Forward the Foundation Chapter 7

18 Raych sat in the anteroom of a public building in Dahl into which he had never ventured-never could have ventured-as a ragamuffin youth. He felt, in all truth, a little uneasy about it now, as though he were trespassing. He tried to look calm, trustworthy, lovable. Dad had told him that this was a quality he carried around with him, but he had never been conscious of it. If it came about naturally, he would probably spoil it by trying too hard to seem to be what he really was. He tried relaxing while keeping an eye on the official who was manipulating a computer at the desk. The official was not a Dahlite. He was, in fact, Gambol Deen Namarti, who had been with Joranum at the meeting with Dad that Raych had attended. Every once in a while, Namarti would look up from his desk and glance at Raych with a hostile glare. This Namarti wasn't buying Raych's lovability. Raych could see that. Raych did not try to meet Namarti's hostility with a friendly smile. It would have seemed too artificial. He simply waited. He had gotten this far. If Joranum arrived, as he was expected to, Raych would have a chance to speak to him. Joranum did arrive, sweeping in, smiling his public smile of warmth and confidence. Namarti's hand came up and Joranum stopped. They spoke together in low voices while Raych watched intently and tried in vain to seem as if he wasn't. It seemed plain to Raych that Namarti was arguing against the meeting and Raych bridled a bit at that. Then Joranum looked at Raych, smiled, and pushed Namarti to one side. It occurred to Raych that, while Namarti was the brains of the team, it was Joranum who clearly had the charisma. Joranum strode toward him and held out a plump, slightly moist hand. â€Å"Well well. Professor Seldon's young man. How are you?† â€Å"Fine, thank you, sir.† â€Å"You had some trouble getting here, I understand.† â€Å"Not too much, sir.† â€Å"And you've come with a message from your father, I trust. I hope he is reconsidering his decision and has decided to join me in my great crusade.† â€Å"I don't think so, sir.† Joranum frowned slightly. â€Å"Are you here without his knowledge?† â€Å"No, sir. He sent me.† â€Å"I see. Are you hungry, lad?† â€Å"Not at the moment, sir.† â€Å"Then would you mind if I eat? I don't get much time for the ordinary amenities of life,† he said, smiling broadly. â€Å"It's all right with me, sir.† Together, they moved to a table and sat down. Joranum unwrapped a sandwich and took a bite. His voice slightly muffled, he said, â€Å"And why did he send you, son?† Raych shrugged. â€Å"I think he thought I might find out something about you that he could use against you. He's heart and soul with First Minister Demerzel.† â€Å"And you're not?† â€Å"No, sir. I'm a Dahlite.† â€Å"I know you are, Mr. Seldon, but what does that mean?† â€Å"It means I'm oppressed, so I'm on your side and I want to help you. Of course, I wouldn't want my father to know.† â€Å"There's no reason he should know. How do you propose to help me?† He glanced quickly at Namarti, who was leaning against his desk, listening, with his arms folded and his expression lowering. â€Å"Do you know anything about psychohistory?† â€Å"No, sir. My father don't talk to me about that-and if he did, I wouldn't get it. I don't think he's getting anywhere with that stuff.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Sure I'm sure. There's a guy there, Yugo Amaryl, also a Dahlite, who talks about it sometimes. I'm sure nothing is happening.† â€Å"Ah! And can I see Yugo Amaryl sometime, do you suppose?† â€Å"I don't think so. He ain't much for Demerzel, but he's all for my father. He wouldn't cross him.† â€Å"But you would?† Raych looked unhappy and he muttered stubbornly, â€Å"I'm a Dahlite.† Joranum cleared his throat. â€Å"Then let me ask you again. How do you propose to help me, young man?† â€Å"I've got something to tell you that maybe you won't believe.† â€Å"Indeed? Try me. If I don't believe it, I will tell you so.† â€Å"It's about First Minister Eto Demerzel.† â€Å"Well?† Raych looked around uneasily. â€Å"Can anyone hear me?† â€Å"Just Namarti and myself.† â€Å"All right, then listen. This guy Demerzel ain't a guy. He's a robot.† â€Å"What!† exploded Joranum. Raych felt moved to explain. â€Å"A robot is a mechanical man, sir. He ain't human. He's a machine.† Namarti broke out passionately, â€Å"Jo-Jo, don't believe that. It's ridiculous.† But Joranum held up an admonitory hand. His eyes were gleaming. â€Å"Why do you say that?† â€Å"My father was in Mycogen once. He told me all about it. In Mycogen they talk about robots a lot.† â€Å"Yes, I know. At least, I have heard so.† â€Å"The Mycogenians believe that robots were once very common among their ancestors, but they were wiped out.† Namarti's eyes narrowed. â€Å"But what makes you think that Demerzel is a robot? From what little I have heard of these fantasies, robots are made out of metal, aren't they?† â€Å"That's so,† said Raych earnestly. â€Å"But what I heard is that there were a few robots that look just like human beings and they live forever-â€Å" Namarti shook his head violently. â€Å"Legends! Ridiculous legends! JoJo, why are we listening-â€Å" But Joranum cut him off quickly. â€Å"No, G.D. I want to listen. I've heard these legends, too.† â€Å"But it's nonsense, Jo-Jo.† â€Å"Don't be in such a rush to say ‘nonsense.' And even if it were, people live and die by nonsense. It's not what is so much as what people think is. Tell me, young man, putting legends to one side, what makes you think Demerzel is a robot? Let's suppose that robots exist. What is it, then, about Demerzel that makes you say he is a robot? Did he tell you so?† â€Å"No, sir,† said Raych. â€Å"Did your father tell you so?† asked Joranum. â€Å"No, sir. It's just my own idea, but I'm sure of it.† â€Å"Why? What makes you so sure?† â€Å"It's just something about him. He doesn't change. He doesn't get older. He doesn't show emotions. Something about him looks like he's made of metal.† Joranum sat back in his chair and looked at Raych for an extended time. It was almost possible to hear his thoughts buzzing. Finally he said, â€Å"Suppose he is a robot, young man. Why should you care? Does it matter to you?† â€Å"Of course it matters to me,† said Raych. â€Å"I'm a human being. I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.† Joranum turned to Namarti with a gesture of eager approval. â€Å"Do you hear that, G.D.? ‘I'm a human being. I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.' Put him on holovision and have him say it. Have him repeat it over and over till it's drummed into every person on Trantor-â€Å" â€Å"Hey,† said Raych, finally catching his breath. â€Å"I can't say that on holovision. I can't let my father find out-â€Å" â€Å"No, of course not,† said Joranum quickly. â€Å"We couldn't allow that. We'll just use the words. We'll find some other Dahlite. Someone from each of the sectors, each in his own dialect, but always the same message: ‘I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.'† Namarti said, â€Å"And what happens when Demerzel proves he's not a robot?† â€Å"Really,† said Joranum. â€Å"How will he do that? It would be impossible for him to do so. Psychologically impossible. What? The great Demerzel, the power behind the throne, the man who has twitched the strings attached to Cleon I all these years and those attached to Cleon's father before him? Will he climb down now and whine to the public that he is, too, a human being? That would be almost as destructive to him as being a robot. G.D., we have the villain in a no-win situation and we owe it all to this fine young man here.† Raych flushed. Joranum said, â€Å"Raych is your name, isn't it? Once our party is in a position to do so, we won't forget. Dahl will be treated well and you will have a good position with us. You're going to be Dahl's sector leader someday, Raych, and you're not going to regret you've done this. Are you, now?† â€Å"Not on your life,† said Raych fervently. â€Å"In that case, we'll see that you get back to your father. You let him know that we intend him no harm, that we value him greatly. You can tell him you found that out in any way you please. And if you find anything else you think we might be able to use-about psychohistory, in particular, you let us know.† â€Å"You bet. But do you mean it when you say you'll see to it that Dahl gets some breaks?† â€Å"Absolutely. Equality of sectors, my boy. Equality of worlds. We'll have a new Empire with all the old villainies of privilege and inequality wiped out.† And Raych nodded his head vigorously. â€Å"That's what I want.† 19 Cleon, Emperor of the Galaxy, was walking hurriedly through the arcade that led from his private quarters in the Small Palace to the offices of the rather tremendous staff that lived in the various annexes of the Imperial Palace, which served as the nerve center of the Empire. Several of his personal attaches walked after him, with looks of the deepest concern on their faces. The Emperor did not walk to others. He summoned them and they came to him. If he did walk, he never showed signs of haste or emotional trauma. How could he? He was the Emperor and, as such, far more a symbol of all the worlds than a human being. Yet now he seemed to be a human being. He motioned everyone aside with an impatient wave of his right hand. In his left hand he held a gleaming hologram. â€Å"The First Minister,† he said in an almost strangled voice, not at all like the carefully cultivated tones he had painstakingly assumed along with the throne. â€Å"Where is he?† And all the high functionaries who were in his way fumbled and gasped and found it impossible to manage coherence. He brushed past them angrily, making them all feel, undoubtedly, as though they were living through a waking nightmare. Finally he burst into Demerzel's private office, panting slightly, and shouted-literally shouted- â€Å"Demerzel!† Demerzel looked up with a trace of surprise and rose smoothly to his feet, for one did not sit in the presence of the Emperor unless specifically invited to. â€Å"Sire?† he said. And the Emperor slammed the hologram down on Demerzel's desk and said, â€Å"What is this? Will you tell me that?† Demerzel looked at what the Emperor had given him. It was a beautiful hologram, sharp and alive. One could almost hear the little boy-perhaps ten years old-speaking the words that were included in the caption: â€Å"I don't want no robot in charge of running the Empire.† Demerzel said quietly, â€Å"Sire, I have received this, too.† â€Å"And who else has?† â€Å"I am under the impression, Sire, that it is a flier that is being widely spread over Trantor.† â€Å"Yes, and do you see the person at whom that brat is looking?† He tapped his Imperial forefinger at it. â€Å"Isn't that you?† â€Å"The resemblance is striking, Sire.† â€Å"Am I wrong in supposing that the whole intent of this flier, as you call it, is to accuse you of being a robot?† â€Å"That does seem to be its intention, Sire.† â€Å"And stop me if I'm wrong, but aren't robots the legendary mechanical human beings one finds in-in thrillers and children's stories?† â€Å"The Mycogenians have it as an article of faith, Sire, that robots-â€Å" â€Å"I'm not interested in the Mycogenians and their articles of faith. Why are they accusing you of being a robot?† â€Å"Merely a metaphorical point, I'm sure, Sire. They wish to portray me as a man of no heart, whose views are the conscienceless calculations of a machine.† â€Å"That's too subtle, Demerzel. I'm no fool.† He tapped the hologram again. â€Å"They're trying to make people believe you are really a robot.† â€Å"We can scarcely prevent it, Sire, if people choose to believe that.† â€Å"We cannot afford it. It detracts from the dignity of your office. Worse than that, it detracts from the dignity of the Emperor, The implication is that I-I would choose as my First Minister a mechanical man. That is impossible to endure. See here, Demerzel, aren't there laws that forbid the denigration of public officers of the Empire?† â€Å"Yes, there are-and quite severe ones, Sire, dating back to the great Law Codes of Aburamis.† â€Å"And to denigrate the Emperor himself is a capital offense, is it not?† â€Å"Death is the punishment, Sire. Yes.† â€Å"Well, this not only denigrates you, it denigrates me-and whoever did it should be executed forthwith. It was this Joranum, of course, who is behind it.† â€Å"Undoubtedly. Sire, but proving it might be rather difficult.† â€Å"Nonsense! I have proof enough! I want an execution.† â€Å"The trouble is, Sire, that the laws of denigration are virtually never enforced. Not in this century, certainly.† â€Å"And that is why society is becoming so unstable and the Empire is being shaken to its roots. The laws are still in the books, so enforce them.† Demerzel said, â€Å"Consider, Sire, if that would be wise. It would make you appear to be a tyrant and a despot. Your rule has been a most successful one through kindness and mildness-â€Å" â€Å"Yes and see where that got me. Let's have them fear me for a change, rather than love me-in this fashion.† â€Å"I strongly recommend that you not do so, Sire. It may be the spark that will start a rebellion.† â€Å"What would you do, then? Go before the people and say, ‘Look at me. I am no robot.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ â€Å"No, Sire, for as you say that would destroy my dignity and, worse yet, yours.† â€Å"Then?† â€Å"I am not certain, Sire. I have not yet thought it through.† â€Å"Not yet thought it through? Get in touch with Seldon.† â€Å"Sire?† â€Å"What is so difficult to understand about my order? Get in touch with Seldon!† â€Å"You wish me to summon him to the Palace, Sire?† â€Å"No, there's no time for that. I presume you can set up a sealed communication line between us that cannot be tapped.† â€Å"Certainly, Sire.† â€Å"Then do so. Now!† 20 Seldon lacked Demerzel's self-possession, being, as he was, only flesh and blood. The summons to his office and the sudden faint glow and tingle of the scrambler field was indication enough that something unusual was taking place. He had spoken by sealed lines before but never to the full extent of Imperial security. He expected some government official to clear the way for Demerzel himself. Considering the slowly mounting tumult of the robot flier, he could expect nothing less. But he did not expect anything more, either, and when the image of the Emperor himself, with the faint glitter of the scramble field outlining him, stepped into his office (so to speak), Seldon fell back in his seat, mouth wide open, and could make only ineffectual attempts to rise. Cleon motioned him impatiently to keep his seat. â€Å"You must know what's going on, Seldon.† â€Å"Do you mean about the robot flier, Sire?† â€Å"That's exactly what I mean. What's to be done?† Seldon, despite the permission to remain seated, finally rose. â€Å"There's more, Sire. Joranum is organizing rallies all over Trantor on the robot issue. At least, that's what I hear on the newscasts.† â€Å"It hasn't reached me yet. Of course not. Why should the Emperor know what is going on?† â€Å"It is not for the Emperor to be concerned, Sire. I'm sure that the First Minister-â€Å" â€Å"The First Minister will do nothing, not even keep me informed. I turn to you and your psychohistory. Tell me what to do. â€Å" â€Å"Sire?† â€Å"I'm not going to play your game, Seldon. You've been working on psychohistory for eight years. The First Minister tells me I must not take legal action against Joranum. What, then, do I do?† Seldon stuttered. â€Å"S-sire! Nothing!† â€Å"You have nothing to tell me?† â€Å"No, Sire. That is not what I mean. I mean you must do nothing. Nothing! The First Minister is quite right if he tells you that you must not take legal action. It will make things worse.† â€Å"Very well. What will make things better?† â€Å"For you to do nothing. For the First Minister to do nothing. For the government to allow Joranum to do just as he pleases.† â€Å"How will that help?† And Seldon said, trying to suppress the note of desperation in his voice, â€Å"That will soon be seen.† The Emperor seemed to deflate suddenly, as though all the anger and indignation had been drawn out of him. He said, â€Å"Ah! I understand! You have the situation well in hand!† â€Å"Sire! I have not said that-â€Å" â€Å"You need not say. I have heard enough. You have the situation well in hand, but I want results. I still have the Imperial Guard and the armed forces. They will be loyal and, if it comes to actual disorders, I will not hesitate. But I will give you your chance first.† His image flashed out and Seldon sat there, simply staring at the empty space where the image had been. Ever since the first unhappy moment when he had mentioned psychohistory at the Decennial Convention eight years before, he had had to face the fact that he didn't have what he had incautiously talked about. All he had was the wild ghost of some thoughts-and what Yugo Amaryl called intuition.

