The Genetics of Autistic Savants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Genetics of Autistic Savants - Essay Example For one to fall under the classification of a genius, he or she had to attain at least 140 points in the IQ test (Lykken  N. D). Concurrently, there were individuals who, for example, could do rare things such as quickly identifying a particular date of a historic event after reading vast reminders on history once. Others could engage any musical composition after just a distinct introduction to music. These were rare cases and the people who displayed these abilities had characteristics such as lessened aptitude and were dependent on other people for sustenance and general care. Psychologists and researchers classified such populace in a group referred to as autistic savants. It is crucial to note just like Lykken’s indication that autistic savants are remarkable individuals but they are not geniuses. However, their abilities display that the brain can have an outstanding feature such as autism. In Lykken’s report, it is keen to note that children with autistic condi tion behaved in peculiar ways such as showing no interest in their fellow humans’ behavior and actions. Subsequently, they failed to copy various traits like communication and socialization hence poor communication among other characteristics. In 1943, as noted by Trachtman’s â€Å"Background and history of autism in relation to vision care†, Leo Kanner was the first individual to make observations of autistic behavior (Trachtman, 2008). He made a detailed report on the same and renamed the behavior as autistic other than childhood schizophrenia, as it was previously termed. In 1944, Asperger, another distinguished scientists, made similar observations on the same behavior and published his findings in a German-language Journal. It is crucial to note that in Asperger’s report, he described children having milder behavioral disorders on comparison to Kanner’s description on the same ideologies. Recognition, understanding, and communication formed th e triad of deficiencies that children who had autism faced. Autism, since its discovery, has been a condition with peculiar traits and a difficult to find treatment. However, there were various treatments used in earlier years, and they included the use of tranquilizers, LSD, and developmental remediation. Autistic savants, according to Lykken’s report are outstanding individuals who through their characters display a crucial fact about the structure of the brain (Lykken, ND). The topic, â€Å"The genetics of autistic savants†, is of considerable importance, especially in the medical world (Connor, 2010). This is according to Connor in his article, â€Å"Autism and genetics: A breakthrough that sheds light on a medical mystery† (Connor, 2010). Connor explains that scientists have linked autism to DNA thus adding more information as to the causative of the behavioral disorder. In relation to Connor’s article, the link between DNA and autism disorder was a mystery; hence, the topic under focus is important as it tries to explain if the discoveries are linked the cause of autism disorder to DNA (Connor, 2010). In addition to this, the literature review will tend to display the future of autism and DNA. Status Currently, with reference to â€Å"National Institute of Child Health and Human Development†, autism is a neurobiological development disorder that prevails throughout a person’

Lamb to the Slaughter- Movie Poster Essay Example for Free

Lamb to the Slaughter- Movie Poster Essay A dagger-pierced heart is usually associated with the Catholic Sacred Heart of Mary. It is known to represent the grieving mother of Christ, who is also often called the Lady of Sorrows. However, the heart also migrated into a â€Å"darker† side; a modern day symbol of vengeance and cruelty. But the real power of the image of a dagger through the heart is a combination of both, each known in their individual rights. The heart is seen as the seat of emotions, the core of every person, as well as love and passion. The dagger has long represented a stealthy weapon of choice, which is easily concealed and quiet. Roald Dahl’s, â€Å"Lamb to the Slaughter† tells us of one obvious betrayal: Patrick Maloneys decision to leave his pregnant wife. This violation of the marriage-vows is obviously not the only betrayal in the story. If you look deeper you see that Marys killing of her husband is definitely the ultimate betrayal. Her strategically planned alibi and convincing lies all add up and go under the category of betrayal. Mary and Patrick Maloney are equally guilty of betrayal, as Patrick emotionally kills his wife, while Mary physically kills her husband. Both parties have hearts full of years’ worth of emotions, and both hearts have been stealthily and quietly killed. SYMBOLISM: THEME IDENTITY The fingerprint is an impression on the surface of a person’s fingertip and is used for identifying individuals from the unique pattern of spirals and lines. Detectives, much like the ones in the chosen short story, use these prints to identify those that have taken part in a crime scene. It’s made clear through Dahl’s description of the Maloney house that Mary has committedly taken on the model of the perfect middle class wife. Ms. Maloney is a young mid-twentieth-century housewife, keeping a tidy home and catering to her husband. The text states that she’s found pouring drinks when Mr. Maloney finishes his day at work and caters to his every need; which is what makes her sudden murderous action the incident to shatter her once perfect image. When dusting and scanning a fingerprint one owner is usually found, but when scanning Mary’s fingerprint multiple women appear; the on-task housewife, the loving and caring spouse and soon-to- be mother and finally the murderer. In the end, Mary Maloney will always have one print, but many identities. SYMBOLISM: CHARACTER MARY MALONEY A white lamb is a young sheep, and is portrayed as gentle, meek and innocent, but is also seen as a weakling and as prey. The lamb is usually cheated or outsmarted. The white concept represents its purity. Mary Maloney is definitely a â€Å"lamb† in her innocence and devotion to her husband. When you act out of anger, more than a lamb is slaughtered. It actually quite ironic that this â€Å"lamb† is capable of committing the most clean and cunning murder known of. She’s able to commit murder, get rid of the murder weapon, create herself an alibi as well as outsmart the policemen and is still is able to come out with a clean slate. After doing something so horrible and finding the nerve to scheme her way out of it, â€Å"[†¦] Mary [†¦] began to giggle.† Her dark giggles at the end of the story, show a different character than the one who started. Murder has changed her from a lamb into a lion. SYMBOLYSM: CHARACTER PATRICK MALONEY A mirror is generally defined as a reflective glass coated surface that reflects a clear image, but more importantly when looked into, you see yourself. Patrick is a very self-centered person, which is why I chose a mirror, as mirrors are associated with selfish people. When informing Mary that he was planning to leave her he gave her all the details and made sure to add, â€Å"[†¦] it wouldn’t be very good for my job.† It’s made obvious that Patrick didn’t think of his wife’s feelings at all, but made sure that everything was done so that it was in his favour. Throughout any situation, in the end Patrick is focused back on himself. Not only does he not consider the feelings of his wife, but he also isn’t thinking of his son. Of course he tells Mary that she can keep the baby, but does he think of what life would be for him without his Father? QUOTE ANALYSIS: CHARACTER PATRICK MALONEY This character is stereotyped as an unhappy husband who is not pleased with his current marriage. He comes home tired and stressed, but his frustration seems to be coming from his home life rather than his work life. He’d made up his made and got up the nerve to say what he has to say, â€Å"This is going to be a bit of a shock to you [†¦] I hope you won’t blame me too much.† This quote illustrates the author’s outlook on life, which is that people aren’t always what they seem. Patrick used to be well-liked, respected and the perfect husband; but after divorcing his wife he was probably seen as a dog, cheater and fraud. Just as his wife, his identity has changed because of a major complication in his life. QUOTE ANALYSIS: THEME – IDENTITY The author does an excellent job of clearly describing the setting in the first few lines of the story, in order to set the scene for the reader. The setting is seen when Roald Dahl introduces the Maloney home to his new readers, saying, â€Å"The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight – hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whiskey, Fresh ice cubes in the Thermos bucket.† This quote suggests the Mary is the model housewife; perfect in all she does. Surprisingly, when Mary finds out that her husband is leaving her she, â€Å"[†¦] simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen lamb high in the air and brought it down on his head as hard as she could [†¦] [killing] him.† This demonstrates how Mary’s identity changes from a sweet innocent wife into a killer after just hearing bad news from her husband. FORSHADOWING An example of foreshadowing occurs when Patrick takes his drink after getting home from work. Dahl includes in this famous short story that, â€Å"[†¦] as [Patrick] spoke, he did an unusual thing. He lifted his glass and drained it in one swallow although there was still half of it[†¦] He got up and went slowly over to fetch himself another[†¦] When he comes back, [his]new drink was dark amber with the quantity of whiskey in it.† This quote suggests that Patrick doesn’t usually act like this. It’s quite obvious that he is very uneasy, and is most likely drinking and delaying in order to build the courage to say or do something he might regret. Patrick does this just before breaking the news to his soon-to-be ex-wife. His actions foreshadow the unfortunate things that are to come.

