America Must Lower the Drinking Age Essay - 981 Words

America Must Lower the Drinking Age The current drinking age in the United States of America is 21. There are some people who agree with the current drinking age even some who think it should be raised. On the other hand, a number of people feel that the current drinking age produces more problems than it prevents (â€Å"Cross Fire†). The United States has unsuccessfully tried prohibition legislation not once, but twice in the past. These laws were eventually done away with due to the inability to enforce and the repercussion towards them that ended up causing even more trials and tribulations (Engs). â€Å"Prohibition demonstrates beyond a doubt that drinking and the problems caused by drinking cannot simply be eliminated from the†¦show more content†¦If individuals were taught that drinking is another privilege obtained at age eighteen it would be taken more seriously. Lowering the drinking age to eighteen would not give people a better reason to abuse it, but instead a sense of trust and relia bility that the U.S. government expects people to live up to (Dodd). The focus of alcohol needs to be on educating the youth about responsible drinking instead of on restriction. American teenagers, unlike European teens do not have the opportunity to be taught how to drink gradually, carefully, and in moderation. â€Å"Though the per capita consumption of alcohol in countries like France, Spain, and Portugal is greater than in the U.S., the rate of alcoholism and alcohol abuse is lower† (â€Å"Cross Fire†). Due to legal restriction in this country, young people in America postpone drinking until they can no longer benefit from their parents’ supervision and guidance (Don). â€Å"Irrefutable evidence supports the fact that the early introduction of drinking is the safest way to reduce juvenile alcohol abuse† (Ford). Young adults need an opportunity to learn sensible and moderate drinking in controlled and safe circumstances. Parents should be allowed to serve their children alcohol and young adults should be perm itted to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants. Alcohol needs to be portrayed as a natural, normalShow MoreRelatedProhibition Of The National Minimum Drinking Age Act1376 Words   |  6 Pagesregulations instituted by the government were suggestions. After the Prohibition laws were lifted in 1993, the drinking age was set at twenty one but was later lowered to eighteen because of the passage of the 26th amendment which lowered the voting age to eighteen. In order to combat drunk driving, The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed and stated that states must raise their drinking age to twenty one or lose 10% of their funds to pay for their highways. The organization MADD (Mother’s AgainstRead MoreEmily Blair . Ms.Kaba. Research Paper. 13 May 2017. The1124 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Blair Ms.Kaba Research Paper 13 May 2017 The Legal Drinking Age is Not Working A problem that is becoming very prevalent throughout the United States is underage drinking. Although the legal age of alcohol consumption is twenty one, alcohol abuse still remains a significant problem with American youth. Almost all alcohol consumption by teenagers is done through binge drinking. In America the age of eighteen is when you are finally considered an â€Å"adult†. Although you are now considered anRead MoreAmerica s Legal Drinking Age Essay1195 Words   |  5 PagesEveryone knows that the United States’s drinking age is at 21, much higher than England’s drinking age. Many people believe that we cause way less destructions than the people of England, but that’s not true. We actually cause more accidents and destructions than they do. The United States’s death rate is actually ranked 39 out of 172 countries at 2.91 while England is ranked at 1.70 on a scale of death rate per 100,000. (ALCOHOL DEATH RATE BY COUNTRY. World Life Expectancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 23Read MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lower ed955 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States of America, the National Government requires the states to enforce a legal drinking age of twenty-one. Where as the world average drinking age is eighteen, and in some Countries it is even lower where it is possible to get a beer at sixteen years of age. Taking that into consideration, there is a great deal of controversy in the United States on what the legal age should be to purchase and consume an alcoholic beverage. The largest issue being that you are considered to be anRead MoreLowering The National Drinking Age1698 Words   |  7 PagesLowering the National Drinking Age Winston Churchill was infamous for his one liners and occasional drunken outbursts. One night at a party, he shocked a rather prominent woman with his drunken atrocities. Insulted, she turned to him and said, â€Å"Mr. Churchill, you are as drunk as a dog.† The Prime Minister returned, â€Å"Madam, I may be very drunk, but you are very ugly. But tomorrow,† he added, â€Å"I shall be sober† (Churchill, W). The use and abuse of alcohol is a centuries old vice that has circumnavigatedRead MoreLowering the Drinking Age1523 Words   |  7 Pages According to Andrew Herman, â€Å"Each year, 14,000 die from drinking too much. 600,000 are victims of alcohol related physical assault and 17,000 are a result of drunken driving deaths, many being innocent bystanders† (470). These massive numbers bring about an important realization: alcohol is a huge issue in America today. Although the problem is evident in Americans of all ages, the biggest issue is present in y oung adults and teens. In fact, teens begin to feel the effects of alcohol twice asRead MoreControversy over the Drinking Age958 Words   |  4 Pageswhat age should be considered the proper age to drink alcohol has been intensely debated. Since the 1980s, the nationwide legal drinking age has been 21 and older for the United States. However, this age limit imposed on the consumption of alcohol was controversial then, and it continues to be so today. In 2008, John McCardell, leader of Choose Responsibility and former president of Middlebury College, joined a campaign known as the Amethyst Initiative, which proposed lowering the drinking age toRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age : A Discourse Appraisal1452 Words   |  6 PagesLegal Drinking Age in America: A Discourse Appraisal You know an issue has evoked large levels of community discussion when interest groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and rappers like J-kwon are telling us the same thing: teen drinking is very bad. But discussion on the topic tends to vary far more than that. Congress discussed the issue in 1984, with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act: an act that withheld federal highway funding from states without a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA)Read MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1692 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum Drinking Age Act. This act stated that all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21. Individuals under the age of 21 would now be prohibited from purchasing or being in public possession of any alcoholic beverage. Though not every state was keen on this idea, they all jumped to raise the minimum drinking age due to the government threat that they would lose up to 10% of their federal highway funding if they ignored the request. However, since the National Min imum Drinking Age Act wasRead More Lower Legal Drinking Age Essays1249 Words   |  5 Pages Since the states increased their drinking age to 21 in 1987, every citizen of this country between the ages of 18 and 20 have been oppressed by the very people elected to power to protect their rights. It is evident that the legal drinking age among Americans should be lowered to the legal age of adulthood, 18 years. At this age, any American can marry without their Parent’s approval and can move out of their guardian’s house and live on their own. Why are these adults deprived of their right to

Human Evolutionary Traits and Behjaviours Bipedalism Essay

Throughout the conceptual yet acknowledged theories surrounding human evolutionary traits and behaviours, the exact forces that specifically promoted bipedalism are still difficult to determine. Controversy lies with the suggestion that bipedalism arose from as early as 5.8 million years ago, in the late Miocene era, but it can be scientifically defined that the first definite bipedal hominin was the Australopithecus anamensis in the Pliocene. These findings suggest that at 3.9-2.9 million years ago, bipedalism was evolving; certain conditions acted as influences upon the hominins to develop bipedality. As such, specific selection pressures have since been proposed during evolutionary studies to indicate the exact circumstances which†¦show more content†¦What’s more, the ability to use the freed limbs for foraging on the ground encouraged the consumption of seeds and grain (Jolly, 1970). The option to carry food from one place to another would also be offered. The co nvenience of carrying young to safety also highlights a likely benefit of bipedalism. Conceivably, it was the increase in food variety, abundance and dispersion which stimulated such deviation towards terrestrial locomotion. It is widely recognised that at some time, the hominins advanced to the ground in order to collect food instead of staying in the trees (Stanford, 2003). Perchance, this was â€Å"owing to a change in its manner of procuring substinence, or to a change in the conditions† (Darwin, 1871). Ecology: During the Miocene era, ‘Stanford’s hypothesis’ portrays the thought that there was a significant change of the environment in East Africa and its ecological state. It is understood that the dense forested areas began to disperse, and though gradual, the hominins living at the time would have had to alter their lifestyles to suit such a shift in their ecosystem. This change occurred â€Å"as rainfall declined and the degree of seasonality rose† (Stanford, 2003, p. 120). The foregoing vegetation which could not cope with the drier climatic conditions then began to diminish. This, in turn, prompted the spreading of different plant life, and