Fukushima Earthquake And Tsunami 2011 Essay

In March 2011, Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a following tsunami. Authorities concluded that the earthquake was the cause of the Pacific plate releasing the friction built up after years converged under the North American plate (as shown in figure 3) along the fault line that lies kilometres away from Japan’s coastline. (Urbano, 2011)This caused the friction to spread through the ground-and what was originally said to be a magnitude 6.6 earthquake through the evaluation of incomprehensive readings from seismometers- shook Japan for over five minutes. The resulting tsunami was triggered by the explosive energy released by the earthquake. However, its damage was minimized by 10m high sea walls and the modeling of buildings along the coast, which had applied various scientific techniques to reduce impact from waves on actual buildings. Macintosh HD:Users:160161:Desktop:Unknown-1.jpeg Earthquakes are a very significant problem around the globe and can cause havoc through towns. The Japan earthquake and following tsunami resulted in 20000 deaths and caused the destruction of entire towns and many coastal areas of the country- the most notably being the TÅhoku region in Honshu. (Pletcher, 2013) A large percentage of the damage and lives lost could have been avoided if sciences techniques in detecting earthquakes- such as seismometers- would have alerted authorities in advance rather than minutes before the earthquake struck, as well as conveyed more accurate readings. Around the globe scientists and organisations have attempted to develop method of detecting earthquakes so that maximum damage can be prevented. Currently, around the globe seismometers, sea walls and building modeling are used to detect earthquakes through the readings of seismic waves. This scientific solution has potential to minimise damage from earthquakes and tsunamis around the globe if implemented correctly and its negatives minimized. The Application of Science To Detect Earthquakes and Consequently Prevent Damage-Seismometers Earthquakes can be detected by measuring the frequency of the seismic waves in a particular area using a scientific device such as a seismometer. Seismic waves are circular waves (see figure 4) created by the back and forth movement that occurs when an earthquake shakes the ground, thus releasing waves. A magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake- like the one in Japan 2011, are caused due to the faster and rapider movement of the ground. This releases a higher frequency of seismic waves that can be detected by scientific instruments like a seismometer-just as they were during the Fukushima earthquake. The science behind the implementation of seismometers in earthquake prone areas such as Japan is that they use the basic principal of inertia to detect seismic waves in the earth’s surface. They consist of a ground motion detection sensor and a recording system. In a simple seismometer’s detection system, a weight and a spring are suspended from a frame that moves along with the earth’s surface. As the earth moves, the relative motion between the weight and the earth, which is caused by seismic waves is measured by the recording system which consists of a rotating drum attached to the frame, (as shown in diagram 1) and a pen attached to the mass. This pencil moves along with the weight and the spring, leaving lines along the drum, which can be interpreted into determining the frequency of seismic waves and the magnitude of the coming earthquake by authorities.(Braile, 2000)Modern seismometers are electronic, and instead of using a pen and drum, the seismic activity generates an electrical voltage that is recorded by a computer. The reason why Japanese authorities and other nations around the world choose this science to help detect earthquakes is because it allows them to determine before hand when an earthquake is going to happen. Seismographs gather information over a long period of time and the patterns in the seismic wave frequency are easily analyzable. Seismometers were implemented in Japan’s coastline by local authorities with readings going to computers where the data from seismic waves was analyzed. This brought to the early conclusions that the earthquake was a magnitude 6.6 and later upgraded to 9.0 from further readings showing an increase in movement within the ground. Seismometers also bring a change in scientific research about certain regions and their risk to earthquakes, as it allows for research to be collected at various points before, during and after an earthquake, so that warnings can be sent out in advance next time or before an aftershock. (Dea, 2003) The Effectiveness of Detection/Damage Prevention Techniques Used In Japan Seismometers- Science’s solution to the problem-can be used to detect earthquakes and their location so that maximum damage can be prevented. In theory, scientists in Japan should have been able to pick up the earthquakes where about, magnitude and timing from the seismic activity under the earth’s surface that should have been detected by numerous seismometers located on the Pacific Ocean’s seabed. Scientists can use the readings gathered- based on the frequency of the waves-to calculate the magnitude of the earthquake before it reaches by working out the difference in arrival between two waves from tree different seismometers. (BBC, 2013) If the gap between the two arrivals is shorter, then the magnitude of the earthquake is also higher. Fukushima scientists also used this method to determine the exact location of the earthquakes epicentre through the process of triangulation in which they determine the distance travelled by waves at each of the three seismomet ers and pinpoint the centre (as shown in diagram 2). Seismometers certainly helped to detect the Fukushima earthquake. Evidence shows that almost a thousand lives were saved due to seismometers monitoring the Pacific seabed. They proved effective in saving lives because they were able to pick up the sudden seismic activity in the ground. The detection allowed scientists back in Japan to sound an alarm minutes before the earthquake arrived in Japan. However, the initial alarm was quite inaccurate, as it was originally sounded for a 6.6 magnitude earthquake. Over the last century around the world, scientists concluded that 9/10 times seismometers were initially incorrect in detecting the magnitude of the numerous earthquakes (Strevens, 2011). Seismometers also have many more limitations, which cause for the technology to be deemed ineffective at times and can be used to partially explain some of the issues that occurred in Japan- issues that could have been avoided. Unlike NASA’s InSAR satellite technology that can detect earthquakes day before they occur (due to its ability to detect even 1cm of movement within the earth) (NASA, 2011), seismometers are only able to detect earthquakes minutes before they happen and the only way scientists can actually issue a warning in advance is if they look closely at the patterns in previous earthquakes or try and interpret seismic readings days before and see if there are any abnormalities. The limitations of possible inaccuracy with data and late warnings made the use of the seismometers quite ineffective during the earthquake. Although seismometers are able to pinpoint the exact location of the epicentre so that aftershocks can be predicted and are able to give a few minutes of warning about the magnitude, it is a scientific device that’s success can easily be affected by influence human error plays in analyzing its data on computers. Sea walls were implemented in Japan to protect its coastal cities from tsunamis. The science behind them is that its strong concrete material, from which it is made of, should be able to block the force of a tsunami. Their height- 10 metres above sea level- were supposed to be sufficient to stop most tsunamis as evidence shows that it is very rare in any part of the world for a tsunami over 10m to a region that is not directly over the fault line. However, if a tsunami were to reach such heights, the sea walls success would be limited greatly. A positive of their use though, is that their success is largely predictable as they do not require any electronic systems to function and nor do they have any human influence. Macintosh HD:Users:160161:Desktop:Screen Shot 2013-10-27 at 6.40.21 PM.png Sea walls proved ineffective in Japan as the tsunami proved to also be 10 metres tall due to the water being very deep in the region. This allowed the tsunami to build up its waves and when the tsunami’s biggest waves arrived at the coast of Japan, they were 1m taller than the walls event though they were still only 10m tall. (Tran, 2013) This was due to the fact that the coastline had dropped by a metre and also moved three metres out to sea. (As shown in figure 5) This outside influence limited the success of the walls greatly and although- in many other tsunamis sea wall have effectively haltered tsunamis due to their concrete strength and height- the tsunami of 2011 flooded into Japan killing thousands that could not escape in the few moments of warning. Sciences Interaction With The Environment The environment has minimal impact on the application and effectiveness of seismometers and sea walls. As seismometers are not affected by an areas air pollution, vegetation or climate, the environment does not play a significant role in positively or negatively affecting the detection ability of seismometers. However there are still a few minor factors- particularly in Japan- that can somewhat prevent an earthquake from being detected accurately. Due to Japans vulnerable earthquake-prone region being located along the Pacific Ocean’s coastline, many low intensity stress waves created by natural noises and ocean waves have the ability to be detected by seismometers. This is because seismometers can detect and measure motions with frequencies from 500 Hz to 0.00118 Hz- a large enough range to detect ocean waves- particularly in the Pacific Ocean. This could have a negative effect on the effectiveness of science’s solution. Negatively, seismometers could be alerting Japan ese authorities every time tidal waves and ocean currents strengthen, thus triggering alarm bells constantly. A positive effect that the Japanese environment has on damage preventing solutions such as sea walls is that the Japanese coastline has numerous mountain and hill landforms. The many hills and low mountains located in Japans coastal region (sea figure 6)-especially where the Fukushima earthquake struck-help to prevent damage due to there significant height above sea levels. This environmental benefit was evident during the 2011 earthquake as authorities guided civilians to high ground so that when the tsunami arrived and the sea walls failed, the landforms saved a few hundred lives. (ONISHI, 2011)This was because the 10m height of the tsunami eventually deteriorated by the time it reached the landforms, thus preventing further damage from occurring. As mentioned above, the environment has minimal influence on the application and effectiveness of seismometers and sea walls, although sea walls do have an effect on the environment. To construct and implement sea walls, natural, agricultural and grassland is destroyed to make way for them. Sea walls require a large amount of space (width and length) if they are to be firm, sturdy and cover a large proportion of the coastline. They also negatively impact the climatic environment as their height to some extent interrupts the sea breeze that Japan receives from the ocean. This means that locations near the walls will be drier in the already tropical climate and environment. Once again these negative effects on Japan’s environment are not significant factors although if these scientific damage prevention measures were not present in Japan 2011, the environment would have been damaged greatly like it was in some towns that were destroyed completely. Economic Interaction Sciences detection and damage prevention solutions have a profound effect on the economy of Japan. The Japanese government invests billions (USD) in coastal defenses such as sea walls and warning systems every year. These expensive devices further cost governments around the world millions whenever a warning and consequent evacuation occurs. For example, since Hawaii’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was established in 1948, about 75 percent of warnings that resulted in costly evacuations turned out to be false alarms (Pendick, 2012). A positive effect that Japan’s economy has on seismometers and warning systems is that it can afford to research deep into ways on improving the technology, as well as, fund the expensive costs involved with implementing and running them. There is very little limitations that Japan’s economy poses to seismometers as the economy is very stable and has been for the last decade without fluctuating too much (see graph 1), thus allowing for billions to be invested. This allows the government to invest in earthquake damage prevention devices so that when an earthquake strikes, damage costs can be kept to a minimum. Seismometers and damage prevention devices have a major influence on the economy. When the earthquake of 2011 struck and damage was high- especially from the burst reactor in the Fukushima Nuclear Plant- Japan’s tourism industry suffered greatly. This had a chain reaction on the economy with a major dip in Japan’s GDP (as shown in graph 1) during the period. Conclusion For many years now, scientists have attempted to come up with ways to detect and consequently, prevent earthquakes with measured success- especially in the Fukushima earthquake of 2011. Although the application of science through the use of seismometers potentially saved thousands of lives in the few minutes of warning, it’s accuracy and timing was not enough to stop a nuclear disaster. The 10m sea walls that were located around Japans shoreline also proved ineffective as the tsunami soared over them, leaving all types of buildings to be struck down by the shear force of the waves. However, scientists continue to apply their knowledge of earthquakes, tectonic movement and seismic waves so that they can enhance this solution for future earthquakes around the globe. Seismometers and sea walls fit into the world environment nicely as they do not affect it, but rather help to prevent damage occurring to it, whilst the modeling of buildings simply has the same impact as normal buildings do. Economic wise though, billions of dollars are put into the science and evidence shown from Japan might suggest, too much money for fairly inconclusive success. There are some variables in science that we can’t control, but what can be controlled is minimizing their damage to civilization through the processes of detecting and preventing damage. Bibliography BBC. (2013). Seismic waves. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from BBC Bitesize: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/waves_earth/seismicwavesrev2.shtml Braile, L. (2000, November). SEISMOMETER. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Explorations In Earth Science: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/edumod/handseis/handseis.htm Dea, J. (2003, August 11). Anticipating Earthquakes. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from NASA Science: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2003/11aug_earthquakes/ Densmore, A. (2011, March 14). Sendai earthquake and tsunami disaster . Retrieved October 29, 2013, from Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience: http://ihrrblog.org/2011/03/14/sendai-earthquake-and-tsunami-disaster/ Doedens, P. (2013, September 20). MAGNITUDE-5.3 QUAKE HITS FUKUSHIMA. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from Fukushima Update: http://fukushimaupdate.com/magnitude-5-9-quake-hits-fukushima/ Kong, S. C. (2013, March 20). Japan’s Economy. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from The Market Oracle: http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article39557.html Kordian. (2012, May 8). Natural Disaster . Retrieved November 1, 2013, from Oxonian Globalist: http://toglobalist.org/2012/05/risky-business-uncovering-catastrophic-insurance-risks-in-2012/ NASA. (2011). Anticipating Earthquakes-InSAR Satellites . Retrieved October 28, 2013, from NASA Science: http://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=why+did+seismometers+pick+the+japan+earthquake+as+magnetide+6.6&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=jMhwUtjfJcW_kQXUiYCQBQ#q=why+did+seismometers+pick+the+japan+earthquake+as+magnitude+6.6&rls=en ONISHI, N. (2011, March 13). Seawalls Offered Little Protection Against Tsunami’s Crushing Waves. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/14seawalls.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Pendick, D. (2012). Catching a Tsunami in the Act. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from Savage Earth: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/tsunami/html/sidebar1.html Macintosh HD:Users:160161:Desktop:Screen Shot 2013-11-04 at 11.43.28 AM.png

Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act Current Event

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act or CISPA is legislation that is currently being resurrected in the House of Representatives after failing to make it to a vote in the senate last year as reported as previously threatened with veto by President Obama.(WILHELM, 2013). According to the bill’s author, as reported by Wilhelm (2013) the bill aims to allow more sharing of â€Å"cyber threat intelligence† between the U.S. government and private sectors. There is quite a threat to individual freedom of speech and privacy if this bill is enacted. The proposed legislation would give tremendous powers to private industry if passed and severely limit the ways in which users enjoy privacy on the internet. Individual’s simply pirating movies or software could be classified as â€Å"cyber-threats† and become the target of combined governmental and civilian action. Personally, I perceive the proposed legislation as a threat to freedom of speech and privacy. Because of technology, terrorism and widespread global unrest, Americans’ have given the government powers beyond what our founders ever envisioned as evidenced by the most recent renewal of The Patriot Act As cyber threats evolve it is vital to have legislation to enable appropriate response, however this legislation must be carefully crafted as to not allow any party to be above the law. Reference: http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/02/23/recently-hacked-heres-microsofts-statement-on-pending-cybersecurity-legislation/ WILHELM, M. (2013, Febuary 23). Recently hacked, here’s Microsoft’s statement on pending cybersecurity legislation. Retrieved from THE NEXT WEB: http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2013/02/23/recently-hacked-heres-microsofts-statement-on-pending-cybersecurity-legislation/