Extramarital Affairs And Marriage :: essays research papers

Do extramarital affairs help or destroy a marriage? A lot of people say that having such affairs helped them solve the problems they had with their spouses, while other people’s marriages are destroyed by them. Do partners feel more comfortable in relationships outside their marriage and what could be the cause of that? Studies conducted by Pittman, who argues that unfaithfulness is not normal or acceptable, have shown that first-time divorce occurs in the wake of an affair; yet its also Pittman that states that ’a crisis of infidelity can reawaken a petrified marriage and therapy can save the adulterous marriage’, something in total contradiction with our traditional culture. Which should we believe than? Studies by Atwater lead us to believe that the second possibility should be seriously considered; in interviewing women engaged in extramarital affairs, she found that over half of them had improved their relationships with their husbands as a result of the affair. The fact that their needs were being met outside the marriage caused a change in their behavior in the marriage, as one woman reported: â€Å"Since I have this second relationship on-going, I have been able to draw my husband out more and get him to talk more... and to be more open in expressing my feelings with him.... I am slowly but surely trying to bring our relationship up to a level that meets more of my needs.† The expressive area seems to be the most troubled one in these marriages, as the unfaithful wives sustained. According to Atwater, extramarital relationships occur because â€Å"we are unrealistic about love and the ability of our spouse to satisfy all our sexual needs†. She concludes that there are five completely untrue myths that contribute to our faith in sexual exclusivity: one person will supply all of another’s emotional, social, and sexual needs people grow to love each other more through the years sexual exclusivity comes easily and naturally husbands and wives should be best friends extramarital affairs will destroy a marriage But lets examine this situation from the men’s point of view as well. Women and men have different expectations in extramarital relationships and while women report that their affairs are less for sexual fulfillment and more for emotional support and companionship, the most frequent reason men give for being unfaithful is either sexual rejection by their wives or the boredom of having repeated sex with the same person.

International finance manager Essay

Bob Swan is the International Finance Officer to eBay Inc. He is also the senior vice president to the company. He is responsible for eBay’s finance function including controllership, tax, treasury, financial planning and analysis, audit, mergers and acquisitions, and investors relations. He has worked for Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) as an executive vice president. He has also served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and executive vice president at TRW, Inc. , held an executive-level position at Webvan Group, Inc. His career started with General Electric in 1985 where he spent 15 years while serving at different positions such as corporate audit staff and CFO at GE Medical Systems-Europe and GE transportation Systems. Bob holds a bachelor of science in business administration from State University of New York at Buffalo. He also has a master of Business Administration from SUNY Binghamton. (eBayExecutiveTeam 2010). Risks management eBay as an online marketplace faces a number of risks. It list millions of items across thousands of diverse categories, including antiques, books, toys, sports, computers, photography and electronics and others. It has to manage operational risks and regulatory and legal issues. The company focuses on building trust and safety for trade to its customers. This is ensured through rules and policies, trust building programmes, various educational resources which help in maintaining general marketplace security and prevent fraud. The company also works with law enforcers and government agencies in the world so as to enforce its policies. Its trading policies are rooted in the values of the eBay market place. It seeks to encourage open, honest, and accountable transactions. It also seeks for feedback from the customers so as to ensure good services. The company also has an eBay safety Center to ensure buying and selling safety. (About eBay 2010; Philippe 2009).

Pascal’s Wager Essay

There are many things in this world that we have no means to confirm. This is especially true when we are talking about things that are spiritual in nature, such as the existence of God. While no living person has claimed that he has seen God using the limits of his sight, there is no way to prove otherwise. Since I don’t believe in God, I would surely be in trouble if Pascal’s wager turns out to be correct. He states that it is better to believe in God because there is nothing to lose if God exists. In fact, if it turns out that God does exist, the one who believes will have a reserved slot in heaven. While Pascal has a point, his argument is not in the least bit persuasive. I am an atheist not just because I chose not to believe in God. It’s just that I can’t see the proof of His existence anywhere. I can’t imagine that there is an omnipotent God who watches over all of us. But Pascal’s wager suggests that atheists like me should leave their â€Å"sinful† ways and start believing in God because it is the most logical and beneficial choice. Why should I choose to believe just for that reason? Pascal should have provided tangible evidence of God’s existence and cited other convincing reasons to make me believe in God. Thus, I have to disagree with Pascal’s wager because his argument does not provide sufficient reasons to believe in God. In fact, his reason to believe is childish and shallow. Another reason why I disagree with Pascal is that his wager is flawed in many ways. First, it assumes that God is a rewarding or punishing god when he has no basis to state this. Since nobody has seen God, then nobody can claim that he has seen God award or punish anyone. And if God does turn out to be a rewarding or punishing god, it suggests that reward or punishment would be based on belief alone. It disregards how one spent his life on earth, regardless of whether he believes in God or not. Second, it overlooks the fact that many religions claim that their god is the only god. Therefore, we cannot determine through Pascal’s argument what would happen if there is one true God and we chose the wrong God to believe in.

Pornography and Women Theory essays

Pornography and Women Theory essays Constitutionally protected speech that is Clearly sexual abuse is discriminating and unconstitutional, therefore, must be restricted speech. Catherine A. MacKinnon, in her book Only Words gives persuading evidence that pornography subordinates women as a group through sexual abuse. She says Protecting pornography means protecting sexual abuse as speech, at the same time that both pornography and its protection have deprived women of speech, especially speech against pornography (MacKinnon, 9). MacKinnon argues this bye explaining defamation and discrimination, racial and sexual harassment, and equality and Women are sexually abused for the making of pornography. Torture, rape, hot wax dripping over nipples, and murdering women are the tools to produce a product of evil. Literature is the description of these crimes against humanity (emphasized) and cameras are On the assumption that words have only a referential relation to reality, pornography is defended as only words-even when it is pictures women had to directly used to make, even when the means of writing are womens bodies, even when a women is destroyed in order to say it or show it or because it was said or shown. However, assuming words are only a partial relation to reality would mean we would have to reconsider what reality is. Our wedding vows such as I do would be meaningless and a jury could never return a verdict that is only partial to reality. These words are treated as the institutions and practices they constitute, rather than as expressions of the idea they embody (Mackinnon, 13) Therefore, if these words of pornography are only words, dont they institutionalize rape? Since pornography is rape on women. Pornography is protected by the First Amendment as free speech, but why? Becaus ...

Critique on Frida Kahlo essays

Critique on Frida Kahlo essays This painting is a self portrait of Frida Kahlo, in two split personalities. The Two Frida's was made in 1939. It is oil on canvas, standing at a height of 581/2 square. It is hanging in the Museo de Arte, in Mexico City. There are two Fridas, sitting in adjacent chairs and holding hands, staring back at the viewer. The two Frida's are sitting on a green weaved bench on a brownish smooth floor, and behind them is a painting of blue and gray sky on a wall. One Frida is wearing a native Indian custom (a tehuana skirt) and a blouse. The blouse is blue with a gold trim, and the skirt is green with a white train. This Frida is holding a little portrait of a man. At first glance the little portrait looks like a pin or a big button, until one gets a closer look at it. The other Frida is dressed in a white European long, style dress, with flower embroidery at the end of the skirt. The two Frida's are connected to each other by a joint circulatory system with their hearts exposed. The heart of the Frida in white is cut and torn open. The artery that connects the two Fridas is severed. The Frida in the white European Victorian dress holds a surgical clamp and appears to have snipped the blood flow to her, thus one can see blood dripping over her lap forming a pool of blood. The heart of the Mexican Frida is fully intact and appears to be feeding off blood from the Victorian Frida. Both Frida's have their hair braided and pulled upward, this hair style typifying a true Frida hairstyle. They both have red rosy cheeks and the long thick eyebrows that come together in a concave form. Frida uses different colors to convey the message she is trying to put across to her viewers. There is a use of earthly colors in the clothing of the Mexican Frida to convey her cultural background. The other Fridas dress is all white, with reddish rose flowers on it. There is a r ...

