Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Cookiecutter Shark Facts and Information

The cookiecutter shark is a small shark species who got its name from the round, deep wounds it leaves on its prey. They are also known as the cigar shark,  luminous shark, and cookie-cutter or cookie cutter shark. The cookiecutter sharks scientific name is Isistius brasiliensis. The genus name is a reference to Isis, the  Egyptian goddess of light, and their species name is a reference to their distribution, which includes Brazilian waters.   Classification Kingdom:  AnimaliaPhylum:  ChordataSubphylum:  VertebrataSuperclass:  GnathostomataSuperclass:  PiscesClass:  ElasmobranchiiSubclass:  NeoselachiiInfraclass:  SelachiiSuperorder:  SqualomorphiOrder:  SqualiformesFamily:  DalatiidaeGenus:  IsistiusSpecies:  brasiliensis Description Cookiecutter sharks are relatively small. They grow to about 22 inches in lengths, with females growing longer than males. Cookiecutter sharks have a short snout, dark brown or grayish back, and light underside. Around their gills, they have a dark brown band, which, along with their shape, gave them the nickname cigar shark. Other identification features include the presence of two paddle-shaped pectoral fins, which have a lighter coloration on their edges, two small dorsal fins near the back of their body and two pelvic fins. One interesting characteristic of these sharks is that they can produce a greenish glow using photophores, bioluminescent organs which are located on the sharks body, but densest on their underside. The glow can attract prey, and also camouflages the shark by eliminating its shadow. One of the most important features of cookiecutter sharks is their teeth.  Although the sharks are small, their teeth are fearsome-looking.  They have small teeth in their upper jaw and 25 to 31 triangular-shaped in their lower jaw. Unlike most sharks, who lose their teeth one at a time, cookiecutter sharks lose the complete section of lower teeth at once, as the teeth are all connected at their base. The shark ingests the teeth as they are lost -- a behavior that is thought to be related to increasing calcium intake.  The teeth are used in combination with their lips, which can attach to prey through suction.   Habitat and Distribution Cookiecutter sharks are found in tropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are often found near oceanic islands.   These sharks undertake a daily vertical migration, spending the daytime in deep waters below 3,281 feet and moving toward the water surface at night.   Feeding Habits Cookiecutter sharks often  prey upon animals much larger than they are.  Their prey includes marine mammals  such as seals, whales and dolphins and large fish such as tuna, sharks, stingrays, marlin and dolphin, and invertebrates such as squid and crustaceans. The greenish light given off by the photophore attract prey. As the prey approaches, the cookiecutter shark quickly latches on and then spins, which removes the preys flesh and leaves a distinctive crater-like, smooth-edged wound. The shark grips the preys flesh using its upper teeth. These sharks are also thought to cause damage to submarines by biting their nose cones. Reproductive Habits Much of cookiecutter shark reproduction is still a mystery. Cookiecutter sharks are ovoviviparous. The pups inside the mother are nourished by the yolk inside their egg case.  Cookiecutter sharks have 6 to 12 young per litter. Shark Attacks and  Conservation Although the idea of an encounter with a cookie cutter shark is frightening, they generally present no danger to humans due to their preference for deep waters and their small size.   The cookiecutter shark is listed as a species of  least concern on the IUCN Red List. While they are caught occasionally by fisheries, there is no targeted harvesting of this species.   Sources Bailly, N. 2014. Isistius brasiliensis (Quoy Gaimard, 1824). In: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2014) FishBase. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species, December 15, 2014Bester, C. Cookiecutter Shark. Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed December 15, 2014.Compangno, L., ed. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press. 368pp.Martin, R. A. Cookiecutter Shark. ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Accessed December 15, 2014.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Final Essay English 1Bs Journey - 1128 Words

English in its entirety can be simply described as author, biologist and physician, Lewis Thomas had once said, â€Å"We pass the word around; we ponder how the case is put by different people, we read the poetry; we meditate over the literature; we play the music; we change our minds; we reach an understanding. Society evolves this way, not by shouting each other down, but by the unique capacity of unique, individual human beings to comprehend each other† (Thomas 120). The impact literature can bring onto others is simply amazing and is a gift that should be shared with everyone. This spring semester has quickly broadened my perspective. Being that this is my freshman year in college I prodded around ideas of what majors I had interests in. I†¦show more content†¦I rarely read the assigned readings in English 1A and expected to do the same for 1B’s course. However, when I received the daily checks back and got zero after zero I realized I had my work cut out for me. This class challenged me, for the first in my English studies I had to work hard to earn an acceptable grade. Our first essay however, I was not too thrilled to have to write about Michelle Boisseau’s â€Å"Self-Pitys Closet†. I felt that her work was already self explanatory; the title said everything about the poem that needed to be said. The beginning of Boisseaus poem starts off with a slur of emotional turmoil, â€Å"depression, loneliness, anger, shame, envy† (Boisseau l1).I did not like the writing style because it bluntly listed how the character felt at the time. I wanted to investigate the core of why she felt a certain way but instead I was handed her emotions. I felt the urge to expose the character as an over emotional train wreck who feed off of empathy. At one point in my analysis I wrote â€Å"The speakers life is consumed by fear of what others may think of her. She constantly is searching for the answer which would lead to acceptance not only from others, but also within her own self†. I had not gained any sympathy for the character. I felt that if she wanted to gain acceptance from others she would first has to accept her own flaws and not sulk in misery. The purpose of the assignment was to create a response. However, I found myself analyzing Boisseau’s

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Bussiness Proposal Free Essays

