Film and critical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Film and critical - Essay Example Quentin Tarantino’s achievement in his film Pulp Fiction was to create the ultimate example of a post-modern film. The work has a sense of nostalgia while creating something that was new and interesting for a generation that was looking to find out I there was something new to be seen. Tarantino created a work that was written in such a way as to engage the viewer in confusion that had to be unraveled and evaluated for its ultimate content. The use of pop culture imagery and dark counterculture lifestyles creates a universe that feels as though it is just off center to reality. The storyline is non-linear, creating complex web of interconnections between the characters. It is not hard to understand the film, but there is a world of theory that can be explored in the narrative allowing for a fresh perspective to be gained through multiple viewings. has a surreal quality while remaining intense in harsh strokes. The quotes that come from the dialogue have become a part of contemporary slang, giving the film elevated status in pop culture. The achievement of this film is that it appeals both intellectually and gutturally. When it was released, it was a huge success, re-launching the career of John Travolta and instantly elevating Tarantino into celebrity. The film became influential in subsequent work and instigated a new point of view. Analysis from a political point of view allows for an understanding of the position that was held in the early 1990’s as the political landscaping was changing. Released in 1994, the film reflects a growing conservatism that was cynical reaction to a liberalist attitude whose idealism had fallen short of the dream. Creating an immersion into violence, the film creates the feeling that order can be maintained only from a patriarchal dominance that has swift and bloody retribution. According to

Financial and Managerial Accounting Personal Statement

Financial and Managerial Accounting - Personal Statement Example I have been working with an audit firm for the last three years and through this experience I did gain good amount of knowledge in the fields of financial accounting, auditing and taxation. But lately I have realized the importance of management and decision making in comparison to analyzing the outcomes of decision already made. Moreover, my educational qualification and work experience has given me a strong foundation in public accounting, but now I find the necessity to broaden my horizon so that when required, I would be able to view a situation from various angles rather than having just an auditor's view. Also, in order to improve my career, I would have to be in a position wherein I would have the responsibility as well as the capability to make crucial decisions. As I went through the IMA website, I realized that the curriculum in the CMA program could prepare me well for this challenge. I have always been a person who likes to work on one's own terms. Though I am part of a finance team of a medium scale company right now, I intend to establish my own business in the near future. As of now, I am working on improving my skill and knowledge and looking for ways to increase the resources available in order to achieve my goals.

The contingency approach to management and leadership

The contingency approach to management and leadership Contingency approach to management is based on the theory that there is no one best way of managing, as organisations face contingency variables due to individual differences, environmental uncertainty, technology used for routineness of tasks and organisational size which affects its structure. (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg and Coulter, 2008, pp. 54). This is contrary to classical management theorists such as Henri Fayol, who in his fourteen principles of management, emphasised the centralisation, standardisation and specialisation features of managing, emphasising that they will lead to the achievement of efficiency, consistency and a successful future for the organisation. (Rodrigues, 2001). In the example of the Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac) and one of their front-line managers (whom was interviewed for this paper), it will be evaluated which methods and approaches of management are reflected in the companys structure and organisational behaviour. Westpac was founded in 1817 and was the first private bank established in Australia. Today it is a multinational corporation and employs about 39,000 people globally. (Westpac Banking Corporation, (Chapman, 2011). Their vision is to help their customers, employees and businesses to prosper and grow. One of their many purposes now is to invest in technology and operations, by launching revolutionary technology in order to improve their process service delivery and to strengthen technology capabilities. (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). The interviewee will be referred to as The Manager for anonymity purposes. The Manager is first-line manager in the Information Management Solution Delivery Department of Westpac, has 13 full time subordinates, and also employs contractors from all over the world when assistance is needed with his software projects in order to meet deadlines. The Manager is responsible for budget analysis, sets the specifications and deliverables of the projects, and, after gaining senior managers approval to proceed with the projects, manages them until they are completed. According to Fayols fourteen principles of management, employees must sacrifice their interests for the good of the organisation. Thus, an organisation should employ only individuals who are fully committed to its objectives and are willing to readily comply with its mandates (Rodrigues, 2001). The situation in Westpacs Product and Operations division, where The Manager is working, contradicts this theory. During the interview The Manager pointed out that there are a lot of differences in the desire for personal growth and expectations amongst individual employees of the organisation. He noted that Successful guys need to be challenged and want change. We have to accommodate them as they are the core of our team (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). This is an indication of a contingency approach to management when the company is willing to adapt to constant changes by fulfilling employees desire for a challenge. Furthermore, Mintzberg also suggested that nowadays ma nagers should encourage and drive people: motivate them, inspire them, coach them, and nurture them, push them and mentor them (Mintzberg, 1994). Empowerment and team building activities such as workshops, information sessions and brainstorming sessions have become a culture within the Westpac Group. This is an integral part of the organisations goal for staff motivation and sustainability. (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). Fayols theory of management also suggested that the work can be performed more efficiently and more productively if it is divided into smaller elements and assigned to specific workers. Thus, the dominant thought in designing jobs was specialisation, each employee performing a specific task (Rodrigues, 2001). The Manager noted that his specific IT technical skills are not utilised very often. However, these skills allow him to understand the technical goals of the projects and help with issues which may arise. The Manager, instead of concentrating on his specification (what he should have done according to Fayols theory), now mostly manages his team members, establishes software specifications and project schedules and distributes work. His interpersonal and conceptual skills are constantly applied to meet deadlines and receive customer satisfaction. Westpacs investment in technology, which was mentioned earlier, is the response to high standards of quality and other deliverables whi ch customers have come to expect nowadays. Therefore, The Managers job, as a front-line manager of one of the divisions of Westpac, is to adapt and respond quickly to changing contingencies and markets instead of specialising and purely concentrating on his IT skills (Chapman, 2001). According to Katzs management theory, managers often acquire their managerial positions because of technical knowledge and competencies (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). By the time The Manager joined the Westpac Group, he already had years of experience in the information technology field. He confirms Katzs theory by noting IT is his specialty and managing duties is required more than doing IT work; however, his technical proficiency allows him to understand technical goals in order to use that to leverage team skills to achieve the end result. At the same time, he also contradicts Katzs belief that some managers will tend to avoid the managerial aspects of their job preferring instead the technical aspects (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). During the interview, The Manager insists his job is mostly managing, combining it with his technical knowledge and skills only when a problem arises and performing as a team leader to eliminate the issue. Katz proposed a broad three-category typology of skills: technical, human and conceptual which, according to him, are the essential sets of managerial skills (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). Technical skills imply a proficiency in a specific field. Human skills are defined as an ability to work cooperatively with others and to be a team player. Finally, the conceptual skills are defined as an ability to see an organisation as a whole. This was noted by The Manager during the interview, that, as a manager, he uses technical, interpersonal and conceptual skills all at a maximum level to achieve better results. At the same time he mentioned that in order to achieve those results he has to constantly adapt to new changes and challenges and be a facilitator, a personal delegator, a leader and a guide to the team (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). Basically, The Manager faces contingency variables every day of his work and uses a situational approach to deal with these. The so-called hierarchy principle of Fayol suggests that communication in organisations should be basically vertical; that a single, uninterrupted chain of authority should extend from the highest level to the lowest position in the organization. The Manager mentioned that the Westpac Group has a hierarchical structure, but with units independent to each other. He also pointed out that there is a horizontal communication in the organization between departments and units through a variety of meetings, workshops and seminars. Such a structure of the company suggests firstly, that the organisation is built on autonomous business units which operate at the front-line of the business. Secondly, it means that these business units are connected to one another through cross unit integrative processes, designed to ensure a smooth flow of information (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). It reflects a contingency approach to management within the Westpac Group. The Manager, as many other managers nowadays, according to Mintzberg, maintain a self-developed network of outside contacts and informers who provide him with relevant information and favours. It has been said It is critical to leverage external contacts to get privilege information (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). In his research, Mintzberg emphasises that managers often spend a lot of time building vast arrays of contacts and intricate coalitions of supporters beyond their own units (Mintzberg, 1994). It is assumed nowadays that the one best way to organize and manage does not exist. In contrast, in the beginning of the twentieth century, there were many scientists who tried to create a one size fits all model of management which could be adapted to any organisation. Henri Fayol, Henry Mintzberg and Robert. L. Katz contributed many years of their lives to the creation of different theories, rules and procedures of management. Despite this, many organisations now, including the Westpac Group, use a contingency approach to management which criticises these theories (which are partially based on valid assumptions) and states that there are a number of alternatives which are appropriate to particular situations. The Manager as a front-line manager of the Information Management Delivery Department of Westpac is clearly using a contingency approach to managing: he is adaptive to new challenges and problems (and even mentioned during the interview that he loves his job because every day it is different: new issues, new solutions); furthermore, he is capable of resolving non-standard issues. He is not concentrating purely on his specialisation in the IT industry and often uses his interpersonal managerial and conceptual skills and leaning towards diversification of his job and his subordinates. He is using the situational (contingency) approach in different areas of his work such as planning, control, distribution, empowerment and leadership.

