Catfish in the Bathtub

Catfish in the Bathtub Response As you walk in past the brown hazelnut colored door, the aroma of Chinese herbs fill your nose and like every other Asian house, there’s a shoe rack right when you walk in the door. Around dinner time, the meter long table would be filled with food—some looking edible while some makes you want to feed it to the dogs. Sometimes the food would be pig blood and liver made into a soup or chicken feet.To me, I don’t eat that stuff and if I had a decision you would see me running to the nearest fast food restaurant for something I considered â€Å"normal†. But it’s one of my parent’s favorite dishes, so it’s usually made often and thus giving me the feeling of wanting to throw up every time I see it. However, to every else that’s just like me; Americanized, it would probably be gross. I mean who would want to eat pig liver and blood or even chicken feet—where it looked like a legit foot chopped s traight off from a chicken just seasoned, cooked, and flavored.But to top it off, being from a Chinese family also meant that anything that was considered â€Å"weird† was not accepted, so since being a left-handed person/writer, have multiply piercings, and so many other things was thought to be weird. For my sister, she started off being a left-handed person, so my mother would slap her hands when she was little to make sure she would write with the proper hand. Of course nowadays, being a left-handed person is normal, but before my parents didn’t believe so.But now that my parents have been living here in the United States for some time now, they have become more Americanized and have let go of some of their cultural traditions—which, at times I am glad of because now I don’t have to worry about being the straight A student or being perfect at everything. But in the end, despite all these weird traditional food and Chinese culture this is who I am. No matter if it’s having dishes like pig liver and blood for soup or chicken feet on the kitchen table, this is my family’s catfish in the bathtub that I end up living and abiding by.

Rr Dr.Death on Cnn.Doc Uploaded Successfully

(CNN) — Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the Michigan pathologist who put assisted suicide on the world's medical ethics stage, died early Friday, according to a spokesman with Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was 83. The assisted-suicide advocate had been hospitalized for pneumonia and a kidney-related ailment, his attorney had said. He had struggled with kidney problems for years and had checked into a hospital earlier this month for similar problems, his lawyer, Mayer Morganroth, said. He checked back into the hospital in the Detroit suburb on May 18 after suffering a relapse, Morganroth said. Kevorkian, dubbed â€Å"Dr.Death,† made national headlines as a supporter of physician-assisted suicide and â€Å"right-to-die† legislation. He was charged with murder numerous times through the 1990s for helping terminally ill patients take their own lives. He was convicted on second-degree murder charges in 1999 stemming from the death of a patient who suffered from amy otrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease. He was paroled in 2007. After his release, he said he would not help end any more lives. Morganroth told CNN Friday that he was summoned to the hospital Thursday night, with doctors telling him â€Å"the end was near† for Kevorkian. 998 video sparked criminal case against Kevorkian â€Å"The doctors and nurses were extremely supportive,† Morganroth said. They played music by Kevorkian's favorite composer — Bach — in his room, and Kevorkian died about 2:30 a. m. , Morganroth said. Attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who was Kervorkian's lawyer on several assisted-suicide cases, described Kevorkian as a â€Å"historic man. † â€Å"He simply felt that it was the duty of every physician to alleviate suffering, and when the circumstance was such that there was no alternative, to help that patient to end their own suffering,† Fieger said in a statement.In an interview with CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gu pta last year, Kevorkian said he had no regrets about his work. â€Å"No, no. It's your purpose (as a) physician. How can you regret helping a suffering patient? † he said. Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Kevorkian: Rest in peace In that interview, Kevorkian said that he had three missions in life and that he himself was not ready to die. One of his missions was to warn mankind of â€Å"impending doom† that will come from the culture of overabundance. â€Å"I'm not going to be too popular for that one,† he said.His second mission was to educate people about assisted suicide, and his belief that in states where assisted suicide has been legalized, it is not being done right. He believed that people shouldn't have to have a terminal condition in order to qualify for help in ending their own lives. Kevorkian's third stated mission was to convince Americans that their rights are being infringed upon by bans on everything from smoking to assisted suicide. In 2008, at the age of 80, he failed in a run for Congress in Michigan. 01:11 AM ETAssisted-suicide machine among items up for sale in Kevorkian auction The machine used by the late Dr. Jack Kevorkian in more than 100 assisted suicides will be among the items up for sale later this month, the auctioneer and his estate announced. The Michigan pathologist helped spur an international ethics debate by helping suffering patients die and pushing for this practice to be legalized. His conviction in one such case landed him in prison for eight years. He died in early June at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, at the age of 83.Besides the noted Thanatron machine, which Kevorkian built, other items to be auctioned include some of Kevorkian's correspondences and invention ideas, a pearl flute, his doctor's bag, a master lock from prison and his signature blue sweater. People can also purchase provocative paintings that he created, which come with brief descriptions from the artist himself. A portion of the a uction proceeds will go toward the charity Kids Kicking Cancer at the request of the attorney for Kevorkian's estate and the late doctor's niece and sole living heir.

