Saturday, November 30, 2019

Running head GENETIC DISORDE R RESEARCH SEVERE C Essays - Medicine

Running head: GENETIC DISORDE R RESEARCH: SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY Genetic Disorder Research: Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Spring Valley High School Biology 1 CP November 3, 2011 Genetic Disorder Research: Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Inherited immune disorders are also called primary immune deficiency disorders. They are caused by a mistake in a gene that affects the immune system. Genes carry an inherited code of instructions that tell the body to make all the cells and proteins in the body. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) is a group of very rare-and potentially fatal-inherited disorders related to the immune system. This disorder results from a heterogeneous group of genetic conditions. In SCID, there is a fault in the specialized white blood cells (T and B cells) that fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi. The B cells make antibodies that are proteins that attach to unrecognized cells and mark them to be attacked and destroyed. T cells direct B cells to make antibodies against other cells. These cells also direct the rest of the immune system when to attack and also when to stop. They help in the attack as well. SCID is sometimes called "Bubble Boy Disease". "Bubble Boy Disease" is named aft er David Vetter, a boy from the 1970's, who lived in a plastic bubble for 12 years after being diagnosed with SCID. The immune system is supposed to fight off attacks from dangerous bacteria and viruses on a regular basis. However, people with SCID have a problem in their immune system that leaves them defenseless to dangerous infections. There are many different types of SCID. All forms of SCID are inherited. Some types of SCID appear when the gene is inherited by both parents. These occur in both males and females. Half of the SCID cases are linked to the X chromosome, and is passed on by the mother. The most common form of SCID has a X-linked pattern of inheritance that's recessive. It is referred to as X-linked SCID. There is also a mutation in JAK3 on chromosome 19 that can also result in SCID. When a gene is on the X chromosome, males are often more affected than females. Males don't have a second X chromosome to take place for the defected one. They only need to inherit one bad copy of the gene to have the symptoms of the disorder. Females have two X chromosomes that makes having SCID somewhat ineffective. If one of the X chromosomes becomes defective, there is still a healthy pair left. Females also don't get symptoms of the disorder, but they will carry the gene and can pass it to their children. Ano ther form of SCID is a lack of the enzyme adenosine deaminsase ( ADA ). This is coded for by a gene on chromosome 20. The substrates for this enzyme grow in the cells. Immature lymphoid cells (in the immune system) are sensitive to toxic effects of the unused substrates; they fail to reach maturity. This results in the immune system of the person to be unable to function properly. About 1 in every 100,000 babies is born with SCID. Doctors can diagnose SCID to the baby before it is born by removing and testing cells from the placenta, or by removing and testing a sample of the fluid surrounding the baby . Symptoms of SCID usually show up in the first few months of their life. Most babies are diagnosed with SCID in the first six months. Infants with SCID tend to appear with infections that are secondary to the lack of T-cell function. The immune system cannot protect the body of a baby, causing babies with this disorder to get one infection after another. Their infections may be frequent, severe, long-lasting or just hard to treat. Some of the bacterial infections may be life-threatening, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. Babies also get diarrhea that doesn't go away. Babies with SCID also don't gain weight or grow at a normal rate. SCID patients often don't respond to the medicines used to treat bacterial infections. U nlike people with normal functioning immune systems, people with SCID may suffer more from ear infections, sinus infections, chronic cough, and rashes on skin. It is better to have