Bias Essay Example For Students

Bias Essay BiasWhat does the word bias mean? Bias is a mental predilection orprejudice. The essay The View from the Bottom Rail by James West Davidson andMark Hamilton Lytle opened my eyes on how American history could be looked at asone sided and even bias. Even today there is still bias in America. In todayssociety, racism and stereotyping occur in all aspects of life. It can occurbecause of ones gender, race, religion, culture, economic status, etc. It evenoccurs amongst our finest, our law enforcement officials. The View from the Bottom Rail explains the history of slavery. It implies a lack of accuracy from the people that the information was obtained,either black or white. Most of the black slaves could not read or write. Theones that did, hid it from their masters. Because of this, most of the writtenbooks and documents and even diaries on slavery were written by the whitemasters. At that time most of recorded history was based on how the whitemasters viewed slavery. You did not get a view on slavery from the slavesthemselves. In the 1920s, black scholars like W.E.B. Du Bois, CharlesJohnson, and Carter Woodson, started a project to collect oral evidence fromformer slaves who were still living. Even these interviews could not be viewedas 100% accurate. One example, is a geographic bias. The people that wereinterviewed were only a very small portion of the millions of freed slaves. Counting the number of slaves interviewed from each state, it was discoveredthat there were only 155 interviews from black people living in Virginia,Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, and Kentucky, which is about 6% of the totalnumber of published interviews. Twenty-three percent of the southern slavepopulation lived in those states. In these statistics, the upper-south wasunrepresented. Another example would be the ages of the ex-slaves interviewed. Two-thirds of them were over 80 years of age, leaving the question of howaccurate were their memories. Also, most of the interviewees were under the ageof 20 when they were slaves. Since the conditions for children were not asharsh compared to adults, they might have an optimistic view of slavery. Finally, the different effects the interviewer had on theinterviewees. There were two interviews done on the same lady named Susan Hamlinby two different interviewers. One interviewer was a white lady named JessieButler and the other was a black man named Augustus Ladsons. Susan thoughtJessie was from the welfare office. Susan possibly told Jessie what she thoughtJessie would want to hear in order to increase her chances of getting a welfarecheck. She spoke of her master as though he was the kindest. All the slavesloved their master. He gave them shoes in the winter. He kept the childrenwith their mothers and when the war started he took everyone including theslaves to a safer place. On the other hand, Susan told Augustus a totallydifferent story. She spoke of the whippings in cruel detail. She also spoke ofhow the slaves families were torn apart, and children were taken from theirmothers. There were no shoes given to the slaves in the winter. Whichinterview is closest to the truth? How do you tell? In my past I have experienced many bias situations. I am aPuerto Rican male living in America. I have hazel eyes and light skin. Becauseof my eyes and skin color, I have been mistaken for Caucasian. I have had todeal with people calling me white boy all the time. As a child, one of myuncles gave me the nick name gringo, Spanish word for white boy. I grew up inEast New York (Brooklyn, NY), which is a predominantly African American, with afew Latinos and almost no Caucasian. In East New York, the African Americansand Latinos tend to get along. For me this was not so. Being that I lookedCaucasian, most of the African Americans and Latinos tended to harass me andstart trouble, which caused tension constantly. .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .postImageUrl , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:hover , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:visited , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:active { border:0!important; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:active , .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9ae599d130a9fd285e6d00c671010e1a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Novel That I Chose To Do This Report On Was, The Plague, By Albert EssayIn Denver back in 1992, the Denver Post ran an article on policeharassment among Hispanic youths by Judith Brimberg. The article stated therehad been complaints to Mayor Wellington Webb by Northwest Denver residentsconcerning the police harassment on Hispanic youth because of their skin color. The Mayor subsequently notified the Civilian Complaint Department of the city ofDenver. After the investigation a report was released on August 8th,1992stating that hundreds of complaints of unprovoked

Work Ethic Essays (199 words) - Employment, Work Ethic, Working Time

Work Ethic In today's society I believe we have lost the traditional work ethic of long ago. Being brought up in a traditional family and around a population mainly comprised of Amish, I have come to understand the work ethic that America has lost. Amish are people who lead a simple religious life unaffected by automobiles, electricity, modern appliances, or other modern convinces. This Simple puritan life is based solely around god with a strong work ethic as the backbone. Long hours are spent hand plowing the field with a horse, turning butter for family consumption, and taking pride in homemade items. Growing up around this, I see America as losing the strong work ethic of their fathers and grandfathers. People in general as showing the lack of dedication and pride in their work. Working in a factory this last summer, I saw that the corporate world functions on money and mass production. Worker Unions has also slid into a loss in pride. The main goal of workers is the personal gain of money, not quality and workmanship. Along with the work ethic in the corporate world is the work ethic based in the home. As technology increases and connivances arise, Americans are becoming increasingly lazy and the over all work ethic has been lost.

Dietary Supplements essays

Dietary Supplements essays Dietary supplements: Beneficial or Hazardous? On any given day, a student athlete could walk into a trainers or coaches office holding up a bottle and ask Hey coach, does this stuff work? This young athlete, playing three sports a year, is referring to the dietary supplement called creatine. This, and many more products, are becoming more and more popular these days among high school student-athletes. These young men and, quite possibly young women, are using this supplement without realizing the possible benefits and hazards that follow in consuming such products. Most students who take creatine, do so in hopes of improving athletic performance, increasing overall body and muscle mass, and improving endurance and body building. While thoughts of taking dietary supplements may seem only beneficial, the aftermath of these products may be very risky. There are no definite risks and effectiveness of creatine and other products remain unproven. Creatine is not an herb, vitamin, or hormone. It is a natural nutrient found in our bodies and the bodies of most animals. Approximately ninety five percent of the bodies creatine supply is found in the skeletal muscles. The remaining five percent is found scattered throughout the body with main focuses in the heart, brain, and testes. The human body gets most of the creatine it needs from food or dietary supplements. Creatine is easily absorbed by the intestinal tract into the bloodstream. When dietary consumption is inadequate to meet the bodies needs, a limited supply can be synthesized from the amino acids arginine glycine, and methionine. This creatine production occurs in the liver pancreas and kidneys. Creatine is a naturally produced substance in the body, produced by the liver. Joined by the kidneys and the pancreas, they play a role in muscle contraction. When taken as a supplement, creatine can cause water retention and cramping. Many cases have b...

The First Voyage of Christopher Columbus (1492-1493)

The First Voyage of Christopher Columbus (1492-1493) How was the first voyage of Columbus to the New World undertaken, and what was its legacy? Having convinced the King and Queen of Spain to finance his voyage, Christopher Columbus departed mainland Spain on August 3, 1492. He quickly made port in the Canary Islands for a final restocking and left there on September 6. He was in command of three ships: the Pinta, the Nià ±a, and the Santa Marà ­a. Although Columbus was in overall command, the Pinta was captained by Martà ­n Alonso Pinzà ³n and the Nià ±a by Vicente Yaà ±ez Pinzà ³n. First Landfall: San Salvador On October 12, Rodrigo de Triana, a sailor aboard the Pinta, first sighted land. Columbus himself later claimed that he had seen a sort of light or aura before Triana did, allowing him to keep the reward he had promised to give to  whoever spotted land first. The land turned out to be a small island in the present-day Bahamas. Columbus named the island San Salvador, although he remarked in his journal that the natives referred to it as Guanahani. There is some debate over which island was Columbus’ first stop; most experts believe it to be San Salvador, Samana Cay, Plana Cays or Grand Turk Island. Second Landfall: Cuba Columbus had explored five islands in the modern-day Bahamas before he made it to Cuba. He reached Cuba on October 28, making landfall at Bariay, a harbor near the eastern tip of the island. Thinking he had found China, he sent two men to investigate. They were Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres, a converted Jew who spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic in addition to Spanish. Columbus had brought him as an interpreter. The two men failed in their mission to find the Emperor of China  but did visit a native Taà ­no village. There they were the first to observe the smoking of tobacco, a habit which they promptly picked up. Third Landfall: Hispaniola Leaving Cuba, Columbus made landfall on the Island of Hispaniola on December 5. The natives called it Haità ­, but Columbus renamed it La Espaà ±ola, a name which was later changed to Hispaniola when Latin texts were written about the discovery. On December 25, the Santa Marà ­a ran aground and had to be abandoned. Columbus himself took over as captain of the Nià ±a, as the Pinta had become separated from the other two ships. Negotiating with the local chieftain Guacanagari, Columbus arranged to leave 39 of his men behind in a small settlement, named La Navidad. Return to Spain On January 6, the Pinta arrived, and the ships were reunited: they set out for Spain on January 16. The ships arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 4, returning to Spain shortly after that. Historical Importance of Columbus First Voyage In retrospect, it is somewhat surprising that what is today considered one of the most important voyages in history was something of a failure at the time. Columbus had promised to find a new, quicker route to the lucrative Chinese trade markets and he failed miserably. Instead of holds full of Chinese silks and spices, he returned with some trinkets and a few bedraggled natives from Hispaniola. Some 10 more had perished on the voyage. Also, he had lost the largest of the three ships entrusted to him. Columbus actually considered the natives his greatest find. He thought that a new slave trade could make his discoveries lucrative. Columbus was hugely disappointed a few years later when Queen Isabela, after careful thought, decided not to open the New World to slave trading. Columbus never believed that he had found something new. He maintained, to his dying day, that the lands he discovered were indeed part of the known Far East. In spite of the failure of the first expedition to find spices or gold, a much larger second expedition was approved, perhaps in part due to Columbus’ skills as a salesman. Sources Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. 1st edition, Random House, June 1, 2004.

Sociology, Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology, - Annotated Bibliography Example 2. Gozdziak, E.M., (2004) Training Refugee Mental Health Providers: Ethnography as a bridge to multicultural practice- Human Organization. Journal of the society for applied anthropology, vol. 63 (2) 203-210. 2004. Gozdziak in this paper discusses a psychological problem of refugees which is becoming serious. With the passage of time the number of refuges in the world is increasing, and this is resulting in increased mental complexities of these refuges. This article focuses on the importance of training programs to train psychologists to deal with the diverse pool of refugees for providing them mental support. Anthropology is also discussed in the article as a contributing factor n this regard. Menjivar has paid attention towards social networks with all their complexities amongst the Salvadoran immigrants. The book talks about scarcity of resources and the importance and need of sharing those with family and friends. Immigration is never easy, and this is what Menjivar is trying to establish here. From sociological analysis point of view the book is really good. It is highly informative. 4. Menjivar, C. (2006). Family reorganization in a context of legal uncertainty: Guatemalan and Salvadoran Immigrants in the United States.International Journal of Sociology of the Family vol 32(20) 223-245. Menjivar has discussed the issues of Immigrants in the Uni... Due importance has been given to the painstaking breaking and remaking of family ties and reorganizations. Legal issues faced by the immigrants, how the law can come between family members and how socially problematic lives immigrants may lead afterwards is the focus of this book. 5. Menjivar, C. (2004). Teen Life in El Salvador. Edited by Tompkins, C. and Sternberg, K. Westford, Conn: Greenwood Publishing Group Co. Pp. 155-171 With her extensive research and writing experience in the field of psychological issues and sociology, Menjivar has brought forward the true picture of life as a teenager in El Salvador. The issues of teens are highlighted in the book. Relationship between teen unresolved issues and crime rate is mentioned while the issues and their solutions are also discussed. 6. Menjvar, C. and Marsiglia, F. F. 2004. Nicaraguan and Salvadoran Children and Families. Edited by Fong, R. New York: Guilford Publications. Pp. 253-273 Menjvar and Marsiglia discuss the social issues faced by Nicaraguans as well as Salvadoran Families and Children. As immigrants these people face a lot of problem which sometimes creates very complex situations. To avoid those situations, the practices with these families should be acceptable for them culturally. This is the focus of this book. 7. Menjvar, C. and Rodrguez, N. 2005. New Responses to State Terror. Austin: University of Texas Press. Pp. 335-346 Menjvar and Rodrguez talk about the carelessness of states due to the loopholes in welfare policies or legal issues. The book focuses on the responsibility of the states as a supporter and provider and it criticizes the loose rules which sometimes practically kill families, social life or psychologically normal behavior. 8. Menjvar, C. 2006. Global

