Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Gun Control - Research Paper Example And there are people, who support the laws, which give them permission to use the guns to protect themselves or for other purposes, as they believe that it will be safer to live in such environment. Today more than 60% of all crimes and murders are performed with the help of guns. However, the gun control issue became urgent in late 1960s, when the crime rate significantly increased. Murders and assaults were increasing in number for about 30 years. People believed that introducing the laws, which will restrict the gun sale, would improve the situation. According to statistics, 70% of US population believed in this idea and supported it. However, starting from 1994 the crime rate started to decrease (at present the crime rate in the US is 17%  less than 10 years ago), and today only roughly half of the population (about 49%) support strict gun control (Barret "Why Gun Control Is Basically Dead"). Recent accidents, which deal with mass shooting and killings of people in the US, are the reasons why common citizens worry. The accidents at Virginia Tech University (33 deaths), the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New York (14 deaths), elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut (28 deaths), movie theater in Colorado (12 deaths) and other places (Barret "Firearm Sales Up + Crime Down = Gun Control Dead", Barret "Why Gun Control Is Basically Dead", "Gun Control vs. Gun Rights"), make people worry about their own lives and lives of their children, relatives and close friends. The misuse of small weapons is also considered to be one of the vital safety problems in the world. The number of small arms, used by people, significantly increased after the end of the  Cold War. Small weapons are available everywhere in the world, easy to buy and easy to keep unnoticed. Some experts state, that more than 60% of all crimes are committed with the help of small

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

LAW - Essay Example They were convicted and sentenced for felony murder in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for New York County. Judgment was affirmed without opinion in the Appellate Division. A motion to reargue was denied by the New York Court of Appeals on June 15, 1976. Victory was tried for felony murder (N.Y.Penal L. Â § 125.25(3) predicated upon the crime of escape in the second degree (id. Â § 205.10(2)). To convict Victory the jury had to find that Bornholdt and he escaped from custody after Officer Varecha had arrested them for a felony and that the policeman was shot in the course of or in furtherance of this escape. In charging the jury, the trial judge explained several times that it was necessary for them to find that an escape was being committed at the time Varecha was shot in order to convict Victory of felony murder. http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/570/66/3893 For example, "the prosecution must show that during the commission or attempted commission of the crime of escape in the second degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of that crime, or the immediate flight there from, a defendant caused the death of a person other than one of the participants." Both the crime of felony murder and the crime of escape in the second degree were submitted. After retiring, the jury asked for a re-reading of the law of escape, and twice for a re-reading of testimony about events prior to the shooting. "As a matter of law, does the fact of flight after the shooting itself establish escape in the second degree after an arrest has been made for felony assault?" The judge indicated that there was no "categorical" answer to the question posed, carefully stated what the jury would be required to find for a conviction of escape in the second degree, then re-read the statutory definition of felony murder which, as the jury had often heard, requires death be caused in the course of or in furtherance of a predicate

Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG) Explained

Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG) Explained The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix is a very vital inclusion in marketing or strategic management. The Boston Matrix developed by Bruce Henderson in the early 70s of the Boston Consulting Group. Even thou considering the flaws in the model, the Boston Consulting Group model is one of the most famous portfolio management tool implemented in product life cycle theory. It can provide effective guidance towards resource distribution. The BCG matrix works on two variables: market share and market growth. This variables point at the status of the organisation. It can be also stated as, products which have a greater market share or fall in the fast growing category can yield higher profit margins. It basically serves four distinctive purposes: It can be used to categories products portfolio in four types namely Stars (high growth, high market share) , Cash Cows (low growth, high market share), Question Marks (high growth, low market share) Dogs (low growth, low market share); it can be used to prioritize products in the products portfolio; classifying products on the bases of cash usage and generation; helps generating strategies to tackle possible product lines. Hence, the BCG model proves to be a useful analytical tool to value a companys product ranges. The four cells classified in the BCG are: Stars This category holds the market leaders which also have greater market share. The products in this category generate large amount of income but also require heavy investment to sustain market share rapid growth. Cash Cows The products in this category basically have high market share in an already developed market. They generate high profits and generate good cash flow. Such products do not require much investment as they are already established products. Question Marks Question marks are products which fall in a high growth market with relatively low market share. Such products require considerable investment to hold and increase the market share. The return on investment is also low due to the lack of market share. Dogs Dogs thrive in a low growth market with a low share. They do not generate any effective profits for the company and show little signs of growth. Such products should be generally liquidated. Although BCG matrix is a well-known tool for portfolio analysis, it has numerous constraints too. Some of them are: The foremost and important problem is how to define the market and collection of data regarding a products market share. It is not necessary that a product with a high market share result in profitability at all times. The model only works on two aspects namely market share and market growth. Businesses with low market share can also be profitable. It only rates the products on the bases of one competitor i.e. the market leader. It overlooks small competitors with high rate of growth. It overlooks the effects of synergy between strategic business units. Internal and External Audits The marketing audit forms a very core part of the marketing planning process. Audits are undertaken at the beginning of the plan, as well as at fixed intervals during the execution of the plan. The marketing audit consists of both internal and external influences on marketing planning, also considering the review of the plan itself. Many tools and methods are available to undertake such audits, e.g. SWOT analysis which can be used for auditing internal as well as external environment. Altogether such marketing audits help evaluate the opportunities and threats, and help the marketing heads to assess and make necessary changes to the plan. Many a times when things start going downhill in a company in ways like falling sales, weakening margins, reducing market share, the need for an audit spurges up. Management often overlook the actual problem and work towards the wrong symptoms. Launching of new products, reducing costs, cutting costs are some of the tactics used. Such measures are highly ineffective, if core problems are not addressed. Such problems have to be effectively identified and auditing helps in defining such problems. Internal Audit Internal audit consist of controllable variables in a firm. Internal audit helps in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation which provide certain advantages and can relate to the needs of the specific target market. Strengths can be classified as internal factors which can support an organisation accomplish its objectives or to reduce threats. Weaknesses are factors which may hamper the organisational growth and foil organisations from achieving their targets. Some of the areas of internal audit in order to analyse the internal factors of a company are:- Resources, sales, market share, profit margin, costs, marketing procedures, marketing organisation, marketing information, marketing mix variables as : Products, Price, Distribution, Promotion. External Audit External audit is related with the uncontrollable variables, outside the firm such as the market, the competitor, etc. The external audit is concerned with factors such as political-legal, economic, social-cultural and technological (also known as PEST or STEP), with these the ecological and competitive factors which may stand opportunities or pose threats. An opportunity can be termed as an external factor which the company can exploit to gain higher profits margins. A threat can be any external circumstances that could curtain organisational performance. Areas of analyses for external audit include information regarding customers, suppliers, partners, market share, technical standards; customer feedback through surveys, suggestions, complaints; government, academic or syndicated studies of the market, the industry, competition; industry groups; employees, suppliers, and other partners; media and online reports; special interest group (Woods, 2007)*. SWOT TOWS It is very an important part of planning to understand the environment an organisation operates. SWOT analysis summarises a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing a company and its environment. It is conducted at the initial stage of planning and helps point out the key issues. SWOT is an acronym used to define Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats which are strategic factors for a company, where the strengths and weaknesses form the internal factor, opportunities and threats are external factors to the firm. Where SWOT analysis is a tool used to identify business strategies for an organisation to adopt. It comprises of specifying and grouping together internal organisational strengths and weaknesses and environmental opportunities and threats. In real life scenario this is not so viable as although having all identified all the information in hand, the problem arises of what to do with the information. Whereas, the TOWS matrix is a mechanism which helps in explaining the strategy rather than just helping in its generation. The TOWS matrix (Weihrich, 1982)* presents a mechanism for facilitating linkages and presents a framework for identifying and formulating strategies. In order to conduct Strategic management, brief market research needs be carried out using accurate information systems to evaluate key issues in the company and environment. Factors such as: Market Research External and internal which may affect a company. Target customers. Driving forces behind sales trends. Company Research Information of company resources assets, I. P., etc. Information of company capabilities. Competition Research Competitive edge. Needs of products and services. The information thus collected needs to be scanned and evaluated into four elements: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, where in opportunities and threats are used to analyse the external factors and strengths and weaknesses are used to analyse the internal factors. It is very important to bear in mind that internal and external factors should clearly distinguished, as it may obscure both the management approach and decision making body. The SWOT TOWS process can carry on till the time the body feels it is productive, as long as the information is properly evaluated and refined by discussions and arguments. At the end, the points put forward should be agreed by the whole board on which points to reject and which to retain, so the final gird will contain only the key strategic marketing external opportunities and the key strategic internal strengths and weakness. As concluded by Tony Proctor (2000)* with his case study on over 50 organisations, that practising such tec hniques have helped the organisations in gaining greater insights in the process of strategy creation and have helped structure their thinking process and have helped them profoundly in coming up with better strategic ideas. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning process The STP process is a very important process in a marketing strategy as it helps the organisation in creating personalised marketing mix packages which target specific group of the market segment with similar characteristics and needs. The STP process consists of three main activities: market segmentation, market targeting and market positioning. The level and category of segmentation process employed varies significantly depending factors like Dimension of the organisation Point at which it is carried in the marketing planning process Financial position of the organisation Current market position Segmenting targeting positioning (STP) consist of different steps as stated by Pelsmacker and Geuens (2007)* namely, definition of segmentation criteria, definition of segment profiles, assessment of the attractiveness of segments, selection of target groups, definition of the desired unique position in the mind of targeted consumers. The STP implementation begins with defining potential factors based on which segmentation of the market can be carried. The market segments created should further be divided in to generalized subgroups, in which the members of one group should respond identically to marketing stimuli and be different in their reaction to such stimuli from members of other segments. For example, the furniture market can be disturbed into different groups such as home and business market. Further division of these segments can be carried out such as, home market can include segments like student home furniture, classic furniture, design furniture etc.; likewise business segment can be divided into office furniture, hotel furniture etc. In the next stage, Points in each segment can be combined to form segmentation profiles. On the basis of identified segmentation profiles, their attractiveness can be assessed. The attractiveness of the segments depends on many factors like the size and forecasted progression of sales, buying power and competition amount targeted for the segment. Considering the analysis of segment attractiveness, a number of target groups will be selected which will be focused upon, keeping in mind the companys strengths. This process is called targeting. Further objectives, strategies and tactics created will circle around these particular groups. In the end, the organisation has to create a unique and appropriate position for its product in the mind of the target group. Positioning can be defined as how a product is perceived by the target group based on its important attributes. Positioning is one of the fundamental element of marketing strategy and of marketing communications.

