To Document Ella Baker’s Life

To document Ella Baker's life is to recount the history of the civil rights movement. Whenever there was a cause to fight for or a group to organize, this dedicated women was there. Ella was born 1903, she grew up and received her education in North Carolina. Upon and at one time, president of the New York branch Ella went South in the 1950s to help the civil rights movement as it was developing in Alabama. With 30 years of organizing experience under her belt, Ella's advice to Martin Luther King, Jr. nd other leaders of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 was invaluable. She stayed South and helped Dr. King set up the headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference(SCLC). A few years later she played an important part in helping to organize student sit-in demonstrations that were occurring all over the South. This activity led to the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), one of the most powerful student-activist movements formed in U. S. history. She also helped to found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964, which helped to give African Americans in Mississippi more political power. Ella continued to serve as the â€Å"godmother† and mentor of SNCC as it moved into other human rights issues. Her greatest asset was her ability to organize and mobilize people of all generations. Although her name was not publicized as much as other male leaders, the civil rights movement would not have been the same without her. Shortly before her death in 1986, a documentary titled â€Å"Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker† was aired on public television. Fundi is the Swahili word for a person who passes on skill to a younger generation. It is a fitting description of Ella Baker's legacy. graduating from Shaw University, she moved to New York City just before the Depression of 1929. There she became active in various causes. She worked briefly with the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and then worked to end discrimination in organized labor through the NAACP.

Orange Juice with the most Vitamin C

Vitamin C which is also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate is a water-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient to the humans and other animals. It does not have any smell and usually, it is a white solid whose chemical formula is given as C6H8O6. The oxidation process that leads to the formation of dehydroascorbic acid is readily reversible. The deficiency of the vitamin in humans is known to cause scurvy; this is where the term was derived from implying its role in prevention of the disorder (Hilary & Hickey, 2004). Citrus fruits and the juices they give contain a varying concentration of vitamin C. Fruits with a high vitamin C concentration include oranges, peaches, grapes, bananas, strawberries and lemons. There are also other kinds of foods that contain adequate amount of vitamin C. These include: potatoes, beans, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes (http://www. exrx. net/Nutrition/Antioxidants/VitaminC. html). Vitamin C in dietary supplements is found in a variety of forms, more specifically on the basis of its efficiency and its degree of availability to the tissues after it has been administered. According to recent researches, the biological activity of natural and synthetic ascorbic acid is the same; the two forms of vitamin C are identical in chemical structure. Vitamin C in the human body is used in the production of collagen which makes the connective tissue. It also increases the ability of the body to absorb iron, a major constituent of blood, thus helping in red blood cell formation. As a result, the immune system is given strength to fight against infections. Recent studies indicate that Vitamin C has the potential of preventing cancer (Higdon, 2006). Vitamin C in Oranges Humans do not have the enzyme that can be used in the conversion of Glucose to ascorbic acid. Therefore, their bodies are not able to synthesize Vitamin C. For this reason, it is advisable that a healthy diet be composed of a great amount of Vitamin C (http://www. exrx. net/Nutrition/Antioxidants/VitaminC. html). Reports indicate that oranges have a high content of Vitamin C; besides, oranges are commonly consumed in a majority of the households. There are a variety of orange types for instance, navel, Persian, blood, and Valencia oranges. The acidity level of the fruits ranges from 2. 5 to 3, and this is largely affected by the age, type and size of the fruit; however they are not as sour as lemons (Articlebase, 2007). Two types of juices can be made from oranges namely: hand squeezed and orange concentrate. The hand squeezed orange juice is made by draining the fruit pulp using a â€Å"juicer or a squeezer†. The concentrate on the other hand, is made from fresh fruits and orange juice that has been filtered and is usually in frozen state. There has been a heated debate on what kind of orange juice has the highest content of vitamin C. Similarly, various experiments and researches have been carried out to evaluate the vitamin C content in orange concentrate and fresh orange juice. In two experiments carried out by Terpstra, (April 2005), freshly squeezed juice had a high concentration of vitamin C, compared to the orange concentrates. The orange flavored drinks did not have any vitamin C in them. Similar experiments also have yielded results indicating that the hand-squeezed orange juice contains the highest amount of vitamin C. Exceptions occurred in orange juice concentrates that contained a high concentration of vitamin C (http://www. odec. ca/projects/2004/fink4k0/public_html/pages/exp2. html). Factors that inhibit the concentration of Vitamin C The destruction of vitamin C in most cases takes place during the preparation of food, partly due to the reason that Vitamin C is very sensitive to heat, light and air (Larsen, 2009). During chopping, cooking and boiling, the orange is out in the open hence gets contaminated. But very low temperature preserve vitamin C in oranges, e. g. when kept in a freezer. Availability of oxygen to the oranges lowers the content of Vitamin C in them. As a matter of fact, oranges have a high content of vitamin C if picked while they are less ripe, for instance the Navel oranges mature early. Contributing factors to this include the nitrogen level of the soil and the temperatures in the surrounding: cooler temperatures and soils with low nitrogen concentration preserve vitamin C by inhibiting the rate of ripening. That is why in regions with high temperature, yield fruits of low vitamin C concentration. However, a good amount of potassium is required for production of high vitamin C (Lopez et al. , 2007). Oxygen is the major destroying agent in orange juice since it causes breakdown of ascorbic acid. But also, fructose which is a sugar constituent in oranges can degrade vitamin C. In another perspective, availability of higher levels of citric and malic acid in oranges makes vitamin C resistant to degradation. To preserve the vitamin C concentration, cold temperature and obstruction to oxygen should be observed (Shi, 2006). The nature of the container in which the juice is stored also can alter the amount of vitamin C in oranges. Enamel containers have been found to lose more vitamin C compared to tin cans, because of the left over oxygen and vitamin C reacting with the container. Glasses are also unsuitable for storage due to their inability to preserve vitamin C. Hence the preference of storing oranges in carton boxes, which are opaque, thus light is prevented form reaching the fruits. Frozen juices are equally stored in cardboard cans sealed with a foil to conserve vitamin C from oxygen degradation (Lozano, 2006). The parameters employed in production of different kinds of orange juice affect the concentration of vitamin C. There is usually a very high concentration of Vitamin C in frozen concentrated orange juice and reconstituted frozen concentrated orange juice which is attributed to the blending of early-season fruit with late season fruit. Consequently, canned orange juice, as a result of intense heating in the course of canning, has a reduced amount of vitamin C (Tang, 2002). Exposure of the fruit bearing tree to sunlight augments the level of Vitamin C; therefore, fruits that appear to the outer part of the tree and towards the direction of the sun have higher amounts of vitamin C, whereas in regions where there is limited sunlight, there is low concentration of vitamin C in the oranges. Additionally, different kinds of fruits have dissimilar times of maturity. Oranges that mature within a short period of time have a higher concentration of vitamin C as compared to those that take longer to mature (Townsend, 2006). Conclusion According to the available research, hand-squeezed orange juice contains a high amount of Vitamin C. Orange juice concentrates have a higher concentration of Vitamin C because they are made out of oranges that are early maturing and those that take longer to mature. The other kinds of drinks that are orange flavored do not contain any vitamin C in them, but contain preservatives that could be harmful tot the human health. Orange juice that is canned contains a low concentration of vitamin C which is as a result of high heat exposure during processing. It is thus recommended that hand-squeezed orange juice is the best for consumption because it is pure fresh and has a high concentration of vitamin C. References: Articlebase, The Truth About Vitamin C in Orange Juice (2007), retrieved on March, 23rd 2009, from: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-truth-about-vitamin-c-in-orange-juice-161458.html Finkler-kemeny, K. (n.d) Experiment: Concentrate or Hand- squeezed? Retrieved on March, 23rd 2009, from: http://www.odec.ca/projects/2004/fink4k0/public_html/pages/exp2.html Higdon, J. (2006): Vitamin C, Micronutrient information centre, Linus Pauling Institute Hilary, H & Hickey, S. (2004): Ascorbate, ISBN 1411607244, 9781411607248, Lulu.com Larsen, J. (2009) Ask the Dietitian SM. Retrieved on March 23rd, 2009, from: http://www.dietitian.com/vitaminc.html. Là ³pez, A., Ros-Chumillasa, M., Belissarioa,Y & Iguaza, A.   (2007): Quality and shelf life of orange juice aseptically packaged in PET bottles, Journal of Food Engineering, Vol 79, issue 1, 2007, pp 234-242 Lozano, J.E. (2006): Fruit Manufacturing: Scientific Basis, Engineering Properties, and Deteriorative Reactions of Technological Importance, ISBN 0387306145, 9780387306148, Springer Shi, J. (2006): Functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals: processing technologies ISBN 0849324416, 9780849324413, CRC Press Tang, J. (2002): Advances in bioprocessing engineering, ISBN 9810246978, 9789810246976, World Scientific Terpstra, C. (April 2005): Vitamin C in Orange Juice, Retrieved on March 23rd, 2009, from:   http://www.oaml.com/PDF/040152.pdf) Townsend, C. (2006): Vitamin C and Citrus Juices, Retrieved on March 23rd, 2009 from: http://www.ultimatecitrus.com/vitaminc.html. Vitamin C (2009): Retrieved on March 23rd, 2009, from: http://www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Antioxidants/VitaminC.html)