Is Wind Going Green Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is Wind Going Green - Essay Example This means that wind is going green. This article will discuss how wind energy is said to be going green. Wind energy can be defined as the conversion of kinetic energy to a useful form of power. This is achieved through the use of wind turbines, windmills, and wind pumps. Compared to other energy sources, wind power has several advantages hence; it is a better alternative. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, produces no emissions, and it is widely distributed (Walker & Jenkins, 1997). Therefore, wind power has no effects on the environment, compared to other sources of energy. By 2010, wind energy production was over 2.5% world wide. This is a growth of more than 24% per annum. Wind power generation has become a popular energy generation. However, the construction of wind farms is not universally welcomed. Of late, most of the cities in the world have started taking the initiative to go green. Nowadays, it is clearly evident that most commercial buildings have small wind turbines which are used for power generation. These buildings only use renewable sources of power that are naturally found; therefore, they are referred to as green buildings. The phrase ‘going green’ is now globally recognized as efforts aimed at protecting the depletion of the ozone layer (Rhodes, 2011). Research asserts that state investment tax credits have significantly reduced the burden of individuals who invest in wind power. This credit provided allows the wind investors to reduce their tax obligation by some part of the invested amount in a wind project. A good example of an incentive program is the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) program (Walker & Jenkins, 1997). This program offers upfront payments for installation of small wind turbines. Moreover, this program has received an unusually high client participation rate. In the recent past, many states have drawn concerns about utilizing renewable energy. Small

Animal Abuse Essay Example for Free

Animal Abuse Essay The Greyhound is an ancient breed of dog. It is the only dog mentioned in the Bible, and has been depicted in many ancient Egyptian paintings, dating back over 4,000 years. Greyhounds were so revered, that the Greyhounds were allowed to share their tents. In ancient Arabic countries, the birth of a son was the most important event, the second was the birth of a Greyhound. The history of dog racing can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century when Greyhounds were brought over to England from Egypt, where her majesty created the first formal rules of dog coursing, naming it the â€Å"Sport of Queens†. In the 18th century, England exported the sport to America, and soon the sport was comprised of racing and gambling. In 1912, the dog racing as it is known today, was established by Owen Patrick Smith, the man who invented the mechanical lure used in today’s dog racing. The first official dog track was opened in 1919 in California, and in 1931, wagering was legalized in Florida, paving the way for the development of the Palm Beach Kennel Club. The Palm Beach Kennel Club operated permits for dog racing, which officially started in America in 1932. Unfortunately, the once grandeur and majesty of the sport is tarnished with the unethical abuse these animals endure. The definition of animal abuse is â€Å"the crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline. It can include neglect that is so monstrous (withholding food and water) that the animal has suffered, died or been put in imminent danger of death. † (Hill, 2005). Many Greyhounds are the subject of abuse in the racing world. The Greyhounds are subject to horrible conditions. Many people enjoy watching a good race. The anticipation of the race and the thrill of their prized dog winning would make anyone want to attend a race. But it’s what happens before and after the race that has many people up in arms over the whole dog racing scene. When the dogs are not racing, they are kept in crates stacked one on top of the other. The dogs are not exercised regularly; the only exercise they get is from racing, and a race lasts for only a few minutes. If an Greyhound is injured during practice or during the race, the dog is killed and ground up for food for the other dogs. Many Greyhounds also die during the race due to exhaustion and dehydration. It is important to address this issue because animal abuse is a crime, and most people who commit these heinous acts are never brought to justice. It is also important to understand why someone could harm an innocent animal. According to the ASPCA, there are three main reasons why someone would be cruel to animals in their article titled, Why people abuse animals. The first reason is that some people abuse animals is that they do not know they are abusing the animal. Some people just don’t think about what they are doing to the animal, and others think excessive force is necessary to maintain control of the animal. A person who hits their dog when he or she does something wrong, like poop in the house, will use excessive force to show the animal that what he or she did was bad. Other people forget to roll down a window on a hot day with the animal in the car. The second reason a person would abuse animals is that the person will do it purposefully, but not for a continuous amount of time. Young kids who throw rocks at cats or kick a dog are an example of this type of abuser. Many young children can be taught through support groups and educational programs to show how an animal feels when it is abused in such a way, and many children learn to respect animals. The third reason a person would abuse an animal is the most serious form of animal cruelty. The third reason a person would abuse an animal is for power. Many of these types of people enjoy hurting the weak and helpless animals, as it makes them feel in control. Most of these people who intentionally hurt an animal have serious psychological issues that need to be addressed. If left unchecked, these issues may lead to more serious acts of violence. According the article, most people that were mentioned in the first and second reason for animal abuse can be educated through materials, counselors and educational classes. But even with the educational classes, what most people don’t understand is the psychological effects of the abuse has on animals. All animals want is to be loved and cared for, especially dogs. Humans have breed dogs to be our companions, and are the only animal that sets out to please us. When a human abuses an animal, we lose that trust that the animal places in us. The main psychological effect abuse has on dogs can be devastating. A dog may feel threatened by any human that it comes in contact with, and the dog can turn aggressive out of fear. Other dogs are fearful and maintain their fearfulness throughout the rest of their lives. These dogs may cower away from humans, shunning away when a human has an object in their hand or hide when they hear raised voices. L. Kalef wrote an article titled Psychological effects of animal cruelty, and in the article, he talked about the effects of animal abuse in Eastern Europe. For those who have traveled to Eastern European countries, it is not uncommon to be privy to packs of dogs roaming in some of the major cities, and sometimes being aggressive out of fear, hunger or abuse have led to provoke a similar reaction by the population by way of harm and abuse. Sadly, these neglected animals are under constant scrutiny and possible attack, which has become all too common. For years, welfare activists have been speaking up for the plight of the strays and the brutal inhumane abuse and killings; but no one until now has suggested that the constant exposure of this violence may instigate other and further violent activity within the community. In other words, growing up in a society being exposed to animal abuse causes further abuse and lack of compassion. (Kalef, 2012) But there are many people who argue that dog racing is not the only animal sport that has animal abuse and that it is part of the sport. Throughout the world of animal sports, there are some instances of animal abuse. In Mexico, bullfighting is a very popular sport, where the object of the game is to kill the bull or else the Matador will be stampeded or stabbed by the bulls horns. The bulls are starved and tortured, and they meaner the bull becomes, the more entertaining the sport. Also, horse racing has had its fair share of animal abuse cases. Many Thoroughbreds that receive an injury are killed, just like the Greyhounds, and made into meat that is sold for human consumption. J. Frater wrote an article titled 10 Debated acts of animal cruelty, which outlines a few instances that can be considered animal abuse. For those who have traveled to Eastern European countries, it is not uncommon to be privy to packs of dogs roaming in some of the major cities, and sometimes being aggressive out of fear, hunger or abuse have led to provoke a similar reaction by the population by way of harm and abuse. Sadly, these neglected animals are under constant scrutiny and possible attack, which has become all too common. For years, welfare activists have been speaking up for the plight of the strays and the brutal inhumane abuse and killings; but no one until now has suggested that the constant exposure of this violence may instigate other and further violent activity within the community. In other words, growing up in a society being exposed to animal abuse causes further abuse and lack of compassion. (Frater, 2010). But to most people, that is just the way the sport is. What is someone going to do with a prized race horse that has a broken leg and can no longer race? Why take the money to fix the injury, when the owner can make money off of selling the animal for food? It’s just part of the sport. But there is one question that needs to be answered. Which side is right? The truth is both sides are right. There will always be animal abuse in sports, as well as throughout the world. We as a people will not be able to completely stop the abuse, we can just diminish the amount of animals are abused. Through the use of stricter laws and more regulations, we as humans can help the voiceless. In conclusion, though there is no one way to solve animal cruelty in the world. There will always be animal cruelty in the sporting world, but as long as we humans can educate the younger generations, the amount of cases of animal cruelty will drastically decrease. Only one can hope that the â€Å"Sport of Queens† can return once again to the grandeur and majesty that the sport once was.