Jackson Sucks :: essays research papers

Jackson Sucks (The obvious, and not so obvious reasons) If there was a website for this story it would be www.jacksonhighsucks.edu. Theres no other way to say it simply†¦Jackson is the worst thing since Alf. Being a senior, that means I have been here for four years (Sadly, this is the only thing I have ever learned from this establishment.) Yes, that’s four years of pain and misery, so I will detail to you why Jackson has been such a torture. O.K. maybe it wasn’t such a torture but you know what I mean. Don’t get me wrong I love high school, and it will suck to be leaving this place to go to college (Western Washington University!! GO Vikings woo!!! Extreeeeme!) but at the same time I am ready to leave this dump. I constantly hear on a day to day basis in the hallways rants and ravings about how this school sucks, so obvious or not it is not only me. Everyone loathes school, but what makes Jackson so different that it sucks so much compared to other schools? I mean, what sets it apart that makes it so unique? Today I will bring up a couple points with you. Some reasons why Jackson sucks is because of the academic quality Jackson possesses, the administration, the ASB (Or lack thereof), the student body (YOU), and finally school lunches. School lunches First we will tackle the most important of issues I want to discuss. School lunches. A look at these lunches will surely disappoint any student. Not only a student, but if some Somalian kid were to dine at our very very fine five star establishment, they would be like â€Å"Whats going on? Wheres the food? I WANT THE FOOOOOD!!" You often hear people rant and rave about cafeteria food, you could have heard this through movies, or just from peers. Jackson is no exception. While I will give the food here at Jackson a passing quality factor, the measly portions lead me to believe the schools on some type of welfare system. Its about 11:30, and many students haven’t eaten some breakfast, so they are starving. So starving they are at the point of eating REAL baby back ribs (*background noise* â€Å"that’s what I’m talking about!†) if you catch my drift. The lines are long and there is absolutely no space to even move. There is such a lack of space for moment that there is an occasional jerk face that is walking out with this food and bumps you with his turkey gravy platter and blotches gravy excrement’s on to your face which scolds and blisters.

Case study Partnership Principles

Early on childhood instruction plays a critical function as it is the first measure to further physical and cognitive competency in bend to act upon a individual ‘s womb-to-tomb acquisition and accomplishment. To work as a successful early childhood pedagogue, empathy and an apprehension of the early childhood course of study – Te Whariki is requested. Along with this ordinance, an effectual partnership between pedagogues and whanau has appeared as an indispensable and valued assistance to accomplish the mark successfully – to achieve a quality accomplishment for kids ‘s acquisition and development. Harmonizing to this, the importance of partnership in the context of early childhood service and its cardinal constituents to implement will be discussed in this essay. Definition of teacher-parents ( whanau ) partnership The term ‘partnership ‘ is used to depict a mutual relationship between two parties who collaborate on a joint activity or undertaking. With different valued beliefs which may happen in the procedure of coaction, instructors and whana, in this partnership, complement each other in assorted learning attacks to advance a valuable and choice early childhood instruction service for kids. Similarly, the impression of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which states about partnership between people who from different cultural backgrounds, Maori and pakeha, to â€Å" mahi tahi – work together † ( Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, 1992. ) in any fortunes. For this ground, in Aotearoa/ New Zealand, the early childhood course of study – Tellurium Whariki have employed the impression of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and suggested in its bicultural attacks for an equal and respectable attitude in learning attacks. Effective partnership and cardinal constituents Teachers ‘ attitude in a partnership with whanau and the scene of teaching method are influential to win the early childhood service ( Lindon, 1997 ) . As Stonehouse ( 1994 ) insisted, â€Å" unless staff in kids ‘s services give precedence to relationships with parents, they do non assist kids † ( p55 ) . Along with the Guiding Principles of Quality in Action, it has besides mentioned directors and instructors should work together â€Å" by admiting parents as first pedagogues and by working collaboratively to develop shared ends and outlooks † ( Ministry of Education,1998, p. 14 ) . Therefore, coaction with parents/whanau in the context of early childhood Centre is one of major appraisal for all pedagogues while promote the lovingness service. In short, a figure of cardinal constituents to accomplish effectual partnership are listed as mentions: Empowerment & A ; Involvement Harmonizing to ‘Family and Community ‘ , a rule in Te Whariki, instructors should admit that the engagement of whanau in their instruction attacks is indispensable – â€Å" Families should be portion of the appraisal and rating of the course of study † ( Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 30 ) . Likewise, in order to â€Å" authorise parents/whanau to recommend their kids and do determinations or to act upon the patterns † for their kids ‘s ain goods ( Keesing Styles, 2000 ) , an appropriate teaching method demands to be settled. For illustration, plan a programme for parents/whanau to construct a household portfolio with their kids. These attacks are to promote whanau to analyze Centre ‘s policies and teaching method by take parting their ain kids ‘s acquisition and development procedure. A positive respect and trust between whanau and instructors will be formed whithin the procedure. Communication â€Å" Communication must be meaningful and effectual as it is communicating that forms the footing of partnership † ( as cited in Grey & A ; Horgan, 2003, para 18 ) . Inviting whanau to fall in regular meeting â€Å" to discourse their kid ‘s learning advancement, involvements, abilities and countries for development on a regular footing, sharing specific observation-based grounds † ( Ministry of Education,1998, p. 55 ) can be a proper channel for an effectual communicating. Manager and pedagogues should guarantee the communicating with parents/whanau are continued and in two-way. The intent in this attack is for interchanging positions and back uping the single demands. It is besides a scheme to further parents ‘ assurance in the context of early childhood service and increase the chance to better learning attacks by geting their important advices. In add-on, a positive attitude to accept and esteem different ideas or peculiar questions is indispensable. Consultation â€Å" Parental apprehensions and outlooks will change kids ‘s outlooks of themselves † ( Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 30 ) . â€Å" Consultation is the procedure of garnering information to accomplish shared apprehensions, ends, and outlooks that will inform determination devising † ( Ministry of Education,1998, p 51 ) . A statement of doctrine is an illustration to show Centre ‘s cardinal beliefs, vision, values and Centre ‘s instruction. This attack will derive the trust and support from parents/whanau. Decision â€Å" Partnership between parents and professionals is regarded as the â€Å" integrating of different wisdoms † ( as cited in Grey & A ; Horgan, 2003, para 16 ) . Contribution from partnership between parents and instructors is valuable in the context of early childhood instruction service as it may act upon the consequence of kids ‘s acquisition and development. In the decision, the authorization and engagement of parents/whanau and appropriate communication and confer withing channels from instructors can assist to build a echt partnership to win the end for a quality service of kids ‘s acquisition and development. However, an effectual partnership may hold trouble to keep, for case, hard personality or unacceptable belief, which may ensue from how an pedagogue perceives him/herself in function of the instruction and how they encourage parents/whanau to step on this partnership. Effective Partnership In Action Introduction To build an effectual partnership with parents/whanau is more hard than holding a pleasant relationship with kids. The ground what I observed is grownups have complex ideas which acquired from the experiences of societal world for protecting themselves from selfishness and injuries. In a relationship of partnership, when differences of personality, belief or value come out, they mislead the determination and neglect to make the end. Unfortunately, this state of affairs go on easy and it ever necessitate a long clip solve and keep the relationship in stable because we are grownups who might come from unexpected background as we need to cognize each other first so acquire into deeper relationship to join forces with. To be a negotiable individual and acquiring effectual communicating accomplishment with an opened-mind will advance quality partnership relationship in this instance. Furthermore, a positive attitude of trust and regard is a cardinal constituent to build an effectual partn ership. As an early childhood instructor, there is a necessary to hold a self-awareness, to accept single differences, to be courageous plenty for challenges and the ability of job work outing since they all count as factors of accomplishment of partnership. In short, to larn to build effectual partnership with parents/whanau, we need more hand-on experience to grok the rule and detect the grade of understanding while using our cognition into pattern. It is an outlook for my acquisition for become a professional in early childhood instruction service. Personal instance survey My brother has a boy named Alvin. He is 16-month old. We live together and I help to look after small Alvin in my trim clip while the parents are busy. Alvin has a strong fond regard with me as I had proven from his actions. He normally becomes exciting when he seeing me around and so be given to run towards me for a large clinch even his parents are playing with him. From my observing, his parents have their ain attacks to raise their ain kid which some of them are against mine. They have pride and have no willing to portion the experiences of Alvin ‘s lovingness to others. In effect, Alvin have had a cautious lovingness from them, for illustration, no outdoor walk without places, no H2O playing and has no much chance to larn to eat by himself as I think he is large plenty to make those in his age. In fact, he is already a 16kg – 70cm fittingness male child and he understands our words most of clip. My teaching method encouraged him to research and meet his milieus safe ly through our interaction. This could be the ground he has strong fond regard to me and intend to listen what I say when he has emotional upset instead than his male parent. In this state of affairs, I feel abashed and fighting in my brother ‘s green-eyed monster and a tense relationship with my sister-in-law. They had complain my action is about to replace their function as kid ‘s ain parents. It sounds a large job in our relationship. Interpersonal communicating schemes I think our relationship is form as a ‘partnership ‘ relationship as I am insouciant carer of Alvin and they are parents. Through our reading stuff for partnership rule and some advises from instructors who are working in my support Centre. I had thought about my job which leads the tenseness between me and Alvin ‘s parents need to be solved by my attitude with communicating scheme. My apprehension from the rule of partnership and Te Whariki acknowledged that I had break the regulation of 'empowerment ‘ which insists the mandate of parents ‘ right and to authorise parents to do determination for their kid ‘s ain goods ( Keesing Styles, 2000 ) . Therefore, I could non derive the regard and trust from my brother or my sister-in-law in this partnership, alternatively, a negative feedback came. Listed some good illustrations from Quality in Action. They are utile assistance to work out my job in this cautiousness partnership and it works good in my pat tern. Provide chances for parents/whanau to discourse their kid ‘s larning â€Å" procedure, involvements, abilities and countries for development and sharing specific observation † ; â€Å" Acknowledge the rights of all parents/whanau and their aspirations for their kids † ; â€Å" Listen, value and esteem the positions of parents/whanau † ; â€Å" Invite and empower parents/whanau to lend through their engagement † in the synergistic activity ; â€Å" Consult † and discourse â€Å" with parents/whanau about learning attacks that concern their kids † ; Make parents/whanau feel comfy â€Å" to show their concerns † ; Less the fond regard with kids and promote them to interact with parents and concentrate on their relationship ; In order to delight our relationship from this state of affairs I had explained. I applied the above attacks and communicating accomplishments learned from reading and advises from instructors of support Centre into pattern. As the consequence, trust and regard from Alvin ‘s parents have dismissed my concerns from our tense relationship. I move Alvin ‘s attending back to his parents by promote his trust to his parents when we are all in the same room. For illustration, ‘please listen to what mum/dad said and Dendranthema grandifloruom can assist him ‘ ; or ‘yes, mum/dad is right, why do n't you travel with them and look into what will go on? It must be good. ‘ In those interaction, There are some suggestion that I gave as deductions to avoid a misinterpretation for taking off parents ‘ power from Alvin ‘s lovingness. For illustration, I asked for parents ‘ permission and their willing before I gave Alvin something else that they h ave non provided yet. It besides comforted me that we could hold chances to play hide-and-seek with parents ‘ engagement and work together with the same purpose – do Alvin happy. Decision In decision, I am larning to supply a quality lovingness to my nephew through playing and larning from grownups without confounding which side is right or incorrect. The partnership between me and Alvin ‘s parents is building positively in advancement. I had recognized the importance of partnership in child care service as we can back up each other ‘s clip, ability and intelligence as complementation to accomplish our common end for kids ‘s demands. As from my experiences, my communicating accomplishment and attitude with parents, who are besides relation of mine, shall acquire more betterment as I do hold a willing to go a professional and work in the context of early childhood instruction service. I will ne'er halt learn or halt my patterns. It is besides fortunate to hold this experience at place that I could larn from it before I may run into the same state of affairs at workplace.