Describe how the current market conditions will affect the planning or operating decisions involving the product. Market Structure The market structure in this instance could fall into one of two types, oligopoly or monopoly (McConnell, Bruce, Flynn, 2009). The rationale behind oligopoly is that several large retailers currently provide this service and control the availability, use, and other aspects of the programs (McConnell, Bruce, Flynn, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Bussiness Proposal or any similar topic only for you Order Now The rationale behind monopoly is that the program is limited to each organization (McConnell, Bruce, Flynn, 2009). For example the program used at my organization is call the Shop Your Way Rewards program, it is only available at Smart and Sears, it cannot be used at other retailers and is exclusively controlled by Sears Holding Inc. Ultimately The market structure is a combination of a monopoly and oligopoly. Price Elasticity of Demand Price elasticity of demand has little effect on this product as the product is a free program provided by the organization. Despite this fact price elasticity does have an effect on the use of the program in that the customers can earn points on purchases and in turn spend those points on other researched. In this instance, as prices rise or fall within the store the use of the product increases or decreases as a result. If for instance a products price rises at the store level, the number of points earned during purchases using the product increases as well. Likewise as the prices increase it requires customers to have more points available to make purchases. Though the rewards card is a free program an increase in product prices would translate to an increase in demand for the rewards card. In looking at the determinants of price elasticity of demand, substitutability is first. The only way to substitute this product would be to shop at a competitor using the rewards program there such as a Kroger Plus card. Another substitute would be to use coupons instead of the card; however enhance them. The next determinant is proportion of income, again this would tie into the selling price of products and how the rewards program would offset any increases in price therefore increasing the amount of funds available to purchase products. Next is the luxury versus necessity determinant, the rewards card applies to both and is neutral in this area as it can be used for either luxuries or necessities. The last determinant is time, as more consumers become familiar with this product the demand will increase as the benefits are realized. Profit-Maximizing Quantity This program essentially gives the customer a percentage of his or her purchase price back in the form of points that can be redeemed during a transaction Just like cash. The program also generates coupons based on purchase levels and membership levels for additional dollars or percentages off purchases. Through data analysis, the company has determined that customers enrolled in the program average three additional shopping trips per onto than non-members, the data also reveals that members purchase on average $13 more per transaction than non-members. Points are earned one point at a time based on one percent of every $1 . An example of this would be a purchase of $100 would translate to gaining 10 points. Every 10 points equal one penny, 1,000 points equals $1, 10,000 points equals $10, and so forth. By increasing the frequency of customers return trips along with the average dollar amount of those purchases the company is essentially paying for the program by enrolling new members. As membership increases so do sales and in turn profits. Price and Non-price Strategies Because the program is free, no price is placed upon the product. A non-price strategy is currently underway in which the benefits of membership are expressed by checkout operators during the customer checkout experience. The company has also set enrollment and usage goals for each location within the company as well. Through the increase in verbal communication with every customer the company will realize the goals set and will be able to increase the goals as they are met. Production Costs The production costs associated with this product are the production of plastic cards for consumers to carry for purposes of using the program and redeeming points. This has been reduced over the last year and a half of the programs existence by encouraging customers to use their mobile phone number to access the account. The company also has an internally produced website specific to the program that allows customers to update information and review purchases and current point amounts. This required only a small outlay in web design as the hardware and software was already in place to support the aerogram. The company also is reducing costs on receipts as part of the program is to allow customers to receive electronic receipts via e-mail instead of printed paper receipts. The costs of the program also include the points issued to customers. These costs are offset by the increases in purchases. The following is a hypothetical cost break started the program by mass producing credit card-sized plastic rewards cards along with multicolumn, trip-fold brochures. The company’s initial investment was $1 million for the printing, distribution, and advertisement of this program. The initial program an for 12 months prior to the first cost reduction initiative. The program had recurring costs of $100,000 per month to continue production and distribution of materials. This initiative was to eliminate the plastic card and eliminate the need for informational brochures. This was accomplished through the use of customer phone numbers and email addresses as identifiers instead of physical cards. The next reduction was made through the implementation of a website where the information regarding the product could be accessed by customers. This resulted in a net reduction of costs by $75,000 per month. The costs associated with points accumulated and spent by customers is variable and changes month to month, the amount has been steadily increasing since the program’s inception and will continue to do so. To curb expenses associated with this part of the program the suggestion is to limit the number of points that can be redeemed in any transaction as well as place an expiration date on accumulated points. This will prevent customers from saving up a large number of points and eroding profit margin. Current Global Economic Conditions and the Local Macro Economy The current global economic conditions eave led to increases production costs of products sold by Smart and Sears as a result these increased costs have been passed on to consumers in the form of price increases on the products. The rewards program will offer consumers a way to offset these increased costs by earning rewards points that will allow them to reduce the total amount of their purchase. The program will also issue member-only coupons to these consumers which will further reduce his or her costs. By doing this the company will see an increase in brand loyalty and revenues. Recent economic trends in the United States include new growth in the housing market, as consumers arches homes and contractors build new homes the demand for products offered by both Smart and Sears will increase and as a result the demand for the rewards program will increase as well. The company is seeking a 75% penetration rate across all avenues of the business, including brick and mortar stores and online outlets. Local Economies Current Stage in the Business Cycle The local economy is currently in an expansion period as businesses are slowly starting to rebound from the recession. This is evident by the increase in home sales and the resulting increase in mortgage rates, along with the decrease in unemployment. As a result the demand for the product will increase as people begin to have more disposable income and seek out purchases for both luxury items, such as televisions and necessity items such as food. The product uniquely will set Smart and Sears apart from the competition in fighting for this increase in disposable income by allowing customers to access a virtually limitless amount of products through Internet shopping sites and affiliate marketplaces set up on those sites. The current market conditions for Smart and Sears are still in a period of struggle as individuals are still recovering from the recession. As individuals recover the company must fight to regain market share from new competitors such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree. These three companies capitalized on the recession by offering low price products that undercut many big box retailers such as Smart, Target, and Wall-Mart. As the economy recovers it will be important for Smart and Sears to pursue actively the consumers lost to these competitors and a way to do that is with the rewards program. Conclusion The program provides a unique experience for customers as the points are redeemable on virtually any product carried either in tore or online. The program also generates sales and profit with a low amount of investment from the company. Customers will have generated roughly three to four times the amount of profit needed to cover the issuance of the points to each customer. Management should have a solid understanding of how effective and beneficial this program is and how the continued success of the program directly translates to the success of each business unit. Reference McConnell, C. R. , Bruce, S. L. , Flynn, S. M. (2009). Economics. Unknown, NY: McGraw-Hill Company. How to cite Bussiness Proposal, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Mother Was Forced to Abandon Her Daughter

Questions: 1.What is the writers thesis or argument in this regard? 2.What evidence do they present to support their thesis? 3.What is your view of their argument? 4.What event can you think of (or have seen in the media) that proves or at least could be considered in relation to the evidence presented? Answers: 1. The writers have argued (and their thesis is) that, health and wellness are interdependent and such interdependence is actually the outcome of a complex interaction that takes places between the biological factors, the psychological factors, and the socio-structural factors. The writers have suggested that the three factors, known in a combined way as the BPS Model, is one of the most effective theoretical models for explaining the causes of physical and mental ailments. 2. The authors have presented some specific supportive evidence to strengthen their thesis. The authors have pointed out that there is an intricate relationship between biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors that eventually determine the status of an individuals psychological and physical health. The authors have provided evidences supporting the fact that often social isolation and economic turmoil like joblessness lead to depression or self-incrimination or even to sedentary lifestyles, and such menaces eventually give rise to physical ailments like hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction, and even diabetes. 3. I do believe that the authors arguments are justifiable. There is indeed an intricate relationship between psychological and social wellbeing with physical wellbeing. If an individuals social life is fruitful and rewarding then it can be assumed that his/her physical wellbeing or psychological wellness is ensured. It has often been seen that peace of mind is the key to professional and social success, and a successful man and woman is bound to experience happiness which is an essential factor for staying healthy. This holds truth for the nursing profession too. If judged from both the perspective of a nurse and a patient then it can be seen that both of them needs to have mental peace because psychological wellbeing will help the nursing professional in concentrating more on the care-giving process and this would contribute to the enhancement of the mental health of the concerned patient. In the future if nursing administrators can formulate and implement strategies to alleviate t he undue workload on nurses then, naturally, nursing professionals will be more psychologically at peace and this would increase their productivity manifold. 4. There are ample evidences that are often published in the media pointing to the fact that there is indeed an intricate relationship between socio-structural factors and physical and psychological wellbeing. For an instance, in the article, Mother Was Forced to Abandon Her Daughter With No Legs, Now Shes A Gymnast, Zagorski (2014) has pointed out how social support can help a physically challenged individual overcome all the adversities and eventually emerge as a successful individual having self-worth and self-respect. Going through the article one can understand that social structure of a positive nature can actually motivate an individual to attain the impossible, and this proves that psychological wellbeing is thoroughly related to a persons sense of physical wellbeing. References Zagorski, S. (2014). Mother Was Forced to Abandon Her Daughter With No Legs, Now Shes A Gymnast. [online] LifeNews.com. Available at: https://www.lifenews.com/2014/09/03/mother-was-forced-to-abandon-her-daughter-with-no-legs-now-shes-a-gymnast/ [Accessed 6 Mar. 2017].

Friday, November 29, 2019

Most Of It By Robert Frost Essays - Robert Frost, Frost, M

Most Of It By Robert Frost "He thought he kept the universe alone," too most people the thoughts of being alone are very frightening. It is human nature to search for companionship. In the poem "The Most of It," Robert Frost uses a wealth of strong imagery to tell a story of a person who has lost his loved one to death and has to suffer the feeling of loneliness and emptiness created by it. Frost uses the setting of a lake surrounded by a forest to convey a feeling of peace and of being alone to the reader. A man is sitting on the edge of the lake, crying out for someone, his echo being his only company. After time, a buck swam across the lake and appeared on the shore and abruptly runs into the brush, away from sight. Although the man only caught a glimpse of the deer for a short moment, it was long enough for him to feel that he was no longer alone, but had something there, even though it was not tangible. The clues given to the reader that someone has passed on are the words "wake" and three lines down, the word "morning." A wake can be many things; one is that it is a vigil that is held in honor of a person who has recently died. "Morning" can be taken as"mourning" and be seen as Frost grieving for a loved one. One also develops the impression that Frost is mourning a great loss, such as a spouse or soul mate, because of the line, "He would cry out on life, that what it wants/ Is not its own love back in copy speech/ But counter-love." That quote shows the reader that the man was alone, so alone, that he "cried out on life" asking for it to give his lost love back. He doesn't want to love someone who agrees with him wholly, and had no ideas of their own, but someone who is articulate, and has opinions of their own. He wants someone he could talk to and love for who they are, not who they try to be. He had this in his lost love, and now he has no one to share his feelings and emotions with. He was truly alone in the world. "Nothing came of what he cried," until one day when an amazing thing happened, something appeared that made him no longer feel so alone. "Instead of proving human when it neared/ As a great buck it powerfully appeared." This"buck" symbolizes his lost love, instead of coming back to him in her tangible form; he realized that she was all around him, no matter where he was. She was always in his memories, in his heart. He no longer felt alone, but at peace knowing she was in a better place, but still with him. Although the poem has rhyme scheme (a,b,a,b,c,d,c,d,e,f,e,f,g,h,g,h,I,j,I,j) it feels more like Frost is writing a first draft of a story. The last line, "And forced the underbrush?and that was all." Seems a rather abrupt ending. The buck came and went, and that was all. It seems as though Frost wanted to say more, but wasn't able to. It also seems a sad ending, in that the "buck" came into his life and left just as quickly, leaving only a memory. Frost does not give a tangible identity to what he was looking for. He uses the term "it" to describe this thing. He does not know exactly what he wants, so giving it the broad term of "it," allows for "it" to be anything. Frost is searching for something to fulfill his empty heart, and he finds that in the "buck." In the beginning of the poem Frost is crying out, trying to find something to fulfill his loneliness. By the end, he has found something to lessen the pain of his loss, but it is fleeting. Although, it was able to ring Frost to the realization that he was not alone, but what he was looking for is always around him. Frost found what he was looking for, but not until he came to terms with his loss. He will never be alone again, and he never was in the first place, for he had the memories, of his wife. Those memories will always remain the same and will always keep her in his life.

