Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo Essay - 2527 Words

Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the greatest director of all time. Many of his films are considered standards of American cinema and inspired many of today’s directors. Even though Hitchcock is known as timeless director, he had an understanding of philosophy that was beyond his time. Hitchcock had a brilliant perception as to how the mind works and human reaction. Hitchcock’s understanding of philosophy can be seen in his film Vertigo and illustrates how many theories can be debilitating in everyday life. Into the Mind of Freud through the Mind of Hitchcock One of the philosophies that Hitchcock tackles is that of Sigmund Freud. Freud is known for psychoanalysis and his interpretation of dreams. Specifically, Freud’s theories can be seen†¦show more content†¦Though he is tricked, he believes that due to his vertigo he lets her die which could represent how he was hesitant to commit to her. Moreover, it is Scottie’s fear of heights that makes him lose the women that he loves. Through this theory, along with Freud’s, Hitchcock better shows the fear of commitment in men. This shows a deeper understanding than that of many, during this era as when the movie was filmed (1958) and the nuclear family was evident. Men and women were supposed to be married and not have any feelings for anyone outside their marriage. Freud has also touched upon the melancholy of losing a loved one. Freud’s theory is that loss and melancholy is what can lead to madness. This trait is also seen in Scottie’s reaction to the believed death of Madeleine. Scottie goes mad and has to be institutionalized. When he is released he finds the Madeleine â€Å"look alike† in Judy and develops a deep obsession. Heather Holf who wrote Hitchcock’s Vertigo and the Tragic Sublime says: Judy is fetishised into Madeleine as the lost object and, in the process, she is made the object of inevitable disappointment. Scotty can never be satisfied with the substitutive object and Judy must become the object of his revulsion. Scottie by trying to transform Judy into another person shows how powerful the melancholy of loss can be on the psyche of some. Hitchcock shows a beautiful understanding of this particular madness in Scottie.Show MoreRelatedThe Master Of Suspense And Alfred Hitchcock1389 Words   |  6 Pagesall have two attributes in common; the tactful use of suspense and Alfred Hitchcock. Each person in the list above has, at one point, named Alfred Hitchcock as an influence for their works (IMDb). Hitchcock has been known as, â€Å"the master of suspense,† throughout his career and it shows, not only in the movies that he directed personally, but in the movies of the other directors and producers who aspire to compare to him. 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Evolution of the Immune System Free Essays

