The Story of an Hour Reflection

A Reflection on â€Å"The Story of an Hour† Rose Rankin Shashonda Porter ENG 125 December 12th, 2011 A Reflection on â€Å"The Story of an Hour† Summary The short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin was written in 1894. In the beginning of the story, we discover that Mrs. Louise Mallard has a heart condition, but she is also said to be young. Which to me seemed odd, but I overlooked this detail so that I could continue the story. Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine and Mrs. Mallard’s husband friend Richard came to her house to break the news of the death of her husband in a railroad disaster. They tried to tell her the news gently, because of her condition. To them she seemed to react how a new widow should. She wept and collapsed in her sisters’ arms, before running to her room to be alone. This is where the story soon takes a turn. There in her room, she was actually crying because of happiness of the death rather than sadness. Her sister thinks Mrs. Mallard is making herself sick. In the final paragraphs, Mrs. Mallard leaves her bedroom, when her husband walks into the front door, Mrs. Mallard than passes away at the sight of her husband. Structure/ Key Terms The Story of an Hour† was told in the 3rd person point of view, which enables the readers to have a better view and understanding of the story. I noticed Kate Chopin used quite a bit of symbolism in the story as well. For instance, Mrs. Mallard welcomes the new spring life through the window of her room. This symbolizes a new beginning of her new life without her husband. The tone is ironically relief and joy, despite the news of death. One would think that sadness and instability would be the tone. However, Chopin uses specific language and details to portray otherwise. My thoughts of the story â€Å"†¦the present story is not only brief and clear but also compelling and complex, and it easily lends itself to a variety of critical approaches† (R. C. Evans, 2001). This story was very captivating. I was able to use my imagination to see the characters in full form. Kate Chopin, author of the story went into great detail to portray the setting in the story as well as the tone. At first glance, I thought the tone set for this story was sad and depressing. But I soon realized it was more of relief and happiness. I couldn’t help but to be swept away to this time period and feel as if I were witnessing the situation first hand. At first I couldn’t help but to feel a sense of sadness for Louise Mallard. I mean she had just lost her husband. But I soon realized when she fled to her room, that I felt relieved with her. I felt the empowerment with Louise Mallard. Kate Chopin goes into great detail describing the feeling and emotions that come over Mrs. Mallard after she escapes to her room. Chopin describes the scenery outside of Mrs. Mallard’s window to be spring in full bloom. These details provide a look at Mrs. Mallard’s new life without her husband. She was relieved that he had passed away. She was â€Å"free, free, free! † (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). Later, Chopin goes into more detail on how Mrs. Mallard is feeling, in the following paragraphs. â€Å"But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome. †¦. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow–creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Free! Body and soul free! † she kept whispering† (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). As Mrs. Mallard returns downstairs her husband enters the room, Mrs. Mallard quickly passes away. I can’t help to question the reasoning behind her death. Was it the surprise of her husband’s return that made her heart to stop beating? Or was it more on the lines of she won’t receive this new bound freedom she was dreaming of that caused her heart to fail? I can’t help but to think it was her freedom suddenly disappearing that ended her life at a young age. I recently read a chapter from a source provided. It lists students’ perspective on certain points in the story. Students were asked to analyze the following statement as a reader-response critic â€Å"She said it over and over under her breath: free! Free! Free! † (Clugston, 2010, Chopin, 1894). Barbara Larson (a student from Auburn University) states breaks down each piece of the statement. She says â€Å"The words ‘under her breath’ might also encourage the reader to feel an intimacy with Louise and thus regard her sympathetically, since the reader is allowed to share a very personal moment. Likewise, by placing exclamation marks after each use of ‘free,’ Chopin may be encouraging the reader to chare Louise’s excitement about this new-found liberty (B. Larson, R. C. Evans, 2001). Larson’s statement describes my feeling towards this statement exactly. After reading the statement I felt a connection with Mrs. Mallard in a sense of I have experienced the feeling of freedom. Not that a past love passed away, more like a past love finally released me from the grasp I felt around my neck when I was with him. I felt a connection with Mrs. Mallard at that very point in the story. References * R. W. Clugston (2010) Journey to Literature Retrieved from: https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2 * R. C. Evans (2001) Close Readings: Analysis of Short Fiction from Multiple Perspectives by Students of Auburn University Montgomery Retrieved from: http://site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford/docDetail. action? docID=10015376&p00=kate%20chopin

Marketing Memo Essay

Attention: Mr. Donald Douglass and Mr. Ronald Abrahams, as well as all stockholders for U Driver Transport. After much research and evaluating of information pertaining to the country of Australia, I believe that Australia will be an impeccable candidate for the next location for Global Expansion for U Drive Transport. There are six factors of the external environment that Australia possessed that made this decision possible. These six factors are: Social factors, Demographic factors, Economic factors, Technological factors, Political and Legal factors, and Competitive factors. This conclusion is based upon mainly the economic strength and the Technological External Environmental factors of this country. Australia has economic stability to patron the U Drive Transport business, along with their impressive Demographics. The Technological factors are strong as well, they have the modern technology that would withstand the requirements of a new business entering into their country, for example: U Drive Transport. Being that Australia also plays an active role in the World Trade Organization expresses to a business like U Drive Transport that this country already has the experience and the knowledge of the business world. There is definitely more information that could be acquired about this fantastic country that has shown signs of very strong potential for the new expansion location for U Drive Transport. Within this Memo, I am also requesting not only should Australia be considered to be the next location but I am also requesting an expansion for more research and evaluation due to the fact that there is so much more to see especially about the Social External Environmental factors of Australia. This explains why this information is not included in the Memo. Looking forward to your response.  Ms. Tijuana Hutcherson U Drive Transport External Environmental Analysis World Region: Country: Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Major City Center: Australia Social External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: Threats: Resources: http://www.state.gov/e/eb/eppd/csr/index.htm Demographic External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: Being that the life expectancy at birth is long and healthy, U Drive Transport will be able to provide services for not just the young but the old too for a substantial amount of years. The life expectancy at birth for Australia is 79.63 years for men and 84.64 years for women. Threats: As long as there is not any severe diseases or any natural disasters that would wipe out a huge amount of the population that would prevent the young as well as the old to be able to live. We have all learned from Hurricane Katrina that natural disasters do occur. The U.S. Census International Data Base is located at: http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/informationGateway.php Economic External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: The Australian economy has experienced continuous growth and features low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. By 2012, Australia had experienced more than 20 years of continued economic growth, averaging 3.5% a year. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China has grown rapidly, creating a channel for resources investments and growth in commodity exports. Threats: The United States just experienced a recession, this would be the only cause for Australia’s successful economy growth. That would be a recession, and this has been known to happen to the best of countries, it happened to the United States so it could happen to any country. Technological External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: Australia has 10.47 million telephone main line in use, and 24.4 million mobile cellular lines. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) runs multiple national and local radio networks and TV stations, as well as Australian Network, a TV series that broadcasts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and is the main public broadcaster. Australia has 17.081 million Internet hosts and 15.81 Internet users. Threats: Just like the economic recession, the technology systems for this country could run into a glitch that could prevent all of their systems from running, and that could destroy their technology. Political and Legal External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: Australia has an Executive Branch, Judicial Branch, and a Legislative Branch. They also have nine political parties with leaders. The Australia legal system is common law system based on the English model. Threats: Whatever Allies that Australia may have, those countries will always have the ability to no longer respect the politics and the legal system of Australia. Resources: The World Factbook  Competitive External Environmental Factors (Textbook Pages: ) Opportunities: All the countries that do not participate in the World Trade Organization with Australia, will actually deal with other countries that will be against Australia competitively. Threats: The possibility of those competitive countries establishing a stronger economy, demographic, and political and legal factor than Australia. References Central Intelligence Agency. (2014). The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/ library/publications/the-world-factbook Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & McDaniel, C. (2014). MKTG7, 7th Edition. Retrieved from

Constraint-Driven Innovation Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Constraint-Driven Innovation - Article Example 20). The author’s research team is aggressively looking for matching and constrain-driven inventions in fields like prosthetics and irrigation. The difference between a serial and a parallel process is the number of tasks taking place. A serial process entails carrying out a single task at a time while a parallel process entails carrying out a myriad of tasks simultaneously (Feldmann, 2006, p. 225). In a parallel process, the time taken to locate the target does not rely on the number of tasks taking place. If one distinguishes the tasks through one feature, the innovative part of the process â€Å"pops out.† It is worth mentioning that distinguishing does not work for all feature kinds. Some tasks are preferably efficient through parallel processing even though the similarity of distractors towards the objective of the tasks may be relative (Feldmann, 2006, p. 225). For example, the time taken to look for a red dot in the middle of 20 black dots will not be any slower than when there are five dots in total. This is because one primarily processes all dots at the same time. On the other hand, a serial process entails inspecting one item or task at a time. For example, the time taken to look for the letter â€Å"i† in the midst of 20-letter â€Å"j†s will most certainly be longer than in the midst of 5-letter â€Å"j†s. As a result, this increase in time is linear. In other terms, one distractor may take one second to locate it; two distractors may take two seconds, and so forth. One usually affiliates serial processes with two features since one has time to discard incomplete matches (Feldmann, 2006, p. 225). For example, when in search of a red square in the midst of red and black circles, one clearly does not search for black circles. Instead, one might need to look for red circles while discarding shapes and colors that do not match the target, which is a red

