Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10
Assignment 3 - Essay Example Matters or issues concerning dark energy are normally speculative in nature. The evidence for the existence of the dark energy arises from three major independent sources. Therefore, these sources lead us to our three major hypotheses on dark energy: distance measurements through the red shift, explains the universe has expanded during its last half life; the theoretical requirements for extra energy type that is not matter and dark matter, to form the observationally flat universe; and it can be identified through the large scale measurement of wave patterns with mass density. Dark energy is believed to be homogeneous and not very dense; it interacts with other universal forces; apart for gravitational force. These theories hypothesize formation of galaxies or cluster of galaxies; Cold Dark Matter aspect of cosmology describes that clustering and also merging processes enables galaxies to gain mass and determine shape and structure. One theory explains the ââ¬Ëtop downââ¬â¢ galaxies formation aspect. The disk galaxies are created through monolithic collapse of the large gas cloud. In the process of cloud collapse; gas settles in a highly rotating disk. This explanation is very simple; but no longer accepted (Schechner 297). The bottom up galaxy formation theory demonstrates that galaxies are formed through coalescing involving smaller progenitors; smaller particles merge and form larger or big particles. The dark matter halos cluster during the bottom up process. The age of the Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years. This age was approximated using radiometric system of dating; using meteorite materials. There is a hypothesis that accretion of the Earth soon started after formation of calcium-aluminum rich materials and meteorites. However; simpler explanations can indicate that the age of the Earth is millions
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Role of the Genes COLEC11 and MASP1 in Embryonic Development
Role of the Genes COLEC11 and MASP1 in Embryonic Development Vigneshwaree Sabapathy Mutations in the genes COLEC11 and MASP1 which code for lectin complement pathway proteins have been found responsible for a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting in abnormal development. This proposes that other constituent proteins may play a role in embryonic development. To this day, the genetic aspects of the stages involved in embryonic development that leads to certain congenital disorders are still not fully understood. As a result, researchers start off with identifying the genes that play a part in causing a congenital disorder before determining how these genes bring about the disorder. This approach was adopted by Rooryck et al.1 to help prove that mutations in the genes COLEC11 and MASP1, involved in the lectin complement pathway were responsible for 3MC syndrome. The 3MC syndrome is an abbreviation of Michels, Mingarelli, Malpuech and Carnevale syndrome. These four syndromes are rare autosomal disorder that follows a recessive order of inheritance. The 3MC syndrome is characterised by blepharophimosis, ptosis of the eyelids, cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, hypertelorism and in some cases renal anomalies and umbilical hernia1,2. Furthermore, growth retardation, mental retardation and urogenital anomalies are also common features in all four syndromes2,3. After much research, it was found that the overlapping similarities in phenotype and Gestalt between these four syndromes are more significant than the differences between them2. Therefore, these evidence lead to the assumption that the syndromes are allelic variations of one another and belong to the same spectrum2. Rooryck and colleagues started off their study by first collecting DNA samples from individuals diagnosed with Michels, Mingarelli, Malpuech and Carnevale syndromes and all their available family members. Their genomes were then screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms which are homozygous in all affected individuals but absent in unaffected individuals. From the individuals tested, there were four consanguineous families. The genotyping results from members of these families showed a homozygous region of 2.2 MB at 2p25.3 in affected individuals1. Moreover, a region of homozygosity was found in two other families at 3q27.31,4. These findings suggest that the 3MC syndrome could be caused by multiple genes. From the sequencing of the open reading frames at the 2p25.3 region, 15 candidate genes were found, of which 9 were sequenced. Sequencing of these transcripts in affected individuals revealed three homozygous missense mutations and a single base deletion in COLEC11 that may be linked to the inheritance of the 3MC syndrome. Furthermore, the single base deletion in COLEC11 was found to play a role in the premature termination of the gene product CL-K1. CL-K1 is a C-type lectin that acts as a host defence by binding to carbohydrate antigens on microorganisms and activating the innate immune system5,6. Due to its function, it tends to circulate in the serum. In addition, being highly conserved in various species means that a mutation would be damaging to the function of the protein. Hence, to ensure that this mutation is an underlying cause of the 3MC syndrome, a protein blot assay was conducted to detect CL-K1 in the serum from two affected individuals. However, none was detected, indic ating a connection between the syndrome and the loss of function mutation in COLEC11. At the same time, the expression of CL-K1 was observed in certain mouse tissues that have been known to be affected by the disorder in humans1. In the same way, sequencing at the 3q27.3 region found 16 candidate genes potentially linked to the 3MC syndrome. One of these genes is the MASP1 gene which encodes for mannan-binding lectin serine protease 1 (MASP-1), a serine protease that is important in the lectin complement pathway4. Rooryck et al.1 then sequenced this gene in the two affected families and discovered two homozygous single base substitutions in exon 12. As predicted, the loss of function of this gene is consistent with the inheritance of 3MC syndrome. To study the effect of the loss-of-function of these proteins as well as to ensure that both the COLEC11 and MASP1 genes are accountable for the abnormalities witnessed in 3MC syndrome, knockdown studies were conducted using zebrafish. In these studies, two antisense morpholinos for COLEC11 were injected into one-cell stage embryos of zebrafish so as to imitate the loss-of-function of the gene. The same was done for the MASP1 gene. Based on the results from these studies, COLEC11 and MASP1 genes were found to cause similar phenotypes. The zebrafish morphants subjected to both these treatments displayed morphological abnormalities such as pigmentation and craniofacial cartilage defect similar to the symptoms of 3MC syndrome. Interestingly, when co-injected with a fully functional COLEC11 mRNA, the observed abnormalities in the zebrafish are reversed. Additionally, injecting a low dosage of both colec11 and masp1 morpholinos into the zebrafish embryos at the same time gave rise to simi lar deformities observed when injected separately, suggesting an interaction between the two genes5. Thanks to the pigmentation and craniofacial cartilage defects noted in zebrafish morphants, further studies were carried out to determine whether the CL-K1 and MASP-1 proteins are involved in the migration of cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) during embryonic development. Findings by Rooryck et al.1 in this part of the study revealed that beads coated with CL-K1 attracted NCCs when placed in the head region of zebrafish embryo. On the other hand, control beads implanted in the same region did not display the same attraction to NCCs. This proves the possibility that CL-K1 play a role in guiding the migration of neural crest cells. Similar results were also seen in a test using CL-K1 agarose disk and HeLa cells. At present, since the roles of both the COLEC11 and MASP1 genes in embryonic development have been discovered, more focus is required in investigating how the lectin complement pathway regulates embryonic development in addition to the role of the gene product, CL-K1 in early developmental processes. Likewise, the possibility of other constituent proteins and complement systems being involved in embryogenesis should also be considered. Therefore, further research on these aspects can help in the management of other congenital genetic disorders. (996 words) References: Rooryck, C. et al. Mutations in lectin complement pathway genes COLEC11 and MASP1 cause 3MC syndrome. Nat. Genet. 43, 197-203 (2011). Titomanlio, L. et al. Michels Syndrome, Carnevale Syndrome, OSA Syndrome, and Malpuech Syndrome: Variable Expression of a Single Disorder (3MC Syndrome)? Am. J. Med. Genet. 137A, 332ââ¬â335 (2005). Kerstjens-Frederikse, W.S., Brunner, H.G., van Dael, C.M.L. van Essen, A.J. Malpuech Syndrome: Three Patients and a Review. Am. J. Med. Genet. 134A, 450ââ¬â453 (2005). Sirmaci et al. MASP1 Mutations in Patients with Facial, Umbilical, Coccygeal, and Auditory Findings of Carnevale, Malpuech, OSA, and Michels Syndromes. Am. J. Human Genet. 87, 679ââ¬â686 (2010). Hansen, S. et al. Collectin 11 (CL-11, CL-K1) Is a MASP-1/3ââ¬âAssociated Plasma Collectin with Microbial-Binding Activity. J. Immunol. 185, 6096ââ¬â6104 (2010). Keshi, H et al. Identification and characterization of a novel human collectin CL-K1. Microbiol Immunol. 50, 1001-1013 (2006).