Monday, November 25, 2019

The History of Gadwal Fort in India Essays

The History of Gadwal Fort in India Essays The History of Gadwal Fort in India Essay The History of Gadwal Fort in India Essay Physical history of the monument till date Movement/ Enclosure spaces Configuration of spaces w. R. T the activities of the people of the era Geometry of the place Art forms Pillars and Beams Chases Relationship between the palace and temple Rituals and customs Present condition of the monument The causes for deterioration Conclusion Recommendation for conservation Abstract: A fortress is a large place with a military stronghold sometimes within a town. Gadwall, a small town in the current Unbarring District of the state of Andorra Pradesh, was once the place of the reigning King/ Queen of the Gadwall Shaman. Gadwall Fort was the seat of the King of the Gadwall Shaman. The fortress, a legacy bestowed upon the government of India, Is presently the campus for the Maharani ODL Lax Defame Arts and Science College (M. A. L. D College). The government college has used the fort as Its campus from 1960. The fort has lost Its Orlando magnificence and is now in ruins. The reasons include almost no maintenance of the dedicated to Lord Canvasses Swami. This study is an attempt to document the Fort from its birth to its present state. A study and analysis is also undertaken of the spaces in the fort in terms movement and the effects of the changing perception of spaces in the fort. An attempt is made to derive the purpose of each space and the difference in perception changing over time. The study shall reveal the various influences on the architecture of the fort, which include the outer influences like the McHugh rule, Nab rule and inner influences of rituals and culture of the region. In conclusion, ideas for the renovation and preservation of the Gadwall fort in various forms are presented. Preface: Indian architecture and art forms are the most significant form of communication with the past. The carvings in stone, the paintings on walls; every form of art conveys the message through the ages. The way of living, the traditions followed, the social norms that once dictated the very form of life one led, all these are an integral part of the history that is on the verge of being lost. The manifestation of an idea, architecture is a celebration of life Hating Panda The idea that once resulted in the building of a structure, to defend against enemies and to protect those within its walls, a fort personifies the imagination that led to its construction. Built to fulfill the wishes of those who have believed in it the fort is a celebration of life. Architecture in India is the combined form of various cultures, civilizations starting with the Harpoon/ Monongahela to the Aryan influences. The Persian and McHugh architecture are integrated into the traditional Dravidian and South Indian architecture to ultimately lead to the present form of Indian architecture. The history of such architecture is what enables it to communicate and integrate the multiple value systems of the people that have lived and will always live in it. Any building constructed in India will show the effects of being built in such a varied and diversified culture. The structure can represent a single influence or combine all its history rolled into one. The study of such a building shows how the history has influenced its conception, the present in its use, and the future in its vision. Introduction: Krishna Tang workaday Samaritan manquà © sad hardstand assists sere Ramadan pariah Was Vaughan in Brahmas Purina Archaisms (The land that lies between the two holy rivers, the Krishna and The Thunderhead, is the chosen land of God. The almighty with all his manifestations always protects the people living in this sacred land. ) Gadwall, a small town on the banks of the river Krishna, is part of this sacred land. Gadwall is popularly known as INDIAN GADWALL, as the rulers of Gadwall Shaman had a great reputation for men of letters, poets and scholars of Sanskrit and Deluge from far and wide places including Thumbnail rail and road on the Hydrated-Banger route, is situated 200 SMS away from Hydrated Norte to Banger. Gadwall has a railway station and many trains in this route connect Gadwall to many important places across India including Delhi, Jasper, Atrophic, Banger, Moser etc. It is 15 SMS away from National Highway No. 7 and is connected at Revival Chartist. It is surrounded by 4 important towns on 4 sides, Embargoing on the North, Handcart on the East, Kronor on the South and Archaic of Karakas on the West. Gadwall was in fact a part of Archaic district before the reorganization of the district of erstwhile Hydrated state in 1956. Gadwall Shaman formed in the end of the 17th century during the reign of Raja Commandos 1663-1712). The areas of CIA, Kendall (present Kronor) together formed the basis of this Shaman. The town developed due to the presence of the Gadwall fortress as the main stronghold of the kings during their reign. The Imperial Gazetteer of India states that the Shaman contained one town, Gadwall (population 10,195) and 214 villages covering an area of 864 square miles (approve. 2338 square kilometers) with a population (1901) of 968,491. The fort was built by Raja Commandos during the beginning of the 18th century I. . , from 1702 to 1712. The king had declared independent rule in the aftermath of the fall of the Katydid Dynasty. The building of the fort was a necessity in the sense that to declare independence the King risked the attack of the other smaller kingdoms that arose at the same time. Thus, the structure was built to repel frequent attacks and necessitated the construction to mainly f ocus on the defense mechanisms. The Krishna and Thunderhead rivers water the northern and southern lands surrounding the fort making them very fertile due to alluvial soils deposited on the banks. The remaining land is mostly mamas land and uncultivated waste. The fort has been in use since its conception in the year f 1702. By the end of monarchical rule in India in 1948 the fort had served its residents for 246 years. The fort was then donated to the Union Government of India along with a donation of RSI. 25000 for the use of the fort as an educational institution. The Maharani Dad Lax Defame degree college was established in 1960 and the fort has since been used as its campus. The addition of new buildings when a portion of the old collapsed was an accepted procedure. The gross negligence and petty vandalism has resulted in the ruin of one of the most important historical artifact, the fort itself. The present condition of the fort is a crumbling ruin with little or no maintenance. Composition: The fort built in 1712 had been occupied and functional till the end of monarchical rule in 1948. It was then handed over to the Government of United India. The fort was built as the main defense against attacks by armies with cannons so its most important feature was that of the large rampart completely surrounding the palace and the temple within. The towers at intervals form the place of battlements. In its original form, a moat of 25 meters width and 4 meters depth, home to a large number of crocodiles completed the defense. The fort is divided into three distinct zones; the temple, the palace for the King, and extensive grounds that worked as an area for military and public use. The main rampart wall there are two other entrances used for different purposes. One was the entry for the commoners, the courtiers and visitors. The other entrance was solely used by the reigning ruler of the fort be it the Queen or the King. The misalignment of entry points was deliberate and was made to discourage a direct charge on the gates. Zones of the fort The building is built in the beginning of the 17th century, when the influence of the Tamil Dravidian style of architecture had Just begun to fade and the McHugh architecture had begun its roots into the style of architecture in India. Thus the structure is a combination of both of these styles and with the addition of local artists and rituals the design and style of the structure is unique to the region. Rampart wall: The outer wall of the fort is built in an almost perfect circular shape with battlements at intervals. The wall is constructed on a foundation made in the rubble stone style of the Vagrantly architecture. The rubble stone foundation provides the stability squired of the 10 to 12 meters (30-40 feet) high wall which is 2 meters in width at the bottom and 1 meter at the top. The wall is made of a combination of clay, small stones and a mixture of Jaggier and rice working as the adhesive cement. This conforms to the ancient recipe used prominently in mud structures. The thickness of the walls and the height are a necessity to hold against a charge of cannon balls. The walls form the main defense of the fort and hence were built with meticulous and careful methods. The boulevard that ran along the battlements was a corridor for patrolling without making contact with the moat. The inner side of the wall is a continuous line of stone rubble cladding broken only by the entrance gates at the two access points. One entrance leads to the public open space in front of the main gate of the palace and the temple and the other leads directly into the royal court of the palace. Thus, one entrance is deemed to have been used only by the commoners whereas the other was used prominently by the King/ Queens family and guests. The Achaean Save Swami Temple: The temple is said to have been built for the sole use of the Royal family. Though, biannual fairs held in town allowed public access to the temple especially when elaborate by the royalty themselves. The temple is built in typical Dravidian style but entirely with granite stone. The locally available granite is cheap and lasts longer than timber. The treated stone column and beam construction style is prominently used. The copular at the entrance rises over 20 meters high with an entrance gate around 6 meters high. This is consistent with the South Indian Dravidian style of temple architecture. The shelter for the chariot used in public rallies of the statues of Gods/ Goddesses is placed beside the entrance of the temple itself. To the side of the ample is a smaller entrance to the temple which is mainly used by the priests. The pillars and beams of the temple are highly decorated carvings of stone in various motifs from the Hindu mythology. The exquisite carvings are said to be the work of local and foreign artists. The central temple is dedicated to the Achaean Save Swami Temple with the shaggier holding the deity. The pillared halls in the temple made of huge slabs of wagons ( rituals ). The temple beside the central deity temple is dedicated to the wife of Achaean Save Swami and was a later addition to the original temple. The unfinished temple to the right of the central deity temple is said to have been constructed as a public marriage hall but was left unfinished due to unknown reasons. The Palace: The palace is again segregated into different realms based on the antiquated notions of womens privacy. The Public space requiring an elaborate fade, a place for viewing the occasion by the royalty yet removed from the people, and a place to allow entry into the more private realms of the palace. Within the palace, there are again realms separating the lives of those in the royal court and those from the royal family. The royal courts and places for the communing of court formed the part of the royal realm. The private quarters of the King and Queen formed the rest of the palace. The private quarters are complimented by a set of servants, vassals and other personnel of the royal household. The external walls of the palace are mostly made with stone, but the internal walls, floors and ceilings are made of brick, mortar and a cement of lime plaster. The inner walls are coated with lime and smoothed to a shine. Public space: The public fade forms an important part of the palace structure as it is the most prominently used and gains the most publicity. The fade of the palace in Gadwall fort was made unrelieved wall on the ground floor and exquisitely carved teak wooden bay windows on the first floor. The hall covered by these windows is said to have been used by the Queen and her handmaidens. The windows exactly above the entrance gate of the palace were said to have been decorated by colored glass imported from foreign countries. The fade maintained a semi open space around the gate with a large public area leading to it. The temple copular, the fade and the magistrates court on the opposite side of the palace frame this open space.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Adolescent Development