Aaliyah: an Angel Back to Heaven

Aaliyah: An Angel Back to Heaven When I was younger, I looked up to my older sister a great deal. Anything that she did, I wanted to do. She was like my hero, or that cartoon character ever child wanted to go up and be like. When my sister and I were growing up, we listened to a lot of music and watched a lot of cartoons, but only because she wanted to. My sister, Christine, had a favorite rapper and singer. Now her rapper choice I thought was great but he wasn’t my favorite. Christine, or sometimes Tine, favorite rapper was Tupac Shakur.Though we did not agree on the same rapper, we did however, agree on our favorite singer together. We both chose an artist by the name of Aaliyah Dana Haughton. The first time I heard her music I fell in love. Aaliyah D. Haughton was born on January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. She was one of the best recording artist of her time. I loved her voice and her style. She wasn’t the girly type of R&B singer that was mostly seen. She had h er own style and that is one of the things I loved about her. Another thing I loved about her is that her song spoke truth and had real meaning.She didn’t just make a song to try to make a hit. Aaliyah related to the emotions of her fans and connected people with her. Because of this, she was loved by so many different types of people. Though Aaliyah was a beautiful and talented artist, she did not get to have a long life legacy. After shooting her last video, â€Å"Rock the Boat†, in the Bahamas, she got on a plane and left to head back to the U. S. On Augusta 25, 2001, that plane did not make it to the United States. Because they were in a rush to get back home, because they finished the video shoot early, they had to get on a smaller plane with all of their luggage.Instead of landing on an airway back in the states, the plane crashed approximately 200 meters away from where it took off. The plane crashed killed everyone aboard, including my favorite singer Aaliyah. My sister came home and turned on the television. That’s when I saw it. I saw the plane burnt to black ash and people cleaning up the debris. The headline flashed, â€Å" Aaliyah killed in plane crash. † I was so heart broken. I couldn’t believe she was gone. I felt like I lost apart of me. Ever since that day, I never had a favorite singer. I felt like that place was reserved for her.People around the world knew she was special. They said she was just an angel here for a short time. She had to be sent back to heaven. This tragedy made a great impact on my life. It made me realize that even at a young age, commayou could leave this world. I have three older sisters but I only spent time trying to get close to one. That was my sister Christine, who I looked up to the most. After this accident, I started to bond more with my other two sisters. With this I also begin to bond more with my nieces, nephews, parents, and my younger cousins.Though Aaliyah was not a part of my own family, I felt like she was a family member I lost. She did more than entertain with her music. She was a role model for me. I loved her poise, her style, the way she talked, and just even the things she was about. Even though I did not know her personally by meeting her, I felt like I knew a great deal about her from her music and the things I use to read about her. Even though I was only eight years old when Aaliyah died, it impacted my life a great deal. Though I did not get to meet her personally, her death made me realize things at a young age.Of course I knew that everyone was to die, but that would happen when they were real old. It never occurred to me that young people died everyday until her death. Even at a very young age, it made me realize, though it had been preached in church, that everyday is not promised. When I started to bond with my family more, there were less problems and more laughter. I even helped my mother’s and father’s side of the family bond more. This has changed my life greatly, because I have such a great support system now. Though her death was a tragedy, it brought joy into my life and my family.

Renesancia Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers

Renesancia Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers Renesancia - renaissance - ( fr.,nem.,ang .)- obnovenie, znovuzrodenie 1.etapa novoveku - homo - clovek, miera vsetkeho vznik vTaliansku 14.-16. storocie ostatne krajiny Europy 15.-16. storocie Slovensko do roku 1650 Charakteristicke znaky : vkult. aduch. vyvoji je subezna snabozenskou reformaciou nadvazuje na antiku ideal cloveka ako mysliaca tvoriva bytos moc cirkvi upada, do popredia sa dostava mestianstvo prevazne mestska kultura, suvisi srozvojom miest, kraovskych a kiezaci ch dvorov, mensie slachticke salony(hudba), vladcovia boli hudobnici, hraci, spevaci, skladatelia ( ang . Henrich V.,VIII., skotsky kra Jakub IV., cisar Karol V. ...) literatura: priklon knarodnym jazykom, svetska lyrika- laska hudba: ud. piesne: Limburska kronika (14.st.), Jan Silvan: kancional (spevnik- Pisne nove na sedm zalmu kajiciich ana jine zalmy) rozvoj obchodu, trhoveho hospodarstva, od samostatnych remesiel az kmanufakture nove znalosti zmatematiky, fyziky, zemepisu, astronomie Znaky : znovuzrodenie antiky, odmietanie principov spolocenskeho zriadenia, cirkevnej ideologie, vcentre zaujmu clovek naturalizmus senzualizmus individualizmus racionalizmus antropocentrizmus proporcionalita, krasa, harmonia, rovnovaha, zrozumitenos - G. Vasari (1511-1571) - autor zivotopisov najvy znamnejsich talianskych maliarov, socharov, architektov 1x pouzil tento termin (renesancia) - vsnahe charakterizova tendencie 2 prudy : 1) znovuzrodenie tradicnych hodnot antiky 2) naalej rozvoj stredovekych tradi ci i - osobnosti z literatury: Dante Aligieri (Bozska komedia), Francesco Petrarca , Giovanni Boccaccio , Francois Villon , Francois Rabelais ( taliansko ) Lope de Vega Miquel y Cervantes Saavedra ( spanielsko ), W.Shakespeare ( ang .) -astronomovia: Mikulas Kopernik , Kristof Kolumbus, Tycho de Brahe - Giordano Bruno (alchymista), Galileo Galilei (zakladate modernej exaktnej vedy) - Jan Gutenberg - objavil sposob tlacenia knih, 1. kniha: Biblia - Ottaviano dei Petruci - 1498 vynasiel novu tlac - Kaspar Tieffenbrucker vyhotovil prve husle (1530) Architektura: - na zaklade stylu tzv. neskorej gotiky- okolo r. 1400 najma vo Fr ., Tal ., Cechach, Nem ., Hol. - Taliansko: 1 ) Rana (1420-1500) 2) Vrcholna (1500-1550) 3) Neskora/manierizmus (1550/1580-1650) - cie manierizmu : tlmoci vnutorne pocity umelca- cit fantazia- prisposobuje sa cloveku - svetska stavba : palace, mestske domy, radnice, zamky, opevnenia, letne sidla, obytne domy, nemocnice, cechove domy, kniznice cirkevne - kostoly, chramy, baziliky.. -uplatuje sa princip zlateho rezu ( komponenty stavieb sa odvodzuju od proporcii udskeho tea ) Zlaty rez/podiel alebo bozsky rez je iracionalne cislo smnohymi zaujimavymi vlastnosami. Geometricke tvary odvodene od tohto cisla sa veuropskej kulture povazuju za esteticky vemi priazlive. Oznacuje sa pismenkom (delta) arovna sa priblizne 1.618034. -strohos, bez ozdob, cisto, klasicky -fasada : plosna, stena : miesto realizacie maliarskej vyzdoby - klenby, hladky aobly stp, obluk - v arkadach - pilastre ( polopiliere ), balustrady - okna : obdznikovy tvar -material: lomovy kame, mramor, tehla, drevo, kov, uhlie -rozvoj urbanizmu - architekti su uz znami(v stredoveku boli anonymni) Pamiatky : Louvre (Pariz), Versailles, zamky na Loire , Escorial , radnice - Antverpy, Augsburg Slovensko : rozvoj Mateja Korvina, Radnica vLevoci, Thurzov dom vBB, opevnenia- Komarno, Levice, NZ, radnica vBardejove, Levoci Cesko : letohradok kraovnej Anny vPrahe- Belveder , letohradok vPrahe- Hviezda, Scharzenbersky palac na Hradcanoch, zamky v Litomysli , Telci , Vekych Losinach , Nachode