Monday, November 25, 2019

A Civil Acton Essays - Legal Entities, W. R. Grace And Company

A Civil Acton Essays - Legal Entities, W. R. Grace And Company A Civil Acton A Civil Action The movie A Civil Action brings up an interesting idea that many people in the public don't see or hear about very often. The idea that the big corporations often don't take into account the safety of the people that work for them or the people that live around the factories. These big corporations are run entirely by money and the idea of what things will cost and how much money they can possibly make. Too many times money is more important than the lives of human beings and the people that run these places only see in dollars and cents. The moral issues that this dilemma brings up are immense. This has been happening for centuries since the industrial revolution. Workers were subjected too harsh conditions and unsafe factories so that more goods could be produced. They had children as young as seven and eight years old working 15 hour days. In our modern times, toxic waste now plays a big part in the safety of people. The waste that these companies produce and dump under our noses don't seem to bother them in the least. The way microeconomics effects this must be fully explored to realize the way the corporate world thinks and acts. The goal of any corporation is to make the maximum profit that they can providing a good or service to the community while doing it as inexpensively as possible to them. Too many times producing these goods, toxic by-products are also produced. Nuclear power plants create plutonium, factories let poisonous gasses into the atmosphere, and chemicals are dumped into the drains and washed into our water everyday while being unknown to the people around them. The issue then becomes what to do with these poisons at the cheapest cost to retain the most revenue. In A Civil Action the W.R. Grace company decided that the best place to dump the T.C.E. was in the river behind the plant. It's too bad that all the people who lived down stream were also effected by the carelessness of this company. It got into the drinking water and gave kids cancer and seizures among other health conditions. These companies try to cover up these kinds of things as much as possible by buying people off. They think that if they give people money for their losses than everything will be alright. For huge corporations dealing with billions of dollars these payoffs are only a drop in the bucket for them. Even a million dollars to any family is an incredible amount of money and often the money becomes more important than the real issues behind the problem and can't be passed up by a family struggling to get by. The benefits of paying of these people for their trouble is much cheaper then doing things the right way in the beginning and protecting their safety. Money in our society has become a sense of power and authority. People think to many times that money is the key to happiness. Although money isn't a bad thing it effects the way people act and causes them to not care about the things that they should many times. Corporations have a structure that they follow in order to make them run in an efficient manner. In the movie John Travolta initially doesn't want to take the case because he doesn't think that there will be any money in it for him and his firm. Even though he goes and sees how much pain this company has caused to the people in Wolburn, he still doesn't care because of the money. Not until he realizes how big the companies are does he take the case. As the case goes on he isn't able to achieve what he ultimately wanted to do because the Grace Company has so much money that it will almost always win. Travolta's firm goes eight million into debt trying to win this case but ultimately has to settle because they can't go on. The firm doesn't even have to clean up the polluted land that caused all the problems. It wasn't until the E.P.A. steps in and with their power was able to achieve a

Friday, November 22, 2019

BUSINESS AND SOCIETY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

BUSINESS AND SOCIETY - Essay Example Furthermore, I am able to give the appropriate pre-screening tests for shortlisting candidates in view of the job nature. Following this, I may now proceed with the recruitment process. To be able to minimize the hassles relative to recruiting, I may opt to contract the services of a recruitment agency which has the database or pool of potential employees. However, such recruitment method entails relatively higher cost as compared to other methods. Aside from this, I may also choose to advertise the job opening in the newspaper or internet job websites to attract prospective applicants. I can also resort to the referrals of my colleagues, friends or relatives. After the recruitment stage, I may now proceed with the selection process. To ensure that candidates' qualifications match the job requirements, shortlisted applicants would be asked to fill-up application forms or submit their resumes. In this forms, they may be asked to provide references such as previous employers so that I may be able to conduct character check. At this stage, it is also common to conduct interviews and psychometric testing in order to gauge the abilities and attitude of applicants. These procedures are vital in evaluating whether an applicant is fit for the job and able to adapt to the organizational culture. As a small business owner, I would need t... This payment method, I believe, is the most convenient for me since this would easily settle transactions. Furthermore, this has no extra cost on me unlike the other payment methods. However, cash payments may not be the most secure mode since it increases the risk of theft and tempts criminals and dishonest employees. Apart from this, I will also be accepting credit card/debit card payment. This is said to be the most secure payment mode for merchants because payments are backed up by bank guarantee. The downside to using this payment scheme is that credit card companies or banks charge merchants about 2-3% for processing payments. In a way, this contributes to revenue risk because it is an additional cost to be burdened by merchants like me and deplete our earnings. I will also be accepting postal or money order and wire transfers like Western Union. By offering this payment method, I will be able to attract those customers who do not reside in proximity to my store and those distrustful of or not well verse in doing online payments. However, this may take some time, thus, product delivery or service rendering may be delayed. Furthermore, customers who opt for this payment mode may charge extra fees on top of the product or service price. For online orders, I will offer all the payment modes mentioned above excluding the cash payment since it would be physically impossible to pay cash over the internet. Instead, I will be considering accepting person-to-person payments such as PayPal. This mode is advantageous for customers especially those who prefer to transact online. They only need to have an email and deposit funds on their person-to-person account. Similar to credit cards, merchants would be charged payment processing

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Aviation Unions And The Aviation Industry Essay

Aviation Unions And The Aviation Industry - Essay Example The trip took about 20 minutes, and the one-way fare was $5. The service ceased at the end of Florida's winter tourist season, but it was the first such venture that indicated scheduled air service could be commercially viable. Similar passenger services in the United States and Europe soon followed. The world wars triggered great revolutions in aircraft's capability and use. At the end of the First World War enterprising commercial air carriers took advantage of the disabled ground transportation system and the large surplus of aircraft and pilots in Europe. By 1930s government-sponsored airlines were operating well beyond Europe to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and even Latin America. In the United Sates commercial aviation in the private sector was enabled by two historic laws in the mid-1920s: The technological impetus in aircraft capability and manufacturing capacity made enormous strides during World War II. At the end of the war all these efforts were directed towards commercial aviation. Governments around the world regulated the air transport industry primarily because of the nature of safety and security concerns involved. In 1978 U S deregulated the aviation industry. This allowed air carriers to serve any domestic market and charge whatever they thought the market could bear. Airline deregulation was intended to foster competition in the air transport market and bring better service and lower costs. The air transport industry has grown enormously in the second half of the 20th century. The number of passengers worldwide grew from 177 million in 1965 to an estimated 3.3 billion in 2000. The number of U.S. airline passengers for the same period increased from 103 million in 1965 to an estimated 666 million in 2000. Aviation industry experienced an upheaval after Sep tember 11. The world wide economic downturn had already affected the industry very badly and September 11 was the final nail on the coffin. With the sustainability of industry coming under strain new concepts of cooperation and understanding between airline companies started evolving. For airline carriers, deregulation created both opportunities and dangers. During the 1980s many new airlines were launched and most of them bombed when existing carriers intensified competition by expanding into markets they had not previously served. Mergers and acquisitions followed as carriers vied for greater share of the pie. To retain profitability airlines resorted to the 'outsourcing mantra.' The savings achieved through outsourcing were very attractive to ignore. Therefore, outsourcing has become an accepted and established form of cost savings mechanism not only in aviation industry but in many other sectors also. Although the organized labor is generally against the concept of outsourcing, they are forced to accept it in the overall interest of the company's survival. Professor Peter Turnbull (1) of Cardiff University Business School, who conducted a study on behalf of International Labor Organization, says that evidence suggests "the global economic slowdown was already

