The Supply Chain - 1013 Words

INTEGRATING THE SUPPLY CHAIN Case Study - Friedland Timbers co. Johann Klassen is the Managing Director of Friedland Timbers co. which makes specialised wood products for the construction industry. He has recently been worried by late deliveries to some important customers. The industry is very competitive, and Johann knows that customers will go to other suppliers if he cannot guarantee deliveries. The marketing manager is particularly upset because he has worked with these customers for a long time, and promised deliveries that were not made. Johann asked the production manager for an explanation. She told him that ‘Our own suppliers were late in delivering certain types of wood. This shortage of a key raw material disrupted our†¦show more content†¦You may use your logistics textbooks or our case studies to help you think of solutions. You may also use Chapter 2 of the online pdf Palgrave MacMillan: Logistics, an introduction to Supply chain Management. Problem Solution Paper – Basic (Friedland Timbers co. Assignment) Intro/1 | |Need to have a problem statement that identifies a problem; a three part thesis will help you stay focused. | | |For example: As more of us purchase things online using credit cards, we need to be concerned about the problem of identity | | |theft. There are three things you need to do to make sure that it doesn t happen to you. | BODY section/2 Present Problem (rising costs) | |Present Background Information--inform your reader about the problem | | |You need to inform your reader about the issue before you can persuade him or her to think that your argument makes sense. | | |What is the problem? | | |What caused it? | | |Who is affected? | | |What are itsShow MoreRelatedSupply Chain Standards For Supply Chains1564 Words   |  7 PagesSetting Supply Chain Standards to Improve Supply Chain Management In 2002 congress considered legislation authorizing $47 million to help develop supply chain integration standards. Since the introduction of the bill to integrate supply chains, The legislation, The Enterprise Integration Act of 2002, was enacted to authorize the National Institute of Standard and Technology to work with major manufacturing industries on an initiative of standards development and implementation for electronic enterpriseRead MoreSupply Chain Management : Supply Chains1476 Words   |  6 Pages1.3 Supply Chain Supply chains encompass the companies and the business activities needed to design, make, deliver, and use a product or service. Businesses depend on their supply chains to provide them with what they need to survive and thrive. Every business fits into one or more supply chains and has a role to play in each of them. The pace of change and the uncertainty about how markets will evolve has made it increasingly important for companies to be aware of the supply chains they participateRead MoreSupply Chain Management Of Supply Chains1188 Words   |  5 Pagesthe supply chain, not just a simple competition between enterprises. In order to win the competition in the supply chain, which means it must be through the management of the supply chain. Currently supply chains become more integrated, more global, the high-speed development of information technology has become an important driving force. In this report will explore the development of supply chain management technologies and impor tant role. Supply chain and technologies role Supply chain is theRead MoreSupply Chain Management : Supply Chains Essay831 Words   |  4 Pagesto answer the question of what is supply chain management we must know what a supply chain is. According to (Mentzer et al., 2001, p. 1) â€Å"Supply chain is defined as the network of organisations which are involved in different processes that produce value either in the form of products or services delivered to consumers†. A supply chain is made up of suppliers, manufactures and distributors, a good way of looking at this is the supply chain pipeline. A supply chain is seen as an enabler, this is whyRead MoreThe Supply Chain Of Supply Chains1235 Words   |  5 PagesSupply chains has been relevantly defined as a â€Å"system of organizations which are convoluted through upstream and downstream linkages, in the diverse methodologies and activities that create benefit in the form of services and products in the hands of a definitive consumer†, and is therefore the sum to tal of efforts in integrating a network of firms and coordination as regards information, material and financial flows. Interestingly, the two main supply chain objectives have moved, from decreasingRead MoreSupply Chain2191 Words   |  9 Pages1. Amazon.com, Peapod, Dell, and many furniture manufacturers use push-pull supply chain strategies. Describe how each of these companies takes advantage of the risk-pooling concept. To better understand the strategies used by the three (3) companies and furniture manufacturers, the definition of Push or Pull is established below: Push Strategies – when the manufacturer uses its sales force and trade promotion money to induce intermediaries to carry, promote, and sell the product to end users. Read MoreSupply Chain1145 Words   |  5 Pages1 Components of Supply Chain Management (SCM) The main elements of a supply chain include purchasing, operations, distribution, and integration. The supply chain begins with purchasing. Purchasing managers or buyers are typically responsible for determining which products their company will sell, sourcing product suppliers and vendors, and procuring products from vendors at prices and terms that meets profitability goals. Supply chain operations focus on demand planning, forecasting, and inventoryRead MoreSupply Chain1137 Words   |  5 Pages(FBE) Supply Chain Management Application amp; Strategy CASE 1 : Supply chain challenges at Leapfrog SCML 460: Supply Chain Management Application amp; Strategy Context: Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 3 Questions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 3 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 5 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ page 6 Introduction: Our case study is about Supply Chain Challenges at LEAPFROG. The term supply chain conjuresRead MoreSupply Chain1751 Words   |  8 Pagessell and deliver goods and services to a first tier supplier. An automobile company could have a second tier supplier that would supply materials or parts to another company which would then supply materials or parts to another company which would then supply them to the manufacturer. A real world example of a second-tier supplier is â€Å"Wisconsin Aluminium† which supplies aluminium fuel filter housing to Mechanical Devices Company. Mechanical Devices uses the fuel filter housing on an engine componentRead MoreThe Supply Chain Management Of Supply Chains1372 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world. Supply chains are now very complex and flourishing in the global marketplace, but only constructed and managed correctly. My discipline is supply chain management. There are many different functions of the supply chain that m ake it what it is. Breaking this discipline down to specific job task is difficult because each process in a supply chain, no matter how complex is connected with at least one other process in the supply chain. There is no clear definition of a supply chain. A supply

Ultimate Love in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura...

Ultimate Love in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Laura Esquivels Like Water for Chocolate is a love story set in Mexico, interspersed with recipes, related in unadorned, uncomplicated language. Yet when the ingredients are combined and simmer, subtle and unusual flavors emerge. On one level, this is the story of Tita, youngest daughter of the formidable matriarch Mama Elena who forbids Tita to marry her true love Pedro because tradition says that the youngest daughter must care for her mother until her death. When Pedro marries Titas oldest sister in order to be near Tita, it begins a life-long conflict filled with passion, deception, anger, and pure love. Interwoven throughout the narrative are the recipes, which, like†¦show more content†¦As a toddler she spent her days witnessing the magic that Nacha manifested every time she set herself to make a platter. Tita was her apprentice and without knowing it, little by little, she completely embodied the power to cook, and what?s more, to reveal herself through her food. Wh en she had no other way to express herself, food became her mode of communication. Mama Elena?s cruel appointing of Tita as head of all the preparations for the wedding of her sister Rosaura and the man that Tita loved, resulted very tragically. While baking the cake with Nacha, Tita?s tears sank into the batter of the cake, and acted as poisonous toxins that nauseated all those who ate it, ruining the wedding, and killing Nacha herself, who also tasted Tita?s melancholy teardrops: Weeping was just the first symptom of a strange intoxication -an acute attack of pain and frustration- that seized the guests and scattered them across the patio and the grounds and in the bathrooms, all of them wailing over their lost loves (39). Her feelings towards the other nuptial that occurs in the novel are completely different since it occurs much later in her life and Mama Elena and all the forces that were against her, had vanished. At her niece?s wedding, Tita felt so much happiness in preparing all the edibles that everyone complimented her food and those who dared to ask her for the secret recipe only received the reply: ?The secret is to make it with love? (239). As inShow MoreRelatedArticle Summary of From Kitchen Tales to Table Narratives1447 Words   |  6 Pageserotic are seen as mutually incompatible when depicting women in literature. However, through the use of food in Hispanic fiction, many women authors have attempted to bridge this divide. The bodies of women have often been portrayed as confections like dessert, but the act of preparing food can also take on an erotic resonance of nurturing. In some readings of Hispanic womens fiction this has been read as empowering but Maite Zubiaurre argues in h er essay Culinary Eros in Contemporary HispanicRead MoreHow Is Family Honor Portrayed in the Novels Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel?1723 Words   |  7 PagesHow is family honor portrayed in the novels Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel? Honor can be perceived in different ways – to some it may be the integrity of their beliefs, while to others it may be a source of dignity and social distinction. In the context of Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Like Water for Chocolate, which are both set in Latin American cultures, the adherence to family honor and values are viewed as one of the highestRead MoreRebellion Against Oppression1599 Words   |  7 PagesHow Does Oppression Within â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† and â€Å"The House of Bernarda Alba† Lead To Unnatural Consequences? In both ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ and ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ rebellion against oppression is a strong theme, with both Tita and Adela struggling to break free of their mother’s authoritarianism. However, it is important to realise that with both characters, the authors are using them to symbolise their own journeys. Federico Garcia Lorca uses Adela’s strong willed fightRead MoreThe Role of Gender In Like Water for Chocolate and The Boarding House1575 Words   |  7 Pagestraditions. Some families place such a large importance on that role that it is impossible for a person to achieve his or her goals or live his or her life. Society binds people to strict standards that are difficult to avoid. In Laura Esquivels Like Water for Chocolate, Tita is forced to follow the tradition of her family. She cannot marry and is doomed to serve her mother for the rest of her life. Her two sisters, Rosaura and Gertrudis, are also effected by this tradition, but in different waysRead MoreLike Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel1641 Words   |  7 Pagescourage for those who are afraid, infuses hope to those who are desperate, and grants strength to those who are oppressed. However, for the idea to come to reality, one must be mature enough to embrace and act upon it. The novel Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel tells the story of Tita, a young girl who lives under the iron fisted rule of Mama Elena. From a young inexperienced girl, to a full grown and independent woman, Tita fights against Mama Elena’s rules before and after her death,