President James Madison Essay -- Presidents American History Essays

President James Madison James Madison, (1751-1836), 4th President of the United States of America. Although he served eight years each as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, as secretary of state, and as president, Madison's principal contribution to the founding of the United States was as "Father of the Constitution." Madison's place among the Founding Fathers reveals the essential qualities of his public career. Jefferson had a superior vision of the potential for life under republican government, a greater capacity for leadership, and a special gift for the memorable phrase, but Madison had a more subtle and incisive political sense. Madison's ancestors, probably all from England, settled in Virginia along the Rappahannock and Mattaponi rivers in the mid-17th century. James Madison himself, however, lived all his life in Orange county on a 5,000-acre plantation that produced tobacco and grains and was worked by 100 slaves. Madison was born at the home of his maternal grandparents in Port Conway, Va., on March 16, 1751. Madison also read John Locke, Isaac Newton, Jonathan Swift, David Hume, Voltaire, and others who fashioned the Enlightenment world view, which became his own. Madison's understanding of public affairs developed during the decade of colonial resistance to British measures, 1765-1775. Madison's skill led to his election in 1780 to the Continental Congress, where he served for nearly four years. In 1783, after ratification of the peace treaty and demobilization of the army, Madison ranked as a leading promoter of a stronger national government. For three years in the Virginia legislature, Madison worked to enact Jefferson's bill for religious freedom and other reform measures. He also continued to strengthen the national government by securing Virginia's support of it. Madison offered the Virginia plan giving taxing and law-enforcement powers to the national government, and he worked with James Wilson and other nationalists to support a strengthened executive, a broadly based House of Representatives, long terms in the Senate, an independent federal judiciary, and other devices to enhance national power. Madison argued that an enlarged, strengthened national government, far from being the path to despotism its opponents feared, was in fact the surest way to protect freedom and expand the principle of self-govern... ...th sides tired of war, a peace treaty was signed restoring the pre-war boundaries and ensuring American national independence. The French minister, who had been close to Madison throughout the war, observed that three years of warfare have been a trial of the capacity of American institutions to sustain a state of war. With threats of disunion ended, the path opened for westward expansion, the nation confident of its security in the world and its institutions vindicated, Madison's last two years as president were triumphant. Though in urging a variety of measures, Madison cast aside republican dogma about weak government, he still opposed internal improvement schemes except under a constitutional amendment. Happily retired to his Virginia farm, Madison practiced scientific agriculture, helped Jefferson found the University of Virginia, advised Monroe on foreign policy, arranged his papers for publication, and maintained a wide correspondence. Nationally, Madison wrote in support of a mildly protective tariff, the National Bank, and, most importantly, the power of the union against nullification. Madison's health slowly declined, forcing him more and more to be a silent observer. President James Madison Essay -- Presidents American History Essays President James Madison James Madison, (1751-1836), 4th President of the United States of America. Although he served eight years each as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, as secretary of state, and as president, Madison's principal contribution to the founding of the United States was as "Father of the Constitution." Madison's place among the Founding Fathers reveals the essential qualities of his public career. Jefferson had a superior vision of the potential for life under republican government, a greater capacity for leadership, and a special gift for the memorable phrase, but Madison had a more subtle and incisive political sense. Madison's ancestors, probably all from England, settled in Virginia along the Rappahannock and Mattaponi rivers in the mid-17th century. James Madison himself, however, lived all his life in Orange county on a 5,000-acre plantation that produced tobacco and grains and was worked by 100 slaves. Madison was born at the home of his maternal grandparents in Port Conway, Va., on March 16, 1751. Madison also read John Locke, Isaac Newton, Jonathan Swift, David Hume, Voltaire, and others who fashioned the Enlightenment world view, which became his own. Madison's understanding of public affairs developed during the decade of colonial resistance to British measures, 1765-1775. Madison's skill led to his election in 1780 to the Continental Congress, where he served for nearly four years. In 1783, after ratification of the peace treaty and demobilization of the army, Madison ranked as a leading promoter of a stronger national government. For three years in the Virginia legislature, Madison worked to enact Jefferson's bill for religious freedom and other reform measures. He also continued to strengthen the national government by securing Virginia's support of it. Madison offered the Virginia plan giving taxing and law-enforcement powers to the national government, and he worked with James Wilson and other nationalists to support a strengthened executive, a broadly based House of Representatives, long terms in the Senate, an independent federal judiciary, and other devices to enhance national power. Madison argued that an enlarged, strengthened national government, far from being the path to despotism its opponents feared, was in fact the surest way to protect freedom and expand the principle of self-govern... ...th sides tired of war, a peace treaty was signed restoring the pre-war boundaries and ensuring American national independence. The French minister, who had been close to Madison throughout the war, observed that three years of warfare have been a trial of the capacity of American institutions to sustain a state of war. With threats of disunion ended, the path opened for westward expansion, the nation confident of its security in the world and its institutions vindicated, Madison's last two years as president were triumphant. Though in urging a variety of measures, Madison cast aside republican dogma about weak government, he still opposed internal improvement schemes except under a constitutional amendment. Happily retired to his Virginia farm, Madison practiced scientific agriculture, helped Jefferson found the University of Virginia, advised Monroe on foreign policy, arranged his papers for publication, and maintained a wide correspondence. Nationally, Madison wrote in support of a mildly protective tariff, the National Bank, and, most importantly, the power of the union against nullification. Madison's health slowly declined, forcing him more and more to be a silent observer.

All Day Kindergarten Essay

After critically analyzing the current kindergarten scheduling trends, there is a shift in many schools from half-day kindergarten programs towards full day kindergarten programs. A full day kindergarten or all day kindergarten program is a program in which pupils attend school each weekday for approximately six hours. The growing number of all day kindergarten programs can be attributed to a change in the American society and education in general. To be specific the growing number can be attributed to the increase in single parents and dual employment households and finally a general belief that all day programs better prepare children for school. There has been a looming legislation, which is going to give powers to the local, state and federal governments to control standards of education. Kindergarten education is targeted by this piece of legislation because it promotes all day kindergarten programs at the expense of half-day programs. I fully support this piece of legislation that promotes all day kindergarten programs because of the benefits that are inherent with the program. It’s my prayers that the legislation is approved so that our schools can start churning out very competitive graduates. I believe all day kindergarten programs are the best because of the following: †¢ A research conducted in 1990s reported a consistent positive academic outcome for all children enrolled in all day kindergarten programs. A subsequent research also showed that children who attended all day kindergarten programs scored higher points on standardized tests than their half day counter parts. Hough and Bryde found out that there is more individualized instruction in all day programs when compared to half-day programs. Individualized training makes it possible for the teacher to understand each and every need of the pupil and therefore attend to them accordingly. A research carried out by Cryan and his friends found out that there was a positive relationship between participation in full day kindergarten program and later academic success. After comparing similar half day and full day programs in a nationwide study, Cryan found out that full day kindergarteners exhibited more independent learning, classroom involvement, and productivity in work with peers and reflectivity than half-day kindergarteners. †¢ Other researches pointed out that there is a clear relationship between the kind of kindergarten program and the children’s behavior. Teachers rated children in all day kindergarten higher. (Cryan et al, 1992). Other researchers who have studied social and behavioral outcomes found out those children in all day kindergarten programs were engaged in child-to-child interactions and this had a positive effect in building their learning, communication and social skills. (Elicker & Mathur, 1997). The full day kindergarteners were more likely to approach the teacher; they expressed less anger, shyness, withdrawal and blaming behavior than half-day kindergarteners. †¢ Both teachers and parents whose children were enrolled in all day kindergarten proved that all day programs better prepared children for their first grade. They also indicated preference for all day kindergarten because of the more relaxed atmosphere, more time for creative activities and more opportunity for students to develop their own interests. The teachers also concluded they had more time to know the children and their families thus enabling them to better meet the children’s specific needs. (Elicker & Mathur, 1997) It’s definite that there are more positives in all day kindergarten programs but it’s important to remember that what the children are doing during the day is more important than the length of the day. Experts are warning administrators and parents against full day kindergarten programs that are academically rather than intellectually engaging in tone. Some of the intellectually engaging activities that should be incorporated in all day kindergarten programs include the following: 1. Programs that emphasize language development. 2. Programs that offer balance of small group, big group and individual activities. 3. Programs that asses pupils’ progress through close teacher observation and examination of pupils’ work. 4. Programs that develop children’s social and interpersonal skills including conflict resolution strategies. 5. Programs that involve children in first hand experience and informal interaction with objects, other children and adults. (Rothenberg, 1995) To successfully implement this project, the government should commence creating space and teacher capacity. It should also set aside enough funds to make sure the schools can afford equipment necessary for all day kindergarten programs. References Cryan, J. R. , Sheehan, R. , Wiechel, J. , & Bandy-Hedden, I. G. (1992). Success outcomes of full-day kindergarten: More positive behavior and increased achievement in the years after. Early childhood research quarterly, 7(2), 187-203. EJ 450 525 Elicker, J. , & Mathur, S. (1997). What do they do all day? Comprehensive evaluation of a full-day kindergarten. Early childhood research quarterly, 12(4), 459-480. EJ 563 073. Hough, D. , & Bryde, S. (1996, April). THE EFFECTS OF FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND AFFECT. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York: ED 395 691.