MACBETH oral presentation :: essays research papers

As the play nears its bloody conclusion, Macbeth's "tragic flaw" comes to the forefront: like Duncan before him, he is too trusting. He believes the witches' prophesies at face value, never realizing that, like him, things are seldom what they seem. Thus he foolishly fortifies his castle with the few men he has left, banking on the fact that the events the witches predicted seem impossible. But in fact these predictions come true: the English army brings Birnam Wood to Dunsinane, and Macduff, who has been "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb, advances to kill Macbeth. The witches have equivocated; they told him a double truth, concealing the complex reality within a framework that seems simple. It is fitting that the play ends as it began: with a victorious battle in which a valiant hero kills a traitor and displays his severed head. The first thing we hear of Macbeth in act one is the story of his bravery in battle, wherein he cut off MacDonald’s head and displayed it on the castle battlements. Here at the end of the tragedy, Macbeth, himself a traitor to Duncan and his family, is treated in exactly the same manner; after killing Macbeth, Macduff enters with Macbeth's severed head and exclaims "behold where stands / Th'usurper's cursed head". The play thus ends with the completion of a perfect parallel. The moral at the end of the story is that the course of fate cannot be changed. The events that the Weird Sisters predicted at the beginning of the play happen exactly as they said, no matter what the characters do to change them. Macbeth tries his hardest to force fate to work to his bidding, but he is not successful; Banquo still becomes the father of kings, and Macbeth still falls to a man not born of woman. The man who triumphs in the end is the one who did nothing to change the fate prescribed for him. In-depth summary of important points in the scene As the play nears its bloody conclusion, Macbeth's "tragic flaw" comes to the forefront: like Duncan before him, he is too trusting. He believes the witches' prophesies at face value, never realizing that, like him, things are seldom what they seem. Thus he foolishly fortifies his castle with the few men he has left, banking on the fact that the events the witches predicted seem impossible.

How does Miller present the relationship between Abigail and Proctor? Essay

In The Crucible, we follow the adulterous and turbulent relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor, and watch it change and develop throughout the play, from Abigail trying to reinstate the affair in Act 1, to John Proctor confessing and therefore destroying it at the end of the play. John Proctor is an honest, plain-speaking local farmer. He is an impressive presence in the room, being described as ‘a man in his prime’ and ‘powerful of body’, illustrating his strength and independence. Although some people criticise his religious commitments, he is generally ‘respected and even feared in Salem’, again suggesting his position in the community. However, we then learn that he is a ‘sinner’. Although it may be easy, at this point, for the reader to judge Proctor, forming a negative opinion of him, we then learn that he sins ‘against his own vision of decent conduct’ and regards himself as a ‘fraud’, implying that he regrets and is ashamed of his sins. Proctor represents common sense and decency. He is not perfect, but is very aware of his own faults, unlike many others in the play. He is his own harshest judge. He believes very strongly in telling the truth but is tortured by the knowledge that he is living a lie. Although he is guilty of hypocrisy, he condemns himself for it. Here, Miller presents proctor in a more positive light and intends for the reader to empathise with Proctor, given that he regrets his mistakes and is burdened constantly by guilt. Abigail Williams is Reverend Parris’s niece and the leader of the girls and drives the witchcraft accusations. She wants revenge on Elizabeth Proctor for dismissing her and winning John Proctor back from her after the affair. She is shown has powerful when she says to the girls: ‘Now, look you, all of you’, asserting that she is very much in charge. She is also very controlling; when she tells Mary Warren to ‘Shut it!’ and slaps her, we see her taking advantage of Mary Warren’s shy and meek character by scaring and threatening her into doing what she wants. This is repeated when Abigail destroys Mary’s newfound courage against the girls by pretending to see her spirit as a yellow bird. Abigail also calls the good-natured Elizabeth Proctor a ‘gossiping liar’, signifying that she is sly and manipulative,  adjusting the situation in order to remain innocent. She is also cunning as well as manipulative, in that she realises that she can generate hysteria in the other girls and she uses this to defend and strengthen her own argument and accusations. She inspires fear in all of the girls and the entire town: this is illustrated when we learn that ‘where she walks the crowd will part like the see for Israel’, proving that even the senior townspeople of Salem are taken in by her power. In Act 1 we are given an insight into the complex relationship between Proctor and Abigail. It is the first scene in which we are given actual evidence of their affair, which (up until their conversation in Act 1) is only rumoured. In this scene John Proctor’s power is reinforced when Mary Warren ‘jumps in fright’ when he enters. It is clear that he has a similar effect on Abigail, who immediately flatters Proctor when they are alone, citing that she had ‘almost forgotten how strong [he is]’. She also gives a ‘nervous laugh’, showing that she likes him a lot and is slightly uneasy around him as she is always on her guard to appear more mature. She ‘feverishly’ looks ‘deep into his eyes’, showing that he has power over her, and suggesting that she is looking as deep as she can into Proctor, searching for some form of response or reciprocation of her feelings towards him. Abigail also stands ‘as though on tiptoe’, implying that she is trying to seem more mature and of better status than she is. When someone is ‘on tiptoe’, they are trying to be more than they are, be that taller, more confident or mature, but they are often unstable by doing this and they struggle to keep their balance. It is this that causes Abigail’s downfall in the end, in that she too becomes unstable by trying to be more than she is, throughout the play. Her plan to win John Proctor backfires as a result of accusations multiplying and, as hysteria spirals out of control, it is Abigail who loses control of the whole situation and (albeit unintentionally) causes Proctor’s death. In the same scene, we see Proctor’s attitude towards Abigail and their affair change. At first, he gives a ‘knowing smile’, suggesting that he may still have some feelings for her. Once Abigail has told Proctor that they danced in the woods, he replies in a somewhat playful tone, saying: ‘Ah,  you’re wicked yet, aren’t y’!’ giving the impression that likes her too and also wants to carry on with the affair. An alternative interpretation of this is that he encourages behaviour forbidden by Puritans such as dancing in the woods (which they believed to be full of evil spirits) because he knows that there isn’t really any danger in the woods, and that it will infuriate Parris, whom Proctor despises. He also jokes that Abigail will be ‘clapped in the stocks before [she’s] twenty!’ This ironic because Abigail is one of the only people who is not punished, despite being one of the only people who deserves to be. Abigail then begins to beg John for a ‘soft word’ with ‘concentrated desire’. The word ‘concentrated’ implies that her desire is very strong and intense, and that all the energy she has is focused on trying to seduce him. It is this that ‘destroys his smile’. It also destroys his happiness, in that he is tormented by guilt every day. It also destroys his relationship with Elizabeth as her ‘desire’ later involves targeting her at the trials and pretending that she sends her spirit to stab Abigail. It then, ultimately, destroys his life when she uses the power she has over the other girls to overpower Mary Warren’s argument against her, scaring Mary into going against Proctor and getting him arrested and hung. When Abigail ‘destroys his smile’, Proctor realises that what he is doing is wrong a makes the decision to reject Abigail. Miller uses short sentences to emphasise Proctor’s authority as a grown man, using a declarative to assert that ‘That’s done with.’ Speaking with â⠂¬Ëœfinal emphasis’, we watch as Proctor becomes frustrated that Abigail has clearly not got the message and will not leave. Miller uses another declarative when Proctor tells Abigail that she ‘will put it out of mind’, making it clear that Proctor is in control and reinforcing our idea of him as a headstrong man with good morals. Abigail’s desperation does not fade; we learn that ‘she cannot believe it’, insinuating that she has become so used to manipulating others that it comes as a shock when she herself is manipulated. Proctor rejects Abigail once and for all, using a violent image that he would ‘cut off [his] hand’ before he’d ‘ever reach for [her] again’. This image, suggesting punishment and physical harm is also symbolic of the terrible outcome of their affair. The affair causes tension between Proctor and Elizabeth. She is paranoid about what he may be up to, asking Proctor ‘What keeps [him] so late?’ John then asks Elizabeth: ‘Are you well today?’ showing that they are not getting on as well as they might, and Proctor is almost tiptoeing around her by trying to seem interested in her and make her feel valued. The tension increases further when Proctor says: ‘Cider?’, suggesting that he is tired of her and is growing impatient that she is forgetting things. Miller’s audience of the 1950s would have been horrified that Proctor orders Elizabeth around in this way, especially when she is innocent and he is the one in the wrong, though this would have been normal in the 1690s, when women were regarded as their husband’s property. Abigail does not appear in Act 2. Nevertheless, she has a strong influence over the course of events. Not only does she cause tension between John and Elizabeth, but her presence is felt when Proctor struggles to name all of the Ten Commandments. He names all of them but the adultery commandment, meaning Elizabeth has to ‘delicately’ remind him. Proctor tries so hard on a daily basis to forget about his affair with Abigail and move on that he has forgotten the only commandment which he has gone against. It is his only sin and the only thing that ruins his otherwise good character. Abigail also drives the scene by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. Mary Warren comes home from court with a ‘poppet’ for Elizabeth, which has a ‘needle’ stuck in it. We then learn that Abigail fell to the floor and a needle was found stuck into the flesh of her stomach. The reader is shown Abigail’s plot against Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s arrest is a turning point. When Proctor tells Mary that she must admit to the court how the poppet came to be in his house, Mary is frightened and says that she cannot do it as Abigail would kill her and ‘charge lechery’ on Proctor. In the context of the period, adultery was one of the worst sins and anyone found to be an adulterer would be heavily punished, possibly even killed, as John Proctor is. It is therefore through Elizabeth’s arrest that Mary reveals that she knows of the affair. Act 2 closes with Mary weeping that she cannot do what Proctor has asked her. Although Abigail is not there, her presence is felt yet again and the power that she has over the other girls is clearly shown in Mary’s terror at the prospect of having to denounce Abigail in court. Abigail and Proctor are both complex characters and Miller chooses the two  characters who the reader would think are the most unlikely couple. John Proctor hates himself for hurting Elizabeth and judges himself for being guilty of the very hypocrisy he despises in others. Abigail Williams, on the other hand, is not a good-hearted character who revels in her sins, and it is her lack of morals which allow her to hurt innocent people such as Elizabeth. An adulterous relationship would have been intensely frowned upon in Puritan times and could be viewed as either Proctor‘s or Abigail’s fault. It could be argued that Proctor, as a grown and married man, should have known never to begin the affair with Abigail. However, it could have been Abigail, their servant, who took advantage of a difficult time between John and Elizabeth and exploited Proctor’s only weakness: lust. Miller clearly wants the reader on Proctor’s side. We know already that he is plagued with guilt and is aware of his own faults. In the end, he eliminates his hypocrisy by finally telling the truth. He is the play’s tragic hero in that he sacrifices his life and good name in order to save Elizabeth, who forgives him, saying that ‘he have his goodness now’.