Performance Evaluation on Product Quality †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Performance Evaluation on Product Quality. Answer: The performance management system is an integral part of the human resource management of the organization. The performance management system should be directed at increasing the performance of the human resources by providing them with constant motivation and self-awareness. The performance management system should be focused on evaluating the performance of the employees so that they their strength can be increased and weakness can be removed. It is important that the performance management system should be able to motivate the employees to work hard and achieve new heights in their performance. Therefore, it is important that the organization build relationships with its employees to keep them engaged with the organizations goals. The human resources are the most important asset to the organization; therefore, it is important to keep them engaged and motivated in the organization. The organization can invest in training and development of the employees so that the efficiency of th e employees can be improved. CERA can also focus on one-to-one mentor relationships so that the organization can establish relationship with the employees. CERA should also try to shape positive culture of the organization so that an inclusive and productive environment can be fostered in the organization. The employees will be more satisfied and engaged with their work in a positive organization culture. Diversity and inclusiveness is also essential components of the organization culture. In the performance management system, CERA should try to provide equal opportunities to all the employees and evaluate their performance fairly and accurately in order to increase employee satisfaction. Response as Israel Tobin Performance management system is essential for the employees. It is important to evaluate the performance of the employees to assist them in their career growth. Although the performance of the employees should be evaluated according to punctuality, customer feedback, product quality, it is important to provide flexibility to the employees. Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that the employees are not perfect and may commit error in their tenure. The organization should focus on the development of the employees. If the employees are having certain weaknesses, it is important for the organization to identify them and assist them in addressing the weaknesses. However, in order to maintain the quality of work from the employers, the organization should implement certain quality standards. The employees should meet certain quality benchmarks to maintain the quality standards of the organization. The company should conduct performance evaluation on the product quality. Conclusion: The employees are significant asset to the organization and the organization must maintain positive work culture in order to foster their productivity. It is important to evaluate the attitude of the employees in order to maintain positive work culture. The organization should also focus on giving behavioural training to the employees in order to increase positive work culture in the organization. However, maintaining the decorum of the organization is also essential for the organization. Therefore, it is agreed that the organization should develop and implement stringent policies so that the employees remain disciplined. It is agreed that the employees should be punctual at their workplace in order to maintain their performance objectives.

PTSD and Treatment free essay sample

According to the National Association of Social Workers they exemplify evidence-based treatment as a process involving reating an answerable question based on a client or organizational need, finding the best available evidence to answer the question, evaluating the quality of the evidence and efficiency of the solution. Before we get into the evidence-based techniques, I am going to delve into more information on PTSD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are three types of PTSD symptoms. The first type of symptoms is relieving the event, which disturbs day to day activity. The clients suffering from PTSD can have reoccurring flashback episodes in which their terrifying event seems to happen over and over again. Also they will have constant upsetting memories of the event. Thirdly, people suffering from PTSD will have reoccurring nightmares, and as well as uncomfortable reactions to situations that remind them of the event. The second type of PTSD symptom is avoidance. We will write a custom essay sample on PTSD and Treatment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During the stage of avoidance there is an emotional numbing or sensation as though you do not Harris 3 care about anything going on around you. The person can feel detached, and avoid places, people, or thoughts. The third type of PTSD symptom is hyper arousal. During the hyper arousal phase, the person is always examining their urroundings for signs of danger. Also they arent able to concentrate, and can easily be startled. Additionally, the person suffering from this disorder will feel irritable and can have outburst of anger, and can have difficulty falling or staying asleep. The feelings of stress, tension, agitation, and anxiety are also symptoms of PTSD. Children and teens can have severe responses to an ordeal, but their symptoms may not be the same as adults. In very young children, these symptoms can include bedwetting, even though theyd learned how to use the toilet before. Secondly, orgetting how to speak, or being unable to speak. Thirdly they could act out the scary event during playtime. Lastly the children can become extremely clingy with a parent or other adult. There are many circumstances which can play a part in whether a person will get PTSD. There are a variety of risk factors for PTSD which includes living through dangerous events and ordeals, having a history of mental illness, and getting hurts. Also seeing people hurt or killed, feeling horror, helplessness, or intense fear are other risk factors. Having little or no social support fter the event and dealing with more stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, or losing a Job or home are other risk factors for PTSD. The symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder usually commence within 3 months of the traumatic event but periodically develop years afterward. A few people can recover within a 6 month period; however for other people the condition can become more chronic.

The Many Uses of John

The Many Uses of John The Many Uses of John The Many Uses of John By Maeve Maddox Although male names like Aiden, Jayden, and Santiago lead in popularity among various ethnic and social groups in the U.S., the name John comes only after James as the most popular in the total population according to 1990 census figures. The long-standing popularity of John has spawned numerous expressions in English, not all of them likely to please bearers of the name. Because the name is so common, it has served as a generic appellation for any man, rather like Mac, Jack, and Joe, as in Hey, Mac! Got a light?, Every man jack of them (meaning every single man), and G.I. Joe (any man serving in the military). In the days of the great English manors (think, Downton Abbey), â€Å"John† or â€Å"John Thomas† was used to refer to a man of the servant class such as a footman, butler, or waiter. In time, â€Å"John Thomas† became a euphemism for penis. Another word for the same male body part is â€Å"Johnson.† An anglicized version of French gendarme gave â€Å"johndarm† or â€Å"john,† a slang word for a policeman. â€Å"John Doe† originated in English law as a fictitious name to describe one of the people in person a certain type of litigation. The name has come to be used to refer to an ordinary or typical citizen. A 1941 Frank Capra movie starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, Meet John Doe, focuses on the suffering of homeless and unemployed U.S. citizens. Viewers of police dramas know that â€Å"John Doe† is often used to refer to a corpse whose identity is unknown. A female victim is called a â€Å"Jane Doe.† The word john to refer to a W.C. or toilet may derive from the name of its inventor, Sir John Harington/Harrington (1561-1612), a member of Queen Elizabeth I’s court. The use of john to refer to a prostitute’s client may have something to do with one of the meanings of â€Å"John Thomas.† The word john also occurs in a few noun compounds. A demijohn is a large bottle usually encased in wicker, like a bottle of Chianti, only much bigger. The wicker casing has one or two handles to make the bottle easier to carry. A John boat is a small, flat-bottomed boat used on inland waterways in the U.S. It is also spelled jon boat. A johnny cake in the U.S. is a cake made of cornmeal and toasted before a fire. In Australia, a johnny cake is made of wheat meal and baked on the ashes or fried in a pan. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives50 Nautical Terms in General UseHow Do You Fare?

