Luxury Brands Essay

Luxury Brands: What Are They Doing About Social Responsibility? David S. Waller, Marketing Discipline Group, University of Technology Sydney Anurag G. Hingorani, Marketing Discipline Group, University of Technology Sydney Abstract Although luxury goods may be synonymous with extravagance, lavishness, and even waste, it may appear to be a contradiction that a number of companies that manufacture and sell luxury brands have also discovered the value of being socially responsible. With growing criticism of the high costs and exploitation in the manufacture of luxury goods, some companies are increasing the extent to which corporate social responsibility and sustainability issues feature in their business practices. This paper will look at the issues regarding luxury brands and social responsibility, and will focus on LVMH Moà «t Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world‟s largest luxury goods conglomerate. Introduction Despite the recent global financial crisis and continuing economic troubles worldwide, sales of luxury brands are growing. According to the Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study, luxury spending in 2011 rose 8% to â‚ ¬185 billion ($US274 billion) in 2011, with growth in the US, Europe and China, which was after a fall in sales in 2008 and 2009 (Holmes 2011). Brand names like Chanel, Yves St Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. have become household names and brands that some people aspire to purchase and wear. However, luxury brands have also been often criticised for being extravagant, overpriced, exploiting third world suppliers, and wasteful when many people are struggling financially. As luxury brands promote themselves to the global audience, some companies are increasing the extent to which corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability issues feature in their business practices. This paper will explore the issues related to luxury brands and social responsibility, with a particular focus on LVMH Moà «t Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world‟s largest luxury goods conglomerate which includes internationally recognised brands such as Christian Dior, TAG Heuer, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Guerlain, Kenzo and Givenchy. A content analysis of the 2010 Annual report will reveal the CSR initiatives/activities undertaken by LVMH and some implications for CSR disclosure will be discussed. Background Since some embarrassing corporate ethical and financial disasters, many organisations are taking steps to improve their corporate governance, ethical practice and CSR activities (Agrawal and Chadha, 2005; Margolis and Walsh, 2001). There has been particular interest in CSR, in which there is a â€Å"concern for the impact of all of the corporation’s activities on the total welfare of society† (Bowman and Haire, 1976, p. 13). CSR activities and disclosure have increased with organisations identifying different types of CSR initiatives that they undertake, including those that relate to work output, HR activities, social/community commitment, and environmental initiatives (Gray, Owen and Maunders, 1987; Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006; Waller 2009; Waller and Lanis, 2009). These CSR activities can help promote a specific image that management would like to portray to its various stakeholders, and counter criticism for other issues that may affect the company. The luxury industry thrives on the creation of an image and the communication of brandassociations. This contributes to the interest in luxury brands by many consumers who might want to portray a particular image or feel a certain way by acquiring and consuming luxury goods and services. Not only consumers but also academic and industry researchers are  interested in luxury brands (Bendell and Kleanthous 2007; Fionda and Moore 2009; Kapferer and Bastien 2009; Phau and Prendergast 2000). Most consumers prefer to purchase a wellknown, reputable brand over a cheaper, unknown brand, especially when making highinvolvement purchases, or products that reflect a buyer‟s personality. Luxury provides selfexpression which reflects class, status, and quality. However, at a time when there is increasing unemployment, economic troubles around the world, and a downturn in sales, there is a concern that a luxury brand is elitist and uncaring for the wider community. In 2007, the WWF-UK measured 10 luxury brands on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance – and the brands did not fair well (Bendell and Kleanthous 2007). In relation to the marketing of luxury brands in a world of rich and poor, the report states: â€Å"Luxury brands are experiencing rapid expansion in societies that contain both very rich and very poor people. Such societies can view displays of conspicuous consumption as a threat to social cohesion. This is true, for example, in China, where the authorities in Beijing have banned the use of billboards to advertise luxury products and services. In this context, the credibility of luxury products and services will be derived from their ability to generate wellbeing, not only for consumers, but also for those involved in (or affected by) their production, use, reuse and disposal.† The report ranked the top 10 largest luxury goods companies on an environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance ranking. This was based on: (1) what the companies report to the community; and (2) what media and non-governmental organisations have said about the companies. The companies were given a score out of 100, and graded from A (the best) to F (the worst). Out of the 10 companies, none were graded more than a C+ with L’Oreal topping the ranking, followed by Hermà ¨s and Louis Vuitton. By being more proactive in their civic responsibilities and keeping within government regulations in their business operations, an organisation can build a reputation as a good corporate citizen. Some CSR activities that luxury brands can undertake include eco-friendly ingredient sourcing, fair pricing, eco-manufacture, and efficient non-wasteful distribution, as well as corporate sponsorship. This study will examine the CSR activities run by LVMH Moà «t Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world‟s largest luxury goods conglomerate, via a content analysis of the LVMH 2010 Annual Report. The main company information about LVMH is found in Table 1. Table 1: LVMH Moà «t Hennessy Louis Vuitton Company Information Luxury goods, retail Industry Founded Headquarters Products Brands 1987 Paris, France Clothing, cosmetics, fashion accessories, jewellery, perfumes, spirits, watches and wines Includes: Moà «t et Chandon, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Fendi, Donna Karan, Givenchy, Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot, DFS, Le Bon Marchà © â‚ ¬20.32 billion â‚ ¬3.032 billion 83,540 Methodology Organisations can communicate their CSR information through a variety of sources such as advertising, annual reports, public relations and their websites. In this study, the annual report was analysed as this is the only document produced regularly to comply with regulatory requirements and is central to the organisation‟s own image (Gray, Kouhy and Lavers 1995). After finding the LVMH 2010 annual report online from the company website (www.lvmh.com), a search was made for a social responsibility section in the report.

Ap Us History Project

Read, Watch, or Listen (RWL) Project AP US HISTORYName: Directions: Each RWL project will consist of two sections. First, you will choose a source that relates to each of our units in United States history (read a book/portion of a primary source, watch a movie, or listen to an ITunes University lecture). Second, you will either answer five analysis questions or write a reflection paper based upon your source. Unit 1: Formation of Colonies – Colonial Wars (1607-1763) Unit 2: Revolution – Constitution (1763-1789)Unit 3: Early National Period, War of 1812, Era of Good Feelings (1789-1814) Unit 4: Jacksonian Democracy, Antebellum reform movements, and sectional tensions (1814-1850) Unit 5: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1870) Unit 6: Gilded Age (1870-1900) Unit 7: New Imperialism, Progressivism, and WWI (1900-1919) Unit 8: Interwar Period: Roaring Twenties, Jazz Age, and Great Depression (1920-1939) Unit 9: WWII, Start of Cold War, 1950’s Conformity (1939-1959) Unit 10: Turbulent 1960’s, Cold War continued, 1970’s (1960-1979) Unit 11: Reagan Revolution, End of Cold War, Modern United States (1980-2000)Rubric/Directions for Analysis Questions: APUSH – RWL ProjectNameType of Source: Book, Movie, or LectureDateName of Book, Movie, or Lecture 1. Introduction (1-2 sentences) – What is the topic/theme in American history in your book, movie, or lecture? What year(s) did your source cover? (10%) 2. Brief Summary (1-2 paragraphs) (15%) 3. Identify the Thesis (1-3 sentences) – What was the overall main idea and thesis of your source? (15%) 4. Analysis (2-4 paragraphs) – Based upon your knowledge of American history, was your source’s portrayal of its particular time period — Effective?Accurate? Exaggerated? Biased? (50%) 5. Conclusion (1-4 sentences) – Did you enjoy reading, watching, or listening to your source? If there was evidence of bias or inaccuracies, how could your source be im proved or corrected? (10%)| Rubric/Directions for Reflection Paper: Format(10 points)| 1. ___ typed – size: 12, font: Times New Roman 2. ___ at least two pages 3. ___ double spaced 4. ___ 1 inch margins 5. ___ name, date, and title of source (Iecture, movie, or literary)| Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation(10 points)| 1. __ correct grammar 2. ___ correct spelling 3. ___ correct punctuation 4. ___ appropriate word choice and syntax | Thesis/Introduction(10 points)| 1. ___ clear and concise thesis statement that accomplishes the following tasks: a. introduces the main idea of your source (ITunes U lecture, writing, or movie) b. provides your thoughts on the subject c. Provides categories for analysis (body paragraphs 2 and 3)| 1st Body Paragraph(20 points)| 1. ___ provides a brief summary of your source (ITunes U lecture, writing, or movie) 2. __ 8 sentence minimum| 2nd Body Paragraph(20 points)| 1. ___ elaborate on the main idea of your source and provide your analysis on the topic 2. ___ 8 sentence minimum| 3rd Body Paragraph(20 points)| 1. ___ was it historically accurate? Exaggerated? Bias? How could the inaccuracies be corrected? 2. ___ 8 sentence minimum| Conclusion(10 points)| 1. ___ conclude your essay logically by reiterating your thesis and evaluation| Annotated Bibliography| 1. ___ *** If you do outside research to determine the historical accuracy of your source, you must cite it using MLA***|

