Marketing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing research - Essay Example ?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Marketing Research Project: Coffee Shops – A Pilot Usage and Attitude Study Introduction: Coffee shops are commonly defined as establishments that primarily serve prepared coffee along with light snacks. From a cultural point of view, coffee shops serves as centres of social interaction where individuals especially youths are provided with a place to congregate, talk, read, write, entertain one another. As defined by Mintel (2009), coffee shops are shops where â€Å"coffee is the primary sales item. They are based on the European and North American coffee shop models, typified by Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero and Coffee Republic and offer a wide variety and different types of coffee, e.g. cappuccino, latte, mocha, etc. Other items are usually on sale, such as pastries, tea, coffee beans, etc. Ho wever, the food offer may be restricted.† Further, the operational venues of these coffee shops are also of relevance: â€Å"Coffee shops include venues such as individual stores, kiosks and concessions. These may operate in a number of locations – motorway service areas (MSAs), health clubs and hospitals, for example. However, they must be independent of the facility they are located in.† (Mintel, 2009) This paper briefly addresses the report of a pilot study on the usage and attitude of coffee consumers, especially young consumers. The data collection for the survey report has mainly been conducted in big coffee shop brand names such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee from the localities of London. The data was collected from 20 young people aged 18 and above, along with a well-structured questionnaire designed on the basis of the usage and attitude of the young coffee consumers. Moreover, the paper looks into the broader picture of coffee shops market in the UK. It briefly provides the current scenario of the UK coffee shops market, which is now considered a booming market contributing remarkably to the UK economy. While competition is getting tougher, the usage and attitude of the young coffee consumers are becoming significantly essential for the coffee shops in order to accomplish competitive advantage. Methodology: Coffee shops are growing faster and wider, thanks to the novel process of globalisation. With the level of market competition growing fast, there is also a growing need of more variables to be included in the market analysis of coffee shops. The study included in this paper is a pilot survey designed to test the questionnaire and the survey approach and to produce some exploratory information which may be of interest to marketing decision makers. The survey conducted for the purpose comprised of 20 young people (aged 18 and above) and students, to be administered by respondent self-completion. In order to explain the behavioura l and attitudinal information of the young consumers of coffee shops, the survey has collected data from both males and females, and coffee shop users and non-users as well. Research objectives:

Corporate Strategy Analysis Discussion Summary Essay Example for Free

Corporate Strategy Analysis Discussion Summary Essay â€Å"Corporate strategy identifies the set of businesses, markets, or industries in which the organization competes and the distribution of resources among those businesses† (Bateman Snell, 2011). There are four basic alternatives for corporate strategy. These strategies include concentration, vertical integration, concentric diversification and conglomerate diversification. Every company has their type of corporate strategy that they follow to include Coca-Cola, Xerox, Southwest Airlines, and VF. In 2004 Coca-Colas CEO Neville Isdell agrees to come out of retirement and becomes cokes new chief executive. Coca-Cola’s worse drop in sales at 24% resulted in the return of Neville Isdell (Foust, 2014). With the return of Neville, Coca-Cola agreed to use a corporate strategy of their own (vertical integration) when they bought Glaceau’s vitamin water. Coca-Cola also came out with their coffee cola (Coke Blak) and their green tea (Envigo). The decision to purchase vitamin water was vital to the increase of Coca-Cola’s sales and bring them back into competition with PepsiCo. Coca-Cola is using an aggressive strategy to expand globally with their carbonated and non-carbonated drinks. To this day Coca-Cola is still expanding with their products such as Fuze and Gold Peak tea. Anne Mulcahy began the transformation of Xerox by following a concentrated strategy by focusing on a single industry. She pursed concentrated strategy by first reducing Xerox nearly $18 billion in debt. She accomplished this by cutting billions of dollars through slashing of jobs and selling off divisions. Anne Mulcahy then evaluated alternatives by pouring resources into a consulting division; this made the company more accessible for potential clients and customers. She developed a new business strategic plan, although a risky choice helped the organization seize new opportunities or thwart challenges. She also closed the desk top printers division and moved away from expensive consumer  printers with functions nobody wanted. Xerox took new technology and moved into colored digital printing and started developing high end color commercial printers. Xerox made this decision because the profit margin of color pages was five times that of black and white copies. Xerox used the strategy of concentric diversification by moving into a new business that was related to the companys core business. Xerox then purchased office Services Company and Image Services for 1.5 billion dollars to demonstrate its new marketable high end color digital printers and copier services. References Bateman,T.S., Snell, S.A. (2011). Management:Leading collaborating in a competitive world (9th ed.). New York,NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Foust, D. (2014). Gone Flat. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2004-12-19/gone-flat

Benefits and Drawbacks of Vertical Integration

Benefits and Drawbacks of Vertical Integration Vertical integration is the corporate strategy which the firms take to gain the competitive advantages by of in multiple markets or industries simultaneously. Best strategy of the common ownership is the vertical integration where the supply chain is being united there by producing a monopoly termed as vertical monopoly. Vertical integration is the degree to which owner owns suppliers of upstream (towards raw materials) and the buyers of downstream (towards end customers). Vertical integration is having important implications in a business unit with respect to its financial position, differentiation and other issues of strategic importance. In the corporate strategy the most important consideration is the vertical scope of a firm. In an organization the first strategic change is vertical integration. Any company has its own centre of gravity. Any initial strategic move will never affect the centre of gravity because of any prior as well as subsequent changes as they are operated usually for the benefit of the centre of gravity. 2. Vertical Integration: Based on the stream of integration it can be Integrating Backward Integrating forward Integrating in balanced 2.1. Integrating Backward: Acquisition of control subsidiaries which is intended to create (produce) some inputs which could be used in the production of its products. Integrating towards upstream or suppliers or raw materials. Backward movement is done to guarantee in terms of supply as well as to secure bargaining leverage on vendors. 2.2. Integrating forward: Acquisition of distribution centres which can extend up to the retailers to reach the final or end customers directly. Integrating towards downstream or buyers or end customers. Forward movement can guarantee markets and volume for capital investments and it would become own customer thereby providing feedback regarding new products. 2.3. Balanced Integration: Acquisition is done both in upstream as well as downstream which is integrating in both forward as well as backward its towards raw materials and finished products. 3. Benefits due to Vertical Integration: Cost reduction in terms of transportation can be done. More co-ordination in terms of supply chain management is possible Expansion could be possible in terms of core competitors. Capturing the profit as well as maximising the profits both from upstream as well as from downstream. More opportunity provision by differentiation through control over inputs. Through vertical integration the barriers of entry can be increased for the potential competitors. We can increase the access towards downstream distribution channels or else it may not be accessible. In some specified areas we can go for high investment in which upstream and downstream players finding it difficult to invest. 4. Drawbacks regarding vertical integration: Building excess upstream capacity (more investment) so that down stream can have sufficient supply even under heavy demand. There will be lack of supplier competition which will lead to low efficiency resulting in potentially higher costs. Even though vertical-related coordination may increase. The flexibility may get reduced due to previous investments in both upstream as well as downstream. If there is need for significant in-house requirements then it will reduce the ability to produce the product variety. Sometimes existing competencies should be sacrificed to develop new core competencies. Definitely the bureaucratic costs will get increased. 5. Factors in favour of vertical integration: Vertical integration is favoured by some of the situational factors like Taxations as well as tough rules and regulations regarding market transactions. Unexpected obstacles happening while formulating and monitoring contracts. Vertical related activities many times have the strategic similarity. Large scale of productions generally results in benefits like good economies of scale. Hesitation from other firms for investing in some specific transactions. 6. Factors opposing vertical integration: Some factors make vertical integration less attractive like The minimum efficient scale of production of the particular raw materials is much more than what is needed by the production department in that case the company must bear the loss happened due to this excess production which will increase cost of production. Sometimes the activity needed is very different type of core competencies. Very different types of industries like manufacturing retailing must carry out vertically adjacent activities. The firm may be viewed as a competitor rather than as a partner as firm needs to co-operate for the addition of new activity places. Technology of static importance: There will be many internal gains like Transaction costs could be reduced. Supply and demand synchronization is possible along the chain of products. Since there is less uncertainty there will be less risk involved hence high investment is possible. Throughout the chain the market foreclosure is possible. This in turn gives the ability to monopolize the market. At the same time there is a possibility to face the internal losses In case of switching of the suppliers or buyers there higher organizational costs as well as monetary costs. There are some benefits to the society like 1. Since there is reduced uncertainty which in turn result in more investment which will enhance the growth At the same time there are losses to the society as well 1. There will be monopolisation of the markets. 2. There may be a throwaway society due to monopoly on intermediate components. Technology of dynamic importance: 1. In order to keep up with the competition the company would be forced to reinvest infrastructure. This indicates that some times vertical integration will eventually would hurt due to availability of new technologies. The cost production will get increased due to reinvestment in new technology. Vertical integration Vs Outsourcing: In a firm when something is found it is not a core competency then it is liable to get outsourced, through outsourcing we can do more strategic use of scarce resources in a firm as well as cost saving with better productivity is possible. Even though some of the gigantic oil companies like Standard oil as well as Exon is completely under vertical integration. In the current scenario until and unless if there is any compelling reasons for vertical integration the firms are going for non-integration or out-sourcing. By product seller: Among the strategic categories the poorest performer is the by-product sellers who are vertically integrated. Generally the by-product sellers are the primary manufacturers of the raw materials which are the upstream business in process in any business. The problem behind this is that there is no resource allocation across multiple products it got confined within a single business. Ultimately there is also no possibility for any change due to the fact that management skills partly technological as well as know-how whereas it do not transfer across the industries at the primary manufacturing centre of gravity. By product diversification Most of the vertically integrated company first sell by products as a move towards first diversification. But both the centre of gravity as well as the industry will remain unaltered. Full Integration: It generally exists between two stages of a production process both A and B. All the As production sold internally and all Bs requirement obtained internally. For example in case of integrated steel plants the steel plant gets all Pig iron it is not purchased outside. Tapered Integration: It generally exists when two stages of production both A and B are not self sufficient internally. For example a car company gets most of its spare parts externally even though the core component is been produced within the care company. b