International Business on Heineken Essay

Identify 2 strategic objectives that your firm had for entering a specific foreign country. In 2010 entered the Latin American market by acquiring the beer businesses of FEMSA in Mexico and Brazil. The FEMSA, Fomento Economico Mexicano is the largest Mexican and Latin American beverage company.1 Reasons for entering this continent is to achieve their goals, also mentioned as objectives in Heineken’s annual report. Two of these goals include Grow the Heineken brand and Capture the opportunities in emerging markets. Entering the Latin American market, would enlarge the brand awareness of Heineken. By aiming on expanding the brand name,The brand performance in 2012 was strong both in developed and emerging markets. It was particularly noticeable in Brazil, Russia, India, China and Nigeria where Heineken enjoyed double digit growth. This development was largely due to a global approach to brand management and to effective marketing. 2 Furthermore Heineken aims on capturing opportu nities in emerging market, especially focussing on Mexico. Heineken has transformed its emerging market presence in recent years through a clear acquisition strategy, strong organic growth and joint venture partnerships. The beer volume increased from †¦ in 2007 to†¦. In 2012. In mexico they continue to implement their value growth strategy following the acquisition in 2010. Focused brand investment behind new marketing campaigns and upgraded packaging have supported growth of Carta Blanca, Tecate, Dos Equis, So and India brands. In addition, increased outlet distribution and targeted activation programmes resulted in the Heineken brand volume more than doubling in 2012. 5b) Which foreign entry modes has your firm used in the last 6 to 8 years, and which mode was used for which country? Please also explain for one of the entry modes used whether you think that mode was the best one or whether another entry mode should have been used instead. Substantiate our answer with at least two arguments. Heineken operates in more than 71 countries.3 The most common used entry modes are joint ventures and acquisitions. If acquisition in a foreign company is not possible due to government restrictions, Heineken decides to operate as joint ventures. Heineken aims on dominating the market and gaining the largest market share for beer. For this goal, the company tries to enter foreign markets by using Greenfield acquisitions and  have full control over their operations without having to add new capacity to the industry. This entry mode has also a faster entry speed and is used for emerging markets, where the competition and growth of the market is high. In this case, acquisitions are operated in the emerging markets. For example, the acquisition of the brand Tiger between Heineken and APB and APIPL enabled the brand to lift with the growth of Heineken. and established local premium brands including Biere Larue in Vietnam, Bintang in  Indonesia, SP in Papua New Guinea and Tui in New Zealand.4 As for companies that do already have a dominant market share in a country and do not need to upgrade to fit the global operations, Heineken decide to go for joint ventures, where the two companies work together, and limit the financial risk of investment by working together with local firms. Also Heineken enjoys knowledge of the local market. Full acquisitions have a high degree of equity control. Also the resource growth is external. Full acquisitions are chosen if it is important to enter the market quickly, if the it is a fast growing market, emerging markets? Also acquisitions are chosen if there are already companies existing of the same product. Certain costs will be avoided by doing so. As for joint ventures, the degree of equity control is low and has an internal resource growth. 5c) which of the four multinational strategies described in chapter 15 of the textbook most closely resembles your firm;s multinational strategy? Please explain your answer. 4 A) Consider the case of the focal company deciding to set up a new production facility in an emerging market of your choice. Why is this an appealing emerging market? The African market for Heineken is an appealing emerging market to expand in. This is due to a number of reasons: Population growth on the African continent is expected to grow from 1 billion as of today to 1.2 billion in 2020 and the African population is still relatively young in comparison to other established markets such as Europe and North America. Besides this, the middle class in the African content is growing steadily, consumers are  becoming more band-conscious and GDP per capita has been positively growing since the last decades due to the improving political and economical environment. Heineken is thus, presented with a number of advantages, in which the long term clearly outweighs the threats in establishing itself firmer in this emerging market. What are the threats that Heineken faces in penetrating the African continent as an emerging market more firmly? An issue that has encircled Africa throughout its history is the problem of corruption and bureaucracy. However, due to globalization and the increased interconnectivity around the globe this ethical issue has become a more prevalent topic amongst societies to be discussed and the same goes for the African countries. Although the issue still exists MNO’s argue that there’s a slow but gradual decrease in the severity of it in the African countries in which the improved political and economical environment is a positive contributor. Another threat that Heineken faces in the African emerging markets is the lack of good infrastructure and power supplies. On top of this poor education, health care, life expectancy and poverty are some of the other threats that can have an effect on the MNO. 4 B) How should your firm address the opportunities and threats of this emerging market? Some of the strategies Heineken as the multinational organization can undertake is by introducing unreleased brands into the continent. Some examples: are the introduction of the alcoholic apple cider beverage ‘Strong Bow’ in South-Africa, non-alcoholic beverages such as ‘Amstel ZERO’ alcohol that taste like alcoholic beer and a large variety of other alcoholic beverages which all fall under the global Heineken brand of beers. Besides that, Heineken can introduce TCM due to operational excellence, acquired throughout the years, and it can implement innovative and at the same time environmentally friendly PET bottles which they have recently introduced into the Democratic republic of Congo as example to underline their technological innovations. As consumption per capita is growing in the African countries, whilst excluding the steady population growth amongst the  African countries, an increase in demand for premium beer brands is emerging such as the ‘Heineken’ and ‘Amstel’ beers in the African continent in which the MNO Heineken is expected to face tremendous growth opportunities in the following decades. These strategies have been introduced into the European continent and have proven to be very successful, with Africa as an emerging market Heineken can introduce the successfully proven strategies, which the company has used throughout the years to solidify its market position even further. Heineken has a long history of in house training- and development. It has already established regional training schools in Nigeria and the DRC wherein they have established strong management development programs to attract and retain local talents. This is a way for the company to combat the threat of poor education. Heineken tries to better the life of its employees working for the company and as well the lives of people in the region: Heineken has established a healthcare program for all 30,000 of its employees where the government often lacks to adequately provide this. It has set up HIV programs in sub-Saharan breweries to educate its personnel and besides that founded African foundation programs such as Health clinics and malaria projects to better the lives of the people in its direct surrounding. 5 A) Identify two strategic objectives (i.e., reasons) that your firm had for entering a specific foreign country. Please explain your answers. Heineken has recently decided in 2013 that it will be planning on building a 60 million Euros Brewery in Burma (Myanmar). The Heineken group has decided to do so after it has seen positive progress in terms of political and social reforms in Burma. On the 22nd of April this year all sanctions against Burma were lifted by the EU council and on top of this other large MNE such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Carlsberg have recently decided to move into the country as well. Another reason for entering the Burmese market is that beer consumption in Burma is still at a relatively low level: 3 litres a year per capita whereas its neighbour Vietnam is at a staggering 30 litres+ a year per capita. This gives out a signal that there are a lot of potential profits still to be made especially now that political and social  reforms are taking place. By investing with a 60 million Euros brewery, Heineken plans on solidifying it’s market position even further across the globe. 5 B) Which foreign entry modes has your firm used in the last 6 to 8 years, and which mode was used for which country? Heineken operates in over 71 countries.6 The most common used entry modes that the firm uses consist out of joint ventures and acquisitions. In case acquisition of a foreign company is not a possibility due to government restrictions, Heineken will decide to try and operate as a joint venture. Heineken aims on dominating the global market and is constantly seeking to acquire a larger market share for beer. For this goal, the company tries to enter foreign markets by using Greenfield acquisitions so that they have full control over their operations without having to add new capacity to the industry. This entry mode on top of not adding unnecessary extra capacity to the industry as well comes with a faster entry speed and is most commonly used for emerging markets, where competition and growth in the markets is high. In this case, acquisitions are operated in emerging markets such as Asia and Africa. For example, the acquisition of the beer brand Tiger between Heineken and APB and APIP L enabled the brand to lift with the growth of Heineken. Established local premium brands including Biere Larue in Vietnam, Bintang in Indonesia, SP in Papua New Guinea and Tui in New Zealand share similar stories.7 As for companies that have already acquired a dominant market share in their home country, Heineken opts for joint ventures if they are unwilling to sell, where the two companies then work together instead, and thus limit the financial risk of investment by working together with local firms. 5 C) which of the four multinational strategies described in chapter 15 of the textbook most closely resembles your firm’s multinational strategy? From the four multinational strategies described in International Business book Heineken organizational structure most closely resembles a transnational strategy. This is because Heineken, being the third largest  beer brewer in the world, has practically managed to penetrate itself in all markets in which it sells over 200 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers and cider. This vast variety of different brands has made the Heineken group highly responsive to consumers in which all their needs can be satisfied due to such a broad assortment. Due to Heineken’s high aggregation of benefits such as economies of scale and operational excellence the MNE captures the best of two worlds by being cost efficient and locally responsive, depicting the structure of a transnational strategy. 6 A) Identify two ethical dilemmas that the focal firm faces in a host country of your choice. Why are these issues ‘dilemmas’ and how has your firm dealt with them? An environmental issue that brewers cope with is the negative media of the use of alcohol. Consuming excessive alcohol has many negative health and behavioral risks. For this reason, many governmental laws and regulations charges alcoholic beverages. As a social issue for the company, more than 800,000 car accidents in Mexico occur due to the use of alcohol. Even though these issues impact the social side of sustainability, the health and well being of people. This is an issue to the firm, because they are accused as contributors of the harms as consequences of alcohol causing the firm to suffer from brand damage. Heineken must defend its image as a brewery, especially since the firm is leader of the industry. To avoid shifting the blame on breweries, due to the fact that they have no influence on controlling consumers‘ behavior, they aim on increasing awareness of the consequences of excessive consumption of alcohol. Heineken supports the idea of no physically or behavioral ha rm when moderately consuming alcohol. Heineken aims on contributing to the positive role of beer in society by encouraging responsible attitudes towards alcohol and discouraging the misuse of alcohol. The most important stakeholders in these social dilemmas are the consumers. 6b) Drawing on stakeholder theory, argue to what extent the focal firm should develop a globally standardized strategy to cope with the selected dilemma. The excessive use of alcohol occurs is a global issue. The use of alcohol  and driving does not only occur in Mexico, but causes many accidents and fatalities all over the world. Thus the issues discussed are of global relevance. The harm that this issue emphasizes applies to the users of alcohol and their environment. That is why Heineken launched an Enjoy Heineken Responsibly (EHR) Campaign in 2004, which is globally used. Measures that the firm has been taken include putting this message on all of their cans, bottles and packages. Also, in commercials and on their website they quote: ‘Great opportunities belong to moderate drinkers’ to encourage moderately drinking. Furthermore, they advertising boarding on all major sponsorships or sports. Furthermore, the company also tailored its strategy locally in Mexico, where they launched a Designated Driver Program to encourage attendees of to become or choose a designated driver for different occasions. The program is presented in 92 universities across the country and other youth organizations and events. By doing so, Heineken hopes to decrease the probability of accidents caused due to alcohol. To conclude, Heineken already has a global strategy and a local strategy to cope with the issues. The social issue in Mexico is actually a global issue, since it occurs in many other countries. The reason why Heineken focuses on Mexico is due to the explosive high rates of alcohol fatality in traffic in this country. We support the idea to expand the measurements taken for Mexico to other countries with high fatality rates, for instance in the United States where 31 percent of all accidents include fatality du e to alcohol use in traffic in 2009.8 6c) How do the actual solutions to the focal dilemmas relate to the solutions practiced by Unilever and which approach is better? Sustainability living is the core of Unilever’s operations. It aims on doubling the size of their business and simultaneously reducing their environmental footprint and increasing the positive social impact. As for reducing its impact on the environment through its supply chain, it aims to maximize their Reduce, Recycle and Replace journey. Concluded from their research, 68 percent of their total GHG footprint is founded by the consumer self. 26% of the footprint is due to the raw materials. To solve this, the company came up with improving eco-efficient production and improving the agriculture practices. The related dilemmas that occur between Heineken and Unilever is  to influence consumers behavior. Both companies cope with the fact that they cannot control the consumer use. Furthermore both companies try to communicate their issues through brand name. Unilever copes with this issue by adapting the sustainability plan. As for Heineken, they launched the Enjoy Heineken Responsibly campaign, as mentioned before. What differs is that Unilever focuses on sustainability across the value chain, while Heineken emphasizes the consumer use. From one point of view, the approach of Unilever is preferred over Heineken’s approach, because it tackles the entire value chain. Also, it works on the long-term solution. From another point of view it is clarified that Heineken works on valuing life on a social and physical level, by reducing the possibility of harming social and health. However this does not add value to future generations, thus we believe that Unilever has a better approach to tackle its issues. http://www.heinekeninternational.com/products_brands_brands.aspx http://www.centurycouncil.org/sites/default/files/materials/SODDFIA.pdf http://www.sustainabilityreport.heineken.com/impact/responsible-consumption/encouraging-responsible-consumption-through-our-brands.html http://www.heinekeninternational.com/companystrategyprofile.aspx file://localhost/Users/raymondjansen/Documents/IB/annual%20report%20heineken%202012.pdf book, 373