Introduction to Multimedia and Design Assignment

Introduction to Multimedia and Design - Assignment Example Designing a logo is a multi-staged process that invokes the incorporation of various factors as discussed in the essay below. The process begins with the conception of the idea. This includes the identification of a need that justifies the development of the logo. The next stage is the collection of features of the company or organization to portray in the logo. The process if consultative as the designer consults the designer in order to determine the feature of the company to capture in the logo. Through the consultation, the designer considers the colors, shapes and images to incorporate in the logo. Organizations have corporate colors, which easily identifies them. The designer should determine the colors that would not only make the logo communicate but equally aesthetic. After the determination of the elements to incorporate in the design process, the next stage is sketching. This refers to the process of developing shapes for consideration. As the designer creates the shapes, he must consult the clients in order to determine the appropriate shapes. Additionally, the designer must carry out research in order to avert any cases of product similarity. Successive stages include the designing, proofing and final designing. The process is progressive with all the stages succeeding each other chronologically. As stated earlier, the design process is interactive owing to the need to satisfy the demands of various stakeholders associated with the finished products. In the design process, the designer assumes the position of various stakeholders including the target audience. As such, he must therefore consider the use of the various colors in a manner that will communicate and appeal to the specific publics. Among the demands encountered in the process of designing a logo include the need for uniqueness, creativity and relevant. Coupled with thee need to satisfy

United Nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

United Nations - Essay Example The organization’s headquarter is located at Manhattan, New York with main offices in Nairobi, Geneva and Vienna. Member states voluntary provides financial support by donating to the organization to keep the operation of the organization moving. The objectives of UN include provision of human aid to victims of natural disaster, famine, and armed conflict. UN also plays the roles of protecting the environment, promoting human rights, maintained of peace and order, and fostering economic and social developments to the member countries (Meisler 12). The structure of the United Nations is based in five different organs which include Security Council, General Assembly, The Secretariat, Economic and Social Council and International Court of Justice. One of the organs (Trusteeship council) was suspended in 1994. A part from International Court of Justice located at Hague other four organs are located at the headquarters in New York. Other agencies of the organization are located in Nairobi, Vienna and Geneva. The five organs play different roles in making sure that UN fulfils and achieves his missions and objective. The secretariat is chaired by the Secretary General who is elected to serve a period of five years. The Secretariat provides support to other bodies administratively. International Court of Justice is the organ responsible for solving disputes between states, issuing legal opinions and rendering judgments. The General Assembly decides the enlistment and admission of new members and resolves non compulsory recommendation s in different countries. The Security Council is responsible for ensuring safety by maintaining world security and peace. The economic and social council creates cooperation bonds between different countries in respect to social and economic issues (Conforti 34). The organization was established in 1945, and since then the membership has expanded. On formation, 77 countries joined and stipulate the policies. The organization started

Social Media and Social Bonds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Social Media and Social Bonds - Essay Example Shawn Ghuman in his essay â€Å"Is Technology Destroying Social Bonds?† notes how social media has led to the reduction of inter-person interaction in a real way. The argument is against the decline of what the author perceives as real relationships and conversations. For instance, he says, While chatting with friends, reading statuses, and skimming tweets, I wonder what happened to traditional communication in the current tech-savvy era. Our lives seemingly revolve around receiving digital messages, as we spend countless hours staring at screens and communicating with people online even though they are geographically close (110). While the author does have a point in the case of certain sections of people who may have had problems communicating even before the advent of social media, in the case of others, their extroversion may have merely transposed itself onto a virtual space. In many instances, plans for real interactions may even materialize on social media before they h appen in a real space. Thus, social media, while it is a virtual reality, may even in its nascent stages, facilitate rather than debilitate real interactions. The author also speaks of the relevance of social media in improving social bonds, albeit in a few lines. ... This was orchestrated through messages and short texts in order to escape the mechanism of surveillance. Through the course of the essay, the author reiterates at numerous points that contrary to the popular notion that social networking and modern technology have widened the scope of human communication, there is ample reason to believe the reverse. He uses persuasive reasoning by posing certain rhetorical questions to the readers urging them to reassess the role of technology in their lives. The most significant of these is the one where the reader is asked to think of instances where he/she may have connected with a person on Facebook or other similar social networking websites but upon meeting the individual in per son may be discovered that they are in fact incompatible. This stems from the larger point of social media allowing individuals to create virtual personalities for themselves which may not be reflective of who they truly are. Consequently, their social lives become limited largely confined to the virtual world as factors such as social awkwardness and introversion which may otherwise inhibit a person’s socialization are absent here. The writer also problematizes the idea that technology has simplified our lives. The argument here is that this seeming pursuit for simplicity and comfort may have actually resulted in oversimplification and sloth. This is seen in the lines â€Å"We can make ourselves sound intelligent, meaningful, or witty. Cellphones have become the faces of their users, and messages have become direct reflections of our personalities.†Ã‚  

Jazz and the influence it had on the 1920's Research Paper

Jazz and the influence it had on the 1920's - Research Paper Example Jazz originated in the 20th century in the communities of the African American in the South America. It is an amalgamation of African and European music (Kirchner, Bill 2005). Jazz is a piece of music which is difficult to define and there have been many attempts to define jazz by the help of other musical pieces. One solution to this is to define jazz more broadly and hence, Berendit defines jazz as one form of art which originated in the America through the confrontation of blacks with European music. He further argues that jazz has a special relationship to time, which is defined as 'swing’ (E, Joachim and Berendit.1981). The 1920’s is commonly referred to as the jazz age but was also an age of contradiction because there was prosperity on one hand and isolation on the other hand. As already mentioned, Jazz is a term which is difficult to define but yet there are many definitions of it. J A Rogers defines it as â€Å"A joyous revolt from convention, custom, authorit y, boredom, even sorrow from everything that would confine the soul of man and hinder its riding free on the air† (Rogers, J.A 1925).... New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz and Chicago and the Midwest were the home of recorded jazz until the late 1920s (Phillips, Damon J and Owen, David A. 2004). Jazz has always been a utilitarian music that is it is intended mostly for dancing. King Oliver’s jazz band, one of the excellent jazz bands’ recorded 40 title in the year 1923. The Jean Goldkette orchestra of 1927 which featured Cornetist Bix Beiderbecke was relegated to recording a mostly dreary group of pop songs. The great jazz numbers arranged by Bill Challis were unreleased by Victor Records which considered them commercially unacceptable. The period from 1929 to 1940 is when most of the jazz standards were originated. During this era, there were many great and excellent song writers who contributed for Broadway shows, for example, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and Lorentz hart, Irving Berlin and Walter Dinaldson. Most of the historians agree that jazz began just prior to the turn of the twentieth century, and the most likely birthplace of this great piece of music was the city of New Orleans. The city of New Orleans is on the Mississippi River, the major waterway from the southern to northern United States which made it a conduit for music of all types, especially ragtime from Missouri and the blues from Mississippi. A person could hear a brass band playing ragtime, string trios playing popular ballads, the street musicians singing the blues and early jazz bands playing all of these things. The first Blues number, which was written as a popular song was the ‘Dallas Blues’. Tunes with the word Blues became very popular from then onwards. The decade of the 1920s was marked by huge advances in the

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

International Marketing - Essay Example In this research paper the author examines the marketing company of Smirnoff Ice in the concept of Alcopop, the term used in describing flavoured alcoholic beverages. Because of the fruit flavour added to alcoholic drinks, alcopops became more appealing to teenage and underage drinkers (Marine Institute, 2009). A good example of alcopop produced in UK is the Smirnoff Ice. Because of improvements in technology, Smirnoff is able to introduce the first malt beverage that contains pure spring water and a malt-based alcohol (redOrbit, 2007). The use of new alcohol beverage technology enabled the company to offer light and crisp alcoholic drink with refreshing taste. Since Smirnoff cannot sell alcopops to individuals below the age of 18 years old, the company should focused on marketing the product to men and women 18 years old and above. In line with this, the company should tie up with existing clubs, pubs, and large-scale supermarkets who could sell Smirnoff products in domestic market. Expanding Smirnoff products in international market is good since it can open a lot of business opportunities for the company. As part of expanding the business in Germany, Smirnoff should design a core marketing strategy which includes defining the market segmentation and analysing the 4Ps in marketing mix. Once the market analysis has been conducted, the company should start identifying potential market distribution network for Smirnoff products. Germany is one of the most populated countries around the world.

Fashion Promotion of Dior JAdore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Fashion Promotion of Dior JAdore - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Promotion of Dior J’Adore" discovers the Promotion of Dior J’Adore. Francis Demachy enjoyed a very good repute since his past experience was with another luxury brand, Chanel, and was responsible for managing the in-house creation of the perfumes. There is a long history associated with the creation of J’Adore , where the founder of the Dior, Christian Dior always expressed his passion towards the flowers and wanted to incorporate the fragrance of the flowers in a bottle so that the scent was at the disposal of the users. This is known as one of the most feminine scents of the modern world were the glamorous fragrance of the perfume has not only made it incredibly popular in the market of the luxury goods but at the same time the popularity of the perfume had enabled the House of Dior to even introduced the several variants which have different concentrations. The scent of the J’Adore is gleaming, brilliant and luminous and thanks to the shimmery texture of the perfume, that when it is applied it leaves golden scent shimmers on the skins of the users which look very much like the sunbeams. J’Adore is regarded as one of the most incredible female brands and it depicts a feminine and delicate touch which is in line with the style which has been adopted by Dior. It is sweet but bamy at the same time, which a very sharp floral with an addition of the fresh mandarin , jasmine, plum and roses and musky scent to it at the same time. The brand identity which has been established with J’Adore.... It is sweet but bamy at the same time, which a very sharp floral with an addition of the fresh mandarin , jasmine, plum and roses and musky scent to it at the same time. Overview of the Brand Identity The brand identity which has been established with J’Adore is that there is touch of sophistication and glamour attached with it, giving the user a very lush , high quality experience. It uses a brand enforcing strategy where a class division has been added by enforcing the superiority in the product. The conventional and the traditional approach which had previously been adopted by the luxury products has been rejected by J’Adore and denounces the materialistic view, which not only gives the brand a strong brand identity but at the same time has been able to give J’Adore a competitive edge as well. It very clearly states in the advertisements and the marketing strategies that the gold , expensive cars , jewellery do not play any role in making you stand out from th e crowd, but instead it is your unique fragrance that plays a part in helping you stand out. Brand has projected its tag line stating : ‘wear J’adore and you can regain your sense of humanity.’ (When The World Whispers†¦Shout | Corporate Brand Management) â€Å"Gold is cold. Diamonds are dead. A limousine is a car. Don’t pretend. Feel what’s real† is the line which has been used in many of the advertisements of the perfume, which adheres to the view point, stated above. â€Å"(When The World Whispers†¦Shout | Corporate Brand Management) The uniqueness of the perfume can be displayed in the bottle which is in the shape of a Greek Amphora which exhibits

