Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus - Essay Example When Jocasta conceived and had a baby, it turned out to be a boy (Bartleby.com). Laius tried to stop the prophecy by piercing the baby’s legs and binding them then leaving him for death up at a mountain. A shepherd on his own errand picked up the baby and took him to his king back home, King Polybius of Corinth (Jebb). Polybus named the picked baby boy Oedipus which held the meaning of swollen foot. He raised the child as his own; hence Oedipus grew up a normal being knowing that his real father was Polybius and not having the slightest idea of his own identity of fate. Oedipus grew up normally, and when he got to his adulthood, he decided to consult the Oracle of Delphi to know about the future that lay for him like any normal man. He learnt about his prophesied life from the oracle, and it was the same prophesy that had been told to his father. The problem was that the oracle did not tell him who his real father was, so him knowing that Polybus was his real father and trying to avoid killing him, he left. He left for Thebes so that he would be away from his ‘father’ Polybius and avoid prophesy, and with that, he thought he would avoid it all (Crane). On his way to Thebes, Oedipus met with pilgrims who were on their own way heading to Delphi. He asked the pilgrims to get out of his way so that he would pass and continue with his journey, but they refused. Having refused to yield to his demand, out of rage he killed all the pilgrims. What he did not know was that his biological father was the leader of the crew of the pilgrims. He had fulfilled part of the prophesy by murdering Laius his biological father mistakenly. He thought and felt nothing about his act of having killed the pilgrims and carried on with his journey. When he got to Thebes, he got that Thebes had problems of its own (Unit 3: Athenian Drama, ppt). There was a sphinx which had stationed herself outside the gated of Thebes and was posing a riddle to everyone. The riddle was à ¢â‚¬ËœWhat has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?’ The sphinx put it clearly that would anyone answer correctly; she would leave, and if not she would eat the unfortunate person. When Oedipus got to Thebes, so far no one had managed to answer the riddle appropriately,  so he tried his luck and guessed that the answer was man. He got the riddle correct, and the sphinx left which made the people filled with so much joy that they made Oedipus king. As king, he married the sitting queen who happened to be Jocasta. The full prophesy had come to pass; Oedipus had murdered his biological father and wedded his own mother. Oedipus and the queen Jocasta got married and had four children, Polynices, Antigone, Etocles and Ismene. A plague then happened to hit the city of Thebes, and was to stop until the earlier king passes away. Lauis’ murderer had been avenged. Oedipus swore that he would kill those guilty of the murder once he knew them. What he did not know was that he was the guilty murderer of Lauis. They tried to solve the mystery as much as they could, but to no avail; hence they consulted the great seer, Tiserias. Tiserias told them the truth about the whole prophecy, who it involved and what had really happened. Jocasta was so horrified about the revelation that she committed suicide through hanging herself and Oedipus gorged out his personal eyes, limiting and banishing himself. Oedipus at Colonus After banishing himself from Thebes, Oedipus leaves with his daughter

