US Space Program and Exploration

NASA initiatives are critical to finding solutions to environmental issues. Personally I think that adequate usage of space science will allow astrophysicists to explore the universe and promote conclusive research. Such studies will not only answer pertinent societal issues but will also lead to the advancement of the society. I believe that Space exploration is an Invaluable tool to the development of nature. On a personal point of view, space exploration adequate funding will assist in the advancing of cultures and societies. It is an issue that leads to individuals increasing heir Intent In the field of sciences and other fields.Despite the Issue having disputes, space exploration continues to receive substantial support from politicians and other individuals in the community. The world of today indicates that development In the field of science and technology will Improve the livelihood of societies. America is reducing its spending to NASA, which has the endorsement of overseei ng most of the exploration initiatives. This is not appropriate given that other countries are continuing Investigation and success will have the Intention of bettering the livelihood of their citizens.I think space is currently at a critical level and the United States should strengthen its research initiatives. Space exploration has been leading studies of other planets and their behaviors. There is a statement that usually illicit mixed reaction in the community. There are individuals that state that it is essential to resolve issues of earth before the examination of other planets. There are different politicians that induce similar sentiments during their campaigns and political rallies. In 2006, news anchor Katie Court in commemoration of Sputnik. Said that NASA request for $17 billion was unbelievable.According to her, this amount of money could find application In a myriad of activities right here on earth. Analyzing the situation she failed to realize that space exploration will protect the world from potential threats. I have a belief that studying the universe will provide solutions to potential pandemics facing earth. Such pandemics include climate change and solar flares. The current problem of space exploration is misunderstanding. Many individuals consider It as an extravagant way of spending American citizen tax money. Politicians recommend that funding to NASA should stop.They propose that the government does transfer such funds towards societal projects such as health promotion. Before toys basis. My assessment is that the current problems stem from the fact that, during that period, development of airplanes for space exploration was for status. Nowadays, the reason leading to space exploration is to understand various phenomena occurring in the outer space and affecting the earth. Such explorations will assist in to an understanding of such aspects and develop relevant precautionary measures. In addition, it is possible to conduct exploratio n of Mars for the possibility f supporting human life.Another problem that I foresee hindering the development of space exploration is reports by media houses. Many people do not oppose to space exploration, but it is due to their lack of adequate information. Media only reports once things go wrong with organizations supporting exploration of the outer space. The impression that people acquire from media is that there is no benefit culminating from space exploration but extravagant usage of taxpayers' money. Once individuals generate a perception concerning a something it is difficult to convince such people otherwise.It is difficult to pass the information that space exploration diverts resources of United States to initiatives that aim at solving earth problems. It is crucial for people to have the information that solutions to the current earth problems are in space so that they change their belief about space exploration. I think that solutions to these societal issues would re quire ensuring that citizens have adequate information that will allow them to make credible decisions. Many people believe that the government should divert NASA funding to societal programs.Looking at the 2007 budget directing NASA funding into social funding would mean increasing the later to $ 1. 597 trillion from $ 1. 581. I think it would be naive to think that a 0. 6% increment would have any significant impacts on society. On the other hand, cutting social spending by 1% would increase NASA spending by double. This would increase explorations in space that would provide solutions to a number of problems currently facing the world. Information acquisition can assist citizens to understand that exploring the outer space is not a waste of tax payer's money.In addition, space program leads to the improvement of the society by providing amicable solutions. Politicians should also support the program if it will survive. Many politicians choose not to take part in the debate about exploration of the outer space. Interestingly, politicians continue to downplay the role of space exploration by indicating that it is worthless. Solving the current societal belief that US space program is not essential, space exploration require adequate support from politicians. Advocate of the program should also quit playing defensive and instead embrace their importance.They should insist on the government that the space program require extra funding by having significant scientific research and conclusions. If space programs focus on solving societal problems, there will be a shift from many people dismissing the program to supporting it. Studying the outer space and basing their research on issues that will lead to solving issues is the solution. Studies should include activities such as reducing the effects of solar flares on communication or climate change will lead to its support. Space programs and explorations are indispensable to the society of today. It has and observ e all planets.This is through providing societies with adequate information regarding the outer space. In an example, research concerning Venus indicates that there is an alarming greenhouse effect. Currently, the world is grappling with the reality of deteriorating climate on earth. Studying the events leading to the current green house effects in Venus can assist in solving that problem. It would mean saving generations that would otherwise suffer if there is a lack of required information. If other countries explore and find such solutions it will mean that they will solve the problems of their country, which will advance such economies technologically.Observations made on planet mars indicate that it lacks water. There is no single river in Mars, which means that there were occurrences that lead to the disappearance of water in this planet. Governments would suffer embarrassment in the event of extinction of the world due to lack of proper exploration measures. US space programs are vital to societies of the earth if it will lead to the realization of solutions to problems affecting the world. It is a vital societal issue that require cautionary approach. On a personal point of view, United State government should increase funding of space programs.Failure to support this program will lead to its demise. Essential research will halt as a consequence of Space program failure. United States citizens will miss a pertinent opportunity to find solutions to their problems. I observe that space exploration program is crucial to the world of today. Discussions contained herein indicate that it lacks adequate information that leads to individuals' hostility against the program. Many have a belief that it is wastage of taxpayers' money. Research indicates that it is possible to solve certain societal issues using such programs.It is search realization that led countries such as India, Russia, and China to advance their technologies in this field. Observations of Ven us could result to solutions to green house effects and the climate change. Successful research of Mars could provide adequate information regarding its lack of water, which could be a future problem to earth. Such solutions are societal and would lead to the development of the society and communities of United States and the world at large. It is in accordance with this I believe that United States government should increase its spending on space exploration programs.

Music of Cuba and Puerto Rico: A Comparison and Contrast Essay

Music is an important aspect of both the Cuban and Puerto Rican cultures because music forms part of everyday life. To the people in these countries, music is a way of expressing unity and belongingness. The European explorers, particularly the Spanish, who came to Cuba and Puerto Rico (Thompson, 1991) enriched music in both countries. The music in these countries also became rich because of the influence of African slaves in the plantations (Sublette, 2004) who eventually become part of the community after slavery ended. The fusion of these influences made community life and music more interesting. Type of Music The type of music in both Cuba and Puerto Rico evolved from the Spanish and African influences but the extent of influence differed. African percussion dance music has a stronger influence on Cuban music while Spanish classical and folk dance music had a stronger influence on Puerto Rican music. In addition, Puerto Rican music also borrowed much from Cuban music and music of the native Indians (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006). The single strong influence on Cuban Music and the more diverse influence on Puerto Rican music explained the similarities and differences in the type of music. The similar types of dance music in Cuba and Puerto Rico are son, salsa, mambo, and danzones (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006). The differences in the type of music include the livelier Spanish inspired bolero and zapateo in Cuba and the more laid back Spanish inspired narrative plena and folk dance music decima and seis in Puerto Rico. Another difference is the African inspired dance music rumba of Cuba utilizing only narration and percussion and the African inspired dance music bomba of Puerto Rico that utilized narration, percussion and other instruments such as the maracas. Sound The result of the combination of African, Spanish and indigenous culture led to diverse and enduring rich music. However, Cuban music has retained its original strong African percussion influence by findings its own path after the Spanish colonization ended while Puerto Rican music diversified further with the American influence. Cuba retained the traditional rhythms changing only with the use of modern instruments while Puerto Rican music further evolved into jazz, rock, rap and reggae (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006) using modern beats and instruments. Separation of historical development and modernization led to the divergence of music in these countries. Lyrics The lyrics of music in Cuba and Puerto Rico commonly focused on love and passion, courage and nationalism, and family and parental devotion (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006). Cuba and Puerto Rico experienced African and Spanish influences on music lyrics. The African influence is more on call-response lyrics with a leader singing a call and the listeners responding to the call. The Spanish influence refers to the arrangement of words and phrases in artistic form such as in love songs and the national anthems of both countries. However, revolutionary lyrics are more pervasive in Cuba since its national anthem is a call to battle while the national anthem in Puerto Rico is a celebration of independence. Musical Instruments There are three basic musical instruments common in Cuba and Puerto Rico, which are different types of percussion or drums, guitar or lute, and sticks tapped together (Thompson, 1991; Sublette, 2004). The difference is the widespread use of bass instruments and trumpets in Cuba that accompanied marches and dances and the more common use of flute and other indigenous musical instruments in Puerto Rico. Religious Influences Religion is a strong influence in the development of music of both Cuba and Puerto Rico but the influences differed. African god worship using percussion music strongly influenced Cuban music while Spanish catholic prayer chants strongly influence Puerto Rican music. In Cuba, Santeria emerged as a religion combining the indigenous god worship and Nigerian god worship (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006). With the Catholic influence, the saints had counterparts with the gods based on similar characteristics and worshipped similar to African gods. In Puerto Rico, the slaves in the plantations adopted the chants taken from the Spanish Catholic mass (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006) and used the lyrics or patterns for the call-response chanting in music. Furthermore, the fusion of the Spanish and African religious music led to religious music that is less solemn that in Catholic worship and less loud than in African worship of gods in Cuba. Political Influences Ideological or political struggle are common themes in Cuban and Puerto Rican music. However, the divergence in the political development of these countries created differences. The revolutionary movement in Cuba created music describing social issues and armed struggle while at the same time discouraging superstitious beliefs, but with little success in discouraging folklore in music (Manuel, Bilb & Largey, 2006). The independence movement in Puerto Rico also used music to inspire action but the American influence comprised a differentiating factor. After the success of these movements, music became a source of identity and national pride. In Cuba, music also became a weapon of influence amidst the embargo by the United States and its allies. Conclusion Music is a cultural artifact and cultural force for both Cuba and Puerto Rico. Music was a core part of the history of these countries. This will also accompany future direction. References Manuel, P. , Bilb, K. , & Largey, M. (2006). Caribbean currents: Caribbean music from rhumba to reggae. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. Sublette, N. (2004). Cuba and its music: From the first drums to the mambo. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press. Thompson, A. F. (1991). Music and dance in Puerto Rico from the age of Columbus to modern times. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