Reasons for Re Launching Electric Car †Reva Essay Example for Free

Reasons for Re Launching Electric Car – Reva Essay Introduction : The Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) was founded in 1994 by Chetan Maini, as a joint venture between the Maini Group of Bangalore and Amerigon Electric Vehicle Technologies (AEVT Inc. ) of the USA. The companys sole aim was to develop and produce an affordable compact electric car. Several other automakers were also aiming to do so, but in 2001 RECC launched the REVA Reva, started off with a bang : The first electric car in India and the people behind the car were confident of the success of the car. Plans were set and the forecasting team estimated that 1500 cars would be sold by the end of the first year. Three years after its launch, Reva barely managed to sell a total of 300 cars. Reva was subsequently pulled off Indian markets. On May 26th 2010, Mahindra Group bought a 55. 2% majority stake in Reva and now has plans of relaunching the car in Indian markets. This article explores reasons for the failure of Reva and what should be Mahindra Reva’s Strategy for achieving success in the Indian market. * Reva was positioned as a â€Å"Green, low operating cost car†. The marketing strategy when Reva was first launched mainly concentrated on the car being green and the first of its type in the electric car segment. But this was not enough to create ripples amongst the consumers. * With a small size, easy to drive (no clutch or gear) and slow speed, Reva was targeted at small families, old couples and female drivers. While Reva had a beneficial cost proposition of only Rs. 0. 40 paise per km travelled, it was not a cheap car. Priced at around Rs. 3. 75 lakhs, people would have preferred to purchase a Maruti Zen or an Alto which are within the same price range. The major problem with Reva was that it was perceived to be a low cost car, but it was actually not. Also it was not a car that the rich wanted to buy, as it looked below their league. In one word, Reva, was a total misfit. * Aesthetically, Reva did not appeal to the youth. It was not fast, did not have a high range, had high maintenance problems (100 % charging needed 8 hours) and was not meant for long drives. The small car space and the design made it look like a rather uncomfortable car. People do advocate being green but they are not willing to sacrifice their comfort for it. * The marketing campaign for Reva also was not an aggressive one. The car made news for itself for being the first electric car in the Indian market but no marketing effort was made to create ripples in the customers. The buzz through promotions and advertisements was very low. There was no excitement and curiosity created in the minds of the consumers before the product launch. A research done by me amongst 50 female drivers, 35 elderly people (50+ age) and 20 couples has helped me come up with the following customer value hierarchy for a Car: 1. Core benefit: Takes you from one place to another without an inconvenience. 2. Basic product: Easy to drive, comfortable seats and leg room, high mileage. 3. Expected Product: Safety, does not break down, easy to repair. 4. Augmented Product: Speed, smooth on road, Stylish. 5. Potential Product: Environment friendly. As seen the points bolded in red font are the ones that Reva clearly misses. Not being able to satisfy the core, basic and expected product benefits has been a major miss in the marketing strategy of Reva. If Reva has to be successful it has to first cater to these customer benefits, satisfy them and then only will being environment friendly be a product differentiator. Reva had expected to sell around 1500 cars in its first year itself. After 3 years, Reva managed to sell only about350 odd cars. This is a definite failure in the first innings of Reva. However the fact that it is the only one in the electric car market, a proper marketing strategy can help it become a success. Reva’s Second Innings: A Re-launch Strategy It is not like Green cars are boring and cannot be successful. Take the example of Roadster Tesla an electric car which is the coolest and one of the most aspired cars in the automobile market. So surely there is no reason for Reva to fail if it is marketed in the right way. If the car is able to satisfy the core, basic and expected benefits of its target audience then we have a winner on our hands. In today’s, Global warming era. Being green is in fact the in thing. But just Green Cannot Sell. Reva should market itself on its other facets as well. Consider the slogan below for marketing Reva: Reva: â€Å"Easy to drive, Stylish, Comfortable Car †¦ By the way, we are also Green† The easy to drive attribute is already present in Reva. Reva needs to do slight alterations in its design to make it look more stylish, ergonomically designed for seating and safety needs. As given in the figure above, Reva should look at targeting the growing female car owners. Also it should target the young and old couples, who find the cuteness factor in the car, exciting enough to purchase it. Reva should be promoted as a â€Å"Fun† car to hang out with. Promotions The Reva advertisements should not hire any stars to advertise it. Instead it should look at taking the common office going man, the girl next door, the college couple to brand it. This will ensure that its target audience connect to the advertisement and Reva to a greater extent. The greenness in Reva can be subtly highlighted in the advertisements. The promotion ideas for both print and television advertisements are: 1. The office goer: How because of heavy traffic he used to reach late to office and get reprimanded by his boss. How now Reva has made him reach office in time and get promotions. Catch line: â€Å"Traffic problems. No Problem. Reva is here† 2. The girl next door: How Reva has made her independent. Highlight the ease and comfort of driving the car in the advertisement. Catch line: â€Å"Get Independent. Do The Reva† 3. The lovebirds: A part by part ad series in which an old couple get nostalgic on how they started their love story in a Reva and their memories associated with the Reva car. Highlight the comfort of the Reva car. Catch line: â€Å"Reva getting you closer† Social media promotions – Low cost and high effect. 1. Social gaming applications in which users play a car racing game and get green credits for using the Reva Car. This will help spread the Reva brand virally. 2. Get expert reviews on the Reva car and publish them on the Reva Blog. 3. Have a contest in which users can upload their Reva moment on YouTube. Also upload YouTube videos to show how Reva makes a greener world. 4. Have, â€Å"The Spacious Reva Contest†: Customers try to fit in as many of their friends in a Reva car and upload a picture of it on Facebook. The one with maximum likes would win the contest. 5. Listen to what your customers are saying about Reva, how are they feeling about Reva? Have you managed to create the right buzz? Social media would tell you instantly and help you to do any kind of damage control if necessary. The social media is a good measure on how well your marketing strategy has worked. In conclusion , Reva has already in its â€Å"First Innings†, highlighted its attribute of being a Green Car. The â€Å"Second Innings† strategy that has been mentioned will market Reva as an easy to drive, safe, stylish and comfortable car. Thus satisfying the core, basic and expected needs of its customers which will help the Reva car become a success story. While the Mahindra brand name and its distribution network and capabilities in the Indian market should definitely benefit Reva, in having a successful second innings. The strategy outlined above should help Reva preventing burns and scars the second time round.

Packed Milk Essay Example for Free

Packed Milk Essay For the calorie conscious and the weight conscious users of dairy products there is some good news from the topmost brand in Indian dairy products—‘Amul. ’ Its recent introductions include ‘Amul Lite’ –a low-calorie bread spread and ‘Amul Lite and Trim Milk’—a long life skimmed milk with zero fat content. ‘Amul Lite’—low-fat, low-calorie and low-cholesterol bread spread—is a healthier substitute for other bread spreads such as butter and margarine which have at least 26% more fat and calorie content. The total fat content in ‘Amul Lite’ is 59% as compared to 80% in butter and margarine. And, the calorie content in 100 grams of ‘Amul Lite’ is 531 as compared to 720 calories in butter and margarine of equal quantity. Being a low-fat, low-cholesterol bread spread, ‘Amul Lite’ is particularly suited to those for whom consumption of high cholesterol and high saturated fat products are restricted. Its low-fat and low-cholesterol content reduces chances of heart ailments as it is low on saturated fat and high on PUFA, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fat contents which help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It is further fortified with Vitamin A and Vitamin D which help to improve vision and healthy skin. For a start, ‘Amul Lite’ has been introduced in 200gms plastic containers which cost Rs. 32. 00 each. The shelf life of â€Å"Amul Lite’ is six months under refrigerated conditions. ‘Amul Lite’ is produced in ISO-9000 certified fully-automated plant under strict hygienic conditions and it carries the AGMARK quality certification. ‘Amul Lite Slim and Trim Milk’ is a fresh, long life skimmed milk processed with Ultra High Temperature (UHT) technology which does not involve use of any preservatives. The UHT technology preserves maximum flavour, taste and nutritional value of milk simultaneously ensuring zero microbial activation. Protected from air and light through aseptic packaging system, ‘Amul Lite Slim and Trim Milk’ offers a shelf life of 6 months without refrigeration. ‘Amul Lite Slim and Trim Milk’ is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals of natural milk with zero fat and cholesterol content. It is available in 1 liter, 500ml and 200ml tetra packs. ‘Amul’ is the brand name of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF) which revolutionized the production and distribution of diary products in India and became a model for development of dairy cooperatives in India. The brand name has become so popular that today the cooperative is recognized by its brand name. According to data provided by the cooperative, the ‘Amul’ milk processing plants have a handling capacity of 10. 16 million liters per day and the turnover of the cooperative for the year 2006-2007 was 42,778 million rupees or 1,050 million US dollars. ‘Amul’ has an amazing range of dairy products which include butter, bread spread, a variety of cheese, sweets, fresh milk, fresh cream, ghee (clarified butter), infant milk and milk food, milk powder, condensed milk, diary whiteners, curd products, ice creams, chocolates, malted milk food (brown beverage), flavoured milk, cold coffee and health beverage. ‘Amul’ is the largest exporter of Indian dairy products with a ‘Trading House’ status. It exports ghee, butter, curd products, sweets, brown beverage, infant milk food, cheese, malai paneer and long life milk and fresh cream to the United States of America, gulf countries and Singapore. Recently, ‘Amul’ embarked on a direct retailing venture by creating ‘Amul Utterly Delicious’ parlours in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Baroda, Delhi, Mumbai and Surat. AMUL BECOMES INDIA’S LARGEST FOOD BUSINESS Amul, a brand of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), an apex body of 13 milk co-operatives, has clocked a turnover of Rs 4,300 crores ($1. 2 billion) during fiscal 2006-07 to become a billion-dollar entity. The results will be formally declared within a couple of days. The ambitious federation has now set its eyes on the Rs 10,000-crore mark over the next three years. It took four decades to Amul to become Rs 2,000-crore entity. But, the turnover doubled to over Rs 4,300 crores within nine years from 1999 to 2007. GCMMF has several successful marketing campaigns in India. Amul butter girl is one of the longest run ad campaigns in the country. The federation sold liquid milk worth Rs 1,200 crores in fiscal 2006-07 and aims to cross Rs 1,500-crore mark in FY 2007-8.

