Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Divorce Rate And Divorce Rates - 1224 Words

Divorce rate also known as divorce demography, which is the study of demographic factors that impact divorced as a social phenomenon, the divorce demography can clearly evaluate and reflect the marriage stability and happiness index of certain countries or area and that is the reason why data statistics of divorce rate is important. According to ONS (Office of National Statistics), the divorce rate has not been that low since 1974, when it was 0.9%. The number of divorces in 2014 was declined to 111,169 also represents a drop of more than 25% since a recent peak in 2004. The causes of decreases in divorcing are omnifarious. They can be financial situation, social, cultural and educational status, this essay will analysis the reasons and†¦show more content†¦A lower marriage rate leads to a decline in divorce rates directly. However, there are lots of statistics showing that changes of divorce rate have nothing to do with marriage rate ,for example According to ONS, The tren d in the number of divorces dropping continues while the number of marriages is up slightly in recent years (Source: Office for National Statistics). It must be acknowledged that long-term data studies are more persuasive than the short-term data in this kind of social problem research. Another long-term statistics can clearly show people that the number of marriage and divorce rate tally with each other and show the same trend from the 1931 to now.(ONS, 2014) Which means that the lower marriage rate is the most direct cause of divorce rate decline .From the research above, the condition of divorce rate decreased is not temporary. According to data from Justin Wolfers who is the economist in University of Michigan (who also contributes to The Upshot).The New York Times had close-up view at those numbers and make conclusion: â€Å"so far the couples who married at 2000s divorcing at even lower rate If current trends continue, more than 65% of marriages will never involve a divor ce. (Stevenson and Wolfers.2007) Another reason should be considered is cohabitation revolution. Cohabitation is a general term to describe that twoShow MoreRelatedDivorce : The Divorce Rate1662 Words   |  7 PagesThe divorce rate, while fluctuating over time, has reached high percentages lately. As Coltrane and Adams posit, the high divorce rates are due in part to the fact that the expectations of marriage are high in high esteem. When it does not work out, people are anxious to try again to find the perfect partner. Divorce is what allows people that opportunity (Coltrane and Adams p. 201). However, the intricacies of divorce are complicated. Much of the conversation of divorce is focused on fault andRead MoreThe Divorce Rate Of Divorce1123 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationship, therefore they choose divorce, which is one of the solutions to cope with problems between husband and wife. Furthermore, most people think carefully before they get marriage. However, the divorce rates trend to continually increase nowadays, thus it might be argued that divorces can be taken place easier than the past. In the United States, researchers estimate that 40%–50% of all first marriages, and 60% of second marriages, will end in divorce. Divorce has always been present in AmericanRead MoreDivorce And The Divorce Rate Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In the last 25 years, divorce has become a major issue in American society. Since the turn of the century, the divorce rate has held steady between 4.0-3.2 divorces per 1000 people per year (National Vital Statistics System, 2015). With this rising divorce rate, more children are living between parents, or in single family homes, and many of these children have been exposed to altercations between parents, as well as rough custody battles and divorce settlements. Traumatic experiencesRead MoreDivorce Rate And Marriage Rate876 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to recent statistics, there are more divorces now than ever before. At the rate things are going, the divorce rate may soon surpass the marriage rate. There are many reasons for such a high divorce rate, but one of the main ones is that people do not realize what they are getting themselves into when they marry. Couples do not realize that marriage is a job that must be worked at continuously in order for it to go well. Because m any couples marry for the wrong reasons, a breakdown in communicationRead MoreThe Divorce Rate Of Japan996 Words   |  4 Pages Divorce Ever since the 1950’s, the rate of divorce has been increasing immensely to a degree that it is becoming socially acceptable. It is losing its stigma as well. Most divorces in the world have similar reasons and statistics as to why divorce is becoming more common, but also have some differences. For instance, Japan’s divorce rate is at 27% whereas Russia has a higher divorce rate around 60% due to some of the same controversial reasons. Japan’s divorce is still fairly lower than theRead MoreThe Divorce Rate Of America959 Words   |  4 PagesDivorce Rate Throughout time, practices that were once never used, become more common. In the 1600s divorce was a forbidden practice or a last resort. Since then, laws have changed, and so hasn’t the stigma related with divorce. The guilt and fault that divorce once carried has vanished. According to the book Should I Keep Trying to Work it out, â€Å"In the United States, researchers estimate that 40%–50% of all first marriages will end in divorce or permanent separation. The risk of divorce is evenRead MoreHigh Divorce Rates1469 Words   |  6 PagesFamily Institution (High Divorce Rates) Have you ever been to a traditional wedding? They are the most beautiful breath taking experience that you have ever seen; many symbols like the exchange of rings, uniting candle, flowers, bride’s maids and best man, and the bride in a beautiful white dress. Also weddings are a lot of fun too. They are the start of a family institution. On the flip side they are expensive and stressful for the couple at hand and the odds of staying together are onlyRead MoreHigh Divorce Rates1163 Words   |  5 PagesWhy is the Divorce Rate So High? Intro to Sociology April 25, 2006 A question that has been plaguing sociologists for years is the issue of high divorce rates. Since the 80s there has been an extremely high rate of divorce in our country. In statistics I found from 2004 the percentage of divorce was at 47(NCHS). This question has been studied vigorously, sociologist have looked in every direction for one solid reason that our divorce rate is so high, even compared to other developed countriesRead MoreA High Rate Of Divorce Essay892 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"When you look around this building [district office], you will see a high rate of divorce. I’m certain that significantly more than 50% of district administrators here are divorced. I am part of this statistic. At this level of leadership, there are many tolls on personal relationships. We are discussing a 24-7 job with high and very public expectations.† –P3 Marital trajectories found within couples who are dominated and led by a strong women are often alarming. Participant 3 described thisRead MoreThe Divorce Rate Of Women2547 Words   |  11 Pages1. The graph showcases the trend in the divorce rate of women from 1960 to 1994 in consideration of their level of education. It is shown that the divorce rate for women with no high school diploma was the highest compared to the rate for women with college degree or more. The divorce rate for women with high school diploma or some college increased until about 1979, and after that it stabilized. It is observed that women who do not pursue a higher education continue to have failing relationships