Health care reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health care reform - Research Paper Example In the film Sicko, by Michael Moore, he looked at the inequalities that exist between the United States healthcare systems in comparison to that in other countries. The way in which he showed his argument both in the interviews as well as his actions makes a compelling argument for the inadequacy of US healthcare. While universal healthcare and non-profit systems such as in Canada and Cuba are great, however the expenses come at a price to the people. It does point out the inequalities that exist in comparing the US to other nations. The biggest shocking fact was that 9/11 victims were not being treated adequately. As a result, they had to travel to another country in order to get the aid they needed. It is an inadequacy that we are medically treating criminals and enemies of the state for free, while our own people who either can or cannot afford medical insurance are forced to try to make due with the system that is already in place. The IOM paper was able to provide a good methodo logy for the development and re-establishment of the US healthcare system. It calls for reform not only in the way in which the healthcare system works, but also in which physicians, nurses, etc. should behave and work with citizens. The focus is on treating the patient not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. It also calls for making healthcare more easily accessible. The biggest flaw with the article in what is needed in order to promote the changes in both medical education and hospital regulation is the monetary budget that would be required. Even if a reform was able to be funded, it would take years to completely revolutionize the system. The idea and components are sound, some of which are easier to change than others. The biggest problem with the United States healthcare is the disparities, or the inequalities that exist. One of the largest things that is emphasized in the culture and business of the United States is social Darwinism. Those that can afford healthcare and those that cannot will suffer inequalities. The example was pointed out that those with low grade health insurances usually don’t get screened for illnesses such as cancers and diabetes. This then leads to the progression of the illness which by the time it is diagnosed, it already has a high probability of mortality rate. In addition, access to certain resources and physicians is also limited by socioeconomic status. The problem with our healthcare system is the inadequacy of addressing medical concerns on a high output level. Even though technology and medical science has been increasing, there are still problems in the medical sector. Part of the problem is the training that is being received in medical school, nursing school etc. So much is put into technology and medication that the patient/doctor relationship is almost non-existent. In addition, empathy isn’t always shown to patients especially those who suffer from dehabilitating illnesses. The ci vil population also always has to deal with high insurance premiums because the price of medical treatment and medicines has increased. It is also because the malpractice insurance has also risen as a result of doctors being sued for improper medical treatment. The idea of socialized and universal healthcare is great in theory and in some societies such as Canada and Cuba, it may be possible. However, the

International Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International Business Environment - Assignment Example The author of the research essay "International Business Environment " analyses cheap asian economies and concludes that in a nutshell, the company can plan to expand its business on the Indian soil, as the opportunities are way stronger than the challenges there. Since India being a thick populated country with a growing economy currently, there is enough room for foreign companies to invest and bring business in India. However, the competitive automotive market in the country would ask the company to modify its cost and quality standards, as the automobile need description of the Indian market varies largely from the UK market. Considering facts of Indian market growth and the risk to opportunity ratio in the country, it can be recommended that the company should move ahead with the plan of going international by selecting the Indian soil. Cheap labor, low government taxes and a flourishing market for automotive in India makes it the best site to ensure speedy growth in revenue and reputation. The advanced and hi-tech machinery can be altered with less superior technology that can meet the quality and cost effective need of the country. Moreover, the company can first introduce its older models in the Indian industry to test and visualize the response of the people. By this technique, the company would be able to forecast its future in its industry without spending more in its inventory and designing procedures. Therefore, the step to move towards Indian automotive industry is affirmative.

Managerial Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial Decision Making - Research Paper Example PART 1 Formal research and business proposal are terminologies that bear commonalities and differences. While formal research is defined as conducting an experiment under proscribed conditions so as to find out, reveal or assess a hypothesis, business proposal is defined as the methodical collection of information with the objective of arriving at the most appropriate solution for a given problem or situation. Each one possesses its relevance and significance in the business scenery, while still they have characteristics that are distinct to each other. This paper will, therefore, seek to establish these attributes by establishing the commonalities and differences between the two terminologies. It will also establish the capabilities of one in disparity with the capabilities of the other. Later, it will explore the effects of human resources subcontracted on leadership performance and employee commitment. Commonalities The two terminologies, ‘formal research’ and ‘ business proposal’ have both commonalities and differences. One aspect present in a formal research is that it does not necessarily need presentation with a heading or subheadings. This feature is also present in a business proposal. Further, the two have an introduction and a conclusion. Whenever a business proposal is being written it is usually vital to carry out a formal research on the souk as it helps in determining the feasibility of the business (Dess, 2007, pp. 32-47). The two possess basic structural apparatus that describe them as a proposal manuscript, whose introduction part provides background information on the problem, whilst the problem report part clarifies the need to tackle them. Both business and research proposals have to be composed after prompting. Accordingly, all proposals are official and written replies to a call for proposals. Differences Although the terminologies bear similarities, they also possess differences in their general rationale, object ives, sections and functions. While formal research constitutes an academic nature, business proposal is more of practical oriented. While formal research bears no financial implications, business proposal possess financial implications as one of its main features. A business proposal is usually aimed at spotting a need that has to be dealt with so as to generate either financial reserves or greater proceeds, whilst financial implications are irrelevant in formal research. Further, formal research does not concern itself with generating conclusions that are feasible. Business proposal is projected for a vendor and usually spots the objected market and shows how custom results can be distributed to purchasers in such market. The objectives of the two vary as formal research concentrates on discovering definite information that may assist the business formulate good decisions while business proposals regularly recommend new products or services, meaning the aims are mainly to generate money for the company. Whereas the formal research proposals frequently contain a theoretical tactic, the business proposals mainly bear a practical strategy on how to operate so as to generate money. The formal research is frequently completed to establish if the business should formulate alterations such as budget modifications. Whereas the research proposal establishes the general demand for

Write drafts of two blog posts for your blog website. Although the Assignment

Write drafts of two blog posts for your blog website. Although the blog posts should share a common theme, they should be on different topics and have different titles - Assignment Example This is one of the simple methods that I would recommend as a priority in an effort to conserve the environmental resources. The reason behind the depletion of our resources is the failure to replenish the stocks of the resources that we use. Take for instance the cutting down of trees for timber or any other justifiable reason, much as this may not be wrong the problem arises when the trees are cut down but not replaced. Picture a scenarios where if one tree is cut down then replaced by three young seedling. The outcome is forests will never be empty fields and the issues of desertification will never arise. Conservation therefore can be achieved only through the sustainable utilization of resources and that is the only way to keep our resources available to us throughout (Li, 1996). The realization that we are the owners and benefactors of the resources available to us should give us a sense of responsibility with regards to utilizing and managing them. Dumping of waste material everywhere has a significant effect on the natural resources such as the soil, water and even the life of animals in the soil. This affects the quality of life of human beings either directly or indirectly and despite the negligence we are the ones who suffer in the long term. This is why I feel that owing ht environment and feeling responsible for the resources within the environment is key to helping us conserve the environment. Cutting down of trees for instance is a direct way to invite desertification and alteration of rainfall patterns. Appreciating this therefore help us take responsibility and work to conserve the environment. Natural resources are community resources and therefore owned communally. This means that the utilization and conservation of such resources is the responsibility of the community at large and not just a few individuals. As such the only way to achieve good results with regards to environmental conservation is

HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY - Essay Example Since then, blood fractionation has led to a more focused form of delivering blood components which helps to refine treatment and improve outcomes (Fuh). Although some patients may need units of whole blood (in such applications as splenectomy, where a lot of blood loss can be expected), many patients need to have a supplement to some function which blood supplies. Those who are chronic bleeders, or suffering from shock-induced bleeding due to loss of platelets, may be helped by an infusion of packed platelets. The same is true for patients suffering from thrombocytopenia due to disease, such as a major infection (like septicemia) or leukemia. Those patients who are anemic (again due to trauma, but also due to certain forms of anemia or leukemia) may benefit from the addition of packed red blood cells. In the field, soldiers who have bled a lot due to trauma may receive packed red blood cells plus Ringer’s solution as a substitute for whole blood transfusions. This is mainly due to the fact that packed red blood cells are easier to store and deliver than whole blood, particularly in a battlefield situation. Another factor which has made blood transfusion continue to be well-used is the growing list of infectious organisms which are tested in donated blood, and safe donor practices. This began in the 1970’s with screening for type-B hepatitis, and was extended in the 1980’s to hepatitis A, hepatitis C, AIDS virus (HTLV or HIV), and a series of additional viruses, both antigens (viral coats or cores) and antibodies to those viruses. While antibody and antigen tests have eliminated most of the danger of transmitting viral or bacterial infection, there is a gap between infection with some diseases, and their recognition through tests. AIDS tests, for example, do not detect antibodies for several weeks after initial infection (as they can hide out in the T-cells). For this

Apple and Phinnacus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Apple and Phinnacus - Assignment Example This makes the decision to name someone an extremely important step in their life. Parents have become interested in baby names ever since important Hollywood people started naming their babies strange names. This means that Korwitt’s business is not customer driven, but rather the customers are the driving force behind the industry. All Korwitt did was to observe the behavior of modern day parents and respond to a pre- existing need. Her business is reactive to market behavior rather than being proactive and introducing the idea to the market herself. 2) Korwitt’s target market is parents who feel stressed about finding the perfect names for their children. Because Korwitt’s book costs $399, only wealthy parents can afford to pay for it. There may be people from lower classes who want help in choosing a name, but they cannot afford to pay the same amount. Since most fathers are probably out working to support their families, Korwitt’s book is more for women who are stay-at-home moms. These mothers possibly already have children of their own or are about to have a child. These parents likely spend a lot of time watching daytime television talk shows, which is why Korwitt makes television appearances to appeal to these mothers. These particular parents may also be â€Å"entertainment freaks† and keep up with all the latest gossip from Hollywood. If one of their favorite celebrities names their child a strange name, then these parents are more likely to want to do the same for their children. In this case , Hollywood celebrities are doing most of the advertising for Korwitt and she only has to wait for customers to come to her. 3) Because this is a growth industry, Korwitt should worry about new market entrants that offer the same services for cheaper prices. Many new websites are cropping up all the time. This represents a danger for her business. Because only wealthy people can afford her services,

International trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International trade - Essay Example in 20 countries of the world, so far the company has not expanded into one of the most important emerging economies in the world in the world, India. Goldman Sachs, in its world famous BRICs report has predicted that within the year 2050 four emerging economies, Brazil, Russia, Indian and China would have a combined GDP more than the combined GDP’s of G6 countries or the biggest present six economies of the world in terms of US Dollar. Income levels would rise in these economies and as a result there would be huge demand for consumer goods including motorcycles.. The Indian economy is predicted to surpass the economies of Italy, France, Germany and Japan by the years 2015, 2020, 2025 and 2035 respectively. The report also points out that the Indian economy shows the potential of accelerating the fastest for the period of next thirty to fifty years. (Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050, 2003). This high rate of growth presents huge opportunities in front of local and multinational companies and this is the right time to invest in India. Moreover India is already one of the most important motorcycles and two-wheeler markets in the world. The domestic two-wheeler market size of Indian in the year 2007 was 7.86 million units which were 4.2 million units in the year 2004 (Automotive Industry, October 2007). India is already the 2nd largest two wheeler producing country in the world and as of 2007 two wheelers constituted around 76.2% of the total automobile market in the country with CAGR of 14.5%. Moreover out of this huge two wheeler market, 83.3% is constituted of motorcycles. All these data signify how important India is or should be for any motorcycles manufacturer of the world. So it is crucial for Triumph motorcycles Ltd. To venture into the Indian market seriously to leverage its present and future growth potential. On the other hand due to the subprime crisis which started in the US followed by the credit crisis, many economies including UK have suffered

Policy and Practice In the Education of Bilingual Children Essay

Policy and Practice In the Education of Bilingual Children - Essay Example Long-term planning for language use and literacy should use official curricula, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage in England, as its launching pad, and there is no need for other laborious documentation. Schemes of work and long-term commitment to set repeated topics are more likely to stifle creativity than be a useful structure for planning. The long-term aim for teachers is to encourage children to build her or his language in their own unique way and leave the Foundation Stage excited and enthusiastic about their learning. Long-term planning for language can be enhanced by an agreed list of core books and rhymes. This will provide a store of high-quality texts that children will get to know well during their time in setting. These texts can be developed with double language copies and big books, with story snacks, story props and puppets to extend children's experiences. Core books and their props provide a strong basis for all children to develop confidence in their langu age through the visual support. Clear illustrations and repetitive texts are particularly supportive for bilingual children and even for multilingual children. Tower Hamlets Primary School teachers should use various strategies to provide a nurturing environment. Sensitive grouping of children can ensure that there is a supportive friend who will model language for the bilingual children to copy. Their friend can also guide them through the various social and cultural situations that they may find puzzling. Teachers can ensure that bilingual children are placed in a position so that they can hear clearly, can observe any accompanying gestures and can always see any book illustrations or visual material that is supporting the... This essay stresses that all children have an entitlement to benefit from the Early Years Foundation Stage, and context is a key factor in helping bilingual children learns sufficient English to enable them to do so. Scaffolding language provides a supportive structure for them. First-hand experiences provide the context and the motivation for children to learn the language in a way that is meaningful to them. They gain in confidence and make their first tentative steps in English. Their first words are added to by staff who provide a rich commentary on the children’s play and learning activities. This report makes a conclusion that it is pertinent to note that all young children have considerable adjustment to make when they first encounter formal schooling. The observations of this report have indicated that teachers involved depicted a rapid adjustment to school. Although variations were apparent from one teacher to another. overall. teachers‘ ratings of the children tended to favor the bilingual group. The teachers themselves had to adjust to working within the framework of the research design but nevertheless. their observations support the practicability of a bilingual curriculum. Consideration should be given to the structure of curriculum experience for bilingual pupils. Particularly with regard to the probable interaction between languages in the children's experience. Perceptions of bilingual education varies considerably among staff in schools. The government also should support teachers by establishing systems in schools that will favor bilingual children.

Reconstruction 1965-77 a false dawn for African-American Civil Rights Essay Example for Free

Reconstruction 1965-77 a false dawn for African-American Civil Rights Essay To what Degree was Reconstruction 1965-77 a false dawn for African-American civil Rights? After the end of the civil war, there were many issues which needed to be addressed. The civil rights of the African Americans were in need of change, and during this period there were hopes that new legislation would be implemented to aid African Americans and other minority groups. This legislation would be called the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the 14th Amendment of 1868 (which promised equality), and finally the 15th Amendment (which gave the right to vote). However, despite the positive legislation, reconstruction aggravated a lot of people and brought the southern states into conflict with the Government. The Freedmens Bureau was established in 1865, which aimed to provide food, clothing, and fuel to formal slaves and white refugees. The Freedmens Bureau bill was also passed by Abraham Lincoln; however Johnson vetoed it, however a supplementary act extended its existence until 1870. This was very good for black rights, as it gave blacks more protection and a safety net if they were too poor to buy food and support their families. However, it was only meant as a temporary act, and therefore there was always the looming feeling that it would soon come to an end, and also the promises of it were not fulfilled to the extent at which it was said to be. The Amendments which were introduced also gave black people a real hope in gaining independence and freedom. The 13th amendment was introduced in 1865, and this guaranteed the permanent abolishment of slavery. The emancipation proclamation which was introduced by Abraham Lincoln was seen as more of a temporary fix whilst the war was going on, however the 13th amendment solidified it and made it a more permanent and clear reality. Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. However, although by law it states that there shall be no slavery, slavery continued on a more hidden basis. Sharecropping still existed, and freedmen who had come out of slavery with no qualifications or experience became unemployed, so the living conditions for most freedmen did not improve. Slave-owners were also reluctant to let their slaves leave, and often kept them illegally. The 14th Amendment however was introduced in 1870, and this aimed to further secure the rights of the freedmen. This turned out to be one of the most important Amendments ever made to the American constitution. It threatened to reduce the representation of the states which continued to discriminate. However, a loophole in this law was that the states which continued to discriminate would just accept the unequal representation, but carry on with their discrimination, yet just not so obvious. Therefore by some, this could be seen as a false dawn, as it did address the issue of freedmen not having rights, but it also created a loophole for the southern states to take advantage of. The 15th Amendment was introduced two years later, which aimed to cover the loophole which was created by the 14th amendment. This stated: Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude This was a huge step forward for black civil rights, as this means that the south was not able to carry on with their discrimination against many voters, and this nullified the loophole in the law which was created by the 14th Amendment. However, more loopholes were created with this, with unattainable requirements being implemented just to be able to vote. For example, voters in some states had to be taxpayers which was not possible for freedmen, as most were not earning enough to be able to pay tax, and also literacy tests were introduced which were severely biased against black people, with questions which were completely unanswerable. Another reason why this did not entirely work was because of the uprising of the KKK. They were a terrorist group which aimed to scare black people into not voting, and to basically cause terror because they were black. They at first were not an ultra-violent group, however as time progressed they quickly became increasingly violent, as lynchings were common, and they would often target the black people who were doing well for themselves, I.E lawyers who were doing a lot for civil rights, or those who went to vote. Because of this huge suppression and hatred, a lot of black people were scared to vote and in reality voting was not a freedom for black people. Some historians would say that reconstruction it itself did not really care for the black rights, and that it was a political move to try and remain Republican power in the south. Abraham Lincoln himself did not have a clear policy for freed slaves after the Civil War, so reconstruction was not seen as a solid plan from the start, it was looking like a false dawn. False Dawn something which seems to show that a successful period is beginning or that a situation is improving when it is not. Reconstruction The act of constructing again, of rebuilding Bibliography * Wikipedia * Class Notes * Civil Rights In America Ron Field * About.com