There are mutual influences between an individual and their social environment. There are also at-risk factors involved in the life of a developing adolescent that interconnects with a series of reciprocal systems. I can recall as a developing adolescent quickly maturing into adulthood, the many social, economic, external and internal influences that contributed to certain at-risk behaviors. These type of influences impacted me directly and indirectly. I was influenced by the several environments I was in, and I also contributed to influencing the environment around me. Attempting to exert control over uncontrollable circumstances only lead to desperate situations and weighty consequences. However, learning to accept my present circumstances, and how to appropriately respond to the hardship and temptations in life developed positive life changes. Individual human development occurs within interconnected and embedded ecological systems (McWhirter et al, 2013). The ecological systems include the individual, the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and macrosystem (McWhirter et al, 2013). The individual consists of genetic and biological factors, and personality characteristics (McWhirter et al, 2013). The microsystem consists of the people that the individual comes into direct contact with and who the individual interacts with (McWhirter et al, 2013). The mesosystem is the embedded interconnections between different microsystems and the impact of the interactions that take place (McWhirter et al, 2013). The exosystem consists of the interconnections between one or more settings that indirectly involve the individual (McWhirter et al, 2013). The macrosystem represents the social blueprint of cultural values, societal structure, gender-role socializations, race relations, belief systems, and national and international resources (McWhirter et al, 2013). The chronosystem is the interconnection and interaction of the individual within different environments, and is the transitions that occur during the course of the individual’s lifetime (McWhirter et al, 2013). These interconnecting systems are referred to as the ecological model, and assumes that the individual is continually interacting with his or her environment  that produces constant change due to mutual influences (McWhirter et al, 2013). Part A – The Ecological Model The core of who I really am involves the combinations of my genetic predispositions, evolutionary and biological components, personality characteristics, and the ongoing process of behavioral, cognitive, and affective experiences (McWhirter et al, 2013). Who I am has a lot to do with my experiences in life, my responses to life events, and the social and environmental influences and interactions involved. The ecological model provides a greater understanding of how I influence my environment and my environment influences me. This is important because it is through the interactions of the ecological systems that help me better understand myself and others. The Individual. I entered the world with an umbilical cord wrapped around my neck, struggling to live due to insufficient oxygen intake. As a child I was very susceptible to illness. As an adult I discovered that I was living with an autoimmune disorder. I have very vivid fragmented memories as a child of several doctor office visits. At the personal level, I was a very fearful, anxious, angry, socially withdrawn child who experienced an unstable, insecure, neglectful, abusive, and dysfunctional home environment. The structure of personality develops in childhood and continues to develop in adulthood (Caspi, Roberts Shiner, 2005). I developed a combination of extraversion and introversion traits. These traits show themselves depending on how safe I determine the environment around me to be. As a child I experienced positive and negative emotionality. I at times struggle with viewing the world as a safe place and occasionally viewed it as threatening. I experienced anxious distress with a tendency toward anxiety, sadness, insecurity, and guilt. As a teenager I experienced darker emotions such as anger, frustration, and irritation. I developed agreeable personality characteristics as a child. In adulthood I sometimes struggle with the fear of rejection, self-acceptance, people pleasing tendencies, self-awareness, and feeling comfortable in my surrounding environment and own skin. I also developed a strong motivation to achieve academically, and have a strong sense of independence. As a child and through my teenage years I was not allowed to have an opinion or express individuality, which resulted in the inability or challenge to think on my own, questioning who I am through life stages, fearful of making decisions on my own and especially decisions I need to make on behalf of others, and codependency issues. The Microsystem. I grew up in a traditional family household for a time being that consisted of my mother, father, and sister. Although, it was considered a traditional two parent household, my father was rarely home, and when he was home he was unavailable. My mother was emotionally unavailable and suffered from manic depression. My mother stayed at home and my father was either out working or pursuing one of his addictions. My family was homeless until I was the age of 5. We had lived and slept in my father’s suburban, randomly stayed with strangers, and at times lived in a recreational vehicle. I assumed responsibility and care of my younger sibling, my mother, myself, and household chores. I entered the stages of maturity alone and without parental support. The lack of positive parenting during my adolescent years made me vulnerable to at-risk risk behaviors such as premarital sex, tobacco use, substance abuse, gang involvement and mental and social disorders (Clinton Clark, 2010). At the age of ten I was removed from my parent’s custody and placed in foster care where my sibling and I were separated and placed in different homes. In the foster system I was only allowed to socialize at school, and attended church depending on whether or not my foster parents at the time deemed it necessary. My sister and I went through several foster home placements which resulted in the loss of security, the loss of our personal possessions, and sense of belonging. Being bounced from home to home, it was difficult maintaining a close friendships with others. I developed an internal mechanism of being friendly with everyone, but not allowing myself to develop a close friendship with others. As I gained independence and freedom in my later teen years and early adulthood, I became more involved in church. The Mesosystem. I grew up in a rural community with a lack of parental involvement. There were no real established mesosystem relationships. The environment was inconsistently positive and very negative at times. Since school was my outlet, I strived for academic excellence and successfully achieved it. School seemed to be the only sense of stability. The Exosystem. Outside agencies that developed policies and created public resources were an indirect benefit to me as an adolescent and young adult. During childhood, I was able to eat lunch at school, and enjoy extracurricular activities such as Campfire Girls, cheerleading, and Key Club. I was given accessibility to the basic needs that my parents could not afford such as cloths, food, and shelter. As an adult, several community resources helped my daughter and escape and terminate a domestically violent relationship. The Macrosystem. During adolescence I was exposed to abuse, neglect, and violence first hand and via the television. My father grew up in the south and was very racist toward certain nationalities and races of people. The cultural context consisted of low socioeconomic status (SES), poverty, and experiencing our Native American ethnic background and being exposed to several conflicting belief systems. I grew up on a culture where corporate punishment was an acceptable practice. The culture valued individuality, independence, and self-reliance. I grew up in poverty with a prevailing crime rate not as noticeable as it is today. Social norms included the overuse of antibiotics (McDonnell Norms Group, 2008), and the use of drugs and alcohol were socially acceptable. Chronosystem. A pattern of environmental events, transitions, and sociohistorical circumstances contributed to my development over my lifespan. Both of my parents lived disloyal and adulterous life styles. Overtime, there unhealthy and dysfunctional patterns of relating to each other resulted in a separation. My father died when I was 17 years old. My parent’s marriage legally dissolved at the time of my father’s death. My mother remarried multiple times. My sister and I were exposed to their dysfunctional lifestyle, which tremendously impacted our lives. I personally, transitioned through many of life events by experiencing two divorces, being a single-mother of four children for quit sometime, remarrying and adjusting to a blended family, the loss of my oldest daughter, and facing the social political arena at work. The soil of my family growing up consisted of poverty, low socioeconomic status (SES), judgmental and racist attitudes, abusive and neglectful home environment, and conflicting belief systems. The three primary roots are family, school, and peer groups (McWhirter et al, 2013). My parent’s inability to raise my sister and me in a loving, secure, stable, and nurturing environment, and expose us to family conflict, abuse, neglect, lack of parenting, being emotionally unavailable, and an unstructured home environment contributed to my dysfunction and the at-risk behaviors in my life. The school system was unaware of our life circumstances and did not any support. My sister ended up dropping out and getting involved with drugs. I became sexually involved with my boyfriend at the age of 15 and became pregnant at the age of 16. My daughter gave me the drive to continue my education and succeed academically in order to provide her with a better life. I was withdrawn during my adolescence and teenage years. Although, I made intent to get along with everyone, I did not associate with everyone. The peer group I involved myself in strived for academic excellence and engaged in positive extracurricular activities. The trunk of the at-risk tree representing my life consisted of low self-esteem, and depression. The branches of at-risk categories in my life were high-school dropout, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and suicide. I was at risk for teen pregnancy and became pregnant at the age of sixteen. I succumbed to sexual activity with one partner in high school that resulted in teen pregnancy. I was very fortunate that at risk behaviors did not escalate. My tree was broken and bruised and produced damaged fruit. Instead of running to quick gratification I learned to run to God. I found my value and security in Christ. My branches although bruised eventually healed and produced good, healthy fruit. It took a lot of effort, drive, motivation, will, and trusting God in the midst of temptation and hardship. I was fortunate to have a variety of Gardeners in my life from Christian counselors, law enforcement, human service workers, youth group leaders, Sunday school teachers, and church mentors who helped me redirect my lifestyle. I learned how to be academically successful, a loving, supportive, caring mother to my children, a hard worker of integrity, and to do the right thing when the wrong thing seems easier at the time being.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Definition and Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Definition and Description - Essay Example This paper provides a detailed technical description regarding this gadget, alongwith visual illustrations, to help layman understand how it actually works. (http://asset2.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/sc/32934833-2-300-SS16.jpg) External Dynamics Modern GPS devices installed have wide variety of features and fancy designs matching car interiors. With sleek and stylish dimensions, these systems add to the overall functionality and suavity of trendy vehicles. Normally, this navigation system uses multiple satellites spread across the sky and calculates variables from different points of references to estimate as close as possible the position of user. This is illustrated by diagram given below. This system is based on one-way time of arrival ranging phenomenon, whereby high atomic frequency signals are sent by satellites to synchronize with GPS time base. It is pivotal that the receiver and satellite both have powerful atomic clocks with synchronization capabilities up to nanoseconds. These electromagnetic radio waves have a traveling speed equivalent to speed of light, traveling at frequencies of L1 C/A and L2 P/Y and rate of 50 bits per second. Thus, time taken for one cycle of transmission and processing of one complete message is only 750 seconds. Signals are encoded through CDMA technology (Code Division Multiple Access) so that GPS deciphers the information and identifies one satellite from another due to unique encoding techniques. However, it is of utmost importance that vehicle has a clear view of the sky with no obstructions blocking the satellite transmissions. The functionality of GPS relies on three sectors. Space segment comprises the entire satellite orbital system being funded and managed by spatial authorities. Second segment is represented by control segment which carries out maintenance and monitoring of functionality of entire global positioning system through master control stations. Last segment is the user segment, which constitutes the usage of GPS system in consumer applications, military instruments and various day-to-day commonly used devices. (Kohli & Chen, 2000) Internal Mechanism GPS is based on a basic mathematical principle of trilateration: GPS must have information regarding location from three different satellite points and the distance of these satellites from current location. There are mainly three broad categories or components that form a car GPS mechanism. Inside the GPS, there is an inbuilt antenna receiver which receives the radio signals sent by satellites which contain information about timing to enable the GPS to compute the position as accurate as possible. The transmitted information has multiple sub-frames. The first sub-frame encodes time-based information like week number, day and time as well as information indicating the satellite’s health and signal strength. The second and third sub-frames feed data about the precise orbit of satellite. The fourth and fifth sub-frames carry status info rmation of the entire satellites network. The antenna demodulates the message to extract maximum accurate information from these frames and identifies each satellite through designated exclusive binary codes for each. The decoded information is transferred to the next division then for processing (Bajaj et al, 92-94). The cycle begins when the satellite and receiver simultaneously