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay

Four Control Objectives Of Wages System Accounting Essay According to Millichamp Taylor (2008), control objectives of wage system are as follows: To ensure that wages are paid to the existing employees at authorized rates of pay To ensure that wages are computed in accordance with work-performed records, in respect of working time, units produced, and other criteria To ensure that gross pay and net pay are calculated correctly and payments are made to the correct employees To ensure that payrolls deductions to Central Provident Fund Board are correctly accounted and paid (b) As the external auditors of Blake Ltd, write a management letter to the directors in respect of the shift-workers wages recording and payment systems which: Identifies and explains FOUR deficiencies in that system Explains the possible effect of each deficiency Provides a recommendation to alleviate each deficiency [14m] The Board of Directors Blake Limited 1208 Chancery Lane, Strand, London. 08th DEC 2010 Dear Sirs/Madams, BLAKE LIMITED REPORT TO MANAGEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH DECEMBER 2010 Following our recent audit, we bring to your attention certain observations in the companys operations which we believe can help you in improving the profitability and efficiency of the business. First Deficiency: Logging in process The logging in process using an electronic identification card is not monitored. Possible effect: Card scanned doesnt mean that work starts! As the logging in process is not monitored, collusion between employees by helping each other scanning the identification cards may result receipt of wages on the non-approval leave days or working hours. Recommendation: Replacement of electronic identification card to finger-print scanning may effectively cut off the collusion, yet it may be costly for the management. Spot check on the number of workers on the production line by shift manager from time to time and compare the number of employees logged in via the time recording system. Second Deficiency: Overtime supervision The shift foreman is not required to monitor the extent of any overtime working. Possible effect: As overtime working is not supervised, the employees may get wages paid at overtime rates for no work done by logging-off late. This phenomenon not only reduces the productivity, but also increases the labor costs. Recommendation: As each group of shift workers (25 persons) is allocated with specific vehicle at specific amount, the management may adopt piece-work systems, where employees are paid for output instead of time [Dunn, 1990]. Change of existing working environment where the overtime working should be monitored by the shift foreman or through the installation of CCTVs. Third Deficiency: Code word in computerized wage system The authorization code word (pets name) uses in comparing the accuracy of time worked from the time recording system to the computerized wages system is generally known around the department. Possible effect: Unauthorized alterations may be made by the employees inside and outside the department. Recommendation: Further security steps should be carried out, such as authorization using personnel identification number and password. This will help in keeping the records of the employees name who certified the wages amount of particular employees. Change of code word on a regular basis and only inform to the responsible employees instead of whole department, may help in reducing this deficiency. Forth Deficiency: Termination of employees No effort in ensuring the receipt of e-mails sent from personnel department to payroll department which stating the details of employees termination. Possible effect: Terminated employees may remain on the payroll system [Leung, Coram, Cooper Richardson, 2009] and hence the accounts department clerk will continue making payments to those employees as there is no link between accounts and personnel department. Recommendation: It is essential in ensuring that the termination e-mails are received in personnel, and this can be done by sending a notification feedback mails from payroll department to personnel department. We hope to discuss the report with you at our forthcoming meeting. May we take this opportunity to express our thanks to you and your employees for the assistance provided during the audit period. If you require any further information on the above, please do not hesitate to contact us. Disclaimers: This letter does not identify all the weaknesses in the company internal control systems. This letter is for management use only. Yours Faithfully, Fung Jason Smith Audit Co. (c) List THREE substantive analytical procedures you should perform on the shift managers salary system. For each procedure, state your expectation on the result of that procedure. [6m] Substantive procedures are designed to obtain audit evidence to reduce detection risks relating to specific financial statement assertions [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], using the tools: tests of details of transaction and balances, and analytical procedures. Analytical procedures consist of the analysis of significant trends and ratios, which entail the use of relationships and comparisons to determine the balance of accounts and reasonability of data [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. When analytical procedures serve as substantive tests in the shift managers salary system, substantive analytical procedures may be conducted by auditors comprise of: (i) Trend Analysis The analysis of changes in an account balance over time [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Regular independent comparisons of shift managers salaries paid with budgets and previous year, through investigation of variances [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Expectation: Assuming that the budgeted shift managers salaries included the 3% increment in second half year and the 5% annual bonus, variances between actual and budgeted total salary expenses should persist at similar level. On the other hand, presuming that the number of total shift managers remained unchanged, only inflation rates supposed to take place when comparing current and previous years salary expenses. (ii) Ratio Analysis The comparison of relationships between financial statement accounts, the comparison of an account with non-financial data, or the comparison of relationships between firms in an industry [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of employment and rates payment of each shift manager in Blake Ltd from HR department [Porter, Simon Hatherly, 2008]. Calculation of aggregate amount and compare it with the actual salary disclosed in financial statement [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As non-financial data may serve as a basis for comparisons, the estimated total payrolls can be achieved through the multiplication of total number of shift managers with the mean salary rates. (iii) Reasonableness Testing The analysis of account balances or changes in account balances within an accounting period in terms of their reasonableness in light of expected relationships between accounts [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Procedure: Data collection of number of shift managers hired and terminated, the timing of pay changes (increment of 3% in July and annual bonus of 5% in November), and the effect of vacation and sick leave, a model on shift managers payroll expenses could be created [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Expectation: As reasonableness testing develop explicit information, the monthly salary expenses should be quite constant in the first half years and an approximately 3% increment took place from July onwards and a further increment in November due to the annual bonus paid. (d) Audit evidence can be obtained using various audit procedures, such as inspection. APART FROM THIS PROCEDURE, in respect of testing the accuracy of the time recording system at Blake Ltd, explain FOUR procedures used in collecting audit evidence and discuss whether the auditor will benefit from using each procedure. [8m] The collection and gathering of audit evidence lies at the heart of the audit, where Mautz and Sharaf claimed that Auditing in its entirety is made up of two functions, both closely concerned with evidence. The first one is the evidence-gathering function; the second is that of evidence evaluation. [Dunn, 1991]. Test of controls is the tool uses in testing the effectiveness of control policies and procedures in supporting the detection of control risk [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Apart from inspection, the procedures and techniques used in collecting audit evidence and the benefit to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system are as follows: (1) Confirmation The receipt of a written or oral response from an independent third party verifying the accuracy of information that was requested by the auditor [Loebbecke, 1999]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: As the evidence is from independent third party, it is highly persuasive. However, the time recoding system manufacturer may feel reluctant to share the weaknesses and problems of the system in order to protect its product and business. Due to the time constraint and the inconveniencies in obtaining information, this procedure is less likely to be selected by auditors. (2) Observation A control consists of looking at a process or procedure being performed by others [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005], which can be a significant procedure in determining whether the control system is operating [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure enables the auditor to find out whether collusion in logging-in and out among shift workers takes place. However, observation may not provide an accurate reflection as employees will usually perform duties appropriately while being observed. Hence, combination with other procedures in gathering evidence may be necessary step in order to achieve higher accuracy [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. (3) Recalculation The procedure of checking the arithmetical accuracy of source of documents and accounting records or performing independent calculations [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: Recalculation helps in confirming the total hours paid are the same with the total time logging-in and out on the time recording system. Recalculation may provide strong evidence but the evidence is rarely persuasive and conclusive by itself [Rick, Dassen, Schilder Wallage, 2005]. A further step via re-performance procedure may help in increasing the overall accuracy of the time recording system. (4) Analytical Procedure The analysis used to evaluate financial information by studying plausible and predictable relationships among both financial and non-financial data [Mascarenhas Turley, 1990]. Benefit/Applicability to auditor in testing the accuracy of time recording system: This procedure could be a reasonably effective test, which enables the auditor to monitor the number of total hours claimed (time recoding system) and the total cost of wages paid (computerized wage system) through standard costing system [Dunn, 1990]. Any excessive variance occurred should be investigated. In conclusion, auditors always face difficulties in deciding the most suitable procedures which is most appropriate to achieve the objective. Guideline on Audit Evidence suggests the following: Documentary evidence is more reliable than oral Evidence obtained from independent sources outside the enterprise is more persuasive than that secured solely from within Evidence originated by the auditor is more reliable than evidence obtained from others [Dunn, 1990]