Merapi Eruption And Its Economic Impact Environmental Sciences Essay

Merapi Eruption And Its Economic Impact Environmental Sciences Essay Recently, Indonesia is faced with many natural disaster such as tsunami, earthquake, and volcanic eruption. These disasters are more likely to happen because of the geological location of Indonesia which is located at the edge of the Pacific, Eurasian and Australian tectonic plates. Just recently, Indonesia has been made panic by Gunung Merapi, which is one of many more Indonesias active stratovolcano mountain. This Gunung Merapi is located between Central Java and Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Gunung Merapi is one of the most active volcano in Indonesia. It has also erupted regularly since the year 1548. To discuss about the eruption effect of Gunung Merapi freely, this paper will be started with the introduction and the definition about what is eruption and Gunung Merapi. The discussion of this paper will be then continued and list all the effects, victims, loss and damage to humans life. This paper lists the details about the victims, environmental effects, the dangerous materials of this eruption, damage and loss to many sectors. The paper will then discuss about what the government action to help the victims and restores the site that got the disadvantages of this eruption. The conclusion part of this paper will be the closing of the discussion with the summary details. Introduction Within these past few years ago, there are many natural disasters that occured in Indonesia and the most frequently that happen is flood. The disasters that often happen in Indonesia are flood, earthquake, and volcanic eruption, tsunami which are more likely to happen because of Indonesias geological location which is located at the edge of the Pacific, Eurasian and Australian tectonic plates. Jakarta as the capital town of Indonesia is the place that flood will most likely to occur if there is a heavy rain with long enough duration to patch a flood. The disaster than happen recently is eruption so this article will be focusing on volcanic eruption. 2010 eruptions of mount merapi. (2010, December 8). An eruption can be a really hazardous disaster for humans life due to its big explosion of the volcano, fall of the rocks and the ashes that can irritate humans breath and eyes. Indonesia has many active volcanic mountain like Gunung Merapi, Gunung Krakatau, Gunung Kelud, Gunung Semeru, Gunung Guntur and many others. One of these active mountain which named Gunung Merapi, have done a great eruption recently, which is started at 26 October 2010. This eruption obviously made many negative effects on humans life and environment around that mountain. The examples of the negative effects are death and people getting damaged, many house broken, people must leave their house and belongings and go to the safer place. They all feel very miserable for their loss because of this volcanic eruption. Merapis eruption also affects many things like how things going in Keraton Jogja which is the town that this Merapi located. There are so many things that get affected only because of this Merapis eruption. This article will talk deep about the details for all the effects on its environment, the damage and loss in many sectors like social and infrastructure, the impacts of economy, growth, GDP and GNP and unemployment impacts because of this eruption. 1.2 The Definition of Eruption Eruption is the phenomenon of the bursting out of magma to the surface of the earth. Eruption can be divided into two, such as explosive eruption and non explosive eruption. The types of eruption is depend on many things; for examples, the thickness of magma, the composition of gas inside the magma, the effect of ground water, and magma chamber. The thickness of magma and the composition of gas inside the magma are depending on the composition of chemical of magma. Eruption has own mechanism. There are excess excreted gasses, when the magma come its way to surface, and the gas pressure make the spread of volcanic material. The process of gas excreted is sometimes followed by a large sound of rumble that sometimes allow us to hear the rumbling voice as the same time the volcanic material eruption occurs. The process of gas pressure is not need a long time. The plug holes in the crater by the gas pressure depends on the rate of gas production from the magma that make the increasing of the gas pressure, and strength to withstand the pressure of gas crater plug.  The more powerful stoppers crater, the greater the percentage of the strong eruption. A fast-moving flow of lava that flow down to river, then spread in the plain at the hills sight of the volcano area can cause into the damages on serious economic and environmental. 2010 eruptions of mount merapi. (2010, December 8). Gunung Merapi 2010 The massive explosion of Merapi Mountain happened on the first date in the month of November 2010. The first explosion occurs around 10.03 AM that started out with a small earthquake and falling down of materials. Soon after that the cloud of heat came along from the top of Merapi with a height of 1.5km. Based on the surveillance from the Monitor room of Merapi Activity in BPPTK Office loated in Jalan Cendana, Jogjakarta, the cloud of heat headed for the south entrance, which is the Gendol River and Woro River with acceleration of 4km. At 11.30AM, Merapi Mountain explode again, creating cloud of heat with height of approximately 3.5km. This is the second greatest explosion for the Friday, November 5, 2010. This is surveyed from Balerante, the group of clouds and balls heavily polluted vertically rumbling to the sky with the approximated height of 3.500meters. Due to the wind blows from north and east heading to the Cendawan Sea, and the cloud of heat is heading to the southeast direction of the delta of Gendol River, there are no further report from BNPTK about this explosion. This information is directly conducted visually on Friday ,November 5, 2010. Around 11.35AM half of the hillside and mountain is covered in thick and dark cloud. The Earthquake itself is highly detected due to the seizmograph signal installed at various surveillance headquarters. Citizens in the southwest, southeast, south, and west are ordered to be cautious and prepared. As broadcasted, the massive explosion of Merapi before also happened on Friday this afternoon. Due to the explosion, 55 citizens are claimed dead up until this very afternoon. The dangerous zone are expanded from the first 15km up to 20km. Types of volcanic eruption. (2010, December 6) Victims of eruption Gunung Merapi 2010 This 2010 eruption is the worst since 1870. Thirty-two villages has become the victims and 70000 soul were being suggested to evacuate because they located in the danger territory. Those villages consist of 17 villages in District of Magelang, 4 villages in District of Klaten, 3 villages in District of Boyolali, and 8 villages in District of Sleman. This time Merapi is in critical condition, besides being marked with the the distance of heat cloud explosive eruption reaches 11.5 kilometer at Bebeng River and at different place the distance of heat cloud eruption reaches 11 km at White River, 10 km at Boyong River and 9.5 km at Gendol River. This time the heat cloud that out from the peak of Merapi has reached the height of more than 10 km, the number of victims is 73. Victims spread in 2 regions, which are 69 victims at the Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta and 4 victims at Center Java. The injured, burn and blister victims have reached 100 persons. This condition is based on November 5, 20 10 note. In relation to Merapis condition that still in dangerous, the government is seeking the save place for the refugee. After the second eruption, 55 persons are recorded dead until now. The prone region is being expanded from 15 km to 20 km. Types of volcanic eruption. (2010, December 6). Environmental effects As we know that Yogyakarta is a famous city recognized by many foreign tourists, Merapi eruption that occurred has given a lot of impact on the growth of tourism in Yogyakarta. After the eruption of Merapi that occurred in Yogyakarta, the level of trust decreased drastically and it has affected both foreign and domestic tourists, especially in tourism sector. Although the eruption of merapi has decreased, the influence of the eruption was still heart throbbing especially for the resorts and food corner.   The hotel occupancy rate from both foreign and domestic tourists is about 30-40 percent of it. Moreover, the good news is that the percentage has increased slightly after the start Adisucipto airport reopened.   After Adisucipto airport was reopened, when the occupancy rate was only about 10-20 percent of it. The occupancy rate and the expected decline of tourists not only because of post-eruption of Merapi but is also caused by the news-media coverage of security concerns the city of Yogyakarta. In order to restore the name of the city of Yogyakarta as a safe tourism like before, the tourism parties in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and related agencies will hold a variety of series of events. Bataviase.co.id. (2010, December 28). 2.12 Volcanic ash Meanwhile, the famous Borobudur temple also closed due to the disastrous eruption, the area of 185 hectares were completely paralyzed due to volcanic ash that covered the sky. After the great eruption hundreds of trees were uprooted around the temple and the access road leading to the temple was blocked.   And even worse, the most powerful eruption makes the temple in critical condition and unlikely to be accessed.  Thickness of volcanic ash reached 2-4 centimeters. The Jakarta post. ( 2010, December 28). 2.13 Greenhouse effects in Yogyakarta The temperature in Yogyakarta is really high and hot.  Average daytime air heat over 33 degrees Celsius.  This is caused by the ash which come from the eruption in which covers the surrounding areas. The volcanic ash covered the atmosphere of Yogyakarta, and that is one reason why the air is very hot.  Currently, some areas in Yogyakarta Special Region are exposed to a kind of greenhouse effect caused by the volcanic ash particles in the air.  In theory, the sun to the earth should be reflected into space by the atmosphere.  However, because the dirty atmospheric conditions, sunlight reflected back to earth so that the air in Yogyakarta getting hot and sultry. In addition, the position of the sun at this time also was leaning towards the south and is still above the Yogyakarta area.  Sun will continue moving south until December 22 2010 and again leaning to the north and back across the top of the city of Yogyakarta in February 2011. 2012discovery.com. (2010, October 30). Damage and losses 2.21 Housing sectors The number of sufferers of the eruption is keep increasing, and people who didnt flee under the fear of the eruption have eventually run to the outer part of the eruption are to save their life. In the village every night additional evacuees continued to arrive, making the total increased to 2632 people from 2073 soul after the eruption. Additional refugees came from villages with a radius of up to 10 kilometers from the peak of Merapi.  The increasing numbers of the refugees make the needs of facilities and infrastructure to increase too. The worst matter is the numbers of public toilets in refugee camps are dirty and smelly. The supply of water for public toilets is not routine.  With the number of refugees who have started to increase rapidly, water supply should not be broken. Antara news. (2010, November 14). 2.22 Health Sector The Provincial Health Office Yogyakarta campaign held a clean and healthy lifestyle to the refugees in each chosen Merapi evacuation.and they have conducted a campaign of clean and healthy lifestyle to the communities, which is to maintaining and creating a clean and healthy lifestyle not only during disasters, but every time the need to maintain clean and healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this clean and healthy lifestyle campaign was held to maintain and preserve the environmental health of both the family and society. The campaign is very important and needs to be understood by society, in which people should maintain and implement the environment clean and healthy lifestyle, both when in the home environment and in environmental refugees. Ministry of health republic of Indonesia (2010, November 14). 2.3 Infrastructure 2.31 Transportation Sectors As the eruption brings hundreds and even thousands people to death, it also caused damage the sectors such as transportation sector too. The closing down of the airport by the department of transportation has caused thousands of passengers to decrease drastically compared with the usual operation. It is estimated that even if the airport has been re-opened, it will not show much difference in the number of flights because of the fear of the eruption. Land transportation has also decrease drastically because the number of tourist visits dropped down drastically after the disaster happened. Car rentals and motorcycle rentals which are usually crowded suffered heavy blows. And many people had lost their jobs and in need to get another job in order to survive. Terradaily (2010, November 7). 2.32 Energy Resources Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources will also conduct a program which is subsidizing the fuel in the energy sector. These programs include the construction of electricity infrastructure, the natural gas supply infrastructure, and improvement of energy infrastructure in eastern Indonesia. With this program, fuel restrictions could save up to Rp 3.8 trillion.  The number is achieved if there is a decrease in fuel consumption of premium as much as 1 million kiloliters with the amount of Rp 1.7 trillion, and the reduction of diesel consumption by 1 million kiloliters magnitude Rp 2.17 trillion.The government itself allocates the budget for fuel subsidies, biofuel and LPG amounted to Rp 95.9 trillion for the year 2011. Moreover the implementation of restrictions on fuel will be done in stages so that the social and economic impacts, especially inflation are expected relatively small. Otakit.com. (2010, November 15). 2.33 Communications sector After the eruptions, the telecommunication encounters the high telecommunication traffic. Telecommunications service remains smooth despite the high telecommunications traffic increase both incoming and outgoing around the slopes of Mount Merapi, particularly in Sleman, Magelang and Klaten. Starting from October 26, 2010 4 telecommunications operator established a post in Sleman and Magelang, PT XL Axiata, PT Telkom, PT Telkomsel and PT Indosat. The function of post is not only to monitor the quality of service around the slopes of Mount Merapi, but also serve free telephone facilities and provide certain social assistance. In addition, also for the uplink and down link for a number of journalists who will send the latest news related to the condition of Mount Merapi from these posts, as provided by PT Telkom in STO Pakem, Sleman. Depkominfo.go.id. (2010, October 29). 2.34 Water Supplies and Sanitation damages Villagers Bawukan and Gemampir have returned from refugee camps.  When they get to their homes, they found that they had contaminated the water reservoir of volcanic ash.  When displaced, they forgot to close or move the gutter.  As a result, the volcanic ash mixed into their water supplies.  This is contaminating the water and the water itself cannot be consumed or used for bathing because it causes itching. in addition, disaster response teams in Klaten are mobilizing water vacuum to drain the dirty water.  Furthermore, the government also supplies two water tanks (10 thousand liters) to each owners water reservoir.  For Gemampir village, it takes 464 water tanks, at a cost of Rp.  50 thousand / tank.  Total required funds of Rp.23, 200,000. Merapi Volcano Situation Report Part 8. ( 2010, November 28). Productive Sectors 2.41 Agriculture Sector Merapi eruption destroy agriculture sector in Magelang regency, Central Java.  Losses estimated at Rp 247.3 billion.  Damaged crops consist of rice, fruits, and vegetables. Head of Food Crops, Plantation, Magelang regency Wijaya and Forestry said the damage occurred in most crops in 12 districts because of volcanic ash covered.  The biggest losses occurred on the bark of plants, USD 84.01 billion.  In total, the eruption causes 65% of crop damage and crop failure in the severe affected areas. Even worse, damage also occurred on 201 ha of forest, 309 ha of state forest and 357 ha of plantation area. The estimate of losses on plantation sector reached 1.5 to 2 times more than the previous record. As a result of the eruption of Merapi in the form of hot clouds made a number of areas hit by the rain of ash.  Ash rain made for agricultural decline.  Thousands hectares of plantations, vegetables and paddy rice are damaged. And thats why not a few residents who harvest rice more quickly even though it is not time.  They are afraid of the rice goes bad when Merapi erupted again.This condition can certainly have a negative impact on residents.  Food shortages feared to hit the people living on the slopes of Merapi.  Number of land damaged by the eruption of Merapi, required no small amount of recovery funds.  Longer recovery time was also given to date volcanic ash still flushed a number of areas on the slopes of Merapi. embassyofindonesia.org. (2010, November 28). 2.42 Fisheries sector The production of fish, especially catfish in Yogyakarta, especially Boyolali reached more than 15 tons per day.   But, As a result of this disaster, this production has decreased more than 50 percent. To normalize the level of fishery production, in the near future, precisely after the Merapi eruption stopped, the government will do the rehabilitation of ponds and aquaculture ponds.  In addition to the pool area of rehabilitation of 114 ha of land, to restore the economy in the fish farming sector, the farmers require at least 11 million fish fry and more than 1050 tons of fish feed. More than 100 hectares of cropland damaged by Merapi covered with volcanic ash that resulted in millions of fish in the pond died and the estimated value of losses has reached the range of USD 3.4 billion. The loss of that which include damage to facilities and infrastructure and the death of millions of farmers cultivated fish in ponds and fish ponds due to volcanic dust.   The damage that result ed in a decrease of fisheries production is more than 50 percent. The worst area that was affected by the eruption was located in Sleman, an area of 117 hectares.  Fisheries rehabilitation processes that will be done by the government require funds of around Rp 80 billion. Minister of fisheries.(2010, December 28). 3.1 Impact on Economy Performance Severe eruptions by Mount Merapi that happened on October 26th and November 5th were expected to decrease economic approximately total worth of Rp3.4 trillion in Sleman district, Yogyakarta Province. Based on information and according to the Head of Sleman district, the losses were caused by ruins of business sectors such as tourism, culinary, commercial accommodation, agriculture, plantation, and livestock. So, In order to restore the economy, the government built temporary houses (shelters) for the victims. The houses built by the government were just temporary houses for the Mount Merapi eruption refugees so that it could boost the peoples economy to prevent the decrease in growth that would likely much in effecting the GDP. Wireupdate.com. (2010, November 5). The national state point states that the loss in economic activity in the affected area is likely to have a minor effect. The main impact on the national economy is coming from the cost of the reconstruction effort which affected the national Government finances. Because the President of Indonesia didnt announce the GDP rate due to the impact of the eruption, so its GDP rate is still yet unknown. Furthermore, we can implied that the GDP will decrease due to the Merapis eruption, since all the victims lose their homes, money, and property, their ability to buy goods will definitely decrease, and yet the GDP decreases too. And thats why government built temporary shelters; provide foods and consumption for the evacuees to boost up the GDP rates. Moreover, the sectors that giving impact to the countrys growth caused by merapi will be the agriculture sector, electricity, gas, and water sector, and the sector with the highest growth rate which was transportation and communication sector with total of 20,3% of the impact of merapi eruption. Despites of the disastrous Merapi eruption, the good news coming from the BPS ( Badan Pusat Statistik ), is that Indonesias GDP is increasing by 5,8% in the 3rd quarter of 2010. In which on 2009, theres only 3.5 increase on Indonesias GDP. Wireupdate.com. Wireupdate.com. (2010, November 5). See appendix 1. 3.2 Impact on Inflation Because of the severe eruption, the inflation of Yogyakarta is increasing, and it is reported that on November 2010, Yogyakarta encounter an increase of 0, 62 of its inflation. The inflation was caused by the increase of price that indicates from the CPI. There were 6 categories of expenses who encounter the increase of the CPI which is food substance increase by 2, 48%, category of delicatessen (drinks, cigarettes , tobacco) increase by 0,18%, category of housing needs (water, electricity, gasses, fuel) increase by 0,18%, category of clothing increase by 0,76%, category of health increase by 0,24% and on the other hand the category of education, recreation, and sports deflate about 0,07%. 3.3 Impact on Consumer price index (CPI) The eruption of merapi which occurred at Yogyakarta and central java on October and November 2010 brings impact on its economical condition. The impact covers the agriculture production and even the economic market, especially in Yogyakarta. This indication reflected from the information monitored by the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) that on November 2010, Yogyakarta encounter 0,62 % inflation with index amount of 124,35 which is higher if it is compared to the previous index on November 2010. And this which makes the inflation increase by 6,61%. The consultative group of Indonesia. (2010, June 14). 3.4 Impacts on the Unemployment So in order for the government to increase the GDP, they kept finding ways in making programs for the evacuees and the refugee to get both jobs and income. Their objectives are not only the refugee and evacuees, but also the people who affected by the merapis eruption. The Indonesias minister idea to handle the victims are to invent a cash forward, which is giving jobs to the refugee so that they got something to do with. So the point is if the government is now providing various kinds of jobs to the evacuees so that they can work, get income so that the unemployment rate would not fall harshly. Moreover, a lot of the evacuees who encounter psychological trauma caused by the eruptions which cause them unable to work and get income. Besides food and shelters, their psychological are also crucial, and what they need now is cash in order to live. And one of the jobs the government is offering will be the cleaning of volcanic ash for the refugee as one of their current jobs. The consultative group of Indonesia. 3.5 Impacts on the Livelihoods Trauma level are really high in the affected eruption area, and many evacuees are stress out and encounter a lot of problems such as fevers, sick, lack of food, feeling scared and trauma caused by the severe eruptions that strikes all in sudden. Besides the stress and trauma factor, people are frightened in fixing their houses or go to work, because theyre terrified of the volcanic ash that risk their life. And thats why the government are starting to reconstructing the affected area, so that people can go back to their normal life and do their usual activities. Although the impact to the affected areas is very severe, some people trying to live and stay near their home and afraid that their assets and stuff will be stolen by people while theyre in the refugees camp. And even worse the water supply is declining, and the water quality is really bad in which it leads to lack of sanitation. Furthermore, people are hoping that the government can reconstruct the affected areas soon, so th at they can enjoy their normal life. The consultative group of Indonesia. (2010, June 14). Recommendation Obviously, by all of the listed impacts above, the GDP and the economic income of Indonesia will be decrease because of this Gunung Merapi eruption. The decrease of the economic income and the GDP will make a great suffer to the local peoples around that site. To prevent this to happen, the government and the peoples around the Merapis location should do a cooperate action like to clean the site from volcanic ashes, help others to build the house and place. The government have to see exactly how the condition and the damage of the eruption site. By see the damage directly, government can adjust the money and know all the requirement and needs of the refugees. Government also can know exactly how much do the refugees need the help and food or water, not just send the money and subsidize the food and shelter by hearing what other peoples said. Government also need to stock up some funds in order to prevent something that unexpectedly happens like if the food are expired or there were some more accidents happen to the refugees. All of the emergency situations that were unexpectedly happen can be prevent by this money so that the refugees may not suffer more trauma and depression. To make the Indonesias income and GDP increase again, government can focus to other countries such as Samarinda to help Indonesias income to rise again. In Samarinda, there are so many companies and factories that can help Indonesia gain much more income with just a little help from the government. Conclusion With all of those effects of this Gunung Merapi eruption that occured in 2010 which have been listed above, it is obviously that eruption caused many disadvantages to humans life and the environment around that eruption site. Most of these disadvantages of eruption are really dangerous including the hot magma that can killed people and animal, the volcanic ashes that are dangerous to humans breath and eyes, the hot gas that are coming out are also dangerous because its temperature is really low. Besides these physical danger, eruption also makes many disadvantages in many sectors such as health sector, productive sector, the economy performance, transportation sector, and also the loss of properties. People get much more stress and the eruption also did a trauma for certain people. They loss all their properties and house, they have to evacuate to other safe areas and left their house and heavy properties like table, television and bed. The refugees feel very frustated because of their condition and loss, some of them also get trauma because they really scared of this eruption to happen again. They also lose their job because of the destruction that this eruption made. The eruption destroys many things like their transportation vehicle, their properties and house, and also their place to do their daily work. All of these effects are really be a big loss and this eruption did many bad impacts on humans life and environment. APPENDIX 1 Source: tradingeconomics.com; Badan pusat statistik Indonesia