John Frelinger Dr. Travis Organic Evolution 30 April 2012 Evolution of the Immune System Animals are constantly bombarded by an immensely varied array of disease causing pathogens including bacteria, fungi, viruses and other parasites. The number of microbes living in the human body outnumber the actual human cells by a factor of 10, and for every single species of animal and plant on Earth, there are viruses that infect them. We will write a custom essay sample on Evolution of the Immune System or any similar topic only for you Order Now With the unrelenting threat of disease-causing pathogens all around us, and even within us, how can the constantly vulnerable organisms defend themselves? Evolution has provided an answer to this problem—the immune system. The immune system is a vastly complex orchestra of cells working together to help eliminate potentially harmful pathogens from the body. Some form of host defense is found in every multicellular organism, however there are myriad variations in the immune systems of different organisms. Vertebrates have evolved an acquired immune response, in which a specific immune system is activated to clear an infection that is initially controlled by a non-specific (innate) immune response. This highly adaptable system is important to the survival of vertebrate species. Surprisingly, however, 90% of animals (invertebrates) do not have this kind of response. Despite lacking a seemingly critical adaptation, invertebrates continue to survive and reproduce. Why does it appear necessary for vertebrates to have an acquired response in order to survive, but the more numerous invertebrate species do not? Research indicates that there is an evolutionary lineage of the immune system that stems from the split of invertebrates and vertebrates. Innate immunity, which is found in all animals, is assumed to be at the beginning of this evolutionary tree. After the diversification of species (vertebrates branching from invertebrates), mechanisms of immunity also diverged. In this paper I will first discuss the function of the innate immune system because of its older evolutionary history, followed by the adaptive immune response that evolved later in vertebrate lineages. I will then conclude by placing the development of the innate and adaptive immune system in an evolutionary context. Innate immunity is the first line of defense for an organism and is made up of elements that protect the organism from pathogens. Anatomical aspects such as skin act as an impermeable barrier to infectious pathogens. Chemical and biological factors, including anti-microbial peptides like defensins, are also used to inhibit bacterial growth and prevent colonization. Another immunological factor of the innate immune system are phagocytic cells (macrophages), which are cells that engulf and eliminate foreign pathogens. These cells operate using a variety of different and generalized receptors that recognize a broad range of molecular patterns expressed by pathogens that initiate phagocytosis. One such family of receptors, known as Toll-like Receptors, recognizes common pathogen elements such as bacterial wall components or viral DNA sequences. This component is found in virtually every multicellular organism, ranging from sponges to humans (Muller and Muller 2003). Plants also express proteins that are very similar to toll-like receptors, indicating that this aspect of the innate immune system predates the divergence of plants and animals. The innate immune system is so valuable to an organism’s survival because it is always present and in many instances can prevent pathogen entry or replication. This, in turn, prevents a harmful infection from ever occurring inside the host. Although invertebrates do not have the acquired immune response, recent research has shown that their innate response is more complex than previously thought. Insects can activate their immune systems to remain in a higher state in order to prepare for a pathogen invasion. During bedbug mating, females are frequently injured in the process because males will stab a female to inject his sperm, infecting her with bacteria and exposing her to other potential infections. In response, females have evolved ways to enhance their immune system prior to mating in anticipation of pathogen invasion (Morrow and Arnqvist 2003). Bumblebees are capable of maintaining a heightened immune system in response to a prior pathogen invasion to aid in the prevention of future infections. Immunity such as this has been shown to pass down vertically to offspring, therefore increasing their fitness (Tyler et al. 006). Slugs have also evolved an interesting alternative response in the form of increased mutation rates of certain immune cell receptors, which allows their immune system to adapt to many foreign elements (Litman and Cooper 2007). While it is inherently different from the acquired immune response, this sensitive management of immune function was previously thought to be reserved as a characteristic of vertebrates and the adaptive immune response. As vertebrates began to diverge and evolve from invertebrates, so too did the immune system. The new adaptive branch of the immune system originally conferred a new selective advantage for vertebrates because of its specificity and immense flexibility in recognizing new pathogens. The clonal selection theory, in which each lymphocyte clonally expresses a specific antigen receptor, can help explain how the immune system can express an extremely wide range of potential receptors capable of recognizing new pathogens. Lymphocytes are undifferentiated cells that ultimately become B-cells (Bone Marrow) or T-cells (Thymus) depending on where they migrate. B-cells possess a uniquely structured immunoglobulin molecule (antibodies exposed on outer surface) that recognizes and binds to a specific molecular counterpart. When a foreign antigen is bound to the antibody, it stimulates the replication of that specific B-cell with the aid of Helper T-cells, which enhance B-cell maturation. This process results in the clonal expansion of cells that recognize the original antigen and subsequent production of antibodies that help in the eradication of the pathogen. An important point of this process is that the pathogens select which lymphocytes expand. It also results in memory B-cells and T-cells that constitute a persistent immune memory for a particular antigen. This expanded pool of memory cells is activated upon a second exposure to the same pathogen, resulting in a much more rapid immune response to clear infection. Other types of T-cells are also produced during this process. For example, cytotoxic T-cells target and kill virally infected cells, while suppressor or regulatory T-cells are activated when the infectious pathogens are eliminated and signal the immune system to subside. Cells such as these also experience selective pressures–ones that react to self-tissue (and harm the host) would be selected against, while those that recognize pathogens would survive and replicate. The clonal selection theory addresses many aspects of vertebrate immunity, however, it does not explain all of the mysteries behind the variety of antibody generation. The sheer number of antibodies that can be produced and the finding that the acquired immune response can generate antibodies to manmade molecules that are not present in nature led scientists to explore how such diversity is generated. Research done by Susumu Tonegawa in the 1970’s indicated that B-cells have the ability to produce a huge number of antibodies due to a gene rearrangement process. B cells originally have many sets of gene segments (Variable, Diverse, and Joining) and over the course of its maturation reduce these segments to one of each type for the production of the antibody heavy chain. A similar process of gene rearrangement is involved for the production of the antibody light chain. The light chain and heavy chain proteins then assemble to form the complete antibody molecule that can specifically bind to an antigen. Two genes that are critical for this process to work are RAG1 and RAG2. These genes are known as recombination-activating genes and distinguish the vertebrate immune system from other lineages. These genes are critical to the process because they act as the excision and joining molecules that cut and knit back together the individual VDJ segments that make up the antibody. This results in the huge potential of diverse antibodies that can be produced—hundreds of millions of possible antibody types generated from a much smaller number of gene segments that can react with virtually any antigen. This sophisticated process may have originally been introduced by a mobile genetic element known as transposons. These transposable elements have the ability to excise themselves from one DNA sequence and incorporate themselves into another, very similar to the RAG1 and RAG2 gene functions. After the divergence of jawed and jawless vertebrates, a viral infection of the jawed lineage’s gametes may have introduced a transposon into their genome. (Thompson 1995). This may have provided the raw materials necessary to facilitate the development of adaptive immunity. The acquired response appears to have evolved from a single lineage because all vertebrates (excluding jawless fish) retain this RAG-mediated gene rearrangement system. The specificity of this kind of response may have been selected for because of its ability to recognize a diverse number of pathogens, but also because it could conserve more energy resources compared to the generalized defense of the innate response. The adaptive immune response is structured in such a way that it can respond to an almost infinite number of pathogens, while utilizing a relatively limited number of genes. Figure 1 illustrates a potential phylogeny based on some immune system adaptations previously discussed. Figure 1 (Reproduced from Litman and Cooper 2007). Although the vertebrate immune system is extremely adaptable to many potential threats, it is far from perfect. Epidemics such as the Bubonic Plague or the 1918 influenza killed millions of people. Similarly, when the Spanish colonized the New World, they also introduced pathogens that were devastating to the indigenous people. One of the major limitations of the acquired immune response is that it takes a relatively long time to respond after the initial exposure in order to be effective. This time is required because the lymphocytes must clonally expand before a pathogen can be eliminated. For example, in the case of the Native Americans, when they were exposed to the new pathogens, the infections spread to a portion of the population that was large enough to leave them unable to forage for food or to tend to the sick. As a result, it nearly wiped out the entire civilization. This limitation is significant as illustrated by these and many other historical epidemics. These difficulties have led scientists to think more fully about the effectiveness of the vertebrate immune system. If the immune system has the potential to combat virtually any conceivable threat, why then can’t it always eliminate any potentially harmful pathogen? We also look to immune hypersensitivity and autoimmunity as potential drawbacks of the immune system, indicating further imperfections of the adaptation. When the immune system mistakenly targets self-tissue, it results in serious consequences for the organism. Concepts in evolutionary biology might help address these issues. In this context the immune system does not have to be inherently perfect by design because only some individuals of a population need to survive and reproduce for that lineage to continue. The variation introduced by the immune system generates the diversity necessary for a population to adapt to changing environmental pressures. As others have suggested, a zebra doesn’t have to outrun the lion, just the slowest member of the herd (Hedrick 2004). The immune system is subjected to the same constraints as other characteristics in regards to natural selection. In this case even if a trait is not optimal, but helps the organism survive and reproduce, it will be selected for, regardless of any deleterious effects experienced post-reproduction. Many, but not all immunologists, believe the development of the adaptive immune system with gene rearrangement was a critical advance. It has been proposed that the development of the adaptive immune system was the â€Å"Big Bang† for the evolution of immune system (Travis 2009). This development might have also enabled the rapid expansion of vertebrates. Moreover, the idea that the adaptive immune system can generate receptors for molecules that are not yet present, makes it extremely flexible and has been called â€Å"forward thinking† (Travis 2009). Thus, while the immune system does not anticipate every change in organisms it is ready for them by constructing a large repertoire of antigen specific receptors, which confers a big selective advantage. Others have suggested the adaptive immune system conserves resources, and thus is better than the innate system. In contrast, as noted earlier, invertebrates lack a fully functional adaptive immune system and are very successful. Moreover, others have argued that even if the immune system was an advantage, it was only temporary and short lived (Hedrick 2004). Another relevant issue deals with the concept of parasite and host co-evolution. This constant struggle is exemplified by a quote from Lewis Carroll’s â€Å"Through the Looking Glass†, â€Å"it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place†. This concept, originally introduced by Leigh Van Valen, has been termed the Red Queen hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, an improvement in fitness for one species will lead to a selective advantage for that species. However, since species are often coevolving with one another, improvement in one species implies that it gains a competitive advantage over the other species, and thus has the potential to outcompete for shared resources. This means that fitness increase in one evolutionary system will tend to lead to fitness decrease in another system. The only way that a competing species can maintain its relative fitness is to improve on its own design. Although this theory was used to help explain the extinction of species and the evolution of sexual reproduction, it has been applied to many aspects of predator prey relationships including the development of the immune system. Because animals are constantly attacked by fast-adapting parasites, the host immune system cannot possibly gain an advantage over them. The evolution of the immune system is caused by the small advantages conferred as a result of variation in the recognition of pathogens. As suggested by Steven Hedrick, â€Å"by selecting for more elusive parasites, the immune system is ultimately the cause of its own necessity† (Hedrick 2004). Thus paradoxically, the immune system, since it places a strong selective pressure on pathogens and parasites, ultimately has become essential for vertebrates to survive. By placing selective pressure on parasites that can evolve much more rapidly than animals (due to their higher reproductive/mutation rate), it results in parasites that are increasingly more effective at infecting hosts of that species. In terms of the immune system, one strategy that parasites have developed is a means of altering their own antigens to become unrecognizable. In this way they escape the adaptive immune system by altering their structure. For example, trypanosomes can switch the major target antigen for antibodies, which they use as a strategy to extend the amount of time they reside in the host. This results in a more contagious host that will increase the spread of pathogens to new hosts (Stockdale et al. 2008). Similarly, because the HIV polymerase is very error prone with no proof reading mechanism, many mutations arise in the HIV proteins during its infection. While the adaptive immune system can make neutralizing antibodies, new variants arise that can no longer be recognized by the antibodies. These new variants have a selective advantage and escape, and thus the adaptive immune system  is always lagging behind. In terms of the host immune response, there is also an extremely high level  of polymorphism of major histocompatibility genes, which enable the population to respond to a wider array of antigens using T-cells. The benefit of this heterozygosity is that it allows the individual to respond to a wider variety of antigens. Moreover this diversity helps ensure that even though some individuals may perish, the particular pathogen will not be able to eliminate the entire population. Some infectious agents have even taken it a step further and evolved ways to utilize the host immune system to increase their own fitness. For example, infections that result in pus filled cysts can be used to carry parasitic progeny and spread to new hosts when they burst. Even though this may help the host clear an infection, the pathogen can use this to increase its own fitness and infect more individuals. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) utilizes the host immune system by initially infecting macrophages, and subsequently T-cells, which the virus uses as a reservoir for reproduction and as a means to spread to many different tissues in the body (Orenstein 2001). It also serves the virus to target immune cells for infection because crippling the host immune response akes it easier for the virus to spread throughout the body and eventually to new hosts (due to the higher viral load). In this light, it is possible that invertebrates did not evolve the adaptive immune response because they may have never needed it. By lacking the ability to develop a â€Å"memory† for a particular pathogen, those pathogens did not evolve anti-immune mechanisms to counter the host immune response. An immune memory could lead to more devious pathogens and resu lt in a more harmful infection in the future. This could have been a better strategy for invertebrates as it may have prevented the co-evolution of more virulent pathogens (Hedrick 2004). The immune system has a long evolutionary history in multicellular organisms. The innate immune system is a critical adaptation that helped these organisms survive the onslaught of parasites and pathogens. Vertebrates possess an adaptive immune response that allowed for the recognition of an almost infinite number of pathogenic antigens, however, it appears to have become a one-way road with the coevolution of pathogens. Once this adaptive system appeared in the vertebrate lineage, there was no going back. Because of the immense flexibility of the adaptive immune response, it places huge selective pressures on pathogens to constantly evolve new mechanisms of infecting hosts. Thus in the context of evolution, even with the incredible versatility of the adaptive immune system, it is likely there can not be an ultimate solution to infection by parasites only a new, perhaps unstable, equilibrium. Works Cited Hedrick, S. (2004). The Acquired Immune System: A Vantage from Beneath. Immunity 21, 607-615. Litman, G. and Cooper, M. (2007). Why Study the Evolution of Immunity? Nature Immunology 8, 547-548. Morrow, E. H. , and Arnqvist, G. (2003). Costly traumatic insemination and a female counter-adaptation in bed bugs. Proceedings of the Royal SocietyB: Biological Sciences. 270: 2377–2381 Muller, W. and Muller, I. (2003). Origin of the Metazoan Immune System: Identification of the Molecules and Their Functions in Sponge. Integrative and Comparative Biology 43, 281-292. Orenstein, J. (2001). The Macrophage in HIV Infection. Immunobiol. 204, 598- 602. Stockdale, C. , Swiderski, M. , Barry D. , and Richard McCulloch (2008). Antigenic Variation in Trypanosoma brucei: Joining the DOTs. PLoS Biol 6. Thompson, C. B. (1995). New insights into V(D)J recombination and its role in the evolution of the immune system. Immunity 3, 531–539. Travis, John. (2009). â€Å"On the Origin of the Immune System†. Sciencemag Vol. 329. Tyler, E. , Adams, S. , and Mallon, E. (2006), An Immune Response in the Bumblebee,Bombus terrestris leads to increased food consumption. BMC Physiology 6. How to cite Evolution of the Immune System, Papers