Gnostic Jesus Essays - Coptic Literature, Christology, Gnosticism

Gnostic Jesus Essays - Coptic Literature, Christology, Gnosticism Gnostic Jesus Gnostic writings of Jesus portray him as a heavenly redeemer made less of flesh than of spirit. The emphasis of Jesus' importance is not on his physical humanness but rather, on his ability to show people the way to the kingdom. Jesus put on flesh in order to give people gnosis and reveal to them where they come from and where they will eventually return. When it is time for Jesus to return to his heavenly home, he is crucified and resurrected before he finally ascends. His body's lack of importance in some Gnostic texts gives this series of events a different connotation than other versions of the story more common today. The Gnostic understanding of Jesus gives us better knowledge of what will happen to us when we leave the body and world in which we are currently trapped. This understanding also gives us insights into the realm in which we belong. The lack of concern for the body is also connected with the Gnostic view that anything that happens on this earth or in this realm is i rrelevant. I will argue that the issue of flesh is very significant in some Gnostic views of Jesus, citing examples from selected Gnostic texts including, the Gospel of Thomas, the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, Hypostasis of the Archons, the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Truth, the Treatise on the Resurrection and the Hymn of the Pearl. Most Gnostic books show Christ to be of heavenly origin. The books either explicitly say that he is from the father and heaven above or imply it by saying that he descended into earth. He is part of the heavenly triad with the Father and the Mother(Franzmann, 39). In the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, the author who is supposedly Christ says, I am from above the heavens (Ehrman, 231). He is also sometimes described as a heavenly light, I am the light which is above all of them: I am All. The All came forth from me and the All reached me (G of Th., v.77). Many people, however, look at Christ's incarnation in different ways. According to some Gnostic thought Christ comes to our earth and puts on Jesus' human body so that he may walk among us. I visited a bodily dwelling (Ehrman, 231). Some of the Gnostic writings show Jesus as an earthly being with a heavenly nature, while others show Jesus as a purely heavenly being with a lack of earthly context. In the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, Christ's incarnation was into Jesus' body in which he cast out the original occupier (Franzmann, 75). Christ's arrival on earth in the Gospel of Thomas is described in a docetistic way, I stood in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh (G. of Th, v.28). He is said to appear to them in flesh only in outward appearance (Franzmann, 78). The Gospel of Truth describes Jesus as a fruit of knowledge that when eaten gives people gnosis (Ehrman, 161). This Gnostic text shows Christ as a revealer. He is referred to as the book or logos, which reveals to us all that is unknown (Ehrman, 162). He put on the book, was nailed to a tree and published the edict of the father on the cross (Ehrman, 162). These actions say that by dying on the cross, which in this text is not in flesh, he is helping people receive gnosis. Many Gnostic views have implied a hatred of the body. The body is what is keeping people from realizing their origin (G. of Thomas, v.29). For Christ to have a human body seems strange because he has gnosis. Woe to the flesh which depends on the soul; woe to the soul which depends on the flesh (G of Th, v.112). According to the Hypostasis of the Archons, the body is just a shell for the spirit. Locked within the material shell of the human race is the spark of this highest spiritual reality which (as one Gnostic theory held) the inept creator accidentally infused into humanity at the creation on the order of a drunken jeweler who accidentally mixes gold

Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons

Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons By Maeve Maddox In a recent state election Arkansas voters were asked to alter the following constitutional phrasing: No idiot or insane person shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector. Legislators objected that the language was archaic and disrespectful. (Not to mention the fact that the law has never prevented idiots from voting.) As the current Arkansas state constitution dates from 1874, I decided to find out what the drafters meant by the word idiot. Idiot derives from a Latin word that referred to an ignorant, uneducated person. The word came into English from an Old French word with the same meaning. By 1300 idiot had acquired the meaning of a person so mentally deficient as to be incapable of ordinary reasoning. For a time, idiot was used by doctors to refer to a specific degree of mental retardation: A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term came to be regarded as offensive and is no longer used as a medical classification. Two other words once used alongside idiot as medical classifications are imbecile and moron. Imbecile derives from a Latin adjective having the sense of weak and entered English from an Old French word with the same meaning. For a time it was used to refer to physical weakness. For example an imbecile person might be someone unable to walk without crutches. The first recorded use of imbecile as a noun is 1802. Its medical definition was A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. Moron comes from a Greek word meaning stupid. Its meaning in the now disused system of medical classification was: a feebleminded person or mental defective with a potential mental age of between eight and twelve years who is capable of doing routine work under supervision In current English usage all three words are perceived as insults. Apparently idiot is the least offensive of the three since a publishing empire employs the word in its titles with great success. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?List of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsEmpathic or Empathetic?

Models of Stress Theory and how they apply to First Responder Research Paper

Models of Stress Theory and how they apply to First Responder - Research Paper Example The present paper discusses the similarities and differences between the demand control support and effort-reward imbalance models of stress together with application of these models to first responders. Key words in this paper will include demand, control, effort, reward, and first responders. The two models have a correlation so that the direction of change caused by either increase or decrease of demands, control, and support corresponds to the direction of change caused by either the increase or decrease of efforts and rewards. Therefore, whereas high demands, involving situations that allow high control facilitated by high social support leads to diminished stressful experience, high efforts that are compensated by high rewards lead to diminished susceptibility to stressful experience. Demand control support model has control as a measure of countering the demands of a task and effort reward imbalance claims that control is an intrinsic personal motivation. Both models argue that an imbalance in their proposed concepts leads to exhaustion and emotional distress (Veldhoven et. al., 2005). Demand control support model is an interactional model while Effort Reward Imbalance Model is a transactional model. As an interactional model, demand control support model emphasizes the structural traits of an individual’s interactions with his or her environment. On the other hand, transactional models of stress focus on the factors underlying an individual’s response to a stressful situation. These underlying factors include locus of control, personality, appraisal, and coping. The Demand Control Support Model does not factor in the role of individual differences but effort reward imbalance emphasizes the importance of individual differences (Chmiel, 2009). This model emphasizes demands and control as the two psychosocial job characteristics that are important. Borrowing from this model, the job control of first responders has to do with the decision

Aristotle and Kant on Ethical Theory and Practice Essay

Aristotle and Kant on Ethical Theory and Practice - Essay Example On the other hand, relativists believe that ethics is a human invention and that â€Å"all ethical standards are relative† hence there are â€Å"no permanent, universal, objective values or standards† (Mizzoni 11, 191). LeBar asserts that individual people create own moral standards and that these standards change from society to society throughout time and the world (185). This is what is often referred as cultural relativism. Kant is strong objectivists as he emphasises that ethical duties are absolute and categorical while Aristotle insists that human beings are rational and moral virtue is developed through habit. He is thus a relativist. I would argue in favour of Aristotle that ethical standards vary with contexts, individuals and societies. Consider such practices as polygamy, homosexuality, and female genital mutilation. Are these practices right or wrong? If we look at polygamy it is a norm in some communities especially African communities but not acceptable in western communities. Some individuals view homosexuality as right while others consider it wrong depending on their religious inclinations and personal values. For genital mutilation, it was often practiced by early communities but in modern communities it is considered wrong even though some communities still practice it. How are these actions to be judged? By which ethical standards? If we argue that ethical standards are universal and applicable to all regardless of their opinion or beliefs then it would mean all these practices are wrong but this is not the case; they are right in some societies and wrong in others. This supports Aristotle’s view that moral virtue is developed by habits (Moral Philosophy n.p). In this case, good habits form the bui lding blocks of good moral character and that man has power to control his own actions since he is rational. They then reflect on these actions and perfect them if they are good but in the process, they must have a good role model