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essays -- Science Genetics Papers embryo

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Embryonic stem cell research is a controversial topic nationwide, because of its clash of ethical and moral values. Many people, including those suffering from diseases that this research is seeking to cure, do not believe in killing a living embryo in order to advance research and science. â€Å"Even though having Parkinson’s Disease is something I’d rather not go through, I cannot find it in me to support embryonic stem cell research at this time in my life, simply because my improvement or being cured shouldn’t depend on the killing of an innocent life,† said Wilbanice Ayala, 22, of Hudson, New Hampshire. President George W. Bush is one who also does not believe in the â€Å"killing of an innocent life† for research that could potentially lead to the cure of many diseases. In 2001, Bush announced that federal funds would only be distributed for research on the 60 stem cell lines already in existence. This address brought an outcry from those afflicted with diseases that could possibly be cured by stem cells and by those who strongly support the research for the betterment of the society. With so many different groups of researchers wanting to explore this topic, 60 stem cell lines simply cannot be stretched for everyone’s use. In addition to that, the lines have been used so much that many of them are starting to show chromosomal abnormalities. There are, however, alternatives to embryonic stem cell research. For those not familiar with the study of embryonic stem cells, it is derived from the cells that make up the inner cell mass of the embryo, blastocyst. What is unique about these cells is that they are capable of generating any and all cells in the body. Some alternatives to this study incl... ... the day Proposition 71 was passed was an important day for all patients, researchers, and people who depend on medical research for treatment and cures. Harvard will no longer be alone in the search for cures using stem cell research. California’s passing of Proposal 71 offers a lot of promise to the field of science and its advancements. Is this just another example of â€Å"lazy research,† or is this the only option left that can provide treatments to many people suffering from different diseases? The bottom line is that this new wave is rapidly growing in popularity and alternatives to embryonic stem cell research are fading, to some seeming virtually non-existent. â€Å"At some point there was excitement that adult stem cells could be changed into cells from another tissue, but this has now been unequivocally been put aside as experimental artifacts,† said Kadereit.

Mines Wellness Hotel

Background Mines Wellness Hotel is a delightful 168-room resort hotel with a tropical design overlooking a scenic 150-acre lake. Strategically located within a 1,000-acre mixed development just 15 minutes south of Kuala Lumpur's City Centre, Mines Wellness Hotel are just a 30-minute drive from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport), LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal), Putrajaya, and Cyberjaya. Mines Wellness Hotel provides the perfect escape from the hectic city life. In the hotel, all rooms and suites have balconies, mostly with a fabulous view of the lake.The rooms are categorized into seven types; Standard,Superior, Deluxe, Helicornia, Chalet, One bedroom suites and Royal suite. To concern the health of their guest, Mines Wellness Hotel is a fully non-smoking hotel, therefore the ambience, culture and service at Mines Wellness Hotel capture the total well-being experience for the revival of mind, body and soul. The hotel’s services are designed to bring their customers bod y back to its natural state of wellness. To complement the services, they also have Qi Gong and Yoga for those who want to practice the art of knowing the body and healing it from its own.Other than that, Mines Wellness Hotel have a â€Å"beach in the city† it is also the perfect choice not only for health retreat or weekend getaway, but also for garden weddings, beach barbeques, family days, team building events and other leisure or corporate activities. With an array of water sports activities such as parasailing, water skiing, and wake-boarding, one will be spoilt for choice. If the guest is not into adrenaline-pumping activities, they can also have a quiet time at the man-made beach.Mines Wellness Hotel has a total of two ballrooms and five multi-purpose function rooms. The ballrooms are named after historical figures, boasting a seating capacity of 150 to 280 people respectively. The five smaller rooms are ideal for meetings, conferences and seminars with a business cent er providing secretarial services for the guests’ convenience. Situated adjacent to the Malaysian International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC), and located just 30 minute Kuala Lumpur City Center, Mines Wellness Hotel is the ideal hotel for patrons and exhibitors alike.The hotel continued to record high traffic of leisure markets from neighboring Asian countries such as, China, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore as well as the Middle East. The Mines Wellness Hotel has taken on the responsibility of preserving mother earth by going green through the formation of Mines Green Circle. It is a special green environment unit formed to ensure the sustainability of nature through initiating and retaining environmental consciousness among its entire staff, guests and the masses. The hotel started their green practices since 2008.Mines Wellness Hotel was recently awarded the ASEAN Green Award 2012, this was their second time awarded since 2010. The award recognizes players in th e hotel industry whose operations are based on the environmental policy and hotel operation activities, utilization of green products, cooperation with local community and organizations, human resources development, solid waste management, energy efficiency, water efficiency, water quality management, noise pollution control, waste water treatment and management, and toxic and chemical substance disposal management..The ASEAN Green Award Hotel Standard is valid throughout the years 2012 to 2014. In addition, Mines Wellness Hotel also won the Best Landscape under the hotel/resort/tourist complex category for the year 2011 by Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ).