What did being an American mean to Douglass and what did he do to mold Essay

What did being an American mean to Douglass and what did he do to mold himself into an American - Essay Example For him America was a nation with great potentiality and it was hindered by slavery and racism. The black females were tortured and abused by white masters which were not an ideal characteristic of an American citizen according to Douglass. The American need not harm others to achieve any benefit. Being an American means giving justice to all and working towards goodness of others. According to Douglass, mutual co – operation and harmony were qualities an American need to possess. He thought being an American means to fight against slavery and suppression. Being an American means to have good education and knowledge. As per (Douglass) â€Å"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.† Being American means having freedom to live learn and work. For Douglass, an American needs to see each other as a part of a family and care for each other. An American needs to struggle in order to progress. The moral and physical struggle should be an identity of a true American. According to ( Douglass) â€Å" If there is not struggle there is no progress† America being a Christian dominant country needs to work towards a peaceful and impartial society. He wants an American where there is no corruption, slavery, women – abusing, hypocrisy and impartiality. For him an American means one with justice, prosperity, knowledge and equality. For Douglass being an American means to fight for justice, liberty, truth and humanity. To be an American one need to reform the existing evils in the country. He wanted to be an American who could make political changes in the country and abolish slavery. An American would be one who advocates for the right of every man and woman. The first step taken by Douglass to mold to be an American was to get educated. Education made him knowledgeable and confident. To become a true American he resisted slavery and racism. He stood for himself and his race and fought for

Rewrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Rewrite - Essay Example The brand name is developed from the words architecture and Cymru, which is Wales in Welsh. This brand name will help us expand within the local Welsh market, which enhances the company’s ability to become a premier Welsh firm. We wish to take advantage of the increased investment in Wales’ construction sector by seeking for funds through our brand name. Although the brand name seeks to establish our company in the local market, our wider objective is to become a major firm in Europe with the capacity of executing major architectural projects within the continent and the rest of the world. Within the first three to five years of our operations, the company will operate as a private limited company with each shareholder having equal rights. Thereafter, the company will liquidity or offer some of the shares to the public through an initial public offering with the company becoming a public limited company although this objective is based on the long-term achievements of company and its success as reassessed in the long-run. Through various milestones in infrastructural designs, Wales’s construction industry plays an important role in the development and growth of the local economy while considering various environmental and societal issues. Economical estimates indicate that the industry contributes about 10% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Each year, estimated investments in the sector are likely to be about  £2.3 billion with the industry experiencing high competition, as there are around 12,000 construction firms in the sector. Despite the stiff competition, the industry experiences a wide range of specializations. Concerning the labor force benefiting from the industry, industrial estimates indicate that over 100,000 workers are employed by the industry and they range from various construction professions such as architecture, builders, engineers, surveyors, maintenance groups, and other companies that restore and

Marketing cases analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing cases analysis - Essay Example The strategy will implement 147, 000 of which 135,000 will be used for the remuneration of the extra staff and only 12,000 will be used for advertising. The strategy is good because it aims at cutting costs. However, the company needs to invest more on advertising so that it can keep up with the competitors who are advertising more every day. The company should also invest in advertising because there are new products that the company would like to launch. That means that the company will have to advertise so that the products can become known to all the company customers and other potential customers. That means that the option of adding an extra personnel and only investing few money in advertising will not be a viable option for the company for the moment. For any brand or product to be successful, advertising and promotional activities have to be utilized. That will ensure that the products become known to the target customers. The right marketing channel must be used to ensure that the adverts reaches the people that it is intended to reach. In the case of Haverwood furniture, the company should use television adverts, magazine adverts, and the use of billboards. Television adverts will reach a wide number of people. That will create some form of interest among the customers and that will be a positive thing towards the sales of the company. For example, the company should use the most viewed television channels. That will ensure that the ads will have a large number of views. Magazine adverts will also be advisable to use because magazines will be read for a long duration of time. The adverts can be run on lifestyle magazines that are read by most middle-aged people. The company can also use website advertising. This channel of adverts will ensure that the company is able to reach a wide number of people especially the young who are technosavey and they spend most of their free time on

Politica Science - society and state in contemporary russia Essay

Politica Science - society and state in contemporary russia - Essay Example A democracy can broadly be defined as a government that has been set up by the people which essentially means that all people living under that government should be entitled to have their opinion considered in everything that affects their lives. Furthermore, democracy can also be exercised directly or indirectly through which people elect their representatives. In light of this, it is absurd that two decades down the line despite the dissolution of USSR president Yeltsin failed to horn our promise to better democracy and improve the lives of Russian citizens. This just proves that Russia is still categorized as one of the authoritarian states in Europe. As much as most of the leaders have improved the country’s economic status both domestic and international policies it is believed that from the essays â€Å"not free† a lot of factors have hindered Russia’s democracy development (Motyl 2005). For the first time power within Kremlin changed through the 2000, elec tion this process not only took place but was conducted according to the constitution more than two thirds of the eligible voters participated. They appeared to be well informed of choices to make. However, up to now Russian political conditions do not meet the criteria of democracy; a political framework must be adopted to understand democracy adequately (Chomsky, et al 2003). Some political analysts such as Joseph Schumpeter describes democracy as an institutional arrangement for arriving at a political decision that help politicians in the acquisition of the power necessary for them to decide by way of their struggling to obtain votes from the citizens (Josephi 2010). Basically his definition may suggest that countries only differ in the degree to which institutional conditions are satisfied. Perhaps that is the reason why president Yeltsin ascended to power and failed to live up to his promises. Most Russians still point out that with the rioting on October 2nd the liberal regim e suppressed the angry communists. After a time period of approximately ten years since 23 Russian citizens lost their lives, the Russian government is still expounding on the myth that the crackdown was just to topple Mr. Yeltsin political opponents (Lucas 2009). This left many with the view that Mr. Yeltsin is a democratic hypocrite who never had the people’s interests at heart. All he had was his own vested interests. From that moment, descending from power without going to prison for him was inevitable; perhaps that is why he saw in an inherited presidency system as a scapegoat; perhaps that is why he ensured Mr. Vladimir Putin came to power (Marot 2012). When United Russia party chanced to win a working majority in the 2003 Russian Parliamentary elections, the Russian president Putin was seen to set out and attempt to critically undercut most of the opposition parties that were active in the country. He instigated changes in various electoral policies that allowed the go vernment to effectively manage to shut out a variety of the smaller political parties focusing mainly on those that had been perceived as being key advocates of liberal democracy. Other changes that were made caused it to become extremely difficult for parties to manage to field presidential candidates in a presidential ballot (Ethridge and Handelman 2012). Following the unexpected resignation of President Boris Yeltsin in 2000 Vladimir was assigned to

Understanding the Childhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Understanding the Childhood - Essay Example The essay "Understanding the Childhood" talks about the maladjustment or maltreatment during childhood which more often than not surfaces in some form of societal contradictions and confrontations in a child’s later life. The paper also discusses a school, not as an institution that had strict administrative procedures. The primary right of a child is not to be affected by social prejudices and legal structures, if any, that might be prevalent against their parents. All actions taken by legal, social, governmental and non-governmental bodies that might affect children must be taken with the best interest of concerned children in mind. United Nations has also declared in its charter that, except under extraordinary circumstances, therefore, State should ensure that a child is never separated from their parents. The world body has also been unambiguous in its censure of illegal human trading in children and has directed State to take the most stringent measures to prevent any su ch nefarious activity. A child, like any other adult human being, will be entitled to freedom of opinion, thought and expression and will also be entitled to their right of privacy. However, Helen Penn draws our attention to the fact that notions of childhood is not the same in every region of the world and varies much wider than can be conceived by a Westerner. Just to place her argument in proper perspective, hence she draws the example of poverty as viewed in the Western world and elsewhere.