chemistry (ocean) :: essays research papers

What is an iceberg? Why are they blue or green? An iceberg is a large floating block of freshwater ice that has broken off the edge of a glacier and been carried out to sea; about 90% of its mass lies under the water. The bluish streaks of clear, bubble free ice often seen in icebergs results from the refreezing of melt water which fills crevasses formed in the glacier as it creeps over land. The ice is blue because of the natural light scattering characteristics of pure ice. Occasionally airborne dust or dirt eroded from land ends up on the glacier surface eventually forming a noticeably darkened brown or black layer (in any orientation) within the ice of a floating iceberg. What type of information can scientists obtain from polar ice? Polar Regions and some alpine areas are sufficiently cold that snowfall accumulates from year to year, building up as glaciers. As snow at the surface gets buried with time it gets compressed to form solid ice and this ice carries with it information about the climate when the snow originally fell. By drilling down into a glacier and recovering this old ice, the information can be used to help understand past climate. The information obtained from ice cores can be divided into three types. The first of these types of information comes from the solid and dissolved impurities in the snow. Usually snow that falls in those places is almost pure water, but it still contains traces of dust, and pollutants from human activities. This information can be used to detect major environmental changes in the circulation of the atmosphere. The second type of information obtained from ice cores comes from bubbles in the glacier ice. These bubbles are formed as snow becomes compressed and the air between the flakes gets trapped. The third type of information obtained from ice cores comes from the frozen water itself. In the oceans, one in about every 500 oxygen atoms is the heavy isotope, while one in about 70 hydrogen atoms is heavy. However as the water evaporates and is transported to polar regions, the mix of the heavy isotopes changes. These changes are mostly influenced by temperature and it turns out that by measuring water isotopes in ice cores researchers can infer temperatures when the snow originally fell. In the past 30 years, many ice cores have been drilled to study past climate.

Bamboo Growth (Dracaena sanderiana) Essay -- Environment, Lucky Bamboo

This research was conducted to investigate light intensity effects on lucky bamboo vegetative growth in Azad University, Abhar Branch during 2008. The experiment was arranged as a complete randomized block design with 5 treatments (0.75, 1.14, 1.89, 2.29 and 4.09 Â µmol∙m-2∙s-1) in 10 replication. Results showed that 1.89 Â µmol/m-2/s-1 had significant differences from others treatments. The higher level of root number, shoot length and total weight of plants were obtained in 1.89 Â µmol∙m-2∙s-1 reatment. Number of shoot, shoot length and number of leaf per shoot were differ in different nodes and were highest in upping nod. Seedlings characteristics are during the growth time as a crucial factor in determining the ultimate fate of the plants. Therefore should be tried always seedlings have to very good condition. Seedling growth and quality are under influenced by environmental factors including light intensity (Lavendar, 1984). If environmental factors such as light intensity changes, also are under affect other factors and final quality of seedlings (Chaar et al., 1997). Seedling producers with changing and optimizing the light intensity regulated the seedlings growth, development, and plant vegetative quality (Lavendar, 1984). Lucky Bamboo with the scientific name Dracaena sanderiana has owned to Dracaenaceae family. This variety of dracaena does not belong to real bamboos of the Poaceae family. This plant are popular because beautiful leaves and robustness to apartment conditions. This plant is among plants that allowed indirect and low light intensity. So they classified in plants group with low light need (Brown, 2008). Brown (2008) reported ... ...results of this experiment showed that Lucky Bamboo is including Plants that have required too little light intensity. High light intensity can be cause yellowing of leaves. If want of results these experiments have a general recommendation for keeping these plants in apartment thus can say Because the total amount of light produced by sodium lamps with 400 watts at 3 meters distance is equivalent to 19 Â µmol s-1m-2. So use of a sodium or fluorescent lamp with 40 watts can to provide power equal to 1 / 9 Â µmol s-1m-2 for the plant (Barzegar & Yadegari, 2010). As that observed of this experiment the best treatment of light intensity for the optimum growth in Lucky bamboo plant is equivalent energy to 1 / 89 Â µmol s-1m-2. Can also provided light intensity needed for this shade-friendly plant with use a 40-watt incandescent lamp at a three meters distance apartment.

Analyse the key features of Virtue Ethics Essay

Virtue ethics is a custom which goes back to Plato and Aristotle; it is also known as aretaic ethics, from the Greek word arà ªte meaning excellence or virtue. There are a number of key features to virtue ethics, one of the most significant being that it is an agent-centered theory rather than act-centered theory. Therefore it asks the questions ‘What sort of person ought I to be?’ rather than ‘How ought I to act’. The concept does not focus on actions being right or wrong, but on how to be a good/virtuous person. Virtue ethics was re-examined and redeveloped in the twentieth century by philosophers such as G.E.M. Anscombe. Plato proposed that virtue ethics centers around the achievement of man’s highest good, which involves the right cultivation of his soul and the harmonious well-being of his life, otherwise known as eudaimonia. Additionally, Cardinal virtues are a vital feature to the proposal of virtue ethics, examples are: temperance, courage, prudence and justice. These Plato seemed to consider central virtues and that, when these virtues are in balance, a person’s actions will be good. However, there was not much agreement among the Greek philosophers about which virtues were central, and Aristotle gives a very different account of the virtues. Aristotle highlighted a significant feature to the theory as he sought to give an account of the structure of morality and explained, in his book Nicomachean Ethics, that the point of engaging in ethics is to become ‘good’. Here, Aristotle differentiates between things which are good as means and things which are good as ends. Additionally, Anscombe argues that eudaimonia is the highest good because we desire it for its own sake, and not just as a means to anything else at all. Other good things, such a justice, are desired because they lead to a good life, whereas good living itself is not wanted for anything which it might lead to; it is inherently worth having. Aristotle, highlighting another feature of the ethic, suggests that human well-being and human flourishing is a life characterized by the virtues. However, this good human life is one  lived in harmony and co-operation with other people, since Aristotle saw people as not only rational beings but also as social beings. We live in groups and he saw the well-being of the group as more important than that of a single member. Moreover, Aristotle believed that the best way to achieve eudaimonia was to develop and exercise qualities that are most productive for living in a society. Extremes of behavior, such as being too timid at one extreme or too assertive at the other, are unhelpful to society. This led Aristotle to create a crucial feature of virtue ethics, what he called the Golden Mean, which can be explained as: striking the right balance between extremes. Each extreme he called a ‘vice’, and the midway point where the right balance is struck he called a ‘virtue’. However, the mean is not the same of everything and depends on circumstance – you need to apply phronesis to decide on the right course of action on each situation. Aristotle was convinced that virtue is something which we acquire and not something which we have when we are born; different people are not inherently good or bad, but become good or bad according to the habits they develop in themselves. Therefore, Aristotle highlighted a key feature in the ethic that it is not enough to have the know-how or even the habit of behaving as the virtuous person does, the actions are not as important as the character, and therefore the virtuous behavior must be done with the right motivation, as the virtuous person would do them. In the twentieth century there was a revival of interest in virtue ethics by philosophers who were unhappy with act-centered ethical theories. Stressing key features to the theory, modern versions of virtue ethics argue that the assessment of a person’s character is an important aspect to our ethical thought and needs to be included in any ethical theory. In 1958 G.E.M. Anscombe published a paper called ‘Modern Moral Philosophy’ where she argued that the concept of moral rules and of moral obligations is flawed. She attacked the traditions of Utilitarianism and of Kant, which both set out principles for people to follow and which look at the morality of different actions, rather than at the character of the person. Anscombe argued that the idea that we have obligations to keep rules makes no sense unless people believe in God. Without any absolute law-giver, there is no sense in following laws in ethics. She saw that ethical systems which try to establish rules even after the idea of God has been abandoned are incoherent, not recognizing that their basis depends on belief which many people no longer hold. For Anscombe, the way forward is to revive the concept of human ‘flourishing’, eudaimonia, which does not depend on any notion of God. Philippa Foot attempted to modernise Aristotle’s virtue ethics while still keeping the Aristotelian understanding of character and virtue. She recognises the significant features to the ethic, such as the importance of the person’s own reasoning in the practice of virtue, claims that the virtues benefit the individual by leading to flourishing and stresses that the virtuous person does far more than conform to the conventions of society. Foot argues that a virtue does not operate as a virtue when turned to a bad end. Virtues are good for us and also help us to correct harmful human passions and temptations. Additionally, in his book After Virtue, Alasdair Macintyre claims that ethical theories have simple resulted in ethical disagreements. The result if this, he suggests, is that people do not think there are any moral truths and consider one opinion to be as good as any other opinion. Macintyre argues that most people’s attitudes today are based on emotivism. Macintyre added a vital feature to the ethic, as he wanted to restore the idea that morality should be seen in terms of human purpose, but he thought it would not be possible to restore Aristotle’s theory of function and so he attempted to make human function, and so human virtue, depend on community. According to virtue ethics, morality is not found in actions or in duties, but in the person performing the actions, the ‘agent’. Thus morality should focus on the person, and not necessarily on the choices they make in their moral behavior. The theory concentrates on being, rather than doing, and this crucial feature results in the contrasts with other forms of ethics,  which aim to show how to discover the right course of action. Although the system is based on ideals, it is no unrealistic, because it looks to actual examples of virtuous people, such as Martin Luther King or Jesus; it can therefore be seen to have attainable targets. It’s aim is to achieve something which people genuinely want, eudaimonia, rather than being based on arguably incoherent ideas about the after-life. Evaluate the extent to which virtue ethics can withstand criticism. Virtue ethics encompasses all aspects of life rather than particular actions. It sees every moment as the possibility for acquiring or developing virtue. Virtue ethics provides an alternative route for drawing on the tradition of moral philosophy in a way that’s a different from the natural law approach. It’s an alternative ethical model that fits Christian ethics and also reaches beyond religious ethics. However, some Christians may argue that, in modern society, the extent of the relevance of the ethic can be considered insignificant as it focuses on the fundamental issues of what it means to be human, rather than looking for rules. Therefore, virtue ethics does not pretend to be able to tell us what a good person would do in every situation but encourages us to be more like such a person so that we will not need an ethical theory to make our decisions for us. This asset strengthens the theory, possibly increasing the extent to which it can withstand criticism as it stresses the importance of character, providing the example: someone who helps the poor out of compassion does seem to be morally superior to someone who does it out of duty. Multiple criticisms have been voiced about the theory and many have reduced the degree to which the concept is valued in modern day society. For example, one criticism leveled against virtue theory is that it is far from replacing the arguments about moral duty and moral absolutes, it ultimately depends on them. Walter Schaller, in his works, argues that moral virtues have only ‘instrumental or derivative value’. Virtue ethics relies on the concept of duty and the idea that there are moral norms or absolutes. This point undermines the significance of virtue theory, as Macintyre was trying to get away from the arguments about duty and moral actions. On the other hand, Robert Louden criticises the theory by questioning how virtue ethics can be applied to moral dilemmas. He argued that virtue ethics does not help people facing a crisis because it does not give any clear rules for action, for example what is the virtuous response to abortion? Virtue ethics does not provide any concrete answers and only says it is a matter for the practical wisdom of the person facing the situation. However, some Christians may argue that this statement can be counteracted as a strength of the theory as a lack of concrete answers allows personal choice and freedom to decide what is morally virtuous, increasing it’s ability to withstand criticism. Louden also points out that it is difficult to decide who is virtuous, as acts which appear virtuous on the outside may not necessarily have good motives and vice versa. Nevertheless, virtue ethics counteracts this criticism as it, as a theory, enables us to integrate many aspects of life, such as our social responsibilities, into our ethical reflection; it looks at what makes life valuable rather than looking at what is right or wrong. It does not reject our emotions but includes them, and so is more in-tune with how people naturally react to an ethical dilemma. It relates our ethical choices to the bigger picture. Additionally, it has been argued that virtue ethics does not seem to have room for basic concepts such as rights and obligations. This therefore reduces the theory’s ability to withstand the criticisms proposed of it and thus reducing how relevant the theory is. As a theory of ethics is seems incapable of dealing with big issues – virtue ethics does not always have a view about what makes an act right or wrong. It is vague, therefore it is hard to make decisions. Moreover, the theory counteracts the criticisms aimed at it through the use of examples of virtuous people. Virtue ethics stresses the importance of motivating people to want to be good. Shows how we acquire and learn virtues by intimidating others. Examples of these virtuous people are Martin Luther  King and Jesus who both fought for supreme happiness for society. Conversely, criticisms have been constantly weakening the theory through questions such as ‘What is happiness?’ and ‘Does Aristotle’s supreme happiness exist?’. It has been argued that virtue ethics depends on some final end which gives shape to our lives – there may not be one and being virtuous may not effect it anyway. These factors significantly weaken the extent to which the theory has survived criticism especially as the ethic seems to praise some virtues that Christians might see as immoral, such as soldiers fighting unjust wars may be courageous but that doesn’t make them morally good. However, the theory has also been vitally strengthened for modern society through its acceptability of bias behavior in favor of friends and family, unlike utilitarianism or Kant, which see impartiality as important. The relevance of the concept is also supported through it’s avoidance of following a formula, such as utilitarianism: ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’, to work out what we ought to do and focuses instead on the kind of person we ought to be. Therefore it is a more practical way of making a decision easily. Overall, even though the criticisms of the theory are vital in reducing the extent to which it is valued in this present day, the strengths of the theory provide society with an ethical guideline as to how to be and what makes a virtuous person.