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 2

Business Plan - Essay Example to everything in life: whatever is fast requires something slow, it emphasizes yin and yang balance, a relaxation, static and dynamic binding.Tai Chi Center will try to help people absorb knowledge from our ancestors, and understand the wisdom to find a healthy and happy lifestyle, and share them with others. The purpose of the Tai Chi Center is to help people interested in its practices to enjoymental and health benefits.The Tai Chi Center will also reach out to the rest of the community. It will also serve as a bridge to help people from different countries learn about the culture of Tai Chi and integrateChinese culture toAmerican culture. Furthermore, theTCC will cultivate excellent athletes to participate in international competition to win national prestige andpromote theculture of Tai Chi. When people practice Tai Chi, they can improve cardiac health (special for people with a history of coronary artery disease);promote cardiovascular function and energy metabolism;increase the ability to resist disease; relieve psychological stressto prevent the occurrence of physiological disorders;improve older peoples mood, thinking, personality, memory, and motion stability, and can improve everyone’s quality of sleep. The TCC can achieve these goals with three important aspects: To understand what is the origin of Tai Chi, people should understand the meaning of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is taixu. The world â€Å"tai† stands for absolute vastness. The other word,â€Å"Chi† or â€Å"qi†, means emptiness. Therefore, taixu describes the environment of emptiness where there is a void. However, it is in this void that there is the true existence of qi( internal energy). This kind of energy reaches everywhere and changes of the universe and real driving force of all movement just like air we breathe to survive. Tai Chi is a way to describe the emergence of yang (positive energy) when qi is in motion, and the settlement of yin (negative energy) when qi stays motionless. This is the

Wealth disparity and effects of long-term Unemployment on the United Essay

Wealth disparity and effects of long-term Unemployment on the United States Economy - Essay Example It is important to undertake a critical analysis of unemployment in respect of the article to establish the effects this has on the entire economy of US and any other nation.This article explores the varuios employment related economic issues. It is also importasant to note that the author gives a vivid description of the consequences of unemploymdent and the indirect challenges it will pose on the wealth disparity among citizens. 1.0 Introduction Unemployment is a situation where a person is able and willing to perform tasks or work but is unable to find a job. However, there is no clear definition of long-term unemployment. economists define a period of six to twelve months as a long-term unemployment period. This is when an individual is unwillingly unemployed. Several factors lead to long-term unemployment; some of these factors are facilitated by economic changes such as economic recession, an individual not willing to work or dynamic technological changes (Hollander,2011,45). P reviously, the United States’ labor market had short periods of unemployment for most workers who were jobless; they would be easily absorbed into the labor market. Even though jobless workers especially the elderly had a long unemployment period, the level of long-term was less comparing to other countries. The rise in the long-term unemployment and unemployment rates has severe human, social, and economic costs. Wealth disparity, also known as wealth gap or inequality, refers to state of uneven distribution of financial assets among citizens of the United States of America. Wealth includes automobiles, value of homes, savings, investments and businesses. Those who have a great deal of financial assets have primarily acquired them by appreciation of fiscal portfolios. Hence, financial wealth involves mutual funds, stocks, as well as other investments. Thus, there is a greater wealth inequality than basic net worth disparities (Lubik, 2010,20). Statistics show that the top te n percent possess eighty percent of all financial wealth and the bottom ninety percent only hold twenty percent of all financial assets.Employment plays a vital role in determining the amount of economic wealth hence the observed disparity. 2.0 Discussion Unemployment is risky to the country’s economy and to other countries worldwide as well, with some costs of unemployment being levied to the society such as exchequer cost due to unemployment and social cost. While the short term unemployment may or may not have implications on an individual, long term unemployment may have a demoralizing effect to an individual. Long-term unemployment causes negative effects to individuals. Some of the most common effects include financial difficulties, health related diseases, psychological problems, boredom, idleness, losing close friends and relatives and eventually depression. Severe long-term unemployment results are mostly seen in the disadvantaged in the society. The unemployed are w asted resources, and they also waste resources meant for humanity. It is a life full of unhappiness and sorrow as unemployed individuals live in suffering and poverty; economically, human labor is devalued. The social results from unemployment lead to rise of rebellious groups, riots, family breaks, divorce and some cases of death (Hollander,2011,45). The impact of the recession shows in the United States and many countries where long-term unemployment majorly impacts the male. During the recession, construction and manufacturing industries were affected by unemployment. In the United State wealth, ownership has been concentrated in the small minority population due to their well grounded employment status. The minority

Money and Banking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Money and Banking - Assignment Example The capital asset pricing model functions on the assumption that all the involved stocks in the investment portfolio are risk-averse. The investors who apply the model in the determination of stock portfolio are price takers. Stock price can never be predicted with certainty because of the volatility of the economic environment. Additionally, the prices of different companies are independent of each other. The economic dynamism does not favor all stock. This explains that the ‘hot’ stock tips are not valuable. During a financial crisis, there is a liquidity problem. The problem requires the acquisition of sufficient funds to resolve the crisis. The repurchase of the shares of the commercial banks is not prudent. An increase in the return on equity reflects the high performance of a bank. Good performance indicates that the senior executives are running the bank in an efficient and effective manner. The return on equity indicates the marginal return of the use of the shareholders holding in the bank. The market conditions do not favor only specific performer. The market is usually dynamic given the fact that the market players face unsystematic risks in the course of their operations. This makes different firms emerge winners in different

Seasonal Decomposition Output Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Seasonal Decomposition Output - Essay Example 1. An insurance company is examining its automobile collision claims in order to understand what factors might contribute to the size of a claim. It analyzes data from 40 claims, including the year and model of the car, the age of the driver, the weather conditions, and other information from the police report. Considering what you have studied so far in BUS 305, suggest an analytical process that would be appropriate for the insurance company to use to predict the size of a claim. Support your suggestion with explanations.   Regression analysis is the most appropriate analytical process that would help predict the size of the claim. The analytical process is appropriate since it estimates the relationship between the variables   2. Exhibit 3 provides time series data. Create a time series plot of this data. In your essay, describe the features you find and explain which of these four forecasting methods—linear trend, nonlinear trend, seasonal decomposition, or simple exponential smoothing—would be best suited for forecasting.   The values of Y exhibit an upward trend i.e. the values have maintained a steady increase thus the linear trend would be more appropriate to be used for the forecasting purposes. The forecasting equation for the linear trend model is given as:   Where  is the time index? The parameters  and  (the "intercept" and "slope" of the trend line) are usually estimated via a simple regression in which Y is the dependent variable and the time index t is the independent variable.

Susan B Anthony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Susan B Anthony - Essay Example In 1838, her father lost his cotton mill business because of the financial depression in the United States, and in the spring of 1839 he had to sell their house. They moved to a town called Hardscrabble. In the spring of 1840, she went to teach at a boarding school near New York City. While Susan was teaching, she heard people talking about getting rid of slavery. She agreed with this idea, just like her father did. She believed that all people were equal. In 1849, when Susan came back home to Rochester, her father had started inviting over his friends who were interested in talking about the achievement of making free slavery state. She listened to her father and to others who wanted to finish slavery from the society. During the 1850s, the plan of getting rid of slavery was becoming an essential issue. The people in the North were against slavery, while on the other hand, the people in the South wanted to keep slavery. Those who were against slavery were called abolitionists. A lot of abolitionists were invited to the farm for a meeting. They all supported Susan in her work for women's rights. "In 1852, Anthony joined with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer in campaigning for women's suffrage and equal pay. She also served in the American Anti-Slavery Society, and challenged barriers to female leadership in temperance societies and educational associations. Following the Civil War, Stanton and Anthony focused their efforts on voting rights, in hopes that suffrage for women and blacks could be linked in a groundbreaking constitutional amendment." Feminist leader http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/2.html (Accessed January 18, 2006) She helped the administration of President Abraham Lincoln by forming the Women's Loyal League. In 1856, the abolitionists motivated Susan to classify, write and deliver speeches for a movement against slavery. In 1865, their efforts would pay off with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Even though the slaves were free they didn't get the right to vote. In addition to Susan's fight to end slavery, she joined the Women's State Temperance Society in New York. Both men and women could join. Soon men started to take over the society, so Susan resigned as leader of the group. That was the end of her work with the temperance movement; she began working for women's rights. "In 1866 Anthony joined with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone to help establish the American Equal Rights Association. The following year, the organization became active in Kansas where Negro suffrage and women's suffrage was to be decided by popular vote. However, both ideas were rejected at the polls." Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted both the abolitionist and the women's right group to get combine for good results. Unluckily, the abolitionists did not want to work for women to have the right to vote. (Just as before, many of the women's suffragists did not care to get their cause tangled up with abolition.) Susan and Elizabeth were back where they had started twenty years before and focused their efforts on women's rights in order to raise money. Susan B. Anthony in politics In 1868 Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton established the political weekly, The Revolution and the Fourteenth Amendment was passed. This amendment affirmed that all people who were born or naturalized in the United States

Issue facing texas Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issue facing texas - Research Paper Example A part from education, there are some other issues that must also be addressed in Texas. These issues involve poverty, budget and tax payment. These issues have been there for long time but there are current reforms that have been put in place in orders to control these challenges. Education policy (university & colleges) There have been many challenges that are affecting the education sector in Texas. Some have been there for long while others have been caused by the current legislation and the type of education system that have been put in place. One of the major issues facing Texas colleges and university education is the lack of funds for both the students and the schools. The cost of colleges and universities are very high in Texas. This blocks many students from pursuing there postsecondary schools courses. In the past, the cost of colleges was average. Many parents were able to take their children for high education. This dream has been erased by the rise of school fees. Recen tly, college costs have risen at a very high rate. This rise has even exceeded the rate at which inflation goes up. Parents and students now feel they are being exploited by the government due to the rise in school fees. Some cannot afford to pay all the fees and their children are forced to drop out of college. This rise of education fees has been caused by Texas failure to pay taxes. There has been a big hole in Texas budget that has forced the tax payers’ lot money in trying to reduce the budget deficits ("Challenges Facing Career and Technical Education"). This issue of rise in school fees has been dealt with to some extent. There are some policies that have been put in place in order to reduce the rise in school fees. These measures also help parents and students raise enough money for high education. One of the measures that have been put in place includes giving financial aids to the students who are studying in colleges and universities. This aid is made effective by giving loans to the students. These loans are given through private financial institutions or federal government. These institutions include education tax credits, state loans, work-study programs and federal grants. These loans help many students in colleges. Those who are in the two-year community colleges can also benefit from the loans. They will be able to give back to the society after completing college. The loan is also available for those who are going for five years in their high education. Most of the students who are going for four years have high chances of getting these loans as compared to those who are going for two years. This is because the four-year courses are known to cost more money than the two-year courses ("Challenges Facing Career and Technical Education"). From my opinion, this policy of giving financial aid to students is very important. It helps many students whose dreams were to study in colleges and universities. It is also very essential for students who come from poor families. When these students complete their education, they will be able to help the other members of their families. This means that the financial aid important will help the whole society. K-12 Education There many issues that is associated with K-12 education in Texas. Some of the issues are caused by larger number of students in the lower grade schools. This large population in