UK TV drama analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK TV drama analysis - Essay Example t people would however like to change the cards that they were dealt, or at least sit down and have an eraser and be able to edit their lives and lead that which they feel to be the best; a life without struggle, pain or hardships. It is for this reason that the aim of this paper shall be to study the TV drama Misfits, and take a look at the way in which the characters react to life and the way in which they may be related pot real life experiences. Furthermore, the paper shall focus on the first two episodes of the series for a more in depth and precise look into everything. The plot of the story follows the lives of 5 teens that are caught for taking part in offences that have warranted them community service to the cut. These are Kelly Bailey, Curtis Donovan, Alisha Daniels, Simon Bellamy and Nathan Young. They are caught in a supernatural thunder storm that results in them gaining some supernatural abilities. The series was meant to follow the lives of the characters and mimic their characters in their behaviors so as to develop their powers. These powers are mean to focus on what the characters want from their lives but they are not able to get due to the decisions that they have made. However, not everything ends as they had wished. They are faced with decisions that are seen to follow them for the rest of their lives. These characters are drawn from the way in which teenagers and people in the world would love to be given another chance so as to ensure that the view that society has of them is different from what they are inside in terms of their character. Taking Kelly Bailey, played by Lauren Socha, is a character that is judged and feared buy society for having a body that is said to be manly and brute. She wishes that people stop looking at her through the scope of her physique but rather through the view that she is someone else that is different; she is not her skin or her body. In the storm, she gains the power of being able to talk and communicate

Progress report on internet abuse and employee productivity case study Essay Example for Free

Progress report on internet abuse and employee productivity case study Essay The internet has able to improve business by increasing productivity because of improved information dissemination and decision-making, however employers are concerned by employees who use it for their personal and social needs during working hours which occurs because the workplace give them a sense of privacy. The monitoring of employee internet use has created tensions between employers, who monitor employee use to protect data leakage and check employee productivity, and employees, who feel a breach of trust whenever monitored, who suggest that casual internet use is not detrimental, and who have felt emotional and physical problems because of monitoring. The internet has had significant impact in the 1995 economic boom despite studies which show that this is only felt in the microeconomic level. A UN report has shown that American employees are less productive than their European and Asian counterparts because they cannot improve side-by-side with the effects of Moore’s Law. Organizations which have put in investments in technology improvements have not felt the supposed exponential increase in revenue and increase in market share because they have not reduced input resources such as the number of employees and that their employees have not increased in knowledge or productivity. It was suggested that to reduce productivity losses non-internet tasks should increase, productivity benchmark methods revised and incentives given to productive employees. IT was also suggested that to avoid employee-employer conflicts, the employer must give ample time for internet use, enforce a written internet and e-mail use policy, forge a company website that will help employees to finish tasks, and keep a friendly working atmosphere. The employees in turn must not use the internet often for personal use and enhance their productivity in line with the company’s premier interests. I have completed the entire research project and found out that employee and employer relations can be resolved following my proposed guidelines which I have made after preceding research from articles in magazines and books. I have found that employees regard monitoring as a beach of trust and had felt emotional tolls during monitoring by their bosses. Employers on the other hand only move to monitor to ensure the security of company data. I have found out that employee productivity has decreased with the increase in IT investments among companies. I have proposed guidelines and suggestions basing on my readings to decrease worker productivity losses. Work Completed I found this survey conducted by Mercer Management Consulting and have gathered that companies though they have invested much on improving technology to increase their business’ efficiency, have not yet felt the projected increase in sales. I have gathered from an article on The Economist that according to the joint research venture between MIT and U Penn the paradox that is the decrease of worker productivity despite increase in IT investments can be attributed to the factors they have laid out. This information I have placed under Technology vs. Productivity. After connecting ideas, and finding the real root of this paradox, I have now searched for references to build a suitable to-do list for employers and employees to resolve the worker productivity losses. I read a New York Times copy dated February 9, 2000, with an article saying that employers who give incentives to productive employees contributed to the increase in US productivity in the 2nd quarter of 1999. I have gathered form a copy of PC week that filtering and monitoring policies increased productivity of employees, from this idea I suggested in my research paper that employers must impose strict e-mail and internet use policy. Conclusion After so much consideration of facts, I have come up with a research paper that will explain the problems of employee productivity and internet abuse and guide employees and employers while joining forces to reduce productivity losses. Reference Gupta, Jatinder, and Sushil Sharma. â€Å"Improving Worker’s Productivity and Reducing Internet Abuse. † The Journal of Computer Information Systems 44. 2 (2004): 75-78.

Aztec Calendar Stone Essay Example for Free

Aztec Calendar Stone Essay Obtaining the knowledge that was passed down to them from earlier Mesoamerican cultures, the Aztecs carved the calendar stone in 1479 (Smith 253). At the time, the Aztecs lived in a very civilized world filled with amazing architecture, an impressively complex government system, and they also employed intricate systems of writing and calendric systems (Taube 7). The Calendar Stone was made by basalt stone. For the Aztecs, everything was pictorial in nature around this era. The calendar stone depicted different pictograms or Codex Magliabechianoand, which was primarily written on religious documents (Aztec-History). Art was centered around religion in this era. So the pictograms of the gods on the calendar stone would correlate with that subject matter. The Aztecs were a highly ritualistic civilization devoted to divination and their Gods. The Aztec calendar stone was created as a divinatory tool which was used for rituals, to forecast the future, and to determine which days were lucky and which days not for the outcome of various actions and events (Smith 254). The calendar had two systems. It had the sacred Tonalpohualli, which was based on the 260-day cycle and the Iuhpohualli, which was a 365-day cycle (Palfrey). Seen by the count, there is a five day difference between these two calendars. The five day differences were thought to be the most unholy, unlucky days of the year (Smith 257). The world was thought to be coming to an end. On the Aztec Calendar, the year was divided into 13-day periods. Each group of 13 days had a different deity ruling over the unit. This is because these units were thought to have a special symbolic influence and the deities were to ensure a positive outcome (Smith 256). In the middle of the Sun Stone, is the sun god Tonatuih. His tongue protruding between his teeth resembles a sacrificial flint knife. In his claw like hands he clutches human hearts (Palfrey). ‘Many scholars have debated on the stone’s meaning and purpose. Some suggest that, fixed horizontally; it served as a sacrificial altar, which would make sense because the stone was dedicated to the sun deity. Most agree though, that it offers a graphic representation of the Mexica cosmos’ (Palfrey). In The Aztecs, Smith sums up what is to be believed the thought of the Aztecs when they carved the calendar stone â€Å"The Aztec calendar stone conveyed the message that the Aztec empire covered the whole earth (territory in all four directions), and that it was founded upon the sacred principles of time, directionality, divine warfare, and the sanction of the gods† (Smith 270). Keeping the Aztec calendar is proof of ancient cultures mathematical and scientific achievements without the aid of modern technology. The study of the sun stone could lead to further advances in mathematics and acts as a road map to our celestial bodies from that era of our history. The Aztecs believe they felt justified in believing in this calendar because of numerous events that changed the course of history for them. Because Aztec Indians were fervent astronomers, they tracked the stars and correlated that between the days to create this sun calendar. Examples of events happening within the timeline of the calendar stone being built are these: Between 1452 and 1454, their capital city Tenochtitlan suffered from flood and famine, the following year on 4/16/1445 (Julian calendar) there was an eclipse of the sun. From 1473-1479, there were 4 more solar eclipses within a five year time frame (Aveni, Calnek). During this time the Aztec nation conquered and sacrificed many of the neighboring towns. Their leaders were wounded or killed, followed by violent earthquakes (Aveni, Calnek). There may have been even more visible eclipses seen by the Aztecs that have not been discovered because they were lost, or destroyed, or even confused with other natural events (Aveni, Calnek). If one were to take into consideration the Aztecs being a society with strong beliefs in deities, the Aztecs constant state of turmoil from wars and death and then couple that with a constant flow of solar eclipses; it wouldn’t take much to consider that the Aztecs might have thought there Gods were planning on ending their world†¦. again. The Aztecs might have carved this massive calendar from stone to give their future generations a chance to do things right, where they did not. Many other artifacts of the same caliber and craftsmanship were excavated around the time the calendar stone was. This was an amazing find, because in the early colonial period of the sixteenth century, pre-Hispanic stone sculptures were considered potent satanic threats to successful conversion (Taube 25). With the Spaniards thinking this, this lead to the destruction of many great pieces of art, manuscripts, and other forms of architecture. Thankfully, with the Aztecs foreseeing this frame of mind being a possibility and other circumstances occurring, many artifacts survived by being hidden in caves, on mountain tops, and even buried under Mexico City (Taube 25). After the artifacts were excavated, rather than being destroyed, they were treated as objects of curiosity and to be studied (Taube 25-26). I account for any differences between reception then and today by knowing people today have so many different religions and beliefs. Whereas the Aztecs were ignorant of the different beliefs we have today. They just had knowledge of what was taught to them by their elders as we do ours. There were not that many differences and very many similarities between American Indians of this era. In the way they did things to their architecture and sculptures. As a matter of fact, the Aztecs calendar was based of the earlier Mayan cultures. The Aztec calendar stone and Mayan calendar share many similarities. Both calendars have ritual days. The Aztec ritual day that was formed is the Tonalpohualli and the Maya ritual day is the Tzolkin. The day names on both calendars are also very similar. Both calendars used 18 months with 20 day counts along with other counts. The Aztec and Maya calendar stone is believed to have both mythological and astronomical significance. Both Native American cultures regarded their calendars as religious. Using the calendars, the Aztec and Maya priests dictated when to grow crops, when the dry and rainy seasons were, when to go to war, etc. (World Mysteries). The main way the Aztec calendar differed was in their more primitive number system and less precise way of recording dates. The year also started with different months. The Maya calendar tracked the movements of the planets and the moon. From this came their reckoning of time, and a calendar that accurately measures the solar year to within minutes. The Aztecs also kept the two different aspects of time, the Tonalpohualli, which was counting the days and the Xiuhpohualli which was counting the years (World Mysteries). The Aztecs believed they were living in the fifth and final stage of life. Because the Maya used a 360 day long cycle, they could tell that there were time periods way longer than the age of our universe (World Mysteries). It helped me figure out what some of the major celestial events where during the time the Aztec Sun Calendar was created. Palfrey, Dale. Mysteries of the Fifth Sun: The Aztec Calendar. n. p. Web. 8 January 1999. http://www. mexconnect. com/articles/199-mysteries-of-the-fifth-sun-the-aztec-calendar This is a website with basic information about the Aztec Sun Calendar. It gave me more insight into what the calendar looked like. Aztec-History. N. p. , nd. Web. 1996-2012 http://www. aztec-history. com This website has an enormous amount of information about Aztec Indians, from clothing to their demise and pretty much everything in between. The website gave me most of the information about the calendar stone I have so far. Smith, Michael. The Aztecs. Blackwell Publishers Inc. , 1996. Print. The book is Aztec Indians and their culture. This book helped me to understand the calendar stone more and why it was just a big part of Aztec life. Taube, Karl. Aztec and Maya Myths. British Museum Press, 1993. Print. This book detailed facts and myths about Aztec and Mayan Indians. This book helped me find what the Aztecs art and idols were see as in the early colonial period.