The Effect Of Population Growth

Population is the largest increasing factor in our world. This factor is the cause of many events in our world. Poverty hunger and war are just some of the immediate effects of increasing population. Among these extreme causes the less immediate events will be seen with air pollution, land degradation, which is the effect that’ll have the longest term effect on the world. But how can these events are avoided? Is there any hope of stopping this from occurring any further? The largest, most identified reason for pollution could be mans technological advancements.Theses advancements such as those in agriculture, and those for transportation took a huge leap during a period in man called the industrial revolution. This period of time began the infectious state the world is in today. Around the early 18th century man had began the need for more things, which in this time was impossible with current methods of doing things. This began to change with the idea of mass production, this concluded in the establishment of large factories filled with hundreds of workers. These factories held the most advanced technology that increased time of production.Theses factories would produce so much fumes that snow and rain came in black droppings. The water was beyond consumable, this kind of behavior only increased over the next century when several parts of the world began their way into industrialization. But besides the factories them self the new form of work out rural areas out of business causing the need for migration to new urban areas better known as cities. These sites were far from sanitary the streets pilled with garbage which couldn’t be controlled without proper sanitation.The questions on the impact that man has put on the earth are seen every day in various ways some unseen to the naked eye but can be physically recorded. One well known example of the human footprint would be the increasing threat air pollution. The known causes of air pollution woul d the everyday events such as millions of car releasing exhaust fuels into the air. Fumes from car exhaust contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates. Major causes of air pollution would be from the emissions from industries and manufacturing activities.Waste incinerators, manufacturing industries and power plants emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live. Petroleum refineries also release lots of hydrocarbons into the air. The other well-known contributor to air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels, which aside from air pollution is major concern for the amount of possible fossil fuels reaming. Now a not so well known addition to air pollution is the household and agricultural chemicals.Crop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust emit harmful c hemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many case, when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we may fall ill if we breathe them. Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay. The effects of human productivity, not only has an effect on our air but its damages the earth itself and the creature inhabiting it including humans.Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people’s nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs.Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2. 5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution. People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. Air pollutants called chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) have destroyed parts of the ozone layer.The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere layer of Earth's atmosphere, shields our planet from the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. The areas of thin ozone are called ozone holes. Ultraviolet radiation causes skin cancer and damages plants and wildlife. Ozone molecules wind up near the Earth's surface as a part of air pollution. Ozone molecules near the ground damages lung tissues of animals and prevent plant respiration by blocking the openings in leaves where respiration occurs. Without respiration, a plant is not able to photosynthesize at a high rate and so it will not be able to grow.Apart from the effects living organism face with air pollution the earth is becoming less stable for life, these effects are known as global warming which is destroying the very structure of earth that sustains life. Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earth’s atmosphere.Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.These continuing air problems are only small compared to problems that can be seen. Water already being a scarce resource in many countries is also affected by the pollution of mankind that has harsh outcomes for people, the environment and its wildlife. We rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. Changing climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. As technology improves, scientists are able to detect more pollutants, and at smaller concentrations, in Earth’s freshwater bodies.Containing traces of pollution ranging from birth control pills, sunscreen to pesticides and petroleum, our planet's lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater chemical mixture. Beyond synthetic pollution, freshwater is also the end point for biological waste, in the form of human sewage, animal excrement, and rainwater runoff flavored by nutrient-rich fertilizers from yards and farms. These nutrients find their way through river systems into seas, sometimes creating coast al ocean zones void of oxygen—and therefore aquatic life—and making the connection between land and sea painfully obvious.There have been countless reports of the effects water pollution has caused. An article published by Dawn Walls-Thumma talk about the water pollution. â€Å"Mississippi River, poisoning the water in the Gulf of Mexico and causing an 8,000-square-mile dead zone — an area roughly the size of New Jersey — in which aquatic life cannot survive. † This is showing the connection between developed countries and developing ones are closely interacted when it comes to environmental health.Drinking water comes from surface water, such as lakes and rivers, and from groundwater Pollution in these sources affects the quality and safety of water available in your home and, if the problem is not detected, it can affect your health. Pollution of drinking water occurs because of contamination by human and animal waste, mining activities, fertiliz er and pesticides from homes and farms, industrial wastes, hazardous wastes generated by dry cleaners and gas stations, landfills and improperly disposed-of household wastes. Pollution with sewage or manure runoff can cause microbial contamination of drinking water.This results in gastrointestinal diseases that can be fatal in high risk individuals. Nitrates — chemicals used in synthetic fertilizers — can leach into groundwater or run off into surface waters. While most individuals suffer no adverse effects from high levels of nitrates, infants cannot convert them into a harmless substance; if they consume nitrates, they can die from blue baby syndrome, a disorder in which the blood cannot properly carry oxygen. Infants, young children, pregnant and nursing women and some elderly individuals are most at risk for nitrate poisoning.Increased demand for agriculture commodities generates incentives to convert forests and grasslands to farm fields and pastures. The transiti on to agriculture from natural vegetation often cannot hold onto the soil and many of these plants, such as coffee, cotton, palm oil, soybean and wheat, can actually increase soil erosion beyond the soil’s ability to maintain it. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species.And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding. Sustainable land use can help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and livestock, preventing soil degradation and erosion and the loss of valuable land to desertification. The conditions of human life causing pollution is putting an ne to the earth’s life, with increasing populations and developing cities the world will not be able to last past the next generation. The only way we can continue to enjoy our earth is by finding and following the sol utions to these environmental problems.Air pollution to combat pollution in the United States, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to establish and enforce air pollution standards and to set emission standards for new factories and extremely hazardous industrial pollutants. The states were required to meet â€Å"ambient air quality standards† by regulating the emissions of various pollutants from existing stationary sources, such as power plants and incinerators, in part by the installation of smokestack scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and other filters.Auto manufacturers were mandated to install exhaust controls or develop less polluting engines. The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1977, authorized the EPA to impose stricter pollution standards and higher penalties for failure to comply with air quality standards. another well needed policy revision is the Clean up oceangoing vessels. Cruise ships, container ships and tankers emit staggering amounts of smog-forming nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, heat-trapping carbon dioxide and particulates, among them black carbon (soot). New evidence shows that pollution from these vessels reaches surprisingly far inland.The U. S. government has requested that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) create an â€Å"emissions-control area† in American waters, including off Alaska and Hawaii. Although the U. S. signed the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, it cannot enforce those requirements until the IMO grants the right to create the control areas along its coastlines. Water pollution solutions are something that everyone can do to help prevent further pollution. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing.If we all do this, we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of dirty water that needs treatment. Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals. If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. With soil degradation the best way is to grow leguminous plants.We should use natural manure instead of fertilizers. Legumes are notable in that most of them have symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in structures called root nodules. The world is a far off better place without the constant rising pollution and all it would take is a decrease in the living standards of people in developed countries. The use of less water and care products that’s add to water pollution driving cars that run on fossil fuels worsening our air quality and the chemical ways of farming in addition to the draining of resources.

My beliefs essays

My beliefs essays The idea of putting another human being to death is hard to completely imagine. I think the emotions involved in carrying out a death sentence on another person, regardless of how much they deserve it, is beyong my own understanding. I know it must be painful and sickening. However, this act is sometimes necessary and it is our responsability as a society to see that it is done. There are many reasons why I am in favor of the death penalty. It prevents the murderer from ever murdering again, it removes the burden from taxpayers, it is an efficient way to lower crime in this country, and it is also a good punishment because people in I feel strongly toward using the death penalty as punishment for unspeakable crimes. I feel that it is an obstacle for criminal activity because of its severity and it will never allow a murderer to kill again and destroy another family. I do, however, feel that restrictions should be put on its uses. Not all crimes deserve the death penalty. Let the punishment fit the crime. If a criminal performs an intentional cruel murder he should be put to death. It is that simple. If the convicted offender shows no remorse for his actions, then the decision should be even easier. Repeat offenders and people who enjoy killing do not The death penalty is the only method that completely separates murderers from our society. Supporters of the death penalty ask themselves the same question, why should I have to pay to support a murderer for the rest of his life? Why not execute them and save our society the cost of their keep? I dont think it is fair for us to pay so they can have all the luxuries they have in prison. Shouldnt they be miserable and have to work for the bare necessities, just like the Crime in todays world has become more gruesome ...