Business marketing assignment (Starbucks) Essay

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Discussion Boards 2-3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Executive Briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Executive Briefing - Essay Example Strategic planning is about what the organization does; whom it does it to; and how it excels. This paper seeks to analyze the importance of strategic planning to homeland security organizations. Strategic planning, in most organizations, is basically a process used to determine where the organization is headed to over a year or more. Strategic planning therefore includes the mastery of the organization’s mission, vision, strategies, and values (Ahrenfelt, 2006). Strategic planning is therefore important for homeland security organizations in that the process will enable them understand, where they are currently with their services, the people they are serving, where they want to be in the near future, and strategies and courses of action they need to get to the destination of their choice. According to strategic planning, various approaches can be used to achieve components of strategic management. However, to homeland security organizations, it will be vital for them to appl y approaches such as: the Situation Target Proposal Approach, which evaluates the currently existing condition and how it resulted, defines objectives and goals of the organization, and maps the most probable path or route to achieving those objectives and goals; and the Draw See Think Plan Approach, which defines the desired end state or the ideal organization’s image, defines the situation today and determines the existing gap from the idea and the reason for that gap, determine the specific courses of action that must be undertaken in order to seal the gap existing between the ideal state and the current condition, and plans the required resources that will facilitate the execution of strategy activities (Donald, 2004). These approaches describe strategic planning importance to homeland security organizations. Through strategic planning, the homeland security organization is able to train its employees and take positive steps towards establishing a department wide approach which is effective in executing its duties. Strategic planning is important to homeland security organizations, because it helps the department to address the challenge of cultural change and transformation, and aid it ensuring that the workforce possesses the skills and knowledge that is required to respond effectively to both the current and future threats to the organization. Some of the actions already taken by the homeland security organization because of the importance of strategic planning include; issuing the strategic plan for training, establishing training groups and councils in order to increase communication across the components, and providing directly training for particular departmental need (Fridson, 2001). However, without effective strategic planning, homeland security organizations are likely to be impeded by several challenges. This is because without strategic planning, there would be lack of compatible or common information management systems as well as a tra ining terminology commonly understood, hence making sharing of information on training difficult (Donald, 2004). Lack of strategic planning will also lead to unclear relationships of accountability and authority between the components of organization and the office of the human capital. In the absence of strategic planning, planning by the homeland security organization will be insufficiently detailed in ensuring coordination and effective implementation of training efforts. Strategic planning is also important to the homeland secu

Re-circulating Aquaculture Biofloc Systems in Deserts Research Paper

Re-circulating Aquaculture Biofloc Systems in Deserts - Research Paper Example The waste discharge as well as the use of chemicals or antibiotics to fight diseases is minimal. It is known that for at least 30 years, it has been under development. Unlike other methods which clean water from fish tank, there has been incorporation of aquaponics to some RAS fish farms (Lee and Richard, 18). Since biofloc systems are designed to improve environmental control over production in areas where there is water scarcity, such as desert in this case, or where land is expensive, more intensive aquaculture forms are required to be practiced for production that is cost effective. Economic incentive is considered to be strong for aquaculture business to be efficient in terms of production inputs, particularly limiting water or land. Biofloc systems were as well designed to prevent disease from being introduced into the system from the incoming water. Basing on the above, it can be affirmed that this system well fits the project that is to be staged in a desert where there is scarcity of water among other limiting factors. Shrimp farming, marine shrimp production in ponds, tanks and impoundments origin can be traced to South Asia. In this case, farmers were seen to raise wild shrimp incidental crops in tidal fishponds (Mungkung, 4). The birth of shrimp farming was in 1930s the time Motosaku Fujinaga ,a Tokyo University graduate became successful in Kuruma shrimp spawning(Penaeus japonicas) (Mungkung, 8).The larvae were cultured by him in the laboratory whereby in so doing this, he was successful in mass-production of these shrimp on a commercial scale. He then shared his research findings for at least 40 years and his work was published in 1942, 1941, 9167 and 1935.Emperor Hirohito had to honor him in 1954 with the title Inland â€Å"Japonicus Farming Father† (Mungkung, 4). Hatcherymen and fishermen started to supply large quantities of seed stock in the mid 1970s,

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

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MGT302 - Org. Behavior and Teamwork SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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The sum of all fears Essay Example for Free

The sum of all fears Essay Fear is an emotion that is embedded with in all of us. No one knows the essence of fear, it is what it isintangible. The strongest of men fall to the mercy of fear, consuming the mind, and blocking all rational judgment. Fear lies unawakened in the dark recesses of the soul, only to be awoke by the treacheries of the unknown. Fear manifests itself in many ways, the most common way however, is anger, and I know this manifestation all to well. Anger controls a large portion of my life, I am never alone. I know that anger originates from fear, yet I simply cannot pinpoint the essence of my evil demon, nor the channel of which it comes. All that I can recall, is that it is never ending, a vicious form of hell that is all knowing, and all seeing. Perhaps the reason why I have anger soaring through my body, tearing at my muscles, and throbbing in my mind, is the obvious fact that I have failed to become acquainted with myself, resulting in fear, because if I dont know myself, who does? Ive been known to snap at others, even those closest to me, and for no apparent reason. Yet I know this, fear is some how a way of life, an inevitable feeling that takes control of mind and body, and abandons you when you need it most. For I have come to thrive off of this feeling of hatred for my fellow man, it is possibly what keeps me ready, anticipating the next move of all men and creatures has a certain thrill that you simply cannot imitate, or find anywhere else. As all know, everything has a side kick, Bat man has Robin, the Green Hornet has Kato, and fear has pain. Pain is fears ugly cousin, only rearing its face when fear is at its greatest peak. You know that you should fear when pain becomes pleasure, and fear has already become instinct. Pain is unforgiving, always leaving a sign that it was once there, even if only an emotional wound. I have come to know pain very well, I have had to live with this virus, as we all have, throughout my ________ years of life. No matter how much time passes the pain is relentless, clawing at my soul, and what little confidence I have left. I fear that this is what will be the end of my being, pain, the structure less form. In conclusion, fear and pain are one in the same. Never ending, nor caring who or what it strikes down. The key, I think, is acceptancelearn to accept that fear is inevitable, and pain comes bearing no gifts. So live your life on your own terms, if you dont, fear will live it for you.