Back Pain Causes And Effects Health And Social Care Essay

Back Pain Causes And Effects Health And Social Care Essay Back pain is considered to be the most common reasons for physician visits; it is the largest cause of work-related absence. Back pain is known as Lumbago and can be defined as mild to severe pain or discomfort in the area of the lower back. The pain can be acute (sudden and severe) or chronic if it has lasted more than three months. Strains or sprains of the muscles and ligaments of the back are the most common cause of acute back pain. Injuries, degenerative diseases and Functional back pain due to imbalance are other reasons of back pain. First of all, according to (Chambers R., 2007, p.41) Most of the back strains and sprains occur after a sudden movement associated with bending or twisting, and lifting heavy objects. Therefore, jobs involving lifting, carrying ,pushing, pulling, lowering and holding moving objects have a high risk of getting back pain. For instance, children with their school books or postmen who carry weight on one side may develop great back pain. P.Fysh (1995), citied in his study Back Pain in School Children that in (1994) a Scandinavian study, by Trousler identified the prevalence of back pain in a group of 1,174 school children at 51 percent was due to backpacks. This study also found significance in the risk factors like age and genders those children. Furthermore, back pain that results from job nature is highly reported among workers who have to left a weighty objects. According to Kincla Davis (2009) Carpenters and other construction workers who install drywall have high rates of strains and sprains to the low back and shoulder(p.305). Moreover, muscle strain can occur in the back just like anywhere else in the body, and most likely to affect people in their forties, although it can happen at any age. Straining the back muscles is characterized by sever pain and inability to move. Since strain has several impacts on the body, it can cause the muscles to overstretch or move in such a way that they sustain terrible tears. Also it might lead the tendons and the ligaments that attached the muscles to loss its elasticity, by pulling too far on a muscle, and the area around it can become inflamed which leads to muscle pain. The second major cause of back pain is pregnancy. Usually back pain and pregnancy together. Unfortunately this type of back pain last for several weeks to few months with pregnant women. Its reasons can vary. It can be due to body changes for example, hormonal changes, or it might be due to extra weight the women may gain during the pregnancy period. The body hormones in the pregnant woman tend to relax the ligaments and the muscles that attached to pelvic, to allow fetus and uterus growing may cause many changes in the body and back pain can be a side-effect of these changes. Also A difference in hormone levels can cause muscles and ligaments to become more relaxed, especially during the last few months as the body is getting ready for labour from (Back Pain and Pregnancy, 1999., para, no). Additional to that , the effect of the extra weight and body posture adds extra strain on the pregnant women by pulling the muscles. This means if the pregnant women is holding twins it is definitely the attraction on muscles will be great. Silva A.(2004) loudly echoed that : The weight of the baby can result in a higher degree of curvature of the lower spine, meaning ligaments and muscles must adapt and sometimes can feel strained. The centre of gravity will be slowly changing also, keeping a firm base with feet shoulder width apart will help to counteract this ( p.34-5). and pregnancy period may develop what know as Pregnancy-Related low Back Pain (PLBP), this type of Back Pain often lead to other problems with Significant physical, psychological, and socioeconomic implications, according to Silva(2004, p.39). In addition to that the sleep habit disturbances often associate with such pain. Beside all these effects, fear of abortion always is a pregnant women concern; related to long courses pain killer medicine is used and prescribed or worries of havening child with congenital problems. However pregnancy back pain can be minimized and avoided, standing up straight and straight the muscle by exercise such as swimming are good example of minimizing the back pain. Although, the primary prevention is by not sitting in one position for long time, but massage therapy would be the best technique to use as it is emphasized by Silva Therapeutic massage for low back massage is thought to provide low back pain relief by improving blood flow, reducing muscle stiffness, increasing range of motion, and raising endorphin levels in the body (2004, p.51). The third major cause of back pain is related to the degenerative disk diseases in the back; as part of the natural process of growing older. In fact, it is not an actual disease thus it affect an elderly and retired people. It starts with the disk (shock absorber) that consists of the jelly and lays between the vertebras in the back bone. Over the time this disk slips out and leads the jelly inside the disk to leaks and loses its ability to absorb shocks. Pressing on the nerve and leading into sever pain that may radiate to hip and legs are the majors consequences of disk prolapsed. This problem is widely spread among young men who performer a heavy work, but it is still consider to be ageing process disease. R. Windsor (2008) stressed on this point when he stated in his article that Low Back Pain secondary to degenerative disk disease is a condition that affects young to middle-aged persons with peak incidence at approximately 40 years also he pointed that the prevalence of disk de generation increases with age. Moreover, depression, isolation and restriction in activities are effects of degenerative Disk disease. It is well documented that physical pain can lead to feelings of depression, but a new study from the University of Alberta shows the reverse can be true, as well. When Dr. Linda Carroll, a professor in a Department of Public Health Sciences, led the study that shows Depression is a risk factor for onset of severe neck and low back pain(2003, p.3). The study is published in the Journal Pain. Besides this, people who suffers from pack pain may tend to be isolated from others due to fear of further injury and frustration regarding their condition . This mental status can also indirectly damage the back. Mental stress, dissatisfaction at work, depression and distress can all play a role in back pain. These factors may re-enforce relatively minor pain signals resulting in a much more present pain sensation(Carroll L. 2003, p.5). So, there is a strong connection between stress and back pain, when the tension created by emotional stress can give you a back pain. Also Stress causes the muscles to tighten up. The muscles may tense up so much and they go into painful spasms. Then it followed by reduce blood flow to the tissues and finally the back is less capable of tolerating even mild workload. However, this type of back pain can be also avoided by controlling and reducing the amount of exposure to tensions and stressful life situations. Yoga is a very popular form of relaxation therapy that increases muscle strength as it calms and works out stress. In addition to that exercise is important to reducing stress, by doing early morning walk and implemented as a weekly routine in the person life. Lastly, there are almost as many ways to prevent back pain as there are bad behaviors that cause it. Socioeconomic is another side effect of degenerative or disk diseases. People who suffers back pain have to pay a lot of medical expanses that includes physician fees which is typically high, medication cost and physiotherapy. Eventually this treatment costs are often difficult to be afforded by them. Additional to this, back pain lead to work absenteeism, statistic shown by (Parthan A. 2005, p.14) estimated the annual loss in productivity due to back pain in the United States to be approximately $28 billion. The loss in productivity is primarily due to absenteeism from work. Despite previously discussed causes of back pain, there are still many reasons need to be reviewed like, injury where all the types injures results several back problems, started with strains and end with back bone fracture and never damages. ( Windsor, 2008) has written It is commonly acknowledged that back injury is the most serious health problem experienced by most of the worlds workforce. However, Injury results from fall, road traffic accidents, and sports injury. or even arise from direct blunt impact Objects. Any injury to the back can cause damages to surrounded soft tissue of the spine, bruised and inflamed. And also, some time damages exceed the tissue to reach the bony and nerve structure. Later on the spine becomes stiffer. These injuries may varies can be range from mild, moderate to sever. A good example of midland moderate back pain injury is strain, very treatable in its tow forms. But sever injury may lead to paralyses or even death at the injury onset. To sum up, aside from the usual side effects of back pain, like the disturbance of your sleeping habits and the difficulty in sitting still during extended periods of time, the real concern should be addressed to the causes for back pain. Unfortunately since back muscles are the hardest working muscle group in the body, back pains are a frequent occurrence which indirectly effects it being the hardest to identify condition. It is a good investment to learn all about back pain, the causes and the side effects of back pain, and how it is prevented or if the condition is occurring, how best to relieve the effect.