Hobbling and Cobbling

Hobbling and Cobbling Hobbling and Cobbling Hobbling and Cobbling By Maeve Maddox I could hardly believe my ears this morning when I heard a highly educated author being interviewed on NPR about a new book. A graduate of two prestigious Eastern universities, the author talked about â€Å"hobbling together† a political alliance. She meant â€Å"cobbling together.† Naturally, I hopped on the Web to see if anyone else was misusing this common expression. The following examples indicate that quite a few speakers are: I could barely hobble together some clips from wagnaria some audio from hockey highlights and some sound effects in Imovie That is the big flaw with my car a VW. No cupholders except for one for the back seat. Ive had to hobble together aftermarket bits to hold my coffee.   I finally had the time to hobble together an open source version of the headless Raspberry Pi config interface I’ve been working on. It’s not just the tweeters and the bloggers: Eagan’s head coach Mike Taylor had to hobble together a line-up after losing both first line wings to injury the night before. Global markets USA: Bruised computer giants hobble together (headline over a story about a Compaq-HP merger) I even found the altered expression in printed books. Here’s one example: The Babylonian cosmos, or at least the picture of it that scholars have managed to hobble together over the last two centuries, presents us with a scene by now quite familiar to the reader Used figuratively, the expression â€Å"to cobble together† means â€Å"To put together or join roughly or clumsily, usually from bits and pieces of whatever materials are available. The verb cobble, of unknown origin, already had the meaning of â€Å"to mend clumsily† or â€Å"to patch up† in the 15th century. In the 16th century it was used to describe the mending of shoes; a cobbler was a mender of shoes. Shakespeare plays with the word cobble in Act One, scene one of Julius Caesar (1599); a cheeky commoner offers to â€Å"cobble† a tribune. Here are some examples of the expression being used correctly: Freelancers cobble together part-time jobs to make portfolio careers Adjunct Professors Try to Cobble Together a Full Workload BJP hopes to cobble together alliance in  TN Lower Makefield officials cobble together $3.5M to pay judgment in eminent domain case involving golf course land The expression â€Å"to hobble† means to fasten an animal’s feet together to prevent it from straying. Figuratively, it means to impede someone or something. For example, a lack of money could hobble a company’s efforts to bring out a new product. Here are some examples from the web in which hobble is used correctly: U.S. says global effort has hobbled a cybercrime ring Lewisville zoning extension effort hobbled in N.C. House Markets hobbled by low volatility Teaching Your Horse to Stand Hobbled If something is being put together from bits and pieces, it’s being cobbled together. If something is being crippled, it’s being hobbled. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsQuiet or Quite?

Chinese penetration of the LATAM market Thesis

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Harley Davidson marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words - 1

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Navajo Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Leveraging Data, Information, and Knowledge for Competitive Advantage Essay

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A Little Line of Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Leveraging Data, Information, and Knowledge for Competitive Advantage Essay

Leveraging Data, Information, and Knowledge for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The solution then came out to be the term which is now known as competitive advantage. The term means that internal factor or product strength or critical success factor or the product itself or any service which one specific organization does best when it comes to the others in the same industry. (Hope, 1997) When that edge is maintained over time, not permanently, but for a significant amount of time, and when a noticeable amount of market share is snatched by that particular company, based on that factor that only this company possesses over its competitors, then that is known as the competitive advantage that one firm has in the industry that it belongs to. Companies are always striving to efficiently and effectively utilize the resources that they have and gain a competitive advantage over the rivals that they have, since having one goes a long way in making the company successful and stand out in the market, increasing the goodwill both in the eyes of customers and all other st akeholders associated with the company. As mentioned above, such a competitive advantage is not permanent, thus a company should not release the pressure of competition once a competitive advantage has been gained. Rather, they should continually try to develop themselves to achieve the zenith when it comes to different factors, so that an edge can be maintained over time and with consistency. Management Information Systems (MIS) are not the regular computer systems, since they specialize in providing the user with analysis of all the other information systems that are synchronized with it and which take care of all the operational activities which take place in the organizations. Usually the daily decision making that a manager has to go through is more or less related with the those activities which have a direct effect on the cash flows and liquidity of the company, that is, the operational activities. (Davenport, 2000) And therefore, the MIS systems make use of

Errol John and his work of "Moon on A Rainbow" Research Paper

Errol John and his work of "Moon on A Rainbow" - Research Paper Example Kenneth Tyran was aware about what happens in in theatre, in the year 1957, frustrations due to lack for sharp new writing, he went on to convince the observer that a play completion be launched. Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, by Errol John got the first prize, however, in spite of Joh’s play’s fresh force, John had struggle to get the play staged. It happens to be a shame that such talent could be overlooked as well as statement to the Nation that fifty years on, a stage for suitable stature for such a vibrant as well as subtle play has been found (Billington). Errol John, born in the year 1921 in Trinidad was a journalist before he moved to England in the year 1951 to look for a job in the theatre. Errol appeared in several productions in London stage. One of the well-known ones is in the Old Vic Theatre by the ear 1962, in the part of Othello. John made a number of appearances in film and television productions as well, although he played comparatively minor black characters that included the 1953 Heart of the Metter, the 1952 African Queen and the 1955 Simba, while head key starring roles within the BBC series such as the 1956 A man from the Sun as well as the 1967 Rainbow city. The themes of Moon in a Rainbow Shawl, which are now regarded as canonical work for black theatre, happen to be currently relevant with the play’s depiction for immigration, aspirations of the post war community that lives in poverty as well as the struggles that the African diaspora faces (Erdinch). Set in a Spanish Port, Trinidad, the play opens up on some hot, late evening within a yard of two decrepit buildings. Ephraim happens to be returning from job where he works as a bus driver, as he and Esther Adams are having a conversation. Esther, who is a quite intelligent as well as studious girl is discussing the manner in which it is not possible for her family afford school fees for her education. Secretly, Ephraim is envious of her youth as well as her opportunity to create a

Italian Cuisine and Pizza Essay Example for Free

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Coca Cola Performance Appraisal System Management Essay