Improve Your Writing Essay

Use formal language: Passive voice and participles where possible 1.Because they do not want to trouble their parents some teenagers try to solve their problems themselves. Not wanting to trouble their parents some teenagers try to solve their problems themselves. 2. ÃŽâ„¢f we live close to our parents it can mean having less privacy. Living close to our parents it can mean having less privacy. 3. If we take everything into consideration effective strategy is required to face the issue. Taking everything into consideration†¦ 4.If you work as an employee in an established company, it has several positive features. Working as an employee in an established company, has several positive features.   5.If we provide prisoners with basic training courses in the use of tools or computers it will be more likely that prisoners will find employment after their release. Passive voice: If prisoners are provided with basic training courses in the use of tools or computers it will be more likely that prisoners will find employment after their release. Participle: If provided with basic training prisoners will be more likely to find employment after their release. 6. If we equip people with computer skills, they will be able to have access to a vast amount of information. Passive voice: If people are equipped with computer skills , they will be able to have access to a vast amount of information. Pariciple: If equipped with computer skills , people will be able to have access to a vast amount of information. 7. If it is properly managed such a program is bound to bring good results. If properly managed such a program†¦.. 8. I believe that if we have one’s freedom taken away is in itself, a serious enough punishment. I believe that having one’s freedom taken away is in itself, a serious enough punishment. 9. When we read we use our imagination When reading we use our imagination 10. There are considerable differences between the old and the young when they purchase electronic equipment. There are considerable differences between the old and the young when purchasing electronic equipment. 11.While we need government support to deal with the environmental problems, public awareness is also vital. While needing government support to deal with the environmental problems, public awareness is also vital.

Nike History Essay

1. HISTORY 1960s Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Nike Inc. as Blue Ribbon Sports with a handshake and only $1,000 in capital in 1964. The partners first began their relationship at the University of Oregon where Bowerman was Knight’s track and field coach. While attending Stanford University, Knight wrote a paper about breaking Germany’s domination of the U.S. domestic athletic shoe industry by distributing low-cost, high-quality Japanese athletic shoes to American consumers. In an attempt to realize his theory, Knight visited Japan and built an agreement with the Onitsuka Tiger company, a manufacturer of quality athletic shoes, to sell Tiger shoes in the United States. Since Bowerman and Knight each had full-time jobs, they needed someone to manage the growing requirements of Blue Ribbon Sports. Jeff Johnson, a runner himself, became the first full-time employee of Blue Ribbon Sports in 1965, and quickly became an indispensable man for the start-up company. Knight sold Tiger’s shoes at local track meets grossing $8,000 of sales in their first year. In 1966, Bowerman, who had designed shoes for his university athletes in the past, worked with Tiger and designed the Cortez running shoe. The shoe was a worldwide success for the Onitsuka Tiger Company and was sold at the first Blue Ribbon Sports store. The company’s profits grew quickly. During the same year, BRS (Blue Ribbon Sports) also opened its first retail store, located on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California. 1970s In 1971, BRS, with some creditor’s support, started manufacturing its own line of shoes, and therefore its relationship with Onitsuka Tiger started to fall apart. Knight and Bowerman were ready to make the jump from being a footwear distributor to designing and manufacturing their own brand of athletic shoes. The first BRS’ shoe was a soccer shoe that bore the Nike brand name, referring to the Greek Goddess of Victory, and the Swoosh trademark, which was designed by a student at Portland University for a fee of only $35. 1972 marked the definite breakup of the BRS/Tiger relationship. BRS soon changed its name to Nike, Inc. and debuted itself at the Olympic trials, which were about to be held in the same year. In 1973, Steve  Prefontaine was the first prominent track star to wear Nike shoes. The late 70’s and early 80’s also saw other important athletes such as John McEnroe, Carl Lewis, and Joan Benoit sporting Nike shoes. Nike popularity grew so much that in 1979 they claimed 50% of the U.S. market and the company went public in December of that year with 2,700 employees and by selling 2 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange. 1980s The 1980’s were marked by revenues of more than $1 billion, the formation of Nike International Ltd., and the â€Å"Just Do It† campaign (1988), which was chosen by Advertising Age as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century. The series of this campaign included three advertisements with a young athlete named Bo Jackson, who espoused the benefits of a new cross-training shoe. By the mid-1980s, Nike slipped from its position as industry leader, partly because the company had miscalculated on the industry boom, giving new competitors an almost completely open field to develop the business. Fortunately though, the debut of the new signature shoe for an NBA recruit by the name of Michael Jordan in 1985 helped strenghten Nike’s bottom line. In 1989, Nike’s business exploded, thanks in part to the incredibly popular â€Å"Bo Knows† advertiement campaign. Nike also expanded its product line by including specialty apparel for a variety of sports. By the end of the decade, Nike had regained its position as the industry leader. This was the only time a company in the athletic footwear/apparel industry had accomplished such a challenge. Nike has been in that position ever since. 1990s In 1990, Nike surpassed the $2 billion mark in revenue with 5,300 employees worldwide. In November of the same year, Portland became the first home to a new retail experience called Niketown, which would earn numerous architectural design and retail awards and produce several other Niketown locations both around the USA and internationally. Throughout the 90’s, Nike’s revenues kept increasing and reached $8.8 billion in 1999. These revenues grew because of several improvements in shoe technology and excellent marketing campaigns. In 1992 international revenues reached $1 billion for the first time and accounted for over one-third of our total revenues. Such growth continued throughout the 1990’s as Nike kept focusing  our on major sporting events like the World Cup, and the next generation of celebrity athletes, such as Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and the women playing women’s professional basketball (WNBA). At the end of the 90’s, Nike’s goal, is to become a truly global brand. 2000s At the beginning of the 2000s, Nike introduced a new footwear cushioning system called Nike Shox, which debuted during Sydney in 2000. Just as Nike’s products have evolved, so has Nike’s approach to marketing. The 2002 â€Å"Secret Tournament† campaign, by being Nike’s first truly integrated, global marketing effort, was a multi-faced consumer experience in support of the World Cup, quite different from the traditional â€Å"big athlete, big ad, big product† formula. â€Å"Secret Tournament† incorporated advertising, the Internet, public relations, retail and consumer events to create excitement for Nike’s soccer products and athletes in a way no single ad could ever achieve. This new integrated approach has become the founding element for Nike marketing and communications. Today, Nike continues to seek new and innovative ways to develop superior athletic products, and creative methods to communicate directly with consumers (Nike Free, Nike+ and Nike Sphere are some examples of this technique); in fact, over 40% of Nike Inc.’s sales come from athletic apparel, sports equipment, and subsidiary ventures. Nike Inc. has been able to attain this premier position through â€Å"quality production, innovative products, and aggressive marketing.† Acquisitions As of November 2008, Nike, Inc. owns four key subsidiaries: Cole Haan (1988), Hurley International (2002), Converse Inc. (2003), Umbro (2008), and Nike GOLF (2009).