Essay on Downfall and Denial in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menage

Downfall and Denial in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie   Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams allows the main characters in the plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie, to live miserable lives, which they first try to deny and later try to change.   The downfall and denial of the Southern gentlewoman is a common theme in both plays.   The characters, Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire and Amanda from The Glass Menagerie are prime examples.   Blanche and Amanda have had, and continue to have, many struggles in their lives.   The problem is that Williams never lets the two women work through these problems and move on.   The two ladies are allowed to destroy themselves and Williams invites the audience to watch them in the process (Stine 474).     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The downfall, denial, and need to change of the two women are all quite evident in these two plays. First the troubles of Blanche and Amanda need to be recognized. Blanche has apparently had practice hiding her drinking problem. When she arrives at Stella’s home, she sneaks a shot of whiskey (Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, Scene1. Page 18. Lines 12-17). When she is later offered a drink, she acts as though she has no idea where the alcohol is kept (Williams, A.S.N.D. 1.19.12-15).   Amanda cannot accept the fact that no gentlemen callers are coming for Laura, her daughter, thus making that reality more difficult for Laura to accept (Williams, The Glass Menagerie, 1.28.1-5).   Neither Blanche nor Amanda allows herself to recognize her problems and work them out.   They both deny the existence of these problems, thereby enabling their difficulties to become larger and even more complicated.   When Stella offers Blanche a second drink, Blanche states, "One's m... ...Blanche and Amanda.   Tennessee Williams wrote very similar plays along common themes, plays that both disturbed and aroused sympathy for the characters as well as the real life counterparts that they represented.    Works Cited Baym, Nina et al, eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1995. Hassan, William.   Tennessee Williams: Parallels in Frustation.   Boston: Cambridge University Press, 1979. Krutch, Joseph Wood.   Modernism in Modern Drama.   New York: Cambridge University Press, 1953. Stine, Daniel.   Tennessee Williams: An Interpretation.   Chicago: University Press, 1977. Williams, Tennessee.   A Streetcar Named Desire.   New York: Signet, 1947. Williams, Tennessee.   Anthology of American Literature:   From Realism to the Present.   Ed. McMichael, George et al. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000.    Essay on Downfall and Denial in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menage Downfall and Denial in Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie   Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams allows the main characters in the plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie, to live miserable lives, which they first try to deny and later try to change.   The downfall and denial of the Southern gentlewoman is a common theme in both plays.   The characters, Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire and Amanda from The Glass Menagerie are prime examples.   Blanche and Amanda have had, and continue to have, many struggles in their lives.   The problem is that Williams never lets the two women work through these problems and move on.   The two ladies are allowed to destroy themselves and Williams invites the audience to watch them in the process (Stine 474).     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The downfall, denial, and need to change of the two women are all quite evident in these two plays. First the troubles of Blanche and Amanda need to be recognized. Blanche has apparently had practice hiding her drinking problem. When she arrives at Stella’s home, she sneaks a shot of whiskey (Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, Scene1. Page 18. Lines 12-17). When she is later offered a drink, she acts as though she has no idea where the alcohol is kept (Williams, A.S.N.D. 1.19.12-15).   Amanda cannot accept the fact that no gentlemen callers are coming for Laura, her daughter, thus making that reality more difficult for Laura to accept (Williams, The Glass Menagerie, 1.28.1-5).   Neither Blanche nor Amanda allows herself to recognize her problems and work them out.   They both deny the existence of these problems, thereby enabling their difficulties to become larger and even more complicated.   When Stella offers Blanche a second drink, Blanche states, "One's m... ...Blanche and Amanda.   Tennessee Williams wrote very similar plays along common themes, plays that both disturbed and aroused sympathy for the characters as well as the real life counterparts that they represented.    Works Cited Baym, Nina et al, eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1995. Hassan, William.   Tennessee Williams: Parallels in Frustation.   Boston: Cambridge University Press, 1979. Krutch, Joseph Wood.   Modernism in Modern Drama.   New York: Cambridge University Press, 1953. Stine, Daniel.   Tennessee Williams: An Interpretation.   Chicago: University Press, 1977. Williams, Tennessee.   A Streetcar Named Desire.   New York: Signet, 1947. Williams, Tennessee.   Anthology of American Literature:   From Realism to the Present.   Ed. McMichael, George et al. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000.   

Executive Summary :: essays research papers

The executive summary is arguably the most important section of the business plan. It must be concise, specific, and well-written. It summarizes the highlights of the completed business plan and provides a brief snapshot of the plan, with sales, spending, and profit summary figures. The summary emphasizes those factors that will make the business a success. It must contain sound numbers for market size, trends, company goals, spending, return on investment, capital expenditures, and funding required. For new businesses or businesses seeking funding, credibility and excitement are key elements of the executive summary. Venture capitalists receive hundreds of plans each month, and just a few are actually being read from cover to cover. A quick 20-second scan of the executive summary is the basis for screening which plans to read and which companies to interview for investment. When the plan is the vehicle used to attract financing or investment, the executive summary should make it clear to the reader who is a potential source of funds why this is a sound investment. Business Background The business background section of your business plan generally consists of two to four sections that present information that is specific to your business. You may have gathered substantial information about competitors and the industry in general in the course of considering your business plans. This is not the place for that information. Instead, concentrate solely on those characteristics of your business that are specific to your particular business. The business background generally includes the following: a document describing the business entity and its general operation a document describing the product or service that your business will provide a document describing your facilities, if appropriate a document describing the people in your organization, if appropriate The Business Entity The business entity portion of the plan provides information that is specific to your business. This document sets forth the current status of operations, the management structure and organization, and the identification of key personnel. If the plan is being created for an existing business, historical information is also included. The business background provides the reader with information regarding: the type of business (e.g., wholesale, retail, manufacturing, service, etc.) type of legal entity (e.g., corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.) when the business was established where it is located the type of facilities, if any (e.g., retail establishment, manufacturing plant, etc.), although you may need to devote a separate

Pushed Out and Forgotten †The Batwa Essay

Born in the United States, I grew up believing that the children who lived next door or the boy who sat across from me in class had it all. Even as an adult, there are bits of me that occasionally envy the family with the perceived â€Å"perfect life;† church every Sunday, home office with a big window, stain-less carpets, and children with perfect hair. But, I know better. Life in the United States is something I take for granted. I knew this and needed to remind myself just how truly grateful I should be for the life I live in the great states. How do I do this? What do I need to see in order to really understand life outside America? I needed to leave my country and visit a place that has many struggles; where people live humbly. What I didn’t realize was that I would leave the country I chose to visit, wanting to go back and make a difference. Rwanda is rich with many things; culture, diversity, and land. Rwanda has also perfected the art of discrimination. When my plane landed, I could not have grabbed my luggage and left the airport more quickly. I was excited for what the change in culture would bring me. What I would take home to teach my own family and friends. Some were excited to see me and others were less than thrilled to see me traipsing my way through their lands. I did what I could to respect the people and their cultures, as I did my research before coming to Rwanda. The population there is made up of mostly Hutu; traditional farmers. The rest of the population, mostly consist of Tutsi (or warrior people) and the Batwa. Though I would have enjoyed getting to know all the different people and ethnicities of Rwanda, I spent most of my time with the Batwa (Whitelaw, 2007). The history of the Batwa is something that I came to hold close while traveling with some who are conflicted with the fear of the past and the uncertainty of their future. The Batwa were former Central Africa residents  who lived their lives hunting and gathering in the rain forests. Though the lives they lived were not ideal for all, they were happy. But as time went, so was the expectation that they left their homes in order for the rainforest to be used for forestry and conservation. You may say, â€Å"So, were they compensated for the land they had to give up?† Well, no. The Batwa were physically removed from their homes and their land and were never given a red cent to live elsewhere. Kicked out of home, with no money, no good explanation, and expected to build a life in an area unfamiliar to most. The Batwa had no idea what this was going to do to their lives. They knew they did not want to leave but because of their naà ¯ve understanding of the modern world, they would face some struggle ahead. This was a disaster in the making. It didn’t help that many of people, already living in the areas the Batwa were forced to move, did not accept them as people. They were and continue to be discriminated against. The Batwa live in poverty in what is supposed to be a more modern society than what they were founded on. Yet, the population continues to deteriorate. How is this possible? It is possible because they have no land to live on, they eat the farming scraps left after a harvest, they are shunned from the education system because of illiteracy and a lack of money, they are allowed to vote but not allowed to be part of government, and they find it almost impossible to find a job that can support their needs because of discrimination and lack of education (New African, 2010). The Batwa’s situation sounded eerily familiar to me. I equated their situation to the Native American’s situation when the Europeans came to America. Pushed out of their land and forced to live a different way of life in a place that was â€Å"approved† by the rest of the people. I can imagine that the way the Batwa live is similar to the way the Native American’s are forced to live. The difference is that the Native Americans feel forced by lack of education of the rest of Americans, where the Batwa’s are forced because they are still not accepted in today’s Rwandan society. Another big difference I see is that the Batwa are a part of Africa and are being discriminated by their people. Yes, they are a different ethnicity and would live their lives differently, if not forced into another. But, they are still from the same country. After spending time with this  amazing group of people, I have realized that I could not accurately explain the difference between ethnicity and race. Six months ago, I lumped those two terms together. Though they have similarities, they are different. I am a Caucasian, but that doesn’t mean it is easy to assume my ethnicity. My great friend is Caucasian, but that doesn’t mean her and I have the same ethnicity. I was born and raised in a small town out of Minnesota and she was raised in Ireland. The two terms are different. Her family traditions around the holidays are different than mine. Really understanding the differences between race in Rwanda and their ethnicities was important when trying to understand why there is and was so much discrimination. Though the race may be nearly the same, each group of people lived completely different lives. The Batwa’s lived in a rainforest and Hutu’s ran farms in a more modern lifestyle. Even the way each culture enjoys dancing is either accepted or it is not. The Batwa were forced to study Christianity, eat the foods of the modern people, and even had to learn how to wear clothing differently. The way the Batwa chose to live their lives in the rainforest would not be acceptable in the eyes of the rest of Rwanda. Ethnicity and race are different and this is why discrimination exists in Rwanda (New African, 2012). * Learning the history of how the Batwa live, by choice or not, begged the question, â€Å"what has this done to them as a people?† The discrimination of the Batwa and other small groups of people, have made it difficult for them to thrive much less survive. They impact they have on the government is nil, so seeing a dramatic change through government representation is unlikely. There are groups such as the Organization of Rwandan Potters (COPORWA) who consider the Batwa and their situations. The Batwa are value their culture and ways of life, but have lost touch because of highly encouraged religions and lack of acceptance of their culture. The Batwa do and will continue to struggle to be recognized as a minority group who needs help (Ingelaere, B., 2010). * The Batwa have lost their land, they are losing their culture, the people are not surviving, and the idea of maintaining hope is slowly slipping away. Spending time with my new found friends made me want to bring them all home with me. But, as I have learned, moving people from their homes and lives can create more problems than intended. Though, I would see to it that they were treated with the respect they deserve, it does not fix the bigger problem. The  human race has much to learn about what the true meaning of love, life, and respect is. Unfortunately, discrimination and a lack of understanding is a natural course of nature. There are some things out of our control and others in which we can only influence. If I could change anything about my visit to Rwanda, it would have been to spend more time there to understand more about why the other cultures see the Batwa the way they do. Though the discrimination against the Batwa is moving at a snail’s pace in the right direction, at least it is moving that way. Until then, I send my prayers and well wishes to the Batwa people. I would also challenge those of you reading my article to take some time to travel to a place similar to Rwanda to learn about another culture; what it has to offer is far more than money can buy. * References: Batwa A people under threat. (2010). New African, (497), 38. Ingelaere, B. (2010). Peasants, power and ethnicity: A bottom-up perspective on Rwanda’s political transition. African Affairs, 109(435), 273-292. Whitelaw, Kevin. (2007). Rwanda Reborn. U.S. News & World Report, 00415537, Vol. 142, Issue 14