We Should Reach out to Muslims Essay -- Islam, Jihad, Terrorism Essays

Do we, the United States, the West, have an argument with Islam? We surely have an argument with a lot of Muslims. The media in Muslim countries are full of anti-Americanism. Furthermore, most Muslim countries practice forms of government completely at odds with the political ideas cherished by Americans. They are despotic and intolerant. Muslim countries seem to conform to the pattern of so-called "shame" cultures, in which the rightness and wrongness of deeds are judged not by some moral compass, but by the reactions of onlookers. And then there is the dreadful antisemitism with which Islam seems to be riddled. From professors of theology at Saudi universities to New York City cab drivers, it sometimes seems you only have to scratch a Muslim to find an antisemite of the vicious, irrational kind that largely disappeared from the Christian world half a century ago. Sophisticated Muslims tell you that this is really just anti-Zionism, a reaction to the indignities suffered by their co-religionists in Palestine. You can believe that if you want to. Muslim anti-Semites say "Zionist" when they're being very careful, but mostly they just say "Jew." Besides, Israel is an ethno-state, a Jewish homeland. To target your feelings precisely against that nation, leaving aside the Jews of other lands (most of whom, in any case, support Israel to some degree) is a job of emotional fine-tuning very few human beings are actually capable of. I am sure there are anti-Zionists who are not anti-Semitic (there is in fact a Judaic se ct, the Neturei Karta, who are anti-Zionist), but I am also sure their numbers are small - among Muslims, I think, vanishingly small. And certainly Muslim anti-Semitism pre-dates the founding of the modern state of Isra... ... Islam (Baltimore, 1955). Ostling, Richard N. "Islam's Idea of Holy War." Time, 11 February 2001, 51. Peters, Rudolph. Islam and Colonialism: The Doctrine of Jihad in Modern History (The Hague, Netherlands: 1979). The Qur'an: The Eternal Revelation vouchsafed to Muhammad, The Seal of the Prophets. Trans. Muhammad Zafrulla Khan. (New York, 2012). Ryan, Patrick J. "The Roots of Muslim Anger: The Religious and Political Background of Worldwide Islamic Militancy Today." America, 26 November 2011, 8. Sivan, Emmanuel. "The Holy War Tradition in Islam." Orbis 42, no. 2 (2011): 171. Streusand, Douglas E. "What Does Jihad Mean?" September 1997. (5 December, 2013). "Text of Alleged Terrorist Fax." CBS News, 24 September 2013. (31 October 2013). Watt, W. Montgomery. Companion to the Qur'an: Based on the Arberry Translation (London, 2007).

Sociological Perspective on Religion

â€Å"Sociological Perspectives on Religion† During this semester I have learned that in essence, â€Å"free will† does not gear our decision making process, it is primarily society that influences all thoughts and behaviors in turn, impacting all aspects of our life. The evolutionary socialization process initiates at the moment of conception, in our mother’s womb, through childhood, carries on during adulthood and ends in our graves. The most important and influential agent of socialization is the family. On a global perspective, the primary teachers, our parents, educate us on language, beliefs, physical control, values and civilized behavior for public conduct. The greatest belief instilled is that of divinity and forming part of a religion. According to the Sociology text book, Religion is defined as a social institution involving beliefs and practices based on recognizing the sacred. Ethically, it encompasses what we define to be good or bad. In this paper I will further examine religion on a global perspective from previously conducted social research and just how important a role it plays in our lives. Religion has been used to celebrate life at birth, adulthood, mourning of death and politics. According to Emile Durkheim (1965, orig. 1915) in his structural –functional approach, society on its own, beyond the life of any individual, has life and power. When practicing religion the power of this society is celebrated. He found that within this society people seek to find social cohesion, social control, meaning and purpose. Symbols, values and norms are what shape a religion. Since â€Å"God† is considered to be the divine and symbol of perfection, religious fanatics fear his judgment. In the United States about 85% of adults identify themselves with some type of religion. â€Å"God Bless America,† is widely used by politicians to address our people and demonstrate they believe the higher power is not them but, God. That they cannot lead without the blessing of God. In the past 2008 election many questioned Barack Obama’s faith because his father was born Muslim and then became atheist while, his mother was never genuinely active in a religious organization. Therefore, Obama was raised to be skeptic about religion and showed no true inclination, causing a lot of criticism during the campaign. People want to follow who shares the same values as themselves. Saying a simple phrase as â€Å"God Bless America† convinces them that their political leaders’ views and ruling will be geared under what religion overseas as ethically correct. When I say ethically right, the geographical location of religion must be taken into consideration because social conflict tends to arise due to the fact that all religions don’t support or share the same ideas. For example, in the Middle East there are claims that God is behind the actions we in the United States consider to be evil such as, the terrorist attack of 9/11. This is one of the differences in religion that affected our society in the U. S. and has provoked violence and war. Violence within the United States towards people that appeared of Middle Eastern decent and declared war against â€Å"terror† in the middle east. Religion shapes society and is considered to be socially constructed. With divine being the inspiration, people differentiate the ordinary and extraordinary with in rituals such as, holidays and prayer. In theory, religion plays a major role in behavior, marriage, union and social inequality. For example, marriages through religion have lower divorce rates than those arranged outside of religion. Couples are planning a divorce before getting married by making prenuptial arrangements. Although, love may very well be present in these marriages, they are still thinking about themselves individually and protecting against later implications. I was in a relationship for six years and within those years we conceived to the two precious, Xavier and Joshua. If I would’ve been married through religion, the possibilities of my being a single parent today would be close to none. Religion gives marriage a greater value rather than the usual base of love. At one point we attempted to seek counseling and received a referral to a pastor who geared the entire session on compliance with divinity, plan of marriage and unity of family under his religion. In NRSV Corinthians 13;4-8, 13, Paul described the meaning of true love as follows: â€Å"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end†¦ And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (NSRV, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13) If we were to follow this definition of love, we wouldn’t be projecting our fears as individuals instead building a base for both as a whole. In this instance, my relationship would still be present as many others. Based on this and Emile Durkheim’s sociological findings religion focuses on uniting societies. â€Å"You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. †(James 2:24) Surprisingly, another social conflict within religion is due to inequality. Social order as Karl Marx points is justified by religion. He addresses capitalism as the old saying â€Å"rich get richer and poor get poorer. † Especially, in today’s economy we find the unemployment rate rising at a fast pace resulting in homeless and hungry people. Racism also went hand in hand with religion in social inequality since the nineteenth century due to ethnocentrism. It was generally believed the white dominated over people of color. They were to be kept genuine and not integrate other races even within religion, employment and their entire society. In this belief was also the premonition that God was in accordance with white superiority, or at least this was the excuse, causing the creation of â€Å"internal colonialism. † â€Å"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. †(2 Peter 1:10-11) Whites remained together, keeping all other races inferior and living in poverty. On the other hand during nineteenth century many religious groups worked against inequality and stood up for the abolishment of slavery during the civil rights movement. As stated in the Sociology text book Male Orthodox Jews say the following prayer everyday: â€Å"Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, that I was not born a gentile. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, that I was not born a slave. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, that I was not born a woman. Another form of inequality within religion is through gender. Subordination of women has come along throughout history in modern today. Although, we have come a long way inequality still exists. For example, in poor countries such as Africa and Southern Asia polygamy is practiced where it is legal for men to marry more than two women. Also, in Tibet a form of polygamy named polyandry is a lso practiced where two men can share one woman. In other areas there are still ideas that keep woman from jobs. These women go about their lives marrying, having many children and live in poverty. A man†¦is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. † (1 Corinthians 11:7-9) â€Å"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. † (1 Corinthians 14:33-35) â€Å"Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church†¦. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. † (Ephesians 5:22-24) From a Christian point of view women were sought to be a source of temptation due to the fact that Eve was to blame for Adam’s fall, it was because of her that evil came about into the world. On the other hand once again religious groups sought to fight for equality by supporting feminism and gay rights during the 1960s and 1970s. Religion has caused great social change. In time of need or illness everyone seeks for enlightenment within religion. Max Weber and his colleague Ernst Troeltsch studied precisely Calvinism, a protestant reformation movement. Calvinists believe some are selected by God to be saved and others to be damned. They then looked for signs of divine blessing and worked very hard to acquire great wealth. With this wealth they would reinvest profits resulting in the fulfillment of their calling. This Weber and Troeltsch found as the cause in rise of industrial capitalism. The poor were considered rejects of God. Throughout history Christianity has reached out to people suffering in promise of a better life in faith. Liberating people from oppression, poverty and promotion of greater equality is their purpose. Ironically in most recent years there have been a rising number of cases reported on sexual abuse by Christian priests. The Christian church claims problems arise in our society due to the ignorance in God. Families seek refuge and divinity within their churches and find the cruel reality that evil exists there. Many changes are going about with regards to religion. People are adopting other religious organizations rather than the one’s instilled from childhood. Also, as technology continues to advance secularization arise. Secularization is the decline in importance and value of the sacred and supernatural. In times of despair we now seek answers and depend on physicians. As we see change in religion we find it more questionable. Now spiritual seekers in the â€Å"New Age† movement, look into conventional religious organizations. Modernization has taken on a new twist in religion and the way we view it. With is the desire to continue conserving our real identity is rarely exactly maintained. In the following passage William Ernest Henley writes about extreme individualism and how capable we are to determine our lives: â€Å"Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeoning of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul. † Today we live in a world where terrorism, wars, death and torture of innocent are to no surprise. Every day you turn on the news there are children missing, parents killing and mistreating each other and their family. In this society everyone is running at a fast pace with a cold heart, committing selfish acts of corruption, leading abusive relationships, violence, hatred, sexual perversion, etc.. Humans are part of this society and continue responding to and redirecting their social interaction and context. The sad part of it all is that society has created all this and that religion has played a major role in directing everyone’s sense of self. Works Cited Society. J. Macionis, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 10th edition, 2009. Exploring Religious Meaning. Robert C. Monk. Walter C. Hofheinz. Kenneth T. Lawrence. Joseph D. Stamey. Bert Affleck. Tetsunao Yamamori, Upper Saddle River, NJ:Prentice-Hall, 6th edition, 2003 â€Å"Sociology of religion. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 7 Nov 2009, 23:59 UTC. 18 Nov 2009 . William Ernest Hensley, â€Å"Invictus,†Poems( New York: Scribner, 1919), p. 119 â€Å"Sociological Perspectives on Religion†