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Marketing Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Marketing Communication - Essay Example Amongst our clientele, Burberry Plc is one of the leading customers whom we are serving currently and are responsible for handling all their marketing activities within our region for the period running through July to December 2013. Burberry is a fashion brand, established since 1856, mainly dealing in men and women clothing and similar luxurious accessories (Burberryplc.com). This paper provides a marketing communications report, entailing detailed discussion about the concept of marketing communications and its unfolding role in establishing integrated marketing communications strategy. This report is followed by a marketing communications plan for our denoted client Burberry, stating the objectives that are to be achieved through promotional activities and the corresponding strategies that need to be implemented in order to be successful in achieving goals that were aimed at through these marketing communications. Finally we provide an integrated marketing communications strategy for the client to identify how all marketing elements work together to form the ideal strategy after taking into account implications of environmental and legal issues, sponsorship and role of technology. The paper concludes with recommendations for the retailer which might help it to regain its position in the market as it was in earlier years. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS REPORT This report mainly focuses on the concept of marketing communications and its powerful role in establishing integrated marketing communications strategy. The contents of report are given as follows: 1. About marketing communications Marketing communication refers to the activities carried out by organizations to spread awareness amongst consumers about their products and convincing them to purchase their goods or services (Keller, 2001). Any form of interaction between a producer and a consumer shall fall under the broad category of marketing communication, provided that the basic intention behind such intera ction is the achievement of organizational objectives. Such interaction will ideally result in a sale and purchase transaction or activity of the company’s product or service (McCarthy, 1978). With help of marketing communication, brand awareness can be enhanced and customer can be convinced to buy the company’s product. Thus, any enterprise’s revenue and profitability will be a direct function of effectiveness of its marketing communications. One of the most commonly used tools for marketing include the 4 C’s of marketing mix which aid the organization to combat against unpredictability of external factors that affect consumer tastes, preferences and capabilities of organization to sell its product. First C denotes the customer who is the primary concern of marketing team since without customer there is no survival possible. Therefore their needs are of utmost importance in devising a strategy and maximizing sales. For this purpose, cost, denoting the se cond C, is essential in determining how customers would perceive the product. High pricing strategies might not be able to grab maximum customers and therefore an optimal balance between cost and quality must be achieved. Convenience refers to the place of sale or market which nevertheless is no longer significant since internet technology and e-commerce facility has enabled companies to be

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Brain Development Essay Example for Free