Suspense of the audience Essay Example for Free

Suspense of the audience Essay This biblical connection serves as a warning to the audience that Elizabeth is going to die! You can hear the rain dripping against the building and roof that gives this particular part an eerie effect, because it sounds like the drums used before an execution. We move onto the next scene. After you see the silhouette of the monster that tricks you to believe that you are looking at him from Elizabeths point of view almost immediately you see nothing but the hand cover Elizabeths mouth you see it being done with a birds eye view so you can tell exactly what has happened to her. We then go outside to the three men once again. Victor sees the balcony door open and shouts Elizabeth! in a frantic voice! Building up the sense of urgency. The music is reaching a crescendo in sympathy with the action on the screen. The final scene is also the most action-packed! There is a close-up of the Creature lying on top of a very scared and terrified Elizabeth, each staring at the other in silence this is a very quiet moment for the audience; it gives you your breath back from the outside! There is eerie music in the background to match with this eerie moment. The audience has time to contemplate what will happen next? Will the monster let her go or will she die? The close up reveals the monster looking admirably at Elizabeth and for a moment we believe she will escape. It still has the amber glow inside, but because this is a different situation the amber doesnt give out the romantic feel anymore, it gives out a chilling feel instead! The silence is broken when Elizabeth asks not be hurt. This is still a close up and you can hear Elizabeth breathing in fear and see the expression on her confused and bewildered face. The creature takes up a lot of the camera space in this shot; he wears black that is a sign that the evil is domineering over the good. Dont bother screaming, demands the creature in case they find him. He says it again to make himself clear. At this moment you feel sorry for Elizabeth, because you know she is going to die and you are part of her experience because the camera angle is a close-up and you feel her emotions. The Creature says, Your even lovelier than I had expected there is then a flash of lightening in the foreground it catches the eye of the creature, he is blinded and bewildered by it for a split second, he recovers and hears Victor shout Elizabeth from outside the room. He suddenly digs his hand into Elizabeths chest, the three men then burst in and all of a sudden the Creature catches the audience off-guard by ripping the heart out of Elizabeth in a matter of milliseconds and turning to Victor utters, I keep my promises. The three men start to shoot at the creature, but the creature throws the dead Elizabeth off the bed her hair catches fire which brings in more excitement for the viewers. The creature makes a dash for the balcony window and jumps out onto the ground. This is all mid-shot, and distances you from the action so that you can see the whole picture. The scene ends with the romantic feel it started off with, but this is a tragic romance as we are left to watch Victor cradling the dead Elizabeth in his arms after putting the fire out of the hair. My evaluation The director has used a wide range of skills to contribute to the success of this scene. He shifts the viewers through a range of emotions and expectations through his use of contrast, lighting and sound. The sense of suspense is heightened by the use of small short, contrasting scenes cut quickly between them. In my opinion, the director should try to and use the audiences four senses so that the audience feels even more part of the film, thus becoming more scared when something harrowing happens! I think a brilliant idea to back this up would to be adding smell and touch for example you can smell the flowers and candles burning in the love scene and you can feel the warmth and smooth fabric on the bed. I think that the director was very effective in the scene and made good use of what he could. He used lighting, sounds and images which all made the audience hooked into the scene. I in particular was glued to it, and was always thinking, What will happen next? It does seem like a mad rush but that is good in horror films, the quick feeling of adrenalin pumping through the body is the main objective of the director! Conclusion The scene that I studied was a very good example of a horror movie! There were all the ingredients that are needed to fulfil a good horror movie, such as the normal love scene turning into a horror scene. Contrast plays an important part in horror movies. For example, there was the contrast between the beauty of Elizabeth and the ugliness of the Creature and the beauty of the love scene which shows the creation of life through love and the contrast of the death about to befall her. The director uses very good techniques to keep the audience glued to the film. He let the audience know there was horror awaiting outside, but inside Elizabeth was completely unaware of what was about to befall her and the audience just want to let her know that she should get out of there, but we feel frustrated because we cant do anything about the information we have. The audiences emotions are therefore heightened and confused. I especially like the use of colours in the love scene and the contrast with the turmoil of the dark storm outside. I think that emphasises the mood of the whole scene the evil that lurks outside. I also like the flips between the inside and the outside, where you feel warm and secure inside and vulnerable and scared outside! The director is playing with the emotions of the audience. Overall, it is an effective scene I think it could even be an inspiration to other horror film directors because of the techniques that were used and the way they were used! By Matthew Kutner 10G Matthew Kutner 10G 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Aggression in Humans Essay Example for Free

Aggression in Humans Essay There are many different reason why a person may act aggressively towards other human being. The person may act this way because of his background or the way he/she was brought up in life. A person does not; act this way based on natural feeling alone. Is more like a melded, learned behavior. A human being must have both environmental and instinctual factors in order to show aggression. Some of a persons natural instincts are to desire food, reject some things, escape from danger, fight in a dangerous situations or when challenged. As well also sex desire, care for the young, control, and to accept substandard status. This combination of both instincts and environment determines a persons behavior and actions throughout life. This is based on the theory that everything human beings do would have to be learned from other human beings. Aggression must be learned as we grow. It is not just simply there from the moment of birth. A person behavior is something that is taught to him rather than being an unmanageable instinct. For example, a newborn baby is breathing because it is an uncontrolled reaction. But on the other hand, a father may tell his young son to beat up the school buly who is picking on him. As a result, the boy is dealing with the situation by using violence. In order for a human being to display aggression, violence and anger, it must be driven by an instinct interacting with that persons surroundings. The word instinct is defined as an inherited or innate psycho-physical disposition which determines its possessor to perceive, and to pay attention to, objects of a certain class, to experience an emotional excitement of a particular quality upon perciving such an object, and to act in regard to its particular manner, or, at least, to experience an impulse to such action. This definition, explains that people have different reactions for different situations they are put in. Therefore, an individual is expected to act a certain way when he is encouraged to do so from his surrounding environment. For example, an Eskimo does not have an inborn instinct that allows him to survive in his climate. He has to work with his people in order to survive when he is at a very young age. Furthermore, when people are brought up in a society, they learn a certain way of life and traditions. These customs are usually taught to them because its part of their societys way of life, even if some of the customs may be brutal and horrible to others. For example, cannibalism is distasteful to us, but in some prehistoric cultures, to eat an enemy is to gain his or her strength. This aggressive behavior was taught to the people of this culture and is the cause for its existence. People need to have contact with aggressiveness in society in order to act aggressive. For example, there was a tribe in New Guinea, who were violent warriors that were always fighting and killing each other. The children of these people learned this aggressive act from their parents and then acted in the same way. A parents method of child rearing has a huge impact on the childs aggression. For example my own brother found a way, which will convince my parents to buy him what he wants. All he has to do is cry and if he doesnt get what he wants he will start smashing, kicking and throwing thinks that he find around him. Moreover, when a group of people are isolated, their behavior does not change unless they interact with other people. There was tribe made up of a group of people who were completely isolated fro the rest of the world. They did not show any signs of aggression due to the fact that they had no words for weapon, aggression, anger or war. All they did was gathering food. So the tribe and had no use for weapons. The tribe only used knives and other things that might be thought as weapons or tools to gather food. They even rejected the spear, the bow and arrow because they could not use them to gather food. There could not been anything in their genetic makeup that made them act in an aggressive or peaceful manner. This was just their way of life that was taught from generation to generation, to gather food which was needed to survive. The source of human aggression lies in factors such as society and culture. Aggression is a learned emotion that is built up on different factors in a persons surrounding environment. It the combination of environment, society and culture that creates aggressive behavior. It is the persons instincts that are the basis for the three. While one tribe is a peaceful group of people, and the other a group of aggressive warriors. Both of the tribes had  the ability for aggression and peaceful life but it was their environment, society and culture that have driven them to choose totally opposite paths.