First Case of Forensic Dentistry in American Justice

First Case of Forensic Dentistry in American Justice Xavier Riaud Story of the first identification in forensic dentistry endorsed by the American justice Summary: In 1849, Webster killed Parkman. The latter’s body had never been found but his dental prostheses had. Webster was arrested and was prosecuted for the murder. The analysis of the dental prostheses carried out by Parkman’s personal dentist, positively identified the aforementioned prostheses and which immediately condemned Webster to death. This was the first case of identification in forensic dentistry which was endorsed by American courts. Key Words : Forensic dentistry, history, justice. Georges Parkman was born in 1790. He studied medicine at Harvard Medical College in 1813. He travelled in Europe in search of knowledge and improvement [4]. It was a profoundly humanistic medicine that he discovered with the pioneers of medicine who devoted as much time to their patients’ well-being as to therapeutics, strictly speaking. Upon his arrival home, he undertook to put into practice everything that he learned on the old continent. However, in Boston, he came up against the medical lobby which did not want to disrupt its habits. Disappointed, he decided to distance himself with the medical world and took over his father’s business when the latter died in 1835. Parkman made a fortune in real estate and pawnbroking. He became an influential citizen in the life of the city of Boston. During almost 40 years, Parkman and Webster were colleagues at the Massachussetts Medical College. In 1849, Webster was a chemist professor who had been teaching there for 25 years. He got into debt with Parkman. He owed him the tidy sum of 2432 $. On November 23 1849, it was said that Parkman had come to see his colleague in his laboratory. Nobody saw him again. It was Ephraà ¯m Littlefield, the university attendant who found the remains of a body of stout build which was supposedly close to that of the businessman. On November 30, the police decided to carry out a search in Webster’s chemistry laboratory and discovered the remains of a human being’s dentures, gold and charred fragments. Webster was immediately arrested for murder. The trial started on March 19 1850 and lasted 12 days. Webster was sentenced to death. He was hung on August 30 1850. The victim’s identity was proved thanks to the body’s teeth. Indeed, during the trial, Parkman’s dentist, Dr Nathan C. Keep (1800-1875) and his assistant Dr Lester Noble, proved that two pieces of evidence, in this case a block of mineral teeth and a part of marked set, were the remains of dentures made and fitted by Keep himself [2]. Those two elements perfectly adapted to a plaster cast of the defunct’s mandible that the practitioner had kept in his office and on which could be read  «Dr Geo Parkman 1846 » written by Noble. The dentures were fitted on November 4 1846. A few days later, the practitioner had to grind down the part of the dentures which was close to the tongue in order to give it more space. This grinding left traces which did not leave any doubts as far as Parkman’s death was concerned. Here is Dr Nathan Cooley Keep’s deposition at John Webster’s trial [5]. â€Å"I am a dental-surgeon and I have been practicing this occupation for thirty years in this city. (†¦) I knew Dr Georges Parkman. I met him in 1825 when I was studying medicine with Dr John Randall. Dr Parkman was sick at that time and Dr Randall treated him. I also treated him several times at his place. In 1825, I became his favourite dentist and he often sought me for treatments or dental pieces of advise [5]. On December 3, Dr Lewis showed me mineral teeth while I had just returned home from a trip to Springfield. I immediately recognized the teeth that I had made for Parkman in 1846. (†¦) Parkman’s mouth was very special, so much so regarding its shape and junction between the top and bottom of his lower jaw that I remembered it really well. I remember all its characteristics. The making of his dentures was definitely unusual. When M. Parkman ordered his new teeth, he asked me how long it would take before he would receive them. I asked him why. He answered that the university of medicine was about to open and that for this particular occasion, there would be a ceremony during which he would be asked to deliver a speech.(†¦) That left me little time but I did my best to meet the deadlines. The distinctive identity of his mouth was so marked that I had to use all my knowledge of the matter. (†¦) As usual, I started by taking prints of the patient’s mouth. I got a perfect reproduction of his mouth by applying soft wax on a piece of iron to lower the jaw, then by pressing all this against his jaw until the wax was cold. The mould was thus ready. I oiled it and poured plaster inside. 10 minutes later, the plaster was hard and it allowed me to obtain a perfect reproduction of the dental arcades. The mould of the mandible showed four natural teeth and three residual roots. The next step was the making of metallic plates which fitted his gums on which I fixed new teeth. First, I made transitional plates that I tried myself. They were generally made in copper or in another soft metal by carrying out a metallic print that I applied with pressure thanks to plaster moulds. The copper which served to the making of those plates was placed between the moulds and sufficient pressure had to be carried out to acquire the negative of the plaster mould. Those plates were transposed in the mouth to have a try. If they fitted well, that meant that the mould was good and that the gold plates of the final devices could be made. (†¦) Dr Parkman had no natural tooth by the jawbone [5]. (†¦) Once the plates were tried, the gold plates were made and fitted in the patient’s mouth. As I had reproduced the two jaws separately, one should position them together in order to make sure whether they corresponded. For that purpose, I applied wax on the teeth and made the patient bite into it. Plaster was poured on the prints of the bitten part and thus, the moulds could be set up. (†¦) The meshing of the two jaws was very particular. The escape of the jawbone and the projection of the mandible was highly significant which resulted into an abnormally long chin. Then, teeth with the proper length were fixed on gold plates. These teeth as well as the fake gum were made in clay and were placed in moulds for them to cook and to set. (†¦) The shape of Parkman’s mouth made it very difficult. As for the device of the jawbone, the teeth were made in only one block which was cut into three parts at the level of the canines before the cooking. (†¦) Those three blocks adapted to only one plate. It was likewise for the upper part. The two sets were linked together with spiral springs allowing the patient to open and close his mouth and which kept the dentures from moving. The teeth were fixed to them thanks to platinum pins. Following an incident, my assistant and I had to start all over again. We only finished 30 minutes before the ceremony. † The hearing was asked to be adjourned following a fire alert in the prosecuter’s office. Very soon, the hearing resumed. â€Å"Not being sure that I had finished everything, I asked Dr Parkman to come back [5]. He complained of the fact that he did not have enough space for his tongue. I filed the inside of the dentures near the tongue in order to gain space. I also removed the pink of the gums and the enamel inside the teeth causing insignificant aesthetic damage. Very regularly, I saw my patient again to carry out the care and the needed repairing. The last time I saw him dated back to two weeks before his disappearance. He had broken a spring and had called late at night so that I could repair it. It was around 10 (†¦). I spent half an hour to recondition everything. It was the last I had seen him in my office. I left the town on November 28 and came back the following Monday. It was then that I heard about his disappearance. Upon my return, Dr Lewis showed me those three pieces of mineral teeth (referring to the fragments found in the oven) [5]. At first glance, I noticed the similarity with the work I had done for Dr Parkman. The most recognizable part was the right mandibular block. I recognized its shape and outline which oddly looked like that I had worked on for such a long time. Several other parts had been severely damaged by the fire. Therefore, I naturally fell back on the conception models of the said dentures. Comparing the best preserved piece, I did not have doubts anymore. It was definitely my patient. There was at least enough matter to be able to determine where the fragments came from. This one came from the upper right jaw, that one from the left and the third one from the central part of the same jaw. The lower left jaw was almost complete. The part which was hooked on it seemed to be the right part by deduction. This last piece came from the same dentures and the other parts corresponded to the remaining free space. Only a piece remained unidentified. It could have been the small piece of the front of the mandible. Thus, I identified the position of 5 pieces out of 6. Only one unknown piece remained. That gave us the 6 parts of the dentures. I also found the platinum teeth still hooked on the teeth. I also found gold fragments and tiny portions of bones more or less caught in the teeth. It was highly likely that the prostheses went in the oven when they were still in the defunct’s mouth. Mineral teeth thrown into the fire, but preserved in the mouth, are impregnated with humidity which quitely evaporates. If they had not been in his mouth and had been brutally thrown into the fire, they would have torn to shreds. Another fact which confirmed that they were in his mouth is that the springs would have propelled them everywhere had they not been confined. When we put the teeth back, the blocks were combined together like now. † To a question from a member of the jury, Dr Keep answered: â€Å"The handwriting featuring on Parkman’s moulds was written during the making of the dentures. Then, those moulds remained in my cellar. I mainly kept them in anticipation of resulting incidents during the making of the protheses [5].† His deposition finished this way:â€Å"Dr Parkman had no unitary teeth. As natural teeth, he only had a tooth and two roots on the left side and three teeth and a root on the right side. On the left, starting from the back, there first of all was two roots and a tooth (canine) and on the right, still starting from the back, the root (2nd premolar), then three teeth (1st premolar, canine, lateral incisive). (†¦)† Nathan Keep was born on December 23 in Longmeadow, in Massachussetts [2]. Gifted with his hands, he soon got interested in dentistry after being a local jeweller’s apprentice. In 1821, he went to Boston. In 1827, he graduated from Harvard Medical School. He practiced dentistry during 40 years. He was praised for his skills. In 1843, he graduated from Baltimore College of Dental Surgery and received the honorary titles of doctor in dental surgery. Keep invented numerous dental instruments and was one of the first to make porcelain teeth. Keep was also the first doctor to have used ether anesthesia for deliveries, notably on April 7 1847 during the birth of Fanny Longfellow’s daughter. He attended John Webster’s trial, Georges Parkman’s murderer. It was the first time that dental work served as evidence during a trial in the United States. In 1867, the first announcement of the creation of the Harvard Dental School was published. Nathan became its first dean which seemed natural given the unweary steps the dentist took to see the school opening its doors. Keep’s dream came true and thus, Harvard became the first dental school of the world evolving within a university. His decisions from an administrative point of view showed his admirable nature and his remarkable moral values. Robert T. Freeman was a Black man. He was one of the sons of a slave family. He postulated without success to many dental schools in order to study, he arrived in Boston and asked to meet Dean Keep. On Keep’s recommendation, Harvard University decided that colour or birth could not be an issue anymore regarding students’ admission. Therefore, Robert T. Freeman was accepted at the age of 22 and graduated in 1869. He was the first African American student to graduate from a dental school. Thus, Keep’s motto became â€Å"Justice and right above conveniences†. His action in Freeman’s case put forward his qualities as leader which significantly established an aura of morality and justice which still has an influence on the university [2]. Nathan Cooley Keep died in 1875. A statue pays tribute to his paramount role in the foundation of Harvard dental school. It is located in the gardens of the school. Fig. 1 Dr Nathan Cooley Keep (1800-1875) [3]. Fig. 2 A plaster cast of Dr Georges Parkman’s mandible (1846) [3]. Bibliography: [1] Campbell JM. Professor J. W. Webster eliminates Dr George Parkman. Dent. Mag. Oral Topics June 1958; 75(2): 73-80. [2] No author. Nathan Cooley Keep. 2006: 1-2. Available from: http://www.answers.com [3] No Author. Harvard Medical School. 1867 1870. Available from: www.countaway.harvard.edu [4] No Author. Murder at Harvard: people events (Dr Georges Parkman (1790-1849)). 1999-2003: 1-2. Available from: http://www.pbs.org [5] No Author. American experience – Murder at Harvard – Primary sources: Identifying evidence: false teeth. 1999-2003 : 1-6. Available from: http://www.pbs.org [6] Riaud X. Les dentistes dà ©tectives de l’histoire [The dentists, detectives of history]. Paris: L’Harmattan, Collection Mà ©decine à   travers les sià ¨cles [Medicine throughout centuries collection]; 2007.