Worldcom Scandal

WorldCom Scandal Formerly known as WorldCom, now known as MCI, this U. S. -based telecommunications company was at one time the second-largest long distance phone company in the U. S. Today, it is perhaps best known  for a massive accounting scandal that led to the company filing for  bankruptcy protection in 2002. In 1998, the telecommunications industry began to slow down and WorldCom's stock was declining.CEO Bernard Ebbers came under increasing pressure from banks to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance his other businesses endeavors. The company's profitability took another hit when it was forced to abandon its proposed merger with Sprint in late 2000. During 2001, Ebbers persuaded WorldCom's board of directors to provide him corporate loans and guarantees totaling more than $400 million. Ebbers wanted to cover the margin calls, but this strategy ultimately failed and Ebbers was ousted as CEO in April 2002.Beginning in 1999 and continuing through May 2002, WorldCom, under the direction of Scott Sullivan (Chief Financial Officer), David Myers (Senior Vice President and Controller) and Buford Yates (Director of General Accounting), used shady accounting methods to mask its declining financial condition by falsely professing financial growth and profitability to increase the price of WorldCom's stock. The fraud was done in two main ways.First, WorldCom's accounting department underreported â€Å"line costs†, which are interconnection expenses with other telecommunication companies, by capitalizing these costs on the balance sheet rather than properly expensing them. Second, the company inflated revenues with bogus accounting entries from â€Å"corporate unallocated revenue accounts†. The first discovery of possible illegal activity was by WorldCom's own internal audit department who uncovered approximately $3. 8 billion of the fraud in June 2002. WorldCom said it will restate its financial results for all of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 to take almost $3. billion in cash flow off its books, wiping out all profit during those times. The company's shares, among the most heavily traded on Wall Street, fell as much as 76 percent in after-hours action following the announcement and at one point were trading at 20 cents each. These transfers were apparently discovered by Cynthia Cooper, WorldCom’s vice president – internal audit. When informed about what happened, both the company’s current auditor, KPMG, and its former auditor, Andersen, agreed that these transfers were not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).Following a review by the company’s audit committee, WorldCom’s board terminated Sullivan and accepted the resignation of David F. Myers, senior vice president and controller. The SEC suit came a day later. On July 21, 2002, WorldCom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the largest such filing in United States hi story. The company emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004 with about $5. 7 billion in debt. At last count, WorldCom has yet to pay its creditors On March 15, 2005 Bernard Ebbers was found guilty of all charges and convicted on fraud, conspiracy and filing false documents with regulators.He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Other former WorldCom officials charged with criminal penalties in relation to the company's financial misstatements. Sources: (2007, January 31). MCI Inc. Retrieved February 17, 2007 from Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web site: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Worldcom (2005, July 13). WorldCom’s ex-boss gets 25 years. Retrieved February 17, 2007 from British Broadcasting Corporation Web site: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/4680221. stm http://www. cbsnews. com/2100-201_162-513473. html

Differentiation Strategy Essay

In this paper work we will talk about Differentiation Strategy. In contrast to the cost leadership strategy, implementation of a differentiation strategy means that value is provided to customers through the unique features and characteristics of a company’s products rather than by the lowest price. Because differentiated products satisfy customers’ unique needs or preferences, companies can charge premium prices for differentiated products. For the company to be able to outperform its competitors and earn above-average returns, the price charged for the differentiated product must exceed the cost of differentiation. In other words, the price charged must exceed total product cost. Because of this, the differentiated product’s premium prices generally exceed the low price of the standard product. Companies that follow a differentiation strategy concentrate or focus on product innovation and developing product features that customers value rather than on maintaining the lowest competitive price (as is the case for the cost leadership strategy). Products can be differentiated in a number of ways so that they stand apart from standardised products: superior quality unusual or unique features more responsive customer service rapid product innovation advanced technological features engineering design additional features an image of prestige or status For example Intel uses speed, innovation, and manufacturing techniques as bases of uniqueness. The company’s focus throughout its primary and secondary value-creating activities is on establishing the importance of quality, accuracy, speed, and responsiveness. The focus is also on understanding and meeting customers’ unique preferences and monitoring the speed, reliability, and quality of activities provided by others that interface with the company’s inbound and outbound logistics. |Differentiating Features That Raise the Performance a User Gets | |To enhance the performance a buyer gets from using its |Meet the buyer’s needs and requirements more completely, | |product/service, a company can incorporate features and |compared to competitors’ offerings. | |attributes that |Give buyers the option to add on or to upgrade later as new | |Provide buyers greater reliability, durability, convenience,|product versions come on the market. | |or ease of use. |Give buyers more flexibility to tailor their own products to| |Make the company’s product/service cleaner, safer, quieter, |the needs of their customers. | |or more maintenance-free than rival brands. |Do a better job of meeting the buyer’s future growth and | |Exceed environmental or regulatory standards. |expansion requirements. | Source: Adapted from Michael E. Porter, Competitive Advantage, (New York: Free Press, 1985).   However, companies following differentiation strategies cannot completely ignore costs and the need for minimal spending on process-related innovations. A company that successfully implements a differentiation strategy can earn above-average returns even when the five competitive forces are strong. Rivalry with Existing Competitors Achieving customer loyalty means differentiating products in ways that are meaningful to customers. Brand loyalty means that customers will be less sensitive to price increases. As long as the company satisfies the differentiated needs of loyal customers, it may be insulated from price-based competition. Bargaining Power of Buyers (Customers) Through meaningful differentiation, companies develop products that are considered unique. This uniqueness may insulate the company from competitive rivalry and reduce customer sensitivity to price increases (similar to the insulation from rivalry with  existing competitors). By satisfying customer preferences in ways that no competitor can, companies also are able to charge higher prices (because there are no comparable product alternatives). Bargaining Power of Suppliers Because the differentiator charges premium prices, they are somewhat insulated from suppliers’ price increases (as the differentiator can absorb a greater level of cost increases from powerful suppliers through its higher margins). Alternatively, because of lower price sensitivity by customers, differentiators may be able to raise prices to cover increased supplier-related costs. Because of the differentiator’s focus on product quality and responsiveness to customer preferences, suppliers also may be forced to provide differentiators with higher quality materials, components, or services. Potential Entrants The principal barrier to entry is customers’ loyalty to the uniquely differentiated brand. This means that a potential entrant must either overcome (or surpass) the uniqueness of existing products or provide similarly differentiated products at a lower price to increase customer value. Product Substitutes Brand loyalty may effectively insulate differentiated products from substitutes. Without brand loyalty, customers may switch to substitutes that offer similar features at a lower price or to products offering more attractive features at the same price. Like the cost leadership strategy, the differentiation strategy also carries risks.   Customers may decide that the cost of uniqueness is too high. In other words, the price differential between the standardised and differentiated product is too high. Perhaps the company provides a greater level of uniqueness than customers are willing to pay for. The company’s means of differentiation no longer provides value to customers. For instance, what is the value of prestige or exclusivity? And, how long will they last as customers become more  sophisticated? Customer learning may reduce the customer’s perception of the value of the company’s differentiation. Through experience, customers may learn that the extra price paid for a differentiated product no longer has the value that it once did. This loss of value through customer learning or changes in customer perceptions can be illustrated by the experiences of IBM. Initially, the IBM name on a personal computer signalled value to customers; however, clones soon challenged IBM’s pre-eminent position in the PC market. As customers learned that the clone machines offered similar features at lower prices, the value attached to the IBM brand name diminished and IBM’s sales continue to suffer. A fourth risk is concerned with counterfeiting. Increasingly, counterfeit goods (products that attempt to convey differentiated features to customers at significantly reduced prices) are a concern for many companies using the differentiated strategy. In the event of any of the above, differentiators are challenged to increase value to customers. This may mean reducing prices, adding product features without raising prices, or developing new efficiencies in its value chain of primary and secondary activities.

