do assessment on the financial criteria. But CSSA is not just simple financial assistance, ideally speaking. When the unemployed come for assistance, their problem is not just short of money for assistance, they are unable or no t willing to find jobs which they do not like or do not match their skills or think the wage is too low for him. Recent news reporting a postgraduate graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong is an example. CSSA applicants have problems besides financing.I dare say a considerably proportion of staff running the program are not equipped with the skills that can deal with the key issue, thus missed the chance of preliminary investigation of the candidate while looking at the documents and data before the grant. However, CSSA is far from sufficient to provide something constructive, to help the recipients for taking constructive acts to participate in society. Right now we see that, the community is increasingly dependent, which is harmful. The CSSA should abandon the passive strategy of simply looking at needs and handing out cash.This can be done by demanding the recipients to take steps to help themselves as a prerequisite to receive the payments. It has in fact already bee n adopted and have a positive result. With the introduction of the intensified Support for Self-reliance Scheme measures in June 2003, there was a rapid deceleration in the rate of increase in unemployment cases during June to September 2003, the number of cases also started to decline as from October 2003 to October 2008. But the unemployment case started to rise since 2009, and almost reached the level of 1999, which is the year of financial crisis.As a suggestion, the said scheme can add community service work as a component of the criteria of getting subsistence, such as to clean toilets in governmental departments, of some minimum hours per month as a way to encourage them to contribute to the society. Back to the postgraduate in CU as an example, of course he will get something better than looking after elderly as a job! Even if he cannot do so what he has done will be beneficial to the society. Moreover, the scheme is becoming more complicated as more and more supplement and discretionary items have been added.It is no longer a system that is administratively simple or efficient. The lack of training of the said officials and the complexity the system deter the efficiency of the officials to tackle the applicants specific needs, rather in a degree enhanced their reliability on CSSA. Alternative of solving the problems, despite of training workers, is to tidy up the current structure of the administration, such as diving the recipients into categories, with their own eligibility criteria, referrals, conditions of assistance and kinds of help to offer.Bureau working on this will be, despite more systematic, will have a much more clear idea of how to help the applicant and in turn, the applicant received a better idea of their benefit and get better helped. For instance the financial needs of the elderly should be considered with their health care. They may, because worrying insufficient money to pay their health care, save the already little grants receiv ed from CSSA, sacrificing their living quality. There seems little cooperation with the Social Welfare department with relevant charity organizations.The same applies to other groups, like, for single parents family, which they save the CSSA for family services. I have already made the point through the above that CSSA, generally speaking is effective and have done a good job in providing a safety net to Hong Kong, by a one-way handout of cash. But it can, in fact, requiring the recipients to contribute back to the society by adding a component of voluntary services element into the scheme. This, on one hand can screen out people who do not really need CSSA, thus focusing to the resources and attention to those desperately in need.And on the other hand to help those screened out forcing them getting back to the mainstream. And as mentioned about, the efficiency of the CSSA system can be more efficient by adopting a categorical approach, better matching the skills of staff working th erein and the background of recipients. In a nutshell, CSSA do create some sort of dependency because, looking at the amount of CSSA cases and the economy of Hong Kong it is not very much correlated. That suggests that the determining factor for the number of people on welfare is, maybe the welfare system itself.Therefore it is very critical for the government to formulate its social welfare policy so that the policy will not create dependency by itself, better organizing structure of manpower, so the budget can save a few billion and most importantly, better matching of resources and helping those really in need. (1719 words) Reference: 1. Research and Statistics Section, Social Welfare Department, Statistics on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, 1999 to 2009 2. Social Welfare Department, A Guide to Comprehensive Social Security Assistance