A Review On Barcode Technology Deices Information Technology Essay

A Review On Barcode Technology Deices Information Technology Essay The case involves in a study of comparison between the two technologies that are being used Barcode Technology and RFID Technology. The highlights of companys sales and cost that it has incurred is been given by its CEO Mr. Jack Bracket The company has grown its sales to $78 million The cost of goods sold is $61 million The inventory level of the company is about $14 million The company has three factories each at Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina Company has Service First has its most important competitive priority. The company does mostly pre-production services and also post production services. The company currently uses Barcode technology for scanning all the components moving out of its inventory and for shipping too. BI scans about 8, 850 items per day in all the 3 factories A average BI employee works for about 2000 hours and he has annual pay of $55, 000 inclusive of benefits These are some of the highlights that have been provided for us. Now that Mr. Jack Bracket is considering changing the Barcode technology to RFID technology. The RFID vendor provided the company the following inputs: Barcode takes 10 seconds to scan one item (this includes all the allowances and the time taken for the employee to go to the item and scan the item). The time taken to replace a defective barcode is about 5 minutes. The amount the company has to spend on installing the RFID technology is about $620,000 and $480, 000 for all training and consulting services. The time for RFID to scan a item is 2/100th of a second or instantaneous. The % of error for a bar code technology is 2% over the year for total reads and that for RFID is .2% The average money spent on a misread items was guessed to be approximately about $4 The other benefits of the system such as inventory control and reduce misplacements and reduce in theft were not quantified. 1. Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of RFID systems. How does RFID compare to bar-coding? Did you find any RFID applications for services? Advantages of RFID Technology: The RFID technology does not need line of sight as in the case of the barcodes thereby reducing the amount of space dedicated for it There are various types of RFID and can store lots of data in it. Reduce in the labor force. Decrease in the inventory Good inventory control Reduces the theft and misplacements and increases the security of the product as it can be tracked wireless. Measurement of the inventory level is accurate now due to RFID. Disadvantages of RFID technology The RFID technology is too expensive when compared to the bar-code technology. The passive RFID which is the cheap form of RFID needs a power source to transmit the information to the system. Interference from other equipments in the factory may disturb the transmission of the information to the system. The transmitting of the radio frequency in a pallet containing steel or liquid may be difficult some times. The RFID tags if worn out or removed from the item it may create a confusion. (These data and the information were collected from the websites of various supply chain companies and wireless guides such as: www.ups-scs.com; www.wireless-tracking-advisor.com) Comparison between the two technologies: Criteria RFID Technology Bar-code Technology Cost Costly Relatively Cheap Labor Not much manpower required Labor required higher than RFID Amount of Data that can be stored Maximum amount of data can be stored Not much data can be stored Scanning time 2/100th of second 10 seconds for one item Error% .2% 2% Read/Write There is read write options in RFID There is no such options they are generally read only Applications of RFID Technologies: The RFID technology has various applications in various fields. The RFID has been extensively used in the supply chain management in any manufacturing industry and it has got other applications in the inventory control of the factory. The RFID in the inventory control provides more profit for managing the inventory. The RFID has also got applications in the hospital industries and other industries which needs tracking of its products. 2. What is the payback for this possible RFID adoption? The RFID technology can scan a single item instantaneously or in 2/100th of a second when compared to 10 seconds for a single item for a Bar-code technology. This shows that there is an increase in the productivity of the product for the reason that it can scan more items than the barcode technology thereby decreasing the cycle time and increasing the production rate The RFID needs less manpower compared to the barcode technology. This shows the amount of money spent on the manpower is reduced. The amount of money spent on the technology can be recovered by this. More data can be stored in the RFID than in the barcode technology and these influences in many factors which provide more profit to the factory such as: More productivity Less labor More accuracy Less inventory Less inventory control More security Less inventory audits and inventory checking 3. What do you recommend Mr. Bracket do in the short and long terms? Explain your reasoning. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is the technology which is here to stay so, I would recommend to implement the RFID technology to his factories Even after going through all the profits because of implementing the RFID technology he has doubts about the technology, then I would recommend him to initially implement the technology in any one of his plants. This is because, now he can see the profit that are caused due to implementation of the new technology. This will also provide his employees to get used to the new technology and they can be comfortable working in the new technology. Then after a period of time he can also implement the RFID technology in all the factories of his and can earn a huge amount of profit, due to the increase in the productivity. The main objective of the BI is service first, can now not lose any more business that it had lost previously with the Wolf Furniture. He can also in the future use the RFID technology in inventory control so as to have a control over the inventory and also he can have more security for the items that are manufactured. The implementation of the RFID will also reduce the number of products that were misplaced. BI can also think of applying the RFID tags to each and every component that is being manufactured in the factory. This will help the BI to keep track of the components that are being produced and also will help in calculating the amount of time it spends in each and every operation. With this data of time spent on each and every machine, the production planners can improve on the cycle time of the product. And thereby keeping track of the component for which the process was planned is being followed. This will also help in intimating in plant engineer if there is any rejection and where the rejection occurs. Therefore the RFID can be used in all parts of the industry and it will always yield profit for the company. After all these reasoning I think Mr. Jack Bracket of BI should not have any reservations in implementing the new technology to his company

Health and Safety in a Computer Room :: Workplace Health and Safety

Health and safety in a computer room is very important as the misuse of the computer room may lead to certain problems both physically and mentally. Using a computer for a long period of time can affect your health in different ways. The following report will contain details about the health and safety risks in using the computer and how to combat them, and a study of the Laws & Guidelines Health and Safety risks and ways to combat them 1. RSI- RSI stands for repetitive stain injury. Doing the same thing for a long time can cause this. 2. Eyestrain- this is when you look at a VDU screen for a long time. Particularly at looking at a flickering screen or in bad light of glare. 3. Stress- this occurs when you are too concentrated on something. It is the feeling of anxiety fear, anger, frustration and depression. 4. ELF radiation- Elf stands for extremely low frequency. Electro-magnetic fields cause this. VDU screens give out radiation at the back and sides. Pregnant women are at most at risk. 5. Lose wires- are a hazard as anyone may trip over the wires and fall over Ways to combat the mentioned problems 1. RSI- The risk of RSI can be minimised if a computer user is able to sit in a comfortable, upright position when working. To be able to do this they need adjustable chairs and tables, wrist pads, and footrests. 2. Eye strain- One way to avoid eyestrain is to look out of a window at a distant object every once in a while. 3. Stress- Do stress relieving exercises. 4.

A Review of Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo Essay -- Augustine Hippo

A Review of Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo is a dense, scholarly work outlining the entire life of the Catholic bishop.   The University of California Press in Berkeley, California published the work in 1967.   My version was the 1973 second paperback printing, found in the University library.   Its smallish, scholarly, serifed, typewritten font allows for a instant respect for the subject matter:   the words are at first imposing, but then revealing as their serious tone complements the complexity of the text.   The pages are studded with footnotes, filling out this work with evidence of Brown’s exhaustive research.   There is a three-page preface before the work, and, after the work, a seventeen-page bibliography, and ten-page index.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brown’s book is organized, like any scholarly biography, chronologically according to Augustine’s life.   It is separated into five parts, each corresponding to significant portions of Augustine’s life:   his pagan life, his conversion, his actions against the Donatists, his actions against Pelagians, and his final legacy and death.   Each part opens with a chronological table of events both directly involving Augustine and the world he lived in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first part begins with â€Å"Africa,† a chapter detailing the section of northern Africa:   its Greco-Roman literary and political history, painting a picture of the world Augustine came from.   The next chapter, titled â€Å"Monica,† describes Augustine’s parents, particularly his mother, and their religious beliefs and socioeconomic status.   â€Å"Education,† the third chapter, is about the future bishop’s early education, focusing on his introduction to his favorite school subject, Latin literature.   T... ...uum:   Writing the ‘City of God,’† rather than just â€Å"City of God.†Ã‚   (This chapter is actually misprinted in the table of contents as â€Å"Opus Magnum† rather than â€Å"Magnum Opus,† a small error, but one easy enough to catch in proofreading, for this second paperback edition.   Also, Brown has a penchant for Latin or French phrases, inserted randomly to convey special meaning; this could be forgivable if they were translated or explained, even in the spacious footnotes:   they are not, leaving the layman reader frequently confused and agitated.   But, this book is not intended for the layman; it is a scholarly work, and most readers would be in his field of antiquity, and most probably know Latin, and be more acquainted with familiar French phrases.   Augustine of Hippo is not perfect, but it is an extremely good biography, being both exceedingly thorough and fully captivating.