Coca Cola Performance Appraisal System Management Essay The Coca-Cola Company is the worlds largest manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, KO sells concentrated forms of its beverages to bottlers, which produce, package, and sell the finished products to retailers. The Coca-Cola Company operates in over 200 countries and sells over 400 different products, including the world-famous Coca-Cola and Sprite lines of soft drinks. KO faces several challenges today. An increased consumer preference for healthier drinks has resulted in slowing growth rates for sales of carbonated soft drinks (abbreviated as CSD), which constitutes 74% of KOs sales. KOs profits are also vulnerable to the rising costs for the raw materials used to make drinks such as the corn syrup used as a sweetener, the aluminum used in cans, and the plastic used in bottles. Additionally, as food retailers continue consolidating, theyre gaining more power to negotiate for lower prices, decreasing KOs price flexibility. Despite these challenges, Coca-Cola has remained highly profitable. Though the non-CSD market is growing quickly, the traditional CSD market is still much larger in terms of both revenues and volume. The size and variety of KOs offerings in the CSD category, coupled with the unparalleled brand equity of the Coca-Cola trademark, has allowed KO to maintain its share of the large, high-margin CSD market. At the same time, KO has responded to consumers changing tastes and begun launching new, non-CSD alternatives. The Coca-Cola Company engages in the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups worldwide. It principally offers sparkling and still beverages. The companys sparkling beverages include nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages with carbonation, such as energy drinks, and carbonated waters and flavored waters. Its still beverages consist of nonalcoholic beverages without carbonation, including non-carbonated waters, flavored waters and enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, and sports drinks. The Coca-Cola Company also offers fountain syrups, syrups, and concentrates, such as flavoring ingredients and sweeteners. The company markets its nonalcoholic beverages under the Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite brand names. The Coca-Cola Company also owns mineral water brands Kinley. The Coca-Cola Company, nourishing the global community with the worlds largest selling soft drink since 1886, returned to India in 1993 after a ga p of 16 years giving a new thumbs-up to the Indian Soft Drink Market. In the same year, the Company took over ownership of the nations top soft-drink brands and bottling network. No wonder, their brands have assumed an iconic status in the minds of the consumers. Coca-Cola serves in India some of the most recalled brands across the world including names such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Thumps Up, Limca, Maaza and Kinley (packaged drinking water). INTRODUCTION Human resource management (HRM) is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. It is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Objectives for performance appraisal policy can best be understood in terms of potential benefits Increase motivation to perform effectively. Increase staff self-esteem. Gain new insight into staff and supervisors. Better clarify and define job functions and responsibilities. Develop valuable communication among appraisal participants. Encourage increased self-understanding among staff as well as insight into the kind of development activities that are of value. Distribute rewards on a fair and credible basis. Clarify organizational goals so they can be more readily accepted. Improve institutional/departmental manpower planning, test validation, and development of training programs. Performance appraisal may be defined as a structured formal interaction between a subordinate and supervisor, that usually takes the form of a periodic interview (annual or semi-annual), in which the work performance of the subordinate is examined and discussed, with a view to identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development. In many organizations but not all appraisal results are used, either directly or indirectly, to help determine reward outcomes. That is, the appraisal results are used to identify the better performing employees who should get the majority of available merit pay increases, bonuses, and promotions. By the same token, appraisal results are used to identify the poorer performers who may require some form of counseling, or in extreme cases, demotion, dismissal or decreases in pay. (Organizations need to be aware of laws in their country that might restrict their capacity to dismiss employees or decrease pay). The Performance Appraisal System (PAS) is designed to improve overall organizational performance by encouraging a higher level of involvement and motivation and increased staff participation in the planning, delivery and evaluation of work. The system establishes a process for achieving responsibility and accountability in the execution of programmes approved by the General Assembly. It is based on linking individual work plans with those of departments and offices and entails setting goals, planning work in advance and providing ongoing feedback. An important function of the PAS is to promote communication between staff members and supervisors on the goals to be achieved and the basis on which individual performance will be assessed, encouraging teamwork in the process. OBJECTIVES To get familiar with cooperate world environment and culture. To learn how appraisals of a employee in the company is decide by managers. To learn the parameters seniors look while doing the appraisals. To see what are the factors, which decide how much appraisals, a particular should get. Who are the Peoples involved in appraisals system and who takes which decision? To understand the appraisals system and methodology for appraisals in Coca-Cola India. To get familiar with the work and duties of a Human Resource (HR) Manager. INDUSTRY PROFILE REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON THE INDUSTRY An industry analysis through Porters Five Forces reveals that market forces are favorable for profitability. Defining the industry Both concentrate producers (CP) and bottlers are profitable. These two parts of the industry are extremely interdependent, sharing costs in procurement, production, marketing and distribution. Many of their functions overlap; for instance, CPs do some bottling, and bottlers conduct many promotional activities. The industry is already vertically integrated to some extent. They also deal with similar suppliers and buyers. Entry into the industry would involve developing operations in either or both disciplines. Beverage substitutes would threaten both CPs and their associated bottlers. Because of operational overlap and similarities in their market environment, we can include both CPs and bottlers in our definition of the soft drink industry. In 1993, CPs earned 29% pretax profits on their sales, while bottlers earned 9% profits on their sales, for a total industry profitability of 14% (Exhibit 1). This industry as a whole generates positive economic profits. Rivalry Revenues are extremely concentrated in this industry, with Coke and Pepsi, together with their associated bottlers, commanding 73% of the case market in 1994. Adding in the next tier of soft drink companies, the top six controlled 89% of the market. In fact, one could characterize the soft drink market as an oligopoly, or even a duopoly between Coke and Pepsi, resulting in positive economic profits. To be sure, there was tough competition between Coke and Pepsi for market share, and this occasionally hampered profitability. For example, price wars resulted in weak brand loyalty and eroded margins for both companies in the 1980s. The Pepsi Challenge, meanwhile, affected market share without hampering per case profitability, as Pepsi was able to compete on attributes other than price. Substitutes: Through the early 1960s, soft drinks were synonymous with â€Å"colas† in the mind of consumers. Over time, however, other beverages, from bottled water to teas, became more popular, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Coke and Pepsi responded by expanding their offerings, through alliances (e.g. Coke and Nestea), acquisitions (e.g. Coke and Minute Maid), and internal product innovation (e.g. Pepsi creating Orange Slice), capturing the value of increasingly popular substitutes internally. Proliferation in the number of brands did threaten the profitability of bottlers through 1986, as they more frequent line set-ups, increased capital investment, and development of special management skills for more complex manufacturing operations and distribution. Bottlers were able to overcome these operational challenges through consolidation to achieve economies of scale. Overall, because of the CPs efforts in diversification, however, substitutes became less of a threat. Power of Suppliers The inputs for Coke and Pepsis products were primarily sugar and packaging. Sugar could be purchased from many sources on the open market, and if sugar became too expensive, the firms could easily switch to corn syrup, as they did in the early 1980s. So suppliers of nutritive sweeteners did not have much bargaining power against Coke, Pepsi, or their bottlers. NutraSweet, meanwhile, had recently come off patent in 1992, and the soft drink industry gained another supplier, Holland Sweetener, which reduced Searles bargaining power and lowering the price of aspartame. With an abundant supply of inexpensive aluminum in the early 1990s and several can companies competing for contracts with bottlers, can suppliers had very little supplier power. Furthermore, Coke and Pepsi effectively further reduced the supplier of can makers by negotiating on behalf of their bottlers, thereby reducing the number of major contracts available to two. With more than two companies vying for these contracts, Coke and Pepsi were able to negotiate extremely favorable agreements. In the plastic bottle business, again there were more suppliers than major contracts, so direct negotiation by the CPs was again effective at reducing supplier power. Power of buyers The soft drink industry sold to consumers through five principal channels: food stores, convenience and gas, fountain, vending, and mass merchandisers Supermarkets, the principal customer for soft drink makers, were a highly fragmented industry. The stores counted on soft drinks to generate consumer traffic, so they needed Coke and Pepsi products. But due to their tremendous degree of fragmentation (the biggest chain made up 6% of food retail sales, and the largest chains controlled up to 25% of a region), these stores did not have much bargaining power. Their only power was control over premium shelf space, which could be allocated to Coke or Pepsi products. This power did give them some control over soft drink profitability. Furthermore, consumers expected to pay less through this channel, so prices were lower, resulting in somewhat lower profitability. National mass merchandising chains such as Wal-Mart, on the other hand, had much more bargaining power. While these stores did car ry both Coke and Pepsi products, they could negotiate more effectively due to their scale and the magnitude of their contracts. For this reason, the mass merchandiser channel was relatively less profitable for soft drink makers. The least profitable channel for soft drinks, however, was fountain sales. Profitability at these locations was so abysmal for Coke and Pepsi that they considered this channel â€Å"paid sampling.† This was because buyers at major fast food chains only needed to stock the products of one manufacturer, so they could negotiate for optimal pricing. Coke and Pepsi found these channels important, however, as an avenue to build brand recognition and loyalty, so they invested in the fountain equipment and cups that were used to serve their products at these outlets. As a result, while Coke and Pepsi gained only 5% margins, fast food chains made 75% gross margin on fountain drinks. Vending, meanwhile, was the most profitable channel for the soft drink industry. Essentially there were no buyers to bargain with at these locations, where Coke and Pepsi bottlers could sell directly to consumers through machines owned by bottlers. Property owners were paid a sales commission on Coke and Pepsi products sold through machines on their property, so their incentives were properly aligned with those of the soft drink makers, and prices remained high. The customer in this case was the consumer, who was generally limited on thirst quenching alternatives. The final channel to consider is convenience stores and gas stations. If Mobil or Seven-Eleven were to negotiate on behalf of its stations, it would be able to exert significant buyer power in transactions with Coke and Pepsi. Apparently, though, this was not the nature of the relationship between soft drink producers and this channel, where bottlers profits were relatively high, at $0.40 per case, in 1993. With this high profitability, it seems likely that Coke and Pepsi bottlers negotiated directly with convenience store and gas station owners. So the only buyers with dominant power were fast food outlets. Although these outlets captured most of the soft drink profitability in their channel, they accounted for less than 20% of total soft drink sales. Through other markets, however, the industry enjoyed substantial profitability because of limited buyer power. Barriers to Entry It would be nearly impossible for either a new CP or a new bottler to enter the industry. New CPs would need to overcome the tremendous marketing muscle and market presence of Coke, Pepsi, and a few others, who had established brand names that were as much as a century old. Through their DSD practices, these companies had intimate relationships with their retail channels and would be able to defend their positions effectively through discounting or other tactics. So, although the CP industry is not very capital intensive, other barriers would prevent entry. Entering bottling, meanwhile, would require substantial capital investment, which would deter entry. Further complicating entry into this market, existing bottlers had exclusive territories in which to distribute their products. Regulatory approval of intrabrand exclusive territories, via the Soft Drink Interbrand Competition Act of 1980, ratified this strategy, making it impossible for new bottlers to get started in any region wh ere an existing bottler operated, which included every significant market in the US. In conclusion, an industry analysis by Porters Five Forces reveals that the soft drink industry in 1994 was favorable for positive economic profitability, as evidenced in companies financial outcomes. MAJOR COMPANIES In India there are only two major companies Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Ltd. Pepsi Co. Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Ltd. The Coca-Cola Company engages in the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups worldwide. It principally offers sparkling and still beverages. The companys sparkling beverages include nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages with carbonation, such as energy drinks, and carbonated waters and flavored waters. Its still beverages consist of nonalcoholic beverages without carbonation, including non-carbonated waters, flavored waters and enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, and sports drinks. The Coca-Cola Company also offers fountain syrups, syrups, and concentrates, such as flavoring ingredients and sweeteners. The company markets its nonalcoholic beverages under the Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite brand names. The Coca-Cola Company also owns mineral water brands Kinley. The Coca-Cola Company, nourishing the global community with the worlds largest selling soft drink since 1886, returned to India in 1993 after a ga p of 16 years giving a new thumbs-up to the Indian Soft Drink Market. In the same year, the Company took over ownership of the nations top soft-drink brands and bottling network. No wonder, their brands have assumed an iconic status in the minds of the consumers. Coca-Cola serves in India some of the most recalled brands across the world including names such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Thumps Up, Limca, Maaza and Kinley (packaged drinking water). PEPSI Co. PepsiCo is a world leader in convenience foods and beverages, with 2007 revenues of more than $39 billion and more than 185,000 employees across the world. Its world renowned brands are available in nearly 200 countries and territories. PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become the countrys largest selling food and beverage companies. One of the largest multinational investors in the country, PepsiCo has established a business which aims to serve the long term dynamic needs of consumers in India. PepsiCo India and its partners have invested more than U.S.$700 million since the company was established in the country in 1989. In India, PepsiCo provides direct employment to 4,000 people and indirect employment to 60,000 people including suppliers and distributors. PepsiCo Indias expansive portfolio includes iconic refreshment beverages Pepsi, 7 UP, Mirinda and Mountain Dew, in addition to low calorie options- Diet Pepsi and 7Up Light; hydrating and nutritional beverages such as Aquafina drinking water, isotonic sports drinks Gatorade, and 100% natural fruit juices and juice based drinks Tropicana, Tropicana Twister and Slice. Our local brands Lehar Evervess Soda, Dukes Lemonade and Mangola complete our diverse spectrum of brands. PepsiCos snack food company, Frito-Lay, is the leader in the branded potato chip market and was amongst the first companies to eliminate the use of trans fats and MSG in its products. It manufactures Lays Potato Chips; Cheetos extruded snacks, Uncle Chipps and traditional namkeen snacks under the Kurkure and Lehar brands. The companys high fibre breakfast cereal, Quaker Oats, along with Lehar Lites, low fat and roasted snack options enhance the choices available to the growing health and wellness needs of our consu mers. Frito Lays core products, Lays, Kurkure, Uncle Chipps and Cheetos are cooked in Rice Bran Oil to significantly reduce saturated fats and all of its products contain voluntary nutritional labeling on their packets. The group has built an expansive beverage, snack food and exports business and to support the operations are the groups 43 bottling plants in India, of which 15 are company owned and 28 are franchisee owned. In addition to this, PepsiCos Frito Lay snack division has 3 state of the art plants. PepsiCos business is based on its sustainability vision of making tomorrow better than today. Our commitment to living by this vision every day is visible in our contribution to our country, consumers, farmers and our people. SWOT ANALYSIS Coca Cola Co. Pepsi Co. Strengths Established Market Share Well Established Network Parle brands acting as Substitutes Regional Presence of some Brands Strengths Market presence felt by customers. Increasing influence and identification. Strong promotional Campaign In touch with customer Weakness Alienation of Bottlers Not in touch with Customers Weakness Smaller Market Share Other brands are not very popular (except Pepsi and Mirinda) Opportunities Regaining Previous Market Share by promoting parle brands Opportunities Can gain a large Share in Existing Market while Coca Cola consolidates its position. Threats Pepsi co, the biggest competitor Pepsi cos ability to judge the market mood accurately. Threats Coca Colas change in strategy which will be taking away the advantage. Coca cola ability to bring about price war. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR THE INDUSTRY SWOT stands for Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threats SWOT analysis is a technique much used in many general management as well as marketing scenarios. SWOT consists of examining the current activities of the organization- its Strengths and Weakness- and then using this and external research data to set out the Opportunities and Threats that exist. Strengths: Strong and well differentiated brands with leading share positions. Brand portfolio includes both global Unilever brands and local brands of specific relevance to India. Consumer understanding and systems for building consumer insight. Strong RD capability well linked with business. Integrated supply chain and well spread manufacturing units. Distribution structure with wide reach, high quality coverage and ability to leverage scale. Access to Unilever global technology capability and sharing of best practices from other Unilever companies. High quality manpower resources. Weaknesses: Limited success in changing drinking habits of people. Complex supply chain configuration, unwieldy number of SKUs with dispersed manufacturing locations. Price positioning in some categories allows for low price competition. Threats: Low priced competition now present in all categories. Changes in fiscal benefits. Unfavorable raw material prices in sugar, aluminum, commodity etc. Opportunities: Market and brand growth through increased penetration especially in rural areas. Brand growth through increased consumption depth and frequency of usage across all categories. Upgrading consumers through innovation to new levels of quality. Leveraging the latest IT technology. COCA-COLA PROFILE REVIEW OF LITERATURE The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the worlds largest manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, KO sells concentrated forms of its beverages to bottlers, which produce, package, and sell the finished products to retailers. The Coca-Cola Company operates in over 200 countries and sells over 400 different products, including the world-famous Coca-Cola and Sprite lines of soft drinks. KO faces several challenges today. An increased consumer preference for healthier drinks has resulted in slowing growth rates for sales of carbonated soft drinks (abbreviated as CSD), which constitutes 74% of KOs sales. KOs profits are also vulnerable to the rising costs for the raw materials used to make drinks such as the corn syrup used as a sweetener, the aluminum used in cans, and the plastic used in bottles. Additionally, as food retailers continue consolidating, theyre gaining more power to negotiate for lower prices, decreasing KOs price flexibility. Despite these challenges, Coca-Cola has remained highly profitable. Though the non-CSD market is growing quickly, the traditional CSD market is still much larger in terms of both revenues and volume. The size and variety of KOs offerings in the CSD category, coupled with the unparalleled brand equity of the Coca-Cola trademark, has allowed KO to maintain its share of the large, high-margin CSD market. At the same time, KO has responded to consumers changing tastes and begun launching new, non-CSD alternatives. History and Corporate Overview The Coca-Cola Company traces its origin to 1884, when an entrepreneur named John Stith Pemberton concocted a cocaine-infused wine for sale in the U.S. A non-alcoholic version, called Coca-Cola, was introduced in the following year in response to new laws prohibiting alcoholic beverages, and the company was officially incorporated in 1888 in Atlanta, Georgia. The entire Coca-Cola system is divided into two parts: the Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers. KO manufactures concentrates and syrups for its beverages, which it then sells to bottlers for packaging and distribution. KO owns all the rights for its brands, which include some of the worlds most popular non-alcoholic beverages, though it does grant bottlers some rights as part of its bottling agreements. In addition to manufacturing the concentrates, KO is also primarily responsible for marketing its brands, which includes running advertising and promotional campaigns. Bottling companies are generally independent of the Coca-Cola Company, though some are either partially or completely owned by KO. KO is now one of the largest corporations in the world, with a global workforce of over 90,000 and revenues of $28.8 billion in revenues in 2007. Over the years, the brand equity of the Coca-Cola trademark, as well as that of other KO-produced brands, has established KO as a prominent figure in the non-alcoholic beverage industry and allowed the company to keep both revenues and profits high. Sales and income data, in millions 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Net sales $20,857 $21,742 $23,104 $24,088 $28,857 Net income (profits) $4,347 $4,847 $4,872 $5,080 $5,981 Units sold, in billions 19.4 19.8 20.6 21.4 22.7 Bottlers Coca-Cola holds controlling and noncontrolling interest in 64% of its worldwide bottlers Coca-Cola holds controlling and non controlling interest in 64% of its worldwide bottlers. Bottling and canning companies are typically separate from the Coca-Cola Companys main concentrate manufacturing business. However, KO does maintain ownership interests in many of its bottlers, ensuring that the relationship between the two parts of the Coca-Cola system remains close. Some of the Coca-Cola Companys principal bottlers are: Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) (NYSE: CCE), which is the largest member of the Coca-Cola bottling network by volume. CCE accounts for 80% of all domestic Coca-Cola sales and 18% of all sales worldwide. KO retains a 35% share of CCE stock, as well as two of its thirteen board seats. Coca Cola Femsa S.A.B. de C.V. (KOF) (NYSE: KOF), the second-largest bottler in the Coke system, produced 2 billion unit cases of beverages in 2007. KO owns 32% of Coca Cola Femsa S.A.B. de C.V. (KOF), which has a strong presence in Central and South America. COCA COLA HELLENIC BOTTLING CO (CCH) S.A. (NYSE: CCH) is KOs fourth-largest bottling company, selling 1.81 billion cases in 2007. CCH has a large market presence in Europe, Asia, and Africa with its operations spread among 26 different countries. KO currently owns 23% of CCHs stock. Products The Coca-Cola Company produces over 400 brands of non-alcoholic beverages, including carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, such as ready-to-drink juices, coffee drinks, tea and bottled water. Of these over 400 brands, there are more than 2,600 different varieties. Most of KOs beverage portfolio is composed of CSD, though the company has been expanding into the non_CSD category in response to a shift in consumer demand and a greater emphasis on healthy options. Carbonated Soft Drinks Carbonated soft drinks are the single largest component in the Coca-Cola Companys collection of beverages, accounting for around 74% of total volume sold in 2006. Within the CSD category, KO offers other sugared drinks and diet drinks. Of all CSD sales, beverages bearing the Coca-Cola or Coke trademark make up 55% of total volumes. Some of the Coca-Cola Companys major CSD offerings include: Coca-Cola Diet Coca-Cola Sprite Fanta Barqs Root Beer Coke Zero Introduced in 2005, Coke Zero is the most significant of KOs new innovations. This beverage is marketed as a calorie-free version of Coca-Cola Classic, omitting the diet label in an attempt to appeal to new demographics. This brand alone accounted for nearly on third of all 2006 growth for beverages bearing the Coca-Cola trademark. Most of KOs carbonated soft drinks come in several varieties with different flavors, caloric values, etc. KO also offers energy drinks such as TaB and Full Throttle, which are carbonated but are aimed at different demographics, putting them in a special category of their own. Non-carbonated Soft Drinks The remaining 26% of KOs total volume is composed of non-carbonated soft drinks, which include a variety of beverages such a fruit juices, waters, sports drinks, and teas. This non-CSD segment has been showing higher growth rates than the CSD category, resulting from higher demand for healthy alternatives to traditional CSD. Among KOs significant non-CSD beverages are: Dasani bottled water Glaceau Vitamin Water POWERade sports drinks Minute Maid and Minute Maid To Go juices Nestea Fuze Healthy Infuzions Odwalla Juice drinks Within the non-CSD category, bottled waters like Dasani and Spring! by Dannon are showing the highest rates