Coca Cola Entry Methods and Strategy Analysis

Coca Cola Entry Methods and Strategy Analysis Introduction Since the Coca-Cola was formulated by pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton in Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia in the U.S., passing by 140 years it became the worlds largest soft drink company in term of manufacturer, distributor and marketer in non-alcoholic area, and operates in more than 200 countries servicing over 16 million people different Coca-Cola products every day. The products in Coca-Cola company including sparking drinks and still beverages such as waters, juices and juice drinks , teas , coffees , sports drinks, and energy drinks. (Coca-Cola website 2010) Brand as the definition is A name, a sign, symbol or design or combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of either one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate the from the competitors (Kotler 1984, p442) . Brand is a symbol, an attitude and a culture to the people which can show their own personalities and life. A good brand is not only a name and a promise is not only a memory in peoples mind however it can influences peoples life. The brand Coca-Cola now is one of the most valuable brand ($66,667 million) including 500 soft drink brands in the company. Beside the most valuable brand Coca-Cola, the company still have another 12 brands which are over $10 hundred million consist of Diet coke, Sprite, Fanta, Coca-Cola zero, Glaceau, Powerade Minute Maid , Georgia etc(Coca-Cola website 2010), (annual report 2009) Foreign direct investment (FDI) FID which means investment in manufacturing and service facilities in a foreign country with an intention to engage actively in managing them-is another facet of the increasing integration of national economies. (Kotabe Helsen) The biggest investment in foreign market is direct investment, as the company investment the new manufacture in the foreign country to develop their local product and easy to control the price come from the raw material details. Such as HP make the direct investment in some majored market around the world, including India. (Kotler and Armstrong). Generally the foreign direct investment can help the company developing deeper relationship with government, customers and local supplier, at the same time improved their image in the target country because they create jobs. Also the foreign direct investment have the disadvantages like government changing , falling markets, frankly speaking the company have no chose but can build the effective operations to accept this. This first Coca-Cola bottling manufacture factory was established in Beijing in 1981, to got the benefits from direct investment, until now there are 35 bottling company and 29 manufacture factory for Coca-Cola products in china, more than 30,000 people working in Coca-Cola,99% stuff are Chinese local . Network models (alliances and joint ventures) Alliances An operate joint venture is an agreement for the partners to collaborate but does not involve any equity investment. (Kotabe Helsen) For the fierce of the business, more choose face to the customers in the market, however how can the company satisfy the customers multi-choice of the produce is an impotent to the company management. However the marketing partnership will be the first choice to enhance the value to customers. For instance two different company become to alliance their retailers has to be treat they are customer too, cause they may not in the same industry and market, therefore two different company to be alliances can support their sales channel ,design and implemented co-operative advertising campaigns. (Keller, aperia, georgson2008) 2000 in china , Coca-Cola and Lenovo (top technologies company in china) home computer together becoming to the marketing partner, with Lenovos high-tech image to match the Internet Express, Coca-Cola with this alliances for the first step to connected with internet and also it is a required of the development of the technology. In Chinese technology marketing, Lenovo has hundreds of stores and thousands of dealers spread all over the country, with the lager channel system, Coca-Cola to be well -know brand in china .(Lenovo website 2010) Joint ventures Joint ventures is the participation of two or more companies in an enterprise in which each party contributes assets, owns the new entity to some degree, and share risk.(Hollensen 2004) Joint ventures as the important strategy to the company developing their global business, before the FDI (Kotabe Helsen) most of the company choose corporation with the local company to help them entry the new marketing, therefore the most of the local company have majority market share in their industry, so it is easily and fast to the foreign company to introduce the product and build their services net work in the new marketing. Two top companies in the world Coca-Cola and nestle joined marketing force called Coca-Cola and nestle refreshments(CCNR) as the beverage partners worldwide (BPW)since 2001, the fifth-fifty joint venture held by the two companies. The joint ventures concentrate on the reedy-to-drink tea excluding the US and Japan, probably create the new values for all shareholders both of two companies. Before to cooperate with Coca-Cola, Swire Groups services consisted of property, aviation, beverage, marine services, industry industrial; COFCO is the largest oil and foodstuffs import and export company in china, also have food manufacture, hotel management and financial services, list by the magazine as one of the top 500 companies in the world; the Kerry group also the top oil and foodstuffs company have the high market share in china. In china Coca-Cola with the three partners in a joint venture bottling plants-Swire Group, Kerry Group and COFCO (China Oil Foodstuffs Corporation), responsible for the implementation of the beverage production, sales and building the marketing channels. The responsibilities for Coca-Cola are brand promotion, marketing development and control the liquid forms of cooperation. (Annual report 2009) (COFCO website). Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Chinese culture Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another Culture, in this sense, includes systems of values; and values are among the building blocks of culture (Hofstede 1980, p21). To understand the different culture in different countries is a main principle for the global company enters the foreign, unknown market. Some of the culture elements like history, religion, ethnicity, family, language, social class, politics, income, etc, are very important when the company doing the business in foreign counties, so according to the different culture in different country to make the company localization strategy is helpful to the company for the long-term business to entry the new global market. China is one of the worlds oldest history of more than 5,000 years, has the territory area of 9.6 million square km, with the sea area of about 4.73 million square km, second largest country in the world. (China culture 2010). Coca-Cola in china While Coca-Cola was succeeded in penetrating nearly every country of the world, it has never been able to separate itself from the image of overpowering US brand (Hollensen 2004). For help to raise the international profile of the brand further Coca-Cola entry the third biggest country in the world -china. Therefore Coca-Cola is one of the earliest US company entries Chinese marketing since 1927. The first bottling manufacture factory established in Shanghai and Tianjin, this is the first time that Chinese people drink the new types, high-quality drinks. In 1930, in Qingdao the third bottling factory was established, till 1948 Shanghai become the first city outside Unites exceeded sales 100 million boxes. (Coca-Cola website 2010) After the restored diplomatic relations between china and the Unites States in 1979 , the first 28,000 boxes of bottled and canned Coca-Cola products were shipping from Hong Kong to mainland china to sales, since the Chinese marketing opening to the global ,the first Coca-Cola bottling manufacture factory was established in Beijing in 1981, until now there are 35 bottling company and 29 manufacture factory for Coca-Cola products in china, more than 30,000 people working in Coca-Cola,99% stuff are Chinese local . over the past 5 years of business in china the Coca-Cola company to be the main leadership in Chinese soft drink market, china become the worlds third largest market for Coca-Cola as well.(Coca-Cola website 2010) Segmentation (Kotler and Armstrong) statistics the definition of market segmentation as involves individuating a market in to smaller groups of buyers with distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviours that might require separate marketing strategies or mixes. Market segmentation is the subdividing of a market into distinct subsets of customers, where any subset may conceivably be selected as a target market to be reached with a distinct marketing mix. (Kotler 2010) The major segmentation elements for consumer markets are: Geographic, Demographic, psychographic and Behavioural. (Kotler and Armstrong2010) Developing the global businesses for the geographic and operating segmentation Coca-Cola divided the world into six parts: Eurasia, Africa, Europe, Latin American, North American and Asia Pacific.