Admission-Application essay

I often believe that women are the catalyst for nations’ development given equal rights to education, justice, occupation, suffrage and other services.   The silence and the vulnerability of women and children in developing countries like Zaire have awakened my drive to fight for the rights of the unheard and the helpless.Since childhood, I have always pictured a world where people are equal in rights and nobody is above the rest in terms of allocation of basic services, education, laws and job opportunities.   I have closely witnessed the unfair treatment to women and children who are often victims of human rights violation.   I have often wondered why there are more men in politics, schools and in the workplace.Silently, I have also questioned why society has embraced a system where women should remain at home and are not treated as important members of the society.   At a young age, I could not accept the discrimination in my country.   I understand that it is imp ossible for me to solve all the problems facing women and children but I know that something must be done.I have carefully studied my options in finding ways to be the voice that will awaken women in their important roles in the family, community and country.   One of the avenues that I have chosen was to work as a social worker.   To date, I am fulfilled in the profession that I have pursued.   Nothing is more rewarding than to see the helpless rise from poverty, oppression and discrimination.In my years of service, I have worked in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures to support individuals, families and groups within the community.   These settings include schools, hospitals, public sectors and organizations.I have also worked closely with the health and social care staff.   When I was involved with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), I have pushed for the integration of health and social work services for women and children in my country.   Together with a multidisciplinary team, I have worked on the family code of Zaire to give equal parental rights to both spouses.This has replaced the previous concept of paternal authority.   Both parents have the same duties to care for their children.   Women are given the right to marriage and choice of spouses.   They are also given the right to inherit.   Both women and men acquired legal capacity at the age of 18.   They are both equally free to enter into marriage with the consent of both future spouses.   Women and children are not required to perform forced or compulsory labor, except as provided for by law.Although there are still so much that remain to be done to give wives equal rights similar to their husbands, the family code is a step forward for Zairian women.   As a social worker, I have also worked to ameliorate the living conditions of women by making them self sufficient.Through livelihood training and seminars, wome n can now engage in a small business to alleviate them from poverty.   I have also supervised 300 people and became the agriculture and rural development counselor of the governor of Zaire.Other than having an undergraduate degree and license in Social Work, I have also earned a post Graduate degree in Nutrition in Belgium.Being of service to women and children in terms of poverty alleviation, educational provision and allocation of medical and health care services has always been my passion.   Now that I am already a US citizen, I would like to move to the Department of Social Work so I can continue my work as a social worker in a larger scale.After witnessing domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, delinquency and other social problems in the community, I felt that something should be done.   This has motivated me to become a social worker in the local and international community.I would like to advocate for social justice and be the voice for those who are deprived of thei r basic human rights.   With my utmost dedication and perseverance, I would like to see more women and children around the world living in contented and productive lives that are free of abuse and discrimination.

Political Science Coursework Essay

Newsmap 2A No, the intention of the news aggregator is to be biased because what they are presenting in the website is the biased pattern of news information and presentation. 2B According to them (the owners of the website), â€Å"it [the website] is thought to ironically accentuate the bias of it [news]† (Newsmap). They are biased in that they are showing the biased patterns of news information and presentation by showing the underlying connections and relationships between bits and pieces of news information and putting them altogether to present a tree map. Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 7:48 A.M 4A U.S. Nation: Suspect Arrested in Virginia Highway Shootings 4AA The alleged person responsible for the Highway Shootings in the state of Virginia was arrested by the state’s police department. Reports have confirmed that the suspect is a 19-year-old who is facing a criminal case due to another shooting that happened the day before that in Waynesboro. Slade Allen Woodson is also the singular suspect in the highway shootings in Charlottesville where six vehicles were hit and two people obtained minor injuries. Prior investigation led the police to trace a vehicle that was seen in surveillance tapes at the scene of the crime to be owned by Woodson. (Grynbaum) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 10:01 AM 4B U.S. Business: American to Resume Normal Schedule 4BB Due to inspection and repairs, American Airlines, Inc. was forced to cancel some of their flights yesterday. The airline conducted repairs for four of the planes yesterday morning and continued general plane inspections in the afternoon. According to the airline representative, almost half of the 300 planes needed modifications. Delta Airlines, Inc. has also completed plane inspections; however, they finished earlier than American allowing them to proceed with their Friday flight schedule. Southwest Airlines Co. and American Eagle also conducted the same inspection earlier than the aforementioned two. The inspection is part of the FAA’s program of aircraft safety checks. (East Bay Business Times) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 12:22 PM 4C U.S. Technology: Shuttle Crew Reflects on Marathon Mission 4CC The astronauts from the space shuttle Endeavor has landed earth last Wednesday night. The said mission, composed of seven astronauts, was the longest shuttle expedition. The astronauts shared their enjoyable experiences while they were still in the shuttle and also their trip to earth and their landing after staying for such a long time in space. They all agreed that they find it difficult to adjust to the gravity here on earth. Aside from their previous revelations, they also revealed their experiences while they were still in space. (Malik) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 10:05 AM 4D U.S. Health: U.S. to Study Drug for Suicide Links 4DD The alleged connection between Singulair and suicide stirred up investigation in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Singulair is product manufactured by Merck, which markets itself for allergies and asthma. Due to numerous attacks on the side effects of the drugs, Merck has placed great efforts in repackaging their product in order to include about several side effects, risks involved, anxiety and depression, etc. in the drug’s literature. The FDA focused on the case as soon as they received numerous reports from people who have used Singulair and have experienced dangerous side effects. The results of the study will be known after nine months of investigation. (The Associated Press) 5 I cannot help but think about the politics involved between business advertising and the media. In the article â€Å"American to Resume Normal Schedule,† there seems to be substantial evidence that proves the link between businesses and media. From the title of the article itself, the article is supposed to be informing the public of the flight schedules in the American Airlines, Inc. Moreover, the article is supposed to reveal why there were flight cancellations and the company should have used the media opportunity to apologize for any inconveniences that they might have caused to the public. These, I think, should have been the content of the article because of its title, and because of the need to inform the public about the issues behind the flight cancellations. However, the article was used as an advertising strategy for the aircraft business, especially the Oakland International Airport (OIA). First, three airlines who serve OIA were mentioned in the article; especially their efforts to adhere to the safety check programs of the FAA. Second, despite added information that the FAA is conducting safety checks for all major airlines, only the airlines that are connected with OIA were mentioned. Third, since Southwest Airlines Co. is the most dominant carrier among the three making it the most bankable airline, it is only strategic to market other airlines, such as the American Airlines, Inc. Thus, the title and that impression that it is trying to exude. 6 Yes, in a political society, being aware of the news and current events is important. 6A Basing from my response to the article about American Airlines, Inc. and advertising, being aware of all the current information that is going on nowadays is very important, especially when looking at a particular issue in a 360-degree angle, because it is instrumental in reading between the lines and understanding what is really going in society. Through the news, people are able to see the politics there is in all aspects of society. Buzztracker 7A The primary objective of Buzztracker is to utilize global news releases to present an illustration of locations that are interrelated. Although places in the world are separated by distance, the buzztracker shows their connection through a diagram and through the news that these countries share. (Buzztracker) 7B Date Accessed: Saturday, March 29, 2008: 12:25 PM Most Prominent Location: Washington 7C The news event that brings Washington to the forefront is the issue published by Express India, wherein it advocated the support the Bush administration should give to the new Pakistani government. For some, this would somehow alleviate harsh judgments on the U.S. government by its relationship with previous Pakistani president, which was tainted with dishonesty and misgivings. The Bush administration’s ability to lean towards democracy and help Pakistan could change how people see the U.S. government. 7D The buzztracker is a great help in understanding the significance of one location to others. It keeps people on track about the global community and gives them a clear understanding of what is happening in society by relating it to external situations outside the country. The top Location is significant in world affairs it enters the news because of the significant role it is playing the world. Washington is the seat of the U.S. government, which we all know is active and influential in almost all parts of the world. Works Cited The Associated Press. (28 March 2008). â€Å"U.S. to Study Drug for Suicide Links.† Retrieved from The New York Times Company. 29 March 2008. . Buzztracker. (2007). â€Å"Buzztracker.† Retrieved from Craig Mod. 29 March 2008. . East Bay Business Times. (28 March 2008). â€Å"American to Resume Normal Schedule.† Retrieved from the American City Business Journals, Inc. 29 March 2008. . Grynbaum, Michael. M. (29 March 2008). â€Å"Suspect Arrested in Virginia Highway Shootings.† Retrieved from The New York Times Company. 29 March 2008. < http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/us/29cnd-virginia.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin> Malik, Tariq. (27 March 2008). â€Å"Shuttle Crew Reflects on Marathon Mission.† Retrieved from Microsoft. 29 March 2008. . Newsmap. (2008). â€Å"Newsmap.† Retrieved from Markos Weskamp. 29 March 2008. .