Friday, October 25, 2019
Physics of Rowing :: physics row boating
Missing Figures "Marathon runners talk about hitting 'the wall' at the twenty-third mile of the race. What rowers confront isn't a wall; it's a hole - an abyss of pain, which opens up in the second minute of the race. Large needles are being driven into your thigh muscles, while your forearms seem to be splitting. Then the pain becomes confused and disorganized, not like the windedness of the runner or the leg burn of the biker but an all-over, savage unpleasantness. As you pass the five-hundred-meter mark, with three-quarters of the race still to row, you realize with dread that you are not going to make it to the finish, but at the same time the idea of letting your teammates down by not rowing your hardest is unthinkable...Therefore, you are going to die. Welcome to this life." -- Ashleigh Teitel The Basics The sport of rowing involves numerous combinations and classes of athletes. Boats can be rowed with or without coxswains (the non-rowing captain) and by 1, 2, 4, or 8 rowers. Each rower can handle one oar (sweeping) or two oars (sculling). Racing shells are currently being made with Carbon or Carbon/Kevlar combinations. The act of rowing involves the transfer of momentum by the rowers and their oars to the water. The momentum is transferred to the water by pulling on the oar and pushing with the legs (the feet are attached to the boat by restraints). This causes the seat to slide backwards and the oars to pivot on the riggers. Each stroke is made up of four basic parts: catch (blade vertical in the water, knees bent, arms forward), drive (legs straight, arms pulling toward the body), finish (oar out of water, blade vertical), recovery (body moves forward, blade turns from vertical to the horizontal). For some of the basic forces acting on a 4+ (coxed four) see Figure 1. Figure 1: mx is the mass for each rower x (1-4) and coxswain (c), M is the mass of the boat, and Fx (x=1- 4) is the force exerted by the stroke and Fdrag is the resistive force of the water. Drag Drag is the transfer of momentum from our moving object to a fluid. A crew moves through both water (in contact with the shell) and air (in contact with a small part of the shell and the rowers). Effect on Crew To minimize air resistance rowers wear skimpy unis and force their coxswains to lay in the very short and narrow stern of the boat.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Guidelines for improving self concept
Self Concept Interpersonal Communication Abstract How do you view yourself? How do you think others view you? These questions are central to the idea of self- concept how you perceive yourself and how you believe others perceive you impacts your thoughts and ideas your actions and reactions. Your-self concept developed over years through your social interactions with your fellow man. It is what you believe to be your strength and weaknesses. Years of self- evaluation and comparisons to your peers helped to paint the internal picture you feel describe your best.Unfortunately, some people struggle because they lack a healthy understanding of who they are. They focus on their weakness and shortcomings, projecting a negative image upon themselves they believe is seen by others, luckily, the self-concept cab be changed for the better, although improving it will not happen overnight. It involves changing how you view yourself and that requires thinking and behaving differently. Consistentl y taking the following steps that will put you on the path to building a healthy self-concept. Discussion I can recall a time when I was 16 years old.I finally became a candidate to participate n the cadet academy in Jamaica. This was a very well known academy, and gave young men an opportunity to acquire the basic training to become a part of the Jamaican Police Force. Law enforcement has always intrigued me, and I knew one day I would become a part of fighting crime. The spaces were very limited, and only the best were accepted in to this program. I finally making the cut was really a success. When my parents came home from work that day, I was delighted to tell them the good news. I was full of energy as I explained to them I would finally be able to pursue my passion as a cop.They applauded me for being accepted but then their face changed, and I was not prepared for what happened next. They told me I should not Join the program. They told me the crime rate in our neighborhood c ity of Kingston, Jamaica was very high, and that the civilians were killing police officers left and right. They said they wanted to see me be successful in life and pursue what I wanted, but now was not the time to do so. Therefore, because I respect my parents, I rationalized their thoughts with my thoughts and came to the decision that I would not go through with the cadet training.It was very hurtful but I did not want to sober my parents, nor did I want to risk my life at such a young age. It was a very hard decision to make, but I did it with hopes on possibly going to college and pursuing it in another aspect like maybe becoming an attorney. The guidelines for improving self-concept are some very good values with making life decisions. The first one says that I should ââ¬Å"Make a commitment to Personal Growthâ⬠(wood, 2013, p. 53). If I had applied this concept, I would have gone ahead and went with my dream of becoming a cadet officer, knowing that there is ââ¬Å"ten sion that accompanies personal growthâ⬠(Wood J. 13, p. 53). If I would have used ââ¬Å"Knowledge to support my personal growth â⬠I would have checked the statistics myself to see exactly how bad the crime was at the time, and also find out how many officers had been killed. If I would have ââ¬Å"Set goals that were realistic and Fairâ⬠(Woodward, p. 55). I wouldn't have had any doubts in my mind that this was the proper move for me at the time, because it was very realistic to me And If I had ââ¬Å"Sought of Contexts that support personal changeâ⬠, I would have surrounding myself with people who were pro-law enforcement and who believed in my dream.According to Wood (2013)â⬠Think about people whose appraisals of you will help you move toward changes you desire. â⬠Conclusion The most important thing I learned about this paper is no to settle of something when it comes to your dream in life. Just because people do not see the same things as you, doe s not mean it is the wrong decision. It is important to be careful who you share your goals with, and trust your own decisions. In addition, surrounding yourself with like-minded people will help you to reach where you want to be in life References Wood, J. (2013). Interpersonal Communication. Boston, MA 02210. Headwords Change Learning.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Ib 150 Exam 1
1. Understand what is the same about all life, and what makes life diverse A. List the five characteristics all organisms on Earth share * The five characteristics all organisms share is: information, replication, evolution, cells, and energy (cerie) B.Explain why the first four are required for life * Cells allow things to go in and out of the organism (allows diffusion to happen so good things go in and bad things go out) * Energy is required because it allows most functions and reactions to happen in the organism * Information: so your cells know what to do next( aka the things happening in your brain need information to learn) * Replication: everything an organism does revolves around trying to replicate itself(meiosis) C. Differentiate heterotrophs and autotrophs 1. Heterotrophs: need to obtain energy from an outside source 2.Autotrophs: create energy and food for themselves Some reactions are exothermic because their PEreactants is Higher than PEproducts 2. Understand that ener gy to sustain life is derived from chemical potential energyy * LOCS D. Relate the distance of electrons from their protons to the concept of chemical potential energy * The further electrons are from their protons, the more PE they have (PE is stored energy, so the distance is increased and is further meaning itââ¬â¢ll have more want to go closer to the oppositely attacted nucleus) E.Define exergonic and endergonic chemical reactions * Exergonic reactions: happen spontaneously (donââ¬â¢t need any source of energy to happen) Endergonic need energy from the outside to create the reaction heat has been released to the environment> ReactantsPE greter than PEproducts(PE dropped so Exergoinic) The hydrolysis of ATP provides the energy needed for an endergonic reaction. Acquire Energy=Endergonic Rxnâ⬠¦Pi is transferred to a phosphate group F.Classify the hydrolosis of ATP as either endergonic or exergonic * Hydrolysis of ATP is exergonic (energy is released) the ATP outermost ph osphate groups is brokenâ⬠¦energy is created G. Classify the the phosphorylation of a substrate by ATP as either endergonic or exergonic.. phosphorlyation is exergonic because the electrons in ADP and the Pi have so much less PE than they did in the ATP.. phospholyation is the addition of a phosphate group to s substeateâ⬠¦it adds negative charge to a protein the electrons in the protein change configuration (the molecules overall shape) H.Use the First Law of Thermodynamics to explain how chemical reactions transfer energy from one molecule to anotherâ⬠¦first law states that energy is neither created nor destroyâ⬠¦it just means that PE will change from KE and KE will turn into thermal, sound, or light energy, the energies are just changing * HOCS A. Predict whether reactions are exergonic or endergonic given information on the potential energy of reactants and products PE of reactants higher: PE drops: Exergonicâ⬠¦PE of products higher, then PE increases, and it s endergonic B.Use the concepts of exergonic and endergonic reactions to explain how ATP does work in the cell via phosphorylation. 1. The addition of aphosphate group to a substrate: exergonic: electrons in ADP and phosphate group has much less PE than in ATP (meaning the ADP Pi are the products.. products will have less PE than the reactants.. PE drops).. When phosphorylated, the Energy is a productâ⬠¦The phosphorylated by ATP means that the exergonic because there was a drop in PE, DeltaG (or free energy thing) is negative 1.Understand the importance of cellular respiration to (almost all) life on Earth * LOCS A. List (separately) the inputs and outputs of cellular respiration. Inputs of Cell Respiration: Outputs of CR: B. Recall that nearly all life on Earth conducts cellular respiration C. Differentiate and relate the roles of glucose and ATP in cellular respiration D. Describe the role of cellular respiration in the transfer of energy from glucose to work done in the cell E. Differentiate aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration Anaerobic doesnââ¬â¢t require O2, Aerobic requires O2 * HOCS A.Justify why some organisms would use aerobic cellular respiration and others would use anaerobic cellular respiration Some organisms find it diffult to acquire O2: at the bottom of the ocean, etc B. Justify why most life on Earth uses aerobic cellular respiration, instead of anaerobic cellular respiration Most life is near oxygen, they can acquire it mostly a lot of the time 1. Understand the importance of photosynthesis to (almost all) life on Earth * LOCS A. *** changed 8/28 *** List (separately) the inputs and outputs of the light-capturing reactions of photosynthesis Inputs of LCR:Outputs of LCR: B. *** changed 8/28 *** List (separately) the inputs and outputs of the Calvin Cycle of photosynthesis Inputs Calvin Cycle: Outputs CC: C. Relate the inputs and outputs of photosynthesis to those of cellular respiration The inputs of photosyn are the outputs of C R D. Define, identify on a diagram, and relate chloroplasts, thylakoids, and stroma Thylakoids are fluid filled sacs where the photosynthesis occurs in cells Stroma: is the surrounding membrane of the chloroplastsChloroplasts are found in plants in which they absorb the light rays E. *** changed 8/28 *** Associate the light-capturing reactions and Calvin Cycle of photosynthesis with these structures F. Compare, contrast, and relate the functions of chlorophyll and carotenoids G. Use the concept of chemical potential energy to summarize why chlorophyll absorbs the wavelengths of light it does. Chem PE. H. Define carbon fixation I. Generalize the influence of photosynthesis on oxygen levels in Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere.. Increased O2 levels J.Generalize the influence of carbon fixation on carbon dioxide levels in Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere K. Paraphrase the three potential fates of the excited electron produced when a photon meets a chlorophyll molecule L. Relate the functions of the a ntenna complex and the reaction center in a chloroplast * HOCS A. *** changed 8/28 *** For each input of photosynthesis, predict the effect on both the light-capturing reactions and Calvin Cycle if that one input is limited. B. Illustrate the flow of energy from solar energy, to glucose, to ATP, to work done in the cell. . Understand the importance of diffusion to cellular metabolism and the how it constraints the evolution of cell/body size and shape * LOCS A. Define diffusion B. Predict (in a general sense) the net direction in which dissolved molecules will move given information about their concentration C. Define each of the terms of Fickââ¬â¢s Law of Diffusion D. Calculate the surface area to volume ratio for simple shapes, when presented with equations to calculate surface area and volume E.Assess the surface area to volume ratios of different shapes relative to one another, given information about their volume or mass F. Predict (in a general sense) changes in the rate of diffusion given changes in the various parameters of Fickââ¬â¢s Law of Diffusion G. When provided with equations for the surface area and volume of a shape, use them to explain why the SA:V of a small shape is greater than that of the same shape at a larger size. * HOCS A.Justify why the net movement of a group of molecules along a concentration gradient due to diffusion can be caused by the random movement of individual molecules B. *** added 9/2 *** Use the concepts of surface area and volume to relate 1) the ability to acquire reactants for cellular respiration and 2) the amount of those reactants required to a single celled organism's size Photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O ââ¬â> C6H12O6 + 6O2 (O2 is a by product) along with sugar