Monday, December 16, 2019

Han and Roman Empire - 778 Words

Han and Roman Empires The Roman Empire existed between 31 B.C.E to 476 C.E. and the Han Dynasty occurred 202 B.C.E. to 220 C.E. They existed at same times but were on opposite ends of Eurasia. They both had regions that were ruled by either kings, viceroys or governors in the name of the emperor. They were both similar in slavery, government, and their downfall. They also had their differences in religion, military, and center of power. Both civilizations had very strong central governments which allowed for powerful and expanding kingdoms. Both empires had to develop road systems for their expanding military. The Roman army men were experienced and privileged and held high ranks in their class system and played an important role,†¦show more content†¦The Roman empire collapsed due to pressure of invasions by barbarians in the west and the Persians in the east. Generals that were rivals murdered emperors and overtook the throne. Economy declined and the state kept taking more and more taxes and resources from the citizens. In the west, in the fifth century, Roman authority collapsed and in the east a Christian Roman Empire survived in the city of Constantinople and turned into the Byzantine Empire. 1. Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, Frank M. Turner. â€Å"Republic and Imperial Rome†. The Heritage of World Civilizations. 1: 124-156. (2007, 2005, 2002) Pearson Education, Inc. New Jersey. 2. Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, Frank M. Turner. â€Å"China‘s First Empire†. The Heritage of World Civilizations. 1: 1152 (2007, 2005, 2002) Pearson Education, Inc. NewShow MoreRelatedThe Roman Empire and the Han Empire 513 Words   |  2 PagesAfter the collapse of the Qin Dynasty in the third century BCE, the Han Empire emerged as a massive imperial power in the East. Its culture was compiled upon the teachings of Confucius and ancestor worship. Meanwhile in the west, the Romans solidified their authority as being a dominant force in the Mediterranean. Both the Roman Empire and the Han Empire were similar in their governments as they both supported a centralized government. On the other hand, they were different in the manner of how theyRead MoreThe Han Dynasty And Roman Empire1059 Words   |  5 PagesThe Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 B.C.E to 220 A.D, and Polybius wrote his account of Rome around 200 B.C.E. Though the Han Dyn asty and Roman Empire existed simultaneously, they were vastly different because they were separated by thousands of miles and high mountain ranges. It is widely agreed upon that the two empires had very little contact, especially in the years when Polybius wrote his account. Though separated, the two empires developed their own societies that were highly sophisticatedRead MoreRoman Empire And Han Dynasty960 Words   |  4 PagesRoman Empire and Han Dynasty Comparison When comparing Han China and Roman Empire, many political, geographical, and religious similarities can be found, though many differences are also prevalent. Though Roman and Han political structures both emphasized bureaucracies, they came to them quite differently. Through many amounts of expansion, both societies spread culture and earned money, though expansion was eventually their downfalls. Their religions differed immensely, with Rome emphasizing polytheismRead MoreThe Han Dynasty And Roman Empire1223 Words   |  5 PagesThe Han Dynasty and Roman Empire, though worlds away, used technology as one of their building elements to create the great societies we know them as today. Through the documents provided, one can easily understand that both Roman and Han attitudes have both similar and different attitudes when it comes to the idea of technology. Although the usage of technology greatly differed between the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire, both civilizations experienced the p ositive and negative effects that technologyRead MoreRoman Empire And The Han Dynasty810 Words   |  4 PagesThe Roman Empire and the Han dynasty both have created inventions that have inspired the modern world, and created impressive innovations and processes that advanced their primitive societies in the ancient world. Both civilizations worked tirelessly to create innovative solutions to the problems they had, or to advance their cities in a way they felt could not be replicated. Each city had their own view on how these inventions should be created and ran. The Romans created aqueducts and inventedRead MoreThe Han Dynasty And The Roman Empire2038 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction a. Thesis: Addresses issues or themes to be compared. TAKE A POSITION!!!(1 point) Unlike he classical age Han Dynasty that was destroyed by rebellions of the poor, the classical age Roman Empire’s overreliance on slaves and a divided empire left them with no loyal citizens to extricate them from collapse. However, while the pair differs in their downfalls, both the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty collapsed due to bad leadership driven by greed for power and land that caused them to overextend theirRead MoreThe Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesTHE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE HAN DYNASTY The Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty Imagine being the head of government in one or two of the most famously remembered governments in the world’s history! The Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty are two of the most famous governments in history. The Roman Empire and Han Dynasty were governed in very different ways, however both contributed greatly to Western civilization. The Roman Empire was in power between 1,000 and 1,200 years. The Han Dynasty was inRead MoreRoman Empire Vs. Han Dynasty939 Words   |  4 PagesCompare and Contrast Essay Roman Empire vs. Han Dynasty Bethany Corl HIEU 201-B11 September 29, 2014 Compare and Contrast Essay The Roman and Han empires flourished in culture, wealth, and technological advances at their pinnacle, leading not to future stability, but to greed, corruption, and ultimately their downfall. The Roman and Han empires were different with respect to how each came to gaining their power. However, each held several similarities within their governmentsRead MoreThe Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty Essay1576 Words   |  7 Pages The Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty reached unprecedented levels of progress by controlling equally vast lands and territories, utilizing ecological, economic and human resources, and consolidating power by the unification of their regimes under a common legal and cultural framework.   The Roman Empire stretched from the present day British Isles to the present day Iraq and lasted five hundred years from 27 BC to 467 AD.   The Han Dynasty dominated Asia from the Korean Peninsula to present day VietnamRead MoreROMAN EMPIRE AND THE HAN DYNASTY IN CHINA1441 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE HAN DYNASTY IN CHINA Rodrick Carter HIEU 201 Liberty University 29 November 2014 Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty in China The Roman Empire and Han Dynasty in China are two kingdoms that, despite the geographical difference between them, managed to achieve great success and failure in equal measure. Both were characterized by imperial dynasties that were headed by the emperors and they held large territories. Both of these kingdoms faced various challenges after

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Nursing Theory Utilization and Application

Question: Discuss about the Nursing Theory for Utilization and Application. Answer: Introduction: For nurses, education has a significant role for implementing primary health care. The strengths of education is that it is an important aspect for the nurses and helps them in providing safe and effective care to the patients in the hospital and other healthcare settings. Education is one of the best practices, which helps them to provide the best and safe treatment and care to the patients. Nursing education helps in bringing alteration in the behaviour of the nurses so that they can be prepared for playing their roles efficiently. It helps in demonstrating responsiveness of the skills that are required in the practices of nursing. It assists in gaining knowledge regarding the resources of health together with promotion of health. In addition, it also helps in applying relevant knowledge to carry out the activities of nursing and healthcare in an efficient manner. The limitation of this role is that the lack of knowledge and poor education may result in errors that are costly for t he health and well-being of the individuals. In the absence of a proper education, the nurses will not be able to implement the practices of primary health care effectively (Parahoo 2014). Society in general: Culture influences the society in a number of ways because it affects the ways of behaving, thinking and living of the individuals of the society. It is learned within the members of the family and assists in guiding the ways for solving problems. It includes several components together with the ways of communication, traditions, beliefs, customs and language. In addition to all these, it influences sustainability, education, social behaviours, education, creativity, innovation and social cohesion. Personal behaviour of the individuals Culture has an impact on the personal behaviour of the individuals in a way that it plays a significant role in the way the individuals interact with the others. Foe e.g. by meeting a person for the first time, we can easily notice their behaviour (White 2014). Interpersonal relationships of the individuals Culture has an impact on the interpersonal relationships of the individuals as it helps in exchanging the information among two or more individuals directly. It is concerned with working by means of a variety of cultural values. Social expectations Culture has an impact on social expectations in way that the behavior of the individuals living in the society is influenced by cultural values, which results in social change. Therefore, the level of involvement of the individuals in the society matters significantly with respect to the kinds of civil society created by them (Giger 2016). In my opinion, age and gender can impact on care delivery in a way that some of the patients like small children cannot communicate effectively with the nurses and the other healthcare professionals to explain their health problem. It has been observed in the case of few female patients that they are not comfortable and feel shy to be treated by the male doctors. Understanding and health education Age and gender can impact on care delivery in a way that the lack of literacy results in poor understanding and limited health education (Lvesque, Hovey and Bedos, 2013). The patients who are not educated are not able know regarding the procedures of their treatment and thus cannot participate effectively for attaining better health services. Mainly, the small children and the women in some of the orthodox societies are derived from the health services due to lack of literacy. The ability to self-care is predominantly concerned with the older individuals and small children, who cannot take care of their own and requires support for their care. Ability for nurses to create rapport and relationships with people It has been observed that some of the female nurses are not comfortable giving treatment to the male patients and thus they are not able to create rapport and and relationships with the patients (Education 2014). The three cultural practices in Philippines, India and China include cultural dualism, Indigeneity and isolationism respectively (Alligood, M.R., 2013). The four health issues in India, Phillipines and China include HIV, diabetes, obesity and cardiac failure respectively (Potter et al. 2016). The two non-western models of health care delivery include heat therapy and acupuncture. Heat therapy involves the use of heat for relieving pain rehabilitation purposes. Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine for relieving pain. These two models are mainly practiced by the countries like china, Philippines and India (Butcher et al. 2013). References Alligood, M.R., 2013.Nursing theory: Utilization application. Elsevier Health Sciences. Butcher, H.K., Bulechek, G.M., Dochterman, J.M.M. and Wagner, C., 2013.Nursing interventions classification (NIC). Elsevier Health Sciences. Education, P.N., 2014. Advancing Nursing Excellence for Public Protection. Giger, J.N., 2016.Transcultural nursing: Assessment and intervention. Elsevier Health Sciences. Lvesque, M., Hovey, R. and Bedos, C., 2013. Advancing patient-centered care through transformative educational leadership: a critical review of health care professional preparation for patient-centered care.Journal of Healthcare Leadership,5, pp.35-46. Parahoo, K., 2014.Nursing research: principles, process and issues. Palgrave Macmillan. Potter, P.A., Perry, A.G., Stockert, P. and Hall, A., 2016.Fundamentals of nursing. Elsevier Health Sciences. White, L., 2014. Mindfulness in nursing: An evolutionary concept analysis.Journal of advanced nursing,70(2), pp.282-294.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Product Launch at Credit Master

Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to give an analysis of the internal situation at Credit Master that makes it possible to launch the new product called fast credit. This is a service offered by the company that enables customers and lenders to view credit information over the internet. It protects customers against fraudsters who have increased in the UK.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Launch at Credit Master specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Credit Master have been using this product for quite some time but it had not followed the marketing procedures involved in launching new products into the market. This paper gives the procedure to be followed when launching new products so that it gets to the targeted customers. This is done by designing a launching plan which has to be included in the budget because it consumes a significant amount of money. After fast credit has been launched, the co mpany has to modify its marketing strategies or adopt new ones in order to monitor and control the new product. This ensures that its new product (fast credit) get to the right customers and guarantees the company success in the rapidly changing global market. These strategies are effective promotion and marketing mix. Introduction Starting up a new product is taking a risk; however if the decision is well thought there are numerous benefits that come with investing in business venture. Before one is set to start a new venture there are short and long terms parameters that he should consider to ensure that there will be continuity in the product. The future is unpredictable and so even the smallest details about something should be interpolated before starting up. It will be appreciated that a company with properly shaped psychological contracts embraces a system that allows employees to air their views to the higher leadership. Conducting an internal analysis helps a company to und erstand its marketing position and the opportunities than can be utilized to enhance its performance. This paper gives a brief background of Credit Master Company, looks at the procedure followed in designing a launch plan and gives the SWOT analysis as well as some of the marketing strategies that should be adopted to ensure continuity of the new product. Background Credit Master is a global agency company that provides financial, marketing, and statistical information to customers and businesses. Its core business operation is to partner with other companies such as banks and credit card companies in the provision of financial information.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As we all know, lending money is a risky business but the information provided by Credit Master helps financial institution in making informed decisions. The work of this firm is to enable lending institut ions such as banks to share information related to their customer’s credit accounts. The lender uses this information in making decision on whether or not a customer is eligible for a loan. This is done by looking at the amount of credit held by a customer and how it is being managed. Credit Master charges a fee to the lenders every time its record is searched. However, the customer has to give his consent before his credit report information is searched and for such information to be stored by Credit Master. Customers too have a right to view their credit information but they can only do so after paying a legal charge of  £2. Credit Master Market covers student loans, personal loans, hire purchase agreements, mortgages, credit cards, among others. For a long time, the firm’s customers have being relying on the post in applying and receiving their credit information. However, recently, the company has been using a new product called credit fast which has enabled it t o target new markets. Customers can now apply and receive their statutory report online after passing the authentication process. With credit fast, customers are able to understand the perception held by prospective lenders regarding their credit information and are therefore in a position to determine whether their request will be granted. This new products also protects members against identity fraud which has become a problem in UK. Literature Review Product launch plan After product development and having done a thorough scrutiny of the target market, the next step is to develop a product launch plan. This plan will concentrate on the necessary phases that will help boost production, build up marketing strategies, come up programs for sales people training, and grounding of how to set up or sustain the product. A well prepared product launch plan results in faster and more effective marketing and coordination of activities (Lodato, 2008: 10). Having a product launch plan is very crucial for the success of every business. The following procedure has to be followed in launching new products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Launch at Credit Master specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Understanding the Target Market and market segmentation Under review of the product launch process; there are certain things that should be put into consideration such as identification of needed activities, system requirement, and organizational responsibilities. A clear understanding of the target market is necessary in any product launch plan. This is because products launched on markets where most of the audience are not interested results in terrible failures. One has to have a thorough understanding of his audience. Understanding of the target market is known as market segmentation. The target market should be broken down into small segments to make advertising easy. One of the benefits of market se gmentation is that. Companies are able to target specific populations that would have not been reached if mass marketing was adopted. With this kind of marketing, companies are able to have a closer contact with their potential customers and they are able to understand their tastes, interests, and their economic positions which helps them in determining patterns of consumption and the marketing strategies to be adopted. With market segmentation, the process of marketing becomes simple because marketers are able to concentrate their marketing strategies on specific groups of people with similar characteristics. They are also able to monitor the process of products in the specific markets with the expectation of better results. Process Improvement After reviewing the product launch process, the next step is to develop a process improvement. This involves making improvement on the marketing strategies, organization responsibilities, and design of the product. In order to achieve an eff ective improvement process, the best way to go about this is to market and pre-sell the product (as Credit Masters has already done) in the targeted markets before the actual date of launching. Different methods of advertising may be used to drive the message home.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The aim of this pre-selling is to help the product developers get some feedback from the audience of which they can be able to make the necessary adjustments before launching the product (Lodato, 2008: 15). Integrate Organization Once the process has been reviewed and necessary improvements done, the next step is to redesign the organization integration. This integration is done among the product launch team members who are responsible for its development. Responsibilities are distributed among the team members and necessary changes made which then helps to facilitate the launch activities. Trainings are offered to the team members in order to equip them with the necessary skills required in this job. After carrying out the necessary analysis for the product launch, the product launch team is left with the responsibility of designing the plan. The plan should include method of advertisement to be adopted, projected budget among others. The plan should be cost effective and cost shou ld be kept as low as possible. After successfully launching the product, the team should monitor closely its progress, get feedback from the users and decide when to raise or lower the charges (Ebbena Johnson, 2006:851). Branding Global marketing strategies call for development of strategies that build upon the brand image and customers loyalty. This includes developing positioning strategies as compared to competitors worldwide. Branding and positioning strategies must fit the product and the company across multiple countries. Organizations are formed to achieve certain goals. Credit master is built to grow shareholder value by delivering quality products at low costs. The product that achieves this is the credit fast. The brand image of this product is strong and can market for it self. One advantage of branding is that, the company is able to build a strong reputation and earn trust from its valued customers. Branding can also be considered as a form of marketing that lasts for long even after the advertising campaign is over. With proper branding, credit master will be able to create a sharp focus on the sale of credit fast. It is able to develop marketing activities that will attract the intended customers. A strong brand helps in designing a good structure and development plan that ensures success of the business’s products. Analysis SWOT Analysis Before the product is launched, there is need to carry out a SWOT analysis for the company in the target markets. Locally (in UK), the company has strength in that it is already established and has a good reputation. This makes it easy for the launching of the new product in the market. The financial sector is already developed and thus the company may face stiff competition from the rival industries against its product. It may become even harder to convince clients about the effectiveness of fast credit because they are used to other products. Despite the threat of competition there is still an opportu nity that UK being a developed country the company has opportunities for expansion and growth. The following table gives a summary of the company’s SWOT analysis Strengths High quality brand within the industry International operations with large customer base Prompt delivery of services to customers Low debt liability and strong financial base Well coordinated management team Weaknesses Weak functional performance Vulnerability to economic slowdown Difficulty in accessing credit market Ineffective cost structure management Fluctuating profit margins Opportunities Expansion to other foreign nations/market More asset acquisitions due to high level of privatization Initiatives for transformations Product diversification Recruitment of highly experienced personnel Threats Economic slowdown due to credit crunch Increase in government taxes Entry of new players in the market Expansion of competitors Political instability inflations Marketing Strategies Promotio n as an Effective Marketing Communication Promotion which is also known as channel of distributions is one of the four main elements of effective marketing. Every organization uses promotion as a way of making a product or service accessible for consumption by the consumer. Promotion can be through the media, such as use of TV, radio, magazines, newspaper, internet where one (the advertiser) pays a certain fee to the advertising agent. A promotion plan is aimed at increasing sales, launching new products, positioning an organization, or creation of good corporate image. Promotion is a form of communication that helps a company to analyze its competitor environment in classifying and identifying its market position in terms of competition. In the course of market promotion a company is able to establish its business performance in the market and discover new strategies that can work effectively (Yeshin, 1998:127). A company is able to know where it stands in the market. It can either be a market leader, market challenger or a small market holder. If a company realizes that it is a market leader, it will employ strategies that assist in maintaining that position in the market. For market challengers, they will employ more advanced marketing information strategies as they fight to lead the market or occupy some of the market share occupied by the smaller markets holders (Masterman Wood, 2006: 58). And for the companies holding small market share, it will act as a challenge and they will try other strategies in order to increase their share in the market. Marketing Mix An effective marketing mix ensures that goods are available to the target customer, when they need them, at an affordable price. The first point is to collect adequate market data and analyze the same. The company uses business intelligence tools to collect a wide range of data essential for its operations (Slowman Sutcliffe, 2004:4). The data is interpolated in terms of age, sex, region, educatio n, income, and lifestyle. This assists the company in knowing the products that it will develop if it has to remain competitive. Its research centers offer great assistance in ensuring that all is set in terms of data available for decision making. A customer is the backbone of a company; the main decision that a marketing manager should make is determining his company’s market segment. One of the ways to enter in the target market is marketing mix (Earl, 1996:50). The 4Ps represent Price, product/service, promotion, and place. An effective marketing ensures that goods are available to the target customer, when they need them and they are affordable. Price Competitive international pricing strategy (Hooley Saunders, 1993:20) Price-wars- Price-ranges (Customers select services the price range that suit them). Limit pricing strategies Promotion Cross-advertising advantage (vertical integration) Service promotion through corporate image (efficient products) Products / serv ices Diversified range products. Inter-linked products for customer use delivering the content that customer’s desire Place Open market operations Effective distribution channels through advanced technology (Mintzberg, et al. 2003:43) Accessible locations Space Matrix The space matrix is an instrument used to determine whether aggressive, defensive, competitive or conservative techniques are appropriate for the company. In this case, SPACE matrix is used to determine the appropriate strategy that Credit Master should adopt for its growth and development of the new product (Anon. â€Å"Space matrix strategic management method† 2010). It helps the company to favorably compete with other companies within the industry. The following table shows the space matrix for Credit Master. Source: http://www.maxi-pedia.com/SPACE%20matrix%20model%20strategic%20management%20method From the above analysis, it is clear that the company has to adopt an aggressive strategy in order to beat its competitors. An aggressive strategy in this case would be increased promotion of its products both in the local market and internationally. This owes to the fact that the company lags much behind its competitors. By adopting the aggressive strategy, the company will be seeking to catch up and probably outweigh its major competitors. Furthermore, the strategy is very appropriate in terms of attracting more clients. With the large number of operators in the industry and the potential entrance of new players, aggressive strategy is most appropriate in grabbing customers and even establishing loyal clients (Anctil, 2008:40). Advantages and disadvantages of using primary and secondary research One advantage of using primary research is that, one gets the opportunity to meet with the correspondents and gets information directly from them. One gets up to date information that can be relied on in designing proper marketing strategies. It also gives in-depth information as compar ed to secondary research. On the other hand, primary research is associated with some disadvantages. One of them is that, it is an expensive process that requires prior planning. The other disadvantage is that, it consumes a lot of time that would otherwise be used for other activities. Secondary research is the use of recorded information to write a report. This type of research has numerous advantages. Some of them include; it is cheaper than primary research, it does not consume a lot of time, requires less effort, and can be done at any time from any location so long as there are materials to be referred. The disadvantages of this kind of research include; it does not give up to date information, and at times it is difficult the find the exact information relating to the issue at hand. Business expansion When a business is planning to expand its operation, it can either use internal or external sources of information. Internal sources include using the strengths and the weakness that the business has in order to determine strong points that it can specialize in. It can also conduct an internal research from the employees and other stake holders, for instant shareholders on their view towards the company’s products. This helps in determining the strategies to use when it decides to expand the business so as to attract a large number of customers. External information comes from customers, supplies, contractors, and the society at large. This kind of information can be collected by designing questionnaires that are filled by specific people chosen at random. Recommendations Since the Masters Credit Company is growing fast and at the same time facing challenges, it is important that certain recommendations be proposed. The recommendations should be adopted with the sole reason of advancing the company’s global operations. To achieve this, the following recommendations are important; Restructure marketing techniques: the company is facing stiff i nternational competition and is likely to lose out in case it remains with the same old marketing strategies; the company should consider drawing new market communication strategies that will reposition its products in the market. In addition, the company should re-brand its products through careful and skillful innovation in order to attract new customers. To ensure that the operations of the company are successful, it is important that the company defines its operation principles of internal control. Moreover, the company should also establish ways of monitoring and evaluating the internal controls. The company should establish proper criteria according to which the process of risk management will be taking place. The criteria should be in such a way that potential risks are identified early enough and appropriate actions taken promptly. Financial strength is one of the most important core businesses of the company. To ensure that the company’s financial resource are well m anaged and utilized, it is recommended that the company gives a clear description on how the internal audit should function to avoid any form of Fraud or misappropriation of financial resource It will also be important for the company to enhance the flow of information from the top level to bottom level. The flow of information on crucial and sensitive matters should be effective and efficient. This should utilize the most current communication technology. The strengths and weaknesses of the company should be evaluated on a periodic basis in order to identify potential challenges that can affect the normal operations of the company. It is important to note that new challenges arise and can contribute to the company’s already existing weaknesses. Again, the company is likely to gain more strength in areas which, if well utilized, can help enhance the competitive advantage of the company. A definite period should therefore be set to be used in monitoring and evaluating the inte rnal weaknesses and strengths of the company. Conclusion By launching fast credit, Credit Master is assured of increased sales volume since a big number of potential customers will learn about the company’s products. This is done through the adoption of new strategies such as marketing mix and promotion. With good promotion a company or business is able to determine its market share. With this, the company will be able to know which tactics to employ in order to increase the market share as well as ensure customer satisfaction. Negative feedback concerning the product will help the company to identify areas in which to work on in order to improve the quality of its products. All this is aimed at ensuring good returns for the company in form of profits. Reference List Anctil, E. 2008. Marketing and Advertising the Intangible. ASHE Higher Education Report, 34(2), 31-47. Anon. 2010. Space Matrix Strategic Management Method Web. Earl, P. 1996. Management, Marketing and the Compet itive Process. Williston: American International Distribution Corporation. Ebbena, J., Johnson, A. 2006, â€Å"Bootstrapping in small firms: An empirical analysis of change over time†, Journal of Business Venturing, Volume 21, Issue 6, November 2006, Pages 851-865. Hooley, J., Saunders, J. 1993. Competitive Strategy: the Key to Marketing Strategy. New York, Prentice Hall. Lodato, M. W. 2008. Management of New Product Launches and other Marketing Projects. New York, AuthorHouse. Masterman, G., Wood E. H. 2006. Innovative Marketing Communications: Strategies for the Events Industry. London, Butterworth-Heinemann. Mintzberg, L. et al. 2003. The Strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Cases. London, Pearson Education (UK). Slowman, J., Sutcliffe, M. 2004. Economics for Business, 3rd Edition, Financial Times Prentice Hall, pp. 84-94. Yeshin, T. 1998. Integrated Marketing Communications: The Holistic Approach. London, Butterworth-Heinemann. This essay on Product Launch at Credit Master was written and submitted by user Tomas Robinson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Albert Einstein essays