Moving Beyond Motherhood in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins G

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since its original publication in The New England Magazine in May 1892 and its subsequent resurrection by modern feminists in the l970's, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's novella, "The Yellow Wallpaper" has gone through varied interpretations. When it was originally written, "The Yellow Wallpaper" was considered a tale of horror, so horrible in fact, that one editor, Horace Scudder of the Atlantic Monthly, refused the work because he did not want to make others as miserable as he was when he read it. Even as late as 1971, Gilman's work was anthologized under the category of horror (Kennard 75). It was not until the work was rediscovered and republished in 1973 that modern feminist critics recognized the female hero as a victim of society (Kennard 75). However, "The Yellow Wallpaper" is more than a story with a fictional character; it is the story of its creator. Gilman, as well as her heroine, suffered through postpartum depression. She not only had to fight the depression and isolation of being a mother but also the social mores of the time which did not condone career-minded mothers. Society's prime guardians of the status quo in this instance were the medical doctors who found it necessary to treat women who were less than happy in their domestic roles. In her case, the treatment was administered by Dr. S. Weir Mitchell for whom Gilman stated she wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper" (The Living of CPG 121). Gilman recognized that she needed to escape the confinement of the home before she could become a career woman who also happened to be a mother. It was through "The Yellow Wa llpaper" that the transition from homebound mother to career mother began. The feelings she experienced as a new mother were not unlike those of ma... ...Gilman: An Autobiography. New York and London: D. Appleton-Century Co. (1935)   Rpt. As The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. New York: Harper & Row, Colophon Books, 1975. ---. "Why I Wrote the Yellow Wallpaper". Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A Study of the Short Fiction. Ed. Denise D Knight. New York, Twayne Publishers, 1997. 106-107. Hill, Mary A. Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The Making of a Radical Feminist, 1860-1896. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1980. Kennard, Jean E. "Convention Coverage or How to Read Your Own Life." New Literary History 13 (Autumn 1981): 69-88. Palis, James., et al. "The Hippocratic Concept of Hysteria: A Translation of the Original Texts." Integrative Psychiatry 3.3 (1985): 226-228. Smith-Rosenberg, Carroll "The Hysterical Woman: Sex Roles and Role Conflict in 19th-Century America," Social Research 39 (Winter 1972): 652-78   

Persuasive Essay on Gun Rights Essay

Gun Control Have you ever been involved in a home invasion? How did you protect yourself, or if this would happen have you thought about how you would protect yourself? This is a real concern in families’ minds across the nation. When I think of having a future family I think about how I would keep them safe. Growing up I never had to worry about this, because I knew that my parents would be able to protect me. The way my parents would and have protected me was with a gun. Today, gun control is a major concern in political campaigns across the nation. I will be talking about why we should keep our gun rights based on: home safety, illegal guns and the second amendment of the constitution. We would agree that home safety is in the minds of most Americans, but no matter how hard we try to protect our homes it’s not always a realistic fact. According to fbi.gov, nationwide in 2010, there were an estimated 367,832 robberies. According to Gary Kleck, Ph.D. a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University in Tallahassee and author of â€Å"Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America† conducted a survey by random telephone sampling of 4,978 households in all the states except Alaska and Hawaii. Results indicating that American civilians use their firearms as often as 2.5 million times every year defending against a confrontation with a criminal, and that handguns alone account for up to 1.9 million defenses per year. My family and I had a personal experience with a home invasion. It was a normal Wednesday night; I was finishing up some late night studies while I heard something from down stairs. Someone had decided to rob our house. I went to my parent’s room to tell them about the intruder. My dad went and unlocked his gun safe and pulled out his twelve gauge shotgun. He exited the room with a loud pump of the forestock. The intruder was quick to run out the door after hearing this. We never had to fire a shot and our guns saved are possessions from being stolen and are family from being harmed. Gun control that is proposed isn’t stating that all guns should be taken away, but that restrictions should be put on guns. Well this does sound logical and does sound like it should work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean  it will. Almost all drugs are illegal except for marijuana in few states, but how many in this room knows someone who could provide them with illegal drugs? Almost everyone. This is the same with guns. Criminals find ways to get drugs just as easily as they could find ways to get illegal guns. According to a recent Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) report, there is a significant diversion to the illegal gun market from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL). The report states that â€Å"of the 120,370 crime guns that were traced to purchases from the FFLs then in business, 27.7 % of these firearms were seized by law enforcement in connection with a crime within two years of the original sale. This rapid `time to crime’ of a gun purchase d from an FFL is a strong indicator that the initial seller or purchaser may have been engaged in unlawful activity.† No matter if gun restrictions have been risen or not this is only restricting the people that are lawful with their guns and restricting the people that are responsible with their guns. Criminals are not affected by gun restrictions, because due to criminal records most can’t buy guns legally anyways, but they still find them through black markets and criminal acquaintances. Taking away the gun rights of law obeying citizens is unfair and is violating our constitutional rights. According to the second amendment of the United States constitution states â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† I think this says it all. The constitution is what our country was built upon; it is what our founding fathers had set for us to follow in order to become a better society than the one they came. Myself, being very patriotic, I find it hard to see why someone would want their rights that they are given as a free, American citizen, taken away. These amendments have kept us as a reigning world power for so long and why would anything change now? We have been so fortunate to be founded on such morals and freedoms that we have perfected a functioning society within law. Yes, the United States has been in slump lately, but we are still considered a world power and in most eyes we are still considered top dog. So, why change something if we are already on top ? If it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Guns save lives, not takes them. Education is the big problem with guns in today’s society. We have been raised to fear guns, but in reality guns have been something that has so much as freed our nation from England’s reign. Guns have been a part of negative outcomes, but with these outcomes a bad person stands behind this gun. Bad people will always be bad, whether you stick them behind bars or if you put a bracelet around their ankle. We shouldn’t let these bad people determine how all the good people live. We should stay above the bad people and show them that they have no control in our great nation. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Thank you. Bibliography: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Title: Bill of Rights, Second Amendment, Charters of freedom Publishing: National Archives; last revised 1791 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/procon/guns.html Title: â€Å"How criminals get guns†, Hot guns Publishing: pbs.org, Dan Noyes http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/violent-crime/robberymain Title: The fbi federal bureau of investigation, robbery Publishing: U.S. Department of Justice; last revised 2010 Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America Author: Gary Klerk Publishing: A. de Gruyter, New York, 1991