PRODUCING SELF-COMPACTING USING WASTE MATERIALS Literature review

PRODUCING SELF-COMPACTING USING WASTE MATERIALS - Literature review Example Self-compacting concrete are considered as â€Å"the most revolutionary development in concrete construction for several decades† (EFNARC). The idea of SCC originated in Japan and has been adapted to other nations such as Europe. The development of SCC is an economic approach to offset the increasing lack of skill labour. It contributes to the economy such that it offers faster construction, easier placing, reduction of manpower on site, offers flexibility in design, improved durability, better surface finishes, thinner concrete sections and safer working environment. SCC is a practical application for the construction site work and the precast concrete works. The test for the self-compactability of the SCC measures its quality. The contributory factors include, the influence of coarse aggregate depending on spacing size, the role of mortar as the fluid in flowability of the fresh concrete, the role of mortar as the solid particles, and the influence of the coarse aggregate regarding the shape, grading and content. The employment of SCC is beneficial to construction because it eliminates the vibration noise as well it is cost-efficient for the cost of vibration compaction. The wide use of the SCC is an innovation in the concrete construction technology such that the SCC are reliable, durable concrete structures with minimum maintenance requirement (Okamura, and Ouchi, 2003). The development of SCC as a solution to the labour scarcity offered benefits to the structural concrete industry as it develops higher quality concrete with optimum workability and overcomes problems related to dust and noise. The workability property of the SCC is achieved primarily due to the high content of fine aggregates and the chemical mixtures. Various relevant studies are now introduced into the construction industry promoting the use of recycled materials for applications of SCC. This innovation is practically new, where standards of SCC with made up of recycled materials

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be Essay

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be re-designed using KM and OL principles to increase innovat - Essay Example The various HRM practices would give an insight into the functionality of the Malaysian organizations and on the various procedures of conducting operations like training, selection, staffing and recruitment (Barnes 2002, 220-320). Finally, the study will highlight how the inclusion of OL and KM principles would lead to the betterment of the functionality of the organizations. Human Resources Management Practices in Malaysia In Malaysian organizations, the focus is on the integration of HR activities and practices which requires the alignment of the existing personal HR practices with the interests of the employee and personnel (Gelder 2005, 322). The strategic importance and emphasis is given on the integration of activities in the electronic industry of Malaysia. This strategic integration is an important element as it helps in solving the complexities of the problems and also, in assessing the interpretation of the problems (Gill 2000, 23). The HR strategy formulation is also give n its much deserved importance in Malaysian organizations which lay emphasis on the development and implementation of internal consistent polices and practices designed for the accomplishment of objectives (Hashim 2009, 224). The HRM practices in the human resource development process helps in the organizational innovation process. Malaysian organizations concentrate on the importance of the HR business and organizational strategy and also, on the protection of assets. However, it has been observed that the Malaysian organization does not believe in the job rotation facilities and hammers on imparting the operation knowledge (Haslinda and Sarinah 2013, 324). The Malaysian organizations are highly dependent on technological innovations and procedures which need to be re-designed constructively for enhancing the organizational outcome and also, for improving the existing systems. Figure 1: Human Resources in Malaysia (Source: Curtin University of Technology 2005). Redesigning of HR Pr actices using the Knowledge & Organizational Learning Principles Knowledge Management (KM) principles help in the improvement of the existing systems by employing own attributes (Institutional Repository 2006).There are several methods to implement the change management techniques for continuous improvement in the existing systems (Laiken 2001, 23). This is because the KM principles vary according to the situation and help in the improvement of the operational abilities of the organization (Infed 2013). The process is not iterative and relies heavily on the management systems. It aids the amalgamation of the engineering process and systems and also, the analysis of the organizational dynamics (Lee and Ahn 2001, 213). The structuring of organizational dynamics would be required for the integration of activities and systems which would address all the organizational issues and problems. The model is used to hone the skills of the employees, redesign the organizational structure and al so, gain expertise through the exchange of knowledge systems with their colleagues. The Malaysian organization needs to emphasize on their functioning in three important facets of the organization. They are namely, virtual work team, community of practice (COP) and expertise network systems. These three elements stress on the creation and

The Statement and Limitations of the Reasoning Essay

The Statement and Limitations of the Reasoning - Essay Example Therefore I exist† is used in one place by Descartes in his Discourse on the Method, part 4, paragraph 1, where he says, â€Å"I noticed that while I was thus trying to think everything false, it was necessary that I, who was thinking this, was something. And observing that this truth "I am thinking, therefore I exist" was so firm and sure that all the most extravagant suppositions of the skeptics were incapable of shaking it, I decided that I could accept it without scruple as for the first principle of the philosophy I was seeking†. Descartes observed that there were several conflicts in philosophy, state Skirbekk and Gilje (2001), and according to him the only certain method was the deductive mathematical method. It became the determining factor in his philosophy. In a deductive system, the conclusions are of little value if the premises are uncertain and only half-true. If philosophy is to be a deductive system like Euclid’s geometry, completely true premises or axioms should be found. According to Moorman (1943), Descartes synthesized Mathematics with Philosophy. The scientific system that Descartes borrowed from Mathematics and from deductive components of the scientific method, led to the deductive philosophical system in which absolutely certain propositions had to be found. â€Å"The cogito was an axiomatic statement, one of identity†. Descartes gave objective reality to a geometrical extension. The Cogito argument is represented as a compelling intuition about ourselves in relation to the physical world, and it has a close connection with the improbability of materialism, states Slezak (1983). Ayer (1953) agrees with Descartes that the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, therefore I exist† cannot be doubted. Descartes’ methodical doubt is a means of filtering out all the propositions that one logically can doubt in order to find the propositions that are logically beyond doubt, and these propositions can be used as premises in the deductive system.  

Locate an image of the future that was developed before 1990 Essay

Locate an image of the future that was developed before 1990 - Essay Example Orwell’s vision, written in 1948, originally pertained to some future indeterminate time, but the publishers thought to use a more catchy title and reversed the last two digits of the year of writing. The vision truly conformed with the two postulates proposed by James Dator: first, that ‘the future cannot be studied, because the future does not exist’; and second, that ‘any useful idea about the future should appear to be ridiculous from today’s point of view.’ (NRC, 2010, p.31). That a see-all-know-all government did not exist in 1948 was apparent because the enabling technology was not yet available. It was also considered extremely unlikely, even outright ridiculous in the post-war Western democracies, since 1984 was considered little more than ‘a [part of the] mythology of our culture’ (Chatfield, 1975, p.947). I interviewed my high school literature teacher, who at 77 years could recall the exuberance of the post-war era. After we won the war, he said, there was a fierce pride in our freedoms as inalienable and incontestable, so the thought that people will tolerate a â€Å"Big Brother† was ludicrous. It was possible, though, that 1984’s image of a totalitarian society was suggested by the rise of socialist states and the threat of communism. Unlike my teacher, I feel Orwell’s society is possible, since the technology is already available and the governments of the world are already encroaching on human rights. Images of 1984 as construed in the fifties, and the updated counterpart images evoking the same are shown below. Orwell’s vision is, as Dator’s theory states, just one of many possible ‘futures’ – pertaining to the possibility that the threat of communism shall triumph over America’s status quo; it is at best a ‘what-if,’ allowing for a ‘what-if-not.’ How the choice made among alternatives is therefore crucial. The perceived alternative futures may possibly turn into

The Statement and Limitations of the Reasoning Essay

The Statement and Limitations of the Reasoning - Essay Example Therefore I exist† is used in one place by Descartes in his Discourse on the Method, part 4, paragraph 1, where he says, â€Å"I noticed that while I was thus trying to think everything false, it was necessary that I, who was thinking this, was something. And observing that this truth "I am thinking, therefore I exist" was so firm and sure that all the most extravagant suppositions of the skeptics were incapable of shaking it, I decided that I could accept it without scruple as for the first principle of the philosophy I was seeking†. Descartes observed that there were several conflicts in philosophy, state Skirbekk and Gilje (2001), and according to him the only certain method was the deductive mathematical method. It became the determining factor in his philosophy. In a deductive system, the conclusions are of little value if the premises are uncertain and only half-true. If philosophy is to be a deductive system like Euclid’s geometry, completely true premises or axioms should be found. According to Moorman (1943), Descartes synthesized Mathematics with Philosophy. The scientific system that Descartes borrowed from Mathematics and from deductive components of the scientific method, led to the deductive philosophical system in which absolutely certain propositions had to be found. â€Å"The cogito was an axiomatic statement, one of identity†. Descartes gave objective reality to a geometrical extension. The Cogito argument is represented as a compelling intuition about ourselves in relation to the physical world, and it has a close connection with the improbability of materialism, states Slezak (1983). Ayer (1953) agrees with Descartes that the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, therefore I exist† cannot be doubted. Descartes’ methodical doubt is a means of filtering out all the propositions that one logically can doubt in order to find the propositions that are logically beyond doubt, and these propositions can be used as premises in the deductive system.  