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Pig Urinary Bladder Biology Essay

Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Pig Urinary Bladder Biology Essay Background and purpose. This investigation sought to identify the principal muscarinic receptor subtype associated with contraction of the pig bladder. Additionally, comparisons of muscarinic receptor expression in the pig bladder and caudate nucleus were conducted. Experimental approach. Contractility of isolated strips of pig bladder was assessed using isotonic tension recordings in an organ bath. Radioligand binding to particulate preparations from pig caudate nucleus and bladder detrusor was assessed using [3H]-quinuclidinylbenzilate. Key results. The results obtained from the contractile response experiment showed that the best antagonists for pig bladder contractions were methoctramine, pirnezepine and oxybutynin, this was according to the pEC50 data. These results led to the identification of the presence of M1 and M3 receptor subtypes in the bladder. Whereas M1 and M2 receptor subtypes were found to occur in the brain. Pirenzepine exhibited the smallest Rmax value, and was therefore the most successful antagonist. Whereas 4-DAMP had the largest Rmax value, identifying this as the worst antagonist. Conclusions and Implications. It is clear that M3 muscarinic receptors are found in the bladder, but are absent in the brain. This is made more certain as 4-DAMP showed fairly low affinity for muscarinic receptors in the bladder, but its affinity was higher than that recorded in the brain which is known to contain a low amount of M3 receptors. 4-DAMP also has the highest affinity recorded in the brain, due to binding at the M1 muscarinic receptor. Introduction There are five distinct types of muscarinic receptors (M1,M2,M3,M4,M5), all of which belong to the same family of G-protein-coupled receptors. M1 receptors are found mainly in the cortex and hippocampus of the brain, but also on the CNS and peripheral neurons. These receptors are excitatory, this excitation is produced by a decrease in potassium ions which causes membrane depolarization. M2 receptors exert inhibitory effects; they are present in the heart and so are of little importance in this experiment. M3 receptors reside in smooth muscle. These receptors are excitatory and produce vasodilatation and bronchodilatation, via an increase in intracellular calcium levels. As this experiment includes analysis on the effects of muscarinic antagonists on muscarinic receptors in the brain and bladder, it is mainly the M1 and M3 receptors which are being concentrated on. The aim of the experiment was to add a range of antagonists pig bladder tissue, and then recording the effect each had on the tissues contraction. The five antagonists used in the experiment were atropine, pirenzepine, methoctramine, 4-DAMP and oxybutynin. Each of the antagonists used are able to bind to muscarinic receptors, but they bind to different subtypes as they have differing affinities. Atropine is a non-selective antagonist, which acts via competitive inhibition of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. It is a naturally occurring alkaloid which can be found in solanaceous plants, for example the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna). Atropine causes anti-cholinergic effects such as mydriasis, salivary inhibition, tachycardia, inhibition of GI motility and smooth muscle relaxation. It can be used clinically to treat anticholinesterase poisoning, bradycardia and GI hypermotility. Pirenzepine is a muscarinic receptor antagonist, and is slightly selective for the M1 sub-type. It is used clinically for the treatment of peptic ulcers, whereby it inhibits gastric acid secretion. Methoctramine is a slightly M2 selective antagonist. It has also been found to show selectivity for cardiac M2 muscarinic receptors, but to have low affinity for both vascular M2 and ganglionic M1 receptors. 4-DAMP is a slightly M3 selective antagonist, although it has only low affinity. There is no clinical use for 4-DAMP, it is mainly used in experiments for the analysis of muscarinic receptors. Oxybutynin is a non-selective muscarinic antagonist. It is used clinically to decrease muscle spasms of the bladder in patients suffering from frequent urination or urge incontinence. During the contractile experiment these antagonists will be used to determine which of the muscarinic receptors are present in the bladder, and which occur in the greatest amount. The same antagonists will then be used in the radioligand experiment, to compare each of their effects on brain tissue. Once both experiments are performed, the results can be used to compare the presence of muscarinic effects in the bladder and brain tissue. Materials and Methods Contractile response studies Strips of urinary detrusor were stored overnight at 4  °C in Krebs Ringer solution [composition (mM): NaCl (118); KCl (4.9), MgCl2 (1.2); KH2PO4 (1.2); D-glucose (12); NaHCO3 (25); CaCl2 (1.3); gassed with O2:CO2 (95:5)], as previously described (Lot and Wilson, 1994). On the morning of the experiment, tissue was removed from the refrigerator and allowed to equilibrate to room temperature. Thereafter, strips were mounted in an organ bath at 37  °C in Krebs Ringer solution. Contractility was monitored using isotonic transducers connected to CED 1502 amplifiers and recorded on a personal computer running Spike 2 software (CED, Cambs, UK). A steady baseline was then achieved for 20 minutes before 1ml 3M KCl was added to 50ml of Krebs solution (in water bath), to achieve a final concentration of 60mM. The tissue was then washed out three times once a maximal response was recorded, and this was then left for a further 20 minutes until a steady baseline was achieved once again. 10 dilutions containing varying concentrations of carbachol were then prepared in LP4 tubes, using 3-fold dilutions. A cumulative-concentration curve was created by adding the preparation containing the lowest concentration of carbachol to the organ bath first. After waiting for 7 minutes, the next preparation with a higher concentration was added. This process was repeated without washing out the tissue, until there was no further increase in tissue tone recorded. Once this part of the experiment was completed, the tissue was washed out 3 times with warm Krebs solution. This was followed by the addition of the putative antagonist and the tissue was left for 60 minutes. After achieving a steady baseline, a cumulative-concentration curve was created by carrying out the same process with increasing concentrations of carbachol as before; but this time in the presence of the putative antagonist. The results were printed off once the process was completed. Radioligand binding studies Radioligand binding to total particulate preparations from the pig was conducted essentially as previously described (Alexander et al., 1994). Briefly, tissue was homogenised in 10-30 volumes of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) using an Ultra-Turrax homogeniser. After centrifugation at 30 000 g for 15 minutes at 4 °C, the supernatant layer was discarded. This homogenisation/centrifugation cycle was repeated twice more and the resulting pellet was re-suspended in 10 volumes. After storage at -20  °C, thawed tissue was incubated in a total volume of 500  µL 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.5), containing 0.25 nM [3H]-QNB for 30 minutes at 37  °C. Rapid filtration with repeated washing allowed isolation of bound radioligand, which was then estimated using liquid scintillation counting. A dilution curve was prepared using 10-fold dilutions once the drug was provided, this contained the highest concentration. 32 LP4 tubes were labelled 1-32 and these were placed in test tube racks. 50  µl aliquots of different concentrations of drug were then added to tubes 5-28, with each being made up to 500  µl by adding 450  µl of buffer. 50  µl of buffer was added to tubes 1-4, these acted as a control whilst atropine was added to the remained tubes 29-32. 400  µl of the radioligand was added to each of the tubes, with 50  µl of particulate preparation being added to the tubes in groups of 10 at 12 minute intervals. Once this process was completed, the tubes were incubated in a water bath at 37 °C for 30 minutes. The Whatman GF/B filters were placed in the 10-place manifold and were wet using the buffer solution. Ten of the tubes were then removed from the water bath, and 3ml of ice-cold buffer was added to each of them. They were filtered immediately after this process. Once two additions of 3ml of ice-cold buffer had taken place on each filter paper, they were washed. This was repeated for each of the LP4 tubes, once incubation in the water bath was halted on their removal. The filter papers were then placed into labelled scintillation vials, they were then analysed. Data analysis and statistical procedures There are equations which can be used to analyse the data collected in the experiment, once the information has been put into a concentration curve graph. The first equation used is the Gaddum equation: pKi = log (CR 1) log [Ant] In order to make use of this equation it is neccessary to work out the EC50, which is the effective concentration of drug required to give 50% of the maximum response. This EC50 value can be obtained from the concentration curve, as it is at 50% of the maximum response on the graph. The results collected from the graphs were Molar, these can be converted to  µM by multiplying the values by 106. These values can now be used to produce a concentration ratio, indicating the EC50 response with and without the presence of the antagonist. Graph 1 shows bladder tissue contractile responses to histamine in the presence of different concentrations of promethazine. The EC50 values recorded for histamine and promethazine were -6.5 and -5 respectively. By converting these Molar values to  µM by using the technique stated above, histamine 0.316  µM and promethazine 3.16  µM can be inputted into the Gaddum equation. The pKi value which is calculated in this equation is an indication of potency of the antagonist used, and a high pKi indicates a high affinity for the receptor. The pKi in this case was -8.5. As the radioligand was being carried out, calculations were made in order to work out the Kd and Bmax. The equation used in the radioligand binding experiment was the Cheng-Prusoff equation: IC50/Ki = 1 + [A]/Kd To work out the pKi, the same process as the contractile response experiment is used. Then the pIC50, the concentration of the antagonist which displaces 50% of the ligand, can be calculated. It is then necessary to work out the IC50 value to be used in the Cheng-Prusoff equation, this is achieved by -log of the pIC50 value. Finally, -log of the Ki obtained from the equation gives a pKi value of 8.2. Drugs, chemicals, reagents and other materials Porcine material (from pigs of the modern Hybrid white strain, either sex, approximately 50-70 kg) was obtained from an abattoir and transported rapidly to the laboratory on ice. [3H]-QNB (specific activity 1591 GBq mmole-1) was obtained from Amersham Pharmacia Biotech (Herts, UK), while muscarinic receptor ligands were all obtained from Sigma (Dorset, UK). All drug and molecular target nomenclature conforms to the British Journal of Pharmacologys Guide to Receptors and Channels (Alexander et al., 2008). Results Table 1. Contractile response results: Drug pEC50 Rmax Concentration Ratio pKi Atropine 4.5 131 20.9 9.1 Pirenzepine 4.3 109 42.6 7.4 Methoctramine 4.3 50.2 7.1 4-DAMP 4.6 139 37.9 9.2 Oxybutynin 4.3 210.5 8.1 Water 4.7 116 5.0 Table 1 shows the results obtained from the contractile response experiment, whereby the pig bladder tissue was exposed to five antagonists and the contractility of the tissue was measured. Table 2. Radioligand binding results: Brain Bladder Drug pKi SEM pKi SEM Atropine 9.8 0.1 9.8 0.1 Pirenzepine 7.7 0.2 8.0 0.6 Methoctramine 8.0 0.0 7.7 0.1 4-DAMP 9.2 0.0 8.4 0.1 Oxybutynin 7.4 0.0 7.8 0.0 Carbachol 4.8 0.1 4.3 0.0 Table 2 shows the results obtained from the radioligand experiment, which identified the different muscarinic receptors found in the brain and bladder tissue. Discussion and conclusions The conclusions that can be made from the results are that the main types of muscarinic receptor involved in the contraction of the bladder are the M1 and M3 receptor. Whereas, M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes occur in the brain. Therefore, an ideal drug for therapeutic treatment of urge incontinence and bladder dysfunction would be M3 selective. This would not have any adverse effects in the brain, as M3 receptors are not present in this part of the body. Bladder contractions occur due to activation of muscarinic receptors leading to an increase in intracellular calcium, which causes contraction of the smooth muscle. The results collected in the contractile response experiment were due to antagonism of M1 and M3 receptor subtypes. 4-DAMP recorded a pKi value of 9.2, a value which corresponded with the M3 subtype and was the highest of all the antagonists. This antagonist is M3 selective but also has affinity for the M1 muscarinic receptor; this may have caused its high pKi value to be due to binding at this muscarinic receptor subtype. Atropine recorded the second highest pKi, 9.1 .This was to be expected as it is a non-selective antagonist, with high affinity for each of the muscarinic receptor subtypes able to cause contraction of the bladder tissue. Oxybutynin recorded the third highest pKi value, 8.1. Oxybutynin has a slightly higher affinity for the M3 muscarinic receptor, therefore the pKi value is due to binding at this receptor subtype. Pirenzepine, being an M1 selective antagonist, would be expected to have a similarly high pKi to 4-DAMP. This was not the case as pirenzepine only recorded a pKi of 7.4, a value expected to be obtained from M3 selective antagonists. Methoctramine recorded a pKi value of 7.1, the lowest of all the antagonists. Although it is an M2 selective antagonist, the pKi value leads to the conclusion that contractile response is due to the presence of M1 or M3 receptors. The results obtained in the radioligand experiment revealed that mostly M1 and M2 muscarinic receptors occur in the brain. Methoctramine has low affinity at the M1 receptor, even so, the results recorded in the experiment showed the antagonist to have high affinity. The pKi range of the M2 receptor subtype for methoctramine is 7.8-8.3. Therefore, the recorded pKi value of 8.0 suggests the presence of M2 receptor subtypes in the brain. The pKi of 8.0 is quite far from the pKi range of methoctramine for the M3 receptor subtype, leading to the conclusion that there are a small number of M3 receptors in the brain. Atropine, perenzepine, 4-DAMP and oxybutynin antagonists are able to act at the M1 muscarinic receptor and each of these antagonists possess similar affinities for the receptor. Atropine (pKi 9.8) and oxybutynin (pKi 7.4) are both non-selective antagonists, so as in the contractile response will have fairly high affinities for any of the muscarinic receptor subtypes present in the brain. Perenzepine recorded a pKi value of 7.7; this failed to fall into any of the pKi ranges expected for the muscarinic receptors. The value was closest to the M1 subtype range (7.8-8.5). The SEM recorded was the highest of all the antagonists (0.2) concluding that some of the results may have been anomalous, with most of the pKi values falling within the M1 range. The Pki range of pirenzepine for the M3 receptor subtype is 6.7-7.1. The pKi recorded, much like that of methoctramine, was quite far from the M3 range. 4-DAMP recorded a high pKi of 9.2. This pKi value fell into the ranges for both the M1 and M3 muscarinic receptors, showing high affinity of the antagonist for both subtypes. In this experiment the pKi value recorded was with respect to the M1 receptor, not the M3 subtype. The non-selective muscarinic antagonist oxybutynin is the principle drug used to treat urge incontinence. This antagonistic drug possesses anticholinergic and antispasmolytic properties, which together act on the bladder to inhibit micturition. However, there are significant adverse effects associated with this choice of therapeutic treatment; such as dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision. These side effects highlight the non-selectivity of oxybutynin as each occurs due to antagonism at the M1 receptor. The radioligand binding experimental results show that oxybutynin has a pKi of 7.8 in the bladder, which is only slightly higher than the pKi of 7.4 recorded in the brain. These pKi values indicate that oxybutynin is slightly more selective towards the M3 receptor subtype present in the bladder. However, it is evident that the antagonist also has significant affinity towards the M1 and M2 receptor subtypes which are present in the brain. There were a few limitations encountered in both parts of the experiment. The contractile response experiment was carried out for a fairly short amount of time, more reliable results could be obtained by increasing the amount of time that the experiment is undertaken. As not all of the tissues used in the experiment were of the same source or size, the results obtained were inconsistent the responses recorded were of varying degrees. By ensuring every piece of tissue is the same size, more accurate and reliable could be obtained. Human error when collecting and interpreting the data in the experiment could have caused considerable variations in the results recorded. During the radioligand binding experiment complications arose due to contamination, with various external factors such as temperature and buffer strength affecting the results.