A review and evaluation of a literary text chosen by the student for an audience unfamiliar with it. Steinbeck - THE PEARL

A review and evaluation of a literary text chosen by the student for an audience unfamiliar with it. Steinbeck - THE PEARL -meant to be a short reviewJohn Steinbeck's "The Pearl" said to be "a brutal story with flashes of beauty" by the author himself, is a rather depressing novella about wealth and the evil it attracts despite those wanting to use it for the greater good.Written in 1944, it was influenced and inspired by a number of sources. The basic plot was adapted from the "Sea of Cortez" an earlier narrative Steinbeck wrote during the spring of 1940, an idyllic period of his life, when he and a friend sailed around the Baja region on the west coast of America. Steinbeck also used his own experiences and opinions in "The Pearl". After the success of "Grapes of Wrath" Steinbeck was subjected to hate mail, FBI scrutiny and slanderous criticism because of the revolutionary way he exposed the harsh reality of the imbalance of wealth in American society. This backlash of fame and fortune sent Steinbeck on a personal quest where he had to come to terms with what being wealthy and famous meant and he reali sed that he was dissatisfied with the growing dog-eat-dog capitalistic American attitude, the materialism that stemmed from it and as well as the pressure to support a system i.e132 Central Avenue, Salinas, California, the home ...the American government and society, that oppressed the poor. As a result of his personal questioning in addition to his more simplistic previous attempt, Steinbeck laid the foundation for "the Pearl". Through his story Steinbeck brings to light themes such as the human instinct of greed or selfishness, the corrupting influences of wealth, the advantages the wealthy have over the poor, importance of family or community and fighting for one's dreams."The Pearl" is often seen to be parable-like or allegorical in nature because of the morality underlying the story. However, being allegorical in...

Chemistry Review of pOH Calculations

Chemistry Review of pOH Calculations Sometimes you are asked to calculate pOH rather than pH. Heres a review of the pOH definition and an example calculation. Acids, Bases, pH and pOH There are several ways to define acids and bases, but pH and pOH refer to hydrogen ion concentration and hydroxide ion concentration, respectively. The p in pH and pOH stands for negative logarithm of and is used to make it easier to work with extremely large or small values.  pH and pOH are only meaningful when applied to aqueous (water-based) solutions. When water dissociates it yields a hydrogen ion and a hydroxide. H2O ⇆ H OH- When calculating pOH, remember that [] refers to molarity, M. Kw [H][OH-] 1x10-14 at 25 °Cfor pure water [H] [OH-] 1x10-7Acidic Solution: [H] 1x10-7Basic Solution: [H] 1x10-7 How to Find pOH Using Calculations There are a few different formulas you can use to calculate pOH, the hydroxide ion concentration, or the pH (if you know pOH): pOH -log10[OH-][OH-] 10-pOHpOH pH 14 for any aqueous solution pOH Example Problems Find the [OH-] given the pH or pOH. You are given that the pH 4.5. pOH pH 14pOH 4.5 14pOH 14 - 4.5pOH 9.5 [OH-] 10-pOH[OH-] 10-9.5[OH-] 3.2 x 10-10 M Find the hydroxide ion concentration of a solution with a pOH of 5.90. pOH -log[OH-]5.90 -log[OH-]Because youre working with log, you can rewrite the equation to solve for the hydroxide ion concentration: [OH-] 10-5.90To solve this, use a scientific calculator and enter 5.90 and use the /- button to make it negative and then press the 10x key. On some calculators, you can simply take the inverse log of -5.90. [OH-] 1.25 x 10-6 M Find the pOH of a chemical solution if the hydroxide ion concentration is 4.22 x 10-5 M. pOH -log[OH-]pOH -log[4.22 x 10-5] To find this on a scientific calculator, enter 4.22 x 5 (make it negative using the /- key), press the 10x key, and press equal to get the number in scientific notation. Now press log. Remember your answer is the negative value (-) of this number.pOH - (-4.37)pOH 4.37 Understand Why pH + pOH = 14 Water, whether its on its own or part of an aqueous solution, undergoes self-ionization which can be represented by the equation: 2 H2O ⇆ H3O OH- Equilibrium forms between the unionized water and the hydronium (H3O) and hydroxide (OH-) ions. The expression for the equilibrium constant Kw is: Kw [H3O][OH-] Strictly speaking, this relationship is only valid for aqueous solutions at 25 °C because that is when the value of Kw is 1 x 10-14. If you take the log of both side of the equation: log  (1 x 10-14)  Ã‚  log  [H3O]  Ã‚  log  [OH-] (Remember, when numbers are multiplied, their logs are added.) log  (1 x 10-14)  Ã‚  -  14-  14  Ã‚  log[H3O]  Ã‚  log  [OH-] Multiplying both sides of the equation by -1: 14  Ã‚  -  log  [H3O]  -  log  [OH-] pH is defined as  -  log  [H3O] and pOH is defined as -log  [OH-], so the relation becomes: 14 pH - (-pOH)14 pH pOH

Choose an element and research its properties and uses. You must use Essay

Choose an element and research its properties and uses. You must use at least 2 reliable sources for your information. I do not want a list of properties; it must still be in paragraph format - Essay Example Magnesium can never be found in its natural free state because of its highly reactive nature and forms compounds readily such as magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate and magnesium fluoride. The melting point for magnesium is 1,200 °F and turns into a gas at 2,025 °F. It is 1.74 times denser than water (Uttley 2000). Burning of magnesium initiates a bright white light and ignites at 650 °C (Krebs 2006). Magnesium harbors a variety of helpful functions in the industrial and chemical world. Magnesium due to its bright flame properties is used in aerial flares and was used as aerial firebombs during war. Magnesium is considered a good construction metal and is used in aircrafts, space and automobile industries. Magnesium is also used in the process of thermal reduction to produce other metals such as zinc, nickel and zirconium. Milk of Magnesia is used as an antacid; magnesium in Epsom salts is used as laxatives and for treating laxatives and Epsom salts are also used for tanning leathers (Krebs 2006). Chemistry is not merely the science of matter and studying different interactions and energy processes of matter, it also makes use of the knowledge to incorporate it in the daily life activities for human benefit. The study of different properties of Magnesium and the ability of magnesium to form an array of compounds enables it to be used for a plethora of purposes in the automobile and aircraft industries, pharmacological uses, leather factories, chemical industries and war-related purposes. Krebs, Robert E.  The History and Use of Our Earths Chemical Elements: A Reference Guide. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2006. Print. Uttley,

New Hire Education Tool Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Hire Education Tool - Assignment Example Main areas of work include concept image and principles to maintain evidence-based culture in health care, research and education. By the analysis of patient data, nurses are able to create interventions that greatly improve the patients overall health (Saba, 2005). The main goal of nursing informatics and quality data management is the creation of a competent information management system that can readily accumulate and retrieve data that is related to the daily manner of a nurses work. Creating a system like this is important so that a nurse in a certain the country or world can easily access pertinent information that may have been accumulated in a far-away workplace. It is the liability of nursing informatics practitioners to expand these systems using the most recent information and computer technologies available. Nurses and other medical officers usually learn through personal experiences. Nevertheless, these medical professionals can also become skilled through the experiences of other individuals in their field. On a daily basis in thousands of diverse settings and scenarios, including medical clinics, doctors offices and hospitals, nurses encounter situations and setups they may not have encountered before. However, with the counsel and advice of those around them, they discover ways to deal with the issue and move on. By shortly documenting the condition, the explanation they chose and the decisive outcome and by documenting the information electronically, they make a road map that others in the field of medicine can pursue when they encounter parallel situations (Akay, 2001). Since the largest part, if not all, of the data and information produced in the field of nursing is delicate and sensitive, specifically to the degree that it includes data and information about exact patients, the expansion of nursing informatics systems is

Knowledge of American Historysocialcultural, economic, literary, Essay

Knowledge of American Historysocialcultural, economic, literary, political, and religious changes that have occurred in American History over the time periods 18651992 - Essay Example These well-intentioned ideals would evolve into hate groups, whose mission was to control elected offices through the intimidation of voters and election fraud.built on violence. Taking the law into their own hands, they pledged to protect their property, life, and well-being in the face of inadequate government institutions and a legal system that they viewed as hostile. Groups, such as the KKK, would soon succumb to a power hungry leadership that was driven by ethnic fanaticism and racial hatred. Their priority would soon shift from regulating the social order to white supremacy. Since the Civil War, white supremacists and their organizations have openly denied constitutional rights to minority citizens, instilled fear, and advocated extreme violence, and now occupy legitimate positions within the highest ranks of the American political and social system. The KKK emerged after the Civil War as the most powerful, and well organized, white supremacist group of that era. Confederate soldiers, returning home from the war, were driven into a prolonged period of forced inactivity. Lacking capital for agriculture, and denied participation in business or the professions, a group of young men formed the KKK in Pulaski Tennessee in June 1866 as a social group to share ideas and promote their local economy (Wilson & Lester, 1884, p399). The KKK spread quickly throughout the South with an escalating membership that was propelled by bitter feelings of swelling resentment towards the freed slaves that lingered after the war's end. Using intimidation and violence, the KKK's primary goal was to control political offices in the South by preventing African-Americans and their sympathizers from expressing their recently acquired constitutional right to vote. The KKK was infamous for its 'Midnight Rides', in which they would ride through the countryside , masked, and violently attack their opposition with beatings, arson, and lynchings. Their membership and ritual were highly secretive, which not only added to their mystique and fear, but also gave them an additional layer of protection from public scrutiny (Wilson & Lester, 1884, p.400). Though membership lists were not kept, and few official records were maintained, it is estimated that by the 1920s Klansmen and their sympathizers numbered in the millions (McClymer, 2001). The power of the KKK's membership fueled the racial discord of the 1920s and made it possible to elect KKK candidates to some of the highest political offices in the country. The peak membership of the 1920s would dissipate as the KKK, and other white power groups, experienced a steady decline in membership due to social pressures and public perceptions. The KKK suffered a series of financial setbacks, such as a federal tax judgement that prohibited them from forming a national chapter, and lawsuits that deprived the national KKK from the right to own property. Over time, the members migrated to approximately 300 different organizations, which have 25,000 hard-core ideological activists that support the white supremacist movement (Carlie, 2002).1 These organizations have tended to act less violently, though they have continued to preach an agenda that includes violent revolution. This accompanies a conflicting philosophy that includes biblical scripture and Christian