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Great Gatsby as a Modernist Novel Essays
The Great Gatsby as a Modernist Novel Essays The Great Gatsby as a Modernist Novel Essay The Great Gatsby as a Modernist Novel Essay Essay Topic: The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel which includes a variety of literary genres, one of which being the modernist genre, a literary movement which had its peak of popularity between 1910-1960. This is shown through; Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s use of first person narration to give an undecided view point of society, which can be seen as social criticism, symbolism, allegorical characters, and poetic language. Fitzgerald has chosen Nick Caraway to be the narrator for the whole duration of the novel to present his views of social criticism of the 1920s in an indecisive way. Fitzgerald uses Nickââ¬â¢s narration to presents the criticisms of society as they are, without giving his own opinion, he leaves it open to interpretation. This is evidently shown through Jordan stating, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t care what I do as long as I have funâ⬠. Fitzgerald has used Nickââ¬â¢s first person narration to present the obvious criticism of carelessness within the 1920s society due to the newly found hedonistic attitude. Although Nick has not specifically given his opinion on it, he has left the judgement open to the interpretation of the reader, as he has questioned the decline of morals within the society. This hedonistic and careless attitude towards life in the 1920s was a result of the brutality faced in the world war and people celebrating life and living it to the fullest. This again stre sses how The Great Gatsby is a modernist novel as the modern writer wrote in response to the post world war depression, by questioning society, life, and morals and also as Nick is indecisive towards the hedonistic attitude as he criticised it, yet he continued to associate himself with the people. New technology was another social criticism that is expressed by the modern writer. This is shown in the novel through the contrasting descriptions of the car as the ââ¬Å"brisk yellow bugâ⬠, becoming the ââ¬Å"death carâ⬠. The two juxtaposing descriptions reveal Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s undecided view of the car a
Monday, October 21, 2019
State of Matter Definition - Chemistry Glossary
State of Matter Definition - Chemistry Glossary Physics and chemistry both study matter, energy, and interactions between them. From the laws of thermodynamics, scientists know matter can change states and the sum of the matter and energy of a system is constant. When energy is added or removed to matter, it changes state to form a state of matter. A state of matter is defined as one of the ways in which matter can interact with itself to form a homogeneous phase. State of Matter vs Phase of Matter The phrases state of matter and phase of matter are used interchangeably. For the most part, this is fine. Technically a system can contain several phases of the same state of matter. For example, a bar of steel (a solid) may contain ferrite, cementite, and austenite. A mixture of oil and vinegar (a liquid) contains two separate liquid phases. States of Matter In everyday life, four phases of matter exist: solids, liquids, gases, and plasma. However, several other states of matter have been discovered. Some of these other states occur at the boundary between two states of matter where a substance doesnt really display the properties of either state. Others are most exotic. This is a list of some states of matter and their properties: Solid: A solid has a defined shape and volume. Particles within a solid are packed very close together fixed in an ordered arrangement. The arrangement may be sufficiently ordered to form a crystal (e.g., NaCl or table salt crystal, quartz) or the arrangement may be disordered or amorphous (e.g., wax, cotton, window glass). Liquid: A liquid has a defined volume but lacks a defined shape. Particles within a liquid are not packed as close together as in a solid, allowing them to slide against each other. Examples of liquids include water, oil, and alcohol. Gas: A gas lacks either a defined shape or volume. Gas particles are widely separated. Examples of gases include air and the helium in a balloon. Plasma: Like a gas, a plasma lacks a defined shape or volume. However, the particles of a plasma are electrically charged and are separated by vast differences. Examples of plasma include lightning and the aurora. Glass: A glass is an amorphous solid intermediate between a crystalline lattice and a liquid. It is sometimes considered a separate state of matter because it has properties distinct from solids or liquids and because it exists in a metastable state. Superfluid: A superfluid is a second liquid state that occurs near absolute zero. Unlike a normal liquid, a superfluid has zero viscosity. Bose-Einstein Condensate: A Bose-Einstein condensate may be called the fifth state of matter. In a Bose-Einstein condensate the particles of matter stop behaving as individual entities and may be described with a single wavefunction. Fermionic Condensate: Like a Bose-Einstein condensate, particles in a fermionic condensate may be described by one uniform wavefunction. The difference is the condensate is formed by fermions. Because of the Pauli exclusion principle, fermions cant share the same quantum state, but in this case pairs of fermions behave as bosons. Dropleton: This is a quantum fog of electrons and holes that flow much like a liquid. Degenerate Matter: Degenerate matter is actually a collection of exotic states of matter that occur under extremely high pressure (e.g., within the cores of stars or massive planets like Jupiter). The term degenerate derives from the way matter can exist in two states with the same energy, making them interchangeable. Gravitational Singularity: A singularity, like at the center of a black hole, is not a state of matter. However, it bears noting because its an object formed by mass and energy that lacks matter. Phase Changes Between States of Matter Matter can change states when energy is added or removed from the system. Usually, this energy results from changes in pressure or temperature. When matter changes states it undergoes a phase transition or phase change. Sources Goodstein, D. L. (1985). States of Matter. Dover Phoenix. ISBN 978-0-486-49506-4.Murthy, G.; et al. (1997). Superfluids and Supersolids on Frustrated Two-Dimensional Lattices. Physical Review B. 55 (5): 3104. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.55.3104Sutton, A. P. (1993). Electronic Structure of Materials. Oxford Science Publications. pp. 10ââ¬â12. ISBN 978-0-19-851754-2.Valigra, Lori (June 22, 2005) MIT Physicists Create New Form of Matter. MIT News.Wahab, M.A. (2005). Solid State Physics: Structure and Properties of Materials. Alpha Science. pp. 1ââ¬â3. ISBN 978-1-84265-218-3.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
The Guns or Butter Nazi Economy
The Guns or Butter Nazi Economy A study of how Hitler and the Nazi regime handled the German economy has two dominant themes: after coming to power during a depression, how did the Nazis solve the economic problems facing Germany, and how did they manage their economy during the largest war the world has yet seen, when facing economic rivals like the US. Early Nazi Policy Like much of Nazi theory and practice, there was no overarching economic ideology and plenty of what Hitler thought was the pragmatic thing to do at the time, and this was true throughout the Nazi Reich. In the years leading to their takeover of Germany, Hitler didnââ¬â¢t commit to any clear economic policy, so as to widen his appeal and keep his options open. One approach can be seen in the early 25 Point program of the party, where socialist ideas such as nationalization were tolerated by Hitler in an attempt to keep the party unified; when Hitler turned away from these goals, the party split and some leading membersà (like Strasser) were killed to retain unity. Consequently, When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, the Nazi Party had different economic factions and no overall plan. What Hitler did at first was to maintain a steady course which avoided revolutionary measures so as to find a middle ground between all the groups heââ¬â¢d made promises to. Extreme measures under extreme Nazis would only come later when things were better. The Great Depression In 1929, an economic depression swept the world, and Germany suffered heavily. Weimar Germany had rebuilt a troubled economy on the back of US loans and investments, and when these were suddenly withdrawn during the depression the Germany economy, already dysfunctional and deeply flawed, collapsed once more. German exports dropped, industries slowed, businesses failed and unemployment rose. Agriculture also began to fail. The Nazi Recovery This depression had helped the Nazis in the early thirties, but if they wanted to keep their hold on power they had to do something about it. They were helped by the world economy beginning to recover at this time anyway, by the low birth rate from World War 1 reducing the workforce, but action was still needed, and the man to lead it was Hjalmar Schacht, who served as both Minister of Economics and President of the Reichsbank, replacing Schmitt who had a heart attack trying to deal with the various Nazis and their push for war. He was no Nazi stooge, but a well-known expert on the international economy, and one whoââ¬â¢d played a key role in defeating Weimarââ¬â¢s hyperinflation. Schacht led a plan which involved heavy state spending to cause demand and get the economy moving and used a deficit management system to do so. The German banks had tottered in the Depression, and so the state took a greater role in the movement of capital ââ¬â borrowing, investments etc. ââ¬â and put low interest rates in place. The government then targeted farmers and small businesses to help them back into profit and productivity; that a key part of the Nazi vote was from rural workers and the middle class was no accident. The main investment from the state went into three areas: construction and transportation, such as the autobahn system which was built despite few people owning cars (but was good in a war), as well as many new buildings, and rearmament. Previous Chancellors Bruning, Papen and Schleicher had started putting this system into place. The exact division has been debated in recent years, and itââ¬â¢s now believed less went into rearmament at this time and more into the other sectors than thought. The workforce was also tackled, with the Reich Labour Service directing the young unemployed. The resu lt was a tripling of state investment from 1933 to 1936, unemployment cut by two-thirds (Nazi faithful were guaranteed jobs even if they werenââ¬â¢t qualified and if the job wasnââ¬â¢t needed), and the near recovery of the Nazi economy. But the purchasing power of civilians had not increased and many jobs were poor. However, Weimarââ¬â¢s problem of a poor balance of trade continued, with more imports than exports and the danger of inflation. The Reich Food Estate, designed to co-ordinate agricultural produce and achieve self-sufficiency, failed to do so, annoyed many farmers, and even by 1939, there were shortages. Welfare was turned into a charitable civilian area, with donations forced through the threat of violence, allowing tax money for rearmament. The New Plan: Economic Dictatorship While the world looked at Schachtââ¬â¢s actions and many saw positive economic outcomes, the situation in Germany was darker. Schacht had been installed to prepare an economy with a large focus on the German war machine. Indeed, while Schacht didnââ¬â¢t start off as a Nazi, and never joined the Party, in 1934, he was basically made an economic autocrat with total control of the German finances, and he created the ââ¬ËNew Planââ¬â¢ to tackle the issues: the balance of trade was to be controlled by the government deciding what could, or couldnââ¬â¢t be imported, and the emphasis was on heavy industry and the military. During this period Germany signed deals with numerous Balkan nations to exchange goods for goods, enabling Germany to keep foreign currency reserves and bringing the Balkans into the German sphere of influence. The Four Year Plan of 1936 With the economy improving and doing well (low unemployment, strong investment, improved foreign trade) the question of ââ¬ËGuns or Butterââ¬â¢ began to haunt Germany in 1936. Schacht knew that if rearmament continued at this pace the balance of payments would go crippling downhill, and he advocated increasing consumer production to sell more abroad. Many, especially those poised