Atwood’s short story “Bluebeard’s Egg” Essay

Atwood’s Bluebeard’s Egg is a narrative that supports the theme of perception being a human characteristic which only presents the truth the particular person wants to believe. The first evidence of this appears in Sally’s description of Edward, her husband, who by her thoughts is a â€Å"dumb blond† that need her protection and intelligence to survive. â€Å"At set intervals an angel appears, bringing him food. That’s fine with Ed who hardly notices what he eats, but the angel is getting tired of being an angel† (168, prgh1) We get this image of the â€Å"caring wife† protecting a not-so-intelligent husband out of love and pity. This is Sally’s perception of the truth. On the other hand we see her immaturity in her diction (â€Å"heart-men† â€Å"fix their hearts†, â€Å"looked like a giant-fig†) which shows her ignorance of her husband’s line of work which is substantially difficult and requires intelligence and dedication that few people possess. This is why the readers start to doubt Sally’s truth and at this point we side with the other â€Å"some† who say that he is â€Å"intelligent and even brilliant, otherwise how can he be so successful†? (151, last pgh) This first conflict that takes place in the readers themselves furthers the theme of the story. Who can we trust and why? Sally’s perception is the lense that we see the story through, but without it we wouldn’t have a vision at all. So we have to take her reality and decide which truth we want to believe. Ed’s truth of a middle-age well-off physician with a beautiful, young wife who â€Å"doesn’t care much for anything† except the nice routine of his life. Or Marylynn’s perception of a liberal, independent and confident woman who doesn’t need a husband to enjoy her life. Or finally Sally’s desperate attempt to hold on to her perfect life – married to a wealthy handsome but not-so-smart husband who provides a normal â€Å"happy† life for her. The point in the story where Sally catches her husband and her best friend crossing that line of appropriateness, is when she realizes that her perception of what was real was actually all wrong from the begging. This sudden crack in her â€Å"perfect† life threatens the very foundations of an her seemingly stable universe. â€Å"Sally has been wrong about Ed, for years, forever.† (182) This is a crucial moment in the story as it shows Sally’s epiphany and provides a mysterious moment as to what she was going to do –  face her husband and her best friend, or try to ignore it in order to save her marriage, her security blanket. â€Å"Sally puts down the spatula, wipes her hand on the hand-towel, puts her arms around him, holds on tighter that she should.† (183, 3rd prgh) This is the image we get – of Sally trying to hold on to her illusory reality. In a way the egg in the story is the truth that humans seek but the truth is covered by the hard protective shell and only people who go beyond the surface and look for change can get to the core – to the truth which provides liberation. The structure of the story with the old â€Å"Bluebeard† tale in the middle of this new story reminds me of the egg which was once created and now has a life inside itself and will create in its turn. â€Å"Sally thinks the egg is alive, and one day it will hatch. But what will come out of it?† (184, 1st prgh) This relates to Atwood’s contemplating of the â€Å"creative process†. Like in other poems by her, we see the birth of new concepts from the roots of our very own creation. This also compares to the ways in which our engagement with a text, the act of reading literature, corresponds to â€Å"reading† reality. Atwood’s story suggests that in both instances, â€Å"guesswork† or â€Å"intuition† is as fundamental as close analysis. But whether our interpretation of the story is intuitive or analytical, the outcome is an unending quest after an illusory truth because nothing is what it seems.

Essay on Japanese Kanji

Essay on Japanese Kanji Essay on Japanese Kanji I thought i would never meet her again in my life since that day when I left Korea, my homeland. It was 4 years ago; I was going far away from her because I had to go abroad for my studies. The feeling i had that day; i could never ever forget how heartbroken and blue i was feeling. She was like an older sister to me; we were best friends since kindergarten and promised we always would be one. I guess you would imagine how I and she felt during my departure. We were both crying our hearts out; we tried our very best to stay strong with our emotions because we know that one cannot revolve one’s destiny. Thanks to God that we met yet again after 4 years. We certainly did not convey our goodbyes to each other; I assume that our faith was tied here in UK already. She called me and said that she was here in UK too. I was just too surprised to hear her voice again after those long years. The moment I heard her voice, it felt as if I was dreaming. All I could do was be speechless. We both were so full of happiness; we badly wanted to meet each other and decide to meet soon. The distance between our places was only about 2 hours from train but we could not care less. We talked from day to night during the weekends and said everything that happened in our life like how we used to talk back then. There were all sorts of stories: good, bad, hilarious, and miserable. Finally, we confirmed a place to meet in Christmas and celebrate together. However, due to some other family outing plans, we could not accomplish that plan but still we were happy and said there will always be another time. Later in our summer holidays, my mom told me that we were visiting our aunty and her family. I found that my relatives lived where she lived so I called her and said I will come over with my mom and dad. Now it was not long before I meet her. I arrived there. I did not tell her the date