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Philosophy - Assignment Example Indeed, since God is a superior being and invisible, it has been tough for any religion to prove his existence. This essay will take a look at how St. Anselm uses logic and reasons to argue out his points about the existence of God. To start off his argument, Anselm starts by giving his view on how God can be defined. He defines God as â€Å"something than which nothing greater can be thought. In addition, he claims that every human being, whether he or she believes in God or not will automatically agree with his definition. He uses the example of the fool in Psalms does not believe in God, and claims that even him will agree with his definition. Anselm then agrees to the fact that there is a difference between understanding God as a concept and understanding him to exist (Solomon, Higgins & Martin 53). To explain his point further, Anselm uses the painter’s analogy. He then claims that before any talented painter comes up with his or her own masterpiece, he or she can see it clearly in his head even though he knows that it does not exist. The painter only understands the masterpiece as a concept. However, once the painter has finished his work and it can be seen as reality, he can now understand the concept of the painting and also understand that it exists. The latter stage of the painting is the same position that a firm believer of God and agrees with Anselm’s logic would be at. If God’s definition which Anselm strongly believes that it is the best ever, then God is a superior being; superior to any other thing that exists in the world. It is from Anselm’s strongly stressed definition that he places his argument. He argues that an existent God is greater than a non-existent one. Therefore, since God is perfect from the definition, must be in existence. If God does not exist, he would not be the most superior beings to ever exist. Therefore, if anything existed and was superior to God, it would not be God. In other words, Anselm believes

Discussion Questions Const. Law Week 2 Assignment - 1

Discussion Questions Const. Law Week 2 - Assignment Example are a few cases where some foreigners such as international students have suffered from violation of their privacy forcing them to end up in jails or facing deportation. Therefore, for someone new in America, the person should be aware of his or her rights of privacy to be aware of the way forward in case of violation of privacy. There are a few cases of foreigners encountering breach of their privacy in America leading them into many problems. To reduce this problem the government should make the victims to be aware of their rights to enjoy privacy. For instance, an international student learning American culture should be able to deal with the problem of invasion to solitude and seclusion. Invasion to solitude happens when one party invades the other person’s personal issues and the complainant should receive guidance on the steps to follow to sue such a perpetrator. On the other hand, invasion of seclusion occurs when the person deliberately infringes using technology or physically upon once personal space and seclusion of the aggrieved person. The student should be alert on various ways that the intruders use to invade into once personal affairs and seclusion for the student to take a legal action against the invader. Thus, it will be right for the students to know how the invasion of private affa irs occurs and how to protect themselves in case the problems hits them (Prosser 383-386). Additionally, other legal terms should be known to prevent emergence of the problem caused from breach of private space. Such terms are public disclosure that occurs when the perpetrator reveals once personal affairs to the public and this may offend a sensible person. Moreover, false light may lead to defamation and this may cause the public to have a negative image towards the affected person. Therefore, such an act, against a person may damage his or her reputation, which may come along with other strains of problems to otherwise an innocent person. However, the government

Reflect on your learning experiences during the semester Essay - 1

Reflect on your learning experiences during the semester - Essay Example That is why on my first week I am very excited in immersing myself in a university learning setup. However even from the start I had trouble balancing work and university life. My busy schedule in my work had given me very limited time in my studies. From the start I have doubts on whether I can fully absorb what the instructor is teaching. Also, knowing my tendency to jump into any activity without clearly thinking on the possible loopholes and disadvantages in embarking on this undertaking has intensified my fear that I might have wrongfully chosen the course that I enrolled in. I also felt that I might fail to observe and reflect on the inputs that I should have received. Kolb and Fry’s Experiential Learning theory provides a clear strategy on how to fully immerse myself into the lessons that I really want to learn. It is a learning cycle that starts from one’s concrete immersion to the knowledge and skills that I want to learn. After one’s immersion, a person should observe and reflect on the stimuli that he received. This time, his analytical mind should work to pick up the loopholes and the flaws in learning the skills. The holistic mind accumulates these loopholes and mistakes. It will then use these in laying down fresh guidelines in performing things. Practical testing of one’s newly ratified procedures in carrying out things is the last part of the cycle. This will continue to a lifetime upward cycle of personal renewal and development until a person actualizes his fullest potential. I realized in the second week in this course that there are several theories on how an individual learn individually and in an organizational setup. From sensory stimulation, reinforcement theories to experiential and adult learning, numerous learning theories, I have learned in a brief amount of time the explanations done by psychologists that lay down why and

Discussion Questions Const. Law Week 2 Assignment - 1

Discussion Questions Const. Law Week 2 - Assignment Example are a few cases where some foreigners such as international students have suffered from violation of their privacy forcing them to end up in jails or facing deportation. Therefore, for someone new in America, the person should be aware of his or her rights of privacy to be aware of the way forward in case of violation of privacy. There are a few cases of foreigners encountering breach of their privacy in America leading them into many problems. To reduce this problem the government should make the victims to be aware of their rights to enjoy privacy. For instance, an international student learning American culture should be able to deal with the problem of invasion to solitude and seclusion. Invasion to solitude happens when one party invades the other person’s personal issues and the complainant should receive guidance on the steps to follow to sue such a perpetrator. On the other hand, invasion of seclusion occurs when the person deliberately infringes using technology or physically upon once personal space and seclusion of the aggrieved person. The student should be alert on various ways that the intruders use to invade into once personal affairs and seclusion for the student to take a legal action against the invader. Thus, it will be right for the students to know how the invasion of private affa irs occurs and how to protect themselves in case the problems hits them (Prosser 383-386). Additionally, other legal terms should be known to prevent emergence of the problem caused from breach of private space. Such terms are public disclosure that occurs when the perpetrator reveals once personal affairs to the public and this may offend a sensible person. Moreover, false light may lead to defamation and this may cause the public to have a negative image towards the affected person. Therefore, such an act, against a person may damage his or her reputation, which may come along with other strains of problems to otherwise an innocent person. However, the government

Bible Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bible Studies - Essay Example a historical one or a literal one, it is clear that many of the themes of the individual stories are themes or problems that communities still deal with today. The Old Testament story of Ruth is one such Bible story that relates a serious community problem that is prevalent today, and a story that has several important themes that serve as the lesson learned for the community. It serves some purpose here to discuss interpretation. The Bible is replete with metaphors which serve to enlarge the stories and intrigue the reader and to demonstrate the pros and cons of faith, the moral of the story, and the â€Å"I told you so† concepts. â€Å"For example, when the Bible speaks of the arm of God, it is not suggesting that God has limbs in the sense that you or I have them.1 It is, rather, suggesting rather the arms of God are conceptually large, that they can extend from the heights of heaven and, metaphorically, embrace or release a person of faith, or of little faith respectively. The interpretation of the Bible has been debated since the time of the Bible. â€Å"The highly subjective school of Alexandria insisted that the Biblical writers were literalists; the more objective school of Antioch held, and showed, that these expressions are figures of speech.†2 For example, many of the individual Bible stories reflect on Jesus feeding the multitudes with a loaf of bread and a single fish. What this might suggest, from the perspective of the school of Antioch, is that Jesus satisfied the hunger of the multitudes, which were spiritually starved. That he did so with a single loaf of bread and a single fish, is metaphorically referring to the sustenance of faith. The school of Alexandria, however, would have us believe that Jesus indeed served the multitudes with but a loaf of bread and a single fish, and sustained their physical hunger. This serves the notion of the miraculous abilities of Jesus, who was the embodiment of God among mankind. Modern scholars and