Use of Nasdat in Burgess’ a Clockwork Orange

Use of nasdat in Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange â€Å"And, my brothers, it was real satisfaction to me to waltz-left two three, right two three-and carve left cheeky and right cheeky, so that like two curtains of blood seemed to pour out at the same time, one on either side of his fat filthy oily snout in the winter starlight. † –Alex, A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange is set in a futuristic city in a time, not too far off in the future. In this futuristic society, normal citizens have fallen into complacency and are oblivious to the growth of a violent youth culture.Alex, the narrator and protagonist of the story, is a teenage boy who speaks in a contrived slang called nadsat. Nasdat is a contrived language that incorporates elements of Russian and Cockney English. The use of language in the novel helps illustrate and set the scene as Alex leads a small gang of peers, friends and fellow criminals – Dim, Pete, and Georgie – through the streets, robbing, beating men, raping women and committing random acts of violence.Alex is the sole narrator of A Clockwork Orange. Every word on the page is his, and as readers, we experience his world through the scenes he describes and the experiences, suffering and pleasure he encounters. The function of nadsat in A Clockwork Orange, are many. Most immediately, the use of unusual language forces the reader to actively think about and use the language of the book. Because nasdat isn’t common-place, readers must pay attention to and force understanding of the words on the page.The act of comprehending and understanding the language as it is written prevents readers from making judgments about the characters. In this way, nadsat insulates us from many of the harsh and violent realities in the book, allowing us to develop a rapport with Alex and ultimately grow sympathy for the character. To better understand why the language in A Clockwork Orange draws the reader to empathize with the main character, it is important to understand how nasdat was developed and also how it works as a tool to draw the reader in.The most daunting task to most readers of this novel is the introduction of a foreign yet eerily common seeming language. A general understanding of the influence, pronunciation and meaning of many of the words in nasdat can ease the reader into a pleasurable understanding of the novel. Nasdat is heavily influenced by Russian, usually taking a word from Russian and anglicizing it, but retaining some form of the original pronunciation. For example, chelloveck means fellow or person in Nadsat as well as in Russian word, chelovyek.The following sentence shows some of the other influences at work as well. â€Å"I read this with care, my brothers, slurping away at the old chai, cup after tass after chasha, crunching my lomticks of black toast dipped in jammiwam and eggiweg. † Translated loosely, the sentence above shows Alex drinking m any cups of tea, and eating slices of toast and jam with eggs. To dive in deeper, a general understanding of the words is necessary. Chai is the Russian word for tea, but there are also parallels with the English slang word char.Tass is a word which is based on the French and German words for cup (tasse and Tasse) and chasha has origins in the Russian words for teacup (chashka) and a poetical word for a large cup (chasha). Lomtick reflects the Russian lomtik meaning slice. Both jammiwam and eggiweg are made-up, childish renditions of the words jam and egg. The introduction of these words will invariably cause a first time reader of A Clockwork Orange to have problems following the action of the book and may also cause frustration.This fact distances the reader from what is happening, which helps to produce a number of effects on the reader. One of these effects is a well placed discomfort that at not being able to understand what is being said by Alex. The feeling is similar to trav elling in a foreign country and not being able to understand the native language. The reader, much like the traveler doesn’t know whether what is being said is friendly, hostile, threatening or otherwise. Interestingly enough, the language is still intelligible even though it does slow the reader and force them to interpret Burgess’ intention.The difference between using a completely foreign language and one that is even slightly understandable is that nadsat is, for the most part, a form of slang, describing things for which there is already a word in English, but in a different way. As a linguist, Burgess was all too aware that slang can date rather quickly – words like daddy-o, groovy or radical which could root a book or character in a particular time unless it was being employed deliberately for humorous effect.By making up a new type of slang, Burgess could ensure that the book transcended the time in which it was written and is still all too relevant now, and probably will be in the future. The nasdat language also plays another important role in distinguishing who among the characters is a ‘teen' and who is not. As Alex explains to F. Alexander; â€Å"Oh, that,† I said, â€Å"is what we call nadsat talk. All the teens use that, sir. † Furthermore then, people who are not teens, such as Alex's parents, P. R. Deltoid, the prison chaplain and Joe (the lodger), speak normally and do not use the nadsat.The transformation from one characters use of nasdat is at the end of the story when Alex meets his old ‘droog' Pete, and his wife. The contrast between the speech of Alex, who is still using the nadsat, and Pete, who is now speaking normally, coupled with Georgina's (Pete's wife) amusement at Alex's speech creates a colourful picture showing the contrast between the nadsat and the eloquence of Pete's speech. Another feature of the story is that the narration of the book is in the first person narrative, and the way in which Alex addresses the readers, quite often with the words ‘O my brothers,' makes the story being told more personal.His use of first person seems to center the story specifically for the reader. Therefore, it makes the reader feel like Alex is speaking directly to him/her and that they are in receipt of an amazing story which is only being told to a chosen few. This use of language is incongruous to the use of the nadsat because, although Burgess is making the reader feel part of a select group with the informal wording of the narrative and the directness of the way Alex addresses the reader, we are also left feeling out in the cold because of the unfamiliar understanding of the nadsat.Another effect of language is that the violence in the book is partially veiled, making it seem less shocking. As Burgess himself explained; â€Å"to tolchock a chelloveck in the kishkas does not sound as bad as booting a man in the guts. † (Cite) Covering up of the violence usi ng artificial language works because throughout the course of the story readers have to be thinking about what words such as yarbles (testicles), britva (razor) and oozy (chain) mean. The language veil leaves Burgess free to have Alex do what he wants without the reader judging him so harshly.By disconnecting the emotive response to the words from their meaning, nadsat creates a cushioning layer between the acts of violence and how the reader understands these acts. The forced interpretation causes a delay in the mind of the reader as he/she stops to figure out what the â€Å"replaced† word means to the story. Burgess' smokescreen use of the language was intentional in order to shield the reader from the extreme violence and cause him/her to build a rapport with the main character, further building empathy. Works Cited Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York. W. W. Norton & Company, 1986. Print