A Writer’s Worst Writing Experience

When a sales man cannot sell anything, when a basketball player cannot shoot hoops or when a painter cannot paint, the worst experience that any professional can have in the performance of his or her work is the inability to execute the same, which practically defeats the very essence of the profession. In the same token, a writer’s worst experience is the incapacity to write when the writer has nothing to write about. This occurs basically for two reasons: First is when the topic to be written about has no resource and second, when the writer especially creative writers, has no source of inspiration or objective to write about. Writers conduct extensive research for the papers that they prepare. Whether a review of related literature or previous studies conducted on the topic of interest or an interpretation of an empirical observation or a summary of qualitative interview or statistical data, written documents must always have a basis whether from authoritative references or simple scientific observation. This is especially important for written documents that proposes an idea or urges its audience into action such as all forms of academic papers, advertisements or propaganda. In our modern world, the primary approach used in generating ideas is the scientific method of observable investigation and experimentation in generating conclusions. (Payne, G. and Payne, J. , 2004). In philosophy however, two major schools of thought basically delineate Epistemology or the study of human knowledge. Aside from the empirical approach that posits that perception is the prime source of knowledge on which is based the scientific approach, there is rationalism. Rationalism is principally founded on the Platonic philosophy that adhered that the mind or soul is ultimately the human faculty that interacts with the real world of abstract concepts from which is derived tangible particulars i. e. the factual world via the deductive process. (Engel, S. , 2001). This intangible reality is beyond our perception and can be attained through contemplation and reason. Following this idea, writers can also write original topics or ideas by reflection. Whilst in a derogatory sense, writers can actually generate ideas by philosophizing in a vacuum. Pragmatists however added that such philosophical writing must have practical purpose. Descartes’ Skeptical approach used doubting as the process of inquiry that allows a person to obtain relative certainty. The process of contemplation and reflection brings us to the next chief reason for having nothing to write about which is the lack of inspiration. Contemplation and reflection is difficult if not impossible if writers lack inspiration or objective. In the case of Descartes, his objective to prove the logical intuition of one’s existence and certification of one’s consciousness through self experience served as his inspiration. It is not a simple rational inquiry but is focused on discovery of the foundation of knowledge. For creative writers, the source of inspiration can be about anything i. e. a person, object, experience or a simple thought. This results to written forms of art such as poetry, stories or other written expressions of emotions and thoughts. However unlike other forms of art like painting or sculpture, writing as an art must always be geared to communicate ideas/ notions and express emotions. Hardly are there written forms of art that is for pure aesthetics or is created for its own sake. This is because writing is the textual representation of communication in which ideas are at its core. Without idea or message, there is no communication. In writing, this idea is tantamount to the topic. Without the topic, there is no writing. Thus, having no reference, source of such topic or the lack of inspiration to source that topic is the worst experience that a writer can ever have.

If only God had made Adam & Steve, instead of Adam & Eve

In â€Å"Let Gays Marry,† Andrew Sullivan responds to conservative objections to same-sex marriages, by arguing that allowing such unions would actually promote traditional values, such as fidelity, monogamy, and love. It should logically appeal to straight conservatives, who deplore gay male promiscuity, that the declaration of Supreme Court: â€Å"A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws,† now assigns equal rights to gays and lesbians. Andrew Sullivan is a senior editor at The New Republic, a magazine he edited from 1991 to 1996, and the U. S. columnist for the Sunday Times of London. He has a B. A. in modern history and modern languages from Oxford University and a Ph. D. in political science from Harvard University. He lives in Washington, D. C. The real problem is that there are really only three arguments against gay marriage: One is rooted in entirely God's preferences, the second cites inconclusive research on its negative effects on children, and third, the integrity of a marriage as a legal document. Sullivan effectively presents his case in a very logical fashion, calmly displaying his points, and using a statement declared by the United States Supreme Court, under which no gay men or lesbians will be considered strangers in America. They (Gays) are human beings just like you and I, â€Å"the sons and daughters of countless mothers and 2 fathers,† and should have the same opportunities to pursue happiness by marrying the one that they love. A natural process, where two people fall in love and decide to get married, is not any different for gay people. Therefore legalizing gay marriages does not provide gays with any special rights or place in America, but instead people will consider them to be an equal part of the society. The main idea is homosexuals should have the right to get married legally. Sullivan does not want churches to make any change in their practice, but to allow everyone to be who he/she is, a principle that the United States was created on. Plus, the concept of marriage has changed within the past one hundred years. The inter-caste and the inter-religion marriages which were once prohibited or forbidden between couples, has now become socially acceptable. Gay marriages do not change anyone else's rights or marriages in any way. Marriage is not just about raising children because the fact that many notable â€Å"childless heterosexual couples† exist in today's society, such as Bob Dole and his wife Elizabeth Dole, etc. Sullivan concludes by telling the general public to accept homosexual marriages and the fact that they will not be the turning point for the downfall of all society. Although I agree with Sullivan when he says, legalizing gay unions would not change anyone's right to marriage, I find Bennett's view more powerful, that it would weaken the institution of marriage, and contradict natural, moral, religious, and sexual realities. After reading Sullivan's article, I question his credibility, as he didn't provide enough evidence to get his point through. His approach toward his readers is with a lot of pathos, rather than logos. For example, when he states â€Å"And what we 3 seek is not a special place in America†¦ o give back to our society,† it is not clear as to what he means by giving back. When he argues about the definition of marriage, Sullivan fails to see the change, which was brought about for the welfare of the people (inter-caste marriages, inter-religion marriages, etc. ), consisted of a â€Å"man† and a â€Å"woman†, not two men, or two women. I would have agreed to the assertion, â€Å"the most simple, the most natural, and the most human instinct,† if it was used to prove the relationship between a male and a female. But using it to persuade about the same sex marriage doesn't cheer me up. To answer the question of whether gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry, the question of why the institution of marriage is valued so dearly in society today must be answered. To do this, the meaning of the word marriage must be found, remembering that there are different levels in which marriage can be interpreted and/or evaluated. As with many other issues, when one tries to define the word marriage and its repercussions in society, several fundamental questions arise that must be answered in order to get a better understanding of the issue in question. Questions like: What is marriage defined as? In Webster's Dictionary, marriage is defined as â€Å"The institution whereby men and women are joined in special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. † This concept seems to have been perpetuated throughout history, one man and one woman joined â€Å"till death do them part. † Keeping the above points in view, same sex marriages defy the laws of Christianity, and it is immoral in the eyes of society. Homosexuality in almost all countries has been looked down upon, and sometimes condemned. This opposition stems from the Holy 4 Bible. The couple in the Garden of Eden was a man and a woman, not two men or two women. If God intended two men or two women to be together, he would have put them in the Garden of Eden, giving them both the ability to have children. But that didn't happen. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, for the procreation of life. God wanted man and woman to reproduce with one another in order for the human race to continue. Today, adoption has taken a turn for the worse; Gay and Lesbian couples who cannot have their own children are adopting kids. I see this as one of the concerned problems. What kind of message are these kids getting? That homosexuality is all right. Moreover, the impact of this move can be devastating on the children as they grow up. For example, they might have to face a lot of challenges, like people taunting them, name calling, making fun, etc. Homosexuality is rejected by all major religions around the globe, but Andrew Sullivan still believes that promiscuity in homosexual relationships can show heterosexual couples that adultery doesn't have to end their marriage. The Bible states, â€Å"Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. † Thus, a 4000 year old book had an answer to the question being asked today. i. e. = Same Sex Marriage– Ethical or Unethical?