to profit, agreed, but another powerful group wanted Germany ready for war. Critically, one of these people was Hitler himself, who wrote a memorandum that year calling for the German economy to be ready for war in four yearsââ¬â¢ time. Hitler believed the German nation had to expand through conflict, and he wasnââ¬â¢t prepared to wait long, overriding many business leaders who called for slower rearmament and an improvement in living standards and consumer sales. Quite what scale of war Hitler envisioned isnââ¬â¢t certain. The result of this economic tug was Goering being appointed head of the Four Year Plan, designed to speed rearmament and create self-sufficiency, or ââ¬Ëautarkyââ¬â¢. Production was to be directed and key areas increased, imports were also to be heavily controlled, and ââ¬Ëersatzââ¬â¢ (substitute)à goods were to be found. The Nazi dictatorship now affected the economy more than ever before. The problem for Germany was that Goering was an air ace, not an economist, and Schacht was so sidelined that he resigned in 1937. The result was, perhaps predictably, mixed: inflation had not increased dangerously, but many targets, such as oil and arms, had not been reached. There were shortages of key materials, civilians were rationed, any possible source was scavenged or stolen, rearmament and autarky targets were not met, and Hitler seemed to be pushing a system which would only survive through successful wars. Given that Germany then went head first into war, the failures of th e plan soon became very apparent. What did grow were Goeringââ¬â¢s ego and the vast economic empire he now controlled. The relative value of wages fell, the hours worked increased, workplaces were full of the Gestapo, and bribery and inefficiency grew. The Economy Fails at War Itââ¬â¢s clear to us now that Hitler wanted war, and that he was reformatting the German economy to carry out this war. However, it appears that Hitler was aiming for the main conflict to start several years later than it did, and when Britain and France called the bluff over Poland in 1939 the German economy was only partially ready for the conflict, the goal being to start the great war with Russia after a few more years building. It was once believed that Hitler tried to shield the economy from the war and not move immediately to a full wartime economy, but in late 1939 Hitler greeted the reaction of his new enemies with sweeping investments and changes designed to support the war. The flow of money, the use of raw materials, the jobs people held and what weapons should be produced were all changed. However, these early reforms had little effect. Production of key weapons like tanks stayed low, due to flaws in design negating speedy mass production, inefficient industry, and a failure to organize. This inefficiency and organizational deficit were in a large part due to Hitlerââ¬â¢s method of creating multiple overlapping positions which competed with each other and jostled for power, a flaw from the heights of government down to the local level. Speer and Total War In 1941 the USA entered the war, bringing some of the most powerful production facilities and resources in the world. Germany was still under-producing, and the economic aspect of World War 2 entered a new dimension. Hitler declared new laws ââ¬â the Rationalization Decree of late 1941 ââ¬â and made Albert Speer Minister of Armaments. Speer was best known as Hitlerââ¬â¢s favored architect, but he was given the power to do whatever was necessary, cut through whichever competing bodies he needed, to get the German economy fully mobilized for total war. Speerââ¬â¢s techniques were to give industrialists more freedom while controlling them through a Central Planning Board, allowing for more initiative and results from people who knew what they were doing, but still kept them pointed in the right direction. The result was an increase in weapons and armaments production, certainly more than the old system produced. But modern economists have concluded Germany could have produced more and was still being beaten economically by the output of the US, USSR, and Britain. One problem was the allied bombing campaign which caused massive disruption, another was the infighting in the Nazi party, and another was the failure to use the conquered territories to full advantage. Germany lost the war in 1945, having been outfought but, perhaps even more critically, comprehensively out produced by their enemies. The German economy was never functioning fully as a total war system, and they could have produced more if better organized. Whether even that would have stopped their defeat is a different debate.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Rhematoid Arthritis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Rhematoid Arthritis - Essay Example Besides, the lining of the tissue joint can become thicker and thicker, and may wear away surrounding ligaments, cartilage and bone as it spreads. One of the structures that get severely damaged is the synovium in the joint. It becomes inflamed and causes swelling and pain. The main characteristic and the one that differentiates rheumatoid arthritis from osteoarthritis is that it usually occurs in a symmetrical pattern, in the sense that if one knee or hand has it, the other one also have it. This disease is a systemic disease that often affects extra-articular tissues all through the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles. Studies show that about 60% of rheumatoid arthritis patients are unable to work 10 years after the onset of their disease (Wikipedia, n. pag, 2007). The epidemiological studies show that the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis occurs in 3 persons in a population of 10,000 every year. While the onset of this disease is very uncommen under the are of 15 it increases with age until the age of 80. Among men and women, women is affected three to five times as often as men. It is also estimated that the prevalence of the disease is 4 times more common in smokers than non-smokers (Wikipedia, n. pag, 2007). Though several studies have been conducted around the world to pinpoint the causes of rheumatoid arthritis, none of them are successful. ... pag). Some of the researchers link this disease to genetics. They believe that the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be inherited genetically. It is strongly associated with the inherited tissue type Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen HLA-DR4 and hence provide a strong link with family history (Wikipedia, n. pag, 2007). The disease results in a progressive degeneration. However the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are sometimes severe and sometimes absent. It generally varies with the inflammation of the tissues. The disease is in the active mode and is painful when the body tissues are inflamed. The disease goes into the inactive mode when tissue inflammation subsides. In general when the patient takes the treatment the pain and inflammation reduces and these conditions may last for weeks, months, or years. During remissions, symptoms of the disease disappear, and patients usually feel well. But when the disease becomes active again (relapse), symptoms return as usu al and sometimes the pain may be severe. In fact each patient has a unique pattern in which the disease presents. Some of the common observation regarding the symptoms of the disease when it is in the active mode includes fatigue, lack of appetite, low grade fever, muscle and joint aches, and stiffness. Muscle and joint stiffness are typically most prominent in the morning and after periods of inactivity. In rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints are commonly inflamed in a symmetrical pattern. In severe cases chronic inflammation may result in damage of body tissues, cartilage and bone, which in turn leads to a loss of cartilage, erosion and weakness of the bones as well as the muscles. Ultimately it results in joint deformity, destruction, and loss of function. The systemic
Friday, October 18, 2019
W 2 OM Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
W 2 OM Discussion - Essay Example Even though this system has been described by Asnis (2002) as being effective in controlling the deterioration of health cases, it has also been criticized as not being preventive in nature. This is because with this system, there must be a risk indicator before proactive interventions are sent by government. Based on the weakness with the system, it would be noted that the best way to make the system effective is to ensure that it is approached from both a preventive perspective and a curative perspective. To do this, government must deepen research that aids in the forecasting of possible health risks. With such forecasted results, it will be possible to predict some areas that are not currently prone to certain health risks but may be at risk in future. Most certainly, with such an effective preventive approach, there can be much guarantee that government spending on healthcare can be reduced (Meredith and Shafer, 2014). This is because the amount of money government have always spent on its curative duties have been more than the government have spent in preventing the escalation of health risks (Meredith and Shafer,
Causes and Effects of Advertisement for Blood Donations Essay
Causes and Effects of Advertisement for Blood Donations - Essay Example The advertisement like distributing leaflets and posters or involving charismatic personalities in these campaigns is required to invite and encourage people for saving the life. It is also necessary for raising awareness of the side effects of transfusion of blood while using unhealthy methods. The Advertisement for Blood Donations have the very positive effect on the economy and also on the lives of people in the society. Generating the sense of satisfaction: Advertisement on Print and Electronic media is important for generating the sense of satisfaction in people when they are going to donate their blood, encouraging them in that their donated blood is most important for those who are in a critical condition. It can be done through awareness brochures, posters and arranging camps at colleges and universities for the donation of blood. Music concerts and fashion shows help in the collection of blood. Creation of the environment for the donation of blood: Advertisement can create the environment in the country for the encouragement of blood donation. Voluntary or unpaid blood donators can be facilitated by giving them one day rest for the recovery. In practice, creating the similar environment in the country can be achieved through government intervention and support for advertisements for the donation of blood. In Slovenia, an employee may be absent from work on the day of donation. Similarly, in Malta, employers are encouraged to allow their staff the required time off to donate blood (Commission on the European Communities, 2006). In the instance, the donation is paid, then the donator is compensated. Refreshments for the donators: In order to foster this culture for the donation of blood, it is important that large businesses should invest their resources under corporate social responsibility. For instance, organizations can provide incentives and healthy alternatives to donators in order to attract them, thus, encouraging them to contribute to this major cause.Ã Ã
Human Resource Management & Information Management (MBA) pro 5 Essay
Human Resource Management & Information Management (MBA) pro 5 - Essay Example Strategic human resourcing decisions with ethical dimensions help exploit the potential of workforce for higher creative output. An effective human resources strategy therefore helps to bring together diverse ideologies and interests of the workforce to promote common goals. The increasing pluralistic format of societies demand ethically delivered HR goals and objectives so as to ensure that people from diverse background enjoy equal opportunity at workplace. Tailor (2008) believes that cultural competencies of diverse workforce need to be exploited ethically for improving performance and gaining competitive advantage. Strategic HR decisions help to create cohesive workforce that highlights cross-cultural understanding, mutual respect and shared goals. Indeed, HR decisions are redefined in terms of shared vision and collective actions that rely on fair and non-discriminatory practices so as to meet new challenges successfully. Moreover, ethical considerations within recruitment, performance evaluation and promotion, training development etc. become pertinent issues for motivating workforce for higher productive outcome. They not only generate job security but also help inculcate higher sense of self-worth (Beardwell & Claydon, 2007). Thus, strategic HR decisions with ethical dimension have wider societal