A Cry in the Night essays

A Cry in the Night essays 1. The title of my book is A Cry in the Night by Mary Higgins Clark. 2. The place settings of my book are Granite Place, Minnesota and New York City. The time setting is over a period of a year. 3. The main characters in A Cry in the Night are: Erich Krueger-Erich is a 34-year-old man that is a very good artist. Erich is a very rich man whos mother died when he was a little boy. Jenny- Jenny is one of the main characters in my book. Jenny looks just like Caroline who is Erichs mother. Jenny was married to Kevin, but is know married to Erich. Jenny has two girls named Beth and Tina. Jenny was very busy until she married Erich. Kevin-Kevin is Jennys ex-husband who was killed by Erich, but the town thought Jenny killed Kevin. Tina and Beth-Tina and Beth are Jennys daughters who are in a difficult situation. Their situation is Erich wants the girls to forget that Kevin was their father. Tina is 2-years-old and Beth is 3-years-old. Mark-Mark is Erichs best friend who helps Jenny through a very hard time. This time was when the town thought Jenny killed Kevin. Emily-Emily is Erichs friend who is the main talker in the town. If anything went wrong Emily would be sure to tell everyone in the town. Rooney-Rooney is Jennys new best friend. Erich killed Rooneys daughter, but Erich told Rooney that some day her daughter will return. Everyone in town thought Rooney should be put in a mental home except for her husband. Clyde-Clyde is Rooneys husband who comforts her whenever she needs it. Clyde is the main keeper of the Krueger Farm. Erich was very jealous of Clydes relationship with Jenny. Erich thought Clyde and Jenny were more than just friends, but they werent. Person vs. Person-is on of the main conflicts in my book. Person vs. Person is shown when Kevin and Erich got in a fight over Jenny. ...

National Basketball Players Association Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

National Basketball Players Association - Essay Example According to Stein (2011), the union was supposed to be like the guardian angel to the players by negotiating collective agreements, representing their grievances and guiding the players. It would also solve disputes arising between players and their teams, even player-player quarrels. Its overall purpose was to act at the best interest of players. The organization also creates a forum for members to engage in union activities. This is mainly through community outreach programs and in leadership roles. History of the Union The organization of the basketball union began in 1954 by the league’s top player Bob Cousy. He contacted other top players within the league and encouraged them of the importance of player unity. However, he received some opposition mainly from club owners, but the  club owners  insisted on their perspective. NBPA Official website (2013) says that in the year 1955, they came up with a list of concerns to the league’s bosses especially on the paym ent of back wages to the non-operational Baltimore Bullets club. They urged for the institution of a twenty-game limit on exhibition games and also to allow players to share on the benefits. They also championed for an independent settlement of player-owner conflicts. In 1957,  the National Basketball Association's board of governors eventually gave in to the pressure and acknowledged the players union. They gave in to a list of demands from the players. According to the demands, players’ contracts had to be done by September 1st of every year. Regular players were not needed to report to training earlier than four weeks before the start of the season. Appearance of players on radio and television was to be considered, and the removal of the fine on whispering. According to Stein (2011), these acts were all for the benefit of the professional basketball players, thus encouraging them to participate in it. With time, they were able to bargain for more; in 1967 they bargained for monthly pension to players up to 65 years of age from start of their careers. These included new insurance packages and medical benefits and an increase to rookie salaries. Current Demographics of the Union The National Basketball Players has grown a lot over the years. It has led to the growth and development of talents. Many basketball players owe their fortune and careers to this organization. It has helped nurture and protects the players, welfare throughout all these years since its inception.  Thirty basketball clubs have their representatives on this union, and they are players chosen  by their colleagues  to represent them during executive meetings. The union’s current president is Derek Fisher while the first vice president is Jerry Stackhouse. Secretary-Treasurer is James Jones with six other vice presidents. Thirty teams each have one representative to the union. The representatives also have alternatives who can sit on their behalf in case they might no t be available. The organization has well over four hundred professional basketball players as its members. They are thus the major stakeholders of the union and are responsible for electing new officials to govern this body. The organization is created such that it has a number of departments with each responsible for various activities. According to NBPA Official website (2013), executive director’s office is the overall office overseeing all activities in the organization. We then have the legal department involved in handling all legal

Reflect and evaluate Brand Starbucks marketing principles Essay

Reflect and evaluate Brand Starbucks marketing principles - Essay Example Brands absorb everything around them like Imelda Marcos in the shoe department at Nordstrom† (quoted in Kalin, 2001). By this definition, customer service and the quality of the products are actually considered part of the brand. Strong brands help companies establish a place within the international and local marketplace (Aaker, 1996). They also help the company develop a strong consumer base through brand recognition. However, brands don't become strong without offering quality products and excellent customer service. This is because brands only become strong when they have a high number of loyal consumers. Loyal consumers are made by giving them products that they enjoy and appreciate and taking care of customers when they have complaints or problems. According to Childers, satisfied customers exponentially increase in number, resulting in greater profitability for the company (2005). To see how this works, it's helpful to apply these ideas to a company like Starbucks. Starb ucks is a well-known coffee company that specializes in serving ready-to-drink single-serve coffee and other drinks to a mostly middle and upper class clientele. This company now has a very strong brand which it has gained by focusing on quality products and excellent customer service. ... Each customer was treated as a regular, whether they were or not, with their name written on their cup and plenty of customization of their order available. Now that the company has cultivated a very strong consumer base, it relies more and more on its strong brand to continue driving growth. As part of this brand, it offers customized menus for each region based upon local and national favorites. All of these different menus are brought together under the one brand identified by a simple and universal logo. Even if the menu isn't the same as the menu back home, travelers to new places can feel at home as soon as they walk into a Starbucks store because of that logo and a relatively similar approach to decor. Examining this company and assuming I have correctly identified the marketing principles it considers to be most important, I believe Starbucks is doing a good job of following these principles. Having a strong global brand is important to success in the commercial world today, but Starbucks has not forgotten that it developed that brand by offering quality products and excellent customer service. It proves this by maintaining a focus on what the local market enjoys and expects. â€Å"Experience has shown that companies need not always create one-size-fits-all global brands just because the world appears to be shrinking. Indeed, firms should recognize that adapting brands to local conditions will on many occasions be the best approach, and at times the only approach, because local conditions will leave them no other choice† (Managing Brands, 2005). By adapting their brand to local conditions but insisting that everything sold in the similarly decorated coffee houses carries the