Pentecostal History Essay -- Church History

To know the history of the Pentecostal movement, one needs to know what they believe. Pentecostalism is a movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. During Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon those in the upper room. Acts 2:1-4 says, â€Å"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[ as the Spirit enabled them.† (1,3) The Pentecostal movement started in the late 19th century in revival movements in Great Britain and in the United States of America. Within this movement more attention was placed on the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people felt that the church was missing the power and authority of the church they read about in the bible. We will look at the Pentecostal movement from the past and look at it all the way up through to today. (1) The earliest date given for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement is January 1, 1901. A man by the name of Charles Parham began teaching that the act of speaking in tongues was the biblical evidence that someone was filled with the Holy Spirit. He started teaching this at Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas. Over time Charles Parham moved to Texas to teach. While Charles spoke in Texas, William J. Seymour was attending. William J. Seymour traveled to Los Angeles where he led the Azusa Street Revivals in 1906. The beginning of the w... ...ecostals. It is important to know where we came from in order to know where we are going. The future is bright for the Assemblies of God if they just rely on God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Works Cited 1. Wacker, Grant. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001. 2. Miller, Donald E. and Tetsunao Yamamori. Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2007. 3. Hollenweger, Walter. Pentecostalism : Origins and Developments Worldwide. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997 4. Burgess. Encyclopedia of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity 5. Blumhofer, Edith L. Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture, 1993 6. www.ag.org

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi by Norman MacCaig Essay -- Assisi Norm

A Critical Evaluation of Assisi Q: Choose a poem in which the poet has put across a definite point of view. By close reference to the poetic techniques used, show how successful the poet has been in making you share his/ her point of view. â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and thought-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view to me which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and we should try to help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this essay I will show how successful the poet has been in making me share his point of view, with the help of literary techniques such as language, word – choice and imagery. Norman MacCaig has put across a definite point of view for me and has been successful in making me share this view by using thoughtful and intense language. The first aspect of language, which he uses is metaphor in the beginning of the poem when he is describing the dwarf sitting outside the church. He uses metaphor as he says, â€Å"The dwarf with his hands on backwards Sat, slumped like a half – filled sack On tiny twisted legs from which Sawdust might run.† The metaphor here of the dwarf sitting like a ‘half filled sack’ is describing the dwarf and how he has a deformed body. He is being compared to looking like a sack, which is slumped and half empty. This is effective as it seems as though the dwarf cannot help himself and he is sitting there waiting for help. MacCaig tells us that he is a dwarf therefore he will be very short and â€Å"hands on backwards† and â€Å"tiny twisted legs† portrays his deformity as I can envisage his legs dangling from his body. Also as he is sitting like a â€Å"half –filled sack† it seems to me that he cannot do an... ...ered after him as he scattered The grain of the Word.† This shows me MacCaig is comparing the tourists to the birds and the Priest to the sower. He does not approve of the actions as it is compared to the parable of the sower of when he scatters the grain and the birds flutter after it. He does not approve of the tourists fluttering after the word and ignoring the poor dwarf, when in actual fact they should be helping him. In conclusion, â€Å"Assisi† by Norman MacCaig is an intriguing and though-provoking poem, which has put across a definite point of view for me, which I believe is that all people should be treated equally and that we should help those less fortunate than ourselves. In this I essay I have shown how successful the poet was in making me share this view by using his thoughtful and intense language, word-choice and imagery techniques.