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Proofreadoing of Teenage Character Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Proofreadoing of Teenage Character Paper - Essay Example Marie answered without turning her face towards Noreen and said, ââ¬Å" I am going to try-out for the Dance Team.â⬠Noreen looked in amazement at Marie. Marieââ¬â¢s gaze was still fixed on the poster but now she had her hands resting on her heavy hips. Marie turned towards Noreen and nodded her head in anticipation of Noreen's inquiry. With an affirmative nod she said, ââ¬Å"Yep that is just what I am going to do, I am trying out for the dance team.â⬠Marie twirled around looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing brown spandexà ® tights and a gold leotard. She wrapped the dainty chiffon skirt that looked like it was infused with glitter around her full hips. She liked the way the fabric slid over her curvy body. Marie glanced at the clock. ââ¬Å" Oh man, Iââ¬â¢m going to be late.â⬠She put on her thick sweater that fell just below her hips, about mid-thigh level. Marie opened the front door and stepped outside. The crisp fall air greeted her face and then acknowledged her body. She felt the cool air on her legs and glanced across the street to where Noreen lives, hoping for once Noreen would be standing outside waiting for her. Marie turned back to make sure she locked the door by jiggling the doorknob. She looked back towards Noreen's house as she walked down the steps and started across the street, warning out loud to no one, "Noreen, if you make me late ...â⬠Just before Marie placed her foot on the first step of Noreen's porch, Noreen appeared at the door. She flung the door open and, in her usual bluster, almost half-out-of-breath said, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sorry I am running late. Nellie would not get out of the bathroomâ⬠¦ and I had to fix my grandmother something to eatâ⬠¦ and I did not have time to eat myself, I will just have to eat my egg sandwich on the wayâ⬠¦Oh, girl, let me make sure I have my keys.â⬠Marie was not listening anymore, she had heard countless excuses as to why Noreen always seemed to be running late. Suddenly, it reminded her of the first time she met Noreen. Marieââ¬â¢s family had just moved to Merrill Street. The movers were bringing the last of the boxes into Marieââ¬â¢s new home and Marie's mom asked her to try to stay out of the way of the movers. So, Marie walked outside to take a look around her new neighborhood. She did not expect to see any older kids hanging out since it was a weekday and the kids would be in school. Marie was just standing outside on the porch looking at all her new neighbor's homes. The sound of a door opening caused Marie look across the street at a yellow house with a green door that suddenly flew open. A short and stout girl that looked to be around her age with big brown eyes and thick hair came rushing out of the door. Marie waved and said hello to the girl. The girl walked over and said, ââ¬Å"Hi my name is Noreen, whatââ¬â¢s your name?â⬠ââ¬Å" Hi, Iââ¬â¢m Marie.â⬠The two girls chatted on for a whil e, and then Noreen abruptly stopped mid-sentence and said, ââ¬Å"Sorry, I have to run, I am late for school.â⬠Marie yelled to Noreen, ââ¬Å"Say, what time does school start anyway? ââ¬Å" Noreen turned back in reply, ââ¬Å" 8 oââ¬â¢clock!â⬠Marie looked down at the time on her cell phone. It read 8:45 am. She watched Noreen storm down the sidewalk towards the school. Back in the present, Noreen interrupted her thoughts again. "I forgot to get some lunch money, can you loan me
Frida Kahlo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Frida Kahlo - Essay Example The essay "Frida Kahlo" analyzes the art and life of Frida Kahlo. She wasnââ¬â¢t a very fertile artist: her heritage contains about 143 works, 55 of them being self-portraits. Through all her life painting was the method of survival, the only way she could tell about her sufferings and pains. As you know, at the age of eighteenth she got into a very serious accident when riding in a bus. A metal rod pierced her from abdominal down to the region of hips, damaging her genitals and depriving of the ability to bear children. Numerous fractures and other injuries actually crippled this tiny woman, who managed to rise on her feet again. As the consequence of the crash Kahlo went through 35 operations and suffered awful pains and health problems all her life. The woman never lost her spirit, painting the major support in troubles. The work I have chosen is one of self-portraits. It is called The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth, Me, Diego, and Mr. Xolotl.It is one of Kahloââ¬â¢ s late works, dedicated to her relations with Diego Rivera. Frankly speaking, it is not quite clear who is Mr. Xolotl. Perhaps it is a big animal sleeping in the foreground of the picture just in the black right hand of the Universe. It is a very philosophical and lyrical painting, demonstrating surrealistic preferences of Kahlo. The Universe and the Earth (Mexico) are personified. The Universe is a big human, which is neither man nor woman, the right part of it being black, which symbolizes both night and black race.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Proofreadoing of Teenage Character Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Proofreadoing of Teenage Character Paper - Essay Example Marie answered without turning her face towards Noreen and said, ââ¬Å" I am going to try-out for the Dance Team.â⬠Noreen looked in amazement at Marie. Marieââ¬â¢s gaze was still fixed on the poster but now she had her hands resting on her heavy hips. Marie turned towards Noreen and nodded her head in anticipation of Noreen's inquiry. With an affirmative nod she said, ââ¬Å"Yep that is just what I am going to do, I am trying out for the dance team.â⬠Marie twirled around looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing brown spandexà ® tights and a gold leotard. She wrapped the dainty chiffon skirt that looked like it was infused with glitter around her full hips. She liked the way the fabric slid over her curvy body. Marie glanced at the clock. ââ¬Å" Oh man, Iââ¬â¢m going to be late.â⬠She put on her thick sweater that fell just below her hips, about mid-thigh level. Marie opened the front door and stepped outside. The crisp fall air greeted her face and then acknowledged her body. She felt the cool air on her legs and glanced across the street to where Noreen lives, hoping for once Noreen would be standing outside waiting for her. Marie turned back to make sure she locked the door by jiggling the doorknob. She looked back towards Noreen's house as she walked down the steps and started across the street, warning out loud to no one, "Noreen, if you make me late ...â⬠Just before Marie placed her foot on the first step of Noreen's porch, Noreen appeared at the door. She flung the door open and, in her usual bluster, almost half-out-of-breath said, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sorry I am running late. Nellie would not get out of the bathroomâ⬠¦ and I had to fix my grandmother something to eatâ⬠¦ and I did not have time to eat myself, I will just have to eat my egg sandwich on the wayâ⬠¦Oh, girl, let me make sure I have my keys.â⬠Marie was not listening anymore, she had heard countless excuses as to why Noreen always seemed to be running late. Suddenly, it reminded her of the first time she met Noreen. Marieââ¬â¢s family had just moved to Merrill Street. The movers were bringing the last of the boxes into Marieââ¬â¢s new home and Marie's mom asked her to try to stay out of the way of the movers. So, Marie walked outside to take a look around her new neighborhood. She did not expect to see any older kids hanging out since it was a weekday and the kids would be in school. Marie was just standing outside on the porch looking at all her new neighbor's homes. The sound of a door opening caused Marie look across the street at a yellow house with a green door that suddenly flew open. A short and stout girl that looked to be around her age with big brown eyes and thick hair came rushing out of the door. Marie waved and said hello to the girl. The girl walked over and said, ââ¬Å"Hi my name is Noreen, whatââ¬â¢s your name?â⬠ââ¬Å" Hi, Iââ¬â¢m Marie.â⬠The two girls chatted on for a whil e, and then Noreen abruptly stopped mid-sentence and said, ââ¬Å"Sorry, I have to run, I am late for school.â⬠Marie yelled to Noreen, ââ¬Å"Say, what time does school start anyway? ââ¬Å" Noreen turned back in reply, ââ¬Å" 8 oââ¬â¢clock!â⬠Marie looked down at the time on her cell phone. It read 8:45 am. She watched Noreen storm down the sidewalk towards the school. Back in the present, Noreen interrupted her thoughts again. "I forgot to get some lunch money, can you loan me
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
USA Consumer Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
USA Consumer Law - Essay Example Casey became so upset and distracted owing to nightmares that lead to her job loss. She wants to move out of the house but her effort to sell it could not even fetch a half of what he had spent in its purchase. Casey obviously feels deceived and treated unfairly by the seller as the latter failed to disclose the happenings that had happened in the house prior to its painting and subsequent sale. However it is not clear whether the seller is in real estate business and the fact that his mother was brutally murdered in his house does not out rule this possibility. It is clear that at the time the transaction took place, the buyer intends to purchase the house for her household, family or personal purposes and not for resale. As such we will consider Casey (buyer) to be a consumer. Since this forms a consumer transaction, the buyer can initiate legal claims under deceptive trade practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act or the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act that she was deceived by the seller. Casey in her legal claim that she was deceived by the seller, she can refer to the fact that the advertisement that she relied on was misleading and thus illegal. The advertisement described the house to have just been painted but upon the neighbor visited Caser, he informs her of what had happened in the same house and at this point we realize that it had been repainted so as to attract a new the buyer as opposed to the normal painting. The actual statement in the advertisement concerning the productââ¬â¢s (the house) quality and ingredients (painting) is fake. Also the advertisement described the house to be ââ¬Å"a perfect house, in excellent condition.â⬠The wording of this statement aims at guaranteeing the buyer of satisfaction and value for her money on acquiring the house. But the statement is deceptive since the seller has
Monday, October 14, 2019
Suspense Techniques In Hitchcocks Movies Film Studies Essay
Suspense Techniques In Hitchcocks Movies Film Studies Essay Suspense, horror, and creative are some of the words that describe Alfred Hitchcock s films. Something that no one had ever seen on screen was the techniques Hitchcock used. He was known as the master of suspense for his ways of manipulating and creating the sense of fear in the audience. Knowing the meaning of fear since childhood, he was believed to be the inventor of the suspense and horror genre in the film industry, improving movies with new technology and ideas to deliver exactly what he wanted to viewers to feel and understand. The film The Birds (1963) was a masterpiece and a thriller directed by Hitchcock that had many effective and brilliant techniques that are still used to this day. Alfred Hitchcock (August 13, 1899-April 29, 1980) was born and raised in a middle class family in London, England. Fear was the key emotion Hitchcock was very familiar with while growing up that played a huge part in the films he directed. At the tender age of five, his father sent him to a local police station many times after misbehaving and was put in jail for several minutes. The policeman returned to let him go, just to remind him that this is what naughty boys go though if they get into trouble. His mother would punish him by making him stand up at the foot of her bed for hours. Because of his overweight body figure, he stated that his childhood was very lonely and sheltered . He first went to school at St Ignatius College, but right after his dad died when Hitchcock was 14 years old, he went to the School of Engineering and Navigation, where he was fascinated by photography and film. His first job was working as a title-card creator for the film company Paramount Pictures. It took Hitchcock five years to become a film director. Being a perfectionist, Hitchcock would draw every single scene on his storyboard before shooting a film. This was one of his styles for which Hitchcock became famous. He was very dedicated to his art from the start of his career. Some techniques Hitchcock used were with the camera. The camera would capture shots that were made to build suspense so the audience can see something that the actors themselves don t see. An example of this technique being used was in The Birds. Melanie Daniels, the protagonist of the film, was sitting in front of a jungle gym smoking a cigarette. Black birds, which had attacked Melanie viciously earlier in the film, started gathering behind her, but she did not know, the viewers knew. This technique agitates the audience because something frightful can happen and we can do nothing to warn her. Knowing something that something bad can happen to an innocent makes the audience worried mixed with fear. Another technique he used was the subjective shot where th e camera was placed in the human eye perspective. The camera would stray around the setting or place mischievously looking for something unusual in a room, as if it is a detective itself. This allows the viewers to feel like they are involved in revealing the problem. Before sound films came out, the directors of films had to find a way to communicate to the audience what is the plot of the story, and Hitchcock used this technique even after sound films came out because it was so successful. He used this technique in The Birds. Perhaps the most suspenseful part of the movie was when Melanie was walking slowly up the stairs in the dark with a flashlight in her hand. The camera was put at Melanie s perspective, and we can see how