Adapted Physical Education in Behavioral Disabilities Essay

Adapted Physical Education in Behavioral Disabilities - Essay Example In the case of education children suffering from behavioral disorders cannot be accommodated with other students in a class room, because they may develop the disruptive attitude on other students also. Thus, the matters relating to the classrooms cannot be brought under control by the concerned class teachers. Hence, teaching them together with other students and making them understand the matter is really a task. The curriculum in general schools are not sufficient to train and teach these students. Hence to educate such students the need of a special school aroused all over. The curriculum designed for such special schools are sufficient to contain the amazing behavioral nature of the students. The common behavioral disorders found among children are Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorders (CD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The common features exhibiting by children having Oppositional Defiant Disorders are as follows. Children having this type of disability exhibit aggressive nature towards others. They also develop threatening behavior. Certain times they prefer to disturb others physically and try to destroy properties belong to others. Occasionally their mental nature will not be in a position to develop empathy. At this juncture their behavior is as if they are not concerned about others feelings, wellbeing and wishes. Altogether their behavioral nature made others to consider that this guy is hard hearted having severe guilty mentalities. Self esteem will be negligible or almost nil. Moreover they also exhibit the tendency to blame others for all their mischievous behavior. In all these cases if the parents are tried to tame these children they always try to refuse them in all respects. As far as children suffering from Conduct Disorders are concerned others consider them as ‘bad kids’ on account of their denial nature towards all matters. About five percent of children around the age group of ten

How were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X different in their attitudes Essay

How were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X different in their attitudes to the United States and its political traditions How were they similar - Essay Example In America for instance, throughout the United States, there were numerous activism activities, especially by the black Americans in the early 19th Century, who felt segregated from getting an equal share politically, socially, and economically in the American soil. In this case, the essay evaluates approaches that were used by activist, Malcolm X and Martin Ruther King in the early 19th Century within the United States. Among the African Americans, there were numerous issues that were viewed as unacceptable to the American culture. This included the acts of discrimination on the basis of color, in the political arena, socially and in equal distribution of wealth among the whites and the black Americans leading to Montgomery Bus Boycott (Jo Ann, 1987, p. 44). In other cases, there were accusations against the police using force on the black Americans. Through numerous activists such as Malcolm X, there were efforts to change such situations by advocating for equality through different activist organizations formed by the black Americans. In 1964, there was an achievement by such groups when a law on civil rights was signed by President Lyndon Johnsons in presence of activist Martin Luther King, Jr. by the passing of the civil rights law, this promoted equality among all the Americans whether black or white. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. were both black American activists born and brought up in the United States in the early in 19th Century. Their contributions toward black America activism were exclusive, and their impacts are felt to date in the American soil. Their activism efforts, though, were different as they both used different approaches towards their activism activities. Malcolm X, for instance, based his activism activities on the Islam teachings, while Martin Luther King, Jr. based his activism activities on Christianity. Additionally, Martin Luther King, Jr. fought

Designing and managing networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Designing and managing networks - Essay Example ere are principles that are consistent with standards set by the UK public inquiries Act and according to Justice Cory criteria for conduction of public inquiries. These principles are (Longworth, 1999); It should also be understood that public inquiries are neither prosecutions nor trial cases but rather seeking answers about a criminal or civic liability of any organisation or person hence it does not express any solution (Hamerton-Kelly, 1999). It operates by way of public hearing and that members of the media or public are invited to participate in the hearing process. Evidence is heard by the public inquiry panels commonly referred to as commission counsel. It also operates the way a court of law conducts its business but the rules here are different because no individual pleads guilt or not guilt. Witnesses are cross examined one by one until all parties are satisfied that they have exhausted the evidence required (Hamerton-Kelly, 1999) Organisations and governments usually form public inquiries with the sole purpose of investigation and reporting any matter with substantiality of interests within among members of the public which relate to any public organisation within a specific jurisdiction or good governance violation (Schà ¶n, 2001). Most public inquiries work under the terms and reference orders specified by either the government or the organisation that ordered the inquiry. Public inquiries are paid by the government or institutions it is intended to advice on the matter. (Derksen, 2005) Organisational learning is the acquisition and development of knowledge and skills within a given organisation in order to improve their outcomes with reference to the goals and objectives of the company. These outcomes may be the overall efficiency of the organisation, creating and maintaining competitive advantage, better performances etc. in the face of changing situations, organisational leaning helps restore settings and resolve any problems that might exist.

Out of Africa, Biological Adam and Eve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Out of Africa, Biological Adam and Eve - Essay Example All that we know about Adam and Eve is that they were the first human beings on earth. They were banished from heaven and sent to earth as punishment. Human brain inquires many questions over this small statement. Is this a true tale? Were Adam and Eve really the first human beings? If they were punished or banished from heaven then why are we here? And, is this all a punishment? Theology and science have been into cold war on these topics from the very beginning. This is because science accepts logic and evidences however, religion expects one to believe in whatever is told without any doubts. The aspects of the existence of universe and that of mankind are discussed side by side in this assignment. Adam and Eve are the first two human beings i.e. male and female, created by God. He wanted them to live in heaven and gave them superiority over the other creations of His. He made every possible luxury available to them but ordered them to avoid only one thing. He ordered them to stay away from one tree. That tree is termed as tree of knowledge which contained the knowledge of evil and good in it. Some mythological tales state that the tree of knowledge had â€Å"apples† on it. Satan misguided Eve and made her go near the tree. She being the only companion of Adam convinced him to accompany her. On this act God became angry with them and banished them from garden of heaven. He expelled them from heaven and made them spend their lives on earth. Also, he did not keep their lives free of tension or evil. It is in many mythological tales that God made humans suffer by giving women childbirth pain and by making men face the hardships of earning livelihood and farming etc. It is also found in historic writings and theological information that they were expelled to earth and sent to Africa. This tale is what we all know but how we are connected to Adam and Eve and how our roots connect with Africa is still a mystery. There are many paintings made by people of dif ferent faith over this incident. They all tell something different yet all are common at the point of naming both the humans as Adam and Eve. The topic under discussion throws light over Adam and Eve existence, their expulsion from heaven, their lives on earth, their multiplication and migration. Bombarded with philosophy, theology and science, the questions of human race existence are answered to unravel the facts unknown to most of our generation. Part. 2: Out of Africa, Biological Adam and Eve Adam and Eve were the first human couple due to which we are here today. This is the little piece of information we all have. There are numerous things dwelling between the above mentioned two simple lines. Let us discuss the religious, scientific and logical aspects of this simple story which starts becoming complex as we analyze its different aspects. 2.1 Religious Aspect about the existence of Adam and Eve According to the religious perspective, Adam and Eve were meant to live in Eden an d enjoy God’s bounties without having any unfulfilled desire. God created every luxury in heaven for them. He gave them superiority over other beings and excused them from the hardships of life (House and Grover, 2009, pp.31-36). House and Grover (2009, pp.32) state that Mattew Henry exemplified Eve to be created from Adam’s rib because God did not want him to live alone. The woman created from the rib has the logical justification of not to rule over man, be by his side for his support, to be guarded and loved.

Criminal Law and Procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Law and Procedure - Essay Example If the officer is in hot pursuit of the defendant the officer may make a warrant less search of the subject2, but other circumstances need to indicate probable cause to apprehend the suspect or make a warrant less entry into a private home3. Flight alone would not merit probable cause4, but the immediate knowledge of the defendant in flight of a felony such as armed assault would be probable cause and justify an arrest. If the suspect is injured and unarmed then the officer may still enter the garage under the emergency doctrine. Under the emergency doctrine, law enforcement officers may enter a dwelling without a warrant when they reasonably believe that a person within is in need of immediate aid5. 2) Formulate a set of circumstances in which there is probable cause to search but not arrest, in which there is probable cause to arrest but not probable cause to search, in which there is probable cause to both arrest and to search. At 9:35pm officer McCoy notices a blue sedan parked in the parking lot of Clemency Park. Clemency Park is not open to the public after 9:45pm. Officer McCoy gets out of his cruiser and approaches the blue sedan with the intention of informing the driver that he will not be allowed to be on Park ground including the parking lot in another 10 minutes. Officer McCoy, who is familiar with the smell of marijuana, catches a strong odor of marijuana 3 feet from the blue sedan. The officer takes note that there are no other vehicles in the parking lot and the odor must be coming from the sedan. Officer McCoy approaches the vehicle with his flash light positioned toward the driver side and knocks on the driver side window. The driver rolls down the window. Officer McCoy catches an even stronger sent of marijuana coming from the inside of the vehicle. Upon questioning the driver refuses to answer any of the officer's inquiries. Officer McCoy now has probable cause to search the vehicle. After a search of the driver's person and vehicle Officer McCoy found no drugs or drug paraphernalia or any other contraband. The officer had the right to make a warrant less search but not a warrant less arrest. Probable Cause to Arrest but not Probable Cause to Search Mr. Tomas was distributing pamphlets in the lobby of a Masonic Temple. An authorized representative of the temple asked Mr. Tomas to leave the building. Mr. Thomas refused to leave the building and continued distributing pamphlets. About Ten minutes later two officers arrived by call of the temple representative. The officers asked Mr. Thomas to leave the temple. Mr. Thomas refused to comply with the officer's request. The two officer's subsequently arrested Mr. Thomas on the charge of Trespassing. The officers had probable cause to arrest Mr. Thomas but no cause to search without a warrant. Probable Cause to both Arrest and to Search At 1:15am The 35th precinct had gotten reports from two different calls that gun shots were fired at residence 56 West Elmhurst. The nearest police cruisers responded to the radio dispatch. Three cruisers appeared on the scene and parked in front of the residence.

Comparing Two Shows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparing Two Shows - Essay Example The show has had a very successful run, it is presently in its tenth season, this goes to show how popular the show has been thus far. â€Å"There are six main characters and each of them has their own traits. Almost all the characters have traits which would make them look funny, it is a sitcom and the characters must appear funny to be able to convince the audience.† (Television and Gender Roles) â€Å"Everybody love Raymond is another very popular TV show which has been very well liked and followed.† (Everybody loves lazy stereotyping of male roles)The concept of Gender roles must be noticed in this serial, Debra the wife of Raymond is always in the kitchen making food either for her husband or for her family, this goes to show that women are always in the kitchen spending their time cooking for their families. Marxist feminism also comes into play here, Karl Marx argues that women must be paid for domestic labor; this is what Marxist feminism is all about. Another v ery important thing which must be noticed in this show is that Debra is the one who always packs the lunch of her children; Raymond never bothers to do this. It goes to show how irresponsible at times men are towards their families. â€Å"The gender roles presented in these serials are presented very rightly after doing comprehensive research.† (Gender and Media Representation) Gilman called herself a humanist, she was deadly against exploitation of women, our society is still following the patriarchal ways and exploiting the women. She was not very comfortable accepting the theory of evolution laid down by Charles Darwin, the theory of evolution portrays man in the driving seat and gives less importance to women. Both the sexes are equally important and no favoritism of any sort can be done. She argued that women had to rely excessively on their sexual assets, they had to please their husband to ensure their survival, this is very true and beyond the pale. What a pity this r eally is. Grounded for life is another very popular TV show which is well liked by the audience. In one episode the husband decides to buy a car without even bothering to ask his wife, marriage is an institution and it is the right of the wife to be well informed about all the decisions made by her husband. This again reflects the reality; there are countless husbands who do not bother asking their better halves before making an important decision. Dad goes to work and Mom takes care of the household chores, it is unacceptable if a man packs lunch for his children, it is unacceptable if a man does the dishes. It is incorrect if a man asks his wife before making a big decision, buying a car is quite a big decision and a wife must know of this big decision before hand. Perkins Gilman was a very famous American sociologist who wanted to bring about change in the society, it is our duty to share the workload with women, and it is not a man’s world anymore. Women must be given res pect and their workload must be shared. It is very important to understand the responsibilities of living in a family, gender stenotypes must be abolished and we must awake to a new and a better world. Our society is becoming more and more men-oriented society, women have never been given enough respect and this is perhaps why so many marriages never workout. In a relationship both the partners have to make sacrifices and both should complement each other but this can only happen when there is perfect understanding and coordination between the pair of

Race and the Mass Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Race and the Mass Media - Essay Example In this paper, we will discuss the impact of mass media on improving or weakening the relationships between the people belonging to different races. It is not difficult to identify how mass media can weaken and marginalize a particular ethnic group which is outlined in the article titled ‘Revealed: How UK media fuelled race prejudice’. Rather it is more of a challenge to understand the concepts of race, marginalization, racial prejudice, and institutional racism. These concepts along with the Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony and Stuart Hall literature provide us with an in-depth understanding of why racial discrimination is happening in the United Kingdom and in all western countries including Australia. Once we understand the concepts of race and hegemony, we will become able to truly identify what responsibilities media holds in improving race relations. In this paper, we will discuss the impact of mass media on improving or weakening the relationships between the people belonging to different races.... Another critical issue which is affecting the rights of minorities living in any specific part of world is racial prejudice. Racial prejudice occurs when one specific race is given more powers and attention as compared to other races or ethnics minorities. The concept of racial prejudice stems from the issue of unequal distribution of powers among the people living in a country. Power is one of such elements of a society which give rise to severe problems for the society if handled improperly. When one race is given all powers, racial prejudice occurs which takes away the peace of the society along with the rights of minorities. Institutional racism is another concept related to the overall concept of race. Institutional racism occurs when institutional powers are given to the people belonging to one specific race. Social caste system based on the differences between people leads to institutional racism. â€Å"Institutional racism results from the social caste system that sustained, and was sustained by, slavery and racial segregation† (Head n.d.). 3. Concept of Hegemony The basic concept of hegemony is that it is not just the force or power which drives a man rather ideas also play a considerable role in this regard. Trubshaw (2004) states, â€Å"Hegemony can be established either by coercion or more subtly by what are usually termed 'consensual' processes† Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony was that one social class dominates other classes. He believed that the dominant class not only controls the society politically and economically but also makes other classes perceive the world as the dominant class perceives it.

Circular Dichroism and Secondary Structure of Proteins Essay Example for Free

Circular Dichroism and Secondary Structure of Proteins Essay Proteins are vital to an organism life; they are involved in nearly all cellular functions. It is an essential part of enzymes, the cellular membrane, active transport, protein synthesis and wound healing. Because one relies so heavily upon proteins and its function the structure of proteins is also very important. â€Å"The way a protein will fold over its self-determines how it interacts with other chemicals in its proximity, primarily because of different attractive forces being subjected at specific angles from certain amino acids on the protein’s primary structure and the final shape in the tertiary and quandary structure (Circular dichroism ). † The structure of proteins can range from simple to complex molecules. Proteins may consist of a primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure. The secondary structure consists of hydrogen bonds which join amide and carboxyl groups. These bonds aren’t far from the backbone of proteins. This structure is capable of structures such as alpha helicies, beta sheets, and beta turns (Jim, 2007). The physical, secondary structure is important because it helps in determining the activity of a protein. Circular Dichrosim spectroscopy has been identified as prevalent application used in structural biology in determining whether a protein is folded, characterizing its secondary structure, tertiary structure, and the structural family along with other uses as well (Circular dichroism ). Circular dichroism, CD spectroscopy has defined a form of light absorption spectroscopy. It measures the difference in the absorption of circular polarized light by a substance on the right and left. The secondary structure of a protein can be analyzed between the spectrum of approximately 260 and 180 nm. Estimates of secondary proteins can be compared to X-ray crystallography or NMR (Kelly, Jess, C., 2005).The structures identified in this spectrum are the alpha helix, parallel and antiparallel beta sheet, and turns (Berndt, 1996). The only drawback with CD is that even with the implied spectrum, it has been found that there is no exact standard reference spectrum for a pure secondary structure. Synthetic homopolypeptides used to obtain reference spectra are in general, poor models for the secondary structures found in proteins (Berndt, 1996). The CD signal reflect the entire molecular population; it can determines how much of a certain structure and protein contains. It cannot determine the specific residues involved in the alpha-helical portion. In Circular Dichroism a linear polarized light passes through a optically active sample of a protein. This protein has a different absorbance for components. The amplitude of the stronger absorbed component will smaller than that of the less absorbed component. A projection is created of the resulting amplitude. The result is no longer a linear line but and ellipse (PARTHASARATHY, 1985). Different analyses have been developed to help with various contributions that arise from the different types of secondary structures present in a single molecule. The use of reference spectra have been created from known protein structures to help find the overall and secondary structure of unknown proteins (Whitmore A., 2007). â€Å"Recently a new reference dataset of SRCD spectra of proteins of known structure, designed to cover secondary structure and fold space (Berndt, 1996).† Works Cited Berndt, K. D. (1996, May 31). 4.2.1 Circular dichroism spectroscopy. Retrieved October 02, 2012, from 4.2.1 Circular dichroism spectroscopy Circular dichroism . (n.d.). Retrieved October 02, 2012, from APlab: http://www.ap-lab.com/circular_dichroism.htm Jim, C. (2007, August). The Structure of Proteins. Retrieved October 02, 2012, from Chemguide: http://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/aminoacids/proteinstruct.html Kelly, S. M., Jess, T. J., C., P. N. (2005). How to study proteins by circular dichroism. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1751, 119 – 139. PARTHASARATHY, M. (1985). Protein secondary structure from circular dichroism spectra. Proc. Int. Symp. Biomol. Struct. Interactions, 141-149. Whitmore, L., A., W. B. (2007). Protein Secondary Structure Analyses from Circular Dichroism. Biopolymers, 392-400. `

Theories Of Personality: Albert Einstein

Theories Of Personality: Albert Einstein This paper will discuss about the life of Albert Einstein and how the different theories of the personality are applied on his life. Like the theory of Maslow in which he describes the five needs of the human beings and the big five model. Certainly, he was mentally a very strong person that was against the military rule and dictatorship of German government. Finally, he would not have been a famous and genius man of the 20th century if he were not conscientiousness. The theory of Erickson describes the psycho-social improvement through eight different periods. According to this theory, each level focuses on a subject, or calamity, that is particularly important at his that span of life. By applying the theory of Erickson on Einsteins psycho-social improvement at the very end of his life, we could possibly comprehend that his life was wonderful and playful. The intelligence of Einstein was specially called the logical-mathematical intelligence. Certainly, Einstein formed the theories based on the observations, and on the logical reasoning. Take For instant, some scientists thought while Albert Einstein was still working in government grant office, he experimented that many of the people that were coming inside and out the office on the certain time. Albert Einstein was not very confident or competent in his early life, he even started talking very late then any other normal person but in the later life he became very confident and he achieved a lot by the validations of the theories that he proposed. Trait Theory: According to Douglas, the majority of people illustrate others by referring to their sociable, thoughts, actions, feelings and needs. All these points are called personal traits that tend to assist to express how a person generally thinks and then behave. There are two diverse trait theories that are given later in this paper. Firstly, the trait theory utilizes a factor-analytic technique that is organized in five essential factors that are: Openness Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism These trait theories complement each other to assist us get additional understanding of the personality of Albert Einstein. While focusing on the factors of the big five model, Einstein was an extremely non-open person in the early childhood. When he was three years old, he could not yet talk, and he really hated playing music especially playing piano. Nevertheless, he became more open when he became an adult man. He used to be enjoyed by art; he also used to play music as his preference and got interested about nature. He was very introverted, he did not really liked to talk to others. Every scientific work was done by him. And this could possibly be the reason that clarifies that why he gave divorce to his wife. However, in the end days of his life, he was pretty much more active and he joined many organizations that confined the peace and the human rights. He had a very strong agreeableness that could be seen by his love and his passion, along with his fights for freedom and peace of the world. He was not very neurotic because he had by no means concern about the certainty of his theories that were not agreed upon by almost all of the scientists of 20th century, but he still struggled, fought and proved to the humanity the truth. Certainly, he was mentally a very strong person that was against the military rule and dictatorship of German government. Finally, he would not have been a famous and genius man of the 20th century if he were not conscientiousness. Because he created new theories, he should have been very structured and well-versed in each theme. Secondly, the trait theory utilizes the biological features that are recognized as: Introversion Extraversion Emotionality Stability. Connecting to the 2nd trait theory, Albert Einstein seemed not to fit in any specific area of the sphere e.g. Introverted Extraverted and Emotional Stability. He was very submissive, thoughtful, easygoing, peaceful and active. We could easily see it all the way through his personal living. For instant, he on no account cared how people thought about his presentation, his hair or the clothes. Einstein had the unsurprising trait patterns that represent the multifaceted personality. Neo-Freudian Theory: The theory of Erickson describes the psycho-social improvement through eight different periods. According to this theory, each level focuses on a subject, or calamity, that is particularly important at his that span of life. By applying the theory of Erickson on Einsteins psycho-social improvement at the very end of his life, we could possibly comprehend that his life was wonderful and playful. Albert Einstein displayed self-actualization in dedicating his life for society and science. The scientific creativity of Einstein was intensely connected with the societal development and was an enormous part of his history. The theory of Erickson will terminate that at the older age, Einstein lived a very meaningful life and he was prepared to countenance death with approval and pride. Nevertheless, Einstein apparently was not satisfied by his life although he had completed a lot of work. At the same time, as in the last days, when he was in hospital, he spoke something to the nurse in German before going to sleep forever. A lot of scientists said that Einstein may talk about the quantums theory for the achievement to that nurse, but regrettably she did not appreciated German. Therefore, when at the time when Einstein was about to death, we might also see the confliction between honesty versus despair. (Cunny, 1960). A lot of people had doubt and questioned that how Einstein was so good and intelligent. After the death of Einstein, doctors managed a surgery on his head and did not found out any dissimilarity between his brains with a normal persons brain. According to the theory of Gardner, everyone governs a special intellect which is articulated in different situate of skills (Language, Thought, Intelligence 285). The intelligence of Einstein was specially called the logical-mathematical intelligence. Certainly, Einstein formed the theories based on the observations, and on the logical reasoning. Take For instant, some scientists thought while Albert Einstein was still working in government grant office, he experimented that many of the people that were coming inside and out the office on the certain time. He observed that the time and space in the place of work that were linked and by the reasonable thinking, his common relativity theory was recognized (Cunny, 1960). In other viewpoint, Sternberg Triarchic theory also integrated three diverse types of intelligence that are: Analytic Creative Practical Einsteins science efforts were based on logical intelligence. He also used diagnostic thought to resolve the physics problems. And He may also have realistic intelligence because he was worried that a lonesome man in science that can only work alone and observe the subjects through his uneven experience in life. For example, he disliked rote learning in schools, so that he can get experience and studied math by his individuality. Generally, both theories clarified the types of intelligence of Albert Einstein splendidly and it gave us more thoughts about our particular intelligences which we have not thought about ever before. Psychoanalytic Theory: This theory by Sigmund Freud explains that the psyche of human beings is divided in two structures that are the conscious and the unconscious mind of a person. However, the mind of a person has three parts that are: Id Ego The Super-Ego had been such a progressive messenger and he had said about how significant thoughts are that a person can never get any of the revolutionary ideas if he keeps on thinking the same thoughts that he thought before. A person has to think different thoughts in order to progress in life. The ego is part of the individual structure and it will be with us when we dwell in the sphere of the substantial and live inside this concept as we know of it as time since the ego only survive in our past reminiscences or our future thoughts. The ego cannot exist in the present moment of now. When we go back to the area of the absolute, all reverse to the care that is the center of our living being and the ego vanishes because we are one time again in full information that we are with the foundation of all that survive and there is no idea such as time. There is only the current instant of now and the ego can not survive in this surroundings. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs: The hierarchy of needs include all the physiological, psychological, belonging, esteem needs and the need for self-actualization. 5.1. Physiological Need: The physiological needs include the needs like air, water, food, shelter and safety etc. Albert Einstein was not very social in his early life but by the end of his life, he became more social, started interacting with people more often because of the safety of not being lonesome. There are two ways to live your life. He also believed that there are only two ways by which a person can live his life. One is if you believe that nothing is a miracle and the other is when you believe that everything is a miracle. 5.2. Psychological Need: Probably psychological needs enable us to prosper rather than just survive; this can be seen in terms of excess energy just like economic magnificence can also be seen in terms of over capital. The majority of the people on the planet earth waste most of the time while struggling to satisfy their survival needs and so they then have a very little time spare to enjoy luxury of pleasing the psychological needs of understanding and knowing. Einstein was a very intelligent man and he did not believed in miracles. The theories he proposed were not accepted by other scientists but he was psychologically very strong and determined that he was right and soon everyone was found of him. 5.3 Belonging Need: Even when Einstein was a very young child, he valued solitude, in 1930 he remembered and said that he was a true lone traveler and he have never belonged to his country, his home, his friends, and even his instantaneous family with his whole heart and as a matter of fact, he had never lost the sense of coldness and the need for solitude, and the feelings that increase with the years and time. (qtd in Cassidy 64). 5.4 Esteem Need: There are of two types of Esteem needs that are: Internal esteem needs that can include the need for self- respect, competence, confidence, freedom and achievement. External esteem needs can include the needs for recognition, status, power, admiration and attention. Albert Einstein was not very confident or competent in his early life, he even started talking very late then any other normal person but in the later life he became very confident and he achieved a lot by the validations of the theories that he proposed. On the other hand, he also received a lot attention and admiration throughout his life and was very famous among the people. 5. 5 Self- Actualization: Albert Einstein displayed self-actualization in dedicating his life for society and science. The scientific creativity of Albert Einstein was intensely related with the societal development and was an enormous part of his history. Conclusion: These trait theories complement each other to assist us get additional understanding of the personality of Albert Einstein. While focusing on the factors of the big five model, Einstein was an extremely non-open person in the early childhood. Certainly, Einstein was mentally a very strong person that was against the military rule and dictatorship of German government. Finally, he would not have been a famous and genius man of the 20th century if he were not conscientiousness. Because he created new theories, he should have been very structured and well-versed in each theme. Albert Einstein was not very confident or competent in his early life, he even started talking very late then any other normal person but in the later life he became very confident and he achieved a lot by the validations of the theories that he proposed. On the other hand, he also received a lot attention and admiration throughout his life and was very famous among the people. The scientific creativity of Albert Einstein was intensely related with the societal development and was an enormous part of his history. Probably psychological needs enable us to prosper rather than just survive; this can be seen in terms of excess energy just like economic magnificence can also be seen in terms of over capital. Einstein was a very intelligent man and he did not believed in miracles. The theories he proposed were not accepted by other scientists but he was psychologically very strong and determined that he was right and soon everyone was found of him. Gender Selection: Ethical Dilemma Gender Selection: Ethical Dilemma 1.0 INTRODUCTION â€Å"Over the course of human history, the gender of a newborn child has mostly been a surprise and an uncontrollable aspect of the lifecycle† (Akchurin and Kartzke 2012). However, with advances in reproduction technologies nowadays such as in-vitro fertilization and testing embryos for abnormalities, parents can not only know the gender of their offspring before birth, but it is also possible for them to choose the gender of the child before it is being implanted in the womb (Cloonman et al. 2007). Since decades, the practice of identifying fetal sex during pregnancy has existed and it was first introduced in the 1970s (WHO 2012). While prenatal sex selection was once considered to be unique to India and China, the practice now exists in the Asian, European and African countries, especially with the prevalence of ultrasound, being more affordable to middle-class and even lower-class families (Miller 2001). Although gender selection has been beneficial to a large extent to so ciety, questions about its ethicality are often raised and it remains a highly controversial issue. Therefore, the following points below emphasises on the arguments for and against in a bid to provide a balanced debate as to whether selecting the gender of a child before birth should be allowed or not 2.0 ARGUMENTS FOR MOTIVATIONS UNDERLYING SEX SELECTION 2.1 Prevention of selective abortion and infanticide Throughout history, gender selection has been practiced after birth by the abandonment or killing of unwanted infants or before birth by selective abortion. However, these ruthless practices still exist in some countries. One of the main causes is due to deep-rooted cultural factors present in countries like India and China (Jones 1992) which strongly affect gender preferences. For instance, in China, the Government has adopted the one-child policy and for the case of India, most Indian’s parents mostly pray for a baby boy for cultural factors such as inheritance of property, family name to their heirs and their contribution to economic activity (Bhaskar and Gupta 2007). Therefore, by allowing parents to choose the sex of their offspring before pregnancy and eventually allow them to get their desired offspring, this will not only prevent them from committing sins like infanticide and selective abortion, but also avoid negative cultural implications. 2.2 Family Balancing Gender selection is also considered as ethical when it is used for â€Å"Family balancing† purposes (Bhaskar 2010). As Cline (2007) claimed, families that already have one or more children of a particular sex may feel like selecting the gender of their next offspring in order to â€Å"balance the gender ratio† of their family. Data indicate that couples who are expecting a baby, but already have a daughter, prefer to have recourse to gender selection methods so as to ensure that their next child would be a boy (Hesketh and Zing 2006). Thus, this argument is justified when considering the fact that having children of different sex in a family is beneficial to the society (Akchurin and Kartzkey 2012). 2.3 Freedom of choice If the latest technology in gender selection exists, then parents believe that they should have the reproductive right to select the gender make-up of their family given that no impairment is being caused to the society by their decision (Harris 1997). Article 16 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: Men and women of full age†¦ have the right to marry and to found a family and this right also implies that they have the right to make choices over how their family should be formed(U.N. 1948). 2.4 Sex-linked genetic diseases For families who are prone to get sex-linked genetic diseases like â€Å"Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, hemophilia, Cooleys anemia, Downs syndrome†, and more than 400 other diseases (Jones 1992), pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) prevent them from conceiving a baby with the risk of developing a severe illness and avoid abortion or premature death (Silverman 2005). Therefore, in this case, the use of PGD for a medical purpose is an ethical practice. 3.0 ARGUMENT AGAINST SEX SELECTION 3.1 Children designed to specifications A popular criticism of gender selection is its use for non-medical reasons. Children are being considered as consumer products or toys designed to specifications in a bid to satisfy parents (Akchurin and Kartzke 2012). The latter are using money and technology to fulfill superficial desires and soon they will want to choose the eye or hair colour, skin tone and eventually the career of their offspring, thus leading to the creation of a â€Å"designer baby†. Besides, parents may not be aware that in trying to customize their babies, this may lead to the development of other undesirable traits; low intelligence, birth defects, the passing of hereditary diseases, or even genetic disorders. 3.2 Natural Selection Having a child is a natural phenomenon, full of wonder, but however, doctors, and to an extent parents, are â€Å"playing God† by choosing the gender of their child (Leung 2004). Children should not be loved because of who they are, not because they are exactly what we wanted of them (Stein 2004). Reproductive technologies were developed with the intention to cure diseases, but choosing the gender of a child before pregnancy is not a disease. Thus, by allowing sex choice for non-medical reasons, this can have harmful implications on the society as this will encourage selective abortion. Besides, the society will lose its natural essence and the evolution of human species will be affected (Sureau 1999). 3.3 Gender imbalance Another unintended consequence of sex selection is gender imbalance. Gender preferences due to social and cultural factors may result in serious imbalances in some countries like India, Vietnam and China. For instance, in India, the sex ratio at birth is very high such that there are â€Å"914 girls for every 1,000 boys† (The Economist 2011). The negative implications of gender imbalance may subsequently lead to â€Å"marriage squeeze† whereby a shortage of women leaves fewer brides available for the large numbers of prospective grooms (Hvistendahl 2012). These imbalances are socially harmful because as they are linked to forced marriage, sexual violence, kidnapping and prostitution. 4.0 CONCLUSION â€Å"Childbirth is a complex series of molecular reactions and organic growth, and while doctors have learned much about the process, there is still much that is unknown† (Akchurin and Kartzke 2012). Technology has permitted humans to make choices on different ways on how to live their lives, but gender selection is all about allowing people making a choice about the life of someone else, which is not a decision for them to take as it severely affects the quality of life of the child in some way or another and can eventually have negative impacts on the society as a whole (Cloonman et al. 2007). However, as per the Human Genetics Alert Campaign Briefing (2002), it is pointless to ‘try to stop scientific advances’, but instead, it is better to focus on how to prevent any abuse. Policymakers need to be aware of the practice’s potential growth, and how it threatens gender equality and progress in their own countries (Gilles and Jacobs 2012). Hence, gender sel ection is a highly controversial issue as far as its applicability for medical and non-medical reasons is concerned and involves a debate that is outside the scope of this essay. BIBLIOGRAPHY Akchurin,W. and Kartzk, R., 2012. The Ethics of Gender Selection [online]. Available from: http://www.ethicapublishing.com/ ethical/3CH2.pdf. Bhaskar, V., and Gupta, B., 2007. India’s Missing Girls: Biology, Customs and Economic Development, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 23, 221-238. Bhaskar, V., 2010. Sex Selection and Gender Balance. University College London. Cline, A., 2007. Gender Selection- Ethical Considerations New Technologies. [online]. Available from: http://atheism.about.com Cloonman, K., Crumley, C. and Kiymaz, S., 2007. Sex Selection: Ethical Issues. Developmental Biology. The New York Times. [Online]. Available from: http://8e.devbio.com Ganatra, B., 2008. Maintaining Access to Safe Abortion and Reducing Sex Ratio Imbalances in Asia. Reproductive Health Matters 16, 90-98. Gilles, K. and Feldman-JACOBS, C., 2012. When technology and tradition collide: from gender bias to sex selection. Policy brief- Population Reference Bureau, Washington, USA, 1-5. Harris, J. 1997. Goodbye Dolly? The ethics of human cloning. J Med Ethics, (23), 353-360. Hesketh, T., and Zing, Z.W, 2006. Abnormal Sex Ratios in Human Populations: Causes and Consequences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103(36), 13271-75. Human Genetics Alert Campaign Briefing, 2002. The case against sex selection [online]. Human Genetics Alert, London. Available from: www.hgalert.org/sexselection.PDF Hvistendahl, M., 2012. Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls and the Consequences of a World Full of Men. Report of the International Workshop on Skewed Sex Ratios at Birth, UNFPA, New York. International debate education association, 2012. This house believes parents should be able to choose the sex of their children, [online]. Available from: http://idebate.org/es/cite/17669 JONES, O., 1992. Sex Selection: regulating technology enabling the predetermination of a childs gender. Harvard Journal of Law Technology, 6, 1-62. Leung, R., 2004. Choose the Sex of Your Baby. CBS News. [online]. Available from: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/13/60II/main611618.shtml Miller, B., 2001. Female-Selective Abortion in Asia: Patterns, Policies, and Debates. Report of the International Workshop on Skewed Sex Ratios at Birth. American Anthropologist, 103 (4), 1083-95. Peterson-Iyer, K., 2004. Designer Children. Cleveland: The Pilgrim. 1-232. Silverman, A., 2005. Genetic Diseases. The Silverman Center for Gender Selection, [online]. Available from: http://www.gender-select.com Stein, R., 2004.A Boy for You, a Girl for Me: Technology Allows Choice. The Washington Post [online]. Available from:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62067-2004Dec13.html Sureau, C., 2007. Gender Selection: a Crime Against Humanity or the Exercise of a Fundamental Right? Oxford Journals Human Reproduction. [online]. Available from: http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org The Economist, 2011. Add sugar and spice.[online]. Available from: http://www.economist.com/node/18530101 U.N., 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.General Assembly United Nations. Available from: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml> Waters, B., 2001. Reproductive Technology. Cleveland: The Pilgrim. 1-148. World Health Organization (WHO), 2011. Preventing Gender-biased Sex Selection: An Interagency Statement. [online]. Available from: www.who.int/reproductivehealth

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland

Company Purpose And Stakeholder Analysis: Wonderland Wonderlands history dates back to 1950s when it was started in Germany as a partnership business between a chemist and a child psychologist. These toys flooded the German and the Scandinavian markets in their initial years of launch. The market extended to cover the US and UK in the 1960s. Currently, the company enjoys the largest market share with its toys being available in more than 80 countries worldwide. The company is headquartered in Frankfurt and it has regional head offices in New York, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires. The offices in Frankfurt, Montana and Bute are dedicated solely to the creation of new toys to improve the companys brand. However, China, Taiwan, India, Korea and Honduras do most of the manufacturing works. Wonderland has recorded admirable growth both in its scope of operation and in its revenues. In 2009 for example, the company recorded total revenue of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬850 million from all its regions. In a bid to serve the customers even better, the company diversified its activities in the 80s and 90s to include other childrens items such as school bags, board games and party items. The company has also employed more than 10,000 people who work in different centers. For instance, 3,000 people work in Montana while 2,000 work in Frankfurt. Others work in the local offices as marketers, sales representatives, retailers and distributors of the companys products. LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS Wonderland has been very successful as a result of the contributions made by its stakeholders. These stakeholders are categorized into two divisions; primary stakeholders and secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders These are stakeholders who are directly affected by the company activities and vice versa. They include: Employees Shareholders Customers and Suppliers Secondary stakeholders These have interest in the company but their effect is not felt directly by the company. They include: The government, Media, Competitors, Lobby groups and The local community COMPANY PURPOSE AND STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Company Purpose The purpose of this company is to produce high quality branded children items and distribute them globally so as to reach our target customers and hence fulfill their educational and recreational needs. Stakeholder analysis Primary stakeholders A) Shareholders Shareholders are the owners of Wonderland Company. They invest their money in the company so as to propel it to achieving its objectives. Wonderlands shareholders are categorized into two: institutional shareholders and individual shareholders. Institutional shareholders refer to organizations that have bought shares in this company with the hope of realizing returns from their investment. Examples of such organizations might include Virgin Airlines Company and Sony International Corporation. Individual shareholders, on the other hand, are the individuals who purchase shares of a given company with the aim of making profits. The founders are the major individual shareholders since they contributed the start-up capital. They possess majority of Wonderlands shares and have greater voting powers. In addition, the company has offered shares to other individual shareholders in Frankfurt (Turner, 2011). Interests of shareholders in the company Shareholders have a great interest in Wonderland, as noted above. They invest their money in the company with the hope of realizing returns in the short and long term. They are therefore concerned with the profitability of the company. Wonderlands managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that shareholders are contented with the performance of the company. When making decisions about the company, they ought to be very careful with the outcome since any loss made by the company will be felt by the shareholders. Managers ensure that both the short term and long term effects of their decisions are beneficial to the company so as to improve the value of shareholders investment. Powers of the shareholder In Wonderland, shareholders greatly influence the way it is operated. They decide who will be the company manager and who will be in the board of directors. Shareholders have voting rights on a variety of issues concerning the company. This means that the important decisions affecting the company, such as mergers, cannot be made without their consent. They vote for or against the proposal by the board of directors. Shareholders decision in the company is final. Notably, managers cannot change what has been jointly agreed upon by the shareholders (Worthington, 2007). Shareholders also have the power to make by-laws of the company. By-laws refer to a set of rules and regulations that govern the operation of the company. All the employees of the company abide by these by-laws. Any violation of these by-laws is sanctioned and necessary actions taken. The company holds annual meetings with its shareholders to discuss and review the performance of the company. In this meeting, they review the companys accounts for transparency and profitability check. During these meetings, the appointed auditor presents periodic reports. Members have powers to either endorse or refuse to endorse these reports. Nonetheless, the powers of shareholders in Wonderland commensurate with the number of shares held in the company. For example, an individual shareholder with 1,000 shares in a company has more powers than the one with 50 shares. This means that if the majority of Wonderland shareholders have 20 shares and one of the shareholders has 1,000 shares, it will requir e the company to have 50 shareholders with 20 shares so as to match the voting powers of one member with 1,000 shares (Worthington, 2007). B) Employees Employees refer to the workers in a company. They are directly associated with daily operations and therefore determine the output of the company. They can be categorized into different levels depending on the nature of the company. They include individual contributors, professionals, managers and senior technical professionals, directors and company presidents. In Wonderland, each employee fits in his place in the organization depending on the level of education and skill specialization. In order to effectively achieve the objectives of the company, managers have a duty of ensuring that work is well structured so as to avoid collision of employees. Similarly, it is important for the managers to communicate the vision of the company so that employees work collectively towards achieving this vision (Shukla, 2006). Interests of employees There are various interests that employees have in Wonderland. One of the most important ones is having their fundamental rights respected. These rights include the right to remuneration, right to associate with others, right to fair treatment, freedom from discrimination and freedom of expression, among others. Therefore, they will be productive if these rights are honored and if they feel that they are being respected. To achieve this, managers need to cultivate a working environment that will compel employees to give their best so as to achieve the objectives of the company (Shukla, 2006). Wonderland employees just like in any other company want to receive competitive pay. Competitive pay refers to the payment that is made to employees and that which commensurate with the employees skills, level of education and motivation in the work place. They expect a pay that is consistent with the market rates (Shukla, 2006). The companys employees also want to be given an opportunity to earn more. This is made possible by increasing their pay with time, paying them for overtime work and commissions where necessary. Another expectation of employees is regular review of their pay. This means that employees do not expect to stagnate in one pay scale. In addition, they need to be given a chance to participate in the decision making process as this will motivate them to work towards the enactment of these decisions (Shukla, 2006). Employee powers Employees have a great influence on the direction that a company takes. As highlighted above, managers, as the employees of Wonderland, are mandated to run the company. They therefore have powers to make decisions on the day to day running of the business. If these decisions are sound, the company stands to benefit. However, if they make misguided decisions, the performance of the company will deteriorate. It is the duty of Wonderlands human resources manager to hire junior employees to carry out middle and lower level activities of the company. If the human resources manager hires skilled and qualified people for this work, then the company will yield good results. However, if he hires under-qualified staff, Wonderland will not achieve its objectives (Shukla, 2006). The motivation of the employees in the company also plays a big role in the achievement of the company objectives. It is the duty of the employee to carry out the decisions made by the shareholders and the top management. A positively motivated workforce will carry out its duties with passion thereby enhancing the realization of the goals communicated to them. Negatively motivated employees on the other hand may affect the reputation of the company by producing poor quality commodities. It is therefore the duty of the company managers to cultivate a participative culture where an employee will be free to communicate his feelings about the company (Shukla, 2006). C) Customers Customers are the buyers of Wonderlands products. They are the end users of its product. They include the parents of children in pre-schools and primary schools. Throughout the manufacturing process, great care is taken so as to produce products that are competitive in the market and they that add value to the customer. It is important for the business to understand the behavior of its customers. Satisfied customers are pillars of any successful business. They also contribute to the reputation of the company if their needs are met as they desire. The customers determine the growth potential of a business (Akinnola 2011). Accordingly, every business manager who has the desire to generate income from the business must strive to ensure that the desires of the customers are met. Though customers are not included in the decision making process of the company, they play a big role in enhancing the achievement of the set business objectives. Interests of customers The interest of the customers in Wonderland is to maximize the utility derived out of the consumption of its products. They want the company to meet their needs in a way that creates value for their money. In order to fulfill this demand, the company must ensure that they first survey those needs before embarking on production. Through this, the company will be assured of ready market. However, companies that go ahead to make production without consulting from the customers risk market failure (Akinnola, 2011). Power of the customers Customers have a greater influence on the success of the company than any other stakeholder. It is a known fact that the profits of the company are out of the customers spending. If the spending by the customers is low, then the profitability of the company also declines and the opposite is true. The influence of the customers is so strong that managers must consult before making any decision affecting them (customers). In the toy industry, customers tastes play a big role. It is imperative for the Wonderland to carry out a research so as to understand the tastes of customers in different parts of the world. Cultural influences also affect the customers decision making process. As the companys products target different cultures, it is important to study these cultures so that the toys which will be produced meet the demands of these markets (Akinnola, 2011). D) Suppliers Suppliers are the firms and the individuals who deliver the resources that the company uses in the production of goods and services. Wonderland establishes specific suppliers so as to ensure consistency in the provision of the necessary resources. If resources are not supplied on time, production delays will be inevitable and consequently the customers will not receive finished goods on time. In establishing the relationship between the suppliers and the company, it is important to note that this relationship is based on value. Value in the sense that if the suppliers deliver quality resources, the end products will be of high quality and therefore goods delivered to customer will reflect value for his money. Interests of suppliers Suppliers are businessmen and therefore their main interest in the company is profits. The second interest of suppliers in the company is to secure a contract that will shield them in case the market fluctuates. Suppliers desire to be in business throughout the year. However, there are seasons when the prices go down making them to operate at a loss. Securing a contract to supply resources to the company means that the prices will not fluctuate and therefore the supplier will make profits all through. Powers of the suppliers Sometimes suppliers may join forces to dictate the terms of their supply to the company. This is especially in situations where suppliers are few and the buyers are concentrated. When the supplier has a strong brand name, he may have greater influence in the company than other factors. Nonetheless, mutual agreement between the supplier and the company is required to ensure that a sustainable relationship exists. To neutralize these powers, Wonderland can contract for its needed resources in advance so as to prevent the supplier from misbehaving as the market changes. Secondary Stakeholders A) The government The role of the government in Wonderland cannot be overlooked. Being an external stakeholder, it plays an important role in shaping the external environment within which the company operates. The roles of the government in the company are executed by a specially formulated agency that is answerable to the government. The main interest of the government in the company is to regulate its operations so as to ensure that consumers do not suffer loss as a result of business activities. The government therefore regulates the competitive practices, and the industry-specific practices. In addition to its regulatory roles, the government has powers over the Wonderland Company. It can revoke its license and subject it to legal actions in case its activities are not acceptable in the country where it operates (Enotes, 2011). B) The media Media plays an important role in Wonderlands growth. For example, the company will use media to reach out to the target customers. Media also creates a forum whereby the customers express their views about given company. The media can influence the image of the company among the customers and therefore influence their purchase decision. The company must therefore cultivate a positive relationship with the media so as to have a positive image in the face of its stakeholders. As far as Wonderland is concerned, efforts have been put in place and agreements achieved with Disney and childrens TV programme producers so that the company will use the character of these programs in designing toys and accessories (Liss, 2000). C) Competitors Competitors are other important stakeholders in the company. The presence of competitors in the industry help in improving the quality of products produced and services rendered. The interest of the competitors in a company is to learn its weaknesses and capitalize on them. There is competition for customers as well as market share. Our companys managers therefore need to be cautious when disclosing information about the company that can be used by the competitors to the disadvantage of the company, especially in a market where there are many competitors (Carlson 2004). It is important for our company to take a survey of the market so as to identify competitors, their weaknesses and strengths. In the toy market, Wonderland faces stiff competition from Mattel and Hasbro. Both have been in the market for many years and therefore offer stiff competition to Wonderland in its bid to capture the promising markets all over the world. In addition, the two companies have strong brand names be sides offering a variety of products targeting different customers. D) Lobby groups A lobby group refers to a collection of people who come together to advocate for certain interests that they feel are threatened by the decision made by the company leaders. In as much as lobbying affects the performance of the companies, it is one of the trusted means through which proper functioning of the businesses can be achieved. Environmental activists are examples of a lobby group that greatly influences the operations of Wonderland. With the issue of global warming taking priority, they seek to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide that the company releases in the process of modeling the toys. Their interest is to ensure that the operations of the company do not negatively affect the environment. Lobby groups have powers to influence the activities of the company. They can influence the consumers to boycott the products of the company. It is therefore imperative for the company to establish a positive relationship with the lobbyists so as to avoid instances of being accused for undertaking illegal activities (Hart, 2004). E) Local community When the company undertakes corporate social responsibility activities, its intention is to create a positive impact on the local people directly related to the company. In Wonderland, local communities are the people who surround the company. In case of harmful emissions from the company, the local community would be the first to receive the effects. Local communities offer the local infrastructure that the company needs in order to achieve its objectives. On the other hand, they expect the company to pay back by carrying out activities that do not adversely affect them. These stakeholders have powers to influence the company to either continue with its activities or to stop its operations. They are able to unite and stop the company from causing negative effects to the community (BusinessLink, nd). The Global Society Global society, in its most basic definition, refers to the society that is integrated together into a single community with improved levels of interaction. Global society is a consequence of the globalization process. Human beings are social by nature and would embrace any means that brings them close to each other. Courtesy of internet technology, people can communicate with other on the far side of the world just by a click of the mouse. Nonetheless, global society deals more with the individuals in the society than it does with the general society. It is the efforts of individuals that lead to the development of global society. The vision of the founders of Wonderland was to reach customers in all parts of the world. Globalization has speeded the achievement of this vision by facilitating prompt marketing and distribution of the company products. Generally speaking, global society has improved efficiency with which people in the society interact (Taylor Francis, 2011). Integrating the concept of global society into the operations of any business raises issues that are not consistent with the goals of the company. Some of these issues favor the accomplishment of the business objectives while others hinder this accomplishment. These issues include: Cultural differences Inequity in development Environmental degradation Human rights abuse Government structures 1) Cultural Differences Culture refers to a set of beliefs that a given group of people has adopted as their way of life. No culture is greater than the other and attempting to change peoples culture is an effort in futility. Founders of Wonderland decided to launch their operations in areas with a culture different from that of the companys home country so as to be more competitive and more profitable. They also wanted to outsource raw materials from other countries where the cost of acquiring those resources are lower than in the home country. (Smith Ethel, 2007). The most successful companies are those that have understood the cultural differences of target customers. These companies keep abreast of the importance of these differences and will research ways to fulfill customer needs without interfering with their cultures. Wonderland understands that people from different cultures might have different approaches to the same issues (Smith Ethel, 2007). 2) Inequity in Development This refers to the differences in the levels of development in different countries. It is measured both in economic and infrastructural terms. Inequity in development affects the running of international companies. Factor endowment contributes more to this inequality whereby companies that are endowed with more resources excel better than those with fewer resources. With development inequality being experienced in the global society, it is hard to achieve a fair play ground where all companies can compete favorably. Also, as a result of differences in the factors of production, massive movement of labor from one country to another is affecting the operations of the company. For this reason, a difference in Wonderlands prices is justifiable. In countries where cost of operation is low, our products are low and vice versa. In general, companies operating in the global environment are as competitive as their resources can allow (Taylor Francis, 2011). 3) Environment Degradation Environmental degradation is another issue that global society has brought. The issue of global warming is being addressed and measures being put in place to combat global warming. The Kyoto protocol of 1997 that sought to regulate the percentage of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the industries is still in discussion with companies being forced to adhere to the restrictions imposed by this protocol. Wonderland therefore checks on its processes to avoid legal actions from being instituted against it. Notably, in the toy companies, modeling plastics releases smoke into the atmosphere. Being part of the global society, the company will take measures to ensure that it honors this requirement (Taylor Francis, 2011). 4) Human Rights Abuse When operating in a global society, it is possible to unknowingly promote the abuse of human rights. Much business is done via the internet without necessarily knowing the processes that take place at the other end. For example, a company may order a product online. The supplier will send the consignment to the buyer. Without proper research the buyer may not know how this product has been manufactured. The supplier may have used child labor, which is in contravention of basic human rights. Wonderland will ensure that it chooses suppliers that do not engage in such activities. 5) Government structures in a global society Another issue that Wonderland faces when operating in a global society is the difference in government structures. The structure of the local government where the company is located may be different from the structures of the other country. An example of this is where the local government embraces socialism economy and the foreign country embraces capitalism economy. Secondly, a government may be aristocratic while another one may be democratic. Operating in varying government structure may be difficult therefore companies will need to understand this from the outset (Taylor Francis, 2011). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Summary Frederick Douglass revolutionary novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; An American Slave, sent a seismic shock through American society, altered many peoples perception of the â€Å"peculiar institution†, and utilized a stylistic combination of flawless rhetoric and his poignant first-hand account of childhood shattered by slavery. Douglass childhood was marred by an all-encompassing sense of nothingness, he did not know his parentage, mother, age, or birthday; he felt inferior to white children, and lusted after the simple knowledge about themselves the whites regarded so casually. Through revealing specific details of his childhood experiences Douglass creates an emotional connection with his intended audience, Christian, white, Northerners, and by use of pathos, strengthens that bond with every paragraph. Douglass begins his haunting tale with one of the few cemented truths of his childhood; his birthplace. He was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, to Harriet Bailey, an attractive slave woman with a dark complexion and light, loving demeanor. However, these small truths were overshadowed by dark, looming clouds of uncertainty, which posed more questions than it ever answered. A young Douglass was left confused; Who was his biological father? Why was he so cruelly separated from him mother? What was his true age? Was the master actually his Father? These questions pestered Douglass for years, and as the excerpt explains, he had no venue through which to glean the information. â€Å"I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master†¦He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent.† Douglass spent his childhood swathed in mystery, he never had the chance to enjoy the warmth of a mothers love, swathed, bundled, protected. Douglass accounts his separation from his mother for a variety of reasons; including an effort to solicit pathos from his readers, illustrate the magnitude of inhumanity bestowed upon slaves, and to appeal to white mothers, who would deem the action both barbaric and unforgiveable. Douglass reflects upon his mothers death with very little emotion, and states â€Å"She died when I was about seven years old, on one of my masters farms, near Lees Mill.† This quote exemplifies an understatement at its best; Douglass remarks upon his mothers death the way one talks about the weather, matter-of-fact and resigned. The casual way he speaks of his mothers absence in his life is directly conflicts with the sacred bond betweenmother and childset forth through countless books and artworks, such asLa Pieta.According to Douglass, separating a mother and child before twelve months was a common practice in Maryland, an action which most likely would have been deemed irreprehensible by sympath etic northerners. Douglass also tackles another large and unsolved topic; the mysterious identity of his father. Although Douglass is mostly uncertain of the details of childhood, one concrete fact remained a constant; his father was white. Douglass writes â€Å"The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing†¦the means of knowing were withheld from me.† This quote is perhaps the most profound piece of the provided excerpt, not only did it add a new and puzzling aspect into the glimpse of Douglass childhood, but it also provided ammunition to enrage the pious, abolitionist, Northerners. Douglass rawappeal to emotionspeaks volumes, the scope of slavery knew no bounds, and bent the moral code of the 19thcentury to suit its depraved ways. Douglass non-existent father is introduced alongside the death of his mother, conjuring up feelings of sympathy and pity for Douglass among his intended audience. Douglass innocence was snatched away by the poisonous talons of slavery, leaving him vulnerable to the plights facing the adult world while still within the confines of childhood. By recollecting thetraumatic eventsof his early years he solicits a barrage of emotions from his intended audience, ensuring the success of his slave narrative. The death of his mother and hidden the identity of his father, Douglass paints a picture of heartache, loneliness, and uncertainty. In conclusion, Douglass detailed recollection of his past created pathos within his intended audience and undoubtedly opened the eyes of a plethora of ignorant Americans who simply believed slavery was a natural practice within Americas boundary lines.

