Philippine Customs History Essay

Historical records show that the Philippine Customs Service started many centuries back long before the Philippines was discovered by the eastern and western expeditionaries. The Philippines had already a flourishing trade with countries of Southeast Asia, but since money at that time was not yet the medium of exchange, people then resorted to the barter system of commodities. The rulers of the barangays were known as the â€Å"datus† or â€Å"rajahs† collected tributes from the people before they were allowed to engage in their trade. The practice of collecting tributes became part of their culture and was then observed and followed as the Customs Law of the Land. The Spanish Regime After Spain had taken full control of almost all the trades of the country, it passed three important statutes: 1.Spanish Customs Law which was similar to that of the Indies enforced in the country from 1582 to 1828. It was a concept of ad valorem levied on import and export. 2.A Tariff Board was established which drew up a tariff of fixed values for all imported articles on which ten percent (10%) ad valorem duty was uniformly collected. 3.Another Tariff Law was introduced in 1891, which established the specific duties on all imports and on certain exports and this lasted till the end of the Spanish rule in the Philippines. The American Regime When the Americans came to the Philippines, the Military Government continued to enforce the Spanish Tariff Code of 1891, which remained in effect until the Philippine Commission enacted the Tariff Revision Law of 1901. On October 24, 1900, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 33 abolishing and changing the position of Captain of the Port to Collector of Customs in all ports of entry except the Port of Manila. The designation of the Captain of the Port in the Port of Manila was retained. When the Civil Government was established in the Philippines, the most important laws passed by the Philippine Commission were the following: 1.Tariff Revision Law of 1902 based on the theory that the laws of Spain were not as comprehensive as the American Customs Laws to conform with the existing conditions of the country. 2.Philippine Administrative Act No. 355 passed by the Philippine Commission on February 6, 1902. The full implementation of this Act, however, was considered inadequate and incomplete, so the Customs Service Act No. 355, called the Philippine Customs Service Act was passed to amend the previous laws. After several modifications and amendments, the Philippine Customs Service finally became a practical counterpart of the American Customs Service. 3.Act No. 357 reorganized the Philippine Customs Service and officially designated the Insular Collector of Customs as Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila. 4.Act No. 625 abolished the Captain of the Port for the Port of Manila. 5.Public Act No. 430 transformed the Philippine Customs Service to a Bureau of Customs and Immigration under the supervision and control of the Department of Finance and Justice. When the Department of Justice became a separate office from the Department of Finance, te Customs Service remained under the umbrella of the latter which set-up remained up to this time. The Commonwealth Government After the Commonwealth Government was established in the country, the Philippine Legislature enacted Commonwealth Act No. 613 forming the Bureau of Immigration as a separate office from the Bureau of Customs. On May 1, 1947, the Bureau of Customs has as its head the Insular Collector of Customs. He was assisted by the Deputy Insular Collector of Customs. Both officials were concurrently Collector of Customs and the Deputy Collector of Customs of the Port of Manila. The Republic Pursuant to the Executive Order No. 94 of Republic Act No. 52, the President of the Philippines reorganized the different departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. Consequently, the Insular Collector of Customs was changed to Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila. The reorganization took effect on July 1, 1947. In 1957, Congress enacted the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines known as Republic Act No. 1937, otherwise known as the â€Å"Tariff Law of the Republic of the Philippines†. This took effect on July 1, 1957. The passage of this act by the defunct Congress of the Philippines subject to the provisions of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, became the first official expression of an autonomous Philippine Tariff Policy. Before the passage of Republic Act 1937, all importations from the United States enjoyed full exemptions pursuant to the Tariff Act No. 1902 which was adopted by Republic Act No. 3 as the Tariff Laws of the Philippines. The Republic Pursuant to the Executive Order No. 94 of Republic Act No. 52, the President of the Philippines reorganized the different departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government of the Republic of the Philippines. Consequently, the Insular Collector of Customs was changed to Collector of Customs for the Port of Manila. The reorganization took effect on July 1, 1947. I n 1957, Congress enacted the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines known as Republic Act No. 1937, otherwise known as the â€Å"Tariff Law of the Republic of the Philippines†. This took effect on July 1, 1957. The passage of this act by the defunct Congress of the Philippines subject to the provisions of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, became the first official expression of an autonomous Philippine Tariff Policy. Before the passage of Republic Act 1937, all importations from the United States enjoyed full exemptions pursuant to the Tariff Act No. 1902 which was adopted by Republic Act No. 3 as the Tariff Laws of the Philippines. The Reorganization of the Bureau of Customs On February 4, 1965, the Bureau of Customs was reorganized pursuant to Customs Administrative Order No. 4-65 by authority if Sec. 550 & 551 of the Revised Administrative Code of Republic Act 4164. During the reorganization, offices under the direct supervision and control of the Commissioner were elevated to Department Level with ranks higher than Division Level. These Departments were the following: Public Relations, Personnel, Legal, Administrative Service, Budget and Finance, and the Management Improvement. Likewise, three (3) ranking Customs positions were created, namely: Assistant Commissioner for Revenue, Assistant Commissioner for Security, and Director for Operations. Later, Customs Administrative Order No. 4065 was amended abolishing the position of Assistant Commissioner for Security and creating the position of Director for Administration. In 1972, Congress passed the law revising the Tariff & Customs Code of the Philippines. However, before it can be implemented, the President of the Republic of the Philippines issued Proclamation No. 1081 on September 21, 1972 declaring Martial Law in the country. On October 27, 1972, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 34 amending the Tariff & Customs Code of the Philippines. The new Code took effect on November 26, 1972 except for Section 104 thereof which became effective only on January 1, 1973. Another reorganization of the Bureau of Customs took effect on September 24, 1972, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1 creating six (6) Customs Services under the Office of the Commissioner and creating jurisdictional limits of twelve (12) collection districts with the Principal Ports and Sub-ports of entry under the supervision and control of the Collector of the Principal Port of Entry. As a result of this reorganization, the designation of heads of different services was called Customs Service Chiefs, and heads of offices with rank of division were designated Customs Operations Chiefs and the Head of the National Customs Police as Director. It was in this reorganizational set-up that the Directors for Administration and Operations, and the Assistant Commissioner for Revenue were abolished. In 1975, the Bureau undertook another reorganization under Presidential Decree No. 689 and the result is what you see now in the Organization Chart, except for some slight changes and modifications. On June 11, 1978, the Tariff & Customs Code was further amended, modified and supplemented by new positions to make it a responsive code in keeping with the developmental programs of the New Society. The new Code was embodied in Presidential Decree No. 1464. With the accession of the Philippines to the Customs Co-Operation Council (CCC), the Tariff & Customs Code has to be revised anew in order to align our tariff system with the CCC Nomenclature, and the result is the presently enforced Tariff & Customs Code of 1982, revised by virtue of Executive Order No. 688. This new Code also assimilated various amendments to the Customs Code under P.D. 1628 & 1980 as well as reprints of the tariff concessions under the General Agreement on Tariff Multilateral Agreement Negotiations as provided in Executive Order No. 578, series of 1980, and the tariff concessions granted to ASEAN member countries as embodied in various Executive Orders from 1978 to 1981. The last major reorganization of the Bureau took place in 1986 after the EDSA Revolution with the issuance of Executive Order No. 127 which expanded the organization umbrella of the Central Office by providing offices that will monitor and coordinate assessment and operations of the Bureau and provided for a staff of about 5,500 customs personnel. The implementation of the computerization program also necessitated the creation of a new Group to ensure its continuous development and progress. The creation of the Management Information System and Technology Group (MISTG) under a new Deputy Commissioner with 92 positions was authorized under Executive Order No. 463 dated January 9, 1998.

Characteristics of a Leader

‘Leaders should lead by example’ so the saying goes. There are certain characteristic found in some people. It is just that, they put them in a position where people looked up to as a leader. People often say ‘ He or she is a born leader’. Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develop skills and abilities to become a good leader is open for debate. There are some clear characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be developed and naturally is the part of their personality. Firstly, a good leader must have a positive attitude.This quality is a required not just for a leader but everybody. However, this is specially necessary for a leader. A leader needs to be positive and motivate his team, in times that are hard and times that are brutal. When times are tough and his team is absolutely down, when times are really frustrating, a leader is the who carries his team and his organization forward and that is what a leader needs to do look at the bright side of each and everything. Besides a good leader must be a good listener. This is because a good leader needs to listen to her followers.She needs to get feedback on a regular basis, open her eyes and ears and keep listening. Now a word of caution. Listening does not mean to blindly follow and accept everything that is said and shown. What goes hand in hand is listening. This also helps her followers to express theirs feeling or even to speak their rights. The quality which a leader should possess is intelligence and alertness. A leader has to use his brain every time and also has to remain  Ã‚   alert with   eyes and ears open otherwise he could easily be carried by any fraud or enemy.Many a times we see such situations around us, where a person in trouble or problem doesn’t hesitate in blaming and embarrassing even his closest friend to save himself, and also does not bother about his friends at all because the person has to get rid of his problems anyhow. So, he just thinks about himself and his life,   the life of other does not matter to him much. Some people have a misconception that only those people who are physically strong can become good leaders, but this is not the fact.A leader may not be physically strong but he needs to be mentally strong and firm in decisions. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation was the greatest leader but he was active and had a firm desire to serve the Nation. He had the power of organizing and uniting people and attracting people towards him by his speeches. This is the best quality of a leader which he had in him. We can also say that, a person who can satisfy the basic psychological needs of his followers can also be an effective leader. A leader must have average character .There are no perfect people, but for a leader to be considered good, they must have a character that is unquestioned within the organization. Leadership always draws criticism from someone, so a leade r may not be able to get everyone to believe in him or her, but the people who know the leader best should trust the leader’s character. In a nutshell, a good leader must be faithful to his group members and activities. This in turn, will result in an atmosphere of assurance among the followers. Having faith in self abilities and the world around him , the leader gains inspiration and also inspires others in the process.