Brain Development Essay At birth there are about 100 billion brain cells produced and they are beginning to connect with each other. At the first week of age, brain development starts with conception. It is important to reach the age of an infant and practice the ten principals. In the early years, young brains produce almost twice as many synapses as they will need. By age two, the number of synapses a toddler has is similar to that of an adult. By three the child has twice as many synapses as an adult. The infant brain develops through the interaction with the world around, especially the interaction with adults. At the first few months, an infant cannot response to praise or punishment. Emerging research on brain development indicates that the degree for responsive care giving that children receive as infants and toddlers positively affects the connections between neurons in the brain (Brain Cells), and the architecture of the brain itself. The first three years of life are the period of growth in all areas of a baby’s development. Consistent, responsive relationships enable infants and toddlers to develop secure attachments. Infants and Toddlers develop knowing and understanding by perceiving experiences directly with the senses. For infants to acquire the ability to comprehend this sensory information they must b able to distinguish between the familiar and the unknown; later they will begin to consider, to formulate, and to form mental images in this process of experiencing and clarifying the environment. Infants begin by exploring the world with their bodies. They internalize what they take in through their senses and display it in their physical movements. Infants gather vital information through such simple acts as mouthing, grasping, and reaching. The knowing process also involves language abilities. As young children use their senses to experience the world, they need labels to categorize and remember these experiences. By creating these labels, children increase their ability to communicate and begin to control their own behavior. These expanded abilities give young children additional opportunities to understand the world (Infant, Toddlers, and Caregiver Ninth Edition). Recent brain research supports the goal of building a total person instead of concentrating on cognitive development alone. Providing a rich environment with interesting things to do is desirable and stimulates cognitive development. But that does not work without working on physical, social, and emotional development at the same time. What make differences are the day-to-day living, the relationships, the experiences, the diapering, the feedings, the toilet training, and the free play and exploration that contribute to intellectual development. Early experiences matter, and shape brain architecture. Advances in brain research have provided great insight into how young children’s experiences have profound impact on genetic predispositions and thereby share the processes that determine whether their brains will have adaptations or maladaptations for later learning, memory, reasoning, executive functioning, expressing a full range of positive and negative emotions, socialization, behavior control and lifelong health. The thrust of this element is to close the gap between what we have learned and what we do with infants and toddlers. Experiences that prepare the developing brain to function optimally include having warm, nurturing, attentive social interactions and conscientiously buffering young children from the adverse impact of toxic stress. Lack of these kinds of experiences can have devastating, long-term effects on brain development including cognitive functioning and social-emotional competencies. For example, unpredictable or chaotic routines or lack of consistent caregivers may jeopardize children’s foundation for identity development or self regulation, or few language experiences, toys, and opportunities to explore impede the development of neural connections and pathways that facilitate learning (Essential elements of Quality-Infant-toddler Program). To deliver high quality care giving, adults need to understand and recognize key developmental processes that help them understand and support infants and toddlers. Since this essential element explicitly identifies knowledge about key developmental processes threats to them as a factor in quality infant-toddler program, three terms are defined as important pieces of a wider knowledge base about brain development that informs practice: serve and return, executive functioning and toxic stress. Serve and return is the interaction between young children and their parents and caregiver is a key to healthy brain development. It helps to create neural connections that build later cognitive and emotional skills. Executive functioning represents the cognitive skills that enable a child to focus on, hold, and think about information, filter distractions; and divert their attention to something new. The foundation for executive functioning is laid in infancy and is facilitated through early experiences. Acquiring the early building blocks of (executive functioning) skills is one of the most important and challenging tasks of the early childhood years. Toxic stress is defined as strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity without adequate adult support. Toxic stress disrupts brain development. While some experience with manageable stress is important for healthy development, prolonged, uninterrupted, overwhelming stress; toxic stress without the buffering relationships a child needs, can result in damaged, weakened systems and brain architecture that can have negative long-term effect (Essential Elements of Quality-Infant-Toddler Program). Environments make a difference in brain development. Environments that provide proper nutrition and regularly scheduled periods of sleep and physical activity consistently promote warm, nurturing, attentive social interaction; and conscientiously buffer young children from the adverse impacts of toxic stress. Lack of adequate nutrition, physical activity, appropriate sensory stimulation or social-emotional developmental experiences disrupt brain architecture and can have a decisively negative Impact on future development (Essential Elements of Quality-Infant-Toddler Program). Finding about the impact of early experiences on brain development highlight the importance of intervening early with highly stressed infants and toddlers and their families. Infants and children who are rarely spoken to, who are exposed to few toys, and who have little opportunity to explore and experiment with their environment may fail to fully develop the neural connections and path ways that facilitate later learning. Despite their normal genetic endowment, these children are at a significant intellectual disadvantage and are likely to require costly special education or other remedial services when they enter school. Fortunately, intervention programs that start working with children and their families at birth or even prenatally can help prevent this tragic loss of potential. While high-quality infant and toddler programs are not necessarily intervention programs. When caregiver and parenting practices are grounded in knowledge of early brain development, caregivers and parents are much more effective in providing experiences that facilitate optimal development including strong brain architecture (Essential element of Quality-Infant-Toddler Program).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Sexual Dancers, Slang, and Cheap Junk Food Essay -- Gender Discriminat

In 2009, Burger King unleashed a new commercial for its collection of bizarre fast food advertisements. Before this one, most of their sexually appealing takes were intended for an older audience. The â€Å"Spongebob Got Back† commercial, however, advertised the 99 cent kids’ meal. The commercial aired on television has a longer version on YouTube. It begins with the screen centered on the burger king, with three females behind him in brown shorts, a white shirt, and socks to match Spongebob’s attire. They break into a remix of Sir-Mix-a-Lot’s â€Å"Baby got Back,† that begins, â€Å"I like square butts and I cannot lie.† Soon enough, the three female dancers have their backs to the camera with what looks like phonebooks in their pants, wiggling their behinds. A female in a red short dress appears and her hindquarters are quickly measured, as are those of the other females in later scenes. The rest of the commercial consists of the females da ncing in a sexual manner, and even bending down with their behinds to the camera. Meanwhile, the king walks around mimicking a rapper and attempting different dance moves and Spongebob and his underwater characters dance inside a television in the background. In several cases, he pokes at a female’s rear end or points at it. At the end of the satire, the king holds up a paper bag with smiling Spongebob and Patrick on it, and the 99 cent kids’ meal is announced. Although the short version of the commercial was debuted in a men’s basketball game, it later sneaked its way in between cartoon shows on Nickelodeon. The â€Å"Spongebob got Back† commercial objectifies women by promoting sexual behavior, which leads to desensitizing youth to physicality and street slang. The commercial taps into men’s need for dominanc... ...g junk food with dancing women is inappropriate enough, and advertising a kids’ meal in a sexist manner that evokes sexual behavior is the main reason this commercial was banned, yet it is still available for view by anyone on the internet. Although inappropriate, this commercial says a lot about how society views women as objects, by overturning the image of a children’s cartoon. Works Cited "Urban Dictionary: Rumpleforeskin." Urban Dictionary. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. . "SpongeBob Got Back with Burger King + Sir Mix-a-Lot - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. "Square Butts Burger King Music Video with SpongeBob Square Pants - YouTube."YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. .

Monday, November 11, 2019

Psychology assignment Essay

Conformity involves a change in behaviour or opinion in order to fit in with a group. This may be family or peers (a membership group) or it may be pop and sports stars (a reference group). This group can be either a majority or a minority group. (S-cool Student Site)  Two processes have been identified in causing people to conform (Deutsch and Gerard (1955)), these are normative influence which often comes from peer pressure such as fear of rejection and wanting approval and informational influence which is the fear of looking unintelligent and believing others know better especially with something unfamiliar or difficult. There have been many studies done by psychologists into why people conform two examples of which are Zimbardo et al (1973) and Moscovici et al (1969) which are described as follows:  Zimbardos aim in his Stamford prison experiment was to examine conformity to social roles and expectations in other words to see the effect of making ‘good’, ‘normal’ people into prisoners and prison guards.  The procedure for the experiment was that twenty-four middle class male students who were mentally sound in tests and without any criminal convictions were paid fifteen dollars a day and divided into prisoners or guards by the flip of a coin. The prisoners were arrested at their homes, blindfolded and taken to the psychology Department of Stanford University that had been converted into a realistic prison. From there the prison regime was established, the three guards were given khaki uniforms dark glasses and wooden batons, the prisoners were issued uniforms and put into cells. They were informed that no physical aggression was permitted. The participants were then left to their roles of either prison guard or prisoner. The findings of the study were that the prison guards became more and more verbally and physically aggressive. The prisoners rebelled against the guards after only one day and fire extinguishers were used to control the prisoners. The prisoners became depersonalised and suffered emotional depression, one prisoner had to be released after only one day and two more on the fourth day. The study was abandoned after only six days instead of the planned fourteen. Zimbardo believes that the study demonstrated the powerful effect roles could have on people’s behaviour. The participants were ‘playing the role’ that they thought was expected of them in particular the stereotyped view of how prison guards behave. In other words they were conforming to an ‘unofficial script’. The prison environment played an important part in how the guards behaved as none had shown sadistic tendencies before the study. The study has been criticized because of the lack of informed consent the participants had and the humiliation and distress experienced by the prisoners. Zimbardo was also criticised for acting the role of ‘prison superintendent’. In Zimbardos defence he only found out himself late on that he had the backing of the police to do the arrest and there was no time to tell the participants. He also couldn’t really tell them what was going to happen without it becoming unrealistic. The study was stopped early and the participants had no lasting effects from the study, after extensive debriefing and follow-ups years later. Infact they revealed they had learned an important lesson in that we can all be overwhelmed by social influences. Zimbardo himself now acknowledges that he shouldn’t of acted the role of superintendent but still believes that there should still be an independent monitor in this sort of research so that not only are the participants protected valuable information can also be acquired.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Martha Stewart Lost Reputation Essay