Monday, November 18, 2019

Childhood Obesity in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Childhood Obesity in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The government has noted the ever-increasing trend in childhood. They have hence come up with a policy that will aid in reversing the trend. In the past 25 years, childhood obesity in the United Kingdom has shown a great increase in the childhood obesity cases. The statistics posit that 33% of the girls between two to nineteen years are obese, while 25% of the boys within the same age limit falls victims too. Most significantly, the condition has led to harmful effects, making the country consume over two billion pounds in policies formulation and implementation. Additionally, the condition had led to the reduction in life expectancy among children by nine years. The number is even projected to rise. England has the highest cases of obesity compared to the United States of America. The survey conducted shows that Wales and Scotland have remained the leading countries in childhood obesity rates. The rising trend has caught the attention of the government. It has declared corporate soc ial responsibility as the final solution to the statistics reduction (Iacobucci, 2014).  The study done by Fraser & Edwards (2010), reveals that diverse reasons related to the environment, lifestyle, diet, socioeconomic status, and genetics encapsulates the causes of childhood obesity. The modern environment plays a great role in the determination of child growth. First, the prevalence of advertisements promoting unhealthy food consumption has been on rising. Besides, the activities within the child environmental growth area cut down physical activity and exercises adoption. Food consumption spearheads the obesity physiology, with consumption of food rich in calories and saturated fats. Furthermore, with the escalation in the concept of globalization and advanced technology, there is the adoption of a tendency to live sedentary lifestyles: more time in watching television and computer games.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Web Database Based Inventory System