Miracles: Possible of Not

It was not till the Enlightenment that the question began to be seriously asked, as to whether miracles are possible or not. Prior to this miracle was the substance of life in all strata of society, not only the unlettered. Belief in miracles emboldened belief per se. In the age of faith religion was the foundation of life, and belief in miracles indispensable to it. But with the rise of science and rationalism, and the corresponding demise of religion, the aspect of miracle too lost standing in the concerns of people. Where science was poised and eager to explain all observed phenomena, belief in miracles was an obvious casualty. According to David Hume’s definition, a miracle is â€Å"a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent† (1993, p. 77). The mere suggestion of a transgression of natural law was beginning to sound like a heresy to scientifically accustomed ears, even though attributed to the Deity. This paper examines the eighteenth century responses to the question of whether miracles or possible or not, and then broadens the scope to include modern and ancient perspectives. Hume was the first to tackle the question squarely, in the chapter titled â€Å"Of Miracles† in the 1948 publication An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. From purely metaphysical considerations the conclusion is that miracles are indeed possible. We must remember that the core of Hume’s philosophy is empirical skepticism. The materialists, weaned on the mechanics of Newton, were pronouncing outright miracles impossible. The laws of motion and gravity were successfully explaining the heavenly bodies, and hardly anyone suspected that they were not universal in scope. Newtonian mechanics has no place for miracles. This was almost a proof of the invalidity of miracles. But the proud determinism that they espoused had no philosophical foundation to it. Descartes, and the Cartesians, tried desperately for a metaphysics of materialism, but to know avail. Finally Hume overthrew all the strained Cartesian designs, and advanced a devastating critique of reason, as applied to empirical sense data, to deliver objective knowledge. It turned Enlightenment thinking on its head. Knowledge is not possible, and yet miracles are. The philosophers of materialism were stuck on the question as to how it is at all possible that mind interacts with matter. This is indeed a miracle of the highest order, and Hume cannot help but paint the wonder that is inherent in such an idea: For first: Is there any principle in all nature more mysterious than the union of soul with body; by which a supposed spiritual substance acquires such an influence over a material one, that the most refined thought is able to actuate the grossest matter? (Ibid 43) Hume draws the conclusion that it is quite impossible to describe or explain such a thing. So we cannot talk about interaction at all, not even in the parallel case where one inanimate object imparts momentum to another. We talk about the first body causing motion in the second, but we cannot describe an interaction having taken place between cause and effect. We can only observe that the effect has followed the cause, as if two separated events conjoined in time. There is no necessity that the effect must always follow the cause. If we do come to such a conclusion it can only be due to the fact that we have become accustomed to expect such. He then probes into the situation where the effect is unexpected. It seems that the laws of nature has been violated, and we begin to pronounce that a miracle has occurred. But we are hasty to do so, Hume points out. Just because we expect a certain outcome doesn’t imply that natural law dictates the same. He offers the example of the Indian who has never known snow hails miracle when he sees it falling, because nothing in his experience has prepared him for it. Sometimes our science makes us feel that we know the sum extent of natural law. The essence of Hume’s philosophy is that we do not know natural law, and the extent of out ability, regards knowledge, is to infer from experience. He thus leaves room for divine intervention, for natural law is in the hands of the Almighty, only that Hume is not prone to listen to the tall tales of the coarse and the gullible regarding miracles: Though the Being to whom the miracle is ascribed, be Almighty, it [the miracle] does not, upon that account, become a whit more probable, since it is impossible for us to know the attributes or actions of such a Being, otherwise than from the experience of his productions, in the usual course of nature. This still reduces us to past observations†¦ (Ibid 89) Hume is virulent and protracted in his attack against the popular report of miracles, which he thinks has more to do with base psychology than with proper faith. The common lot is so eager to see miracles that it latches on to any hoax and fraud that comes its way, and this is what Hume finds despicable. Such an attitude is understandable coming from a philosopher of the Enlightenment. However, if he had shown a little more empathy towards the gullible he would have recognized that the yearning for miracle is but a testimony of its preciousness. A Chinese proverb reads: â€Å"The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth† (qtd. in Moore, 2006, p. 69). However, it does not feel like a partaking in a miracle while walking the earth in one’s daily odyssey of toil and tears. People need to see explicit miracles only to keep them in touch with the miracle of life itself. Prayer itself, as the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev puts it, is prayer but for a miracle: â€Å"Every prayer reduces itself to this: ‘Great God grant that twice two be not four’† (qtd. in Andrews, 1987, p. 207). Some scientists are finally coming to accept that miracles are indeed possible. Not in the sense in which Hume described it, who defined a miracle as a violation of natural law. He too insists that natural law cannot be violated, and miracle in that sense is impossible. When we come across a miracle we recognize it as such because it violates natural law, only as far as our limited understanding of natural law is concerned. Experience has taught us to expect nature to behave in certain ways, and for all intents and purposes this is natural law for us, the observer. When we observe the unexpected we feel that natural law has been violated, but it may only a new experience for us, like the Indian that Hume describes as coming across the miracle of snow. Polkinghorne therefore suggests an alternative description of miracle, which is not a violation of nature, but instead â€Å"exploration of a new regime of physical experience† (2001, p. 59). All our expectations derive from custom, says Hume, and therefore our worldview is indeed a science of probabilities. That which we expect to happen is probable, but no one can vouchsafe it as certain. Therefore the door is always left open to the improbable. All miracles must find berth in the bracket of improbability. If Hume put it so before the advent of modern science, at the very frontiers of that same science the verdict came back the same. Scientists are by and large determinists, as regards their philosophy. Indeed, the must be so necessarily, for the method of science, as outlined by Francis Bacon in the seventeenth century, induces from empirical evidence the fixed laws of nature. As he asserts in the New Organon, â€Å"I open and lay out a new and certain path for the mind to proceed in, starting directly from the simple sensuous perception† [italics my own] (7). The entire rationale behind such a method is the promise of certainty, as regards knowledge. All scientists necessarily have this object in view, as followers of the method of Bacon. It is agreed among them that the apex of this science is quantum physics. According to this discipline, there is no certain knowledge, not of an atomic particle’s position, nor of its velocity. The rule is codified in Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty. It lays out a science of probabilities, with the aid of the highest mathematics and the most advanced principles of physics. Yet the essence of it is exactly the same as what Hume put forward as â€Å"custom†. In conclusion, we declare miracles possible or not depending on how we define a miracle. If we insist that it is a violation of natural law, then we must declare it impossible. On the other hand, if it is a highly improbable event, then it is by definition possible. We must remember that the realm of the improbable contains things beyond our wildest expectations, and therefore if we come across such we may mistake it for a violation of nature. References Andrews, R. (1987). The Routledge Dictionary of Quotations. New York: Routledge. Bacon, F. (2000). The New Organon. L. Jardine, M. Silverthorne (Eds.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hume, D. (1993). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. E. Steinberg (Ed.) Boston: Hackett Publishing. Moore, D. (2006). Zen Wisdom: Magnetic Quotes and Proverbs. Kennebunkport, ME: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers. Polkinghorne, J. C. (2001). Faith, Science and Understanding. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human resources - Essay Example This intangible factor accounts for such facets of employee motivation as charismatic leadership, collective cultural sensibilities, conditions of the broader economy, etc. Just as motivating employees has its share of challenges, it can be equally as rewarding. This is so, because a motivated workforce transforms the internal dynamics of an organization and produces a synergistic effect on its performance. The sum of a group of motivated employees is greater than its constituent parts. While motivation theory discourse tends to focus on outcomes for the organization, an employee-centric evaluation is also relevant, for employees are what comprise the labor market. Without the constant supply of human resources from the labor market, no industry could survive. (Murphy, 2009) Coming to the question of motivating employees who survive a layoff, the challenges are compounded due to the atmosphere of employee insecurity. Top management’s leadership skills will be thoroughly tested while handling this particular scenario. The threat of job loss would have shaken the workforce’s commitment to the company and its cause. Seeing their colleagues being laid-off would have disillusioned survivors about principles of team ethic and team spirit. One cannot blame lay-off survivors to grow distrustful of the management, for it is always those in lower ranks who lose their jobs first, while most of the top management remains unscathed. Given this environment of distrust and insecurity, it is not uncommon for the relations between management and workers to turn antagonistic. In the case of General Electric, the relations between top management and entry level workers turned fractious during the 2008 Wall Street collapse and its aftermath. In contrast, East Asian automotive companies such as Nissan and Toyota espouse a strong support system for employees during times of economic distress. Situations like this test the skills of managers and separate the great ones from mortals. Those managers who see opportunity in adversity will be the ones who see the ship sail through turbulent waters to calmer shores. (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) 2. To what extent is Conaty’s advice consistent with equity and expectancy theory? Coming to the case study in question, the observations made by Bill Conaty, former HR Manager at General Electric, are very pragmatic. Conaty is someone who believes in an equitable and compassionate mode of management. In this spirit, the difficult process of layoffs can be handled by upholding basic principles of fairness. These three steps for managing the equity process are consistent with Conaty’s vision of equity and fairness: â€Å"Recognize that an equity comparison will likely be made by each subordinate whenever especially visible rewards such as pay, promotions, etc are being allocated. Anticipate felt negative inequities. Communicate to each individual your evaluation of the reward, an appraisal of the perfor mance on which it is based and the comparison points you consider to be appropriate.† (Motivation Theories, p.185) The truly great leaders will make surviving employees see opportunity in the apparent adversarial situation. This is factually true as well, for a reduced workforce makes the chances of promotion and career progress easier for the surviving members. Although it sounds

Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Shakespeare - Essay Example Cassio: I do. I would have given all that I am to save Othello’s reputation in the least. I deserved all I got for being drunk and brawling in the streets, destroying my own reputation as well as his. As I told Iago, I would rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good a commander with so slight, so drunken and so indiscreet an officer (II, iii). But I was confounded by that evil rogue just as my noble commander. I live my life in darkness thinking perhaps I could have assisted my good commander in his time of confusion. Banquo: Madness can often strike unawares. It did so with my good friend and compatriot, Macbeth. He was always my good friend until the madness of the witches took him and he became convinced I was designing against him. Cassio: Ah, Banquo, would that I could attribute Othello’s madness to something as external as what afflicted your Macbeth. Alas, I fear a good portion of Othello’s madness stemmed from my own actions, ill-advised as they were by the evil Iago though well-intentioned by myself. Cassio: I sought out admission to the lovely Desdemona, Othello’s bride, for assistance in regaining his ear and my position. There was naught in our relations to suspect Desdemona and I had anything other than concern for Othello and a desire to serve him, but Iago was able to convince him, through Desdemona’s pleas for my benefit and my presence with her, that she and I had dishonorable intentions. Had I not sought her assistance, Iago would not have had such a ready weapon to use against so noble a man. Buckingham: You do not hold any blame. A man cannot be expected to do anything other than further his station. You acted correctly in seeking any means possible of regaining your status. You cannot be held to account for the misdeeds of another. Horatio: I disagree. I, too, have held some responsibility for the destruction of a good and noble prince. I knew of Hamlet’s father’s

Consumer behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer behaviour - Essay Example These characteristics cannot be controlled by the companies; therefore, a need to assess these elements in order to create an effective marketing plan. Marketing plans and strategies would be incomplete without paying much consideration to the customers. Customers will and should always be a part of the agenda in any marketing plan of any company. Because of the implications for profitability and growth, customer retention is potentially one of the most powerful weapons that companies can employ in their fight to gain a strategic advantage and survive in todays ever increasing competitive environment (Lindenmann, 1999). Consumers purchase products and services for the benefits derived from their use. While the study of economics focuses on outcomes, consumer behavior emphasizes the process. Rather than assuming perfect conditions, researchers of consumer behavior explicitly recognize the impact of situational elements on behavior and the variance among individuals faced with the same conditions† Which means that consumers buy products for the benefits they reap out of it, the study of consumer behavior investigates the steps, or the processes involved regarding the decisions made by the consumer (Jobber, 2007). Values are basically the basis of one’s attitude or restriction in attitude. Some examples of values include freedom, pleasure, inner harmony, and happiness. Heroes, on the other hand, refer to icons in the society that may have an impact on people of different levels. Examples of heroes are sports figure or pop culture figures. As stated that heroes may influence consumer behavior through their association with certain products and brands. The same goes with rituals, or symbolic activities commonly performed over and over, such as bathing, tooth brushing, attending to mass, to school, etc. Their involvement on the consumption of consumer products makes them important for consumer behavior. Finally, these symbols are equally important

Change in Retirement since life expectancy increased Essay

Change in Retirement since life expectancy increased - Essay Example Americans are living longer and therefore financial security becomes imperative. It is coming to a point where investment plans need to be addressed on the day when one gets the first job. Retirement planning is becoming a matter of significance as it is this saving that prevents an individual from facing financial hazard. People who have been working all through their lives are aware and keep themselves fit and busy as long as they can even in the late seventies. On the other hand, some individuals face financial crisis and then in old age they look for some source of earning to fulfill their needs for day-to-day activities as well as to meet their health expenses. Observation reveals that some of the retired individuals get only meager from their retirement savings and so they work more in old age to fulfill their necessities. In certain cases if individuals entered late in work force they may not have saved enough and therefore they have to work till the later age. Appropriate financial planning is therefore important to secure the

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION - Research Paper Example practice of female genital mutilation, Egypt still remains the country where this practice is most prevalent According to World Health Organization, in Somalia the prevalence of female genital mutilation is almost 98 percent. Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan are other countries where the practice is very evidently prevalent. In Arabian Peninsula the practice is seen mostly among the Afro-Arabs, who are the descendants of various African races. The practice is seen generally among these races in Saudi Arabia, Southern part of Jordan and in Northern Iraq. It is actually migratory workers from East Africa and Nile Valley who have brought this practice to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The practice is prevalent in some parts of Asia, like Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world and in South America too. THE CULTURAL COMPULSIONS AND STRANGE FAITHS: There are so many factors that cause the continuation of the practice of female genital mutilation in different communities. They include sometimes religious, but most often cultural and social factors present with in the families as well as the communities. In cases where the practice remains a social convention, conforming to what all others in the society are doing without questioning is the major factor that keeps this practice alive. The reason to oblige to this age old social custom is thus, the desire to belong to the society. Behind this social practice is the age old faith about how to bring up a girl. Thus female genital mutilation is done in honest faith as a way to prepare the girl for adulthood and marriage. In such societies the girl is not considered to be an adult until she has gone through these painful rituals and will not be able to get married without FGM. The parents follow the blind faith without any sense of guilt, but with a sense of responsibility to their girl child. Here it is done out of love or concern for the girl child. Thus FGM for these parents is a practice that keeps up their

CIS assigntment #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CIS assigntment #2 - Essay Example There are different types of Malware present in the market and they are used by their attackers to perform different activities. Some of the malware present in the wolrd of computers to day include: Viruses – These can be said to be one of the oldest malwares that have been present in the world of computers (Brodkin, 2013). Viruses are programs that have been designed to replicate themselves so as to spread from computer to computer causing havoc wherever they infect. They affect the computers they infect in a number of ways including changing the behavior of the computer, erasing data and stealing information that may be stored on the computer. Viruses embed themselves onto other program files in the computer and are activated when the user attempts to open the infected file (Brodkin, 2013). They can be spread through a downloaded file that contains the virus which is transferred from one computer to another. Trojans – These malware is named after the Greek mythology of the Trojan horse due to their innocent appearance to the user so as to avoid suspicion of the actual danger that they yield (Brodkin, 2013).Once they are activated however, they are able to achieve a number of attackers on the Personal Computer such as causing continuous irritations such as unrelated pop up windows to more harmful acts such as the deletion of programs and the creation of backdoors into the computers files. The fact that Trojans present themselves as harmless programs make them harder to detect and a user may be more vulnerable to this form of malware. Remote Access Trojans (RATs) are those that can create a backdoor system that allow the hacker access to one’s computer and is even able to send commands via root access capabilities (Brodkin, 2013). Backdoors – These are programs that are designed to allow the creator undetected access to a computer system once they have been installed. Backdoors can be used by hackers to steal information from a server

Assess the extent to which the practice of people management has Essay

Assess the extent to which the practice of people management has changed in the switch from personnel management to human resource management - Essay Example This change in attitude of the management gave rise to the concept of human resource management (HRM) through which personnel policies were implemented to maximize organizational integrity, employee commitment, flexibility and quality. However, there have been debates whether HRM has actually changed the management of people as it evolved from personnel management to human resource management, or even whether the roles of the then personnel manager and that of an HR director differ. Personnel management was concerned with obtaining, organising and motivating the human resources required by the corporation, while HRM has been described as â€Å"high-concept personnel management† (Armstrong, 2000). Armstrong believes that policies and practices such as performance appraisal, skill analysis and merit pay have all existed even earlier but they are now packaged differently without any discernible differences in their content. The HRM theory laid emphasis on organizational integrity, employee commitment, flexibility and quality but it was more of a label to wrap around the observable changes. The HRM concept focused on challenging deficiencies in attitude, coherence, direction and scope of the existing personnel management This fad in the name of HRM was growing because in 1990 only 6 percent of the people management specialists used the HR title which grew to 30 percent by 1998 (Caldwell, 2002). This was called HRMism which was a phenomenon that encompassed a nything to do with managing the employment relationship. Alagse contends that personnel management was traditionally aimed at non-managers whereas HRM focused on management development. Some like Armstrong do not believe that there is change in the way people are managed. The ‘progressive’ people management techniques were flourishing even before the emergence of the HRM practices (cited by Caldwell, 2002). As the competitive environment increased, changes in

THE MASS MEDIA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THE MASS MEDIA - Essay Example Creative enterprises, those engaged in the commercial exploitation of intellectual property-based goods and services imbued with symbolic meaning (i.e., books, film, music), contribute significantly to the economic, social and cultural development of nations. These enterprises form complex networks in content-driven sectors, which in turn make up the creative industries. Their unique characteristics (i.e., original symbolic products) drive and sustain diverse cultural and customary traditions, and enhance social values. At the same time, they generate wealth, increase employment opportunities, and promote trade. Yet, their true value and potential are often underestimated and insufficiently analyzed. Graphic design is a specific area of the creative industries. Graphic design can be defined as, "the art or profession of visual communication that combines images, words, and ideas to convey information to an audience. A graphic designer is responsible for arranging and using elements on different types of media (such as a poster, a package or a website), most likely with the use of a graphics software program such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign. These elements include photos, illustrations, type, shapes, color, and texture" (Miller, 2008, pg. 1). Examples of graphic design can be found all around the world. They are most often seen in the form of advertisements, billboards, books, brochures, business cards, greeting cards, logos, magazines, newspapers, packaging, posters, signs, websites, and much more (Miller, 2008). Trends and technological advancements in the creative industries, specifically the field of graphic design, have brought along both advantages and disadvantages. One of the biggest advantages to technological advancements in the field is the fact that graphical art can now be displayed on the Internet. This provides a means for it to be viewed-and purchased-all throughout the world. Artists can create online portfolios that can be seen by anyone with Internet access. Images can also be sent in a split second. Gone are the days when graphical art must be printed out and physically distributed in order to be seen. Trends and technological advances in the field also have their disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages is that, due to the fact that virtually anyone can view images that are placed on the Internet, there is the potential for those individuals to steal the work of an artist and claim it as their own or use it illegally. Furthermore, that scenario is really easy for a person to do. Anyone with basic computer skills can copy or download an image that has not had protection against such acts put into place by the creator or his or her representative. Thankfully, there are ways that individuals can protect their graphical art designs. People in the United States are protected by intellectual property rights. According to DT & G: People are often confused about Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights. This confusion may result in a failure to consider the importance of these tools in business development. Yet, these intellectual property rights become more and more important as businesses move into high technology areas. Intellectual proper

The Hiroshima bomb Essay Example for Free

The Hiroshima bomb Essay The Hiroshima bomb, dropped in (insert year, i forget which) was a deadly atomic bomb that drastically affected the lives of Japanese citizens in both novels and in reality. In the fictional novel, The Street of a Thousand Blossoms, written by Gail Tsukiyama, the author portrays a very accurate perspective of the Japanese and their experiences during World War II. The tragedies that are descriptively discussed in this novel similarly resemble the incidents that occurred to the Japanese victims during World War II. The Japanese suffered extremely throughout the few years of the war. They went through periods of starvation and psychological devastation when the economy spiraled downwards.The financial state of the Japanese suffered a terrible blow as a result of the large amounts of invested money put into the military in hopes of expanding the imperialism ideology. In the novel, Hiroshi could not understand why â€Å"Yanaka’s alleyways were crowded with women and children who lined up and waited for hours for meagre rations of rice and salted fish. (Tsukiyama 51)† After the bombing of Pearl Harbour, the American embargoes stopped all the needed resources in Japan. The American oil embargo caused a crisis in Japan. Reliant on the US for 80% of its oil, the Japanese were forced to decide between withdrawing from China, negotiating an end to the conflict, or going to war to obtain the needed resources elsewhere (embedded http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/wwiipaccauses.htm). â€Å"†¦Hiroshi couldn’t remember the last time they had any meat or fresh fish to eat. He and Kenji ate more and more slowly, trying to make what little they had in their bowls last longer. (Tsukiyama 69)† All the villagers in Yanaka, including Hiroshi were not accustomed to povertybecause of the luxurious lives they lived before the crisis occured. Now, they â€Å"fear and dread of the war and their increasing hunger weighs heavily on everyone’s minds (Tsukiyama 69)†. Because of the second Sino-Japanese war, the Japanese had to cut down imports of goods to pay for the materials for railway and ship building industries. The American embargoes prevented any goods from being exported to Japan. Therefore, Japan began to have a shortage of food and other necessities. This caused havoc in Japan which was vividly portrayed in the novel, when Hiroshi and his family struggle to survive and ration each of their resources. Satoko Matsumoto, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing stated, â€Å"One after another, people died, some of them with a cry for water on their lips (Embedded p31 Harris)† Matsumoto’s state was very similar to Hiroshi’s perspective as everyone solely cares about is the hunger that’s assaulting their stomach. As if the starvation running rampant in the country was not devastating enough, the bombing on Hiroshima plunged Japan into further chaos. The bombing of Hiroshima killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese citizens. The survivors were forced to lose many loved ones, and scarring their lives forever. In the {insert novel name}, Kenji and Haru were both present during the dropping of the bomb and their thoughts reflected the same ones as citizens who experienced the catastrophe in reality. The author states, â€Å"Can you imagine a wind so strong that it ripped a man’s face away where he stood? Can you imagine how internal organs exploded, clothes and bodies burst into flames, disintegrated on the spot? Can you envision a mushroom cloud formed by smoke and debris that could be seen for miles by the naked eye, followed by a black rain falling, black tears they called it, radiation spreading in its wake? Those who died were the lucky ones; those who lived through it would never be the same. (Tsukiyama 140)† These memories will always haunt Haru’s mind as even 3 years later, she â€Å"still felt a sharp burning in her palms and the tips of her fingers, and suddenly the three years disappeared and she was twelve years old again, hooking her arm through Aki’s as they ran and ran, their eyes stinging, lungs burning, running through the thick acrid smoke back to the stable, running fast so that her little sister wouldn’t see the burned bodies writhing in agony, pleading for water. (Tsukiyama 181) The fire weakened Haru’s vision and her hands were paralyzed. Her sister Aki suffered hair loss due to the radiation caused by the bomb. As of November 1945, an estimated 130,000 were dead. Both Haru and Aki suffered through the symptoms due to radioactive rays. Aki later died of Leukemia and left Haru behind devastated. Katsuko Horibe was a teacher at Honkawa Elementary School when the incident happened. â€Å"Seven Honkawa students, burning and bleeding, their uniform s in tatters and strips of skin hanging from their bodies, lay crying in agony. The children had been playing hide-and-seek when the bomb found them.† (embedded) The horrific memories of Horibe were concealed in her mind just like Aki and Haru until the day she died. â€Å"Blood was caked on her skin and clothes, as she was starting to feel intense pain.† (embedded) Seven year old Michiko Kodomas classmates were playing outside when it happened. â€Å"Kodoma says what she witnessed next are horrors that no child should ever experience. ‘[There were] people whose eyeballs had popped out their sockets. There were those who held their babies – burnt black; they themselves had no skin. There were those whose intestines had come out of their bodies, and confused they struggled to put them back in.’ (embedded) The visions that Michiko saw were exactly what Haru tried to prevent Aki from witnessing. Uragashira, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing as well as the Nagasaki bombing 3 days later recalled, â€Å"I still remember the smell of charred bodies and the weak screams of the dying, for water Even if I suffer dementia, I will never forget it.† (Embedded) This proves how gruesome and appalling the disaster was. Tsukiyama graphically portrayed these dreadful and terrifying memories through the words of Haru and the voices of the dead. Her interpretations of the suffrage of the Japanese were very concise and accurate.