Ancient Chinese Innovations

Ancient Chinese Innovations Jennifer E Strayer University Humanities 111 Ancient Chinese Innovations The ancient Chinese culture has probably contributed more to the advancement of humans than any other. In China’s long history they have shown us many extremely important inventions. In the modern world we take a lot of these innovations for granted even though we use many of them on a daily basis. I have often wondered who invented many items I use and it surprised me to find out that most things I use and quite possibly cannot live without were invented in ancient China.What would we do if paper had not been invented we may still be etching on stone and bones? Cai Lun successfully invented the very first batch of paper using fish nets and tree bark around 105 BCE. The invention of toilet paper would not have been possible without making paper first. Navigation was made easier with the invention of the compass. Would marinara sauce taste as good if it were not covering pasta o r ravioli? Pasta was invented around 300 BCE, nearly 2000 years before the Italian or the Arabs. Would the wars of the world ended the way they did without gunpowder?Around 850 CE, Chinese alchemist discovered gunpowder while searching for immortality. Many historical records and books might not have been made if it were not for the ease of moveable-type printing, which allowed for mass production of written material. Earthquake detection is another invention that many might not have lived without it. The early seismograph created during the Han dynasty around 132 CE used a pendulum to alert for a coming earthquake. While it is not known who first invented the sundial, the first mechanical clock was an important innovation by the ancient Chinese. Clark, 2009; Laudan, 2000; University C. , n. d; Unknown, Top 10 greatest inventions of ancient China, 2007) I think the four most innovative inventions given to us by China are the compass, toilet paper, moveable-type printing and the sund ial. The magnetic compass was first made somewhere between 221-206 BCE during the Qin dynasty. The original use was in fortune telling until it was discovered that it was better used at pointing out real directions. Originally used as padding or packing material n the second century BCE, the early Chinese writers mention using toilet paper as we do today as early as 589 BCE. The Chinese invented Woodblock printing over 2,000 years ago. Bi Sheng invented moveable clay type printing from which all later printing methods were developed from. The world’s first clock was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk and mathematician, his clock operated by having water drip onto a wheel that made a revolution every 24 hours. Hundreds of years later Su Song, an astronomer and mechanist, created what we know as the ancestor of the modern clock. Bellis, n. d; University C. , n. d; Unknown, Top 10 greatest inventions of ancient China, 2007) Our modern world was created on the foundation of the se innovations, they have been improved upon and upgraded over the centuries but the basic ideas remain the same. If there were one of these inventions that I simply would not want to live without it would have to be toilet paper. While water was the common way to cleanse after each trip to the bathroom, the convenience and ease of using toilet paper had travelers to China commenting about people’s cleanliness as early as 851 CE.In any natural disaster one key thing is sanitation; toilet paper is much more sanitary than using your hand and some water. A few months ago I saw a documentary called No Impact Man, where Colin Beaven, his wife and daughter, took part in a yearlong experiment to see if they could go that long and not impact the environment. One of the experiments was if they could go a year without using toilet paper. They did it, using cloth instead, just like cloth diapers, wash and reuse. While I know now that I could survive without toilet paper, I simply would not want to. Rowles, 2010) Works Cited Barsoum, D. M. (2006, December 18). Solving the Mysteries of the Pyramids. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from Department of Materials Science & Engineering: http://www. materials. drexel. edu/News/Item/? i=948 Bellis, M. (n. d). The Compass and other Magnetic Innovations. Retrieved February 25, 2012, from inventors. About. com: http://inventors. about. com/od/cstartinventions/a/Compass. htm Clark, J. (2009, March 9). Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from HowStuffWorks. com:

Optimizing Operations at United Parcel Service Essay

United Parcel Service (UPS) is the world’s largest air and ground package-distribution company, with annual sales of about $34 billion. It is also a leading provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Following its nearly 100-year promise of the â€Å"best service and lowest rates,† this company currently delivers over 13. 6 million parcels and documents every business day within the United States and in over 200 other countries and territories. UPS’s primary business is timedefinite delivery of packages and documents worldwide. It has established a global transportation infrastructure and comprehensive set of guaranteed delivery services, including integrated supply chain solutions for major companies. UPS is the industry leader in the delivery of goods purchased over the Internet. UPS operates a ground fleet of more than 88,000 vehicles, including its famous brown delivery trucks and large tractors and trailers. In the United States, UPS manages 27 large package operating facilities as well as over 1,000 additional smaller package operating facilities. The smaller facilities have vehicles and drivers stationed for the pickup of packages and for the sorting, transfer, and delivery of packages. UPS owns or leases nearly 600 facilities to support its international package operations and over 750 facilities that support nonpackage operations. This vast ground delivery system is integrated with express air services that use 600 airplanes. UPS operates the ninth largest airline in North America and the eleventh largest in the world. UPS aircraft operate in a hub and spokes pattern in the United States with a primary air hub in Louisville, Kentucky, nd six other regional air hubs in various cities throughout the United States. These hubs house facilities for the sorting, transfer, and delivery of packages. UPS estimates that this integrated door-to-door delivery system carries goods worth more than 2 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). The company faces relentless competition from such other organizations as FedEx, DHL Worldwide Express, the United States Postal Service, Deutsche Post, and TNT Post Group. Although UPS is the overall leader, the company is not number one in every way. For example, FedEx, with about $34 billion in annual sales, leads the market in overnight deliveries, whereas DHL is the leader in cross-border (international) express deliveries. To meet competitors head on, UPS long ago started investing heavily in advanced information systems. Technology powers virtually every service the company offers and every operation it performs. UPS offers many choices: overnight air versus low-cost ground delivery, simple shipping or a panoply of supply chain and warehousing services. Customers can choose the delivery option or service that is most cost-effective and appropriate for their requirements. UPS has been using its automated package-tracking system to monitor all packages throughout the delivery process, collecting electronic data on 93 percent of the packages that move through U. S. systems each day. Its customers can track their own parcels and letters using the UPS Web site, and many customers can also track their items on their own computers using a UPS system that the customers embed into their own Web sites. However, UPS’s competition now uses much of this same tracking technology and is moving into areas where UPS has been dominant. FedEx, for instance, is trying to become a player in ground palletized-freight and international shipping. It wants to funnel package data from all of its operations into a single transparent system. Fierce competition has stimulated UPS to find even more innovative ways of servicing customers while also reducing its own costs. UPS management believes the company is still a leader in reliable package delivery and that its unmatched integrated air and ground network provide it with a level of service quality and economies of scale that differentiate it from competitors. The company’s strategy emphasizes increasing core domestic revenues by cross-selling its existing and new services to a large and diverse customer base. It hopes to grow its package business by offering services for synchronized commerce, elping customers manage the flow of goods, information, and funds throughout their supply chains. For example, UPS developed Web-based software for DaimlerChrysler AG to manage centrally all parts moving to and from more than 4,500 dealerships. While expanding these services, UPS hopes to limit the rate at which expenses are growing. It is counting on information technology–driven efficiencies to increase its operating profit. In 2003, UPS announced plans to invest $600 million to simplify and optimize its package-sorting and delivery systems. Management believes that this systems investment will produce significant gains in efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. Once fully deployed in 2007 in over 1,000 UPS package-sorting facilities, these systems are expected to reduce operating costs by approximately $600 million each year. In 2003, UPS domestic operating profit declined $304 million, caused by both slow growth in revenue coupled with higher operating expenses. Higher costs for fuel and higher rents both played major roles in expense increases.