Great Balls of Flowers Essay Example for Free

Great Balls of Flowers Essay Throughout Steve Abees’s book Great Balls of Flowers the reoccurring themes that arise are sex, love, family and life. Within each poem he threads in a minimum of two themes, interweaving them so all the themes eventually overlap. The themes of sex, love and family are each representative of a major component of his life. His book gives readers insight as to what Abee is thinking and feeling within each poem, making them extremely personal for the reader. The title of the book was seemingly derived from Jerry Lee Lewis’s Song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† which was written in 1957 on the movie based on Jerry Lee Lewis which was released in 1989. The movie discusses Lewis’ controversial life and his rise and fall as a rock star. Lewis suffered from substance abuse and resorted to alcoholism when times got bad. His song â€Å"Great Balls of Fire† is purely sexual discussing the arousal of a man, this song was one of Lewis’ major hits. Abee’s title â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers† is so appropriate especially with his replacement of fire with flowers. Flowers hold the softer connotation of love and peacefulness as Abee explains how he’s overcome his issues with the love he feels and receives from his family. Within select poems his love for his wife and children are startlingly apparent. He portrays himself with raw emotions that seem unbreakable. In the poem â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, he states, â€Å"I love you so much that when I touch you my fingers turn into miniature suns shining. † His portrayal of everlasting love and lust for his wife gives the reader insight as to his most personal and inner thoughts and emotions. Because of the rawness and bluntness of his emotions It is evident his poetry was used as an escape for Abee. His attachment to his wife leads the reader to think as a child there were issues with his family. Romance isn’t the only type of love Abee discusses, as he also mentions the love he has for his children. For his youngest daughter, Abee states â€Å"her voice opens me like breath. † He continues on to state â€Å"I’m trying to be good now Im trying not to be bad†, this gives the reader the idea that his children are now the motivation for him. It seems as if he had previously struggled with a personal issue that has disappeared because of the arrival of his children. Substance abuse seems appropriate as he refines it in the poem â€Å"Sucks† when he says â€Å"beer sucks. It’s good but it sucks. Marijuana sucks Crystal Meth sucks so bad. † His allusions to these substances would tie in as a strong connection to the title, â€Å"Great Balls of Flowers. † Abee never fails to insert a sexual innuendo within the majority of his poems. One example of his sexual references arise in the poem â€Å"Gas†, Abee states â€Å"when I lick your secrets, bombs begin to fall from your thighs. † His continual sexual references tie in greatly with the title, Great Balls of Flowers because it alludes to the 1957 hit song discussing sex. Sex seems to be a dominant theme throughout the book, as it was throughout many of Jerry Lee Lewis’ songs as well. Abee’s continuous blunt sexual references free him from the shackle soft society as he isn’t scared to discuss topics that seem controversial. His direct statements give the book a potent feel and, honest take on life. As the book goes on you can see the meniscal details in life that are typically overlooked are what Abee thrives upon. His poems are real portrayals of his daily routine and it gives the reader a personal connection with him and his mindset. Great Balls of Flowers consists of poems covering the themes of sex, love, family and life. His title is so appropriate these four themes are the pieces of Abee’s life which he discusses in his poetry giving readers in insight into his alternative perspective on life and love. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses imagery to help develop his tone and themes in his various poems. His use of imagery creates a clear picture that the reader can connect with. Those images, which are typically familiar to the reader help the reader, better understand the point Abee is trying to make. Abee uses a mix of concrete imagery alongside symbolic imagery, creating numerous layers for the reader to divulge in as the poems go on. One example of the imagery used is in the poem â€Å"Hail to the Things I Can Not See. † Abee states â€Å"Oh wind keeping seagulls aloft, squawking and hovering over my daughters and my hot dogs at Santa Monica Pier. † His use of imagery in this quote sets the setting for this poem. Along with it building a setting, it gives the poem a nostalgic feel because that’s where the author grew up. The familiar sounds he describes connect the reader to the beach, which carries light and happy connotations, reinforcing the nostalgic feel while integrating the positive tone. The city scape imagery portrays Abee as a city boy, giving readers an image of him. His juxtaposition of the city scene with more symbolic imagery gives the reader insight to what he sees life as helping him break free from the connotations that come with â€Å"city boy†. The stanza after the one previously stated says, â€Å"oh the gravity that holds the trees up and my bones together†, using imagery in more of a symbolic sense. Although gravity is something not visible to the human eye, Abee portrays it in a way that is viable to the reader. The contrast of the tangible with the symbolic give the poem a deeper feel. Another example of imagery can be seen in the poem, â€Å"Poem to My Wife†, Abee states â€Å"the innocent sea shore of our kiss, where hippies play on tambourine brain fried ukulele and we dance on crab grass sand†. His use of imagery in this quote not only sets the scene for this particular stanza but sets the mood for the entire poem. His use of the word ukulele gives the reader the view of the upbeat instrument that plays purely cheerful melodies, while the sand gives the reader an image of the beach giving the poem a bright tone. As he explains how they dance to the upbeat tunes, the reader can feel the joy radiating off the happy couple. This portrayal of why Abee is so infatuated with this wife, not only gives readers an insight into his marriage but an insight to his heart and what makes him happy. Within the poem previously discussed Abee states, â€Å"words†¦ rising up into a ball of Christmas lights, poof, explosion of holiday love. † This use of imagery is purely symbolic; words are personified to express his love for his wife giving the reader an idea of how extreme his passion is for his mate. His use of the image â€Å"Christmas Lights† give off the connotations of the holiday which is centered on love and happiness. These connotations give the poem an upbeat and warm tone, while the reader starts to see Abee in a different more loving sort of light. Along with the holiday connotations, his use of words like explosion give the poem a more passionate and yearning sort of feel, giving readers visuals of the intensity of his love. Abee’s use of imagery greatly constructs the tone and theme of the poem. Throughout the book there are instances where symbolic and tangible imagery contrast, following the same sort of pattern showed in this poem. This contrast sets the setting then divulges into Abees inner thoughts, giving readers a better perception of the author and a deeper understanding of his poetry. Throughout Great Balls of Flowers Steve Abee uses personification, similes and metaphors in various poems. Each of these devices holds a different effect over the reader, emphasizing and creating different images for the reader. Each example of figurative language holds a different effect on the reader but in all the point of the insertions of the figurative language is to accentuate the purpose of each poem. Steve Abee uses various similes in the poem, â€Å"Poem to my Wife†, one example of this can be seen in the quote, â€Å"loving you is like surfing the wave of benevolent impulse. † In this poem he is describing the intese love he feels for his wife and uses a simile to explain to the reader the extensity of his overwhelming emotions for her. Using the word benevolent describes the gentleness of the love the duo share while impose gives readers a sense of the intensity that kindness carries. Abee compares the love they share to surfing a wave giving readers a familiar image to compare the ‘ride† he feels with her. The insertion of a metaphor adds another layer to the poem , leaving room for interpretation from there reads, which contrasts well as Abee is explaining like his poetry , his love for his wife has numerous layers. Within the poem previously discussed, Abee uses personification to further explain the love he feels for his wife. The quote goes as follows, â€Å"But it (poem) wouldn’t be able to help itself. † Abee is explaining what a poem to his wife would consist of, and that is where he inserts the above quote. The use of personifications gives the reader a sense of how alive his love for his wife is. The intensity of his love can’t be explained with the used of an inanimate object so personifying the poem gives his love an image. Along with the aspect of imagery rat personification brings, it sets a tone for the entire poem. The personification of the â€Å"poem† gives the literal poem a loud but allusive tone. In the poem â€Å"Gas Station†, the entire first stanza consists of metaphors, Abee states, â€Å"Steve Abee is a gas station. † To start things off the first impression this holds on the reader is a whirlwind of thoughts in hope to analyze what he could possibly mean by this statement. As he continues on he states numerous other figures are â€Å"gas stations† such as Jesus Christ, and Jack Kerouac. Continuing on he states how gas stations are â€Å"lonesome and lovely† and sit on the â€Å"edge of a sandy skirt desert†. His descriptions of gas stations set the tone for the poem as morbid and sad  as the reader is visualizing a delegate area that people use then leave. Both Fries and Christ underwent great suffering throughout their lives which ultimately resulted in their deaths, which connects to the end of the stanza where Abee states, â€Å"As we move from seashore to graveyard. † Using the metaphor not only on himself but on other figures not only gives readers an image to connect his emotions to but it also shows readers that personally this is what he perceives life as, a journey where humans are used and abused , then die. His metaphor emphasizes his main idea for that poem while accentuating the tone that is apparent throughout the rest of the poem. Abee uses all these forms of figurative language to emphasize are ideas and highlight the tones that are seen in his various poems. They also all help connect back to the main themes which can be seen throughout the poem. In all each device helps give readers the image in which Abee intends from them to see, while showing readers how he personally feels. If I was to write a poem to you it would go something like this As I sit and reminisce, a wave of nostalgia overcomes me, leaving me choking and gasping for relief, as I drown in memories of forgotten promises faded secrets Next, id talk about how your laugh was like the church bells ringing on Sunday morning, clear and crisp in the sunny sky, particles of sound dancing with the rhythm of love If I were to write you a poem I would use words like gifted and good, the gentle gem in a mound of rocks, something like that. I would have pointless passages explaining the magnetic pull we felt between us, I would illuminate the page with the sparks we once shared, fireworks over a lake of washed out feelings, calmly disappearing into a an abyss of darkness If I was going to write you a poem it would have words It would have words describing our love, words only cupid knows, words of joy and happiness. Words to explain how you make me feel , words that would flow out of my mouth into my hand and onto paper like a stream flows into the ocean, twisting and turning then eventually colliding with the salty sea water, slowly integrating themselves till they are one. To be honest the poem I would write would have a dark side, a side of sadness and longing, unreasonably irrational and unhealthily attached. I would say things like I miss you and come back. I love you more than you could ever know; I need you more than the grass needs rain. Your love warms me and keeps me alive, your love completed me. The poem would say you can’t love another, you can only love me. I would say please come back, I would say Im sorry. I would say we were perfect together, we were soul mates. I would say no one else can hold you; no one else can touch you or call you theirs. The poem would say how could you? How could you love another, how could you be with another or kiss another. How could you leave me? The poem would be like that, angry. Yes angry, sad, mournful and dark, with flashes of light flickering in the darkness. The poem would be sealed in a bottle, and thrown into space, where it only company would be the sun, until eventually it would fade away, never to be read by my forgotten love.

Sg S Pastries And Ice Cream Marketing Essay

Sg S Pastries And Ice Cream Marketing Essay In every business there must be an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is a person who undertakes the responsibilities of running a successful business and sees to it that a profit is made. Functions of the entrepreneur in this business include: Planning- Developing an overall business plan for the business covering Pastries and Ice-Cream, to be implemented by the production manager. Developing a plan for delivery and marketing of the product. Organizing- Developing routines for food preparation and purchasing of supplies, to be implemented by the production manager. Evaluating performance- Continuously evaluating and monitoring all aspects of the operation, including staff performance, running costs, market response and sales revenue. The entrepreneur identifies issues and problems and takes corrective action where indicated. Use of Technology At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, we will use different types of technology. As we all know, technology is important and necessary to all business. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, practical and effective use will be made of the following technologies: telephones, computers, cash registers, refrigerators, ovens, management information systems (MIS) and also fax machines. The telephone will be used to call special and original customers and also to do promotions whenever there is a new product in stock. Computers will be used to store important information for the business. However, as dealing with computers, internet will be used to advertise the business. The cash register will be used to cash whatever is ordered by the customers, the deep freeze will be used to preserve the ice-cream and refrigerator to keep the juices and beverages, and also to make the ice-cream. These technologies will enhance the business by providing goods and services to supply the customers and this will result in the business making a profit and the business being successful. Potential for Growth Here at SGs pastries and Ice-Cream, we will seek to expand the business internally and externally. Since growth is important to every business, SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will seek to expand the business internally by employing more workers which will produce more goods and better services and this will result in increasing profit. Externally means outside and may be referred to the branches of the business. It is the growth of the companied by an increase of land, labour, capitals and enterprise. Externally, SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will open other branches in other parishes and towns and will also invest in ice-cream trucks to go around and sell ice-cream. Justification of Location SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will be located on Kings Plaza in the Centre of Negril Town. This town is very popular and well developed. Negril Town is also well populated and because of this the business will be well supported and this will result in the business being prosperous. There will be no problems accessing raw materials because there is a wide range of supermarkets and wholesales to supply the business with raw materials. Transporting the raw material will be easy because taxi and trucks will be ready and waiting to transport the raw materials to the business to be processed. There is also a demand for the products in Negril and opening this business will lead customers and buyers to support the business. There are also several work stations there so when its lunch time, people will just run over to get an ice-cream and a snack. Selection of Appropriate Labour The type of labour that will be used at SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream are the Skilled Labour and Unskilled Labour. These labours are necessary because the workers will need to know how to operate the different machines. These labours were also chosen because they are the most suitable labour and it will enable and enhance prompt and efficient service to satisfy our customers. To carry out the job in the business, there will be two cashiers who will be responsible for cashing what the customer wants to purchase and four chefs who will make the delicious pastries and snacks which will enlighten taste buds. There will be two waitresses to take orders from the customer and sever them what we have to offer in our comfortable, relaxing and entertaining spots in our business and most important there will be a security guard who will protect both the workers and customers from harm and danger. He will do, the best of this ability, to see to it whoever is inside the business is safe. Last but not least there will be a janitor who will be responsible for sanitizing the different parts of the business before, during and after each task. She will see to it that the business will be kept clean at all times which will attract customers and will result in them repeatedly visiting the business to support. The professionals will handle all the finance and the office work and the unskilled workers will take care of the packaging and cleaning while the skilled workers will be operating the machines. This will contribute to the profitability of the business. Source of Fixed and Working Capital Fixed Capital refers the assets of the business. These have a long life and will be used up in the business for the production of goods and for the creation of further wealth. Some of these are: Machines, premises and vehicles. This capital will be financed by a loan from Jamaica National (JN) and it will be paid back by a payment plan which will be paid monthly at a 10% rate. On the other hand, there is working capital, which can be defined as the short term assets which are turned over fairly during the course of the business. They include; cash, stocks and other items required for the day-to-day operation of the business. These may be obtained from the personal saving, the bank, supermarket and wholesale. The working capital is also used for paying expenses and workers. Type of Production SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will be engaged in secondary production. This involves taking raw material and converting them into finished or semi-finished goods. This production to SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream we will be using raw materials such as milk powder, condensed milk, evaporated milk and colouring will be converted into a product: Ice-Cream and Pastries. Levels of Production SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream operates within the domestic level of production. This level is best defined as everything produced locally in the home country. This level is necessary because it does not involve any foreign countries but does involve human and natural resources which are both employed. Pastries and Ice-Cream will also be providing for persons in the community in Negril and communities that are nearby. Quality Control Measures Quality control measures refer to the way in which a company ensures that the product meets the standard of the government regulations. It is also the way in which a country ensures that the product meet the standard the firm has set. The businesss policy is, clean up before during and after. Firstly, we make sure that our workers have their food handlers permit. Secondly, we set in place a schedule to outline the different tasks to be done on a daily basis for e.g. wiping the floor and wiping the tables etc. We also promote our policy by ensuring that the person sharing the ice cream uses a glove to avoid contamination of it. We also will ensure that the ice-cream is kept in the refrigerator for preservation. However, the ingredients that will be used to produce the goods are of high quality to satisfy our customers. The brand names, information on the product such as nutrition facts, directions and ingredients will show that the product does not have any fault. This will enable the business to gain more profit. Personnels from the Bureau of Standard will also come to do sample testing on the products that are made in the establishment. Linkages Linkage is when one industry emerges from the situation in producing a product which another industry depends on thus to carry out their own activities. Here this will be depicted because we will provide other business with ice-cream and other pastries. At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, we intend to use the forward linkage. SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will provide other small businesses with the best tasting ice-cream and pastries. We will provide businesses such as snack shops, small ice-cream shops, community shops and school tuck shop with ice-cream. Supplying other smaller businesses will generate more income in which SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will not only sell consumers but also have a fixed chain of common like business owners to supply with the best ice-cream. Government Regulations The business has to follow rules and regulation. Tax is one of the most important aspects relating to the government. However, like everyone and every business, tax must be paid. It will impact on the business positively because tax aids in developing the economy in term of fixing roads and building homes for the homeless etc; and it also fund the prisoners by providing them with food. So when the business gives up what is due to the government, a positive action will be displayed by the business and the businesss taxes will help with the development of the country. However, paying taxes prevent you from being in problems with the government. We at SGs Pastries and Ice-cream will make sure that all the garbage is been properly disposed. We will also ensure that the workers adhere to the health and safety regulations and all of our workers have a valid food handlers permit which is issued through clinics. Ethical Issues Ethical issues can be defined as the rights within the scope of a law. However, ethical issues are very important as it relates to the business world. Here both the boss and workers will ensure that the environment or surrounding of the business will be kept clean at all times. Therefore if an inspector should come to the business, the business will be clean and tidy and that will result in the inspector complimenting the business and he/she will make recommendations. And they may make a suggestion and come back to see if what was suggested was taken into action and was done properly. If the business is kept clean this will enhance the efficiency of the workers. As a result, more customers will be attracted. However, at SGs Pastries and Ice-cream will do back ground checks on our suppliers to ensure that the raw material we buy are coming from legal sources. We will also ensure that the raw materials we use to produce our products are of a good quality. Proposed Business Plan for SGs Pastries Ice-Cream Production Aspect Aims of Business At SGs Pastries Ice-Cream, we provide fresh and quality Pastries and Ice-Cream at an affordable cost with exceptional customer service to meet the customers need and wants. Table of Content Title Page Aims of Business Description of Business Justification of Location Selection of Appropriate Labour Sources of Fixed Working Capital Roles of the Entrepreneur Type of Production Levels of Production Quality Control Measures Use of Technology Linkage Potential for Growth Government Regulations Ethical Issue

Isers Act of Reading :: essays papers

Isers Act of Reading Critiquing a Critique: Wolfgang Iser’s The Act of Reading Texts on critical theory present an interesting challenge when one sits down to critique or review them. The purpose of these texts is to persuade the reader that all texts should be read and critiqued in the manner described within its pages. The process of evaluating such a book based on criteria that the reader has already established is made much more difficult by the fact that the focus of the book is to explain, in the majority of the cases, why the criteria being used is inferior to what the book itself recommends. How then, does one approach the problem that surrounds critiquing an instructional text on how to critique? The simplest way to approach the dilemma is to establish whether or not the points made by the author are valid, regardless of whether or not the reader agrees enough with the other to adopt his style of criticism. In this particular case, the author, Wolfgang Iser, is attempting to convince his readers that an approach he calls â€Å"aesthetic response† is the proper way to read and critique texts. Iser claims that his style is universal and can be applied to virtually all forms of writing. For this to be true, then one of the books written by Iser to help describe the process, The Act of Reading, should be able to validate his aesthetic response theory once it is read and critiqued by the manner described within the theory itself. Interestingly enough, the style of Iser’s book and the approach the author takes in explaining his theory to his readers run completely counter to the ideals of his theory. Iser’s aesthetic response theory contains is based on several points. First, the purpose of the reader is not to attempt to discover the single, hidden meaning within a text. The author backs up his position by providing this explanation: If the critic’s revelation of the meaning is a loss to the author†¦then meaning must be a thing which can be subtracted from the work. And if this meaning, as the very heart of the work, can be lifted out of the text, the work is then used up-through interpretation, literature is turned into an item for consumption. This is fatal not only for the text but also for literary criticism, for what can be the function of interpretation if its sole achievement is to extract the meaning and leave behind an empty shell?

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Essays -- Biology Health Medicine Papers

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Introduction Carl Wernicke first described the syndrome in 1881. He referred to the disorder as acute superior hemorrhagic polioencephalitis. Some of the original patients he described included two male alcoholics and a women with esophageal stenosis. He described a clinic triad of encephalopathy, ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. Unfortunately, most diagnoses are not made clinically but rather at autopsy. This suggests that the classic clinical triad is rare, or that clinicians do not properly recognize the symptoms. In some clinical studies, only one third of patients diagnosed with Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) presented with the classical triad. The majority of the patients presented encephalopathy (characterized by disorientation, indifference, and inattentiveness). Ocular motor abnormalities (nystagmus, lateral rectus palsy, and conjugate gaze palsies) occurred in 96%, resulting from oculomotor, abducens, and vestibular nuclei lesions. Gait ataxia presented in 87%, probably due to a combination of cerebellar and vestibular involvement as well as polyneuropathy. However, an autopsy-based study revealed that while 82% had mental status abnormalities only 23% had ataxia, 29% ocular motor abnormalities, and 11% polyneuropathy. The clinical triad was identified in only 17% of autopsy cases, and 19% sh owed none of the classic symptoms. This discrepancy between the clinical and autopsy-based studies is probably due to exclusion of atypical cases in the clinical series and the underestimation in the autopsy series of classic signs that were not properly elicited, recognized, or recorded (1). At autopsy the characteristic lesions of WK occur primarily in nuclei and structures surrounding the thi... ...e), 8 (2):107-113. 6. Butterworth, R. F., Pathophysiology of Cerebellar Dysfunction in the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Canad. J. Neuroscien., 1993 (May), 20 suppl. 3: sl23-126. 7. Parkin, A. J., Dunn, J. C., Lee, C., O’Hara, P. F., Nissbaum, L. Neuropsychological Sequelae of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy in a 20-Year-Old Woman: Selective Impairment of a Frontal Memory System. Brain Cognition, 1993 (Jan), 21(1): 1-19 8. Halliday, G., Ellis, J., Harper, C. The Locus Coeruleus and Memory: A Study of Chronic Alcoholics With and Without the Memory Impairment of Korsakoff’s Syndrome. Brain Research, 1992 (Dec), 598; 33-37. 9. Halliday, G., Ellis, J., Heard, R., Caine, D., Harper, C. Brainstem Serotonergic Neurons in Chronic Alcoholics With and Without the Memory Impairment of Korsakoff’s Psychosis. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol., 1993 (Nov), 52(6):567-579.

Dunkin’ Donuts Essay

In the competitive world of the coffee industry — and any industry for that matter — it’s crucial for companies to have a clear understanding of what they do best, and where they can be the best. Dunkin’ Donuts has defined its strategic heartbeat as the everyday, easy coffee stop that inspires rituals that revive. In other words, Dunkin’ Donuts provides food and drink that’s fast, fresh, and affordable — for busy people, leading busy lives. These days there is an incredible interest across the country in premium coffee. The average consumer is now demanding what Dunkin’ roducts — served fresher and faster than ever before. Dunkin’ Donuts is well positioned for the future. Taken together, Dunkin’ Donuts’ entrepreneurial business model, its culture, and the strength of its brands and menu offerings promise a strong future of successful growth. Dunkin’ Donuts is well known by generations and loved by a growing number of customers around the world. Dunkin’ Donuts is dedicated to providing delicious food and beverages to its customers and goes to great lengths to ensure only the finest ingredients are used in its recipes — including its espresso beverages. To that end, all Dunkin’ Donuts espresso beans are Fair Trade Certified. Dunkin’ Donuts was the first national brand to sell espresso beverages made exclusively with Fair Trade Certified coffee. Through Fair Trade, farmers and their families are earning a better income for their hard work, allowing them to hold onto their land, keep their children in school, and invest in the quality of their harvest. Using the most stringent standards in the coffee industry, Dunkin’ Donuts selects only the finest, high-quality beans to make its espresso blend. At the same time, Dunkin’ Donuts is working to aid the farmers who grow those beans. Small farmers in lesser-developed countries grow much of the world’s coffee. Without direct access to international markets or the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace, the Fair Trade model allows farmers to receive a fair price for their coffee bean crop. The history of Dunkin’ Donuts circles back more than 55 years when Bill Rosenberg founded the company in 1950 and opened the first store in Quincy, Massachusetts. Back then, Bill had a simple philosophy: â€Å"Make and serve the freshest, most delicious coffee and donuts quickly and courteously in modern, well-merchandised stores. † That philosophy still holds true today and is the foundation that has enabled Dunkin’ Donuts to grow to be the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin’ Donuts offers more than a dozen coffee beverages, donuts, bagels, muffins, breakfast sandwiches, and other baked goods. Currently, Dunkin’ Donuts has more than 7,200 shops in 34 countries worldwide. Dunkin’ Donuts has been serving highquality coffee for more than 55 years. Today, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s largest retailer of coffee by the cup, serving nearly Donuts has been providing for over 50 years. Dunkin’ Donuts’ standards for coffee excellence are among the highest in the United States, which is no easy feat. Producing coffee takes more steps than producing wine, and Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee experts travel around the globe to ensure quality at each step. Recently, Dunkin’ Donuts identified a new restaurant category called â€Å"Quick Quality. This represents a promise of fresh food fast and a higher evolution of the standard quick-service experience. Dunkin’ Donuts wanted to make a more meaningful promise to deliver on the value proposition consumers expect, and then some: a promise to offer fresh food, fast, and to offer more choices, served quickly, in a quality way. That means lots of innovative new 30 1 billion cups of brewed coffee each year. Using only 100 percent Arabica coffee beans, Dunkin’ Donuts offers a milder roast coffee that is milled specifically for the company and is recognized by the industry as a superior grade of coffee. In addition to serving â€Å"the best coffee in Americaâ„ ¢,† Dunkin’ Donuts is expanding its menu to include a wider range of snacks and onthe-go, delicious, quality products that will appeal to an increasingly busy consumer market. This platform will feature products that move beyond the breakfast hour in an effort to keep timestrapped people fueled and ready to face the challenges of the day — morning, noon, and night. Most recently, Dunkin’ Donuts introduced Smoothies to its popular beverage and snack menu. Made from yogurt and real fruit, Dunkin’ Donuts Smoothies are available in juicy Wildberry, luscious Mango Passion Fruit, smooth Strawberry Banana, and exotic Tropical Fruit, and are an excellent source of Vitamin C and calcium. To secure and sustain Dunkin’ Donuts’ leadership position as America’s largest retailer of coffee-bythe-cup, the company has begun an aggressive national expansion plan that will ultimately triple Dunkin’ Donuts to 15,000 stores throughout the country by 2020. Initial cities targeted for Dunkin’ Donuts’ national expansion include Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. In 2005, Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled a new prototype restaurant. The design, reminiscent of company roots that date over 55 years, is coupled with contemporary features to give Dunkin’ Donuts a new, modernized appearance. The new restaurant prototype features advanced equipment to meet the demands of today’s busy customers seeking fast, fresh, affordable, highquality food and beverage choices quicker and better than ever before, resulting in an improved overall in-store and drive-thru experience. A new, innovative menu that moves Dunkin’ Donuts beyond breakfast complements the store design. The new menu is part of Dunkin’ Brands’ efforts to raise the bar on the quality and variety of foods available at Dunkin’ Donuts and to change expectations about what is possible in a quick-service meal, whether in their restaurant or on the go. Perhaps the most famous of Dunkin’ Donuts advertising came in the form of the character â€Å"Fred the Baker. Throughout the 1980s â€Å"Fred the Baker† was synonymous with Dunkin’ Donuts. The advertising campaign — one of the most beloved ad campaigns in recent history — featured Michael Vale as Fred — Dunkin Donuts’ devoted, sleepy-eyed doughnut maker who woke up each morning with the mantra, â€Å"Time to make the donuts. † Fred became a character that struck a chord with most Americans; he was a hard-working man dedicated to his job regardless of the time or th e weather. Fred the Baker was featured for 15 years until he retired in 1997. In 2006, Dunkin’ Donuts unveiled a new advertising campaign that revolutionizes the brand’s position by focusing on how Dunkin’ Donuts keeps busy Americans fueled and on the go. The campaign is a fun and often quirky celebration of life, showing Americans embracing their work, their play, and everything in between — accompanied every step of the way by Dunkin’ Donuts. The launch of â€Å"America Runs on Dunkin’† marked the most significant repositioning effort in the company’s 55-year history. The campaign comes to life through a set of interactive icons that represent the campaign tagline, â€Å"America Runs on Dunkin’. † The icons help to drive the concept that Dunkin’ Donuts’ freshly made coffee and baked goods energize Americans from all walks of life so they can keep the country running on their dedicated hard work and positive outlooks. Dunkin’ Donuts customers are passionate about their Dunkin’ Donuts experience, which for millions of customers is an everyday ritual. The company recently conducted a study where customers were asked to go without Dunkin’ Donuts coffee for one week. The results showed that people felt life was harder, that their day lacked order without Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, and that competitors couldn’t fill the social and emotional need they get from a daily visit to a Dunkin’ Donuts store. People who work for Dunkin’ Donuts have a passion for what they do. And that’s because three years ago Dunkin’ Donuts located the passion of the company — the strategic heartbeat — which is the thing that the company does best. For example, Dunkin’ Donuts defined the strategic heartbeat of the company as the everyday, easy coffee stop that, by serving the best-tasting coffee, inspires rituals that revive. Dunkin’ Donuts is the No. 1 retailer of hot and iced coffee in America, selling 2. 7 million cups a day, and nearly 1 billion cups a year. Dunkin’ Donuts is also the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world and sells more donuts, coffee, bagels, and muffins than any other quick-service restaurant in America. On an average day, Dunkin’ Donuts sells more than 30 cups of freshly brewed coffee each second. r As part of the company’s commitment to offering consumers more choices without compromising quality, Dunkin’ Donuts has assembled a new culinary team, a lineup of skilled and honored chefs and are using their talent and experience to create new and innovative menu choices for customers. The Culinary Team’s mission is to provide Dunkin’ Donuts customers with the besttasting, most creative menu items that are fast, fresh, and affordable.