Website Design Report

Website Design Report Ace Fancy Dress Website Design Report My website is called Ace fancy Dress. The specific purpose of ace fancy dress website is about selling products all over the UK and also to provide rental costumes. Also, the purpose of the website is to be eye-catching, colourful, recognisable, and simple and to display the high quality products. It will show the customers the new exclusive products. The business itself runs completely online. By not having a physical store where customers can come in and view the products we make huge savings and we pass these savings straight onto the customer ensuring very low prices. Also to provide high quality products for the both gender and delivered the products they have bought on time. The website should also advertise the business branches and their occasional special offers. The target audience for the website The ace fancy dress can be aimed at all ages and genders with a variety of costumes available in all sizes. The target audience for the website will largely be aimed at the teenagers 13-19 of all genders as they are the target audience that I think would be more attracted to than the adult or a young person would. Nature of interactivity I will need online transaction on my website as the website will be selling products as this is the purpose of the website. To make the transactions as efficient as possible I will make sure the online transactions will be safe and trustworthy for them to enter their card details into and also it will look very professional so the website can sell the products successfully. However PayPal will be another option for the customers to make their payments so this will increase the level of trust and confidences to the customers to the website, the quicker and smoother transaction, the higher the chance of customers returning to the business. Also, the online transactions page will be nicely structured layout on the website which will look more amazing and it will be very easy for the customers to make transactions on the website. However, there is also a decision of static versus dynamic website. A static website contains web pages with fixed content. Each page is coded in HTML and displays the same information to every visitor. Static websites are the cheapest to develop and host. A dynamic website contains web pages that are generated in the real time. A dynamic website can be more expensive to develop initially however it is much easier to update and much more functional and also new content which could bring people back to the site and helps in the search engine. There is a high chance that the ace fancy dress will be a static website as the cost is generally lower up front then a dynamic website. In order to for the website to meet the client and user needs, I will have to include all the criteria to meet the client needs and user needs. So I will make it easier for the client to access certain parts on the website to meet their needs by adding hyperlinks, pictures titles. Images: To meet the user needs the website will be basic and will be very simple to use. Also, I will be adding elements of interactivity in the form of images slide in images etc. This will make the website easier for the users to use as they will be able to find information easier. I will also include images next to the written content that relates to the content. For example, when I will talk about each section and each product I will include a picture next to the content. However, if I was allowed to enable users to customise my website to their needs then I would allow them to change the layout/change the background etc. of the website in order to suit the client needs. Level of security: I will set a strong password on the website so no one can access the website in editor mode and delete or copy the customers details. For the security reason, I will choose a long password with capital letters and number to make it more secure and hard for the hackers or anyone to crack. Support: Clients often have questions or concerns about the websites. The website will have a support page. In the support page, the customers can talk to us through the chat or can call us right away. If customers give us a call we will be more than happy to pick up the phone and deal with any enquiries they have whether it be sale enquiries, pricing problems or simple to ask for an advice on a costume. However, the website will also have an email so customers can email us with any questions. By doing this the website will increase customers satisfaction by providing better service. Costs: Every website needs to be hosted on a web server. I dont have to pay anything for it as there are free options available via Google. However, every website needs a domain name. So the website is likely to have a domain name as this is that needs to be typed into the address bar to gain access to the site. For the website, I will go for the cheapest option .co.uk which is  £3 a year or I can go for the more popular .com domain costs as much as  £10 a year. http://webdesign.expertmarket.co.uk/how-much-does-website-costc Visibility on search engines: There are actually dozens of search engines but the most frequently used one is Google, Yahoo and Bing. I will make sure the website easily comes on the search engines. It is important for the customers that they can find us on google quickly when they type ace fancy dress. The website will be registering on Google my business which can help to appear the website in relevant search results. Also, the website will have content that matches the keywords on the website and have bolded keywords that match the products descriptions/theme on the page. By doing this customer wont have any problem to find us on. Website Development Delivery Timescale Initial Concept/Client Report 16/01/2017 Research Report on Website review, ease of use, navigation, disability discrimination, delivery of content 30/01/2017 Website First release 30/01/2017 Review/Report on tools used to create website 30/01/2017 Website Testing 27/02/2017 User Acceptance- Demonstrate website meets defined requirements 06/03/2017 Appropriateness of graphics: I will be using appropriate graphics like picture related to the costumes. I would not use any graphics that is not serving any purpose at all because some users may become annoyed at the unneeded use of graphics. I will not be using any inappropriate graphics as it wont attract the customers. Complexity of site: The website would be very easy and simple to use with the tabs that link to each section and products and hyperlinks test that will take the customers to the sections and products making it easy to move around on my website and findings the information searched. Delivery of content: All the content I will produce will be to achieve the criteria to meet the needs of the ace fancy dress website.The information will be stored on the website to allow the client to access the data and all the information on the website will be clear and simple to read. Accessibility: The websites will be designed to meet the accessibility guidelines which will be devised by the Royal national Institute of blind people (RNIB). The website content will be clear and easily understood. The website will have different kind of features like skip navigation links to help the reader and they keyboard users the website will create skip navigation links which will allow them to jump directly to the main contain, the website will also provide correctly structures and well title headings. Also, there will be text transcripts which will make the audio information more accessible for the people who are deaf or hard of hearing. I will make sure the website is very clean, professional, and simple and convey the companys image. The navigation will be straight forwards and make it easy for the visitors to find the information they are seeking with one or two clicks. The content will speak directly to the target audience. I will make sure that there is enough information about each section and costumes. Also, each page of the website will be optimised and set up in a way that makes it easy for the search engines to capture the information. The website will be easily accessible for target audience as the costumes are available for both adults and teenagers. This means the website will be a lot easy for the customers to find what they want. The website will be secure, appropriate and safe for the customers so that they can easily pay for the products. (Maximum of 8 pages and a maximum of 3 sub levels) Here is my design storyboard to illustrate the preferred design for the website; I have provided a sample of 8 pages. This design shows a roughly idea about each pages. Homepage This is a sample of the homepage. Along the top five are the buttons to the different sections of the website. On top left hand side of the website there will be a company logo and search engine and also slide shows made to shows quick update of the website and what is happening along with the recent offers, sales etc. to attract and engage the audience. On the bottom there will be 3 boxes and will show the security of the website, the type of payments the website accepts and where can the audience find us. Adult Page This is a sample of the adult page. All the pages will follow the same layout as the other page with the navigation bat on the top of the page and also the bar below the negation bar. In this page there will be a brief description explaining the page. As you can see in the screenshot there will be 3 small options bar where the audience can click on Men to show the costumes of the mens or click on Women to show the costumes of the womens. Also the customers can pick what themes, size they want. Teens Page This is a sample of the teens page. As I said before the layout of the all pages will be the same. So for the layout for this page will be the same. In this page there will be a brief description explaining the page. As you can see in the screenshot there will be 3 small options bar where the customers can click on Boys to show the costumes of the boys or click on Girls to show the costumes of the girls. Also the customers can pick what themes, size they want. When they have picked what they want to see the costumes will appear according to the chosen options. Sales Offers This is a sample page of the sales and offer page. In this page there will be a brief description explaining the sales and offers. As you can see in the screenshot. When the users will click on the costumes it will take them to this page. This page will allow the users to see the costumes images more visibly and accurately and also they can see different angles of the customers. Next to the costumes there will be a name , price , size , colour and also a description of the costumes. If the users want to buy the customer all they need to do is pick the right size and what colour they want and they just need to click on Add to basket or they can save the item for later by just clicking on Save for later This screenshot shows how the buying process will be . As you can see in the screenshot when the users will click on Add to basket it will automatically go to the basket. They can just click on the basket and it will appear the costumes they have added. By just clicking on the checkout they can go to the paying proccsess. The Basket summary page will also show the image , name , price of the costumes. There is also delivery options so customers can pick how fast they want it to be dleiveried and also how do they want to pay. This is a sample of about us page . The about us page will be about the ace fancy dress and why choose the ace fancy dress? There will be information about other stores and also there will be a map showing how far the stores are. This is a sample of contact us page. As you can see in the screenshot in this page there will be lot of information about the website. There will be different options to contacting to us so the customers can easily contact to us by choosing any of the options.

robotics Essay -- essays research papers

Robots-unethical/immoral? Lately there have been more and more smart machines that have been taking over regular human tasks but as it grows the bigger picture is that robots will take over a lot of tasks now done by people. But, many people think that there are important ethical and moral issues that have to be dealt with this. Sooner or later there is going to be a robot that will interact in a humane manner but there are many questions to be asked like; how will they interact with us? Do we really want machines that are independent, self-directed, and has affect and emotion? I think we do, because they can provide many benefits. Obviously, as with all technologies, there are dangers as well. We need to ensure that people always maintain control, that they serve human needs. Robots cou...

Causes of World War Two Essay -- WWII WW2 World War 2

World War two has to be the most famous war of all time. It was the largest, most tragic, horrifying of them all, and the first to have millions of people killed in the duration of it. Is it just me, or does it seem rather ironic that the very thing that was meant to solve the first World War is the most important of all of the causes of the second? And that the people who were supposed to fix the problems that that war caused were only really helping another along? The "war to end all wars" did not do that at all. Things like expansion and appeasement and the rise of dictators were obviously all for the war as well. So. Let me start with appeasement. Why was it such a large part of this war? There were so many people wanting so much that others had, and those that had it were forced to roll over and let it be taken. Because they were frightened. They were so scared of getting blown up that they would have handed over just about anything if it kept them alive. And mainly what people wanted was? more land of course! That was the expansionism part. They were the two things tha...