Charlemagne :: essays research papers

Charlemagne Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, became the undisputed ruler of Western Europe, â€Å"By the sword and the cross.† (Compton’s 346) As Western Europe was deteriorating Charlemagne was crowned the privilege of being joint king of the Franks in 768 A.D. People of Western Europe, excluding the church followers, had all but forgotten the great gifts of education and arts that they had possessed at one time. Charlemagne solidly defeated barbarians and kings in identical fashion during his reign. Using the re-establishment of education and order, Charlemagne was able to save many political rights and restore culture in Western Europe. Early Life Charlemagne was born in 742 A.D., to a very famous and well-known family. Charlemagne’s grandfather was Charles Martel, the man who was responsible for the defeat of the Saracens. Charlemagne was also the eldest son of Bertrade (also known as Bertha Greatfoot) and Pepin the Short, the first to become king of the Franks. With the almost full extinction of schools in the 8th century, many historians say that Charlemagne received very little education, but did learn the art of reading from Bertrade. The one thing that kept Charlemagne motivated throughout his entire life was his deep devotion to the church. Charlemagne was a tall young man with light blond hair, and was described by his secretary as, â€Å"face laughing and merry. . . his appearance was always stately and dignified.† (World book 452) Charlemagne had great wit, but was stern at times. He had simple and moderate tastes; he enjoyed hunting, riding and swimming. Charlemagne had a large wardrobe with many Frankish dresses, linen shirts and breeches, silk-fringed tunics, hoses wrapped with bands, and for the winter he had coats made of otter or marten skins. Charlemagne asked his people to improve their lifestyles, but he divorced two of his four fives without any given cause. Charlemagne’s Reign In 768 A.D., Charlemagne at the age of 26, along with his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of Franks. However, in 771 A.D. Carloman died, making Charlemagne the sole ruler of the kingdom. At this time the northern part of Europe was out of order and unruly. In the south, the Roman Catholic Church was asserting itself alongside the Lombard kingdom in Italy. While in Charlemagne’s own kingdom, the people were becoming and acting as barbarians and neglecting education and faith. But Charlemagne was determined to make his kingdom as strong as possible.