Create a Magic Genie in a Bottle Effect

Create a Magic Genie in a Bottle Effect Drop a chemical into a flask to produce a cloud of water vapor and oxygen, resembling a magic genie emerging from its bottle. This chemistry demonstration can be used to introduce the concepts of decomposition reactions, exothermic reactions, and catalysts. Magic Genie Safety Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles. The 30% hydrogen peroxide used in this demonstration is a strong oxidizing agent which should be handled with care. It is extremely corrosive and reactive. Sodium iodide should not be ingested. The chemical reaction evolves heat so it is important to use borosilicate glass and to take care that the mouth of the flask is directed away from people. Magic Genie Demonstration Materials 50 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)4 g of sodium iodide, NaI [may substitute manganese(IV) oxide]1-liter borosilicate (Pyrex or Kimax) volumetric flaskFilter paper or tissue paper The peroxide solution is considerably more concentrated than ordinary household peroxide (3%), so youll either need to obtain it from a beauty supply store, chemical supply ​store or online. Sodium iodide or manganese oxide are best obtained from chemical suppliers. Magic Genie Procedure Wrap the sodium iodide or manganese oxide in a piece of filter paper or tissue paper. Staple the paper so none of the solid can spill out.Carefully pour 50 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide solution into the volumetric flask.Set the flask a counter and cover it with a towel to protect your hands from the heat of the reaction. When you are ready, drop the packet of solid reactant into the flask. Be sure the flask is pointed away from yourself and students. The magic water vapor genie will appear!After the demonstration is complete, the liquid may be washed down the drain with excess water. Rinse the flask and dilute any spills with water before cleanup. Magic Genie Reaction Hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water vapor and oxygen gas. The sodium iodide or manganese oxide catalyzes the exothermic reaction. The reaction is: 2H2O2 (aq) → 2H2O (g) O2 (g) heat Helpful Tips for the Magic Genie Experiment Use of Pyrex, Kimax, or another type of borosilicate glass minimizes the risk of breakage.Rather than dropping the packet of sodium iodide or manganese oxide, you can hang it inside the flask by a string taped to the outside of the flask or secured (loosely) with a stopper. Do not tightly seal the flask! A stopper with a hole or two is safest.  Use a large volume flask, even though youre only using a small volume of liquid. This is because brown liquid can splash up near the conclusion of the reaction. This liquid is free iodine released from the oxidizing effect of the strong peroxide solution.Make sure you dont seal or tightly stopper the flask, as pressure buildup from a premature reaction can shatter the flask violently.Excess sodium iodide may be thrown away in the trash receptacle.Are you artistic? You can wrap the flask in foil to make it look like a magic genie bottle or lamp. While you have the 30% peroxide out, why not try the elephant toothpaste demonstration? Another interesting demonstration to try involves making violet smoke. Reference: Stone, Charles, H. J. Chem. Ed., 1944, 21, 300.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Essays (4945 words) - Computing

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Essays (4945 words) - Computing MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT ( MGT 6255 ) CASE STUDY ON MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS: MICROSOFT, DELL, INTEL, ATT, AND VIRGIN AMERICA AIRLINE Report prepared by: Abdulla Abdulqader Al- Attas (G1430873) Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u HYPERLINK \l "_Toc446759270" 1.Microsoft Corporation PAGEREF _Toc446759270 \h 3 1.1.What opportunities Microsoft missed or what did Microsoft do wrong? PAGEREF _Toc446759271 \h 3 1.2.What Microsoft should have done? PAGEREF _Toc446759274 \h 4 2.Dell PAGEREF _Toc446759275 \h 6 2.1.What Opportunities Dell Missed Or What Did Dell Do Wrong? PAGEREF _Toc446759277 \h 6 2.2.What Dell should have done to avoid this crisis? PAGEREF _Toc446759278 \h 7 3.Intel PAGEREF _Toc446759279 \h 9 3.1.What Opportunities Intel Missed Or What Did Intel Do Wrong? PAGEREF _Toc446759281 \h 9 3.2.What Intel should have done to avoid or overcome this crisis? PAGEREF _Toc446759282 \h 10 4.ATT Mobility PAGEREF _Toc446759283 \h 11 4.1.What Opportunities ATT Missed Or What Did ATT Do Wrong? PAGEREF _Toc446759285 \h 11 4.2.What ATT should have done to avoid or overcome this crisis? PAGEREF _Toc446759286 \h 12 5.Virgin America PAGEREF _Toc446759291 \h 13 5.1.What Opportunities Virgin America Missed Or What Did Virgin America Do Wrong? PAGEREF _Toc446759297 \h 13 5.2.What Virgin America should do to avoid or overcome this crisis? PAGEREF _Toc446759299 \h 13 Reference PAGEREF _Toc446759300 \h 15 Microsoft Corporation In 1975, a Harvard drop-out had a vision to see Microsoft operating system software on every personal computer desktop. Today, Microsoft has accumulated an impressive portfolio of resources, alliances, global operations, customers and critics. That made Microsoft being listed in the Fortune 100 and dominated the operating system world and a leader in multiple industries. Microsoft core business is to manufacture, license, and supports software products for computing devices and games solutions. Both Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Suit are the most profitable products. Since the 1990's, it is the most profitable IT company worldwide with 93,000 employees and supported by a strong partnership with the likes of IBM and HP, to progressively dominated the home computer and enterprise operating system market. Microsoft has also entered the computer hardware market under home entertainment products such as the Xbox 360, TV cable MSNBC. The company's initial public stock offering (IPO) was in 1986; the ensuing rise of the company's stock price has made four billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. While the initial start of Microsoft was impressive, however for the past 10 years it has missed many opportunities to maintain that leadership position, particularly when Bill gates stepped down from being Microsoft CEO and passed the helm to Steve Ballmer. What opportunities Microsoft missed or what did Microsoft do wrong? There are many opportunities that Microsoft has missed, however, we have highlighted the key products that if Microsoft made the right strategy on the products below, those other opportunities would have followed since they can be considered as added value to these key products. Mobile While, Microsoft dominance reached to a level that every screen will flash its logo and virtual desktop on every computer devices. This was mainly contributed by creating a strong partnership with major computer and server makers (hardware maker). That strategy lasted until mobile device started taking customers eyes from computer screens away. Customers have developed a new lifestyle to smartphone devices rather than having 15-inch laptops to access their corporate or personal emails and to do their tasks and it was replaced by a 6-inc device using a single hand. The smartphones threat to the personal computer is growing by about 50 percent annually. Previous Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had Windows Mobile on the market way back, but it was never a great product. Ballmer also struck a late partnership with Nokia, and the product has some neat advantages but it all smacks of too little, too late. Tablet Before Amazon and Apple introduced (kindle and iPad, respectively), Microsoft introduced to the market e-book software back in 2000. However, the screens during that time were not easy on the eye to read for hours, until Amazon introduced Kindle with a light screen to read e-books. Music One of Microsoft greatest competitors Apple was on the brink of closure until it introduced iTunes and iPod, which was a platform to download legal music and share it. Apple took what they learned from

Solitary Confinement Essays

Solitary Confinement Essays Solitary Confinement Essay Solitary Confinement Essay Throughout the United States, many of the standard regulations for juveniles that are held in solitary confinement are the same, but not all states have been direct about how some of them are treating their inmates. In recent years, Ohio has become one of the numerous states in America that has significantly reduced and eventually will restrict the use of solitary confinement on Juveniles In the youth prison systems (Richards, 2014). This is because, while under investigation by the united States Justice Department, the state of Ohio was found to be using solitary confinement in inappropriate ways that violated the Juveniles constitutional rights. Mike, Just one of the hundreds of youths incarcerated in Ohios youth prisons, has experienced the harsh and cruel treatment (Richards, 2014). Before being incarcerated, Mike had grown up In thirty-seven different foster homes. With having gone through an unstable childhood, Mike feared that for the rest of his life, he would be neglected and rejected by all of his peers (Richards 2014). The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being data shows that more than half of Juveniles with reports of neglect or rejection are at risk of committing some type of delinquent act ( C. W. I. G. 2014). Shortly after being placed in a new foster home, Mike found himself participating In illegal activities. When he was arrested, Mike was sentenced to serve five years In Shows correctional system for a felony conviction. Mike stated The longest time I spent In solitary confinement was eighteen weeks (Richards, 2014). In those eighteen weeks, restricted of any outside activity, guards would only check on IM to make sure that he was still alive. His room consisted of Just a toilet, sink, shower, bed, and a small window that was about two inches wide. Mike was left in his room with no pencil or books for most of his remaining time at the facility and was only allowed to leave his cell once a month for ten minutes. Many of the youth Inmates that were held In these facilities had either been previously diagnosed with a mental illness or later diagnosed with a mental illness after serving their time in solitary confinement. Joanne Richards, a reporter for WASP in Cleveland, states that Starting September first, punishment for all youth offenders from the age of ten to twenty-one will be limited to four hours (Richards, 2014). Many more changes are being made In Shows Juvenile Justice systems such as closely monitoring the safety of employ for the U. S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, sued Ohios Juvenile correction system for the violations against the youth offenders held in their facilities. Hill states We need to make sure that incarceration of young people is used to rehabilitate them, not Just to warehouse and forget them and certainly not damage hem in ways that make them less and less able to participate in our communities in a positive way (Richards, 2014). As this case had been further investigated by the Justice Department, they began to find out that being locked down behind bars for a month strait with a ten minute psychiatrist appointment was only affecting the youth offenders mental health negatively. Kim Parallel with the Ohio Department of Youth Services says that they plan on adjusting their strategies of rehabilitating the youth instead of locking them up for twenty four hours a day (Richards, 2014). There will be more prevention programs that reflect on the inmates to help them with their behavioral and violence problems in order to keep them from refunding and ending up incarcerated again. Pennsylvania is one of the many states that still sentences Juveniles to solitary confinement. Solitary confinement in Pennsylvania is considered as a time out (Natal 2014). During a Juveniles time in solitary confinement, each individual is locked in a room or cell. Majority of their days consist of sitting in their cell with minimal or no contact with other people besides the staff f the corrections facility. Juveniles are locked down in their cells for twenty-two to twenty-three hours a day with nothing but a bed and a toilet. Pennsylvania says that it is used as a form of discipline in order to try and prevent the young offenders from being re-incarcerated. Pennsylvania makes sure that all of their youth offenders are safe and that youths that are confined for more than twenty-three hours a day must be evaluated by a mental health professional (Natal, 2014). Solitary confinement, a harsh and cruel punishment, provides many reasons to be banned in the Juvenile recreational system. Punishing children by locking them up for twenty-three hours a day is eliminating the opportunity for them to grasp where they went wrong and how to prevent further crimes. Children that commit crimes at a young age need to be taught and guided into the right direction so that their illegal activities of choice will not be committed again. Focusing on rehabilitation for these Juveniles should be the number one priority of the Juvenile Justice system, in order to lower the rate of youth offenders in detention. Juvenile solitary confinement is not only affecting a childs opportunity to grow, but can also discourage him mentally and physically. Examples of eventual and immediate psychological harms are anxiety, rage, insomnia, self harm, suicidal thoughts, and struggling with mental disabilities Jackson, 2012). The negative physical effects that solitary confinement has on Juveniles are lack of adequate exercise, stunted growth, social and developmental harm, and denial of family contact Jackson, 2012). Because of these negative consequences of solitary confinement, there must be other, more effective types of treatment of Juvenile delinquents. Psychology and psychiatry are two alternative methods to solitary confinement. Working through and talking about problems with a psychologist could potentially treat and rehabilitate a child by allowing him to discuss and explain his issues rather than keeping them bottled up with rage. Psychiatry could provide a solution to a problem that the child does not even know he has. Seeing a specialist juvenile than locking him in a cell to deal with things on his own. The previously mentioned Pennsylvania law about youths confined for over twenty-three hours should be instituted in more states. Another alternative treatment method could be allowing the child to discuss his problems with his peers. This option gives the opportunity for the adolescent to grow with others, realize what led him to crime, and how to build relationships with people who can help rather than harm. Isolation and cruel punishment does not have to be the answer. At this point in time, minimal efforts are happening in America to end the harsh treatment of Juveniles in solitary confinement. Although states like Ohio and Pennsylvania have drawn minor attention to the youth offenders spending all of their time alone, there is still cruel treatment nonetheless.

The Role of Women as Shown through Marriage Law Essay

The Role of Women as Shown through Marriage Law - Essay Example As the essay declares women have always suffered a subjugated role in all societies from the beginning of civilization, surviving records from several ancient societies reveal that women are only just now surpassing the freedoms afforded them centuries ago. Although the women of ancient Sumeria didn’t have quite the same freedoms experienced by women of the modern world, a look back through the laws of Assyria and the Old Testament reveal a gradual tightening of restrictions placed on women in reaction to either political or theological threats, eventually leading to near drudgery status for most women through history’s most imbalanced periods. This paper discusses that marriage laws within this code are very specific regarding the rights of the woman being almost equal to the rights of the man. For example, the bride’s family had to agree to the marriage by accepting the bride-price from the groom’s family. That the girl was a valued member of society is indicated in that this bride-price, along with a dowry provided by her family, went with her into her new marriage and remained her property for life. Underscoring the value of the bride to her family is the idea that the bride is always a member of her father’s house, regardless of to whom or how long she has been married. The code of King Hammurabi also provided for near equal chance to divorce. When the man opted to divorce the woman, she retained custody of any children and he had to pay the ancient day equivalent of child support.

The shear box test on soil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The shear box test on soil - Essay Example The shear box test has an advantage over test because of the simplicity of equipment used and the ease in setting it up. The Shear test box also tests soil samples under different conditions such as consolidation, drainage, and saturation conditions. Another advantage of the shear box test is that it is easy to visualize what is happening to the soil as the test is being carried out. Various processes using the shear box test determine these properties. In determining the soil, these properties the results of the test are tabulated and graphs are drawn. Interpretation of the graphs is what gives significant meaning to some of the soil properties being studied. Purpose of the test A shear box test is used in geotechnical engineering to test various properties of soil. These soil properties include; friction angle, peak shear strength, soil cohesion, and the residual shear strength of the soil being studied. The key purpose for carrying out the test is to enable geotechnical engineers decide on the consolidated-drained shear strength of a silt to sandy soil. Shear strength is a very important aspect in engineering when determining soil properties. This is because most structures are based on soil’s shearing strength or resistance. Therefore, any time a structure is to be constructed it is important that the soil’s shear resistance be analyzed as the first step to decide on the whether it will be possible to construct. The shear strength of a discontinuity is considered to be of lower strength when compared to blocks with intact material between the discontinuities. These important facts and the results of shear tests enable the engineers to determine important aspects of engineering. These include determining the bearing dimensions for foundations, computing the stability of cuts and slopes, and in finding the amount of pressure that an area of soil exerts on the wall it retains (Price & De Freitas, 2009, p. 361). Brief description of the test set u p The Apparatus â€Å"A definitive test apparatus mainly consists of the following apparatus. Rigid split box that has a top and a bottom these are place inside a shear box carriage, which is box, shaped. The carriage rests on a pair of rollers that are aligned to move along two grooved tracks. The shear apparatus is controlled by a motor, which is also connected in the apparatus† (Huat, et al., 2005, p. 1284). The set up The test is carried out on three or four specimen taken from a comparatively undisturbed soil samples. The set-up of the test experiment follows the following procedures: 1. The first step is to weigh the initial mass of the soil sample 1. Next is to take the shear box’s measurements that are the diameter and height 2. From the measurements calculate what 15 percent of the diameter will be in millimeters 3. Next step involves assembling the shear box and placing it into the shear device. 4. Place a porous stone and a filter paper into the shear box 5. Pour the soil sample, for example sand, inside the shear box and remove the top layer to ensure it is level 6. Put a porous stone on top of the sand then cover it with a filter paper and then place the top plate which usually has a ball 7. After that take away the alignment screws that are in the shear box and using these screws open the gap that is between the two shear box halves to 0.025 inches. After that remove the screws from the gaps 8. Take the weight of the soil again and calculate the total mass of soil used 9. Finish assembling the device and set the three

Focusing on Financial Impact & Innovation TLMT 441 forum 2 Assignment

Focusing on Financial Impact & Innovation TLMT 441 forum 2 - Assignment Example According to Mullineux (2008), financial innovation enables firms to raise funds for investment, which is critical in lowering production cost. Similarly, the growth is developed by new technologies and not driven by profit-maximization. They help in supporting entrepreneurs to create new methods to fund and screen technologists. Financial innovation is poised as the economic engine of the societies, at the same time, castigated as source of weakness of the economy (Bansal, 2006). Empirically, the source of financial innovation is poorly understood by entrepreneurs. These innovations refer to advances in technology that expedite access to information, payment, and trading approaches (Bansal, 2006). Financial innovation shapes the monetary policies of countries. On the other hand, financial development in media and payment systems has created a substitute for note, which is a reserve of the central banking (Bansal, 2006). For instance, they have enhanced e-banking and online money transfer that enhances money circulation. In other words, financial innovation facilitates the operation of monetary policies (Allen, 2004). They enhance transfer of money, contract on futures values, and allow negotiability of

Competitors of Trading Company in Singapore Assignment

Competitors of Trading Company in Singapore - Assignment Example The company’s portfolio consists of an impressive collection of about forty premium beer brands which includes famous brands like Heineken, ABC Extra shot, Barons Strong Dew etc. The company represents the premium Netherlands based brand Heineken in about sixty markets which are spread across ten nations of the globe. The company has achieved credible quality certifications like the ISO 9001: 2000, â€Å"Critical Control Point† and â€Å"Hazard Analysis† recognition as a mark of its strive towards marinating high-quality standard in the products. The firm has been consistently rated by many organizations including KPMG for providing excellent quality products and consistently adding value for its customers (Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd, 2010). Chiap Seng & Co is a Singapore based company which is engaged in importing food items from various nations. The company was established in the year 1958 and has carved a niche for itself in the Singapore market. The product portfolio of the firm is quite varied and includes food kinds of stuff like oils, bottled grocer, canned foods, preserved foods, dry fruits etc. In addition to these products, the company also imports products like vermicelli, olive, pork etc from various nations across the globe. The company has expanded over the years and is presently engaged in exporting and whole selling goods in the Singapore market in addition to importing premium quality branded food items into the nation (Chiap Seng & Co, 2002). Wine Boss is a wine importing firm based in Singapore. It is incorporated as Wine Boss Trading Pte Ltd. The company is engaged in the import of quality wines from Australia, USA, France, Argentina and Spain. The firm imports premium branded wines from these nations and sells them to various channels in Singapore. The company also provides special customized packages for its customers. This includes providing wine arrangements at parties, clubs, and hotels.  

Report for Advance Software Engineering for Stage Two Essay

Report for Advance Software Engineering for Stage Two - Essay Example As discussed earlier in stage 1 reflection that all of us were working on pair level and it was not easy for us to conclude the best idea therefore we suffered a lot during project planning. Through mashwara, we felt better understanding because every one was only giving his opinion instead of dictating his strategy. Instead of working on the project in isolation we also experienced and enjoyed the pair programming strategy. It was really an amazing approach which reduced the development time errors quite significantly. The incremental approach also helped quite significantly as it enabled us to abstract the future details of the project and allowed us to focus on the issues at hand. Specifically speaking during the thread management and usage of patterns it was very much effective to keep concentrating on the local issues rather than thinking upon the 'unseen challenges of the later aspects of the project'. To me, planning the whole project and then breaking it down into modules cou ld be useful and beneficial approach for all experienced managers and for a team with a higher level of communication, support and trust within them. However, for groups like ours, I found it better to set some short terms goals, complete them and then proceed towards the later parts of the project. Indeed, I feel integration may be a problematic issue for very large projects but not of course for this project. From technical aspects, the most interesting parts of the project are thread management and usage of patterns. Understanding threads as a tool for concurrent programming within the application is an exciting experience. It took some time for me to get comfortable with thread programming because of its different nature as compared to other programming techniques. During the project it was not a big deal to apply threads; however, I think handling concurrency issues, race conditions and avoidance of deadlocks may wreak havoc in a heavily multithreaded application. To be honest, I still have to learn a true multi threaded environment and how to optimally use this powerful technique to improve the efficiency of the application. Improper usage of the threads may also cause unwanted delays and other vulnerabilities during the program. As compared to the agile programming approach I found 'Design Pattern' to be more complicated, interesting and powerful software design technique as a learner. A design pattern introduced by the gang of four is an incredible way to structure the application design for extensions, flexibility and more towards a generic design. INDIVIDUAL REPORT Threads Threads can be used for concurrent execution of the unit parts of the programs within the application execution environment. A program may be fragmented if no dependencies are found within each block and can be executed through threads concurrently. This concurrent execution speeds up the application and is very helpful for (some how) parallel processing tasks over a single process or. Fortunately, recent processors are significantly supporting the usage of threads and improving the program throughput quite noticeably. Furthermore the threads allow a programmer to accurately map the real world scenarios with the application as it was the case in our project too. There are several 'works' or 'processing’s' going on concurrently in the real world. Like, the

Contract law and neoclassical contract law Essay

Contract law and neoclassical contract law - Essay Example Contract law is made up of certain rules that are set to govern the connection, substance and legitimacy of a formal agreement between two or more parties- which may include individuals or organizations- for the purpose of selling of goods or services, or exchange of business interests12. Contract law is applicable to these and many other business activities between multiple parties who want to enter into a valid agreement or contract for the accomplishment of their business objectives. This agreement contains such rules that are also recognized by the law which means that if one party is offended when the other party breaks the rule, then the former party has all rights to submit petition in the court of law against the later party and can sue it. Before signing the agreement, the two parties may want to hold pre-emptive discussions or negotiations. These discussions are not part of the contract but only a preliminary exchange of views. For example, if a bookstore is displaying book s with price tags on its shelves, then before the contract between the seller and the buyer is formalized, the seller may go into bargain and bring the seller down to a lower price. Once the price is confirmed, the buyer then pas the price and enters into a contract. The contract law, on one hand, tends to protect the law from breaking and on the other, defines terms and conditions when a dispute occurs. According to Larson3, a contract must involve mutual consent of the two parties, offer and acceptance, mutual exchange of something of value, delivery, good faith, and no violation of the public policy. The present status of contract law is referred to as neoclassical contract law and it addresses the downsides of the classical contract law. Macneil4 defines neoclassical contracting as the one that offers â€Å"a different contracting relation that preserves trading but provides for additional governance structure†. So, there is a third party involved that solves the disputes and brings about settlement between the two parties involved in the agreement. According to Williamson5, â€Å"perceptive parties reject classical contract law and move into a neoclassical contracting regime because this better facilitates continuity and promotes efficient adaptation†. The two parties remain autonomous but the contract is interceded by a third party regulatory agency6. Examples from Relevant Areas of Contract Law Internet Sales Contract Regulations One good example of the application of contract law is the online market. The Internet Sales Contract Regulations have specifically been designed for the consumers who are either the residents of Alberta or engage in e-commerce with companies located inside Alberta. This contract deals with only those goods and services which are worth more than $50 bought or sold for personal use. The regulation deals with formal business transactions within companies and not with a single individual. There are certain disclosure statements stated in the regulations that instruct the online vendor or seller to provide certain information to the consumer before making the transaction. This information is very vital for the consumer’s satisfaction so that he knows that he is entering into a safe and protected contract with the company and that there is no chance of any fraudulent activity. This information is to be printed on the website. The company is liable to provide the consumer with a copy of the contract made either in the electronic form or in paper, according to the consumer’s requirement. Consumer Protection Legislation The EU’s contract law, referred to as consumer protection legislation, consists of several Acts that ensure the protection of consumer guaranteed from the seller’s side. These Acts include Fair Trading Act 1973 (ensures fair e-commerce), Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973 (deals with hire-purchase contracts), Sale of Goods Act 1979 (describes the rig hts of the seller), Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (describes the

Competitors of Trading Company in Singapore Assignment

Competitors of Trading Company in Singapore - Assignment Example The company’s portfolio consists of an impressive collection of about forty premium beer brands which includes famous brands like Heineken, ABC Extra shot, Barons Strong Dew etc. The company represents the premium Netherlands based brand Heineken in about sixty markets which are spread across ten nations of the globe. The company has achieved credible quality certifications like the ISO 9001: 2000, â€Å"Critical Control Point† and â€Å"Hazard Analysis† recognition as a mark of its strive towards marinating high-quality standard in the products. The firm has been consistently rated by many organizations including KPMG for providing excellent quality products and consistently adding value for its customers (Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd, 2010). Chiap Seng & Co is a Singapore based company which is engaged in importing food items from various nations. The company was established in the year 1958 and has carved a niche for itself in the Singapore market. The product portfolio of the firm is quite varied and includes food kinds of stuff like oils, bottled grocer, canned foods, preserved foods, dry fruits etc. In addition to these products, the company also imports products like vermicelli, olive, pork etc from various nations across the globe. The company has expanded over the years and is presently engaged in exporting and whole selling goods in the Singapore market in addition to importing premium quality branded food items into the nation (Chiap Seng & Co, 2002). Wine Boss is a wine importing firm based in Singapore. It is incorporated as Wine Boss Trading Pte Ltd. The company is engaged in the import of quality wines from Australia, USA, France, Argentina and Spain. The firm imports premium branded wines from these nations and sells them to various channels in Singapore. The company also provides special customized packages for its customers. This includes providing wine arrangements at parties, clubs, and hotels.  

Contract law and neoclassical contract law Essay

Contract law and neoclassical contract law - Essay Example Contract law is made up of certain rules that are set to govern the connection, substance and legitimacy of a formal agreement between two or more parties- which may include individuals or organizations- for the purpose of selling of goods or services, or exchange of business interests12. Contract law is applicable to these and many other business activities between multiple parties who want to enter into a valid agreement or contract for the accomplishment of their business objectives. This agreement contains such rules that are also recognized by the law which means that if one party is offended when the other party breaks the rule, then the former party has all rights to submit petition in the court of law against the later party and can sue it. Before signing the agreement, the two parties may want to hold pre-emptive discussions or negotiations. These discussions are not part of the contract but only a preliminary exchange of views. For example, if a bookstore is displaying book s with price tags on its shelves, then before the contract between the seller and the buyer is formalized, the seller may go into bargain and bring the seller down to a lower price. Once the price is confirmed, the buyer then pas the price and enters into a contract. The contract law, on one hand, tends to protect the law from breaking and on the other, defines terms and conditions when a dispute occurs. According to Larson3, a contract must involve mutual consent of the two parties, offer and acceptance, mutual exchange of something of value, delivery, good faith, and no violation of the public policy. The present status of contract law is referred to as neoclassical contract law and it addresses the downsides of the classical contract law. Macneil4 defines neoclassical contracting as the one that offers â€Å"a different contracting relation that preserves trading but provides for additional governance structure†. So, there is a third party involved that solves the disputes and brings about settlement between the two parties involved in the agreement. According to Williamson5, â€Å"perceptive parties reject classical contract law and move into a neoclassical contracting regime because this better facilitates continuity and promotes efficient adaptation†. The two parties remain autonomous but the contract is interceded by a third party regulatory agency6. Examples from Relevant Areas of Contract Law Internet Sales Contract Regulations One good example of the application of contract law is the online market. The Internet Sales Contract Regulations have specifically been designed for the consumers who are either the residents of Alberta or engage in e-commerce with companies located inside Alberta. This contract deals with only those goods and services which are worth more than $50 bought or sold for personal use. The regulation deals with formal business transactions within companies and not with a single individual. There are certain disclosure statements stated in the regulations that instruct the online vendor or seller to provide certain information to the consumer before making the transaction. This information is very vital for the consumer’s satisfaction so that he knows that he is entering into a safe and protected contract with the company and that there is no chance of any fraudulent activity. This information is to be printed on the website. The company is liable to provide the consumer with a copy of the contract made either in the electronic form or in paper, according to the consumer’s requirement. Consumer Protection Legislation The EU’s contract law, referred to as consumer protection legislation, consists of several Acts that ensure the protection of consumer guaranteed from the seller’s side. These Acts include Fair Trading Act 1973 (ensures fair e-commerce), Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973 (deals with hire-purchase contracts), Sale of Goods Act 1979 (describes the rig hts of the seller), Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (describes the

Health Insurance and Managed Care Essay Example for Free

Health Insurance and Managed Care Essay There are a myriad of issues that concern current federal health policies. These new issues emerged from a number of health policy agendas. Several issues are emerging as of late due to the notion that health care is usually perceived as prelude to issues concerning physical health problems. Federal health policies range from mental illnesses and physical therapy issues. The four central issues concerning federal health issues are: Health Insurance Access, Primary Care for Patients, Quality Management in Hospitals, and the Advancement of Healthcare Organizations. These issues constitute a broader set of issues, which concerns federal health policies. The advancement of new medical techonology has generated many opportunities for managed care spcecially in hospitals. These advances in the field of medical health allows medical practitioners to be more adept in handling patients. Furthermore, advanced technology has made precise diagnosis and apt treatment for complex illnesses. With this in mind, human diseases are given remedies in order to treat patients. However, a bevy of issues have emerged regarding managed care. This makes the issue of medical technology complicated in many ways. Healthcare providers are affected by such issue. Medical technologies that reduce costs and present high cost benefit ratio are eventually reimbursed. Such issues are taken into consideration by major health sectors. Wireless Devices and Applications The global proliferation of wireless devices and applications has been surpising. Wireless communications has seen an upscale growth due to the clamor for fast-paced business communications nowadays. Trends like carries and Bluetooth techonology are one of the most discussed issues whenever wireless applications come into mind. The issues of carriers are still similar since they wireless communication first emerged. However, wireless carries demand extra payments for consumers. Carriers are supposed to augment the services of telecommunication companies, though they are also responsible for revenue-sharing arrangements of telecom companies. Emerging trends of wireless communication include: †¢ Integration with native phone Apps (Camera, Media Gallery etc) †¢ Rich and more engaging user experience †¢ Faster access †¢ Reduced clicks †¢ Low latency †¢ Lower bandwidth requirement Nowadays, the use of mobile web is increasing. Wireless devices are being used people ranging from students to company executives. The proliferation of Wi-Fi hotspots have been evident. The use of 3G mobile broadband increased as well. These and other issues indicate that the wireless telecommunications industry is sustaining a sporadic growth and progress.

The South China Sea Dispute

The South China Sea Dispute On 26 May and 9 June 2011, just before and after the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore, in which China emphasized its commitment of maintaining peace and stability in South China Sea, Chinese fishery patrol ships cut seismometer cables of Vietnams Binh Minh 02 and Viking 02 oil exploration vessels within Vietnams Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), triggering a series of public demonstrations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. Vietnamese accused China of systematic action that is aimed at turning the undisputed area belonging to Vietnam into an area under dispute in order to materialize Chinas nine-dotted line claim in the East Sea  [2]  . China responded to the complaint and protests by warning that any exploration in the vicinity of the disputed Spratly islands without its consent was a violation of its jurisdiction and sovereignty.  [3]   The incident is just another evidence for the increasing tension in the Sino-Vietnamese relations over the South China Sea dispute which has become a hot spot. The complex dispute is not only about the potential natural resources or strategic locations of the area, but most importantly the territorial sovereignty. In this dispute, Vietnam faces a challenging dilemma: how to maintain and develop the strategic bilateral ties with China and settle the dispute in favor of its national interest at the same time? Tracing the concerns of Vietnam, an overview of the dispute will be provided in the first section before it comes to the policy discussion in the second section, in which six possible options are put forward: (1) Multilateralize the dispute through ASEAN forum; (2) Internationalize the dispute by involving outside major powers; (3) Resort to the international law of the sea and international arbitration; (4) Build up self-reliance; (5) Go for joint management of overlapped resourc es; (6) Cooperate and struggle bilaterally and multilaterally. The paper concludes with recommendation of a comprehension approach which is cooperating and struggling bilaterally and multilaterally (policy option 6). II. OVERVIEW OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE BETWEEN VIETNAM AND CHINA 1. The significance of the South China Sea The South China Sea is a part of the Pacific Ocean which encompasses a large area of about 3,500,000 square kilometers, spreading from Singapore and the Strait of Malacca to the Strait of Taiwan. It comprises more than 200 small islands, reefs, and cays, most of which are inhabited. The two largest archipelagoes are the Paracel islands which covers an area of about 15,000 square kilometers with about 30 islets and reefs, and the Spratly islands which stretches over an area of 180,000 square kilometers with more than 100 features.  [4]  It is widely acknowledged that the South China Sea, especially the two largest archipelagoes, has a great importance in terms of geo-politics as well as geo-economics because of its strategic location as a busy passageway for about one third of worlds ships and presumed rich natural resources, especially oil and gas, underneath.  [5]   2. The South China Sea Dispute Apart from Vietnam and China, the South China Sea dispute involves four other disputants, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. All disputants except Brunei occupy certain area. Vietnam occupies 21 islands, the Philippines, eight, China, seven, Malaysia, five and Taiwan, one.  [6]  All claims are made based on different historical rights, colonial inheritance, territorial and legal grounds, including overlapping and competing claims over either maritime zone or sovereignty over islands. The Philippines refers to the principle of discovery of unclaimed territories and claims sovereignty over Kalayaan archipelago which comprises eight islands in the Spratly archipelago  [7]  . Brunei and Malaysia make advantage of legal bases given by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS or Convention) to assert their sovereignty rights over reefs for Brunei and islands in the southern Spratly for Malaysia. Taiwan, based on historical ground, claims its right over the Pratas island which used to be occupied by China. China claims are based on the so-called nine-dotted U-shape line which first appeared in a map published in 1948 in a private publication in China and encompasses about 80 percent of the South China Sea, including the Paracel and the Spartly islands. Despite China claims its sovereignty over this area, giving that it has historical rights to do so because the Han dynasty in the second century used it as the navigation route,  [8]  it has never officially declared and ignored calls to clarify if it also claims to the rights over maritime space enclosed which is far beyond 12 nautical miles from the disputed islands and includes EEZ and continental shelves that overlaps the continental shelves of other claimants as stipulated in the 1982 UNCLOS.  [9]  While the authenticity of Chinas historical rights to sovereignty over the area as well as its claim over the maritime water remains unclear, China opposes any activities by other claimants within this U-shape line. Vietnam makes reference to historical data, effective occupation, colonial inheritance and legal ground to claim its sovereignty over the Paracel and the Spratly islands as well as more than 200 nautical miles of continental rights as stipulated in the 1982 UNCLOS. It has cited a number of credible documents and maps to prove its occupation and sovereignty exercise over the islands since at least the Le dynasty in the 15th century, throughout the French colonial time until 1974, when China used force to seize the Paracel, killing 53 Vietnamese soldiers  [10]  and 1988, when the two sides clashed again in the Spartly islands, Vietnam lost 7 islands to China and 64 Vietnamese soldiers were killed.  [11]  The Paracel and 7 lost islands in the Spratly islands were placed under the jurisdiction of Hainan Province. Below are some recent developments that provide a snapshot of the increasing tension between the two countries over the dispute: In May 2009, Vietnam and Malaysia submitted a joint report on territorial claims in the South China Sea to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. In response, China submitted its U-shape line map.  [12]   On 26 May and 9 June 2011, China ship cut the cables of two Vietnamese oil explorations vessels, ramping up the public protests in Vietnam. China detains and seizes hundreds of Vietnamese fishermen every year, accusing them of violating its unilateral fishing ban. On 22 February 2012, Vietnam accused China of shooting and damaging a Vietnamese fishing boat near the Paracel. On 3 March 2012, China detained 21 Vietnamese fishermen and their two boats in waters near the Paracel and demanded each boat $11,000. Vietnam strongly protested against the requests  [13]  . On 15 June 2012, Vietnam conducted a military air patrol over the Spratly islands and then announced regular air patrol practice. In response, on 28 June 2012, China also commenced regular air patrol to the Spratly islands.  [14]   China warns and threatens foreign companies for joint oil exploration activities with Vietnam in the overlapping area while offering oil blocks to its foreign partners. On 23 June 2012, China offered nine blocks located within Vietnams 200 nautical miles EEZ to foreign operators. Vietnam condemned Chinas illegal offer and requested China to cease the bidding.  [15]   On 21 June 2012, Vietnam passed the Law of the Sea of Vietnam restating its claims over the Paracel and Spratlly islands. In a tit-for-tat response, China immediately announced the establishment of prefecture-level Sansha City (officially created on 24 July 2012) to administer the disputed islands and surrounding waters as well as the establishment of a military base (officially created on 19 July 2012) in the City. Vietnam condemned the establishment of Sansha City, stating that it violated international law, seriously violating Vietnam sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly archipelagoes.  [16]   The above developments indicate an action-reaction cycle with escalating strains in the South China Sea which makes it difficult to reach a solution acceptable by the both sides. The following section will discuss several policy options for Vietnam to settle the South China Sea dispute with China. III. POLICY OPTIONS 1. Multilateralize the dispute through ASEAN forum This option implies that Vietnam should continue to highlight the issue in ASEAN; emphasize the impacts of the dispute on the regional stability and peace in order to forge a united front to persuade China to solve the issue peacefully and multilaterally.  [17]   ASEAN comprises four out of six claimants, thus it is the most important platform for claimants to meet, discuss and seek for available solutions. The body achieved some success in building mutual trust and confidence between ASEAN claimants and China. Some evidences are the 1992 Declaration on the South China Sea, the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) and the 2011 Guidelines to Implement the DOC in which stated that the dispute should be solved by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned. These documents, however, have no legal force. Therefore, ASEAN and China have also agreed in principle that a more binding Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC) needs to be quickly completed and adopted. Yet the ASEANs effectiveness in solving the dispute is being questioned. As mentioned, the DOC was just a political statement with no legal binding requirement. China agreed to discuss the COC at an appropriate timing but has never stated when an appropriate timing is.  [18]  Most importantly, divisions between member states, stemming from different perspectives on the South China Sea and differences in the value each member places on their relations with China, have prevented ASEAN from coming to a consensus on the issue.  [19]  On one side, claimants might share the same stand towards China but none of them is willing to compromise with other claimants over the sovereignty issue. On the other side, non-claimants ASEAN members value the relations with China which are believed to be affected if they are pulled into any undesirable conflict with China. The recent failure of ASEAN in bringing forward a joint statement at the July 2012 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh due to the divergence in attitudes towards the dispute is a clear evidence for this internal ASEAN clash. This also indicates Chinas influence over other ASEAN members, Cambodia as ASEAN Chair in this case, to maintain its interests. Even if Vietnam, through its lobby efforts to pull ASEAN claimants and non-claimants together, it is still difficult to reach a solution since China insists on its bilateral negotiation strategy of treat each case differently, and defeat each one separately.  [20]   2. Internationalize the dispute by involving outside major powers This option suggests that Vietnam should deepen its multifaceted relations, including economic, diplomatic and military cooperation, with outside powers who have interests in the South China Sea; emphasize the importance of the peace and stability of South China Sea towards their interests in order to encourage a common effort of navigating Chinas assertive claims and actions in the region. Over the past years, Vietnam has had some success in expanding and strengthening its relations with major powers through a wide range of cooperation, including regular military visits, military technology and weapons exchanges and joint energy exploration. For example, to deepen relations with the U.S who has the largest economic interests in the South China Sea with $1.2 trillion out of $5.3 trillion of total trade passes, Vietnam has facilitated joint rescue exercise with the U.S army, allowed U.S warship to access the military Carm Ranh Bay for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War  [21]  , offered gas and oil block in Vietnams EEZ to the U.S ExxonMobil oil company, etc. This results in a stronger stake of the U.S in the disputed area. At the 2010 Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore, the then U.S Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed U.S interests in Vietnams offshore oil exploration and declared that the U.S opposes to any effort to intimidate U.S corporations or th ose of any nation engaged in legitimate economic activity  [22]  . At the 2010 ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi, U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton declared that the United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, open access to Asias maritime commons and respect for international law in the South China Sea and called for a collaborative diplomatic process by all claimants for resolving the various territorial disputes. Apart from the U.S, Vietnam has been trying to boost relations with other major powers. For instance, in September 2011, Vietnam was successful to reach an agreement on joint exploration with India. Vietnam has also supported activities of Russian energy company Gazprom in joint oil exploration projects in Vietnams maritime waters. Besides, during 2009 alone, Vietnam bought from Russia six Kilo-grass submarines and 12 Su-30MKK fighters, becoming one of top weapon importers of Russia  [23]  . The growing relationship with major powers as well as incre asing involvement of these major powers in the disputed area does help to increase Vietnams leverage to China in the South China Sea dispute. Now China made efforts to further engage Vietnam through party-to-party talks and keep their disagreements behind closed door.  [24]   However, Vietnam should stay aware that strong alignments with major powers to balance too aggressively against China would irritate China and lead to subsequent negative economic and political consequences. Meanwhile, Vietnam cannot outright rely on any major powers because these countries have their own priorities and their consistent longstanding position in the South China Sea is neutrality. In other words, they might be willing to sacrifice the relation with Vietnam if it conflicts with their priority interests. Vietnam should never get too close to any powers but better to maintain limited alignments to just keep China in check. 3. Resort to the international law of the sea and international arbitration This option recommends that Vietnam should resort to the international frameworks to solve the dispute, that is, Vietnam should present evidences of its sovereignty rights over the Paracel and Spratly islands, which abides by the 1982 UNCLOS, to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in order to gain international support and acknowledgment of Vietnams facts on the ground while at the same time putting pressure on China to clarify its claims and evidences. The 1982 UNCLOS is aimed to manage potential conflicts/disputes among countries over the rights to the worlds ocean. It holds valid legal title to sovereignty over their islands has exclusive right to exploit living and nonliving resources within 12 miles of their territorial sea and 200 miles beyond, known as the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).  [25]   Vietnam has ratified and abided by the 1982 UNCLOS since 1994. Its 2012 Law of the Sea, in which clarifying its territorial seas, EEZ and continental shelf, was also built on the provisions of the 1982 UNCLOS. Vietnam has also been providing its historical data showing that it has been exercising effective occupation of the islands for a long time. Recently, it introduced a 1904 Chinese official map which showed that the Paracel and Spratly islands were not belong to China  [26]  and received attention from international experts and community. Therefore, it is very likely that Vietnam will win over China if the case is sent to the international tribunal. China is also a participant of the UNCLOS (since 1996) but its interpretation of the Convention is controversial. China has never clarified its vague claim of historical rights of the area inside the U-shape line which is not suitable and so unlikely to be supported by the provisions of the law. It rejected the mechanism for international arbitration and adjudication provided by UNCLOS  [27]  and prefers bilateral negotiations with other claimants in which China will have more advantageous position. 4. Build up self-reliance This option proposes Vietnam to build up its internal economic and military capabilities to deter Chinas aggression by continuing reforming its economy and modernizing its military forces. Given that China used to use force to seize the Paracel and a part of the Spratly in the past as well as it has been developing its military strengths and being more assertive to claim its ownership over the islands, there could be a chance that China would use force again and/or use its overwhelming economic power to put pressure on Vietnam and other countries to give up on the issue. Being aware of Chinas threat, Vietnamese government has been developing its internal strengths, both economic and military inclusive, especially military capability. Compared to 2003, Vietnams military spending has been increased by 83% in 2012  [28]  , in which mostly is invested in developing naval and air forces; a large amount of budget has been spent on weapons purchase. Vietnam is currently one of the top importers of Russias weapons  [29]  . It is also persuading the U.S to lift the ban on lethal weapons so that it could purchase more U.S weapons and modernize military.  [30]  Pessimists believe that despite economic and military strengthening efforts, Vietnam can never outweigh China in economy and military power but still under Chinas influence. Economically, China is the largest economic partner of Vietnam with expected two-way trade of $60 billion in 2015; Chinese products currently account 60% imports of Vietnam  [31]  . Militarily, Vietnams 2012 military budget is $3.3 billion while Chinas is $106.4 billion  [32]  . However, these economic and military strengthening efforts still deserve a try because if conflict is the case, it will impose certain costs on China and so deter Chinas aggressive actions. 5. Go for joint management of overlapped resources This option implies Vietnams possible consideration of joint management of resources at areas where claims are overlapped with China. This means both sides have to reach a consensus over the measure of maritime space surrounding each island, regardless of ownership, and then agree to jointly administer the overlapped claimed area outside the maritime space. This differs from the early 1990s proposal of shelving disputes and going for joint development by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in which China ignored the possibility of joint development in the Paracel while proposing a joint management with Vietnam in the West Vanguard Bank Basin locating in Vietnams maritime waters.  [33]   Obstacles to this attempt of joint management is that China claims much of the South China Sea, including most of the Vietnams islands and asserts its rights to unilaterally benefit from the resources while Vietnam is also strong in its position of sovereignty rights over these islands. Both sides have condemned each other of exploring and exploiting natural resources, mainly fish and gas-oil, within their maritime waters. China consistently challenged foreign oil companies having joint exploration activities with Vietnam and warned them of unspecified consequences in their business dealings with China. This uncompromising attitude by the both sides, especially by China, makes it impossible for a consensus to be reached on measuring the overlapped area which is not really belongs to any party. 6. Policy Recommendation: Cooperate and struggle bilaterally and multilaterally Vietnam should consider a comprehensive approach that provides it with flexibility and effectiveness in dealing with China. This option is, therefore, recommended because it develops a comprehensive approach by taking into account of both bilateral and multilateral cooperation and struggle, considering the special characteristics of the Sino-Vietnamese relationship: Deepen the multifaceted bilateral relationship with China through different networks of Party-to-Party, Government-to-Government, and People-to-People, especially Party-to-Party channel. History shows that the special relation between the two communist parties enables the two sides to repair their bilateral relations fast after serious incidents. For example, strains in the Vietnam-China relations after the May and June 2011 events was significantly reduced after the visit to China by Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2011 when the two sides agreed on the six basic principles in settlement of the dispute, emphasizing the importance of negotiations and friendly consultations.  [34]   Encourage ASEAN unity as a primary multilateral platform to counter Chinas assertiveness. ASEAN has certain setbacks but it cannot be denied that through DOC and other cooperation mechanisms such as ARF, FTA, ASEAN has some significant success in building mutual confidence and developing mutual interests with China. Of course, as analyzed, it is tough to forge a united and effective stance among ASEAN members; however, common interests of peace, free navigation and other legal interests under the 1982 UNCLO could be driving forces to make this more likely to happen. Deepen ties with major powers. Direct interests of maintaining free navigation in the South China Sea are motivations for these powers to align with ASEAN and Vietnam to balance against Chinas aggression. The depth and durability of commitment by these major powers, however, might be doubted because they also have their own priorities. Therefore, Vietnam should not outright rely on the outside powers to outright balance against China, but maintain a safety distance from either side and at the same time build up its capacity for self-reliance. Well prepare and announce sufficient historical and legal data to prove Vietnams sovereignty rights over the Paracel and Spartly islands; mobilize media, including social media, to effectively involve in the issue by providing transparent and correct information in order to make Chinese people and international community to understand correctly about the situation, urge the world to support Vietnam and impose pressure on China to clarify its claims. III. CONCLUSION The South China Sea dispute between Vietnam and China has become more and more sensitive and complicated because both countries are so strong in their own positions in the dispute that no one is willing to compromise their rights over the Paracel and Spratly islands a convergence of geo-politics and geo-economics. Vietnam has more credible historical and legal data to prove its sovereignty rights over the islands but the strategic significance of China to Vietnam and Chinas assertiveness put Vietnam in a policy dilemma between developing the strategic bilateral relationship and struggling to win over China in the dispute. To reduce tensions, Vietnam should have a comprehensive approach, that is, boosting bilateral ties while seeking ways to balance against China at the same time, internally or externally. In this connection, this paper recommends Vietnam to simultaneously (i) deepen its multifaceted relationship with China through Party-to-Party, Government-to-Government and People- to-People channels; (ii) continue to take advantage of ASEAN as a primary platform to counter Chinas claims; (iii) develop ties with major powers while not forget to build up self-reliance; and (iv) make public all evidence to prove Vietnams sovereignty rights to the Paracel and Spratly island in order to gain support from international community and put pressure on China to clarify its claims and deter its aggressive actions. However, it should be acknowledged that since the core of the South China Sea dispute is the territorial sovereignty that involved claimants will never want to compromise, it might too sensitive and complex for a feasible solution to thoroughly settle the dispute in a foreseeable future.

Why Is Religion Important? Essay -- Why Study Religion?

"Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." -- Buddha "So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you." --Jesus Christ Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, or whether you think religion has played a positive or negative role in history, it is an incontrovertible fact that from the beginning of time, humans have engaged in activities that we now call religion, such as worship, prayer, and rituals marking important life passages. Moreover, religions have always asked fundamental questions, such as: What is the true meaning of life? What happens to us after death? How do we explain human suffering and injustices? The answers different religious traditions give to these important questions are many and varied and often contradictory. But the questions themselves are ones with which humans throughout time have grappled, and probably will continue to grapple with into the indefinite future. Thus, one of the first reasons to study religion is sim...

Farming Essay -- Personal Narrative Agriculture Papers

Farming "Beep , beep, beep, " the alarm clock sounded. "Shoot another day at work" I thought. It is 5:30 and time to head off to work. I go into the shoe room and throw on my once worn set of clothes, which consist of a tee-shirt, sweatshirt, long johns, pants, and some winter boots. I also grab a coat on the way out. I opened the door and the cold wintry blast hit my pale face. "Damn it's cold", I thought to myself. I trudged through the two feet of crusty snow and hop into my 87' Ram 50 pick-up truck. "rue, rur, rur, whiinee " the engine started. "Yes" I thought, "I don't want to jump my truck this cold morning". I started down the road into what seemed like a dark oblivion with only my headlights to guide me through. I came to the first stop sign and almost slide through it. "Whew that was close!" I shouted to myself . I start up again, a little slower this time as hoping not to slide through another stop sign, I then realize my heater is starting to kick in. It's getting warm in my truck. ,it's comfortable though. I finally arrive at work and walk in. "Good afternoon" my boss states sarcastically. It's 6:00 in the morning and its still cold in the barn. I go into the silo room and start to fill up the corn cart. The room is off to the side of the barn so it is also freezing in this part of the barn. I roll the full cart onto the cement lane ,it seems really heavy in these early morning hours. I pull in front of the first cow and think "Oh yea only 59 more to go." I get done feeding corn and move on to feeding the mineral; this only takes about five minutes because I don't have to feed as much. Next I move on to feeding protein out of the cart this takes a little more time than mineral, b... ... turn the first bolt and my wrench slips. "Ouch", I scream. "Whadidchya do?" my boss asks. " Hit my damn finger", I say. " Well don't slip off the burr and that won't happen." He instructs me. " Thanx" I said. We get the girder replaced and go in for a late afternoon dinner. I sit down and think, "warmth, ahh". Feeling begins to come back into my hands and they hurt from banging them several times on things. I eat the prepared meatballs and boiled potatoes with peas and carrots with rigorous vigor. "Will you pay me today please", I ask. "Sure", my boss says. I get my check and tell my boss and his family I'll see the tomorrow. I hop into my truck and finally start to go back home. I arrive home to find that my family has gone some where so I go in take a shower and proceed to call my buddy up on the phone to see where the party is at.