Shall We Tell the President?

In February 24 he heard shocking news. Some people were planning to kill the president and he understood that a senator is also involved in this. When they knew that he heard everything, they tried to kill him. But fortunately he escaped. After the meeting Mark Andrews talked Dry. Dexter and fixed a date with her. Barry called Nick and informed every thing. Nick States entrusted Mark to the hospital. On the way to the home Barry and Nick met In an accident and died _ March 3 Thursday Evening: Mark called Dry. Dexter and postponed the meeting. When he arrived in the hospital Angelo and Benjamin Reynolds who lied near Angelo had died.Mark tried to inform the news to Nick but he didn't get. So he informed all incidents to the FBI director H. A. L Tyson and through car radio he knew that Nick and Barry were died. 4 Friday 6. 27 am: Mark meets Tyson and informed to keep it secret; at the mean time Tyson had appointed two persons to look Mark. Mark starts his investigation about which sena tor involved in this case. At the Library of Congress he checked the congressional record to find out who were all in Washington on February 24. He got a list of 62 senators then he double checked and shortened it Into 38. Friday Afternoon 12. Pm: A meeting of conspirators takes place. One man Is Tony, he was an excellent driver another is Xanthium, a Vietnamese and an excellent rifle shooter, he hated Americans. The third man is Ralph Matson; he is an old FBI agent and the Peter Nicholson, a millionaire. The last man is called chairman. Ralph Matson was the killer of Angelo Ceasefires; he disguised like a Greek priest and killed him. Tony and Xanthium were the killers of Barry and Nick . They discussed about the planning to kill the president. Arc 4 1-relay Attorney 4 pm: Mark called Nils classmate Ana Knew auto ten mafias. When mark speaks with Dry.Dexter he got the news that Angelo was a Greek then he contacted a Greek orthodox priest and understood the killer who he see in the h ospital. 5 March Saturday Morning: Mark meets Tyson. In their Mathew Roger the Cast. Director of FBI gave information about the man who made the arrangements for the luncheon party. Marks visits Arians Ceasefires and learns that a priest came and gave fifty dollar bill to her. Mark traces the 50 dollar bill to know the finger prints. Mark contacted the secretaries of the 62 senators in his list not revealing the secret. He could cut down the number of senators' who had private luncheon on February 24.Sunday Morning 6 March 9 am: Mark calls a person in New York Times to know more about mafias and their attitude towards Gun Control Bill and also about senators who had close connections in organized crimes. Monday Morning 7 March 7 am: Tyson informed mark that a walk-talky of the FBI had missed and through that the information are going out side. For to know which senator where in the capitol on 3 March, mark looks the records and make a list of seven senators ‘Pearson, Noun, Bro oks, Byrd, Dexter, Harrison, Thornton'. 8 March Tuesday Morning 1 am: Tyson scolded Mark when he got the report from the woo men who are appointed to observe mark.They reported that Mark is in love with a senator daughter. Tyson scolded him because his lover's father Dexter is under suspicion. Mark goes to the senate house to see the Gun control bill debate, in which there he reduced his list to 5, because he understood that Noun and Pearson were not in the senate on 3 March. 9 March Wednesday: Tyson tells mark that Dexter may be the conspirator because the porters had seen in him on February 24 in Georgetown with his daughter. Mark shocked, he meets Elizabeth. Tycoon's men informed it and he scolded Mark.

A Study of Catholicism

When catholic is used as an adjective, it means universal, open or general. I have read art magazines and reviews that have described certain art collections as catholic in its uniqueness. The fact that Catholicism has its root in the word catholic is not a coincidence. In his essay Catholicism: A Synthesis, Richard McBrien says that it is this notion that distinguishes Catholicism from other religions, Christian and non. The notion is that Catholicism is a religion that is based on open-mindedness. McBrien alludes to flags to clearly define his thesis. Many flags of the world share the same three colors. He uses the colors red, white, and blue. The flags for Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cuba, and France all share the same three colors, yet they are not configured the same way. The flag of the United States has fifty stars and the French flag has three thick bars of color. It is in this way that McBrien relates the flags of the world to Catholicism. The Catholic Church is distinguished from other Christian religions by the configuration of its practices and characteristics. Plagiarism Detection >One instance that I read about in the news recently was about a young girl in England who became pregnant. The girl went to her church and told her priest. The priest then referred the girl to the Cardinal of that area. The twelve-year-old girl comes from a family that can barely afford food and clothes, let alone support a new child. Abortion was obviously not even an issue in this case. The clergy decided it would be best to use church money and support this girl in her pregnancy. This shows openness on the part of the Catholic Church because they could have shunned this twelve year old girl, and ignored her pleas for help. However, they decided to take a risk and help her.An instance in which the church is not so open has to do with homosexuality. I know that the Catholic Church embraces good causes, and finding a cure for AIDS is one. I know of Catholic c hurches that hold fundraising events, awareness seminars and promote AIDS benefits. There is such a thick layer of hypocrisy in this example. The church refuses to acknowledge homosexuals as human beings, yet the homosexual community is hit very hard by the AIDS epidemic. How can they embrace the AIDS cause, yet denounce homosexuality. This is just one instance of non-openness in the Catholic Church. Plagiarism Detection >Christian realism is critical thinking in the context of the Catholic Church. Realists take reality in the context in which it is in history. Christian realism is based on the contexualist outlook on life. Christianity itself is mediated by meaning, says McBrien. McBrien makes a good point when he says, Christian realism also rejects the notion that clear and distinct ideasare equivalent to the real itself. Ideas are never based on solely one thing. That is what is so great about Christian realism. It incorporates the idea of openness into decision making. Critical realism is used in every aspect of the Church. Nothing goes unchallenged, whether it is doctrines, dogmas or canonical directives.Richard McBrien makes some good points in his essay, Catholicism: A Synthesis. He made the reader aware of how open the Catholic church really is. He also makes us aware of Christian realism and how it works in association the Catholic Church. He clearly defines his thesis, that the Catholic Church is defined by the configuration of its characteristics.

Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music - Research Paper Example It is important to undertake a critical review of the life history of this great female artist in US and the world at large and the relationship with this song. Music has an unaesthetic effect in the life of many people due to its reflective memory captivation and psychological adjustments in the mind of an individual. In analyzing this song and Dolly Parton who composed it, it is imperative that people relate their personal life experiences with the message being conveyed for learning purposes besides social entertainment (Leppert and Susan, 4). The background of Dolly Parton significantly contributed to the composition of this song. It is common to realize that the past of this singer as expressed in the song is similar to any other cases of people in any normal society. It is simply a rhythmic presentation of the ideas which reflects the real life situations of people in the socio-economically diverse society. About Dolly parton This great female global musician of her time was bo rn Dolly Rebecca Parton in 1946 in United States of America. Her great performance skills and outstanding songs composition ability can be traced from her childhood career as a performer. It is important to underline that Dolly parton came from a very humble background with evidently several social factors for basic livelihood missing. They were literally a poor family and grew with her siblings in an economically unfavorable environment with poor clothing as her song â€Å"Cloth of many colors† can attest. During her childhood years, she went to school in tattered clothes that could only be likened to rags from the multicolored fabric composed of enjoined old pieces of cloths by the mother. As she presents in her song, Parton’s future was shaped significantly through her experiences from childhood (Randall, et al, 262). Parton began to release moderately successful singles from the year 1959 to the middle of 1960s which was propelled by her outstanding soprano voice. It is important to note that Parton exploited her voice to give music the taste it has with captivating blend of tonal variations and smooth recitation. Her global prominence came into play from 1967 from her Porter Wagoner’s weekly television featuring performances. This was marked by their joint release of a song â€Å"The Last Thing on My Mind" which hit the top ten charts of the country singles. By the time they called off the partnership, she had already created her own vocal brand and was set to join mainstream county music most of which were successful. This musician is credited with a number of joint releases with top county musicians like Kenny Rodgers and her many other songs remain new every time they are played as if they were released yesterday. The quality of her music is attributed to composure and self-discipline which is manifested in most of her songs. From her humble background, she is one among the few musicians who decide to give back to the society thro ugh charitable works alongside music. Due to her musical exploits she has managed to divert part of her fortunes to promote childhood literacy through her Dollywood project. She is also known to have acted in some movies like Steel Magnolias, Romeo & Juliet, and Straight Talk among others. She boasts of an estimated millions of sales of most of her albums. Most of her songs cut across gender issues, love and social life which fit any age group with deep seated words of wisdom. Parton holds the mantle of selling the highest number of songs raking

Historic Event in Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Historic Event in Middle East - Essay Example In 1917, Britain issued Balfour declaration which was seen as an attempt to support Jewish. The declaration however stated that Britain's support for the creation of Jewish national home in Palestine without violating civil and religious rights of the non-Jewish communities. By the year 1923 Britain had received two mandates a provisional mandate over Palestine and another east of river Jordan Arabs apposed the idea of Jewish national home which lead to a Palestine, Arab nation movement in early 1930s over 100,000 Jewish refugees came to Palestine from nazi Germany and Poland) which made the Arabs organize a general uprising that paralyzed Palestine in the late 1930s. In 1939 British began to limit Jewish immigration and land purchases and it was to be done under Arabs approval only (Mendelsohn, 1989) During World War II, most Palestinian Arabs and Jews stopped their resistance to the British rule and joined the allied forces. After World War II Zionist wanted British to allow immigration of the holocaust survivors they therefore used force to stop Great Britain from limiting Jewish immigration into Palestine. The United Nations special commission on Palestine recommended that Palestine be divided into Arab state and Jewish state also Jerusalem to be put under international control. The UN general assembly adopted this plan on November 29 1947, which could lead to the birth of Israel. Arabs rejected the move and fighting broke immediately. On 14th May 1940, the Jews proclaimed the independent state of Israel and the British withdrew from Palestine the next day neighboring Arabs nations attacked Israel. (Abboushi, 1987) The impacts of these events on today's world are:- It's the oppression of Jews in Eastern Europe that resulted in mass emigration of Jewish refugees who occupied Palestine with an aim of making it an independent Jewish nation the impact today being continued on and off violence between the pales tines and Israelites since then. The pales tines are fighting for the land back a thing that the Zionists can not allow. The fact that British handed over Palestine to the Zionist brought animosity between the Palestinian Arabs and the Jews and this has led to the United Nation spending a lot of money in the peace keeping initiative which is aimed at restoring calm between the two parties. Security uncertainty in the Middle East has also impacted heavily on the oil prices with experienced price fluctuations depending on the political climate in the Middle East. Cold and physical war between Americans ad Arabs came as result of the emigration of Jews from Eastern Europe due to oppression. The Americans are fighting in favor of the Jews with whom they are known to have the same origin. Lastly, the late 1800's oppression of Jews in Eastern Europe had a very strong impact on today's world because the fact that the Jews occupied 'foreign land' has led to suicide bombers. This are Palestinian terrorists who are ready to

Modernity and Modernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modernity and Modernism - Essay Example The essay "Modernity and Modernism" analyzes the impact of modernism and modernity in the context of the history and culture. In the following parts of this paper, first history of modernism has been included in which a limited introduction of modernism from World War II and evolutionary changes in the architecture, craft, art and design have been provided. It is followed by the segment Le Corbusier’s monuments in Chandigarh in which they have been analysed in the light of the relevant theories. Before the conclusion, the idealist modernism part has been provided. Modernism is both evolutionary and revolutionary process. It does not remain the same but kept changing with the changes social, cultural, economic, personal, and other dimensions of today’s modern society. After the world war one, social, cultural and economic change was felt in which culture; art, design and architecture were mainly affected by the appetite for the change played the main role in this endeavo ur. However, it gained particular momentum particularly after the world war two in which more revolutionary thinking for economy; political activism affected the modernism in which a substantial amount of cultural change was experienced. Two world wars severely affected the modernism and developments taking place in the field of art, design, architecture and craft. In the World War II, millions of people died in which people from involved states as a whole lost sight on the sustained growth and stability of economic and cultural factors.

Personal paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal paper - Essay Example While growing up, I had a deep desire within me to pursue and advance my career in film production. This instigated my desire to advance my studies in high school and college. At some point, I was unable to full attain my goals until now when I discovered this internship. I must admit that this internship has changed my perception as a film producer in the marketplace. In my internship, I have learnt that my career is more of a personal experience than being taught in the classroom. I have gained great insights on entertainment industry specifically about film production. My experience in this internship has adequately prepared me to understand what is required to shoot a film or a commercial. I have been motivated to apply in different placements such as TV Board and MN film. I am privileged to understand the things that take place when shooting a film such as the best location to make the movie, the equipments required, and the funding just to name a few. In life, mentors cannot be underestimated in that they help many people understand their personal and career goals. Craig Rice has been a great mentor in my career in that he has equipped me with skills and abilities that help one to become a competent film producer. With this, I am ready to face the modern world that value films and commercial adverts. When we first met, Craig promised me that he would usher me in my career as a producer. Since I met him, I have discovered more about myself especially in the arena of film production. I have expanded my knowledge in the film production by ensuring that I am challenging myself. This internship has been a tremendous opportunity to integrate practices and theories that I learnt in high school and college. I have studied a lot of practice in my classes, and even applied some to application. However, this internship has changed my role as an observer to being more of an active participant in the field. My experience has challenged my theoretical base in the class room in that I practically utilized what I have been taught in the classroom to the field. My knowledge in film production has increased from one level to the other. As previously mentioned, I have learnt how to make a film or a commercial and the best location that suit the production process. I have developed some principles in my work. In essence, I have obtained these principles from my personal experiences in school, in the workplace, and life. The intern has helped me understand what my weaknesses and strengths are in given situations. Understanding what works for me has expanded my skills in my area of professionalism. I have moved into another phase of learning where the focus differs from learning the work to understanding and learning how to perform the task effectively. This internship has helped me to acquire new skills and abilities, and I am now grateful since I can think about skill development in broad terms. Internship is an opportunity for a student to measure thei r learning in class to the actual work. The knowledge and skills acquired from the class can be applied in the field and will effectively help a student succeed in their work (Frederick and King 8). The greatest importance of attending an internship is to understand the real issues inherent in the field, as opposed to the theoretical learning in the class. It is more of a practical class that is not learnt in a learning institution. Skills are acquired, which help the intern to handle similar situations in their jobs.

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees Essay - 1

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees - Essay Example This paper illustrates that organization focuses on various factors of diversification such as product diversity, employees, management practices etc. The intention of the organization for diversification remains to maximize profits and increase productivity. It is examined that the effects of diversity are beneficial for the organization, but not for employees. The major factor of this argument prevails that employees had to work even harder and fruits are solely enjoyed by the organization. The key objective of this research work is to clarify ambiguities about diversity management. Critical evaluation and conclusion of this research are decisive to present the real market review. Organizations tend to diversify in order to expand business operations and activities. The motto behind this move is to generate revenues, build stronger human resource management department, systemize operations and explore new markets. Diversity can be very beneficial if it is done in the right way. Div ersity management ensures that greater productivity through employees can be gained. Engaging people from diverse cultures and giving them the opportunity to work in the organization depicts that organization is an equal opportunity firm and is against racism. The positive image of the organization is spread in the market. Problem-solving in management decisions is some of the fruits of diversity management. Creativity and innovation are practiced which brings new revolutionary ideas for the firm to expand its operations. Moreover, new products are formulated and every employee tries its best to be a useful asset for the firm. Diversity gives the organization an opportunity to compete globally as they are employed with staff from all around the world. Globalization of business is fundamental to an organization.

Finish the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Finish the question - Essay Example directly applicable to the company’s overall strategy of achieving financial success while providing shareholder value and maintaining focus on environmental sustainability. Additionally, the TBL rhymes to the company’s mission of producing financial rewards to investors in addition to growth and development opportunities for employees, business partners and communities. The SunChips brand of Frito-Lay concentrates on sustainability as the fundamental driver of their business strategy. The company uses environmentally-friendly production and transportation methods in order to minimize harm to the planet. The Modesto, California plant, for example, has adopted an environmentally-friendly ways of cooking sun chips. The plant currently uses solar panels to generate energy for cooking chips. The company has implemented sustainable methods of reclaiming waste water and managing other production wastes. These include a 36-acre solar filled for reclaiming water and a biomass b oiler for proper solid waste product management. Frito-Lay is proud of SunChips brand for being a snack characterized by environmental friendliness. The company strives to ensure that the consumer walks away with the knowledge that each SunChips product is produced using the most environmentally sustainable methods. Thus, the Triple Bottom Line rhymes with the overall strategy of SunChips and it creates a value for the company and the