Case Study of Amazon In-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Case Study of Amazon In. Answer: Introduction: The main of this report is to analyze the situation for understanding the key issues. In this report strength and weakness is analyzed by performing SWOT and VIRO analysis. In this, the case the Amazon is selected for performing the analysis. The selected company is the worlds largest online retailer. The success of this company has encouraged others retailers that includes physical, brick and mortar retailers to get in to the online presence (Peppard Ward, 2016). The online retailer Amazon is compared to the Wal-Mart for its large presence in different countries and the aggressive strategy of pricing followed by them. However, the recent development and steep competition requires amazon has to rethink its business model of operating at close to zero margins. In addition to this, the company has not made sufficient profit as a result it is an impediment to the growth of the company Issues The most primary issue relating to the business strategy of Amazon are stated below: Amazon offers free shipping due to which the company is losing its profit margin in products of small amounts. The suggestion and recommendation of the market researchers and analysts have play a significant role in the decrease in profits. The product category range of amazon is very small. Swot Anaysis In the part below the SWOT Analysis regarding the business strategy of amazon has been discussed precisely. The SWOT analysis refer to the STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES and THREATS that a business is exposed to. Every aspects of SWOT analysis is discussed briefly. Strengths: The amazon is the largest online retailer it focuses mainly on the three prolonged strategies that are cost-leadership, differentiation and focus. By following the strategies the company thrives its gains from the course of its action and help its shareholders originates the values of the items from the company (Hill et al., 2014). The company is ahead of its competitors as it is easy to scale up and use the e-Commerce platform. The company is well ahead of its competitors because it mainly derives its competitive advantages from the leveraging IT. The company has superior logistics and distributor systems helps. This is helpful for the company to fulfil the need of the customers. It is one of the main reason for deriving competitive advantage from the competitors. Well established Amazon partner program for affiliates. Weaknesses: Free shipping being the part of amazon offers has risk of making losses and hence might not able to optimize on costs because of its strategy. The company has expanded very rapidly as a result the focus on the core competencies of the company of retailing books online has declined.As this can be a clever strategy from the perceptive of risk diversification (FrynasMellahi, 2015).However, it can be said that asamazon is moving away from its core competence it has to be conscious of preserving its strategic advantage. The main weakness of amazon is its business model of zero margin. This model has resulted in significant decline in the revenue of the company as the huge amount of revenues that has not been translated into profits that the company could utilize. Amazon sales depends upon the product category that varies in between a small range. Several provider for same product can arise aprice battle. Opportunities: As amazon facilitates the payment in online basis in a secured and trusted environment. This helps the business to to scale up by considering the concerns over online shopping as for the customers security and privacy are the primary concern.In addition to this, it also improves the margin of the company because it allows the company to take the advantage of using its own payment gateways (Hubbard et al., 2014). Amazon hasa great facility to capitalize its own manufactured product and by selling them rather than forwarding the sites of the third party product. As amazon increases its portfolios of diversified products than its competitors. This gives the company a position of strength and helps it to earn higher revenues. As amazon opens more sites in the emerging markets all around the globe that would certainly increase competition in the online retailing markets (Jenkins Williamson, 2015). Threats: As identity threats and hacking leads the consumers data exposed so it is a concerns for amazon to maintain its privacy. As its follows aggressive pricing strategies the company faces lawsuit from competitors in the retailing industryandpublishers. The company is focused in cost leaderships and has significantly reduced profit this is upset the competitors (Percy 2016). Thecompany from the local retailers that are more agile and nimble when compared to its strategy faces the significant competitions. VRIO Analysis: The VRIO framework acts a tool that utilize internally by firms that analyzed their resources and capabilities that determine their competitive advantage implications that are temporary competitive advantages ,sustainable advantages, competitive disadvantages or competitive party (Madsen Walker, 2015). There are four components of measures that contributes to the analysis are. Values, rare, imitability, exploitations. Values are generally defined as the resources or the capability valuable in enabling the firms ability to leverage opportunity that can be defend against threats. Rare shows that how easily acquired and readily available is the resources and capabilities to the industry and other firms. Imitability refers to the substitution that could be easily replaceable for the resources or capability. Exploitation refers as firms that are properly utilize the resources or the capability to its most ideal state or maximize its potential or optimizes its potential. Competitive disadvantages: The Amazons does not fails in its business as shown by VRIO shows. Most of their resources and different goods and products that were launched fetched them with profits and successes. Few items failed for amazon was Fire Smartphone. However, amazons generally astonished its customers with its innovations and creativity. As the failure will be labeled as competitive disadvantages for the business due to waste of money, efforts to produce an effective items that could not be valuable, rare or imitable. Competitive party: The Competitive party defines as the items that are valuable but are not rare and can be easily substituted with other goods. Amazon underestimate these items but these items itself generates revenues streams. No revenue is not acceptable compared to without revenues as in the long term it is not justifiable (Shin et al., 2014). As many retailers uses common features that amazon uses like Amazon Supply. The Amazons New York better than no revenues, even to the long term it is maintainable, video on demand, Brilliance Audio, European Warehouse etc. though these features are initiated by other competitors but if amazon were to suddenly loose these competencies then in term of short term, the business would have suffered significantly. Temporary advantage: The early acceptance and achievements of the retailers has been the crucial strength for Amazon. Moreover, into the Amazons present business model, this would quickly be incorporated. These possessions and competencies can be regarded as advantages of temporary nature as it continues to flourish as mainstream. It is only a matter of time previously follows suit. Partnerships with the giants industry like Sotheybys grow their business through amazon that definitely has competitive advantage over its market benefits. Items such as instant video, x-ray for the purpose of movies, its various acquirements of small retailers integrates with the large retailers through amazon, and it has advantages over it. Sustainable advantage: It is their innovation and those items that lead industry from where the most competitive advantages of Amazon Inc. comes from. Financial Analysis: Amazon Inc. is one of the leading online retailers in the US market. Since the last 10 years it can be observed from the past statistics and financial performances that the company has grown immensely (Parnell, 2013). The company has not only diversified its marketing strategies but also expanded its customer base through introduction of a huge variety of range of various categories of product. From the statement of financial analysis it can be observed that the total revenue have increased over the year. In 2006, the total revenue was $10,711 Million that increased to $107,006 Million in 2015. This also resulted in the significant increasing gross profits during the period. Gross profit for the year 2015 stands at $35,355 Million. Moreover it was also observed that the total equity have also increased over the years for the company. Referring to the stock price chart of Amazon Inc. it can be observed that since its inception, the stock price of the company has increased significantly over the year till 2015. But unfortunately in the year 2016 there is a clear sign of declination in the price of stocks. This is a crucial factor to be considered while assessing the financial health of the company and must be rectified immediately. Conclusion: From the above case study of Amazon Inc., it can be concluded that it is one of the leading online retailer not only in the US market but also internationally. The major strengths of Amazon being its three pronged strategic thrust. Moreover, through its huge range of product categories and consumer friendly policies it was able to attract a large pool of customers and grew up quite significantly over the year. From the financial statement it was observed that until 2015 the company was able to make substantial profit and it share price were also on a increasing trend. However, since the year 2016 there seems to be some serious issue in the internal management of the company that had a bad impact over its share price. Since 2016, the stock price of Amazon tends to decline which is needed to be investigated and corrective actions are required to be taken with immediate effect. References Frynas, J. G., Mellahi, K. (2015).Global strategic management. Oxford University Press, USA. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A. (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hubbard, G., Rice, J., Galvin, P. (2014).Strategic management. Pearson Australia. Jenkins, W., Williamson, D. (2015).Strategic management and business analysis. Routledge. Kaynak, E., Mockler, R., Dologite, D. G. (2014).Multinational strategic management: an integrative entrepreneurial context-specific process. Routledge. Madsen, T. L., Walker, G. (2015).Modern competitive strategy. McGraw Hill. Parnell, J. A. (2013).Strategic management. Sage. Peppard, J., Ward, J. (2016).The strategic management of information systems: Building a digital strategy. John Wiley Sons. Percy, L. (2016).Strategic advertising management. Oxford University Press. Shin, J., Jo, M., Lee, J., Lee, D. (2014). Strategic management of cloud computing services: Focusing on consumer adoption behavior.IEEE transactions on engineering management,61(3), 419-427.