The Matrix and how it relates to philosophical issues raised with Essay

The Matrix and how it relates to philosophical issues raised with skeptism and the mind body problem - Essay Example When Neo, A computer programmer, learns this, he rebels against the machines together with other people who are now free in the real world, from a dream world. The movie involves many references of hacker subculture and cyberpunk, where religious and philosophical ideas like evil genius, Rene Descartes, Vat Brain Cave’s Allegory and Homanages like Spaghetti Western, Japanese animation, and dystopian fiction. However, does the film relate to philosophical issues raised with Skeptics and the mind body problems? Many philosophical issues are dealt with in the matrix as it touches on many and different topics of philosophy. It is therefore philosophically relevant since some colleges that offer philosophy also focus on this film during the study. However, the first film was the executed, unlike the second and third, which people felt disappointed with (Meinhold 55). Matrix film is very interesting as it mixes Eastern and Western philosophy. The ancient Vedas gives the main point where all human beings are explained under the illusion of the spell of Maya. The Supreme God’s personality, energy of Krishna, is this Maya and that is what covers the entity that is living from their real identity and reality and leaves him thinking of themselves as very happy as they live in ignorance, irrespective of the condition they maybe in. this is shown when Cypher tells the agent that artificial intelligence is what cheats people while they are sleeping, and also acts as an agent of cover potency. The film is not very specific, since anyone can say it supports his point of view as well as prove it. Some people believe that every machine represents a corrupt multinational corporation or government. This is supported by the fact that we created them, we cannot control them, and they now control us, but many of us are not free because they feed us off (Meinhold 74). He adds that in order to fight them, one has to use deals that have

Financial crises between 2007 2010 (about Dubai) Essay

Financial crises between 2007 2010 (about Dubai) - Essay Example Buildings like the Burj Khalifa remained largely unoccupied. In 2009, Dubai suggested that it may not be able to pay the impending six month interest payments on its loans. Abu Dhabi then came to its rescue with a $ 10 billion bailout. In the year 2009, Dubai stumbled into a debt crisis. During the years of economic boom before 2008, the investment arm of Dubai, Dubai World had borrowed heavily. It had racked up more than $ 59 billion in debt. Dubai World had borrowed hugely to invest in lavish projects in Dubai. These included Las Vegas casino style glittering properties and a giant island that was shaped like a palm tree; besides the tallest building in the world: the Burj Khalifa. Nakheel is the real estate developer owned by Dubai World, the investment arm of the state of Dubai. Prominent among the constructions of Nakheel are palm-shaped islands and the Atlantis Hotel. $ 3.52 billion of the Islamic bonds of Nakheel also became due and Nakheel had no liquidity to pay them off. It was part of one of the largest tranches of Islamic bonds that Nakheel had sold to Western investors (Landon Thomas Junior, 2009). The investors had no idea that Dubai was facing a risk of default. A week before Dubai announced its possible incapacity to pay the interests on bonds, the bonds were trading at a 10% premium on their face value. After the announcement they were trading at a discount of 50% on their face value. The total debt of Dubai is distributed among a number of different state owned companies. Majority of these companies are owned by the three main investment arms of the state of Dubai. These three investment arms are: When the global financial crisis started and the property market in United States and around the world crashed, Dubai found itself left with an abundance of costly real estate that no one wanted to buy or rent. Dubai had to request that the impending six

Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release Essay - 6

Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release - Essay Example After about two weeks, the first borehole reached the survivors (Malone, 1986). According to the Reuters, all the thirty three workers were alive. These people are able to receive emergency lights and rations to stave off the darkness. The company rescue workers are making efforts to getting to a way in which they can pull one by one of the trapped miners to the service. They have estimated the period to about just four months. These miners are supplied with tuna, milk cracks and morsel. Their extreme discipline as the company’s employees has made them survive the incident (Rosssou, 2012). The company is putting efforts to establishing safety measures to the employees. The global press coverage centers put their efforts to rescuing the trapped miners alive, the Chilean mining authorities and al over the world mining authorities; they are trying to put the workers lives at great peril by systematically cutting safety corners. Additionally, the government is aiming at controlling the private mining to ensure safety and health risks to their employees. Generally, the government agencies are working to promote mining investments in our company. On the other hand, the owner of the company has taken an action by taking some short dangerous shortcuts for the safety of the workers. The local worker unions through the introduction of ventilation ducts tunnel reinforcement emergency exits and safety lodges have been enforced for the safety of the employees. The company president has come out with various authorities and the state agency has taken the responsibility for the mini ng safety in the Chilean mining company. The mining minister has also called out for a full investigation of the Chilean collapsing accident (Rosssou, 2012). In that case, there is enough safety for the employees within the Chilean mining company. This shall be done by both the company and the government. There would be more

Analysis Of My Antonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis Of My Antonia - Essay Example But as the story progresses and he comes to understand the reality of the situation, he shows his appreciation for immigrants like Antonia by stating –‘One result of this family solidarity was that the foreign farmers in our county were the first to become prosperous". As Jim blossoms in his youth, he undergoes a lot of changes in his life especially the areas where his personal life is concerned. His experiences in the West are interwoven with his academic education which is what makes the story all the more interesting.Antonia to Jim is someone whom he respects and loves a lot. In fact, Jim’s memoir is titled ‘My Antonia’ and is dedicated to her, proving the depth of his admiration and love for her. His memoir is not just about the story of his childhood and his experiences but it focuses on Antonia and what she had meant to him. The beauty of this memoir lies in the ambiguity of love. Jim’s feelings and emotions towards Antonia are very stro ng and though he does admit his deep love for her, yet it does not explicitly advertise it. Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life.... Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life. The following lines testify Jim’s feelings for Antonia -"I'd have liked to have you for a sweetheart, or a wife, or my mother or my sister – anything that a woman can be to a man" (4.4.7).   Antonia’s influence over Jim helps to change his life. The impact is clearly evident when Jim states -"You influence my likes and dislikes, all my tastes, hundreds of times when I don't realize it. You really are a part of me" (4.4.7) Both Antonia and Jim have opposing characteristics. While Antonia is strong and decisive, Jim is mor e emotional, passive and indecisive. All the above points show that Antonia represents a part of his past which was simple, pure and innocent. Representing yet another part of his life which is his adolescence and adulthood is the character of Mr. Shimerda who was the father of Antonia, Marek, Ambrosch, and Yulka well. He was an intelligent and dignified gentleman who loved his life in Bohemia and hated his new life in America. Mr. Shimerda became heart broken because he could not adjust to the hard life on the farm. Jim took a great liking to Mr. Shimerda because he understood the sadness and exhaustion that he was experiencing by feeling alone in this world. Jim admired Mr. Shimerda and was

Privatization of State Owned Enterprises Research Proposal

Privatization of State Owned Enterprises - Research Proposal Example Governments in developed countries (e.g. Britain and Japan) started privatizing SOEs in the early 1980s; by the late 1980s it had become apparent that a privatization revolution would sweep the world (Young, 1987). While the bulk of privatizations during the past decade occurred in developed countries, in recent years the emphasis has shifted to developing countries (The Economist, 1993). In these countries, capital markets can hardly absorb the large amounts of privatized equity, and governments are offering to sell SOEs to western multinationals as strategic owners (The Economist, 1993; Ramamurti, 1992). In addition, these countries look to western multinational enterprises for managerial and technical know-how. This trend creates possibilities for growth and entry into countries whose economies are currently expanding faster than most developed economies. While privatization in the 1980s created opportunities for portfolio investments, the 1990s also promise the control of privati zed firms through mergers and acquisitions (Freudenberg and Bird, 1991; Nankani, 1990; Ramamurti, 1992). For these reasons, privatization is considered here to be an international management concern. Empirical research and theory on direct investment into former SOEs, unfortunately, is scant. Economists generally agree that reducing government ownership of companies improves the macro-performance of an economy, and they also expect that a competitive environment and market discipline should increase the efficiency of the privatized firm (Donahue, 1989; Hutchinson, 1991; Ramamurti, 1992; Vickers and Yarrow, 1988). Empirical research on this latter point, however, has yielded conflicting results (Cook and Kirkpatrick, 1988; Hutchinson, 1991; Parker and Hartley, 1991). Strategic management research considering the performance of the SOE after it is acquired by a private firm is missing entirely. No mergers and acquisitions work has yet considered the purchase of SOEs, nor have researchers examined the conceptual relationship between traditional mergers and the acquisition of an enterprise from the government. On the one hand, the public/private shift inherent in privatization might imply that acquisition processes work differently for privately and publicly owned firms. The strategy, structure, and culture of the public organization can be expected to differ significantly from those of private firms because of the often special missions of SOEs and distinct environments in which they may be operating (Aharoni, 1986). Since post-acquisition integration processes are determined by the historic conditions of the merging firms (Nahavandi and Malekzadeh, 1988; Shrivastava, 1986), these differences may crucially influence the success of a merger between a private firm and a newly privatized SOE. The pre-acquisition conditions of the target also influence performance (Datta et al., 1992), and thus the distinctive contingencies of the SOE can be expected to affect post-acquisition performance as well. Furthermore, the objectives of a government selling an SOE are as much political -- that is, cat ering to specific stakeholder groups, for instance current employees of the SOE -- as economic, a fact that should significantly affect the negotiations and may also determine the post-privatization performance of the former SOE. Only recently has the strategic management literature begun to examine the implications of government policy for