Web Database Based Inventory System Web database based inventory system is for management of items, orders, customers and payment. This system helps in Stock management, payment, and orders. This system allows conducting payment for customers and for ordered items in the purchase order. The main objective of this project is about the design of Web-based inventory system. Bakery feyasse use traditional paper based inventory system to manage his information concerning customer, ordered item, item and payment. There are several problems with this system such as time consuming, hard labour and sometimes lost of information. The sales growth and order misplacement cause a great deal of work for Bakery Feyasse. The manual system is prone to errors resulting major complaints from customers. The volume of data and complexity of analysis to be conducted seems overwhelming using their manual system which sometimes raises suspicions of returned results which are also difficult to correct or verify. After careful investigation, discussion thorough analysis of existing method, it was agreed that a new effective system is required to solve Bakery Feyasse problems. After reviewing the possible design choices, it was decided that MySQL database and PHP script language is the best economical fit for Bakery Feyasse system in terms of cost, ease of maintenance, interface design and upgradability using Microsoft windows platform. The database would be link to the companys website via PHP script language. The online server will enable employee to enter, create, update and delete information online. 1.1. Project objectives 1. To create a system that will assist the Bakery employee at their different task 2. To explore the ideas involved in the development of a web database inventory site. This web database inventory system will include the main function as following: Select data from database Update information into the database Delete information from database And add information into database The objectives of this project are: Design a relational database Implement this database Testing the new system Evaluate the system 1.2. Personal objectives My personal objective for this project is to complete the project on time. I set up a monthly time table to carry out different task. My enthusiasm is that after completing this project. I will gain more knowledge in computer technology. To enable me to succeed this project, I used the skills I gain last year in MySQL, and SQL. I also learn how to create a dynamic web site which I did not know. I learn new script language which is PHP. 1.2. 1. Career objectives Gain my BSc Honours Degree. Gain more skills in Programming language, Computing science and Information Systems Technologies. 1.2. 2. Academic objectives 1.Learn programming language such as PHP and MySQL Learn how to use PHP script language to create a form to retrieve information from website Learn how to connect MySQL Database with dynamic Website How to use PHP code to retrieve information from MySQL database How to create HTML form How to use HTML form to retrieve information from database How to create database table using MySQL application. 1.3. Project Limitations I am entirely conscious that my assignment is to create a web database system which is not an easy task and I am also aware of the short I have got to accomplish this task. So the time is my target. I am thinking of finish on time. Time management has been considered because; I also got one exam to prepare. 1.4. Gantt chart 1.5. Literature review At the start of my project, the researches have been made to gathering information because many activities go into the development of a new system. Understanding system requirements, choosing database-tier software, designing databases, and building the tier are the first steps in successful web database application development. The following issues have been explored: Information System Analysis Database Database management systems Database Server Database tier Information Systems Analysis System Analysis System Design This phase show how the system run. Prototype This phase will enable the employee to understand the functionality of the new system. Implementation Development of the new system Testing The new system is tested in order to verify its functions Database A database is a collection of related data. The data stored is rows, which make up a simple customers, items, orders and payment details. Database Management System Database Management System enables the users to retrieve relevant information. It refers to information infrastructures that compose of relevant information. Database system creates and maintains a database and enables individual business application to extract the data in order to create report. Database server Database server is a system designed to manipulate the database. Its function is to store, retrieve, and manage information. Its plays an important role in web services and provides the n-tier connection through the Internet users via their web browser. Database tier Database tier is the base of a web database application. In a three-tier architecture application, the database tier manages the data. The data management typically includes storage and retrieval of data, as well as managing updates, access by more than one middle-tier process, providing security, ensuring the integrity of data, and providing support services such as data backup. 1.6. Technical review The web based database inventory system is creating using MySQL application and PHP script language. The interface of the system is developed with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). The system is accessible anywhere that have access to Internet. 1.6.1. Wed Based Database Systems development tools Dreamweaver CS3 Dreamweaver CS3 Dreamweaver is a full-featured Web application development tool. Its features not only assist with creation and editing Web pages, but also with managing and maintaining the entire Web site. MySQL MySQL implies the Client /Server architecture, which compose of a server process and client process. A server process manages the logical database management. A sever process takes of how the data is stored and organized. The client process would be described as process that accesses the server in order to store, retrieve, update and alter the database schema. SQL SQL (Structured Query Language) SQL used to communicate with most databases. You can manage your database, retrieve data from it, or add data to it using SQL queries. You build and send an SQL query to the database. The database responds by performing the action defined by the query or, if the database is unable to perform the requested operation, its returns error message with information about the problem. Cold Fusion ColdFusion is a tagged language, developed by Macromedia, who is also the developer of Dreamweaver. A stand-alone Web server is also included as part of ColdFusion. The stand-alone server is fine development, but you should use a more powerful Web site. ASP ASP Application Server Pages (ASP) is Microsoft technology. It built into IIS (Internet Information Server).When you use ASP technology; you have your choice of languages VBScript or JScript. When you set up your Dreamweaver site, you specify which language you want to use. 1.6.2. Web Based Database development technologies PHP PHP is a Scripting Language that is interpreted on the web server before the webpage is sent to a web browser to be displayed. This can be seen in the expanded PHP recursive acronym  PHP-Hypertext  Pre-processor. 1.7. Technologies used 1.7.1. PHP and MySQL PHP and MySQL work in combination, where the database is MySQL and the script language is PHP. How PHP and MySQL work together? PHP collect information and MySQL store information. PHP will create retrieve information form for the system, but MySQL keep the information in a format PHP. 1.7.2. Why use PHP and MySQL PHP and MySQL combine together make easy the development of a dynamic Web page. HTML creates useful web pages with the addition of PHP and MySQL where you can collect information. 1. 8. Methodologies Approach 1.8.1. Prototyping Prototyping is most appropriate methodology for systems that include data querying, online data updating, and on-line data reporting functions. It is used to create appropriate data access interfaces for users and to help identify the capabilities that users wants in the system, such as the options on a menu used by the a system. 1.8.2. Rapid Application Development Its basic process is to get systems personnel and users together in formal meetings, where they rapidly develop systems that provide users with their information needs. 1.8.3. Chosen Methodology Prototyping Methodology Development choice has been influenced by several factors: 1. Clarify the user requirements 2. Familiarity with the base technology 3. System complexity 4. Need for the system reliability 5. Time pressure 6. Need to see progress on the time schedule. 7. And when timelines are short because they best enable me to adjust the functionality in the system on the basis of a specific delivery date. CHAPTER 2 ANALYSIS 2.1. Bakery Feyasse profile Bakery Feyasse is a Bakery that was created by Malan Kouao in 1988. The business started in 1988 with one Bakery and after continuous progress a second Bakery has been created in 2008. The diagram below show the Bakery Structure Production manager Sale manager Manager Chairman Department manager Department manager Department manager Fig: Bakerys Feyasse structure 2.2. Existing system (appendices) The Bakery use traditional paper based where the employee checks the availability of the items by querying the items books, and fills the book by using paper and pen. Moreover the ordering process is made by pen and hand and it is time consuming to contact the production and it causes slow moving for the customer order and there is risk of mistake caused by the employee. All employee access the same data, share the same information .The salesperson check the availability of the items by querying the production department. The production department check the availability of the items from the book register manually. After knowing the availability, he fills up the availability book manually so that the salesperson will know which item is available. The account manager checks the stock items manually in order to re order the product. The information about the item, the customers, and the suppliers is kept in a temporary contact book 2.2. Current Systems The proposed system is a web based inventory system. The staff of each department can work peacefully at their department. The system allows the staff to fill up the order payment, the order, the item order form. The objective of the new system is to create an online access database to store all data concerning the Bakery. The main activities performed by the system are. The system provides data processing and storage. The system display system functionality. The system functionality is accessible by clicking selected task. The system will allow the staff to insert information through the selected page. The system will allow the staff to cancel information. The system will allow the staff to process a payment. The system will allow the staff to update information. 2.2.1. Benefits with current system 1. To increase the good organisation in item availability, customers details, orders, ordered items and payment data inputting by using database system. 2. Salespersons will be able to view the list of items produced by the production department anytime 3. Customers details can be kept 4. Order can be kept for future monthly report. System Requirement Analysis At this stage I met the user to obtain a detailed understanding of Bakery needs. A functional specification, process model, logical model are defined. Analysis of the problem where Bakery Feyasse try to find a solution with the new system Defining the problem Identify the problem causes Specifying the solution Identifying the users requirements, And identifying new opportunity for using new technology 2.2. Users Requirements Define the objectives of the new system and develop a detailed description of the function that the new system will perform The system provides data processing and storage. The system display system functionality. The system functionality is accessible by clicking selected task. The system allows the staff to insert information through the selected page. The system allows the staff to cancel information. The system allows the staff to process a payment. The system allows the staff to update information. The manager shall be able to do the job of the salesperson 2.3. System Specification The system would enable end-users (employee) to create, update information All information about customer, item, order and payment will be stored in a database, which the web database inventory system will display through different interfaces Allows the deletion and appends information Facility to query the database Enables the manipulation of sales activities Tracking user activities using the system 2.4. Use Cases Select order/customer details Add order/customer details Delete order/customer details Update order/customer details Use cases description (appendices) CHAPTER 3DESIGN 3.1. Architectural Design Logical design Physical design 3.1.1. Entities and Attributes Bakery Feyasse will have a relational database system with the following entities and attributes. customer (cust_id, cust_name, cust_address,cust_city) order(order_id,cust_id*,item_id*, quantity,item_price, total_price) payment(order_id*,payment_id, payment_type, payment_description, amount) item(item_id ,item_name, item_price, item_description) 3.1.2. Connecting To Database In order to issue MySQL data manipulation statements, we must specify a username, a password and a database to use. This information will have been provided by your systems adminsistrator. If you are running MySQL yourself, then skip ahead to the section on  Creating a Database in Part 6   then come back to this point. Either way you should now have in your possession a database name, a valid password for that database and a password. For the purposes of these workshops the following example values will be used. Database Name vworksDB Valid MySQL Username vworks Password mypass In order to log into MySQL correctly we must pass information to the MySQL client program when we start it. This is done with the following commands and syntax. $ mysql -u -p 3.1.2. Database Design using MySQL MySQL database is made up of database which contains tables. A table is a section of the database for storing information. mysql> show columns from item; ++-++++-+ | Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra | ++-++++ | item_id | int(11) | NO | PRI | NULL | auto_increment | | item_name | varchar(50) | YES | | NULL | | | item_price | float(6,2) | YES | | NULL | | | item_description | text | YES | | NULL | | ++-++++-+ mysql> show columns from order; a refaire +-+-++++-+ | Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra | ++-++++-+ | order_id | int(11) | YES | | NULL | | | item_id | varchar(50) | YES | | NULL | | | quantity | int(11) | YES | | NULL | | | item_price | float(6,2) | YES | | NULL | | | total_price | float(6,2) | YES | | NULL | | +-+-++++- mysql> show columns from customer; ++-++++-+ | Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra | ++-++++-+ | cust_id | int(11) | NO | PRI | NULL | auto_increment | | cust_name | varchar(20) | YES | | NULL | | | cust_address | varchar(20) | YES | | NULL | | | cust_city | varchar(25) | YES | | NULL | | | cust_phone | varchar(25) | YES | | NULL | | ++-++++-+ mysql> show columns from payment; ++-++++ | Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra ++-++++ | payment_id | int(11) | NO | PRI | NULL | auto_increment | order_id | int(11) | YES | | NULL | | order_date | date | YES | | NULL | | payment_type | varchar(10) | YES | | NULL | | payment_description | varchar(20) | YES | | NULL | | amount | float(6,2) | YES | | NULL | ++-++++ 3.4. Database Normalisation (Appendices) 1NF customer(cust_id,cust_name,cust_address,cust_city) order (order_id, cust_id*,item_id*, quantity, item_price,total_price) payment(order_id*,payment_id,payment_type,payment_description,amount) 2NF customer(cust_id,cust_name,cust_address,cust_city) order (order_id,cust_id*,quantity,total_price) payment(order_id*,payment_id,payment_type,payment_description,amount) item(item_id ,item_name, item_price,item_description) 3NF customer(cust_id,cust_name,cust_address,cust_city) ordered_item(order_id,quantity,total_price) payment(order_id*,payment_id,amount) item(item_id ,item_name, item_price, item_description) payment_type(payment_type,payment_description) 3.5. Entity Relationship There are three kinds of relationship. One-to-one relationship means that one of each thing is used in the relationship One-to-many relationship means one row in one table is linked to many row in another table. Many-to-many relationship means many rows in one table are linked to many rows in another table. 3.5. SQL QUERIES Talking to Databases Using SQL SQL is an abbreviation for Structured Query Language. It is a surprising natural language that allows us to talk to relational databases, such as MySQL, to request and modify data. It also allows us to get information about and modify the framework that contains the data, databases themselves, and tables within them. The queries formed with SQL can range from the simple to the very complex, which makes it an extremely powerful tool for working with data Inserting, Updating, Selecting and Deleting. Insert data into database table The INSERT INTO statement is used to add new record in a table. Syntax INSERT INTO table_name VALUES (value1, value2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) [reference] mysql> INSERT INTO CUSTOMERS VALUES( -> 10,Gnahore Hortense,34 webster road,Bermondsey), -> (11,Kouakou Nkruma,10 salisbury court,London); mysql> SELECT * FROM CUSTOMERS; ++++ | CustID | NAME | ADDRESS | CITY ++++ | 10 | Gnahore Hortense | 34 webster road | Bermondsey | 11 | Kouakou Nkruma | 10 salisbury court | London ++++ Select data from a database table. The SELECT statement is used to select data from a database. Syntax SELECT column_name [reference] FROM table_name mysql> SELECT * FROM CUSTOMERS; ++++ | CustID | NAME | ADDRESS | CITY ++++ | 10 | Gnahore Hortense | 34 webster road | Bermondsey | 11 | Kouakou Nkruma | 10 salisbury court | London ++++ Update data in a database existing records in a table. The UPDATE statement is used to modify data in a table. Syntax UPDATE table_name SET column1=value, column2=value2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [Reference] WHERE some_column=some_value. mysql> UPDATE CUSTOMERS -> SET ADDRESS =45 clement road -> WHERE CustID =11; Delete data in a database The DELETE FROM statement is used to delete records from a database. Syntax DELETE FROM table_name WHERE some_column= some value [reference] 3.6. Web Database Structure Home page Description of home page: 3.6.1. Menu structure BAKERY FEYASSE MAIN MENU CUSTOMER ITEM ORDER PAYMENT Page description: 3.6.1.1. Order page structure BAKERY FEYASSE ORDER SELECT ORDER ADD ORDER UPDATE ORDER DELETE ORDER Page description: 3.6.1.2. Select Order page 3.6.1.3. Add Order Page 3.6.1.4. Update Order page 3.6.1.5. Delete Order page SQL is not exclusive to MySQL, nor should it be mistaken as being a part of PHP. Its also not the only database query language out there. It is, however, the most popular. If you learn how to speak SQL, that knowledge translates to a range of other popular database products. Working with Existing Databases through PHP Whether you are using PHP and MySQL, or another combination, the same basic procedure for working with a database applies. First, a connection to the database server is established. This connection usually lasts for the lifetime of the running script. Additionally, as you will later see, there are instances where they can be contiguous across scripts. Next, a specific database is selected to work with. Only one database at a time can be selected per connection, but you can switch to different databases without terminating the connection. You can also have multiple connections established within the script, each with an independent selected database. Finally, once you have a connection established and a database selected, you can begin to work with the tables within them by using SQL to issue various commands. Data can be retrieved, added, modified, or deleted, and changes can be made to the selected database itself. When finished, the connection to the database server is terminated manually with mysql_close(), or automatically with the end of the script. Lets take a closer look at each step separately Things to Remember MySQL is a popular relational database product SQL is a language used to communiate with MySQL (and other databases). It allows information to be retrevied, modified, and deleted. It also provides a means to modify databases and tables. Databases are similiar to associative arrays. Each database can contain one or more tables. Each table is composed of records divided into fields. Working with a database through a PHP script follows this basic process: Connect to the server, select a database, perform any queries on the database, close the connection. SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE make up SQLs data manipulation commands. The data retreived from a table can be limited in different ways: Specific columns can be returned by including them within the query, the WHERE clause can be used to to include or exclude specific records, and LIMIT can cap the number of entries that are returned. Results can be sorted using the ORDER BY clause. By default, String Type fields are sorted alphabetically; Numeric Type fields are sorted from smallest to largest. When creating a new table in a database, a unique table name must be specified. In addition, a name, field type, and length are defined for each column in the table. In almost every case, a table should have an AUTO_INCREMENT Primary ID column defined. All of PHPs MySQL handling functions return FALSE if there is an error in the query or the query fails. Using mysql_error() returns the exact error reported by MySQL. Connecting to MySQL Just like a multi-user computer system or an FTP server, MySQL allows different user accounts to be established with individual levels of access. To establish a connection to MySQL, three pieces of information are required: the hostname of the database server, the username for the account, and the associated password. This information is passed to the mysql_connect() function, which attempts to establish the connection: $connect = mysql_connect(hostname,username,password); The function returns a value TRUE on success, and FALSE on failure, so it is useful (though not necessary) to assign the function to a variable. In the above example, $connect is used. It can be evaluated to avoid performing any additional queries if the connection attempt failed: if ($connect==FALSE) { print Database connection failed; exit; } It is also useful to store the results in a variable because the function returns a unique connection identifier upon success. The variable then can be passed to any of PHPs MySQL handling functions (typically as the second parameter) to specify that  this  database connection should be used, as opposed to any other active ones within the script. Selecting a Database Once a connection is set up, the next step is to select a database. To do this, all that is needed is the name of an existing database: mysql_select_db(database); As with mysql_connect(), this function returns TRUE or FALSE depending on whether the database was successfully selected. To specify which connection the function should use, we can pass a connection identifier to the function: mysql_select_db(database,$connect); Without the second parameter, the function uses the database connection that was last established within the script. Querying the Database The mysql_query() function is essentially a PHP wrapper for performing SQL commands. Any valid and complete SQL statement can be passed as a parameter to this function. Four types of queries make up SQLs data manipulation statements. They are as follows: SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE. SELECT The SELECT query is used to retrieve data from one or more tables within a database. As youll learn later, we can also select data from multiple tables using Table Joins, but the simplest type of SELECT statement works with only one table at a time. The syntax looks like this: SELECT * FROM users Essentially, this statement says, Select all the fields in all the rows of the table called users. The asterisk is a wild card character that tells MySQL that it should grab anything available in the specified tables. To request this data from a PHP script, we pass the query to the mysql_query () function. Because we are expecting records to be returned from the database, the function must be assigned to a variable. The query is a string, so PHP requires it to be surrounded by quotes. (Variables are often passed as part of queries and SQL requires that string values in WHERE clauses and INSERT statements be surrounded with single quotes. Though single quotes can be used here, it is generally preferable to use double quotes for clarity.) $result = mysql_query (SELECT * FROM users); Just like mysql_connect () and mysql_select_db (), this function will return FALSE if there is an error in the SQL. If the function is successful, however, $result will hold a resource identifier. Because the variable just holds an identifier, we cannot get any of our records by outputting $result. To get the data, we need to pass the result to another PHP function, mysql_fetch_array (). This function returns an array of each record from a SELECT query, line by line. Unless you know for a fact that your query will only return a single record, it is advisable to use a while loop to itinerate through each row of the result set. The function maintains an internal place mark of which record it is on, so the loop will terminate once all of the records have been returned. Lets return to our sample database from the start of the article and the select statement above to see how you would output the data: while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   print $row[id].,.$row[name].,.$row[email].; } Notice that the array indexes of $row match the column names of the table. The array generated by mysql_fetch_array() can optionally be an associative or a numeric array. By default, records are accessible by both types of keys. So, the id column (the first column in the table) can be accessed as $row[id] or $row[0]; INSERT INSERT is used to add a new record to a table. The syntax looks like this: mysql_query(INSERT INTO users (id,name,email) VALUES(,Name, [emailprotected]'); By now, the first part of this query should look fairly familiar to you. It begins with the SQL command we are going to perform, in this case INSERT. Because we are inserting a new record, INTO is included, followed by the name of the table we are adding it to. The first set of parentheses surrounds a list of the fields within the table. These must be listed in the same order that they occur in the actual table. The second portion defines the values that are going to be added. They must match the order of the fields within the query and the table for them to be inserted in the proper location. Like the field names, SQL requires that each value be surrounded by quotes, because they are strings. If there is no value to be inserted, the position for the value must still be reserved by using empty quotes. If you are inserting values for all of the fields, the field listing may be left out: mysql_query(INSERT INTO users VALUES(,Name, [emailprotected]'); MySQL will insert the values into the columns in the order that they appear. UPDATE So far weve covered sele