LSD Essays (1755 words) - Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Mind Control

LSD Despite the negative portrayal in mainstream 1960s media, justifications expressed by counterculture activists for further investigation, education and experimentation under government control of LSD were rational and valid arguments. Sex, drugs, protests, war, political upheaval, cultural chaos, and social rebellion; the many comforts TV dinner eating, republican voting, church going, suburbia conformists tried to escape through conservative ideals, town meetings, and The Andy Williams Family Hour. National consciousness in 1960s United States was alive, but existed differently in every mind it dwelled, and stirred uninterrupted in every life to which it was introduced. A dream of money, success, and a house with a white picket fence still existed within the pandemonium of the nation and many still relished in the idea of "Americanism." Television was a base for a magnitude of world news and national information. Television situation comedies created ideal families and contenting distractions from unsettling national realities. Mainstream media, both fact and fiction, influenced the nation's minds resulting in the effect of political change and further media influence over the government. The new decade, along with the effects of the Vietnam War and the strong influence of television, began to leak from the cracks of the nation a new counterculture of rebellious teenagers, unfamiliar narcotics, and a wave of promiscuity. Among the many issues and events molding our nation into a new decade, came the question of government and mind control. For some it was the next step into human evolution, a potential tool for mind control, a liberator of human kind, but for most LSD helped define 1960s counterculture, in which it was deeply rooted. LSD has proved that the mind contains much higher powers and energies, beyond the average10% of the brain that a typical human uses. These powers and energies, under the right circumstances, can be taken advantage of to benefit human kind spiritually, creatively, therapeutically, and intellectually. LSD has given human kind the option to chemically trigger mental energies and powers. Arguments that LSD is potentially a dangerous discovery and mind control should be strictly prohibited by the government holds much validity, although there are benefits and arguments of personal freedom of neurology to consider. Whether LSD reflects negativity as a weapon and mind control drug, or radiates euphoria as a mind-expanding chemical and sacrament, the choice to engage in such an experience should be through personal reasoning. It is not the states and other bureaucracies' duties to take control of the human brain and body. We no longer live in an age of industrial muscularity, and in this time of neurological intelligence, we should have the individual choice and freedom to further engage in the depths of our consciousness, if we are so graced with an option to do so. "No one can limit, restrict, or try to control how you access, activate, manipulate your own brain through the use of drugs." Temperance, moderation, and education should be applied to the use of mind control, but not restricting personal freedoms of neurology. Dr. Timothy Leary agrees: It's ludicrous and ominous to think that the government will try to limit, restrain, control where you're going to put your head, and how you're going to manage and direct your own neurology. That's the basis of your own freedom. Now, as far as behavior is concerned, if what you do in your head leads you to violate any behavioral law, a traffic law, or impose on the rights of the people?then you should be busted. But in the privacy of your own home, your own body, and your own brain, that's your business. Likewise, other individual freedoms justifying further investigation, education, and experimentation of LSD under moderate government control are questioned. The freedoms of spirituality and creativity are, similar to neurological freedom, issues in result of the use of psychedelic drugs. Spiritually, psychedelic drugs, are sacraments: divine substances no matter who uses them, in whatever sprit, with whatever intention. LSD, along with other drugs generates spiritual discovery and perception. Creatively, LSD has extreme potential; it is "a tool to explore the creative attributes of the mind." Dr. Oscar Janigar states, continuing that this tool could equal to "four years of art education." The further appreciation of the power of human thought, and the exploration of the boundaries of the human mind, LSD provokes, is extremely beneficial in freeing ones mind and taking full advantage of the powers in which the mind possesses. Within these powers LSD evokes is the capacity to resolve, therapeutically, personal emotional conflict. Although LSD, as previously proven, has its benefits it has yet to rise