Article Analysis on Mate Selection Essay Example for Free

Article Analysis on Mate Selection Essay The entire article is based on evolutionary psychology and the title of the article is Mate Selection criteria: A trait desirability assessment study of sex differences of Serbia. The entire paper examines the predictions from socio-structural perspective and evolutionary on sex differences in the mate selection in Serbia. There were a total of 127 respondents that were taken from Serbia and the respondents were mainly college students. The method of Likert scale was used and they were questioned about 60 behavioral traits and personality traits. Differences were obtained on the basis of perceived desirably of strengths, self pity, fragility, thinness’s and beauty. The males in this study consider these traits as more desirable and the females valued strength of the male positively. Female respondents are more concerned with the physical appearance of their partners. Similarly, in this study females are also concerned about the socio-economic class of males. A generalized approach cannot be used in this study because Serbian people are distinct in their culture. Similarly, in this study both sexes are attracted with each other on different factors like sexual attractiveness, beauty, socio-economic factors etc. The purpose of the researcher was to evaluate the sex differences in Serbia. However the actual hypothesis of this research paper is based on the functionality of mate selection criteria that is based on the perspective of subordinate position of women. The entire research was carried out by Bojan Todosijevic, Snezana Ljubinkovic, and Aleksandra Arancic (Todosijevic, Ljubinkovic, Arancic, 2003). The research was headed by the department of psychology which belongs to the University of Novi. As far as the findings of this research is considered quantitative analysis is used in this the entire research to evaluate the findings of this research. Findings of this research depicts that the traits that are assessed are sincerity, tenderness, passion, maturity, intelligence and etc. The desirable traits among both the sexes are courage, thinness, talent for sports, beauty, elegance, aggressiveness and etc. Both the sexes agree on the general ordering of the traits but the research have identifies certain significant differences statistically. Males consider the traits of self-pity, thinness, beauty; fearfulness as more desirable and the probability of these traits are less than 0. 1. Findings suggest that men scored quite higher on the former items and the character traits were considered to be more desirable by the females. Discussion of the topics with respect to the article The topic of selecting a life time companion and the topic of comparison levels can be related with this research paper (Anderson Sabatelli, 2007). Certain traits are discussed in this research paper and the through different statistical tools the results are evaluated. In both the topics of the text book the traits are discussed and both the topics evaluate that effectiveness of traits. The phenomenon of how to select an appropriate life partner is discussed and what should an individual do when he/she is selecting its soul mate. Similarly, the other topic of comparison levels discusses the comparison levels between the two sexes. In this research paper research is conducted on the traits of males and females and how both of them select their partners based on these traits. The phenomenon of Likert scale is used in the entire research. Conclusion The hypothesis in this research paper was formulated on the basis of evolutionary psychology. The results of this paper depicts that males give more preference to physical attractiveness of their potential mates. On the other hand women consider socio-economic factors like success in job, capability to earn and wealth related factors as important. The traits that are discussed in this research paper are dependent on culture and it varies with culture to culture. All the traits are evaluated in this research and generalized results are attained from the study (Todosijevic, Ljubinkovic, Arancic, 2003). The hypothesis that was derived with higher socio-economic interpretation that was related to women should be considered as less important as compared to the hypothesis on evolutionary psychology. In the entire research paper different traits were evaluated and results were achieved through Likert scales. Before reading the article one cannot depict that which traits are more important for women and for men and since the entire article talks about traits and their effectiveness that is the reason why it becomes quite easy to filter out which traits are necessary for men and which are important for women. Statistical analyses are used in this article which helps the reader in finding the viability of the results. This article can definitely help an individual in selecting its partner and after reading this article one can check the traits discussed in this article with the traits that are present in his/her partner or the traits which he/she desires for (Todosijevic, Ljubinkovic, Arancic, 2003). References Anderson, S. , Sabatelli, R. (2007). Family Interaction: A Multigenerational Developmental Perspective. Allyn Bacon. Todosijevic, B. , Ljubinkovic, S. , Arancic, A. (2003). Mate selection criteria: A trait desirability assessment study of sex differences in Serbia. University in Novi.

The Impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian People Essay -- Papers

The Impact of Stalin on Russia and the Russian People Joseph Stalin was born to a poor family in the province of Georgia in 1879. Stalin's real surname was Djugasvili; he adopted the name 'Stalin' whilst in prison as he felt the translation 'Man of Steel' would help his image. Stalin joined the Bolshevik party as a young man and soon became an active member organizing bank raids to gain money for party funds; this led to Stalin's imprisonment a number of times. Stalin first met Lenin in December 1905 in Finland and was quite surprised to see him as an ordinary man unlike the person he had imagined. In 1918 Stalin was made Commissar for Nationalities of the Bolshevik party, then in 1922 he became General Secretary. This made Stalin very powerful, particularly when soon after his appointment Lenin was hospitalised to have 'Dora Kaplan's bullet' removed. The operation was unsuccessful and left Lenin paralysed down his right side. Joseph Stalin then became Lenin's mouthpiece. The initial effects of this was the rise of Stalin to become the leader of the Communist party in Russia, this then resulted in Stalin going down in History as a brutal dictator and mass murderer. In 1924 Lenin died and most people presumed Trotsky who had formed the Red Army and who had been Lenin's right hand man would become Lenin's successor. If Stalin had not been around Trotsky probably would have become the leader of the Communist party. Stalin was seen as dull by the intellectual elite of the Communist party and probably not very intelligent or well educated, however, they all made a fatal mistake in assuming that he was stupid. Stalin outmanoeuvred Trot... ... modernised Russia. The workers who did not offend the state were better off than under the reign of the tsar. Russia's military forces were benefiting from her industrial growth and whilst Stalin retained power there was a stable government. People gained better access to education and medical care. However millions had died in the famine after the failed experiment of Collectivisation. Stalin did make Russia into a great power but there was an enormous price to pay for it. Millions of people were starved or murdered under Stalin's brutal rule. Stalin led Russia with an iron fist. The long-term effects of this were the only reason people idolised Stalin was because they were too frightened to do anything else and Stalin's influence lived on through Krushtov and Brezhnev, they too would not allow any senior opposition.

Public Schools vs. Private Schools Essay

Public or private? That is the question. One important thing to keep in mind when determining a school choice is the long and short term effects on students and their views. The differences between them can help with the decision on which kind of school to choose. Public and private schools are different in funding and their learning environment. Public and private schools have different sources of support. Public schools depend on various government funding. One example being, they get funds from the state sales taxes collected from businesses, stores, etc. Another way they get their funds is by The Minimum Foundation Program, which is the state approbation formula. Finally, the most common way of funding is through local sales taxes and from the communities property taxes. Private schools, however, are not supported by money from the government. The main way they receive their money is the tuition payments made by the families of the students. Similarly, they’re also able to receive money from grants, such as The Private School Aid program, and also A+PELs Grant and Scholarship Program. Finally, charitable donations by the local community organizations play a big part in funding things needed for the  schools. Also, public and private schools have different learning environments.Public schools are generally known to have a poor learning environment. One example being, they have a tendency to be virtually all one race dependent on  the communities’ location. Also, their learning atmospheres are generally not a safe and secure environment. Finally, there would be more of a chance of being around drugs and violence. Public school discipline procedures tend to be more lenient. Often many rules are broken and nothing is done to punish the rule breakers. On the other hand, private schools tend to have a better learning environment. They’re mostly chosen for the well being of the child. For example, having strict procedures allows the student to have a more independent means of achievement. Also, they tend to have more racial diversity and economic groups, which put a better clientele of students together. And finally, having these procedures allows the student to focus more on their studies, rather than having to worry about what another student will do to them. In conclusion, there are different funding and learning environments in public and private schools. However, it is still up to an individual to make the choice on where to go. Some parents may choose public schools, because financially that is all they can handle. On the contrary, some will choose private schooling simply based on its learning environment. The better environment a student has the better protection and knowledge it will receive.