(Annul report 2009) Coca-Cola company purchase the vehicles for the factory to responsible for the drinks to retailers and giving free refrigerators, umbrellas to retailers, the company trying to find the different ways to perfect their customer services. once the people will think about Coca-Cola when they want to drink ,no matter where you are ,you can fine a Coca-Cola around you ,like grocery stores, restaurants, street vendors, convenience stores, movie theaters and amusement parks, the products covered among many others public squares. (Coca-Cola website 2010) (Annul report 2009) Therefore the fierce completion push the company must provide more products to satisfy the customers choice, for the entry the variety beverage field Coca-Cola try to transform itself into a localized comprehensive. on the other hand Coca-Cola was alliances with one of the Chinese largest internet services website companyTencent to developing their youth marketing in china, the star product of Tencent company is QQ (similar with MSN , is a instant message software), until march 5, 19:52:58 ,Tencent QQ announced that the number of the current users exceeded 100million .with this cooperation ,Coca-Colas iCoke website (www.icoke.cn) introduced the use of 3D QQ Tencent game show , QZONE personal space, QQ theme packages ,to be the first comprehensive online community for young consumers with a new experience of communication.Listen Read phonetically Target market and positioning strategy A target market is a chosen segment of market that a company has decided to serve. (David Jobber 2010 p 261) A clear target is helpful to the company to understand the costumers demand and favorite, easier to design the target product to the target customers. For instance CNN target its news program me, that is why CNN has globally, concentrate to the distribution effort in to hotels room, for the business people they can see the CNN news wherever they are.( David Jobber 2010) There are 3 key points of the Coca-Cola company-quality, customers and consumers. As the leader of beverage market, in the fierce international competition, Coca-Cola company does not pre-localization strategy, as the first global company to annoy the new localization theory think local, act local to the whole world, the main principle about this theory is relevant to the basic conditions of the different countries to make different decisions and strategy. Since the Coca-Cola has the 30% market share in US, the company theory is to satisfy every customers demand, the aim for the whole company to make the everywhere and easy to buy, so pervasiveness, price, value, preference to be the sales goal for Coca-Cola Company .The Coca-Cola Company is always Been the one of the first enter to developing marketing and build their strong positioning. Coca-Cola will no longer focus on formal product but it committed to expand its beverage varieties. From the style of oolong tea to a new era of mixed fruit drinks, high-calorie energy drink, or even to the most basic drink-water. Coca-Cola company follow give the world a coke, begin according to peoples teats in different countries to tailored drinks. Marketing mix Chinese marketing mix marketing mix is the set of market tools the firm uses to implement its marketing strategy. The major marketing mix tool is classified into four board four groups, called the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, promotion (Kotler and Armstrong 2010 p 36) Product strategy Produce decision involves deciding what goods or services should be offered to a group of customers (David Jobber 2010 p 17) A good whatever the design, the brand, the price, the main objective should be according to the customers demand. The most important element is new product development. Because the change of the technology and taste, product become out of fashion probably or defeated by the competitors, so company should replace them to satisfying customers needs. As the developing of the society, more and more pay attention about their quality of living and health, people in order to keep their weight to reduce to eat some high energy food and even drinks.co ca-ca la at this time to be the extension of the market to made the coke without sugar and no calories but plenty of taste called diet coke in 1982, within two years it had become to the top diet soft drink in the world. In 2008 another successful product Coca-Cola zero was published. (Coca-Cola website) China has almost four or five thousand years history to drink tea, to the Chinese people tea is not just drink it is a type of culture. For this especially culture Coca-Cola made the product strategy for Chinese marketing to sale Nestea ice rush lemon tea, and design a new product for Chinese people called Smart to enhance the marketing competitions. Pricing strategy Pricing strategy is a key element and basic element of the marketing mix, for instance, the Spending on product design (product), advertising and salespeople (promotion), Transportation and distribution (place). So the pricing strategy should be very clear about objective, ethos, factor and influencing, and also the discount and allowance in some transactions. (David jobber 2010) The main principle in Chinese economic marketing are vast land and large numbers of population, varieties raw materials, nevertheless the another issue of the marketing is the low cost of the labor force. However compared the product price between china and other countries, the price advantages is obviously appeared. Place strategy Place involves decisions concerning the distribution channels to be used and their management, the locations of outlets, methods of transportation and inventory levels to be held. The aim of the place strategy is to choose the right time and place to do available produce and service. (David Jobber 2010 p 19) To build an effective distribution channel is a best way to cooperate to the retailers, and wholesalers, because they will fine the good way to sale the product and also analyses the market to help the marketer to change the marketing planning at the first time. The Coca-Cola s partner in china have the effective marketing occupation, the Swire group occupied southern part and central part market ,Kerry Groups business including North , Southwest, and Beijing, COFCO control sites including the northwest, northeast, Hunan, Hainan, and other areas, so for the share market area Coca-Cola s sales market channel like a big net hold the whole China. Promotion strategy Promotion mix: advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, public relations, direct marketing and online promotion.(David jobber 2010, p18) With the globalization of trade, many best international companies gradually enter the Chinese marketing, the best way to publicity is advertising, the effective advertising strategy for the foreign company must be care the basic conditions of the target country and the domestic customers demand. For the long term Coca-Cola advertising in china is coupled with the US vision of the Chinese commentary, the advertising was full of typical American style and American personality .Since 1999, Coca-Cola have been adjusted their advertising strategies in china , for the first time the Chinese stars , the traditional mascot ,family relations and friendship appeared in the advertising stories. The localization in china also appears on product packaging the most successful one produced for Chinese traditional festival- New Years Day, they put the 12 zodiac in the cans (this is the first souvenir to use Chinese theme around the world, worthy to collected and commemorative) for this new packaging Coca-Cola use Chinese culture to design the cans with 12 animals. Also as the New Year gift Coca-Cola change the normal size to family Value Pack, for another point of view satisfied the costumers demands. Coca -cola is the longest-serving sponsor since 1928. 2008 was the fantastic year for Coca-Cola when china held the Olympic game in Beijing; it is create a unique opportunity to the world to understand a new china and new Coca-Cola china. another agreement was signed at the great wall in Beijing between Coca-Cola company and IOC about sponsor responsible ,from 2009 to 2020 during winter Olympics in Vancouver, summer games in London and Olympic games in 2014,2016, 2018 until 2020.(Coca-Cola website) (BBC news) Conclusion As the sum up of all factors and model during Coca-Colas global business strategy, for a past 140 years Coca-Cola use their product, brand, cultural to infiltrate into the propelss life and impression of the taste from generation to generation. For the fierce of the competition and development of economic and technology ,Coca-Cola will meet more challenge and good competitors in the future, how can they conquer everything and according to methodthink global, act local,and still following the company work give to the world a Coca-Colais a worthy question need to considering in the next step. Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Appendix (Finger 1. The list of Coca-Cola products) PRODUCTS SERVED AT THE WORLD OF Coca-Cola (except US) Product/Brand Country of Sale / Group Stoney Tangawizi Tanzania / Africa Fanta Exotic Fruit Punch Uganda / Africa Krest Ginger Ale Mozambique / Africa Sparletta Sparberry Zimbabwe / Africa Bibo Candy Coco-Pine South Africa / Africa Sunfill Mint Djibouti / Africa Bibo Kiwi Mango South Africa / Africa Sunfill Blackcurrant Mauritius / Africa Smart Apple China / Asia Sprite Ice India / Asia Fanta Apple Kiwi Thailand / Asia Smart Watermelon China / Asia Crushed Lemon Bahrain / Asia Nestea Ice Rush Lemon Tea China / Asia Aquarius Citrus Taiwan / Asia Vegitabeta Japan / Asia HI-C Ume Japan / Asia Beverly Italy / Europe Fanta Magic (Blue Grape) Estonia / Europe Mezzo Mix Germany / Europe Kinley Bitter Lemon England / Europe Fanta Pineapple Greece / Europe Nestea Raspberry Iced Tea Spain / Europe Nestea Lemon Bulgaria / Europe Nestea Peach France / Europe Lift Manzana Chile / Latin America Fanta Kolita Costa Rica / Latin America Inca Kola Peru / Latin America Simba Guarana Paraguay / Latin America Ciel Aquarius Jamaica Sun Mexico / Latin America Delaware Punch Honduras / Latin America Nestea Light Peach Brazil / Latin America Nestea Mango Mexico / Latin America Finger 3. Some of the Coca-Cola product in china (some of localization) (Finger 4. Specific product designed for Chinese marketing) (Figure 5: Coca-Cola alliances with Lenovo to public the Coca-Cola /Lenovo laptop) (Figure 5: Coca-Cola to be the sponsor of Beijing Olympic Game 2008) (Figure 5: Coca-Cola alliances with Tencent) (Figure 6: the spread of the bottling factory in china)