Much Ado About Nothing: An Overview :: essays research papers

Much Ado About Nothing: An Overview It is a beautiful spring afternoon. The air is full of the radiance of freshly bloomed daisies and the energizing chill of the periodic spring breeze. Puffy large cumulus clouds fill the azure sky with gray thunderheads looming off in the distance. Looking down from the clouds, one can see a gathering of finely dressed people. Birds flying overhead hear the murmurs of the crowd gathered for a wedding of gentry. Shakespeare could never have planned the first scene of Act IV in Much Ado About Nothing so well. The serene sky overhead symbolizing the beauty and joviality of the occasion; dark rain clouds looming in the distance foreshadowing the mischief to come. Despite his inability to control weather patterns, Shakespeare developed marvelous scenes which he displayed in his own theater, The Globe. How did Shakespeare portray the emotional aspects of his characters and their strife to his audience? How did he direct the actors and what did the open air stage of The Globe look like? Imagine yourself in London circa 1600, a short year after the completion of the Globe Theater and perhaps a few months after the completion of the play Much Ado About Nothing, Act IV has just begun. Claudio and Hero are facing each other in front of a simple, yet anciently beautiful altar, garbed in Elizabethan costume fit for the occasion. Hero is wearing a long white dress with trailer and high neck which is adorned according to the fashion trends of the time. Claudio has donned a royal looking doublet with silver trim and hose to equally as majestic. Sitting on either side of the couple in ancient pews, shrouded in solemn silence, are Don Pedro the Prince of Aragon, Don John the Bastard, Leonato, Benedick, Beatrice and the attendants of Beatrice and Hero. Facing the couple, positioned in between them so the audience may hear him, is Friar Francis wearing a simple white robe and golden cross, his only posessions. Don Pedro wears a doublet ornately embroidered with golden designs. He is the only person on stage looking finer than Claudio, marking his royal blood to all. The others wear fine doublets and dresses, although not decorated elaborately, to show their respect for the wedding pair. Scene IV actually begins when Leonato stands and makes his brave but respectful request to the Friar to be brief with the ceremonies (IV i,l1). Knowing his duties, the Friar continues square-faced with the wedding by asking Claudio of his intentions to marry Hero (IV i,l5). Without hesitation Claudio responds, "No." (IV i,l6) He means that he does not intend to marry Hero.

Feminists, Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Media Essay -- Feminism

Feminists and Media Stereotypes      Ã‚   The media portrays feminists in unflattering ways. Largely because of the media portrayal, the word 'feminist' usually evokes images of crass, butch, men-hating, very masculine women. Many women believe in the feminist doctrine, but they would never consider themselves as a feminist because they cannot relate to the images of crass, butch, men-hating, masculine women.   In fact, it has only been within the past year that I've been able to accept the fact that I am a feminist and that my preconceived images of feminists are merely media stereotypes.    I'm now able to admit I care more about my own rights than whether or not someone will assume I fit the media stereotype of a feminsit. Feminism is the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. One doesn't have to hate men, refuse to wear dresses, or be homosexual to be a feminist. Feminism isn't about male bashing, but rather about equality. Now I can (and do) admit freely that I'm a feminist. People may think that means I'm lesbian. They may think that means I hate men. They may think I have some sort of secret agenda. They can be as misinformed or stereotypical as they chose, I just want equal rights.      Yet now I have to wonder why those stereotypes exist and where they stemmed from. Were early feminists "butch" man haters? No. Early accounts from women and men of the time prove otherwise.    *   ... the 1848 Seneca Falls convention for a female Bill of Rights provoked editorials about "unsexed   women"...which insinuated that they had become activists because "they were too repulsive to find a   husband....These women are entirely devoid of personal attractions."...When a supporter, Senato... ...lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/illusions2.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Models http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/models.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Views. "Sela Ward" http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/views5b.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Views. "Maricia Gillespie" http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/views.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Douglas, Susan J. Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media. New York: Random House Publishing, 1994, 278. Starr, Bernard. IT AIN'T JUST PAINT:AGING AND THE MEDIA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.longevityworld.com/justpaint.html. 1997 Wolff, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. New York: Doubleday Publishing, 1991   

Avian Influenza in the Media

The article that I chose to discuss is entitled â€Å"Avian Flu: Is the Government Ready for an Epidemic?† and was published on the ABC News website on September 15, 2005. The journalists name was not published. The article opens with the lines â€Å"It could kill a billion people worldwide, make ghost towns out of parts of major cities, and there is not enough medicine to fight it. It is called the avian flu.† Throughout the rest of the article, the journalist goes on about the horrors that could occur if avian flu were to mutate so that it was able to be transferred from human to human, and not just from bird to human as is now the case. The journalist quotes Dr. Irwin Redlener, the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness as saying â€Å"The tipping point, the place where it becomes something of an immediate concern, is where that virus changes, we call it mutates, to something that is able to go from human to human,† and then states that scientists around the world are now working around the clock as they wait for that tipping point. However, at no time does he inform the reader that all viruses mutate naturally over and over again, and that the chance of the H5N1 strain, mutating into a strain that could pass from human to human is in no way an eventuality, or even a likely outcome. He just takes quotes from various scientists around the world who are expressing a worry about what could happen in the event that H5N1 were to mutate, and uses them to imply that this is a very likely possibility. The journalist also likens an Avian Flu pandemic to Hurricane Katrina, an event that was at the foremost of people’s minds when the article was published and uses purposefully disturbing imagery that has been shown on TV about Hurricane Katrina, such as people dying in the airports and the utter helplessness of the Superbowl, to cause people to panic and worry that bird flu is likely to devastate the country at any second in order to bring to light the Government’s unpreparedness for an outbreak. He then goes on to discuss what he calls an â€Å"inadequate stockpile of medicine† and blames the Government for not having stockpiled enough Tamiflu, which he equates to a miracle drug which will stop H5N1 in its tracks. However, while he is happy to imply, in the beginning of the article, that the H5N1 virus is likely to mutate at any time, he conveniently ignores this when he talks about Tamiflu, and nowhere does he state that while this drug can help people who have contracted bird flu, it is only useful to the current strain of the virus and if it mutates, which he assures us it will, there is no guarantee that it will be of any use to those infected. I feel that these are unforgivable exaggerations of the disease and its dangers and that the journalist was simply interested in sensationalism and causing a public outcry and panic. Expert opinions on the dangers of the H5N1 virus are currently very varied and divided and a lot is still unknown about the disease, but at no time does this article bring that to light. Laura Chang, of the New York Times said it best when she said that journalists shouldn’t â€Å"write articles that might feed a sense of panic, such as telling people to stock up on Tamiflu, or dramatizing how a pandemic would spread through a particular city. Sometimes silence is the best journalism.† Website: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Investigation/Story?id=1130392&page=1 MRSA in the media This article on MRSA, or the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, was published in the British newspaper, the Sunday Metro, under the headline â€Å"Strain of superbug ‘may be new HIV.'† The article opens with â€Å"A deadly new drug-resistant strain of the superbug MRSA could spread rapidly through the gay community, experts have warned.† It then goes on to equate MRSA to the HI virus when it says: The infection is already moving through parts of San Francisco in the same way as HIV and Aids did in the early 1980s. The bug, which can lead to a deadly flesh-eating form of pneumonia, is 13 times more prevalent among the city's gay men than other people. However, at no time does the article explain what MRSA is or that it is not in fact, anything like HIV or AIDS. MRSA is in fact caused by a bacterium, already a vast difference from the virus that causes aids, that is responsible for difficult-to-treat infections in humans. The organism can also be further classified into either Community-Associated MRSA or Hospital-Associated MRSA depending on the circumstances in which the patient acquired the disease. The article goes on to focus on one strain of the disease, a strain known as the USA300 strain and the journalist notes that â€Å"the USA300 bug, is not caught in hospitals but spreads through a community, often by casual contact† which is true, as it is a community-associated strain of MRSA that is spread by skin to skin contact. However, the journalist then goes on to suggest that this strain, which is as a particularly antibiotic resistant epidemic that is responsible for rapidly progressive, fatal diseases, is only likely to affect the gay community. However this is not the case and as MRSA is not a sexually transmitted disease there is no way it could only affect only the gay community. The USA300 strain is passed on by skin-to-skin contact and therefore cannot be liked to HIV which is transmitted only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected individual. While practicing homosexuals are at risk of being affected by the USA300 strain, the disease has also been reported by people in athletic teams, correctional facilities, military recruits and newborn nurseries. I believe this article is simply an example of sensationalism in the media. It does not focus on any of the facts, and makes purposefully sweeping and false statements about MRSA and its similarity to HIV, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The two are nothing like each other, one caused by a bacteria and one by a virus. One transmitted sexually and the other just by touching someone that has been infected. It was written simply to get people to by the newspaper, and should be ignored. Website: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=83921;in_page_id=34;expand=true