Malaria and Typhoid Fever Infection Rates in Pregnant Women

Malaria and Typhoid Fever Infection Rates in Pregnant Women Plasmodium falciparum and Salmonella typhiCo- infection Among Pregnant Women in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria. Okonkwo, E. C., Nwele, D. E., Nworie, O., Agumah, N. B., Orji, J. O.and1Nwuzo, A. C.   Abstract Malaria and typhoid fever are both endemic in the tropics and pregnant women constitute one of the high risk groups. This study was carried out to determine the rate of malaria-typhoid co-infection in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria. About120 volunteer pregnant women were recruited during routine antenatal. Malaria infection was determined by qualitative immunodiagnostic assay and confirmed by microscopic examination of thick and thin giemsa stained slides.Typhoid infection was determined by Widalagglutination method and confirmed by stool culture. Out of 120 pregnant women studied, 49 (40.8%) were positive for malaria parasite and equally had significant titre of salmonella antibiotics. Of the 120 stool samples cultured 29 (24.2%) were positive for salmonella. Thus, the overall rate of malaria-typhoid co-infection was 12.5% by both Widalagglutination and stool culture methods. The co-infection of malaria and ty phoid in pregnancy has a profound effect on adverse pregnancy outcome. Weadvocate for routine screening and treatment of infected pregnant women. Keywords: Co-infection, Malaria and Typhoid, Pregnant Women, Ebony State, Nigeria INTRODUCTION Malaria and typhoid fever (caused by plasmodium falciparum and salmonellaspp respectively) are both diseases of public health importance which are endemic in both tropical and subtropical countries including Nigeria. The association between typhoid and malaria was first described in medical literature in the middle of the 19th century by the United States Army and was erroneously called â€Å"typho-malaria fever† (Smith, 2002). Recent studies in Africa seem to corroborate the relationship between malaria and typhoid fever (Ammahetal., 2009). It is noteworthy that the socio-economic and environmental condition that tend to sustain high prevalence of malaria in endemic areas also favour the transmission of salmonellatyphi, the causative agent of typhoid fever. (Prasannaetal., 2011) The World Health organization has estimated that in 1995, 219 million cases of malaria were documented with about 1.2 million deaths (Brabin 1983). Malaria infection often presents with head ache, fever, shivering, arthralgia (joint pain), vomiting, hemolytic anaemia, jaundice, hemoglobinuria and retinal damage (Brabin, 1983; Gills etal., 1999). Complications of malaria involve respiratory distress, which occurs in up to 25% of adults and 40% of children. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) may develop in 5-25% in adults and up to 29% of pregnant women, although it is rare in young children (Isibor, et. al., 2011). Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to malaria infection. In Sub-Sahara Africa, maternal malaria is associated with up to 200,000 estimated infant deaths yearly (Isiboretal., 2011). Typhoid fever is considered a particular risk in pregnancy because of reduced peristaltic activity in the gastro-intestinal and biliary tracts and increased prevalence of biliary â€Å"sludge† (Bashyametal., 2007). Materials and method Area The study was carried out at the antenatal clinic, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Study population The study involved pregnant women who had fever by the time of their visit to the hospital. Sample collection Intravenous blood sample (5ml) was collected from each participant. The samples were stored in refrigerator after collection and were processed within six hours. Stool samples were also collected from participants using sterile universal containers. Determination of malaria infection This was carried out using antigen Rapid Test Device method as well as Giemsa stained thick and thin blood smear for microscopic detection of P. Falciparum. Both procedures were carried out as described by Cheesbrough, (2002). Widal test Widal agglutination test was performed on all malaria positive blood samples using commercial antigen suspension and the procedure was as described by the manufacturer. Also stool culture was done to further confirm S. Typhi. 10ml of selenite- F broth was added to 3g of the stool sample and mixed vigorously, and then incubated at 37oc for 24hours. Thereafter, a loopful of the sample was inoculated onto salmonella-stigella agar medium and incubated at 370c for 24 hours to get discreet colonies (Lactose fermenters were confirmed by pink colonies on SSA). The colonies were Gram stained and further subjected to biochemical analysis. Results Out of the 120 pregnant women at their different stages of pregnancy that participated in this present study, 49 (40.9%) were positive for malaria, while 29(24.2) tested positive for S. typhi. Malaria infection was highest during the first trimester (16.7%) while S. typhi was more prevalent during the third trimester. The overall malaria and typhoid fever co-infection showed a prevalence of 12.5% (see table 1). Table 1: prevalence of P. falciparum and S. typhi among women in different stages of pregnancy Stages of pregnancy N0 examined P. falciparum S. typhi Co-infection 1st trimester 40 20(16.7%) 8(6.7%) 5(4.2%) 2nd trimester 30 11(9.2%) 6(5%) 4(3.3%) 3rd trimester 50 18(15%) 15(12.5%) 6(5%) Total 120 49(40.9%) 29(24.2%) 15(12.5%) Table 2 and 3 below shows the comparative methods employed during this study. Both RDT and Microscopy methods were considered desirable as they gave positive result P. falciparumat all stages. Similarly, both widal test and culture methods gave confirmatory positive results for S. typhi. Table 2 comparative test for malaria using rapid diagnostic test and microscopy. Stage of pregnancy RDT (%) Microscopy (%) Number examined 1st 20(16.7) 20(16.7) 40 2nd 11(9.2) 11(9.2) 30 3rd 18(15) 18(15) 50 Total 49(40.9) 49(40.9) 120 Table 3 comparative Test for S. typhi by the widal and culture methods stages of pregnancy Widal (%) Stool culture (%) Number examined 1st 8(6.7) 8(6.7) 40 2nd 6(5) 6(5) 30 3rd 15(12.5) 15(12.5) 50 Total 29(24.2) 29(24.2) 120 Discussion Malaria and its co-infection with typhoid fever is a major public health problem in pregnant women in Nigeria. The malaria prevalence rate of 40.9% observed in the present study suggests high endemicity and transmission of malaria parasite. The high prevalence suggests increased susceptibility of pregnant women to malaria infection often due to induced immunosuppression (Ndukaetal., 206). The high prevalence could also be attributed to lack of adequate preventive measures being adopted by the pregnant women. Pregnant women in their first trimester were more infected with malaria as recorded in this study and this was in line with the earlier findings of Ukibeetal., (2008). This could attributedto the absence of medical facility or the inability of the pregnant women to register for antenatal on time. The prevalence of malaria-typhoid co-infection among the pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in this study was 12.5%. This is comparable to previous reports (Akinyemietal., 2007; Prasanna, 2011). The observed prevalence suggests that typhoid fever is a common co-infection in malaria infected women in this part of the country. The reduction of cellular and humoral immunity which occurs in pregnancy renders pregnant women susceptible to other infections including typhoid fever (Scholarpurka, etal., 2000). Malaria infected pregnant women are said to be more prone to typhoid fever because of the increased heamolysis in malaria which is said to increase the availability of iron in the tissue especially the liver and salmonella species are believed to thrive more in iron rich tissues (Kaye and Hook, 2003). It is pertinent to note that both typhoid and malaria in pregnant women present with management problems since most drugs used in the treatment of both diseases are contra-indicate d in pregnancy. Also both diseases have been associated with pregnancy outcomes such as premature deliveries, spontaneous abortions, low birth weight and intra-uterine foetal deaths (Nasemetal., 2008). The transmission of P. falciparium and S. Typhi is affected by environmental factors such as poor environmental sanitation, poor housing and inadequate safe water supply. This could be reason for the high prevalence since majority of the pregnant women were rural dwellers. Te use of insecticide treated net, safe water supply and personal hygiene as well as early registration for antenatal clinic of pregnant women are advocated. Reference Akinyemi,K.O, Bamiro, B.S and Coker, H,O (2007). Salmonellosis in Lagos, Nigeria. Incidence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria associated co- infection, patterns of antimicrobial resistance and emergence of induced susceptibility to fluoroquinolines. Journalof Health Popul Nuttri, 25: 351-358. Bashyam, H. (2007).Surviving malaria, dying of typhoid.J.Exp Med.204 (12): 2774. Brabin, B. J. (1983). An analysis of malaria in pregnancy in Africa.Bull WHO, 61:1005-1016. Cheesbrough, M. (2002). District Laboratory practice in tropical countries. Part1. Cambridge press, London.Pp.211-214. Gills, H. M., Lawson, J. B., Silbelos, M., Voller, A.And Allan, N. (1999).Malaria, anaemia, and pregnancy.Ann.Tropparasitolol. 63: 245-263. Isibor, J. O., Igun, E., Okodua, M., Akhite, A. O. and Isibor, E. (2011).Co-infection with malaria parasite and salmonella typhi in patients in Benin City, Nigeria.Ann Biol Res. 2(2): 361-365. Kaye, D. and Hook, E.W. (2003).The influence of heamolysis or blood loss on susceptibility to infection.Journal of immunology. 91: 65-75. Khan, M. A., Mekan, S. F., Abbas, Z.And Smego, R. A. (2005).Concurrent malaria and enteric fever in Pakistan.Singapore. Med J. 46: 625-628. Nasem, S. Anwar, S.and Ihsanullah, M. (2008). Outcome and complications of malaria in pregnancy.Gomal J med Sci; 6(2): 98-101. Nduka, F.O.,Egbu, A., Okafor, C. and Naogo, V.O. (2006).Prevalence of malaria parasite.Inter J trop Med. pub Health. 2(1): 1-11. Prasanna, P. (2011). Co-infection of typhoid and malaria.J Med. Lab Diag. 2 (3) 22 -26. Scholarpurka, S. C., Mahajar, R.C., Gupta, A.N. and Wangoo, A. (2000).Cellular immunity in pregnant and non-pregnant women with malaria infection.Asia Oceania J ObseGyncol. 16: 27-32. Smith, D.C. (2002). The rise and fall of typhomalaria fever.J Hist Med Allied sci. 37:182-220. Ukibe, S.N., Mbanugo, J.J. and Ukibe, N.R. (2008). Prevalence of malaria and increasing spleen rate in children aged 0-13 years in Awka South Local Government area of Anambra state, Nigeria J Environ Health, 5(2): 64-69.