Thursday, November 14, 2019

How Much Deviation from Religious Doctrine is Acceptable? Essay

Central to any religion is a unified set of beliefs that is shared amongst all its followers. These can range from stories about the origin of the universe or the lives of prophets or other important religious figures to sets of rules governing how you live your daily life. It is these beliefs that define who is a follower of that religion, and deviation from them could result in a person being outcast, persecuted, or even put to death in various areas and time periods. However, these beliefs are by no means universal. Interpretations of religious doctrines may strongly differ even between members of the same religious sect. These issues are very relevant even to non-believers as they have a strong influence on people’s opinions of important social issues, such as gay marriage, abortion, and the teaching of creationism in public schools. We have read about several different and contradictory interpretations of Christian theology in class, and through surveys and discussions we have seen that within our own class members of the same religion vary greatly in their beliefs. An important question then is how much should an individual be allowed to deviate in their beliefs from established doctrine? The answer is not so obvious because once some deviations are allowed it can be not easy to know where to stop. I think it is easier to focus mostly on Christianity in answering this question both because of the material we covered in class and because it is most relevant to America today. It is important to realize that from a historical context religious doctrines are by no means an absolute truth, as many would believe. They have been altered many times in the past and should be able to continue to change with the times. No religion shou... ... arbitrary set of rules. This applies not just to religion but to political and moral ideologies as well. If we really want to seek the truth, I think we could really learn a lot from the Gnostic tradition. Works Cited Bacon, Benjamin W. "The Canon of the New Testament" The Biblical World, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Feb., 1903), Published by: The University of Chicago Press. Web. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3141324?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Cicero , John Ross, and Horace McGregor. The Nature of the Gods. Penguin Classics, 1972. Print. Pagels, Elaine. The Gnostic Gospels, Vintage, 1989. Print. Plato, and Christopher Gill. The Symposium. Penguin Classics, 2003. Print. Weir, Peter. Dead Poets Society. Perf. Robin Williams. Touchstone Pictures, 1989. Arcand, Denys. Jesus of Montreal. Centre National de la Cinà ©matographie, 1990.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Feminist Aesthetics of Virginia Woolf: Modernism, Post-Impressionism, and the Politics of the Visual Essay