Zychol Chemical Corporation Case Study Essay Example

Zychol Chemical Corporation Case Study Essay Example Zychol Chemical Corporation Case Study Essay Zychol Chemical Corporation Case Study Essay Read the case Zychol Chemicals Corporation given below and concisely answer the questions that follow at the end of the case study. As a general guideline, please try to limit your answers to a paragraph or two for each of the questions. Bob Richards, the production manager of Zychol Chemicals, in Houston, Texas, is preparing his quarterly report, which is to include a productivity analysis for his department. One of the inputs is production data prepared by Sharon Walford, his operations analyst. The report, which she gave him this morning, showed the ollowing: 2006 2007 production (untts) 4,500 6,000 Raw material used (barrels of petroleum by-products) 700 900 Labor hours 22,000 28,000 Capital cost applied to the department ($) $375,000 $620,000 Bob knew that his labor cost per hour had increased from an average of $13 per hour to an average of $14 per hour, primarily due to a move by management to become more competitive with a new company that had Just opened a plant in the area. He also knew that his average cost per barrel of raw material had increased from $320 to $360. He was oncerned about the accounting procedures that increased his capital cost from $375,000 to $620,000, but earlier discussions with his boss suggested that there was nothing that could be done about that allocation. Bob wondered if his productivity had increased at all. He called Sharon into the office and conveyed the above information to her and asked her to prepare this part of the report. a) Prepare the productivity part of the report for Mr. Richards. He probably expects some analysis of productivity inputs for all factors, as well as a multifactor analysis or both years with the change in productivity (up or down) and the amount noted. b) The producer price index had increased from 120 to 125, and this fact seemed to indicate to Mr. Richards that his costs were too high. What do you tell him are the implications of this change in the producer price index? c) Managements expectation for departments such as Mr. Richardss is an annual productivity increase of 5%. Did he reach this goal? Zychol Chemical Corporation Case Study By rylechelle23

Writing Prompts 60 Ideas You Can Use Today - Freewrite Store

Writing Prompts 60 Ideas You Can Use Today - Freewrite Store When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who would have us freewrite to writing prompts he would write on the whiteboard. Every Monday morning,  we  would spend the first 10 minutes of class writing about dragons, time travel, or our weekends. I had stopped using writing prompts after that 4th grade English class.   This changed once I began writing thousands of words per day. Some days, I just didn’t know what to write about. Other days, I already had a topic in hand, but I couldn’t find the words.  Writing prompts have been a great tool to help me defeat writer’s block and swiftly put pen to paper. Related:Writer’s block: 13 Strategies That Work A writing prompt is a topic around which you start writing ideas. You’re free to stick to the subject or let your mind wander. Writing prompts have a few benefits:   1. Put pen to paper. Instead of thinking about what to write about, writing prompts give you a topic to start writing about immediately. 2. Practice makes perfect. Writing prompts help you build your writing â€Å"muscles†. This habit will help make it easier for you to start writing and will teach you to write longer. 3. Increase your creativity. Writing prompts can make you see the world in a new light, or a way you’ve never imagined. Maybe you want to buckle down and finish that novel. Or perhaps you needed to complete that blog post yesterday.  Ã‚  Regardless of your circumstance, prompts can be your ticket out of uncreative purgatory and back to the writing promised land.       Sometimes, it can be hard to think of what to write, so we put together a list of over60 writing promptsto give you some fresh ideas. 60 Writing Prompts To Spark Your Imagination 1. Your favorite childhood vacation. 2. The last words of your novel are, â€Å"As night became day, he started to understand the truth.† Now, go write the rest. 3. Turn one of the last texts you sent into a story. 4. Add an original scene to the last movie you watched. 5. Two friends have a disagreement. 6. Write about your favorite teacher. 7. Outside the window, you see something you can’t believe. 8. Write about the first time you held someone's hand. 9. Write about the last thing/person that made you smile. 10. Write about a time you were lost. 11. Write about your first job. 12. Write a letter to your 14-year old self. 13. Write about why you write. 14. Five years from now, I will be. 15. Write about your dream vacation. 16. Do you like to be alone or with company? 17. You have $300 and a Prius, describe the 2,800 mile road trip from NYC to LA. 18. Write about your biggest goal. 19. Write about your biggest fear. 20. A conversation you and a stranger have on a plane. 21. A time you or someone you love was scammed. 22. Turn the last song you listened to into a story. 23. Describe the life of your favorite singer. 24. Write about a piece of furniture in the room you’re in. 25. If I knew then what I know now. 26. If you could travel back in time, where would you go? 27. You have a billion dollars in your bank account. How did you make it? 28. You’ve discovered a new planet. Describe what you see. 29. If you could do anything for work, what would you do? 30. You live on an abandoned island, describe your morning routine. 31. You’re in a foreign country and don’t speak the native language. 32. Describe how you think your grandparents met. 33. Write about a time you failed. 34. You wake up today with the superpower of your choosing. 35. You’re a dog, describe your interaction with a human. 36. Write about someone you admire. 37. Go to Twitter or Facebook and write about the first post you see. 38. Write about a time you were uncomfortable. 39. She tried to forget him, but never could. 40. Just as your flight takes off, you discover a shocking note under your seat. 41. None of your friends remember you, describe yourself to them. 42. An island rose from the sea. 43. Out of the ashes, arose a hero. 44. The whales grew feet. 45. I open the last book on earth. 46. You knock louder and louder on the door, but nobody answers. 47. The door you had locked, is wide open. 48. Just as you fall asleep, the phone rings. 49. She had the perfect party planned, only to have it ruined by her ex. 50. She said her final words and left, there’s no turning back now. 51. A blind man falls in love, describe his feelings. 52. You have the power to stop time, what do you do? 53. The sun rose for the final time. 54. You discover that your partner is a robot. 55. You have 10 days to live. 56. How will cars look in 50 years? 57. This needs to be cleaned, the police will be here any minute. 58. For years, he carefully planned out this day. 59. The birds didn’t go south for the winter. 60. It’s June 13th, the snow won’t stop falling. Okay, so now you’ve found two months worth of writing prompts.  If you’re looking for more prompts, every Friday, we send thousands of writers just like you a writing prompt via email or text message. We call it Writing Time Fridays. WTF is a 30 minute block of time each Friday that the Astrohaus team spends freewriting. It started as an internal initiative, but now anyone can join us from around the world. It's free and there are no rules other than to write for 30 minutes. We'll send you a prompt but feel free to write about whatever you want. There are no requirements to share your writing and how you write is completely up to you. Clickhere to sign up for WTF and receive a writing prompt at noon every Friday. Would you like to share a writing prompt you’ve used in the past? Comment below, and we’ll add it to the list!    Carlton Clark loves to write about business, baseball, and popular culture. A writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. At the age of 14, he founded the media company  ballplayerplus.com. Currently, Carlton helps businesses share their stories through social media and blogging. When he’s not writing or creating content, Carlton coaches youth baseball at his local high school and plays guitar. You can find him online on Instagram @itscarltonclark, and on Twitter @carlton_mukasa

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Minimum Wage and Living Wage in New Zealand - Essay Example The minimum wage law dictates the amount of cash that a worker is to earn, in a particular hour of work. The minimum wage should not be surpassed by the employer, as it is stated in the rights of the workers. However, there have been emergent issues on making the livelihood of the workers better. The issue of introducing the living wage to workers is debatable in such a country, when there is focus on the living standards. The question is; should New Zealand raise the minimum wage of workers to the living wage of families? In this question, there are some people for the issue of introducing the living wage, whilst some of the people in the country have their issues with the law. Therefore, expounding on this issue would be appropriate in coming up with better decisions. This qualitative study will involve holding a semi-structured interview with a relevant party. The secretary general of Amalgamated Workers Union New Zealand will be interviewed at a time appropriate for them. A set o f open-end questions will be asked relating to the living and minimum wages for workers. The study is important considering that both workers and employers are faced by constraints that need to be dealt with. The study will be useful in helping policy makers make considerations of various factors for the good of workers, employers, and the economy. Minimum Wage and Living Wage in New Zealand Introduction New Zealand is the country that has been struggling to make a positive impact in regard to its economic performance (International Energy Agency, 2011). It is an admissible fact that the most outstanding structure in making an improvement in its performance is by focusing on the employment levels and payment to workers. When a country has a high employment level, it is endowed with maximum labor. With such amassed labor, the country will be in a point of making a positive economic performance. This is due to the established production that will come from the labor intensity. In actu al sense, a country initiates making greater employment for its citizens in order to make a plausible performance. In recent economic times, countries have been struggling to ensure their population is employed, with a decent work and pay. However, this is dependent on a number of factors. These factors make it hard for a country to make full employment of the population, and give decent work. These factors include capital intensity, production, ability to pay the workers and the growth rate of the economy. When the above factors are considered at acceptable standards, the country will have a positive encounter when it comes to employment. 1. An overview of the subject The topic Though employment is the main factor in this research, the minimum wage is a solid factor to consider. This is heightened by the fact that all people in the world need a decent work for their living. Decent work denotes a person being contented with the working conditions, the wages and returns from other jo bs. Wage is defined as the reward given to workers, after offering their services. The wages given is remuneration for the workers, depending on the work and services they have offered. Therefore, the workers will be given their wages according to the work they have offered, depending on some other factors. Theses factor include experience, education level, merit and entry level. This shows the reason why many people may be in the same