Soldier Suicide as Political Statement Essay -- Politics Army War Essa

Soldier Suicide as Political Statement At least twenty-nine U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq and Kuwait committed suicide between March 2003 and March 2004. Even the Pentagon considers this an "alarmingly high" suicide rate. It lead the military to commission a morale poll to be completed by Stars & Stripes (August 2003) and to send in a special mental health advisory team to assess the situation. In April 2004, military officials reported the team's conclusion: while the suicide rate for soldiers overseas is almost double that of the civilian population, is not considered a "crisis". (1) Perhaps these suicides tell us more about how the implementation of "democracy" and "freedom" in Iraq is going than we learn from other (government sanctioned) reports. "What might we gain if we considered [suicide], however tentatively, as a kind of an achievement, even... as a kind of gift... not the one we might have wished for, but the one [they give] us when [they do] not have anything to give," writes Peggy Phelan, "A more expansive consideration of suicide might help make an intervention into the usual story of shame, failure, and anguish that all too frequently dominates the relationship of the living with those who kill themselves." (2) Let us listen to the self-inflicted deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq as statements of resistance that highlight problems with the United States' "all volunteer" military system. Many soldiers (particularly members of the Reserves and National Guard) are driven to enlist for financial/economic reasons. Faced with limited options, they may have purposefully kept at bay any serious consideration of the possibilities of combat so that they would be able to sign on. These soldier... ...nic dimensions of those inequities. When one considers that for many members of our "volunteer" army, their decision to enlist was made because it was one of their only options for stability, employment, college funding, citizenship... "supporting our troops" takes on different meaning. Soldiers in Iraq who took their own lives are calling out to the wider community to investigate why so many find themselves in a situation where death is their most empowered choice. Works Cited: 1 Statistics compiled from multiple news sources listed in the Media Analysis section that follows. 2 p.6-7, 24, Peggy Phelan, "Francesca Woodman's Photography: Death and the Image One More Time," Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society , vol. 27, no. 4, The University of Chicago, 2002. 3 Stanley Aronowitz, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," First of the Month , Winter 2004.

Shakespeares Hamlet: Who is Gertrude? Essay -- GCSE English Literatu

Hamlet –Who is Gertrude?      Ã‚  Ã‚   Back in 1883 Samuel Taylor Coleridge in Lectures and Notes on Shakspere and Other English Poets comments on what he interprets as a problem or inconsistency in the presentation of the character Gertrude in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ham. A bloody deed;- almost as bad, good mother,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As kill a king, and marry with his brother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Queen. As kill a king?    I confess that Shakspere has left the character of the Queen in an unpleasant perplexity. Was she, or was she not, conscious of the fratricide? (364-365)    As literary critic, Coleridge’s interpretation is in conflict with others’. After all, the ghost does tell Hamlet not to prosecute the queen, but only Claudius. This essay intends to explore this situation and many others in an attempt to answer many questions about Gertrude, the queen, wife of Claudius and former wife of his deceased brother, King Hamlet.    Prince Hamlet initially appears in the play dressed in solemn black. His mother, Gertrude, is apparently disturbed by this and requests of him:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do not for ever with thy vailed lids   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seek for thy noble father in the dust:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Passing through nature to eternity. (1.2)    The queen obviously considers her son’s dejection to result from his father’s demise. Angela Pitt considers Gertrude â€Å"a kindly, slow-witted, rather self-indulgent woman. . . .† (47). She joins in with the king in requesting Hamlet’s stay in Elsinore rather than returning to Wittenberg to study. Respectfully the son re... ...analysis Into' Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet." Early Modern Literary Studies 6.1 (May, 2000): 2.1-24   http://purl.oclc.org/emls/06-1/lehmhaml.htm    Pitt, Angela. â€Å"Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. of Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    Smith, Rebecca. â€Å"Gertrude: Scheming Adulteress or Loving Mother?† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of â€Å"Hamlet†: A User’s Guide. New York: Limelight Editions, 1996.    Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. â€Å"Shakespeare.† Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publish      

The Manifestation Of Sin :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Throughout the story Pearl develops into a prominent symbol of the "A". In this essay the example of symbolism Pearl comes to represent will be explained.In the Scarlet Letter, Hester, for her sins, received a scarlet letter, "A" which she had to wear upon her chest for the rest of her life in Boston. This was the Puritan way of punishing her for her then criminal action of adultery. She wondered the streets to be given sour looks from all. This eventually caused so much mental and physical anguish that she eventually questioned why she should live if it weren't for her Pearl. Pearl was a bundle of life sent from god to remind her of her wrong doing each and every moment and as a walking sermon to preach against sin for others.Hester's wasted life the ultimate price that Hester paid for Pearl. With Pearl, Hester's life was almost never filled with joy, but instead a constant reminder of the harsh word adultery. Pearl would also make her own "A" to wear, and sometimes she played games wither her mother's trying to hit it with rocks. When Hester would go into the town with Pearl, the other children would make fun of her and Pearl and would yell and throw dirt at them. So in this case, Pearl symbolized the decimation of Hester's life and mental state. Although Hester had so much trouble with Pearl, she still felt that Pearl was her ultimate treasure. Pearl was really the only thing that Hester had in life. Surely if Pearl wasn't in Hester's life, Hester would have taken her own life. Once and a while, Pearl would bring joy to Hester's life, and that helped her to bare the guilt, lonesomeness, and isolation that became the main theme of her life. Pearl could be compared to weather, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always changing. It was Pearl's pounding storms that gave Hester so much grief. Pearl's exuberant personality caused Puritans to believe she was a child of witchcraft and a mischievous little elf. But basically she represented everything that was the exact opposite of Puritan belief. Pearl's taunting and malice disposition sometimes even caused Hester to make outbursts like "Thou art not my child! Thou art no Pearl of mine!" Some would believe the "A" stood for anti-puritan for her wild soul could never be confined by the rules of the conservative Puritan Society.

Electronic assignment coversheet Essay

Except where indicated, the work I am submitting in this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted for assessment in another unit. This submission complies with Murdoch University’s academic integrity commitments. I am aware that information about plagiarism and associated penalties can be found at http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/plagiarism/. If I  have any doubts or queries about this, I am further aware that I can contact my Unit Coordinator prior to submitting the assignment. I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may, for the purpose of assessing this assignment: reproduce this assignment and provide a copy to another academic staff member; and/or submit a copy of this assignment to a plagiarism-checking service. This web-based service may retain a copy of this work for the sole purpose of subsequent plagiarism checking, but has a legal agreement with the University that it will not share or reproduce it in any form. I have retained a copy of this assignment. I will retain a copy of the notification of receipt of this assignment. If you have not received a receipt within three days, please check with your Unit Coordinator. I am aware that I am making this declaration by submitting this document electronically and by using my Murdoch ID and password it is deemed equivalent to executing this declaration with my written signature. Optional Comments to Tutor: E.g. If this is a group assignment, list group members here MBS502 Trimester 1 2011/2012 Assignment problem In January 2008, three good friends, Joe, Moe, and Shmo retired from academia. Each is an expert in different areas of financial management, investment strategy and retirement planning. They decided to start a financial advisory service in uptown Boyup Brook. Joe contributed $100,000, Moe contributed $50,000 and Shmo contributed $200,000 to establish the service. They also borrow another $50,000 from Joe’s wife, Flo. The loan was to be repaid by giving her the first $10,000 of the profits made each year. It was also agreed that Flo would be the office manager on a salary of $45,000 per annum. They bought an appropriate building in Boyup Brook  and, with the money left over, they built an extension/granny flat in which Shmo lives. Joe, Moe and Shmo agreed that all major decisions relating to the management of the service would require all three to agree. The day to day management of the office was to be left to Flo. Boyup Brook has a large and growing population of retired farmers and public servants who are always concerned about the health of their retirement nest eggs. Joe, after discussions with Moe, Shmo and Flo, registered the business name, â€Å"The Money Doctors† because he believed they work with surgical precision when it comes to financial decision making. Business cards were duly printed and ties were designed with a pattern of dollar signs. In the recent past the following incidents occurred or were discovered. 1 Joe, Moe and Shmo had, earlier this year, discussed ways to improve the services they provided to clients. One of the key areas they identified was their computer system and internet access. They agreed that an investment of up to $10,000 was appropriate and affordable in the current financial climate. While on a recent visit to Perth, Shmo attended the Perth International Education Expo. While there he encountered an old friend from his academic career, Elmo, who was also retired and was now an agent for Educational Computer Operators (ECO). Shmo told Elmo all about his exciting life in Boyup Brook and about the service he operated with their mutual friends, Joe and Moe. The computer industry had, apparently, also been hard hit by the economic crisis and Shmo sensed that a bargain could be obtained. Shmo ordered 4 computers, a new server and a 24 month broadband satellite internet service. The total cost was $20,000. As part of the deal, for signing up at the Expo, Shmo was given $100 worth of Lotto tickets. As luck would have it, one of these tickets won a share of the first division prize of $1,000,000. When the computer system arrived with the invoice demanding immediate payment, Flo knew nothing about it and Shmo was unavailable as he was on holiday in the Bahamas. 2 The service had a client, Mrs. McTavish, the widow of a prosperous farmer. Always one for a safe investment, Mrs. McTavish only accepted advise relating to Blue Chip shares and investments and normally only dealt with Shmo. However, as a result of the recent world economic meltdown and the harrowing stories seen on a Current Affair on TV, Mrs. McTavish was growing  very concerned about the health of her investments and how to make up for capital losses. Moe, in Shmo’s absence, sensed an opportunity and recommended to Mrs. McTavish that she invest in a company called Southern Land Opportunities (SLO) and to finance this investment by selling $1,000,000 worth of Commonwealth Bank and Telstra shares. Mrs. McTavish had always allowed Shmo to take care of the details of selling and transferring money to the appropriate accounts and investments. This company, SLO, was one which Moe had established with his latest friend, Poe. It had no other share capital, no bank account and had not carried on any business. Within a week of the transaction, Moe had disappeared and no trace can be found of him or Mrs. McTavish’s money. Mrs. McTavish has already employed one of Perth’s biggest law firms and has brought an action against â€Å"The Money Doctors†. Using only Partnership Law as it exists in Western Australia, answer the following; 1 Is â€Å"The Money Doctors† a partnership, and if so, who are the partners? 2 Who is liable for the contract with ECO? 3 Who is liable to Mrs. McTavish? Question one, The Money Doctors is a partnership by the definition as this activity covered by all four parameters by the partnership as below and also according to following rule of Western Australian Law; â€Å"Partnership is the relation which subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit†. Partnership Act (WA) 1895 S/7 (1) Also the four element of partnership has been carried out,  Agreement, as all parties agreed to, start a financial advisory service, pay certain amount as initial investment, purchase a building, lend money from a third party. As result there was a conducive agreement among the partners. Business being carried out, according to the mentioned cases the business being carried out and the case of Mrs. MC Tavish and her previous experiences and the made trust in time with Shmo is the strong evidence of having business carried out. In common, all the parties have agreed to make major decision together by having all parties opinion and also they have chosen a name, business card and USD sign on their ties for the partnership together based on common understanding. View of profit, in return of the lend money all parties agreed to pay $ 10,000 each from the profits which shows the partners had a view of profit. Question two, IRAC Issues, Whether all the partners were agreed to invest and improve the services provided to client by improving computer systems? Does Shmo have the authority to purchase $20K worth of computer equipment? How ECO dealt with Shmo? Were there enough evidences of apparent authority from ECO to accept the deal? Whether if all the partners are liable to pay against Shmo’s commitment? Rule of law, â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners.† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA â€Å"The case of Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] 2 QB 711 By deification and based on four elements of partnership it is clear there is a partnership and according to above mentioned law (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA Shmu has the apparent authority to act on behalf of the firm. The case of [1971] 2 QB 711 court has held as the secretory had apparent authority to act on behalf of the company so the company is liable against the made commitment. Application, As Shmo was acting on behalf of all parties carrying the business cards and wearing the tie with company logo he was having apparent authority to act on behalf of the firm even though the partners agreed to certain level of investment it doesn’t concern the second parties and the made commitments. The rules of Law which needed to be considered in this case is section 16 of Western Australian low â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners.† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA. The case is very similar to The case of â€Å"Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] (2 QB 711) which the secretory hired a luxury car for personal use and court held that the company is liable to pay for the rented car as the secretory had apparent authority using company facilities and previous experiences. Conclusion, Due to the apparent authority law â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA. And the case of â€Å"Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] (2 QB 711 The Money Doctor has to pay for Shimo commitments as he had the apparent authority against to supplier and ordered consignment regardless of even Shmu has act over the internal agreement within the partners. Question three, IRAC, Issues, What are the firm responsibilities as Financial Advisory firm? Is the firm as Financial Advisory has the right to act and to accept money from the clients and transfer the fund? Is the established relationship between Mrs. McTavish and Shmu is based on firm responsibilities and authorities or just been made in time due to personal relationship and successful experiences. Whether if Mrs. McTavish knows Moe is involved with the SLO? Is there any evidence to prove how the transaction took place? Cash or bank to bank. As the SLO has no bank account why McTavish should trust to transfer such amount of money to unknown account? If McTavish gave the money to Moe in cash whether she knows Moe is acting beyond his apparent and actual authority? Rules of law, There are different factors to be considered in this case, As a Financial advisor Money Doctors should not accept cash and additional to that Moe had breach the contract and abused McTavish trust for the sake of personal ambitions. Therefore in this case below rules of law has to be considered, Where any money or property of a third person is received by one partner, acting within the scope of his real or apparent authority in the partnership affairs, and is misapplied by that partner, and where any money or property of a third person, being as such in the custody of the firm, is misapplied by any partner, the firm shall be liable to make good the loss. (Partnership Act 1895) [Section 18.1] WA Where by any wrongful act or omission of any partner acting in the ordinary course of the business of the firm, or with the authority of his copartners, loss or injury is caused to any person not being a partner in the firm, or any penalty is incurred, the firm is liable therefor to the same extent as the partner so acting or omitting to act. (Partnership Act 1895) [Section17.1] WA Application, According to Western Australia, Partnership Act law 1895, and Section17/1 if money or property is received by a partner in the scope of the real or apparent authority and misapplied the firm is liable to make good the loss. And Section 18/1if by any wrongful act or omission of any partner acting in the ordinary course of the business of the firm, or with the authority of his copartners, loss or injury is caused to any person not being a partner in the firm, or any penalty is incurred, the firm is liable. In this case partners were agreed to establish a financial advisory service to the clients and in the case of Mrs. McTavish she was allowing the Shmu to make the transactions on her behalf which is outside the authority of Financial Advisor. Based on the made trust Mrs. McTavish decided to act the same with Moe which no level of trust been made with Moe and Mrs. McTavish therefore more information is required to make sure if Mrs. McTavish knew Moe is acting beyond his authority otherwise the rules of law (Partnership Act 1895) [S18.A] WA is applicable. Based on Agency law â€Å"If agent acts outside his/her actual and apparent authority s/he may be liable to both TP and PR† According on the given information the SLO company has no bank account therefore there is no way for Mrs. McTavish to transfer the money to bank account so the only possible way is for Moe to take the cash by himself and  transfer the money to another account. There are not enough information and evidences if Mrs. McTavish knew Moe is acting beyond his authority to refer the case to agency law as laws of Agency Law and Partnership Law can be applied in both fields. Therefore based on the actual given information and Partnership law â€Å"Partnership Act 1895) [Section 18.A] WA† and Partnership Act 1895 [Section17.1] WA is applicable. Conclusion, If there were enough evidences that Mrs. McTavish did not know that Moe is acting beyond the actual or apparent authority Moe solely would be liable to Mrs. McTavish as accepting money for the transaction was out of his apparent and actual authority but there are not enough evidences therefore the firm is liable to Mrs. McTavish according to abve mentioned rules of law. References, Partnership Law (WA) : Australasian Legal Information Institute http://www.austlii.com PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/ The case of Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] 2 QB 711 PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 16 16 . Liability of partners http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s16.html (Partnership Act 1895) [Section17.1] WA PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 17 17 . Liability of firm for wrongs http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s17.html PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 18 18 . Misapplication of money or property http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s18.html