Modernism Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modernism can entail three similar meanings. Firstly, modernism can mean novelty or innovation, implying something that contrast the old and hence put across a certain conviction in progress. Secondly, various explicit meaning refers to the modern episode understood, from philosophical perspective, as linked to rationality, critical thinking and the era since the 18th century, which started to highlight reason as an approach of â€Å"objective† examination of realism that is strongly linked with empiricism in philosophy. Thirdly, modernism is linked with definite tendency in arts starting in the late 19th century that highlight psychology, subjective experience and non-mimetic, irrational replica of reality as revealed in the works of works of most European and American authors, and the works of avant-garde among other poetic tendencies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In contrast of postmodernism view of the world, modernism especially of the early 20th century and after the First World War, struggled to present a literary work in regard to chaotic post World War I reality, but also as a whole, though fragmented, resulting to a transcendental sense. Modernism was also a rejoinder to conventional realistic representation techniques that attempted to mimic reality; modernist literary works put weight on skewed experience instead of a conviction in likelihood of a literary work to put across the objective connotation and reality (Caughie, 2007.pp 23). Modernism was stimulated by a new era of large scale production, new era of industrialism, especially in the USA and Great Britain, technological changes as well as socio-historical proceedings and atmosphere of the era. Changes in the socio-economic and industrial structure called for new perception of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Scientific interventions and industrial production have stirred technological progress and the increased alienation in the rapidly developing urban surroundings. However, scientific changes and industrial production have also led to skepticism linked with the abuse of technologies for genocide during the World War I. Although, modernism is usually fragmented and experimental, arts and literary works provided an aesthetic and artistic knowledge as a substitute to the depressive and chaotic reality (Caughie, 1991.pp 18). In contrast to realistic literary works which emphasize on mimetic rule of imitation of reality; that is the literature that revealed the world as knowable, imitable and knowable via language, reason and experience, the modernist literature presented a incredulous representation on such a vision of reality and the capability of literature to provide a truthful, objective and objective portrait of reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modernist literature emphasized on mind, psychology, subjective experience and inner life of characters instead of describing the class conflict, external, outer and social reality. Modernist literature was connected not only to universal skepticism of the post World War I era, but also with growing mistrust of philosophers, scientists, scholars and artists in the capacity of reason to grasp, comprehend and elucidate reality. According to aesthetic and philosophical perspective, modern literature highlights postmodernist ontological and epistemological aspects. Friedrich Nietzsche contributed a lot in literature where he theorized man’s will to unreliability and power of language to represent the world. Ludwig Wittgenstein dealt with philosophy of language and the unexpected meaning it produces via â€Å"the language games†, and Sigmund Freud understood human being as irrational rather rational being driven by sexual desires, unconscious forces and suppressed dreams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Martin Heidegger is another significant philosopher who has influenced not only modernist, but also postmodernist thinking, especially in relation to the language and the representation of reality through it. Heidegger acknowledged language as a defective medium of referring to realism and highlighted its authority to generate unforeseen and unrestrained meanings. Anton Pokrivcak gives a summary of the discrepancy between postmodernism and modernism as follows: â€Å"The shift from modernism to postmodernism is understood as the shift within ontology from determinacy to indeterminacy of being, from transcendence to immanence, from symbol to allegory, from the world of ideology to the world of play† (Pokrivcak 1998:39), and this shift, in his view, can be also characterized as â€Å"the substitution of a semantic way of making sense for a semiotic one†. In their literature, modernist fiction writers of 20th century such as Jam es Joyce and Virginia Woolf maintained the ideas and subjectivized human experience and highlighted on inner subjective experience as mostly expressed by first person narrator and stream-of-consciousness narrative method, a term overtaken from psychological theories of William James.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modernist writers thus subjectivized knowledge and, in their literary works, brought forward the suggestion that the globe cannot be impartially known only instinctively perceived by human brain. Subjectivity manifested typically itself, as it was highlighted above, in the first person narrative and the use of the stream-of-consciousness narrative technique bringing forth the subjective view of reality by human brain. In modernist fictional works, muddled reality revealed itself in authors’ utilization of fragmentary composition, non-chronological and in a portrayal of the relations between the characters. The use of non-linear, non-chronological time and fragmentary composition portrayed a latest responsiveness of the chaotic world and the estrangement as a result of new era and life in the cities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alienation reveals itself in the characters’ association to work, society, the city and other characters that can at last lead to the emotions of nihilism. Moreover, alienation is intimately associated to uncertainty which reveals itself in the characters’ attitudes to the people. Modernist literature is regularly parodic and ironic. Parody and Irony are used as a type critique both of rational or idealistic literary convention and of the world. Modernist writers habitually utilize ancient mythology that are altered and recontextualized in a recent context and therefore they become recent myths associated to modernist cultural knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Virginia Woolf, an English modernist writer, provides that â€Å"In or about December, 1910, human character changed†. The two statements meant a conviction that the community and its responsiveness had altered in 20th century and, simultaneously, a conviction in the likelihood of fresh types of arts, which would mirror a new scientific progress, awareness but also cynicism and turmoil of the recent age. Modernist literature incorporated the procedures of innovative technologies, social media among other types of art to put across this responsiveness of an innovative period. Viginia Woolf contribured immensely to postmodernism through her literal work â€Å"Literature in quest and quest of itself†. Woolf raised various questions since her literal works emphasized on social contexts and narrative strategies. Viginia Woolf was regarded as an exemplar of a high modernist aesthetics in early 1970s. However, Woolf’s literal works continue to receive major criticism who considers her as an exemplar of a feminist writing practice. Virginia Woolf literal works not only emphasized on feminist politics and modernist aesthetics, but it also took keen interest in the status and nature of the fiction itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Virginia Woolf is famous for great achievement in regard to the modern novel and her exceptional style of writing in highlighting major issues especially in feminist writing. In the novels, ‘To The Lighthouse’ and ‘Mrs Dolloway’, Woolf evaluate the relations, both profound and superficial and how they are applied to the greater epistemological questions of being and life. Woolf put a balance to the significance of individual self and the communication of individual self with fellow human beings through representation of a set of often ambiguously interrelated characters. Woolf has skillfully succeeded to provide the leader with subversive keys to her view of life and its meaning. Woolf vision of life and its meaning balances the crucial character of individual and relational exploration and dependence (Goldman, 1998.pp 92). Woolf was interested in revealing the connection between future, past and life. Woolf liter al works was aimed at explaining how humanity’s eventual purpose prevails in an ambiguous balance between ourselves and others in the sphere of social and intellectual achievement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Postmodern literal work is a fraction of historical and socio-cultural development and can be seen as a detailed manner of a portrayal of the postmodern life and culture. It shows a crisis of identity of human being and its struggle for legitimization in a hypocritical society (Rosenberg, 2000.pp 59). Virginia Woolf literal works help the leader to understand the connection between modernism and epistemological quest for meaning. According to aesthetic and philosophical perspective modernist literature emphasize on postmodernist ontological and epistemological aspects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, modernism can imply three similar meanings. First, modernism can mean novelty or innovation. Modernism can also imply modern period based on the association between reality and empiricism of philosophy. Last, modernism can be associated with arts. Modernism is different from postmodernism because it attempted to bring out literary work based on reality though in a fragmented approach, thus creating transcendental meaning. Modernism was stimulated by new large scale production and industrialism in USA and Great Britain. Though fragmented, literary arts and works provided an aesthetic and artistic experience as an option to the depressive and chaotic reality. Modernist works such as that of Virginia Woolf revealed a skeptical view on such a vision of reality and the ability of a literary work to offer a truthful, objective representation of reality. Modernist literature emphasized on subjective, inner life, mind and psychology of characters instead of focusing on class conflict and social reality. Virginia Woolf was famous for her great contribution in modernist literature, though she faces a lot of criticism from various authors who believe her work was only from feminism politics and theory of postmodernism. References Caughie, Pamela  L. â€Å"Postmodern and Poststructuralist Approaches to Virginia Woolf.†Ã‚  (2007): Print. Caughie, Pamela  L. â€Å"Virginia Woolf & Postmodernism: Literature in Quest & Question of Itself.†Ã‚  (1991): Print. Colonial Anxiety and Primitivism in Modernist Fiction: Woolf, Freud, Forster, Stein. N.p.,  n.d.. Print. Da, Silva N. T. Modernism and Virginia Woolf. Windsor: Windsor Publications,  1990. Print. Goldman, Jane. The Feminist Aesthetics of Virginia Woolf: Modernism, Post-Impressionism, and the Politics of the Visual. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,  1998. Print. Goldman, Jane. The Feminist Aesthetics of Virginia Woolf: Modernism, Post-Impressionism, and the Politics of the Visual. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,  1998. Print. â€Å"modernism-postmodernism.† modernism. N.p., n.d. Web. 3  Dec.  2014. . Rosenberg, Beth  C. â€Å"Virginia Woolf’s Postmodern Literary History.† Mln 3  (2000): 25. Print. Source document