Solar Energy Versus Nuclear Energy Engineering Essay

Solar Energy Versus Nuclear Energy Engineering Essay The sun has been around since the beginning of time but only recently has it been used as a source of renewable energy. Approximately 120000 TW of solar energy is absorbed by the Earths surface which is equal to 10000 times the total global demand for energy. Only 0.1% of this energy would be required to satisfy the worlds present consumption of fuels.[1] Break down of solar energy[2] There are three main ways to harness the suns energy. These include solar cells which convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar water heating where heat from the sun is used to heat water inside panels on roof tops. And lastly solar furnaces that make use of mirrors to concentrate the suns energy into a small space to produce high temperatures. There are close to 440 nuclear power plants in the world today which supply 16% of the worlds energy demand, however only 1% is useable energy with the rest being nuclear waste. If 1% of the area where there is recoverable energy utilised solar energy devices all the worlds energy needs could be met with solar energy alone. If 10% of the area were to be utilised then in two years the electricity produced would be equal to all known reserves of fossil fuels.[1] Cost problems with solar energy are the high capital costs involved in the installation of solar panels which can be very expensive. The need to store energy because of solar availability due to factors such as time of day and weather conditions is also costly. Countries at higher altitudes with daily cloud cover will have an economic disadvantage due to long distance transfer of energy. Maintenance of panels also has to be considered. Nuclear energy is presently cheaper than solar power however the construction of the facilities and the disposal of radioactive waste is costly and can affect the environment.[3] Solar power is relatively safe to use as long as you do not look directly into the suns rays or come into contact with hot solar panels. In the case of nuclear power it is also safe to use as the nuclear reactors are equipped with redundant systems to make sure there is no nuclear meltdown. This makes it a very stable energy source. Nuclear energy starts to get more dangerous in the form of spent fuel rods and radioactive waste. Even though nuclear energy is reliable and stable as a whole, when something does go wrong it can become very serious and very dangerous. Solar energy does not have any form of waste as replaced panels and components can be reused or recycled. Nuclear energy has two types of waste products, the spent fuel rods which if not stored properly in pools of water to cool down could become very unstable. The other form is radioactive gasses and other waste products that if released into the atmosphere can pose various risks. Solar energy produces no waste or pollution. Waste from nuclear power must be sealed and stored underground for long periods of time. This waste must be kept safe from external factors and from human contact in order to prevent a threat. Such a threat is currently under way at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan where a pool of spent fuel rods caught fire this year. Solar power is a renewable power source therefore it is environmentally friendly. It is silent and requires no fuel therefore there is no pollution. It even decreases the amount of harmful green house gasses. Although there are many advantages to solar energy there is still the fact that a large amount of panels is required to produce the needed electricity. This becomes very costly. It is reliable and has no risks that are associated with nuclear energy. Nuclear energy on the other hand is not a renewable source and if not handled in the correct way could impact the environment in a negative way. Even though it does not contribute to global warming like other fossil fuels, the waste gasses it does produce could potentially cause radioactive sicknesses and cancer in humans and other life forms. Advantages Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Renewable energy source Does not emit green house gasses Has no volatile waste Plenty of resources available Once panels are in place the energy is free Cheaper than solar power Disadvantages Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Does not work at night Radioactive waste Currently very expensive Long-term storage required for waste products Requires big fields in order to harvest a suitable amount of energy Some reactors produce plutonium which can be used to make nuclear weapons All around the world we require every energy source that we can get including nuclear. All energy sources have both pros and cons. Even though nuclear energy is portrayed as an unstable source of energy it is in fact one of the most reliable and stable types in the world today. The downside is in its waste that if treated incorrectly could land in the hands of terrorists. In the next 20 years there will be emerging economies throughout the globe that will require low cost, environmentally friendly alternative energy sources and Nuclear power is expected to satisfy this demand. [1] Botkin,B.Keller,E.A.2001.Enviromental Science:Earth as a living planet.4th ed.Santa Barbara:John Wiley and Sons. [2] Breakdown_of_the_incoming_solar_energy.[Online].Available: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Breakdown_of_the_incoming_solar_energy.svg[2011,March 23] [3] Solar Energy.[Online].Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy[2011,March 23]

Service Learning and ESL Students :: ESL Students

School, when some people hear the word, they usually think that school is learning new things in a room. However, it is something that cannot be described only in the textbook. Service learning is â€Å"an union of community service and formal learning. It involves students going out into their communities and using that which they learn in class to help people, and then bringing that which they learn in their community service back into the classroom to enhance their learning.†(Minor, 2001) Diane Murakami who is an ELL (English Language Learners) teacher at Queen Ka’ahumanu Elementary School in Honolulu. She gave CP 4 (college preparatory) students at Hawaii Internal College a chance to service learning at Queen Ka’ahumanu Elementary School. Service learning is a good effect way to learn about new cultures and also to communicate with local people for ESL students. Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity, but it is not easy to spend time in a new culture, and communicating with people is difficult. Natalie M. Russell is an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at Omaha South High School, and she realized that when she was teaching ESL students, they often felt alienated from their school and communities. Therefore, they tended to make friends only in school, so they did not make friends outside of school. In â€Å"Teaching More Than English†, Natalie M. Russell said, â€Å"they avoided interacting with mainstream students and getting involved in school activities† (Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 1). Natalie M. Russell tried to make her class communication with mainstream people, and she decided that service learning was a good way to communicate with mainstream people because she said, â€Å"students not only learn during service learning activities, but also they also reflect on their service and its value to the community. This reflection helps build a sense of civic responsibility and caring for others.†(Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 3) In Natalie M. Russell’s case, she said, â€Å"the student population of the high school in which I taught was approximately 60% Hispanic, and my ESL classes that year were 100% Hispanic. In deciding what our service project would be, my students concluded that the community’s primary problem was the language barrier that divided the immigrants from the local population.† (Natalie M. Russell, 2007, para 4) In town, Spanish/English dictionaries were available to buy, but Spanish/English phrasebooks were not, so she and her students decided to make Spanish/English phrasebooks and distributed it free in the community.