School Prayer

Amy Hua English 1A TTh 1:45-3:10 Professor Marvin School Prayer Annie Laurie Gaylor argues against school prayer in her article â€Å"The Case against School Prayer† (Elements of Arguments, 679). When religion is included in daily school routines, it divides students into different beliefs. Public schools are meant to be open for all people to get an education, but not to influence them into a new religion. Requiring students to practice prayer in public schools is a violation of Freedom of Religion.Public schools should not practice prayer because there is a diversity of religions in the United States and the Constitution of the First Amendment. Students in public schools get distracted from judgment of religion, but that is why there are places where schools may freely practice religion, such as private schools. Due to the diversity of religions, along with dissimilar practices, schools should continue their public structure leaving religion entirely out. Public schools educ ate the belief of God, which might (for example) be the religion of Catholicism.High schools, Middle schools, and maybe even Elementary schools that practice a certain religion might offend or hurt other religions. â€Å"When religion has invaded our public school system, it has singled out the lone Jewish student, the class Unitarian or agnostic, the children in the minority† (Gaylor 679-680). The United States has a vast variety of religions that include Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Hinduism, Islam, etc. There are also those Atheists who do not believe in any God. Each belief practices different events that may contrast.For instance, Christians rejoice to the Lord on Christmas day as a result of the birth of Jesus Christ, whereas, Buddhists pay their respects to the dead. â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. (First Amendment, Bill of Rights, U. S. Constitution)† The First Amendment is th e Freedom of Religion, press, and expression. Praying at schools not only excludes the students who do not believe in God, but also disrespects them by not allowing freedom of other religions.Forced into prayer does not verbally influence the student to believe in God, but it still implies that you cannot or should not practice a different religion. Most of the rules in public schools are useful: do not use profanity, attend school, and do your best at anything you set your mind to. No matter what the religion, these rules are useful to everyone and are universal to all countries because each one agrees with them. Teaching students about religion would be equivalent to converting them towards the American Republican Party or Democratic-Republican Party.For schools today, it is dishonest for teachers to promote subject during class period. Instructors cannot force what is not universal because of the different beliefs each religion practices. There will be disagreements among singula r religions because there is not only one type of prayer system. There is a place for religion in schools. Private schools were made to eliminate the government from its system, so they are independent. Although students in public schools should be allowed to have personal prayers, there are also private schools and universities that focus on certain viewpoints on religion.If required, some private schools are given permission to freely practice their own religion. For example, Messiah College and John Brown University concentrate on Bible studies as much as other electives. It is more of an option to attend private schools, like Messiah College, so the student should know what he or she is signing up for. However, public schools are for all students to learn gender education. Therefore, no assumption of religion should be taught as a part of general education.As a child, I was enrolled into private Christian school by my parents. My parents and I were aware of the education I was b eing taught by the teachers and the sharing of general education and Bible studies. In â€Å"The Case against School Prayer†, Gaylor says â€Å"People should be judged by their actions, not by what religion they believe in or how publicly or loudly they pray† (82). Not only do people get distracted from judgment, but also from their studies from far most important subjects.With religion being in the same studies as Math and Science, students are unable to concentrate in studies that will mainly shape their future. Prayer can be harmful in many ways, depending on how much the school interoperates it daily. When I attended a Christian school during Kindergarten through fifth grade, I was required to announce the Pledge of Allegiance. But when my parents decided to take me out of Christian school and enroll me into public school, the Pledge of Allegiance was still mandatory to say.My parents, who converted into Buddhism, were offended that I still had to intentionally wor ship God. Annie Gaylor and, not to mention, Jesus had the same opinion for not allowing public schools to teach religion. â€Å"†¦when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret† (Bible, Matt. 6:5-6). School prayers add conflict to education in many ways. As a result of the vast amount of religions in the United States, there are conflicts caused my disagreements of religion. Japan, where no one prays at school, had the lowest crime rate of any developed nation† (Gaylor, 683). Religion should only be taught in private schools or organizations. The First Amendment was made for Freedom of religion, press, and expression, meaning that everyone has a right to pray, but not for public schools to convert the students into believe a certain religion. I strongly agree on Gaylor’s viewpoints of school prayers because I was felt in the same situation in the past. Public schools should stay open to diffe rent religions.

Making Choices about Exigency, Genre, and Readership Essay - 1

Making Choices about Exigency, Genre, and Readership - Essay Example Thinking about genre will enable the writer to consider the style and manner of writing. Considering about readership will compel the writer to engage with the subject being written and not just to write to comply to the requirements of an assignment. I have to admit that the only person I thought of in my previous writing classes is my teacher on how to satisfy him or her so I can get better grade. Writing for an ideal community of readers compels me to find ways to meet the expectations of those who are already interested in my topic and for them to consider my perspective, accept my explanations, arguments and proposals. Writing for a class is primarily motivated by compliance or as a response to the requirement of a class. This may or may not engage the writer as he or she writes the paper. Writing for â€Å"real† readers on the other hand, engages the writer about the subject being written in order to convince its real readers to adopt his or her point of view or be convince with the persuasion of the

Business Simulation Game (Individual Report) Essay

Business Simulation Game (Individual Report) - Essay Example ment of a foot-wear company operating in Europe-Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and North America and the strategic decisions that the virtual company has made from its Year 10 to Year 15 of operation. The company operates in four different geographical areas; Europe-Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and North America. This means the company operates in different political atmospheres. It thus has to deal with the problems and challenges of political ambiguities and turbulence. In order to create a political environment that is amenable to our business, we have pursued political risk management strategies. We have taken advantage of the growing global awareness and entered into the global market. As globalization leads to more business opportunities for our company, we have to change the roles of the business game and strategize accordingly with the changing dynamics. We appreciate that different organizational players and settings shape our business opportunities through different public policy processes in the locales that host our operations. Before settling on any particular strategy to take control of the political uncertainty, our company further considered the High Involvement Strategy. This involved contemplating the possibility of expending great resources and developing a more elaborate strategy. The strategy would be geared towards effecting the political environment in ways that would yield maximum returns to our efforts. Using this strategy, the company did not abandon the idea of networking with other similar-minded firms. Instead of coalition with like-minded firms to gain scale, the strategy would be for diverse parties to gain scope. All companies, organizations and agencies are potential members of the High Involvement Strategy. The strategy would include networking of regional, local, national, political, economic and social actors. Through frequent communication and contact, the network behaves like an information-gathering device that