frightening it can be to be in that position when we know that if she goes to the room on top of the stairs, the malicious birds will be there, waiting. The camera would start with a close-up of the actor, and then cut to the shot what they are seeing, and th en back to the actor to see his reaction. The sound of her footsteps was quiet, her breathing shallow, almost no sound was being heard. Finally, when she opened the door, she was attacked brutally. Suspense building was a major technique Hitchcock was famous for using. What we as humans find most horrendous is to know that nature can turn on us and that no place is safe. The Birds had several scenes where this technique was used, one of which was at a children s birthday party. The evil black birds came swooping down and started attacking the children, pecking until their flesh was open and bleeding. This behavior by the birds was unexplained; there was no answer as to why the birds were like this, which caused insecurity to the actors which is framed closely to show the emotion, therefore causing the audience to feel insecure also. The house was attacked during a night, windows were broken, doors were being pecked open, and the roof was being destroyed. At this point in the movie, the actors show deep concern about their safety and that their fear doesn t stop from the horror from coming, and the fear the viewers gain is exactly what Hitchcock was going for. Hitchcock s movies were planned to perfection. His ideas were sketched for every scene and chose his actors carefully that would break the clich or stereotype of people. He was well aware of what the audience was about to go through when they are watching the film, and this is what makes a great film director. Hitchcock wrote, produced, and directed films up until 1979. Despite his fondness for murder, chaos and shock, Alfred Hitchcock led a quiet life with his wife and daughter. In the last year of his life, Hitchcock was honored with the American Film Institutes lifetime achievement award. The master of suspense died in 1980 in Los Angeles, but his techniques are still alive today.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Physics of Meteors :: physics space meteor falling star
A falling star is really a Meteor and is a form of space debris. They are not really stars at all. There are cases where meteors have entered the Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere. In most cases, Meteors burn up upon entry into the atmosphere and never make it to the surface of the planet. There are times when the meteor starts to burn up, but because the mass is big enough, it makes it to the surface, smaller then when it started out. Through both means, the meteor deals with some measure of resistance upon entering the atmosphere. The main resistance that the meteor encounters is air resistance (or drag). Due to this collision with the atmosphere, the meteorââ¬â¢s surface begins to melt and vaporize causing the meteor to start breaking apart at its outer layers. When a meteor enters Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere, they enter at a minimum velocity. This minimum velocity is about 11km per second (25,000 miles per hour). That is quicker then a bullet being fired from a gun. That is only the minimum; there are meteors that can get going much faster. Another comparison to this is that a space shuttle moves around the Earth roughly at about 8km per second. Most meteors burn up when they enter Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere. There are a few meteors however, that make it to the surface. The ones that make it to the ground are called meteorites. Not all meteors are the same material wise. Some meteors are made out of rock, while others are made out of iron. Some even have a mixture of both, but in most cases, it is one or the other. A fun fact that came up is that as much a 4 billion meteors fall to the Earth each day. Most of them are not significant enough for anyone to notice. Another one is that the Earth gains about a million kilograms of mass a day from meteors. If you let N equal the number of stone meteorites, which fall on one km2 of the surface of the Earth during a one-year period and N, includes all meteorites with a mass greater then or equal to m kg. The rate of the number of meteorites that touches down is:
Saturday, October 12, 2019
How do to Frames on Web Sites :: Essays Papers
How do to Frames on Web Sites Dividing a web page into frames is quite simple. Frames organize web pages by dividing them into rows or columns. The basic concept of frames is that each frame is a regular, complete html document. That means more than on one page is viewed in one single screen. This allows the viewers to stay one page other than having to keep on going to new pages. If a person wanted to divide a page into 2 side by side frames, he/she should put one complete html document in the left frame and another complete html document in the right frame. In order to make this happen, making an additional html document is needed. This third html document contains the *FRAME* tags that specify what goes where. That is actually its only function. The two tags used are the *FRAMESET* and the *FRAME* tags. A *FRAMESET* tag is a container tag, and a *FRAME* tag is not. For those who don't know what that means, a container tag has an opening *TAG* and a closing */TAG*. The *FRAME* tag specifies the html documents and whether the frame should have a border or a scrollbar for each html document. The *FRAMESET* tag does all the dividing. It specifies a few things regarding how to divide them up. (Note: If using web page providers such as angelfire and geocities, make sure the page that the frames code is going on is set for advanced html.) The most popular way frames are organized is by using two columns. One is simply being used for the menu of the web site, and the other being used as the main page to view a specific page within the web site. The examples used will include how to create frames showing the division of the page into two columns and also showing the division of the page into two rows. First of all, name the three html documents index.html, the page used for dividing it into frames; side1.html, the left column of the page used for the menu; and main.html, the page for viewing a specific page within the web site. Make sure the following html code is used in the index.html page: *FRAMESET cols="100,*â⬠* *FRAME src=â⬠side1.htmlâ⬠* *FRAME src=â⬠main.htmlâ⬠* */FRAMESET*. The * simply means the space that is left over on the web page.
Friday, October 11, 2019
The role of the community worker is fraught with tensions and dilemmas
In Britain in the 21st century, community workers are often linked with economic regeneration and consultation, empowerment and capacity building. This is in total contrast with the 1970's when community work was very closely associated with social work. (Twelvetrees, 2003.) Twelvetrees suggests that at its simplest community work is the ââ¬Ëprocess of assisting people to improve their communities by undertaking collective action.' (Twelvetrees, 2003.) Community work though is not just carried out by community workers, community leaders, support workers and many others may choose to call themselves community workers. The majority of community work is carried out by paid workers and they undertake a wide range of functions. Community workers are classically seen as a guide or catalyst, enabler or maybe a facilitator. Community workers ââ¬Ëgo' to the place of the group and can advise its members on how they can do what they want to do. They can also cover roles such as secretary or chair, broker or advocate, but most important being clear about the fact that they must be clear about the role which they are playing at a certain particular time. Twelvetrees, (2003) suggests that community workers should be a ââ¬ËJack of all trades' who can take on different roles and approaches and are willing to bring them into play in different situations. Community work therefore has a wide skill base with a great emphasis placed on the ability to make judgements and build relationships with others. Community workers must be able to adapt to each new situation and be able to listen, understand and act in an appropriate way to the situation that they are involved with. Butcher, (in Butcher et al, 1993) suggests that on the most basic principles community stands for the idea that community is a network of people who share a common interest. For many, community is where they can both have a sociological and psychological link to others. Sociologically they can ââ¬Ëbe part' of the community and can ââ¬Ëidentify with' it psychologically. These two factors greatly strengthens the idea that community workers work with groups of people who have a common interest and reason for being together. Summarising the above Community work can therefore be best described as both a set of values and as a set of techniques, skills and approaches which are linked to these values. Twelvetrees (2003) suggests that these values are to do with justices, democracy, love and empowering, and ââ¬Ëgetting a better deal' for those who are in some way disadvantaged. Primarily community workers must be able to establish relationships with others see the world through the community's eyes and find ways to assist them to help themselves. The theory behind most community work is basically about helping people to get a better deal, primarily by making this happen themselves, by being a facilitator and empowering the community groups in which one is working. Derrricourt and Dale, (in Jacobs et al, 1994) suggests that no one can work in community work long before realising that even ââ¬Ëthe simplest thing is difficult'. Community work it's self is a task of working with groups of people who may have different ideas but empowering them to come to a mutual agreement and find common ground in order to make the ââ¬Ëproject' work. In any real life situation within community and youth work there will be pressures and constraints on a worker to operate in some ways rather than others. Whatever the ideology, the worker must select actions which seem most likely to help the members of the particular community to get a better deal for themselves and become more confident and skilled. Twelvetrees (2003) suggests that while the values of community workers will quite legitimately influence their priorities, they also have to be pragmatic about choosing which approach is likely to work best. One of the major sources of tension within community work is that some workers can sometimes go into a new project with the agenda already clear in their head, with no room for changing it. By having this approach community workers produce a great deal of tension simply because they are meant to be helping the community it's self get a better deal through empowerment but by coming in with a fixed agenda it suggests that they have it all worked out. This leaves no room for any sort of consultation or community group meetings and can take away nearly all the interest by the residents. By not using community consultation the residents can very easily loose interest and involvement in a project if they are suspicious of the fact that it is not what they want to see happening. Community workers must be careful to go into a project with an open agenda and the ability to mould the agenda to what the residents want or face tension and the possibility of the lack of support of the community that they are working in. This happened in my local community. A substantial grant was won to improve the town. The council decided to create a community centre that would house a cyber-cafà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½ and open access hall for a variety of activities. It seemed like a good idea to the council yet the local community just wanted the money to be spent on tidying up the council estate, a new set of playground equipment and a new layer of paint in the church hall that the community had always used. Unfortunately the community worker and the council did not listen to what the residents wanted, and 5 years down the line the community centre is un-used except by a mothers and toddler group, with the rest of the community groups preferring to use their old hall. This project has tarred the council with a stereotype that they do not listen anyway so the local community has lost any belief in the fact that they are in it for their interests, even 5 years later this still is a lasting view. Community work often involves inter-agency working. Inter-agency work brings together a range of individuals, organisations and interest groups. By working with these agencies it can bring about tensions between the different managers, and can bring about competition and misunderstandings. Working with different agencies can seem like a good idea but there are many issues that can be raised and these can have a big effect on the overall ââ¬Ëcommunity; formed by the worker. Because each agency comes with its own agenda then their will be differences in the organisational systems. Banks et al (2003) states that different agencies have different systems for allocating work and recording and sharing information, this can cause many internal issues surrounding the smooth running of the project. When trying to work as a community worker to bring about change these issues must be carefully addressed. The tension will always be there because of the different agencies involved with their own interests but the role of the community worker here is to make sure that the project does not suffer and that the issues are dealt with