Martha Stewart places her name on her products. She becomes the face of her company and the voice of her brand. When her personal misconduct occurred, she made her company vulnerable and risky as well. This case study examines how Martha Stewart managed her corporate communication when her public image and reputation were tarnished on trial for alleged insider trading scandal. The trial not only led her to prison but also hurt her brand equity. The study shows that Stewart’s early response to her crisis demonstrated lack of situation awareness. In the beginning of her investigation, she kept her public persona intact, ignoring or downplaying her role in it. As a result, what Stewart called â€Å"a small personal matter† later became a full -blown crisis. If she had managed her communication in a more timely manner, the magnitude of her crisis might have been minimized. This article also provides detailed insights for organizations to learn from her crisis response strat egies. Keywords: Organizational crisis, Crisis communication, Image restoration 1. Introduction The personalities of strong business leaders can help shape and enhance their corporate image. In some cases, the leaders become the virtual icon of the corporate brand, lendi ng their personal prestige to the brand and personifying the company. They can also threaten the company when they are involved in a scandal. In this situation, the consequences for the company can be critical as in the Martha Stewart’s insider trading crisis in the United States. The crisis management scholar, Roux-Dufort (2000) points out that corporate crises as â€Å"a privileged moment during which to understand things differently† (p. 26). As such, there is a growing body of literature on organizational learning in the wake of corporate crisis (Mitroff, 2002; Shrivastava, 1998). The Stewart case, in particular, drew the attention of media for years. The crisis of Martha Stewart’s insider trading raised the issue about the Martha Stewart’s multiplatform franchise; that is, the media world and homemaking business are intricately interwoven with her persona. Stewart’s empire has an impressive business synergy as shown by her TV programs that promote her magazines, her website which sells her products, and her p roducts which are a link to her TV programs. She is the face, voice and personality behind the brand and, thus, the two – Stewart and the brand – are inseparable. After Stewart’s personal misconduct, the interlocking nature of her business proved to be vulnerable and risky. Moreover, Stewart’s crisis had both legal and public relations components (Jerome, Moffitt, & Knudsen, 2007). Allegations of insider trading against Martha Stewart led to her imprisonment. Her strategic plan in response to the insider trading accusations and the media attention su rrounding this crisis left Stewart trying to take action to restore her image. In a sense, it is important to understand how Stewart herself and her company managed their corporate communication when her public image and reputation were tarnished under the investigation of the insider trading scandal. This article explores how the high profile iconic Martha Stewart responded when confronted with an organizational crisis that threatened existence. It also provides detailed insights for organizations to learn from her crisis response strategies. 2. Background of Martha Stewart’s Insider Trading Beginning with the 1982 publication of her book Entertaining, Martha Stewart made a name for herself as a homemaking diva. In September 1997, Stewart became chairperson, president, and CEO of her new company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MSO since 1999. As the chief of MSO, Stewart used her name and face to make connections with various businesses including a line of housewares, television shows, radio channels, magazines and a series of books on entertaining. On December 27, 2001, Stewart sold 3,928 shares of her ImClone stock worth US$228,000 the day before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected approval of Erbitux, ImClone’s anti -cancer drug. By selling ahead of the FDA rejection, Stewart received about US$45,000 more than if she had sold the stocks later. Compared to her wealth, it was certainly an insignificant sum and in fact, during her Larry King Live interview, she said it was â€Å"miniscule, really, about 0.006 percent of my net worth† (Four nier, 2004). Stewart had denied any wrongdoing, insisting she did not receive any advance knowledge from Sam Waksal, the founder and CEO of ImClone about the decision on Erbitux (Pollack, 2002). Instead, her sale of ImClone stock was part of a predetermined plan to sell if shares fell below US$60. Later, Stewart was officially indicted on charges of securities fraud and obstructing justice related to her sale of ImClone stock on March 5, 2004. Judge Cedarbaum dismissed the securities fraud charge against S tewart, saying prosecutors had failed to present enough evidence on the issue (Masters & White, 2004). However, obstruction of justice, charges of conspiracy, and making false statements remained. Stewart served a five-month prison sentence between October 8, 2004 and March 4, 2005 for these charges. On August 7, 2006, Martha Stewart reached an agreement with the securities’ regulators over the insider-trading civil charges and agreed to pay US$195,000 to settle a five-year legal battle. 3. Literature Review Crisis events can and do strike organizations of all types. Every kind of organization, from larger organizations to small family owned businesses, have the potential of being a victim of crisis (Seeger, Sellnow, & Ulmer, 2003). In many circumstances, crisis immediately raises questions from an organization’s many different publics (Marra, 1998). In this view, for an organization to manage the effects of a crisis it must communicate to both internal and external stakeholders. Ulmer, Sellnow, and Seeger (2007) suggest all crises involve the general communication strategies of reducing uncertainty, responding to the crisis, resolving it, and learning from it. The ability to communicate quickly and effectively is clearly an important component of successfu l crisis management. Effective crisis communication can not only defuse or eliminate crisis, but it can sometimes bring an organization a more positive reputation than before the crisis occurred (Kauffman, 2005). On the other hand, Marra (1998) argues if an organization fails to respond to a crisis in the correct manner, a bad situation can be made worse. Hence, crisis communication strategies can substantially diminish the harm caused by a crisis or magnify the harm if mismanaged. In this study, the stream of crisis response models from communication scholars and public relations professionals (Benoit, 1995; Coombs, 1999, 2007) are utilized as the theoretical framework to interpret the crisis response strategies that Martha Stewart employed in her insider trading crisis. According to Benoit (1995), firms or individuals may take preventative and restorative approaches to image problems. Five strategies (i.e., denial, evasion of responsibility, reduction of the offensiveness of the act , corrective action, and mortification) make up the rhetoric or image repair discourse. Each of these strategies has a set of tactics within them. Denial is the strategy employed when the rhetor simply chooses to deny the actions he is being accused of or shift the blame from the organization to outside individuals or agencies. The second strategy is evasion of responsibility is the strategy that the rhetor can blame circumstances beyond his control. It consists of four possible tactics: provocation, defeasibility, accident and good intentions. Benoit’s third major image restoration strategy, occurs when the rhetor attempts to reduce the degree of offensiveness experienced by the accuser. To this end, Benoit includes six tactics: bolstering, minimization, differentiation, transcendence, attacking the accuser, and compensation. The fourth category of the typology is corrective action, which attempts to correct the situation rather than counterbalance it. The final image restoration strategy, mortification, requires the rhetor to take responsibility for the action and to issue an apology. Benoit and colleagues have applied the model to a variety of different crisis situations. For instance, Benoit and Brinson (1994) analyzed AT&T’s defense following an interruption of its long-distance service in New York in September of 1991. Initially, AT&T tried to shift blame to low-level workers. As the complete story emerged, however, AT&T apologized for the interruption (mortification) and began to bolster its image by stressing its commitment to excellence, the billions of dollars invested in service, and the quality of its employees. Finally, AT&T promised corrective action and introduced a comprehensive review of its operations to anticipate and prevent further problems. It also stressed its commitment to providing excellent service and its willingness to spend billions of dollars to do so. Given these corrective action strategies, AT&T’s finally restored its image. Benoit (1995) also examined Union Carbide’s response to the Bhopal, India, gas leak that killed thousands and injured hundreds of thousands. Union Carbide’s primary strategies, bolstering and corrective action, were focused on four specific actions: a relief fund, an orphanage, medical supplies, and medical personnel. Although these strategies were appropriate and timely, Benoit claimed that Union Carbide failed to address the most important question: What