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Tranquility of a Cemetery

As we come in to a cemetery, we might be filled with fears or have some sort of dreadful feeling. Our first impression may be of dark cold nights and ended lives. What is a scary and dreadful place for some people; it is a very meaningful place for me. This place is so meaningful to me because my father is buried there. Cemeteries are important to bringing perspective and serenity, because they bring us a connection to where we came from, it helps us realize the tenderness of life, and they help us to relax a little bit through their calmness. I have had so many things impact my life and they all seem to end up in the same place. Cemeteries are not the dreaded and scary things of superstitions. They are holding places for memories and faith. The memories I hold from Bellevue memorial park are not from within the place itself but from the people it holds. It helped me realize the delicacy of life by taking many people I loved before I expected them to go. My father is buried in my most meaningful place; my grandma and one of my uncles are there too. The day we buried my dad it was a beautiful day outsides, it was nice and sunny although it looked like it was going to rain. As I entered the cemetery I saw tombstones piled up from left to right and right to left , there’s was people buries in every direction. On one corner there are tombstones dated as far back as the 1800’s, those are the oldest tombs. Then there’s a section as you are coming in to the cemetery, called the mausoleum. As you go in there it’s very quiet, but the smell of the mausoleum is the same smell of a rotting piece of meat. As you approach to the middle section of the cemetery there is the baby section. This section is always filled with balloons flowers and all kinds of decorations, for their birthdays or special occasions. This is the saddest section of the whole cemetery because you always see at least 1 mother crying to their dead child. In the older sections of the cemetery there where caskets coming out the ground, you could see that since they have been there too long the dirt has pushed them out. I walked around the whole cemetery and I felt sad for all f these people that have lost their lives in accidents, crimes, or just health problems. I kind of felt like I was in fear of losing my life too, because I was surrounded by death. As we approached to the section where my father was going to be buried, it smelled like fresh flowers and plants, but if u smelled deep enough there was a humid smell in the air of the rotting corpses underneath the ground I was stepping on. I’ve been at this ce metery three times and as close as I can remember it felt the same. I felt scared, anxious; my heart beat was accelerating as we were getting closer to putting my loved ones underground. The grass was green and freshly cut; it seemed as if they had just cut it for this occasion. Every time I go to the cemetery I’m not scared anymore I feel peaceful, when you go there you get relaxed because it’s very quiet, there is no sound in sight all u can hear is the static in your ears. Also it’s hard to explain the emotions you get as you enter a cemetery; you feel sad, scared, anxious lots of mixed emotions. One thing I remember the most is the feeling of knowing that once my dad was going underground I was never going to see him again all I was left with was his memory and his tomb.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Guidelines in government center design Essays

Guidelines in government center design Essays Guidelines in government center design Essay Guidelines in government center design Essay Design has always played a fundamental role in the development and enrichment of our cities, and this role Is becoming Increasingly critical in our rapidly urbanism world. Good design Is essential In meeting the future environmental challenges , creating places people identify with and embrace, and differentiating our cities for tourism attraction. Well designed government bulldogs are an Important part of cities and are Intrinsic to their health and success. They accommodate and facilitate the delivery of public services and enhance the quality of the citys urban structure and its public spaces. Government buildings contribute to the citys efficient functioning and urban character. They can reflect the values and achievements of the community and need to be efficient, represent good value for money and demonstrate a high level of environmental stewardship. Building design is also a key part of the Governments response to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from bulldogs and anticipating the need to adapt to changing climatic conditions. Design outcomes that contribute to the sustainability of the urban environment may be facilitated by adhering to a number of relatively straightforward design principles. The Design Guidelines frontiersmen Buildings are intended to address these principles and other related issues, including climate change whole-of-life implications for buildings, adaptability and the incorporation of public art. OBJECTIVES The government building contributes to the protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, State and wider levels. : Energy use and management Intent: To minimize the buildings energy requirements for the life of its operation and to minimize any adverse environmental impacts resulting from the buildings use and management of energy. Water use and management To minimize the buildings water use requirements for the life of its operation and to minimize any adverse environmental impacts resulting from the buildings use and management of water. Operable systems allow the occupants to control their internal environment, however occupants also need to be educated on how to optimally operate the building to ensure the best performance throughout its use. Consider investing in design elements that may require a larger cost output at construction, but will reduce the use of energy over the buildings life. C Sustainable materials selection: low embodied energy high recycled/recyclable content material production has a low ecological impact low volatile organic compound (VOCE) to reduce off-gassing. D Select fittings and fixtures with low energy and water usage. Exaggeration of the building toward the north. Internal planning of the building places shared, frequently used functions in optimal locations. On the western edge of the building, aim to reduce the impact of the hot western sun: low level of glazing sun shades where glazing is utilized. A building can provide energy and water for its own use internally as well as for use within the wider precinct. Consider the depth of the building. A thin plan allows for cross ventilation.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Globalisation of Trade Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Globalisation of Trade - Literature review Example The very idea eliminated international trade barriers which in turn intensified liberalised cross border trade. As Cairola (2007) points out, developed countries dramatically increased their production levels during the 1950-70 by through international diffusion of mass production and assembly lines; hence, there arose a need for finding new markets to supply excess products and services. Companies believed that exporting of these excess items to foreign needy markets would be a potential strategy to promote growth (ibid). In addition, intra-firm trade also contributed to the current international trade. On the other hand, developing nations also supported the idea of internationalisation of global production since they find it as a way to enhance their growth by supplying raw materials and labour to multinational enterprises. As the author points out, between the 1960s and the 1980s, developing economies started to change their focus from import substitution to export promotion poli cies with intent to enhance economic stagnation. They also gave specific importance on their industrial development. Thus, developing economies eventually began to integrate into the global trading system even though their participation is still lower as compared to other developed economies (ibid). In order to take advantages of the trade liberalisation, organisations today are trying to become less hierarchical and more decentralised. Undoubtedly, multinational corporations obtain more advantages of trade globalisation as they get free access to global markets despite cross border barriers. In order to enhance foreign investments, governments are promoting development of transnational corporations. Even though countries like China put obstacles to foreign investment, currently they are softening their attitude towards multinational enterprises. Globalisation critics argue that multinational corporations take unfair advantages over poor countries by exploiting their physical resour ces and labour. This criticism seems to be true to some extent while analyzing regions like Africa and Latin America. As Domer (1999) points out, African countries still remain underdeveloped whereas the Latin American region is still dependant on Western economies. The author points out that the African economy’s growth rate stood at around 2% over the 1984-1993 period and this poor rate was not enough to meet even increasing needs of the African population (ibid). The increased European influence and lack of an effective leadership significantly contributed to Africa’s stunted growth. Weakening commodity prices was the major growth impediment to Latin American countries in 1990s; and many of the Latin American countries still heavily depend upon capital inflows from industrialised countries due to their huge external debts (ibid). Arguments for globalisation of trade The process of trade globalisation has benefited economies across the globe to obtain uninterrupted s upply of different goods and services and take advantages of improved overseas facilities. Some of the benefits of globalisation are listed below. 1. Improvement in international relations As a result of globalisation of trade, the concept of global economy came into existence which in turn enhanced the growth of different segments of the international market. In addition, the globalisation process resulted in the creation of a global market and a global system of production. Evidently, capital marketers also enjoy far reaching benefits of globalisation as this concept has led to the integration of financial systems. With the emergence of globalisation, dramatic developments took place in the area of telecommunications media which

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Japanese Major Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese Major - Personal Statement Example It is my steady belief that interest is the best teacher an individual can have. This is because everything in the world is exhibited on limitless levels and thousands of facets, and the floating out of an individual’s potential occurs from a minute point in the person. I love language not simply because it is essential for communication, but more because it carries significant beauty in it. The study of language seems meticulous and monotonous to many people, while to me it is a bottomless ocean of fun. I am a Taiwanese who studied in China international school, as an international student. I developed interest in languages at a young age. As a child, I spoke Mandarin, the only language that my parents understood. I later felt an inner drive to study other languages and attempt communication in them. My interest was further boosted later in life when a group of university students presented a play in our school. It was a lively play, which they acted in five different languag es. The students were young, intelligent, and highly vigorous, demonstrating inspiring communication skills and teaching expertise. Though we could not understand most of these languages, we enjoyed every bit of the presentation. I was, in particular, fascinated by their unique and original skills. I was later to think about it, and the old memory of studying different languages hit me. Other than my interest in languages, the play made me realize that education should be subjugated by advanced ideas, which should, in turn be supported by effectual teaching strategies. In my attempt to study other languages, I self-studied Japanese. Through this study, I was in a position to communicate with my grandparents. This is because they were educated by Japanese and became deeply influenced by the Japanese culture. Japanese was, therefore, the only language that they could communicate. I, therefore, in order to facilitate communication with them, had to learn some Japanese culture and langu age. Between my interest and passion, I was in a position to communicate in Japanese with much ease. It was this achievement that made me realize and appreciate the benefits of persistence. That was one of my achievements and I have grown to know that I can achieve anything as long as I have the interest. Later, I assisted my parents by translating Cantonese and English into Mandarin in their business. They were very grateful and, though I was young, felt very important. I have ever since, had a deep-seated interest in majoring in the Japanese Language. Due to my deep-seated interest in languages, I intend to major in Japanese. I am particularly attracted to the powerful vibrant intellectual, pedagogical resource, and the comprehensive curriculum in the university. Holding firmly to the Japanese culture, I decided to participate in extracurricular activities. As a result of this, I joined the Taiwanese student association and became a member of the Japanese culture club. I was chose n the vice-president of the Taiwanese student association a position which, though challenging, has equipped me with significant experience. I once organized a Halloween event with two other clubs, an event that really challenged my ability. There arose some conflicts between the clubs, and as the vice-president, my success stood in settling the conflicts and making the event a success. It was the success of this event that made most people develop note worthy