Decency And The Sex Slave Trade Essay

The frequent cry which is heard from varying audiences all over the nation gives good reason for deep concern. What ever happened to decent entertainment and viewing for individuals, families and friends? Constitutional indifference is cited as one of the main problems as increasingly, it is becoming a grey area in the aspect of decency. Ultimately, it cannot be the lack of specificity in the constitution that should be blamed. As a whole, the broadcasting industry has a major moral and social responsibility to play. Working in hand with the law makers, it would be in the best interest of the nation to have more constitutional precision when it comes to defining levels of decency acceptability especially in the best interest of the younger generation. These are the future of this country. Comment 2 It is all well and good to be having debates and news stories capturing the sordid activities perpetuated by sex slave traders who reap benefits from such a terrible occupation. The reality of the matter is down to how practical measures have been put in place to combat the negative impression created by those industries that thrive on the weaknesses and degradation of women majorly and families of gamers. For one thing, promising a better lifestyle for women from minority backgrounds globally through sex slavery is inhumane and utterly despicable. The Gaming Commission has a lot to offer through the application of stringent policies to resorts and gaming places, in the forms of casinos et al, in order to limit the negative portrayal of the entertainment which it offers – indecent and highly degrading. With the increase in popularity of the gaming industry, the advertising and publicity which it currently fosters will only lead to higher rates of crime and vice stemmed in drug, alcohol and sexually-related perversion. Las Vegas for instance will only experience rises in discrimination against women, sexually-related abuse cases, higher divorce rates amongst other similar vices. Advertising is a powerful weapon of molding culture and attitudes in society either for good or for bad. The time is now to maximize its positive influence in this generation. References Goldman, A. (2008, January 31). Bewildered, academics pore over sex-trade  hysteria: They try to figure out how they got  steamrolled. Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/31/bewildered-academics-pore-over-sex-trade-hysteria/

Big Skinny

In 2010, Big Skinny CEO Kiril Alexandrov was looking to transcend from retail distribution and print advertising to the world of online marketing to achieve maximum growth. The retail sales pitch was an easy one, as Alexandrov focused on the value of the wallet and the impulsiveness of consumers (Benjamin & Kominers, 2012). Unfortunately, translating this type of sales pitch was much harder to do in the world of cyberspace. Big Skinny centered their online marketing efforts around display Ads, keyword searches, social media and relationships with online distributors and deep discounted sites such as Amazon and Groupon respectively.The expansion caused much hardship, as Big Skinny received negative feedback on the review website Yelp that stemmed from their Groupon experiment. They also faced a glitch in their online promotion that allowed 4,000 people to order free wallets from their online store. Big Skinny needs to refocus their online marketing strategy by getting rid of display A ds, refining keyword searches and severing ties with deep discounted sites. Big Skinny can create value for their product and manage their orders better by being more selective with who distributes their product and by keeping the price steady.A more seasonal approach surrounding keyword searches can create new revenue from those who are looking to make quick and impulsive purchases. Lastly, by being responsible for who distributes their products, Big Skinny can deliver their product in prompt and timely manner, which will resolve the majority of customer complaints against Big Skinny. Problem Statement Despite successful in-person sales campaigns, Big Skinny struggled to find an effective online marketing platform that would grow and connect them to their consumer base.Big Skinny also ran into glitches with their current online marketing campaigns that brought unwanted negative attention and resentment towards the company. Data Analysis When Big Skinny transcended into the world of online marketing, it had to develop a way to attract visitors to the website while attempting to convince these visitors to buy wallets. Since most of their wallets were being sold at trade shows or retail stores that centered on a straight-forward approach regarding impulse and value, the translation of this strategy to the internet proved to be a tall task.Big Skinny looked at various means of advertising such as display ads, algorithmic search, sponsored search, A/B Testing and social media. Display ads offered a two-frame animation; however, the click-through rate of general display ads in 2009 was only . 1% (Bejamin & Kominers, 2012). Algorithmic searches use algorithms that the search engine deems most relevant to the user’s query. The websites that most resemble the query appear the highest on the search engine’s list. Sponsored searches use keywords that the advertisers specify that they want to target.These are mostly sold on a â€Å"per-click† basis; however the company loses money if the clicks aren’t converted into sales. A/B testing is a marketing technique that shows different advertisements to different users to compare the response rates between the two. Lastly, social media utilizes websites such as Facebook and Twitter to try and create an interactive relationship with consumers. Alternatives 1. Big Skinny could eliminate their means of online distribution and paid online marketing, only utilizing social media and their website to conduct advertising and business transactions. 2.Big Skinny could be more selective in their selection of online distribution, while tailoring their paid sponsored searches to generate interest and sales. 3. Big Skinny could scrap their online marketing plans, with the exception of social media, and reallot their advertising money strictly on deep discounted sites like Groupon and Living Social. 4. Big Skinny could focus their efforts on expanding in more brick and mortar retail stores b y target marketing towards different demographics. They could use traditional media such as TV and radio to drive these efforts. Key Decision Criteria 1.Increase customer satisfaction and corporate image 2. Increase sales and market share 3. Improve (or at least maintain) profitability 4. Ease or speed of implantation 5. Be consistent with corporate mission or strategy 6. Within our present resources or capabilities 7. Within acceptable risk parameters 8. Minimize environmental impact 9. Maintain and build employee morale and pride Alternatives Analysis 1. By limiting their online marketing to free social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook, Big Skinny can greatly reduce their marketing costs. With display advertisements only getting clicked through .1% of the time the money is essentially thrown away. Investing in A/B testing requires the hiring of a permanent person and huge overhead. Getting rid of online distributors allows Big Skinny to eliminate the 7-15% commission they p ay to Amazon and eBay while being able to manage their order load. Social Media is more than enough because 71% of social media participants say they are more likely to purchase from a brand they follow online. 91% of local searchers say they use Facebook to find local businesses online (Bennett, 2013). The cons of this are that they are missing out on a lot of potential customers by eliminating Amazon and eBay.While online paid marketing can be expensive, there is still benefit to sponsored searches. Some of the cost per conversions are profitable and by completely eliminating these searches would be throwing away potential opportunities. 2. The pros of Big Skinny being more selective with their online distributors allows for a happy customer base. There have been several negative reviews on the Yelp site regarding slow delivery and non-existent customer service. By eliminating deep discounting sites such as Groupon, Big Skinny can manage their order load and keep customers happy.B ig Skinny would also keep the revenue from the top paid sponsored searches rather than eliminating them all together. The negatives of this are that Big Skinny could miss out on a lot of revenue by not using Groupon or Living Social. They could also miss out on the repeat customers that are generated by these sites as well as missing out on the people who want to try their product without having to pay full price. 3. Instead of eliminating sites like Groupon and Living Social, Big Skinny could embrace the huge influx of customers that it brings.According to the customer satisfaction and analytics company ForeSee, 91% of customers have already or plan to conduct business with the merchant since buying the deal (Bedigian, 2013). This strategy generates a large influx of customers in a short time while attempting to generate residual income by repeat customers. The cons of this are that company’s often lose money during the initial Groupon. The product is discounted by 50% or mo re and then Groupon takes a 50% commission on the sale price, which leaves the seller receiving only 25%of the original selling price of the item (which in some cases is less than the cost of the item). Forbes has found that 1/3rd of businesses have lost money on a Groupon deal and there is no guarantee that the customers ever return to pay full price from the merchant again (Gleeson, 2012). 4. The pros of using a more traditional advertising medium such as TV or radio would bring brand recognition for Big Skinny. Big Skinny has always had success selling in retail stores because they market their products based on value and impulse.By putting the product in more retail stores, there is a greater chance people will put it in their hands and buy on impulse. Instead of targeting just one big audience, Big Skinny should advertise by target market such as Big Skinny Sport or Big Skinny Women. By doing this they could partner with big retail chains to get into more stores and generate mo re revenue the old fashioned way. The average time an American spends watching TV is 5 hours compared to just 1 hour browsing the internet, which leads for greater exposure.The cons of doing this are that TV advertising is much more expensive than online marketing (Nielsen, 1997). Another con is Tivo allows people to record their favorite shows and then fast-forward past the commercials. The last con is that TV advertising seems to be a thing of the past, as the amount spent on TV advertising was only up 4. 5% in 2011 as compared to 21. 7% via online marketing (Gleeson, 2012). Recommendations Based on the data, it is best for Big Skinny to be more selective of their online distribution, while tailoring their paid sponsored searches to generate interest and sales.In regards to online distribution, Big Skinny should keep eBay and Amazon, however, should drop deep-discount sites such as Groupon or Living Social. To offer a Groupon deal, Big Skinny is guaranteed to be taking a loss. To be eligible to offer a Groupon, Big Skinny must discount the price of their wallet by at least 50%. This turns a $20 wallet into a $10 wallet. Groupon takes a commission of 50% on the sale price, which leaves Big Skinny walking away with only $5 for every wallet sold (Bice, 2012). Essentially, they are taking a loss with every wallet they sell on Groupon.The goal of a Groupon is to try and get repeat customers; however, the people that use Groupon are bargain-hunters. They won’t return to Big Skinny, but rather, they will return to Groupon again looking for another bargain deal. By using Groupon, Big Skinny also decreases the value of their brand (Gibbard, 2011). Why would a customer pay full price for a $40 wallet when they just bought it on Groupon for $15 or $20 just a short time ago? In addition to dropping Groupon, Big Skinny needs to manage their online distribution better because of customer satisfaction issues.On the review site Yelp, Big Skinny’s wallets are o nly receiving a rating of 2. 5 out of 5 stars. A lot of the reviews include gripes about not receiving their order for 3-4 weeks or non-existent customer service (most of the negative reviews are from users who bought a Big Skinny wallet on Groupon). If the online distributor doesn’t ship your product in a timely manner, your company risks a tarnished reputation. Whether Big Skinny didn’t have enough stock to fulfill orders or whether Groupon didn’t ship the products in a timely manner, Big Skinny is taking the fall and abuse from customers.When people do research for a product they are going to see Big Skinny’s products with poor ratings. These poor ratings can scare potential customers away. Big Skinny should only use Amazon, eBay and their website to sell their wallets. This allows them to manage their inventory, not get behind on orders and make sure their product gets shipped in a timely manner. Big Skinny has excellent Amazon ratings and should cont inue to grow their product through the sterling reputation of Amazon. They should sell the product for a higher price on their website so that people are encouraged to buy through Amazon.This is a win-win for Big Skinny because if people buy through Amazon then Big Skinny doesn’t have to waste time and effort fulfilling and shipping orders. If they choose to buy direct than Big Skinny receives a larger profit on their wallets. Lastly, Big Skinny needs to tailor their sponsored keyword searches. They need to eliminate the term â€Å"leather wallet. † They don’t manufacture a true leather wallet and the cost per conversion for this keyword is a sky-high $20. 26. Big Skinny should also bid less for the term â€Å"thinnest wallet. † The cost per conversion for â€Å"thinnest wallet† also has a high cost, which is $10.53.After replacing leather wallet and lowering the bid for thinnest wallet, Big Skinny should add keywords centered on holidays. Wallets are popular gifts on occasions such as Father’s Day and Christmas. Big Skinny should add season keywords such as â€Å"Father’s Day Wallet,† â€Å"Wallet for Dad,† â€Å"Best Wallet for Gift† and â€Å"Wallet for Christmas. † This will bring seasonal shoppers into the mix who are looking to spend quickly and impulsively. Action and Implementation Plan CEO Kiril Alexandrov will be responsible for delegating the following tasks.The Director of Marketing will pull any promotions or future plans with deep discounted sites such as Groupon or Living Social. The Director of Marketing in combination with the Director of Product Management will reach out to all of those who left negative reviews on Yelp to satisfy the customer complaints and retract the negative ratings. The Director of Sales will carefully select the online distribution channels which Big Skinny will sell through. Big Skinny will only sell through Amazon, eBay and any online outlets of the retail stores that they are currently featured in.The Director of Sales will also raise the prices of wallets on the Big Skinny Website by 10-15% to create value for the product and promote customers to purchase through the select online distribution. Doing this saves Big Skinny the time it would take to fulfill and pack orders, however, if a customer decides to purchase direct, then Big Skinny recoups the 10-15% it would pay Amazon or eBay to sell and fulfill the order. This new price point will be conveyed in a message from the Director of Sales to Big Skinny’s distribution channel.