The History Behind the Ballad of Mary Hamilton

The History Behind the Ballad of Mary Hamilton A folk ballad, possibly no older than the 18th century, tells a story about a servant or lady-in-waiting, Mary Hamilton, at the court of a Queen Mary, who had an affair with the king and was sent to the gallows for drowning her illegitimate child. The song refers to four Maries or four Marys: Mary Seaton, Mary Beaton,  and Mary Carmichael, plus Mary Hamilton. The Usual Interpretation The usual interpretation is that Mary Hamilton was a lady-in-waiting at the Scottish court of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587) and that the affair was with the Queens second husband, Lord Darnley. Accusations of infidelity are consistent with stories of their troubled marriage. There were four Maries sent to France with the young Mary, Queen of Scots, by her mother, Mary of Guise, when the Scottish queen (whose father died when she was an infant) went to be raised there to marry the French Dauphin. But the names of two in the song are not quite accurate. The four Maries serving Mary, Queen of Scots, were Mary Beaton, Mary Seton, Mary Fleming, and Mary Livingston. And there was no story of an affair, drowning and hanging historically connected with the real four Maries. There was the 18th-century story of a Mary Hamilton, from Scotland, who had an affair with Peter the Great, and who killed her child by Peter and her two other illegitimate children. She was executed by decapitation on March 14, 1719. In a variation of that story, Peters mistress had two abortions before she drowned her third child. It is possible that an older folk song about the Stewart court was conflated with this story. Other Possibilities There are other possibilities that have been offered as roots of the story in the ballad: John Knox, in his History of the Reformation, mentions an incident of infanticide by a lady-in-waiting from France, after an affair with the apothecary of Mary, Queen of Scots. The couple was reported to have been hanged in 1563.Some have speculated that the old Queen referred to in the song was the Queen of Scots Mary of Guelders, who lived from about 1434 to 1463, and who was married to Scotlands King James II. She was regent for her son, James III, from her husbands death when a cannon exploded in 1460 to her own death in 1463. A daughter of James II and Mary of Guelders, Mary Stewart (1453 to 1488), married James Hamilton. Among her descendants was Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.More recently, Englands George IV, while still the Prince of Wales, is rumored to have had an affair with a governess of one of his sisters. The governess name? Mary Hamilton. But no story of a child, much less infanticide. Other Connections The story in the song is about unwanted pregnancy; could it be that the British birth control activist, Marie Stopes, took her pseudonym, Marie Carmichael, from this song? In Virginia Woolfs feminist text, A Room of Ones Own, she includes characters named Mary Beton, Mary Seton and Mary Carmichael. The History of the Song The Child Ballads were first published between 1882 and 1898 as The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Francis James Child collected 28 versions of the song, which he classified as Child Ballad #173. Many refer to a Queen Marie and four other Maries, often with the names Mary Beaton, Mary Seaton, Mary Carmichael (or Michel) and the narrator, Mary Hamilton or Mary Mild, though there are some variations in the names. In various versions, she is the daughter of a knight or of the Duke of York or Argyll, or of a lord in the North or in the South or in the West. In some, only her proud mother is mentioned. Select Stanzas The first five and the last four stanzas from version 1 of Child Ballad #173: 1. Words gane to the kitchen,And words gane to the ha,That Marie Hamilton gangs wi bairnTo the hichest Stewart of a.2. Hes courted her in the kitchen,Hes courted her in the ha,Hes courted her in the laigh cellar,And that was warst of a.3. Shes tyed it in her apronAnd shes thrown it in the sea;Says, Sink ye, swim ye, bonny wee babe!Youl neer get mair o me.4. Down them cam the auld queen,Goud tassels tying her hair:O marie, wheres the bonny wee babeThat I heard greet sae sair? 5. There never was a babe intill my room,As little designs to be;It was but a touch o my sair side,Come oer my fair bodie.15. Oh little did my mother think,The day she cradled me,What lands I was to travel through,What death I was to dee.16. Oh little did my father think,The day he held up me,What lands I was to travel through,What death I was to dee.17. Last night I washd the queens feet,And gently laid her down;And a the thanks Ive gotten the nichtTo be hangd in Edinbro town!18. Last nicht there was four Maries,The nicht therel be but three;There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,And Marie Carmichael, and me.

Global Warming Overview and Causes

Global Warming Overview and Causes Global warming, the general increase in the earths near-surface air and ocean temperatures, remains a pressing issue in a society that has expanded its industrial use since the mid-twentieth century. Greenhouse gases, atmospheric gases that exist to keep our planet warm and prevent warmer air from leaving our planet, are enhanced by industrial processes. As human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation increases, greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide is released into the air. Normally, when heat enters the atmosphere, it is through short-wave radiation; a type of radiation that passes smoothly through our atmosphere. As this radiation heats the earths surface, it escapes the earth in the form of long-wave radiation; a type of radiation that is much more difficult to pass through the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere causes this long-wave radiation to increase. Thus, heat is trapped inside of our planet and creates a general warming effect. Scientific organizations around the world, including The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the InterAcademy Council, and over thirty others, have projected a significant change and future increase in these atmospheric temperatures. But what are the real causes and effects of global warming? What does this scientific evidence conclude in regards to our future? Causes of Global Warming Nylon and nitric acid production, the use of fertilizers in agriculture, and the burning of organic matter also release the greenhouse gas Nitrous Oxide. These are processes that have been expanded since the mid-twentieth century. Melting of the Polar Ice Caps Melting ice caps will desalinize the ocean and disrupt natural ocean currents. Since ocean currents regulate temperatures by bringing warmer currents into cooler regions and cooler currents into warmer regions, a halt in this activity may cause extreme climate changes, such as Western Europe experiencing a mini-ice age. Another important effect of melting ice caps lies in a changing albedo. Albedo is the ratio of the light reflected by any part of the earths surface or atmosphere. Since snow has one of the highest albedo levels, it reflects sunlight back into space, helping to keep the earth cooler. As it melts, more sunlight is absorbed by the earths atmosphere and the temperature tends to increase. This further contributes to global warming. Wildlife Habits/Adaptations Another example of changing wildlife adaptations involves the polar bear. The polar bear is now listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Global warming has significantly reduced its sea ice habitat; as the ice melts, polar bears are stranded and often drown. With the continuous melting of ice, there will be fewer habitat opportunities and risk in the extinction of the species. Ocean Acidification/Coral Bleaching Since coral is very sensitive to increased water temperature over a long period of time, they lose their symbiotic algae, a type of algae that gives them coral color and nutrients. Losing these algae results in a white or bleached appearance, and is eventually fatal to the coral reef. Since hundreds of thousands of species thrive on coral as a natural habitat and means of food, coral bleaching is also fatal to the living organisms of the sea. Floods and Droughts and Global Warming Global warming has caused heavy rains in the United States due to warmer air having the ability to hold more water vapor than cooler air. Floods that have impacted the United States since 1993 alone have caused over $25 billion in losses. With increased floods and droughts, not only will our safety be affected, but also the economy. Population Risk and Unsustainable Development Similarly, climate change impinges on sustainable development. In developing Asian countries, a cyclic disaster occurs between productivity and global warming. Natural resources are needed for heavy industrialization and urbanization. Yet, this industrialization creates immense amounts of greenhouse gases, thus depleting the natural resources needed for further development of the country. Without finding a new and more efficient way to use energy, we will be depleted of our natural resources needed for our planet to thrive. Climate Policy Other U.S. and international policies, such as the Climate Change Science Program and the Climate Change Technology Program, have been reinstated with a comprehensive objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through international cooperation. As the governments of our world continue to understand and acknowledge the threat of global warming to our livelihood, we are closer to reducing greenhouse gases to a manageable size. Personal Action This reduction can also be made by improving vehicle-fuel efficiency. Driving less than needed or buying a fuel-efficient car will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although its a small change, many small changes will someday lead to a bigger change. Recycling whenever possible greatly reduces the energy needed to create new products. Whether it is aluminum cans, magazines, cardboard, or glass, finding the nearest recycling center will aid in the fight against global warming. Global Warming and The Road Ahead As global warming progresses, natural resources will be further depleted, and there will be risks of wildlife extinctions, melting of the polar ice caps, coral bleaching and disintegration, floods and droughts, disease, economic disaster, sea level rise, population risks, unsustainable land, and more. As we live in a world characterized by industrial progress and development aided by the help of our natural environment, we are also risking depletion of this natural environment and thus of our world as we know it. With a rational balance between protecting our environment and developing human technology, we will live in a world where we can simultaneously progress the capabilities of mankind with the beauty and necessity of our natural environment.