The Theatre and its Identity Crisis Essay -- Female Roles in Theatre

My trust in the definitiveness of reality is swiftly disintegrating beneath me. The deeper I dive into the abyss of theory, the more I realize that nothing I have learned is safe from change; that facts may actually be temporary and that everything is a prisoner of our construction of time. In admitting this, I worry that these hypotheses are the beginning of a tiny delusion that will begin to gradually eat away at the rest of my sanity. That scares me a bit, yes, but even as I sit here writing, I love this newfound instability because it’s ironically made me feel more grounded than I’ve ever felt. Armed with these ideas, I have looked back at the world I’ve grown up with and finally begun to see society’s seams tugged apart, its splintered frame exposed, and the fear and worry of its people uncovered. But I have also exposed, buried deep within its guarded chest, the hope and innovation and change that inspires humanity’s pervasive drive towards pr ogress. It’s within this fragmented existence that I feel that I have a place within this generation’s script. However, it’s now a matter of figuring out which role is mine. The cynic inside me can’t help but look at the cast list and feel an irrepressible sense of sadness; with such a long list of characters to choose from, why do we prescribe such commonplace roles to ourselves? I believe that it all starts with gender. Judith Butler reasons in her inspirational essay â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory† that gender is a performance. She observes that sex (the biological facts defining male and female) is not what actually makes a man and man and a woman a woman, but rather that one’s gender identity is determined through a styliz... ...easy for the less informed to drown in if one detail is highlighted with greater weight. It’s been a constant power struggle between these two genders whose desperate goal is to find some sort of order amidst chaos. It’s simply easier to have a leader, but the ways in which we’ve selected these privileged few I find disquieting. Though I do not believe that gender is one hundred percent learnt, as Butler believes, I do think that societal impositions play too strong a role in creating identities. This is especially true in the theatre, and I know that many of my female classmates will agree with this. Women are capable of acting in masculine manners just as the converse is true for men. But if this idea is to ever branch out into the real world, whatever that may mean, the theatre is a perfect place for its journey to begin- and I believe that has every right to.

Personal Attachment Style Essay

My personal attachment style as determined by the Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire (Fraley, n. d. ) was secure, which seemed appropriate. Individuals with secure attachment styles are not typically concerned with rejection from a partner and they tend to be comfortable in emotionally close relationships (Rodriguez & Ritchie, 2009). Research has shown that when secure individuals face conflict, they are likely to problem solve using strategies such as compromising and encouraging mutual discussion and constructive communication (Carnelley, Pietromonaco, & Jaffe, 1994; Riggs, 2010). Additionally, secure individuals have a decreased potential for depressive symptoms and a far lower risk for psychological disorders throughout adulthood (Riggs, 2010). The questionnaire provided a realistic and accurate assessment of my natural tendencies in intimate and other relationships. Contributing Genetic and Environmental Factors I was endowed with good genes – both of my parents were calm, warm, loving people who had above average intelligence and the ability to think in progressive and effective ways. They were socially aware and had many friends and colleagues who respected and loved them. I had a close to ideal family environment as a child: my parents were particularly responsive to my needs and my opinions were always respected and valued. I was not ridiculed, mistreated, or abused, although I was held to high standards and was encouraged to behave appropriately and thoughtfully and to express my feelings in creative, honest, and constructive ways. Research indicates a correlation between early attachment development in childhood and the capacity to form close attachments in adulthood (Brandel, 2010; Reyome, 2010; Riggs, 2010). Sullivan’s developmental model placed critical importance on interpersonal relationships and how children, and later adults, construct ways to maintain relationships within the family and with others (Brandell, 2010). Because people have intrinsic psychological needs, they create ways to fulfill them, and if the needs are not met by psychologically healthy interactions, less effective unhealthy means are implemented (Brandell, 2010; Rodriguez ; Ritchie, 2009). My childhood environment was conducive to psychological health and provided the emotional building blocks for future positive relationships. Affect on Cognitive and Social Development Research suggests that abuse during early childhood deeply affects an individual’s future ability to bond with others, in effect, abuse influences social development (Reyome, 2010; Riggs, 2010). Furthermore, it may interfere with the individual’s ability for emotional regulation, and may contribute to maladaptive emotional coping skills that may lead to psychological disorders (Riggs, 2010). Insecure individuals show a decreased ability for social information processing, such as careful listening (Riggs, 2010). Compounded with decreased emotional regulation, maladaptive coping skills, and a propensity to psychological disorders, maltreatment in childhood has a tremendous impact on social development and the ability to engage effectively in relationships in general (Brandell, 2010; Carnelley, Pietromonaco, ; Jaffe, 1994; Riggs, 2010). In early childhood, children create norms and develop expectations according to the quality with which their needs are met, usually by the mother (Brandell, 2010). These norms and expectations are the templates by which individuals relate to others throughout their lives (Brandell, 2010; Reyome, 2010). When a mistreated individual consistently distorts self-perceptions and inaccurately interprets the behavior of others as threatening, they may engage in retaliatory behavior (Riggs, 2010). As previously mentioned, I was raised in a warm, wholesome family environment in which personal expression was expected, valued, and appreciated. I grew p believing and experiencing that the most valuable relationships are the intimate ones I have with family and close friends. They are the safe harbors that naturally ameliorate the challenges of life. I developed highly positive expectations about intimacy, and my needs were mostly addressed. Because I learned that close relationships are safe, I perceive them accurately and as a non-threatening component of life. The pleasure I derive from close relationships has diffusely permeated my relationships in gener al, and I seek out and appreciate some level of intimacy in all of my relationships.

Good vs evil in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Essay

The play ‘Macbeth’ is a very tragic one. It is about the downfall of a hero who is led by temptation to mass murder and cruelty. Shakespeare uses various styles and techniques to display very evidently how Macbeth’s character develops as the story progresses, and thus we see how Macbeth turns from good to evil, from a â€Å"valiant cousin† and â€Å"worthy gentleman† to a â€Å"bloody butcher. † The play tells the story of how a noble warrior, Macbeth, descends into evil after meeting with three witches – supernatural beings who prophesy Macbeth’s destiny. He is told he will become King of Scotland, and this idea of gaining power leads him to murder the king, take his throne and then continue his ‘murder spree’ on seemingly whoever he feels like. Eventually Macbeth is slain and order is restored in Scotland. From the very start we have progressively come to abhor Macbeth, however, we cannot help but feel a certain admiration for him. But much more we have a sense of irony and waste: irony because some sterling qualities have been put to such evil use, waste because Macbeth was a potentially great man who was lost. . Macbeth is a play concerned wholly with the battle between good and evil – throughout the play we continually see signs of a supernatural struggle between the two, with evil ‘winning’ over good when Macbeth murders the king, but then good finally defeating evil when Macbeth is slain. In fact, in the very opening scene we see signs of supernatural happenings and evil – the witches: â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair; Hover through the fog and filthy air† Here we see that, to the witches, what is evil is good (â€Å"foul is fair†) and what is good they find repulsive (â€Å"fair is foul†). This seems to be their attitude to life, but it could also be a warning to the audience that things to follow are not what they might seem. The first we hear of Macbeth is with praises to his name. He is called ‘brave Macbeth’, ‘valiant cousin’ and ‘worthy gentleman,’ fighting a war for God, king and country. â€Å"For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution†¦ † However, it is in scene III that good and evil collide, when Macbeth meets with the witches. Some say that this is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall, as in his first soliloquy he has already thought of the idea of murdering his king. This small seed planted in his mind will soon sprout and he will indeed commit treason. Already, the audience loses their adoration for Macbeth as we see his mental frailty and evil intention. The question at hand is what Macbeth should do; is he determined on evil intent or is divine intervention the answer? He contemplates this, and decides that it is not worthwhile to throw everything away for one guilty conscience, instead the solution is murder. We are soon introduced to Lady Macbeth, and it becomes clear that she is the ambition, the ‘driving force’, behind her husband. To Lady Macbeth, her husband is brave, loving, ambitious yet he is too noble to fulfil the third prophesy. Lady Macbeth then calls upon evil spirits to make her ruthless so she can kill Duncan. â€Å"Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the top toe-full Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood. † After reading the letter, she already has a plan brewing. However, she fears Macbeth’s nature. ‘yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human kindness’, ‘Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it’, ‘What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win. ‘ The planning of the murder of Duncan is one of the most important sections of this tragedy. Here we see a conflict in Macbeth’s character, one side wants him to commit the murder, while the other wants to let fate take its course. In a way it is due to his wife that Macbeth is finally persuaded into committing treason. This shows one of the flaws in his character, which Shakespeare exposes. A while after Macbeth has certain misgivings about the affair. In his mind he argues out the advantages and disadvantages. The good side of him says that ‘he’s here in double trust’ ‘I am his kinsman and subject’, ‘as his host who should against his murderers shut the door, not bear the knife myself. ‘ The more cunning party says that ‘ his virtues will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against the deep-damnation of his taking off’, ‘but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other’,’twere well it were done quickly’, ‘but this blow might be and the end all here’, ‘bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague th’ inventor. ‘ Yet he cannot maintain this spark of morality as, under the influence of his wife he commits treachery. After the murder Macbeth experienced remorse, guilt and regret, still revealing his nobility. â€Å"I am afraid to think what I have done† he says. He is troubled by his conscience, he realizes that he is cut off from heaven. He is in fact so hampered in his actions by the conflict between his knowledge that he has committed the crime and his abhorrence of it, that he becomes immobile. Macbeth’s evil is so great that he cannot even say amen to his prayer â€Å",I could not say amen. † By now he realizes he is too deep into his acts of violence to turn back. Macbeth has confused the values of good and evil. That is, he has confused fair and foul, which confusion has all along been the devil’s aim. Macbeth has completely committed himself to evil. Macbeth still thinks of himself as a man, and as such would rather die than suffer the indignity of being ‘baited with the rabble’s curse. ‘ This feeling in him reminds us of the worthy Macbeth at the beginning of the play. We also see that he still has the courage to act on his convictions, desperate though that courage may be. For he knows now that he must die. He fights as a man. Macduff and Macbeth fight which signifies the ever on-going battle between good and evil. Eventually Macbeth is slain and the evil has been stopped in Scotland – good has triumphed, as Malcom is crowned the new King.