in a open arena. Take for example a youth action project may include the police, youth workers and nurses. All these come with different agendas, youth workers looking at informal education and welfare, nurses on health and police officers on law enforcement and crime prevention. (Banks et all 2003) All of these different agenda have to be carefully managed in order for the project to be successful. Each agency must understand the importance of the project as a whole and be able to communicate any issues that it has with the other agencies. This is where the community worker can get stuck in the middle, between the different agencies and stuck in with inter-agency politics instead of being out in the community. Dilemmas also form part of the daily planning for community workers. Take for example the planning of a new project, does the worker go for a big and high profile project that will involve the whole community but may not be very effective due to the fact that it may never reach its goals. Or does the worker settle for the small project that will enable him/her to achieve the desired outcome and be able to address a certain issue that the community has raises like youth ââ¬Ëhanging about on the streets'. This causes the community worker to face the fact that he either has to work with all the community, which he is likely to get more funding and support for, or just to focus on an achievable project like talking the youth ââ¬Ëboredom' that is happening. Dilemmas surrounding confidentiality is always a difficult to decide the ââ¬Ëright' course of action. Although community workers are not seen as a counselling service, many see workers as a trusted person in the community to talk to. In this situation confidentiality becomes important, but also the rules of breaking confidentiality have to be addressed as well. Confidentiality has its limitations to be enforced and this can cause the dilemma to the worker as to what is ethically right. Should the worker pass the information on or keep the confidentiality that he promised. (Roche, 2004) This issue was brought up when I was working as a youth worker in the local youth club setting. A young woman approached me saying that she needed to talk. Due to the fact that I had time to spare and she seemed distressed I let her talk and told her everything that she said would be confidential. She then told me that she was getting beaten up at home but did not want to it get out as she did to want her and her siblings to be spilt up. I spent a whole supervisory session talking to my supervisor about confidentiality. In the end I had to break it as a way of helping that young person to escape the endless circle but it was not a light hearted decision. My trust had been broken and since then the young girl has not come back to the youth club, but I know that she is now safe and living with a foster family and her siblings. One dilemma that community workers often face is the fact of accountability and who are they actually accountable to. Many workers would suggest that they are accountable to the community groups as they are working for what they need but others may suggest that they are accountable to the state and their employer. Community workers are employed by a wide range of bodies, including local authorities, primary care trusts, regeneration partnerships, charities, housing committees, the list is endless. All of these bodies have their own organisational and departmental aims for the community worker's role, and the worker is accountable to in a legal/employment sense to their employer. (Henderson and Thomas, 1992) In any community work there is the potential for a complex layering system of accountability, as managers may be employed by some agency to mange work funded by their agency. (Banks, 2003) this is where community workers can find them selves pulled in different directions and must always be careful about what they do. In some cases they may have to balance contradictory and compelling demands and attempt to make sense and achieve them in order to carry out the desired aim. This may be where they community project has been given a set of money from the Church of England for a youth project, this project has then started to deal with people from all religions coming to the project. In order to retain the centres success the worker does not want to ban the youth from the centre due to the fact that they are benefiting from it. Yet the worker is going against the aims of the funding application. In this case the worker has to be accountable to both the Church of England and the youth who are attending the project. In order to attempt to solve this situation then the worker must talk to the Church and attempt to re-structure the funding application so that it can be used across the project and not just on the youth of the Church. (Adapted from Brierley, 2002.) Bryants, (1982, cited in Jacobs et al) suggests that a community worker acts as a catalyst and has nine skills: 1. relational 2. communication 3. organisational 4. mediating 5. bargaining 6. entrepreneur 7. researcher 8. political 9. tactical. In order to be all these then at some point there will always be conflicting ideas and dilemmas to be addressed. One can not attempt to fill all theses roles of a community worker and still be able to work on a level ground with others. Although all of these are very important the fact that a community worker can relate to others within the community is essential and the skill of being able to accept differences and be able to address these is a skill which is learnt and will always be important in our world of work. There will always be tensions and dilemmas to address but these must not get us down. We must learn to take everything in our stride and learn from our mistakes, being able to see where we went wrong and be able to apply these lessons learnt to our future practise. Our strategy must be based on a clear awareness of what we as workers are aiming to achieve by our intervention and use negotiation and communication to overcome any difficulties that we encounter.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Organizational Theory and Behavorial Problems/Ikea
Organizational Theory and Behavioral Problems/IKEA Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA, has built a monumental business from the ground up. Through innovation and creativity, he gained valuable market share in an untapped market. By providing a great product at a great price, through exceptional customer service, IKEA has distinguished itself among some of the top international organizations. The common thread throughout the case is a patriarchal style of leadership. Although Kampradââ¬â¢s style of leadership has led to the success of his business, I will assume that problems are beginning to surface and that future issues are being questioned. Through his leadership, Kamprad has taken a hands-on approach to running his organization and is involved at great lengths in the day-to-day operations of his business. Simply defined, a patriarch is ââ¬Å"a man who rules a family, clan, or tribeâ⬠. (www. websters. com) In this case, IKEA is treated and run much like a family, clan, or tribe. Everyone is expected to have the same outlook on their position, the organizationââ¬â¢s goals first in mind, and perform their job to benefit the organization, not the individual. The most immediate threat to IKEA is the difficulty in finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEAââ¬â¢s philosophy. Job security is a tremendous issue with modern-day employees. Often, employees are more concerned with doing a mediocre job to secure their position than to take risks and be creative due to a fear of losing their job. Current economics has instilled a fear in employees that hinders creativity and the offering of suggestions and ideas. Another threat perceived by some employees as well as by some consumers is that IKEA is expanding at a rate that is difficult for them to keep up with. Stores are being established at multiple locations internationally at a rapid rate. This leads to the issue of whether or not IKEA is capable of handling this level of expansion and whether or not they have ample qualified employees to fill all vacant positions within the organization. Also, it is a growing concern that IKEAââ¬â¢s well-established reputation of impeccable customer service will deteriorate due to an overwhelming amount of new clients, new demand, etc. There is also the issue that employees find it difficult to follow the frugal spending procedures of IKEA when the company is making such a large profit. Kamprad personally follows the spending guidelines and expects all employees to do so as well. Employees find it difficult to ââ¬Å"bargain shopâ⬠for supplies, travel accommodations, etc. , when the organization is making more and more money every given year. If the money is there, why not splurge a little? A final threat perceived by individuals within the IKEA organization is an inclination to believe that the organization will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization. Due to the patriarchal style of leadership that Kamprad has taken, who will carry on this philosophy? Who will take over the position of motivator and promote enthusiasm and innovation once he is gone? Can anyone really take his place? Related Literature In theory, the patriarchal style of leadership that Ingvar Kamprad has taken towards running IKEA and its operations is done so in a very positive light. It is pertinent to the success of the organization to make employees aware of all the positive aspects of his leadership style. For example, Kamprad has a very humane and compassionate relationship with his employees. He views them as individuals, not as numbers, and makes every effort to personally meet each and every one of them. This type of interaction is vital if he is going to defend his leadership position. By gaining the respect, trust, and adoration of his employees, Kamprad can show those within the IKEA organization that he is truly looking out for everyoneââ¬â¢s interests, not just his own, or just those of the IKEA organization. Finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEAââ¬â¢s philosophy is probably one of the most difficult tasks faced by the organization. IKEAââ¬â¢s reputation and future rely on it. Considering his years in business and his standards of what a valuable employee is to Kamprad, he should target his job vacancy marketing to individuals who may fit this profile of an ââ¬Å"idealâ⬠employee. For example, simply placing an advertisement in the ââ¬Å"Want Adsâ⬠of a local newspaper may draw dozens of applicants, none of which may be qualified and/or right for the job. Young, motivated, easily-trainable individuals should be targeted directly. This may be college students who are currently taking sales and marketing courses who are looking for part-time work that may eventually be promoted into leadership positions. A target may also be stay-at-home moms who are reentering the workforce, with prior sales experience. First, a target market must be determined and a more focused approach to hiring should be taken. Once employees are hired, continuous training and reinforcement of the organizationââ¬â¢s goals and principles need to be instilled. Mandatory training is pertinent and should be in a laid-back, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere, to mimic the IKEA persona. To dispel fears of losing their jobs due to risk-taking and creative thinking, employees need to be constantly reassured and encouraged that such behaviors are not only acceptable but expected. The best way to present this point is to provide employees with examples of other employees who have taken such risks, offered their opinions, and shared their ideas. If individual employees will not consent to being ââ¬Å"usedâ⬠as an example, names can be left anonymous. However, specific details should be given. It is especially important to point out the individuals who gave their thoughts, ideas, concerns, etc. , that may have proved to be wrong or disadvantageous to the organization. The most advantageous examples would be such employees who have since been promoted, rewarded, etc. By showing current employees that ideas and suggestions that donââ¬â¢t succeed with flying colors are not reciprocated with negative repercussion, employees may feel more confident about speaking up. Stress should be placed on the fact that the employees who have showed the most creativity and offered the most suggestions, creative criticisms, etc. , are the ones who hold the top management positions within IKEA. Expansion is necessary for any organization to succeed. IKEAââ¬â¢s global market is enormous and the rapid growth may not always be easy to keep up with. However, Kamprad had the right idea when appointing the head of Canadian IKEA to oversee US operations. This strategy ensures that a successful, well-trained, experienced individual is responsible for the groundbreaking of new markets. This, of course, should only be temporary until a proper replacement is found and/or thoroughly trained as to not overwhelm the individual with too many responsibilities. This will also allow Kamprad to be confident that a proven leader is paying attention to all the crucial details of starting up the business in a new market. New products and new services is also an important part, as well as a possible detriment, to IKEAââ¬â¢s expansion. Different markets demand different products and services. First and foremost, IKEA needs to decide where they stand, what their core values are, and how much or how little they are willing to