Albert Einstein essays Surely nearly everyone has heard of Albert Einstein. He was known for the large contributions he made in the field of science, of which he spent most of his life developing. He formulated the infamous theory of relativity and mentally and mathematically explored the universe. Albert had all but a normal life, only in part due to his capabilities. Born into a Jewish home in Ulm, Germany in 1879 to parents Herman and Pauline Einstein, Einstein lived in a home where his parents maintained an atmosphere of modest well being (Groves Internet). Einstein started learning mathematics from his uncle whom visited periodically, but when he was old enough to go to school, his parents put him in a Catholic school because of the distance to a Jewish school. At school he was faced with historical information and facts that he found to be irrelevant. He often asked questions like what would happen if a man were to try and capture a ray of light? but the teachers were pestered by questions like these. When Einstein was only 15, his family had moved to Milan, Italy, but Einstein stayed to try and get into the prestigious Eidgenossische Technische Hoschule in Zurich, but unfortunately, he did not get in (Forsee 14) .He soon attended another school in Aarau to meet the credentials to get in to ETH, which he finally did. While there, he met Marcel Grossman, a friend of whom he became very close to over the years (Groves Internet). After graduating, Einstein was left searching for a job. Grossmans father recommended him to a school in Winterthur, where he held a temporary post as a mathematics teacher(Groves Internet). He later resorted to getting a job at Mr. Grossmans patent office. While there, Einstein had plenty of time to formulate theories and in turn, write several theoretical physics publications. From these papers, he got a Doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1905(Groves Internet). ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Second Battle of El Alamein in World War II