Analyst Report

Business 101 4 November 2011 Analyst Report Part 1: Executive Summary VF Corporation is a multi million-dollar industry that produces and distributes apparels from various brand names. Throughout the past two years VF Corp has performed very well as concluded on its annual report. By looking at the annual report for 2010 it is very clear that VF Corp has performed very well over the past year. The total revenues for 2010 were $482,303 more than the total revenues for 2009. The long-term debt for the company reduces by $2,612 from 2009.With the various brand names that VF Corp has, it is clear that the total revenue will always increase as the demand for those brands increases, which they have been increasing. To add to their brand base VF Corp just recently bought the company Timberland so that too will help increase their earnings. By purchasing another popular name brand VF Corp will have a number of appealing brands that the public is always interested in purchasing. This helps VF Corp in the future because the more brands they purchase, the larger their consumer population will become.By doing so they are also highlighting one of their major goals addressed in their mission statement, which states â€Å"Our goal is to continuously exceed the expectations of our consumers, customers, shareholders and business partners. † Part 2: Company Profile †¢ Ticker symbol: VFC †¢ Mission Statement as it is printed in the Annual Report: We will grow by building leading lifestyle brands that excite consumers around the world. Ours is a perpetually driven culture, focused on constant innovation. Using deep research and insights, we combine the art and science of apparel to create products that excite consumers and brands that inspire loyalty.We responsibly manage the industry's most efficient and complex supply chain, which spans multiple geographies, product categories and distribution channels. Our goal is to continuously exceed the expectations of our consumers, customers, shareholders and business partners. We help our retail partners win with consistently solid execution and outstanding service. And we continually find ways to improve our performance and generate bottom line results. †¢ Corporate headquarters location: 105 Corporate Center Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27408 †¢ Name of CEO: Eric C.Wiseman †¢ Name of CFO: Robert K. Shearer †¢ Stock classifications (common, preferred, both): Common †¢ Exchange (NYSE, Nasdaq): New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Part 3: Projections: Based on the graph of the stock performance I project that the stock prices will steadily increase in the years to come. During the 2009 recession the stock levels for VF Corp went down but bounced right back up towards the 70’s closer to 2010. Since then the stock levels slowly increased each month and now are at a steady positive increase and I believe that it will continue to increase.Also VF Corp is associated with various clothin g and apparel companies and regardless of how serious the economy might decline, people will still go out and buy clothes. VF Corp is also associated with a number of big name brands such as The North Face, Lee, Vans, Timberland, Nautica, Wrangler, Majestic, Jansport, and many other brands. These different brands are very popular these days and their sales are always going up so the overall stocks for VF Corp will continue in a positive slope. [pic] Part 4: Current Events The first article discusses how VF Corp is purchasing â€Å"VF Arvind Brands Private Limited†.This company is responsible for marketing VF Corp’s brands throughout India. This is helpful for VF Corp because it can market its own brands and spread throughout Asia as well. This would allow VF Corp to not only have the final say on how exactly it markets its products but to also choose the locations that they want the products to be marketed at. Overall this purchase will greatly benefit VF Corp right no w and in the future as well. The second article discusses how VF Corp is set to buy the brand Timberland. By doing so not only is VF Corp helping increase its profits but Timberland’s as well.Timberland is a famous company that primarily sells boots. This would greatly increase VF Corp’s variety in terms of outdoor wear. By purchasing Timberland VF Corp will also be able to expand oversees as the article stated. Since most of the sales from Timberland occur in China, this would help VF Corp market not only Timberland but many of their other name brands. This purchase will definitely have some very positive results in the future and if more purchases like this are made then VF Corp will increase its earning greatly. Part 5: Recommendations:Based on the information that I’ve gathered about this corporation I strongly suggest that investors should move fast and â€Å"buy† stocks from this company. Using the current ratio I can see that the company’s l iquidity levels will be increasing in the years to come and since the economy is slowly recovering it is clear that VF Corp is going to do well in terms of stock sales. The difference between the current ratio of 2010 and 2009 is 0. 14. though this might not seem like a large enough of a number to make a huge difference, in reality it does. The profit margin between the two years has also increased by 1. %. All of this information tells me that VF Corp is a company that you should invest in because the company is only going on a positive direction. Article 1: VF Corporation To Acquire Joint Venture in India Published: November 2, 2011 GREENSBORO, N. C. , & BANGALORE, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 2, 2011– VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, today announced that its subsidiary, VF Mauritius, has acquired full ownership of VF Arvind Brands Private Limited, a majority-owned joint venture between VF Mauritius and Arvind Limited for med in 2006 to market VF brands in India. Our business in India is strong, and now is the time to assume full ownership,† said Eric C. Wiseman, Chairman, President and CEO of VF Corporation. â€Å"Anchored by our Lee ® and Wrangler ® brands, the Indian market will provide a robust platform for future growth in the Asia-Pacific region. † Aidan O’Meara, President, VF Asia, noted: â€Å"VF is grateful for the contribution Arvind made to the development of a fast-growing and profitable business for our brands in India. VF and Arvind will continue to have a strong working relationship, now and in the future. †O’Meara added that he does not expect any impact to jobs or changes in the day-to-day operations of the business in India. The new name of the wholly owned business in India has not yet been announced. Article 2: VF Corporation to Buy Timberland BY MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED The VF Corporation agreed on Monday to buy the Timberland Company, the boo t maker, for about $2 billion in cash, paying a big premium in an effort to bolster its outdoor clothing offerings. VF, which already owns lines like Wrangler and 7 for All Mankind, will add Timberland to a stable of outdoor brands like the North Face and Eastpak.Eric C. Wiseman, VF’s chairman and chief executive, described the Timberland deal on Monday as a â€Å"transformative† acquisition that will add footwear to his company’s fastest-growing unit. The outdoor and action sports business reported a 14 percent gain in revenue last year, to $3. 2 billion. â€Å"We are confident in our ability to take big brands and make them bigger,† he said during an investor conference call. Still, VF is paying up: Under the terms of the deal, it will pay $43 a share, a more than 40 percent premium to Timberland’s Friday closing price.Founded in Abington, Mass. , in 1952 by the Swartz family, Timberland became synonymous with American work garments and outdoor c lothing, particularly with its hard-wearing boots. But the company has faced rising materials costs, with its operating margins falling to just 9 percent last year. It reported a 30 percent drop in first-quarter profits this year. VF executives appeared confident that it could wring profits by improving Timberland’s business performance, primarily by folding it into the apparel giant’s global platform and cutting costs.On an investor call with analysts, VF’s chief financial officer, Bob Shearer, said his company planned to raise its new acquisition’s operating margin to 15 percent, in line with the rest of the conglomerate’s brands. In Timberland, VF also sees an opportunity to expand its presence overseas. Though Timberland’s popularity in the United States surged years ago, the brand remains popular in high-growth markets like China. The company also has a foothold in Japan, where VF is still building out its presence. VF executives expect to reap benefits from the Timberland deal soon after its closing, which is expected in the third quarter this year.Timberland is expected to begin adding to VF’s earnings by 45 cents a share this year and 90 cents next year, excluding acquisition costs. VF plans to keep Timberland based in Stratham, N. H. Members of the Swartz family have agreed to support the deal. The Timberland sale appeared to stoke hopes that other outdoor apparel makers could soon go on the block as well. Among the big gainers was Wolverine World Wide, another maker of rugged work boots, whose shares jumped about 5. 1 percent to $39. 08. Columbia Sportswear, another purveyor of activewear, rose 1. 7 percent to $59. 43.Shares of VF also rose, gaining 10 percent on Monday to $101. 01. Usually, an acquirer’s shares fall after a deal is announced, as shareholders worry about the transaction being overpriced. Shares in Timberland soared 44 percent to $43. 20. Analysts praised the deal, citing VF†™s history of integrating brands into its business platform. â€Å"We regard Timberland as a high-quality brand that has been operationally challenged for a number of years,† analysts at Sterne Agee wrote in a research note on Monday. â€Å"We believe that VF has exhibited a strong track record and the capabilities to rectify many of the historical problems. †

Benefits of Integrating Human Resources Management (Hrm) and the Payroll Databases

Benefits of Integrating Human Resources Management (HRM) and the Payroll Databases. The Human Resources Management and Payroll are completely different business processes; however, they depend on each other for accurate and timely flow of information for their business operations. Integrating these two process will ensure that the information flow between them is timely and less erroneous. The benefits of such integration includes but not limited to: (a) No duplicate data entry: Integrating HRM and Payroll processes means maintaining a common database. Therefore, any changes made to any aspect of the database are entered only once. There will be no need to make a duplicate entry of the changes. This eliminates errors that may occur due to multiple entries. (b) Less paper work: Having a common database reduces unnecessary paperwork and greatly reduces input errors.  © Integrated Reporting: Integrating the HRM and Payroll makes room for automatic update of employees’ records. With integrated reporting tools, consolidated reporting can easily be generated and containing an up to date employee information, benefits, data, and compensation data. . The current problems related to labor at Fargo Publishing (a) Fargo Publishing still uses the traditional punch clocks to track employees’ time in and out of work. With this system, the company looses lots of money when employees arrive late to work, leave early from work, and then resort to â€Å"buddy clocking† that is clocking for other people. Employees are paid for hours not worked, and productivity is greatly affected. (b) Employees time data are manually inputted into the payroll computer by checking the time cards. The problem with this process is that there is high risk of input errors obtainable when manually inputting the data for 250 hourly workers. Manually inputting these data is time consuming and delays update to necessary master files.  © Too Many paper work: There is too many paper work involved in the flow of information among the different departments. Since the different processes at the Fargo publishing are not automated, a lot of paper work is involved in the flow of information from one department to the other. This process is not cost effective, and it is also time consuming. There could also be loss of data during transfer process. (d) Employees’ time cards are checked by HR on a weekly basis at the end of the week. This means that employee database is updated on a weekly basis as related to time in and out. Therefore, no report can be generated based on this information until the end of the week. The issue with this system occurs when there is any threat that will destroy the time cards before the end of the week, all data is lost because the master database is not updated. 3) Recommendations to improve the problems related to labor. a. The use of Biometric Time System: The biometric scan is an automated system that verifies employees’ identity based on their fingerprint. It provides a more reliable and accurate data on employees’ identity and time. It eliminates the problem of buddy clocking and ensures that employees are paid for time worked. b. Integration and Syn chronization of Databases: The use of Biometric Time Systems would require the integration and synchronization of all the databases in the HRM and Payroll departments. This will ensure immediate and accurate update to the common database, and easy back up following any changes. This system will also reduce the volume of paper work involved in processing the flow of information. c. The use of Input Edit and Processing Controls: At this point, I would recommend the use of Input Edit and Processing Controls to reduce and detect erroneous entry into the database. Example of controls include: Validity check and field (format) check. (4. ) How Management can measure the cost savings of these recommendations. A. The use of Biometric Time System: The cost savings can be measured by the volume of books printed per day as a result of employees having to report to work on time and leave at a scheduled time to personally clock in and out. The longer time employees spend at work, the more likely productivity will improve when properly supervised. B. Integration and Synchronization of databases: The cost savings can be measured by the amount spent on paper supplies at the end of every month. This is compare to when the system was not integrated or synchronized. It can also be measured by the ease of dataflow among departments, which is how long it takes for department to access information processed in another department. C. Input Edit and Processing Controls: The cost saving can be measured by the number of reports that have to be reproduced because of erroneous entries. It can also be measured by reduction in the overtime paid reflecting the extra hours put in to correct what was previously completed due to error. References Chestnut, R. (n. d). Traditional Punch Clocks Vs Biometric Time Systems. Retrieved November 16, 2010 from, http://www. ezinearticles. com/? Traditional-Punch-Clocks-Vs-Biometric-Time-Systems Romney, M. B. & Steinbart P. J. (2009). The Human Resources Management and Payroll Cycle. In Strayer University 2010 Custom Edition, Accounting Information Systems (pp. 497-517). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Sinh, M. (2010). Integrating HR and Payroll – Key Considerations and Benefits for Companies. Retrieved November 16, 2010 from, http://www. articlesbase. com/software-articles