Position Paper Ap Government

Luke sawyer 12th grade 11/8/12 AP government Position paper I believe that Barack Obama is the most qualified candidate to run for the president of the United Sates of America. I believe that his plan of moving forward will indeed move us forward. Obama has interesting views that I agree with, and you should consider them, as did I. The first issue is innovation, more jobs and reviving manufacturing and the auto industry. Since Obama became president both manufacturing and the auto industry have had a total of 1. 5 million new jobs.The second issue is taxes. Taxes are necessary, but no one wants them. Obama plans to cut taxes for every American worker and provide small tax cuts for small businesses. He is also asking the overly wealthy Americans to pay a little bit more in order to pay away our debt. A third issue is to end the war, and bring back our troops from Afghanistan. Obama plans to end the war by 2014 and use half the money that would be spent on the war, and use it for road s, bridges, runways and schools and the other half on paying the deficit.The next issue is energy, which is a big issue now that fossil fuels are running low. Obama plans to put aside oil companies and start investing in cleaner sources, to become a global leader in clean energy. Obama plans to protect our climate by taking steps into cleaner energy including oil, gas, clean coal, wind, solar, biofuels, and nuclear energy. Also creating jobs and businesses, while improving the environment and national security. With schools advancing and new knowledge being obtained, Obama plans to make college more affordable.He plans on doing this by cutting the tuition fee in half. He also plans to establish a college tax credit for the students and families worth up to 10,000 dollars over for years of college. He also plans to enforce the state and local government to improve the quality of teachers, while giving the local and state governments resources to reward and attract better teachers. Ob ama also plans to recruit 100,000 math and science teachers so we can out-compete countries in fields like science, technology, engineering, and math. Lastly, Obamas health care plan strengthensMedicare for the seniors, and it helps young people get the health insurance they need. The Affordable Care Act is helping people with Medicare save on the care they need to stay healthy. Obama plans to lower the costs on prescription drugs, and monthly premiums. Obama is also putting an end to health insurance company’s charging women more than men for the same coverage. Sources: http://www. barackobama. com/plans/ http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-250_162-57538698/what-are-obamas-and-romneys-plans-for-the-next-four-years/ http://www. businessinsider. com/obamas-plan-second-term-economy-jobs-election-2012-10? op=1

“THE CELTS WERE A BARBARIC AND PRIMITIVE PEOPLE.” TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE

â€Å"THE CELTS WERE A BARBARIC AND PRIMITIVE PEOPLE.† TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE essay on celts - gEORGIA WEBB"The celts were a barbaric and primitive people." to what extent do you agreeIn Iron Age and Medieval Europe, there were a group of tribal societies called the Celts that spread all across Europe. The Celts were believed to be semi-nomadic, moving all around Europe. Recent tells us that they were essentially located in central Europe and then migrated. More recent news, archaeological studies are now telling us that the Celts were in Europe from 1000 BC, occupying Eastern and Western Europe. The Celts spoke Celtic languages and with their own unique culture. The Celts were believed to be barbaric and primitive people, but why?It is to be believed that The Celts were "barbaric but this is only in the eyes of the Romans. Romans believed that every non-roman were "barbarians". The Celts did produce a flourishing culture that has impacted the entire world, complete with art, jewellery, and religion and housing.Overview map of the Hallstatt (yellow) and La Tà ¨n...One time in history, they were the dominant people of Europe. The Celts never being on single nation, but because of their lack of union, they were ultimately overawed by the Roman Empire. Its well known that the Celts were terrifying in battle to the opposition.Sacrifice was an initial part of Celts spiritual life and culture. Gifts of weapons, jewellery, art and even the blood of animals and humans were given to the gods in thanks to what they gave back to the Celts. They worshipped gods such as Dea Matres, Sulis, Epona and Sucellos and According to ancient sources, in honour of their gods they began to practise human sacrifices. An ancient source, Caesar tells us what the Celtics did once they won a battle. "When they have determined on a decisive battle, they dedicate as...

Spanish Verb Book Essays - Spanish Verbs, Reflexive Verb

Spanish Verb Book Essays - Spanish Verbs, Reflexive Verb Spanish Verb Book Present Tense The following section will be the present you are implying that the action is occurring at the present time. For example: Joseph reads the book. The reads in the sentence shows that Joseph is in the process of reading the book. Regular AR Infinitives acabar (de) to come after acompaar to accompany admirar to admire ayudar to help bailar to dance bajar to go down brillar to shine buscar to look for caminar to walk cantar to sing cenar to have supper chupar to suck cocinar to cook colabarar to collaborate coleccionar to collect comenzar to start comprar to buy conservar to conserve contestar to answer dar to give dejar to leave descansar to rest dibujar to draw doblar to turn ensear to teach entrar to enter escuchar to listen esquiar to ski estudiar to study evitar to avoid explicar to explain fascinar to fascinate formar to farm ganar to win gustar to like hablar to speak interesar to interest lavar to wash limpiar to clean llegar to arrive llevar to take mirar to look at neccisitar to need observar to observe olividar to forget pagar to pay for participar to participate pasar to spend time patinar to skate pesear to wish practicar to practice preguntar to ask preparar to prepare prestar to lend programar to program quedar to be located regresar to spend money renunciar to renounce respetar to respect sacar to take out tomar to take trabajar to work viajar to travel visitar to visit Canta muy bien. She sings very well. Hablo espaol, I speak Spansh. Poder ayundo tu? Can I help you? Te viajar? Do you travel? viajar - to travel cantar - to sing ayudar - to help hablar - to speak viajo viajamos canto cantamos ayudo ayudamos hablo hablamos viajas - cantas - ayudas - hablas - viaja viajan canta cantan ayuda ayudan habla habla hablan Regular AR's are the most common of all verbs, to use them, remove the ar ending and insert the appropriate ending on the chart: o for i ___, as for you ___, a for he/she ___, amos for we ___, an for they ___. You can also use the following chart for the respective endings. Singlar Plural o amos 1st Person as - 2nd Person a an 3rd Person Irregular AR's dar to give estar to be Da el perro Mike. He gives the dog to Mike. Yo quiero a estar un abogado. I want to be a lawyer o for singular Ella est mi amiga. She is my friend. Yo doy t este carro. I give you this car. estar - to be dar - to give estoy estamos doy damos estas - das - esta estan da dan Irregular AR's truly have no rule, to use them you must learn the specific way each is conjugated. See the conjugations above. AR Stem-Changers (e - ie) cerrar to close empezar to begin nevar to show pensar to think (about) recomendar to reccomend Pieso el dinero. I am thinking about the money. Cierra el libro. He closes the book. Ellos empiezan a leer. They begin to read. Yo recomiendo el pollo. I recommend the chicken. pensar - to think cerrar - to close nevar - to show empezar - to begin pieso pensamos cierro cerramos nievo nevamos empiezo empezamos piesas - cierras - nievas - empiezas - piesa piensan cierra cierran nieva nievan empieza empiezan The AR stem-changers (e - ie) are a type of verb. To conjugate them you simply change the last e in the stem (which means all the parts of the verb but the ar ending) to an ie, then you remove the ar ending and add the appropriate ending. However there is one exception, in first person plural you do not change the e to an ie, you leave the stem as it is before changing. You can follow the rule below. Singlar Plural (e - ie) o (e - e) amos 1st Person (e - ie) as - - 2nd Person (e - ie) a (e - ie) an 3rd Person AR Stem-Changers (o - ue) almorzar to have lunch costar to cost encontrar to find recordar to remember volar to show jugar* to play * jugar is a unique verb, it is treated as the o - ue verbs are, but with a u - ue. Muestras mi tu trabajar. Show me your work. Cuesta muchos dinero. It costs much money. Juego el partido. I play the game. Encuentran un amigo. They find a friend. mostrar - to show costar - to cost volar - to show jugar* - to play muestro mostramos cuesto costamos vuelo volamos juego jugamos muestras - cuestas - vuelas - juegas - muestra muestran cuesta cuestan vuela vuelan juega juegan The AR stem-changers (o - ue) are a type of verb. To conjugate them you simply change the last o in the stem (which means all the

The Hybrid Status of Immigrants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Hybrid Status of Immigrants - Essay Example When a person happens to live in another community, which has different characteristics than the one he or she is born into, the individual becomes forced to accept some traits of that community and thus assumes a mixed personality. Immigrants, who migrate from their nation of origin to another country in the pursuit of education, job opportunities or business purposes, hence will become hybrids as they latently possess the characteristics of their original culture and absorb some aspects of the new culture. While this transformation has its rewards, it plunges them into a state of belonging neither here nor there and forces them to live between two cultures and worlds. The essays, â€Å"Mother Tongue,† by Amy Tan and, â€Å"To the Border,† by Richard Rodriguez, deftly illustrate the torment of immigrants as they deal with the consequences and dangers of living between worlds. Amy Tan dwells on the issues that language creates for an average immigrant in the new land, w here he or she migrates to. Most of the times either they are unable to understand the mechanics of the new language or they cannot completely eschew the nuances of their original language and its cultural impacts. Tan, from her personal experience show that the people in America look down on immigrants, who are not capable of speaking the language as the natives do and hardly listen to them or assist them. Her mother, who speaks â€Å"broken or fractured English† in the US, confronts a lot of problems because she cannot converse with the natives in a befitting style (Tan, p.2). Her stockbroker ignores her demands and delays sending her the check because she is not able to talk to him properly.