change to adapt to various markets. For example, one market may rely heavily on furniture delivery options. IKEA, however, is known for the no-shipping policy. Should they change this policy to meet their consumerââ¬â¢s needs? In my professional opinion, IKEA should stay true to their policies and procedures. I say this based on the idea that if you change the way you operate for one market, it leaves other markets to question, ââ¬Å"you did it for them, why canââ¬â¢t you do it for me? â⬠. It is important, however, to consider the negative consequences of this type of approach. Market studies should be done to determine just how dependent consumers are on this type of service. Comparisons should be made with local furniture companies that may compete with IKEA to see if they are a threat to business. Overall, the market itself should be thoroughly analyzed to weigh the risks versus the benefits. If IKEAââ¬â¢s whole philosophy needs to be jeopardized to adapt to the target market, perhaps it is not in the organizationââ¬â¢s best interest to bring their business to that location. It is important to remember that every change made to one market can either positively or negatively impact the organization as a whole. As for spending procedures, IKEA may not being doing a thorough enough job of presenting employees with the benefits of their cost-saving efforts. Again, communicating this type of information to employees is crucial. It needs to be reiterated over and over again that the company is doing so well artially because of IKEAââ¬â¢s frugal spending policies. Although it is important to show these benefits as they relate to the organization, it still may leave many employees asking, ââ¬Å"whatââ¬â¢s in it for me? â⬠. Incentives should be given to help motivate employees to continue their money-saving practices. This may include a bonus, time off with pay, a luncheon for the store that saves the most in a given period of time, etc. In concept, the money employees save the organization will far exceed any bonuses or perks that are rewarded. However, employees will feel more appreciated and more motivated to cut back where they can. It is necessary though to ensure employees are not sacrificing quality or service in order to save money. Combating the perception that IKEA will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization is a rather difficult task. In order to find an individual who will carry on this philosophy, succession planning is a must. An individual hand-picked and personally trained and mentored by Kamprad would be the best choice. Also, an individual who has worked their way up through the ranks and has a thorough and genuine understanding of the organization, its goals, and its policies will best suit this position. Because Kamprad is so ââ¬Å"hands-onâ⬠and personally meets all his staff, he should be able to make an educated and well-informed decision as to who would best suit the position and best represent the employees of IKEA. Although no one may ever take his place, Kamprad can certainly find an individual who will carry on the IKEA philosophy in their own unique, creative, and prosperous way. Overall, I see IKEA as a very strong, very well-structured organization. They have a clear set of goals and objectives and have built a framework of the path to success. Problems they face are mostly due to the changing economy, the need for expansion, and the doubts of individuals within the organization. Although they face some serious problems, they can be solved through logical and rational decision-making. Research, planning and execution of these plans can address the issues discussed before they become problems. Using the innovative and creative ideas that the organization encourages of its employees, IKEA will continue to prosper.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Red Lobster Case
Bill Daren, restaurant entrepreneur opened his first restaurant at age 18. After opening a few other restaurants, his passion for seafood drove him to open a restaurant with top quality seafood called Red Lobster. Red Lobster was founded in 1968 in Lake Land Florida. One month after its opening Red Lobster, Daren had to expand the restaurant due to its high demand. After two years he had opened four other locations. In 1970 the chain was sold to General Mills, Daren was still the president.By 1975, apart from having a new president, Red Lobster was the first casual dining chain to achieve national scale, to advertise on network television and to have a national seafood distribution system, which was an important competitive asset. In 1982 general Mills Restaurants, Inc used Red Lobster operation platform to create Olive Garden. This corporation also opened other chains such as Longhorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille. Red lobster had an immense success and their goal was always to sust ain the companies historical affordability positioning.Red Lobster stated having some problems; this restaurant had always been top quality seafood with a really affordable price. Some customers were not attracted by the generous portions of affordable food as imagined but instead they were attracted to the desire to use a meal occasion as an opportunity to connect with family and friends. Red Lobster never thought that ââ¬Å"experientialsâ⬠were their customers and they were not marketing for them. Restaurants were not physically adapted for ââ¬Å"experientials. â⬠Some other issues were that Red Lobster many competitors, also value focus chains such as Chiliââ¬â¢s, Applebeeââ¬â¢s and Olive Garden.This chains also had seafood in their menus and their menus were much cheaper that one in Red Lobster. In a survey made in 2004, customers believed that Red Lobster was under a category of low-end seafood restaurants that served mass-produced frozen seafood, much of it f ried. Red Lobster never thought that they could be categorized like a low-end seafood restaurant. The appearance of the restaurant and pictures of fried food in the menus were causing customers to question the quality of the food. After doing this investigation, Red Lobster realized that many changes needed to be made.They had many issues that could be easily solved and that could help them in their image to the customers. 2. In 2004 a major leadership change came when Lopdrup became the president of Red Lobster. Prior to the new leader there were indication that the restaurant Red Lobster had slowly begun a downward trend since its place as a forerunner in the industry. Sales in many of the stores had slowly increased but this was mostly due to the aggressive promotions executed in the recent years, but the numbers were nowhere near where the management team wanted them to be.The ratings of Red Lobsterââ¬â¢s guest experience had leveled off throughout the recent years and the pe rcentage of ââ¬Å"excellentâ⬠ratings had not increase and were stuck at 64%, while the other restaurant owned by the same company was higher at 68%. Also in recent years due to a few factors the seafood category competition had strengthened and dampened the most current efforts of Red Lobster. The introduction of aquaculture has also had a massive effect on the seafood industry. This new movement allows seafood products to be produced in huge numbers with low cost.Since then aquaculture has led to dramatic declines in the cost of seafood, and allowed many new competitors to enter the industry thus increasing competition. The aquaculture had converted salmon and shrimp from luxury items originally sold in Red Lobsters into a mainstream product that is now being sold in many other restaurants that formerly did not carry the pricey product. This also allowed many restaurants not in the seafood category to begin offering seafood, which presented a huge problem to Red Lobster who now has to compete with those outside their specific food restaurant category.Even with the cost declines, seafood was still much more expensive than other proteins, which caused Red Lobsterââ¬â¢s menu to more expensive than other value restaurant chains like Chiliââ¬â¢s, Applebeeââ¬â¢s, and Olive Garden. This presented the problem that Red Lobsters current layout was narrow focused in comparison to many of the other restaurants it competes with. 3. Red lobster is faced with many critical decisions in its near future. After conducting massive amounts of market research it was revealed to Red Lobster the different psychographics regarding the patrons who often utilized their restaurants.The customers were grouped into 5 main categories which included experiential, indulgent, traditionalist, eclectics, and frugal. The information received showed that experiential customers account for 23 percent, indulgent with 24 percent, traditionalists at 18 percent, eclectics the lowest w ith 7 percent and frugal with the highest at 28 percent of their total cliental. The fact that experientials accounted for nearly one-fourth of the total customer base was a surprise for Red Lobsterââ¬â¢s management and since currently the organization only semi-concentrated on the traditionalist, frugal, and indulgent.This proposed a problem, should Red Lobster change its approach in respects to product, price, place, promotion, and positioning to better accommodate the needs of the experiential psychographic? With respect to Red Lobsterââ¬â¢s positioning was it beneficial for them to keep the ââ¬Å"fresh and approachable seafoodâ⬠position and if it was decided to not be the right move what would the right position be for the restaurant? This question concerning the positioning also brings up another question, whether the drastic positioning change undertaken would allow the company to keep the restaurant name as Red Lobster.After deciding what position the company wan ted to take were Red Lobsterââ¬â¢s advertisements appropriate for the positioning they wanted? The next option in regards to promotion is if it was beneficial to continue their traditional frequent price promotions? Also since each of the different customer bases has different attitudes towards prices, raising or lowering the price points of Red Lobster was another alternative course of action that could be commenced. This also feeds into the product aspect of Red Lobster. Should they be widening the menu further beyond seafood to gain market share from the other premium casual chains?Red Lobster is also faced with the choice to open new locations in relation to the clienteles they plan to focus on, and whether or not to remodel the current restaurants around this concentration. 4. In regards to evaluating each specific course of action, I will begin by going assessing the situation of Red Lobster changing it focus and including the experientials. The main benefit from this would be the fact that the experiential groups is considered one of the best customers for a casual dining chain and were predominantly profitable because they are more likely to order desserts and appetizers and wine.Also this group tends to order more items and are less price sensitive compared to the other groups of indulgent, frugal, and traditionalist. However if decided to focus on this group there would be many changes need towards the current position, price, place, and promotion. Since the experientials have very high culinary standards and high expectations for service and atmosphere, Red Lobster would need to reassess their current ââ¬Å"placeâ⬠situation. To account for the higher standards of atmospherics desired by this group it would be necessary for Red Lobster to remodel their current tores to a more upscale restaurant. This will attract more experientials, but would be very costly for the company. In regards to promotions alterations would also be required. With R ed Lobster currently offering many price promotions to draw in the frugal and more price sensitive groups this would not be an issue with the experientials. Therefore the current promotions would need to be changed to align with the experiential groups. This would be a benefit in regards to less promotional expenses and higher margins.With respect to Red Lobsters positioning they may need to adjust this in order to accommodate the experientials needs for high service, upscale atmosphere, diverse menus, and culinary expertise. Changing the Red Lobster position could be very costly and challenging due to the fact that the company will need to undue all of its prior positioning efforts and modify what the fact that customers see Red Lobster as a low end restaurant serving mass-produced frozen seafood into the thought of it being a high end establishment that offered top quality, fresh seafood prepared with culinary expertise.If the Red Lobsters focus is shifted and all of these aspects modified the company may see their current customers become aggravated at the alterations and discontinue patronizing the establishment. However if Red Lobster chose to stay with its current configuration aimed at the frugal, traditionalist, and indulgent groups they would not need to massively alter its current price, place, promotion, and position situations.This would be much less of a cost burden when compared to changing the focus towards experientials and would have a lower risk of loosing their current loyal customers. Nevertheless the lack of change could also result in a continued downward trend in the restaurants overall performance. Red lobster could also have the alternative to continue down the same path oriented towards the traditionalist, frugal, and indulgent but update their positioning in regards to their stance in product, price, promotion, and positioning.
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