Despairing Companionship Essay

â€Å"Modern Love,† a poetic sequence by George Meredith, describes a skeptical opinion on the idea of modern love. Meredith’s devastating tone, complex similes and metaphors, and dark imagery convey a sad and regretful outlook on the love of this time. â€Å"Modern Love† is riddled with a tone full of regret and heartache, making this modern love seem more like the opposite of love. The speaker says â€Å"she wept with waking eyes† and her â€Å"strange low sobs† were â€Å"strangled mute.† The words describing this woman are full of grief, full of â€Å"vain regret.† Her husband is painfully aware of his wife’s sadness, through her reaction to â€Å"his hand’s light quiver by her head† and her sobs that were â€Å"dreadfully venomous to him.† The speaker’s worried tone shows how much the husband wishes for his wife to be happy, but his actions of loving care and cautiousness do nothing to quell her tears. This makes modern love seem hopeless and full of despair for both the man and his distraught wife. Use of intense simile and metaphor throughout â€Å"Modern Love† also demonstrates a grim view on the concept of modern love. The muffled cries of the wife are called â€Å"little gaping snakes† showing how afraid and vulnerable the husband is to them. The man’s wife has a â€Å"Giant heart of Memory and Tears† which shows the heavy, almost useless organ that the wife carries around within her, empty of love, only able to remember the sadness to which she has been subjected to. Then, the husband and wife are said to be â€Å"like sculpture effigies† in their â€Å"common bed,† lying â€Å"stone-still.† Instead of two lovers talking to each other and loving each other in their bed, a place shared between the two of them, they are â€Å"moveless† and silent. This makes modern love seem empty of joy, empty of companionship, and devoid of love. â€Å"Modern Love† also utilizes imagery to portray the sadness and tension of modern love. The wife is described as lying â€Å"stone-still.† They are both â€Å"moveless† as they look back through their â€Å"dead black years.† Their life is described as â€Å"black,† which provides the image of nothingness, as if there is no memory worth seeing. Their modern love provides no light with which their lives might be made happy. They are seen as â€Å"sculptured effigies,† wishing for the â€Å"sword that severs all.† Instead of wishing for a good relationship or positive time together, they want something to end their marriage, to end the one thing that ties them together. This modern love is not love at all, but a forced binding between two people who want nothing of it. The poetic sequence â€Å"Modern Love† by George Meredith conveys a dark and regretful view of modern love through heartbreaking tone, deep similes and metaphors, and intense imagery.

Religions Role in Society

Religions Role in Society Free Online Research Papers â€Å"Religion helps sustain social solidarity in times of transition and stress.† Discuss. Many sociologists believe that religion plays a vital role in society and helps individuals come together in times of hardship, reinforcing social solidarity within a particular community. Some believe that without religion, societies would in some cases fall apart and there would not be social solidarity as people would not have a sense of closeness with each other, nor would they have anything to believe in. This is discussed by Durkheim and Malinowski as the Functionalist view on religion in particular. Functionalists, Marxists and Feminists have generally dismissed the possibility that religion can cause changes in society, They believe religion acts as a conservative force and that it is changes in society that shape religion, not vice versa. Functionalists claim that religion prevents change and acts in this way because it promotes integration and social solidarity. From a functionalist perspective, religion provides shared norms and values, and helps individuals to cope with stresses that might disrupt social life. In these ways it facilitates the continued existence of society in its present form. Marx had similar views although he saw religion as maintaining the status quo in the interests of the ruling class rather than those of society as a whole. Durkheim believed that social life was impossible without the shared values and moral beliefs that form the collective conscience. In their absence there would be no social order, control, solidarity or cooperation. In short, there would be no society. Religion reinforces the collective conscience. The worship of society strengthens the values and moral beliefs that form the basis of social life. By defining them as sacred, religion provides them with greater power to direct human action. In a worshipping society, people are in effect, recognising the importance of the social group and their dependence upon it. In this way, religion strengthens the unity of the group: it promotes social solidarity. Most sociologists believe that Durkheim overstated his case on religion. While agreeing that religion is important for promoting social solidarity and reinforcing social values, they would not support his view that religion is the worship of society. Durkheim’s views were more relevant to small, non-literate societies, where there is a close integration of culture and social institutions, where work, leisure, education and family life tend to merge and where members share a common belief and value system. His views are less relevant to modern societies which have many subcultures, social and ethnic groups, specialised organisations and a range of religious beliefs, practices and institutions. Like Durkheim, Bronislaw Malinowski sees religion as reinforcing social norms and values and promoting social solidarity. Unlike Durkheim however, he does not see religion as reflecting society as a whole, nor does he see religious ritual as the worship of society itself. Malinowski identifies specific areas of social life with which religion is concerned and to which it is addressed. These are situations of emotional stress that threaten social solidarity. Anxiety and tension tend to disrupt social life. Malinowski notes that in all societies, life crises are surrounded with religious ritual. He sees death as the most disruptive of these events and argues: â€Å"The existence of strong personal attachments and the fact of death, which of all human events is the most upsetting and disorganizing to man’s calculations are perhaps the main sources of religious beliefs.† Different events and hardship that may come about in a society are dealt with in different ways. For example a death in society is socially destructive because it removes a member of society. At a funeral ceremony however, the social group unites to support the bereaved thus this expression of social solidarity reintegrates society. Malinowski has been criticised for exaggerating the importance of religious rituals in helping people to cope with situations of stress and uncertainty. The last functionalist view of religion is Talcott Parsons. He believes that religion is part of the cultural system within a society and thus provides guidelines for human actions and standards against which people’s conduct can be evaluated. In a Christian society, the Ten Commandments operate in this way. They demonstrate how many of the norms of the social system can be integrated by religious beliefs. By establishing these general principles and moral beliefs, religion helps to provide the consensus which Parsons believes is necessary for order and stability in society. Like Malinowski, Parsons sees religion as a mechanism for adjustment to such unprecedented events as death or illness, and as a means of restoring the normal pattern of life. The functionalist perspective emphasizes the positive contributions of religion to society and tends to ignore its dysfunctional aspects. With its preoccupation with harmony, integration and solidarity, functionalism neglects the many instances where religion can be seen as a divisive and disruptive force. It bypasses the frequent examples of internal divisions within a community over questions of religious dogma and worship – divisions that can lead to open conflict. It gives little consideration to hostility between different religious groups within the same society, such as Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq or Hindus and Muslims in India. In such cases, religion can be seen as a direct threat to social order. Research Papers on Religion's Role in SocietyCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Intensive Pronoun Definition and Examples

Intensive Pronoun Definition and Examples In  English grammar, an  intensive pronoun  is a  pronoun ending in -self or -selves that serve to emphasize its antecedent. They are also known as  intensive reflexive pronouns. Intensive pronouns often appear as appositives after nouns or other pronouns. Intensive pronouns have the same forms as reflexive pronouns: myself, ourselves, yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, oneself, and themselves. Unlike reflexive pronouns, intensive pronouns are not essential to the basic meaning of a sentence. Examples and Observations I have never yet failed to meet a deadline I myself have set up.(Pat Schneider, Writing Alone and With Others. Oxford University Press, 2003)He wondered, as he had many times wondered before, whether he himself was a lunatic.(George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1948)Janis Joplin was a name now associated with an image, one that had grown bigger than the woman​ herself.(Buzzy Jackson, A Bad Woman Feeling Good. Norton, 2005)Watching children make real progress in their language and literacy development is a reward with few rivals, especially because the children themselves greet their own accomplishments with such joy.(Katherine A. Beauchat et al, The Building Blocks of Preschool Success. Guilford Press, 2010)We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.(Mother Teresa)It seems to me, that if you tried hard, you would in time find it possible to become what you yourself would approve.(Charlotte Bro ntà «, Jane Eyre, 1847) When you, our white countrymen, have attempted to do anything for us, it has generally been to deprive us of some right, power, or privilege, which you yourselves would die before you would submit to have taken from you.(Frederick Douglass)Not until the problem itself is clearly diagnosed can a solution be found.(Toby Dodge, Trying to Reconstitute the Iraqi State. Crescent of Crisis, ed. by Ivo Daalder et al. Brookings Institution Press, 2006)I found myself hoping that by the simple fact of extending some humanity towards poor old Ned, offering the unfortunate wretch some small degree of genuine understanding, that I myself had played some worthwhile role in this new and most welcome world of equanimity.(Patrick McCabe, Winterwood. Bloomsbury, 2006) The Difference Between Intensive and Reflexive Pronouns The contrast between reflexive and intensive pronouns is well illustrated with sit down, an intransitive verb that can also be used causatively, e.g. She sat the child down. It can be seen that John sat himself down is a reflexivised causative, whereas John himself sat down  and John sat down himself are intransitive, with an intensive pronoun that relates to the subject NP. Intensive pronouns are generally not placed in structural positions that could be filled by a reflexive pronoun. Watch is a transitive verb which can omit its subjectJohn watched Mary, John watched himself (on the video), John watched. In this case, an intensive pronoun from the subject NP (John himself watched) would not be likely to be moved to a position after the verb, since it could then be mistaken for a reflexive substitute for the object NP. However, an intensive pronoun could be moved after an explicit object NP (especially if there was a gender difference), e.g. John watched Mary himself. (Robert M. W. Dixon, A Semantic Approach to English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 2005)

The New Woman in Kate Chopin's the Awakening Essay

The New Woman in Kate Chopin's the Awakening - Essay Example This means that for almost half a century before Kate Chopin published The Awakening, society had been engaged in a struggle over equal rights issues and social ideologies. As an outcome of this struggle, female part of the society had, to some extent, already undergone mobilization and emancipation from their socioeconomic captivity. The following research is to review and analyze on the example of Kate Chopin's novel about the "sexual awakening" and an unconventional behavior of a woman how for the first time in the USA, women began to bring the formerly private issues of family and home into the public domain and this way caused significant social changes. As many biographers admit today, writing a story of another person's life story is writing one's own as well. If we try to find out why Kate Chopin wrote her novel and how the society accepted it, we will often find the answers in the French women the voices of whom dominated Chopin's formative years. Many historians note that women during the post-Civil War period regularly took part in the marketplace, earned their own sources of support, broke with derogatory forms of financial dependency on men. Culley M. asserts that women "at all levels of society were active in attempts to better their lot, and the "New Woman", the late nineteenth-century equivalent of the "liberated woman", was much on the public mind" (Culley 117). In middle 1899, nearly 50 years after the women's movement officially had started, the social and cultural background seemed favorable for the literary introduction of Edna Pontellier, Kate Chopin's fictional character. The plot of the novel can be depicted in short as follows. The main character, Edna Pontellier is 28 years old, married to a 40-year-old New Orleans businessman who earn living for her and their two sons. She is satisfied but not really happy. During one summer at Grand Isle, a charming Creole resort, she has several awakenings. A real romance occurs between Edna and the resort owner's young son, Robert Lebrun, after he teaches her swimming and she gets the feeling of power and sensuality. Meanwhile, Edna makes friends with Madame Adle Ratignolle, a woman who is fully contented in her traditional woman role, but whose affectionate ways and insights draw Edna to speculate about herself and learn striking things. Being a motherless child and an intellectual Edna now realizes that she has married Lonce Pontellier only in order to annoy her family, and to close the door on unreal obsessions and dreams. She realized that she became a mother without particularly wish to be one, and did not raise that question until that moment. During Edna's summer of awakenings she starts, with the help of her female friends, recovering her voice. The peculiar, slightly sinister pianist Mademoiselle Reisz develops Edna's deep appreciation for music and inspires her flirtation with Robert, who, suddenly leaves for Mexico. After coming back home Edna begins to ignore her wifely obligations. Listening to her own inner voice, Edna starts expressing opinions, and while she is ecstatically alone, organizes a luxurious dinner party before moving herself to a little house. Later on Edna has

Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction Assignment

Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction - Assignment Example This research will begin with The Profiles Interviewed Employees. The selected employees for the interview are Frank and Janet (these are not their real names for purposes of concealing their identity). Frank is a chief accountant to Nestle at the headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. Frank has joined Nestle six years ago, by then as the cost accountant. Three years later, the management promoted him to the position of the chief accountant. Frank, therefore, has an experience of six years as the accountant of the company and three years as a chief accountant. Janet is the overall marketing manager of Nestle. Initially, Janet was the production unit supervisor for four years after joining the company, but because of her remarkable performance, the management promoted her to the general marketing manager and posted her at the headquarters in Switzerland. Janet has five years experience as a marketing manager. Start of the Interview Interviewer: Particularly concerning the number of years you have worked for this company, why have you not left this company to work for a different organization?   Interviewee: The main reason for my extended stay in this company is the motivation that I get from my employer. I have my own intrinsic motivation; that is, the internal desires to produce the best. The company has enabled me to develop positive attitudes towards my work through the extrinsic motivation it offers through bonuses, rewards, recognition, and promotions. Interviewee: Have you ever encountered any problem of receiving your benefits because of your race or gender? Interviewer: No, I think the company has very strict policies to counteract any form of discrimination among the workers. Interviewer: Do you believe that your working in this organization has a meaning? Interviewee: Yes, I do. Working for this company promises a bright future for me and my family. I am fully satisfied with working here because my job tallies with my profession. I am contented with what I receive from here, and I am ready to work here until my retirement age. Interviewer: Does Nestle provide you with opportunities to grow and develop as a professional and as a person? Interviewee: The company is excellent is providing the best opportunities for professional and personal development. The company has a program for allowing employees study leaves and grants financial support for employees who want to advance their careers. There is a pension scheme program where every employee is deducted a certain proportion of income and paid to them upon retirement. Interviewer: Are there any feedbacks you would expect to receive from your company in relation to your performance that you are not receiving? Interviewee: I think I receive

Uncertainty reduction theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Uncertainty reduction theory - Essay Example lationship has been made certain and they seem to be engaging in verbal discussion probably disclosing information about self and reciprocating each other’s feelings based on how they are looking at each other. The film the Twilight is about a young man who is a vampire and a young lady who are schoolmates. The man distances himself from others and does not consider himself likeable to anyone. The young woman however sees something different in him that she likes and hence tries to find out more about him as well as seek courage and opportunity to be close to him. The Twilight is the best film to explain the concept of uncertainty reduction theory. Bella observes Edward from a far in the cafeteria trying to figure him out and wanting to know about him and why he seems mysterious. This is the passive strategy phase where there is simply observation of the person in an environment that seems natural. Bella goes further and starts asking fellow students about Edward in a bid to find out more about him and this is the active strategy phase. The fact that they take the class is an added advantage to the fact finding mission. Finally the opportunity to talk to him comes when Edward is made Bella’s Biology partners and they get to talk. This is the interactive strategy phase of the theory (Littlejohn and Foss 52). The talk reduces the uncertainties Bella had about Edward as she gets to know him better through verbal output as they talk and non-verbal warmth as either party shows signs of willingness to be more than lab partners. They self-disclose information about each other while communicating and they start reciprocating their feelings towards each other once the liking and similarity phase has passed and they have formed a relation even though it has its own share of complications (Knapp and Vangelisti, 64). The uncertainty reduction theory has helped explain my relationship with my best friend fort the last four years. I saw her when she moved into my

Improving Structure and Links for User Navigation Session

Improving Structure and Links for User Navigation Session Improving Structure and Links for Analysis of User Navigation Sessions Bhagyashri Biranje, Priti Harpale, Dushyant Singh, Meenal Jadhav, Sindhu M.R. ABSTRACT In this paper, we are designing a well-structured website to facilitate effective user navigation to relink webpages to improve navigability using user navigation data. We will completely reorganized new structure of a website, which can be highly unpredictable. It will also illustrate how to improve a website without introducing substantial changes. Here specifically, we are using a data mining algorithm to improve the user navigation on a website while minimizing alterations to its current structure. We will also test the model on large synthetic data sets to demonstrate that it scales up very well. Key words: Website design, user navigation, web mining, data mining algorithm. Corresponding Authors: Meenal Jadhav, Sindhu M.R. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, the more use of internet provides people more knowledge and information in detail. Number of users of internet is increasing day by day. For a user finding desired information is not always easy. Therefore, designing effective websites is not easy. Even though there are high profile websites, if they are unable to view the desired information, then users will ignore these websites. Ratings will be down. Less numbers of users will be the visitors [1]. There are so many examples of user navigation. The restaurant services such as making reservations, processing orders, and delivering meals generally requires waiters to input customer information and then transmit orders to the kitchen for menu preparation. When the customer pays the bill, the amount due is calculated by the cashier. Although this procedure is simple, it may significantly increase the waiters’ workload and even cause errors in menu ordering or in prioritizing customers, especially when the number of customers suddenly increases during busy hours, which can serious degrade overall service quality. Websites are having difficulties in searching and locating the target pages, because of poor website design. To design a website, developers should understand how to construct a website, which is different from previous website structure. This will be useful in such cases where users were unable to search or locate the desired information. So, to avoid such problems is not easy while creating a website. Because web developers may or may not have proper understanding of user’s preferences and they organize pages on their own preferences of their own judgments. Therefore to fulfill the user’s need, the webpages should be organized in such a way that it should be match with user’s preferences [2]. The success of any organization of web site will be determined largely by how well site’s information architecture matches users’ expectations. A logical, consistently named site organization allows users to make successful predictions about where to find things. Various methods of organizing and displaying information permit users to extend their knowledge from familiar pages to unfamiliar ones. If a developer misleads users with a structure that is neither logical nor predictable, or constantly uses different or ambiguous terms to describe site features, users will be frustrated by the difficulties of getting around and understanding what you have to offer [3]. Developer don’t want user’s mental model of web site to look like fig.1. Fig.1 Confusing links are made by a developer. Don’t make such a confusing web of links. Designers aren’t the only ones who make models of sites. Users try to imagine the site structure as well, and successful information architecture will help the user build a firm and predictable mental model of your site [3]. EXISTING SYSTEM If existing site has more than a few dozen pages, your users will expect web search options to find content in the site. In a larger site, with maybe hundreds or thousands of pages of content, web search is the only efficient means to locate particular content pages or to find all pages that mention a keyword or search phrase. For example, as with popular books at the library or the hit songs on iTunes, content usage on large web sites is a classic â€Å"long-tail† phenomenon [3]: a few items get 80 percent of the attention, and the rest get dramatically less traffic. As the user’s needs get more specific than a browser interface can handle, search engines are the means to find content out there in the long tail where it might otherwise remain undiscovered (fig. 2). Fig.2 The â€Å"long tail† of web search. Large sites are just too large to depend solely on browsing. Heavily used pages are likely to appear on browsing menus pages. Website Structure: In this project, the website structure consists of three components: layout templates, URL patterns, and linkage structure. Layout Template Most web pages consist of HTML elements like table, menu, button, image, and input box. The layout of a web page describes what HTML elements are included in the page, as well as how these elements are visually distributed in page rendering. Essentially, a page layout is represented by a so called DOM (Document Object Model) tree. In this project, a layout template is considered as a group of pages which have very similar layouts (DOM trees) [3]. In a website, pages are generated based on distinguishable templates according to their functions. That is to say, visually similar pages usually have same function. In this way, user can easily identify a page’s function at a glance. (b) (c) Fig. 3 Typical layout templates from the ASP.NET Forums [3]. Following are several typical layout templates identified from the ASP.NET Forums [3]. Their functions are to show a) a list of discussion thread, b) a list of thread posts, and c) user profile, respectively. They are designed to show: a) a list of discussion thread, b) a list of thread posts, and c) user profile, respectively. URL Pattern A URL pattern is a generalization of a group of URLs sharing similar syntactic format. In general, a URL pattern can be represented with a regular expression.Following we show some example URL patterns discovered, again,from the ASP.NET Forums [2]. List-of-thread pages ^http://forums.asp.net/d+.aspx$ ^http://forums.asp.net/d+.aspx?PageIndex=d+forumoptions=d+:d+:d+::$ List-of-post pages ^http://forums.asp.net/t/d+.aspx$ ^http://forums.asp.net/t/d+.aspx?PageIndex=d+$ ^http://forums.asp.net/p/d+/d+.aspx$ ^http://forums.asp.net/ThreadNavigation.aspx?PostID=d+NavType=(Previous|Next)$ User profile pages ^http://forums.asp.net/user/Profile.aspx?UserID=d+$ ^http://forums.asp.net/members/[^/?]*$ Itis noticed that one layout templates can have more than one related URL pattern. For example,a bookseller website usually designs one template to show a list of books,andprovidesdifferent query parameters to generate such a list. Various query parameters in this scenario will lead to different URL patterns, but the search results are shown with the same template. Another common case is duplicate pages, i.e., pages with the same content (and very likely the same layout)but different URLs [3]. Link Structure Based on the layout templates and URL patterns, we can construct a directed graph to represent the website organization structure. That is, each layout template is considered as a node in a graph, and two nodes are linked if there are hyperlinks between the pages belonging to the two nodes. The link direction is the same as the related hyperlinks.And each link is characterized with the URL pattern of the corresponding hyperlink URLs. Again, it should be noticed thatthere could be multiple links from one node to another if the corresponding hyperlinks have more than one URL pattern. Fig. 2 gives an illustrative example ofthe sub-graph constructed based on the layout templates and URL patterns above. Fig.4 An illustrative sub link-graph for the ASP.NET Forums [3]. PROPOSED SYSTEM In our proposed system, we have two main modules- Client and Server. 1] Module 1: Client Fig.5 Client Client has two functions: Browse Website Submit User Experience User or client used to browse the website. The client browses the website. The information of user such as history, time of visiting website, links etc. is known as user’s experience. It is then submitted to server. 2] Module 2: Server Fig.6 Server We are using tomcat apache as a Server. Client and Server are connected through network using Servlet. Server is used to store activity log of all user’s based on session in the database. Using Data Mining algorithm this database, website can be restructured to provide better, easier and faster interfaces. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE Fig. 7 Architecture In this architecture, there are two modules, client and server. Client browses the website and submits its experience to the server. Then data is stored into the database. Data mining algorithm is applied to get improved website structure. It improves a website rather than reorganizes it hence is suitable for website maintenance on a progressive basis. This model is very effective to real-world websites. It optimally solves large-sized problems in a few seconds in most cases on a desktop. Data Mining Algorithm: The Data mining algorithm we are using is K-Means. The Algorithm K-means (Mac Queen, 1967) is one of the simplest unsupervised learning algorithms that solve the well known clustering problem. The procedure follows a simple and easy way to classify a given data set through a certain number of clusters (assume k clusters) fixed a priority [4, 5]. The algorithm is composed of the following steps: 1. Place K points into the space represented by the objects that are being clustered. These points represent initial group centroids. 2. Assign each object to the group that has the closest centroid. 3. When all objects have been assigned, recalculate the positions of the K centroids. 4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the centroids no longer move. This produces a separation of the objects into groups from which the metric to be minimized can be calculated. CONCLUSION This model is useful for static websites and not suitable for websites that purely uses dynamic pages or have volatile contents. Using Data mining algorithm we will improve the navigation effectiveness of a website with minimal changes to its current structure. It will improve a website rather than reorganizes it. Most complex web sites share aspects of all three types of information structures. Site hierarchy is created largely with standard navigational links within the site, but topical links embedded within the content create a web like mesh of associative links that transcends the usual navigation and site structure. Except in sites that rigorously enforce a sequence of pages, users are likely to traverse your site in a free-form web like manner, jumping across regions in the information architecture, just as they would skip through chapters in a reference book. So, it will be the clearer and more concrete our site organization is, the easier it is for users to jump freely from place to place without feeling lost (fig. 7). Fig.8 Optimized path [3] We will structure sites as hierarchies, but users seldom use them that way. A clear information structure allows the user to move freely and confidently through our site. References [1] Min Chen and Young U. Ryu,† Facilitating Effective User Navigation through Website Structure Improvement†, IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, Vol. 25, No. 3, March 2013. [2] G. N. Shinde and Inamdar S.A.,† Web Data Mining Using An Intelligent Information System Design†, G. N. Shinde,Inamdar S.A, Int. J. Comp. Tech. Appl., Vol 2 (2), 280-283. [3] Patric J Lynch and Sarah Horton, â€Å"Website Style Guide 3rd Edition† [4] J. B. MacQueen (1967): Some Methods for classification and Analysis of Multivariate Observations, Proceedings of 5-th Berkeley Symposium on Mathematical Statistics and Probability, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1:281-297 [5] Brian T. Luke: â€Å"K-Means Clustering†