Development of Sexual Identity

Ethical relativism means, that I reject the Idea that there Is a single correct moral view. I think this because I believe that everyone has a right to choose and have their own moral view. I also think that in my own opinion that everyone that wants to do or say or feel a certain way should be able to and that no matter how much people say it may be wrong they should be able to show how we feel. I have also thought about critical thinking a lot different when it comes to sexuality. I think that we as younger adults, considering I am only 28, need to stop and think about the decisions that we eke as we are growing up.Now a days kids are getting younger and younger when they are having their babies, but the problem is that they are still babies themselves. They are ruing their lives and in some cases their baby's lives as well. Society needs to stop with all the media and showing the good things with babies and show the more negative things. With me though if I would have known what I know now I do not think that I would have had a child at 20, but no matter what I would not change it for anything and I know it is hard but in my opinion it was and is worth it. ;Describe the effect of environment and historical perspectives on your sexuality. In the environment that I was raised, I was raised to be tough and to be a manly man. My father really did not like gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual people and even treated them like they were nothing. I understand that if I was gay I would have been â€Å"disc- owned† and probably thrown out of the family, I did though have a lesbian cousin and I think that it must be the way my dad and his family were raised because her dad was very, very rude and really disheartening towards her.Being that my dad Is Native American and his family Is very proud I think that Just being raised around this type of family and their values can really affect you as a person. I think that the historical perspectives have really had no Influence on me personally because I think that we should learn from the past and historical events but we can choose whether or not to actually use them In our lives or make our lives ;our lives† that we live. ; Discuss the development of your gender Identity.A few things that have helped me In determining my gender Identity are that I have always felt that I need to take care of my family and to do my best when I am trying, his is one of the reasons that I chose to go back to school and further my education Ana try to get a netter JODI winner I can earn more money Ana Tell netter Dialectally secure about our future. I always feel that growing up my dad did a lot of working and really never spent time with us kids and I was always told that it was because he needed to take care of us kids and the family.And if I have gotten anything from him it was that taking care of your family was the first and most important thing to do. Another is that I am a sports fanatic and love the competitio n that comes with it. While watching TV. Hen I was younger I really never got what was happening but I knew that my dad did it so I thought it was the right thing to do. And when our team lost he was disappointed and really showed, so I thought that was normal activity, but I know now that it is Just a game and am now teaching my son that it is k to loose but having fun is the main goal.And lastly, and one of the most important things that I would say helped me with my gender identity was that growing up boys were the ;tough† ones and the girls were the ;weak' ones of course now that I am older I know that this untrue and that some girls are in fact stronger than some guys. Even though now that I think about it I and how wrong I really was I Just laugh about it because we were kids and it was only the perception of other kids that influenced me. ; Analyze the effect of attraction and love in your relationships.I think that the effect that attraction has had on me in my relatio nships has a lot of who I dated when I was younger. I used to see a girl that I felt was attractive and try to ask her out on a date. Then as I got older I used to see a girl that was attractive to me and I would try to take her out and start a relationship with her based solely on the first initial attraction. I understand that a real and stable relationship takes a whole lot more than Just looks to be a successful relationship and to be serious.I now am married to the most wonderful women on this planet and really and truly understand love. She is my best friend, my lover, and my world. We have nothing in common but that is what makes it so much fun, every day we either try something different or Just hang out together. Being different I think is Just like people say ;opposites attract† well in our case it has and I believe that life could not get any better. To me love really means something a to deeper than to other people.To me it means to love unconditionally and no matt er what you do not give up on that person Just because you or they are mad. So when I say ;l love you† I really mean it with all my heart and it is not Just a turn of phrase to me, like some of these kids that Just through it out there to Just say it. ; Discuss another topic of this course that is interesting and useful to you. Relate this topic to your life. I think that after taking this course another topic that has interested me and really related to my life is that of child and sexual molesters.The reason that this topic has really interested me is because I personally think that these men and women are very mentally and physically sick people. I think that these people should be giving help but only if they admit that they have done wrong and need the help. Now some people that think that this may be something they need to say to get out of Jail or whatever else that they are being held in, but they are only saying this to get out and are more than likely going to refine d and hurt someone else's child or them personally by raping them.I think that we as a society need to make a law that is a en strike for these offenders and be put away for life. I have a child and I know that being a father and if one was to hurt or molest my son I would be engulfed with rage Tanat may not De addle to nylon Deck IT I met ten person won a a It. So In my pollen I think that this would not only be looking out for the children but for the person who did this and to the parents or loved ones that the sex offender has done this to.Many people think that there should be either stricter rules for sex offenders and some think that the laws are fine as long as they register as a sex offender, but I think that story has shown that many of them go out and refined and hurt another child or person. So instead of stopping this while we could at the first time that they did it we let them out and they go out and destroy another life. I think that this is Just too risky and should leave them in the prisons to live their life out.An idea that I would suggest is that maybe build a facility on an island to serve as a place to put offenders and let them live a normal life but far, far away from people they may hurt and the children they may hurt. Now that I am done with this class I will still be doing my own research on a lot of he things that we have learned here and I hope to be able to pass them on not only to my kids but to anyone that may want to learn about this as well.This class has not only taught me a lot but it has opened my eyes to things that I may have never known or even thought about learning. I thank you and I hope that one day I may be able to share this with people to ensure that we understand our bodies and how they work, and what to do when things happen to us. Format your personal response consistent with PAP guidelines. Post your personal response as an attachment.

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay Example for Free

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay It is clear that the establishment of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) act in 2002 was specific to reducing future financial fraud and imposing criminal penalties for publicly traded companies. What is not clear is whether or not the act has proved to be successful in its implementation and governance. The establishment of the act and subsequent amendments are intended to protect the public from fraud in the financial accounting of publicly traded corporations. In 2002, there were opinions both for and against the effectiveness of SOX. More than a decade later, there are still opinions on both sides of the debate. Criticism of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act The effectiveness of the Sarbanes-Oxley act has been highly criticized since its inception. One of the major contentions is that the Sarbanes-Oxley act has no provisions to differentiate the requirements for small publicly traded businesses from large conglomerates (that lead and often monopolize the marketplace). Publicly traded companies that are small in size may find the costs of compliance prohibitive to the future of their business (Coustan, 2004). Critics of SOX believe that this unnecessarily reduces the number of players in a competitive marketplace. The cost of compliance can be excessive for some smaller companies. Auditing expenses cause companies to seek private investment and become privately owned (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). Ten years ago, critics expressed â€Å"fears that small, publicly listed companies might not meet internal control reporting requirements without substantial additional expense; some may have to delist because of it. It could mean only larger companies will go public† (Coustan, 2004, p. 1). In recent years, this debate continues. Critics still express concerns â€Å"that Sarbanes-Oxley is overreaching and has placed unnecessary  restrictions on corporations that have and will continue to unduly inhibit corporate performance until they are removed† (Brite, 2013). Another major contention of critics is that the costs of compliance for outweigh the benefits in an international marketplace. Those against SOX feel that the costs outweigh the benefits and speak out in public forums stating that the â€Å"Sarbanes-Oxley has burdened the US financial market with costly rules and regulations that have reduced international competitiveness† (debate.org, 2014). There are those that openly share the opinion that the implementations of regulatory overkill through the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley act â€Å"wrongfully make the innocent suffer for the guilty† (Gilmore, 2013). The reporting requirements of SOX are specific to businesses in the United States. Unlike American business, international business does not have the same requirements. â€Å"Regulatory compliance opposes economic costs on organizations and can affect their competitive advantage† (Srinivasan, 2014, p. 44). Increasing the cost for American business decreases competitive advantage in the worldwide marketplace. In addition to cost and competitive advantage, the structure of the bill has also been called into question. The Court of Appeals recently found difficulty with the wording of the amended 18 USC, citing that â€Å"paragraph (b) of the statute includes the word â€Å"knowingly† while paragraph (c) does not† (Bishop, 2013). The opinions of the Court of Appeals lends to the public opinion expressed in published CPA perspectives that â€Å"SOX was a hastily assembled bill† (Moran, 2013). Involved and cumbersome requirements cause confusion and frustration for companies attempting to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley act even more than a decade after its implementation. Companies and lawmakers alike have had difficulty over the years with the interpretation of and compliance with the act. â€Å"SOX brought about many changes to the way public companies had to operate, and there was some question as to how these would stand up over time† (Moran, 2013). Positive Aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Despite complaints by critics, there are positive aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley act that have withstood the test of time. Initial reactions have softened after smaller businesses were granted some relief in later amendments of the act. Larger businesses found that compliance with the act  increased investor confidence and contributions. In addition, the resultant increase in financial transparency has improved business relationships on many levels. First and foremost, there are many of the opinion that the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increased investor confidence and protection in the marketplace. â€Å"Does Sarbanes-Oxley prevent all bad actors from defrauding investors? No law could accomplish that. But it can and has deterred such activity† (Gillian, 2012, p. 1). Those in support of the Sarbanes-Oxley act agree that there is a positive side for investors and the businesses in which they invest. â€Å"A 2005 survey by the Financial Executives Research Foundation f ound that 83 percent of large company CFOs agreed that SOX had increased investor confidence, with 33 percent agreeing that it had reduced fraud† (Hanna, 2014, p. 2). With an increase in confidence and a perceived reduction of fraud, investors could more confidently make intelligent business decisions on the purchase and sale of publicly traded companies. Those on the positive side of the SOX act believe that the effects on small business have softened. Studies show that as companies become more accustomed to the costs of compliance, the expense decreases (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). In addition, the effects on smaller companies were ultimately deferred. â€Å"Audit standards also were modified in 2007, a change that reportedly reduced costs for many firms by 25 percent or more per year† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). Although the costs of compliance decrease retained earnings, investors are more confident in the reliability of company reports (Gillian, 2012). â€Å"The cost of being a publicly traded company did cause some firms to go private, but research shows these were primarily organizations that were smaller, less liquid, and more fraud-prone† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). These modifications of the act allowed more small businesses to remain competitive in the marketplace. Business relationships have also improved with increased transparency. The reduction of information asymmetry is a direct benefit to both the company and the investors. â€Å"Information asymmetry is a situation in which one party in a transaction has more or superior information compared to another† (Brite, 2013, p. 1). Periodic testing of internal controls required by SOX 404, increases transparency among internal and external stakeholders of the business. The American Institute of CPAs states on their website that â€Å"section 404B has led to improve financial reporting and greater  transparency† (American Institute of CPAs, 2006 – 2014). To evaluate the effectiveness of SOX in preventing future frauds, one must take into consideration the many different situations in which the legislation is applicable. Enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increases corporate responsibility and sets restrictions on auditor services. This certainly reduces the potential for fraud; however it does not eliminate it. From a business perspective, compliance is beneficial. The costs of implementing the requirements may be high; however the benefit of increased investor confidence in a publicly traded environment is higher. There are going to be situations in which fraud is inevitable. Fraudulent wrongdoers and companies will find loopholes and the recent Court of Appeals case is evidence of that fact. As with any law, this regulation will reduce the frequency of, but not prevent, purposeful future criminal activity. References American Institute of CPAs. (2006 – 2014). Section 404B of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. believe the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has failed? -believe-the-sarbanes-oxley-act-has-failed Gillian, K. (2012, July 24). It Enhanced Investor Protection.