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Minimum Wage and Living Wage in New Zealand Essay

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Bodhi-Dharma Definition Essay Example for Free

Bodhi-Dharma Definition Essay Historical Background Bodhi-Dharma (è  ©Ã¦  Ã© â€Ã¦â€˜ ©) was an Indian Buddhist monk who came to China from India in the first quarter of the sixth century. He brought Mahayana Buddhism to China. Coming to China, he stayed nine years at the Shao-lin Temple (Ã¥ °â€˜Ã¦Å¾â€"Ã¥ ¯ º), located in He-nan Province (æ ² ³Ã¥ â€"çÅ" ). Bodhi-Dharma is well-known in connection to a story expressed by the phrase â€Å"Wall Contemplation Nine Years (é  ¢Ã¥ £ Ã¤ ¹ Ã¥ ¹ ´)†. From the philosophy and practice represented by this phrase, the Chinese Zen Buddhism originated and developed in ensuing generations. The Bodhi-Dharma is respected as the First Zu (First patriarch) of Chinese Zen Buddhism. It is said that he was born as the third prince of a kingdom of south India. Name of the kingdom is expressed with two Chinese characters é ¦â„¢Ã¨â€¡ ³. Late in his life, he left India. It was the year 520 CE (or 527 CE) when he arrived at Guang-zhou of south China by taking a sea route. It is not welll known which course he took on the way. This article proposes a tentative account that the route he took was the Sea Silk-Road. Chinese historical literature describes what took place at the time when he left India. â€Å"He met the King and told him of his wish to go to China. The King tried to persuade him to stay in his home land, but Bodhi-Dharma was determined to go. There was no longer anything for the King to do but to prepare a large boat with necessary items for a safe voyage. His hope was for the future return of Bodhi-Dharma (preferably with the same boat). On the day of departure, the King accompanied Bodhi-Dharma up to the harbor, together with the families of his relatives and vassals. At this moment, there were none who were not in tears. After a three-year voyage, the ship of Bodhi-Dharma arrived at Guang-zhou of south 1 China. There, the local governor came to greet him. It was September of the year 520. It was the time of Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty (æ ¢ Ã¦Å" , æ ­ ¦Ã¥ ¸ )。 was informed of this event. He  Knowing it, the emperor invited Bodhi-Dharma to the capital Jian-kang (now Nan-jing). During his stay at the capital, it is said that there was the following dialogue between the Emperor Wu and Bodhi-Dharma. The Emperor  asked: â€Å"I have constructed many temples for Buddhists and used to serve for transcribing a number of Buddhism sutras. What karmic merit is promised?† Bodhi-Dharma replied: â€Å"No merit (ç„ ¡Ã¥Å Å¸Ã¥ ¾ ³)†. The kingdom where Bodhi-Dharma was born is recorded as †Ã© ¦â„¢Ã¨â€¡ ³Ã¢â‚¬  in Chinese literatures. At the time of Tang dynasty (618 907) established a hundred years later from the time of Bodhi-Dharma, it is likely that é ¦â„¢Ã¨â€¡ ³ is pronounced as â€Å"Kang-zhi†. This is close to â€Å"Kanchi† (-puram), an old capital town in the state Tamil-Nadu of south India (the part ‘puram’ means a town or a state in the sense of earlier times). It was a capital of Pallava Dynasty at the time when Bodhi-Dharma was living. The Pallava Dynasty is recorded as an oceanic state, trading with Mediterranean countries to the west and with China, Siam, Fiji and others to the east. It is conjectured that Bodhi-Dharma departed from Kanchipuram to the nearest port Mamallapuram and emba rked from there. On the other hand, from the time of Former Han Dynasty (å‰ Ã¦ ¼ ¢, established in 206BC) more than two thousands years ago, China also traded by sea with south-east Asia, India, Middle-east and Mediterranean countries by using large oceanic boats. It is said that return journey took four years or so between China and Middle-east. In China at the time of 3rd century, oceanic boats were called â€Å"Konron-chuan†. â€Å"Konron (Ã¥ ´â€˜Ã¥ ´â„¢)† meant the area of south-east Asia in general. A picture shows that an early-time trading boat is equipped with wooden arms on its both sides (supposed, for stability). It is noteworthy that there are remains described as China-Pagoda in a trading harbor-town (Nakapattinam) of south India near Sri-Lanka island. This was built by the order of a Chinese king for the sake of Chinese Buddhists who came to India from China for trade or for pilgrimage (perhaps in the 8th century). Kanchipuram is famous now in India as a town of quality silk cloths. Even Indian Buddhist monks used silk goods. This is written in the travel record [2] by Yi Jing (ç ¾ ©Ã¦ µâ€ž, 635 713). Original silks were likely imported from China, although mulberry trees (for silkworms) were planted in south India too. Some sources record that Yi Jing wrote a letter during his stay in Java (691) and sent it to the authorities of Tang Dynasty (at the time of Wu Zetian æ ­ ¦Ã¥â€°â€¡Ã¥ ¤ ©), in which he asked to construct a China Pagoda in India. This corresponds to the above record in India. Sea Route of Fa-Xian (Buddhist monk, 335 -423) A number of Buddhist monks visited India from China and vice versa. A record of most famous travel is that of Xuan-Zang (629-645), who took the land route both ways to and from India. In an earlier travel by Fa-Xian (399 412), he took a land (mountain) route on his way to India and returned back by a sea route. Why Fa-Xian took the sea route on his return is not written in his travel record. It is conjectured that he wanted to avoid steep and dangerous mountain routes because his age had advanced to over seventy at the time. Beginning his way back to China, he stayed at a town at the mouth of the Ganges river and waited for two years to take a large commercial ship. During his stay, he has transcribed Buddhism texts (and possibly looked for a person or a merchant who would assist him on his return journey). By taking advantage of seasonal (monsoon) wind in the beginning of winter, his ship arrived at the island of Simhala (now Sri-Lanka) after fourteen days. It is well known that there is a seasonal wind from the north-east along the east coast of India in the Bengal Bay. After he had stayed for two years in Sri-Lanka too, he took a large ship (possibly helped by another merchant). The number of passengers on board was more than two hundreds. They embarked for the east. In the beginning there was favorable seasonal wind, but from the third day a storm occurred. After thirteen days, they arrived at an island. It is speculated that it was one of Nicobal islands. Tending to repairs due to flooding of the ship, they resumed their journey. After nine or ten days (or ninety days by another reading) by passing through the Strait of Malacca, they arrived at a harbor in Sumatra or Java islands. Fa-Xian stayed there for five months. His trip route is shown by the thick solid curve in the figure (Reference [3]). Route of Fa-Xian (thick solid line) and a speculated route of Bodhi Dharma (dotted line) Helped by another merchant, he took a large ship bound for China where two hundred passengers were on board. Guessing the size of the ship, it could be one corresponding to two carriage cars of a modern electric train connected  side by side and one underneath them. A relief of a big ship remains in Borobudur’s Buddhist structures (below) on the Java Island, which suggests such a ship as Fa-Xian took. Ship relief in Borobudur. They embarked with food on board of fifty days, but they encountered a storm on the way and drifted on the East China Sea. Eighty days after their departure, they arrived at a place on the south coast of Shan-dong Peninsula of China. This was a voyage that occurred at a time a hundred years before Bodhi Dharma. At his time, it appears that voyages across the Indian Ocean by using the monsoon seasonal wind are well-known. It is likely that such a sea route would have been recommended to Fa-Xian. According to modern data of observation, there is Monsoon wind in the Indian Ocean from Indian side to Malay Peninsula from May to September every year. Sea Route of Bodhi Dharma Bodhi Dharma’s ship departed Mamallapuram, a main port closest to Kanchipuram, and headed for Sri-Lanka. This is just a conjecture. It is likely that they stayed there a couple of months waiting for favorable monsoon wind, preparing for the great journey crossing the Indian Ocean. It might take another couple of months to get to a port in Sumatra or Java island. It may have taken a half or more of a year (depending on circumstances) since he departed his home country Kanchipuram. It is likely that he may have been invited by a royal family at the place he was staying, or that he stayed at a temple for rain retreat in summer time according to the Buddhist custum, or that he spent half a year by preparing his next journey, waiting for a favorable wind, or trading. Once everything was ready, they finally embarked for Guang-Zhou, China. It may have taken two months or so to get to their destination. Two years should have been sufficient time for the whole journey. The â€Å"three years† written in the record may imply that it was the third year since he departed his home country, rather than that it took full three years. Bodhi Dharma according  to old records was born in Kanchipuram of south India., and his final place of rest was at the Bear-Ear Mountain of He-Nan Province of China, where there is a temple Kong-Xing Si to commemorate Bodhi-Dharma. However, in the ancient town Kanchipuram where Bodhi-Dharma is supposed to have grown up, there is nothing to remind us of him. It is considerd that there were many Buddhist structures in Kanchipuram, but most of them were destroyed by the ravages of time and by the opponents of Buddhism. At the present time, it is a sacred town of Hinduism. Historical remains related to Buddhism found in that region are very limited in number, although one can come across a large number of Buddhist remains in the Hindu temples of this antique city. Devotees and interested individuals from different countries may wish to be informed and experience some sense of this great person Bodhi-Dharma in Kanchipuram. Currently, a project is being planned by those who intend to build a memorial structure at the land (in Kanchipuram) owned by the Institute of Asian Studies (Chennai, India). This article is written with the hope and confidence in worldwide spiritual support for this endeavor.