Performance Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Performance Appraisal - Essay Example The performance appraisals are used to give feedback to the employee on the performance rating and the need for improvements. This also expresses the need for trainings, promotion, demotion, retention or firing. The performance appraisal is among the critical factors of a manger or a leader to provide employee with the feedback and clarify the job expectations. An effective performance appraisal enables employees to know about themselves and understand the management values. The performance appraisals make use of evaluations as feedback in order to improve the performance of employee and reduce the turnover. It increases motivation and instills a feeling of equity among the employees. The appraisals act as a linkage between the rewards and performance. This enhances performance as employees are told about their performance and related strengths and weaknesses. This makes the employees become proud of whatever they are doing well and enables them focus their efforts on areas that require improvement. In overall, organization will benefit when the performance of the employees improves. Every organization is interested in witnessing their employees advance in the company and get other better and well paying positions. This is normally brought about by performance appraisal. For instance, when an employee is told to improve personal skills to be eligible for the following promotion may act as a driving force to that employee to enable them improve their per formance (Goswami, 2013). The performance appraisals are used by the management in making important decisions by the management. These decisions include promotions, demotions, firing and remunerations among many others. Efficient organizations must have established means through which they can make their decisions. The decisions depend on appraisal data. The appraisals can be considered as efficient tools in documenting the organizational decisions. This

Research &Evaluation of a service Initiative Essay

Research &Evaluation of a service Initiative - Essay Example en has become a serious concern and needs to be studied at primary healthcare setting, using wider platform of service initiatives (O’Hara et al., 1984; Whitton, Warner & Appleby, 1996). The study would be making efforts to identify the needs of the mothers and critically evaluate the support and proactive participation of peer support groups for women with PND in St. Albans. I am a student healthcare visitors and the student would greatly facilitate in exploring the various facets of timely interventions to reduce pnd. There is considerable evidence to show that PND has a substantial impact on the mother, her partner and baby (Linnet et al, 2003; Brown, Bacigalupo, 2006; Hall & Elliman, 2008). Evidence suggests that mothers’ psychosocial and mental health can have a significant effect on the mother and baby relationship and that PND can result in both emotional and cognitive disorders in the infant (Bee & Boyd, 2008; Stein et al.,1991; Murray & Cooper, 1991). All of which have significant health impacts on individuals and society, signifying a major public health issue (Hearn et al., 1998; Briscoe, 1986). Motherhood is one of the most important and challenging role of women. It becomes a lifelong learning process and is hugely facilitated by emotional support of the family (Scrandis, 2005). But often, the changing role of single women into mother is accompanied by socio psychological adjustments which are hugely facilitated by the husband, support family and peer groups (Rodrigues et al., 2000; Oats et al., 2004). The social expectations become highly stressful because of the various factors like lack of knowledge, conflicting views and differences about childcare between the expectant mothers and peer group. Very often this adversely impacts the self confidence and promotes doubts about one’s competency level of being a good mother thereby creating stress and pnd amongst the women (Dressel & Clark, 1990; Beck, 2002). Thus, encouraging family support

Committing suicide Essay Example for Free

Committing suicide Essay By the end Sybil denies all to do with Eva committing suicide. The audience has never liked her and this makes things worse.  Mrs Birling is selfish, ignorant and up tight, just like Mr Birling. He starts the same way as his wife when the inspector shows up. Mr Birling is the man of the house and is involved in most of the play. He describes himself as a hard-headed man of business and tells Eric that he should look after himself and his family, he wants Eric to be a hard-headed man of business so he can take over eventually. He likes Gerald and would prefer him as a son rather than Eric because they both think the same way. When Sheila calls off the engagement Gerald understands but Mr Birlings plans are in ruins. He had planned co-operation between Crofts limited and his own company. I dont understand why you should come here, Inspector.  Arthur doesnt like the Inspectors attitude and makes this clear. He is probably the most disliked character in this play. What he did to Eva was considered a very minor thing but she was only asking for a small raise. He dismisses what Sheila and Sybil did. At the end he too looks for ways out. Mr Birling predicts the future occasionally and every time he is wrong. We can look back on what has already happened and we know that he is wrong. The Germans dont want war. Nobody wants war  - the Titanic-she sails next week-forty six thousand eight hundred tons- forty six thousand eight hundred tons- New York in five days-and every luxury-and unsinkable  In both cases he is wrong and the next case he will probably be wrong:  theres a very good chance of a knighthood-so long as we behave ourselves  This leads to scandal, which there is a lot of in this play. This also attracts the audiences as people enjoy things to gossip about especially when there are respectable or rich people involved. Geralds affair, Eric making Eva pregnant and Alderman Meggartys nasty private life. But she became your mistress.  Yes.  And you made love again?  Yes.  Hes notorious womaniser. About Alderman Meggarty.  Mr Birling was never liked and through the course of the play the audience likes him less and less.  I personally never thought about liking or not liking the Inspector, he is just there, putting the questions to the Birlings. He is the most assertive on the scene and the stage directions show he makes his presence felt even though Mr Birling repeats his past achievements. By the time Gerald returns from his walk he is too late to confront Mr Goole, his timing is perfect. Then Gerald tells us:  That man wasnt a police officer.  There is an element of shock and surprise but some of the audience may have guessed this. Who is he then?  That is one of many questions left open and unanswered. Most of them are about the Inspector. His name suggests something supernatural. Goole sounds like Ghoul this means, a person unnaturally interested in death. This is exactly what the Inspector is but it seems he can change the future. But just remember this. One Eva Smith is gone-but here are millions and millions and millions Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, with their suffering and their chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, and what we say and do. We dont live alone. We are members of the body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will soon learn, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night. The end is about the wars so he knows about the future and ends up changing it. He knows too much to be human. He already knows what has happened and is just there to make the truth come out and teach the Birlings a lesson, or else. As mentioned before he seems to be able to change the future because of what happens at the end.  The end of the play is not really the end, it is the middle because things are just getting interesting again. The biggest unanswered question is what will happen now, J.B Priestly has left this to us to think about and try to finish. The ending leaves everything wide open and open to debate and argument. It is the talking point of the whole play.  Yes? Mr Birling speaking What? -here-  That was the police. A girl has just died- on her way to the Infirmary- after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police inspector is on his way here- to ask some- questions-

Canterbury Tales :: Essays Papers

Canterbury Tales With the presidential election at its boiling point, many try to provide their own joke every now and then. Late night comedians such as David Letterman and Jay Leno try to spit out a new joke during their ten-minute spiel, and sometimes one can assume that they are getting even with the election process. Throughout the one-hour show, the comedians do their best to trick both the viewers and all those involved with the election process by having people act out scenes, or imitate one of the presidents. Also, as just about every other comedian tries to achieve, he or she throws in a dirty joke about the president or his family to tie it all up right at the end of their spiel. These three aspects of comedy—revenge, trickery, and infidelity—can all be found in The Miller’s Tale. The Miller’s Tale encompasses a dark and infernal level of comedy, similar to that of comedy today. In The Miller’s Tale, Nicholas, a clerk, is a student of astronomy and of young women, who represents the dark and infernal level of comedy where â€Å"love cannot dwell in such society; everyone is fundamentally along, though hypocrisy and self-serving may give the appearance of friendship† (Cowan, 11). Nicholas lives with a wealthy carpenter named John, who’s an old man who protects his beautiful wife, Alison, as if it were flies on scat. In the infernal state â€Å"the pretty girl†¦ is either absent or, if she does enter the boundaries of this dark region, victimized† (11). Alison is caught between three disrespectful men. Her husband, John, won’t let his eye off his young and zealous wife; Nicholas always becomes as sly as a snake, wanting to make love to her, and trying to outwit his friend, John; the carpenters wife, fancied by Absalom, a parish clerk who has none of Nicholas’ attractiveness, but an eye for the ladies of the to wn. Although marriage is very rare in the infernal state, â€Å"old husbands tyrannize young wives, spouses are unfaithful, maidens are linked by opportunism to unsuitable mates†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (12). The old husband, John, tyrannizes his wife day after day with his over-protective personality,while she is unfaithful to him by making love and flirting with other men. Trickery is a key part in The Miller’s Tale, and found in the infernal state: â€Å"deception and disguise, characterizing marks of comedy, are used in infernal society for the purpose of gaining advantage, usually to the harm of others† (12).