Dehumanization in All Quiet on the Western Front Essay

Winston Churchill always said, â€Å"You ask: what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, no matter how long and hard the world may be; for without victory, there is no survival. † In Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, victory is seen as the only option. The soldiers in the novel do whatever it takes like acting before thinking or ignoring any possible consequences in order to emerge victorious. Paul and his comrades are exposed constantly to violence, jumpstarting a dehumanizing process that forces them to rely on animal instinct. This necessary instinct is the only thing that keeps them alive during war, but it also changes them internally leaving them with a different mindset. To survive the war, soldiers have to sacrifice any logical instinct or emotion and fight on animal instinct. They start out level-minded, but when they reach the front all that changes, as Paul believes when he says, â€Å"We march up, moody or good tempered soldiers – we reach the zone where the front begins and become on instinct human animals† (56). This animal instinct is necessary for their survival. When they are put in a situation concerning warfare, their mind adapts to the environment and begins to think of the enemy as targets, rather than human beings. It is simply a defensive mechanic that allows them to save themselves without the feeling of guilt. Paul’s opinion is that, â€Å"We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against annihilation†¦No longer do we lie helpless, waiting on the scaffold, we can destroy and kill, to save ourselves; to save ourselves and be revenged† (113). They are so preoccupied with fighting and staying alive, that their emotions completely disappear. This is proven by Paul’s thoughts: â€Å"If your own father came over with them you would not hesitate to fling a bomb at him† (114). Ultimately, if they did not dehumanize themselves they would not be able to kill anyone over the enemy line. A good example of this is when Paul is frozen after looking into the enemy’s eyes during the first bombardment, but he quickly gets over this to move on and save himself. T. S. Matthews in his article â€Å"Bad News† states, â€Å"They have had to become soldiers, and they are nothing else. They believe in the present moment; it is not enough, but it is all they can be sure of† (2). Matthews goes on to say, â€Å"But what keeps them going in man’s machine-made hell is the bodily presence of the friends around them† (2). On the contrary, dehumanization is the key to survival. Throughout the novel, Paul loses close friends of his and each time he does he finds the strength to keep on fighting. He may not always want to, but he keeps moving forward in his dehumanized state towards the end. Dehumanization not only affects the soldier physically but internally as well, both on and off the front. Being affected internally by dehumanization means that these soldiers are stripped of their emotions, have a changed their point of view on war, or are given a different mindset. When Paul and others go to visit Kemmerich, a former classmate whose leg was recently amputated, they can tell he is on the brink of death. Instead of being concerned, Paul’s classmate Muller is insensitive and is only concerned about his boots. Muller has been so dehumanized that all he can bring himself to think about is Kemmerich’s boots, and receiving them after his death. Later in the novel, Kat points out a sniper to Paul, who is killing off soldiers. As Kat mentions, this sniper feels no remorse or guilt about it his actions. He has been so dehumanized that he has come to enjoy killing others. Dehumanization causes the soldiers to think differently when it comes to death. They see so many people dead all the time that they begin to care less and less. Paul thinks, â€Å"When a man has seen so many dead he cannot understand any longer why there should be so much anguish over a single individual† (181). Internally, the soldiers are losing many things close to them because of being on the front. These things are written by Matthews, â€Å"Love they have not known, patriotism and all the other abstract virtues and vices have vanished away in their first drum-fire† (2). Due to being on the front, the soldiers find difficulty in some of the simplest things in life and losing other things they have already been taught. About this Matthews comments, â€Å"These youngsters whom the War is swiftly making unfit for civilian life (though many of them will not have to make the change) have cast aside, of necessity, all that they have been taught† (2). This dehumanization changes the soldiers, leaving with them with the consequences and wondering if the life of an animal is really worth living. When Paul returns home on leave, he is struck with the feeling of homelessness. He can take no comfort there, and begins to realize that this is not because his home changed, but himself instead. When Paul tries on ordinary civilian clothes, he feels awkward and doesn’t recognize himself. He also finds it hard to get along with people who constantly want to know about the war, like his own father. Even though Paul is near his family and acquaintances, he still feels isolated. He is so accustomed to being on the front with his comrades that he begins to think of that as the closest thing to home. Even after the war, the soldiers would return home feeling homeless and disconnected from society. John Wilson, the author of Combat and Comradeship, says, â€Å"A contrary outcome, ‘the residual stress perspective’ (Figley, 1978) suggests that the psychosocial aftermath of war continues or even intensifies through the post war years† (136). The men on the front are only concerned with life and death. When their life is at risk, their thought process changes from when they were safe. Their thoughts never remain the same, and the changes of their thoughts affect how they live their life. This is proven when Paul says, â€Å"Our thoughts are clay, they are molded with the changes of the days; when we are resting they are good; under fire, they are dead. Fields of craters within and without† (271). Because of all the war and violence that Paul and his comrades have suffered through, they have gone through a dehumanizing process. This process does in fact save them from war, but changes them into a completely different person. Living life dehumanized, in the end, is not worth it. They feel disconnected from home, lose all emotions and some even begin to think of death as the only option. By the end of the novel, Paul simply describes the life of a dehumanized soldier as, â€Å"Shells, gas clouds, and flotillas of tanks – shattering, corroding, death. Dysentery, influenza, typhus – scalding, choking, death. Trenches, hospitals, the common grave – there are no other possibilities† (283). Taking all these things into consideration, it is perfectly understandable why a soldier would not want this kind of life.

Advance strategic management. Consumerism Essay

1. What is consumerism? DEFINITION Consumerism can be defined in two different ways; 1. Consumerism is a theory which states that buying and consuming goods and services in a large amount are more beneficial to the economy. Thus this theory appreciates gradually increased consumption of goods and services. 2. Consumerism means ‘consumer protection’. It is a movement or policy that protects the interests of consumers via truthful packaging, honest advertisement, improved safety standards and product guarantees. Consumerism involves policies that regulate methods, products and services, standards, selling and advertising in the interests of the consumers. These protect buyers from defective products, misleading advertising, unfair practices etc. Such policies can be mandatory, legislative, institutional or voluntarily accepted by the industry. e.g., consumers’ interests can be harmed by mispricing, adulteration, artificial demand etc. IMPORTANCE Consumerism encourages economic growth by providing good quality goods and services to the customers. Increased consumption by the customers shows the economic growth level. Increased demand would lead to increased production thus raising the gross domestic production. It helps to make informed decisions through truthful advertising, environmental and safety standard laws. Thus consumerism provides protection to buyers. Implementation of consumer protection laws shield consumers against exploitation, discourage anti-social activities and unfair trade practices, provide complete and latest information to the customer which aids in buying  decision making process. 2. What IS STRATEGY? Why it is important? Choose a company, study its strategy and then make its competitive analysis. DEFINITION 1. Strategy is business game plan used by management to stake out market position, conduct its operations, attract and please customers, compete successfully and achieve organizational objectives. 2. It is a process through which a company concentrated its resources on optimal opportunities to achieve short term and long term goals and other competitive advantages. IMPORTANCE Strategy answers three central questions about the company (i) where are we now? (ii) where do we want to go? (iii) how will we get there? Strategy tells about the current position of the company, its future plans and the approaches it will follow to achieve its objectives. Strategy encompasses actions to attract customers, actions to deliver value at optimal price and cost equilibrium, actions to respond to changing market environment, approaches to pursue available opportunities and plans to gain competitive edge. A powerful strategy makes a company distinctive and provides sustainable and durable competitive advantage in creating, producing, distributing and marketing the company’s products/services. An effective strategy results in best possible business performance in terms of financial profitability and market position. Strategies are desperately needed to direct the activities of the company in a way that its goals and objectives are achieved in a right way through right approaches and at the right time. An excellent strategy that is excellently implemented is a good measure to evaluate the management competencies and performance. A strategy-focused company has a strong performance, profitable earnings, revenue growth and favourable return on investment. COMPANY : COLGATE-PALMOLIVE Colgate Palmolive has $17.1 billion consumer products and serves people around the world with renowned brands by offering four types of products/services: oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition products. This company operates globally and approximately 75 percent of its sales are from outside the home country while majority of its products are manufactured in its own facilities. Colgate-Palmolive 2011 to 2015 Strategy The main focus of Colgate-Palmolive’s five year strategy is on people, performance and planet with measurable goals in accordance with the company’s business objectives. 1. Promoting Healthier Lives The objective was to promote health and wellness in order to minimize employee health risks by 15 percent, to achieve 5 percent reduced health costs by improving on time diagnosis and treatment of diseases and to focus on safety of employees. 2. Contributing to The Communities Where We Live and Work This parameter of the strategy aims to increase the impact of company on the community by $300 million. For this purpose five objectives were set which will provide greater focus to the company’s contribution towards the community. Partnership is done with dental professions to improve the oral care of the community. A program of â€Å"Bright Smiles, Bright Futures† is scheduled to contact 1 billion children by 2020. To provide hand-washing awareness to over 50 million households. To work with 250 thousand veterinarians to educate pet owners and provide over $100 million pet food. Continue to provide company’s products after natural disasters and to invite more  volunteers in this community program. 3. Delivering Products That Delight Consumers and Respect Our Planet The objective is to increase the sustainability of all the products by (i) ensuring that ingredients continue to meet the standards of safety, health and quality (ii) reducing the impact of environment on the products and packaging. This is achieved by increasing the use of recycled contents and more usage of sustainable materials. 4. Making Every Drop of Water Count The strategy aims to reduce the consumption of water during manufacturing by 24 percent. The objective also aims to take steps to promote access of clean water and water conversation awareness among over two billion consumers. 5. Reducing Our Impact on Climate and Environment The intention was to reduce energy consumption and carbon emission during the manufacturing process by 20 percent. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS The stated strategy of the company can be analysed on the bases of three broad terms. The following stated questions will determine the goodness of the strategy implemented by Colgate-Palmolive i.e. whether the strategy was able to improve the market position and financial performance of the company or not, how good was the company at handling the environmental dynamics and gaining competitive advantage. 1. How well does the strategy fits with the company’s situation? The main competitor of Colgate-Palmolive is Procter & Gamble with the same strategy of sustaining products and environmental safety but Colgate-Palmolive has got a competitive advantage in the year 2011 and 2012 by having strong presence in personal care products and emerging markets in different geographical areas. Due to broad operation bases globally the company has got the strength to lead the market. 2. Is the strategy helping the company achieve a sustainable competitive advantage? Yes the strategy implemented by the company has made it to be a global leader in oral care. Colgate-Palmolive’s market is the single largest market by value shares and is insulated from the downturns. The company’s strategy focuses to meet market challenges, committed to increase product sustainability and focuses on segmentation by function. Colgate-Palmolive has improved sustainability profile in 24 percent of products. 3. Is the strategy helping in better company performance? The strategy has helped the company in attaining better financial and ethical performance. Colgate-Palmolive has shown best environmental performance in past years and is able to sustain its past competitive advantage. The company had $17.1 billion worldwide sales in 2012. Its gross profit margin was 58.4 percent in fourth quarter of 2012. Colgate-Palmolive won 100% Code of Conduct Certification, stood No. 1 in beauty and personal care products and was announced No. 1 at ‘Most Admired Companies in 2013’ by Fortune World. Colgate-Palmolive had operating profit of $4.02 million in 2012. 35 percent of its packaging material is from the recycled material thus fulfilling its goals of safeguarding the environment and reducing costs. Three different products of Colgate-Palmolive have won title of ‘Product of the Year 2012’ and Ethisphere magazine has given the company title of ‘ 2013 World’s Most Ethical Companies’ US E.P.A declared the company to be ‘Designed for the Environment’ for many of its home care products. The above analysis shows the strengths and the competitive advantage earned by the company due to its best performance and leading activities. Surely the above mentioned performance is only attainable because of an excellent strategy and its excellent execution. _________________________________________