Critical Analysis of Ageing Biomarkers

Critical Analysis of Ageing Biomarkers Introduction Biomarkers have been used since 1980, in aging and age related diseases. The use of biomarkers helps increase the understanding of a disease and help in diagnosis. Biomarkers can investigate a disease from early manifestations to final stages and can characterise biological age. Aging results in the deterioration of functional capacity and exposes people to diseases over time. The biomarkers should be measurable in the blood, tissues or cells and should be easily obtained from blood or urine samples. Biomarkers of exposure and biomarkers of disease are the two key types of biomarkers used in clinical settings. The effect and rate of aging is reliant upon individuals (Strimbu and Tavel, 2010). A reliable biomarker should be a predicator of life span not chronological age, should work on animals and humans and be frequently tested. There are three key types of biomarker; determine chronological age, predict life expectancy and disease predisposition. Biomarkers can enable the development of drugs to reverse or slow down the progression of a disease. Example of biomarkers of aging are cellular senescence, hormonal deregulation and oxidative stress (Sergievsky, 2004) and (Strimbu and Tavel, 2010) Biomarkers Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels have been associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. C reactive protein (CRP) biomarker is an acute phase reactant produced in the liver, following tissue injury, inflammation and infection is released into the bloodstream. An indication of cardiovascular disease risk could be the elevations in CRP levels in the blood, people with a higher or lower cardiovascular disease risk can be identified by measuring CRP levels in the blood. Elevated CRP levels cause inflammation and oxidative stress regardless of metabolic syndrome (Horiuchi and Mogi, 2011) and (Abraham et al, 2007). The data was analysed from 12 European countries and included patients over 50 years that had at least one cardiovascular risk factor with no history of cardiovascular disease. Diabetics were also analysed. Glycated haemoglobin levels were positively correlated with CRP levels and there was a negative correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Women that had increased cardiovascular disease risk factor and more metabolic syndrome markers had elevated CRP levels. 30% of diabetic patients that were not receiving statin therapy had CRP levels ≠¥3mg/L and 50% CRP levels were ≠¥2mg/L, subjects with intermediate levels of cardiovascular disease risk. Mean CRP levels were ≠¥4.2mg/L in the overall population, levels were similar to subjects with diabetes. Subjects were over 50 years however no association was found between elevated CRP levels and age. Almost 50% subjects regardless of cardiovascular disease risk factor had CRP levels of ≠¥2mg/L. Increasing CRP levels were associated with metabolic syndrome markers. There was an association between raised CRP levels and greater cardiovascular risk (Halcox et al, 2014). This study looked at age related increase in compartments of visceral fat and the association with harmful changes in blood lipid profile and insulin sensitivity in non-obese women. Visceral fat has been suggested to be a predictor of variations plasma lipid levels, lipoprotein and plasma glucose-insulin concentrations. Abdominal adiposity increase helps identify age related decline in insulin sensitivity and plasma lipid levels. 178 women were categorized into four age groups, visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas, body composition, blood lipid profile, glucose disposal and aerobic fitness were directly analysed. With age, there was an increase in abdominal adipose tissue. An age related proliferation was detected in total cholesterol (p The study investigated age related fluctuations in cutaneous sensation, areas of the palm and dorsal surface of the hand and nerves in the hand were observed. In eight sites of the glabrous skin and two on hairy skin on both hands cutaneous perceptual threshold was tested. 70 subjects aged between 20-88 years were used. Three tests were used von Frey thresholds, two point stimulations and Texture discrimination. The threshold for cutaneous sensation increased significantly with age (P Two point stimulation, showed increased threshold with age (P=0.046), lowest thresholds were observed in 20s (5mm) and in 60s had highest (7mm). Each area had increased loss of sensitivity with age. No significant increase was observed for threshold for texture discrimination, there was a stable surge until the 80s. From the 20s (0.27mm) up to 70s (0.44mm) an increase was observed however in the 80s (31mm) there was a decrease.No difference was seen between various sites of the hand, non-dominant/dominant and sexes. After the age of 60 males and 70 for females, there was an accelerated decline in cutaneous sensation (Bowden and McNutty, 2013). The obvious sign of aging is the decrease in muscle mass, function and increase fatigability in old age, it is suggested that there is a decline in myosin heavy chain synthesis with sacropenia. The synthesis rate decline highlights functional consequences of a weakened remodelling process. Muscle mass is regulated by muscle protein synthesis and breakdown, a lower synthesis rate compared to breakdown may result in diminished muscle mass. The loss of lean mass and decreased performance highlights metabolic changes that occur with sacorpenia. Myosin heavy chain is involved in the hydrolysis ATP to ADP, it is vital for muscle contractile functions. Myosin heavy chain synthesis rate was measured instantaneously with rates of mixed muscle and sarcoplasmic proteins. In young to middle aged people a decline in synthesis rate of mixed muscle protein (p Age related bone loss in men and women is the result of decline in hormones such as oestrogen and estradiol. It is understood that tissue growth and metabolism is regulated by insulin like growth factor (IGF) and binding proteins. The growth endorsing regulatory system IGF is growth hormone dependant and independent, it is a complex system. Six IGF binding proteins included in the IGF system as well as IGF-I and IGF-II. Osteoblastic diversity and bone development is improved by IGF-I and IGF-II which are abundant growth factors in bone tissue. These factors upsurge the production of type1 collagen fibres and apposition rates of bone matrix, degradation of bone collagen is reduced. The effects of IGF-I and IGF-II maybe potentiated or repressed by IGFBPs although they are anabolic. Metabolic activity and clearance of IGF-I and IGF-II is regulated by IGFBPs, IGF independent action that can inhibit or stimulate cellular function by four IGFBPs. Osteoblasts are able to synthesize all six IGFBPs. The role of serum levels of IGF-I and IGF-II, and IGFBP-1, 2 and 3 on bone mineral density was examined on various skeletal sites, in an age stratified random sample of 344 males and females. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels declined with increasing age in males and females, IGFBP-2 levels increased with age. Associations between IGFBP-2 and lateral spine BMD were not observed however with age adjustment IGFBPs with BMD were significant for males and females. The most significant independent predictor of bone mineral density was IGFBP-2 amongst all the ones studies in males and females (Amin et al, 2004) Alterations in brain tissue and grey matter can help in diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia etc. Aging has a profound effect on the brain. Grey and white matter contrast functionally and anatomically as well as having different patterns in brain development. MRI imaging is an effective way of investigating brain morphometric in vivo enabling the production of accurate and reliable information. Investigations have looked at age specific effects on various brain regions findings from the analysis have revealed brain tissue loss with age may vary between the various brain regions and hemispheres. 55 healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 86 were separated into two groups (20-49 and 50-86). Current or existing neuropsychiatric illness and substance abuse was excluded by a neurologist in an interview. Evaluations were done using MRI imaging and 50 separate brain volume images were under review. Results revealed reduction in grey matter with increasing age in males and females, deterioration begins at 20 years of age. Increasing age results in significant loss grey matter (4.9%). Increase in white matter is observed however accelerated decline in instigated around age of 40. A significant difference was observed between the two age groups (p=0.38), older people had significantly lower grey and white matter in the intracranial space as compared to younger ones (p Discussion Elevations of the biomarkers were helpful indicators in the development of disease and understanding age related changes in the body. Elevated CRP levels were observed in majority of patients regardless of cardiovascular risk. However, CRP is a non-specific inflammatory marker and elevations could be due to other biological processes. Amplified CRP levels is not the foremost casual factor for cardiovascular disease the levels (Halcox et al, 2014). Abdominal fat accumulation were seen to be an independent factor of age related change in plasma lipid levels and insulin sensitivity. Results revealed that abdominal visceral fat increased with age. The findings were consistent because age had an effect on insulin sensitivity (DeNino et al, 2001). Cutaneous sensation deteriorates with age, differences are also observed between sexes and hands. The extent of deterioration may have been undervalued this could have affected the results. There was difficulty in the assessment of skin hydration and the role of skin mechanics was inadequate. The associations between fine motor control and cutaneous sensation could be an area to study (Bowden and McNutty, 2013). There was an age related decline in myosin heavy chain synthesis but average synthesis rates were measured. Muscle mass decline was associated with incapacity for the skeletal muscle to remodel. Insulin resistance could have a role in declined myosin heavy chain synthesis due to its chronic effect. Differences between males and females were established. Data was normalized to whole body protein turnover to fat free mass because normalizations to body composition were fraught. Future research should investigate whether age related decline in synthesis rate could be retreated by use of replacement hormones (Balagopal et al, 1997). Age related bone loss was evident in males and females; the predictor for bone density was IGFBP-2. The results were not generalizable to the cognitively impaired. Correlations were observed between serum levels of IGF-1 and tissue levels within bone but there was limited understanding of the action at a local level. Future research should be directed towards investigating the complex role of the IGF system influence on bone metabolism (Amin et al, 2004). The exclusion of subjects with neurological conditions made comparisons difficult between young and old. An estimation of brain tissue loss can be done in healthy living subjects. The findings from the study were consistent with longitudinal studies (Robert et al, 2002). References Anti aging team . (2014). Biomarkers of aging . Available: http://www.anti-aging-guide.com/62biomakers.php. Last accessed 28th Feb 2015. Gertrude H. Sergievsky. (2004). Biomarkers: Potential Uses and Limitations. Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain,. 1 (2), 182-188. Jacob Abraham, Catherine Y. Campbell, Aamir Cheema, Ty J. Gluckman, Roger S. Blumenthal, Peter Danyi,. (2007). C-Reactive Protein in Cardiovascular Risk Assessment:. The Journal of Cardiometabolic Syndrome. 2 (2), 119-123. Jocelyn L. Bowden Penelope A. McNulty. (2012). Age-related changes in cutaneous sensation in the healthy. American Aging Association. 35 (2), 1077-1089. Julian PJ Halcox1,2*, Carine Roy3, Florence Tubach3,4, Josà © R Banegas5,6, Jean Dallongeville7, Guy De Backer8,. (2014). C-reactive protein levels in patients at. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. 14 (25), 1-9. Kyle Strimbu and Jorge A. Tavel. (2010). What are Biomarkers?. Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 6 (5), 463-466. Masatsugu Horiuchi, Masaki Mogi. (2011). C reactive protein Beyond Biomarker of Inflammation in. Hypertension. 57 (1), 672-673. P. BALAGOPAL,1 OLAV E. ROOYACKERS,1 DEBORAH B. ADEY,1. (1997). Effects of aging on in vivo synthesis of skeletal muscle. American Physiological Society. 1 (1), e790-e799 Shreyasee Amin,1 B Lawrence Riggs,2 Elizabeth J Atkinson,3 Ann L Oberg,3 L Joseph Melton III,2,4 and Sundeep Khosla2. (2004). A Potentially Deleterious Role of IGFBP-2 on Bone Density in Aging Men. JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH. 19 (1), 1075-1081 Walter F Denino, Andre Tchernof, Isabelle J. Dionne, Michael J. Toth, Philip A. Ades, Cynthia K. Sites, Eric T. Poehlman, . (2001). Contribution of Abdominal Adiposity to. Diabetes Care. 24 (5), 925-932. Yulin Ge, Robert I. Grossman, James S. Babb, Marcie L. Rabin,. (2002). Age-Related Total Gray Matter and White. American Society of Neuroradiology. 23 (1), 1327–1333.