Is obesity a disease

The US. Has the largest portion sizes throughout the world, this doesn't include having seconds and third rounds of a meal. Fast food restaurants are around every corner, they have different size meals although they are all extremely close in price. Most people living in the United States have the mindset of â€Å"why not get more out of what am buying and pay the extra . 35? † With this thought, it makes consuming unhealthy food a money saver. With technological advances, children and adults spend more time on a computer, cell phone, tablet, and watching elevations rather than exercising, playing sports and going out.Nowadays, most adults rely on automobiles to get around town, to work, to school, wherever it may be. Adults have decreased their amount of walking to and from places or riding their bikes. This is everyday exercise that can prevent obesity and IS an easy option. Low income and food insecure people are vulnerable to being overweight. These people usually have lim ited access to affordable, unhealthy food. When they do have access to healthy food, it is likely that the food is more expensive than junk food being sold.Due to this, it is more likely to buy unhealthy food especially being on such a tight budget. Also, fast food is a major contributor to obesity in children and adults. There are little to no healthy fast food restaurants. Fast food is usually unhealthy, cheap and easy to get. Because of this, people will go through fast food restaurants instead of buying healthy food and going home to cook it. Low income neighborhoods have a lot fewer physical activities sources like parks or tracks than higher income neighborhoods. When sources are available, they are usually unsafe areas for children and even adults.For 16 years, lived on farm land where my grandfather owned orchards. Around me there were absolutely no physical activity sources, no where to play, and really no where to go. When moved a couple years ago, we live five minutes awa y from one park and two minutes away from another. The neighborhood live in now, there are a lot bigger houses and is more of a higher income neighborhood. Never realized this until researching obesity. Families who are low income sometimes stretch their food budgets by skipping a meal or two. This is especially common in others of low income families.Because of this, when their body does get food, it stores the food as fat because it doesn't know the next time food will come. This leads to obesity in most cases. Low income families usually have high levels of stress due to financial and emotional pressure. Some of the main causes of obesity are stress, anxiety and depression. I personally have experienced weight gain as a cause of stress and anxiety. For the longest time, I kept gaining weight which made me more anxious and even more stressed. I got medical treatment and was given medication to control my anxiety.After taking the medication I was immediately seeing weight loss and was no longer threatened by obesity. There are many more consequences Of Obesity than Only stress and anxiety. Diabetes is a main factor contributing to obesity. Others are high blood pressure, iron deficiency, early puberty, premature death, low self esteem, depression, asthma, and many more. These are some factors that although are mostly caused by obesity, are preventable. Obesity may lead to substance abuse, peer factorization, poor academic performance, and behavior problems.The definition of a disease is 1. A condition of abnormal vital function involving an structure, part or system of an organism. 2. A specific illness or disorder characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms attributable to heredity, infection, diet, or environment. Obesity fits the definition entirely, although there are ways to prevent it including lower calorie intake, smaller portions, more physical activity and better food choices. Some people may say diets and exercise fail due to their bo dy mass index (IBM). This is misleading.IBM is based on a calculation of height and eight combined. So, for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a very high IBM although it is all contained of muscles. One can also find people with a low IBM that have a high percentage of body fat. According to WebMD. Com, a child's total diet and activity determines a child's weight. This can include computer and video game time. On average, a typical child spends four hours a day watching television. This is not including video game or computer time. As technology becomes more common, the level of physical inactivity will keep increasing.A child's weight, in my opinion s soles based on their parents or guardians decisions. This including the amount Of time being spent playing video games, watching television, and being on the computer. Two major factor for parents or guardians to prevent their child from becoming obese is to control portion sizes, and to maintain at least two hours of physical activ ity. This can easily be done by signing up for a school sport or even taking a walk around the neighborhood. From previous observation, child obesity is caused by a parent or guardians ignorance, or failure to be there for their child.I have seen in some cases where a permissive parent will give their child what ever they please in order to keep them happy and busy while the parent gets things done like house work, cooking, cleaning, etc. This not only gives the child an idea that they're in charge and what ever they say goes, but it shows neglect and carelessness of the parent or guardian. This may contribute to a major problem as the child gets older. Modeling is one of the major ways for a child to learn. If young children see their parents or guardians eating fruits and vegetables, it is extremely likely they will too. Is obesity a disease The US. Has the largest portion sizes throughout the world, this doesn't include having seconds and third rounds of a meal. Fast food restaurants are around every corner, they have different size meals although they are all extremely close in price. Most people living in the United States have the mindset of â€Å"why not get more out of what am buying and pay the extra . 35? † With this thought, it makes consuming unhealthy food a money saver. With technological advances, children and adults spend more time on a computer, cell phone, tablet, and watching elevations rather than exercising, playing sports and going out.Nowadays, most adults rely on automobiles to get around town, to work, to school, wherever it may be. Adults have decreased their amount of walking to and from places or riding their bikes. This is everyday exercise that can prevent obesity and IS an easy option. Low income and food insecure people are vulnerable to being overweight. These people usually have lim ited access to affordable, unhealthy food. When they do have access to healthy food, it is likely that the food is more expensive than junk food being sold.Due to this, it is more likely to buy unhealthy food especially being on such a tight budget. Also, fast food is a major contributor to obesity in children and adults. There are little to no healthy fast food restaurants. Fast food is usually unhealthy, cheap and easy to get. Because of this, people will go through fast food restaurants instead of buying healthy food and going home to cook it. Low income neighborhoods have a lot fewer physical activities sources like parks or tracks than higher income neighborhoods. When sources are available, they are usually unsafe areas for children and even adults.For 16 years, lived on farm land where my grandfather owned orchards. Around me there were absolutely no physical activity sources, no where to play, and really no where to go. When moved a couple years ago, we live five minutes awa y from one park and two minutes away from another. The neighborhood live in now, there are a lot bigger houses and is more of a higher income neighborhood. Never realized this until researching obesity. Families who are low income sometimes stretch their food budgets by skipping a meal or two. This is especially common in others of low income families.Because of this, when their body does get food, it stores the food as fat because it doesn't know the next time food will come. This leads to obesity in most cases. Low income families usually have high levels of stress due to financial and emotional pressure. Some of the main causes of obesity are stress, anxiety and depression. I personally have experienced weight gain as a cause of stress and anxiety. For the longest time, I kept gaining weight which made me more anxious and even more stressed. I got medical treatment and was given medication to control my anxiety.After taking the medication I was immediately seeing weight loss and was no longer threatened by obesity. There are many more consequences Of Obesity than Only stress and anxiety. Diabetes is a main factor contributing to obesity. Others are high blood pressure, iron deficiency, early puberty, premature death, low self esteem, depression, asthma, and many more. These are some factors that although are mostly caused by obesity, are preventable. Obesity may lead to substance abuse, peer factorization, poor academic performance, and behavior problems.The definition of a disease is 1. A condition of abnormal vital function involving an structure, part or system of an organism. 2. A specific illness or disorder characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms attributable to heredity, infection, diet, or environment. Obesity fits the definition entirely, although there are ways to prevent it including lower calorie intake, smaller portions, more physical activity and better food choices. Some people may say diets and exercise fail due to their bo dy mass index (IBM). This is misleading.IBM is based on a calculation of height and eight combined. So, for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a very high IBM although it is all contained of muscles. One can also find people with a low IBM that have a high percentage of body fat. According to WebMD. Com, a child's total diet and activity determines a child's weight. This can include computer and video game time. On average, a typical child spends four hours a day watching television. This is not including video game or computer time. As technology becomes more common, the level of physical inactivity will keep increasing.A child's weight, in my opinion s soles based on their parents or guardians decisions. This including the amount Of time being spent playing video games, watching television, and being on the computer. Two major factor for parents or guardians to prevent their child from becoming obese is to control portion sizes, and to maintain at least two hours of physical activ ity. This can easily be done by signing up for a school sport or even taking a walk around the neighborhood. From previous observation, child obesity is caused by a parent or guardians ignorance, or failure to be there for their child.I have seen in some cases where a permissive parent will give their child what ever they please in order to keep them happy and busy while the parent gets things done like house work, cooking, cleaning, etc. This not only gives the child an idea that they're in charge and what ever they say goes, but it shows neglect and carelessness of the parent or guardian. This may contribute to a major problem as the child gets older. Modeling is one of the major ways for a child to learn. If young children see their parents or guardians eating fruits and vegetables, it is extremely likely they will too.