Second Battle of El Alamein in World War II The Second Battle of El Alamein was fought from October 23, 1942 to November 5, 1942 during World War II (1939-1945) and was the turning point of the campaign in the Western Desert. Having been driven east by Axis forces in 1942, the British had established a strong defensive line at El Alamein, Egypt. Recovering and reinforcing, new leadership on the British side commenced planning an offensive to regain the initiative. Launched in October, the Second Battle of El Alamein saw British forces grind through the enemy defenses before shattering the Italo-German lines. Short on supplies and fuel, Axis forces were compelled to retreat back into Libya. The victory ended the threat to the Suez Canal and provided a significant boost to Allied morale. Background In the wake of its victory at the Battle of Gazala (May-June, 1942), Field Marshal Erwin Rommels Panzer Army Africa pressed British forces back across North Africa. Retreating to within 50 miles of Alexandria, General Claude Auchinleck was able to stop the Italo-German offensive at El Alamein in July. A strong position, the El Alamein line ran 40 miles from the coast to the impassable Quattara Depression. While both sides paused to rebuild their forces, Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Cairo and decided to make command changes. New Leadership Auchinleck was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle East by General Sir Harold Alexander, while the 8th Army was given to Lieutenant General William Gott. Before he could take command, Gott was killed when the Luftwaffe shot down his transport. As a result, command of the 8th Army was assigned to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Moving forward, Rommel attacked Montgomerys lines at the Battle of Alam Halfa (August 30-September 5) but was repulsed. Choosing to take a defensive stance, Rommel fortified his position and placed over 500,000 mines, many of which were anti-tank types. Field Marshal Harold Alexander. Armies Commanders British Commonwealth General Sir Harold AlexanderLieutenant General Bernard Montgomery220,00 men1,029 tanks750 aircraft900 field guns1,401 anti-tank guns Axis Powers Field Marshal Erwin RommelLieutenant General Georg Stumme116,000 men547 tanks675 aircraft496 anti-tank guns Monty's Plan Due to the depth of Rommels defenses, Montgomery carefully planned his assault. The new offensive called for infantry to advance across the minefields (Operation Lightfoot) which would allow engineers to open two routes through for the armor. After clearing the mines, the armor would reform while the infantry defeated the initial Axis defenses. Across the lines, Rommels men were suffering from a severe lack of supplies and fuel. With the bulk of German war materials going to the Eastern Front, Rommel was forced to rely on captured Allied supplies. His health failing, Rommel took leave to Germany in September. General Erwin Rommel in North Africa, 1941. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives Records Administration A Slow Start On the night of October 23, 1942, Montgomery began a heavy 5-hour bombardment of the Axis lines. Behind this, 4 infantry divisions from XXX Corps advanced over the mines (the men did not weigh enough to trip the anti-tank mines) with the engineers working behind them. By 2:00 AM the armored advance began, however progress was slow and traffic jams developed. The assault was supported by diversionary attacks to the south. As dawn approached, the German defense was hampered by the loss of Rommels temporary replacement, Lieutenant General Georg Stumme, who died of a heart attack. German Counterattacks Taking control of the situation, Major-General Ritter von Thoma coordinated counterattacks against the advancing British infantry. Though their advance was bogged down, the British defeated these assaults and the first major tank engagement of the battle was fought. Having opened a six mile wide and five mile deep inroad into Rommels position, Montgomery began shifting forces north to inject life into the offensive. Over the next week, the bulk of the fighting occurred in the north near a kidney-shaped depression and Tel el Eisa. Returning, Rommel found his army stretched with only three days of fuel remaining. Axis Fuel Shortages Moving divisions up from the south, Rommel quickly found that they lacked the fuel to withdraw, leaving them exposed in the open. On October 26, this situation worsened when Allied aircraft sank a German tanker near Tobruk. Despite Rommels hardships, Montgomery continued to have difficulty breaking through as Axis anti-tank guns mounted a stubborn defense. Two days later, Australian troops advanced northwest of Tel el Eisa towards Thompsons Post in an attempt to break through near the coast road. On the night of October 30, they succeeded in reaching road and repelled numerous enemy counterattacks. British infantry attack at El Alamein, October 24, 1942. Public Domain Rommel Retreats: After assaulting the Australians again with no success on November 1, Rommel began to concede that the battle was lost and began planning a retreat 50 miles west to Fuka. At 1:00 AM on November 2, Montgomery launched Operation Supercharge with the goal of forcing the battle into the open and reaching Tel el Aqqaqir. Attacking behind an intense artillery barrage, the 2nd New Zealand Division and the 1st Armored Division met stiff resistance, but forced Rommel to commit his armored reserves. In the resulting tank battle, the Axis lost over 100 tanks. His situation hopeless, Rommel contacted Hitler and asked for permission to withdraw. This was promptly denied and Rommel informed von Thoma that they were to stand fast. In assessing his armored divisions, Rommel found that fewer than 50 tanks remained. These were soon destroyed by British attacks. As Montgomery continued to attack, entire Axis units were overrun and destroyed opening a 12-mile hole in Rommels line. Left with no choice, Rommel ordered his remaining men to begin retreating west. On November 4, Montgomery launched his final assaults with the 1st, 7th, and 10th Armored Divisions clearing the Axis lines and reaching open desert. Lacking sufficient transportation, Rommel was forced to abandon many of his Italian infantry divisions. As a result, four Italian divisions effectively ceased to exist. Aftermath The Second Battle of El Alamein cost Rommel around 2,349 killed, 5,486 wounded, and 30,121 captured. In addition, his armored units effectively ceased to exist as a fighting force. For Montgomery, the fighting resulted in 2,350 killed, 8,950 wounded, and 2,260 missing, as well as around 200 tanks permanently lost. A grinding battle that was similar to many fought during World War I, the Second Battle of El Alamein turned the tide in North Africa in favor of the Allies. Pushing west, Montgomery drove Rommel back to El Agheila in Libya. Pausing to rest and rebuild his supply lines, he continued to attack in mid-December and pressed the German commander into retreating again. Joined in North Africa by American troops, who had landed in Algeria and Morocco, Allied forces succeeded in evicting the Axis from North Africa on May 13, 1943 (Map).

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Hobbes and Rousseau's Depiction of the state of nature and human Essay

Hobbes and Rousseau's Depiction of the state of nature and human nature - Essay Example The state ought to protect the lives of its citizens. The people who elected them into power should not live in fear of their lives. They should enjoy peace and stability. With these, the law of conservation of motion Hobbes tries to tell us that human beings are constantly looking for something in life. â€Å"Life itself is but Motion, and can never be without Desire† (129-130). What he is saying is that human beings are never satisfied; they always want more and more each moment ( Rousseau and. Their search for felicity is what causes human beings to be at war with each other. When death becomes a fear, there is creation of the state. Furthermore, Hobbes argues that human beings are equal in respect to the nature. They have equal skills and power. Moreover, according to Hobbes, human beings are by nature made equal, in a sense that the human’s possess are equal in terms of skills and power. â€Å"The weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest, either by secret machination or confederacy with others† (Hobbes and Helena 183). According to Hobbes theory morality has no room because, in a state of nature there are no unjust acts. He goes ahead to say that human beings rational behavior causes them to attack others and make them obey the law of nature only when surrounded by others and sure that they are obeying the law too. By this he means that human beings are self-centered in nature and fear is what makes them to reason (Hobbes and Helena 5) In Rousseau’s state of nature, human beings are like savages, their dealings are first dogged by instant and basic requirements food, sexual satisfaction, and sleep and fear only hunger and pain. The force of self-preservation and pity drives the savage man. To him human beings are naturally affected by others’ human beings’ sufferance, in other words they have â€Å"an innate repugnance a fellow creature suffers†

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Slide Presentation, Plastic Bags Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Slide Presentation, Plastic Bags - Assignment Example The second noteworthy facet was the insurmountable difference in the cost of recycling plastic bags and creating new bags. Jared Blumefeld noted that the cost of recycling is more that 125% the cost of creating new bags. Certainly, the government as well as private individuals cannot maintain the recycling drive for plastic bags at this ridiculous rate. If recycling then is not the answer what is? The third feature emphasizes a glimmer of hope for the stoppage and subsequent eradication of the dangers of the use of plastic. The creators of the presentation suggest that we can stop the use of plastic bags and replace the plastic with cloth. Besides the obvious advantage of being particularly recyclable one individual utilizing one cloth bag can replace the use of 288 plastic bags in one year. Therefore if every member of the population utilized cloth instead of plastic there would be a phenomenal removal of the dangers of plastic consumption in our lives. From the foregoing arguments one can conclude that the continued use of plastic bags are indeed detrimental to our lives as a consequence life as we know it today would be full of poison in the very near future unless we take the bull by the horn and make significant steps to removing the plastic from our daily lives. Thus, consistent with the findings as presented in the power point I recommend a complete 360 degrees turning from the use of plastic bags to a more positive alternative. Like the authors of this presentation I would like to reiterate the use of cloth instead of plastic and an outright ban of its use by the government. The author of this paper believes that in addition to the recommendations already made we as individuals and as a nation can plant trees to not only replenish the earth with positive substances but also to be used as material to create

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Da Vinci Code Essay Example for Free