Paper on International Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Paper on International Economics - Essay Example Protectionism, in other words, has survived globalisation and in that survival is both a testimony and concession to the fact that, beyond the globalisation-rhetoric, the state has retained its role as a significant economic player. There is no doubt that globalisation has reduced the role of the state in the economy but, there is equally no doubt that protectionism has survived globalisation and remains one of the more significant of the state's instruments for ensuring the welfare of its domestic market. Following a definition of protectionism and an examination of its pre- and post-globalisation forms and mechanisms, this paper shall argue that despite arguments to the contrary, protectionism often serves fundamental and constructive economic purposes. In general, it is possible to define protectionism as strategies used by a national economy to protect its own goods, industries and businesses from unfair competition or, in some instances, from competition per se. Often criticized by economist and free-trade proponents such as Adam Smith among others, protectionism is not only a logically valid strategy for the protection of domestic economies from such unfair economic competition as could have adverse effects upon infant industries and domestic producers and manufacturers, but it often imposes itself upon decision-makers as the only viable mechanism for the fulfilment of the aforementioned. Indeed, as important as it may be for Lesser Developing and Developing nations, protectionism is as important for Industrialised economies. As Schwartz (2000) succinctly explains, protectionism traditionally functions to protect national economies from all of the virtual destruction of domestic industries, unemployment and inflation (Schwartz, 2000). It does so through the utilisation of a wide array of strategies, ranging from implementation of prohibitions against the entry of certain imports into the domestic economy to the imposition of heavy customs, tariffs and taxes upon specified imports in order to ensure that, upon entry into the domestic market, domestic goods retain a price-competitive edge (Schwartz, 2000). Proceeding from the information presented in the preceding paragraph, it is possible to articulate a definition for protectionism. In brief, protectionism can be defined as a

Ethical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Issues - Essay Example Ethics can also constitute a framework of co-operation between individuals who depend on each other, which is referred to as a kind of symbiosis, wherein both politics and economics are advanced symbiosis. Ethics was primarily concerned with relations between individuals, like the Mosaic Decalogue, which later evolved into relation between individual and society and the Golden Rule tries to find a mean between these two. Man's relation to land has not been studied ethically, and so humans enjoy the privileges without fulfilling their obligations. In the use of natural resources is found the greatest question of ethics, since it is a resource on which all individuals can claim ownership. The conservation movement of our times is the beginning of the understanding of our relation with land. Man, on account of this communal living, is being seen as a member of the land community and thus it is binding on him to respect this individual, called land. Men have been shaped by the characteristics of the land on which they live. The Mississippi Valley would have been different if the land had not yielded bluegrass, while the pioneers in the South-west, due to livestock grazing caused land deterioration. This plant succession turned the course of history and that is why, land as community is invaluable. When humans live in ... In southern Wisconsin, in spite of the farmers being offered lucrative deals to conserve the environment, were found to apply their knowledge only in those areas, which gave them monetary gains and failed to practice those which may have profited the community. When asked to frame laws in exchange for community help, in maintaining their lands, they failed to do so, because it might impede their economic progress. They lacked the ecological conscience which alone can improve the environment. Land Ethics and the government Attempts at conservation generally fail because of their lack of economic value. Wild flowers and songbirds are tossed aside in spite of being an integral part of the biotic community. Many animals which may have been hunted down to extinction were saved by attaching economic importance to them. Trees which fail to give monetary returns are cut down, but in Europe, ecological enlightenment recognizes non-commercial trees as natives of the forest, hence guaranteeing their preservation. In America, government agencies promote conservation, but private landowners alone can bring about better land ethics. Men whose industries are land or forest based decry governmental regulations in land conservation. The other alternative would be that more obligation should be assigned to the private land owner so that improvement could be brought about in relation to ownership of land. Population and Land Health The density of population has an adverse impact on land health which results in exploitative agriculture. Wastage is rampant in many areas and the blame is placed on climatic changes. The soil that was once rich is depleted of nutrients which results later in poor

Managing safely project Essay Example for Free

Managing safely project Essay Introduction As part of the Managing safely course, you have to complete a project and have it assessed. You will be expected to carry out a risk assessment based on your own work environment. You need to record the results on the attached sheets and submit them for marking. Do not submit any additional material in support of your project work as only the six parts of the A4 project will be assessed. The project can be word processed or hand written. When you have completed your work you should return it to There is a two week time limit for the return of the project. Your project must be completed and returned by Instructions Please read all of the instructions before starting work on your project. The project is broken down into a number of parts. Please complete each section as detailed below. Part 1 – description of the work tasks that are your responsibility Record a brief description of all the work tasks within your work environment including: description/labelled sketch of the location(s)   people who work in or visit the area on a regular basis or from time to time. (Think about the different groups of people who may be in the area and how often they may be there.) permanent and temporary items of equipment and substances activities carried out within your work environment Part 2 – a hazard checklist of the location(s) Record a brief description of three location hazards that may arise in your work environment. For example, car park, stairs, uneven floor. For each of these hazards please include: a description of the location a description of the hazard – in relation to the location the number and occupation of people who could be affected by the hazard – in relation to the location whether a risk assessment is recommended Part 3 – a hazard checklist of permanent and/or temporary items of equipment and substances used in your work environment Record a brief description of three hazards that may arise from equipment or substances used. For each of these hazards please include: a description of permanent and/or temporary items of equipment and substances used a description of the hazard – in relation to the equipment/substance the number and occupation of people who could be affected by the hazard in relation to the equipment/substance whether a risk assessment is recommended Part 4 – a hazard checklist of the activities carried out within your work environment Record a brief description of three hazards that may arise from within your work environment. For each of these hazards please include: a description of the work activity a description of the hazard – in relation to the work activity the number and occupation of people who could be affected by the hazard – in relation to the work activity Note: for the purpose of this exercise all three activity hazards that you  are assessing on part 4 must require a risk assessment. Part 5 – carrying out a risk assessment Please carry out a risk assessment on all three of the activity hazards you have listed on part 4. Please make sure you include: a description of the work activity a description of the hazard, hazardous event and expected consequence – in relation to the work activity the number and occupation of people affected – in relation to the work activity an assessment of risk (please use the 5 x 5 matrix) – in relation to the work activity Note: for the purpose of this exercise all three activity hazards that you are assessing on part 5 must require risk controls. Part 6 – risk control recommendations Please complete the risk control form for all three activity hazards you have listed on part 5. Please make sure you include: a description of the work activity and risk level from the risk assessment existing risk controls any further risk controls required in relation to the work activity the residual risk (please use the 5 x 5 matrix) in relation to the work activity a description of the type of monitoring required and how often in relation to the residual risk Note: where you have large numbers of hazards in your work environment you will not have space to record them all. In these circumstances, select a representative sample of hazards for the purposes of this project and record only these. Remember that only three hazards are required for parts 2, 3, and 4. Each part has a maximum number of marks which can be awarded and details are  given in the table below.

Human Beings as the Puppets of Society Essay -- Papers Behavior Sociol

Human Beings as the Puppets of Society Sociologists have long argued about whether or not we are controlled by the structure of the society in which we live, in other words, are we or are we not ‘puppets of society’. Social structure theorists such as Functionalists and conflict theorists like Marxists, believe that we are ‘puppets’ and that our behaviour is controlled by the structure of the society in which we live. Both theories suggest that people are controlled by society but this argument is opposed by social action theorists such as Symbolic Interactionists who believe that society is created by the individuals themselves. To show far it can be argued that human beings are ‘puppets of society’ this essay will look at functionalism and social control through the family, Marxism and social control within the education system and then look at the opposing theory of Symbolic Interactionism. It is also intended to discuss the recent structuration theory of Giddens who argues that these theories are no longer valid in determining if we are ‘puppets’ because both structure and action are necessary for society to exist and thus in some instances in our lives we are ‘puppets’ and others we are not. According to Jones, Functionalists like Durkheim consider ‘human behaviour as learned behaviour’(2004, p.6), in other words everything we know and do has to be taught to us given that when we are born we have no knowledge of anything. They argue that all our behaviour is learnt through the socialisation process. Functionalists consider that primary socialisation is the basis to learning the norms, values and roles of society and... ...eeded, so it could be argued, therefore, that even though at times we are free agents and have an individual choice in our actions we are also ‘puppets of society’ because of the many of the structures of society. References List Czerniawski, G., 2004. What is the Role of Education? Sociology Review, 14 (2), 24-25 Giddens, A., 2002. Sociology. 4th ed. Polity Press Jones, P., 2004. Introducing Social Theory. Cambridge: Polity Press Wilson, A., 1985. Society Now: Family. London: Tavistock Publications Bibliography Moore, S., 2001. Sociology Alive. 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd Haralambos and Holborn, 2000. Sociology Themes and Perspectives. 5th ed. London: Collins Educational Bauman Z & May T., 2003. Thinking Sociologically. 2nd ed. London: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Impact of Second Great Awakening on Modern Society Essay