Jurassic Park :: essays research papers

Jurassic Park is a book about the cloning of dinosaurs and they are used as the park entertainment on an island. In this park where dinosaurs are the attraction, not every thing will go as planed. Reading this book will teach someone how Michael Crichton feels about biological science and the cloning of extinct animals. There are things that caused the park to be unsuccessful. Dr. Malcom and Dennis Nedry where two of the parks problems, and the other was the nature of the animals. Dr. Malcom uses the chaos theory to predict the collapse of the park. In the beginning of the book Malcom is introduced to the story. One of the first things Dr. Malcom talks about is the chaos theory. In the first conversation with him in the book Malcom said "Theory tells me that the island will quickly proceed to behave in unpredictable fashion"(Crichton 76). What Malcom means by this is that without even visiting the park he can say that it will fail. Dr. Malcom is a problem in the story because convinces other people that Jurassic Park is a bad idea. Dennis Nedry is the computer expert at Jurassic Park. He deals with all the problems in the parks computer system. Nedry works in the control room with Arnold. Arnold didn’t care much for Nedry when he said "That idiot Nedry turned off the security systems"(Crichton 177). Arnold said this after Dennis Nedry had put a bug in the computer system that shut almost every thing down in Jurassic Park. Nedry is a problem because he has full control of the park from his desk. He being a computer expert can cause any computer system problem he wants. Nature is the biggest problem Jurassic Park has at becoming successful. As stated by Dr. Malcom in the book, he said "Life will find a way"(Crichton ). He meant that the dinosaurs will find a way to live the way they want. This is something that scientists didn’t think about when they brought dinosaurs back to life.

Countries trade products Essay

In the world market, countries trade products they wouldn’t be able to produce on their own. Countries like Cuba specializes in cigar production, Japan in electronics, and Russia in rocket technology. However, even if a country has an absolute advantage in producing all goods, they still will benefit from trade. Many economic factors are involved with trade. Among the major factors are opportunity costs, comparative advantage, specialization and finally trade. Opportunity cost is defined as the value of the best alternative forgone when an item or activity is chosen. In other words, opportunity cost is the cost of choice. For example: the opportunity cost of producing a car is the time that could’ve been used to produce something else, say paper. For a country (country A) that has an absolute advantage ( the ability to produce something using fewer resources than other producers use ) in producing both cars and paper, the opportunity cost of producing say, 1 car is the production of 3 tons of paper. Thus, what product a country chooses to specialize on must be chosen so as to produce as much as possible while suffering as little opportunity cost as possible. Which goods the country should specialize on should be monitored by the law of comparative advantage, which states that: the country with the lowest opportunity cost of producing a particular good should specialize in producing that good. By specializing on a certain good, a country lowers the opportunity cost of that good by forgoing production of other goods. For example: Say country A has an absolute advantage in producing cars as well as paper, and the opportunity cost of producing 1 car is 3 tons of paper. Country B however, produces 1 car at an opportunity cost of 6 tons of paper. If these two countries specialized according to comparative advantage, country A produces 2 cars whilst country B produces 12 tons of paper. Therefore, country B should concentrate on solely producing paper and hand over the job of car production entirely to country A. To gain the maximum benefits of specialization among countries, countries should trade their products with products from other countries. In the example above, the total output of cars and paper has increased as a result  of specialization. But exactly how much should both countries trade to gain the highest possible benefits? By trading 1 car for 4 tons of paper, country A will gain 1 ton of paper while country B gains 2 tons of paper. Hence, both countries gain more paper by trade without increasing their resources. Country A Country B Cars Paper (tons) Cars Paper (tons) Without trade: Production and consumption 1 3 1 6 With Trade: Production 2 0 0 12 Trade Gives 1 Gets 4 Gets 1 Gives 4 Consumption 1 4 1 8 Gains from Trade: Increase in Consumption None +1 ton None +2 tons In conclusion, all the economic factors mentioned combined with trade allows benefits even to a country that has the ability to produce goods while using fewer resources than other countries.