The Da Vinci Code Essay Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wishes to keep the true Grail a secret; the revelation of this secret would certainly destroy Christianity. The Da Vinci Code film, like the book, was considered controversial. It was met with especially harsh criticism by the Roman Catholic Church for the accusation that it is behind a two-thousand-year-old coverup concerning what the Holy Grail really is and the concept that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and that the union produced a daughter. Many members urged the laity to boycott the film. Two secret organizations, the Priory of Sion and the Council of Shadows, whose existence is a polarizing issue, figure prominently in the story. In the book, Dan Brown insists that the Priory of Sion and all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate. The Da Vinci Code was met with largely negative critical response upon its release on May 19, 2006. However, this did little to hamper its box office performance; it earned US$230 million in its opening weekend and was the second highest-grossing film of 2006 behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest. Cast * Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon * Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu * Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing * Paul Bettany as Silas * Jean Reno as BezuFache * Alfred Molina as Bishop Aringarosa * Charlotte Graham as Mary Magdalene * Jurgen Prochnow as Andre Vernet * Etienne Chicot as Lt. Jerome Collet * Jean-Yves Berteloot as Remy Jean (RemyLegaludec in the novel) * Jean-Pierre Marielle as Jacques Sauniere * Hugh Mitchell as Young Silas * Seth Gabel as Michael the Cleric * Marie-Francoise Audollent as Sister Sandrine Plot In Paris, Jacques Sauniere is pursued through the Louvres Grand Gallery by albino monk Silas (Paul Bettany), demanding the Priorys clef de voute or keystone. Sauniere confesses the keystone is kept in the sacristy of Church of Saint-Sulpice beneath the Rose before Silas shoots him. At the American University of Paris, Robert Langdon, a symbologist who is a guest lecturer on symbols and the sacred feminine, is summoned to the Louvre to view the crime scene. He discovers the dying Sauniere has created an intricate display using black light ink and his own ody and blood. Captain BezuFache (Jean Reno) asks him for his interpretation of the puzzling scene. Silas calls a mysterious man known as The Teacher, revealing that he has killed all four protectors of the keystone and that all confirmed the same location. He dons a metal cilice on his thigh and proceeds to flagellate himself with a whip for the sins of murder. Facilitated by Bishop Manuel Aringarosa, Silas then travels to Saint-Sul pice and is admitted by an elderly nun; left alone, he excavates beneath the floor of the church to find a stone saying only JOB 38:11. He confronts the nun, who quotes the passage: Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further. Realizing that he has been deceived, Silas is enraged and kills the nun. Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist with the French police, enters the Louvre as well and slips Langdon a message which leads him to the bathroom. There, Sophie meets him and tells him that he is being tracked, a GPS tracking dot has been (unknown by him) slipped into his jacket and that he is a primary suspect in the murder case because of a line of text found by the corpse (P. S. find Robert Langdon). Sophie however, believes that Sauniere, who is revealed to be her grandfather, wanted to pass a hidden message on to her (Princesse Sophie, P. S. , was the nickname he used for her), and that he had wanted to bring Langdon into the equation so that he could help her crack the code. Buying some time by throwing the tracking device into the back of a truck, the pair begin exploring the Louvre, finding more anagram messages that Sauniere had left behind. Many of these relate to Leonardo da Vincis art, and the pair find a key with a Fleur-de-lis behind Madonna of the Rocks. Langdon deduces from this that Sauniere was a member of the Priory of Sion, a secret society associated with the Knights Templar. Pursued by the French police and cut off from the United States Embassy, the pair escape to the Bois de Boulogne where Langdon closely inspects the key. He notices an inscription on the side – an address. The address directs them to the Depository Bank of Zurich where the key is used for a safety deposit box. In the bank, they find Saunieres deposit box and open it using the 10 digit Fibonacci numbers in order (1123581321). Inside the box, they find a rosewood container, which contains a cryptex: a cylindrical container with five alphabetical dials which must be arranged in the correct sequence to spell out a 5-letter code word, in order to open and access the papyrus message inside. Using force to open the cryptex would break a vial of vinegar inside, which would dissolve the papyrus and destroy the message. Unfortunately, the police are called by a security guard and they are forced to leave. The bank manager, Andre Vernet, assists them in escaping by taking them as passengers in an armoured van to escape the routine checks of the police. In the back of the truck Langdon and Neveu have a lengthy discussion about the cryptex and Neveu says that her grandfather often played games with her involving cryptexes. Langdon says that the cryptex might hold valuable information or another clue about what they are trying to discover. Eventually, they come to a sudden stop and Vernet forces them at gunpoint to give him the cryptex. Langdon tricks Vernet and disarms him and he and Sophie escape with the cryptex in their hands. Langdon suggests that they visit his friend, Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen), for assistance to opening the cryptex. Leigh Teabing turns out to be an enthusiastic seeker of the Holy Grail, which he believes is not actually a cup but instead Mary Magdalene. Mary was pregnant at the time of Christs crucifixion, and Teabing tells Sophie that the Priory of Sion was formed to protect the descendants of Jesus. Jacques Sauniere was believed to be a part of this society and Teabing suspects that he was training Sophie to join it also. Silas, meanwhile, breaks into Teabings mansion and attempts to steal the cryptex. Teabing uses his cane to knock Silas out and they escape again, taking the butler, Remy Jean, and Silas with them. The group escapes in Teabings plane, following the next clue to London. Fache learns of their destination, and alerts the London Metropolitan Police to apprehend them at the airport. But Teabing manages to slip the party past the police with a trick of misdirection. Teabing leads Langdon and Neveu to the Temple Church in London, which is shown to be a red herring. Silas is freed by Remy Jean, who is revealed to be a follower of The Teacher as well. The two take Teabing hostage, and Silas, believing Remy to be The Teacher, holes up in an Opus Dei safehouse. Remy is killed by the mysterious man after deceiving Silas. Silas accidentally shoots Aringaros and is shot by the police. Aringarosa is taken to the hospital and apprehended by Fache. Langdon is betrayed by Teabing, who is revealed to be the true Teacher. He escapes with the Cryptex, and attempts to find the next clue at Isaac Newtons tomb in Westminster Abbey, as Newton was another member of the Priory. Langdon and Neveau catch up with him, and chase him into the nearby hapter house. Teabing explained that he wanted to find Mary Magdalenes remains to prove he was correct about the Holy Grail and threatens to shoot Sophie if Langdon does not open the cryptex. Langdon throws the cryptex into the air, and Teabing fumbles and destroys it. Distraught at not receiving the code, Teabing is arrested, but Langdon had cracked the code (Apple, a reference to Newton) and removed the cl ue from the cryptex before destroying it. Using the clue, they travel to Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland where Magdalenes remains had previously been hidden. The remains had since been moved, but they meet other members of the secret organization that protected her. Sophie is actually Magdalenes descendant and therefore is the current living descendant of Jesus Christ. They vow to keep her safe before going their separate ways. In Paris, Langdon accidentally cuts himself while shaving and the line of blood on the sink reminds him of the Rose Line. He follows the Rose Line and finds the location of the Holy Grail, buried under the pyramid in the Louvre. Langdon then kneels above Mary Magdalenes tomb as the Knights Templar did before him. first-rate thriller . The exposition is actually the best and most valuable part of the film A great film to look at and Salvatore Totinos cinematography is pitch-perfect. This is a servicable enough adaptation, but like many others, the book is of course far better. Robert Langdon is a symbology professor who gets called into a criminal investigation that gets him wrongfully implicated. On the way to figu ring things out for himself, he begins a quest to discover the truth about the Holy Grail, the details having some very shocking revelations. I really liked the book. Its a standard thriller sure, but its so well written and thought provoking. In the end, you need to just put personal beliefs aside (same here) and just accept it as riveting and entertaing fiction. Even though it is just fiction, the details of the truth behind the Holy Grail are so well argued that Dan Browns ideas actually do seem like a realistic and plausible scenario. With this adaptation, it seems a little stiff, and more overly serious than the book, but its mostly faithful, for the most. Some details had to be changed for time concerns, others for content, but the end result here could be far worse. I enjoyed this a fair amount when I first saw it, but in revisiting it, some of that has worn off, and the films not as good as I initially thought, but its hardly a failure. Its just not as gripping and suspenseful as the book. The film is really well cast though, and their performances are better than average, especially those by Bettany and McKellan. The location shooting is good, the direction is fair, and having Howard as director ensures that the film has some decent clout and production values. All in all, its okay. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (commonly referred to as Breaking Dawn – Part 1) is a 2011 romanticfantasy film directed by Bill Condon and based on the novel Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The first part of a two-part film forms the fourth installment in the The Twilight Saga series. All three main cast members, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, reprise their roles. Plot Further information: Breaking Dawn The film starts out as Bella Swan plans her wedding with the Cullen family. Before the wedding, Edward Cullen tells Bella that he has murdered people in the past. Undaunted by this, Bella and Edward go ahead with the wedding. During the reception following her wedding to Edward, Bella is visited by her friend Jacob Black. When Bella admits that she and Edward plan to consummate their marriage during their honeymoon, Jacob becomes angry but is held back by his pack. He then runs off into the woods, and Edward takes an upset Bella back to the reception. The couple spends their honeymoon on the Cullens private Brazilian island. Although hesitant, Edward has sex with Bella for the first time. After, Edward realizes that he bruised Bellas arm, back and shoulders during sex and he vows to never be intimate with her again, much to her disappointment; he later gives in to her seductions. Two weeks into their honeymoon, Bella discovers that she is pregnant with a baby growing at an extraordinarily accelerated rate. After consulting with Carlisle, they rush back to Forks. Bella refuses to consider having an abortion, and enlists Rosalies help to protect her wishes. Opposed to Sam Uleys plans to kill Bella and her child, which is thought to be a demon, Jacob angrily leaves his pack and arrives at the Cullens to protect Bella; Seth and Leah Clearwater join him, forming a new wolf pack. As the pregnancy progresses, Bellas health severely deteriorates. As a last resort, she begins drinking blood, which satisfies the fetus vampiric thirst and allows her to regain some strength. Soon afterward, Bella goes into a painful labor and gives birth to her child, Renesmee, anconflation of the names of Bellas mother, Renee and Edwards adoptive mother, Esme. To save her life, Edward injects Bellas heart with his venom to transform her into a vampire, but nothing seems to happen and Bella is thought to be dead. Greatly distraught, Jacob attempts to kill the baby, but stops when he realizes he has imprinted on the child. When the werewolves learn of Bellas death, they attack the Cullens house in an attempt to kill the baby. They are forced to stop after learning Jacob has imprinted on Renesmee (imprinting is the involuntary response when a werewolf finds his soul mate; thus under their wolf law, Renesmee cannot be harmed).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Fifty Shades of Human Development Monique Richardson Georgia State University Christian Grey is one of the main characters of the novel and trilogy â€Å"Fifty Shades of Grey† by E.L. James. Christian Grey is the owner and CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc. At the age of twenty-eight years old, Christian appears to be an altogether, young, successful, handsome business man but he has a dark side. Christian secretly practices BDSM with consenting women who agree to keep his secret by contract. BDSM stands for bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism. Christian was born in Detroit and adopted by the Grey family in Seattle, WA at four years old after his mother commits suicide; he was alone with her body for four days without food. Christian Grey has many stressful events throughout his life that caused him to lack from developmental stages from childhood to adulthood. At four years old, Christian Grey is neglected by his birth mother who he refers to in adulthood as the â€Å"crack whore†. He was physically abused by her pimp who also made him to be a human ashtray. When his mother commits suicide, Christian remains in the same hotel room with her body for four days with nothing to eat except frozen peas. After Christian was adopted by the Grey family, he remained throughout early to middle adulthood vulnerable to his memories of the past by having recurrent nightmares. When Christian was fifteen years old, he began his first BDSM secret affair with Mrs. Robinson, an older married woman and friend of the Grey family who believed such a relationship would help his delinquent behavior. Christian goes through child mistreatment and abuse throughout his life. He suffered from physical abuse, child neglect, ... ...osite sex. In adulthood, Christian’s perspective of his birth mother as the â€Å"crack whore† continues because of his memories of her lack of nurturing and attention to his needs to find other ways to be self-sufficient at a young age. In connection to Freud’s theory, Christian remains in the phallic stage in adulthood because sex is his outlet for his deep, unresolved issues with his mother. E.L. James portrays Christian Grey’s character development with abuse, Freud’s theory, and Erikson’s theory throughout the novel, Fifty Shades of Grey. Reference Page James, E. L. (2012). Fifty shades of Grey. New York: Vintage Books. Prior, Emily . "What is BDSM?." Examiner.com. N.p., 22 June 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. . Santrock, J. W. (2011). Life-span development (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Computer Games †Good or Bad? Essay

Before we decide whether or not computer/video games are bad, there are many facts and opinions to consider. For example, many people feel that these games are too violent and that they cause an undervelopment in the frontal lobe. Others feel that games are helpful and educational. There is also a health concern. According to Professor Ryuta Kawashima, â€Å"The importance of this discovery cannot be underestimated. There is a problem we will have with a new generation of children – who play computer games – that we have never seen before. The implications are very serious for an increasingly violent society and these students will be doing more and more bad things if they are playing games and not doing other things like reading aloud or learning arithmetic. † I do not agree with this statement fully, though I can understand that it does occur in some cases. I love playing computer and video games. When I was younger I used to play a James Bond game with my friends. We also played Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. I used to love those games, and I remember making them â€Å"turn off the blood† because I ddin’t like that side to it. I still play video games, and though they may include shooting, fighting and other violence, you don’t see me beating up somebody because of a video game. I do know that there are some bad people in the world who have hurt someone because they were influenced by violent games. Another concern is the underdevelopment of the frontal lobe. As written by Tracy McVeigh, education editor, â€Å"Whenever you use self control to refrain from lashing out or doing something you should not, the frontal lobe is hard at work. Children often do things they shouldn’t because their frontal lobes are underdeveloped. The more work done to theicken the fibres connecting the neurons in this part of the brain, the better the child’s ability will be to control their behaviour. The more the area is stimulated, the more these fibres will thicken. † I think I agree with this statement, becasue I have seen the behaviour of the people around me, they seem out of control sometimes. They speak before they think, they fight constantly and are always in other people’s faces. One guy states â€Å"I’m not going to argue that violent entertainment is harmless. I think it has helped inspire some people to real-life violence. I am going to argue that it’s helped hundreds of people for every one it’s hurt, and that it can help far more if we learn to use it well. I am going to argue that our fear of ‘youth violence’ isn’t well-founded on reality and that the fear can do more harm than the reality. We act as though our highest priority is to prevent our children fron growing up into murderous thugs – but modern kids are far more likely to grow up too passive, too distrustful of themselves, too easily manipulated†. I agree more with him than Professor Kawashima, because I don’t find that video games influence EVERYONE to be violent. I feel that they release anger by hurting fictional characters on a screen rathern than real-life people and animals. Professor Angela McFarlane says â€Å"Adventure, quest and simulation type games have a lot of benefit – they’re quite complex and create a context in which children can develop important skills†¦We’re not advocating arcate, shot-the-baddie type games†¦Now that’s interesting when the stereotype is that children play on the computer exclusively on their own. Teachers and parents then broke that down into skills of negotiation, planning, strategic thinking and decision-making. † I feel that if television can teach us, so can video games. Video and computer games can cause health problems. In every instruction book for games there are warnings. Some people suffer from a condition called Photosensitive Epilepsy. As said by Professor Graham Harding, â€Å"Photosensitive epilepsy is best defined as a tendency to recurrent convulsions, precipitated either by flashing lights or patterns. † I have only ever had one fit in my life, when I was younger. I was diagnosed with occipital epilepsy. I’ve always played video games and hadn’t had a problem. We got a PS2 (PlayStation 2) for Christmas last eyar, and while I was playing I felt dizzy. This occured with every game on PS2 except Buzz, though it’s a quiz game and doesn’t have all those flashy graphics. I can play on the Computer, my Nintendo DS and my GameCube without a problem, it seems to just be the PS2. I agree that video games can cause health problems, though if you do everything you need to (e. g. not playing a certain game, having a break etc.) you should be alright. Computer games – are they good or bad? In my opinion, I think that they are enjoyable, though they aren’t for some people. Those people who can be so cruel as to murder an innocent kitten or beat up a person due to these games are the reasons why there are doubts about computer and video games. Computer games are both good and bad. Good because they are enjoyable and can be educational, though bad because they cause some violence. Just remember, more people kill in the name of God than violent computer games.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Take a stand Essay