Lucid Dreams: The First Virtual Reality :: essays research papers

Lucid Dreams: The First Virtual Reality Psychological Sean Pasinsky LibEd 316-2 5 Feb. 1997 For ages people have thought of dreams as curses or blessings that we could not prevent nor manipulate. This "place" called our dreams has constantly puzzled us, because it is here where all things are possible and seem to occur. In our dreams we perform superhuman and wonderful feats that would normally be impossible in the "awake world". We find the men or women of our dreams, depending on our sexual orientation. While we dream, these wonderful things become our temporary reality. Yet sometimes while dreaming we may experience the most horrifying events imaginable, called nightmares. Everyone has their own version of horror, my most terrifying nightmare has been where my family and friends have been taken control of by evil monsters that cannot be stopped. Rather than kill me they make me watch old 1970's television shows over and over. For years, men have thought that there should be a way of preventing or controlling these nightly events. Humans must, like any animal, sleep. We do not fully understand why we must sleep. We only know that if we are deprived of sleep long enough that we will most certainly die. The same is true for dreams and dreaming(1). If we sleep long enough we will reach an advanced stage of sleep where our body begins to experience rapid eye movement (REM). It is during this REM period that we experience most of our dreams. Many scientists try to speculate the reasons for dreaming through biological our psychological means. This proves to be very frustrating for someone trying to find empirical meaning and truth about his or her dreams. There are countless books written about dreams with just as many different interpretations and meanings for specific dream references. For psychics, astrologists, or psychologists who attempt to interpret dreams, there are numerous factors that must be considered when endeavoring to find meaning in a dream. Because of these numerous factors that contribute to the condition of dreaming, many different paths have been created for exploration. From Freud's sexual symbolism to the current random recollection theories diversity in dream interpretation abounds. However, there is a way to dream and not be at the mercy of your subconscious mind. For the past ten years a bright psychologist at Stanford University, by the name of Steven Laberge, has been studying dreams and the physiology of the human body during the dream state. His research may sound commonplace if it weren't for the added fact that he is training people to control their dreams.

Napoleon Bonaparte :: History

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte, who is also known as the "little Corsican", was born on August 15,1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica. His family had moved there from Italy in the 16th century. His original name was Napoleone. He had 7 brothers and sisters. His original nationality was Corsican-Italian. He also despised the French. He thought they were oppressors of his native land. His father was a lawyer, and was also anti-French. One reason Napoleon may have been such a great leader and revolutionary because was he was raised in a family of radicals. When Napoleon was nine, his father sent him to Brienne, a French military government school in Paris. While there he was constantly teased by the French students. Because of this Napoleon started having dreams of personal glory and triumph. From 1784 to 1785 Napoleon attended the Ecole Militaire in Paris. It was there that he received his military training. He studied to be an artillery man and an officer. He finished his training and he joined the French army when he was just 16 years old. His father died after that and he had to provide for his entire family. Napoleon was stationed in Paris in 1792. After the French monarchy was overthrown in August of that year, Napoleon started to make a name for himself and become a well known military leader. In 1792 Napoleon was promoted to captain. In 1793 he was chosen to direct the artillery against the siege in Toulon. Soon after that Toulon fell and Napoleon was promoted to brigadier general. Napoleon was made commander of the French army in Italy. He defeated many Austrian Generals. Soon after this Austria and France made peace. Afterwards Napoleon was relieved of his command. He had been suspected of treason. In 1795 he broke up a revolt and saved the French government. He had earned back respect and he was once again give command of the French Army in Italy. He came up with a plan that worked very well. He would cut the enemy's army in to two parts, then attack one side of them before the other side could help them. This worked very well against the Sardinian troops, he defeated them 5 times in 11 days. After this Napoleon was almost impossible to stop. This was when he began conquering most of Europe. The first country he defeated was Austria. He collected lots of money and sent it back to Paris, this helped the weak economy of France.