The Second Great Awakening laid the foundations of the development of present-day religious beliefs and establishments, moral views, and democratic ideals in the United States. Beginning back in late eighteenth century and lasting until the middle of the nineteenth century,1 this Protestant awakening sought to reach out the un-churched and bring people to a much more personal and vivid experience of Christianity. Starting on the Southern frontier and soon spreading to the Northeast, the Second Great Awakening has also been associated as a response against the growing liberalism in religion – skepticism, deism, and rational Christianity. 2 Although the movement is well-known to be just a period of religious revival, its tremendous effects still influence the nation even up to now. The lasting impacts of the revolution include the shift of the dominating Christian theology from predestination to salvation for all, the emergence and growth of religious factions, the escalation of involvement in secular affairs, and the shaping of the country into a more egalitarian society. These footprints left by the Second Great Awakening helped mold America into what it is today. Contrary to the popular belief of predestination during the First Great Awakening, the Second Great Awakening emphasized salvation for all, which eventually replaced the former as the dominating Christian theology in America even up to now. 3 During the American Revolution, the largest church denominations were the Quakers, the Congregationalists, and the Anglicans. These earlier denominations believed in a Calvinist theology called predestination. In basic terms, predestination exemplifies that God already predetermined from the beginning of time those who are saved from hell and those who are not. However, this doctrine did not match the Revolutionary spirit of national and personal accomplishment. Thus, when the Second Great Awakening extended throughout the country, most post-war Americans abandoned strict notions of Calvinism and shifted to the Arminian theology of universal salvation through personal faith and devotional service. Instead of being predestined to either heaven or hell, this doctrine states that salvation can be acquired through faith by anyone; people have the choice to either accept or reject God’s salvation.4 While traditional Calvinism had taught election into heaven depending solely on the will of God, evangelical Protestants preached that the rebirth and redemption of the soul rests on one’s inner faith.5 In addition, the Arminian theology also taught the need to improve the world around us as a preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. By sharing these concepts, religious reformers attracted just about everyone, mostly those in need of deliverance and economic activists. Churches that adopted this theology, such as Baptists and Methodists, surpassed the previous leading church factions. As of today, both are still the chief Protestant denominations in the United States.6 The spread of revivalism in the period of the Second Great Awakening led to the fueling growth of Christian denominations in America. Today, as the largest religion, not only in the United States but in the whole world, Christianity holds a great number of church denominations. 7 Many of these denominations either experienced a significant boom of membership or trace their roots back in this era of renewal. As the movement swept through southern Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, congregations who garnered these numerous converts were the Methodist and Baptist. Both denominations were based on an elucidation of man’s spiritual equality before God, which aided their goal to acquire more members and preachers from a varied range of classes and races. Also, since the south, at that time, had a predominantly rural economy and poorly developed infrastructures and establishments, religious organizations functioned as a physical symbol of relief providing social stability for the populace.8 Camp meetings and missionary preachers were also primary reasons for the growth in the membership of both factions.9 With the idea of free will becoming prevalent, new denominations were produced by the movement. Two of these denominations were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the African Methodist Episcopal. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – commonly known as Mormons was founded by Joseph Smith; he was inspired to create a new church faction by the revivals he experienced in the western area of New York called the â€Å"Burned Over District-† implying it had been â€Å"scorched† by so many revivals. Although not regarded as a splinter off from an existing Protestant denomination but a restoration of primitive Christianity having distinctive post-biblical doctrines, the Mormon Church is now a flourishing, worldwide denomination. On the other hand, during the revivals, Baptists and Methodists converted large numbers of blacks. However, because of the mistreatment they received from their fellow believers, under the leadership of Richard Allen, the black population broke away from the Methodist church while creating their own denomination; the African Methodist Episcopal.10 Both churches mentioned above, having developed and sprouted out other denominations over the years, still stand even today. While new religious ideas fanned out and denominations proliferated, social activism, in response, also began to escalate. The Second Great Awakening stirred the initiation of many reform movements in belief to cure the ills and defects of the civilization before the anticipated Second Coming of Jesus Christ.11 Charles Finney, one of the most prominent figure in the awakening, exhorted people to choose God, turn away from their sin and repent, and then work to make the world around them a little better. He inspired American Christians to open their eyes to the problems of the world. With the encouragements of revivalists such as Finney, social reforms started taking action. Advocates of the temperance movement, mostly women, condemned various effects of the role of alcohol in public life.12 A revivalist named Lyman Beecher preached people to voluntarily discontinue drinking alcohol saying it could easily cause people to sin. Another secular issue tackled by the movement was slavery. Charles Finney proved to be not only an inspirational revivalist but also a devoted abolitionist; he encouraged Christians to view slavery as a moral issue rather than a political or economic one. It took several years, but the abolitionists’ effort to end slavery in America paid off13 – as shown by the 13th Amendment.14 Other reformers pursued the improvement of conditions in cities, prisons, and asylums. They aimed at helping deprived people to concentrate on their own spiritual situation, rather than just their living conditions. The moral idea of improving the world around us are still followed by Americans, Christian or non-Christian, who still send out missionaries and donate more time and money to charitable works around the world. Social reforms in the Second Great Awakening became the platform for the rise of egalitarian rights in the society. For centuries, America embodied an unofficial hierarchy in which blacks, women, and children were degraded while white, male adults with property reigned. However, this idea began to crumble down as social activism increased. With the victory of the abolitionist movement, which was greatly strengthened by the movement, slavery was abolished; thus, opening the door to the equality of races. And as women became more involved in charitable affairs, advocating the temperance movement and supporting abolitionists, the women’s rights reform with a purpose to make women equal to men in the eyes of society and the law was established; soon, they began advocating for their own right to vote. Educational reforms also rose up, resolved to make elementary school education mandatory and free of cost in order to guarantee the broadening of educated citizens in the nation. 15 These reforms, as evident in today’s society, were successful in preparing the step for the institution of equality in the United States irrespective of race, gender, or religion. Now the United States has become a place where everybody is equal in front of the law and for the most part in the eyes of society. Overall, the events driven by the Second Great Awakening steered the defining characteristics of the United States into a different direction. With the predominant theology of free will, the growth of diversified religious factions, the entwining of Christian values with civic values and involvement in worldly problems, and expanding of democratic ideals – America has developed into the country it is right now. Although the religious fervor of the Second Great Awakening has already cooled down, its legacy remains permanent.

Burka’s book Essay

On the surface ‘procrastination’ is an ideologically and psychologically fixed term – it is presumed that procrastination is definitely bad and is to be avoided. Thus there exists a whole plethora of books which seek to cure this tendency of ‘delaying. ’ And as far as such efforts go, this book is no exception, rather her book like so many others in its category systematically prescribes how to overcome what the ancients like St. Augustine called ‘acedia’ (depression leading to inordinate delays in doing anything within a time frame. What Burka misses is that it may be fine to procrastinate on doing one’s laundry over writing a thesis; to delay shaving over finishing a novel started from last night. Burka’s book suffers from giving equal importance to every work and an overt tendency to pre-plan everything. This need to plan and work towards goals is a recent phenomenon in self-help literature. Time – management books especially hinge on the setting of goals. There is a fear that by over-regimentation they kill all spontaneity and joy from life and make us automatons. But if one argues that the book is intended for clinically malefficient procrastinators then one ought to point out that self-help books are hardly written for those who need mental help. There is another point regarding this book. It is definitely a secularization of the concept of procrastination. In the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries and even later, ‘delaying’ was inevitably associated with the cardinal sin of sloth. This book opens up the issue for humanistic debates, albeit their humanism is rooted in the ontogeny of Freud. Burka and Yeun devote a whole chapter to the interrogation of procrastination as a formed infantile reaction to clinically significant psychological events. Fear is seen as the source for the ultimate interiorization of chronically delayed work habits. They list many different fears — the fear of losing, the fear of being humiliated, etc. Ultimately it is seen that all the various phobias are just related to the process of self-actualization and Jungian individuation. In a very interesting and significant paper Jennifer M. Kosmas1 gives a similar phobic-oriented account of procrastination. Whereas she and other experts in the field are highly technical and do not try to see how the tendency to delay can be prevented; Burka and Yeun posit a reductive approach to problem solving and thus, delay – negation. In this they follow the beaten path, not merely of psychiatrists but of self-help gurus and time management experts like the legendary Stephen Covey. Covey in his The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People asks us all to problem-solve by breaking the problem into parts and then working towards the solution within fixed time frames. All this is traditional and time-tested but the real problem for true procrastinators in not to only know the cause of their disease but rather for them, it is a mortal combat against the inertia caused by time itself. This is where the book fails. It falls short of giving any really effective formula to any reader which would impel him or her to just get up and doing a thing. One can plan and write all sorts of goals and have strict time frames; this book creates a programme of two weeks for procrastination de-addiction; but at the end one might just refuse to go running according to the planned start of any exercise regimen. In the final analysis, this book is a clearly written and popular account of procrastination but it fails miserably as a serious book with any real clinical significance. Innumerable studies have shown that procrastination is often psychosomatic and related with depression. The authors, in spite of being practicing psychiatrists, do not really tackle these issues. The parable like examples strewn throughout the book are just Chicken Soup (the popular series) sort of stories. The more serious sort of reader and patient will do better to study the original Freudian works on infantile hysteria and then read Stephen Covey’s books.