were they doing to prevent another tragedy? Coombs (1999, 2007) develops situational crisis communication theory, creating 10 categories of basic organizational crisis communication strategies. These strategies are further grouped into four posture: 1) â€Å"denial posture† including attack the accuser (confronting person claiming a crisis occurred), denial ( asserting no crisis), and scapegoat (shifting the blame to others outside the organization), with an attempt to eliminate the crisis by denying its existence or the organization’s responsibility for the crisis; 2) â€Å"diminishment posture† which takes the forms of excuse (denying intend to do harm or claiming inability to control) and justification (minimizing severity of damage) with the purpose of weakening the link between the crisis and the organization by claiming the crisis is not the organization’s fault; 3) â€Å"rebuilding posture† of compensation (providing money or other gifts to the victims) and apology (taking full responsibility), which strives to restore legitimacy by seeking public approval and forgiveness; and 4) â€Å"bolstering posture† which includes reminder (telling stakeholders about its past good works), ingratiation (praising stakeholders and/or reminds them of past good works) and victimage (reminding stakeholders that the organization is a victim of the crisis, too). Using Coombs’s typology of crisis response strategies, Wilcox and Cameron (2006) examined the case of Intel. In 1993, Intel initially denied there was a problem with its Pentium 586 chip. As the crisis was covered in the mainstream press, Intel used the justification strategy by assuring that the problem was not serious enough to warrant replacing the chips. It minimized the concerns of consumers. In fact, Intel mismanaged the handling of its crisis communication. First, it did not disclose to the public the information about the Pentium flaw when they initially realized there was a problem. Then when the problem finally did come out into the open, they downplayed it instead of helping the users who had purchased the flawed chips. After considerable damage had been done to Intel’s reputation and IBM had suspended orders for the chip, Intel took corrective action to replace the chips. Subsequently, Andy Grove, Intel’s president, issued a full apology. Based on Benoit’s image repair theory and Coombs’s typology of crisis response st rategies, the following research questions are posited: RQ 1. What strategies did Martha Stewart use to manage her insider trading crisis? RQ 2. Were these strategies effective or ineffective? RQ 3. What can we learn from Martha Stewart case? 4. Methodology The case study is employed in this study, as it is effective in illustrating public relations management in real situations (Hendrix, 2004). According to Yin (1994), the six sources of evidence that are typically associated with the case study include documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant -observation, and physical artifacts. In this study, texts documenting Stewart’s discourse in response to incidents that threatened her image were collected from multiple sources. Specifically, this study used predominantly two types of data: documents and archival records. It began with gathering data and finding facts related to cases and defining the specific tasks. The actions and communication strategies used by Martha Stewart wer e reviewed with information from her corporate websites, press releases and media coverage. MSO is a publicly traded company. A look at the organizational archival records (e.g., stock prices, sales and annual reports) and official government records (e.g. , court records and commission reports) contributed to understand the impact of corporate scandals have had on the companies’ financial performance and their stakeholders. The media coverage on the Martha Stewart case was found through Lexis Nexis Academi c keyword search of â€Å"Martha Stewart & insider trading† in The New York Times and The Washington Post. These newspapers were selected because of their large circulation, prominence and influence on public opinion. For the purpose of the valance of news narration in this study, the period of analysis covered two time frames (during the crisis and post crisis). The first time frame started from the trading day to the verdict, beginning in December, 2001 and running through March, 2004. The second time frame started from the day of sentencing to her release from prison, beginning on July 16, 2004 and running t hrough March 2005. Since the research questions of this study were related to crisis communication strategies, the unit of analysis of this case study was Martha Stewart’s response to stakeholders during and post crisis. Thus, the strategies were apparent through the types of evid ence. 14 By examining corporate communication employed by Martha Stewart during the crisis and post -crisis period, the procedures for analysis involved three steps. First, after the data were collected from multiple sources, a detailed timeline of relevant events leading up to the crisis itself, and the post-crisis process was created. For example, the chronological order of the Martha Stewart case was constructed in the following manner: 1) the investigation (January, 2002 – June, 2003); 2) indictment (June – December, 2003); 3) verdict (January – May, 2004); 4) sentencing (June – July, 2004); 5) in prison (October, 2004); and 6) release from prison (March, 2005). Second, after the chronological order of actual events was refined, a narrative description and process analysis of each event was thus constructed. A worksheet served as an organizing tool for evaluating each event. All data collected were analyzed using the typology of crisis response strategy. Finally, a thick descript ion and analysis of the findings of each research question was conducted. 5. Analysis of Martha Stewart’s Crisis Response Strategies 5. 1 Investigation The story about Martha Stewart’s ImClone stock sale was broken to the public in the Wall Street Journal on June 7, 2002 (Adams & Anand, 2002). In the article, her lawyer, John Savarese, indicated that Stewart had set the price at US$60 for selling the stock but in fact, as of June 7, 2002, the stock price of ImClone sank to a low US$8.45 a share. Using the strategy of differentiation, Savarese further was trying to put distance between Stewart and Sam Waksal. There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that she spoke to Sam, or had any information from anybody from ImClone during that week †¦ I am absolutely sure that there was no communication of any kind between her and Sam, no passing of any information from him to her. (Adams & Anand, 2002, p. B2) On June 12, 2002, Waksal was arrested for insider trading and soon after, the stock price of MSO plunged 12 percent, closing at US$15. From June 6, 2002, when congressional investigators started looking into Stewart’s sale of ImClone shares, the stock price of MSO had dropped 22 percent. Stewart immediately denied any insider trading or wrongdoing and, in a public statement, she said she knew nothing about the pending FDA announcement. She claimed that when the share price dropped below US$60 – the level at which she had agreed with her broker – she returned a call from her broker and sold the s hares on December 27, 2001. She acknowledged that after the trade, she immediately called Waksal but could not reach him, and he did not call her back. The message she left read: â€Å"Martha Stewart called. Something is going on with ImClone and she wants to know what† (Hays, 2002a, p. C1). She proclaimed her innocence in her statement: â€Å"In placing my trade, I had no improper information. My transaction was entirely lawful† (White, 2002, p. E1). However, the congressional investigator questioned Stewart’s sale, noting that ImClone dropped below $60 at least once before while Stewart owned it (White, 2002). On June 18, 2002, Stewart tried to resolve concerns about her sale of ImClone shares and hired a new lawyer, James F. Fitzpatrick, who submitted several documents to congressional investigators. This was the first time Stewart used a strategy of corrective action as a response to the inquiries. On June 19, 2002, MSO stock rebounded sharply, climbing from US$2.05, to US$14.4 and then to US$16.45, suggesting that her corrective action was working. However, Ken Johnson, a spokesman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the documents would help answer some questions but â€Å"we still don’t have an answer to the most nagging one: was Ms. Stewart’s pre-existing agreement to sell reached in late November, as she says, or in mid-December as some reports have indicated?† (Hays, 2002b, p. C7). On June 25, 2002, she appeared on CBS’s The Early Show, and when asked by the host, Jane Clayson, about the ImClone shares during a cooking segment, she replied while slicing a cabbage with a big knife. I’m involved in an investigation that has very serious implications. I have nothing to say on the matter. I’m really not at liberty to say. And as I said, I think this will be resolved in the very near future and I will be exonerated of any ridiculousness. And I just want to focus on my salad because that is why we’re here. (Clayson, 2002) Apparently, Stewart had no idea how to handle the situation and was unwilling to respond to the questions. She continued to dodge public inquiries and ignored the increasing outcry for answers about her role in the insider trading scandal.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Mountain Gorillas Essays - Gorillas, Mountain Gorilla, Free Essays