HBS. Tristar

Rainbow Products and the paint-mixing machine A) The paint-mixing machine cost 35. 000 dollars, which is the initial cash outflow. The machine will generate additional cash inflows of 5. 000 dollars for the next 1 5 years. With cost of capital of 12% the Net Present value can be calculated using the NP formula in Excel: NP= – 945. 68 Data Description Rate $0. 12 935,000. 00 Investment $5,000. 00 scofflaws at the end of year $34,054. 32 NP $-945. 68Note that because the cash inflow is constantly reoccurring and occurs for a set period of time the Present value could also be calculated as an Annuity and then added to the initial cash outflow. Doing this calculation, one would expect the result to be the same. Internal Rate of Return, AIR, is the return on the investment when NP is zero. AIR can also be calculated using Excel: Because AIR is less than the cost of capital (12%) and the NP is negative, both methods suggest that undertaking the investment would destroy shareholders value, hush the investment should not be undertaken.The simple Payback period is when the initial investment is recovered, this will occur at the end of year 7, thus the payback period is 8 years. B) For an additional 500 dollars the machine can get service each year to â€Å"as-good-as- new' and the value of the investment can thus be calculated as a perpetuity. A Perpetuity is calculated as: Thus, NP = -35,000 + 37,500 = 2500 NP is positive with the service contract, so Rainbow Products should undertake the investment, as it will increase shareholder value.C) Rainbows engineers have another way of preserving and increasing the capability of the machine, which allows the annual scofflaws to increase by 4%, this requires reinvesting 20% of the annual scofflaws. The Present Value of an end-of-year perpetuity is calculated as: Thus, the NP = -35,000 + 50,000 = 15,000 As the NP of the investment in the machine with engineers added work is 12,500 dollars more than the NP of the investm ent in the machine with â€Å"as-good-as-new contract.

A Central Theme or Motif in the Play Othello, Is Jealousy

Jealousy is the central theme in the play â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare. It is the most famous literary work that focuses on the dangers of jealousy. The play is a study of how jealousy can ruin lives – even with only the most circumstantial evidence of guilt. The play opens in Venice and revolves mainly around a man called Othello. It’s his actions and thoughts which makes the play interesting and suspenseful. Themes such as love, jealousy, betrayal, honesty and vengeance are all important and widely portrayed throughout the play.However, as we venture into the play and the character Othello, we will realise that jealousy is ultimately the most important theme of them all. It is the fundamental element that fuels the characters and evidently crafted the play into how it is today. From the beginning of the play, we clearly see the jealousy in Iago. This is seen with his dejection at being passed over for promotion to be Othello's lieutenant. Cassio, the à ¢â‚¬Å"bean counter†, got the job instead of Iago the experienced soldier. He just has to accept his loss. But, of course, he does not, and that becomes the driving force of the play.His strategy of dealing with loss is to strike back with vengeance and deception against Othello, who has humiliated him by passing over him for promotion. He stays close to Othello, acting as his best friend when he is actually deceiving Othello, â€Å"I am not what I am†. He is out to get back at Othello and he does this by creating an evil plan against him. Othello is in love with Desdemona and secretly marries her. He loves her and is willing to do anything for her. However, he is blinded by this love and allows jealousy to ruin their relationship.Jealousy is so destructive and has rendered Othello to become so vulnerable to the evil schemes by Iago. Iago uses Desdemona in his plan, and succeeds greatly. Iago’s plan begins as he openly executes his plan of destruction, which incor porates jealousy as the key factor. He intends to create a strong sense of jealousy in Othello by setting up the mirage of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello is a simple man. He has never dealt with a situation like this before. As a result, he had very extreme reactions because of his jealousy.However, Othello’s jealousy has not developed and still doubts their affair. Therefore no extreme actions have been committed yet. The quote â€Å"Away at once with love or jealousy! † by Othello allows us to understand that he still has faith in Desdemona and does not believe she is cheating on him. However, Iago continues to feed Othello with rumors of the affair. His persistency and Othello’s vulnerability has caused a rapid development of jealousy in him. By the quote â€Å"I like not that†, we can see that it is the turning point for Othello – he begins to lean towards Iago’s interpretation of the truth.In doing so, Othello falls int o the trap and tells Iago that he wants Cassio and Desdemona dead. His love for Desdemona is so strong and yet jealousy overpowers him. Iago realises that although he does not have proof of the affair, he is still able to cause harm â€Å"As proofs of holy writ: this may do something†. From this we realise how obstinate Othello is. Jealousy has made him lose his ability to reason or think logically. In fact, Iago has been so successful with his plan that he was able to put Othello into a state of madness.He even loses control of his body and Iago explains it as epileptic seizures. At the end of the play, after Othello smothers Desdemona to death, it is brought to his attention that he was set up by Iago. In horror, he realizes his mistake. Just before his suicide, Othello explains that all will have to refer to him as â€Å"one that loved not wisely but too well†. His lack of experience brought upon his ruin. Jealousy is described throughout the play as a monstrous emo tion or more specifically, a â€Å"green-eyed monster†. This becomes increasingly more destructive and intense.However, it’s at the end of the play that Othello commits extreme actions because his jealousy has caused him to believe everything is true. Jealousy here is harnessed as a weapon, a weapon made so lethal because its victim ultimately destroys himself and others around him. It is interesting that Iago uses jealousy against Othello, as jealousy is likely the source of Iago’s hatred in the first place. In Othello, jealousy takes many forms, from sexual suspicion to professional competition, but it is, in all cases, destructive.However, this jealousy was not originally prominent Othello, but was rather developed through Iago’s numerous plans of destruction, which is understood through Othello’s change in personality and actions taken. By studying the text â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare, we are able to understand that jealousy is a powerful emotion, one that can destroy relationships, and consume the mind. Whether sexual or platonic, once the seed of jealousy is planted it can lead to devastating consequences, as seen in the play.Jealousy can easily turn into anger, and overwhelm it's victim making them obsessed with the notion. In the play Othello, many of the characters fall victim to jealousy, causing them to commit acts outside of their normal persona. Othello was the victim in the play, and was miserably destroyed by his uncontrollable jealously. Out of all the characters in this play, it’s obvious that jealousy was what ruined Othello. Jealousy had the most profound effect on him and in the end, destroyed his relationship with Desdemona, and himself. In doing so, I believe that jealousy is the central theme in the play.

M3- How Sales Techniques and Good Customer Service Have Evolved in the Organization

M3- how sales techniques and good customer service have evolved in the organization Sales techniques and good customer service have changed so much that customers are getting the right support they need with the product. In the last few years, Currys did not train its staff to a high level of standard but now it is expected that when a customer directly goes into a store, the staff will do their best to deliver good customer service using knowledge of what they already know about the product. Product knowledge is most essential in customer service as customers may need to know how a product will benefit them and the features it has. Signage above each section is a valuable sales technique used by Currys which directs the customer to where the product is placed. Not only is this a simple method but ensures that customers are able to find the right product in the most convenient way. This particular strategy of Currys was recently invented and it has been an improvement to customer service now on from the previous years. Some new features have been provided at Currys like the ‘Playtables and improved merchandising’ for example, which gets customers into trying the product and help them make informed choices about what tends to be worth buying. If customers would like to get in touch with a member of staff and discuss the complaints they may have, the Currys team of colleagues are its best in dealing with problems brilliantly. Before, the Automated System was not beneficial to customers as they had to leave a message and took time for them to respond quickly, so what Currys tends to do now is they recruit a set of colleagues and train them to use a service where responsibility is taken for the customer’s issue and they try to resolve the problem quickly. Price promise helps Curry’s to distinguish itself from their competitors; Comet, John Lewis, Argos, Staples, and Tesco. Other stores may have the same product, but Curry’s offer a 10% discount on their competitor’s price. Their tactic is to check what sort of prices different competitors may have and come up with the most unbeatable value to offer their customers with. However, whilst in the last several years customers had not been given an option of price promise, now Curry’s is under pressure from online retailers so they have to make sure the cheapest products are provided online for the customers. Curry’s tend to install and repair the products which are broken or damaged and as far as I have seen from the customer’s side of the view through their complaints on the online review; it seems that there are both positive and negative remarks from customer towards their customer service. One says that they had waited for a replacement of the product but the team told the customer that the part will not be in until 28 days. Whilst others thought the customer service was impressive with helpful staff to assist you with anything with the product itself. However, the team of colleagues may use the information provided by customers on the online review and make efficient improvements to the way sales techniques and good customer service was delivered in the last couple of years.