Locke and Publius

John Locke and Publius Valerius Publicola both believed in the capabilities of people to reason out for themselves. This reason is rooted in a commonwealth which is the product of the people’s rationality, forming, framing and judging that commonwealth. They both value the people’s ability to judge and interpret things, and that these people are the great considerations in creating rules and laws in the society. John Locke is an English philosopher who is considered to be a British empiricist, but is an important proponent of the social contract theory (Krishnananda, 2004). This theory is the view that tells us about the people’s moral (and political) obligations depends on an agreement which is set between them in order to mold our society. The power lies in the people and that they are way above the government. The government is merely a tool of the people, such that they need the consent of these masses for them to go on with their governance. If not, it will eventually lead to a rebellion. This means that the true power lies in the hands of the people, and that the government is merely a manifestation of that power. The people are protected by the rights of life, liberty and property, and that they have full potential in exercising these rights. The government is there to supervise and see that these rights of the people are achieved, and if not, the people could choose to reinstate another government in the form of a rebellion. Locke’s perspective greatly affected the political philosophy and that he is considered to be a major proponent of the liberal theory. Being liberal means concerning yourself with the concerns of the people, thinking of their needs and welfare, like their health, housing, education their jobs, their rights and liberties. Being liberal entails that you are looking ahead and not behind, being open to new ideas without rigid or violent reactions. The people are the main cause of liberalism. They are the ones treated as being the most important. It doesn’t just battle local governance, it shows that people should be treated well, always looking forward to meet their needs. Publius is a pseudonym that was taken up by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. This is taken from the Roman consul Publius Valerius Publicola who was a proponent of the Roman Republic. Most of the writings are done by Alexander Hamilton, who wrote about 51 of the 85 Federalist papers. James Madison, who was greatly credited for the creation of the Constitution, has written about 29 of the papers. Meanwhile, John Jay, who wrote more or less 5 Federalist papers, became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The federalist papers that they wrote were pioneering. It became proponents of the law-making body of the country and that it could be accounted as important philosophical articles. When the Constitution was being thoroughly scrutinized in the late 1787, it was directly subject to criticisms especially by the anti-federalists. Anti-federalists papers under the pseudonym â€Å"Cato† and â€Å"Brutus† has surfaced. In response to that, Hamilton began writing the federal papers to contradict the opponents of ratification. He responded by explaining the new Constitution to induce its ratification. He has written the first federalist paper wishing to satisfactory answer all the objections that seem vague or catch the attention of the people. Hamilton recruited other people to write with him, and they took the roman name Publius, from Publius Valerius Publicola, who was not only a defender of the public but actually one of those who has contributed in shaping it. He was one of the first consuls who took position after the Imperial rule and has maintained it that way. He opposed the establishment and taking position of kings. His surname actually meant â€Å"friend of the people,† that is why it really fits to be used as a pseudonym by those who fights for the rights of the people. Hamilton. The writings were generally pro-people federalism, and how it values a large following of the republic. It gives power to the national and state governments, and follows a certain central power at that. Hamilton and the others advocated this cause, which they see is fit for the United States, basically because it unites the power and governance under one head. Leadership and unity has really been a big factor in this set-up. On being liberal Both John Locke and Publius (Hamilton, Madison, and Jay) are liberals. Both of them believe in welcoming new ideas without the rigidity of reactions and that they always see through the people’s welfares. This is both their concern, making sure that they receive the appropriate attention in terms of benefits like housing, schools, rights and more. Their outlook is looking ahead, and not regretting decisions that they have made. For John Locke, liberalism is a term attached with a lot of meanings, and that you could associate a lot of things to it. Locke associated liberalism with religion, wherein he clearly defines its difference with other types of liberalism. He compared religious liberalism to free-market liberalism, in terms of the age of existence. He said that this type of liberalism is in support of religious freedom, including tolerating it and the clear delineation of the church from the state. It also gives the people freedom on how they will interpret the writings of the Scripture (Bible). This opens a new view for the people, since it is a perspective that rejects the idea of heresy, wherein you can get expelled or denied from the church, tried and burned at the stake, or be excommunicated from the society, thus greatly affecting your job and could cause loss of life and property. All of this is because if holding different or contradicting views of what is being taught in the church or by the religious authorities. Publius Valerius Publicola’s take on liberalism was manifested by the writings, which prove to be pro-people. Even though it takes into consideration the concerns of leadership and ruling the country, they still take the people as a very important factor in the interests of the country. He expresses his views and concerns regarding the people’s welfares through enacting and passing laws that enrich their rights to certain liberties. Federalism helps in securing democracy and human rights because it is given as a free choice to the public. If ever they are not satisfied in the condition of another place, say another state, he can clearly move to another. This is a clear representation of his efforts to promote liberty for the people even though he emphasizes on proper leadership and politics. Similarities and differences An evident similarity between Locke and Publius was their attachment to the people. For both of them, the people should be the center of concern and be the top priority for the leaders. Locke considers giving the people freedom and freeing them from the unjust standards and laws that has been put up before. In Locke’s time, people are wrongly tried, instantly getting death sentences when they oppose the view of church. He wishes to abolish that view and end the trials because of heresy. He wanted the people to experience freedom not only with their right to live, but to be able to express themselves. They can also choose what they want to say for and against the church since it is their point of view. But many opposed this, especially those hugging the robes of the priests and church officials of that time. On the other hand, Publius advocates the welfare of the masses with the emphasis of unifying under a single body of leadership. The surname itself is a manifestation of his attachment to the people. It means â€Å"People-Minder† or â€Å"Friend of the people† which he lives up to other’s expectations. He gave a lot of benefits to these people, thus raising their confidence on the importance of leadership, an essential ingredient of federalism which is what Publius rooting for. The federalist papers are manifestations of their attachment to the people. They have devised it in a way that they are not hurting the interests of the majority while imposing unification under one head. Publius was proponent of excellent leadership, which doesn’t undermine the ideas of the people, instead stresses on their interests. These papers where written to support the constitution, and the constitution greatly considers the welfare of the people, along with these different states. There are also obvious differences between the two. John Locke is more into the religious orientation. His ideology on liberalism was on a religious footing. It was clear that wishes to spread his ideas on religious liberalism to the people. John Locke is much more of a calmer personality, being peace loving in nature. On the other hand, Publius was more on the political orientation. He gives emphasis on what it takes to be a leader of a nation, wherein all the power lies in his hands. He is undeniably a big influence in what we have today as the successful Federal government, which is why his outlook is highly political. In one of the writings, Publius stressed his disagreement of people involving into factions. This is because it is detrimental in the interests of the federal state, and that it encourages conglomeration of people who are against something, instead of directly addressing it to the federal government. This is to avoid an imbalance in the power from the people, thus could lead into a political unrest. To prevent this, there are corresponding punishments to such same actions. This is a manifestation of his affirmation of ruling with an iron hand while embracing liberalism. Locke and Publius’ attachment to reason Locke has a clear view of reason and distinguishes it from what others perceive as faith. Faith for Locke is a settled, stable principle which emanates of an assurance and has no shadow of doubt and hesitation. Faith can only be measured if a person’s agreement is with respect to a testimony from God, a response to the words of the Creator himself. But the question of uncertainty arises here, wherein how can one be sure that the testimony comes directly from God, or really is from God. Then we should have the liberty of checking on the credibility whether or not it came from the Creator himself. Weighing it against reason, Locke then distinguishes it by saying that it (reason) is the discovery of the actuality or the sureness of such claims or truths which the mind gets by making inferences and deductions. This are usually achieved with the use of man’s natural facilities, by using his senses and reflecting on it. We have been given of a lot of ways to perceive things, including the perception of what is true, as it is related to reason. According to Locke, the reason is structured into the three degrees of knowledge, wherein it is related into making various judgments. Comparing faith and reason, the former is said to be the agreement to something that is proposed which is not through the basis of reason, but instead based on God’s authority, his most extraordinary ways. God has been a factor as to how we tackle things. Reason is based on senses and Faith is based on God’s intervention. On the other hand, Publius has no concrete attachment to the concept of reason, wherein all his accounts can be justified towards his attitude on leadership and the propagation of peace and liberty in his reign. But as we can see, there may somewhat be a connection on the concept of reason with his pursuit of not affirming the rule of a king or monarchy, thus putting the rule into a sovereign body that would unify all necessary forces under one set of laws and rules. This is a manifestation that he is concerned with reason, such that having a king signifies something devoid of reason since there is a dictator. One cannot fully get the grasp of liberty if there are those who are telling you what to do, and that is basically what the king does. So, this is a manifestation of Publius’ connection to reason. Locke on Virtue According to John Locke, we refer to the nature of our thoughts, the words we speak, and the action that we do as virtue. It is basically the center of our Absolute-Experience wherein we can attain the meaning of real happiness, the true goal of living a human life. We are veering towards self-realization, and as we go towards it, we don’t mind fearing punishment and any other forms that could discourage us from our goal. We are moving towards it since it is the true goal in life. This is how Locke grasps the concept of virtue, just like how Publius sees it. Conclusion John Locke and Publius are two different mindsets from different times. They may have different views on things, but they also have a lot of similarities. These two are truly great proponents of ideals and beliefs, and has been the reason for the establishment of various laws and regulations that are present in out society even today. Their countless contributions had been the basis of various ideologies that has spurn out of time from other great people. They are truly amongst the strong foundations of our society and their ideas prove great importance for everyone in the society today. Because of their ideas, we really owe them a lot. References: Krishnananda, S. (2004). Studies in Comparative Philosophy: John Locke.  Ã‚   Retrieved April 2, 2007, from http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/com/com_lock.html Lendering, J. (2005). Publius Valerius Publicola.  Ã‚   Retrieved April 2, 2007, from http://www.livius.org/va-vh/valerius/publicola.html