Canons of Taxation

A good tax system is one which is designed on the basis of an appropriate set of principles (rules). The tax system should strike a balance between the interest of the taxpayer and that of tax authorities. Adam Smith was the first economist to develop a list of Canons of Taxation. These canons are still regarded as characteristics or features of a good tax system. Adam Smith gave following four important canons of taxation. 1. Canon of Equity The principle aims at providing economic and social justice to the people. According to this principle, every person should pay to the government depending upon his ability to pay. The rich class people should pay higher taxes to the government, because without the protection of the government authorities (Police, Defence, etc. ) they could not have earned and enjoyed their income. Adam Smith argued that the taxes should be proportional to income, i. e. , citizens should pay the taxes in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state. 2. Canon of Certainty According to Adam Smith, the tax which an individual has to pay should be certain, not arbitrary. The tax payer should know in advance how much tax he has to pay, at what time he has to pay the tax, and in what form the tax is to be paid to the government. In other words, every tax should satisfy the canon of certainty. At the same time a good tax system also ensures that the government is also certain about the amount that will be collected by way of tax. 3. Canon of Convenience The mode and timing of tax payment should be as far as possible, convenient to the tax payers. For example, land revenue is collected at time of harvest income tax is deducted at source. Convenient tax system will encourage people to pay tax and will increase tax revenue. 4. Canon of Economy This principle states that there should be economy in tax administration. The cost of tax collection should be lower than the amount of tax collected. It may not serve any purpose, if the taxes imposed are widespread but are difficult to administer. Therefore, it would make no sense to impose certain taxes, if it is difficult to administer. Additional Canons of Taxation v Activities and functions of the government have increased significantly since Adam Smiths time. Government are expected to maintain economic stability, full employment, reduce income inequality amp; promote growth and development. Tax system should be such that it meets the requirements of growing state activities. Accordingly, modern economists gave following additional canons of taxation. 5. Canon of Productivity It is also known as the canon of fiscal adequacy. According to this principle, the tax system should be able to yield enough revenue for the treasury and the government should have no need to resort to deficit financing. This is a good principle to follow in a developing economy. 6. Canon of Elasticity According to this canon, every tax imposed by the government should be elastic in nature. In other words, the income from tax should be capable of increasing or decreasing according to the requirement of the country. For example, if the government needs more income at time of crisis, the tax should be capable of yielding more income through increase in its rate. . Canon of Flexibility It should be easily possible for the authorities to revise the tax structure both with respect to its coverage and rates, to suit the changing requirements of the economy. With changing time and conditions the tax system needs to be changed without much difficulty. The tax system must be flexible and not rigid. 8. Canon of Simplicity The tax system shoul d not be complicated. That makes it difficult to understand and administer and results in problems of interpretation and disputes. In India, the efforts of the government in recent years have been to make the system simple. 9. Canon of Diversity This principle states that the government should collect taxes from different sources rather than concentrating on a single source of tax. It is not advisable for the government to depend upon a single source of tax, it may result in inequity to the certain section of the society; uncertainty for the government to raise funds. If the tax revenue comes from diversified source, then any reduction in tax revenue on account of any one cause is bound to be small.

The Role of the Custody Officer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Role of the Custody Officer - Essay Example They are also concerned with recording all the information pertaining to the detention and they are expected to objectively dispense their duties so as to ensure fairness in the delivery of justice. The custody officer has various aims in the dispensation of his or her duties as going to be highlighted below. Basically, police organisations are tasked with the role of enforcing policies and the law that are meant to safeguard the security of the citizens. Arrested people due to different cases are safely kept in the custody of the police while waiting for the appropriate time to refer the case to the court after all the investigations have been concluded. 1. The major aim of the custody officer is to ensure that all the arrests made by the police officers are legitimate. In some cases, people may be arrested for minor offences which do not warrantee them to be placed in police custody. It is the aim of the police officer to vet these arrested people and ascertain if they really deserve to be kept in custody awaiting trial. This also includes the Customs and Excise as well as Immigration officers who can effect an arrest on the offender. These officers on the other hand are there to enforce law and they can arrest the offender and take him to the police station for detention. The Custody Officer also has to comply with the statutory regulations pertaining to the people in detention. He must ensure that the staff who deal with the detained person adhere to the code of practice regarding the treatment of that person. The code of practice entails that detained people should not be ill treated while in custody but should be looked after safely. He has to keep records of certain procedures that may take place while the arrested person is in custody and should keep time to ensure that the time limit of stay in custody is not unjustifiably extended. Recording the events taking place in custody is very

Self-Preservation and Justifiable Violence in Maxine Kumin's Essay

Self-Preservation and Justifiable Violence in Maxine Kumin's Woodchucks - Essay Example More than just a mere 30-line poem, Maxine Kumin’s â€Å"Woodchucks† is a demonstration of the idea that threats to self-preservation causes a good man to resort to evil and violence in order to survive. In Kumin’s poem, the narrator is a good man who simply acts according to reason when he decides to have the woodchucks gassed. He resorts to â€Å"gassing the woodchucks† with help from a company he calls the â€Å"Feed and Grain Exchange† (Kumin, 2012, 1-2). Although this seems like a cruel act that alludes to the Nazi way of gassing prisoners during the Second World War, the narrator is simply defending his right to his vegetable garden, which is obviously his property. The exercise of this right of ownership must necessarily override the idea of kindness and must therefore naturally prompt him to defend his own property at any cost, even if this would mean the death of those who seek to take it away from him. In the poem, the woodchucks are the a nimals that destroy his garden by â€Å"nipping the broccoli shoots [and] beheading the carrots† (11-12). The cruel imagery that uses the word â€Å"beheading† emphasizes the idea that these small creatures are actually cruel and that their actions lead to the unjust and cruel execution of the owner’s vegetables. ... After the failure of the gassing because the woodchucks have hidden in their â€Å"sub-sub-basement,† the narrator does not even say that he would do something to eventually kill these animals. The narrator’s biggest decision – the decision to exterminate all of them by shooting at them – has simply been prompted by the idea that â€Å"next morning [the woodchucks] turned up again† (7). The lines that follow seem to demonstrate their very fast destruction of the vegetable patch and an equally speedy consumption of the plants in it from the marigold to the broccoli to the carrots. When the narrator picks up his .22 rifle, he has simply reacted to the idea that if he does not do anything, his whole vegetable garden would be wiped out by the woodchucks in no time. The narrator recognizes the reasonableness of his decision when he says that it is only â€Å"righteously thrilling† for him to defend his property from the woodchucks that want to des troy it (13). He also emphasizes his â€Å"Darwinian pieties for killing† the woodchucks, which means that what he is doing is only a matter of survival and something which is akin to shooting someone who is also just about to shoot him too. The narrator feels guilty but this is a proof not of his evil but of his compassion. As the narrator begins shooting at the woodchucks, he assumes they are a family complete with the â€Å"littlest† woodchuck, the mother, two baby woodchucks, and an old one (17-25). His guilt is evident in his recognition of their roles in the family. Otherwise, he would simply regard each one of them as a mere woodchuck that deserves to be killed. The fact that these animals, no matter how much damage they have caused him, are still also baby, mother and old fellow, somehow

Politics of climate change science and its uses and abuses Essay

Politics of climate change science and its uses and abuses - Essay Example nd the challenges that he encountered during his research from Papal, fellow scientists and even had to be held under house rest for the rest of his life. He shows that the progress of scientific knowledge is determined by lack of political dictation. Politics cannot dictate what scientists research on, nor can their findings be ignored even if they threaten our beliefs or personal economic circumstance. On the other hand, Sarewitz supports that there is looming climate change crisis which he says is grounded on scientific rationality that lacks, moral base, experience and empathy. This is a rationality that relies on natural sciences and economics and excludes history, culture and politics. In his case, science and climate policy may not be adequate ways of combating climate change. Rather a change in the morality of the society and the need to care about science, rationality and truth, he argues are the key towards scientific rationalism. The film, an inconvenient truth, produced by Al Gore also identifies with the presence of a looming climate change and global warming. Gore discusses the scientific facts behind global warming showing how it affects the environment. He provides the effects that result from failure to respond to this crisis and points out an inconvenient truth of what all individual can do to conserve and protect the

Problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problem question - Essay Example The essay starts by defining criminal law as well as explaining the factors that constitute a crime of such magnitude. The body of the essay will develop through identification of specific crimes in relation to the given scenario involving Ahmed and Blanche in a bid to establish if there is any criminal liability. According to the online HG.org worldwide directories (http://www.hg.org/crime.html), â€Å"criminal law which is often called penal law, involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime.† On the other hand, a crime is further defined as, â€Å"any act or (commission of an act) in violation of a public law forbidding it.† Thus, criminal law forms part of public law. Every citizen of a state has certain duties towards the state and in the interest of the society as a whole, the state prescribes certain norms of conduct that bind all members of the state upon which it has a jurisdiction to punish a person who trans gresses against these (Kleyn & Viljoen 2002). Thus, the persons who commit crime can be prosecuted in a criminal court and punished if found guilty. The punishment will be determined by the level of crime against the accused once convicted of a crime. It must be proved beyond any reasonable doubt that somebody has committed a crime and some facts have been recognised as crimes for many centuries and these mainly emanated from common law and they include but are not limited to the following: murder, robbery, shoplifting, rape, assault, arson as well as bribery among others (Anderson, Dodd & Roos 2003). Where there has been a commission of crimes of such magnitude, it is the state versus the accused whereby the state will initiate the prosecution whereby punishment will be effected once a person has been convicted of a crime. 1 The aim is to prevent further occurrence of similar crimes, punish the offender, rehabilitate and reform the offender as well as to protect the interests of th e society. Criminal law is often considered as the most effective technique that can be used to combat certain wrongful acts of conduct according to the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. It is thus seen as an effective way of dealing with certain conducts which are deemed wrongful and violate the prescribed norms in society. In the given case involving Ahmed, the facts are: Ahmed, a diabetic, has left his wife, Blanche, and his son, Calum, for Diva who has given birth to his daughter, Elaine but for two years Blanche who has suffered at Ahmed’s humiliating and violent treatment. It is after Blanche sets alight the flat where Diva and Elaine are killed and Ahmed is overcome with grief, forgets to take his insulin and, before the police arrest Blanche, takes his gun and returns to the former matrimonial home. Indeed, when Blanche opens the door, Ahmed fires at her but misses and kills Calum instead. In this regard, it can be noted that specific crimes are punishable because they threaten the interests of the individuals and society as a whole. It is the duty of the state to ensure that these interests are protected. There are specifically four different groups of crime that can be identified as criminal and these include crimes against: another person, against community mores, against the interest of the state and against another person’s property. (Kleyn & Viljoen 2002). The most serious crime against another’