English Learning Tips for ESL Learners and Classes

English Learning Tips for ESL Learners and Classes Here are a number of English learning tips to help you or your class improve your English. Choose a few English learning tips to get started today! Ask yourself weekly: What do I want to learn this week? Asking yourself this question every week will help you stop and think for a moment about what is most important to you. It is easy to focus only on the current unit, grammar exercise, etc. If you take a moment to stop and set a goal for yourself every week, you will notice the progress you are making and, in turn, become more inspired by how quickly you are learning English! You will be surprised at how this feeling of success will motivate you to learn even more English. More on how to improve your general approach to learning English. Quickly review important new information shortly before going to bed. Research has shown that our brains process information that is fresh in our brains while we sleep. By shortly (this means very quickly - just a glance at what you are working on at the moment) going over some exercise, reading, etc. before you go to sleep, your brain will work away on this information while you sleep! Other ideas on how your brain works While doing exercises and alone at home or in your room, speak English aloud. Connect the muscles of your face to the information in your head. Just as understanding the basics of tennis does not make you a great tennis player, understanding grammar rules do not mean you can automatically speak English well. You need to practice the act of speaking often. Speaking of yourself at home and reading the exercises you are doing will help connect your brain to your facial muscles and improve pronunciation and make your knowledge active. Do five to ten minutes of listening at least four times a week. In the past, I decided I needed to get fit and went jogging - usually three or four miles. Well, after not having done anything for many months, those three or four miles really hurt! Needless to say, I did not go jogging for another few months! Learning to understand spoken English well is very similar. If you decide that you going to work hard and listen for two hours, chances are that you will not do extra listening exercises any time soon. If on the other hand, you start off slowly and listen often, it will be easier to develop the habit of listening to English on a regular basis. Look for situations in which you must speak/read/listen to English This is probably the most important tip. You need to use English in a real world situation. Learning English in a classroom is important, but putting your English knowledge into practice in real situations will improve your fluency in speaking English. If you do not know of any real life situation, create new ones for yourself by using the Internet to listen to the news, write English responses in forums, exchange emails in English with email pals, etc.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Vocabulary Terms

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Vocabulary Terms Betty Smiths first novel,  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, tells the coming-of-age story of Francie Nolan and her second-generation immigrant parents struggling to provide for their family. Its widely believed Smith herself was the basis for the character of Francie. Heres a vocabulary list from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Use these terms for reference, study, and discussion. Chapters I-VI: tenement: an apartment building, usually in a low-income area, that is without luxury amenities ragamuffin: a child whose appearance is unkempt and uncivilized cambric: a finely woven white linen interminable: long and dull with little sign of ending (or terminating) premonition: a warning or feeling about something that will happen in the future (usually negative) vestibule: a reception area or foyer, often in a school or church Chapters VII-XIV: fetching: attractive or pretty, beguiling peculiar: unusual or suprising, out of the ordinary bucolic: of or in the countryside, literally a shepherd or cowhand sprig small shoot or twig of a plant, usually decorative or garnish filigree: a delicate ornamentation or detail usually gold or silver, on jewelry banshee: from Irish folklore,  a female spirit whose high-pitched wailing signals an imminent death (on the) dole: unemployed and receiving benefits from the government. Chapters XV-XXIII: prodigious: impressively large, awesome languorous: without energy or liveliness, sluggish gallantly  do something in a brave or heroic way dubious: having doubt or uncertainty, skeptical horde: a large unruly crowd saunter  to walk at a leisurely pace relegate: to demote or assign to a lower category Chapters XXIV-XXIX: gratis: free, without cost contempt:  disrespectful dislike conjecture: opinion based on incomplete information, speculation surreptitious: secretive, sneaky vivacious: animated, lively, happy-go-lucky thwarted: prevented from accomplishing something, disappointed sodden: drenched, thoroughly soaked Chapters XXX-XXXVII:   lulled: calmed, settled down putrid: decaying with a foul odor   debonair: sophisticated, charming lament: to mourn, or feel sad about a loss fastidious: having exacting attention to detail Chapters XXXIII-XLII: contrite: apologetic, feeling sincere regret for a misdeed contorted: twisted or misshapen infinitesimal: so small as to be irrelevant or unmeasurable Chapters XLIII-XLVI:   contemptuously: disrespectfully, disdainfully poignant: creating or evoking a feeling of sadness or empathy genuflect: to kneel and show deference or reverence especially in a house of worship vestment: garment worn by a member of clergy or religious order Chapters XLVII-LIII: vaudeville: variety show with comedic and slapstick performances rhetorically: speaking in a theoretical or speculative manner, not literally mollify: to pacify or appease matriculate: to enroll and pass through a school or course of study munitions: collection of weapons Chapters LV-LVI: prohibition: forbidding, or, period in American history when alcohol was illegal. jauntily: cheerful and arrogant, lively sachet: small perfumed bag This vocabulary list is just one part of our study guide on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Please see the links below for other helpful resources: Review: A Tree Grows in BrooklynQuotes from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The psychological contract does not exist in the minds of employers in Essay

The psychological contract does not exist in the minds of employers in mature states and mature organisations. What is key is the legal contract. The psycholog - Essay Example ent the employer may promise to offer something to the employee or at the time of appraising an employee’s performance the employer could declare a reward for his satisfactory performance. Mutual obligations sometimes act as promises and sometimes as expectations. However, the employee is required to have trust in such promises or expectations as part of the relationship with the employer (The psychological contract, 2007). There is a vast difference between a legal contract and a psychological contract with regard to employment. Legal contracts offer a limited set of expectations and imperfect identification of the relationship involved in the employment. With the exception of refusing to accept such terms and conditions, the employee can do anything about the relationship mentioned in legal contracts. The courts and employment tribunals examine the nature and content of the legal contract of employment. These enforcing bodies interpret the nature of employment on the basis of the legal contract (The psychological contract, 2007). A psychological contract examines the practicality and reality of the work place environment as perceived by the employer and the employees. It has greater effect than a legal contract in determining the activities of the employees and the management. Under a psychological contract, the employees have a clear idea of their duties and the necessity to discuss them by adopting the process of collective bargaining. It also explains to them their expectations from the employer (The psychological contract, 2007). A psychological contract does not require to be enforced strictly. The courts examine the underlying relationship between employer and employee while interpreting the common law principles with regard to mutual trust and confidence. Researchers claim that there would be a negative effect on job satisfaction and a deterioration of employee commitment towards their job, if the management fails to fulfill its promises to its