Energy drinks have become very popular amongst today’s youth. America’s youth has easy access to these dangerous drinks and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at this time does not regulate the amount of caffeine that is allowed into these beverages (Cool, 2011). These drinks contain high levels of caffeine and other herbs that have ill effects on ones heart, along with high sodium and sugar levels that can adversely affect ones overall health.The FDA on should regulate the allowable caffeine content in these drinks and energy drinks should be prohibited for children under the age of 18 years. The dangerous ingredients, ill side effects, and the deadly amounts of caffeine found in these drinks will be discussed in this paper. It is important that Americans become educated about the deadly drinks that are being marketed as safe, and pushed on our youth (Clair, 2013). There are similar ingredients found in all of the energy drinks on the market today.Some of these are Caffeine, Guarana, Taurine, Sugar, Genseng, and Bitter orange (Rath, 2012). Caffeine has adverse effects on the body such as nausea, heart palpitations, headaches, sleeplessness, hypokalemia, rabdomylosis and atrial and ventricular tachycardia that can both be deadly (Rath, 2012). Guarana, while not as harmful, still has many adverse effects of its own, some of which are: nervousness, tachycardia, anxiety, chest pain and cardiac dysrhthmias (Moodie, 2009). No evidence at this point has shown Taurine to have any adverse effects on one’s health.The high sugar content promotes obesity, diabetes and cavities. Ginseng has effects such as hypertension, tachycardia, heart palpitations, insomnia, vaginal bleeding and breast tenderness (Rath, 2012). Bitter orange has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, seizures, disrythmias, and migraine headaches. Almost every ingredient found in these drinks can have deadly side effects. Of the above mentioned ingredients, five of the six have s imilar effects on the body. All of these combined into one drink makes a deadly combination especially when used in excess.There are other side effects that can be caused from energy drinks aside from the deadly cardiac effects that these drinks cause. Because caffeine is a stimulant and the other ingredients with the same effects on the body, these drinks cause high blood pressure, elevated heart rates, liver damage, and even death, just to name a few (Cool, 2011). There has also been a link to women experiencing late miscarriages as well as stillbirth and drinking energy drinks (Claire, 2013). Drinking energy drinks can also give a person a false sense of sobriety when mixed with alcohol.This could lead to a person driving more intoxicated than they feel that they are, thus; increasing risk for alcohol related crashes (Moodie, 2009). Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in many products that we consume daily. In small amounts it can be safe and works as an energy booster in some cases. â€Å"Caffeine found in energy drinks can range from 80 to 300mg in an 8 ounce serving† (Rath, 2012, p. 72). The main problem with this is that most energy drinks are sold in cans sizes that range from 16 to 24 ounces.This doubles or triples the amount of caffeine a person is consuming. The FDA limits the amounts of caffeine that soda companies are allowed to put into soda beverages to 71mg per 12 ounces (Cool, 2011). The same is not true for energy drinks, there is no limit placed on the amount of caffeine that companies such as Red Bull or Monster can place in their energy drinks. Teenagers and children are ingesting unsafe levels of caffeine mixed with other dangerous ingredients and the FDA has turned a blind eye to this growing problem, in turn; putting our youth at risk for death.Adults must wake up and realize that there is a poison in soda machines and grocery stores across America, and our children have easy access to it. Caffeine is an addictive drug that has been made readily available to our children in alarming amounts. The FDA must regulate the amount of caffeine and other dangerous ingredients allowed or ban the selling of these drinks to minors, in order to prevent ill health effects to our children. The public needs to be educated on the deadly side effects that these drinks cause and demand action by the FDA.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Feminism of Bewitched - The Escapist 1960s Sitcom

The Feminism of Bewitched - The Escapist 1960s Sitcom Sitcom Title: BewitchedYears Aired: 1964–1972Stars: Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Dick York, Dick Sargent, David WhiteFeminist Focus? In this household, the woman has power – magical powers. The fanciful 1960s sitcom Bewitched starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens, a witch married to a mortal husband. The underlying feminism of Bewitched revealed a â€Å"typical housewife† who is actually more powerful than her husband. Samantha used her witchcraft powers to solve all sorts of problems, despite having promised her husband, Darrin, that she would no longer practice magic. The Perfect Housewife? When Bewitched began airing in 1964, The Feminine Mystique was still a new book. The woman-as-happy-suburban-homemaker was an idea featured prominently on television, despite the dissatisfaction real women felt in that role. The feminism of Bewitched made Samantha the clever, interesting one. The wacky situations were played for laughs, but she repeatedly rescued Darrin or other characters - including herself. At Home, At Work, At Play Dutiful Darrin kissed supportive Samantha goodbye and trotted off to his respected advertising agency job, leaving her in their lovely middle-class home. He was never gone long before some chain of events was set in motion that ended up with Samantha needing to use her powers to end the predicament.   Often the instigator was Samantha’s mother Endora, played by Agnes Moorehead, who famously called Darrin â€Å"Derwood† and never understood what Samantha saw either in him or in normal mortal life. Why, Endora asked, would Samantha suppress her witchcraft when she could enjoy being supernatural, powerful and immortal? Other times, the plot revolved around Darrins work, and Samantha worked her magic to save the day and prevent the latest client from finding out that she was a witch. Neighbors, co-workers and other mortals repeatedly noticed something suspicious resulting from witchcraft, but either Samantha, Endora, or another witch would use magic to remedy the situation. Samantha and Darrin had a young daughter, Tabitha, who was also capable of witchcraft. Power Dynamics and Feminist Sleight of Hand? Bewitched was a simple escapist sitcom, but the idea of glorifying a husband’s efforts to control his beautiful, perky housewife rightfully strikes feminist viewers as offensive and outdated. It is true that Bewitched featured Samantha â€Å"choosing† to be a housewife and do things the â€Å"normal† way, despite the persistent argument from Endora that Samantha deserved better.    However, Bewitched was also clever. Apart from the visual gags when people or objects appeared and disappeared at the twitch of Samantha’s nose, much of the show’s comedy came from its suggestiveness and subtext. The feminism of Bewitched was a fantasy, but also a logical if extreme take on the idea of a husband and wife coming together from different worlds to have a relationship and family. Feminist Behind the Scenes Elizabeth Montgomery was a lifelong supporter of women’s rights in real life. Although viewers may wish that Samantha stood up to Darrin more forcefully and more often, they also know that Samantha was the hero and was basically always right. Bewitched revealed a hint of feminism in 1960s sitcoms; meanwhile, the women’s liberation movement developed in the U.S. throughout the years the show was on the air. Other Portrayals Bewitched is sometimes compared to I Dream of Jeannie, another supernatural sitcom that featured a young, pretty, blonde woman with magic powers. It began in 1965 but never had as much ratings success as Bewitched. Jeannie was more of a male fantasy: Barbara Eden played a genie released from a bottle who obligingly, if humorously, served her master (Larry Hagman). Jeannie’s long-remembered pink and red costume showed her midriff, but TV executives did not approve of showing her navel. Elizabeth Montgomerys conservative-yet-fashionable Samantha arguably offered more personality, wit and charm as Samantha Stephens. Bewitched was turned into a feature film starring Nicole Kidman in 2005. Betty Friedan In 1964, Betty Friedan wrote Television and the Feminine Mystique, about how women were portrayed on television: either as hoping for love or envisioning revenge on their husbands.  Bewitched  countered this stereotype by doing neither. Her mother Endoras criticisms of household work echoed Friedans criticism of the stay-at-home wife.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

New Author Profiles on the Reedsy Network

New Author Profiles on the Reedsy Network New: Author Profiles on the Reedsy Network A few months ago, we gave editors and designers the tools to create a beautiful profile on Reedsy. Today, we’re proud to be unveiling author profiles! Log in to your Reedsy account here and get started on yours now for free!Bestselling author C.J. Lyons, Scifi author Chele Cooke and  YA author Sara Raasch have already created their Reedsy profiles. We look forward to seeing yours, share it with us over on @ReedsyHQ!And if you want to help us spread the word among the author community about this awesome opportunity, here’s a simple pre-made tweet

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Observation - Essay Example He is one of those people who have the talent for making a person feel really welcome. Though the shop is located in the suburbs, in a sparse neighborhood, yet all sorts of people prefer to visit this place owing to its rustic appeal, the social variety it offers, the jovial nature of old Joe and to have a cup of good coffee and a hearty cheese sandwich at a warm and friendly place. It is early morning and I am here to have breakfast after working long hours on a particularly difficult English assignment. As usual old Joe is sitting behind the counter, placing his chubby hands gently over his generous belly, passing a broad smile to every new visitor. I am rubbing my sleepy eyes, trying to get rid of the fatigue that has overtaken me. Going by the early hours most of the tables are still unoccupied. An aged couple is occupying the table to the left of me. They must be in their seventies. The husband is slowly munching a cheese sandwich while the wife is looking at him with tender eyes. Both of them are quiet, focusing more on the breakfast. The table in front of me has three young people sitting there, one boy and two girls, all the three in their early twenties, loudly laughing and chuckling as they talk over the breakfast. The table in the ill lit corner is occupied by a tall man with grizzled hair who looks really handsome. He is accompanied by a lady who seems to be a bit over weight, but otherwise cute. Both seem to be engaged in some intimate conversation, totally oblivious of other people in the shop. The place is gradually warming up with more people walking in. Here come a group of college students, five of them, three gents and two girls, all of them really loud. Being lost in my reveries I am not able to grab much of their conversation except for the bits and pieces like â€Å"History†, â€Å"Kills’, â€Å"missed the class†, â€Å"What a bore!†. Perhaps they are talking about the history