Evidence based practice in antenatal Essay

INTRODUCTION In this globalization world, the nursing career had become more challenges and competence. IOM Report (2003) title â€Å"Health Professions Education; A Bridge to Quality† have recommended evidence based practice (EBP) as one of the integration of core set competencies into health professions education. Now days, EBP is the most popular topic to be talk and written about in nursing, nationally and internationally. Hitherto, nurses at times don’t understand what is EBP and some nurses are even called it buzzword. The latter couldn’t be further from truth. EBP is here to stay and nurses must understand it. Sacket et al (2000) described EBP as the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patients values. Evidence base practice is the application of the best available empirical evidence, including recent research findings, to clinical practice in order to aid clinical decision making evidence based practice is based on the notion of rational decision making. Higgs and Jones (2000) have purposed that evidence in evidence-based practice should be considered to be knowledge derived from a variety of source that has been subjected to testing and has found to be credible. Here the nurse selects all research that has been done in area. These research results are analyzed together, synthesized, coming up with a through integrate review. Then, the research put into the context of clinical expertise and the value system of the patient, and particular protocols or best practices are developed. In this paper, the important of EBP will be explored in relation to antenatal clinic. The objective of the study is to assess the effect on obstetric practice and pregnancy outcome of routine late pregnancy ultrasound define as greater than 24 weeks gestation, in women with either unselected or low risk pregnancy .The Australasian Genetics Resource Book (2007) highlighted ultrasound is the use of high frequency sound waves to make an image. In pregnancy, an ultrasound gives a picture of the developing baby in the uterus (womb). It is regularly considered part of the routine care for all  pregnant women. The ultrasound is used as both a screening and a diagnostic test either give an indication that the baby is at an increased risk of a problem (a screening test), or it can detect a definite problem in the baby’s physical development for example, in the heart or the kidneys (a diagnostic test). Mostly, a mother will question the nursing staffs working at the antenatal clinic regarding the ultrasound screening whether the process is safety of their unborn baby and themselves. In the rural area of Malaysia, most of the antenatal clinics have no facility such as ultrasound machine. As a result, the pregnant women with medically indicated and get referral letter from medical officer or midwife have to go to government hospital in the city to have an ultrasound. In difference, the private hospital performed routine ultrasound screening for pregnant women in their late pregnancy. The selected evidence are cited by Bricker L and Neilson J (2000) ; Routine ultrasound in late pregnancy ( after 24 weeks gestation) track down from Cochrane Library. Cochrane Database of Systemic Review , 2007, issues 1,published by John Wiley and Sons,Ltd. This research is done by qualified person because one of two reviewers was Dr Leanne Bricker who was the consultant in fetal and maternal medicine of Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. It could be argue that the reviewer is eligible to do this research and this made the research the more reliable. WHO Statistic (1999) mentioned that annually 585 000 women die of pregnancy related complications. It is 99% in developing countries and 1% in developed countries. So, we can summarize that every minute one women dies from a pregnancy related complication. In Malaysia, high rate of prenatal and maternal morbidity and mortality continue to be a major problem in the country. A crucial factor of good obstetrics is the provision of adequate care during the antenatal period. Antenatal care was first introduced to medicine in the first decade of this century. Hence, there no qualm that it has a brought gigantic benefit to women and their children. The main purpose of antenatal care is to ensure an uncomplicated for the mother and the safe delivery of a life and healthy infant. At present, modern technology and  information technology have beyond more complicated. The equipment such as the ultrasound machine also was greatly up to date. The users of ultrasound as one of the obstetrician a rmamentarium have been part of the cause to improved antenatal and intra partum care. An ultrasound scan uses high frequency sound waves in very short pulses. These travel from a transducer, which rests on your skin, and are reflected off different tissues inside you and then received back at the transducer. The transducer passes the signal into a computer that displays an image of your insides on a screen. Usually this image represents a thin 2 dimensional slice of your anatomy. The operator moves the transducer around to get the best views to help diagnosis, whilst watching on the screen for anything abnormal. They will record several images or short video clips to illustrate the scan and these are kept in a computer database that is part of your patient record. The operator will use a small amount of gel on your skin to ensure the transducer contacts your skin effectively. Routine ultrasound can be used in late pregnancy to detect problems which may not otherwise be apparent, such as abnormalities in the placenta in the fluid surrounding the baby, or in the baby’s growth. The process of evidence base practice involved critical appraisal as one of the step. Hill & Spittlehouse (2001) defined critical appraisal as the process of systematically examining research evidence to access its validity, results and relevance before using it to inform a decision. Ahead of implementation of critical appraisal it is essential to understand research process principal and being able to recognize a well conceived designed of conducted study. The Critical Appraisal Skills provide us what is the best evidence in order to understand the methods and result of research besides to access the quality of the research. Oxman et al 1994, mentioned that the piece of evidence will be critically appraise for it validity and quality using and appraisal tool named, Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). The word research means to search again and examine carefully, more specifically, research is a diligent, systematic inquiry or study that validate and refines existing knowledge and develop new knowledge. In fact,  research is determined, hand on, received, understand and accepted by nurse practitioner only, (Brown 1999). Furthermore, the ultimate goal of research is the development of a research body of knowledge for a discipline or profession like nursing. Joppe (2000) highlighted that the reliability of result is the key questions in a research. Brown ,1999;Melnyk & Fineout- Overholt;2005 stated that evidence based practice is the conscientious integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values and need in the delivery of high quality , cost – effective health care. In this research, the reviewer has made the research more reliable by provided data of all research finding plus a clear precise description of the research methodology. BODY This title of the research clearly indicates the focus of the study. Above and beyond, the abstract includes the study problem, objectives, search strategy, selected criteria, data collection and analysis, significant result and implications of the findings for nursing practice. This research is significance to read because all relevant information is presented in a way that captures the attention of the reader. Crosby (1990) point out that a well-written abstract gives readers a good idea of what the study is about, how it was conducted and the findings or recommendations by the author. It is being stated clearly that, the reviewers drew on the search strategy developed for the pregnancy and childbirth as a whole. Relevant of trial were identified in the groups specialized registered of control test. The pilot reviewer assessed trial quality and abstract data under supervision of co-reviewer. Moreover, the trial were not assess blinded as the reviewer have the information about the author identification, source of publication and result when making inclusion criteria. In fact, regarding the disagreement and insufficient data, the reviewer contacted the author personally above and beyond search in all relevant studies in published and unpublished studies. The publication prejudice is less because all of the studies were in English. The neonatal upshot measures of the research also  seek advice from professor of perinatal medicine. By the way, any debarred trial was undoubtedly given a reasonable accused and all the information of follow up was stated in the references. The participants included all women in late pregnancy (after 24 weeks gestation) in both unselected population and the sample size of the trial wide-ranging. The type of intervention used was routine ultrasound examine in late pregnancy (after 24 weeks gestation) to assess one/some/all of the conclusion measure on fetal size; amniotic fluid volumes; placental grading; fetal structural anatomy; fetal presentation. In relation to Crombie (1996), when choosing a study design, many factors must be taken into account because different types of studies are subject to different types of bias. It claimed that in this study there is no mention about consent and participants were kept in murkiness about the study. Almost certainly, it is great to mull over in the ethical aspect. It could be quarrel that the participants have been treated purely as a source of data. Theoretically, the ethical considerations in all research are the same; the safety and protection of human rights. These rights are mainly could be achieved by informed consent. While no inform consent was taken even so confidentially has maintained. On no account mention any involvement of ethical committee it is a poor steps as explaining the study design is the core of understanding the methodology. Olsen (2003) put in plain words that they are three elements of ethical research to firmly practice. In this review, all results were presented clearly and were similar from study to study. The reviewers have assessed the quality of each study and include all RCTs of routine ultrasound in late pregnancy after (24 weeks) in the research. Quasi-randomized trials were regard as for inclusion due to scarcity of RCTs. The study was good in view of the fact that the limitations of the research and the reason for any variation in the result were discussed in particular by reviewers. The ultrasound selection were differed among trials; some offering routine scans to all participant earlier in the pregnancy (before 24 weeks gestation), some offering no routine scan at anytime in pregnancy to the control group and some offering scan at all stages of the trial, but only revealing results of late  pregnancy ultrasound (after 24 weeks gestation) for the study group. Furthermore, the rationale for routine ultrasound scan after 24 weeks gestation differed among trials as it is difficult to assess the effect of scan before 24 weeks gestation on the outcome measures. Although the reviewers has point out that the most effective approach to assess the cause of routine late pregnancy ultrasound would be trials where the intervention in late pregnancy ultrasound alone, but this is not such trials exist. However, the reviewers also have reported on the predictable finding in this study. In the Perth 1993, they were significantly higher intrauterine growth restriction on the Serial ultrasound and Droppler examination group. Even, the author states that it may have a chance finding, it is possible that frequent exposure to ultrasound may have influence fetal growth. On the other hand, none of the addressed long term neurodevelopment results. Exposure of the expectant mother to uncertainty and possible anxiety about the health of her baby has implication of which may be far reaching. The reviewers also have identified the future research on the maternal psychological outcome and long term neurodevelopment