AIDS and Needles Essay

Becton Dickinson, one of the largest manufacturers of medical supplies, dominates the US market in disposable syringes and needles. In 2005, a nurse, Maryann Rockwood (a fictional name), used a Becton Dickinson 5cc syringe and needle to draw blood from a patient known to be infected with HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). Ms. Rockwood worked in a clinic that served AIDS patients, and she drew blood from these patients several times a day. After drawing the blood on this particular day, she transferred the HIV-contaminated blood to a sterile test tube by sticking the needle through the rubber stopper of the test tube, which she was holding with her other hand. She accidentally pricked her finger with the contaminated needle. She is now HIV positive. A few years earlier, in 2000, Becton Dickinson had acquired exclusive rights to a patent for a new syringe that had a moveable protective sleeve around it. The plastic tube around the syringe could slide down to safely cover the needle. The Becton Dickinson 5cc syringe used by Maryann Rockwood in 2005, however, did not yet have such a protective guard built into it. The AIDS epidemic has posed peculiarly acute dilemmas for health workers, including doctors and nurses. Doctors performing surgery on AIDS patients can easily prick their fingers with a scalpel, needle, sharp instrument, or even bone fragment and can become infected with the virus. The greatest risk is to nurses, who, after routinely removing an intravenous system, drawing blood, or delivering an injection to an AIDS patient, can easily stick themselves with the needle they were using. Needlestick injuries occur frequently in large hospitals and account for about 80 percent of reported occupational exposures to HIV among health care workers. It was conservatively estimated in 2005 that about 64 health care workers were then being infected with HIV each year as a result of needlestick injuries. Although the fear of HIV had heightened concerns over needlestick injuries, HIV was not the only risk posed by needlestick injuries. Hepatitis B can also be contracted through an accidental needlestick. In 2000, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) estimated, on the basis of hospital reports, that each year at least 12,000 health care workers are exposed to blood contaminated with the Hepatitis B virus, and of these 250 die as a  consequence. Due to underreporting, however, the actual numbers may be higher. In addition to Hepatitis B, needlestick injuries can also transmit numerous other viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, as well as toxic drugs or other agents that are delivered through a syringe and needle. The total statistics on needlestick injuries in 2005 are disturbing, although the exact incidence of contamination is unclear. It was estimated that each year, in the United States alone, between 800,000 and 1 million needlestick injuries occurred in hospitals – of these, between 60,000 and 300,000 resulted in Hepatitis B infection. By one estimate, the risk of contracting HIV from a known contaminated needle could be as high as 1 in 1000, and the risk of contracting Hepatitis B, a serious and often life-threatening condition, could be as high as 1 in 6. These estimates would imply that as many as 600 to 1000 health care workers were at risk of contracting HIV and as many as 100,000 were at risk of contracting Hepatitis B. Several agencies stepped in to set guidelines for nurses, including the American Nursing Association, the CDC, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FAD), who all developed such guidelines. The most comprehensive guidelines were issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), who on December 6, 2001, required hospitals and other employers of health workers to (a) make sharps containers (safe needle containers) accessible to workers, (b) prohibit the practice of recapping needles by holding the cap in one hand and inserting the needle with  the other, and (c) provide information and training on needlestick prevention to employees.  The usefulness of these guidelines was controversial. Nurses work in high-stress emergency situations requiring quick action, and they are often pressed for time both because of the large number of patients they must care for and the highly variable needs and demands of these patients. In s uch workplace environments, it is difficult to adhere to the guidelines recommended by the agencies. For example, a high-risk source of needle sticks is the technique of replacing the cap on a needle (after it has been  used) by holding the cap in one hand and inserting the needle into the cap with the other hand. OSHA guidelines specifically warned against this two-handed technique of recapping and instead required that the cap be placed on a stable surface and the nurse use a one-handed spearing technique to replace the cap. (Note that recapping the needles in this more time consuming way presented no risk of needlestick injury to the user). As noted above however, nurses are often pressed for time (and are keenly aware of the added danger of walking around with an uncapped needles) and tend to take the ‘two-handed recapping shortcut’ when no suitable surface is readily available for the safer one-handed capping technique. This fact is known to Hospital administrators, who regularly warn against such practices, and offer ongoing training and retraining opportunities to their nursing staff. Several analysts suggested that the peculiar features of the nurse’s work environment made it unlikely that needlesticks would be prevented through mere guidelines alone: The problem was not the worker, but the design of the needle and syringe. Experts on needlestick injuries argued that, rather than trying to teach health care workers to use a hazardous device safely, the focus should be on the hazardous product design and that a whole new array of devices in which safety is an integral part of the design was required. Regulators also urged manufacturers to provide the health care worker with devices in which safety was built into the design. The risks of contracting life-threatening diseases by the use of needles and syringes in health care settings had been well documented since the early 1980s. Well over half of all the needles and syringes used by U.S. health care workers since 1980 were being manufactured by Becton Dickinson. Despite the emerging crisis, however, Becton Dickinson decided not to modify its syringes, although it did include in each box of needled syringes an insert warning of the danger of needlesticks and of the dangers of two-handed recapping. On December 23, 2000, the U.S. Patent office issued patent number 4,631,057 to Charles B. Mitchell for a syringe with a tube surrounding the body of the syringe that could be pulled down to cover and protect the needle on the syringe. At the time, at least four other patents for needle-shielding devices existed. As Mitchell noted in his patent application, those devices all suffered from serious drawbacks. One of them  would not lock the protective cover over the exposed needle, one was extremely complex, another was much longer than a standard syringe and difficult to use, and a fourth was designed primarily for use on animals. It was Mitchell’s assessment that his invention was the only effective, easily usable, and easily manufactured device capable of protecting users from needlesticks, particularly in emergency periods or other times of high stress. Unlike other syringe designs, Mitchell’s was shaped and sized like a standard syringe so nurses already familiar with standard syringe design would have no difficulty adapting to it. Shortly after Mitchell patented his syringe, Becton Dickinson purchased from him an exclusive license to manufacture it. A few months later, Becton Dickinson began field tests of early models of the syringe using a 3cc model. Nurses and hospital personnel were enthusiastic when shown the product. However, they warned that if the company priced the product too high, hospitals, with pressures on their budgets rising, could not buy the safety syringes. With concerns about HIV rising fast, the company decided to market the product. In 2001, with the field tests completed, Becton Dickinson had to decide which syringes would be marketed with the protective sleeves. Sleeves could be put on all of the major syringe sizes, including 1cc, 3cc, 5cc, and 10cc syringes. However, the company decided to market only a 3cc version of the protective sleeve. The 3cc syringes account for about half of all syringes used, although the larger sizes-5cc and 10cc syringes-are preferred by nurses when drawing blood. This 3cc syringe was marketed in 2002 under the trademarked name Safety-Lok Syringe. It was promoted as a device that â€Å"virtually eliminates needlesticks.† The 3cc safety syringe with the protective sleeve was sold in 2001 to hospitals and doctors’ offices for between 50 and 75 cents. By 2003, the company had dropped the price to 26 cents per unit. At the time, a regular syringe without any protective device was priced at 8 cents per unit and cost 4 cents to make. Information about the cost of manufactu ring the new safety syringe is unavailable but is estimated at between 13 and 20 cents each. The difference between the price  of a standard syringe and the price of the safety syringe was an obstacle for customers. To switch to the new safety syringe would increase the hospital’s costs for 3cc syringes by a factor of three. An equally important impediment to adoption was the fact that the syringe was available in only one 3cc size, and it was perceived to be of limited application. Hospitals are reluctant to adopt and adapt to a product that is not available for the whole range of applications the hospital must confront. In particular, hospitals often needed the larger 5cc and 10cc sizes to draw blood, and Becton Dickinson had not made these available with a sleeve. For 5 years, Becton Dickinson manufactured only 3cc safety syringes. During that period, Becton Dickinson did not license its new safety syringe technology to another manufacturer that might have produced a full range of syringe sizes. Most hospitals and clinics, including the medical facility where Maryann Rockwood worked at drawing blood from many patients with Hepatitis B or HIV, did not stock the Becton Dickinson safety syringe. Most nurses in the United States continued to use unprotected syringes. Maryann Rockwood sued Becton Dickinson, alleging that, because it alone had an exclusive right to Mitchell’s patented design, the company had a duty to provide the safety syringe in all its sizes, and that by withholding other sizes from the market it had contributed to her injury. The case was settled out of court.