Mountain Gorillas Essays - Gorillas, Mountain Gorilla, Free Essays Mountain Gorillas Half man and half beast. This is what is usually said about the gorilla. They say that the gorilla is related to us. You can find mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes, which are located on the boundaries of Zaire, Rwanda, and Uganda. The Virungas are 600 miles of tropical rainforest. Youll find then roaming around 7,800 and 11,000 feet, but at low elevations. The gorillas live in units. Most of the units consist of about 6-12 members in it, most of them being related in some way. With each unit, there is a leader, usually an old silverback, who was a virtual dictator. A silverback male has large canines and he may weigh 400 pounds. He is the one who decides when to proceed, and when to stop, and which direction to go. When he sleeps, everyone else is supposed to be sleeping to, and then he gives a signal to wake up. When the old silverback gets too old, then his eldest son usually is the one to take over. The females are usually responsible for the nursing portion in the unit. Gorillas are peaceful and tolerant by nature. Whenever two groups meet, they either ignore each other, or they give each other a grumpy grunt. Sometimes the two groups would even stay together, and then eventually separate. There are many rumors about gorillas being very violent, but there are no reports about it. There are times when they have little mock fights, but there is never any blood shed in them. Right now there are not too many mountain gorillas you will find in the Virungas. Their population is only in the hundreds. In 1960, there was an estimated 450 gorillas still remaining in two isolated habitats. In a 1981 census, it gave a figure of about 254 gorillas. Right now there is somewhere between 400-450 mountain gorillas that have survived. There are so few of these creatures for many reasons. There are many poachers who kill the gorillas for their head or hands to sell to tourists as a souvenir, or hunter that kill them to have a trophy. With so much of this going on, the rangers of the parks so not think there will be anymore of these gorillas left by the end of the century. There have been a few projects and conservation groups made to save this endangered species. The Washington-based African Wildlife Foundation, started a program in the parks on park security, to prevent as much poaching. The tourist program also developed rapidly. They went from 1,352 paid visitors in 1978 to 5,790 in 1984. With the help of the money from tourism, they were able to start some programs on the conservation of the mountain gorillas. The basic issues of the groups and programs are human population and the way land is used. The future for the gorillas look very bleak. Illegal logging, gold prospecting, and hunting has become more and more popular where the gorillas live. To assure gorillas a future will require a dedication that can not just be done through projects or even years or centuries, but it takes a commitment for the rest of eternity. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baumgartel, Walter. Up Among the Mountain Gorillas. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1976. Fossey, Dian. Gorillas in the Mist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1983. Patterson, Francine. The Education of Koko. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1981. Schaller, George B. Gorilla: Struggle for Survival in the Virungas. New York: Aperture Book, 1989. Bibliography Baumgartel, Walter. Up Among the Mountain Gorillas. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1976. Fossey, Dian. Gorillas in the Mist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1983. Patterson, Francine. The Education of Koko. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1981. Schaller, George B. Gorilla: Struggle for Survival in the Virungas. New York: Aperture Book, 1989.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Challenges Facing the East Asia Region Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Challenges Facing the East Asia Region - Essay Example Challenges Facing the East Asia Region a) Competing interests of China and Japan The polities, economies and the populations of East Asia are all dependent on the competing strategic interests of China and Japan, which pose a challenge to individual states within the region (IISS, 2014). This challenge has been aggravated by the security factors as well as the competition for territories amongst the two superpowers in the region such as the control over certain islands and parts of the sea (Feigenbaum, 2015). For example, Japan has made attempts at being the major player in the region in terms of security and the management of contested regions such as the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea. Moreover, the perceived closeness to the United States as is the case of Japan as opposed to China has further brought challenges in the determination of the geopolitical positioning of nations in the East Asia region. The above point implies that that the assertive reaction of China to the regional security of the East Asia region coupled with Japan’s nationalism in foreign policy has had an enduring effect on the neighboring nations, hence worsening the situation in region. For example, the Philippines and Vietnam as other players in the East Asia region have sided with Japan in the handling of the territorial issues with regard to the contested islands and sea territories. Apart from the above two dominant players, the major players in this region that derive their influence from them are North Korea and South Korea.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Management accounting - Essay Example Question 1 A modern firm is a learning firm which learns from history and plans for the future (Campbell and Huffington, 2008). This is where management via accounting comes in as a way to learn. Accounting processes gather and organises information which can then be used to identify trends in the market (Bhimani and Bromwich, 2009). Just like humans look at past trends and predict the future, organisations can look at these trends in the past and know what the future will be. The modern organisation has not only learnt how to predict the future, it has also learnt how to change the future and determine what the future will be. According to Chandler (1977), this ability of the organisation to not only know and predict the future, but also change the future and determine what will happen with a high precision is what makes the modern organisation so different from the enterprises of earlier days. Chandler looks at the modern organisation not only as a person, but as a society of peopl e. As he says, instead of the earlier model of organisation which used to be run as stand alone unitary organisation, the modern organisation is a network of sub divisions, each of which are sophisticated enough to be run on their own. In other words, these subdivisions within the organisation are like organisations on their own, only that they are run under a bigger umbrella organization. When an organisation is made of a network of organisations, sharing of information between these units in order to make sure that processes among these organisations are carried out efficiently becomes critical (Hoskin and Macve, 1990). This is because this leads to the following important factors; Increased efficiency Increased efficiency in an organisation is important as it does not only reduce costs but also makes it possible for the organisation to be able to access the market in an easier way (Freeman, 2010). For instance, if the marketing department in an organisation is able to share accur ate information about the market with the manufacturing department, it becomes easier for the manufacturing department to plan their manufacturing processes. This makes it possible for the manufacturing department in such an organisation to plan for labour, raw materials and storage facilities thus saving on costs and also being able to deliver the products to the market at the right time. Management via accounting only helps an organisation to achieve efficiencies if the organisation acts like a society of people which can learn from each other and make the society better. Modern organisation therefore use management via accounting like a mind that is always learning to be better and to perform better as times passes along. Cash Flow Predictability Organisations can easily predict and plan for cash flow processes. If the organisation can easily know when the demand will rise in the market, they are better prepared to know when to produce, when to hire more labour, when to do market ing and when to borrow money. This is only achieved through sharing of management information within the organisation and thus making it easy for the firm to know when it will receive the money and when to get external funding (Bardoliwalla, Buscemi and Broady, 2009). Furthermore, when an organisation has this kind of information, they are able to have