outcome. From the time when, it is not mention what type of ultrasound machine was used and which group of personal is performing the procedure. Sometimes this could probably introduce preconceived notion to the results. In some situation, the ending measured effect the result because the quality of ultrasound imaging is not reach the standard regarding the technical capabilities of the ultrasound equipment and also on the skills or expertise of operators. METHODOLOGY There are two type of research method; quantitative research method and qualitative research method. The quantitative research method defined by Burn and Grove (2005), is conducted to test theory by describing variables, examining relationship among variables and determining cause – and – effect interactions between variable. It is a formal, objective, systematic process using numerical data to obtain information about the world. In addition, quantitative method is research method dealing with number and anything that  is measurable agreed by (Smith, 1988) that quantitative research involves counting and measuring of events and performing the statistical analysis of a body of numerical data. Counting and measuring are ordinary structure of the method. More often than not, the outcome or result of the study is presented in tables, graphs or other form of statistic because it is a kind of number or a series of numbers. If truth be told, the quantitative analysis endow with result that is more reliable for statistical approaches. The main concerns of the quantitative paradigm are that measurement is reliable, valid, and generalize in its clear prediction of cause and effect (Cassell & Symon, 1994). The strengths of the quantitative method are it stating the research problem in very specific and set terms as stated by (Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias, 1992). It also clearly and precisely specifies both the independent and the dependent variables under investigation. As well, quantitative method include following firmly the original set of research goals, arriving at more objective conclusions, testing hypothesis, determining the issues of causality. In view of (Balsley, 1970) it’s help achieving high levels of reliability of gathered data due to controlled observations, laboratory experiments, mass surveys, or other form of research manipulations. To boot, this method are also allowing for longitudinal measures of subsequent performance of research subjects. Kealey & Protheroe (1996) indicated that quantitative method rally round eliminating or minimizing subjectivity of judgment. Despite the fact, the weaknesses of the quantitative method are failure to provide the researcher with information on the context of the situation where the studied phenomenon occurs and inability to control the environment where the respondents provide the answers to the questions in the survey. Limited outcomes to only those outlined in the original research proposal due to closed type questions and the structured format. More to the point, not encouraging the evolving and continuous investigation of a research phenomenon are the disadvantages of using quantitative approach. According to Munhall (2001) the qualitative research method is a systematic,  subjective approach used to described life experiences and situation and to give them meaning. The knowledge generated the qualitative research will provide meaning and understand of specific emotions, values and life experiences. As said by Morgan (1980), the qualitative research shares the theoretical assumptions of the interpretative paradigm, which is based on the notion that social reality is created and sustained through the subjective experience of people involved in communication. Some researcher using qualitative method are concerned in their research with attempting to accurately describe, decode, and interpret the meanings of phenomena occurring in their normal social contexts as declared by Fryer (1991). In view of that, qualitative approach in general is more likely to take place in a natural setting acknowledged by Denzin, 1971; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Marshall & Rossman, 1989. The strengths of the qualitative method as declared by Bogdan & Taylor, 1975; Patton, 1980, it provide a holistic view of the phenomena under investigation. Furthermore, qualitative method is the process of obtaining a more realistic feel of the world that cannot be experienced in the numerical data and statistical analysis used in quantitative research. It also provides the flexible ways to perform data collection, subsequent analysis, and interpretation of collected information. Kirk & Miller, 1986 writes that it gives the ability to interact with the research subjects in their own language and on their own terms. Summarizing, the qualitative approach present descriptive capability based on primary and unstructured data However, the qualitative method coming up with some weaknesses of as point out by Cassell & Symon (1994) that it departing from the original objectives of the research in response to the changing nature of the context. In that case it also arriving to different conclusions based on the same information depending on the personal characteristics of the researcher. The inability to investigate causality between different research phenomena and difficulty in explaining the difference in the quality and quantity of information obtained from different respondents and arriving at different, non-consistent conclusions appeared as the disadvantage of qualitative method. It follows requiring a high level of experience from the researcher  to obtain the targeted information from the respondent. Lastly, it also contributes lacking consistency and reliability because the researcher can employ different probing techniques and the respondent can choose to tell some particular stories and ignore others. In spite of that, the quantitative research method is used in this research. Seven eligible Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were participated in this survey. The methodology mostly could be summarized as quality and the reporting of reports were good. Yet, the Glasgow 1984 (UK) study was ‘quasi randomized’ with allocation according to the hospitals number and this had probable to engender bias. On the other hand, RCTs for evaluating the effect of intervention in this study, is used even though it is less in effect in answering questions about patient’s personal experience, attitude or psychological outcome. Sequentially, to explore psychological aspect of the pregnant women during the routine ultrasound screening, it could be squabble that it will be more apt to include qualitative research in this study. Review Manager (Revman) software was used to act upon statistical analysis. Meta – analysis was used to analyze and combine the result of the studies and it is an appropriate technique of data analysis. The plus of using this type of analysis is that it increases the sample size so that if the significant differences exist they are more likely to be demonstrated. Sacket (1996) mentioned that evidences from systematic review and Meta – analysis has taken the top place of the hierarchy because it provides misleading about the effect of intervention. In this research, quantitative and qualitative approaches were bringing into being be a foil for each other while the scantiness of each were essentially counterbalance. Conversely, it also point out the time and cost implications, from the time when the volume of data produced was enormous and an tremendously extensive knowledge foot was vital to analyze it. Seeing as the â€Å"method† section is a strength of the study. In this study, the sample size was large (25 036 women) and included variety of subjects. This heterogeneity of the subject has increases the generalizability of the findings as agreed by Burns & Groove (2005). The sampling method, sampling  criteria, and sample characteristics are clearly presented. The study could be considered as ethical because it was approval for conduct by an institutional review board but in state of affairs unethical because no informed consent was obtained from the object or sampling. RESULT In this research seven trial comprising 25,036 women were included ( Alesund 1999 ); Glasgow 1984; Perth 1993; new Zealand 1993;Trondheim 1984;Peterborough 1987 ; Radius 1993) . The attribute of the incorporated test on the whole was acceptable as assess by reviewers. There was no difference in antenatal, obstetric and neonatal intervention or morbidity in screened versus control group. From the result of the studies, routine ultrasound in late pregnancy was not associated with improvement in overall perinatal mortality. However, placental grading as an adjunct to third trimester examination scan was associated with a significant reduction in the stillbirth rate in the one trial that assessed it. There was no data on maternal psychological effect. Data with regard to long term substantive outcome in fetal neurodevelopment is lacking. IMPLICATIONS The study originated that there is thus far no evidence that routine ultrasound improves outcome or increase interventions. The fact, ultrasound could be used in late pregnancy to find the cause of compilation such as bleeding. In some situation, ultrasound screening in late pregnancy appears to be useful in placental grading. In some country, screening all pregnant women for possible problem late in pregnancy is controversial. The ultrasound is seen not demonstrated fetal harm if we use properly followed proper procedure. For the long term side effect, the users of repeated ultrasound are still not fully known regarding the exposure of the fetus. Some problems occur with such screening are increasing major intervention without benefit like caesarian section. Till now, there is no specific epidemiological evidence that ultrasound screening during pregnancy is harmful but no fact conclusion has been reached from available data, for  that reason continue awareness is necessary. In sp ite of that, the policy practice in the antenatal care needs a changeable. So, it is highly recommended that routine ultrasound in late pregnancy only be done for high risk mother such as mother with placental previa. RECOMMENDATIONS In fact, further studies on maternal physiological outcomes and long term neurodevelopment outcome for the fetus is essential to be carried out. In addition, the level of performance of technical operator and equipment should be sporadically audited and governed by a dogmatic body to prevent the mother and unborn child. In our day, nursing care is grant access to be root on the modern best evidence, interventions will be more useful and will effect in superior patient outcomes. So, nurses are motivated to learn how to group and interpret data to implement in their practice on the best evidence available. Evidence based practiced (EBP) has grows to be a critical concept for ethical liable in professionals nursing practice. As said by Mckenna et al (2004), negative beliefs, Krishbaum et al (2004), attitudes and value (Pravikoff et al 2005) have been shown to be powerful barrier to EBP. In order to overcome barriers in EBP, strategies are needed to recover such as awareness, knowledge and skills in evaluating evidences. It is also importance to have administrative support by providing access to EBP or research mentor in practice arena. As indicated by Avis (2006), the Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) are remains one of the best means to make your mind up whether one form of care is better than another. Since RCTs is purely and evaluation technique, the consequence of knowledge cannot be condense to the application of procedure to fabricate evidence. Besides, understand the result as well as the limitation of relevant research study, it also need an awareness of the background theories which influenced particular research studies. CONCLUSION In my view, this research is simply good because it provide complete information include literature review, sampling method, sampling size and etc. Basically the methodology was performed clearly and the result was presented well. All the statistical tools used were shown and the barrier exist were explained particularly. It is the most swollen with pride that the study had achieved the objectives and was helpful in development of nursing practice.