Has the Time Come to Legalize Drugs? Essay

Legalization of drugs — long an issue championed mainly by fringe groups — is rapidly moving to the mainstream in Latin America. Last week’s surprise statement by former Mexican President Vicente Fox in support of â€Å"legalizing production, sales and distribution† of drugs made big headlines around the world. Fox, a former close U.S. ally who belongs to the same center-right political party as President Felipe Calderà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n, rocked the boat at home by indirectly criticizing the very premise of Calderon’s all-out military offensive against Mexico’s drug cartels, which has cost 28,000 lives since 2006. Calderon immediately responded that he opposes legalization of drugs, although he has opened a dialogue with political parties about the future of his country’s anti-drug policies. The left-of-center Party of the Democratic Revolution announced that it supports â€Å"de facto legalization† of drugs. Fox’s statement, first published Saturday in his blog, went far beyond a 2009 joint declaration by former Presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia. In that statement, the three former leaders questioned the effectiveness of the U.S. war on drugs and proposed de-criminalizing possession of marijuana for personal use. While the three centrist former presidents’ proposal amounted to not prosecuting people for consuming marijuana, Fox’s proposal calls for legalization of all major drugs — the whole enchilada. In an extended interview, Fox told me that he is making his proposal because drug-related violence in Mexico has reached intolerable levels, and because the experience of other countries such as the Netherlands has shown that allowing drug sales has not significantly driven up drug consumption. â€Å"Prohibitionist policies have hardly worked anywhere,† Fox told me. â€Å"Prohibition of alcohol in the United States [in the 1920’s] never worked, and it only helped trigger violence and crime.† Since possession of small amounts of marijuana has already been decriminalized in Mexico, what’s needed now are bolder steps, such as legalizing drug production and using the taxes it generates to fund anti-drug education programs, he said. â€Å"What I’m proposing is that, instead of allowing this business to continue being run by criminals, by cartels, that it be run by law-abiding business people who are registered with the Finance Ministry, pay taxes and create jobs,† Fox said. Fox called for a reversal of Calderà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n’s decision to send the army into the streets to fight the drug cartels because â€Å"the army is not prepared to do police work, and we are seeing day to day how the army’s image is losing ground in Mexico† as a result of this war. Why didn’t you come out with this proposal when you were president? I asked. Fox responded that legalization was often discussed in Cabinet meetings during his presidency, but that the urgency of such a measure has increased since â€Å"because of the extraordinary cost we are paying in a drop in tourism, a drop in investments and a lack of attention to education and health.† In a separate interview, White House drug czar R. Gil Kerlikowske told me that drug legalization is a â€Å"non-starter† in the Obama administration. Kerlikowske disputed the idea that alcohol prohibition drove up crime in the United States in the 1920s, arguing that there were no reliable crime statistics at the time. And he rejected the notion that there has been no major increase in drug consumption in the Netherlands. â€Å"In the Netherlands, consumption did go up. In fact, the Netherlands has been in the process of closing down hundreds of the marijuana cafes that had been in existence because of the problems that are occurring,† he said. My opinion: I’m not convinced that a blanket legalization of drugs would work because government regulation of the cocaine and heroin businesses in countries that already have high corruption rates would result in greater official corruption. On the other hand, it’s clear that after four years of Calderà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n’s U.S.-backed war on drugs, the cartels are smuggling more drugs, killing more people and becoming richer. Perhaps the time has come to take a step-by-step approach and start a serious debate about passing laws that would regulate legal production of marijuana, alongside massive education campaigns to discourage people from using it. Then, we could see who is right and consider what to do next. (c) Miami Herald. Miami Herald content is the intellectual property of Miami Herald. Any copying, republication or redistribution of Miami Herald content is expressly prohibited by federal law. Miami Herald shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/12/1772336/has-the-time-come-to-legalize.html Commentary Number 1 The question raised in this article is a complex one. Mexican President Felipe Calderà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n’s hesitancy at enforcing drug-legalization policies is understandable, as the legalization of drugs in a drug-war-torn country such as Mexico can be beneficial or adverse from an economic point of view. One might argue that such measures would bring about a series of negative externalities on the public such as harmful health effects. A majority believes that the legalization of drugs will increase crime rates; most people under the influence of narcotics are prone to violent crimes. However, the reasons ex-President Vicente Fox has for de-criminalizing drugs appear to outweigh the adverse effects. The law of demand states that as price falls, the quantity demanded rises, and as prices rise, quantity demanded falls. This illustrates that legalization of drugs will reduce the profit criminals make. Every time the government takes hold of a drug dealer and the products he is selling, supply of the drug to the illegal drug market is reduced. If there is a reduced supply, there is an increase in price of the good. Drug-addicts are helpless, and thus they will buy the drug for the higher price, giving the criminal dealer more profit. Every time the government thinks it is winning its drug war, it is actually losing; the illegal state of these drugs aids the dealers, harming the government. Figure 2 Price elasticity of demand of a good is a measure of the extent to which the quantity demanded of a good changes when its price changes. As is illustrated on Figures 1 and 2, due to the fact that drugs are a necessity to drug-addicts, they are willing to buy pretty much the same quantity of the drug at any price, thus making the price elasticity of demand of drugs inelastic (when the quantity demanded remains similar as the price changes). If drugs are legalized, the government can benefit from its demand price inelasticity by taxing on drugs, and thus making more profit that can be allocated accordingly. Drug consumers will not care whether they are paying more than they should be and will buy the legal drug at the price it is sold legally. Other people will notice why the drug is inelastic, and will avoid them due to its addictive dangers. Thus, the absence of undercover drug dealing will show people the dangers of drugs and lead to consumers and producers providing less of the drug once the government starts taxing, thus leading to a smaller population using them. The most beneficial aspect of drug legalization in Mexico would be taxing on the drug. As demand for drugs is inelastic, the tax revenue raised will be large. Additionally, the deadweight loss (fall in total surplus consumers and producers make) will be smaller as the consumers will not consume less at first even though producers will produce at a less quantity. These are shown on Figure 3. The consumers will pay more taxes as they desperately need to buy the drug, and eventually will try and consume less when they become financially diminished. They will seek rehabilitation, and thus shrink the market for drugs. If the government correctly uses the revenues raised by taxing on drugs to promote healthcare and drug rehabilitation, the Mexican economy can cause a decline in overall drug sale and use. Figure 3 In conclusion, Mexico’s ex-President Vicente Fox should proceed with convincing the government to legalize drugs, as this measure will not only reduce consumption and production of these harmful products, but also promote society and the economy by raising revenue to enhance health and other aspects of the economy that need betterment.