Culture Diversity between Saudi and Indian Cultures Assignment

Culture Diversity between Saudi and Indian Cultures - Assignment Example The Indian culture is probably one of the oldest and most unique cultures. Various parts of India, the south, north and northeast have distinct cultures of their own. From the interview, one would get to learn that in the various states of India, almost every state has created its own cultural niche. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is also a rich culture which has mainly been shaped by the Islamic religion. Trade has also played a great role in enriching Arabian culture ever since the ancient time, as well as, its Bedouin traditions. In India religion is the way of life. Their religious beliefs and practices play a huge role in the culture and traditions of the Indian people (Hardy 69). However, the Indian society has really not changed. On the contrary, the Saudi society has gone through many developments over the years. The people of Saudi Arabia have with time dropped their traditions and values, their customs, their style of dressing and hospitality and adopted the modern way of doing things (Hardy 73). On the other hand, Indians up to date, still upholds their style of dressing, performing daily rituals and customs. The greatest similarity between the two is that their cultures are based mainly on the religion. For Indians, it is a pure religion while for Saudis it is Islam and Arab culture intertwined. Both Indian and Saudis are very welcoming to strangers, friends and family. In addition, Indians have many religions which include: Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrian religions, while, Islam is the main religion for the people of Saudi Arabia. There exist a small percentage of Christians and Hindus who are primarily noncitizens from other countries (Hardy 77). In addition, to that Hindus are not allowed to worship in Saudi Arabia. Conversion from  Islam to another religion could result in a death sentence as punishment. However, in India, Hinduism is the main religion with over eight percent of the population being Hindu. Buddhism is the second most popular religion whereas Islam is the leading religion in India.

Jewish Ghettos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jewish Ghettos - Essay Example The Nazis were particularly skilled in manipulating the Jews, who believed that they were merely being transported to other concentration camps or ghettos for work.4 This paper aims to describe the Jewish ghettos during the Holocaust and begins with an overview of its purposes and characteristics. It also describes the transportation to the ghettos, the everyday conditions in it, and its effects on the Jews. The ghettos served to deceive the Jews, as it became the first step of dehumanizing and exterminating the Jewish race, but not all Jews succumbed to despair. Instead, Jewish survivors used hope, faith, ingenuity, and creativity to survive inhumane conditions in the ghettos. The ghettoization of the Jews The ghettos are different from concentration camps in several respects: they were used as temporary Jewish settlements that were prepared for work or death in concentration camps; they served to break the spirits of the Jews, so that they could no longer mount a strong resistance against the Germans; they provided free labor for Germans who needed the workforce to sustain the war; and they supported German plan for the dehumanization and extermination of the Jews.5 The ghettos forced Jews to work in squalid conditions, including the middle class and upper-class, who were professionals, thereby defeating their spirit and ensuring better control over them.6 Though the Nazis ordered self-regulation in the form of Jewish councils, the former still controlled details of everyday life in the ghettos, including forcing the Jews to wear six-pointed stars in their clothing, reducing access to food and other essentials, and controlling their mobility, as well as their access to news outside the ghettos.7 Not every ghetto is the same, however, and conditions varied greatly, depending on the nature and efforts of the ghetto leaders and several economic and social factors. Other ghettos lacked access to basic commodities, such as food and clothing, and services, such as hospitals, schools, and churches. Some examples are the Minsk and Lubcz ghettos.8 Other ghettos fared better, in terms of the Jews having opportunities to continue education and the practice of their religion in varying extents. Several examples are the Warsaw ghetto9 and Jewish ghetto in East Upper Silesia.10 Despite some advantages provided in a number of ghettos, the Jews remained slaves to their German captors. Because of their cramped houses and appalling work conditions, many Jews yielded to hopelessness too, especially after witnessing massive deaths, rapes, and plunder of their homes and communities.11 Transportation to the ghettos The Jews were mostly transported to the ghettos by train.12 When transferred to nearby ghettos, they walked on foot.13 The transportation stage triggered the process of dehumanizing the Jews. In Night, Elie Weisel was only fifteen years old, when he experienced several ghettos and concentration camps. He remembers the cramped conditions of the tra ins that signaled their loss of human rights and liberties. Moreover, the train was a place of violence and despondency: â€Å"Anti-Semitic acts take place every day in the streets, on the trains.†14 Even affluent Jews did not escape the hardships of transportation. As they were forced to leave their homes, they were stripped of their properties. Their relocation to the slums held symbolic meaning: they were no longer human

Utopian community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Utopian community - Essay Example Utopian Communities came into existence mainly in the early 19th Century. Most of the utopian communities were the outcome of the disruption caused in the society because of the development in commercialism and capitalism. The main idea behind forming these communities was to form an ideal and perfect society, which would act as a role model for the world.These utopians were condemned as heretics and were looked down upon by the other members of society. Yet these people were not discouraged and strove hard to run it.Utopian communities disintegrated after few years as their lifestyle was strongly opposed by the other members of society. One such example is of Brook Farm, a utopian community, which was formed by a group of transcendentalists who were great scholars and personalities of high demeanor. They too wanted to set an example of a perfect society by experimenting to form a community.Although, the Brook farmers did not leave their traces behind, we learn about their lives at B rook Farm, from the memoirs written by the members of Brook Farm. The members like Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Peabody, Mr. Dwight, Mr. Emerson and Mr. John Van had written biographies or articles in journals that became the primary sources of knowledge about Brook Farm. It is because of these great literary people or scholars that we readers have got the benefit of knowing about the Utopian Community. The articles written by these members gives detailed accounts of how the community was formed, what were the reasons that prompted the head of the community to take such an extreme step of separating from the society and forming a different world. According to these sources, Brook Farm was founded by George Ripley, a transcendentalist from Boston. The community was formed as a joint stock company. In the book written by Rose, Anne titled 'Transcendentalism as a Social Movement,' we find a detailed account of the social reform movement initiated by the transcendentalists and also about how the Brook Farm Community was formed. Before the community was formed George Ripley was a Minister of 'The Purchase Street' in Boston. He was against the views of Andrew Norton, a biblical scholar, of separating the pastor of the church from the sympathies of the people and confining him to a sphere of thought far off from his interests and reducing his services to being a mere educationist (Gordon). Norton too was against the idea of Ripley forming a new Church of his own. He considered this act of Ripley as injurious to the religious belief of the people. But Emerson supported Ripley's decision of forming a new church because he thought that Ripley's church would be "something more than mere Sunday gathering place" (Gordon). He decided to resign from the ministry. In his letter to the Congregational Church in Purchase Street, George Ripley clarifies his aim of breaking free from the hypocritical American Society, which has lot of vices like discriminations and inequalities, false pride, lack of concern for common man, unhealthy competition, lack of desire for the redemption of the masses and tendency of fulfilling selfish motives in the name of God. Thus Brook Farm was established by a group of seventeen members including George Ripley and his wife Sophia Ripley. In his letter to Emerson, he has stated his goal of establishing Brook Farm. In this letter he has very clearly stated that the transcendentalists in this community had dreamt of living a life, which would be devoid of prejudices, and there would be no discrimination as such. All the members, no matter to which fraternity they belonged to, be it writer or poet had to labor in the field. They will get the much-desired mental freedom and will be given an opportunity to