Developmental Competencies And Challenges For Late Adulthood

IntroductionLate adulthood is the term describing the period in an individual’s life beginning at ages sixty or seventy and ending in death. This life period is one of continuing change and adjustment in physical and psychological realms.Major concepts and distinctive features of various social rolesSocializationThe family is the first social institution for the children. They are taught how to fit into the community and the various social institutions. The children learn the society’s social values and culture. This in the long run helps in creating a cultural identity for the children (Russell, 2004).EducationChildren start their education the moment they are born. This includes both formal and informal. They are taught basic survival skills such as speech, interaction and hygiene. They later proceed to formal schools where they expand their knowledge on a wide variety of areas which later ends up in career specialization.DisciplineThe child is taught respect, and per forming of household chores. This helps them to grow into mature and responsible adults. Discipline should be taught with compassion, reason and patience without argument, yelling and spanking. The parents should learn to respect the children’s growing independence in order to build self esteem.ProtectionThe family offers protection and security to the children. They should be made to feel safe both within the home and without. They should be protected from any form of physical or psychological abuse.ClothingClothing is one of the basic needs that the family provides alongside food and shelter. Children should be provided with adequate and the right clothing depending on the environment.Nutrition and food securityIt is the responsibility of the family to provide nutritional requirements for the children. They should always ensure that the meals are balanced and meet the various needs of the children.ShelterThe family provides a warm and secure place for the children’s development. It should protect the children from any harsh environmental conditions that may affect their development.Emotional stabilityThe family should satisfy the child’s emotional needs thus enhancing their emotional stability. The parents and children should become friends. The parents should create an atmosphere where the children can confide in them.HealthThe family should ensure the children are healthy through proper nutrition and medication.Contribution and influence of social roles and how they influence individuals and families in the situationIn our case study, the social roles above are not adequately met due to various inadequacies on the part of the grandparents.The grandchildren’s socialization needs were not fully met. The grandparents generally had little interest in developing the children into a whole person. There was distance between them mainly due to the generation gap.There grandchildren’s education was also inhibited. This is because the grandparents did not value formal education so much since they did not have any of it themselves. They had limited resources since they are not working. They were therefore unable to give their grandchildren good quality education.The grandparents were found to be lax in terms of instilling discipline in their grandchildren. They did not have the necessary energy to follow up on their grandchildren’s activities.The grandparents were frail and sickly and could not offer enough protection to their grandchildren. There were various cases of attacks on their homestead.Clothing is one of the basic needs that the family provides alongside food and shelter. This was mainly due to financial constraints since the grandparents weFood and nutrition needs of the grandchildren were not adequately taken care of due to limited resources of the grandchildren. They were also not very keen to ensure a balanced diet.The grandchildren’s medical needs were not given to their due seriou sness since the grandparents had to take care of their own.The large age difference made it hard for the grandchildren and the grandparents to form a bond necessary in a normal family setting. The grandchildren could therefore not confide in their grandparents and share their emotional needs (Gilbert and Kristin, 2005)ReferencesRussell, R. (2004). Social Networks Among Elderly Men Caregivers; Journal of Men’s   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Studies 13(1): 121Gilbert, R. & Kristin C. (2005): When Strength Can’t Last a Lifetime: Vocational Challenges of Male Workers in Early and Middle Adulthood. Men and Masculinities, 7(4), April, pp. 424-433.Spector-Mersel, G. (2006). Never-aging Stories: Western Hegemonic Masculinity Scripts. Journal of Gender Studies, Volume 15, Number 1, March, pp. 67-82.

Sony Corporation

Sony Corporation Company Overview Sony Corporation (Sony) is one of the leading electronics manufacturing and distribution Companies in the world. The company deals with the design, development, manufacture, and sale of products such as communication products, televisions, video and audio products among other electronic components (Stdtler, 2011). Apart for this entity, it also offers insurance services through its subsidiaries in Japan. Other business operations include advertising agency and network services.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Sony Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company’s operations fall under six reportable segments. They include networked Products and Services; Music; Consumer Products and Devices; Pictures; Financial Services and others. It also operates its subsidiaries across 200 countries inEurope, North America as well as Asia. The Company’s headquarters is in Tokyo, Japan. Its major industry competitors include Dell, Creative technologies, LG, Samsung, Fujifilm Holdings, Philips, Pioneer Corporations, Hitachi, and Casio Computers (Stdtler, 2011). How Internal and External factors may affect the firm The internal factors are those whose origin and control are within the capacity of the firm. They include strengths and weaknesses. The strengths within Sony shall be material assets that will boost its performance if well administered. This firm may achieve strategic objectives through utilization of its strengths. On the other hand, external factors entail those influences that emanate from outside the firm. They come as opportunities and threats. Threats are harmful hence; they will impair on Sony’s growth objectives. Such threats may come in form of strong brands, imitation, and changing customer needs. On the other hand, opportunities are external factors that the business can utilize in achieving its objectives. Threats also fall under the ext ernal fundamentals that could damage performance of Sony Corporation (Jalan, 2004). Analysis of the company using this tool would be beneficial in diagnosing the external and internal environments in which Sony operates. As such, the information can steer growth and progress within the limits of its goals and aims. EFE Matrix It relates the firm’s performance ratings relative to a laid down aggregate score. The tool employs a factor approach is its analysis of the external opportunities as well as threats in which numerous factors relevant to the firm are established. Allocation of weights depends on the magnitude of their influence on the firm’s performance in order to develop their relative weights (Stdtler, 2011). The weights may take ratio or percentage form. No OPPORTUNITIES WEIGHTS RATINGS WEIGHTED 1 Maintenance of leadership in prices 0.10 3 0.3 2 Creativity and Innovation 0.25 3 0.75 3 Strong IT base in the industry 0.1 4 0.4 4 Wide Network and globa l Presence 0.1 4 0.4 5 Strategic Outsourcing and marketing 0.1 4 0.4 6 The capacity to develop Quality products 0.15 3 0.45 THREATS 1 Price wars 0.05 4 0.2 2 Product imitation 0.05 2 0.1 3 Strong and competitive brand in the industry 0.05 4 0.2 4 Changing consumer needs 0.05 3 0.15 TOTAL 1.00 3.35 The above analysis of 3.35 aggregate weight score in Sony’s EFE Matrix indicates that it is responding well in respect of its threats and opportunities in the electronics industry.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The analysis depicts the external environment in which Sony operates, and how it is doing relative to the industry participants (Jalan, 2004). It is therefore, important to note that strategic efficiency has capitalized on the opportunities presented by both environments. On the other hand, the company has done well in monitor ing and dealing with the threats that may deter its progress. The ratings used above for individual factors are calibrated on the scale of 1to 4. The total maximum score obtainable by any industry participant is four. The weights and ratings employed in the EFE Matrix demonstrate the effectiveness of a Company’s strategic framework (Jalan, 2004). Below is the interpretation of the weighted scores in order to show the outcome of the performance obtained by Sony. 4 = Excellent Response to factors; 3 = Above Average; Average Response and 1 = Poor Response. Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE Matrix) No INTERNAL STREGTHS WEIGHTS RATINGS WEIGHTED 1 Customer relationship 0.10 3 0.3 2 Production Adaptability 0.10 3 0.30 3 Leadership in Technology 0.10 4 0.40 4 Reliability of products 0.10 3 0.30 5 Leading Supply chain 0.10 4 0.40 6 Financial ratios 0.15 3 0.45 INTERNAL WEAKNESSES 1 Weak management 0.15 2 0.30 2 Little Diversification 0.10 3 0.30 3 Commu nication loops 0.10 3 0.30 TOTAL 1.00 3.05 The IFE Matrix is an audit tool of an organization. This strategic management tool helps the management to evaluate a company’s internal environment in relation to its threats and strengths. This tool summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of Sony Company in order to observe its performance from the internal space (Stdtler, 2011). The methodological approach used in the design of the IFE is similar to that used in EFE. The difference between the two is that IFE deals with the internal factor analysis whereas EFE examines the performance of a firm with regard to external. Sony’s weighted score of 3.05 represents an average performance and response to its internal factors influencing its operations. It shows a well strategically managed position in a bid to capitalize on the prevailing strengths while at the same time cushioning itself against its weaknesses (Jalan, 2004). Interpretation of the weightsAdvertising We will write a custom case study sample on Sony Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More 4 = Excellent Response to factors; 3 = Above Average; Average Response and 1 = Poor Response. SWOT Analysis Strengths Sony has the capacity to develop a high-quality product portfolio for its customers. historical results and record show that the company is reputable in the market Advanced and technological capacities capable of handling multiplicity of product lines present Sony with a rare opportunity for success. The company engineers have the knowledge of the previous failures and are capable of making up for the lost glory. The competitiveness of the company is good compared to its market rivals The ability to expand its market share and produce a wide range of products Weaknesses Prevailing price wars in the industry are a major undoing to Sony. The company has enjoyed the confidence of being a price leader the recent past, but the emergen cy of strategic price wars poses a potential threat (Jalan, 2004). Minimal diversification in its product portfolio is a critical scenario that may hamper Sony’s strategic growth. Retarded growth of its sales depicts a great slow down in its expansion plans. The management of the company seems to have no proper strategic management plan to forge the business ahead. Lack of proper formula of communication within the functional departmental network has led to reduced productivity. Opportunities Its originality and creativity is an essential asset for its potential growth. Its reputation may pose a significant platform for its progress. Its customer led pricing strategies aimed at winning market loyalty is a huge milestone opportunity presented to it (Jalan, 2004). Its technological strength may render its expansion plans possible in order to capture other income streams. Strong and robust supply chain- marketing and advertising departments have stepped up their strategies to create new market niches for its expanding product portfolio through strategic partnerships with leading chain suppliers. Threats Competitors- The industry is rife with competitors who are equally powerful. They are market participants with strong brands, and they include Samsung, Fujifilm, and LG among others. Market surveys and researches indicate that imitation of its products is on the increase. This product proliferation poses a huge threat on the originality of products and customer loyalty developed over many years. This trend occasioned by the emergence of new and cheaper technologies from the Asian region whose proponents have interfered with the brand (Jalan, 2004). Lack of adequate and comprehensive strategy implies that most of its rivals are doing better because their product penetration is doing well. Summary of SWOT matrix (Analysis) STREGNGTHS WEAKNESSES Production capacity and adaptability Stiff competition from strong brands on the market Financial ratios Price wars Leadership in technology Little diversification Price leadership Lack of strategic communication plan Excellent customer service OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Wide market Coverage and global presence Price wars Maintenance of low price leadership Changing needs of the consumer Supply Chain Presence of other strong brands (Samsung, LG) Creativity and innovation Product Imitation (Chinese Electronic industry) Emerging markets Conclusion The SWOT analysis above demonstrates how Sony has been able to nurture is ability to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Although weaknesses and threats are inevitably present, their effects have remained detrimental due to capitalization on opportunities and strengths inherent within the firm. Some of the significant factors greatly responsible for this milestone include a robust and sustainable technology, price leadership, and innovation. References Jalan, P. K. 2004). Industrial sector reforms in globalization era. New Delhi: Sarup Sons. Stdtler, R. (2011). Strategy Coursework – Sony Corporation. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag.